What's next for CM Punk?

What's old is new again.

Sure, that's a cliche, ironically implying itself what's old can find new life, but sometimes things are cliches because they are true.

On Raw, seemingly in another rebuttal to Pat McAfee's bizarre heel turn and  counterproductive promo on Smackdown last week, CM Punk cut another worked shoot-type of promo, with another reference to Vince when he was ranting about Roman Reigns, as well as a very deliberate mention of McAfee with a reference to Ari Emmanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, the parent company of TKO, that was rumored to have inserted the former NFL football player into the current crop of storylines in a late-minute attempt to move the numbers of Wrestlemania ticket sales since the metrics still put the organization 30% behind where they were last year.

Given Cody Rhodes' originally unscheduled promo to response to McAfee's segment that unintentionally went too far of script, and CM Punk's  mic work that mentioned Vince again as the, "weird old man," is it possible that the current WWE product is going to see another influx of heel authority figures to provide opposition to the fiery baby faces?

The notion of more heel authority figures will probably make you shake your head initially, but with the current narrative of the promotion, could it be a remedy for some of the hurdles that the organization faces right now?

More than a decade ago, during CM Punk's original run in the company, he promoted himself as "the voice of the voiceless" in many segments. As a heel, he could use that moniker to invoke a cult leader status as if he knew what was best for his Straight Edge Society faction. As a baby face, he could be the voice of the fans that management seemingly disregarded, as the publicly-traded corporation had completely monopolized the industry at a certain point. Right now, the stage could be set for CM Punk to speak up for the little guy, the average Joe Hanson, or the everyday consumer that can't realistically afford some of the astronomical ticket prices. The narrative around the corporation at the moment is that TKO simply got too greedy and took advantage of the fans' loyalty, pricing the majority of them out of the marquee pay-per-views.

CM Punk has been known as a rebel, albeit a hypocritical rebel, over the years. He didn't mind showing up in Saudi Arabia and groveling as long as the blood money that he criticized years earlier was going in his pocket this time. But, as we know, especially within the sports entertainment genre, perception is reality, and if that's a specific star on the roster that can get over the angle that he's going to rage against the corporate machine, it's CM Punk. Don't get me wrong, CM Punk isn't Steve Austin, no matter how much he wants to frame himself in those terms, but the same type of storyline, to a lesser degree, can work in this situation.

We've discussed in recent weeks how management hit the panic button on the sluggish ticket sales, offering 31% and 25% discounts, which proved to be too little too late since the other costs involved with travel increased significantly as we get closer to Wrestlemania. Travelers might save 25% or 31% on the live event tickets, but flight costs and hotel reservations on relatively short notice exceed those savings. The conflict with Iran and the surge in fuel prices didn't help matters, but there were indications that fans were priced out of WM 42 a few months before the war in the middle east started. One of the legitimately shocking points that Punk made in the promo on Raw was the proclamation to lower the ticket prices. Usually, this is the worst move that a commodity can make publicly because it lets the general public know that the brand isn't as in demand as it was a few years ago, and it tell the audience that they were foolish for paying the inflated prices to get into the building that night. In some ways, it's publicly admitting defeat, which doesn't create a sense of optimism ahead of the biggest show of the year. That being said, the entire scenario could be used, if crafted properly, to turn the negative into a positive with a storyline that might theoretically get WWE through the rest of the year.

To avoid the embarrassment of admitting that TKO overplayed their hand, assuming that fans would pay more or less any price for the privilege to attend the corporate spectacles, CM Punk's calls to lower prices could be an indirect way for the office to save face and actually move some tickets at the same time. It puts CM Punk over because he was the baby face that stood up for consumers and allowed it to be affordable for them to buy tickets ago. Of course, as we know, this would all be designed to justify lowering ticket prices to be able to sell more or them, but the point is, it's an equation that solves the problem by putting the shine on the anti-hero.

Speaking of the anti-hero, based on the very similar promo that Cody cut last week on Smackdown before Punk cut an amplified version of it on Raw, this all might set the table for another corporate faction to mimic the Steve Austin/Vince McMahon rivalry from years ago. Punk referenced, Ari Emmanuel, The Rock, and Vince McMahon. I don't see Ari stepping away from a billion dollar corporation to play the bad guy on a wrestling show, but with the amount of times Vince has been referred to recently, I'd say it's at least a possibility. Furthermore, Roman has been a baby face for a few years and it wouldn't be out of the question to turn him heel again. Roman, Randy Orton, and McAfee, with an occasional cameo from The Rock would be more than enough to fuel WWE throughout 2026. Roman and Randy are strictly WWE projects, whereas Punk was almost deemed an outsider, and Cody had to leave the company to get into the position that he is now as a top star. In some respects, the story writes itself, the corporate image to oppose the baby faces that represent the fans.

However, this could be a difficult needle to thread, as there's a fine line between a compelling angle and counterproductive results.

Obviously, there have been way too many heel authority figures over the years, sometimes to spite the fans that support the company. You have to be careful because again, there's a fine line between selling the fans on watching the greedy corporate shills get knocked off of their pedal stool, and trying to convince the audience that they should give their money to "the bad guys" to attend the shows. There's a reason that the WWE as a brand had a level of good will with the audience for the first time in years after it was made very clear that Triple H was the head of the company, because he was deemed to be the one that would run the organization with a level of respect for the performers after Vince was exiled in disgrace. The social media posts when Triple H congratulated talent on their accomplishments, sincere or not, shaped how the modern audience viewed him. He wasn't seen as the politicking egomaniac of the early-2000s that just wouldn't put over Booker T at WM 19, or had to somehow end up in the main event almost every year during that era. Specifically, since he took the public role of his involvement with NXT before he took over the main roster, the narrative of Triple H is the aging legend that wants to help the next generation. Putting the heat on the company only works in specific scenarios, with the previously mentioned, Austin/McMahon storyline being the most successful example, but there's an argument to be made that it could work here, too.

