Daily Update: John Cena, Tony Khan, MJF

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site covering the follow topics:

  • The story of John Cena’s retirement, the finish, the reaction, what WWE did and didn’t expect and thoughts on why they did what they did and why judging it now makes little sense in the big picture. We look at different aspects of the decision making and the fallacy of the “time-honored tradition phrasing here. We look at where Cena viably stands among the greats, the show itself, and Cena’s legacy.
  • We look at the post-match and post-show reaction, Paul Levesque and also look at the history of retirement matches with the biggest names in the history of the business. This is a real history lesson about what really is the tradition.
  • We have a story on Wrestle Kingdom’s card, why it turned out this way, as well as the finals of the New Japan tag team tournament.
  • We update the WBD sale story with the latest on Netflix and Paramount, just how strongly WBD publicly viewed the Paramount offer in a negative way and more
  • We run down the 2025 Tokyo Sports pro wrestling awards, with the winners, why they won, how the voting went, the nature of the voting and more in a year Saya Kamitani became the first woman wrestler to win MVP
  • A look at the retirement show and the career of El Hijo del Santo, the Santo gimmick, the cultural significance of the Santo name, Santo Jr, and notes on Santo’s career and most famous matches
  • We update the Continental Classic and Worlds Collide with business updates as well.
  • We look at the odds for upcoming matches
  • We look at the careers of Solomon Grundy, Miss Janeth and Ricky Romero Jr/Ricky Youngblood
  • We have the most detailed look at the television ratings of all the wrestling shows this past week as well as placings, comparisons and more, as well as an explanation of what the annual drops actually mean.
  • We look at another week of sellouts in CMLL, including the big Friday show and the Mistico vs Soberano feud
  • We look at Guerra de Titanes from AAA
  • We look at the financials from Cyberfight and what wrestler in specific they credited a better economic year to
  • Yota Tsuji talks the future of New Japan
  • What pro wrestling events in Japan were the most streamed in 2025
  • Update on Andrade
  • Former WWE tag champ going into Bare Knuckle boxing
  • Major AEW overseas ratings growth
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Chris Jericho update
  • Injury updates
  • Ilia Topuria marriage issues slows down career
  • An appeal by TKO on judge’s ruling about current fighter contracts
  • Notes on Paul vs. Joshua
  • Mick Foley breaks ties with WWE over Trump
  • TKO stock skyrockets
  • NXT Awards

This Week’s Back Issue

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Thursday Update

WWE

  • The Kowloon restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts – a frequent stop for pro wrestlers in the area – thanked John Cena for gifting them an autographed title belt:
    • THANK YOU VERY MUCH, John Cena for this Autographed and inscribed ‘Farewell Tour Boston’ 2025 WWE Championship Spinner Belt!! Now framed and on display here at Kowloon.
    • Thank you for entertaining millions of fans and granting over 700 + Wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, by far the most of all time!
    • Enjoy your well deserved retirement from the ring. Looking forward to seeing what’s next on your Movies and TV!
  • Seth Rollins was one of the pre-game panelists for Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL coverage, appearing before the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings game. 
  • WWE Vault uploaded the complete World Class Championship Wrestling Christmas Star Wars 1982 event featuring Ric Flair defending the NWA World Championship against Kerry Von Erich inside of a steel cage.
  • Rusev is celebrating his 40th birthday today.

Other Wrestling

  • Tony Khan hyped that tonight’s Christmas Collision is one of his favorite AEW TV shows ever:
    • Merry Christmas! We saved the best Collision of 2025 for last! CHRISTMAS NIGHT #AEWCollision 9pm ET/8pm CT, on TNT + HBO Max
    • It’s only my personal opinion: I think that Christmas Collision TONIGHT is one of the best @AEWonTV shows in AEW’s 6+ year history. Don’t miss it TONIGHT!
  • MJF tweeted ahead of challenging for the AEW World Championship at Worlds End this weekend:
    • They don’t hand out greatness, they document it. After Worlds End, I join a list of only 9 men to be world champion twice before 30:
    • Lou Thesz. 
    • Rikidōzan. 
    • Shinsuke Nakamura. 
    • Kazuchika Okada. 
    • Yokozuna. 
    • The Rock. 
    • Brock Lesnar. 
    • Randy Orton. 
    • John Cena.
    • MJF.
  • AEW wrestlers and personnel named their favorite Christmas movies:
    • Tony Schiavone: Christmas Vacation
    • Kevin Knight: Home Alone 2
    • Renee Paquette: The Family Stone
    • “Speedball” Mike Bailey: Shrek the Halls
    • Brody King: Christmas Vacation
    • Toa Liona: Christmas Vacation
    • Bishop Kaun: A Charlie Brown Christmas
    • Ricochet: Jingle All The Way
  • Matt Jackson and Kenny Omega wished everyone a Merry Christmas in a new video on the Being the Elite YouTube channel.
  • AEW music producer Mikey Rukus shared a video that Toni Storm made for his neighbors’ children:
    • Merry Christmas everyone. I have to share this. Toni Storm is an incredible human being. She found out my neighbors kids are huge fans of hers and she recorded this video for them. She’s unhinged and she’s THE BEST!
  • Brodie Lee Jr. paid homage to John Cena by dressing up as him and doing some of Cena’s moves during a recent training session at The Dungeon.
  • NJPW opened up voting for the 2025 edition of its annual Concurso bodybuilding contest.
  • TNA posted the following preview for tonight’s Christmas edition of Impact, which includes a surprise 10-person tag team match where the competitors are not announced in advance:
    • TNA looks back on a remarkable year as the 2025 Year End Awards take center stage. From breakout stars to unforgettable moments, championships to rivalries that defined the year, we will honor the best of the best from a LOADED 2025! Who will take home the final bragging rights before the calendar flips to 2026? Find out this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV in the U.S., Sportsnet 360 in Canada, and TNA+ worldwide.
    • The action doesn’t stop there. A SURPRISE 10-Person Tag Team Match has been announced for the Christmas Special and the competitors won’t be revealed until bell time. With pride, momentum, and bragging rights on the line, anything can happen when ten stars collide in the iMPACT! Zone. Expect chaos. Expect unpredictability. Expect a holiday showdown only TNA can deliver this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV in the U.S., Sportsnet 360 in Canada, and TNA+ worldwide.
  • FanX Salt Lake City 2025 uploaded video of Mick Foley’s Q&A from their convention.
  • The Toronto Suns’ No Holds Barred podcast interviewed Rob Van Dam.
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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.