Wrestling Entertainment Series cancels debut event
The Wrestling Entertainment Series will not be launching this weekend after all.
As we’ve noted, former WWE Superstars Gzim Selmani and Sunny Dhinsa (AOP, Akam and Rezar) were set to debut their new WES promotion in Nottingham, England this Saturday from the 10,000-seat Motorpoint Arena. The event was to air live on FITE TV. After moving the show from June 4 to July 9, a new card was also announced and the following matches were advertised for this weekend – Moose vs. Alistair Overeem for the WES World Title, Lina Fanene (fka Nia Jax) vs. TBD for the WES Women’s World Title, Legion of Pain (fka AOP) vs. BT Gunn and Kez Evans for the WES World Tag Team Titles, Steph De Lander (fka Persia Pirotta) and Anastasia vs. She Wolves for the WES Women’s World Tag Team Titles, Samuray Del Sol (fka Kalisto) vs. Lince Dorado, and Damo Mackle (fka Killian Dain) vs. Dean Muhtadi (fka Mojo Rawley), plus two pre-show matches – Eric Young vs. Zac Zodiac and Levis Valenzuela Jr. (fka No Way Jose) vs. Jody Fliesh.
WES faced a PR situation earlier this week when Lina Fanene (fka Nia Jax) called the promotion out for still featuring her on promotional material for the event. She tweeted in response to a WES graphic, “I do not know why I am still on this poster, but I will REPEAT myself again…I will NOT be at the show. Please do not buy a ticket thinking you will see me perform or get a chance to meet me. I hate that this misleads people!”
Matthew Rehwoldt, who was set to do commentary for WES, also called them out on Twitter last weekend, writing, “So @wesofficialtv has cost me time and now cost me income. I was asked to be on this show but had a conflicting booking. I was told they really wanted me and would pay me upfront. So as they were former colleagues I took them at their word and passed on my other booking. And since I have been completely ghosted. Zero communication. I have friends booked for the show and luckily some of them have been paid already but I doubt the show will happen. No travel, hotel, or any pertinent information has been shared with anyone I know. Now I’m also out a weekend or income due to them. Part of that is on me as I chose to forgo my other date… But as I said I was told repeatedly that “for sure“ this was happening and they wanted me to be there. I would be wary of buying a ticket or the broadcast of this show.”
These issues came after WES originally announced their debut for Saturday, June 4, but delayed it due to undisclosed reasons. That was the first sign of issues with WES as several talents publicly spoke about the problems they were having with their bookings, with some wrestlers, such as Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo, revealing that they had backed out of the re-scheduled show. Other names originally scheduled for the first show but not advertised for the re-scheduled show were Adam Scherr (fka Braun Strowman), WWE Hall of Famer Paul Ellering, Steve Maclin, Wesley Blake, Killer Kross, Jonah, Madison Rayne, Tenille Dashwood, Mike Bennett, Biff Busick (fka Oney Lorcan), and Dirty Dango (fka Fandango).
However, WES was moving ahead for the show scheduled for this weekend, and were still doing media for the event on Tuesday of this week. They had announced days ago that Impact’s Tom Hannifan had joined the announce team.
In an update, WES took to social media today and announced that Saturday’s debut show has been canceled. They blamed the cancellation on talent not showing up.
The statement specifically mentions Fanene, noting that she was paid her deposit, but changed her mind and no longer wanted to work the show. It was also stated that other talents scheduled were paid in full.
WES noted in a follow-up tweet that everyone who bought a ticket or pre-ordered the pay-per-view event will be refunded in full.
WES promised that this will not be the end of the new promotion. You can read their full statement below:
“Dear fans and followers,
Unfortunately we will have to cancel the event scheduled for this Saturday at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham England.
We are deeply disappointed in the news that we have to share but with so many talent not showing up we will have no choice then to cancel the event.
Our team worked so hard on this event day in and day out for the fans to come with a different type of wrestling event and believe that we still will be able to show that in the near future.
We do want to say that all our talent that was scheduled have been paid in full and that Lina Fanene was paid her deposit as well while she changed her mind and did not want to show up and wrestle anymore.
For now we will have to apologize for this, but we promise that it will not end here. See you soon!
– Team WES”
It’s interesting to note that as of this writing, the official WES website still has Fanene vs. TBD advertised for the WES Women’s World Title, plus the rest of the aforementioned matches.
Stay tuned for more. Below are the full WES tweets, along with the aforementioned posts from Fanene and Rehwoldt:
— Wrestling Entertainment Series (@wesofficialtv) July 6, 2022
Everyone who purchased a ticket or pre ordered the PPV will be refunded in full.
— Wrestling Entertainment Series (@wesofficialtv) July 6, 2022
I do not know why I am still on this poster, but I will REPEAT myself again…I will NOT be at the show. Please do not buy a ticket thinking you will see me perform or get a chance to meet me. I hate that this misleads people! https://t.co/4yTAhHeWbX
— Lina Fanene (@LinaFanene) July 3, 2022
So @wesofficialtv has cost me time and now cost me income.
I was asked to be on this show but had a conflicting booking. I was told they really wanted me and would pay me upfront. So as they were former colleagues I took them at their word and passed on my other booking.
— Matthew Rehwoldt (@DramaKingMatt) July 2, 2022
