After returning to the NXT at Thursday night’s TV tapings from Full Sail University, Kassius Ohno worked Friday’s live event from Largo, FL. He defeated Andrade “Cien” Almas. Here’s a
https://twitter.com/JJWilliamsWON/status/817557220443312128
https://twitter.com/JJWilliamsWON/status/817569393462902785
WWE has been uploading videos from Kassius Ohno’s first NXT run, a few of which you can see below:
NXT taped the following at Full Sail University tonight, the final tapings before TakeOver: San Antonio during Royal Rumble weekend:
1/11:
* They show video of Billie Kay & Peyton Royce attacking Asuka earlier in the day.
* Billie & Peyton defeated Sarah Bridges and Macey Estrella. After, the called out Asuka. She ran to the ring but got double teamed. Nikki Cross made the save to a big pop and cleared the ring. Cross then dropkicked Asuka and stood over her. Cross left and Asuka flipped out.
* Elias Samson defeated Jonathan Cruz in a quick match.
* Andrade Cien Almas defeated Oney Lorcan. Almas cut a heel promo in Spanish after the match when Dasha Fuentes tried interviewing him.
* DIY retained the NXT Tag Team Championships over The Revival. After, The Authors of Pain came from behind and left DIY laying.
1/18:
* Nikki Cross defeated Kennadi Brink, who was working as the local jobber.
* Roderick Strong defeated Steve Cutler. After, Dasha asked Strong about the recent threat from Andrade Almas. Strong doesn’t care about Almas, he’s only focused on the NXT Championship.
* Tye Dillinger came to the ring and was interrupted by Sanity. Eric Young tried to get Tye to join the group but he refused and they started fighting. Big Damo came from the crowd and destroyed Tye. Young gave Damo the Sanity jacket and he accepted it, then posed with the group.
* Ember Moon defeated Liv Morgan.
1/25:
* William Regal brought Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura to the ring for their TakeOver contract signing. It ended with Nakamura mocking Roode’s pose and a face off between the two.
* Aliyah defeated Mandy Rose in what was said to be a sloppy match.
* No Way Jose defeated Kona Reeves. Elias Samson interrupted a post-match interview and the two had words but Jose sent him running with a punch.
* Eric Young defeated Chris Atkins. After, Young cut a promo on Tye Dillinger as they apparently have a match at TakeOver. It ended with Big Damo destroying Atkins.
* TM-61 defeated The Revival in a quick match. The Revival attacks as soon as the match is over. Officials chase The Revival off while Shane Thorne is helped away by trainers.
* Regal and Dasha are in the ring to announce Asuka vs. Billie Kay vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross for the Women’s Championship at TakeOver. They’re all brought to the ring but Asuka runs down and chases Billie & Peyton off. Nikki and Asuka face off until Peyton & Billie attack from behind. Asuka and Cross take them out and go to face off again but security runs in. Security gets taken out as well, then Asuka kicks Cross in the head. Asuka is pulled out by security but Cross jumps off the top rope and lands on them all.
* Shinsuke Nakamura and Tajiri defeated Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode. After, Chris Hero’s music hit for his return. Hero came out in a suit and entered the ring, tapping Nakamura’s title on his shoulder before leaving.
Chris Hero made his NXT return at Thursday night’s TV tapings from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. (Full Results). He’s back using his old NXT ring name, Kassius Ohno.
After a match for the 1/25 episode that saw Tajiri and Shinsuke Nakamura take on Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode, Ohno’s entrance video played and he came out wearing a suit. He entered the ring, signaled that he wants Nakamura’s NXT Championship and left the ring.
Our live correspondent was under the impression that the tag team match was a dark match, so we’ll see if this airs on the show. Either way, Ohno is a big addition to the NXT roster and has done tremendous work on the independent scene since his last run back in 2013.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BO6Cl8NgzRQ/
Welcome back… #KassiusOhno @WWENXT pic.twitter.com/9FUjNfZgDf
— Triple H (@TripleH) January 6, 2017
Today, WrestlingDVDNetwork.com posted their latest update on the upcoming NXT’s Greatest Matches set that WWE Home Video is releasing on Blu-Ray and DVD on March, 2016. Joining the CM Punk & Seth Rollins vs. Kassius Ohno (Chris Hero) & Cesaro dark match announced earlier in the week as well as various TV matches will be more non televised matches in various forms:
They join these matches which were already announced:
Also, as noted earlier, the initial cover art for the set was released today.
