WWE’s third venture to Saudi Arabia, Super Showdown, on Friday, June 7 will feature the first-ever clash between The Undertaker and Goldberg. The Attitude Era teenager inside of me is happy to see this match come to fruition. However, should it actually happen at all?
Goldberg only works well in short matches. Undertaker’s recent matches suggest his best days are behind him. The age factor looms over this legends outing like a sore thumb, and the event’s controversial locale will in all likelihood dilute any good will this offering can produce.
This is a giant payday for both wrestlers and its dream match that could be better late than never. While their elaborate entrances will be longer than the match itself, Undertaker’s ring psychology will be a crucial factor in getting around their physical limitations. It doesn’t need to be a five-star classic. It just needs to be a compelling story.
Super Showdown will also feature HHH vs. Randy Orton and a 50-Man Battle Royal because fifty wrestlers starting in the ring at the same time is not going to look weird at all.
Will Undertaker succumb to the Jackhammer? Will Goldberg fall victim to the Tombstone piledriver? Is this a one-time only encounter or the start or something more? We’ll all find out at Super Showdown on June 7th. Here’s hoping this under promising affair will over deliver.
Four weeks ago, Kofi Kingston became the first black WWE Champion at WrestleMania 35. While other wrestlers of color have held the world title, Kofi’s win was the first time a person of his ethnicity held the industry’s most coveted prize. What makes this accomplishment special is that it had nothing to do with race or color.
At the beginning of 2019, Kofi Kingston was nowhere near the WWE Title picture. On the way to Elimination Chamber, the newly featured cruiserweight Ali suffered an injury. Kofi was his replacement, and the news was met with faint praise. Kofi’s cool and all, but come on now. It’s not like he was going to win, right?
Then, something amazing happened. Kofi reminded everyone how good he is by putting on an incredible performance in the gauntlet match to determine the last entrant to enter the chamber. In one hardworking hour, Kofi went from placeholder to the guy everyone wanted to win the title. Despite WWE’s lack of ability to keep things hot over a long period, Kofi’s popularity increased.
Augmented by the story of his eleven-year journey on the roster, the audience’s desire to see Kofi Kingston win the big one was irrefutable. The company switched plans, and we saw the result at WrestleMania. Kofi not only went over at the biggest show of the year, but he had the best match, which produced the most heartfelt moment at ‘the granddaddy of them all.’
The story of Kofi’s ascension, again, had nothing to do with race. Instead, the genuine question of a mid-card act becoming champion was used to develop the story. The hypocrisy of Daniel Bryan branding Kofi as a B+ player was the perfect ingredient. While many fans felt the race card would rear its ugly head, thankfully, it never did.
As a lifelong wrestling fan and a person of color, seeing Kofi Kingston win the title put some concerns to rest. Before Kofi, the fact there had never been a black WWE Champion made some people wonder if Vince McMahon was or is racist.
No one actually “wins” the championship; however, being booked as champion puts that wrestler in the lead role. Sports, television, music, and movies can have a person of color in the top spot; however, WWE never had?
What about The Rock? What about Booker T? Both are valid questions, but allow me to elaborate.
Booker T was the World Heavyweight Champion, which is not the same thing. The Rock was the WWE Champion. However, he is half African American/half Samoan and primarily identifies publicly as Samoan. Therefore, you cannot call Dwayne Johnson the first black WWE Champion.
President Barack Obama is half African American/half Caucasian. The reason why Obama is the first black president is that he identifies as African American.
In 2019, we have an African born WWE Champion who wears afro pigtails with pink accents, skips to the ring on a yellow brick road, throws pancakes out into the crowd and is all about that unicorn life. On paper, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. In reality, a fabulous performer name Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah made it work exceedingly well due to his undeniable talent.
The UFC has been lying to you for twenty-six years. The first American Mixed Martial Arts event didn’t occur on November 12, 1993, in Denver, Colorado. It wasn’t the first televised card, and Royce Gracie wasn’t the sports first champion.
