NXT's Twitter posted video of Austin Aries' entrance at the latest taping. I hope he's still an amazing wrestler. He could be a REALLY good edition to the brand, and to WWE as a whole.
Update: WWE is already selling Austin Aries T-shirts. My body is so ready.
Canadian star "Mongolian Stomper" Archie Gouldie has passed away at the age of 78. PWInsider remembered the legend. He definitely has quite the pedigree.
Paul Heyman's client, The Conqueror Brock Lesnar has been added to the Feb. 1 Raw, the Feb. 16 Smckdown, and the Feb. 22 Raw. Those last two shows surround Fast Lane. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lesnar face Bray at that show given the rumors of Brock vs. Strowman at WM32.
Everything else from yesterday is after the break.
William Regal appeared as part of EVOLVE 54, praising the group's champion, Timothy Thatcher. This led to an angle where Matt Riddle laid down a challenge to the champion for New York in March in an effort to impress Regal. Whether this will lead to either man ending up in NXT is unknown. I suspect it's a little too early to read that kind of thing from this event.
Triple H gave a shout-out to EVOLVE on Twitter after appearing backstage at EVOLVE 54. You know, Haitch spitting Starbucks during his ring entrance just doesn't have the same feel.
Byron Saxton will be joining Michael Cole and JBL at commentary during the Royal Rumble. Jerry Lawler will be on the Kickoff panel. That's great progress! We only have to hear Lawler for one hour instead of three! Now replace JBL with Corey Graves, and make the Kickoff panel Renee, Scott Stanford, and Kyle Edwards.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Honestly, the WCW of 2000-2001 needed some big changes. It had become a place for older names to make a lot of money for little work. I don't think we needed WCW and ECW to literally stick around, but it's become obvious in the years following their closure WWE does need some high-level competition where people can go to reinvent themselves, get regular work and good pay, etc. Another company with a different vision of pro wrestling, different competitors, and so on at a big level would be better for the industry as a whole, and, honestly, better for WWE. So, I guess the best hypothetical outcome would have been someone swooping in with a lot of money and pull to pick up the best people from WCW and ECW to start over with a new vision. If we're going full-on crazy alternate history, I guess Stephanie and Shane could have branched off to do something like that. Maybe they'd take some top WWF names with them?
2. That's easier said than done. NXT airs on TV in other countries, so they'd have to adjust their contracts there to reflect another hour of TV. Plus, that's either twice the amount of TV tapings or twice the length of them (or some combination of more, longer tapings). I would think that would be costly, and I don't know if WWE would get behind that level of expense. It's not out of the question, but it wouldn't happen overnight. I also think the direction they're going in is more live events outside of Florida.
3. I'm guessing they get paid per taping they work, similarly to someone like Blue Pants. I would think their current arrangements might work out better for them, since they can keep getting experience outside of NXT. I do think both would be great signings for the brand, but I'd think unless there's danger of them going to TNA or ROH, WWE will keep them under their current arrangement.
4. That's what happens when lawyers aren't present at contract talks. I also wonder the legality of that., but I don't think it really matters either way because it doesn't look like he's going to TNA or staying with NJPW either way as long as he passes WWE medical testing.
5. Sorry, you'll need a warrant for that kind of information.
More wrestling coming up.
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