What's next for Max Caster?

"Americans have a lot of trouble dealing with reality, Americans have a lot of trouble dealing with the truth so they invent a soft language to protect themselves from it." -George Carlin, HBO special Doin' It Again, 1990

The late revolutionary comedian broke barriers for free speech and made audiences think while he did it. As troubled as he was in his younger days when the excess of the 80s impacted him the way that it affected many in the entertainment field during that era, Carlin's comedic record served as intelligent and thought-provoking. In the midst of all that, including highlighting the seven words that you can't say on television, George forgot to pay his taxes. Reportedly, it took him almost twenty years to clear the tab with Uncle Sam. Even with a misstep, Carlin provided a lesson for fellow independent contractors.

Since his death in 2008, Carlin's genius found new life through his Nostradamus-type observations that arguably apply even more today than when he originally performed them decades ago. George is right, American society has gotten soft, probably because of the increased access to social media where everyone has a platform to pretend to be informed, educated, or simply believes that the rest of the world is entitled to their drek. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but most lack the knowledge to credibly express it. The individual social media pages provide individual spotlight and as a result, the vast majority of social media content is self-serving rather than proclamations of an educated viewpoint or moral compass.

Along with that, there's a large section of social media where those that are professionally offended in order to seek validation only do so because they look for social media cache for themselves rather than any type of code to stand up against the things that they claim to be offended about. A code of honor or moral decency shouldn't be flexible depending on how many social media reactions that it gets. What's right today, at least on the most basic level, remains the right thing to do, regardless of the resistance or acceptance to it. Everyone that can ask Google Gemini something suddenly claims an alphabet soup of illness or disabilities, with the notion that they want to be told how "brave" they are, or "how much of a warrior they are." The reality is for those cream puffs that an actual diagnosis of illness or disability brings with it a harsh reality that isn't something anyone going through those things wants to have highlighted on social media. Courage is commended by others, not validation sought by individuals.

Regardless, the circumstances of the modern age are the entertainers today walk more of a fine line now than ever before, both through social media and the technology itself that makes it possible. Everyone has a smart phone to be able to record everything. One negative interaction, even if the complete story isn't captured, can go viral, creating a possible negative narrative about a celebrity. You might've seen someone flip out at the airport because autograph stalkers, but did the camera catch the initial decline before things got heated?

Of course, there are more obvious situations, which should make them much easier to avoid. Max Caster, who saw his All Elite Wrestling deal expire just a few weeks ago, was the surprise opponent for Moose at TNA's Bound For Glory pay-per-view last weekend. During his entrance, Caster did his usual rap routine where he insults his opponents and during that brief mic spot, he made reference to the recent attacks at the Saudi International Airport in Riyadh. According to The Wrestling Observer website, the line was "unscripted and unapproved." The following day, a statement was posted on TNA's social media pages, apologizing for the remarks, and noted that Max Caster will no longer be wrestling for the promotion.

Caster's logic or lack thereof for the reference is wrong on a few different levels. First of all, while his character lends itself to controversy, the attack had just happened the previous day, and there was literally no upside to trying to make light of an incident where people were killed less than 24 hours before. It goes without saying that the line had nothing to do with wrestling or Moose so what was it supposed to add? Finally, it was Caster's debut in TNA, isn't it common sense to clear everything before you walk to the ring on live pay-per-view to avoid something like this? The whole thing was ill-thought, if it was thought out at all, and undoubtedly ill-timed since there are still attacks going on in the region now.

Caster took to  Instagram to issue an apology to TNA boss, Carlos Silva and those in the company that lobbied for him to get the spot at the pay-per-view. He claimed that his intention wasn't to offend, but to entertain. He went on to say that if someone is offended, that's their right. I don't think this is a situation where viewers were necessarily outraged by mocking comments of conflicts on the other side of the world, but rather how low brow it came across, which is anything but entertainment value.

The bigger issue is the optics of the situation. TNA is a company that is trying to solidify itself as a player in the industry again. As we know, Saudi Arabia spends billions of dollars on entertainment acts, are advertisers or networks going to want to be associated with something like the line that Caster said on pay-per-view? Keep in mind, TNA still has a working agreement with WWE, a global, publicly-traded corporation that makes more money for Saudi events than any of the other shows they run. Why would TNA risk souring that working relationship for Max Caster to be able to stay on the roster?

This isn't a situation where a soft audience wants to claim faux outrage so that they can seem righteous on social media, it's common sense based on the many moving parts of the business world where serious money decisions are made.

If this was a one-off, you might be able to chalk it up to Caster making a mistake, but keep in mind, he was suspended for a period of time by Tony Khan for a line that he said on the mic about Simone Biles in 2021. The Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez said during a discussion of the situation that Caster supposedly had a reputation for going off script to say what he wanted prior to this latest incident. If that's actually the case, Caster's options for where to go next might be sparse, if they aren't already. Again, there's a portion of society that will manufacture outrage any chance they get so it's not wise to provide them or any other demographic with actually material to fuel that outrage, especially in the business world. In hindsight, Caster's hypothetical tendency to go off script might've been the reason that he was off of AEW television for nearly two years before his deal expired, while his former tag partner, Anthony Bowens was kept around in various roles until his contract was finished.

