What's the status of WWE?

The episode of Raw this week packed a lot of punch into a three-hour broadcast that usually has at least some tedious points on a regular basis. Perhaps, that's unavoidable with a three-hour show. Don't get me wrong, I understand that the office is willing to sacrifice the quality of the content for the quantity since that satisfies the hefty rights fees that go along with the company's massive TV deals. The argument could be made that with that amount of cash on the line, the tedious segments are worth it for the publicly-traded organization. Still, between the build for Money in The Bank next weekend and the next piece of the puzzle for the Wyatt storyline, there was enough meat on the bone to give the audience a reason to stay tuned into the show on the same night that the Stanley Cup finals went to game 7.

It goes without saying that the exit of Kevin Dunn, the longtime Vince McMahon director, and his nauseating amount of camera cuts and shakes, the show has a refreshed look with the camera work now. Even without some of the beaver dam type of camera shakes that were a Dunn trademark, it was well beyond the time that the show should get a revised look to have a more modern presentation. The usual pro wrestling troupes of how the shows were shot for television became cliche.

Overall, the new ownership, and more importantly, the new direction under Triple H, is a positive for the organization. However, will this lead to too much of a good thing?

I try to avoid phrasing the current dynamic of the WWE this way because it will be read too negatively when it doesn't intend to imply such negativity. Make no mistake about it, the WWE is doing tremendous business right now, they are selling tickets to pay-per-views and TV tapings to either sell out or near a sell out levels with much higher ticket prices than in years prior. They are on the cusp of a Netflix deal that could completely change the consumption of wrestling media and thus change the dynamic of the presentation of the industry. There's absolutely no doubt that the WWE is serving its audience very well and the results have reflected that.

But, there's a major difference between serving the current fan base in a way that maximizes profit and the sports entertainment business as a part of pop culture the way it was in a previous generation.

That's why I think it's completely misguided when fans or pundits of the industry claim that pro wrestling is in some type of boom period again, as the numbers just don't tell that story. For example, Raw this week generated 1.8 million viewers, which is around the 10-week average for the show, according to PW Torch. For a comparison, WCW Thunder in 2000, a time period when the show was more or less deemed unwatchable, the show regularly garnered around 2.5 million viewers.

Yes, I understand that it's a different era and that the evolution of the distribution of media has completely changed the dynamics of programming, as viewers are flooded with more options than any other time in history, but the bottom line is, less people are watching pro wrestling on a consistent basis than many of the previous eras of the sport. Granted, I don't think it's realistically possible for sports entertainment to reach the heights that it did in the late-90s. The circumstances of the industry are different, society is different, and as mentioned, there are just too many options for viewers to expect that ten million people will tune into the show on a given week. Plus, the classic supply and demand aspect played a role as well. Those 10 million regular viewers of pro wrestling on a weekly basis were among two companies, and the competition for those viewers was a major reason for the success of the industry. Again, especially after the TKO merger, it's very doubtful that there will realistically be that type of competition for the WWE again.

Where this all goes to the point of if the current success of the WWE is too much of a good thing is the recent plans that were announced for the expansion of the "Premium Live Events," particularly with the deal that was touted on Raw that will bring The Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, and Summer Slam to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

According to The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, the multi-year deal will bring The Rumble to Lucas Oil Stadium in February of next year, and as we know, Summer Slam will be expanded to two nights in 2026 when the company takes the event to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Meltzer noted that after the expansion of Summer Slam to two nights in 2026, that will be the plan for the next going forward, including when the show is held in Indianapolis in the future. Of course, Wrestlemania already expanded to two nights so the precedent is set that the marquee WWE events can be two shows.

Similar to Minneapolis in 2026, Indianapolis paid WWE a hefty site for the company to bring their signature shows to the city. This is where the deals like this have a lot more to do with economic impact than anything that will be promoted in the ring. The reasons for cities to offer a site fee for these signature pay-per-views, which bring with them the cache of the historical value of the events, are numerous. The TKO corporation knows that by adding a second night to the events, it's added value for the cities that are paying the sire fees. Furthermore, it has a domino effect that's a win-win for everyone involved. When a second night is added, that's another night that hotel rooms throughout the city are booked, another day of restaurants getting an increase in business, and of course, the added revenue of the parking, as well as concessions at the stadium. It goes without saying that it doubles the gate for the WWE, but again, something as trivial as hotel rooms and parking fees that are also doubled translate to a lot of tax money for the host city. By nature, when a pay-per-view is a two-day event, the target audience for live attendance goes beyond just the local fan base. In the modern era, the major PPVs will get fans to buy tickets from surrounding states, but when a show is a two-night event, often with television tapings that week held in the same city, it becomes a travel destination. Therefore, the WWE production brings in fans from outside of the region to spend more money than is usually generated from local events by the usual fan base. If the live attendance is mostly local, there isn't the demand for hotel rooms. When an event is designed to be a travel destination for fans, there are plane tickets, hotel accommodations, and other expenses that aren't a part of local events.

For the publicly-traded TKO corporation, this is exactly what they want, guaranteed revenue from a multi-year deal, which will provide stability for the stock price.

The other side of the coin to all of this is that perhaps the conglomerate is betting on the current fan interest too much to continue in the future. Unquestionably, there are peaks and valleys within sports entertainment. It's simply not possible to always maintain sellout business because there are always going to be storylines that have to conclude as the product evolves over the course of a specific time frame. Right now, with the coronation of Cody Rhodes, the return of CM Punk, and the talent on the roster, there's enough depth for two-night events, but is there really a demand for it? The causal fan is only going to watch so much content, and more importantly only spend so much cash on sports entertainment at any given time. Wrestlemania as a two-night show might be the exception, but are the other major pay-per-views really going to be able to justify two shows, especially after the current peak of WWE business?

