Daily Update
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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
- The history and creation of War Games
- How the rules have changed and what did and didn’t work this year
- The copies of War Games
- Why WWE didn’t do War Games on the main roster, and why they started it on NXT
- Business notes on how the show did, live, streaming, PPV
- Crossover audience between War Games and Full Gear and Crown Jewel
- Full show coverage with poll results
- The story behind William Regal’s AEW departure
- Why many questioned the MJF booking
- Best of Seven notes
- PPV number updates, as well as updates on the last four AEW PPV shows
- Who bought Full Gear, Forbidden Door or All Out and patterns
- Revenue, movie gate numbers and more
- Notes behind the title changes
- Match by match coverage and poll results on the show
- Updates on the Royal rumble, ticket sales and more notes
- New Japan and Stardom Historic X Over
- The story behind Kairi winning the IWGP title and not Mayu Iwatani
- The story behind Omega vs. Ospreay
- Match by match coverage and poll results
- C.M. Punk mocks the brawl, Young Bucks & Kenny Omega mock C.M. Punk, and more
- TV ratings over the past two weeks, including where AEW faltered this week and did great the week earlier and it’s the same group, the huge drop during the show of Raw, what about Smackdown was the best of the year for the show, and where wrestling ranked in the sports charts and the entertainment charts the past two weeks
- Wrestling legend gets honored by an international embassy
- Cain Velasquez wrestling and the story behind it
- Stardom PPV show coverage
- Updates on all the traditional Japanese tournaments
- Update on Kota Ibushi
- Fantastica Mania news
- Generational legends battle this past week
- Ricky Steamboat comes out of retirement
- Plan for a statue of iconic wrestler to be built in his home town
- Battle of Los Angeles news
- Mayor Glenn Jacobs in the middle of controversy
- Injury changes the winner of a tournament
- Major WWE legend coming out of retirement in December
- One of the most well traveled wrestlers of all-time passes away
- Former ECW and WWE star retiring
- Thoughts on wrestlers whose contracts are coming due
- New angle off television for recently signed AEW wrestler
- International TV ratings
- AEW & WWE streaming numbers
- Lots of new UFC main events
- Conor McGregor gets sued twice
- UFC gaming controversy
- MMA returns to CBS prime time
- PFL season finale
- Paul Levesque talks WWE future
- Big stock rise for WWE and why
- Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon talk WWE business, international, buying companies and more
- WWE injury updates
- Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW events
- Next MSG show
This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:
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Sunday News Update
We have a show up from yesterday with Garrett Gonzales talking about all the business news from the last week in wrestling, William Regal, AEW booking, WWE pie in the sky winter and more. Bryan and I will be up tonight with more weekend news. We will likely have time for questions on the show as well, so if you are a video subscriber you can send questions during the show.
The Hall of Fame issue of the Wrestling Observer will be out on Thursday night. There are eight new entrants into the Observer Hall of Fame this year.
We have a new book out for the Christmas season, the Wrestling Observer 1995 yearbook, available here and here. The book covers the entire year of 1995 similar to other other yearbooks that have been put out in recent years.
Want to send our sympathies to Mickie James whose family had a tragedy a few days ago with her brother and her 16-year-old niece being killed in an auto accident. Her sister-in-law was also injured in the accident. Her sister-in-law is in serious condition. A friend of her niece who was 15 also passed away in the accident.
DirecTV and FOX came to a carriage agreement right at the wire for several more years so the idea FOX stations will be off DirecTV as had been talked about during the week isn’t happening. It really couldn’t happen as neither side could have afforded it with the big football games this weekend.
Dustin Rhodes was at a Great Lakes Championship Wrestling show last night and announced he will close out his career in 2023. Rhodes still works for AEW as a coach and trainer.
The Cincinnati Bengals tweeted this out today as Jon Moxley and Renee Paquette were part of their pre-show activities:
Results from last night’s AAA show in Tempe, AZ: Mascarita Sagrada & Willie Mack & La Perruska b Latigo & Demus & King Drago, Lady Maravilla & Chik Tormenta b Sexy Star & Lady Shani, Sanson & Forastero & Cuatrero b Dave the Clown & Arez & Komander, Cain Velasquez & Blue Demon Jr. & Pagano b Taurus & Sam Adonis & Gringo Loco, El Hijo del Vikingo & Pentagon Jr b Daga & Flip Gordon (thanks to Andy Nemmity and Thomas DeCenso)
They did live commentary over the speakers. The show got great reviews. That’s how AAA does it these days. Velasquez was over like crazy. Not one person booed him and he was treated like he was a conquering hero. I was told this was something to see live. The match was also said to be great. I was told he was better in the ring than before even with spending so much time out of the ring and in jail. He was flying around, although at times he was stiff moving. Sam Adonis did a great job with him, and Taurus is the most unheralded super worker around as far as the ability to make people look good The main event was said to have been the best match.
JBL will be doing a high stakes poker game skit on Raw tomorrow night from Washington, DC.
We’re looking for reports from the WWE weekend shows in Rochester, NY last night and Petersburg, VA tonight to [email protected]
At last night’s show, after Seth Rollins lost the main event to Austin Theory in a U.S. title match due to a low blow, Rollins curb stomped him after. He then talked about how Rochester is a special place to him because Mr. Brodie Lee/Luke Harper is from here and he was one of his best friends and said that was the first time since his death he’s wrestled in the city and said he wanted to tell everyone that he missed and loved Lee.
