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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • July 29, 2024 Observer Newsletter: Big WWE & AEW summer events take shape, early NJPW G1 thoughts
  • The key stories covered are:
  • Update on SummerSlam and All In, lineups, possible additions, things expected to happen, business notes on both shows, ticket sales and where they will stack up in the all-time historical records. We also look at the stories behind the matches.
  • London Mayor Sadiq Khan meets with Nick Khan and Paul Levesque regarding bringing WrestleMania to the city.
  • Notes on the first week of the G1 Climax tournament, stories, standings, business and quality of the matches.
  • Notes on week two of G1
  • Part one of our story on the life and career of Canadian star Leo Burke, a Stampede Hall of Famer and how he shaped the career of Bret Hart, and trained some of the biggest names in wrestling
  • Vince McMahon’s lawyers try and shut down a motion by Janel Grant’s lawyers
  • TNA Slammiversary, its biggest crowd in years and how it was done, PPV numbers update, and full show coverage
  • Coverage of Dragon Gate & DDT’s biggest shows of the year
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the major pro wrestling shows, placings, competition and segment-by-segment
  • What the CMLL current era compares to in Mexican history
  • A look at the big matches coming over the next month including AEW stars and World Grand Prix participants
  • Stardom PPV shows this weekend
  • 50th anniversary celebration
  • One of the top legends of this era pushing his farewell tour
  • Bloodsport notes
  • Next few weeks of TNA television
  • Update on AEW TV negotiations
  • Lots of AEW injuries
  • Tony Khan talks about strippaing titles vs. waiting for champions to recover
  • Darby Allin talks current scene
  • Ticket sales for upcoming AEW & WWE shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • Cung Le lawsuit update
  • Top ten male and female fighters of the 21st century
  • Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry and update on celebrity fights and how they are doing

This Week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Monday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about Raw, G-1, AEW and a lot of other subjects including finances on Wrestling Observer Radio tonight.
  • Darby Allin vs. Adam Page in a first-time ever match, with minimal build (they were on opposite sides of Blood & Guts), was added to Wednesday’s Dynamite show. Allin probably shouldn’t lose with title matches against both Jack Perry and for the title coming, although Perry screwing him is possible. Page is headed for a match with Swerve Strickland, although we don’t know when that will be.
  • I haven’t seen today’s Gabe Kidd vs. Shingo Takagi G-1 match but people are raving about it and I would expect stylistically a fantastic bout from the two of them. I’ve also had friends heavily recommend last night’s Paul Heyman A&E biography.
  • Larry Pitchford, who was a major star during the glory days of Oregon wrestling as Beauregade passed away last Monday at the age of 88. He was living in a nursing home in Honesdale, PA. When he came to California, they billed as a “The Rock Star Beauregarde” because he had released an album.
  • Al Blake, who wrestled for seven months as a pushed star with Jim Crockett Promotions as Vladimir Petrov, passed away over the weekend at the age of 66. After Nikita Koloff turned babyface, Petrov was brought in to be Ivan Koloff’s tag team partner against Dusty Rhodes & Nikita as the childhood rival of Nikita. The idea was sound and it got over, but Blake was missing the aggressiveness Nikikta had and for Dusty, lightning didn’t strike twice. Blake ended up arrested on drug trafficking charges and was let go by the promotion. He later got a WWF tryout but was never signed. We’ll talk more about both these men tonight.
  • Raw tonight is from St. Paul, MN. It’s the go-home show for SummerSlam and will be on Syfy. If you watch via DVR, check to make sure it will record the show. My DVR was not going to record tonight or tomorrow night so I had to manually set it for both shows.  They were at 11,500 tickets out, close to a sellout, as of this morning. The lineup is Seth Rollins with C.M. Punk and Drew McIntyre, The Creeds vs . Otis & Tozawa, Sheamus vs. Bronson Reed, Jey Uso vs. Carlito, Karrion Kross vs. Xavier Woods, Sami Zayn vs. Dominik Mysterio, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance & Lyra Valkyria vs. Sonya Deville & Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark and Gunther vs  Finn Balor as the main event.
  • We’re looking for your thoughts on ROH Death Before Dishonor, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • Both Smackdown and Rampage numbers were down Friday night, but it looks like it’ll be that way against the Olympics for everyone the next two weeks. Smackdown did 2,058,000 viewers and an 0.52 in 18-49 while Rampage with the Rampage Rumble did 306,000 viewers and 0.10. Both were the top rated first-run entertainment shows on network and cable. Smackdonw was No 2 behind the Olympics on network, even though it was its lowest 18-49 number of the year. Rampage was No. 13 of first run cable shows but of the shows ahead, 11 were news shows and one was On Patrol Live.  
  • John Cena will be on the season premiere of The Simpsons.
  • There will be a Wrestlecon in Cleveland on Friday and Saturday with Sting, Ric Flair, The Garcia Twins (Bellas), Kevin Nash, Kurt Angle, DDP, Honky Tonk Man, Lita, Matt Riddle, Rob Van Dam, Scott Steiner, Mickie Jaems, Sgt Slaughter and more.
  • The Acclaimed were on the Great Food Truck Race on The Food Network last night.
  • PW Insider reported that Cruz Del Toro, who has been out of action after surgery on his arm, was in St. Paul tonight.
  • Funeral services for Leu Burke will be on Saturday at 2 pm. at MacInnis & Holloway in Calgary. I expect a lot of legendary wrestlers to be attending.
  • Chelsea Green in Muscle & Fitness.
  • The world premiere of the documentary When Giants Walked about Jim Crockett Promotions shows at Dorton Arena in Raleigh will be on 8/6 at The Rialto in Raleigh at 7 p.m. There will be a Q&A after the screening. The TV debut on PBS in Raleigh will be on 8/8a.
  • C4 will have meet and greets with Bianca Belair on Thursday from 3-5 pm. at the Walmart parking lot on Pearl Road in Strongsville, OH and The Street Profits will be on Friday from 10 a.m. to Noon at the  Giant Eagle Parking lot in North Olmsted, OH.
  • MCW has the Brandon Holman Memorial Show on 8/10 in Joppa, MD at the TD Meyer Arena
  • Janai Kai defends her MLW featherweight title against Hanako from Stardom on the 8/29 show in New York at the Melrose Ballroom. TJP is also on that show.
  • Masked Republic is releasing a video game called Lucha Throwdown featuring LA Park, Dr. Wagner Jr. and more.g asle
  • NWA has announced The Burke Invitational Gauntlet on 8/21 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia where the winner will get a shot at the NWA women’s title.