Daily Update: TJPW tour, DDP-Bron Breakker, Deadlock Pro

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site covering the follow topics:

  • The story of John Cena’s retirement, the finish, the reaction, what WWE did and didn’t expect and thoughts on why they did what they did and why judging it now makes little sense in the big picture. We look at different aspects of the decision making and the fallacy of the “time-honored tradition phrasing here. We look at where Cena viably stands among the greats, the show itself, and Cena’s legacy.
  • We look at the post-match and post-show reaction, Paul Levesque and also look at the history of retirement matches with the biggest names in the history of the business. This is a real history lesson about what really is the tradition.
  • We have a story on Wrestle Kingdom’s card, why it turned out this way, as well as the finals of the New Japan tag team tournament.
  • We update the WBD sale story with the latest on Netflix and Paramount, just how strongly WBD publicly viewed the Paramount offer in a negative way and more
  • We run down the 2025 Tokyo Sports pro wrestling awards, with the winners, why they won, how the voting went, the nature of the voting and more in a year Saya Kamitani became the first woman wrestler to win MVP
  • A look at the retirement show and the career of El Hijo del Santo, the Santo gimmick, the cultural significance of the Santo name, Santo Jr, and notes on Santo’s career and most famous matches
  • We update the Continental Classic and Worlds Collide with business updates as well.
  • We look at the odds for upcoming matches
  • We look at the careers of Solomon Grundy, Miss Janeth and Ricky Romero Jr/Ricky Youngblood
  • We have the most detailed look at the television ratings of all the wrestling shows this past week as well as placings, comparisons and more, as well as an explanation of what the annual drops actually mean.
  • We look at another week of sellouts in CMLL, including the big Friday show and the Mistico vs Soberano feud
  • We look at Guerra de Titanes from AAA
  • We look at the financials from Cyberfight and what wrestler in specific they credited a better economic year to
  • Yota Tsuji talks the future of New Japan
  • What pro wrestling events in Japan were the most streamed in 2025
  • Update on Andrade
  • Former WWE tag champ going into Bare Knuckle boxing
  • Major AEW overseas ratings growth
  • Ticket sales to upcoming WWE and AEW shows
  • Chris Jericho update
  • Injury updates
  • Ilia Topuria marriage issues slows down career
  • An appeal by TKO on judge’s ruling about current fighter contracts
  • Notes on Paul vs. Joshua
  • Mick Foley breaks ties with WWE over Trump
  • TKO stock skyrockets
  • NXT Awards

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full Chelsea Green vs. Sol Ruca Women’s United States Championship match that headlined NXT last night.
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Diamond Dallas Page discussed working with Bron Breakker while Breakker was still pursuing a career in football:
    • Really got to know him when he was finishing up playing at Kennesaw [State University] football, because he got [signed] by the Baltimore Ravens. You know, it would have been funny if he would have made that team, I think – first of all, it was the greatest thing to happen to him that he didn’t, but he had that shot.
    • And he knew right away. I was working with him, we trained together a lot. And I don’t mean in the ring – I mean in the gym. He wasn’t afraid to do DDP Yoga. He wanted to do it with me. All them, all those Steiner brothers, man, his two other brothers – beasts. Maveric’s a beast. Hudson is an animal as well. And then you go to Brandon and you got Brock with Scotty Steiner.
    • I love that so many of the boys’ sons are just real gentlemen. And to be able to watch Bronson, yeah, okay, he’s always going to be Bronson to me, you know? Wow. He has it in spades, and they’ve seen it since the beginning.
  • DDP added that he would love to see Breakker become World Champion:
    • I would love to see that, man. I haven’t talked to him probably in about a month or two, but humble, feet on the ground. And you gotta know who you are, you know? You don’t forget that. But you want to always try to keep your feet on the ground, because that’s the guys who continue to excel.
  • Responding to someone on X, Paul Heyman gave credit to Evolve’s Gabe Sapolsky for discovering Austin Theory:
    • For the record, @BookItGabe deserves all the credit for the discovery of [Austin Theory]. As Executive Director of @WWE #RAW in 2019/2020, I drafted Theory from @WWENXT for (ironically enough) @WWERollins’ group. Now, he’s a seasoned veteran with a chip on his shoulder ready to step into the spotlight. 
    • But the credit for discovering Theory goes to Gabe!
  • Bayley gifted Lyra Valkyria a life-size Bayley cutout for Christmas.
  • Billboard spoke with WWE wrestlers Nia Jax, Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, and Chelsea Green about their favorite music moments.
  • Nick Hogan’s wife Tana shared a throwback photo with Hulk Hogan from this time in 2024: “This was a year ago today. We miss you so much Big Dog, so much. @nickhogan @mrs.sky.hogan”
  • WWE Vault has a compilation video documenting the rise of Steve Austin from 1996-1997.

Other Wrestling

  • Former WWE broadcaster Scott Stanford interviewed Tony Khan for 1010 Wins radio in New York City.
  • While speaking with WrestleZone, Harley Cameron discussed how she’s benefited from working with Mercedes Mone:
    • She has allowed me this year to dig deep and push to a different level. Obviously, she’s one of the greatest to ever do it, and having the opportunity to work with her has been imperative to my career. It’s definitely highlighted me and given me opportunities, which is exactly what someone with that kind of star power can do.
    • Being in the ring with her multiple times has pushed me to think outside the box and challenge myself. So I’d say it’s more inspiration than advice, per se. I’m obviously very excited to face her again at the pay-per-view, Worlds End. I’m hoping it will once again bring out that deep-level performance from me.
  • Good Karma Wrestling also spoke with Cameron ahead of Worlds End.
  • In an article for Giant Bomb, Adam Cole ranked his top 10 video games of the year.
  • Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling is coming to Texas for four shows taking place from March 17-22, 2026. Billed as TJPW’s “largest US tour in history,” there will be stops in Austin, Houston, and Dallas. Full information will be announced at a later date, but the Austin events are part of the annual SXSW (South by Southwest) festival:
    • TJPW will run its largest US tour in history ‘TJPW Texas Stampede’ in March 2026.
    • 4 shows will take place in Austin, Houston, and Dallas from Tuesday, March 17 to Sunday, March 22. Specific dates, times, venues, and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
    • TJPW lands in Austin for the first time ever, and will run shows over 2 days at South by Southwest, one of the largest conference/festival events in the world that celebrates the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture.
  • Indie promotion Deadlock Pro Wrestling – which is going on hiatus for the foreseeable future – raised more than $4,000 to benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina:
    • Our last event in the US, DPW 4th Anniversary, was a fundraiser event for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina as we head into the holiday season & the new year. We came together as a community and we were able to donate over 20,000 meals! Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to the cause. Happy holidays everyone!
  • Chris Masters will make his GCW debut in Los Angeles on February 14.
  • Denise Salcedo has an interview with D-Von Dudley.
Google Icon

Exclusive access to podcasts and newsletters

Subscribe
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.