Daily Update: Emile Dupree, AEW Rampage Grand Slam, John Cena

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Observer is out, and it’s a big one:

  • The WWE merges with UFC and transitions into TKO, the most in depth look at the changes to be expected and where changes aren’t to be expected
  • Amount of cuts expected to be made
  • What type of people are expected to be cut
  • Nick Khan’s letter to employees before the cuts
  • First major departure
  • How Saudi Arabia investing in PFL affected the stock
  • New board of directors
  • New hierarchy
  • Dana White talks merger and shoots down another exec’s goal for the new company
  • Talk on future television rights
  • Current market value and did it reach projections
  • Biggest financial concerns
  • Crossover promotion
  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • AEW All in attendance with notes on other stadium shows including actual WrestleMania turnstile counts vs. announced and paid attendance
  • Bryan Danielson’s full-time career winds down, why, how long he’s thought about this and talks candidly about his decision
  • Long-term concerns
  • UFC 293 in Australia with one of the biggest upsets in history. Who’s house? Sean’s house.
  • Future of middleweight division
  • Business notes on the show
  • History of promotional wars, timing, how AEW vs. WWE is the same, how it differs
  • AEW and its decline in live attendance, the key reasons and what can be done, and how WCW turned it around under Zane Bresloff
  • How other companies turned it around and how the circumstances to do that aren’t there in this situation
  • A look at the next major WWE, AEW and NXT shows and early business notes
  • WWE Superstar spectacular in India coverage
  • The unique career of Brett Wayne Sawyer, top singles champion on the most-watched television show in the country at 23, and a career that fell off quickly
  • The early days of the Road Warriors
  • The booking of Ole Anderson
  • The most detailed look at the ratings, weekly and nightly standings, segment breakdowns, comparisons to one year ago in a very important and newsworthy week
  • CMLL 90th anniversary show this week
  • Legends special match coming
  • Stardom PPV notes including one of the week’s best matches
  • Performer of the week and match of the week
  • First time ever for a true rookie in match of the week
  • Major dream match this weekend with Will Ospreay
  • Updates on Jim Duggan
  • Notes on the death of former Carolinas announcer Rich Landrum
  • Notes on the Cassandro movie
  • Pro wrestling star leaves the business for one year, wins a gold medal in the Olympics–this long forgotten piece of wrestling history
  • Bandido returning
  • Impact Hall of Fame notes and notes on Mike Tenay
  • Jade Cargill update
  • Business updates on PPV from All Out, Backlash and All In
  • What percentage of WWE buyers purchased an AEW show in the last few weeks
  • Ticket sales for upcoming AEW & WWE shows
  • International TV ratings
  • Streaming numbers for WWE
  • Ortiz & Santana breakup explained
  • Paul Wight’s name in ESPN story on PED investigation
  • Georges St-Pierre into Canadian Sports Hall of Fame
  • UFC top star leaving the promotion
  • UFC Hall of Famer gets DWI
  • Bray Wyatt funeral
  • Vince McMahon’s return
  • Thoughts on Smackdown and what is the best day for the show if FX gets it
  • Drew McIntyre update
  • Roman Reigns return
  • Lots of comings and goings in WWE
  • WWE and NXT live event coverage

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Sunday Update

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking the weekend wrestling news like Dwayne Johnson, Jade Cargill, AEW Grand Slam & Smackdown as well as last night’s Valentina Shevckenko vs. Alexa Grasso fight. Our weekly business show with Garrett Gonzales is up on the site now, talking a lot of the Observer news for this week, WWE firings, AEW struggles at the gate and more.

Former wrestler and promoter Emile Dupree passed away over the weekend. He was 86. Dupree started wrestling in 1955 and went all over the world, and then promoted Grand Prix Wrestling in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Canada as a seasonal territory in the summer from 1977 to 1990. There were comeback attempts as late as 2017 for the promotion based on its glory days. Wrestling would only run in the summer as a six or seven day a week territory. Lots of the Stampede Wrestling and other Canadian talent would go there because it was such a good paying promotion. Dupree, born Emile Goguen in New Brunswick, used a number of major stars at different points such as Edge, Christian, Andre the Giant, Randy Savage, JJ Dillon, Ric Flair, Harley Race and Dynamite Kid.

Just a note that as it has been the past two years, the Grand Slam Rampage show on Friday night will be two hours from 10 p.m. to midnight.

In Saudi Arabia they are announcing John Cena for the 11/4 show. Cena had pulled out of the last WWE show in Saudi Arabia he had been booked on, but it’s no longer an issue that could have negative effects on his career since everyone is back doing business with the country now. Basically there is nobody left on the roster as far as we know that is either refusing to go or banned from going. 

It doesn’t get much closer than last night’s Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko flyweight title match. It was a split decision draw. Michael Bell ruled it a draw giving rounds two and five for Grasso including a very controversial 10-8 fifth round. Sal D’Amato had it for Shevchenko winning rounds one, three and four. Junichrio Kamijo had it for Grass winning rounds two, four and five. Basically almost everyone had one for Shevchenko, two for Grasso, three for Shevchenko and five for Grasso and it came down to how you scored round four. Media scores were 52 percent for Grasso and 48 percent for Shevchenko. Fan scoring was 45.2 percent for Shevchenko and 44.9 percent for Grasso with 4.4 percent scoring it even. Shevchenko was very strong in thinking she won. Grasso said after two fights with Shevchenko she wants to move on, but one would think after this score they should do a rematch.

