Daily Update: Joaquin Wilde, Kurt Angle, Wrestle Kingdom press conference
Daily Update
Latest News
- Darby Allin vs. Konosuke Takeshita added to AEW Dynamite
- AEW ‘hopeful’ to land Deonna Purrazzo in free agency
- Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer & Dalton Castle set for ROH TV
- Jody Threat announced for Knockouts Ultimate X at TNA Hard to Kill
- Adam Copeland on retirement timeline: ‘We’re looking at like a two-year window’
- The Rock reflects on WWE return: ‘We’re just getting started’
- WWE NXT’s Charlie Dempsey loses AJPW Triple Crown title match
- NJPW unveils IWGP Global Championship title belt
Latest Audio
- Wrestling Observer Live: AEW Dynamite preview, NXT TV report, Ibushi, Tokyo Dome, more
- DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: February 1984 & the death of David Von Erich
- We’re Live, Pal: The Rock wants to sit at the head of the table
- Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show: Granny segment, live Q&A and more!
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
In this issue:
- Match and performer of the week
- Notes on the recent AEW departures
- AEW financial notes for 2023
- Some rights fees thoughts
- Tony Khan talks the TV landscape
- A look at Worlds End
- The most detailed look at the New Japan decision to make Hiroshi Tanahashi president and comments from many in the industry about it
- Full details on the WWE’s biggest grossing U.S. house show in history on Tuesday in Madison Square Garden plus past history from the event
- The Iron Claw, history of the Von Erichs, in a long detailed article regarding the rise and fall and the making of the movie
- Preview of the Tokyo Dome show, advance ticket sales and Stardom PPV
- How many tickets are comped at the usual AEW and WWE shows
- 2023 Awards ballot
- Dragon Gate’s Final Gate show
- The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week, placings for the night and week, competition, segment-by-segment, gains and losses from one year ago and more
- Andrade heads to Mexico and a big business week
- Another two Vikingo vs. Taurus matches
- New Japan bodybuilding contest notes
- Major shows for New Japan in the first three months of he year
- One of the best trios matches in a long time
- DDT tournament finals set
- Notes on a book on wrestling history
- New Scottish wrestling Hall of Famer
- Chris Jericho and Stephen New
- Tony Khan’s recent press call
- Dynamite headed for tougher competition
- Advance ticket sales for WWE & AEW shows
- Streaming numbers for AEW & WWE
- Amanda Huber talks anniversary of Jon Huber’s death
- Dana White on UFC 300
- More on the MLW lawsuit settlement
- Changing an angle
- Return of a WWE tag team
- Injury return updates
- Longest running pro wrestling TV show in history
- Bill Goldberg speaks on Vince McMahon
- Rundown of the recent WWE house shows
This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter
Wednesday Update
WWE
- Paul “Triple H” Levesque praised Joaquin Wilde for the insane dive he hit on last night’s NXT: “Wow. @joaquinwilde_ is incredible. #NewYearsEvil”
- WWE uploaded a post-show interview with Kevin Owens following his appearance on NXT.
- During a Q&A at Steel City Con, Kurt Angle addressed his WWE status. Angle responded when asked if he’ll do another promo with WWE:
- Yeah, I’ll talk all day and night, but I’m not going to wrestle. I’m 55 going on 80. WWE has utilized me. Last year, I did a segment in Pittsburgh where I had the milk truck in the arena and I sprayed down Chad Gable and Otis with milk. That was a remake of what I did against Steve Austin in 2001. They also had a birthday celebration for me. I do certain events with them. I’m still signed with them, I have a contract with WWE. I’m sure they’re going to possibly use me for something at WrestleMania or Royal Rumble or something. They always come up with something. I’ll eventually do something crazy with WWE and I’m sure I will in the future.
- Logan Paul posted a social media skit where he traded his WWE United States title belt and a bottle of Lemonade Prime to NFL star Patrick Mahomes for his Super Bowl ring.
- Today’s episode of WWE’s The Bump looked back at the top moments from 2023.
AEW/Other Wrestling
- CMLL announced the passing of former referee Alfonso Ramirez Diaz, better known to fans as Pompin. A moment of applause in honor of Pompin took place at last night’s CMLL show.
- NJPW uploaded the Wrestle Kingdom 18 press conference that took place overnight:
- SANADA vs. Tetsuya Naito
- Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson
- Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay
- Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado
- Ren Narita & EVIL vs. Kaito Kiyomiya & Shota Umino
- Hikuleo & El Phantasmo vs. Bishamon
- Shingo Takagi vs. Tama Tonga
- Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Catch 2/2 vs. Bullet Club War Dogs
- NJPW posted a recap of the press conference (part one and part two).
- David Finlay told Sports Illustrated that Wrestle Kingdom 18 is the biggest match of his career:
- It’s the biggest match of my career. They’re both mega-stars. Moxley transcends wrestling. He had an incredible time in WWE, and he’s a cornerstone of AEW. Ospreay had an incredible year, which is something we seem to say every year. I’m going to be in the ring with two big stars, but this is my time.
- Sports Illustrated also interviewed Tetsuya Naito.
- AJPW announced that Konosuke Takeshita will team with Hideki Okatani against Yuma Aoyagi & Atsuki Aoyagi at their New Year Giant Series show on Saturday, January 27.
- Takeshita is returning to DDT for a singles match against Yuma Aoyagi on Sunday, March 17.
- Queen Aminata wrote ahead of her match against Mariah May on Dynamite tonight:
- Few weeks after my Dad passed, I was going through his phone then I saw a picture of myself in the ring in Japan. I remember clearly that pic was taken during my first tour in Japan then I started crying hysterically…
- – GOD!!! My dad knew his daughter was a wrestler and he never ever confronted me about it one time. Why did I hide from him?
- – I promise myself that day that if or when I return back in the ring, I will give my all and my best not only for me but also for him.
- – SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT
- Adam Copeland appeared on Notsam Wrestling.
- Copeland discussed the formation of WWE’s Judgment Day faction:
- Well, you know, with the initial inception of the Judgement Day, I really – I wanted it to be these underutilized talents that I thought could be far more than what they were being utilized for. Rhea Ripley is a star and Damian Priest is a star and Finn Balor’s a star.
- So initially, it was brought to me like, ‘Hey, we want to kind of start a New Brood,’ or something that feels somewhat like that. I’m like, ‘Who would it be?’ I was like, ‘Ripley and Priest.’ ‘Well, we want it to be four.’ So, it’s like.. Balor! Okay, well, then it was like, ‘We want somebody really huge.’ I was like, okay.. all right.. and then I got a text two weeks later. ‘How about Balor?’ I’m like, ‘Yep! amazing idea.’ [Laughing]
- The State of Florida Sports Podcast interviewed Swerve Strickland.
- This Thursday’s episode of Impact will look back at some of the most iconic moments in TNA history:
- This Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders, TNA Wrestling presents a special edition of iMPACT! as we present some of the most iconic moments in the history of TNA Wrestling. Hall of Famers Gail Kim and Awesome Kong square off at Turning Point in 2007. ‘The Phenomenal’ AJ Styles battles Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels. Plus, we take you to 2002 to witness the first-ever match in TNA history, and more!
- Mustafa Ali will make his House of Glory debut at their Reckoning show in Queens, New York on Saturday, March 2.
- Jim Ross turns 72 years old today.