Where Caster goes from here is anyone's guess. If AEW was willing to pay him to stay home, Tony isn't going to re-sign him, at least not any time soon. He lasted literally one day working for TNA so we can assume that door is shut. Taking into account WWE's previously mentioned business dealings with Saudi Arabia, they will have no interest in him. Even phony Phil had to apologize to Saudi, and Caster doesn't have nearly the star power of CM Punk. If I had to guess, I'd say that he will either land in Major League Wrestling, or Game Changer Wrestling, where he might be able to get away with the more controversial lines, or both. Don't get me wrong, when it was reported that The Acclaimed were set to leave AEW, I wrote an article that discussed that there was a time when they were one of the most over acts in the organization. Max Caster had the talent to work for a national promotion, he just doesn't have the mindset to be successful on that level.

2PW October 23rd event

Every year, hundreds of fans and luminaries of the professional wrestling business come together to celebrate the spectacle of the squared circle. For 60 years, the Cauliflower Alley Club, a nonprofit organization that helps former grapplers in need, hosts its annual reunion to spotlight the titans of the industry, as well as raise money in accordance with its mission statement.

The 60th anniversary of the CAC reunion this past August was no different. The legendary Bret "The Hitman" Hart was in attendance with his niece, WWE superstar, Nattie Neidhart to be honored with the Art Abrams/Lou Thez Lifetime Achievement award. The Canadian technician and seven-time world champion wasn't the only honoree of the prestigious award. The czar of the classic pro wrestling magazines, Bill Apter was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement award, recognizing his more than fifty years in the business as a writer, photographer, and editor of the printed pages that were key to the territorial days of the sport. A protege of Stanley Weston, who published boxing magazines as far back as the 1950s, Apter is considered by many to be a gem of the industry from the golden era. Despite being at the age of 80, Bill still has an energetic zest for life, and his appreciation for the CAC honor was apparent when he requested that the audience at the Plaza Hotel and Casino be the inductors for the award.

One of the highest honors given by the CAC is the Iron Mike Mazurki Award, named after the legendary grappler and one of the original co-founders of the club itself back in 1968. The award is based on excellent and longstanding contributions to the sport. In the past, names such as Steve Austin, Tully Blanchard, Ted DiBiase, Mick Foley, Trish Stratus, Sgt. Slaughter, Larry Hennig, Baron Von Raschke, Ivan Koloff, and CM Punk received the honor. This year, arguably the greatest performer to ever lace up a pair of boots, Ric Flair was scheduled to receive the award. Flair cited health issues and declined to make the trip to Las Vegas, but the legendary Jerry "The King" Lawler was added as a last-minute replacement to be there in person to accept the award on Flair's behalf. Flair spoke to the crowd via a Zoom call to express his appreciation for the acknowledgement.

One of the many reasons that professional wrestling has thrived during the peaks, as well as survived the valleys of the industry is the notion of tradition is woven through the fabric of the canvas. The past is recognized for its contributions that paved a future for the current generation, a crop of talent that set the foundation for the next generation. The six decades of the CAC are a reflection of that.

As with any form of live entertainment, the grueling schedule takes a toll on the performers. Pro wrestling was no different, especially during previous eras when the athletes often didn't have the benefit of world class medical teams that could travel with them. Taping up an injury and getting to the ring to give the fans their money''s worth is noble, but the talent paid a price for it. In acknowledgement of that dedication to answer the bell on any given night, the CAC's Benevolent Fund is used to assist former grapplers in need, especially with medical or other necessary expenses after they hung up their boots. Each year, the Benevolent Fund distributes tens of thousands of dollars in assistance, often quietly out of respect to the privacy of the recipients to help them through hard times. So far, CAC has raised over $81,000 in 2026 for its Benevolent Fund.

Of course, the ability to provide this critical help to former pro wrestlers is only possible through the generous efforts of those that volunteer their time and energy to run the organization, including Club President, B. Brian Blair, as well as the membership of those in the club itself. Auctions, fundraising efforts, and donations throughout the year serve as a key addition to the funds generated through the annual reunion.

One such example is a local league in the western Pennsylvania area, a region known almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced. Prospect Pro Wrestling was founded more than eight years ago, and after a nearly eight-month hiatus to reset its operations, the organization has grown exponentially since its relaunch last year. The mission statement was always to provide a platform for young talent, but founder Marshall Gambino, a tag team specialist for more than two decades on the Pittsburgh circuit, understood that without the past, there wouldn't be a future to build toward. With 2PW thriving at its new home base at The Elements venue in Irwin, Pennsylvania since last year, Marshall wanted to get his organization involved with the noble goals of the CAC.

So, this past August with more than 400 guests in attendance at the reunion, Marshall and the rest of the 2PW management, including former NWA North American Tag Team champion, Paul Atlas stood on stage to present a $10,000 check to Brian Blair as a donation to the Benevolent Fund on behalf of Prospect Pro Wrestling.

"Our involvement with the Cauliflower Alley Club was out of wanting to give back to the wrestling community and support an organization that has done so much for people within the industry we love so much. What started as an opportunity to help turned into something very special for 2PW, ultimately allowing us to donate $10,000 to the CAC Benevolent Fund.  Presenting that check in Las Vegas to Brian and the CAC Executive Board was honestly one of the most meaningful moments I’ve experienced as the owner and promoter of 2PW.  To stand there representing our company and everyone who helped make that donation possible was something I am extremely proud of," said Marshall.

