AEW Would Not Exist Without Ricochet; December 6th Wrestling News Round-Up

Monday night’s episode of Raw featured one of the greatest segments in recent memory as Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston turned their back on legendary partner Big E.

The segment has been met by a shower of praise and a new report from Dave Meltzer reveals it has been in the works for a long time.

Writing in this morning’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Meltzer would reveal that initially the heel turn as meant to involve Woods and Kingston aligning with Odessy Jones and formally replacing Big E with him and banishing the former WWE Champion from the group.

However, Jones was involved in legal issues and WWE released the former NXT star earlier this year.

“The New Day did a heel turn on Raw this week.

For months they had teased Woods going heel on Kingston until it ended up where both went heel on Big E in a tremendous segment.

We were told this had been planned for months. When Odyssey Jones came in, they were going to tease issues with them not getting along but it would end up with Kingston & Woods going heel by choosing Jones and having him publicly replace E. But then Jones got fired and the whole thing was put on hold.

It was smart to do it this way. Sure, they’d have gotten something short-term on Kingston vs. Woods, but people deep down wouldn’t want to see it.

But they were stale as faces. The Vince mentality would be to break them up, have them feud, and then after the feud, both would end up worse off because Woods for sure wouldn’t be pushed as a singles star and Kingston most likely wouldn’t either.

They’d do a series and then end up lost. As heels, they can start a run and at least it’s new and there are more long-term legs in keeping them together.”

WWE is getting in the Elimination Chamber season as they have posted the full 2024 men’s Elimination Chamber match for free over on YouTube.

Check out the epic match below!

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event just got even more must see!

WWE has today announced that wrestling legend Jesse Ventura will be returning to the announce desk for the first time in decades at next week’s Saturday’s Night Main Event special.

Ventura, who recently signed a legends deal with WWE, was previously announced for the show but it was unknown in what capacity.

Following the announcement that Ventura would be returning to the commentary desk, social media has been abuzz with excitement to see one of the greatest to ever do it make their return.

BREAKING: Jesse Ventura makes his return to the broadcast announce table for Saturday Night's Main Event on Dec. 14, LIVE at 8/7c on @nbc, as first revealed on The @BillSimmons Podcast! pic.twitter.com/2SiqHvISwl

— WWE (@WWE) December 6, 2024

WWE Elimination Chamber 2025 is set to air live from Toronto, Canada, and the show looks to break at 22 year record.

WrestleMania 2002 is currently still WWE’s record holder for the largest WWE gate drawn in Canada, but according to Dave Meltzer, Elimination Chamber 2025 is a lock to break the record.

Writing in this morning’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Meltzer would state:

“Tickets for Elimination Chamber on 3/1 at Rogers Centre in Toronto go on sale to the public on 12/6.

The expectation and really it’s a lock the show will set the all-time gate record for Canada. The record is still the 2002 WrestleMania with Hogan vs. Rock at $3,846,033 and ticket prices have gone up like crazy since then and WWE stadium shows are going to do in excess of $5 million and in a market like Toronto, likely significantly more.

The poster for the show had Punk, Cena, Jey Uso, Belair, Morgan and Ripley. Notably no Rhodes nor Reigns. Rhodes will probably have his Mania opponent locked up by then with either the Rumble winner or The Rock and in either case he doesn’t have to work that show. And that tells you how hot WWE is when they can book a stadium for the Chamber PPV and don’t even have to put two of their biggest regular big show draws on the show. The pre-sale saw the bottom tickets priced at $200 and top tickets at $7,000.”

It’s that time of the week again.

Writing in this morning’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer has revealed his ratings for WWE’s Survivor Series PLE.

Check out Meltzer’s ratings below:

• Rhea Ripley, Bayley, Iyo Sky, Bianca Belair and Naomi defeated Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez and Nia Jax in the Women’s WarGames match – ***
• Shinsuke Nakamura defeated LA Knight to become the new United States Champion – **1/4
• Bron Breakker defeated Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser to retain the Intercontinental Championship – ****1/4
• Gunther defeated Damian Priest to retain the World Heavyweight Championship – ***3/4
• Roman Reigns, The Usos, Sami Zayn and CM Punk defeated Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Bronson Reed in the Men’s WarGames match – ****1/4

Do you agree with Dave Meltzer’s ratings? Let us know using the thumbs below!

WWE is bringing back a classic, Saturday Night’s Main Event, with its first revival installment airing on December 14th, 2024. This special promises a blend of nostalgia and high-stakes action as it takes over the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, the site of the very first Saturday Night’s Main Event back in 1985. Here’s everything you need to know about this monumental event:

When and Where to Watch
Time & Network:

• Saturday Night’s Main Event will air live from 8 PM to 10 PM ET.
• The event will be simulcast on NBC and Peacock, marking a unique opportunity for fans to watch a premium-caliber WWE show on network televisions.

