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THE INSANE AMOUNT OF SHOWS HEADING TO WRESTLEMANIA WEEKEND, KINGSTON IN EVOLVE, KAWADA AND MORE

By Mike Johnson on 2018-12-29 10:00:00

My head is spinning looking at all the choices for live events over Wrestlemania 35 week.  How do you intend to handle it?

Honestly, for the first time, I am probably going to cut back on what I cover live in person.  Living in NYC, I know how hard it's going to be just trying to run back and forth with traffic to events and I won't really have any time to spare.  I'll cover as much as I can, but I really will probably attend far less than I usually would over a Wrestlemania weekend where I am out of town covering it because it's going to be impossible to hit two different venues in Queens, one in Jersey City, one in Rahway, all the WWE events in Brooklyn, ROH and Wrestlecon in Manhattan and anything else that pounces upon the fans that weekend.   It's truly amazing how many choices there are already.  It may even be that it'll be more efficient for me to cover more shows via live streams vs. actually traveling to some of them, just to cut out travel time and put more time into coverage.   I'll just put the call out now - if anyone intends to hit shows that weekend and wants to send us reports, we'd love that!

If you had a place to suggest fans to stay Mania 35 weekend where would it be?

I'd say the Hilton where Wrestlecon is, because you can use the subway to get to any of the other NYC-based shows and you'd be at ground zero for Wrestlecon the second you wake up.

Any word on AXXESS?

We've heard NYC, but nothing beyond that.

One of the things that really has me impressed for Mania weekend is the influx of all the Japanese talents - everyone from Onita to STARDOM to Muta to Dragon Gate will be here.  Has there been any word on Toshiaki Kawada appearing?

Kawada has never, to the best of my recollection, ever appeared in the United States.   He has not regularly wrestled in years and I really would be shocked if someone was able to get him to come over, even if it was just for a signing.

Why isn't WWE airing live for the holidays this year?

Last year when they were, it was a Vince McMahon call, so since they are not this year, we have to assume it was a Vince call as well.

Why did EVOLVE book Eddie Kingston right after the LAX debacle that led to Gabe Sapolsky announcing he would never book contracted Impact talents again?

Kingston isn't under contract to Impact Wrestling and hasn't been since well before he returned to the company for the OGz vs. LAX feud.  He can wrestle and work anywhere he wants.

How much do you think the Elite leaving ROH will have on the draw of ROH at MSG?

Zero.  The tickets were sold.  ROH made their money.  Is it possible some fans will flip them to go to AXXESS or the Hall of Fame or another event?  Sure, but at the end of the day, ROH made their money on the show and I don't believe the Elite were ever advertised for the event.

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