What's the status of Kevin Owens?

The WWE secured a lot of its core talent with new deals this year, as we've seen several performers across different companies test the free agent market, which is a very wise move, as it can allow them to maximize their value. Make no mistake about it, making the most money possible is the entire point of the pro wrestling business, and if the circumstances of the industry create an opportunity for a talent to up their asking prices then good for them. I'll never knock a talent for taking the money on the table, even if the promoter might've been foolish enough to overpay what their value is on the market. That's a management problem,  not a talent problem.

Most recently, Daniel Garcia cut a promo on Dynamite that claimed that he was re-signed with All Elite Wrestling, presumably for a long-term deal that he keeps him under the AEW banner for a solid portion of his prime years. The rumor mill online suggested that there was interest from the WWE, although a number wasn't revealed. However, it was mentioned in reports that Tony Khan offered Garcia a significantly higher amount to stay with his company. Some reports also said that Khan actually overpaid well above Garcia's perceived value. The same was said about Swerve Strickland when he signed a new deal with the organization a few months ago.

The idea that Swerve would leave a featured spot in All Elite Wrestling for a return to the WWE, a much bigger pond that is well stocked with talent at the moment, wasn't realistic. Still, Tony probably didn't want another former AEW talent to surface on WWE television, giving the impression that the talent see a brighter future outside of All Elite so he offered Swerve a hefty amount of cash to remain where he was probably going to stay anyway. On the other hand, Daniel Garcia was seen as a prospect with talent, but wasn't truly given the chance to run with it so it's more realistic to expect that he might consider an exit if he saw the opportunity to breakout beyond just the role of a good utility worker. If he would've been more than that in WWE or NXT is a different discussion for a different time. Similar to Swerve, Tony probably didn't want the optics of Garcia choosing to leave the company, based on the success that WWE has right now, while AEW numbers continue to slip on any  given week.

However, this is the true difference when it comes to WWE and AEW in the most basic terms, WWE is a money machine, they will sign talent as an investment and then expect a return on that investment through ticket sales, merchandise etc. It's not a perfect science, but the amount of money that is going to be offered to a talent is usually based on their ability to generate a return on the investment of the contract. It doesn't matter if the TKO corporation is a media juggernaut worth billions of dollars with billions of dollars in revenue streams. the bottom line is, TKO, as in both the WWE and UFC, got in the position as a dominate conglomerate in the entertainment business because they typical maximized their return on investment.

As we've seen in the past few years, money is no object for Tony Khan, and taking into account that All Elite Wrestling is funded by a fraction of his family's billionaire fortune, revenue and profit aren't the top priority. The bottom line is, Tony doesn't need AEW to make money to have financial security,  and given the massive amount of wealth that his family's current commodities generated outside of the pro wrestling industry just last year, his family can continue to fund the wrestling project indefinitely so ultimately, Tony doesn't truly have to take a return on investment or the bottom line on the page into account for the decisions he makes as the promoter.

Fandom, not business sense, dictates the decisions of All Elite Wrestling.

As the typical disclaimer, yes, Tony is almost unanimously praised as a genuinely nice guy that cares about his roster, but that alone doesn't make him qualified to be a successful sports entertainment promoter, especially on a national level. Just for the sake of discussion, let's assume that he overpaid the perceived value of Swerve and Daniel Garcia. The other side of the equation is this simple, how does Tony plan to book Strickland and Garcia in ways that will draw more money for the company than they are paid for each contract? If he can achieve that then he will receive a return on the investment and thus it will be a successful business transaction.

That being said, is Daniel Garcia truly in the position to be a top draw for the company? You can make the argument that Swerve might be a realistic choice because he was already in the main event scene with fan support, but until Tony can book Garcia as a way that will generate numbers, you have to question if it was a wise decision to pay him the rumored amount to sign a new deal?

I mention this because WWE star, Kevin Owens will reportedly see his contract expire soon, and depending on what you read, his status is either unclear or his close to inking a new agreement with WWE. I will preface this by saying that the WWE could offer enough money to anyone that they truly wanted to keep on their roster, that's one of the many perks of being a part of a massive merger with the UFC. At the same time, as mentioned earlier, there are very few that the WWE would do that for because return on investment is always the key. As a hypothetical, they would be more than willing to let Tony Khan double Randy Orton's salary for the final few years of his career than make a foolish business decision. Let Randy go make the major money and after the duration of his AEW deal, the WWE can induct him into the Hall of Fame and monetize his value again for the company.

I'm not sure what any of those dynamics mean for Kevin Owens, because as rowdy as he was in Ring Of Honor before he arrived in WWE, he's always been smart enough to be a businessman. He wasn't going to get to pile drive someone off a ladder through a table to the floor in WWE, and he was smart enough to know that he would get paid exponentially more cash to work within the WWE environment. While I don't think Owens truly got his due or opportunity as a main event star in the WWE, often being used in a role to make his opponents look good instead since that's one of his strengths, the office knows the commodity that he is, it's no coincidence that he was the performer chosen to work with Stone Cold for the comeback match 19 years after he retired from the ring.

It's possible that Tony Khan makes Owens an offer he can't refuse, and it's well known that Kevin Owens has been friends with The Young Bucks and Adam Cole for several years from their days in PWG. Owens might opt to work a lighter schedule with his friends for a good offer, but at the same time, he also knows that his star power is significantly brighter making comparable money on the stage of the WWE.

Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther

Everybody has a price.

This week's edition of Raw was taped last week because of the European tour that company has scheduled throughout the week. It's another example of how the TKO corporation, the group that was formed during the merger of the UFC and WWE last year, looks to globilize the product, an aspect that was made even more clear when the historic 10-year Netflix deal was signed earlier this year. 

However, the controversial Saudi Arabia deal was inked before Endeavor took over with the merger, as Vince McMahon signed a contract with the Saudi government in 2018, generating an estimated $40-50 million per event. This puts the Saudi shows among the most lucrative on the WWE calendar, even making it more profitable than Wrestlemania. Endeavor runs the WWE to make a profit, and even the $21.9 billion that the merger between WWE and UFC was estimated to be worth isn't going to turn down the Saudi cash, particularly for the boost it provides for the stock prices.

