SEScoops

Author: Steve Russell

  • NJPW Reportedly Offering Big Money Deals To WWE Talent

    NJPW Reportedly Offering Big Money Deals To WWE Talent

    Usually WWE is the company poaching talent from other promotions, but it appears New Japan Pro Wrestling is going on the offensive.

    New Japan has been aggressively increasing its presence in the West over the past few years, hoping to grow a larger fanbase amongst American fans. A whole new audience is being exposed to New Japan’s brand of “strong style” wrestling. Another big step in that effort would be acquiring WWE talent that fans are familiar with.

    According Dave Meltzer, NJPW has been reaching out to WWE’s wrestlers in an effort to lure them away with comparable money for fewer dates.

    “There were some offers that have been made to some guys in WWE that surprised me in the sense of how much they could make outside of WWE,” Meltzer said, before adding, “One person who is there [in the WWE] got an offer for ridiculous money for way less dates and it very much surprised me. This would be one of the top guys in WWE. New Japan is weird but they are willing to pay real big money, like they did with [Chris] Jericho.”

    No specific names were mentioned during his observations, but rumors are rife with names such as current US Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows – all of whom have been previously associated with NJPW in the past and that many fans believe have been grossly underutilized during their time with WWE.

    What do you think of this? Do you feel they’ve been misused in the WWE? Who would you like to see get signed to NJPW?

  • John Cena Considers The WWE A “Young Man’s Game”

    John Cena Considers The WWE A “Young Man’s Game”

    He may no longer be appearing at WWE’s Crown Jewel event this coming Friday, but that hasn’t made John Cena any less in demand, especially as he continues to bypass boundaries into different mediums, continuously building a wider cross-media fanbase as he does so.

    In a recent video interview, the former Doctor Of Thuganomics, sporting a blue suit and maintaining his longer hairstyle, was asked about potentially returning to the ring, and whether he was still maintaining a physical fitness compatible for in-ring competition.

    Cena responded candidly, admitting: “Full disclosure, I can’t run at the full demanding schedule at 41 years old as the current WWE Superstars do. They go every day, all the time, and it is a young man’s game.”

    Addressing the fact he has segued into a part-time position within the company as he continues to appear in more movies, Cena said, “There is some folks out there that – certainly because of what I have said and done in the past are like, ‘urgh, you’re hypocritical.’ […] I’m old, guys. I’m old. I’m 41 and performing 310 times a year isn’t what’s best for my overall health. I want to be able to run the streets at 80 instead of hobbling around.”

    He was quick to clarify, however, that he’s not going anywhere soon, “[…] I’m at a point in my life where I, kind of, gotta think a little bit more long term. That doesn’t mean I’m leaving the WWE. I’ll never leave the WWE. It’s my home, but I have to think of my overall long-term health and, right now, this is probably the best play for me.”

    What do you make of this? Is Cena moving towards less in-ring competition? Do you think he is on his way to full-time Hollywood?

  • Renee Young Reflects On Paul Heyman’s Support And Advice

    Renee Young Reflects On Paul Heyman’s Support And Advice

    Renee Young made history recently by becoming the WWE’s first ever full-time female commentator when she joined the RAW commentary team.

    Turns out that she had a number of supporters backstage who were rallying for her success, one of whom was none other than Paul Heyman.

    Speaking with Bleacher Report, Renee mentioned how Heyman had always been a vocal supporter of hers, ever since she first signed with the company back in October 2012.

    “He’s had my back from the get-go,” she admitted. “He did not need to do that. For whatever reason, he [Heyman] and I have always been close when it comes to talking about being better and wanting to be the best.”

    Young also revealed that Heyman gave her advice before her RAW commentary debut, remembering that “he just kind of gave me advice on how to be a little more succinct, how to create those little punchlines.”

    “You’ve gotta think about what this is going to sound like in a video package,” Young elaborated. “Make sure you’re saying their name instead of he or she. Just little nuggets like that that you might forget. And I do forget. Sometimes, I might be out there and catch myself saying, ‘Oh, he just speared him’ instead of ‘Roman Reigns just speared Braun Strowman.’”

  • WWE’s Original Plans For Crown Jewel’s World Cup Tournament

    WWE’s Original Plans For Crown Jewel’s World Cup Tournament

    The World Cup tournament concludes this Friday at WWE’s controversial Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. However, it was originally slated to play out slightly differently compared to the brackets that were recently revealed.

    According to Mike Johnson of PWInsiderElite.com, the “original plan was to kind of have the talents mixed up.”

    He went to to say, “[…] at one point we were told that John Cena was going to wrestle Rey Mysterio in the first round and then the decision was made to keep the Raw and SmackDown talents segregated until the final.”

    This was done in order to “[…] serve as sort of a preview of next month’s Survivor Series which will have a Raw vs SmackDown theme.”

    Blue Brand Ultimatum

    Shane McMahon made a staggering declaration last night during SmackDown Live regarding the World Cup..

    He said that if the blue brand’s finalist is not successful against their Raw opponent, they would “no longer have a home on SmackDown Live.”

    He prefaced this ultimatum by stressing that “[…] one of the worst things in the world that could happen to me personally, is that my sister can call a Raw superstar the ‘best in the world.’”

  • Young Bucks Confirm The Elite’s Bullet Club Status On Jericho Cruise

    Young Bucks Confirm The Elite’s Bullet Club Status On Jericho Cruise

    A lot has been said and speculated about the current status’ of Elite members, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Cody, Marty Scurll, and Adam Page in relation to the Bullet Club.

