Daily Update: John Cena, Kota Ibushi, Richard Holliday

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxxIaoY8Ww

Join us in Las Vegas for our annual F4W Convention

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

Highlights include:

*Where the C.M. Punk situation with AEW stands.

*Update with more details on the proposed new AEW television show and if it happens, probable time slot, potential issues, and how the roster will be handled.

*Update on AEW at Wembley Stadium, different standards of numbers to break, ticket pricing, AEW’s goals for the show, signups and how that compares to Clash at the Castle and what it means.

*Sanada wins the IWGP title after a character change and the questions that opens up, plus notes on the next several months of New Japan major events, including G-1, Dominion and Forbidden Door.

*Full coverage of the Sakura Genesis show

*Full coverage of UFC 287, what happens next for the headliners, business note and fight-by-fight coverage

*Major article on the life and career of The Sheepherders/Kiwis/Bushwhackers with the death of Butch Miller. We follow Miller’s life both in and out of wrestling, the territory days, fan attacks, crazy angles, their days of bloodbath matches and the 180 at the end of their careers that made them the most famous. We go through everywhere from New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Oregon, Southwest, Stampede, Mid South, Puerto Rico and of course WWE, the politics, the craziness and Miller’s later fights for his life.

*WWE attempts once again to get the MLW lawsuit thrown out. A look at their response and strategy in the case

*The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows of the past week, what the ratings mean, placings, yearly trends, and how different segments did.

*Update on the Champion of Champions tournament.

*The celebrity angle that fell apart in so many ways and a look at why.

*Notes on the next season of Dark Side of the ring.

*NWA PPV coverage.

*The story behind Bob Backlund becoming WWF champion.

*How wrestling ratings will be affected the next two months and why

*Lots of injury updates.

*International TV ratings and streaming numbers.

*Ticket sales for all the upcoming WWE & AEW events.

*UFC Hall of Fame notes.

*Lots of new major UFC fights.

*Update on Vince McMahon and creative.

*Dana White talks WWE/UFC merger

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.

Wednesday Update

WWE

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Kota Ibushi released a new vlog following his return to the ring at The Collective.
  • Ibushi told Dark Puroresu Flowsion that he hopes to be in contact with Tony Khan soon: “Recently, Kenny [Omega] and I have been talking about things other than games. For example, are your knees okay? Or is your shoulder okay? Also I hope to be in contact with Tony soon.”
  • In an interview with Sports Illustrated, David Finlay spoke about training with Tyson Kidd and Natalya:
          • I watch wrestling every day. My three go-tos to watch are Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and my dad, Fit Finlay. The last year, year and a half, living in Tampa, I live pretty close to [WWE’s] Tyson Kidd and Nattie Neidhart, and I’ve trained with them in their ring.
          • I’ve been picking [Kidd’s] brain for the last year and a half in their version of the dungeon. I grew up with a ring in my backyard, just like Nattie did. I’m in there on a regular basis fine-tuning my skills. It’s not so much training. It feels more like a Fight Club, and that’s translated well for me in New Japan.
  • Finlay also said Jay White and Juice Robinson aren’t part of the real Bullet Club: “Juice and Jay, whatever they’re doing in AEW, I don’t know what that is. Make no mistake – they are not part of the real Bullet Club.”
  • Jim Ross gave an update on the “JR 50” book he’s working on: “We’re still on target. We’re still on time as they say. Good publisher. It’s the 50 greatest calls that I’ve been privileged to be a part of and stories around them. It has a lot of short chapters. It’s a quick read. It’s one of those reads where you can take it to the can, set it aside, and then next time you visit, you can read a chapter or two. It’s a fun project. It keeps me busy, which is what I like to do is stay busy.”
  • MLW is returning to Philadelphia on Saturday, July 8 for Never Say Never 2023. The tapings are being held at the 2300 Arena.
  • Richard Holliday confirmed that he’s no longer under contract with MLW: “I can confirm. I would like to thank Court Bauer and the entire team/locker room at @MLW. A tremendous experience for me lasting nearly 5 years. My first match there was a dark match, and my last was a main event. Thankful for everything in between.”
  • Killer Kelly noted that she wasn’t able to compete in her scheduled match against Masha Slamovich at Monday’s Impact tapings due to a cyst that burst: “This Monday I was supposed to wrestle Masha at the IMPACT tapings but as everyone could see, didn’t happen. I had a cyst that bursted the night before and that bitch was painful. I took care of it and sweet bejezus, all the pain went away. I just wanted to let you guys know!”
  • Tyrus announced that he’ll be entering the NWA’s Crockett Cup tournament. His partner for the tag team tournament hasn’t been revealed. The Crockett Cup is being held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4.
  • Tony Khan was a guest on Busted Open Radio ahead of tonight’s Dynamite.
  • Following his boxing victory at Creator Clash 2, John Hennigan (former WWE wrestler John Morrison) appeared on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
  • The Monster Factory’s Danny Cage, Bobby Buffet, and the Notorious Mimi were interviewed on Talk is Jericho.