Daily Update: Booker T, Madison Rayne, AJ Ferrari

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: August 1, 2022 Observer Newsletter: Vince McMahon resigns from WWE

  • In this issue:
  • The life and career of Vince McMahon. His rise, his fall, both sides of the coin, how things could have been different. The fall of the territories, the WCW feud, buying the company from his father, his pre-WWF promotions, announcing, getting on the USA Network, the expansion, Hulk Hogan, Saturday Night’s Main Event, the first WrestleMania, the death of Crockett Promotions, the McMahon family as TV characters, angles with the family he suggested that never happened, a potential sale, Paul Levesque, what brought Vince down, Brock Lesnar, Tony Khan and much more.
  • WrestleMania 2024
  • Full coverage of ROH Death Before Dishonor with business notes
  • SummerSlam and Clash at the Castle notes
  • Full coverage of the G1 tournament, with business, standings, star ratings and all that good stuff
  • Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
  • Television ratings for every national wrestling show
  • Details behind the IWGP Women’s Championship and why
  • Stardom PPV coverage from last week and the upcoming shows this week
  • Dragon Gate’s biggest shows of the year this week
  • Why a top Dragon Gate star left the promotion
  • Lots of injury updates
  • New Japan Strong tapings
  • Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame induction ceremony notes
  • Nick Wayne’s flight issues make mainstream news
  • Update on AEW injuries and business
  • Streaming numbers for the week
  • Fedor’s last fight
  • How much Peacock is really losing
  • NXT vs. AEW is back on
  • International TV ratings

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: June 20, 2005 Observer Newsletter: ECW One Night Stand

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Wednesday News Update

WWE

  • AJ Ferrari, who was one of the recruits in WWE’s first NIL class, has been charged with sexual battery following a July incident where he was accused of sexual assault. Ferrari was a wrestler for Oklahoma State University until the sexual assault accusation.
  • In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Gunther discussed his weight loss: “I was a big fan of the look I had. I loved the foreign heavyweights that would go to Japan and beat up the babyfaces. And I had success. But if I stay stagnant, I’ll fall behind. I always want to be one step ahead. No one ever told me to lose weight. I knew the transition to the main roster was happening, so I wanted to transform into something new. When we moved to Orlando, Marcel [Ludwig Kaiser] and Fabian [Aichner] were a great support. They’re both in tremendous shape, and we created a motivating and productive environment.”
  • Gunther said that, while the before and after pictures may be drastic, he doesn’t feel that different in the ring: “I see the pictures of the comparisons, and I’m proud of it, but I’m still me. I never had cardio issues before. I always felt very comfortable, so it doesn’t feel that drastic to me. Maybe it does when you look at pictures.”
  • The Rock tweeted about his feud with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin from the Attitude Era: “There’ll never be another time like this in pro wrestling. Wrestling industry was on FIRE + with a PPV biz model – @steveaustinBSR and I approached every main event with a ‘if we don’t draw PPV’s, then we don’t f*ckin’ eat’ attitude. Fans felt that hunger and passion. SCSA = [The GOAT]”
  • Mick Foley pleaded with Gmail for help getting his email account back after it was hacked: “Dear @gmail. This is really me – and I really need to get my account back. Please DM me, so we can actually talk on the phone. Having your identity stolen sucks. Please don’t make it any more difficult than it needs to be to get it back. Sincerely, Mick Foley”
  • Essence published a story on Bianca Belair.
  • Dakota Kai, JBL, and NBA player Dwight Howard were guests on WWE’s The Bump this afternoon.
  • Logan Paul made an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show today.
  • Liv Morgan went Sneaker Shopping with Complex.
  • WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins for the Universal title from Royal Rumble 2022, Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Cora Jade for the NXT Women’s title from NXT New Year’s Evil 2022, and Batista vs. Randy Orton in a no holds barred match from the September 14, 2009 episode of Raw.

Other Wrestling

  • On his Hall of Fame radio show, Booker T said he declined an offer for Harlem Heat to have their last match at Starrcast next year:
        • I was approached actually to have a final match next year at Starrcast. Harlem Heat’s final match, here in Texas. I said, ‘Hell no. We ain’t doing none of that.’ I just had a match a couple of weeks ago, my knee was killing me. I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like next year. Y’all can forget about seeing me do one last match.
        • The thing is, I’m still working, I’m still having matches. You’re just never going to see me have a ‘last match.’ You’re never going to see me do much in the ring. I’m never going to build up a match like I’m doing a whole lot. ‘One tag in, one tag out. That’s it, I’m done, where’s my check?’ I learned from one of my teachers back in the day, ‘Hacksaw’ Butch Reed. I got to tag with him down in the Global Wrestling Federation, and he said ‘Man, I’m coming in one time. I’m coming out and asking for my check.’ That’s the way you do it.
  • During an appearance on Busted Open Radio this morning, Tony Khan said he’s open to Madison Rayne (who has joined AEW as a coach) wrestling for AEW: “I’m really excited. She’s going to be great for the team. She’s excited. Everyone is excited to have Madison Rayne as part of AEW. I’m not saying she wouldn’t wrestle anymore, we’re open to it. We have other people in the office who do wrestle as part of their schedule, so I’m open to it. I haven’t talked a lot about it because right now, I’m primarily focused on the whole company, but it’s definitely something I’m open to and would like.”
  • AEW announced its updated roster rankings.
  • Daniel Garcia spoke to the Battleground Podcast about Triple H taking control of WWE creative:
        • My time in NXT was maybe a day. Triple H, I’m a huge fan of. I think he’s one of the greatest ever. He was one of my favorites when I was a kid. He’s offered us so many great memories that are kind of like my first memories in wrestling. Like the thumbs up, thumbs down, that kind of stuff is the first stuff that I remember watching when I was a kid. That really made me and my family really strong wrestling fans in that area. I mean, it was hard not to watch Triple H during that time. He was plastered all over the WWE product. He was the franchise player.
        • I think it’s great that he’s taken over. I mean, I don’t know what their plans are over there, but I think it’s great. I think it’s going to give a lot of independent wrestlers great opportunities in professional wrestling at a very high level, and I think that’s good for everybody. More valid places for wrestlers to work is going to create a lot more opportunities for everybody around, and it’s going to create a lot more competition. I think healthy competition, maybe even some unhealthy competition, is good for everybody.
  • Tenille Dashwood revealed that she’s dating WWE wrestler Madcap Moss.