Daily Update: CM Punk, Athena, Impact Hidden Gems

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Highlights of the current issue:

  • Match and performer of the week
  • TKO COO Mark Shapiro talks WWE and UFC business and changes they are thinking about
  • Future of the house show business and why breaking even should be okay
  • Injury rate in WWE and AEW and does the schedule make a difference
  • His thoughts on the PFL taking over Bellator
  • Upcoming media rights deals to be made
  • Ideas for UFC’s streaming service
  • How much UFC is making for certain overseas shows as well as WWE
  • When deals are up
  • Change in the look of the WWE ring
  • Running shows in the same city in the same weekend
  • What is the median income of the viewers of all the different promotions
  • What is the level of education of the viewers of all the different promotions
  • What is the ethnic makeup of the viewers of all the different promotions
  • A look at All In 2024 ticket sales
  • A look at NXT Deadline and the interest level
  • A look at the Tokyo Sports MVP and its top candidates and why the person who should win has little chance to win
  • Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings, with competition, how each segment did, how the audience has changed over the past year and demo breakdowns
  • AEW and former WWE star headed to Arena Mexico
  • Plight of arrested wrestling star ends up in Mexico president press conference
  • Stardom PPV coverage and build to the Sumo Hall show
  • All Japan tag team tournament coverage
  • New Japan tag team tournament coverage
  • AEW star will headline major NOAH show
  • Updates on Okada
  • Notes on Iron Claw movie
  • Former WWE tag champ retires
  • Sukeban coverage
  • Former WWE announcer working with Trump
  • Great match on indie show
  • U.K. promotion running April show in U.S.
  • Major show with big names in U.K. next week
  • TNA return ticket sales
  • More on the firing of Kevin Sullivan by AEW
  • Update on Continental Classic
  • Von Erichs and AEW
  • Tony Khan talks Sting’s retirement and Ric Flair
  • Khan talks future of Bryan Danielson
  • Danielson talks CM Punk
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE & AEW shows
  • International TV ratings and streaming numbers
  • AEW star on show in Vietnam and why
  • Final Battle rundown
  • Why Montreal didn’t do well for AEW
  • Injury updates
  • Update on buys for last two PPVs
  • How much money did the UFC owners pay themselves as compared to the fighters
  • Dana White laughs at Bellator sale to PFL
  • Former UFC champion arrested for allegedly punching his brother
  • Average ticket sales for AEW & WWE
  • More on multiple WWE firings
  • Royal Rumble notes
  • Update on WWE and Giulia
  • Changes in WWE TV schedule
  • Notes on newcomers to NXT
  • Notes on the new WWE signings
  • Rundown of WWE arena events

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter

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Wednesday Update

WWE

  • Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics writes that CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ face-to-face was the most watched quarter hour of Monday’s Raw:
          • The in-ring promo with CM Punk and Seth Rollins was by far the most-watched quarter-hour of [Monday’s] Raw. 1.88M viewers, 0.62 P18-49 rating on a show that averaged 1.47M, 0.46.
          • It had the advantage of being the only quarter-hour with no ad breaks, but it had stronger quarter-to-quarter growth (+25%) than any Raw quarter-hour since at least early 2022 which includes many ad-free quarters in non-ad-free hours/shows.
  • PWInsider reports that Punk was at the WWE Performance Center today and was “training and holding court with NXT talents.” Punk was also backstage at NXT last night.
  • To build up their upcoming United States title number one contender’s tournament match, Grayson Waller and Carmelo Hayes had a backstage confrontation at NXT. Waller and Hayes are facing each other on SmackDown this Friday night.
  • On social media, Fallon Henley wrote that she wants to form a tag team with Mickie James: “@MickieJames hear me out… what if we saddled up, you taught me to be hardcore country and we went for the WWE Women’s Tag Titles. I’ll bring the drinks!”
  • Following his DUI arrest last month, Nick Hogan, the son of Hulk Hogan, has an arraignment scheduled for December 18.
  • The Undertaker named his Mount Rushmore of tag team wrestling: The Road Warriors, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, The Midnight Express, and Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard.
  • Mick Foley and Drew McIntyre appeared on WWE’s The Bump this afternoon.
  • Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis & Maxxine Dupri) and Drew Gulak will be on The Bump next Wednesday.
  • Santos Escobar was a guest on Wrestling with Freddie.
  • Busted Open Radio interviewed Trick Williams.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • On the Under the Ring podcast, ROH Women’s World Champion Athena said she thinks the next step in her career would be returning to AEW television:
          • I think the next step for me would definitely be to take a crack at AEW TV again. My first time around wasn’t great and I lost to the all-powerful Jade Cargill.
  • Athena added that she wants to be a Triple Crown Women’s Champion in 2024:
          • I want to be a triple crown champion by the end of 2024. I am going after all the belts, the TBS Championship –- Julia Hart, the AEW Women’s Championship -– Toni Storm. I’m not content with just beating up these fragile broads left and right, this is your warning, I am coming for you guys in 2024. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, you got an X on your back and it’s only a matter of time before we get there.
  • This Thursday’s Impact Wrestling is a “Hidden Gems” episode featuring matches that haven’t aired on TV before. The following matches have been announced:
          • Josh Alexander vs. Yuya Uemura
          • Street fight: PCO vs. Deaner
          • Gisele Shaw & Savannah Evans vs. Killer Kelly & Masha Slamovich
          • Alan Angels vs. Samuray Del Sol
          • Dirty Dango & John E. Bravo vs. Tommy Dreamer & Channing Decker
  • “The Iron Claw” is currently at 93 percent positive on Rotten Tomatoes with 45 reviews.
  • GCW announced Mike Santana for their Holiday Special show in New Jersey on Thursday, December 21. It’s Santana’s first GCW appearance in nearly four years.
  • A new Beat the Elite DLC mode has been added to AEW’s Fight Forever video game:
          • Beat The Elite DLC has arrived in #AEWFightForever!
          • In the new, highly competitive Beat the Elite gameplay mode, Fight Forever players will face 10 random #AEW talents. The last match will always be against a wrestler from The Elite. Win all 10 matches & you’ll be rewarded with in-game cosmetic items!
          • Beat The Elite is available now on XBOX, PlayStation & PC! Nintendo Switch to follow. You can also get the Beat The Elite DLC as part of the Season Pass 2!
          • Get the Beat The Elite DLC today!
  • Alicia Atout interviewed Ruby Soho.
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Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.