Daily Update: WWE Raw, AEW Rampage, KENTA

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered in this issue:

  • WWE sets gate record at Clash at the Castle, as well as a look at other metrics
  • Running down the news of the show
  • The Drew McIntyre angle
  • A look at the next two PPVs
  • What the other metrics tell us about the interest level for Clash
  • Why the Cung Le lawsuit that was thought to be settled hasn’t been ratified
  • What worried the Judge
  • What worries the lawyers on both sides
  • The real world and real life issues regarding the settlement
  • Update on Forbidden Door, All In and the Owen Hart tournament
  • Kevin Kelly talks suing AEW
  • The G1 Climax tournament
  • Key news notes on the tournament
  • Review of TripleMania in Tijuana
  • A look at this week’s episode of Who Killed WCW
  • The most detailed look at the ratings this past week for all the shows, quarters, competition and placings
  • CMLL Anniversary show note
  • Mistico anniversary week notes
  • Former WWE star now agent for AAA
  • Update on Giulia, Marigold and WWE
  • Notes on the death of one of Argentina’s top stars from the heyday
  • Shocker rehab notes
  • More on the shooting involving Shannon Ritch
  • Life of James Castle
  • TNA PPV rundown
  • AEW’s new Triller deal
  • Details on the Shane McMahon story going around
  • Attendance advances for all the upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • Streaming numbers for the week
  • International ratings
  • Update on McGregor vs. Chandler
  • Thoughts on Jake Paul’s next fight
  • New Wyatt Sicks news
  • Injury updates
  • Timeline of Hulk Hogan coming to WWF from AWA

This week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter back issue

Monday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio covering the  WWE deal in Indiana, Conor McGregor, G-1, AEW and all the latest news.
  • Raw tonight is from Indianapolis.  The bouts announced are Bron Breakker vs. Ludwig Kaiser, Shayna Baszler vs. Lyra Valkyria vs. Kairi Sane and Braun Strowman vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed in MITB qualifiers and Kofi Kingston vs. Karrion Kross.  The big draw is likely  the Wyatt Sicks follow-up.
  • The show goes against a giant game seven in the NHL playoffs with Edmonton vs. Florida in Florida.  Edmonton was down 0-3 in the series and has won three straight.  The last time a Canadian team has won the Cup was in 1993, so you can just imagine the interest level.  I expect it will be the largest television audience of the year for any show in Canada.  Obviously it’s not as big in the U.S., but it will hurt Raw ratings.  But Raw should have curiosity coming off week two of the Wyatt Sicks angle and MITB qualifying matches.  There were 10,500 tickets out as of today.  Good crowd but probably won’t be a legit sellout.
  • Rampage did 328,000 viewers  and 0.12 in 18-49 Friday night.  It was first in the time slot and I can’t remember the last time that happened.  It was  No. 6 on cable for the day.  
  • Kenta debuts with MLW on the 7/12 show in St. Petersburg, FL, facing  Bobby Fish in the first round of the Opera
  • The trailer for Dwayne Johnson’s movie “Red One” will be released tomorrow.
  • Taiji Ishimori may have suffered a left shoulder injury from  a handspring spot in Saturday’s Arena Coliseo match where he Mistiico beat Volador Jr. & Hiromu Takahashi, but he did wrestle last night.  As noted on last night’s show, in the post match, Mistico challenged Takahashi to a mask vs. hair match and Takahashi clearly said yes.  Still, don’t take that as it’s happening.
  • Tonight in Puebla is Mistico & Mascara Dorada vs. Rocky Romero & Ishimori, Hiromu Takahashi vs. Templario and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Virus.
  • Go out of your way to see the Sabre vs. Hehicero match from Saturday night.  It is one of the best technical wrestling matches you’ll ever see and unusual for those kind of bouts, it also had super heat.  Other bouts people have told us about to make sure and see are Josh Barnett vs. Jon Moxley from Bloodsort and today’s Yuma Anzai Triple Crown title defense against Hideki Suzuki.
  • The Friday night Arena Mexico card hasn’t  been announced but on Friday, Kyle Fletcher sent  in a tape promo and accepted a challenge from Atlantis Jr. for the ROH TV title.
  • NXT tomorrow has Trick Williams vs. Shawn Spears for the title, Tony D’Angelo vs. Nathan Frazer for the Heritage Cup, a tag team turmoil for a 7/7 title shot against Frazer & Axiom with Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson,  Chase U, New Catch Republic and Edris Enofe & Malik Blade, Wes Lee vs. Joe Coffey and Sol Ruca vs. Arianna Grace.
  • Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba was announced as the main event for the UFC’s 7/20 show from the Apex Arena.
  • Clash Wrestling vs. Alpha-1 Wrestling from yesterday in Taylor, MI:  Ren Jones & Elk & Cameron Skyy & Tommy Teznik b Max Caster & Dan the Dad & BMD & Etan Price with Ortiz as referee, Colt Cabana b  James Alexander, Mark Wheeler & Jessie V b Juntai & GAvin Quinn Allysin Kay b Jody Threat to retain the women’s title, Kody Lane won over Jason Hotch, Jake Crist and Rohit Raju to keep the Zero-Gravity title, Ren Jones b Shane Sabre to win the Clash title with Jerry Lynn as refere.  Jones replaced Ethan Page, who has signed with WWE.
  • Stance, a designed art toy company, announced a global partnership with UFC.  The premiere relae is a  Conor McGregor figure debuting this weekend.  There will be four variants of the McGregor figure, being released on 6/28.
  • Last week Hulk Hogan was at Mall of America promoting his new beer. (Longtime wrestling observers know that Hulk Hogan’s Pastamania once called the Mall of America home.)
  • But Hogan apparently no-showed some other promotional events, brother. (thanks to Eric Krol)
  • The final episode of Who Killed WCW airs tomorrow night on Vice.  The show covers the final episode of Nitro on March 26, 2001, which was the last WCW show ever.  The synopsis blames the fall on “the worst corporate merger of all-time.”  
  • Northeast Wrestling on 7/27 at the JCC of Greater New Haven in Woodbridge, CT, has Jinder Mahal as the headliner.
  • Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett and Satnam Snigh will be doing autographs and photos at the AIW show on 7/13 in Cleveland at Temple Live.