That being said, this set of circumstances is far from ideal. The office booked itself into a corner and now have to look for a way to make the best of the situation. It's been more than a decade since the yes movement with Daniel Bryan so now could be the time, based on the discontent with the expensive costs to follow the brand, including the $30 ESPN subscription fee after years of cheaper prices, to book a heel authority faction that the baby faces can conquer. The biggest takeaway from any of this should probably be, and hopefully this is the case, regardless of if Punk's promo sparks a heel authority group, the WWE has to do something going forward that will renew a level of good will with the audience.

ATD at Steel City Con

A few dozen celebrities are going to be in town for the Steel City Con, a convention that has become a staple of the western Pennsylvania region, with three showcases a year held at the Monroeville Convention Center in April, August, and December respectively. William Shatner, Paul Williams, and Tom Kenny are just a few of the more than thirty names that will be in attendance to greet fans, as well as sign autographs this weekend.

In the past, Steel City Con hosted a myriad of famous figures from throughout the entertainment industry, often bringing together cast reunions of classic film or television. A few years ago, the original cast of Scream was there for horror fans to serve as a compliment to A Christmas Story reunion that was slated for that same weekend. Alice Cooper, Dee Snyder, and Joey Fatone were among the musical guest in the past. The Kinks' Dave Davies and Corey Taylor, formerly of Slipknot, are scheduled for the April line-up. While the chance to get a selfie with a celebrity brings in the crowd, hundreds of vendor tables are lined up in calculated rows as attendees can browse items to get signed, pick up some fudge or coffee, and even get inked through a coalition of tattoo artists that set up shop on the convention floor. It's not uncommon to see attendees marveling at their freshly-signed autographs, enthusiastic as their view their photo-ops with the celebrity of their choice, and customers taking a trip down memory lane as they browse the vintage merchandise of their childhood.

The Steel City Con convention found a successful formula with a mixture of retro and pop culture ingredients that make it a very unique experience for fans. 

"The con is always a great time, we enjoy the weekend with our tables. It can be a long weekend, but we have fun. Seeing all the costumes and finding things to add to our own collections is a good time," said Caprice Russo, who has been a longtime vendor at the Steel City Con with her family.

Between the Star Wars, Star Trek, Happy Days, coffee, collectibles, and fudge, there's another tent pole of the Steel City Con. With the lineage of Bruno, the Olympic accomplishments of Angle, and the modern contributions of Corey Graves, professional wrestling is also one of the top drawing cards for the convention. Names like Bill Goldberg, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, The Big Show, Sammy Guevara, Adam Cole and others were a part of the sports entertainment line-up over the years. The pro wrestling names are a regular and anticipated part of each convention during the year.

This Sunday, half a dozen sports entertainment figures will be in attendance along with the rest of the famous faces at the convention center in Monroeville.

Former TNA World Heavyweight champion, Frankie Kazarian will be in the house. Former WWE, TNA, and ECW champion, the legendary Rob Van Dam, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021, is scheduled to appear as well. There will also be a trio of female stars there to meet fans when former WWE Women's and TNA Knockout champion, Mickie James is there. Candice Michelle, and Ash By Elegance are also signed to appear for the convention. WWE Hall of Famer, Jake "The Snake Roberts is also slated to appear this Sunday, the portion of the weekend dedicated to a myriad of grappling names.

The group responsible for being fives of these legends and stars to the Steel City Con is ATD Promotions, a promotional group that was founded by Anthony D'Alfonso, and anchored by a trusted group of friends.

"I started solo in 2018. Since then, it has evolved into a three-person partnership. Over time, we’ve expanded to bringing in talent to shows in multiple states," said D'Alfonso.

Anthony and his pals have developed their reputation of reliable and honest, both with the talent that they work with and the fans that are there to meet them. A former superstar of the ring is never left watching at the airport, dinners are taken care of, and in a business known for its carny origins, Anthony insists on being up front with her clients. The talent is paid properly, there is a direct effort to give the fans their money's worth with these anticipated interactions, and the result of those efforts puts ATD on the rather short list that top names are willing to work with on a continuous basis.

"The most important aspect is making sure the talent are properly taken care of and comfortable with us. Having the trust of the talent is the most paramount to our success," Anthony explained.

With that trusted established, as each year has gone by, it has allowed ATD Promotions to branch out across the circuit for a slew of different appearances at different locations with different times of events. Just within the past month, Anthony and his group at Diamond Dallas Page at the massive Squared Circle Expose in Indianapolis, AEW's The Bunny at a horror con in Pittsburgh, One Man Gang at The Big Event in New York, and notable boxer, Butter Bean, who had an associated with pro wrestling, at a toy convention in Ohio.

With five wrestling stars under the ATD banner this weekend, this will be one of the group's most ambitious events, but the crew that has found success in many other locations look forward to the opportunity to bring their clients to the popular convention in western Pennsylvania.

