2PW Distrotion event

After celebrating its seventh anniversary late last year, Prospect Pro Wrestling, a league that was founded on the potential of the next generation of young talent in the flourishing western Pennsylvania area, looks to kickoff 2026 with another showcase of the mission statement that has fueled the promotion through the years.

After nearly six years of monthly events, including surviving the hindrance of the COVID-19 pandemic that shuttered the entire world, 2PW, the group that grew from the seed of an idea in the mind of Marshall Gambino, a 20-year pro regarded as one of the pillars of tag team wrestling in the area, went on a hiatus. The notion at the time was to be able to allow everyone on the management team, who juggle full-time careers and family life during the week before they unleash in-ring mayhem on the weekends, a chance to recharge from the grind of the live entertainment business. The company had established a solid reputation for itself as a place where new talent would have a chance to shine to their fullest potential, drawing standing room only crowds after they'd run out of chairs for the majority of its 2PW presentations.

But, of course, there was a catch to this scenario, as the effort behind those packed houses was camouflaged by the time the opening bell rang.  The fans in attendance got their money's worth, three hours of action, with a combination of drama and violence. The side of the venture that the paying customers didn't see was the ring truck outside the venue in the early afternoon for the set up of the ring, production equipment, and entrance way. The ring frame was shuffled into the building piece-by-piece. It wasn't uncommon for Gambino, who had spent weeks prior putting the finishing touches on the event, to have a line-up sheet in his back pocket as he carried a speaker into the building for the set up. Mike Sorg, the most well-known and polished video producer of pro wrestling in Pittsburgh, would be running camera tests with his indywrestling.us team for the live stream of the event later that night.

The fans got three hours of carefully structured entertainment, a professional presentation with all the bells and whistles to enhance the experience to give the paying customers the most for their price of admission. The management team behind that effort often put in a 12-hour day to make it happen by the time everyone returned home after an exhausting evening at the matches.

"I would say the biggest difference between the new chapter of 2PW and the initial run is the presence of structured leadership and a clear vision driven by a fresh management team that brings clarity, planning, and accountability. I wasn’t personally part of the initial run but from a fan that attended front row during that initial run, I could tell 2PW was built on passion, hustle, and momentum. The goal then was probably to establish the brand, run consistent shows, and prove the promotion could succeed. While that era had energy and heart, much of it was reactive that focused on the next show rather than a long-term vision," said Emily Doyle, the Marketing Director and Social Media Coordinator for the organization. 

So, being able to offload the pressure for a period of time gave Marshal and his advisors a chance to take a look at the progress that they made over the course of their first six years, a path that took them from an upstart organization to a cemented force within the Pittsburgh scene, and look for ways to evolve to the next chapter.

With months of anticipation behind it, Prospect Pro Wrestling made its return at The Elements venue in Irwin, PA, town with an extensive independent wrestling history of its own, and the comeback surpassed expectations, as the building hit capacity when even the standing room tickets were gone after all the seats were taken by the time the open bell sounded.

"The return show went better than I could have ever managed.  We sold out of seats and to have standing room only options available.  We have never sold out before.  The venue and owners of the venue are amazing.  I think it’s safe to say that 2PW has found its new home," commented Marshall Gambino.

The focus shifts toward February 13, the follow-up showcase of the  relaunch with Distortion, a card, true to the original mission statement of the promotion, that will blend the cornerstones of the past with the pillars of the future of pro wrestling in the area.

"The comeback is right where I want it to be. We have a few small goals ahead and we work on them daily.  If you would ask what the first goal is I would have to say building strong relationships with our sponsors.  We are also currently in the process of rebranding.  It’s a new 2PW and I felt we needed to freshen up the look," explained Marshall.

"Now in this new era, roles and responsibilities are more clearly defined, which leads to smoother operations and stronger execution across events. Ultimately, I feel we have transformed 2PW from a passion-driven startup into a focused, professionally run promotion.  The difference isn’t just experience, it’s intention, leadership, and a shared vision guiding every aspect of the product. I’m very excited for what’s to come." added Emily.

Among a full card stacked with many top athletes, one of the featured contests stands out as an anniversary of a stellar career that was cemented in Pittsburgh, but extends throughout the independent circuit. John McChesney, a competitor that became a part of the fabric of the iron city, will celebrate his 25th anniversary as an in-ring competitor. It would only be right for McChesney to square off with a fellow Pittsburgh legend, and arguably the greatest grappler to come out of the region, Dennis Gregory. However, there is an added sizzle as luminaries from the past with a connection to both athletes will be in their respective corners. Nearly three decades ago, Norm Connors, who many regard as the godfather of Pittsburgh wrestling, ran his original promotion, Steel City Wrestling at the Sideshow Pizza game complex in Irwin, the same town that will host McChesney's 25-year milestone in the ring. Connors will be in Gregory's corner, an apropos role, as "The Golden Boy" Dennis Gregory was a staple of not only the Steel City organization, but also a kingpin when Connors promoted the International Wrestling Cartel for several years afterwards. McChesney was also one of the stalwarts of the IWC in its heyday, and will have former IWC ring announcer, Chuck Roberts in his corner at the 2PW event. The narrative weaved through this contest gets even more intriguing when you take into account that after Connors had a 15-year run as a promoter between the Steel City and IWC projects, he sold the IWC group to Roberts, who ran the company steadily for more than five years before current promoter, Justin Plummer bought the organization.

Another blast from the past is cult-favorite Jimmy DeMarco making a rare in-ring appearance to challenge Van Hughes. Despite retiring from full-time competition after a series of injuries, DeMarco is fondly remembered for his wild bouts and willingness to take risks to secure victories. His reputation as an eccentric entertainer created a measurable level of buzz among fans ahead of the 2PW showcase.

