Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including all the news on AEW moving the start time for All Out, AEW PPVs now available on MAX, Smackdown and Collision ratings, and more, plus Terra Calaway joins us to talk her awesome book about Jeff Cannonball, who is currently battling ALS. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Tag: jeff cannonball
Willow Nightingale, Mike Bailey added to CannonballFest benefit show
Two more AEW wrestlers have been announced for the CannonballFest benefit show.
CannonballFest promoter Joey Janela revealed Tuesday that AEW talent Willow Nightingale and “Speedball” Mike Bailey will be making appearances at the event on Sunday, September 14 in New Jersey.
Janela is putting on the show to benefit independent wrestler Jeff Cannonball, 38, as he battles ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).
Nightingale and Bailey are two of three AEW wrestlers now confirmed for the event. MJF was announced for the show earlier this week with a storyline blurb stating that he will be the only talent paid at the event and at double his usual booking rate.
CannonballFest will take place on Sunday, September 14 in New Providence, New Jersey. Tickets for the show are not on sale yet. Janela says that the show will stream on YouTube.
All proceeds from CannonballFest will go directly to Cannonball and his family. A GoFundMe has also been set up for Cannonball, with former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban among the top donators.
MJF announced for CannonballFest benefit show
MJF is heading to CannonballFest.
Joey Janela announced on social media that the AEW star would be appearing at the benefit show for independent wrestler Jeff Cannonball that takes place September 14 at New Providence High School in New Providence, New Jersey.
“9/14/2025 will be one of the biggest shows in independent history for Jeff Cannonball and I will go to any means necessary to keep that word! I had to reach out to someone I despise with a burning passion to make that a reality!,” he wrote.
The benefit show will be to raise money for Cannonball, 38, who recently announced that he is suffering from ALS. All proceeds raised will go directly to Cannonball and his family.
The graphic revealing the announcement states that “MJF claims that he will be the only person getting paid at this show and it will be double his normal rate because he wants a new Rolex and couldn’t care less about Jeff Cannonball and his family.”
Janela made the show announcement last week, with ticket and match details still pending.
Daily Update: Mariah May, Matt Jackson, Mark Cuban
Daily Update
Latest Headlines
- Sheamus: ‘There’s no way’ R-Truth won’t return to WWE at some point
- Lilian Garcia set for WWE Worlds Collide ring announcing role
- TNA Impact replays to stream Fridays on YouTube this summer
- Berto advances in WWE Speed tournament
- WWE SmackDown viewership steady, ranks first on TV in 18-49 demo
- Report: Liv Morgan’s alleged stalker arrested outside WWE PC
Latest Audio
- AD: Goofy Bigfoot footage, wood knocks, pyramids
- WOL: Bizarre week and year, NXT, creepy clowns
- B&V: Mid-South Wrestling S6:E26 plus Granny!
- DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Podcast: June 1985
- BVV: The Trick-NA era of Impact begins
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- June 2, 2025 Observer Newsletter: AEW Double or Nothing & WWE SNME recaps, John Laurinaitis dropped from Janel Grant lawsuit
Among the topics covered:
- Full coverage of Double or Nothing including length of the show and why, the main event finish and who knew, the long-term booking, how things can be adjusted time wise, PPV early estimates, going head-to-head with WWE and the current WWE strategy and is it working or will it backfire, and what was unique in business regarding interest levels for this show, and match by match coverage.
- What did readers think of Double or Nothing and Battleground.
- John Laurinaitis joins with Janel Grant in the lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. We look at the strategy, why the timing doesn’t make sense on the surface and what it shows about the belief of where the case is going, as well as Laurinaitis credibility as a witness, his past, and an amazing timeline look where the dots have never been connected before.
- Saturday Night’s Main Event, the long-term of John Cena as champion, Cena’s last match, what match did the highest number, injury notes, Jesse Ventura and more.