"We’ve made overtures to Steel City Con for a couple years now in regard to bringing in talent. It was really just a matter of timing and things falling into place from there. They tasked us with bringing in a few guests for this show. I wanted to have one who was headline level to the entire show and RVD was one who I wanted to work with for a while now. With regard to Candice Michelle, Ash by Elegance, and Frankie Kazarian, we were able to get from TNA running in Cleveland the night before. We already have a great preexisting relationship with Candice and Frankie. I think it’s a solid line up and we are coming in strong our first time out," Anthony commented.

The early mornings, late nights, airport pick-ups, quick breakfasts, and exhausting hours involved become worth the tireless efforts to coordinate all the details of each appearance when Anthony sees the satisfaction from the stars that he supported in his youth, as well as the opportunities provided to fans to meet those stars. In many respects, the care and time that Anthony and his group take with these stars is much different than the "agents" of a previous era that were only there to stand next to the gimmick table to try to ensure their piece of the pie. ATD doesn't view or treat their talent as a weekend meal ticket, but rather as honored guests that are treated with the respect and dignity that their prior accomplishments in the industry deserve. That philosophy is one of the many reasons that ATD has such a wide and diverse rolodex of talent that they work with currently and have plans for in the future.

"My goal is to continue growing as a brand and with the caliber of talent that we bring in. We are also starting to get our feet wet in other genres of sports and entertainment, which I hope to continue expanding," Anthony concluded.

Ryse April 11th event

Ryse Wrestling, a local league that entered its tenth year in 2026, is set to debut at a new venue when the organization arrives at the All American Field House in Monroeville, PA on April 11th, the same weekend that will host the popular Steel City Con convention in the same town.

Ryse Wrestling has been very grassroots since its inception just over a decade ago when longtime veteran, Brandon K wanted to launch his own project in his hometown of Uniontown, a blue collar city just south of Pittsburgh. One of the most accomplished trainers in the area for the majority of his nearly 30-year career, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle for the real-life Jason Clements was the ability to teach the next generation. His list of students include AEW's Lee Moriarty, NXT's Thea Hail, and a slew of successful Pittsburgh grapplers in a myriad of promotions across the region.

"When I started Ryse, it was a place for young and new talent to have a space to learn and grow in the business while I learned and grew as a wrestler turned promoter. I feel like we were very successful in that. We evolved to be a main player in the area because as a team we worked to better each other," Clements explained.

True to his hometown beginnings, Brandon looked to pattern his wrestling venture in the same fashion. He wanted to provide affordable, quality live wrestling for families, as well as true opportunities for the next generation of Pittsburgh performers. The logistics of independent wrestling can be complicated as far as the costs involved with hosting live cards, but it boiled down to a rather simple equation, Ryse Wrestling found it's success through the efforts of the roster, and the fans that supported those efforts through ticket sales.

It was critically important for the Clements family to keep their brand of pro wrestling affordable for fans, but that situation comes with its own set of business hurdles.

The promotion started in an old movie theater, where pro wrestling was quite literally on the marquee. When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the entire world in early-2020, without the ability to run live events, there wasn't a revenue stream for the organization to maintain its operations in the location. So, while the world was eerily quiet in the midst of stay-at-home orders and an unprecedented level of uncertainty in society, the equipment was packed up as the management team was unsure of what was next.

Eventually, the group landed at the Uniontown Mall as a part of select few businesses that looked to keep the shopping complex open. Once again, the training center was also housed at the mall complex, and the expanded space gave the organization the chance to expand its presentation with a new entrance way, new lights, video wall, and more seating for its dedicated fan base.

"I’ve had so many proud moments watching the guys and gals of our company get to do their thing at the Uniontown Mall. Lee Moriarty doing a seminar that many of my current students attended was a surreal experience as a trainer. There's watching so so many..killer matches from the Ryse locker room to the things that many don’t see like the Meadow brothers overcoming so much to become a part of the business. Probably most of all, though the mall era was when everyone started to find their footing and pulled together to draw the fan base that made the era very successful," Clements remarked.

After almost four years of successful events that saw the growth of local competitors such as Cowpoke Paul, Gianni Emricko, Tad Jarvis, and Jace Mara, while hosting such national stars as Dango, Donovan Dijak, Brian Pillman Jr., Shane Douglas, and Allie Katch, Ryse Wrestling found itself at an impasse.

A major snowstorm dumped over a foot of snow on most of the region in mid-January, prompting some cancellations of a few other promotions' events on that particular weekend in an abundance of caution. Single digit temperatures in the weeks that followed kept the mounds of snow a visible sight around the area. When the weather finally broke and the temperature made its way above the freezing mark three weeks later, the ice and frozen precipitation began to melt. The owners of the Uniontown Mall had woefully neglected the maintenance of the building, and as the mounds of snow melted, the roof began to fold under the pressure, sending streams of water through the ceiling onto the floors of the wrestling venue. Merely leasing the space in the building, Clements' hands were tied. There was simply no way that he would risk his roster or the fans under those conditions, particularly with water saturating much of the old Sears building where the wrestling events were held so he made the decision to cancel the February and March cards to be able to relocate in April.

"It was  bitter sweet,  I mentioned all the fond memories at the mall. Jace Mara was helping me move out and he looked at me and said, 'I’m really going to miss this place.' That’s when it hit me that this was a special place to so many people. But, it was also a building that didn’t represent the product. Everyone has worked too hard to be in a building that leaked during events. The wrestlers and fans alike deserve better. So, I’ll miss it, but it’s time to move on to a new and proper venues," Clements said. 

The All American Field House, a venue that has a history of local wrestling cards in years prior, was chosen, not only for its convenient location, but also because of the quality of the building itself.