The controversy based around Saudi Arabia has mostly been swept under the rug, millions of dollars can do that. Prime time boxing matches, professional golf, and other American spots were imported on a regular basis by the Saudi government to be used as a modern propaganda tool.

Again, tens of millions of dollars will do that.

As sleazy as it might've seen at first, the concept of these American super shows from across the sports landscape being promoted in Saudi on a regular basis has made it more commonplace and on some level, more "acceptable" so the level of  controversy has waned. The WWE, along with other sports franchises, have become a staple of Riyadh season since it was instituted by the Saudi government in 2019. The name sounds like a tradition, but it was merely created five years ago to attempt to reshape the image of the county. Yes, five years later it's still shady and still somewhat disappointing that sports stars can be bought to be used for PR spin, but the money is what counts at the end of the day. Morals or ethics don't pay the bills. Given the lubricious amount of money Saudi makes from the oil industry, the talent knows that the check is going to clear.

So, in many ways, when analyzing these shows, you can leave the ethics at the door so to speak, it's been there, done that. We know the story, the WWE is there not because they approve of the government's faux attempt to seem more modern or as a way to move past the corruption the region is known for, but rather just to collect the cash and go home. As a result of where these shows are scheduled on the WWE calendar to coincide with Riyadh season, management often has to shoehorn a major match onto WWE programming when the usual direction of the product would dictate something else.

When these shows first started in 2018, I described them as glorified house shows because the pomp and circumstance was manufactured specifically for the Saudi officials, not the WWE fan base. This year, to placate the Saudi executives and make that hefty cash, the WWE Crown Jewel Championship will be created for both the men's and women's division. The irony that the females on the card must wear different attire than their usual outfits, but that rule isn't enforced for the male talent not withstanding for the event. The over-the-top championship belts were revealed at the Bad Blood pay-per-view earlier this month. The titles will be awarded to the winners of Cody Rhodes vs/ Gunther, and Nia Jax vs. Liv Morgan at the Crown Jewel event at the beginning of November.

On paper, Cody vs. Gunther sounds like a marquee match until you take into account that neither of their respective titles will be on the line. The Crown Jewel championship will only be used as a prop for the specific event and will not be defended at any point afterward. The two heavyweight champions will square off in an exhibition bout with nothing actually on the line so what's the point? If anything, outside of the millions of dollars (and that's what counts), there's nothing to be gained from this scenario since one of the world champions will be positioned as secondary ahead of Wrestlemania season. It goes without saying that the value of each champion should be maximized ahead of WM to allow for the biggest spectacle possible ahead of the biggest show on the WWE calendar, albeit not as profitable since the Saudis have that spot.

All things considered, I don't think this is the time for either Cody Rhodes or Gunther to take a lost, given their individual paths among the WWE landscape. Cody took such an emotional journey to the WWE title that a loss to a major opponent should be saved for a bigger stage, if he's going to lose in a high profile spot, it should be at WM 41, not before that. With The Rock's return at Bad Blood, a potential Cody loss should be kept for when it would matter the most or have the most impact. If Rhodes loses to Gunther, it could hurt his credibility as an opponent for The Rock early next year. Along the same lines, but in a different fashion, Gunther is still building his title reign and should be kept strong to fully solidify him as a main event star. He just won the title at Summer Slam, it would hinder his progress if he was typecast as the secondary champion with a lost to Cody at this point. From purely a booking standing, you simply don't schedule this match to avoid this type of scenario, but money talks, even for the TKO corporation.

How the office navigates this delicate scenario remains to be seen, but a lot of it might depend on where management plans to take either champion in the months ahead. With a Crown Jewel championship revealed, a DQ or some other non-definitive finish isn't an option. If Rhodes is eventually going to defeat The Rock in a title match at Wrestlemania next year, the argument could be made that a loss in Saudi Arabia wouldn't make a major difference in his status as the top guy for the WWE. If management doesn't view Gunther as a long-term champion then maybe that can book him to lose to Cody, but with the level of authenticity that Gunther has, I don't think it would be wise for him to lose until he's going to drop the championship, which shouldn't be any time soon.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the office will somehow have The Bloodline or even The Rock himself cost Cody the match-up as a way to give Rhodes an excuse to lose the match, while adding to his feud with The Rock so it won't damage his status. In that case, the loss is secondary, and the rivalry has the spotlight. Granted, that type of resoultion would also make Gunther's win secondary so the victory wouldn't do much for him either, but given the circumstances, a solution where neither champion looks weak is probably the best result for the Saudi event.

Wrestle Dream review

All Elite Wrestling's latest pay-per-view, Wrestle Dream, a show that I wrote a column about earlier last week for its lack of build, is in the books, surprisingly with some newsworthy notes after the broadcast went off the air. Before we discuss the card, it should be noted that there were ten matches scheduled for this line-up, and it can't be unstated enough how unnecessary this was toward the overall presentation. Quite frankly, I'd rather have 7 or 8 matches on the show that are justified for a show on pay-per-view than the undercard be cluttered with glorified TV matches that don't add quality to the event, instead just make for a tedious viewing experience. Not every broadcast has to be four hours and not every main event has to be some 30-minute epic clash. The ability to tailor the line-up and the time given to each segment is a part of the art of booking. A paint-by-numbers approach, which is what Tony Khan often takes with his charts and graphs, can often lead to a flat presentation, particularly in terms of pacing the card. At this point, it's repetitive, but it's also the case more often than not for AEW pay-per-views.

Adam Page vs. Jay White opened the show, and considering that Jay White still looks to be a heel, and Adam Page was presented like a heel, at least this week, there wasn't much in terms of storytelling or dramas for this segment. That said, the in-ring work was quality, and if these two were positioned in the right way as far as their characters, it would check all the boxes for a solid segment in the modern era. They worked good technical exchanges until they began to build the contest with a few brutal bumps. Hangman landed a death valley driver on the apron that looked nasty before he power bombed White on the steel steps. White nailed a shin breaker on the side of the ramp way that looked brutal. The finish was very well done, it didn't overuse finishers, but rather had White counter to land the blade runner to get the win. 

