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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Observer is out today.  There are a ton of major stories covered including:

  • Bad Blood coverage
  • Dwayne Johnson’s wrestling update which is a big surprise
  • Crown Jewel and Survivor Series
  • Bill Goldberg notes
  • Business notes on the show
  • What finish was changed
  • What match was also nearly changed and why and notes on head shots with objects
  • AEW goes from the highest of highs to record lows
  • What to learn from this week’s numbers
  • How successful AEW will be financially compared to major  companies like WCW and WWE over the past 30 years
  • Next NXT vs. Dynamite head-to-head is a few weeks away
  • Notes on WrestleDream and positive business notes
  • UFC 307 full coverage
  • Janel Grant’s side asks for WWE to release women from NDAs
  • Unique quote from Ari Emanuel from last year and how it plays into this story
  • The full letter from Ann Callis
  • The most detailed look at the  TV ratings from all the national shows, including placings, competition, demos and segments.
  • CMLL focusing on women’s wrestling this month
  • AAA Heroes Inmortales notes and Guerra de Titanes card
  • Stardom PPV coverage
  • NOAH and New Japan both have major shows this week
  • Vikingo vs. Ricochet
  • International Wrestling Hall of Fame notes
  • More background on Ernie Roth, the Grand Wizard of Wrestling/Abdullah Farouk
  • Bound for Glory news
  • 70s and 80s legend looking to become the oldest male wrestler of all-time
  • Does WBD own a percentage of AEW?
  • Legendary ROH Matches added to the ROH television show
  • What’s notable about AEW’s Mexico TV dal
  • Luchasaururs update
  • Taz update
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Largest streaming numbers
  • Injury updates
  • Fighters talk about health and money issues
  • How much will Anderson Silva get if the Cung Le case gets settled this week.
  • What fighters will make millions of dollars in the settlement.
  • Conor McGregor to stand trial over a 2018 case.
  • Former UFC champion coming  out of retirement
  • How Hurricanes affecting WWE
  • Update on the viewership of Mr. McMahoin and Queen of Villains on Netflix
  • How much  WWE is getting from the government for next year’s SummerSlam and why
  • Newcomers ready to debut
  • International TV ratings
  • Unique wrestling TV special aired

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Thursday Update

WWE

  • UFC star Tom Aspinall made an appearance at WWE’s house show in Manchester, England yesterday. Aspinall, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther took a picture together in the ring with their three title belts.
  • Jey Uso delivered a People’s Elbow/Yeet Elbow to Bron Breakker during a match on the UK house show tour.
  • While speaking with The Wrestling Classic, Bret Hart named Rey Mysterio as the opponent he would want to work with if he could face anyone right now:
    • If I could pick one guy, it would be Rey Mysterio. I always forget Rey Mysterio, but I think Rey Mysterio is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Like, he’s right up there as the best there is, best there was, best there ever will be. He’s really good. He’s really special. Nobody can do what Rey Mysterio does.
  • TNA wrestler Sami Callihan told Tru Heel Heat Wrestling that he’s been impressed by how good NXT’s Sol Ruca is:
    • One of the people I’m most impressed with that came from NXT to TNA is Sol Ruca. Like, for someone that is rather inexperienced – she’s out of this world. Some of the things she can do in this ring and her presence are wild.
  • Politico’s Alex Isenstadt reports that presidential candidate Donald Trump is expected to appear on The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast: “Trump is expected to do an interview this week on the Undertaker podcast, which is hosted by retired wrestling great Mark Calaway, per person familiar.”
  • Karrion Kross was a guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
  • In a social media video, NXT talent were asked which actor should play them in a hypothetical movie:
    • Thea Hail: Madelyn Cline
    • Shawn Michaels: Brad Pitt
    • Kelani Jordan: Mya or Halle Berry
    • Mark Coffey: John Goodman
    • Je’Von Evans: Jaden Smith
    • Roxanne Perez: Jenna Ortega
    • Ethan Page: Robert Downey Jr.
    • Ashante Adonis: Michael B. Jordan
    • Karmen Petrovic: Gal Gadot
    • Oba Femi: Winston Duke
    • Jakara Jackson: Meagan Good
    • Charlie Dempsey: Steve Coogan
    • Lash Legend: Porsha Williams from Real Housewives of Atlanta
    • Trick Williams: Himself
  • Here’s the lineup for this Friday’s episode of NXT Level Up:
    • Tavion Heights vs. Malik Blade
    • Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe vs. Niko Vance & Harlem Lewis
    • Layla Diggs vs. Lainey Reid
  • WWE uploaded a Playlist video of Kevin Owens’ most villainous moments.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Toni Storm was interviewed on CMLL Informa ahead of making her CMLL debut against La Catalina at Arena Mexico this Friday night.
  • No-Contest Wrestling uploaded part one of their interview with Swerve Strickland.
  • Excalibur was the guest on AEW Unrestricted this week.
  • A tribute to Joe Koff aired on Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Fox 45 station in Baltimore.
  • TNA Wrestling mourned the death of singer Liam Payne, who once got into the ring with Kurt Angle in a promotional match for his band One Direction: “We join the world in mourning Liam Payne – a wonderful man and artist. Liam was a huge wrestling fan and we were honoured to be able to work with him on 1D Day when he wrestled, and beat, @RealKurtAngle.”
  • Angle tweeted that it was an honor to have shared the ring with Payne.
  • MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima will defend his title against Bobby Fish on the TV taping portion of MLW’s Lucha Apocalypto event in Cicero, Illinois on Saturday, November 9.
  • Raj Dhesi (the former Jinder Mahal) spoke with The Takedown in advance of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s debut weekend:
    • Yeah, this is [a] huge opportunity for wrestling, and especially Canadian wrestling. This would be incredible, if somehow we can maybe make this a monthly, weekly, semi-monthly type of event. And, you know, all across Canada? I think that’s the goal. That would be an amazing thing for the wrestling business, especially in Canada.
    • I’ve always wanted to work with Scott [D’Amore]. I’ve never got a chance to work with him ever in the past, but I’m very familiar with everything that he’s done in the business, the wrestlers that he’s trained, and Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, kind of resurrecting it, is a huge achievement.
  • The Chicago Bears wished Steve “Mongo” McMichael a happy 67th birthday.
  • Ric Flair tweeted: “Happy Birthday To The Toughest Person I Know Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael! Mongo, I Have So Many Fond Memories With You Over The Years! Your Friendship Means The World To Me! Your Bravery & Strength Is Unmatched! Love You My Friend!”
  • Bill Apter spoke with Jerry Lawler for Sportskeeda WrestleBinge.
  • Freddie Prinze Jr. joined Nic & Ryan Nemeth on this week’s edition of their Nemeth Bros podcast.