Daily Update: AEW Grand Slam Australia, Josh Alexander, Sareee

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The biggest issue of the year of the Observer came out early today.  It’s the 2024 Awards issue with the top finishers in every category, notes about the results and previous winners in all categories dating back to 1980.  
  • Wrestler of the Year, MMA MVP, Most Outstanding Wrestler, Most Outstanding Fighter, Tag team of the Year, Best on Interviews, Promotion of the Year, Best Weekly TV show, Pro Wrestling match of the year, MMA Fight of the Year, U.S./Canada MVP, Japanese MVP, Mexico MVP, Europe MVP, Junior Heavyweight MVP, Women’s MVP, Women’s MMA MVP, Feud of the Year, Best Box Office draw, Most Improved, Most Charismatic, Best Technical Wrestler, Best Brawler, Best Flyer, Most Overrated, Most Underrated, Rookie of the Year, Best non-wrestler, Best TV announcer, Worst TV announcer, Best major show, Worst major show, Best maneuver, Most disgusting promotional tactic, Worst TV show, Worst match, Worst feud, Worst promotion, Best booker, Promoter of the Year, Best gimmick, Worst gimmick, Best Pro Wrestling book and Best pro wrestling documentary.
  • The most detailed look and update on the Vince McMahon situation related to the most recent court case and evidence in that case. This talks about judges believing there is reason to believe McMahon and another person committed crimes regarding keeping information from the WWE.
  • AEW’s releases and backstory regarding them
  • Update on Chris Bey
  • Major story on WWE releases
  • Notes on the next four major AEW & WWE shows
  • Business notes and overall interest levels of the shows
  • UFC 312 coverage
  • Hirooki Goto wins IWGP title, the story behind one of the great emotional moments as well as a look at the New Japan Cup, and what may have been the best wrestling show so far this year
  • AEW fires Bear Boulder
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the shows held over the past week, including comparisons with a year ago and a ton of info on Raw on Netflix
  • AAA announces 2025 plans for biggest show plus a big signing and a new TV deal
  • Champion Carnival notes
  • Fantastica Mania notes
  • The death of Jamie Hemmings
  • Hall of Famer has major accusations made about them by wife
  • Death of Duane Koslowski, a major part of the 1989 U-Cosmos show in his match with Nobuhiko Takada which at the time set the all-time pro wrestling gate record and was the first-ever Tokyo Dome sellout, held the night after Mike Tyson drew a half house with Buster Douglas
  • Front office changes in TNA
  • Lots more on MAX as it relates to AEW wrestling
  • The strange story of AEW hiring Rita Chatterton
  • Update on UFC media rights
  • PFL tournament news
  • What combat sports athletes made the list of 100 top paid athletes in the world
  • Linda McMahon hearing
  • WWE stock sets records
  • Evolve tapings
  • Notes on WWE LFG shw
  • How much Smackdown helps the USA Network