On June 2, 1989, the World Television Network broadcasted a no-hold-barred competition called ‘The Battle of the Tough Guys. The inaugural champion was a six-foot-eight-inch ex-con named Zeus.
The proud practitioner of Gracie Ju-jitsu is, without question, a legend. However, his accomplishments pale in comparison to the “Human Wrecking Machine.”
Royce Gracie won the first UFC tournament by beating Art Jimmerson, Ken Shamrock, and Gerard Gordeau, in three separate bouts, in the same evening, with a break in-between bouts, and all inside the comfortable climate-controlled McNichols Arena.
However, on that hot June evening four years earlier, Zeus defeated Bulldog McPherson, Brock Chisler, Klondike Kramer, and Neanderthal, all at the same time. This occurred within the humid and unsanitary confines of Tootsies Bar.
Rorion Gracie, Royce’s older brother, founded the Ultimate Fighting Championship and booked its first five events while WTN President, who merely went by the name, Brell, organized the Battle of the Tough Guys.
Brell, the controversial figure whose name spread “Keyser Söze” like fear in the television industry, was unapologetic in his pursuit of Nielsen rating dominance. Brell often uttered the phrase “Jock-Ass” when expressing his disdain towards individuals.
Royce won $50,000 for his win at UFC 1, while Zeus won twice that amount for his victory at BOTG 1, which means Brell pays better than Rorion.
Zeus is the first fighter to reign supreme inside the Octagon. Rorion deserves credit for updating the design from ropes and tires to steel posts and chain length fence.
UFC has always had a referee for their events, but there wasn’t a zebra in sight during Battle of the Tough Guys. Zeus’ life was actually on the line in every bout while Gracie could have been saved at any time.
Zeus was also the more well-rounded fighter of the two. Gracie could only fight on the ground and was battered in his bout with Kimo at UFC 3. Zeus displayed a wide array of striking skills by punching through concrete cinder blocks with his bare hands. At Battle of the Tough Guys3, Zeus exhibited Floyd Mayweather like head movement to dodge the oversized crescent wrench of Lugwrench Perkins.
Again, Gracie fought comfortably inside an arena while Zeus fought for his life inside an active industrial plant.
After a few more shows, the two athletes all but retired from the fight game and embarked on similar journeys in scripted entertainment. Royce Gracie went on to become a stunt and fight choreographer for the critically acclaimed film, Lethal Weapon 4.
Zeus transitioned to the circus-like environment of professional wrestling. As a legitimate fighter, his background landed him a high dollar contract with the genre’s top organization, the World Wrestling Federation.
If history is written by the winners, then UFC and the Gracie family are the victors in Mixed Martial Arts’s convoluted origin story. Royce Gracie gained the glory, but those who frequented that little dive bar on that faithful 1989 evening know that Zeus will forever be the sport’s original pioneer.
Jushin Thunder Liger announced last Wednesday at a press conference that he will retire in January. Liger, 54, said he wants to wrestle all over the world until the next Tokyo Dome event and hopes to get on the G1 Supercard event next month at Madison Square Garden.
Born Keiichi Yamada, had his debut match in 1984. However, it wasn’t until 1987 when Yamada adopted the popular character he is known for today. Liger was an innovator of the high flying style of wrestling and created the shooting star press.
Despite his age, Liger put on a stellar match where he was denied a 12th IWGP jr. heavyweight title in a losing effort to Taiji Ishimori at New Japan’s Anniversary show. During his near 40 year career, Liger captured numerous championships, won many tournaments and match of the year accolades.
It’s fitting I was working on this blog amid Liger’s retirement announcement. He’s been one of my favorite wrestlers ever since his WCW debut in 1991. I hope you enjoy my love letter for a moment. I never thought I would see.
-Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Bryan Danielson: Ring of Honor – Weekend of Thunder – Revere, Massachusetts – Greater Boston Indoor Sports Center. May 11, 2004.
