Daily Update
Latest News:
Josh Barnett to make Pro Wrestling NOAH debut at N-1 Victory finalsBob Orton thinks Randy Orton's doctors told him to stop wrestlingWWE Main Event results: Nathan Frazer, Roxanne Perez in actionNJPW Best of the Super Juniors night three results, updated standings
Latest Audio:
Big Audio Nightmare: Golden Week, NJPW Best of the Super Juniors begins
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Join us in Las Vegas for our annual F4W Convention
This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
May 15, 2023 Observer Newsletter: AEW's big announcements, WWE Backlash recap
In this issue:
Match of the week and performer of the weekA look at AEW's changes coming up that will be announced over the next week with the debut of Collision, as well as a business analysis of rights fees as compared to WWE, different scenarios and different things that could be part of the new deal.Full coverage of Backlash, including the booking, the show, Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, Roman Reigns, business notes on the show, interest levels for the different events in a giant weekend of sports, PPV numbers, crossover between WWE and Alvarez fight, and the paradox of government money bringing WWE to cities and how that affects future hows in San Juan.A full look at the AEW event at Wembley Stadium. We look at ticket sales, records, scalpers, the biggest shows ever in Europe, the biggest non-WWE shows in history, how viable is it regarding the all-time paid attendance records, and the three shows it has to beat, U.K. attendance records, differences in AEW & WWE ticket sale patterns, possible attractions for the show as well as opponents for he biggest matches and other London shows that weekend.Full coverage of UFC 288, main event decision, what's next for the top stars, business notes and match-by-match coverage.A look at Dragon Gate's Dead or Alive showA look at the longest lasting U.K. headliners and Hall of Fame commentsThe most detailed look at the ratings from the past week, with weekly placings, competition, and comparisons to one year ago, a well as how segments didWrestler goes for world title in two very different groups over a few week periodKonnan talks AAA U.S. TV negotiationsThe politics behind the upcoming champion vs. champion matchChampion Carnival finalsHow many tickets has Mercedes Mone moved for her next showEarly notes on All Together NowBest of Super Juniors shows for this weekThe most famous feud in Canadian football history, Angelo Mosca vs. Joe Kapp, and a detailed rundownFormer TNA & WWE star retiresDouble or Nothing updateAEW booking team detailedCrazy AEW PPV statUpcoming ticket sales to WWE & AEW showsInternational TV numbers and streaming numbersAftermath of Omega vs. MoxleyRetired wrestler mentions being open to work Wembley Stadium as a farewellNotes on the upcoming ROH showsUFC business updatesLots of new UFC fightsMMA legend talks retirementPFL hit with rash of suspensionsPat McAfee negotiationsTop merchandise sellers
This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:
March 27, 2006 Observer Newsletter: WWE Saturday Night's Main Event tanks, sanctioned MMA begins in California
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Sunday Update
Garrett Gonzales and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio talking news of the past week, Smackdown and taking questions that you can send to [email protected] Bryan and I will be back tomorrow with Raw and all the news coverage.
Monday is one of the few off-days for Best of the Super Juniors in the condensed format. They are back with a Tuesday morning at 5:30 a.m. show in Akita for day four.
WWE's block on A&E tonight has last week's Most Wanted Treasures with DX at 8 p.m. and then the new stuff is Most Wanted Treasures covering Randy Savage at 9 p.m. with DDP, Molly Holly and the late Lanny Poffo on the show. At 10 p.m., is Stone Cold Takes on America.
Vince McMahon has agreed to pay attorney fees of $1.65 million for two class action suits against him for how he forced his way back into power in WWE. McMahon had put into place a new bylaw that would have restricted the power of the Board of Directors. Once McMahon was put into power and the two lawsuits were filed, he repealed the new bylaw that they were suing about so basically there is nothing left to sue over, but he is paying the costs of the plaintiffs attorneys.
Rich & Shameless, the TNT series that is among the highest rated shows on cable, with be airing the episode on Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker on Wednesday at midnight. This episode has been promoted for months.
We're looking for reports from these weekend shows:
NXT in Davenport, FL and Sebring, FL on Friday and Saturday nightWWE in North Charleston, SC tonight
We're looking for results, finishes and highlights.
For Raw tomorrow from Greensboro, NC, the matches announced are Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan defending the women's tag titles against Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville, a Battle Royal to determine who faces Gunther in Saudi Arabia for the IC title, Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Miz, plus Becky Lynch responds to Trish Stratus and Cody Rhodes will be there to talk Brock Lesnar. Lesnar is not advertised to be there.
The 5/27 episode of Rampage won't air on TNT until midnight, after NBA coverage. The Countdown show for Double or Nothing airs after Rampage.