Of course, the spotlight will be on the young talent as well when Top Prospect champion, Preston Everest puts his belt on the line against Zach Nystrom. While Everest's reputation for athletics is well established, many pundits have speculated that 2026 will be a breakout year for Nystrom, who has all the natural poise and physical gifts promoters look for in a potential major star. Nystrom spent the first few years of his career as a part of an accomplished tag team with Elijah Dean, but he could start to scratch the surface of the prime of his career through this key opportunity on the 2PW stage.

As an example of the past and present collaborating, Tad Jarvis, a fiery youngster, will team with Pittsburgh icon, Super Hentai to challenge The Runway, the duo of Calvin Couture and Tyler Klein, one of the most accomplished tag teams of the modern era in the region.

"2PW has been a second home for me. Watching the company be as strong as it is and constantly and continuously out doing itself every show has made me super proud to be apart of 2PW," Jarvis commented.

As much focus and attention to detail that goes into the live event presentation of Prospect Pro Wrestling, the management team emphasized the key differences in the overall business plan to elevate the venture to an even higher level than the success standard that it reached previously. With aspirations beyond just the traditional troupe of the count at the box office, Prospect Pro management looks to maximize the potential of the business side of the project through sponsorships and expanded brand opportunities.

"From a promotional standpoint, I feel 2PW’s events have leveled up substantially even since the return last August. we are currently in the process of rebranding for the start of 2026 and along with that, we’ve been trying to build a clearer and stronger brand identity.  This means a brand new logo, more purposeful graphics to build our social media presence, improved match promotion with a better pacing of show and match announcements to help the talent feel more spotlighted, and make it feel like overall that 2PW is selling an experience and not just the matches. Additionally, we have a total of 14 sponsors to date and only want to keep building those to create lasting partnerships. Personally, that might just be the biggest improvements, the building stronger, lasting sponsor relationships and showing our fans they aren’t just attending a wrestling show, they’re attending a 2PW event that they will remember for years to come," Emily Doyle concluded.

The Royal Rumble review

The Royal Rumble, the official kickoff to Wrestlemania season, took place Saturday afternoon, a stark contrast to the traditional prime time position of Sunday night that we saw in prior years. Beyond just the advancements in technology that allow for immediate replay or starting the show from the beginning when it's already in progress, the bottom line is, when the Saudis pay $50 million for The Rumble, it will take place on their time. It might sound harsh for some of the traditionalist or longtime fans, but it's a whole new era for the WWE under the TKO banner, and cash is king, even more so than it was under Vince McMahon, a ruthless businessman in his own right. Vince, as deviant as he probably was in his personal life, and as vicious as he was in his professional role, kept with many of the old school wrestling tropes. All bets are off under the TKO banner, the events and terms of those shows go to the highest bidder.

I say that to say this, with the nearly ten years that the Saudi government has paid WWE tens of millions of dollars per show, the Royal Rumble, and the purchase of Wrestlemania next year for a rumored $100 million, I don't think it's a stretch to consider that these might all be steps toward the Saudi government purchasing the WWE from Endeavor within the next decade. The corruption, controversy, and sleazy scenario of western sports being bought for Saudi propaganda is simply moot when you take into account the astounding amount of money involved. Everyone has a price, and the Saudi oil money has bought a lot of star power across the board for sports stars and celebrities to shill the narrative of the supposedly modern Saudi society that the government tries to sell to the rest of the world.

Keep those evolving narratives in mind when the performers in the women's Rumble have to wear full-length Power Ranger suits while the men get to wear their regular ring attire. The corrupt and oppressive history of the Saudi government being ignored for the right price is sleazy even by pro wrestling standards,which is saying something. However, as mentioned, this is the reality of the TKO corporation, the almighty dollar dictates direction, and professional wrestling isn't exactly known for its ethics and moral standards so maybe none of this should be too surprising.

It should be noted that this pay-per-view revealed the scope of just how much cash the Saudis are willing to put behind the WWE agreement, as the country built an entirely new stadium within the span of just a few weeks to be able to host the event in the new venue. I could be wrong, but if the Sports Authority is willing to build a stadium in under a month for a WWE event, I'd say that there's undoubtedly more planning than just hosting events, which could fuel theories of potential ownership in the future.

With the north east still frozen and mounds of snow from last weekend's major storm that left almost a foot of snow on the region, I tuned into The Rumble live at 2 PM on the east coast, and I have to say, it's just not the same watching one of the "big four" PPVs in the afternoon. But again, this is the reality of the WWE product of today.

As with any time there are two of the same gimmick matches on the same card, this show had the bookend at the start and at the conclusion of the card with the Rumble matches. It makes sense, especially because with only four matches scheduled, there was no reason to have two Rumble matches in a row. The women's rumble match itself until the final sequence was mostly much ado about nothing. The bout wasn't structured in any way that had any peaks or valleys. There wasn't a build or any type of drama until the finish, rendering the hour prior to that skippable. The action was either overly choreographed or very sloppy, there was very little middle ground in this segment. There was a spot where Jordynne Grace ran toward the corner and seemed to stop when she got there because she was either unsure or what to do or her opponent wasn't in the right place. Overall, the ring got crowded and seemed to make the overall presentation more convoluted than it had to be. Of course, it didn't help when the women had to wear Power Ranger suits, many that looked very similar, so it was sometimes difficult to keep track of everyone. I've said this before, and I will continue to say it as long as this is the case for these Saudi shows, when the female wrestlers have to dress like this, it's more proof that this is nothing more than an expensive propaganda campaign paid for by oil money since it's proof that importing western entertainment is propaganda, not progress. The reason for it is simple, the men on the card can wear their regular gear. There were a few interactions based on the current storylines, but there weren't really moments that truly spotlighted specific competitors. This segment didn't have substance since it didn't set anything up, and it didn't have the sizzle since it was a rather flat presentation. In fact, the biggest reaction of the entire match was Brie Bella's return, and that was more based on her association with Bryan Danielson than anything else. As mentioned, the conclusion had some drama and the three competitors worked well to make it a spot that built toward the finish. It made sense for Liv Morgan to get the victory since she has momentum from when she returned from injury in December. Considering that Liv is a heel, I'd guess that she will challenge Stephanie Vaquer at Wrestlemania.

