Daily Update: Blackjack Lanza, Jack Evans, Trent

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WON NEWSLETTER: November 29, 2021 Observer Newsletter: Survivor Series review, NJPW vs. NOAH show announced

In this week’s issue: 

The new Omicron variant of COVID-19 that became a major news story this week led to Japan closing its borders.

The announcement was made that as of 11/30, travelers could not come to the country, but it is not what it sounds like.

This will have some effect on the pro wrestling business. Basically wrestlers who have already obtained working visas will be able to return, and it’s been confirmed that Will Ospreay would be working the Tokyo Dome in the main event on 1/5 against the winner of the Shingo Takagi vs. Kazuchika Okada IWGP title match the night before. There was a one day period where New Japan officials were trying to get clearance for this and there was no answer regarding those leaving the country or those not in the country.

Those who have been in Japan over the past year, people like Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa, Jeff Cobb, Aaron Henare, Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, KENTA and announcer Kevin Kelly (who will be staying in Japan from January through March and doing live English broadcasts of all the major shows until the end of the New Japan Cup) will all be allowed to come to Japan or in some cases stay in Japan.

Current subscribers click here to read.

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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE

WWE

  • WWE issued a statement on the death of Blackjack Lanza: “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of WWE Hall of Famer Blackjack Lanza. Jack Lanza was a man’s man, respected and beloved by all. He loved and worked for WWE for many years. His loyalty and dedication will never be forgotten.”
  • Paul “Triple H” Levesque also paid tribute to Lanza: “Certain talent will seek certain agents for advice, but EVERYONE sought out Lanza’s. The sweetest man but incredibly tough & 100% dedicated to making us better. Jack often didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear, but ALWAYS told you what you needed. I’ll miss you dearly my friend”
  • After addressing his future on last night’s NXT, Johnny Gargano tweeted today: “Even after last night.. I still can’t put EVERYTHING I’d like to say into words right now. Just know that I appreciate all of you more than I can ever really express. Hope I made ya proud.” Gargano also shared pictures of him with Candice LeRae, Tommaso Ciampa, Shawn Michaels, and Kyle O’Reilly that fans took after last night’s show went off the air.
  • O’Reilly, whose contract with WWE is also up imminently, tweeted that he’s overwhelmed by the love and heartfelt messages he’s received : “Truly overwhelmed by all the love and heartfelt messages. By no means does this mean goodbye… just smell ya later.”
  • On his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross praised Michael Cole: “He’s no different than us folks. He’s a wrestling fan. He’s had a really good job in wrestling for years and years, and he’s earned every moment of it, every accolade, every promotion, every raise, and all of his exposure. He’s earned all of that. He’s Mr. Reliability. I think he’s one of the more underrated guys in broadcasting. He’s earned his keep, and he’s earned it in a very classy way.”
  • Shayna Baszler, Cesaro, and The Miz will be on G4’s Attack of the Show along with Xavier Woods this Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
  • Rey Mysterio hyped that he’ll be revealing “some very exciting news” on Thursday: “December 9, 2021 Remember that date! I’ll reveal some very exciting news that will change the history of Rey Mysterio. More details coming soon!”
  • Titus O’Neil, Natalya, and Dolph Ziggler appeared on WWE’s The Bump this morning.
  • WWE’s YouTube channel uploaded Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro for the Universal Championship from WrestleMania Backlash, Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kelly for the Divas Championship from TLC 2011, and John Cena vs. Edge from the December 8, 2008 episode of Raw.

Other Wrestling

  • On Twitter, Jack Evans posted that he’s being extorted by two police officers from the Del Valle Police Department in Mexico City: “This will sound like a fake message but it is not. I am currently being extorted by 2 police officers from the Del Valle Police Department in Mexico City. In the last 4 days I have had to pay around 7000 pesos (350$ american) and I am not paying more. So if I get arrested on drug charges in the next little bit I want to put it out there right now that it was planted by the Del Valle Police Department.”
  • Evans followed up by writing that he’s filed an official complaint: “Update: I filed an official complaint and got all of my witnesses together (there is a lot of them ) and I am just laying low. Nothing else to share.”
  • Tony Khan and Best Friends & Orange Cassidy were interviewed by Brandon Walker on Barstool Sports’ Rasslin’ podcast. Khan and Best Friends & Cassidy also appeared on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox.
  • On the Rasslin’ podcast, Trent gave an update on how he’s doing after neck fusion surgery:

I don’t know [when I’m coming back] because it’s just like, there’s not even rehab to do. It’s just waiting for my bones to grow together.

I just gotta wait for my bones to grow together though, you know what I mean? They put the plates in and they take the discs out and then in-between they put — he said it’s like a crushed coral. I don’t understand why it’s not just floating around but – it’s something like that and then the bone grows into where the crush coral — I think it’s like a little disc thing with the coral in it. It’s not actually coral. They drill the sh*t in and then they just — there was only the metal keeping my neck together after surgery.

  • Trent also said that he was dealing with sleep apnea prior to having surgery:

I think [I’m okay]. I got my neck fused… I had so much extra bone growth and stuff, my discs were crushed and my bones were starting to fuse themselves together and I was getting sleep apnea. I was waking up gasping for air in the middle of the night and I was having — sometimes I’d have trouble swallowing my own spit and I just thought it was nothing but post-surgery. I guess I had so many extra bones and sh*t growing in my [points to throat] that my sleep apnea was gone.

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