Daily Update: MJF, Maria Kanellis, Dakota Kai

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Observer is up on the site today:

  • All-time records for WWE business that will be broken at the Royal Rumble
  • What 38 years old company attendance mark goes down this week
  • Rumble favorites and news on the show
  • Things AEW should look to do regarding the creative on Dynamite to avoid things like redundancy, not getting key people over, and examining what the actual purposes of angles are and making them work
  • Full coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event from this past week, business numbers and what they  mean, Dory Funk Jr., Jesse Ventura and match-by-match coverage.
  • Paul Levesque goes into the Paul Levesque picked WWE Hall of Fame
  • One of the most notable pro wrestling arenas in the world closes this year after nearly 50 years of running major shows. A look at some of the biggest matches held there including Inoki, Jack Brisco, Hogan, Andre, Monsoon, Hansen, Dusty Rhodes, Backlund, Volk Han, Nobuhiko Takada and even the Crush Gals.
  • The life and times of Ed Wiskoski aka Col DeBeers. A look at a 25 year career that went all over the world with a variety of gimmicks, including rises and falls of major territories, the making of his most famous gimmick and its controversial nature.
  • The GFL draft is basically admitted to be a fraud as to how it was presented and all the major names from the past part of the new team-based promotion.
  • Bryce Mitchell says some of the dumbest things possible and Dana White counters. But should the company cut ties with him.
  • The life and times of 50s and 60s star Bill Melby, including the angle that put the Cow Palace on the map as a regular wrestling building, and the most accomplished wrestler/bodybuilders.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the television shows, as well as WWE shows on Netflix.  Quarters, year-to-year comparisons and more. Plus competition and demo numbers
  • CMLL’s second biggest show of the year coming
  • Hot Arena Mexico main event
  • Announcer leaves promotion after 30 years
  • TripleMania news for 2025
  • Stardom awards
  • Dark Side of the Ring 2025 notes
  • How the major TV cable stations are doing
  • Former WCW star in jail
  • AEW international TV notes
  • Lots of notes on AEW Grand Slam Australia
  • International TV numbers
  • Christopher Daniels talks the end of his career
  • AEW star wants to box and do MMA
  • Giant fight talked about is for sure not happening
  • Death of legendary sportswriter Michael Katz
  • WWE star in one of the top box office movies of all-time
  • Jordynne Grace talks leaving TNA
  • WWE injury notes and thoughts about the policy of not stopping matches
  • Top YouTube numbers for the week

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • No-Contest Wrestling asked Roman Reigns what motivates him to keep going after all that he’s accomplished:
    • I got that thing, that drive. I want more. Always want more. Goal posts go back. ‘Oh, we’re in the endzone.’ Move them back again. ‘Man, we got pretty high.’ There’s another level. So I’m always trying to get better. And I just believe this is what I’m supposed to do. [Paul Heyman] picks me up in the morning, ‘How you doing?’ I woke up. Everybody else is f*cked because I woke up. That’s how I look at it. You all had a chance until I woke up. Today is mine. That’s just what it is.
  • In a post to her Instagram stories, Dakota Kai – who suffered a concussion on the January 20 episode of Raw – thanked her fans for the support they always give her. Kai said she is feeling good:
    • I just want to also say, I really appreciate all the love and support you guys constantly show me. And it really helps get through these dips and harder times, you know what I’m saying? But I feel good.
  • Seth Rollins was a guest on Super Bowl Radio Row today, making appearances on Good Morning Football, The Rich Eisen Show, and The Pat McAfee Show.
  • Logan Paul posted a vlog with backstage footage from the Royal Rumble.
  • WWE uploaded a Playlist video of Jacob Fatu being a badass for 30 minutes.

Other Wrestling

  • Tony Khan and The Hurt Syndicate made media appearances on Super Bowl Radio Row today.
  • AEW uploaded post-Dynamite promos from Ricochet and the Don Callis Family.
  • After former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas criticized him for referencing Cody Rhodes on Dynamite last night (in a promo segment with Dustin Rhodes), MJF responded:
    • His brother. My mentor. A guy who helped shape me early on in my career. Your old boss brainwashed you into believing we need to treat the fans like morons and pretend other Wrestling companies don’t exist  You dumb ignorant bald grifting f*ck…respectfully.
  • The angle with MJF and Dustin Rhodes included MJF insulting Dustin by saying that — after it took 37 years for him to get out from under his father’s shadow — Dustin now lives in the shadow of his little baby brother.
  • Daniel Garcia is featured on a new episode of AEW Stories.
  • Referees Bryce Remsburg and Mike Posey appeared on the latest edition of AEW Unrestricted.
  • In response to a fan who asked if we could see her return to WWE or TNA, Maria Kanellis tweeted:
    • I am focused on my family. I’m happy doing a few signings, photo shoots, building @thewildstems [florist], writing my book, and going back to school. That’s enough unless the right opportunity comes up. I’m not forcing anything nor do I want it. I could have died last year. This year is about reflection and spiritual growth. Not proving to people I don’t know that ‘I’ve still got it.’
  • TNA wrestler Jody Threat helped Trish Stratus train for Stratus’ surprise appearance in the WWE women’s Royal Rumble match last weekend.
  • Indi Hartwell reunited with Dexter Lumis while training at his Hatchet Pro Wrestling school.
  • Saraya and The Hardys have been announced as guests for WrestleCon’s convention in Las Vegas during WrestleMania week.
  • Okumura vs. Ariel Dominguez will take place on the TV taping portion of MLW’s SuperFight event in Atlanta this Saturday.
  • Jade Chung will be part of the broadcast team for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s Mayhem events in Windsor, Ontario, Canada on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15.