Tag: Daily updates

Daily Update: CM Punk-Finn Balor, Brian Knobbs, Mercedes Mone

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now. Some of the key stories being covered:

  • Royal Rumble thoughts, odds and direction
  • The business of UFC to Paramount, the numbers that were released, what they mean, and how much revenue does this mean vs. how much they paid for rights
  • Coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event
  • UFC 324 coverage, the fights, the future and the business
  • The life and times of Kim Wood, football, weightlifting, perception of people, Ken Shamrock and Brian Pillman
  • How Smackdown and NXT did throughout 2025 on Netflix, the ups and the downs
  • The most complete look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling TV shows over the past week, demos, comparisons, drops from last year factoring out why it would and should drop with big data
  • A new record set for most sellouts by a main eventer in a given month
  • Huge CMLL business week and great matches
  • Major shows upcoming
  • Big events coming for New Japan
  • Fantastica Mania coming
  • Mayu Iwatani’s 15th anniversary show
  • Jesse Ventura suggest Minnesota should leave the U.S.
  • Chris Jericho on TV show
  • Jimmy Jacobs talks working for Vince McMahon
  • Mick Foey on his mother’s death
  • Controversial independent angle makes mainstream attention and gets wrestler fired
  • Former WWE champion in talks to become a weekly TV character elsewhere
  • Former WCW attitude era announcer about to come back to wrestling
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Looking at the AEW business with Triller
  • AEW executive there from the start leaving
  • Issues with spoliation of evidence in UFC case
  • More on the White House show
  • Lots of notes on Zuffa boxing contracts
  • Notes on WWE international deals
  • Injryu updates
  • New AEW & WWE signings

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • WrestleVotes reports that CM Punk vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship is an idea that’s been proposed for WWE’s Elimination Chamber PLE in Chicago on February 28.
  • El Grande Americano vs. Rey Fenix vs. Dragon Lee vs. Octagon Jr. in a Rey de Reyes qualifying match has been added to the card for this Saturday’s Lucha Libre AAA TV episode.
  • On TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast, Liv Morgan was asked how she deals with social media criticism given that she has such a large following:
    • Honestly, and I mean this respectfully, I don’t really care about your criticism. If you’re not someone that I’m asking critique for, if you’re not my boss – I respectfully don’t care about what you have to say or what your opinion is. Everyone is entitled to [opinions]. You know, all opinions are welcome. But it doesn’t affect me whether it’s positive or negative, because I only care about what my bosses think.
  • Seth Rollins appeared on The Rich Eisen Show today.
  • The Bella Twins spoke with Notsam Wrestling following Brie Bella’s WWE return.
  • Logan Paul uploaded a new vlog.
  • WWE Vault added full video of a Georgia Championship Wrestling event that took place at The Omni in Atlanta on February 5, 1984.

Other Wrestling

  • Brian Knobbs of The Nasty Boys, who has battled serious health issues over the past few years, shared that he is back in the hospital due to an infection:
    • While things have become more challenging financially, Brian has faced hard roads before and he’s always found a way to fight through. He’s staying positive, pushing forward, and deeply grateful for the support that continues to lift him up. Anything you’re able to do, whether it’s donating, sharing, or simply sending good thoughts, makes a real difference and is sincerely appreciated.
  • Loaded Magazine asked Chris Jericho to name the proudest moment of his showbiz career:
    • It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment. I think the thing I’m most proud of is being able to do this for 35 years. Getting to tour the world and do what I love the most. Making money is great, but getting to do it is the dream. If I had to pinpoint anything…headlining the Tokyo Dome with Kenny Omega, starting AEW and seeing it become such a success, stealing the show with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIX and drawing 1,000 tickets for the first time in Nottingham. 
    • What I do also makes other people happy, and that’s important. Giving them lifelong memories that help them to forget about their troubles for a moment, and helping them to chase their dreams. That means a lot to me.
  • Mercedes Mone is among the celebrity guests set to appear on season 10 of “Bar Rescue,” which premieres on the Paramount Network on February 22.
  • Winnipeg Pro Wrestling is teasing Mone for their March 31 show.
  • Luther joined Aubrey Edwards & Will Washington on AEW Unrestricted this week.
  • Ricochet appeared on a live edition of Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez.
  • Syuri defending the IWGP Women’s Championship against Athena is now official for NJPW New Beginning USA in Trenton, New Jersey on February 27.
  • MLW announced that its show in Cicero, Illinois this Saturday will be a television taping for the soon-to-return MLW Fusion series.
  • Headbanger Mosh was the guest on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

Daily Update: CM Punk, Tommaso Ciampa, new John Cena movie

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now. Some of the key stories being covered:

  • Royal Rumble thoughts, odds and direction
  • The business of UFC to Paramount, the numbers that were released, what they mean, and how much revenue does this mean vs. how much they paid for rights
  • Coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event
  • UFC 324 coverage, the fights, the future and the business
  • The life and times of Kim Wood, football, weightlifting, perception of people, Ken Shamrock and Brian Pillman
  • How Smackdown and NXT did throughout 2025 on Netflix, the ups and the downs
  • The most complete look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling TV shows over the past week, demos, comparisons, drops from last year factoring out why it would and should drop with big data
  • A new record set for most sellouts by a main eventer in a given month
  • Huge CMLL business week and great matches
  • Major shows upcoming
  • Big events coming for New Japan
  • Fantastica Mania coming
  • Mayu Iwatani’s 15th anniversary show
  • Jesse Ventura suggest Minnesota should leave the U.S.
  • Chris Jericho on TV show
  • Jimmy Jacobs talks working for Vince McMahon
  • Mick Foey on his mother’s death
  • Controversial independent angle makes mainstream attention and gets wrestler fired
  • Former WWE champion in talks to become a weekly TV character elsewhere
  • Former WCW attitude era announcer about to come back to wrestling
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Looking at the AEW business with Triller
  • AEW executive there from the start leaving
  • Issues with spoliation of evidence in UFC case
  • More on the White House show
  • Lots of notes on Zuffa boxing contracts
  • Notes on WWE international deals
  • Injryu updates
  • New AEW & WWE signings

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full seven-man ladder match from NXT last night where Joe Hendry was crowned the new NXT Champion.
  • Hendry appeared on Busted Open After Dark following his title win.
  • Leah Van Dale (former WWE wrestler Carmella) sent out a tweet showing interest in the vacant NXT general manager role.
  • Bayley showed support for the idea while responding to Van Dale’s tweet: “MELLA DA MANAGER!!!!!!!! GIVE ME WHAT I WANT!!!!!!!! @WWENXT @ShawnMichaels #bookme”
  • In an interview with GQ, CM Punk was asked about the remark Paul “Triple H” Levesque made in WWE: Unreal where Levesque said he knew Punk was ready to come back to WWE because he saw that Punk was a different person than he was before:
    • I haven’t the slightest. I really don’t. That’d be a question for him. I just think I watched guys like Bret and Shawn or Hogan and Warrior hold on to these grudges. And I think what it amounts to is just life is too short.
    • Triple H had a serious heart issue that he woke up in the hospital with one day. I thought about that a lot and how anything between us didn’t matter at all. And I’m super fortunate now that we can laugh about everything and I can just let a lot of stuff go, because everything to me, I looked at it like it’s a hot coal and I’m just holding on to it. And after a while, I’m just hurting myself.
  • United States Champion Carmelo Hayes told the Beyond The Bell Podcast that Punk is a dream opponent of his:
    • I definitely want to wrestle CM Punk. I had made a joke on Twitter, though. I was like, if we do it’s gotta be winner takes all.
    • Punk, he’s actually a guy, man, like, I’ve been watching him obviously since I was a kid, right? So I’ve looked up to CM Punk and he’s been a mentor to a lot of the younger guys backstage, despite what people want to say. He’s always been a mentor to a lot of us, and he’s always excited to see us have our first moments.
    • I remember when I won the title, he was in Gorilla with a tear in his eye. I couldn’t believe it, I’m like, ‘Bro, why do you care so much?’ But I think just him seeing other people have these accomplishments for their first time and remembering where he was when he had his first accomplishment, it’s just very cool that he’s like that, right?
    • But as far as getting in the ring with him, I’d probably run circles around him, honestly. I think CM Punk’s a great in-ring performer, but I don’t think he’s ready for what I got. Because, man, I’m just going right now, bro. Like, week to week to week with it.
    • I’m very much so looking forward to that match. And I challenge CM Punk to really bring the heat, man. And like I said, he’s on a roll too and he’s having a great title reign, but we can go title reign for title reign. And I don’t think he’s touching Melo.
  • Punk was a guest on The Jim Rome Show today from Super Bowl Radio Row.
  • PWinsider reports that Drew McIntyre was at WWE headquarters this week filming for future projects.
  • “Matchbox: The Movie,” which stars John Cena, is set to premiere on Apple TV on October 9. The film is described as an “action-packed, globetrotting adventure about a group of friends since childhood who have their lives upended when undercover CIA agent Sean (Cena), their long-absent former leader, returns to their small town and unwittingly gets them embroiled in a frantic international pursuit to save the world.”
  • Entertainment Tonight spoke with Cena about the movie.
  • K&C Masterpiece interviewed Big E at Super Bowl Radio Row.
  • A new episode of the Nikki & Brie Show premiered today with The Bella Twins discussing Brie’s WWE return.
  • Philadelphia Eagles star Cooper DeJean called Nikki Bella “a good friend” when asked about their dating rumors during an appearance on Up & Adams.
  • SHAK Wrestling has an interview with Paul Heyman.

Other Wrestling

  • Tommaso Ciampa spoke to Bleacher Report about how his AEW theme music came together:
    • Mikey Rukus [AEW’s music composer] is a collaborative genius. I’ve never had an experience working with a music artist like the one that me and Mikey had. This all came together in less than 48 hours. My contract expired at midnight the 26th. Me and Mikey are on the phone Tuesday [Jan. 27].
    • And luckily I’ve had some time, quite a bit of time, six to eight weeks at home to really deep dive and dig and prepare. And I had four songs ready. We had a 20-minute conversation and I got off the phone and I was like, ‘Man, we’re clicking. This dude gets it. He’s hearing me and he’s listening.’
    • And he got that rough draft to me so fast. I want to say that final take was take seven. For anyone who has never gone through the process, that’s insanely fast. You don’t get to that kind of finished quality product in seven takes.
    • When we finally got to that, I’m listening to it in my car and my seven-year-old daughter continues to ask, ‘Can you play it again?’ She was humming to it, and I was like, we’re onto something. Kudos to Mikey. He just crushed it on all elements.
  • Bleacher Report asked Ciampa who he’s been impressed by in AEW:
    • An insane amount. I’ve never shared a ring with Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, MJF, Cope, Christian. Even people I crossed paths with but never shared a ring with.
    • And then there are guys that I’ve done stuff with, but I’ve never had a program with. I’ve never had a singles match with Ricochet, which to me kind of sounds silly to say. That’s kind of the thing that has followed me for a lot of my career.
    • When I was in Ring of Honor, there was this laundry list of guys. I never got to wrestle Generico. I never got to wrestle Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe. There were just all these top guys I never had a singles match with, and in WWE, I felt similar. Me and AJ Styles worked on a couple of live events but never on television. Randy Orton, never had a match with him. Seth Rollins. There are just so many of them that I didn’t, so coming to AEW, that was actually a massive goal of mine, to not leave the checklist unchecked.
    • I just want to mix it up with all of these different people, and I think that’s what brings out the best in me. I have a real passion and drive for first-time matchups, specifically when they’re in front of big audiences. There’s no prior chemistry and no feeling-out process. I think that’s where the artform really is.
    • Anyone can go and rehearse matches and have seven matches together before they ever do it live, and that’s not the artform. There’s still a skill set needed for that. So when I started looking at the roster and making that list, it didn’t end. It kept going.
  • Mercedes Mone visited VIP spa House of the Sun in Los Angeles and noted that she feels “incredible” after having treatment done.
  • Willow Nightingale has been announced as a special guest for Denise Salcedo’s live show at the Hollywood Improv on March 14 during AEW Revolution weekend.
  • MLW will be holding a show at Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois on November 7. Tickets go on sale next Monday (February 9) at 10 a.m. Eastern time.

