Category: TNA

Matt Striker And D’Lo Brown Revealed As New Impact Announce Team, Josh Mathews Promoted

Impact Wrestling has announced that a new broadcast team will start this Saturday with the Hard To Kill pay-per-view.

Matt Striker will serve as Impact’s new play-by-play announcer, while D’Lo Brown will handle color commentary duties. Striker and Brown will call the weekly Impact TV show, and pay-per-view events.

Striker noted that he’s excited, nervous, thankful and humbled to be returning to TV.

“I’ve always loved professional wrestling. It is a love that unites so many people,” Striker said in the official press release. “Pro wrestling is a sport and I want to be mindful to call it as such. I’ve learned and grown so much since I began, and I thank the fans – and the critics – for that.

“It is not lost on me the opportunity that is before me – I can once again lend my voice to the sport that I love. In doing so, I’m poised to describe, analyze, and witness the most advanced athletes the sport has ever seen. I am excited, nervous, thankful, and humbled. I cannot wait to get out there. You will always be able hear the fan in me.”

Brown also said he’s very excited to join the commentary team after working behind-the-scenes for the company.

“I’m very excited to join the IMPACT Wrestling broadcast booth and I know working alongside Matt Striker will be a lot of fun,” Brown said. “I believe in IMPACT Wrestling, with its amazing roster of skilled Superstars and Knockouts – and can’t wait to have the best seat in the house to call all the action.

“I’m humbled to follow the IMPACT broadcasting path of Don West and Mike Tenay, and most recently Don Callis, Madison Rayne and certainly Josh Mathews. I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity. I know there are big shoes to fill, but Striker and I will do our best.”

Striker and Brown are replacing Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne. Mathews has signed a new multi-year contract with the company and is being promoted to Senior Producer of the weekly Impact TV show and pay-per-view events. Rayne will give an update on her future at Saturday’s pay-per-view. The veteran Knockout provided color commentary in 2020 but is reportedly leaving the company for a job outside of pro wrestling.

“My play-by-play career has spanned nearly 20 years – from WrestleMania to Bound For Glory to incredible moments from IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV,” Mathews said in the press release. “Producing will allow me to have a bigger role in the overall production of our weekly show, PPVs and IMPACT+ Specials.

“This transition has been a great process, Matt and D’Lo are bringing a fresh energy and are ready to go. It was a special year in 2020, and both Madison Rayne and I will always be grateful for the opportunity and look forward to these exciting changes.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

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.

Bullet Club Reunion In AEW – Will The Name Be Used In AEW?

Impact stars Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have made their All Elite Wrestling debuts and reunited with some former Bullet Club buddies.

It all went down on this week’s New Year’s Smash edition of Dynamite following the main event in which AEW World Champion Kenny Omega defeated Rey Fenix.

After the bell, Omega’s associate Don Callis got on the mic and declared Fenix’s career over. Omega was about to attack Fenix when Jon Moxley appeared to make the save. But Mox’s upper hand was short-lived.

Impact tag champs The Good Brothers then shocked everyone by making their AEW debuts and rescuing their old Bullet Club colleague. Omega, Gallows, and Anderson beat the hell out of Moxley for some time, until The Young Bucks appeared and pleaded for some decorum.

The show went off the air with all four former Bullet Club members participating in a four-way “Too Sweet” salute.

The question now is will they be able to use the Bullet Club name in AEW. Karl Anderson is a founding member of Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Bullet Club is still a group in NJPW.

The Good Brothers will be returning to NJPW at some point – Speaking to GameSpot’s Wrestle Buddies podcast the Good Brothers confirm that they will be returning to New Japan. In fact, there’s already a deal between the two sides to make it happen. “For sure. There’s a deal in place,” Anderson said. Gallows added, “Yeah, we’re going.”

The Bullet club name wasn’t mentioned during Wednesday Night’s episode of Dynamite. The Good Brother and Omega have mentioned the Bullet Club name on episodes of Impact. So it will be interesting to see if they will use/mention the Bullet Club name in AEW.

AEW Dynamite ‘New Year’s Smash’ Night 1 Preview 1/6/21

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash Night 1 episode airs on TNT at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida.

