Category: Impact

Don Callis Says There’s Nothing Left For Him To Do In New Japan

Don Callis has hinted that his association with New Japan Pro Wrestling may be at an end as there’s nothing left for him to do there.

Callis addressed his NJPW business dealings on Sitting Ringside with David Penzer.

“I see my business with New Japan as being done,” he said. “When I went into New Japan in 2017, they were on one level. When I booked Jericho vs. Omega at the Tokyo Dome, their entire business model changed. Their revenue went up exponentially. They’ve been riding the Don Callis effect ever since,” he continued,

Callis then suggested that his time with New Japan is probably at an end.

“There is nothing left for me to do in New Japan,” he claimed. “Anything I could do in New Japan now would pale in comparison to the game-changing nature that I did three years ago,” he said.

Despite hinting at the end of his relationship with NJPW, Callis did recently tease a program between AEW Champion Kenny Omega and IWGP Champ Kota Ibushi.

“In order for Kota Ibushi to truly evolve into the Kota Ibushi he can be, he Kota needs to get on an airplane and he needs to come from Japan and defend that title around the world like Kenny Omega does,” he told TalkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy.

As you may recall, the dastardly Don Callis recently took on the role of Omega’s manager. Callis also instigated a Bullet Club reunion on Dynamite.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Impact Wrestling Preview 1/12/21

This week’s show is the go-home edition for Saturday’s Hard to Kill PPV where Omega teams up with Impact World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers against Impact World Champion Rich Swann and The Motor City Machine Guns. IMPACT! tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV and Twitch!

* Kenny Omega and Don Callis to appear

* Rich Swann vs. Karl Anderson

* Tenille Dashwood with Kaleb vs. Rosemary

* Kimber Lee with Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Taya Valkyrie with Rosemary

* Deaner with Eric Young and Joe Doering vs. Tommy Dreamer with Rhino and Cousin Jake

As noted, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows appeared on last week’s AEW Dynamite where The Young Bucks also joined up for a Bullet Club reunion.

Impact Wrestling ‘Genesis’ 1/9/21

Impact Wrestling presents Genesis this Saturday on Impact Plus.

I Quit Match
TNA Champion Moose vs. Willie Mack

Jordynne Grace vs. Jazz

* First Round Of The Super X Cup Tournament: Suicide vs. Ace Austin

* First Round Of The Super X Cup Tournament: Daivari vs. Cousin Jake.

* First Round Of The Super X Cup Tournament: Crazzy Steve vs. Tre Lamar.

* First Round Of The Super X Cup Tournament: Blake Christian vs. KC Navarro.

* Super X-Cup Semi-Finals and Finals

Genesis will broadcast exclusively on IMPACT Plus. Those who sign up now will recieve a free 30-day trial.

Impact Wrestling Preview 1/5/21

Impact Wrestling will return to its in-ring programming following their two-week holiday break at 8/7c on AXS TV and Twitch!. This will be their go-home show before their Impact Plus exclusive event Genesis, which will take place this Saturday at 8 PM EST.

* We’ll hear from the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and the Impact World Tag Team Champions, The Good Brothers, ahead of their main event match with Rich Swann and the Motor City Machine Guns at Hard To Kill on Saturday, January 16.

* The last semi-final matchup of the Knockouts Tag Team Title Tournament between Jordynne Grace and Jazz versus Havok and Nevaeh.

* 3 Minute Challenge: Moose vs. Matthew Palmer

* Rhino and Cousin Jake vs. Eric Young and Joe Doering

* KC Navarro vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Blake Christian vs. Ace Austin

* Sami Callihan vs. Eddie Edwards

Impact Wrestling Preview 12/8/20

IMPACT! tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV and Twitch!

* Don Callis and new AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will discuss Omega’s Title win this past week on AEW Dynamite

* Eric Young vs. Cody Deaner

* Brain Myers vs. TJP

* Josh alexander vs. Chris Sabin

* Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament Match: Deonna Purrazzo and Kimber Lee vs. Taya Valkyrie and Rosemary

Backstage News On Plans For Crossover AEW – Impact Wrestling Match, Don Callis’ Future

This past Wednesday night, AEW presented a special edition of Dynamite titled “Winter Is Coming”. On top of the surprise debut of Sting, the show ended with Kenny Omega defeating Jon Moxley for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship. Omega was assisted by current Impact executive Don Callis for the win. Following the bout, Callis announced that Omega would be headed to Impact this coming Tuesday to discuss the title win.

According to Wrestling Inc., the relationship between Impact and AEW is not currently scheduled to be that intertwined. From what we have heard, Omega’s appearance on Impact will be a one-off and was largely done as a favor from Omega for Don Callis, who is a good friend of Omega’s. Omega also requested that Don work as the commentator for his big title win over Moxley.

Tony Khan apparently liked the idea and signed off on it. Beyond Omega making a one-off appearance on Impact, it was also relayed to us that The Good Brothers will likely be coming to AEW for one match as well. Omega’s appearance on Impact this Tuesday will likely be used to setup the Brothers coming to AEW to take on a team that was not disclosed to us, however, the Young Bucks would seem likely.

Furthermore, we have heard that Don Callis’ contract with Impact Wrestling may be coming up next month. Once Callis is done with Impact, it sounds like he would move to AEW full-time to work as Omega’s on-screen manager.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW – Impact Wrestling Alliance Reportedly “In The Works For A While”

Impact Wrestling executive Don Callis helped Kenny Omega defeat Jon Moxley to capture the AEW World Championship during last night’s Winter is Coming edition of AEW Dynamite.

