What's next for Wrestlemania?

Last week, I penned an article about the supply and demand aspect of Wrestlemania 42, the sports entertainment spectacle that is scheduled for Las Vegas this April for the second year in a row. Without the retread of the details of the previous column, the bottom line was that there was a noticeable dip in the number of tickets moved last year at this time compared to the current pattern of sales. Given that the entire premise of hosting WM 42 is based on the ability to secure those valuable tourism dollars, Allegiant Stadium touted  25% off sale during President's Day weekend to attempt to spark the decision to not only purchase live event tickets, but the flights and hotel reservations required to attend. If fans are going to commit to spending that type of cash on the astronomical WM seats, especially for two nights, those plans have to be made in advance. It's simply not logical or realistic to expect sales to spike a month ahead of time. The time frame to secure those travelers is now.

Will the stadium be full be the time the opening bell sounds on night one? Sure, particularly with the dynamic pricing model that is used through the advancement of technology to attempt to chop out the secondary market. But, and this is key, Wrestlemania isn't about drawing the local or walk up crowd if the remaining seats are listed at reduced rates days before showtime to be able to garner a full house. Las Vegas paid the site fee, and outbid New Orleans in the process, to be able to use the WM brand to bolster its sluggish tourism industry. There was a 7.5% decline in visitors to the city last year, the lowest number for tourists since 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, if local fans gobble up the leftover seats at a reduced rate the first week of April, it completely defeats the purpose since the entire point was to pay the site fee in exchange for the massive economic impact that the WWE brand brings to a location.

According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, the President's Day discount didn't prompt a major boost in ticket sales, as the current number of seats sold this year is still considerably behind the amount of tickets that were already gone by this time last year. 

As I wrote last week, the rather flat Wrestlemania ticket sales, and the lack of progress despite the reduced price is more proof of this, I think there's a strong case to be made that WWE brass found the tipping point where the audience simply won't pay inflated prices to be in the building for live events. The average fan can't afford it, there are those that will pay that type of money once for the experience, but don't need to do it again, and the number of diehard WWE fans with the disposable income to make the trip every year isn't anywhere close to the amount of tickets that need to be sold for a stadium.

It goes without saying that the Wrestlemania brand is the primary selling point each year for these events, but the product ultimately has to justify the costs associated with attending, specifically when it was expanded for a two-night event. To reiterate what I wrote last week, there are peaks and valleys for everything, the momentum that the company had around Cody Rhodes' chase to the championship couldn't realistically sustain itself indefinitely beyond that point. The fans of the current era got to see the peak moment so there will naturally be a decline as the next storyline is put into place that will possibly increase the hype around the product again. For the past several years, the audience has paid inflated prices to see Cody, Roman, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre etc. It's not a jab at their talent because the same would apply to almost any other star in the history of the business, but at some point, once you've seen the act, there's not a reason to have to see it again, especially at increased prices, the following year.

With the amount of injuries and the amount of questions that go along with them, the under card hasn't been set yet, but the top main events for the weekend, CM Punk/Roman Reigns, and almost confirmed Cody/Drew after the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view this weekend, will be the marquee bouts on the cards. If those are the headliners, it's fine, it doesn't shift the direction of the company or prepare a new star for a top spot in the company, but it's fine because it's status quo for the TKO corporation. There's nothing wrong with the status quo for TKO either, as the massive conglomerate touted  WWE revenue of $1.7 billion for 2025, which was a 22% increase from the previous year during its earnings report.

Still, if the Wrestlemania 42 ticket sales stay stagnant with an estimated 35,000 seats sold for each night, wouldn't that be negative optics for the organization?

Usually, it would be cause for concern if the biggest show of the year could only draw half a house in the 72,000-seat Allegiant Stadium, and it might be for the venue since Las Vegas paid the site fee, but the scenario is more or less moot for the WWE in the grand scheme of things.

The reason is simple, next year's Wrestlemania is already the most successful and profitable in the history of the event.

As we know the Saudi government has already purchased Wrestlemania 43 with the same oil money that they used to buy The Royal Rumble this year. The Saudi Sports Authority has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars on golf, boxing, wrestling, and other entertainment ventures. Early estimates for WM 43 put the show at a minimum of $100 million, which could be even more cash if they get a few of the legends such as Steve Austin or The Rock that they want for the show. Keep in mind, this is the Saudi government completely buying the event so the amount of tickets sold or the amount of fans in the building doesn't matter.

With that type of guaranteed money, along with the massive revenue stream from their media rights deals, the WWE is already on the path to have its most profitable year in the history of the company by the end of 2027 since the mega payday for Wrestlemania from the Saudis will keep the stock price strong for the majority of the year.

With those type of economic numbers, particularly by mid-2027, the relatively soft sales for WM 42 will be largely forgotten about, and another host city will be to host the show in 2028. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a red flag when Wrestlemania only has half of the tickets sold, even for a stadium event, less than two months before the show, it's an indication that they've priced out too many consumers, but in this specific situation, the Saudi deal for next year provides them with a safety net.

As we've discussed before the increased ticket prices and costs associated with following the WWE product through the slew of streaming services might chip away at the fan base, but as we've also mentioned, that might not be an issue for the TKO executives if the long range plan is to inflate the value of the company over the course of the next decade or so before it's sold completely to the Saudi government. At the very least, it's a possibility given the amount of cash that the country has already invested in associating it's "modern approach" with the WWE brand. If that's the case then the TKO suits wouldn't be concerned about an eventual decline in the fan base, as it wouldn't be their problem if they are going to sell the company to the foreign government.

