It’s a brand new We’re Live, Pal! with Andrew Zarian and I — available for free on YouTube. Just click above to watch.
We talked about what AEW’s PPV schedule might look like in 2024 and how B/R Sports on Max may fit in. We also go over the WBD press release on the new tier of their streaming service which starts on October 5th.
We talk about The Rock showing up on last Friday’s WWE SmackDown and if that means he’s wrestling Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. We also talk about the current Raw angle with Jey Uso and wonder if it pertains to plans on bringing CM Punk back.
We go over Jade Cargill’s final match in AEW and plans for her in WWE. Finally, we look at the matches scheduled for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Grand Slam.
It’s a brand new We’re Live, Pal! with myself and Andrew Zarian and this week’s show is available for free on YouTube. Just click above to watch.
We talked about the new combined WWE and UFC company, now under the branding of TKO. We discussed WWE’s media rights and some of the rumors of where they could be headed. We also talked about WBD’s Max streaming service, their play for live sports, and where AEW might fit in.
Finally, we talked about the CM Punk debacle and whether we could see him ending up in WWE.
While there has still been no public-facing news on his content library finding a domestic home in North America, AEW head Tony Khan made it clear that he wants it to be in the WBD universe.
Among the topics covered in his interview with PWInsider, Khan told Mike Johnson it would be “my dream” for his entire catalog of AEW and Ring of Honor content to end up on WBD’s Max streaming service.
“Right now, AEW All Access is available on Max, which is very cool, and hopefully, that is a step in the right direction getting our stuff streaming. We have a great library. All together with everything I own, it’s thousands of hours of great wrestling. The AEW catalog has grown so much considering we bootstrapped and started this thing from scratch four years ago. I believe the streaming service will happen. As to where it is and what platform it is, that’s something that I believe largely will be influenced by Warner Brothers,” he said.
With the addition of AEW Collision earlier this summer, AEW content is now contractually exclusive to WBD properties in North America while AEW historical content can be seen on AEW Plus through FITE.
In talking about this month’s All In at London’s Wembley Stadium, Khan also continued his recent claims about AEW’s dominance in the UK, saying that “our tv ratings make us by far the number one wrestling company across in the UK on television.”
“(Being on ITV) puts our shows in front of the most eyeballs of any wrestling show in the UK where we are number one. Now, we’re also the number one live event wrestling company with the success of AEW All In,” he said.
AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports are partnering together to launch a new mobile game.
In a press release that was issued on Tuesday, AEW and WBD Sports announced that AEW: Figure Fighters is currently in early development and is scheduled to be released in 2024. It’s a casual mobile game that will be free to play.
“This free to play game will feature 3D animated versions of AEW wrestlers battling it out in the ring, allowing fans to expand their fandom and love for the show. Fans will be able to collect and level up their favorite wrestlers, play in various game modes, and complete numerous challenges,” the press release said.
“The development of the game furthers WBD Sports’ commitment to innovation in gaming, supported by an ongoing partnership with Immutable X.”
AEW has released two mobile games in the past: AEW Elite GM and AEW Casino.
Fight Forever, AEW’s first-ever console video game, will be released on Thursday, June 29.
Jamie Hayter and Darby Allin character models for Figure Fighters can be seen on a website that AEW and WBD have started.
AEW Battle of the Belts will live on despite the debut of the new weekly Collision show.
In an interview with Post Wrestling Wednesday, AEW head Tony Khan said the quarterly show will continue but was non-committal as to whether it will continue to air on TNT, saying more information will be coming soon.
The one-hour specials were first announced in May 2021 as part of a deal that included the creation of AEW Rampage as well as Dynamite’s move to TBS. The first Battle of the Belts bowed in January 2022.
AEW has held six Battle of the Belts shows with the most recent airing live on Fridays after Rampage as opposed to running a taped version on Saturdays.
