Brawl under the bridge

Pittsburgh is a region known almost as much for its pro wrestling as the steel it once produced. Bruno was a mythical hero, Douglas was a rowdy rebel, and Angle was an Olympic champion. As much as the potpourri of ethnic backgrounds came together to form the unique blend that is western Pennsylvania, there's an equally diverse independent circuit that brings a variety of action to the area.

In an apropos setting, Homestead, a historical location for a myriad of reasons acted as a "bridge" between the industrial and entertainment roots of the steel city. The Keystone State Wrestling Alliance, a throwback to the days of Bill Cardille and Pittsburgh Studio Wrestling, had a memorable 25-year run before the finale of the promotion last December.

For nine of those years, KSWA, anchored by local legends like T. Rantula and Dennis Gregory, as well as mainstays such as Lou Martin and Shawn Blanchard, presented "Brawl Under The Bridge," a live event hosted under the Homestead Grays Bridge. A wrestling ring and hundreds of fans would pack underneath the structure that runs along the Monongahela, one of the city's well-known three rivers.

“Brawl Under the Bridge was originally a cool stop on the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance’s ever-expanding road tour. Planting the KSWA ring under the Homestead Grays Bridge in Homestead was an experience, especially for those of us like me and Bobby O who have a great affinity for baseball history. At first we brought in a wrestling “name” like James J. Dillon, who got his in-ring start in Pittsburgh. He was honored with proclamations for that distinction. KSWA featured the Rock n’ Roll Express, and in his last single’s match, Brownsville native, Demolition Ax. Nicolai Volkoff came in from Baltimore and talked glowingly about his time living in Green Tree and working Studio Wrestling as Bepo Mongol. He sang God Bless America so well I swear you could still hear him if you put your ears to the rafters underneath the bridge. , said Tom Leturgey, KSWA's longtime ring announcer, known affectionately as "Trapper" to the audience.

"The event is a wonderful community participation moment in a stunning urban setting. Mixed with the thumps of the ring are the cars rumbling overhead and an occasional train blaring past at high speed with maximum noise. The crowd packs the space, enjoying every type of food and drink available. Being part of this event is an annual highlight and a wonderful time for wrestlers, officials and fans alike," added referee, Mark Charles. 

Located in Allegheny county, the borough has its place in history as the spot of the infamous Homestead Steel strike of 1982, a brawl clash between the mill workers and the forces of corporate executives. The positive side of the Homestead narrative is that it's the home of the internationally-known Carnegie Library, and a museum dedicated to its steel heritage. The borough also has a special place in sports history as well. The Homestead Grays, one of the premiere teams of the Negro Leagues in the 1930s, was the organization that the powerful hitter, Josh Gibson played for during two different stints in the line-up. The 1972 National Baseball Hall of Famer played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords for four seasons in between his time playing for Grays.

Today, The Homestead Grays Bridge is named in honor of that pioneering Negro League team, and one of Gibson's jerseys is on display at the Heinz History Center, a five-story building that is a branch of Smithsonian Institution, located in the Strip District.

With so much culture, history, and sports background, it's easy to see why the pro wrestling presentation under the famous bridge became such an  anticipated attraction over the years. Over the course of those nine years, it became as much of a community event as it was a spectacle of the local wrestling calendars.

That's why there was such a void within the past two years since the last KSWA showcase there, particularly since the final bell of the promotion last December, prompting questions about if the popular production ended as well.

On September 19th, a new banner will be hoisted to pay homage to a Pittsburgh tradition when Ryse Wrestling, brings back the concept of Brawl Under The Bridge, right back in its signature location in Homestead.

Ryse entered its 10th year in 2026, looking to expand beyond its home base in Uniontown, a blue collar region in Fayette county, as a way to provide more live event opportunities for both fans and its roster. Founded by the legendary Brandon K in 2016, the original mission statement of the promotion was to provide a platform for the next generation of aspiring hopefuls that looked to make their name in the industry. The Stronghold Academy, the training center associated with the company, was a piece of the foundation of  the project and remains a key ingredient of the formula today. Stronghold alumni include AEW's Lee Moriarty, NXT's Thea Hail, and MLW's Lady Frost. Aside from it's usual cast of hard-working grapplers, national stars, including independent wrestling legend Delirious, Lexus King, Fandango, Ethan Carter III, Donovan Dijak, Shane Douglas, and Dr. Tom Prichard have made cameos for the promotion.

"The bridge is an iconic wrestling venue that has earned legendary status over the years. Ryse is proud to have the opportunity to continue the tradition and honor the work of KSWA and everyone who helped make The bridge such a legendary space in professional wrestling," Brandon commented.

"Brawl Under the Bridge became a Mon Valley institution. I work in the Mon Valley, and people started to ask me about it year-round. It became our largest event of the year. Those memories cannot be topped. When KSWA finished our 25-year run in 2025, so did our Brawl Under the Bridge. I hoped that an established and mainstream, family-friendly organization would pick up the mantel and Ryse Wrestling is among that very short list around Pittsburgh," added Trapper Tom.

The announcement of the September 19th event has generated a buzz around the region, both for fans of the unique setting and those that participated previously.

"I am one of the few people who have participated in the bridge event every year since 2022 through today, first with KSWA, then with FNW and now, I’m very proud to say, under the Ryse banner," Mark Charles commented.

True to its mission statement since its inception, Ryse's Brawl under The Bridge event will look to showcase much of the young talent on the roster. The dynamic Pat Angel, Jace Mara, John Lee Kirk, and Ascension champion Edric Everhart are among those already scheduled. The popular trio, White Trash Forever, including Ron Mathis, Bruce Grey, and Tyler Vox are slated to appear. Iron city icon, Gory, who broke into the sport more than two decades ago at the age of just 18, will be in action. The Troublemakers, Glenn Spectre and Canaan Kristopher, former Ohio Valley Wrestling Tag Team champions, are advertised as well.

