Daily Update: AEW notes, AJ Befumo, DOUKI

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the highlights of this issue:

  • The Cung Le lawsuit settlement was approved, what caused Judge Boulware to do so, winners or losers, who is getting what, looking at the prior settlements that were turned down and the case itself.
  • TKO and Endeavor make a deal to give UFC & WWE new sister companies and what that all entails
  • The most detailed look at the Ring Boys scandal that broke in 1992 and quickly went away, and the lawsuit filed this week with all the details, including why being wrestling helped save WWE from untold bad publicity at the time. We look at the details of a very lengthy suit and what it all means.
  • 2024 Hall of Fame analysis by two researchers looks at what modern candidates are the strongest and weakest in different ways
  • Maple Leaf Wrestling debuts with two incredible main events.
  • The most detailed look at  the TV ratings from the past week, nightly and weekly placings, segment-by-segment, comparisons with the prior year and competition
  • Continuation of CMLL’s women’s wrestling month.
  • American star from a major family says he’ll be the first to win the Triple Crown.
  • Royal Quest notes.
  • MMA star defends pro wrestling world title twice on same show this past week.
  • New movie on 90s star
  • Looking at AEW Full Gear
  • AEW booking issues
  • WrestleDream and Bad Blood PPV numbers update
  • Injury updates
  • Advanced ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW events
  • Streaming and International TV numbers
  • Fighter still hospitalized after five weeks due to weight cutting issues
  • PFL PPV rundown and business
  • WrestleMania and tickets
  • Saturday Night’s Main Event thoughts
  • World Series and wrestling
  • WWE star has surgery to help eye issues
  • Raw & Smackdown 2025 updates
  • Samantha Irvine leaves WWE and details
  • Vince McMahon media pieces looked at
  • Clown show discussing McMahon
  • TV rundowns