Speaking of drama, the AJ Styles/Gunther bout built very well toward its conclusion, especially with the struggle of the submission. The match was a physical, hard-hitting segment that made Gunther look like a vicious heel, while AJ looked like the courageous baby face. This was a 25-minute bout that had a narrative that justified the time that it was given on the broadcast. That being said, I don't think this is the end of Styles' career. even if it was the finish of his WWE tenure. The main reason being that he didn't leave the gloves in the ring, which could leave the door open for a short run elsewhere on the technicality that he ended his career in the WWE, not the sport. I could be wrong, but this just doesn't seem like enough, either with gravitas or the monetization to be the retirement of someone with such a revolutionary career. AJ Styles was the wrestler of the first decade of the 2000s and influenced an entire generation. Given his lineage in TNA, it would be apropos if he had his final match in that organization. Obviously, it's possible that Tony Khan could offer him a number that he can't say no to, and it would probably be something that even WWE management would understand if he made that decision. At 48, Styles is near the end of his in-ring tenure, and if he can make seven figures to work a limited run in AEW, he should take the cash. Regardless, it's wild to take into account that this was the end of his tenure in WWE and that he was in the company almost as long as his original run in TNA.

By the time Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn got in the ring, it was two hours and twenty minutes into the show with just two matches done. This is where the limited line-up and thus no actual pacing on the card makes a difference. I found that this was the point of the broadcast that it hit a wall so to speak. The action was solid and the match was very well done, but all of the emotion had already been drained with the apparent retirement of AJ Styles. There just wasn't enough energy left immediately after that to muster up the drama for the potential underdog win for Sami Zayn. The finish of the main event probably revealed why Drew retained, but there was still a case to be made for Sami to get the wholesome win. McIntyre retained, setting up for a WM bout against Rhodes since he eliminated Cody in the Rumble, but I'm not sure if there's enough meat on the bone for that to seem like a major WM title match since this would be the fourth of fifth Drew/Cody title match in a six month span.

The men's Royal Rumble match was fun, albeit somewhat underwhelming, at least in my opinion. The reason being that Bron Breakker, who I thought should've been a potential winner, especially if Sami would've won the WWE championship, was taken out before the match started. The implication was that Seth Rollins was the one under the mask, which makes sense, given how he was kicked out of The Vision stable. Assuming that Rollins will be healthy in time for WM, Breakker/Rollins could be a very solid addition to the card. However, and this might be the bigger point than just the decisions made for this segment, we've seen several of the aging stars wrap up their careers in recent years, when is the next generation going to truly move up the ladder?

At 28, Breakker is a tremendous athlete in the prime of his career that seems to have all the tools to be a main event guy, what exactly is management waiting for?  I'd ask the same question for Jacob Fatu, he's an incredible athlete that has an authenticity that very few in the business have, why not take a chance on putting him in a main event spot? Oba Femi was made to look like an absolute monster, and while time will tell if he can get over on the main roster, the potential is undeniable. Brock Lesnar was in the match, but this looked to be a one-off, as she was eliminated during Jey Uso's entrance and it wasn't really emphasized as much as you'd think it would be for someone of Brock's star power. Jey Uso's involvement was minimal and almost proved the criticism that his theme music is the most over part of his entire act. Austin Theory looked like the create-a-wrestler before you make any customization in video games. Paul Heyman is the best talker in the business, but I don't think even the wise man could get Theory over. Trick Williams had a solid showing.

Roman Reigns returned to the company and won the match, presumably setting up Reigns/CM Punk for the title at Wrestlemania. I understand that they have history to borrow from as far back as when Punk left the company in 2014 and appeared on a podcast that resulted in a lawsuit. "You gotta make Roman look really strong" might've been topical a decade ago when he flopped as a baby face, but if the office is going to try to use that history to draw for a main event in 2026, the effectiveness is doubtful. Reigns evolved into the top guy the office hoped that he would be during Punk's absence from the organization so what's the premise for a Roman/Punk feud today? Sure, the dozens of writers on the creative team will decide a direction to get to the destination, but I really see the decision to book Roman to win the Rumble as a rather lazy option. This is actually meant as a compliment for Reigns, he was the champion for more than four years, he's as over as he's going to be, and quite frankly, he doesn't need the championship.He has surpassed the concept of another title run because it's not going to be comparable to the record-setting reign. The justification for Roman to win is that he's a top star so of course he can main event Wrestlemania, but that's rather superficial.

All things considered, at least based on how things look right now, I'm not sure that there's any anticipation for Wrestlemania at the kickoff of WM season. The office has almost three months to try to build a hype for the two-night event, but the product might go on autopilot with the notion that the brand sells itself. Drew vs. Cody for the title is a match that we've already seen a few times, and Roman back in the main event picture to challenge CM Punk seems like a retread to avoid the task of trying to make a new star to main event the biggest event of the year.  

What's the status of Tommaso Ciampa

Tommaso Ciampa arrived in All Elite Wrestling on last night's episode of Dynamite, answering Mark Briscoe's open challenge for the TNT championship to set up a bout for Collision this weekend. This was just a few days after that the former NXT champion announced that he wasn't renewing his WWE deal, with his profile moved to the alumni section on the WWE website.