In the short term, it will be interesting to see if the decreased WM ticket sales prompt WWE brass to quietly adjust ticket prices incrementally over the course of the rest of the year. It might not have any effect if TKO management firm with their pricing strategy, but if there's any indication that tickets are too expensive for the WWE demographic, it's that it's difficult to move almost half of the tickets for a Wrestlemania event.

Bronson Reed injured

When Seth Rollins did a worked injury angle last summer as he was scripted to appear hurt during a match with LA Knight on Saturday Night's Main Event before he revealed that his knee was fine to cash-in his MITB contract to claim the title from CM Punk at Summer Slam, I wrote that the storyline was bush league since it would call legitimate injuries into question in the future. There are enough actual injuries in the sport that there isn't a need for any scripted injuries. Since that time, Seth Rollins actually did hurt his shoulder in a match with Cody Rhodes less than two months later, forcing him to vacate the title. It also put a screeching halt to the best push of his entire career, a storyline alongside Paul Heyman, the best talker in the business, that spotlighted Rollins, not positioned him as second fiddle to either Roman Reigns or Dean Ambrose.

As a part of that package, a stable was built around him, and with the injury, the faction had to be shuffled to explain his time on the sidelines as he had to undergo shoulder surgery to repair the injury. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed turned on Rollins, attacking him on Raw to write him off the show. It remains unclear if Rollins will be back in the mix in time for Wrestlemania. Logan Paul, who has continued to do well at a steady pace, was added to the group, as well as a repackaged version of Austin Theory in an attempt to bolster the ranks.

Bron Breakker was attacked by a masked man and eliminated from the Royal Rumble quickly, with the implication that it might be Rollins. Just like the original masked man from Survivor Series, the office can put anyone in the outfit at the time and then pivot if their initial choice isn't cleared or available. For example, Rollins wouldn't have been cleared by the Rumble, but they could have anyone play the role under Rollins is ready to be revealed as the mystery man behind the attack. It certainly would've made sense to book Rollins vs. Breakker at Wrestlemania based on the fact that Breakker was one of his stablemates that kicked him out of The Vision faction.

However, the episode of Raw after the Rumble, during a ringside rampage to protest his elimination from the match, Bron Breakker suffered a serious hernia injury, sending him into surgery, too. A typical hernia surgery might only put a competitor on the shelf for a month or two, but with the nature of Breakker's injury, it's possible that it could take up to six months for him to fully recover from it. The odds are that he will be forced to miss Wrestlemania this year.

It's almost unbelievable, but The Vision faction suffered yet another injury this past week on Raw when Bronson Reed tore his bicep during a qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber this weekend. The replay of the injury was nasty, and it was reported that Reed will be out of action indefinitely. He was scheduled to win the match to enter the Chamber match so an audible was called for Jey Uso to win the contest.

The participants of the gimmick match at the pay-per-view on Saturday to determine who will challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE championship are rather moot. It's well-known that  the plan is Drew vs. Cody for the title since the seeds for that where planted at the Royal Rumble when McIntyre eliminated Rhodes. However, the much bigger impact that the Bronson Reed injury has is on the Vision faction, a group that looked like it was going to be one of the centerpieces of the company at the start of the year.

When Rollins was injured, you could justify the new direction since Bron Breakker is a long-term project for the company, and he should be. When Breakker was sidelined, it was questionable if the stable would have enough steam to be used as a major force on Raw. With the Reed injury, there might be a case to be made that the stable itself should be quietly disbanded and maybe Heyman focuses on being the manager of Logan Paul since the office prioritizes the sponsorship dollars that he brings with him through the Prime deal. At this point, the heaters for the group, originally intended to showcase Rollins, will be out of action for several months. The argument could be made that Austin Theory was a lost cause even with the group at fully strength, as he was presented as secondary for so long that it would be a difficult task to get the audience to buy him as a serious heel. As mentioned, Paul Heyman is still the best talker in the business, but he's not a miracle worker so it's doubtful that he could verbally transform the stone-faced Theory into a marketable or money-drawing star, specifically to a level that would justify the existence of the stable.

At this point, there's just not enough meat on the bone so to speak for The Vision group to realistically continue, especially when there's a much bigger upside for Logan Paul as a singles act alongside Heyman to cut the promos. The only guess I could make for the faction to continue would be if Brock Lesnar was added full-time, but that might take away from his Wrestlemania plans that have bigger impact in the grand scheme of things. Assuming that  Seth will be back in time for the event in April, Rollins vs. Paul might be a solid choice, as it uses the history of the attack to build toward a featured WM match.

For Bronson Reed, it's a very unfortunate situation, as he went from a guy that was released during the pandemic era of the company in 2021 before he returned in late-2022. He trimmed down and was doing the best work of his career prior to this injury. At 37, he undoubtedly has some prime years of his career left, but it will be a task to recapture the momentum that he had as a monster heel, especially the cache that he was given from the association with Heyman. He's an agile super heavyweight, and he should be able to find his place on Raw again after he returns to action, but exactly where the place will be, or how far up the ladder it might be, could depend on the landscape of the brand when he returns.

As I said, I think the best choice would be to disband the group and allow Heyman to promote Logan Paul, and Brock Lesnar's key matches at pay-per-views. However, with the rumored arrival of Chris Jericho at some point, depending on if his AEW deal was frozen or not at some point, it might make sense to give the 55-year-old legend a stable to work with as a way to maximize his impact on the company when he returns. Jericho was smart enough to use the faction formula during the vast majority of his AEW tenure so it would make sense to book a similar storyline on the bigger stage of WWE.

