Daily Update: WWE WrestleMania 40, Cody Rhodes, Shocker

Latest News

• ROH Supercard of Honor live results: Eddie Kingston vs. Mark Briscoe
• Spring Break 8 live results: Blake Christian vs. Joey Janela GCW title match
• The Rock on WWE WrestleMania 40 opponents: 'My respect for them is boundless'
• Shawn Michaels: There's 'so much talent' in AEW
• The Boys issue statement on AEW release, Tony Khan's claim they missed shows

Latest Audio

• Wrestling Observer Live: FUN FRIDAY! Mania weekend line-ups, predictions, calls, more!
• Wrestling Weekly: WWE WrestleMania 40 predictions
• Bryan & Vinny Show: AEW Dynamite and NXT WrestleMania weekend editions!

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F4W/WON Convention

This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• April 8, 2024 Observer Newsletter: WWE WrestleMania 40 preview, CM Punk talks, Janel Grant lawsuit updates

Among the highlights in this issue:

• WrestleMania weekend preview, the matches, the plans for the matches, favorites in every match, where things can go next and how we got there
• How plans changed throughout the period
• Dwayne Johnson's preparation to get into ring shape
• How Johnson's return came about
• Stand & Deliver preview
• Business notes on all the shows including the insane scalper market setting a new all-time pro wrestling record
• The lawyers grapple in Janel Grant lawsuit against Vince McMahon.
• What we've learned new and the strategy McMahon's side is taking
• AEW cuts and the current realities of AEW business
• CM Punk's interview on the Ariel Helwani show in detail and each subject covered
• The most heated pro wrestling show in decades from last week at Arena Mexico featuring top AAA talent, and how the crowd makeup was different, and exactly what happened at WrestleMania 30 that led to this show taking place
• The most detailed look at the the ratings from the past week, weekly rankings, competition, segment-by-segment, analysis, how it compares with one year ago
• Notes from three Stardom PPV shows this past week
• Preview of two major New Japan events
• Lots of Mania week shows talked about
• Main event for RevPro's biggest show of the year
• Bloodsport coverage
• How Kingston vs. Briscoe came about
• Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
• Streaming numbers and international TV ratings
• AEW PPV updates
• McGregor sets record
• Dana White talks about blowing off a sponsor
• PFL signs boxing champion
• Nick Khan talks Vince McMahon, Netflix deal and bringing in Dwayne Johnson
• Details behind Vince McMahon's most recent stock sale
• WWE numbers in quarter one
• Martha Hart talks Vince McMahon
• Ronda Rousey and Drew Gulak controversy
• WWE star likely returning
• Merchandise sale updates
• Update on amateur wrestlers in WWE system
• Notes from all the house shows

This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter

• December 6, 2006 Observer Newsletter: Pride, history of WCW

Friday Update

• Garrett and I will be doing a show today covering all the news from the week and talking about this weekend. Bryan and I will be up Saturday, Sunday and Monday night. We'll try to watch as much as is possible on Saturday because that is going to be a loaded day of shows.
• Our full preview of WrestleMania both nights is in the new issue.
• There was a fire today in Cody Rhodes' tour bus. Nobody was injured and he did all his media interviews. Everyone is safe. The bus ended up with a hole in the ceiling and the front lounge was burned to a crisp.

For this weekend, we will be doing polls on these shows:

• ROH Supercard of Honor
• New Japan Sakura Genesis
• NXT Stand & Deliver
• WrestleMania night one
• WrestleMania night two
• You can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

• The Cubs Fan reported on a situation with Shocker over the weekend. He was wrestling in Oaxaca, was arrested and taken by police on charges of destroying the hotel room and that he threatened to kill himself. His wife, Gisela Dominguez said that he gets paranoid when he's on substances and believes everyone is out to get him. She said he's expressed suicidal thoughts before but has never acted on them in her presence. She said she feels he needs to go to rehab and noted he's also done that many times in the past.
• Paul Levesque said that the WWE draft will take place in about a month.
• The Athletic story on Cody Rhodes
• The Bryan Danielson vs. Blue Panther match headlines a loaded Arena Mexico show tonight. There is also the first block of the tournament of champions which will be a four-week tournament. Tonight has national champions with Star Black, Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr., Magia Blanca, Futuro, Magnus, Rugido, Disturbio, Cholo and Apocalipsis. The traditional big trio match is Mistico & Volador Jr. & Atlantis Jr. vs. Rocky Romero & Templario & Averno.
• Panther was posting workout videos on Instagram for weeks and he's said to be in the best shape he can be at 63. It has been years since he's done a long singles match. Danielson said that when he was younger, he was transfixed by watching Panther's style when he was younger. Danielson said he'd love to work all the CMLL arenas but there is nothing booked and there are issues that would keep that difficult. He said he believes there is more American interest in CMLL than has been in a long time. He also said it would be a dream of his to have a tag team match with Panther as his partner. He said he doesn't care if he's cheered or booed, but if he was in the crowd, he'd be cheering Panther. The advance was very good, nothing close to last week but last week was a rare one.
• Brandon Tate of "The Boys" tweeted this regarding his being released by AEW and the claim it was for missing dates. One of the twins at one point also tweeted that Dalton Castle was limited as a performer. But this was his response.
• During Paul Levesque's interview on the Pat McAfee show, there were a couple of loud chants by the fans for MJF.
• Smackdown tonight in Philadelphia has the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa, Zelina Vega vs. Elektra Lopez, Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller and the KO Show with Randy Orton.