WWE acquiring WCW in 2001 meant the end of seeing talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling appear in the United States. That all changed when ROH unexpectedly announced Jushin “Thunder” Liger was coming back to the U.S. for two nights only. One of those nights was in my home state of Massachusetts. Nothing was going to stop me from seeing this show!
For the uninitiated, Yamada Keiichi aka Jushin Liger, revolutionized junior heavyweight wrestling. While known for his death-defying highflying ability, Liger also mixed up his work with mat wrestling and martial arts to make for an exciting all around style.
While Liger was tearing it up in Japan, he made is American debut in 1991 for WCW when he feuded with Brian Pillman for the promotion’s light heavyweight championship. Liger appeared spasmodically over the years as fans were entranced by the red-clad anime-inspired character.
Third-row seats and the purchase of an authentic Liger action figure was all I needed to enjoy the show. The fans came unglued when the first notes of Liger’s entrance music hit the airwaves. Multicolored streamers cascaded the ring to provide the Japanese legend with a little taste of home.
Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) was the perfect opponent for Liger. A five-star match was expected; however, what we got was a five-star show. It was a well-worked competitive match that exhibited how both wrestlers superbly apply their craft. As the match unfolded, things became clear. The goal wasn’t to convince the audience Danielson could win. It was to let Liger shine in all his glory.
Every single person in the building paid to see the masked lion/tiger hybrid. Everyone in the building paid to see Jushin Liger. It was a best of compilation unleashed before our very eyes. We held our figurative lighters in the air as Liger performed all of his signature hits.
Liger’s surfboard submission got things off to a nice start, and he followed up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. After some time on the defensive, Liger nailed a bald heel Danielson with a thunderous shotei palm strike. Liger would follow up with another shotei in the corner and hit a top rope hurricanrana.
The audience popped as Liger unleashed his rolling koppu kick and delivered his patented running Liger bomb for a shocking nearfall. There was only one move left to make. One hit left to play on the set list. Danielson was propped up top, lifted up, and drilled with an avalanche brainbuster to close the show.
Not only was it a privilege to see Jushin Liger in the ring, but from an insider perspective, it was nice to see a promotion use a legitimate draw the right way. No shenanigans, no convoluted plot. Liger was the reason why we were all there, and once we got him, Ring of Honor produced a marquee performance.
What many people feared would happen, has happened.
Becky Lynch was suspended in storyline by Vince McMahon for 60 days. Since her suspension ends five days after WrestleMania, she out of the main event. McMahon named Charlotte Flair as Ronda Rousey’s new opponent.
It’s obvious Lynch will get back into the match at some point, thus making it a triple threat encounter no one wants to see. In a previous blog I wrote about the possibility of Charlotte’s inclusion, I referred to WWE’s inability to create a worthwhile story that doesn’t feel as if Charlotte is shoehorned into the match.
The reason Vince McMahon suspended Becky Lynch is that he doesn’t like her attitude. Furthermore, he picked Charlotte, who is on SmackDown, to go against Rousey for the Raw Women’s Title.
The segment was rushed due to the new edict by USA Network, stating Raw must end at 11:00 pm on the dot. Vince fumbled most of his lines as he made the announcement.
Also, it makes no sense because Vince McMahon and Becky Lynch have never had any interaction on television. Wrestlers over the years have done a lot worse to the McMahon Family than merely having a bad attitude. Yet, Vince never did something so drastic as to take away their WrestleMania main event.
credit wwe.com
Except for Stone Cold Steve Austin.
“The Man” has drawn many comparisons to “The Texas Rattlesnake” in terms of persona. Perhaps, Vince doesn’t want another Austin on his hands and is trying to put Lynch in her place before that happens. This would make sense. After all, there are some parallels between the two
Austin was already WWE’s top star going into WrestleMania 14 in 1998. He just needed his coronation via the WWE Championship while rubbing shoulders with Mike Tyson. Today, Becky Lynch is the top star going into WrestleMania 35. She needs WWE to make that point loud and clear, by having her beat Ronda Rousey.
