Daily Update: AEW Rampage, WWE house shows, Google trends

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: COVID strikes pro wrestling again, Warner Bros. Discovery & AEW

  • The new issue of the Observer has these stories:
  • Major players from five companies test positive for COVID causing changes in television or major shows.
  • Sunday’s Fukuoka Dome show and a look back at the previous pro wrestling events in the building that featured some of the biggest American stars of all-time.
  • The Discovery/Warner merger, what was said at the earnings call about cutbacks, and the different ways this can go for AEW
  • Streaming vs. television and the realities of the numbers
  • Wrestling on television in every category, who is up, who is down, factoring out cable losses, and reasons behind the ups and downs.
  • WWE & AEW shows coming up between now and August ticket sales, interest in the secondary market, how many seats WWE is setting up for the stadium shows
  • WrestleMania Backlash card update and business update
  • Saturday’s UFC report
  • New wrestling history television show series being filmed and who is behind it
  • Karl Lauer and the growth of the Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Ratings of all the television shows of the past week
  • Death of Toro Bill Jr.
  • Preview of TripleMania
  • Unique statement by L.A. Park about TripleMania
  • All Japan, Dragon Gate, NOAH and other Japanese events
  • This week’s PWG show
  • MLW answers the WWE’s attempt to get the lawsuit by MLW thrown out
  • Personnel changes in Impact
  • AEW injury notes
  • AEW’s Double or Nothing show
  • Updates on ticket sales for WWE & AEW shows
  • Promotion gets major television deal with Amazon Prime
  • Tyson Fury on Drew McIntyre and Francis Ngannou
  • Peacock business update
  • WWE survey sent to fans about what they want
  • Biggest streaming numbers from the week

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: March 21, 2005 Observer Newsletter: Raw leaving Spike TV, TNA Destination X review

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Sunday News Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking all the weekend news including Triplemania, Fukuoka Dome, WWE cuts, WrestleMania Backlash and more.
  • AEW announced that Rampage will start at 5:30 p.m. Eastern and 2:30 p.m. Pacific this coming Friday. The show is going to be bounced around the next several weeks based on NBA and NHL playoffs.
  • There are some interesting names for the Best of the Super Juniors tournament this year (5/15 to 6/3) with new names due to travel being more open: Clark Connors, Ace Austin from Impact, Alex Zayne, Francesco Akira (who had been announced), Titan, Lindaman and Wheeler Yuta from AEW. That means Yuta will not be on the Memorial Day AEW Double or Nothing PPV.
  • Keiji Muto returns from hip issues on the 5/21 NOAH show at the Tokyo Ota Ward Gym, teaming with Satoshi Kojima & Naomichi Marufuji vs. Go Shiozaki & Kaito Kiyomiya & Masato Tanaka.
  • We’re looking for reports from these shows:
    • WWE on Thursday in Newcastle
    • WWE today in Leipzig, Germany
    • WWE tonight in Fairfax, VA
    • Reports can be sent to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • We’re also doing polls on these shows, you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle with a best and worst match from:
    • Stardom Friday night in Tokyo Ota Ward Cinderella finals
    • NOAH second show at Sumo Hall on Saturday
    • AAA TripleMania on Saturday
    • NJPW PayPay Dome Dontaku
    • You can send your thoughts to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • WWE from yesterday in Paris, France:
    • Ricochet won three-way over Sami Zayn and Butch in an IC title match
    • Aliyah b Shotzi
    • Gunther b Shinsuke Nakamura
    • Bobby Lashley b Ridge Holland – Sheamus was there but didn’t wrestle but did interfere
    • Charlotte Flair b Ronda Rousey using natural selection wit her feet on the ropes. Rousey put Flair in an armbar after the match
    • Sasha Banks & Naomi b Natalya & Shayna Baszler with the Banks & Naomi double-team rent due finish on Natalya
    • In a non-title match, Randy Orton & Riddle b Usos with Orton using the RKO for the pin
    • Roman Reigns retained the Universal title over Drew McIntyre with a spear
    • (Thanks to Sebastian Mantilla Vargas)
  • Thanks to Alex Dudley and William Wilsher for reports on Friday’s show in London. Regarding concern in London about Nakamura being hurt and being helped to the back in London, he did wrestle in Paris the next day.
  • WWE from last night in Lakeland, FL
    • Street Profits b Alpha Academy
    • Omos b Reggie
    • Miz TV with Ezekiel and Kevin Owens. It ended up where Owens said Ezekiel could get a match with him if he first beat Miz
    • Ezekiel b Miz. Owens then said he lied and there would be no match
    • Cody Rhodes b Seth Rollins. Great match.
    • Theory b Finn Balor to keep the U.S. title
    • A.J. Styles b Damian Priest-DQ
    • Bianca Belair won four-way over Becky Lynch, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan when Belair pinned Morgan. Really good match (thanks to Chris Hughes)
  • Regarding Google searches, the UFC show on ESPN only had Rob Font at 20,000 listed today and nothing cracked the top 20 yesterday. Shakir Stevenson vs. Oscar Valdez was No. 11 yesterday with 100,000 and Katie Taylor was No. 15 with 100,000. Nothing from boxing, MMA and pro wrestling cracked the top 20 all week. The Taylor number shocks me because I’ve heard so much about the fight and figured the interest level would be huge.
  • The four weekend matches I’ve heard people raving about are Go Shiozaki vs. Kaito Kiyomiya from the Saturday NOAH show, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito from Fukuoka and Young Bucks vs. Rey Fenix & El Hijo del Vikingo.
  • For those who have asked about Wheeler Yuta and the ROH Pure title, it is still recognized and Yuta will be defending it today at the Dark tapings in Orlando.
  • Due to being out of town this weekend, I’ve only seen most of Triplemania everything but the last two matches) but that was a fun show if you are into AAA style. It’s a lot better than most even if the idea that Sammy Guevara can enter the match at the end and win the mixed tag title makes no sense when you think about it. Guevara was injured (although not a leg injury as he was working) so only came in for the finish, but the plan coming in was for Guevara & Tay Conti to win the mixed tag titles, so even though he couldn’t do the full match, they ended with the plan they had. The four tag team match was a lot of fun. The crowd went nuts for L.A. Park vs Villano IV and for Vampiro’s return in saving Latin Lover from Jeff Jarrett and Rey Escorpion. It had a real big show feel.

