Tag: Vice Media

Daily Update: ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham, Vice Media, WWE Raw

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

Join us in Las Vegas for our annual F4W Convention

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

In this issue:

  • Match of the week and performer of the week
  • A look at AEW’s changes coming up that will be announced over the next week with the debut of Collision, as well as a business analysis of rights fees as compared to WWE, different scenarios and different things that could be part of the new deal.
  • Full coverage of Backlash, including the booking, the show, Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia, Roman Reigns, business notes on the show, interest levels for the different events in a giant weekend of sports, PPV numbers, crossover between WWE and Alvarez fight, and the paradox of government money bringing WWE to cities and how that affects future hows in San Juan.
  • A full look at the AEW event at Wembley Stadium. We look at ticket sales, records, scalpers, the biggest shows ever in Europe, the biggest non-WWE shows in history, how viable is it regarding the all-time paid attendance records, and the three shows it has to beat, U.K. attendance records, differences in AEW & WWE ticket sale patterns, possible attractions for the show as well as opponents for he biggest matches and other London shows that weekend.
  • Full coverage of UFC 288, main event decision, what’s next for the top stars, business notes and match-by-match coverage.
  • A look at Dragon Gate’s Dead or Alive show
  • A look at the longest lasting U.K. headliners and Hall of Fame comments
  • The most detailed look at the ratings from the past week, with weekly placings, competition, and comparisons to one year ago, a well as how segments did
  • Wrestler goes for world title in two very different groups over a few week period
  • Konnan talks AAA U.S. TV negotiations
  • The politics behind the upcoming champion vs. champion match
  • Champion Carnival finals
  • How many tickets has Mercedes Mone moved for her next show
  • Early notes on All Together Now
  • Best of Super Juniors shows for this week
  • The most famous feud in Canadian football history, Angelo Mosca vs. Joe Kapp, and a detailed rundown
  • Former TNA & WWE star retires
  • Double or Nothing update
  • AEW booking team detailed
  • Crazy AEW PPV stat
  • Upcoming ticket sales to WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV numbers and streaming numbers
  • Aftermath of Omega vs. Moxley
  • Retired wrestler mentions being open to work Wembley Stadium as a farewell
  • Notes on the upcoming ROH shows
  • UFC business updates
  • Lots of new UFC fights
  • MMA legend talks retirement
  • PFL hit with rash of suspensions
  • Pat McAfee negotiations
  • Top merchandise sellers

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Monday Update

Bryan and I will be up tonight talking Raw and all the latest wrestling and MMA news with Wrestling Observer Radio.

Very sad news today with the doctors advising Valerie Coleman, the wife of Superstar Billy Graham (Wayne Coleman) that they believe he needs to be taken off life support. I just want to send whatever good wishes and prayers to Valerie today. She and Wayne have been together since she was 19 years old and through the good and the bad, he has been her life. So I can understand her asking that the life support stay on, but this was the first time it really feels like we have to face the inevitable. 

Having been in the position with family and friends when the doctors say that, it’s just heartbreaking memories this brings up. Superstar Graham was one of the two top drawing heel wrestlers of the 1970s (the other being The Sheik). But he was probably the single most influential wrestler of that era, as everyone copied him, even people like Dusty Rhodes who readily would admit to it even though most wouldn’t see it because they looked so completely different. Obviously people like Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura top the list of the Graham copycats who went on to become giants both in and out of the wrestling industry. Yo have no idea how many people, myself included, Paul Heyman included, DDP included, Hogan included, had their lives changed by Graham because he was so instrumental in talking through your television set and making you a fan of this business when people were very young. Graham faced death so many times that you while you probably never thought he’d live to be 79, once he did, you probably didn’t ever face the reality that one day this could happen. Vince McMahon had a love/hate relationship with him but in the end he would readily speak of Graham’s influence on him and the creation of the Hogan character which blew up his company. We all know that Billy was born ten years too soon for his own fame but had he not been born at all, it’s hard to say where the business as we know it would be. That’s how strong his influence at the time was. Billy absolutely had his dark side and no fair portrayal of him can ignore that as well. But this is really a devastating day.

Vice Media declared bankruptcy today, a prelim to a sale of the company to Soros Fund Management and Fortress Investment group. For those who have asked, we don’t believe this will directly effect the airing of Dark Side of the Ring, which debuts on Tuesday 5/30y for a new season. (thanks to Chuck Langerman)

Raw tonight is from Greensboro, NC featuring Becky Lynch doing a promo talking Trish Stratus, Cody Rhodes building up his match with Brock Lesnar, Gunther debuts, a Battle Royal will be held to determine the top contender for Gunther’s IC title (Johnny Gargano was the surprise opponent at the weekend house shows) , Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez defend the tag titles against Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. The Miz. The advance as of this morning was more than 9,500 tickets so another big crowd.

