My World With Jeff Jarrett podcast is live streaming The Celebration of Life for Jerry Jarrett on YouTube.
Category: AEW
AEW Rampage Preview 2/17/2023
AEW taped tonight’s AEW Rampage “Slam Dunk” at the Sames Auto Center in Larado, Texas on Wednesday night after Dynamite went off the air. Tonight’s Rampage will air at a special time 7/6 C on TNT due to NBA All-Star festivities.
- Daniel Garcia vs. Ricky Starks
- AEW Trios Championship: The Elite (c) vs. Top Flight & AR Fox
- TBS Champion Jade Cargill defends against VertVixen
- Swerve Strickland vs. Dustin Rhodes
Is Jay White Leaving NJPW And Possibly Headed To AEW Or WWE
On Saturday, New Japan Pro Wrestling will return to the U.S. to host Battle in the Valley in San Jose, California. The event will potentially be the destination for Jay White’s final match with the promotion.
Mercedes Moné’s debut match is the biggest selling point for the upcoming show, which will also feature the latest edition of Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi’s iconic rivalry. Still, all eyes would be on The Switchblade following the outcome of his dramatic Loser Leaves Japan bout at The New Beginning.
Last week, Hikuleo defeated the leader of Bullet Club and banished him from his adopted home. After he accepted his fate, the New Zealand wrestler set his sights on a showdown with AEW’s Eddie Kingston. However, the two upped the ante on this week’s episode of Wrestling Observer Live with our own Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive.
Kingston challenged White to a Loser Leaves NJPW match, and the former IWGP world champion agreed. The added stipulation doesn’t add much suspense to their conflict because many assumed it would be his final appearance with the Japanese promotion.
Instead, the occasion will likely mark the end of the Cutthroat Era and make King Switch the hottest new free agent in wrestling. During his interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, White said he was “at peace with it.”
“I don’t know if there is much more I could have done,” he said. “I don’t feel like I left a bunch of boxes unchecked. I’ve been living it, so it can be hard to appreciate it in the moment, but as I move on, I’ve started to look back at the weight some of it holds. As time goes on, I hope people appreciate it even more.”
The first NJPW grand slam champion certainly had a prosperous and impactful run with the company. So, what’s next for the self-proclaimed Catalyst of Pro Wrestling?
Unfinished Business With All Elite Wrestling
The Elite has a long history with White stemming from Kenny Omega’s failed attempt to recruit him at NJPW New Year Dash 2018. The Switchblade rejected him, waited for Bullet Club to implode, and eventually stepped in as its new leader.
When The Cleaner and The Young Bucks left New Japan, he thrived as the top gaijin star in the company. The formation of AEW and the rise of the Cutthroat Era ran parallel to one another as Omega’s successor secured numerous accolades in his absence.
It didn’t take an expert to see that the 30-year-old would inevitably make his way to the U.S. as well. For starters, every wrestler who rose to prominence as the head of Bullet Club did so before him, including its founder, Finn Balor.
White started making inroads into America in 2020 as a part of NJPW Strong. The following year, his U-S-of-Jay Open Challenge became a fixture at these shows, and he appeared on Impact Wrestling.
By the time he made his triumphant return to Japan at Wrestling Dontaku 2022, it became clear that he would be at the forefront of NJPW’s new partnership with AEW. In the process, he continued to gain new fans in the U.S., and you could see where this was leading.
For that reason, AEW would be a perfect landing spot for King Switch. The company’s audience already knows him, and its core fanbase has an affinity for New Japan because of The Elite. His style of wrestling would also fit seamlessly on a roster full of some of the best wrestlers in the industry.
Even more, there are so many potential storylines for him there with familiar opponents like The Best Bout Machine. Straight away, White would be an excellent opponent for Adam Cole at Revolution. After all, the two-time IWGP world champion was a part of his last pay-per-view match at Forbidden Door, and he has reason to seek revenge.
The Next Bullet Club Member to Sign With WWE
If White wants to step out of his comfort zone and compete on a larger stage, WWE is the best option. AEW is a safe bet because he could pick up where he left off with NJPW in some ways and continue to build on established rivalries.
WWE would allow him to do something different and reach a broader audience. It’s hard to imagine he would leave Japan just to keep doing the same character work and catering to a niche audience.
It would be fun to see him work with The Elite or test himself against Bryan Danielson. However, one could argue that he has already done memorable angles with Omega, and he successfully surpassed him as the leader of Bullet Club.
