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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

Mexico City becomes the battleground of wrestling in September. We look at the strategies, the decisions going into a period when the city will host four major shows and seven major arena shows in eight days.

WWE attempts to counter program Forbidden Door with NXT Great American Bash. A look at the numbers the last time and trying to figure out why it would be tried again

The most publicized UFC show in history comes to the White House. Can it beat Rousey vs. Carano numbers, can it beat NFL numbers, how it got started and plans for the show.

AAA Noche de los Grandes, full review of the show and the make-up of the viewership and how it’s changed over the last year, as well as thoughts on the mask vs. mask match that tore down the house

The WWE stockholders lawsuit against the WWE key higher ups goes to trial this week. We look in depth of what is being asked, why, and give background on everything involved in the case

WWE Clash In Italy coverage and business numbers

Ben Askren wins Gaspard/Huber award and returns for one last match

Odds for King and Queen of the Ring

How much has Nielsen’s new ratings method hurt the value of pro wrestling on television? We have pretty much the figures, plus the shocking real comparisons for AEW Dynamite last week with recent years

Full ratings report for the pro wrestling programming, competition, comparisons, and more,.

Arena Mexico coverage with lots of big matches this coming week

NOAH tag team tournament news

Best of the Super Juniors coverage

Top young star getting shoulder surgery

Japanese MMA legend wins pro wrestling tournament

The future of Lucha Libre in 2036 on display this past week

Ticket sales for all the major upcoming pro wrestling shows this summer

A crazy indie story involving Jacques Rougeau

RAF booking a major event in Tbilisi

More on Damo & Nikki Cross buying Progress

Lots of Mick Foley AEW talk

How the Von Erichs viewed the A&E Biography

Another judge upset with TKO executives not saving evidence

McGregor return ticket prices go crazy, although not Knicks crazy

Robbiers in boxing or just bad judging

Notes on Smackdown going forward

Examing what Nick Khan said about 2024 WrestleMania plans

George Barrios claims he talked Vince McMahon into running Saudi Arabia after the Kashoggi death

Punk on talks to go back to WWE in 2018

This Week’s Back Issue

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Friday Update

TKO (Image credit: TKO)

— Garrett Gonzales and I will be doing our show on the news of the week and going forward later today. I’ll be back with Bryan on Sunday night covering the weekend shows.

— The WWE shareholders lawsuit that was scheduled to begin on Monday was for reasons unknown, removed from the schedule. That could mean an out of court settlement or could mean a delay, but it was just removed. Bloomberg has the story here.

— AEW Dynamite did 638,000 viewers with an 0.11 in 18-49 against the Knicks vs. Spurs game that did 16.93 million viewers and a 5.21 in 18-49, the most to watch an NBA game in eight years. In the fourth quarter, an hour after Dynamite ended, it hit 19.63 million. The get-in price for the next game in the series is now the highest in the history of ANYTHING, Super Bowl, World Cup, Shania Twain, BTS, anything. The last word to get a nosebleed seat now for the game is $9,649.

— Anyway, the AEW show was third for the night and head-to-head on cable was only behind the college softball World Series on ESPN. It beat FOX News head-to-head which is rarely the case, but did so in its second straight week. I’d consider that number to be excellent given the competition. They really did load up the show knowing the game was on.

–SmackDown is a taped show tonight from Bologna, Italy:

Opening segment with Cody Rhodes, Gunther and Sami Zayn

Raquel Rodriguez vs. Bayley vs. Kiana James vs. Jacy Jayne in a QOTR match

Royce Keys vs. Talla Tonga

Charlotte Flair & Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill & Michin

Carmelo Hayes vs. Ricky Saints

Chelsea Green vs. Lash Legend

Trick Williams vs. Bron Breakker vs. Dominik Mysterrio vs. Damian Priest in the KOTR qualifier

— Mistico returns tonight to Arena Mexico after a few weeks off with an injury. Mistico & Mascara Dorada & Neon face Zandokan Jr. & Furia Roja & Difunto in the main event. This is Mistico’s 27th major arena sellout in 2026. Soberano Jr. faces Komander in a very interesting semi while VIllano III Jr. & El Hijo del Villano III & Barbaro Cavernario face Sammy Guevara & Mortos & Black Tiger.

— The Wednesday and Thursday night shows at Arena Mexico will not be streaming on the CMLL YouTube page.

— Tomorrow night at Arena Coliseo has Komander & Templario vs. Angel de Oro & Villano III Jr. and Mortos vs. Ultimo Guerrero. Sunday has Mistico & Komander vs. Black Tiger & Volador Jr. and Sammy Guevara & Mortos vs. Gran Guerrero & Stuka Jr.

— As part of the Mexico City wrestling war, tickets for WWE shows (Smackdwon on 9/11, TripleMania on 9/13 and Raw on 9/14 all went on sale today. To combat that, CMLL rushed their own Anniversary show tickets for 9/18 and put them on sale today. AEW’s tickets for Grand Slam Mexico on 8/5 go on sale tomorrow. Pricing for every show is FAR more expensive than is usual. Raw & Smackdown are the highest priced shows.