The crew at WrestlingDVDNetwork.com continued their week of match reveals for the upcoming NXT’s Greatest Matches Vol. 1 DVD and Blu-Ray set today by announcing that these three will be included:
They join these matches, which we told you about yesterday:
The set will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on March 8, 2016 and can be pre-ordered now.
– While no official deal is in place at this point, there is said to be a strong push within TNA to bring Chris Hero (aka Kassius Ohno) into the company.
– The following are some recent TNA live event attendance figures:
February 14th live event in Abilene, Texas drew approximately 300 fans
February 15th live event in Cedar Park, Texas drew approximately 900 fans
February 16th live event in Huntsville, Texas drew approximately 350 fans
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
As previously reported, new WWE developmental talent Davey Richards was pulled from his “farewell match” at the upcoming Ring Of Honor “Final Battle” event on December 14th in New York City. Richards, who was scheduled to team up with Eddie Edwards to take on the duo of Jay Lethal and Roderick Strong, was reportedly pulled due to some comments he made in a Total Wrestling Magazine interview in the United Kingdom.
Richards has since been announced as a participant in the competing Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) show on the same night in Vorhees, New Jersey. Richards will work on the “Cage of Death” show on 12/14 in an unannounced match. Also on that show will be former WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno, who is returning to his “Chris Hero” persona, as he faces CZW Heavyweight Champion Drew Gulak.
As far as the ROH “Final Battle” show is concerned, Matt Hardy recently took to his YouTube account to release a video promo he did claiming he will “help ROH out” and give the aforementioned Edwards a “farewell rub” as he offered to replace Richards and work alongside Edwards in the tag-team match against Lethal and Strong.
You can check out Hardy’s promo below:
http://youtu.be/Kfbi_lFnJHg
Chris Hero (former WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno) spoke to the Masked Man of Grantland.com this week about his WWE release, the Performance Center, returning to the indies and more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
The pressure of going back to the indies: “I’m the prettiest girl at the dance for the moment. I know it’s not going to last forever. I have to be on my toes. One very real thing is people asking, “Does he still have it in him? Can he bring to the table what he brought to the table years ago?” It’s inspiring for me. I want to show people that I have as much to offer as anyone in the history of wrestling. That sounds a little grandiose, but I feel like I have something different.”
Whether WWE prefers homegrown talent to hiring wrestlers with indie buzz: “I don’t think they give a shit about buzz. They only care about their own buzz, which makes sense. You can’t solely cater to the niche fan base — it’s a tricky demographic to deal with. But you can see somebody get over with those fans and think maybe they can do it in WWE, too. And they see someone who has the passion to chase the dream, traveling around the world. If you have passion, if you’re a good performer, those are two of the most important things in wrestling, and they’re things you can’t manufacture. Some people are naturals. Take Big E Langston; he has such a perfect match of athleticism and charisma, and he looks like an action figure.”
Being released by WWE: “I’d been employed for 21 months. They knew what I was. They had a certain perception of what I brought to the table, and I guess they thought I wasn’t going to be called up anytime soon. They had a pecking order, and certain guys who were going to be the next ones called up, and I wasn’t in that group. It was a little vague, but I was told, “This isn’t good-bye forever; this is good-bye for now.””
“Getting fired sucks for anybody, even if it’s a job you hate. So the gut instinct is to be mad, but none of that will serve me. None of that will put any money in my bank account. It’s not hard to be positive because I do what I love. When I was 8 or 9 years old my mom would take me to Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio, to see Ultimate Warrior versus Andre the Giant or to watch Demolition versus the Rockers or to see the very first Survivor Series in Richfield. It would be completely different if I landed on my head and got injured so I couldn’t wrestle anymore — that would be hard to deal with. But what was taken from me? A weekly paycheck?”
