Daily Update: WON HOF, John Cena, AEW Blood and Guts
Daily Update
Latest News
- Netflix edition of WWE 2K25 now avaliable for pre-order
- Report: Bryan Danielson got involved in Nixon Newell AEW controversy
- WWE Raw live results: John Cena’s last Boston appearance
- Raven gives update on relationship status with CM Punk
- Anthony Henry says he’s suffering from condition following previous injury
Latest Audio
- WOL: Cena title match tonight, Alize and Newell, more!
- WOR: Tanahashi vs. Okada, Alize & Newell controversy, SmackDown & Collision recaps
- B&V: Smackdown and Collision with backstage news!
Latest YouTube Video
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter
A larger than usual issue with a wide variety of stories and tons of history:
*The fixed fight accusations from Saturday’s UFC show, what happened, how Dana White and UFC handled it, fixed fights in the early days of MMA and the different motivations then vs. now, and a look back at history with a former world heavyweight boxing champion who later became one of the biggest stars of his era in pro wrestling.
*A look at the third quarter TKO business, covering mostly UFC and WWE. How each category is doing and explanations as to why.
*Nick Khan talks WWE ticket prices and booking decisions on live events
*Full coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event and business notes on the show
*Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Farewell in Gifu and 30 minutes that capsulized the best aspects of the past, present and future of pro wrestling
*Notes on the Tokyo Dome advance
*Finals of the Best of the Super Juniors tag team tournament
*Notes on the upcoming heavyweight tag team tournament
*Lots of notes regarding AEW Full Gear
*The real history of the original NWA national heavyweight championship
*Matches likely to happen at Full Gear
*The final installment of our Hall of Fame series, covering international and non-wrestlers, where we talk about the cases of people including Spyros Arion, Dominic DeNucci, George Gordienko, Ted Boy Marino, Billy Joyce, The Royal Brothers, Dave Brown, Zane Bresloff, Bobby Bruns, Bob Caudle, Joe Higuchi, Jim Johnston, James Melby, Bill Mercer, Gorilla Monsoon, Rossy Ogawa, Reggie Parks, Morris Siel, Tony Schiavone, George Scott, Kevin Sullivan, Mike Tenay, Ted Turner, Jesse Ventura, Roy Welch, Stanley Weston, The Grand Wizard and Koichi Yoshizawa.
*Notes on the death of Victor Conte Jr.
*Tank Davis kills his last payday and Netflix’s big fight for the fall is out the window and thank God for that
*DDT has one of its biggest shows of the year
*Betting odds for pro wrestling matches last week and this week
*The most complete look at the television ratings of wrestling shows over the past week. How these numbers compare in placings to past years, where other than pro wrestling is hurting with the new ratings, competition for each show and placings for the time slot
*CMLL has four straight sellouts and coverage of the main matches including a major return this week
*What wrestler is having the best year for someone their age in wrestling history
*Notes on a very confusing tournament coming up
*What young wrestler sold out in a singles with Mistico this past week
*Notes from the last AAA tapings
*AAA booking huge arena for a taping
*Stardom big show plus notes on the tag team tournament
*Will Vince McMahon write a book?
*Former pro wrestling star elected Mayor
*How network, cable and streaming numbers have affected NASCAR in 2025
*Update on Blue Demon Jr.
*More on Smashing Machine including Dwayne Johnson comments
*Jerry Lawler returns to WMC
*Athletic commission in trouble over a sponsored women’s championship
*El Hijo del Santo retirement tour hits Europe
*More WBD sale talks
*Blood & Guts news
*A poll on AEW viewership and how people watch the TV and PPV shows
*Advance ticket sales for WWE, AEW, TNA, MLW and RAF
*BJ Penn arrested again
*WWE sets gate records
*Paul Levesque’s booking
*How much Dwayne Johnson’s TKO stock is worth
*Notes on the WWE arena business going forward
*The Ridge Holland story
This Week’s Back Issue
- February 20, 2008 Observer Newsletter: WWE scores record profits, Georgia looks to regulate pro wrestling
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Monday Update
–Bryan and I will be back tonight talking about Raw as well as the latest pro wrestling news.
–This upcoming issue of the Observer will have an amazing history piece. That’s all I’ll say. It’s stuff rarely talked about but covers history in a country where it was huge in its day. It’s the Hall of Fame issue and I’ve been buried in it. There are many several new entrants voted in this year.