    More fuel was added to the fire earlier in the month as the collective released new t-shirts that they claimed would be their “final Bullet Club style” merchandise. Cody also took to Twitter and plainly stated that he was “100% not in the Bullet Club.”

    Whilst on the Jericho Cruise, Chris Jericho scheduled a recording of his popular podcast, Talk Is Jericho with the entirety of the Elite group.

    Matt Jackson touched on a number of subjects during the course of the conversation, including the origins of the YouTube hit series, Being The Elite, and how the show has evolved and changed since it started. He also confirmed that the group were now officially “The Elite,” and that they are no longer a part of the Bullet Club in any capacity.

    He would go on to address the gradual separation that led to the split between Bullet Club and the Elite over the years, highlighting that it’s “not like I’m going to make this crazy announcement because it just feels natural, right?”

    He went on to clarify his point, saying, “I think everyone on the ship can agree, it’s not just Kenny, me, and Nick as The Elite. We’re all elite. So, from this very day forward, why don’t we just call all of us The Elite?”

    Bullet Club Is Fine

    On the other side of the split, Tama Tonga took to Twitter in order to solidify the Bullet Club’s unity since attacking the Elite at NJPW’s G1 Special in San Francisco.

    So there you go, we now have official confirmation: the feud between the two factions is not a reignited Bullet Club civil war, and the Elite has branched off into their own, separate unit away from BC.

    What do you make of this announcment? What do you see the two factions accomplishing going forward?

  • Will Ospreay Officially Pulled From Power Struggle

    Will Ospreay Officially Pulled From Power Struggle

    Unfortunately, it appears that the injury sustained by The Sky King, Will Ospreay, may be more serious than initially thought.

    Ospreay was pulled from a number of events since first becoming injured at the NJPW/RPW Global War show on October 14th, including NJPW’s Road To Power Struggle tour. This was done to help Will rehab and recover for his match against Taichi on November 3rd.

    According to NJPW, despite the time taken to try and heal, the treatment that Ospreay has been undertaking has “not progressed as quickly as we [NJPW] had hoped.”

    Because of this, Will Ospreay will sadly have to miss the event, and will no longer be competing for the NJPW NEVER Openweight Championship at Power Struggle.

    NJPW has not replaced Ospreay, however, instead simply canceling the matchup entirely against Suzuki-Gun’s Taichi.

    The Sky King Stakes His Claim

    Ospreay recently put himself into title consideration against Taichi, leading his CHAOS stablemates to victory against Suzuki-Gun at NJPW’s King Of Pro Wrestling event.

    Ospreay pinned the current champion before cutting an impassioned promo backstage staking his claim at the title – one that Taichi was quick to dismiss.

    Official Statement

    The full official statement from NJPW1972.com can be read below:

    “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that Will Ospreay will miss the event in Osaka on November 3rd (Sat). As such the NEVER Openweight Championship match has been canceled.

    Having become injured in the UK, Will Ospreay has been undergoing treatment. However, his treatment has not progressed as quickly as we had hoped and unfortunately, he will have to miss the event on November 3 (Saturday) in Osaka Prefectural Gym (Edion Arena Osaka).

    As a result, the NEVER Openweight Championship match (Taichi vs Will Ospreay), scheduled for the same event, will be canceled.

    We offer our sincerest apologies to our fans who were looking forward to this championship match. Good luck Will, we look forward to your return at upcoming events.

    New Japan Pro Wrestling Co., Ltd.”

  • Scott Dawson Asks Fans To Not “Give Up” On The Revival

    Scott Dawson Asks Fans To Not “Give Up” On The Revival

    Sadly, it’s almost hard to believe that The Revival (comprised of Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) were tearing up the Raw tag team division at one point, with the team primed for title contention after consecutive wins against Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley. They were also NXT’s first ever two-time tag team champions, back when they were owning the division on the yellow and black brand.

    Since then, however, The Revival appear to have all but disappeared from WWE programming.

    This isn’t lost on the duo, with Scott Dawson taking to Twitter in order to ask fans not to “give up on us [The Revival] yet.”

    The reason for this is because of a matchup that takes place on this week’s WWE Main Event. The Revival take on the relatively fresh team of Chad Gable and Bobby Roode in a confrontation that Dawson promises is a “great match that exemplifies what tag team wrestling is all about.”

    Here is what Scott Dawson said, in full:

    “This week on Main Event, it’s Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs Dash & myself. (As long as it’s not heavily edited) It’s a great match that exemplifies what tag team wrestling is all about. Don’t give up on us yet. There’s a reason we’re called ‘The Revival’.”

    https://twitter.com/ScottDawsonWWE/status/1054811836078608391

    It’s a shame for a team as talented as The Revival to have been missing from WWE’s main product for so long. Hopefully, they’ll be able to showcase their skills and get their opportunity on Raw soon, working their way back into the tag team championship scene in the process.

    What do you think? Do you feel The Revival are being underutilized, if not wasted completely? Who would you have them feud with to get them back into title contention?

  • More Information About Dean Ambrose Turning On Seth Rollins

    More Information About Dean Ambrose Turning On Seth Rollins

    The ending of Monday Night Raw left fans in a state of shock for many different reasons.

