POST NEWS UPDATE: Matt Hardy interested in going after NWA World Tag Titles

Originally published at Matt Hardy interested in going after NWA World Tag Titles

If any of the quotes from the following podcasts or video interviews are used, please credit those sources and provide an H/T and link back to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.

** Highspots Wrestling Network hosted a virtual signing with Matt and Jeff Hardy. On top of wanting to be AEW World Tag Team Champions, Matt stated that he’s been talking with Jeff and he brought up the idea of going after the NWA World Tag Titles.

Matt: I was actually talking with Jeff on the way up here. Do you guys know who the current NWA Tag Team Champions are?

The reason I even bring that up was I was thinking after Jeff and I, you know, after we pick up these AEW World Tag Team Titles, maybe we can shoot and get those NWA Tag Titles. Put it on the resume. I mean just get everything we haven’t had, you know? So no team can touch us.

Elsewhere during the signing, Jeff looked back on defeating AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Title on the 8/21/20 Friday Night SmackDown. Jeff said it was strange having a moment like that with no fans in attendance.

Jeff: Yeah, my first night in the ThunderDome . So it was very surreal.

Yeah, it was crazy strange . Before we went out, I told AJ, I said, ‘Man, I had the weirdest dream last night. We were having this killer match in front of like 2,100 people watching us through Zoom on these screens.’ He said, ‘What?’ ‘You know, I’m just kidding. This is gonna be strange.’ Oh my God.

** The Ringer’s ‘Masked Man Show’ has an interview with NBC ‘Young Rock’ Executive Producer and former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz. Chris Jericho and Mickey Rourke’s once-scheduled WrestleMania match was brought up and that led to a conversation about ‘The Wrestler’ which Rourke starred in.

Gewirtz was able to see the film early because he was a part of The Writers Guild. Vince McMahon wanted to see the film but did not want to go to a theater and watch. Gewirtz recounted McMahon’s reaction to the film and Vince spoiling it for agents and writers in a meeting.

All I know is it was penciled in at one point to watch ‘The Wrestler’ and return it to me and none of the agents or producers had seen ‘The Wrestler’ and Vince is in the production meeting and he basically just spoils the entire movie. ‘Yeah, you know, it was a good movie. It portrayed the business a little dark and then he goes up on the top rope and does the gimmick and dies. Anyways, seg four, what do we do?’ Everyone in the agent meeting was like, ‘Wait, I haven’t seen that yet.’ ‘Yeah, he probably dies. I don’t know. It’s a freeze frame gimmick. Anyways, seg four, who’s the match?’ Everyone was just crushed.

Gewirtz is putting out a book about his time as a head writer in WWE. He spoke about what people can expect from his book and expressed that he is going to tell the good, the bad and the crazy. He wants his book to be honest and entertaining without sugarcoating anything.

Yeah, well it’s one of those things where there hasn’t been — we haven’t made the formal announcement of it yet and also, you know, not to — and I don’t wanna paint anything in a way that it wasn’t so I’m putting in the good, the bad, the ugly, the crazy. Really trying to model after the Mick Foley, Chris Jericho books because I think they do a great job of being very honest and very entertaining at the same time, but also not sugarcoating anything.

** On the 3/16 AEW Dynamite, Thunder Rosa became the company’s new Women’s World Champion. She was interviewed by NBC Sports Boston and reflected on her title win.

I don’t know . They’re like following me on the thing and I’m like holy sh*t. It was really special, very special.

With her victory, Rosa became the first Mexican-born woman to win a world title in a major U.S. wrestling promotion. She expressed that it is an amazing feeling and added that she always felt she was destined to achieve something big and that title win was that moment for her.

It’s amazing. It’s an amazing feeling that a female, for the first time in, holy Jesus, like a hundred years or so? Is able to earn a championship like this. It’s unbelievable. I am a very down to earth person and every accomplishment that I earn is always like, I did it but I don’t want that to get to my head. So, I don’t know. It’s just… I don’t know. I was telling that to my dad. I was like, ‘Do you understand this is historical?’ He was just like, ‘No, I really don’t but this sounds pretty cool.’ But I don’t know. I was destined for this. I think that’s what I… my whole entire life, I knew I was gonna do something really, really and this is humongous.

