Daily Update: New WWE trademark, Josh Alexander, Wolfgang

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

This issue covers the following topics:

  • The changes in the WrestleMania plans, the Drew McIntyre title win, Roman Reigns return and the whys.
  • WWE getting Will Hobbs while AEW signs a slew of new talent as well. A look at each case-by-case.
  • Notes on the big weekend coming to Mexico City
  • Kayla Harrison injury and what is the future for the biggest women’s fight in years
  • Win-loss records and total bouts for all top WWE/NXT talent in 2025
  • WWE Iron Man winner from 1984-2025
  • What cutting back on the schedule has taught us about injuries
  • Who gets protected in booking and who doesn’t
  • The problem with the current schedule and development of young talent
  • A star who has been around through various eras talks timing and injuries and best schedule
  • A look at TNA’s debut on AMC, what went right and wrong
  • When did wrestling start being a work. Studying of history shows it’s a lot earlier than you would think
  • Odds for WWE matches upcoming
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling shows this past week, as well as comparisons with the past and a look at the level of declines and why
  • What wrestler has already main evented 12 sold out shows in 2026
  • One woman wrestler announces retirement and another retires
  • Kazuchika Okada in Japan
  • Most watched New Japan World matches of 2025
  • Ted DiBiase Jr. on trial
  • Death of Rick Link, from fan clubs to main events
  • Jesse Ventura speaks about the current political environment
  • The greatest wrestler in the world signs with Eric Bischoff’s promotion
  • Tons of major independent shows coming
  • AEW gets TV in new market
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA events
  • Most viewed YouTube videos from AEW and WWE
  • Tag team returning to AEW
  • Dana White shuts down talk of major match
  • A new lawsuit filed against WWE
  • Notes on the recent WWE tryout
  • Notes on all the WWE arena shows this past week.

This Week’s Back Issue

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Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full triple threat tag match that headlined NXT last night, which saw Sol Ruca & Zaria defeat Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid and Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair to become the number one contenders to the TNA Knockouts Tag Team titles.
  • WWE filed a trademark application for the name “Royce Keys” on January 20.
  • On What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker was asked if he’s enjoyed hosting his own Six Feet Under podcast:
    • It has its moments. Yeah, it really does. When you’re in a discussion or you’re in a conversation and you’re hitting it off, that’s always fun. But, man, sometimes when you get that guest that doesn’t want to talk or is not a storyteller, right? I don’t want to name names, but it can be like pulling a tooth.
  • Undertaker announced that Rhodes will be a future guest on Six Feet Under.
  • R-Truth sent out a message thanking everyone for how they’ve responded to the new season of WWE Unreal:
    • Thank you to each and everyone of you WORLD WIDE! I don’t call you fans anymore, You all are my family. I really appreciate ALL of you more than you’ll ever know.
  • CM Punk & AJ Styles teamed up at WWE’s house show in Brussels yesterday, defeating Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed.
  • Booker T spoke to The Takedown on SI about his willingness to help younger talent:
    • I always tell the young guys, if you want some help, I’ll be right over here. I got a little cubby hole and I got a little spot, a little office. Sometimes I show up to work and I have two guys, three guys, a girl, sitting there waiting on me. We’ll break it down … really go into self interrogation mode, ask ourselves serious questions.
    • It’s mostly going to be ‘what not to dos’ and working with these kids and really getting down to the meat and potatoes of being able to beat someone up poetically. That’s all it is. If you could do that, we can make a whole lot of money.

Other Wrestling

  • Josh Alexander appeared on the Battleground Podcast ahead of his match against Kenny Omega on Dynamite tonight.
  • During the interview, Alexander was asked if he would like to see his wife Jade Chung and friend Scott D’Amore have a role in AEW/ROH:
    • I would absolutely love to see that. I mean, Scott’s one thing. He might take offense more if I said no to that than my wife. 
    • My wife first and foremost, she changed her whole career from a wrestling manager into being a ring announcer just because [TNA] asked her to try it. She was worried about it, but she’s like, ‘I’ll give it a try, I’ve never done it, we’ll see.’ She went to voice lessons for a year, and she’s still going to this day, even though she’s not doing it anymore.
    • But she did all this hard work. And I think the hard work showed in what she was able to do as a ring announcer. Like, she was getting praise from a lot of people from around the industry that have been in the industry for a very long time.
    • So I think it’d be a terrible waste of her talents to not see her do what she now loves to do and is now confident in doing at a bigger company. AEW would be a very good place for that.
    • Scott D’Amore, the man has helped me more than anybody else in wrestling history. He saw something in me when a lot of people didn’t, gave me an opportunity when a lot of people didn’t. And the only reason I’m sitting here in this house that I’m able to put over my children’s heads is because of Scott D’Amore giving me those opportunities and me making the best of them. So I owe that guy so much, and I would love to see him anywhere.
  • WDW News Today has an interview with MJF.
  • Alec Price told Undisputed that he and Jordan Oliver are out to prove they’re the best tag team in the world now that they’ve signed with AEW:
    • This is our time. [MJF] was part of the last generation of indie talent, then me and Jordan and our generation held the indies strong. Now it’s all about a new challenge. Me and Jordan aren’t going to squander this opportunity. We’re the best tag team in the world, and we’re going to show it.
  • In an interview with NJPW’s English-language website, Yota Tsuji reacted to Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement match:
    • I hit the showers when I got to the back and I was icing my neck while I checked it out. Tanahashi’s incredible. Those cheers at that volume from that many people without stopping, it just hit home how much he means to wrestling. Tanahashi that day was like the ultimate final form of a pro-wrestler. And you know, the match was great. Some emotion just boiled over toward the end there (laughs).
  • Tsuji noted that he wants his IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship defense against Gabe Kidd or Andrade El Idolo to take place overseas. Those two are facing each other in a number one contender’s match at the New Beginning in Osaka on February 11.
    • I’d like to do it overseas. If it happens to be Andrade then it’s a new international name to me to face, and if it’s Gabe then it will be a chance to show the best of NJPW to a foreign audience, so it’ll be cool either way.
  • All three members of former WWE faction Gallus will be debuting for MLW in Kissimmee, Florida on January 29, with Wolfgang joining Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey among the confirmed entrants for the 40-man Battle Riot match.
  • Elayna Black (the former Cora Jade) revealed that she is dating fellow TNA wrestler KC Navarro.
  • Limitless Wrestling’s YouTube channel uploaded the full Eddie Kingston & Ortiz vs. Anthony Greene & Channing Thomas tag match from last week.
  • “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, The Great Sasuke, Gangrel, and Jordan Oliver & Alec Price will be taking part in Joey Janela’s Boat Bash 2027.
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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.