Daily Update: AEW Collision, UFC 295, Google trends

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Clip

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

We’ve got a very heavy business issue of the Observer focusing on a lot of different breaking stories involving both WWE and AEW:

  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • The changes in WWE business under TKO
  • UFC & WWE quarterly business updates
  • Behind Vince McMahon selling 8.4 million shares of TKO stock, what he got, what he still owns, what it did to the stock price and what other large sum of money he just received that fell under the radar
  • Why WWE numbers were unexpectedly down, and why TKO actually losing money this quarter is nothing to be concerned over
  • A look at WWE and AEW attendance and how it’s changed over the past year
  • Ari Emanuel talks about competition for WWE and UFC
  • More departments where jobs will be lost
  • Company goals for 2024
  • Changes in the live arena experience
  • Key that makes WWE and UFC attractive for television stations
  • Issues with Vince McMahon
  • The CW deal for NXT
  • Changes for a WWE show next year and other changes talked about
  • Who are the leaders for the Raw rights
  • What are the rankings of the stations with pro wrestling and MMA product
  • Billy Corgan gives comments about the cocaine angle
  • A look at the TV deals that Tony Khan, Dwayne Johnson and Vince McMahon have been part of for wrestling and football
  • Full coverage of Crown Jewel and the booking
  • A look at the Ricochet injury and how it changed the IC title path slightly going into the Survivor Series
  • Early notes on the Survivor Series
  • PPV numbers and what did Crown Jewel buyers watch and not watch when it came to major PPV events this past month
  • The future for Will Ospreay and Giulia
  • Notes on the Tokyo Dome show
  • Great matches and angles at Power Struggle
  • Full Power Struggle coverage
  • UFC from Brazil coverage
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week from all shows, including comparison to last year, competition, and how each segment did as well as Dynamite vs. NXT
  • Major rudo turn on sold out Arena Mexico show
  • AAA doing a talent search
  • More injuries and health issues with Stardom
  • Update on Stardom tag team tournament
  • Controversy at Stardom event after changed start time of show
  • All Japan has an incredible match this week and sets up another for New Year’ Eve
  • A look at All Japan’s year end tag team and junior tournaments
  • Lots of injury updates
  • New Japan big events in early 2024
  • DDT has major show this week
  • More on the Von Erich movie
  • Indie star says his indie career is over
  • Indie promotion draws 5,000 fans
  • Contract issues in MLW
  • WBD stock falls
  • Update on Full Gear
  • Notes on Mariah May debut
  • Stardom star under contract to AEW and details
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • UFC signs deal with new TV outlet to return from nearly a decade
  • How Vince McMahon kept UFC off NBC
  • Lots of new UFC title matches
  • Unique facts about this weekend’s UFC show
  • More on Fury vs. Nganou PPV numbers
  • WrestleMania week news
  • CM Punk news
  • YouTube numbers and WWE and TKO value at this point
  • Reports from the WWE house shows

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

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.

Sunday Update

Bryan and I did our weekend show last night talking the TV shows, weekend news and UFC show. We’ll be back for another show Monday after Raw. Garrett and I will be back on Friday catching up on all the business stuff.

We also talked about the AEW tapings in Oakland on Friday night that I attended live. A lot of interesting notes. AEW has done some of its biggest walk-ups in recent shows in New York (Grand Slam), Houston (for Mistico), Philadelphia (after the Okada announcement) and this show, with Will Hobbs (from Palo Alto) doing the media rounds in the market.

We’re looking for reports on tonight’s WWE show in Roanoke, VA, with results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

There was WWE crossover at last night’s UFC event in Madison Square Garden. While not on the air, inside the building there were many commercials on the big screen for WrestleMania in Philadelphia. Logan Paul was also shown on the broadcast and his phone had a shoutout for Dominik Mysterio.

Donald Trump was at the show and came out before the PPV started with Dana White, Kid Rock and Tucker Carlson. Trump was cheered like crazy. Interesting that WWE has distanced themselves from Trump because they don’t want to alienate a lot of their fan base even though he and Vince McMahon are friends, while UFC has embraced him. Every time Trump was shown the reaction was louder than for any fighter. They did boo Carlson though.

