Daily Update: Gene LeBell, Google trends, Bray Wyatt

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

  • The legacy of Inoki, his title histories and highlights, where he stands in Japanese culture, record attendances and gates, stadium shows from around the world, merchandise, major opponents, hostage settlement, Ali vs. Inoki, Bruno Sammartino, the complete story on the most famous mixed martial arts match of its generation, the heyday of wrestling in Japanese domed stadiums, Inoki vs. Don Frye, Inoki’s career start, and his heyday over more than 30 year, formation of new Japan and IGF, New Year’s Eve specials on network television, famous programs with Hogan, Andre, Backlund and Singh, his matches against international stars and stars from other sports, his legacy in foreign countries, the Inoki vs. Maeda and Inoki vs. Baba matches that didn’t happen, and so much more.
  • What happened with Sammy Guevara and Andrade, from multiple people who were there
  • WWE PPV business update
  • WWE television changes
  • Giulia, the Five Star Grand Prix, biggest match for Stardom at the end of the year and notes on the show
  • Television ratings for every national show this past week
  • New Japan Declaration of Power
  • New Japan notes from England
  • The story of AEW changing its Latin American distribution
  • New AEW signing and where other potential signings stand
  • Live event business upcoming for WWE and AEW
  • Streaming number updates
  • New A&E docs on wrestling stars
  • International ratings

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

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Sunday News Update

We have two new weekend shows up on the site. My weekly show with Garrett Gonzales talks the news of the week, Antonio Inoki, Jon Moxley, TV and more, plus we did last night’s show with Bryan talking Extreme Rules, more on Moxley and all the weekend news.

Want to thank everyone for their comments on this week’s Observer and the Antonio Inoki story, which was the largest story we’ve written in the 40 year history of the newsletter. And for good reason if you’ve read it. It’s pretty clear when the dust has settled that with the exception of Vince McMahon, Inoki was the largest and most influential figure in modern pro wrestling history, and one of the most influential figures in MMA history as well.

The funeral for Gene LeBell took place today in Los Angeles. Ronda Rousey who spoke first at the funeral, wore the pink gi, a LeBell trademark, and her black belt in walking to the ring last night prior to beating Liv Morgan to win the Smackdown women’s title. She flew right in from Philadelphia and talked about all LeBell did for her as a judo coach, helping her get into MMA, and more. Mike Lano talked about Gene’s days as a television announcer for his brother’s wrestling company in the 70s Lano talked about LeBell’s interactions with Bruce Lee and Antonio Inoki. Josh Barnett and Bas Rutten were there as was former pro wrestling photographer Dan Westbrook, whose work appeared in the Japanese magazines during that era. They aired the video of the LeBell vs. Milo Savage wrestler vs boxer match in Salt Lake City in 1963.

Regarding Google searches for the week, the only topic in boxing, wrestling and MMA was Extreme Rules which was No. 5 yesterday with 200,000 searches. That’s the usual level of a non-big four WWE PPV. There was no UFC this week and as far as topics went, the Guevara-Andrade, Moxley signing or Bray Wyatt returns did not crack the top 20 on their day this week.

The Bray Wyatt return from last night currently has 1.7 million views on YouTube which is very high, although not close to record setting, since last night.

The VICE schedule on 10/18 lists other programming from 8-10 p.m., repeats of the first two episodes of Tales from the Territories that have already aired in that time slot. That night was the original date for “The Nine Lives of Vince McMahon documentary.” We don’t have a new scheduled date but since both AEW & NXT are going live from 8-10 p.m. head-to-head, it’s a good date to avoid doing a wrestling documentary. I would expect it to air on a Tuesday before the Territories show, but waiting to find out the week. Both myself and Bryan Alvarez were interviewed for that show.

Highlight matches we’ve heard worth checking out this weekend were Josh Alexander vs. Eddie Edwards and Mike Bailey vs. Frankie Kazarian from Friday’s Impact Bound for Glory and the AAA match with El Hijo del Vikingo vs Laredo Kid vs. Black Taurus which was actually last weekend but aired on television this weekend.

We’re looking for reports on yesterday and today’s GCW shows in Atlantic City to dave@wrestlingoberver.com

We are doing polls this weekend on both Extreme Rules from last night and Impact Bound for Glory from Friday night, so you can leave a thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Predictions are for Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam movie to debut in the $65 million to $70 million range which would be in two weeks.

Dwayne Johnson will be on Good Morning America on Wednesday, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday and Live with Kelly and Ryan on Friday, there to promote the release of Black Adam.

In a unique match, Dragon Gate’s Yamato is scheduled to face Mike Bailey tonight on the GCW show in Atlantic City, NJ at the Showboat.