His fellow developmental wrestlers: “The guys in NXT now — Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, Tyler Breeze, Scott Dawson — when they get called up, they could set the world on fire just like Daniel Bryan did. But Bryan did more than that — he set the locker room on fire. He was in the ring in the main event every week with so much intensity that everybody else realized they had to step things up. Randy Orton, for instance. He looks like he’s wrestling with a new inspiration, and he doesn’t need to do that.”
– Former TNA star Matt Morgan and recently released WWE NXT star Chris Hero (aka Kassius Ohno) are scheduled to headline the next NWA-Florida Underground event in Tampa, Florida this Friday, November 29th. For more information, visit FUWrestling.com.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley is scheduled to make an appearance at the Kalamazoo Wings hockey game on Friday, January 24th. For more information, visit MLive.com.
– Retired NFL quarterback Joe Thiesmann criticized the current WWE product in a new tweet he posted while watching WWE RAW this past Monday night. “Raw needs more wrestling and less gum flapping,” wrote the NFL legend, which ended up being covered by The Washington Post. For more on that story, visit WashingtonPost.com.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, recently released WWE NXT Superstar Kassius Ohno, aka Chris Hero, did himself no favors by complaining to some of his co-workers about his spot in the company.
The report claims that in confidence, Ohno told some of his co-workers that he couldn’t understand why he wasn’t being featured at the level of guys in the company that he thought he was better than. Apparently those same co-workers then went and told WWE management what Ohno had said, which reportedly sealed his fate with the company.
WWE was already questioning Ohno’s future in the company due to his age and the fact that they had no immediate creative plans or ideas for him on the main roster. Catching wind of Ohno’s complaints apparently made the call for the company to let him go an even easier decision to make.
The following are highlights from a Busted Open Radio interview with former WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno (aka Chris Hero):
On how he handled his release from WWE: “Do I want to wrestle at WrestleMania? Do I want to be in the main event at WrestleMania? Do I want to be in pay-per-views every month? Do I want to be in Raw every week? Of course, they are all amazing things and especially with all of the talented guys and all of my peers that I see and when I see Seth Rollins, (Antonio) Cesaro, Bryan (Danielson), (C.M.) Punk, the Wyatt Family, the Shield, when I see those guys rather than be jealous, of course there is some professional jealousy where its good hearted: ‘It’s like God damn it, I want that spot’ but it’s in the best way possible. I am genuinely inspired by all of these guys.
“So do I want to be in there and carve out my own niche? Of course, I do. But at this time, I have no choice in the matter. I can say: ‘Oh, what went wrong’ but that won’t get me any answers. I was ok before WWE and I will be ok after WWE and I talked to a lot of fans over the last couple days and the support has been mind-blowing. To look at some of these people’s eyes and they are genuinely telling me that they appreciate me and they are glad to see, it means so much to me. What I keep saying is, it’s not like I broke my neck and I can’t ever wrestle again. I can still go out and do what I love and do what I loved since I was ten years old and to look at it that way and there are so many people that do not have the opportunity, so why am I going to be upset or why am I going to dwell on the fact that I don’t get to do this on the highest level possible. It’s easy to be positive because I still get to out and kick ass, I get to travel, and I get to see my friends and the world. I didn’t have to conjure up that much to get through this.”
On his thoughts on his lengthy stay in NXT: “To be honest, it was a great time. The time that I spent with a lot of my peers and I have great stories and great experiences. I got to learn from some of the best ever like Dusty Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, or you look at the door and the Undertaker is here is today. There were certain things that I had to adapt too and get used too but at the end of the day, you just have to remind yourself why you are in it and what you’re doing. I had so many positive experiences that I am not going to let a release make me look back at the last two months of my life in a negative way. I have garnered relationships with different people that are going to last a life time. I did enjoy my time and I got to work with some awesome people and I got to have some fun matches and I got to experiment and get outside of my box and try different things.”
