The Grapevine (3/16/20): LigerMania

Welcome to the Grapevine! This section of Smark Henry is where we round up all the founded and unfounded rumors abound the pro wrestling scene that you may have missed over the week. Remember to take everything with a grain of salt!

The newest addition to the 2020 Hall of Fame Class has been confirmed:

• Japanese legend Jushin "Thunder" Liger has been confirmed to be a part of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2020. Tokyo Sports confirmed the news, saying that NJPW has been informed, while WWE will likely make an announcement soon. While WrestleMania in Tampa Bay is still unclear, Liger says he is still willing to make the trip to the US to accept the honor. The current class include the nWo, Batista, Davey Boy Smith, the Bella Twins, and John Bradshaw Layfield. (Source: Tokyo Sports)

We say: A great move for the WWE to recognize Liger as part of the global pro wrestling pantheon, even though he only really had token appearances in the company.

• Speaking of WrestleMania, the Tampa Bay local government may be the one to cancel the event if WWE does not do it themselves. The city withheld from making a decision, opting to wait for WWE to make their own move. WWE had released a statement on Thursday saying they would still push through, but that they were also working on their own contingency plans should the government cancel the event. (Source: Wrestling Inc, FOX News)

We say: At this point, the company better start working on their plan B, because hardly anyone will make it to Tampa thanks to this situation. Plus they better hope no one on the roster catches the virus at all.

• Meanwhile, AEW will seemingly still push through with Blood & Guts on March 25. This week's episode of Dynamite will be held without a live audience; if the special episode were to continue next week, it'll likely be the same setup. AEW president Tony Khan has already stressed to both talent and crew that anyone who is feeling ill or anxious about traveling during this situation may stay home without repercussions. (Source: Wrestling Observer Radio)

We say: One thing to note and commend is the extreme care taken for AEW's roster and crew, which seems to be lacking over on the WWE side. We're not getting any reports of WWE allowing people to stay home and not risk themselves, unless we're missing something. 

Let us know what you think of today's news in the comments!

Photo from CMLL

March 16, 2020