Daily Update: AEW Grand Slam, Stardom, UFC 303

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

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Friday Update

– We have a busy weekend coming up as we have a show today with Garrett Gonzales talking about a huge week of news, so big that we had one of the largest issues in our history, plus we’ve got a Saturday night show covering UFC and a Sunday night show covering Forbidden Door.

– We’ve got a monster-sized issue of the Observer because of so many major stories this past week:

  • The life and times of Sika Anoa’i, from moving to San Francisco, being a fan at the Cow Palace watching Peter Maivia, to running through territories, going all over the world, to being one of the most legendary tag team champions in WWF history, along with his role in the most famous modern pro wrestling family today as the father of Roman Reigns and uncle of the Usos, Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu.  We look at the legends, realities and more.
  • A look at WWE’s deal in Indiana and the news behind the scenes on it.
  • We look at the life and career of Jamie Kellner and the death of  WCW, including the last two months of WCW and the strange questions that to this day haven’t been answered.
  • A detailed look at Forbidden Door, the unique match on the undercard, business notes, stories behind the matches and an update on how Double or Nothing ended up doing.
  • A look at the final episode of  Who Killed WCW, why it ultimately was such a major disappointment and a timeline of faulty memories
  • An updated look at WWE coming to Toronto for Money in the Bank and NXT Heatwave, lineups and business.
  • A look at the biggest Fantastica Mania show to date, last week’s show at Arena Mexico
  • A look at the life and career of Taylor Wily, also known as Teila Tuli, the first man to walk the aisle at the first UFC PPV, and the fight that remains etched in history. We look at a life that includes sumo, and being a regular on Hawaii Five-O.
  • The continued drop in homes that air WWE, AEW, and all pro wrestling and MMA programming.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings over the past week, including how wrestling shows did in the weekly standings, how each show did and its placing, comparisons to last year, competition and audience makeup.
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero and why it’s a must-see match.
  • A look at one of the biggest weeks of the year in CMLL
  • Notes on the last TripleMania show of the year
  • Breakup of a legendary Stardom faction
  • G1 qualifying tournament and who will miss G1 for the first time since 2007
  • Former WCW wrestler and Japanese Lucha star about to retire
  • One year celebration of the death of Terry Funk talked about for August
  • Death of Louie Tillet, a well known wrestler and booker
  • Very detailed look at the arrest of 2 Cold Scorpio
  • Nick Bollea sentenced for drunk driving arrest last year
  • MLW hiring new name people for production
  • Tony Khan press conference and keys things he talked about
  • Khan again discusses media rights talks
  • Khan talks Shane McMahon
  • Death of German announcer Gunter Zapf, the voice of WWE for a generation, AEW, Lucha Underground and the NFL with notes from those who worked with him.
  • AEW’s first TV taping outside North America
  • Details on AEW expenses broken down for a PPV as well as the percentage of revenue that the talent makes and how it compares with WWE, UFC and other sports.
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • Advanced ticket sales for WWE & AEW events
  • Update on the Cung Le lawsuit
  • Update on Conor McGregor’s fighting again
  • Why UFC is only running one show and never again at The Sphere and why WWE & AEW are unlikely to ever run it.
  • ONE financial breakdown
  • A look at a number of people leaving WWE for different reasons
  • New head writer for SmackDown
  • Daughter of major WWE star trying to make the Olympic team this year
  • WWE house show reports

– AEW Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York will be 9/25. They will do Dynamite live and tape two hours of Collision.

– As of this morning, Stardom is now officially owned by New Japan Pro Wrestling as part of the Bushiroad dealings.

– Rampage at 10 p.m. tonight on TNT:

  • Roderick Strong & Gabe Kidd vs. The Infantry
  • Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata
  • El Phantasmo vs. AR Fox for a spot in the TNT title ladder match
  • Orange Cassidy vs. The Outrunners in a handicap match
  • Dalton Castle vs. Shingo Takagi

– People Magazine did a story on the wedding of Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews.

– Dijak talks his WWE departure, Vince McMahon and more.

– For this weekend we’re looking for reports on these shows:

  • WWE tonight in Madison Square Garden (dark matches only)
  • TNA tapings in Philadelphia tonight and tomorrow night
  • We’re looking for results, finishes and other highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

– Charlie Dempsey is at the TNA tapings tonight.

– Wes Lee, Nathan Frazer and Joe Coffey were sent to tonight’s show in Madison Square Garden. I don’t know this but I could see them being in matches for WWE Speed.