Headlining the stacked line-up is one of the pillars of Ryse Wrestling, Tad Jarvis, a military veteran that started in the wrestling business under the Ryse banner after his service to the country, will defend the Ryse Grand Championship against AJ Alexander. Jarvis grew as an athlete in front of the Ryse audience over the years, as the fans saw him go from his debut bout in a preliminary match in 2019 to winning the championship with tears in his eyes in the main event of the 2025 anniversary spectacular in December. On the flip side, AJ Alexander might've started in the sport in Pittsburgh, but found himself as an athlete on the other side of the globe when he spent six months training in the dojos of Japan under the guidance of the legendary Yoshihiro Tajiri. While Jarvis rallied to the title with a combination of heart and fan support, AJ has spent the past two years since his return to America as one of the most vicious and sharpest athletes in the region. The anticipated clash for the belt could be a key factor to determine the direction of the next chapter of the organization.

"Being the Ryse Grand Champion helps put a chip on your shoulder, but it also help you stay aware and humble to maintain in the best shape so you can defend it against anyone who will come against you. AJ is a tough competitor, but I won’t let him stop the fact that I earned this. Plus, I’ll do everything to make sure I walk out as champion on April 11th," Jarvis said.

Among other bouts on the card, two enthusiastic youngsters will collide when Fox Catcher will square off with Pat Angel, one of the most dynamic aerial wrestlers in the area. Women's action will see Sam Street make her Ryse debut against the returning Megan Meyers. Other Ryse debuts schedule include Avalanche Adams and Colt Johnson. Ryse stalwarts Edric Everhart, Gorgeous Gregory, Glenn Spectre, John Lee Kirk, and Gory are also signed for the event. The tag team championships will also be decided in a wild four way tag team match.

“April 11th, Ryse Wrestling rolls into Monroeville at the All American Field House, and I guarantee it will be a night to remember. After months of fans waiting for the Ryse calendar year to start, we will leave the fans wanting more," commented Dean Radford, one of the head organizers behind the scenes of the company.

With another event already scheduled for La Roche University on April 29th, Ryse looks to not only overcome the hurdles from the Uniontown Mall that delayed their 2026 schedule, but look to expand their schedule, as well as cement the All American Field House in Monroeville as a new home for the promotion.

Newman wins IWGP championship

New Japan Pro Wrestling history was made last weekend at the Sakura Genesis event at Sumo Hall in front of a reported 6,000 fans when Callum Newman, the winner of the New Japan Cup to secure a title shot, beat Yota Tsuji to become the youngest IWGP Heavyweight champion in the NJPW record books.

At 23, Newman broke into the sport during his teenage years so he has a skewed level of experience compared to most his age, but after he debuted in the organization just two and a half years ago, this was a very surprising decision made by the Japanese office. That's not to say that it was the wrong decision, or that it will be a hindrance toward the overall direction of the company, but rather to point out that it creates questions as to what the motivation was behind it, as well as what impact that deciding factor will have going forward.

Will Ospreay was there during Newman's post-match comments, implying that he was seeking help from his former United Empire stablemate in his ongoing feud with the death riders in AEW. Considering that Newman was somewhat of a protege of Ospreay's after the British youngster started in the sport because of his fandom of Ospreay, it would theoretically make sense for Newman to be recruited to assist his mentor. There was actually recent speculation that Newman might be the next one to make his way to AEW because of the time that he spent as a part of the Ospreay faction, but then Newman announced that he inked a new deal with the Japanese league a few months ago, which might be one of the reasons why management decided to put him over for the championship.

The story here is less about the in-ring work, because we know that New Japan has an emphasis and high standard on that aspect of the organization, and more to do with the fact that this could be a pivotal time for the Japanese group, as far as its ability to remain a key player in the industry on a global basis.

The main event bout between Tsuji and Newman was tremendous, as it blended the work rate style mentioned earlier with a level of drama that tilted back and fourth before the conclusion. Newman used a low blow to set up the finish so perhaps that was designed to keep Tsuji strong for a rematch later on. Callum Newman is very good bell-to-bell, he can deliver quality matches and has a track record of doing so, but the brass tacks is simple, does he have the name value or the status to carry the company as the heavyweight champion? Yes, I understand that one of the reason that Kazuchika Okada originally got over as strong as he did and had such a legendary run as champion was because of the "shock" victory to move him into the main event conversation, but Okada was touted for his potential before that happened. Furthermore, Okada is arguably a generational talent so it would be unfair to make those comparisons to Newman anyway. That said, this title switch definitely wasn't something that most would've seen coming, and it's somewhat shocking, not because Newman isn't a solid performer, but rather that it was such an unexpected decision, based on Tsuji's built up journey to the championship after winning the G1 tournament to get a shot at the title at the Tokyo Dome just three months ago.

That's one of the key aspects of this story, where does this leave Tsuji? At 32, he's in the prime of his career so it's not nearly as though his time at the top of the card is over, but did management fumble their best chance to cement him to the strongest degree as one of the money-drawing main event guys? Sure, the office can book him to win the title again down the road, but will it make the same impression? As far as impressions, will this relatively quick title change give the impression that Tsuji couldn't get over as the top guy on the roster?

I have to say, I think the office, even unintentionally, chopped Tsuji down at the knees. He looks like a star, he can go in the ring, and as I said prior, he had a path to the title that the audience was invested in when he defeated Konosuke Takeshita for the belt at Wrestle Kingdom in January. Dropping the title this quickly, specifically when the organization usually books longer title reigns to give the belt cache, makes it seem like he couldn't step up into the role as champion in a completely effective manner.

