Friday, August 20, 2021

Were There Talks Between Tessa Blanchard And Billy Corgan's NWA? (Partial "Credit" Goes to Fightful Select)

 



Tessa Blanchard has reportedly had talks with the NWA.

The NWA reportedly reached out to Blanchard this summer, according to Fightful Select. There’s no word on what the talks consisted of, but it was noted that NWA officials wanted to get a feel for the possibility of working together.

It looks like a deal could not be reached between the two sides because the talks are apparently tabled for the time being.


Blanchard has been away from pro wrestling for the most part since finishing up with Impact Wrestling last summer, leaving the promotion as World Champion as her contract was terminated days before it was set to expire. She became a free agent more than 14 months ago. It was reported in December that she was still celebrating her marriage to Daga, and had not decided on her future in the business. It was then rumored earlier by AEW "Marks" earlier this year that Tessa and Daga were in talks with AEW or headed to AEW, but nothing ever came of it. I covered and killed the "Marks" ASSumptions with this story. https://billsbrandnewblog.blogspot.com/2021/05/for-all-marks-who-think-tessa-blanchard.html


Blanchard relocated to Texas some months ago and continues to train for in-ring action, but it remains to be seen when she will make her return to the squared circle.


As a side note to this. Since Fightful Select wants 'credit' for telling this? 


"Here ya go" (Smiles).


Someone pointed this out to me when they sent me this story on Tessa Blanchard. Fightful Select wants to be known as the 'source' for the story but WHAT HAPPENS when you click on the 'link' that was supposed to be associated with the story? 


WWEELL.. Click on the link which is this.. https://www.patreon.com/fightful  And you get... THIS when you do.




Yeah, they want and EXPECT YYOOOU to pay to see a story I've now done for free. 

GEE, WHERE have we seen this before? (Looks over at PWInsider for trying those same kind of scams)

Yeah nice try Fightful. Only a total and complete DUMB ASS would fall for that. 

Again, nice try, but no sale. 






Newspaper story on REAL Pro Wrestling: Six years of blood, sweat and mayhem in Fort Myers, Florida




https://www.news-press.com/story/entertainment/2021/08/19/fort-myers-real-pro-wrestling-anniversary-budd-heavy-fite-tv-kelsey-raegan-wrestlers-wwe/5569325001/ 

Sabu vs. Robbie V (Rob Van Dam- Michigan 1994)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9z9QAkGUz0 

WWE NXT MOVING TV FULL TIME TO THE PERFORMANCE CENTER

 



WWE will be spending some time and money in upgrading the Performance Center over the next month as it will be the long-term home of future NXT TV shows. NXT's relationship with Full Sail University is now over, ending a partnership that began in 2012 and was expanded in 2019. It's unknown if NXT will still continue to use Full Sail students.

The reason NXT is taping three episodes next week at the Performance Center is due to the upgrades and changes, explained in storyline by Karrion Kross and Samoa Joe's brawl last Wednesday that destroyed parts of the arena.


The belief is the show looks too dark on TV so the goals are to make the studio brighter with more lights and more color. Additionally, the plexiglass around ringside may be removed as well.

This aligns with changes coming to the brand, both from a visual and philosophical standpoint. Along with the 'no more midgets, no one starting in their 30s and people who can be box office attractions and main characters' being part of the changes since the feeling is that they lost the war (with AEW).



Kurt Angle on Matt Bloom as an NXT trainer (Along With Some History On Matt Bloom)

 


By Bill M. Walkowitz

Before I put the link to what Kurt Angle says about Matt Bloom, I'm gonna give some history on matt that many people may not know. Some of it is from my own personal interactions with him very early in his career. 


I first saw him and met him when I went to a show put on by the late Sylvano Sousa (Atlantic Wrestling Federation) at a small place called St. Cecelia's Hall in Manchester, New Hampshire back in 1997. He was managed by Chris Grande and going by the name "The Mongolian", which he had the garb for it and did the "Huss Huss" sound like Bruiser Brody and Nord The Barbarian(Berserker in WWF) did. When I was able to work my way into actually working for Sousa behind the scenes (setting up chairs, the ring, helping my friend Dave with taping the shows, etc etc) Matt and the late Steve Bradley were my "go to' guys in that company. 

