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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

We have another giant issue of the Observer out today. There is a ton of news in this one but want to call attention to a great story by Pat Laprade on Paul “Butcher” Vachon, covering his wrestling and promoting career with all kinds of anecdotes such as his role in getting WWF’s Saturday Night Main Event off the ground, the early career of Andre the Giant, setting what was then the all-time get record in the U.S. at Comiskey Park in Chicago, and promoting what is still the largest crowd in Canada outside of Toronto. Besides the Vachon story we go in detail on the career of Sting and his retirement, as well as the careers of Paul Heyman and Bull Nakano, the muder charge against Daniel Rodimer and the investigation regarding the alleged rape of Ashley Massaro.

  • Famous pro wrestling retirement shows
  • The retirement of Sting and AEW Revolution
  • An historical first coming from the show
  • Sting’s run in TNA
  • Other expected finishes of Sting’s career
  • How Sting got into pro wrestling
  • The Blade Runners debut
  • Getting into Mid South
  • The first Flair-Sting match and it wasn’t in Greensboro
  • The first Clash of Champions and its ratings
  • Going head-to-head with WrestleMania
  • When Sting was supposed to win the NWA title the first time and why it didn’t happen
  • Why he almost didn’t get the title when the second title change date was planned
  • Sting vs. Hogan and how it got screwed up
  • The two people most responsible for Sting’s career not ending nearly a decade ago
  • Sting’s WWE run and why Vince McMahon ruined it
  • Sting’s final show
  • Ospreay vs. Takeshita
  • Early PPV numbers
  • Notes on how many buyers of this show ordered WWE & TNA shows
  • Milestones on gate, merch and and Greensboro Coliseum wrestling records
  • When was the finish decided
  • Okada signs with AEW, the truth about his contract
  • The debut of Mercedes Mone
  • The life and times of Butcher Vachon, the early years of his career, the creation of Stan Vachon, AWA title run, formation of Grand Prix Wrestling, The Vachons vs. LeDucs feud, early career of Andre the Giant, creation of the name Andre the Giant, life after wrestling
  • Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul
  • Daniel Rodimer murder arrest, the story behind what happened, the victim, his pro wrestling career and his political career
  • NCIS investigation into Ashley Massaro
  • The careers of Paul Heyman and Bull Nakano
  • The most detailed look at the ratings including how the shows did compared to last year, last week, segment-by-segment and placings
  • How CMLL show with AEW talent is doing
  • Unique show in Mexico this week
  • Vampiro wants to do rematch from Lucha Underground match
  • New Japan anniversary show
  • Best of Super Juniors notes
  • BJ Whitmer sentencing
  • More on crazy TNA buy rate
  • What happened with Kevin Kelly in AEW
  • Update on Kenny Omega
  • Update on Sammy Guevara suspension
  • Behind The Rock’s promo
  • Notes on new WWE sponsorships
  • Next Saudi Arabia date
  • Vince McMahon and Brock Lesnar and the next video game
  • Advance ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming notes

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Friday Update

There will be no show with Garrett Gonzales today but we will be together doing our week in review show tomorrow night after UFC 299. Bryan and I will be back Monday night after Raw. I do have a new show today as part of Talk is Jericho talking the life and times of Ole Anderson.

When Vince McMahon sold his 5.35 million shares of TKO stock a few days ago, it was for below market value of $77 per share. He still has about $1.2 billion worth of TKO stock after the recent sale.

Smackdown tonight in Dallas which is sold out at the American Airlines Arena. The attendance as of this morning was 13,388. This marks the sixth straight television taping sellout in that arena. The Rock, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins and Logan Paul appear. They are expected to finalize the night one WrestleMania main event. Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller, Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross.

Tickets went on sale to the public for AEW Dynasty on 4/21, the next PPV with a Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson match that will be officially announced tomorrow. They were at 3,822 tickets out as of a few hours ago.

Will Ospreay said he’s banged up bad after his two matches this past week. He’s doing fantastic matches but the key is also to preserve his body so he’s still doing them in ten years.

AEW Rampage at 10 p.m. tonight:

  • Orange Cassidy & Trent Baretta vs. Kip Sabian & Butcher
  • Julia Hart vs. Robyn Renegade for the TBS title
  • Penta vs. Action Andretti
  • Private Party vs. Top Flight vs. Komander & Bryan Keith

We’re looking for reports on these weekend events

  • Smackdown tonight in Dallas (dark matches and off TV notes only)
  • TNA TV tapings tomorrow night in Windsor, ONT
  • WWE house show tomorrow night in Alexandria, LA
  • WWE house show Sunday night in Lafayette, LA
  • We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

One last thing we didn’t get in the issue was AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, besides finishing second during its times slot on cable to the NBA, also beat NBC programming, beat ABC except form 8-8:30, beat FOX in the second hour but not the first, and lost to Survivor on CBS over both hours, which was the highest rated show of the night.

