Category: Other Wrestling

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Nick Gage clarifies GCW status, confirms stay in rehab

Posted on by Ian Carey

Nick Gage has big plans for the future, even if that doesn’t involve Game Changer Wrestling.

GCW signed Gage to a multi-year contract in February 2022. Owner Brett Lauderdale stated at the time that it was the first and likely the last contract GCW would ever offer. Gage recently confirmed to the Blvd Bullies podcast that the deal has expired, and he is now a free agent.

“Brett Lauderdale is my friend, my best friend. He’s done a lot for my career. GCW’s always going to be a place I go, it’s always going to be my home,” Gage said.

“But, sometimes you got to move on in your career, sometimes you don’t see eye to eye with your friends, but, it is what it is.”

Regarding his future plans, Gage said:

“What I’m trying to do is get this MDK media off the ground, man. Podcasts, blogs, I’m going to start opening it up and show a different side of me.”

“I’m starting from the ground up again. So, it’s kind of tough, but it’s good to see people reach out and help out a little because pretty soon I’m going to take that and flip it, and I’m going to be alright because I’ve got a plan here.”

“I’m building bridges right now, podcasts, blogs, maybe a new promotion,” he continued.

Gage also confirmed rumors he went to rehab around the time he missed GCW Homecoming in August, saying:

“I am proud that I went there. I will not ever, ever apologize for that. I was exhausted. I was headed down the wrong path, but I’m glad I noticed that and I’m glad I had people in my corner, and I’m glad I went there.”

Last month, Lauderdale posted to X implying someone had lured Gage out of rehab, writing, “It takes a certain type of person to lure a sick person out of rehab with money and drugs in an effort to launch your shitty deathmatch promotion.” However, Gage said he left rehab because he was ready to.

“I want to clear something up; nobody made me leave that place. I’m a grown-ass man. Nobody makes me do anything.”

“I left because I felt good,” he continued.

Later in the interview, Gage mentioned that Jon Moxley demanded Lauderdale pay Gage the same amount he was getting after learning that Gage would be paid less for the show. Gage and Moxley have wrestled each other twice in GCW, once in 2021 and again in 2022.

Lauderdale has since responded to the comments online, writing:

“I will now make a shocking revelation: Yes, I was paying Jon Moxley – a major tv star of nearly a decade, a world champion, and the hottest wrestler in the industry more money than I was paying Nick Gage for their match in GCW.

Yes, at Mox’s request I did end up increasing Nick’s pay for the match, to an amount equal to what he was paid to wrestle Chris Jericho on television. Not that any of you actually care about Nick, but he is my brother of 20+ years and that will never change.

In this same interview, the hosts repeatedly tried to get him to talk bad about me and he forcefully declined. Nick not only referred to me as his friend, but his FAMILY. We have been thru alot in 20 years. The real ones know. And to everyone else, go f*ck yourself”

Gage also noted that he hasn’t spoken to anyone from GCW regarding the announced Hammerstein Ballroom show in January.

The full interview with Nick Gage is available below:

Ric Flair issues statement mourning death of stepson Sebastian Kidder

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ric Flair is mourning the loss of his stepson Sebastian Kidder, who died by suicide over the weekend at 24 years old.

Kidder, a musician who released his first album “Under the Moon” this summer, was the son of Flair’s longtime partner Wendy Barlow. Flair helped raise Kidder during the 13 years that he and Barlow were together. Drawing on the experience of tragically losing his son Reid at a similar age, Flair shared a statement to social media remembering Kidder and offering encouragement to Barlow.

