Tag: Daily updates

Daily Update

Latest News

• WWE says Je’Von Evans is a ‘soon to be free agent’ on the main roster
• Kane on Mick Foley cutting ties with WWE: ‘He’s entitled to his opinion’
• WWE Raw live results: CM Punk & Rey Mysterio vs. The Vision
• Report: Andrade free to sign elsewhere after WWE no-compete waived
• AEW stronghold to close for several years due to renovations

Latest Audio

• WOL: ‘Filthy’ Tom & Bryan rave about AAA & talk weekend wrestling shows
• WOR: Big weekend of shows, news and spoilers at the end
• B&V: AEW Collision, Smackdown, quick AAA thoughts

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 22, 2025 Observer Newsletter: The fallout, controversy & discussion after John Cena’s retirement match

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

• March 24, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Gary Hart passes away, more on Jeff Hardy

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Monday Update

–Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about Raw, more WBD negotiations, New Japan, AAA and much more.

–The WWE’s AAA show from Saturday night in Guadalajara was one of the company’s best shows of the year.  The Dragon Lee vs Vikingo match was tremendous but every match was good and it was a fantastic crowd because not only were they loud, but they reacted to everything in the matdhes.  Sometimes you get loud crowds that are there for entrances and promos but not the matches.  Or they’ll do chants but not react in sync with what’s going on in the ring.  The crowd even booed Dominik at  points as I guess the one guy they will always cheer in Mexico is  Rey.  Rey’s reaction was even bigger than Mistico at Arena Mexico.

–New Japan ran its final show of the year earlier today with Hiroshi Tanahashi’s next to last match (we had a mistake yesterday on that) against Kosei Fujita at Korakuen Hall.  We’ll talk more about that tonight.  A few notes from the show is that  Andrade will team with Callum Newman & Great O’Khan & Henare and a mystery partner against Hiromu Takahashi & Gabe Kidd & David Finlay &  Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney.  Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino are on the show in the Never trios gauntlet match teaming with pop star Kaisei Takechi.  Chris Brookes of DDT challenged El Phantasmo for the TV title.  

–Jake Paul had surgery to repair his jaw broken in two places in the Anthony Joshua fight on  Friday night.  He said he had two titanium plates put in on each side and had some teeth removed. He won’t be able to eat solid food for a week.  A $92 million payoff for the fight may make the pain feel better.

–Raw tonight was taped on Friday in Grand Rapids, MI.  I think it’s the only actual taped Raw this year as it always goes live.
Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka
Je’Von Evans vs. Rayo Pete Dunne
Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez
Rey Mysterio & CM Punk vs. Austin Theory & Bronson Reed

–Mistico vs  Soberano Jr. in a non-title match tonight in Puebla sold out this morning.  While the sellout  was a given, Puebla usually doesn’t sell out until the walk-up since it’s a weekly event.  The big thing is tomorrow at Arena Mexico with Mistico defending the light heavyweight title against Difunto.  It’s the type of match that is rare on a Tuesday but with school out they are looking for a bigger crowd than usual.

–It wasn’t said on the broadcast, but Saturday was the one-year anniversary of the death of  Rey Misterio, or  Rey  Sr., as he’s been known since the mid-90s.  Dominik was wearing Rey Sr. tribute gear as well as Gringo Locos gear, although they started doing the Gringo Locos gimmick with Dominik & Grande Americano and look to have already split them up.  Rey sent a message talking about eternal life for Rey Sr., and friends Eddy Guerrero, Love Machine and Umaga.

–Trish Stratus is on the cover of the Australian version of FHM magazine in the January issue.
–Evolve will not be airing the next two weeks on Tubi since they  figure who will watch is on 12/24 or 12/31.  They return on 1/7 with Chantel Monroe vs Wendy Choo in a no DQ match.
–Jerry Lawler was on the WMC-TV news at 6 pm. tonight to plug the Memphis Wrestling TV special on WMC on Thursday at Noon.

–Kevin Kesar (Killer Kross) is part of the cast of an action-drama called “Godshot” about an ex-con who finds an unexpected shot  at redemption after being introduced to the high-risk world of Hollywood stunt work,only to realize the most dangerous stunt of all will be breaking free from his past.  It is about the life experiences of  Sammy Horowitz, a Hollywood stunt man.The movie is currently filming in Chicago.
–GCW announced Rey Horus returns plus 1 Called Mandes and Hammerstone for 2/15 in Mesa AZ.  They also  run 1/17 in Dallas with Effy vs. KJ Orso, Gringo Loco vs. Samuray del Sol plus Princalla Kelly and  Shotzi Blackheart.  Atticus Cogar vs. Priscilla Kelly and del Sol vs. Vengador will be on the 1/18 show in Wichita, KS.

–The Hardys are going to Dallas 1/5 and 1/6 to do local media and built for the 1/15 TV tapings and 1/17 Genesis PPV show from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX.

–Templario has been added to the Battle Riot show on 1/29 in Kissimmee, FL.

–Toni Rose turned 80 today  Mistico turns 43.  Doc Gallows turns 42.  This would have been the 114th birthday of legendary referee and former wrestler Johnny “Red Shoes” Dugan.  Rip Hawk died on this day four years ago at the age of 82.  Mike Kirchner died on this day four year ago at the age of 64.  (thanks to Tony Richaredes)inRn har Ko Srenhis would, a

–Green Mountain Wrestling on 2/1 at 2 p.m. in Barre, VT at the Elks Lodge

Daily Update

Latest News

• Non-spoiler WWE SmackDown lineup for tonight
• Seth Rollins on balancing WWE with sports media career: ‘I wanna do it all’
• WWE celebrity Jelly Roll granted pardon for past crimes
• AEW partnering with White Castle for new combo
• Tomohiro Ishii returning for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20
• WWE NXT ratings down for last live episode of 2025
• Update on Raquel Rodriguez after potential WWE Raw injury
• John Cena reveals ‘epiphany’ he had before WWE retirement

Latest Audio

• JNPO: September 2025 wrestling year in review | WWE Wrestlepalooza vs. AEW All Out
• Wrestling Weekly: Cena’s last match, a Drew McIntyre problem, Continental Classic chaos
• Fight Game: What will keep WWE hot in 2026?
• B&V: AEW Dynamite, NXT, and backstage notes!
• JNPO: Busted Open’s Dave LaGreca on going 24/7, The Rock & answering the critics

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 22, 2025 Observer Newsletter: The fallout, controversy & discussion after John Cena’s retirement match

This Week’s Back Issue

• March 19, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Floyd Mayweather/Big Show feud continues, Jeff Hardy suspended

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Friday Update

– Garrett Gonzales and I have our week in review covering this week’s issue and the latest news and questions later this afternoon. Bryan Alvarez and I will be back on Sunday night with our weekend show.

– 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

– A big night tonight with the much-talked about Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul boxing match, SmackDown and the CMLL Dream match card.

– WWE is doing a show tonight in Grand Rapids, MI, which will be taping the 12/22 Raw and 12/26 Smackdown. We’re looking for reports on this show, with results, finishes, angles and highlights to [email protected]

– Tonight’s SmackDown was taped this past Monday:

• Asuka & Kairi Sane vs. Nia Jax & Lash Legend non-title
• Giulia vs Alba Fyre
• Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa
• Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy vs. MFTs for the tag team titles

– Arena Mexico tonight has a PPV show called Dream Match Day:

• Cibernetico with Rey Cometa, Calavera Jr. I, Calavera Jr. II, Electrico, Virus, Oro Jr., Polvora, Blue Shark, Robin, Espiritu Negro, Astral, Cancerbero, Diamond, Coyote, El Vigia and Sangre Imperial.
• Atlantis Jr. & Xelhua vs. Angel de Oro & Yutani in the finals of the Gran Alternative tournament
• Soberano Jr. vs. Kevin Knight
• Mascara Dorada vs. Speedball Mike Bailey for the Historic welterweight title
• Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ultimo Guerrero for the CMLL heavyweight title

A note on the show. Castagnoli when he first came to the U.S. used to trade for tapes of Ultimo Guerrero so this is a dream match for him. Dorada vs. Bailey should be something. Knight, Dorada, Bailey and Castagnoli all have to fly right after the show to New York for AEW TV tapings tomorrow and Sunday night at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

– We will be doing a poll on tonight’s Arena Mexico Dream show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]. The show will air, besides on the CMLL subscription service, it also airs on Triller streaming PPV outside of Mexico.

– We’re also looking for reports from the two AEW shows in New York with results, finishes, angles and highlights to [email protected]. The 12/20 show will be for the Christmas Eve episode of Dynamite and the 12/21 show will be taped for the Christmas night Collision show.

