Daily Update: WWE Elimination Chamber, Jay Briscoe, Royal Rumble notes

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • What records has the Royal Rumble 2023 already set and what records have a good chance to be set
  • Amazing advance for the show
  • The debate about the men’s winner and prior year comparisons
  • The Steve Austin question
  • The business of Peacock
  • Original Austin approach
  • Cody Rhodes return
  • Full rundown of Raw 30 and the giant ratings and how each segment did
  • Complaints by the Bellas about the show
  • Why certain segments of the show changed
  • The story behind WBD clearing Mark Briscoe and the reason that hasn’t come out why there were previous issues
  • Different ways AEW paid tribute to Briscoe
  • Update on family and fundraisers
  • A look at the Okada-Kiyomiya angle and the keys to it
  • The Muto retirement at the Tokyo Dome show
  • What the New Japan vs. NOAH show and other New Japan shows have shown about recovery of the business
  • UFC 283 coverage with the retirements of Shogun Rua and Glover Teixeira
  • What is next for Jamahal Hill and Brandon Moreno
  • Business notes on the show
  • A look at the life and career of Jose Aldo and his biggest fights including how one of his fights changed the entire direction of MMA for lighter weight fighters and was so successful the company closed up, as weird as that is to say
  • A look at more Japanese awards voting
  • The life of Benny Galant, a 60s star who passed away this week who was a major rival of the biggest names in the history of Mexican wrestling, including El Santo and Mil Mascaras, and twice set EMLL’s company gate records. This is a major history piece covering one of the biggest eras of wrestling in any country.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week
  • Streaming numbers, international numbers
  • Ticket advances for all AEW & WWE shows through WrestleMania
  • What could be CMLL’s best match of this year
  • The story behind Negro Casas jumping to AAA, how long has this been in the works, how long has Konnan wanted this and his duties outside the ring
  • A look at upcoming AAA major shows
  • Update on a number of upcoming major New Japan shows
  • What former WWE star is mad at Dwayne Johnson over his portrayal in Young Rock
  • 80s star arrested for a number of things
  • WBD head talks AEW and Slap Fighting
  • Behind the AEW new deal with DAZN
  • Lawsuit filed against AEW
  • Update on Kenny Omega
  • San Francisco records for wrestling
  • Conor McGregor investigation reported
  • Lots of big UFC fights announced
  • More on Luke Rockhold coming out of retirement
  • Famous MMA trainer will no longer corner fighters
  • Former pro wrestler talks about Slap Fighting and what he was offered
  • Update on Vince McMahon in the office
  • Another lawsuit filed against WWE regarding McMahon’s return and how two other suits were basically nullified
  • Notes on new NIL signings by WWE
  • WWE getting major mainstream pub
  • WWE injury updates
  • Weekend NXT & WWE house show notes

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.

Sunday Update

Our Royal Rumble post-show is up on the site tonight. I also did a show with Garret Gonzales talking about the news of the past week and the latest business stuff. Bryan and I will be back tomorrow night with another show after Raw.

Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn is now as confirmed as it can be for the 2/18 Elimination Chamber show main event in Montreal. I’m not sure what the men’s chamber match would be for since you’ve got Cody Rhodes already for the main event at WrestleMania. Of course this is WWE and everything is subject to change, but major changes to planned PPV shows have been less with Paul Levesque in charge.

The funeral for Jamin Pugh aka Jay Briscoe took place earlier today at Laurel High School. A lot of major names in wrestling came in. Tony Khan got a jet to bring in a lot of AEW wrestlers with him. Mark spoke at length, as did his parents. They have very strong beliefs of an afterlife and Mark noted that this was the test of his beliefs. He told some funny stories including how they were kids and loved to wrestle on their trampoline as kids and pretend to be Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and others from that era. He was thankful for the people who came. (thanks to Luis Santos)

The full service is here:

There were around 1,200 people who showed up but only a few hundred were allowed in because of the size of the venue. Among those who attended with Tony Khan, Chris Jericho, Adam Cole, Adam Page, AJ Styles, Britt Baker, Jay Lethal, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Sonjay Dutt, Dalton Castle, Cash Wheeler, Colt Cabana Trent Baretta, Christopher Daniels, Mike Bennett, Maria Kanellis, Jonathan Gresham, Caprice Coleman, Cheeseburger, James Ellsworth, BJ Whitmer, Bobby Cruise, Ian Riccaboni, Matt Sydal, Matt Taven, Rhett Titus, Silas Young, Ivar, Kenny King, Bobby Fish, Marty Scurll, Beer City Bruiser, Vincent and Mike Bailey.

The Royal Rumble had 500,000 Google searches over the weekend. That’s the expected number It was the same as the UFC PPV show a week prior. With no UFC event over the weekend, nothing from MMA or boxing all week cracked the top 20 on any day. The announcement of John Cena as the cover person of the WWE video game had 50,000 searches which was No. 13 on Monday.

Not a lot of major notes from last night’s show. If you didn’t see it, the angle at the end was one of the better angles in years. Aside from the Jey Uso walk out, it was pretty much what you would have expected, but the way it was done and more important, the crowd reaction showed how hot it was. 

Rey Mysterio was injured in his match with Karrion Kross on Friday so they used his injury to further the storyline with Dominik.

On last night’s show we mentioned that Sheamus had done an interview regarding his tag team with Drew McIntyre breaking up. According to those in the company, either he was misinterpreted or was joking as the team is not breaking up as far as anyone knows.

Cody Rhodes called last night the biggest moment of his career, above The All In show, the return at last year’s WrestleMania, the Hell in a Cell with Rollins and the match with Dustin. Rhodes will be on Logan Paul’s podcast on Tuesday.

MLW has closed a TV deal in France for Ch. 197 (free) and Ch. 208 on Bouygues. It covers virtually every home in the country. It starts this coming week and will start with a marathon of Fusion shows.

We’re looking for your thoughts on the Rumble, so you can leave a thumbs up, down or middle, along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Not a lot happened over the weekend aside from the Rumble. The match we heard from several people a the top match of the weekend was Yuji Hino’s win over the KO-D title (DDT Promotion) from Kazusada Higuchi from earlier today at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.

Other Notes

Luke Rockhold is really pushing for a boxing match with Jake Paul, claiming that Paul’s current next opponent, Tommy Fury, is as much of a boxer as he is a cricket player.

Several MMA sites went with this clip from Friday’s LVL Up where Lola Vice, who is former Bellator fighter Valerie Loureda, made her debut.

The LFA announced a 3/24 show in Niagara Falls,NY at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. The show will air live on UFC Fight Pass. Rafael Do Nascimento (8-1) faces Jerrell Hodge (9-3) for the interim bantamweight title in the main event.

St. Louis Anarchy from Friday night in St. Louis: Jacques Kennedy & Scott Tyler b Tommy Davis & Jay Marson, Davey Vega b Thomas Shier, Craig Mitchell b Anakin Murphy, Aaron Williams b Adrian Surge, Moonshine Mantell & KC Karrington & Nick King & Sage Phillips b Camaro Jackson & Billy McNeil & Austin Blackburn & Nikki Victory, Manders b Gary Jay, Billie Starkz b Evan Gelistico, Jeremy Wyatt b Mad Dog Connelly, Christian Rose b Kenny Alfonso, Derek Neal b Warhorse (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)