On his thoughts about not getting called up to the main roster: “I would say that the issue was less conditioning and more of an overall look. Anybody that has ever known me or been in the ring with me knows that I can wrestle all day and all night long. I don’t get tired, that’s not the issue. It’s more of a cosmetic issue and my body type is different. I have different ways of working out and my eating habits are at the time. Anybody that has followed my career has seen a lot of fluctuation. I have gone from no muscle tone whatsoever to plumping up to three hundred pounds to cutting that off and becoming more toned and then cutting as much body fat as possible, so I have had my fluctuations and I’ve switched things around so I think that was more of a cosmetic look and my coaches or the powers-that-be were all very supportive. It’s really hard to pin point any one thing.
“I think it’s just a matter of they knew who I was, they knew what I presented, what I had to offer, I just don’t think they saw anything for me in the immediate future, they thought it would be best to let me go and let me do my own thing for a little a while. Like I said, I left on good terms, I’ve got so many good friends there, a lot of people that are in my corner, and a lot of people that have supported me through the years. Will I be back? Who knows? Maybe or maybe not. But it’s not something that I got fired and was told never to come back; it was nothing like that at all. To me, pro wrestling is art and art is an opinion and its perspective. It’s what this person thinks against what this person thinks. There are so many guys that think that Shawn Michaels was the greatest wrestler of all time and there are some that think he is the most over rated wrestler of all time. I have some fans that adore me and would go to the ends of the earth to watch me wrestle live, follow me, buy my t-shirts and there are some that don’t see it and I understand that. There are musical acts and bands that people love and I’ve tried to give them a chance and I’m just not feeling it. That doesn’t mean that they are not good because art is subjective.
“When you have a business that’s based on art and perspective and opinion, there are always going to be head scratchers. Do I think I am one of the most talented pro wrestlers alive? Your damn right I do and I know the work that I have put in and I know what I am capable of but at the same time, I can’t measure myself up against other people because how do you justify that? How do you say: ‘This guy is good on the microphone, this guy is good in the ring, this guy is better technically, and this guy is more charismatic’ so it’s like: ‘How do you measure that?’ It’s really difficult, it’s really subjective and a lot of this conversation happens because we all love wrestling and we all have different tastes and different opinions. I think a lot of that can be broken down to perspective.”
On the possibility of TNA being an option for him: “At this point, I am looking at all of my options. I would never say no to something based on reputation. I am booked up for the rest of the year pretty much and I am keeping next year open as far as international dates and I want to maximize my opportunities and be able to hit up Europe for a couple weeks and I definitely want to go back to Japan. I’m trying to get that figured out. If there was an interest with TNA, it is an offer that I would definitely entertain but I just want to set enough while the iron is hot and set the best landscape for my career and where I go because I know everyone is happy to see me and its cool: ‘Hey, Chris Hero is back’ but I do realize that it’s not going to last forever so I am going to have to continue to evolve and bring something different to the table. It will be interesting to see on how this plays out with all of the different companies that I am working for in the next couple months.”
On the next call up from NXT to WWE: “It’s so tough because I think the whole time that I was down there, we had about ten guys on deck at all times that can just be pulled and introduced right away. There are so many talented guys across the board whether it’s on the microphone or in the ring. Off the top of my head, Xavier Woods has been ready to go. He is so talented and he is so ready to go. You have a guy like Adrian Neville who is legitimately one of a kind and one of those spectacular athletes in wrestling history. He has that flow about him when he is in the ring, he is not a guy that is going to take the microphone and spend twenty minutes on the microphone telling you a detailed story but he will tell you that story with his physicality which is incredible and you have Sami Zayn who is just awesome.
“He is a guy that has busted his ass and has had a lot of doubters through the years but he has produced some of the best matches that I have ever seen in my life. I don’t want to slant anybody by not mentioning them but those are the guys that come to mind. So many talented guys and characters like Tyler Breeze. Tyler is very unique and you take an idea and put a modern spin on it and it’s entertaining and those are guys that I want to succeed and guys that I want to keep watching. They make me tune in because when they succeed, I feel like succeed because we are peers. We belong together before I even signed whenever I would see Bryan, Punk or Cesaro, there is a part of me in that too. I just love wrestling, I love this business and I want to see everyone succeed.”