Looking for reports on this show with Main Event matches and anything else not on the TV show to [email protected]

Thanks to David Devoti for the report from the Saturday WWE show in Augusta, GA.

Raw gets a break this week as there is no NBA playoff game tonight. The Lakers vs Denver goes against NXT tomorrow Boston vs. Miami game one goes against Dynamite on Wednesday. Raw does go against game seven of Seattle vs. Dallas in the NHL playoffs which should hurt a little. They are lucky because last week they had the world title tournament and were coming off the PPV show, while this week they could have been hurt a lot worse by the NBA playoffs.

Roman Reigns is doing a rare house how in Fayetteville, NC on Saturday night. The building is pushing it as the first time Reigns is in Fayetteville in more than four years.

Best of the Super Juniors at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow in Akita:

  • Yoh vs. Clark Connors
  • Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Titan
  • Bushi vs. Robbie Eagles
  • TJP vs. Douki
  • Dan Moloney vs. Francesco Akira
  • Mike Bailey vs. Kushida
  • Desperado vs. Kevin Knight
  • Hiromu Takahashi vs. Sho
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Master Wato
  • Lio Rush vs Taiji Ishimori
  • There are also tournament shows Wednesday in Sendai and Thursday in Iwate.

There wasn’t much mention of WWE at the FOX in its release today or NBCU upfronts today. There wasn’t going to be with FOX because it was the entertainment division that made the release and FOX considers Smackdown part of the sports division.

Nick Khan will be part of the SBC Moffett Nathanson Technology, Media and Telecom Conference on Thursday at 1 p.m. in New York talking the merger and company business.

John Cena taped an episode of Josh Horowitz’s Happy, Sad, Confused podcast today.

Other Notes

A story on Zach Gowen’s 20th anniversary as a pro wrestler. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)

HighspotsAuctions.com is doing private signings with The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Bill Goldberg and Excalibur.

Clash Wrestling from Saturday night in Allen Park, MI: Dean Hendrix NC Thomas Bailey, James Alexander b Forever Young, Marti Belle b Heather Blue, Elk & The Power Ranges b Cameron Sky & tommy Teeznik & Dr. Wrecking Ball, Juntai b Jason Hotch, Allysin Kay b Jody Threat, Ren Jones b Rickey Shane Page (thanks to Leonard Brand)

MCW on Saturday night in Joppa,MD at the RJ Meyer Arena with Robert Locke & Brandon Scott vs Jay Lethal Alex Divine. on a show called Tribute to Legends.

Herb Simmons’ Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling had a fan fest on Saturday bringing in JJ Dillon, Ted DiBiase, Brian Knobs, Gerald Brisco, Bob Orton, Barbara Goodish, Lisa “Victoria” Varon, Greg Gagne, Bushwhacker Luke, The Grappler,Brutus Beefcake,Barry Horowitz, Bobby Fulton, Buff Bagwell, Haku, Barbarian, Ken Patera, Rip Rogers, Enzo, JBL, Teddy Long, jimmy Hart, John Nord, Earl Hebner, Steve Lombardi, Fred Ottman, Stan Hansen, James Beard, Wes Brisco, Spike Huber, Ross Hart, 2 Cold Scorpio and Baron Von Raschke.

Winnipeg Pro Wrestling from Friday night: James Roth b AJ Sanchez,. Tyler Colton b Carter Mason, Michael Allen Richard Clark b Marcus Muncherson, Jody Threat b Heather Reckless to keep the WPW women’s title, Red Hot Summer b Technical Difficulties to win the tag titles, Chad Daniels b Warhorse, Tootie Lynn b Aminah Belmont, Bobby Schink b Tommy Lee Curtis to keep the WPW title. The July show sold out in 20 minutes (thanks to Blair Pacheco)

Sorry to report the death of MMA judge Michael De Pasquale Jr. He passed awa this past week due to complications from a 2020 back injury that he never recovered from. (thanks to Nick Mahmood)

Daily Update: Jose Aldo, Vice Media, Google trends

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Daily Update

Latest News:

Latest Audio:

Latest Free YouTube Video:

