Daily Update: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Doc Gallows, TNA Impact
Daily Update
Latest News
- Tony Khan: I love Chris Jericho ‘very much’
- D-Von Dudley gives further details on racism allegations involving Jim Ross
- WWE confirms status of NXT Championship
- AJ Styles: Opportunity to learn from Shawn Michaels would have been ‘priceless’
- Matt Cardona responds to criticism over canceled indie bookings
- AEW Collision viewership increases, 18-49 demo ties record low
- CM Punk praises ‘phenomenal’ WWE star Jey Uso
- Adam Copeland reportedly working on new memoir
- Tony Khan addresses whether AEW wrestlers will be part of NJPW G1 Climax
Latest Audio
- WOL: That NXT show from last night
- B&V: TNA Impact from 20 years ago this week, and Granny!
- BVV: Can Bear Bronson be a star for TNA?
- DragonKingKarl: February 1986 in wrestling
Latest YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- January 5, 2026 Observer Newsletter: AEW Worlds End review, key text exchanges revealed in WWE shareholder lawsuit
The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is now available and covers the following topics:
- Polls on Worlds End plus Continental Classic MVP and best match polls.
- The story of the WWE/UFC merger and Vince McMahon’s resignation, how real was it, the big unanswered question about the WWE Board of Directors, lots of Discovery information in the shareholders lawsuit against WWE, McMahon, TKO, Nick Khan and others, things behind the scenes about the merger, and the change in plans prior to the 2023 WrestleMania in more detail than ever before.
- Full coverage of AEW Worlds End and business notes on the show
- The retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi and the Tokyo Dome show
- The record setting 2025 at Arena Mexico and biggest attendance week in the 92 years of CMLL, a look at the last week as well as how many Americans are at the shows.
- The few times in history that a company sold out a major arena three times in the same week.
- A look at the Stardom Dream Queendom show
- Pro Wrestling NOAH hosts the first major show of 2026
- Weekly odds
- 2026 Observer award ballot
- Most detailed look at the TV ratings from the past week.
- Weddings and engagements in pro wrestling this past week
- All Japan has its best match of 2025
- William Regal and others talk about neck injuries in pro wrestling and our thoughts on it as well as the reaction of some
- Who had the most great matches in 2025
- How Eric Bischoff’s new promotion is similar to Sam Muchnick starting out as a promoter
- Company does a Vince McMahon/Janel Grant angle on its TV show
- AEW business partner delisted
- Tony Khan talks a ton of different subjects
- Top merch sellers in US outside of WWE
- Tom Aspinall update
- Don Frye talks health issues
- Lots of injury updates
This Week’s Back Issue
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Wednesday Update
WWE
- WWE uploaded the full Oba Femi vs. Leon Slater main event from NXT last night, which saw Femi leave the now-vacant NXT Championship belt in the ring after retaining.
- Becky Lynch attended the “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” premiere in New York City last night and brought her newly won Women’s Intercontinental title belt along with her. Lynch plays a bridge crew member on the series, which debuts on Paramount+ on January 15.
- Drew McIntyre cut a promo on Cody Rhodes ahead of their Three Stages of Hell match for the WWE Championship on SmackDown this Friday.
- On Rhodes’ “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast, Finn Balor mentioned how much the WWE locker room misses Luke Gallows after his release: “I can’t speak highly enough of Gallows. And I can’t express how much the locker room misses him.”
- A new episode of Six Feet Under premiered today with Undertaker and AJ Styles looking back at their cinematic Boneyard Match from WrestleMania 36. The podcast was a live episode recorded in Washington, D.C. last month.
- Busted Open Radio interviewed CM Punk.
- WWE Vault put together a collection of Attitude Era TitanTron videos.
Other Wrestling
- Last night, Tony Khan was in Las Vegas to attend Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year Awards. Khan took photos with Michael Phelps and Cal Raleigh on the red carpet for the event, where NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was honored as Sportsperson of the Year.
- AEW wished Darby Allin a happy 33rd birthday.
- At the ceremony for the 2025 Tokyo Sports awards, NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi addressed how he feels after retiring from the ring:
- Yes, I do [feel a sense of relief]. Until I retired as a professional wrestler, every morning I would wake up and think, ‘Oh, where’s my match today?’ and I always had that feeling of tension. But when I woke up this morning and thought, ‘Oh, I won’t be having any more matches,’ I felt a little sad, but I also felt like I’ve moved on to a different stage.
- Tanahashi added that he’s planning to get a haircut soon:
- I’m getting a little break next week, so I’ll get my hair cut around the weekend. Yes, I’ll be cutting off all the hair at the back.
- Well, I’m going to become a handsome older man. Just a handsome older man, just a cool guy.
- Here is the full preview for Thursday night’s TNA Impact, which is the last episode before the show moves to AMC:
- Contract signing for next week’s Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana TNA World Championship match
- International Champion Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo defends against Steve Maclin
- The System (Moose, Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers & JDC) vs. Leon Slater, Cedric Alexander & The Hardys
- Mustafa Ali and Order 4 address TNA Genesis
- Dani Luna vs. Harley Hudson
- The Hardys kick off the episode
- Frankie Kazarian wished his wife Traci Brooks a happy 16th anniversary: “16 years building an amazing life with this incredibly kind, beautiful and wonderful woman. I am beyond lucky. Happy anniversary @TheTraciBrooks”
- Lei Ying Lee was a guest on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez.
- Donovan Dijak has been confirmed as an entrant for MLW Battle Riot VIII.
- GCW announced the schedule for The Collective 2026 in Las Vegas.
- In an interview with Orlando Weekly, Mick Foley discussed how nostalgia has helped boost his relevance with fans:
- I think nostalgia is a huge factor for fans. Somewhere around 2010, I went from being washed up to being part of people’s childhoods. I’m the same guy. I’ve only gotten older, but I’m no longer old and irrelevant. I’m part of people’s collective memories.
- Adam Scherr (Braun Strowman) appeared on the Lay It On podcast with celebrity chef Brad Leone.
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.