Daily Update: WWE notes, Mina Shirakawa, TNA Impact lineup

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • Lots more on the AAA sale to TKO (and that it’s not actually completed), CMLL’s cryptic response, Grand Slam Mexico, Dorian Roldan talks why he sold and Konnan and Latin Lover talk the future of AAA and in theory how things change in Mexico and the U.S., plus the major business goals.
  • Tam Nakano ends her career, Mayu Iwatani leaves Stardom, Stardom puts on its biggest show with its biggest match in history and a couple of award categories this should do well in.
  • Update on WWE Backlash
  • Update on both major lawsuits against Vince McMahon and WWE. New plaintiffs emerge in the ringboys suit and a new Vice President is implicated, and Janel Grant’s attorneys push for the case to move forward while the defendants want discovery held up.
  • Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff promote Real American Freestyle. What they need for success, what mistakes they’ve already made and is Hogan the right person to the face of the company
  • Full coverage of TNA Rebellion
  • Long story on the Hollywood Demons episode on the Von Erichs, how this is different from other stories, more on the deaths, the political situation in Texas and things in the new documentary that aren’t completely accurate, as well as dispelling major myths.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings, including placings, demos, competition and more for all the shows
  • End of the CMLL Universal championship tournament with a super finish
  • MLW vs. CMLL matches this week
  • Champion Carnival update
  • Lots of New Japan big matches coming up
  • Meiko Satomura retires
  • Big indie shows this week
  • Big Progress tournament this week
  • RVD injury update
  • More NXT stars on TNA television
  • AEW expects one of its biggest gates for upcoming show
  • Bryan Danielson talks his career and AEW
  • Advanced ticket sales for upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Lots of injury updates
  • PFL involved in a number of messy lawsuits
  • Freak show fight with powerlifters gets major attention
  • SmackDown time slot change
  • Did you know the person behind the movie with Liv Morgan did a movie based on a Hall of Fame 80s and 90s pro wrestling legend
  • Value of WWE’s PLEs on the open market
  • The story of the most powerful man in combat sports that most reporters aren’t touching
  • Lots of notes on the Smashing Machine movie
  • How much Dwayne Johnson has made since joining the TK Board
  • More talk on a WWE all-women’s PPV show

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • The full Jordynne Grace vs. Giulia main event from NXT last night has been uploaded to WWE’s YouTube channel. Grace won the number one contender’s match to earn an NXT Women’s Championship shot against Stephanie Vaquer at Battleground on May 25.
  • Myles Borne won a 25-man battle royal last night and will challenge NXT Champion Oba Femi at Battleground. Borne, who is partially deaf, is dedicating the match to anyone who has faced challenges or disabilities:
    • May 25th, I’m going to put it all on the line. This is for all the kids who are different. For those who face challenges or have a disability that they think limits them. Nothing limits us. If I can do it, you can too. Let’s ride
  • There was a backstage segment on NXT where Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Yoshiki Inamura – who had been in NXT since November 2024 – said he is now going back to Japan.
  • While speaking with Wide World of Sports in Australia, Rhea Ripley reflected on how special her WrestleMania 41 match against IYO SKY and Bianca Belair was:
    • It was a wild experience. It was special and honestly, I’ve done a lot – that was like my sixth WrestleMania – but this one was different and I know the outcome wasn’t exactly what I was wanting, but to go out there with the girls who I grew up with in NXT [was special].
    • I moved over here [to the United States] at 20 years old and these girls were pretty much my family, they were like my sisters and the only ones that I saw every single day.
    • It was a very competitive nature, but a very loving nature at the same time.
    • To go out at WrestleMania and have such an awesome match where you know that you had the crowd the entire time and that adrenaline rush – all of us broke down in tears.
    • Even on the bus afterwards, I couldn’t come down from that high. Seeing the video of Iyo’s family crying in the crowd, it was so special because I’ve had that moment and Bianca has had that moment. Iyo hadn’t had that moment yet and to see her have it and captured and presented to everyone, it was a really special day.
  • Billboard asked Randy Orton who he would fantasy book to be in the Randy Orton role if there was a new faction like Evolution:
    • Gosh. That’s a tough-ass question. So, you got a kid in NXT named Myles [Borne]. A lot of people compare me to him, and I guess he’s got some mannerisms. Maybe there’s a little bit of how we look similar, so his name pops up right away. I’ve seen him work, and he’s a badass in the ring. He’d be up there.
    • But I’ve always been an Austin Theory fan. I feel like he just needed to mature a little bit — just like we all do ’cause he started young — but starting that young and having that much going for you, you’re ahead of the game. Now that he’s becoming a man — so to speak before our eyes — I could see him finding who he is in that ring and settling down and being the fourth member for a group like that. And I did hear they’re comparing that new faction [Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker & Paul Heyman] to Evolution, and all I can say is that I’m honored. That’s awesome. I love that they’re still talking about stuff that I’ve done 20 years ago today. I take pride in that.
  • The WWE ID Championship tournaments will continue on Sunday, June 8 at an event hosted by indie promotion NYWC (New York Wrestling Connection) in Long Island, New York.
  • Seth Rollins was a guest on the Chicago Bears’ Etc. podcast.
  • The Creed Brothers joined Sheamus on this week’s episode of Celtic Warrior Workouts.
  • Sean “X-Pac” Waltman was a guest on The Ariel Helwani Show today.
  • WWE uploaded a video with footage of every time Randy Orton has hit an RKO on John Cena.
  • WWE wrestlers did the nonchalant elevator challenge on TikTok.
  • 2K Games shared a first look at the Motor City Machine Guns in WWE 2K25. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin will be available as DLC characters starting on May 14.
  • Logan Paul interviewed NFL legend Tom Brady on Impaulsive.

Other Wrestling

  • As she moves to the United States, Mina Shirakawa posted a goodbye to Japan, sharing a photo of her now-empty room: “I cried so many tears in this room. But every morning, I chose to fight for my future. Hard times may come. But I’ll never give up. Thank you, Japan.”
  • Dustin Rhodes told Sportskeeda WrestleBinge that he wants to win the ROH World Championship before he retires: “Before I retire, which will probably be in two or three years, I do want a shot at the Ring of Honor World title, and I think I can get it.”
  • Daily Star interviewed Will Ospreay.
  • An appearance by NXT’s Trick Williams – who will challenge Joe Hendry for the TNA World Championship at NXT Battleground on Sunday, May 25 – will kick off this Thursday’s Impact episode. Here is the announced lineup:
    • Trick Williams kicks off the show
    • Dog collar match: TNA International Champion Steve Maclin defends against Eric Young
    • We’ll hear from Matt & Jeff Hardy
    • Victoria Crawford (Alicia Fox in action)
    • Mustafa Ali vs. Trey Miguel
    • Lei Ying Lee vs. Rosemary
    • The Great Hands (Jason Hotch & John Skyler) vs. Aztec Warriors (Laredo Kid & Octagon Jr.)
  • Daria Berenato (Sonya Deville) will be doing “a little guest commentary” for women’s MMA promotion Invicta FC in Kansas City on Friday, May 16.
  • Okumura will be in action on the TV taping portion of MLW’s Azteca Lucha event in Cicero, Illinois this Saturday.
  • Gringo Loco has been added to the 10-man Cibernetico match that’s taking place at this year’s Dean Rasmussen tribute show in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday, May 24.