Aside from the individual careers and the direction of storylines on Raw, the biggest takeaway from this situation might be that it's a stark reminder of how risky the sport can be, at a time when the talent across the board are taking more risks than any other time in the history of the business. 

Pacquiao vs. Mayweather rematch

Cash rules everything around me -Wu Tang Clan

With the amount of outlandish money that is thrown around these days by everyone from streaming executives, the elected officials, and even foreign governments, it's not shocking when a former athlete quite literally cashes in their cache from a stellar career for a major payday years after their physical peak.

However, it was still somewhat surprising when it was announced last week that Floyd "Money" Mayweather will come out of retirement for another pro bout at the age of 49 when he steps into the ring for a rematch against former eight-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao on September 19th at the Sphere, the lavish entertainment venue, in Las Vegas.

Each of these legendary boxers have announced their retirements from the sport before and have made multiple comebacks, as well as staying active with a slew of PR-type of exhibitions in recent years so the fact that they are going to fight at the pro level again, even if it's debatable if they should at their age, was always in the cards.

However, if they should fight each other again, could undoubtedly be a topic of discussion.

Speaking of exhibitions, Floyd made a habit of competing in glorified exhibitions in the latter stages of his career, hand-picking opponents that were a minimal threat to his brilliant defensive strategy for one reason or another, while he was still the highest-paid fighter in the business. For example, he fought Canelo Alvarez when the Mexican superstar was just 23, which was before he had the experience to put a blemish on Floyd's undefeated record. A pair of bouts against the talented Marcos Maidana, the second contest only took place because of a razor-close decision, were proof that "Money" Mayweather could be tested in the ring if he chose an opponent with the skills and the experience to push the pace.

In short, Floyd put off the highly-anticipated bout with Pacquiao for as long as he could, allowing for "Pac-Man" to show signs that he was past his complete prime, including a brutal knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, before he was finally willing to ink a deal to make the "super fight" happen in 2015. The argument could be made that if promoters had waited any longer for the contest to materialize that interest would've waned since the public lost faith that the fight would ever actually take place. But, when the spectacle became a reality, it set an all-time pay-per-view record of 4.6 million buys, with a price tag of $99.99 along with astronomical ticket prices to be in the building at bell time, generating a staggering $600 million in revenue. For their participation, Mayweather, dubbed the "A-side" of the contest because of his undefeated record, was paid $180 million, while Pacquiao garnered around $120 million for the bout.

While a financial success,  the fight itself was woefully underwhelming, as Mayweather artfully dodged punches, and Manny didn't showcase his trademark speed to attempt to pressure his opponent. The action was minimal, and Floyd won a rather easy decision on the scorecards, leaving the general public even more disenfranchised with boxing than they had been in years prior. Controversy was sparked when Manny revealed after the fight that he suffered a shoulder injury in training and didn't disclose it to the state athletic commission, which is required for the pre-fight paperwork. A few months later, a lawsuit was filed, claiming that because Pacquiao kept the injury hidden that customers, both for live event tickets and PPV purchases, as well as those that wagered on the fight were mislead. The lawsuit was dismissed, but the general public was soured on the Floyd/Manny match-up so initial discussions for a rematch went nowhere, and there wasn't much demand for it anyway.

Manny tested the waters when the 47-year-old former champion fought Mario Barrios to a draw last July, his first pro fight in four years, but there wasn't much mainstream publicity for it. As age impacted his boxing style, Pacquiao's record was a mixed bag when he lost a few fights that a prime "Pac-Man" simply wouldn't have, but that's often the nature of sports. It wasn't so much that Manny lost to Floyd, but rather the fashion that it happened. Outside of when Mayweather fought former UFC champion, Connor McGregor in an absolute circus fight, which capitalized more of the brash Irishman's popularity at the time than anything else, the argument could be made that Floyd hasn't been nearly as popular as he was either since the lackluster Mayweather/Pacquiao pay-per-view in 2015.

To attempt to put their names back into the sports conversation, both are penciled in for sideshow exhibitions, before their pro rematch in September. Floyd will fight Mike Tyson in an eight-round exhibition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on April 25th. As we saw with the Jake Paul debacle, the American public will still watch Tyson in the ring, which speaks to the massive drawing card that he was in his prime more than thirty years ago. This segment will essentially be a way for Floyd to sell the Pacquiao rematch to viewers since Tyson's involvement will generate an audience. With two-minute rounds, the sum total of this exhibition will probably be a little more than a sparring session, which is fine since the 59-year-old Tyson shouldn't be put in danger anyway.

Floyd gets to promoter himself, and Tyson gets another payday. The viewing audience will get a slice of entertainment so no harm, no foul.

That same month, Manny will tentatively fight former Russian champion, Ruslan Provodnikov, who hasn't competed in a decade, in a 10-round exhibition at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Assuming the bout happens, it will have the same objective as the Floyd/Tyson segment, albeit with less publicity. Manny will get the opportunity to sell the notion that he still has the skills to the audience ahead of the Floyd rematch.

Why this fight would take place in 2026 is puzzling, but a lawsuit filed recently could provide an answer.

Mayweather filed a lawsuit against Showtime, the network that he was signed to previously to distribution his bouts, with a claim that he wasn't paid the accurate amount for his fights according to the contract. His former manager, Al Haymon, one of the promoters that hampered the sport through red tape to ensure his piece of the pie, is also named in the lawsuit. Floyd claims that Haymon illegally diverted Showtime payments for fights to his own projects, with Mayweather only receiving a portion of the cash that he was supposed to be paid. It remains to be seen how the lawsuit will unfold, but if there's a paper trail, and there should be, Floyd might have a case for the $340 million that he is seeking in the lawsuit.

