Daily Update: Ratings notes, NJPW Sakura Genesis, Jeff Jarrett

Jeff Hardy, Tessa Blanchard, Moose, and more part of next week's TNA Impact lineup
(Image credit: TNA)

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • Full coverage of AEW Revolution, keys to the show, the returns and surprises, poll results and other business notes, thoughts on the matches
  • Notes on Tony Khan’s attempt to buy WWE in 2023 that came out this week
  • Updates on WrestleMania with confirmed matches, matches not announced but are on the schedule, the 31.6% off ticket sale, comparisons of demand for tickets with last year, potential matches and more on how matches were changed, as well as Steve Austin talks
  • AAA Rey de Reyes update, a look at the promotion and how it differs from WWE and CMLL and what comes next
  • A look at what happened in the ring when referee Dallas Edwards suffered a medical emergency in the ring during a match and the response issues
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the major television and streaming shows of WWE, AEW and TNA, demos, comparisons, competition numbers and placings
  • Claudio Castagnoli draws his first Arena Mexico sellout as CMLL world champion
  • Notes on the other major shows of the week in Mexico
  • Stardom Cinderella tournament finals and the top matches for the company’s biggest show of the year
  • Champion Carnival blocks
  • New Japan Cup notes
  • Manami Toyuota and never going to WWE and would it have mattered
  • Sareee talks her WWE stint
  • Kendo Kashin on Tadao Yasuda
  • 45th anniversary of the Tiger Mask debut and the best woman wrestler in the world at that time is still holding a championship today
  • NCAA wrestling tournament notes
  • Ted DiBiase Jr. trial notes
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW, TNA, Tokyo Joshi Pro, Rousey vs. Carano and more shows
  • Mistico sells out San Jose three weeks in advance and thoughts on the show
  • Former WWE champion in boxing match
  • Ricochet, Gates of Agony and Mercedes Mone in Europe
  • TNA new business deal
  • Ricochet Twitter controversy
  • Former AEW and WWE champion appears this weekend on one of the most-watched TV shows
  • AEW contract notes
  • Zuffa makes choice not to accept a commission regulation and will do it themselves
  • Gina Carano talks about how UFC tried to stop the Carano vs. Cyborg fight from happening
  • WWE in Saudi Arabia thoughts
  • WWE’s deal with Front Office Sports and some thoughts
  • Davey Coates, WWE tour manager, passed away

This Week’s Back Issue

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Monday Update

Jeff Jarrett
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— Bryan and I will be back with Wrestling Observer Radio tonight covering Raw and the rest of the news.

— TNA did 250,000 viewers and an 0.04 in 18-49 which is good considering NCAA men’s basketball tournament games did big numbers on numbers on CBS, TNT and TBS on Thursday.

— The Thursday night matches from the NCAA wrestling tournament did 366,000 viewers but an 0.12 in 18-49. With the exception of Gutfeld on FOX News in hour three, wrestling, on ESPN, was the highest rated show in its time slot aside from college basketball, on all of cable.

— Raw tonight is from Boston and one would expect a big number given Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar are both on the show, as are CM Punk and Becky Lynch. Matches include Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio for the IC title (this was scheduled for last week’s show but Dominik was injured in his match with El Hijo del Vikingo at Rey de Reyes), Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane and Je’Von Evans vs. Grayson Waller.

The last number we had was 12,200 tickets out so this should be sold out, if not it will be very close.

— New Japan Sakura Genesis on 4/4 at Sumo Hall:

  • Kushida & Masatora Yasuda vs. Tatsuya Matsumoto & Taisei Nakahara
  • Togi Makabe & Tiger Mask vs. Hartley Jackson & Kosei Fujita
  • Shingo Takagi & Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X vs. Jake Lee & Francesco Akira & Jacob Austin Young
  • Aaron Wolf & Toru Yano & Yoh & Master Wato vs. Don Fale & Douki & Sho &N Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi & Oleg Boltin defend the Never trios title against Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
  • Konosuke Takeshita defends the World TV title against Shota Umino
  • Yuto-Ice & OSKAR defend the IWGP tag titles against Zack Sabre Jr & Ryohei Oiwa
  • Yota Tsuji vs Callum Newman for the IWGP heavyweight title

— Variety reported that the television show Starfleet Academy on Paramount is being canceled. The second season, already completed, has been filmed. Becky Lynch was a regular cast member of the show.

