Daily Update: WWE SmackDown, AEW Rampage, weekend preview

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AEW: Fight Forever roster revealedBryan Danielson: I've wanted Kazuchika Okada match 'for so long'Mickie James reportedly cleared to return to action, remains a free agentTriple threat match announced for WWE SmackDownWWE's Becky Lynch opens up about struggle with post-weaning depression

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Wrestling Observer Live: All the news in advance of a packed AEW and WWE weekendWrestling Weekly: AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door predictions, The Bloodline implodeFight Game: Expectations for AEW x NJPW Forbidden DoorBryan & Vinny Show: Dynamite go-home show for Forbidden Door, NXT with Bron vs. Seth

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This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

June 26, 2023 Observer Newsletter: CM Punk returns on AEW Collision debut, Forbidden Door preview

In this issue:

The Punk interview and 1 Bill PhilTony Khan talks about the 1 Bill Phil commentThe business of AEW and profit/lossThe different ways this all could go in detailPositives and negatives about working for AEW and WWEThe Collision announce teamThe most detailed look at Collision ratings and what category was it tops among sports during the weekWhat TNT was doing in the time slot, what should be expected and what would be considered goodHow each segment didThe Marc Raimondi ESPN piece Punk talks Adam PageContradictory storiesOriginal idea for Collision that changedFull rundown of both Chicago shows with business notesPreview of Forbidden Door and what business mark for AEW may be set and where it ranks all-time among Canadian gatesNotes on Danielson vs. Okada and Omega vs. OspreayNotes on PPVThe rest of the cardThe Owen Hart tournamentUpdate on Wembley StadiumRickson Gracie battles Parkinson's and a look back at a fighting legend in the underground days as well as his battles with a famous pro wrestler in BrazilMoney in the Bank updateNotes on Saturday's UFC showTons of new major matches announced by UFC for the summer and fallThe most detailed look at the ratings for all the wrestling and MMA shows over the past week, how they do with different age groups, segment-by-segment and what WWE stars moved numbers big this past weekFirst wrestling company in history to hit 90 years consecutively in businessMultiple cities doing a 40th anniversary celebration for a Hall of FamerKonnan talks heavily about Bandido and RushAn issue with women's wrestling fans in JapanHow the women's wrestling fan base in Japan has changed multiple timesWhat happened to the key young Dragon Gate talent that was let goTwo wrestlers who started together, became big stars in different companies, have a dream match that sold out instantlyN-1 tournament including surprise entrantsNew Japan Strong shows in JapanA bill introduced in New York regarding regulating pro wrestlingLots of injury updatesMore on the MLW lawsuit against WWEImpact stars on major television show in CanadaMore on B.J. Whitmer caseTony Khan talks working with Gedo and where AEW stands among start-ups in the sports brand spaceTony Khan talks Bill GoldbergUpdate on BandidoInternational TV ratings and streaming numbers for WWE and AEWTicket sale updates for all the major shows for WWE & AEWTalks regarding the sale of Bellator, rumors about Tony Khan being interested and he shoots them downTons of drug suspensions handed out this weekGable Steveson debuts on TV and what his goals for 2024 are

This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter:

May 1, 2006 Observer Newsletter: WWE/ECW, Brock Lesnar

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Click Here: River Plate soccer tracksuitFriday Update

Garrett Gonzales and I will be back today talking the week in wrestling, and previewing upcoming shows. Bryan and I will be back Sunday night after the Forbidden Door show.

The new issue of the Observer is out today and the lead story is a very detailed look at the debut of Collision, the return of C.M. Punk, and the many different ways it can go. It's funny that one sentence 7,000 words in is the focal point when the actual story goes into so much detail on both the potential good and bad.

AEW revealed the Fight Forever roster.

We will be doing a poll this weekend on Forbidden Door, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Smackdown tonight is in Lafayette, LA:

Shayna Baszler & Ronda Rousey vs. Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn face off to unify the WWE and NXT tag team titles Shotzi vs. Bayley for the MITB spot Santos Escobar vs. Butch vs. LA Knight Baron Corbin vs. Cameron GrimesThey had about 8,100 tickets out as of this morning for the show.

Rampage tonight at 10 p.m. on TNT:

Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb & Kyle Fletcher & Swerve Strickland vs. Rocky Romero & Trent Baretta & Chuck Taylor & YohThe Acclaimed & Billy Gunn trios matchAnna Jay vs. Sky Blue in the Owen Hart tournamentJack Perry vs. DoukiThis is also the first Rampage that MJF appears on and Adam Cole is also on the show.