– Matches that will be taped in New York include:

• Kazuchika Okada vs Bailey
• Kyle Fletcher vs. Jack Perry
• Kevin Knight vs. Pac
• Pac vs. Perry
• Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley
• Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita
• Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong
• Takeshita vs. Mascara Dorada
• Strong vs. Dorada

The only person eliminated going into the weekend is Strong, but Dorada and Perry have little chance unless they win twice, and I don’t think that’s happening.

– WKYC-TV in Cleveland had a story on Joanna Sowards, the daughter of Earthquake John Tenta, training at the AIW wrestling school in the city.

– Arena Coliseo tomorrow night has Templario vs. Angel de Oro and Esfinge & Titan vs. Barboza & Difunto Arena Mexico Sunday has Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. vs. Euforia & Mephisto, Blue Panther vs. Barbaro Cavernario which is a weird match and Titan & Templario & Esfinge vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero & Suka Jr.

– Dorada’s schedule was Orange Cassidy Wednesday in Manchester, UK, he may have done a show last night in Mexico, tonight vs. Bailey at Arena Mexico in a title match, CC matches Saturday and Sunday in New York, a trios match Monday in Puebla and a trios main event Tuesday in Guadalajara. Plus, the expectations of him are high. You can only do this for so long before your body breaks.

– The AAA show is Saturday night at 8 p.m. on the WWE YouTube Channel, Guerra de Titanes, from Guadalajara:

• Rayo & Bravo Americano vs. Mr. Iguana & Nino Hamburguesa vs. La Parka & Octagon Jr. vs. Cruz Del Toro & JoaquinWilde
• Nattie Neidhart & Faby Apache & Lola Vice vs. Flammer & La Hiedra & Maravilla
• Laredo Kid defends the AAA cruiserweight title against Je’Von Evans and Jack Cartwheel
• Wyatt Sicks vs. Dave the Clown & Psycho Clown & Pagano & Murder Crown
• El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. defends the Latin American title against Ethan Page
• El HIjo del Vikingo vs. Dragon Lee
• Rey Mysterio & Rey Fenix vs Dominik Mysterio & Grande Americano

The show looks great on paper and would be expected to have super heat.

– Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Hiromu Takahashi in today’s NJPW main event in Gunma. He has weekend matches with Desperado and Kosei Fujita, the latter being his last match ever at Korakuen Hall.

– Teams announced for the gauntlet for the Never trios title at the 1/4 WrestleKingdom show are:

• Toru Yano & Master Wato & Yoh
• Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashii & Oleg Boltin
• Tomohiro Ishii & Taichi & Satoshi Kojima
• Sanada & Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
• Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe & Ryusuke Taguchi
• Kaisei Takechi and two mystery partners

They also teased a TMDK team with Hartley Jackson

It is mind boggling that Yuya Uemura, Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Yuto-Ice and Shota Umino are not on the company’s biggest attended show in almost 28 years. Literally they have one shot to win back older fans and hook people coming to see Tanahashi’s last match and Aaron Wolf’s debut, and they kept the talent they need to build around off the show.

– Autographed copies of PACHINKO MAN, Irv Muchnick’s first-ever English language book on the Rikidozan phenomenon and birth of Japanese pro wrestling, can be gotten for $20 USD to [email protected]. That will be considered the deposit and you will be billed for the balance when the retail price is set (it’s expected to be either $22.95 or $24.95). All direct orders are for autographed copies sold at the retail price, with free shipping to U.S. addresses (for Canadian addresses, add $10 USD for shipping; for all other foreign addresses, add $20 USD for shipping).

– Jayden Maiava, the starting quarterback at USC, is the grandson of Neff Maiava, who was one of the biggest pro wrestling stars in the history of Hawaii pro wrestling.

– Defy finishes the year with a 12/27 show at Washington Hall in Settle with Travis Williams vs. Timothy Thatcher and a triple threat for the Pacific Northwest title with Artemis Spencer vs. Cole Rivera vs. Guillermo Rosas. 12/28 at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles at the old Highland Park Masonic Lodge features Bryan Keith defending the Defy title against Thatcher, Royce Isaacs vs. Starboy Charlie, La Vipress vs. Viva Van, Johnnie Robbie vs. Brittnie Brooks, Steve Borden Jr. (Sting’s son) vs. Kiran Gray, Alan Angels vs. El Mexica vs. Chris Nasty vs. El Primohenio.

– Erik Watts turned 58 today. Delirious turned 44. (thanks to Tony Richards)

Daily Update

Latest News

• Cody Rhodes attacks Drew McIntyre at his home in WWE social media angle
• WWE Raw live results: Gunther appears after retiring John Cena
• Rapper Drake’s OVO brand teases WWE collaboration
• Jake Paul teases possible WWE run: ‘Something big’s coming’
• Ariel Helwani on John Cena vs. Gunther result: ‘Cena deserved better’

Latest Audio

• WOL: Cena quits, also can’t apply sleeper hold
• B&V: John Cena’s Final Match, plus AEW Collision!

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 15, 2025 Observer Newsletter: John Cena and El Hijo del Santo’s careers come to an end

–We’ve got a giant new issue of the Observer out today covering the Cena and Santo retirements as well as all the big events from the past week.
*John Cena and El Hijo del  Santo’s retirement shows and how they are so different
*A look back at both’s careers and places in history
*Where Santo went wrong
*Key people who  saved John Cena’s career
*Why he never turned heel years ago
*Marketing of Cena as The GOAT
*How Cena ranks with the biggest draws in wrestling history
*Update on WBD’s potential sales to Netflix or Paramount, what the deals entail and how this  all affects AEW
*Dwayne Johnson and his Golden Globe nomination
*Odds for upcoming pro wrestling bouts
*1,000,000th fan attends CMLL pro wrestling at Arena Mexico alone.  Why this has never happened before, and the absolutely staggering part of the story that nobody talks about
*UFC 323 coverage of the last UFC show on PPV for at least seven years
*A look at NXT Deadline
*A look at ROH Final Battle
* a look at TNA Final Resolution
*A look at the career of Steve “Mr. Electricity” Regal, death of territories,  the shocking win over the Road Warriors and holding world titles in the AWA and NWA in the 80s.
*The most detailed look at the ratings for all the TV shows over this past week
*A look at major promotions joining together for different shows in 2026
*A look at last week’s big shows at Arena Mexico, both a hell of a Friday and a big Tuesday with Bad Bunny under a Mistico mask in the front row
*Key CMLL talent banged up
*All Japan tag team tournament ends with a former rugby star from New Zealand and former member of the Harlem Globetrotters against each other.
*NOAH’s big start of the year show
*New wrestler starting at NOAH including the brother of a UFC fighter
*New Japan tag team tournament final standings and results
*Big awards being announced this week
*Actress who played Hall of Fame pro wrestler on a Netflix series wins major award for her performance
*Where did the original star ratings in Mexico rating matcheds come from
*Hulk Hogan album being re-released
*Notes on AEW Worlds End
*Andrade makes claims about what happened with AEW and WWE
*Advance ticket sales for all the AEW and WWE upcoming shows
*Lots more on Trump UFC event at the White House
*UFC schedule
*More on the Ali Act and attempting to change and subvert it
*Dana White talks Francis Ngannou now that he wants to return
*The most interest in buying tickets to a pro wrestling or UFC show in history took place this past week
*Lots more on the two lawsuits going against Vince McMahon and WWE
*The WWE TV schedule for this coming week
*Big PPV main event match that fell through from earlier this year

This Week’s Back Issue

• March 19, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Floyd Mayweather/Big Show feud continues, Jeff Hardy suspended

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Monday Update

–Bryan  and I will be up tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio.  Besides covering Raw, we will talk about the 2025 Awards, Solomon Grundy, Rob Reiner, Cena, Santo, Tokyo Dome, AEW, WWE lawsuits, injuries and updates on WWE lawsuits.

–New Japan announced Hiroshi Tanahashi’s last three matches before the Tokyo Dome will be 12/19 in Gunma against Hiromu Takahashi, 12/21 in Utsunomiya against El Desperado and 12/22 at Korakuen Hall (his last Korakuen show) against Kosei Fujita.

–In a shock they announced WrestleKingdom will only have seven matches:
*A trios gauntlet match with all mystery teams except champions Toru Yano & Yoh & Master Wato for the trios tiles
*Saya Kamitani vs. Syuri for both the IWGP women’s title and New Japan Strong women’s title
*Shingo Takagi & David Finlay & Gabe Kidd & Hiorumu Takahashi & Drilla Moloney vs Great O’Khan & Callum Newman & two mystery partners
*El Desperado vs.  Kosei Fujita vs. Taiji Ishimori & Sho with the winner facing Douki down the line for the IWGP jr. title
*Evil vs. Aaron Wolf for the Never title
*Konosuke Takeshita vs,. Yota Tsuji for both the IWGP and Global titles
*Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement vs. Kazuchika Okada
Smartly, they are going with the main event last.   There has never been anything but a great WrestleKingdom show, but the reaction to this lineup is generally disappointing.  The Yuto-Ice & Oskar IWGP tag title defense against tournament winners Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa will take place at New Year’s Dash on 1/5 in Tokyo.

