Daily Update: R-Truth, The Acclaimed, GCW Hammerstein

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • A big new issue of the Observer up on the site.  Special note that we’ve had a lot of people contact us both about the Rey Misterio Sr. and Tijuana wrestling story and the breakdown of every PPV this year and how they did.  Highlights of the issue:
  • WWE expanding television in 2025 and the biggest unanswered questions
  • A look at international deals with WWE’s move to Netflix.  What countries will still have TV deals, where Raw won’t be on Netflix, and what this means to AEW and TNA and the scoreboard of who has gotten what. And what is potentially the biggest international deal and when it will be open.
  • The Auditorio in Tijuana and Rey Misterio Sr., a look at the biggest matches in a building that should be on the list as a major wrestling arena that nobody ever talks about, plus how did Rey Mysterio, Konnan, Psicosis and others get their start and looking back at the biggest matches in Rey Misterio Sr.’s career
  • Drawing money and a look at how every PPV show in 2024 did, to see what does and doesn’t work as far as being a PPV headliner, covering WWE, AEW and TNA and every show so far this year.
  • The Battle of Orlando and where things stand for Worlds End.
  • Full coverage of ROH Final Battle
  • WWE’s holiday special in MSG and a look back at how the show has done since 2010.
  • Death of Jax Dane
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings for all the major shows,including placings, competition, segment-by-segment and more.
  • The Gran Alternative tournament and its history at picking future stars
  • Stardom’s big show the week of the Tokyo Dome.
  • NOAH preparing for Budokan Hall show.
  • More news on the Tokyo Dome shows.
  • New Japan notes for San Jose.
  • St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • RevPro show notes
  • Notes on upcoming North American stadium shows.
  • Lots of thoughts on booking
  • Upcoming ticket sales for WWE & AEW events
  • More on Lee Fitting.
  • Why there’s a very real chance the Janel Grant lawsuit will be thrown out and why, and what it will take for that not to happen.
  • McIntyre makes fun of Punk

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, R-Truth said he thinks Road Dogg should probably be the person to induct him if Truth gets into the WWE Hall of Fame one day.
  • R-Truth said he’d love to turn heel in WWE but doesn’t think he would be able to get heel heat:
    • The selfish part of me would love to turn heel and be a heel, but the majority of me is like, I could never be a heel. People would think it’s cool if I did something bad, if I did something heelish, they would think it’s cool. I smoked a cigarette, and they thought that was the coolest thing on TV. To be a heel you have to get that real, genuine hatred heel heat. Mine would be more of like, they will want me to bash somebody’s head in. Selfishly, I would love to see it one time, but I don’t have to.
  • WWE Vault uploaded a new Retrospective video with John Cena, Mick Foley, R-Truth, Big E, and more looking back at some of their greatest Raw moments.
  • The West Sport interviewed Grayson Waller.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Dissension within The Acclaimed continued with Anthony Bowens and Max Caster arguing backstage in a post-Dynamite segment.
  • Screen Rant asked Adam Copeland if he’s had any conversations with John Cena about what it’s like to retire:
    • No, we had talked briefly when he came back there and I was with WWE. He said, ‘How are you doing this, man? You’re having half an hour matches and stuff.’ But we haven’t talked about retiring or anything like that. But John is a very – he’s thought this through. And he’s thought of every scenario and every conceivable direction and all of those things. He’s an intelligent man, so I’m sure he’s already come to terms, and I think he’s been coming to terms with it for a long time. I think it’ll be harder for the fanbase to come to terms, which usually ends up being the case.
  • On AEW Unrestricted this week, Will Washington, Aubrey Edwards, and guest co-host Nyla Rose looked back at their favorite AEW moments from 2024.
  • NJPW uploaded an interview with Zack Sabre Jr.
  • NJPW also has a hype video for Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 19.
  • A representative for AXS TV issued a statement to Post Wrestling confirming that NJPW will no longer air on the station, which Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this week: “We will not be airing New Japan Pro Wrestling for the foreseeable future. Our agreement expired at the end of 2024. And we do not comment on the state of current or future agreements.”
  • El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. discussed his upcoming departure from Pro Wrestling NOAH: “The match at Korakuen on January 11th will be my last match for NOAH. I think now is the time to go back to Mexico, recharge my batteries & become even stronger. Please come to Korakuen Hall to watch Hijo de Dr Wagner Jr’s final fight!”
  • Megan Bayne vs. Atticus Cogar has been added to the card for GCW’s show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Sunday, January 19. Plus, it’s been announced that Richard Holliday will take on Charles Mason in a steel cage match at the show.
  • Bobby Fish will face Ariel Dominguez on the TV taping portion of MLW’s Kings of Colosseum event in North Richland Hills, Texas on Saturday, January 11.
  • Joe Hendry will be a guest on the next Chris Jericho Cruise from February 2-4.
  • The Nick Beasley Show has an interview with AJ Francis.
  • Indi Hartwell has been announced for one of her first post-WWE appearances. She is set to appear at the WrestleCon Indianapolis convention on Saturday, February 1: “Making her first Convention appearance in years, please welcome @indi_hartwell appearing EXCLUSIVELY Saturday”