PWInsider is reporting that former TNA World Champion Magnus is scheduled to appear at this week’s TNA Impact Wrestling tapings, which kick off tonight and run through Sunday. Konnan is also slated to be there. It was noted that independent wrestlers Kongo Kong and Mario Bokara will also be at the tapings.
Source: WrestlingINC
Former World Heavyweight champ Jack Swagger has requested his release from WWE … and he’s already done an interview to get the word out.
Swagger appeared on Chael Sonnen‘s podcast and said, “As of yesterday, I asked for my release from WWE.” Adding, “It’s still kind of an ongoing process right now. Basically, it came down to contract negotiations. We were way off. They didn’t value me at what I thought I was valued at.”
“They weren’t giving me the opportunity to make the full amount of income I could for my family, so when you put it like that … it’s time to go.”
Jack was initially drafted to Raw after the brand split, but made the switch to SmackDown Live shortly after and wrestled against Baron Corbin at No Mercy in a losing effort.
He hasn’t been used much on TV since.
It’s unclear what his plans for the future are … but with Jack’s former manager Zeb Colter aka Dutch Mantell working in creative at Impact Wrestling now and company sources saying they’re looking to freshen up the roster — a reunion between the two sounds possible.
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
Hear his full interview below:
Update:
Jack Swagger revealed on Chael Sonnen’s podcast that he requested his release from WWE. Despite some incorrect reports, PWInsider confirmed that while Swagger requested his release, he is still officially with the company. Swagger’s profile is also still on the WWE roster page. Swagger noted on Sonnen’s podcast that his release is “an ongoing process right now.”
Source: WrestlingINC
Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that Bruce Prichard has been hired by TNA Impact Wrestling for a backstage role as well as a on-air role.
PSW reports that Prichard will be be flying to Orlando for the Impact tapings this week to appear in an on-air role, as well as work in an advisory position behind the scenes.
It’s unclear what Prichard’s on-air role will be at this point, but PSW was told the huge numbers his podcast has been receiving were partly the reason for bringing him back.
As noted, Matt and Jeff Hardy are now free agents as their contracts expired. Matt commented on being a free agent on Twitter:
Matt also teased possibly returning to WWE, responding to an old tweet that Bray Wyatt sent him last December:
Source: WrestlingINC
As noted, Reby Hardy appeared on Busted Open with Dave LaGreca today and discussed the Hardys leaving Impact Wrestling (highlights are here). Busted Open sent word that after the interview Reby contacted Dave LaGreca to say that the Hardys wanted to do right by the fans, the company and the TNA tag titles by giving up the titles on television, however Anthem denied it.
Source: WrestlingINC
Reby Hardy appeared on Busted Open with Dave LaGreca on Sirius XM this afternoon to discuss the Hardys leaving Impact Wrestling. You can listen to the full interview by clicking here, below are some highlights:
* She said that the rumors are true that the Hardys are leaving TNA. She said that Matt, Jeff and herself all had separate contracts with TNA, noting that they all signed at the same time. They didn’t know up until a few days ago if they were re-signing. She said that they received theirr contracts “like 5 days before” which was “a note of contention for [Matt and Jeff],” although she didn’t care.
* She said that TNA was “the perfect situation” for them because they had a limited schedule, the whole family got to travel together and that she got to bring her child to work. She said that things have been changing and it wouldn’t have been the same perfect situation if they re-signed.
* She said that she felt that someone in Matt and Jeff’s position should not have to be chasing anyone for contracts for six or seven weeks and that after a while it was like, “s–t, I’m not important.” She stated that during this time they were getting weird vibes and feedback. They were waiting until the last second for their new contracts, and noted that it takes time to review the contracts. It got so down to the wire that they felt almost rushed into signing. She pointed out that several things needed to be changed in the contracts that “were slipped in there as if we wouldn’t notice at the last minute.”
“It’s just all of this stuff with someone [for] as long as they’ve been in the business has never had to deal with, and should never have to deal with,” Reby said.
* When asked if the future was bleak for Impact Wrestling, Reby said that she doesn’t think so. TNA has a hardcore audience, which is why AJ Styles and Samoa Joe have such hardcore followings. She said that there is so much talent at TNA that they can succeed, although there is the other part of the audience that needs those big names. She said that the locker room is amazing and noted that 2016 was a hard year, but most of the talent didn’t care about the rumors and worked hard.
* She said that a lot of people like to put down Dixie Carter, but at least Dixie knew how to talk to people and give the respect that they needed.
“I’m not talking about me because I know I’m nobody, before everybody tried to f–kin’ jump on me,” Reby said. “I’m talking about the boys, and not just Matt and Jeff.”
* When asked if there was anyway the relationship with TNA can be salvaged, Reby said that it’s too late tonight and that “it’s over” at midnight tonight. She said that there was time for negotiations, but it didn’t happen. She said that if things would have been handled differently, “we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
* As for the future of Matt and Jeff, she said that Matt is in love with the Broken brilliance and will not be dropping it.
“[It] is not about to let that go, I can confirm that for sure,” Reby said. “It’s kind of his baby, his brainchild. He took such a risk with it, even I was telling him, dude, this accent’s gotta go. Everyone was like, ‘you’re crazy, this is dumb, it’s insane.’ He kept on with it, it kept evolving. It’s his baby, so there will be ‘Broken’ wherever there is Matt Hardy.”
Source: WrestlingINC
PWInsider.com is reporting Kurt Angle is expected to appear on the post-WrestleMania 33 RAW on April 3rd in Orlando, Florida. Angle will be inducted earlier that weekend into the WWE Hall of Fame.
While it is not known what Angle’s role will be, there is an obvious spot opening up for the General Manager of RAW with Mick Foley undergoing hip surgery soon.
Angle hasn’t appeared live on WWE television in over a decade. His last match for WWE was at an ECW taping on August 8, 2006, where he wrestled Sabu to a no contest.
Source: WrestlingINC
Update:
PWInsider.com is reporting Kurt Angle is also scheduled for the post-WrestleMania SmackDown Live on April 4th, which is also taking place in Orlando.
NXT Tag Team Championship: (C) The Authors of Pain vs. DIY
NXT Women’s Championship: (C) Asuka vs Peyton Royce
The Patrick Clark Experience come to NXT
The Addiction vs. Adam Cole & Hangman Page
Top Prospect Tournament Match: John Skyler vs. Sean Carr
TV Title Match: Champion Marty Scurll vs. Donovan Dijak
Former TNA Knockouts Champion Jade is now a free agent after her contract expired, according to PWInsider. No word yet on if she will be brought in for this week’s Impact Wrestling tapings. Jade has been working with TNA full-time since 2015.
Jade join The Hardy Boys, Drew Galloway and Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis as notable talents now gone from the company.
Source: WrestlingINC