  • I Have Spent Hours Wondering What To Say. After Hearing The News Of Sebastian’s Passing, I Can Only Imagine What Wendy & Paul Are Going Through Having Lost A Son Approximately The Same Age In 2013. I Know The Pain Of Your Loss Will Be With You The Rest Of Your Life. I Still Every Day Of My Life Think About Reid As You Will Continue To Think About Sebastian. You Can’t Blame Yourselves As I Blamed Myself For Making Reid My Best Friend Instead Of Being A Good Parent. Sometimes We Get So Close To Our Kids, We Forget That They Need Us In So Many Different Ways. I’m So Thankful For The Time I Had With Sebastian. I Have So Many Great Memories & Bonding Time With Him As He Grew Up! He Stood Tall By His Mother Along With The Whole Family- Sophia, Paris, And Summer, While I Was Dying [Flair’s near-death experience during a health battle in 2017]. He Was So Unselfish Sharing His Mother With Me As I Was Dying. And Also, At The Passing Of My Son Reid. He Was Multi-Talented & In Everybody’s Eyes A Huge Success And Will Always Be Remembered That Way. I’m So Sorry! Wendy, Please Stay Strong & Don’t Let Anything Deter You From All Your Successful Endeavors You Have In Place In The Future. God Bless You Both! Rest In Peace Sebastian! @sebastianonthemic

Charlotte Flair also expressed how heartbroken she is following Kidder’s death.

Barlow confirmed Kidder’s passing to TMZ on Sunday. “I am devastated and shocked,” she told the outlet. “This is an epidemic with your young men. And mental health…”

Note: If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, mental health struggles, or emotional crisis, the 988 Lifeline is available as a resource online or through calling/texting 988.

May 7, 2007 Observer Newsletter: The Undertaker tears biceps, WWE Backlash recap

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

The planned long World championship reign of The Undertaker looks to be in grave danger with the belief he suffered a complete tear of the right biceps.

Mark “Undertaker” Calaway, 45, has reached a deal some time back with Vince McMahon, who wanted to give him a long-term championship run provided Calaway would agree to work more of a full-time house show schedule. Calaway got his weight down and his conditioning to its best level in years, but it is believed he tore the biceps either during the European tour or in training over the past week.

He worked his scheduled Backlash main event on 4/29 in Atlanta, which was a double knockout in a last man standing match with Batista, that was designed to build to a Hell in a Cell rematch that was to headline Judgment Day three weeks later in St. Louis. The injury was acknowledged in commentary by JBL, as the original storyline was of Batista going in hurt, but JBL noted Undertaker’s trademark elbow pad had been moved from his left to right arm, insinuating an injury but being vague about it.

Subscribers can read this issue here.

Bobby Lashley: It’s ‘time to put pen to paper’ on next destination

Posted on by Joseph Currier

It’s time for Bobby Lashley to put pen to paper and make his next destination official.

Amid rumors that he’s AEW-bound, Lashley took part in a virtual signing for K&S WrestleFest on Tuesday. At the end of the session, Lashley gave a message to his fans and teased that he’ll be back in the ring within the next few weeks.

“I just want to say, I appreciate you guys and thank you for staying behind me. I know the last few years have been a little bit up and down. But I got a lot more left in the tank and I can’t wait to jump back out there,” he said. “I had a little boo-boo, so I took a little time off to fix myself. And I’m feeling good right now. I’ve been working out hard. And I think the next few weeks, you should see something — something pop off. It’s time to put pen to paper and start getting back to these fans.”

Lashley departed WWE when his contract with the promotion expired this August. He said during Tuesday’s virtual signing that, as a free agent, he’s gotten offers for pro wrestling, boxing, and MMA.

Former Hurt Business members MVP and Shelton Benjamin have debuted for AEW in recent weeks — and it’s expected that Lashley will be joining them soon with the group now called The Hurt Syndicate. Lashley told K&S WrestleFest that he thinks The Hurt Business were overlooked in WWE near the end of their run. He feels it was “kind of a spit in the face.”

“I think it was kind of a spit in the face towards the end. We never were in front of a live crowd. During the pandemic, a lot of guys kind of sat back home and, ‘I don’t want to do it. I’m not going to do this, I’m not going to do that.’ And it was us that were saying, ‘You know, it’s work, so we’re going.’ And we did everything. Like, we were on half the show most of the time and we were doing everything that a lot of people wouldn’t do,” Lashley said.

