Wrestling fans will once again be well catered for this summer, as TNA Wrestling will hold its annual Slammiversary signature event on July 20 at the Verdun Auditorium, where the weekly show will also be broadcast the following day. impact!.
The Quebec metropolis has been spoiled in recent years with Elimination Chamber in February 2023 and RAW on April 15, from World Wrestling Entertainment, as well as two evenings from All Elite Wrestling, which presented its flagship shows at the Bell Center December 5 and 6. However, to the great joy of two local figures in Pierre Carl Ouellet and Mike “Speedball” Bailey, it is TNA’s turn to arrive in town and for the occasion, they will do things in a big way.
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“It’s our WrestleMania!” Ouellet exclaimed in a telephone interview this week, who expects a full house of around 4,000 spectators. “People will go see the show before they go on vacation.”
The holding of this gala, which will be held in Canada for a second time in a row, will obviously have been the result of several discussions with Montreal municipal authorities. The project had also been in the plans of the former president of the TNA, Ontarian Scott D’Amore, for a long time, according to Ouellet. However, there is more: wrestling is booming in Quebec, according to PCO, better known in the arena as Perfect Creation One, a character inspired by the famous Doctor Frankenstein monster.
Photo ALLIE MCPHETRIDGE
“It’s like in hockey, where the booing has stopped: people are no longer negative. I listen to the chants and how the crowd participates. Everyone is in and on board. [En janvier 2020], I had done a media tour and I already felt a wave of love. Everywhere, the fight is healthy, he estimated. I definitely see the buzz.”
However, the success of Quebecers like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on the world wrestling scene does not at all harm the public’s interest in the discipline.
“The emergence of wrestlers from here is good news for the media. We are proud of it. It’s like we’re the ones who will succeed. We saw it with other heroes like Mario Lemieux in hockey. It strengthens ties in Quebec,” said PCO.
Names and faces that evoke memories
Certainly, the one having the manager Destro at his side when he climbs into the ring hopes to deliver a major fight with significant stakes during his visit to Verdun. However, he is not the only known face in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and other wrestlers are expected to attract plenty of attention.
Photo provided by THOMAS ARGOUIN
The federation’s contingent includes world champion Moose. The latter is in fact former NFL guard Quinn Ojinnaka, who played in the Goodell circuit from 2006 to 2012 and who played a season alongside Tom Brady for the New England Patriots. AJ Francis also comes from professional football and has also worked in WWE. Precisely, among the former standard-bearers of the organization who work today in TNA, we note Matt Hardy, Mustafa Ali, Nic Nemeth (Editor’s note: Dolph Ziggler in WWE), Tommy Dreamer, Santino Marella and Rhyno .
Tickets for the general public will go on sale on Saturday at 10 a.m. More details available on tnawrestling.com.
