Hello and welcome to the WrestleTalk MECHA NEWS, I am Luke Owen.
Coming up on today’s news we’ve got the latest on Becky Lynch not being cleared for
TLC, a New Japan champion wanted by WWE, and the possible return of a classic PPV format
in 2019.
Headline: Revival Petition For End Of Lucha House Rules
But first, those who have been tuning into Raw since Survivor Series have been banging
their head against a wall trying to work out what the heckins is going on with Revival
constantly losing to Lucha House Party in various handicap matches.
For those who haven’t been following - and going by the viewing figures that could be
a large number of you - Lucha House Rules have allowed the Lucha House Party to beat
The Revival in 3-on-2 and even 3-on-1 handicap matches - despite the Luchas being the babyfaces.
And it’s not just Corey Graves on commentary that’s thinks its psychologically unsound
to have heels fighting at a disadvantage, because The Revival themselves have taken
to Twitter to start a campaign for the end of these unfair rules.
Ooh, what dastardly bad guys?
“How can we, as The Revival (Absolute Best Tag Team on this Planet, Mercedes Benz of
the Tag Team Division, Measuring Sticks, Top Guys, etc.) live up to our name and continue
to be an asset to Monday Night RAW, the WWE, Sports Entertainment, and professional wrestling
in general, if we’re constantly fighting these unfair circumstances?”
GASP!
He said the W word!
Someone tell Vince!
Unsurprisingly, The Revival met their petition number aim and even quadrupled it, however
Scott Dawson has asked for more people to let their voices be heard to tell WWE this
storyline doesn’t make any sense.
Ooh, the dastardly heels?
Headline: Vince McMahon Happy With Raw
And although the Swaft Nation voted for AvRAWge this week in our Raw review, one person who
was very happy with the show was one Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
Just like last week, it’s being reported that Vince re-wrote the whole show himself
with just a few hours to go before Raw went on the air - showing up at around 3:30pm after
visiting his mother - and according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “McMahon
felt with the passing of George Bush and it being in Houston, he wanted more faces over
and less “heavy” heat than in recent weeks.”
This would explain the lack of emphasis on ‘heel heat’ that has dominated the show
since Survivor Series - including Ronda Rousey and Ember Moon winning in the main event,
and the babyface turn of Dolph Ziggler and subsequent win over Drew McIntyre.
Headline: Tables Match Set For TLC
And we’ve now got the T from TLC set up following an angle from Raw, with WWE announcing
that Ruby Riott and Natalya will face off in a Tables Match at next Sunday’s show.
Headline: Mixed Match Challenge Finals Set
And the finals of Mixed Match Challenge will also take place on that show, which will be
decided next week when Finn Balor & Bayley take on Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox for Raw,
while R-Truth & Carmella will face Miz & Asuka for Smackdown.
Remember the winners of this year’s Mixed Match Challenge will get the #30 spot in the
2019 Royal Rumbles which gives the finals major stakes.
However presuming that WWE will not want Finn Balor or Asuka pulling double duty - as they
already have matches set for TLC - the finals could end up being R-Truth & Carmella vs.
Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal.
As Rajah put it, “it would probably end up being a short match with dancing and a
quick finish.”
Headline: Becky Lynch TLC Update
But by far the biggest match on the show at this point is the triple threat for the Smackdown
Women’s Championship between The Man Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Asuka.
However it’s now being reported that match could be in trouble, as Becky Lynch has not
officially been cleared to wrestle since Nia Jax broke her face the week before Survivor
Series.
It’s been noted that Lynch has yet to have a match since that night - even on house shows
- and Dave Meltzer has reported in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “[Lynch]
was cleared from the concussion, but not from the nasal fracture” adding “She has limited
clearance at this point, so has been on television but was not allowed to be involved in any
physical contact this week.”
Meltzer does note however that a nasal fracture is easier to predict a recovery time ofr,
and, “the expectation would seem to be that [WWE] expect her cleared within the next 11
days.”
Let’s hope so.
Speedy recovery Becky.
--AD BREAK--
Headline: Impact Wrestling Slam Of The Week
And that was your Impact Wrestling Slam of the Week, which saw Jay Crist of oVe defeat
Willie Mack to qualify for the Ultimate X Match at Homecoming in January.
Also on the show, Johnny Impact and Taya Valkyrie defeated Tessa Blanchard and Moose, Ethan
Page also qualified for the Ultimate X Match, Allie and Su Yung beat down Keira Hogan, and
Raven helped Eddie Edwards escape the insane asylum he was committed to by his wife.
Wrestling.
And yes, Raven has returned to Impact Wrestling for the first time since November 12th 2010
- and yes, I double checked that date [ding sound on wink] - so we sadly don’t have
to play the Simpsons clip this week.
Farewell Simpsons clip, you done good.
Headline: Impact Staying On Pop?
Impact video from 01:27 - 02:22 - have the IMPACT logo from the start of the video at
the start of the clip.
