Media Man Int Blog
Markets, Shares, Cryptos, Miners and Pop Culture
Wrestling With Numbers In WrestleMania Week
Markets, Shares, Cryptos, Miners and Pop Culture
Wrestling With Numbers In WrestleMania Week
NBA Ballers In Vegas Get Bullish!
April 2026
Bet On Pop Culture Biz
Thank God It's Friday Edition
Sydney, Australia and Wall Street, New York and beyond
Las Vegas Strip
Pop Culture Themes
Markets, Shares, Cryptos, Miners And Pop Culture
Wrestling With Numbers In WrestleMania Week!
NBA Ballers In Vegas Get Bullish! Bet On Pop Culture Biz!
April 17, 2026 Thank God It's Friday
Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York, Vegas, and beyond the Blackstump and Internet Matrix Of Things!
Pop Culture themes
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley) "Gold" (Spandau Ballet) "The Wall Street Hustle" (10cc) "Bulls on Parade" (Rage Against the Machine) "Down Under" (Men at Work) "From Dusk Till Dawn" (Tito & Tarantula) "I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats) "You Are Cursed": Danhausen them (def rebel) Markets ASX 200 futures down 11 points/-0.1%: 8972 AUD -0.1% to US71.58¢ BTC $74,736.96 -0.29% Dow +0.2% S&P +0.2% NAS +0.4% VIX down 0.37 to 17.80 Gold flat: $US4790.87 an oz Silver 78.974 +0.579 Brent oil +3.4% to $US98.19 a b Iron ore +2.0% to $US106.25 a ton 10-year yd US 4.31% Australia 4.95% Coffee 290.40 - 7.85 Cocoa 3455 - 108.00 Numbers Double Check April 17, 2026 (Sydney, Australia) Australian Dollar: $0.7159 USD (down $0.0011 USD) Iron Ore: $106.25 USD (up $1.95 USD) Oil Price (West Texas): $93.37 USD (up $1.98 USD) Gold Price: $4,788.31 USD (down $2.53 USD) Copper Price: $6.0340 USD (down $0.0445 USD) Dow Jones: 48,578.72 (up 115.00 points) Pop Culture/WWE Triple H Admits Confusion Over Trick Williams' Lemon Pepper Steppers In a Variety sit-down with Shawn Michaels, WWE's Triple H praised NXT call-up Trick Williams' charisma but confessed he can't write for him, especially baffling slang like 'lemon pepper steppers'—Williams' term for his swagger-filled white boots, inspired by Wingstop's zesty flavor. The 31-year-old former college football player, fresh off a WrestleMania U.S. Title match with Sami Zayn, has exploded on SmackDown with viral entrances and promo flair compared to prime Rock. Triple H emphasized authenticity over scripting, noting talents like Williams thrive by finding their own voice as they rise to the main roster. (Media Man Peg-On): Trick brings the steak, sizzle and the who darn BBQ! Cookin! News Vince McMahon Not Expected to Attend Stephanie McMahon's WWE Hall of Fame Induction in Las Vegas Reports from WWE insiders indicate no plans or expectations for Vince McMahon to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony headlined by his daughter Stephanie McMahon in Las Vegas. There is currently no ban on his attendance, and plans could change at the last minute. (Media Man Peg-On): Everyone's an insider ... some more inside than others... News Call of Duty Movie Set for June 30, 2028 Theatrical Release Peter Berg directs the adaptation from a script he co-wrote with Taylor Sheridan, both producing alongside Activision's Rob Kostich and others. The team showed a sizzle reel with game footage set to 'Seven Nation Army,' while Berg stressed capturing authentic realism with big-screen scope. After over a decade in development, the project gained steam last fall when Paramount secured rights, building on the franchise's 500 million copies sold since 2003. (Media Man Peg-On): Game Movie Mania At Present. Too many to list! Boom! News Pro Wrestling Legend Jim Ross On Vince McMahon WWE Involvement “Yeah, absolutely. No doubt about it. I don't even have no question in my mind. It where there's, you know, it's the old cliche. Where there's smoke oftentimes there's fire. And there's been a lot of smoke regarding VKM uh in WWE and and what his future may or may not be and and how he can still contribute Vince can still contribute. He's got he's a big picture guy. And that takes a lot of detail work and and planning. But uh he can do that. He can make all that happen. Uh and you know he's he's hungry. You know that he's got uh yeah, if he's if he's making pies, he's so we know he's in the kitchen. So I I just I I don't think there's any doubt in my mind that uh Vince will be instrumental in this year's WrestleMania as far as creative is concerned.” News Stocks driven by FEAR on TACO Confidence in an approaching end to the war in the Middle East, the resilience of the US economy to geopolitical shocks, and expectations of a strong first-quarter earnings season enabled the S&P 500 to surpass the January record highs. About a year ago, after the White House introduced tariffs, the broad stock index first fell and then surged as Trump Chickens Out. Nowadays, since late March, the fear of missing out on TACO has been driving strong volumes, as investors who missed last year’s rally rush to catch up. Usually, such sharp surges occur from the very bottom of a bear market. This time, the S&P 500 has lost