WWE releases

It's not surprising when the WWE has its annual purge of talent, usually a short time after Wrestlemania since it makes room for call-ups to the main roster, which we already saw on Raw and Smackdown last week respectively. However, among the two dozen names that were cut from the organization, it was undoubtedly surprising that some of the names of the list were chosen to be released, especially because of their track record or current involvement in the company.

It goes without saying that it's never fun to see someone lose their job, especially their dream job in a lot of cases, but it should be noted that the process is simply a part of the business. Sometimes, it's a valuable part of a talent's career path, as the exit can allow them to reinvent themselves to be able to return to the big stage as a more polished performer.

There are roughly half a dozen names from either NXT or the developmental system that weren't main players within the landscape of the WWE so the impact of their departure was minimal, if at all. There's no reason to discuss the cuts of names that most of the audience hadn't heard of before or didn't know existed anyway. 

However, with the names that fans know, there could be a ripple effect within the business.

First and probably most surprising was the entire Wyatt Sicks stable being released. Of course, the booking of the faction did them absolutely no favors and it seemed like the creative team had no idea how to actually script storylines for them. If they weren't involved in a feud with another complete stable, they often weren't featured on television. There was no individual rivalries or individual developmental, which completely hindered not only what the Wyatts could be used for, but also typecast them as a secondary act. The most frustrating part of their exit is that there was serious potential for the stable to be a long term, money-drawing act, but almost nothing was done to push or promote that. Keep in mind, after the major debut a few years ago, there was a period of time when the Wyatts vanished from television because the office had nothing for them.

Given that the Wyatt Sicks concept did very well on merchandise, despite the limited push on WWE programming, and Universal Studios put together a Wyatt attraction at their annual Halloween Horror Nights event, there was proof that the concept could draw money. Somehow, the sum total of their tenure, aside from a forgettable tag team title run, was a tribute act to Bray Wyatt, which was a nice gesture, but nothing that progressed the faction to the point that it could stand on its own. This has to be an example of when WWE creative, with the dozens of writers, missed the boat on what could've been a sustainable act. As far as what's next, I'd say that TNA would be wise to import the entire stable to the company, especially since they have the previously mentioned track record of merchandise numbers. Perhaps, this release was given with the understandable that the door would be open at the promotion that has a working agreement with WWE because otherwise, it seems rather odd that management would cut all five of them at once.

The Motor City Machine Guns were also a surprising release, mostly because they were only under contract for a year and a half. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley are solid pros, and I would've thought that at the very least, they'd be kept around to work with the younger talent in NXT. I don't think they did anything that would label them as a subpar team or that their run in the WWE was a dud, but rather the opposite, as there was a relatively small sample size of what they were given the opportunity to do that it would be tough to judge a true level of success. If I had to guess, Sabin and Shelley were probably victims of circumstance, as far as the amount of younger teams already under contract. It's a safe bet that the MCMG will make their way back to TNA, or at least they should since they are both too talented not to work for a national promotion.

Kari Sane is another performer that is too talented not to work for a major group. She was a level underneath the top-tier of the women's division, but that was a reflection of where she was positioned, not her skill level. Unless. Kari looked for a release to want to go back to Japan, I don't know why the office would cut someone that is as solid as she is in the ring, especially because it's always good to have as much depth as possible on the roster. In theory, All Elite Wrestling could be an option, but I'd say she would be better served to return to Stardom to avoid being lost in the shuffle in AEW. Considering that Bushiroad, the parent company of New Japan, also owns Stardom, it's possible that Sane could be promoted in a top spot if she returns to her native country.

Santos Escobar is puzzling since his contract expired late last year before he re-signed with the organization, but did very little afterwards. He's someone that I would've assumed found a spot in AAA under WWE's ownership, but depending on his contract, he might've been a causality of budget cuts. I'm not sure his exit means all the much in the grand scheme of things for WWE, but he might be a solid pick up for CMLL as they look to maintain their position in Mexico during the ongoing AAA expansion. In a similar fashion, Apollo Crews is a great athlete and he will land on his feet somewhere, but he was so far under the radar that his departure doesn't really make any waves in the organization. He spent several years under contract and was even repackaged a few times so it's probably best for everyone involved if he gets a fresh start elsewhere. Andre Chase was known for his time in NXT, but his release is moot, and it's doubtful that there will be a major demand for him in other promotions since he was very much a WWE project.

It seems like Zoey Stark had some potential, as far as an in-ring worker, but a series of injuries kept her from gaining any momentum to become an established performer on the roster. It's a harsh reality of the sport, if you're on the sidelines, you can't draw money in the ring, and at some point, the office has to look at it as the possible return on investment. Stark was under contract for five years and was on the shelf for almost half pf that time so at some point, management had to chalk up her deal to the cost of doing business. At this point, there wasn't a realistic expectation that the Zoey Stark character would generate the revenue to justify the investment of her contract. In some what of a similar fashion, Alba Fyre was also under contract for several years and was still a secondary character so it wasn't surprising that she was cut from the roster. I'm not sure where Fyre will end up, and Stark's next move will probably depend on if she can stay healthy enough to continue to pursue a full-time career.

Besides the Wyatt Sicks being cut, I was even more surprised that Aleister Black and his wife, Zelina Vega were released. Black was originally released from the company in 2021 after the office didn't seem to know what to do with him, and most of his appearances were sporadic during the latter portion of his four-year tenure in the company. He spent three and a half years in AEW, but there were rumors that he often refused to lose. Based on what he did in the organization, it appeared that the story was correct, as he only put over former WWE talent. If the guy simply wouldn't do business then Tony Khan's hands were tied, but I'm not sure if keeping him under contract, especially in retrospect, made a difference in the grand scheme on things since his WWE return was rather short. That said, while I can understand why a talent would question some of Tony's slapstick booking, if you're willing to cash the check then you should do business until the end of the agreement. That being said, I'm still puzzled as to why WWE brass didn't do much with him after he returned to the company last year. Black can do in the ring, and he has a character that you'd think would be useful with storylines. Adding Zelina during Black's feud with Damian Priest could've been a way to complete the package so to speak and allow him to move up the card, but it seemed to fizzle out before any progress was made. Unless he was one of the higher paid talents and was cut strictly for budget reasons, this release doesn't make much sense, particularly because he just returned to the organization last year.

Given that Black was reportedly difficult to deal with, Tony Khan shouldn't consider a return for him. Take the rather useless three and a half years that Black was under AEW contract as a lesson learned. Along with the Wyatts, Aleister Black and Zelina should be imported to TNA has soon as possible. This might sound too harsh, but with Impact on AMC this year, the promotion needs more recognizable names. I'm not sure Candice Michelle, who hasn't been relevant in years, being added to the roster accomplishes that. If TNA truly wants to expand its footprint, and has increased the ratings somewhat over the course of the year so far, they are going to have to get more familiar faces on their shows. Obviously, any time there are several releases from WWE, it opens the door on the free agent market, but with how bloated the All Elite roster is already, the biggest opportunity from this scenario should be for TNA to cherry-pick some talent to add some recognizable names to its roster.