The only stuff regarding wrestling, MMA or boxing to make the Google Searches for the week was both yesterday. The UFC show, likely because it was back on ESPN, had 500,000 searches even though it wasn’t a PPV show. It was sixth place yesterday. That was well ahead of both Survivor Series and Full Gear. Tyson Fury’s challenge was No. 9 at 200,000.
The city of Stockton gave Nate Diaz the keys to the city yesterday. Mayor Kevin J. Lincoln presented them to him at a Stockton Kings (Sacramento Kings G-League team) game and Lincoln praised Diaz for his grit and determination every time he fought.
The New Japan tag team tournament continues with a 4:30 a.m. Eastern show Monday morning from Sasebo with the junior heavyweight tournament. The bouts are Kushida & Kevin Knight vs. champs TJP & Francesco Akira, Ryusuke Taguchi & Clark Connors vs. Yoh & Lio Rush, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Douki vs Sho & Dick Togo, Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles vs Titan & Bushi and Alex Zayne & Lindaman vs. Ace Austin & Chris Bey.
Drew McIntyre was announced as replacing Braun Strowman in the main event of the 12/26 show in Madison Square Garden. It’s McIntyre & Sheamus & Butch & Ridge Holland vs. Sami Zayn & Solo Sikoa & The Usos, plus they announced Bray Wyatt would be on the show. (Thanks to Mike Omansky)
The retirement match of Mike “Nova” Bucci took place last night in Toms River, NJ Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards b JP & Tommy Grayson Tommy Dreamer b Warhorse, Miranda Alize b Christina Marie, Jerry Lawler (managed by former major league baseball star Todd Frazier) b Rik Ratchett, Dave McCall & Nate Carter b The SATs, Anthony Greene won over Alec Price, Ant Bennett, Dan Maff, LSG and Myles Hawkins to be Skywalker champion, Nick Aldis b Shawn Donovan to win the SAW title, Mike Bucci & Aron Stevens & Frankie Kazarian b Pat Buck & Matt Cardona & Brian Myers. Bucci gave a speech after the show, talking about being from Toms River, and talked about Frankie Edgar and Frazier working his retirement show.
NXT from last night in Gainesville, FL: Mandy Rose b Ivy Nile-DQ to retain the women’s title, Ivy Nile & Roxanne Perez & Tatum Paxley b Mandy Rose & Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Sol Ruca b Cora Jade & Kiana James, Scrypts b Ikemen Jiro, Carmelo Hayes b Andre Chase, Axiom & Oro Mensah b Charlie Dempsey & Taivon Heights, Alba Fyre b Isla Dawn-DQ, Wes Lee & Bron Breaker b Tony D’Angelo (back wrestling) & Channing Stacks Lorenzo (thanks to Matthew Ray)
Other Notes
TripleMania from Mexico City aired Friday night on television in Los Angeles. (thanks to Mike Lano)
Konosuke Takeshita was announced for the 1/21 Warrior Wrestling show in South Bend, IN.
Results from today’s Stardom PPV show at the Makuari Messe: AZM & Miyu Amasaki b Saki & Waka Tsukiyama, Mirai & Amy Sohrei b Hanan & Saya Iida, Hazuki & Koguma b Maika & Himeka, Nanae Takahashi & Yuu b Natsuko Tora & Ruaka, Syuri & Tomoka Inaba b Mai Sakurai & Lacy C, Mayu Iwatani & Momo Kohgo b Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death, Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid b Giulia & Thekla, Utami Hayashishita & Saya Kamitani b Tam Nakano & Natsupoi, Nanae Takahashi & Yuu b Utami Hayashishita & Saya Kamitani to win the long tag team tournament, Kairi faces Hayashishita on the 12/29 show at Sumo Hall. It is a non-title match as the title mach for the IWGP belt will be on 1/4 at the Tokyo Dome against Tam Nakano. (thanks to Shannon Walsh, David Popper, David Hayter, and Tim Hunter)
Kirk White’s family presented Big Time Wrestling Friday night in Newark, CA: Truex b D-Rouge, Viva Van b Mylo, Dave Dutra b EOC, Eddie Cuervo b Ishmael Vaughn, The Freaks b Ballard Twins, Shane Kody & Patrick Fitzpatrick b The Honor Society, Aaron Solo b Bobby Fish. the next show is 1/20 featuring a Battle Royal for the famed Roy Shire Battle Royal trophy (thanks to Jim Davis)
The new Black Belt magazine has a tribute to Gene LeBell.
IWS from last night in Montreal before 650 fans: Dani Leo b Katrina Creed, Sway Archer b Leon aver, Sexxxy Beasts b Casanova Productions and Bay City Choir Boys in a three-way, Alex Maze & Sonny Solay b Nathan Yarymovitch & Steven Manzano, Lince Dorado & Fresh Air b TDT & Buxx Belmar, Green Phantom b LuFisto to keep the IWS Canadian title, Melanie Havok b Kristara to keep the women’s title, Benjamin Tull over FTM, Myung Jae Lee and Karl Jepson in a four-way, Jay White b Zak Patterson. They will be working with GCW on shows 3/11 in Montreal and 3/19 in Toronto (thanks to Pat Laprade)
Asuka, also known as Venny (not the WWE wrestler obviously or Lioness Asuka the 80s and 90s star) captured the Sendai Girls world title yesterday from Chihiro Hashimoto. As Venny, she was in an AEW women’s tournament for a title shot in the past.
News Summary:
- Daily Update: WON Hall of Fame, Mickie James, DirecTV-Fox – WON/F4W
- Check all news and articles from the latest Cricket updates.