Mariah May vs. Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women's title was a solid match and showcased what these two could bring to the table if given the opportunity on a more regular basis. Full credit to Mariah, she went from being just a sidekick to one of the better heels in the entire company. As I've said before, Willow organically connects with the audience and that can be used to draw money, but there are only so many times that the baby face can come up short challenging for the title before the audience loses faith in their quest for the belt. It was the right call for Mariah to retain, as she should continue to establish herself as a character on AEW programming, but I'm not sure Nightingale was the right opponent, mostly because her character didn't need to take a defeat on pay-per-view. Still, Mariah's reign has given a boost to the All Elite female division and more importantly given it a direction. It was interesting to not that Mercedes Mone, one of the high-profile free agents that inked a deal with the organization earlier this year wasn't on the card, and all things considered, I don't think it's too early to label her initial run with the company a flop. She wasn't quite as big of a star as she thought she was, but she talked up her price, and Tony Khan offered her a hefty contract to sign with his group. That's not a knock on Mercedes, good for her for being able to get that type of cash, that's the entire point of the pro wrestling business, but at the same time, it should be noted that the decline in ratings and ticket sales continued after she was brought into the fold for AEW. It might be a harsh reality, but the argument could definitely be made that Willow or Mariah could be more valuable to the company than Mercedes on a long-term basis. This segment was given the right about of time, as the ten minutes gave them enough time to work the match without any flat points. This was another contest where the finish was well done when May hit a hurricanrana off the top and then nailed a flurry of offense with a knee strike and a pile driver to get the victory to emphasis the conclusion.

Much of the same could be said when the other member of The Elite faction, Jack Perry defended the TNT championship against Katsuyori Shibata. Shibata isn't regularly featured on Dynamite so it's difficult to see him as a threat to the title and thus this match was reduced to cannon fodder on a line-up that already had 10 matches. The action was decent, but it was just an 8-minute television match on a bigger platform. There was some technical ground sequences that would've probably been more suitable for the ROH Pure division, as it was somewhat of a styles clash since Perry isn't known for the shoot style of mat work. Shibata suplexed Perry on the outside toward the apron, and Perry's legs awkwardly clipped the apron. It was a rather foolish spot, considering that Eddie Kingston has been on the shelf for months after he injured his leg during a similar sequence on a New Japan Strong show. The biggest takeaway though is, if this contest wasn't on the card of Wrestle Dream, it wouldn't have truly affected the quality of the show or made a difference in the buy rate. Shitbata chocked out Perry, but his shoulders were on the canvas so Perry got the coincidental pin fall. retained the belt.

Post-match, Perry hit Shibata with the title until Daniel Garcia made the save. Garcia looked stone-faced as usual when Perry took a powder out of the ring. As Garcia was standing in the ring, MJF returned from filming Happy Gilmore 2 to confront him. As Garcia was faced off with MJF, Perry blindsided him with the TNT championship. During the beat down, Adam Cole made his return to run off MJF. This was booked like something you would've seen sandwiched onto an old ECW pay-per-view, take that as a positive or a negative. The problem is, does anyone really want to continuation of Adam Cole/MJF? If anything, Tony Khan should put as much distance as possible between those competitors and any reference of the absolute flop that was the devil mask reveal last year. It's quite literally a rehash of an angle that didn't get over last time instead of progressing either character.

The International title match was exactly what you'd expected,an overly-choreographed incredible display of athleticism. There's a fine line between seamless transitions and one wrestler simply waiting for the opponent to get there. This was the latter, but there's no doubt that the skill and the maneuvers are impressive. The inverted tombstone that Takeshita used to put Ricochet through a table at ringside looked rough. There wasn't really a narrative to follow for most of the bout, but that's what the company is selling here, a new age video game match with high impact and minimal selling. Again, take that as either a positive or a negative depending on your perspective. The finish saw Kyle Fletcher turn on Will Ospreay, hitting him with the screw driver to allow Takeshita to win the title. On one hand, it's great to see the former DDT star get something of importance to do on the show, as he's talented enough to be a top guy. On the other hand, Kyle Fletcher vs. Will Ospreay isn't exactly a feud that fans are clamoring for in AEW.

The next segment was a way to get Swerve Strickland on the pay-per-view, but it didn't have much impact or meaning in the grand scheme of things. This was something that was completely normal for a television segment, and in that setting, it would've been fine. To put an extended promo segment in the middle of a four-hour pay-per-view is bizarre. Did this really do anything to progress the narrative? If this was to set up for the debut of Bobby Lashley then you could argue that it deserved a spot on the PPV, but if the MVP/Nana confrontation wasn't on this show, but put this week on Dynamite, would it have truly made a difference?

Speaking of not meaning much in the grand scheme of things, if it was presented right, Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos could've been a highlight of this pay-per-view, as well as some unique for the company to promote, especially at a time when Hispanic stars are a focus within the industry to capitalize on the Latino fan base. This was a two our of three falls match, which is somewhat of a lucha tradition, but of course, that wasn't established on TV prior to this so for most viewers, it's just randomly a two out of three falls bout. The athleticism was incredible, and it reminded me of a comment from the underrated legend, Lance Storm on a podcast a few years ago, "good lucha is amazing, but bad lucha might be the worst wrestling there is." The style is so different that it is often hit or miss, but when you have two high caliber luchadors like this two in the ring, you can get an incredible contest from them. This was a dazzling spot fest that provided some substance and even some sizzle to the card. The problem is, this was basically a one-off match within the landscape of All Elite Wrestling. Yes, Hologram and Mortos have been featured on Collision, a show that gets about two-thirds of the audience of Dynamite, and their exposure on Wednesday has been minimal. Between the two of them, there was more than enough character traits for the company to highlight with Hologram's really neat costume, and Mortos' bull mask that this match could've been used to solidify a character, not just another high spot match. Hologram got the win of two falls to three, but let's hope that both of these competitors get more TV exposure in the future.

Darby Allin vs. Brody King was another TV match on pay-per-view, given just under 10 minutes with nothing that you haven't seen before on Dynamite or Rampage. In fact, you could argue that either casket match on television was more PPV worthy than this contest. It wasn't a subpar match, just nothing that needed to be on pay-per-view. Darby got the victory.

The Young Bucks vs. Private Party was the spot fest that ignored all tag rules that you'd expect it to be. It was fine, but we've seen the same match several times and given the fact that Private Party was steamrolled by The Blackpool Combat Club a few weeks ago, they didn't seem to be worthy contenders for this match to be anything more than fluff on the card. It was fine for what it was, but nothing spectacular or "must see" for this pay-per-view. The Young Bucks retained the belts in a 15-minute segment.

 Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho for the Ring Of Honor World championship was fine for what it was, it was a segment that fell into the glorified TV match category for this show, because it's not as though these two have built any rivalry around the championship prior to this. Furthermore, Jericho already did "The Ocho" gimmick before so it was clear that he wasn't going to win the belt, and he doesn't need to either. If truth, neither does Mark Briscoe, despite being a 20-yeat veteran, he can still go in the ring, and given the tragic passing of his brother Jay last year, there was an opportunity for Mark to be pushed toward the AEW world title to win it in honor of his brother. The story writes itself, and Mark is more than talented enough to be the world champion, but he was pigeonholed into the ROH brand. Jericho is smart enough to know that he isn't going to work as flashy of a style at his age so they exchanged a lot of stiff strikes, and they put in the effort, but there just wasn't any point in the contest where it looked like the title was in jeopardy so there was basically an exhibition match. Mark got the win with the Jay Driller is another ten minutes for a decent segment, but the belt doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

The main event was a mixed bag, as it more or less represented the problems and the strengths of All Elite Wrestling as an organization. In a vacuum, the match was a physical contest that had the right amount of selling to emphasize the brutality of the strikes and the bumps. Taking in account the scenario, around the match, it completely and totally missed the mark. The premise of the match is that if Bryan Danielson, one of the greatest of the modern era and arguably of all time, loses he must retire. The end of his career deserves all of the pomp and circumstance, especially for how beloved of a performer he is by his peers and the fans. Nothing is flatter than Danielson being choked out and then using the booking crutch of the plastic bag again, particularly because it's only trying to manufacturer controversy based on the reaction last time. If anything, it's a desperate attempt to get heat because Tony usually can't book heat properly. I've said this before, and I will say it again, Jon Moxley carried the company on his back when AEW needed someone to step up in the midst of suspensions and injuries. That said, does anyone want to see another Moxley title reign? It's not his fault, but he was overexposed. There are too many other guys that could use the belt to solidify there careers for there to be a valid argument why Moxley needs another run. This is actually a compliment to Moxley, he's already totally over with the audience, he doesn't need a belt to maintain that status in the company.

Did AEW sell wrestle dream?

This weekend is AEW's Wrestle Dream, the company's third pay-per-view offering in about a month and a half, but following "Title Tuesday," a Dynamite show that was moved from its Wednesday time slot for this week, there's not much sizzle or anticipation ahead of the event. First, it should be noted that it's tough for the organization to sell the PPV based on the "go home" show being moved from its usual time slot. A portion of the AEW viewing audience, as sluggish as they might be in recent months, that will miss the broadcast simply because there are in the routine of watching Dynamite on Wednesday.

Still, the lack of overall build for this card, and some of the same could've been said for All Out since it was just two weeks after All in from London, suggests that monthly PPV cards won't yield success for the company. Tony Khan's slapstick approach, a booking philosophy that lacks focus by nature, doesn't lend itself to monthly PPV cards. Granted, if this is being done in anticipation for the new deal with Max that could offer pay-per-views at a much lower price than there's an argument to be made for it, as it would intrinsically lower expectations for each event.

However, as of right now, AEW management is trying to sell this $50 broadcast based on the majority of the matches being advertised just days before the actual PPV. It's simply not possible to build any hype or anticipation when the first mention of some of the scheduled bouts are on a preempted episode of Dynamite.

Daniel Garcia made his return to television this week and probably cut the best promo of his career, but he's not scheduled for Wrestle Dream. The argument could be made that the most effective segment on Dynamite this week was for a performer that doesn't have any role on the PPV and thus no impact on its buyrate.

Obviously, with matches being thrown on the card just days before the pay-per-view, the hotshot approach was used to try to generate some level of importance for these bouts, but those efforts have yielded mix results. Jack Perry vs. Katsuyori Shibata for the TNT Title is a very minimal match, in terms of importance or its ability to generate a buyrate. Shibata might be one of Tony Khan's favorite wrestlers, but he's not featured too often and is a secondary character at best. Plus, Shibata, as talented as he was, is clearly past his prime after he suffered a very serious head injury several years ago. Is there any reason for the fans to think it's possible for Shibata to win the title? If he does, will he actually do anything of importance with it?

On the other end of the spectrum, the returning Jay White attacked Adam Page a few weeks ago and with minimal interaction, they have a match on pay-per-view. But, the difference is that this should be a contest that delivers bell-to-bell and has an effect on each performer's path going forward. From a character prospective, I honestly think that Adam Page was ruined multiple times during his All Elite tenure. The whiny promos, the draw when he defended the championship during his initial reign a few years ago, and the switches from baby face to heel haven't helped his career. Because of that, I have zero faith that Adam Page can be rejuvenated to the level that he had before he won the AEW championship. I don't know his contract status or if there would be interest from NXT, but he would have to completely reinvent himself somewhere else to make progress in  his career. Make no mistake, Page can go in the ring, but there are only so many times a performer can hit the reset button until they just have to go elsewhere. Jay White is a quality pro inside the ring ropes and probably should've had a much bigger role in AEW so far. That said, this return from injury is a chance for him to rejuvenate his status and hopefully work his way to the main event scene, depending what the overall plans are for the title picture on a long-term basis. In that sense, at least there's something at stake for a match that was otherwise booked without a lot of momentum behind it.

Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho for the ROH world title is cannon fodder. I hate to say it, but does the Ring Of Honor brand truly matter in 2024? AEW has too many belts as it is, and this is nothing more than a mid-card match with a prop. Speaking of cannon fodder, Private Party got destroyed by the Blackpool Combat Club a few weeks ago, is the audience supposed to take them as a serious threat to the tag titles? If not, The Young Bucks vs. Private Party on the card is moot. Mariah May vs. Willow Nightingale could be the best match on the undercard, but that's a rather low standard given the matches already discussed.

