Daily Update: LA Knight, B-Fab, Scott D’Amore

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Observer is up on the site right now covering these stories:

  • Match and performer of the week
  • Preview of Crown Jewel, favorites and directions
  • Preview of Full Gear, directions, business and more
  • Update on perhaps the most important business story this year and its ramifications as the Cung Le lawsuit against UFC is headed for trial next year. We talk about the trial, what it means to UFC, WWE and the MLW lawsuit against WWE. We also have notes from discovery on the actual pay that Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, CM Punk, Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones got for their biggest career fights.
  • Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou, the story behind coming one round short of one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. We look at what happened, how this fight was a prelude of the change of the business of major events and why, how the PPV did and why it doesn’t really matter, the celebrities and what happens next.
  • We preview the 2023 Hall of Fame with research on the wrestlers with the best matches throughout their careers, best tag matches, annual MVP, Most Outstanding, Best Draws and best tag team votes involving candidates on the ballot or in the Hall of Fame and who comes across well in this.
  • A look at the Vladimir the Superfan documentary
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week, numbers, competition, gains and losses over the last year, placings and segment-by-segment.
  • Women’s Grand Prix show draws big crowd
  • Injuries plaguing Stardom
  • Stardom PPV and tag tourney coverage
  • Big match this weekend in All Japan
  • A tag match this past week that you should see
  • Nakajima’s NOAH farewell
  • New Japan U.S. house show notes
  • Update on a women’s dream match that was planned but now is uncertain and why
  • New Japan Super Juniors tag team tournament news
  • Ronda Rousey working indies against AEW stars
  • Talks of two pro wrestlers and fights with Jake Paul
  • CM Punk talks unionization of wrestlers
  • New documentary coming out in two weeks
  • Jon Moxley returns from concussion
  • Jon Moxley talks concussion protocols
  • Impact signs two U.K. wrestlers
  • Impact U.K tour
  • Bryan Danielson injury details
  • Notes on Ric Flair’s two new deals with AEW
  • Talks on Omega vs. MJF
  • More on the CMLL/AEW deal
  • Ticket advances for WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and top streaming numbers
  • Merch sales
  • Derrick Lewis arrest
  • UFC pay
  • This weekend’s UFC show
  • Why FOX didn’t bid to keep Smackdown
  • Raw’s live show growth
  • Fastlane actual gate numbers
  • What record did WWE claim that doesn’t look to be accurate
  • Lots of injury updates
  • Reviews of al the major WWE house shows
  • WWE signs a three-time national college wrestling women’s champion

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

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Saturday Update

WWE

  • Ahead of Crown Jewel, The Ringer published a profile of LA Knight. Knight said he’s made himself undeniable through the work he’s put in:
          • “This is my first Crown Jewel show,” Knight says, “and I’m at the top of the card.” Knight understands the enormity of this moment, but understands why he’s in that position, calling this match “a hell of a testament to the work that I put in, but also just the people making it. Last time we were in Saudi Arabia, the whole crowd just chanting ‘LA Knight,’ right at Triple H. At some point, it’s undeniable. And I’ve made myself undeniable.”
  • Knight also discussed drawing inspiration from past wrestlers:
          • “I’m not trying to be a tribute act to anybody,” Knight states plainly. “Do I draw from some of that? Sure I do. Did Flair draw from Nature Boy Buddy Rogers? Sure he did. Did Hogan draw from Dusty Rhodes? Did he draw from Superstar Billy Graham? Of course he did.” Knight admits that the Attitude Era was huge for him as a fan, and that isn’t lost on the legends who take notice of his work. “One of the greatest things that I kind of get from time to time is getting older guys, especially, who just go, ‘Man, I haven’t watched in years, but you’ve gotten me back into it,’” Knight explains. “‘You give me that feeling that I used to get from it,’ and I go, ‘OK, good. Then I’m doing my damn job.’”
  • The Daily Mail asked Knight if he had any interaction with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson when Johnson made a surprise appearance on SmackDown this September: “I mean, just a quick kind of, you know, bro hug and ‘Hey, man, how you been? You’re doing great, awesome!’ You know, all that kind of stuff. But at least it was a quick little ‘good to see again.’”
  • AEW star Eddie Kingston praised Knight during an interview with Adrian Hernandez. Kingston and Knight previously worked together in the NWA. Kingston said:
          • “I liked him. He’s a good dude. I’m so happy for LA Knight. That dude busts his ass. We all did. To see him get the love that he’s getting and being able to perform on that big stage, I salute him.”
  • I previewed the Crown Jewel card for Sports Illustrated and gave my predictions for each match.
  • On SmackDown last night, it was teased that B-Fab could be joining Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits. There was a backstage segment where B-Fab requested to meet with Lashley.
  • Big E, Andreas Hale, and Jonathan Davenport appeared on Hot 97 to discuss their short film “Bridges.”

AEW/Other Wrestling