Smash Wrestling and Canadian Indy Wrestling are both scheduled to debut on the WWE Network and Peacock. The first taping is 11/19 in London, ONT at the Toronto Rec Room.

Paul Craig vs. Johnny Walker has been added to the 1/21 UFC PPV show from Rio de Janeiro.

MMA Fighting has reported that the UFC returns to Australia with a show on 2/11 in Perth, Western Australia. It will be UFC”s first show in Australia since 2019. The show has first reported by Perth Now as taking place at the RAC Arena.

Other Notes

Last night’s Impact tapings in Albany, NY were held up for about an hour due to no ambulance being at the building which is a requirement by the New York State Athletic Commission.

CJ Perry, the former Lana, will be on the new season of “Surreal Life’ ON VH1. The new season will air on Monday nights starting on 10/24.

Hooked on Wrestling will be hosting a 2023 Royal Rumble watch party on 1/23 at BOXPARK in Wembley in London.

Bellator announced the signing of undefeated former Olympian Ali Isaev (9-0). Isaev competed at the 2008 Olympics and won a gold medal at the 2008 European championships in freestyle wrestling. They also announced signing new deals with Bellator ranked fighters Kana Watanabe, Tyrell Fortune, Gadzhl Rabadanov, Sullivan Cauley, Brian Moore and Norbert Novenyl Jr. (11-1).

NFC is running a show on 10/15 at District Atlanta. The main event will be Douglas Usher vs. Jared Gooden for the NFC middleweight title in MMA. There will also be a Jiu Jitsu match under tag team rules, a Female MMA Fight plus the first pro wrestling match in NFC history.

Battleground Championship Wrestling on 12/17 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia has announced an Extreme tribute show with Rob Van Dam vs. Rhino, Bully Ray (with D-Von in his corner) vs. Matt Cardona, 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Rich Swann, Juventud Guerrera vs. Super Crazy, KC Navarro vs. VSK vs. Brian Kendrick, FBI vs Afa Jr. & Beastman, plus Gangrel, Francine, Shane Douglas, Pitbull Gary Wolf and more.

GOUGE from last night in Chapel Hill, NC: Sean Cruise & Bobby Wohlfert b Metalico & Glamor Boy Khan, Mecha Mercenary b victor Andres, Lee Valiant b Joseph Everhart, Chet Sterling DDQ Seymour Snott, Inuit Joe b Waylon Maze to win the North Carolina title, Snooty Fox & TKO b Viva La Amish to keep the tag titles. Next show is 10/30 in Raleigh, NC at Rebus Works at 3 p.m.

Stardom results from today in Nagoya: Ruaka b Lady C, Mina Shirakawa b Saya Iida, Mayu Iwatani & Momo Kohgo b Giulia & Mai Sakurai, Maika & Himeka DCOR Hazuki & Koguma, Syuri & Mirai & Ami Sohrei b Tan Nakano & Natsupoi & Waka Tsukiyama, Momo Watanabe & Starlight Kid & Saki Kashima retained the Artist of Stardom titles going to a 30:00 draw with Utami Hayashishita & AZM & Saya Kamitani (thanks to No Prima Donnas)

RevPro from today in Southampton, UK: Shaun Jackson b Remi Adetunji, Brendan White & Danny Jones b Samuel Hawkes & Cameron Kahi, Yota Tsuji b Robbie X, Maya Matthews b Safire Reed, Will Kaven b Michael Oku-DQ, Ricky Knight Jr. b Gabriel Kidd to keep the British heavyweight title (thanks to No Prima Donna)

Defy from last night in Portland, OR: King Naja won Oregon Pro Wrestling School Showcase, Miles Deville & Sebastian Wolfe won over Cody Chhun & Guillermo Rosas and The Bollywood Boyz to win the Defy tag titles, KC Navarro b Ethan HD, Amira b Taryn, Schaff b Adriel Noctus, Ortiz b Adam Ryder, Swerve Strickland b Christopher Daniels to win the Defy title. Next show is 10/29 in Seattle at Washington Hall with Minoru Suzuki vs. Tom Lawlor as the main event.

Former UFC fighter and NFL star Greg Hardy scored a knockout over Mike Cook last night in Delray Beach, FL in his pro boxing debut.

The first round bracketing for the AAW Jim Lyman tournament on 10/14 at the Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago, IL has: Yamato vs. Zachary Wentz, Schaff vs. Davey Richards, Fred Yehi vs. Calvin Tankman, Masha Slamovich vs. Dante Leon, Mike Bennett vs. Davey Vega, Gnaris Garvin vs. Silas Young, Manders vs. Josh Alexander, and Ace Austin vs. Rich Swann.