less than 10% from its January highs. So, it has not even been officially called a correction. Something similar occurred only in March 2000, on the eve of the dot-com bubble bursting. (FxPro) News Lead Up (56 Hours Ago Approx) ASX ends lower as Hormuz blockade weighs The Australian sharemarket lost ground on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.4 per cent to close at 8,926 points. Energy and coal stocks rallied after the Trump administration's threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz boosted the price of Brent crude oil; Woodside Energy rose 2.6 per cent tp $34.15 and Whitehaven Coal was up 2.6 per cent at $8.33. However, Evolution Mining fell 2.4 per cent to $13.22, Life360 shed 8.1 per cent to end the session at $17.91 and EML Payments was down 35.7per cent at $0.37. (RMS) News Biz/Industry (Australia) 'We may be out of business': suppliers issue plea for help Bundaberg Brewed Drinks CEO John McLean says the company's diesel fuel bill has increased by nearly 40 per cent since the start of the Iran war. He adds that Bundarberg may ask customers such as Coles and Woolworths to accept a temporary surcharge that can be removed quickly when the situation improves. McLean emphasises that Bundaberg wants to avoid any increases in the price of its products for consumers. However, he warns that Bundaberg and many other businesses may no longer be viable unless they can recover the rising cost of fuel and other inputs. (RMS) News PwC, Viva red-faced as ASIC spots $25m error Fuel refiner and petrol station owner Viva Energy Group included $559m worth of impairment charges associated with its retail outlets in its financial accounts for calendar 2025. However, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has reviewed Viva Energy's full-year accounts and found that it had made an error in how it accounted for a $25 million impairment expense; as a result, the company will have to book an extra $25 million in write-downs for the year. Viva Energy's auditor, PwC, has indicated that it does not comment on client work. (RMS) News Shares: NYSE Alphabet Inc Class A $336.02 -1.10 -0.33% TKO Group Holdings Inc $184.44 -8.66 -4.48% Netflix Inc $107.79 +0.080 +0.074% Media Man Peg-On: Play the long game. TKO and Netflix are staples of entertainment/media, and audience numbers, media and marketing creative will help keep them at the high level in most regards. Tesla has the Musk magic and X factor. Aussie miners are frequently strong given the nature of the biz. Gina R took a financial hit re legal as per Australian Financial Review news story. Media remains volitile.R News Sports/MMA Ulberg Knocks Out Procházka on One Leg to Win UFC Title At UFC 327 in Miami's Kaseya Center, underdog Ulberg overcame a likely ACL tear from Procházka's leg kicks, hobbling through Round 1 before countering with a signature strike at 3:45 for the knockout. Procházka later called his 'stupid mercy' moment—easing off and taunting—the reason he lost, vowing to destroy that part of himself and return stronger. Ulberg dismissed the excuse, saying he never counted himself out, while his 9-12 month recovery delays any rematch talk. The upset has fans debating warrior honor versus no-mercy fighting. (Media Man: The power of the human spirit. Never say die. It ain't over till it's over sport)! News Combat Sports/UFC/Trump Trump Cheers Ulberg's Shocking UFC 327 Title Win in Miami At a packed Kaseya Center, underdog Ulberg claimed UFC gold at 3:45 of the first round despite a mid-fight knee injury, marking one of the promotion's most unlikely victories. Paulo Costa stormed back for a third-round TKO over Azamat Murzakanov, then leaped the cage to thank cageside President Trump, who grinned and joked about his looks. Trump arrived with Dana White, Marco Rubio, and family for his first public sports event since the U.S.-Israel conflict, while Josh Hokit upset Curtis Blaydes to earn a White House fight announcement against Derrick Lewis on June 14. (Media Man Peg-On): It's a Win-Win-Win! News Sports/Entertainment/WWE Joe Tessitore's Top 5 Breakout Stars for WrestleMania 42 ESPN's Joe Tessitore ranks Oba Femi No. 1 for his raw power, including a big win over Brock Lesnar, followed by Trick Williams' charisma, Je'Von Evans' high-flying at age 21, Lash Legend's athletic tag team reign, and Dominik Mysterio's heel evolution. The NXT-heavy list highlights WWE's youth movement ahead of the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium on April 18-19. Stephen A. Smith joked about turning down an on-screen manager role, comparing himself to Pat McAfee. (Media Man Peg-On): Seems like Joe Tess is too much of a nice guy than to turn heel like Pat McAfee. Just saying. News Gaming/Pop Culture/Vegas Strip $10 Billion Vegas Arena Complex Proposed Near the Strip Starr Vegas Development revealed plans Sunday for a 63-acre complex two miles south of the Strip, featuring a convertible arena for NBA, hockey, soccer, and concerts, plus a casino resort, 752-foot tower with 2,605 hotel