    With Dean Ambrose turning on his Shield brother, Seth Rollins, after winning the tag team titles from Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler, the attack left viewers emotionally conflicted.

    This is because the man that completes their trio, Roman Reigns, had only just revealed his unfortunate battle with leukemia earlier that night. During his heartfelt promo, Reigns would also relinquish the WWE Universal Championship.

    Turns out that Ambrose’s actions weren’t originally planned to take place this past Monday. Original plans had his assault scheduled in November circa Survivor Series.

    Dirty Deeds

    According to the Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez, Dean “wasn’t even supposed to turn heel last night.”

    Apparently, “the actual plan was that he was going to turn around Survivor Series and they [the WWE] moved it up and they specifically did it to capitalize on the emotions of a guy who’s home to fight for his life.”

    He also speculated that a huge one-on-one match between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins would be scheduled for Wrestlemania 35 on April 7th, 2019.

    “I believe 100% that the WrestleMania main event is Seth Rollins challenging Dean Ambrose for the WWE Title,” he said. “Now how you get there, I have no idea.”

    What do you think? Would you like to see this match main event Wrestlemania 35? Were you conflicted at all at what transpired? How would you like to see them book their feud going forward?

  • Roman Reigns’ Promo Was Kept Secret Prior To Raw

    Roman Reigns’ Promo Was Kept Secret Prior To Raw

    With Roman Reigns revealing the sad news that he is unfortunately once again battling leukaemia, the wrestling world has since come together in support for the WWE’s Big Dog.

    With news so crushing and personal, it’s astounding there was no leak prior to Reigns’ promo as he kicked off Raw. His promo would stun the crowd into a respectful silence as he opened up on live TV to relinquish the WWE Universal Championship.

    “None Of That Was A Put-On”

    According to Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez, not many backstage personnel were made aware of the promo’s true purpose.

    He said, “[…] a very small amount of people knew beforehand, probably between 6 and 8 of the top executives. So when the show opens and the announcers are all happy talking about Roman Reigns defending the title at Crown Jewel — none of that was a put-on.”

    “None of them had any idea what was going on until he went out there and did his speech and he has since gone home and that’s the story,” Alvarez said, before concluding with, “I guess we’ll just have to find out how well he does with treatment — the second battle, it’s worrisome.”

  • “Hot Mess” Chelsea Green Confirms Signing With The WWE

    “Hot Mess” Chelsea Green Confirms Signing With The WWE

    Rumors were confirmed yesterday after WWE uploaded an official post to WWE.com highlighting their newest batch of NXT recruits.

    One of those is former Impact Wrestling performer, Chelsea Green. She performed for Impact as the “hot mess,” Laurel Van Ness. She has also performed for Lucha Underground and recently wrestled in front of 10,000+ fans at the historic All In event.

    Taking to Twitter, Green was ecstatic as she proclaimed, “WE DID IT!!!”

    “Years of blood, sweat & tears have been she to take this picture. Thank you @wwenxt @wwe for giving me this opportunity to show the world the Hot Mess.”

    Green was trained at Lance Storm’s Storm Wrestling Academy in Calgary. She was a participant on the 2015 season of Tough Enough and is dating WWE superstar, Zack Ryder.

    NXT Talent

    Joining her in the recent batch of NXT signees are indie sensation, Matt Riddle, Mia Yim, Humberto Carillo, Luis (Punishment) Martinez, Daniel Vidot, and Jordon Omegbehin.

    Matt Riddle debuted at NXT’s recent TV tapings. There has been rampant speculation that his first feud with the company will be against the Knockout Artist, Kassius Ohno at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

    There is no word yet on when the “Hot Mess” Chelsea Green or any of her NXT cohorts will be making their television debuts.

  • “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey Wrote The Promo Blasting The Bella Twins

    “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey Wrote The Promo Blasting The Bella Twins

    “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey delivered an impassioned promo against the Bella Twins on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, surprising a lot of fans as to how well delivered, energetic, and genuine she was able to make her words – especially when compared to previous promo time that the former UFC champion, and current Raw Women’s champion, Ronda Rousey has had.

    The reason for this stark change is surprising: she wrote the whole promo herself.

    “Do Nothing Bellas”

    According to Dave Meltzer, the promo was based on her real-life feelings about women who get by in life on nothing but their looks. That spark was the genesis for her promo this past Monday, highlighted by her coining the phrase, “Do Nothing Bellas.”

    Speaking about it on Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alveraz commented that the “Ronda Rousey promo Monday […] she wrote the entire thing herself. She did not have a writer. She wrote that. The line about the Bella’s name being a stain on society? She wrote that. That’s how she talks.”

    Evolution Sell Out

    Since announcing Nikki Bella vs Ronda Rousey at WWE’s Evolution event last week, ticket sales have reportedly increased. With the crowd engaged and reacting positively to the feud as it continues to develop, it appears the WWE has tapped into a prominent feud that continues to escalate as Evolution continues to grow ever closer to selling out.

    What did you think of her promo? Surprised that she was allowed free reign to script her own words?

  • Chris Jericho Will “Fear No Evil” At NJPW’s Power Struggle

    Chris Jericho Will “Fear No Evil” At NJPW’s Power Struggle

    The Road to Power Struggle has only just begun, but NJPW isn’t pumping the brakes on one of pro wrestling’s hottest commodities as Chris Jericho returns to defend his IWGP Intercontinental Championship against EVIL on November 3rd in Osaka at NJPW’s Power Struggle event.