What's the status of TKO?

Death, taxes, and corporate suites will ruin pro wrestling.

There are very few things certain in life, but there's enough of a track record to prove that corporate suites don't understand pro wrestling. Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling went from the highest rated show on cable in 1997 to out of business within the span of three years. The reason is simple, and it can apply to any industry across the board, which is why there's always a fluctuation of business ventures in any field, just because someone has the resources to finance something, that doesn't automatically mean that they have the knowledge to make it successful. In the early-90s, Jim Herd knew how to sell pizza, not pro wrestling. The result of that was a lot of pitiful television, a myriad of talented performers that decided to leave the organization rather than work for him, and a revolving door of figure heads to replace him after he was given his walking papers. 

As I said, this notion applies beyond the scope of professional wrestling.

Bob Chapek was named the CEO of Disney in 2020, replacing longtime kingpin, Bob Iger before he was given the boot two years later after a disastrous earnings report at the time. The former boss returned from retirement, signing a new contract with the understanding that his eventual successor would be put in place at some point in the future. Generally speaking, Disney is such an entertainment powerhouse that prints money that when the conglomerate lost a massive amount of cash, mostly on investments in productions that didn't move the needle for the Disney+ streaming service, the organization returned to the leadership of Iger because much of the modern success of the company was under his leadership. Iger back in the saddle brought a level of confidence back to investors because of his previous track record. At 75, Iger was ready to retire and it was mission accomplished, as far as getting the company in the right direction so Josh D'Amaro was named CEO last month. Panda Energy poured millions of dollars into TNA for more than a decade until Bob Carter pulled the plug on his daughter's vanity project to make herself a TV star. No amount of Bob's cash was going to remove the stain of failure from TNA, and it took the company being sold and rebranded on a few occasions before the audience would give it a chance again. Even a slew of the hand-picked sycophants in the Trump administration were fired recently because they didn't serve the orange blob to the correct degree.

In short, nothing in any business is a substitute for knowledge. That's why the new audio that surfaced of TKO president, Mark Shapiro from a lecture at Alabama University last week should be concerning, both for fans and potentially even those that work for the company.

There was roughly five minutes of muffled audio and some of it was just fancy business jargon, but there were a few key takeaways that provided some insight into how the WWE is run as a part of a conglomerate as opposed to a company on its own. It should be noted that the media muscle and resources behind WWE as a part of Endeavor make it significantly stronger in terms of the business world, specifically when it comes it media rights and distribution negotiations. That being said, it should be noted that while the pro wrestling league is a valuable piece of the Endeavor pie, it's also just one of the entities within the corporation's portfolio. Endeavor has to serve a lot of masters to make the massive amount of money that it does so the pro wrestling side of the coin can't always be the top priority. The downside of that, as we've seen lately, is a rather generic approach that doesn't translate because it uses a macro view to paint with a broad brush rather than attention paid to the small details that collectively make a big difference in the long run.

One of the main points of discussion was that Shapiro confirmed that TKO has creative control over the WWE. On the surface, this might sound like the most concerning portion of the news that made the rounds about the college lecture, but it really shouldn't be that surprising. TKO is the corporation that exists after the merger of the WWE and UFC, which is under the Endeavor umbrella so considering that Endeavor owns the WWE, yes, they would have control over the decisions that are made, at least on a broader level. That being said, it's not so much that Endeavor has creative control, but rather if or when they decide to overrule the decision makers in the WWE for the direction of the product. Keep in mind, Endeavor CEO, Ari Emanuel was supposedly the one that gave Triple H full control of the creative process after Vince McMahon was exiled. It's doubtful that a guy that runs a billion dollar entertainment company that spans beyond the scope of pro wrestling wants to decide what gets booked on Raw each week. That said, there were reports that Emanuel made the call for Pat McAfee's disastrous involvement that actually hindered, not helped the build to WM 42. It was a little too simplistic to expect that just because McAfee has a show on ESPN that booking him into the angle would suddenly cause an upswing in ticket sales when the reasons for the decline in the number of seats sold were expotentially more complicated than who was on television.

Again, the financial resources to fund a company, or in this case, the media power of the Endeavor empire that was used to expand the distribution of the product on a global basis, isn't a substitute for the knowledge of how to build the pay-per-view on a weekly basis.

Speaking of celebrities, Shapiro explained that the corporation values those celebrity tie-ins as a way to draw more mainstream attention, but similar to the booking aspect, every the famous cameos should have a level of nuance to them. It's not anything that will redefine the industry, it's the simple concept that a celebrity appearance will work if it makes sense within the context of pro wrestling and brings something more to the table rather than a superficial grasp at publicity. For example, Mr. T was a perfect fit for Wrestlemania because his roles in the A-Team and Rocky 3 lent themselves very easily to the world of professional wrestling. On the flip side, shoehorning McAfee into the picture, especially with the way his promos trashed the current product, didn't translate to something that would hype the PPV, and neither did the blatant mentions of the storyline on his show. Of course, Shapiro cited The Rock for celebrity involvement as a positive, which means he was sticking to the company line or didn't watch The Rock's involvement last year. More than anything, Dwayne Johnson's most recent tenure in the WWE, as well as some of his recent box office blunders, proved that just giving him a mic or a role doesn't automatically translate to success. The Rock's involvement was random, his promos were rambling, and his abrupt exit before the storyline was resolved with Travis Scott as a replacement was illogical.

Finally, in a round about way, Shapiro said of the price increases and how expensive it is for fans to follow the product now compared to before the merger, if it's too expensive then those fans can stop watching because Endeavor is marketing the brand to a wider demographic that will make up the difference. Maybe that's true, especially with how common international pay-per-views have become, but given that the WWE is still based in the United States, it sounds rather pig-headed for Shapiro to thumb his nose at the domestic audience. Shapiro added that the cost of entertainment options increased so the WWE brand was going to go along with that. That might be the case right now, but there's absolutely no indication that the industry will be able to maintain that in the future, especially with the mergers of the past few years, as well as those on the horizon. There's a reason that ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+ are all included in the same subscription because trying to sell them as individual platforms wasn't going to be sustainable so Disney made the adjustment to give consumers more for their money. The upcoming Warner Brothers merger with Paramount will ultimately give consumers more content with one subscription. The point is, the economical scale of the entertainment business in the modern era is far from set in stone so it doesn't really provide an excuse for the insane ticket prices beyond corporate greed.

Previously, TKO emphasized the goal of adjusting the WWE ticket prices to be more to scale with the UFC, which as I wrote in an article about the commercialization about Wrestlemania last week, there's somewhat of a crossover with the male demographic, but there are different fan bases. More specifically, part of why the reason that families being able to attend live events was important under Vince McMahon was because professional wrestling fandom was often passed down through the generations. The UFC simply hasn't been around long enough for the generational aspect to apply, hence why it should be a key consideration if families can still afford the WWE product.

