Various: WWE Network Hidden Gems, Wrestle Kingdom Pre-Show Teams, Indies

WWE Network Hidden Gems Addition; Monday’s AWA Christmas Nights Theme

As noted before, WWE is currently holding a 12 Days of Christmas theme for their Hidden Gems series on the WWE Network.

Monday’s addition to the WWE Network’s Hidden Gems series was AWA themed, featuring two classic events.

The first gem is from a December 25, 1981 Christmas Night event from AWA featuring an AWA World Heavyweight Championship match of Billy Robinson vs. Nick Bockwinkel (c) and a tag team match of Hulk Hogan & Tito Santana vs. Ken Patera & Bobby Duncum.

The second gem is from a December 25, 1982 Christmas Night event featuring Baron Von Raschke vs. Jacques Goulet, Ken Patera vs. Steve Olsonoski, and Rick Martel vs. Bobby Heenan.

WWE Network Hidden Gems Addition; Tuesday’s Mid-South Wrestling Christmas 1983 Theme

Tuesday’s addition to the WWE Network’s Hidden Gems series is Mid-South Wrestling themed, featuring one classic match.

This gem is from a December 25, 1983 event from MSW featuring a MSW Tag Team Championship Steel Cage match of Magnum T.A. & Mr. Wrestling II vs. Butch Reed & Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart (c).

MSW 12/25/1983 – Mid-South Christmas Night 1983

Butch Reed and Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart put the Mid-South Tag Titles on the line against Magnum T.A. and Mr. Wrestling II in a steel cage.

NJPW Reveals List of Teams for Wrestle Kingdom 13’s Pre-Show Gauntlet Match

As noted before, New Japan Pro Wrestling recently revealed the full card for next month’s Wrestle Kingdom 13 event. Unlike previous years, the pre-show will not feature a New Japan Battle Royal match and instead will feature a Gauntlet match to determine the number one contender for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.

NJPW recently announced all of the teams that will be competing in the pre-show’s Gauntlet match. The winners of this match will receive a guaranteed title shot for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship, currently held by Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, & Taiji Ishimori.

• Hirooki Goto & Best Friends (Beretta & Chuckie T)
• Minoru Suzuki & Killer Elite Squad (Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.)
• Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe, & Toru Yano
• Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, & David Finlay
• Marty Scurll, Hangman Page, & Yujiro Takahashi

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported BeIN Sports and Major League Wrestling are currently working on an upcoming documentary based on Tony Schiavone’s return to wrestling commentary since the end of WCW.

In a Wrestling History type fact, yesterday was the 18th anniversary of WCW holding their last ever Starrcade event. Starrcade 2000 took place on December 17, 2000 in Washington, DC and featured a WCW World Heavyweight Championship match of Sid Vicious vs. Scott Steiner (c).

Fight Club: PRO announced Akira Tozawa will be making an appearance for the company at their January 7th Project Tokyo event in Tokyo, Japan.