Various: Nic Nemeth on His Post-WWE Free Agency & Joining TNA, Kota Ibushi to Undergo Ankle Surgery This Wednesday, Indies

Jan 16, 2024

Nic Nemeth Comments on TNA Being a Perfect Fit for His Post-WWE Career

As noted before, Nic Nemeth, former Dolph Ziggler in WWE, made his official debut for TNA Wrestling at their Hard To Kill 2024 event this past Saturday in Las Vegas. Nevada.

Following the event, TNA held an interview with Nemeth. One of the topics discussed included Nemeth’s thoughts about him feeling good that multiple companies were interested in him following his release from WWE and TNA being the perfect fit for him.

“I had a lot of time to think in the last three, four, five, six months to where what can I do to extend my legacy but also have an entirely different chapter, a different mindset, a different person and I said, ‘I really feel like I’m a wanted man’ because the day I left my last job, I had so many — I’m so lucky that I had so many people reach out. Not to say thank you or none of that stuff, congrats. A bunch of people reached out instantly and said, ‘We want you here’ and I go, ‘Man, it is great to feel that.’ I am very fortunate and lucky that people came out, ‘How can we get you? What can we do?’ And I was like, ‘Man, I’m kind of a wanted man.’ It got me more excited and I’m back in it… I was like, ‘I could show up and be a hired gun here, I could take this guy out and we could run’ and it’s like, I’m figuring out where we could go and I watch TNA go to IMPACT and become TNA in this special moment at Hard To Kill where this is a coming out party for TNA again and I go, ‘That could be a perfect fit’ and hopefully, I can back it up in the ring other than just talking about it and showing up.”

Nemeth also gave his thoughts about who he would like to have a match against the most in TNA.

“That’s one of the first ones (TNA talents I’d like to face) that popped in my head was (Josh) Alexander because I’ve seen what he can do and much like what I was just telling you, he’s in the exact same — he can go 90 minutes and not lay around. He’s going balls to the wall, 10 out of 10 for 90 minutes and backing it up with some shooter moves and I go, that’s the way to go, that’s where you test yourself. Hey, can I still go? Or am I all talk? And you step foot in the ring with him and you go, yep, here we go.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

Kota Ibushi Ankle Injury Update – Ibushi Scheduled to Undergo Ankle Surgery This Wednesday

As noted before, Kota Ibushi suffered injuries to both of his ankles at Pro Wrestling NOAH’s The New Year 2024 event earlier this month in Ariake, Japan and was hospitalized shortly afterwards.

Ibushi provided an update earlier today stating that he is currently scheduled to undergo surgery for his ankles on Wednesday.

“Long time no see. It feels unusually long. Things won’t go on as before. I hope tomorrow’s surgery is successful. As long as you can walk, that’s enough. I don’t need anything else.”

お久しぶりです。異常に長く感じる。
今まで通りにはいかない。
明日の手術が成功しますように。
歩ければそれでじゅうぶん。
他には何もいらない pic.twitter.com/ZHVTfEoJXL
— 飯伏幸太 (@ibushi_kota) January 16, 2024

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

Monday’s 2024 The Emmys awards show featured actor Paul Walter Hauser name dropping several wrestling terms and Matt Cardona and gave a shout out to Kota Ibushi during his acceptance speech as the winner of this year’s Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie award.

Fightful Select reported that several indies promoters spoken to stated that they have seen a spike in ticket sales for their events featuring Mustafa Ali’s first matches since his release from WWE. Those spoken to reportedly stated that Ali has had the most impact on tickets sales for a former WWE talent in years.

UFC reportedly has postponed their debut event in Saudi Arabia from March 2nd to a new date of this June due to issues over the quality of the planned card, according to Ariel Helwani. Helwani reported that his sources stated that “higher ups” in Saudi Arabia were not pleased with the originally planned card for the event after it was presented to them and caused UFC officials to postpone their event as a result.

As noted before, indie wrestler and former Major League Wrestling talent Teddy Hart was arrested this past July over a speeding incident resulting in him being charged for with possession of MDMA and possession of a controlled substance without prescription. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that Hart’s lawyers had requested and were granted a continuance on January 11th to push back his scheduled hearing to a new date based on recent court records. Johnson reported that the court had issued a new date of February 8th for Hart’s scheduled hearing and informed his defense team that this will be the final time they will be allowed to push back this date.

In a press conference held on Monday in Japan, DDT Pro-Wrestling talent Yukio Sakaguchi announced that he will be retiring from wrestling at DDT’s event on February 7th. Sakaguchi stated that the reason for his retirement is not due to anything health related and instead just him feeling that the time was right for him to do so.

DDT Pro announced that Toi Kojima suffered a rib cartilage fracture injury at their New Year’s Current Blast! 2024 event this past Sunday in Yokohama, Japan. It was also announced that Kojima is currently expected to return from injury at their February 14th event. (English translation via PostWrestling.com)

All Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced that Shuji Ishikawa and Black Menso-re will both be leaving the company after January 31st due to both talents deciding to not sign new contracts with the company and enter free agency. It was also announced that Ishikawa and Black Menso-re’s final matches with the company will be taking place on January 27th. (English translation via PostWrestling.com)

Game Changer Wrestling recently announced one new match for the card of their The Coldest Winter 2 event on February 3rd in Los Angeles, California.

Nic Nemeth vs. Matt Cardona

AJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH recently announced one new match for the card of their NTV 70th Anniversary event on Februrary 9th in Tokyo, Japan:

Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Yuma Anzai

New Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced two new matches for the card of their The New Beginning in Nagoya 2024 event on January 20th in Nagoya, Japan:

NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship – Chase Owens & KENTA vs. Hikuleo & El Phantasmo (c)
Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2024 Championship 10-minute Ishimori Ring Fit match – Great-O-Khan vs. Taiji Ishimori (c)

TNA Wrestling announced the first official match for the card of their Impact! television tapings on January 19th in Orlando, Florida:

Moose vs. KUSHIDA