Daily Update
Latest News:
UFC on ESPN+ 81 live results: Mackenzie Dern vs. Angela HillRoman Reigns set for WWE Mexico City house showJordynne Grace vs. Alisha Edwards announced for ImpactWWE SmackDown video highlights: LWO defeat The UsosWWE SmackDown spoilers from Columbia, South CarolinaTBS title rematch, trios match announced for AEW Double or NothingAEW considering backup location for Collision debut due to CM Punk situation
Latest Audio:
Wrestling Observer Radio: AEW Collision news, more 'Superstar' Billy Graham memories
Latest Free YouTube Video:
Join us in Las Vegas for our annual F4W Convention
This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
May 22, 2023 Observer Newsletter: Superstar Billy Graham passes away, AEW Collision show officially announced
In the new issue:
The life and times of Superstar Billy GrahamA history of every Graham main event in Madison Square GardenHow the entire history of wrestling changes if there was no Billy GrahamGraham's decades of health issuesGraham suing WWFGraham losing the title and depression and whyGraham in football, boxing, bodybuilding, track, world's strongest man competitions and moreThe last week of Graham as WWWF championWhen Billy Graham was reported as dying 32 years ago in two major newspapersHis start of his career and first time he met Dr. Jerry GrahamHis big break in the AWA when he became a big drawing card and his interviewsHis changing the way top stars were paid in WWWFHis last run in WWFHis life after wrestlingEverything said and not said about AEW CollisionHow CM Punk fits into the pictureWhy Punk really was such an important character right now for AEW if things would have worked outThoughts on Collision and its time slotHow AEW's fan base consumption has changed over the last yearThe blow-by-blow story of how WWE and Endeavor made their merger, including other offers, how much the offers were, and how much Vince McMahon made through the different negotiationsJust how much money Endeavor gave up to keep Vince McMahonUFC business notesFrancis Ngannou signs with PFL, his deal, his negotiations and different potential opponentsUpdate on the WWE brand splitUpdate on WWE Night of ChampionsUpdate on AEW Double or NothingNew Japan Best of the Super Juniors coverageThis week's UFC show rundownThe most detailed look at the TV ratings of wrestling over the past weekWhat wrestler is getting a pickle ball court named after himBuild for what looks to be the biggest match of the year in MexicoMore on a major network negotiations for a new wrestling show and why the deal fell throughUpdate on Kota IbushiMore on Von Erichs moving back to TexasNew play loosely based on WWEInternational TV ratingsAEW house showsUFC fall schedule and new fightsBellator draws 12,000 for show this past weekNine drug test failuresRandy Orton updateBray Wyatt updateMore on the WWE show in Puerto RicoLots of new WWE business talk by Nick KhanWWE injury updatesUpcoming WWE ticket salesAll the weekly WWE business info
This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:
March 27, 2006 Observer Newsletter: WWE Saturday Night's Main Event tanks, sanctioned MMA begins in California
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Saturday Update
WWE
Against game two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, SmackDown averaged 2.049 million viewers in the fast national ratings last night. That’s down from the 2.068 million viewers the show drew in the fast nationals last week. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.50 in the first hour and a 0.49 in the second.NXT's Yulisa Leon returned to the ring on last night’s SmackDown, wrestling for the first time since August 2022. Leon had been out of action with a torn ACL. She and Valentina Feroz lost to Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn on SmackDown.Leon tweeted: “After 8 months…I'm back… we're back!! Thank you all for your support!!"WWE is holding a Night of Champions press conference in Saudi Arabia next Friday. The press conference will stream live at noon Eastern time.“Stone Cold” Steve Austin praised Pat McAfee for how he sold the stunner at WrestleMania 38. Austin said it's in the top three of all-time stunner sells:Man, top three. Top three. And I gotta say top three because I mean, you know, The Rock is number one, the way he oversold it. Scott Hall and some of the other guys that took it… Pat [McAfee] has a natural feel for the business. Epic performer. Great on the stick. Athletically, you know that that match he had with the Theory was awesome.And then the kicker was not only the sell of a Stunner, but — I don’t know if I threw him out or he ended up out of the ring — to lay there selling, still guzzling the beer. The presence of mind to ad lib and improvise it like, ‘This is a moment,’ without even thinking about it. I think he’s amazing. He’s very entertaining, and as a human being, I like him a whole lot.During a conversation with MTV News’ Josh Horowitz, John Cena said he’ll be in attendance if Charlotte Flair wins a 17th Women’s Championship in WWE: “Man, there’s so many good ones now [female wrestlers]. Like I said, there’s so many good ones [Cena said after someone in the audience shouted Rhea Ripley’s name]. I do like the legacy that Charlotte is creating for herself. I know Ric Flair had said something about if she were to win a 17th championship, we should be there, both to shake her hand. And I got to see Ric recently and tell him that if that happens, we will both be there because I think that’s tremendous. I’m not shortchanging anybody else but just because I know and love Ric and I admire what Charlotte’s done, that’s my connection to that moment so that’s why I gotta say her.”Bayley tweeted about the WWE Women's Tag Team titles: “These titles have been through A LOT. The ones who’ve held them know the pride and sometimes the extreme struggle that comes with them. But we keep fighting for them, we take a stand for them. Through injuries, break ups and hopeful opportunities…..there’s magic in there waiting”Pretty Deadly were the guests on this week’s episode of WWE After the Bell.Rey Mysterio & Santos Escobar, Damage CTRL, and Pretty Deadly appeared on The SmackDown LowDown. Before Pretty Deadly could be interviewed, there was an angle where they were attacked by Butch.WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded the following matches: Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt (Battleground 2015), Carmelo Hayes vs. Solo Sikoa for the North American title (September 13, 2022 NXT), and RK-Bro vs. The Usos Tag Team title unification match (May 20, 2022 SmackDown).
AEW/Other Wrestling
Jade Cargill reached a big milestone today, celebrating her 500th day as AEW’s TBS Champion.Dustin Rhodes reflected on yesterday being the 15th anniversary of him getting sober:Today is a day that I am most proud of. Today is 15 yrs clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. It was a difficult journey for me, but when we work our programs diligently, magic starts to happen. I thank God for this second chance and new lease on life. I choose not to turn around and take a walk with the devil. I am clean from him, 1 day at a time. #KeepSteppin #Perseverance #CleanIsCoolRichard Holliday will make his return to the ring at a show for Paradise Alley Pro Wrestling in Woodbridge, Connecticut on Saturday, June 10. It will be the first time Holliday has wrestled since announcing his cancer is in remission.Matt Cardona and Steph De Lander were interviewed on Rasslin’ with Brandon F. Walker.At House of Glory’s show in Queens, New York last night, Cardona defeated Jacob Fatu to become the new HOG Heavyweight Champion.AEW vice president of live events and touring Rafael Morffi was a guest on Talk is Jericho.Skye Blue appeared on AEW Unrestricted this week.Click Here: baby knitted shoes