Over the last month or so it’s been reported that Impact Wrestling were looking for a new
home for their weekly show after Pop TV moved Impact to the later 10pm slot which hurt their
ratings.
Both the Wrestling Observer and PWInsider have reported several stations Impact have
been in communications with - and Dave Meltzer has noted in the latest Wrestling Observer
Newsletter Impact have also spoken with Bein, which is currently the home of MLW.
While Impact are staying on Pop until they have found a new home, Bein seems to be out
of the question as MLW’s Court Bauer has claimed that their contract says they can
be the only wrestling show on that network.
Headline: Eli Drake Wants Impact To Move To A Streaming Service?
Former Impact World Champion Eli Drake on the other hand has said to Wrestling Inc that
he believes Impact should move to a streaming service as that’s the way TV viewing is
heading.
He told the site “I feel like TV is kinda losing a little bit of its luster because
everybody is so into streaming.
I think finding a streaming partner would be great.”
He does say that it is important to have TV as it is still king adding, “I think TV
is still important to reach out to different sections of the audience.
But I think also moving forward, streaming and the internet are valuable and making our
footprint there is necessary.”
--AD BREAK--
Headline: Ken Shamrock Returns To Wrestling
After announcing his return to the ring a couple of weeks ago on Twitter, former WWF
Intercontinental Champion and my mate Stevie Two Cans favourite wrestler when he was a
kid Ken Shamrock had his first pro wrestling match in several years - winning the BCW Tag
Team Championships with Carlo Cannon.
While reports say that he is in incredible shape for someone in his mid-50s, Dave Meltzer
has reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “We’ve heard from promoters with interest
in Shamrock but they’ve said his price is very high.”
Headline: WWE Interested in KUSHIDA?
And while it seems unlikely that Ken Shamrock will return to WWE any time soon, it’s being
reported that the company are making big plays to bring in a whole host of new talent in
2019.
Because their roster isn’t stacked enough, clearly.
Along with names like Shane Stickland, Karen Q, ACH, Trevor Lee, Jonah Rock and Rachael
Ellering - many of which are reportedly heading to NXT in the new year - it’s now being
reported that WWE have interest in bringing in current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
KUSHIDA.
KUSHIDA is set to defend his title at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4th against Taiji Ishimori
and Dave Meltzer has noted that his New Japan contract doesn’t end until the end of that
month, but adds that WWE are interested in several New Japan names in the new year.
But while they are unlikely to get a large portion of the names they want, KUSHIDA is,
“being talked about more prominently” with the idea to get him involved in NXT - possibly
even for the rumoured NXT Japan as part of Triple H’s Global Localization plan.
Headline: Queen Of The Ring In 2019?
And while he won’t be able to take part, KUSHIDA could be around to see the next all-female
WWE PPV in 2019.
Dave Meltzer has reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that one idea being kicked
around for the show is to bring back the King of the Ring tournament, and rename it Queen
of the Ring featuring the main roster female wrestlers.
At this point it’s just being reported as just an ide - with no reports on how it could
impact the third Mae Young Classic if one happens - but a second all-female PPV seems
a given at this point following the commercial and critical success of the Evolution back
in October - with Meltzer even adding that WWE might do at least one all-female PPV a
year.
Headline: Fight Forever Championships Crowned!
And congratulations go out to Flip Gordon - who won the Fight Forever Championship on
the new promotion’s first night in Birmingham.
Flip tweeted out about the win, “How’s this for grabbing those damn brass rings.”
Meanwhile the Women’s Championship was also won by Millie McKenzie, who claimed the belt
in a triple threat that also included Viper and Kay Lee Ray.
Oli, El Fakidor, Andy and myself will be down at Fight Forever’s London show tonight from
the historic York Hall - to see Sha Samuels take on Jimmy Havoc in a No Holds Barred match,
Grizzled Young Veterans take on Travis Banks & Flash Morgan Webster, Mark Haskins vs. Flip
Gordon, Kay Lee Ray vs. Brandi Rhodes and more - as well as The Godfather’s after
party and a live episode of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard!
If you see us do say hello!
We won’t bite… hard.
Headline: WOS Wrestling Competition!
And the British Wrestling Scene continue to thrive, with WOS Wrestling beginning their
tour of the UK next year from January 18th to February 3rd - featuring stars like WOS
Champion Justin Sysum, Rampage, Will Ospreay, Viper, Kay Lee Ray, Grado, Adam Maxted and
more.
To celebrate this tour, WrestleTalk are giving away 7 sets of 2 tickets to shows of your
choice as well as WOS swag like hoodies and t-shirts.
All you have to do to enter is click the link in the video description below and make sure
you’re subscribed to the WrestleTalk YouTube channel.
But be quick, as the competition closes this Sunday the 9th of December 2018 at midnight
GMT
Former ROH TV Champ Punishment Martinez debuted for NXT, but what did myself and El Fakidor
think of the show?
Click the video on screen right now to check it out!
I’ve been Luke Owen and that was MECHA NEWS!