Brody King and Darby Allin will probably be an entertaining car crash segment, even if it's something we've seen before. The only problem is, this was shoehorned onto the card simply because they called an audible with the Bryan Danielson match so does the result really matter? The same could be said for the International title match, Will Ospreay will defend against Ricochet and Konosuke Takeshita. It will be an incredible spot fest that will give the fans their money's worth, but does it truly have any cache besides the dazzling dives that are seen on television every week? Don't get me wrong, Takeshita is a top talent and should be the focus of the world title, but adding him into this scenario actually takes away from the narrative. When Ricochet and Ospreay went to a draw last week, it naturally set the stage for a rematch at the pay-per-view, which could've used their extensive history as a selling point. The addition of Takeshita reduces this segment to a spot fest rather than a match-up based on an extensive rivalry. Takeshita is definitely worth a spot on pay-per-view, just not being shoehorned into an already established match just to get him on the card.

Don't get me wrong, there's meat on the bone so to speak for this pay-per-view, it's just camouflaged within a slew of glorified TV matches.

The main event, originally penciled in to be Darby Allin challenging for the championship, will be Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley for the title. Unless there's something major on the horizon, particularly with Moxley's new faction, I'm not sure the match-up should've been switched. With the event being hosted in Tacoma and both Danielson and Darby being from Washington, the stage was set for the sentimental passing of the torch. If Darby is going to win the belt, the hometown victory would've been the way to do it. His style being completely reckless and counterproductive to drawing money as the champion is a different discussion for a different time. Moxley wouldn't have been given the match unless he was going to win the belt, thus ending Danielson's full-time career, but I'm not sure such an abbreviated run as champion does anything to help All Elite Wrestling or put heat on Moxley as a heel. If anything, there would have to be a build, where Danielson narrowly escapes with the title through tough competition before his run concludes. Enough cache hasn't been allowed to build up for his title run to translate to importance for the organization or heat for the opponent that retires him. At this point, the end of Danielson's title run would more or less be indifference, and there's nothing more counterproductive to drawing money than indifference.

However, as ridiculous as this might've sounded in the past, and I even wrote a column about it to dismiss the initial rumors, if Shane McMahon is revealed as a part of Moxley's group, as the cryptic reference Moxley made during an interview with Tony Schiavone several weeks ago, it would justify the switch of opponents for Danielson. When the photo of Shane and Tony Khan surfaced a few months ago, I figured it was nothing more than Tony trying to get some positive press for AEW online, and that could still be the case. Since that time, a picture of Shane McMahon with The Young Bucks was posted online, which added a little bit more credibility to the speculation, as it seems odds that they would just happen to be in the same place at the same time.

After the Netflix documentary about Vince, it should be noted that Shane was the best McMahon portrayed in the series. The story was told that Shane was overlooked as Vince's successor in favor of Stephanie, and even Shane acknowledged that his efforts in the ring were to get the approval of his dad. Given the horrendous accusations against Vince earlier this year, it's at least possible that Shane would consider a tenure in AEW as a way to do something completely on his own. As much as Shane doesn't need the money, Tony Khan would undoubtedly pay him some hefty cash simply just to say that he has a McMahon working for him. If Shane shows up, the shock alone will get fans talking and thus tune into Dynamite, giving the company a chance to regain some of the viewers that it lost after CM Punk left the company. A boost in the numbers would also look good for the new TV deal the company just signed with the Turner networks.

Outside of a monumental surprise at the pay-per-view, Wrestle Dream just doesn't have enough of importance on the card to justify the $50 price tag. It might sound trivial, but given the current economic uncertainty and the rate of inflation, a PPV with mostly glorified TV matches on paper is a more difficult sell for the company than it was in the past.

APWF returns to Johnstown

"Jimmy, I've been in this business a long time and that was one of the best matches I've ever been on the call for."

As Mike "Doc" Daugherty sat in a booth next to Declan Finnegan at a pizza place a few blocks from The Kastle, the venue that just hosted the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation's Johnstown debut this past August, he recounted the stellar main event match the three of us had just called for the indywrestling.us production team. By the time we all emptied out of the venue, it was after 10:30 PM so when we strolled into the old school pizza shop, there were only a few other customers there. Despite the August humidity and the late night, we were all still hyped as we each divided up a few slices.

Bill Collier, the current International Wrestling Cartel heavyweight champion and ace of the APWF, just put on a 30-minute classic with NWA star, Spencer Slade. This was a dramatic, action-packed bout with peaks and valleys that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the duration. It was an old school presentation blended with modern athletics, creating moments that fans are still talking about today. As the three of us sat at the broadcast table that night, you could sense the anticipation and excitement in the venue.

It was one of those rare occasions as a broadcaster where you knew you were seeing something special as it was happening in the ring. Doc has worked for a myriad of organizations as one of the most tenured and well-respected voices of the Pittsburgh area, as he has been the lead play-by-play announcer for the Reengage Wrestling Alliance since its inception in 2009, as well as being the lead commentator for Prospect Pro Wrestling since it launched in 2018. I started in the business as a photographer in 2008 before I started to work as a commentator the following year. I can tell you that there's a very short list of matches that were the caliber of the Collier/Slade APWF main event we called in August. Even Declan, who is newer to the business than us, knew immediately that the organization delivered a bout that would stand up across the independent landscape.

"With so much talent on the local scene, it’s really impressive to see what APWF has started up again! The main event in the last card was as good as anything you’ll see on an independent card with Bill Collier and Spencer Slade in the Main Event!  So much talent to speak of and just packed with surprises, I cannot wait to see what’s in the horizon for the reboot of this company," said Declan Finnegan when reached via phone last week.

Now, the APWF is set to make its highly-anticipated return to Johnstown with "Nightmare at The Kastle," a Halloween theme event on October 26th. A myriad of stars, including the best young talent and a mixture of established veterans, have been assembled to create a unique presentation not often seen on the independent scene. Elijah Dean and Zach Nystrom, collectively known as Money Shot, are scheduled to appear. Dean, a former IWC heavyweight champion, has also held numerous tag team championships with his longtime tag partner, Nystrom. Flawless fundamentals and dynamic skills made Money Shot arguably the best tag team in independent wrestling today. Aside from a reign as the IWC tag championships, Money Shot held the Ryse Wrestling tag belts for almost a full calendar year in 2023, and also had a run with the Absolute Intense Wrestling tag team championship that same year.