–Raw and Smackdown are being taped tonight in Hershey, PA.  Raw will be live from 8-10 p.m.   Smackdown started taping at about 6:30 p.m. and they will take most of the show before Raw,and maybe, depending on time, some after Raw.  But they will be taping all of Friday’s show tonight but some segments will likely not be shown to the live audience.  Announced for Raw are Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez the women’s title, Maxxine Dupri vs. Ivy Nile for the IC title, New Day vs. Usos, likely a No. 1 contenders match for the tag team  titles, and Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul.  CM Punk returns for the show to build his match in three weeks against Bron Breakker for the world title.  Little has been announced for Smackdown although they will push a collaboration with Drake’s OVO brand and probably have a tag team title match.  About 8,000 tickets were out at last look so this should be sold out or close to it.

–We’re looking for reports from Hershey, PA and in particular the Smackdown tapings with results , finishes, angles and highligh
ts to [email protected]

–AEW has 10,384 tickets out for Wednesday’s show in Manchester, UK.  It will end up as one of the three most attended AEW television tapings this year, along with Arena Mexico and Brisbane, Australia.  And with a good walk-up it could top Brisbane.

–A long interview with Dwayne Johnson about Smashing Machine  and his other movie projects is at
https://deadline.com/video/dwayne-johnson-career-interview-smashing-machine/

–Tokyo Sports will be announcing the Japanese awards for 2025 tonight our time.  There is no clear-cut winner but for MVP the top candidates I see are Hirooki Goto, Konosuke Takeshita, Saya Kamitani (no woman has ever won previously) and Ozawa.   

–CMLL sold out Puebla tonight for Mistico & Templario & Esfinge vs. Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja & Soberano Jr.  That’s their third sellout in four days.

–On Friday’s Arena Mexico show, Neon will be replaced by Soberano Jr.  to face Kevin Knight.  I was told Neon, who crashed doing his speciality move on the 12/5 show, is okay but as a precautionary measure they are keeping him off for a little while.

–NXT tomorrow has Joe Hendry vs. Dion Lennox vs. Leon Slater vs. Myles Borne for  the top contender spot for Oba Femi and a title shot on 1/6, and Blake Monroe vs. Thea Hail for the North American title.

–Geronimo dos Santos, a former MMA heavyweight who had faced Josh Barnett, Junior Dos Santos and Sergei Kharitonov during his career, died from drowning in a river in the Amazon in Brazil.  His body was found by divers at the Amazonas Fire Department.  He was trapped under rocks on the bottom of the river.  He  was 45 and had fought in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships as recently as April.  MMA Fighting first reported this.

–Sky News reported that Benjamin Webb, better known as Trent Seven, is trying to raise money to start a UK promotion for television, saying that there is a big TV fan base that could be served and that WWE & AEW underserve the market.

–Rikidozan died 62 years ago today after being stabbed in a night club one week earlier.  If you are doing a  list of the most important wrestlers in history, Rikidozan and Frank Gotch have to be two of the very tops.  You can argue others like Hulk Hogan, Jim Londos, Ed Lewis, Santo and Inoki should be the  highest tier.  But I can’t think if anyone who could be ahead of Rikidozan other than Gotch.

Birthdays today include Elix Skipper turning 58, Kendall Windham turns 58, Rene Dupree turns 42 and Eric Young turns 46.  Russ Haas died 24 years ago today at the age of 27.  Ryan Gracie died 18 years ago today at 33. (thanks to Tony Richards)

Daily Update

Latest News

• Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Snoop Dogg pay tribute to John Cena ahead of final match
• WWE confirms SmackDown back to three-hour format starting next month
• AAA Guerra de Titanes to air on WWE’s YouTube channel
• WWE NXT ratings up for Deadline fallout
• AEW Dynamite viewership up, 18-49 rating steady

Latest Audio

• WOR: John Cena’s last match, Brock Lesnar
• WOL: Cena’s final match, other retirements next year
• Wrestling Weekly: John Cena’s last match, Gunther & AEW Dynamite upsets
• Fight Game: Will Eddie Kingston ever win the big one in AEW?
• B&V: Awesome Dynamite, hideous NXT, backstage news!

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 15, 2025 Observer Newsletter: John Cena and El Hijo del Santo’s careers come to an end

–We’ve got a giant new issue of the Observer out today covering the Cena and Santo retirements as well as all the big events from the past week.
*John Cena and El Hijo del  Santo’s retirement shows and how they are so different
*A look back at both’s careers and places in history
*Where Santo went wrong
*Key people who  saved John Cena’s career
*Why he never turned heel years ago
*Marketing of Cena as The GOAT
*How Cena ranks with the biggest draws in wrestling history
*Update on WBD’s potential sales to Netflix or Paramount, what the deals entail and how this  all affects AEW
*Dwayne Johnson and his Golden Globe nomination
*Odds for upcoming pro wrestling bouts
*1,000,000th fan attends CMLL pro wrestling at Arena Mexico alone.  Why this has never happened before, and the absolutely staggering part of the story that nobody talks about
*UFC 323 coverage of the last UFC show on PPV for at least seven years
*A look at NXT Deadline
*A look at ROH Final Battle
* a look at TNA Final Resolution
*A look at the career of Steve “Mr. Electricity” Regal, death of territories,  the shocking win over the Road Warriors and holding world titles in the AWA and NWA in the 80s.
*The most detailed look at the ratings for all the TV shows over this past week
*A look at major promotions joining together for different shows in 2026
*A look at last week’s big shows at Arena Mexico, both a hell of a Friday and a big Tuesday with Bad Bunny under a Mistico mask in the front row
*Key CMLL talent banged up
*All Japan tag team tournament ends with a former rugby star from New Zealand and former member of the Harlem Globetrotters against each other.
*NOAH’s big start of the year show
*New wrestler starting at NOAH including the brother of a UFC fighter
*New Japan tag team tournament final standings and results
*Big awards being announced this week
*Actress who played Hall of Fame pro wrestler on a Netflix series wins major award for her performance
*Where did the original star ratings in Mexico rating matcheds come from
*Hulk Hogan album being re-released
*Notes on AEW Worlds End
*Andrade makes claims about what happened with AEW and WWE
*Advance ticket sales for all the AEW and WWE upcoming shows
*Lots more on Trump UFC event at the White House
*UFC schedule
*More on the Ali Act and attempting to change and subvert it
*Dana White talks Francis Ngannou now that he wants to return
*The most interest in buying tickets to a pro wrestling or UFC show in history took place this past week
*Lots more on the two lawsuits going against Vince McMahon and WWE
*The WWE TV schedule for this coming week
*Big PPV main event match that fell through from earlier this year

This Week’s Back Issue

• March 17, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Johnny Weaver passes away, ROH Rising Above review

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Friday Update

–Garrett and I just finished a show covering John Cena and  El Hijo del Santo’s retirement getting into a of history  of both, Vince McMahon vs Paul Levesque in charge, the true biggest and most important mystery in wrestling that we may never find out, the real story behind Brock Lesnar vs. Lennox Lewis more than 20 years ago, some ratings talk, the WBD sale to Netflix or Paramount and what is best for the company, and less important, ramifications for AEW and more.  Bryan and I will be back tomorrow night talking about John Cena’s farewell, Mistico vs. Soberano Jr., IWGP world champion vs  CMLL world champion in Cardiff, Wales, New Japan tag tournament finals and Santo retirement.  

–Tomorrow’s WWE show in Washington, DC, will be sold out at just under 19,000 fans.  This will break the record for the largest wrestling crowd ever in the city.  It will also set the record for the largest gate in a 20,000 seat  or less building in pro wrestling history.  After internal discussion and a change in plans, John Cena’s match with Gunther will go on last.  We had noted on Wednesday how the original plan made no sense and talked about  it on today’s show as to why.  It was Cena’s idea to go on first.

