Daily Update: WBD-NBCU, World Wrestling Championships, weekend schedule

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

Job Listing: Onlamp php/mysql developer. Experience with vbulletin and drupal/WordPress a plus. Email tonyleder@f4wonline.com with subject PHP DEVELOPER with resume.

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

The aftermath of the AEW brawl after All Out
Why suspensions were lifted
The CM Punk injury and how it changes things
AEW video game promotion in Japan
What people under suspension aren’t allowed to do
Tony Khan position
Clearing up some wrestling stories
Ideas for AEW to improve the developmental rate of its young talent
The most important thing for AEW long-term
Ways to get wrestlers more time in the ring
Ways to get wrestlers more time learning promos and angles
Complete coverage of UFC 279
The life and death of UFC star Elias Theodorou
Coverage of this past week’s Stardom PPV show
How every wrestling show this past week did in the ratings, competition, football, where WWE & AEW fall in entertainment standings, how the segments on the major shows did
Unique finish to set up CMLL tournament final
Final build to the anniversary show
CMLL star undergoes surgery
Promotion talk about new reality show idea
Stardom Five Star Grand Prix update
New Japan and Stardom business rundowns, profits, losses, revenue, streaming numbers
Kota Ibushi update
Yuji Nagata celebrates 30 years in the ring
New Japan Strong TV for the future
Talk about the Desperado vs. Jun Kasai bloodbath
Generational dream match announced between 80 legend and modern legend
Konosuke Takeshita’s ten year anniversary
Ricky Steamboat returns to the ring
How viewing is changing
Story behind Steamboat’s comeback
More on movies about 80s stars and a movie on the life of modern star
Hall of Famer from Japan wants match with Moxley
Wrestling cartoon show canceled
Latest on WBD and wrestling
More AEW injury news
Ticket sale numbers for WWE & AEW shows
International TV numbers
Streaming numbers
More on the business of doing major shows
Commission examining UFC backstage brawl
More Clash at the Castle news
WWE projected revenue for this year
Why Raw will have a problem next week
Gable Steveson update
New talent coming to NXT
A&E bio news

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Friday News Update

Garrett Gonzales and I will be doing a show tonight covering the news of the week.

The biggest media story which is far bigger than pro wrestling is about the proposed merger of NBCU and WBD, with the idea of it being attempted in 2024. These type of mergers in media and putting it in control of just a few people is a sad and also dangerous state of affairs. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk, Arya Whitner and many others)

Jordan Burroughs became the first American in history to win seven world or Olympic championships at the senior level earlier today by beating Mohammad Nokhodilarimi of Iran 4-2 in the 174 pound final of the World Wrestling Championships. Burroughs has world championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2022 to go along with a 2012 gold medal. He breaks the record set by John Smith and Adeline Gray, who both have won six world titles. 

David Taylor at 189 pounds defeated Hassan Yazdani of iran by a 7-1 score to win another world title for the U.S. Zain Retherford a 154 pounds won a silver medal, losing to Taishi Narikuni of Japan 10-0. Thomas Gilman, Kyle Dake and J’Den Cox will be in finals tomorrow. The U.S. is well ahead of Iran looking to win the team championship. This looks to be the strongest overall U.S. team in recent memory. Kyle Snyder will start competing tomorrow.

Smackdown tonight in Anaheim, CA has Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium vs. New Day vs. Hit Row with the winners getting a shot at the Usos for the tag titles on 10/8 in Philadelphia, Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet, Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez, plus Ronda Rousey and Logan Paul appear. Paul will set up his 11/5 match with Roman Reigns in Saudi Arabia and WWE is holding a press conference tomorrow in Las Vegas to announce the match.

Roman Reigns makes a rare house show appearance on 9/24 in Vancouver, BC defending the title against A.J. Styles.

