Haus of Wrestling can exclusively confirm that Sting, Rob Van Dam, El Hijo de Vikingo, Rikishi, and more are officially set for Global Pro Wrestling Summit on September 14 in Jerusalem, Israel. Based on previous comments about this big event, some expected Goldberg to be involved with the show, but based on the press release we were sent, he is not announced at this time.
Along with Sting’s appearance on the show will be a pretty stacked card that includes an inter-generational three-way dance to crown the new promotion’s first-ever Jr. Heavyweight Champion. It will see rising pro wrestling star Vikingo battling former WWE Tag Team Champion Paul London and former NJPW/WCW star Ultimo Dragon.
The full press release for Global Pro Wrestling Summit’s first show, obtained by Haus of Wrestling, can be found below.
Global Pro Wrestling Summit
September 14th, 2023 Pais Arena. Jerusalem, Israel
Top professional wrestling talent from around the world will converge in Jerusalem on September 14th for this one-of-a-kind spectacular live event. The Global Pro Wrestling Summit is sure to thrill the 11,000 fans expected to pack the state-of-the-art Pais Arena. This will be the first major professional wrestling event in Israel since World Wrestling Entertainment appeared in the holy land in front of rabid, packed houses in 1994. Professional wrestling is truly a worldwide phenomenon, and the Global Pro Wrestling Summit is set to become the ultimate celebration of the incredibly unique and dynamic styles from around the globe. The star power and entertainment of American Pro Wrestling, vibrant characters, costumes, and astonishing acrobatics of Mexican Lucha Libre, power and precision of British wrestling, powerful Polynesian style representing wrestling’s rich Samoan dynasty, no-nonsense striking and submission grappling of Japanese Strong style, incredible women’s division talent, overall expertise of the Jr, Heavyweight division and more will all be on display. The Global Pro Wrestling Summit will showcase the full spectrum of pro wrestling and illustrate why it is woven into the fabric of cultures around the world. The first wave of talent announcements for the event are as follows, with many more to be revealed leading up to the event:
A special appearance by Sting
The Icon Sting is one of the most beloved, respected, and enduring legends in the history of pro wrestling. The Stinger, a Hall of Famer himself, has had classic rivalries with wrestling’s greatest stars including Ric Flair, The Great Muta, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, Mick Foley, Vader, and countless others. Sting will act as an Ambassador, helping to usher in the World’s greatest pro wrestling talent to Jerusalem.
Rob Van Dam
Hall of Famer, The Whole Damn Show Rob Van Dam will be in action at the Global Pro Wrestling Summit. From taking it to the extreme during the height of ECW to becoming Mr. Money in the Bank, defeating John Cena to become WWE Champion, to multiple championships at Impact Wrestling and beyond, RVD is one of the most decorated performers in pro wrestling history. RVD is sure to bring his unique blend of athleticism, innovative extreme offense, and carefree attitude to Pais Arena.
Vikingo
It would be hard to argue that any single talent is setting the worldwide wrestling scene on fire more than Vikingo. From winning the AAA Mega Championship to being the flag bearer for the art of Lucha Libre in major promotions including AEW and Ring of Honor, nobody is more exciting and relevant around the wrestling world than this mind-blowing luchador. Vikingo pulls off astonishing aerial feats that special effects artists and video game creators could not dream up.
Seleziya
The women’s Division in pro wrestling is stronger than ever, and has truly gone global. The first female talent announced for The Global Pro Wrestling Sumit, Seleziya is no exception. Seleziya, who has had experience in major promotions including Impact Wrestling, is the first Iraqi-born female pro wrestler in history. This is a distinction that Seziya does not take lightly, and she is motivated to become a top star on the global scene.
Rikishi
Like Sting, Rikishi will be on hand as an ambassador, helping fans celebrate this incredible collection of wrestling talent from around the world. Rikishi truly is wrestling royalty as a key member of the Samoan Dynasty that includes the likes of The Wild Samoans, The Rock, Yokozuna, Umaga, Roman Reigns, his sons and current WWE Superstars the Usos and Solo Sikoa and many more. Rikishi is a Hall of Famer, and decorated former Intercontinental and multiple-time World Tag Team Champion. It is always a good time when Rikishi is involved, perhaps he’ll pack a pair of his signature sunglasses and might have his dancing shoes on!
Shay Blanco & Idan Boulder
Blanco and Boulder are a popular Israeli tag team that intends to issue an open challenge to anyone in the world to face them on September 14th. They hope to show the world that Israel has some excellent pro wrestling talent that will finally have a chance to shine on the world stage.
More talent announcements and intriguing first-time matches will be announced soon. Championship history will take place at the event, as two inaugural Champions will be crowned (details to come). Ticket on-sale information will be announced shortly as well. See you at The Summit!
The first matches for the Global Pro Wrestling Summit were announced today, July 3, at 7 am Israel time, to coincide with this exclusive release to Haus Of Wrestling:
- GPWS will crown its first-ever Jr. Heavyweight Champion in a three-way dance between Vikingo, the legendary Ultimo Dragon, and former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Paul London.
- In a second 3-way dance, RVD will square off against Frankie Kazarian and Psycho Clown in a no-holds-barred fight to the finish.
- All Stars Israel announced this morning the first-ever Holy Land Rumble. Fifteen of Israel’s best homegrown talent will compete in a Royal Rumble© style match-up, with the winner having the opportunity to challenge for the GPWS world championship in his respective weight division. Already signed are established Israeli competitors Rixon Ruas, Yuval Goldschmit, Ben Rozin, and The White Leopard.
Also announced today as competing at the Global Pro Wrestling Summit…
- Oleg Prudius (formerly “Koslov”) returns to action to represent his true home country of Ukraine
- “Green Beret” Tom Howard, the top American ever in Japan’s Zero-One promotion, famed for his legendary battles with Shinya Hashimoto, also returns to battle
- Powerhouse Davey Boy Smith, Jr. heads to Israel to represent his home country of England
The matches for these three high-impact, strong-style competitors, are yet to be announced.
It’s expected that MANY more competitors from around the world are yet to be added to this once-in-a-lifetime spectacular. Check in with https://www.allstars-israel.com/ for updates on added talent, on matches as they’re made, and on special ticket packages.