Stamford, CT
Tuesday July 28, 2020
11:30 PM
BM = Benny Mouse
BM: Good evening, and welcome to the EWA's final press briefing. As you all know, we are mere days away from the Season 2 premiere of the Elite Wrestling Alliance, where Revolution returns, live from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in beautiful Memphis, TN! The card is stacked from top to bottom, with the double main event for the EWA World Heavyweight Championship as Grand Daddy Duxen defends again the unstoppable force, Armageddon in a No Holds Barred match. Plus, 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey - wrestling's hottest female superstar - challenges Ember Moon for the Knockouts Championship!
Also, in one of the biggest announcements of the summer, Splinter and Splidder step out of retirement to challenge Metal Head and Heavy Metal for the EWA World Tag Team Championship! Plus, the X-Division title is on the line with Pac defending against Sean Olsen, and CM Punk will battle Kofi Kingston in a men's Money in the Bank qualifying match. On top of all of that, for the first time in over a decade, Jesse Hash and Miss Athena Star will reunite on 4:20!
It will be a night wrestling fans remember for a long time to come, as we're looking to set ratings records. We have heavily promoted this premiere, and we expect to perform at our highest caliber. Everything's gotten a face life, and our production values will reach unprecedented heights. I guarantee that Revolution on Aug. 3 will revolutionize the industry, and our competition will be scrambling to follow suit. At this point, I open the floor to your questions...
ESPN: Durring the final PWI press conference before Monday's head to head battle, Chairman Jeff Murrey backed off his earlier pledge to defeat the EWA. He downplayed the ratings battle, but it later leaked one wrestling news sites that the preseason will feature some big reveal. What are your thoughts heading into Monday?
BM: Look, I've tried to keep up with Murrey's remarks, but he flip flops like a fish out of water. One minute he is cutting Ascendants, the next he's investing money to make it compete with Dark. One moment the preseason will feature random matches that do not effect the story, and now they are deluding the prestige of the Immunity Championship by adding the immunity stipulation to the entire concept. It's head spinning, and it's counterintuitive to Murrey's remarks about having a long term strategy. I hate to say it, but Jeff Murrey is not the same visionary he once was. His finger is no longer on the pulse of what fans want, and the PWI has such little faith in its women's division that it failed to even announce the card for the first-ever all female card for the company! Oh wait, that's right, Murrey would have you believe that it being a "surprise" is actually a good thing, and not a reason for him to pencil in a few nostalgia acts to pop the ratings.
ESPN: So you're saying you expect sur--
BM: No, I'm saying what I just said! You can try to put words in my mouth all you want, just like Murrey tries to do, but the fact remains that he's backing off in an effort to lull us into a false sense of security, and I assure you that won't happen. I am confident with what we've advertised, I'm confident in our presentation, and I'm confident that the talent of the Elite Wrestling Alliance will deliver a show on Monday that you'll all be buzzing about!
HBO Sports: I notice that, as with the season one premiere, Revolution is starting in enemy territory. Can I ask why you chose the biggest arena in Memphis, given the proximity of PWI Live? Can you fill this arena?
BM: Listen, it's no secret that I like to cross enemy lines. Kind of like how you can count on PWI to move their opening shows to the same night as the EWA's, you can count on me reaching out to the good people of Tennessee even if PWI is nearby. Are the fans in Memphis going to the arena where there's no advertised card, or are they going to sell out Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium to witness the biggest stars in wrestling? I can tell you that tickets are expected to sell out in hours, if not sooner. Murrey's promising a nostalgia act with women's wrestling on the side. The choice between the two shows, in my mind, is easier than ever after Murrey opened his mouth.
PWI: Can you tell us a little more about EWA 24?
BM: As I've said, it'll be an unprecedented look at the behind the scenes of the EWA. It will show what goes into producing the most popular wrestling show on the planet, and it will make history, as the EWA so often does.
CBS Sports: Rumors are circulating about what Miss Athena Star has to announce on 4:20, with many pundits expecting her to announce her retirement. These rumors were heightened when you said you have yet to finalize Star's new contract. What can you tell us on this situation?
BM: I met with Miss Athena Star again on Sunday, and we are closer than ever to coming to terms with a new contract. Miss Athena Star is by far the biggest female wrestling star on the planet, even after a difficult year. She is still recovering from her injury sustained at No Boundaries, however, so it will be a bit longer before we see her back in the ring. But I am confident we will see her in the ring again, because I don't think she's quite done yet. Though I already recognize her as such, she's not going out until she's satisfied that history will remember her as the most influential women's wrestler of all time.
Thank you all for your questions, and I will speak to you all soon!