Daily Update: AEW Dynasty, Collision, Cody Rhodes

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

  • *A look at the Dynasty card, things that went on behind the scenes and the list of talent where this is the most important night, or one of the most important nights, of their careers.
  • Business notes on the show
  • The Owen Hart tournament breakdown
  • WrestleMania show plans
  • The Cody Rhodes/John Cena dynamic, the rest of the show as well as ideas on other aspects of the shw
  • Business notes on the show
  • AEW All in Texas notes as well as notes on the entire week in North Texas
  • Examining streaming views for AEW programming on MAX
  • Things people don’t fully understand about TV ratings as  opposed to total viewrs watching a show on television
  • A look back at where matches inducted into the Hall of Fame started, Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin looked back on and the fluke of that match even happening
  • Undertaker vs. Mick Foley Hell in a Cell looked at as well as the Dark Side of the  Ring episode and fascinating look bak
  • Wyatt Hendrickson wins the Hodge Trophy
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week, including placings, comparison numbers, competition, Netflix data and more
  • Mistico injury update
  • Champion of Champion tournament
  • Super main event at Arena Mexico
  • AAA does biggest crowd of the year
  • Stardom setting up biggest match in years
  • Dragon Gate tag team tournament
  • All Japan Champion Carnival news
  • A look back at the life and career of Japanese wrestling pioneer Kokichi Endo
  • Hogan family drama
  • MLW running biggest event
  • Bloodsport news
  • TNA building for its biggest house show in years
  • Thoughts on the future of Collision
  • What drew the crowd at Revolution
  • Lex Luger and Sting update
  • Merch seling leaders
  • Rob Van Dam and Bret Hart run down AEW
  • UFC lands big fights
  • UFC business for first quarter
  • UFC and Meta buinwss deal
  • PFL opens season
  • GFL set for debut
  • College wrestling star now training for MMA
  • NXT Stand & Deliver news
  • Update on Vince McMahon-Janel Grant lawsuit
  • Rock’s plane issues
  • Rock’s UFL issues
  • Rock’s WWE stock value
  • A look at the first week of JFL business wisse
  • Big change t Netflix audience coming
  • Mir to WWE notes
  • WWE injury updates
  • Bill Goldberg trains with RH stars fr omebak
  • Many major stars have WWE tryout last week
  • Pat McAfee in hot water
  • WWE European house shows