However, when a fighter is back in the ring at 49, regardless of who it is, it's usually not for the love of the game.

As ridiculous as this might sound because of how many well-known hefty fight pursues that "Money" Mayweather competed for throughout his career, it's very possible that Floyd cooked up this rematch with the Filipino superstar because he needs the cash. Floyd lives a very public lavish lifestyle, and considering that even Mike Tyson went broke because Don King was a crook, it's at least possible that Floyd needs the money, too. Ironically, going after $340 million in court isn't cheap either.

So, if I had to guess, this is another Manny/Floyd cash grab, just with a different premise than the first fight.

When they finally inked a deal in 2015, it was because they didn't want to risk leaving that much money on the table. In 2026, this is a situation where Floyd probably needs the money, but the point is, that the rematch won't be any better than the original bout. Fans didn't want to see a rematch when these two were still in a portion of their prime because it was such a snooze fest, why would it be any different when they are both more than a decade older?

The good news is, the fight is scheduled to stream on Netflix so the audience will only have to pay the subscription fee, not an inflated price tag on pay-per-view. Obviously, there's a reason that this bout is on the streaming platform and not being sold as an expensive purchase on pay-per-view. When there isn't an extra fee, there are naturally lower expectations. That being said, nobody should be hopeful that these two are somehow going to turn back the clock ten years to have the fight that they should've had the first time, they won't. Floyd will still be able to use his masterful defense, and Manny will still be unable to connect with meaningful punches.

Hopefully, if nothing else, fans can enjoy the spectacle. If bouts like this with aging legends should continue to take place, Ronda Rousey will return to MMA this year on Netflix despite a history of concussions, is a different discussion for a different time, but somehow it still draws numbers since the streaming platform can distribute it without an addition fee. That being said, outside of a Mayweather loss since it would be the only defeat on his record, the 2026 Floyd/Manny contest will probably be as underwhelming as their 2015 bout.

Carano vs. Rousey

Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano might not be the "super fight" that millions of people were demanding in 2026, but that doesn't mean that it won't become the mixed martial arts event that millions of people watch when it airs on Netflix later this year.

It goes without saying that it was very surprising when it was announced earlier this week that former UFC Bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey will return to the cage, as her meteoric fall, which was arguably faster than her meteoric rise to stardom in the sport, suggested that she shut the door on that chapter of her career completely when she was pummeled into retirement after a pair of losses a decade ago by Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes respectively.

Ironically, the same could be said for Gina Carano, who made a name for herself as a breakout star during the relatively early days of women's MMA as the standout athlete in a relatively small pond.

In many respects, Rousey and Carano, both at their peak of popularity, as well as their exit from MMA, took similar paths.

When you look at the trajectory of women's MMA, Gina Carano was the first fighter that people took notice of, partially because of her marketable look, and mostly because of the fact that when female MMA fighters were still a novelty on the cards, she was the most successful competitor. Unfortunately, most of her career after she turned pro in 2006, was still somewhat under the radar because at the time, the UFC was still trying to get sanctioned in certain states, and the genre as a whole was still building before it surged in popularity a few years later. Carano fought on early cards for the ill-fated Elite XC group, one of a slew of promotions that were trying to just on the band wagon and get a piece of the pie as the sport became more mainstream through the UFC's original deal on Spike TV. There are some parallels between the saturated streaming market today and the collection of MMA organizations that fizzled out in the mid-2000s. Similar to any other industry, the market determines how many promotions it can support with the number of customers. When Elite XC folded in 2008, Strikeforce was basically there to take its place with a deal on Showtime and CBS.

Cris Cyborg was the other top female fighter on the Elite XC and then Strikeforce cards so there was anticipation for when the two undefeated women clashed in the cage in 2009. Cyborg completely overwhelmed Carano with punches, prompting the referee to stop the fight just before the end of the first round. Carano's first loss was the end of her MMA career, which spanned just three years, with a 7-1 record before she hung up the gloves .

During the time that Carano made a name for herself in Elite XC, Ronda won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympic games, setting up for her MMA debut a few years later. In some respects, "Rowdy" Ronda picked up where Carano left of in terms of representing women's MMA as the face of the sport. She fought most of her early bouts in Strikeforce, and when the UFC bought the promotion in 2011, it opened the door for her to become one of the top stars of the biggest MMA company in the world.

As a powerful and dynamic athlete, Ronda had a Tyson-type of draw to her events, as she judo threw and arm barred her opponents in the first round. The UFC put the promotional machine behind her and for a brief moment, she was one of the most popular mainstream sports stars in the world. TV, film, and talk show appearances became a part of her schedule between highly-anticipated UFC pay-per-view fights.

She was undefeated with a dozen victories, sparking discussion about a potential super fight with Cyborg, the same Brazilian striker that retired Carano years earlier. However, when Holly Holm shocked the world in November of 2015 and sent Ronda crashing to the canvas to claim the Bantamweight championship with a brutal head kick, it altered not only the career of Rousey, but the direction of women's MMA. There was speculation about it at the time, but there's no doubt about it in hindsight, Ronda Rousey couldn't handle the loss. It took her a full year to return to the octagon to challenge the previously mentioned Amanda Nunes for the same 135 LBS title. Ronda refused to do any media or press interviews to promote the PPV main event. It took Nunes just 48 seconds and landing ten unanswered punches before the referee rescued Rousey from any further damage to stop the fight. With a record of 12-2 and just a five-year run in the sport, Ronda's career was over.