- WWE spoils a world title change in Mexico, the WWE strategy in Mexico, Alberto shoots a major angle, Worlds Collide matches and how business looks and more.
- Salman Hashimikov, the unlikely IWGP champion, and the story of one of the best heavyweight amateur wrestlers in the world who had a short pro wrestling career, but a lot of major main event matches with legends.
- Full coverage of NXT Battleground
- The sad plight of BJ Penn
- Best of the Super Juniors
- The most detailed look at the ratings for all the shows of the past week, with demos, segments, how the shows are holding up, Netflix numbers and more
- More on AEW talent at Arena Mexico
- The Copa Juniors Cibernetico in Arena Mexico
- MLW title matches at Arena Mexico
- Nanae Takahashi retires
- Lawsuit against Billy Jack Haynes by family of his murdered wife
- The sad story of Shannon Spruill/Daffney
- Unique independent matches
- A crazy angle gets two police officers legitimately suspended
- The Jim Ross Award
- Why things changed at AEW PPV as far as distribution
- Why Josh Alexander signed with AEW
- Keith Lee update
- Ticket sales for upcoming AEW, WWE and TNA shows
- Another lawsuit filed against TKO
- Cain Velasquez talks Dana White’s help
- More on future WrestleManias
- Update on UFC & WWE rights negotiations that will happen later this year
- WWE main roster call-ups expected and where
- Comparing the Raw ratings from January to last week while taking sleight of hand manipulations out
- WWE stars in TV shows
- This Week’s Back Issue: October 24, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Randy Couture leaves UFC, MMA interest falls in Japan
Wednesday Update

WWE
- WWE uploaded the full Trick Williams vs. Mike Santana TNA World Championship main event from NXT last night.
- Mariah May celebrated her NXT arrival with cake, balloons, and flowers.
- WWE has not identified May by name yet, indicating that a name change is likely. The YouTube video of her debut is titled “SHE’S HERE! The NXT Women’s division just became more glamorous,” and the description is “One of the biggest free agents in the world comes to NXT to confront NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne.”
- On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Santino Marella praised his daughter Arianna Grace for how hard she worked to get hired by WWE:
- So her first tryout, she was not ready, and she didn’t get hired. Then the switch went off, she packed up, moved to Orlando. She was training at multiple schools, busting her ass, got in great shape. And then when she received another tryout, she just blew them away. She was the talk of the tryout, and she got hired from that, she was just in shape, and this time she was ready. So it was no freebies. When you’re a second-generation talent, the idea of receiving a freebie is a horrible thing to be accused of. Some people will also understand that you’re going to be given an opportunity, but it’s up to you to capitalize on the opportunity. I remember talking with Cody when he was younger, that was one of the worst things you could say to him ever, was you’re only here because your dad. So he became super hard working to eliminate and remove the potential for someone to even say that. I think he’s done a great job, working so hard that no one could say that to him anymore.
- Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins were on KTLA in Los Angeles this morning promoting Saturday’s Money in the Bank PLE.
- Liv Morgan & Dominik Mysterio took part in a Sneaker Shopping episode for Complex.
- NXT Champion Oba Femi joined Sheamus on this week’s edition of Celtic Warrior Workouts.
- CM Punk was featured on a new episode of WWE Tattooed.
- Sports Illustrated interviewed Roxanne Perez.
- Big E will be making an appearance at Pancheros Mexican Grill in Somerset, Massachusetts on Thursday, June 12. He’ll be “greeting customers, signing WWE merch, taking pics with fans, and helping raffle off a year’s worth of Panchero’s burritos and WWE memorabilia.”
Other Wrestling
- Matt Jackson said The Young Bucks would be interested in buying California indie promotion PWG (which has been on hiatus since 2023) if it was for sale:
- Me and Nick have talked about a lot of things. We’ve talked about buying PWG. We’ve talked about starting our own indie. We’ve talked about a wrestling school. I don’t know. In the next few years, though, if we’re going to do something, it’ll probably happen in the next few years.
