06-10-2019, 07:00 AM
Hi, hello and welcome to EMERGExtra, with me, your host Sallie Graham.
It would be remiss of me to start anywhere else but with Invasion: Symphony of the Sea which all kicks off tonight with some spectacular action you are not going to miss. EMERGE takes over that cruise ship, which set sail on Saturday with the lucky fans who were able to get a seat on board for one of the most ambitious undertakings thus far from the company.
With Miami Beach hosting the next Invasion, and then our season finale in Munich promising one of the biggest events in wrestling history, I think it’s fair to say that Invasion has become one of the ‘must see’ wrestling programs out there today.
As EMERGE went off air, we saw Sundown sent headfirst through a urinal and left broken by Mordecai in one of the most dominating actions we have seen thus far. Almost immediately there were fears that Sundown wouldn’t make Invasion, but a source close to Tombstone has moved quickly to dispel that rumor. This source claiming that all Mordecai did was ‘piss Sundown off’.
If Sundown really did shrug off a shot like that like it was nothing, and is 100% for Invasion, I fear even for a monster like Mordecai. Because even though Sundown is scheduled to take part in the Ladder match for the RUSH Championship, you can bet that his primary target will be Mordecai. And if those two face off… well I hope we don’t sink the ship
Of course, if Night One is going to be off the chart, with Vanilla Skyy facing Mordecai in the ultimate grudge match, Night Two will be something else, as the winners of each contenders match will have a chance at the Champions, the landscape of the EMERGE brand possibly changing forever. And all that said, who could forget that six tag teams step into the elimination chamber knowing that they could make history. I don’t see how this can be anything but an unforgettable night for the company. Make sure you check it out via the usual channels
A little more on the sale of EMERGE, and if you would please pardon the pun. It seems that right now, at least as far as SCW is concerned, the deal is ‘dead in the water’. This apparently has nothing to do with the offer from Drew’s consortium which was more than generous, but more a case of SCW simply not wanting to sell. To be fair, you can see why that would be, considering that right now SCW get exclusive rights to any EMERGE talent, but a source close to Drew claims that they are not done yet, and as far as he is concerned a deal will eventually be done.
This is course raises a lot of questions, because even though we know that Drew Bryant is a wealthy man, we also know he couldn’t make an offer on his own. A lot of names have been offered, it could be one of them, and it could be more. But if Drew is backed by some of these names, then surely, eventually even the SCW will be unable to refuse.
The names… well Josh Hudson could be a contender, as it is well known that he had been looking to buy into a wrestling company for a while, and the chance to stick it to SCW and the Drachawych family might be one that is too tempting to ignore. Another name that has come up is Shaun Cruze, who has been for a long time financially secure, but even more so off the back of his movie career. The third name, and potentially one of the most intriguing, would be William Mason, who may have been an enemy to the Cruze family in the past, but seems to have atoned with Owen and Shaun, so may have been approached by Drew. The final two names, David Helms… who has worked with Drew before and although very unlikely Fleur Jamieson, who may have worked her way into the mix… probably by whatever means she could.
If it was one, or even two of these people, there is no doubting that Drew has the financial ability to improve on any offer he has already made. However, it is rumored that any deal would involve a ‘total’ separation which would mean no exclusivity… which means SCW could have missed out on talents such as Peyton Rice and Kandis. My opinion, it’s that which could be the main sticking point and nothing to do with money. Perhaps a compromise could see EMERGE eventually become its own entity. We’ll see.
Changing tact a little, one of the most disturbing events of late on the shows has been involving new backstage reporter Briley Stephens, who has been subjected to ‘harassment’ from an unknown source. Briley has continued to conduct herself with professionalism but with this individual getting more and more brazen with every show, I hope that Benjamin Flynn finds him soon. Talking more about Briley, she has been impressing the training staff with her work ethic and ability, and it is believed that she is on track to make her EMERGE debut once she turns eighteen. Though I hope it isn’t with this stigma still surrounding her.