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

*Performer and match of the week
*Details of the settlement of the Rita Chatterton case
*McMahon suing Chatterton 20 ears ago and details behind that
*What role Vince McMahon has played since returning and what was originally said that has been accurate and things that have already changed, including new office people back and old ones being gone
*The latest lawsuit against WWE for bringing back Vince
*Analysts look at the different sale possibilities
*More on Stephanie leaving
*Nick Khan talks the company and hat he said that does and doesn’t make sense
*Where Dwayne Johnson stands
*Tony Khan talks about his interest in buying WWE
*Dwayne Johnson talks the sale of WWE
*A look at how UFC’s talks with Francis Ngannou fell through and where Ngannou could go next and whether he can return
*Royal Rumble update, who is in, how tickets are moving
*Details on the new MLW TV title with Reelz
*Impact Hard to Kill coverage including PPV numbers
*Saturday’s UFC coverage
*AAA announces big show schedule or 2023 and return of Alberto with Konnan explaining why and we talk about it
*Cage match and Wrestling Observer’s list of the best in-ring wrestles of 2022 based on matches
*What wrestlers were in the most great matches and to 50 of modern times as well as what cities have had the best wrestling.
*Dana White’s Power Slap debut and how it was received
*The most detailed look at te ratings for all the national shows and segment by segment Numbers
*What promotions drew the most fans in Japan n 2022
*Update on another date for Mercedes Mone in New Japan and the Sakura Genesis highlights
*New Japan and Stardom quarterly business numbers
*More on death of Black Warrior
*Ric Flair new endorsement deal
*One of the biggest feuds of the 70s comes alive through each man’s son this past week
*Lots of WrestleMania week news
*How AEW got Kushida
*Danielson talks Takeshita
*More on CM Punk and Colt Cabana in AEW
*AEW gets international TV upgrade
*New documentary on former AEW star
*Streaming numbers
*Dana White talks punishment
*Mike Swick talks cancer battle
*PPV numbers for the shows over the weekend
*Cena WrestleMania note
*News no three major WWE cuts
*What independent promotion has not yet been dropped by WWE for Peacock
*International TV rights

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

Ordering Info:

Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].

Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.

In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.

For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

Sunday Update

Our weekend show is up on the site already with last night’s UFC PPV show. We ran down the show with Ryan Frederick and talked about all the news from the past several days including an update on the daughters of Jay Briscoe and more on that tragedy, Dwayne Johnson and the weekend TV’s and the Okada-Kiyomiya angle.

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site as well as the new back issue from 2005. The lead story on Jay Briscoe is probably the mos talked about story we’ve done in a long time, even more so than the Vince McMahon and Gene LeBell stories in recent months. We heard from many of his friends, many people who worked with him and it’s filled with things of Jamin Pugh the person, growing up and learning from his mistakes. We talk about titles of course, but it’s more about who he was, even talking to Gerald Brisco about the Brisco name, Delirious, Cary Silkin and Tony Khan talk about working with him from a management standpoint, Frankie Kazarian talks about him outside the ring, Nick Jackson talks about him wrestling, Khan talks about what was planned for him, we go into detail on the tweet that derailed his career and people like Ian Riccaboni and Effy talk about how he had natured and Kevin Kelly talks about knowing him from the start of his career in ECWA. There’s a lot about his family and his getting into the business, his work at the local school, and his kids. I hope you all enjoy it.

Jose Aldo was announced last night for the Class of 2023 for the UFC Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place this summer in Las Vegas.

VICE media, which was valued five years ago at $5.7 billion, may end up being sold for less than $1 billion. 

Not much stuff from wrestling, boxing or MMA trended on Google this week. Jay Briscoe was the most searched topic on the Internet on Tuesday with 500,000 searches. UFC 283 did not trend and this would be the first time a PPV has not. However, Brandon Moreno was No. 11 yesterday and Glover Teixeira was No. 15, both at 100,000. These numbers were a very bad sign when it comes to PPV buys for last night’s show

Regarding the questions on the changing of the Bloodline segment fro an Acknowledgment ceremony with the family of Roman Reigns to the trial of Sami Zayn, rumors regarding this had to do with The Rock pulling out or Vince McMahon changing things are both false. Rock was never booked for the segment. The change was made because Afa & Sika & Rikishi were all not going to be able to be there. They were to be the key people but Afa & Sika were not ready for the trip and Rikishi got sick this week so the idea basically fell apart. Creative was changed with The Bloodline story on Friday to reflect the change in Raw, a what happened was not what was originally scripted to happen. 

We’re looking for reports on these shows
*NXT last night in Melbourne, FL
*WWE last night in Erie, PA
*WWE tonight in Binghamton, NY
We’re looking for results, match finishes ad highlights to [email protected]

We’re also doing polls for the weekend on these shows
*UFC 283
*New Japan/NOAH Wrestle Kingdom
*Great Muta farewell show
You can leave a thumbs up, down or middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]

A tribute to Jay Briscoe was set up outside the Manhattan Center in New York. ROH asked the fan who put it up to contact them.

To answer a lot of questions, at this point the day for the Jay Briscoe tribute television show that was taped in Fresno to be put up is not decided yet.

Deiveson Figueiredo suffered a broken nose in his fight with Brandon Moreno but his eye is okay. His eye was shut in the third round causing the stoppage and his losing the flyweight title.