– We’ll be doing our poll on AEW Forbidden Door this weekend, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

– Newsday talked to Swerve Strickland promoting Forbidden Door this past week.

– UFC 303 is tomorrow from the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

ESPN and ESPN+ coverage  at 6 p.m. Eastern

  • Ricky Simon (136) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (136)
  • Rei Tsuruya (125.5) Carlos Hernandez (125)
  • Andrei Arlovski (245) vs. Martin Buday (264.5)
  • Michelle Waterson-Gomez (115) vs. Gillian Robertson (116)
  • Payton Talbott (135.5) vs Yanis Ghemmouri (136)
  • Cub Swanson (146) vs. Andre Fili (145.5)
  • Joe Pyfer (185.5) vs. Marc-Ander Barrault (185)
  • Charles Jourdain (146) vs. Jean Silva (147.5)

PPV at 10 p.m. Eastern

  • Ian Machado Garry (170) vs. Michael Venom Page (171)
  • Anthony Smith (206) vs. Roman Dolidze (205)
  • Mayra Bueno Silva (136) vs. Macy Chiasson (1355)
  • Brian Ortega (155) vs. Diego Lopes (155)
  • Alex Pereiera (204.5) vs. Jiri Prochazka (204.5) for the light heavyweight title

Silva missed weight and forfeited 20 percent of his purse.

Ortega vs. Lopes was originally at 145, but Ortega’s side said that he couldn’t make weight and both fighters agreed to have it at 155.

Tsrurya will have Shinsuke Nakamura in his corner. Nakamura fought  MMA in Japan including some high profile fights against Alexey Ignashov, at the time one of the top kickboxers in the world. He had a UFC offer but turned it down due to pro wrestling but later has said he wished he at least had done one UFC fight.

– Kyle Fletcher defends the ROH TV title tonight at Arena Mexico against Atlantis Jr. Mistico & Volador Jr. & Esfinge face Angel de Oro & Euforia & Averno in the semi. The last time a major non-CMLL or Mexican championship changed hands at Arena Mexico was when La Sombra (Andrade) beat Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental title in 2013.

– The 7/26 WWE show at Sumo Hall in Tokyo is sold out.

– The Forbidden Door preshow will be starting Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.

– PFL is on ESPN tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern with these tournament matches in featherweight and welterweight from Sioux Falls, SD:

  • Brendan Loughnane (146) vs Justin Gonzales (145.6)
  • Logan Storley (170.4) vs. Luca Poclit (170)
  • Magomed Umalatov (170.4) vs. Brennan Ward (171)
  • Gabriel Braga (150.6) vs. Bubba Jenkins (146)

The prelims start at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+ with these bouts

  • Lorenz Larkin (170.8) vs. Alan Dominguez (170.6) – non-tournament
  • Murad Ramazanov (170.4) vs.  Shamil Muasaev (170.8)
  • Timur Khizriev (146) vs.  Enrique Barzola (146)
  • Goiti Yamauchi (170.6) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (171)
  • Kai Kamaka (146) vs. Pedro Carvalho (146)
  • Dan Madge (169.8) vs.  Neiman Gracie (170.4)
  • Tyler Diamond (145.4) vs. Brett Johns (145.6)

It should be noted that Braga missed weight by 4.6 pounds. He forfeits 20 percent of his purse to Jenkins and has one point deducted from his standings point total but is eligible to earn points to reach the playoffs. I’m highly against someone in this type of a tournament having the chance to earn points in a match where they missed weight, let alone by that much. It’s ridiculous.

– Matt Riddle has a meet and greet from 6-6:30 p.m. before the 7/12 MLW show at the St Petersburg Coliseum. You can preorder autographs and a photo at MLWVIP.com.

– Kid Lykos defends the Progress title against Luke Jacobs on 7/28 at the Electric Ballroom in London

– The IWA in New South Wales promoted the first 30 minute women’s Iron Man match ever in the state last Friday in Sydney. Rita Stone and Charlie Evans were the opponents, Historian Ed Lock said Stone is probably the best rookie he’s seen in over 25 years of calling matches in Australia. Stone won three falls to two.

– Damian Willoughby was announced as the new Head of Global Partnerships for the PFL. He’ll be based out of the London office and report to CEO Peter Murray. He’ll be in charge of all the different PFL divisions.  He had been an executive for the City Football Group, Chelsea and Rangers FC.

– A correction from last week in International Wrestling Revolution notes, it was Trey Miguel & Myron Reed as a tag team on the show, not Miguel & Zachary Wentz as was listed.