Just a few days after the Ryse debut in Homestead, the organization will take the squared circle to the Clearfield Country Fairgrounds for live matches on September 24th as a part of the American Motor Fest. But for now, the focus shifts to September 19th when Ryse Wrestling continues the Brawl Under the Bridge tradition.

What's next for Matt Cardona?

When Matt Cardona was released from the WWE in 2020, ending a nearly 15-year tenure under contract, with almost 12 years of that time on the main roster, there was much uncertainty about not only what was next for him, but also the business as a whole. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic with many live events shuttered and limited capacity for the shows that actually took place, it was not an optimistic landscape for those that got fired at the time.

As with any round of cuts, there will be those that fade into obscurity, either using their WWE name to work a collection of alphabet soup indy groups based on that TV exposure alone, and there's nothing really wrong with that as it's a way to continue to make money as a pro wrestler, or some eventually make the jump to completely different careers. It goes without saying that it's a very individual basis on what path is best for each performer to take after they get fired from the biggest pro wrestling company in the world. For example, Health Slater, who became a sentimental favorite throughout his WWE run for his genuine enthusiasm, can use his WWE exposure to continue to be Health Slater on the independent circuit and it works for him. Again, if it pays the bills, there's nothing wrong with that, and there's definitely something to be said for the true professionals that understand how to work the independent circuit in a way that will continue to give them work over the course of time rather than relatively short payoffs. On the other hand, No Way Jose, despite being on WWE television for a brief period of time, doesn't translate to the independent scene. It was a WWE television gimmick that just doesn't have the same presentation on an independent show without the bells and whistles of the conga line.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those that get their pink slip from the WWE and use it as an opportunity to reinvent themselves. We've seen it work to varying degrees over the past several years, and while an attempt to rejuvenate a career isn't always a home run, it's commendable that those performers are willing to take the risk outside of the comfort zone of a previous WWE gimmick that might be the easier, albeit limiting, routine compared to something fresh that may or may not get over. Braun Strowman trying to control his narrative when he was outside of the WWE didn't exactly propel his career. On the flip side, Cody Rhodes doesn't become the top guy as the American Nightmare in WWE if he didn't ask for his release years earlier when he was saddled with the Stardust character. 

When the previously mentioned Cardona was cut from the roster, he rebuilt himself, not just within his presentation as a wrestler, but also reshaped the perception of his persona in the process. The reason why it became intriguing to follow Cardona's journey was that he was a guy that pursued and became the prototypical WWE TV wrestler. That's not a knock at all, and it worked since he had a deal with the company for as long as he did, but rather to point out that the scope of the original Zack Ryder character, even throughout its evolution process, was very much tailored to the WWE style. The framework of his career, as far back as when he trained under ECW alumni, Mikey Whipwreck, was to pattern himself after the WWE playbook. He was going to be a wrestler with a gimmick that was easy to understand, a catchphrase that could be merchandised, and he was going to work a safer style since you can't draw money in the ring if you're on the shelf with an injury. In many ways, it's tough to argue with that game plan since it works, regardless of the evolution of some of the early-2000s troupes that don't apply today.

It's been well-documented and discussed how WWE management didn't utilize Zack Ryder properly when he was originally signed to a deal, and how he reinvented himself as the WWE guy that ended up working death matches in GCW. Through his hustle on the independent circuit, efforts on his podcast with Brian Myers, and the action figure line it produced, Matt Cardona made himself a money-drawing commodity outside of the WWE bubble. The impact that the Major Wrestling Figure podcast had is undeniable, as their Big Rubber Guys series, a nod to the LJNs of the 80s, is more or less the reason that Mattel has the same style of figures in Target today. The Major podcast had the proof of concept and then Mattel did it on a mainstream scale. That's not a criticism, that's capitalism, and Mattel wasn't going to leave that money on the table.

I could be wrong, but I think that one of the reasons that Cardona was re-signed to the WWE at the start of the year was specifically what he could do with merchandise and social media, especially as events like comic con become more important to launch retail sales of different products. Sure, Cardona boosted his stock as a performer in the nearly six years he was away from the WWE, and there's undoubtedly more that the company could've done with that, but his value as a asset for merchandise might've been an even bigger reason that he was offered a new deal. 

In short, it was better for the WWE to have Matt Cardona under contract so that they could get their piece of the pie rather than him getting a bigger slice, albeit of a smaller pie, on his own.

As mentioned, Cardona inked a new contract at the beginning of 2026, but outside of the return pop, the office has done virtually nothing with him in the past eight months. He lost matches on television, wasn't given any type of storyline, and was reduced to working the Main Event tapings before Smackdown. Basically, anyone on the WWE roster could've been used for the interchangeable role. I hate to say it, but within less than a year, Cardona was more or less in the same spot that he was when he was fired from the WWE six years ago. Unfortunately, he wasn't given the chance to do much else, despite the fact that he has a story that the fans already showed that they were willing to rally behind.

The situation didn't improve when Cardona suffered a torn triceps during one of the previously mentioned Main Event tapings about two weeks ago. He underwent surgery to repair the injury last week and is expected to be on the sidelines for roughly six months. I'd say that the time off could be a fresh start for him, but he just had a fresh start in January and the office did nothing with him.

