Daily Update: TKO earnings report date, Mariah May, Hammerstein Ballroom

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered in this issue:

  • Full Forbidden Door coverage
  • Early notes on how the PPV did
  • Arena business and what historical achievement took place this past weekend
  • How the poll for the show had a unique and noteworthy result
  • Looking at AEW going into All In
  • A look at Money in the Bank, Heatwave, and ticket demand for the three WWE shows this week in Toronto.
  • A look at the playoffs for the G1 tournament
  • UFC 303 coverage of one of the shows where they had to change everything over and over again
  • Thoughts on the WrestleMania documentary, what was talked about, and what wasn’t.
  • A look at all the TV ratings info from the past week including rankings for the night and week, the competition, the whys behind the numbers, segment-by-segment and more
  • Chris Jericho returns to Arena Mexico
  • A look at Friday’s show including the Altantis Jr. ROH TV title win
  • AAA TV time notes
  • AAA Verano de Escandalo card
  • Major changes in Stardom
  • New Japan pushes a big open to 2025 for both their promotion and Stardom with dates for tourists
  • Minoru Suzuki vs. Sanshiro Takagi rematch on the bullet train
  • Notable sight gags on the match
  • Update on Marigold’s first major show with Iyo Sky
  • Rematch of one of the best bouts of the year set for the RevPro anniversary show at the Copper Box Arena
  • WWE stars at TNA TV tapings and at Bloodsport
  • More on Britt Baker’s return
  • Tony Khan talks about media rights negotiations, the Juneteenth rating, a milestone Eric Bischoff could never do
  • Will Ospreay opens up about his autism
  • Advance ticket sales for all the WWE & AEW shows over the past week
  • Biggest merch sellers in WWE & AEW
  • Dana White makes a claim that will blow your mind
  • More on the Bloodline angle
  • SmackDown issues with FOX
  • Notes on WWE departures
  • WWE investing in new business with notable partners including the NFL
  • Dijak talks more about his contract not being renewed

This Week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • TKO Group Holdings (WWE’s parent company) will announce its second quarter financial results on Thursday, August 8:
    • TKO Group Holdings, Inc., a premium sports and entertainment company, will release its second quarter 2024 results prior to the market opening on Thursday, August 8, 2024. The live teleconference to discuss these results and provide a business update is scheduled for 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT the same day.
  • Pro Wrestling NOAH shared a video of AJ Styles arriving in Japan for his match against Naomichi Marufuji this Saturday. Both Styles and Marufuji will be appearing at a press conference to promote the match on Friday.
  • In an interview with NOAH discussing Styles vs. Marufuji, Cody Rhodes indicated that he’d like to face Marufuji down the road:
    • It’s not hyperbole to say Marufuji on the other side of the ring is how important he is to modern pro wrestling and modern sports entertainment. I mean, if you hit the ropes behind another guy, you call that a ‘Marufuji.’ That’s what I do. That’s part of my comeback that I have in my own matches. The fact that I’ve never gotten in the ring with him, that’s something that could happen down the road.
  • Rhodes interviewed Bayley on the premiere of “What Do You Wanna Talk About?,” a new YouTube series hosted by Rhodes that’s sponsored by Wheatley American Vodka.
  • JBL praised Damian Priest and Gunther and commended them for the work they’ve put in to improve their physiques: “How can you not love these two guys? Both terrific talents, and good guys. But, they are here because of hard work and talent. This is remarkable. These two deserve this like few I have ever seen. I’m pulling for you both guys!”
  • WWE uploaded a WWE Retrospective video with X-Pac reacting to the greatest moments from his career.
  • Booker T appeared on the latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
  • The following matches are set to air on NXT Level Up this Friday night:
    • Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Uriah Connors & Dion Lennox
    • Malik Blade vs. Cutler James
    • Layla Diggs vs. Tatum Paxley

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • After it was announced that Stephanie Vaquer has departed CMLL & NJPW and is joining WWE NXT, Revolution Pro Wrestling issued a statement confirming that Vaquer will no longer be appearing for them this August:
    • Stephanie Vaquer has withdrawn from her August tour with us. 
    • Apologies for the late notice, we received news shortly before the story broke whilst dealing with a personal matter. 
    • We will be working with our partners towards getting a suitable replacement.
  • SportsGrid asked Tony Khan if AEW or ROH could ever run a show at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City:
    • Yes, I think that’s a very interesting idea. You know what’s interesting, I’ve never been to the Hammerstein Ballroom. I’d really like to go. I’d love to do it. I’ve seen great shows there. I think it’s a great venue. I’ve never been. But we also have these amazing relationships around New York, so it’s about right-sizing. I mean, for the right event, on the right night, it could make a lot of sense. And I’d imagine it would sell out very, very quickly because it’s not the biggest room. But it is a fascinating setup. It’s a really cool looking room. It’s got great acoustics and it’s a lot of fun from everything I’ve seen on television. I’d love to check it out in person. That’s a great point, it’s a great idea.
  • Khan named Arthur Ashe Stadium and UBS Arena as two of the New York venues that AEW has a great relationship with, but he thinks Hammerstein Ballroom could be a cool place for the right show:
    • But I really think that, for us, the Hammerstein Ballroom could be a cool venue sometime. It’s a great idea. I haven’t thought that much about it, but that’s why I love talking to great wrestling fans about ideas.
  • AEW shared backstage footage from the aftermath of Mariah May’s attack on Toni Storm following last night’s Dynamite. May didn’t give an answer when asked to explain her actions.
  • May did offer a brief storyline explanation for the attack while speaking with Sports Illustrated: “That felt like extra celebration for the work I did. That’s what that was.”
  • May said getting to headline last night’s Dynamite against Willow Nightingale was a great experience: “That was my first chance to main-event Dynamite. Being in the ring with Willow, who has already achieved so much, was a great experience. I’d love to wrestle her again. Who knows, maybe when I’m world champion.”
  • Mansoor posted a rap responding to Max Caster after Caster said he doesn’t want Mace & Mansoor in AEW/ROH.
  • CBS Sports asked Ronda Rousey how she would feel if her kids wanted to become MMA fighters:
    • If they wanted to, I would do everything that I could to make sure that they’re as great as possible, but I would never push them towards it. You can’t make somebody fight. It’s something that is inside of you that you can’t help. I’ll make sure they know how to fight because it’s a survival skill and it builds a lot of discipline… but whether or not they want to compete, it’s up to them.
  • TNA Turning Point 2024 will air live on TNA+ on Friday, November 29. The show is taking place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as part of this year’s WrestleCade convention.
  • Paul Walter Hauser will speak at MLW Blood & Thunder in St. Petersburg, Florida this Friday, addressing Tom Lawlor’s attack on him from MLW’s anniversary show.