We are looking for reports from Smackdown tonight in Anaheim with dark matches as well as from the weekend house shows in Bakersfield CA tomorrow and Oakland, CA on Sunday to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

The only weekend poll will be on the CMLL Anniversary show from Arena Mexico which is taking place right now. You can leave a thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

UFC tomorrow is a full ESPN+ show starting at 4 p.m. Eastern

      • Nikolas Motta (155) vs Cameron VanCamp (155.5)
      • Tony Gravely (135.5) vs. Javid Basharat (135.5)
      • Mariya Agapova (125.5.) vs. Gillian Robertson (125)
      • Trey Ogden (156) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (155)
      • Denise Gomes (115) vs. Loma Lookboonmee (115.5)
      • Trevin Giles (170) vs. Louis Cosce (170.5)
      • Damon Jackson (145.5) vs. Pat Sabatini (145.5)
      • Anthony Hernandez (185.5) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (185)
      • Tanner Boser (229) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (261)
      • Joe Pfyer (185) vs. Alen Amedovski (186.5)
      • Andre Fili (145.5) vs. Bill Algeo (146)
      • Chidi Njokuani (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185.5)
      • Cory Sandhagen (135.5) vs. Song Yadong (135.5)
      • Amedovski missed weight. The Sara McMann vs. Aspen Ladd fight was canceled when Ladd missed weight by two pounds.

A story on Jay Dumont, a web site member who has been battling health issues and a lot of people in wrestling who have become friends of his.

WWE

The company announced its post-Christmas shows and interesting that for what is usually the best week of the year to draw, they aren’t running on 12/27:

      • 12/26 in Columbus, OH for Raw
      • 12/28 in Cleveland
      • 12/28 in Greensboro
      • 12/29 in Miami
      • 12/30 in Toronto
      • 12/30 in Tampa
      • 1/1 in Atlanta for the Day 1 PPV show

WWE on Peacock has released a Hispanic Heritage show featuring some current and old matches. The old matches include Roy Shire vs. Rito Romero from 1954, featuring the future Hall of Fame promoter against the inventor of the Romero special, the 1971 Pedro Morales title win over Ivan Koloff in Madison Square Garden, and the 1977 Superstar Billy Graham vs. Mil Mascaras WWWF title match where Mascaras refused to do the job and they had to do a DQ finish instead.

UFC

Terrence McKinney has tried to get the attention of Dwayne Johnson . The UFC and Johnson made a deal for Project Rock footwear to be the official footwear of UFC fighters. The fighters have to wear the stuff but they aren’t getting paid. McKinney asked Johnson to try and push that the fighters get a cut.

Other News

A story on Joe Hendry signing with Impact.

Combate Global tonight on Paramount + at 11 p.m. Eastern is headlined by Miguel Gonzalez (5-1) vs Edir Belico Terry (8-4) in a bantamweight fight. The co-main at 150 pounds has Jose Ferreira (8-0) vs Patrick Lehane (5-1)

AIW on 10/1 in Akron, OH at the Tadmor Shrine with a meet and greet with Jimmy Hart and the Nasty Boys.

Defy on 10/8 at the Kliever Armory in Portland, Or, as Christopher Daniels defending the Defy title against Serve Strickland. Kevin Sullivan also manages tag champions Midnight Heat against the Bollywood Boyz in a 3 stage of hate match, plus Ortiz vs. Adam Ryder.

Invicta on 9/28 on AXS TV in the U.S. and Fight Network in Canada with an 8 p.m. Eastern time start is headlined by Maiju Suotma (8-6) vs. Ketlen Souza (11-3) plus former Ultimate Fighter competitors Kaytin Neil (5-4) faces Hannah Guy (4-1). The show takes place in Hinton, OK at the Sugar Creek Casino.

Spike Trivet vs. Drew Parker for the Progress World title headlines Sunday’s show at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, London, UK. Kanji & Allie Katch face Lana Austin & Skye Smitson, tag champs Sunshine Machine defend against Kings of the North and Matt Cardona defends his Internet title against Gene Munny.

Mads Krugger vs. Mance Warner has been added to Sunday’s MLW TV taping in Norcross, GA.

LFA tonight on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. Eastern from Prior Lake, MN and the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel:

      • Manatua Lemarie (189) vs. Adam Vigil (189.6)
      • Zach Vaci (135.2) vs. Rob Fenicle (135.8)
      • Giovanna Canuto (115.6) vs. Jamie Colleen Miller (116)
      • Sean McFadden (135.6) vs. Michael Cyr (136)
      • Thomas Peterson (257) vs. Kory Moegenburg (253.2)
      • Jacqueline Amorim (115) vs. Ashley Nichols (115) for the strawweight title