Various: Jeff Cobb Challenges Kenny Omega for IWGP US Title, Jonathan Gresham on Joining Impact, Indies

Mar 17, 2023

Jeff Cobb Issues Match Challenge to Kenny Omega for IWGP US Title

Following New Japan Pro Wrestling’s New Japan Cup 2023 event this past Wednesday in Okayama, Japan, Jeff Cobb stated in a backstage press conference that he wants to challenge Kenny Omega for his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Cobb stated that Omega had told him at NJPW’s New Year’s Dash 2023 event this past January to find him in North America if he wanted a match between the two in the future.

“Also on a side note, Kenneth Omega, you have been running and running and running — no, let me rephrase it, you’ve been flying away from where Jeff Cobb is. How many miles do you have? Are you a Diamond status on Delta yet? Kenneth, you said come find you in America and I went to every spot you go to; Maid cafés, comic book shops, video game bars, nowhere to be seen so Kenneth, I’ve got a couple miles saved up myself. I may just come find you again… at your company. So Kenneth, sayonara and oyasumi.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

Jonathan Gresham Comments on His Decision to Sign with Impact Wrestling

A recent episode of the Paltrocast with Darren Paltrowitz podcast featured Jonathan Gresham as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Gresham’s thoughts on the process that led to his signing with Impact Wrestling.

“I wouldn’t say it was always kind of open (opportunity to join IMPACT Wrestling). It’s just something that I kind of felt — when Ring of Honor was originally, I guess phasing out or whatever you wanna say and IMPACT kind of stepped in and kind of giving a lot of the guys work, I was kind of flirting with the idea then. It just didn’t turn out that way so, I had the opportunity to join and I did.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

The International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame recently announced that Dan McLeod, Dr. Benjamin Franklin “Doc” Roller, Georg Lurich, Tom Connor, Verne Gagne, Gorgeous George (George Wagner), Mitsuharu Misawa, Bert Assirati, Bob Backlund, Keiji Muto, Kenta Kobashi, and June Byers are this year’s class of inductees for their Hall of Fame. It was also announced that this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony will be taking place on August 26th in Albany, New York.

Ice Ribbon recently announced that Nao Ishikawa will be leaving the company following the expiration of her contract at the end of this month. It was also announced that Asahi recently signed a new contract with the company and will be loaned to Actwres Girl’Z promotion for the next three to six months per her request.

New Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced that they have delayed the start of their sale for tickets for their upcoming NJPW Strong Resurgence event on April 21st in Long Beach, California due to stage and seating configuration issues. This ticket sale was originally scheduled to start this past Wednesday and has been delayed to a new date that will be announced in the future.

NJPW also recently announced three new matches for the card of their Capital Collision 2023 event on April 15th in Washington, D.C.:

Fred Rosser vs. Juice Robinson
Tomohiro Ishii, Clark Connors, The DKC, Lio Rush, & Rocky Romero vs. Volador Jr., “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Gabriel Kid, Kevin Knight, & KUSHIDA
Pre-show: TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Shane Haste) vs. West Coast Wrecking Crew (Royse Isaacs & Jorel Nelson)

Major League Wrestling recently announced that Raven and Rickey Shane Page are the next set of official competitors for the Battle Riot match at their Battle Riot V event on April 8th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

MLW also recently announced two new matches for the card of their War Chamber 2023 event on April 6th in New York City, New York:

MLW World Middleweight Championship – Lio Rush vs. Lince Dorado (c)
Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Calvin Tankman

Thursday’s Impact Wrestling’s Impact! show featured The Coven (KiLynn King & Taylor Wilde) defeating The Death Dollz (Taya Valkyrie & Rosemary) to be crowned the new Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Champions. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that this week’s show was not Valkyrie’s final appearance in Impact and instead they had taped a segment for Valkyrie’s farewell that will air later this month. Valkyrie’s contract with Impact had expired this past February and recently signed a contract with AEW.

Impact Wrestling recently announced three new matches for the card of their Sacrifice 2023 event on March 24th in Windsor, Canada:

Impact World Tag Team Championship – TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Shane Haste) vs. Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) (c)
Jonathan Gresham vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
Impact Digital Media Championship – Brian Myers vs. Joe Hendry (c)

Game Changer Wrestling recently announced a new match for the card of their Worst Behavior event on March 19th in Toronto, Canada:

Gringo Loco vs. Jack Cartwheel

GCW also recently announced a new match for the card of their Scene of the Crime event on April 22nd in Orlando, Florida:

Blake Christian vs. Alex Zayne

PROGRESS Wrestling recently announced a new match for the card of their event on April 23rd in London, England:

PROGRESS World Championship Steel Cage match – Cara Noir vs. Spike Trivet (c)

The National Wrestling Alliance recently announced two new matches for the card of their NWA 312 event on April 7th in Highland Park, Illinois:

Pre-show: NWA United States Tag Team Championship – Blake Troop & Jax Dane vs. Country Gentlemen (A.J. Cazana & Anthony Andrews) (c)
NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championships – Pretty Empowered (Ella Envy & Rylee Rockett) vs. Missa Kate & Madi Wrenkowski (c)