Daily Update: Nick Khan, AEW-Australia, Mick Foley

Mick Foley AEW Double or Nothing
Mick Foley makes his AEW debut. (Image credit: JJ Williams)

Daily Update

Latest News

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • The most detailed look at the sale of New Japan, what happened, the glory days that Bushiroad built and why it came down and what led to the sale.
  • Business realities of Japanese wrestling today.
  • The reason for the surprising low sale price.
  • The shareholders lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the WWE Board of Directors is getting near. Judge Travis Laster orders sanctions against Nick Khan and Vince McMahon for destruction of evidence. Laster makes a ruling, and we look at it in detail, on how this changes the trial and the exact details of the destruction of evidence including when McMahon and company knew not to do it and ignored their own lawyers. Also we look at problems with the case.
  • AEW Double of Nothing coverage. Business notes, historical biggest gates in U.S. pro wrestling, three-time world champions by 30, how the PPV did, poll results, Mick Foley and more.
  • Did Ronda Rousey set a viewing audience record for MMA, plus coverage of Rousey vs. Carano, how everything goes forward, can things be sustained, can she fight, will she fight, her thoughts on AEW.
  • Scott Coker returns to MMA with a new promotion.
  • Marcel Barthel (Ludwig Kaiser) arrested.
  • A look at the career of Jerry Grey.
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the TV shows over the past two weeks.
  • Mistico injury update.
  • How CMLL is doing this year compared to last year.
  • Natalia Jiminez and J Balvin appear and are part of CMLL shows.
  • Wrestlers vs. media soccer game.
  • Grande vs. Grande match looked at.
  • Major return to Stardom.
  • Champion Carnival finals.
  • NOAH tag team tournament.
  • New Japan Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
  • Hana Kimura tribute show.
  • Phil Hickerson passes away.
  • WCW announcer is the final anchor as CBS News Radio closes its doors after 99 years.
  • Death of the Laguna version of Piloto Suicida.
  • Junior Hodge Trophy winner.
  • Advance ticket sales for all major events in AEW, WWE, TNA and other indies.
  • Pro wrestler/fighter on the Rousey-Carano undercard.
  • WWE stars purchase promotion.
  • Tony Khan media appearances.
  • More thoughts on how Paramount/Skydance can affect AEW.
  • What can affect the time slot of Collision in 2027.
  • What’s next for AEW.
  • AEW star to return in the fall.
  • Latest Zuffa myths regarding Trump and UFC.
  • UFC fighter pay comes up again

This Week’s Back Issue

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Wednesday Update

WWE Logo
Official World Wrestling Entertainment logo. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • During his appearance at SBJ On Stage (filmed in April but made available this week), Nick Khan was asked how WWE preserves the fan experience while ticket prices are higher than ever:
    • So here’s the challenge, and I’ll tell you a mistake we made with Canelo-Crawford [boxing match]… we wanted to make sure the upper bowl was priced family friendly. As soon as we put them on sale, the upper bowl was sold out in three minutes. It wasn’t sold out to families. It was sold out to third-party ticket brokers. So we priced it, I think, the cheapest seats at $35. A day later on the third-party broker websites, they were $75 selling. So the marketplace dictates the ticket price.
  • WWE uploaded the full Tony D’Angelo vs. Kam Hendrix NXT Championship match from last night.
  • Cody Rhodes had Brian Koppelman, co-creator of the Showtime series “Billions,” as the guest on his “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast this week.
  • Asuka shared a vlog introducing fans to her new dog named Big Body Boss.
  • AJ Lee made an appearance on The Match-Up from iHeart Women’s Sports.

Other Wrestling

  • Tony Khan told Wide World of Sports that Australia remains an important market for AEW:
    • I absolutely want to come back to Australia. We’ve had incredible events with the fans in both Sydney and Brisbane. I think we’ve built a great audience, our wrestlers are so popular and some of the top stars in AEW are actually from Australia.
    • Given what a great wrestling country it is and how many awesome stars we have in AEW from there, I think we’ve got something really special.
  • While appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Mick Foley was asked if he’s thought about telling Darby Allin that he does not need to take all of the risks he’s taking in the ring:
    • Yes, I will have that conversation. I didn’t think the time to have the conversation was hours before his biggest match [at Double or Nothing]. I’ve been told that people have had that conversation with him. And he says, ‘Everybody does the best stuff on the pay-per-views. I owe it to my fans to do it on every televised event. So, I’ll try to talk with Darby. I didn’t know until about six weeks ago that I was an inspiration in his career…
    • But I will have that talk with him and try to find out, like, it’s got to be another gear where you can allude to the things, give people 80 percent of what you usually do, knowing that the vast majority of his fans will be thankful for what he gives them and they will understand that they might have to wait until a special event to get the 100 percent Derby. I understand many a man has tried and failed, but I’ll give him the best advice I possibly can.
  • Kevin Knight tweeted ahead of his TNT title defense against “Speedball” Mike Bailey on Dynamite:
    • This was never about you Speedball. You and the rest of the sickos don’t understand…So forgive me for what I’m about to do to you tonight. #AewDynamite
  • To promote tonight’s show, Tony Schiavone was interviewed on Virginia This Morning.
  • 101.9 Kiss FM also had Schiavone on as a guest.
  • FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) has been announced for Appalachian Mountain Wrestling’s Super Bowl of Wrestling show in Corbin, Kentucky on August 22.
  • WWE’s Adam Pearce showed his support for Rebel (Tanea Brooks) by sharing the link for her I Am ALS fundraiser.
  • Kerry Morton challenging Thrillbilly Silas Mason for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is official for NWA Hard Times 6 in Atlanta this Saturday. The show is being filmed for future episodes of NWA Power.
  • Stardom wrestlers Saya Kamitani and RINA will be doing meet and greets at MLW’s events in New York City and Philadelphia on June 11-13
  • Eddie Edwards spoke with Scottish Wrestling Network.
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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.