Daily Update
Latest News
Steve Maclin off Impact Slammiversary due to injuryJon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic set for UFC 295 at Madison Square GardenWWE SmackDown video highlights: Tribal CourtBlind Eliminator tag team tournament semifinals set for AEW DynamiteJey Uso issues challenge to Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDownMaxxine Dupri graduation ceremony set for WWE RawWomen's title match announced for next week's WWE SmackDown
Latest Audio
Wrestling Observer Live: What would you do with LA Knight?
See Dave & Bryan in London
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
July 10, 2023 Observer Newsletter Roman Reigns pinned at WWE Money in the Bank, Droz passes away
In this issue:
Match of the week and performer of the week for the past two weeksFull coverage of Money in the Bank, the story behind all the matches angles and finishesEight confirmed matches for SummerSlamTicket sales for SummerSlam and records already broken and other records on the verge of being brokenLive gate for Money in the Bank and a breakdown of the multiple records setWrestleMania in London and an update on where that standsTotal viewership for the showPPV numbers for the show and how it compares to other shows plus crossover with AEW Forbidden DoorStory behind the results and angles on the showThe life and times of Darren Drozdov, comments from wrestlers, family, friends and the story behind the accident that changed his life and how he battled back and ended up close with his family.His brief career in wrestlingJerry McDevitt removed from the MLW lawsuit and announces his retirement. A look back at the legendary attorney and his history with WWEWhat happened with Collision in week three. A detailed breakdown of what was one of the most important TV ratings of the yearWWE & AEW quarterly business, viewership, house shows, what is up and what is down and whyNew Japan Strong at Korakuen Hall with four title changes and two brutal matchesFull UFC coverage for the week and business notesDragon Gate's biggest show of the year takes placeThe most detailed look at the ratings for all the major wrestling shows, including weekly rankingsCMLL runs major event with Romero vs. Volador Jr., and notes on the debut of Mascara Dorada 2.0Stardom PPV coverageNotes on the Five-Star Grand Prix tournamentTriple Crown title change and fantastic performance by Yuji NagataFather and daughter appear on show together in JapanWhat companies in Japan have drawn the most fans so far this yearOne of the biggest tag teams of all-time having a special showLots more on the Mildred Burke movie that was being filmed this past month and stories about Burke's legendGrappl lists its fan voted best matches in historyMatt Morgan talks back surgeryTragos/Thesz Hall of Fame notes for 2023Stardom star coming to GCW and notes on the dealKenny Omega talks AEW video gameUpdated ticket sales for All In and where it ranks on the all-time listUpdate on Forbidden Door PPV numbersJon Moxley goal to become an historical firstOmega talks Will Ospreay matchTicket sales to the upcoming WWE and AEW showsJim Ross updates his conditionInjury updatesStreaming number updatesMerch number updatesInternational TV ratingsLots of gimmick fights being talked aboutESPN announce new multi-part documentaryPaul Levesque talks NXT EuropePlans for net year's ManiaGable Steveson issues challenge for another sport he's never done beforeRundown of all WWE events this past week
This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:
May 10, 2006 Observer Newsletter: Sakuraba, Brock Lesnar
Moderators needed:
We are currently looking for two people to moderate our message board. Those interested please contact [email protected].
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.