Check out the complete interview online at Facebook.com/bustedopenradio.
– There are several WWE Superstars who are currently banged up due to the ongoing WWE European tour. The feeling among most of the performers in the company is to the point where they just want to finish up and head back home.
– Apparently negotiations between Hulk Hogan and WWE for the Hall Of Famer to appear at WrestleMania XXX are “looking good,” although as is the case with any negotiation, it’s never a done deal until everything is signed and official.
– According to one source, Kassius Ohno’s release from WWE was not a sudden decision on the part of the company, as it had actually been planned for a while. Ohno still has a few matches with the company that will air on television for NXT. Ohno will appear in matches on November 20th against Tyler Breeze, a November 27th rematch against Breeze and a December 11th match with Alexander Rusev.
[Credit: PWInsider.com]
– Recently released WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno, who is once again working under the ring-name “Chris Hero,” will be challenging Johnny Gargano for the Open The Freedom Gate Championship at Sunday’s Dragon Gate USA “Freedom Fight” iPPV. For more information, including details on how to order, visit WNWLive.com.
– WWE has added the RAW “Backstage Fallout” video for this week on their official YouTube channel. This week’s “Backstage Fallout” features Renee Young interviewing “Corporate” Kane, Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox to clarify who is in control of RAW.
You can watch this week’s RAW “Backstage Fallout” video below:
– Recently released WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno, who is now working again under the ring-name Chris Hero, has officially been announced for the upcoming Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) “Cage Of Death XV” iPPV show. The “Cage Of Death XV” iPPV will air on Saturday, December 14th at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. For more information, visit CZWrestling.com.
– The following is a new tweet from the official Twitter page of WWE:
From the #WWEApp: FANDAN-GOAL? @WWEFandango @RealSummerWWE #RAW @Everton pic.twitter.com/pMn49vSTdB
— WWE (@WWE) November 12, 2013
Former WWE NXT Superstar Kassius Ohno, who is working again under the name Chris Hero, posted the following blog on his official Facebook page tonight discussing his recent release from WWE.
Maybe you’ve heard. Maybe you’ve not heard. Last Friday my contract with WWE was terminated. Man… Terminated sounds so harsh, right? To me, it conjures up images of post-apocalyptic wars with robots, machine guns and atomic bombs. No thank you. Merriam-Webster defines terminate as ‘to come to an end in time.’ Okay.. That’s a little less dramatic. I can handle that. For the last 21 months, I’ve lived in Florida as a part of WWE’s Developmental System. That time has now come to an end.
There are a lot of ways I can look at this and, honestly, it won’t serve me at all to be anything BUT positive and optimistic. I could sulk. I could point fingers. I could feel sorry for myself. Or, I could channel all my energy into getting back out there, kicking some ass and taking things to the next level. Once upon a time, a close friend of mine named Claudio Castagnoli was released from WWE. Another good friend, Colt Cabana, got his walking papers. The ‘Best in the World’ Bryan Danielson had his contract ‘terminated’. TWICE. These three guys are all CRAZY talented and, on all accounts, are doing rather well for themselves right now, eh? I’m leaving WWE on good terms so, if it’s meant to be, I’m sure I will be back. If it’s not meant to be, I can guarantee you that I will still be trotting all over the globe doing what I love (and what I’m damn good at) at the highest level possible.
How will my career unfold? There’s no telling at this moment and that can be scary. I can assure you, though, that I am genuinely excited to take things into my hands and get back out there. There are sights I’ve not seen in the last two years, friends I’ve not spent time with and fans I’ve not performed in front of. How long has it been since a #HipHopThursday? There are people I’m dying to work with! I have ideas that are practically begging to surface; I say let’s get to it!
The response I’ve gotten from all of this hullabaloo has literally overwhelmed me. So much so that I’m just now getting back to some people two, three days after they had reached out. It’s important to me that I let you all know how much this has meant to me. Whether it was a tweet, an e-mail, facebook message, text, call or voicemail, your support means the world to me. It would have been incredibly easy to go to a dark place and succumb to negative thoughts and energy. Your love has kept my spirits high and, again I reiterate, I am absolutely thrilled to get back in the mix.