Daily Update: The Great Mephisto passes away

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site right now. Some of the key stories being covered:

  • Royal Rumble thoughts, odds and direction
  • The business of UFC to Paramount, the numbers that were released, what they mean, and how much revenue does this mean vs. how much they paid for rights
  • Coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event
  • UFC 324 coverage, the fights, the future and the business
  • The life and times of Kim Wood, football, weightlifting, perception of people, Ken Shamrock and Brian Pillman
  • How Smackdown and NXT did throughout 2025 on Netflix, the ups and the downs
  • The most complete look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling TV shows over the past week, demos, comparisons, drops from last year factoring out why it would and should drop with big data
  • A new record set for most sellouts by a main eventer in a given month
  • Huge CMLL business week and great matches
  • Major shows upcoming
  • Big events coming for New Japan
  • Fantastica Mania coming
  • Mayu Iwatani’s 15th anniversary show
  • Jesse Ventura suggest Minnesota should leave the U.S.
  • Chris Jericho on TV show
  • Jimmy Jacobs talks working for Vince McMahon
  • Mick Foey on his mother’s death
  • Controversial independent angle makes mainstream attention and gets wrestler fired
  • Former WWE champion in talks to become a weekly TV character elsewhere
  • Former WCW attitude era announcer about to come back to wrestling
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Looking at the AEW business with Triller
  • AEW executive there from the start leaving
  • Issues with spoliation of evidence in UFC case
  • More on the White House show
  • Lots of notes on Zuffa boxing contracts
  • Notes on WWE international deals
  • Injryu updates
  • New AEW & WWE signings

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Monday Update

– Bryan and I will be back tonight covering Raw, Great Mephisto, Royal Rumble fallout, AEW, CMLL, NXT and the rest of the week’s news with Wrestling Observer Radio tonight.

– Frankie Cain, born James Ault, who was best known as part of the Infernos tag team in the 60s and the Great Mephisto in the 70s, passed away this morning as reported by close friend Scott Teal. The Infernos (Ault & Roland “Rocky” Smith, managed by J.C. Dykes), were one of the top heel teams in the country, with eight regional world tag team titles between 1965-68. He then became part of the masked tag team Mephisto & Dante in Tennessee with Dante being Bobby Hart. He went to Florida in late 1970 as the Great Mephisto as a Sheik knockoff, and his biggest career run was in California in 1972-73 where he was the top heel.

Of all the heels I saw in Northern California, the two people who got the most heat were Mephisto and manager Ken Ramey (who managed Paul DeMarco). He had a falling out with Shire, and either slapped him around or decked him and left the territory. Shire tried to blacklist him but the reality is once you had a rep for drawing money, you were going to be able to get work. He was later a manager and booker. As a booker, he started Paul Bearer, and was the one who first put Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy together as a tag team. He also wrestled in carnivals, was perhaps the last man alive who worked with Jim Londos, and boxed professionally.

– WWE celebrity stars Bad Bunny and Jelly Roll won Grammy Awards last night. Bad Bunny won Album of the Year and Best Musica Urbana Album as well as Best Global Music Performance. Jelly Roll won for Best Country Duo or Group Performance with Shaboozey and Best Contemporary Classic album.

– CMLL wrestler El Pegasso was charged with domestic violence toward his family and arrested on Friday according to The Cubs Fan. The alleged incident took place in 2024 and the case has been moving through the courts. The alleged victim is his son from a previous relationship. The story had first been covered in November.

– Raw is tonight in Philadelphia with Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez in a street fight and Penta vs. Bronson Reed. They’ll start the tease of who Roman Reigns and Liv Morgan will choose as well as start the Elimination Chamber build. They were very close to sold out with 12,600 tickets out as of last word. Business is still awfully good. Maybe not at the peak of last year but still very good.

– We’re looking for your thoughts on the Royal Rumble, so you can leave a thumbs up thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]

– We were told it was the decision of Simone Johnson to take down her Twitter account after her post negative to Ice and the current administration. It was not forced on her although it was under the Ava name, which she in theory would no longer be able to use since her contract has expired.

– We’re also looking for reports from Philadelphia tonight with Main Event matches or anything not on the live TV show as well as the same for AEW in Las Vegas on Wednesday with any ROH matches or Collision tapings to [email protected]

– TNA Impact did an 0.14 household rating and an 0.04 in 18-49, up from 0.03 last week. We don’t have the viewership number at the moment, but it was 86th for the night in viewers. A 1.20 VPH would be 215,000 viewers and an 1.30 VPH would be 233,000 viewers, so it should be by far the highest to date. Ironically the first taped show did the biggest numbers likely by far.

– Movsar Evloev vs. Lerone Murphy for the No. 1 contender at featherweight for Alexander Volkanovski was announced for 3/21 in London at the O2 Arena. Also on the show announced today were Luke Riley vs Michael Aswell and Michael Venom Page vs. Sam Patterson.

– The NXT title will be up tomorrow in a seven-man ladder match with Ricky Saints, Sean Legacy, Keanu Carver, Jackson Drake, Joe Hendry, Shiloh Hill and Dion Lennox, plus Izzy Dame vs. Thea Hail vs. Lola Vice for the North American title and The Elegance Brand defends the TNA tag titles against Sol Ruca & Zaria.

– Just for a clarification, on the weekend CMLL shows, they were not using American tag team rules as far as tagging needed, but were doing American rules about only needing one pin to end the match and being one fall instead of two out of three which non-title tag s and trios matches are. Aubrey Edwards went to Mexico this weekend and became the first female referee to referee a men’s match ever at Arena Mexico on Friday night.

– Tonight’s show at Arena Puebla has sold out with Mistico & Mascara Dorada & Templario vs. Cavernario & Soberano Jr. & Volador Jr, Atlantis Jr. vs. Ultimo Guerrero and Star Jr. & Xelhua vs. Mason Madden & Mansoor.

– Mike Santana, Priscilla Kelly and Tyler Breeze will be at Saturday’s AIW show in Youngstown, OH.

– Chris Harris & James Storm, America’s Most Wanted, won an independent tag team title over the weekend.

– GCW will hold a Marko Stunt retirement event on 3/14 at the Showboat in Atlantic City, NJ. Stunt made it clear he will not be wrestling on that show.

– The Toronto Raptors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game on Wednesday in Toronto will be WWE night with all fans getting a pro wrestling mask and some WWE talent appearing.

– MLW announced a 6/11 show at the Melrose Ballroom in New York.

– Titan & Bandido & Astral beat Magnus & Vegas Depreadador & Virus last night in Monterrey, Mexico. The local newspaper put over the show as completely captivating the audience and confirming the sports’ current popularity, and put over Bandido as being the big star of the show.

– Combate Global announced that all 20 of its events this year will stream live in Mexico on the Samsung TV Plus Fast Channel.

– Hall of Famer Genichiro Tenryu, who was a star in sumo and then a bigger star in pro wrestling, turned 76 today. Susan Sexton, who was once the roommate of Bill Apter, turned 68. Naoki Sano, famous for his early 90s matches with Jushin Liger, turned 61. Brian Cage turned 42. Isla Dawn turned 32. John Pesek, one of the baddest men in the world of his era, was born on this day in 1894. Jack Veneno, the biggest pro wrestling star ever in the Dominican Republic, who once beat Ric Flair to win the NWA world title (it was only recognized in the Dominican Republic but is the most famous match by far ever on that island) was born 84 years ago today. Gino Hernandez, one of the most unique heels of his ear, was 28 when he died of a cocaine overdose in 1986. Jim Wilson, famous for suing Jim Barnett and writing a great book on pro wrestling, was 66 when he died 17 years ago today. Tom Drake, a pro wrestler who became more famous as an Alabama politician was 86 when he passed away nine years ago. Lanny Poffo was 68 when he passed away three years ago (Thanks to Tony Richards)

Daily Update: WWE 2K26, PWI Awards, Taka Michinoku

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • A look at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the interest level, the Royal Rumble and Rumble odds
    Big Bad Bobby Duncum, a look at the career of a worldwide headliner who worked on top with almost every major babyface of the 70s, including big WWF and AWA runs and Japanese major tournaments
  • CMLL has a big business week with Bandido, Ricochet, Komander, Gates of Agony and Lee Moriarty.
  • A look at some of the best matches so far this year and the craziness that ruined what could have been the best of all of them.
  • A look at prior plans for 2025 PPV shows that changed
  • A look at Netflix numbers over the past six months, as well as how every PPV in 2025 did and some surprises in that direction, as well as how SmackDown did internationally as well as NXT, and how shows that went head-to-head with AEW PPVs drew.
  • Notes on the TNA ratings for the first show on AMC and what they tell us.
  • TNA Genesis coverage
  • 2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards ballot
  • More AEW stars to CMLL next week
  • AAA TV taping notes
  • Thoughts on the current AAA product and how it relates to Lucha Libre and WWE
  • Stardom makes claim against Marigold
  • Saya Kamitani returns early
  • Notes about a mainstream model who became one of the first big stars in Stardom and women’s MVP
  • Best tag team match of the year
  • New Japan next major show lineup
  • Eight promotions combine for a singles tournament
  • The potential best actual wrestler in the world signs with RAF
  • Feast or Fired thoughts
  • More on AEW’s future with the WBD sale to Netflix
  • Trey Miguel situation
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week
  • UFC returns to action with first big show of 2026
  • Top exec since the inception of  PFL leaves
  • More notes regarding a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE
  • WWE headliner talks bowing out
  • WWE and AEW injury updates
  • Punk movie box office
  • Talent coming and going from promotions
  • TKO and WWE execs get millions this quarter

