The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site right now:
The updated details of the biggest lawsuit that ever faced TKO
Build to SummerSlam and All In
Updated PPV numbers on Forbidden Door, Money in the Bank and Diaz vs. Masvidal
G-1 is starting and a look at the first week of the tournament
The first Fantastica Mania show in the U.S.
The latest moves by Janel Grant’s legal team regarding Vince McMaahon’s doctor, the motion, why they are doing this and more on Vince’s doctor including bigger celebrities than Vince that he’s worked with along with legendary fighters
Pro Wrestling NOAH runs Budokan Hall with A.J. Styles
A look at the N-1 tournament
Longtime NOAH star retires
NOAH star joining New Japan and Bullet Club
A look at Marigold’s biggest show in its history with Iyo Sky plus Sareee vs Giulia
Giulia timeline updated of going to WWE
Upcoming Marigold PPV shows
A look at the Category A Observer awards and favorites after six months of 2024, who should win MVP in pro wrestling and MMA, match & fight of the year
The closing months of WCW looked at as Lenita Erickson says she played a part in killing Eric Bischoff’s TV deal that would have kept the company alive
Lots of talk regarding different negotiations to get the company
The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week
What place did the pro wrestling and MMA shows finish in the ratings
How the different shows did with ratings, segment-by-segment, competition and placings as well as other notes on viewership
Lots of big things coming to Arena Mexico
Leyenda de Plata tournament
11 companies join together with a united front to government
Death of Ken Hoffman and the major title change that happened because of what he wrote in the newspaper
Notes on a number of wrestling movies and documentaries
MLW with big show with lots of CMLL talent
More on Bloodsport with WWE talent
TNA looking at biggest crowd in years
As AEW talks with WBD about a new deal, lots of things are going on in that world
International ratings and streaming numbers
Advance ticket sales for all upcoming AEW & WWE shows
More on Nate Diaz lawsuit against promoter
Peacock raising prices
WWE Survivor Series notes
Lots of new WWE dates
Cody Rhodes talks AEW
This Week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter Back Issue
Corey Graves tweeted and then deleted the following last night, seemingly responding to the chair shot that Jack Perry took from Mark Briscoe in AEW’s Blood & Guts match:
This is not meant to sound judgmental, or incite ‘us vs. them’ or question anybody’s passion, or talent or intentions.
This is just coming from a guy whose career ended from a few too many ACCIDENTAL headshots.
The ART of this business is protecting ourselves and each other.
Trust me…the gaps in memory are not worth it. I promise.
In Osaka today, WWE began its three-day house show tour of Japan. Here are the results:
Cody Rhodes defeated AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura in a triple threat match to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship
Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga defeated Kevin Owens & LA Knight
Gunther defeated Rey Mysterio
Damian Priest defeated Jey Uso to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Finn Balor & JD McDonagh defeated Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods to retain the World Tag Team titles
Sami Zayn defeated Dominik Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental title
Liv Morgan defeated IYO SKY to retain the Women’s World Championship
Though she’s out of action right now after having knee surgery, Asuka appeared in her hometown of Osaka at today’s show along with the rest of Damage CTRL.
PWInsider reports that Elijah Holyfield (son of boxing legend Evander Holyfield) is set to take part in WWE’s tryout in Cleveland during SummerSlam week. Holyfield played college football at the University of Georgia and has spent some time on NFL rosters.
With SummerSlam taking place at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Johnny Gargano spoke to Cageside Seats about how much it would mean to him to be involved with the show:
It’s one of those things where, look, I’m just happy doing anything. I would do anything in that stadium. I don’t care what it is. I just wanna do something in that stadium. It’s a lifelong dream of mine. Whether it’s defending the tag team titles or just popping out and waving to the crowd, I don’t care. I wanna do something wrestling related in that stadium. And I will die happy.
R-Truth joined Cody Rhodes on episode three of “What Do You Wanna Talk About?”
AEW/Other Wrestling
Scorpio Sky appeared on the latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet. He addressed why he’s been in and out of AEW programming in recent years:
That’s been the question. I guess I’ve been in and out over the last couple of years. Some of it has been due to injury, some of it due to bad luck. One thing I will say is there’s like a narrative out that I’m just this injury-prone guy, like he’s gone for a long time and he comes back and he gets hurt again. That’s actually not the case. So I’m actually glad I want to be able to address that.
I did get hurt about two years ago, but I was okay within like a couple of weeks. But the problem is when you fall out of the rotation, we have so much talent, that it’s hard to get back in the rotation. I always compare it to a Ferris wheel, right? You’re up at the top at one point, but you know you’re gonna go down and you kind of have to wait your turn to get back up there. And that’s a little bit of what happened. So I have had a couple of injuries over the last few years, but for the most part I’ve been healthy for 80 percent.
Sky said that, while he hasn’t wrestled since an ROH match that took place last October, he is not injured right now:
I feel great right now, actually. I think it’s just like I was saying, it’s really tough to get back into the rotation. Because we have so much talent, there’s always talent coming in that it’s almost out of sight, out of mind, in a way, best way I can describe it. I’m eager to get back into the ring though and flex my muscles a little bit, I’m in really good shape. I’m working out with Cezar [Bononi] and I’m excited. And not only in AEW, I want to get back on the indie scene, because I haven’t done the indies in a number of years. And so that would be a really fun thing for me to kind of go back to my roots and see who’s out there, see who are the hot names, and go and have some bangers with them.
Kamille has filed a trademark for “The Brickhouse Kamille.”
AEW stars FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) will make their Prestige Wrestling debut in Portland, Oregon on Sunday, September 29. They’re facing off against Midnight Heat (Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson).
