Daily Update: CM Punk, weekend fallout, Jake Paul-Nate Diaz

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now:

  • What did people think of Full Gear as compared to the other AEW PPVs of late
  • Performers and match of the week
  • Lots of good and bad thoughts on Swerve Strickland vs. Adam Page
  • A look at WWE vs. AEW when it comes to free agent signings of late
  • What Will Ospreay will and won’t mean for AEW
  • Full details of why Ronda Rousey appeared on the ROH show this week and it’s not what you think
  • Who is the top free agent out there right now
  • Thoughts on the MJF/Cole/White/Gunns storyline
  • Realities of AEW’s enemies and how the Strickland vs. Page match fits into that discussion
  • Logic issues and creative license in wrestling
  • Impromptu and using instinct in reacting when things mess up in a match
  • Why Ospreay signed with AEW and why it was announced this week
  • PPV numbers early on and what is says about more PPV shows
  • Live show business notes
  • Theater business notes
  • Full match coverage
  • Sorting out the Bellator/PFL deal and looking at the business aspect, top talent, show plans, next two PPV show ideas and more
  • Company talks 2024 schedule plans for Bellator and PFL
  • The top fighters under contract at this point to the new group
  • Hall of Fame updates and reaction to last week’s issue
  • Greatest tag teams of all-time
  • A look at a likely 2024 ballot
  • A look at Survivor Series plans, plus public demand and interest level
  • A look in depth at the Continental Classic, the good and bad of it
  • A look at this last week’s UFC show and notes about future shows
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week, the segment-by-segment, changes in each group, competition, and where wrestling stands in the weekly numbers
  • World title match doesn’t get over on major show and why
  • Promotion running a business deal with major company to get major discount on a famous product
  • New team will be taking over the name of one of the best tag teams in history
  • Major changes in Stardom hierarchy and what happened to lead to it
  • Stardom titles vacant and steps on filling those vacancies
  • Stardom PPV rundown
  • Fantastica Mania 2024 notes
  • What dream match was planned for January in California and where it stands right now
  • New Japan tag tournament notes
  • All Japan tag team tournament notes
  • A look back at one mystery in the death of WCW
  • Wrestlers suspended for working an unlicensed show
  • Full details on Ronda Rousey’s appearance at AEW show in Los Angeles
  • Young Bucks repackaging
  • Darby climbing Mount Everest and details
  • What day will a number of new free agents be available
  • Looking at the ones AEW could sign
  • Two new rulings in Cung Le case and what kind of money figures are being bandied about
  • A look at WWE arena business and future show ticket sales, has it peaked, what does future say
  • AEW future ticket sales
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • Reigns next match and who it’s not with
  • Levesque booking philosophy
  • A look at the WWE & NXT house shows over the past week
  • Notes on December television schedule for both AEW and WWE including a show not airing, and a double taping planned

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

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Sunday Update

– Bryan and I of course did our weekend show last night covering CM Punk’s return to WWE, Survivor Series, Seth Rollins, what we know and don’t know about what happened with Drew McIntyre as well as the AEW show last night. Garrett and I did our Observer in review show talking about the Full Gear fallout, thoughts on Strickland vs. Page, just how much AEW has grown in revenue this past year, and even the potential NFL MVP this season whose father used to attend pro wrestling matches with me about 35 years ago which even Garrett wasn’t aware of.

– There’s not a lot new to report on Punk’s signing that we didn’t talk about last night. We were told this came together about 11 days ago or so and was kept very quiet. He was hidden from the talent as well most of the night last night. Nick Khan was the key decision maker in this. Vince McMahon is not involved in that aspect of the business any longer and it was now up to Khan and Paul Levesque. Whether that did or didn’t change the dynamic we don’t know, but from a pure business standpoint it made sense to do it last night the way it was done.

– CM Punk and Randy Orton are both scheduled for Raw tomorrow night in Nashville. One would expect it to be by far the highest rated episode of the show at least since football season started, if not longer.