    In a new video uploaded to the NJPW YouTube channel, Chris Jericho shared his thoughts on his opponent for the championship clash.

    “Why EVIL?” Jericho asked. “Sometimes things present themselves to you. After I beat Naito in Osaka in June, EVIL came to the ring to get inside my business. To try and make a name for himself. To try and be on the same level as Chris Jericho. EVIL, that’s not possible.”

    Jericho actually spoke highly of the King Of Darkness, who he assaulted in a surprise attack at New Japan’s recent King Of Pro Wrestling event, saying “[…] I like the fact that you put yourself out on the line. I like the fact that you came down and showed some balls.

    So EVIL, for you to come down to the ring and attack me in June in Osaka, I was very impressed. And I didn’t forget. And I was waiting for the right time to make my move. To surprise you, to embarrass you, and to teach you a lesson.”

    “You Get To Join The List, Man”

    “It’s the biggest match of your career, EVIL,” Jericho claimed. “And it’s just another match for me. It’s fine. You’re just another guy on the list of people that I’ve beaten over and over again, from The Undertaker to Naito, to Shawn Michaels to Eddie Guerrero. Now, EVIL. You get to join the list, man.

    “You get to be on that prestigious list of people who got beaten by the greatest of all time. That’s good for you, and that’s always bad for you. Because I’m going to kick the shit out of you, EVIL,” he promised. “I’m going to teach you a lesson. […] you’ll walk out of there a bigger star, I’m going to make you famous, I promise that – but I’m also going to beat you. November 3rd in Osaka, I will fear no evil.”

    What do you think of this feud so far? Are you looking forward to this match, come November 3rd?

  • NJPW Road To Power Struggle 10.16 Results

    NJPW Road To Power Struggle 10.16 Results

    Today was the first day of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual Super Jr. Tag League tournament, with the competition kicking off at Road To Power Struggle in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.

    A notable difference between this year’s Super Jr. Tag League is that NJPW has actually changed the format of the tournament. No longer is it held under single elimination rules, instead adopting a G1 Climax round-robin tournament style between the teams involved.

    Road To Power Struggle Results 10.16

    Toa Henare, Shota Umino, and Ren Narita defeated Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, and Ayato Yoshida via submission.

    Ren Narita locked in a crab as his partners kept both Yoshida and Tsuji at bay, leading to Umera to tap out.

    Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, and Tomoaki Honma defeated Kota Ibushi, Yujiro Takahashi, and Chase Owens via pinfall.

    The match saw a succession of signature moves being hit in the lead up to the pinfall victory. Tanahashi would execute a sling blade before Honma nailed a kokeshi (!) allowing The Ace to climb the turnbuckle and hit a High Fly Flow onto Chase Owens to secure the victory.

    Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, and Tanga Loa defeated Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Beretta, and Chuckie T.

    Bullet Club OGs leaned into using underhanded tactics in order to come out victorious in this Firing Squad vs CHAOS confrontation.

    With Chuckie T’s in control of the match, Gedo would jump into the ring and distract the referee, leading Jay White to hit a low blow which led to a Blade Runner and the win.

    Super Jr. Tag League Results

    Taiji Ishimori and Robbie Eagles defeated Jushin “Thunder” Liger and Tiger Mask via submission.

    The debuting Robbie Eagles would land a 450 Splash to Liger’s leg – a limb that his team had been targeting throughout the match. Eagles would then lock in an inverted figure four. Liger attempted to valiantly hold on but with Ishimori keeping Tiger Mask from making the save, Liger had no choice but to tap out.

    Soberano Jr. and Volador Jr. defeated Ryusuke Taguchi and ACH via pinfall

    Despite the momentum being with ACH during the end of the match, Voldaor Jr. was able to counter ACH’s 450 attempt, nailing an enziguri before ACH could fly. Volador followed up with a Super Frankensteiner and picked up the 2 points for his team.

    Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado defeated KUSHIDA and Chris Sabin via pinfall.

    Suzuki-Gun shenanigans helped Kanemaru and El Desperado to accrue their first 2 points. Kanemaru would spit whiskey into Sabin’s eyes, allowing Desperado to hit a low blow and then a Pinch Loco for the victory.

    BUSHI and Shingo Takagi defeated Sho and Yoh

    This was a great match and a perfect showcase for the newest member of Los Ingobernables de Japon. Takagi would be involved with the finishing stretch of the match with Yoh, nailing a Yoshigami (Gory Bomb), Pumping Bomber, and, finally, the renamed Last Of The Dragon (formerly Last Falconry) to scoop up the win for LIJ.

  • Tama Tonga Wishes ‘The Elite’ Good Luck In The WWE

    Tama Tonga Wishes ‘The Elite’ Good Luck In The WWE

    The bad blood between The Firing Squad/Bullet Club OGs and The Elite doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, with both sides taking to social media for months in order to have their say.

    The most recent addition to their incendiary feud has been cast by the “Bad Boy” Tama Tonga.

    Short and sweet, unlike many of his previous barbs, Tama Tonga tweeted that “The Elite doesn’t exist without #BulletClub,” before punctuating his thought with a loaded sentiment, saying, “Good luck in WWE.”

    The most notable thing about this is the direct reference to The Elite potentially going to the WWE. This has been heavily rumored despite their current success worldwide.

