WWE Smackdown on Fox, AEW Rampage, NXT Level Up, and NJPW Strong coverage, WWE in Moline (reports needed), William Perry, Jessie Whitney, Jigsaw, Brodie Lee, Frank Gotch, Don “The Spoiler” Jardine, Lizmark

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

-WWE Friday Night Smackdown will be live tonight from Chicago, Illinois at Allstate Arena. The show includes the return of Roman Reigns, and Gunther vs. Ricochet for the Intercontinental Championship. Join Jake Barnett for our weekly live review as Smackdown airs on Fox at 7CT/8ET. Jake’s audio review will be available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons) on Saturday.

-AEW Rampage was taped on Wednesday in Garland, Texas at Curtis Culwell Center. The show includes Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara. Join Colin McGuire for his live review as the show airs at 9CT/10ET on TNT. Colin’s same night audio review will be available for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).

-NXT Level Up streams on Peacock tonight at 9CT/10ET. Dot Net contributor John O’Connor’s review will be available on Saturday morning.

-NJPW Strong streams Saturdays on the New Japan World at 7CT/8ET. Dot Net contributor Colin McGuire’s written reviews and Dot Net Members’ exclusive audio reviews are available on Sunday mornings.

-We are looking reports the WWE and NXT live events that will be held this weekend. If you are going to a show listed below or another upcoming event and want to help, you are encouraged to send a report or even the basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com

-NXT is in Fort Pierce, Florida at Havert L. Fenn Center tonight. NXT does not advertise matches for its live events.

-WWE is in Moline, Illinois at Vibrant Arena at the Mart on Saturday with a holiday tour live event featuring the following advertised matches: Austin Theory vs. Seth Rollins for the U.S. Title.

-NXT is in Tampa, Florida at University Area CDC Gymnasium on Saturday.

Birthdays and Notables

-WWE celebrity Hall of Famer William Perry is 60.

-Jessie Whitney (a/k/a Jessie Ward) of Tough Enough II is 43. She went on to work as a producer in Impact Wrestling, and is married to Tommaso Ciampa.

-Jigsaw (Edward McGuckin) is 39.

-The late Brodie Lee (Jon Huber) was born on December 16, 1979. He died on December 26, 2020.

-The late Frank Gotch died of uremia poisoning at age 40 on December 16, 1917.

-The late Don “The Spoiler” Jardine died of complications from a heart attack and leukemia at age 66 on December 16, 2006.

-Lizmark (Juan Banos) died at age 64 on December 16, 2015. The cause of death is listed as respiratory failure.