Daily Update: WWE notes, Willow Nightingale, Alex Shelley

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• Becky Lynch says she has two months left on her WWE contract
• Sami Zayn says reaction to WWE Raw gauntlet win was ‘a little deflating’
• Mike Bailey vs. Eddie Edwards, Chris Sabin vs. Steve Maclin set for TNA Impact
• AEW makes Dynasty PPV available to buy on YouTube
• Rock & Reigns to appear on The Tonight Show during WWE WrestleMania week
• Mike Rotunda: Bray Wyatt not going in 2024 WWE HOF is ‘less stressful’
• Riddick Moss announced for first post-WWE match
• Rural Revitalization match official for NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis
• AEW announces details for Double or Nothing 2024

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This Week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• December 4, 2006 Observer Newsletter: Roddy Piper, WWE Survivor Series

Among the topics covered in this issue:

• The Cung Le vs. TKO lawsuit and its settlement, words from someone close to the case from its inception, a lawyer following the case weighs in. stock analysts talk, how much TKO's company value went up with the settlement and original goals of the suit.
• Dwayne Johnson and getting more leeway on promos after last Friday.
• WrestleMania update, who are the favorites in the matches, lineup, ticket sales and demand.
• Ronda Rousey in her book and interviews talks about WWE, Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, Bruce Prichard, history with concussions and more
• Coverage of the New Japan Cup, New Japan business, the final night and big shows coming up
• PPV buys for WWE, AEW and TNA by state and what states which companies are the biggest in
• The most detailed look at the ratings over the past week for all the wrestling shows, including segment-by-segment, competition, rankings for the week and comparisons to one year ago.
• 81st anniversary of wrestling in one of the legendary arenas
• AAA announces first TripleMania, more on its notalgia, Vikingo being stripped of his title and more
• Who is staying with Stardom and who is leaving
• Stardom PPV notes
• Mark Coleman news
• TV viewing notes from the past month regarding network, cable and streaming
• Lots of injury updates
• Wrestling show up for a multiple of awards
• A look at Buff Bagwell and Terry Gordy Dark Side of the Ring episodes
• Mark Hitchcock Memorial show
• RevPro announces major show
• AEW Dynasty PPV update
• Next Continental Classic notes
• Updates on PPV numbers for Elimination Chamber, Hard to Kill, Revolution and Joshua vs. Ngannou.
• Danielson talks Ospreay
• Advance ticket sales for AEW & WWE shows
• International TV rating and streaming numbers
• Former UFC champion coming out of retirement
• Bellator new TV deals
• Updated analysis of WWE stock
• Update on Vince McMahon documentary
• WWE upcoming major bouts

