Daily Update: R-Truth, Jay White, Mickie James

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the  Wrestling Observer Newsletter is up on the site:

  • In depth with the changes in ratings, are pro wrestling and MMA being undercounted, are they less popular than we thought, how the changes have happened, streaming, how this relates to baseball, football, and other entertainment shows.
  • John Cena’s last matches, and the surprises in current WWE booking plans for now until December.
  • A look at Crown Jewel and WrestleDream, the cards, how the shows look and the current interest level in them.
  • Favorites in the betting in all the major future matches
  • A look at The Smashing Machine, the heyday of Mark Kerr, the box office and what we’ve learned, comparisons with Iron Claw, the performances by Dwayne Johnson Emily Blunt and Ryan Bader and the Pride Grand Prix in 2000 with Sakuraba vs. Gracie and key what ifs that people don’t talk about
  • All In Texas attendance and how much the state will be paying AEW based on the deal, plus original plans for that week and three shows that were once thought and talked about but didn’t happen with two international promotions.
  • Full coverage of UFC 320, what’s next for the winners, the business side of things and match-by-match.
  • The most complete and detailed look at the ratings for all the major shows as well as comparisons with last year, segment-by-segment notes, demos and more.
  • Expectations of when a major milestone in history of buildings that house wrestling will be reached and when 1 million fans in one specific building attending wrestling in a year is expected
  • King of Pro Wrestling thoughts
  • New Japan’s last major show looked at
  • 40th anniversary of a landmark tag team event taking place
  • Hulk Hogan’s widow looking at medical malpractice suit
  • Death of the former Sabrina
  • Dave Bautista makes surprising revelation
  • Mistico vs. Bandido in Xalapa
  • Renee Dupree talks the old WWE locker room
  • Bound for Glory notes
  • Lots of injury and contract updates
  • The story of Ultimo Dragon’s ten belts and Mercedes Mone beating that record
  • Sting’s son has his first match
  • Advance tickets sales for the WWE & AEW shows over the next two months
  • The strange secret suspension of  Conor McGregor
  • More on the White House show
  • MMA fight of the year on the Dana White Contenders Series
  • Has the WWE boom period ended or is it ending?
  • The WWE product right now
  • Jimmy Jacobs talks differences in backstage at WWE and TNA

This Week’s Back Issue

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Thursday Update

WWE

  • R-Truth told CBS Sports that he thinks it would have been a selfish move to continue going by Ron Killings instead of returning to his R-Truth character:
    • It went where it was supposed to go. Ron Killings created R-Truth. Those hundreds of millions of fans who spoke and up-roared. They wanted R-Truth back. Ron Killings was the rebellious one who spoke up for R-Truth.
    • Ron Killings has been around for years, but people had never come together in lockstep like that. They did that for R-Truth. You feel me?. I wanted Ron Killings to go where he was supposed to go. He made a statement; he had eyes on him. When John Cena came back, R-Truth came back. Ron Killings was the cavalry.
    • I think [Ron Killings] was a selfish-type deal, more of a selfish move. I had more than 100 million views that wanted R-Truth. If numbers are real, that was the power of numbers.
  • Bleacher Report and the New York Post also have interviews with Truth.
  • In the Bleacher Report interview, Truth was asked who he thinks can be the next John Cena in WWE:
    • Man, there’s a lot of guys. NXT is full of talent, man. Trick [Williams] is there, Carmelo [Hayes] is up here now, they got Je’Von [Evans], there’s so much talent there, man. I don’t want to, like, put no names or specific things on people, I like to just watch and let everything blossom and bloom. There’s a lot of things that a lot of people still have to pay attention to and see, as far as characters go, a lot of people still coming into their characters. But there’s gonna be guys, you’ll see another almost like Cena, you’ll see another almost like everybody else. But I don’t like to put no names on anybody, there’s a lot of them that you need to keep your eyes on.
  • Chelsea Green told Woman’s World magazine that she and Matt Cardona want to have children one day, but plans to do so are paused at the moment:
    • We put it on pause when I was asked to come back to WWE. This was an opportunity we both knew we could not turn down. If I turn it down, I’m going to end up having kids and resent the family life.
    • So here I am. I’m 34. I’m dying for babies. My husband wants babies… but duty calls. I’m making money. I’m living my dream. But hey, you never know. In a couple months, if it happens, God willing, it happens. I’ll just have to take my babies on the road with me!
  • Omos has partnered with cologne company Zaharoff to produce his own fragrance named “IBERE.”
  • New Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey posted today:
    • Two years ago today, I walked into WWE not knowing what to expect. Now I can’t imagine my life without it.
    • The memories, the friendships, the lessons — all of it has meant so much, more than I can put into words. Just so grateful
  • The Miz appeared on Kittle Things with Claire & George Kittle.
  • Peter Rosenberg was a guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
  • Rhea Ripley reacted to photos from throughout her career on a new episode of WWE Break It Down.