…I do have a favor I’d like to ask of you. When things happen that we don’t like, it’s our instinct look for answers. We get sad. We get mad. In this situation, there’s nothing to be sad about! And rather than being angry about what has happened, I want you all to be happy about what’s going to happen! I’ll be back with a vengeance, I assure you. The best way to support me is with positive energy. Also, WWE and NXT loaded with talented guys and girls. There’s an overabundance of talent at that Performance Center that inspires ME, some of which you’ve not even seen yet. Those folks need your support just like I do so make sure your voices are heard.
To wrap this up, I’d like everyone to know that I loved my experience here. I’ve made so many great friends. I have memories that will last a lifetime. I’ve learned so much; not just about professional wrestling but I’ve discovered a lot about myself. I’ve gained a lot of new fans and I hope that you will all follow me on this new journey. If you wish to support me directly, there are a plethora of ways to do so: you can continue to follow and interact with me on Twitter and Facebook, you can come watch me do what I love to do LIVE and in livin’ color, you can pick up some brand new Chris Hero merchandise in person or online. Speaking of which, thechrishero.com will be sorted out soon with all new @ChrisHeroMerch *and* I am pleased to announce that I will have additional t-shirts available courtesy of @OneHourTees (http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/chrishero).
Whether it’s in Philly, Oberhausen Germany, Los Angeles, Austin Texas, London, Tokyo, Chicago or Toronto, you will see me and I will see YOU. Soon, my friends. Thank you for your support.
-CH
P.S. Here’s my upcoming schedule. Enjoy~!
November 16 for PWS (@ProWreSyndicate) in Rahway, NJ v. Hurricane Helms – “Wrestle Bowl”
November 17 for Dragon Gate USA (@BookItGabe/dgusa.tv) in Brooklyn, NY v. ??? – “Freedom Fight 2013?
November 29 for FUW (@FUWPro) in Tampa, FL
December 6 for IWA-MS (@IWAMidSouth) in Clarksville, IN v. Trik Davis – “Big Ass Christmas Bash”
December 7 for DREAMWAVE (@dwwrestling) in LaSalle, IL v. Prince Mustafa Ali – “The Fight Before Christmas”
December 20/21 for PWG (@OfficialPWG) in Reseda, CA – “All Star Weekend 10?
potential promoters can e-mail me directly at bookchrishero@gmail.com
Follow me on Twitter at @thechrishero
Check out my MERCH Twitter at @ChrisHeroMerch
Follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/thechrishero
Buy t-shirts at prowrestlingtees.com/chrishero
Stay tuned for the resurrection of thechrishero.com
– A WWE Divas Championship match between current champion AJ Lee and Natalya is scheduled to take place on this Wednesday’s edition of WWE Main Event.
– Recently released WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno (aka Chris Hero) is scheduled to work his second post-WWE match this Sunday in Brooklyn, New York at The Lyceum for Dragon Gate USA.
– WWE has filed a copyright claim in response to the YouTube videos that surfaced online this past weekend that featured leaked satelitte footage from last Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. The two videos have also been removed from YouTube.
– As reported last night, WWE has cut ties with developmental wrestler Kassius Ohno, real name Chris Spradlin. Some main roster talent were surprised with the news, since Triple H had praised his recent WWE NXT match against Luke Harper (it airs on this week’s show).
– WWE Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel, who often responds to fans on Twitter, continues to address criticism over his sports-entertaining abilities. During SmackDown, a fan wrote, “Yeah. CM Punk vs Broomstick would be more interesting than this match. @RealCurtisAxel have less charisma than The Broom.” He responded, “hey!!! Don’t offend broomsticks! They have feelings too.” The fan then remarked on “Mr. Charisma” responding to him, leading Axel to write back, “ur right! I have no charisma. All I do all day is stare at the wall with a blank look on my face… It’s fun!”
Earlier in the week, a fan cautioned Axel on being branded as uncharismatic again by Konnan, leading the Raw wrestler to snap back, “Who cares what that piece of crap thinks.”