Again, I hate to say this, but it seems like WWE re-signed him to snuff about some of his independent ventures, because at least with Cardona under the WWE banner, the corporation can get it's share of the market. In some ways, it reminds me of when the office booked him to get beaten into powder to snuff out his popularity years ago when he got himself over without the WWE machine behind him. I'm not trying to be a conspiracy theorist, but other than bringing his role as an influencer of the retail space in-house, what was the point of WWE signing him to a new contract?

I'd say that it goes without saying that the return of Matt Cardona to the WWE at the start of 2026 had a lot of potential, mostly because it was the classic comeback story, a narrative that the fans had already rallied behind, and he was more prepared for a bigger role in the company this year than he was during his original surge in popularity, but management didn't have any serious plans for him. This injury will put him even further down the ladder in terms of priority so when he makes a comeback to the ring, it would probably be wise for him to settle into a role similar to R-Truth, where he can excel in the roles outside of the ring with PR and social media content for the organization.

All in review

After a year away from Wembley Stadium, All Elite Wrestling was back in London for its theoretically biggest show of the year, with hometown grappler, Will Ospreay in the main event to challenge Kenny Omega for the world championship. As much as that story writes itself, the storyline to get there was more complicated than to had to be, prompting questions about if the build helped or hindered the selling point to the audience. A final attendance number will probably be officially reported within the next few days, but ahead of the opening bell, the 2026 edition of All In was on pace to be the lowest attendance in the history of the event. Granted, selling more than 40,000 ticket is an accomplishment, but that gets skewed when it amounts to just over half a house.

The line-up had five pre-show matches and eight bouts on the main card, which proves that Tony Khan seems to be set on running a marathon pay-per-view, even if London has a curfew for live events at the stadium. Thankfully, with the event in the UK, the show aired at 1 PM on the east coast, which might not be ideal, but it's definitely a better option than dragging through a broadcast that doesn't end until after 12:30 AM on a Sunday night.

All things considered, I'm not sure if this will be dubbed a milestone event for the promotion or not since much of the narrative will have to unfold going forward to reveal the overall effectiveness of the results. Watching it live, it certainly didn't have that epic atmosphere to it for most of the show, which says more about the build up or lack thereof than the skills of the performers. However, it's possible that the importance of the return to Wembley might be viewed as more impactful in retrospect if it marks a new chapter for the organization. And, the conclusion of that show, a segment that did have an epic environment, might be that moment.

The pre-show finished up with the trios gantlet, bleeding over onto the start of the main card with the debut of the former New Day, dubbed the New Level, of Austin Creed and Kofi. I understand why the broadcast would be kicked off with the New Day, even if it was expected, as it's an easy way to hype the crowd. Creed and Kofi are solid assets to any organization, especially when it comes to social media and from a PR perspective. That being said, it's clear that the package hasn't been the same since Big E's career was cur short a few years ago, and that's why they spent the latter portion of their WWE tenure as background figures. As I said, the remaining duo are definitely worthwhile to add to the roster, but in the grand scheme of things, they aren't going to truly move the needle by any significant metric at this point in their careers. I'm not sure putting the Trios titles on them and Swerve Strickland means anything in the big picture either.

The AEW Women's Tag Team title match had a solid effort from both teams, but the presentation was rather disjointed and as a result there were a few flat points. The lack of a steady pace was based on the fact that tag rules were ignored so it was difficult for there to be peaks and valleys as the match progressed. Jamie Hayter took a nasty landing on her head from a clothesline into a suplex combination. When there was just a series of maneuvers for an extended period of time without a crescendo, it was difficult for the crowd to rally behind the fan favorites, especially since that would've been a given since it was their home turf. It made sense for the Brawling Birds to win the belts.

There are a few things to note ahead of the Continental Cup match, mostly how unnecessary another tournament was on the AEW calendar, but Tony Khan really likes tournaments so any criticism is probably moot since nothing is going to change anyway. In some ways, Tony booked this segment into a corner, as Nigel, a part-time wrestler at best, was the hometown favorite at Wembley so it would've been the wholesome moment for him to win a belt in front of that crowd, but McGuinness isn't going back to full-time competition so it was somewhat of a letdown that he had to do the job in front of his hometown. Furthermore, this was somewhat of a less important version of the narrative used in the main event, which could dilute the overall effectiveness of that storyline. The action of the contest was fine, but they tried a little too hard to force the drama rather than allowing it to unfold organically, if that was possible under the circumstances. The segment went about twenty minutes and probably should've went half of that time, particularly because of how much of an extended show it was going to be already. There were a few slow points in this bout, which could've been remedied if a few minutes were trimmed off of it. Jon Moxley won the cup and retained the belt, rendering the entire tournament pointless.

The three-way bout for the International championship was a great representation of the All Elite brand. It was hard-hitting, fast-paced, and used the three-way stipulation as a part of the segment rather than something that they had to work around during the contest. As much as  Konosuke Takeshita seems to be forgotten about within the landscape of the promotion, I'd still say that based on pure talent, he should have a bigger role in the big picture. The evolution of Kyle Fletcher is one of the consistent success stories within the often mixed bag of AEW programming. Fletcher consistently proves why he should also be lined up for a more important role down the road. Ironically, Kazuchika Okada has garnered a reputation for mailing it in during most of his tenure in the company, but this match was proof that he can get into second gear when he wants to. Okada winning the title plants the seeds for Fletcher to eventually break away from the Don Callis family so the segment also progressed the narrative.

There was too much going on in the gantlet to parse detail, but with Andrade's victory to earn a title shot, it makes you wonder how far his current push it going to go? I can't see him winning the AEW world title anytime soon, but given the company's working agreement with CMLL, is it possible that there will be more of a Mexican influence on the product?

