On the latest episode of All Elite Wrestling (AEW)‘s new web series, The Road To Double or Nothing, AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes, AEW Head of Talent Relations Christopher Daniels and AEW Coordinator Michael Cuellari (also known as QT Marshall on the indie circuit) are shown watching a video package of UK indie legend Jimmy Havoc. Following the viewing, the three are shown discussing AEW’s interest in the former PROGRESS World Champion.
“I think the violence is just one aspect of his thing,” Christopher Daniels says to Cuellari after the viewing. “I think he uses it as a smokescreen to hide the fact that he’s very technically sound, obviously he’s a good talker. The violence sort of overshadows sometimes, and I think he plays that to his advantage sometimes.” Cody Rhodes responded positively, saying he “loves Jimmy Havoc, he’s great, he’s amazing. Absolutely, let’s make that call.” Unlike the Being The Elite web series, started by fellow AEW employees the Young Bucks, which is entirely storyline driven, the AEW web series is a serious behind the scenes look at AEW assembling their crew and preparing for the company’s first PPV event, Double or Nothing, in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 25, 2019.
Jimmy Havoc has only recently caught the attention of the North American indie fanbase, working with Major League Wrestling (MLW) for the past year in sporadic appearances, as well as winning the Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) Tournament of Death 16 in 2017. The same year, he appeared at WWE’s WrestleMania AXXESS in a PROGRESS Showcase match against TK Cooper. But for UK fans, Havoc has been one of the UK indie scene’s most captivating performers of the past 15 years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekZRB41cv4k
Starting out in 2004, he made his major debut with the now-defunct NWA Hammerlock UK, alongside other future UK superstars like WWE’s Finn Balor, NJPW’s Zack Sabre Jr., and NXT’s Danny Burch. By 2008, he was working for IPW:UK, fighting alongside another new class of UK stars like Mark Haskins and Marty Scurll.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROGJOuH53ls
In 2012, he joined upstart promotion PROGRESS Wrestling and soon became one of the greatest storylines in pro wrestling history. A consistent loser in PROGRESS, he cashed in a title opportunity and won the PROGRESS World Championship. He went on to hold the title for 609 days, still the record for longest single reign, and followed it up with a run as the IPW:UK World Champion (for 770 days), while working for nearly every promotion in the UK. He’s the current reigning Defiant Hardcore Champion and continues to work in the UK and mainland Europe, as well as North America with the likes of Canada’s Smash Wrestling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0eO7juOWlk
Late on Tuesday night, AEW tweeted out that Havoc had accepted and he was definitely going to be All Elite.
Welcome to @AEwrestling@JimmyHavoc pic.twitter.com/QIzNzHh5Tm
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 6, 2019