While I don't think there will be a mass exodus or a mutiny all at once, the fact that Shapiro acknowledges that the corporation is willing to lose fans in the process of trying to expand internationally, it's at least possible that the TKO business practices could erode the domestic audience over the course of time. That would become a problem if the international expansion doesn't cover the different, especially in terms of revenue. As I also wrote last week, the potential pitfalls might be moot if the overall business plan of TKO is to inflate the value of the WWE before they sell it to the Saudi government within the next decade.

2PW Risk and Reward event

Prospect Pro Wrestling, the organization that stemmed from the seed of an idea from longtime veteran, Marshall Gambino, was founded eight years ago with the mission statement to give a platform to the next generation of grapplers in the Pittsburgh area, a region that is known almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced.

As time went on, the young lions that were given the chance to run with the ball evolved and rose to the occasion, cementing themselves are true drawing cards for packed crowds at 2PW events over the years. Standouts like Jami Jameson, Tad Jarvis, Gianni Micheal Emricko, and Preston Everest were among those that highlighted 2PW cards, polishing their skills to enter the prime of their relatively young careers, in part because of the platform that Prospect Pro provided. Pittsburgh legends like Gory, Paul Atlas, and Super Hentai provided complimentary contrast to the youngsters, while stalwarts such as Andrew Palace and The Beastman thrilled audiences as well.

The 2PW product served a unique menu of action to it's dedicated fan base, offering a buffet of action that brought something for everyone to the table.

After several months of a hiatus the prior year to recharge and reset, Prospect Pro Wrestling made its successful relaunch in August of last year, with it's new home base at The Elements venue in Irwin, Pennsylvania, a town with its own extensive pro wrestling history that stretches back as far as the late-90s for Norm Connors', the godfather of Pittsburgh wrestling, Steel City Wrestling venture that was held at the old Sideshow Pizza entertainment complex. Ironically, Connors was a part of Prospect Pro's event in February when he and former ring announcer, as well as promoter, Chuck Roberts were in the corners of John McChesney and Dennis Gregory.

The 2PW management team has done more than simply bring live matches back to the area, they've integrated the promotion into the fabric of the community. Many of the local business owners have sponsored the organization, and have worked hand-in-hand, not only the promotional side of the live cards, but 2PW makes a significant effort to provide advertisements and brand awareness to boost sales for their generous sponsors. You can't go far in the business section of Irwin without seeing a myriad of flyers for the upcoming live events. It's very much been a win-win for the wrestling organization and the community itself.

 "On the advertising side, I’ve shifted from just basic event promotion to more strategic, targeted campaigns. That includes the consistent social media storytelling with more promos from the talent, match-by-match hype, graphic branding, and creating a recognizable voice for 2PW that fans can connect with. Instead of just announcing shows, we now build anticipation weeks in advance through structured content like talent reveals and match announcements, stipulation teases, and with this show in particular, the items that are up for grabs to win at our basket raffle.  Sponsorship efforts have also grown significantly. I’ve taken a more active role in not only securing partnerships by integrating sponsors into the overall fan experience. This includes branded raffle baskets, social media shoutouts, and collaborative promotions that give sponsors real visibility while enhancing the value of our events. I’ve also been taking initiative to get involved in more of their events that they hold as well, showing the support works both ways. The focus has become long-term relationship building rather than one-off placements," explained Emily Doyle, the 2PW Marketing Director and Social Media Coordinator

Speaking of the next live presentation from 2PW, as much as the group was founded, built, and thrives on the young lions of the sport, it always recognizes that none of that would be possible without the path paved from those in the past.

The Risk and Reward live event that will be held on May 1st at The Elements building will be a benefit for The Cauliflower Alley Club, an official nonprofit organization that was founded in 1965 that has provided assistance to former athletes in need over the years, with its focus today on the professional wrestling industry. The annual convention held in Las Vegas has become a signature event on the pro wrestling calendar each August, but the organization works towards its goal of helping former grapplers in need throughout the year with its membership dues and fundraising efforts.

"Having seen firsthand the issues that some of these men and women face and having had the privilege of meeting and forming friendships with many of the wrestling heroes I grew up watching in the 1980s, I feel a deep personal responsibility to give back. Discovering the mission of the Cauliflower Alley Club provided the perfect opportunity to do just that. It’s a cause I believe in wholeheartedly, and serving it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life," commented Mark Charles III, an accomplished referee on the Pittsburgh independent circuit.

Known affectionately as "The Count" for his role in the squared circle, Mark Charles joined the CAC just over two years ago, serving on the advisory board as the Membership Coordinator. Following the recent passing of the well-respected Executive Vice President, Rich Ingling it was decided that Mark would Chairman of the advisory board to allow for the leadership roles to be shuffled to fill the void after of Mr. Ingling's passing. Charles III will be one of the CAC luminaries that will be in the house to work the Risk and Reward event.

For Prospect Pro Wrestling, the mission of the CAC seemed like a perfect cause to contribute toward, and it became a priority for the management team after the previously mentioned relaunch last year.

"Two years ago, Paul Atlas and Curtis Stevenson invited a few of us out to Las Vegas to attend the CAC reunion.  I had no idea what the reunion was all about.  After the reunion, I said it was my responsibility to give back and help the talent that paved the way for me to be able to be a wrestler.  We reached out to the Cauliflower Alley Club president, Brian Blair with our idea of how we wanted to give back in 2026 and the rest is history," commented Marshall Gambino.

"I’ve been a lifetime member of the CAC for around a decade now and the thing that pulled me in was the fact that it’s an opportunity to give back to a business that has given me so much. It’s my feeling that anyone in the wrestling industry should be a member. I’m very appreciative that 2PW is doing something that no other independent wrestling promotion has ever done by having this benefit, and I hope others look at this and follow by either joining the CAC or donating in some way," added Paul Atlas, a 35-year veteran that has held regional titles, as well as national championships in the NWA over the past three decades.

Among the stacked line-up for the Risk and Reward presentation, Preston Everest will defend the Top Prospect championship in a belt on a pole match against Jami Jameson and Super Hentai. A wild 10-person gauntlet will determine the 2PW Anarchy champion. The tag titles will be on the line in a three-team scramble match between The Apex, The Swole Patrol, and the duo of Clay Campbell and Anthony Young. The Runway, Calvin Couture and Tyler Klein, will defend the Pitt Fight tag team titles against Chest Flexor and Cory Futuristic in a Fashionista Street Fight. Dani Mo will square off with Gory. There will be other bouts as well to round out a full night of action.

