Daily Update: Alexa Bliss, Jerry Lawler, Viva Van
Daily Update
Latest News
- Report: WWE considering Kamala for Hall of Fame induction
- Meet Dave and Bryan at live Q&A in Las Vegas
- Chris Bey: ‘Never say never’ on in-ring return, details paralysis recovery, TNA & CM Punk relationships
- Saraya says end of her wrestling career is coming ‘very soon’
- WWE star Seth Rollins to guest host NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football’
- Homicide says cyst on brain led to decision to retire
- NJPW crowns New Japan Cup winner, Sakura Genesis main event set
- Gabe Kidd match added to Joey Janela’s Spring Break
- John Cena Sr. on son’s retirement: ‘I get a tear in my eye thinking it’s coming to an end’
- New Japan Cup finals live results: Shota Umino vs. David Finlay
Latest Audio
- WOL: Chris Bey, Homicide, Dynamite, Sting and Luger
- WOR: AEW & NXT recaps, Sting & Luger WWE HOF talk, Cena & Cody
- After Dark: Bothell Hell House, Bigfoot in UK, more
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
A ridiculously large issue of the Observer:
- Full coverage of AEW Revolution, business numbers, what matches showed the most interest, match order, PPV buys, live numbers, what the PPV number means, Dynasty card and more
- WrestleMania update, MSG angle with Reigns, Punk and Rollins, card and interest level of the show.
- New Japan Cup update with notes on every tournament match
- Full UFC 313 coverage, looking at the main event decision, what comes next, fight of the year candidate and business notes.
- Lex Luger goes into the WWE Hall of Fame and notes about his life and career from the highs to the lows.
- Latest update on the Vince McMahon/Janel Grant lawsuit
- The classic Frank Deford story on the life of Mildred Burke
- We look at “Queen of the Ring,” deciphering what was and wasn’t real about the movie, the facts regarding the career of Burke, the breakup with Billy Wolfe, the characters in the movie and how they were portrayed and Burke’s significance in the history of pro wrestling.
- The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling and MMA shows this past week, how they ranked for the week and for the night, competition, how Raw did on Netflix as well as how the other shows did worldwide.
- A look at the all-women’s Friday night show at Arena Mexico.
- More on the Stardom Tam Nakano angle.
- Notes on a week with some of the best matches of the year.
- Notes on Dark Side of the Ring for this coming season.
- New books out on wrestling.
- What pro wrestling legend is Gable Steveson attempting to tie the record of?
- Hodge Trophy candidates
- Forming boxing celebrity back doing pro wrestling.
- Notes on Bruno Sammartino and others with Madison Square Garden longevity.
- Full details on the 16 Carat gold tournament
- WBD news story regarding sports and how this affects wrestling.
- Notes on AEW booing.
- Advance ticket sales for WWE & AEW
- More notes on the 18-49 record low number for Dynamite on a Wednesday.
- More on the Dana White/Nick Khan/Turki Alashikh boxing promotion and who is the person responsible for originally putting them together.
- More on the next WWE & UFC media rights talks.
- Notes on a time slot change for WWE & AEW shows over the next few weeks.
- Idea being discussed for a WWE PPV show.
- Netflix and how much WWE is worth to them and the key change coming.
- Lots of backstage notes.
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue
Thursday Update
WWE
- Seemingly responding to speculation about her WrestleMania status after she was pulled from a scheduled appearance at WWE World during WrestleMania week, Alexa Bliss tweeted a gif from the show “Friends” that has the following caption: “I’m fine, okay? I’m great!”
- TNA star Joe Hendry has been confirmed as a guest for the WWE World convention.
- A new episode of WWE Evolve premiered on Tubi last night featuring the following results:
- Luca Crusifino defeated Javier Bernal
- Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe defeated Drako Knox & Tate Wilder
- Kali Armstrong defeated Haze Jameson
- Chantel Monroe defeated Layla Diggs
- Gallus (Joe & Mark Coffey) defeated Jordan Oasis & Sam Holloway
- Brinley Reece defeated Masyn Holiday
- Marcus Mathers and Sam Holloway have been confirmed as entrants for the WWE ID Championship tournament.
- Developmentally Speaking interviewed WWE producer TJ Wilson (Tyson Kidd).
- In their top 50 countdown, WWE ranked Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 30) as the 28th greatest match in WrestleMania history.
- Seth Rollins was featured on a new episode of WWE Break It Down, where he discussed some of the best ring gear he’s worn throughout his career.
AEW/Other Wrestling
- TMZ Sports posted an article about the spot from AEW Dynamite last night where Jon Moxley was slammed into a bed of nails by Adam Copeland. Moxley went on to win their street fight and retain the AEW World Championship.
- In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Saraya praised Toni Storm for how much she’s grown as a performer:
- She’s one of the best promos and characters, I think, of all time. And she’s one of my favorites all together right now. She is making wrestling fun and exciting and I love that. And it’s just funny seeing her from two years ago… when she was scared to pick up a microphone.
- Once you have a character and something that you’re enjoying in wrestling, you wanna put a hundred percent of your mind, body, and soul into it. And she’s doing it. And she’s so humble about it and I love that for her. She’s just like, ‘I hope I’m doing a good job.’ I’m like, ‘Babe, you are smashing it! You are the best thing in wrestling right now.’
- Viva Van was the guest on this week’s episode of AEW Unrestricted. She opened up about now officially being signed to AEW after having worked as an extra for so long:
- First person I told was my boyfriend and then my family, so I celebrated with my boyfriend and my family. What it means to me? The world because I’ve been training, wrestling for eight years, working for seven and it just felt like all the hard work finally paid off.
- For a few years, I was like, ‘Man, what do I got to do?’ I mean, I feel like I’m on the same show with everybody except, you know, I just don’t have a contract yet. But I kept telling myself that: ‘Not yet.’ And I think that’s what kept me going.
- With Homicide having his retirement match at an indie show in Brooklyn tonight, AEW streamed a Timeline video with footage of Homicide’s legendary ROH career.
- Eddie Kingston recorded a video discussing his friendship with Homicide and how important that friendship has been to his life.
- Sting is celebrating his 66th birthday today.
- Jerry Lawler gave an update on his health while speaking with Bill Apter for Sportskeeda WrestleBinge:
- I feel great. I feel good, except my knees are a little bit under the weather. I had my right knee replaced about seven months ago – six or seven months ago. And they said it takes about a year to get that back to normal. And then my left knee needs to be replaced too, but I’m going to wait a while on that one.
- Lawler said that, while he’s feeling good, the effects of his 2023 stroke still impact his life every day:
- Well, that’s something that’s here constantly every day. I want to say gotten over – I haven’t gotten over [it] because the effects of the stroke, they’re always there. I mean, my whole right side of my body is damaged. I can’t really write too good. I can’t draw worth a darn, but I can still sign an autograph, thank goodness. But other than that, I feel fine.
- Indi Hartwell uploaded a new vlog documenting her House of Glory match against Mercedes Mone.
- Anthony Greene will make his MLW debut as an entrant in Battle Riot VII in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 5.