ALL PURPOSE NEW TALENT/SPECIAL ATTRACTION THREAD

[stevenkmason]

https://twitter.com/ringofhonor/status/ ... 3000540160

Looks like Marty Scurll will be debuting soon. This video makes it seem like a full time signing, not just for the UK tour.

[supersonic]

My source believes Scurll isn't signing with ROH quite yet since he's the Progress champion. The U.K. Dates are likely due to the relationship between ROH, RPW, and NJPW. Heed this as educated speculation as this hasn't even been double-sourced.

[HonorLives]

My source believes Scurll isn't signing with ROH quite yet since he's the Progress champion. The U.K. Dates are likely due to the relationship between ROH, RPW, and NJPW. Heed this as educated speculation as this hasn't even been double-sourced.

PROGRESS doesn't run a lot of shows, they have already announced their 2017 schedule. 18 shows.

Spoiler: show

And he's dropping the belt to Haskins next month, anyway.

[supersonic]

Observer:

The company did a video update which included news that Marty Scurll will be coming in. Scurll will be doing more work in the U.S. going forward and is one of the most underrated talents in the business right now. Not sure if he’s signed, but the word is he’s agreed to a contract that would have an early option period

[supersonic]

Yeah [Scurll] has a six months opt out clause. I believe it is the first opt out clause ROH has offered.

It was phrased to me that it was in Scrull's favour.

But ROH might have him on a trial basis.

The general feeling in Wrestling and in EVOLVE is that Marty made a huge mistake "jumping" to ROH.

[Burnside]

If it's a 6-month deal that he can opt out of, how "huge" a mistake can it really be.

[187_Joeism]

If it's a 6-month deal that he can opt out of, how "huge" a mistake can it really be.

Its a 1 year deal and he can opt out after 6 months i think.

[Burnside]

If it's a 6-month deal that he can opt out of, how "huge" a mistake can it really be.

Its a 1 year deal and he can opt out after 6 months i think.

Still - how can that be a "huge mistake"? If he gets a WWE offer he's available in February or March.

[BurningHammer]

Isn't the six month deal a basic length of time for a work visa over in the US. Considering wrestlers are independent contractors I imagine it must be harder to employ an overseas talent full time. Obviously the opt is interesting considering this is first time it's happened but I can't see him opting considering his likely success.

I'm sure Evolve do feel it's a huge mistake considering they have "lost" a talent, obviously the industry has the buzz that Evolves involvement with the WWE is very strong and most people should aim for there and i'm sure many will but if Rhodes isn't working the whole industry these guys do need to be careful with putting your eggs in one basket.

[Wilson]

Former employers using sensational language to influence an employee they wish to retain or to make hay of their loss? And in wrestling, no less? Sounds all like beans.

Maybe he’s missing a great opportunity to be signed by the WWE in the next few months, but that’s never a great bet. His value probably increases after this stint.

[monster mafia]

ROH >>>> EVOLVE

[187_Joeism]

If it's a 6-month deal that he can opt out of, how "huge" a mistake can it really be.

Its a 1 year deal and he can opt out after 6 months i think.

Still - how can that be a "huge mistake"? If he gets a WWE offer he's available in February or March.

To me is not mistake at all, was just saying the type of deal i think he "signed".

[supersonic]

Alberto Del Rio, currently under WWE contract, is receiving interest from indy federations. This would confirm Meltzer's report that he's not long for WWE and Alberto el Patron will be returning soon to the wrestling world. I've been told not to name the federations that have already contacted Alberto and/or his agent.

Really hoping he could come in motivated to put O'Reilly and the ROH Title over within the next several months.

[BurningHammer]

Depends on the Del Rio that comes, the last time it was fine, but it wasn't really anything note worthy. If he does come in give him a prominent story line or just a story line. For me, one of Del Rio's best assets is on the mic and creating heat, if ROH can do that then I think they could have something that could turn a lot of heads and really make someone like O'Reilly.

[supersonic]

I pitched the angle in the SCOH11 thread. Comes in with a high sense of entitlement. "I knocked down the face of pro wrestling [Cena] without breaking a sweat, so don't tell me I'm not entitled to a top title match here."

[BurningHammer]

I pitched the angle in the SCOH11 thread. Comes in with a high sense of entitlement. "I knocked down the face of pro wrestling [Cena] without breaking a sweat, so don't tell me I'm not entitled to a top title match here."

Yeah I think something like that would certainly work, maybe coming in and working with, i'm only here for the money, these others guys are working there asses for nothing and I'm here just raking it in.

[JigsawVs.Jason]

Alberto Del Rio, currently under WWE contract, is receiving interest from indy federations. This would confirm Meltzer's report that he's not long for WWE and Alberto el Patron will be returning soon to the wrestling world. I've been told not to name the federations that have already contacted Alberto and/or his agent.

Really hoping he could come in motivated to put O'Reilly and the ROH Title over within the next several months.