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Sunday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking AEW Dynasty, weekend news, Sakura Genesis and more with Wrestling Observer Radio. My week in review show with Garrett Gonzales is up on the site right now.
  • AEW Dynasty starts at about 6:45 p.m. Eastern on all the usual sources:
  • Max Caster Open Challenge
  • Top Flight & AR Fox vs. Action Andretti & Lio Rush & Nick Wayne
  • The Opps to appear (there was a tease for them against Shane Taylor & the Infantry but they may be for a television match and not tonight)
  • Mercedes Mone vs. Julia Hart in the Owen Hart tournament
  • Will Osperay vs. Kevin Knight in the Owen Hart tournament
  • Mark Briscoe vs. Kyle Fletcher in the Owen Hart tournament
  • Pac & Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta vs. FTR & Adam Copeland for trios titles
  • Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin vs. Big Bill & Bryan Keith for tag titles
  • Daniel Garcia vs. Adam Cole for the TNT title, no time limit, everyone banned from ringside
  • Chris Jericho vs. Bandido ROH title vs. mask
  • Kenny Omega vs. Ricochet vs. Mike Bailey for International title
  • Toni Storm vs. Megan Bayne for AEW women’s title
  • Jon Moxley vs. Swerve Strickland for AEW title
  • We’re looking for your thoughts on both AEW Dynasty and NJPW Sakura Genesis, so you can leave a thumbs up thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match for each show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • We’re also looking for reports from last night’s NXT show in Dade City, FL, results, finishes and highlights, to dave@wrestlingobserver.com. We’re also looking for live reports from Raw tomorrow in Minneapolis for anything not on the live show. Dominik Mysterio vs Penta has been added to the show which also includes Lyra Valkyria vs. Bayley (who are expected to team up on Friday in the women’s Battle Royal for a shot at Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan).
  • Raw goes against the Houston vs. Florida NCAA basketball finals on CBS so as far as the U.S. itself goes, the numbers should be down from recent weeks.
  • For Google searches over the weekend, Josh Emmett had 50,000 regarding yesterday’s UFC show which ended up with 90,000. Paddy Pimblett had 20,000 although he didn’t fight. Kevin Owens had 20,000. Tiffany Stratton, CM Punk and Rey Fenix had 10,000 coming off the Smackdown television show. It’s rare that something off WWE TV trends let alone three different things.
  • They announced the Best of the Super Juniors tournament competitors (well 19 of the 20) at yesterday’s Sakura Genesis show. Most would be the expected New Japan junior heavyweights who are in most years.  Outsiders include Mao from DDT, Dragon Dia from Dragon Gate, Ninja Jack as well as Nick Wayne and Kevin Knight from AEW.  The tournament is 5/10 to 6/1.
  • Cody Rhodes was on TNT today to congratulate Alex Ovechin for his 895th NHL goal, breaking Wayne Gretzsky’s 35 year old all-time record that many thought would never be broken. That is notable for the obvious reasons.
  • TNT is giving AEW another shot at a big rating on 4/26. Collision will be a three hour show starting at 8:30 p.m. following an NBA playoff game. It will be a show taped the prior Wednesday in New Orleans.
  • WWE tonight on A&E has LFG at 8 p.m. with Diamond Dallas Page, Rivals at 9:30 .m. is Undertaker vs HHH, and Greatest Moments at 10:30 p.m.is on CM Punk.
  • Regarding potential Smackdown ratings, based on international placings on Netflix, of the key markets, more were up than down from last week. In the U.S., the competition wasn’t as tough most likely.
  • Mike Lano reported that Rob Van Dam suffered a knee injury in his first match in  about  a year at last night’s MLW show in Los Angeles, which was a legit sellout for the Battle Riot and all the CMLL stars.  Matt Riddle won the 40 man Battle Riot (think Bunkhouse Stampede from the 80s) to retain his title.
  • In last night’s UFC main event where Lerone Murphy beat Josh Bennett 48-47, 49-46 and 48-47, all media scores also went for Murphy, most of them at 49-46. Ryan Frederick and Paul Fontaine of this site both had it 48-47. The controversial call was in Torrez Finley vs. Robert Valentin.  It was 29-28, 29-28 and 27-30 for Finney, with famed boxing judge Tony Weeks giving all three rounds to Valentin. All media scores were also for Finney.
  • Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape, in a fight where the winner could end up with a flyweight title shot, has been added to UFC 317 on 6/28 in Las Vegas, the International Fight Week show.
  • A boxing match with Rashad Evans vs. Rampage Jackson from their MMA feud way way back that was scheduled for this coming Saturday is off. The ICS promotion reported Jackson being off the show and  Evans still fighting in the main event.  But Evans then said he was not fighting, saying “We’ve encountered some unexpected challenges with the promotion and some key contractual obligations were not met as planned.” Translated that usually would mean money issues. Jackson also hinted at the same when pulling out. Jackson hasn’t fought in nearly six years.
  • Masashi Takeda of Japan is on tour and last night in Berwyn IL for ICW NHB, he beat Bobby Beverly to win their American deathmatch title (thanks to Leonard Brand)
  • United Wrestling Coalition on 4/21 in New Egypt, NJ at the American Legion.
  • Giulia was back in action on Friday night on the NXT show in Crystal River, FL, beating Arianna Grace.
  • AEW announced Collision on 6/21 and Dynamite on 6/25 in Kent, WA, promoted as Seattle on last night’s show, (it’s a suburb) at the Showare Center. The place would hold 4,500 for an AEW set up and AEW hasn’t drawn 4,500 for a market that size in a while for TV
  • Becky Lynch will be appearing this Friday night doing standup as part of The Ultimate Improv at the Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles. She is going as Becky Lynch so it’s a WWE approved gig.
  • Kirk White’s Big Time Wrestling and West Coast Pro did a joint show on Friday night in Newark, CA, which sold out:  Jheri Giggalow b Juicy Finau, Los Suavecitos b 2 Fresh , MVP b Vinne Massaro, Kevin Blackwood & Alan Angels & Aaron Solo b Marcus Lewis & Titus Alexander & Starboy Charlie, Brooke Havok & Jonnie Robbie b Sandra Mooniem & Maya Moore, JT Thorne won over LJ Cleary from NOAH,  Jayson Xavier and Chris Nasty. Next show is 6/6. (thanks to Jim Davis & Johnny Poon)
  • PFL last Sunday announced in the first round of the middleweight tournament that Fabian Edwards, scheduled to face Impa Kasanganay in the first round, was out and being replaced by Jordan Newman. Yesterday, they announced Edwards is back and Newman is out (reported by Ryan Frederick)