This Week's Retro Observer Newsletter

• December 4, 2006 Observer Newsletter: Roddy Piper, WWE Survivor Series

Wednesday Update

WWE

• A Prime Target hype video aired on NXT last night building up Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes for NXT Stand & Deliver. The full video is nine minutes long. It includes comments from CM Punk, Randy Orton, Booker T, Cody Rhodes, Johnny Gargano, and Tommaso Ciampa.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer published a story on Trick Williams and his transition from football to pro wrestling. Williams explained how his personality makes him a good fit for WWE:
• I just think I have a natural feel for liking people, liking to be around energetic situations. It’s really my goal in life that every single room that I walk in, I want people to feel better that I’m there. It started off with little things, maybe in a wide receiver meeting room or class, to now on a grand scheme. When I walk into the arena or stadiums, people can feel my presence now. It seemed like a little thing when I told myself, ‘That’s the goal, I want it,’ but now to see it on the big stage is awesome.
• Natalya reflected on her NXT appearance from last night:
• I had the best time at @WWENXT last night. It’s always been one of my favorite places in the world to wrestle. I’ve had some of the most special moments of my career there. I was really overwhelmed by the love that was shown to me last night and by how impressive @lolavicewwe is in the ring. Can’t wait to see what’s next
• Alexa Bliss, who hasn’t wrestled since January 2023, posted a tweet yesterday saying that she’s back in the gym. Bliss gave birth to her daughter Hendrix last November.
• Big E praised Peacock’s Bray Wyatt documentary ahead of it premiering next Monday (April 1): “Had an opportunity to watch the Bray doc. It is deeply touching and beautifully produced. Could not recommend more. God bless the Rotunda family.”
• Becky Lynch told Sports Illustrated that the WWE women’s division needs more stories that don’t revolve around a championship:
• I don’t need a title. The title doesn’t make me–I make the title. I have enough stories that I don’t need the title. NXT, that’s a place that does a great job with multiple stories with women that don’t all revolve around a title. That’s what our division needs, more stories that don’t revolve around a title.
• CM Punk, Jey Uso, and Jackie Redmond were in attendance at last night’s Chicago Blackhawks NHL game.
• Punk will be an in-studio guest on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani next Monday.
• Paul Heyman was a guest on The Rich Eisen Show today.
• Jim Varsallone interviewed Oba Femi.

AEW/Other Wrestling

• AEW uploaded a Control Center video ahead of tonight’s Dynamite from Quebec City.
• Jim Ross shared the following health update yesterday: “Back at [the] hospital getting three ports in my chest removed. Another step in the healing process.”
• Maps & Graps asked Willow Nightingale what milestones she’d like to see in the future for AEW’s women’s division:
• I am not sure how many other women on our roster, aside from myself, have had the opportunity to wrestle internationally and represent AEW. I know Toni Storm had done a few things with New Japan in terms of being with Juice over there. But from a wrestling perspective, I may have been the only so far representing AEW to wrestle for New Japan. And this coming week, I’m also going to be representing AEW over at CMLL. So I’m really grateful for these opportunities. I’m excited about them, and I hope I can continue to do so in the future. But I know we’ve had some girls from Stardom come over recently.
• I think when…if there are moments where maybe someone on the roster isn’t on TV every single week or they’re not directly tied into a storyline, it would be really cool to see some girls go over to Stardom for a few weeks and get to train there. Because even if you’re not training there, doing the matches and working with all these other international wrestlers, you think about wrestling a different way. You adapt to a different audience and you kind of understand more about yourself. Because the way I think when I go and I do all these different things is, how do I make this audience believe that I have a value outside of what is already going on here? Like, what do I bring as an American? How do I also blend into what’s going on without disrupting the flow too much? But how do I also give them the personal Willow Nightingale experience? How do I show them me? And I think you learn a lot about yourself through doing that. And there’s so many girls on the roster who could do the same. So more of sending our girls over to other places and learning more about themselves would be very cool. And [women’s] tag team championships would also be really awesome to have.
• Nightingale also agreed that she’d like to see a women’s Blood & Guts match and a women's Continental Classic tournament.
• With the Motor City Machine Guns’ TNA contracts currently set to expire in early April, Alex Shelley tweeted last night: “While things change, I want to express this - try to leave things better off than when you found them. Everyone is someone, treat them with respect, show up enthused, do your best, and help others whenever possible. I hope this isn’t too ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ wall art cringe.”
• Mick Foley gave a weight loss update, noting that he now weighs 348 lbs. His highest weight was 372 lbs.
• WrestleZone reports that the NWA is planning for its 76th anniversary pay-per-view to take place at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday, August 31.
• The Cauliflower Alley Club announced Allison Danger as the recipient of their 2024 Women’s Wrestling Award. She’ll receive the award at the Cauliflower Alley Club’s reunion in Las Vegas this August.
• Danger tweeted: “I’m honored to be this year’s recipient at CAC. I’m following a long line of talented women. See you in August, Las Vegas!”
• Mustafa Ali was a guest on Straight Talk Wrestling.
• SEScoops spoke with Timothy Thatcher.