Daily Update: WWE’s European tour, John Cena, Young Rock

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: COVID strikes pro wrestling again, Warner Bros. Discovery & AEW

  • The new issue of the Observer has these stories:
  • Major players from five companies test positive for COVID causing changes in television or major shows.
  • Sunday’s Fukuoka Dome show and a look back at the previous pro wrestling events in the building that featured some of the biggest American stars of all-time.
  • The Discovery/Warner merger, what was said at the earnings call about cutbacks, and the different ways this can go for AEW
  • Streaming vs. television and the realities of the numbers
  • Wrestling on television in every category, who is up, who is down, factoring out cable losses, and reasons behind the ups and downs.
  • WWE & AEW shows coming up between now and August ticket sales, interest in the secondary market, how many seats WWE is setting up for the stadium shows
  • WrestleMania Backlash card update and business update
  • Saturday’s UFC report
  • New wrestling history television show series being filmed and who is behind it
  • Karl Lauer and the growth of the Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Ratings of all the television shows of the past week
  • Death of Toro Bill Jr.
  • Preview of TripleMania
  • Unique statement by L.A. Park about TripleMania
  • All Japan, Dragon Gate, NOAH and other Japanese events
  • This week’s PWG show
  • MLW answers the WWE’s attempt to get the lawsuit by MLW thrown out
  • Personnel changes in Impact
  • AEW injury notes
  • AEW’s Double or Nothing show
  • Updates on ticket sales for WWE & AEW shows
  • Promotion gets major television deal with Amazon Prime
  • Tyson Fury on Drew McIntyre and Francis Ngannou
  • Peacock business update
  • WWE survey sent to fans about what they want
  • Biggest streaming numbers from the week

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter: March 21, 2005 Observer Newsletter: Raw leaving Spike TV, TNA Destination X review

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Monday News Update

  • Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw and the latest wrestling news from the weekend. You can also send questions for the show to mailbag@wrestlingobserver.com
  • WWE finished its tour of Europe with the show in Leipzig, Germany yesterday. The only Raw guys on the tour were Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton and Riddle. It’s a tough trip but they should be able to get to Greensboro tonight for the show as all are in PPV matches. The big item is probably however they explain what the stipulations will be for the six-man tag team match that was made on Friday with Orton & Riddle & Drew McIntyre vs. Usos & Roman Reigns.
  • No matches were announced for Raw in Greensboro tonight. The ratings-killing NBA playoffs have the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. and Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns at 10 p.m. For tomorrow, NXT goes against Bucks-Celtics and the the last half hour and West Coast feed goes against Warriors-Grizzles. Dynamite on Wednesday faces 76ers vs. Heat and the West Coast feed goes against Mavericks-Suns. Both Smackdown and Rampage got killed doing record lows on Friday by the NBA playoffs and NFL draft. Smackdown being taped may have hurt with younger viewers who were way down but the older viewers were not down at all from the prior week.
  • Stu Grayson was removed from the AEW roster page today. Nothing has been officially said by AEW but thus far when people are removed, they are basically gone. AEW hasn’t confirmed he’s gone but the word going around is that his contract expired and the two sides didn’t come to terms on a new deal. Grayson was one of those guys that nobody really talks about and wasn’t a big star, but inside the ring he was great.
  • The WWE earnings call will be on Thursday, so a lot of business news should break. Both Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon are usually two of the key people on the calls.
  • Thanks to Matt Wexler. Denton D and CJ Johnston for the reports from last night’s Raw show in Fairfax, VA.
  • Street Profits b Alpha Academy
  • Theory b Finn Balor to keep U.S. title
  • Omos b Reggie
  • A.J. Styles b Damian Priest-DQ
  • Cody Rhodes b Seth Rollins
  • Bianca Belair won four-way over Becky Lynch, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan
  • We’re looking for reports from tonight in Greensboro for Raw with Main Event matches and any dark matches as well as anything else not notable from the TV show.
  • We’re doing polls on these shows from the weekend so if you saw any of them, we’re looking for a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
  • Stardom Cinderella finals on Friday
  • NOAH second night at Sumo Hall on Saturday
  • AAA TripleMania on Saturday
  • New Japan Dontaku on Sunday
  • John Cena will be one of many celebrities co-founding a new Bourbon brand produced by Thomas Ashborne that debuts this month. Cena said he has spent 18 months developing the drink with the company.
  • Young Rock will be introducing Stone Cold Steve Austin as a character on the show. Veteran wrestler Luke Hawx, who has been on the TV show heels, will play Austin on the show. He first meets Austin who Austin is the ring announcer. Dwayne Johnson revealed Hawx in the role today. Today is Dwayne Johnson’s 50th birthday. He was also listed on the list of 100 Asian and Pacific Islanders who have most significantly impacted American culture and society over the past year.

