Top Five – Manny Pacquiao Retires
What were the top stories last week?
We took last week off because we were in Dallas at WrestleMania.
If you missed our posts chronicling the weekend, you can check them out here, here, and here. Draven and I recorded a podcast about the entire weekend.
We also wanted to send our condolences to the Windham family after the passing of Blackjack Mulligan. Dave Meltzer and Mike Mooneyham have stories on him.
Let’s get to the stories that didn’t quite make the top five.
Pro Wrestling
– At WaleMania it was learned that MVP was joining Lucha Underground. Well, not anymore.
This Episode of the VIP Lounge podcast I discuss, in detail, my reason for termination from Lucha Underground.
https://t.co/PYwmy9uSrc— MVP (@The305MVP) April 11, 2016
– The supposed highest rated Raw of the year wasn’t so highly rated.
MMA
– Frank Mir failed a USADA drug test and claims that it may have been the kangaroo meat that he ate.
– Todd Martin discusses interim titles.
– Dada 5000 talks about his issues during the Kimbo fight.
– Tony Ferguson is out of his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
– The next TUF will feature a flyweight tournament of outsiders for a title shot.
– Yoel Romero’s suspension was reduced.
Boxing
– Anthony Joshua made quick work of Charles Martin on Saturday.
New Heavyweight Champ @anthonyfjoshua put his where his mouth is against @stprincecharles tonight. #MartinJoshua pic.twitter.com/GdqokMrztq
— SHOWTIME SPORTS (@SHOsports) April 10, 2016
– Brandon Rios was approached to fight Miguel Cotto, but turned it down.
– Did Adrien Broner’s legal trouble and bad publicity help him draw more viewers on Spike TV?
– A rematch between Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko has been signed for July 9.
And now, the top five…
5. Rampage headlines Bellator: Dynamite 2.
Bellator announced the main event for their second Dynamite 2 card, which will be a mix of kickboxing and MMA like the original Dynamite card.
Rampage will face Satoshi Ishii, who recently fought for Rizing FF.
4. UFC adds two big women’s fights to UFC 200.
There was a bit of confusion when it came to announcing both of the women’s fights that were added to UFC 200. In the title fight, Miesha Tate is facing Amanda Nunes. Holly Holm’s team said that they were told Miesha chose Nunes over Holm. Tate’s team disagreed.
Alex Goff and I discussed how short-sighted Miesha fighting Nunes really is.
Cat Zingano is facing Julianna Pena as well on the card. Originally, it was rumored that Cat was facing Cyborg. But instead, that honor went to Leslie Ann Smith. We were told there was something else brewing for Cat, and facing Pena is just that.
3. Tetsuya Naito wins the IWGP title.
At Invasion Attack this weekend, Naito beat Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP title, ending a 10 month run for Okada, who won the strap from AJ Styles at Dominion 7.5.
DESTINO!! NEW CHAMPION!! #NJPW #njattack pic.twitter.com/HLkddVLTEq
— LARIATOOOOO!!! (@SenorLARIATO) April 10, 2016
Also on the show, Will Ospreay debuted, losing to Kuchida for the IWGP Jr. title.
KUSHIDA catches Will in an armbar!! #NJPW #njattack pic.twitter.com/NTF0jelACX
— LARIATOOOOO!!! (@SenorLARIATO) April 10, 2016
2. WWE stock price decreases after subscriber number is released.
Free WrestleMania didn’t quite work out for the WWE Network; at least for this quarter. Because whether or not WWE’s marketing of a free Mania won’t actually turn into subscriptions a month later, we don’t know what their final tally will be. With the free subscribers, WWE was touting a 1.82 million subscriber number, whie is a bit off.
The stock market wasn’t influenced positively by WWE’s touted number.
1. Manny Pacquiao retires.
Whether or not you believe him, Manny Pacquiao has retired, though left the door open to come back. He defeated Timothy Bradley by a clear unanimous decision.
Kevin Iole wrote a piece after the fight saying that Pacquiao should stay retired, but he doesn’t think he will.
See you next week.