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

Other Wrestling

  • Mercedes Mone was chosen as Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Woman of the Year for 2025, with Toni Storm taking home the award for Most Popular Wrestler of the Year.
  • Harley Cameron thanked the readers of PWI for naming her their Most Improved Wrestler:
    • Thank you to the readers of PWI for voting me Most Improved for 2025. And thank you @aew and @tonyrkhan for allowing me to live out my dream! I vow to continue improving…my improvement!
  • Mike Santana reacted to being chosen as PWI’s Most Inspirational Wrestler of the year:
    • Huge shoutout to all the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and every person who’s walked this path with me. 
    • Blessed and humbled that my journey has connected with so many. You all have played a huge role in motivating me to push forward every single day. 
    • THANK YOU.
  • Shotzi Blackheart was named PWI’s Indie Wrestler of the Year.
  • Evil Uno has been announced for DDT Pro Wrestling’s 29th Anniversary show on March 22.
  • Taka Michinoku noted that he’ll be in the United States at the end of March and is looking for bookings around Indianapolis:
    • I’m going to Indianapolis on March 27th and 28th. If I go all the way to US, I’d like to wrestle around that time. I went to England and Australia in the last few years, but it’s been seven years since I went to the U.S. Please make an offer to DM.
  • CMLL wrestlers Persephone and La Catalina were featured in a documentary from L’Oreal Groupe:
    • What’s the secret behind the Olympian Noah Lyles’s record-breaking sprints? How do star lucha libre wrestlers Persephone and La Catalina prepare their game face ahead of a match? And how does the FC Barcelona soccer player Jules Kounde achieve greatness through routine?
    • ‘Meeting the Moment’ is a documentary narrated by the basketball legend Sue Bird that follows four athletes as they prepare for a major sports competition, revealing how physical training, mental fortitude and self-care rituals make up their winning formula.
  • Madison Rayne discussed her in-ring retirement on AEW Unrestricted.
  • Daria Rae (the former Sonya Deville) appeared on a new episode of TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast.

Daily Update: Street Profits, Eddie Kingston & Ortiz, Chris Jericho

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • A look at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the interest level, the Royal Rumble and Rumble odds
    Big Bad Bobby Duncum, a look at the career of a worldwide headliner who worked on top with almost every major babyface of the 70s, including big WWF and AWA runs and Japanese major tournaments
  • CMLL has a big business week with Bandido, Ricochet, Komander, Gates of Agony and Lee Moriarty.
  • A look at some of the best matches so far this year and the craziness that ruined what could have been the best of all of them.
  • A look at prior plans for 2025 PPV shows that changed
  • A look at Netflix numbers over the past six months, as well as how every PPV in 2025 did and some surprises in that direction, as well as how SmackDown did internationally as well as NXT, and how shows that went head-to-head with AEW PPVs drew.
  • Notes on the TNA ratings for the first show on AMC and what they tell us.
  • TNA Genesis coverage
  • 2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards ballot
  • More AEW stars to CMLL next week
  • AAA TV taping notes
  • Thoughts on the current AAA product and how it relates to Lucha Libre and WWE
  • Stardom makes claim against Marigold
  • Saya Kamitani returns early
  • Notes about a mainstream model who became one of the first big stars in Stardom and women’s MVP
  • Best tag team match of the year
  • New Japan next major show lineup
  • Eight promotions combine for a singles tournament
  • The potential best actual wrestler in the world signs with RAF
  • Feast or Fired thoughts
  • More on AEW’s future with the WBD sale to Netflix
  • Trey Miguel situation
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week
  • UFC returns to action with first big show of 2026
  • Top exec since the inception of  PFL leaves
  • More notes regarding a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE
  • WWE headliner talks bowing out
  • WWE and AEW injury updates
  • Punk movie box office
  • Talent coming and going from promotions
  • TKO and WWE execs get millions this quarter

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

Other Wrestling

  • Eddie Kingston & Ortiz have been announced for Beyond Wrestling’s Ballroom Blitz show in Cranston, Rhode Island on February 27.
  • On his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross said he would like to see AEW sign Tommaso Ciampa:
    • I think that’s logical. I don’t know for sure where else. What are his other options? I mean, they’re there. He could get a deal in Japan. He could work their style well. But if I know AEW as I do, he’s somebody you wouldn’t pass on. You know, he’s a good worker and he’s got a lot of name recognition, name identity in the business.
    • I like his work. It seems to me, and like I said, I got nothing to base this on other than my gut instincts, that he will be on the AEW roster sooner than later. Because he can have great matches with anybody. I like his work. He’s solid. He doesn’t worry about breaking an egg. He’s a tough kid. So I hope that we get him. I really do.
  • Elle magazine posted a first look at the upcoming Apple TV series “Margot’s Got Money Troubles,” with one of the pictures showing Chris Jericho sharing a scene with Nicole Kidman.
  • Due to injury, Hechicero is unable to compete at a show for Bandido’s Entertainment in Mexico this Friday. The Beast Mortos is replacing him at the event.
  • While speaking with the Orlando Sentinel, Killer Kross discussed the freedom he has outside of WWE:
    • With the realities of television formatting, sometimes people are placed into positions with a very low ceiling to succeed. If you’re trapped in that position long enough … the casual fan may think certain performers don’t have anything more to give. That’s very soul-crushing. So I have to remind them that there’s still that guy in there. To be where I’m at right now, to have the freedom to perform the way they didn’t even know I could, is really important.
  • Cha Cha Charlie is the latest entrant confirmed for MLW Battle Riot VIII this Thursday.
  • Mike Santana spoke with radio station Q101 in Chicago.
  • The Metro interviewed Shotzi Blackheart.

Daily Update: Marissa McMahon, AJ Styles, MJF

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

This issue covers the following topics:

  • The changes in the WrestleMania plans, the Drew McIntyre title win, Roman Reigns return and the whys.
  • WWE getting Will Hobbs while AEW signs a slew of new talent as well. A look at each case-by-case.
  • Notes on the big weekend coming to Mexico City
  • Kayla Harrison injury and what is the future for the biggest women’s fight in years
  • Win-loss records and total bouts for all top WWE/NXT talent in 2025
  • WWE Iron Man winner from 1984-2025
  • What cutting back on the schedule has taught us about injuries
  • Who gets protected in booking and who doesn’t
  • The problem with the current schedule and development of young talent
  • A star who has been around through various eras talks timing and injuries and best schedule
  • A look at TNA’s debut on AMC, what went right and wrong
  • When did wrestling start being a work. Studying of history shows it’s a lot earlier than you would think
  • Odds for WWE matches upcoming
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling shows this past week, as well as comparisons with the past and a look at the level of declines and why
  • What wrestler has already main evented 12 sold out shows in 2026
  • One woman wrestler announces retirement and another retires
  • Kazuchika Okada in Japan
  • Most watched New Japan World matches of 2025
  • Ted DiBiase Jr. on trial
  • Death of Rick Link, from fan clubs to main events
  • Jesse Ventura speaks about the current political environment
  • The greatest wrestler in the world signs with Eric Bischoff’s promotion
  • Tons of major independent shows coming
  • AEW gets TV in new market
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA events
  • Most viewed YouTube videos from AEW and WWE
  • Tag team returning to AEW
  • Dana White shuts down talk of major match
  • A new lawsuit filed against WWE
  • Notes on the recent WWE tryout
  • Notes on all the WWE arena shows this past week.

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

Other Wrestling

  • While calling into Busted Open Radio today, MJF said he wants to defend the AEW World Championship against Nic Nemeth:
    • MJF: Nemeth, whenever you find your balls, let me know. I’d love to wrestle you for the title as well. Good day, sir.
    • Nemeth: Wow. What a call. I was just offered an AEW title shot… I’m really focused, surprisingly, on the TNA World title – tonight possibly even. But, wow, AEW Champion. You’ve got Swerve and Hangman and Joe all going after MJF – and he’s thinking about me. I’m on board. I like that. I always wondered if he could hang in the ring. We’ll find out one day, I guess.
  • Wrestle Radio Australia interviewed MJF.
  • Mansoor, Mason Madden, and Johnny TV have been announced for CMLL’s show at Arena Mexico on January 30.
  • Chris Jericho spoke to Soundsphere about the importance of reinventing yourself:
    • Reinvention is important at any stage of your career, because you want to keep people excited and motivated about what you’re doing. The [Rolling] Stones last record, ‘Hackney Diamonds’ was great. Why wouldn’t The Stones release a new album? Because they’re artists, and that’s what artists do. Keeping things fresh and exciting is something I believe in wholeheartedly. There’s nothing wrong with having tinges, but you still want to create new things as well, so you’re not just a nostalgia act.
  • Marigold wished Mayu Iwatani a happy 15th anniversary of her pro wrestling debut.
  • Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling announced more details for its four-show U.S. tour that’s taking place in Texas this March.
  • Joe Karni has an interview with Mike Santana.
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Paul London looked back on his official SmackDown debut match being against Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship:
    • I think that stemmed out of that thing where he had decimated Brian [Kendrick]. He took that crazy F5 into the ring post bump, which is still, I have no idea how he did that. He even took a weird back bump from the floor up against the turnbuckles. Brian did an amazing job, incredible worker. But then he did the thing with Zach Gowen, where he bled him out like a stuck pig. Then it was me. But the same thing happened where I’m in the ring with Brock going over it. Arn is the agent. I love Arn Anderson. I actually have one of his trading cards, I carry it with me everywhere. But he’s like, oh, ‘What can you do, kid? Gotta make this guy look like a son of a bitch.’ I’m like, I think he’s doing a pretty good job on his own. He doesn’t have a neck. He’s shaped like Ram Man. And I’m like, ‘Well, if he clotheslines me right off the bat, I can do a 360.’ So I wouldn’t say Brock took a liking to me, but we were always cool, always cool after that. I mean, he wouldn’t say hi to anybody a lot of times, but he was always cool to me.
  • Tully Blanchard turns 72 years old today.

Daily Update: New WWE trademark, Josh Alexander, Wolfgang

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

This issue covers the following topics:

  • The changes in the WrestleMania plans, the Drew McIntyre title win, Roman Reigns return and the whys.
  • WWE getting Will Hobbs while AEW signs a slew of new talent as well. A look at each case-by-case.
  • Notes on the big weekend coming to Mexico City
  • Kayla Harrison injury and what is the future for the biggest women’s fight in years
  • Win-loss records and total bouts for all top WWE/NXT talent in 2025
  • WWE Iron Man winner from 1984-2025
  • What cutting back on the schedule has taught us about injuries
  • Who gets protected in booking and who doesn’t
  • The problem with the current schedule and development of young talent
  • A star who has been around through various eras talks timing and injuries and best schedule
  • A look at TNA’s debut on AMC, what went right and wrong
  • When did wrestling start being a work. Studying of history shows it’s a lot earlier than you would think
  • Odds for WWE matches upcoming
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling shows this past week, as well as comparisons with the past and a look at the level of declines and why
  • What wrestler has already main evented 12 sold out shows in 2026
  • One woman wrestler announces retirement and another retires
  • Kazuchika Okada in Japan
  • Most watched New Japan World matches of 2025
  • Ted DiBiase Jr. on trial
  • Death of Rick Link, from fan clubs to main events
  • Jesse Ventura speaks about the current political environment
  • The greatest wrestler in the world signs with Eric Bischoff’s promotion
  • Tons of major independent shows coming
  • AEW gets TV in new market
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA events
  • Most viewed YouTube videos from AEW and WWE
  • Tag team returning to AEW
  • Dana White shuts down talk of major match
  • A new lawsuit filed against WWE
  • Notes on the recent WWE tryout
  • Notes on all the WWE arena shows this past week.

