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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

We have one of the most news and business heavy issues of the year:
*All the details of the WWE’s deal with ESPN, what is in the deal, what isn’t, who can watch for free and why that probably won’t be for long, what ESPN Needs for it t make economic sense, as well as break-even for the ESPN UFC PPV deal and when the ESPN deal with WWE starts
*Brock Lesnar returns to WWE, how it happened, why it happened, why it was inevitable because of how TKO management views things, the double talk, comments from loads of people in WWE as well as Janel Grant’s side, exactly what was in the lawsuit that regards Lesnar and other example of TKO decisions which show a pattern
*Full coverage of SummerSlam, business details, the Rollins cash-in, Netflix numbers, attendance numbers and next PPV show
*Notes on UFC and WWE business numbers, what is up and what is down
*Hulk Hogan’s funeral, Brooke Hogan’s claims of info on Hogan’s Moves never talked about before, a ton of Hogan history, Hogan’s heyday in Japan and much more.
*Update on the G-1 Climax tournament
*Forbidden Door and the surprising record it has set and other major notes regarding the show and update n the card
*The most complete look at the ratings for all the wrestling and MMA television shows of the past week, competition, demos, why ratings were up or down, as well as Netflix numbers for Unreal and Raw.
*MJF returns to Arena Mexico and coverage of Friday’s hwo
*Salvador Lutteroth talks his fan base and AEW
*TripleMania updates
*Five Star Grand Prix updates
*Hogan documentaries
*RevPro anniversary shows
*Bloodsport notes
*A change at Discovery that is major and how that affects AEW streaming as well as notes on the current streaming deal
*How much did WBD loss or gain by losing the NBA
*Lots of injury updates
*Notes on Dustin & Cody Rhodes
*Backstage stuff in AEW ande what is and isn’t real
*Who at this point isn’t at Forbidden Door
*Ticket sales for upcoming TNA, AEW and WWE shows over the next few months
*More notes on Zuffa Boxing run by Nick Khan and  Dana White
*Peacock and WWE business
*How much is Dwayne Johnson’s WWE stock worth
*Karrion Kross and Scarlett contract update
*Raw ad rates on Netflix and comparisons to AEW on TBS

This Week’s Back Issue

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Monday Update

–Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio covering the new UFC deal, Raw and tons of other news with Wrestling Observer Radio.  We also have our weekend show up last night.

–After the UFC media rights deal with Paramount + was announced this morning for $7.7 billion over seven years, putting UFC with NASCAR in the No. 4 spot behind NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball in sports rights, the stock went up from $163.25 to $180 per share, meaning about a $1.36 billion gain in value today.  Investors weren’t as sure about the deal from a Paramount/Skydance position since they went down 3.9 percent to $10.12 per share.  If you’re one to keep track of these things, Vince McMahon is now $107.7 million richer than he was last night.

–Raw is tonight in Quebec City.  We’re looking for reports on the show with notes from a live perspective and dark or Main Event matches to dave@wrestslingobserver.com.  They had 9,291 tickets out as of last check.  It’s a major Ice Hockey arena so can hold more than 13,000 for Raw.   The Naomi women’s title match with Iyo Sky is off due to it being said that Naomi isn’t cleared.  Sami vs. Rusev and Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri are announced plus CM Punk will appear.

–Smackdown did 1.56 million viewers and an 0.48 in 18-49.  I consider those good numbers since it went against  the Cleveland vs. Carolinas NFL preseason game on the NFL network that did 2.24 million viewers and an 0.61.  Smackdown was second place on cable and on all of television on Friday.

–Today would have been the 72nd birthday of Terry Bollea/Hulk Hogan.  FOX will be airing a special tomorrow night in prime time.  I was interviewed for the show.  I’m not advertised on itr so don’t know if I’ll be there.  The names listed as being interviewed were Vince McMahon, Sylvester Stallone, Mick Foley,  Bill Goldberg, Jimmy Hart, Alexa Bliss, Jacob Fatu and  Charlotte Flair.

–Peacemaker season two on HBO MAX debuts on 8/21, with John Cena in the lead role.

–Corey Graves and John Layfield (JBL) will be announcing for TripleMania on Saturday from Arena Ciudad in Mexico City.  That show is sold out and will be the first AAA show since WWE is the actual owner of the company.  The Pagrano & Psycho Clown challenge to Angel & Berto for the AAA tag titles on that show is now  a street fight.

–MLW announced a joint venture with  Danny McBride’s Dn Gato Tequila for a live Lucha Libre show on 11/20 in Charleston, SC at the Charleston Music Hall.  Announced for the show are Matt Riddle, Paul Walter Hauser, Shotzi Blackheart, Mistico, Donovan Dijak, Bhsihp Dyler, Blue Panther, Brock Anderson and more.  

–For those keeping track of best matches, I was told today’s Dragon Gate  show in Kobe had a great three-way tag team match to check out. (thanks to Case Lowe)

–DEFY announced that its founder Jim Perry, will reunite with Matt Farmer in running the company with the idea of expansion of the business.

–A documentary on Sabu will debut on 9/15 on Kinema, directed by Joe Clarke (Headstrong) and produced by Rob Van Dam.  The documentary takes you from the beginning of his career and the influence of the Sheik, through ECW and up to the last match of his career against Joey Janela this past April.

–Matt & Jeff Hardy will throw out the first pitch at the 8/19 Minnesota Twins vs. A’s game in Minneapolis at Target Field.  They will be there to promote 9/4 and 9/5 TNA shows at the Minneapolis Armory.

–Ilja Dragunov is being reported as medically cleared by WWE.