Daily Update: Weekend preview, Greg Oliver, Francis Ngannou

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Friday Update

– The weekend schedule is Garrett Gonzales and I doing a show later today covering the Observer that came out this morning, week in review and several historical topics. Bryan and I will be back Saturday night covering a slew of shows including both WWE shows tomorrow and UFC 316, as well as the rest of the news.

– The new issue of the Observer is up on the site today covering these and other items:

  • WWE cuts this past week, why and more details, lots of reaction to R-Truth and the story behind it
  • Preview of the WWE Money in the Bank and Worlds Collide shows as well as updated ticket demand for the shows as well as odds
  • New Japan Dominion and Kosei Fujita win Best of the Super Juniors in one of the year’s best matches
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling TV shows this past week including competition, segments, demo and what things on the different shows boosted the audience
  • Notes on one of the biggest Arena Mexico shows this year
  • Major arena sells out seven weeks in a row
  • Newcomers behind the scenes as WWE takes over AAA
  • Stardom PPV notes
  • Major signings for Hogan & Bischoff’s RAF company
  • Who has won the most awards in specific categories in the 45 year history of the Observer awards
  • Ratings for the past season of Dark Side of the Ring
  • Notes on wrestlers recently cut by WWE
  • AEW departures and details
  • Advance ticket sales for WWE, AEW and TNA shows
  • Lots more notes on AEW going to Arena Mexico
  • Bryan Danielson says his career highlight
  • Significance of the Phil Davis lawsuit and how it affects TKO and perhaps even WWE
  • Promotion cutting prices to increase ticket buys
  • Notes on MMA reporter Jordan Breen
  • Update on WrestleMania in Las Vegas
  • Nick Khan and Vince McMahon selling TKO stock
  • How much are analysts expecting the WWE PLE right and UFC rights to end up at and what does this mean for the stock price
  • Paul Levesque and Dwayne Johnson
  • Notes on WWE counter programming AEW
  • Bill Goldberg updates
  • How much money has Dwayne Johnson made from WWE since his return 18 months ago
  • Top YouTube viewing numbers this past week

– After denying this a few times, although we were told by multiple people it was accurate, Ric Flair announced to People Magazine that he has skin cancer. He will begin treatment next week. He said it was the second time he’s had it.

– Greg Oliver, one of the most accomplished people in pro wrestling media history and author of several books noted that he has left Slam! Wrestling the site that he created. He said that after selling the site, their decision to remove five years’ worth of images from the site, destroying countless hours of work and disrespecting those who used the stories as a part of their resume, was his breaking point but it was not the only issue. Oliver has written numerous historical books, all worthwhile and excellent resources and kept up and talked more with wrestlers of the past than any reporter in history.

– After reps of Francis Ngannou talked about being open to return to UFC, Jon Jones on Twitter said he’d be willing to face Ngannou after intimating he’s not interested in facing Tom Aspinall. Ngannou being interested in returning would say PFL doesn’t have any way to monetize the deal they had signed him to.

– This is a huge weekend of shows:

SmackDown tonight is from Bakersfield, CA —

  • LA Knight vs. Aleister Black
  • Rhea Ripley & Stephanie Vauqer & Alexa Bliss vs. Roxanne Perez & Giulia & Naomi
  • Plus a confrontation with John Cena, Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. and Seth Rollins and the rest of the men’s MITB competitors are on the show

WWE the last two weeks has done two of its three lowest ratings (only ahead of the night against Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson) for SmackDown. The past two weeks of Raw for the U.S. are also the two lowest numbers for a live regular show in its history due to the decline of viewing on Netflix.

TNA Against All Odds on TNA and Triller tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern from Tempe. AZ —

  • Ash & Heather & M by Elegance vs. Xia Brookside & Myla Grace & Harley Hudson
  • Mustafa Ali vs. Jason Hotch
  • Steve Maclin vs. Mance Warner for the International title
  • Ryan & Nic Nemeth defend the TNA tag titles against Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel
  • Santino Marella vs. Robert Stone for the Head of Authority position
  • Joe Hendry vs. Frankie Kazarian
  • Masha Slamovich vs. Lei Ying Lee for the Knockouts title
  • Trick William vs. Elijah for the TNA title

WWE/AAA Worlds Collide at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA, at 3 p.m.. Eastern tomorrow on YouTube —

  • Dragon Lee & Cruz Del Toro & Lince Dorado vs. Aero Star & Octagon Jr. & Mr. Iguana
  • Stephanie Vaquer & Lola Vice vs. Dalys & Chik Tormenta
  • Santos Escobar & Angel & Berto vs. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. & Pagano & Psycho Clown
  • Ethan Page vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Rey Fenix vs. Laredo Kid for the NXT North American title
  • El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Chad Gable for the AAA Mega championship

Regarding the Mike Tenay stuff from the Observer today and announcing this show. Yes, there was talk regarding him. I can’t say 100 percent he’s not doing the show, but I can say 100 percent he was not as of a few days ago and I don’t anticipate that changing. I don’t know if WWE even asked him, only that he was talked about internally. I’ve seen people write like it could happen and I’m very strongly not expecting that to be the case.