With the increased exposure, most of Ronda's TV and movie offers declined quickly after her fall from grace as the UFC champion. She went on to have two stints in the WWE that yielded mixed results. Ironically, Carano spent several more years as an actress than she did as a fighter, working on several film projects after she retired from MMA. She was in the first two seasons of The Mandarin before a series of controversial political posts on social media got her fired from the show. She sued for wrongful termination and it was eventual settled without the terms of the agreement being disclosed. She was slated for a few conservative=based projects, but they didn't materialize.

I think it's fair to say that Ronda Rousey wouldn't have gotten the opportunities that she had without the stint that Carano had to put female MMA into the sports discussion, but is there really a demand for this fight in 2026?

In truth, I'm not sure why either of these former fighters would agree to make a comeback. Even with what we can reasonably assume will be mega paydays for them, do they really need the money? Both of them have made a hefty amount of cash through either their fight careers or work they garnered from the publicity of being a fighter. The puzzling part of the whole scenario is that, especially in retrospect, the 43-year-old Carano was a fighter to attempt to became a star, not an MMA champion. That's not a jab at her, as making the most money possible is the entire point of capitalism, if she could land the cash on-screen without risking the injuries of the fight game good for her. At the same time, she's been retired from the sport exponentially longer than she was actually a fighter, and she quit after her first loss so why return to the cage 17 years later?

On the other end of the spectrum, Ronda Rousey wanted to be an MMA champion, and couldn't handle the losses. She wasn't the same fighter after she was knocked out by Holly Holm and never regained her confidence as a competitor. What exactly is there to prove if she beats Gina Carano, a fighter that accomplished significantly less than she did? At 39, Rousey isn't going to make a comeback to MMA, this is merely going to be a one-off return. It might be a harsh reality of the situation, but the sport surpassed Carano and Rousey, with the latter having a legacy, while the former had short term notetiry, in the grand scheme of things.

Despite that, this event will sell tickets and draw a number on Netfliz, especially because it's being promoted through Jake Paul's MVP group. As a purest, these type of sideshow events make me shake my head, but the novelty sells, albeit on a limited basis. Given the reach of Netfliz, there will be enough hype around this event for it to be successful, to a lesser extent, but a similar fashion to the Paul/Tyson bout that aired on the streaming platform. Besides the fact that there's a much smaller portion of the audience that knows about Carano's fight career than the fan base that Rousey had, there's no doubt that Ronda's return to competition will be the draw for this event.

It's no coincidence that the show on May 16th will be held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California since that's the same city that hosted some of the Strikeforce cards that featured both fighters years ago. The reason that "Rowdy" Ronda will draw a crowd and viewership is simple, she was so dominate during her prime that it was underwhelming and her career seemed somewhat unfinished when she abruptly quit MMA. This bout against Carano will give her the chance to conclude her fighting career in a more fitting and favorable fashion. It's almost a foregone conclusion that Rousey should be favored and will probably win the fight.

To complete the gimmick aspect of the event, a rematch more than thirty years in the making will take place when the 59-year-old Royce Gracie returns to mixed martial arts after a ten-year absence to challenge the 58-year-old Kimo Leopoldo. I have no idea how in the wide world of sports that the California Athletic Commission will sanction such a circus, and it will be interesting to see if the contest actually takes place when the event happens in May. Gracie beat Kimo via submission in the first round of their 1994 bout at UFC 3, but couldn't continue in the tournament from the injuries he sustained during the fight. Kimo hasn't fought in two decades, and at least on the surface, it appears that it would be irresponsible to allow participants near the age of 60 to compete in MMA.

If this was on pay-per-view, the numbers would be abysmal, but with it being included in the standard Netflix subscription, it will draw a number because America enjoys a circus event, which is why politics are such a topic of discussion today. 

The career of Justin Donahue

Some pursue professional wrestling for fame and fortune, The Ultimate Warrior didn't grow up with posters of his grappling idols on his wall, but he skyrocketed in what became a legendary run as one of the most marketable acts in the history of the business. Some chase pro wrestling glory for the love of the game, Mick Foley famously hitchhiked to Madison Square Garden as a college student because he simply couldn't miss the chance to see his hero, Jimmy "Super Fly" Snuka get his hands on the devious Don Muraco in the steel cage. That's not to mention Foley's famous flight off of his friend's garage to re-create Snuka's iconic dive from the top of the cage after the experience. For others, pro wrestling is a family business, blending the secrets of kayfabe and the over-the-top spectacle like a mixture of the mafia meets the circus. Bret, Owen, Terry, Dory, Rocky, Randy, Nattie, and Brian have all carried on the next generation in the ring.

However, for the western Pennsylvania grappler, Justin Donahue, known inside the ring ropes as Andrew Loveless, his journey to the squared circle wasn't about money, fame, or following his parent's footsteps. Donahue, a spin doctor of records as a local DJ for years, didn't lace up his first pair of boots until later in life. He wasn't trying to re-live his 20s or compensate for some type of mid-life crisis, but rather in a business often built on ego, his initial steps onto the mat were a much more selfless act.

Justin decided to try his hand at the grappling arts as a tribute to his fallen brother, Steven, who passed away in 2021 at the age of just 36.

"I remember being at his funeral telling him that I was going to win a heavyweight title, I was going to do everything in my power for us to live out the childhood dream," Justin recalled.

The siblings boned over the action and the drama of the battles of the larger-than-life characters that beamed through their television screens. They'd sit shoulder to shoulder in the living room during their youth with a shared passion for the dramatic clashes between the heroes and villains. 

"The relationship was back and fourth, we had a lot of good times and we studied a lot of wrestling growing up. He's the one that exposed me to the entire thing, I remember him coming home one weekend from a friends house, talking about Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect having this great match. That instantly exposed me to wanting to learn professional wrestling. Me and my brother, we were all in," Donahue explained.