If management oversaturates the amount of pay-per-view shows on the WWE calendar then it dilutes the importance of each individual event. I understand that double the amount of tickets sold and double the gate revenue are very good for the press releases, but what if those high-priced tickets don't sell as well in two or three years? Again, the casual fan is only going to spend a certain amount of money on pro wrestling. Are the fans on Indianapolis really going to spend major cash on WWE events several times in the span of a few years? More specifically, are the fans that travel to the marquee shows going to want to travel to the same city multiple times during the time frame of the WWE deal?

I'm not saying it can't or won't happen, but rather to point out that I'm skeptical that the company can maintain its current drawing power over the course of the next few years. There are a lot of variables within pro wrestling, and a lot of outside factors that can affect the status of the industry so there's no guarantee that the expansion will be successful.

The career of Amanda George

Amanda George loves professional wrestling. Her role model is Maria Kanellis . When she’s at a pro wrestling event, large or small, she beams from ear to ear because she loves the action, the drama, and the compelling storytelling that goes along with the genre that originated from the carnival circuit. One thing is for sure, professional wrestling might just be the most unique form of entertainment anywhere.

Amanda‘s love affair with professional wrestling is as some classic and as pure as it comes, she became enthralled with the over-the-top spectacle of the grappling arts when she was just 14. She was so obsessed with the squired circle that her middle school classmates insisted that one day she pursue a place in the sport of her very own.

And Amanda did just that.

Just a few years ago, she stumbled upon T2T Pittsburgh, an academy that was the brain child of two independent wrestling stalwarts, Ganon Jones Jr. and MV Young. The two grapplers wanted to bring pro wrestling to their hometown of New Kensington, a city located north west of Pittsburgh along the Allegheny River and was once an industrial hub in its heyday. The training center, which was re imaged from the remnants of an old bank building, had an open door policy for those that wanted to test themselves in a pursuit of sports entertainment.

Not only did the project give off the ground, but also launched 880 Wrestling, a nod to the city's postal code, along with the training classes. One of the doors that T2T Pittsburgh opened was for Amanda to emulate her wrestling idol as a ringside manager.

"I heard about 880 from Ganon Jones Jr. and Dani Mo. I decided to reach out to MV and ask if I could come watch a class or two to see if I wanted to join. I still, to this day, have the first message I sent to MV. You can argue to say that I am still training, as you never stop training or learning in wrestling," Amanda explained.

With the breeze of spring through a pair of glass doors, Amanda took the plunge into pro wrestling classes. A mural of the city painted on the wall contrasts a brick wall on the opposing side, creating a unique atmosphere for both training sessions and live events held at the building. Outside of the key pieces of learning how to protect herself and land on the canvas as safely as possible, she learned some of the pieces of the puzzle for a pro wrestling valet.

"Amanda is a completely different performer than when she first started training, she grows more comfortable into her role every time she’s out there. I look forward to seeing how far she can go," said MV Young of his student's progress.

Just over a year and a half ago, with the stamp of approval from her trainers, Amanda George transformed herself into Amanda Maslow, a savvy businesswoman that will achieve success for her clients at any cost, when she became an on-screen character for her home base at 880 Wrestling and then branched out to Victory Championship Wrestling in McMechen, West Virginia.

"My involvement in promotions like 880 and VCW has given me more experience in my career in general. They were the first companies that wanted to take a chance on me and see what I could do. I’m also starting to branch out to companies outside of the state of PA to learn other important roles in the wrestling business that are just as important as being in or around a professional wrestling ring," she commented.

Similar to many hopefuls that look to break into the business, Amanda is always keen on looking for opportunities to work for more organizations when the chance presents itself. It's not uncommon to see her quietly pop her head into a locker room around the Pittsburgh circuit to network and see what she can do to help the event. Regardless if it's working a merch table, filming content for social media, or running errands when needed, Amanda George brings a humble attitude with her to each show she attends, grateful for the chance that she gets to be a part of the industry that she remains a fan of.

"Honestly, the goal is to enjoy my career. I’m in it for the love of the game, enjoying the ride. Making towns, shaking hands, making moments," Amanda commented.

Among the professional strides she's made in more recent months is her list of clients, as she's often spotted alongside, 880 standout and one of the rising youngsters within the Pittsburgh scene that has made his way to a myriad of organization, Gianni Michael Emricko. Just a two-year pro, "The Italian Strongman" is regarded by many as one of the best prospects in the Pittsburgh region, and Amanda added a completely new dynamic to that presentation. At 880, she expanded her reach with the formation of her own group, the Matriarchy with Zeke Mercer and Paris Sahara. Zeke Mercer has wrestled six years as a professional, breaking into the industry at when they were just 18, and have expanded their resume around the tri-state area within the past few years. Paris is known as a dynamic and athletic performer, and she has become one of the new stars to watch on the Pittsburgh circuit.

880 hosts weekly live cards on Thursdays and monthly special events on Fridays. The villainous Amanda Maslow has played an increasing bigger role in the organization, which she cites as valuable experience, and allowed her to hone her craft on the key components of an effective valet.

"Someone that stands out that can really get the crowd going, good facial expressions, knows how to react to things, and can make their presence known. Something I've learned is that you need to trust who you work with, constantly getting reps will help you improve, and the people around you will always be able to help you or give advice on something you aren't sure about," she explained.

