[Emperor Smeat]

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Originally Posted by Observer Going against the Democratic presidential debate but no major sports competition, both AEW Dynamite and NXT were up in the ratings this week. Dynamite averaged 893,000 viewers, up nine percent from last week. In the 18-49 demo, the show averaged a 0.31 rating, which was up three percent from the prior week. Dynamite finished fifth in the cable TV ratings in that category. NXT was up five percent, averaging 794,000 viewers. In the 18-49 demo, it averaged a 0.25 rating, up four percent from last week. NXT finished 16th in the cable rankings, one of their better finishes in that category. Aside from when the show ran unopposed on Christmas night, it was the highest viewership total for NXT since December 18. The demos were different than usual this week as the shows tied in people over 50, a category NXT usually wins out in. NXT had a slight win in people 18-34, with a 0.19 rating to Dynamite's 0.18. AEW won big in males 18-49 with a 0.44 rating to NXT's 0.32. But with females in that age range, the shows both had a 0.18 rating. The debate likely hurt NXT more than AEW, given that the debate did a monster rating in people over 50, the category NXT usually wins in.

Originally Posted by Observer On Wednesday's Wrestling Observer Radio (subscription needed), Dave Meltzer gave some updates on New Japan's UK plans and their effort to get a new U.S. TV deal. London He said they are planning to hold a big show in London, England, later this year on a similar scale to last year's Royal Quest event. Originally, the company was going to focus on shows solely in Japan and the U.S. for 2020, but have changed their plans. Meltzer speculated the show will again be at the Copper Box Arena. U.S. TV Deal Meltzer said the company is working on a U.S. TV deal, but would describe them as preliminary at best. AXS TV canceled their deal with New Japan a year early, leaving them without a U.S. TV outlet for the first time in five years. Meltzer said that New Japan chose not to sue AXS for breaking their contract while regional MMA group Legacy Fighting Alliance filed a lawsuit earlier this month.

Originally Posted by PWI Over the Top Wrestling in Ireland announced today that NXT star Tyler Bate has been pulled from their event due to injury: Due to recent injury, Tyler Bate will no long appear at #DeadOn This is unavoidable in wrestling, Apologies #OTT pic.twitter.com/MAUKsCgOHX — OTT WRESTLING (@OTT_wrestling) February 20, 2020 There's been word making the rounds about Bate being injured over the last week or so, but there's no official confirmation on the nature of the injury or how it happened.

Originally Posted by PWI Steve Austin, responding to a fan on social media, noted his Straight Up Steve Austin USA Network series will be returning "soon."

Originally Posted by PWI For those who asked, yes, that was former ECW World Champion Raven sitting in the crowd during last night's Dynamite episode. He lives in Atlanta. As noted last night, Austin Aries and DDP were backstage visiting.

Originally Posted by Fightful According to Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net, Aries and Diamond Dallas Page were at AEW Dynamite trying to get AEW to buy into a stem cell treatment venture that they are part of. Wrestlers have taken to stem cell treatment in past few years with Rey Mysterio, Brian Cage, John Morrison, Rob Van Dam, and more undergoing stem cell treatment to help prolong their careers and deal with past injuries. Aries has mentioned BioXcellerator stem cell therapy on his social media in the past. Recently, Aries has been hanging out with Page and taken to DDP Yoga. Page has a DDP Yoga studio based in Georgia and is a regular at AEW events due to his relationship with Cody Rhodes.

Originally Posted by PWI The early word is that the AEW action figure line will be released this summer. Our good friends at www.RingsideCollectibles.com will be carrying them, obviously! AEW will have representation at the International Toy Fair this week promoting the line, which is being produced by Jazware's Wicked Cool Toys. WCT is headed by Jeremy Padawer, who was responsible for the WWE Jakks Classics Superstars line, so AEW couldn't ask for a better partner when it comes to creating and launching that toy line.

