Daily Update: SmackDown ratings, Seth Rollins-Logan Paul, Brian Cage

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

In this week’s issue
*Complete Royal Rumble coverage
*Match and performer of the week
*Highlights of the Rumble
*The story of the Reigns-Zayn angle
*Why Reigns vs. Zayn won’t be happening at WrestleMania
*Records set at Royal Rumble
*How many people watched Royal Rumble on Peacock
*The 15 largest gates in pro wrestling history
*PPV crossover with Full Gear and Survivor Series
*Elimination Chamber update
*Wrestlemania update
*Return of Pat McAfee
*WrestleMania sponsorship
*Nick Khan talks WWE sale
*Khan talks about the next rights deals
*More on the Vince McMahon investigation and how much it cost WWE so far
*WWE business numbers for 2022
*A look at the career of Fedor Emelianenko as he has his retirement fight
*What pro wrestler brought Fedor into prominence
*What former pro wrestling promotion did he first become a star in
*A look at hs glory days in Pride
*Who is the best heavyweight ever
*The life and times of Lanny Poffo
*His career high points
*Winning the world tag team title at the age of 20
*Feuding with his brother
*The big name historically Randy Savage was to feud with that never happened
*The funeral of Jay Briscoe
*Another new lawsuit filed trying to get Vince McMahon out of power
*Legendary enhancement wrestler Kenny Jay passes away and the night he had a match with Muhammad Ali
*Why he never became a bigger star
*The story behind his match with Ali
*2022 Wrestling Observer Awards allot
*The most detailed look at the television ratings over the past week
*International TV ratings for AEW and WWE
*Streaming ratings for AEW & WWE
*Ticket sales for upcoming shows
*One of the oldest titles in history defended on Jericho cruise
*Keiji Muto struggles through retirement matches
*New Japan changes with New Japan Strong
*Mercedes Mone talks her new Japan debut
*Hiroshi Hase in controversy over doing a wrestling match last month
*Why Kota Ibushi did Bloodsport
*Thought on AEW doing house shows
*Difference between AEW and WWE fans
*Thoughts on MJF vs. Takeshita
*New A&E wrestling schedule

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

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Saturday Update

WWE

  • Last night’s SmackDown averaged 2.26 million viewers in the fast national ratings, up from normal but down from the huge fast national number (2.43 million viewers) that last week’s Royal Rumble go-home show drew. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.6 in the first hour and a 0.5 in the second.
  • WWE released the opening video for tonight’s NXT Vengeance Day special. Charlotte Flair stars in the video and hypes up the matches for the event.
  • During an Instagram Live, Seth Rollins continued his feud with Logan Paul:
          • I don’t really like Logan Paul. I’ll just say it, a lot of us don’t really like Logan Paul. I don’t like Logan Paul. I don’t really need him in my locker room, in my space. Guy’s ultra-talented as far as athletic ability is concerned. Snuck up on me at the Rumble and dumped me – fine, whatever. I took my eyes off the ball, that one’s on me. But don’t go bragging about it like you did something otherworldly. It’s probably the coolest thing Logan’s ever going to do in his life is throw me out of the Rumble.
          • I just advise him to stay in his lane, I guess is what I would say. Because he’s had what, three [or] four matches? And again, athletic freak, no doubt about it. But at the end of the day, he’s not a wrestler. He doesn’t want to be a wrestler. He just wants to be famous. He doesn’t care about the industry. He’s not a wrestler. And so I think best for him to just stay in his lane, whatever his lane is. I don’t know, like buying counterfeit Pokemon cards – if that’s your lane, stay in that lane. But don’t come knocking on my door because I will knock you out. And you don’t have your brother for backup because he’s about to get cooked by this dude coming up in a couple weeks or whatever and he’s not going to be around. So at some point we’re going to have to come face-to-face. And I just really don’t think he wants to – I don’t think he wants none, as they say.
  • Cody Rhodes was the guest on WWE After the Bell this week.
  • Rhodes spoke about how hard it was to be Stardust in front of his wife Brandi:
          • Getting it out for me, ultimately would lead to me leaving. It was the only way I could get it out. It was pinned up. It was pinned up for too long. Today you’ve got a medical team at WWE that includes mental health services. I’m not saying that I was deep down the rabbit hole, but it’s still so helpful to talk to somebody. I only had other wrestlers to talk to. Myself to talk to. You never want to lower yourself in front of your beloved. In front of your wife.
          • One of the hardest things for me was being Stardust in front of Brandi. That was rough. When Brandi married Cody Rhodes, he was the Intercontinental Champion. He was wrestling Randy Orton every night and we were absolutely tearing the joint down. Next thing you know, I’m running around in a space outfit and trying to make the best of it but I was very dead inside.
  • Big E, Xavier Woods, Bayley, and Dakota Kai will be guests on WWE’s The Bump this coming Wednesday.
  • The AV Club published an article calling Dave Bautista the best wrestler-turned-actor.
  • Braun Strowman & Ricochet, Madcap Moss & Emma, Legado del Fantasma, and Natalya appeared on The SmackDown LowDown.
  • UpUpDownDown has a first look at the John Cena Showcase from WWE 2K23.
  • WWE uploaded a behind-the-scenes video from the Royal Rumble.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Dave Meltzer and Garrett Gonzales have a great interview with Adam Cole on Wrestling Observer Radio. A free 15-minute clip from the interview can be seen here.
  • Chris Jericho told the Daily Star that he thinks AEW should re-sign Brian Cage:
          • I think Brian Cage over the last six months is the best Brian Cage has ever been. I think he’s finally starting to understand some of the psychology of wrestling rather than just moves and that sort of thing. He is one of a kind with his size and agility, but now there is more intensity and I think he’s really understanding who he is as a wrestler. Six months ago I might have said ‘Well, whatever, if he [stays] that’s cool,’ but now I think he has become a way more valuable part of our roster and I would sign him for sure. Absolutely.
  • Kota Ibushi has launched a YouTube channel.
  • Arn & Brock Anderson appeared on this week’s edition of AEW Unrestricted.
  • Denise Salcedo interviewed PCO.