* Kenny Omega (c) w/ Don Callis vs. Rey Fenix w/ Penta El Zero Miedo (AEW World Championship)

* The return of Jon Moxley

* Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Abadon (AEW Women’s World Championship)

* AEW World Tag Team Champions Young Bucks and SCU vs. The Acclaimed and The Hybrid 2

* Cody Rhodes vs. Matt Sydal

* Jake Hager vs. Wardlow

* Sting appears

* Weigh In for next week’s Brian Cage vs. TNT Champion Darby Allin match

* Chris Jericho on commentary

* Special guest: Snoop Dogg

Chris Jericho Receives Inscribed official Stryper Platinum Album

Chris Jericho received his very own inscribed official Stryper Platinum Album for ‘To Hell with The Devil’ from Stryper frontman Michael Sweet.

Jericho wrote on Facebook:

“Thanks to Michael Sweet & @champagnesweet1 for my very own inscribed official Stryper platinum album for #ToHellWithTheDevil!!! What an honour to receive this from the band who I first saw live in Fargo, North Dakota in 1988. I even snuck into their meet and greet and grabbed a Bible…who knew that 32 years later I would receive this in the mail!!!”

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

Backstage Details On Brodie Lee’s Condition Before His Passing

Although Brodie Lee’s passing on Saturday was met with a lot of shock in the wrestling world, people in AEW were aware of the seriousness of his lung ailment, according to Dave Meltzer on The Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer noted that Lee’s condition was “one of those things that the few people who knew kept it quiet” even though a lot of people began questioning why The Exalted One had been off AEW TV for months. Lee was written off TV after his Dog Collar Match against Cody Rhodes during the Oct. 7 episode of AEW Dynamite. While Lee made a few appearances after that match, he never wrestled again as he was injured in storyline.

The Observer also pointed to how Brodie Lee Jr. defeating Kenny Omega to win the AEW World Championship last week [in a dark segment after AEW Dynamite tapings] hinted that “something was wrong” which led to Meltzer and others asking about Lee’s prolonged absence from AEW. The 8-year-old son of Lee jumped on Omega’s back and made the AEW World Champion tap out. Justin Roberts actually announced Brodie Lee Jr. as the new champion.

Lee had been suffering from his lung ailment “for a long time” and the condition worsened over a period of time, added Meltzer.

As noted, Lee’s wife Amanda took to Instagram and said her husband passed “after a hard fought battle with a non Covid related lung issue.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Star Jon Huber Aka Brodie Lee Has Passed Away

All Elite Wrestling star Brodie Lee (real name Jon Huber) has passed away at the age 41.

Huber’s death was confirmed on social media by AEW.

According to his wife, Huber’s death was caused by a “non Covid related lung issue”.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1343006487988342786

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

AEW President & CEO Tony Khan released the following statement on social media about Lee’s passing.

I’m devastated by the loss of Jon Huber, known to fans as Mr. Brodie Lee, formerly Luke Harper. Jon was a great man. His family came first, his loving wife Amanda & their sons Brodie + Nolan. He loved wrestling & was great at it, he loved you fans. Please keep him in your hearts.

https://twitter.com/TonyKhan/status/1343020124895399936

WWE has released the following statement about Lee’s passing:

WWE is saddened to learn that Jon Huber, known to WWE fans as Luke Harper, passed away today at age 41.

Known as both Luke Harper and Brodie Lee in the ring, Huber found success in every stop of his sports-entertainment career, as his soft spoken yet imposing presence helped him create countless awe-inspiring moments in the ring. After a highly decorated run on the independent circuit, Harper debuted in NXT as a menacing enforcer for The Wyatt Family. Harper had a dominant tag team run with Rowan that would lay the groundwork for future championship success.

As a member of The Wyatt Family, he engaged in heated rivalries with the likes of Kane, Daniel Bryan, The Shield, John Cena and The Usos. After being set free from the family, Harper authored an impressive singles run that culminated with him defeating Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship. Harper & Rowan later comprised The Bludgeon Brothers and embarked on a path of destruction that was highlighted by a SmackDown Tag Team Title victory in a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 34.

WWE extends its condolences to Huber’s family, friends and fans.

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephaine McMahon also wrote a tribute to Brodie Lee on social media.