Daily Update: Goldberg, WWE Backstage, 24/7 title changes

DAILY UPDATE

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

F4W NEWSLETTER: Divisive main event headlines AEW Full Gear

Joseph Currier looks at the reactions to Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega’s unsanctioned match.

AEW’s first pay-per-view since debuting on weekly television was headlined by what will likely end up being the most divisive match of the year.

For some, Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega’s unsanctioned lights out match at Full Gear was a hardcore classic. To others, it was a gratuitously violent and long match that was a misstep for AEW. They wrestled for over 38 minutes and did everything they could to try and have the epic hardcore match that its biggest fans thought it was. A board covered in mouse traps, a chain, a screwdriver, glass, barbed wire, and a barbed wire spider web were just some of the weapons used. By the end of the match, part of the ring was deconstructed — and a Paradigm Shift DDT on the exposed wood finally put an end to things and gave Moxley the win.

Every move AEW has made in its brief history has been overanalyzed to the point of exhaustion. Each positive and negative moment has probably been assigned too much importance. But AEW is defining its identity over the course of the promotion’s first year. Moxley vs. Omega is now always going to be part of that. Full Gear was an opportunity for AEW to put their best foot forward to an audience that has sampled their first six weeks of TV. While it’s likely that some things were gimmicked and Moxley vs. Omega wasn’t quite as violent as it came off as, AEW not only didn’t shy away from the “blood and guts” criticism that Vince McMahon leveled at them — they leaned into it.

Current subscribers click here to continue reading.

WON NEWSLETTER: November 18, 2019 Observer Newsletter: CM Punk joins WWE Backstage, Full Gear review CM Punk joins WWE Backstage, Full Gear review, more.

The return of C.M. Punk to the pro wrestling scene and coverage of AEW’s Full Gear and the lessons after seven weeks of television of what we’ve learned from AEW and NXT are the lead stories in this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

We examine the timeline of C.M. Punk and his deal with WWE Backstage, including the original approach, how things were viewed along the way, the last AEW offer and how much AEW wanted him, what he said that led to AEW going cold, and his debut on Backstage on Tuesday night.

We cover what has and hasn’t happened for NXT and AEW since getting television. We look at things like maintaining audience, live sales, PPV, NWA Powerr and its reaction and numbers, key demo ratings, how NXT came close once, PPV numbers, how the date backfired on AEW, how PPV changed with television with organizations in the past, plus full coverage of Full Gear with business notes, match-by-match coverage, star ratings and poll results.

The new issue also covers: 

Survivor Series update with booking changes made, how that affects TLC and early plans for that show, plus a key title match not yet announced.

Steve Austin’s new WWE Network show, the value of WrestleMania, how ticket sales this year differed from shows in the past, Johnny Gargano injury and how that changed the Takeover card, ACH update, Sin Cara talks wanting out, new John Cena movie, Rusev talks his angle with Lashley, Starrcade card, Evolve notes, as well as WWE market value, most watched shows on WWE Network and a look at all the WWE and NXT live events over the past week with results, highlights and business news.

Notes on New Japan’s coming to San Jose with match-by-match coverage.

Full rundown on the UFC show in Moscow and the stories behind it.

Full coverage of all the WWE and AEW television shows from the past week.

In-depth looks at the ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.

Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week. 

Subscribers can access the new issue on the front page of the site here.

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.

TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • Bill Goldberg told Sports Illustrated that his match with Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam was not his last: “It’s by no means my farewell performance, nor was it my best performance, but you have to be realistic and take all things into consideration. It’s a very good possibility I’ll be back, but you don’t know it until it’s done.”
  • David Arquette will appear on the “Promo School” segment on tonight’s episode of Backstage. Ember Moon will also appear on the show, which airs on FS1 at 11 p.m. Eastern time and will feature CM Punk’s debut as an analyst.
  • A WWE 24 episode on Trish Stratus and her match against Charlotte Flair from SummerSlam will premiere on the WWE Network after Starrcade on December 1. 
  • A WWE corporate employee named Mike won the 24/7 championship earlier today at a Town Hall meeting at WWE headquarters. Hours later, R-Truth defeated him to regain the title. Mike was billed as the first WWE employee to hold the title.
  • The mid-season finale of Total Divas airs tonight on E!, which covers WrestleMania. The series will return on December 3.
  • WWE has uploaded the entire match between AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar from Survivor Series 2017.
  • They have also uploaded a preview for the first episode of WWE Network’s new series The Broken Skull Sessions featuring The Undertaker. That will air following Sunday’s Survivor Series event.
  • Congratulations to Shorty G and his wife Kristi on the arrival of their third child.
  • Titus O’Neil is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Millennium magazine.

Pro Wrestling

  • The NWA announced a new series called The Circle Squared, where talent will be given the opportunity to showcase their skills with the possibility of earning an NWA contract. The first episodes of the series will be recorded at the next NWA tapings, which take place December 14 -16 at the GPB Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Here is the latest episode of Sammy Guevara’s vlog.
  • AEW announced that going forward, KultureCity will provide sensory bags for every taping of AEW Dynamite.
  • Josef Samael of the CONTRA unit in MLW has re-signed with the promotion under a multi-year deal.
  • Joey Ryan appears in the second season of the Netflix series Magic for Humans.

MMA

  • Rudson Caliocane, a former Titan FC bantamweight champion, suffered a brain stem ischemic stroke after his fight against Matheus Mendonca on October 19. He has been paralyzed across the left side of the body since then and has vacated the bantanweight title as a result. Doctors noted it may have been due to the dehydration that comes with weight cutting, as Caliocante had lost 13.4 pounds prior to the fight.
  • In an interview with MMA Fighting, Israel Adesanya expressed interest in a fight against Jared Cannonier following Paulo Costa’s bicep injury.
  • UFC 244 is now free on demand on ESPN+.
  • Anthony Johnson is now teasing a summer return to the UFC after originally targeting a spring return.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: Bret Hart wins WWF title at Survivor Series 1995

CONTACT INFORMATION