** The Asylum Wrestling Store presented a virtual meet-and-greet with Torrie Wilson as the featured guest. While speaking about today’s women’s division in WWE, Wilson touched on Becky Lynch’s return at SummerSlam 2021 and defeating Bianca Belair in under 30 seconds. Here’s what she had to say:

Wasn’t that — Bianca came out and Carmella — she kind of made both of them look really bad.

Fit Finlay is credited as an advocate for the women’s division in WWE during the early 2000s. Wilson further backed that sentiment and added that the likes of Eddie Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero and Billy Kidman would go to bat for the women as well.

I mean Fit . He always fought for us but, believe it or not, Chavo Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Billy Kidman, a lot of the cruiserweights really pushed for the women to, you know, kick more butt in the ring and you know, but Fit was probably really the biggest factor. I mean he fought for us when we didn’t know he was fighting for us.

Continuing on the topic, Wilson stated that John Cena, Rey Mysterio and Jamie Noble would help and practice with them before shows.

I would say probably that same group that I mentioned , Chavo was always in the ring working with us, so was Billy Kidman and Jamie Noble, Rey Mysterio also, and even John Cena. We — he was always at the shows early and us women, we would always go to the house shows early to practice and learn more and he was always there throwing in some advice too.

During the meet-and-greet, Wilson not being in the more recent WWE video games was continuously brought up. She admitted that initially, her feelings were hurt by that.

You know what? the beginning, it was kind of — my feelings were hurt. I was like, man, that kind of stinks. I’m in the Hall of Fame. I thought I was supposed to get in video games or something and then I was kind of like, you know what? It’s all good, I’m fine. I can focus on my fitness. You know, it is what it is.

** Josh Woods guest appeared on the Front Row Material podcast. Woods shared that he contracted COVID-19 in December and detailed his experience with the virus.

I work out every day and I try to go outside when I can and walk my dog a lot. I actually had-had COVID for a second time in December. Yeah, that wasn’t neat and nothing I could do about it. I mean I take vitamins just like everyone else. About five days, a pretty sore throat but other than that, a little bit of fevers and chills but it was done pretty quickly.

Over the past several months, Josh Woods has competed for AEW on their ‘Dark’ program. He said he would like to be with AEW full-time and thinks he could bring something different to the table as far as his in-ring style goes.

I mean that’s always on the table sign me but any opportunity — unless I can. Nah, I’m just kidding. Tony’s really cool… I think I could do really well there, just as far as what I bring is probably pretty different than everyone else there I think? Yes, yes it is. So yeah, I would like to be there if that was an option on the table. A lot of people that are there in a position of power came from Ring of Honor so I do have a really good relationship with everyone there and they’re great and if I got to be there, I would love it and if not, hey man, it’s okay too. It’s not the end of the world.

From 2014-2016, Woods was signed to WWE. He told the story of when he was at the Performance Center and The Undertaker asked him to come work with him in the ring. Woods was in the early stages of his training at the time.

Taker was there I’m just like, ‘Well, okay.’ He goes, ‘All right man, just drop this elbow on it.’ I was like, ‘Yes sir, okay. Okay, whatever.’ I was like working it and he’s talking and working with me. I was like yes, this is the best ever because I’m a huge Undertaker fan so yeah, that was really cool for me so that was probably like the highest moment I ever had at NXT.

** The latest guest on GAW TV was former WWE Women’s Champion Candice Michelle. She weighed in on the presentation of the women’s division during her full-time run with WWE. Candice did not have an issue with the ‘sex sells’ presentation and thinks she was good at it. She brought up the Playboy magazine opportunity and shared that she made six-figures by being on the cover.

You know, I love the whole ‘sex sells’ thing. I think we were all very, very good at it. But I also love the challenge of us trying to get out of that. We were — that was our opportunity and so, I didn’t mind the Bra & Panties matches. The one I did mind a little was the WrestleMania Gown match, down to Bra & Panties with the bed in the ring and Playboy match and trying to do a suplex all in there. That was difficult, but for us, it was such a journey of proving ourselves which it’s still the same journey today and I think we all paved — everybody on here paved a way in some way, shape or form for what it is today. I mean nobody has to do a damn ‘pudding’ match. That one, I would never do again. But I didn’t mind. Playboy, for me, was a dream. I dreamed to be in Playboy so it wasn’t like this chauvinistic thing or bad opportunity for me. That was a dream come true and so to grace it on the cover and get six figures for that, it was like I had that opportunity because of WWE so it took my dream to another level so, sex does sell and still nowadays, the women are so stunning and beautiful and it’s still there but they just get to have more time to tell their stories and show their athleticism more and I’m just so proud of them, you know? And Mickie’s still in it. I have no idea how your body handles it.