More than just pursuing her passion to be a part of the business, Amanda knows that the opportunity to be involved in the sport has a level of responsibility with it, which is something that she takes seriously. She knows that milestones and achievements must be given the proper respect and recognition when they can have an impact on the history of the sport.   

"Being able to be apart of the first ever transgender black women match at 880 with Paris Sahara and Brianna Bandz, and being able to help form the Matriarchy with Zeke Mercer and Paris Sahara. We were all on our own career paths and we all came together to make something special," she remarked.

There's no doubt about it, Amanda George went to wrestling school because she was a fan of the genre, and she remains a fan today. She has just as much fun at the events as the fans in the seats, and that enthusiasm allowed her to pursue her childhood dream. If Amanda ever makes it to the national stage remains to be seen, there are no guarantees in the pro wrestling business, but in many ways, she is already a success story.

Could Shane McMahon sign for AEW?

Could Shane McMahon be on his way to All Elite Wrestling?

Similar to almost everyone else, when I initially saw the headline on social media, I immediately dismissed it as some yo-yo that tried to have fun with Photo Shop with the common All Elite graphic that is often used as satire. Captain Lou Albano will be on Dynamite next week too, right?

However, some credibility was lent to the rumor when Conrad Thompson, podcast czar, mentioned on the Grillin' JR podcast that he heard from someone in AEW that there were at least very early discussions about the second generation McMahon potentially joining the company.

At one point, I'd have said that it was completely and totally impossible that Shane McMahon would ever work for any pro wrestling group outside of the WWE. But, many people would've found it unthinkable that Vince McMahon would be banished from WWE in disgrace if you asked them that possibility just two years ago.

Could Shane McMahon really sign a contract with a competitor to the WWE?

As we know, the McMahon family dynamic is bizarre and complicated. Freud would be taking apron bumps if he tried to analyze the McMahon family tree. Shane left the WWE empire in 2009 after it was clear that Stephanie and Triple H, not Vince's son, would be next in line for the throne. Shane launched a cable and pay-per-view company in China, and was away from the WWE until 2016. His next departure in 2022 was also rocky when he was released from the company after backstage controversy suggested that he wanted The Royal Rumble match to be focused around him. He returned to work a match against The Miz at Wrestlemania last year, but tore his quad minutes into the match and hasn't been seen on WWE programming since that time.

While Shane was recovering from surgery to repair the injury, Vince was ousted from company completely after Janel Grant brought the lawsuit against him that accused him of deviated and horrendous behavior. The text messages that were included in the lawsuit appeared to prove at least some of the claims, leading to the TKO corporation distancing itself from Vince as much as possible. Specifically, it was made clear that this was the Triple H era of the WWE.

That stain on the McMahon name might be the motivating factor for Shane to ink a deal with Tony Khan.

It goes without saying that Tony would offer big money to sign Shane, as he would see it as another way to recreate his fandom from the Attitude era. The same way that Vince got Eric Bischoff to come work for him, this would allow Tony to claim that he was the boss of a McMahon. It's very doubtful that the second generation McMahon needs the cash, but a few extra million dollars is always good to add to the bank.

For Shane, it would be a way for him to do something completely on his own and outside of the realm of anything associated with his disgraced father. It might also be a way for Shane to spite Vince, which would be understandable, considering the level of shame that his actions brought to the family name.

Furthermore, it would unquestionably be one of the most shocking and memorable moments in the history of the sport. Sure, Shane was on Nitro in 2001, but that was after WCW was bought by the WWF and technically already a McMahon property. Make no mistake, if Shane shuffles his way onto an All Elite Wrestling program, the entire wrestling world would stop and take notice of it.

That said, outside of the justified shock value of the moment, I'm not really sure what Shane brings to the table for AEW. At 54, his in-ring days, beyond maybe a retirement bout just because there could be an opportunity for it, should be over, especially after the torn quad. The narrative on Shane as a performer really flipped over the years, particularly after he returned to the WWE fold in 2016. There was a time in 1999 when the second generation McMahon clearly wanted to prove himself and show that he wasn't getting television time just because of his last name. Unquestionably, give credit where it's due, Shane McMahon took many wild risks and bumps to earn his stripes. There was a time when Shane's bouts were anticipated because there were always those car crash moments to make up for the fact that he wasn't an experienced in-ring worker. Shane McMahon has a lot of highlight reel moments. Again, credit where its due, he didn't lean on his last name to play television star.

That being said, the Royal Rumble that led to his dismissal in 2022, was somewhat of a microcosm of his latter run with the company. His tenure as general manager and the entire "best in the world" storyline overexposed him and it appeared to be more self indulgent than anything else. Instead of those select memorable matches, Shane McMahon's bouts became sloppy and tedious. It almost looked like he was trying to shoehorn himself into a role that he had more than 15 years previously.

I would guess that Tony Khan would be willing to book all the crash crash spots that Shane might want to do in the ring, but realistically, I don't think Shane should be a wrestler in AEW. There's not exactly a demand for Shane vs. Kenny Omega or Will Ospreay. Shane hasn't been known as a booker, and the Royal Rumble incident suggested that perhaps that isn't the role for him either. At the same time, if Tony Khan can book , why not give Shane a chance? In reality, we know that Tony Khan isn't going to relinquish any booking power in the company, as that would defeat the purpose of why he launched the vanity project, but even if he did, Shane isn't the one that should be named the booker anyway.