One of the bigger questions of the past few months has been the reappearance of Aiken Frost at EMERGE shows, watching intently at ringside with Ms Kozlov. When asked the question, he has been very coy in his answers, but it seems like in Montreal three nights ago, he was once more in attendance for Taking Hold of the Flame. Personally, I think this has to be something to do with Tasya. Are we about to once again see a Kozlov in our industry? One question that hasn’t been asked though… is Mika far behind?
Talking of Taking Hold of the Flame, that event is see as the official beginning of the road to Rise to Greatness… and although this column is primarily focused on EMERGE, I must remind you that last year the company graced the biggest PPV event of them all with the RUSH and EMERGE Championships on the line. I’ve been asked if we can expect a repeat of this, and having asked the question of those in the know, I can now confirm that the answer to that question is CATAGORICALLY not. Now, I’m not one for gossip… who am I kidding, this is a gossip column after all… but putting two and two together I can only imagine this is Drew’s retaliation to SCW’s refusing to sell. Personally, if that is the case, I’m not sure that this is a good ‘business’ decision. After all, there is no greater exposure than the biggest show on the planet.
Moving on to a few rumors I’ve heard of late…
I’ve got it on good authority, well sorta, that dependent on the result, Invasion may not be the last time we see Vanilla Skyy in a wrestling ring for EMERGE. It was thought that her coming back was a ‘one time deal’ but with her comments towards Willow Wilkes of late, could Vanilla be looking for one last run and in particular Willow Wilkes EMERGE Championship. After the way she left, and the part Willow played, it might be the ideal way for Vanilla to bow out… as a champion. But I’m also hearing that Vanilla may not just be the hunter, and she could also have a target on her back from a very ambitious Melissa Killgraves. It’s no secret Melissa want’s to achieve big things… getting what she wants from Vanilla Skyy could achieve that.
We know that Invasion will be the last time we see Dante in a wrestling ring… well a Chamber, and we also know that after the event Gavin Taylor will be joining up with SCW, though it is rumored that Drew is trying to put a stop to that as well. But could we also be losing Ryan Singer who it is thought will not be taking up his option to renew his contract? With the experience he brings to the roster, there is no doubt he would be a major loss on the back of Gavin and Dante, but it is believed that Ryan sees no place for himself in the business any longer, and is ready to take a back seat.
But Drew has apparently not rested on his laurels, and prior to leaving for Invasion, it is thought that he has actively be seeking talents to replace them, one of those targets believed to be a former UWA wrestler looking to make their comeback via EMERGE. But in my opinion even with those losses, EMERGE still has one of the youngest, most talented rosters anywhere. It will just be a case of them stepping up, which has been the premise of EMERGE all along surely?
And if that was the case… who could take on that mantle? Jennifer Helms is already on her way to being a star. Beard and Brody get two of the biggest reactions from the crowd every single time they step into a room. Yvonne Knight, Gwen Blair, Sabrina Bello has been getting better and better. And of course, how could we forget Tommy Cook who has entered the company with a bang? But if EMERGE #23 is anything to go by, it could be perhaps someone you hadn’t thought of, but someone who turned it all around with one act, that person being Mitch Sanders. When he said he was making people look good, was it with this goal… to be THE number one draw in EMERGE?
And the final rumor I have to bring to you, concerns the first EMERGE after Invasion, EMERGE #25. Again, not sure on how true this is, but it seems that YOU the viewers, might be given the power to choose the matches that YOU want. You want Brody to face Sundown in a ‘Speedo’s’ match, you can make it happen. You want to see Moustache Ride get a shot against whoever wins in the Chamber that will be in your hands. Submit your match, and the five best suggestions will make up EMERGE #25, where you could crown new champions with a simple mouse click. This type of show was first spoken about when Vanilla Skyy was EMERGE GM… how ironic would it be if you chose her fate. I’m sure if it does happen, details will be on the website, till then, who knows what possibilities the EMERGE fan base could come up with?