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Friday Update

  • We did our week in review show talking about the Observer awards, Releases, Ricky Starks, Josh Alexander, Netflix ratings, Hirooki Goto, Harley Cameron and more earlier today with Garrett Gonzales. Bryan and I will be back tomorrow night talking about the awards, AEW in Australia, NXT Vengeance Day and other news.
  • The AEW Grand Slam show in Brisbane, Australia takes place late tonight,although it won’t air until after the NBA All-Star Saturday night show on TNT,  probably starting between 10:30 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.  According to WrestleTix they were 655 tickets shy of a sellout although a sellout is probably in the 9,500 to 10,000 range.  However ticket prices were such that the show will do the third largest gate in the history of the company. The current issue has a lot more details on the show. The show starts at 4 a.m. Eastern early tomorrow morning Eastern time and 1 a.m. Pacific.  We’re looking for live reports on the show to dave@wrestlingobserve.com
  • Fightful is reporting Josh Alexander is likely to go to AEW.  What I can tell you is not for sure where he’s ending up (but I have nothing that would say differently), but I can confirm that he has made up his mind on where he is going.  Alexander is an excellent wrestler inside the ring and had perhaps the best match in TNA history of Will Ospreay.  Scott D’Amore went on the TV show and called it the best match he’d ever seen live and he later said that wasn’t just for television but what he really felt.
  • It was noted to us that Sareee placed in seven different categories in the awards this year, Flair/Thesz, Most Outstanding, Booker of the Year, Promoter of the year, Japan MVP, Hodge Award, Women’s MVP and Match of the Year.
  • We will be doing a poll this weekend for NXT Vengeance Day which starts at 6 p.m. Eastern tomorrow on Peacock in the U.S. and Netflix outside the U.S.  You can leave a thumbs up ,thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com  The show is basically sold out.
  • Vertical has picked up the rights to the comedy F+, a movie that features Big E and Randy Couture about teenages who try and break into the computers at their middle school to change their grades to avoid failing.
  • Inside the Ropes announced that Bret Hart would be doing speaking shows in Glasgow, Manchester and London in September.
  • Arena Mexico tonight has a Valentine’s Day loaded up show with Mistico & Atlantis Jr. & Titan coming off theri spectacular match last Friday, now facing Cavernario Barbaro & Volador Jr. & Averno, plus Ultimo Guerrero vs. Hechicero and Mascara Dorada & Templario vs. Soberano Jr. & Zandkan Jr.
  • Mistico noted to people that after his 2/28 match at Korakuen Hall, he will be flying to Mexico City and then connect immediately to San Francisco. AEW has not announced him for the 3/1 show in Oakland but it would appear he has something that day in the Bay Area. One would think there would be an easier way to do that trip to San Francisco.
  • With the top stars in CMLL headed to Japan in a few days, they are doing the Torneo Escuela which is basically for young local wrestlers in six markets to form teams and have a tournament.  It starts on Tuesday with Queretaro vs. Torreon. Next Friday is Mexico City vs. Guadalajara.  2/25 is Puebla vs. Gomez Palacio. The three winners meet in a three-team final on 2/28 at Arena Mexico.
  • ROH last night aired matches from the Jericho Cruise.
  • A note from UFC Hall of Famer, former pro wrestler and Olympic team member Mark Coleman who was hospitalized this week:
    “I have been released from the hospital with great news about my bloodwork, and all the tests came back. Very good. I had a feeling it was gonna be all right when I went in. I’ve been having neck pain and upper back pain for a while now and then chest pain for a couple weeks. They all seem tied together, but just a relief of knowing it’s not my heart and I truly feel great right now. thank you everybody for your prayers. I feel so blessed. I’m trying very hard to take it easy Live today tomorrow’s not promised. Sober is cool Hammer house for life.”
  • A documentary on the life of Baron Von Raschke (James Raschke), “The Claw,” will be screened at the Minnesota Made Film Festival this week, won Monday and Tuesday night at 7:15 p.m.  
  • AJ Francis will headline against John Dalton and K Toomer and tomorrow’s episode of Memphis Wrestling.
  • Lucha Va Voom on 3/6 at the Mayan Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Among those appearing are Aereo, Misterioso Jr., TJP, Magno, Xtreme Tiger and Mr. Iguana as well as the original Octagoncito.
  • Longtime readers Lance LeVine and Brian Tramel talk to Dustin Starr, including discussing Matt Riddle missing a date in Memphis Wrestling 
  • UFC tomorrow is an ESPN+ show from 4-10 p.m. Eastern from the Apex:
  • Julia Avila (135.5) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (134.5)
  • Valter Walker (245) vs.  Don’Tale Mayes (266)
  • Vince Morales (136) vs. Elijah Smith (135.5)
  • Gabriel Bonfim (170.5) vs. Khaos Williams (169.5)
  • Rafael Estevam (126) vs. Jesus Aguilar (125.5)
  • Angela Hill (115.5) vs. Ketlen Souza (115.5)
  • Connor Matthews (146) vs. Jose Delgao (146)
  • Rodolfo Vieira (185.5) vs. Andre Petroski (186)
  • Ismael Bonfim (156) vs. NazimSadykhov (156)
  • Edmen Shahbayzayn (185.5) vs. Dylan Budkha (186)
  • Calvin Kattar (146) vs. Youssef Zalal (146)
  • Jared Cannonier (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (186)