Still, bringing Shane McMahon to All Elite Wrestling has value because it would garner the attention that the company has lacked since CM Punk was fired. When you look at the numbers, Dynamite usually draws around 800,000 viewers, but when Punk was a regular on the show, it drew around a million viewers so there was at least a 20% decline in the ratings. No, I don't think Shane, specifically as just a promo segment, would boost the numbers on a consistent basis, but the point being, his appearances could prompt viewers to at least tune back into the show to see the direction of the product.

This is where the premise works on paper, but would flop in application. In order for the attention of the shocking Shane McMahon jump to AEW to be truly effective, the product would have to be presented in a logical, compelling, and consistent manner, but that hasn't been the case for at least the past two years, and there's no indication that there will a shift in the direction of the company so even if fans would tune in again, it's almost a moot discussion since the majority of the problems that caused a decline in viewers are still on the show.

The career of The Gambinos

Mickey and Marshall, The Gambino Brothers are celebrating their twentieth anniversary in the pro wrestling business, a journey they started as aspiring hopefuls, but reflect on today as accomplished professionals. When they landed repeatedly on the stiff, tattered canvas of a practice ring inside a converted storage facility in 2003, they didn't know it at the time, but their passion for the sport would eventually link their careers together as one of the most well-known and storied tag teams in Pittsburgh wrestling history.

Mickey, who made his debut in the pro ranks in January of 2004, as the opening match on an event that featured Raven, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and Shane Douglas, didn't originally see himself as a tag team guy, but his wheels were spinning after he studied Bret Hart matches in the early months of his in-ring career.

"I wanted to chart my own course without being hamstrung by others' considerations. After only three matches, I knew I had a lot to work on. I admired Bret Hart, and I was poring through matches of his from all parts of his career, not just his WWF tenure. The more I watched, I started to get drawn into the Hart Foundation then one night at our training school just outside of Pittsburgh, Marshall and I were hanging out post-practice, it hit me. My size and his size, the Hitman and Anvil. I knew we could make something unique. Here's a big guy who can move fast. I had that ping, that gut intuition that he would be really good," Mickey explained.

Since the two had gelled during their interactions in training class, Marshall, originally nicknamed "The Bull," saw himself as a tag wrestler that could compliment a partner's style so he jumped in with both feet when presented with the idea.

"I met Mick towards the end of my training, he had a couple singles matches, but was looking for something different.  I never did want to be a singles wrestler and it was tag all the way for me.  Shirley Doe gets the credit for putting us together. I never looked back, I love tagging with Mick.  I knew from the beginning that he had something," Marshall added.

Under the guidance of Shirley Doe, a more than 25-year pro that cut his teeth under Dory Funk Jr., Mick and Marshall earned their pro wrestling education at the Coalition of Competition, a training school that produced many stars that went on to achieve fame both inside and outside of the Pittsburgh area.

After getting the stamp of approval from Doe, who is regarded as one of the most accomplished trainers in the region, with the completion of their grappling courses, Mickey and Marshall pursued opportunities as a tag team throughout the majority of 2004.

Eventually, they found a home in the International Wrestling Cartel, one of the longest-running and most well-known groups in the western Pennsylvania area. At the time, the organization was promoted by Norm Connors, known as the godfather of the Pittsburgh independent scene, and that era in particular became known as a hotbed for tag team wrestling. Jason Gory, Shiima Xion, Justin Idol, Eric Xtasy, Ray Rowe, and J-Rocc were just a few of the teams that were mixed and matched throughout events for an IWC tag division that had several show-stealing matches during the mid-2000s.

It wasn't long before The Gambino Brothers Moving Company, a slight wink and a nod to when certain individuals may or may not have been rolled up in a carpet, became one of the most in-demand teams in the tri-state area. The Gambinos spent quite a few years zigzagging around a few states as regulars for a variety of organizations. 

However, when an outside of the ring opportunity led to Mickey relocating to North Carolina, it brought the established team to a crossroad. By 2010, Mickey pursued more singles bouts outside of the Pittsburgh area, and Marshall explored other avenues in the industry, as being a tag team wrestler was still most natural for him.

"It was intimidating. For a long time, I continued to drive up to Pittsburgh once per month to wrestle with him. But, as time went on, I started to do my own thing and iterated many versions of Mickey Gambino. I think that time allowed me to really find what my potential because it pushed me out of my comfort zone; I had to sort of re-learn how to wrestle as a singles wrestler because the psychology and movements and format and cadence and everything is different," Mickey said.

"When Mick moved to, I honestly didn't know what  the next move was. I felt a little lost. It made me get more interested in booking, behind the scenes.  This ultimately led to the creation of 2PW.  I've tagged with a few different partners over the years but I don't have the chemistry like I have with Mick," Marshall added.

In 2018, Marshall founded Prospect Pro Wrestling, a project that was designed to give the next generation of talent a place to hone their craft. He was fully invested in the new venture, putting his time, energy, and money into the launch. The ring, stage, and lights gave 2PW a polished and professional look for the new audience. This wasn't a substitute for performing in the ring, Marshall had a vision and a belief in the concept, and full-throttle with the Prospect project.

The 2PW organization was in full-swing, drawing consistent crowds and building momentum over the first few years of its existence. Marshall had the stress of being a promoter, but his hard work paid off, as Prospect Pro Wrestling was a success. But, just when Marshall thought he was out of the ring, the aura of the sport pulled him back in. Mickey was on his way back to his hometown of Pittsburgh, and the circumstances of a full-fled Gambino reunion were too good for either of them to pass up.