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full triple threat tag match that headlined NXT last night, which saw Sol Ruca & Zaria defeat Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid and Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair to become the number one contenders to the TNA Knockouts Tag Team titles.
  • WWE filed a trademark application for the name “Royce Keys” on January 20.
  • On What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker was asked if he’s enjoyed hosting his own Six Feet Under podcast:
    • It has its moments. Yeah, it really does. When you’re in a discussion or you’re in a conversation and you’re hitting it off, that’s always fun. But, man, sometimes when you get that guest that doesn’t want to talk or is not a storyteller, right? I don’t want to name names, but it can be like pulling a tooth.
  • Undertaker announced that Rhodes will be a future guest on Six Feet Under.
  • R-Truth sent out a message thanking everyone for how they’ve responded to the new season of WWE Unreal:
    • Thank you to each and everyone of you WORLD WIDE! I don’t call you fans anymore, You all are my family. I really appreciate ALL of you more than you’ll ever know.
  • CM Punk & AJ Styles teamed up at WWE’s house show in Brussels yesterday, defeating Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed.
  • Booker T spoke to The Takedown on SI about his willingness to help younger talent:
    • I always tell the young guys, if you want some help, I’ll be right over here. I got a little cubby hole and I got a little spot, a little office. Sometimes I show up to work and I have two guys, three guys, a girl, sitting there waiting on me. We’ll break it down … really go into self interrogation mode, ask ourselves serious questions.
    • It’s mostly going to be ‘what not to dos’ and working with these kids and really getting down to the meat and potatoes of being able to beat someone up poetically. That’s all it is. If you could do that, we can make a whole lot of money.

Other Wrestling

  • Josh Alexander appeared on the Battleground Podcast ahead of his match against Kenny Omega on Dynamite tonight.
  • During the interview, Alexander was asked if he would like to see his wife Jade Chung and friend Scott D’Amore have a role in AEW/ROH:
    • I would absolutely love to see that. I mean, Scott’s one thing. He might take offense more if I said no to that than my wife. 
    • My wife first and foremost, she changed her whole career from a wrestling manager into being a ring announcer just because [TNA] asked her to try it. She was worried about it, but she’s like, ‘I’ll give it a try, I’ve never done it, we’ll see.’ She went to voice lessons for a year, and she’s still going to this day, even though she’s not doing it anymore.
    • But she did all this hard work. And I think the hard work showed in what she was able to do as a ring announcer. Like, she was getting praise from a lot of people from around the industry that have been in the industry for a very long time.
    • So I think it’d be a terrible waste of her talents to not see her do what she now loves to do and is now confident in doing at a bigger company. AEW would be a very good place for that.
    • Scott D’Amore, the man has helped me more than anybody else in wrestling history. He saw something in me when a lot of people didn’t, gave me an opportunity when a lot of people didn’t. And the only reason I’m sitting here in this house that I’m able to put over my children’s heads is because of Scott D’Amore giving me those opportunities and me making the best of them. So I owe that guy so much, and I would love to see him anywhere.
  • WDW News Today has an interview with MJF.
  • Alec Price told Undisputed that he and Jordan Oliver are out to prove they’re the best tag team in the world now that they’ve signed with AEW:
    • This is our time. [MJF] was part of the last generation of indie talent, then me and Jordan and our generation held the indies strong. Now it’s all about a new challenge. Me and Jordan aren’t going to squander this opportunity. We’re the best tag team in the world, and we’re going to show it.
  • In an interview with NJPW’s English-language website, Yota Tsuji reacted to Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement match:
    • I hit the showers when I got to the back and I was icing my neck while I checked it out. Tanahashi’s incredible. Those cheers at that volume from that many people without stopping, it just hit home how much he means to wrestling. Tanahashi that day was like the ultimate final form of a pro-wrestler. And you know, the match was great. Some emotion just boiled over toward the end there (laughs).
  • Tsuji noted that he wants his IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship defense against Gabe Kidd or Andrade El Idolo to take place overseas. Those two are facing each other in a number one contender’s match at the New Beginning in Osaka on February 11.
    • I’d like to do it overseas. If it happens to be Andrade then it’s a new international name to me to face, and if it’s Gabe then it will be a chance to show the best of NJPW to a foreign audience, so it’ll be cool either way.
  • All three members of former WWE faction Gallus will be debuting for MLW in Kissimmee, Florida on January 29, with Wolfgang joining Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey among the confirmed entrants for the 40-man Battle Riot match.
  • Elayna Black (the former Cora Jade) revealed that she is dating fellow TNA wrestler KC Navarro.
  • Limitless Wrestling’s YouTube channel uploaded the full Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs. Anthony Greene & Channing Thomas tag match from last week.
  • “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, The Great Sasuke, Gangrel, and Jordan Oliver & Alec Price will be taking part in Joey Janela’s Boat Bash 2027.

Daily Update: Carmelo Hayes, Jackie Redmond, Zane Jay

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the news covered in this issue:

  • Coverage of the Tokyo Dome show
  • How did the show accomplish what should have been its key goals
  • Thoughts on Aaron Wolf
  • Business notes on the show
  • Yota Tsuji and the title name change
  • The end of the Bullet Club
  • Shinsuke Nakamura and his thoughts
  • Angle with Will Ospreay
  • Records that Tanahashi set during his career
  • Tanahashi’s background
  • Notes on his last IWGP title win that wasn’t supposed to happen
  • The unique way he became a mainstream figure in a news story
  • How his career exploded from there
  • How Tanahashi differed from prior IWGP champions and how that changed who could hold that title
  • The Tanahashi era that turned around New Japan
  • A look at his record setting 13 Tokyo Dome career main events
  • Various title wins and career awards
  • 2025 Business Year in Review
  • A look at all the shows that drew 15,000 fans
  • Biggest individual draws of the year
  • Crowds of 15,000 or more by promotion and how the main companies did
  • How UFC PPV gates were
  • The biggest pro wrestling drawing card every year from 1916 to 2025
  • What wrestlers were No. 1 for the year the most years in their career
  • The 50 biggest arena draws in pro wrestling history based on the standards of their era
  • New Year Dash coverage
  • The year in matches, who had the most great matches in 2025, most over the course of a career, top ten arenas of all-time and new records set in 2025 by a promotion for a year as well as for a city
  • A look at the life of Johnny Legend, a cult celebrity wrestling fan, his work with Freddie Blassie and Andy Kaufman, and his promotion, Incredibly Strange Wrestling.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of the pro wrestling TV shows and details regarding who watches
  • Advanced ticket sales for WWE, AEW and TNA events
  • AEW stars headed to CMLL next week
  • Another Arena Mexico sellout
  • Legendary pro wrestling promoter turns 101
  • Old living wrestling personalities
  • Ted DiBiase files lawsuit
  • The Ted DiBiase Jr. case
  • A look at the career of Bob Boyer/Bobby Bold Eagle, who wrestled from 1955 to 1987
  • Documentary planned on 80s tag team
  • Notes on WrestleMania week shows
  • Update on the WBD sale
  • Former UFC champion goes for boxing world title
  • Update on the home for WWE’s library
  • Plans for TV shows this month
  • How much Dwayne Johnson has made from the WWE contract he signed two years ago
  • Those added to WWE, those leaving, those injured and those they are interested in
  • How the Holiday week house shows did
  • Why WWE’s weekly  audience on Netflix should go up close to 12 percent over the next three months.

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • For his United States title open challenge on SmackDown tomorrow, Carmelo Hayes invited the best of the United Kingdom to step up: “Smackdown in London tomorrow night! I want the best out of the UK that wants to step up, put on and tear the roof off that bih #USTitleOpenInvitation”
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, WWE broadcast team member Jackie Redmond addressed whether she would like to get involved in the ring one day:
    • I mean, I don’t have any desire to be, like, in a match or anything like that.
    • I do wish that Superstars yelled at me [on-screen] more. I’m not going to lie. Like, that’s not really a thing that we do anymore, but I want them in my face. I want them to be mean to me. Like, I actually really want that. Like, please be a d*ck. I really — be a jerk to me. But it’s a different time. Maybe one day.
    • No, I don’t want to be in the ring, but I wouldn’t be opposed to, like, slapping someone or taking a bump. No [I’ve never taken a bump]. I would love to, though. I would even love just to learn how to take a bump.
  • Redmond discussed her friendship with CM Punk:
    • I crossed paths with CM Punk prior to joining WWE because he’s such a hockey fan. So I knew him through hockey. So when he came back, I instantly DM’d him. I was leaving the venue, and I was like, ‘You little sh*t! I didn’t know you were coming back.’ This is crazy, and I was still pretty new at that time. So for me, I was like, Oh my gosh. It’s an intimidating world. Everyone’s so nice and welcoming, but it’s a big world with big personalities. Everyone’s focused on what they have going on. So when I first started, I was very much in my shell, I was shy. So when Punk came back, I was like, Oh, my God, a friendly face. I know this person, which is so crazy because his reputation prior to coming back, it just amazes me some of the things that people say about him, because for me, he’s always just been an absolute pleasure, so nice, so professional, just awesome.
  • Punk spoke with Comicbook.com during the media tour for his new movie “Night Patrol.”
  • Bayley shared a funny story about accidentally receiving texts from Trish Stratus:
    • You know who texts me on accident all the time is Trish, because she has a nephew named Bailey. I will get happy birthday texts all the time. ‘Happy 12th birthday.’ Oh, my God, thank you. She’s like, ‘Damn it. I did it again.’
  • In Paris yesterday, Maxxine Dupri attended the world premiere for season four of the Netflix series “Bridgerton.”
  • Jordynne Grace was a guest on Busted Open Radio.
  • Denise Salcedo has an interview with Chelsea Green
  • Logan Paul uploaded a new vlog.
  • WWE Vault uploaded the company’s full Battle Royal at the Royal Albert Hall event from 1991.

Other Wrestling

  • Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun appeared on AEW Unrestricted this week.
  • No-Contest Wrestling spoke with The Hardys ahead of TNA’s AMC premiere.
  • In an interview with NJPW’s website, Zane Jay discussed being the only foreigner currently in the NJPW Japanese Dojo:
    • It’s not an easy life in the Dojo (laughs). Not at all. I think before me, in the past, (David) Finlay and Juice (Robinson), Jay White, the foreigners in the Dojo had other foreigners there to support them. Right now, it’s only me, so I have a chip on my shoulder. And they have more experience in Japan than me, but at the same time I have more life experience, and a different mentality. I went through a lot to get here, and now I really want to make the most of this.
  • Los Tranquilos de Japon protege Ryusei is making his official debut at a show for SAJ Wrestling in Italy on January 31.
  • Anthony Greene will be an entrant in MLW Battle Riot VIII.
  • CJ Perry interviewed Nhooph Al-Areebi (former WWE wrestler Aliyah) on her Identity Crisis podcast.
  • Denise Salcedo is holding a live show with special guests at Circa Resort & Casino Las Vegas on April 17, which is the Friday of WrestleMania week.