    Further speculation could be made after members of The Elite released new shirts, highlighting that they will be the last “Bullet Club” style shirts they will offer.

    Firing Squad vs The World

    Since making their intentions clear at the end of NJPW’s G1 Special this past July in San Francisco, the Firing Squad have been on a tear throughout NJPW.

    They recently claimed the IWGP Tag Team Championships, with the Guerrillas of Destiny besting their Bullet Club stablemates, and Elite representatives, The Young Bucks, at NJPW’s recent Fighting Spirit Unleashed event on September 30th.

    Firing Squad have also recently added “Switchblade” Jay White to their ranks, bolstering their stable in the reignited civil war against Bullet Club.

    What do you think? Will this new civil war lead to a satisfying payoff? Do you think we will see The Elite in the WWE?

  • Will Ospreay Provides Injury Update

    Will Ospreay Provides Injury Update

    During last night’s Revolution Pro Wrestling/New Japan Pro Wrestling joint show, Global Wars, Will Ospreay suffered an unfortunate injury during his match against Chris Ridgeway.

    Fans in attendance initially reported that Ospreay appeared to have landed on his neck after a missed Pele kick. This led to a hastily improvised finish soon after, with Ridgeway picking up the victory over the Aerial Assassin. Since then, speculation has indicated it could be a potential intercostal/rib injury.

    It was noted that Ospreay was immediately assisted to the back by the referee. Paramedics then rushed to evaluate him before taking him to hospital.

    Since then, Will Ospreay has taken to Twitter in order to update his fans about his condition.

    Thankfully, he claims to be “ok,” before adding that he needs some “time to myself and to rest for once. Much love to everyone backstage that looked after me.”

    https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1051742913842044928

    NEVER Openweight Contender

    Ospreay’s recent win at King Of Pro Wrestling, picking up a pinfall over NEVER Openweight champion, Taichi, has propelled him into contender consideration for that belt. A title Ospreay is eager to take.

    A lot has been said about his fast-paced, impactful, high flying style, but it’s good to hear that Ospreay is alright, considering what the injury could have entailed. Hopefully, he takes the time needed to rest and heal up, coming back at 100% in order to stake his claim to Taichi’s title.

  • NJPW Auditioning ‘The Genius’ Lanny Poffo For Commentator Role

    NJPW Auditioning ‘The Genius’ Lanny Poffo For Commentator Role

    There have been numerous rumors for weeks now regarding the status of commentator Don Callis for New Japan Pro Wrestling, with Meltzer having previously said that “[Callis] is likely done as an announcer with NJPW.”

    Apparently, Callis wasn’t called for the King Of Pro Wrestling show which went down on October 8th. Additionally, he hasn’t been contacted about working any future dates for the company. Despite not being contacted, he hasn’t been told that “he’s no longer being used.”

    Things have taken an interesting turn with this situation as it appears that NJPW is openly auditioning new commentators that could fill Callis’ spot.

    A name that’s come to the forefront: ‘The Genius’ Lanny Poffy.

    “It’s Just An Audition”

    Whilst speaking on his podcast, ‘The Genius Cast,’ Lanny Poffo was initially reticent in divulging any details or adding to the speculation before opening up, admitting:

    “[…] Michael Craven from New Japan, I met him September 1st at All In. He asked me if I would be interested in holding the microphone as a color commentator [for New Japan] and I responded, ‘Wow, that would be great!’

    Poffo went on to say, “I love New Japan. I’ve never been to Japan. Can you imagine that? Of all the countries I’ve been, I’ve never been to Japan. That is on my bucket list!”

    When questioned further about the role itself, he admitted that “it’s just an audition,” before highlighting that he would be “flying out October 23rd and […] coming back November 4th.”

    It’s worth noting that Meltzer’s initial statement also mentioned that, “The idea right now is to have a rotation of color commentators through the end of the year. The feeling is that if he’s [Callis] brought back, it may just be for select big shows that fit his schedule.”

    A Genius Poem

    Clearly in high spirits, Lanny Poffo channeled The Genius once more, creating the following poem about his next adventure:

    “The Genius comes to New Japan
    So let your hearts rejoice
    And bathe in the luxury
    Of my poetic voice

    My grooming is impeccable
    My outfit is brand-new
    Ichi, ni, san, shi, go,
    Roku, shichi, hachi, kyuu, juu!”

    Poffo stated that “they [NJPW] bought me a ticket to Tokyo from Tampa and I’m going to get on that plane and do my very best to be an asset and not a liability. New Japan is a very exciting group of people and I feel very lucky to be invited. In the meantime, I’m retired, but I like to keep flexible and open for exciting opportunities like this!”

    https://audioboom.com/posts/7045531-sean-oliver-of-kayfabe-commentaries-plus-lanny-to-commentate-for-new-japan

    What do you think? Are you going to miss Callis’ calls with Kevin Kelly or do you believe The Genius can bring something new to the NJPW announce table?

  • Austin Aries Defends Recent Twitter Exchange, “I Didn’t Take Personal Shots”

    Austin Aries Defends Recent Twitter Exchange, “I Didn’t Take Personal Shots”

    We recently reported on the Twitter storm that was brewing between Austin Aries and Johnny Impact as the two took to social media to sling insults at one another.

    In a series of Tweets that have since been deleted, Austin Aries spoke up against the “short shaming” by Johnny Impact. In turn, Aries directed his anger towards Impact’s wife, Taya Valkyrie, referring to her as “husky” amongst other unfavorable remarks.

