Ospreay NJPW could let go, on the condition they get to use him in the future.

Ali would be a big get. He is super talented and we have yet to see him peak. And he would be full time. I do not see the others listed being full time. Zig has his comedy, Mone not really into working every week these days, and Will likely will be all over the world like Johnny Wrestling is.

///

Thinking of it, Ali fits for Tony announcement level.  Will would forever change the face of wrestling as we know it.  Ali just a guy loved by all.

When I heard of that I was assuming Ospreay. I would like to see Mercedes back on tv but not in AEW. She nor any other great female wrestler can fixed the division.

If she wants to work in the US, she should return to WWE. Tony will not be able to use her better than WWE did. And she was miserable in WWE. She will be miserable in AEW. She really should stay in Japan, as clearly she was loving it there.

Will is still contracted, but Zigler makes a ton of sense. And Will really does not need an introduction with a contract signing, AEW knows him. He just needs to show up and lay out someone.

Whoever is coming in, is someone who has a new name, and new gimmick that this signing is to give fans time to adjust to.  Which all seems to lead to Zig or Ali.  And Zig fits better really.

So that happened.  Athena SAVED Billy.  Absolutely shocking...

And not gonna lie, Athena vs Ronda would be a fun match, and would not be shocked to see it at the next RoH PPV deal.

Also looks like a less reserved Ronda.  Who also is a very beloved superstar...

She would be an interesting choice. But would create a lot of drama for Tony.

Someone on wreddit suggested the signing was Ronda Rousey and got absolutely shredded in the comments. If that dude was right....

I reckon Ronda would be a big swing and a miss. That's not to say she's terrible or couldn't be a good fit for AEW, but that's not the way to bring her in. If the Revolver clip is anything to go by, I think fans would be down to watch her face Athena in ROH or you could start a program with Marina and have Ronda debut as her back-up.

If what Sean Ross Sapp is saying is true and it's not Mercedes Mone, the only replacement I can think of is Will Ospreay. Otherwise it's another typical TK over-promise, under-deliver.

Andrew Zarian claims to know who the signing is. I'm using spoilers because he is usually right about this stuff and has good sources. So just in case you don't want to know:

SPOILER: Click to show

it's Will Ospreay

I'm a little disappointed it is being posted everywhere because I was enjoying the speculation. But whatever. Is what it is. Nothing is a surprise anymore in wrestling.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}
That's great news and I have no issue with them bigging up Ospreay. He's the best performer in the world right now and the type of guy you want to push front-row centre in your promotion. If you pair him with Don, that takes away his biggest weakness and immediately puts him on a collision course with the biggest names.

That will pave the road and gives you a huge moment at Wembley which 100% should be THE goal for AEW.

I have no issue with them conning the speculation because names like Ronda, Dolph, Mustafa were only going to piss the core AEW base off.

Sure the kids all like to open their Christmas presents on the day, but I'm sure the kids are happy they're getting a PS5 and not another pair of socks or worse, a Google Stadia.

Should not have teased it at all then honestly.

SPOILER: Click to show

These surprises get diminished when you cheapen it with stuff like this, the card should sell PPVs because of quality, not some easy surprise contract signing fueled off of speculation. Had Ospreay never debuted in AEW, then totally worthy of the buzz but he's been there quite a bit, him just signing and it being announced just comes across as "HAHA WWE WE GOT HIM YOU DIDNT!".

I prefer how WWE did it with Cargill honestly, thought it was done to highlight her rather than feel like something out of spite for the rival company.

It being...

SPOILER: Click to show

Will Osprey will be disappointing, simply because he's been there already, even if I'm on board with United Empire in AEW.

Give me them vs. Death Triangle, please, and thanks.

This is hilarious.  Love too the comments saying Strong needs to be brought in to help heal his neck.

Haus of Wrestling reporting that sources in the WWE believe that MJF has already quietly re-signed with AEW. There have been zero talks between WWE and MJF and it is believed that is because he has already decided to stay put.

Seemed pretty obvious after the bidding war thing got dropped and MJF got the Wembley main event. But we’re starting to hear news get leaked which might mean an announcement coming soon.

World’s End might be an interesting show.

Nov 12, 2023 0:15:52 GMT NATH45 said:

That theory has been circulating on the socials for weeks.

There's also a theory, that the devil is Brit Baker based on her appearance doing the devil horns in a Doja Cat video.

For a while, I thought that Britt was 1 of the henchmen. She would be a red herring. MJF would be so dumbfounded in disbelief that Adam Cole would low-blow him & beat him down.