–John Cena’s next to last Raw has sold out the TD Garden in Boston with more than 16,200 fans. Cena will open the show. He’s not announced for a match but many expect one. For sure we’ll start the direction for his Survivor Series match as well as the start of the tournament for a match with him with Sheamus vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Damian Priest vs. Ruswev. Also on the show is Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the women’s world title, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Kabuki Warriors for the WWE women’s tag team titles and CM Punk appears. Cody Rhodes, Nia Jax and Lash Legend are also in town. They are continuing to set up the War Games teams.
–The two Blood & Guts matches have 4,444 tickets out at this point for AEW in Greensboro on Wednesday. By AEW standards for TV, it’s a good number but I’d hardly call it a great number. If they hit 5,500 I guess we should call it a success.
–Former UFC fighter Godofredo Pepey was found dead in a Florida prison at the age of 38. It was believed to be from suidice. He had been arrested in June and accused of domestic violence toward his wife, Samara Mello. He was in prison on charges of kidnapping, domestic violence by strangulation, battery and witness tampering.Pepey fought in UFC from 2012 to 2018, with 11 fights before being released. He continued to fight through 2022.
–This is no surprise after signing the $1.1 billion a year deal, but Paramount+ sent a letter to investors saying that they will be increasing prices in early 2026. They did not say what the new price would be but that the money would be used for continued investment in a stronger slate of programming this year and beyond. They also pushed that all UFC shows will be on the service without a PPV price, claiming they will be delivering an exception a value for the cost of a subscription, noting the $59.99 annual price (which will be raised) is more than UFC fans had to pay for just one PPV show this year.
–Galeno del Mal has signed with WWE for AAA. On Friday’s Crash show in Tijuana, Galeno del Mal & brother El Hijo de Dr. Wagenr Jr., said that with both being signed with WWE, they wouldn’t be able to wrestle and were vacating their Crash tag team titles. Then they ended up wrestling on the show. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows won the vacant belts in a three-way beating D-Luxe & Pierroth. Andrade was announced for the show and he was there for the meet and greet but ended up not wrestling or appearing at the show. Zona Ruda said that they were told he left the building upset about something. Andrade’s non-compete for one year is only for the U.S.
–11/18 will be Eddy Guerrero Day in E Pasto, TX. The City Council will hold a proclamation ceremony to honor his life, legacy and impact at City Hall at 9 a.m. Fans who wish to attend are encourage to wear wrestling costumes or luchador masks. It will air live on the City of El Paso social media accounts.
–Soberano Jr. has only been back for a few days and they’re already starting something with Mistico. On last night’s Arena Mexico show, Soberano unmasked in a trios match teaming with Volador Jr. & Averno, threw it at Mistico, the ref saw it and DQ’d Mistico & Neon & Esfinge. Mistco wanted Soberano in a singles match this week. I don’t see it happening this week and it’s too early and shouldn’t be on a Sunday. Mistico & Titan face Barboza & Difunto tomorrow night at Arena Mexico.
–Gisele Shaw was announced for the 12/3 NWA Powerrr tapings at Tampa’s WEDU PBS Studios.
–The film “Traphouse” with Dave Bautista will be released at selected theaters on Friday. It’s about an undercover DEA agent and his partner finding out their teenage children are using top secret tactics and intelligence to steal from a dangerous cartel.
–Indi Hartwell vs. Dani Luna has been added to Thursday’s Impact TV show.
–Templario vs. Geurrer Maya Jr. for the MLW middleweight title has been added to the 11/20 MLW Don Gato show in Charleston, SC.
–Valerien Wybndham aka SoCal Val announced today she has joined the Playboy Club as a model and content creator. She promised fun flirty photo shoots, video updates and behind the scenes looks from her shoots
–Bob Orton Jr. turned 75 today. Josh Barnett turned 48. Katie Lee Burchill turned 45. Ryback turned 44. Peyton Royce aka Cassie Lee turned 33. Dick the Bruiser passed away 34 year ago today at the age of 62. Killer Karl Kox passed away 14 years ago today at the age of 80 (thanks to Tony Richards).
–WWE is doing a crossover with Tekken today. Players can unlock legendary fighters from Tekken in Scopely’s WWE Champions from now through 11/21.
–Ryan Bader, fresh off “The Smashing Machine,” where he got strong reviews playing Mark Coleman, was announced for the annual Rizin New Year’s Eve show at the Saitama Super Arena. He will face Aleksandr Soldatkin to crown their vacant heavyweight championship. Bader hasn’t fought since February 2024.
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.