Daily Update: WWE SmackDown, UFC, Ted DiBiase Jr.

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

*A look at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the interest level, the Royal Rumble and Rumble odds
*Big Bad Bobby Duncum, a look at the career of a worldwide headliner who worked on top with almost every major babyface of the 70s, including big WWF and AWA runs and Japanese major tournaments
*CMLL has a big business week with Bandido, Ricochet, Komander, Gates of Agony and Lee Moriarty.  A look at some of the best matches so far this year and the craziness that ruined could have been the best of all of them.
*A look at prior plans for 2025 PPV shows that changed
*A look at Netflix numbers over the past six months, as well as how every PPV in 2025 did and some surprises in that direction, as well as how Smackdown did internationally as well as NXT, and how shows that went head-to-head with AEW PPVs drew.
*Notes on the TNA ratings for the first show on AMC and what they tell us.
*TNA Genesis coverage
*2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards ballot
*More AEW stars to CMLL next week
*AAA TV taping notes
*Thoughts on the current AAA product and how it relates to Lucha Libre and WWE
*Stardom makes claim against Marigold
*Saya Kamitani returns early
*Notes about a mainstream model who became one of the first big stars in Stardom and women’s MVP
*Best tag team match of the year
*New Japan next major show lineup
*Eight promotions combine for a singles tournament
*The potential best actual wrestler in the world signs with RAF
*Feast or Fired thoughts
*More on AEW’s future with the WBD sale to Netflix
*Trey Miguel situation
*Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
*The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week
*UFC returns to action with first big show of 2026
*Top exec since the inception of  PFL leaves
*More notes regarding a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE
*WWE headliner talks bowing out
*WWE and AEW injury updates
*Punk movie box office
*Talent coming and going from promotions
*TKO and WWE execs get millions this quarter

This issue covers the following topics:

  • The changes in the WrestleMania plans, the Drew McIntyre title win, Roman Reigns return and the whys.
  • WWE getting Will Hobbs while AEW signs a slew of new talent as well. A look at each case-by-case.
  • Notes on the big weekend coming to Mexico City
  • Kayla Harrison injury and what is the future for the biggest women’s fight in years
  • Win-loss records and total bouts for all top WWE/NXT talent in 2025
  • WWE Iron Man winner from 1984-2025
  • What cutting back on the schedule has taught us about injuries
  • Who gets protected in booking and who doesn’t
  • The problem with the current schedule and development of young talent
  • A star who has been around through various eras talks timing and injuries and best schedule
  • A look at TNA’s debut on AMC, what went right and wrong
  • When did wrestling start being a work. Studying of history shows it’s a lot earlier than you would think
  • Odds for WWE matches upcoming
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling shows this past week, as well as comparisons with the past and a look at the level of declines and why
  • What wrestler has already main evented 12 sold out shows in 2026
  • One woman wrestler announces retirement and another retires
  • Kazuchika Okada in Japan
  • Most watched New Japan World matches of 2025
  • Ted DiBiase Jr. on trial
  • Death of Rick Link, from fan clubs to main events
  • Jesse Ventura speaks about the current political environment
  • The greatest wrestler in the world signs with Eric Bischoff’s promotion
  • Tons of major independent shows coming
  • AEW gets TV in new market
  • Ticket sales for upcoming WWE, AEW and TNA events
  • Most viewed YouTube videos from AEW and WWE
  • Tag team returning to AEW
  • Dana White shuts down talk of major match
  • A new lawsuit filed against WWE
  • Notes on the recent WWE tryout
  • Notes on all the WWE arena shows this past week.

This Week’s Back Issue

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Friday Update

— I will be doing a show today with Garrett Gonzales covering the news of the week and will be back on Saturday night covering Saturday Night’s Main Event, UFC 324 Collision and other weekend news.

— SmackDown is tonight in Montreal and had 8,000 tickets out as of yesterday. The show features Damian Priest vs. Trick Williams, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax & Lash Legend vs. Giulia & Kiana James with the winners facing Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky for the tag titles, Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy defend the tag titles against two members of the MFTs, Jade Cargill defends the women’s title against Chelsea Green, AJ Styles is on the show and Carnelo Hayes will have an open challenge. With only three matches scheduled for SNME tomorrow night, I would expect a fourth match to be made tonight.

— It appears Royce Keys will be the name for Powerhouse Hobbs in WWE. At least they could have called him Rickson.

–Smackdown did 968,000 viewers for the show last Friday. We had all the demo info and comparisons in the Observer but not the total viewer number. Friday’s show using the old panel data did 1,203,000 viewers and an 0.29 in 18-49 while the new method was 968,000 and 0.21, or 24 percent higher in viewers and 38 percent higher in 18-49. These are not minor differences. (thanks to Wrestlenomics)

— At press time we still don’t have the Tuesday NXT number. I would expect that number and the Wednesday AEW numbers to be out today.

— Daniel Cormier and Justin Gaethje had a talk about fighter pay when Gaethje went to Cormier who was saying with the new UFC rights deal that everyone is making more than they did and Gaethje said he’s making the same. Gaethje asked why you would say that when you have no idea. Cormier said that he knows. Gaethje said he was fighting for the same money as pre-deal and Cormier said “I never said everybody.”