There is a theory suggesting Charlotte was only put in the match to take fall. Thus Rousey avoids doing the job. I get it, and it wouldn’t surprise me. Still, I don’t see that being the case.
Ronda Rousey has been undefeated since she debuted at last year’s WrestleMania. Lynch ending her streak is the key ingredient in setting up Lynch for true superstardom. It’s literally the biggest contribution Ronda Rousey can make to WWE.
Charlotte, for her role, is doing a fantastic job on the promotional side of things. She’s been trolling everyone on social media to the nth degree and doing the same on television. The fans hate her right now, which means her inclusion might have been a good idea after all.
Last night on Raw, the suspended Lynch once again blindsided Rousey. In return, Rousey threw down the women’s title in protest to the McMahon family not reversing the suspension. Rousey said she wants to fight the best, and it’s not as if security can stop Lynch anyways.
Now that makes sense. Rousey is the ultimate competitor and has made her money. If WWE doesn’t give her what she wants, which is also what the fans want, she’ll just walk away.
It’s nice to finally have some faith in WWE’s writing, even though their track record is abysmal when it comes to creating clear and concise character motives.
A convoluted road to a finished product is, unfortunately, their modus operandi. In this case, however, seeing Lynch, Charlotte, and Rousey in the ring on April 7th might be worth the mess we get along the way.
MASSACHUSETTS, February 20, 2019 – The Bell Time Club & Dante Luna presents a fun-filled day of professional wrestling, artists, storytellers and the original leader of the Power Rangers at the Malden Irish American Club, 177 West Street, Malden, MA on Wednesday, February 20, 2019.
The same group of creators who brought you Wrestling at Fenway Park with El Mundo Boston are now presenting two NEW showcases to the community. The Bell Time Club Pre Show Experience and a live professional Wrestling Show that is titled The Bell Time Club.
The Bell Time Club’s Pre Show Experience is a great way to try something new with your friends and family. It is an event that was created as a celebration of wrestling, art empowerment, and pop-culture! Doors open at 1:00 PM where fans can meet some of the top professional wrestlers from New England including Hall of Famers and BELL TIME CLUB founders “The Dynasty” Beau Douglas and Jason Rumble!
Our friend JOHN CENA SR will be signing and doing photo ops from 2pm to 5pm! It will be Morphin Time in Malden as Austin St. John, the original Red Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, will be signing autographs and doing photo ops from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. St. John will also be appearing at the wrestling show that evening.
Rodney Levoie Jr. from SURVIVOR season 30, Kevin Schlehuber from BIG BROTHER 19 and Chardas Freeman from WHOLE FOOD, SOUL FOOD will be at the Pre-Show Experience.
After the conclusion of the Pre Show Experience, the doors will close to the public as our team will prepare for Belltime. Doors will reopen for seating of the action-packed evening of professional wrestling at 6:00 PM. “The Masshole” Mike McCarthy defends the El Mundo Boston Championship against multi-time champion Slyck Wagner Brown.
Adding to the evening’s action will be two additional championship matches, the inaugural Kowalski Classic Tag Team Battle Royal, and a special attraction bout featuring the masked sensation Todo Loco taking on rising star Channing Thomas. Also, Impact Wrestling’s Alisha Edwards will be in action!
Tickets for the wrestling show are $15.00 and will be available at the door. Tickets from the Wrestling Show will not get you into the Pre Show Experience with Austin St. John. Entrance fee for the Pre Show Experience is $10.00 and will be available for purchase at the door!
The Bell Time Club & Dante Luna promise to deliver a night of professional wrestling you don’t want to miss. Make sure you join us fun filled day of pop culture and wrestling the whole family can enjoy.
About The Bell Time Club – The Bell Time Club is one of the premier professional wrestling schools in New England. Owner and Trainer Beau Douglas provide quality instruction and fundamentals that were taught to him by the legendary Walter “Killer” Kowalski. The facility is located at 40 Broadway St, Wakefield, MA.
