Earlier this month, it was announced that WWE Superstar Apollo “Just Happy To Be Included” Crews would head overseas — not for a WWE tour, but to enter Preston City Wrestling’s Road to Glory 2018 tournament.
WWE has made a show of swapping talent and boosting exposure for U.K. companies such as Rev Pro, PROGRESS, and ICW, but not PCW. This left many wondering if a new independent company had been brought into fold. According to The Wrestling Observer, it’s nothing as seemingly altruistic as all that.
According to reporter Dave Meltzer, WWE has let the former PCW champ return to Preston in a move to gain access to an arena in Blackpool. Steve Fludder, owner of PCW and its accompanying training school, supposedly has an exclusive agreement with the desired venue. In return for Crews’ entrance into the tournament, PCW will apparently grant WWE permission to run out of their building. It’s possible that with a venue in place as a result of a PCW partnership, WWE’s plans for a regular U.K. division weekly show will move one step closer to becoming a reality
Another Superstar will be returning to their independent roots when Oney Lorcan heads back to Beyond Wrestling on December 31st. Unlike Crews, however, NXT’s Lonely Orca will only be signing autographs, and won’t be appearing on the Powerbomb TV livestream. There aren’t any favours being traded in that situation, just Lorcan being allowed to have a holiday homecoming. As disappointing as it is to not see those black and yellow boots in a Beyond ring again, hearing Bro Hymn blast through the speakers once again will be the perfect Christmas gift for Lorcan’s (nee Biff Busick’s) diehard fans in the American northeast.