New Japan Cup results from earlier today in Yamanashi: Hikuleo pinned Oleg Boltin, Gabe Kidd beat Callum Newman, Shingo Takagi beat Yuya Uemura. Hikluleo faces Evil on Wednesday. Kidd faces Shingo also on Wednesday.

Dominik Mysterio was married in real life a few days ago.

TNA Sacrifice tonight from Windsor, ONT on TNA+:

  • Moose vs. Eric Young for TNA title
  • Jordynne Grace vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Xia Brookside for Knockouts title
  • Nic Nemeth vs. Steve Maclin for IWGP Global title
  • Chris Bey & Ace Ausin vs. Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers for TNA tag titles
  • Mustafa Ali & Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley & Kushida
  • Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich vs. Dani Luna & Jody Threat for Knockouts tag titles
  • Josh Alexander vs. Alex Hammerstone
  • Crazzy Steve vs. Joe Hendry for Digital Media title
  • PCO vs. Big Kon no DQ
  • Trey Miguel & Zachary Wenz vs. Mike Bailey & Trent Seven

UFC 299 is tomorrow from Miami, FLThe show will air from 6-10 p.m. Eastern on ESPN and then move to PPV at 10 p.m.

ESPN bouts

  • Joanne Wood (125) vs. Maryna Moroz (126)
  • CJ Vergara (127) vs. Assu Almabayev (126)
  • Robelis Despaigne (261) vs. Josh Parisian (266)
  • Michel Pereira (186) vs. Michal Olaksiejczuk (185)
  • Ion Cutelaba (205) vs. Philiple Lins (206)
  • Pedro Munhoz (135) vs. Kyler Phillips (135)
  • Mateusz Gamrot (156) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (156)
  • Katlyn Cerminara (125) vs. Maycee Barber (125)
  • Curtis Blaydes (257) vs. Jailton Almeida (241)

PPV at 10 p.m.

  • Petr Yan (135) vs. Song Yadong (136)
  • Gilbert Burns (171) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (170)
  • Kevin Holland (170) vs. Michael Venom Page (170)
  • Dustin Poirier (156) vs. Benoit Saint-Denis (155)
  • Sean O’Malley (135) vs. Marlon Vera (135) for the UFC bantamweight title

We have a preview of the show in the issue that came out today.

Dana White announced that flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and former champion Valentina Shevchenko will be coaching the next season of Ultimate Fighter. The season will premiere on 6/4 with middleweights and featherweights. Most likely this will build to a championship match between the two of them later this year.

Manel Kape vs. Matheus Nicolau will be the main event of a 4/27 Fight Night show. They were to fight in January when Kape missed weight by 3.5 pounds and it was called off

Bryan Danielson has said he’s looking for matches against Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado, Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shingo Takagi and Tomohiro Ishii from New Japan.

Dan Rafael is reporting that a Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Manguia bout is not signed but being finalized for 5/4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He reported Alvarez will make in excess of $35 million for the fight.

Tonight is the first-ever all women’s show at Arena Mexico. It will not just be all women’s matches, but Princesa Sugehit and Sanely will be referees, the announcers will be women and the ring announcer will be a woman. It will be interesting to see how this does. Friday night wrestling at Arena Mexico is on a roll right now.

CMLL is doing its Universal tournament of champions, where all the different champions are in a four-week long tournament, running on 4/5, 4/12, 4/19 with the finals on 4/26.

Angel de Oro has been added to the 5/19 RevPro Fantastica Mania show.

Progress and Pro Wrestling NOAH have put together a three-date U.K. tour for NOAH in September. Tickets go on sale this coming Friday.

MLW will have a two-hour special on BeinSports on 3/16. It will also air on YouTube. It will be from matches taped last week in New York, including Matt Riddle vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr., Satoshi Kojima & Okumura & Alex Kane vs. Tom Lawlor & Richard Holliday & Josh Bishop, AJ Francis vs. Mr. Thomas, Delmi Exo vs. Zayda a scramble match plus Star Jr. and Bad Dude Tito.

AIW on 3/22 in Cleveland at Temple Live features an appearance by Demolition.