Not interested at all in Del Rio, he wasn't really good in his first run, apart from his match vs Roddy. I'd rather like to see guys like Scurll or ZSJ brought in.

[supersonic]

Observer:

Jose Alberto Rodriguez, better known as Alberto Del Rio, has officially cut ties with WWE less than two weeks after he was suspended for a drug test violation.

Rodriguez, 39, had signed a contract last year in mid-September, which he kept secret until making a surprise debut as John Cena’s mystery opponent, winning the U.S. title on 10/25 in Los Angeles. He had just gotten a release from Lucha Underground and his contract with AAA had expired, and while he held their Mega heavyweight title, he had not lost the title. While at first he talked about dropping the title and returning to AAA for some dates, WWE would not allow him to do so and claimed he represented to them that he had no outside commitments left when he signed. As U.S. champion, WWE was not going to allow him to lose in another promotion and AAA did want him to make an appearance to give up the title, but that never happened either.

Rodriguez’s contract with for several years, but both sides had an option at the one-year mark, which would be in a few weeks, to opt out. Negotiations had been going on and WWE offered him a similar deal, but essentially a raise by making him a regular character on “Total Divas.” He had a huge money downside and claimed to have had a big year, but he’s had a track record of not being happy with the companies he’s worked for.

WWE was aware because of a letter his lawyer sent that he was opting out of the rest of his contract in late June, but negotiations had continued since then. When he was announced as having failed a drug test on 8/17, a suspension that went into effect the next day strangely enough, it didn’t quite shut the door on him staying with the company, but certainly greatly decreased the odds. On 8/29, WWE, which had been advertising him for Smackdown brand shows, including some main events after 9/19, pulled him from all bookings going forward.

His leaving is very different from the situation in 2014, where he was fired and it turned into a legal battle. WWE had attempted to enforce a deal where he couldn’t do any pro wrestling, MMA, kickboxing or boxing for one year as a non-compete. He fought it and there was fear it would turn into an ugly public war regarding racism and racist remarks that he and others had claimed had been said.

Rodriguez was fired when a WWE employee, Cody Barbierri, made a racial remark of sorts at catering. When Barbierri, who was let go from the company months later, apparently didn’t clean up at catering and when someone asked him to, he joked that it was the job of Del Rio, considered a remark about Mexicans in the U.S. being clean-up people at restaurants. When the word got to Del Rio, he confronted Barbierri, who didn’t apologize, and Del Rio slapped him in the face. He was fired at the time, but was told that it was due to the fact they had another lawsuit out against them when Big Show allegedly roughed up someone while filming a promo and they couldn’t give ammunition that the company had a working environment where the large wrestlers could bully people working. He was told just to sit it out and when it blew over, he’d return, but he said that if he wasn’t rehired by the end of the conversation, he’d never come back.

He ended up with a dual deal with AAA and Lucha Underground, as well as worked independents, but softened his stance and in direct talks with Vince McMahon, was brought back for a run with Cena.

Originally, things were supposed to be huge. He was promised a main event push with Paul Heyman as his manager, with the idea of ending up as the big Hispanic superstar babyface the company has lacked since Rey Mysterio stopped working full-time. Early on, Vince McMahon treated him so well that the two would fly together and even sat next to each other on some trips on the company jet. But his pairing with Zeb Colter, a McMahon idea, was a mismatch for a number of reasons. When that pairing didn’t work, McMahon moved on to his next toy, so to speak. His next run as part of the League of Nations was no better and he was just a guy on the card, even though he had a top main eventer contract. He had been openly leading the crowd in “Si, Si, Si” cheers in working to make himself a babyface, but no angle to follow up was ever shot.

Del Rio, as Alberto El Patron, came across like a major superstar when he worked for AAA, as well as to the crowds at the Lucha Underground tapings. But after the opening night in Los Angeles, he never garnered that kind of reaction in WWE. It wasn’t as if the company didn’t try, because if anything, he was for years pushed harder than the results they were getting from him. Because he was tall, good looking, and part of a legendary family, and WWE is very aware that Hispanics are a rapidly growing minority in the U.S., and that they support pro wrestling at double the rate of non-Hispanics, the company has constantly been on the lookout for that babyface superstar. When WWE had major media events, Del Rio, because of his looks and being bilingual, was chosen to appear in front of far more over and more pushed wrestlers.

Obviously when he and Paige (Saraya Jade-Bevis, 24), his girlfriend, were split up and put on different brands, that was clearly meant as a message that they were pushing back after he his lawyers had written about opting out of the deal in September.

What’s notable is that with this departure, there was not even an attempt at any kind of a non-compete and at least right now the departure, while strained, is publicly amicable. He obviously did fail a drug test, and there were complaints of a double standard given Brock Lesnar got the pass, but there are always double standards in wrestling. Del Rio was always said to be a Vince McMahon guy, and his issues privately were with Paul Levesque, but at the end of the day, if McMahon wanted him, he’s have worked harder to smooth them over. He had a major contract, although he was in a situation where he could make money with or without WWE.