–AEW has topped 10,000 tickets for the Manchester, UK show on Wednesday.  There was big movement the past few days.
–Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd beat Oskar & Yuto-Ice in the other semifinal of the New Japan tag team tournament today.  They face Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa in the finals on Sunday.  That show actually will be live at midnight tomorrow Eastern and 9 p.m. Pacific from Kumamoto:
Tsuji & Kidd vs. Sabre Jr. & Oiwa
Yoh & Master Watio & Toru Yano defend the trios titles against Evil & Sanada & Ren Narita
David  Finlay & HIromu Takahashi vs. Callum Newman & Great O’Khan
Hiroshi Tanhashi & Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura vs. Yuto-Ice & Oskar & Daiki Nagai
Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens & Douki
El Desperado & Shuji Ishikawa & Shoma Kato vs Sho & Don Fale & Yoshinobu Kabnemaru
Hirooki Goto & Oleg Boltin & Yoshi-Hashi & Katsuya Murashima & Tatsuya Matsujoto vs Taichi & Satoshi Kojima & Lance Archer & Alex Zayne & Masatora Yasuda
El Phantasmo does an open challenge for the World TV title
–John Williams, the head of programming at ITV, sent a Tweet out about how AEW has had more than double digit growth on both shows this year.  The actual growth from January 1 to  this past week from 2024 is  Dynamite up 54 percent for the year and Collision is up 60 percent.   The key to this is the situation has remained the same there, unique in the U.S. whereas lot of the audience has gone to streaming.  

–AEW Collision will be taped in Cardiff, Wales and air at 4:30 p.m. Eastern and 1:30 p.m. Pacific, due to sports on TNT as well as avoiding the WWE show head-to-head  
Mark Briscoe vs. Daniel Garcia for the TNT title
Swerve Strickland vs. Josh Alexander – winner goes to the Worlds End main event multiple person match
Kris Statlander & Jamie Hayter vs. Skye Blue & Julia Hart
Kevin Knight vs. Mike Bailey in the Continental Classic
IWGP champion Konosuke Takeshita vs CMLL champion Claudio Castagnoli in the Continental Classic
At another point in history, the main event would be considered a major historical event.  Based  on what we’ve seen so far, Bailey vs. Knight could be the classic on the show.

–NXT on  Tuesday did 647,000 viewers and an 0.09 in 18-49.  The 18-49 number is up from the past few weeks.  AEW Dynamite on Wednesday did 516,000 viewers and an 0.09.  AEW number doesn’t include MAX of course.  
–One thing where the new ratings are killing  pro wrestling is that AEW used to always beat the NHL on Wednesdays and often double it or more.  Now, with the switch, the NHL beats AEW.  Never happened before except in the playoffs.  Neither has changed in the last ten weeks, just how they are viewed.

–Ricky Romero Jr., the oldest son of Ricky Romero and older brother of Jay Youngblood,  Mark Youngblood and Cris Youngblood, passed away.  He was 73.  He didn’t wrestle long, mostly 1977-81, using the name Ricky Youngblood.  He was probably best known in Oregon.  He wrestled in California and of course, West Texas, where his father was the biggest area star not named Funk. (thanks to Matt Farmer)

–The last UFC show of the year,  and the last show on ESPN,  will be tomorrow.  The card will air from 7 p.m.to 1 a.m. on ESPN 2 and ESPN+
Jamey-Lyn North (126) vs. Tereza Bleda (126)
Allen Frye (242) vs. Guilherme Pat (238)
Melissa Croden (136) vs. Luana Santos (136)
Sean Sharaf (251) vs. Steven Asplund (261)
Neil Magny (171) vs. Yaroslov Amasov (171)
Joanderson Brito (145.5) vs. Isaac Thomson (146)
Amanda Lemos (115.5) vs. Gillian Robertson (116)
Bobby Green (158.5) vs. Lance Gibson Jr.. (158.5)
Kennedy Nzechukwu (243) vs. Marcus Bucheca (251.5)
Melquizasel Costa (145.5) vs. Morgan Charrierre (145.5)
Cesar Almeida (186)n vs, Ezary Oleksiejczuk (185.5)
Giga Chikadze (146) vs. Kevin Vallejos (145)
Brandon Royval (126) vs. Manel Kape (126)
Gibson Jr.’s is the first fighter in UFC history where his father was also a UFC fighter.

–Conor McGregor married longtime girlfriend Dee Devlin this past week in Vatican City.  The two have been a couple for 17 years and have four children.

–The Mistico vs. Soberano Jr. match for the CMLL light heavyweight title headlines tonight’s show at Arena Mexico.  The show also features the Gran Alternativa tournament, where a star teams with a lower card guy with the idea it gives the lower card guy exposure.  The show has sold out which makes five sellouts in the last seven weeks  I expect an unreal atmosphere as Soberano Jr. is clearly the second most over guy in the building, and I’m wondering if his going for the title will draw more women than usual, meaning he’ll get a lot of the cheers.  It doesn’t matter if Mistico is booed as long as they sell out.  But this feels like the biggest singles match the company has done since MJF vs. Mistico in September.

–Lots of talk of MJF being back imminently and being in a multi-person world title match at Worlds End.

–The Crash on 1/16 in Tijuana has announced Alberto El Patron and brother El Hijo de Dos Caras facing Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows in the main event, Baron Corbin (using that name) vs. DMT Azul and Zachary Wentz & Dezmond Xavier vs. Noisy Boy & Rey Horus.

–Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Randy Orton, Grayson Waller and Omos are in Saudi Arabia promoting the  Royal Rumble today.

–Gary Michael Cappetta, the former WWF and WCW ring announcer, turns 73 today.  Jason Knight, the formerly handsomest man on Earth, turned 62.  Royce Gracie turns 59.  Ultimo Dragon turns 59.  The Butcher in AEW turns 48.  Eddie Kingston turns 44.  Flip Gordon turns 34.  Other notable birthdays today are Jose Lothario (born 1934), Buford Pusser (1937) and Sabu (1936).  Jimmy Rave passed away four years ago today at the age of 39.

–40 years ago today was the finals of both the All Japan and New Japan tag team tournaments,when they were among the biggest things of the year.  The New Japan finals were to be Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi.  On the prior show, a match with Brody vs. Sakaguchi (who was as big as Brody and a national champion in judo) got out of hand and got real.  Brody got the best of it, but for a variety of reasons, even though he was making $17,000 per week and not getting paid until the end of the tour, he walked out on his $51,000 pay for the tournament and left. Snuka, out of loyalty to  Brody, also left and walked out on lesser pay.  With the top placing team out, third place Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura faced Inoki & Sakaguchi.  Inoki, feeling to quell the controversy of Brody & Sn uka no-showing the finals and to change the newspaper story that would have revolved around it, booked Fujinami to pin him, something unheard of and unforeseen and one of the biggest upset results of that era.

–The All Japan tournament that year was loaded, Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu, Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr., Ted DiBiase & Stan Hansen, Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Harley Race & Jesse Barr, Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu, Nick Bockwinkel & Curt Hennig, Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith and Rusher Kimura & Ashura Hara.  Hansen & DiBiase went to a 30:00 draw with Choshu & Yatsu, and  based on previous point totals, Hansen & DiBiase won the tournament.  It was a great match but without a pin. (thanks to Tony Richards)

–The PFL announced the fiset major MMA event in Spain on 3/20 in Madrid, headlined by PFL middleweight champion Costello van Steenis of Spain facing Fabian Edwards, the 2025 tournament winner

–TNA Bound for Glory 2025  is free today on TNA’s YouTube, FAST channels and TNA+  

–Bo Nickal has pulled out of the 12/20 Real American Freestyle match against Yoel Romero.  Nickal will be on the January show instead.  Romero faces Pat Downey this coming weekend.

Daily Update

Latest News

• WWE Raw live results: Gunther speaks ahead of John Cena’s final match
• WWE NXT ratings down for Deadline go-home show
• ‘Mr. Electricity’ Steve Regal passed away this July
• Ricochet to defend AEW National title at RevPro event
• The Rock reacts to Golden Globe nomination

Latest Audio

• WOL: WBD/Netflix/Paramount, must-see weekend matches
• JNPO: July 2025 wrestling year in review – Hulk Hogan passes away, AEW All In
• B&V: Bryan Alvarez reviews ROH Final Battle!
• DragonKingKarl: The return of Col. James H. McLaughlin

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 8, 2025 Observer Newsletter: WWE Survivor Series review, new TNA TV rights deal, NJPW’s uncertain future

