NJPW never used him before because of their working relationship with CMLL.

I guess there was something on a MLW podcast that Paige was being pressured to break up with ADR by the company. Apparently it should be taken with a grain of salt, but it wouldn't be out of character for them to do it.

NJPW never used him before because of their working relationship with CMLL.

If Alberto burned his bridges with AAA/LU, would NJPW's working relationship with CMLL really matter at this point?

Probably not. Just answering question of if they had ever used him before.

Does anyone know if he left ROH on good terms? That would probably play a role in him being able to go to CMLL or New Japan.

For that matter, did he leave CMLL on good terms?

It was in the WON though that Del Rio isn't interested in being a regular in Japan at this phase of his life, and that New Japan isn't really offering one-time paydays to American talent. Just recalled that.

Guess NJPW is out then. Looking more and more likely that Del Rio is TNA bound. I mean, where else is there?

Can TNA even pay him though?

Can TNA even pay him though?

Didn't TNA pay James Storm an absurd amount of money?

 

Though I will always contend that Triple H quickly saw how out of place, how indy, how rasslin' Storm was in NXT, said thanks but no thanks, and made it look like Storm's decision so "The Cowboy" could save face and go back to TNA.

I think the idea is that TNA offered to pay Storm a lot of money and then did not have said money to pay him with.

Does anyone know if he left ROH on good terms? That would probably play a role in him being able to go to CMLL or New Japan.

 

I've always assumed yes because months after his PPV appearance, they still used him in an 8-man tag at a local San Antonio show (which seemed really random). Never heard otherwise of an issue.

God, I hope TNA did not spend a lot of money to get Storm back. I have liked him in the past but god knows he not worth much in 2016.

 

Honestly I hope LU does not end up taking ADR back. I can't imagine who they would draw with him that they can't get with Mysterio on board, and even though he fits better there than he ever did in WWE, I feel they are better off developing further around people who actually want to be there and are invested in growing the brand.

Storm supposedly finished up with TNA again at the tapings last month and told the live crowd that we might be seeing him with an old friend again real soon, so there's at least a chance he might end up back in NXT. If nothing else, his final match with Lashley was pretty great.

Storm supposedly finished up with TNA again at the tapings last month and told the live crowd that we might be seeing him with an old friend again real soon, so there's at least a chance he might end up back in NXT. If nothing else, his final match with Lashley was pretty great.

They're bringing back Braden Walker for an AMW reunion?

Storm supposedly finished up with TNA again at the tapings last month and told the live crowd that we might be seeing him with an old friend again real soon, so there's at least a chance he might end up back in NXT.

 

I don't mind if he goes to NXT but I'm praying they don't stick him with Roode. He's gone way beyond the limits of that tag team, that became very clear in the first part of the year, and Storm would never fit with all the "Glorious" stuff anyway.

I'll re-post my theory: I will always contend that Triple H quickly saw how out of place, how indy, how rasslin' Storm was in NXT, said thanks but no thanks, and made it look like Storm's decision so "The Cowboy" could save face and go back to TNA.

 

Indy rasslin' yokel Storm would look so completely out of place next to Roode's current "snobbish" persona. There's no way Beer Money can happen under the current circumstances. The only possible way to reunite the two would be as a comedy "odd couple" team that ignores their past history, and I don't see that happening. Roode is already way above that.

 

I mean, if my theory is correct, Storm could still end up in NXT again if Roode or someone else puts in a good word, but he's such a fish out of water that it would barely work in NXT and definitely wouldn't work on the main roster.

Conversely, Storm leaving TNA originally came at a time where a lot of guys' deals were coming up right when all the "MORALE IS LOW" stuff was happening. They may have made Storm an offer bigger than he was worth just to save face with the rest of the roster.

Indy rasslin' yokel Storm would look so completely out of place next to Roode's current "snobbish" persona. There's no way Beer Money can happen under the current circumstances. The only possible way to reunite the two would be as a comedy "odd couple" team that ignores their past history, and I don't see that happening. Roode is already way above that.

 

 

You *do* realize that Beer Money was originally formed as an "odd couple" tag team, right? That was pretty much the point.

