Daily Update: ESPN’s WWE SummerSlam coverage, Janel Grant suit officially closed

WWE SummerSlam 2026 Card
WWE SummerSlam 2026 Card (Image credit: WWE)

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The lawsuit that changed the entire framework of WWE is about to end quietly
  • Previewing all the major shows between now and the end of August, as well a WWE running competition to AEW more frequently.
  • Update on Paramount/Skydance being blocked from taking over WBD
  • A look at how WWE PLE events have drawn on Netflix so far this year and compared to last year, as well as how Smackdown and NXT weekly have done.
  • Coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event from Madison Square Garden
  • How Conor Mcgregor vs. Max Holloway did in viewership compared to Justin Gaethje vs. Ilia Topuria at the White House and Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano.
  • What I learned going to Mexico City, going to Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo, what’s it like and reviewing the shows.
  • G-1 Climax update
  • The life and times of Siva Afi
  • Dragon Gate’s biggest show of the year
  • The complete ratings rundown for every show over the past wek, as well as demos, competition and trends
  • Lots of big shows coming up the next few weeks in Mexico City
  • AAA and its new merch dealk
  • Big AAA show this weekend with Verano de Escandao
  • Wrestler has a match of the year candidate and days later announces retirement
  • Coverage of Stardom big show and Grand Prix
  • Takaaki Kidani talks why he sold New Japan when he did
  • Thoughts on ESPN releasing Andreas Hale
  • Death of Rizado Ruiz
  • Lots of big European shows coming
  • Thoughts on many things Tony Khan talked about this past week
  • AEW average ticket sales for the first six months of 2026
  • How many people watch AEW each week/
  • Mistico’s career goal
  • Tom Aspinall talks eye surgery
  • New VICE series comes in September
  • WWE Unreal
  • The difference in heel turns of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena
  • Stock analysts look at WWE creative
  • WWE channel on XM
  • Thoughts on Bayley
  • Dave Bautista talks his career and pst-career
  • Lots of names getting tryouts next week

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Monday Update

Vince McMahon WWE
Vince McMahon at WWE WrestleMania 38. (Image credit: WWE)

— Bryan and I will be back talking about the news of the day, covering Raw and hopefully some of the best matches of the weekend with Wrestling Observer Radio.

— WWE sent out notes regarding SummerSlam coverage. The big thing is that it looks like no ESPN television for the first hour either night. That’s an interesting move which indicates they must think the hour hurt subscriptions to the service. There will be three hour pre-shows on ESPN from 3-6 pm. on ESPN both Saturday and Sunday. There will be WWE coverage on SportsCenter, Get Up, First Take and other ESPN shows. There will be a SummerSlam special airing at 6 p.m. tomorrow night on ESPN and replayed all week long. Cody Rhodes’ podcast with Tom Brady will air on ESPN and ESPN 2 all week.

— The former Mike Santana, now Cruz Montana, said that his new name is a tribute to his father: “Losing him six years ago is what sent me on the spiral that I’d eventually rise from, to become the man you see today. and today, that man is addicted to greatness.”

— The Janel Grant lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE was officially closed and moved to arbitration. In the end, the lawyers for Grant realized that the judge was not likely to overturn the NDA which is why she was fighting for a change in Connecticut law where NDA’s could not be used to cover-up sex crimes. That law didn’t pass.

— Raw tonight is from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA. There were more than 14,000 tickets out as of this afternoon. So if it looks like the place is empty because they have those lights on the seats, well, it’s not. The main event segment is to be Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. The opening segment is the Brock Lesnar/Oba Fami weigh-in with Paul Levesque there. Austin Theory & Bron Breakker face Otis & Tozawa in a non-title match. Sol Ruca defends the IC title against Raquel Rodriguez. Danhausen and Joe Hendry have a concert. Rey Mysterio vs. Ethan Page and Je’Von Evans vs. Rusev are also on the show..

— We’re looking for reports from this show, as well as the weekend house shows in Stockton and Bakersfield, CA, looking for results, finishes and highlights to [email protected] In particular we got contradictory results from Stockton on Saturday night.

— We’re also looking for your thoughts on yesterday’s AEW Redemption, show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]

— There was not a lot of news that came out of the aftermath of last night’s PPV show. Like in San Jose, the first three matches on the show were amazing and that made it harder for a lot of the later matches.

— Dragon Lee is out of action with a torn ligament in one of his fingers that he suffered in his match on Raw last Monday. Lee didn’t know where it happened but he is out of ation and was pulled from yesterday’s AAA Verano de Escandalo show.

— CMLL sold out Puebla today with a unique Mascara Dorada & Soberano Jr. vs. Neon & Barbaro Cavernario main event. Capitan Suicida & Volcano vs. Vegas Depreadador & VIllano III Jr. There is also an elimination match to bring back the Puebla City championship with Meyer, Centella Roja, Millenium, Tiger Boy, Astro, Prayer, Konjuro, Rey Espartano, El HIjo del Perseverso and El Mayalo. It’s a new championship just for the Puebla shows.

— WWE’s Club WWE launches on Friday, with exclusive merchandise, early access to tickets, a place to do chats during live shows and other stuff.

— Darren Till will face 49-year-old Yoel Romero in a Bare Knuckle boxing fight on 9/26 in Manchester , UK.

— RevPro on Saturday in Wolverhampton, UK: Myla Grace won four-way over Cory Zero, Skhye Smitson and Villet Nyte in an alternates match for the Womens’ Grand Prix, Jungle Kyona b Emersyn Jayne in a first round Grand Prix match, Kanji b Jessica Troy in a first round Grand Prix match, Zeuxis b Zoey Serrano (Zoey Stark) in a first round Grand Prix match, Shayna Baszler b JGU in a first round Grand Prix match, Alexxis Falcon b Lucy Sky to keep the RevPro British women’s title, Zeuxis b Jungle Kyona in a semifinal match, Zoey Serrano b JGU, Kanji b Shayna Baszler-DQ in a semifinal match, Amira Blair & Corey Zero b Skye Smitson & Violet Nyte, Jessica Troy b Emersyn Jayne, Kanji b Zeuxis to win the Grand Prix. Baszler and Serrano turned heel together, beating on Kanji. Troy vs. Jayne was said to be great. (thanks to Nik)

— Former AWA star Greg Gagne turned 78 today. Manny Fernandez turned 72. Paul Levesque turned 58 Shanne Moore turned 48. Nic Nemeth turned 47. Adam Page turned 36. Hall of Famer Karloff Lagarde was born on this day in 1928. Sam Bass, the former manager of Jerry Lawler, along with Pepe Lopez and Frank Hester all passed away on this day 50 years ago in an auto accident. I remember this getting coverage in our local newspaper when it happened.

Bass was 41, Lopez was 39 and Hester was 37. Gordon Solie, one of the great announcers of all-time, was 71 when he passed away on this day 26 years ago. Rhonda Sing/Bertha Faye, a teenage star powerhouse in Japan, passed away 25 years ago today at the age of 40. Brenda Britton, one of the first woman managers and wife of Hustler Rip Rogers was 66 when she passed away 19 years ago today. Rita Cortez, a key figure in women’s wrestling history, was 73 when she passed away 14 years ago today. Kat LeRoux was 55 when she passed away six years ago. Pete Sanchez was 81 when he passed away two years ago. (thanks to Tony Richards)

Google Icon
Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer

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.