If last year’s schedule holds, the next such Battle of the Belts would take place in August but nothing has been announced as of yet. AEW’s August schedule currently has two Dynamite/Rampage dates and two Collision dates in addition to All In. It’s also unclear when AEW would hold the show given their new weekly schedule with Collision.
**********
During the conversation, Khan was asked by Brandon Thurston whether AEW fans could expect AEW content to air on the WBD networks this January — a different way of asking whether WBD has picked up their one-year option to extend the current TV rights contract through the end of 2024.
Khan didn’t directly say whether WBD had done just that, but said that he would expect AEW to air on WBD in January and hopefully for many years to come.
Tomorrow could be among the most important days in AEW history, particularly if rumors and speculation is to believed.
What we do know is that at the WBD Upfronts, they are expected to announce the new television show, AEW Collision, believed to be airing 8-10 p.m. on Saturday nights on TNT. The belief is the show debuts on June 17 at the United Center in Chicago, which would also be the return of CM Punk.
At least some, if not all of that, would be announced tomorrow at the upfronts, evidently on TNT based on the hint last week by Tony Khan on Dynamite when he mentioned TNT and not TBS. It will also be announced later that night on Dynamite.
The idea is a brand split of sorts, although the actual make up of what that means is in question and one higher-up in the company said they believe the final format and ideas will change until the debut, and probably will be tweaked after as well. One source at WBD said more than a week ago that the top women would be appearing on both shows because they felt they didn’t have enough star power depth to do a split.
As far as the rest of the story, there have been rumored figures of the length and the terms, but a lot of that has been people making predictions or hearing people look at the value and extrapolating a time frame and money figure.
Multiple sources within the company have indicated Khan has been tight-lipped about everything. To us, Khan has not even officially said there is a Collision show, although the top talent in the company is aware of that much. He did point to this week and being able to discuss much more after it comes out, noting legal reasons for being unable to talk on a number of subjects that everyone is questioning.
One key executive noted to us a few times that what they had been told regarding television was far different from rumors, but that at this point they and the top talent past the point of the brand split, the return of Punk, and the Collision show, people have not been told anything.
On the WBD side, those who have inside contacts with the company also confirmed the same things, but had no idea of any terms regarding the new contract.
WBD would have to ink a new deal at least for Collision. The deal for Dynamite and Rampage expires at the end of September, but WBD has the option to renew that deal with a raise in money, although at nowhere near the level speculated, through the end of September 2024.
A new TV rights deal between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery will be announced as part of the latter’s upfront next Wednesday in New York City.
The news comes from our Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer said both the deal and the much-discussed AEW Collision show will be announced at the Wednesday, May 17th event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Upfronts are events held by networks designed to drive advertiser interest in upcoming slates of programming.
The amount of years and money on the new deal are unknown, nor who will be in attendance from AEW.
As was reported by Andrew Zarian previously, the new deal gives WBD exclusivity on AEW programming which is why both Dark and Dark: Elevation recently ended on YouTube.
As Zarian, and now Meltzer, noted, the deal does not include any Ring of Honor programming which lives on Khan’s HonorClub subscription service.
In January 2020, AEW and then-WarnerMedia announced a four-year extension of their previous deal that runs through the end of this year. That extension called for $175 million total with an option year at “a significantly increased price” according to Meltzer.
A second reason The Briscoes were not allowed on AEW TV by Warner Bros. Discovery was revealed in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Dave Meltzer wrote that while the main issue was due to well-publicized homophobic tweets the late Jay Briscoe made nearly ten years ago and later atoned for, a secondary reason was their past use of the Confederate flag on both their ring jackets and gear.
The use of the flag has become a controversial one in American culture with proponents saying its use honors Southern U.S. heritage and commemorates the Civil War while its critics believe it glorifies racism, slavery and segregation among other things.
Following Jay’s passing on January 17th in a head-on car accident, AEW was unable to pay full homage to the Ring of Honor star on AEW TV immediately after due to the ban.