"The fans can expect great matches from workers from everywhere that will bring their best to entertain the fans .We try to book interesting match-ups and make the shows epic, and tell the stories in the ring since we are not running monthly. That's why I call APWF shows epic events, and the people in Johnstown, PA can see this great wrestling action at the Kastle Facilty. The staff at the Kastle have been great because they want pro wrestling in the area. That's what we will bring on Oct 26th," said Bubba Brewer, owner and promoter of the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation.

"APWF" Is great for the Pittsburgh independent scene. The history behind APWFs past speaks for itself. It gives the audience new faces and a new flavor. It is led and backed by one of the best in our business, Bubba Brewer. Bubba's vision is vast and has a bright future.  I'm just honored to be a part of it. The sky is the limit when it comes to APWF," added Doc Daugherty, the lead voice of APWF.

 

As a part of Bubba's new vision for the organization, he wanted to give more female grapplers a chance to shine at a time when women's wrestling is one of the most quality aspects of the national scene. At the Kastle in August, the dangerous Lexus Synn, who is scheduled for  October 26th, knocked out her opponent, Slammin' Sammy with a vicious high kick to the face. Sammy, a determined and energetic rookie with only half a dozen matches so far in her career, refused to be denied, accepting the call for APWF to step into the ring in October with the eccentric luchadora, Peg Asa, a competitor based in the Mexican style. Peg Asa was a student at the ICWA training center, debuting about a year and a half ago in the sport. She brings an unpredictable style and has already had many pundits suggest that she has a bright future in the industry.

"APWF has been so helpful to my young career by booking me in back to back shows. I appreciate Bubba Brewer, Larry Striker, and all of the staff for their dedication and constant promotion of the shows and the wrestlers! I am honored to wrestle for them and their fans," said Slammin' Sammy.

A wave of positive momentum surrounds the APWF ahead of this October event, which will feature a costume contest for fans, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Make-A-Wish foundation, as Bubba Brewer expressed when he relaunched the organization that he wanted to use pro wrestling as a platform to impact the communities that hosted events beyond just the action in the ring. Brewer, despite his use of modern technology to deliver his podcasts, one specifically based on his hometown team, The Pittsburgh Steelers, online every week, is as old school as they come for professional wrestling. He broke into the business in 1998, working as a pro wrestler, promoter, and organizer over the course of several years. Even the savvy veteran knows that there's a learning curve for today's market, and that has proven to be a learning experience for him as a promoter in 2024.

"Well, bringing the APWF back wasn't and isn't easy because it's a different time, but social media has helped. I also realized I can't make everyone happy. and I, with my staff, try to do the very best that we can getting and promoting our shows," Brewer explained.

Still, Bubba finds himself on the grind as a promoter in the weeks ahead of the event. It's not uncommon for him to check in with a Facebook Live video to let the fans know where he's putting up event poster to advertise the organization. The ambitious promoter leaves his house in the late afternoon with a stack of flyers and doesn't return until late night with an empty supply box before he jumps online for one of his weekly podcasts.

As a broadcaster that has been in the business for 16 years, I admire the hustle and work ethic that Bubba Brewer puts into his projects. He doesn't simply rely on social media posts or others to share content, he quite literally puts in the work and the miles to make these events happen. One thing is for sure, APWF has a special atmosphere that you won't find too often on the independent circuit, which is something that my broadcast pals and I each noticed after the stellar event at the Kastle in August.

The line-up for October is highlighted by many young wrestlers that are looking to make a name for themselves. The Rad Boyz, who Bubba has touted as the best tag team on the independent scene. will be in action. Sam Handman, who is from Johnstown, will square off against Cristiano Argento, Gorgeous Gregory, who many have proclaimed to be a pro wrestling prodtegy, will make his debut for the promotion, and The Troublemakers will also be back in action in the APWF. Speaking of the trio known as The Troublemakers, Glenn Spectre, a longtime veteran that was the first "gaijin" or foreigner to win the DDT tag team titles in Japan, has formed the group consisting of some of his students.  Canaan Kristopher is regarded by many as a true natural inside the ring ropes, and Tyler Brooks has already made an impact anywhere he goes in his relatively new career. What will The Troublemakers have in store for the APWF on October 26th?

"My goals for the APWF are to return to the S&T Bank Arena in 2025 and keep promoting shows at The Kastle. Indiana & Cambria counties have a great spot to have these wrestling shows. I will always try to help the indy market in Western PA, and hopefully one day have that indy mania event that I've been talking about for 20 years. I also want to get shows in high schools for fundraisers .It was only suppose to be one show, but it turned into three this year, and I want to be a positive force in indy wrestling," concluded Bubba Brewer.

AEW television deal

The numbers don't lie

For all of the criticism, some of it valid about the presentation of All Elite Wrestling, the numbers tell the story, both positively and negatively for the narrative around the organization. By nature, professional wrestling can be subjective, an old timer from the golden era probably thinks the vast majority of the Attitude era was trashy drek that appealed to the lowest common denominator, and they wouldn't necessarily be wrong. At the same time, the late-90s created some of the biggest superstars in the history of the industry and the sport was a part of pop culture. With more than 10 million viewers for pro wrestling on any given week between the two prime time shows of Raw and Nitro on Monday, it's tough to argue that Attitude era was a detriment to the industry, even if certain aspects definitely were in hindsight.

All Elite Wrestling has been categorized as everything from a project that shifted the business to a vanity project that puts a niche style on national television. Again, both of these notions can be true to some degree. The existence of All Elite gave the sport, for both talent and fans, options after the industry became extremely stagnant for the several years prior. At the same time, it's clear that Tony Khan's only qualification to book a national professional wrestling company is that he's from a billionaire family that can fund it as long as they want to put money towards the project, and Tony undoubtedly books the matches he personally wants to watch, not what will draw money on a national level. If he happens to book something that draws well, it's a mere coincidence. Keep in mind, Tony doesn't have to make money from AEW to achieve financial security so booking to draw money isn't the top priority of the organization.

It's well-known that Tony grew up a diehard fan reading The Wrestling Observer newsletter, which was even more of a niche publication in the days of its printed pages sent from Dave Meltzer's PO box than it is now. Make no mistake about it, the vast majority of the inside scoop that circulates online today is still from Meltzer in some form or fashion, but there are simply more outlets that distribute the rumors around the industry today than in the past.