Saturday Update
WWE
Last night’s SmackDown was the highest-grossing WWE event to ever take place at Madison Square Garden. It was also the highest-grossing domestic SmackDown in WWE history.SmackDown averaged 2.38 million viewers in the fast national ratings last night, up from last week’s fast national average of 2.35 million. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.71 in the first hour and a 0.63 in the second.Our Andrew Zarian tweeted that WWE will consider running a smaller stage setup for future MSG shows: “WWE will be considering running a much smaller stage set up in the future at MSG. It will depend on early ticket sales.”LA Knight got a big reaction from the MSG crowd when he appeared during a pre-show segment with Hit Row.Solo Sikoa reflected on the Bloodline Civil War from Money in the Bank:Finally had some time to digest everything that happend last Saturday in London at #MITB. This will be a moment i will ALWAYS cherish and remember forever. To be in the ring with 3 of the very best in this business and better thing is we did it against eachother as family. I learned from all 3 of them since i started on the main and have taken every advice they have given me to be in this position. I have traveled the world with them and have main evented EVERY ppv with them and last Saturday we made history this night and main evented against eachother. So many emotions before and after. But i'm very thankful and happy i got to do it with family.This was my wrestlemaina moment i will never forget.The Daily Mail asked Bianca Belair if she feels more comfortable as a babyface on the main roster than she did when she was a heel in NXT:It’s funny because in NXT with the Bianca Belair there I found my groove then and I loved it. But then when I came to Raw and SmackDown I felt like I found another groove that was inspiring to others and I saw how it was touching others and it wasn’t just me impacting people inside the ring, I was impacting people outside the ring and that’s what stuck with me.I loved it and I still love it. So right now I feel like I’m a bit in between. I’m still in the groove I found when I got to main roster but there's a little bit of the NXT Bianca Belair coming back. I feel like I’ve been playing by the rules, but then I’m seeing other people that aren’t and it’s like, wait a minute, hold up, let’s figure some things out.Zelina Vega told Wrestlesphere that being part of the LWO has changed her life:Stepping in with LWO has changed my life, not just my wrestling career, but just my life in general. My gosh, it’s a whole new form of person for me ‘cause I never thought I’d be a good guy, ever…it’s almost like pulling this whole new side out of me. And getting to train with Rey Mysterio is probably one of the things I never thought I’d be able to do. But, what an honor.Noam Dar tweeted that he won’t be doing a Supernova Sessions segment on NXT this Tuesday: “I thought I could gather the strength to show my face in front of the NXT universe on Supernova Sessions this Tuesday, but I simply cannot without MY NXT Heritage Cup. I am lost without it. I’m not me right now. Therefore, SNS this Tuesday is CANCELLED.”Inside the Ropes interviewed Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn.Bianca Belair, Austin Theory, and Edge appeared on The SmackDown LowDown.“Heels” star Stephen Amell will be attending the July 17 episode of Raw in Atlanta.WWE uploaded a behind-the-scenes video from Money in the Bank.
AEW/Other Wrestling
MJF posted a tweet claiming that he won’t be teaming with Adam Cole on Wednesday’s Dynamite: “Hey got some bad news. Was sooooooooo excited to wrestle Big Bill and Cage this week. Unfortunately I’ve come down with something and I’m violently ill. I wish my tag partner and close friend Adam all the best. Pray for me and my health. Love y’all”Cole then responded to MJF: “Max…STFU. You’re coming to TV.”MJF wrote back to Cole: “Guess it’s only cool when you get to do it. Ugh. Fine. You’re gonna wear the shirt though right?!?”In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Timothy Thatcher discussed his AEW match against Bryan Danielson that took place this February: “AEW, that was literally out of the blue. It happened because Bryan Danielson wanted to wrestle me. For me, that was reason enough to fly from Tokyo to Dayton, Ohio for a day and back.”Ahead of this year’s G1 Climax, Masahiro Chono passed the STF on to Shota Umino.Umino addressed whether he’s a member of Blackpool Combat Club: “[Jon Moxley is] doing some incredible things in AEW right now, love or hate them. There were a lot of people asking me these few weeks if I was part of Blackpool Combat Club, and the answer is that I’m not. I said it all in my backstage comments in Osaka, but me and Mox, it’s something that’s deeper than a babyface and heel fan opinion.”NJPW’s English-language website has an interview with SANADA. SANADA said appearing in AEW made him realize how important the IWGP label is: “I got to chat with CM Punk, and he was like ‘that belt is the coolest.’ You know, for a CM Punk to know who you are and what you’re doing, that speaks to how widely the IWGP Champion is known.”Brian Cage was a guest on Busted Open Radio.Beer City Bruiser spoke to Haus of Wrestling about his recent hip surgery:The best way to describe it is everything in my right hip was completely dead. The bone, the labrum was gone, the cartilage was gone. My femoral head was actually being absorbed into my pelvis bone. The doctor had said I had bone spurs on the head of the femoral, which is normal for any type of breaks or stuff.When he went in there, the reason it took the extra hour is because I had two particular bone spurs that were the size of his fist that were encapsulating the femoral head, and he had to take a chisel and chisel them out because they couldn’t move my leg to get the fake hip in. And he came out and told my wife, ‘I’m surprised the way that hip was when we went in there; I’m surprised he walked in here this morning.'Click Here: Italy soccer tracksuit