— Titan suffered a broken right foot. No more word on the severity.

— Jeff Jarrett is now co-owner of the Nashville Kats Arena Football League team. President Jeff Fisher announced that Jarrett is now Managing Partern and co-owner oof the Arena Football One league team. The team opens its season on 4/17 and plays at FUM Bank Arena in Clarksville, TN.

— The Usos will appear Wednesday night at the Major League Baseball season opener on Netflix between the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees at Oracle Park. Something happened regarding Netflix and Anthony Bowens as apparently he was to be featured, and he will stil be there, but not featured.

He wrote, “I was looking forward to helping out The Giants again Opening Night on Wednesday but Netflix took over and unfortunately that got YEETED away. I’ll still be there though. I’ll see you at Oracle. Go Giants.” Yes, you think this doesn’t get petty?

— Nino Hamburguesa showed up on Friday’s Clash show in Tijuana using the name Burger Boy.

— 3/27 Global Wars at St. Clair College in Windsor, ONT is sold out with Ricochet vs. Rich Swann, Athena vs. Taylor Rising for the ROH women’s title, Rohjan Raja vs. Stu Grayson for the PWA title and an announcing team of Mauro Ranallo, Ian Riccaboni and Don Callis. It will be available on Triller PPV.

— Promociones Cantu tonight in Nuevo Laredo has Alberto El Patron & Jack Morris & Metalik (Gran Metalik in WWE) vs. Carlito & Galeno del Mal & El Texano Jr.,the Infamous Cuatrero & Mascara Ano 2000 & El Ijo de Mascara 2000 vs. El Hijo de Dos Caras & Super Nova & Mocho Cota Jr.

— Tomorrow at Arena Mexico is headlined by Atlantis Jr. & Templario & Mascara Dorada vs. Angef de Oro & Averno & Yutani.

— Hiroyoshi Tenzan turns 55 today. Tyson Tomko turns 50. Terry Ray Gordy Jr. turns 47. Duke Keomuka was born on this day in 1921. Omar Atlas/Buddy Moreno was born on this day in 1938. 70s woman star Heather Feather was born on this day in 1949. Villano III, the Hall of Famer, was born on this day in 1952. Skull Murphy was 39 when he passed away 56 years ago today. Wally Karbo was 77 when he passed away 33 years ago today. Brian Cox was 33 when he passed away 23 years ago today. (thanks to Tony Richareds)

— Gail Kim was inducted into the women’s wrestling Hall of Fame on Saturday in Brentwood, NY along with Melina Perez and Juia Hammer, Sweet Saraya, the mother of the current Saraya. as well as Mercedes Martinez, Debbie Maneko, Jasmin St Clair, Linda Dallas, Mickie Knuckles, Missy Sampson, Penelope Paradise, Carmela Foss, Mimi Hagiwara and Olympic wrestlers Nataia Vorobieva of Russia and Pang Qianyu of China, as well as Laurene Landon, the star of the movie “All the Marbles,” who was trained by Mildred Burke and did most of her own stunts in the movie.

— West Coast Pro and Pro Wrestling Revolucion did a joint show yesterday afternoon as part of the Warriors’ Mexican Heritage Night at the plaza in Thrive City outdoors outside the Chase Center. Alan Angels & Aaron Solo won the West Coast Pro tag titles from The Crush Boys, Titus Alexander & Starboy Charlie. The main event was Vinnie Massaro & Misteriso beat Los Suavecitos. Tthey would like to run Thrive City three times per year. (thanks to Derek Sousa)

— Insane Wrestling Revolution on 5/21 in Wyandotte, MI at Grizzly’s Bar and Grill with Trey Miguel, Jason Hotch, Sam Beale and more. (thanks to Paul Meade)

— Green Mountain Wrestling on 5/17 at the ElksLodge in Barre, VT headlined by Carlito.

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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.