In truth, at least at this point, this is much ado about nothing, not because of  Ciampa's skill set, but a combination of factors that are more or less outside of his control. In the early-2010s, Ciampa was one of the top names on the independent circuit, working a fast-paced, hard-hitting style that saw him spotlighted in such promotions as Ring Of Honor and Pro Wrestling Gorilla. He checked all the boxes for what you'd look for in an in-ring worker, and despite a smaller statue, seemed to have potential on the national stage so it wasn't too surprising when he inked a WWE developmental contract in 2015, especially when Triple H was initially putting the brand together as basically the WWE version of either the previously mentioned ROH or PWG.

To sum up  Tommaso Ciampa's run in WWE, he was often successful as a big fish in a small pond before he got lost in the shuffle of the bigger platforms. He had an extensive and accomplished tenure in NXT, both as a singles and tag team star. When NXT as a brand was making waves for the WWE, Ciampa was one of the major reasons for that. He was one of the key names that added enough fuel to the brand that eventually allowed it to become a full-fledged show on the WWE line-up. He had a notable run as a tag team with Johnny Gargano and a few different stints as NXT champion so it was proven on that level.

He suffered a few different key injuries, including a serious neck injury that required surgery, throughout his time on the developmental show, and maybe that's why the office didn't fully invest in his character when he was eventually called up to the main roster?

In fact, when he was called up to Raw in mid-2022, he was sidelined with a hip injury less than six months into his tenure. He didn't resurface until June the following year and by that point, he was eventually paired with Gargano to reform their tag team, which was probably an indication that management didn't have faith in him as a singles star so they went back to what got over before, albeit on the smaller scale of NXT. In some ways, the reunion of DYI was successful as Gargano and Ciampa had two reigns as Smackdown tag team championships, even though the tag division was under the radar at the time.

They lost the belts in March of 2025 and the team had a relatively low profile for the majority of the year. Because of that, Ciampa's star power has been minimal at best, which refers to the aspects that are beyond his control referenced earlier. He can only do so much with what he's given, and quite simply, he wasn't given the opportunity or put in the position to be a major difference maker among the WWE landscape. That's not to say that he wasn't capable of doing more or being a bigger star during his run on the main roster, but the fact of the matter is, he wasn't given a storyline of importance. That being said, with only a few exceptions, anyone in the tag team division has a ceiling as to how far up the card they are realistically going to be pushed since even until the direction of Triple H, there's a limited amount of spotlight put on tag teams.

Maybe  Ciampa was labeled as injury prone? Maybe he was actual injury prone? Maybe his size prevented the office from investing in his persona on the main roster? Whatever the case, he was stagnant, and after being under contract for nearly a decade, there wasn't much more for him to do in WWE. Assuming that he was offered a renewal and declined it, if he would've re-signed, chances are he would've continued to stay under the radar for the rest of his WWE career.

At 40,  Tommaso Ciampa still has some prime years of his career left, but that's no doubt that he's at the latter stages of his run as an in-ring competitor. If he was going to make a move, now is the time to do it. That said, while I understand the logic behind the jump to All Elite Wrestling because it's the second-largest organization in the industry, and Tony Khan offers major contracts, I'm not sure that Ciampa will have the opportunity to reignite his career there. The reality is, we've seen this story countless times before, someone arrives in AEW for the artificial debut pop, they get featured for a few weeks, and then they are so lost in the shuffle that sometimes you forget that they still have a job. Is Matt Sydal still on the payroll? It wouldn't be surprising if Tommaso Ciampa is in the witness protection program of ROH within six months.

Taking into account that Tony Khan just added a slew of performers to the roster, including three of The Rascalz, what's the case to be made that  Ciampa won't end up in pro wrestling purgatory within a few months? This is another aspect of the circumstances that are beyond his control mentioned early, he couldn't do more than what he was given on Raw or Smackdown in terms of television time or angles, the same way that he won't be able to stand out with the comical amount of talent on the ridiculously bloated AEW roster.

Keep in mind, this has zero to do with his in-ring skills, we've discussed that he's a very solid performer. However, specifically for the potential for success in AEW, there's already a full roster of wrestlers that work a very similar style so how can he avoid blending into the background? Is there really that much of a difference between Ciampa and Roderick Strong? I'm not trying to be too negative, but given the track record of the vast majority of new hires for AEW, the chances are that Tommaso Ciampa is going to end up being just another name on the roster.

It's disappointing because as I've said, he's a very talented guy that probably should've had a bigger role in the WWE, and could be a contributor to All Elite, but the chances of him moving up the card are slim. Again, assuming that he declined a WWE offer to sign a new contract, that would give the impression that he decided to sign with AEW for more of an opportunity. On the surface, that makes sense, as it's the only logical option for a talent that wants to continue to work on the national stage, but as already discussed the opportunities in All Elite will probably be sparse.

Outside of trying to make a bigger impression to be a bigger star, Ciampa should probably just take the check, save his money, and consider it a win that he will continue to make a full-time living in the industry. He's 40 with a bad neck and a history of other injuries. The entire point of the pro wrestling business is to make as much money as possible. There were much bigger stars than Ciampa that ended up completely broke by the time their careers were over so if he can eventually retire as an underutilized and underrated worker, but financially secure than he had a successful career.

What's the status of New Japan?

There were several departures from New Japan Pro Wrestling over the past several years, mostly when Tony Khan signed away almost every top guy that the promotion had to bolster the AEW roster. If he should've or if he made the most of those acquisitions is a different discussion for a different time. As I've written about previously, the combination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on revenue and the fact that Tony offered more money than the Japanese league could realistically compete with, New Japan has struggled the past few years. In some cases, management simply hasn't been able to retain some of the native talent that have went on to explore their options elsewhere. Tetsuya Naito, a very popular performer for New Japan, left the company in May of last year after he couldn't agree to terms on a new contract. As the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon, Naito was a centerpiece for the organization at different points when he worked in the main event scene. A few of his stablemates, including Bushi, Sanada, and Hiromu Takahashi have either already left or are rumored to be on their way out of New Japan.