In Google trends for the week, nothing from wrestling, boxing or MMA cracked the top 20 on any day this week. That is a surprise because of the UFC title fight last night, but it was only on ESPN+ so viewership was way down, but it was still a legit title match. Plus Dwayne Johnson on Friday for his statements about WrestleMania and then being on Smackdown would have been expected to crack the top 20.

The Sukeban promotion is scheduled for a debut on Thursday in New York and we’ve heard very little about it. The Japanese talent is supposed to leave on Tuesday.

Today is the sixth anniversary of the death of Bobby Heenan at 72, among the greatest pro wrestling managers ever and I would say the single funniest person ever to work in the industry.

Mason Parris, who is under a WWE NIL deal, placed third in the world championships in the 275 pound weight class. Parris replaced Gable Steveson on the U.S. team when Steveson pulled out due to WWE for reasons undisclosed but likely WWE related. At 189 pounds, David Taylor won the gold medal beating Iranian legend Hassan Yazdani via pin with less than three seconds left. Taylor was up 7-3 with time running out. It was Taylor’s third world championship. Zain Retherford won a gold medal at 174 pounds. Vito Araujau won at 134 pounds. Kyle Dake is in the finals at 163 pounds tomorrow. Kyle Snyder at 213 pounds starts competition tomorrow.

We’re looking for your thoughts on the CMLL Anniversary show, so you can leave a thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

We’re also looking for reports from tonight’s WWE show in Boise, ID, results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

The big weekend match we’ve heard the most about was today’s Will Ospreay vs. Naomichi Marfuji match from Korakuen Hall.

After his loss last night in the UFC Noche show in Las Vegas, Kevin Holland issued a challenge to Neil Magny for a hair vs. hair match. Evidently he thought he was on the anniversary show.

WWE sold out last night in Kennewick, WA, the first domestic house show sellout in months:

  • Rey Mysterio retained the U.S. title over LA Knight and Austin Theory by pinning Theory after a 619 and springboard splash after Knight had given Theory the BFT.
  • Becky Lynch b Tiffany Stratton to retain the NXT women’s title in a good match after the man handle slam
  • Chad Gable & Otis & Tommaso Ciapa b Imperium when Ciampa made Giovanni Vinci submit to the Silician stretch
  • Jey Uso b Bronson Reed after a spear
  • Cody Rhodes b Dominik Mysterio in a street fight by putting him through a table and hitting Cross Rhodes. Rhodes pushed for fans to donate to Connor’s Cure this month.
  • Finn Balor & Damian Priest retained the WWE tag titles over Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro. Dominik tried to interfere but Rey made the save with a paddle and spanked him with it
  • Asuka b Charlotte Flair with an inside cradle off the figure eight
  • Seth Rollins b Shinsuke Nakamura to keep the world title with a pedigree and curb stomp
  • (thanks to Shannon Walsh, Geoffrey Paulson, Rick Evans and others)

D-Von Dudley was doing an autograph signing last night in Monroe, MI and he said his return last week was not a one-time thing, he’s out of retirement and is looking at signing a deal with Impact.

MJF was at the New York Mets game today promoting Wednesday’s Dynamite show at Arthur Ashe Stadium. He called Chase Utley a “Schmuck” and called the Phillips Phanatic the stupidest mascot in baseball.

Ronda Rousey’s second book, “Our Fight,” is scheduled for an April 2, 2024 release date. The book will cover her pro wrestling career and is co- written by her sister, Maria Burns Ortiz.

Tomorrow’s Raw in Salt Lake City has Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso, Cody Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio, New Day vs Viking Raiders 2/3 falls and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ricochet. It will go against two different NFL games, one on ABC and one on ESPN. The hope has to be that Dwayne Johnson and John Cena on Smackdown will increase interest in the promotion as a whole as it tries to rebound from the lowest audience to watch a first-run episode of the show in its history last Monday.

Michael Oku vs. Hechicero for the British heavyweight title headlines the 9/23 FantasticaMania show in Manchester, UK.

House of Glory Wrestling from Friday night in New York City: Ken Broadway & Showtime Moore b Gallo & Elijah Eden, Nolo Kitano b Joey Silver, Michael Fain won six-way over JJ Doujii, Raheem Royal, Darren Richardson, Brain Burgundy and Sonny Kiss, Ultra Violette b B3CCA to keep the women’s title, Midas Black & Jay Lyon kept the tag titles over the Vaudevillains Simon Gotch & Matt Rehwoldt, Matt Cardona b Homicide to keep the HOG title and was confronted by Santana after the match, El Hijo del Vikingo b Low Ki

Eric Taylor won the JT Lightning Memorial tournament winning a three-way over Alec Price and Sam Holloway. Price beat Colin Delaney and Mikey Montgomery in one semi and Taylor won over Chavo Guerrero Jr., Mangum CK and Mance Warner in the other.

Impact on Thursday will have an Ultimate X match with Zachary Wentz, Angels, Rich Swann, Samuray del Sol, Mike Bailey and Ace Austin, Trey Miguel vs. Josh Alexander and the match with Trinity & Jordynne Grace & Mickie James & Gail Kim & Awesome Kong vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Tasha Steelz & Gisele Shaw & Savannah Evans & Angelina Love. This was the match Kim was injured in and featured the pioneers of the division in Kim and Kong.