wrestling The Big Wrestling Thread!

[MightyJordan]

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As we reported earlier this evening, TNA issued a statement via ImpactWrestling.com, which revealed they had been in talks with AJ Styles, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson, and the talks lead to a deal signed by all three talents.

 

Shortly after TNA released its statement, a representative from AJ Styles’ management team contacted WZ and issued the following, refuting TNA’s claim: “No contract was ever finalized nor signed by the parties”.

 

According to PWInsider.com, talks between TNA and AJ Styles began sometime back in November, and Styles was a very high priority for TNA as they wanted him to return as the company was debuting on POP TV, to show the fans that TNA was turning things around. Talks between Styles and TNA continued through November and December, and those talks lead to the idea of Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson debuting in TNA alongside Styles. Gallows and Anderson were looking to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling, and at the time, Gallows was not under contract, and Anderson’s deal with NJPW expires on February 1st.

 

TNA, as they noted in their statement, bought Styles a plane ticket for the Impact Wrestling tapings in Bethlehem, PA, and one of the rumored return plans for Styles was to shoot vignettes at a local hotel, and then insert them into the Impact Wrestling broadcasts so that everyone would be surprised. Styles would have then made his in-ring return at the upcoming TNA tour of The UK, along with Gallows and Anderson.

 

The story currently making the rounds is that once AJ Styles’ agent Bill Behrens learned Styles, Gallows and Anderson had signed TNA deals without his supervision, he was not happy about it, and was against the deal. This prompted Behrens to begin communicating with TNA, who by that time already had their legal department working on long form contracts for the three talents.

 

TNA noted that discussions between Styles, Gallows and Anderson culminated on December 14th, at a meeting which took place in Dixie Carter’s home in Nashville. The meeting was reportedly attended by Carter, Styles, John Gaburick, Gallows, Anderson and others. The meeting reportedly “could not have gone better”, and following the meeting contracts were presented to the talents, start dates were locked in, logos were created, and story lines were worked on. The talents came back with amendments to the offered contracts, to which TNA agreed.

 

Shortly after the Christmas holiday, TNA stopped hearing from Styles, Anderson and Gallows, as phone calls were neither answered nor returned, and text messages were not responded to. Bill Behrens then reportedly contacted TNA and told them the deal was off, and all three talents would not be signing contracts. TNA officials were reportedly shocked to hear this news, as they were under the impression all three talents were already signed, and now the company’s big “reboot” plans were out the window. The creative plans in place for Styles and the others were reportedly going to take TNA through a significant portion of 2016, so it left them void of major creative plans. There was also a feeling in TNA that AJ Styles was the company’s “Sting”, the one TNA original that the company couldn’t live without, and they were unable to get him back.

 

TNA sources remain adamant, as evidenced by their statement, that all three talents signed deals with the company, and although no lawyers were involved, the thought was the talents were a lock. TNA has not heard directly from Gallows or Anderson, however it’s being said Styles did contact them to let them know he would be doing what’s best for his family.

 

TNA is said to be very frustrated with the communication stopping, and the wrestlers backing out of their deals, which is why they issued a statement via the TNA website. TNA feels the company did the right thing, however they were “wronged” by the talents involved, so they issued the statement because they didn’t want to look like a “patsy”, and didn’t want fans thinking the company let its “Sting” go to WWE without an attempt to get him back.

 

With regards to potential legal ramifications stemming from this entire ordeal, word is that as of late Friday no decision had been made yet as to whether or not TNA will pursue legal action. There’s also a lot of speculation that TNA might have timed its statement to potentially put an AJ Styles debut at the WWE Royal Rumble in jeopardy.

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/665913-big-backstage-update-on-the-current-tna-bullet-club-situation-why-tna-issued-a-statement-possible-legal-action-details-on-tna-styles-meeting#/slide/1

 

So, it's a case of "he said, she said"

[MightyJordan]

Little extra tidbit from Dave Meltzer... https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/4299zm/meltzer_on_the_tnaaj_stylesbullet_club_deal/

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Was told they didn't sign ######. And in the case of Anderson, TNA opened itself up to a tampering lawsuit with New Japan.

One of the three for sure, if not all three, were not looking at TNA for leverage for WWE, and it was WWE going to them after hearing they may go to TNA and making a better offer.

 

[MightyJordan]

Big NXT spoiler!

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[MightyJordan]

 

The match that made me a wrestling fan.

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nyw4d

[MightyJordan]

 

 

[TDT]

So the main buzz regarding the RR is that HHH will win it. How do you guys feel about this?

[MightyJordan]

Just now, TDT said:

So the main buzz regarding the RR is that HHH will win it. How do you guys feel about this?

I did see him as the odds-on favourite to win on Paddy Power earlier this week, before the dirtsheets started to buzz up saying he might be winning it. With Seth Rollins still out injured, it's the obvious thing to do to push for the inevitable HHH vs. Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania, and considering how much WWE angered the fans the past two Royal Rumbles (especially last year), I wouldn't be surprised if they go for the triple crown of Cornette faces.

[MightyJordan]

If anyone wants a Royal Rumble that won't ###### them off, ICW's holding their own version tonight, as well: the Square Go (it's happening right now, actually). Same premise, but with Money in the Bank added; winner gets a title shot anytime, anywhere, over the next year. Some entrants also get to go in with a weapon.