"Being on stage to present 2PW’s $10,000 donation to Brian Blair was honestly a moment I’ll never forget. There are moments in wrestling where you realize what we do is about so much more than what happens between the ropes, and this was one of those moments. To stand there representing 2PW and knowing that our company, our fans, our sponsors, our talent, and everyone who has supported us was able to come together and make a meaningful contribution was incredibly humbling. It was an honor to be part of something that could make a real difference for Brian and the entire executive board at the CAC. As the marketing director, I’m constantly focused on promoting our shows, building relationships, and helping 2PW continue to grow - but moments like this remind me why all of the work matters," added Emily Doyle.

"On behalf of the Cauliflower Alley Club Executive Board and our entire membership, I extend our heartfelt thanks to Prospect Pro Wrestling for its generous $10,000 donation presented during our 2026 CAC Reunion in Las Vegas," Brian Blair said in a CAC social media statement after the reunion.

Back on the home front, Prospect Pro is gearing up for its next live event, a Halloween-themed presentation, at the Elements building on October 23rd. Along with that, the management team have continued to expand their event schedule, both in Irwin and across the region, as well as continue to increase brand awareness through its myriad of sponsors.

"Things have progressed incredibly well for 2PW since the relaunch.  When we brought the shows to Irwin last year, we had a vision for what we wanted 2PW to become but honestly, what we’ve experienced has exceeded my expectations.  Since the relaunch, we’ve had sold out events, broken attendance records, built an incredible group of sponsors and community partners, expanded our relationships within the wrestling industry, and had the opportunity to take 2PW to some very unique venues, including the 911th Airlift Wing in Pittsburgh in mid-September.  All of those moments are special, but what means the most to me is seeing the continued support for 2PW and watching the company grow with every event," explained Emily.

The management team has another stacked card for the fans at The Elements building. Pittsburgh icon, Super Hentai will challenge Jason Tyler for the Anarchy championship, with special guest referee, Jami Jameson assigned the contest. Matt Byers will square off against Jack Issac. A seven-man battle royal will determine the next challenger for the Top Prospect championship. In another bout to determine a future challenger, Phil Archer, Some Guy Named John, and Santana Diamondz will compete in triple threat action to decide the number one contender for the previously mentioned Anarchy championship. Two of the top tag teams on the Pittsburgh scene will collide with The Troublemakers vs. The Runway. In the main event, two steel city stalwarts, Gory and Andrew Palace will battle it out in a casket match. 

"Since the relaunch, the overall business plan for 2PW has continued to evolve as we have grown and learned what works best for our audience, having changed venues and locations. We’ve put a stronger emphasis on building the brand, creating meaningful partnerships, improving the overall fan experience, and making sure each event has its own identity while still fitting into the bigger picture for 2PW. When it comes to marketing individual events, we try to approach each one a little differently.  For something like our Halloween event, we lean into the theme and create a campaign that gives fans a reason to be excited beyond just the matches themselves.  We utilize social media, community outreach, partnerships, and our existing audience to build awareness and momentum leading up to the event.  The goal is always to make each show feel like something people don’t want to miss," concluded Marshall. 

What's the status of TNA?

Total Nonstop Action is a paradox of professional wrestling.

This past weekend's Bound For Glory pay-per-view, the biggest event on the Anthem-owned organization's calendar was proof of that, but all things considered, the dichotomy of TNA has been very much a part of nearly its entire existence. From the time that the upstart league launched in Nashville, against the odds, it has survived in contradictory fashion. When Jay Hassman fabricated the earliest PPV numbers, the NWA-TNA product should've been dead in the water within three weeks. When Hulk Hogan worked Dixie Carter for major money and then walked out the door so that nothing was left to re-sign AJ Styles or Samoa Joe, the group lost some of their best in-ring assets. When it was revealed that Dixie Cater lied to Spike TV about Vince Russo working for the company so the network canceled Impact, it should've been the end of the road. When Dixie tried to swindle Billy Corgan out of six figures to pay for her to play TV star, the house of cards should've collapsed. When the state of Tennessee had a tax lien against the promotion, it was almost unbelievable that Anthem saved the day to keep the show on their network in Canada with the acquisition of the brand. Even since Anthem purchased Impact Wrestling a decade ago before the rebrand, by all rights, there's no way that a wrestling show that had such small crowds should've justified any type of television deal. It's just as wild that the company landed back on mainstream cable earlier this year, its biggest stage since the Spike TV cancellation in 2014.

But, through it all, Total Nonstop Action survived, and the quality is still there, as we've seen even today, talent make the jump to bigger platforms to excel  based on the valuable TV experience that they gained under the TNA banner.

In some ways, it's very commendable that TNA somehow kept its doors open. Jim Crockett couldn't do that, Verne Gagne couldn't do that, Championship Wrestling from Florida couldn't do that, ECW couldn't do that, and the hard-nosed Bill Watts knew when to sell to be able to cash out before the dominoes fell on Mid-South. Furthermore, it's not a negative that more guys are able to make a full-time living in pro wrestling, both working for TNA itself, as well as the doors that working there can open down the road.

Make no mistake about it, the pro wrestling business is better off with TNA rather than without it, the pipeline of talent that made their name there is proof of that.