Meanwhile, Konnan said his critical remarks toward Axel aren’t out of hatred. “Not hatin, just stating…#GetInformed,” he said to a fan on Twitter telling him to “stop hating.”
– Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy issued this “Public Service Announcement” promoting two events taking place in New York tonight, “Big Event” and “House Of Hardcore #3.”
(source: PWInsider.com)
WWE has released Kassius Ohno, formerly Chris Hero, from developmental. He was informed of the news on Friday morning while waiting to begin training at the WWE Performance Center.
Ohno was one of the top independent workers in the world before signing with WWE, wrestling main event programs for Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling NOAH, CHIKARA, IWA Mid-South and CZW.
He signed with WWE in 2012 and has long been considered one of the most promising talents in developmental. He had some issues with management this year due to them feeling he needed to get into better physical shape. He was pulled from several NXT shows during this time, but eventually hit the gym and improved his physique and conditioning.
He recently returned to NXT television, with his now-final match airing on this past week’s show, where he lost to The Wyatt Family’s Luke Harper.
The release is a surprising one, as Ohno was believed to be on the fast track to the main roster and was cut from the same cloth as guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, who also worked their way up the independent circuit.
Ohno is already accepting indy bookings and has signed on for a PWS show on 11/16 (against Hurricane Helms) and Pro Wrestling Guerilla’s All Star Weekend in December.
– In response to a fan who asked Jim Ross what he thinks about NXT star Kassius Ohno, Ross answered:
@Nesat_Ergin .. I've always held @KassiusOhno in high regard & feel he can contribute significantly in @WWE in the future.
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) October 2, 2013
Ohno replied to Ross’ tweet, writing:
@JRsBBQ You're too kind, Jim. You've always been incredibly helpful & we all miss you at NXT. Hope to see you around!
— Chris Hero (Is Back) (@ChrisHero) October 2, 2013
– WWE COO Triple H spoke exclusively to Michael Cole & WWE.com once again this week.
“Heading into WWE Battleground, Triple H explains The Shield’s attack on the Rhodes family and weighs in on the opportunity Big Show is being given in his 3-on-1 Handicap Match against The Shield on this Friday’s SmackDown.”
You can watch the 7-minute interview at WWE.com.
– As we’ve reported in recent weeks, NXT star Kassius Ohno has had a lot of heat on him with management. Ohno was pulled from several NXT TV tapings, reportedly because he was not taking his workouts serious enough and was not improving his physique. The latest on this situation is that Ohno has been putting over other wrestlers at recent NXT live events and has been removed from the intro of NXT’s show on Hulu.
– WWE continues to meet with city officials from around the country to determine where WrestleMania 31 (2015) and 32 (2016) will take place. Meetings were held this past week in Connecticut – and it’s confirmed at this point that Orlando and Detroit are out of the running for 2016. Cowboys Statdium in Dallas, Texas is one of the front runners for the 2016 show.
* Photos of CODY RHODES & His Fiance, Former WWE Diva Eden Stiles
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– With Vince McMahon personally welcoming the Ultimate Warrior back to WWE and Warrior posting a lengthy message to Vince on Twitter suggesting they meet in person (Read Here), there is renewed speculation that Warrior will be part of the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014.
– It was reported last week that WWE developmental talent Kassius Ohno (formerly Chris Hero) is in the doghouse because he has not taken seriously WWE’s instruction that he needs to work on his physique. Hero reportedly angered Triple H by not working out enough and was pulled from the past 2 NXT television tapings.
After hero was pulled from those shows (and other NXT live events) he reportedly told that he needs to concentrate all his efforts on his physique and his strength/conditioning training. Ohno gets great reviews for his in-ring work, mic skills and overall attitude, but WWE officials will not bring him up to the main roster until he gets in better physical shape.
He is now back on the road with NXT and is scheduled for upcoming live events.
* STACY KEIBLER Returning To WWE To Manage DANIEL BRYAN?! Full Details
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Following the Wyatt Family’s recent WWE television debut, the next top star on the NXT roster scheduled to be called up was Kassius Ohno (formerly known as Chris Hero). However, due to issues with WWE management, those plans have been put on hold indefinitely.
