Daily Update: Weekend fallout, Mark Coleman, Komander

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Highlights of the new issue:

  • Going into detail with the name revelations in the Front Office Sports story by John Pollock, Brandon Thurston and Tim Marchman, more on the lawsuit, what it means in context, more notes not in the suit, Brock Lesnar update and the claims explained.
  • The heroic Mark Coleman story from the past week, as well as a look at his wrestling, MMA and pro wrestling careers.
  • The Mercedes Mone debut in AEW, what happened, ratings, live gate, money involved, and even a WWE comment
  • WrestleMania update, business notes, secondary market demand
  • Full coverage of UFC 299, business, what’s next for the fighters, how much of a superstar has Sean O’Malley become and what is next for him
  • Notes on SummerSlam coming to Cleveland
  • A study of WWE & AEW PPV buyers and how frequently each group has bought shows over the past year
  • The death of Yutaka Yoshie
  • A detailed look at Paul Levesque’s first Hall of Fame class and their respective backgrounds including multiple Muhammad Ali appearances in pro wrestling detailed, as well as the politics of the Hall of Fame, Vince McMahon, people not in and everyone going in this year
  • Joanna Jedrzejczyk enters UFC Hall of Fame
  • Major story on the 16 Carat Gold tournament
  • The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week, including demos, competition, placing for the night, time slot and week
  • The first-ever all women’s show at Arena Mexico and how it did
  • MLW title defended at Arena Mexico
  • Stardom PPV coverage
  • All Japan Champion Carnival notes
  • NOAH heads to the U.K.
  • NOAH tag team tournament ends and notes
  • Update on New Japan Cup
  • What to look for in the NCAA wrestling tournament in two weeks
  • Former WWE wrestlers wedding notes
  • Lots of TNA business news and build to the next PPV
  • Will Ospreay talks why he chose AEW
  • Tag team tournament notes
  • Update on AEW Revolution, WWE Elimination Chamber, TNA Hard to Kill and Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua PPV numbers as well as PFL vs Bellator
  • Kenny Omega talks surprise match that was being set up for him
  • Advance ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • Takeshita talks Ospreay match
  • International TV ratings and top streaming numbers
  • Vince McMahon finances update

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

Sunday Update

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about the weekend news. We had our week in review show talking highlights from the Observer, Mark Coleman, WWE Hall of Fame, Mercedes debut and Dynamite rating.

Mark Coleman was actually out of the hospital briefly, but was brought back after complaining of numbness in his arm and chest pain. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and has been bedridden again.

Dark Side of the Ring was nominated for these Canadian Screen awards:

  • Best Factual Series
  • Best Visual Research (Abdullah the Butcher episode)
  • Best Photography in a Documentary (Marty Janetty episode)
  • Best Picture Editing (The Graham Dynasty)

Two matches that I haven’t seen yet from today that are getting rave reviews are Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yuma Aoyagi on today’s DDT show at Korakuen Hall and the main event on that show where Yuki Ueno retained the KO-D title over Harashima. If you like technical wrestling, the Bryan Danielson vs. Katsuyori Shibata match last night was excellent. The crowd loved it. Other bouts we’ve heard to go out of your way to see are Tetsuya Endo & Yuki Iino vs. Yuma Anzai & Ryuki Honda from today’s DDT show and the Ricky Knight Jr. vs. Leyton Buzzard RevPro match.

Last night in Canada, they were going to air Collision on TSN because it’s in Canada. Normally Collision doesn’t air but episodes taped in Canada do. Even though TSN has six channels, they decided not to air it live. It was scheduled for midnight but because tennis ran long, it didn’t start until 12:45 a.m. For those setting their DVR’s they probably missed a lot of the ending of it.

The semifinals of the New Japan Cup at 5:30 a.m. Eastern tomorrow from Fukushima has Sanada vs. Hirooki Goto and Evil vs. Yota Tsuji. The finals are on Wednesday in Nagaoka.

On Amazing Race Wednesday night, there was a Lucha Libre Battle Royal. This season was actually filmed two years ago. The show was taped in Puerto Vallarta and a young Zandokan Jr., before he gained prominence in CMLL, was one of the wrestlers in the Battle Royal.

Komander was injured in Wednesday’s match with Konosuke Takeshita. Pac was to face Komander last night on Collision. Aaron Solo was the replacement.

WWE from last night in Augusta, GA (thanks to Shannon Walsh and Wrestling Nutshell):

  • R-Truth b Dominik Mysterio via DQ due to interference from Finn Balor and Damian Priest. New Day made the save
  • R-Truth & New Day beat Priest & Balor & Dominick when R-Truth made Dominik submit to the STF.
  • A.J. Styles b Carlito with the calf slicer submission
  • Rhea Ripley won three-way over Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler to keep the women’s tite using the rip tide on Baszler
  • Sami Zayn b Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Omos b Akira Tozawa with a tree slam
  • Bianca Belair & Naomi b Iyo Sky & Kairi Sane when Belair pinned Sane with the KO-D
  • Cody Rhodes b Drew McIntyre in a street fight after putting him through a table

Samoa Joe turned 45 today. MJF turned 28 a few days ago.

Road House, with Conor McGregor as one of the stars, debuts on Prime Video on Thursday. McGregor said he’s got two fights left on his UFC contract but doesn’t know as UFC hasn’t offered him a date. From the UFC perspective, with their PPV money guaranteed by ESPN, there is no special impetus like in the past to get McGregor to fight as much as possible.