Daily Update: Seth Rollins update, MJF, Scott D’Amore

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the news covered in this issue:

  • Coverage of the Tokyo Dome show
  • How did the show accomplish what should have been its key goals
  • Thoughts on Aaron Wolf
  • Business notes on the show
  • Yota Tsuji and the title name change
  • The end of the Bullet Club
  • Shinsuke Nakamura and his thoughts
  • Angle with Will Ospreay
  • Records that Tanahashi set during his career
  • Tanahashi’s background
  • Notes on his last IWGP title win that wasn’t supposed to happen
  • The unique way he became a mainstream figure in a news story
  • How his career exploded from there
  • How Tanahashi differed from prior IWGP champions and how that changed who could hold that title
  • The Tanahashi era that turned around New Japan
  • A look at his record setting 13 Tokyo Dome career main events
  • Various title wins and career awards
  • 2025 Business Year in Review
  • A look at all the shows that drew 15,000 fans
  • Biggest individual draws of the year
  • Crowds of 15,000 or more by promotion and how the main companies did
  • How UFC PPV gates were
  • The biggest pro wrestling drawing card every year from 1916 to 2025
  • What wrestlers were No. 1 for the year the most years in their career
  • The 50 biggest arena draws in pro wrestling history based on the standards of their era
  • New Year Dash coverage
  • The year in matches, who had the most great matches in 2025, most over the course of a career, top ten arenas of all-time and new records set in 2025 by a promotion for a year as well as for a city
  • A look at the life of Johnny Legend, a cult celebrity wrestling fan, his work with Freddie Blassie and Andy Kaufman, and his promotion, Incredibly Strange Wrestling.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of the pro wrestling TV shows and details regarding who watches
  • Advanced ticket sales for WWE, AEW and TNA events
  • AEW stars headed to CMLL next week
  • Another Arena Mexico sellout
  • Legendary pro wrestling promoter turns 101
  • Old living wrestling personalities
  • Ted DiBiase files lawsuit
  • The Ted DiBiase Jr. case
  • A look at the career of Bob Boyer/Bobby Bold Eagle, who wrestled from 1955 to 1987
  • Documentary planned on 80s tag team
  • Notes on WrestleMania week shows
  • Update on the WBD sale
  • Former UFC champion goes for boxing world title
  • Update on the home for WWE’s library
  • Plans for TV shows this month
  • How much Dwayne Johnson has made from the WWE contract he signed two years ago
  • Those added to WWE, those leaving, those injured and those they are interested in
  • How the Holiday week house shows did
  • Why WWE’s weekly  audience on Netflix should go up close to 12 percent over the next three months.

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • While speaking with Complex News, Seth Rollins gave an update on his recovery from shoulder surgery:
    • It’s coming along. Yeah, it’s coming along. I had surgery almost three months ago now. I can do most normal things like wash my hair and scratch my armpit and all those things. So, it’s good. Still got time. I don’t know exactly when we’re going to come back, but I’m making progress in the right direction.
  • R-Truth told TV Insider that he thinks the existence of “WWE: Unreal” shows how much the industry is adapting to the times:
    • I know everyone has different takes and different views on it. My thought, like everything else, was, like, cool. I wasn’t pro Unreal or anti-Unreal. I wasn’t against it or for it. I think it shows how much the business is growing, adapting, and excelling into things we’ve never seen before. That’s a good thing. We have to adapt. It’s about trying new and different things, whether it’s inside or outside the box. I’m just here to play the hand.
  • BBC Scotland briefly interviewed new WWE Champion Drew McIntyre.
  • Jade Cargill attended the premiere of Netflix’s movie “The Rip” in New York City.
  • Kendal Grey appeared on Busted Open After Dark following NXT last night.
  • Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada had a meeting with WWE President Nick Khan: “It was a pleasure meeting with @WWE President Nick Khan who happens to be a former student of mine @UNLV.”

Other Wrestling

  • MJF named Steve Austin as the greatest wrestler of all time (besides himself): “In my opinion. After me of course. When people talk about the greatest of all time. They should be saying Steve Austin.”
  • Limitless Wrestling promoter Randy Carver spoke to Undisputed about booking MJF vs. Alec Price for the AEW World Championship at this Friday’s Limitless Rumble event:
    • I try to never take anything off the table, but this one always felt unrealistic. Yet every year, without fail, the number one vote for the wrestler our fans wanted to see return was the same: MJF. There was a constant heartbeat among the fans that this could happen.
    • Nights like this don’t happen often, but the goalposts continue to move. There’s a beauty to the landscape of 2026 independent wrestling where nights like this can exist.
    • We’re less than 200 tickets away from selling out The Colisee in Lewiston, something that would’ve sounded ludicrous when we took this gamble for the first time. We have a dedicated team committed to making Maine a professional wrestling destination. This Friday is a major step forward for Maine professional wrestling. The possibilities are truly limitless.
  • Alex Windsor reflected on her first Stardom tour: 
    • Had the absolute time of my life, shared the ring with the greatest talent there is and saw firsthand the highest level every one of these girls work at. The kind of wrestling that I feel most at home and lights that spark. Thank you @wwr_stardom
  • Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling President Scott D’Amore has added on another wrestling role with him joining One Fall Wrestling as a co-executive producer and creative consultant. The indie promotion is owned by QT Marshall.
  • TV Insider asked Mike Santana if he could see himself crossing over into “The Walking Dead” universe now that TNA Impact is on AMC:
    • Absolutely. I read the graphic novel two years before it came out. I have been following The Walking Dead for a long time. So if I got the opportunity to do something with them it would be a huge deal. I followed Breaking Bad, that was an amazing show. There are opportunities for a lot of integration. I think it will be great for everyone involved. As far as I’ve heard, AMC executives are very happy with the reaction everything has gotten so far. This is the first time they are in the sports entertainment business and offering a platform for wrestling. It’s a good time overall. We’re excited.
  • Minoru Suzuki is taking bookings for WrestleMania week in Las Vegas this April: “Any promotions that need me at Mania Week this year please get in touch. KAZE NI NAREeee [email protected]”
  • Kurt Angle is set to appear at WrestleCon’s convention on the Friday of Mania week.
  • The “You Know I’m Right” podcast had Kacy Catanzaro (former WWE wrestler Katana Chance) on as a guest.
  • “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan is celebrating his 72nd birthday today.

Daily Update: Kelani Jordan, RVD, Andrade

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is now available and covers the following topics:

  • Polls on Worlds End plus Continental Classic MVP and best match polls.
  • The story of the WWE/UFC merger and Vince McMahon’s resignation, how real was it, the big unanswered question about the WWE Board of Directors, lots of Discovery information in the shareholders lawsuit against WWE, McMahon, TKO, Nick Khan and others, things behind the scenes about the merger, and the change in plans prior to the 2023 WrestleMania in more detail than ever before.
  • Full coverage of AEW Worlds End and business notes on the show
  • The retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi and the Tokyo Dome show
  • The record setting 2025 at Arena Mexico and biggest attendance week in the 92 years of CMLL, a look at the last week as well as how many Americans are at the shows.
  • The few times in history that a company sold out a major arena three times in the same week.
  • A look at the Stardom Dream Queendom show
  • Pro Wrestling NOAH hosts the first major show of 2026
  • Weekly odds
  • 2026 Observer award ballot
  • Most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week.
  • Weddings and engagements in pro wrestling this past week
  • All Japan has its best match of 2025
  • William Regal and others talk about neck injuries in pro wrestling and our thoughts on it as well as the reaction of some
  • Who had the most great matches in 2025
  • How Eric Bischoff’s new promotion is similar to Sam Muchnick starting out as a promoter
  • Company does a Vince McMahon/Janel Grant angle on its TV show
  • AEW business partner delisted
  • Tony Khan talks a ton of different subjects
  • Top merch sellers in US outside of WWE
  • Tom Aspinall update
  • Don Frye talks health issues
  • Lots of injury updates

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • On No-Contest Wrestling, Kelani Jordan opened up about how proud she is of her fiance Carmelo Hayes for becoming United States Champion:
    • Oh, I’m so proud of him. Not only because, of course, you know, I don’t want to say, like, I’m biased, but really, honestly, like, he’s such a great person. He works really hard. I’ve never seen someone more passionate about this business and what he does. He studies all the time. He works hard.
    • He’s in the gym. He sometimes even does extra ring [work] with me, not only to help me, but just to make sure he’s in shape for his matches when he doesn’t really need to be. Like, he’s in great shape.
    • So I’m just super proud of him because I want to say he never, like – it wasn’t handed to him. He definitely earned it. And I feel like he definitely paid his dues. And of course, his talent speaks for himself, but he has a genuine heart. And so I’m super proud of him.
  • The Toronto Sun’s No Holds Barred podcast has an interview with Hayes.
  • Games Hub asked RVD if he feels like there is anyone in WWE who was particularly underutilized in 2025:
    • I mean that it seems like that’s always their job, they’re over obligated, they got so much TV time and they gotta figure out how to use everybody. Nobody really comes to mind. I feel like I prefer watching the ladies actually a lot more because they’ve really stepped it up.
    • If you go back to like 2001, when I came into WWE, the girls weren’t the best workers and a lot of wrestling fans would say that when the girls are on, that was their break to run to the kitchen or whatever, watching it. I didn’t know that girls could even move like they were fighting because they seemed so unnatural before, but they were hot, they get really hot girls. That’s not the same thing as someone that’s a tomboy that fought with their brothers and grew up that way. So now they have so many girls that qualify that I don’t see how they’re gonna use all of them because they gotta beat each other. And the NXT too, watching the girls that are coming up, I’m so impressed with them and they seem like they’ve closed the gap and lady wrestling might be just as popular as men wrestling someday.
  • WWE and ESPN partnered together to make a custom title belt themed after the College Football Playoffs:
    • The two sides have teamed up to create a custom WWE x ESPN CFP National Championship Title Belt, a one-of-one piece inspired by host city Miami and featuring the outline of Hard Rock Stadium, palm trees, and College Football–inspired design elements, including 136 diamonds representing each Division I FBS program. The belt will be on display for fans to take photos and interact with at the ESPN CFP x WWE activation at Playoff Fan Central in Miami from January 16–18, and one lucky fan will also have the chance to win it through an official ESPN sweepstakes.
    • The title belt will make its first public appearance with WWE Superstar Nikki Bella on the sideline of the CFP Semifinals on Jan. 8 at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Bella’s home state.
  • The WWE Vault YouTube account asked fans for 2026 content suggestions: “You have Vault requests… we want ‘em! Let’s start 2026 right. Lay your WWE Vault suggestions on us in the comments below!”
  • Amazon Prime Video released the trailer for “The Wrecking Crew,” a movie starring Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa that’s set to premiere on January 28.

