Daily Update: AEW notes, GCW, Kayla Braxton

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• August 5, 2024 Observer Newsletter: UFC lawsuit going to trial, AEW’s future, WWE SummerSlam preview

The new issue of the Observer is up on the site right now featuring two very in-depth stories:

• Judge Richard Boulware refuses to accept the $335 million TKO settlement in the Cung Le case, why, lawyers react, lots of inside ramifications of the case, how different settlements would work out for the biggest name fighters and the average fighters and what comes next and why they still can’t risk a trial.
• AEW rights fees talks and what they mean, how much talent earns by percentage of revenues compared to other sports, estimating annual income at different rights points, cutbacks why the deal length is so important, noticeable TV cutbacks and ROH potential going forward.
• SummerSlam preview, ticket sales, secondary market, expectations for finishes and favorites.
• All In, update on new matches being teased, ticket sales, can they reach the next goal, PPV thoughts and promotion of the event.
• Update on the G-1 Climax tournament
• UFC 304 full coverage, what’s next for the fighters, new storylines, business notes, match-by-match rundown
• What matches you need to see from G-1
• A look at the retirement and career of Meiko Satomura
• A detailed look at ROH Death Before Dishonor and the ROH brand
• The life and career of longtime prelim wrestler Pete Sanchez/Gino Caruso
• The most detailed look at  the ratings from the past two weeks  including where the top shows placed, breakdown on who is watching and changes, how badly the Olympics changed viewership and much more.
• Death Triangle go to the hottest arena in the world and how the crowd reacted
• One of the best high flyers in the world is almost ready to return
• A look at two Stardom PPV shows and major title changes
• Oldest male wrestler ever to do a match
• Marigold tag team title decided and  Grand Prix singles tournament
• Death of former Crockett wrestler who had a short career but was in with the biggest names in wrestling at the time
• Modern legend retirement tour first main event announced
• Dijak and MJF to RevPro
• Bloodsport with talent from WWE, ROH and TNA
• Update on PPV numbers from WWE, AEW, TNA and Diaz-Masvidal and Paul-Perry
• Tony Khan and Shane McMahon
• Top star returns to AEW
• Lots of injury updates
• Bill Goldberg talks Tony Khan
• Merch sales
• Highest ticket prices ever for an MMA event at The Sphere
• Updates on Brock Lesnar

This Week’s Wresting Observer Newsletter Back Issue

• March 5, 2007 Observer Newsletter: WWE’s expansion plans, Pride Second Coming recap

Wednesday Update

WWE

• WWE uploaded the full Nathan Frazer & Axiom vs. MSK NXT Tag Team title bout from last night, along with video of the post-match angle where Wes Lee turned against The Rascalz.
• Lee, Zachary Wentz, and Trey Miguel all posted tweets furthering the angle. Wentz wrote: “I don’t even know what to say right now. Heartbroken doesn’t even begin to describe it. I still love you brother.”
• Je’Von Evans cut a promo after defeating Ashante “Thee” Adonis in the WWE Speed number one contender’s tournament.
• Jade Cargill told Foundation Radio that Rhea Ripley is one of her dream opponents.

AEW/Other Wrestling

• Before Dynamite tonight, Tony Khan shared a backstage photo with Bryan Danielson and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Steamboat will be at ringside as a special guest for Danielson and Jeff Jarrett’s anything goes match.
• Daily Star asked Mariah May about the lessons she learned on the indies that have helped her in AEW:
  • I’m not sure it’s relevant to AEW but the biggest lesson I learnt was how to live poor. It was tough. I think the big thing is etiquette. From day one in the indies I learned to introduce myself (yourself) to everyone. I think sometimes on the indies that feels silly, because everyone has different opinions on that – whether you should or shouldn’t do it. It pays dividends though when you go to somewhere like AEW or a Stardom or any kind of larger company because it just shows you respect the business and care about it, like in any job you should introduce yourself to anybody.
  • So just drilling in the etiquette. However you also learn if you really love wrestling from the independents because you get paid nothing to do it. You have to also work normal jobs, to pay for your life and put a roof over your head but also to pay for your training, your costumes, to be able to be in indie wrestling. It’s an investment. There’s no profit, at least that was the case in my few years of doing it. So I think you get tested on if you really love it. It’s a lot of driving, training, it may not be the best quality matches or opponents or venues, small crowds but that’s when you figure out if you love it and you make so many mistakes which you’ll never repeat again. So I’m very grateful I did the indies, I won’t make those mistakes again.
• Nigel McGuinness told Sports Illustrated that he learned a lot from Michael Cole in WWE: “I learned a lot working under Michael Cole. I developed my style and added to it in AEW, where we have much more free rein. I can really be myself, and to work with Tony Schiavone, who is an institution, is a blessing.”
• In an interview with Military News, Dax Harwood named his favorite NWA wrestlers from when he was growing up:
  • One of my earliest memories of professional wrestling was Ric Flair being interviewed by Gordon Solie. This was when we were living in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I remember watching that particular interview and my dad was and still is a huge Ric Flair fan, so I grew up more on the Mid Atlantic and WCW then I did the WWF. Even as a kid, I liked the WCW better than I did the WWF. It’s just that WWF just happened to have Bret Hart and he was my favorite over everybody.
  • I loved Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard and especially Arn Anderson. I don’t know why I connected with Arn more. Maybe because he reminded me of my dad so much and worked really, really hard. I loved watching the Rock-n-Roll Express from the time I was very little and then going back and watching tapes of the Midnight Express of Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton, in my opinion THE Greatest Tag Team of all Time. I was also a huge Sting fan just like every kid back then. I loved Ricky Steamboat and hated Rick Rude. I was a big fan of Dustin Rhodes I guess because he was so young in comparison to the other wrestlers there.
• Bryan Keith was the guest on the latest episode of Talk is Jericho.
• AEW wished Kris Statlander a happy 29th birthday.
• Game Changer Wrestling announced that they will hold a show at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday, November 23. It’s the second largest mall in the United States. GCW’s show is taking place in the afternoon and will air live on TrillerTV+.
• Jordan Oliver underwent surgery today for his torn ACL.
• Tessa Blanchard & Lluvia are the new CMLL Women’s Tag Team Champions after winning the titles last night. The belts were vacated when Stephanie Vaquer left CMLL for WWE.
• Komander will defend the AAA Cruiserweight title against Laredo Kid and Matt Riddle in a three-way match at Triplemania Mexico City on Saturday, August 17.
• On the Nikki & Brie Show, Kayla Becker (former WWE broadcaster Kayla Braxton) explained why she decided to leave WWE:
  • I was under contract. Announcers, we operate very differently. I just realized, within myself, after eight years, I’ve done everything I can do here. You know how the schedule is at WWE. It’s very hard to [accomplish] anything else you want to do. I just felt like I was starting to miss out on opportunities outside of the company. I wasn’t doing much anymore at my former position. I just had to make the decision, not knowing necessarily what I was about to do in that moment, but I had to walk away. It was all amicable. I just knew it was time for me to peace out.

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