A robocall that features President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE encouraging Alabama voters to support embattled Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore is expected to go out on Sunday, two days before the state’s special election.

“I need Alabama to go vote for Roy Moore. It is so important,” Trump says in audio of the robocall obtained by ABC News.

In the call, Trump repeats many of his previous attacks on Moore’s opponent, saying Democratic candidate Doug Jones would be weak on crime, bad for the military and a “puppet” for Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Pelosi: Georgia primary ‘disgrace’ could preview an election debacle in November MORE (D-Calif.).

ADVERTISEMENT

Politico first reported that Trump would record the robocall.

“If Alabama elects liberal democrat Doug Jones, all of our progress will be stopped cold,” Trump says in the call.

“Roy Moore is the guy we need to pass our ‘Make America Great Again’ agenda,” he added.

Trump has not appeared with Moore on the campaign trial. Last week, the president issued a full endorsement for the Republican candidate, whom multiple women have accused of sexual misconduct while they were teenagers and Moore was in his 30s.

On Friday, Trump urged attendees at a rally in Pensacola, Fla., to vote for Moore.

A Real Clear Politics average of polls shows Moore with a nearly 4 point lead over Jones heading into the final days of the campaign.

Click Here: Golf special

President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE plans to aggressively campaign for Republicans in 2018 in the wake of GOP Alabama Senate candidate Roy MooreRoy Stewart MooreSessions goes after Tuberville’s coaching record in challenging him to debate The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip Sessions fires back at Trump over recusal: ‘I did my duty & you’re damn fortunate I did” MORE’s stunning loss on Tuesday, according to a new report.

The Washington Post reported that the president’s political aides have taken part in meetings with 116 candidates across the country in House, Senate and gubernatorial contests. 

The president has reportedly expressed to those around him that is looking forward to traveling and holding rallies for Republican candidates. 

ADVERTISEMENT

White House political director Bill Stepien told the Post that he has been meeting with the president on a weekly basis, in which he has discussed candidates, poll numbers and their stances on policies in relation to Trump’s.

Senior aides also told the Post that the president has expressed interest in Republican Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley’s race, as well as potential candidates such as Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) and Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R), who are both rumored to be mulling Senate bids in their respective states.

Trump’s campaign has begun the process of reaching out to the president’s supporters, sending out a  “2018 candidates” survey to his supporters to get their take on issues such as gun control and the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

News of Trump’s reported plans come days after Sen.-elect Doug Jones became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Alabama in a quarter century.

Jones’s win represented a major loss for Trump, who had thrown his support behind Moore despite numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against the Republican candidate.

Trump had gone as far as to record a robocall for Moore and urged Alabama voters at a rally in nearby Pensacola, Fla., to vote for Moore.

While Moore has yet to concede the race, Trump and the White House have signaled he should.

Click Here: camiseta rosario central

The Trump administration’s expansive offshore drilling proposal could boost Florida Sen. Bill NelsonClarence (Bill) William NelsonNASA, SpaceX and the private-public partnership that caused the flight of the Crew Dragon Lobbying world The most expensive congressional races of the last decade MORE (D) in his upcoming reelection fight.

Nelson is running for his fourth term in the swing state. His most likely rival is Gov. Rick Scott (R), though Scott hasn’t declared his candidacy.

ADVERTISEMENT

President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE won the state in 2016 by a little more than 1 percentage point, suggesting Nelson could face a tough reelection. But Trump’s proposal to open nearly all of the United States’s coasts for potential drilling hands Nelson an opportunity to highlight his decades of efforts to fight drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, adjacent to Florida’s coast.

Nelson has called the proposal to allow drilling “an assault on Florida’s economy, our national security, the will of the public and the environment.” The move to open drilling gives him the chance to potentially paint his rival as a close ally of the president who isn’t capable of standing up to Trump, at the expense of Florida’s environment.

Scott quickly and forcefully came out against drilling near Florida and promised to push his case with the administration and press “the crucial need to remove Florida from consideration.”

But in a state with more than 1,300 miles of coastline, where the perennial threat of drilling rigs produces bipartisan anger, Interior Secretary Ryan ZinkeRyan Keith ZinkeOvernight Energy: Trump officials may pursue offshore drilling after election, report says | Energy regulators to delay projects pending appeals | EPA union calls for ‘moratorium’ on reopening plans Trump administration could pursue drilling near Florida coast post-election: report Trump to make it easier for Alaska hunters to kill wolf pups and bear cubs: report MORE’s drilling plan could help Nelson hang on to his seat.

“Actions speak louder than words,” said Aliki Moncrief, executive director of Florida Conservation Voters, an affiliate of the League of Conservation Voters, which recently endorsed Nelson for reelection.