“And then we came out of the pandemic, then all of these people started resurfacing. ‘Oh, I’m ready to work. I’m ready to work.’ But what about the guys that were putting the time in, in this dangerous time that we were having? And we got kind of overlooked. And I think that was kind of a little bit of a spit in the face. I think we could have come back and we could have did some big things together. They just didn’t want us. I think different strokes for different folks, different people like different things. I think when the regime changed, the regime wasn’t too high on me at all and was definitely not high on them because they were the first people they got rid of.”

Lashley, 48, is a former World Champion for both WWE and TNA Wrestling.

Josh Barnett vs. MVP confirmed for GCW Bloodsport XII

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The match between MVP and Josh Barnett is official for the next Bloodsport.

It was confirmed that the two will meet on November 24 at Bloodsport XII, which takes place at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey. This comes after MVP made a surprise appearance at the last Bloodsport event, revealing his then-upcoming departure from WWE and issuing a challenge to Barnett.

On social media, Barnett wrote about the upcoming bout:

“The long history of training and friendship was explained and also revealed as the source of the challenge laid down between MVP and the Warmaster at Bloodsport XI,” he wrote. “Mutual respect and admiration was given, not freely, but earned through respecting the other’s strength.”

“That desire to test one’s strength now decides that a match must happen,” he continued. “A match where limits will not be constrained and both wrestler’s will use all they have down to their very cores, because what is more valuable than he who shed his blood for his friend?”

MVP recently made his debut for AEW at WrestleDream earlier this month. He announced that he was looking to recruit new clients, and revealed that Shelton Benjamin has retained his services once again.

Ricochet makes surprise appearance at MLP Forged in Excellence, attacks Konosuke Takeshita

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Ricochet wants the AEW International title.

After Konosuke Takeshita retained the AEW International title on the second night of MLP Forged in Excellence, Takeshita continued to attack his opponent Josh Alexander until Ricochet came down to the ring. Don Callis retreated as Takeshita was laid out with a springboard elbow. Takeshita then bailed as Ricochet held the International title in the ring, again making it clear he wanted another shot.

On Saturday’s AEW Collision, Ricochet cut a promo saying he’s never been pinned or submitted in AEW. He said Takeshita could go anywhere in the world, but warned him he’d be waiting and it didn’t matter who he ended up bringing, including Callis.

Takeshita won the title at AEW WrestleDream earlier this month, defeating former champion Will Ospreay and Ricochet in a three-way match. Takeshita pinned Ospreay after Kyle Fletcher turned his back on Ospreay.

On Saturday, Takeshita defeated Speedball Mike Bailey on the first night of MLP Forged in Excellence. The match was not for the AEW International title, but Bailey would have earned a title match if he had won.

April 4, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Bad News Allen bio, UFC sues EliteXC

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

In every regional territory, there was that one moment that becomes the most vivid memory of pro wrestling at a certain time in a certain place. It’s the one thing that over time becomes the lasting memory of the old days of territorial wrestling. Not just years, but decades later, older fans remember it and younger fans have been told about it so many times they can visualize it, even when they often happened before those younger fans were born. In most cases, these are part of the high-water marks in the history of those promotions, usually leading to record setting business. Because nobody saved tapes, few of them are even available to be seen today.

Example of this are different in every one of the old regional territories. In Northern California, it would be when Ray Stevens jumped off the top of a ladder onto the throat of Pepper Gomez in Oakland in 1962. In Southern California, it would be when John Tolos threw Monsel Power in Freddie Blassie’s eyes in 1971.

Subscribers can read this issue here.

Three matches added to Maple Leaf Pro Forged in Excellence night two

Posted on by Ian Carey

Saturday marked the first night of Maple Leaf Pro’s debut event, “Forged in Excellence,” with night two scheduled for Sunday.

QT Marshall and Bully Ray vs. Raj Dhesi (FKA Jinder Mahal) and Bhupinder Gujjar has been added to the lineup for tonight’s show.

