Daily Update: CMLL, AAA Triplemania Regia, Rusty Blair

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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:
  • WBD will split into two companies, what this means for the future of cable, for AEW, for the legacy of TBS, TNT and CNN, for TNT Sports and what and when this all goes into effect regarding AEW.
  • More on WrestleMania going back to Las Vegas
  • The story on Ron Killings being cut why they had to bring him back and all the ramifications regarding it
  • The story behind Gunther beating Jey Uso for the world tite and set up
  • Full King of the Ring coverage, as well as Saturday Night’s Main Event main event, Night of Champions, Evolution and future WWE major events.
  • Full UFC 316 coverage and Kayla Harrison garners one of the most impressive combat sports resumes in history
  • The story behind Worlds Collide, the history packages, behind the scenes, Mr. Iguana and his background, all the ratings numbers, TripleMania Regia and more.
  • Ben Askren fights for his life
  • Latest developments in the Janel Grant lawsuit
  • Mark Kerr goes into UFC Hall of  Fame meaning Dwayne Johnson will induct him
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows including comparing cable vs. network, cable vs. streaming, how Rw is really doing, four-hour AEW marathon shows, NBA competition and more
  • Arena Mexico has one of its best matches of the year
  • New Japan Dominion noes
  • Notes on the G-1 tournament
  • Why Greg Oliver was so valuable to pro wrestling
  • Bret Hart talks Vince McMahon
  • Final X notes
  • Former ROH star retires
  • Wrestler trading card auctioned off for more than $80,000
  • Wrestlers who had matches in seven different decades
  • Former WWF wrestler makes a grandstand challenge for Hulk Hogan
  • RAF signs Olympic gold medalist
  • Update on lawsuit against AEW
  • Grand Slam Mexico notes
  • All In notes
  • Komander injury
  • Dana White and Nick Khan back promoting the biggest fight of 2025 and how it looks to have gone down
  • BJ Penn arrested again
  • Notes on TKO stock and media rights talks
  • Lots of new WWE signings

This Week’s Back Issue

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Sunday Update

dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Bryan and I will be back tonight covering weekend news and taking questions you can send to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com

In a surprise, CMLL on its YouTube page is streaming tonight’s show at Arena Mexico free right now.

The top matches are a women’s Cibernetico with all second generation wrestlers with Lluvia, India Sioux, Sanely, Jarochita, Skadi, Hera, La Magnifica and Olympic plus Titan vs. Robbie X in a lightning match and a tournament with father-and-son teams with Atlantis & Atlantis Jr., Panterita del Ring & Mascara Dorada, Blue Panther & El Hijo de Blue Panther, Felino & Felino Jr., Pantera & El Hijo del Pantera, Stuka Jr.  & El Eijo de Stuka Jr and Valiente & Valiente Jr.

AAA has TripleMania Regia at Arena Monterrey today. It is expected to be streaming as early as tomorrow on YouTube, or at least that was the plan on Thursday.

  • Mr. Iguana & E Fiscal & Nino Hamburguesa vs. SB Kento & Takuma & Nobu San
  • Lady Flammer defends the Reina de Reinas title against Dalys and Lady Shani
  • Moose defends the TNA X title against Joe Hendry, El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Mesias
  • La Parka & Laredo Kid & Octagon Jr. vs. Abismo Negro & Taurus & Histerio
  • Forastero & Sanson defend AAA tag titles against The Nemeth Brothers, Psycho Clown & Pagano and Angel & Berto
  • El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Alberto El Patron for the AAA Mega title in a cage match.