The Switchblade has already beaten him for the IWGP United States Championship. He one-upped him in the main event of G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden and took part in Forbidden Door.
There are still stories to tell and comeuppances to dish out, but White doesn’t gain as much from revisiting lingering questions surrounding Omega’s NJPW exit. King Switch created a mystique by filling the void he left behind and doing things his way. So, wouldn’t it make more sense for him to chart his own path free of the ever-present comparisons between the two men?
Signing with WWE would definitely come with the risk that the company would dilute his character or repackage and saddle him with an unimaginative name change. Still, he would have a better chance of immediately entering the world title picture there than he would with AEW.
After Roman Reigns’ monster run as the undisputed universal champion, the company will need fresh contenders. In particular, there will be room for a new heel to step up when he isn’t as present on WWE programming.
AEW doesn’t need a new major antagonist as much because MJF just started his reign of terror. It will be hard to compete with him for the top spot right now. So, White could probably make a more significant impact with WWE on the main roster.
The Verdict
White has two great options in WWE and AEW. Both companies have pros and cons, but it all depends on what he wants out of the next chapter of his career.
Source: BleacherReport
Backstage News On Female Talent Meeting Following Thunder Rosa’s Return To AEW
A talent meeting was called for the female locker room in AEW recently with the goal being to bury the hatchet among a number of wrestlers as Thunder Rosa gets set to make her return to the company.
Fightful Select reports that a backstage summit occurred at the February 8 “Dynamite” to repair some of the damage done last year between Rosa and other members of the roster. Those women who were present at the tapings participated. Thunder Rosa did work the tapings as well, providing Spanish commentary for the El Paso shows, as she continues to recover from injury. That injury forced her to vacate the AEW Women’s Championship after she had won it from Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. last March.
Sources claim that Rosa attempted to mend a lot of fences during the conference, as it relates back to a number of issues that arose prior to her being sidelined. Previous problems were raised about working stiff and sandbagging, in addition to the legitimacy of her injury being questioned. Rosa appears to have addressed all of the concerns, and the meeting was said to have been productive — perhaps a “clean slate” moving forward.
Thunder Rosa has been inching closer and closer to returning to the ring. However, she has still not been cleared yet. In the meantime, she will be returning to the road soon. It also appears her role on Spanish commentary will continue in the immediate future, as she enjoyed it, at least until she’s ready to step back between the ropes.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Christian Cage Returns From Injury On AEW Dynamite
On last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Christian Cage returned from injury and attacked “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry. This reignited their feud which began in June 2022 when Luchasaurus turned his back on Perry after they lost the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
No sooner had Perry just defeated Brian Cage in a singles match, Cage appeared on the entranceway and sprayed him with mace. Cage then removed his arm sling and elbow brace to nail Perry with the Killswitch on the stage.
The attack shows that Cage is now cleared to compete again after suffering an upper-body injury last summer.
AEW Dynamite Preview 2/15/2023
AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS and emanate from the Sames Auto Center in Larado, Texas.
- Texas Tornado Tag Team Match: Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. RUSH & Preston Vance
- AEW World Champion MJF Fulfills His Contractual Obligation to Appear in Laredo, Texas
- Hangman Adam Page vs. Kip Sabian
- Wardlow Sit Down Interview with Jim Ross
- Brian Cage vs. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry
- Mark Briscoe vs. Josh Woods
- Renee Paquette Speaks with Adam Cole
- Toni Storm vs. Ruby Soho vs. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
- Orange Cassidy, The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn vs. Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh & Sonjay Dutt
Jeff Jarrett Pays Tribute To His Late Father
Jeff Jarrett took to Twitter today to pay tribute to his father and the iconic wrestling promoter after his passing yesterday by writing the following:
When Things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and debts are high, And you want to Smile but have to sigh. When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns, As everyone of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about, When he might have won if he’d stuck it out, Don’t give up though the pace seems slow, You might succeed with another blow.
Often the struggler has given up, When he might captured the victor’s cup. And he learned too late, when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out, The silver tint of clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar, So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit, It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit! ~ #Dad
Wrestling Legend Jerry Jarrett Passed Away
Pro wrestling lost a true legend of the industry yesterday with the death of Jerry Jarrett.
Conrad Thompson mentioned Jarrett had been battling esophageal cancer during a recording with Jarrett’s son, AEW star Jeff Jarrett, that was released earlier today.
