Date: 04/28	11:00 AM
Views: 457

Thurs. #1 is HERE. To help out the site subscribe to Mistah MegaManFan or support us on Patreon. With the cheap plugs out of the way here's Thursday's latest wrestling news.

Unfortunate news this morning as Will Ospreay and Tatsumi Fujinami have both been pulled from Wrestling Dontaku due to a positive COVID-19 test. "Thank you for your support of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Aa a result of PCR testing, it has been determined that Tatsumi Fujinami and Will Ospreay are both positive for COVID-19, and will not be able to wrestle on Sunday May 1 at Wrestling Dontaku. New Japan Pro-Wrestling deeply apologizes to fans who were looking forward to seeing Fujinami and Ospreay wrestle. We appreciate your understanding, and join fans in wishing a speedy recovery and return. Changes have been made to the Dontaku card as a result. In the semi main event, Tomohiro Ishii will face Hiroshi Tanahashi for the vacant IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Ishii defeated Minoru Suzuki at Windy City Riot on April 16, and is slated to wrestle Eddie Kingston in Washington DC May 14. In Fujinami's absence, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI will team with a mystery opponent to open the Dontaku card."

Coincidentally or not it was just reported on Observer Radio that "several WWE wrestlers" (unnamed) have also missed recent shows due to COVID. (WO)

Dynamite highlights and AEW related videos are below.

In addition new WWE related videos are available below.

ICYMI Deonna Purrazzo will be making her AEW debut next week to face Mercedes Martinez in a ROH Women's Title unification match.

Speaking of AEW someone in Philadelphia ran their car into AND underneath the production truck yesterday. Thankfully the driver of that car was okay, but as the production truck driver said, "don't text and drive."

ZERO1 has announced a Shinjiro Otani benefit show in cross promotion with New Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Oshinobu PREMIUM ONE TEAM ZERO1! Shinjiro Otani Aid!! Stand up as many times as you want!

In this tournament, we will donate the full amount of proceeds minus miscellaneous expenses from sales to Shinjiro Otani.

Date and time: Saturday, June 4, 2022, the game starts at 16:00 (doors open at 14:30)

Venue name: Ota City General Gymnasium (1-11-1 Higashikamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo TEL: 03-5480-6688)

Access: 5-minute walk from Umeyashiki Station on the Keikyu Line / 7-minute walk from Keikyu Kamata Station / 15-minute walk from Kamata Station on the JR Line & Tokyu Line

Organizer: Daiko Holdings Group, Inc.

Co-organizer: Daiko ZERO1 Co., Ltd.

Cooperation: New Japan Pro Wrestling / Pro Wrestling NOAH / Dainippon Pro Wrestling / Ganbare Pro Wrestling / FREEDOMS, etc.

Contact: Daiko ZERO1 Co., Ltd. 03-6661-6961

Both AEW Dynamite and Rampage this week were extensively rewritten due to Hangman Page's absence (due to a positive COVID test). On Dynamite in particular there was supposed to be a big angle between CM Punk and Page to promote their match at Double or Nothing, but without Page being there Punk simply came out and announced the match instead. Page expects to be back by next week so they'll probably do the planned angle then. (WO)

Braun Strowman (Adam Scherr) says everyone is talking about Control Your Narrative (but not for the right reasons): "Love us, hate us, everybody's talking about us. At the end of the day, that's what you want. There's so much competition out there, in the wrestling industry as a whole. If you really think about it, with all of the different federations, independently big, sponsored and this and that, there's something wrestling involved on live television almost every day of the week. There's 40 million streaming services so it's finding your niche and finding a place to fit in there."

Tom Hannifan says more people should be talking about Jordynne Grace (and I agree): "Jordynne Grace. Jordynne Grace is one of one. There are things physically in the ring she can do that nobody else can do, male or female. She's arguably the strongest IMPACT wrestler right now. She has a boatload of personality. All you have to do is go on social media and see what she's all about. I just think people are scratching the surface with what she can do. So I think there is plenty. I know you guys were talking about Ace Austin and Taya Valkyrie. Although I don't think Ace is a secret to anybody, nor is Taya. I think Chris Bey is starting to do some really exciting things now with Bullet Club running pretty regularly here on IMPACT Wrestling. I think that's really exciting. Steve Maclin can say now that he beat Jay White of Bullet Club and Chris Sabin in the same night to open up Rebellion. I think what Steve Maclin has been able to do over the past year, didn't get pinned for six months and has really found his groove within the company. He's a force to be reckoned with, so there's a lot of people out there that fans should be paying attention to."