— At least internationally, SmackDown looks to have done better Friday night than last week.  These were the first day placings in the English television show category:

  • Canada 2 (same as last week)
  • Mexico 1 (up from two)
  • Australia 4 (same)
  • India 2 (same)
  • New Zealand 4 (same)
  • Saudi Arabia 1 (up from three)
  • U.K. 1 (up from four)

— We’re looking for your thoughts on today’s New Japan Dominion show, you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

— Former Scottish women’s star Rusty Blair, real name Carole Taylor, died this past Wednesday in Rhyl, Wales. She was 67. She was the first woman inducted into the Scottish Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013. She took her name from the character Rusty Blair from the 1954 movie “Three Young Texans.” (thanks to Bradley Craig)

— For Raw tomorrow in Green Bay it’s Sheamus vs. Bronson Reed vs. Rusev vs. Jey Uso in a King of the Ring tournament match, Asuka vs. Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Ivy Nile in a Queen of the Ring tournament match, Kairi Sane vs. Liv Morgan, plus Nikki Bella, Bayley and Bill Goldberg are to appear.  Nick Aldis will be acting as G.M. on tomorrow’s show.

— Reader Doug Hunt listed these as the matches to watch from the weekend:

  • Hirooki Goto vs. Shingo Takagi from Dominion today
  • Titan vs. Templario from Arena Mexico on Friday
  • Flip Gordon vs. Robbie X from Arena Coliseo last night

— Nino Bryant vs. Chris Ridgeway vs. Adam Priest vs. Cameron Khai in the British J Cup final yesterday in Stevenage as well  Khai vs. Ace Austin in another tournament match.

— As far as Google searches for the weekend, last night’s UFC show had 220,000 searches.  Ben Askren had 20,000, which is likely due to the video UFC played on last night’s show.

— Charles Wright (Papa Shango/Kama/Godfather) was involved in a car wreck with his Dodge Ram rolling three times but he walked away without a scratch.

— Brett Ryan Gosselin is now a free agent. He had been under contract to MLW.

— The biggest news story coming out of Final X is that this year’s Junior Hodge winner, high school senior PJ Duke beat 2022 world championship silver medalist Yianni Diakomihalis two out of three bouts to earn a spot on the World Team for the U.S.  At 18, he’s among the youngest men ever to make the team and the first high school in 17 years.  Diakomihalis dominated early, winning the first match via tech fall 10-0.  In the second, he was up 9-2 but Duke came back to win 17-10.  Duke was behind 2-0 when he scored a pin at 4:07 to win their third match.  This was the first time Diakomihalis  had ever been pinned in high school, college, national or international competition.

Final X took place last night in Newark, NJ.  From the video the crowd looked very big. Spencer Lee, Kyle Snyder, Wyatt Hendrickson  and Zahid Valencia were the biggest name men to  qualify with Valencia beating Kyle Dake in two straight.

The top name women qualifiers were Jacarra Winchester at 130, Macey Kitty at 143, Kylie Welker at 167, Kennedy Blaydes at 149 and Helen Maroulis at 125.

— Rico Verhoeven, who has passed ten straight years as the Glory kickboxing world heavyweight champion, retained his title over Artem Vakhitov in Rotterdam, Holland yesterday.

— Defy from Friday night in Settle: Evan Riers b Mark Wheeler, Bollywood Boyz b Ethan HD & Mike Santiago,Joey Janela b Randy Myers, Marina Shafir b La Vipress to keep the Defy women’s title, Cedric Alexander b Starboy Charlie, Megan Bayne b Nicole Matthews, Judas Icarus & Travis Wiliams b Cody Chhun & Guilermo Rosas to retain the Defy tag titles.

— House of Glory expands to the Haltom Theater in Texas with Charels Mason defending the heavyweight title against Crown Jewel champion Zilla Fatu in a winner take both titles match.  Indi Hartwell, Laredo Kid and 1 Called Manders are on the show.

— Kris Statlander will be on the 7/4 Eve show in London at the Big Penny Social in Walthamstow. The seating was seven tickets from sold out but they are selling standing room. Statlander faces Anita Vaughan.

— Horror Slam from Friday night in Southgate, MI: Cesar Ashur & Mighty B jack b Jack Price & AdamSick, The Solution won over Chinstrap Jesus and Dean Hendrix, Rhino b Beastman, Breyer Wellington b Jeremiah Goldmanm, Tommy Trainwreck kept the death match title over Mickie Knuckles (thanks to Leonard Brand)