As far as Newman as champion, there could be, and hopefully there is, a bigger picture that will unfold in the grand scheme of things. As of right now, Newman just isn't a guy that most fans will associate with the IWGP heavyweight championship or the main event position, but it's possible that was by design. Not only will Newman have to step up his presentation to carry himself as the champion but, his title run must be booked in a way that spotlights that as well. This could be a specific effort toward building the future of the company. However, the same argument could've been made for Tsuji's title victory. The worst case scenario might be that the office is going to throw as much at the wall to see what sticks to try to catch lightning in a bottle to jump start the organization since the roster is so thin after the slew of exits from talent that went to AEW.

The best case scenario, and hopefully this might be where they're going, Newman as champion might be used as a way to get more involvement from All Elite to essentially bolster the New Japan cards. Takeshita was on the Sakura Genesis show, and during the post-match segment of the main event, Gabe Kidd, who was just announced as signing with All Elite officially last month, challenged Newman for the championship. Let's be honest here, New Japan simply can't compete with a billionaire's money, and for whatever reason, Tony Khan wants to sign most of the talent that gets praised in the Wrestling Observer newsletter, regardless of if he has a spot for them or not. Tony should be smart enough to know that for stability of the overall business, it's important that New Japan stays a true commodity so hopefully, he will send more talent their way to at the very least, keep the brand on solid ground in the future. Japan can be a place where talent either gets discovered or has the opportunity to reinvent themselves. If Newman as IWGP champion gets Ospreay back on the card for key events in Japan, maybe there's more business to be done beyond the spotlight of the youngest champion in the history of the company.

The biggest hurdle for the company in general is the lack of depth to the roster. That's not to say that the current crop of guys don't have talent, but rather to point out that the departures were at such a rapid pace that it's not realistic to expect them to be replenished just as fast. If there's a long-term plan in place for Newman then that's great, but if he was picked because the office didn't think that Tsuji had met expectations as champion then it could lead to a status of total indifference within the organization since there wasn't a firm direction. Newman's potential involvement on All Elite programming could be a way for him to look like a bigger star in Japan since he would international exposure. At the same time, it could be an indirect audition for Tony Khan to see how he works in front of an All Elite audience to possibly sign him when his NJPW deal expires, which is basically what the Forbidden Door pay-per-views were before Tony signed almost every top guy in New Japan. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Newman's run as champion will be successful since it will probably be a reflection of the company itself, specifically because it might be the most defining narrative of the year for the promotion.

McAfee turns heel

I wrote an article earlier this week, asking if the Cody Rhodes/Stephanie McMahon segment on Raw was potentially a way to test the waters to open the door to an eventual return to the company of Vince McMahon after there were implied references to him in the promo. Given the latest filing of the Janel Grant lawsuit a few days later, that might be doubtful since her legal team added more evidence to support the argument that the case should go to a jury trial. Among the latest claims, Grant said that CEO, Nick Khan knew about her relationship with McMahon, and there were more distributing details filed about Brock Lesnar's alleged involvement. So, at least at this point, TKO brass might be hesitant to bring the former boss back into the fold as it might put an extra spotlight on the latest accusations.

Still, after last night's episode of Smackdown, you'd have to wonder if Vince had some type of influence on the product, because I hadn't seen booking quite that unproductive since the last time he was in charge.

For years, the emperor of sports entertainment landed a lot more often than he missed, which is how he built his dad's territorial promotion in a global, publicly-traded corporation. That simply wasn't the case in his latter tenure as the head of the company. Storylines were disjointed and changed direction often so the audience couldn't truly get behind any specific narrative. If an angle didn't propel immediately, McMahon would default to old troupes that were cliche and stale.

Vince is gone, but his philosophy, at least recently with the sluggish ticket sales for Wrestlemania that put the number of seats sold at a 30% decline compared to last year in the same building, has been seen on WWE programming as the overall direction shifted just two weeks before the event. Also earlier this week, I covered the notion that the office enlisted the help of John Cena as the host of the event a mere four months after he retired to try to spark some extra interest in the show. As I wrote previously, much like the angle booked on Smackdown, the efforts to spur ticket sales were too little too late. Cena at the event, or the few different discounts on tickets were used way too late in the game to make a difference since the traveling fans would've had to realistically make those plans much earlier than weeks before the opening bell.

The angle on the opening segment of Smackdown was more proof that the company is grasping at straws to draw some type of interest for live attendance.

A few weeks ago, when Randy Orton took a mystery phone call, it was designed to create some intrude ahead of the WM 42 main event, which makes sense, as the organization still has to sell the $30 ESPN subscription aside from the live event tickets. Of course, the payoff for any situation like this is key, and part of the problem with the mystery aspect is that it has to live up to the hype or it's unproductive. Was it Chris Jericho? Was it Bob Orton? Was it Vince McMahon? It was advertised ahead of time that Orton would reveal the caller on this week's episode of Smackdown so it's clear that management wanted to get eyes on this segment.

When Pat McAfee hit the ring, it took a second to realize who it was, and he hit Cody Rhodes with a low blow to align himself with Orton. I have to be honest, while McAfee is a great guy by all accounts, this was completely underwhelming. Granted, his announcing style isn't my cup of tea, but I can understand why he's there and that he has a following from a specific demographic. That said, the less than part-time announcer turning heel adds nothing to the storyline and doesn't carry much weight in the grand scheme of things. The WWE championship, theoretically the top prize in the company with more than 50 years of lineage, not to mention the top position in the organization, is on the line. But man, things must be getting serious now, Pat McAFee is involved. After the segment aired, the former NFL kicker posted on social media that if Orton loses at WM, he won't appear on WWE programming again. Considering that McAfee is understandably already not on the WWE shows because of much more lucrative gigs for ESPN, why does it matter if his involvement in WWE is at stake for the WM match?