Professional Wrestling @ The Malden Irish American Club
177 West Street, Malden, MA 02148
Doors open at 6:00 pm – Bell Time at 7:00 PM
Tickets: $15.00
El Mundo Boston Championship: “The Masshole” Mike McCarthy vs. Slyck Wagner Brown
Women’s Triple Threat Main Event: Alisha Edwards vs Luscious Latasha vs Amber vs The Widow Belmont
El Mundo Boston Tag Team Championship: Alec Price & Edgardo Montoya vs. Bugsy Stone and Big Bear Matouch
Test of Strength Wrestling Championship: Bobby Ocean vs. Dan Terry
Special Attraction: Todo Loco vs. Channing Thomas
Tag Team Bout: The Platinum Hunnies vs. The Sea Stars
Also appearing: John Cena Sr.,“The Dynasty” Beau Douglas, Jason Rumble, The Middlesex Express, Anthony Greene, Antoine Nicolas, Dan De Man, Vern Vicallo and more!
Twenty years ago, the inaugural Halftime Heat aired live on the USA Network during the Super Bowl halftime show. The event saw Mankind defeat The Rock for the WWE Title in an empty arena match and it was a rousing success.
The second Halftime Heat occurred the following year with an exclusive interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin. At the time, Austin was recovering from neck surgery in conjunction with the infamous hit and run angle involving Rikishi.
Last night, WWE held another Halftime Heat special, which aired on all social media platforms, YouTube and the WWE Network. The company’s developmental system NXT took center stage with a live 6-Man Tag Team Match from the Performance Center.
Aleister Black, Ricochet, and Velveteen Dream teamed up to take on NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole. Vic Joseph and Shawn Michaels called the action on commentary.
Triple H said in an opening video package “If you’re all in on sports entertainment, NXT is for you.” Athleticism personified is the best way to describe this twenty-three-minute match. All six men delivered a high energy affair that you will not see on WWE’s main roster.
WWE.COM
The match had an odd cadence to it. At times it felt rushed, which is understandable because, well, the Super Bowl. Some moments told a clear story. Other moments came off as a mere exhibition of moves with each wrestler getting their stuff in.
Extremely fast-paced action anchored by several callbacks to amazing spots on TakeOver shows such as Adam Cole meeting a moonsaulting Ricochet in midair with a superkick. The finish came when Adam Cole received in succession Black Mass, Dream Driver and a springboard 450 splash from Ricochet for the pinfall.
Astatically, the room was poorly lit, and there was a mixture of genuine and phony reactions from the crowd. As a former independent wrestler, I’ve sat in the audience for my share of poorly attended shows. It’s a tradition for workers in the crowd to boo and cheer accordingly as a way to get the fans into the show.
Reports indicate the Performance Center contained 400 people for a family and friends Super Bowl party. Not counting the WWE Network, the overall live streaming numbers are 86,190 viewers.
Despite elements of the match lacking a narrative with rerun envy, the show was a success. The goal here was to expose NXT to a broader audience, which is why going back to the well with familiar spots is perfectly fine. The social media numbers could have been better, but those who saw the match loved it. (Fast forward video above to 6:03)
In the current landscape of professional wrestling, women’s wrestling is more prominent than ever before. WWE, ROH, Impact, and the Indies are producing longer matches, better matches, and main event matches. This is becoming the norm instead of the exception. In 2018, one name rose to infinity and beyond. My pick for Wrestler of the Year is Becky Lynch.
Becky Lynch is a talented wrestler who consistently puts on strong performances. However, WWE booked Charlotte Flair to be the queen bee of the women’s division. Going into last year’s SummerSlam, inept booking that shoved aside Lynch, in favor of Flair, created a perfect storm of opportunity. Lynch capitalized on it spectacularly to become the most popular wrestler in WWE today.
What makes Lynch’s ascension even more gratifying is she did it while embracing a heel role that everyone thought she was too sweet to pull off. Gone is the happy go lucky “Irish lass kicker” and now we have a gives zero f%$#* persona of “The Man.”
Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey in the main event of WrestleMania is the current marquee match of the industry. Let that sink in for a moment. A subgenre once considered bathroom break fodder is now the apple of everyone’s eye.