    Since then, Aries has spoken with WOL to defend his position.

    He claimed that “when it comes to short things, it’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life. I’m used to it. It drives me.”

    “If you want to make things personal, I can get personal and clap back,” he stated, before stressing that if you were to read his tweet and understand what he’s actually attempting to express he’s “not condoning any of those things. I’m saying if I were to make a joke on any of those things or mention these words or type them out in a derogatory way that people would be outraged.”

    Further defending his stance, Aries believes “In this day and age, we’re outraged about making fun of people or telling them that they are less than for things that are out of their control. Yet, when it comes to people’s heights, it’s ok for people to continue to use that. I was simply pointing it out.”

    “I Didn’t Take Personal Shots”

    Austin went on to say that in the build-up to his Bound For Glory match with Johnny Impact, he has never taken “personal shots” or focused on “his real deficiencies.”

    The Belt Collector continued, stating that he “never talked about the fact that you’ve never been the guy that you look like because your personality is non-existent. You’re kind of a dork.”

    “You come out with this cool image but anyone in the back knows that you’re not cool. I didn’t say any of that. I didn’t take personal shots.”

    Austin Aries will face Johnny Impact for the Impact World Championship in 4 days at Bound For Glory. The event takes place October 14th from the Melrose Ballroom in Astoria, New York.

  • Kenny Omega Provides Injury Update During Twitch Stream

    It’s no secret that The Best Bout Machine, Kenny Omega, is a massive video game fan. He has attended numerous video game conventions and has even had competitive gaming confrontations against New Day member, Xavier Woods.
    Even his finisher, The One-Winged Angel, takes inspiration from classic PlayStation game, Final Fantasy VII.

    So it’s not a major surprise to see the current IWGP Heavyweight champion relaxing online, streaming on Twitch and enjoying some Super Mario Party.

    It was during this stream, however, that he divulged new information regarding his current injury situation.

    Omega suffered an unfortunate heel fracture during his recent war against Cody at the G1 Climax Special this past July.

    Speaking candidly during the stream, Omega admitted that his foot is “doing much better,” before confessing that “It is my rib actually that is fractured right now. And I know it’s crazy, right? How do I keep getting injured?”

    The champion continued to discuss his physical well-being, with only minor distraction from the colourful antics of Super Mario Party.

    “[…] my ribs are in a bad way. But what can you do? I’m not one of those guys that likes to try to brag like ‘Hey, look, I’m injured,’ ‘I’m so tough, I’m going to keep fighting’ – it’s not like that at all. It’s just, you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m in a position right now – you just gotta go when you’re the champ. You can’t take days off.”

    What do you think? Should Kenny Omega be able to take some time off to heal

  • AJ Styles Believes He And Tyler Bate Would Have An “Unbelievable” Match

    AJ Styles Believes He And Tyler Bate Would Have An “Unbelievable” Match

    The Phenomenal One, AJ Styles, only recently defended his SmackDown WWE Championship against Samoa Joe at the recent Super Show-Down in Australia. He now has new number one contender, Daniel Bryan, eagerly awaiting his opportunity at WWE Crown Jewel on November 2nd.

    That hasn’t stopped the champ from surveying the rest of the WWE roster.

    Inaugural WWE United Kingdom champion, and Big Strong Boy, Tyler Bate, recently spoke on facing AJ Styles, stating matter of factly that he believes he could “have a good one [match] with AJ.”

    A Phenomenal Response

    Word of this has reached Styles, and his reaction is a positive one. Speaking with DailyStar.co.uk, the WWE Champion said:

    “If the opportunity presents itself, I think that him and I could have an unbelievable match.”

    Tyler Bate has been making waves internationally – not only as a tag team competitor in Moustache Mountain but also as a worldwide singles competitor.

    He recently headlined PROGRESS wrestling’s main event at their ‘Hello Wembley!’ event in a losing effort against PROGRESS champion, WALTER.

    The two men have never met in singles competition before, but have found themselves on opposite sides of the ring on in a six-man tag bout for Chikara.

    What do you think of this potential match up? Do you think we’ll ever get the chance to see it?

  • Will Ospreay Wants The NJPW NEVER Openweight Championship

    Will Ospreay Wants The NJPW NEVER Openweight Championship

    The Sky King, Will Ospreay, has made his intentions clear after leading his CHAOS stablemates to victory yesterday over the Suzuki-Gun team of Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, and Takashi Iizuka. Ospreay would hit his signature move, The Stormbreaker, onto current NEVER Openweight Champion, Taichi, before securing the win.

    Speaking backstage post-match, Taichi was dismissive over the loss and, in particular, the man who gave it to him.

    “We don’t have to fight again. I beat you twice. We are done” Taichi said. “So don’t get carried away. You aren’t on my list.”

    Ospreay was later interviewed and could barely contain his excitement over what he had just achieved, his attention firmly towards the future.

    “I Want To Take That Championship And I Want To Take It Forward”

    “You guys see that? I just pinned the Never Openweight champion. That makes me the challenger, right?”

    The Aerial Assassin pressed on, demonstrating a knowledge of not only New Japan history but also of the belt he held aloft at the end of the match.

    “Every single one of those letters in NEVER means something, but the ’N’ is the most important. The ’N’ means New Blood. And that’s what that title was built upon. It was built on the next generation, the guys that will carry the company forward.”