- Let me also clarify, I don’t even know if PWG is for sale. So I don’t know why I said that. But if it was for sale, I would make an offer. So – Super Dragon, hit me up.
- Lio Rush mourned the death of his dog Brixton:
- This has been extremely hard for me to process. If you know me, you know how much he meant to me. If you don’t know, this dog was more than a dog. In fact he was more human than most humans I know. He was my kid, my brother, he was my friend, my protector. He’s been here with me through it all. Everytime I think I’m strong enough, I break down in tears thinking about all the memories and all the moments we had. From hotels, to road trips, to moving across the country multiple times. We’ve done it all and see it all together. I loved Brixton so much and everyone who came across him had so much love for him. Rest in peace brix. You’ll never be forgotten.
- Yuka Sakazaki will compete at Tokyo Joshi Pro’s show in Dallas on the Sunday (July 13) of All In weekend.
- AEW wrestler Anthony Bowens has been named the honorary grand marshal of Dallas Pride Parade 2025.
- TNA Wrestling celebrated today being the 21th anniversary of the first episode of Impact:
- Exactly this moment 21 years ago today, the first episode of #TNAiMPACT was broadcast on Fox Sports Net. Thank you to every single person who’s watched any of the 1089 episodes that have helped make TNA iMPACT! one of the longest running wrestling television shows in history.
- Businessman Mark Cuban made a $10,000 donation to a GoFundMe campaign in support of indie wrestler Jeff Cannonball, who has been diagnosed with ALS at just 38 years old.
- Shawn Talks Wrestling interviewed former NXT talent Javier Bernal.
Daily Update: R-Truth & Carlito gone from WWE, Jeff Cannonball, BJ Penn
Daily Update
Latest Headlines
- Carlito to depart WWE after contract not renewed
- Rhea Ripley, Kevin Owens, more react to R-Truth’s WWE exit
- R-Truth departing WWE as contract not renewed
- UFC main event canceled at very last minute due to medical emergency
- WWE’s Carlito wins WWC Puerto Rico Championship
- NJPW crowns Best of the Super Juniors 32 winner
- For subscribers: Bryan Alvarez’s AEW Collision, WWE SmackDown reports
Latest Audio
- WOL: R-Truth’s WWE career comes to a sudden end
- WOL: Can Mariah May outshine Tiffy Time & Stephanie Vaquer in WWE?
- Fight Game: Is AEW back?
- WOR: Mariah May’s future, AEW Double or Nothing PPV buys, other news from the WON
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- June 2, 2025 Observer Newsletter: AEW Double or Nothing & WWE SNME recaps, John Laurinaitis dropped from Janel Grant lawsuit
- This Week’s Back Issue: October 24, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Randy Couture leaves UFC, MMA interest falls in Japan
Sunday Update

– Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about the WWE departures of R-Truth and Carlito, weekend TV, Best of the Super Juniors and the UFC main event that didn’t happen.
– Regarding the departures of Carlito and R-Truth, which are contracts expiring and not being renewed, ultimately when there are additions coming from NXT, there will be subtractions. Older undercard guys or guys not being used are always the ones at the most risk. With R-Truth, I could see him getting a ton of indie work and TNA, maybe even AAA. But if he wants to continue, he’ll have plenty of opportunities. Carlito knows the indie scene and worked on it for years. It is interesting the number of WWE folks who had so much positive to say about R-Truth compared to most who get cut.
– Kosei Fujita beat Yoh to win Best of the Super Juniors earlier today at a sold out Ota Ward Gym. We were told this was a match of the year contender. They went 28:05 before Fujita won using thrill ride.
– I don’t know that Collision will be a great ratings show after the first 45 minutes given the late start, particularly Mascara Dorada vs. Hechicero starting at about 1:30 a.m. But there was a lot of great wrestling on the show and they built the Wednesday night show hard.
