Daily Update: WWE notes, Miro, Reality of Wrestling

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: William Regal discusses health, WrestleMania 38 update

  • The main story covers William Regal’s health issues and brush with death. Regal was on Talk is Jericho and went into detail about his issues that date back nearly 30 years including with his heart, his neck, his balance and sepsis in his leg.
  • WrestleMania, Stand & Deliver, Hall of Fame and all the WWE events this coming week in Dallas. We have lineups, matches not yet announced, Hall of Fame updates, ticket sales, scalper tickets and more.
  • Another story on Scott Hall, looking at the first gimmick he pitched to Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson before Razor Ramon, times he was very upset about plans changing where he thought he needed to win, the proposal he made to McMahon in 1996 to not leave for WCW and who he learned from when his work took its greatest strides forward.
  • An update on the New Japan Cup and all the matches of the past week.
  • A story on the NCAA wrestling tournament and Gable Steveson, with all the business notes, Steveson to WWE, possibility of continuing with amateur wrestling at the Olympic level or fighting MMA.
  • The Jorge Masvidal-Colby Covington story, what both men did and said that led to it and UFC’s attitude and treatment of those who draw money.
  • The first AAA TripleMania show of the year.
  • Complete coverage of UFC in London.
  • The life and times of Pepper Martin, a 60s and 70s star who was also an actor, his idea that led to the formation of one of the greatest tag teams in history, his acting running mates, career highlights, his biggest Cow Palace matches and other career highlights.
  • DDT’s major show and the announced relationship with AEW.
  • CMLL’s El Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show and the honoring of Ringo Mendoza and Dorrell Dixon.
  • TV ratings of all the major pro wrestling shows and how it relates to sports and television overall.
  • The sad accident that led to the death of Black Warrior Jr.
  • If you asked 100 people on the street to name a pro wrestler, who is the first person that would be said.
  • Crockett Cup notes.
  • Ticket sales for all upcoming AEW & WWE shows plus scalper markets for the big shows.

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: February 7, 2005 Observer Newsletter: Royal Rumble review, business year in review

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Tuesday News Update

WWE

  • In an interview with CBS Sports, The Undertaker was asked about giving his Hall of Fame speech in front of a full crowd:
    • The short answer is extremely special. The long answer is it’s extremely nerve-wracking. I’ve wrestled in front of 100,000-plus crowds [and] not bat an eye about it. I can get in front of thousands and thousands of people as The Undertaker and cut a promo on somebody. I don’t think twice about it. But what’s going to happen at the Hall of Fame is, yes, you’re going to get a kind of a retrospective of The Undertaker and his 30-plus years with the company, but you’re going to get a look behind the curtain at Mark Calaway. What all of those things that people have been so attached to for all those years, you’re going to find out what those things have meant to me personally.
    • The retirement was during the pandemic and it was what it was. That was easy. I mean, it was hard for me to say that I’m retiring, but it was easy because there was nobody there. Now I’m going to be making eye contact with 15,000 to 20,000 people and try to keep my composure. There are going to be some emotional moments, I’m sure. At this point, I’m extremely honored that I’m being inducted. I’m honored and I’m excited to be able to share some things with the fans who have been with me all these years. It’s really exciting.
  • Bret Hart told Sports Illustrated about his match against Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13: “The match with Steve, that’s the greatest song I ever sang. When I watch it back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I still love seeing that spot where I’m punching the daylights out of Steve in the corner and he kicks me in the groin. It was a beautiful, violent piece of art. Working with Steve was easy, it was fun, and it was memorable. We put a lot of heart into that match. It captures every element you see in a back-and-forth UFC fight. I always love the Iron Man match [against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII, too. Pound-for-pound workload, that was the hardest match of my career, but I love the psychology of my match with Steve. I think of the expression, ‘No animals were harmed in the making of the movie.’ There were some hard falls and good shots with Steve, a fight between two warriors.”
  • Dolph Ziggler was also interviewed by Sports Illustrated. He said he’s “comically surprised” to be NXT Champion right now: “I am comically surprised to be the NXT champion right now. I went to NXT to do some scouting, to see who had that twinkle in their eye or if anyone would be ready in a year or two, and check out Bron Breakker. A few weeks later, I was NXT Champion. I didn’t expect this.”
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Lita discussed if she’ll return to the ring again: “I think it has been cool and inspiring seeing Edge come back after all that happened with his neck, and he can still go and knows how to engage with the crowd. It is tempting, but at the same time, I don’t know. I feel conflicted. I feel proud of what I did with Becky and everything is good. But at the same time, there is that part that says, ‘Well how much better would it be if I trained for it if the opportunity falls in my lap again?’ But I don’t want to force it. It might happen. Someone might call me out on TV and then I will answer.”
  • The Athletic published a story on Sasha Banks.
  • Ricochet tweeted this morning: “Let me be clear. If you and a group of people are waiting in the lobby of my hotel, or in the check in area at the airport at 4-5am (sometimes earlier) in the morning, to ask for multiple autographs, is such an invasion of privacy. I will be the FIRST person to say no. However, If you happen to see me out & about somewhere please come say hi & chat! I love interacting, just don’t wait in the lobby of where we are staying. Don’t wait & hoard us in the check in areas at the airport etc. Treat us with respect and respect is what you will receive.”
  • United States Champion Finn Balor vs. Apollo Crews in a non-title match and Cedric Alexander vs. Veer Mahaan were taped for this week’s episode of Main Event prior to Raw last night.
  • WWE has filed trademarks for the names “Elton Prince” and “Kit Wilson.”
  • WWE Shop released a Vince McMahon “If people think I’m an asshole, congratulations. I am.” T-shirt. The quote is from McMahon’s interview with Pat McAfee.
  • WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 34, Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn from WrestleMania 37 night two, and Nikki A.S.H. vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship from SummerSlam 2021.

Other Wrestling

  • In a post on Instagram, AEW’s Miro revealed that he’s living in Brooklyn for a couple of weeks while filming a pilot: “Living in Brooklyn for couple of weeks. Very excited about shooting this great pilot!!! Meet Nikolai Dushkin….. and pickles, of course”
  • WWE has transferred ownership of the trademarks “Matt Hardy” and “Mia Yim” over to Hardy and Yim.
  • The Ringer’s Kevin Clark tweeted today: “Tony Schiavone was at the hotel bar at the NFL owners meetings last night. An NFL GM was yelling ‘TONY SCHIAVONE! THE GREATEST!’ over and over, doing impressions and asked to be put in a headlock. NFL GMs: they are just like us.”
  • AEW is debuting a new Twitch show called “All Elite Arcade” at 11 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow morning.
  • Due to “unforeseen circumstances,” Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling promotion is rescheduling its Texas Showdown, Texas Legends, and Sherri Martell Classic events that were set to take place this week.
  • Chris Dickinson vs. Biff Busick is set for GCW In Too Deep in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday, April 30.
  • Jonathan Gresham was the guest on the latest episode of The Kurt Angle Show.