Daily Update: Andre the Giant, WWE Royal Rumble, Jordynne Grace

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • January 27, 2025 Observer Newsletter: AEW inconsistency issues, WWE SNME preview, TNA Genesis & GCW reviews
  • What are the issues with AEW and what can be done to fix some of them easily
  • A look at Wednesday’s show and the different issues regarding the big picture
  • Why WWE doesn’t get hurt when it does the same things listed as mistakes when AEW does them
  • Where AEW actually stands in television
  • Preview of Saturday Night’s Main Event, Royal Rumble and business notes
  • UFC 311 coverage of the show changed at the last minute
  • A look at TNA’s Genesis PPV, its relationship with WWE and its first live TV shoot
  • Game Changer Wrestling returns to the Hammerstein
  • What happened with PCO and why
  • 2024 Awards ballot
  • The most detailed look at the ratings over the past week including Raw on Netflix
  • New CMLL marketing gimmick
  • Stardom comes up with new booking concept and debuts it this past week
  • Dragon Gate comes to the U.S.
  • Japanese promotions try to present united front
  • Notes on first live TNA TV show in eight years
  • Britt Baker update
  • Ricky Starks update
  • Grand Slam Australia update
  • Notes on new AEW dates
  • Major issue long-term for AEW younger talents
  • Advanced ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • More on Dana White and boxing
  • Chris Weidman retires
  • Craig Piligian announced for UFC Hall of Fame
  • One of the most popular fighters from 15 year ago cut by UFC
  • Lots more on WrestleMania
  • Corey Graves update

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Monday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, the news coming out of Raw and other notes with Wrestling Observer Radio.
  • There has been a lot all over the web including from WWE with today as the 32nd anniversary of the death of Andre the Giant. We had all been led to believe Andre passed away on January 27, 1993, having to do with the time difference and it was still that day in the U.S. when we first got the word. However, he passed away in France in his sleep. He was staying at a hotel after attending his father’s funeral and came back to the hotel at 1 a.m. on the morning of January 28. He went to his room and the belief is that he died in his sleep. Patric Laprade, who did the great biography of Andre, went to France and saw the death certificate listing January 28 and also spoke to the doorman at the hotel who confirmed Andre as being alive after midnight. But that January 27 date was used for decades and it’s one of those things that even though evidence showed it to be inaccurate, it’s still used as the day of his death in many circles.
  • The Royal Rumble has topped 60,000 as far as tickets out goes. If it tops 64,200, it would be the largest non-WrestleMania show ever in North America. The record is for a 1986 match in Toronto with Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff.
  • As noted on our show last night, Janel Grant’s attorney, Ann Callis, has until Friday to both make her arguments why the NDA agianst Grant should be terminated which would allow the lawsuit to move forward.  She also said she will be preparing a new lawsuit. It will be very interesting what if anything is added or subtracted from the prior suit.
  • Fightful was the first to report the actual signing of Jordynne Grace by WWE. It’s been known for months that she was going there when her TNA contract ended and we also confirmed today that she has put pen to paper. It’s been expected she would debut in the Rumble, but that is not confirmed, but she is scheduled to be in Indianapolis this weekend.
  • Raw is tonight at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.  Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre, Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez in a non-title match, War Raiders vs. JD McDonagh & Dominik Mysterio for the tag titles, and Logan Paul and Cody Rhodes have also been announced. The continuing of late buys for Raw, a phenomenon that started this month with the move to Netflix, continued here as they are at 11,500 which is 4,000 up from ten days before the show. They’ve been pushing the Sami never beats Drew storyline and at  some point one would think they have to pay it off.
  • NXT is sold out  tomorrow at Center Stage although that only holds 745 fans. Bianca Belair & Naomi defend the tag titles against Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend, Fallon Henley defends the North American title against Shotzi, Giulia & Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez & Corad Jade, Trick Williams vs. Wes Lee, Ethan Page vs. Cedric Alexander and the Grayson Waller Effect with Oba Femi. I expect another big number given the women’s tag titles, and the Bayley match.
  • Eddie Alvarez said he suffered a broken jaw in his fight with Jeremy Stephens on the  Bare Knuckle show at the Wells Fargo Center.
  • Ilia Topuria may be defending the featherweight title against Alexander Volkanovski, the former champion, on 4/12.  Bo Nickal on his podcast said the fight hasn’t been announced but he’s said he’s breaking the story and it’s official. He has the same management team as Topuria. Topuria knocked out Volkanovski, the only person ever to do so, to win the title on February 17,  2024 and said that he believes Volkanovski should get a rematch.
  • Mistico & Mascara Dorada vs. Esfinge & Templario has been added to the 2/8 MLW show in Atlanta at Center Stage.
  • Legendario is getting a real test tomorrow night at Arena Mexico in having a singles match for the CMLL light heavyweight title with Averno.
  • Rob Van Dam and Bobby Fulton have been going at it on social media.  Van Dam wrote today, “Until bad business Bobby taps out–which means admitting his lying and I’m telling 100 percent the truth, I will not let up. 34 years of a reputation of being honest and genuine and then this asshole thinks he can make money off calling me a liar? F*** that. F*** you Bobby.”
  • Wrestling Revolver is doing a show on Friday night at the Square Game in Indianapolis head-to-head with Smackdown in the market with Myron Reed vs. Trey Miguel for the Revolver world title, AJ Francis & Rich Swann & KC Navarro vs.  BDE & Brent Oakley & KC Jacobs and Paul Walter Hauser vs. Steve Maclin.
  • Pro Wrestling Revolucion is Wednesday night at Mount Pleasant High School in San Jose with Super Crazy Komander, El HIjio del Vikingo, La Estrelola and El HIjo del Vikingo on the show.
  • Bianca Belair and Montez Ford will be appearing at WWE Night Wednesday night at the Indiana Pacers game with the Detroit Pistons promoting Royal Rumble.
  • The appliance company Bosch will have a Super Bowl commercial with a bodybuilder actor portraying Randy Savage.
  • Pretty Deadly are featured in the current Muscle & Fitness magazine.
  • Impact on Thursday has Josh Alexander & Eric Young vs. Icarus & Travis Williams, Wes Lee vs. Ace Austin, Mustafa Ali and Cora Jade wrestling and Nic Nemeth doing an interview.