Daily Update: Tony Khan, Paul Walter Hauser-MLW, Shotzi
Daily Update
Latest Headlines
- Tony Khan: AEW has ‘great relationships’ with both sides of impending WBD split
- Athena hopes to have ‘full storyline’ with Mercedes Mone
- El Grande Americano retains WWE Speed title in first defense
- Report: WWE SmackDown returning to two hours beginning July 4
- Hulk Hogan expected to make full recovery after adverse reaction to surgery
- Report: Vince McMahon attempted to purchase Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- Elijah suffers injury on WWE NXT
Latest Audio
- WOL: Elijah injury, Smackdown length, cable vs. streaming, NXT
- B&V: Bryan’s 50th party recap, ATROCIOUS Mid-South S6:E28
- BVV: TNA Impact with Hardys vs. Fir$t Cla$$
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now:
- WBD will split into two companies, what this means for the future of cable, for AEW, for the legacy of TBS, TNT and CNN, for TNT Sports and what and when this all goes into effect regarding AEW.
- More on WrestleMania going back to Las Vegas
- The story on Ron Killings being cut why they had to bring him back and all the ramifications regarding it
- The story behind Gunther beating Jey Uso for the world tite and set up
- Full King of the Ring coverage, as well as Saturday Night’s Main Event main event, Night of Champions, Evolution and future WWE major events.
- Full UFC 316 coverage and Kayla Harrison garners one of the most impressive combat sports resumes in history
- The story behind Worlds Collide, the history packages, behind the scenes, Mr. Iguana and his background, all the ratings numbers, TripleMania Regia and more.
- Ben Askren fights for his life
- Latest developments in the Janel Grant lawsuit
- Mark Kerr goes into UFC Hall of Fame meaning Dwayne Johnson will induct him
- The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows including comparing cable vs. network, cable vs. streaming, how Rw is really doing, four-hour AEW marathon shows, NBA competition and more
- Arena Mexico has one of its best matches of the year
- New Japan Dominion noes
- Notes on the G-1 tournament
- Why Greg Oliver was so valuable to pro wrestling
- Bret Hart talks Vince McMahon
- Final X notes
- Former ROH star retires
- Wrestler trading card auctioned off for more than $80,000
- Wrestlers who had matches in seven different decades
- Former WWF wrestler makes a grandstand challenge for Hulk Hogan
- RAF signs Olympic gold medalist
- Update on lawsuit against AEW
- Grand Slam Mexico notes
- All In notes
- Komander injury
- Dana White and Nick Khan back promoting the biggest fight of 2025 and how it looks to have gone down
- BJ Penn arrested again
- Notes on TKO stock and media rights talks
- Lots of new WWE signings
This Week’s Back Issue
FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH
Wednesday Update
WWE
- WWE uploaded the full Blake Monroe contract signing from last night’s NXT, which ended with the former Mariah May being put through a table by NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne and the rest of Fatal Influence.
- New theme music for Jordynne Grace debuted on NXT, drawing “Fire Def Rebel” chants as fans voiced their dissatisfaction with WWE’s music production company.
- On social media, Grace acknowledged the backlash her new theme received: “I know what the streets are saying, but yall better suspend that disbelief and vibe with it, GOT IT?”
- Charlotte Flair was a guest on the Games with Names podcast, looking back on her Survivor Series 2018 match against Ronda Rousey.
- Ron Killings has put out a new rap song titled “Count My Sins.”
- USA Today interviewed Zelina Vega.
- NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson are being added to WWE 2K25 as playable characters. They will be available as part of the Dunk & Destruction DLC pack that releases on June 25.
Other Wrestling
- Ahead of tonight’s Grand Slam Mexico episode of Dynamite, Tony Khan met with CMLL director Salvador Lutteroth Lomeli. CMLL writes that Khan and Lutteroth reaffirmed the collaborative ties between their promotions.
- AEW wrestler John Silver and his girlfriend Denise Liguori announced their engagement.
- During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show today, actor Paul Walter Hauser explained what his role is as an executive producer of MLW:
- So the day-to-day operations, not so much. But my thing is I’m trying to lead us into the next iteration of it… My hope for MLW, my whole desire is, let’s get a TV deal. Let’s get some sort of streaming deal. Let’s get the library up on something, be it a FAST channel [free ad-supported streaming channel], whatever. And let’s, slowly but surely, get the money to actually build up a full roster and get this thing going.
- And then at the same time, let’s try to put eyes on it when we can… and find cross promotion wherever we can.
- When asked how far along MLW is on a TV or streaming deal, Hauser responded:
- I can’t say too much because we’re still figuring stuff out, obviously. But we’ve had a couple of offers and we’ve had discussions and we’re just trying to figure out what makes the most sense for everybody. Because it’s one thing for somebody to throw you some money, it’s another to find people that understand and like the product. So, like, we’re kind of looking for somebody who actually likes wrestling and understands the product and wants to see it grow exponentially. Not get some kind of cheapo buyout just to have it up off of YouTube.
- Hauser named Sting, Bret Hart, Ric Flair & Chris Jericho as his pro wrestling Mount Rushmore.
- Shotzi Blackheart told Denise Salcedo that, when she was let go by WWE, Charlotte Flair was the first person to reach out and offer her support:
- She was honestly the first person that called me. Like when that news hit, she was the first person to call me. And she was like, ‘What do you need me to do? What connections can I pull? What do you want? Like, I will help you.’ She has just been such a rock for me. And I hope me for her as well. Because we were doing ACL rehab at the same time. We were just there for each other. And she has been somebody, like, a person that I cried to during that whole process. Yeah, she’s just been so great.
- Joe Coffey explained that the reason Gallus haven’t wrestled since their WWE release is because they’re going through the process of getting new visas:
- Just to cut a long story short, with the release and the contract, our visa goes with that. So we’re in the process of going through a new visa, which hopefully won’t be too lengthy. It’s costly, but it’s going to be an investment. Unfortunately, just now, we have to be landlocked in the US, so it means we can’t work in the US or get back to Europe or Japan or anything.
- It’s just a bit of a waiting game. It’s a bit frustrating because I’ve been wrestling for a long, long time, coming up on 16 years now. It’s what I know. And I’m just itching to get my boots on, tie the laces up, and just get back to work and get back in the ring. So hopefully it won’t be too long.
- Kayla Becker (former WWE broadcaster Kayla Braxton) announced that she is now seeking on-air broadcast jobs in sports and entertainment:
- After nearly a decade in live broadcasting sports arenas to red carpets I’m currently seeking new on-air roles across sports, entertainment, and lifestyle.
- Since leaving WWE, I’ve launched two independent podcasts I’m proud of, but I’m also ready to rejoin a media team where I can collaborate, tell bigger stories, and expand my impact on-air.
- Whether it’s live coverage, unscripted interviews, or branded content I thrive when I’m in the moment and on the mic.
- Elayna Black will challenge Masha Slamovich for the JCW World Championship at GCW’s Boss of all Bosses show in Dallas on Friday, July 11.
- Gabriel Wai, a former WWE Performance Center recruit and rugby player, is part of the cast for the next season of MTV’s “The Challenge” that debuts on Wednesday, July 30. Wai was given the name Eka Brown after signing with WWE but was never featured in NXT.