Daily Update: Black Adam, AEW Rampage, UFC 280 aftermath

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

  • Match and performer of the week
  • 2022 Hall of Fame ballot, rules, everyone eligible, thoughts on this year’s election and the strongest candidates.What candidates on this year’s ballot did the best in last year’s ballot
  • TripleMania, the story behind the show, business of the show, , news notes, poll results and star ratings
  • WWE PPV changes, Crown Jewel notes and updates on upcoming PPV shows
  • Dana White starting new promotion with Lorenzo Fertitta and two new combat ideas he’s working on
  • The life of Humberto Garza, the grandfather of two WWE stars and father of Hector Garza. Garza, who passed away this past week, was a very significant star in Mexico and a look at his career
  • Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show,and the ramifications of the show.
  • A look at the career of Jose Rivera, one of the key building blocks of the Puerto Rico wrestling boom, including a look back at the growth of WWC and its biggest feud ever
  • Ratings for every show including how every segment did and details of AEW vs. NXT head-to-head on Tuesday
  • First all-women’s show in the history of a major promotion
  • First women’s main event on a Middle Eastern show
  • CMLL star gives unique reason why he’s been gone for so long
  • The business of TripleMania
  • More details on a wrestling show coming to Disney +
  • Two starts of the same promotion were on the national team in the same competition
  • The top matches from Royal Quest
  • Update on the New Japan TV title tournament
  • More details on the arrest of Shocker
  • Who are the wrestlers who generate the most money on Cameo
  • Jim Lyman tournament news
  • Two stars going after fourth NCAA title
  • WWE & Impact PPV Numbers from last week
  • Adam Page update
  • Update on ramifications of the brawl after All Out and where things stand regarding who stays and who goes
  • More details on Chris Jericho’s contract
  • Tony Khan, Dana White and Vince McMahon all scheduling major events on the same day
  • More on AEW new reality show
  • More on AEW in Toronto
  • AEW star announcing on the Mayweather show
  • Upcoming ticket sales to AEW & WWE events
  • DAZN back in the MMA business
  • Dwayne Johnson and possible WWE sale
  • UFC owners talk possible WWE sale
  • Notes on Bray Wyatt return
  • International TV ratings
  • DVR viewership numbers for all shows so far this year
  • Royal Rumble update
  • Lots of injury updates
  • The real story on why Billy Gunn wasn’t at the DX Reunion on Raw
  • Streaming numbers for AEW & WWE

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

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Sunday News Update

Bryan and I did our weekend show last night talking all the major news, and there was a ton of it. Garrett and I will be back next week and weekly almost every week after that. We weren’t able to tape this weekend due to working on things here that hopefully lead to better shows for everyone going forward. Bryan and I will be back tomorrow night after Raw.

Shawn Michaels all but confirmed last night the video of T-Bar burning his mask means that the former Donovan Dijak, who was Dominik Dijakovic in NXT before, would be returning to NXT. He didn’t do much on the main roster and it’s better to make use of his talents where he’ll get more opportunities.

“Black Adam,” starring Dwayne Johnson, which I’m sure you’ve seen a ton of commercials on for weeks, opened this weekend. It is estimated to do $67 million at the box office this weekend in the U.S. and another $73 million overseas. To show how impressive that is, the entire movie box office in the U.S. for the weekend was $113 million. It’s the biggest movie open since July (Thor: Love & Thunder). But it also had a $195 million budget.

A few notes on last night’s show and Friday’s Rampage. I noted that they didn’t open the show saying anything about Adam Page’s condition, although they did mention it later in the show. Also, after the show ended, there was a photo of Brian Muster and his fiance with Excalibur doing narration. We noted that AEW mentioned Muster’s death during the show which was very nice the way they did that, but didn’t know they also did the video package after the show was over. I’m guessing a lot of people tuned out and missed it, but it was also a nice gesture.

For the matches to look out for this weekend, high recommendations to the NXT main event of Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh. We’ve also been told the Mayu Iwatani vs. Utami Hayashishita match from today’s Stardom PPV was great. Iwatani won her semifinal and Kairi (Sane) beat Alpha Female in the other, setting up the first IWGP women’s title going to the winner of Iwatani vs. Kairi on 11/20’s joint New Japan/Stardom show.