After the controversial finish, Callis announced that Omega would appear on next week’s episode of Impact Wrestling and explain his actions. With Omega set to appear on a different wrestling show, Impact and AEW stars have taken to social media and pondered the possibilities of inter-promotional rivalries.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, “the Callis thing has been in the works for a while” and he presumed that Callis was the person who pitched the idea to have Omega show up on Impact. In addition to appearing on Impact, Omega will also be doing an interview on next week’s episode of Dynamite.ADVERTISING

It is widely documented that Callis was the one who convinced Chris Jericho to wrestle Omega at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 12, a match which reportedly led to AEW President Tony Khan conceiving the idea for AEW. AEW and Impact could possibly use that history in the storyline and Meltzer noted that the two promotions “are going to be working together to a degree” although full details of their partnership are unclear.

It was noted that Impact Wrestling showing a match between Young Bucks and Motor City Machine Guns during this week’s episode “was more than just a coincidence” even though Impact regularly airs old matches.

Omega will travel to Mexico soon to defend his AAA Mega Championship against Laredo Kid at Triplemania XXVIII on December 12. AEW already has a partnership with NWA which allows Thunder Rosa to wrestle for AEW and Serena Deeb to hold the NWA Women’s World Title. Similarly, Meltzer said it would not be surprising if Impact’s biggest stars show up on Dynamite soon.

Meltzer said that AEW President Tony Khan’s recent tweets about “a shift in wrestling’s balance of power” were meant to be about the events that transpired on Dynamite last night — from the debut of Sting to the alliance between AEW and Impact.

It was noted that it appears as if Callis will be Omega’s manager going forward and the angle could be similar to Bobby Heenan managing former AWA Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel in the 1970s. Bockwinkel was involved in the first-ever AWA versus WWWF World Title Unification match, wrestling WWWF Champion Bob Backlund, to a double count-out in March 1979. After dropping the title to Verne Gagne, Bockwinkel was handed back the AWA Championship when Gagne retired in 1981. This led to Bockwinkel becoming one of wrestling’s biggest heels. Callis even tweeted out a photo of Heenan and Bockwinkle on Thursday morning, as seen below:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Kenny Omega Wins AEW World Championship, Headed To Impact With Don Callis

Kenny Omega is the new All Elite Wrestling World Champion after he defeated Jon Moxley in the main event of this week’s Dynamite … with a little help from Don Callis.

Callis was a special guest commentator for the match due to his association with Kenny Omega’s family (Kenny’s Uncle, The Golden Sheik, was Callis’ manager in Manitoba’s WFWA promotion).

But it seemed that Callis has no intention of staying at the commentary desk.

Omega was able to steal a win from Moxley after Callis distracted the ref with a mic … the same mic that Omega then used to bash the defending champ in the face with.

Omega covered Mox for the victory and was declared the new AEW World Champion. Callis then made a hasty exit from the building with the new champ in toe.

Before getting in a car, Callis said he would explain his actions on Tuesday night’s edition of Impact Wrestling, seemingly confirming a partnership between the two promotions.

Check out footage of Omega’s sneaky victory and subsequent escape below.

Impact Wrestling Preview 12/1/20

IMPACT! tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV and Twitch!

* Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament Match: Killer Kelly and Renee Michelle vs. Jordynne Grace and Jazz

* X-Division Championship: Rohit Raju (c) vs. Crazzy Steve

* XXXL vs. Motor City Machine Guns

* Willie Mack vs. Chris Bey

Former ROH And IMPACT Star Jimmy Rave Announces Retirement After Arm Amputation

Former Ring of Honor and IMPACT Wrestling star Jimmy Rave (real name James Guffey) announced his retirement from professional wrestling on Saturday.

Rave made the announcement on Twitter.  He noted this is the hardest tweet he has had ever had to put out.  Rave stated that his retirement was due to an infection in his left arm which resulted in amputation of his left arm above the elbow.

Rave was trained by Murder One.  He made his debut in October 1999 as the masked Mr. XTC. He would then later adopt the in-ring name of Jimmy Rave. 

He debuted for Ring of Honor in 2003 and would stay with the promotion until 2007. He then left in August 2007. Rave later would sign with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling and become part of the Rock ’n Rave Infection with Lance Rock (Lance Archer).  After his departure from TNA/Impact, he made his return to ROH, and then left the promotion June 2013. 

Rave has held the NWA Wildside Junior Heavyweight Championship twice.  In addition, he has competed in the Best of the Super Juniors for New Japan Pro Wrestling, wrestled for Combat Zone Wrestling, Full Impact Pro, Dragon Gate and the independent circuit between 2009 and 2020.

He even made one appearance on WWE Sunday Night Heat in March 2005.

Below is Rave’s full statement from Twitter:

“I have been very blessed for the last 21 years in professional wrestling and getting to live out my dream. Today, that dream has ended for me and I have a new reality. This past Tuesday my world came crashing down when Doctors found an infection in my left arm. I tried toughing it out but by the time I saw a doctor it was too late and they had to amputate my left arm above the elbow. Thus effectively ending my in ring career. I appreciate everyone who has supported me or anyone who has pegged me with a roll of toilet paper. To my brothers & sisters I have shared the ring with or a locker room; thank you for always pushing me to be better. Thank You to all of my mentors and my students who allow me to still feel needed. This was the hardest thing I have ever had to type. If you have questions or comments please feel free to DM me. Please take your health much more seriously than I did. I am sorry for anyone I have let down. Support pro wrestling! -Jimmy Rave”

https://twitter.com/TheJimmyRave/status/1332880965841137666

Source: WrestleView