Originally Posted by Post Wrestling Soon-to-be two-time WWE Hall Of Famers Scott Hall and Kevin Nash joined Corey Graves on After The Bell. Hall and Nash were asked who would they pick to join them, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman and Hogan on stage for their induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame this year and here are their respective selections: Scott Hall: “I guess, from a fan’s point of view, maybe they wouldn’t agree but from somebody who’s behind the curtain, I would think Eazy E. I would think Eric Bischoff because the whole thing was his idea, but I guess if you’re a viewing fan, you don’t see it that way. That’s the way I see it. I would have Bischoff up there with us.” Kevin Nash: “I would have Kevin Sullivan. Yeah, because Sullivan was the guy that basically… though it was Eric’s idea, Sullivan was the one that made sure… there’s always been the equation that if you’re a heel, in order for you to be successful it’s like a hot air balloon and the more heat that you allow inside that balloon, the higher it goes and the more valuable that heel energy is, and Sullivan just really battled day in, day out to make sure that they didn’t take heat off us, and nobody got through the n.W.o. and Sullivan always books heat and he continued to book heat and his booking of that heat is what made the nWo.” Kevin Nash stayed on the podcast for the remainder of the show and he and Corey Graves chatted about a variety of topics. Graves asked Nash what would’ve happened in his career had he stayed with WWF and didn’t go to WCW and Nash said he wouldn’t have dropped the world title to Bret Hart unless he was guaranteed a win over The Undertaker at WrestleMania. “If I would’ve stayed, I wouldn’t have dropped the belt to Bret to give to Shawn unless I was guaranteed a win at Mania against Taker. I wouldn’t have done it. I would’ve had too many losses in a row. I would’ve needed a big win right there. So then there goes the streak. I’m just saying, butterfly effect. Mark wasn’t a mark. For me to do business, that could’ve been a possibility. I’m not saying it would’ve happened, I’m not saying if Vince would’ve booked it I would’ve went over but I definitely wouldn’t have coughed it up without something. I was leaving so I mean, it was just like, ‘Alright.’ It was a lot of things that could’ve changed.”

Originally Posted by Fightful Jon Moxley stunned the wrestling world when he showed up at AEW Double or Nothing 2019, just weeks after his WWE contract had expired. Moxley appeared at the end of the pay-per-view, attacking Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, standing tall on a poker chip prop to close the show. Fans treated Moxley like a hero for his debut, but Moxley was worried he would be seen as Dean Ambrose to the audience. "Double or Nothing was three weeks after my contract was going to be up. And it was in Vegas. Something about it being in Vegas made it a sign. I didn't even find that show, that show found me," Moxley said on AEW Unrestricted. "I was like, 'Alright, I guess we're doing this.' I didn't know if people would cheer, boo, or not make any noise at all. I feel like my reputation had been tarnished so bad that I had to start from scratch. Once you get popped in the ass with a syringe on TV....I remember one time standing in the ring in a bear suit and I can't explain to you why. I DDT'd The Miz and took off the bear hat. You get the Pavlovian response of 'yeah!' but I remember thinking, 'This is so stupid. This is not funny or entertaining.' I remember standing in the ring thinking, 'I've hit rock bottom. I'm just done. This sucks. What have I become in the bear suit?' I had many moments like that. I was scared fans outside of WWE, they want an alternative. I was scared that I was so synonymous with WWE crap that I'd walk out and they'd be like 'Oh God, the idiot from WWE. What are you gonna do, hit someone with a hot dog?' I was scared of that. I never explained my gratitude toward the people that were in the building that night for embracing and accepting me as myself and not putting any of WWE's crap onto me. Then it's off the to races. I thought it was going to be a long rehabilitation process, but it came back so quickly. Like I had been asleep for years and I woke up out of a nap. It was like a guy who was in jail. 'Oh, Jon is out of jail.' Cool. He's back." Moxley went on to say that he believes the video where he re-introduced Jon Moxley by escaping the jail went a long way in helping tell the audience that he was entering a fresh start.

TPWW Frontpage:

• Ratings: WWE Backstage and Miz & Mrs. – Feb. 18-19, 2020
• The Bella Twins Announced for SmackDown
• Samoa Joe Injured Again During a Commercial Shoot
• Updated AEW Revolution Card: Two Matches Made Official