Moreno had a backstage battle of words with Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja, who has two prior wins over Moreno, challenged Moreno to a title fight.

As of last night, the Okada-Kiyomiya angle, which builds to the 2/21 show at the Tokyo Dome had more than 2.5 million views which is a good number for a WWE angle, a great number for an AEW angle and an unbelievable number for a Japanese angle.

Friday night’s Rocky Romero win over Volador Jr. to win the NWA welterweight title was a tremendous match. If you like great wrestling, and/or super heated crowds with great wrestling, the match is here, it starts at the two hour mark of the show.

Young Rock will be preempted this coming Friday for figure skating and will return on 2/3. They have a character playing James Bond Sean Connery from the movie where Peter Maivia and Sean Connery had a Fight scene, “You Only Live Twice.” Other UK wrestlers worked as stunt men on the movie. 

The WWE donated $150,000 to Red Cross relief funds in Connecticut (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)

AEW is closing in on 5,000 tickets sold in Lexington this week which would make five straight shows over that mark. Some of the Texas advances indicate that streak won’t continue but there is clearly ticket sales momentum for the company.

WWE

Montez Ford and Bianca Belair were on NBC yesterday before the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Jacksonville Jaguars game promoting Raw on Monday. 

BetOnline odds for Vengeance Day
Dijak -200
Wes Lee +150

Gallus +100
New day +150
Pretty Deadly +300

Bron Breakker -700
Grayson Waller +400

Roxanne Perez -1200
Jacy Jayne +500
Gigi Dolin +1000

The Houston Rockets host WWE night on Thursday for a game with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Toyota Center. The first 3,000 fans through the doors will get an Undertaker Bobblehead and there will be Undertaker/Rockets merchandise.

Other Notes

The comedy sitcom Paper Champions, about a failing independent wrestling company, is now available on Tubi (worldwide) and Amazon Prime (US + UK). Paper Champions stars Brady Roberts (Brady Malibu), Paul Lazenby, and Lance Storm also cameos in the show.

The PFL Challengers Series, a series of tournaments where the winners get into the big PFL tournaments this year, start on 1/27 on Fubo Sports.

AHOY Comics announced the release of The Gimmick, a dark comedy about wrestling written by Joanna Starer ad drawn by Elena Gogou. The story is about a fictitious women’s promotion in Pennsylvania. It will be published monthly with the first issue out on 3/5.

AIW on 2/11 in Youngstown, OH headlined by The Sandman.

LFA has two title matches on its 3/10 show in Sao Paulo, Brazil on UFC Fight Pass with the middleweight title up as Lucas Fernando (8-1) faces Jansey Silva (8-2) and Eduardo Neves (6-1) faces Hago Silva (6-0-1).

On Friday’s episode of Toon in with Me on MeTV, a letter was read that said Bill the Cartoon Curator looks like Shawn Michaels and a photo of Michaels was shown (thanks to Brian Henke)

Vendetta Pro Wrestling from last night in Pomona, CA: Davey Richards b Tyler Bateman, Jordan Cruz b B-Boy, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs b Los Suavecitos, Jacob Fatu DDQ Evil; Uno, Sonico b Shunma Katsumata, Kidd Bandit b Robert Martyr. Mao b Kevin Blackwood, Athena b Miyu Yamashita to keep the ROH women’s title.

Kirk White’s Big Time Wrestling from Friday night in Newark, CA before a sold out crowd at the Pavilion: Big Fonz won the Battle Royal for the Roy Shire trophy, Ishamel Vaughn & Ka Ka Meng b Lost Treasures, D Rouge b Big Fonz, Dave Dutra b Sledge in a no DQ match, The freaks & El Chupacabra b Too Fresh. They did a ten bell salute for Jay Briscoe and Sledge did a tribute speech for him. They return on 3/18 to the Newark Pavilion (Thanks to Jim Davis)

ICW No Holds Barred from last night in Westville, NJ: AKIRA b Eric Dillinger, Tommy Vendetta b Crowbar Devon Storm, Bobby Beverly b Jeff Cannonball, Neil Diamond Gutter b Dr. Redacted, Toshiyuki Sakuda b Eric Ryan, Matt Tremont b Hoodfoot, Brandon Kirk b John Wayne Murdoch to keep the American death match title. Darren McCarty, a former hockey tough guy with the Detroit Red Wings, managed Vendetta on the show. (thanks to Leonard Brand)

Paradigm Pro Wrestling has moved its streaming home from IWTV to Fight+. It debuts on the new platform on 1/31. They will be airing at least 20 weeks of weekly one hour new content with Suge D, Tom Lawlor, Alex Kane, Billie Starkz, Cole Radrick, Dominic Garrini and more.