Daily Update: WWE Raw, White Rabbit, big WWE SmackDown number

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

AEW Grand Slam report, the business, the future angles coming out of the show, ideas for the show for next year, angles, Saraya, Great Muta, business notes, highest TV gates in U.S history including inflation adjusted and warning signs.
Behind the Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul idea and why it’s reasons for happening are very different than a traditional PPV main event
CMLL’s 89th anniversary show. A report on the major show this year with the hottest crowd and some of the best action and booking.
Updates on Extreme Rules
The U.S. team wins the men’s world team championship and places second with women, how the team members did and an 18-year old capturing a world championship
Jose Aldo, the featherweight great, his career and how he helped get featherweights into the UFC
WWE & AEW business over the past two months. What categories are up and down and by how much. Also comparisons to May & June numbers and the most unique note about attendance increases and decrease
Complete coverage of last week’s UFC show
Kento Miyahara, All Japan returns to Budokan Hall for its 50th anniversary, and first time since 2004
Dangerous Gate 2002 from Dragon Gate
TV ratings including how each segment on the major shows did
Former WWE wrestler talks about going to CMLL and wants to be in next year’s Anniversary main event
Legend from TV boom returns to Arena Mexico
Notes on next week’s CMLL Night of Champions fan voting show
Stardom Five Star Grand Prix update
Last match of the Great Muta
Fantastica Mania may be back
Former WWE announcers television show canceled
Former WCW announcer now a network radio news anchor
Former WWE star open movie company
Kurt Angle talks about a return after double knee replacement but notes it probably won’t happen
MLW TV taping news
Things is another promotion affect world title
Next questions about WBD long-term
MJF talks his return and future AEW Revolution 2023
Streaming numbers
International TV ratings
The second biggest PPV match of all-time may be rematched in 2023
White Rabbit
NXT changes
Hulu and WWE update
Young Rock update

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Monday News Update

Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw and the latest news tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio. You can also send questions to the show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com

Raw is tonight in Edmonton. A sellout crowd of about 12,500 is expected for the show, the first time Raw has been in the city since 2011. I think this crows shows that Raw should be in that city again. The lineup has Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky in a non-title match, Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins, Johnny Gargano & Kevin Owens vs. Chad Gable & Otis, Matt Riddle & Damian Priest and Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles. Solo Sikoa will be in Zayn’s corner. 

Coming off the largest audience to watch Smackdown of 2022 on Friday due to the White Rabbit curiosity and people thinking Bray Wyatt is coming, they are again teasing something for tonight. It will be interesting because the football game is the New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys which would be expected to do a major number once again, so Raw has gotten no breaks from the NFL this season so far.

We’re looking for reports from Edmonton with dark matches and Main Event matches, as well as from the house shows in Stockton on Saturday night and Fresno last night to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

The high point of Friday’s Smackdown show and also the high point for Smackdown this year was the Braun Strowman vs. Otis match at 2,767,000 viewers and 0.70 in 18-49. (thanks to Wrestlenomics)

The national news story involving Brett Favre and the welfare fraud case in the state of Mississippi also involves the DiBiase family. This story gives Ted DiBiase Jr.’s version of things. Neither Favre nor Ted DiBiase Sr., are charged with any crimes although prosecutors are trying to seize DiBiase Jr.’s home. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)

More on the story (thanks to Ed Gursky)

The Royal Rumble presale takes place on Wednesday for the 1/28 show at the Alamodome in San Antonio. It will be interesting to see how hot the first day is since WWE attendance is way up the last few months. They can put 60,000 in the building. Right now the ticket set up is between 37,000 and 42,000 but they can add more if necessary.

The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in Wichita Falls, TX which has closed down we were told was a wreck. Someone did preserve everything they could and Tim Hornbaker, a historian and book author, rescued everything he could and he and Steve Jonson and working on it and some of Fred Hornby’s history is left. Some of historian J. Michael Kenyon’s stuff is left as well including his ashes and his instructions for their disposal which were not followed. (thanks to Crimson Mask)

We send our deepest sympathies to Teddy Long who noted today that his wife recently passed away.

Drew McIntyre was able to train last night in his home gym. He’s expected to be in San Antonio this week to do Royal Rumble press and on sale. As noted yesterday he had a bad case of food poisoning and missed the weekend shows. 

Space in Mexico will be airing the 10/15 TripleMania show live. It will air live in the U.S. on FITE.

UFC

Jailton Almeida vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov was announced for the 10/22 UFC 280 show in Abu Dhabi.

Other Notes

Absolute Intense Wrestling announced today it was leaving IWTV immediately. They said for the first time in years they are looking for new opportunities and partnerships to stream their video library of content dating back to 2005. They are looking for a new live streaming partner for their shows.

Big Damo won the Progress Atlas title in Birmingham, UK from Luke Jacobs and will be defending against Shigehiro Irie tomorrow at the Dome in Tufnell Park. Aussie Open also faces Violence is Forever and the main event has Chris Brookes vs. Kid Lykos.

Vice will be doing a marathon of Dark Side of the Ring episodes a week from Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The debut of the Territories will be at 10 p.m. that night. We’ll have more on that as the week goes on.

LFA announced on 10/21 in Oshkosh, WI on UFC Fight Pass with Bruno Assios (12-6) vs. Jesse Murray (9-4) and Olivia Beekau (1-1) vs. Jena Bishop (3-0) in the top bouts.

Bare Knuckle Boxing on 10/;1 in Monroe, LA at the FAnt Ewing Coliseum with former UFC star Ben Rothwell vs. Bobo Bannon. Light heavyweight champion Lorenzo Hunt has a non-title fight against Quentin Henry.

Glory Pro Wrestling from last night in St. Louis:

  • Devin & Steven O’Neal b Frodo the Ghost & Marcus Mucherson
  • Sonny Kiss b Allie Katch
  • Xavier Walker won four-way over Tootie Lynn, k ATM and Laynie Luck
  • Josh Alexander b Kenny Alfonso
  • Rocky Romero b Rohit Raju
  • Jake Something & Ethan Price b Davey Vega & Anakin Murphy-DQ
  • Davey Vega & Anakin Murphy b Jake Something & Ethan Price in a no DQ match
  • Rahim De La Suede b Moses the Deliverer
  • Danhausen b Kody Lane
  • Warhorse & Dan the Dad b Matt Sydal & Delirious
  • Camaro Jackson b Mike Outlaw to win the Crown of Glory title 
  • (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)