Various: El Phantasmo on His Return to NJPW After Tumor Treatment, AAA Reportedly Renewed TV Deal with Space in Mexico, Backstage Update on TNA Asking Talents for Pay Cuts for New Deals

Feb 1, 2025

El Phantasmo Comments on His Return to NJPW After Tumor Treatment

As noted before, El Phantasmo made his official return to New Japan Pro Wrestling this past December following him taking an “infinite break” this past October due to treatment for cancer issues.

NJPW’s official website held a recent interview with El Phantasmo. One of the topics discussed included ELP’s thoughts about the support he has received from fans following his NJPW World Television Championship victory at Wrestle Kingdom 19 earlier this month.

“Even just being in the Tokyo Dome was a big win for me. When I found out about my (cancer) diagnosis in October, I had no idea of how long it would take, how long I would be away for, or if it had spread. There was a lot up in the air, but I always had Wrestle Kingdom as the goal to come back. The eight-hour bus rides, the long tours, they’re all with the Tokyo Dome in mind.”

ELP also gave his thoughts about if he had a clear target date in mind for his return from his cancer battle and treatments.

“I think if I’d have had the diagnosis in February say, it would have been harder to gear up for something specific. In the end, I had my surgery on October 29th and they said, ‘Don’t do anything for five to six weeks’. I was in the gym two weeks later, and maybe that could have been a bad thing, but I wanted to get back in time for Tokyo Dome and that’s what I was going for.”

ELP also gave his thoughts about when he first found out that he had a tumor and his reaction.

“I asked people online not to worry about me because I wasn’t worried. I didn’t flinch. I’ve had a lot of family members who have had cancer, and who have passed away from it. I always said to them that it’s all about having a positive mental approach and not to let it get to you. I think it could have got to me a lot more if I got sad, but I literally didn’t think about it at all. I just accepted it. And I had a friend in Japan go through something very similar last year and we went through that journey together. They say testicular cancer is more common for men in their 20s, and I got it relatively late, but it just goes to show how you should get checked and take care of yourself.”

AAA Reportedly Renewed TV Deal with Space in Mexico

As noted before, Lucha Libre AAA was believed to have potentially lost their television contract with Space for Mexico this past January.

El Planchitas reported that their sources stated that AAA recently renewed their television deal with Space.

No other details were given regarding the terms of AAA’s new extension.

Backstage Update on TNA Asking Talents for Pay Cuts for New Deals

Several TNA Wrestling talents departed from the company this past December including Rhino, “Speedball” Mike Bailay, and TNA ring announcer Jade Chung. Among those who also left included PCO who had recently revealed that TNA officials had wanted him to take a very large pay cut for a potential new deal.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources within TNA confirmed that the company had asked talents with expiring contracts to take a pay cut for a potential new deal. Those spoken to reportedly stated that those who left were offered new deals with less pay or to be switched from gauanteed deals to new per-event type deals.

In regards to the reason for the pay cuts requests, Meltzer reported that TNA officials felt that those talents had been “overpaid” in deals that former TNA President Scott D’Amore had signed them to.

Meltzer reported that this pay cuts issue was also something that was similar for Motor City Machine Guns’ Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin’s decision to leave TNA for WWE.

Meltzer also reported that D’Amore had also promised certain things to certain talents in the company that TNA’s new management didn’t go for. Among the things promised included PCO being promised that he would get a TNA World title reign at some point but Meltzer reported that it is currently not clear if this promise was made before or after D’Amore was fired.