Daily Update
Latest News:
UFC 288 live results: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry CejudoWWE Backlash preview & predictions: Starting to finish the story againNew tag team match added to Impact WrestlingWWE SmackDown video highlights: Bad Bunny joins the LWOWomen's tag title match, Roman Reigns return set for next WWE SmackDownAEW hits 60,000 tickets sold milestone for All InTrios Championship match set for AEW Dynamite
Latest Audio:
Wrestling Observer Live: Dominik Mysterio should be the first WWE World Heavyweight ChampionWrestling Observer Radio: AEW All In ticket sales, WWE Q1 numbers
Latest Free YouTube Video:
Join us in Las Vegas for our annual F4W Convention
This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
May 8, 2023 Observer Newsletter: AEW All In ticket sales shattering records, 2023 WWE Draft results
Highlights include:
*Match of the week and performer of the week
*AEW All In sets records, and looking at the biggest crowds in pro wrestling history and how this compares, what we've earned about ticketing, what records are within reach and what records are not, as well as the biggest crowds ever in Europe and a man named Jim Londos.
*Evaluating the WWE draft. We look at the depth charts of both brands, questions being asked, will the brand split really be what they say (of course it won't long run), looking at the NXT talent brought up and more.
*A look at WWE business including heavy quotes from Nick Khan and Paul Levesque on the current state of the business, how much WWE is looking a cutting with the merger with UFC, Khan talks about working under Endeavor.
*Levesque talks the booking of talent
*WrestleMania business notes
*How many people watch Raw or Smackdown on a weekly basis, and the number is far more than you think
*Plans for another major overseas event on hold
*WWE Backlash notes
*Looking at the last three months of wrestling numbers and how it compares with television as a whole
*New Japan Dontaku full coverage as well as the next month of New Japan major shows
*Gable Steveson and others who have done pro wrestling and then gone back to amateur wrestling including the top worker of the 80s who the Olympics banned from competing due to an archaic rule
*Full Saturday UFC coverage
*Pro Wrestling NOAH runs Sumo Hall and the matches and angles
*The most detailed look at pro wrestling ratings, as well s where the changes were, competition and what can be learned from them
*CMLL Champion of Champions tournament
*Major League baseball players go to Arena Mexico
*Unique new idea for running pro wrestling shows explained and talks of it going t the U.S.
*Why a world title recently changed hands
*A new jump that hasn't happened but essentially is about to
*Champion Carnival tournament goes to the finals
*Will Ospreay's future
*70s and 80s star returning to the ring
*Vikingo goes to Australia
*Lots of changes coming to AEW
*Update on plans for the new and revamped AEW television plans
*Hire of Will Washington
*Update on Double or Nothing show
*Lots of competition of AEW next week
*DVR viewership of AEW
*Advance ticket sales for WWE and AEW shows
*Jon Jones talks future
*Lots of new UFC fights
*Bare Knuckle Boxing business notes
*Bare Knuckle MMA shows coming
*More on gold medalist signing with WWE
*Other gold medalists WWE has signed over the years
*WWE star headed to realty competition show
*Injury updates
*Writer talks about the WWE culture
*International TV numbers and streaming numbers
This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:
March 13, 2006 Observer Newsletter: WWE quartely investor's call, UFC 58 recap
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Saturday Update
WWE
Last night’s SmackDown averaged 1.976 million viewers in the fast national ratings, down from the 2.298 million night one of the WWE Draft averaged in the fast nationals last Friday. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.44 in the first hour and a 0.50 in the second.I previewed tonight's Backlash PPV for Sports Illustrated and gave my match-by-match predictions.Bad Bunny stars in the opening video for Backlash. Bad Bunny also tweeted that he’s going to be changing his entrance music for his street fight against Damian Priest tonight.In an interview with People, Priest spoke about Bad Bunny’s pro wrestling fandom: “He loves the business. He's a big fan. And he's treated it with respect. So, I know for him to come back now, he's not here promoting anything and he wants to be involved in the product, so I would imagine he's just as happy now as he was for his first match at WrestleMania. He was like a little kid, excited, and nervous, I remember that. It was awesome."WWE shared a video of the biggest crowd pops from last night’s SmackDown in Puerto Rico.LA Knight also received a huge reaction from the fans while competing in a dark match prior to SmackDown. Knight defeated Butch in the match.The Usos, Bianca Belair, and Zelina Vega appeared on The SmackDown LowDown.Santos Escobar showed off a new LWO tattoo that he got on his hand.WWE has announced that Nathan Frazer will host a new edition of his Hard Hitting Home Truths segment on NXT this Tuesday.Sami Zayn was a guest on the Whiskey Ginger podcast.WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded the following matches: Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins (WrestleMania Backlash 2022) and Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship (WrestleMania Backlash 2021).
AEW/Other Wrestling
Bleacher Report has an extended cut of The Firm Deletion match from last night’s Rampage.Forbes asked Trinity who she wants to face in the Impact Wrestling Knockouts division:Every last one of them. Every last one of them. Miss Giselle Shaw got a little attitude problem, and I don't mind checking her. Definitely Deonna [Purrazzo], I think she's an incredible champion. Jordynne Grace, she's just so like—just freaking strong and badass.I feel that everyone has such a different style, and I'll be able to learn differently in different ways, working with all of the different styles and talent and women there. And I think they're gonna bring me up a lot in my matches and help me to become a better in-ring competitor. I really believe that. And I'm just really excited for this journey. The sky is the limit right now. And we'll see. I'm very excited. I'm anxious, I'm nervous, but in a good way. In all the right ways, you know? They have a lot of faith in me and that makes me want to really give it my all and show up for them.Trinity also discussed her friendship with Mercedes Mone and how it's grown since they walked out of WWE:Yeah, we've always been close and had a great working relationship, but definitely have drawn closer over the years and definitely even closer with this experience because really we just had each other through this whole ordeal. And I truly, deeply, deeply love her with all of my heart.She is one of the most loving, caring, giving people. And she's just had my back through this entire thing and it's just very unfortunate. The narratives and the picture that's been painted towards her and about her. And that's something I really, really hate. But she's strong. She's a very strong, bright, smart woman and she's still so young. She's only 30.She's this little tiny woman, still very young, still has so much to prove and in her career. But I just, I admire her strength. And just to be so young and to know who you are, and what you want and where you wanna go and where you wanna be and to not apologize for that. I really love that about her. And I'm gonna always be here for her. Always. And vice versa.Prestige Wrestling has announced that Roderick Strong will make his independent wrestling return at their Black Sunshine show at the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 18.The latest episode of Talk is Jericho is a watchalong of the November 28, 1987 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Lance Storm, Bryan Alvarez, and Vincent Verhei joined Jericho for the podcast.Diamante was the guest on AEW Unrestricted this week.Click Here: qld maroons jersey