    “But imagine what we could do with that now, imagine what that championship could be like in the hands of me,” he proclaimed. “[…] I want the best. I want to take that championship and I want to take it forward. They say a Junior Heavyweight can’t last with a Heavyweight – I just picked a Heavyweight up and gave him the Stormbreaker and pinned his shoulders one, two, three.”

    “[…] Right now I’m 91 kilos. I’m still a Junior Heavyweight right now,” he stressed. “But in time I will progress, progress, progress, evolve and I will do my best to carry that championship to newer heights. To make it what it really is, and that is an Openweight champion.”

    Bulking Up

    It’s worth noting that it is still a rarity for Junior Heavyweights to be able to come out on top over their Heavyweight opponents, despite Taichi only recently making the switch in weight classes.

    That being said, Ospreay has noticeably bulked up over the past few months, and looks prepped to eventually leave the Junior Heavyweight division. Winning the NEVER Openweight championship may be the first step in that journey – a journey that previous Juniors like Kenny Omega have already taken.

  • Chris Jericho Challenges EVIL To IWGP Intercontinental Match At NJPW Power Struggle

    Chris Jericho Challenges EVIL To IWGP Intercontinental Match At NJPW Power Struggle

    After brutally assaulting EVIL in a surprise attack during The King of Darkness’ entrance yesterday, Chris Jericho officially laid out a challenge backstage of Ryogoku Sumo Hall.

    Jericho’s ambush led to the scheduled match between EVIL and Zack Sabre Jr. to be declared a no contest, with EVIL unable to compete due to the severity of the beating at Jericho’s hands.

    “EVIL gets his s*** in my business, he has to get involved, he has to call me out?” Jericho said, whilst pacing the halls of Sumo Hall. “This is what happens.”

    He then officially laid out the challenge, saying, “You know what, EVIL, how about November 3rd? In Osaka. Edion Arena. Jericho versus EVIL, IWGP Intercontinental Championship.”

    “You wanted to have a big name. You wanted to become a big star, EVIL. Congratulations, I just made you famous. Because just being in the ring with Chris Jericho puts you on a level you’ve never even seen before. I’m not even talking about Okada, or Kenny Omega, Naito, or Tanahashi…this is Chris Jericho, man! Future first-ballot Hall of Famer. One of the most decorated champions of all time, the greatest of all time.”

    Chris Jericho finished his verbal tirade with an emphatic statement:

    “November 3rd, Osaka. EVIL. Dead.”

    Later, he would take to Instagram in order to upload the following:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BotC5gqlJFe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    EVIL Intentions

    When the camera’s cut to EVIL, the King Of Darkness was unable to comment as he struggled to make his way down the hall before entering a room to get away from the press.

    Y2J has previously insulted EVIL, especially after he ran out to save LIJ leader, Naito, from a previous Jericho attack. Jericho stated that EVIL needed to “mind his own f******g business,” and promised that he held “grudges very deeply. I don’t forget. And I don’t live and let die.”

    King Of Pro Wrestling saw those prophetic words come true, and we’re now set for an IWGP Intercontinental title defence next month at Power Struggle.

  • NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling Results

    NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling Results

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s event King Of Pro Wrestling took place earlier today emanating from the Ryogoku Sumo Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

    King Of Pro Wrestling Results

    Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (c) defeated Jushin “Thunder” Liger & Tiger Mask IV via pinfall.

    Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) defeated Juice Robinson & Toa Henare via pinfall.

    Makabe landed his signature move, the King Kong Knee Drop onto Henara to secure the victory for the GBH team.

    Firing Squad (Bad Luck Fale, Taiji Ishimori, Tama Tonga, & Tanga Loa) defeated Bullet Club (Chase Owens, Hangman Page, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson) via pinfall.

    Tama Tonga hit an impactful Gun Stun onto Owens with a flapjack assist from Tanga Loa.

    CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, & Will Ospreay) defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, & Takashi Iizuka) via pinfall.

    Will Ospreay was able to hit Taichi with the Storm Breaker to gain the pinfall victory. Afterwards, Ospreay picked up the Never Openweight Championship, hinting towards a future encounter between himself and Taichi.

    The entirety of Los Ingobernables de Japon enter the ring before their match, with Naito taking to the mic in order to introduce the newest member to the collection: Shingo Takagi.

    Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, SANADA, Shingo Takagi, & Tetsuya Naito) defeat CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, SHO, Toru Yano, & YOH) via pinfall.

    Tagaki hit his finisher, Last Falconry, on SHO in an impressive debut.

    EVIL vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. is declared a no contest due to Chris Jericho’s surprise assault on EVIL during his entrance.

    KUSHIDA defeats Marty Scurll via pinfall with Back To The Future to win the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

    Hiroshi Tanahashi defeats “Switchblade” Jay White via pinfall.

    As Jay White was readying himself to hit his finisher, Blade Runner, Tanahashi is able to roll White into a small package. The Ace retains the G1 Climax 28 Winner’s Contract, guaranteeing his spot at Wrestle Kingdom 13.

    Kenny Omega (c) defeats both Cody Rhodes and Kota Ibushi via pinfall after hitting the One-Winged Angel on Ibushi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

    With King Of Pro Wrestling done, the table is set for our Wrestle Kingdom 13 main event, with Tanahashi and Omega both coming out victorious despite steep competition.