Along with his mother Christine, Jerry Jarrett put Memphis wrestling on the map as one of the true catalysts for making the territory so hot in the 1970s and 1980s. Along the way, he was responsible for making a number of stars in the business such as Jackie Fargo, Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Dutch Mantell, and his own son Jeff. In addition, talent such as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin credited Jarrett for helping them build the proper foundation to get their careers off the ground.
Jarrett’s career spanned decades as both a wrestler and promoter. In 1969, he made his in-ring debut for NWA Mid-America, where he went on to become a 10-time NWA Southern Tag Team Champion. Jarrett initially retired from in-ring competition in 1988 ahead of promoting United States Wrestling Association, but competed in a handful of matches for USWA until his final bout in 1995.
In 2002, after years of consulting work with both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, Jerry and son Jeff co-founded the promotion that became Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling, now known as Impact Wrestling. Jarrett parted ways with TNA in 2005 after a dispute over the company’s direction — this led to a falling out between Jerry and Jeff until their reconciliation a decade later, after agreeing to never talk about wrestling.
In 2018, Jarrett was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
Jarrett was 80 years old, and his contributions are being remembered by friends and colleagues whose lives he impacted over the years.
“I’m hearing reports of my friend and long-time booker/promoter Jerry Jarrett died this morning in TN,” tweeted Mantell. “I last saw him last year when we did the VICE show THE TERRITORIES in Atlanta. Very creative booker. Condolences to Jeff/Deborah and the Jarrett family.”
“Sad news of a great guy who has passed away. Condolences go out to the Jerry Jarrett Family,” wrote The Honky Tonk Man, adding that Jarrett gave him a break in wrestling that he’ll never forget.
“Godspeed, Jerry Jarrett. My heart goes out to his family and friends. What a legacy,” said former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce.
“Such sad news on Jerry Jarrett – will always be in my heart – one of the greatest promoters that gave way to some of my most fondest professional moments – he will be missed”
Below are some other reaction from the wrestling world.
Backstage News On Whether There’s Been Any ‘Mending Of Fences’ Between CM Punk And AEW
Fans hoping for CM Punk to make his return to AEW television soon should know that there is reportedly much work left to be done. Dave Meltzer offered an update regarding the fallout of “Brawl Out” on the latest episode of “Wrestling Observer Radio.” “There was a lot of damage done that night,” Meltzer said, acknowledging that many want Punk to come back because the ratings for AEW have been flat as of late. Meltzer previously reported that Chris Jericho was pushing for Punk to not come back, but the ball remains in the court of AEW owner Tony Khan.
Backstage News On Whether There’s Been Any ‘Mending Of Fences’ Between CM Punk And AEW
Irvin Rivera/Getty Images
BY DOMINIC DEANGELO/FEB. 14, 2023 11:58 AM EST
Fans hoping for CM Punk to make his return to AEW television soon should know that there is reportedly much work left to be done. Dave Meltzer offered an update regarding the fallout of “Brawl Out” on the latest episode of “Wrestling Observer Radio.” “There was a lot of damage done that night,” Meltzer said, acknowledging that many want Punk to come back because the ratings for AEW have been flat as of late. Meltzer previously reported that Chris Jericho was pushing for Punk to not come back, but the ball remains in the court of AEW owner Tony Khan.
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Wrestlers Who Can’t Stand Hulk Hogan
“Tony’s gonna do what Tony’s gonna do and I don’t know what that’s going to be. … There’s a lot of damage there to the brand. It wasn’t just like he yelled at The Young Bucks. It was the brand. I mean he basically said that AEW is second-rate,” Meltzer added, having been in attendance for Punk’s infamous post-All Out press conference. According to Meltzer, there are bridges that haven’t been crossed yet between the two parties.
“There’s a lot of mending of fences that need to be done and there’s been no mending of fences at all,” he said. “Punk could be back in two months and then there’s a decision of how that goes. That’s going to be a big story of how that goes down or how it doesn’t go down.” Punk happened to tear his tricep that night while defeating Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship, and hasn’t been seen in AEW since. Without Punk appearing for AEW, ratings for “AEW Dynamite” have plateaued below a million viewers and viewership for “AEW Rampage” has nosedived.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
AEW Rampage Preview 2/10/2023
Tonight’s AEW Rampage on TNT at 10/9C.
- Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Kip Sabian and The Butcher & The Blade
- “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry in action
- Ruby Soho vs. Marina Shafir
- Mark Briscoe to speak
- All-Atlantic Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Lee Moriarty
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