Daily Update: Diamond Dallas Page, Jim Ross, Sami Zayn

Jim Ross
Jim Ross waves to fans at AEW event. (Image credit: AEW)

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • Previewing the four major weekend shows as well as interest levels of the shows
  • What should be the business goals of the show
  • Preview of the G-1 Climax tournament
  • CMLL business notes and coverage of Fantastica Mania
  • Trying to make sense over claims about the UFC numbers
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the wrestling and MMA TV shows, comparisons, competition and more
  • CMLL bring back the concept of club championships
  • Latin Lover talks Konnan’s situation
  • The story behind the return of Los Perros Del Mal and their history in AAA
  • Stardom PPV coverage
  • Unique comedy angle to set up a world title match
  • Attempt to set up kickboxing legend vs. Minoru Suzuki match
  • My thoughts on June 26, 1975, watching Ali vs. Inoki and the entire closed circuit show
  • Final X notes
  • Ronda Rousey as Executive Producer of a new movie
  • Bully Ray-Josh Barnett silliness
  • Book on Rikidozan
  • More crazy independent stories
  • The Tommy Dreamer departure from TNA
  • The update on the WBD sale being approved
  • The move made by WBD for a new show that flies in the face of all the anti-AEW doomsayers
  • Tony Khan press conference notes
  • Martha Hart honored as Cagarian of the year
  • Update on FTR
  • Darby Allin tries another crazy idea
  • ROH tapings
  • More in the Kajan Johnson lawsuit
  • Dana White talks Zuckerberg vs. Musk fight
  • UFC sponsor in hot water
  • Complaints regarding McGregor on Jimmy Fallon
  • UFC changes how it does rankings
  • Dustin Poirier’s arrest update
  • Cris Cyborg retirement and thoughts
  • CM Punk return imminent
  • Notes on interviews by Paul Heymand and Paul Levesque
  • Logan Paul talks being ripped off by Floyd Mayweather
  • Notes from WWE & AEW arena events

This Week’s Back Issue

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Thursday Update

Diamond Dallas Page WWE
Photo from Diamond Dallas Page’s WWE Hall of Fame induction. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • Kevin Owens and Becky Lynch met up with Sami Zayn backstage this week to celebrate his Undisputed WWE Championship win.
  • TKO executive Mark Shapiro, WWE President Nick Khan, Roman Reigns, and Logan Paul were among those who attended the star-studded annual White Party that Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin holds in the Hamptons.
  • Diamond Dallas Page told Cultaholic that, when he was at WWE headquarters to record Cody Rhodes’ podcast, he spoke with Paul “Triple H” Levesque about wanting to be more involved in some of WWE’s projects:
    • I’m really good friends with Triple H, but he’s so busy that it’s not like I can call him anytime I want. I only call him or check in with him when I have something important to talk about or whatever. I stopped up there to do Cody’s show. You’ve got to remember, I was mentoring Cody when he was 12 years old, more of an advisor. Kind of like Dusty was to Eric Bischoff.
    • When I came up there, I let Paul know, Triple H know, that I would love to stop in and say hello. He’s like, ‘Absolutely,’ and he took the time for me. I told him, I said, ‘Just so you know, I’m up here doing this, and I did some interviews and stuff. I don’t want a job, I do very well. I don’t need anything, and I don’t want to take anything away from anybody, but I do want to be a part occasionally of the show.’ Whether it’s [WWE] Rivals, like let’s see, me and Randy Savage – well, we were the feud of the year in ’97. Something’s a no-brainer. Me and Goldberg, that match, it could have gone either way. You didn’t know. Then there’s behind the scenes stories that I could talk about that I haven’t talked about… For me personally, yeah, I’d like to be involved a little bit more than just occasionally coming to the show.
  • While sharing the latest episode of her vlog, Brie Bella criticized AI and the impact it has on the environment:
    • I went on a solo hike to clear my head and came back with a lot to say. One billion dollars being cut from the National Park Fund. Public lands being sold for AI data centers.
    • Millions of gallons of freshwater consumed every single day by large scale AI. We can live without AI. We cannot live without these parks.
  • Bret Hart is celebrating his 69th birthday today.
  • WWE Vault posted a full Mid-South Wrestling episode from November 16, 1984.
  • The WCW YouTube channel uploaded an hour-long video of the best of WCW Saturday Night from July 2026.

Other Wrestling

  • Conrad Thompson shared that Jim Ross quit smoking during his hospitalization and is down to 190 pounds: “He did quit smoking. And he’s down to 190 pounds! He’s in fighting shape! Boomer Sooner!”
  • Ross’ friend Wallis Marsh posted that he had “the best visit” with Ross yesterday now that Ross is back home and out of the hospital: “The Best Visit with Jim today. He appreciates all of the prayers and support. We talked about [Oklahoma University baseball and football] @AEW and the  tremendous staff at Norman Regional.” 
  • In an interview with Fightful, Game Changer Wrestling’s Brett Lauderdale praised Hook for how willing he’s been to be collaborative while competing for GCW:
    • Hook was just so cool. He was very gracious. He arrived, he was down for whatever again, like I said, and the other thing that I thought was really cool about Hook was that listen, this is a TV wrestler and he has been for many years now, but he was very cool and interested in hearing feedback and direction, which I thought was really cool. We really collaborated on his segment and his match. Sometimes you have these TV guys who come in and they want to do it their way and only their way. Hook wanted to come in and he wanted to do it the GCW way, which I thought was really cool.
  • While appearing on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Jeff Jarrett was asked to name his Mount Rushmore of TNA:
    • I don’t think you can not have one without AJ, and I know from a business perspective Sting was a massive get early, and then when he signed. You look at Kurt, so those three almost are kind of givens. But when you get into that fourth one, you have to me, you know, in a lot of ways you could say the Knockouts division, long before the Women’s Evolution, and you know, if the narrative is that Vince McMahon took professional wrestling out of Smokey Bingo Halls and put it here. Well, TNA took the bra and panties and put it into competitive women’s wrestling. But anyway, that 4th spot, there’s a lot of, you could put X Division there in totality, you could put the Knockouts, I think when you look at the OGs that really came along, I mean, Abyss is in that conversation. The fourth one is always a tough spot.
  • Former ROH wrestler/trainer “Brutal” Bob Evans underwent a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat:
    • I’m fine. But…Not how I wanted to spend my last couple of days. Back home now from the hospital. Got the A-Fib that my whole family has.  Cardioversion put me back in rhythm but no in-ring wrestling for a while. Seminars are fine to do. Love you all.
  • Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado vs. Naomichi Marufuji & HARASHIMA will headline the Yoshihiro Takayama benefit show Takayamania Empire 5 in Tokyo on September 7.
  • A dog collar match pitting Daisy Kill against Eric Smalls will take place at NWA 78 in Philadelphia on July 25.
  • Amid Mexico’s World Cup run, the Associated Press published a story on the connection between soccer and lucha libre.
  • The Battleground Podcast interviewed Anthony Bowens.
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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.