The only thing on Google searches involving combat sports this week was last night’s UFC show at 250,000, which is very low for a major UFC PPV show. That said, I came out of the show very interested in the idea of Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall for the heavyweight title.

Aspinall said that he would like to face Jones next and said he wanted the fight in Manchester, but said the idea of Wembley Stadium would be great as well.

Dana White said they were going to run Noche 2, in mid-September 2024 which is Mexico’s independence day weekend, for a debut at The Sphere in Las Vegas, a new state-of-the-art concert arena that is the most expensive place in the world to rent. 

Mercedes Mone today said, “I cannot wait to return back into the ring Definitely expect me to be back with some wrestling company in 2024. I cannot wait to be back in that squared circle. It’s where I feel the most at home.”

The University of Iowa’s women’s wrestling team sold out its Carver-Hawkeye Hall today with 8,207 fans. It set the record for the largest crowd for an all-women’s freestyle dual meet. That outdrew every pro wrestling show in the world, whether it be WWE, AEW, or DDT, for this weekend except Friday night’s Arena Mexico.

Hiroshi Tanahashi turned 47 today.

In last night’s Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira main event for the vacant light heavyweight title, ref Mark Goddard stopped the fight with Pereira on top in mount. At first it appeared to be an early stoppage but when seeing the replay, Prochazka did go out for a split second before fighting back. Goddard actually made a good call even though for fans live and watching in real time it didn’t appear to be that way. Prochazka never complained and said that Goddard was right and he did go out. He was very classy saying what happened happened. “I accept that. Watch me now. I’ll be back stronger than ever.” Pereira is expected to make his first title defense against previous champion Jamahal Hill, who had to vacate the title due to injury.

AEW has announced that all active military members can get one free ticket to any live event. For more details go to allelitewrestling.com/post/aew-honor

Will Ospreay posted “I will be the first wrestler on Strictly Come Dancing.” This does not mean he’s scheduled for the show. In fact he is not. But he would like to do the show and has thrown that out.

I haven’t seen the DDT show or the New Japan show from this weekend, but the matches we’ve heard the most this weekend about are Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Mike Bailey from Garland, TX, Shingo Takagi vs. Trent Baretta from the same show, Chris Jericho vs. Konosuke Takeshita from the DDT show earlier today and the Chris Brookes vs. Yuki Ueno main event. Another match getting great reviews was Volador Jr. vs. Soberano Jr. from Friday night at Arena Mexico.

At the DDT show in the retirement ceremony for Saki Akai, there were a number of top stars who sent video messages to her including Hiroshi Tanahashi and Togi Makbe from New Japan. The big surprise was Shinsuke Nakamura did as well, although his was not allowed on the broadcast.

Chris Jericho while in Japan did a press conference for the Takeshita match. He played total foreign heel in the build in Japan. He also said he was interested in doing matches in Japan against Tetsuya Endo, Kota Ibushi and Minoru Suzuki.

WWE results from last night in Johnson City, TN:

  • Gunther retained the IC title over Sami Zayn via choke and referee stoppage.
  • Becky Lynch pinned Zoey Stark with the Man handle slam
  • Kevin Owens pinned Jimmy Uso via stunner
  • LA Knight beat Grayson Waller with a BFT
  • Cody Rhodes pinned The Miz after Cross Rhodes. Rhodes kicked out of the skull crushing finale before the finish.
  • Jey Uso pinned Dominik Mysterio after a spear. JD McDonagh tried to interfere. This was the first interference on the show, so they toned down compared to prior weeks
  • Iyo Sky retained the women’s title in a three-way over Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair. Flair had Belair in the figure eight when Sky then pinned Flair.
  • Seth Rollins pinned Drew McIntyre to keep the world title after two stomps

Some notes from the New Japan Lonestar Shootout on Friday night. After Eddie Kingston retained the Strong title over Satoshi Kojima, Gabe Kidd attacked Kingston. They also officially made Shingo Takagi vs. Tama Tonga for the Never title at the Tokyo Dome on 1/4 when Tonga came out after Takagi beat Trent Baretta. Strong reviews also for KENTA & David Finlay vs. Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta when Moxley pinned KENTA with the death rider. (thanks to Victor Taylor)