“Sen. Nelson has been taking action to defend our shores for decades. Gov. Scott is definitely Johnny-come-lately to this issue.”

Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida, said Nelson’s years of fighting offshore drilling will pay off in November.

“His positions on the issue have never changed,” she said.

Meanwhile, Scott’s main problem is likely to stem from his close ties to Trump.

Florida Republicans have consistently opposed drilling near the state, as evidenced by a flood of GOP opposition after last week’s announcement by Zinke. But that may not prove to be enough for Scott.

“When gas prices are up, people are in favor of drilling. But when they’re down, people are against it. And right now, gas prices are very low,” MacManus said. “And so this is the worst possible time for Republicans to have to face some kind of labeling as being pro-drilling in Florida.”

Florida’s sensitivity to drilling is also fueled by memories of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The explosion and 87-day spill sent oil to Florida’s shores and cost the state billions, devastating its tourism industry because of the public’s perception of the oil spill’s impact.

The Gulf of Mexico hosts the vast majority of the nation’s offshore drilling activity. But the eastern third of the Gulf has long been off limits, due both to Florida’s opposition and military activity that could conflict with drilling.

Nonetheless, the oil industry sees the eastern Gulf as its top prospect. Drillers have a good idea of the oil and gas potential there, and the infrastructure for drilling is established.

Congress has banned drilling in the eastern Gulf through 2022. Zinke’s proposal last week envisions starting auctions for drilling rights there in 2023.

Zinke stressed to reporters that he is listening to objections from Scott and others.

Click Here: cheap all stars rugby jersey

“We’re going to listen to the voices of communities, of all of the stakeholders. So I look forward to having a dialogue with Gov. Scott.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders emphasized later in the day that the administration would listen to Scott, who has met with Trump multiple times.

“Our goal certainly isn’t to cross Gov. Scott. We have a great relationship with him,” she told reporters.

Nelson has taken a leading role in fighting drilling or anything he perceives as a slippery slope toward drilling since at least the 1980s, when he was in the House.

“Sen. Nelson has always been a staunch opponent of any effort to either open up Florida’s waters to offshore drilling or to undermine regulations,” Moncrief said.

“He’s been there from the get-go, which is not true of Gov. Scott.”

Scott has promised to meet with Zinke on the matter to try to get waters near Florida out of the drilling plan.

When Zinke opened up public comments on a potential new drilling plan last year, Scott’s Department of Environmental Protection raised concerns with drilling near Florida.

“The state remains concerned about the effects of [outer continental shelf] oil and gas activities on marine and coastal environments and the sensitive biological resources and critical habitats associated with them as well as the military activities critical to the nation’s security,” the department wrote in August.

Zinke’s plan proposes drilling on Florida’s Atlantic coast as well, a prospect that is seen as less likely, though it would hit similar opposition if it proceeded.

Scott’s opponents accuse him of flip-flopping on drilling.

In 2010, when he was governor-elect, Scott seemed to support opening that area up, saying he “absolutely” disagreed with then-President Obama’s decision not to pursue any eastern Gulf drilling through 2017.

“I believe we have to become energy independent,” he said at the time, according to the Miami Herald. “Offshore drilling is an option.”

Scott spokeswoman Lauren Schenone defended his record on drilling.

“The governor has been consistently clear that he would never support anything that would harm Florida’s environment,” she said.

Mac Stipanovich, a Republican consultant in Florida, said Scott’s ties to Trump might be his main issue when it comes to drilling.

“The governor and senator elections are going to be a referendum on Donald Trump. To the extent that Floridians can be further incensed by the offshore drilling decision against Donald Trump, then it will be to Nelson’s benefit and disadvantage the governor,” Stipanovich said.

“Scott may be a little more vulnerable to it, because he has lunch or dinner with some frequency with the president,” he said. “But he’s thus far failed to move the president on this important issue.”

Stipanovich said Scott has gone out of his way to show he’s opposed to drilling, but as a governor close to Trump, he’s still going to be expected to bring results.

“Other than dousing himself in gasoline and setting himself on fire, I think he’s doing what is expected of him,” he said.

DAILY UPDATE

Latest News:

Jon Moxley vs. Chris Dickinson to headline Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport   
New head writer for WWE’s NXT UK brand   
Shawn Michaels to host Balor-O’Reilly face-to-face on WWE NXT   
Update on Mia Yim & Mercedes Martinez’s WWE RETRIBUTION names 
Deonna Purrazzo cancels GCW The Collective bookings  

Latest Audio:

WOL: Retribution names, COVID, MAX SMASHMASTER talks wrestling schools, more! 9/25
Wrestling Weekly: The Road Warriors & today’s missing element 9/25
B&V: Bryan and Vinny review AEW and NXT head-to-head! 9/24

---

WON NEWSLETTER: September 28, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Death of Road Warrior Animal

A look at the Road Warriors, the biggest drawing tag team in pro wrestling history, is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. We talk about the birth of the team, the background of Joe Laurinaitis, the early days of Hawk, Animal and Rick Rude in pro wrestling, the role of Ole Anderson and Eddy Sharkey in the story, why the Road Warriors did and didn’t work certain territories, why they rarely worked with Bruiser Brody, why they ended up in AWA, JCP, and how they wound up with WWE. We also look at their departure from WWE, Animal leaving wrestling, and their return.

