Look ahead to pro wrestling’s fall season
Everyone knows that football season is right around the corner, and whether you prefer the NFL or college football, the fall is dominated by the sport.
However, this fall could go down as one of the most important times in the history of pro wrestling.
There has been plenty of talk about how WWE鈥檚 new TV deals kick in with Smackdown Live moving to Fox the first week of October.
There are also negotiations ongoing for a weekly WWE talk show on Fox 缅北禁地 1 and there have been rumblings about NXT possibly ending up on cable TV, as well.
With Paul Heyman taking over Raw鈥檚 writing and Eric Bischoff now in charge of Smackdown Live, things could pick up for WWE.
While it is too early to call All Elite Wrestling (AEW) competition for WWE, the emergence of the new company seems to have ended WWE鈥檚 years of complacency and monotony. AEW鈥檚 TV deal with TNT also starts in October and while it has yet to be determined whether the show will be live or not, it will have to up its game based on the Fight for the Fallen show they put on last weekend.
Neither AEW or TNT have announced what day the show will be on, but don鈥檛 be surprised if WWE pushes for the weekly NXT show to run head-to-head with the AEW show.
Ring of Honor is finishing up its hot summer and is gearing up a an even hotter fall. Major League Wrestling (MLW) has announced its first PPV event for Nov. 2 when it presents Saturday Night SuperFight.
Impact will look to find its way as it airs on the Pursuit Channel, but it really needs to establish some major stars to make fans tune in.
Regardless of which promotion fans prefer, there are many to choose from. Options are good, and they will only make the fall even more exciting for wrestling fans.
Impact, ROH PPV buys
It appears Impact and ROH were almost in a dead heat for PPV buys earlier this month when the promotions ran PPV the same weekend.
ROH drew approximately 1,400 TV buys for its Best in the World event, while Impact drew around 1,500 buys two days later for its Slammiversary 17 show.
Wyatt鈥檚 return
Bray Wyatt finally returned in person this past Monday on Raw as he laid out Finn Balor.
With Balor taking time off soon, look for Wyatt to defeat Balor soon or even 鈥渋njure鈥� him. Could Balor鈥檚 time off be why he lost the Intercontinental title at Extreme Rules?
Strowman inks new deal
Braun Strowman announced via social media recently that he has signed a new four-year deal.
Look for Strowman, who is 35, to be better utilized moving forward on Raw by Heyman or on Smackdown Live by Bischoff.
Strowman was set to be the next huge star two years ago until McMahon pulled the rug out from under him.
It still boggles my mind that Vince placed an edict down years ago that there wouldn鈥檛 be any more stars and that the wrestlers all be so close in terms of wins and losses.
Raw Reunion Monday
Monday will be WWE鈥檚 latest reunion-type event as it brings back over 40 former talents to appear.
Wonder if Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kevin Owens will have a segment about the latter using the Stone Cold Stunner, as of late.
Ross declines invite
Jim Ross, the greatest voice in pro wrestling history, was invited by WWE to appear on the Raw Reunion show, but he declined. AEW had given Ross the option to choose whether to go and he declined.
KSWA honors Dillon
James (JJ) Dillon was to be presented a proclamation Saturday night acknowledging his first match in Pittsburgh some 50 years ago at the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) Brawl Under the Bridge in Homestead.
A WWE and KSWA Hall of Famer, Dillon faced Killer Kowalski in his first match in Pittsburgh.
The proclamation was written by 鈥淭rapper鈥� Tom Leturgy and sponsored by long-time Allegheny County councilman and wrestling legend 鈥淛umpin'鈥� Johnny DeFazio.