Daily Update: CMLL Aniversario lineup, MLW, AEW Dynamite ratings

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– We have our week in review show with Garrett Gonzales today where we talked about the week in Mexico, AEW ratings, should Penta have won the title, Andy Williams, George Chuvalo, Dustin & Cody Rhodes and second generation wrestlers like Steven Borden Jr., Erik Watts, ECW and Paul Heyman in the 90s, Brock Lesnar and many other topics. We will be back tomorrow night talking about the CMLL Anniversary show, Collision, Smackdown, UFC and the rest of the news for our weekend show.

– The new issue of the Wrestling Observer is up on the site today and it’s a giant issue:

– Jake Hager underwent emergency eye surgery after what happened last night at the PowerSlap show where he was slapped in the eye and the eye appeared to be badly damaged.

– The CMLL Anniversary show takes place tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern. It is available on the CMLL YouTube Leyendas service with a subscription or as a standalone PPV through MyAEW.

The show was sold out as soon as tickets were put on sale. Tully Blanchard is in Mexico City and will be walking Tessa to the ring for her title match. CMLL will also present a new heavyweight championship belt tonight.

– We’re looking for your thoughts on tonight’s CMLL Anniversary show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]

– AEW Dynamite did 723,000 viewers with an 0.16 in 18-49 and an 0.24 in 25-54. It won its time slot. The only show that beat it in 18-49 was the season premiere of South Park and in 25-54 it beat South Park. But head-to-head, the Will Ospreay & Andrade & Akira vs. Jon Moxley & Pac & Gabe Kidd match beat South Park. The 25-54 was the second best number of 2026 behind only the show the Wednesday before All In.

– Smackdown is going on right now from Corpus Christi, TX. Money in the Bank qualifiers are Randy Orton vs. Trick Williams vs. Rey Fenix for the men and Jade Cargill vs. Jacy Jayne vs. Alexa Bliss for the women. The show had 5,834 tickets out as of this afternoon, among the lower TV crowds for WWE this year.

– Blue Panther today became the greatest 66 year old pro wrestler in the history of the industry. He did so by turning 66.

– Regarding our lead story in the current issue, the most interesting aspect of the AAA ratings paradox is that even with YouTube live and delayed viewers being so far down, the TripleMania gate was double that of last year and merchandise was up four times that of last year’s show. TripleMania was also the first of the three WWE shows to sell out last week and was the hottest ticket even ahead of Raw with Roman Reigns vs Penta.

– I don’t know what the situation is with MLW and CMLL but earlier today all the CMLL talent except Templario was removed from the MLW roster page. Those at MLW said it was a glitch and lots of talent was removed that have been put back on since, and Mistico is back on the roster page. We are told the relationship is still on between the groups even with the obvious issue involved regarding Tessa Blanchard, which was not her fault, but was an issue with CMLL and MLW.

– UFC 331 starts at 5:30 p.m. Eastern tomorrow from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles

Steveson was moved to the main card when Brian Ortega dropped out due to injury. He’s also a lot lighter than he was as a wrestler.

– Nick Gage vs. Necro Butcher will headline Circle 6 Entertainment’s Thriller show on 10/9 in Los Angeles at the Angel City Derby Arena

– Mistico starts on a New Japan tour on 9/21.

– Sean Sharaf, who faces Gable Steveson tomorrow at the UFC show, did at the press conference call Steveson a rapist.

– Dark Side of the Cage had an excellent episode on Tuesday on Don Frye. I learned a lot about him, including his rage that he attributes to being molested as a child. The episode can be watched here.

– Besides Blue Panther’s birthday being today, other major birthdays of those who have passed away include two Hall of Famers, Billy Robinson, born in 1938, and Lizmark, both in 1949. Otis Sistrunk, an NFL star who briefly wrestled, was born in 1946. Among the deaths today are Hall of Fame wrestler and promoter Ed Don George, who was 80 when he died 41 years ago today. He and Danno O’Mahoney held the U.S. attendance record with a crowd of 45,000 at Boston Braves Field in 1935. Lester Welch, a wrestler and promoter, was 85 when he died 17 years ago today. Don Fields/Don Hatfield was 80 when he died 14 years ago today (thanks to Tony Richards)

– Boca Raton Championship Wrestling announced an 11/6 show in Miami with Erick Redbeard, (Rowan) Sam Shaw (Dexter Lumis) and Joseph Sawyer (Joe Gacy) facing Gangrel & Dutch & Vincent for their tris titles plus they will have a meet and greet with all involved.

– RAF has a show tonight on Fox Nation from Coral Gables, FL. Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad for the Cruiserweight crossover title is the main event plus Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns and Luke Rockhold vs. Joe Pyfer. They had 2,969 tickets out as of earlier today.

– UFC announced an 11/21 date in Qatar.

Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.