Daily Update: Becky Lynch, Arn Anderson, The Collective 2025

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the highlights of this issue:

  • The life of Joe Koff and how his influence on the current wrestling scene is so underplayed. From being a childhood fan of Bruno Sammartino, heading the production on the original Battle of the Belts series, saving ROH at least twice, and providing a place where many of today’s biggest stars were able to make a living while building resumes that led them to the top in WWE and essentially the building blocks of the formation of AEW, and the success of All In. We look at his life and career both in and out of the wrestling business.
  • Bryan Danielson retires from full-time wrestling, his future and how this played out on WrestleDream.
  • A look at WrestleDream, the business of the show, the rundown and polls.
  • More details on the AEW television deal, what it does and doesn’t cover, prospects for other deals, the economics, attempting to rebuild attendance at shows, the Mexico deal, international prospects going forward and more.
  • Zack Sabre Jr. wins IWGP title while Hiroshi Tanahahashi provides a retirement countdown. Plus a look at the future NJPW lineups, Tokyo Dome prospects and King of Pro Wrestling coverage.
  • The Gegard Mousasi lawsuit and the latest attempt to get a court to rule on the independent contractor vs. employee status.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the wrestling shows, placings for the night and week, competition, year-by-year comparisons and more.
  • When did star ratings for wrestling matches begin? The answer will surprise you.
  • Santo draws the biggest indie crowd of the year.
  • Jimmy Jacobs leaves AEW.
  • Bob Ryder and the birth of TNA.
  • International TV ratings.
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows.
  • Fighters depositions in Cung Le lawsuit.
  • UFC TV rights news.
  • Major UFC stars say they want to come out of retirement.
  • How much WWE & UFC are expected to produce this year in revenue.
  • New WWE project with Netflix.
  • Update on Netflix ratings for the two wrestling shows.

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • Becky Lynch is set to appear at Vulture Festival in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 17, taking part in a conversation called “Becky Lynch Disarms Us.”
    • WWE Superstar, trailblazer, and New York Times best-selling author Rebecca Quin will join us for a conversation about her recent memoir Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl. We’ll look back on her legendary career — from her early days grinding on the road to being in the first ever women’s match to main event WrestleMania — and just maybe get a glimpse at what The Man has in store for us next.
  • Big E will be the honorary captain for the Iowa Hawkeyes football team this Saturday when his alma mater plays Northwestern.
  • For Halloween, Shotzi & Scarlett’s Chamber of Horrors series returned with Dominik Mysterio, Otis & Karrion Kross joining them to “explore the demonic Haunted Hill House, a building full of paranormal activity in Mineral Wells, Texas.”
  • Adrian Hernandez interviewed Liv Morgan & Dominik.
  • Today is Cody Rhodes’ 200th day as Undisputed WWE Champion.
  • WWE uploaded a vlog from Cody’s time in Manchester during this month’s UK tour.
  • Bron Breakker turns 27 years old today.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • AEW shared post-Dynamite promos from Kyle Fletcher, Mark Briscoe, and Sammy Guevara.
  • In this week’s Mone Mag, Mercedes Mone listed her top five fantasy opponents:
    • 1. Manami Toyota- when I watched her I was in awe! I could not believe a woman could wrestle like that or perform the way she performed. Not to mention that she could do so in matches that lasted 30 minutes or longer! She was way before her time and my number one fantasy match.
    • 2. Kyoko Inoue- Because I grew up watching Toyota, my second dream match would have to be to one of her best opponents, Kyoko Inoue. She is a wrestler that I have always looked up to, and when I see her wrestle, I am always in awe as well.
    • 3. Trish Stratus- She was just THE GIRL back in the day. And even now, she can just go. I watched her on TV as a fan in her prime and still wish I could lock up with her.
    • 4. Mickie James- What can I say I LOVED her versus Trish [Stratus’] storyline growing up! I was so inspired by it. I never saw a woman’s storyline like that. What made it even more incredible was that it lasted for an entire year which seemed unheard of for women. They even had an amazing WrestleMania match. I was only a teenager then, but they just truly inspired me, so Mickie makes the last for sure.
    • 5. Athena- They say fantasies can’t come true, only dreams can. On that note, a dream match would be against Athena- the Ring of Honor Women’s champion. I’ve only had two matches with her, but they have been multi-women matches. I think she’s an incredible talent. Like the others, I’ve never seen women do things that she’s done before. She also seems to love it just as much as I do. I think if I’m given the chance and opportunity, we would have one of the greatest matches ever.
  • Tony Khan shared a photo with London Mayor Sadiq Khan: “It was great to see the Mayor of London @SadiqKhan, and I was honored to stand with him to unveil the AEW World Championship belt with the special @FulhamFC side plates!”
  • No-Contest Wrestling uploaded part two of their interview with Swerve Strickland.
  • Samoa Joe appeared on the Doughboys podcast, reviewing Canadian chain restaurant Boston Pizza.
  • Today is Kamille’s 32nd birthday.
  • On his ARN podcast, Arn Anderson congratulated AEW on its new media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery:
    • I’m very happy for Tony Khan and all of his crew, everybody that works there. Like I said, we need – when wrestling is flourishing, notoriously every available company is doing well. When they catch on fire, then it just causes a competition that everybody is a better product. And so, that’s what I hope for. Let’s see how it goes.
  • Anderson said it’s “just insane” that some fans would want AEW to die:   
    • Probably won’t die in my lifetime. Too many resources. You know, too many resources. [Tony Khan’s] got a talent list 10 miles long. He’s got, I mean forget about the TV deal that they signed, think of all the other assets that him and his family – the Khan family – have to draw from. I mean, I don’t want to see them die. Who the hell would want to see them die? [It’s] just insane. I feel like the company is going to get bigger and stronger, and it’s going to evolve, and it’ll be interesting to see.
  • Mina Shirakawa told WrestleZone that her goal for 2025 is to become a champion in the United States: “I have won Japanese belts and the British belt, but not yet an American belt. In 2025, I want to be a champion in the United States.”
  • GCW announced that The Collective 2025 will be held at The Pearl Theatre at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It’s taking place from Thursday, April 17 through Saturday, April 19 during WrestleMania week. GCW noted that the event schedule for The Collective is coming soon.
  • TNA streamed a press conference promoting this Saturday’s Bound for Glory PPV.
  • Nic Nemeth named Nick Bockwinkel as the one wrestler from any era that he would have wanted to have a match with.
  • While speaking with TV Insider, Matt Hardy gave his thoughts on Rhino and Bob Ryder being this year’s TNA Hall of Fame inductees:
    • It’s great. Rhino is a very good choice, especially being here in Detroit. He is ‘Detroit Rock City’ through and through. I’ve known Rhino for 24 years now, and he is a very deserving guy. He is someone who busted his ass for professional wrestling and contributed so much to the business. Bob Ryder is such an amazing guy. A pillar of TNA in the beginning. If Bob Ryder doesn’t step into the conversation of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, I don’t know if TNA even becomes a thing. He was hugely instrumental in putting TNA on the map. I’m so excited he is being honored in the Hall of Fame.
  • The Hardys & Joe Hendry were in attendance at last night’s Detroit Pistons NBA game.
  • KENTA vs. Paul London will take place on the TV taping portion of MLW’s Lucha Apocalypto event in Cicero, Illinois on Saturday, November 9.
  • Indie wrestler Aaron Mercer announced his retirement.
  • Steph De Lander and Mance Warner celebrated their one-year anniversary yesterday.