 

 

 

They've got a couple of the older ones up on YouTube if anyone's curious, but fair warning, the quality is a far cry from their shows nowadays...

 

 

 

 

 

[MightyJordan]

 

 

...and Rumblemania 2, which I can't embed, due to the thumbnail.

 

 

[timster]

If you're not watching the Royal Rumble tonight, do not click to reveal contents!

Spoiler

AJ Styles debuted as entrant #3 in the Royal Rumble

 

 

[LOC Veteran]

^^^^ TEE HEE HEEEEEEE

[LOC Veteran]

Ugh WWE really went there. Ah well, I guess we'll have to see how it pans out this time around.

[MightyJordan]

7 hours ago, LOC said:

Ugh WWE really went there. Ah well, I guess we'll have to see how it pans out this time around.

Yep, three years in a row now.

 

 

Spoiler

This one was probably the best of the past three, though, just because SuperReigns didn't retain.

 

The booking of Reigns was incredibly stupid, though. League of Nations take him out outside of the ring, but they don't get him back in the ring and eliminate him?!


Shame AJ, Sami Zayn and HHH were the only surprise entrants. I bet there were a lot of people hoping to see Finn Balor.


I bet you it's gonna pan out with HHH losing the title to Reigns at WrestleMania, ending the show with probably the loudest boos we'll ever hear outside of Eva Marie winning the NXT Women's Championship (dear god, please don't let that ever happen).

 

[MightyJordan]

[Macsen]

Debuting AJ Styles in Orlando was a brilliant idea. That crowd would have some awareness for him, and they did react quite positively. I'm guessing it's what WWE hoped for.

 

Wish he could've stuck around longer in the match, though. They were pimping him as "The Phenomenal One". Going out 11th isn't that "phenomenal". I suspect he's going to end up mid-card fodder in an attempt to demonstrate that TNA talent is "inferior".

[MightyJordan]

5 minutes ago, Orlando Rays said:

Debuting AJ Styles in Orlando was a brilliant idea. That crowd would have some awareness for him, and they did react quite positively. I'm guessing it's what WWE hoped for.

 

Wish he could've stuck around longer in the match, though. They were pimping him as "The Phenomenal One". Going out 11th isn't that "phenomenal". I suspect he's going to end up mid-card fodder in an attempt to demonstrate that TNA talent is "inferior".

Yeah, just like they did to WCW talent after buying them out, although it's improved nowadays, thanks to NXT. Samoa Joe's thriving there at the moment, Austin Aries almost certainly will, too, and I bet James Storm also would've thrived in NXT if TNA hadn't turned around and offered 2.5x more money than WWE did.

[MightyJordan]

 

 

[MightyJordan]

 

 

[MightyJordan]

Jeritroll

 

 

[wakjak]

Didn't AJ Styles previously say that he would never work for WWE?

[Macsen]

31 minutes ago, MightyJordan said:

Yeah, just like they did to WCW talent after buying them out, although it's improved nowadays, thanks to NXT. Samoa Joe's thriving there at the moment, Austin Aries almost certainly will, too, and I bet James Storm also would've thrived in NXT if TNA hadn't turned around and offered 2.5x more money than WWE did.

He'll regret that when his paycheck bounces.

 

And I loved that Rusev tweet.

[MightyJordan]

4 minutes ago, wakjak said:

Didn't AJ Styles previously say that he would never work for WWE?

I can't find him saying he'd never work for them, but he did mention a couple of times before that it wasn't a goal of his, especially as he was already in NJPW. http://www.sescoops.com/139404-2/

[MightyJordan]

 

 

[LOC Veteran]

If I'm not mistaken, AJ Styles said the same things Sting said over the years about working for WWE. He felt the storylines were to adult and didn't mesh with his religious convictions etc. I think he said that, I could be wrong. But the guy is a very religious guy from what we have been told over the years (like Sting) and WWE has been PG for years now while TNA is going in  a much more adult oriented direction.

[Vykranth]

3 hours ago, wakjak said:

Didn't AJ Styles previously say that he would never work for WWE?

'Never say Never' in wrestling.

 

5 minutes ago, LOC said:

If I'm not mistaken, AJ Styles said the same things Sting said over the years about working for WWE. He felt the storylines were to adult and didn't mesh with his religious convictions etc. I think he said that, I could be wrong. But the guy is a very religious guy from what we have been told over the years (like Sting) and WWE has been PG for years now while TNA is going in  a much more adult oriented direction.

There are plenty of interviews of Styles where he is not shy about being a very religious born again Christian and others about going to WWE or not. The thing is that he is now 37 and, let's face it, he has a few years left of wrestling even if you look at his matches in NPJW when he looks like he is 25. He has made it clear that he is looking first for a financial deal to secure his family.

 

Spoiler

 

After that, I agree with what Orlando Rays said: the introduction went reasonably well but, for a wrestler of his caliber, he could have lasted longer in the RR. One good start point for a feud would be Kevin Owens who eliminated him in a sort of king of the indies but you have Samy Zayn too and Cesaro once he gets back.

 

As far as the RR match is concerned, HHH champion again ... Meh ... with a reheated McMahon/Austin feud with Roman Reigns against the boss and his minions ... Supra-Meh