"When he told me, I fell off my chair.  At that point, I wasn't really wrestling anymore, here and there, but not monthly.  I was focused on 2PW, but the opportunity came with RWA and having Mick and I back together, I was all in," said Marshall.

Within the past few years, The Gambino Brothers have not only returned to Pittsburgh rings as a team, but have added a few more members of "the family" to create a completely fresh chapter in their careers. One such member was Emmy D., who began her tenure in the business as a ringside videographer for Sorgatron Media, the premiere video production group in Pittsburgh, before she was recruited to be a part of the events because of her natural poise for the industry.

"I told them both I was honored beyond belief and that I would never pass up on such an incredible opportunity as this, as long as we could spin the story and have it make sense with me jumping from being ringside videographer to valet," said Emily when asked about her first reaction to the possibility of joining The Gambinos.

As they reached their twentieth anniversary of their debut as a tag team, The Gambinos have found new territory in the Renegade Wrestling Alliance in recent years. The blue collar organization and its loyal fan base fit the Gambino brand of high impact tag work very well. To add another layer to the presentation, the nearly 35-year veteran, Paul Atlas, who won numerous regional and national titles before a series of serious knee injuries forced him into retirement from the ring,  joined the family as an advisor at ringside.

"You're talking about four people who simply love the sport of professional wrestling. It's the passion that makes the difference. It's about being pure to who we are, and Marshall and I have been pure to who we are for 20 years. Emmy D. and Paul fit in perfectly," Mickey commented.

"The addition of Emily, Paul, and now LeBell has been great for the group.  It is so much bigger than just the Gambinos, it's now the Family. Lebell is a tough, but young and can move a lot better and faster than we can.  Paul has the knowledge that sometimes we are missing, and we can always go to him for advice, it's nice to have someone with that many years of experience and give us his perspective," Marshall commented.

With Stevie LeBell, one of the standouts of the 2PW organization, as the youngster of the family, The Gambinos have all the bases covered to make this current stint the most memorable of this extensive career.

"The Gambinos have always strived to tell a great story, telling stories in wrestling has died over the years.  As a group, we are always on the same page:  Tell a great story, execute to the best of our abilities, and have fun doing it," Marshall remarked.

"It's been just a little over a year now since I made my debut with them and I feel like the more I learn from Marshall, Mickey, and Paul - the more I grow and evolve Emmy D, the more hungry I get to succeed in this business. I just want to give Marshall and Mickey my best and I'm looking forward to what the rest of this year has in store for all of us," Emily explained.

The Gambinos have undoubtedly left their mark on the storied history of Pittsburgh's tag team division, competing for a variety of organizations and across several states. Throughout each version of The Gambinos, another chapter has been written, including their current platform with The Gambino family. Careers were shaped, opportunities were given, and resurgences were made. However, it all started and began possible when Mickey and Marshall had the post-training conversation to become a tag team twenty years ago.

The beast man in Japan

The first time that Wes Fetty stepped into a professional wrestling ring, he was an overzealous 15-year-old fan that got a little too riled up by the challenges of the villainous "Sweet" Stevie Lee at an obscure independent show in an even more obscure part of West Virginia. In just a few weeks, he will step foot inside a Japanese wrestling ring for a three-week tour under the Big Japan banner that will conclude at the world famous Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo.

"It's happening, Jimmy! It's really happening. Japan is here," said an enthusiastic Fetty when I answered the phone at around 10:30 PM last week to discuss this story.

To say that Wes started from humble beginnings would be an understatement. A native of the small town of McMechen, West Virginia, a location with just over 1,700 residents as of the most recent census, Fetty's international travels would've been a pipe dream until they became a reality in recent weeks.

"Going over there is the biggest opportunity of my twenty-year career and I plan to make the most of it. I'm going to show everyone in Japan and everyone here what The Beastman character can really do when its full speed," explained Wes.

More than two decades have passed since Wes was the ninth grade kid that was willing to grapple with Stevie Lee, and in many respects, this trip overseas has twenty years of preparation behind it. When Wes started in 2006, he was just another youngster on the independent circuit that could barely lace his boots correctly. But, over the course of several years of dedication, including relocating to attend Jimmy Valiant's wrestling school in 2010, Fetty transformed himself into one of the most colorful characters anywhere on the independent scene.

He developed The Beastman persona, complete with furry boots, giant animal bone, and a massive headpiece for his entrance with tusks connected to the skull. Underneath the elaborate gear is a big man with incredible agility for such a massive competitor. It's not uncommon to see the furry boots fly through the air when The Beastman lands a cannonball in the corner or takes a dive through the ropes. "The Stone Age Savage" has competed in Major League Wrestling, Warrior Wrestling, and a myriad of other independent groups in several states. It's not uncommon for his travels to take him to Chicago, Memphis, or Pittsburgh on any given weekend. There wasn't a lightning in a bottle or fluke moment that got Fetty noticed. Instead, he built a steady reputation of the course of several years, putting in the work of consistent quality performances for a variety of organizations. Late-night travel and gas station food aren't glamours, but were a part of the process to make it to the next level. Just this past weekend, after a stellar bout against "Shadow man" Eli for the Renegade Wrestling Alliance in West Newton, Pennsylvania, Wes was thankful that he could share a meal with some of his peers at an Apple Bee's restaurant instead of a counter top at a roadside rest stop. Of course, as he finished his rare steak and thanked the staff, Fetty and friends were the last patrons to leave the establishment since late dinners are a part of the game for an independent wrestler. He got home around 1 AM that night, putting the gigantic skull head on the dining room table before he got some much-needed sleep. However, the sacrifices will pay off when he lands in Tokyo in just a few weeks.

