Daily Update: SmackDown ratings, WWE creative, Lio Rush

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

This week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer is out with these stories:

  • The Tuesday night head-to-head battle
  • The ratings numbers and competition, quarters, demos, and how both numbers compared to last year
  • Tony Khan’s tweets
  • Controversy over the MJF storyline
  • Some notable bad taste angles
  • Advertising of Moxley vs. Fenix
  • MJF talks his angle
  • Highlights and rundowns of both shows
  • Next head-to-head battle and why this one won’t be close
  • The end of the UFC/USADA relationship from both sides
  • Major questions on the USADA era and the good and the bad of it
  • The cases of Jon Jones, Brock Lesnar and Conor McGregor
  • Things fighters didn’t like about USADA
  • Travis Tygart’s statement and UFC’s response
  • WWE Fastlane coverage and business note
  • 2023 Hall of Fame ballot and thoughts on leading candidate
  • Who are unknown to most but almost have to be in
  • New Japan & Stardom talk future business, youth movement, reality show, Inoki movie
  • Destruction in Ryogoku coverage, business notes, major angles, and plans for Copper Box
  • This past week’s UFC coverage
  • The most detailed look at the U.S. TV ratings
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • Major women’s tournament
  • Stardom PPV notes
  • Lots of injury updates
  • Several wrestlers celebrate 25th anniversary
  • Small town locals draw nice All Japan crowd
  • Katsuhiko Nakajima update
  • Tanahashi & Okada talk about Inoki upon release of movie as well as their futures
  • Plans for January 4th by New Japan and Stardom
  • Mayu Iwatani’s first IWGP title defense in the U.S. and opponent
  • Bill Dundee update
  • Billy Corgan talks NWA changes
  • Update on Mil Mascaras
  • Four-part BBC drama on famous talk show host and sometimes wrestler Jimmy Savile
  • Controversy regarding business deal in Europe
  • Update on Davey Boy Smith Jr.
  • GCW goes to Japan
  • Lots of new directions for AEW
  • AEW injury thoughts
  • Gordon Solie award winner for 2023
  • Update on WrestleDream PPV numbers
  • Two AEW stars in movie roles
  • Ticket advances for AEW & WWE shows
  • International TV ratings
  • Kyle O’Reilly talks return
  • UFC Saudi Arabia deal
  • UFC 294 changes
  • Laurence Epstein talks WWE/UFC merger
  • New UFC historical specials to be released this month
  • Bellator 300 coverage
  • Talks about the future of Bellator
  • Real weights vs. weigh-in weights and some surprises
  • A look at the career of Alistair Overeem
  • Update on WWE creative process
  • Ari Emanuel with interesting notes on the WWE TKO stock declines
  • John Cena update
  • Survivor Series notes
  • Update on recent main roster call-ups
  • Brian Pillman Jr. update
  • Update on WWE prospect

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

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Saturday Update

WWE

  • SmackDown’s season premiere episode averaged 2.33 million viewers in the fast national ratings, up from last week’s fast national average of 2.20 million. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.6.
  • Brief face-to-face confrontations between Roman Reigns & Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill & Charlotte Flair took place on SmackDown last night.
  • Nick Aldis commented on his new role as SmackDown general manager: “The opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you @TripleH @WWE Onwards and upwards for the blue brand!”
  • WWE uploaded a post-show interview with Aldis following SmackDown.
  • Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee & Sami Zayn defeated Imperium in a dark match after last night’s show.
  • Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reported on Paul “Triple H” Levesque gaining more power in WWE creative following Endeavor’s acquisition of the company:
          • If you have noticed a change in WWE programming, you are not alone. Levesque, who is WWE’s Head of Creative, has overseen all of the creative on SmackDown and Raw since the merger, which is precisely what his job description entails.
          • The difference is that Vince McMahon, who is synonymous with all things WWE, is no longer directly involved in dictating the weekly creative in the same manner he once did. McMahon remained the title of Executive Chairman in WWE, but he no longer possesses majority control of the company. That has allowed for change in the new regime, particularly in the creative department.
          • Multiple contacts within the WWE and UFC have confirmed that Ari Emanuel, who wields power as the Endeavor CEO, is behind the change. Emanuel has long been a firm believer that, in order for an organization to be as effective as possible, people need to do the job they are assigned. In this case, that approach has empowered Levesque to exert his full influence in the company’s creative sphere.
  • Cody Rhodes teased that, when he was guest general manager of NXT, he made one final decision that will be revealed this Tuesday: “Last Tuesday before the clock struck midnight I made one final decision as Guest @WWENXT GM. Find out what that decision was this Tuesday on NXT! 8/7c on @USANetwork”
  • On Friday, Kofi Kingston’s CLICK Foundation opened a library and computer center in Ghana.
  • Jeff Hoffman, the agent for the Cavinder twins, told TheStreet that the Cavinders are still in discussions with WWE despite Haley returning to college basketball: “We’re still in deep and heavy conversations with WWE. We were out [at] the training facility a few months ago. We were discussing upcoming trainings.”
  • Pretty Deadly, Damage CTRL, and Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits appeared on The SmackDown LowDown.
  • The Cheap Heat podcast has an interview with Carlito.
  • Sam Roberts was the guest on this week’s episode of WWE After the Bell.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Lio Rush wrote: “2 weeks ago I got really sick during a crucial time in my career, changing the path that I was on. Im not entirely sure how to handle it other than to be home with family while I process the changes that this event has caused. I don’t know what’s next other than to heal and I’m hoping that this time away will help me do just that. I’ll be releasing an album, titled No time to heal, on my birthday, Nov 11th, that I hope will tell my story.”
  • In an interview with the Metro, Will Ospreay opened up about the anxiety he’s experienced surrounding big matches: “I used to be in such a horrible, dark place where me and my head just didn’t get along. Sometimes it creeps in, especially big matches. The Tokyo match with Kenny [Omega], I can’t tell you enough how much doubt creeped into my mind with that. I get mad anxiety when I wrestle guys like Kenny.”
  • Ospreay added: “The most important thing for me is my family, and as long as that’s all good, my demons don’t really creep in anymore. I’ve found a real big balance.”
  • Swerve Strickland has been announced for House of Glory’s show in New York City on Friday, December 1.
  • DAZN asked Strickland when we’re going to get a match between him and Keith Lee in AEW: “Timing. It’s timing. Timing. That’s all I can say about it.”
  • Cultaholic interviewed Gisele Shaw.