Daily Update: WWE Raw, Cody Rhodes, Catherine Newman

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: MJF walk out & promo, Double or Nothing review

  • Match and Performer of the week
  • The MJF story, worked shoots, how it was handled, the potential positives and negatives and the key to all AEW angles right now.
  • Full coverage of Double or Nothing, with early PPV numbers
  • Kota Ibushi and New Japan, where it stands right now
  • New Japan Best of the Super Juniors coverage
  • The career of Tarzan Goto
  • Stardom PPV coverage
  • Jumbo Tsuruta and the Memorial show this past week
  • Television ratings
  • CMLL goes all the way with a young star
  • Dragon Gate booking issues update
  • Hall of Famer returns to New Japan
  • Death of Melanie Pillman
  • Cauliflower Alley Club 2022 notes
  • Upcoming AEW major events
  • Update on ticket sales for all upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • Arrest of Jake Atlas
  • UFC returns to network television
  • Upcoming UFC events
  • How sports will affect wrestling ratings the next few weeks
  • Mustafa Ali talks his situation and thoughts on giving a release
  • International TV numbers
  • Streaming numbers

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: May 2, 2005 Observer Newsletter: UFC 52 review, Matt Hardy release fallout

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Monday News Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking all the news, including more on Stephanie McMahon’s departure from WWE, Cody Rhodes, Raw, this week’s UFC and the rematch of one of the greatest fights in history and more. We will also be taking questions tonight to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com
  • Also a quick mention that the show we did Sunday morning, a lot of people were very entertained by the last few minutes of the show.
  • Raw gets a big break tonight with no NBA as the next game between Boston vs. Golden State will be Wednesday against Dynamite. Dynamite numbers will likely drop significantly this week. Raw tonight does go against Colorado vs. Edmonton so Raw won’t win the night, but will place second on cable almost for sure. Colorado is up 3-0 so if Colorado wins tonight, they clinch and there will be no game on Wednesday against AEW. New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning goes against NXT tomorrow. The NBA finals are Wednesday, Friday (against both Smackdown & Rampage so both shows will be hurt) and game five is on the books next Monday, so that will hurt Raw.
  • The big thing on tonight’s Raw show from Green Bay looks to be Cody Rhodes doing an interview to explain his injuries. He is having surgery on Thursday and would be out six months or so. Maryse is also scheduled to be there to help promote Miz & Mrs., which debuts season three tonight with two episodes after Raw at 11 p.m. Eastern. The episode push Miz’s invitation and first training sessions for the season he did Dancing With the Stars. They will also start pushing Money in the Bank. More than 5,000 tickets were out for the show as of this morning.
  • We’re looking for reports from the show with Main Event matches, dark matches or anything else not on the live TV show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.
  • Catherine Newman being named Executive Vice President and Head of Marketing today is basically filling the role formerly held by Stephanie McMahon. Newman comes from Manchester United Media where she was the Chief Marketing Officer.
  • We’re also doing polls on these shows, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • New Japan Best of the Super Juniors from Friday
  • NXT In Your House from Saturday
  • WWE Hell in a Cell from last night
  • Hell in a Cell was No. 12 yesterday on Google searches with 200,000, which is normal level for a B show. Cody Rhodes was No. 13 with 200,000. It is rare for a wrestler in a PPV show to break out that high, but that was an unusual circumstance.

AEW

  • Miyu Yamashita debuts for AEW on Dark Elevation tonight teaming with Skye Blue against Nyla Rose & Serena Deeb. Other matches are Frankie Kazarian vs. Serpentico, Pac & Rey Fenix & Penta Oscura vs. Cezar Bononi & Ryan Nemeth & Peter Avalon and Nick Comoroto & Aaron Solo & QT Marshall vs. Dark Order.

Other Notes

  • The U.S. government approved visas for more than 40 Mexican wrestlers this past week. The names have not all been announced but Esfinge, Ciclope, Mideo Extremo and Toxin are likely on the list.
  • Josh Barnett vs Davey Richards for the first time ever takes place on 6/17 in Los Angels at the Lodge Room. Richards has trained under Barnett for years. Also on the show is Taya Valkyrie vs. Danika Della Rouge, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs vs. Shane Haste & Jonah, Anthony Greene vs. Adrian Quest, Karl Fredericks vs. Taylor Rust, Vinnie Massaro vs. Richard Holiday and more.
  • Former UFC fighter Greg Hardy, who they finally got rid of, will debut as a pro boxer on 10/8 in Delray Beach, FL for Black Sheep Promotions. Hardy, the former NFL All-Pro, who was the subject of much controversy due to UFC taking him with a domestic violence charge, may have been the most hated fighter in the organization by the fans for that reason. But he was not the level of fighter that was going to be able to beat anyone but low-level competition so his shelf life as a draw had pretty much come to an end.
  • MLW has canceled its planned 7/16 show in Cicero, IL and refunds are being offered at the point or purchase. Nothing else has been said about it.
  • Josh Alexander vs. Joe Doering plus Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley & Frankie Kazarian vs. Eddie Edwards & Mike Bennett & Matt Taven and PCO vs Steve Maclin and Tenille Dashwood vs. Rosemary will be on Thursday’s Impact show.
  • Extreme Lucha Libre on 6/11 and 6/12 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Psicosis, Super Crazy Ultimo Dragon, Tinieblas Jr., Damian 666, Pirata Morgan, Dragon Lee, Laredo Kid, Lince Dorado Black Taurus, Super Astro Jr. and Arez are on the show.
  • Wrestling at the Chase, one of the most legendary television pro wrestling shows, that aired from 1959-83 by the NWA and later the name was used locally by Vince McMahon into the late 80s, is the subject of this one-hour PBS documentary that aired locally over the weekend.