That being said, they are more or less stuck in the middle of the road in terms of their cache, or lack thereof within the industry. Let's be honest here, the brand landing on AMC was much more sizzle than substance, the numbers show that. The fact that Tommy Dreamer was removed from his position on the creative team is evidence of that. The reality is, Impact didn't propel to the next level after mainstream cable audience had access to the show. Granted, AMC isn't known for being a "wrestling network," but the bottom line is that if fans wanted to watch the show, they would've since it was more accessible in 2026 than it was for more than a decade. Impact usually averages around 200,000 viewers, ranking it well below any of the other major wrestling TV shows on cable. The show simply doesn't have enough of an audience or a market share to have a direct "impact" on the rest of the industry in terms of what's booked for the product.

The reason for this, as I mentioned earlier, is that TNA is more or less middle of the road in what they bring to the table, which isn't to say that the effort isn't there, it is, but rather to point out why there's a level of indifference around the brand. TNA has solid in-ring work, Eddie Edwards, one of the more underrated talents on the roster, had a good match against Ricky Sosa to open the show at Bound For Glory. Everything they did was crisp and smooth. The X-Division bout where newly-minted Hall of Famer, Amazing Red won the championship was a very entertaining contest. The problem is, that TNA doesn't have the work rate to draw the All Elite Wrestling audience since AEW, positively or negatively, took the original X-Division style a step further. The matches are solid, but if a fan specifically wants to watch that style, they are usually going to watch All Elite.

Zoey Serrano and Shayna Baszler beat Allie and Kiera Hogan to win the Knockouts Tag Team titles. Shayna is a solid addition to any roster, but her and Zoey were both cut from the WWE. That becomes a problem as well, with the amount of talent that Tony Khan signs, there's not much left on the free agent market, as far as performers with television experience that can start on Impact immediately. The other side of the coin is that the line-up starts to look secondary because it's basically the wrestlers that other companies didn't consider valuable enough to keep on the roster. Indi Hartwell, who won the Knockouts title, wouldn't be working for TNA if she didn't get cut from WWE. The same could be said for Max Caster, who became a free agent after his AEW contract expired recently so he was the one who answered Moose's open challenge. Reportedly, TNA already cut ties with Caster because of a line that he said on the mic that referenced the attacks on the Saudi airport. According to The Wrestling Observer site, the line was "unscripted and unapproved."

There are usually only two exceptions for when a talent leaves a bigger group when they don't look secondary upon their arrival to a smaller league. If they were underutilized, the fans see it as an opportunity to excel, or when a performer left on their own to pursue a better option for their individual career. There's a reason that Mike Santana and Kazarian had notable runs when they rejoined the promotion. Syx beat The Hardys in a falls count anywhere match when Erik Rowan debuted to assist them for the win. It remains to be seen what category the former Wyatt stable will be in TNA.

The totality of that scenario is simple, TNA has names on the roster that wrestling fans have seen before, but outside of The Hardys, and possibly Nic Nemeth, the company doesn't have legitimate star power that will move the needle. That's not a knock on the roster either since it's much more difficult to draw today than it was in previous generations because pro wrestling has to compete with every form of expanded entertainment options for consumer dollars. The WWE is the biggest sports entertainment company in the world by a relatively large margin, particularly after the merger with the UFC a few years ago, and there are only a select few guys in the WWE that are legitimate difference makers in terms of the numbers.

If the more causal fans want the star power and the spectacle, they will watch WWE. That's ultimately why TNA finds itself in such a niche situation. They don't have the work rate to draw in a piece of the All Elite audience, and they don't have the star power to catch the attention of WWE fans. Leon Slater defeated Nic Nemeth to capture the world championship in the main event at Bound For Glory. Slater is a tremendous high-flyer and will have a very bright future ahead of him, but does he sell tickets as the world champion? When an ESPN+ subscription is $30 a month to watch the WWE pay-per-views, and it's $50 to order an AEW PPV on traditional pay-per-view, it becomes a tough sell when it costs $39.99 for a TNA pay-per-view.

With how unpredictable the pro wrestling business is, and quite frankly how unbelievable some of TNA's history is, you can't rule anything out as far as where the company could go, but at least for right now, it looks like the company will remain either a bridge to bigger opportunities or a safety net if someone gets released from another organization.   

MITB review

Last night, Money In The Bank took place in New Orleans, and depending on the status of Crown Jewel, which could be in doubt after an attack on the Saudi Arabia International Airport this weekend, this PPV might be the last stop before Survivor Series, the traditional fall spectacular on the pay-per-view calendar. Theoretically, things could settle down within the next three weeks, but the United States issued another travel warning for US citizens after the attack at the Saudi airport, and at this point, it seems foolish for the TKO corporation to take the risk. The $40 million will still be there for the next earnings call if the show is postponed to a safer time. It's a sad reality of the cruel world that we live in, but a stadium full of fans and presumably at least some of the high-ranking Saudi government officials with American celebrities as the focal point could undoubtedly become a target for attacks.

Obviously, only WWE executives know the odds of the event taking place as planned, but if it's in doubt at all, you have to wonder if that influenced the booking decisions for Money in The Bank?

The show opened with the world heavyweight title match, and I have to be honest, I was very surprised when I saw that Roman Reigns vs. LA Knight kicked off the show. Usually, with two ladder matches on the card, the office book ends the event with one to open and then one to close the broadcast. If I had to guess, I'd say the reason to put Roman/Knight on first was to avoid the chatter from the crowd of a cash-in after the contest.

