Daily Update: Netflix-WBD, Steve Regal, The Rock
Daily Update
Latest News
- WWE Raw live results: Gunther speaks ahead of John Cena’s final match
- WWE NXT ratings down for Deadline go-home show
- ‘Mr. Electricity’ Steve Regal passed away this July
- Ricochet to defend AEW National title at RevPro event
- The Rock reacts to Golden Globe nomination
Latest Audio
- WOL: WBD/Netflix/Paramount, must-see weekend matches
- JNPO: July 2025 wrestling year in review – Hulk Hogan passes away, AEW All In
- B&V: Bryan Alvarez reviews ROH Final Battle!
- DragonKingKarl: The return of Col. James H. McLaughlin
Latest YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
–The new issue of the Observer is out. The lead story on the WBD/Netflix/Paramount situation could end up being in hindsight the most important business story of this year as far as long-term ramifications to the scene. The second story on the TNA deal with AMC is also one of the major stories of the year.
*A look at the Netflix/WBD proposed deal, how iit went down, what it entails, how this affects AEW, the AEW contract situation with WBD and what it entails and how long it is s well as fears in the entertainment industry if this goes through, as well as steps being taken by Paramount to get it blocked.
*TNA signs a new TV deal with AMC, the early schedule, what is and isn’t true about the deal, as well as the power of AMC and how pro wrestling has affected and changed the ratings for all of its television partners with the most updated numbers, which also shows why it is still valuable programming.
*A complete look at Survivor Series including how people viewed the show, changes that can be made to War Games to make it easier to watch, business notes on the show, overall interest level compared to recent PPV shows, where WWE goes from here, Netflix numbers outside the U.S. and more.
*The history of Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada, the making of their final match, where Shinsuke Nakamura fit in as well as AEW, WWE and CMLL, business notes, history, historical significance and how the story has played out since the start of the year.
*A look at this weekend’s shows and odds
*Les Hudspith aka Ringo Rigby, former U.K. wrestler who led a very interesting life, between judo, being a main eventer quick in the U.K., the political situation in the U.K. that led to his leaving, coming to the dying California promotion and thriving Mexican scene and crazy street brawls.
*The most detailed look at the television ratings from the past week, placings, comparisons and more.
*Coverage of one of the best Arena Mexico shows of the year including Claudio Castagnoi’s title win
*The next major CMLL show, plus lots of big shows around the country
*AAA and WWE combine for a big show with two great bouts, and what this leads to
*End of Stardom tag team tournament
*End of Dragon Gate tournament
*Update on All Japan and New Japan tournaments
*Who has the most five-star matches in 2025
*Real American Freestyle update and apparently business philosophy
*Lots of AEW new shows
*Detailed look at the Continental Classic including a decision to be made this week’
*Bryan Danielson talks injuries, if he can come back, Brie Bella coming back, retiring, traveling and more
*Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows over the net five weeks
*Is AEW really closing the gap on WWE as Tony Khan says, a look at different metrics
*Tom Aspinall update
*What UFC should do and won’t to make the Amanda Nunes vs. Kayle Harrisoni fight better and less risky
*The sad plight of Nick Diaz
*Nick Khan and Laurence Epstein push their version of the Ali Act
*Rumors about Ronda Rousey fighting
*TKO stock value update
*How much has DwayneJohnson earned so far in his less than two years with WWE
This Week’s Back Issue
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Monday Update
–Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio. We have a bunch of weekend shows on the site covering all the stuff that took place over the weekend.
–We’re looking for your thoughts on both NXT Deadline and ROH Final Battle, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match for each show to [email protected]
–There have been a ton of twist and turns in the WBD sale to Netflix. The key is Paramount making a far bigger money offer bid ($108.4 billion to $82.7 billion) and David Zaslav saying he will entertain that bid. I don’t know any of this will change pro wrestling short-term, but whoever gets in control of what obviously has the ability to change the entire history of -pro wrestling, in particular from an AEW standpoint.
–Mr. Electricity Steve Regal passed away on 7/20. He was a wrestler who was a star for Dick the Bruiser in Indiana and later in the AWA. He and Spike Huber were a tag team in Indiana as the top upcoming stars when Regal married co-owner Wilbur Snyder’s daughter and Huber married co-owner Dick the Bruiser’s daughter. But Regal was on the small side for that era, but he was a very good wrestler. When the Road Warriors were considered unbeatable, but they were leaving the AWA, Regal & Jimmy Garvin beat them for the AWA world tag team titles, which undoubtedly would have been the high point of his career. He won the AWA light heavyweight title from Buck Zum Hofe in 1984 and was a star in Oregon. He also held the NWA world junior heavyweight title in 1986 in a feud with Denny Brown. He was later world champion for Windy City Wrestling and worked as an enhancement wrestler for WWF.
