Daily Update: Charlotte Flair, WWE 2K, Mina Shirakawa

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer:

  • The latest on WrestleMania and AEW Dynasty, card changes, injuries tickets sold, and ticket interest.
  • NCAA wrestling tournament rundown, the biggest upset in modern tournament history, Dan Gable talks Gable Steveson, Hodge Trophy, and records set
  • Firings at TNA and what is behind them
  • CMLL El Homenaje a Dos Leyendas
  • The life and times of George Foreman
  • The amazing life of Bill Mercer and the glory days of World Class Championship Wrestling
  • Cain Velasquez sentencing
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week, including competition, demographics and quarters
  • Universal champion of champions tournament
  • CMLL vs. MLW at Arena Mexico
  • The new La Parka
  • AAA Rey de Reyes notes
  • Chris Bey benefit show
  • Another wrestling TV special
  • Death of historian Dave Cameron
  • Death of Julio Estrada
  • Hall of Fame in North Carolina?
  • El Hijo del Santo sad retirement notes
  • New book coming out on 90s wrestling
  • More on Saraya leaving AEW
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • Conor McGregor wants to run for President of Ireland
  • TKO exects pocket $278 million in latest transaction
  • Former WWE name openly talks about a return
  • WWE value

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • In an interview with the Daily Mail, Charlotte Flair explained that she views her current character as being neither a face nor a heel. She responded when asked about the reaction she got from fans after winning the Royal Rumble:
    • I think there is a misconception that people are like ‘oh, Charlotte Flair is good’ or that I was trying to be good. I keep going and not that she’s trying to be good or she’s trying to be bad – no. Charlotte Flair is above being good and bad. She is just Charlotte Flair. She’s the end all be all of women’s wrestling.
    • I am the end-all be-all of women’s wrestling. Now that I have learned from every opportunity I have learned from every opponent. I’ve learned from every scenario. To me you’re either wooing or booing. Get on board, learn to love it.
    • I am who I am. It’s different town to town, event to event. Like I wrestled in Nottingham against Piper and they were woos. She got the boos. But the night before I got the boos. I love that I can take people on that roller coaster. Either way, yeah, if we don’t hear anything then we worry!
  • Cody Rhodes was featured on this week’s edition of Stephanie’s Places on ESPN+. During their conversation, Rhodes told Stephanie McMahon that he hopes his daughter Liberty will one day voice the “Wrestling has more than one royal family” line at the start of his theme music.
  • No-Contest Wrestling asked Stephanie Vaquer to name five dream opponents from any promotion or era that she would like to headline WrestleMania with. Vaquer chose Mariko Yoshida, Marcela, Sasha Banks, Michelle McCool, and Chyna.
  • Though further details are not known yet, Nintendo announced today that the WWE 2K video game series is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. The new Switch console is set to be released this June.
  • Adrian Hernandez uploaded an interview with Karrion Kross.
  • WWE continued its countdown of the 50 greatest matches in WrestleMania history by ranking Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania VI) at 15th.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • “Speedball” Mike Bailey told WrestleZone that he already feels comfortable and at home in AEW:
    • As you mentioned, this is a huge step for my career, by far the biggest platform I’ve ever been on. And to kick it off this early, I’ve only had two matches so far. And the next one I have scheduled at Dynasty is an International Championship match with Ricochet and Kenny Omega, which is honestly as big as it gets. It feels like it is all happening extremely fast. But in a way, I feel very comfortable and at home in AEW. I have already wrestled, been in the ring, been in locker rooms with almost the entire roster.
    • And I have wrestled Kenny Omega before in PWG in 2015. That was a match that absolutely changed my career, its direction. Just working with someone like Kenny and seeing how his brain operates, and how he works, and how he goes about matches. Eventually I went on to DDT and got a much closer look on how he became the wrestler that he is. So, that’s a rematch that I’ve been chasing for ten years. Then you throw in Ricochet into the mix, who is one of the most talented wrestlers in the world. Certainly one of the most influential high flyers of the last decade. Now, as a person, as a human being, his behavior, I cannot speak on. But I am still extremely excited for Dynasty and that three-way for the International Championship.
  • Mina Shirakawa bid an emotional farewell to Stardom today, losing to Maika in her final match for the promotion. Shirakawa, who is joining AEW full-time, thanked the Stardom fans for accepting her, the senior wrestlers who trained her, and all of her friends. She said being a pro wrestler is about showing fans their dreams can come true – and she promised to continue chasing her dreams in the United States.
  • Harley Cameron appeared on a new episode of Talk is Jericho.
  • A new episode of Chris Van Vliet is set to premiere tomorrow with Samoa Joe as the guest.
  • Mr. Thomas and CW Anderson are the latest confirmed entrants for MLW Battle Riot VII in Long Beach, California this Saturday.