I asked recently if WWE brass devalued Cody Rhodes with the path that was booked for him to get to WM 42, but regardless of if the set up hindered his status or not, this segment certainly swept the rug out from under him. Essentially, McAfee buried the current product, which isn't exactly the best way to sell that same product to the audience. McAfee basically blamed Cody for the rather underwhelming content of the broadcasts, citing the low ratings from the previous week. If this was designed to be some type of reverse psychology, it definitely didn't work. The four-hour pay-per-views with only four matches might be the much bigger issue than what any individual performer does on the PPVs. Along the same lines, the fact that the costs involved with following the product have increased across the board, while the shows have delivered less actual content has a lot to do with why the current product is so bland. In many respects, the shows leave the impression that they are on autopilot, which is very similar to the presentation the product had for a few years prior to the launch of AEW. The company is very secure with their media rights deals so it's easy to put the product on cruise control so to speak and collect the cash.

From a corporate perspective, the status quo is mission accomplished because those massive media rights deals, as well as the Saudi agreement, are guaranteed money. The stability and ensured revenue in the future sre exactly what investors look for when they buy stock on Wall Street. Sure, it makes the shareholders overjoyed with the guaranteed return on investment, but for the fan base, the status quo often translates to stale or cliche programming.

Ironically, years ago when the product was the subject of the same type of criticism, Baron Corbin, who was an authority figure on Raw at the time, was blamed for the subpar shows. The bottom line is, it's never a good thing to bury the current product on your own show because it's basically telling the fans that they are foolish for paying to watch it.

As I said, McAfee's announcing style is too over-the-top for me, but the reason that he garnered a following within the WWE fan base was that his enthusiasm was authentic and organic. The guy had the time of his life in WWE and the fans could appreciate it. On the other end of the spectrum, the heel turn was more or less the opposite of that, as he sounded as though he was playing the "bad guy" with a very forced and phony portrayal. More specifically, McAfee cited the attitude era fans, as if Orton is going to serve a starving demographic from more than 25 years ago. As I wrote in an article last week to cover the quarter century mark of when Vince bought WCW for pennies on the dollar, the vast majority of the Attitude era was very much of a time and place, which is why it doesn't hold up in hindsight. It's understandable why some fans look back on the Monday night war with rose-colored glasses because the main event scene was so strong, but there's a significant portion of the product that was absolute drek, especially in retrospect.

The reference to the Attitude is top-tier desperate because nothing reinforces the notion that the current product is underwhelming than using "the glory days" to try to sell a current show.

Aside from the fact that most of the Attitude era doesn't hold up if it's viewed today, framing Randy Orton as the guy to bring it back was is just silly. Orton debuted in the WWE after WCW already closed. Furthermore, and this might be the biggest point from this particular portion of the promo, catering to the supposed Attitude era demographic is a lost cause. Only a fraction of those fans still follow the product today. The rest of that audience either followed the next trend after pro wrestling exited the pop culture conversation, stopped watching after WCW folded, or only vaguely follow anything from the business today. At the peak of the Attitude era, there were roughly 10 million viewers of pro wrestling on any given Monday. Now, that number is closer to two million fans so the target audience is simply different today. There's not a demand for a return to the Attitude era, and even if it was attempted, it wouldn't get over in 2026.

This segment more or less chopped Cody down at the knees because the heel actually had a point, the product has been underwhelming recently so it's rather easy for the audience to associate Cody with that dissatisfaction. It was already going to be difficult to get a Wrestlemania crowd to boo Orton because of the cache he has at this point in his career, as well as how over the RKO is, but this segment more or less cements a situation where the fans turn on Cody at Wrestlemania, which doesn't make sense since he's the fighting champion as the baby face. They are setting the stage for him to became the New York Yankees of the company where he gets heat simply for being the top guy that they once clamored for. If that happens then it takes away much of his shine as the top guy, and the only remedy would be a heel turn, a move that would be counterproductive to his overall position as the representative of the organization.

It's somewhat mind-boggling that they are booking Cody Rhodes into a corner like this, but at this point, Randy Orton must win the championship at WM. If Cody wins, you're telling the audience that they would theoretically continue to get the same bland programming they have now. Again, the problem with that portion of the promo is that the heel was right so it lends credibility to the notion that Cody is the caption of a skewed ship. Maybe all of this is moot because management can still paper the house to have a full stadium by showtime, and I said discussed before, the bigger picture is the most profitable Wrestlemania in history in Saudi Arabia next year, but it still seems like this is such a counterproductive way to book Cody Rhodes when the office finally had the guy that could take the John Cena spot as far as the representative for the company.

Jericho returns to AEW

Yesterday, I penned an article about the WWE playing the John Cena card as the host to try to boost Wrestlemania ticket sales, and explained that not nearly enough time had passed for his appearance to truly make an impact or move the needle. I explained a few different examples from different eras based on the Jim Cornette philosophy, "how can we miss you if you won't go away?" to illustrate when it can or can't be effective.

One of the examples I used was Cody Rhodes' ambitious exit from the WWE in 2016, his role in the launch of All Elite Wrestling, and ultimately how that time away allowed him to not only reinvent himself, but also build up the demand for him to become the top guy that he is today. I also mentioned that with rumors of Chris Jericho's possible return to WWE that the eight years away from the organization created an anticipation for a final Y2J run on the big stage before he hung up his boots.