The country of Japan has an extensive history of foreign monsters that have left an iconic mark on the industry there with names like Abdullah The Butcher, Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen, Bob Sapp, and others. Wes Fetty's brand of wild pro wrestling might be tailor-made for the scene of Japan.

As mentioned, when Fetty lands in Tokyo in early-July, he will compete for Big Japan Pro Wrestling, a pioneering death match organization that has a thirty-year history of mayhem behind it. Mitsuhiro Matsunaga, known as "Mr. Danger" carved a legacy during Big Japan's early days and has a roadmap of scars on his forehead as a memento of his extensive career. Jun Kasai became a death match legend during his tenure in the organization with many highlights that are considered memorable moments from the death match genre. Today, grapplers like Abdullah Kobayashi, Jaki Numazawa, Ryuji Ito, Daisuke Sekimoto, and many others are staples of the more recent history of the organization. Big Japan touts its ability to bring together a mixture of death match performances with the traditional physical style that Japan in known for, which is something that Fetty thinks he can excel at during the tour.

"Japan is really the place for me, I think I can really showcase myself. I can brawl and fight, or I can exchange strikes. I'm very thankful for Big Japan's faith in me to bring me over so I'm prepared for anything," Fetty explained.

But, The Beastman isn't coming to Tokyo alone, he will have the "Baka Gaijin" faction with him, led by death match icon, Madman Pondo. Pondo, who is a longtime veteran of the sport, became a legend in Japan for his wild and over-the-top matches that thrilled the Japanese audience. The Necro Butcher, who was featured in the 2008 feature film, "The Wrestler" alongside Mickey Rourke, is usually a tag partner of Pondo, but an unfortunate injury put him on the sidelines so Pondo recruited a few other wild Americans to join his stable in Japan. Dale Patricks, who made waves for several years on the death match scene, debuted for Big Japan earlier this year and looks to add another successful tour to his resume. Dr. Redacted, who has gone viral online on a few different occasions with his death-defying stunts, will also join the group for the series of events.

"Necro is a mentor to me, he helped me a lot early in my career and I owe a lot to him. I hope he gets well soon, and I hope I can do his group proud when we go over there. Pondo is a legend in Japan and for him to have faith in me, is huge for my confidence ahead of this tour. Dale Patricks showed the Japanese audience that he can go, and Dr. Redacted is probably something totally unique so I'm looking forward to working with all those guys," Wes said.

So, with the announcement from Big Japan Pro Wrestling of his upcoming arrival, his plane scheduled to leave on July 6th, and his matches on the line-up, Wes Fetty will land in Japan as The Beastman. Not only will the dreamer from McMechen get to experience the culture of places like Sapporo, Hokkaido, and Abashiri, but the finale of his first tour in Japan will see him wrestle in Korakuen Hall, the same place that he watched matches from on grainy VHS tapes in his youth.

Wes Fetty went from the dreamer looking at Korakuen Hall through his television screen to the accomplished professional that will get the chance to perform in the historic building.

What's the status of AEW?

All Elite Wrestling is just two weeks away from the Forbidden Door pay-per-view, the co-promoted event with New Japan so you can expect that the organization will make a solid push to sell the event to its audience within the next few episodes of Dynamite.

The concept makes sense on the surface because it allows for potential "dream matches" to take place, but with that comes sometimes unrealistic expectations. Furthermore, and this is potentially the biggest hurdle with these types of shows, there's a very fine line between these dream match cards for a niche audience and an event that is too "inside baseball" so to speak, even for the AEW audience. It's important to remember that while New Japan had a tremendous resurgence throughout most of the decade of 2010, it still has a very niche audience in the United States. That doesn't take away from the fact that there was a time throughout most of the decade that NJPW delivered the best in-ring quality in the business, but rather to point out that not only has the Japanese league almost naturally lost some of its steam from that peak, it doesn't have a measurable following in the United States. Yes, NJPW has the American spinoff project, but that's kept in scale with the demand more often than not, which is why only select cities in the US host New Japan events. Besides the style, the logistics with the time difference can make it more difficult for the American audience to follow the project, and since the style is tailored to the Japanese crowds, as it should be, it wouldn't make business sense for the company to make major investments into mainstream American distribution.

All things considered, I'm not sure if the promotional push to sell Forbidden Door is worth the valuable TV time it will use when those segments should probably be geared toward the All Elite product.

Just a glance at the current line-up of All Elite programming more or less reinforces the notion that the presentation will continue to be more scatter-brained and slapstick than anything else. Maxwell Jacob Friedman returned to the company after almost six months on the sidelines from a variety of injuries, giving the organization a much-needed boost as far as a sense of optimism around All Elite as a whole. In a rather random pairing the past few weeks, MJF began a rivalry with Rush, the luchador that also recently returned from an extended absence due to injury. To say this is a clash of styles is an understatement, and the premise of the confrontation is flimsy. They are scheduled for a match on Dynamite this week, and if this is a relatively quick way to give MJF a solid win to kickoff his comeback then it might be effective. However, this was such a thrown together feud that there hasn't been enough time for any heat to develop and considering that Rush hasn't been on the shows because of the injury, or featured before that, there's really no reason for the audience to have any type of investment for him as a heel. Because of that, even a decisive win against him only has a minimal upside for MJF since Rush doesn't have a lot of cache as a character within the AEW landscape.