The match went over 25 minutes, and while this was significantly better than the Roman/Seth Rollins attempted epic main event that fell woefully short of that mark at Summer Slam, it still started very slow. The difference was that Reigns/Rollins was a snail's pace the entire 30 minutes it was given on the broadcast, whereas the contest with LA Knight shifted into second gear in the latter stages to allow for some tremendous drama. The near falls on Roman didn't look too contrived, but rather natural enough that the maneuvers didn't telegraph if that was actually the finish or not. LA Knight appears to be a much more credible threat to the championship in the ring than he did in the build up to this bout. I don't think they needed to break the announce table during the first match since it takes away from the gimmicks later in the night, but given the circumstances, it appeared that they were going the extra mile to sell the notion that Knight might capture the belt. Roman retained with the usual superman punch and spear combination.

The women's  MITB match will be known for its car crash spots, some of which were very dangerous. In particular, Tiffany Stratton attempted to do a dive with the ladder set up sideways outside of the ring and came up short, hitting the back of her head on the floor. Tiffany was booked to win the bout and did so as planned, but I'm honestly wondering, if she wasn't scheduled to go over, would the office have sent word to get her out of the match? I'm not criticizing the effort, because everyone in the match worked hard to make it something memorable, but Tiffany racking her head on the floor was scary. Another concerning spot was when Lola Vice and Jacy Jayne took a bump on the ladder bridge and then tumbled to the floor. Outside of the bumps, everyone had their chance to shine in this segment, and the next generation of the women's division looks like it will continue the quality that the female segments have been known for the past several years. Roxanne Perez and Sol Ruca might be the next two major stars of the division, depending on if you consider Tiffany a mainstay yet or not. That's actually why I thought it was somewhat puzzling that she won the MITB contract again, Stratton was already moved up the ranks previously so she probably didn't need the contract.

Oba Femi vs. Bronson Reed was a really good modern big man match. Their agility was impressive and they kept the action moving based on their athleticism rather than settling into the generic big man sequences. Don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for the classic big man spots, but when you have athletes like this two, there's no reason to resort to that. The two biggest takeaways from this segment, at least in my opinion, wasn't so much that they put Oba over as strong as they did with him surviving the interference and the brass knuckles, we knew that was the objective, but rather the work itself. Bronson Reed's body transformation will allow him to do the best work of his career and he probably added several years to his career as well. By comparison, while Vader is without question a legendary super heavyweight, there's no doubt that his career was ultimately cut short because of the weight he gained during the latter years. Along with that, the fact that Oba showed that he can sell and work a match with more peaks and valleys than a segment where it's mostly one-dimensional to rightly showcase him is proof that he has true potential as a main event guy that will be able to work longer matches in the main event picture/ As mentioned, Oba got the win after attempted interference from The Vision.

The triple threat match for the Women's championship was solid, but the crowd was relatively quiet for the majority of the segment. It was probably an unavoidable situation after what the fans already saw, but these were polished pros that actually worked with the gimmick of the match. The sunset flip power bomb to the floor Liv Morgan landed on Becky Lynch was brutal. One of the criticisms I have of this segment, somewhat similar to the Roman/Knight bout, was that using a table, even to set up the finish wasn't necessary here. Becky took a nasty spill onto the table that didn't break, allowing Liv to eventually get the pin on Stephanie Vaquer to claim the title. With the relatively quick title change, this reveals that Vaquer winning the title in Chile was basically just for local crowd, which was fine since it was about the moment, but management seems to have bigger plans for Liv Morgan. All things considered, Stephanie Vaquer doesn't really need the championship at the moment since she's already over based on her dynamic in-ring performance.

The main event went over thirty minutes and I'd say that it went about 10 minutes too long, mostly because there was so might chaos to set up spots that trying to get the briefcase almost became an afterthought. There's a reason that these types of matches usually don't get penciled in for a half an hour, because after a certain peak, the pace becomes very stagnant or flat. I get what they were trying to do with the ambulance spot since they wanted the clip for social media, but the whole thing looked silly, especially with the roof being made of wood for the spot where Je'Von Evans got sent through it from the top of the ladder. That being said, Penta got the victory and it looks like this might set up for a memorable cash-in so it was mission accomplished in terms of progress for the product.

Who will win at MITB?

One of the biggest selling points of the Money in The Bank pay-per-view, which will take place tomorrow night in New Orleans, the city where this year's Wrestlemania was originally scheduled to take place before it was moved to Las Vegas, is that the results of the ladder matches have often play a big role in some of the most memorable moments of the modern era. Those MITB cash-ins are scenarios that become pivotal points in the careers, and sometimes even the direction of the promotion itself. As I wrote in an article earlier this week about the LA Knight/Roman Reigns title bout, the MITB PPV doesn't have the same cache as the traditional "big four" events since there's not the same amount of history behind it, but the gimmick, with the implications that it can have, puts Money in The Bank just one rung under the early PPV concepts.

Of course, the reason that the gimmick gained so much stream is the debate about who is going to win, as well as who should win to earn a future title shot. With the men's and women's ladder matches on the card, it brings two fields of competitors to take into account for a potential winner. One of the wrinkles into the fabric of the current WWE landscape is that the MITB PPV usually takes place in July, but was shuffled around this year so with the event closer to the Royal Rumble, will that effect the planning of the ladder matches?