We're looking for reports on these weekend shows:

Smackdown tonight in Lafayette, LA (dark matches only)NXT tonight in Fort Pierce, FLImpact TV tapings tonight in AtlantaWWE house show tomorrow night in Monroe, LANXT tomorrow night in Citrus Springs, FLImpact TV tapings tonight in AtlantaAEW tapings tomorrow night in Toronto (ROH and dark tapings, anything not on the live show) WWE House show on Sunday in Mobile, ALWe're looking for results, finishes and highlights as well as angle notes from the Impact tapings to dave@wrestlingobserver.com

Impact tonight at Center Stage for a TV taping:

Alex Shelley vs. Brian MyersDeonna Purrazzo vs. Taylor WildeChris Sabin vs. Trey MiguelGisele Shaw vs. Courtney RushAngels vs. Jonathan GreshamKiLynn King vs. Masha Slamovich

UFC runs a show on ABC tomorrow from Jacksonville, FL. The show will air from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern on ESPN, followed by 3-6 p.m. on ABC:

ESPN bouts

Sedriques Dumas (185) vs. Cody Brundage (185)Jamall Emmers (146) vs. Jack Jenkins (145.5)Trevor Peek (156) vs. Chepe Mariscal (154)Zhalgas Zhumagulov (125.5) vs. Joshua Van (125.25)Tabatha Ricci (114) vs. Gillian Robertson (116)Mateuesz Rebecki (155.5) vs. Loik Radzhabov (157.25) – Radzhabov was fined 20 percent of the purse for missing weightRandy Brown (171) vs. Wellington Turman (171)Neil Magny (171) vs. Phil Rowe (171)

ABC bouts

Brendan Allen (185.5) vs. Bruno Silva (186)David Obnama (146) vs. Gabriel Santos (145)Austen Lane (245.5) vs. Justin Tafa (265)Amanda Ribas (125) vs. Maycee Barber (126)Josh Emmett (145.5) vs. Ilia Topuria (146)

These are the latest odds for Money in the Bank from BetOnline:

Seth Rollins -2000 Finn Balor +700Usos -150 Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa +110Men's match: LA Knight -200 Logan Paul +125 Damien Priest +150 Ricochet +2000 Santos Escobar +2000 Shinsuke Nakamura +2000 Butch +2000Women's match: Iyo Sky -250 Becky Lynch +200 Bayley +500 Zoey Stark +800 Trish Stratus +2000 Zelina Vega +2000Cody Rhodes -700 Dominik Mysterio +400

Former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas is moving moving to 125 pounds to face Manon Fiorot on 9/2 in Paris, France. MMA Junkie was the first to report this match. 

Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann was reported by MMA Junkie to be taking place on 8/26 in Kallang, Singapore in a rematch of a fight that Smith won via first round submission.

Other Notes

Tommy Dreamer is doing a seminar for experienced wrestlers on 7/1 in Omaha. The cost is $60. If interested you can email ProWrestlingPhoenix@hotmail.com Dreamer will also be wrestling on the PWP show that night in Omaha.

AFN, the video-streaming service geared toward those in the U.S.milarty stationed or assigned overseas, and Power Slap, announced a partnership this week. Service members can now watch the first season of Power Slap and the first major show for free on the platform.

Dwight Gooden will be working with ISPW tomorrow. Tonight the compan7y has a show in Belvedere, NJ at the Belvedere High School. Crowbar vs. Anthony Greene and Bull James vs. Rey Calitri are announced. There is a 6:30 p.m. meet and greet with Jimmy Hart. Gooden will be at the ISPW booth at the Garden State Comic Fest in Morristown, NJ at the Mennan Sports Arena tomorrow, with Jimmy Hart.

On Jeopardy last night, the returning champion, who has said he's a fan of martial arts, was doing the Wanderlei Silva wrist roll (thanks to William Rausch)

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Komander headlines tomorrow night's Defy show in Portland, OR at theWonder Ballroom. The Second Gear Crew faces the Bollywood Boyz plus Laredo Kid vs. Aramis vs. Gringo Loco. You must be over the age of 21 to attend.

A new streaming service called Wremix debuted last night. It's a free ad-supported platform that featured a Defy show as its debut featuring the KENTA vs. Nick Wayne match.

OLGB came up with a list of the ten most cost-effective sports personalities on Cameo, taking into account cost, ratings, worth and social media following. The top ten, in order, are Matt Hardy, Kurt Angle, Santino Marella, Paul Gasol (basketball), Rob Van Dam, Fred Jackson (football), Josh Cribbs (football), Jeremy Roenick (Hockey), Greg Jennings (football) and James White (football).

Santana Garrett has been added to the WOW promotion for its next set of TV tapings on 8/2 and 8/3 at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.