#WrestleManiaWeek Preview – WrestleCon USA vs The World: Battle in the Big Apple (4/5/19)

WrestleCon had a bit of a scare on Friday when it was revealed that it wasn’t just Open the Dream Gate (World Heavyweight) Champion PAC from Dragon Gate that had visa issues for WrestleMania week, but the entire planned Dragon Gate roster that was coming. This had huge implications for WrestleCon’s USA vs The World card, as several Dragon Gate performers were slated for action. But after a quick recovery time, they announced a restructured card that looks every bit as exciting as the original line-up. It airs live at 11am on Fite.tv.

Official Press Release regarding Dragon Gate. pic.twitter.com/RIOSrZQuu8

— WrestleCon – Philadelphia- April 4-7 (@wrestlecon) March 29, 2019

Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Emil Sitoci

Brian Pillman Jr. has become a star in the making as the “Loose Cannon” of the new Hart Foundation in Major League Wrestling (MLW) and at WrestleCon’s Friday show, he’ll be representing the USA in singles action. He’s facing Emil Sitoci, a Netherlands wrestler with little experience in the US, but whose a seasoned veteran in the European indies. A former foe of Aleister Black (when he was still Tommy End), the Dutch grappler has been a star with Germany’s Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) since 2002, where he’s a former wXw Shotgun Champion and 2x wXw Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as Pro Wrestling Holland (PWH) and other European indies. Sitoci had a WWE tryout last year in Germany.

Sammy Guevara vs. Puma King

High flying Sammy Guevara, one of the more recent signees to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and former AAA World Cruiserweight Champion, also represents the red, white and blue in singles action, as he faces Mexico’s Puma King. Puma King departed his longtime home of CMLL last year to enter the US indie scene and has been making waves with Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), MLW, IMPACT and many others.

The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz, Dezmond Xavier & Trey Miguel) vs. Australian Suicide, Robbie Eagles & Adam Brooks

IMPACT Wrestling’s Rascalz trio of Zachary Wentz, Dezmond Xavier and Trey Miguel will be part of the US squad for Friday’s international showdown and the high flyers could be part of the show-stealer. Originally slated to face Dragon Gate’s RED in 6-man tag action, the visas issue has lead their opponents to shift to a super talented trio of Australian indie superstars instead. Robbie Eagles is perhaps the best known of the three, as one of the newest members of Bullet Club in NJPW and one of Australia’s brightest international stars. Fellow Aussie Adam Brooks made his PWG debut last year and is poised for big things on the global stage in 2019. Their squad is rounded out by one of the craziest aerialists in the game in Australian Suicide, who has made a name for himself in Mexico the past several years.

MJF vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page

These two have a history in Page’s Canadian promotion, Alpha-1, where they’d headed to a massive conflict, but the rivalry continues on Friday at WrestleCon in New York City, when AEW/MLW star MJF goes one-on-one with IMPACT’s Ethan Page in singles action.

Ikemen vs. Rich Swann

Rich Swann‘s original opponent for this was Dragon Gate’s Yoshino, but now the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion and reigning IMPACT X-Division Champion will face “Ikemen” Jiro Kuroshiro, an 8-year pro who just recently announced his departure from WRESTLE-1 in Japan after spending his last six years with the company to test the waters in the US.

David Starr vs. Daga

Newly crowned IPW World Champion David Starr returns to his homeland to represent the United States on Friday and he, too, has found a new opponent due to the visa incident. Originally slated to face Dragon Gate’s Susumu Yokosuka, he’s now stepping into the ring with Mexico’s Daga. Daga is a former AAA star and part of the late Perro Aguayo Jr.‘s Perros del Mal who has been one of the top stars of The Crash Lucha. He’s made his way to the US last year, now working with MLW and IMPACT.

Brian Cage vs. Masato Tanaka

A battle of two powerhouses with athleticism that defies their size, IMPACT Wrestling’s Brian Cage will go head to head with former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Masato Tanaka, who is no stranger to hard-hitting action. Tanaka has remained a constant figure in Japanese puroresu, competing with Pro Wrestling ZERO1 for the past decade, where he’s a 4x ZERO1 World Champion.

LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. The Hart Foundation (Teddy Hart & Davey Boy Smith Jr.)

Former 2x IMPACT Tag Team Champions LAX (Ortiz & Santana) were originally to face Australia’s Robbie Eagles & Adam Brooks in tag team action, but with the card shuffle, the two Aussies were paired with Australian Suicide in 6-man action instead. Replacing the Aussie duo as LAX’s opponents are the current MLW World Tag Team Champions The Hart Foundation, featuring Teddy Hart and Harry Smith (Davey Boy Smith Jr.), in what will be a huge first-time matchup.

CHECK OUT ALL OUR OTHER WRESTLEMANIA WEEK PREVIEWS HERE (and keep checking back as more are added)