As a result, Meltzer has to keep a base that will subscribe to his newsletter, which isn't a knock at all, just to point out that he finds a way to continue to make a living from the sport more than 40 years after he started. As much as Meltzer is undoubtedly bias toward AEW, and has a level of invested interest in its success, as its existence is one of the pillars of his newsletter, the eccentric historian is absolutely one of the best resources of the history of the sport, he just seems to miss the mark often concerning the modern era, at least from my perspective. The Wrestling Observer has often taken a rather skewed perspective to paint All Elite in the best light possible, even when there isn't good news around the company. Somehow, with a nearly 30% dip in television viewership as compared to two years ago, Meltzer will still try to ignore the fact that less people are watching AEW programming now than any other point in its five-year history. But, pushing that narrative serves his base of contrarian fans that will subscribe to his newsletter, as that demographic will often favor anything that isn't WWE in a misguided attempt to seem knowledgeable.

So, no, All Elite Wrestling isn't in a great place at the moment with sluggish ratings and sparse attendance. The Observer influence on Tony was the notion that somehow the dazzling "work rate" style that so many diehard fans follow closely would translate to the general public or the causal fan, if only it was given the chance with a mainstream platform. If nothing else, one of the definite takeaways from the five-year history of AEW is that characters and compelling storytelling are still what connects with a mainstream audience, not just the "work rate" of a performer. Please don't misunderstand me, I really enjoy the hidden gems of the business so to speak. Brad Armstrong is one of the most underrated of all time, All Japan in the 90s was incredible, and Hayabusa was one of the most spectacular performers of all time. But, there's a reason that Scotty 2 Hotty dancing, Steve Austin drinking beer, and Goldberg's smash mouth style were so popular in the United States with the casual fans. The general public wants to be entertained by the pro wrestling characters, they just don't care as much about the perfectly executed high spots. 

The spot fest style just hasn't and probably won't translate to a bigger audience. Can aspects of that style be successful on a national level? Sure, but Tony hasn't found a way to package it for the TBS audience. Proof of that was that last week's five-year anniversary episode of Dynamite, which featured Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay, a spinoff of their excellent series in New Japan several years ago, and Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada for the AEW championship, actually saw a slight decrease in the ratings from the previous week. The anniversary show drew 680,000 viewers, one of the lower numbers that the show garnered this year. The event was actually held at the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh, a venue that the great Pat Maclaughlin and I attended four prior episodes of Dynamite since the lanuch of AEW. Even with a two-for-one discount the week before and tickets being lowered to just $15 the week of the event, we declined to go to the TV taping. The nature of All Elite television is just too sporadic to truly know what you're going to get on any given week, and even with Ricochet/Will Ospreay on the card, I didn't think they were necessarily going to recapture what they did in New Japan eight years go to the point that it had to be seen live. As much as  Okada will be known as an all-time great after he hangs up his boots, it's clear that he coast on his reputation more often than not in AEW so again, I didn't think even Danielson/Okada was must see in-person for Dynamite. Given the decrease ratings, the television audience didn't consider it must see either.

Still, the AEW/WBD deal was made official last week, keeping All Elite Wrestling on the Turner networks for at least the next three years, with a fourth year option for Warner Brothers Discovery. Depending on what you read, there's some slight variation with the numbers, but it's suggested to be around $185 per year for AEW to broadcast their shows on TBS and TNT with a pay-per-view option on the Max streaming service. Some of the details that have emerged are that Dynamite and Collision will be in their usual time slots, but Rampage, the clear C-show on the line-up anyway, will be discontinued. As apart of the deal for content on Max, Dynamite and Collision will be streamed live on the platform, which in theory could provide more access to AEW programming. As far as pay-per-view, according to reports, All Elite PPVs will be able to be purchased on Max at a discounted price, but viewers must already be subscribed to the service. It wasn't confirmed what the price tag will be to watch in on the streaming platform, but it should be noted that it isn't an exclusive deal. Other services, including traditional pay-per-view providers, will still offer AEW PPVs at the regular price. However, it was mentioned that All Elite Wrestling archives will be hosted on Max, which is another way to increase access to the product. It was interesting to note that Ring Of Honor wasn't mentioned at all in the announcement so it appears that those archives will still be kept on Honor Club.

Dave Meltzer reported that AEW is pitching another television show "Shock Wave" to networks, including Fox, but all things considered, there's really no need for a third show, especially because Rampage already proved that a C-show is moot in the grand scheme of things.

AEW apologists will tout this as a major victory for the company, and more money is always a good thing, but there wasn't really anything surprising about this deal. As mentioned before, pro wrestling is still relatively cheap original programming for networks so even with the dip in ratings, it wasn't a realistic possibility that WBD wasn't going to renew the deal. The newsworthy portion of the story was the PPV component and how it could provide more access through a streaming service, not the fact that AEW will remain on the Turner networks. Furthermore, it was revealed through various news outlets, including the Sports Business Journal, that WBD owns a portion of All Elite Wrestling so it's very doubtful they would opt not to renew something that they quite literally have a vested interest in its success.

Those same apologists will always claim that AEW is now profitable with the news of this deal, and hopefully, they are going to make a profit at some point during the duration of the contract, but it won't be known for sure until all the losses of the past five years and current expenses are accounted for. Sure, the company might make a profit on the year, but how much does that cover from the overall losses of the past five years? It's very possible that the company could finish with a profit for the calendar year of 2025, but it's well-known that the company lost money its first five years with operating costs, and the initial start up costs might also be taken into account before the term profit is truly associated with AEW.

It's a very unique time within the climate of the media business, as networks try to juggle traditional television distribution with the potential money to be made through a streaming service. The Turner networks will lose the rights to broadcast NBA games after next season, concluding decades of NBA content on the channels. Amazon made a better offer, Warner Brothers Discovery wasn't in the position to compete with the number, and one of Turner's more popular commodities will be broadcast elsewhere. If Turner was going to stay within sports broadcasting, especially if they own a portion of AEW, it's easy to see why they want to showcase as much of the content as possible. The circumstances of the NBA deal and the evolving nature of the streaming market allowed All Elite Wrestling to get an increase in their rights fees despite the decline in the ratings.