UFC

  • Darren Till vs. Jack Hermansson is set for 7/23 in London. The main event is a key heavyweight fight with Tom Aspinall vs Curtis Blaydes.

Other Notes

  • Defy results from last night in Seattle before a sold out house on Pluto TV: Swerve Strickland & Nick Wayne & Adam Brooks b Christopher Daniels & Ricky Gibson & Eddie Pearl. They teased Strickland being jealous that Wayne scored the fall and he walked to the back during the Wayne & Brooks celebration. Big Damo b Kevin Blackwood, Dannika Della Rouge b Kikyo to keep the PCW Ultra women’s tile, Schaff b Timothy Thatcher, Steve Migs b El Phantasmo with help from Ethan HD (Migs is a Seattle area radio personality), Gurv & Harv Sihra retained the Defy tag titles over Cody Chhun & Guillermo Rosas, Jon Moxley b Tom Lawlor in a double juice match. After the match, Moxley said Lawlor is a friend of the Blackpool Combat Club, that Defy is a friend of AEW and that if the crowd screamed loudly enough, Bryan Danielson may come with him next time.
  • Grandel Wrestling from last night in St. Louis: Josh Alexander b Camaro Jackson, Dan the Dad b Silas Young, Fred Yehi b Davey Vega, Mike Outlaw b Alex Shelley, Gary Jay b Aaron Williams to keep the St. Louis anarchy title in a ladder match, Tenille Dashwood b Tootie Lynn, Moose b Kevin Lee Davidson, Moses the Deliverer & Rahim de la Suede b Royce Isaas & Jorel Nelson, Davey Richards b Samuray del Sol (formerly Kalisto) (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
  • AAW from Friday in Merrionette Park, IL: Davey Vega won four-way over Gringo Loco, Brayden Lee & Shane Hollister, Schaff b Victor Benjamin, Fred Yehi b Mike Bennett, ACH & Jah C & Rich Swann b Karam & Hakim Zane & Ren Jones, Ace Austin b Myron Reed to keep the Heritage title, Christi Jaynes b Skye Blue to keep the women’s title, Josh Alexander b Gnaris Garvin, Ace Perry & Alex Hammerstone b Russ Jones & Heather Reckless to keep tag titles, Mat Fitchett b Eric Young to keep the AAW title, Manders b Silas Young in a cage match (thanks to Leonard Brand)
  • Renegades of Wrestling from last night in Melbourne, Australia: Mat Diamond won three-way over Murdoch and Robby Heart, Aysha b Lena Kross, Paris Da Silva & Jude London b Robbie Eagles & Emman the Kid, Tarlee b Kalty Luxe, Tommy Knight b Kendo, Jonah b Caveman Ugg. This was Jonah’s first back back in Australia since 2019. Jonah wrestled today in Adelaide, Australia. (thanks to Kevin Chiat)
  • Stardom from today in Fukuyama: Thekla b Momo Kohgo, Starlight Kid & Ruaka b AZM & Hina, Giulia & Maika & Himeka & Natsupoi & Mai Sakurai b Mayu Iwatani & Hazuki & Koguma & Saya Iida & Hanan, Momo Watanabe & Saki Kashima & Rina b Utami Hayashishita & Saya Kamitani & Lady C, Syuri & Konami & Mirai & Ami Sorei b Tam Nakano & Unagi Sayaka & Mina Shirakawa & Waka Tsukiyama