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WHO AEW SHOULD INVITE TO TAKE PART IN THE JERICHO ANNIVERSARY, NXT TAKEOVER WITH A SHORT BUILD, PILLMAN JR. IN AEW, KEITH LEE AS THE NEW ROMAN? AND MORE

By Mike Johnson on 2020-09-26 10:00:00

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There's been a rumor making the rounds that Michael Hayes left WWE months ago.  Is that true?

We are told that while Michael Hayes took time off to have a hip replacement surgery awhile ago, he has been back working full-time in his executive role for quite a while already.  So, he never left the company and is still there.

Who should be included at Jericho's anniversary show?

If it's me, I make sure Dean Malenko and Vickie Guerrero are there.   I'd invite Lance Storm, if he could get into the country.  I'd invite Fozzy to perform.  I'd grab a bunch fo names from heavy metal to send well wishes.  Maybe Ultimo Dragon.  I'd even go for the gusto and invite Dwayne Johnson to send a promo, because if I am AEW, what the hell do I have to lose in asking? 

Why doesn't the WWE do RAW Roulette anymore?

Likely because the gimmick has run its course for now.

Why did they schedule a takeover event less than three weeks before the event. The stories have been rushed and while Finn Balor-Kyle O Reilly should be a good match it doesn’t have the buzz of past takeover main events. This is disappointing considering NXT has done the best job in all of wrestling of making their events feel special and this one isn’t

I think it was just a matter of the company changing their plans when the decision was made not to have a Takeover the night before Survivor Series this year.  I can't complain about a show that is going to give us Finn Balor vs. Kyle O'Reilly on top.    Obviously, when you have a shorter period of time to tell a story, there story isn't going to be as a deep and you don't have as much time to tease things, but we've never seen a terrible Takeover show and I certainly don't think they plan to start now.

Were you a fan of Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazines? I know they didn’t break kayfabe and treated wrestling as real. I have a big collection of them and even though the stories were made up it’s still fun to look at them. Your thoughts?

When I was a kid, I loved the magazines and I have nothing but warm memories of the material Stu Saks, Bill Apter, etc. put together.   I have told Bill Apter a number of times over the years that the magazines taught me the geography of the United States.  They were the mark of a different time and presentation of the business.  If they would re-release the magazines in digital form as a collection, I'd be the first to order that.

How is it that Brian Pillman Jr. can work AEW when he's with MLW?

Pillman had an existing MLW deal that was signed prior to the creation of AEW, so he was legally able to do so.  MLW contracts that have been drafted since the creation of AEW are much more exclusive in nature and prevent talents from working for other nationally broadcast promotions.  The language in the older contracts specifically spelled out what promotions those were and since there was no AEW, it couldn't be included.   That's how MJF was splitting time between the promotions before his MLW deal expired and he moved onto AEW full-time. 

The newer deals don't have that loophole, as we reported back when Jacob Fatu signed a new deal with MLW exclusively, and are written in such a way that they not only list the current nationally television promotions but the language also reflects any new promotion that might come along at that level.  So, if you were planning to run XYZ Wrestling nationally, don't expect to book any MLW talents for it unless you've worked out an agreement with MLW!

Do you think the early push they are giving Keith Lee will turn in to a Roman Reigns like situation where the fans turn on him?

Only if they book him to have some of the lamest material ever like they did with Roman for an extended period of time.   The fans saw Roman as a badass but terrible writing and lines like "Suffering Sucotash" pretty much destroyed his edge.  I love the Looney Toons as much as anyone but that line never should have been uttered on a professional wrestling show, ever.  Let's hope Lee will be exempt from some of the idiocy Reigns and others have endured over the years.

Why did it take so long for Ric Flair to get his own sneakers?

He spent most of his time wearing wrestling boots!  I'll be here all week.  Try the veal!

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