Daily Update: SmackDown ratings, Sami Zayn, KUSHIDA

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

*The biggest issue of the year, the 2022 Awards issue is up on the site

*Winners and top ten finishes in dozens of categories related to both pro wrestling and MMA as well as as listing of everyone who had won an award dating back to 1980. We also have comments on the voting in the major categories and notes on different career breakthroughs.

*Match of the week and performer of the week

*Full coverage of Elimination Chamber, the decision on the main event, the WrestleMania direction, different options, WrestleMania ticket demand, records set at Chamber, and Tony Khan and Ariel Helwani

*Coverage of Keiji Muto’s retirement at the Tokyo Dome with the unique storytelling in the main event and some great matches underneath

*Mercedes Mone returns after nine months to win the IWGP women’s title with full coverage of New Japan in San Jose, Mone’s future in Japan, who is in for a major push in Stardom, notes on Stardom’s upcoming biggest show in its history and some of the top matches

*The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week for all wrestling shows, including segment by segment, why AEW Dynamite and WWE Raw were up and other notes

*Mercedes Mone talks coming to Stardom

*Stardom tournament updates and next big show

*Notes from the Yuji Nagata vs. Kento Miyahara Triple Crown change and future All Japan big shows

*What country is New Japan talking about touring soon

*Fantastica Mania notes

*Notes on the Jerry Jarrett funeral and more Memphis wrestling history

*The death of Richard Belzer and the incident with Hulk Hogan

*Kurt Angle talks health issues

*Death of Brian Bukantis

*WBD business update

*Contract notes on top AEW talent

*Lineup for Revolution

*Ticket advances for all WWE & AEW shows

*Streaming numbers for AEW & WWE

*International TV ratings including what show broke its all-time record in what country

*Congressman going after Power Slap

*New UFC fights

*More on WWE potential sale and value

*Details of how if there is a Saudi Arabian purchase of WWE and how interested they are in it, what that would mean

*Notes on the debut of Dwayne Johnson’s XFL

*A&E documentary notes

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Saturday Update

WWE

  • Last night’s SmackDown averaged 2.303 million viewers in the fast national ratings, up from last week’s fast national average of 2.254 million. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.6.
  • WWE has released a 27-minute behind-the-scenes vlog of Sami Zayn’s experience during Elimination Chamber weekend in Montreal.
  • Though his name wasn’t said, Charlotte Flair referenced Andrade El Idolo during a segment on SmackDown last night. Charlotte told Dominik Mysterio that she has “a real Latino man at home” who calls her Mami. Charlotte said he has a “much thicker… accent” than Dominik.
  • Cameron Grimes faced Ashante “Thee” Adonis in a dark match before SmackDown. It was Grimes’ first match since November.
  • The New Day, Drew McIntyre, and Natalya & Tegan Nox were interviewed on The SmackDown LowDown.
  • Ronda Rousey tweeted: “Apparently the entirety of the Smackdown tag division is [Natalya] plus whatever poor soul she can recruit to her lost cause this week. #USOs defend their title every week, #DamageCNTRL has defended like twice in 6 months. What the hell is going on here?”
  • A ninth-grader named Forrest who was a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune” has accepted an invitation from WWE to attend the Raw episode in Phoenix on March 27. On Wheel of Fortune, Forrest said he skipped his homecoming dance to attend a WWE show. Forrest said he had a great time at the show – even though his favorite wrestler didn’t appear despite being advertised.
  • Pat McAfee posted a Twitter thread reacting to his match against Vince McMahon from WrestleMania 38 being voted Worst Match of the Year in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards.
  • The Undertaker appeared on Hawk vs. Wolf with Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis.
  • Ric Flair turns 74 years old today.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • KUSHIDA spoke to Sports Illustrated about wanting to challenge heavyweights in NJPW:
          • Mercedes Mone had a match at Battle in the Valley in San Jose, and I think that was a great beginning for this. Japan still has a culture that cherishes tradition, so there are arguments both for and against the IWGP women’s championship. Japanese people don’t like ‘change.’ I want to create an atmosphere to challenge from junior heavyweight in 2023. We can change little by little.
          • I think we can challenge and create change more in New Japan Pro-Wrestling America. That is why I chose this lifestyle that is back and forth between Japan and the U.S. It is great that we can challenge a lot of things in New Japan Pro-Wrestling America. That is why the top title says NJPW Strong openweight championship, and Kenta has that. I think that title is very innovative for Japanese wrestlers. I am looking forward to Mercedes Mone’s reign, and I will show you that I can overturn the weight difference.
  • The main card has been announced for All Star Junior Festival 2023, which is taking place at Korakuen Hall on Wednesday, March 1 and will be available on NJPW World PPV. The show is being produced by Hiromu Takahashi and features junior heavyweight wrestlers from more than 20 different promotions:
          • Master Wato vs. Atsuki Aoyagi
          • Taiji Ishimori vs. Soberano Jr. vs. Shun Skywalker vs. Ninja Mack vs. Junta Miyawaki
          • Mistico, Billy Ken Kid, Alejandro & Gurukun Mask vs. Dragon Kid, BUSHI, Atlantis Jr. & Black Mensore
          • El Desperado & Volador Jr. vs. El Lindaman & Yuuki Ueno vs. DOUKI & HANAOKA
          • Ryusuke Taguchi, Hikaru Sato & Yumehito Imanari vs. Great Sasuke, Tigers Mask & Batten Burabura
          • Support Shinjiro Otani match: Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Jun Kasai, Minoru Tanaka & TAKA Michinoku vs. MUSASHI, Shoki Kitamura, LEONA, Chicharito Shoki & Kota Sekifuda
          • Isami Kodaka & Mao vs. SHO & Onryo
          • Hiromu Takahashi, Fujita “Jr.” Hayato & AMAKUSA vs. HAYATA, YAMATO & Kazuki Hashimoto
  • Here’s a look at the set-up for today’s ROH television tapings at Universal Studios.
  • During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Chris Jericho praised Ricky Starks’ work in their segment on Dynamite this week:
          • When you first stand in the ring with The Rock, you talk about a generational talent, that’s a different level. The thing with Ricky is, I’ve seen glimpses of that, which is great. He’s still harnessing and the idea for this program was to continue to build. He did a great promo in San Antonio when we started that really blew my mind, I thought it was awesome. Then there were some moments that weren’t quite as good just because that’s how it goes. I thought last night [Wednesday] was the best Starks has been in our program so far. Nuances. A lot of the younger guys, they’ll talk with deep breathing because they are afraid to be like, ‘I want to say this. Pause. Let the crowd react.’ He really had some great nuances with that. That’s what Sammy Guevara and Danny Garcia are learning. Guys have to learn when they haven’t had a lot of promos, really how to hone in what you are and how to hold the crowd in the palm of your hand without saying a word. At the click of a pen, shall we say. Ricky is really starting to hone in on that and figure it out, which has been great.
  • Frankie Kazarian told AdFreeShows about receiving advice from William Regal and Jericho in AEW:
          • William Regal, who is a friend and gentleman, called me over and he kind of whispered in my ear, ‘Have you been doing this sh*t too long to not take advice?’ I said, ‘Me? Regal, absolutely not. What do you got for me?’ And he gave me some advice on the match I just did and it made perfect sense and this is me 25 years in.
          • Chris Jericho is another one … has given me so much good advice, you know, not just in terms of pro wrestling, but outside the business.
  • Action Andretti was the guest on AEW Unrestricted this week.
  • Today is Maria Kanellis-Bennett’s 41st birthday.