• After Smackdown is the Hall of Fame hosted by Jackie Redmond on Peacock:

• Lia Maivia inducted by Dwayne Johnson
• Thunderbolt Patterson inducted by Scott Spars
• Muhammad Ali inducted by Lonnie Ali (wife)
• Barry Windham & Mike Rotunda
• Bull Nakano inducted by Madusa
• Paul Heyman inducted by Roman Reigns

• ROH Supercard of Honor at 8 p.m. Eastern on Honor Club

• Mariah May vs. Momo Kohgo
• Tony Nese & Josh Woods vs. mystery opponents
• Cole Karter & Griff Garrison vs. Serpentico & Angelico
• Johnny TV vs. Dalton Castle
• Mina Shirakawa & Maika & Mei Seira vs. Saya Kamiani & AZM & Tam Nakano
• Mike Bennett & Matt Taven defend the ROH tag titles against The Infantry
• Kyle Fletcher defends the TV title against Lee Johnson
• Billie Starkz vs. Queen Aminata for the women's TV title
• Athena vs. Hikaru Shida for the ROH women's title
• Eddie Kingston vs. Mark Briscoe for the ROH title

• Rampage tonight on TNT has Malakai Black vs. Christopher Daniels, Roderick Strong vs. London Lightning, Serena Deeb vs. Trish Adora and Komander vs. Action Andretti vs. Bryan Keith vs. Daniel Garcia in an elimination match.
• Unlike in past years where a lot of the bigger shows even struggled, the key Japanese company shows and GCW and WrestleCon shows have been doing sellouts of 750 at the Penns Landing Caterers and close to 1,000 at the 2300 Arena.

• UFC tomorrow from the Apex airs on ESPN+ only starting at 3 p.m. Eastern. 

• Nora Cornollie (138.5) vs. Melisa Mullins (138) - Both missed weight
• Dlan Budka (185.5) vs. Cesar Almeida (185.5)
• Dan Arguesta (136) vs. Jean Matsumoto (136)
• Piera Rodriguez (116) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (119) - Calville missed by three pounds and the fight has been canceled
• Pedro Falcao (136) vs. Victor Hugo (135.5)
• Norma Dumont (136) vs. Germaine de Randamie (135)
• Court McGhee (170.5) vs. Alex Morono (171)
• Trevor Peek (155.5) vs. Charlie Campbell (155)
• Valte Walker (264) vs. Lukasz Brzeski (236)
• Ignacio Bahamondes (156) vs. Christos Giagos (156)
• Morgan Charriere (145) vs. Chepe Mariscal (145.5)
• Alexander Hernandez (150) vs. Damon Jackson (146) - Hernandez missed weight by four pounds but the fight is still on)
• Brendan Allen (186) vs. Chris Curtis (186)

• On Jeopardy last night there was a clue that said "In Landover, MD, he beat Big John Studd in a thrilling steel cage match. The contestant correctly answered "Who is Andre the Giant?" (thanks to Brian Henke)

• GCW & JCW vs. The World last night:

• Jordan Oliver b Aigie Blanc
• Griffin McCoy b Session Moth Martina
• Syuri d Masha Slamovich 30:00. They got a standing ovation when this was over
• Gringo Loco & Arez & Latigo b Dragon Kid & Shun Skywalker & Yamato
• Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura & Rina Yamashita b Alec Price & Cole Radrick & 1 Called Mandes
• Mike Dailey & Tony Deppen & Terri Yaki & Marcus Mathers & Charlie Tiger & Calvin Tankman & Mr.Danger b Ho Ho Lun & LJ Cleary & Lou Nixon & Ricky Knight Jr & Ryuji Ito & Shota & Mizuki Watase
• Mao & Yoshihihko (blow up doll) won over Ciclope & Miedo Extremo, Icarus & Robert Dreissker and Leon Slater & Man Like DeReiss

• There is a new video being put out by ClassicWrestling.net of Harley Race, with matches with Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk, Jack Brisco, Jerry Lawlerr, Dory Funk Jr., Dick the Bruiser, Rick Martel, Angelo Poffo, Terry Taylor, Rick McGraw and Mike Stallings.