Despite it being April Fool's Day, which you can't really count anymore because the entire world is a joke, the notion that Chris Jericho would be back in AEW circulated online just a few hours before Dynamite was set to broadcast live from his original hometown of Winnipeg. Sire, it made sense on the most superficial level as somewhat of a "homecoming," but since he had been kept off of television for a year, it looked like it was another case of Tony Khan paying someone to stay home to avoid giving them any exposure before they left the company, which is what happened with a slew of other talents before they arrived in the WWE.

Chris Jericho did, in fact, return to the company in the opening segment of the television show last night, but there are still more questions than answers surrounding his status going forward.

Jericho proclaimed that he was "home" in AEW, implying that he will be there for the long haul, and at 55, it's reasonable to assume that would translate to eventually retiring from in-ring competition at some point under the All Elite banner. As fitting as it would be for him to have his career conclude in WWE because of the nearly two decade run that he had there, Jericho has always tried to think outside of the box, in terms of avoiding being typecast by the corporation. Ironically, that's what prompted him to work for New Japan in 2018 and eventually ink a deal to be on the ground floor at the start of AEW. That's why while it seems like an almost automatic decision for him to choose a WWE return with a Hall of Fame induction and all of the merchandise that goes along with it, there's still a very valid argument to be made that he should retire as an AEW star.

By 2018, Jericho was being regulated to a background figure within the WWE landscape, as he had done more or less everything that he could do there, and the office saw him as a part-time legend to make cameo appearances. Jericho thought, and he was proven to be correct, that he had more to offer to the pro wrestling industry as a whole than a rather limited range of options in the WWE. Jericho was instrumental in All Elite Wrestling getting off the ground, not only because of his star power, but also the sense of optimism that he brought to the table around the new venture. Of course, the entire point of trying to launch a company on a national level is to try to reach the biggest demographic possible and thus maximize potential revenue. If that was Tony Khan's true goal with all of this is a different discussion for a different time, but the point being, for any new promotion, the office is asking the fans to invest in the product through ticket sales, merchandise and pay-per-view orders. The audience isn't going to be nearly as willing to do that if they think that the project might fizzle out rather quickly. Was there really a demand for Wrestling Society X t-shirts?

When Chris Jericho put the future of his career toward the efforts of All Elite Wrestling, it gave the fans a sense of confidence in the potential of the project to get off the ground because they knew that Jericho wouldn't risk being so closely associated with a venture if there was a major chance that it would fail. Make no mistake about it, Jericho's legacy would be looked at differently if AEW folded with him as the top star for the new venture. It can't be understated how important that vote of confidence was for the perception of the company when it started in 2019.

Jericho's peaks and valleys in the organization were discussed in the previous article so there's no need to rehash all of that here, but what exactly does he do in AEW now?

The promo that he cut on television was very general and didn't provide any indication on the direction that he will take going forward. It was reported online that he recently filed for the trademark of "the cornerstone," which some speculated might be related to his possible WWE return, but given that the company usually owns as many monikers as it can, maybe that should've been the clue that he was staying with AEW.

As I said in the prior write-up, I think Jericho has done more or less everything he can do in AEW so I'm really not sure who he works with or what storyline he could reasonable be used for in 2026. He started at the top of the card, as he should've, but with even the Ring Of Honor title reign out of the way, there's not too much meat left on the bone for him in the role as the established legend in the promotion. At 55 and a legitimate legend, it's not as though Jericho can work the opening match with Serpentico. No disrespect to Serpentico, of course.

However, what Jericho is booked for in this new chapter in AEW might actually depend on his true status with the company.

There were rumors that Jericho's AEW contract was frozen when he took time off to tour with Fozzy. If that was the case, depending on how much time he has left on the deal, this might be a short-term run with a basic angle. If his agreement with the promotion expired at the end of 2025 as the rumor mill suggested and he signed a new contract to more or less decide that he will spend the rest of his in-ring career in the company, the way to book him could be exponentially more complicated. Again, you don't want to use his cache as a star in a way that doesn't progress the narrative of the shows, but at the same time, there's not much new territory for him to cover in AEW. Obviously, it remains to be seen how Jericho is used, but given the prior criticism about how his tenure plateaued before the hiatus, the decision on what to book for him should be made very carefully, as it could determine if the final chapter of his career as an active wrestler is yet another tenure that he kept himself relevant or if it gets panned by the audience.

Assuming that Jericho opted to sign a new deal to retire with AEW, you have to ask yourself what was the motivate behind it? It could be as simple as Tony Khan didn't want to lose another top star to WWE, even if Jericho's impact on AEW in more recent years has been minimal. Tony might've offered him such a hefty amount of cash that Jericho couldn't turn it down. The pomp and circumstance of the WWE Hall of Fame induction is a great way for the performers to get recognition and appreciation, but the WWE HOF status doesn't pay the bills. Benjamin Franklin wields more power in the real world than the WWE HOF plaque. If it was just a matter of money then it was an easy situation. At the same time, Jericho has made a career of  trying to stay ahead of the curve and differentiate himself, what does he do if he returns to the WWE? The reaction to the initial comeback would be a historic moment, but what about the actual direction? The prospect of Gunther choking Jericho out in his final match isn't exactly the best option, not because he shouldn't put Gunther over, but rather that it would make him just another name on the list.