That was lifted this past week as Mark Briscoe was announced as making his AEW Dynamite debut against Jay Lethal to honor his brother on what would have been his 39th birthday. A tribute video aired the same night in addition to the locker room coming out on the stage following the match to pay respect.
Meltzer noted there are no further restrictions on Mark Briscoe appearing on AEW TV and that this past Wednesday wasn’t a one-off appearance.
Kathleen Finch, the Chairman, and Chief Content Office for Warner Bros Discovery U.S Networks group recently spoke to Deadline regarding AEW and Dana White’s Power Slap league.
The Power Slap League debuted last week on TBS, bringing in fewer than 300,000 viewers and scoring a 0.10 in the 18-49 demographic. Finch was asked if there was concern regarding the program following a video being made public that showed White slapping his wife.
This is an experiment. The goal is, we are making shows for our fans, that’s who we work for. Fans of wrestling have a lot of overlap with the fans of this and it’s huge on social media so the idea really is, if we can take something that’s huge on social, bring it to a linear audience giving the fans what they want.
Since the Warner Bros/Discovery merger, many scripted shows on the company’s networks have been canceled, even some that had already completed filming new seasons. These include shows such as Snowpiercer, The Big D, and Chad. Finch praised many of the unscripted programs WBD offers such as MILF Manor, a prank show similar to Punk’d that will debut soon, as well as AEW and the Power Slap League.
Finch continued to say that she was not familiar with pro wrestling before accepting her current position at Warner Bros Discovery. She said that one surprising thing she has learned is that wrestling is something families watch together.
Finch said:
This may surprise you to know that I did not know much about wrestling before I took this job. I know, I seem like a wrestling fan, but I’m not. But I did have to learn a lot about the audience. A lot of families that watch [wrestling], I was very surprised to learn this. I have huge respect for this audience. AEW wrestling airs on two of our networks, TNT and TBS — on both nights it kills. Finding something that speaks to that audience, that would be gold.
Finch previously praised the audience AEW garners last October during an interview with the Hollywood Reporter as well. She said the company was actively looking at ways to feature AEW’s stars “outside of the ring.”
We really play in the sports space. One of the things that we’re doing around sports is creating shoulder programming to hold onto those fans. AEW pulls huge numbers, so we are working with the wrestling team to figure out what new kind of content can we build that’s not in a wrestling ring.
AEW is believed to have filmed a behind-the-scenes documentary in November.
While most of the news regarding Warner Bros. Discovery has been around big cost-cutting moves and layoffs, a key executive with the company did an interview revealing some of their plans which includes more AEW content.
Speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, WBD US Networks Group chair and chief content office Kathleen Finch talked about how scripted programming is still a focus of the company despite recent moves that would indicate otherwise.
A goal is to find more programming that can hold the men viewing their networks for sports and part of that strategy is shoulder programming off those sports.
Enter AEW.
“We really play in the sports space. One of the things that we’re doing around sports is creating shoulder programming to hold onto those fans. AEW pulls huge numbers, so we are working with the wrestling team to figure out what new kind of content can we build that’s not in a wrestling ring,” she said.
They did have the reality show Rhodes to the Top on TNT for one season before Cody & Brandi Rhodes left AEW.
Sports rights, specifically as relates to AEW, were not mentioned.
Finch also talked about having some of their popular crossover stars appear on other properties, using Charles Barkley and Guy Fieri as two examples. While not mentioning any AEW talent, it appears that might also be an option for any breakthrough & mainstream talent that is developed.
Job Listing: Onlamp php/mysql developer. Experience with vbulletin and drupal/WordPress a plus. Email [email protected] with subject PHP DEVELOPER with resume.