That night I saw him I had a front row seat and when he came to the ring and started the "Huss Huss" me as the 'loud fan' (this was before, I was to start working for Sousa) yelled, "You're no Bruiser Brody, you're no Nord The Barbarian, and you CERTAINLY are no Berserker, mother fucker"! It got the desired reaction from both he and Chris Grande. Since I at the time was writing for monthly newsletter like Wrestling Then And Now, Wrestling Edge and couple others I was able to write reviews of these shows and highlight the wrestlers on this roster. When i was able to get an article about Sousa's AWF printed in Wrestling World magazine (with picture of me and Steve Bradley also printed in it) matt was the first one who (after I gave an advance issue to Sousa, who took it down to the locker room) came up to me and thanked me for doing that. He let me know certain things and said "Don't say anything or write about it until I tell you to, we're trying to keep this quiet", like when he went from Sousa to Fred Sparta's WWA New England because they had an agreement with WWF (WWF's Training Dojo were headlining Sparta's shows), that he got the deal for WWF's Developmental program and he was leaving for Memphis. He let me know on his last night at a show in Wittman, Mass. that he was leaving and asked my advice, since I was also trading tapes and had alot of Memphis Wrestling on tape. 


Here's some footage from Bloom's time in New England indies.

This is from St. Cecelia's Hall in Manchester, N.H. Killer Kowalski is the referee in this match.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=124gxyPCBbc&t=58s

This is from the very first show I locally promoted for WWA New England, in Rochester, N.H. it starts out with a Chris Grande promo that brings out Killer Kowalski, and well, you'll see what happens. :)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaOGjwsFFNk&t=2s



Here's some footage of Matt when he was known as Baldo, in Memphis.

Debut of Baldo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQoNTUbwNjc

Baldo vs Streak (Baldo comes out with Owner Randy Hales and manager Downtown Bruno). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8lLJfiNlZY

Streak and Bulldog Raines vs Baldo and Vic Grimes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkgUbxWn1fw 

Baldo turns babyface. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bqmugr4J7I



I'll throw in acouple of Matt's matches from New Japan Pro Wrestling and NOAH, where he was known as Giant Bernard. 

Karl Anderson & Giant Bernard vs Takeshi Morishima & Yutaka Yoshie  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zev-pt0S_ww

GIANT BERNARD vs MILANO COLLECTION A.T. (2009) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNdRtgQQjwE

NAKANISHI & STRONGMAN & KANEMOTO vs GIANT BERNARD & KARL ANDERSON & JYUSHIN THUNDER LIGER (2011) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-tw25Kx8M0

TNA: Footage Of Tomko & Bernard From Global Impact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rknN5USYGlI



And yes, finally.. here's the link to what Kurt Angle recently said about Matt Bloom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2We7DvA2Lio





Don Muraco Names The Greatest Wrestlers EVER!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7nlFm03JgA 

Killer Karl Kox & Dick Slater vs Mr. Saito & Mr. Sato (Florida- Slater Turns On Kox)

 

Kox & Slater team up to take on the N.W.A. U.S. (Florida) tag team champs - Mr. Saito & Mr. Sato. This is one of the best angles of 1978 in championship wrestling from Florida.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBSmNYJ0xVg

N.W.A. Florida Champ Manny Fernandez vs Killer Khan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqi_ZVdjdOg 

Abdullah the Butcher is coming to Southwest Championship Wrestling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lChoVc9ftSk 

Abdullah The Butcher vs Bobby Jaggers (Southwest Championship Wrestling)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKtWhGCtF0M 

Bobby Eaton vs Mr. Wrestling 2 Georgia 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGr47pBuN_4 

DICK THE BRUISER VS. PEPPER GOMEZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4ly9kbVy4 

All Japan Pro Wrestling Highlights From 8-18-21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjSBZBu-awg 

Rocky Mountain Pro CHARGED; ep 253

 

This week on CHARGED, Curtis Cole responds to his match with Stephen Ashburn at Milestone XI. A big tag team Main Event as Dustin Uhrich teams with RJ Kearnen to take on HGH. Action from Bruce Wayans, Atiba, Mr. Happy and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoKYjOyMFPY