Daily Update: TKO, The Rock, Tropicana Field

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The new issue of the Observer is on the site today. Our lead story is the most detailed coverage of the new AEW TV deal, an analysis of what it means for business, profits losses, what the deal does and doesn’t cover, FOX rumors and analysis and much more. We also have a major history piece looking at the 2024 Hall of Fame and the candidates and their credentials.
  • Value of the deal for each specific year
  • What the deal does and doesn’t cover
  • Update on the PPV business
  • What AEW is losing in the deal
  • How PPV will be distributed
  • Quotes from Tony Khan and WBD
  • MAX and cable distribution
  • Breaking down expenses, revenue, profits and losses and the financial future of AEW
  • Analysis of the potential FOX deal
  • A look at the first NXT show on CW, business, ratings and how the segments did
  • Update on Bad Blood and WrestleDream, including interest levels for both shows
  • A look at the 2024 Hall of Fame voting, candidates and favorites in each category
  • A rundown of the leading candidates, some of who you would know and wouldn’t.
  • New Japan building King of Pro Wrestling–What business lesson was reinforced by CMLL Noche de Campeones this past week
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the major television shows, competition, comparisons with a year ago, placings and segment-by-segment
  • Woman wrestling star retiring to become a referee
  • CMLL head gives stats on how many fans come to Arena Mexico from other countries
  • What major celebrity was at Shinjuku Face for a pro wrestling show
  • Hall of Famer having 40th anniversary show
  • Major Japanese celebrity does two matches this week
  • Notes on the deaths of Pete Rose and Kris Kristofferson and both men’s connections to pro wrestling
  • Jimmy Hart prior to wrestling
  • AEW and WWE current injury rates
  • What percentage of fans watch shows live vs DVR
  • AEW video game notes
  • Major star opening up a gym for post-wrestling business
  • International TV ratings
  • Injury stats regarding PowerSlap
  • What famous boxer turned down a two fight series with Conor Mcregor
  • How many people watched the Mr. McMahon documentary and an approximation of how it would compare to a regular WWE TV show
  • Martha Hart reacts to the documentary

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, will announce its third quarter financial results on Wednesday, November 6. An investor’s call is scheduled for 5 p.m. Eastern time that day.
  • Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made a social media post commenting on his WWE return at Bad Blood: 
    • The show ain’t over, until the Final Boss says it’s over. There’s no business like show business, and there’s no connection stronger and more electrifying than that of the people and the people’s champ. You can FEEL the MANA. FINAL BOSS. ENGAGED. See ya down the road
  • Jazzy’s World TV asked Paul “Triple H” Levesque what he’s most proud of from his career:
    • You know, all of it. I was just a kid with a dream that was incredibly lucky. A lot of times – right place, right time, the whole thing. I love what I do and I’m fortunate enough – if I was to say what do I love best about what I do, it’s that I have fun doing it every single day. I have the best job. Had the best job when I was in the ring and have an even better job now. To me, I’m helping create the future of what we do, so I love what I do and I love having the opportunity to do it.
  • No-Contest Wrestling uploaded part two of their interview with CM Punk.
  • Punk named Bron Breakker, Shayna Baszler, Braun Strowman, and Samoa Joe as the four wrestlers he would want to have his back in a bar fight.
  • While speaking with Going Ringside, NXT wrestler Oba Femi listed Randy Orton, John Cena, Gunther, and Drew McIntyre as his dream feuds on the WWE main roster.
  • Ilja Dragunov is celebrating his 31st birthday today.
  • Here’s the lineup for this Friday’s episode of NXT Level Up:
    • Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) vs. Cutler James & Shiloh Hill
    • Tatum Paxley vs. Kali Armstrong
  • Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida – which was once home to the WWE ThunderDome and hosted this year’s Royal Rumble – sustained significant damage from Hurricane Milton with its roof being torn apart. According to a statement issued by the Tampa Bay Rays, no one was hurt by the damage:
    • During the past couple weeks, our beloved city, region and state have been impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. We are devastated by the damage incurred by so many.
    • Our priority is supporting our community and our staff. We are fortunate and grateful that no one was hurt by the damage to our ballpark last night. Over the coming days and weeks, we expect to be able to assess the true condition of Tropicana Field. In the meantime, we are working with law enforcement to secure the building.
    • We ask for your patience at this time, and we encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are assisting those directly impacted by these storms.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Willow Nightingale, Darby Allin, and Chris Jericho previewed WrestleDream on AEW Unrestricted.
  • In this week’s Mone Mag, Mercedes Mone reflected on her matches against Bayley from NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 2015 and Stephanie Vaquer from Forbidden Door 2024:
    • One Great match I had with ZERO prep between my opponent and me was the one at NXT Takeover in Brooklyn with Bayley. At the time, I was on the road full-time with so little time. In addition, I had to do a panel with Triple H two hours before the doors even opened. I was also coming straight from Smackdown or Raw, so I didn’t even get to work out in the ring with Bayley. We only had maybe five minutes to talk about our match in the ring. I wanted to tell her about this crazy spot. In truth, I didn’t even want to practice with her or show her the spot because I was afraid that they were going to tell me no, or that the boys were going to see it and that they were going to take it away. Yes, that happens. So, I just kind of told her what I wanted to do. As I said, we didn’t get to rehearse it or any other move. However, that match turned out to be the greatest women’s match ever.
    • Another time was with Stephanie Vaquer for AEW’s Forbidden Door. Stephanie flew in that day and got to the building maybe an hour before the doors opened. We just talked about the match a little where she speaks a whole different language (Spanish). That was so hard. I’m like, my God, we don’t get time to walk over our moves, we speak two different languages, and we’re both tired, jet lagged, and hungry, too. Yet, that also turned out to be such a great match. She was signed by the WWE days later. I’d like to think our match had a say in that!
  • AEW owner Tony Khan turns 42 years old today.
  • Yahoo Sports published a feature story on Bryan Danielson.
  • With Anthony Henry out of action due to a torn biceps, Deadlock Pro gave an update on the plans for the promotion’s Super Battle event in Charlotte, North Carolina this Sunday. FTR – who were scheduled to face Henry & JD Drake – are still scheduled for the show:
    • SUPER BATTLE UPDATE: Anthony Henry suffered an injury this week in a match which results in him not being cleared to wrestle FTR this weekend in Charlotte.
    • We are currently working on the card; There should be an update before the weekend. FTR is still scheduled to wrestle.
  • Scott D’Amore’s Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling filed trademarks for “TN Eh?,” “Team Canada,” and “The Northern Alliance” this week.
  • Two new matches have been added to the card for night one of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s debut weekend in Windsor, Ontario, Canada on Saturday, October 19:
    • Tables match: Bully Ray vs. Raj Dhesi (Jinder Mahal)
    • Laynie Luck vs. Taylor Rising vs. Kylie Rae vs. Aurora Teves
  • The main event of MLW Lucha Apocalypto on Saturday, November 9 will be Mistico defending his MLW Middleweight Championship against Titan and Averno in a three-way match. The show is being held in Cicero, Illinois.
  • Former WWE broadcaster Jonathan Coachman was a guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.