Various: Tributes to Jay Briscoe, Santino Marella on Impact Signing, WOW TV Ratings, Indies

Jan 18, 2023

ROH, AEW, WWE, & Others Pay Tribute to Jay Briscoe

As noted before, Jay Briscoe, real name Jamin Pugh, passed away on Tuesday following a fatal car accident in Delaware which also claimed the life of another person.

Following his passing, Ring of Honor, AEW, WWE, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and others from around the wrestling industry paid tribute to the life and legacy of Briscoe on social media. In regards to WWE, their tribute took place during the broadcast of Tuesday’s NXT show.

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the tragic passing of Jamin Pugh, known to wrestling fans around the world as Jay Briscoe. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and his fans. pic.twitter.com/5wB6HpVY0x
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) January 18, 2023

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the tragic passing of Jamin Pugh, known to wrestling fans around the world as Jay Briscoe. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and his fans. pic.twitter.com/g95ID0ZnDW
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 18, 2023

Vic Joseph sends prayers to Jay Brisco's family on NXT. pic.twitter.com/DLutjuQjHG
— Austin (@rondarouseyszn) January 18, 2023

Santino Marella Comments on His Recent Signing with Impact Wrestling

A recent episode of The Dave Van Auken Show podcast had Santino Marella as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Marella’s reasons why he decided to recently sign an official contract with Impact Wrestling.

“I was looking for 2023, not this early, but to get back out there and do something. Scott (D’Amore), as a habit, when he gets former WWE guys, he goes and checks the trademarks. He found that in 2021, WWE did not renew the Santino Marella trademark. Scott jumped on it and IMPACT Wrestling now owns the Santino Marella trademark. A lot people, when I came out and said I was Santino Marella, they were like, ‘Woah, how is he able to use that?’ That was almost bigger news than me coming out, being able to use the name. It was fun. Not having to modify the character and just being Santino, something that I am good at and comfortable with and I can be Santino on the drop of a dime. I wasn’t gone long enough to where nobody knows me, but I was gone long enough that it means something. It was a good balance. Timing is everything and it was the right time.”

Marella also gave his thoughts on if WWE or AEW had contacted him for a potential deal prior to his signing with Impact.

“I have a very good relationship with WWE and we chat sometimes. The thing is, I’m Canadian, so to bring me in for a one-off, they have to get a work visa. ‘Man, we’re going to spend five Gs ($5,000) to bring him in for one day?’ It really didn’t make it worth it. I had a green card, I have since relinquished my green card. With IMPACT, I have a US work visa again. I did talk to Scott in the beginning and said, ‘one of the only things I ask is that when my daughter is able to be called up, I’d like to do something in the ring with her.’ He’s cool with that. AEW, I’ve been to a couple of shows backstage, a lot of friends. So many guys I admire or I’ve worked with. WWE, my life is so perfectly balanced right now, I can’t gamble that. To go on the road for 50 weeks a year, even if it’s for one day — the Booker T schedule where I fly in, do commentary, fly home — that’s still every week. I really like this schedule.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

WOW TV Ratings – Jan. 1, 2023

WOW: Women of Wrestling reportedly drew 353,000 viewers for their January 1st episode on syndication, down from the prior week’s 360,000 viewers.

It drew a 0.07 18-49 rating, up from the prior week’s 0.06 rating.

Source: Wrestlenomics

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

A new wrestling-based documentary film based on the life of the late Jon Huber, titled This is Brodie Lee, will be debuting on Vimeo’s On Demand service on February 3rd.

As noted before, former wrestler Tammy Sytch was arrested this past May in Florida following a police investigation into a fatal car accident involving Sytch this past March. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that a motion was filed by the daughter of the late Julian L. Lasseter, victim of Sytch’s fatal car accident, on January 9th to the Circuit Court of the Sevenths Judicial Circuit based on recent court records. This motion reportedly requested to add a third defendant, Ultimate Motor Cars, LLC, to the civil lawsuit. This motion reportedly is claiming that Ultimate Motor Cars “may bear” some responsibility in Lasseter’s passing due to the company had approved Sytch’s purchase of a car from them despite knowing she did not have a valid driver’s license at the time and had past DUI arrests on her record.

Game Changer Wrestling recently announced that The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) will be making their official debut appearance for the company at their Ransom event on March 5th in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Lucha Libre AAA recently announced that Alberto El Patron, former Alberto Del Rio in WWE, will be making an appearance for the company at their Lucha Libre World Cup 2023 event on March 19th in Guadalajara and their Triplemania XXI: Monterrey event on April 16th in Monterrey, Mexico.

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that the late Antonio Inoki was recently posthumously awarded a Conferment of Honors and the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government.

NJPW also recently announced that this year’s Sakura Genesis event will be taking place on April 8th in Tokyo, Japan.

NJPW recently announced a new match stipulation for the card of their The New Beginning in Osaka 2023 event on February 11th in Osaka, Japan:

Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2023 Championship Mixed Martial Arts Rules match – Great-O-Khan vs. Shingo Takagi (c)

Major League Wrestling recently announced a new match for the card of their SuperFight 2023 event on February 4th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

MLW Women’s World Featherweight Championship – Delmi Exo vs. Taya Valkyrie (c)

The National Wrestling Alliance recently announced a new match for the card of their live episode of NWA Powerrr on January 31st:

NWA Champions Series 2023 Finals – Team Tyrus (Samantha Starr, Kayla Kassidy, Allysin Kay, Carnage, EC3, Thrillbilly Silas, Trevor Murdoch, Rolando Perez, & BLK Jeez) vs. Team Rock & Roll (Taya Valkyrie, Madi Wrenkowski, Jennacide, Kerry Morton, Ricky Morton, Chris Adonis, Mims, Dak Draper, & Alex Taylor Willoughby)

PROGRESS Wrestling recently announced a new match for the card of their Chapter 148: Start Spreading The News event on January 22nd in London, England:

Lio Rush vs. Danny Black