Daily Update: Charlotte Flair, Adam Copeland, AJ Francis

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • Full coverage of Survivor Series, the show, the business (one record and one surprise) and the future direction.
  • Why the ring boys lawsuit has been put on hold, why it probably had to be that way and the key question that will decide it.
  • A look at Ryan Nemeth’s complaints about AEW and what was going on at the time.
  • A look at NXT Deadline, ROH Final Battle and AEW Worlds End with matches, directions and business numbers.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the TV shows this past week, with a series of scary bad numbers that people don’t know about and others that they do, and what it stays about television
  • Mistico vs. Hechicero, a unique Arena Mexico main event that worked, what it was and why
  • More on AEW stars going to Arena Mexico.
  • Updates on Konnan and El Hijo del Vikingo.
  • Stardom tag team tournament coverage
  • King of Gate tournament coverage
  • All Japan tag team tournament coverage
  • NOAH sets up its 1/1 show
  • New Japan tag team tournament update
  • Best U.S. amateur wrestlers that have gone into pro wrestling
  • Notes on Jim Londos ahead of his biography release
  • TNA looking big when it comes to shows next year
  • Turning Point coverage
  • AEW upcoming show notes
  • Next major rights negotiations going on in 2025
  • Conor McGregor liable for more money in latest case, plus more backlash against him
  • January UFC card announced
  • Two of PFL/Bellator’s champions ask for their release
  • 2024 PFL tournament of champions
  • More on the MMA death in Alberta
  • Giant numbers for boxing match upcoming
  • Major changes for Raw & SmackDown in 2025
  • Dwayne Johnson has huge success outside of wrestling
  • What percentage of UFC, AEW and WWE revenue comes from television
  • International TV ratings

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • WrestleVotes reports that Charlotte Flair’s return is imminent and could happen as soon as this weekend at Saturday Night’s Main Event:
    • Sources indicate that Charlotte Flair’s return is imminent, with the possibility of it happening as soon as this weekend on NBC. We are told creative was tasked earlier this week with structuring the presentation of her return.
  • The Daily Mail asked Kevin Owens if his teenage son Owen’s interest in becoming a wrestler has grown since the last update:
    • No, there is still interest but I am not pushing him to do anything he shouldn’t be doing before it is too soon. I started training when I was 14, had my first match at 16, and while I feel pretty great for my age – I am 40 now and have been doing this for 25 years – I probably could have benefited from waiting a few years and starting my career a little later. 
    • Obviously the circumstances are not the same for him as they were for me, I had no idea where to start and felt like time was against me at any point of my career because you are not getting any younger. You have got to get your name out there. 
    • Now the way things have changed, I know some people that might be able to help him. He is focusing on his school and other stuff, when he really is ready to dive in head first, he has all the tools at his disposal, so I am not rushing him and he is not in a rush either. He is still growing from what I can tell I think, that’s not going away.
  • For a WWE Playback video, Rey Mysterio & Kurt Angle rewatched their handicap match from the March 18, 2006 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event where they teamed with Randy Orton against Triple H & John Cena.
  • Paul “Triple H” Levesque appeared on the Roommates Show podcast with New York Knicks stars Jalen Brunson & Josh Hart.
  • Levesque tweeted the following: “Three weeks till #WWERaw on @netflix. Are you ready? First time ever. Our stars. Our fans. Open the doors to @WWE HQ. Next Wednesday. More to come…”
  • Diamond Dallas Page was the guest on today’s episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
  • Ring The Belle interviewed Trish Stratus & Lita.
  • Here’s the lineup for NXT Level Up on Peacock this Friday:
    • Oro Mensah vs. Niko Vance
    • Dani Palmer vs. Wendy Choo

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • AEW uploaded a post-Dynamite promo from Mariah May, along with promos from Claudio Castagnoli and Brody King.
  • A new vignette aired on Dynamite last night building up the return of Bandido.
  • In the 2024 Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, Adam Copeland received a nomination for his role as Ares in Disney+’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Copeland is among the nominees for Supporting Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program.
  • Hangman Page made a post on Bluesky seemingly referencing Logan Paul: “i hope the next person they give half my moveset to is at least kinda cool”
  • Shelton Benjamin was interviewed on AEW Unrestricted.
  • Great-O-Khan and Taichi revealed the stipulation options for their KOPW 2024 title match. It’s taking place at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show on Sunday, December 22 and will determine the official KOPW Champion for this year. Taichi said that, win or lose, this will be the last time he ever competes for the KOPW title.
  • AJ Francis (former WWE wrestler Top Dolla) spoke with NFL.com ahead of challenging Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship at Final Resolution this Friday:
    • Friday’s honestly the biggest moment of my career. It’s my first world title match. Some people wrestle for 20-30 years and never get a world title match on the caliber of TNA. As far as world titles in wrestling, there’s not many as prominent, as historic, as important as the TNA world title. So, to be given the opportunity to even be in a match for it, is an honor and a privilege.
  • Francis said he believes this will be the best match of his career:
    • It’s gonna be a crazy environment. And it’s gonna be, I’m calling it now, I think the best match of my career and I’m very much looking forward to proving to everyone who a year ago thought I was an afterthought, that I’m the first thought that you should have every time.
  • While Francis felt like a backup lineman in WWE, he tells NFL.com that he now feels like a star quarterback in TNA:
    • In WWE, I felt like I was like a backup O-lineman. They would use me when they needed me, but they didn’t really have a need for me. In TNA, I’m a quarterback. A Pro Bowl quarterback. A Super Bowl-contending quarterback.
  • Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. vs. Blue Panther & Dark Panther will take place at MLW Kings of Colosseum in North Richland Hills, Texas on Saturday, January 11.
  • ECW legend Sabu turns 60 years old today.
  • AEW wished happy birthday to The Butcher and Hologram.