— AAA TV tomorrow has:

Lola Vice & Bayley & Catalina vs. Maravilla & Flammer & La Hiedra

Lince Dorado vs. Joaquin Wilde vs. Cruz Del Tor vs. Octagon Jr. vs. Mini Vikingo. This is the match where Octagon Jr. gets hurt badly.

— Kosei Fujita vs. Yoh is the finals of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament. It will take place Sunday at the Ota Ward Gym in Tokyo. The show starts at 4 a.m. Eastern early Sunday morning. The semifinals were today in Gunma with Fujita beating Robbie Eagles and Yoh over Master Wato.

— If you are voting on the match of the year, this one you have to watch. It’s also a glimpse into where the Lucha style and aspects of the US style will be in 2036. This match reminds me so much of what PWG used to be on the American scene. It is from last Friday in Monterrey, irnhaly the day before the Grande vs. Grande match in the same city. The match was Bandido & Noisy Boy & Spider Fly & Zonik (remember the name Zonik) vs. Gringo Loco & Vengador &M Iron Kid & Turbo. Zonik is a very short teenager and still in school. He is better than Rey Misterio Jr. at the same age:

— In what would be the biggest attempt at a giant women’s boxing live event, Katie Taylor will be doing her retirement fight on 9/5 at Croke Park in Dublin, defending her super lightweight title against Flora Pili. Croke Park is an 80,000 seat stadium and that could break the Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm record of 57,000 for the largest crowd ever drawn for a women’s fight main event.

— We’re looking for reports on these weekend shows:

NXT tonight in Davenport, FL

TNA tomorrow night in Denver

NXT tomorrow night in Citrus Heights, FL

TNA Sunday in Denver

We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to [email protected]

— Daniel Cormier, at 47, cut a promo noting that he and Jon Jones have been offered more than $1 million each for a ten minute wrestling match. Cormier claims that he knows he’ll beat Jones 10-0 and Jones knows he’ll beat him 10-0. He said Jones wants to change it to a shorter time limit and make it a submission match. He claimed Jones is the one who would not accept a wrestling rules match. If you go prime vs. prime as a wrestler, and Cormeir’s prime as a wrestler was 2003 to 2008, yes, he beats Jones. Today, at his age and injuries, I don’t know about this. Plus, Cormier is not near his best shape while Jones has never allowed himself to get far out of shape. Wrestling is a bitch when you get older.

–UFC is at the Apex tomorrow night at 5 p.m. Eastern on Paramount +

Ketlen Souza (116) vs. Ariane Carnelssi (116)

Jeisla Chaves (124) vs. Yuneisy Duben (125)

Jordan Leavitt (145.5) vs. Joanderson Brito (145.5)

Priscila Cach9eira (135.5) vs. Chelsea Chandler (135)

Bruno Silva (126) vs. Edgar Chairez (126)

Marcus McGhee (136) vs. John Yanhnis (135)

Matt Schnell (129.5) vs. Alessandro Costa (129.5)

Iwa Baraniewski (206) vs. Junior Tafa (206)

Bryce Mitchel (135.5) vs. Santiago Luna (136)

Fares Ziam (156) vs. Tom Nolan (155)

Brendan Allen (185.5) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (186)

Belal Muhammad (170.5) vs. Gabriel Bonfim (170.5)

— Eddie Hearn, the manager of Tom Aspinall, said that he won’t let Aspinall fight the winner of Cyril Gane vs. Pereira for the money UFC is offering him, claiming its one-fiftieth of the revenue the show would generate.

— Everything on the Menu with Braun Strowman starts its new season at 11 p.m. tonight after SmackDown. It’s a lock it’ll do a lot better in the ratings than the WWE documentary did last week.

— Due to an injury to PFL middleweight champion Costello van Steenis, he’s off the 7/18 show in Austin, TX. Johnny Eblen (17-1) faces Impa Kasanganay (20-6) for the interim title.

— TNA is doing TV in Denver Saturday and Sunday at the National Western Center:

Mike Santana vs. Eric Young

Mustafa Ali vs. KC Navarro

— Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Hart will be appearing at the Memphis Wrestling show on 8/21 in Tupelo, MS at the Furniture Market as a fundraiser for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

— Maple Leaf Wrestling has announced these matches for its 6/12 and 6/13 tapings in Windsor, ONT at St. Clair College for TSN Canada

Stu Grayson vs. Jonathan Gresham for the MLP title

Gisele Shaw vs. Dani Luna for the women’s title

Rohan Raja vs. Evl Uno

Don Callis & Mauro Ranallo will announce the show.

— Glenn Osbourne turned 55 today. Madison Eagles turned 42 today. Kona Reeves turned 35 today. Priscilla Kelly turned 29 today. George Bothern was born on this day in 1867. Hall of Famer Bill Miller was born on this day in 1927. His brother Dan Miller was born on this day in 1932. Ivan Putski was born on this day in 1944. (thanks to Tony Richards)