Lynch attacking Rousey on Raw: 11/12/18
Most of the wrestlers in the division lack the believability to beat the former UFC champion. Lynch exudes attitude and the requisite authenticity to dethrone Rousey, which makes the match even more intriguing.
While the word on the street says the aforementioned match will end up a Triple Threat with the inclusion of Charlotte Flair, Lynch is too popular for the WWE to not only ignore but to not push as the featured attraction. On SmackDown, Becky Lynch got the better of John Cena, who WWE just started marketing as the greatest of all-time.
Topping off a fantastic 2018, Lynch had a career-defining match against Charlotte at WWE’s first all women’s pay-per-view event Evolution. Their Last Women Standing encounter has received match of the year accolades and told a gripping story from beginning to end.
Lynch was marginalized for the first half of 2018. She capitalized on a creative blunder, which yielded maximum results. A growing social media presence, match of the year caliber performances, a character people love, a hot selling t-shirt and one-half of the biggest match in the industry gives Becky Lynch the blue ribbon.
While other wrestlers such as Kenny Omega, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Seth Rollins are more than worthy of this distinction, Lynch’s story is truly unique, and her impact is undeniable.
-Wrestle Kingdom 13 Results – 1/4/19 – Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan
–PRE-SHOW: Most Violent Players (Togi Makabe & Toru Yano) & Ryusuke Taguchi won a gauntlet match to become #1 contenders to the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.
-Will Ospreay pinned Kota Ibushi by pinfall with Storm Breaker to win the NEVER Openweight Championship. Ibushi was taken out on a stretcher out after the match. I’m not sure if this was a work or a shoot.
-Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Shingo Takagi) defeated Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) and Suzuki-gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship when Takagi hit SHO with Last of the Dragon.
-Zack Sabre, Jr. submitted Tomohiro Ishii to become the new RPW British Heavyweight Champion.
-Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & SANADA) defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship when SANADA hit Matt Jackson with a moonsault for the pin.
-Juice Robinson pinned Cody w/ Brandi Rhodes after hitting two Pulp Frictions to win his second IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.
-Taiji Ishimori beat KUSHIDA with Bloody Cross to become the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
-“Switchblade” Jay White w/ Gedo pinned Kazuchika Okada after coming back from a spinning Rain Maker and delivered a Blade Runner
-Tetsuya Naito defeated Chris Jericho in a No Disqualification Match to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
-Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kenny Omega with High Fly Flow to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for a record eighth time.
Jay White
-Thoughts:
Wrestle Kingdom delivered on all fronts and capped off by a main event for the ages. Every match told a different story that was intriguing and didn’t involve wrestlers peeing their pants of being thrown in a commode.
Sabre, Jr. vs. Ishii was the submission master trying to ground the heavy-handed striker while Ibushi vs. Ospreay saw two all-around specialists trying to out-athlete each other. The tag team title matches of both divisions exhibited all-out action, and Juice Robinson got a much-needed win over Cody after losing a lot of the steam he gained last summer.
Jay White beating Okada clean in the middle of the ring was shocking and the way it came about was brilliant. Okada not only put on his best performance since Dominion in June, but he returned as the RAINMAKER. Tights instead of pants, extravagant robes instead of a t-shirt and his trademark blonde hair instead of red.
Usually, when a wrestler returns to form, they never lose their first match back. Okada was super over in the Tokyo Dome, and he lost as clean as a sheet. “Switchblade” failed to have that star-making match last year against Tanahashi. However, he more than held up his end this year.
Jay White has arrived!
Tetsuya Naito and Chris Jericho’s No Disqualification Match was a fun brawl that highlighted how multi-talented these two wrestlers are.
Kenny Omega and Hiroshi Tanahashi exuded the sheer will to win more than any match I’ve seen in the last ten years. Skill, pedigree, and conflicting ideologies created a story that was unique on its own merits, yet so familiar.