Also in this issue:

COVID in WWE, AEW and CMLL, changes that were made, why AEW and WWE had a breakout in the same week, how AEW is changing its procedures, the belief of how this all started and much more.

G-1 Climax tournament, with an overview of the first shows, this week’s lineups, standings, poll results, star ratings and more covering all the first week shows.

Sports news that affects WWE’s next television deal as well as shakeups at NBCU that also do.  We look at a new WWE marketing idea, Stephanie McMahon’s stock sale, why WWE stock fell, Undertaker talks the end of his documentary, changes at NXT UK, What NXT UK talent were told at meeting this week, NXT UK Heritage Cup tournament, former WWE star talked about returning, more on the Retribution storyline, who is doing the rules and the story behind the finish of the Raw match.  We also have international ratings notes, WWE up for awards, new WWE marketing ventures, Roman Reigns talks changes in his presentation, Dwayne Johnson talks, why Kane is in the news again, WWE market value as well as a look at the most-watched shows on the WWE Network.

Saturday’s UFC show and more thoughts on Colby Covington and the line between playing bad guy wrestler and being offensive is.

WWE’s next two major shows with the cards and backgrounds.

Dragon Gate Dangerous Gate show from this past week.

Ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.

Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week. 

---

ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

---

FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE

Garrett Gonzalez and I will be doing a news show later today going over the past week. Bryan and I will have shows Saturday night after UFC and Sunday covering G-1 and WWE Clash of Champions. Variety has a very interesting story on the decline in pro wrestling interest which we’ll talk about on tonight’s show.

Conor McGregor is claiming that he wanted to fight, UFC wanted to wait until they could have fans in the buildings for him to right, he’s waited long enough and now he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao in the Middle East.

Click Here: gws giants guernsey 2019

UFC 253 takes place tomorrow from Yas Island, Abu Dhabi:

ESPN+ at 7 p.m. Eastern:

Khadia Ibragimov (206) vs,. Danilo Marques (206)
Juan Espino (255) vs. Jeff Hughes (258)
ESPN 2 and ESPN + at 8 p.m. Eastern
William Knight (205) vs. Aleksa Camur (206)
Shane Young (146) vs. Ludovit Klein (150)
Diego Sanchez (170) vs. Jake Matthews (170)
Brad Riddell (156) vs. Alex da Silva Coehlo (156)

PPV at 10 p.m.:

Hakeem Dawaoudu (145) vs.; Zubaira Tukhugov (150)
Ketlen Vieira (136) vs. Sijara Eubanks (136)
Kai Kara-France (126) vs. Brandon Royval (126)
Dominick Reyes (205) vs. Jan Blachowicz (205)
Israel Adesanya (184) vs. Paulo Costa (185)

Tukhugov and Klein both missed weight by four pounds and were fined.

Amidst a lot of controversy, CMLL’s biggest show of the year takes place at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time on Ticketmaster PPV. The problem is you can only watch it live, which rules me out since I’m taping and otherwise would have watched it tonight after the show. All matches are one fall title matches. Bandido, who was to face Volador Jr. for the welterweight title and is off due to COVID (Templario is the replacement) said he has a slight pain in his chest but otherwise was okay.

G-1 this weekend has shows on Sunday at 3 a.m. Eastern, Tuesday at 5:30 a.m., Wednesday at 5:30 a.m. and Thursday at 5:30 a.m.  Sunday from Kobe has an amazing lineup with Jeff Cobb vs. Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi vs Tomohiro Ishii, Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi and Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White.

Dwayne Johnson said he will write the introduction for Ken Shamrock’s Impact Hall of Fame ceremony. A funny story this reminds me of is when Shamrock and Johnson had just started their program, Shamrock told me that Johnson was going to be the next Bruno Sammartino.

New Japan at 10 p.m. Eastern tonight on New Japan World has the first round of their Young Lions tournament with Adrian Quest vs. Blake Christian, Clark Connors vs. Jordan Clearwater, DKC vs Logan Riegel and Danny Limelight vs. Barrett Brown.

