Various: Trent Seven Pulled from TNA Hard To Kill 2024, Afa The Wild Samoan Recovering From Pneumonia & Two Heart Attacks, Indies

Jan 13, 2024

Trent Seven Pulled from TNA Hard To Kill 2024 & Replaced with Laredo Kid

TNA Wrestling announced that they have pulled Trent Seven from tonight’s Hard To Kill 2024 event in Las Vegas, Nevada due to travel-related issues.

It was also announced that Laredo Kid will be replacing Seven for “Speedball” Mike Bailey’s partner for the scheduled TNA World Tag Team Championship Four-way match at the event.

Due to travel issues, @trentseven is unable to compete at tonight’s #HardToKill. @SpeedballBailey will now team with @Laredokidpro1 in the 4-Way match for the TNA World Tag Team Titles.

Order on TNA+: https://t.co/xmZZd6nulv pic.twitter.com/bLilDdZfWI
— TNA Wrestling (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 13, 2024

Updated card for TNA Hard To Kill 2024:

TNA World Championship – Moose vs. Alex Shelley (c)
TNA Knockouts World Championship – Jordynne Grace vs. Trinity (c)
TNA X-Division Championship – KUSHIDA vs. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Chris Sabin (c)
TNA World Tag Team Championship Four-way match – The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel) vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey & Laredo Kid vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) (c)
Knockouts Ultimate X match – Gisele Shaw vs. Xia Brookside vs. Jody Threat vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Jody Threat vs. Tasha Steelz
PCO vs. Dirty Dango
Alex Hammerstone vs. Josh Alexander
Pre-show: Rich Swann vs. Steve Maclin
Pre-show: TNA Digital Media Championship – Crazzy Steve vs. Tommy Dreamer (c)
Pre-show: Eric Young & Frankie Kazarian vs. Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards

Afa The Wild Samoan Hospitalized & Recovery From Pneumonia & Two Heart Attacks

The family of WWE Hall of Famer Afa The Wild Samoan, real name Afa Anoa’i, announced on Facebook that Afa was hospitalized this past Thursday night due to him suffering from pneumonia and had suffered a mild heart attack upon his arrival. The family also announced that Afa later suffered a second heart attack but he is currently feeling okay and recovering from his health ordeal.

Update on Afa the Wild Samoan, affectionately known as Pops: Afa was admitted to the hospital last night with pneumonia, but had a mild heart attack upon arrival. Today, he had a second small heart attack and was sent for a heart catheterization. He is doing ok, his spirits are high. He isn’t out of the woods yet, but will be kept in the hospital for a day or two for observation and monitoring. He thanks everyone for their concern, continued love, and prayers.

In a follow-up update, the family of Afa released a video message featuring him thanking everyone for the support they have shown towards him.

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

Saturday’s Star Navigation 2024 event for Pro Wrestling NOAH in Tokyo, Japan featured Kenoh defeating Go Shiozaki to retain the GHC Heavyweight Championship and become the new owner of the “I Am NOAH” catchphrase from Shiozaki. Following the match, Kenoh gave a promo declaring himself “I Am NOAH” before giving the catchphrase back to Shiozaki since he only wanted to say the phrase due to him proclaiming himself as NOAH’s new Ace. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. then came down to the ring and challenged Kenoh for his title which Kenoh accepted.

New Japan Pro Wrestling reportedly has sold around 2,083 tickets for tonight’s Battle In The Valley 2024 event in San Jose, California as of this afternoon, according to WrestleTix.

Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that Jeff Cobb is currently expected to be Matt Riddle’s mystery partner for his tag team match against TMDK at tonight’s Battle In The Valley 2024 event in San Jose.

TNA Wrestling reportedly has sold around 1,500 tickets for tonight’s Hard To Kill 2024 event in Las Vegas, Nevada as of this afternoon, according to WrestleTix.

TNA reportedly has also sold around 1,077 tickets for their Snake Eyes event on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada as of Friday night, according to WrestleTix.

Wrestling-based film The Iron Claw reportedly has generated around $24,336,609 in box office revenues as of this past Sunday, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

In a recent Q&A article, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Women of Wrestling officials currently have plans to run live specials for CBS at some point in the future.

Rock band Downstait recently released a teaser of the new entrance music they are currently producing for Nic Nemeth’s post-WWE career.

Friday’s No Compadre event for Game Changer Wrestling in Chicago, Illinois featured Colt Cabana and Nick Wayne making a surprise appearance. Cabana replaced Matt Cardona for his scheduled 6-Man Tag Team match with Steph DeGoldman (Steph de Lander) and Boom Boom Jimmy Lloyd against Bussy (EFFY & Allie Katch) & 1 Called Manders. Wayne replaced Gresham for his scheduled match against Lio Rush at the event.

GCW’s No Compadre event in Chicago also featured a video promo by Matt Cardona calling out Nic Nemeth and officially challenging him to a match in GCW. Cardona stated “In 2024, the landscape of independent wrestling is about to change. There’s all this new blood, all these shiny new toys, all these new free agents. But let me remind you that I am The Agent, and it makes me sick, sick to my stomach that all these ex-WWE guys are coming over to the indies, and they’re trying to leech on companies like GCW to get buzz. Who should do something like that? Guys like Dolla, AJ Francis. Dolla, I watched your GCW debut from my couch, and I thought my television was broken because there was zero pop. In fact, there was negative pop. Nobody gave a shit. But you’re still on the internet, talking trash, rapping, and asking ‘Who hotta?’ Well, I’ll tell you. The Indie God-a. So why don’t you sing and dance your big ass to the back of the line? Mustafa Ali, congrats kid, you’re wearing these custom-made suits. Big deal. I think you’ve been a little too preoccupied the past two or three years bitching and moaning about your spot to realize that I am the President of Independent Wrestling, and my term is not over until I say so. Last but certainly not least, ‘The Wanted Man’ Nic Nemeth. For over a decade, underrated, underappreciated, underutilized, according to him. Now’s his chance to show the world that he’s as good as he says he is. But I don’t think you are. Let me remind you, Nic. I’m the man that beat you to become the WWE United States Champion, and I fully intend to beat you again. So here we are. I’m laying out the challenge right here. Nic Nemeth, Matt Cardona. You name the time, you name the place, it doesn’t matter to me because I’m Alwayz Ready. You can bring your lackey, bring your brother, bring Ryan because I got Jimmy fucking Lloyd, and I got the baddest bitch on the indies, SDL, and there is no way you’re stopping me, no way you’re dethroning me, no way you’re taking my crown because I’m the Deathmatch King, and I am the Indy God. Then, now, forever.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)