Daily Update: NXT award winners, Rey Mysterio, MLW

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The longest issue in our history. Among the highlights are:

  • Match and performer of the week
  • A preview of what will be among the biggest if not the biggest pro wrestling news story of 2024, the upcoming contract deals for both all the AEW television shows and WWE Raw. We go through details of talks that have taken place, potential homes for both shows, what would be best for AEW and why those situations are unlikely, past history of rights talks, where WBD stands, momentum, money figures, ROH, discrepancy in household wealth of AEW Dynamite viewers vs. Raw & Smackdown viewers, what AEW would need to be home free financially and very profitable, value of AEW and how it can change and much more
  • Update on Kenny Omega
  • What we do and don’t know and may never know about the WWE lawsuit settlement with MLW
  • Promotions in Japan unite together
  • Notes on the Iron Claw movie including a review
  • Notes on the business for the major AEW & WWE PPV shows over the next few months
  • UFC 296 full coverage
  • Political leanings of WWE & UFC fans
  • Tokyo Sports Japanese wrestling awards for 2023 and the politics involved in the decision making and why some obvious choices didn’t even get considered
  • Full coverage of ROH Final Battle, NXT Deadline and recent television
  • The career of Japanese star Osamu Kido, who passed away recently, including highlights and the period he go a major push and why
  • Update on Liv Morgan’s arrest
  • The most complete look at the ratings over the past week, including demo, competition and segment-by-segment
  • International ratings and streaming numbers
  • Andrade returns to Arena Mexico
  • Stardom big show this coming week
  • Former New Japan star debuts for All Japan
  • Jan. 2 NOAH major show card
  • Wrestle Kingdom update
  • 60th anniversary of the death of Rikidozan, one of the biggest stars in history
  • Will Ospreay’s last match of 2023 and his final independent match before starting with AEW announced
  • Tony Khan talks social media negativity
  • Rocky Romero talks CMLL and AEW relationship
  • Ticket sales for upcoming AEW & WWE events as well as Impact and NJPW U.S. events
  • Major question regarding non-UFC MMA fighters under contract and if they’ll get enough fights in 2024
  • WWE Speed concept
  • Notes on WWE Hall of Fame
  • WWE stock value

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • The winners of NXT’s 2023 Year-End Awards were revealed last night:
          • Match of the Year: Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Dragunov for the NXT Championship (No Mercy)
          • Moment of the Year: The Undertaker appears on October 10 episode of NXT
          • Male Superstar of the Year: Ilja Dragunov
          • Female Superstar of the Year: Tiffany Stratton
          • Tag Team of the Year: The Creed Brothers
  • ESPN and the New York Post announced their 2023 pro wrestling award winners.
  • Cody Rhodes thanked ESPN for naming him their Male Wrestler of the Year.
  • Here’s the TV listing for Friday’s Absolute Best of 2023 SmackDown episode: “The best moments from SmackDown in 2023 are remembered, featuring marquee main events with the biggest names, hard-fought title matches and shocking returns.”
  • On the Christmas party edition of K100 with Konnan and Disco Inferno, Rey Mysterio confirmed that the injury he underwent surgery for is a torn meniscus. Mysterio said he’s in week four of a 6-8 week recovery time.
  • Mysterio discussed the steps he’s taking to maintain his longevity:
          • I’m getting a personal trainer at the beginning of the year that’s going to work with me just so I can work on my lower body and strengthen up my hips, my quads, my legs in general so I can resist. I’ve never had a personal trainer that can train me, kind of like UFC fighters train, so I can use most of my power from the hips down.
          • I know that I’m slowing down, the older I get, but I can make things look faster just by being in the business so long, that keeps the fans the perspective of ‘he hasn’t slowed down.’ I can go out there every time and pour it out. I don’t know how to hold back. I know how to hold back on movements and stuff I know I can’t do, like pushing off my left knee is really hard. I know personally that I’ve slowed down over the years. I try to be very innovative and creative with my style that it makes it seem that I haven’t slowed down.
  • Madison Square Garden gave CM Punk a gift commemorating his return match at last night’s house show.
  • NBA star Tyrese Haliburton met Booker T and Sharmell before the Indiana Pacers played the Houston Rockets last night.
  • Vibe published a story on Carmelo Hayes.
  • WWE wished Goldberg (57) and Zelina Vega (33) a happy birthday.

AEW/Other Wrestling