Nov 20, 2023 19:31:26 GMT RT said:

Haus of Wrestling reporting that sources in the WWE believe that MJF has already quietly re-signed with AEW. There have been zero talks between WWE and MJF and it is believed that is because he has already decided to stay put.

Seemed pretty obvious after the bidding war thing got dropped and MJF got the Wembley main event. But we’re starting to hear news get leaked which might mean an announcement coming soon.

World’s End might be an interesting show.

Probably so because you don't push someone this hard unless you know they are sticking around. Pretty sure MJF always wanted to stay just wanting to get his value up for a big contract. And hopefully Tony just said you are my top star lets stop playing around here is a contract equal or greater then Punk or who ever is his highest contracted person.

You'd be silly not to write a blank cheque for MJF, making sure it eclipses anything WWE would ever offer.

The guy is 27 years old, he's one of the few guys that could see out a 20 year career with AEW and he's already this good. Easy.

No doubt WWE is interested, but I'd almost suggest all this talk of walking for WWE is a deliberately work as part of the MJF character's arrogance persona.

Nov 20, 2023 20:19:21 GMT NATH45 said:

You'd be silly not to write a blank cheque for MJF, making sure it eclipses anything WWE would ever offer.

The guy is 27 years old, he's one of the few guys that could see out a 20 year career with AEW and he's already this good. Easy.

No doubt WWE is interested, but I'd almost suggest all this talk of walking for WWE is a deliberately work as part of the MJF character's arrogance persona.

100%. And it's a win-win for MJF. He uses it as ammo for his egotistical heel character, then looks like a hero when he re-signs anyway. Or on the flipside, if Tony was a moron and didn't make him a good offer, he takes that character work straight to WWE and becomes the hero over there by choosing to join them over the company that made him.

It's brilliant character work, especially with the tribalism happening amongst AEW and WWE fans. Think of how many athletes have pissed off entire fanbases and become public enemy #1 just by signing with another team for more money. And on the flip side of that, the athletes that choose to stay put because they want to win with the team they are on.

Thing is, AEW needs him. WWE doesn't.

Take Wargames for example, 6 out of 8 guys in that match could challenge for Roman's belt tomorrow and it wouldn't be out of place. There's probably another 10 guys at least worthy of a PLE championship match, including former World Champions and the IC Champion.

So, maybe he'd gets the LA Knight treatment, and plays in an upper mid card role with the likes of Waller, Theory, etc on Smackdown. He's far too big for NXT, so let's not entertain that.

So, the best place for him is likely AEW.

Nov 20, 2023 19:31:26 GMT RT said:

Haus of Wrestling reporting that sources in the WWE believe that MJF has already quietly re-signed with AEW. There have been zero talks between WWE and MJF and it is believed that is because he has already decided to stay put.

Seemed pretty obvious after the bidding war thing got dropped and MJF got the Wembley main event. But we’re starting to hear news get leaked which might mean an announcement coming soon.

World’s End might be an interesting show.

I heard this as well like two weeks back.  Word is MJF had no plans on leaving and the Tony shoot stuff was a work for him to do entertainment work, which is why he suddenly is popping up in all these random projects despite always be at TV.

And after the Punk stuff, MJF did get his raise to main event cash.  Which was well deserved.

It all does make sense too.  MJF is a star in AEW right now.  One of their biggest money names.  And has a ton of creative freedom.  Most important, he works once or twice week tops.  He goes WWE he is on the road all the time for about the same cash, working an assigned gimmick and style.  Likely as some weird singing gimmick.  

WM was always a draw for people, but Wembley is good counter.  

I honestly think he did resign and stays.  Just too much risk to see his career stall to a halt if he does not work in WWE.  Since like the end of the Jericho feud MJF been on fire in AEW, so be kind of stupid to leave while on top.

The WWE environment has both pros and cons. The assigned gimmick notion can reign in a lot of workers who would overwise be rambling messes. Sami is a great example, he'd be even more of a babbling neurotic if WWE didn't give him is cues. KO is also prone to a rant if given the opportunity.

But it is also a very safe place. WWE isn't exactly an offensive product.

At his core, MJF's number 1 and 2 attributes are his ability to ad lib and being offensive doing it. He loses that in WWE and becomes:

" I'm better than you, and you know it, with everybody saying it.. M, J, F, Yeah! "

Other news is MJF is going to be taking it easy for a few weeks. On the Cactus Elbow, he popped his hip out when he hit the floor. Also his shoulder is beat up. If they were smart would have him on crutches selling the leg doing hurt bro things with Cole and maybe Strong.

