Daily Update: WWE notes, Adam Cole, MLW title match

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • What people thought of WrestleMania and Stand & Deliver
  • An in-depth look at WrestleMania
  • Crowd reactions
  • Dwayne Johnson and his role in the show and the entire back story
  • How the John Cena story started and evolved
  • Why the Cena retiring the belt story makes no sense historically
  • Johnson tells his version of what went down
  • Matches that at different points were scheduled for the show and how they changed
  • Show audience
  • Joe Hendry story
  • How much WWE spent on Mania week compared to what AEW spent for Double or Nothing week
  • A look at all the matches and angles
  • Detailed look at how the WWE purchase of AAA went down, the partners, different people comment on what it means, AAA’s history as well as its attempt to expand to the U.S., Lucha Underground, does this effect CMLL, the original When Worlds Collide, how AAA was formed and more
  • The death of Hisashi Shinma, the golden age of New Japan Pro Wrestling, how he first got into wrestling, what he’s credited with as a booker, the rise of Inoki, the first UWF, Universal Lucha Libre, WWE Presidency, Backlund vs. Inoki, Inoki vs. Ali and more
  • A look at the life and career of Steve McMichael
  • CMLL and a week of sellouts including a killer Friday main event
  • WWE NXT Stand & Deliver coverage and poll
  • The life and times of Black Terry
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the wrestling and MMA shows this past week, demos, competition and segments looked at, as well as streaming numbers for Raw
  • Universal tournament ends this week
  • Biggest women’s show of the year this week
  • What’s new with Tetsuya Naito & Bushi
  • Dark Side of the Ring on Billy Graham
  • A look at the Mania week on the indies side including Bloodsport
  • Notes on future AEW PPV shows
  • Kenny Omega on What is the best schedule for wrestlers?
  • Mark Hunt’s case against UFC and Brock Lesnar thrown out
  • Advanced ticket sales to WWE & AEW shows
  • How streaming platform advertising works vs. television
  • Bayley talks her knee injury
  • WWE ID tournaments

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE is promoting John Cena vs. Randy Orton at Backlash with the tagline “One Last Time.” The match is Cena’s first Undisputed WWE Championship defense of his retirement tour, which will conclude in December 2025.
  • Hulk Hogan told Forbes that he felt “disconnected” from John Cena’s heel turn when WWE didn’t follow up on The Rock appearing at Elimination Chamber:
    • At the end of the day, when he turned heel—like the [nWo] storyline, like Eric [Bischoff] said—we set it up, we set up, we set up, then we delivered. And then not only did we deliver, we rolled out with me, Hall and Nash. And that story kept snowballing and snowballing, and we kept getting more evil and evil. And so for me, watching that story with John Cena, when The Rock did the throat thing, cut his throat, and John Cena turned heel, I expected more of the same.
    • And then John Cena came out and there was no Rock, and I just got disconnected at that point, ’cause I was expecting the characters to keep rolling out like we did. So I know everybody’s got movies and obligations and stuff, but it didn’t feel like that big tidal wave coming at you. Like when the nWo took over, man, I even hate to say the word, we just cleaned house and beat everybody’s ass, and we just killed it. All the babyfaces were crying and complaining, and it got really ugly. We were so powerful with that trio.
  • In an interview with Undisputed, Jimmy Hart called Paul Heyman the greatest manager of all time:
    • It’s Paul Heyman. He’s my favorite, and he’s been doing this at such a high level for so long. What he’s doing now is the best stuff in wrestling. He’s putting food on the table for a lot of people in WWE.
    • Paul Heyman, he’s magic. He makes every part of what he’s doing so meaningful. That’s what I tried to do, too–if they were going to paint me yellow, then I brought the paint. Paul is the same way–you have to watch to see what he’s going to do next. He’s a genius.
  • Dakota Kai, who hasn’t wrestled in more than a month, tweeted yesterday: “I miss wrestling and I miss you guys”
  • Kai then followed that up with another post: “Not hurt btw!”
  • WWE uploaded the full IYO SKY & Jordynne Grace vs. Giulia & Roxanne Perez main event from NXT last night.
  • SKY thanked the audience for the reception they gave her on NXT: “What an amazing night!! The NXT universe welcomed me very warmly!! Thank you #WWENXT!!!”
  • On commentary during NXT, Corey Graves acknowledged Meiko Satomura’s retirement and congratulated her on having an unbelievable career.
  • Sol Ruca appeared on the post-NXT edition of Busted Open Radio After Dark.
  • Busted Open and Screen Rant have interviews with Zelina Vega. After winning the WWE Women’s United States title last Friday, Vega told Busted Open that – while in New York – she’s going to the 9/11 Memorial so she can place single’s gold on her late father Michael Trinidad’s name:
    • I am going to the 9/11 Memorial and finally getting to put single’s gold on my dad’s name at the memorial. So I’m very, very excited to finally do that. And, I mean, the thing is, it doesn’t mean that the journey is over in that sense because I still – there’s always a part of you that’s like, ‘I want the World title.’ I do. And I think if anything, this inspires me to show people who I am as a champion. And you kind of have a duty to show them how you can rock with that title too.
    • So it’s nice to be able to finally just do this and have that moment because I’ve wanted it for so, so long.
  • Montez Ford has been announced as one of the inductees for the Boys & Girls Club of America Alumni Hall of Fame class of 2025. Ford said he’s “humbled, grateful, and truly honored” by the induction.
  • WWE uploaded a behind-the-scenes vlog from NXT Stand & Deliver.

Other Wrestling

  • TNT Champion Adam Cole told Comicbook.com that Will Ospreay and Kevin Knight are two of the people he really wants to face in AEW. 
  • Cole praised the work Ricochet is doing as a heel:
    • Unbelievable. I mean, again, when you look at Ricochet, anyone who’s seen Ricochet wrestle, he’s maybe the best athlete I’ve ever seen. Just like an absolute freak of nature. We jokingly in the locker room – we call him an alien. Like, he’s not even a real person. He’s not even a human being. The things he can do [are] just absolutely unbelievable.
    • Clearly one of the best, one of the most athletically gifted guys in the entire world, but getting to see this different side of Ricochet has been so much fun because he’s showing the world what he can bring to the table. Maybe people thought, ‘Oh, ok, cool. He can do all these really, really cool athletic things, and that’s awesome, and we really love that.’ But now he’s showing what a great character he can be. The timing that he has. His aura right now is absolutely unbelievable. So, yeah, Ricochet’s work has been absolutely incredible to watch. It’s been super, super fun. And I’ll tell you what, I may be a good guy, but I’m liking this new side of Ricochet. I am.
  • The Express spoke with Samoa Joe.
  • First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo interviewed Adam Copeland.
  • Billie Starkz noted that she’s only a few classes away from obtaining her associate’s degree: “Exams next week and then Summer break! Three classes away from my associates degree! Woohooo!”
  • TNA announced that we’ll hear from Steve Maclin on this Thursday’s live episode of Impact following his successful International title defense against Eric Young at Rebellion.
  • Matt Riddle will defend his MLW World Heavyweight title against Donovan Dijak at the promotion’s Azteca Lucha show in Cicero, Illinois on Saturday, May 10.
  • Marigold is holding a press conference overnight tonight at 3 a.m. Eastern time.