Similar to any skill set in any endeavor, Donahue took the leap into training , originally quite literally learning the ropes at the famed Monster Factory, the school initially founded by Larry Shapre, and known for breaking the legendary Bam Bam Bigelow into the business in the mid-80s. Run by the accomplished Danny Cage today, the academy offered a full education for those that were serious about their aspirations to pursue the industry. It wasn't uncommon for students to run through a 10-hour day, with the first half designed to teach them as much as possible about aspects outside of the squared circle. Promo classes, video editing tutorials, and production seminars were all a part of the curriculum. The second half of the session was based on cardio, in-ring fundamentals, and pro wrestling psychology. After the Monster Factory, Donahue continued to brush up on his training at other locations, and even today can be spotted any time a seminar is held in his area.

"It was brutal, absolutely brutal. I'm thankful for it, but it was tough, especially the extra cardio in a hot room before it's over," he commented.

By March of 2022, Justin was ready for his debut match, with a new set of gear and fresh wrestling boots for the occasion. His debut wasn't in Madison Square Garden, The Philadelphia Spectrum, or the Civic Arena. Instead it was at the Lewistown Community Center against Rayic Scott, and the opportunity to embark on a journey that would always keep is brother's memory close to his heart was much more important to him than the pomp and circumstance of major arenas or any amount of pyro and ballyhoo.

"The wrestling is very therapeutic, it really helps with me honoring my brother a lot more than people realize. Different companies I've worked with are a backtrack of places that he worked before. I've been places where he was a referee, and 814 for example, we both worked security so anything to follow in his footsteps. I want to win a heavyweight title in his honor, that would be the ultimate stamp of approval, I remember" he said. 

He didn't know it at the time, but the big man that gave him the big boot to secure the three count in that debut bout led Justin to find one of his best friends. 

"I was really focused on the storytelling and the psychology of the match. I knew the promoter booked me to make my opponent look good so I did everything in my power as a heel to get booed out of the building. Rayic Scott became one of my best friends, one of the nicest dudes. He's not wrestling anymore, but he does band stuff, I love that dude. We talk music theory and wrestling, getting to know him, I'm thankful for,"

Different from sports entertainment, Justin fell into music theory by pure chance over a decade ago. A friend of his left some DJ equipment at his house, and offered to let Donahue play around with the sounds. Without a reliable internet connection at the time, Justin broke down the musical bars with his math skills, discovering that he had a natural knack for blending rhythm and harmonies. Just like pro wrestling, the DJ loop has taken him on the road, learning from some of the best music mixers in the country when he took trips to Brooklyn, New York. After he polished his ability to spin beats, he incorporated that knowledge into custom theme songs for his singles and tag team wrestling.

"Deejaying is very therapeutic for me, just like wrestling. It comes down to timing and picking your spots. Alot of the elements I've learned from music, I've used in wrestling,"

With music still a prime portion of his life, with aspirations to set a world record for the amount of songs mixed in an hour as his goal, Donahue stays just as busy, if not more so, with his wrestling schedule. Donahue zigzags around the tri-state area to gain the valuable experience of working in front of a paying audience almost every weekend. Sometimes, there are packed-crowd, and other times, there are sparsely-attended events, but Donahue believes in consistent effort to polish his overall performance. With his trademark heart-shaped sunglasses, Donahue made a splash around the circuit as an over-the-top villain that can generate a reaction from the crowd. When he's not pummeling the competition on his own, his tag partner, Max Strong is added to the mix. The ability to work in both roles has allowed Donahue to develop versatility as a performer. 

"A singles wrestler, the spotlight is on you. There's more pressure, there's a lot less room for error, and a lot more toll on the body. With tag team wrestling, you can set the pace of the match a lot easier and establish the story with more range. Waking up the next morning, you can definitely tell the difference between working singles and tag matches. There's more you can learn from your tag team partner and your opponents compared to a singles match," he explained.

With three years of experience under his belt and just a few weeks away from the start of his fourth year in the business, Donahue keeps a list of goals for himself in the industry as he moves into the next chapter of his career. He expressed that working an MLW Battle Riot battle royal would be a milestone for him on a national platform. He also expressed interest in competing for Ryse Wrestling, the league founded by legendary steel city grappler Brandon K, and a a chance to compete for Big League Pro in Erie since the company was established by another longtime cornerstone of the Pittsburgh circuit, John McChesney.

Still, those personal aspirations are secondary to the goal that made him lace up a pair of boots in the first place, honoring the departed Steven.

"I want to win a heavyweight title to honor my brother," Donahue concluded.

What's the status of Wrestlemania?

For every peak, there's a valley.

We've heard the rumblings over the past few weeks of lighter than expected ticket sales for Wrestlemania 42, the spectacle that is set to return to Las Vegas for the second year in a row in April. Originally, New Orleans was announced as the host city for the signature event before Las Vegas officials offered more cash for the rights fees to bring the show back again. Clearly, if Vegas was willing to not only pay for the event again, but also outbid New Orleans, it's proof of how big the economic impact is for the city that lands a deal for Wrestlemania.

As an indication of the continued uncertainty around the economy, particularly through the international markets with tariffs imposed and how that trickle down effect can eventually impact American consumers, tourism for Las Vegas was down a reported 7.5% last year with the estimated 38 million visitors as the lowest since 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on domestic travel. It might sound trivial, but entertainment is one of the first categories that will be chopped from the average budget when households are concerned about disposable income. It's a very simple scenario, when the cost of the essentials of food, utilities, etc. increase, it cuts into the amount of that disposable income. It might sound silly, but when ground beef and other groceries cost noticeably more, or when the electric bill increases, something that is a pure luxury such as traveling isn't a priority.