Adam Copeland and Christian beat The Young Bucks to retain the AEW tag belts, and truth be told, while this match was tailored to the veterans' pace, it was one of the better Young Bucks' matches in terms of how it built toward the finish. Too often in the modern era, endless high spots are used as a substitute for organic drama. Don't get me wrong, there's a place for the fireworks segment on the card, as there was on this pay-per-view, but when it's done to a repetitive level, it loses its luster. There's a reason that some Young Bucks matches are rather flat since it's a paint-by-numbers approach with the same routine that the audience has seen before. This tag title match had more to it than that, and the quality reflected it. The finish with the wrench in the cast seemed a little odd since Copeland appeared unaware of it, but the Cope/Christian team were still cheered at the conclusion.

Darby Allin defeated Kevin Knight to win the TNT championship. This was the car crash segment of the night, which is fine since that's what it was booked to be. The important point to be made was that the blood, the tables, and the gimmicks were saved for the second half of the show rather than a ridiculous amount of blood or table spots in the opening match that we've seen before on AEW PPVs. Darby did the memorable dive off of the set and then the ramp before he won the title, which is probably what this segment will be remembered for. The Sting cameo was fun, even if all the interference made the contest a little too cluttered. As much as the TNT title reign itself didn't elevate Kevin Knight, he undoubtedly made himself a more well rounded performer throughout the heel turn.

I have to be honest, I had low expectations for the Willow Nightingale/Mercedes Mone match, mostly because Mone's run in the company has been mostly hype with every little substance to justify it. There was a point, especially after her initial arrival, that her promos were cringe worthy and her matches were underwhelming. Thankfully, that wasn't the case here, and the performances of the two athletes justified the co-main event spot of the stadium show. The back and fourth action created questions about who would get the victory as they traded the advantage, building drama toward the finish. The suplex to the floor from the apron was brutal. I didn't see how it happened watching it live, but Mone looked like she suffered a broken nose, and the blood added a level of intensity to the contest. Mone got the win to capture the title, but more importantly, she needed a performance like this to maintain her status as a perceived star in the organization.

The main event had all the pryo and ballyhoo that you'd expect from it. This was where it paid off for the rest of the card not to have usual amount of overkill that is seen on AEW PPVs, because it allowed for maximum effectiveness when it was done in the biggest match on the card. I think there were a few times when the amount of no selling got silly, but overall, this was a tremendous match that puts Will Ospreay in the position to be the franchise guy for All Elite. The power bomb from the announce desk to the table that was set up looked nasty, as the table didn't break and it looked like Ospreay had a rough landing on the floor. Some of Kenny Omega's mannerisms are just too goofy to be taken seriously, but as far as the in-ring action, this was top notch stuff. Everything they did was crisp and smooth. The athleticism, even after almost four hours of wrestling, was very impressive. There will be some that will claim this is the greatest match of all time in the moment and throw 87 stars at it, which I think is completely misguided, but there's no doubt that this was one of the best matches in AEW history. Ospreay's win and the emotional post-match segment prove that the moves are secondary to the moment.

What's the status of All In?

This weekend, All Elite Wrestling will make its return to Wembley Stadium, a venue that had a very specific place in pro wrestling history through the classic Bret Hart/British Bulldog match at Summer Slam in 1992, and there's no doubt that AEW added to the lore of the building when it sold more than 81,000 tickets, a record-setting attendance, in 2023. That fact that the show is most known for CM Punk smacking Jack Perry backstage before he was fired to set up his current run as one of the top stars in the WWE is a different discussion for a different time.

That being said, the upcoming comeback to the stadium, a move that was made after the event was taken to Texas in front of just over 20,000 fans last year, has garnered mixed results, depending on your prospective.

Of course, it goes without saying that the first major show anywhere, or at least within an extended period of time, is going to draw the biggest number compared to recent follow-ups. That's just the nature of diminishing returns of the entertainment business, it's only "must see" for the audience once before it becomes optional since they already had the chance to experience it. All Elite had almost four years of built up anticipation from the European market to see the brand in-person, and they wisely maximized that opportunity with a record-setting house at Wembley Stadium a few years ago.

However, and this is the biggest key to the narrative of the company since that time, as far as its level of growth or lack thereof.

Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland for the main event of the initial Wembley event was fine, but it was much more of the pomp and circumstance of the "big show" than any individual match on the card that sold the tickets. As I said, the ability to watch All Elite live was the biggest factor for the success of the pay-per-view. After that original show, the chance to be there live is secondary since the novelty of that aspect wears off for the return so the substance of the product became more important in terms of drawing numbers.

As expected, the 2024 edition of All In saw a sharp decline in the numbers, as it drew a reported 53,000 fans that year. Don't get me wrong, more than 50,000 tickets sold was a tremendous accomplishment, but a decline in nearly 30,000 seats sold from the prior year definitely said something about either the content of the show, the drawing power of the brand itself, or both. MJF vs. Adam Cole as the main event in a rather lame storyline that eventually flopped by the end of the year probably help either.

Clearly, management got the message since they took the show to Texas the following year with the main event of Adam Page vs. Jon Moxley for the AEW world title. The fact that Adam Page wasn't cemented as a legitimate money-drawing star after that is yet another discussion for a different time. The point is, the move to the Lone Star state was theoretically a way to rebuild demand for London, but just a few days before the opening bell, it looks as though that strategy might not have been as effective as Tony Khan hoped.

According to Wrestle Tix, just over 42,000 tickets have been distributed for Sunday's pay-per-view, which would translate to a half empty stadium when the show kicks off. Obviously, with the dynamic ticket-pricing model used with modern technology, it's very possible that the remaining seats drop in price enough to get fans into the building. Still, outside of the potential walk-up sales, a portion that at best might be a few thousand, the current numbers tell a story about the status of the organization.