Other Wrestling

  • AEW shared a look at its new stage setup that debuted on Dynamite last night.
  • Andrade El Idolo thanked Tony Khan for bringing him back to AEW: “Once again, thank you very much, Sir!!! @AEW vamos a romperla!!”
  • House of Glory announced that Amazing Red will be Andrade’s opponent at their City of Angels show in Los Angeles on January 30. It’s a first-time-ever matchup.
  • AEW acknowledged its wins in ESPN’s 2025 Pro Wrestling Awards:
    • Tag Team of the Year: FTR
    • Breakthrough Wrestler of the Year: Kyle Fletcher
    • Best Event of the Year: AEW Revolution
    • Best Storyline: Toni Storm & Mariah May
  • Raven told Insight with Chris Van Vliet that he feels like he was under-pushed in WWE:
    • They should have pushed me. They didn’t really push me at all. I should have been used, at least as a strong mid-carder, if not a main eventer. But that’s me. I mean, I could be biased, and I’m sure I am, but looking at it objectively, I think I could have drawn money for them.
  • Ikuro Kwon is set to compete in MLW Battle Riot VIII on January 29.
  • Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling announced a new competition series named Prospe-X:
    • Reality of Wrestling proudly introduces PROSPE-X — a brand-new, high-stakes competition series searching for the next breakout star in professional wrestling.
    • Created by Booker T and Sharmell Huffman, PROSPE-X will spotlight 10 of the top independent prospects from across the U.S. (9 singles competitors + 1 tag team), selected through an open nationwide submission process.
    • What’s on the line? One standout competitor will earn an official ROW roster spot and compete at a major ROW ‘Big Four’ event: Last Stand Rumble • Summer of Champions • SubZero • Battle to the Bell

Daily Update: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Doc Gallows, TNA Impact

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is now available and covers the following topics:

  • Polls on Worlds End plus Continental Classic MVP and best match polls.
  • The story of the WWE/UFC merger and Vince McMahon’s resignation, how real was it, the big unanswered question about the WWE Board of Directors, lots of Discovery information in the shareholders lawsuit against WWE, McMahon, TKO, Nick Khan and others, things behind the scenes about the merger, and the change in plans prior to the 2023 WrestleMania in more detail than ever before.
  • Full coverage of AEW Worlds End and business notes on the show
  • The retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi and the Tokyo Dome show
  • The record setting 2025 at Arena Mexico and biggest attendance week in the 92 years of CMLL, a look at the last week as well as how many Americans are at the shows.
  • The few times in history that a company sold out a major arena three times in the same week.
  • A look at the Stardom Dream Queendom show
  • Pro Wrestling NOAH hosts the first major show of 2026
  • Weekly odds
  • 2026 Observer award ballot
  • Most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week.
  • Weddings and engagements in pro wrestling this past week
  • All Japan has its best match of 2025
  • William Regal and others talk about neck injuries in pro wrestling and our thoughts on it as well as the reaction of some
  • Who had the most great matches in 2025
  • How Eric Bischoff’s new promotion is similar to Sam Muchnick starting out as a promoter
  • Company does a Vince McMahon/Janel Grant angle on its TV show
  • AEW business partner delisted
  • Tony Khan talks a ton of different subjects
  • Top merch sellers in US outside of WWE
  • Tom Aspinall update
  • Don Frye talks health issues
  • Lots of injury updates

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

Other Wrestling

  • Last night, Tony Khan was in Las Vegas to attend Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year Awards. Khan took photos with Michael Phelps and Cal Raleigh on the red carpet for the event, where NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was honored as Sportsperson of the Year.
  • AEW wished Darby Allin a happy 33rd birthday.
  • At the ceremony for the 2025 Tokyo Sports awards, NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi addressed how he feels after retiring from the ring:
    • Yes, I do [feel a sense of relief]. Until I retired as a professional wrestler, every morning I would wake up and think, ‘Oh, where’s my match today?’ and I always had that feeling of tension. But when I woke up this morning and thought, ‘Oh, I won’t be having any more matches,’ I felt a little sad, but I also felt like I’ve moved on to a different stage.
  • Tanahashi added that he’s planning to get a haircut soon:
    • I’m getting a little break next week, so I’ll get my hair cut around the weekend. Yes, I’ll be cutting off all the hair at the back.
    • Well, I’m going to become a handsome older man. Just a handsome older man, just a cool guy.
  • Here is the full preview for Thursday night’s TNA Impact, which is the last episode before the show moves to AMC:
    • Contract signing for next week’s Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana TNA World Championship match
    • International Champion Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo defends against Steve Maclin
    • The System (Moose, Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers & JDC) vs. Leon Slater, Cedric Alexander & The Hardys
    • Mustafa Ali and Order 4 address TNA Genesis
    • Dani Luna vs. Harley Hudson
    • The Hardys kick off the episode
  • Frankie Kazarian wished his wife Traci Brooks a happy 16th anniversary: “16 years building an amazing life with this incredibly kind, beautiful and wonderful woman. I am beyond lucky. Happy anniversary @TheTraciBrooks”
  • Lei Ying Lee was a guest on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez.
  • Donovan Dijak has been confirmed as an entrant for MLW Battle Riot VIII.
  • GCW announced the schedule for The Collective 2026 in Las Vegas.
  • In an interview with Orlando Weekly, Mick Foley discussed how nostalgia has helped boost his relevance with fans:
    • I think nostalgia is a huge factor for fans. Somewhere around 2010, I went from being washed up to being part of people’s childhoods. I’m the same guy. I’ve only gotten older, but I’m no longer old and irrelevant. I’m part of people’s collective memories.
  • Adam Scherr (Braun Strowman) appeared on the Lay It On podcast with celebrity chef Brad Leone.

Daily Update: Tessa Blanchard & Esfinge engaged, NWA awards, Jamie Hayter

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Observer is up on the site covering the following topics:

  • Where AEW stands today, and the key out of the ring and out of their hands challenges that will face them between now and the end of 2027
  • AEW’s ratings growth outside the U.S. this past year
  • AEW’s television ratings decline with the different factors involved
  • Key aspects of the WBD sale and what it means to AEW
  • What AEW didn’t do in 2025 as far as new deals that were talked about one year ago
  • Estimating using different methods how many U.S. viewers AEW Dynamite really gets
  • How things have changed greatly in the past year
  • Business of AEW Worlds End
  • Gambling odds for matches
  • A look at AAA Guerra de Titanes, one of WWE’s best shows of the year
  • Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul and business numbers and record level manipulation of numbers
  • Ric Flair and Mike Tyson file lawsuit against former business partner
  • The life and times of Roland Bock, one of the most intriguing pro wrestling characters of the 1970s, his famous matches with Antonio Inoki, the reality of those matches, his tough guy reputation, the legendary tough guy whose career he ended and just how different pro wrestling was back then. We go from being tortured as a child, to developing a street fighter rep, going to the Olympics in wrestling, his attempt to pioneer a promotional style that got big in Japan several years later, why his career didn’t explode in Japan and everything from wrestling bears to bulls
  • Who is eligible for the 2025 Rookie of the Year award
  • The most detailed look at the ratings over the past week
  • Update on 2025 Arena Mexico attendance
  • A look at CMLL Dream Match Night
  • Ozawa talks awards
  • Wrestle Kingdom updates
  • A look at the life and career of Mark Wolf
  • Rick Link goes into hospice care
  • Jerry Lawler returns to WMC
  • Grandson of Hawaiian pro wrestling legend is starting QB at USC, headed to a bowl game an an NFL prospect
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Lots of AEW news notes
  • Jim Ross responds to DVon Dudley
  • Updates on multiple lawsuits against TKO and judges concerns about evidence in two different cases
  • WrestleMania ticket sales as well as the next two AEW PPV sales

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • Sami Zayn named his match against Kevin Owens from Elimination Chamber as his favorite match he had in 2025.
  • Photography By Avery – the photographer for Maxxine Dupri and Anthony Luke’s wedding – shared a story of Dupri (Sydney Zmrzel) taking time out of her wedding day to sign an autograph for a fan:
    • One more behind the scenes moment. This gentleman approached us while doing bridal portraits kindly asking for an autograph. Sydney gave the biggest smile and said ‘of course! Would you like a selfie too?’ Then proceeded to chat with him briefly about his son. She was thrilled to take time out of her wedding day to chat with a fan. She’s truly such a precious soul @maxxinedupri
  • Stephanie Vaquer posted a tweet calling 2025 the best year of her life:
    • 2025 was the best year of my life, and so much of that is thanks to all of you. Dreams came true, goals became reality, we made history together, and we lived moments I will never forget. Hearing the crowd chant ‘La Primera,’ seeing signs with my name, and feeling that energy night after night… it’s unforgettable.
    • Your support, your love, and your motivation pushed me to keep going, to grow, and to dream even bigger. I know where I come from, I know where I’m going, and with pride I can say it: I am the WWE Women’s World Champion.
    • Thank you for standing with me, and thank you for believing in me.
  • The Bella Twins spoke with Adrian Hernandez about their Bonita Bonita wine brand.
  • WWE has a Playlist video of the best entrances of 2025.
  • WWE Vault put together a four-hour video of classic Roddy Piper footage.

Other Wrestling

  • Jamie Hayter has been announced for Pro Wrestling Eve’s Wrestle Queendom VIII event in London on March 8.
  • Nyla Rose co-hosted AEW Unrestricted this week as she, Aubrey Edwards, and Will Washington looked back at their favorite PPV matches of 2025.
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Frankie Kazarian praised how strong the TNA locker room is:
    • Especially with this new AMC deal, I was there when we got the news that we’d be on Fox Sports West, whatever it was at 4 pm on Friday, whatever. But that was TV, and it was an hour, but it was TV. We were thrilled. Then hearing that we’re going to Spike network television, massive. Yeah, this is even bigger. There’s so much excitement. Like I said, TNA’s strength has always been its locker room. Just the work ethic of the guys in the locker room, management changes and all that, but that attitude has always been there. And this team, this crew we got there, the management team, everybody on the roster, is just a joy to be around. And again, a united front all wanting the exact same thing.
  • Tessa Blanchard and CMLL star Esfinge announced their engagement.
  • Okumura is the latest entrant confirmed for MLW Battle Riot VIII in Kissimmee, Florida on January 29.
  • Tony Deppen announced that, in order to get his mind and body right, he will not be wrestling for the first half of 2026. He hopes to return in his best form when he comes back to the ring.
  • Minoru Suzuki will face Matt Brannigan at Prestige Wrestling’s show in Portland, Oregon on February 20. It’s the last-ever Prestige event.
  • Post Wrestling and Denise Salcedo interviewed our Dave Meltzer.
  • Former WWE NXT wrestler Gable Steveson was a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience.
  • The NWA announced its year-end awards for 2025:
    • Male Wrestler of the Year: “Thrillbilly” Silas Mason
    • Female Wrestler of the Year: Natalia Markova
    • Tag Team of the Year: Mike Knox & Trevor Murdoch
    • Breakthrough Star: Mike Mondo
    • Hot Prospect of Next Year: Kylie Paige
    • Shock of the Year: NWA Power joining Roku Sports
    • Match of the Year: Tiffany Nieves vs. Natalia Markova steel cage match from Looks That Kill
    • Moment of the Year: Natalia Markova’s dropkick from top of steel cage at Looks That Kill