It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds and only time will tell if the return to AEW was the right move for Jericho, but the biggest takeaway from this scenario might be that while All Elite doesn't have nearly the same momentum now as it did in the early years of the company, it's still a major factor in the industry.

John Cena hosts Wrestlemania

"How can we miss you if you won't go away?" -Jim Cornette

The Louisville slugger has often used that phrase to describe either the anticipation for a return, or on the other end of the spectrum, the notion that a performer overstayed their welcome with a particular run or gimmick. It's a very simple, but also a very accurate equation that applies on at least a semi-regular basis to the pro wrestling industry. At any given time, the business is either evolving toward something new or using its current cache, which by definition has a limited run. If anything stays for too long, in the vast majority of cases, it will become overexposed or stale. The ability to adapt keeps you ahead of the curve, and in the process, some very memorable moments can be created.

For example, Hulk Hogan was the golden goose of the 1980s, but even the top drawing card in the history of the business up until that point had a shelf life. By 1995, the audience had seen the ear-cupping routine and the leg drops. The switch to the New World Order was one of the biggest moments in the history of the sport and it gave The Hulkster another big run on top in WCW. Hulk as a heel would've been unthinkable less than a year before that when he was shilling Pastamania and the Thunder Mixer, as tacky as each of those ventures were. But, what did the heel turn ultimately set the stage for? Eventually, when enough time passed, the fans wanted to see the Hogan that they fondly remembered with the red and yellow from the glory days. How could the audience miss the all-American Hulkster if he didn't go away for a while? That's why when he returned to the WWF after almost a decade in 2002, it didn't take long for the fans to want to see him as a heroic baby face again. It had been eight years since he was waving the flag and posing while "Real American" blared in the background. What's old is new again is more or less a staple of entertainment. Without the eight years as a villain, the audience wouldn't have demanded a final run with the championship in the main event scene, which is why Hulk worked the main event scene with what was left of the Attitude era throughout 2002.

The reason there is a payoff for returns in wrestling is because the time away is what creates the anticipation.

In a different way, Cody Rhodes was away from the WWE for six years, and aside from reinventing himself as The American Nightmare, being instrumental in the launch of AEW, and proving the WWE office wrong when they typecast him as a secondary comedy character, his time outside of the company ultimately built anticipation for his return. Would Stardust have gotten the thunderous reaction at Wrestlemania 38?

As an example of how time away can lead to overall longevity, Chris Jericho kept himself ahead of the curve because for most of his career, he didn't overstay his welcome. When his WWE career plateaued in 2005, he left for two and a half years to tour with Fozzy. When he came back, it rejuvenated his career and ultimately led to some of his best work as a main event guy. Without that hiatus, the narrative of Jericho's career could've been very different. In fact, the current Jericho situation is proof of how time away can build up demand and thus put a fresh coat of paint on a performer. Jericho's work in AEW was originally very solid and key to getting the company off the ground, but the initial formula for the Inner Circle that got over as a way to spotlight younger talent became more about Jericho using a stable to try to stay relevant in the years that followed. It led to diminishing returns and his run fell flat. The Inner Circle was more successful than the Jericho Appreciation Society, and the society was more over than The Learning Tree faction. That's not a knock on Jericho, it's just to point out that his time in All Elite Wrestling ran its course. He hasn't been on AEW programming in a year and rumors still persist that a WWE return is on the table when his All Elite deal expires. Jericho did more or less everything he can do in All Elite and had garnered some resentment from the audience when it was perceived that his later efforts in the company were more self-serving than contributing toward the efforts to establish younger talent for the future. That's not to say that was Jericho's intention, but perception is often reality, at least from the fans' perspective. If Jericho resurfaces in AEW, it will be looked at as an eye-rolling retread, but if he shows up at Wrestlemania this year, it will be a historic moment after eight years outside of the organization. Again, how can we miss you if you won't go away?

There's no doubt that returns can translate to box office, but is the latest WWE comeback going to move tickets?

It was announced this week that John Cena will return to the company for the first time in all of four months to be the host of Wrestlemania. As I wrote in an article last week about the 25% off sale the WWE ran on tickets a mere two weeks after the larger 31.6% discount, the corporation realized that they overpriced tickets too late and there are way too many other factors that become more expensive overall than the discount on tickets since it's much closet to the event. The increase in flight costs and hotel reservations are significantly more expensive now than they were before either the 31% or 25% off sales. The discount doesn't cover the difference so if cost was the deterrent before, it's going to remain the biggest hurl to moving tickets.

As much as a bonafide legend as John Cena is, he hasn't been gone anywhere near long enough that putting him back on screen is going to make a difference in the numbers. The WWE just had a year with Cena as the focus of the retirement tour, with the emotional farewell. You can still order the farewell merchandise on WWE Shop, it's not as though fans have had enough time to fondly reflect on their favorite Cena moments, it's still a current topic. Furthermore, if he was going to retire at Wrestlemania or was gone from the ring for several years and was going to wrestle again, it might be a different story. But, is John Cena cutting a promo for the first time in four months really something that fans will be motivated to pay hundreds of dollars to see in the building?

This isn't Steve Austin coming back after 19 years with no official retirement at Wreslemania 38 to have a match against Kevin Owens when the company had to do something to sell tickets in Dallas. As flat as it was, this isn't The Ultimate Warrior's comeback in 1996 when there was at least some intrigue to what the guy was doing since he abruptly left the WWF a few years earlier. This is just a promo, and it's a sign that management is desperate to get fans in the building, as there's still a 30% decline in tickets sold last year in the same venue less than three weeks before the pay-per-view.