Multiple Title Matches Announced For ROH NJPW G1 Supercard

We are just a few weeks away from Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling taking over Madison Square Garden for the G1 Supercard. The collaboration between both organizations on April 6 has been months in the making. One of the main title matches includes Jay White defending his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against New Japan Cup winner Kazuchika Okada. The Ring of Honor World Title is also on the line as Jay Lethal defends it in a ladder match against Matt Taven and Marty Scurll.

The entire main card was announced late last night, with a total of eight titles on the line. Zack Sabre Jr. will be defending his RPW British Heavyweight Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashiwhile Tetsuya Naito will defend the IWGP Intercontinental Title against Kota Ibushi. Additionally, Mayu Iwatani will defend the Women of Honor World Championship in a rematch against former champion Kelly Klein. Jushin Thunder Liger has been confirmed for the Honor Rumble match.

There was a significant change to one match, as the title v. title bout between the Guerrillas of Destiny and Villain Enterprises’ PCO and Brody King is now a fatal four-way. The Briscoes and the team of EVIL and SANADA have been added to the match for the IWGP and Ring of Honor World Tag Team Titles.

Below is the updated and potentially final match card:

* Jay White (c) v. Kazuchika Okada – IWGP Heavyweight Championship
* Jay Lethal (c) v. Marty Scurll v. Matt Taven – Ladder Match for the ROH World Championship
* Tetsuya Naito (c) v. Kota Ibushi – IWGP Intercontinental Championship
* Will Ospreay (c) v. Jeff Cobb (c) – Winner Takes All match for the NEVER Openweight and ROH TV TItle
* Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa (c) v. Brody King and PCO (c) v. EVIL and SANADA v. The Briscoes – Winner Takes All match for the IWGP and ROH World Tag Team Titles
* Taiji Ishimori (c) v. Dragon Lee v. Bandido – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
* Zack Sabre Jr. (c) v. Hiroshi Tanahashi – RPW British Heavyweight Championship
* Mayu Iwatani (c) v. Kelly Klein – Women of Honor World Championship
* Bully Ray v. TBA – New York Street Fight Open Challenge
* Rush v. Dalton Castle
* Honor Rumble (Pre-Show) – Jushin Thunder Liger

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Ivelisse Comments On Not Getting To Wrestle On Impact Events, Possible Reason Why

Lucha Underground and indie wrestling star, Ivelisse, has been using Twitter as of late to express her frustration with her contracted employer. The former two-time Trios Champion previously said that she has asked for her release from the company but continues to be denied, even claiming that she’s being “held hostage” by LU.

In Ivelisse’s most recent tweet of the situation, she questions why she is unable to work for Impact Wrestling if the two companies have been producing joint projects together. Casey Michael, owner of Squared Circle Sirens responded to Ivelisse’s tweet, calling her out for a previous statement she made about Tessa Blanchard.

Blanchard would actually add herself to the mix of messages, explaining to readers that Ivelisse once implied that a part of Blanchard’s success is her father’s doing.

Ivelisse began by writing, “Since the collaboration between brands, not once included in any of these joint projects, and when they did contact me out of the blue for a program, they canceled the night before I flew out for no reason whatsoever. Soooo uummmm, again, let me GO.”

Casey would then respond with: “Maybe it’s cause you s–t talked Tessa big time on an IG comment. I fail to see how everyone else on LU can work anywhere but they are “holding” Ivelisse.”

Lastly, Tessa would add: “Her exact words to me were “I never had a family name, I had to work for everything I have from the streets.”

I have dealt with people like that since I started and I am much stronger than those people.”

You can read the full tweets below:

https://twitter.com/Tess_Blanchard/status/1109871514948636672

Another Lucha Underground star, King Cuerno (aka El Hijo del Fantasma), previously took the time to file documents in Los Angeles against the El Rey Network and Lucha Underground’s production Baba-G Productions. In it, Cuerno’s lawyers claimed that LU’s contracts “illegally restricting” wrestlers from finding work in wrestling is in violation of California law.