–The new issue of the Observer is out.  The lead story on the WBD/Netflix/Paramount situation could end up being in hindsight the most important business story of this year as far as long-term ramifications to the scene.  The second story on the TNA deal with AMC  is also  one of the major stories of the year.
*A look at the Netflix/WBD proposed deal, how iit went down, what it entails, how this affects AEW, the AEW contract situation with WBD and what it entails and how long it is s well as fears in the entertainment industry if this goes through, as well as steps being taken by Paramount to get it blocked.
*TNA signs a new TV deal with AMC, the early schedule, what is and isn’t true about the deal, as well as the power of AMC and how pro wrestling has affected and changed the ratings for all of its television partners with the most updated numbers, which also shows why it  is still valuable programming.
*A complete look at Survivor Series including how people viewed the show, changes that can be made to War Games to make it easier to watch, business notes on the show, overall interest level compared to recent PPV shows, where WWE goes from here, Netflix numbers outside the U.S. and more.
*The history of Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, the making of their final match, where Shinsuke Nakamura fit in as well as AEW, WWE and CMLL, business notes, history, historical significance and how the story has played out since the start of the year.
*A look at this weekend’s shows and odds
*Les Hudspith aka Ringo Rigby, former U.K. wrestler who led a very interesting life, between judo, being a main eventer quick in the U.K., the political situation in the U.K. that led to his leaving, coming to the dying California promotion and thriving Mexican scene and crazy street brawls.
*The most detailed look at the television ratings from the past week, placings, comparisons and more.
*Coverage of one of the best Arena Mexico shows of the year including Claudio Castagnoi’s title win
*The next major CMLL show, plus lots of big shows around the country
*AAA and WWE combine for a big show with two great bouts, and what this leads to
*End of Stardom tag team tournament
*End of Dragon Gate tournament
*Update on All Japan and New Japan tournaments
*Who has the most five-star matches in 2025
*Real American Freestyle update and apparently business philosophy
*Lots of AEW new shows
*Detailed look at the Continental Classic including a decision to be made this week’
*Bryan Danielson talks injuries, if he can come back, Brie Bella coming back, retiring, traveling and more
*Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows over the net five weeks
*Is AEW really closing the gap on WWE as Tony Khan says, a look at different metrics
*Tom Aspinall update
*What UFC should do and won’t to make the Amanda Nunes vs. Kayle Harrisoni fight better and less risky
*The sad plight of Nick Diaz
*Nick Khan and Laurence Epstein push their version of the Ali Act
*Rumors about Ronda Rousey fighting
*TKO stock value update
*How much has DwayneJohnson earned so far in his less than two years with WWE

This Week’s Back Issue

• March 17, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Johnny Weaver passes away, ROH Rising Above review

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Monday Update

–Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio.  We have a bunch of weekend shows on the site covering all the stuff that took place over the weekend.

–We’re looking for your thoughts on both NXT Deadline and ROH Final Battle, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match  for each show to [email protected]

–There have been a ton of twist and turns in the WBD sale to Netflix.  The key is Paramount making a far bigger money offer bid ($108.4 billion to $82.7 billion) and David Zaslav saying he will entertain that bid.  I don’t know any of this will change pro wrestling short-term, but whoever gets in control of what obviously has the ability to change the entire history of -pro wrestling, in particular from an AEW standpoint.

–Mr. Electricity Steve Regal passed away on 7/20.  He was a wrestler who was a star for Dick the Bruiser in Indiana and later in the AWA.  He and Spike Huber were a tag team in Indiana as the top  upcoming stars when Regal married co-owner Wilbur Snyder’s daughter and Huber married co-owner Dick the Bruiser’s daughter.  But Regal was on the small side for that era, but he was a very good wrestler.  When the Road Warriors were considered unbeatable, but they were leaving the AWA, Regal & Jimmy Garvin beat them for the  AWA world tag team titles, which undoubtedly would have been the high point of his career.  He won the AWA light heavyweight title from Buck Zum Hofe in 1984 and was a star in Oregon.  He also held the NWA world junior heavyweight title in 1986 in a feud with Denny Brown.  He was later world champion for  Windy City Wrestling and worked as an enhancement wrestler for WWF.

–As noted earlier, Dwayne Johnson was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best  lead actor in a dramatic movie this year for “Smashing Machine.”  Emily Blount, who played Mark Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a movie of any type.  While the movie was a box office bomb, this nomination would help sooth the pain and increase hope for an Oscar nomination, which was his goal in doing  this movie.

–Raw is in Kansas City tonight.  AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defend the tag titles against the Viking Raiders, Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Balor and Roxanne Perez vs. Lyra Valkyria were announced.  It’s the last  Raw before the Cena finale so they may announce a new match.  they had 7,600 tickets out for tonight.

–As noted earlier today, Leon Slater was pulled from his weekend European dates so the belief is Slater & Je’Von Evans will face a WWE tag team on Saturday’s Cena finale show.  I  know people in WWE who believe it but we did not have it confirmed.

–CM PUnk is taping a Netflix show this week so won’t be on Raw tonight.

–Becky Lynch is doing  a boycott angle with the idea she won’t come back until they give her back  the IC title.

–NXT on Tuesday did 532,000  viewers and an  0.08 in 18-49.  We still don’t have the numbers for last Wednesday’s Dynamite show.

–There was an  issue with Collision on Saturday.  Originally the show was to air live on the West Coast on TNT.  For reasons I’m not sure of, it did not, and aired in the normal 8-10 p.m. time slot.  However, that meant DVRs picked up 5-7 p.m. which was other programming so if you didn’t have MAX and DVR’s it you would have missed the show.  This was a TNT issue and somehow the ball was dropped.

–We have a new book out on amazon.com.  It’s basically the 1985 Wrestling Observer collection covering every issue from that year.  That includes the first WrestleMania, the first Saturday Night’s Main Event, Jim Crockett getting control of wrestling on TBS, AWA getting a deal with ESPN, the 20/20 special on wrestling and an overall very successful year for the industry.  The book is available for $29.99 and we’ll have more on it in the new issue.

–The A block is now complete in the New Japan tag team tournament.  Today’s results from Hiroshima were:
Shuji Ishikawa & El Desperado (4-3) beat Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens (1-6)
Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd (5-2) beat Taichi & Satoshi Kojima (1-6)
Oleg  Boltin & Toru Yano (4-3) beat Evil & Don Fale (4-3)
Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi (5-2) beat Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney (4-3)
Goto & Yoshi-Hash took first since they beat Tsuji & Kidd in the round-robin.  They will face the second place in B block on Wednesday in Nagasaki.  Tsuji & Kidd face the B block winners on Friday in Sendai.

B block will be decided tomorrow in Iizuka:
Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura (4-2) vs. Yuto-Ice & Oskar (3-3)
Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa (3-3) vs. Lance Archer & Alex Zayne (3-3)
David Finlay & Hiromu Takahashi (2-4) vs. Great O’Khan & Callum Newman (4-2)
Hiroshi Tanahashi & El Phantamso (2-4) vs. Ren Narita & Sanada (3-3)

–Neon missed his dive, perhaps the hottest move in pro wrestling, on Friday’s Arena Mexico show.  He went out on a stretcher and is out of action at least for the next week at least.

–Ricochet will defend the AEW National title on Sunday in Cardiff, Wales, on the RevPro show against Nino Bryant.  This is the biggest  match of Bryant’s career.

–Toshiaki Kawada, one of the all-time greats and a rare double Hall of Famer (by himself and as a tag team with Akira Taue) turned 62 today.  Many consider to this day his 1994 match with Mitsuharu Misawa as the greatest of all-time.  Misawa vs. Kawada was one of the greatest feuds in history.

–Coastal Championship Wrestling will be taping television for the first time tonight and tomorrow night in Pompano Beach, FL.  They say their show will air on major local stations in Florida and some Southeastern markets.  Matt Riddle, Gangrel and Ben Bishop are listed as the top stars.

–Arena Mexico tomorrow night has Mistico & Titan vs. tag champs Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja in a non-title match and Mascara Dorada vs.Cavernario.

–PWInsider listed that the first TNA show on AMC will feature Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana for the TNA title and the winner will then face a cash-in of Nic Nemeth.

–Mike Tyson claims he will be fighting  Floyd Mayweather in March in Africa.  He said it’s going to break all the box office records.

–Other birthdays today are Gama Singh (71),  Ken “Slick”Johnson, the former WWF Dr. of Style (67),  the legendary Chigusa Nagayo (61), Michael Cole (57), Enzo Amore (39) and Billie Starkz (21).  Jack Lanza passed away four years ago today at the age of 86. (thanks to Tony Richards)

–MLW Fan Appreciation night on 1/29 in Kissimmee, FL has announced the annual Battle Riot show which is their version of the Royal Rumble.  Alex Hammerstone was announced for the show.

Daily Update

Latest News

• Former WWE star Dakota Kai announced for indie return
• John Cena addresses Vince McMahon’s WWE status
• Updated WWE SmackDown lineup: Five new additions
• John Cena names his biggest WWE mentor: ‘Vince, without a doubt’
• Update on possible Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns WWE title match

Latest Audio

• Wrestling Weekly: Interview with Dr. Tom Prichard
• WOL: WBD/Netflix, Mania main events, Cena lawsuit
• Fight Game: Who will win the 2025 AEW Continental Classic?
• B&V: AEW Dynamite and NXT with backstage notes!

