The recently-revealed Pokémon Scarlet and Violet character Lechonk has quickly become a fan favorite, and has now even appeared within the wrestling crowd at AEW Dynamite. There seems to be no end of support for the new hog Pokémon, as internet fans have already made Lechonk Scarlet and Violet’s best Pokémon meme.
Nintendo’s newest Scarlet and Violet trailer dropped a ton of news regarding Pokémon's upcoming Generation 9. Alongside new gameplay modes, customization features, a first look at the stylish new Pokémon Professors, and a November 18 release date, players got a look at the Pokémon they would be frantically chasing all over the new region. Nintendo introduced the new Legendary cover stars of Pokémon's legacy, Koraidon and Miraidon, who take their place upon Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's respective box art. Nintendo also confirmed the return of several Pokémon alumni such as Gengar, Mareep, Bagon, and Lurantis. Joining the new Starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, are newcomers Pawmi, Smoliv, and of course, Lechonk. Despite all the Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet’s new trailer, Lechonk seemed to steal the spotlight from even the Legendaries.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Lechonk was even seen during AEW Dynamite’s debut show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California. As pro-wrestling superstar Maxwell Jacob Friedman, otherwise known as MJF, cut one of the most intense promo segments in recent years, the camera panned to the crowd revealing that an audience member had a sign dedicated to the little hog. Screenshots of the moment were quickly shared across social media from a host of viewers including Twitter's PKSparkxx. One of the perks of being part of a live pro-wrestling crowd is creating signs and banners to support a favorite wrestler, though fans have sometimes used this opportunity to be more creative or risqué. One time an AEW Dynamite fan had a GTA 6 sign begging for the game's release date.
To those who regularly watch AEW Dynamite, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Lechonk appearance in pro-wrestling grandstands should come as no surprise. Fans have regularly waved their banners for their favorite video games dating back to Dynamite’s first show. Some of the most prevalent signs have been dedicated to an unofficial fan war, with posters proclaiming 'Game X > Game Y,' for example. It’s also no secret that a good portion of AEW’s locker room are avid video game players who have their own stream channels and have paid several homages to their favorite games. A prime example is current AEW TBS Champion, Jade Cargill who wrestled in Mortal Kombat cosplay
As AEW fans are already subtly arguing over different facets of gaming, Lechonk may be the herald of sign wars to come. Wrestling and Pokémon both exploded into mainstream popularity at roughly the same time in the 90s, so there’s a good chance that even more signs dedicated to fans' favorite Pokémon will crop up very soon. Whether eagerly awaiting Pokémon Scarlet and Violet or just supporting a favorite AEW Dynamite Superstar, fan signs will likely continue to illustrate these intentions for years to come.
Source: PKSparkxx/Twitter