How Vince McMahon Will React To ROH Selling Out MSG
Matt Riddle’s self-admitted fondness for certain recreational pursuits supposedly made him unhireable in the past. Now, the indie wunderkind is WWE-bound, and could be in the crowd at TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 next weekend.
WWE have performed a U-turn on the former UFC fighter for the same reason they’re stepping up their recruitment efforts: opposing promotions are becoming stronger than Vince would like, and it’s time to take their talent away.
The Bucks, Cody, and Omega will be at the top of their wishlist. They are the architects of All In’s success, and would likely feature prominently on any Madison Square Garden card. WWE would be parting ROH and NJPW with four key assets, giving McMahon another reason to pursue the Bullet Club quartet, on top of their talent.
Standout luchadores Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr. are among the latest names to slip onto WWE’s radar, with the duo reportedly telling promoters that they may not be in a position to fulfil any 2019 dates. Both feature prominently in Impact, CMLL, Lucha Underground, and almost every indie that matters. On top of this, Penta vs. Omega is expected to headline All In.
Reigning EVOLVE Champion Shane Strickland is another reported target, having returned to the WWE-affiliated WWN organisation in May, fast becoming a main event staple in the absence of departees Keith Lee, Zack Sabre Jr., and soon, Matt Riddle.
This is what Vince McMahon does, what he has always done, and what he’ll continue doing until the day he retires. He doesn’t want to foster healthy competition: he wants to stifle it.
NXT UK wasn’t wasn’t born because WWE wanted to help push the British indie scene forward, but because Vince wanted to suffocate ITV’s World Of Sport project. He now has complete control over where his signed British wrestlers can and can’t earn a living, and those who impress him the most will continue to be absorbed into his developmental system.
The eight months between now and WrestleMania 35 weekend will be rife with speculation. McMahon, Triple H, and WWE are out for anyone they deem a game-changer. Their shopping list will read like an airport novella, but they’ll need to do more than flex their financial muscle to bag their top targets…
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