"On the social media side, it opens the door to a completely different kind of storytelling. I get to help shine a light on wrestling’s history, its legends, and the meaningful work the Club does behind the scene, especially supporting talent who may have fallen on hard times. That adds depth and purpose to the content we put out. There’s also a strong sense of connection that comes with it. Working with members of the Cauliflower Alley Club advisory board has been so rewarding. This opportunity has also given me opportunity to interact with individuals who have shaped the industry in major ways. That naturally raises the standard for how I communicate, how I market, and how I represent both organizations," Emily explained.

For those within the Prospect Pro management team, the hopes for another sellout at The Elements venue in Irwin extends further than a good night at the box office, but rather a way to pay respect to the storied history of the business. 

"As the promoter of 2PW, the benefit aspect of this event is something that goes far beyond just putting on a great night of professional wrestling, it’s about giving back to the business and the people who built it. For us, this event is an opportunity to connect the current generation of talent and fans with the legacy of the industry. Wrestling is built on respect,respect for those who paved the way and aligning 2PW with a benefit tied to CAC reinforces that message. It’s not just about what happens in the ring that night, but about making a meaningful impact outside of it," Marshall concluded.

What's the status of WWE?

"Cash Rules Everything Around Me" -Wu Tang Clan

For as long as there has been any level of wide distribution, there has been the debate between the art and the commercialism of media. Sure, pop culture is a form of success, but the sizzle of trends fade, and the true substance of the entertainment industry stands the test of time. Carlos Mencia had a cable show at one time before he was exposed as a hack, whereas George Carling was a comic prophet that still remains relevant today nearly two decades after his death. A slew of bubble gum pop groups have to wait until their music becomes old enough to draw a nostalgic crowd to get a second run of live performances. Neil Young's music has endured for over half a century. God bless Tom Green and the crew that produced Road Trip in 2000, but the raunchy comedy isn't exactly held in the same regard as Casablanca.

Some will cite revenue as the only true barometer of success, and they might have a point, but the counter to that is that the substance of an art form can draw more money over the course of time than a trend that draws big in the moment.

Professional wrestling is no different, and the debate between sizzle over substance has existed almost as long as the business itself.

The world knew the WWF in the 80s because of the Rock N' Wrestling connection, but diehard fans knew that bell-to-bell, the pyro and ballyhoo of New York couldn't hold a candle to Jim Crockett Promotions. The Hulkster was going to go through his immensely popular routine and drop the leg with a very family sequence of maneuvers to polish off a very similar cast of opponents. Ric Flair was one of the hardest working guys in the business and was going to be able to work with anyone. Flair was the iron man of the ring when the one-hour draw wasn't uncommon. At the same time, Vince McMahon's business plan and marketing approach were top-notch compared to the Carolina-based organization. Vince knew how to package and sell his product to the widest audience possible, and as a result made enough money to cherry-pick enough of the regional stars that he was able to continue to expand his promotion from the north east to a national platform. The action figures, t-shirts, magazines, cartoons, and ice cream bars put the WWF in another league, enhancing the public perception of the brand. On the flip side, Crockett offered a limited amount of merchandise and the distribution was minimal, especially compared to the WWF.

Don't get me wrong, Dusty, The Road Warriors, The Four Horseman, The Rock N' Roll Express, The Midnight Express, and Magnum TA were a part of a legendary roster. The argument could be made, depending on what someone looks for in their wrestling, that the NWA had a much better in-ring product than the WWF in its heyday, but the business plan of the WWF was far superior. As we know, Crockett spent itself into debt and was forced to sell to Ted Turner in late-1988 to keep pro wrestling on TBS.

At that phase of the industry, sizzle won over substance.

As mentioned, the debate more or less has always been, and probably always will be a part of the discussion of pro wrestling. The under card of WCW in the late-90s was stellar, but Steve Austin vs. Vince or The Rock in the main event slots ultimately tilted the tide of the wrestling war of that era. Even today, when the WWE is touting record-setting revenue, there are some fans that insist the match that got seven stars in front of a much smaller crowd was better. There's not necessarily a right or wrong answer, it merely depends on perspective.

However, there could definitely be a point where the commercialism, especially of corporate pro wrestling jumps the shark, souring even the most dedicated fans in the process. TKO and the suites that run the global, publicly-traded conglomerate might be tip-toeing on the fine line where they attempt to squeeze every dime out of the product to the point that it actually costs them a portion of the audience in the process of their attempts to appease stockholders.

It goes without saying that Wrestlemania 42 was a prime example of this, both before and after the event. After the weekend wrapped up, The Las Vegas Review Journal reported that there was an estimated 19,000 fans less in town this year compared to last year for the sports entertainment spectacle. It's not shocking when you take into account that just two weeks before the pay-per-view, there was a 30% decrease in the amount of tickets sold compared to 2025. It remains to be seen how much WWE did or didn't paper the house to get fans into the building. While still being deemed a success, partially because of how much Las Vegas needs anything possible to boost its sluggish tourism numbers in recent years, the decline in the amount of fans the PPV brought to the city is undoubtedly a reflection of the astronomical ticket prices, as well as WWE's attempts to remedy the situation way too late in the game. By the time the 31% and then 25% discounts were put into place, the costs of everything else, including plane tickets and hotel reservations, already increased beyond what the ticket sale could cover.

Despite the money made, this should be a message to WWE brass that they priced out a portion of their fan base, but based on TKO CEO, Mark Shapiro's recent comments, the corporation doesn't seem be concerned with alienating its core audience, but rather expects to draw for a wider demographic instead.

I could be wrong, but professional wrestling is such a unique genre that it's not as simple as some executive proclaiming that a paint-by-numbers approach will translate to the sports entertainment industry. The bottom line is, the WWE isn't the UFC. Yes, there was always some crossover because of the male demographic, but the ticket scale, fan base, and promotional strategies are completely different. A top name in MMA might fight twice a year, particular since Zuffa sold the organization in 2016. The WWE has to market its main event talent for pay-per-views every month. In many ways, it's an apples to oranges scenario, despite still being in the produce section.

That might be why TKO jumped the shark with the amount of ads, commercials and sponsorships that littered the Wrestlemania broadcast to the point that it was almost as if viewers were watching infomercials with a side of wrestling, as opposed to the event being served as the main course.

Don't get me wrong, advertisers and commercial revenue are ultimately how Vince won the wrestling war and became the undisputed king of sports entertainment, but even McMahon, as deviant as he might be in his personal life, held the sanctity ring in such regard that he wouldn't reduce the professional presentation of his shows to live action billboards. As we've discussed since the merger with UFC a year and a half ago, the traditional troupes of the pro wrestling business have no cache with the Endeavor business executives. Still, as cliche as some of those troupes might've been, there was often a reason McMahon kept them in place over the years.

