World Title vs. World Title

History will be made on April 25, 2021 at the Impact Wrestling's Rebellion PPV when two major North American Wrestling companies World Championships will be defended in a title vs title match live from Nashville, Tennessee.

At Rebellion AEW World Heavyweight Champion: Kenny Omega will challenge Impact Wrestling World Champion: Rich Swan.  The storyline began in February when Impact Executive Vice President Don Callis aided Kenny Omega in winning the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley.  On the next episode of Impact Omega made an interview appearance with Tony Khan making the first of many paid appearances on the show promoting AEW Dynamite.  

Other wrestlers would appear on Impact however the only Impact wrestlers to make regular appearances on Dynamite have been Don Callis and the Good Brothers: Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson.

At Bound for Glory on October 24, 2020 Rich Swan defeated Impact World Champion: Eric Young to win the title.  I was shocked as I didn't then and I don't know view Rich Swann as a viable and believable World Heavyweight Champion.  In April 2020 Moose declared himself the TNA World Champion and began wearing the title to ring for his matches.  On February 23, 2021 Scott D'Amore officially recognized the title as a separate World Championship within the promotion and announced a title unification match with Swann at the Impact Sacrifice PPV that saw Swann walk away with the titles.

In a match that has been heavily advertised on Impact and hardly mentioned on AEW we will see two World Championship from different companies do battle.  Most likely the finish of the match will not see one man walk away with all the titles, I foresee a draw or disqualification finish.  Another interesting addition to the match will see Mauro Ranollo calling this historic match.

This will be the first time in 13 years a match like this will take place in North America, prior to that was in 1991.  I'm talking two separate wrestling companies, not when WWE owned WCW and unified the championships.  This type of match is much more common in Japan than on this side of the world.  Many will recall the April 18, 2000 edition of Smackdown when the then WWE World Champion: Triple H battled the ECW World Champion: Taz in a non-title match with Triple H getting the pin in just under 6 minutes when Tommy Dreamer's run in backfired costing Taz the match.  

Let's take a look at some other title vs. title matches: 

June 27, 2008

ROH Battle for Supremacy, Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Dayton, Ohio

NWA World Champion: "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce defeated ROH World Champion: Nigel McGuinness

by disqualification.

May 19, 1991

WCW SuperBrawl Bayfront Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida

WCW World Champion: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair defeated NWA World Champion: Tatsumi Fujinami

to capture the NWA Worlds Championship, Fujinami was also the IWGP Champion, however that title was not on the line. 

This match has a complicated story.  On January 11, 1991 at a house show in East Rutherford,  New Jersey Flair defeated Sting to capture the NWA Worlds Championship, it was with this title win that WCW began recognizing Flair as the WCW & NWA World Champion, however there was no separate title belt used to recognize the WCW Championship it was in namesake only.  In Flair's official 16 World Title reigns this WCW title run is not recognized by the WWE. On March 21, 1991 in Tokyo Japan Flair last a match to Tatsumi Fujinami and in Japan was recognized as winning the NWA World's Championship, but not the WCW title.  At this match at Super Brawl Flair defeated Fujinami and "recaptured" The NWA title.  These title changes are have been recognized by some and not recognized by others.  I included this because at this time the NWA was technically a separate governing body from World Championship Wrestling.

July 4, 1982

Georgia Championship Wrestling, The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia

NWA Worlds Champion: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair wrestled WWWF World Champion: Bob Backlund to a double count out

November 7, 1980

NWA St. Louis, Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri

NWA Worlds Champion: Harley Race defeated WWWF World Champion: Bob Backlund by disqualification in a 2 our of 3 falls match

March 25, 1979

Maple Leaf Wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

WWWF World Champion: Bob Backlund wrestled AWA World Champion: Nick Bockwinkel double count out at 39:10

October 29, 1978

Championship Wrestling from Florida, Eddie Graham Sports Stadium, Orlando, Florida

NWA Worlds Champion: Harley Race wrestled WWWF Bob Backlund in a 2 out of 3 falls to a draw

February 23, 1978

Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jacksonville Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

NWA Worlds Champion: Harley Race wrestled WWWF Bob Backlund in a 2 out of 3 falls to a time limit draw

January 25, 1978

Championship Wrestling from Florida, the Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida 

NWA Worlds Champion: Harley Race wrestled WWWF "Superstar" Billy Graham in a 2 out of 3 falls, to a 60 minute time limit draw with special referees Gorilla Monsoon & Don Curtis

Even though this match was not in North American I wanted to mention that it happened.  

October 21, 1985

AJPW World Champion Carnival, Ryogoku, Tokyo, Japan

NWA Worlds Champion: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair wrestled AWA World Champion: Rick Martel to a double count out at 34:03

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Book Update

I got the proof copies of my upcoming book; Limitless Wrestling: The First Five Years from Amazon and having them in hand makes it so real.  I must say I'm extremely happy with how they came out.  The margins look good, the photos look great and it's so big!

I've made some edits already and got some positive feedback from those that have had a chance to look at it.  I got a copy to Randy Carver, Limitless owner, and he seems to really dig it.  He's going to give it a good look through and check it for some accuracy.  

I'm still debating what I'm going to charge for the book.  If I want to see it on the extended marketplace with Amazon I have to charge a certain amount for it.  I'll probably charge a bit less in person that Amazon.  I've thought about printing some copies in color on premium paper but the cost of printing is over $30 and Amazon won't let me sell them in their store for less than $50.  I'm not sure if it's worth it.

Anyhow I've very excited to be closer to finishing this project and am very excited to see what others have to say or if they'll sell well.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Signed Trading Cards Steve Armstrong, Dana Brooke, Italian Stallion, & Jay Lethal

This set feature some recent through the mail success that I have had.

Steve Armstrong

I mailed these cards to Mr. Armstrong on March 2, 2021 and got them back on March 11, 2021.  They are all from the 1991 WCW Impel Set, one the card with Tracy Smothers I got signed many, many years ago.  

Dana Brooke

I mailed these cards on February 22, 2021 and got them back on March 5, 2021.  I didn't realize it until I got them back that both cards feature her in the same gear.  The card on the left is from the 2016 Slam Attack series and the card on the right is from the 2017 WWE Topps set.

Italian Stallion

These two cards are from the 1988 NWA Wonderama card set.  These cards are from the set I love getting signed the most.  I mailed these on February 22, 2021 and got them back on March 4, 2021.  

Jay Lethal

I mailed these cards to Mr. Lethal on March 1, 2021 and got them back on March 15, 2021. The card on the left is from the 2009 TNA Tristar card set the one on the right is from the 2018 All In

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Updates

Hello everyone, the reason I have not published in the last couple of weeks is for a few reason.  I did a big final push on my Limitless Wrestling book finished sections, formatting the pages, spacing the book out, adding photo's and designing the cover.

It only took a sentence to describe what I did, but believe me it was not quick and easy, there was so much work to do!  However, the proof copies have been ordered and I should have them in a few days so I can inspect them.  I'm afraid that I'm not going to be happy with them but I guess I'll find out.

The intention the whole time was for the book to be in black and white, it's more cost effective, however I am considering doing a full color print run, the printing price is literally five times as much, but I feel like it will be gorgeous!

I did go to a wrestling show last Friday, March 26th, and I will get around to writing about it.  I also started my new job which now has me in the office five days a week instead of working from home most days.

I have some partially finish posts in the wings and I'll be finishing them up soon.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!