— The first UFC show of the year is tomorrow night in Las Vegas. Dana White was talking that the show will have an $11 million gate. The show on Paramount+ starts at 5 p.m:

  • Adam Fugitt (171) vs. Ty Miller (170)
  • Josh Hokit (234.5) vs. Denzel Freeman (257.5)
  • Michael Johnson (156) vs. Alexander Hernandez (155.5)
  • Alex Perez (128.5) vs. Charles Johnson (126) – Perez missed weight by 2.5 and was fined 20 percent of his purse
  • Nikita Krylov (205.5) vs. Modestas Bukauskas (204)
  • Ateba Gautier (186) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (186)
  • Deiveson Figueiredo (138.5) vs Umar Nurmagomedov (136) – Figueiredo missed weight by 2.5 pounds and was fined 20 percent of his purse
  • Arnold Allen (145.5) vs. Jean Silva (146)
  • Natallia Silva (126) vs. Rose Namajunas (125.5)
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta (262) vs. Derrick Lewis (263.5)
  • Sean O’Malley (135.5) vs. Song Yadong (136)
  • Justin Gaethje (155) vs. Paddy Pimblett (154) for the interim lightweight title

There was a very bad situation earlier today at the weigh-ins. Cameron Smotherman, who was to face Ricky Turcios, weighed in at 135.5. He seemed fine, got off the scale, was walking away and just collapsed. The fight has been canceled.

— The Toronto Raptors NBA team announced WWE Night on 2/4 in their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fans will get a WWE/Raptors wrestling mask.

— NWA champion Thrillbilly Silas Mason and 80s headliner Tommy Rich will be on Memphis Wrestling tomorrow. Rich, who grew up in Hendersonville, TN, was a star on the Jarrett circuit before he became a national star on Georgia Championship Wrestling in the late 70s and into the 80s.

— The reason Ted DiBiase Jr. is asking for a mistrial in his misappropriation of funds case is because he said attorney Scott Gilbert, who heads his defense, is dealing with a sudden medical issue that has left him incapacitated and would be unable to finish the trial. He said he’s had Gilbert representing him since 2020 in this case.

— The Skyscraper climb on Netflix that the service has heavily promoted for weeks starts tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern. Seth Rollins will be a guest on the show.

— Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling show for tomorrow night has been canceled due to the weather. The weather is expected to be so bad that Tony Khan made the call Wednesday to cancel taping in Arlington, TX and they taped Collision instead in Orlando Wednesday night.

— We’re looking for reports on tonight’s Impact tapings in Albuquerque. Matches scheduled are Nic Nemeth vs. BDE, Eleyna Black vs. ?, Elijah vs. Jason Hotch plus they announce the Feast or Fired briefcases. We’re looking for results, angles and highlights to [email protected]

— CMLL has a big advance for tonight’s Arena Mexico show. It’s been two months since they were under 14,000 which is crazy when you think about it. The top bouts tonight are Mistico & Mascara Dorada vs. Averno & Angel de Oro, Templario & Titan & Flip Gordon (returning after knee surgery) vs. Cavernario & Soberano Jr. & Yutani and Esfinge & Star Black & Star Jr. vs. Barboza & Difunto & Furia Roja. Sunday’s Arena Mexico has Mistico & Titan & Atlantis Jr. vs. Gran Guerrero & Ultimo Guerrero & Stuka Jr and Esfinge & Star Black & Xelhua vs. Valiente & Euforia & El Terrible. Puebla on Monday has Mistico & Dorada & Atlantis Jr. vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero & Stuka Jr.

— On the upcoming Fantastica Mania tour in Japan, New Japan World will be airing shows on 2/18 in Tokyo at the Yoyogi Gym, 2/24 in Osaka at the smaller Edion Arena as well as the big shows on 2/26 and 2/27 from Korakuen Hall.

— AAA will air at 9 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night on YouTube with Laredo Kid vs. Mini Vikingo vs. Octagon Jr. for the cruiserweight title, Pagano & Psycho Clown vs. Motor City Machine Guns for the tag titles and El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Mecha Wolf for the Latin American title.

— Shocker’s situation continues to be sad. Battling drug addiction issues for decades, the former box office star and Dusty Rhodes favorite was arguing with his wife allegedly about her being mad he wanted to go out and buy drugs while going through withdrawals, and he punched a mirror in the house, cutting his fist up.

— The Beekeeper 2, a movie Adam Copeland is in that stars Jason Statham, will have its theatrical release on January 15, 2027.

— Leilani Kai turned 69 today. She was the best of the American women wrestlers in the 80s. Nigel McGuinness turns 50 and Will Hobbs turns 35. Dominic DeNucci was born on this day in 1932 and Giant Baba was born on this day in 1938. Hall of Famer Bobby Bruns died 43 years ago today at the age of 68. Archie Gouldie, the famed Mongolian Stomper, died ten years ago today at the age of 79. Ice Train died two years ago today at 58.

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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.