Vince famously refused to have an logos or sponsorships on the canvas since he saw it as a cluttered look to what should be a clean presentation. This is one of the few things that TKO has done with the sole intention of squeezing every dime possible from the live events, but the logos on the mat actually give the product somewhat of a more modern look since those type of advertisements have been used in boxing and the UFC for years. However, and this is the much bigger point, TKO goes a step too far when they slap logos on literally anything at ringside to the point where, again, it looks like the fans are watching an infomercial that happens to have pro wrestling going on around it, which is just silly. Slim Jim and pro wrestling are a perfect tag team, which is why iconic Macho Man still has a role in their promotional material that is blended with the current roster, but the Slim Jim stickers on the tables under the ring to be used in spots during matches is a step too far. Nothing takes the spontaneity out of the performance or takes the audience out of the moment more than if the product placement has to take center stage.

Furthermore, the amount of commercials, specifically on a platform behind a paywall, is insane. There was a time that one of the major selling points of a premium platform was that part of what you were paying for was the ability to avoid commercials. When you pay for access to such a service, particularly with the way that TKO has commercialized almost every aspect of the presentation, it almost has a "give us your money" narrative rather than enjoy the show you paid for since the audience is constantly being sold something at any given more during the broadcast. The nearly 45 minutes of downtime between the end of the previous match and the start of the main event on night one of Wrestlemania could've ruined the overall viewing experience.

With the way viewers are bombarded with a sales pitch not only during the matches, but even between the segments with the seemingly endless commercials, it really kills a lot of the enthusiasm for the show itself. When Adam Weitsman, who became a billionaire through crypto, which is more of a work than sports entertainment, was randomly at the announce desk with Michael Cole and Wade Barrett for the Jade Cargill/Rhea Ripley match on night two of Wrestlemania, it completely jumped the shark to a level that unbelievable ludicrous. TKO is worth tens of billions of dollars, do they really need this guy's cash to allow him to make an illogical cameo? If an appearance on Wrestlemania literally has a price to it, doesn't that take away from the star power of the performers? You either have to be a top notch performer, or be willing to spend the cash without any of that ability to be a part of Wrestlemania. Ironically, Weitsman pled guilty to 86 felon counts of bank fraud in 2004 so maybe he isn't completely out of place in the wrestling business after all.

It goes without saying that advertisements and sponsorships are an important part of the business model of WWE, and there's nothing wrong with that. But there's a different between maximizing those revenue streams and commercializing to such a degree that it ruins the viewing experience. I really don't expect the causal fans to continue to follow or invest into the product on a long term basis if this is the new TKO formula. Maybe that's why TKO continues to look for more of a global reach rather than an attempt to reestablish the domestic fan base? The reason being, especially in the domestic market, there are so many entertainment options through modern technology that eventually only the most diehard fans are going to be willing to sit through 30 minutes of commercials between matches.

I'm just speculating, but the waves of ads might be by design as a way to inflate the value of the company before an eventual sale to Saudi Arabia. Keep in mind, the corporate suites have no alliances with the history of the business, the WWE is just another commodity in their portfolio so I wouldn't be completely shocked if they were willing to sell the pro wrestling portion of TKO for the right price since it would boil down to a successful return on investment. Obviously, it depends on how the business trends continue over the next decade, but the Netflix deal ensures major profit, in addition to the ESPN deal and the TV contract that keeps Smackdown on the USA network. Taking into account that he Saudis have spent a few hundred million on importing the WWE brand to their country and that number will eventual top the billion dollar mark by the end of the current deal, it's not impossible that at some point it would became the more efficient financial move to buy the company outright than to continue to purchase a few individual events per year. Remember, Saudi Arabia has already spent billions of dollars in an effort to bring a myriad of western entertainment acts to the region so it's not out of the question that they could make TKO a serious offer to buy the WWE at some point in the future.

The Hulk Hogan documentary

The anticipated four-part documentary series on Netflix titled, "Real American" that chronicled the career, as well as featured the final interview of Hulk Hogan's life, premiered on the streaming platform today. Given that WWE, including Lee Fitting, current WWE executive producer, and Triple H, were involved in the project, I was skeptical about what narrative the production was going to try to present, especially with the theoretical value of the Hogan brand at this point.

First, it should be noted that I don't think this documentary needed four episodes, which isn't a knock on Hulk, but rather the tendency for content providers to stretch subject matter simply to extend the runtime as much as possible because of how much of a premium is placed on original content within the media landscaped, as each platform tries to maintain subscribers over the long haul. That being said, this production did very well of telling the story of the life of Terry Bollea, and the career of Hulk Hogan without regurgitating used footage or a carbon copy of stories that were already covered ad nauseam. That was one of the glaring issues of the long-form Vince McMahon documentary that was produced by Netflix in September of 2024. The six-episode presentation was essentially a retelling of WWE history rather than an examination of the life of the kingpin of sports entertainment, with only a few blurbs that gave an insight into the mind of McMahon, despite the five hours of footage that made the cut for the documentary.

Thankfully, this Hogan presentation gave new information, and covered most of the important points of his career without getting too deep into the weeds with topics that are cliches in 2026.

One of the most interesting portions was in the first episode when Bollea revealed details about his family background, including the lack of apparent affection from his parents. His ex-wife, Linda claimed that Bollea was an unplanned child, leading to a lack of compassion during his childhood. I'm not Sigmund Freud, but maybe this early lack of acceptance led to Terry Bollea's insecurities later in life? The segment provides at least a possible peak into the mindset of why a guy that was a cemented star still had to insist that he beat everyone without rarely putting anyone else over. On the other end of the spectrum, Brock Lesnar is an example of a guy that was always willing to do business and was confident enough that he knew his star power wouldn't fade. At the same time, it might be a scenario that isn't anywhere near as provocative as some deep-seeded search for acceptance based on experience earlier in life. It could've just as easily been a situation where Hulk was an egomaniac that was from an era that he learned to get over at all costs, even the existence of the promotion. Still, the potential explanation was very interesting, as it was a look at the man behind the sports entertainment persona.

Along the same lines, while it was briefly mentioned previously that Bollea had a brother that was a biker, this documentary reveals that Allan Bollea was estranged from the family for a portion of years before he reconnected with Hogan prior to his death via an overdose when Hulk was on the road with the WWF. Hogan was visibly shaken when he discussed the death of his brother. It didn't take much to figure out long before this documentary was produced that Linda Hogan is nothing more than a useless gold digger that wanted a complimentary trip on easy street in her life, and this feature proves it. In fact, she talks about her insistence that she be taken care of, which is what prompted Bollea to originally propose to her in the 80s. Furthermore, most of the home movie footage that was shown was of Linda talking about the expensive things that were purchased or the lavish home that the family lived in at the time. There will be viewers that watch this presentation that will want to claim that is somehow absolves Hulk Hogan of his sins because Terry Bollea tries to separate himself from the on-screen character, as if his complicated life shouldn't have an impact on the perception of the legacy of Hulk Hogan, but that seems like a flimsy excuse to avoid responsibility for the rightfully criticism during his career. That being said, nobody will defend Linda, especially after the statements she made on Netflix. Plus, she looks like she had more botox in her face than the amount of juice that The Hulkster ever did during career.