That's the biggest takeaway from this story, All In 2026 is on track to be the lowest drawing AEW card in Wembley Stadium.

Granted, with how uncertain the global economy is, especially with energy costs increased across the board because of the ongoing conflict in Iran, it's understandable that some fans would be hesitate to spend extra cash on non-essential purchases. At the same time, Tony Khan is rightly played the hometown card with Will Ospreay in the main event to challenge for the world championship so if that didn't spur more tickets sold than prior years, again, it's a statement about the perception of the promotion.

This week's edition of Dynamite is important to the pay-per-view audience, as far as a go-home episode to try to generate orders, but for the live audience in the building, the British grappler's quest for the championship is the biggest selling point. Within these specific circumstances, the under card is garnish so the needle will move based on the emotional investment in the hometown victory.

Since the 2026 event is on track to be the lowest drawing since their debut in Wembley Stadium, unless there are outside factors such as the economy, which is possible, the disjointed build to the match-up might be the reason why interest is only half of where it was just a few years ago.

Keep in mind, Will Ospreay joined the Death Riders, the heel group that injured him, during his journey to try to win the championship as a baby face. That conflicting narrative alone was enough to keep a story that writes itself as rather lukewarm. Ospreay rejecting the Death Riders, only for the originally baby face Kenny Omega to do a half-hearted attempt at heel turn further dilutes the narrative. Is Kenny Omega supposed to be the heel? What exactly was the motivation behind it since he just beat MJF for the championship less than two months ago.

For a company that usually puts work rate above everything else, even the chance to expand the audience, the build to Omega/Osprreay has been unnecessarily murky. The hometown guy trying to win the title in the stadium is an easy story, with competition as the glue of the narrative. Allow two of the top workers on the roster to put on the quality performance that they are known for, similar to the Shawn Michaels/Bret Hart bout at Wrestlemania. Instead there's Omega as somewhat of a heel, but not really, and Ospreay floundering with less than stellar promos on television in the weeks before the event.

As I said, the biggest takeaway from this situation, specifically the lower ticket sales compared to the two other stadium shows, might be that All Elite Wrestling is definitely a niche product that happens to be on national television. Make no mistake about it, the existence of AEW is critical to the health of the industry since it gives both talent and fans options, but the product is so inside baseball that it will only retain the most die hard demographic of the audience. More importantly, not only does the in-depth detail of Japanese leagues or the Mexican scene make it more difficult for the current audience to follow the product, it alienates new fans from sampling it. Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely incredible foreign talent within the wrestling scene, but most of those organizations aren't easily accessible to American fans so you can't expect the national television audience to have any idea who Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira, and Callum Newman are when they make cameos on Dynamite. How many viewers of TBS have subscriptions to New Japan World? There's a reason that more of an American audience is familiar with AAA after the WWE acquisition, because it became exponentially more accessible to exponentially more fans.

I'm not sure if Omega and Ospreay making references to New Japan during the pandemic in the interview segment from a few weeks ago did anything to sell their match for the AEW world championship. Again, how many viewers of TBS have any idea what happened in New Japan six years ago? The ticket sales for the pay-per-view this weekend could be a reflection of how the product is too niche. Since money is no object for Tony Khan and it doesn't truly matter if the project makes money since his family can fund it indefinitely, maybe any criticism is moot, but when the hometown star in the main event can only sell half the seats for a stadium, it's not exactly a successful situation either.

Sorg stock event

Woodstock, the 1969 music and arts festival that was held in Bethel, New York over the course of three days, defined the peak of the counterculture of the era. Promoters of the all-star music line-up expected maybe tens of thousands of fans, but when the event drew a few hundred thousand people, it became more than just a stacked concerted, it defined a generation. Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin were among the performers that saw their legacies etched in the history books because of their involvement at Woodstock.

In a microcosm of that scenario, a generation of Pittsburgh professional wrestling has been defined through the lens of the great, Mike Sorg, the premiere video producer of grappling content in the steel city.

Through the lineage of Bruno, Douglas, and Angle over the years, the region is undoubtedly a wrestling town. The fandom gets passed down through the generations similar to any other tradition. With those cornerstones as a foundation, it was almost natural that the area would have a storied and flourishing independent scene as well. It's not uncommon today for at least one, if not multiple pro wrestling events to be running every weekend somewhere around western Pennsylvania.

Unfortunately, much of that storied history, including when the Pittsburgh scene became a hotbed for sports entertainment in the late-90s as it rode the wave of momentum that saw the sport a part of pop culture during those years, was lost to time. Footage of Pittsburgh action from a few decades ago is sparse, as only a select number of television shows or live event VHS tapes were able to be saved for prosperity. Some presentations were captured on grainy VHS tapes before they were digitized to salvage them as somewhat of a grappling time capsule. However, most of those legitimately memorable events for those that happened to be there live simply weren't recorded so no record of them other than hand-written results exists today.

Sadly, the reality is that during an era when analog was still the standard, video and audio production was often cost prohibitive for many independent leagues in the 90s so first-hand accounts remain the best source to garner information about that era. Pittsburgh legends like Shirley Doe, Quinn Magnum, Paul Atlas, Brandon K, and others can only reflect on their earliest matches in their own minds since cameras weren't at the matches to preserve their efforts fur viewers in the future.

Thankfully, with an assist from modern technology, today's grapplers of the iron city, have nearly all of their bouts not only recorded, but fully produced, promoted, and often livestreamed through the work done by the Sorgatron Media team. Sorg's team has either worked with in the past or currently works with every major independent organization in Pittsburgh, as well as a handful of promotions within the tri-state area. By comparison, the older generation are fortunate to have a select few of them matches saved, and those are usually on an antiquated form of media, whereas entire careers have been documented through Sorg's productions.