The bigger issue is if the match goes off the rails, it could actually hinder, not help MJF's return to the company. Yes, Rush is a very talented performer, but he works a very specific style and doesn't seem to be too adaptable to any portion of the American style so unless he's booked against another luchador that can plays to his strengths, the bouts yield mixed results. Plus, there was the infamous match against Jack Perry where Rush made him look like an enhancement talent at the same time he was supposed to be in the main event scene.

As far as rush in another sense, Tony Khan absolutely rushed the Will Ospreay main event push, and instead of allowing it to organically build toward the storybook conclusion in Wembley, Khan doesn't have the patience for it. I don't care what happens from here or how some type of angle at Forbidden Door might add to an eventual match at Wembley. The point is, putting Ospreay in the title picture at all before the London show dilutes the moment in the stadium. Aside from it being a retread as far as him wrestling for the title, there wasn't a journey for him to get to the title match at the Forbidden Door event.

Yes, Ospreay had incredible matches against Bryan Danielson and Konosuke Takeshita on pay-per-view, but where did it lead? Outside of being "six stars by The Wrestling Observer," what was the point of these contests? The reason I say this is, I actually agree that they were both stellar matches, but I think it was a complete missed opportunity to follow-up on either match in both scenarios. Despite his talent, Takeshita is still just another guy on the roster. His bout with Ospreay could've and probably should've been a star-making performance, but he wasn't put in a more prominent spot on AEW programming after that. Unless Danielson simply doesn't want to be used in a main event role, Tony Khan has missed the chance to fully utilize him as far as being an asset to the company. Yes, Danielson is probably at the latter stage of his career so he's not exactly the future of the organization, but if he's not given an AEW world title reign, it seems like the company would be leaving money on the table. Perhaps, profit not being the top priority is one of the reasons we haven't seen Danielson's star power used in a better position in the promotion.

The biggest problem is, Ospreay and Swerve are both baby faces so besides the fact that there's no build up of substance behind it for the storyline, it's also going to be difficult to generate any type of heat for the match. There's no doubt it's going to be a dazzling spot fest with incredible displays of athleticism, but will that make it any different than the type of matches regularly on AEW television? In some ways, it's a lose-lose situation because if Swerve wins, it takes away some of the steam of Ospreay because he had a title shot and failed. If he wins, it gives away the AEW World title victory on a much smaller and less important platform than the storybook setting at Wembley stadium. Maybe I'm missing something, but I just don't see how Ospreay being rushed into the title match at Forbidden Door has any benefit compared to the payoff of him winning in London.

I could be wrong, but in many ways, I see this co-promoted venture, at least right now, as more of an exhibition pay-per-view than anything else. I understand that's a conflicting term, but All Elite Wrestling is investing television time and a spot on its pay-per-view calendar to guest stars that won't be on the shows next month so a lot of what takes place prior and during Forbidden Door is in a vacuum, in terms of its impact on the product. Forbidden Door is a detour, not a destination. For Will Ospreay, especially with the amount of cash and promotional push he received so far in AEW, the only destination should be winning the world championship in Wembley Stadium. Anything else would be an example of not truly utilizing the opportunity that is there with Ospreay on the roster for the London PPV.

The APWF event

An all-star independent wrestling card is set for June 23rd at the S&T Bank Arena in Indiana, Pennsylvania, a region northwest of Pittsburgh. The Allied Powers Wrestling Federation, a group that hosted events in various areas several years ago, looks to bring professional wrestling back to Indiana county with its "Evolution" card, headlined by a National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight championship defense when Ethan Carter III puts the title on the line against the stellar challenger, "Big Time" Bill Collier, a longtime veteran that is regarded by many as one of the best unsigned talents in the entire country.

Collier could have a career-defining night if he can unseat the NWA champion and add the prestigious gold to his extensive list of accomplishments.

The man behind this new incarnation of the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation is Ken Brewer, affectionately known as "Bad Bubba" Brewer during his wrestling days.

"I met Chris Lash, who founded the APWF based out of Punxsutawney, PA, I've been either booker, president, or owner of the APWF since 1998. I worked with Chris Lash when we took the APWF to Florida to run, too," said Brewer.

In many ways, Brewer's personal story reflects what he's trying to put together with the launch of this new  chapter of the organization, he wants to allow the fans to be thrilled with live pro matches that are affordable for families to attend, and he plans to give the talented stars that he assembled on his roster a platform to showcase their skills inside the squared circle. Brewer was inspired in a similar fashion when he saw the red and yellow of Hulk Hogan in the heyday of the 80s, and decided he wanted to pursue his own path inside the ring ropes to emulate his wrestling hero.

Bubba Brewer fondly looks back on those days, both as an aspiring hopeful that started in the business and as the youngster that dreamed of climbing inside the ropes one day. For Bubba, memories were that will last a lifetime were made because of pro wrestling. He hopes he can provide the same opportunity to others with the new APWF.

"The biggest reason I got back into promoting a show, was giving Team Tap Out, my last tag team champions, one last match. No other promoter wanted to do this and give them a Hollywood-type ending. This time around, nothing against the people that I worked with before, but the staff that I have now are team-oriented and their agenda is making this company something that people can talk a bout in a positive manner," Brewer explained.

Ironically, after he broke into the business under the guidance of TC Reynolds, he competed against some of the same foes as The Hulkster that inspired him to become a pro wrestler.

"When I wrestled in the APWF, I worked a lot of big names, but my match against King Kong Bundy garnered local media attention in my area. Working Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Nikolai Volkoff in the very building that I'm bringing the APWF is coming full circle for me," commented Bubba.