–As noted earlier, Dwayne Johnson was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best lead actor in a dramatic movie this year for “Smashing Machine.” Emily Blount, who played Mark Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a movie of any type. While the movie was a box office bomb, this nomination would help sooth the pain and increase hope for an Oscar nomination, which was his goal in doing this movie.
–Raw is in Kansas City tonight. AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defend the tag titles against the Viking Raiders, Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Balor and Roxanne Perez vs. Lyra Valkyria were announced. It’s the last Raw before the Cena finale so they may announce a new match. they had 7,600 tickets out for tonight.
–As noted earlier today, Leon Slater was pulled from his weekend European dates so the belief is Slater & Je’Von Evans will face a WWE tag team on Saturday’s Cena finale show. I know people in WWE who believe it but we did not have it confirmed.
–CM PUnk is taping a Netflix show this week so won’t be on Raw tonight.
–Becky Lynch is doing a boycott angle with the idea she won’t come back until they give her back the IC title.
–NXT on Tuesday did 532,000 viewers and an 0.08 in 18-49. We still don’t have the numbers for last Wednesday’s Dynamite show.
–There was an issue with Collision on Saturday. Originally the show was to air live on the West Coast on TNT. For reasons I’m not sure of, it did not, and aired in the normal 8-10 p.m. time slot. However, that meant DVRs picked up 5-7 p.m. which was other programming so if you didn’t have MAX and DVR’s it you would have missed the show. This was a TNT issue and somehow the ball was dropped.
–We have a new book out on amazon.com. It’s basically the 1985 Wrestling Observer collection covering every issue from that year. That includes the first WrestleMania, the first Saturday Night’s Main Event, Jim Crockett getting control of wrestling on TBS, AWA getting a deal with ESPN, the 20/20 special on wrestling and an overall very successful year for the industry. The book is available for $29.99 and we’ll have more on it in the new issue.
–The A block is now complete in the New Japan tag team tournament. Today’s results from Hiroshima were:
Shuji Ishikawa & El Desperado (4-3) beat Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens (1-6)
Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd (5-2) beat Taichi & Satoshi Kojima (1-6)
Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano (4-3) beat Evil & Don Fale (4-3)
Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi (5-2) beat Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney (4-3)
Goto & Yoshi-Hash took first since they beat Tsuji & Kidd in the round-robin. They will face the second place in B block on Wednesday in Nagasaki. Tsuji & Kidd face the B block winners on Friday in Sendai.
B block will be decided tomorrow in Iizuka:
Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura (4-2) vs. Yuto-Ice & Oskar (3-3)
Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa (3-3) vs. Lance Archer & Alex Zayne (3-3)
David Finlay & Hiromu Takahashi (2-4) vs. Great O’Khan & Callum Newman (4-2)
Hiroshi Tanahashi & El Phantamso (2-4) vs. Ren Narita & Sanada (3-3)
–Neon missed his dive, perhaps the hottest move in pro wrestling, on Friday’s Arena Mexico show. He went out on a stretcher and is out of action at least for the next week at least.
–Ricochet will defend the AEW National title on Sunday in Cardiff, Wales, on the RevPro show against Nino Bryant. This is the biggest match of Bryant’s career.
–Toshiaki Kawada, one of the all-time greats and a rare double Hall of Famer (by himself and as a tag team with Akira Taue) turned 62 today. Many consider to this day his 1994 match with Mitsuharu Misawa as the greatest of all-time. Misawa vs. Kawada was one of the greatest feuds in history.
–Coastal Championship Wrestling will be taping television for the first time tonight and tomorrow night in Pompano Beach, FL. They say their show will air on major local stations in Florida and some Southeastern markets. Matt Riddle, Gangrel and Ben Bishop are listed as the top stars.
–Arena Mexico tomorrow night has Mistico & Titan vs. tag champs Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja in a non-title match and Mascara Dorada vs.Cavernario.
–PWInsider listed that the first TNA show on AMC will feature Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana for the TNA title and the winner will then face a cash-in of Nic Nemeth.
–Mike Tyson claims he will be fighting Floyd Mayweather in March in Africa. He said it’s going to break all the box office records.
–Other birthdays today are Gama Singh (71), Ken “Slick”Johnson, the former WWF Dr. of Style (67), the legendary Chigusa Nagayo (61), Michael Cole (57), Enzo Amore (39) and Billie Starkz (21). Jack Lanza passed away four years ago today at the age of 86. (thanks to Tony Richards)
–MLW Fan Appreciation night on 1/29 in Kissimmee, FL has announced the annual Battle Riot show which is their version of the Royal Rumble. Alex Hammerstone was announced for the show.
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.