Sorg's fingerprints, or digital thumbnail on his extensive library of work have been weaved within the fabric of pro wrestling in the city for more than a decade. More wrestlers and more promotions are more well known because of the stage that he provides. Today, Mike has a dedicated crew, including Missy Sorg, Zach Rizza, Rob Brown, and a rotating cast of others for his broadcasts. The Sorgatron Media group is a full-time career for Sorg. He his studio and office in the Beechview neighborhood, where he runs a live podcast every Tuesday, he livestreams wrestling events every weekend, and when he isn't filming in-ring chaos around the area, he works with a group of college programs for a variety of events. That's not to mention maintaining the indywrestling.live network, as well as all the social media content that goes along with the myriad of projects.

Still, when Sorg launched The Wrestling Mayhem show, an extensive pro wrestling podcast that covers all facets of the business in 2006, it was a very different venture than the career that it turned into today. Two decades ago, it was very much a passion project that looked to blend his interest into a unique presentation that stood out from the pack in a relatively new podcast market. A true jack-of-all-trades when it came to media, Sorg's interest in music, art, and theater were bound to collide with his love of the squared circle.

All those years ago, Mike and a collection of his friends came together for what was dubbed, "Sorgstock," a melting pot of media that has only grown in lore since its inception.

"We originally ran Sorgstock as basically a backyard party, starting in 2006 up in Jamestown, PA. I was working with so many great artists, along with my own comedy hip hop duo. Combine that with meeting a group of backyard wrestlers at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh who joined Wrestling Mayhem Show, and a group from Lisbon, OH, we were attempting to create something of a super show at our scale and bring it back to my home. My family was involved. My nephew was a referee when we had a ring the last one. It was fun. 

We did four of them. Sorgstock 2006 and 2007, Spring and Summer Editions," Mike recalled.

When that podcast that started it all for Sorg, The Wrestling Mayhem show, celebrated its 20th anniversary this past April, what was meant to be a live podcast celebration in concept morphed into a full-fledged professional wrestling show. Talent was secured, matches were booked, and tickets were sold. The venue that hosted the production was a place that Sorg helped put on the map dubbed, "The Warehouse" in the Allentown section of the city. It's the home base for 880 Wrestling, a league that launched four years ago with a mission statement of equality and inclusivity for its roster. The organization's training school has seen its aspiring hopefuls go from their first day inside a wrestling ring to learn the maneuvers through weekly training sessions to eventually make a name for themselves as pros through the Thursday Night Fights project, matches that are livestreamed every Thursday on the Sorg platforms. It was at the Warehouse during the 20th anniversary event that Mike was reminded of, and put on the spot, for the return of his original festival.

He didn't know it at the time, but when he was put on the spot in front of a live audience, it unintentionally set the wheels in motion for his second live wrestling event of the year on Friday, August 28th. 



It’s Beastman’s fault, he kept asking, 'When are you bringing Sorgstock back?' When he finally did that in front of everyone at the Wrestling Mayhem Show 20th Anniversary show, it became more real. 

While I’m out of the music scene, I’m so happy to have Sikes come in to DJ a special pro wrestling set. He played with us back in the day for his solo project. I’ve seen him in action for the MySpace Nites with Remy LaVey and it made sense. We get to feature people in new ways like Facade doing live graffiti art," Mike said of the garnish of the pro wrestling salad.

Indeed, this Friday's live presentation will bring a potpourri of entertainers together, with the squared circle the centerpiece. Of course, 880 Wrestling will be represented on its home turf when the stellar Reese Hayes challenges the dynamic Brianna Bandz. A pair of tag team bouts will see The Runway of Calvin Couture and Tyler Klein square off against Wyld Wyld South, as well as Department of Jocks vs. the aerial duo of MDMA. The Renegade Wrestling Alliance No Limits title will be at stake when iron city icon, Gory defends the championship against international star, The Beastman in bite off match. There's a full card on the line-up with additional bouts, as well as some possible surprise interactions.  



"On the wrestling side, I hope we are putting on a type of pro wrestling show no one else is doing. Getting to showcase some talent in different ways, and let them be creative outside the bounds of the other companies. My biggest take away from the Wrestling Mayhem Show Presents April Fools show was how much the wrestlers were so happy to try concepts like a Freaky Friday Match or Dungeons & Dragons themed Top Rope Table Top Match. People still mention some of those concepts and moments months later, I hope we do the same here," Sorg explained.

While he had the rolodex and the structure in place for the live event presentation, Sorg cites the assistance from those around him as key for building an event from the ground up as far an an original production.

"I know I’m still getting the hang of the other side of running things, and that’s why we’re taking it easy at first. It’s really made me appreciate how hard my partners at indywrestling.us have to work to put on these shows. I’ve had a few people ask if  I’d like with help to run something, but the right combination of MV Young and 880 Wrestling is what makes this all come together," Sorg concluded. 

The career of the Meadows brothers

On October 11th, 2025, a crisp autumn morning with a slight chill in the air, the phone buzzed on an end table. Travis Meadows, a native of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, the home base for Ryse Wrestling, the league that he and his brother worked with, got the call he was waiting for. It was a call he wasn't sure if he would get, and he didn't know if it would be a false alarm.

That call from UPMC Hospital in Pittsburgh was the call that saved his life.

He had already spent three weeks in the hospital in his hometown before he was transferred to the bigger medical facility in Pittsburgh that August. The previous few months were a complete whirlwind, as doctors searched for answers throughout the spring before the static yellow eyes of jaundice hinted that the friendly-faced fellow at the matches was in serious jeopardy.  