Daily Update: Triller TV, Drew McIntyre, Konosuke Takeshita

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Observer is up on the site covering the following topics:

  • Where AEW stands today, and the key out of the ring and out of their hands challenges that will face them between now and the end of 2027
  • AEW’s ratings growth outside the U.S. this past year
  • AEW’s television ratings decline with the different factors involved
  • Key aspects of the WBD sale and what it means to AEW
  • What AEW didn’t do in 2025 as far as new deals that were talked about one year ago
  • Estimating using different methods how many U.S. viewers AEW Dynamite really gets
  • How things have changed greatly in the past year
  • Business of AEW Worlds End
  • Gambling odds for matches
  • A look at AAA Guerra de Titanes, one of WWE’s best shows of the year
  • Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul and business numbers and record level manipulation of numbers
  • Ric Flair and Mike Tyson file lawsuit against former business partner
  • The life and times of Roland Bock, one of the most intriguing pro wrestling characters of the 1970s, his famous matches with Antonio Inoki, the reality of those matches, his tough guy reputation, the legendary tough guy whose career he ended and just how different pro wrestling was back then. We go from being tortured as a child, to developing a street fighter rep, going to the Olympics in wrestling, his attempt to pioneer a promotional style that got big in Japan several years later, why his career didn’t explode in Japan and everything from wrestling bears to bulls
  • Who is eligible for the 2025 Rookie of the Year award
  • The most detailed look at the ratings over the past week
  • Update on 2025 Arena Mexico attendance
  • A look at CMLL Dream Match Night
  • Ozawa talks awards
  • Wrestle Kingdom updates
  • A look at the life and career of Mark Wolf
  • Rick Link goes into hospice care
  • Jerry Lawler returns to WMC
  • Grandson of Hawaiian pro wrestling legend is starting QB at USC, headed to a bowl game an an NFL prospect
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Lots of AEW news notes
  • Jim Ross responds to DVon Dudley
  • Updates on multiple lawsuits against TKO and judges concerns about evidence in two different cases
  • WrestleMania ticket sales as well as the next two AEW PPV sales

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the complete Ricky Saints vs. Je’Von Evans main event from last night’s NXT.
  • Blake Monroe surprised her family in the United Kingdom by traveling home for Christmas.
  • In a tweet today, Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Yoshiki Inamura thanked Shawn Michaels, Matt Bloom, and everyone at NXT for playing a role in his excursion:
    • 2025 was truly an unforgettable year.
    • Being in NXT was an amazing experience.
    • I am deeply grateful to Shawn, Bloom, all coaches, staff members, wrestlers & fans.
    • Because of all of you, I was able to become a champion in NOAH.
    • I look forward to seeing you all again.
    • #WWENXT
  • IYO SKY wished everyone a happy New Year and called 2025 the best year of her career.
  • Damian Priest posted a New Year’s message to fans:
    • Wishing you all the best New Year! We focus so much on what we want, what we believe should be that we forget about what is. Life is so good. Smile. Laugh. Enjoy. Pass that on to someone. To anyone. To everyone. We ain’t sh*t. But we can do more for others. Let’s try together. I’m with you.
  • At WWE’s house show in Detroit last night, Drew McIntyre taunted Brandi Rhodes and her family as they were in the front row. The main event of the show was Cody Rhodes defeating McIntyre in a street fight to retain the WWE Championship. Rhodes won by splashing McIntyre through a table.
  • Carmelo Hayes commented on his United States title win:
    • Closing out the year coming off one of the greatest achievements and moments in my career so far. I appreciate everyone who stayed down and welcome everyone who just jumped on. Enjoy the ride, we going up
  • Natalya told Undisputed that she’s happy to see a diversity of ages represented on the WWE roster:
    • When I watched John Cena and AJ Styles wrestle at Crown Jewel, I wished they’d both never retire. The match was that good. I love that we’re celebrating a diversity of age in WWE. Asuka is in her mid-40s, she is a mother, she’s been wrestling for decades, and no one talks about her age. She’s also doing the best work of her career. She’s captivating, she’s intriguing, and the audience connects with her.
    • That’s the biggest thing in storytelling, the emotional connection with the audience. I’m not thinking about when she’s going to retire–I’m just thinking about when I can see her wrestle again.

Other Wrestling

  • Sports Illustrated shared full video of their nearly two-hour interview with Tony Khan.
  • While speaking with NJPW for an in-character interview, Konosuke Takeshita addressed whether he’s gotten used to the schedule of being under contract with all three of AEW, NJPW, and DDT:
    • I don’t think it’s something anybody can get used to, heheh. But I’ve gotten to know what it takes. You have to have your mind in a few different places at once, but at the same time you have to have your focus on the thing that’s right in front of you, and once you do that the mental aspect gets a lot easier. If you think too far ahead then everything gets on top of you.
  • Takeshita noted that all three promotions have different styles – and he brings his own style to the table as well:
    • They’re definitely all different, and the way the fans of each see pro-wrestling is very different. So there’s my own style and then there’s adapting that to the different tastes. It’s been about three and a half years since I went to America, and at first it really was a difficult change of gears. Now I wrestle much more in America than in Japan, so when I’m in Japan I have to change modes the other way.
  • Takeshita noted that, by wrestling overseas, he hopes to bring more of a spotlight to Japanese wrestling:
    • I am a Japanese wrestler, you know. I debuted in Japan. And now I’m wrestling in America, gained a ton of experience there, and I think that I can really bring Japanese pro-wrestling into the spotlight in a major way. I see my work overseas as my way of repaying the Japanese scene.
  • TNA put together a video of their top 10 moments of 2025.
  • Ahead of appearing in his retirement match for Beyond Wrestling tonight, indie wrestler Dan Barry thanked everyone who supported him as he chased his dream
    • Today is my last day as a professional wrestler. Thank all of you who supported me as I chased a dream I’ve had since I was a little kid. 
    • I’ve been blessed to meet tons of people, see hundreds of cities, and chase a dream that was thought to be unobtainable. 
    • Thanks for the memories.
  • Stardom’s AZM is set to compete for Pro Wrestling Eve at Wrestle Queendom VIII in London on March 8.
  • Triller Group Inc, the parent company of Triller TV, announced that it is appealing Nasdaq’s decision to suspend trading of Triller stock and delist Triller from the stock exchange:
    • Triller Group Inc. ( ‘Triller Group’ or ‘the Company’) today announced that it received a determination letter from a Nasdaq Hearings Panel on December 26, 2025, confirming the suspension of trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market effective at the open of the market on December 30, 2025 and delisting of the Company’s securities. This decision stems from the Company not having been able to file two periodic reports by a deadline of December 24, 2025 set by the Hearings Panel.
    • The Company’s operations have been progressing in a normal manner, and no deficiencies or irregularities have been identified that materially affect the Company’s financial position or operational integrity. The filing delay is attributable primarily to one remaining technical matter involving the consolidation of accounts for a U.S.-based operation within Triller Group. Management is highly confident that the Company will regain full filing compliance within weeks, positioning the Company for robust revenue growth, product development, and expansion in 2026.
    • The imposed timeline does not account fully for the substantial remediation efforts that the Company has already achieved in resolving non-recurring integration challenges following the October 2024 business combination with legacy Triller Corp. The Company’s team, in collaboration with its advisors and auditors, has spent more than a year addressing all accounting and audit matters related to legacy Triller Group’s pre-merger operations. Prior to the merger’s closing, the Company (then operating as AGBA) was in full compliance with all Nasdaq listing requirements.
    • The Company is also in the final stages of implementing a comprehensive upgrade to its accounting systems and processes in partnership with a leading accounting and finance consulting firm in Los Angeles.
    • Triller Group is fully committed to exhausting all available appeal avenues. We intend to pursue an appeal through the Nasdaq process, and to the Securities and Exchange Commission and United States Court of Appeals if necessary. We expect to regain full filing compliance and return to regular trading on a major Exchange soon. The Company has retained Jacob S. Frenkel with Dickinson Wright PLLC as counsel to appeal the decision of the Hearings Panel and pursue all possible legal challenges to the Hearings Panel’s decision and the Nasdaq’s suspension of trading and delisting of our securities. On December 29, 2025, Mr. Frenkel filed an emergency application to the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘SEC’) requesting, among other things, that the SEC stay (prevent from going into effect) the trading suspension.
    • This procedural issue has no bearing on the Company’s ongoing operations, strategic priorities, or underlying financial strength.
    • The Company looks forward to achieving key growth milestones in 2026 and will provide timely updates to the market regarding progress on its financial filings and the Nasdaq appeal process and challenges to the Nasdaq’s decisions.

Daily Update: John Cena, Tony Khan, MJF

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site covering the follow topics:

  • The story of John Cena’s retirement, the finish, the reaction, what WWE did and didn’t expect and thoughts on why they did what they did and why judging it now makes little sense in the big picture. We look at different aspects of the decision making and the fallacy of the “time-honored tradition phrasing here. We look at where Cena viably stands among the greats, the show itself, and Cena’s legacy.
  • We look at the post-match and post-show reaction, Paul Levesque and also look at the history of retirement matches with the biggest names in the history of the business. This is a real history lesson about what really is the tradition.
  • We have a story on Wrestle Kingdom’s card, why it turned out this way, as well as the finals of the New Japan tag team tournament.
  • We update the WBD sale story with the latest on Netflix and Paramount, just how strongly WBD publicly viewed the Paramount offer in a negative way and more
  • We run down the 2025 Tokyo Sports pro wrestling awards, with the winners, why they won, how the voting went, the nature of the voting and more in a year Saya Kamitani became the first woman wrestler to win MVP
  • A look at the retirement show and the career of El Hijo del Santo, the Santo gimmick, the cultural significance of the Santo name, Santo Jr, and notes on Santo’s career and most famous matches
  • We update the Continental Classic and Worlds Collide with business updates as well.
  • We look at the odds for upcoming matches
  • We look at the careers of Solomon Grundy, Miss Janeth and Ricky Romero Jr/Ricky Youngblood
  • We have the most detailed look at the television ratings of all the wrestling shows this past week as well as placings, comparisons and more, as well as an explanation of what the annual drops actually mean.
  • We look at another week of sellouts in CMLL, including the big Friday show and the Mistico vs Soberano feud
  • We look at Guerra de Titanes from AAA
  • We look at the financials from Cyberfight and what wrestler in specific they credited a better economic year to
  • Yota Tsuji talks the future of New Japan
  • What pro wrestling events in Japan were the most streamed in 2025
  • Update on Andrade
  • Former WWE tag champ going into Bare Knuckle boxing
  • Major AEW overseas ratings growth
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Chris Jericho update
  • Injury updates
  • Ilia Topuria marriage issues slows down career
  • An appeal by TKO on judge’s ruling about current fighter contracts
  • Notes on Paul vs. Joshua
  • Mick Foley breaks ties with WWE over Trump
  • TKO stock skyrockets
  • NXT Awards

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • The Kowloon restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts – a frequent stop for pro wrestlers in the area – thanked John Cena for gifting them an autographed title belt:
    • THANK YOU VERY MUCH, John Cena for this Autographed and inscribed ‘Farewell Tour Boston’ 2025 WWE Championship Spinner Belt!! Now framed and on display here at Kowloon.
    • Thank you for entertaining millions of fans and granting over 700 + Wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, by far the most of all time!
    • Enjoy your well deserved retirement from the ring. Looking forward to seeing what’s next on your Movies and TV!
  • Seth Rollins was one of the pre-game panelists for Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL coverage, appearing before the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings game. 
  • WWE Vault uploaded the complete World Class Championship Wrestling Christmas Star Wars 1982 event featuring Ric Flair defending the NWA World Championship against Kerry Von Erich inside of a steel cage.
  • Rusev is celebrating his 40th birthday today.