 

Now, with that being said, I agree that Roode has outgrown the act. Hell, even the recent Beer Money nostalgia run in TNA felt uneventful and unremarkable in any real way. Once Roode turned on Storm back in 2011, that should have been it. I know ya never say never in pro wrestling, but that betrayal was built up to be such a big deal in their little corner of the universe. It's one of those rare things that just should have stuck.

 

Plus, yeah. Roode's been phenomenal since the split. Going all the way back to that winter, he's been great as a solo act. The pairing with Aries was fun at times - for their chemistry and similar inability to get along - but I'd prefer to see Roode stick it out and go as far as he can in the singles ranks first and foremost.

 

If Roode ends up back in a tag team, then so be it. But now's not the time to go that route. It'd feel like such a step back, at a crucial time when he should be reaching for new milestones.

And, if he must tag again, I'd much rather he did it with Aries. They were much better together than the recent Roode/Storm pairing.

You *do* realize that Beer Money was originally formed as an "odd couple" tag team, right? That was pretty much the point.

Fair enough. I'm not a TNA fan, obviously. I've tried over the years, but they ended up disappointing me every single time.

 

Now, with that being said, I agree that Roode has outgrown the act. Hell, even the recent Beer Money nostalgia run in TNA felt uneventful and unremarkable in any real way. Once Roode turned on Storm back in 2011, that should have been it. I know ya never say never in pro wrestling, but that betrayal was built up to be such a big deal in their little corner of the universe. It's one of those rare things that just should have stuck.

 

Plus, yeah. Roode's been phenomenal since the split. Going all the way back to that winter, he's been great as a solo act. The pairing with Aries was fun at times - for their chemistry and similar inability to get along - but I'd prefer to see Roode stick it out and go as far as he can in the singles ranks first and foremost.

 

If Roode ends up back in a tag team, then so be it. But now's not the time to go that route. It'd feel like such a step back, at a crucial time when he should be reaching for new milestones.

Agreed. A Rude-Storm team is a fun concept, but it would be a major step backward for Roode. I could see it happening on Raw or Smackdown though, where Roode's ceiling will probably be much lower (sad but true).

Alberto released:

 

WWE releases Alberto Del Rio

STAMFORD, Conn. — WWE and Jose Rodriguez (Alberto Del Rio) have mutually agreed upon the terms of his release as of today, September 9, 2016.

http://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-releases-alberto-del-rio

 

No "best of luck in his future endeavors" message, which people are already reading into.

 

Twitter:

 

Alberto Del Rio
✔
@VivaDelRio

My business relationship with @WWE has come to an end in good terms...thanks for the opportunities they gave me.
Termine mi relación con WWE
9:17 AM - 9 Sep 2016

 

https://twitter.com/VivaDelRio/status/774235251019096065

 

Alberto Del Rio
✔
@VivaDelRio

Decidí dejar @wwe terminamos nuestra relación en buenos términos
Nos deseamos lo mejor mutuamente
10:04 AM - 9 Sep 2016

 

https://twitter.com/VivaDelRio/status/774235251019096065

 

Google Translate: I decided to leave @wwe ended our relationship on good terms

We wish him well each other

WWE releases Alberto Del Rio

 

I feel like this would have been bigger news if everyone didn't already know that it was going to happen. Of course, this makes it official. What really interests me though, is that I read that Paige also quit. She also apparently hired a lawyer.

I feel like this would have been bigger news if everyone didn't already know that it was going to happen. Of course, this makes it official. What really interests me though, is that I read that Paige also quit. She also apparently hired a lawyer.

Yeah, this was a forgone conclusion, but at least now it's official.

 

Sadly, Alberto was so misused that his departure is no loss, but I think Paige is a potentially big loss. She's one of the few women credible enough to hang with the "Four Horsewomen" and get over on her own terms.

 

BTW, Alberto is going to be wrestling for the Knight family's promotion in Norwich, England - yes, Paige's mum and dad.

 

So Alberto no-showed AAA's Heroes Inmortales after being booked in the main event and confirming the morning of the show that he would be there. His restaurant had better be off the chain because he's running out of bridges to burn in wrestling.