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 8, 2025 Observer Newsletter: WWE Survivor Series review, new TNA TV rights deal, NJPW’s uncertain future

–The new issue of the Observer is out.  The lead story on the WBD/Netflix/Paramount situation could end up being in hindsight the most important business story of this year as far as long-term ramifications to the scene.  The second story on the TNA deal with AMC  is also  one of the major stories of the year.
*A look at the Netflix/WBD proposed deal, how iit went down, what it entails, how this affects AEW, the AEW contract situation with WBD and what it entails and how long it is s well as fears in the entertainment industry if this goes through, as well as steps being taken by Paramount to get it blocked.
*TNA signs a new TV deal with AMC, the early schedule, what is and isn’t true about the deal, as well as the power of AMC and how pro wrestling has affected and changed the ratings for all of its television partners with the most updated numbers, which also shows why it  is still valuable programming.
*A complete look at Survivor Series including how people viewed the show, changes that can be made to War Games to make it easier to watch, business notes on the show, overall interest level compared to recent PPV shows, where WWE goes from here, Netflix numbers outside the U.S. and more.
*The history of Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, the making of their final match, where Shinsuke Nakamura fit in as well as AEW, WWE and CMLL, business notes, history, historical significance and how the story has played out since the start of the year.
*A look at this weekend’s shows and odds
*Les Hudspith aka Ringo Rigby, former U.K. wrestler who led a very interesting life, between judo, being a main eventer quick in the U.K., the political situation in the U.K. that led to his leaving, coming to the dying California promotion and thriving Mexican scene and crazy street brawls.
*The most detailed look at the television ratings from the past week, placings, comparisons and more.
*Coverage of one of the best Arena Mexico shows of the year including Claudio Castagnoi’s title win
*The next major CMLL show, plus lots of big shows around the country
*AAA and WWE combine for a big show with two great bouts, and what this leads to
*End of Stardom tag team tournament
*End of Dragon Gate tournament
*Update on All Japan and New Japan tournaments
*Who has the most five-star matches in 2025
*Real American Freestyle update and apparently business philosophy
*Lots of AEW new shows
*Detailed look at the Continental Classic including a decision to be made this week’
*Bryan Danielson talks injuries, if he can come back, Brie Bella coming back, retiring, traveling and more
*Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows over the net five weeks
*Is AEW really closing the gap on WWE as Tony Khan says, a look at different metrics
*Tom Aspinall update
*What UFC should do and won’t to make the Amanda Nunes vs. Kayle Harrisoni fight better and less risky
*The sad plight of Nick Diaz
*Nick Khan and Laurence Epstein push their version of the Ali Act
*Rumors about Ronda Rousey fighting
*TKO stock value update
*How much has DwayneJohnson earned so far in his less than two years with WWE

This Week’s Back Issue

• March 10, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Floyd Mayweather payday, Vince McMahon skips congressional hearing

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Friday Update

–Garrett Gonzales and I will be back today with a show covering the WBD/Netflix situation, the latest news from the new Observer out today, your questions for the show which you can send to [email protected].  We will also be doing another show on Saturday night because of the plethora of significant shows over the next two days.

–A few more details regarding the WBD sale situation.  Paramount is still attempting to get control of WBD through arguing that David Zaslav made a deal to benefit him but their offer is better, and are now going to the shareholders.  Their argument is their deal will be able to get through antitrust better.  They also argue that their $30 per share all cash offer is higher than what Network is offering and how they were the only suitors who wanted the cable business as well.  It has been noted that Zaslav standish to make $660 million out of the Netflix deal.  It also officially came out that the Netflix bid includes a $5.8 b8llio, not the $5.0 billion listed in the current issue, fee if the deal doesn’t get regulatory approval.  Paramount had also offered a $5.0 billion fee if their proposed deal didn’t get regulatory approval.

–This is a huge weekend of events.  We will be doing polls on just two of them, the ROH show tonight and the NXT show tomorrow night.  So you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match for each show t [email protected]

–ROH has a pre-show on its streaming service starting at 7 p.m.Eastern with the main show at 8 p.m., from Columbus, OH

Bandido vs.  Sammy Guevera vs. Beast Mortos vs. Komander vs.Hechicero vs. Blake Christian Survival of the Fittest for the ROH title
Athena vs. Persephone for the ROH women’s title
Mercedes Mone vs. Red  Velvet for the ROH women’s TV title
Guevara & Mortos vs. Adam Priest & Tommy Billington for the vacant ROH tag titles
Shane Taylor & The Infantry vs. Scorpio Sky & Dante  & Darius Martin for the ROH trios titles
Ricochet vs.  Dalton Castle for the National title
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Billie Starkz to create the first Women’s Pure title
Nigel McGuinness vs. Lee Moriarty in a 30:00 Iron Man match
Wheeler Yuta &  Daniel Garcia vs. Grizzled Young  Veterans (pre-show match)
Lee Johnson vs. Ace Austin (pre-show match)
This is really quite the lineup when you look at it.

–TNA Final Resolution tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern from El Paso,TX
Frankie Kazarian vs. JDC for the TNA title

Leon Slater vs. AJ Francis for the X title

Lei Ying Lee vs. Xia Brookside for the Knockouts title

Steve Maclin vs. Stacks Lorenzo for the International title

Matt  & Jeff Hardy vs.  Tyson DuPont & Tyriek Igwe for the TNA tag titles

The Iinspiration vs. Tessa Blanchard & Victoria Crawford for the Knockouts tag team titles

Mike Santana vs. Charlie Dempsey

Matt Cardona vs. Mance Warner in a street fight

Mustafa Ali & Jason Hotch & John Skyler & Agent Zero vs. Zachary Wentz & Dezmond Xavier & Myron Reed & Trey Miguel–Smackdown tonight is from Austin, TX.  It features Gunthder vs. LA Knight in the finals of the  Last Time is Now tournament, Jade Cargill vs. Alba Fyre, Alexa Bliss vs. Kairi Sane, Ilja Dragunov’s U.S. title open challenge plus Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa interviews.  Randy Orton is being advertised locally but there is no indication he’s at the show.  Oba Femi, Sol Ruca and Trick Williams are all there.  They had just over 7,100 tickets out as of earlier today.

–Arena Mexico has a regular show tonight with Mistico & Mascara Dorada vs. Soberano Jr. & Difunto, Titan & Templario & Neon vs Averno & Cavernario & Volador Jr. and Dragon Rojo Jr. & Dragon Legendario & Dragon  de Fuego vs. Cobarde & Guerrero Maya Jr. & Magnus as the top matches.  The top two bouts figure to be great.

–NXT Deadline is 7 p.m. tomorrow night from San Antonio, TX
 Oba Femi vs. Ricky Saints for the NXT title – this match will open the show
Men’s Iron Survivor match with Joe Hendry, Je’Von Evans, Leon Slater, Myles Borne and Dion Lennox
Women’s Iron Survivor match with Sol Ruca, Kendal Grey, Kelani Jordan, JordynneGrace and Lola Vice
Ethan Page vs. Mr. Iguana for the North American title
Izzi Dame vs. Tatum Paxley

–The last UFC PPV show for at least seven years is tomorrow night from Las Vegas
ESPN+ at 6 p.m. Eastern
Muhammed Naimov (146) vs. Mairon Santos (147.5) – Santos missed weight by 1.5 pounds and will forfeit 20 percent of her purse
Mansur Abdul-Malik (185.5) vs. Antonio Trocoli (186)
Iwo Baraniewski (206) vs. Ibo Asian (205.5)
Edson Barboza (155.5) vs. Jalin Turner (155)
Marvin Vettori (186) vs. Brunno Ferreira (189) – Ferriera missed weight by 2.0 pounds and was fined 20 percent of his purse)
ESPN 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern
Nazim Sadykhov (155.5) vs. Fares Ziam (156)
Maycee Barber (125.5) vs. Karine Silva (125.5)
Terrance McKinney (156) vs. Chris Duncan (156)
PPV at 10 p.m. on ESPN+
Jan Blachowicz (206) vs. Bogdan Guskov (206)
Henry Cejudo (136) vs. Payton Talbott (136)
Brandon Moreno (125) vs. Tatsuro Taira (126)
Alexandre Pantoja (125) vs. Joshua Van (124.5) for the flyweight title
Merab Dvalishvili (135) vs. Petr Yan (135) for the bantamweight title
+

–New Japan has A block matches in the tag team tournament today in Osaka:
Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi (1-5) beat Taichi & Satoshi Kojima (1-5)
Evil & Don Fale (4-2) beat Shuji Ishikawa & El Desperado (3-3)
Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney (4-2) beat Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano (3-3)
Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hsnhi (4-2)  beat Gabe Kidd & Yota Tsuji (4-2)
The tournament continues on Sunday with B block matches.  There is one A block show leftr on Monday in Hiroshima, the B block last day is on Tuesday in Iizuka and the A block winner faces the B block winner on Wednesday in Nagasaki.
–A lawsuit filed by a Miami woman for sexual assault against Conor McGregor wsa dropped on Tuesday.  The allegation was that McGregor secxually assaulted her in the bathroom after a 2023 Miami Heat playoff final game.  No charges were ever filed due to lack of evidence. .
–The UFC announced a 3/21 show at the O2 Arena in London

–Former WWE President George Barrios is writing a book about his time in wrestling called “Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt:  How a Cuban Kid from Queens Transformed WWE.”  The book claims Barrios took WWE from an $800 million company to a $9.3 billion company.
–Thursday’s Washington Capitals vs.  Carolina Hurricane NBA game will be John Cena Night, to promote Cena’s final match on Saturday in the same Capital One Arena.  Those getting tickets through Facebook will get a free Cena T-shirt.