"It never hurt. I was uncomfortable, but never in pain. All of this suddenly, started during the summer of 2025, I was gaining weight, but I wasn't eating. It got to the point that it was impossible for me to walk Basic terms, the weight was a nasty bile in my stomach that was tearing my insides up. My liver wasn't able to process this bile and it poured out into me, Travis explained.

When his condition was stable enough, he was allowed to go home. His name was on the transplant list, but the uncertainly of if he could remain stable long enough to find a donor hung over their household like a dark cloud before a brewing thunderstorm.

"I started with a positive nature.This was all a part of the process of things wearing on me. The multiple denials of a transplant, I was coming to a point where I was begging and crying in front of this doctor for a chance. So, I became a mental wreck," Travis said.

Just a month after being placed on the list, one half of the Meadows brothers got the green light for a liver transplant.

"My liver was coming from Kentucky," Travis recounted when he recalled the disbelief that he had in the moment. 

"He got the call on for the surgery, which ended up being a go. What I mean, I'm saying that they said sometimes people get called for a transplant, but when they see the organ with their eyes, they realize that it won't work. But, this was good to go on the first try," Travis' brother, Bryan explained.

The Meadows family knew that there was a long road ahead of them, a path with potential pitfalls and road blocks. However, the family unit supported one another throughout the medical ordeal.

"My place while he was sick, I felt was to be there for everyone. Yes, for him, but to also be there equally for our mom. I was probably spending more time with her than him," Bryan commented.

"I wish I could appreciate my illness more, as odd as it sounds. I ended up viewing it as a big bad villain that ruined Bryan and my mother's life. Then, there was a chance to live again," Travis added.

The dim florescent lights in Travis' hospital room for the next few months of recovery were quite the contrast to the bight colors of World Championship Wrestling's bright colors of the early-90s, a period of their lives that bonded the brothers together through the over-the-top spectacle of professional wrestling that beamed through their television screens.

The Meadows brothers were going to channel one of their favorites from their youth, metaphorically landing a tag team Stinger splash on the villainous liver to make room for the baby face organ that would get Travis back to health.

"I started as a big WCW fan, WWF was fine, but my world revolved around WCW, he said.

"We would literally spend days in the Uniontown Mall, just hanging out while our mom worked. I was probably like nine when that started," Bryan said of their childhood.

The brothers were a package deal, they were family by blood, but best friends by choice. Naturally, when Bryan stumbled upon a flyer that advertised a pro wrestling training school in his hometown, he had to check it out. But, even though Travis didn't see himself in the ring, the duo were going to explore this sports entertainment adventure together, the same way that had spent their lives at each other's side.

"I took the card and gave it some though. I wasn't sure I could pull of being a wrestler, but thought that being a ref, I could see what that was all about. Training for a while was a new level of being in pain, but fun. I was finally seeing what I saw on TV from the other side. I got Travis into it because I am not great in new situations, but knew if I could convince him it would help," Bryan said.

"I felt like it he wasn't going to be alone with this journey," Travis added.

By the end of 2019, Bryan Meadows was the third man in the ring for Ryse Wrestling bouts, controlling the in-ring mayhem and putting down the three count. Travis became a jack-of-all trades, he did anything and everything that was needed of him, earning his proverbial stripes while his brother wore literal stripes. Travis set up chairs, filmed matches or interviews, and also conducted interviews on any given event. The two became warm faces around the locker room that greeted everyone with a smile, a sign of their genuine enthusiasm.

"When I was the interviewer, as well as the camera man before that, I was becoming an excited child to get the show and see what was happening. I rushed through my day to get to this moment," Travis commented.

So, when the news broke on social media of Travis' medical emergency, as well as the Meadows brothers' absence from the live events while he was in the hospital, dozens of messages of support flooded in from their pro wrestling peers to wish him well. When Bryan could make it to an event while Travis was healing at home in late-2025, it wasn't uncommon for the phone to be passed around so that Travis could hear from his friends.

Just a few months ago, Travis was able to return to Ryse Wrestling live events, still building up his strength from the life-threatening experience, but beaming with a smile to be back among not only the crew, but in the atmosphere that bonded the brothers together more than thirty years ago, professional wrestling.

"I love being at the shows. Everyone there are not just my friends, but my family now and I want the best for them. I took reffing away from Bryan, but now the best feeling in the world is watching him ref. He is at his best now," Travis said of his comeback.

"The biggest take away besides being able to do some amazing things, is just the amount of people that our now great friends that we wouldn't have if we didn't do this at all," added Bryan.

Despite the peaks and valleys of the health scare that startled their entire family, the ritual to get prepared for an evening of grappling remains the same for them.

"After loading the car with whatever we need for the show like gear bags, snacks, and any different drinks we might want for the rest of the day, we work until about 3 PM that day. After work, we head to the venue. Once there, we make our rounds and start to get ready for the show. He sees what he needs to do, and I get dressed and get my assignment," Bryan commented.

Travis Meadows found himself on the canvas with a liver that turned heel on him, as just a year ago, he was pondering what his life would be, or if he'd have any life at all. With a little help from his friends, his pro wrestling peers with their rallying support, Travis made the comeback with his own baby face fire to return to the road of good health with a new liver to lead the way. Of course, Travis couldn't have done that with his brother, Bryan in his corner. 

Travis answered the bell, and how he can watch his brother make the three count inside the squared circle once again.  

"I am enjoying the small things more. Popcorn, Nutty Buddy bars ,and smelling brewed coffee. How quieting things can get in the early mornings. I'm Enjoying people more, people are surprisingly cool," Travis concluded.

