Welcome to an all new edition of Blogs Count Anywhere, the complementary pro wrestling blog to the ODPH podcast and 607TWS. The aftermath of Triple H’s first week in the WWE creative office has been a staple on many wrestling fans’ social media this week. While it is a big move (one that will be discussed on all the 607 podcasts this week), there were some big moments that flew under the radar to casual fans. One of which was this epic match for AEW Rampage: AEW Intern world champ JON MOXLEY taking on the one and only MANCE WARNER! Let’s discuss this and more topics, shall we?
MANCE WARNER
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Why was this such a big match you might ask? In case you’re not familiar, Mance is a very well known wrestler on the independent scene. Mance can go in the ring and also cut great promos as seen with his Rampage hype video. Some may know “The Southern Psycho” from his work in MLW, but (imo) he is more associated with being a member of the Second Gear Crew in Game Changer Wrestling. Speaking of GCW, Jon Moxley just happens to be the world champion there as well. The match was exceptionally good with Moxley retaining the title. Getting talent from the hottest indie promotion on mainstream television is a huge win, not just for GCW, but for AEW as well.
For a company that gears a good majority of its promotion towards the internet wrestling community (IWC), AEW continuing the “Forbidden Door” mentality is a way to keep fans attention on the product, especially with all the changes in WWE. Why not showcase some of the roster making the biggest waves on the scene? Granted, this isn’t the first time GCW and AEW have crossed paths. Most notably: Nick Gage wrestled Chris Jericho on AEW Dynamite and At “Ring of Honor: Death Before Dishonor”, a pre-show match featured Tony Deppen, Alex Zayne (both pictured below) and Blake Christian. All of which have been staples of the GCW roster.
Tony Deppen & Alex Zayne
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
From this exposure, both companies should see some momentum picked up. In AEW’s case, seeing GCW fans eyes come to the product is a big plus. According to early reports, AEW Rampage ratings were around 431,000 viewers, which is up significantly (IMO) from where they’ve been. If you listen to any of the 607 Podcasts, you know I’m not one that lives and dies about ratings but it is noteworthy about the increase from this match. Ol’ Mancer might have lost the match but there was quite the internet buzz about it. AEW would be wise to capitalize on this and try factoring more matches like this into their AEW/ROH programing. The more eyes on the product, the better.
In GCW’s case, this still a win. While not mentioned on air, fans hit the net to start searching Mance and I’m sure that GCW popped up frequently. This never hurts a brand that continues to grow and set the bar for indie promotions right now. With their “Wrestlemania”-esque card coming up this week with GCW Homecoming, an extra boost in PPV buys wouldn’t be surprising. From the match quality to story telling to all things in-between, GCW has earned their buzz. When their name is associated with a wrestling show, fans will tune in. Proof is right here with the Rampage match. Don’t doubt some new fans jumping on the bandwagon after this past Friday night.
Jon Moxley
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Moxley has a busy week lined up for himself. He has a big rematch with Chris Jericho on AEW Dynamite on Wednesday and Saturday night, he defends the GCW world title vs. EFFY! Since claiming the intern title, Moxley has been very active. Featuring the champ on AEW TV is a huge plus. The GCW match will be the more compelling match of the week. There is much more to break down there than the Jericho rematch. We might see an upset on Wednesday but guessing that things will remain steady heading towards ALL OUT on Sept. 3rd. Hopefully we hear who Mox will be facing: A returning CM Punk or don’t doubt Kenny Omega being added there in replacement.
Madison Rayne
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Last bit of AEW news: It was announced that Madison Rayne will be joining AEW as a coach in their women’s division. I think this is a great move. Rayne is well known from her time in the Impact Wrestling Knockouts division. Bringing her knowledge and experience to AEW should benefit immensely. Rayne is hitting the ground running and is scheduled to wrestle TBS Champion Jade Cargill on Wednesday. Not a bad way to make an impact (no pun intended) the first week.
GCW Homecoming
Photo Credit: Game Changer Wrestling
As previously mentioned on the blog, GCW has their premiere event unfolding from Atlantic City this weekend with GCW Homecoming. Last year, the wresting world was set on fire as Matt Cadona upset Nick Gage to win the GCW title, in one of the best storylines in all of pro wrestling. For this year, all eyes are on the GCW championship as Jon Moxley defends against EFFY! Since winning the belt late last year, <ox has torn thru all challengers in some classic matches. Will Effy finally be the one to get the title off him, or if not, will it be a rematch with Nick Gage down the road? Buy the bundle from Fite TV and don’t miss it!
Impact Wrestling: Emergence (Steve Maclin and Sami Callihan)
Photo Credit: Impact Wrestling
Last bit of pro-wrestling news: This Friday night, Impact Wrestling has a great card hailing from Chicago: Emergence! This event is featuring Honor No More vs. Bullet Club, Knockouts champ Jordynne Grace vs Mia Yim, Impact world Champ Josh Alexander vs. Alex Shelley and Steve Maclin vs Sami Callihan ! The event can be viewed on Impact Plus ! You definitely want to catch this card if possible.
That’s all the pro wrestling talk for the blog this week. Hit me up on Twitter and let me know what wrestling you’re watching. For more coverage, check out the ODPH and 607TWS podcasts this week.
Thanks for reading.