The aftermath of the AEW brawl after All Out Why suspensions were lifted The CM Punk injury and how it changes things AEW video game promotion in Japan What people under suspension aren’t allowed to do Tony Khan position Clearing up some wrestling stories Ideas for AEW to improve the developmental rate of its young talent The most important thing for AEW long-term Ways to get wrestlers more time in the ring Ways to get wrestlers more time learning promos and angles Complete coverage of UFC 279 The life and death of UFC star Elias Theodorou Coverage of this past week’s Stardom PPV show How every wrestling show this past week did in the ratings, competition, football, where WWE & AEW fall in entertainment standings, how the segments on the major shows did Unique finish to set up CMLL tournament final Final build to the anniversary show CMLL star undergoes surgery Promotion talk about new reality show idea Stardom Five Star Grand Prix update New Japan and Stardom business rundowns, profits, losses, revenue, streaming numbers Kota Ibushi update Yuji Nagata celebrates 30 years in the ring New Japan Strong TV for the future Talk about the Desperado vs. Jun Kasai bloodbath Generational dream match announced between 80 legend and modern legend Konosuke Takeshita’s ten year anniversary Ricky Steamboat returns to the ring How viewing is changing Story behind Steamboat’s comeback More on movies about 80s stars and a movie on the life of modern star Hall of Famer from Japan wants match with Moxley Wrestling cartoon show canceled Latest on WBD and wrestling More AEW injury news Ticket sale numbers for WWE & AEW shows International TV numbers Streaming numbers More on the business of doing major shows Commission examining UFC backstage brawl More Clash at the Castle news WWE projected revenue for this year Why Raw will have a problem next week Gable Steveson update New talent coming to NXT A&E bio news
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.
Friday News Update
Garrett Gonzales and I will be doing a show tonight covering the news of the week.
The biggest media story which is far bigger than pro wrestling is about the proposed merger of NBCU and WBD, with the idea of it being attempted in 2024. These type of mergers in media and putting it in control of just a few people is a sad and also dangerous state of affairs. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk, Arya Whitner and many others)
Jordan Burroughs became the first American in history to win seven world or Olympic championships at the senior level earlier today by beating Mohammad Nokhodilarimi of Iran 4-2 in the 174 pound final of the World Wrestling Championships. Burroughs has world championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2022 to go along with a 2012 gold medal. He breaks the record set by John Smith and Adeline Gray, who both have won six world titles.
David Taylor at 189 pounds defeated Hassan Yazdani of iran by a 7-1 score to win another world title for the U.S. Zain Retherford a 154 pounds won a silver medal, losing to Taishi Narikuni of Japan 10-0. Thomas Gilman, Kyle Dake and J’Den Cox will be in finals tomorrow. The U.S. is well ahead of Iran looking to win the team championship. This looks to be the strongest overall U.S. team in recent memory. Kyle Snyder will start competing tomorrow.
Smackdown tonight in Anaheim, CA has Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium vs. New Day vs. Hit Row with the winners getting a shot at the Usos for the tag titles on 10/8 in Philadelphia, Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet, Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez, plus Ronda Rousey and Logan Paul appear. Paul will set up his 11/5 match with Roman Reigns in Saudi Arabia and WWE is holding a press conference tomorrow in Las Vegas to announce the match.
Roman Reigns makes a rare house show appearance on 9/24 in Vancouver, BC defending the title against A.J. Styles.