It's much cheaper to stay home and subscribe to a streaming service to binge watch a series of than it is to spend a few thousand dollars on a vacation, wrestling-related or not. Furthermore, with the continued implementation of AI, and how the previously mentioned international markets remain unpredictable, it's a tough scenario for someone to plan an expensive trip at the start of the year when there could potentially be a downturn in the job market by the end of the year. If a computer takes someone's place in November, it might be a difficult situation for someone without the cash that they could've saved for a financial emergency if they skipped that trip to Las Vegas in April.

According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, the WWE sold an estimated 36,000 tickets for both nights so far, but that is considerably lower than the 60,000 tickets that were moved for both nights for the event around this time last year. The problem is two-fold, with the obvious concern being the 72,000-seat capacity of Allegiant Stadium so at this point, the company only has half a house for the biggest show of the year. Yes, I understand that they are getting fans to purchase two tickets, but that scenario is also a part of the problem, as doubling the admission fee could hinder ticket sales. The other problem that could be the reason for the concern of sluggish sales is that planning a trip to Las Vegas, and the travel crowd is what makes the Wrestlemania brand so valuable, is that it's something that is usually done in advance because of the amount of reservations involved. That's basically why there were almost double the amount of tickets sold for the show at this point last year.

For example, if fans are going to buy plane tickets to travel to Wrestlemania, it must to done at least a few months in advance because otherwise the cost of flights increase significantly. The same situation applies to hotel rooms, if they are booked on short notice, that generally translates to more expensive accommodations. Basically, if fans plan to attend Wrestlemania, they usually make the purchases associated with the trip by now.

For every peak, there's a valley.

Some were misguided when they claimed that pro wrestling was in a boom period the past few years when the product was based around Cody Rhodes' journey to the championship. Don't get me wrong, the WWE had some very solid programming that served its audience very well, which is why the organization touted its financial success, but it's not as though the genre was a part of the pop culture conversation or anything close to it. It goes without saying that it's a different era, but when Raw and Smackdown garner under two million viewers on a regular basis in the United States, the business didn't surge in popularity. However, that doesn't take away from the success that the company had, there's no doubt that it's an accomplishment to be able to get fans to pay outlandish ticket prices the past few years.

However, as I wrote prior, most recently about the ESPN deal that increased the cost of pay-per-view to $30 a month for a subscription in America, there's a tipping point to how much the typical WWE fan is willing to spend on the product. The majority of the fan base is only going to be willing or could even realistically afford to pay ab astounding amount for live event tickets. The company could only maintain that momentum around the product for a limited amount of time, which isn't a knock on any of the talent, but rather just the logistics of the situation.

Yes, I know that there's a diehard demographic of WWE fans that will attend every major event and sit next to the green shirt guy, but that's not the causal demographic. When the cheapest ticket for WM 42 is around $350 for each night, there's a portion of the population that simply can't realistically afford it. The product itself is only going to be able to justify those prices for a specific period of time before there's a natural decline in not only momentum, but demand for it.

While I understand why Las Vegas put the bid on the table to get the show for a second year, as there's not only the track record of the brand, but also the numbers of the economic impact from 2025, I also understand why the same location two years in a row might potential hinder sales as well. Part of the draw of Wrestlemania is that it isn't just the pay-per-view, but rather a week of events, which justifies the travel for the show. There's more meat on the bone for those that attend, as they can tour the host city between the different portions of Wrestlemania week. When the show is in Las Vegas again, it takes away an incentive for those that were there last year since they already had a chance to explore the city.

In response to the lower ticket sales,  Allegiant Stadium has a President's Day sale of 25% off tickets for Wrestlemania 42. Again, if fans are going to travel to Las Vegas, those plans have to be made now, and the entire reason that the city paid to host the show again is to secure the tourism dollars so it's understandable that the stadium wants to try to boost sales during the reasonable time frame when fans might be prompted to make plans to attend. Sure, there could be a local walk-up crowd so that the building doesn't look partially empty by the time the show starts, but that's not what the city paid for. Las Vegas quite literally has a vested interest in fans traveling to attend Wrestlemania since they bring in revenue for hotels, restaurants, etc.

The vast majority of this scenario has a lot more to do with economics than it does the content of the product.

Still, it's understandable why they are reports that WWE brass are considering different plans for WM 42 as a way to jump start ticket sales, That being said, I honestly don't think the line-up will truly make a difference in the grand scheme of things, as there are very few that truly move the needle in the business today, especially because the historical cache of the WM brand is what sells the majority of the show.

The Brody King situation

One of the major criticisms of All Elite Wrestling, and there's some validity to it, is that it's booked as an independent show with a budget. It's a multi-layered scenario that highlights many of the reasons that the indy circuit takes place in VFW halls instead of major arenas.

We've seen glass fly into the crowd on more than one occasion, which is an invitation for one of the fans to be willing to sue when they know a billionaire owns the company. We saw the ill-fated pizza cutter spot that was right before a Dominos commercial. prompting the pizza chain to drop their advertisements on the show. Hangman Page drinking blood, and Jon Moxley getting legitimately impaled by nails certainly shrinks the target demographic of the product.

It might make the diehard fans pout, but pro wrestling on a national stage is at a completely different level than most of the shows they watch. They are more boxes to be checked, more masters to serve, and the balancing act of a dozen other miscellaneous aspects to juggle at any given time. The reason that pro wrestling groups are willing to attempt to maintain that juggling act is very simple, the ability to do so is how the most money is made in the industry, which is the entire point of the business.

