Anthony Ricciardi covers some of the events in the wrestling world for October 2024 that reminds you why it’s still an amazing time to be a wrestling fan
End of an Era – American Dragon Slayed
For any fan that has followed Bryan Danielson’s career at any point during his ROH, WWE and AEW runs, know just how truly special Bryan was. He was the guy that was technically gifted in that ring but was not supposed to be the guy at the top of the mountain in this industry holding the World Championship in the WWE, but he became World Champion pretty much everywhere he called home. When Bryan’s career was seemingly taken from him before he was ready to hang up his boots, his fans were devastated for him that he wasn’t able to end his career on his terms.
He got a second chance to re-write his ending which is not often the case, and he made sure that this time he would make the most of it and he gave the fans some more years of the American Dragon. At All In this year he won the AEW World Championship becoming only the third man to ever hold the ROH, WWE and AEW World Championships (Punk and Jericho being the other two). We knew that this was likely to be a short reign as Bryan publicly said he needed surgery and the logical last match of possibly his career would be at AEW WrestleDream in his hometown.
Bryan gave it his all and lost the title to one of his best friends in this business, Jon Moxley. Bryan is all about giving back to this business and he wanted his defeat to mean something. The true goats in this business understand that you are only a part of this grand circus known as professional wrestling for a short time and it is all about understanding stars put you over to make you and you do the same favors to get a talent or story over on the way out. Bryan understands that and he did everything he could to pass the torch to get Moxley and get the BCC takeover story over on his way out.
Whether this is the last time we see Bryan in the ring or not, he is a GOAT and future multiple time HOFamer. Thank you, Bryan, for everything that you have done for me as a fan and the industry as a whole.
The Hurt Returns – Bobby Lashley Is All Elite
The month ended with 3/4ths of the former Hurt Business, now apparently a Syndicate arriving in AEW and targeting Swerve Strickland. MVP for me is best in his manager role because in ring wise, I never really saw much in him if I’m being completely honest. Shelton Benjamin continues to defy all rules and laws on aging as he looks and moves the same way he did when he debuted 20 years ago. Shelton is one of those talents that will go down as one of the greatest to never be world champion unless something changes that during this AEW run or before he hangs up his boots. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of Lashley, I think he totally has the look and the physicality, but I’ve never seen anything in his promos or personality during his WWE and TNA runs that made me care about the stories he was involved with.
Now Swerve on the other hand is a compelling character and I have an interest in seeing what he can do with Lashley from an in ring and character development storytelling with Lashley. He is a completely different type of athlete than Swerve is used to being in the ring with from a strength and physicality standpoint. It certainly has the potential to be a memorable feud if booked correctly.
MCMG Finally Gets To WWE & Makes An Impact
For anyone that has followed Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin’s careers, as a tag team or as singles stars, they are two of the best performers never to get the call to come to WWE. For 20 years, we have watched them be the best team besides the Briscoes to never get to WWE. Holding tag team gold and innovating everywhere they have been TNA, ROH and NJPW. In their 40s, many fans myself included thought the door to WWE was probably closed to them and under the old management that would likely be true, but under Triple H he is righting those wrongs.
The Motor City Machine Guns not only have been given a chance in WWE, but they are also likely the fastest team to ever win the WWE Tag Team Championship as it only took them two shows and three matches. Despite their age it is clear that they can still go in that ring and can definitely be that booster shot in the arm that can revitalize the WWE tag team scene. I’m incredibly happy for both guys as this is something that should have happened a lot sooner than now, but they are finally being given the spotlight that they so richly deserve.
Resurrecting An Historic Promotion – MLP
After his shocking termination from TNA after the rebrand from IMPACT back to TNA, the questions of why he was terminated and what was next for Scott D’Amore. D’Amore wasn’t sure himself as he told CVV in an interview, but he loves professional wrestling and if he couldn’t do it for TNA, he looked to Canada’s past and knew the illustrious history of Maple Leaf Pro, the territory that was owned by the Tunney family. D’Amore bought the rights and decided to resurrect the promotion in order to give the phenomenal Canadian wrestling talent a global spotlight in order to get publicity and hopefully noticed outside of Canada.