The men's ladder match will be Bron Breakker vs. Je'Von Evans vs. Trick Williams vs. Penta vs. CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens for a title shot. This one looks like it will be a toss up since there's a case to be made for each of them to be possible winners, depending on both the short and long-term plans of the office. Granted, there's more of a case to be made for some to be positioned for a path to the title picture in 2026 than others, but it's not as though any of the names listed are just there to take a spot. It goes without saying that Bron Breakker is a guy with all the tools to be a main event star, assuming that he can stay healthy as times goes on. That's not to say that he's necessarily injury prone, but rather to point out that we've seen injuries derail plans before. Outside of the athletic skills that he brings to the table, Breakker seems to be a guy that "gets it" in terms of the scope of modern WWE, the company is there to entertain the fans. Even if the business still should be about getting heat as far as the overall health of the business, the reality is that the heat of the industry is contained within the context of the show. We've seen occasional clips from live events where Bron will "sneak" a high five from a young fan at ringside. It's nothing that he's going to do on the wide scale of international television on Raw since it would dilute his on-screen character, but that small moment to break character gave the fan a memorable experience. That mindset can be applied to the bigger picture as his role within the company gets bigger, specifically that he appears to understand the assignment as far as a representative of the company, which is key to the overall business plan with the importance of media appearances to promote the brand. Plus, Breakker is only 28 years old and has a poise well beyond his experience level. If the office stacks their chips on Bron Breakker, they could potentially have a major star for the next 15 years. That being said, given the nature of his character, Breakker is someone that isn't going to use a surprise cash-in, but rather smash his way through The Royal Rumble to get a title shot.. Obviously, it's anyone's guess if he wins the Rumble this year, but he simply doesn't need the MITB briefcase to get over as a title contender.

While Je'Von Evans is still painfully thin, he has time to fill out his physique as time goes on. At 22, there's no need to rush him, which is why I'd rule him out of winning the contract. Let's be honest here, Evans winning would be a surprise, but he was probably booked for this segment to provide the social media moment with the ladders. In the social media age, that's not a bad position to be in, as it's something that can get his name out there to the more causal viewer that is aware of WWE but only watches sporadically. Some of the same can be said for Trick Williams, the guy looks like a star and carries himself on television as if he's someone to pay attention to. You can see how he became more comfortable and confident in his persona on the main roster compared to his run as TNA champion. The possibility of Trick Williams as a main eventer is definitely valid, but given his status as the US champion, there's no reason for him to win the title shot since he still has more to do in his current role.

Initially, my guess for who was going to be victorious in the ladder match would've been Kevin Owens, based off of his momentum from his recent return from neck surgery. I've said it before and I will say it again, management knows the valuable commodity that they have with Kevin Owens on the roster. He can make the best of anything that they ask him to do, and there's a reason that he was chosen as Steve Austin's opponent for his one-off return to the ring years after his retirement from full-time action. Owens is a performer that probably still hasn't gotten the type of title reign that he deserves as far as his ability to excel as a top star in the organization so the MITB pay-per-view opens the door for that. However, as his feud with CM Punk has developed on television, I'm going to say that I don't see Owens winning the match for the same reason that I don't see Punk winning it, their feud will keep them busy for an extended period of time. The championship wouldn't necessarily add anything to their storyline because it's based on a personal grudge, not the pursuit of the belt. If anything, the two of them preventing each other from winning the contract might be used to further their angle.

That leaves Penta as the competitor that will win the briefcase, and I think he's the grappler that should win it. After his match with Roman Reigns in Mexico City, the fan base wants to see him win the championship, and a cash-in moment could give the audience that payoff, while keeping Reigns strong since it would be a surprise situation, allowing for a trilogy bout. The ability to give a reason for a rematch maximizes the buzz that was around the Mexico City contest. Penta cashes in to win the championship so a third match would decide the series. As I mentioned before, Penta is such a marketable character and his authenticity, even through the promos in broken English connect with the audience. Penta has a charismatic "it factor" that overcomes any language barrier. The office would be missing the boat if Penta doesn't get some type of title reign relatively soon so that's why I'd pick him to win the ladder match.

The women's Money in The Bank ladder match is Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Lash Legend vs. Tiffany Stratton for the same type of contract. First, I'd say that the women's field of competitors is much more cut and dry in terms of possible winners, mostly because most of the characters are already involved with other issues the brand. When they have a direction on television already, sometimes its best for that angle to conclude before, "when will she cash in" becomes the biggest focus of their role in the company. That's why I think Sol Ruca should be the one to win the contract, and I'd say that's also who the office is going to book to get the briefcase. Sol Ruca has a unique look with the beach attire and has a character that lends itself to fan support. She seems to have done well so far during her time on the main roster, and all things considered, if the office wants to invest more stock into her persona as a marketable star going forward, the MITB gimmick is a way to do that. Tiffany doesn't need it again, Jayne already as a title, Lola Vice is too new to the scene, and Lash Legend is mostly working as a part of a tag team. Roxanne Perez has done very well as a part of The Judgment day faction so she'd be the other possible winner.

The biggest takeaway from the Money in The Bank pay-per-view tomorrow night in New Orleans might be that while the ladder matches have star power to add the sizzle to the segment, this event might be a key piece of the puzzle for making bigger stars in the grand scheme of things. 

What's the status of Roman Reigns?

Is Roman Reigns overhyped?

Real estate mogul turned podcast czar, Conrad Thompson was on the Ariel Helwani Show earlier this week and one of the main points of discussion was Conrad's previous comment that one of WWE's top current stars, Roman Reigns is the most overhyped superstar in wrestling history. Conrad, who is a slick businessman that parlayed his passion for professional wrestling into a profitable side gig, influencing much of the wrestling media landscape today, defended his opinion. Thompson pointed out that Roman was given all the bells and whistles, including the best talker in the business, Paul Heyman, to get over. Conrad went on to explain that Roman's slow, dramatic entrance is rather stale by now and his limited schedule limits his impact on business.

