Daily Update: WWE Raw, Global Wars Australia, Conor McGregor

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The biggest issue of the year of the Observer came out early today.  It’s the 2024 Awards issue with the top finishers in every category, notes about the results and previous winners in all categories dating back to 1980.  
  • Wrestler of the Year, MMA MVP, Most Outstanding Wrestler, Most Outstanding Fighter, Tag team of the Year, Best on Interviews, Promotion of the Year, Best Weekly TV show, Pro Wrestling match of the year, MMA Fight of the Year, U.S./Canada MVP, Japanese MVP, Mexico MVP, Europe MVP, Junior Heavyweight MVP, Women’s MVP, Women’s MMA MVP, Feud of the Year, Best Box Office draw, Most Improved, Most Charismatic, Best Technical Wrestler, Best Brawler, Best Flyer, Most Overrated, Most Underrated, Rookie of the Year, Best non-wrestler, Best TV announcer, Worst TV announcer, Best major show, Worst major show, Best maneuver, Most disgusting promotional tactic, Worst TV show, Worst match, Worst feud, Worst promotion, Best booker, Promoter of the Year, Best gimmick, Worst gimmick, Best Pro Wrestling book and Best pro wrestling documentary.
  • The most detailed look and update on the Vince McMahon situation related to the most recent court case and evidence in that case. This talks about judges believing there is reason to believe McMahon and another person committed crimes regarding keeping information from the WWE.
  • AEW’s releases and backstory regarding them
  • Update on Chris Bey
  • Major story on WWE releases
  • Notes on the next four major AEW & WWE shows
  • Business notes and overall interest levels of the shows
  • UFC 312 coverage
  • Hirooki Goto wins IWGP title, the story behind one of the great emotional moments as well as a look at the New Japan Cup, and what may have been the best wrestling show so far this year
  • AEW fires Bear Boulder
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the shows held over the past week, including comparisons with a year ago and a ton of info on Raw on Netflix
  • AAA announces 2025 plans for biggest show plus a big signing and a new TV deal
  • Champion Carnival notes
  • Fantastica Mania notes
  • The death of Jamie Hemmings
  • Hall of Famer has major accusations made about them by wife
  • Death of Duane Koslowski, a major part of the 1989 U-Cosmos show in his match with Nobuhiko Takada which at the time set the all-time pro wrestling gate record and was the first-ever Tokyo Dome sellout, held the night after Mike Tyson drew a half house with Buster Douglas
  • Front office changes in TNA
  • Lots more on MAX as it relates to AEW wrestling
  • The strange story of AEW hiring Rita Chatterton
  • Update on UFC media rights
  • PFL tournament news
  • What combat sports athletes made the list of 100 top paid athletes in the world
  • Linda McMahon hearing
  • WWE stock sets records
  • Evolve tapings
  • Notes on WWE LFG shw
  • How much Smackdown helps the USA Network

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Monday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight covering Raw, AEW in Australia, 2024 awards and the rest of the news with Wrestling Observer Radio tonight.
  • Raw tonight is in Charlotte, NC, where the streak of huge Raw crowds continues.  They were at 13,500, 600 shy of a sellout, earlier today. Announced for the show is Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match, Roxanne Perez vs. Raquel Rodriguez in a qualifier, Dakota Kai vs. Ivy Nile with the winner facing Lyra Valkyria in the future for the IC title,  Penta vs. Pete Dunne, plus there will be an angle with Bianca Belair & Naomi with Rodriguez & Liv Morgan and Sami Zayn is scheduled to address Kevin Owens. It’s a very unique thing as fewer people are watching Raw in the U.S. than ever before, yet the demand for tickets is the highest in two decades plus and gates are off the charts.  
  • The rest of the Australia show from Saturday will air on Honor Club tonight.It’s available already
  • Mark Davis vs.  Tommy  Knight
  • Bandido & The Outrunners vs. Chris Jericho & Big Bill & Bryan Keith
  • Lee Moriarty vs. Robbie Eagles for the Pure title
  • Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara vs. MxM Collection for the ROH tag titles
  • Athena vs. Alex Windsor for the women’s title
  • Conor McGregor has filed an appeal of the verdict in the sexual assault lawsuit brought on by Nikita Hand where McGregor was ordered to pay Hand damanges for what the judy believed was a sexual assault. This led to McGregor basically being dropped of all  his endorsements in Ireland to the point that any company that would do business with him, tons of stores would pull all of their products from the shelves.
  • We’re looking for your thoughts on Saturday’s NXT Vengeance Day show, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • Rhea Ripley isn’t on the show tonight because she’s in Australia on her honeymoon with husband Buddy Matthews, who has an ankle injury.
  • They are taping both AEW Dynamite and Collision on Wednesday night in Phoenix. They will also tape some ROH and have announced a number of debuts with CMLL talent. Catalina (formerly in WWE and wants to get back) faces Lady Frost while Atlantis (as in the father, the all-time legend, equivalent to Sting or Macho Man level star) debuts teaming with Esfinge & Fuego against Gran Guerrero & Rocky Romer & Euforia.
  • TNA will be airing live on Thursday from Full Sail University with a Joe Hendry concert, Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz vs. Tyson Dupont & Tyriek Igwe from NXT, JDC vs. Leon Slater plus Tessa Blanchad appears. They will also tape Friday night. Both shows are going to sell out but that’s like 350 people.
  • We’ll have a big story later this week on the death of Gran Hamada.  It is actually quite impressive the number of big crowds that he main evented during the UWA heyday in the 70s and 80s.
  • A trailer has been released for the documentary “Thank You Very Much” on the life of Andy Kaufman. There are some clips of him doing wrestling in the trailer.
  • Crusherfest, a combination of pro wrestling, polka music and Polish food  and AWA nostalgia returns to South Milwaukee, WI, in June.
  • Miesha Tate announced that she would be fighting Yana Santos on 5/3,.
  • The next MLW show is 4/5 in Los Angeles with the 40 man Battle Riot match. The winner gets the MLW title.  Announced for the match are champion Matt Riddle, Donoavan Dijak and Cavernario Barbaro.