Daily Update: Chuck Coates, TKO, WWE Raw
Daily Update
Latest Headlines
Latest Audio
Latest YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
*AEW moves PPV to HBO MAX , details of the move, programming changes, All Out time move, All Out card and ticket sales.
*The worst week of TV ratings you can imagine. Each show broken down into all the details.*Clash in Paris coverage, business ntes
*Changes in Nielsen ratings and how this will affect sports sooner and later
*CMLL World Grand Prix with an 82:00 main event.
*Bandido vs. Hechicero is one of the best matches of 2025.
*ROH coverage including problems with the streaming.
*Early reviews on Smashing Machine starring Dwayne Johnson
*A look at the debut of Real American Freestyle
*Nick Hogan sued Bubba the Love Sponge, what he is suing over and the first court ruling comes in.
*The legend of Buford Pusser, a former pro wrestler who became a famous pop culture figure with movies and a TV show about him, and now it comes out that he may have murdered his wife.
*The Hall of Fame case for Steve Grey.
*CMLL with multiple sellouts coming up.
*Who is now in charge of AAA.
*What’s notable about the makeup of who is in charge.
*Update on Raja Johnson and Syco Stu
*Ronda Rousey with her thoughts on WWE tenure.
*Updates on Matt Riddle.
*One of the biggest indie crowds of the year in Atlanta this past week.
*Upcoming ticket sales to all the WWE, AEW and TNA shows over the next few months.
*Notes on a new AAA signing.
*What fighter just got a $10 million payout over a lawsuit settlement
*Jon Jones case update
*Chael Sonnen crosses Rick Rude and The Grappler .
*How much is TKO worth.
*How much is Dwayne Johnson’s TK stock worth
*Notes on the movie Street Fighter and the character named after a pro wrestler.
This Week’s Back Issue
FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH
Monday Update
–Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio covering all the news from the past day, as well as Raw.
–Chuck Coates, who wrestled regularly from 1989 to 2010, mostly on independent shows in the Carolinas, passed away early this morning. Coates had heart problems of late including undergoing four surgeries over the past week. He did enhancement work for both WWF and WCW television, facing many of the biggest names in wrestling history. He was a big fan of wrestling and North Carolina State sports. He also worked as The StormTrooper, Hans Hessler, Madd Max, Agent Max and The Russian Assassin for independent promotions as well as stint in Puerto Rico. Coates was 63. Our best to his family and friends.
–There was a hearing before the California State Athletic Commission earlier today regarding the Ali Act being changed for boxing. The commission was about to rubber stamp its approval for the TKO-inspired changes to the act, which would create minimums for fighting but also give boxing promoters far more power than they’ve had. It was actually those in MMA who came out and the commission said they would study the bill more. Essentially with every single person there strongly opposed to passing of the bill, they punted for now rather than voted or approved it . They announced they would create a subcommittee to investigate the issue before supporting it.
–TKO stock closed at over $200 today, the first time ever, at $200.47, up from $194 at the start of trading. The key are the new deals signed by UFC and WWE of which almost all the new revenue will go straight to the bottom line. TKO is now the single most highly valued sports franchise in the world.
–Raw tonight is from Milwaukee. At this point announced is AJ Styles vs. El Grande Americano, Lyra Valkyria vs. Raquel Rodriguez, the Usos together and AJ Lee is on the show. It goes against the first Monday night game of the season with The NFL Monday opener with the Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings airing on ABC, ESPN and ESPN 2. Tonight’s show starts at 8 p.m.Eastern, with next week moving to 7 p.m. for the next three weeks. There were 8,800 tickets out for the show as of this afternoon.
–Former San Francisco 49ers player Alfredo Gutierrez was at Arena Mexico on Friday night. He’s a big wrestling fan. He came out with Soberano Jr., who has been out after surgery and showed up as a surprise. Soberano gave Gutierrez a mask and Gutierrez gave Soberano a 49ers jersey. In a trivia note, Gutierrez went to Montgomery High School in San Diego, the same high school that Rey Mysterio went to (before leaving school to join AAA) and Thunder Rosa also went to that school, although both long before Gutierrez.
–Brody King & Bandido’s AEW tag title defense on Friday at Arena Mexico will be against Zandokan Jr. & Difunto. It will be the main event and there isn’t much of an undercard. They are clearly booking to have a great match as opposed to the biggest crowd.
–We don’t have the Smackdown rating for Friday yet. Some expect a horrible number because of the NFL game. I do not because a star laden show for WWE will bring in fans that don’t watch every week. But the NFL hurts everything plus all cable ratings are way down.
–Ozawa suffered an ankle injury earlier today at Korakuen Hall on the first night of the N-1 tournament fr Pro Wrestling NOAH. He was wrestling Naomichi Marufuhi and did a top rope Asai moonsault well over the barricade and flew over Marufuji. He wasn’t able to get up and the match was stopped for a count out loss. He needed help to get to the back and no word on whether he can continue in the tournament. Hiromu Takahashi wn the GHC jr. tite from Yo-Hey on the show.
–The movie “Smashing Machine: has its North American premiere tonight at 9:45 p.m. at the Toronto Film festival. There will also be a 7:30 p.m. showing tomorrow.
–Former UFC fighter Cynthia Calvillo, 38, announced her retirement today. She fought in UFC from 2017 to 2023 and was a star at one point after going 6-1-1 in her first eight fights. She last fought one year ago.
–Birthdays today Akiihisa Mera, the most famous Great Kabuki, at 77, Raven at 61 and Wendi Richter is 65. Brian Hildebrand aka referee Mark Curtis, one of the most loved and respected refs in the business. A great guy who is badly missed.
–Regarding Richter, most websites have her birthday as September 6, 1961, but we were told by a friend of hers it’s actually September 8, 1960.
–Don Gato, actor Danny McBride, will be part of Saturday’s MLW show in North Richland Hills, TX.
–Ronda Rousey will be at the New York Comic Con on 10/10 at 5 p.m. to promote her new graphic novel.
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.