WWE
Clash of Champions odds kind of tell you a lot about the show.  These are from www.BetOnline.ag
Drew McIntyre -120 vs. Randy Orton -120
Roman Reigns -3000 vs. Jey Uso +850
Asuka -1250 vs. Zelina Vega +525
Bayley -600 vs. Nikki Cross +350
Jeff Hardy -125 vs. Sami Zayn +150 vs. A.J. Styles +300
Bobby Lashley -950 vs. Apollo Crews +500
Andrade & Angel Garza -140 vs. Street Profits +100
Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura -300 vs. Lucha House Party +200
Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax -250 vs. Liv Morgan & Ruby Riott +170   

Smackdown tonight has a non-title match with Jeff Hardy vs. Sami Zayn, Alexa Bliss vs. Lacey Evans and Roman Reigns doing an interview. This will be notable because Smackdown numbers have increased greatly since the Thunderdome and the returns of Reigns, but last week’s show dropped significantly, so we’ll see if last week was a fluke or the new level.
NXT won the first quarter on Monday.  At 8 p.m., NXT had 1,205,000 viewers which has to do with its lead in and AEW had 791,000.
WWE and Hyundai have worked out a promotional deal with a 10-episode series with WWE stars telling stories and making appearances.
The Takeover UK Dublin show scheduled for Dublin has been moved to June 20, 2021.
The belief is that the original cause of the outbreak was a coach at the Performance Center but there was also a party where many of the names who have it were at which included both WWE and AEW talent/
A Memphis Commercial Appeal story celebrating Jerry Lawler’s 50th anniversary of his first Memphis match.
Another Lawler story.
Entertainment reporter and founder of Reel Talker Jim Alexander interviewed John “Morrison” Hennigan. John talks about his friendship with Dolph Ziggler and doing a movie together.
Ric Flair will be getting his own Adidas sneaker line. This has been in the works for some time but Flair announced it today.
UFC
Rodolfo Vieira is out with an injury and off the 10/10 show.  Dricus De Plessis will replace Vieira and face Markus Perez.  Du Plessis is a former KSW welterweight champion. 
MISCELLANEOUS
Today is the 50th birthday of Hall of Famer Aja Kong. 
Story on Road Warrior Animal. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk and Barry Werner)
A story on the Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki fight in 1976.
Kevin Eck’s weekly ROH news column.
Henry Cejudo is endorsing Donald Trump.
Donald Trump’s administration put sanctions on an Iranian court and several judges regarding the death of wrestler Navid Afkari, who was killed in spite of worldwide appeals for clemency including from Trump.
A story on Trump being like a pro wrestler in his speeches.
Wrestle Rampage runs on 10/10 at its dojo in Adelaide, Australia.
PWA’s Colosseum tournament shows in Sydney, Australia in October have been canceled.
Adrenaline Pro Wrestling in Australia announced they most likely won’t be running any shows until 2021 and will also have new management.  Sammy Guevara is the current champion with the promotion and it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to bring him in for a while (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
On the TV show “Jeopardy” on Tuesday, there was a 200 point question asking before Ronda Rousey was a UFC fighter, she was an Olympic medalist in what sport? The answer was judo and the contestant got that correct. A 400 point question was No bones about it, this UFC light heavyweight champion has a brother who plays for the Baltimore Ravens. The contestant did not get that right. (thanks to Grant Zwarych)
Expo Lucha will go viral on 10/10 on Masked Republic’s Twitch channel.
The PFL has announced a deal with Wave.tv with its content to distribute on the channel.  Wave.tv will air PFL highlights, original short form content, fighter profile pieces and more.
Synergy Pro Wrestling runs tomorrow night on FITE TV from the Monster Factory in Paulsboro, NJ at 7 p.m. Eastern.  Top matches are Brandon Kirk vs. Tony Deppen for the Synergy title, Warhorse vs Frightmare for the IWTV title, and Ace Austin vs Jodan Oliver.
NFC Atlanta has a $10,000 All Valley No Gi jiu jitsu championship tournament on 10/17 at Elite Edge Fitness. Registration is $100 and it will air on Flo Grappling.
AIW Thunder in Paradise on 10/9 in Indianapolis, IN at the Marion County Fairgrounds    
A story on a wrestling school trying to stay alive through COVID. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)
SlamWrestling.net has an interview with Josh Crane up today, where he talks about those nutty bouts in Japan where the loser fell into a pit of scorpions or a tank of piranhas, plus upcoming bouts, including the UWFi-style bouts in Paradigm Pro.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Ronnie Garvin wins NWA World title

---

CONTACT INFORMATION

Poll opinions: dave@wrestlingobserver.com
Feedback: feedback@wrestlingobserver.com
Show results and news tips: newstips@wrestlingobserver.com
Wrestling Observer Radio questions: mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com
Support the Empire~! with F4W shirts. Grab yours today