– Punk’s return got a lot of mainstream press including ESPN, USA Today, BBC, FOX News, and more. On Google, it was the second most searched term in the country yesterday with 500,000. David Benavidez the boxer was No. 4 with 200,000. They were the only things in wrestling, boxing or MMA to crack the top 20 on a specific day this week There was no UFC show last night, although UFC shows aren’t a given to crack the top 20 anymore.

– Punk’s return is over three million views on YouTube as of this afternoon. WWE released a Punk T-shirt last night upon his return.

– We’re sorry to report the death of Absolute Andy (Andreas Ullman) of wXw fame, who passed away at the age of 40 on Thursday after a lengthy illness. He was a major star there as a two-time world champion, five-time tag team champion and the 2018 winner of the 16 Carat Gold tournament. In 2009, he won the wXw title from Bryan Danielson which would be his biggest career win.

– We’re looking for your thoughts on last night’s Survivor Series, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

– We’re also looking for reports on tonight’s WWE house show in Peoria, IL, results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

– PFL head Donn Davis claimed they had a $15 million offer for Nate Diaz to fight Jake Paul on an upcoming PPV show. Davis said that Paul wouldn’t fight MMA until late 2024 because he has to train specifically for that sport. He said the plan was always for Paul’s PFL debut to be in the fourth quarter of next year because he needs about a year of MMA training.

– Stock analysts are predicting the WWE Raw rights going for about $387 million per year, up from the last deal at $265 million. That would be less than the $398 million that the stock price was originally based on, but it would still make the company far more profitable.

– For those of you who are friends or know Jay Dumont aka Great Fowler, he’s had a real rough past few days. He was violently vomiting for several hours on Friday night and may be in ER today as he fell unconscious last night at one point. He’s survived far longer than expected and always notes that for him, every day is a blessing. If you know him and are friends with him, wish him the best of luck and we’re all pulling for him.

– There were riots this past week in Dublin including a child being stabbed. Conor McGregor was tweeting all week against the government. On Friday the prime minister came out against McGregor for inciting people and boxing promoter Eddie Hearn pulled McGregor from appearing at last night’s boxing show in Dublin. It was noted that the majority of those in Ireland are not on the side of McGregor (thanks to Tony Coleman)

– The New Japan tag team tournament returns on Tuesday with an A Block show in Nagoya with the Gates of Agony vs. Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd, Great-O-Khan & Henare vs. Evil & Yujiro Takahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste, and Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa vs. Shota Umino & Ren Narita.

– Impact and AAA have a joint TV taping in San Pedro Garza, Mexico (outside of Monterrey at the Showcenter) tonight:

  • El Hijo del Vikingo & Alex Shelley vs, Trey Miguel & Abismo Negro
  • Chris Sabin & Trinity vs. Dinamico & Chik Tormenta
  • Josh Alexander & Octagon Jr. vs. Moose & Toxin
  • Tommy Dreamer & Laredo Kid vs. Brian Myers & Taurus
  • Myzteziz & Rich Swann vs. Eddie Edwards & Latigo
  • Sanson & Forastero vs. Frankie Kazarian & Arez
  • Deonna Purrazzo & Maravilla vs. Jordynne Grace & Sexy Star

– Last night’s WrestleCade Supershow results: Bojack & Colby Corino & Diego Hill defeated Jordan Oliver & Alan Angels & Fuego del Sol, George South defeated Martin Stone (formerly Danny Burch in NXT), Tajiri (managed by Sonny Onoo) defeated Joey Janela, Brock & CW Anderson (managed by Arn Anderson) defeated Terrell & Terrance Hughes (managed by D-Von Dudley), Matt Cardona & Steph De Lander & Brad Attitude defeated EC3 & Angelina Love & Psycho Boy Fodder, Andrade (managed by CJ Perry) defeated Mike Bailey, Violent J won a Battle Royal (biggest names were Shane Douglas, Vampiro, Shane Taylor, Johnny Swinger, Curtis Hughes, Griff Garrison, Ricky Morton and Richard Holliday), Marina Shafir defeated Masha Slamovich, Matt & Jeff Hardy defeated Heath Slater & Rhino, El Hijo del Vikingo (managed by Konnan) defeated Jacob Fatu (thanks to Shannon Walsh)

– Suzu Suzuki missed the Stardom weekend shows due to an illness.