Daily Update: SmackDown ratings, Montez Ford, Eddie Kingston

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

July 17, 2023 Observer Newsletter: Bloodline angle makes history, loaded weekend preview

In this issue:

  • Match and Performer of the Week
  • The Bloodline saga comes very close to a first in the history of pro wrestling on television
  • A look at the Trial of Roman Reigns, the Reigns vs. Usos feud, and the storyline that has caused WWE business to grow
  • A preview of all the big matches of the weekend in three different countries, none of which are the U.S., with TripleMania, G-1, Miyahara vs. Nakajima and Collision
  • Updated news on SummerSlam and Great American Bash and business notes on both shows
  • The new AEW rules memo, what is and isn’t new and the reality of what this means to talent
  • Full coverage of UFC 290 with two of the best fights of the year, a unique television situation and two title bouts
  • Looking at the 2023 Wrestler of the Year award and the top candidates
  • Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury, the questions about the show and why the hope for it to be a success is the evolution of understanding fighting being low
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of every major pro wrestling and MMA show of the past week, the analysis, competition, segment numbers and comparisons with one year ago
  • Lots of injury talks regarding major stars
  • Key husband and wife jumping promotions
  • Mercedes Mone rivalry planned
  • Update on major sports rights negotiations in the next few years
  • The death of Michael Halac, the former Bruiser Mastino and Mantaur
  • Wrestling magazine pioneer writer Ed Garea, The Phantom of the Ring, passes away
  • Notes on the new women’s promotion
  • RevPro Epic Encounters rundown
  • Battle of the two best 18-year-old wrestlers in the world announced for next month
  • Ticket sales for tons of big shows
  • Kenny Omega talks the Tiger driver spot
  • International TV ratings
  • Lots of new major UFC fights
  • Looking at the vacant UFC light heavyweight title situation
  • World champion in UFC talks about how two years ago he supplemented his income driving for Uber Eats
  • More major show dates fr WWE
  • Backstage issue at WWE
  • A look at all the major TV shows and WWE weekend show coverage

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

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Saturday Update

WWE

  • SmackDown averaged 2.16 million viewers in the fast national ratings last night, down from the 2.38 million last week’s Trial of Roman Reigns episode drew in the fast nationals. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.54.
  • On SmackDown, Michael Cole gave a storyline update on Jimmy Uso after Jimmy was demolished by Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa last week. It was said that Jimmy will be out of action “for the foreseeable future” due to suffering ruptured rib cartilage in the attack.
  • Montez Ford told USA Today about wanting a singles run in WWE: “As a kid, I’ve always had a dream to become WWE champion, and you can’t do that as a tag team wrestler. You can be a part of a tag team, but it’s just me out there. That’s always been a dream of mine, and that’s one of the things I’m always looking forward to, training for.”
  • USA Today asked Seth Rollins about potentially defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Cody Rhodes: “I would love for Cody Rhodes [to] come try to take it from me. If he can survive Brock Lesnar, I would love for him to try to. I’m better than I’ve ever been; he don’t stand a chance.”
  • A special WWE episode of the Weakest Link will air on NBC at 10 p.m. Eastern time on Monday night. Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, The New Day, Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and The Miz are appearing on the show.
  • Pretty Deadly, Asuka, and The LWO appeared on The SmackDown LowDown.
  • Sportskeeda interviewed Shawn Michaels.
  • Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster and former MLB player John Kruk was a guest on WWE After the Bell.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Ahead of competing in his first G1 Climax, Eddie Kingston was interviewed by NJPW’s website. Kingston was asked if he ever felt like his goal of wrestling for NJPW wouldn’t happen:
          • Yeah. I felt like my career was over right before the pandemic. When the pandemic hit, I thought ‘OK, that’s it, my career’s over.’ I’m… I’m not supposed to be here. I’ll get emotional saying this, but I’ve dreamed of this since I was 13 years old. (teary eyed) I’ve made a lot of mistakes. In life, not just in wrestling, and I never thought I’d be here. To be here now seems very surreal, so I just want to do good for the Japanese fans, for New Japan, and for the people I looked up to, for Hashimoto, Chono, Muto, Baba, Inoki, the Four Pillars and on and on. Jun Akiyama as well- I’ve been able to wrestle and team with him, and he gave me so much confidence.
  • Kingston explained the lasting impression that he wants Japanese fans to have of him:
          • The last thing I’d like to leave for them is that I never quit, I never stopped and I always brung it, no matter how I felt physically, mentally, emotionally- and I’m an emotional guy- I always kept fighting. I keep saying it, but I was born to fight. I’m American, but my father’s side of the family is Irish, and they were hard men. My Puerto Rican side- all females, but hard females, man. I was brought up to fight.
  • NJPW’s website also spoke with Tetsuya Naito.
  • QT Marshall told SEScoops that RJ City helps write AEW’s QTV segments: “When we do QTV, we have someone who helps us write the stuff, RJ City. Of course, I’m the leader. At the same time, I wanted to let the [group] show character. The more outrageous, the better. It’s giving the talent hopefully an outlet to present themselves.”
  • Tomohiro Ishii will face Luke Jacobs at Revolution Pro Wrestling’s 11 Year Anniversary Show in London on Saturday, August 26.
  • Impact Wrestling uploaded a video previewing tonight’s Slammiversary PPV.
  • Mike Bennett appeared on AEW Unrestricted this week.