The AAA and WWE talent that haven’t worked together before were all brought to Orlando this week to map their matches out.

Money in the Bank from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA at 7 p.m. Eastern —

  • Solo Sikoa, LA Knight, Penta, Seth Rollins, Andrade and El Grande Americano in the Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Stephanie Vaquer vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi vs. Giulia vs. Roxanne Perez in Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch for the IC title
  • Jey Uso & Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena & Logan Paul

– UFC 316 from Newark, NJ tomorrow —

Prelims on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. Eastern

  • MarQuel Mederos (155) vs. Mark Choinski (155)
  • Quillan Salkilld (156) vs. Yanai Ashmouz (155)
  • Jake Saragih (145) vs. Joo Sang Yoo (145
  • Ariana da Silva (132) vs. Wang Cong (125) – da Silva missed weight by six pounds. The fight will go on with da Silva forfeiting 25 percent of her purse

ESPN and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. Eastern

  • Khaos Williams (170) vs. Andreas Gustaffson (170)j
  • Serghei Spivac (251) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (265)
  • Azamat Murzakanov (205) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205)
  • Bruno Silva (125) vs. Joshua Van (125)

PPV at 10 p.m. Eastern

  • Vicente Luque (170) vs. Kevin Holland (170)
  • Mario Bautista (135) vs. Patchy Mix (135)
  • Kelvin Gastelum (185) vs. Joe Pyfer (185)
  • Julianna Pena (135) vs. Kayla Harrison (135) for the women’s bantamweight tile
  • Merab Dvalishvilii (134) vs. Sean O’Malley (135) for the men’s bantamweight title

This is a major show with the best hyped fight of the year in Pena vs. Harrison. Harrison looked very drained making 135 (her judo gold medal winning weight was 172 and even 145 was a huge cut. The 135 cut is a huge part of the story. Mix, who was Belltor bantamweight champion and he never lost that title ,debuts in a very interesting fight as well.

– Drew McIntyre turns 40 today.

– We will be doing weekend polls for both Worlds Collide and Money in the Bank. You can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match from each show to dave@wrestlingobserver..com

– We’re looking for reports on these weekend shows:

  • SmackDown tonight in Bakersfield, CA (any pre-show bouts or things not on the live show)
  • TNA TV tapings tomorrow night in Tempe ,AZ

We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

– Former ROH super heavyweight Brian Milonas announced his retirement saying that sometimes the mind wants something the body just isn’t capable of. He noted that he has been a fan since childhood and his career has lasted nearly 23 years.

– CMLL tonight at Arena Mexico has top matches of Mistico & Atlantis Jr. & Esfinge vs. Angel de Oro & Hechicero & Volador Jr., Atlantis & Blue Panther vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero, Titan & Magnus & Rugido vs. Barbaro Cavernario & Templario & Valiente and Jarochita & Lluvia defend the CMLL women’s tag titles against Dark Siluets & Zeuxis. They are working on a streak now of Friday shows that have topped 10,000.

– Voices of Wrestling has its top 30 under 30 listing for 2025 at:

– They will be taping ROH after Dynamite on 6/18 at Arena Mexico. Thunder Rosa & Persephone will work as a tag team on that show.

– A unique match with Titan vs. Robbie X with a 10:00 time limit takes place on 6/15 at Arena Mexico.

– For the first time ever, the IWGP women’s title will be defended in Europe today on the Pro Wrestling Eve show in London with Syuri defending against Alex Windsor.

– Brock Lesnar has not yet filled out forms to collect his share of the Cung Le settlement. If he doesn’t by 6/16, the money will be dispersed to other fighters. Lesnar would be receiving millions of dollars if he declares.

– Mercedes Mone captured the women’s title for Prater-Catchden promotions in Vienna Austria.

– Shotzi Blackheart vs. Nina Samuels was announced for the 6/29 Progress show in Manchester, UK at the O2 Ritz. The main event on the show is Luke Jacobs vs. Cara Noir for the Progress world title.

– Kron Gracie, the son of Rickson Gracie, has been removed from the UFC roster.

– The already taped MLW annual War Chamber match will be airing at 10 p.m. tomorrow night on beIN Sports and the MLW YouTube page. It’s a War Games match with Matthew Justice & Paul London & Bomaye Fight Club vs. BRG & Brock Anderson & CW Anderson & Bobby Fish

– Dawg Pro Wrestling on 6/28 at the Sacred Heart Church in Riverton, NJ.

– There will be a ton of WWEID tournament matches on Sunday at the NYWC Sportatorium in Deer Park, NY, at 7 p.m. Women’s tournament bout is Kylie Rae vs. Zara Zakher. Men’s are Sean Legacy vs. Brad Baylor, Jackson Drake vs. Aaron Rourke, Cappuccino Jones vs. Ricky Smokes, Jack Cartwheel vs. Marcus Mathjers, Jordan Oasis vs. Bryce Donovan and Ice Williams 

– Tod Gordon has started his weekly podcast called “Tod is Pod” which debuts today at PodcastHeatWrestling.com. The debut episode talks about Sabu.