It’s felt like forever, but yesterday finally revealed what one of the most exciting things
to happen in the wrestling business all year…
Roman Reigns was named the top pro wrestler account on Tumblr.
I’m as surprised as you are.
I didn’t know Tumblr was still a thing either.
Current AEW Champion Kenny Omega entered the top 10 for the first time ever, coming in
at number 6.
Which reminds me, he also showed up for a different wrestling promotion last night after
the other most exciting thing to happen to wrestling in 2020.
On last Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, Omega won the AEW Championship from Jon Moxley,
aligning with Don Callis as his manager, and then fleeing the venue to go to IMPACT Wrestling.
It was pretty cool.
As IMPACT had already taped all their shows up until the end of the year, Kenny, Callis
and Josh Matthews recorded an interview segment over the weekend that was inserted into last
night’s episode - where we got a ten minute explanation of Dynamite’s shocking cliffhanger.
Both wearing sunglasses indoors - heel turn - and saying they liked Matthews - uber heel
turn , Omega and Callis sat down in a trailer they called the Lex Express (a reference to
WWF’s failed attempt to make Lex Luger likeable in the early 90s), where Don said their masterplan
has been in the works for decades.
27 years to be precise.
Callis spoke about how he was originally trained by the Golden Sheik, who took him under his
wing - showing the same photograph that was on the set for Kenny’s Dynamite interview
two months ago . So when the Golden Sheik introduced Don to his 10 year old nephew,
Kenny Omega, Callis made it his mission to be the “invisible hand” that guided his
career - saying he didn’t just return to wrestling after 15 years out to be a New Japan
commentator.
He did it to make history with Kenny - expertly retconning the last five years, him booking
Jericho vs Omega, inspiring the launch of AEW, working with New Japan and then becoming
Vice President of IMPACT Wrestling as all the component pieces for Omega’s new gimmick:
Thanos from Infinity War.
Seemingly reprising the dropped and eventually botched belt collector gimmick Callis booked
Austin Aries with in 2018 IMPACT, Kenny explained how he used to love collecting comic books
- making it very overt where their creative influences lie here - but he stopped when
he realised he could never get all the rarest issues.
But he can get all the rarest wrestling championships.
He teased going for a few in IMPACT, and then promised he has a big announcement for tonight’s
episode of Dynamite.
He then finished with ‘the thing’ that he hasn’t done on TV for ages, signing off
with his New Japan Cleaner catchphrase: “I must bid you adieu, goodbye, and goodnight
- bang.”
Not content with all the teasing, you big tease, Omega followed that up with the tweet:
“Did you enjoy my show tonight?
Great news, I’ve got two more this week, including #AEWDynamite tomorrow.
From there I’m off to take care of Lorenzo Kid in @luchalibreaaa . You know how it is.”
and a gif saying ‘work, work, work, work, work’.
So what does this mean for AEW, IMPACT… and New Japan.
Let’s get carried away with Fantasy Booking speculation segway!
Here’s my pitch that I’ve seen a few people fantasy book online as well: Kenny wins championships
from all around the world.
AEW partner promotions like IMPACT, AAA and NWA.
You might as well throw in the Ring of Honor belt too.
A load of non-WWE affiliated UK indies like Rev Pro.
His old DDT promotion.
Which leads him to the final championship he needs on his Thanos-like Infinity Gauntlet
quest: New Japan’s IWGP Heavyweight title held by his longtime Golden Lover Kota Ibushi
in New Japan.
This.
I am this South Park meme when I think about this.
What do you want to see from Kenny Omega next?
And what do you think his AEW announcement will be tonight?
Let’s get carried away in the comment section down below, because I’ll be replying to
people from outta nowhere saying give Omega the 24/7 title WWE.
The 24/7 title fears Kenny Omega.
IMPACT Wrestling was more just about Omega, though, with the promotion getting its highest
viewing figures on Twitch at 55,000 for that final interview segment.
The episode had already broken its 2020 viewership record before it even began, with 11,000 people
waiting for the stream to start.
IMPACT later celebrated that it was trending third worldwide, had doubled their all-time
viewership record, and was a Top 5 channel on Twitch.
The full episode is up to watch as a replay on their YouTube channel too, which is linked
in the video description below.
But that wasn’t the only AEW presence on the episode.
As the promotion’s hottest new tag team also showed up, Two-Tone.
