Daily Update: AEW-DDT, Jonathan Gresham, UFC

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Death of Scott Hall

  • The main story is a bio on the life of Scott Hall covering his entire career and post-wrestling life. It goes into detail on:
  • The last two years of his life
  • The birth of Razor Ramon
  • His intellect regarding pro wrestling and squash matches
  • The difference between losing and putting someone over
  • His match with Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • Which MMA star copied Scott Hall for his promos
  • His alcohol issues
  • His near-death experiences
  • The American Starship tag team
  • The AWA run
  • Where he got over like a top star and why it didn’t happen
  • His time in Japan
  • His second WCW run
  • The ladder matches with Shawn Michaels
  • His leaving WWF for WCW
  • Life after WCW
  • Also in the issue:
  • Updates on WrestleMania, Hall of Fame, Stand & Deliver and business notes
  • AEW does the largest live gate outside of WWE in North American history
  • AEW’s success for its first two California shows
  • Hiroshi Hase elected Governor
  • Rundown of New Japan Cup matches
  • WWE’s response to lawsuit filed by MLW
  • Popularity and public interest in WWE Royal Rumble, WWE Elimination Chamber and AEW Revolution including updates PPV numbers
  • Full coverage of last weekend’s UFC show
  • Gable Steveson and this weekend’s NCAA tournament
  • Television ratings plus segment-by-segment numbers from the major shows
  • CMLL’s biggest show so far this year
  • FTR goes to Mexico to defend tag titles
  • Stardom Cinderella tournament
  • All Japan Champion Carnival news
  • 60th anniversary of pro wrestling at Korakuen Hall
  • International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame class for 2022
  • Streaming and international PPV numbers
  • Jake Paul and Dana White
  • New WWE PPV show
  • Updates on WWE & AEW ticket sales

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: February 7, 2005 Observer Newsletter: Royal Rumble review, business year in review

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Sunday News Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking weekend news, New Japan Cup, Smackdown, Rampage, UFC and other notes.
  • As noted, Christopher Daniels, the AEW Vice President of Talent Relations had a video play at the DDT 25th anniversary show today at Sumo Hall announcing talent trading with the two promotions. The deal will also include more back-and-forth with Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. This does not in any way impact the New Japan/AEW relationship and a number of AEW wrestlers will be appearing on tonight’s New Japan show in Tampa.
  • Jonathan Gresham won the Progress title over Cara Noir today in London. Noir had been champion for 26 months. Gresham is the first American to win the Progress title. It’s also notable since Gresham is essentially AEW talent if he’s ROH champion, and Progress’ shows stream on Peacock.
  • This week’s ROH TV show aired highlights of Jonathan Gresham ROH title matches. They aired the match he won the title from Jay Lethal, as well as defenses against AJ Gray from Los Angeles, Adam Priest from Alabama, Chris Sabin from Impact, 2 Cold Scorpio from GCW and Josh Alexander from Terminus. Next week’s TV show will air more Gresham matches from around the world.
  • As far as things that made the top 20 most searched items this week, the list was longer than usual: 
  • For today, Gable Steveson had 20,000 searches this morning so he was in the top 20 as of earlier in the day, not sure if he will end up top 20.
  • Yesterday, the UFC show was No. 10 with 200,000 searches, with the most searched character being Paddy Pimblett.
  • Scott Hall’s name was searched for 4 million times during the week. It was No. 2 on Sunday and No. 1 on Monday. For a comparison, the deaths of Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage and Roddy Piper were all about 500,000. There has been nothing pro wrestling related in recent memory to hit that number.
  • Last night’s UFC show in London was being talked of as the show of the year. Dana White announced that they were giving nine $50,000 bonuses, for everyone who won via finish last night.
  • White also said the promotion will likely introduce yet another UFC interim heavyweight championship because Francis Ngannou will be out until the end of the year due to knee surgery.
  • We’re looking for reports from the WWE shows tonight in Huntsville, AL and Moline, IL, as well as any dark matches from Charlotte on Friday night and the New Japan show in Tampa to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • Ronald Cadman, better known as Caveman Broda, a longtime independent wrestler out of Winnipeg, passed away. The CWE promotion announced the death. Chris Jericho told the story that Broda, who was named after the late Bruiser Brody, was the first guy ever to give him a kneedrop off the top rope. Cadman was 68.
  • WWE results from Springfield, IL last night: Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens won three-way over Street Profits and Chad Gable & Otis, Liv Morgan b Doudrop, Miz b Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor b Damian Priest-DQ in a U.S. title match, Omos b R-Truth, A.J. Styles b Austin Theory, Becky Lynch b Rhea Ripley
  • Ripley replaced Bianca Belair based on Monday’s storyline over Belair going to the hospital. Jeff Jarrett appeared on Miz TV. Jarrett is a co-owner of the minor league baseball team in the city (thanks to the Mad Conservative Crimefighter and Robert F).
  • WWE results from last night in Johnson City, TN: Sasha Banks b Natalya-DQ when Shayna Baszler interfered, Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs b Los Lotharios, Sasha Banks & Naomi b Shayna Baszler & Natalya, Aliyah b Sonya Deville, Usos retained the tag titles over Viking Raiders, Sheamus & Ridge Holland and Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss, Roman Reigns b Drew McIntyre to keep Universal title (thanks to Joshua Hooven).
  • In the New Japan Cup, Tetsuya Naito beat Jeff Cobb and Kazuchika Okada beat CIMA, so there will be an Okada vs. Naito semifinal this coming Saturday in Osaka. The other semifinal will be decided tomorrow (the show starts 2 a.m. Eastern and 11 p.m. Pacific) will be the winners of Shingo Takagi vs. Hiromu Takahashi and Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Bron Breakker vs. Robert Roode has been added to Tuesday’s NXT show.
  • Luke Hawx suffered a legit concussion at the Crockett Cup tournament in Nashville in the match with Odinson & Parrow in the first round. His son P.J. Hawx worked in the next round of the tournament. Hawx has been working at the wrestling coordinator for the show “Heels” and Starz which is filming season two right now. C.M. Punk was filming season two this past week.
  • Tom Lawlor retained his Strong title today in Tampa over Clark Connors.