In agreeing that he wouldn’t return after his 30 day suspension expired, he is allowed at this moment to take any bookings outside the U.S. The agreement is that he can start taking bookings in the U.S., anywhere he wants, as of around 9/30 (that date could be off a day or two in either direction).

Regarding Paige, nothing is clear. She is under contract through 2019 and even though she was out due to injuries before her suspension, she is a regular on Total Divas and considered a key member of the cast. The ratings for the show, which were falling, picked up strong when he was added to the show and that isn’t lost on the company. Right now WWE hasn’t offered her a release so from a legal standpoint she could quit, but wouldn’t be allowed to go to Lucha Underground, which would probably love to get her, or perhaps anywhere she could get regular work. But at this point, nobody knows what is going to happen with her other than the two of them are very close.

Del Rio’s situation is this according to those with full knowledge of the situation. Even though he left AAA without losing the title, and even knocked them for being disorganized in Mexico when asked about not coming back to lose the title, and didn’t let them know he had signed until well after he had done so, they are very interested in him. The question becomes their financial situation, but he was a big drawing card for them before.

I was also told that while Lucha Underground may publicly deny it, they are already in talks with those affiliated with him regarding bringing him back for next season. But there are issues there in the sense they make no money and have been needing a constant influx of funding to keep going. He would be a major added expense and while he adds familiarity to the audience and may help ratings slightly, their ratings are very low that whatever he can help it with won’t be worth nearly as much financially as his cost. He can get a super pop, or at least could, from the free audience that attends the tapings and come across on TV as a huge star. The owners would have to put in considerable money to get him, as he was, by a significant amount, the highest paid performer the season he was there.

TNA has wanted him and pitched him hard with promises of being the top guy ever since he left WWE the first time. Because at that point, TNA seemed the least promising of the alternatives, plus he could do both AAA with Lucha Underground, he didn’t strongly consider the offer, but the lay of the land is completely different now. It’s notable that Del Rio just recently went on a WWE promotional tour of India in July, and keep in mind this was after he had sent WWE the letter he had to if he wanted out of the deal, and at that point TNA would have been an option.

“At the end of the day, you can love what you do, but you have to be rewarded,” he said to The Indian Express. “If somebody wants to have me in their organization, they have to pay me, and there is no other place like WWE, which is a major league of progress and growth. TNA does not have the wherewithal as WWE does.”

When he made that comments I thought it curious since at the time it was known there was a chance he was leaving WWE and those in TNA were aware of that and feelers had come his way.

But once again, TNA is also not on great financial footing right now.

There has been communication with New Japan, but that isn’t going to go anywhere. Those close to the situation noted that he’s made it clear at this stage of his life, he’s not interested in doing New Japan tours. He would be open to appearing on big shows as a special guest, but New Japan, because of their business relationship with CMLL, will not use him if he works for AAA or Lucha Underground. That’s not an issue with other Japanese groups, but Japan isn’t paying big money for single shots to big foreigners like it has in the past. There’s obviously the U.K. market, and he’s very close with Drew Galloway, who is making a very good living between that market and TNA, but that’s again limited dates.

Just days before his suspension, both he and Paige were at the Combate Americas tapings in Los Angeles, which was taken as a sign that he was looking elsewhere. While nothing has been signed, he’s had a longstanding relationship with Campbell McLaren, who runs the promotion, and has worked as an announcer for the group. The group had already reached a deal with Mysterio to be almost a public face of the company and ambassador, which fell apart when Lucha Underground, which had Mysterio under contract, nixed it.

When he left WWE the first time, he was in talks with multiple combat sports organizations, since he has an MMA background and was a world-class Greco-Roman wrestler as at the teenager level and once placed fourth in the Pan American games (exaggerated to having won a gold medal by WWE announcers).

Glory had talked with him including the idea of a fight with Bill Goldberg. Several MMA groups were also interested. But it’s pretty clear at his age and the fact he never made any of those deals that he’s not going to fight.

The first time, he was let go, but it was for the best for him because AAA was ambitious and more successful, Lucha Underground was starting out and more willing to spend money, and the way he left made him a hero to Hispanics. He was able to make similar if not more money on the outside while making his own schedule.

This time, even though it was his decision to leave, he’s coming off a very lackluster run, and was leaving behind a far more lucrative contract, and with far less opportunities available for anywhere near the same money that he’s making now on the outside.

[monster mafia]

im not gonna read that..

[WHG]

For what it's worth, MLW tweeted a poll yesterday about ADR's next move and listed TNA, AAA/LU, NJPW & MMA as the choices. Someone replied asking why ROH wasn't on the list and they replied "not an option this time."

I have no interest in seeing him back. I was at the Roddy match and it was great. His mini-run was actually very well executed and helped to elevate Lethal heading into his Briscoe match. But his overall work wasn't great and the buzz this time around is going to be much different (less) both because he just did this a couple years ago and because he was so irrelevant for the past 8 months in WWE. The novelty of seeing ADR in non-WWE rings just isn't there anymore.