As the series progresses, the documentary offers the broad strokes of his wrestling career, which was the right decision when you take into account how extensive the details of each of his runs were over the course of different tenures in either WWF or WCW. This gave enough detail about the peaks and valleys of what worked and what didn't for the average person to get the point without getting too granular with details that the causal fan wouldn't connect with in terms of what they think of when it comes to the Hogan legacy. As much as I'm not a fan of Hulk Hogan the character or Terry Bollea the person, I can honestly say that I think it was truly critical to include the criticism from others in the business when this feature covered his wrestling career. 

If the purpose of this documentary was to reshape Hulk's image, and in many ways that looks to be the objective, it was key to include the good, the bad, and the ugly as a way to give the audience a full picture of Terry Bollea. Hulk Hogan wasn't completely good, but with giving the whole story, or at least as close to it as possible, it allows for the notion to be considered that Hulk wasn't all bad either. Yes, Bret Hart had a point that Hulk shouldn't have taken the title back at Wrestlemania 9, and yes, David Shoemaker had a point that it appeared that Hogan was trying to cling to being relevant in 1993, but the full scope allows the audience to see how Bollea evolved over time. On the other side of the coin, the impact of Hulkamania in the 80s and then the NWO a decade later can't be denied. The sincerity of Hulk Hogan or Terry Bollea will probably always be debated, but I don't think anyone is going to question his impact on the industry.

It also must be taken into account that some specific details were either glossy over or excluded, which was probably by design to soften Hulk's image. For example, when Hulk's run in the early-2000s was reviwed, his incredible match with The Rock was highlighted, but his rocky exit in 2003 when he couldn't agree on a creative direction was skipped over. When it was mentioned that Shawn Michaels intentionally over sold during their 2005 bout, nobody said anything about the notion that Hulk only agreed to the match if he was going to win. Furthermore, while his 2006 match with Randy Orton was featured, it was conveniently forgotten that in the build up to the Summer Slam bout that Hulk claimed to have a knee injury until the finish was changed so he could beat the younger star. In the same way, the sex tape leak and the racist remarks he made were reviewed, but the segment was kept relatively short, and there weren't any direct quotes of what he actually said.

The bottom line is, the accomplishments of the Hulk Hogan character don't give Terry Bollea a pass for the ignore, racist remarks that he made during a difficult time in his life. Again, that's not to say that Bollea is just a terrible person or that he didn't learn from the mistakes, but claiming that the character and the real-life person should be totally different isn't an excuse. Terry Bollea cashed a lot of real checks based on the scripting of the hero as the Hulk Hogan character. More specifically, pro wrestlers aren't actors, and it might not be fair, but when you agree to work as the character of the American hero and enjoy the perks that go along with it, there's a responsibility of the real-life representation. Don't get me wrong, the fact that The Hulkster was a hero to those that needed it and that the impact of the character was overwhelmingly positive are truly good things, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the racist controversy also had a real-life impact.

The biggest issue of why the criticism hung over Bollea's head is that he tried to move past the entire debacle rather than ever truly address it, and even in the documentary, at least from what was shown, he tried to take a very quick approach to the comments he made about that time in his life. It's disappointing, but much like his sincerity will be debated, there probably won't ever be a definitive answer about how Terry Bollea truly felt about the remarks that he made. Maybe he was truly sorry, it's definitely possible, but given his extensive track record for ludicrous claims, such as working 400 days a year, almost everything he said has to be taken with a grain of salt, which is very unfortunate. There will probably always be a portion of Hulk's legacy that will be seen as unresolved.

It was almost depressing to hear the details of Bollea being broke after his divorce and how it forced him back into the ring when his body was clearly in shambles. It was shocking to hear how much fentanyl Hulk claims that he had to take at one point to deal with the amount of pain he was in when he wrestled during the ill-fated TNA run. Keep in mind, Hulk Hogan made millions of dollars a year for several years prior to that, but still ended up with nothing so he basically had to start over when he signed with TNA.

His endorsement of Donald Trump was covered, and surprisingly, the orange blob even did an interview for the documentary. I found it very pretentious for Bollea to say that he doesn't agree with everything Trump says, but was then shown in a clip at the Republican National Convention, claiming that Trump was his hero. It goes without saying that picking a side with politics, which are more of a work than pro wrestling, will divide the audience. At the same time, Hogan is a smart businessman, and politics can be very profitable, which is why he launched Real American Beer to target the MAGA base.

There are numerous reasons to criticize Hulk Hogan. The fact that he was an egomaniac in the pro wrestling business, the real-life racist comments that he made, or the representation of his political endorsement.

However, the portion of the final episode that discusses his sudden passing last year was unbelievable sad. Jimmy Hart is an absolute gem, and seeing him cry at the lost of his best friend is heart-wrenching. The same can be said for Hogan's friends like Eric Bischoff and Jim Duggan. The public image is well-known, both positive and negative, but the one thing is for sure, Terry Bollea had a very close impact on his friends. In the same way, Hulk had a very personal impact on the fans that he inspired. That might be the biggest takeaway from the entire Netflix documentary, it covered both sides of the coin so it's mostly going to depend on the perspective of the viewer to determine the narrative of Hulk Hogan's legacy. Was he a super hero or a fraud? It goes without saying that the life of Terry Bollea and the legacy of Hulk Hogan are very complicated. Considering how complicated life can be for anyone, maybe the best thing that can be said is that it was undoubtedly a positive aspect that the Hulk Hogan character had a positive impact on many of the fans of his the heyday of his career.

CM Punk is right

Professional wrestling has never been known for it's ethics or moral standards. Maybe the business is true to its origins on the carnival circuit so deception or underhandedness is baked into the fabric of the industry. Maybe it's because most pro wrestling operations, at least on a lower level, are usually a cash business, and there will always be shady characters that try to circle around any cash business to find a loophole to grab a piece of the pie. It might simply be a part of any live entertainment industry, as we've seen similar pitfalls throughout the entertainment platform from the grueling demands of the schedule.

Sports entertainment offers hope, inspiration, and thrills. On the other end of the spectrum, the business, sometimes even knowingly, has promoted murders, drug addicts, and con artists. I'm not sure what that says about the fans that idolize some of those people. Given how obnoxious the general public is, specifically with the advancement of technology with smart phones that will undoubtedly cause the downfall of society, I wasn't surprised when there were a series of stories that made the rounds online of wrestlers getting mobbed at the hotels by overzealous wrestling fans. With Wrestlemania 42 being held in Las Vegas and the talent hotel being in a casino, it was more difficult to restrict access to areas like the parking lot or lobby. A video of Randy Orton surfaced where he seemed to handle the situation as gracefully as he could as people swarmed him for any type of interaction.