–A Willow Nightingale vs. Mara Sade (Jakara Jackson) match has been announced for the GCW/JCW joint show on 2/1 at the Melrose Ballroom in New York.  The show also features the return of Jonathan Gresham, Mad Dog Connelly vs. Paul Walter Hauser, Matt CArdona, Mance Warne, Man Like DeRiess and Joey Janela.

–Kris Statlander defends her Eve International title against Charlie, the former Dakota Kai, on the 3/8 International Womens’ Day WrestleQueendom show put on by  Eve in London.  They are attempting to draw the largest crowd for an all-women’s pro wrestling show ever in the U.k.

–Tom Billington, the original Dynamite Kid, was both born on this day in 1958 and died on this day in 2018 on his 60th birthday.  Skip Young aka Sweet Brown Sugar passed away at the age of 59 on this day in 2010.  Tom Drake, a wrestler who later served  as the speaker of the house in Alabama, was born on this day in 1930.  Larry Zbyszko celebrates his  74th birthday today (thanks to Tom Richards)

–A correction from the story in today’s Observer on Ringo Rigby.  The Killer Kim who wrestled in 1982 in California was not Kim Sung Ho, as we reported.  Kim Sung Ho did work as Killer Kim in Oregon, but he was retired by 1982.  Killer Kim was actually the son of South Korea’s sports icon, Kim Ill, who was the country’s sports hero as a pro wrestler in the 70s (the highest rated pro wrestling television match of all-time was a 1977 match on Korean television from Seoul with Ill & Tiger Toguchi (Kim Duk) vs. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta for the International tag team championship, which did an 88.0 rating. Kim Il, aka Kintaro Oki, was also a major star around the world.  

Daily Update

Latest News

• Hulk Hogan’s widow denies Ric Flair’s ‘street drugs’ death claim
• WWE Raw live results: Survivor Series fallout
• Becky Lynch declares she’s boycotting WWE Raw ‘until my demands are met’
• MVP explains having to protect Bobby Lashley from being ‘way too giving’
• Cyber Monday sale for new & past subscribers

Latest Audio

• WOL: War Games, Continental Classic, Doering, Gresham, more!

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 1, 2025 Observer Newsletter: AEW Full Gear recap, WWE Survivor Series preview

We have the largest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in our history up on the site today because we are covering two very newsworthy weeks:

*Full coverage of Full Gear. The good, the bad, the reaction, the business notes, reasons for the surprisingly good PPV number, thoughts on the world title change, long title reigns and how they create legends, and early Continental Classic thoughts.

*Notes and odds regarding upcoming matches

*UFC announces its first two shows of 2026, changes that the company is making and why the first two main events are so controversial

*Full coverage of UFC 323

*The life and times of Bob Caudle, the voice of Mid Atlantic wrestling and a Hall of Fame candidate

*A detailed look at how and why the ratings have changed, why the explanation makes no sense, exactly how much the new panel and big data ratings have hurt each show and in particular where.

*The most in-depth look at the ratings for all the shows over the past two weeks, placings for the week, placings in the time slot, men vs. women, how the placings compare to 2024 and 2023, and each show compared with the prior year and prior week, as well as the leading competition for each show.

*Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, Komander, Mortos, Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight go to CMLL, draw big crowds and a look at their key matches

*CMLL ready to honor a milestone it is close that no company has ever done in history

*Notes on AAA’s new TV deal in Mexico and Latin America and who they are pushing as the top stars

*WWE tag team taking the name of one of Mexico’s greatest tag teams in history

*Updates on tag team tournaments in Stardom, New Japan and All Japan.

*Wrestler suspended after getting in car accident and messing up a tournament

*Update on Tokyo Dome ticket sales

*Fantastica Mania 2026 notes

*Battle of the Generations

*RAF new philosophy and update

*Santo’s final matches

*Sting’s son has first singles match

*Headbangers farewell tour

*The oldest male wrestler in history has a match last week

*Opera Cup notes

*TNA business notes as well as notes on the next PPV show and the last major show

*AEW TV changes

*Final Battle updated card

*Tony Khan on multiple subjects

*Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA shows

*Two best in the world at their specific sport athletes are on UFC’s radar

*Becky Lynch’s comments

*Update on stockholders lawsuit against WWE

*New WWE signings

*WWE star talks about her domestic violence issue

*WWE engagements

*Bret Hart talks McMahon and Michaels and our thoughts on it

This Week’s Back Issue

• March 10, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Floyd Mayweather payday, Vince McMahon skips congressional hearing

Monday Update

–Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about Raw, Ronda Rousey, Survivor Series fallout and the ridiculous weekend upcoming for events.

–Due to Thanksgiving, ratings are not out yet.  At this point, the last ratings out are for last Monday, so seven days ago.  I expect a big data dump tomorrow that would include last Monday’s Raw on Netflix, NXT, and both Dynamite and Collision from Wednesday and Thursday.  Smackdown could be out tomorrow but it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s Wednesday or Thursday.

–Zootopia 2 which includes voice work from Dwayne Johnson, Roman Reigns and CM Punk, opened at $156 million over the four-day weekend, beating  Wicked For Good that did $93 million in its second week of release.  Zootopia 2  also did about $400 million outside the U.S. and Canada.  

–Raw is tonight in Glendale, AZ.  Paul Levesque promised a great show as a follow-up from Survivor Series.  The semifinals of the John Cena tournament are Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa and LA Knight vs. Jey Uso.  AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defend the tag titles against The New Day   There were 8,400 tickets out as of earlier today.

–Becky Lynch is doing a worked boycott of Raw unless she’s reinstated as IC champion.

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

–Nikki Bella’s role will be changing shortly.  She is still figured into the plans.

–ROH will be doing an episode of its TV show tomorrow night at 7 p.m.  on the ROH YouTube channel.  This will likely help finalize Friday’s ROH Final Battle show.  They will air the Queen Aminata vs. Deonna Purrazzo and Billie Starkz vs. Yuka Sakazaki semifinals in the women’s Pure title tournament I believe, since the finals are Friday.–Daria Berenato, the former Sonya Deville, is in ahorro movie called “Zombois” which starts filming in Atlanta this month.

–Ken Anderson will be working the 12/13 Wrestling Revolver show in Clive, IA.

–Mick Foley  has a European tour of shows that are all sold out.

–The funeral for wrestling photographer George Tahinos will  take place on Saturday  at the Fair Lawn Athletic Club in Fair Lawn,  NJ.  Tahinos, who was the main photographer for  ECW and did photos for a number of magazines, passed away at the age of 63 two weeks ago.

–Advertised for tomorrow’s NXT is DarkState vs. Leon Slater & Je’Von Evans & Myles Borne & Joe Hendry, Josh Briggs vs Tavion Heights plus The Culling explain why they turned on Tatum Paxley.

–There is a great detailed article on the retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi and the last year of New Japan.  We should  have more on this in the next few  days but it really goes  into the politics of AEW vs WWE and how it affected this show.

–Bill Apter sent us this interview with Jim Duggan

–A podcast interview with Ben Askren

–A story on ESPN being in bed with WWE and how much they were promoting Survivor Series 

–An interview with Raven

–Noriyo Tateno of the JB Angels tag team turned 60 today.  There was just this past week a successful event in Japan for the 40th anniversary of the team and a lot of the big stars from that era appeared at it.  Trinity from TNA, not Trinity Fatu but Stephanie Finochio, turns 54 today.  Miguel Blackie Guzman, the  brother of El Santo and the top star in Texas in the early 50s, passed away 52 years ago today at the age of 57.
(thanks to Tony Richards)

–Super Strong Heavyweight Wrestling on 12/7 in Mount Holly, NJ at 22 King Street.  The show will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Center.  Tommy Cairo will be promoting the show.

–The New Japan tag team tournament continues with an A block show tomorrow with Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens, Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi vs. Evil & Don Fale, Desperado & Shuji Ishikawa vs Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd and Taichi & Satoshi KIojima vs. Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney.

