Daily Update: Pat McAfee angle, Billy Jack Haynes, MJF

Pat McAfee WWE Heel Turn SmackDown
Image Copyright: WWE

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • The most detailed update on the Janel Grant case, with her new filing and claims, a look at those claims in detail, what is net for the case, the key thing regarding the future of the case and why it really comes down to the judges ruling, and timeline for all of this. We cover new cais and the arguments for and against binding arbitration or continuing the civil case.
  • Update on WrestleMania, the card as of this point, reasons for some of the new matches, when matches changed and why, as well as the business for the show, how far behind are ticket sales and interest in the show as compared to the same period last year.
  • Chris Jericho returns to AEW and as much detail as we have on the decision
  • AEW Dynasty update and updated major event ticket sales
  • The death of J Robinson, a college coaching legend and his connections with a number of key figures in pro wrestling, including the recruiting of Brock Lesnar by WWE and the politics behind why WWE waited an extra year to offer him a deal.
  • The most detailed look at the television ratings for all the pro wrestling shows this past week, including competition, comparisons with one year back, Raw vs. Dynamite and how close it has become, and more.
  • It’s CMLL tournament of champions month starting this week
  • Anniversary shows at Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo this week including a look back at the first show in each building
  • A look at the four title match show at ArenaMexico on Tuesday
  • A super hot match to watch on AAA
  • A look at Stardom’s biggest stipulation of the year and Yokohama Arena show
  • Current Tiger Mask retires
  • Best of the Super Junior tournament update
  • Largest crowd of the year for women’s wrestling in Japan
  • Hodge trophy winner looked at
  • Maple Leaf Wrestling announces new TV deal and a look at the weekend shows
  • Stabbing at a pro wrestling show
  • Very interesting political match will take place with TNA champion vs. AEW star
  • American gold medalist challenges UFC undefeated champion
  • Rebellion notes
  • Lots of injury updates and business notes
  • Wrestler complaining about AEW not booking them enough
  • Kenny Omega talks his and Kota Ibushi’s health
  • Brody King talks the chants
  • Tony Khan and his enemies
  • Kayla Harrison on why her next bantamweight fight will be her last and why she should never have fought at bantamweight to begin with
  • Crazy Dana White story
  • Will Mayweather-Pacquiao II take place and what are the issues
  • Fedor Emelianenko wants to return to combat next year
  • Nick Khan acquires TKO stock
  • Bret & Ross Hart talk Badnews Allen in WWE Hall of Fame

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Sunday Update

Billy Jack Haynes
Billy Jack Haynes

— We’ll be back with Wrestling Observer Radio tonight talking Smackdown, Sakura Genesis, Stand & Deliver and the rest of the weekend news.

— We’ll talk about the SmackDown angles tonight on the show. As noted all weekend, this was an Ari Emanuel call to Pat McAfee to do the angle and not something from the Paul Levesque side. Of those we heard from internally, they were not fans of it to say the least.

— Willam Haynes, Jr., the former Billy Jack Hayes, was ordered to stand trial for the murder of his wife in 2024. He was previously ruled mentally unfit to stand trial in May. He underwent more testing and KATU-TV reported the decision was made for him to stand trial in 2027 for the death of wife Janette Becraft.

— MJF said on the Late Night Grin podcast that he told Tony Khan they should do a documentary on the Wednesday night War with NXT, noting that they could have interviews with Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Relly and Swerve Strickland who were in NXT at the time.

— Billy Corgan’s NWA at the Crockett Cup this weekend announced a TV deal with the Sci-fi channel COMET. No other details were announced. Comet in 2025 averaged 92,000 viewers and an 0.03 in 18-49in prime time.

— The Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira UFC flyweight title match that was scheduled for the major show on 4/11 has been moved back to the May show. The new semifinal underneath Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Uhlbertg for the vacant light heavyweight title will be Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa.

— Regarding Dynamite, it was third in the first hour behind FOX News (which had a giant night with the Donald Trump speech) and the NBA and fourth in the second hour, also behind CNN. It was actually up in 18-49 and 25-54 from last week, down in 18-34 but still the second highest Dynamite in 18-34 so far this year.

— Will Ospreay on X said that he hadn’t returned to Japan because he wanted a break and didn’t know how his body was going to feel doing long flights like that since he lives in the U.K., and works full-time with AEW.

— Jon Jones was involved in an incident last night. Bryan Betran, who drove in a car said he was nearly hit three times by a truck even after revving his engine the first time. He flipped the person off and he proceeded to stop in the middle of the road, backed up and came into the parking lot. He said he thought Jones was carrying a weapon but said he just wanted the whole thing to blow over. Jones’ side is that the kid chased his car down for two blocks and tried to intimidate him and said he was proud of himself for standing up for himself and not allowing any bullying or intimidation.

— We haven’t heard much yet from the weekend CMLL shows, but from reports the top weekend matches were Callum Newman’s IWGP title win over Yota Tsuji and Yuto-Ice & Oskar vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa from Sakura Genesis. Stand & Deliver was also a lot better than most of the recent NXT big shows.

— I didn’t monitor it closely but Stand & Deliver about 30 minutes into the show had 133,000 viewers and was doing 147,000 to 158,000 about an hour in on YouTube. Those were only U.S. numbers but still far smaller than I would have expected.

— We’re looking for your thoughts on NXT Stand & Deliver and NJPW Sakura Genesis, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]

— Really not much on the Google search stuff for this weekend. Everything was low. The UFC show did 50,000. Stand & Deliver did 7,000. Deontay Wilder had 10,000 searches. Pat McAfee, Lil Yachty and nothing from Smackdown thing from Smackdown even hit the top 350 for the weekend.

— WrestleCon announced that Ted DiBiase Jr. would be coming this year.

— The Global Wars show from 3/27 from Maple Leaf Wrestling which as a joint show with ROH is now up on Honor Club.

— Scott Teal has released the first volume of his history of Stl Louis book, which covers August 27, 1873 to 1927. Volume 1 looks at the origins of pro wrestling in St Louis, matches in bars, theaters, athletic clubs and eventually moving to the Coliseum and Municipal Auditorium. Volume 2, covering 1928-1936 will be out later this year and he will continue to release books covering St. Louis Wrestling until the end of the Sam Muchnick era on January 1, 1982. For more inf go to www.crowbarpress.com

— United Wrestling Coalition on 4/11 in New Egypt, NJ at the American Legion. It is not a wrestling show by itself, but also an 80s wrestling party which is family friendly..

— Diamond Dallas Page turned 70 today. Villano IV (Tomaz Mendoza Diaz) turned 61. Charlotte Flair turned 40 and Dominik Mysterio turned 29. Among other birthdays include John Tolos, born in 1931 and Sika Anoia’i, born in 1945. Among those who passed away on this day were former NCAA champion and 50s pro star Ralph “Ruffy” Silvestein, who was 66 when he died 46 years ago today. Sara Lee was 76 when she died 18 years ago today. New Zealand promoter Steve Richard was 85 when he died 11 years ago today (thanks to Tony Richrards)

— Announced for Maple Leaf Wrestling on 4/17 at the Palms in Las Vegas is Mistico & Mascara Dorada & Amazing Red vs. Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz & Myron Reed, plus Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Shotzi Blackheart and Michael Oku are on the show.

— Seth Rollins will be in the opening segment on Raw tomorrow.

Google Icon
Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer

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.