– Independent wrestler Jeff Cannonball has been diagnosed with ALS. Cannonball was a regular for a number of Northeast independents. He is 38 and was just diagnosed with the disease a week ago but it progressed very rapidly.
– B.J. Penn was arrested for the third time in a week on Friday for failing to appear in court. He claimed he missed his hearing because he was sick with COVID, but obviously the judge wasn’t buying this. He was released again on another $2,000 bond. His attempt to get a restraining order against his mother, Lorraine Shin, was denied. She still has a restraining order against him.
– Maycee Barber not only missed weight for her fight last night with Erin Blanchfield, which headlined the UFC show at the Apex, but just as a video package playing for the fight finished, it was announced Barber wasn’t medically cleared to compete. Blanchfield said she’s not going to agree to a match at this point with Barber. Blanchfield said she was in the doorway about to come out when she was told they were delaying the fight six minutes. Then Hunter Campbell came in and told Blanchfield that Barber was having a seizure and the fight was off.
– UFC Noche which was scheduled for 9/13 at Arena Guadalajara has been moved to San Antonio. It was not announced as a PPV show but originally it was. Arena Guadalajara, which hasn’t opened yet, was thought to be touch-and-go if it would even be ready to open by that date. The big question is with this no longer on PPV, does that mean Dana White will be back working with Turki Alalsheikh in promoting Canelo Alvarez vs. Terrence Crawford that night as the debut of TKO boxing. Everything has remained secretive on that front since Alalshikh announced SELA as the promoter and didn’t announce TKO, Dana White or Nick Khan.
– Announced for Raw tomorrow night are MITB qualifiers with CM Punk vs. AJ Styles vs. Grande Americano and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan vs. Ivy Nile.
– Matches announced for Fyter Fest, a four-hour AEW special on TNT, on Wednesday at 8 p.m. are Kenny Omega vs. Mascara Dorada vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brody King for the International title, Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe non-title, Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart & Skye Blue, FTR vs. Atlantis Jr. & Templario, Rush & Dralistico & Mortos vs. Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight & Komander plus Thekla will have her in-ring debut and The Hurt Business with MJF appear.
– The movie “The Pickup,” starring Eddie Murphy and with Roman Reigns having a role will be released on Prime Video on 8/6.
– AAA obviously went through with plans and El Hijo del Vikingo beat Alberto El Patron to win the AAA Mega title. WWE advertised this coming Saturday’s Vikingo vs. Chad Gable match as being for the title even before Vikingo won the title. Vikingo’s father, who Alberto attacked on a television show a few days earlier, interfered and hit Alberto with a guitar shot to set up the win.
– Carlito beat longtime rival Ray Gonzalez last night in Bayamon,PR, to win the Puerto Rican title for the WWC promotion.
– Bear Bronson joins Mariah May and Abadon as those who were announced as being finished with AEW, but those decisions were all months ago and none have been used since May had her blow-off match at Revolution on March 1 with Toni Storm.
– In the English language TV show category, this was where Friday’s SmackDown placed on the day of airing in various countries:
4. Australia
3. India
4. New Zealand
2. Saudi Arabia
2. U.K.
3. Canada
1. Mexico
– For Google trends, R-Truth was at 100,000 as last checking and last night’s UFC show was at 57.000
– Jun Saito retained the All Japan Triple Crown beating brother Rei Saito in Sendai, where both grew up. They played this up as a big deal, including having someone sing the Japanese national anthem and a video package of them growing up, playing high school football in the U.S., and during their sumo days.
– Pro Wrestling Revolver announced that Myron Reed took a nasty spill and was knocked out in a match last night. The match was stopped immediately. He was taken to the hospital where he has since been released and he did not have any serious injuries according to the doctor.
– United Wrestling Coalition on Saturday night in New Egypt, NJ at the American Legion at 7 p.m.