UK Viewers:

• For UK fans, the event won’t air live on the WWE Network due to its NBC exclusivity. However, WWE confirmed via social media that UK fans can stream the show live on WWE’s YouTube channel at 1 AM UK time.

Match Card Highlights

This two-hour show promises a stacked lineup featuring WWE’s top superstars. Among the marquee matches announced:

• Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens
• Gunther vs. Finn Balor
• Liv Morgan vs. Iyo Sky
• Historic Women’s United States Championship Match

Legends Returning to the Coliseum

Adding a layer of nostalgia, WWE is incorporating the vintage feel of the original Saturday Night’s Main Event. Reports from WrestleVotes indicate that WWE is in discussions to bring back several legends associated with the show’s early days.

Confirmed so far:

• Jimmy Hart
• Jesse Ventura

Potential Appearances:

There’s talk of including stars who were part of the first Saturday Night’s Main Event in 1985. WrestleVotes specifically mentioned former WWF Women’s Champion Wendy Richter and “Cowboy” Bob Orton, Hogan’s opponent from the inaugural episode.

WWE’s relaunch of Saturday Night’s Main Event is shaping up to be a must-watch event on December 14th at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY.

This venue holds significant history as the site of the original Saturday Night’s Main Event, which premiered on May 10, 1985.

Tickets have been selling quickly for the show, reflecting fan excitement for this revival as part of WWE’s new media deal with the USA Network. Scheduled as quarterly primetime specials, the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event underscores WWE’s commitment to blending nostalgia with current programming.

Confirmed names include WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura, who recently signed a new Legends deal, and Jimmy Hart, the longtime manager of Hulk Hogan. Hart’s inclusion has fueled speculation that the Hulkster himself might be part of the event. According to a report from WrestleVotes Radio on Sportskeeda Backstage Pass, WWE is considering inviting other legends tied to the 1985 show.

“We are hearing that WWE has discussed calling in specific legends, not just the same old [names]. Names include former WWF Women’s Champion Wendy Richter, who defeated the Fabulous Moolah that night, and participants in the WWF Championship match where Hulk Hogan defeated Cowboy Bob Orton.” [h/t WrestlingNewsCo]

The connection to the original Saturday Night’s Main Event could make Hogan’s appearance a perfect nostalgic callback for longtime fans.Hogan remains a polarizing figure in and out of the ring. Over the past year, he has made waves in the media, including his appearance at the Republican National Convention in support of Donald Trump. Hogan later courted controversy with remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris, which some criticized as racially insensitive.

These incidents underline the mixed legacy of the 70-year-old wrestling legend, but his star power remains undeniable. His potential involvement in Saturday Night’s Main Event would likely attract significant attention, especially as the company leans into its history with renewed fervor.

Do you want to see Hulk Hogan return to WWE? Let us know using the thumbs below!

Ricochet recently made waves in an interview on 103.5 Kiss FM’s Hot Tag with Brad, where he boldly claimed that his contributions to wrestling helped pave the way for AEW’s existence.

Reflecting on his career and the changing landscape of professional wrestling, Ricochet emphasized his impact, particularly through his groundbreaking work on the independent circuit and in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).

Ricochet would claim:

“If there wasn’t Ricochet, there wouldn’t be AEW. I’m not saying I’m the sole reason, but what I’ve done with Ospreay, with Pac, with AR Fox, with Dragon Gate, PWG, overseas, and New Japan… it set up a world where AEW could exist.”

Ricochet highlighted that his innovative high-flying style and viral matches, such as his iconic bout with Will Ospreay in NJPW, created a buzz that broadened the appeal of independent wrestling globally.

He also acknowledged the collective contributions of talents like Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, and Will Ospreay, but stressed his specific influence on the modern wrestling scene. He elaborated:

“Without Ricochet, there would be no Ospreay, really. All of us guys are passionate, and without that, there would be no AEW.” [h/t Fightful]

Since joining AEW at All In, Ricochet has become a key figure in the promotion, currently participating in the AEW Continental Classic.

His comments reflect not only confidence in his past work but also a clear understanding of how the wrestling industry has evolved due to the efforts of talents who pushed boundaries on the indie scene​

Hello and welcome back to the ITRWrestling live blog.

My name is Liam and I will be with you from 2pm to 6pm (UK) covering all the biggest stories from the past 24 hours across the world in wrestling.

Kicking things off today we have:

• Ricochet makes the bold claim that without him AEW would not exist.
• Hulk Hogan could be set for a shock WWE return.
• Everything you need to know about WWE Saturday Night Main Event.