Earlier this month, Naito and Bushi won the GHC tag titles in Pro Wrestling NOAH. When Naito made a surprising return cameo to New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom just a few days after winning the belts in NOAH to congratulate Hiroshi Tanahashi on his retirement at the Tokyo Dome, Naito specifically said on the mic that he probably wouldn't wrestle in New Japan again.

For the leader of LIJ, you can't blame him for declining the New Japan renewal offer if the money wasn't right. At 43, you'd think that he would have a least a few more years left for his in-ring career, but Naito's risky, and sometimes reckless, style has taken a toll on his body. Eye injuries and knee injuries are well known, but there's also the wear and tear from years of dangerous bumps that will affect the duration of his career as well. Making the most money possible, regardless of the banner that it's under, is the smart move for him.

While the exit of Naito was surprising because of how closely associated he was with New Japan for many years, the announcement of another mainstay leaving the company, prompting some speculation that he might ink a deal with the WWE, was also very surprising in recent years.

Evil, a 15-year pro that spent almost his entire career in New Japan, is officially on his way out of the company, as the organization itself recently announced. A member of The Bullet Club in the faction's latter stages and a current member of The House Of Torture group, he was another talent that was a major part of the New Japan product over the past several years.

Some diehard fans of the dirt sheets have panned many of Evil's matches, and on the surface, they might have a point. For a promotion that sells work rate and high spots to its primary audience, Evil doesn't bring anything like that to the table. He's not particularly fast-paced, high-flying, or hard-hitting. He's not flashy or a bump machine the way that so many of the top guys of the modern New Japan product are for the majority of the signature NJPW events. Furthermore, considering that Japanese wrestling, even in modern times, is still mostly a sports-based presentation, the interference from The House of Torture stable is often dismissed as cannon fodder.

Taking that into account, the critics of Evil aren't necessarily wrong, he doesn't represent what you'd usually expect from the New Japan brand, but the reality is that chances are, that's how his role was designed in the organization. I'm not saying that he has the skills to work circles around the rest of the NJPW roster if he was given the chance, and truthfully, I'm not sure why he would draw interest from WWE since he doesn't do anything that others that are already on the roster don't do in either the ring or for storylines. 

However, when you examine what he was used for in key spots in New Japan, it proves that he is a capable performer that is fundamentally solid. More specifically, his exit from NJPW might be more of void on the roster for the Japanese organization than it could be an addition to the WWE, if that's where he actually ends up. When Bushiroad, the parent company of New Japan, paid Chris Jericho a hefty amount of cash to work a few select bouts over the course of time, he worked a match with Evil. When Jon Moxley worked a handful of dates in Japan, Evil was one of his opponents. When former judo gold medalist, Aaron Wolf made his highly-anticipated debut in pro wrestling, which was one of the reasons that Wrestle Kingdom was broadcasted live on television in Japan, Evil was paired with him to ensure that the hyped match went smoothly.

As far as where anyone goes from here, most of that is probably already decided with the best timing being the actual decision to be made. With Naito and Bushi already in NOAH, it wouldn't be surprising if Hiromu Takahashi joins them. Even though Sanada claimed that he was stepping away from the sport for the time being, when he returns, it seems like a rather easy choice to go to NOAH to reform LIJ there. It's not unheard of that factions make the jump to other promotions in Japan, as that's what Suzuki Gun did when it started in NJPW and took a detour to NOAH for a few years before it resurfaced in New Japan again.

As mentioned, for Evil, I really don't know why he'd go to WWE, considering that so much of his act is tailored to specifically what his role is in New Japan. Sure, he could be repackaged to work NXT or the main roster, but again, from a fundamental point of view, he doesn't do anything that others already on the roster don't already do in either NXT or the main roster. Plus, the track record for Japanese talent in the men's division hasn't had nearly the amount of the upside of the women's division. Shinsuke Nakamura just had a tremendous match against AJ Styles at Saturday Night's Main Event last week, but for the past several years, he was more or less completely under the radar. The disappointing aspect is that when he won The Royal Rumble in 2018, he was in position to become the first recognized Japanese WWE champion and could've been a much bigger star since that time, but it didn't materialize. Akira Tozawa does very well in his role, but he's a secondary comedy character that would be expendable if the organization decided to make cuts to the roster. Injuries derailed Kenta's WWE tenure, but even before that, it looked like there was a ceiling in terms of how far the company was going to push him. Assuming that Evil signs a WWE deal, I'm guessing that he will be a name on the roster that eventually fades in the background, but hopefully, I'm wrong.

The bigger point from the recent exits from New Japan has less to do with an individual performer, although Naito leaving does take away one of the organization's popular drawing cards, and more to do with he continued struggle that the promotion will have to maintain a level of depth to the roster. The fact that a few more guys are leaving to start the new year with the departures of  Evil, Sanada, and Takahashi indicates that either the revenue isn't there to justify the contracts or talent simply view other places as a better career option based on the current status of New Japan. Don't get me wrong, the company is stable because of the funding of Bushiroad, but the impact that the promotion will have on the industry will be minimal until they can rebuild the roster.

Who's going to win the Royal Rumble?

The Royal Rumble, one of the "big four" of the traditional pay-per-views, is this Saturday and will be hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at a stadium specifically built for this event. Despite the lineage and the implications for Wrestlemania of the Rumble, the build to the show has been rather minimal, which suggests that either the office wanted to wait for specific pieces of the puzzle to be able to be put in place, or they were scrambling with a last minute decision. Under the bulk-pricing model of Peacock, management could get away with a short, less spectacular build, but in an era when an ESPN app subscription will cost $30 to be able to watch the show, I'm not sure management has done enough, at least up until this point, to sell the show to the audience as a "must see" broadcast.

