Daily Update: Shawn Michaels, Daniel Garcia, Collision

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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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Wednesday Update

WWE

  • Shawn Michaels commented on NXT’s new TV deal with The CW Network: “I am absolutely thrilled for @WWENXT to debut on @TheCW in October 2024. This is huge for our young superstars and I’m very proud to continue the success that @TripleH laid the ground work for. #WeAreNXT”
  • A mural honoring Rey Mysterio and the Mysterio family in San Diego was painted over without warning after the business the wall belonged to was put up for sale.
  • Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, and Montez Ford appeared on WWE’s The Bump this afternoon.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Ahead of challenging MJF for the AEW World Championship on Dynamite tonight, Daniel Garcia posted the following message:
          • This one feels bigger than me.
          • For Ricky, for Private Party, for Moriarty, for Take, for Anna, for Darius, for Ethan, for Action, for Stoke, maybe even for Sammy and Yuta. We take it back and lead AEW into the future. The right way.
          • Restore the feeling.
  • Andrew Zarian noted that he’s hearing AEW won’t be airing a Collision episode during the week of the promotion’s Worlds End pay-per-view. Worlds End is taking place in Long Island, New York on Saturday, December 30. Zarian wrote: “As of today, I’m hearing AEW won’t be airing Collision the week of the Worlds End PPV”
  • Jeff Jarrett underwent dental surgery this week to have a tooth implant put in after a back molar was bothering him.
  • While being interviewed by Chillin with Ice, Powerhouse Hobbs said he believes WWE and AEW are on the same level:
          • We’re on the same level as them. We’re their competitors. They’re on national TV and we’re on national TV. We go head-to-head. We’re right on them. We’ve beaten them in ratings at times. We’re right there on their neck. There are two major companies in this business, and it’s WWE and AEW. We’re right there with them.
  • An ROH World Championship match with Eddie Kingston defending against Angelico will headline ROH TV this Thursday.
  • Ethan Page revealed that his Alpha-1 Wrestling indie promotion is returning with events in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on February 4, March 24, and May 19.
  • EC3 will defend his NWA World title against Jax Dane at the NWA’s TV taping in Sarasota, Florida on Saturday, November 18.
  • “Alpha Female” Jazzy Gabert announced that he’s passing the torch and getting out of the ring:
          • I pass the torch
          • About 10 years ago, an English promoter told me it was time for me to hand over the torch. But God knows I wasn’t ready for it and it annoyed me a lot!
          • At least in retrospect I can say that there was still a lot to come. The last 10 years have been a high, higher highest!
          • Now in 2023 with a 20 year in-ring career I can say ‘I pass the torch’
          • The future of German wrestling looks bright. The young talents have fire and the necessary respect and discipline to go far.
          • I’m getting out of the ring now and I’m now the organizer. That’s where I found my new passion.
  • Janai Kai is set to defend her MLW Featherweight title against Delmi Exo and Tiara James in a three-way match at MLW’s TV tapings in Philadelphia on Saturday, November 18.
  • Matt Cardona was a guest on the Swerve City Podcast.
  • NJPW star Kazuchika Okada turns 36 years old today. AEW’s Keith Lee turns 39.