Other Wrestling

  • Jay White – who has been sidelined since March due to injury – returned to social media today after a long absence. He tweeted the following: “Ready?”
  • Bleacher Report asked Kris Statlander if she plans to go after the AEW Women’s Tag Team titles:
    • Absolutely. One of my trainers [Brian Myers] is a former tag team champion, so tag team wrestling, it’s not my bread and butter, but it’s something that I hold so near and dear to my heart.
    • I love love love a really good tag match more than anything in the world. To be able to carry that legacy from my trainer, and being the first woman to hold all three [AEW women’s] titles would be the most insane thing to ever happen.
    • I love being able to do the first of anything, but I also love being able to do anything at all that I have the privilege of doing.
    • We were all there when he ended his losing streak and they won the tag championships. Him and Matt Cardona. All of the students were there when that happened and it was such a really cool moment. It was a really special moment for all of us to be there for that.
  • The Battleground Podcast has an interview with The Young Bucks.
  • Denise Salcedo spoke with Jamie Hayter.
  • Orange Cassidy was a guest on Casuals with Katie Nolan.
  • This week’s AEW Unrestricted podcast is a WrestleDream preview episode.
  • Lio Rush will face off against Leon Cage at an event for Attack! Pro Wrestling in Cardiff on December 12.
  • Mickie James reflected on her induction into the TNA Hall of Fame:
    • Standing on that stage and being welcomed into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame was one of the most humbling and magical moments of my career.
    • Thank you to @ThisIsTNA & @RealJeffJarrett for giving a young Alexis Laree her first real opportunity & to @TNADixie for welcoming me back & helping bring #HardcoreCountry to life
    • Thank you @carlossilva for the incredible honor bestowed upon me & for a beautiful ceremony at such a historic event for the company
    • @THETOMMYDREAMER thank you for believing in me, for fighting for me, and for always seeing the woman and the wrestler I’ve tried to be.  To my sister, my ride-or-die, @REALLiSAMARiE [Victoria/Tara] thank you for inducting me — there’s no one else I’d rather share that moment with. You’ve been my partner in crime through it all, and I love you so much.
    • To the entire Knockouts Division — past, present, and future — you are the heart and soul of this company. You’ve broken barriers, told stories, and made magic every single time you stepped through those ropes. I’m so proud to stand beside you all.
    • And finally, to the fans — you’ve been with me through every high, every low, every reinvention and every return. Your love, your chants, your unwavering support… it means the world. I wouldn’t be here without you
    • This honor isn’t just mine — it’s ours.
  • A bridge located on Highway 8 near Calgary, Alberta, Canada has been named the “Stu Hart Memorial Bridge” in honor of the late Stu Hart. Bret Hart appeared at an official naming ceremony for the bridge and said the following:
    • When I think of the award or the honor of a bridge being named after my father, when I think of my dad, I think (of) someone that’s very strong, solid, sturdy as a rock.
    • In a lot of ways, it’s very symbolic for my father to be honoured with a bridge, because he was a bridge in many ways to so many people and so many things, from wrestling to just his roots in Canada, and his special pride with his wrestling product.

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