Pro Wrestling Contract Season

[Merzbow]

Is IWS still going in Canada? I remember them getting a little buzz around the mid 00's Indy hardcore era, Sexxxy Eddy being in the CZW TOD helped.

The even somehow booked Sid during that time.

[Carbomb]

6 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Is IWS still going in Canada? I remember them getting a little buzz around the mid 00's Indy hardcore era, Sexxxy Eddy being in the CZW TOD helped.

The even somehow booked Sid during that time.

According to their Wiki, aside from a hiatus of four years from 2010-14, they're still going. Seems their shows are a bit more sporadic, though.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Well that took a long time 

Spoiler

Ricky Starks obviously didn't have to wait 90 days. NXT is probably the best place for him. 

 

[Supremo]

I’ll laugh my arse off if Malakai doesn’t get the call from Hunter. Sitting in his dark cupboard, smoke machine in the corner, constantly checking his phone.

[DavidB6937]

He was last seen outside Hunter's house keep cutting the electricity to turn the lights off to send him a message.

[Statto]

Are Malakai & Zelina still married? If so they should so the reverse of what they did last time - rehire Black & release his wife a few days later. Just for fun. 

[Chili]

I hope the contract negotiations are just vague statements and meanings that go on for about 3 years and go nowhere.

[DavidB6937]

"So here's your new contract.. sign here please"

"What do you mean by contract? Life cannot simply be defined by a signature on a piece of paper Hunter."

"No, but that is general business practice"

"Business what? Do you think I care about business in the darkest of realms where the shadows consume all signatories and the pen means NOTHING!"

"No I get about the darkness.."

"..Do you? DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'VE COME FROM. An eye for an eye. A lying leader. He said I'd see clearer than ever and reach elite status but he made it even darker than before. A MAN LIKE ME IS NOT BINDED BY PAPER OR LEGISLATION OR LAW. YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE ME!!!!"

"Well.. TKO do it this way.. in these realms.."

"TK??!?!?! YOU CANNOT FATHOM THE MAGIC AND THE POWER I POSSESS AND ONE DAY THE TRUTH WILL RISE AND THE DEMONS WILL COME AND I WILL TAKE MY RIGHTFUL PLACE ON THE THRONE!"

"Look do you want a job or not?"

"DID YOU SAY JOB?!"

 

 

[RedTwoster]

Josh Alexander seems to be AEW-bound, according to Fightful. 

I’m a little surprised at that one, I fully expected him to reunite with Ethan Page in WWE as a tag team. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on in AEW. 

[Snitsky's back acne]

3 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

Josh Alexander seems to be AEW-bound, according to Fightful. 

I’m a little surprised at that one, I fully expected him to reunite with Ethan Page in WWE as a tag team. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on in AEW. 

Page is doing alright on his own tbh. Totally the kind of wrestler WWE usually likes. 

[LaGoosh]

I've never seen him. He any good?

[Hannibal Scorch]

3 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

I've never seen him. He any good?

Josh is a good wrestler. Personally, I find him dull as a character, his ring work is sound but he seemed to me a great fit in TNA, I’m not sure where he fits in AEW, but it’s an interesting signing. I imagine he probably wants a NJPW run, so makes sense if so. It’s probably the headgear that irks me as well on why I’m not a fan.

[JLM]

Yeah the head gear looks very silly to me too. I get why he wears it, but still, it looks dumb. 

That said, he is indeed a good wrestler. He's a proper heavyweight wrestler and he conveys the struggle of a match really well; it seems like he's trying to win and is WRASSLIN the other guy to try and make that happen. Lot of the amateur wrestling influence is there but he doesn't do rolling about on the mat for the sake of it. He has a little bit of Kurt Angle to him but is larger and works a more methodical pace. He is also a little bit reminiscent of Claudio at times. If he does go to to AEW that's a match I'd enjoy.

He's been paired with a lot of elite wrestlers in big showcase matches over the past few years, so if you want to sample his work there is quite the selection: 

 

I also enjoyed his heavyweight hoss-off against Alex Hammerstone at TNA Hard to Kill. The first match here:

 

Edited February 16, 2025 by JLM

[LaGoosh]

Interesting! With him, Speedball and Jeff Cobb all apparently coming in I have no idea where they find the TV time for these lads. If you’re someone like Top Flight, Private Party or Sammy Guevara you'd have to assume you're never getting booked on Dynamite ever again.

[Hannibal Scorch]

3 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

Interesting! With him, Speedball and Jeff Cobb all apparently coming in I have no idea where they find the TV time for these lads. If you’re someone like Top Flight, Private Party or Sammy Guevara you'd have to assume you're never getting booked on Dynamite ever again.

Personally I think there’s 2 things here.

1) I can see more releases coming as contracts come up from AEW. I know Tony said he didn’t want to do that, but there’s a limit and lots of surplus to requirements.

2) Japan is struggling. The yen is weak and NJPW had to get AEW to help run night two of Wrestle Kingdom because their ticket sales are down. I think these hires in particular are a way to share the talent and can see them being used for both companies.