Daily Update: CM Punk, Sami Zayn, Kenny Omega & Gabe Kidd

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The  new issue of the Observer is on the site today (after a snafu):

  • Full coverage of the lessons of Saturday Night’s Main Event, from ratings to execution
  • The Athletic story on Lee Fitting, plus our thoughts on the subject
  • B.J. Whitmer alleged victim Jaime Hawn comments on current and former AEW legal heads
  • Full coverage of New Japan’s show in Long Beach with the Mercedes Mone vs. Hazuki main event
  • Update on Worlds End and the Battle of Orlando
  • CMLL’s international based show on Friday and what went right and wrong
  • Dragon Gate’s lastest major show of the year
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling TV shows and UFC shows including segment ratings, standings for the week and night, demos, comparisons with last year and a lot more
  • Annnouncer leaves company after more than 30 years and why
  • Stardoms’ end of year show
  • Comedy wrestler retires
  • CyberFight (DDT, NOAH and TJPW) financials looked at
  • How sports ratings are doing
  • Notes on a movie on one of the most legendary woman wrestlers of all-time that will be out  in March
  • Chris Jericho and Matt Cardona angle in GCW and how it came about
  • Tessa Blanchard to TNA notes and the bigger picture
  • WWE, AEW and TNA PPV numbers updates
  • Notes on changes in WBD structure
  • More on AEW move to MAX
  • Ticket advanceds for WWE & AEW shows
  • UFC business updates
  • More on WWE to Netflix and international TV notes
  • Dwayne Johnson box office notes

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • CM Punk (along with comedians Bert Kreischer and Nate Bargatze) will be a special guest on Netflix’s pre-game coverage for its Christmas Day NFL games today. 
  • Zelina Vega tweeted that this was the “best Christmas ever” with her husband – AEW star Malakai Black – getting their wedding rings updated:
    • Best Christmas ever I’m so blessed to have you @malakaiblxck
    • He updated our wedding rings ‘Will you continue to be my wife for the rest of our lives?’
  • While speaking with the Battleground Podcast, Sami Zayn discussed what it was like to watch Kevin Owens headline the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event:
    • If we really stop and think about it, considering we started together some 20 years ago in little church basements and community centers in Quebec, to all of a sudden see him standing [on] Saturday Night’s Main Event, holding [Cody Rhodes’] Winged Eagle title over the champion. I mean, that’s kind of surreal when you really stop and think about it.
    • I think sometimes, I’m sure he would say the same about me, but seeing it with Kevin sometimes opens my eyes more than when I’m doing it myself. Because, you’re on your own little path, and you’re on the hamster wheel and you’re focused on what you’re doing.
    • But if you’re lucky enough to have someone who’s been with you on the ride from the jump, like I have Kevin, or he’s got me, it’s like this constant reminder, like, ‘Man, I remember that guy when he was here. Now he’s doing this,’ it is wild. It’s a crazy story.
  • Casual Conversations with The Classic interviewed Michin.
  • WWE uploaded the full main event segment from NXT last night where the NXT Championship match for New Year’s Evil was made into a triple threat between Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and Eddy Thorpe.
  • The WWE Vault YouTube channel uploaded Tajiri vs. Super Crazy in a Mexican Death Match from the January 21, 2000 episode of ECW on TNN.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • For Christmas, the TNT YouTube channel is streaming a “Holidays With The Hangman” yule log with the image of Hangman Page sitting outside Swerve Strickland’s house this September after burning it down: “Celebrate the season and one of the most spiteful things a human being can do as you sit in front of the warming glow of Hangman Adam Page’s hatred for Swerve Strickland.”
  • Matt Camp recapped week four of the AEW Continental Classic.
  • Camp, who was formerly a co-host of WWE’s The Bump, tweeted: “It’s been a very rewarding first month officially part of @AEW and I’m thankful to be working with such a fun, driven group of people across the board. Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive. Looking forward to creating more ways for fans to enjoy it all! Merry Christmas!”
  • In an interview with Inside The Ropes, Shelton Benjamin explained what the biggest surprise of his AEW run has been so far:
    • My biggest surprise is that the fans really appreciate what I bring to the table. I found that I have a lot of great chemistry with the guys I’ve been working. I feel like I’ve been having nothing but just great matches with pretty much everyone I’ve been in the ring with.
    • Just the fact that I’ve been able to gel so well with guys who I never have worked with before and put on great performances, that has been the biggest surprise to me. It shouldn’t be, because again, these are some of the best athletes in the world, some of the best professional wrestlers in the world. But it’s definitely a pleasant surprise.
  • Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald spoke with Mariah May.
  • AEW wished happy birthday to Miro and referee Paul Turner.
  • NJPW shared messages from Kenny Omega and Gabe Kidd ahead of their match at Wrestle Dynasty.
  • MLW uploaded its Holiday Rush 2024 special to YouTube, headlined by Satoshi Kojima vs. Ultimo Guerrero for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.
  • Diamond Dallas Page shared video of him working with Lex Luger as Luger attempts to increase his mobility.