Maybe the writing team assumed that the historical cache of the Royal Rumble would be enough to prompt fans to subscribe to ESPN, and they might be right, but I'd say that it's far from an automatic purchase based on the current line-up of four matches and the build on WWE programming.

This might be a scenario where the corporation has so many spinning plates and so many masters to serve that the overall effort to satisfy all of them could've impacted the shine of the individual spot of the Rumble on the calendar. The Raw brand needed some meat on the bone for the anniversary of the debut on Netflix so CM Punk was booked to defend the title against Bron Breakker, and a few weeks later defended the belt against Finn Balor as a part of the European tour. The TKO ticket prices have notoriously increased and a subject of much discussion since the WWE/UFC merger so the company had to give the European fans a reason to spend that cash beyond just seeing the brand live, which has become more common with the globalization efforts of the TKO conglomerate. The result of Punk being tied up with different opponents on television for those specific Raw shows more or less prevented him from building a featured bout for the Rumble. I'm assuming something will be added to this week's television, but as of this writing, he's not officially added to the card, even though he's the world heavyweight champion.

The WWE championship was in a similar boat, as you would've thought that the two out of three falls match between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre would've been saved for the Royal Rumble since it's a signature pay-per-view. However, Drew won the belt on an episode of Smackdown on the previously mentioned European tour, which might've been another way to try to spur ticket sales in the market. Given Jacob Fatu's involvement in that match and the subsequent title change, it created questions about his potential involvement in the main event scene, especially after his bout against Cody at this past weekend's Saturday Night's Main Event in Montreal. As we saw, McIntyre played role in that match as well.

At the same time, the hometown guy Sami Zayn defeated Randy Orton, Trick Williams, and Damien Priest in a four-way bout to get a shot at the title at the Rumble. Sure, it was a great moment for the native of Montreal to get the big win and possibly set himself up to finally win a world championship, but the direct build for the Drew/Sami match will literally be a week with one episode of Smackdown to work with prior to the PPV. Don't get me wrong, Sami cut a tremendous promo a few weeks ago on television that was impactful enough that a case could be made for his character to get the title victory, and I wrote at the time that Sami has all the skills to be an underdog champion so the contest itself should be very good, but we're talking about the build to a $30 event. The problem is, the great promo was cut when Cody was the champion, not Drew so there's not necessarily a direct link to the Rumble match. Can WWE brass book something within the next week that truly positions Zayn in a way that the audience will consider him a legitimate threat to the WWE title?

It might've been a situation, similar to the European tour that the booking of Sami as the number one contender had to wait until the Saturday Night's Main Event broadcast so that the company had a selling point for Montreal.

Again, the overall effort to move ticket to the collection of those shows led to an unintentional lackluster build to The Royal Rumble itself. I'm guessing at least one more bout from the women's division will be added to the line-up, or at least it should be, given the depth of the division.

The best build for the show was the storyline that already had some of the ground work done before it was announced or developed on television. It's well known that AJ Styles is going to hang up his boots in 2026, and pairing him with Gunther for a career-threatening match at the Rumble uses the psychology that Gunther already ended the careers of Bill Goldberg and John Cena last year. That creates the intrigue of, will AJ Styles really retire without the fanfare? It makes it at least possible that the brute could end another career, will the viewers of the Rumble see Styles' final match of his legendary career? All things considered, it seems a little forced because AJ was lured into putting his career on the line just to have a match against Gunther, but technically, he could've got his hands on him during the promo segment.

On one hand, I could see AJ finishing his career without the pyro and ballyhoo of a major ceremony or tour, especially after the WWE audience just took the extended ride of the Cena retirement tour so the narrative would be somewhat of a retread. On the other hand, AJ Styles was the wrestler of the first decade of the 2000s and he had such a revolutionary career that it would leave too much money on the table not to monetize the opportunity with merchandise and a specific event built around it. If I had to guess, I'd say that this is a rather slick use of psychology and AJ will get the win to continue his career with a promoted retirement bout later in the year.

Perhaps, one of the positives of the scrambled and somewhat last-minute build to the pay-per-view is that the winners for either of the Rumble matches look to be a toss up. Stephanie Vaquer was briefly on the injured list, and Jade Cargill seemed to be working a possible feud with Jordynne Grace. Taking into account how much of a project it was for the office to get Cargill into the spot that she is now as the champion since she still had a level of experience when she arrived in the promotion a few years ago, I think the Rumble winner will be used to determine a challanger for Vaquer since she's such a dynamic performer. If Sami beats Drew, it could set up for a short reign by design if a heel cuts his wholesome title run short at Wrestlemania. Could an opponent for CM Punk be determined with the Rumble winner? Maybe Cody wins and sets up a rematch with Drew? I think that's a possible choice for the office, but I'm not sure of the level of fan demand for it since the match has already happened for the title a few times. As I've written prior, I think Cody's position as the representative of the organization isn't based specifically on if he has the championship so it might be more useful to put the WM main event spotlight on someone else that could eventually be booked as an opponent for him. Bron Breakker and Jacob Fatu look to have all the skills to be major stars for the company, will the Rumble be the pay-per-view to propel them to the main event picture?

It's still somewhat of an odd situation where traditional pay-per-views, as Survivor Series did, have such an abbreviated line-up, as the current WWE marketing strategic seems to offer the audience less than in the past at a higher price. But, when the TKO corporation can continue to tout record-setting profits, and criticism might be moot. 

What's the status of Natalya?

