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Pro wrestling fans were reminded last week about how close their favorite superstars are to the end than the beginning.
It first happened on “Monday Night Raw.” Seth Rollins came out in the last segment to challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The prospect of Reigns and Rollins going head-to-head again may have seemed a bit tiresome on the surface, but Rollins explained to Reigns that it could be one of the last times, if not the last time, they ever do battle in the ring again.
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“This may be your last chance to close that loop. You and me, we came into this company together. We came through that crowd. We knocked down the door. The kicked the old generation to the curb. We made this place our own. We created the greatest generation in the history of this industry. You and me. We did that together,” Rollins said. “My man, we are much closer to the end than we are to the beginning. And just like it was when we came in, young, hungry, ready to take over there is a new generation of young men and women coming in and ready to do the same thing to us.
“So, I say again, this may be our last chance to do this dance, brother. What do you want your legacy to be? When you are retired, you will go down as one of the greatest of all time. No doubt about it. Probably No. 1. You are a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Hell, they should just give you your own Hall of Fame show. You’d be the only one and I might even be there to induct you. But if you don’t accept this challenge, you will never be able to escape the ghost of Seth Rollins.”
Rollins and Reigns are each in their 40s and have, at points, shown they could perform for longer than people expect. But Rollins has experienced several injuries since the build-up to WrestleMania 40. He knows better than anyone about how much longer it takes to recover from the injuries.
On All Elite Wrestling’s “Dynamite,” the hint of pro wrestling stars come into the twilight of their careers was a little more subtle.
Omega agreed to the stipulation to go up against MJF for the AEW World Championship on next week’s “Dynamite.” If he loses to MJF, he will no longer we allowed to challenge for the title.
“There’s been no greater passion, no greater pleasure than stepping through these ropes and giving you people everything that I have,” Omega said. “Whether it be when I was a 14-year-old boy or a 42-year-old broken down man, you still get the same 100% Kenny Omega every single time. I’ve won titles. I’ve broken records, records that may never be broken again. I have a career I could probably hang my hat on and be proud of, look back upon fondly, but you see, there’s this selfish part about me that knows it just isn’t enough.
“There’s this part of me that thinks there’s still a little bit left in the tank. There’s a part of me that thinks if I can believe, if Will (Ospreay) can believe, if the Young Bucks can believe, if you people can believe just one more time, then I know I could be a champion that each and every one of you can be proud of and I could stand on the greatest stage that AEW has ever stepped foot on in Wembley Stadium and I can represent All Elite Wrestling where the best wrestle, where I can face Will Ospreay, the winner of the Owen Hart Cup.”
The moments are a reminder to fans that the generational talents that have built professional wrestling for the last two decades are slowly breaking down. It’s a reminder to bask in the glory of the greats while they are still around.
Reigns vs. Rollins will be at SummerSlam while Omega takes on MJF this Wednesday.
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Cody Rhodes gets another title shot
Sami Zayn pulled off a shocking win at WWE Night of Champions to close out June and it left a few people on the WWE roster trying to climb over each other to get a chance at the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Jey Uso lost to Oba Femi and decided to waltz over to SmackDown to try to get a shot at Zayn’s title. Cody Rhodes, however, was pinned by Zayn to lose the championship Uso and Rhodes would be forced to battle it out to earn the No. 1 contender spot.
Rhodes hit multiple Cross Rhodes maneuvers on Uso before pinning him for the win.
Zayn and Rhodes will meet for the Undisputed WWE Championship on “Monday Night Raw” in Chicago.
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New TBS champion crowned
Willow Nightingale going down with an injury left two major holes in AEW. She was forced out of the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament and needed to drop the TBS Championship.
AEW announced a Survival of the Fittest match to crown the new TBS champion. Hikaru Shida, Harley Cameron, Kris Statlander, Maika, Persephone and Queen Aminata each qualified for the match, which took place Wednesday night on “Dynamite.”
Persephone looked strong has she eliminated two opponents but she ran into Statlander, who rolled her up and pinned her. Persephone got her revenge on Statlander when she hit her with the TBS title belt. Shida put Statlander into a submission hold and the referee called the match as Statlander was knocked out.
It’s Shida’s first reign as champion.
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Kendal Grey’s first promo
Kendal Grey defeated Lola Vice for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship at The Great American Bash. On Tuesday, she cut her first promo as champion.
Grey came off as relatable, acknowledging that she’s not the best on the microphone but vowed to wrestle like the champion she is.
“I know I might not look like your normal champion. I mean, last week, I sat across the table from Lola Vice with her designer dresses, her heels, being all glammed up. And I thought to myself in that moment, ‘That’s what a champion looks like.’ But that’s not me. That’s not my style. I mean I can’t even sit in the makeup chair for five minutes without going crazy. And to be honest with you guys, I wipe off half the makeup they put on me before I come out here every time.
“So, yeah, I’m probably not going to be comfortable dressing up like a ‘Barbie.’ And I’ll probably be nervous as hell every time I talk to you guys and I can’t guarantee that every time I talk I’m going to sound like a champion but when the bell rings, I’m damn sure gonna wrestle like a champion. I’m ready to take this division to another level – a level that no one has seen before. And if this title puts a target on my back, good. I welcome that target. I thrive under pressure. I thrive in the competition and when you step in the ring with Kendal Grey, it’s my match, it’s my tempo, it’s my pace and all the other girls in the locker room right now sooner or later are gonna find out that they just can’t keep up with Kendal.
Grey certainly has a target on her back.
Kali Armstrong wanted to be Grey’s first opponent and GM Rob Stone told her that “actions speak louder than words. Armstrong took it to heart when she attacked Grey later in the night. Still, it didn’t seem to be enough to get that title shot right away.
Grey will ahve her first title defense opportunity this week against Nattie Neidhart.
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Pro wrestling news and notes from the week:
- MJF defended the AEW World Championship against Mark Briscoe.
- Kevin Knight defended the AEW TNT Championship against Lio Rush.
- Trevor Lee captures the MLW Southern Crown Championship in a bunkhouse stampede match over Andrew Everett, Diego Hill, Festus, Ikuro Kwon, Jesus Rodriguez, Josh Bishop, Matthew Justice, Paul Walter Hauser and The Beastman.
- Mascara Dorada and Mistico won the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship against Sammy Guevara and The Beast Mortos.
- Rey Fenix defeated El Hijo del Vikingo to retain the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship.
- Fabian Aichner became the No. 1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship.
- Japanese women’s wrestling promotion, Stardom, reorganized and will now fall under Bushiroad’s Live Entertainment Unit.
- Nikki Blackheart made her debut on NXT. She attacked Tatum Paxley after her match against Kelani Jordan to close out the show.