As D’Amore said he is planning to launch in 2025, but we got a glimpse of what MLP could be as he utilized his working relationship with AEW, NJPW and surprisingly even TNA to give a two-night wrestling card that featured Takeshita, Josh Alexander, Mike Bailey and Athena among others. They were two incredible nights of action that were well worth the price of admission to the shows on TrillerTV.
I’m very much looking forward to what D’Amore is able to do with this new venture and as wrestling fans it gives us yet another product to enjoy.
Bound For Glory – Detroit
As all eyes were on TNA when Anthem decided to fire Scott D’Amore waiting for the company to fall apart as they fired the captain of the ship, well so far, the ship hasn’t sunk and in fact seems to be doing the best business in years. The partnership with NXT has done wonders for both NXT and TNA as they have benefited for this new working relationship. TNA has been selling out everywhere they have been going which is awesome to see as a longtime fan of the company. There has probably never been a company pronounced dead or was told it was dying as much as them. Listen there were points even I thought that it maybe it, but they have pulled it out.
Bound for Glory is their version of WrestleMania, and they absolutely delivered with this truly stacked card. Jordynne and Masha delivered an absolute classic in that ring as it appears Jordynne maybe wrapping up with TNA as she makes her way to WWE/NXT full time likely in January in my opinion. Passing the torch to Masha in an incredible TNA Knockouts Championship match was likely the first step as she winds down. Bailey and Vikingo delivered a high-flying exhibition that once again proved that the X-Division in TNA is unmatched.
One funny moment that took place during the watch party I was on with WR’s Clark Taylor and Coby Galenzoski where we were all debating who won the match between Bailey and Vikingo, we all thought it was Bailey, but later in the night this graphic was shown and the announcer doubled down on it. We weren’t sure if we were suffering from the Mandela Effects or TNA’s graphic people were wrong:
Josh Alexander and Maclin delivered a hard-hitting war. Nic Nemeth and Hendry had a great match up that shocked everyone when Hendry didn’t pull out the expected win. Then the Hardys did what they do best risk their very lives in a ladder match and come out as tag team champions again. Bound for Glory was an amazing show from top to bottom.
Bringing Honor Back to the Hell In a Cell
One of biggest complaints and pet peeves was WWE cheapening the value, history and legacy of the Hell in a Cell match when they made it an annual PPV match like it was just some cheap gimmick match. Unlike the Rumble match, the HIAC was designed to be a match for the most heated rivalries that cannot be settled by any other means. The story should always dictate the need for a HIAC, it should never be dictated by oh it is October so let’s just throw them in the cell.
CM Punk and Drew McIntyre are students of the business and set out to bring the glory back to the HIAC match. They wanted a match like the original HBK/Taker 1997 Bad Blood or Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins HIAC 2022 where the rivalries were so heated that the match was warranted. One of the huge benefits is that with Hunter in charge talent can now get permission to get color during a match if it is warranted and makes sense.
This match certainly was heated enough to justify it, and they bleed, but all of it made sense. It wasn’t the use of blood just to do it, which is never the right thing to do, to just do it because you can do it. These men painted a masterpiece in that ring with their blood, sweat and tears. Arguably the best rivalry of 2024 and one of the best matches of the year.
NXT Women’s Avengers Assemble
This visual from this past week’s NXT is so surreal and amazing. As new NXT’s women’s star, Zaria was staring down a potential 5 on 1 beat down from Fatal Influence, Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade, one by one backup arrived to even the odds. First, it was Kelani Jordan, as the heels laughed at their 5 on 2 advantage, then new talents Giulia, and Stephanie Vaquer arrived now making it 5 on 4, the heels confident but a little less so. Then the shock of the night as TNA star, Jordynne Grace made her shocking return to NXT to even the odds.
There is no question that WWE’s women’s roster is the best in the world right now and arguably the greatest roster of all time. This is Yankees Murderers Row territory and that is even before you add maybe the greatest TNA Knockout of all-time in Jordynne Grace. This dream match is taking place in the legendary 2300 Arena or as it will always be known as the ECW Arena. Could this be the team in a War Games match at Survivor Series? Totally possible.
The future of Women’s wrestling has never looked brighter when you look at the talent WWE has in house and when you add in a working relationship with TNA, it is unstoppable. Just sit back and watch these ladies create magic in that ring.
ITTMP