Comprised of AEW commentator Tony Schiavone and president Tony Khaaaaan, Two-Tone played
a tongue-in-cheek paid-for ad in the middle of IMPACT - where Khan said if he wanted to
stop Omega’s appearance later, he could by filing an injunction, but he instead decided
to help fund the show with the ad to help promote AEW too, upon which he hyped tonight’s
episode of Dynamite.
Along with being sweetly comedic, especially Schiavone remembering his last time in TNA
as “one night, then I quit the business for 18 years”, but it also involves several
significant developments for the promotion.
Firstly, this is Khan’s first full appearance as an AEW character.
Before this, he was only seen in backstage cameos on a headset.
Hopefully this is just as a joke one-off, rather than him becoming an actual onscreen
presence, like many pro wrestling promoter’s complex have done in the past.
Secondly, Khan teased he might come check some of IMPACT’s tag teams out as potential
opponents for the Young Bucks - furthering reports that this is building to a Bucks vs
Good Brothers match - and also that he’s heard “some rumors that I might even buy
IMPACT Wrestling.”
Although that is most likely a joke at all of our rampant speculation than him revealing
he’s just bought a major North American wrestling company.
Two-Tone also promoted Schiavone’s sit down interview with new AEW signee Sting for tonight’s
Dynamite.
Sports Illustrated is reporting Sting’s relationship with Khan is set to be “collaborative,
which was certainly not the case in WWE with McMahon” and “Even with his advanced age,
there are plans for Sting to eventually enter the ring in AEW.”
He won’t wrestle weekly on Dynamite, but “The possibility exists for cinematic matches,
tag matches, and carefully designed spots that allow Sting to shine while also building
those around him into even bigger stars.”
Which can only mean one thing…
CM Punk to AEW confirmed.
The latest episode of Oral Sessions - which is the name of Renee Young’s podcast series,
not my time with your mum last night - saw the former WWE Backstage presenter buddies
Renee reunite with CM Punk, where she had a new spin on the often asked wrestling return
question: what if AEW was around when Punk had left WWE?
Punk fascinatingly laid out the alternative history, explaining that if AEW was around,
WWE would never have let him sit at home for months and servicing him with his release
papers on his wedding day.
“They probably would have approached me and said my suspension is up and asked if
I am ready to go back to work.”
But the question got Punk thinking.
What would it take for him to return to wrestling now?
“Without wanting to insult anybody on either side of the fence, any WWE or AEW talent,
it would take, above all, an interesting scenario.
It would take a story that would be fun to tell and also the stupidest amount of money.
But, they can save themselves a lot of money if they present a fun storyline.
Now, what that is, I don’t know.
I’m a pretty picky guy, especially at this point.
There are more interesting people on the AEW side for me to wrestle and that’s because
I’ve never wrestled them before.”
Punk’s stance on a wrestling return has seemingly gotten less expensive since reports
came out Vince McMahon would never work with him again, and WWE Backstage was effectively
cancelled without his fulfilled promise to ‘change the culture’.
Khan had reportedly offered Punk “a lot of money” to join AEW last year.
Perhaps now, without as many options, and somewhat damaging the freshness of his return
with Backstage, Punk is hinting to AEW that he’s up for a new approach.
A new approach with such ‘interesting, culture changing creative like… showing up on Britt
Baker’s interview segment on Dark.
That… that would actually be better than WWE Backstage.
After a fan suggested booking CM Punk for her Waiting Room talkshow, Britt Baker replied
‘Okay I’m on it.’
- which brought a response from Punk himself with the Cody Rhodes listening gif.
Punk also called out the hypocrisy of WWE’s recent Twitch streaming backstage edict, where
the company has banned all their independently contracted talent from having their own channels,
asking “Why is it ok for Xavier Woods to host G4 but Zelina Vega can’t have a Twitch?”
Pointing out he would run into these issues all the time during his WWE tenure, where
a wrestler got themselves a movie role using their own contacts, but the company took it
off them and gave it to John Cena.
But he doubts wrestlers will actually ever form a union because “There are always going
to be a handful of people that will undercut everybody else just to get ahead a little
bit.
There seems to be a lot of people who not only by nature are boot lickers, but they
love the taste.
You’re supposed to lick the boot, not eat the entire thing.”
We’ve got an exclusive on a huge WWE star returning to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania!
Click the video on the right to find out who!
And is Keith Lee turning heel?
Watch mine and Luke’s Raw Review podcast by clicking the video below that.
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I’ve been Mr Davis, Jam that Jam.