Ilja Dragunov exits WWE

The extremely talented Ilja Dragunov will exit the WWE after his contract expired this week, according to PWInsider's Mike Johnson, the most accurate reporter of wrestling news in the industry. There's speculation that WWE would've re-signed the Moscow native, but he opted to allow his deal to expire since the writing team had nothing for him after his last on-screen appearance on Smackdown in April.

First, it should be noted that if the creative team doesn't have anything for someone of the caliber of Dragunov, especially with the modern presentation of the product, that says more about their lack of ability to script the shows than it does of his skills. That being said, the circumstances of this departure follow somewhat of a pattern for the European grappler throughout much of his association with WWE. 

For whatever reason, timing or circumstances beyond his control kept him from truly finding a fit within the TKO corporation.

When the European indies were drawing big crowds and thus making legitimate money during the mid-2010s, the WWE took notice. If there was serious money to be made in the market, the company was going to use its media muscle to get a piece of the pie. Instead of risking any discontent with the audience there, the WWE established working agreements with Progress, ICW, and other more local leagues, with the initiative for more exposure for the region rather than an American takeover.

When NXT UK was officially announced in 2018, there was a lot of sizzle behind it, because the notion that those stars could also work with the previously mentioned established groups gave the impression that the European scene would have its biggest international platform in its history through the WWE Network. 

Of course, Ilja Dragunov was one of the featured stars.

Who knows if it would've been possible for the WWE to truly get an NXT UK brand off the ground? I have my doubts, if for no other reason than the logistics and travel involved that would make it expensive, or outright cost prohibitive. Sure, the NFL is going to import more games outside of the domestic market this season, and there are rumors of a potential expansion team down the road, but even one team isn't the same as an entire league or "brand" in the case of WWE. They tried NFL European in a few different forms for several years, but it never gained any serious traction. You don't need NFL Lite if you can get the NFL. In that respect, I'm not sure TKO, would've made the investment to put a complete set up in England for NXT UK to seriously be able to run as its own project, nor am I sure the market would be able to sustain the project on a long-term basis that would justify that type of investment from WWE.

Keep in mind, for the WWE to plant its on flag with an England-based organization, you're not just talking about putting the talent on contracts, there are the office staff, the marketing team, and the cost of venues. That's where the NFL Europe comparison applies, if TKO gave London its own full-fledged WWE promotion, it could theoretically take away the draw of Raw, Smackdown, and the pay-per-views. We've seen how lucrative that part of the globe has been as a part of TKO's international expansion. Furthermore, if a talent got majorly over on a British brand to that point that the office thought they could be a star on the global level, they would've been shifted to Raw or Smackdown to maximize their potential so there would be an unintentional ceiling on the regional project.

Unfortunately, the prospects of NXT UK were moot, as the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the brand, and the majority of that roster, which consisted of the top guys from the European independent scene, were either moved to the domestic brands or released by 2022. Dragunov had an absolutely incredible match with Gunther at one of the closed tapings in NXT UK, but after an injury, he debuted in America in September of 2022.

The European brand suited his persona and his style, and despite the success of an NXT title run, and eventually a stint as US champion on Smackdown after a torn ACL that required surgery put him on the shelf for almost a year, it just seems like Dragunov never really found his place among the WWE landscape. As simplistic as it might sound, maybe Dragunov wasn't "sports entertainment enough" for the biggest sports entertainment company in the world. Don't get me wrong, he's a tremendous professional wrestler, and could still be an asset to the WWE roster, but his style is so centric to an almost niche presentation of the genre that it's not automatic that he would connect with the casual WWE fan. Billy Bob wearing the John Deer hat isn't going to be able to easily identify with the catch-as-catch-can grappling style, and neither will the younger demographic that tune into the pay-per-views to see what Logan Paul or IShowSpeed are doing. That's not a knock on Dragunov either, some guys just aren't as suited to the WWE format, and it's not a new notion either. Stan Hansen, Dynamite Kid, and Abdullah The Butcher weren't in their heyday. Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, and Nick Gage probably wouldn't today.

For Ilja Dragunov, his in-ring work wasn't going to be a question, he had quality performances his entire WWE run, but if the writing team didn't think his character was going to connect with the audience then that might explain why he was under the radar in recent months, even if they should've found something for him on the shows.

At 32, Dragunov is still in the prime of his career, and if the office didn't have plans for him, it's easy to see why he would at least test the waters of free agency instead of signing a new contract to wait in catering to see if or when management had a direction for him.

It goes without saying that All Elite Wrestling will be the place that most will expect him to land, mostly because it's where he can earn comparative money to what he was presumably making in WWE, and truth be told, since his deal expired,  allowing him to work anywhere immediately, rather than being released, which would've put him under the standard 90-day no compete clause, chances are he will show up at All In next weekend. Still, beyond the artificial debut pop, and it would be massive in London, there's no reason to believe that Tony Khan would know what to do with him any more than the WWE writing team did. Sure, Tony would be the matchmaker to put him in the ring with Omega, Fletcher, and  Ospreay. Dave Meltzer might give each of those bouts 85 stars, but beyond that, would Tony Khan be able to make Dragunov a bigger star? Will Ilja Dragunov become more well known or lost in the shuffle in AEW?

That's why my two cents on the matter would be for Dragunov to ink a deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling, as the organization looks to rebuild itself after the recent sale to Cyber Agent. Granted, it's less money than he would probably be offered in the United States, but the organization is much more suited to his style, and given his tenure in WWE, he would get the chance to get a solid push in the Japanese league. Dragunov would not only be well suited there, but taking into account that he's still young, he could completely rejuvenate his career there to be able to return to the United States with a boosted market value in a few years.