Daily Update: WWE NXT, Swerve Strickland, Jon Moxley

Latest News

• Mike Santana signs contract with TNA Wrestling
• WWE reveals rules, eligible wrestlers for 2024 Draft
• Mark Briscoe announces birth of Matthew Jamin Pugh
• Jon Moxley: The Shield has done ‘exactly what we said we were going to do’
• 'Billy Corgan’s Adventures In Carnyland' reality series to premiere this May
• Ricochet advances to WWE Speed title tournament finals
• Swerve Strickland responds to Grayson Waller: AEW is the best wrestling anywhere
• All-Star junior tag match added to United Japan's All Together 2024
• Jey Uso feels he and Jimmy let people down with WWE WrestleMania 40 match

Latest Audio

• Bryan & Vinny & Craig & Shawn: A big bell beefer of a show, WWF Challenge S1:E9, plus Granny!
• We're Live, Pal: What's next for AEW after Dynasty?

Latest Free YouTube Video

F4W/WON Convention

This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• April 22, 2024 Observer Newsletter: Vince McMahon’s future, Marigold & WWE, AEW Dynasty preview

The new issue of the Observer is up on the site now

• What is the future of Vince McMahon and will he try to get back into wrestling after selling his TKO stock
• Lots of aspects of the story to talk about
• How much of the current success is Vince responsible vs. Paul Levesque responsible
• The story behind the WrestleMania 39 finish
• How many people watched WrestleMania streaming and on PPV and how that compares to other weekly television shows
• The story behind Rossy Ogawa's Marigold promotion, the roster, the WWE connection and more
• Full story of UFC 300, one of the biggest nights in UFC history and the business notes on the show along with what is next for the star fighters
• AEW Dynasty, previewing the show and what to look for on the show and why from a business standpoint this is so important
• Hall of Famer gets major accusations against him on a national news show
• Rhea Ripley injury update
• Full coverage of Windy City Riot
• Forbes valuation of combat sports entities and my thoughts regarding them
• A look back at the Silva-Sonnen fight that was announced for the UFC Hall of Fame and back story
• Sue Aitchison, the former Warrior Award winner and her work behind the scenes in WWE
• The most detailed look at the ratings for all the national shows, comparisons with last year and nightly and weekly placings
• Next Stardom PPV show
• Champion Carnival opens
• Who is now Vice President of two different wrestling promotions
• Bloodsport in Japan
• The life and career of Tony Jones
• Updated PPV numbers from AEW & TNA
• International TV ratings
• Lots of comments from Tony Khan
• More on the Nyla Rose situation in Oklahoma
• More on WrestleMania 41
• Drew Gulak update
• Most watched videos from WrestleMania

This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter

• December 25, 2006 Observer Newsletter: WWE Armageddon, UFC Ultimate Fight Night

Wednesday Update

WWE

• The full Ilja Dragunov vs. Trick Williams NXT Championship match from last night is available to watch on YouTube.
• WWE uploaded a post-show interview with Williams following his NXT Championship victory.
• Williams and The Ringer’s Kazeem Famuyide were today’s guests on WWE’s The Bump.
• Natalya tweeted about last night’s NXT episode:
• Last night was such a blast at @WWENXT. It always is, though. So many great matches. So many women on the show, (shining!!!!) So much creativity. So happy for Trick on becoming champ. The NXT fans always bring their best for us, too. Everyone is in it together.
• TV Insider asked Tiffany Stratton what the biggest adjustment has been in her transition to the main roster:
• I would definitely say travel would be the number one, craziest, hardest thing to adapt to. You’re traveling every week, twice or more a week. In NXT, I would travel maybe every couple of months. I would say travel is the hardest part of everything.
• Becky Lynch posted a picture of her daughter Roux with the Women’s World Championship belt: “I do it all for her. Your ma’ is the Women’s World Champ, Roux.”

AEW/Other Wrestling

• AEW uploaded its Control Center video for tonight’s Dynamite.
• While appearing on River City Live, new AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland reacted to his title win:
• It’s a beauty, man [Strickland said about his title belt]. It’s a different design. This might be the heaviest championship I’ve ever held in my life, and I’ve held a lot of championships in my career. This one is just at the very, very top. Like, it’s not even close. The moment, the championship, the match, the pay-per-view, the headline, the opponent – all that means so much because of this championship.
• Chris Jericho gave a speech praising Strickland after his victory over Samoa Joe at AEW Dynasty.
• IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley told Sports Illustrated that he’s still on a handshake deal with NJPW:
• When I first came to Japan, I wanted to understand it and participate in it. That allowed me to learn and grow. I didn’t come in and say, ‘This is what I do and this is what we’re doing.’ Everyone I wrestled, I learned from. I’ve really been able to grow a lot working with New Japan. It’s been a mutually beneficial relationship. They get me, and I get them.
• The first deal I signed with them was for six months. The shoe fit, so we kept going. We’re still on a handshake deal.
• Sanjuki the Bull from Uganda’s Soft Ground Wrestling has challenged Will Ospreay to a match. Ospreay, who is a fan of the viral upstart promotion, responded to the challenge by tweeting an eyes emoji.
• Athena will face Masha Slamovich at Prestige Wrestling’s show in Portland, Oregon on Friday, July 12.
• Matt Hardy sent out a tweet supporting Trevor Lee (the former Cameron Grimes) after Lee was released by WWE:
• Trevor, I love your passion & your raw emotion. I’ve been in your life & known you since you were literally born. I am IMMENSELY proud of you. So is your father. The first release from your dream hits hard, but it ushers in a period of personal growth & mandatory change. It’s also a great time to show the world exactly who you are. You’re one of the most gifted pro wrestlers I’ve ever seen. It’s in your blood, in your soul. I see nothing but great things coming to you in your future.
• Game Changer Wrestling is inducting Markus Crane into its Deathmatch Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 1. Crane passed away at 33 years old in December 2021.
• GCW’s YouTube channel uploaded Shayna Baszler vs. Masha Slamovich from Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X for free.
• Insight with Chris Van Vliet has an interview with Jinder Mahal that was conducted before Mahal’s release from WWE.