While I think some of Conrad's assessments were too general, I agree with some of his philosophy, even if I wouldn't categorize it to the same degree. It should be noted that Thompson mentioned that he wanted to see the performers make as much money as possible, and it seemed like he genuinely wasn't trying to tear down the success, but rather provide context to his prior statement. I've heard from those that have worked directly with him that Conrad is a nice guy that sincerely appreciates the business. Who knows how accurate that is or isn't, but in fairness to the discussion, it should be noted that he didn't come off as attempting to be controversial just for publicity.

The interview made me consider the question at the center of the conversation, is Roman Reigns overhyped?

Of course, pro wrestling is subjective. The green shirt guy that spends thousands of dollars on front row tickets to almost every pay-per-view is probably thrilled any time he gets to see Roman's very well-done, albeit very repetitive extended routine in the ring. On the other end of the spectrum, you'll have the die hard All Elite Wrestling fan base that will claim that Roman is a subpar performer because he doesn't do flips and Meltzer doesn't rave about all of his pay-per-view matches.

From a more objective point of view, I think the analysis of Roman Reigns' run at the top reveals a mixed bag, often reflective of the status of the company itself since he was so closely tied to the representation of the brand in the modern era.

It would be too lengthy to detail the pitfalls of the failed baby face super push from over a decade ago, and I already wrote several articles at the time that parsed the particulars of that era. The bottom line is, for the vast majority of the first half of his career, the office put the real-life Joe Anoa'i in a no-win situation. By 2014, TNA got canceled by Spike TV after it was revealed that Vince Russo still secretly worked for the organization after network executives specifically told Dixie Carter that they didn't want him involved. Russo's errant e mail of notes that was sent to PWInsider's Mike Johnson instead of TNA announcer, Mike Tenay revealed that Dixie lied to the network so Impact was canceled. This left WWE with an even more dominate position in the industry, and basically if fans want to watch pro wrestling in the United States, they were going to watch WWE. They were going to watch McMahon's personal agenda play out on television if they wanted a mainstream sports entertainment option. Vince anointed Roman Reigns as the next John Cena, and fans were going to accept that or else. You know the fan reaction was bad when it become commonplace for Kevin Dunn to turn down the crowd audio to attempt to disguise the boos from the fans. Roman was going to hit the same basic move set, throwing a comical amount of superman punches, and the fans were supposed to buy it because, "he's the big dog, pal!"

The cringe worthy promos made things even worse, as the guy that should've been the Samoan monster was booked into scenarios where he looked like he was desperately trying to be a carbon copy of the previously mentioned Cena. Other wrestlers that were more over with the audience were sacrificed at the expense of the Roman Reigns super push, only adding to the hostility from the fan base. More than anything, it was such a ham-handed attempt to project Roman as the next John Cena that even the most casual WWE fan could see how contrived the entire premise was. The Rock endorsed him when Reigns won the Rumble so he has to be a true main eventer, right? He beat The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, that has to be the passing of the torch, right? The reality is, the hostility toward the Roman Reigns baby face push was directed at management, not the real-life performer.

It's no coincidence that when Roman finally got over as the biggest star in the company in the early-2020s that he was allowed to organically develop into the first truly main event version of Roman Reigns, not the next John Cena. He evolved as a heel and that cache was eventually used to give him a baby face run. He enhanced his in-ring work during that renewed run and find himself on the mic, which is why he can do solid promo work today. Pairing him with Heyman and eventually building the original Bloodline stable around him was less about propping him up and more about polishing the overall presentation of a dominate champion.

There's no doubt that Roman Reigns became a legitimate money-drawing star for the WWE, and that isn't possible if his status is overhyped.

However, and this is the biggest counterpoint to be made, the circumstances that got Roman Reigns over to that level, ran their course. The Bloodline concept has become a caricature of what made it successful so the office is trying to convince the audience that they are watching high-level drama rather than a retread of what they saw years ago. The audience doesn't buy that they are seeing a epic saga play out because they aren't, the fans are watching a replay of the same concepts from years earlier. It's a forced narrative that missed the mark, with the slow and often boring Seth Rollins/Roman Reigns main event at Summer Slam as a prime example. We already saw The Shield narrative reruns before, there simply isn't a demand for it now.

If I had to throw my two cents into the matter, it's not so much that Roman Reigns is overhyped, but rather that the current Roman card is simply overplayed.

Reigns was the champion for four years in a row, something that was extremely difficult to get over in the modern era because of the countless hours of television on the WWE line-up. It was much easier to get more mileage out of a title run when there was only one or two hours of original programming each week. That being said, as much as it was an accomplishment to have a four-year run as the titleholder and as much as it was very well-done to be able to boost Cody Rhodes when the belt was finally switched, the reality is that Roman Reigns more or less had him time to shine as the focus of the company. Taking into account the several years that flopped and then stellar run as the dominate champion, there isn't much more to do with Roman in the main event picture. So, to say that Roman was overhyped probably isn't completely fair, but there's undoubtedly a case to be made that he was overexposed, especially during the past two years.

What's next for LA Knight?

Is LA Knight cooked?