Jose Aldo is coming out of retirement to fight Jonathan Martinez on 5/4 in Rio de Janeiro on UFC 301. Aldo confirmed the fight on his Instagram account. Aldo hasn’t fought MMA since losing to Merab Dvalishvili in 2022.

Updated card for the three-hour AEW special on Wednesday night from Toronto:

  • Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage I quit match for TNT title
  • Eddie Kingston vs. Kazuchika Okad for the Continental title
  • Hook vs. Chris Jericho
  • Thunder Rosa & Deonna Purrazzo vs. Toni Storm & Mariah May
  • Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Willow Nightingale & Kris Statlander street fight
  • Orange Cassidy & Trent Baretta vs. Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher in the tag team title tournament

AEW will be running Daily’s Place on 4/24 through 4/27. The reason they are there is because that’s the week of the NFL draft.

A&E tonight has John Cena vs. Randy Orton for WWE Rivals at 8 p.m. Eastern and the bio on DDP at 9 p.m.

Bille Starkz vs. Queen Aminata to create the first ROH women’s TV champion will be added to the 4/5 ROH Supercard of Honor special.

Tag team tournament winners Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa, who were to challenge Jack Morris & Anthony Greene for the GHC tag titles today in Yokohama, ended up being replaced by Saxon Huxley & Timothy Thatcher in that match because Kiyomiya suffered a spinal cord concussion during training earlier in the week. Morris & Grene retained in the main event.

The Stardom Cinderella tournament has the semifinals and finals on Wednesday in Nagoya. The semifinals are Ruaka vs. Hanan and Mei Seira vs. AZM. Today in Shiga, Seira beat Ami Sohrei via over the top rope, Hanan beat Starlight Kid, Ruaka beat Xena and AZM beat Miyu Amasaki. The main event on Wednesday is Maika vs. Utami Hayashishita for the World of Stardom title.

TNA’s Under Siege PPV in Albany, NY, was supposed to go on sale yesterday, but didn’t. A new on-sale date will be announced.

Parker Boudreaux debuted in AAA this weekend.

This is a list of those coming to WrestleCon in Philadelphia and doing autograph signings: Ronda Rousey, Ric Flair, Tony Shiavone, Bobby Fulton, Abdullah the Butcher, Jim Duggan, Dustin Rhodes, Ricky Stars, Thunder Rosa, Bryan Keith, Paul Walter Hauser, Enzo, Kelly Kelly, Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, Sgt. Slaughter, Atsushi Onita, Tajiri, Willow Nightingale, The Bunny, Xia Brookside, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Josh Alexander, Mike Santana, Jonathan Gresham, Jordynne Grace, Queen Aniomanta, Chavo Guerrero, Hector Guerrero, Steve Blackman, Elias, Lisa Marie Varon, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Jerry Lawler Jake Roberts, Bob Orton, Mistico, Matt Riddle, Steph De Lander, Summer Rae, Tod Gordon, Nic Nemeth, Stnig, Rob Van Dam, Kevin Nash The Hardys, Lita, Dan Malenko, Mikey Whipwreck, John Nord, Terri Runnels, Warlord, Barbarian, Alicia Fox, Colt Cabana, Mil Muertes, Maria Kanellis, Mariah May, Rikishi ODB, Demolition, Tommy Rich, Lince Dorado, Tony Atlas, Masha Slamvoch, Godfather, Anna Jay, Tito Santana, Brooke Adams and more.

Paul Walter Hauser vs. Sami Callihan was added to the Mark Hitchcock Memorial show on 4/5 in Philadelphia at the 2300 Arena. The show is about to sell out. Mike Bailey faces Rob Van Dam on the show.

There is a Grapple Con event on 4/20 in Orlando at the Rosen Centre with Ron Simmons, a World Class panel with One Man Gang, Missy Hyatt, Al Perez, Brian Adias, Jack Victory and Marc Lorrance plus Stan Hansen, Larry Zbyszko, D-Von Dudley, Kimberly Page, Serana Deeb, Matt Riddle, AJ Francis, McKenzie Mitchell , Bushwhacker Luke Williams and Ivelisse.

CZW will be running the Murphy Rec Center in Philadelphia on 4/7 at 1 p.m. over Mania weekend. Rich Swann is on the show.

Jesus “Ricardo” Rodriguez said today that he is celebrating two years of sobriety.

Wrestling Revolver from last night in Clive IA:

  • Ace Austin b Rich Swann
  • Jake Something b Madman Fulton
  • Marina Shafir b Mike Bailey
  • Lince Dorado & Samuray del Sol b Grizzled Young Veterans to win Revolver tag titles
  • Paul Walter Hauser b Matt Cardona in a no DQ match. Bully Ray helped Hauser and power bombed Cardona through a flaming table.
  • Gringo Loco over Kevin Knight, Jake Crist, Myron Reed, Brent Oakley, Warhorse and Damian Chambers
  • Alex Shelley b JT Dunn to keep the Revolver title
  • Steve Maclin & Killer Kelly & Alex Colon & Rickey Shane Page b Mance Warner & Matthew Juice & 1 Called Manders & Masha Slamovich in an Elimination Games match which is a combination War Games and elimination match