DAILY UPDATE
Latest News:
New AEW TNT belt revealed, Moxley and Shida added to Dynamite
Paige VanZant signs bare knuckle fighting deal, turns down Bellator
Karrion Kross vs. Danny Burch to kick off WWE NXT
AEW roster rankings: Scorpio Sky enters top five
Johnny Gargano-Candice LeRae segment set for WWE NXT
Latest Audio:
WOL: AEW and NXT, RAW ratings, tons more! 8/12
B&V&C: Retro Smackdown May 17, 2001! 8/11
WON NEWSLETTER: August 10, 2020 Observer: The Rock & Dany Garcia buy XFL, new WWE president, more
The reasons behind Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale buying the XFL in bankruptcy court, the new WWE President and how television viewership of all the major pro wrestling shows has changed since the pandemic started are the lead stories in this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer. Newsletter.
We look at the timeline of the XFL purchase, financials behind it, the goals, can the goals be achieved, why Dwayne Johnson is key, what Johnson is trying to do with the league that Vince McMahon couldn’t, and why this is such a difficult time to do so and why the interest level was what it was.
The new issue also covers:
WWE’s hiring of Nick Khan as President and Chief Revenue Officer, where he comes from, his connection with wrsetling, his connections in sports, the value of his contract, and the specific strongest value he brings.
We go through every wrestling show with notes on viewership overall and in demos, who is losing and at what pace. We look at what is turning viewers away, what is keeping viewers, and what show actually has increased viewers in an age group and what this says, the key takes from the patterns of gains and losses.
The return of pro wrestling to Mexico City and the restrictions that have been put in place.
The issues with unionizing wrestlers as well as Equity on treatmet of women in U.K. pro wrestling.
Updates on the major U.S. pro wrestling shows over the next month.
The NBA playoffs affecting the AEW schedule in August and September.
Rey Mysterio and contract talks.
Notes on furloughed WWE employees, chaos backstage at WWE tapings, WWE developmental and NXT talent and training, News from the Saudi Arabia lawsuit, behind Raw Underground, update on WWE draft, NXT writers update, Canadian ratings, Ali talks his situation, new WWE sigings, upcoming TV matches, and the most-watched shows on WWE Network.
A feature on Rollerball Mark Rocco, the best U.K. wrestler of his era.
This past week’s UFC show.
The migration of the audience and what days they watch wrestling, and the one demo that is holding firm to Friday in a big way.
Ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
This week’s episode of The Bump features Bret Hart talking about some of his most famous matches at SummerSlam. It also has Matt Riddle, Big Show, and comedian Gabriel Iglesias.
Paul Heyman reveals WWE 2K Battlegrounds’ game modes in a new trailer.
A 3 1/2 hour Best of Alexa Bliss video has been added to the WWE Network.
Beth Phoenix will be the guest on this week’s After the Bell with Corey Graves.
WWE has filed for the following trademarks: Pretty Deadly, The Hunt, Zack Gibson, Rinku, and Saurav.
In an interview with Newsweek, Adam Cole was asked if he’d like the chance to have a babyface run: “When I first started in my wrestling career, I was a babyface like a lot of people start, and I remember feeling so uncomfortable in that role. I just didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to act. Then I became comfortable when I got to play the part and the role of being the heel. When I really developed the Adam Cole character, that really helped me. Now I do. I think back on that time when I had no idea what I was doing. It was like a year or two into wrestling and still figuring everything out. I’m still figuring stuff out now, but I just have a much better grasp of who I am at least. Yeah, I think I would. I think I would love the chance to be in that babyface role. By no means would that babyface role mean the Adam Cole that you see now would change very much, but I do think it would be a cool challenge and something interesting for me to do to kind of be put in that role. I think it would be really fun.”
MVP talked to Newsweek about his WWE return and Raw Underground.
WWE uploaded a video on their YouTube transcribing what Randy Orton said to Ric Flair after he low blowed him on Raw.
Cameron Grimes’ theme music has been uploaded to WWEMusic’s YouTube account.
Matches added to WWE’s YouTube today include John Cena vs. AJ Styles from SummerSlam 2016 and Randy Orton vs. Christian from SummerSlam 2011.
Other Wrestling
Brandi Rhodes spoke to TVInsider about the decision for AEW’s Women’s Tag Team Cup to be on YouTube: “With YouTube, it’s its own show. That means we are trusted enough to carry our own show and don’t have to be compared to men. We were also not restricted on time. So it’s really the dream scenario. Better than finding out when we are live and something went long, you may only have four minutes to put it out there. That’s really hard, especially when you are trying to introduce new women and put that kind of pressure on them. Being it’s our own show without the restraints and to be able to tell these stories how we want to is a really great situation.”
Brandi was also asked if she sees the tournament being parlayed into a women’s tag team division: “The tournament has been really well-received. When I last checked the first episode surpassed 500,000 views on YouTube, which is kind where people start paying attention and say, ‘This is really cool.’ On a success level, I think we’re doing well. I think it opens the door to possibilities for more. As far as the when, where and why, that isn’t something we’re not in any rush to do because we’re very new. To be able to do something like this and be successful this early is a really good sign.”
Jeff Cobb is teasing a major promotion announcing his signing. On Wrestling Inc. Daily, he said “Well, technically I’m a free agent until whatever group announces that I signed. I’m enjoying what I’m doing. I was going to make a decision but then this craziness kind of happened. So kind of just laying low until the company announces it, and then we’ll go from there. I want the company to do it so the company will get the recognition. I’d rather them do it that way so they can get the spotlight instead of me, and I’ll go from there.”
The US Patent and Trademark office has denied Cody Rhodes’ request for reconsideration for the trademark ‘Bash at the Beach’.
Hiroshi Tanahashi detailed his debut as a NJPW young lion in the latest edition of Aces High.
According to Deadline, a sequel to My Spy starring Dave Bautista is currently being explored.
Chris Van Villet talked to Chris Sabin about the Motor City Machine Guns reunion, Impact Wrestling, their favorite teams to wrestle, and more.
The Baltimore Ravens have waived Bronson Rechsteiner, son of Rick Steiner.
MMA
The UFC have released both Bethe Correia and Evan Dunham from their contracts, according to MMA Fighting.
Here is episode 3 of UFC 252 Embedded.
Max Rohskopf has been released from the UFC after calling off his match in between rounds.
Issac Vallie-Flagg talked to MMA Fighting on finding sobriety after overcoming drug addiction.
Daily Pro Wrestling History: Okada vs. Omega III
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