WWE from last night in Augusta, GA:
Bianca Belair b Asuka to keep the Raw women's titleOmos b Dolph ZigglerA.J. Styles b Austin Theory via DQ for a low blow Right in front of the referee. Crowd was very into this matchKevin Owens & Sami Zayn won a three-way over The Street Profits and Ludvig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci when Zayn pinned Vinci after a helluva kickRhea Ripley b Tegan Nox to keep the Smackdown women's titleGunther b Johnny Gargano to keep the IC titleCody Rhodes b Finn Balor in a street fight This was Gargano's first match back from a shoulder injury (thanks to Shannon Walsh)
Thanks to Drake Kizer and J.T. Elliott for reports from the AEW show on Friday night in Corbin, KY.
Chris Jericho as filed a trademark for terms Fozzyfest and Fozzfest..
This was not a week with a lot of combat sports interest. The only thing with any relation to wrestling, boxing or MMA that cracked the Google top 20 all week was the XFL championship game which was No. 4 with 200,000 searches, which is a lot more interest than I would have expected. Even though UFC was on ABC for the afternoon time slot, it didn't crack the top 20, nor did the celebrity boxing match with KSI, who was part of WrestleMania.
Matt Hardy's twitter account was hacked and Reby Hardy said not to interact with it until they have it back. Twitter can be a nightmare when it comes to hacked accounts.
It's been noted that Dwayne Johnson has a cameo as Luke Hobbs post-credits in Fast X, which premiered over the weekend in Italy. Apparently that is the signal that he'll be back with the franchise and may mean the next Fast & Furious movie could have both Johnson & John Cena.
The trailer for the Conor McGregor-Michael Chandler season of The Ultimate Fighter is out right now. The season will air on ESPN on Tuesday nights starting on 5/30. As far as we know, McGregor has still not put himself back in the USADA testing pool meaning that in theory he can't fight for at least six months. That is in theory because rules are changed for stars.
There was a front page article in the Washington Post on concussions talking about the effect that Chris Nowinski has had on sports and a lot about his Harvard football reunion and players with issues from football and his own issues in wrestling and football. (thanks to Matt Wexler)
Francis Ngannou said he will have an announcement about his future on Tuesday. Both Dan Hardy and Chael Sonnen have said it will be an announcement of his signing with the PFL. ONE claimed they are out of talks with him because they said he asked for a $20 million guarantee.
Other Notes
Dan Henderson, the MMA legend, is releasing an autobiography on 10/24 called "Hendo: The American Athlete."
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Defy from last night in Seattle: Joey Janela b Miles Deville, Bryan Keith b Evan Rivers, Mance Warner & Matthew Justice b Judas Icarus & Travis Williams to keep the tag titles, Nick Gage b Artemis Spencer, Schaff b Black Taurus Vert Vixen b Trish Adora to keep the women's title, Nick Wayne b El Phantasmo to keep the Defy title. Gage & Spencer announced that GCW and Defy will be presenting joint shows in Seattle on 11/17 and 11/18. Next show is 6/3 in Seattle at Washington Hall with KENTA, and then 6/24 in Portland at the Wonder Ballroom has El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Komander.
Queen of Indies from last night in San Francisco: The first round was singles matches with a 20 minute time limit. The four winners will go into a tag team match where the two winners face each other in the finals. Promise Braxton won five-way over J-Rod, Amira, Gigi Rey and Jordan Blade, Lady Frost b Dulce Tormenta, Masha Slamovich b Hyan, Mio Momono b Maria, Unagi Sayaka b Billie Starkz, Sandra Moone & Takumi Iroha & Chigusa Nagayo b Karisma & Nicole Savoy & Lady Apache, Masha Slamovich & Mio Momono b Lady Frost & Unagi Sayaka to advance to the finals, Johnnie Robbie & Brooke Havok b Rachelle Riveter & Mac Daddy Mylo, Masha Slamovich b Mio Momono to win the first Queen of Indies tournament. It was announced that the second Queen of Indies will take place in Japan next year while King of Indie would remain in San Francisco. (thanks to Shannon Walsh and Wrestling with Demons)
Former promoter Rick Bassman, who years ago was promoting his autobiography, let us know it's coming out soon and called "Little Big Man," talking about a life that included battling stage 4 cancer, battling drug addiction and deaths of friends and his interactions with the biggest names in pro wrestling and MMA history.
Kirk White's Big Time Wrestling from Friday night in Newark, CA before a sellout 500 fans: Dave Dutra b Jacob Fatu in a great match, True X b Eddie Cuervo, Black wan b Eliza Hammer (Black Swan does a ballerina gimmick) Big Fonz b Drake Frost, Viva Van b Alex Gracia, Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley b The Freaks, Shane Kody & Jinxx b Kaka Meng & El Guerrero in Kody's retirement mach. Next show is 7/28 with Chris Masters (thanks to Jim Davis)
At last night's Misfits boxing shoe at the Ovo Arena in London, there was a brawl in the crowd between two Love Island stars, Tommy Fury, best know for his fight with Jake Paul where he won, and Idris Viorgo.
A Steph De Lander interview in Parrio Magazine.