The major news that made headlines on a few mainstream media outlets, including TMZ, is an incident where Bayely was seen hugging AJ Lee as a fan was recording their interaction on his phone. As the phone got closer to the two female grapplers, Bayely can be heard asking the fan to back up before CM Punk smacked the phone out of the guy's hand. Hotel security and longtime friend, Ace Steele stepped in to defuse the situation before Punk left the lobby.

Now, I have been and will continue to be the first person to point out that I think CM Punk is a self-absorbed, insincere jerk, albeit a very talented jerk, but he was absolutely right in this situation. Phony Phil was okay with the Saudi money as long as it was going in his pocket, he's disingenuous, not a martyr, not matter how much he wants to try to push that narrative. That being said, I completely agree with the action he took and it was probably the only way to resolve the situation.

There are many things that make me shake my head about what type of mutants stalk pro wrestlers at the airport, or in this case at their hotels. What kind of empty life do these yo-yos have that they can spent hours at the food court to wait for wrestlers to go to baggage claim. Is it really that important to get 15 Pop Funkos signed? As far as the Las Vegas situation, let's look at this from purely an objective standpoint before we even consider the common courtesy of the scenario. As we know, TKO has monetized the WWE brand to a nauseating degree, to the point that it makes you wonder if it could backfire and sour some fans on the product, but the point is, for the right price, fans can get access to the stars. I'm still not sure how some crypto yokel got to sit at the announce table during a bout at Wrestlemania, particularly because crypto is more of a work than pro wrestling, but the point is, On Location, the organization that handles a lot of the premium experiences for WWE. charges thousands of dollars for those perks. In short, if fans truly want to meet the stars in a normal manner, they can purchase tickets to do so at the Wrestlemania week events. Yes, the pricing is often outrageous, but the point being, it's not as simple as a talent signing an autograph in the lobby, as the wrestlers rarely do free promotional appearances now since there are so many other ways for the company to push the product, but rather if Randy Orton is willing to reward the stalker in the lobby at 1 AM with a free autograph, what does that say for the fans that paid for the signature through the proper channels?

I'd like to make this portion completely clear, if you happen to bump into LA Knight at a gas station and want to say hello, there's really no harm done because a chance meeting doesn't cross any personal lines. It's much different when autograph leeches have to research what flights are leaving from where or following a talent to their hotel. The situation is simple, would any of the people that think they are entitled to record or follow wrestlers around be fine with it if someone else recorded them while they were at their jobs?

I don't want to hear any counterpoint about it being in public so technically the fans have the right to record or approach talent. Just because something would be allowed in the most technically of interpretations, that doesn't make it polite or dismiss the notion of common courtesy not to invade someone else's personal space. Just because these borderline stalkers are allowed to camp out in a lobby to ask for autographs doesn't mean that they should.

As far as the guy that got his phone smacked, he got what he deserved. If this eventually costs CM Punk an iPhone so be it, the "fan" needed a reality check. Based on the video, it looks like this guy was a fully functional adult that thought he was entitled to record two females so he got put in check. Unless there was some type of cognitive impairment, and there doesn't look like there was, nor would there be a way for any of the talent to determine that when the lobby was mobbed with fans, there was no excuse for this "fan" to get closer to the female talent with his phone. Again, Punk was in the right, and the yo-yo recording got what he deserved. Supposedly, TMZ got anonymous comments from the fan in the video and he claimed that he wanted an apology from CM Punk, which is absolutely ridiculous. If anything, I'd guess the "outrage" from the fan is nothing more than an attempt to get something free from the WWE. 

I say this because the incidents like this are becoming more frequent, and we've seen how they can escalate to a dangerous level, such as with the Sonya Deville situation a few years ago. I sincerely hope that I'm wrong, but unless there's a major effort to enforce boundaries between fans and the talent going forward, it's very possible that a scenario like this could also became dangerous. What happens when a drunk fan thinks they can harass a female performer or wants to play tough guy to try to fight a wrestler? Keep in mind, in the social media age, they are always morons looking for their 15 minutes of fame with a viral clip.

It goes without saying that fans shouldn't stalk wrestlers at the airport or follow them to their hotels, but somehow it still has to be said. Fandom shouldn't void common courtesy or common sense. We've seen wonderful clips of interactions with fans at the arena or in the parking lot before a show, which is fine because it's a place where fans can reasonable expect to see the wrestlers, and the wrestlers know that fans are going to be there. It allows the talent to decide if they have time or want an interaction with the fans, whereas finding them away from the arena puts them in a situation where they don't have a choice for an interaction. Part of the reason that it was wonderful to see the video of Bray Wyatt come into the parking lot of the arena  to take a picture with a fan is that you saw how he took an extra minute to make someone's day. John Cena stopping to shake a young fan's hand in the arena is heartwarming because that brief interaction showed that Cena knew how much it would mean to the youngster. Rhea Ripley meeting fans that dressed up like her is so cool because you can see how much she appreciates the fans support. However, the biggest difference is that the setting of the arena or a meet and greet are places that don't invade the performers' personal time. Again, I seriously wonder what type of people think its okay or fun to stalk pro wrestling, but considering these are the same fans that would bow to Vince McMahon if he returned to television, it's not too surprising that they ignore common courtesy around the roster.

Wrestlemania 42 night 2 review

After the mixed reviews on night one, I was wondering how Wrestlemania Sunday would unfold, particularly if any of the seemingly unresolved business would find a resolution before the weekend was finished. That's one of the many hurdles created when the company decided to expand the presentation to a two-night format. Yes, you can essentially double the live gate, but you're also tasked with selling twice as many tickets, which as we've seen this year, isn't automatic just because you slap the Wrestlemania logo onto a show. Furthermore, when there are two nights, you have to theoretically live something on the table for Sunday. Yes, Wrestlemania is supposed to be the pay off, and in many ways, it's conflicting purposes to have to use a Wrestlemania event to build to something the next day, but again, that's the reality of a two-night format.

I'm not trying to pick a safe option with indifference on this, but I can actually see both sides of the argument on the mixed reviews of Wrestlemania Saturday. On one hand, and this might be a side effect of the shorter attention span of modern society, it seems as though some fans have unrealistic expectations of what they think Wrestlemania will be, with a noticeable amount of grumbling each year. Fans are so used to seeing the promotional highlights over the past few decades that they somehow don't realize that even Wrestlemania has to have a mid card that will pace the show. Dino Bravo vs. Ronnie Garvin in a three-minute bathroom break match was on the same line-up as the memorable main event when the Mega Powers exploded at Wrestlemania 5 over three decades ago. Everyone remembers the stellar Bret vs. Owen bout and the iconic ladder match from 1994, but not many people talk about the rather pointless 35-second Earthquake vs. Adam Bomb match. Some fans have the misguided notion that unless Andre The Giant comes down from heaven to make a cameo that the event is underwhelming. On the other hand, when the ticket prices are insane, and you're asking the audience to pay $30 for the ESPN app after the pay-per-views were a fraction of the price for more than a decade on other platforms, viewers are going to have higher expectations.