Other Wrestling

  • Tony Khan hyped that tonight’s Christmas Collision is one of his favorite AEW TV shows ever:
    • Merry Christmas! We saved the best Collision of 2025 for last! CHRISTMAS NIGHT #AEWCollision 9pm ET/8pm CT, on TNT + HBO Max
    • It’s only my personal opinion: I think that Christmas Collision TONIGHT is one of the best @AEWonTV shows in AEW’s 6+ year history. Don’t miss it TONIGHT!
  • MJF tweeted ahead of challenging for the AEW World Championship at Worlds End this weekend:
    • They don’t hand out greatness, they document it. After Worlds End, I join a list of only 9 men to be world champion twice before 30:
    • Lou Thesz. 
    • Rikidōzan. 
    • Shinsuke Nakamura. 
    • Kazuchika Okada. 
    • Yokozuna. 
    • The Rock. 
    • Brock Lesnar. 
    • Randy Orton. 
    • John Cena.
    • MJF.
  • AEW wrestlers and personnel named their favorite Christmas movies:
    • Tony Schiavone: Christmas Vacation
    • Kevin Knight: Home Alone 2
    • Renee Paquette: The Family Stone
    • “Speedball” Mike Bailey: Shrek the Halls
    • Brody King: Christmas Vacation
    • Toa Liona: Christmas Vacation
    • Bishop Kaun: A Charlie Brown Christmas
    • Ricochet: Jingle All The Way
  • Matt Jackson and Kenny Omega wished everyone a Merry Christmas in a new video on the Being the Elite YouTube channel.
  • AEW music producer Mikey Rukus shared a video that Toni Storm made for his neighbors’ children:
    • Merry Christmas everyone. I have to share this. Toni Storm is an incredible human being. She found out my neighbors kids are huge fans of hers and she recorded this video for them. She’s unhinged and she’s THE BEST!
  • Brodie Lee Jr. paid homage to John Cena by dressing up as him and doing some of Cena’s moves during a recent training session at The Dungeon.
  • NJPW opened up voting for the 2025 edition of its annual Concurso bodybuilding contest.
  • TNA posted the following preview for tonight’s Christmas edition of Impact, which includes a surprise 10-person tag team match where the competitors are not announced in advance:
    • TNA looks back on a remarkable year as the 2025 Year End Awards take center stage. From breakout stars to unforgettable moments, championships to rivalries that defined the year, we will honor the best of the best from a LOADED 2025! Who will take home the final bragging rights before the calendar flips to 2026? Find out this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV in the U.S., Sportsnet 360 in Canada, and TNA+ worldwide.
    • The action doesn’t stop there. A SURPRISE 10-Person Tag Team Match has been announced for the Christmas Special and the competitors won’t be revealed until bell time. With pride, momentum, and bragging rights on the line, anything can happen when ten stars collide in the iMPACT! Zone. Expect chaos. Expect unpredictability. Expect a holiday showdown only TNA can deliver this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV in the U.S., Sportsnet 360 in Canada, and TNA+ worldwide.
  • FanX Salt Lake City 2025 uploaded video of Mick Foley’s Q&A from their convention.
  • The Toronto Suns’ No Holds Barred podcast interviewed Rob Van Dam.

Daily Update: TJPW tour, DDP-Bron Breakker, Deadlock Pro

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site covering the follow topics:

  • The story of John Cena’s retirement, the finish, the reaction, what WWE did and didn’t expect and thoughts on why they did what they did and why judging it now makes little sense in the big picture. We look at different aspects of the decision making and the fallacy of the “time-honored tradition phrasing here. We look at where Cena viably stands among the greats, the show itself, and Cena’s legacy.
  • We look at the post-match and post-show reaction, Paul Levesque and also look at the history of retirement matches with the biggest names in the history of the business. This is a real history lesson about what really is the tradition.
  • We have a story on Wrestle Kingdom’s card, why it turned out this way, as well as the finals of the New Japan tag team tournament.
  • We update the WBD sale story with the latest on Netflix and Paramount, just how strongly WBD publicly viewed the Paramount offer in a negative way and more
  • We run down the 2025 Tokyo Sports pro wrestling awards, with the winners, why they won, how the voting went, the nature of the voting and more in a year Saya Kamitani became the first woman wrestler to win MVP
  • A look at the retirement show and the career of El Hijo del Santo, the Santo gimmick, the cultural significance of the Santo name, Santo Jr, and notes on Santo’s career and most famous matches
  • We update the Continental Classic and Worlds Collide with business updates as well.
  • We look at the odds for upcoming matches
  • We look at the careers of Solomon Grundy, Miss Janeth and Ricky Romero Jr/Ricky Youngblood
  • We have the most detailed look at the television ratings of all the wrestling shows this past week as well as placings, comparisons and more, as well as an explanation of what the annual drops actually mean.
  • We look at another week of sellouts in CMLL, including the big Friday show and the Mistico vs Soberano feud
  • We look at Guerra de Titanes from AAA
  • We look at the financials from Cyberfight and what wrestler in specific they credited a better economic year to
  • Yota Tsuji talks the future of New Japan
  • What pro wrestling events in Japan were the most streamed in 2025
  • Update on Andrade
  • Former WWE tag champ going into Bare Knuckle boxing
  • Major AEW overseas ratings growth
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Chris Jericho update
  • Injury updates
  • Ilia Topuria marriage issues slows down career
  • An appeal by TKO on judge’s ruling about current fighter contracts
  • Notes on Paul vs. Joshua
  • Mick Foley breaks ties with WWE over Trump
  • TKO stock skyrockets
  • NXT Awards

This Week’s Back Issue

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Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full Chelsea Green vs. Sol Ruca Women’s United States Championship match that headlined NXT last night.
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Diamond Dallas Page discussed working with Bron Breakker while Breakker was still pursuing a career in football:
    • Really got to know him when he was finishing up playing at Kennesaw [State University] football, because he got [signed] by the Baltimore Ravens. You know, it would have been funny if he would have made that team, I think – first of all, it was the greatest thing to happen to him that he didn’t, but he had that shot.
    • And he knew right away. I was working with him, we trained together a lot. And I don’t mean in the ring – I mean in the gym. He wasn’t afraid to do DDP Yoga. He wanted to do it with me. All them, all those Steiner brothers, man, his two other brothers – beasts. Maveric’s a beast. Hudson is an animal as well. And then you go to Brandon and you got Brock with Scotty Steiner.
    • I love that so many of the boys’ sons are just real gentlemen. And to be able to watch Bronson, yeah, okay, he’s always going to be Bronson to me, you know? Wow. He has it in spades, and they’ve seen it since the beginning.
  • DDP added that he would love to see Breakker become World Champion:
    • I would love to see that, man. I haven’t talked to him probably in about a month or two, but humble, feet on the ground. And you gotta know who you are, you know? You don’t forget that. But you want to always try to keep your feet on the ground, because that’s the guys who continue to excel.
  • Responding to someone on X, Paul Heyman gave credit to Evolve’s Gabe Sapolsky for discovering Austin Theory:
    • For the record, @BookItGabe deserves all the credit for the discovery of [Austin Theory]. As Executive Director of @WWE #RAW in 2019/2020, I drafted Theory from @WWENXT for (ironically enough) @WWERollins’ group. Now, he’s a seasoned veteran with a chip on his shoulder ready to step into the spotlight. 
    • But the credit for discovering Theory goes to Gabe!
  • Bayley gifted Lyra Valkyria a life-size Bayley cutout for Christmas.
  • Billboard spoke with WWE wrestlers Nia Jax, Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, and Chelsea Green about their favorite music moments.
  • Nick Hogan’s wife Tana shared a throwback photo with Hulk Hogan from this time in 2024: “This was a year ago today. We miss you so much Big Dog, so much. @nickhogan @mrs.sky.hogan”
  • WWE Vault has a compilation video documenting the rise of Steve Austin from 1996-1997.

Other Wrestling

  • Former WWE broadcaster Scott Stanford interviewed Tony Khan for 1010 Wins radio in New York City.
  • While speaking with WrestleZone, Harley Cameron discussed how she’s benefited from working with Mercedes Mone:
    • She has allowed me this year to dig deep and push to a different level. Obviously, she’s one of the greatest to ever do it, and having the opportunity to work with her has been imperative to my career. It’s definitely highlighted me and given me opportunities, which is exactly what someone with that kind of star power can do.
    • Being in the ring with her multiple times has pushed me to think outside the box and challenge myself. So I’d say it’s more inspiration than advice, per se. I’m obviously very excited to face her again at the pay-per-view, Worlds End. I’m hoping it will once again bring out that deep-level performance from me.
  • Good Karma Wrestling also spoke with Cameron ahead of Worlds End.
  • In an article for Giant Bomb, Adam Cole ranked his top 10 video games of the year.
  • Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling is coming to Texas for four shows taking place from March 17-22, 2026. Billed as TJPW’s “largest US tour in history,” there will be stops in Austin, Houston, and Dallas. Full information will be announced at a later date, but the Austin events are part of the annual SXSW (South by Southwest) festival:
    • TJPW will run its largest US tour in history ‘TJPW Texas Stampede’ in March 2026.
    • 4 shows will take place in Austin, Houston, and Dallas from Tuesday, March 17 to Sunday, March 22. Specific dates, times, venues, and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
    • TJPW lands in Austin for the first time ever, and will run shows over 2 days at South by Southwest, one of the largest conference/festival events in the world that celebrates the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture.
  • Indie promotion Deadlock Pro Wrestling – which is going on hiatus for the foreseeable future – raised more than $4,000 to benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina:
    • Our last event in the US, DPW 4th Anniversary, was a fundraiser event for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina as we head into the holiday season & the new year. We came together as a community and we were able to donate over 20,000 meals! Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to the cause. Happy holidays everyone!
  • Chris Masters will make his GCW debut in Los Angeles on February 14.
  • Denise Salcedo has an interview with D-Von Dudley.