Believed he will just not wrestle until the next PPV.

Being said too the Cactus Elbow was supposed to just be an elbow drop through the table. But the table broke early, so MJF just said fuck it, I will do it to the floor. Fucking madman.

Nov 20, 2023 21:44:50 GMT NATH45 said:

The WWE environment has both pros and cons. The assigned gimmick notion can reign in a lot of workers who would overwise be rambling messes. Sami is a great example, he'd be even more of a babbling neurotic if WWE didn't give him is cues. KO is also prone to a rant if given the opportunity.

But it is also a very safe place. WWE isn't exactly an offensive product.

At his core, MJF's number 1 and 2 attributes are his ability to ad lib and being offensive doing it. He loses that in WWE and becomes:

" I'm better than you, and you know it, with everybody saying it.. M, J, F, Yeah! "

The issue I think would kill him is how creative in WWE always works.  They look for an entertaining talent you have and plan a gimmick around it.  And for MJF that is his choir background.  He would likely end up singing all the time.  Which is not the gimmick MJF really would want.  Or they can do this current gimmick but will ramp it up Mean Street Posse style.  Either way he would move into a more cartoon version of himself.  

Also I would imagine shit like Double Clothesline and Kangaroo Kick are out, as WWE does not really take risks like that.  AEW will since smart fans are easily worked, but WWE fans could see the stuff and not react at all and just make him look stupid. And once something is over, WWE will make you do it until you loathe it. 

Finally, no way WWE allows him to keep his character out of the ring.  Being a dick to paying fans for keyfabe does not fly these days for them.  Smart fans love this shit, but the causal family with kids will not find it amusing.

Juice out until next year. He needs minor back surgery. He is def a guy that will benefit from some time away as a return can give him direction. Gonna miss him and cardblade Be hilarious if cardjuice appears to replace him.

Nov 20, 2023 22:00:22 GMT c said:

Nov 20, 2023 21:44:50 GMT NATH45 said:

The WWE environment has both pros and cons. The assigned gimmick notion can reign in a lot of workers who would overwise be rambling messes. Sami is a great example, he'd be even more of a babbling neurotic if WWE didn't give him is cues. KO is also prone to a rant if given the opportunity.

But it is also a very safe place. WWE isn't exactly an offensive product.

At his core, MJF's number 1 and 2 attributes are his ability to ad lib and being offensive doing it. He loses that in WWE and becomes:

" I'm better than you, and you know it, with everybody saying it.. M, J, F, Yeah! "

The issue I think would kill him is how creative in WWE always works.  They look for an entertaining talent you have and plan a gimmick around it.  And for MJF that is his choir background.  He would likely end up singing all the time.  Which is not the gimmick MJF really would want.  Or they can do this current gimmick but will ramp it up Mean Street Posse style.  Either way he would move into a more cartoon version of himself.  

Also I would imagine shit like Double Clothesline and Kangaroo Kick are out, as WWE does not really take risks like that.  AEW will since smart fans are easily worked, but WWE fans could see the stuff and not react at all and just make him look stupid. And once something is over, WWE will make you do it until you loathe it. 

Finally, no way WWE allows him to keep his character out of the ring.  Being a dick to paying fans for keyfabe does not fly these days for them.  Smart fans love this shit, but the causal family with kids will not find it amusing.

Miz, Waller and Theory are already working these type of gimmicks, albeit " WWE lite " versions outside of the ring.

Execution is key, if they introduce him by swinging a chair at Cody's head and kicking his teeth down his throat, then amazing. If he comes out as the Jewish Alberto Del Rio and prances around, posturing around.. yeah, pass.

But, I'm confident Hunter recognises talent and sees the potential.

None of them work the insult the fans savagely side of them. MJF generally insults his fans.

I see no way WWE restarts Cody and MJF. No WWE fans really know the fued, and a lot of AEW fans were not even watching for it, or forgot most of it already. It would be REALLY stretching to revive a feud that is now years old.

I def think he was resigned last year for 5 years when his pay was upped. It just makes sense. You do not rocket someone to the top either right before they leave. That is just shit business.

Was Danhausan caught selling bootleg t-shirts or did I just imagine it?

What in the fuck...

Did not imagine it. He claims it is a BS story though. Looks like 4chan in origin.

Those WWE bots at it again.

Wrestlers still haven't learned acknowledging it on Twitter confirms it...