Daily Update: WWE notes, Sasha Banks, D-Von Dudley

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

*Vince McMahon talks about returning and we talk about the prospects of that, including from those close to him
*The Rita Chatterton story resurfaces, and we go back to look at the original story and current legal status as well as a new allegation against Vince McMahon that came up this week
*What can’t happen to WWE as long a McMahon wants back in
*What would have to take place before McMahon to return to power
*What risks are there for the company
*The Vice special on Vince McMahon and those who would and wouldn’t talk
*Mandy Rose gets fired and details of why it happened and what the original plans were regarding the women’s title
*ROH PPV coverage, Honor Club, PPV buys, ROH title change
*Sasha Banks and Japan WWE, AEW prospects, a return t WWE and more
*Notes on Wrestle Kingdom, the card,te story behind the card
*Updates on Matt Riddle
*Full coverage of UFC 282, hat happens next, business notes, what’s next for the fighters
*ROH Deadline and the debut of Iron Survivor
*Just how rapidly is cable losing homes, a list for the stations that air wrestling and MMA and what the numbers are now
*Tokyo Sports awards and story behind it
*PWG Battle of Los Angels
*The most detailed look at the ratings for all wrestling shows on national TV including how each segment did,
*Streaming numbers
*Advance ticket sales for the major WWE & AEW events
*Government works with Arena Mexico for a special event
*CMLL’s next tournament
*Konnan talks his health
*Rules in place for independent promoters and usage of El Hijo del Vikingo
*A look at a Mexico match of the year candidate
*A look at another match of the year candidate
*Finances of major wrestling conglomerate
*Future of Kota Ibushi
*Why the economics are going to be tougher for New Japan
*Coverage of the New Japan tag tournament finals
*Update on the MLW lawsuit against WWE
*Huge match in London this week
*AEW announces new television deal
*Behind the Jericho loss to Action Andretti
*What famous feud started in a similar fashion
*People who have been world champion in the U.S., Japan and Mexico
*UFC takes action regarding a suspicious fight
*World MMA Awards
*William Regal news
*WrestleMania news

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.

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • In his sports media predictions for 2023, Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand predicted that SmackDown will go to an NBC channel in WWE’s next TV deal:
          • The WWE’s TV deals expire at the end of 2024, but it will start to negotiate new deals in April, right around when ‘WrestleMania’ is in L.A. By the end of the year, the group will have a deal in place with NBCU that keeps ‘Raw’ and ‘NXT’ on USA and moves ‘SmackDown’ from Fox to one of NBC’s channels. The real significance of this deal comes in two years the two negotiate their Peacock deal. The deals for ‘Raw’ and ‘SmackDown’ will lay the groundwork for NBCU to buy WWE outright.
  • Sami Zayn spoke to Sports Illustrated about how he treats every moment with importance on TV:
          • It’s hard to articulate it, but some of these moments might not sound right on paper. Maybe some people felt that way during the Johnny Knoxville match with the Jackass guys at WrestleMania, or in my acceptance with The Bloodline, but for me, it’s all about treating every moment with importance. If it’s not important, why should the fans care? If I had said, ‘Logan Paul? This guy’s not even from here. He’s just a YouTuber and he doesn’t deserve our respect,’ then it’s over. That’s not how I looked at it. I thought working with him was like hitting a gold mine. I was doing a conspiracy thing where I was trying to make a documentary, and my character found this outside person with a global reach. So we put importance on him from the jump.
          • And The Bloodline thing isn’t working just because of me. It’s everyone’s commitment to it. That’s what is making it so interesting and so enjoyable.
  • Zayn starred in WWE’s annual happy holidays message to fans.
  • During a virtual autograph signing, Molly Holly addressed if she’ll be an entrant in the 2023 women’s Royal Rumble: “I told the creative writing team that if I do have to be in it, I need some advance notice because that hurts to go from not doing it for a long time and then getting thrown in there. They have not given me any notice as of yet and it’s getting close to that time, so they better tell me soon if I am going to have to be in it.”
  • Big E gave an update on how he’s feeling after his broken neck: “I have to get some more scans at the one-year mark in March and we’ll see how everything is looking. We’ll see from there. My C1 is broken in two spots, so we obviously have to be very smart about that. I was very fortunate. I want to make sure I’m making the best decision for myself. We’ll see in March. I feel great, I’m really thankful for that. I don’t have any nerve issues, no strength issues, no impairment whatsoever. Obviously, to get back in the ring to do what we do, I want to make sure my C1 is rock solid. Other than that, I’m very blessed. I feel great.”
  • Paul “Triple H” Levesque tweeted “an all-time overdue” point picture with new NXT Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods.
  • Drew Gulak, Titus O’Neil, Ricochet, and Sarah Schreiber appeared on WWE’s The Bump this afternoon.
  • Culture State interviewed Shawn Michaels
  • WWE has a Playlist video of the best moment from every month this year.
  • The following matches were uploaded to WWE’s YouTube channel today: Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey “I Quit” match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship (WrestleMania Backlash 2022) and Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles vs. The Miz TLC match for the WWE Championship (TLC 2020).

