Daily Update: Ashley Massaro, Rikidozan, The Rock

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

We have another huge issue of the Observer with major stories looking back on the Ashley Massaro situation and how it has become major news this past week, the build to WrestleMania, New Japan changes losing Okada and Ospreay and much more.

  • A new statement by Ashley Massaro released by her former lawyer
  • Massaro’s best friend goes on television to weigh in on what she was told
  • What WWE said at the time and how they handled it with the media
  • What John Laurinaitis through his lawyer has said
  • A doctor who treated Massaro at the time confirms the story
  • Massaro’s original depositions on McMahon and her alleged rape by someone posing as a military doctor
  • Bret Hart talks the allegations against Vince McMahon
  • More people in the industry comment on the story
  • The background of how we go to where we are for WrestleMania involving Nick Khan, Ari Emanuel, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Levesque and the key decisions made and changed along the way
  • Updates on WWE Elimination Chamber and AEW Revolution
  • Why New Japan’s New Beginning in Osaka was such a noteworthy show and talk about the Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. match and the controversial cage match
  • A look at the upcoming New Japan schedule
  • The story behind Billy Jack Haynes and his arrest, his one-time best friend and his wife who died of a gunshot wound
  • A look at Haynes’ wrestling career
  • More on the changes in TNA, not just Scott D’Amore but also Ed Nordholm, why it happened and the timeline of it happening
  • What happened at the call when Leonard Asper told talent about D’Amore being gone
  • Notes on the letter sent by talent to Asper
  • NTV 70th anniversary pro wrestling special and what was featured
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows, demo numbers, segment-by-segment and weekly rankings
  • The story behind the BCC heading to Mexico and Blue Panther being in the match
  • Will Ospreay statement on leaving NJPW
  • Matt Riddle talks starting in NJPW
  • Early FantasticaMania notes
  • Grandson of Brian Pillman gets awarded
  • The Angelo Mosca secret
  • A promotional merger announced
  • Latest rights fees story and how it may affect UFC & AEW
  • Tony Khan talks AEW future
  • More on Kazuchika Okada
  • Lots of injury updates
  • Upcoming ticket sales to WWE & AEW events
  • International TV numbers and streaming numbers
  • Crazy thing Dana White did on a podcast this week
  • Preview of this week’s UFC show
  • WWE deal with X
  • Steve Austin talks about the potential of him doing another match
  • Drew McIntyre update
  • Seth Rollins talks MMA fighters in pro wrestling
  • Bruce Prichard injury update

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Monday Update

Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio, covering all the latest news as well as tonight’s Raw show. I also want to make mention of the Friday show I did with Garrett and Tim Marchman as one of the most complemented shows we’ve done in a long time and the Saturday show with Jim Valley who goes deep into the Vince McMahon stuff.

The Daily Mail ran a story on Cara Pipia talking about the Ashley Massaro situation and Stephanie McMahon did not come off well in this. 

Today is the 70th anniversary of one of the most important matches in pro wrestling history, and maybe the single most important. It was Rikidozan & Masahiko Kimura going to a 61:00 draw with world tag team champions Ben & Mike Sharpe at Sumo Hall in Tokyo. It began the Rikidozan cultural phenomenon and is considered the birth of Japanese pro wrestling. This match was so big that kids growing up in Japan in the 60s and 70s learned about Rikidozan and The Sharpes in history class like Ameicans would be taught about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.

Dwayne Johnson was the Grand Marshall of the Daytona 500, which was delayed until today on FOX. Johnson didn’t talk WWE but promoted the debut of the UFL hard.

The WWE crew going to Australia will be flying out after tonight’s show. The Smackdown stars on the Australia show were flown to Los Angeles to head out as well, so some could be on the show tonight. 

It looks like El Hijo del Vikingo may not need surgery for a torn meniscus. If he doesn’t have surgery he will still be out of action for a while rehabbing. If he needs surgery that will lengthen the time for his return.

I mentioned it yesterday, but I’d highly recommend the Will Ospreay vs. Michael Oku match from yesterday in London. Tony Khan and Darby Allin were at the show. Results were: Orange Cassidy (surprise appearance) retained the International title over Flash Morgan Webster, Shigehiro Irie, Cameron Khai, Spike Trivet, Richard Holliday and Sha SamuelsDani Luna b Safire Reed to keep the British women’s tilte, Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima b Mark Trew & Keiron Lacey, Luke Jacobs b JJ Gale – Heard this was really good, Mustafa Ali b Robbie X, Shingo Takagi b Trent Seven, Anthony Ogogo b Ricky Knight Jr., Zack Sabre Jr. b Conor Mills, Oku b Ospreay in 47:11 to retain the British title (thanks to Kaden Shea)

George Hackenschmidt, a major U.S. historical pro wrestling figure, the original Russian Lion, passed away 56 years ago today. He was the man who popularized pro wrestling in Europe and later the U.S.

The news on Steve McMichael is much better today. According to a close friend, he should be going home from the hospital in a couple of days. Right now people are hoping he can make it somehow to Canton in August for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony. ESPN did a great piece on him recently.

Raw tonight is from Anaheim, CA. They announced the show is starting with Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre. The show has opened lower than expected in recent weeks so they’ve decided to have a big marquee match first. Also on the show is Gunther vs. Jey Uso for the IC title, a women’s Battle Royal for the final shot in the Chamber, Ivar vs. Chad Gable and Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano & Miz & R-Truth vs. Judgment Day. The show was sold out with 11,032 tickets out as of a few hours ago.

NXT and Smackdown are taped this week so Raw is the only live WWE television show until Saturday. NXT has Lyra Valkyria vs. Shotzi (the match Shotzi was injured in) and Valkyria vs. Lash Legend in title matches, Oba Femi vs. Lexis King for the North American Title, Andre Chase & Duke Hudson vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer to get a tag title shot, Legend vs. Kelani Jordan, Jacy Jayen vs. Arianna Grace, Roxanne Perez vs. Wren Sinclair and Josh Briggs vs. Brooks Jensen.

Cash Wheeler will be arraigned tomorrow after pleading not guilty to aggravated assault with a firearm in Orange County, FL. 

The PFL has signed a multi-year broadcast deal for all PFL & Bellator bouts with U-Next for the Japanese market. Bellator had been on the service in Japan and they’ve added all PFL events. 

Glory Pro Wrestling from Saturday night in St. Louis: Jake Bosche & Scott Stanley b IP Mason & Cordell Cain, Dad the Dad & Kody Lane & ATM b Mike Outlaw & Rahim de la Suede & Mason St Goods, Lady Bird won over Blair Onyx and Heather Reckless, Kenny Alfonso b Jabari King, Marcus Muncherson b Edvin Kudic, Dak Draper b Tootie Lynn, Camaro Jackson b Stallion Rogers, Allie Katch b Maggie Lee, Jake Parnell b Alex Zayne to keep the Crown of Glory title, The Phill6 Marino Experience b Deliverer Moses & Ethan Price in a 2/3 fall match to win the United Glory tag titles. Danhausen made a surprise appearance on the show to confront Warhorse. (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)

 El Hijo de Santo will appear signing autographs at Toymania on Sunday from 1-3 pm. in Torrance, CA.