Daily Update: Linda McMahon, WWE Raw, Xyon Quinn
Daily Update
Latest News
- On sale now: Dave Meltzer & Bryan Alvarez Q&A in Las Vegas
- Report: Elektra Lopez released from WWE
- Ring of Honor TV spoilers from Rosenberg, Texas
- Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs. Dakota Kai & IYO Sky set for WWE Raw
- Bear Bronson issues statement on Bear Boulder’s AEW release and arrest
- Max Caster open challenge announced for AEW Dynamite
Latest Audio
- WOR: UFC 312 recap, WWE cuts, AEW Collision & SmackDown recaps
- WOL: A familiar new Defy champion, WWE releases, Solo Sikoa returns on SmackDown
- WOR: AEW Grand Slam Australia, lawsuits filed against Vince McMahon
Latest Free YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- The most detailed look at the updated Janel Grant lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE. We look at the new claims, the arguments in favor of the case not going to arbitration as McMahon, Laurinaitis and WWE have argued, who is the most in jeopardy, lots of notes on the legal strategy from both sides, more text messages released as well.
- Tons of records set at the 2025 Royal Rumble, the direction going into WrestleMania, the fake record John Cena may break and who has always been planned to break it later, Dwayne Johnson, Jey Uso, Alexa Bliss, business records including a very noteworthy record set by the show. We have an apples-to-apples comparison between Rumble viewers on Netflix and Raw viewers which is very interesting.
- The ringboys lawsuit goes forward against Vince & Linda McMahon and WWE, details of what the issues that put it on hold were as well as a very important note about the suit that hasn’t gotten much talk.
- The most detailed look at TV ratings and streaming numbers for pro wrestling programming in the U.S., including segment-by-segment numbers, what countries Raw is strongest in, competition and more.
- Unique tournament this month in Mexico City
- A look at major international matches over the past week
- Stardom PPV notes
- Tag champ brothers release a new album and music video.
- New Beginning in Osaka and Fantastica Mania upcoming shows.
- Young Bucks talk their return to Japan
- Why Hiroshi Tanahashi was in tears after Kenny Omega vs. Gabe Kidd
- Hall of Famer says his son has recently got a WWE offer
- Ed Wiskowski’s time in Australia.
- Lots of news on Grand Slam Australia.
- International TV numbers and streaming numbers
- Ticket sales to all the major upcoming WWE & AEW shows including WrestleMania, Elimination Chamber, Revolution and All In.
- Jericho Cruise notes
- Merch sale leaders from WWE & AEW
- Story on the retirement of Dominick Cruz and his legacy in UFC
- One of the key people in the pro wrestling business and the most important person in the MMA business are rumored to be working together to start a new sports franchise
- How is ESPN+ doing
- Another world champion wants release from his promotion.
- All the craziness of the Canelo negotiations
- TKO stock reaching record highs
- Lots of news on Mania week
- More on cancellation of Cena TV show
- More on new Evolve TV show
- Another lawsuit with Nick Khan’s name in it
- How much WWE stock does Dwayne Johnson now own?
- Lots of contract news
- WWE & AEW injury stats – which company, on average, has more serious injuries.
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue
Sunday Update
— We have two weekend shows up on the site right now. Our Friday show with Garrett Gonzales talking about the news of the week, including AEW in Australia, Canelo Alvarez and tons of history. We also did our weekend show last night covering UFC, Collision, WWE releases, Smackdown and New Japan in Osaka with Garrett Gonzales and Paul Fontaine.
— Linda McMahon’s hearing regarding her nomination for Education Secretary under Donald Trump will be on Thursday at 10 a.m. Eastern time.
— The Nielsen streaming ratings for the week of 1/6 to 1/12 came out and Raw, which was the first show on Netflix, was not in the top ten, meaning under 2,250,000 streaming views in the U.S. Basically if that week didn’t make the top ten, it tells us that we won’t be able to get Nielsen ratings for Raw even a month late.