This follows a controversial ending to the Tables Match between Dhesi and Bully on Saturday, where Dhesi put Bully through a table while the referee was knocked out. Marshall then hit the ring, knocked out Dhesi with a roll of quarters, and placed him on the broken table. When the referee woke up, he called for the bell, assuming it was Dhesi who had been put through a table. As Marshall and Bully were continuing the attack after the match, Gujjar came out to make the save.

Another match for night two was set up in a backstage segment MLP posted on Sunday morning. Kylie Rae, who won a four-way match on Saturday, was attacked backstage by Harley Cameron and Laynie Luck. It was later confirmed that Rae will team with Miyu Yamashita against Cameron and Luck on Sunday.

A six-man tag team match has been added to the lineup as well, pitting KUSHIDA, Kevin Knight, and Aiden Prince against Rohan Raja, Rocky Romero, and Rohit Raju

Night two kicks off at 7 p.m. Eastern time tonight. The show will air live as a pay-per-view on Triller TV.

The updated lineup for night two of MLP Forged in Excellence on Sunday, October 20:

  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Josh Alexander
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Gisele Shaw
  • Raj Dhesi & Bhupinder Gujjar vs. QT Marshall & Bully Ray
  • QPW Qatar Champion Classy Ali defends against El Reverso
  • Mike Bailey vs. El Phantasmo
  • Six-way scramble match: Jake Something vs. Trevor Lee vs. Stu Grayson vs. Sheldon Jean vs. Mike Rollins vs. Alex Zayne
  • Harley Cameron & Laynie Luck vs. Kylie Rae & Miyu Yamashita
  • KUSHIDA, Kevin Knight, & Aiden Prince vs. Rohan Raja, Rocky Romero, & Rohit Raju

Results from night one of MLP Forged in Excellence:

  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defeated Mike Bailey in a non-title match
  • Gisele Shaw defeated Miyu Yamashita
  • Bully Ray defeated Raj Dhesi in a Tables Match
  • Rohan Raja defeated Jake Something to win the PWA Champion’s Grail
  • Kylie Rae defeated Laynie Luck, Taylor Rising, and Aurora Teves in a four-way match
  • KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defeated Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger, Aiden Prince & El Reverso, and Rohit Raju & Sheldon Jean in a four-way match to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
  • Josh Alexander, Stu Grayson, and El Phantasmo defeated Alex Zayne, Rocky Romero & Trevor Lee

Scott D’Amore provides update on Maple Leaf Pro’s future after debut shows

Posted on by Ian Carey

Scott D’Amore has big plans for Maple Leaf Pro in 2025. 

D’Amore spoke with SI.com’s Steven Muelhausen ahead of the promotion’s debut event, Forged in Excellence, in Windsor tonight and tomorrow. When asked about MPL’s future beyond this weekend, D’Amore explained that Forged in Excellence will serve as a proof of concept, setting the stage for the company to expand next year.

D’Amore said: 

“These are our marquee shows in 2024. It’s our proof of concept. This is us showing you what we’re going to be about. Then, our plan is really a 2025 plan. You will see some announcements coming out soon, both domestically and internationally with our partnerships and collaborations.” 

He continued:

“I think our Q1 2025, plan is you’re going to see a few events domestically. You will see us outside of Windsor, which has been a big question. We’ve been contacted from everybody in BC (British Columbia) to the Maritimes. Obviously, Ontario’s going to be our base. But we’re looking to expand and grow Toronto, a key market in Canada that we want to get back into. Then I think we have some really exciting stuff internationally planned for Q1 of 2025. If fans tune in, see what we got, and then sit back and watch the ride as we gear up for what I think will be a really awesome 2025 season.”

Konosuke Takeshita will defend his AEW International Championship on night two against Josh Alexander. D’Amore says AEW reached out to him about the title being defended on the show.