Daily Update

Latest News

• WWE Raw live results: Survivor Series WarGames go-home show
• Tony Khan announces AEW Continental Classic Selection Show to air Monday
• WWE releases new WrestleMania-related teaser
• New match announced for WWE Raw
• WWE announces three new signings, recent recruit gets NXT name

Latest Audio

• WOL: Filthy Tom Lawlor’s thoughts on AEW Full Gear & WWE SmackDown
• B&V: AEW Full Gear 2025 recap

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• November 17, 2025 Observer Newsletter: The 2025 Hall of Fame issue

This Week’s Back Issue

• February 25, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Floyd Mayweather punches out Big Show at No Way Out, WWE shops around SmackDown

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Monday Update

–Bryan and I are back tonight covering all the wrestling news including Raw, Continental Classic, and the rest of the stuff covered here.

–We still have our biggest issue of the year, the annual Hall of Fame issue with lots of history and bios including a look at Raul Paolo, one of the greatest athletes in pro wrestling history who became the promoter that really made the business in France, and the other new inductees for 2025 like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Gran Hamada, Dorrell Dixon,  Spyros Arion, Sabu and Bobby Bruns and complete balloting results, what wrestlers did the best in different categories of voting including past wrestlers and industry pros, current wrestlers and industry pros as well as reporters and historians.

–We are looking for your thoughts on AEW Full Gear.   You can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]

–A Go Fund Me has been started for Sandra Toffoloni.  That name may be familiar to many of you as she is the sister of Nancy Toffoloni Benoit, who was murdered by her husband in 2007.  Sandra is someone who was very outspoken and probably knew more about the Benoit situation and was very open and honest about it than anyone.  She did a ton of media and talked openly about her thoughts constantly while the ordeal went on and for years after as she tried to keep the memory of her  sister, who was her hero, alive.  Of late she has been living with a brain condition called aphasia that caused her to have a grand mal seizure, resulting in a flal that resulte din broken ribs, a fractured back and a compression skull fracture.  She’s been battling health issues for the past year which has resulted in financial issues due to medical bills and need for a wheelchair.  More about that is here.

–Raw tonight is from Oklahoma City as the final Raw before Survivor Series.  Roman Reigns will kick off the show.  All the War Games participants are scheduled meaning Brock Lesnar, AJ Lee, Cody  Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, plus build for Nikki Bella vs. Stephanie Vaquer and Dominik Mysterio vs. John Cena.   Cena won’t be there.  There will be a match for the advantage in the men’s War Games match plus Cena tournament matches with Gunther vs. Carmelo Hayes and Solo Sikoa vs. Penta.  The men’s advantage match will be Usos  vs. Paul & McIntyre and will be the main event on tonight’s show, which should end in a wild War Games brawl.  They had 9,000 tickets out earlier today so it will be another big house but not a sellout.

–For Survivor Series, they’ve announced a two hour pre-game show starting at 5 p.m. and the four match card starts at 7 p.m..  It has more than 34,000 tickets out so it should be sold out.  Pau l Heyman and Nikki Bella will be doing ESPN studio talk shows on Wednesday with Bella on Get Up and Heyman on First Take.  Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss will be on Vibe Check on Friday at 5 p.m. on disney +  

–AEW will be announcing the brackets at 10 p.m. Eastern tonight on a streaming special on the AEW X account.

–I’ve just gotten back home so aside from Full Gear and the main U.S. TV shows, I haven’t seen much international stuff besides Sareee vs. Chihiro Hashimoto from last week (if you like women’s wrestling, it’s very high level, excellent bout, not quite match of the year but a top tier bout).  I’ve had tons of people recommend the stuff from Mexico, with the bouts you’d expect to be great delivering, notably Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey vs. Mascara Dorada & Neon and Mistico & Komander vs. Mortos & Cavernario from Friday night at Arena Mexico, and Dorada vs. Komander for the historic welterweight title from last night at Arena Mexico.  The Gran Guerrero CMLL heavyweight title defense against Mortos was also said to be really good.  The AEW talent didn’t win any titles.

—The Leyenda de Azul finals are Friday which will be a three-way with Mistico vs. Soberano Jr. vs. Cavernario, who each won Ciberneticos earlier this week to qualify.

–The funeral for legendary announcer Bob Caudle takes place tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC.  The church is at 1800 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh.  Fans are welcome.

–Apollo Crews returned to action after surgery to repair a torn pec on Saturday night’s AAA show at Juan de la Barrera Gym in Mexico City, beatring Lince Dorado.  Ethan Page & Chelsea Green retained the mixed tag titles over Mr. iguana & Lola Vice..  Dominik Mysterio & Grande Americano won the main event over El Hijo del Vikingo & Dragon Lee when  Vikingo turned on Lee.  After the match Dominik put out an open challenge to face them and as expected, Penta & Fenix as the Lucha Bros answered so they will team up for the first time in months on 12/20 in Guadalajara.

–That show will be the next major AAA show with that tag match on top.  Dominik & Grande are now billing themselves as Gringo Locos 2.0, after the tag team of Eddy Guerrero & Love Machine in the early 90s .  Lee vs. Vikingo, which should be great, plus El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Ethan Page for the Latin American title which they’ve been building for months, Dave the Clown & Murder Clown & Pagano & Psycho Clown vs. Dexter Lumis & Erick Rowan & Joe Gacy & Uncle Howdy and a three-way for the cruiserweight title with Laredo Kid defending against Je’Von Evans and someone to be determined.  One would think Evans should win here.  Rey Mysterio is also scheduled for the show.—Megan Bayne was back for Stardom’s show today in Iwaki teaming with Hanako to go 5-0 in the tag team tournament with a win over AZM  & Miyu Amasaki.  They are in first place in the Blue block over Saya Iida & Bea Priestley who have four wins.  The Red block currently has Natsuko Tora & Ruaka and Natsupoi & Saori Anou in first place with four wins while Yuna Mizumori & Mei Seira and Teotleco & Osita (Hazuki & Koguma) have three wins and a draw.

–The New Japan tag team tournament was in Machida today with an A block show.  Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi beat Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens.  Toru Yano & Oleg Boltin beat Taichi & Satoshi Kojima.  EL Desperado & Shuji Ishikawa beat Shingto Takagi & Drilla Moloney when Ishikawa pinned Moloney and Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd beat Evil & Don Fale in the main event.  Yano & Boltin now have 4 points  while all the other teams have two points except Owens & Takahashi who have zero points.

–Ariel Helwani said that Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight title is the frontrunner to be the main event of the first major UFC show in January on Paramount +.  This would be the biggest possible women’s fight in the sport right now.

–Gable Steveson had his second MMA fight last night in Albuquerque, beating Kevin Hein in 24 seconds.  Because of his gold medal and quick wins, people are wanting him in the big time UFC spotlight immediately but he needs some tests.  The three fights he’s had were not tests.  There is still a lot to learn but he could not have looked better so far.  He knocked out Hein with a left that he was only using to open up for the takedown and Hein was already out before being taken down.

–Another major story is the best heavyweight kickboxer of the modern era, Rico Verhoeven, vacated his Glory heavyweight title that he’s held for 13 years and there is at least talk of him going to UFC.

–Velvet McIntyre turns 63 today.  Beth Phoenix turns 45.  Anthony Ogogo turns 37.  One of the greatest college heavyweights of all-time who later became NWA champion, Dick  Hutton, passed away 22 years ago today (thanks to Tony Richards).

–MLW featherweight champion Shoko Nakajima derfends on 12/13 in Bangkok, Thailand against Alexis Lee.  This will be on a TJPW show in Bangkok.  Lee wrestles for Singapore Pro Wrestling.

–Isaac Johnson, 31, of Chicago, died from injuries in a Muay Thai fight on an MMA show at Cicero Stadium in Chicago Friday night.  The show was promoted by Matador Fighter Challenge.  There is an investigation going on.  Johnson collapsed toward the end of his Muay Thai heavyweight fight and was rushed to the hospital and passed away at 12:03 a.m.

–Defy results from Friday night at Washington Hall in Seattle  Travis Williams b Jack Evnas, Steven Borden Jr. (Sting’s son) b Kiran Grey, Amira & Liiza Hall b Danika Della Rouge & Anna Baretta, Bryan Keith NC  Cocy Chhun to retain the Defy title, Evan Rivers & Griffin McCoy b Randy Myers & Matt Brannigan, VertVixen NC Rebel Kel, Mad Dog Connelly b Judas Icarus, Vincent & Dutch of The Righteous b Midnight Heat.   They return 12/27 to Washington Hall in Seattle and have a show on 12/28 in Highland Park, CA at the Lodge Room.

–Tomorrow will be the 40th anniversary of the original Vince McMahon screw job where Spider Lady, Moolah under the mask, won the women’s title from Wendi Richter without Richter being told the finish.  Richter had asked for her lawyer to look over a contract offer and in those days McMahon took that as an insult and had the ref fast count her.

–Jamie Hayter and Emi Sakura will be on the Pro Wrestling Eve show on 12/3 at the Big Penny Social in Walthamstow, London, UK.