and condo units, retail, offices, and halls of fame for boxing and combat sports. CEO Chuck Haifley of Big Vision LLC announced $6 billion in private funding with no taxpayer money needed, backed by partners like ticketing exec Lou Weisbach and local landowners. The bid arrives as the NBA explores expansion to Las Vegas by 2028-29 amid seven competing proposals, with fans excited about the city's sports growth and skeptics noting tourism challenges and soccer rivalries. (Media Man Peg-On): Good to see that at least a few folks are still bullish on and in Vegas. NBA is the thick of things. Big Balls-Ers! News Pop Culture/WWE/Gaming WWE 2K26 Season 2 Launches with Borderlands Crossover and Free Stars Ringside Pass Season 2 drops April 15 for WWE 2K26, featuring a bold Borderlands crossover that transforms Rhea Ripley into a cybernetic dominator, CM Punk into a spiked Psycho mask-wearer, and Becky Lynch into a fiery Firehawk. Free additions include NXT powerhouse Oba Femi with his tribal beads and commanding entrance, plus Kelly Kelly's nostalgic return in pink Diva gear that Barbie Blank herself hyped. While some fans love the creative mashup for custom modes, others call it mismatched slop and crave pure wrestling content. News WWE/Lucha LIbra AAA Worldwide/TKO Group Two El Grande Americanos Brawl into Mask vs. Mask Showdown At Lucha Libre AAA's Mexico City event on April 11, WWE's Chad Gable returned as the original El Grande Americano, unmasking Octagon Jr. before sparking a wild post-match brawl with Ludwig Kaiser, who took over the character after Gable's injury. Kaiser suplexed Gable through the barricade amid refs and security pulling them apart, then grabbed the mic to challenge him to a Mask vs. Mask match. The high-stakes clash, overseen by Triple H and The Undertaker, is reportedly set for AAA's May 30 event in Monterrey, where the loser unmasks in lucha libre tradition. Fans and insiders hailed the electric brawl as one of the year's best angles. News WWE/Pop Culture Liv Morgan Drops 'Trouble' Music Video Ahead of WrestleMania 42 WWE released the 2:35 music video on YouTube Sunday, where the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble winner teases her title match against champ Stephanie Vaquer. The pop track matches Morgan's troublemaker vibe with wild lyrics, leather jackets, and high-energy dancers in gritty urban settings. Fans split between praising the fun visuals and roasting the vocals, as their heated feud builds to WrestleMania 42 this weekend. (Media Man Peg-On): Hot. Eye Ball Grabber! News Becky Lynch Launches AMO Coffee at WWE World After teasing a big announcement, WWE superstar Becky Lynch announced her AMO coffee brand launches at WWE World powered by Fanatics, inviting fans to her booth for the first taste and priority box access. The playful promo matches her boastful style, linking to her 'Greatest Female Wrestler of All Time' T-shirt and tying into WrestleMania 42 season amid her feud with AJ Lee. Built with husband Seth Rollins, AMO positions itself as the top brew, drawing excited replies from fans ready to grab a cup. (Media Man Peg-On): Cheers Seth and Becky, so, I guess we have no choice but to now cover the news via our Cafe News Media brand also. Cheers to hard and smart work. News News/Pop Culture/Sports Business/Streaming Netflix Announces Fury vs. Joshua Heavyweight Clash This Autumn Netflix announced Saturday that Fury and Joshua will fight this autumn in the UK, live exclusively on the streaming service, right after Fury's unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Fury, back from retirement with a 36-1-1 record, demanded the long-teased all-British showdown, while Joshua, 28-5 and seated ringside, dismissed him as a 'clout chaser' but hinted at readiness on his terms. No exact date or venue is set yet—Wembley is speculated—but Fury insists it's Joshua or nothing, capping a decade of buildup between the rivals. (Media Man Peg-On): This match up has the potential to break some sort of streaming records, maybe just outside Mike Tyson sort of numbers. News Pop Culture/Gaming/WWE Fortnite Teases Stone Cold Steve Austin Skin for WWE Crossover Epic Games dropped a hype video showing WWE legend Steve Austin in his iconic gear, grabbing a green canister for a Fortnite-style stunner before chugging beers amid shattering glass and fireworks. The skin arrives in the Item Shop on April 16, 2026, with the v40.20 update, joining past WWE stars like John Cena and Roman Reigns in this Wave 3 bundle that may include Liv Morgan. Fans love the nostalgic nod to Austin's Attitude Era catchphrase, complete with skull back bling and beer bash emotes, priced around 1,500-2,000 V-Bucks. (Media Man Peg-On): The gamification of sports and pop culture legends like Stone Cole continues. Stuns the gaming world is a good way. News Pop Culture/WWE/Wrestling Sami Zayn Faces Boos and Lays Out Lil Yachty on SmackDown On Friday's SmackDown, United States Champion Sami Zayn shrugged off heavy boos and vowed to defend his title against Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42 unchanged, no matter the fan backlash. Tensions peaked when Lil Yachty, Williams' celebrity ally, yanked Zayn from ringside only to take a Helluva Kick over the barricade, helping Williams win his match. Meanwhile, Carmelo Hayes revealed plans to rehab his knee injury and skip WrestleMania for a second straight year, drawing fan frustration over WWE's direction for homegrown stars. News WWE/Pop Culture WWE Unveils Hulk Hogan Statue at World Fan Event WWE World opened April 16-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, featuring the 'Hulkamania Forever' exhibit with posters from Hogan's 1981 matches, replica titles, and the yellow-and-red Hulkamobile. Nick Hogan toured the displays early, joined by Triple H and Jimmy Hart for the statue unveiling late Thursday. The tribute honors Hogan's 1980s role in mainstreaming wrestling, ahead of WrestleMania 42, though some recalled Nick's 2007 car crash involving severe injuries to passenger John Graziano. News Pop Culture Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking Trump vs The Hood Street Fighter vs Mortal Kombat Bondi Rescue vs Baywatch Don Muraco vs Ken Shamrock vs The Rock Million Dollar Man and IRS vs Money Machine - WWE vs Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide - Money In The Bank Rules Vinnie Vegas vs Lucky Corbin - Coal Miners Glove Hulk Hogan and Nick Hogan vs The Mysterio's Jake Paul vs Dana White Sami Zayn vs WWE Universe Danhausen vs Cody Rhodes Hogan and Andre vs Femi and Omos Killer vs The Missing Link The Masked Superstar vs Mr X Michael Saylor vs Bears Mr FOX vs Mr VOX Joe Tessitore vs Pat McAfee: Special ref: Michael Cole (fantasy booking) Claudio CSRO vs Seth Rollins - Cafe Shop Brawl For All Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss - Cafe Shop Brawl - Special Ref: CSRO. Special Enforcer: John Cena Team TKO vs TEAM WWE News AI News (Aust) Copyright holders ready to do AI deals under existing laws Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has told an event hosted by the media and creative sectors at Parliament House that Australia's existing copyright regime has served it well for many years. She said the federal government had said for some time that it has no plans to weaken copyright protections when it comes to artificial intelligence, while Australia's creative and media sector have made it clear that they are prepared to do licence deals with AI firms, and that existing copyright laws enable them to do just that. (RMS) News Batteries, coal push out east coast LNG shortage to 2029 The Australian Energy Market Operator now expects any gas supply shortage in the south-eastern states to occur in 2029, compared with its previous forecast of 2028. AEMO says gas shortfalls in 2029 are now regarded as a risk only during "extreme peak day demand conditions". It has cited a number of factors for its revised forecast, including expectations of lower demand for gas for power generation, an extension of the Eraring coal-fired power station's operating life and the estimated 30 gigawatts of battery storage projects that are currently being developed. Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the improved outlook shows that the federal government's "balanced" energy plan is working. (RMS) News Lead Up News A.I News Australia Watchdog warns against 'dangerously' positive AI advice amid crypto trading spike The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has expressed concern about the growing tendency for young Australians to use artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT for financial advice. Its figures show young people are following 'dangerously' positive AI recommendations about investing in risky investments such as crypto, with their faith in what has been referred to as 'unverified, risk-averse digital advice' occurring as many Australians are struggling with major cost of living pressures; ASIC's figures also show that 23 per cent of Gen Z now hold crypto assets – up from just 9 per cent in 2023. (RMS) News Resources Drill, baby, drill: Boom for mineral, petroleum explorers Advisory firm BDO has calculated that ASX-listed mineral and petroleum explorers raised a record $5.63 billion in the final quarter of last year. It broke the previous record for fund raising of $3.75 billion that was set in the same period in 2021, with the $5.63 billion in fund raising leaving mineral and petroleum explorers with record cash reserves of $12 billion. It comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that spending on mineral exploration hit a two-year high in the final quarter of 2025, while spending on petroleum exploration was at a decade high. (RMS) News A.I News Global giants join Australia in fight to make AI companies pay for content Both the US and the UK appear to be backing the stance of the federal government of wanting AI companies pay for their use of content that has been produced by artists, musicians and journalists. In a document released