Daily Update: Becky Lynch, WWE Raw, NBA on ABC

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The new Observer is out right now. Among the key stuff covered:
  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • The plight of the recently fired WWE wrestlers and where many can or will wind up
  • What is a key point about wrestlers who come from WWE and their ability to adapt to other companies and what things need to be considered
  • XFL/USFL merger talks and why
  • More on Terry Funk including his career title history and biggest awards, some of the biggest and most notable title change matches of his career, the only HBO wrestling special and the only time Vince McMahon did a broadcast announcing with Gordon Solie, why Funk’s proposed lengthy reign with the biggest regional title in the countr6 ended in a few weeks, the amazing Funk Brothers legacy in Japan, Funk’s NWA title reign and booking behind his biggest matches
  • Preview of the NXT & AEW shows, lots of talk by Bryan Danielson about Zack Sabre and his retirement, strange things about the show, AEW PPV airing on free TV in the U.K., and early notes on WWE Fastlane
  • Destruction in Kobe and the next few NJPW shows
  • More on the All In attendance mark
  • The dismissal of the landmark Mark Hunt suit against Dana White, UFC and Brock Lesnar and the judges ruling
  • Full UFC weekend coverage
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for the past week, the segments, the competition and where audiences were up and down
  • The KeMonito story in Mexico that is mainstream news there regarding his retirement
  • Lots of injury updates
  • Stardom Grand Prix updates
  • Junior Battle of Glory
  • Katsuhiko Nakajima update
  • How Jericho vs Takeshtia was put together
  • Two former WWE stars talk their steroid use
  • wXw major tag team tournament weekend
  • FantasticaMania notes
  • More on MLW and its relationship with CMLL and NJPW
  • GCW continues to tour overseas
  • Imapct Bound for Glory notes
  • PCO talks his departure from Impact and who Impact is looking to sign
  • Lots of thoughts on Tony Khan’s recent press conference
  • FOX and AEW comments, streaming comments, more PPV, ownership talk
  • How Dynamite changed this week and why
  • Kyle O’Reilly update
  • Title Tuesday
  • Notes on AEW DVR numbers for Grand Slam
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Jade Cargill to WWE
  • WWE back broadcasting in Japan
  • Shawn Michaels talks lots of WWE subjects
  • International TV ratings and streaming notes
  • WWE market value

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Monday Update

Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio talking Raw, Jade Cargill, fallout from the weekend big shows and more.

Becky Lynch wasn’t cleared for tonight’s Raw show where she was to defend the NXT title against Tegan Nox due to the nasty cut on her arm. Fightful first reported her off the show.

Raw tonight is from San Jose. The lineup isShayna Baszler vs Nia Jax, Ivar vs. Xavier Woods and a contract signing with Gunther and Tommaso Ciampa for Saturday’s Fastlane show and Miz TV with Drew McIntyre. Jey Uso vs. Damien Priest had been advertised for a few days and was pulled from advertising. As of earlier today, they were at 9,800 tickets out. It won’t be a sellout but it’s still very strong for San Jose. We’re looking for reports from tonight’s show as far as dark matches or Main Event matches or anything else not on the live show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

We’re looking for your thoughts on AEW WrestleDream, NXT No Mercy and the Stardom Five-Star Grand Prix finals over the weekend, thumbs up, down or middle, along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

ABC, needing programming due to the actors’ strike, announced it will be airing NBA games in prime time every Wednesday night in January. This will not help the AEW ratings for January.

The Chiefs vs. Buccaneers game that went head-to-head with WrestleDream ended up doing 27 million viewers which was 25 million on television and 1.85 million on Peacock. That would be a legit reason for some of the decline in PPV from last night’s show as compared to other recent shows. It’s not the only reason.

Linton Vassell, who was scheduled to face Ryan Bader on Saturday’s Bellatior 300 show in San Diego for the Bellator heavyweight title, has pulled out of the show due to an unspecified illness. The show will continue with three title matches, Cris Cyborg vs. Cat Zingano for the women’s featherweight title, Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Brent Primus for the lightweight tiel and Liz Carmouche vs. Ilima-lei Macfarlane for the women’s flyweight title. The show will air on Showtime.

A Terry Funk mural was put up in Amarillo. It looks like this

Ari Emanuel, talking Endeavor and TKO, will be participating in Bloomberg’s Screentime conference on 10/11 at 9:40 p.m. There will be a link at Bloomberg.com/live available during the event. 

Cain Velasquez has been given permission to be in Nurmagomedov’s corner in the fight. Velasquez was given court permission to attend the event and the commission gave him permission to be in the corner.

We have two more books that have been released which are the complete collections of the 1993 Wrestling Observers. There is a January to June book and a July to December book The updated list of all of our books and how to order is available at Amazon.

WWE has a FOX special airing on Sunday, which, given its going to be before or after NFL games, will likely draw a very big audience. It’s on at a different time in each market but it is built around the NFL games on FOX. New York will be 4:30 p.m. , Los Angeles is 3 p.m., San Francisco is 4:30 p.m.

For NXT tomorrow, they will be starting the women’s breakout tournament which Kelani Jordan is seemingly the woman with the biggest push right now in the tournament. Also Gigi Dolin vs. Blair Davenport and Tyler Bate & Butch vs. Mark Coffey & Wolfgang.

Aaron Bronsteter reported that UFC will be using new technology rotating digital ads on the octagon canvas during some broadcasts to get more ad revenue. The idea is to use that to advertise companies and products that are more relevant to the specific market that the viewer is watching the event from.

Stefon Diggs of the Buffalo Bills yesterday did a Steve Austin style celebration after scoring a touchdown. He is known as a fan from childhood.

Pro Wrestling Eve has a 16 woman She-1 tournament on 10/8 at The Dome in Tuffnell Park, London. There are shows at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.lm. for the one-day tournament that will include Maya Yukihi from Japan. Yukihi faces Charlie Morgan in a first round match.

AAW from Friday night in Chicago: Jake Something won over Silas Young, Gary Jay, Isaiah Moore, Levi Everett and Koa Laxamana, Mance Warner b Ren Jones, QT Marshall b Solomon Tupu to keep the Latin American title, Rob Anthony NC Silas Mason, Hartenbower b Gnaris Gavin, Conan Lycan b Joe Alnozo, Russ Jones & Schaff b Bang & Matthews and Jessie V Anthony Catena, Heather Reckless b Taylor Rising, Davey Vega b Gringo Loco to keep the AAW title (thanks to Leonard Brand)