After this week's episode of Raw, it looks like Natalya Neidhart might actually get the chance to truly showcase her skills after almost two decades in the organization. Natayla turned heel when she attacked Maxxine Dupri following a match against Becky Lynch. This was after the longtime veteran was positioned as somewhat of a storyline coach for Dupri, who was presented as an underdog that was earning her stripes as an in-ring competitor. 

Given Dupri's inexperience, it makes sense for her to work with someone at the level of Neidhart, especially if the office wants to try to get her to a place where she's a more well-rounded performer and theoretically more marketable. While this undoubtedly could finally give Nattie a spotlighted angle on the main roster, it more or less puts her in the same position that she was in for the majority of her WWE tenure, she was such a consistent and solid worker that management trusted her with the project performers. So, it's a scenario that makes her a valuable asset to the organization and it's one of the reasons that she has kept a job for so long, but ultimately, she's working in a role that gets the opponent over instead of her.

It's not a new situation in sports entertainment, Jerry Lynn became an underrated legend in that position, but the female dynamic had more pieces to the puzzle as to why Neidhart wasn't really given the chance to shine the way that her peers had in the women's division. There's a reason that Ronda Rousey was originally paired with Nattie when the former MMA champion arrived in the WWE in 2019.

In many ways, Natalya was a victim of circumstances, as she just wasn't at the right place at the right time, along with being labeled as someone that could shine opponents that the office made a priority. As one of the last students of the legendary dungeon in Calgary, the second generation competitor had the family background, but didn't get nearly the same opportunities as some other second generation stars later on. Breaking into the business at just 18, she inked a WWE deal by 2007 when she was in her early-20s, which gave her the chance to become a long term star in the women's division. For whatever reason that never materialized the way that it probably could've or should've.

It's important to point out that Nattie debuted on the main roster in mid-2008, a time when the company already went PG for Linda McMahon's two failed bids for a Senate seat so the female performers didn't get the level of albeit, often misogynistic spotlight of the Attitude era or the few years that followed it, and it was several years before the "women's revolution" era in 2015 when the women's division was given the opportunity to work beyond the stereotypical tropes of the diva era.

Unfortunately, for the vast majority of her first decade in WWE, she was stuck in the divas division that kept the length of matches often to the shortest on the card and thus the importance placed on them was minimal. It was unfair to many of the very talented women of that time period, including Victoria, who eventually left for TNA where the organization was somewhat ahead of the curve in the value of women's wrestling. The Trish and Lita spotlight on the division of the early-2000s had faded by the time Nattie was in the mix because both had left the company a few years earlier.

In fact, for the first few months that Natayla was on the main roster, a women's title didn't exist in the Smackdown brand until the Divas title was created in July of 2008. Ironically, Michelle McCool, who was much more of a diva than a pro wrestler (that's an observation, not a criticism) beat Natayla to become the inaugural champion. This underscores the notion of when she was used to make others look good. Maryse, Eve Torres, and Jillian Hall were among some of the early Divas champions. This isn't to say that they weren't talented, but rather to highlight that none of them will be regarded in terms of in-ring ability as many in the women's division today.

In truth, when she was understandably paired with The Hart Dynasty early on, the stable dissolving didn't help her individual progress either. She held the Divas title for a forgettable two-month reign in 2010. Infamously, she was booked for a flatulence angle in 2012 that was scripted by Vince McMahon. It was dumb, ridiculous, and an insult to her talent. Furthermore, it had minimized the limited amount of star power or cache she had at the time so afterwards it was almost as if she had to start from scratch, which she did when she worked the NXT brand in the years that followed.

As far as the time period after the "women's revolution" started, she held the women's championship in 2017, but by the point, the company had a slew of younger talent that they had to try to establish to promote the previously mentioned "revolution" for the female division.

Obviously, the fact that she has been under contract for almost twenty years proves that the office knows how valuable that she is, and while she could have another five years or so left for her in-ring career, she's definitely at the latter stages of her tenure as a full-time wrestler so it would be nice for her to get the run as a spotlighted women's wrestler that she's clearly capable of and deserves before she starts to wind down her run as an active performer.

Proof of concept so to speak, and the writing team has used pieces of this already for the coach angle with Dupri, is when Nattie worked a pair of GCW Blood Sport event last year. Casting her in the role of the gritty veteran that can work a physical style is not only a way to utilize her Calgary lineage, but also present her in a more serious manner to maximize the skills that she brings to the table. Furthermore, allowing her to use the name Nattie, as she did in GCW, might be even more of a way to showcase a new chapter for her.

Of course, it remains to be seen what direction the office will take the angle or how much television time it will be given ahead of Wrestlemania season, but all things considered, the opportunity is there for the best run of  Neidhart's career. How to define a successful run for her might be a little different than some of the other competitors in the division. With the countless titles that were added to the women's division in recent years, she doesn't necessarily need a belt. In fact, the titles have been mostly reduced to props so it would be more about the spotlight than the cache of the championship. For example, Chelsea Greene really boosted her stock during her reign as the Women's United States champion last year, but it was based on the quality of her performances, not the prestige of the title. Natalya might not have always been in the mix with names like Asuka, Iyo, Bayley, Bianca, and Charlotte, but she definitely has skills on par with the top of the division. 

RWA anniversary show

Last November, the Renegade Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight champion, Crash found himself defending his year-long title reign in a three-way dance, with former ECW champion and Pittsburgh native, "The Franchise" Shane Douglas assigned as the special guest referee. It was apropos that the first ever ECW heavyweight champion was the official for the three-way dance main event, as he was one of the participants that put the match on the map alongside the legendary Terry Funk and iconic Sabu at "The Night The Line was Crossed" event in 1994.

