While wrestling in front of live audiences in the US is still pretty much non existent, with WWE & AEW doing TV at set locations using talent to make noise Japan is starting to return to a somewhat normal stage. Yes they are now requiring masks for all audience members, but many have been wearing masks since the tsunami of 2011 so they have no issue with that. The seating has been changed with gaps between seating areas to observe social distancing. Even the current four person commentary team, which includes retired Japanese legend Jushin Thunder Liger are placed in two separate areas and separated on opposite ends of the tables they were at.

This week I will look at the resurgence of the Japanese wrestling scene, from the Bushiroad owned New Japan and Stardom to the smaller promotions dotting the landscape. With a new reality new stories are being developed and new champions are emerging. I hope this week to provide you fans, especially those whose knowledge of wrestling is limited to WWE and AEW with a fresh perspective, something new to look at and consider watching more of.https://anchor.fm/livefromthedeansden/message

The IWC, or Internet Wrestling Community, is a funny thing. There becomes a groupthink where once a few people think someone is being buried or overpushed the entire group posts that idea all over social media. This time the praise turned derision has fallen upon one Matthew Riddle. Tonight I'll discuss Riddle's progression from UFC to Evolve to WWE. I'll examine what may have turned the IWC against the "Original Bro" and is there a way to reverse that.

If there's time I'll also discuss the absence of  Bianca Belair, Angelo Dawkins adds to the "fam", Taz passing the ultimate torch to Brian Cage, the public burial or Ruby Riott and other stories as they happen.

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Last week, several weeks ahead of plans, The Den returned amidst the then just starting #SpeakingOut trend. Myself and Lee Walker from Sportskeeda.com were literally reporting a story in progress as news was happening while we were live on the air.

Tonight we return with more stories as we find them, including the major shakeup at Impact Wrestling. There are more witnesses coming forward to back up previously reported stories on Jim Cornette. More action on the WWE UK front is happening and I'm sure more will happen before we hit the air tonight.

In this episode we continue to examine the repercussions of the #SpeakingOut movement as well as more positive COVID-19 tests and other news that happens.

NOTE: I was not planning to bring the show back this soon. However, I would be less than the journalist I have always considered myself to be if I did not start this VERY painful conversation.

For those of you who are fans of the legendary Warren Zevon you recognize the lyrics I am using for the title tonight. For those who may not be, the second chorus says "Send lawyers, guns and money. The **** has hit the fan!". No statement can be truer than this, especially as relating to what has broken over the last 18-24 hours. For those of you who were listening to TNT On BTR Thursday, we started by discussing early racist and Islamophobic posts made by Chad "Jaxon Ryker" Lail. Before the night was over stories regarding sexual abuse by Jim & Stacey Cornette were burning up social media. Today, the dam started to break wide open as numerous wrestlers, including one we covered for over year, were being exposed as rapists/sexual assault perpetrators.

Some of these charges include pedophilia and are particularly frightening and uncomfortable to talk about. Tonight, myself and Lee Walker from Sportskeeda.com will only scratch the surface as I am sure by the time I go live there will be numerous additional allegations that will come out. We will discuss much more in terms of accused wrestlers and what the accusations are.

Please note, this show is NOT for younger or more sensitive listeners as there will be VERY mature subject matter discussed.

Normally this would be a week and weekend that wrestling fans live for. However, living in a COVID-19 age changed everything. The independent events that normally flood the landscape were all cancelled, and WrestleMania itself was all pretaped in an empty WWE Peformance Center. Matches had to be changed and producing matches that work better in a larger stadium probably posed more problems. I'll discuss all these variables and what the final matches are slated.

AEW was visited, some say raided, by Georgia officials as they were taping TV. I have all the details, including a rumor about how the officials knew about it.

In other items that might make air, Chris Jericho revealed where one of the ideas for the first Brodie Lee kit came from. Want to own a WrestleMania chair? You can get one without having spent the money for a ticket.

I'll also have an announcement concerning future broadcasts tonight.

This year's WrestleMania matches are changing as rapidly as the current statistics on the Coronavirus. A match that was possibly going to be filmed yesterday had to be changed today and so on. In this episode I'm going to look at the current situation with WrestleMania. As I'm sure the situation will possibly change before Smackdown airs I will not post any specific subjects and I will fly according to what happens there and what happens in the news as it happens.

As I have been continuing to monitor the situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic the situations are changing literally minute by minute. I will give you the latest information regarding what actions are being taken in regards to moving and/or cancelling events throughout the country.

In other news, it looks like more people are leaving WWE. Did a well known WWE official get a demotion? I'll take the information I gave on W.A.R. and add on information that has come out today. I'll fill you in on all of these stories and more as they occur tonight.

Vince McMahon is known to change entire shows hours before they are supposed to air live, one of those changes may cause a change in the Women's Elimination Chamber match, which now is the only one that counts since Vince already put Roman Reigns against Goldberg for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania.

In regards to WrestleMania, there was an announced change to Axxess concerning a scheduled appearance. I'll tell you who and my thoughts as to why.  AAA airs live on Twitch Saturday but there will be a time change there as well. There's also an angle that is happening right now that may have been the result of someone going into business for themselves.

All of these stories and MORE are LIVE From The Dean's Den.

Talk to me: https://anchor.fm/livefromthedeansden/message

Saturday is AEW's first pay per view of the year, REVOLUTION. Steve will go over the card and what to possibly expect during several of the matches.

"Home Alone" star McCauley Culkin, who was supposed to be at this year's WrestleMania in Tampa is no longer going as he is quite upset over Bray Wyatt dropping the Universal Championship to Goldberg. Well it didn't take long for Goldberg to respond and the response was short and to the point.

Speaking of older WWE part timers getting title opportunities, it looks like another part timer will be getting a title shot at WrestleMania. WWE pre show host Sam Roberts and Revival member Dash Wilder got into a battle on social media over terminology. There is another AEW figure that pre orders are being taken on.

All of this and other items will be discussed LIVE From The Dean's Den.

When Jonathan Good left the security of a job and a midcard push at WWE to strike back out on his own, taking back the name Jon Moxley, he wasn't sure if wrestling fans would accept the change, especially after some of the things he had to do in the later stages of his time at WWE. In this episode, in addition to other news, including who has been added to WrestleMania, including someone who will be working an independent show the day before.

A huge rumor concerning the future of WWE pay per views has emarged, and it may change the future of one particular streaming service, in addition to the WWE Network. Why is Sami Zayn still playing his "Liberator" role rather than compete? Rhea Ripley has talked about the one thing WWE will not allow her to do. All of this and other news as it breaks prior to air time.