WWE

  • Miz and Dolph Ziggler will be on an episode of FOX’s Master Chef Junior this season.
  • Rey Mysterio was at the Indy Car race at the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. He went for a ride in the two-seater car with legendary race car driver Mario Andretti (thanks to Barry Werner).
  • A horse named Rated R Superstar won the sixth race at the G3 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Race Park.

Other Notes

  • PFL results from Friday night’s Challengers Series show:
  • Bruno Miranda b Carson Frei TKO 1:20 round three
  • Damir Ferhatbegovic b BJ Bland via KO in 2:19 of round one
  • Michael Dufort b Arut Pogosjan via second round submission
  • Yanal Ashmourz b Dennis Hughes via straight 30-27 scores
  • Wrestle Pro from last night in Rahway,NJ: Grim Reefer won three-way over Matt MacIntosh and Action Andretti, CAQ Unshackled b Colton Charles, Vegas b CPA, Freya the “Slaya b Ashley D’Amboise, Tony Vicinta b Shawn Donavan, Bear Country b Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson, Fallah Bahh six-way over Traxx, GKM, Lukas Finnegan, Justin Corino and Aaron Rourke to win the Silver title, Jay Lethal b Kevin Matthews, Tony Nese b Bobby Wayward, Barry Horowitz b Joey Janela in a street fight.
  • There were a few wrestling mentions on “Billions” on Showtime this pas week. One line was a character saying, “So you’re putting me in a Ken Patera full nelson,” and another said, “I feel like I’m in They Live and I’m about to go Rowdy Roddy Piper on someone’s ass.”
  • Horror Slam Wrestling from Friday night in Brownstown, MI: Malcolm Monroe III b Remington Rohr, Chuck Stein b Mad Man Pondo, Hoodfoot Mo Atlas b DBA, Jimmy Lloyd b Joe Bateman, Jimmy Lloyd won over Malcolm Monroe III, Hoodfoot Mo Atlas & Chuck Stein to win tournament, Mickie Knuckles b Randi West to win Divine title, Sea Lawhorn b Hello Hardbody (thanks to Leonard Brand).
  • Cinta de Oro, who was Hunico and later the second Sin Cara in WWE, wont he vacant Crash world heavyweight title in a tree-way over Lince Dorado and Penta on Friday night in Tijuana. El Hijo del Vikingo was champion, but had to vacate it when AAA and Crash broke up their relationship. Announced the next show are Marty Scurll, Travis Banks, Erick Redbeard and Jonah.
  • Saladine Parnasse retained his KSW featherweight title yesterday beating Daniel Rutkowski via fourth round submission at 1:07 of the round. The show also featured Richard Prasel, a former goalkeeper for Chelsea, beating Michael Kita via TKO at 2:00 of the second round and former Olympic wrestling medalist Damian Janikowski won over Tomasz Jakubiec via knockout from a punch at 3:42 of the first round.