We’re looking for your thoughts from these three shows:

      • UFC 280 yesterday
      • NXT Halloween Havoc last night
      • Stardom PPV today

If you saw any of those shows, you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Yesterday’s UFC show saw TJ Dillashaw go in injured with a shoulder that he after the fight revealed had had been popping out since April and had done so at least 20 times. It happened seconds into the fight, but it was clear he was hurt previously because he never warmed up and he didn’t do a public workout before the fight but his camp evidently kept it a secret from everyone until the told the referee before the fight that it may go out and if it does, please don’t stop it because his corner can put it in between rounds if he can survive the round. He was taking a bad beating in round two for too long before it was finally stopped. Dana White claimed he had no idea about this going in. People do go in injured but one would think something like this should be found out in a pre-fight physical. The fight had no business happening as Dillashaw was basically going into the fight with one arm. He had virtually no chance to win, but evidently just wanted to get the payday. He apologized for holding up the division but he said he didn’t want to have to wait another year for a title shot. Something like this should not happen again, as it was pretty much a fraud on the public that you’d be having a bantamweight title fight between two of the top guys when one of them couldn’t really fight. The snap judgment would be to blame the doctors but fighters fool commission doctors all the time, given Michael Bisping fought for years with one eye. 

Dana White said, “I had no idea, so that’s a problem. How could the athletic commission know if he doesn’t tell us? You’ve got to tell us. He looked good. It’s not like he came in out of shape, or looked like he was injured, but yeah, that’s something he should have told us.”

Islam Makhachev won the vacant lightweight title beating Charles Oliveira by submission. There was a face-to-face with Alexander Volkanovski, the featherweight champion, about doing a battle of champions in March in Australia. Both agreed to it. 

There was another skirmish involving Khamzat Chimaev, which makes his third in the last couple of months. This time it was with Abubaker Nurmagomedov, who had won a prelim fight and was in the corner is Makhachev. As Makhachev was doing his interview inside the cage and Nurmagomedov was at cageside with the team, Chimaev got in there and it looked like he and Nurmagomedov were whispering back-and-forth cordially when Chimaev shoved him hard then people jumped in and broke them up both were about to start swinging.
“What do I even say about that?” White said when asked about it after the event. “It happens, especially with [Khamzat]. It happens.” “He was sitting on our side,” White explained. “I didn’t even know Khamzat was coming tonight. He was invited here by Abu Dhabi. So the seats behind me here in Abu Dhabi are owned by Abu Dhabi.”
The show have had issues on social media. Makhachev said he had no idea that an incident happened even though it was his teammates who were among those jumping in to break it up.

In the Sean O’Malley win over Petr Yan, which 100 percent of media scores went to Yan but two of the three judges went for O’Malley, I saw it 29-28 for Yan. The first round was competitive but I think Yan won it. Yan won round two solid. The third round could have gone either way. The two judges who gave the fight to O’Malley gave him rounds one and three, Ben Cartlidge and David Lethaby. It was a bad decision, not a robbery even though virtually everyone saw it for Yan. A robbery means there’s no way you could judge it like this. I’d call it a bad call. O’Malley did land more strikes but Yan had six takedowns. But round three could go either way and all three judges gave that round to O’Malley as did the majority of media. Found one was competitive although it would be hard to give that one to O’Malley, but it wasn’t like it was horrible to do so. It was clear O’Malley himself didn’t think he won and he said it was toughest fight ever. Dana White had said the winner would get the next bantamweight title shot, but there are a lot of ways it can go now. O’Malley didn’t go off on wanting a title shot but did say if the fans wanted it he’d do it. 

For Google searches, the only thing that cracked the top 20 among combat sports this week was the UFC show at 1.6 million, which is low for a PPV. Even though on paper it looked like a strong card for insiders, the Dillashaw situation soured it and perhaps because of the early start time, interest was down. Sean O’Malley was No. 3 in searches yesterday with 500,000, which is a huge number for a non-main eventer. Dillashaw was No. 11 with 100,000.