We are looking for reports from Smackdown tonight in Anaheim with dark matches as well as from the weekend house shows in Bakersfield CA tomorrow and Oakland, CA on Sunday to [email protected]
The only weekend poll will be on the CMLL Anniversary show from Arena Mexico which is taking place right now. You can leave a thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to [email protected]
UFC tomorrow is a full ESPN+ show starting at 4 p.m. Eastern
Nikolas Motta (155) vs Cameron VanCamp (155.5)
Tony Gravely (135.5) vs. Javid Basharat (135.5)
Mariya Agapova (125.5.) vs. Gillian Robertson (125)
Trey Ogden (156) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (155)
Denise Gomes (115) vs. Loma Lookboonmee (115.5)
Trevin Giles (170) vs. Louis Cosce (170.5)
Damon Jackson (145.5) vs. Pat Sabatini (145.5)
Anthony Hernandez (185.5) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (185)
Tanner Boser (229) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (261)
Joe Pfyer (185) vs. Alen Amedovski (186.5)
Andre Fili (145.5) vs. Bill Algeo (146)
Chidi Njokuani (185.5) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185.5)
Cory Sandhagen (135.5) vs. Song Yadong (135.5)
Amedovski missed weight. The Sara McMann vs. Aspen Ladd fight was canceled when Ladd missed weight by two pounds.
A story on Jay Dumont, a web site member who has been battling health issues and a lot of people in wrestling who have become friends of his.
WWE
The company announced its post-Christmas shows and interesting that for what is usually the best week of the year to draw, they aren’t running on 12/27:
12/26 in Columbus, OH for Raw
12/28 in Cleveland
12/28 in Greensboro
12/29 in Miami
12/30 in Toronto
12/30 in Tampa
1/1 in Atlanta for the Day 1 PPV show
WWE on Peacock has released a Hispanic Heritage show featuring some current and old matches. The old matches include Roy Shire vs. Rito Romero from 1954, featuring the future Hall of Fame promoter against the inventor of the Romero special, the 1971 Pedro Morales title win over Ivan Koloff in Madison Square Garden, and the 1977 Superstar Billy Graham vs. Mil Mascaras WWWF title match where Mascaras refused to do the job and they had to do a DQ finish instead.
UFC
Terrence McKinney has tried to get the attention of Dwayne Johnson . The UFC and Johnson made a deal for Project Rock footwear to be the official footwear of UFC fighters. The fighters have to wear the stuff but they aren’t getting paid. McKinney asked Johnson to try and push that the fighters get a cut.
Combate Global tonight on Paramount + at 11 p.m. Eastern is headlined by Miguel Gonzalez (5-1) vs Edir Belico Terry (8-4) in a bantamweight fight. The co-main at 150 pounds has Jose Ferreira (8-0) vs Patrick Lehane (5-1)
AIW on 10/1 in Akron, OH at the Tadmor Shrine with a meet and greet with Jimmy Hart and the Nasty Boys.
Defy on 10/8 at the Kliever Armory in Portland, Or, as Christopher Daniels defending the Defy title against Serve Strickland. Kevin Sullivan also manages tag champions Midnight Heat against the Bollywood Boyz in a 3 stage of hate match, plus Ortiz vs. Adam Ryder.
Invicta on 9/28 on AXS TV in the U.S. and Fight Network in Canada with an 8 p.m. Eastern time start is headlined by Maiju Suotma (8-6) vs. Ketlen Souza (11-3) plus former Ultimate Fighter competitors Kaytin Neil (5-4) faces Hannah Guy (4-1). The show takes place in Hinton, OK at the Sugar Creek Casino.
Spike Trivet vs. Drew Parker for the Progress World title headlines Sunday’s show at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, London, UK. Kanji & Allie Katch face Lana Austin & Skye Smitson, tag champs Sunshine Machine defend against Kings of the North and Matt Cardona defends his Internet title against Gene Munny.
Mads Krugger vs. Mance Warner has been added to Sunday’s MLW TV taping in Norcross, GA.
LFA tonight on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. Eastern from Prior Lake, MN and the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel:
Manatua Lemarie (189) vs. Adam Vigil (189.6)
Zach Vaci (135.2) vs. Rob Fenicle (135.8)
Giovanna Canuto (115.6) vs. Jamie Colleen Miller (116)
Sean McFadden (135.6) vs. Michael Cyr (136)
Thomas Peterson (257) vs. Kory Moegenburg (253.2)
Jacqueline Amorim (115) vs. Ashley Nichols (115) for the strawweight title