I can’t even imagine. You’re my hero. The last decade I’ve been out and still going on top and so it’s incredible to see what you’re doing.

** Sportskeeda went live on their social media platforms with Briana Brandy f.k.a. B-FAB of Hit Row. She discussed Shane ‘Swerve’ Strickland’s AEW debut and being excited for what is to come for him in the company.

So, about Swerve’s debut, I am very proud of that man. I mean he wrestled — out of all of us in the group, Swerve has wrestled the longest so for him to go on and be in AEW, I’m so proud of him. He’s gonna do wonderful things over there. I know he’s going to fit in perfectly and he has a lot of his friends over there already so, I’m super excited for him to be in AEW. His debut was amazing. I expected nothing less of this man.

** AEW’s Hikaru Shida spoke to the press after her match at Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling’s ‘Grand Princess’ show.

3.19両国大会 試合後コメント🎙

志田「私AEWのベルト獲った時、ノーDQ戦だったんですよ。そんな私とハードコア? その心意気いいじゃないですか。これから志田光は世界中で活躍していきますよ。乃蒼ヒカリが私を捕まえて、試合をする時は今度こそハードコアでやりましょう」#tjpw #tjpwGP22 #AEW pic.twitter.com/kQFaxe46v7

— 東京女子プロレス (@tjpw2013) March 19, 2022

** NJPW New Japan Cup Results (3/20/22) Niigata, Japan
– YOH, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano def. Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa & Yuto Nakashima
– Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI def. Satoshi Kojima & Hiroshi Tanahashi
– Bullet Club (El Phantasmo, Taiji Ishimori, Gedo, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale) def. Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi, Jado, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
– House of Torture (Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi, EVIL & SHO) def. TAKA Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado
– Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI def. Tomoaki Honma, Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe
– United Empire (Will Ospreay, Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan) def. DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi
New Japan Cup Quarterfinal Match: Tetsuya Naito def. Jeff Cobb
New Japan Cup Quarterfinal Match: Kazuchika Okada def. CIMA

** Dominic DeAngelo of WrestleZone conducted an interview with Big Damo, who is making his New Japan Strong debut at Strong Style Evolved.

** FOX’s Charlotte, North Carolina affiliate ran a story about the 3/18 Friday Night SmackDown in Charlotte.

** To promote WWE’s house show in Roanoke, Virginia on May 15th, Drew McIntyre appeared on WFXR.

** Pro Wrestling NOAH ‘Just Fine!’ Results (3/20/22) Kumamoto, Japan
– Alejandro & Kai Fujimura def. Kinya Okada & Yasutaka Yano
– Funky Express (Akitoshi Saito, King Tany & Mohammed Yone) def. Kongo (Hajime Ohara, Nio & Tadasuke)
– Kotaro Suzuki, NOSAWA Rongai & Super Crazy def. Atsushi Kotoge, Hao & YO-HEY
– Masato Tanaka & Takashi Sugiura def. Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura
– HAYATA, Yoshinari Ogawa & Naomichi Marufuji def. Daisuke Harada, Junta Miyawaki & Kaito Kiyomiya
– Kongo (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh & Manabu Soya) def. Daiki Inaba, Go Shiozaki & Masaaki Mochizuki

** Big Swole on The AJ Awesome Show:

** March 20th birthdays in wrestling: Matt Taven, Jonathan Gresham, Angelo Parker (AEW), Sting, Hakim Zane (Rohit Raju).

** IMPACT Knockouts World Champion Tasha Steelz was interviewed by ‘Gimme A Hull Yeah!

** Big Japan Pro Wrestling Results (3/20/22) Kanagawa, Japan
– Kazumi Kikuta def. Kazumasa Yoshida
– Yuichi Taniguchi def. Abdullah Kobayashi
– Akira Hyodo & Kota Sekifuda def. Chicharito Shoki & Kosuke Sato
– Daiju Wakamatsu & Drew Parker def. Kankuro Hoshino & Ryuji Ito
– Hideyoshi Kamitani, Kazuki Hashimoto & Takuya Nomura def. Daisuke Sekimoto, Yuji Okabayashi & Takuho Kato

** The Wrestling Perspective Podcast welcomed Lance Archer onto the show.

If any of the quotes from the following podcasts or video interviews are used, please credit those sources and provide an H/T and link back to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.