The WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow didn’t go as planned, and fans didn’t hesitate to show their frustration with the AEW AEW vs TNA match being pulled.
The main event was supposed to be a big singles match between Leon Slater and Ricochet, but it got changed at the last moment, which upset a lot of people. Just a few days before the show, TNA pulled Slater out of the match, saying it was due to “partner conflicts.”
Fan backlash erupts after AEW vs TNA match is scrapped
Because of this, WrestleCon had to quickly change plans. The new main event became a six-man tag match. Ricochet teamed up with Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona (The Embassy) to face Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey, and Michael Oku.
Even with the new match, fans were not happy. Before the match even started, loud “F*ck TNA” chants filled the arena.
WrestleCon promoter Michael Bochicchio spoke about the situation during his appearance on Post Wrestling. He said the match had already been planned properly, with both sides agreeing on how it would end, so no one would look weak.
“A lot of people think, ‘They didn’t want Leon to lose.’ Guys, I’m going to be honest, Leon wasn’t losing. So, come up with a different theory on why they pulled him because that had nothing to do with it. The match was cleared, the finish were cleared,” Bochicchio said.
He surprisingly found out about the cancellation online, not directly from TNA. He said he only briefly connected with TNA President Carlos Silva, and even that conversation didn’t fully clear things up.
Even though TNA said it was due to “partner conflicts,” Bochicchio hinted that issues between wrestling companies might have played a part, especially with AEW running shows around the same time as TNA.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Reports say a match between MJF and Bear Bronson at another event was also canceled in a similar fashion. It looks like TNA is being more careful about how its wrestlers appear outside the company.
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