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • PWInsider reported that Mercedes Varnado (Sasha Banks) arrived in Japan today ahead of her scheduled appearance at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.
  • Tony Schiavone spoke about the health issues that Dean Malenko has had:
          • His health is not good. We had him on Starrcast in Chicago. No one had really talked about it, but he mentioned that he had Parkinson’s. He’s also had a heart attack. He’s got diabetes. So he’s had some serious, serious health problems, but he’s still a part of AEW backstage.
          • They always make sure that he’s, of the big matches when you see like Moxley or Danielson or one of those main events, big main events, Dean is always the coach. One of the reasons that they have Dean as the coach for it is he doesn’t put up with any bullsh*t at all. I’m glad to see him still working, but I’m very sad about his health problems that he’s had these days.
  • On Winnipeg Sports Talk Daily, Chris Jericho discussed AEW coming to Winnipeg for the first time next March:
          • That’s three months from now, so we’ll have to see where the storylines take us. We just finished up with the Blackpool Combat Club. The biggest upset in pro wrestling history when Action Andretti beat me on Dynamite last week. We’ll have to address that. Ricky Starks is another one that we’re looking at getting involved with. There are a lot of great programs. That’s the thing with me and the Jericho Appreciation Society. We always want to work with somebody new and really sink our teeth into the storyline. In mid-March, we’ll probably have a lot of cool things going. We’ve already discussed a few ideas of what we could do that night. Maybe something with Kenny and I, Kenny and I tagging, it all depends on what the storylines are. It doesn’t matter what the exact storylines are, I know it’s going to be a great show.
  • Jim Ross said he believes AEW will be in the house show business to some degree in 2023: “I believe, I don’t know this to be a fact but I believe in 2023, that AEW will be in the house show/live event business to some degree. I just think that it’s an opportunity that can be capitalized upon if AEW is strategic in their planning. I think that’s what Jeff Jarrett is working on.”
  • AEW released a new spotlight trailer for its Fight Forever video game. The trailer focuses on MJF.
  • Battleground Championship Wrestling posted a follow-up statement about D-Von Dudley being pulled from its A Tribute to the Extreme show:
          • Hey guys. I have a follow up statement to the situation with the WWE that I addressed in the ring this past Saturday. After having several conversations today I now know that everything that went down with D-Von was a misunderstanding. The wwe did not intentionally pull Dvon to hurt our show. I won’t get into those details but if I had the information then that I have now I wouldn’t have made the comments I made. It felt as if we were under attack and I reacted in the defense of our company. I can’t thank everyone enough for the support you showed and the future for The Battleground is limitless! Have an amazing rest of the holiday season and just remember… this March… A Champion Shall Rise! -Tim