Champion Challenged To Double-Title Match At All In

Only two matches have been officially confirmed for All-In so far. Cody will challenge for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (likely against Nick Aldis) and Marty Scurll will take on Kazuchika Okada.

Another championship match may appear to be in the works. Madison Rayne just challenged Tessa Blanchard to a match which could have title implications for multiple belts.

Rayne sent the following message to Tessa Blanchard recently:

This made Tessa ponder the idea…

Blanchard captured a title recently for the Crash promotion in Mexico. She is also the RISE champion, WSU champion, PCW women’s champion and the list goes on.

Madison Rayne and Tessa Blanchard have met twice recently on Impact Wrestling. Both times Rayne used a pinning combination to score the upset victory over Blanchard. Those are the only two losses on Blanchard’s Impact record so far.

Partially as a result of the victories, Rayne has been granted a title shot against Su Yung. She’ll take on the champion July 22nd at Slammiversary. Should Rayne be victorious on that night she’s challenged Blanchard to a champion vs champion match at All-In.

Blanchard just signed a new deal with Impact reported to be 2-years in length. The contract with Impact will keep her from competing for the second year in a row in the Mae Young Classic. She lost to Kairi Sane in the 1st round of the tournament last year.

On a recent Impact Wrestling media call, Blanchard had this to say about how she’s glad she didn’t sign on with WWE last year or after her initial tryout with the company.

“These life experiences, these personal experiences through wrestling, if I was signed on (with WWE), my entire path would be different,” she said. “I’m very blessed for things to have played out the way they have.”

Masa Saito

 

Masa Saito, the Japanese wrestling legend, passed away today from complications from Parkinson's disease.

I was first introduced to the man I knew as Mr. Saito in 1990, when he teamed up with The Great Muta for the Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament at WCW's Starrcade.  Yes he did play the traditional salt-throwing Japanese heel, but what made him memorable was his physical style.

Saito is credited with being the innovator of the Scorpion Deathlock / Sharpshooter and the Saito Suplex.  During his time in prison from 1985-1987, Saito created a hold called Kangokugatame, which translates to Prison Hold.

Saito had a legendary feud in New Japan with the legendary Antonio Inoki.  In 1987, to settle their feud, the two competed in an Island Death match.   The match lasted two hours and went all over the island.  Inoki was eventually victorious defeating Saito by TKO.  Saito won the IWGP Tag Team Championship twice during his career, once with Riki Choshu and the second with Shinya Hashimoto.

Saito wrestled his last match in 1999 against Scott Norton.  Following his retirement, he stayed with New Japan as a commentator until 2003.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.  He was 76 years old.

Daniel Bryan: I’ll Likely Re-Sign With WWE

Much has been made of Daniel Bryan’s WWE contract expiring later this year. September 1st is believed to be the final date on his current deal with the company. Based on comments he made during WWE’s recent stop in Tapei, however, Bryan won’t be leaving the company anytime soon.

“The wrestling world is an interesting world right now,” Bryan said. “But I love working with WWE and my wife (Brie Bella) is a part of WWE and so there’s a good chance I’ll re-sign.”

“The drive is always to do something better,” he continued. “I want to create a performance next that’s better than any performance I’ve ever done. And when you talk about that, you talk about the high points of my career like main-eventing Wrestlemania 30. That’s the highest you can really get. How do you create things that are as creatively, mentally and emotionally satisfying as that? And that is what I am in the pursuit of.”

Rey Mysterio Booked For NJPW Event Next Month

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced Rey Mysterio will return to the promotion next month. The famous luchador is scheduled to have a match on the final night of the G1 Climax 28 show from the Nippon Budokan on August 12th, 2018.

Mysterio’s opponent for the show has yet to be named, however. His only match for NJPW to date was at last month’s Dominion. On that night, he teamed with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jushin Liger in a losing effort to Cody, Hangman Page, and Marty Scurll.

Mysterio originally challenged Jushin Liger when he first appeared in NJPW. A match between the two legends for Strong Style Evolved was eventually scrapped last year, however. Mysterio was forced to withdraw from the event due to a torn bicep.

It’s possible Liger is named later as his opponent, however that is only speculation.

ROH & NJPW Book Madison Square Garden For April 6th, 2019

In a landmark announcement, ROH and NJPW have just announced a super-card from Madison Square Garden.

“ROH and NJPW are proud to announce that on April 6th, 2019, the companies will join forces to present the ultimate wrestling event,” an ROH press release reads. “G1 Supercard, to fans from around the world, LIVE from Madison Square Garden in New York City!”

It had previously been reported that talks between ROH and the historic venue had broken down.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ring of Honor Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling to Madison Square Garden for the much anticipated G1 Supercard,” said Joel Fisher, Executive Vice President, MSG Marquee Events. “We expect April 6th to be another memorable night of wrestling at The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

“This is destined to join a long list of historical wrestling moments and where better to hold it than at Madison Square Garden,” ROH Chief Operating Officer Joe Koff said.

Koff would continue to say that this would not be possible without the tremendous fan support they enjoy.

Tickets will go on sale August 8th, 2017 at 10AM ET for Honor Club VIP subscribers. They will go on sale to the general public August 10th.

Hiromu Takahashi Injury Update

New Japan Pro Wrestling has sent out an update on the condition of Hiromu Takahashi. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion collapsed backstage at the Cow Palace Saturday. He is believed to have suffered a broken neck during a triangle to a cradle-suplex spot where he landed on his head.

“It is reported Takahashi, after the match was immediately taken to a nearby hospital,” the statement reads. “He is currently undergoing a thorough evaluation, Takahashi is conscious, and is able to sit and talk.”

Takahashi indicated to the referee after the botched move that he was OK to finish the match despite the injury. He even performed his Time Bomb finisher without looking as though he was in much discomfort. Takahashi walked to the back on his own after winning the match as well.

I will keep you up-to-date with any news regarding Hiromu Takahashi’s condition.

Hiromu Takahashi Taken To Hospital With Possible Broken Neck Following G1 Special

Hiromu Takahashi is believed to have suffered a broken neck during his match with Dragon Lee last night in the Cow Palace. The injury is believed to have been suffered during a cradle-suplex where Takahashi was dropped on top of his head.

“He finished the match, retained the championship and I guess he collapsed backstage or something. They took him to the hospital and the preliminary word is they thought that he had a broken neck,” Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio last night. “Hopefully, it’s not as bad as that but that’s the word we got.”

Takahashi would continue the match. Red Shoes checked on him after the spot and then backed off as if everything was ok. They did several spots after the injury, including Takahashi giving Dragon Lee the Time Bomb for the win.