Daily Update: WWE Raw, Jeff Cobb, Eric Young

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• September 10, 2024 Observer Newsletter: WWE Bash in Berlin recap & AEW All Out preview

• WWE Bash in Berlin coverage, business, records, interest level, crossover buys with AEW and an overview of the show.
• AEW All Out
• NXT No Mercy coverage
• The life and career of Villano V, son of one of the biggest stars in history, Ray Mendoza, his sons, formation of a promotion that became one of the  hottest in the world at the time, the background of Los Villanos from a movie, his run in WCW as enhancement talent, the legend of Villanos  vs. Brazos and Villano V vs Blue Panther in Mexican legacy and life after wrestling.
• How Turki Alashikh is trying to change boxing on PPV, possible motives, and how AEW does on PPV is a key in analyzing this.
• Kevin Kelly and the Tate Twins sue AEW, the most detailed look at the suit itself  what it means, and potential outcomes
• The life and times of Sonny King,  wrestling all over the world, from early WWWF tag champion to Crockett headliner, when he was stabbed, his days as a manager, philosophy of wrestling, and more.
• The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows over the past week, demos,
• segments placing and competition.
• Chris Jericho talks about returning to Mexico
• All kids of major events planned for Arena Mexico in upcoming weeks
• Celebrity knocks company that used him and praises their opposition
• Stardom Five Star Grand Prix finals
• NOAH’s N-1 finals
• Suzuki vs. Shibata in Japan
• Honoring Yoshihiro Takayama and Don Frye talks
• Three generations of superstars in one match
• Nikki Bella/Garcia news coverage
• Notes on movies and TV shows featuring current stars
• Santo retirement tour
• The Wrestling Combine
• Rich Swanna going to rehab
• TNA big show coverage
• Lots more on All In business
• Tony Khan press call
• Health updates on wrestlers
• Nigel McGuinness talks wrestling
• Mark Henry had words regarding AEW and Tony Khan
• International TV ratings
• Sting’s son training for wrestling update
• Highest merch sellers in WWE and AEW
• UFC record gate coming
• Fighter sues manager for embezzling $2 million
• WWE television changes
• More Janel Grant court issues
• Firing of Odyssey Jones
• Vince McMahon documentary
• Lawsuit against WWE and Cody Rhodes
• More people leaving WWE after decades with the company

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

• April 2, 2007 Observer Newsletter: UFC purchases Pride, WWE WrestleMania 23 advance

Monday Update

• Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio covering Raw, Demetrious Johnson, the CMLL Anniversary show and other news tonight. You can send questions to the show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
• Here are the Friday night ratings:
  Smackdown 1.77 million viewers and 0.45.  It was the lowest viewer number for a live show in the five-year-history of the show.  It was No. 1 among network shows because the NFL game was only on Peacock.
  Collision 151,000 viewers and 0.04.  It was out of its time slot and everyone knew it would get killed, but I don’t think people expected it would be this bad.
  Rampage 237,000 viewers and 0.08.  The eight-man tag did very good but nothing else did.
  Countdown to AEW All Out did 119,000 viewers and 0.04.
  The reason the numbers are so much lower than usual besides Collision going head-to-head with Smackdown in an unfamiliar time slot, is because both Smackdown and Collision went against an NFL game on Peacock and a Caitlan Clark game on ION.  The Clark game did 1.26 million viewers and the NBA game did 14.3 million viewers.
  We don’t have charts or anything at this point past the 8 man tag went from 0.04 to 0.10 and that’s kind of unheard of.
• Raw is from Calgary tonight and I believe it’ll be the final show ever at the soon to be torn down Saddledome.  It’s week one against Monday Night Football with the San Francisco 49ers vs. The New York Jets.  Bret Hart returns to Raw.  Braun Strowman vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. Pete Dunne vs. Jey Uso with the winner getting an IC title shot at Bron Breakker, Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill defend the women’s tag titles against Isla Dawn & Alba Fyre, Wyatt Sicks vs. American Made in a street fight, Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio and Zelina Vega & Lyra Valkyria & ? (Natalya expected) vs.  Shayna Baszler & Sonya Deville & Zoey Stark.   As of this morning, about 8,700 tickets were out for this show.
• We’re looking for reports from Calgary with Main Event matches and anything else notable from the live show to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
• We’ve also got our poll on All Out from Saturday, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com
• With Smackdown no longer on FOX and WWE’s contract with Hulu expiring, Smackdown replays will be up on Peacock on a one-day delay.
• I was told today’s Henare Never title defense against Hiromu Takahashi was fantastic.  Henare retained and will defend on 9/29 against Shingo Takagi, which will no doubt be fantastic.
• Kayden Carter did a run-in on Saturday’s Crash show in Tijuana.  She sat in the front row and got physically involved during the Mecha Wolf vs. Bestia 666 casket match.  She slapped Mecha Wolf and threw a drink in his face.   Years ago, under the name Lacey Lane, Carter was part of the La Rebelion group in The Crash with Mecha Wolf and Bestia 666.
• A horse named The Fabulous Moolah won the fifth race at inge Lakes in New York as a 15-to-1 underdog.
• There was something akin to a back body drop during an NFL game and the announcer referenced Jimmy Superfly Snuka and “Ricky the Steamboat Dragon.”
• Eric Young will be hosting the TV show Vinyl Obsession, where rock stars and entertainers select their five favorite records of all-time.  Young is the new host of the show which is in its second season.  It starts 10/6 in the Sunday at 10:30 p.m. time slot on AXS.  The season will end on 11/24.
• The Killer’s Game, a Dave Bautista theatrical release movie, has its Hollywood premiere tonight.  Drew Galloway (McIntyre) and former WCW wrestler Terry Crews are in the movie.  Galloway won’t be at the premiere because he’s scheduled for  Raw tonight.
• Tai Tuivasa of UFC is a cast member on the celebrity edition of The Amazing Race”   Australia on Ch. 10 in Australia  Tuivasa and his brother are on the show with other celebrities.  It airs Mondays at 7:30 p.m. and is expected to draw high ratings (thanks to Dave Demer)
• Defy Wrestling on 9/20 in Seattle at Washington Hall features KENTA defending the Defy title against Artmis Spencer, Shelton Benjamin vs. Kevin Knight, Vet Vixen vs. The Vipress plus Man Like DeReiss vs. Leon Slater.
• Matt Riddle vs. Tom Lawlor in a no holds barred Valeu T udo match has been added to the 9/14 MLW show at Center Stage in Atlanta.
• Mustafa Ali faces Ultimo Dragon on 10/26 for MW All-Star Wrestling in North St. Paul, MN at North  St. Paul High School.
• Michael Elgin beat Malice in a cage match to win the Championship International Wrestling title on Sunday night in Toledo, OH (thanks to Phil Meade and Leonard Brand)
•  Mickie James, Elias and The Godfather were announced for Insane Wrestling Revolution on Thursday night in Monroe, MI. James and Godfather will be at the Monroe, MI Comic Con Friday and Saturday and Elias will be there on Friday. (thanks to Paul Meade)

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