According to a source, the creative team had a storyline to introduce Ohno this summer. He’s long been praised for his in-ring work as well as his promo ability, but he was recently told to improve his physique before his upcoming WWE debut.
According to trainers at NXT, Ohno did not take the request seriously and was not giving a great effort with his weightlifting sessions. His overall attitude remained fine and he always gives a good effort in the ring, but word got back to Triple H about him being defiant regarding the weight training.
Since then, Ohno was pulled from the past two NXT TV tapings and it’s believed that he’s no longer on the “fast track” to WWE TV.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:
CM Punk vs. The Rock: “Already getting questions about what attraction will close the show at WWE Royal Rumble, @CMPunk vs. @TheRock or the Rumble match? I haven’t a clue nor do I care as either choice would be fine with me but if I had to guess I’d guess it would be the WWE Title bout. Again, don’t know and don’t care as I will be watching one of my favorite PPV events of the year.”
“My guess is that Punk will push Rock inside the ring from bell to bell unlike Rock has been pushed since, arguably, the @steveaustinBSR days. That’s not taking any thing away from @JohnCena who wrestles at a different pace that Austin did or Punk likes to. How does even an athlete as gifted as @TheRock prepare for what awaits inside the 20 foot ring? Cardio is great but nothing replicates wrestling long matches better than wrestling long matches.”
The Shield: “Who would have thought a month or so ago that three, young talents from NXT would be in a high profile. WWE PPV bout this coming Sunday? Not me but one of the primary reasons that I’m buying, yes I pay retail, the TLC PPV is to see how #TheShield performs. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns have found themselves in the right place at the right time. Many talents have waited an entire career for that to occur.”
NXT Star Kassius Ohno: “I’d be shocked if he’s not an key player on the WWE primary roster in 2013. The world traveler is a smart, strategic, focused athlete who seems to be fully invested in getting to the next level and staying there. “
WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno (formerly Chris Hero) tweeted the following messages on Tuesday night about Friday’s night’s NXT match between NXT Champion Seth Rollins and WWE superstar Cody Rhodes:
So there's this whole #RollinsVsRhodes thing. Friday in Ft. Pierce, Cody's coming to NXT to wrestle Seth, which is cool, don't get me wrong
— Chris Hero (Is Back) (@ChrisHero) September 12, 2012
But theres more to NXT than the guy that swings the belt around like an idiot. A lot of talented guys who deserve opportunities. Frustrating
— Chris Hero (Is Back) (@ChrisHero) September 12, 2012
It's a 'safe' match tho. No chance of Cody getting shown up by hungrier talent. Only been here 6 months tho what do I know? Thinkin outloud
— Chris Hero (Is Back) (@ChrisHero) September 12, 2012
Seth Rollins has since responded with:
There's a reason @KassiusOhno will be watching #RollinsVSRhodes from a monitor in the back. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show KO.
— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) September 12, 2012
– WWE’s ongoing storyline of SmackDown General Manager Booker T banning Sheamus’ Brogue Kick is being used at live events. At last night’s SmackDown show from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Booker T banned the kick for Sheamus’ street fight against Alberto Del Rio.
– WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno tweeted the following about his discus elbow finishing move, which he’d dubbed, the “KO” –
“A Rolling Elbow minus the ‘roll’ is simply an elbow. Discus throwers spin in a circle to build momentum & increase power. The trick is maintaining accuracy as the elbow connects. If done right, the move is incredibly effective. Can’t fault someone for utilizing such a devastating maneuver. Besides, you never know where that certain someone may have picked up the technique. Tanaka? Misawa? Or… My dream is to carry on the legacy of the Elbow from Mitsuharu Misawa just as he carried it from Jumbo Tsuruta and brought it to new heights”
– WWE Diva Cameron, who is currently serving a 15 day suspension following her recent DUI arrest, is no longer being advertised for an upcoming autograph signing with Brodus Clay and Naomi at the Steiner Sports Store in Garden City, NY on September 22nd.
Cameron can return to work after September 14th, but it’s not a good sign that she’s been pulled from that appearance.