The D'Amore Drop: Debating WWE GOATs? You better include Randy Orton
The D'Amore Drop is a weekly guest column on Uncrowned written by Scott D'Amore, the Canadian professional wrestling promoter, executive producer, trainer and former wrestler best known for his long-standing role with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling, where he served as head of creative. D'Amore is the current owner of leading Canadian promotion Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling.
I'm in the thick of it with Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling's huge Northern Rising event at the former the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto this Saturday. I've wanted to bring wrestling back to the Mecco of Canadian wrestling for 20 years — and finally get to do so with Maple Leaf Pro, the historic promotion I revived last October.
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The Toronto fans have not let us down. We barely have a 100 tickets left to sell and preorders are looking promising for the pay-per-view on Triller.tv.
The days leading up to an event are always tough for promoters. There's still a ton of work to be done and, no matter how well you planned, you always find yourself in a fist fight with the clock as it ticks down to showtime.
Yet, I am confident this will be the best show Maple Leaf Pro has had since we brought the promotion back from the ashes this past October — and is arguably the biggest independent show of the year.
If I say so myself — the card is freakin' LOADED!
One of the top talents on Northern Rising — and I want to thank him and AEW — is Josh Alexander.
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Josh's rise to AEW main-eventer level has been so personally satisfying to me. I love the guy, his wife Jen and their kids, and I've lived and breathed their ups and downs over the years.
Now Josh is as 'up' as it gets in this business, and I couldn't be prouder.
'The Walking Weapon's' on-screen manager in AEW is Don Callis — aka the world's least likable human — who's been saying that he was the first one to recognize Josh's immense talent.
Ahem.
Here's a text exchange between me and Don from 2018. For context, we were Executive Vice Presidents of TNA at the time. I was doing commentary at an event co-promoted by Destiny Wrestling and iMPACT!, watching Josh just rip it up in an incredible match, and I texted Don to say: 'I think I am going to sign Josh Alexander.'
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Don texted back: 'Who?'
Me: 'Canadian kid. Wrestles in the headgear.'
Don: 'F***ing Earmuffs?!?!!?'
Me: 'I guess. I am going to sign him.'
Don: 'Why?'
To be fair to Don, he soon changed his tune once he saw Josh's capabilities and became every bit as strong a believer as I am. I am thrilled Josh is getting to be part of The Don Callis Family on AEW TV.
But … you can't rewrite history — not when I still have the text messages!
Don Callis initially didn't see 'it' with Josh Alexander. Those are the facts.
So, with Josh now taking his rightful place in AEW, a promotion that is all about having amazing matches, every five-star match Josh has will: A) prove that Josh is one of the world's best, B) prove Scott D'Amore right, and most importantly, C) prove Don Callis wrong yet again.
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Go, Josh, go!
Because of Northern Rising, I'll catch WWE Backlash when I get back home, but am looking forward to Randy Orton challenging old rival John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Title. The two most successful stars of WWE's Ruthless Aggression Era go at it one last time in a main event that's a potent mix of both current relevance and nostalgia.
Randy Orton, in incredible shape at age 45, has other WWE title runs in him … but I don't think the next one begins this Saturday. WWE has a ways to go yet with the storyline of Cena holding the belt hostage.
Randy Orton and John Cena revive their decades-long rivalry at WWE Backlash. (Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
But how great is Orton? Think of this: He is 6-foot-5 and over 260 pounds, legit. He's bigger than guys like Bill Goldberg — but we don't think of him in that way because he moves out there more like a Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels.
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Don't ever have a conversation about who's the greatest of all time without mentioning the master of the RKO.
My close friends, the Good Brothers — Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows — will have their first advertised match since leaving WWE at Maple Leaf Pro: Northern Rising. The Good Brothers — longstanding members of the iconic, federation-spanning Bullet Club — will collide with David Finlay and Drilla Maloney, two members of New Japan's new faction the War Dogs.
Interestingly enough, AEW's The Young Bucks will fight alongside two mystery partners vs. the War Dogs at the New Japan card the night before ... I wonder who they could be?
If you want a textbook example of why heels should cut their promos as if they are the heroes of their own story, check out Monday's "WWE Raw" and Paul Heyman's work.
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His furious justification of why he betrayed Roman Reigns and CM Punk should be shown at creative writing and acting classes worldwide.
WWE, Pat McAfee and especially Gunther have a hard job at Backlash.
McAfee is a former NFL player, sure, but can't look too competitive in his match against a top WWE heel in Gunther. It'll be interesting to see how this match is booked.
There's lot of talk right now that Jeremy Borash will be involved in Triple A creative alongside Konnan and Dorian Roldan.
Borash has a great wrestling mind, and hasn't gotten enough credit for his contributions to the biz. I think that'll change now.
Two women who things didn't work out with at NXT — Taya Valkyrie and Deonna Purrazzo — truly found themselves in TNA and now are really showing what they can do in ROH.
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'The Vendetta,' as they are now known, are both entered in the ROH Women's Pure Title tournament — and I think Deonna has to be the odds-on favorite.
If you didn't see Toni Storm's clash with Miyu Yamashita on "AEW Dynamite" last week, you need to check it out on AEW's YouTube. Toni has been red hot in AEW for the past two years, and I was stoked for a wider audience to get to see what Miyu can do.
Miyu is one of the most talented people on the circuit today and — why, yes! — you can see her at Maple Leaf Pro: Mayhem this Saturday!
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