    A War Of Ideologies

    Post-match, Kenny gets on the mic and declares that he won’t leave until Ibushi and Cody are standing with him. He speaks briefly on Wrestle Kingdom and makes specific mention that today’s main event may not have been what the fans were expecting. He also tells Cody, Kota, The Young Bucks, and even Cody’s dog, Pharoh, that he loves them all.

    As he winds down, ready to say goodbye (and goodnight), Tanahashi appears.

    Tanahashi confronts Kenny, making sure to highlight that this is New Japan. It looks like they’re doubling down on Tanahashi not respecting Omega’s in-ring style and attitude for their feud.

    It’s deeper than just wanting a title shot – it’s a core difference of ideology and in-ring principles, which makes their inevitable clash all the more intriguing – and personal – come January 4th.

  • “Switchblade” Jay White Joins The Firing Squad

    “Switchblade” Jay White Joins The Firing Squad

    At this year’s New Years Dash, which took place January 5th, the leader of the Bullet Club Kenny Omega personally invited Jay White to become the group’s latest member. White declined, later revealing he had joined CHAOS.

    That partnership ended last month as both Gedo and Jay White turned their back on CHAOS, attacking The Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada.

    In that time, it appears Jay White has reconsidered the Bullet Club offer.

    Breathe With The Firing Squad

    After losing a hard match to NJPW Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi, White would proceed to viciously attack his opponent, leading to the Ace’s greatest rival, Kazuchika Okada, to run out in order to make the save. Things only got worse as Gedo got involved, forcing longtime partner, Jado, to appear and try to calm the storm.

    As things looked like they were finally settling, the Bullet Club OGs arrived.

    The BCOGs grabbed both Jado and Gedo, giving Okada free reign to continue doling out payback to whomever he wished. Though uncertain at first, Okada ran to the ropes in order to attack Gedo only to be hit by an unexpected Gun Stun from Tama Tonga.

    Jay White finally slithered into the ring, choosing this moment to enter the fray as both Tanahashi and Okada lay prone on the mats. It was uncertain if this was just a temporary alliance of convenience between the men until ‘The Switchblade’ stood over Okada and raised his hand into the ‘Too Sweet’ gesture. He would then hit his finisher, Blade Runner, onto The Rainmaker.

    The group then left together, with “Switchblade” Jay White, Gedo, and Jado now aligned with Bullet Club’s Firing Squad.

    What did you make of this? How do you think the addition of Jay White will play out for the BCOGs?

  • Chris Jericho Makes Surprise Appearance At King Of Pro Wrestling

    Chris Jericho Makes Surprise Appearance At King Of Pro Wrestling

    EVIL’s love of Halloween and the macabre may be the very thing that hurt him today at NJPW’s King Of Pro Wrestling event.

    Scheduled to take on Halloween-hating Zack Sabre Jr. in a one-on-one match with IWGP Intercontinental Championship ramifications, EVIL would end up being assaulted by one of the druids that had escorted him to the ring during his appropriately gothic entrance.

    That druid would eventually unmask, revealing himself to be current IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Chris Jericho.

    An EVIL Future

    Unhappy with having his match called off, Zack Sabre Jr. proceeded to attack a number of Young Lions who were tending to the beaten EVIL. That attack extended to Tiger Hattori, before LIJ leader Tetsuya Naito made the save.

    This one event sets up two future bouts between Tetsuya Naito and Zack Sabre Jr., as well as EVIL and Chris Jericho, most likely with the Intercontinental strap on the line.

    “I Don’t Live And Let Die”

    Jericho has been vocal in recent months about his low opinion of EVIL. When EVIL ran in to save Naito from a previous Jericho attack, Y2J claimed that EVIL needed to “mind his own f******g business,” and promised that he holds “grudges very deeply. I don’t forget. And I don’t live and let die.”

    Today saw Chris Jericho being true to his word. It will be interesting to see how EVIL retaliates against the jet-setting superstar going forward.

    What did you think of the Chris Jericho ambush? Where does their feud go from here?

  • LIJ Reveal New Member At King Of Pro Wrestling

    LIJ Reveal New Member At King Of Pro Wrestling

    Last week, New Japan Pro Wrestling released a slick video via YouTube featuring the members of Los Ingobernables De Japon. The video focused on LIJ leader, Tetsuya Naito, teasing that a new member would be joining them at King Of Pro Wrestling.

    Naito took to the mic in order to build up towards the reveal of their new recruit, before playfully stating that it was NJPW announcer, Milano Collection AT. Waving it off, the screen changed, now emblazoned with the words ‘The Dragon.’

    The newest member took his time entering the ring, allowing the speculation to continue and anticipation to build before finally revealing himself to be Shingo Takagi.

    A Shared History

    Shingo shares a common bond with the majority of LIJ, having been trained by Animal Hamaguchi – just like Naito, BUSHI, SANADA, and EVIL. This throwback connection makes him an organic choice for their wonderful band of misfits.

    A 4-time Open The Dream Gate Champion, 6-time Open The Triangle Gate Champion, 5-time Open The Twin Gate Champion, he is also a former GHC Junior Heavyweight and ROH Tag Team Champion. He has also competed in global tournaments such as King of The Gate, wXw’s 16 Carat Gold, and PWG’s Battle Of Los Angeles.

    Shingo is bound to be a great addition to the group if his debut outing is anything to go by:

    What do you think of Shingo joining LIJ? Did you think it would be someone else? What did you think of his debut?