I'm not saying there's a right or wrong answer, but rather to point out, in the social media age, there's always going to be at least a portion of the audience with a noticeable level of criticism.

The show opened with the anticipated Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi bout, and while it wasn't a squash match, it was definitely one-sided. Oba beat Brock in under five minutes and was showcased as a major star in the process. It goes without saying that Femi will have to continue to develop as a performer, as far as selling, timing, etc. but as far as a promotional push, the office put him over about as strong as someone can be in 2026. Keep in mind, Lesnar has the cache of being pushed as one of the most dominate guys in the history of the company since he stepped back into the pro wrestling world in 2012, and that credibility was used to shine Femi. Oba nailed the power bomb and got a definitive victory over the former WWE and UFC heavyweight champion. Post-match, we might've seen why Brock gave all he could to put over his opponent, as he took off his gloves and boots, signaling his apparent retirement from sports entertainment. At 48, Lesnar was undoubtedly near the end of his career, and the WWE had to find ways to refresh him at times because of how dominate that he was used prior, but I have to say, I was surprised that this looked like a legitimate retirement. I'm not sure there's anything left for Brock to do, as far as new ground to cover, but he still could've drawn money on a semi-regular basis as well. Again, given the way he was pushed and promoted throughout the 2010s, he has the name value to be plugged into a scenario when needed. Lesnar's legacy is complicated, not only for the way he abruptly left the business a year and a half into his tenure on WWE television before he found a level of successful in the UFC and then eventually returned to the WWE after eight years away from the company, but also the accusations of the Janel Grant lawsuit. What Brock did or didn't know about Grant being an unwilling participant in the Vince McMahon affair are questions that the public doesn't have the answer to so it's difficult to have any guesses about who Lesnar is outside of the ring. However, he was undoubtedly a top drawing card for WWE more or less his entire career, putting him in a very rare category.  

Obviously, very few wrestlers stay retired, but when I saw Lesnar get emotional as he left his boots in the ring, and the equally emotional embrace with Paul Heyman, it certainly looked like he has finished his pro wrestling career. The only reason for Brock to "break character" so to speak with such emotion would be if he's actually hanging up his boots. As I said, Oba will have to continue to develop, but considering that he's 27, the WWE could have a potential main event star for more than a decade by the time he's ready for the main event scene in a few years. 

The ladder match was the car crash segment and it was great stuff. It was wild, entertaining, and exactly what the office was looking for when they put a portion of the broadcast on the ESPN network. As I said about the simulcast yesterday, I'm not sure the "preview" on either night prompted more subscriptions to the ESPN app, but I can see the reasoning behind it. Rey Mysterio getting launched over the ropes as he and Rusev crashed through the ladder was worrisome. Don't get me wrong, Rey is one of my favorite performers of all time, and he's one of the nicest wrestlers I've ever met. I say this because with the recent injuries that he had, as well as the extensive history of injuries, I sincerely think he should consider retirement so that he can get the recognition that he deserves rather than an injury putting an end to his career. Je'Von Evans hanging onto the belt when the ladder was taken from underneath him was an example of the risk/reward ratio that often becomes a topic in the sport. His tumble to the canvas looked nasty but thankfully, he was okay. However, it should be noted that he took that risk at the biggest event on the calendar. The destroy onto the ladder from Penta to JD McDonagh looked brutal. Eventually, Penta was able to get the belt to retain it.

The more abbreviated time given to each match was effective in some places, but hindered the segment during other portions of the show. The IC championship match was an example of something that could've been given another five minutes or so to really get to the next level in terms of match quality. These two put together a solid match, but they didn't get a chance to get into second gear with only seven minutes to work with. The counters and sequences were excellent, but it seemed rushed with the abrupt ending. The Sami Zayn character was booked into a corner since he got the heat for the office's decision to have Carmelo Hayes drop the title ahead of Wrestlemania. At this point, Sami will probably have to turn heel to rejuvenate his status on Smackdown. That being said, putting the title on Trick Williams was still the right decision. Sami is a top notch worker and at this point in his career, he doesn't need a championship. There are so many different aspects to developing a money-drawing star so Trick or anyone else will have to see how their career evolve over time, but as of right now, it looks like Williams, at the very least, has the potential to be a major contributor to the organization in the future. He has the look, the mic skills, and the athleticism to became one of the guys that will have to move up the ranks to replenish the roster as more of the aging legends step away from the business.

The street fight between Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor was very well done. Again, they only had 10 minutes for this segment so it was still somewhat rushed as far as the set up for different spots, but everything they did worked. More than anything, you can see how Dominik has evolved into the role of a WWE star, as he looked more natural in the ring a few years ago, and kept pace with the longtime veteran, Balor. It was what you'd expect from a WWE street fight so it wasn't anything over the top, but as mentioned, everything was solid. Finn Balor got the victory with a double stomp through a table.

The WWE Women's championship match saw Rhea Ripley win the title after Iyo Sky made the save from the interference of the heels that were trying to assist Jade Cargill. However, the result was secondary, as this was probably the best match of Cargill's career. Given that Jade looks like and carries herself like a total star, she wasn't going to be brought into the WWE as a secondary figure when she made the jump from All Elite Wrestling a few years ago. Still, the experience gap was noticeable and after she was written off of television for a while to polish her skills at the Performance Center, there was some speculation that she might not have the in-ring skills to make the transition to the biggest stage of the WWE. That's not a knock on her athleticism, but rather to point out the reality of the situation. She was put on AEW television when she was still very new to the sport and usually only worked very short matches during the three years she was under contract there. To make the jump to the WWE, where the scripting rightly shielded her weaknesses at first through tag team match, she was going to have to evolve as a performer, and based on the bout at Wrestlemania, she has done that. The series of counters that they did prior to the finish built some draw before Ripley got the pin. Jade looked like she was on par with one of the top female stars as her opponent so Cargill deserves credit for the performance. A side note, Ripley mentioned publicly that she's dealing with an eating disorder so all the best to her to make a complete recovery. She's a true star, and by all accounts is very kind to fans during meet and greets so hopefully she can continue to be as healthy as possible.

The main event was something that I wasn't really invested in one way or the other in terms of the result. CM Punk is a disingenuous jerk, albeit a talented jerk, and Roman Reigns held the title for more than four years so I don't think enough time has passed that he would need another time run. That said, this was a brilliant WWE style main event that built organic drama as the advantage tilted back and fourth. At the biggest stage, this is the type of performance that you want from the main event guys. Furthermore, as much as CM Punk was pigeon-holed as a guy that was just a rung underneath the main event of Wrestlemania for the majority of his career by management, he proved the office wrong with this performance. CM Punk is a bonafide star at the top level and even at 47, he can still work to the main event caliber. As I said, I don't think Roman needed the belt again, especially after such an extended run that concluded just two years ago, but again, his performance was tremendous in this bout. Roman nailed Punk with the spear to win the championship.