Bad Blood review

This past weekend's Bad Blood pay-per-view is in the books, and despite being a clear B-show in terms of importance on the WWE calendar, with a five-match card, the show was still very newsworthy after it went off the air. It's important to note that while the term "B-show" traditionally implies something lackluster, that wasn't the context in this case. With the new era of the WWE, more specifically post-Vince McMahon, the "big four" traditional pay-per-views usually have a longer runtime with more matches on the line-up, while other events, such as this show, are specifically booked for an abbreviated card, which isn't a negative. However, it should be noted that despite only five matches scheduled for this PPV, the broadcast still stretched to three and a half hours, creating a very tedious viewing experience at certain points, simply because of the delays between the bell-to-bell action. For example, the PPV had 15 minutes of pryo and ballyhoo before the opening bell of the first match. This just wasn't necessary, as the tighter broadcasts have been much easier to watch in recent months. At least thirty minutes could've been trimmed off this show, and running over the three-hour mark almost defeats the purpose of a five-match card.

The show opened with the Drew McIntyre/CM Punk HIAC match, which was somewhat surprising, given the history of the feud and the PPV itself. Don't get me wrong, I understand that management looked to book end the show so to speak with a major match at the start and then close the show with the star power of the Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns tag match, but at the same time, it puts the rest of the under card at a disadvantage since they had to follow the signature gimmick match. The match itself was exactly what a payoff to a feud should be, all of the bells and whistles, and the most definitive moments were put in this segment to create a specific conclusion to the feud. There were very physical strikes, some brutal bumps on the steel stairs, and a lot of blood, which stands out because you rarely see it in the modern era. Punk did a blade job after he was lawn darted into the side of the cell, but Drew got a nasty hard way cut from a toolbox shot, bleeding buckets throughout most of the match. The only downside was that on two occasions, the referee used a towel to wipe away the blood, which defeats the entire purpose of using it in the bout, especially after Punk planned to bleed. It takes away a key piece of the presentation because it's anything goes, except if there's too much blood. McIntyre needed 16 staples to close the nasty gash after the contest. Either way, this was still a quality match-up with a level of intensity that was justified for the feud. The only criticism for the structure of this segment was that it used a very methodical pace and dragged at a few points, but this was still the best match on the card. Drew took a brutal bump on the stairs before CM Punk landed the GTS to get the victory.

After 10 minutes of video packages and entrances, Nia Jax defended the WWE Women's title against Bayley. The only thing that I can think of when it comes to Nia's continued push is that being related to The Rock has its perks. Listen, I'm sure that the real-life person behind the character is probably very nice, but we're discussing the performance of the pro wrestling persona. Quite frankly, nothing about Nia's in-ring ability or lack thereof says that she should be in a prominent role in the biggest sports entertainment company in the world. Early in the match, her strikes and in-ring work were extremely sloppy. Her worked punches either lacked effort, skill, or both.  At one point, Nia attempted a hurricanrana that looked comically terrible.When Bayley made a comeback about halfway through the segment, Nia's selling wasn't great either. Eventually the action spilled outside the ring and Nia nailed Bayley with a power bomb on the steps before she whipped her into the guardrail for what looked like a dangerous bump. Given the history that Jax has hurting opponents, it was probably not a spot that should've been planned for this match. Nia attempted a pop up Samoan drop, but Bayley landed awkwardly on her shoulder on the canvas, and even the announcers didn't know what the spot was supposed to be when Nia went for a pin fall. The ref got bumped and was down when Bayley got the visual pin before Tiffany Stratton ran out for the possible cash in of the MITB title shot. Nia interrupted before she nailed a Samoan drop from the second rope to get the win.

Damien Priest vs. Finn Balor was a really solid match and they probably did the most that they could do with the 10 minutes they were given for the contest. Everything was crisp and well done. Who knows if Priest will remain near the title picture since Gunther looks to be set for a dominate reign, but performances like this will keep Priest in the mix as a featured star. Balor made his opponent look great and it's one of the reasons that he's such an asset to the company. Carlito and JD McDonagh ran in, but were dispatched by Priest before he choke slammed Balor to win the contest.

Liv Morgan defended her Women's title against Rhea Ripley in  a match that had Dominik Mysterio placed in a shark cage partially above the aisle way. This match was more smoke and mirrors than in-ring work, as from an in-ring perspective, it was basically a television match, but there wasn't anything wrong with that, especially given the finish. Somehow, Dominik ended up hanging upside down from the cage and was pummeled by Ripley before Raquel Rodriguez made her return to attack Rhea, causing the disqualification. Usually, a DQ at a pay-per-view is really flat, and there was some of that here, but since  everyone involved has done a very good job in the storyline, this could set up for a bigger match in the future since this obviously isn't the concussion to the angle with the introduction of  Raquel Rodriguez as an enforcer.

 The main event was the star power portion of the program, but they put in the work bell-to-bell as well. Granted, this was definitely a WWE style main event, but it was still a quality bout that had the "big fight" atmosphere to close the show. It goes without saying, but everything these guys, including the less experienced Solo Sikoa, did was quality work. That being said, Jacob Fatu is a special athlete, he's one of the very few guys, similar to Gunther in some ways, that brings a legitimate level of authenticity to the table. Fatu has an aura and an intensity that can undoubtedly be used to draw money on a major scale in the future. If Roman has another title run as a baby face, a feud against Fatu for the championship could be an excellent series of matches. Speaking of Fatu, at one point Cody put him on the announce desk and dove from the ring post through the table for a wild spot. Eventually, the Bloodline interfered and the heels had the advantage until Jimmy Uso returned to even the odds, allowing Roman to hit the spear for the win. I'm guessing this is to set up a potential War Games match at Survivor Series, which gets yet another main event match from this evolving storyline. 

Post-match, The Rock made his return to the company after a six-month hiatus to film a movie. Again, this could go toward the potential War Games match between the Bloodline factions at Survivor Series, but in the grand scheme of things, this could also be a way to start the build to Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock for the WWE title at Wrestlemania next year. I think to bring The Rock back here as opposed to The Royal Rumble suggest that he will be involved with something at Survivor Series, but one this is for sure, The Rock/Cody Rhodes would be a major draw for Wrestlemania next year.