Daily Update: WWE SmackDown overnight ratings, Eddie Kingston, Xavier Woods
Daily Update
Latest News
- Cody Rhodes signed new WWE contract in October
- PCO vs. Dirty Dango added to TNA Hard to Kill
- Outgoing NJPW President says Hiroshi Tanahashi will ‘create the best NJPW ever’
- WWE NXT wrestler to challenge for AJPW Triple Crown Championship
- Update on timeline for Bandido’s return to AEW
- Charlotte Flair attends CMLL Arena Mexico show, supports Andrade El Idolo
- CM Punk confirmed for two January WWE Raw episodes
- WWE SmackDown video highlights: AJ Styles, Randy Orton & LA Knight brawl
- Number one contender’s match set for WWE SmackDown New Year’s Revolution
- Hiroshi Tanahashi named President & Representative Director of NJPW
- WWE teases return of Authors of Pain in SmackDown vignette
- Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo align with Santos Escobar on WWE SmackDown
- AEW Rampage live results: Holiday Bash
- WWE announces New Year’s Knockout Week schedule
- Lawyer confirms CM Punk, Ace Steel are under lifetime NDAs regarding AEW All Out fight
Latest Audio
Latest Free YouTube Clip
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Highlights of the current issue:
- Match and performer of the week
- TKO COO Mark Shapiro talks WWE and UFC business and changes they are thinking about
- Future of the house show business and why breaking even should be okay
- Injury rate in WWE and AEW and does the schedule make a difference
- His thoughts on the PFL taking over Bellator
- Upcoming media rights deals to be made
- Ideas for UFC’s streaming service
- How much UFC is making for certain overseas shows as well as WWE
- When deals are up
- Change in the look of the WWE ring
- Running shows in the same city in the same weekend
- What is the median income of the viewers of all the different promotions
- What is the level of education of the viewers of all the different promotions
- What is the ethnic makeup of the viewers of all the different promotions
- A look at All In 2024 ticket sales
- A look at NXT Deadline and the interest level
- A look at the Tokyo Sports MVP and its top candidates and why the person who should win has little chance to win
- Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
- The most detailed look at the TV ratings, with competition, how each segment did, how the audience has changed over the past year and demo breakdowns
- AEW and former WWE star headed to Arena Mexico
- Plight of arrested wrestling star ends up in Mexico president press conference
- Stardom PPV coverage and build to the Sumo Hall show
- All Japan tag team tournament coverage
- New Japan tag team tournament coverage
- AEW star will headline major NOAH show
- Updates on Okada
- Notes on Iron Claw movie
- Former WWE tag champ retires
- Sukeban coverage
- Former WWE announcer working with Trump
- Great match on indie show
- U.K. promotion running April show in U.S.
- Major show with big names in U.K. next week
- TNA return ticket sales
- More on the firing of Kevin Sullivan by AEW
- Update on Continental Classic
- Von Erichs and AEW
- Tony Khan talks Sting’s retirement and Ric Flair
- Khan talks future of Bryan Danielson
- Danielson talks CM Punk
- Ticket sales to upcoming WWE & AEW shows
- International TV ratings and streaming numbers
- AEW star on show in Vietnam and why
- Final Battle rundown
- Why Montreal didn’t do well for AEW
- Injury updates
- Update on buys for last two PPVs
- How much money did the UFC owners pay themselves as compared to the fighters
- Dana White laughs at Bellator sale to PFL
- Former UFC champion arrested for allegedly punching his brother
- Average ticket sales for AEW & WWE
- More on multiple WWE firings
- Royal Rumble notes
- Update on WWE and Giulia
- Changes in WWE TV schedule
- Notes on newcomers to NXT
- Notes on the new WWE signings
- Rundown of WWE arena events
This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter
Saturday Update
WWE
- Last night’s holiday weekend edition of SmackDown averaged 2.01 million viewers in the overnight ratings, down from last week’s overnight average of 2.15 million. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.5. The episode was taped one week in advance.
- PWInsider reports that Xavier Woods, who has been banged up and off the road for WWE, is tentatively expected to be back on the road within the first two weeks of January.
- On WWE’s YouTube channel, Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes from WrestleMania 39 was voted as the company’s best match of the year.
- WWE wrestlers read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
- Kayla Braxton was a guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
- LA Knight, Michin, and Santos Escobar, Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo appeared on The SmackDown LowDown.
AEW/Other Wrestling
- WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura posted a one-word response to the news that Hiroshi Tanahashi has been named the new president and representative director of NJPW: “Wow”
- In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Eddie Kingston detailed how nervous he was before his first NJPW G1 Climax match:
- I threw up before my match against Shingo. I always get nervous before matches, but I’ve never been that nervous. So I got to the ring, talked to myself and said, ‘Yup, I’m in the G1.’ That helped. Then Shingo hit me really hard with the first forearm, and I knew I was ready.
- Kingston further reflected on competing for NJPW in the G1:
- Walking through the curtain at Sumo Hall, and I’ve seen so many great matches there, like the first G1 Finals between Keiji Mutoh and Masahira Chono, I couldn’t believe I was there. There’s a picture of me with my mouth open, looking around in astonishment, at Sumo Hall. That summed it up, right?
- I had a lot of good guys around me in Japan. The New Japan locker room is the best locker room I’ve ever been part of. They showed me around, and I tried everything. I don’t like fish, but I did in Japan. I loved it there.
- Kingston said about the AEW Continental Classic:
- The G1 is already established. Every year, you know it’s going to be great. It’s the greatest tournament in professional wrestling. We’re just starting the Continental Classic. We’re setting the tone and building it. Then, next year, we’ll need to be even better.
- While appearing on Casual Conversations with The Classic, Ric Flair praised MJF:
- Well number one, I think he’s (MJF) actually — he comes across as confident in real life as he comes across with his confidence in the ring and he’s got a good interview, he’s got a great look, he worked hard. I think he’s got the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him and he’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high a praise as I can give him.
- Amanda Huber commented on being part of Titus O’Neil’s Joy of Giving event in Tampa: “So incredibly thankful to @TitusONeilWWE & @BFFTampa for the incredible #JoyOfGiving event. I am so blown away by this and so thankful to have been involved. Can’t wait for more opportunities to do good around Tampa”
- Matt Riddle will make an on-air appearance during MLW’s Holiday Rush special that’s airing on Christmas Eve. Riddle’s MLW in-ring return will be against Jacob Fatu at Kings of Colosseum on Saturday, January 6.
- Gabby AF has an interview with Deonna Purrazzo.
- AJ Francis (Top Dolla) spoke with MuscleManMalcolm.
