Daily Update: Conor McGregor, Who Killed WCW?, WWE Raw

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

This is a huge issue covering all of the latest news in-depth:

  • Why the Janel Grant lawsuit against Vince McMahon is on hold including reaction from lawyers on both sides and an independent lawyer looks at what the breaking news means.
  • AEW negotiations with WBD and how they are going. The most detailed look at the state of the negotiations, what is and isn’t involved in the talks, how streaming fits in, opening it up for other companies to bid and much more. Plus we detail how the international wrestling marketplace changes that are relevant to AEW’s bottom line.
  • Full coverage of Double or Nothing, key angles, storylines, direction, Forbidden Door, business numbers, Adam Copeland injury, Owen Hart tournament, history of repeating stadium shows, and world title at All In.
  • More business notes from WrestleMania weekend.
  • Full King and Queen of the Ring coverage, business notes, PPV, other interest level measurements and crossover purchasers with other events.
  • A look at the life and career of  David “Silento” Rodriguez, a deaf wrestler who had a long career.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week, including rankings, comparisons with a year ago, demo numbers, competition and how segments did individually.
  • FantasticaMania Mexico
  • Big AAA main feud
  • Update on TripleMania
  • Great Triple Crown match
  • New Japan business note
  • Super Juniors tournament
  • Giulia update
  • Hawaiian wrestling history
  • Progress Strong Style 16 tournament
  • MLW strategy change this week
  • Changes in TNA
  • Notes on AEW departures
  • Notes on AEW injuries
  • Young Bucks shoe business
  • Advance ticket sales for upcoming AEW & WWE events
  • Major UFC show coming to ABC
  • Rousey says why she doesn’t go to UFC events
  • Lots of WWE contract updates
  • WWE firings
  • WrestleMania documentary updates
  • International TV ratings

This week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter back issue

Monday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about Who Killed WCW,  Best of the super Juniors, Raw, and the rest of the news with Wrestling Observer Radio.  
  • The build to the biggest MMA fight, as far as business goes, in several years, the 6/29 Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight, had a major stumble today.  The 6/29 fight in Las Vegas which has already drawn advanced ticket sale gate numbers beating every MMA, kickboxing  and pro wrestling show in history. was supposed to have its first press conference earlier today in Dublin.  More than 10,000 tickets were out for the event and then it was announced as canceled with no reason given, leading to a lot of speculation, mostly involving McGregor.  Chandler was about to get on a plane when he found out it was canceled.  McGregor stated on X, “In consultation with the UFC, today’s press conference was canceled due to a series of obstacles outside of our control.  I apologize to my Irish fans, and fans around the world, for the inconvenience and appreciate all of your passion and support.  I can’t wait to put on the greatest all-time show in the Octagon.”
  • Dana White and ESPN were all in Dublin.  McGregor also missed other media interviews MMA Mania reported McGregor has canceled all of his media obligations leading to the face.  The UFC itself has only said the press conference, which was to take place at 5 p.m. local time and Noon Eastern,  has been postponed until further notice.
  • Who Killed WCW, a series put together by Seven Bucks Promotion and Dark Side of the Ring, will debut its four-week run tomorrow night at 10 p.m. on VICE.  I’ve only seen the 15 minute preview and will talk about that tonight.  The interesting thing on the series will be interviews with Brad Siegel, who many believe was one of the people who didn’t get enough credit for the promotion’s death, and Stu Snyder, for reasons we wrote about in the notes talking about the show in the May 27th issue of the Observer.
  • Raw tonight is from a sold out Giant Center in Hershey, PA which will have about 8,800 fans.  Announced is Damian Priest vs.  Rey Mysterio non-title, Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser, New Day vs. AOP, Bron Breakker vs. Ricochet, Finn Balor vs Drago Lee and  Natalya vs. Kiana James.
  • Raw should do a good number tonight as there is no playoff competition from either the NBA or NHL.   The NBA finals don’t go against a major wrestling show until 6/12 against Dynamite.  NHL goes Saturday against Collision.  So no major sports competition for Raw, NXT and Dynamite this week.
  • We’re looking for reports on tonight’s show from those live with anything not on television such as Main Event matches to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • The Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles title match is scheduled for Clash at the Castle in Glasgow.  It may be announced tonight, if not on Friday.
  • The Dominion KOPW title match with Yuya Uemura vs. Great Khan will have a 15 minute time limit with two rope breaks max which was voted on by 58.3 percent.  O’Khan’s stipulation, a classic 2/3 fall with a 61 minute time limit, got 41.7 percent of the vote.
  • Mance Warner ended up as GCW champion after a series of false finishes yesterday in Atlantic City.  Blake Christian, who had been champion for one year, was stripped of the title due to being in Japan for the Super Juniors tournament by heel GM Matt Cardona.  Cardona set up a gauntlet that was presumably won by Charles Mason, but then Nick Gage showed up and won, leading to a celebration.  Jimmy Lloyd, who is with Cardona and Steph De Lander then took out Cage, but Joey Janla took out Lloyd and then Warner beat Janela and Warner, Cardona, Lloyd and De Lander ended the show as the top heel group.
  • Afa Anoa’i underwent his scheduled back surgery earlier today.
  • The new season of Ultimate Fighter, with Alexa Grasso and Valentine Shevchenko as coaches, debuts at 10 p.m. tomorrow night on ESPN, so it’ll be going head-to-head with the Who Killed WCW show.  It also airs on ESPN+.
  • Paramount Plus will be debuting a Cyndi Lauper documentary tomorrow.  The documentary does cover her 1984-85 participation in WWE leading to the first WrestleMania.  It was timed for an announcement of a Lauper farewell tour from October to December.
  • MLW announced a return to Center Stage in Atlanta on 9/14.  They are advertising Matt Riddle, Satoshi Kojima, Alex Kane, Mistico, Tom Lawlor, Sami Callihan, Cesar Duran, Minoru Suzuki, Salina de la Renta and others.
  • Katie Glass, the most famous of all the women minis in history as Diamond Lil, turned 80 on Saturday. She wrestled regularly a part of Moolah’s stable, touring North America, usually against Darling Dagmar, from 1963 to 1981 and did a few matches after that point.
  • James Frewin was announced today as the new Managing Director, International for the PFL.  He had been Senior Vice President of International.  His job will be to oversee international media rights, international expansion and strategy and international tournaments.