— At last night’s UFC show, Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 was announced as being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer in Las Vegas. The show was a rare so-so at best UFC PPV show. Both champions, Dricus du Plessis and Zhang Weili, dominated challengers Sean Strickland and Tatiana Suarez in decision wins. Both champs looked good but the fights weren’t that exciting.
— The 45th annual Observer awards will be out in this coming Friday’s issue.
— For Google searches this weekend, last night’s UFC show did just over 1.15 million searches which is the normal number for a PPV show. WWE releases got 100,000 while Zhang Weili, Tallison Teixeira did 50,000 and Jimmy Crute and Jake Matthews, who fought on last night’s UFC show, did 20,000 each. Obviously the list is dominated by things related to the Super Bowl.
— The Von Erichs returned to AEW last night in a 12-man tag team match taped for ROH. Ross had been out of action for a long time due to injury. Hechicero & Soberano Jr & Cavernario, a rudo team, beat Sammy Guevara & Black Panther & Fuego as well. Abadon was also back (thanks to Trae Wisecarver and Joshua Starnes)
— As it turns out Canelo Alvarez will face William Scull for the IBF, WBA WBC and WBO super middleweight titles on 5/3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It’s a title unification match.
— The former Xyon Quinn (Daniel Vidot) from WWE will be in this year’s Champion Carnival tournament for All Japan. The A block has Kento Miyahara, Jun Saito, Hideki Suzuki, Shotaro Ashino, Kuma Arashi, Kengo Masimo Xyon, Cyrus and Davey Boy Smith Jr. The B block has Yuma Aoyagi, Rei Saito, Hokuto Omori, Yuma Anzai, Ryuki Honda, Ren Ayabe, Aigie Blanc from Europe, Mike D Vecchio from Europe and Madoka Kikuta from Dragon Gate.
— They did an angle on last night’s MLW show in Atlanta where Cesar Duran set up Mistico vs. Templario for the MLW middleweight title on 4/5 in Los Angeles.
— Samu Anoa’i, the first cousin of Roman Reigns and a very underrated wrestler in his day, is having open heart surgery tomorrow. He held the WWF and World Class tag titles with Fatu, who later became Rikishi, as the Samoan Swat Team.
— Dakota Kai was cleared after her concussion from the springboard dropkick by Zoey Stark a few weeks ago. Kai & Iyo Sky will wrestle Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez on Raw tomorrow.
— Shock Cinema has a story on Woody Strode, who wrested mostly in the 50s but was more famous for being one of the first black college football major stars and one of the first men of color to play in the NFL and later for being a Western movie star in a career that spanned from 1941 until his death in 1994.
— Bouts that we’ve heard raves about this weekend are the MLW match from last night with Mistico & Mascara Dorada vs. Esfinge & Templario from Atlanta and Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe from Collision last night. Collision was a great show, strong wrestling, strong angles and a super hot crowd. The show was there to heavily push this coming Saturday nights show from Brisbane, Australia.
— Kirk White’s Big Time Wrestling from Friday night in Newark, CA: Will Hobbs b Alan Angels, Titus Alexander b Timothy Thatcher, Too Fresh b Los Ricos, Jheri Giggalow won over JT Thorne, Vinnie Massaro and Bret the Threat, Sandra Moore b Johnnie Robbie to win the women’s title, Starboy Charlie & Marcus Lewis & Jiah Jewell b Los Suavecitos & Dom Cirrus, Starboy Charlie won the annual Battle Royal (thanks to Jim Davis and Jonny Poon)
— Defy had a sellout for its 8th anniversary show last night in Seattle before a turn away crowd Judas Icarus & Travis Williams & Evan Rivers b Gringo Loco & Arez & Latigo in a ladder match, Nick Wayne b Marcus Mathers, Bollywood Boyz b C4, Marina Shafir b Zamaya to win the Defy women’s title, Amerikan Gunz b Midnight Heat, Ricky Starks b KENTA to win the Defy title. They aired the angle with Ricochet and Swerve Strickland for the show on Collision last night.