Documents sent to Pro Wrestling Sheet detailed how wrestlers under contract make money based on the shows they appear on, and it doesn’t add up to much. You can see that statement below:

By contrast, Lucha Underground broadcasts between 22 and 40 television episodes per year, with no live events like the other described wrestling promotions. If a wrestler appears on a show, it is usually just a couple. The payment per episode is usually less than $1,000.
The current contract that wrestlers signed with Lucha Underground require that wrestlers not perform services for other wrestling companies anywhere in the world without Defendants permission, but does not require Defendants to use Plaintiffs in their wrestling-theme television show.While Plaintiffs are obligated to restrict their trade under the contract (which is illegal), Defendants are not required to use or pay Plaintiffs. Defendants have the option to use Plaintiffs, and IF Defendants use Plaintiffs, Defendants will pay Plaintiffs. IF Defendants chose not to use Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs are prohibited for working for years, are not paid, but still under the restrictive contract until it expires.

Most wrestlers under a Lucha Underground contract make less than $4,000 a year. Wrestlers working for other wrestling promotions make a living wage, usually starting around $50,000 a year and entering either 6 or 7 figures.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Nikki Bella Announces In-Ring Retirement (Video)

The Bella Twins are officially retired, as Nikki Bella has announced she’s also hanging up her boots and ending her in-ring career.

On the season finale of Total Bellas, Nikki talked to her family about the decision and said her last European tour made her realize it was time to call it quits.

As we previously reported, Brie made the same decision following her run in WWE around Evolution because she wanted to go back to focusing on her family.

The Bella Twins signed with WWE in June 2007. They left the company in 2011, but returned two years later and shortly after Total Divas began airing.

Nikki is a two-time Divas champion and the longest reigning champion to hold that belt.

WWE Announces Main Event Of WrestleMania 35

WWE has confirmed that the RAW Women’s Title Triple Threat between champion Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair will be the main event of WrestleMania 35.

Below is the full announcement on the first-ever women’s WrestleMania main event:

WrestleMania to feature first-ever women’s main event

For the first time in WWE history, a women’s match will be the main event of WrestleMania as the Raw Women’s Championship Match featuring Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch will take place on Sunday, April 7, in front of a capacity crowd at MetLife Stadium and streaming live on WWE Network around the world.

Ronda Rousey is the current Raw Women’s Champion, Olympic medalist, the first female UFC Champion and the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. She is also an actress and New York Times bestselling author. Charlotte Flair is a seven-time Champion in WWE, a former Division 1 volleyball player, philanthropist and author. She is the daughter of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. Becky Lynch is the 2019 Women’s Royal Rumble winner, a two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion and was named Wrestler of the Year by both Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports in 2018. She was also the first woman ever to top ESPN’s WWE Power Rankings.

At WrestleMania 32 in 2016, WWE re-branded the Divas Division the Women’s Division and unveiled a new Women’s Championship title. Since that time, the women’s evolution has placed a greater spotlight on WWE’s female Superstars, including more prominent storylines and deeper character development that showcases their athleticism, charisma and star power.

Last October, WWE held it’s first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view event, Evolution, in front of a sold-crowd and millions more watching on WWE Network.

Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey responds to the historic news:

https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1110206135330631681

Triple H took to Twitter today and congratulated Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey on earning the main event of WrestleMania 35.

He wrote, “The main event of #WrestleMania… For all the dreams, the hopes, the struggles, the work. Where they belong. Where they deserve to be. Congratulations. #EarnedNotGiven”

You can see Triple H’s full tweet below:

PAC No Longer Appearing At Upcoming WrestleCon Due To Visa Issues

WrestleCon has announced PAC will no longer be appearing at their WrestleMania weekend event due to visa issues.

The company released a statement saying:

We regret to inform you that PAC will not be at WrestleCon. We worked diligently over the past several months with our attorneys to ensure that he successfully received a Visa to travel into the United States. Our Visa application was filed in a timely manner, all fees were paid to attorneys, and all required information was disclosed to government officials. Our attorneys were confident there would be no issue and based on their experience and expectation, we advertised PAC on the assumption there would be no problem obtaining a Visa. However, after exhausting all efforts, we were unable to provide PAC the appropriate Visa to travel and work in the United States. We understand and share your disappointment of this unanticipated outcome, as does PAC.

Further, we would like to clarify that in no way will this unfortunate incident have any impact on his future with AEW. This issue is isolated to WrestleCon only.

According to WrestleCon, refunds will be issued to everyone who purchased photo ops and autographs with PAC. They’ll also be changing all the advertisements so he’s no longer shown.

Jerry”The King” Lawler & Rikishi Dance At NBA Game, Wrestle In A Tag Match Against Steiner Brothers With Buff Bagwell

Last night at a Memphis Grizzlies game, WWE Hall of Famers Jerry “The King” Lawler and Rikishi wrestled against The Steiner Brothers (Scott & Rick) with Buff Bagwell to become the new Grind City Tag Team Champions.

Buff Bagwell attempted to crack Lawler with a foreign object during the match, he missed and hit Steiner, allowing Lawler to pick up the win.

In the video below, Lawler and Rikishi would come out during the third quarter of the game to dance with the Memphis Grizzlies’ Grizz Girls. The group danced to Too Cool’s theme and Lawler wore a “Grandmaster Sexay” vest to honor his late son, Brian Christopher.

WWE NXT Star Keith Lee Reportedly Out Of Action With Injury

It looks like the “limitless” Keith Lee may have very well found his limit, as F4WOnline is reporting that he is currently sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

Lee hasn’t had a match with the promotion since his victory over Luke Menzies at an NXT live event March 8 in Largo, FL. Prior to the injury, he had a prominent role in the Matt Riddle/Kassius Ohno feud that played out on NXT TV at the beginning of the year.

Outside of WWE, Lee is well known for his agility and technical offense despite typically being one of the larger men competing in matches. He is a former PWG World Champion and Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked Lee #59 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in 2018.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

MLW Fusion Preview 3/23/19

Watch Major League Wrestling nationwide and in Canada each week on beIN SPORTS Saturdays 9pm ET / 7pm PT and on YouTube Sundays 12pm ET / 9am PT.

The destroyer LA Park is summoned by Salina de la Renta to battle Mance Warner in a Death Match in the main event. Ol Mancer faces his gravest challenge in just his second outing in MLW.  Can the Bucksnort brawler overcome the Mexican masochist?

Alex Hammerstone, MJF and Richard Holliday have united to form The Dynasty… and now The Hart Foundation are out for payback following the shocking ending to last week’s MLW FUSION.  What type of receipt does Teddy Hart, Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Brian Pillman Jr. have in store for The Dynasty? Brian Pillman Jr. faces his biggest challenge to date in Alex Hammerstone.

“Filthy” Tom Lawlor brings us inside his fight camp as he prepares to defend his World Championship at the Battle Riot on April 5th. How is Lawlor doing after CONTRA’s attack? Tune in to find out.

Speaking of CONTRA Unit, the global dealers in violence finally break their silence following turning MLW on its head.

The Battle Riot control center reveals more participants and a world championship title match!

Matches:

  • DEATH MATCH: LA Park (presented by Salina de la Renta) vs. Mance Warner
  • Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Alex Hammerstone
  • Myron Reed vs. Gringo Loco

Join Jim Cornette and Rich Bocchini ringside in Chicago as Major League Wrestling presents the fastest and most dangerous hour of combat sports you’ll experience anywhere in the world.

Watch MLW FUSION Saturday nights on beIN SPORTS at 9pm ET/6pm PT.  Don’t get beIN? Subscribe to MLW’s YouTube channel for free and stream binge on MLW FUSION anytime anywhere!

Jeff Jarrett Asks For Extension In Lawsuit Against Anthem

PWInsider reports that Jeff Jarrett and his legal team have filed a motion asking for an extension that will give them until April 12 to submit an update on where things stand with the lawsuit Jarrett and Global Wrestling Entertainment have filed against Impact Wrestling’s parent company Anthem. Anthem’s attorneys have agreed to the request, which is due to Jarrett’s travel schedule, responsibilities his legal team has unrelated to the suit and international travel required from Anthem’s attorneys. All of the issues prevent all of the parties from meeting for a conference. They are currently figuring out a time to meet.

Jarrett and GWE are suing Anthem and Impact for Anthem allegedly violating state and federal trademark infringements in relation to GWE and violating Jarrett’s exclusive property rights to his own name, photograph, and other likeness. Jarrett says that Anthem prevented him from filing copyrights for the Amped footage, so he had to provide footage in order to do so and Impact/Anthem deleted all of the master recordings. Anthem admitted that they had had the footage in their possession and deleted all of it in the “normal course of business” so that they could “free up storage space.”

Source: 411Mania

Impact Wrestling Preview 3/22/19

Scheduled for this weeks Impact airing on Pursuit, Twitch and FightNet.

* Eddie Edwards & Eli Drake vs. Fallah Bahh & KM

* Johnny Impact to explain why

* Moose vs. Trey

* X-Division Championship: (C) Rich Swann vs. Sami Callihan

* Willie Mack vs. Ethan Page

* Ace Austin in action

* Allie’s last appearance on Impact