AEW

  • Tony Khan is on a TNT commercial pushing Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

UFC

  • Calvin Kattar vs. Josh Emmett was announced for the 6/18 show in Austin, TX as the main event.
  • The new season of Ultimate Fighter with Team Pena vs. Team Nunes debuts tomorrow night on ESPN+ and will have new episodes airing every Tuesday for the next 2 weeks. There will be men heavyweights and women flyweights as the weight classes.

Other Notes

  • Pro Wrestling Eve has its 12th anniversary special on 5/7 in London at Patchworks Leyton on 258 Church Rd. They will also be inducting someone into the Eve Hall of Fame.
  • Maria Kanellis and Bobby Cruise did a debut show called Women’s Wrestling Army in Providence, RI before about 50 fans: Miranda Alize b Lady Luck, Trish Adora d Big Swole, Kayla Sparks b Mazzerati, Tasha Steelz b Taya Valkyrie (neither the Impact nor AAA tile were at stake), Queen Bee b Christina Mane, Alex Gracia b Joey Threat-DQ, Alex Gracia b Jody Threat in a no DQ match, Queen Aminata b Gabby Ortiz, Nicole Savoy b Janai Kai, Allisyn Kay & Marti Belle b Willow Nightingale & Holidead. Holidead turned on Nightingale after the match (thanks to Arya Whitner)
  • Metro Pro Wrestling from Saturday night in Southgate, MI: Father Marquis & Brother Donte & Brother Ultra b Big Murph & Jason Demilo & Dean Hendrix, Kyler Coleman b Sam Beale, Lamario Starr b Iron Eagle, Isaiah Moore b Alex Van Zant, Soultaker b Spyder, Soultaker DDQ Molluck, Tanner Nix b Zach Gowen, Jack Price b Forever Young, Tommy Vendetta won gauntlet over Sean Lawhorn, LJ Lawrence, Lamario Starr, Brutus Atwell an Matt Breeding, TJ Meyer & Solo b Dre Jacobs & Chris Moore, Jason Hotch b Tony Deppen (thanks to Leonard Brand)
  • AIW Cibernetico de Mayo takes place 5/5 in Lakewood, OH at the Winchester Music Tavern. Eddie Kingston will headline for the promotion on 5/21 at the Tadmor Shrine in Akron, OH.
  • Paradigm Pro Wrestling returns to IWTV on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Eastern and 7 p.m. Pacific super middleweight champion Jordan Blade vs. Sage Phillips, a trainee of Jonathan Gresham, under UWFi rules. Dominic Garrini vs. Austin Connelly, Gnaris Garvin vs.Derek Neal and Ray Jaz, a former All-American wrestler, faces Brandon Williams. This will run every Wednesday night for eight weeks.
  • Former ROH announcer Jeff Gorman has a new WWF history book called “King of New York,” which covers the first WrestleMania and finishes with the name change to WWE in 2002. He pick an MVP for every PPV show and also crowns the greatest performer in WWF history.
  • Kayla Miracle, who placed second in the women’s world championships in 2021 and a member of the last Olympic team, will battle for a spot on the U.S. World team in Final X on 6/8 at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden.
  • The Springfield Lucky Horseman, a minor league baseball team Jeff Jarrett owns part of, has announced Jerry Lawler appearing at their 6/23 game and Kevin Nash at their 7/8 game, where they are asking fans to come dressed as their favorite wrestler.