Daily Update: WWE Raw, SmackDown ratings, Conor McGregor

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

A ridiculously large issue of the Observer:

  • Full coverage of AEW Revolution, business numbers, what mathes showed the most interest, match order, PPV buys, live numbers,  what the PPV number means, Dynasty card and more
  • WrestleMania update, MSG angle with Reigns, Punk and Rollins, card and interest level of the show.
  • New Japan Cup update with notes on every tournament match
  • Full UFC 313 coverage, looking at the main event decision wwht comes next, fight of the year candidate and business notes.
  • Lex Luger goes into the WWE Hall of Fame and notes about his life and career from the highs to the lows.
  • Latest update on the Vince McMahon/Janel Grant lawsuit
  • The classic Frank Deford story on the life of Mildred Burke
  • We look at “Queen of the Ring,” deciphering what was and wasn’t real about the movie, the facts regarding the career of Burke, the breakup with  Billy  Wolfe, the characters in the movie and how they were portrayed and Burke’s significance in the history of pro wrestling.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling and MMA shows this past week, how they ranked for the week and for the night, competition, how Raw did on Netflix as well as how the other shows did worldwide.
  • A look at the all-women’s Friday night show at Arena Mexico.
  • More on the Stardom Tam Nakano angle.
  • Notes on a week with some of the best matches of the year.
  • Notes on Dark Side of the Ring for this coming season.
  • New books out on wrestling.
  • What pro wrestling legend is Gable Steveson attempting to tie the record of?
  • Hodge Trophy candidates
  • Forming boxing celebrity back doing pro wrestling.
  • Notes on Bruno Sammartino and others with Madison Square Garden longevity.
  • Full details on the 16 Carat gold tournament
  • WBD news story regarding sports and how this affects wrestling.
  • Notes on AEW booing.
  • Advance ticket sales for WWE & AEW
  • More notes on the 18-49 record low number for Dynamite on a Wednesday.
  • More on the Dana White/Nick Khan/Turki Alashikh boxing promotion and who is the person responsible for originally putting them together.
  • More on the next  WWE & UFC media rights talks.
  • Notes on a time slot change for WWE & AEW  shows over the next few weeks.
  • Idea being discussed for a WWE PPV show.
  • Netflix and how much WWE is worth to them and the key change coming.
  • Lots of backstage notes.

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Monday Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio.  We’ll be covering Raw, New Japan Cup and the rest of the news from the week.
  • Raw is already over live since it was held in Brussels, Belgium:
  1. John Cena and Cody Rhodes opened
  2. Penta vs. Ludwig Kaiser no holds barred
  3. Dakota Kai vs. Ivy Nile
  4. Contract signing for Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair which went exactly as you’d expect
  5. Jey Uso vs.  Austin Theory
  6. Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee vs. The Creeds
  7. Seth Rollins built up a confrontation of Smackdown where he,  Roman Reigns and CM Punk will all be on the show
  8. Bron Breakker vs. Finn Balor for the IC title
  • Next week’s Raw from Glasgow, Scotland has Lyra Valkyria vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the women’s IC title, and Jey Uso and a mystery partner agianst Grayson Waller & Austin Theory, plus  John Cena, Cody Rhodes and CM Punk on the show.  It will start at 1 p.m. Eastern .
  • Smackdown on Friday did 1.57 million viewers and an 0.52 in 18-49.  The total viewer number was down ten percent from the last few weeks event though the show was up in most of the world.  In the U.S. the decline was likely due to going head-to-head with Duke vs. North Carolina in the ACC tournament on ESPN which did 2.23 million and 0.56.  Smackdown was second on television for the night.  It’s very impressive to keep the demo even with that competition.  Men were way down from usual, huge increase in women. 
  • Conor McGregor was at the White House today.  Before meeting President Trump, he talked to the press saying how Ireland was like the little brother of the U.S. and complained about immigrants ruining Ireland and Prime Minister Michael Martin.  McGregor said the Irish in the U.S. need to know this because if not, there will be no place to come home and visit.  “I’m here to raise the issues the people of Ireland face,” McGregor said to the press before the meeting. “It’ll be music to the people of Ireland’s ears because never on the main stage has the issues that Ireland faces have been spoken. Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland, and it’s high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Our money is being spent on overseas issues that has nothing to do with the Irish people.  The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country. There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop. The issues need to be addressed, and the 40 million Irish Americans need to hear this. Because if not, there will be no place to come home and visit.”  Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, reacted to this saying, “St. Patrick’s Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.  Conor McGregor’s remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.”  (thanks to Stephen Lyon and others)
  • Vince Steele, The Jurassic Juggernaut, a billed at 6-foot-6, 423 pound New Jersey based independent wrestler passed away yesterday at a show in Ridgefield Park,NJ.  He had what was believed to have had a heart attack in the ring.  He was based in New York and worked New York and New Jersey shows mostly.  He was given CPR in the ring and rushed to the hospital.  The show was promoted by Bril Combination Wrestling (BCW) which wrote, “This is an unimaginable loss and we ask for patience and respect as we process this tragedy.  We will share more details in the coming days on how we plan to honor Vince’s incredible legacy.”  Steele, who was 39, had been wrestling 21 years, mostly in the Northeast as well as with CCW in Florida.  A Go Fund Me has been set up for his funeral expenses
  • Cowboy Bob Ellis, who is one of the oldest still living wrestlers, turned 96 this past Saturday.  Ellis was a major superstar in the late 50s and into the 60s.  He was one of the most in-demand babyfaces in his heyday because of his appeal to women.  Joe Garagiola, the first announcer for Wrestling at the Chase, noted Ellis “the ladies delight” along with Gene Kiniski were the ones responsible for the immediate success of the show.  
  • Glasgow had its 850th birthday this past week and they hosted a pro wrestling show on Saturday  promoted by Blackbuster Pro Wrestling (a sistar promotion to ICW) before a sellout crowd at the City Chambers built around a Team Grado vs. Team Jester series of matches.  Each team had won three matches and it came down to a falls count anywhere no DQ match where Grado beat Jack Jester.  It was a benefit for Lord Provost’s charity and he got involved throwing Jester out the arena after the show by his ear (thanks to Bradley Craig)
  • The David Finlay vs. Shota Umino New Japan Cup final will be Thursday from Nagaoka.  The show starts live at 4 a.m. Eastern.  The winner faces Hirooki Goto for the IWGP title on 4/5 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo.
  • Homicide (Nelson Erazo has what is billed as his retirement match on Thursday in Brooklyn for Outlaw Wrestling.
  • A documentary “Lunatic”  The Luna Vachon” story by Katie Kroll will have its debut on 5/29 at the Scotiabank Theater Cinema 14 in Toronto at 9 p.m.  It goes much deeper than pro wrestling, including stories about Vachon balancing personal demons, bipolar depression abuse and addiction.  They interview her family, friends, and women wrestlers and performers from her rea.  Slam Wrestling has a review. The Trailer is here.
  • Wrestlevotes reported that WWE has discussed an event on 4/20 after WrestleMania which would be a WrestleMania roast with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe.  According to what we’ve been told by someone in WWE, the event is likely happening but it’s more a Hinchcliffe show than a WWE show.
  • MLW announced Esfinge for its Battle Riot on 4/5 in Los  Angeles.
  • MVP vs. Vinnie Massaro was announced for a joint West Coast Pro and Big Time Wrestling show on 4/4 at the Newark, CA Pavilion.