I'm only slightly older than the demographic that currently uses that term, but I'm an old soul so it all sounds silly to me. Six-seven used to mean a dramatic double down until both competitors got to their feet to continue the battle.

Still, the question is worth discussion, is LA Knight on the verge of being regulated back down to the mid-card for the rest of his WWE career?

I hope I'm wrong, but I think there might be a chance that this weekend's title bout at Money in The Bank in New Orleans might be his last hurrah for him in the main event picture. The reason I say that is simple, Knight is more or less in the same position today as he was when he challenged for the championship against Roman Reigns three years ago in Saudi Arabia at Crown Jewel. That's actually meant as a compliment, not a criticism, of LA Knight's ability to maintain his popularity because much like his initial surge in popularity that brought him to that title shot in 2023, Knight has kept himself over with the audience without most of the WWE promotional machine behind him. It's not an easy task to stay relevant among the WWE fan base when there are some many moving parts within the landscape of the global, publicly-traded corporation, specifically when the focus of management can shift at any given time, depending on what the next business move is. If they put extra steam behind the AAA project the way they did last month to promote Triplemania, and to build to the Penta/Reigns match in Mexico City, there are different priorities for the office compared to when the writing team starts to build toward Wrestlemania or another signature pay-per-view.

While the prestige of the Money in The Bank event has risen within the past several years, mostly because of how the results of the ladder matches have been used to create memorable moments in the history of the modern era, I think it's fair to say that it's still not considered on the same level of the traditional PPV brands. There's usually a buzz around MITB as the contenders get lined up since that implies scenarios where they could jump into the title scene, but the event doesn't have the cache of something like The Royal Rumble or Summer Slam. 

That might be an indication, much like Crown Jewel was in 2023, that this title match between Roman and Knight is nothing more than a placeholder to give the champion an opponent to get through until Survivor Series. Don't get me wrong, LA Knight is a guy that has overachieved for the majority of his career. As Eli Drake, he was a bright spot in one of the bleaker times in TNA history, which covers a lot of ground, and he stood out during the earlier episodes of NWA Power. Furthermore, four years ago, Vince McMahon saw him as Max Dupri, the manager of a gimmick tag team. Outside of the fact that Vince usually didn't put stock in tag teams, at least not in the twenty years before that, the best case scenario was that McMahon saw him as a secondary figure, not even an in-ring performer. LA Knight certainly proved McMahon wrong on that assumption.

That said, I don't think it was a case of the office trying to minimize Knight's popularity, although there have definitely been situations over the years when management shut down a character that got over with the audience that wasn't in their plans, but rather the timing of the scenario. Credit to LA Knight, he's a talented worker that got himself over with the crowd, but that was in the middle of the two-year storyline between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. It wouldn't have made sense for Roman to drop the title before he finally put Cody over since the lengthy tenure as champion is basically what made the title switch as memorable as it was. This isn't to take anything away from LA Knight, but not him or anyone else on the roster would've justified deviating from that plan, especially because the corporation finally had someone that could take the John Cena role in terms of the representative of the brand when Cody Rhodes became the top guy.

Unfortunately, history might repeat itself and LA Knight could be a victim of circumstances again.

There was a case to be made for Penta to win the championship in Mexico City, and I don't think it's quite as definitive as the Cody angle, but it wouldn't surprise me if the office keeps Reigns undefeated until he drops the title to Oba Femi next year in Saudi Arabia. Again, I think there's more room for the title to change hands before that since Oba and Roman haven't had any direct interaction yet, but as I said, it wouldn't surprise me if the office took the most basic path that will saw Roman put Femi over strong on the biggest stage possible.

That's the question within all of this, if LA Knight wins the title, who does he work with? Sami Zayn is WWE champion on Smackdown, and CM Punk is currently busy with a feud against Kevin Owens, which should be given the proper time to unfold in a manner that will maximize its potential as compelling programming. Gunter is still involved on Smackdown, and while he could theoretically jump brands to work with Knight, which would be a solid pairing, it's doubtful that the writing team will shuffle that many pieces if they have Gunther penciled in already for something on Smackdown.

Ultimately, that's why the Roman/Knight match at MITB this weekend seems like a placeholder rather than a new chapter. Of course, shuffling the deck would be helpful, it certainly freshened up the dynamics on Smackdown, but there appears to be bigger fish to fry on Raw. Yes, LA Knight is talented enough to get a run as the world champion. Hey, Jack Swagger was the champion once. And, yes, it would be a great moment within the context of the MITB pay-per-view. However, between the plans for Oba Femi, who is more than 15 years younger, and the possibility of a Penta run that could be used to assist the AAA venture, how much meat on the bone is there for an LA Knight tenure as champion?

As mentioned, I hope I'm wrong and we get the surprise switch, even if I'm doubtful since the office just did something similar with Sami. Perhaps, the WWE needs to get out of its TKO comfort zone so to speak as far as not pivoting throughout the year if plans were already made. That's not to say that changing the direction every week is helpful, it isn't, as we saw during Vince's latter tenure as the boss, but a degree of flexibility to capitalize on trends would be helpful if the pace of the product is stagnant. At 43, lA Night still have at least a few of the prime years of his career left, but the biggest takeaway from the Roman/Knight bout, based on the similarities between the circumstances of their match in 2023 and the title match this weekend, it looks like the office views LA Knight as a marketable upper mid-card talent, not necessarily the world champion.