TNA's next tapings are planned for March 12 through 15 in Orlando. They'll tape Impact Wrestling and One Night Only shows then. I assume Jeff Hardy will be back for those events.
WWE has updated WWE Shop to fit the look of the rest of their website.
Xavier Woods was interviewed by a Spanish outlet. El Nuevo Dia?
ROH has announced the following additional matches for their next TV taping:
- The Young Bucks vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi/Michael Elgin
- reDRagon vs. Kazuchika Okada/Gedo
- RPG Vice challenge for the ROH Tag Team Championship
- Silas Young vs. Dalton Castle in a Fight Without Honor
- Jay Lethal vs. Hirooki Goto
- The Young Bucks vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi/Michael Elgin
- reDRagon vs. Kazuchika Okada/Gedo
- RPG Vice challenge for the ROH Tag Team Championship
- Silas Young vs. Dalton Castle in a Fight Without Honor
- Jay Lethal vs. Hirooki Goto
ROH and NJPW are pretty tight. I can't really blame either side for wanting to share assets, though. Especially with the high-profile NJPW departures.
Everything else from yesterday is after the break.
WWE gave NXT's Shinsuke Nakamura a World Heavyweight Championship ring for his birthday. He's getting the red carpet treatment! I can only think of a few other talents to get this much attention before their first match: Hideo Itami and the original Sin Cara, two other big international talents. I hope Nakamura lives up to the hype. I also hope Itami comes back soon. He's been out a while now.
WWE gave NXT's Shinsuke Nakamura a World Heavyweight Championship ring for his birthday. He's getting the red carpet treatment! I can only think of a few other talents to get this much attention before their first match: Hideo Itami and the original Sin Cara, two other big international talents. I hope Nakamura lives up to the hype. I also hope Itami comes back soon. He's been out a while now.
AJ Styles talked about his time in WWE thus far:
- I definitely think AJ has grown as a performer from working in NJPW. It gave him a new environment to grow his skills, and the experience has made him more valuable for WWE.
- I definitely think AJ has grown as a performer from working in NJPW. It gave him a new environment to grow his skills, and the experience has made him more valuable for WWE.
- I think a lot of wrestlers are familiar with AJ's reputation and experience, so they were probably glad he came in to work with them.
Indian press is reporting The Great Khali was taken to an ICU as a result of injuries suffered during a match on his debut show in India. That's quite possibly a work, but in the event it isn't, I hope he recovers quickly. There are reasons WWE stopped using him as a wrestler.
Set for next week's Impact Wrestling:
- Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Roode
- Eric Young vs. Damo O'Connor
- The Wolves vs. Mandrews/Will Ospreay
- Abyss vs. Jimmy Havoc in a Monster's Ball match
- Michael Bennett vs. Drew Galloway
- Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Roode
- Eric Young vs. Damo O'Connor
- The Wolves vs. Mandrews/Will Ospreay
- Abyss vs. Jimmy Havoc in a Monster's Ball match
- Michael Bennett vs. Drew Galloway
Looks like we're in for TNA vs. the UK. O'Connor, Ospreay, and Havoc work that market regularly.
Set for next week's NXT:
- Finn Balor vs. Neville
- The debut of a former World Champion
- The Vaudevillains vs. Hugo Knox/Tucker Knight
- Elias Samson vs. Steve Cutler
- Emma vs. Santana Garrett
I think those matches are good for where those talents are. Balor's getting groomed for the main roster, the Vaudevillains are figuring out their next step as heels, Samson is early in his NXT career, and hopefully Santana is being tested as a future official part of the NXT roster.
Daniel Bryan will be heading to the UK for WWE as part of their April tour there. They definitely want to make use of him while he's still under a lucrative contract.
Shane McMahon is advertised for the March 7 Raw. Will we see him have a tune-up match before facing Taker (if we do see him face Taker)?
Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles is set for WWE's return to Madison Square Garden. That will be the first time they've faced off. I'd love to see that match at Wrestlemania.
Set for next week's NXT:
- Finn Balor vs. Neville
- The debut of a former World Champion
- The Vaudevillains vs. Hugo Knox/Tucker Knight
- Elias Samson vs. Steve Cutler
- Emma vs. Santana Garrett
I think those matches are good for where those talents are. Balor's getting groomed for the main roster, the Vaudevillains are figuring out their next step as heels, Samson is early in his NXT career, and hopefully Santana is being tested as a future official part of the NXT roster.
Daniel Bryan will be heading to the UK for WWE as part of their April tour there. They definitely want to make use of him while he's still under a lucrative contract.
Shane McMahon is advertised for the March 7 Raw. Will we see him have a tune-up match before facing Taker (if we do see him face Taker)?
Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles is set for WWE's return to Madison Square Garden. That will be the first time they've faced off. I'd love to see that match at Wrestlemania.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. As was more or less said, bringing back Shane is only going to do so much if they don't also make notable changes in how things are presented. If they do have a brand split leading to a dedicated pushing of more talents, there's a chance things turn around. If Shane just comes in for six weeks to job to Taker and disappears again, I don't see much changing. I do think the buzz about a product, one way or another, affects how it's seen. Ask TNA. No matter what they do, they've had so much negative buzz, there are a lot of fans who won't come back or start watching in the first place.
1. As was more or less said, bringing back Shane is only going to do so much if they don't also make notable changes in how things are presented. If they do have a brand split leading to a dedicated pushing of more talents, there's a chance things turn around. If Shane just comes in for six weeks to job to Taker and disappears again, I don't see much changing. I do think the buzz about a product, one way or another, affects how it's seen. Ask TNA. No matter what they do, they've had so much negative buzz, there are a lot of fans who won't come back or start watching in the first place.
2. Gallows and Anderson just finished up their work in Japan, so it could be a while before they go through all the hoops necessary to officially become parts of the WWE roster. WWE doesn't want to announce them before the contracts are 100% signed.
3. Hopefully! WWE being more open in dealing with legitimate news outlets is a refreshing change of pace.
4. It's definitely a matter of who does what at times, rather than the action itself. That's true in life and in wrestling.
5. I don't like it. I'd think helping get Vince out of power would be a face move, and it would be nonsensical after HHH and Vince have been working together. As for Vince leaving, I don't see it happening. I think it's more likely Shane gets control of Raw while Vince and The Authority are shipped off to Smackdown.
6. It was definitely good to see ROH upgrade their production. I'm under the impression they get a little more than 1,000 fans for their big U.S. shows, so 600-800 sounds like a good range for their TV tapings.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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