Crash, an agile super heavyweight, successfully sent longtime villain, J-Rocc to the floor before he planted Ron Hunt on the top of his head with a brutal side suplex to get the three count. Just as Crash roared in triumph to celebrate his official coronation as the titleholder for a full calendar year, the devious J-Rocc snuck into the ring from behind to hit Crash with a low blow. As the big man slumped on the canvas, J-Rocc, one of the most tenured veterans of the independent circuit with nearly three decades of experience under his belt, called for the contract that he won when he was victorious in the RWA Renegade Rumble last August that granted him a title shot. J-Rocc demanded to take his title opportunity right there, and nailed Crash with a pile driver on a chair before the bell rung to start the next championship bout.

"The Franchise" was forced to count the three, and J-Rocc won the RWA heavyweight championship once again.

The reaction was visceral. In an era when everything is over exposed, over produced, and over analyzed in the pro wrestling industry, there was genuine disdain that rained down to the point that the hostile crowd reaction almost drowned out ring announcer, Hank Hudson's proclamation of a new champion on the mic. Boos, cuss words, and hand gestures were hurled toward the most hated man in the building, the brand new RWA champion, J-Rocc. Of course, J-Rocc returned the favor and gloated during a post-match interview about the victory.

As Mike "Doc" Daugherty wrapped up the broadcast for indywrestling.us with a combination of disgust and confusion in his voice at how this all happened in the course of one segment, it was a stark reminder about why the RWA has carved a place for itself among the Pittsburgh independent scene. When you walk into the West Newton gym, a gritty, but charming venue, you've often stepped into a time machine. The old school vibe with the genuine response from the dedicated fan base for the beloved fan favorites and the hated heels is something from a bygone era that is rarely seen today.

"The RWA experience is one of a kind. The house of Renegades is loud, the action is packed from start to bottom, and the fans are so passionate that they display a ferocity whether they are cheering you or booing you that no other can explain. Seventeen years of being the voice of RWA, I can easily say this crowd can explode within seconds. Whether it is boos or cheers the crowd brings such an atmosphere to the show that they influence everyone from the wrestlers to the producers to work harder when they feel that electricity," said Daugherty.

"RWA is the most unique crowd in the whole tristate area, their passion is above and beyond. When they hate, they hate you for life. When they love, they will fight for you," added Tony Kincaid, one of the top commentators in the area, and the premiere manager in the Renegade Wrestling Alliance. 

The word that encapsulates the RWA experience, projected by those behind the scenes, on the roster, and in the crowd is passion. The collective passion of management, it's roster, and the fan base that supports the product allows for a presentation that is very much a brand of its own. 

A snow storm that dumped several inches of precipitation on the region prompted the December event to be cancelled as a safety precaution, both for the fans and the talented roster that travels in for the organization.

However, this Saturday, not only does the organization return to action to kickoff 2026, the Renegade Wrestling Alliance celebrates its seventeenth anniversary, a milestone that represents its journey from an upstart project founded on the fandom and passion of Derek to its position as a part of the fabric of the Pittsburgh scene.

One of the most striking aspects to any RWA card is that the previously mentioned collective effort from the entire crew to present the show in a way that will give the fans their money's worth spill over after the final bell. Promoter Derek is still as much of a fan today as he was when he first discovered the sport in his youth. His enjoyment of the product is infectious, as his fan base is a reflection of that. Different from many promoters in the industry, especially some of the corporate entities, Derek doesn't view his fans as tickets or just a revenue stream for his promotion. He knows their names, he asks about their families, and in many cases, he considers them friends. It's not uncommon to see him standing at the exit after an event has concluded to personally shake the hands and thank each fan individually for putting their hard-earned money down to buy a ticket to an RWA event.

In an effort to get a measure of retribution, Crash has invoked his rematch clause to challange J-Rocc for the championship, but The Shadow Man, a standout from the Buffalo area that became one of the most popular competitors in the promotion for the past few years, was scheduled for a title shot at the December event that was cancelled because of the weather. So, management has decided to once again put the title on the line in a three-way dance, with the dastardly J-Rocc at a numbers disadvantage. Can J-Rocc worm his way out of the West Newton gym still as champion?

Furthermore, "The Franchise" Shane Douglas is scheduled for an appearance at the anniversary event, will he play a role in the heavyweight title match again?

Along with a full card of action on the line-up, NWA star, Pretty Boy Smooth will challenge steel city standout, Gianni Michael Emricko for the RWA Regional championship. Smooth, a 6'9 pure athlete that checks all the boxes for a superstar in the industry, has been on a roll in the organization since his debut last August. Smooth has held previous championships throughout the independent circuit, as well as being a featured performer on the NWA Roku program each Tuesday. In his continued pursuit of excellence in the sport, Smooth puts his undefeated run in RWA on the line against the championship that Emricko has held for several months. Emricko is a natural inside the ring ropes and many pundits have touted his bright future in the industry. As a wild card in the equation, Emricko's manager, the controversy, but highly successful, Tony Kincaid is slated to be at ringside. Will Kincaid ensure his client retains the belt?

In the tag team division, one of the most dominate tag teams in Pittsburgh wrestling, War Hoss, a pair of brutes that have held the titles for more than 500 days, will put the championships on the line against one of the most accomplished teams in the tri-state area, The Wise Guys. The steel city has an extensive and storied history of tag team wrestling, with this long-anticipated bout as an example of the tag division in the area.

In one of the special opportunities for the fans at the anniversary event, the previously mentioned Tony Kincaid will be forced to take as many pies to the face as the fans want to purchase to throw at the underhanded manager. Due to a stipulation where he found himself on the losing end at the November event, the fans in attendance will have a chance to hit him with a pie for a small fee as a measure of revenge for all of his dastardly tactics in the organization.

"They are also absolute neanderthals, and anyone that comes near me with a pie will be pepper sprayed, I swear to god," Kincaid frantically protested via phone.