DDT, which has had books (the Young Bucks autobiography) and blow up dolls as its heavymetalweight champion, added the IWGP jr. heavyweight title belt on today’s show. Somehow the belt wound up on top of champion Hiromu Takahashi and a three count was given so the belt won the title. Kauzki Hirata then covered the belt to win the title. Mao beat Matt Cardona to win the Universal title. Jericho made Takeshita tap out to the Walls of Jericho and Yeno beat Brooks to win the KO-D title in the main event.

From yesterday’s UFC show, regarding the close decisions, in Loopy Godinez vs. Tabatha Ricci, Godinnez won rounds one and three from Derek Clearly, one and two from Sal D’Amat while Bran Miner had all three rounds for Ricci in what was said to be the worst scorecard in a long time. Media scores were 95 percent for Godinez and more than half gave her all three rounds. In the Vlacheslav Borshchev vs. Nazim Sadykhov fight, which was said to be super exciting, 93 percent had it a draw with Borshcev winning one and three and Badykhov getting a 10-8 second round. 

Author John Cosper is doing a book on former world women’s champion June Byers called “The Great and Inimitable June Byers,” and comes out this month.”

Stardom’s tag team tournament ended with Maika & Megan Bane beat Suzu Suzuki & Mei Seira in the finals today in Nagaoka. The tournament was said to be disappointing due to all the injuries. Both Maika & Bayen and Suzuki & Seira advanced due to forfeits when opponents were injured.

All Japan continues its tag team tournament and junior Battle of Glory tournament on Wednesday with Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi headlining against DDT’s Yukio Sakaguchi & Hideki Okani. 

Usman Nurmagomedov, Bellator’s lightweight champion, was suspended for six months after testing positive for a banned substance after his fight with Brent Primus a few weeks ago. The win has been changed to a no contest. California State Athletic Commission Executive Director Andy Foster said that the positive test was from a prescription medication but did not name the substance. Ali Abdelaziz, the manager of Nurmagomedov said was not a performance enhancing drug like a steroid, HGH or EPO and that he and Primus would rematch and get back in the tournament. Nurmagomedov was also fined $50,000. Bellator has not made a statement regarding the title or his spot in the tournament. Then again after this coming Friday, we don’t even know if there will be a Bellator.

Insane Championship Wrestling from Thursday night in Monroe, MI: Shane Douglas b Buckeye Sam-DQ, Sam Beale won Battle Royal, Sarah Baer b Gina Marie, ShainBoucher & Jay Mrston b Kenny Urban & Rod Lee, Sami Callihan & Rhino & The DBA b King Latimer & N8 Mattson & Karam, Ace Austin b Dread King Logan, Jackson Stone & Papa Dingo b Solomon Tupu & Malice-DQ, Aaron Orion & Jack Price b Tommy Vendetta & Isaiah Broner in the fInals of the Kangaroo Cup Mean Gia & Kelly Moore b Jessicka Havok & John E.Bravo, Myron Reed b Jason Hotch. Sabu did an autograph signing and helped Callihan & Rhino & DBA win their match. Next show is 12/28 at the P.O.P. Hall in Monroe featuring Billy Gunn (thanks to Leonard Brand)

United Wrestling Coalition on 11/18 in New Egypt, NJ at the American Legion with a Rumble called the New Egypt Rumble as the main event.

Satoshi Kojima, who was the first-ever MLW champion back in 2003, is back 20 years later for the 12/7 show at the Melrose Ballroom in New York. Right now he is scheduled to be a semi-regular with the promotion and not be a one-time deal.

The 12/26 WWE show in Madison Square Garen will be a pure Raw brand show with Seth Rollins, Cody, Rhodes, Beckly Lynch and Rhea Ripley as the headliners. WWE will also be running a Smackdown brand house show that night in Baltimore. They also run Detroit and Boston the next night.