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full Nathan Frazer & Axiom vs. Je’Von Evans & Cedric Alexander NXT Tag Team title match from last night. Interference by Wes Lee helped cost Evans & Alexander the match.
  • Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (along with the rest of the main cast) is expected to return for the next installment in the Jumanji movie franchise. The film has a scheduled release date of December 11, 2026.
  • “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda dressed up as Dominik Mysterio for a Halloween photoshoot.
  • Sheamus’ Celtic Warrior Workouts series made its return to YouTube today with Randy Orton appearing as the guest.
  • Cody Rhodes was a guest on the Flagrant podcast.
  • Chris Van Vliet interviewed Liv Morgan, who revealed what advice she would give herself if she could go back in time 10 years:
    • I think I would tell myself to have a little bit more confidence in myself. I feel like I spent a lot of the early years of my career feeling like I wasn’t good enough or that I didn’t quite belong because I didn’t have a crazy athletic pedigree or family in this business, I really feel like I had no real reason why I had deserved to be here, and I think that hindered me a little bit in my performance and my confidence in my development. So I think I’d tell her just have a little bit more faith in yourself, you made it this far, have a little bit more confidence, have a little bit more belief in yourself, and that this ride’s gonna be f*cking crazier than you’ve ever, ever, ever thought, and it’s gonna be better than you’ve ever thought.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Jon Moxley told the Canton Repository how important it is to him to provide memories for fans:
    • I don’t think so much about the memories I’ve made for myself. It’s more about the memories I’ve tried to create for other people. People coming up and telling me I’ve given them inspiration or joy with a match means more than any list of accomplishments on paper or personal memories. It means a lot when people tell me that I’ve been a part of their lives somehow. It means something when a father and son tell me they watch my matches together. I’ve also been hearing I’ve grown up with you and been watching you since junior high. That one gets me a bit. I start to go, ‘Oh my God, I can’t be that old now can I?‘
  • Moxley hyped up tonight’s Fright Night Dynamite that’s taking place from Cleveland:
    • I have a message for my fellow residents of Ohio. You are the people I serve and I have a promise. I have something special for you. I speak in absolute truths. I’m not a used car salesman. There is no buy one free get one free special. You are taking off work. You might be getting a babysitter. You’re paying for tickets and parking. Those are significant investments to me and I feel that weight on my shoulders. … I demand you feel something when you leave this event. It might be shock. It might be horror. You might be uncomfortable. I will create a memorable experience for you, though.
  • Moxley has officially applied to trademark the term “Death Riders.”
  • In an interview with TV Insider, Shelton Benjamin promoted his match against Swerve Strickland ahead of Dynamite tonight:
    • As far as the theme goes, I don’t get wrapped up in themes. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, I work the same way no matter what day it is. I’m about business. I’m going to try to steal the show. I’m going to bust my ass. It doesn’t matter to me. As far as Swerve goes, I would say in the last few years I’ve watched him go from relative obscurity in the mainstream. We knew about his work in NXT and things like that, but he comes from relative obscurity in mainstream pro wrestling. 
    • Now he is on the door of becoming a household name. That is a testament to him as a performer, a man and the faith AEW has put in him. So far he has been delivering. He is phenomenal. I think his ceiling is so high. I think he is going to be the guy for that company for many years to come. MVP and I approached him about doing business together. That didn’t work out the way we wanted. Now it’s the other side. Now I got to know. I’m going in to see why he is so special and why he thinks he is so special. I’m not going to make it easy on him. He has to prove why he thinks he is the man. I think he is a special talent, but he is not the standard of excellence I am.
  • Benjamin addressed the rumors that Bobby Lashley will be joining him and MVP in AEW:
    • If that was the case, that means there would be another monster in the company. Based on whatever his plans are, that could be a threat to everyone. We heard the rumblings and what people were whispering. For the most part, I’m not concerned with that. I’m concerned about what happens Wednesday between Swerve and me. If someone else joins the company, I think it would be a great asset. At the same time, I’m not concerned with that right now. I’m concerned with Wednesday.
  • TikTok star AJ Befumo of the Costco Guys told BroBible that he’d love to do more with AEW after his upcoming Full Gear pre-show match against QT Marshall:
    • I’m very happy with how everything is going with AEW. So we do have a one-match contract, but I am very much open to discussing the future. I would love to continue with AEW if that’s on the table.
  • Befumo discussed his history as an indie wrestler:
    • I wrestled for about 11 years. Probably from sometime around 1994 to about 2005. So I was very active in New Jersey, independent wrestling, and always had such a great time, made some great relationships. And it was always my goal to send the crowd home happy as a kid growing up, loving the heroes in wrestling, loving the Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior and all the good guys, all the heroes. It was always what I wanted to do was to send the kids and send the crowd home happy and that’s exactly what I did.
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer published a story on Wheeler Yuta. He explained what he’s learned from being a Philly sports fan:
    • Pain and patience. No, I’m kidding. I think I’ve learned a lot in terms of work ethic. That’s really the No. 1 thing that Philly sports fans want. They want you to go out and prove that you’re trying your hardest, you’re trying to win, you’re trying to win for them, and trying to win for yourself.
    • That has really resonated with me and helped me continue to grow. I think about the athletes that I cheered or booed as a kid, just trying to get them to bring one home for the city. What I command from the Phillies, the Sixers, and the Eagles, if I’m not putting that out myself, then who am I to throw stones?
  • The Battleground Podcast interviewed Willow Nightingale.
  • AEW wished happy birthday to both Adam Copeland (51) and Luther (56).
  • NJPW uploaded an interview with Kenny Omega.
  • DOUKI would like to face Sammy Guevara at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5. The event is taking place at the Tokyo Dome the day after Wrestle Kingdom 19 and will include wrestlers from NJPW, AEW, Stardom, CMLL, and ROH.
  • MLW announced Okumura vs. Ikuro Kwon for the TV taping portion of their event in Cicero, Illinois on Saturday, November 9.