Tanahashi is a modern traditionalist while Omega spearheads the new wave of vastly athletic wrestling that is sweeping the industry. Both styles were on display in the Tokyo Dome by two master class professional wrestlers. Forty minutes of…Bottom line, there is no amount of me telling you how excellent this match was that will prepare you for how awesome this match is.
-What’s Next?
Wrestle Kingdom 13 was not only a great show but a highly newsworthy one as well. Not only did every single title in the promotion change hands, but all of the wrestlers who are rumored to be leaving New Japan lost.
Cody, Brandi Rhodes, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks have officially signed with All Elite Wrestling.
KUSHIDA is rumored to be WWE bound.
Kota Ibushi’s future destination is a mystery.
Chris Jericho’s next stop is unknown but faintly rumored to be going with All Elite Wrestling
Kenny Omega…ANYTHING can happen with him at this point.
New Japan Pro Wrestling will be just fine no matter who stays or who leaves. They drastically hit the reset button, made a new star and are well on their way to making more.
After weeks of speculation, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and All In sequel “Double or Nothing” has been officially announced. The announcement came at the end of the latest episode of the popular YouTube show Being the Elite (BTE).
There is a “Double or Nothing” rally at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday, January 8 at 5:00 pm. A special announcement is expected to be made at this rally, which is free to the public.
Jacksonville Jaguars co-owner Tony Khan is President of the company and the money behind AEW. Tony is a longtime wrestling fan and the son of billionaire Shahid Khan.
Wrestling Observer reported earlier today Cody Rhodes has officially signed with the company and The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson), while not signed yet, are expected to sign within the next 48 hours. All three wrestlers reportedly turned down offers from WWE.
Kazarian, Daniels, and Sky
Hangman Page, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky are all staples of Being the Elite and are also expected to sign with AWE. All four wrestlers turned down offers to resign with Ring of Honor as their contracts expired at the end of December. Page reportedly turned down an offer from WWE back in October.
The final three members of the BTE crew are spoken for to various degrees. “The Villain” Marty Scrull is reportedly under contract to ROH until the end of April. Flip Gordon recently signed a new two-year contract, which takes him off the board for the foreseeable future.
Kenny Omega – credit Sports Illustrated
Then there is Kenny Omega who is under contract to New Japan Pro Wrestling until January 31st. It will be interesting to see what happens on Friday when Omega defends the IWGP Heavyweight Title against Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13.
Omega is highly regarded by many as the best wrestler in the world. He is in the driver’s seat from a financial standpoint. New Japan, under their new leadership, is offering more significant money contacts than ever before. WWE wants zero competition, has more money to play with than ever before due to their massive TV contracts beginning this year, and are signing anyone with name value.
WWE traditionally doesn’t offer high six or seven figure contracts to wrestlers who made their name outside of the company. The last time they did was for AJ Styles, and it worked out exceptionally well for both parties. Omega can command such a dollar amount. While AEW would be the emotional favorite to sign Omega, WWE could very well sweep in with an offer too good to refuse.
Make no mistake about it, from a talent perspective, Kenny Omega is the ace in the deck While it wouldn’t derail AWE if they couldn’t sign him, it would be a big blow that would almost have them walking uphill coming out of the gate.
Hey Kids, it’s Chris Jericho.
Wow, I almost forgot about Chris Jericho.
Y2J has done a fantastic job of reinventing himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He holds their Intercontinental Title and will defend it against Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 13. Jericho wrestles on per date basis and is currently not under contract to any promotion.
Over the last year, Jericho has lessened the reigns on his self-imposed restriction to not work for any other promotion except for WWE. He worked for New Japan, appeared at All In, did guest spots on Being the Elite, and helmed a successful wrestling cruise. AEW being able to land both Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho will make it a lot easier for the company to get a television deal, which is already rumored to have several offers.
It is an exciting time in the wrestling industry. AEW could be the first promotion to compete with the WWE in eighteen years. It will be interesting to see where everything ends up between now and when the first bell rings on the inaugural episode of AWE television.
RingsideLogic.com 