And with that said, that’s it from me, all there is to add is enjoy Invasion, and I’ll hopefully be back with another edition after that event, when we will all know what happened on both nights. Till then folks take care and speak soon
Sallie
XX
It would be remiss of me to start anywhere else but with Invasion: Symphony of the Sea which all kicks off tonight with some spectacular action you are not going to miss. EMERGE takes over that cruise ship, which set sail on Saturday with the lucky fans who were able to get a seat on board for one of the most ambitious undertakings thus far from the company.
With Miami Beach hosting the next Invasion, and then our season finale in Munich promising one of the biggest events in wrestling history, I think it’s fair to say that Invasion has become one of the ‘must see’ wrestling programs out there today.
As EMERGE went off air, we saw Sundown sent headfirst through a urinal and left broken by Mordecai in one of the most dominating actions we have seen thus far. Almost immediately there were fears that Sundown wouldn’t make Invasion, but a source close to Tombstone has moved quickly to dispel that rumor. This source claiming that all Mordecai did was ‘piss Sundown off’.
If Sundown really did shrug off a shot like that like it was nothing, and is 100% for Invasion, I fear even for a monster like Mordecai. Because even though Sundown is scheduled to take part in the Ladder match for the RUSH Championship, you can bet that his primary target will be Mordecai. And if those two face off… well I hope we don’t sink the ship
Of course, if Night One is going to be off the chart, with Vanilla Skyy facing Mordecai in the ultimate grudge match, Night Two will be something else, as the winners of each contenders match will have a chance at the Champions, the landscape of the EMERGE brand possibly changing forever. And all that said, who could forget that six tag teams step into the elimination chamber knowing that they could make history. I don’t see how this can be anything but an unforgettable night for the company. Make sure you check it out via the usual channels
A little more on the sale of EMERGE, and if you would please pardon the pun. It seems that right now, at least as far as SCW is concerned, the deal is ‘dead in the water’. This apparently has nothing to do with the offer from Drew’s consortium which was more than generous, but more a case of SCW simply not wanting to sell. To be fair, you can see why that would be, considering that right now SCW get exclusive rights to any EMERGE talent, but a source close to Drew claims that they are not done yet, and as far as he is concerned a deal will eventually be done.
This is course raises a lot of questions, because even though we know that Drew Bryant is a wealthy man, we also know he couldn’t make an offer on his own. A lot of names have been offered, it could be one of them, and it could be more. But if Drew is backed by some of these names, then surely, eventually even the SCW will be unable to refuse.
The names… well Josh Hudson could be a contender, as it is well known that he had been looking to buy into a wrestling company for a while, and the chance to stick it to SCW and the Drachawych family might be one that is too tempting to ignore. Another name that has come up is Shaun Cruze, who has been for a long time financially secure, but even more so off the back of his movie career. The third name, and potentially one of the most intriguing, would be William Mason, who may have been an enemy to the Cruze family in the past, but seems to have atoned with Owen and Shaun, so may have been approached by Drew. The final two names, David Helms… who has worked with Drew before and although very unlikely Fleur Jamieson, who may have worked her way into the mix… probably by whatever means she could.
If it was one, or even two of these people, there is no doubting that Drew has the financial ability to improve on any offer he has already made. However, it is rumored that any deal would involve a ‘total’ separation which would mean no exclusivity… which means SCW could have missed out on talents such as Peyton Rice and Kandis. My opinion, it’s that which could be the main sticking point and nothing to do with money. Perhaps a compromise could see EMERGE eventually become its own entity. We’ll see.
Changing tact a little, one of the most disturbing events of late on the shows has been involving new backstage reporter Briley Stephens, who has been subjected to ‘harassment’ from an unknown source. Briley has continued to conduct herself with professionalism but with this individual getting more and more brazen with every show, I hope that Benjamin Flynn finds him soon. Talking more about Briley, she has been impressing the training staff with her work ethic and ability, and it is believed that she is on track to make her EMERGE debut once she turns eighteen. Though I hope it isn’t with this stigma still surrounding her.