on Friday that was titled 'Respecting Intellectual Property Rights and Supporting Creators', the White House stated that US copyright laws - under which content theft for the training of AI models, or any other use, is illegal - will remain. For its part, the UK government stated last week that it no longer had a "preferred option" on copyright reform, which comes after it last year endorsed a proposal that would have allowed tech companies to use copyrighted work without permission unless rights holders 'opted out' of the process. Its change of stance follows a longrunning campaign – led by artists including Elton John and Thom Yorke from Radiohead – which warned that the unlicensed use of copyrighted material for training AI models was threatening the livelihoods of people working in the creative industries. (Roy Morgan Summary) News Bitcoin News Byte Despite a 47% Price Drop, Bitcoin Traders Aren’t Selling: A survey of U.S. Bitcoin holders and crypto subreddit posts found that despite anxiety and market turbulence, most investors (69%) held onto their Bitcoin, with only 8% panic selling. Bitcoin faced a dramatic market correction in early 2026, plunging 46% from its $126,000 all-time high and briefly dipping below $61,000 on February 6. The drop erased over $1 trillion in market value and prompted headlines warning of a defining crypto moment. Social media feeds filled with reactions, yet most holders remained on the sidelines. A survey by Oobit of 1,006 American Bitcoin holders and sentiment analysis of 117,630 posts across 10 major crypto subreddits reveals that fear did not translate into widespread selling. News Flashback Last Week Gold News Gold is back in focus as markets react to geopolitics The market is fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation driven by high energy prices. As a result, central banks are expected to adopt a tighter monetary policy, keeping rates at high levels or even raising them. This has a positive impact on fiat currencies and strips gold of its key feature as a store of value amid currency debasement. It is no surprise that the precious metal, which had got off to a strong start, has been losing out to Bitcoin and the US dollar since the start of the armed conflict in the Middle East. Although gold is generally regarded as a safe-haven asset, in the early stages of financial market turmoil, investors often choose to flee to liquidity. They favour fiat currencies and are far more willing to buy US dollar-nominated short-term treasuries. Gold prices usually recover only if market shocks worsen, fears of recession or stagflation rise, and central banks start adding liquidity. Bank of America believes that the markets are still underestimating the scale of the potential consequences of geopolitical tension. They are fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation and are not considering a global economic downturn. Therefore, the longer the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran lasts, the better it is for the precious metal. UBS Global Wealth Management notes that gold serves as a hedge against currency devaluation, rising budget deficits and recession. All of these could result from a geopolitical shock. The firm therefore maintains its bullish outlook on gold. In its view, the precious metal could rise to the $5,900-$6,200 range before the end of this year. However, gold must first weather the storm of numerous central bank meetings. The RBA has already raised its cash rate to 4.15%. Investors now expect ‘hawkish’ rhetoric from the rest. The ECB and the Bank of Japan are ready to tackle inflation, and the futures market expects them to tighten monetary policy. The Fed and the Bank of England are most likely to talk about prolonged pauses in their cycles. Thus, gold appears to be a win-win option. It will gain if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, and will not lose if it ends. Investors just need to be patient for a little while. (FxPro) News Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The Month' award The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian Google wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award UFC wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award Dynasty: The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award (Netflix) Media Man Biz https://www.mediaman.com.au/biz.html Markets https://www.mediaman.com.au/markets_and.html Newsfeed https://www.mediaman.com.au/newsfeed.html Watercooler https://www.mediaman.com.au/watercooler.html Media Man News Blog https://mediamannews.blogspot.com/ #Markets #Gold #Oil #BTC #NYSE #Sharemarket #Stockmarket #Gold #Oil #BTC #NYSE #Commodities #Bitcoin #BTC #Currency #FX #WWE #TKO #WrestleMania #DonaldTrump #Trump #UFC327 #Business #BusinessNews #Trade #Trading #Trump #Biz #War #Disrupt #Disruptor #PopCulture #Culture #SmackDown #Wrestling #WrestleManiaVegas #Trend #Buzz #Media #MediaMan #World #WorldNews #XBiz #XMarkets #XWorld #MiddleEast #WallStreet #LasVegas #USA #Australia