“AEW reached out to me about Takeshita and making this International title truly international,” he said. Takeshita will also wrestle Mike Bailey on night one with the stipulation that if Bailey wins he’ll earn a future title shot. 

Raj Dhesi (FKA Jinder Mahal) will wrestle Bully Ray in a Tables Match on night one of Forged in Excellence. He spoke with SI.com on Wednesday about working with D’Amore and MLP.

“This is huge opportunity for wrestling, and especially Canadian wrestling,” Dhesi said. “This would be incredible, if somehow we can maybe make this a monthly, weekly, semi-monthly type of event. And, you know, all across Canada? I think that’s the goal. That would be an amazing that would be an amazing thing for the wrestling business, especially in Canada.”

“I’ve always wanted to work with Scott (D’Amore),” he continued. “I’ve never got a chance to work with him ever in the in the past, but I’m very familiar with everything that he’s done in the business, the wrestlers that he’s trained, and Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, kind of resurrecting it, is a huge achievement.”

Both nights of Forged In Excellence will air live as pay-per-views on Triller TV. Mauro Ranallo and Don Callis will be on commentary for the shows.

Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged in Excellence —

Night one (Saturday, October 19):

  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mike Bailey (if Bailey wins, he gets a future shot at Takeshita’s AEW International Championship)
  • Tables match: Bully Ray vs. Raj Dhesi (former WWE wrestler Jinder Mahal)
  • Gisele Shaw vs. Miyu Yamashita (If Yamashita wins, she’ll be added to the ROH Women’s title match on night two)
  • Rohan Raja vs. Jake Something for the inaugural PWA Champion’s Grail Championship
  • Four-way tag team match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defend against Sheldon Jean & Rohit Raju, El Reverso & Aiden Prince, and Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger
  • Laynie Luck vs. Taylor Rising vs. Kylie Rae vs. Aurora Teves
  • Bhupinder Gujjar vs. QT Marshall (w/ Harley Cameron)
  • Josh Alexander, Stu Grayson & El Phantasmo vs. Trevor Lee, Rocky Romero & Alex Zayne

Night two (Sunday, October 20):

  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Josh Alexander
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Gisele Shaw
  • QPW Qatar Champion Classy Ali defends against El Reverso
  • Mike Bailey vs. El Phantasmo
  • Six-way scramble match: Jake Something vs. Trevor Lee vs. Stu Grayson vs. Sheldon Jean vs. Mike Rollins vs. Alex Zayne

IWGP Junior Tag Team titles to be defended in Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles will be on the line at Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s debut weekend.

Earlier this week, KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight became the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions by dethroning Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling. It’s now been announced that KUSHIDA & Knight’s first title defense will take place outside of NJPW. They’re putting the belts on the line in a four-way match at night one of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged in Excellence this Saturday.

The title match is KUSHIDA & Knight vs. Sheldon Jean & Rohit Raju vs. El Reverso & Aiden Prince vs. Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger.

Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling is a new project from former TNA Wrestling President Scott D’Amore. The promotion’s debut events are being held at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada this weekend. Both shows are airing live as pay-per-views on Triller TV with Mauro Ranallo & Don Callis as the commentary team.

Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged in Excellence —

Night one (Saturday, October 19):

  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mike Bailey (if Bailey wins, he gets a future shot at Takeshita’s AEW International Championship)
  • Tables match: Bully Ray vs. Raj Dhesi (former WWE wrestler Jinder Mahal)
  • Gisele Shaw vs. Miyu Yamashita (If Yamashita wins, she’ll be added to the ROH Women’s title match on night two)
  • Rohan Raja vs. Jake Something for the inaugural PWA Champion’s Grail Championship
  • Four-way tag team match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defend against Sheldon Jean & Rohit Raju, El Reverso & Aiden Prince, and Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger
  • Laynie Luck vs. Taylor Rising vs. Kylie Rae vs. Aurora Teves
  • Bhupinder Gujjar vs. QT Marshall (w/ Harley Cameron)
  • Josh Alexander, Stu Grayson & El Phantasmo vs. Trevor Lee, Rocky Romero & Alex Zayne