One of the bigger questions of the past few months has been the reappearance of Aiken Frost at EMERGE shows, watching intently at ringside with Ms Kozlov. When asked the question, he has been very coy in his answers, but it seems like in Montreal three nights ago, he was once more in attendance for Taking Hold of the Flame. Personally, I think this has to be something to do with Tasya. Are we about to once again see a Kozlov in our industry? One question that hasn’t been asked though… is Mika far behind?
Talking of Taking Hold of the Flame, that event is see as the official beginning of the road to Rise to Greatness… and although this column is primarily focused on EMERGE, I must remind you that last year the company graced the biggest PPV event of them all with the RUSH and EMERGE Championships on the line. I’ve been asked if we can expect a repeat of this, and having asked the question of those in the know, I can now confirm that the answer to that question is CATAGORICALLY not. Now, I’m not one for gossip… who am I kidding, this is a gossip column after all… but putting two and two together I can only imagine this is Drew’s retaliation to SCW’s refusing to sell. Personally, if that is the case, I’m not sure that this is a good ‘business’ decision. After all, there is no greater exposure than the biggest show on the planet.
Moving on to a few rumors I’ve heard of late…
I’ve got it on good authority, well sorta, that dependent on the result, Invasion may not be the last time we see Vanilla Skyy in a wrestling ring for EMERGE. It was thought that her coming back was a ‘one time deal’ but with her comments towards Willow Wilkes of late, could Vanilla be looking for one last run and in particular Willow Wilkes EMERGE Championship. After the way she left, and the part Willow played, it might be the ideal way for Vanilla to bow out… as a champion. But I’m also hearing that Vanilla may not just be the hunter, and she could also have a target on her back from a very ambitious Melissa Killgraves. It’s no secret Melissa want’s to achieve big things… getting what she wants from Vanilla Skyy could achieve that.
We know that Invasion will be the last time we see Dante in a wrestling ring… well a Chamber, and we also know that after the event Gavin Taylor will be joining up with SCW, though it is rumored that Drew is trying to put a stop to that as well. But could we also be losing Ryan Singer who it is thought will not be taking up his option to renew his contract? With the experience he brings to the roster, there is no doubt he would be a major loss on the back of Gavin and Dante, but it is believed that Ryan sees no place for himself in the business any longer, and is ready to take a back seat.
But Drew has apparently not rested on his laurels, and prior to leaving for Invasion, it is thought that he has actively be seeking talents to replace them, one of those targets believed to be a former UWA wrestler looking to make their comeback via EMERGE. But in my opinion even with those losses, EMERGE still has one of the youngest, most talented rosters anywhere. It will just be a case of them stepping up, which has been the premise of EMERGE all along surely?
And if that was the case… who could take on that mantle? Jennifer Helms is already on her way to being a star. Beard and Brody get two of the biggest reactions from the crowd every single time they step into a room. Yvonne Knight, Gwen Blair, Sabrina Bello has been getting better and better. And of course, how could we forget Tommy Cook who has entered the company with a bang? But if EMERGE #23 is anything to go by, it could be perhaps someone you hadn’t thought of, but someone who turned it all around with one act, that person being Mitch Sanders. When he said he was making people look good, was it with this goal… to be THE number one draw in EMERGE?
And the final rumor I have to bring to you, concerns the first EMERGE after Invasion, EMERGE #25. Again, not sure on how true this is, but it seems that YOU the viewers, might be given the power to choose the matches that YOU want. You want Brody to face Sundown in a ‘Speedo’s’ match, you can make it happen. You want to see Moustache Ride get a shot against whoever wins in the Chamber that will be in your hands. Submit your match, and the five best suggestions will make up EMERGE #25, where you could crown new champions with a simple mouse click. This type of show was first spoken about when Vanilla Skyy was EMERGE GM… how ironic would it be if you chose her fate. I’m sure if it does happen, details will be on the website, till then, who knows what possibilities the EMERGE fan base could come up with?
And with that said, that’s it from me, all there is to add is enjoy Invasion, and I’ll hopefully be back with another edition after that event, when we will all know what happened on both nights. Till then folks take care and speak soon
Sallie
XX