Various: Four Matches Announced for NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania USA, Update on Current TNA Management Structure After Recent Layoffs & Changes, Indies

Jun 14, 2024

Four Matches Announced for Card of NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania USA

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the first four matches for their co-promoted Fantasticamania USA event with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre on July 13th at the Mt. Pleasant High School in San Jose, California.

The first new match announced was a tag team match of DOUKI & Mistico vs. Volador Jr. & Rocky Romero.

The second new match announced was a singles match of Stephanie Vaquer vs. Lluvia.

The third new match announced was a tag team match of Bad Dude Tito & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero & Virus.

The fourth new match announced was a Copa Fantasticamania Four-way match of Adrian Quest vs. The DKC vs. Viento vs. Cucuy.

The first matches set for Fantasticamania USA July 13!

DOUKI & Mistico vs Romero & Volador Jr!

Stephanie Vaquer vs Lluvia one on one!

ZSJ & Bad Dude Tito vs Hechicero & Virus!

Quest vs DKC vs Viento vs Cucuy!

👀https://t.co/LpbtIwwF6a

TIX: https://t.co/x1tx4IcihJ #njcmll pic.twitter.com/5OO5QCbviW
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) June 14, 2024

Current card for July 13th NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania USA event:

Copa Fantasticamania Four-way match – Adrian Quest vs. The DKC vs. Viento vs. Cucuy
DOUKI & Mistico vs. Volador Jr. & Rocky Romero
Bad Dude Tito & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero & Virus
Stephanie Vaquer vs. Lluvia

Update on Current TNA Management Structure After Recent Layoffs & Changes

As noted before, TNA Wrestling was impacted by a round of staff layoffs from their parent company Anthem Media Group this past May.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources provided some details regarding TNA’s current day-to-day management structure following the recent layoffs and changes made by the company and Anthem.

Johnson reported that TNA Executive Producer Ariel Shnerer is the main person leading the day-to-day operations of the company. Shnerer reportedly has received good marks from talent for his communication skills and for being in regular contact with them. Talent spoken to reportedly stated that they had been recently informed by TNA officials of their direction and creative plans for Friday’s Against All Odds 2024 and was not something that had regularly happened for them until late.

Johnson reported that TNA President Anthony Cicione is less involved in the day-to-day operations and instead has been overseeing the business side of thing more than anything in creative. Johnson also reported that Creative is something that falls more to Shnerer. Cicione reportedly is believed to be the person involved in continuing to build the working relationship with WWE’s NXT brand. Johnson reported that specifically, Cicone is the person who would be in charge of running TNA at the end of the day but Shnerer is the one who is “deep in the trenches.”

Johnson also reported that Gail Kim is currently TNA’s Head of Talent Relations.

In regards to TNA’s creative team, Johnson reported that Shnerer is the one who oversees creative while Tommy Dreamer, Jorge Barbosa, and Delirious are the main people putting together the booking of shows and plans with Kim also giving input. TNA’s creative process reportedly has remained the same after RD Evans’ departure in the sense that there is not official head of creative and it is more of a group effort instead of one person’s vision.

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

Cody Rhodes recently announced on Twitter that he will be investing in SoftGround Wrestling located in Uganda and purchasing a proper wrestling ring for the promotion. Rhodes stated that the promotion found someone who can properly put together a ring and will be having the bill sent to him.

In regards to recent online allegations made by notable wrestling belt maker BeltsByDan claiming that SGW might be a scammers, Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources stated that Cody Rhodes had inquired about the logistics of sending a wrestling ring to Uganda for SGW prior to the release of the video announcement by the company. Sapp reported that Rhodes’ original plan to ship a pre-made ring to the region was deemed too difficult to do leading to the decision to have the new ring produced locally instead. In regards to the claims made by BeltsByDan implying that SGW pocketed the money donated by Will Ospreay weeks ago for a new ring, Sapp reported that SGW used the funds to secure a lease on the land used by the promotion and resolve issues with the land’s owner.

As noted before, this past Sunday’s NXT Battleground 2024 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada featured TNA talent Ash By Elegance, former Dana Brooke, making a surprise return appearance in WWE. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources confirmed that Ash’s appearance was a last minute decision by NXT officials. Johnson reported that the original plans were for only Tatum Paxley to get involved in the NXT Women’s Championship match between Jordynne Grace and Roxanne Perez. NXT officials reportedly changed this plan after the idea of having a second person show up as a surprise was given.

TNA officials reportedly recently held talks regarding the potential of holding this year’s Bound For Glory event in Europe, according to PWInsider. Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that this was something that had been discussed by TNA officials a few weeks ago but it is currently not known if this is still the direction for this year’s event.

Natalya recently posted a video on Twitter revealing that TNA talent Joe Hendry recently visited her and Tyson Kidd’s The Dungeon 2.0 to do some training. Natalya stated “The thing about The Dungeon… you just never know who’s gonna show up. I believe in @joehendry! Very proud of your hard work tonight, Joe—” Hendry recently responded stating “Thank you @NatbyNature for getting me ready for a huge weekend👏 👏 #TNAAgainstAllOdds“

In a recent interview with Cultaholic, TNA talent Leon Slater gave his thoughts about being currently interested the most in having a potential match with NXT talent Je’Von Evans as part of TNA and WWE’s talent crossover. Slater stated “It is extremely, extremely cool to have my name thrown up in this conversation (reports of Leon being considered for WWE-TNA crossover). I’ve been trying not to get too excited over it because it is just a rumor, it is just a report, there’s no concrete sayings as of yet, but I like to think there’s no smoke without fire. For me to be named is very cool, especially in the position I am now where I’m on TNA but I’m not the highest on the totem pole. I’m certainly not on the level of a (Steve) Maclin or a (Mike) Santana or a Josh Alexander, who I know has been named as well. So for me to be in the position I am and still being spoken of highly by people on that side is very cool and I hope we do get to explore what the prohibited portal looks like for me, for sure. The one I’ve been seeing on socials a lot is me and Je’Von Evans. I think even before Je’Von got signed, we were being compared as kind of like two parallels on other sides of the pond. We’re both young, we both carry ourselves with this confidence, this kind of attitude. So I think me and Je’Von would be a very interesting matchup. Other than him, obviously the main man Trick Williams is someone I would like to mix it up with. As far as the main roster goes, I have to say A.J. Styles, man, especially being on this side representing TNA now. I’d be super, super interested to mix it up with A.J., who really put TNA on the map.“

In a recent interview with Tokyo Sports, SANADA gave his thoughts about his issues with how New Japan Pro Wrestling handled the creation of their IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship and his belief that the IWGP World, IWGP Global, and NEVER Openweight Championships are the only belts needed for their Heavyweight singles division. SANADA stated “The process leading up to the creation of the (IWGP Global) title was pretty nonsensical. They destroyed the other belts and forced the creation of the Global belt… That’s why it’s not convincing. There is no story, or rather, the belt was created by destroying the entire history… IWGP World, Global, and the NEVER (Titles). To be honest, I don’t think we need anything else (in the heavyweight singles division). Because there are belts in the middle, these three belts are not focused on, and newcomers don’t know what’s great about them…” SANADA also gave his thoughts about his belief that there are too many stables currently in the company. SANADA stated “To be honest, there are too many units… if we’re not careful, the same thing could be said about (Just) 5 Guys.“