WWE in Dayton last night: There was a video package of a local news story about a little boy named Keegan, who has survived multiple bouts of pediatric cancer and is now in remission. WWE invited his entire fourth grade class to the show. Later in the show, Keegan came to the ring with The Brawling Brutes. Butch & Ridge Holland wore T-shirts to the ring that read “Keegan Strong.” After their match, the Brutes put Keegan on their shoulders. Bianca Belair & Alexa Bliss b Dakota Kai & Bayley, Omos b R-Truth (lots of comedy before the match where R-Truth told Omos he was his father and that Lil Jimmy was Omos’ older brother), Raquel Rodriguez b Shayna Baszler, Usos b Kevin Owens & Johnny Gargano to keep the tag titles (said to be the best match), Ronda Rousey b Liv Morgan in a no DQ Smackdown women’s title match, Sheamus & Ridge Holland & Butch b Gunther & Giovanni Vinci & Ludvig Kaiser, Drew McIntyre b Karrion Kross, Seth Rollins kept the U.S. title in a four-way over Matt Riddle, Bobby Lashley and The Miz when Rollins curb stomped Riddle. Riddle gave Rollins an RKO after the match to end the show. (thanks to Caleb Collins)

We’re looking for reports from tonight’s WWE house show in Pikeville, KY, looking for results, finishes, and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Thanks to JJ Williams, Gerard DiTrolio, Jeremy Plotkin and Thomas Brunette for reports on other weekend events.

Stardom results from today at Arena Tachikawa: Momo Kohgo won three=-way over Rina and Waka Tsukiyama, Saya Kamitani & Hina b Hazuki & Fuwa-chan (a comedian making her debut), Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death b Mai Sakurai & Lady C in the tag tournament, Mina Shirakawa & Saki b Natsuko Tora & Ruaka in the tag tourney, AZM & Miyu Yamasaki b Hanan & Saya Iida, in the tournament, Syuri & Tomoko Inaba d Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid over 15:00 i the tournament, Maika & Himeka b Mirai & Ami Sohrei in the tournament, Giulia & Thekla b Tam Nakano & Natsupoi in the tournament, Nanae Takahashi & Yuu b Hazuki & Koguma in the tournament, Kairi b Alpha Female in the IWGP women’s title tournament semifinal, Mayu Iwatani b Utami Hayashishita in the other semifinal (thanks to David Popper)

Rhys Hoskins and Brandon March scissored each other in the Phillies dugout today.

Other Notes

The NWA announced Kamille vs. KiLynn King vs. Chelsea Green for the 11/12 PPV show in Chalmette, LA.

Pat Laprade reported that PCO has signed a new one-year contract with Impact Wrestling that will end on October 31, 2023. PCO told Laprade that he was very happy to sign a new deal.

Pro Wrestling Australia from Friday night in Sydney before 550 fans: Velocities b MK Plus Ultra to win the PWA tag titles, Carter Deems won Battle Royal, Cherry Stephens b Jimmy Townsend to keep the Soul of PWA title, Robbie Eagles & PPK b SMS, Shingo Takagi b Jack Bonza-DQ due to interference from Bad Luck Fale and Bonza was announced as the newest member of Bullet Club, Jessica Troy b Lyrebird Luchi, Team Fudge b Team Kiedes in an elimination match Ricky South b Mick Moretti to become PWA champion in a cage match. New Japan Tamashii takes place on 11/13 in Sydney at Liberty Hall and PWA Black Label returns on 12/10 to the Factory Theater (thanks to Paul Robinson)

XPW did a show last night in Pomona, CA: Ludark Shalton b Mickie Knuckles in a death match, Drake Younger b Hardbody, Dirty Ron McDonald b Pagano with an elbow drop with his elbow pa on fire, Kat Martini won the XPW Fite TV title in a Rumble style elimination match over Willie Mack, Joe Dred, Human Tornado and Bo Cooper, Necro Butcher b Terex via heel ref stoppage, Sage Sin Supreme b Sawyer Wreck in a Pumpking patch death match, Masada b Vampiro to keep the XPW title, Shlak b Angel in a ladder match (thanks to No Prima Donna)