Night two (Sunday, October 20):

  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Josh Alexander
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Gisele Shaw
  • QPW Qatar Champion Classy Ali defends against El Reverso
  • Mike Bailey vs. El Phantasmo
  • Six-way scramble match: Jake Something vs. Trevor Lee vs. Stu Grayson vs. Sheldon Jean vs. Mike Rollins vs. Alex Zayne

GCW returning to Hammerstein Ballroom in January 2025

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Three years after debuting at the venue, Game Changer Wrestling is returning to the Hammerstein Ballroom.

The promotion confirmed today that “The People vs. GCW” will take place from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Plans for the event were first reported by Dave Meltzer last week in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

When GCW first ran the Hammerstein Ballroom in January 2022, the show received mixed-to-negative reviews, in part because outsiders like Jeff Jarrett and Ruby Soho defeated established GCW talent in Effy and Allie Katch. Those negative reviews — with a theme of wanting to re-write history — were referenced in GCW’s announcement video for this event.

A ticket pre-sale begins on GCW’s Patreon at 5 p.m. Eastern time tonight with tickets then going on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. tomorrow (October 18). No matches for the show have been announced yet.

Starting with ECW holding shows at the venue, the Hammerstein Ballroom has been a popular destination for pro wrestling in New York City over the past couple of decades. It’s also hosted ROH events and was the venue for WWE’s ECW One Night Stand pay-per-views in both 2005 and 2006.

Former ROH executive Joe Koff passes away

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Joe Koff — who led Ring of Honor during the Sinclair Broadcast Group era — has passed away.

His death was announced on Tuesday by MLW, who credited Koff for the honor, integrity, and passion that he always showed while working in professional wrestling. Born in 1951, Koff was a lifelong wrestling fan and worked in the television industry for decades.

“MLW is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff,” the promotion wrote. “On behalf of MLW, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Joe always led with honor, integrity, and a passion for the sport we all cherish. His legacy will live on in the hearts of everyone he inspired. Thank you, Joe, for your contributions and unwavering dedication to wrestling. Rest in peace.”

PWInsider reports that Koff was battling cancer for some time and, in August, decided that he was going to “discontinue treatment in order to enhance the quality of time he had left with his family.”

Koff got his first experience in wrestling when Championship Wrestling from Florida was produced by the TV station he was employed by in Tampa. Later, while an executive for Sinclair Broadcast Group, Koff (along with ROH’s Jim Cornette and Gary Juster) helped put together the deal for SBG to buy ROH from Cary Silkin in 2011. Without that deal, it’s likely that ROH would have gone out of business.

Koff had the job title of Chief Operating Officer in ROH until SBG sold the promotion to AEW’s Tony Khan in 2022. Following the sale, Koff reflected on his time running ROH:

  • As I look back on this amazing journey, there are so many people who joined this journey with me, our staff, our brilliant athletes that you will always know as Ring of Honor, our partners in production and distribution, our vendors and most importantly, you, our fans. I want to thank you personally for your continuous support, belief in me and our product, what we could do, what we would do, what we did!
  • It was the journey of a lifetime and I thank you for sharing it with me.

Konosuke Takeshita to defend AEW International title at Maple Leaf Pro Forged In Excellence night two

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Konosuke Takeshita’s first AEW International title defense is coming soon.

Maple Leaf Pro confirmed that Takeshita will now defend the International title against Josh Alexander on October 20 during the second night of their Forged in Excellence event. MLP posted a video confirming the news featuring Takeshita and Don Callis’ comments from the AEW WrestleDream media scrum where they promised to defend the title worldwide.

Takeshita won the title at WrestleDream this past Saturday, defeating former champion Will Ospreay and Ricochet in a three-way match. The finish had Callis associate Kyle Fletcher turn on his friend Ospreay, striking him with a screwdriver and allowing Takeshita to win.

Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged In Excellence takes place October 19 & 20, 2024, at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Both shows will air live on Triller TV as pay-per-view events.

Night one (Saturday, October 19):

  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
  • Rohan Raja vs. Jake Something for the inaugural PWA Champion’s Grail Championship
  • Bhupinder Gujjar vs. QT Marshall (w/ Harley Cameron)
  • Tables match: Bully Ray vs. Raj Dhesi (former WWE wrestler Jinder Mahal)
  • Laynie Luck vs. Taylor Rising vs. Kylie Rae vs. Aurora Teves
  • Josh Alexander, Stu Grayson & El Phantasmo vs. Trevor Lee (the former Cameron Grimes), Rocky Romero & Alex Zayne
  • Gisele Shaw vs. Miyu Yamashita (If Yamashita wins, she’ll be added to the ROH title match on night two)
  • Four-way tag team match: The Intergalactic Jet Setters (KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight) vs. Aiden Prince & El Reverso vs. Rogue Squadron (Rohit Raju & Sheldon Prince) vs. Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger

Night two (Sunday, October 20):

  • AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Josh Alexander
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Gisele Shaw
  • Speedball Mike Bailey vs. El Phantasmo

May 1, 2007 Observer Newsletter: History of Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

The latest, and from an purely emotional standpoint, one of the best WWE DVD historical documentaries is the recent release on Ric Flair and the legacy of the Four Horseman.

It’s pretty much a must-see for anyone who was a fan of Jim Crockett Promotions in the mid-to-late 80s. The Horsemen were the foundation during the glory days of the group. But really, it’s an eye-opener for a fan of any era.

I think the one thing about the true glory periods of the Horsemen in JCP and The Freebirds vs Von Erichs in World Class, is that they were specific eras that were so big for a short period of time in their parts of the country is, because of crowd reactions, how tremendous the excitement level and angles hold up. It feels more gritty and real, partially because of the fan reactions and also because of the superior interview quality. In many ways, viewed as nostalgia, both periods seem so much bigger today within the culture of their respective parts of the country than they were at the time.

Subscribers can read this issue here.

Four-way tag team match set for Maple Leaf Pro Forged in Excellence

Posted on by Ian Carey

Another match has been added to Maple Leaf Pro Forged in Excellence.

On Sunday, it was announced that a four-way tag team match will take place on night one of the two-night event. Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag champions The Intergalactic Jet Setters (KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight), Aiden Prince & El Reverso, Rogue Squadron (Rohit Raju & Sheldon Prince), and Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger will be the four teams entered into the match.

Prince & Reverso are the current Border City Wrestling Can-AM tag team champions, having defeated Rogue Squadron for the belts last month.

Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Forged In Excellence takes place October 19 & 20, 2024, at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Both shows will air live on Triller TV as pay-per-view events.

Night one (Saturday, October 19):

  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
  • Rohan Raja vs. Jake Something for the inaugural PWA Champion’s Grail Championship
  • Bhupinder Gujjar vs. QT Marshall (w/ Harley Cameron)
  • Tables match: Bully Ray vs. Raj Dhesi (former WWE wrestler Jinder Mahal)
  • Laynie Luck vs. Taylor Rising vs. Kylie Rae vs. Aurora Teves
  • Josh Alexander, Stu Grayson & El Phantasmo vs. Trevor Lee (the former Cameron Grimes), Rocky Romero & Alex Zayne
  • Gisele Shaw vs. Miyu Yamashita (If Yamashita wins, she’ll be added to the ROH title match on night two)
  • Four-way tag team match: The Intergalactic Jet Setters (KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight) vs. Aiden Prince & El Reverso vs. Rogue Squadron (Rohit Raju & Sheldon Prince) vs. Brent Banks & Johnny Swinger

Night two (Sunday, October 20):

  • Josh Alexander vs. Konosuke Takeshita
  • ROH Women’s World Champion Athena defends against Gisele Shaw