Yes, as I wrote about earlier this week, there will always be a debate between the art and commercialism in sports entertainment, but that can apply across the board to many different genres, both inside and outside the scope of live entertainment. In many ways, it's the nature of the beast, the opportunity to maximize profits has to translate to often catering to the lowest common denominator since that allows for the widest demographic of customers. For example, Extreme Championship Wrestling revolutionized the presentation of the industry in the United States, that was the art of extreme and thus its lasting legacy that has endured well beyond 2001 when the company folded. At the same time, the unwillingness to tailor itself to something that was more adoptable to sponsorships or advertisements in an effort to stay true to its the original vision of the art is what eventually caused it to go out of business. In a similar, but less dramatic and less overall impactful fashion, Ring Of Honor had a huge effect on the business that can still be seen today, but it was sold a few different times because the original formula couldn't sustain itself.

The entire point of getting on national television and the expanded reach that it provides is based on the ability to make more money in the process, regardless of what avenue that is. With more exposure on television, there's a chance for more fans to watch the show, which opens the door for more ticket sales for a live touring schedule, more pay-per-view buys with the ability to use the TV platform to sell the PPV broadcast to the audience, ad revenue from the commercials, and of course, the ability to fully merchandise the product.

For the television networks, especially within the evolving media landscape, the goal is simple, generate steady and consistent ratings to be able to secure decent ad rates from the companies that want to advertise their products. The reason a shoe company would be willing to buy time to put commercials on specific networks is that they want a level of assurance that they can market their products effectively to the demographic that will be a realistic customer to purchase the product. For example, you might not get a red bull commercial on the Hallmark Channel, but there's a reason that Monster Energy is one of the UFC sponsors. Along the same lines, there's a reason that Red Bull sponsors sports like snowboarding and BMX, but you won't see a multivitamin logo for senior citizens at the same event. The effort to target demographics is a staple of consumerism, not just the media industry.

That's why television networks, particularly at a time when there's more media options competing for viewers than any other time in history, take their ability to secure those advertisers very seriously, as they should since its their primary revenue stream. The reason that media conglomerates are willing to spend billions of dollars of the massive media rights deals for sports programming is to maintain the market share of viewers, a portion of consumers that gets divided by every podcast, streaming platform, and Youtube video that looks to garner viewers for the same purpose, to secure advertisement revenue.

That's why when I read the initial report from The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer that Warner Brothers Discovery executives asked that Brody King, who is scheduled to challenge for the AEW world title this weekend on TNT, not be a part of Wednesday's Dynamite broadcast because of the anti-ICE chants during his prior match against MJF, I was somewhat surprised, but I wasn't shocked. As I wrote about previously, controversy can create a buzz, and because of that, there's an argument to be made that Brody King should beat MJF for the belt since it would immediately make the company stand out from WWE based on TKO's close ties with Trump.

According to Fightful Select, WBD issued a statement that they didn't ask for any talent not to be included on any of the All Elite Wrestling programming this week, and mentioned that Brody King is scheduled to appear on the TNT network for the Collision show in Australia. I take everything that Meltzer or Fightful Select report with a grain of salt, which is usually the right decision with any of the pro wrestling rumor mill. Mike Johnson, who is the most accurate reporter of pro wrestling news, explained that Brody King simply wasn't scheduled for the Dynamite taping because of travel logistics for the event in Australia. 

After being rebuffed with a statement from WBD and then the report from Johnson about why Brody King wasn't at the Dynamite show, Meltzer tweeted the correction and looked to move past the situation with a series of retweets to flood his timeline, appearing to try to sweep the blunder under the rug.

We've discussed revenue streams, and let's keep in mind, Meltzer makes a living off of subscriptions, he has to keep the speculation of pro wrestling worth the price of that subscription so his statement on the Wrestling Observer Radio show was probably just to keep his newsletter as a topic of discussion with something that was based on an assumption rather than any direct sources. Meltzer has a vested interest in keeping his reports worthwhile to the demographic that is willing to pay for it, not to directly report news. Don't get me wrong, if Meltzer can continue to make a living from his newsletter, good for him, that's capitalism.

Make no mistake, from a historical perspective, Meltzer is one of the best resources anywhere, but given the political nature of the situation and the possible implications, this was a very glaring blunder.

However, the reason that I wanted to pen this article is to point out that while Meltzer assumed something and reported it as fact, that doesn't mean that the issue won't become a problem that someone would have to address in the future, specifically if Brody King continues to have a featured role on television. Regardless of what someone's opinion is on the ICE enforcement in the country, the chants of profanity aren't something that a network will be thrilled about because of the impact it could have on potential sponsors. While the FCC doesn't directly regulate cable television the way that it does broadcast TV, there are some limited regulations for specific content. 

Furthermore and most importantly, a wrestler wearing an "Abolish ICE" t-shirt is something that can obviously have an effect on sponsors so it's not as though, it's a situation that can be glossed over either. There's no doubt that the almighty dollar will dictate the decisions, as it usually does, so if the advertisers take notice, you can bet the sponsorships will be more important to the network than Brody King being on the show.

Of course, it's commendable that Brody King has continued to raise money for those affected by ICE enforcement. Anyone's opinion on the enforcement itself doesn't take away from the nobility of the gesture to help others. That being said, while Meltzer's report was glaringly false, it spotlights why AEW should be careful with how it books its product on every level. This isn't an independent show for 400 people in Reseda, it's a national television platform, and the simple fact of the matter is, there are parameters of how to monetize it to its fullest potential. With the scuttlebutt around the situation, it will be interesting to see if the discussion around it will impact the decision for the winner of the title match.