Bubba spent the better part of two decades as a wrestler, but cited age and injuries as why he had to hang up the boots.

Still, Bubba Brewer, particularly in recent years, remains of of the most familiar faces on the independent scene. After years of going up and down the roads of the east coast and the mid-west as a wrestler, Bubba's passion for the sport still remains. He can be quietly spotted at an independent card on a regular basis, as he gets a level of excitement just from seeing the next generation of talent. Despite his status and respect in the industry, he refuses any complimentary tickets, he puts his hard-earned money down just like any other dedicated fan because he knows the support for the promotion allow the sport to continue to be a staple of the area.

"I've been doing podcasting since 2018 with my shows, The Triple B Experience and The Steelers Dynasty Podcast. I have those platforms to also promote the company and the shows. I will have an open door policy, no matter who or where you wrestle, I want to work with all the promotions in the area. I'm hoping this time around the APWF can build a positive aura in the area," Brewer commented.

An unapologetic Yinzer, Ken Brewer brings his enthusiasm for football and pro wrestling to the regular audience of his previously mentioned podcasts. His mindset to bring together the best talent from the myriad of organizations around the region created a format for the Evolution card this Sunday.

Among the stacked line up, the Fight Underground title, a belt that can be defended in any organization regardless of the sanctioning group, will be on the line when "The Rev" Ron Hunt defends against "The Writing on The Wall" Christian Noir. Local legend, T. Rantula, who competed against names like Mick Foley and New Jack in a career that spans thirty years, will square of with Ryse Wrestling standout, Tad Jarvis. Cowpoke Paul, another staple of Ryse, will step into the ring with Zach Nystrom. The previously mentioned Team Tap Out are set to compete against Imagine Wrestling's The Rad Boyz. Speaking of tag team excellence, The Mane Event, the combination of Ganon Jones Jr. and Duke Davis are signed to compete. Jones Jr. and Davis are staples of the International Wrestling Cartel organization, and many pundits have speculated that they could dominate the future tag division in the APWF. "The Big Boss" Glenn Spectre, Spencer Slade, and others will also compete on the highly-anticipated card. Of course, as mentioned, the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight championship will be on the line in the main event when Carter defends against Collier.

"The APWF is putting together something special, there are such a great group of talented wrestlers from all different place that are going to be on this card," said Dean Radford, a twenty-year veteran of the ring that is also the co-head trainer of The Stronghold, the Ryse Wrestling training Academy,

There was a lot of meticulous planning that went into the formation of the new APWF concept and Bubba looks to make the organization a special event for different areas around the region. He already has live events scheduled for Johnstown, PA in August and October later this year. He also stated that he wants to look at the potential for events in other areas next year.

"My goal for this company is to be a positive force in wrestling and the APWF will work in making this area a great area to watch wrestling. I still have my crazy dream of all the companies coming together to have a yearly super show card, I can dream," concluded Brewer

Clash at the Castle review

The WWE took another premium live event overseas, this time for Clash At The Castle in Scotland, and similar to the pattern we’ve seen with these events recently, the crowd was very energetic throughout the broadcast. However, this particular audience in Scotland often seemed more content to chant just for the sake of chanting instead as a reaction to specifically what happened on the show. Granted, energy is energy, but it’s certainly less organic than what was seen previously for the shows in foreign markets. 

The show opened with the WWE championship I Quit Match, which was somewhat surprising, as it gave the pay-per-view a hot major start, but there was also the risk of starting at a peak and then declining from there throughout the show as far as the pace goes for the broadcast. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Perhaps, that was because it’s difficult to sell the possibility that Cody Rhodes will drop the title within a short amount of time of his signature. Wrestlemania win after such a long chase to the championship so the audience didn't burn out its energy during this first segment. That said, AJ and Cody are true pros and the quality of the contest reflected that. Everything they did was well done and they brought a mixture of action and dramatic storytelling to try to make the most of the stipulation. The brain buster spot on the announce table was particularly brutal and it looked as though the blood on Cody's head was the result of a hard cut. The use of Cody‘s mom at ringside was well done and added a unique layer to the presentation that eventually played a role in the finish. Mrs. Rhodes slapping the heel was a memorable moment during the segment and that led to AJ, grabbing the chair, implying that he might actually attack the mom of the champion. Again, it’s a tough spot to be in since the audience knows, especially in the modern era, that it’s not time for Cody to drop the championship so it’s more difficult to create the moments where it appears that the title might change hands.  They used handcuffs, chairs, steel steps, and the I quit stipulation itself to try to make something from this segment more than just a predictable Cody Rhodes, title defense. The finish was well done, and ultimately, the segment further showcased Cody Rhodes as the top guy in the company.

The women’s tag team championship match could’ve been a difficult scenario, given that there were three teams involved, but everything was structured in a very solid manner that not only showcased the reaction, but also allowed for the hometown narrative to come in to play toward the finish. This bout was action packed, and as repetitive as it is to point out, this segment was another prime example of the quality that the WWE women’s division consistently has for the company. Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair were spotlighted and were made to look strong throughout this segment. That being said, I was somewhat surprised that they dropped, the titles, even if they didn’t take the pin. The reason being, while you can see Jade continuing to progress as a more well-rounded performer, I think it goes without saying that the pairing with Bianca has helped tremendously in her development as a relatively new performer on the roster. At the same time, I can see the logic behind why the hometown team were given the victory, especially because of how the main event was booked later in the show. I'm wondering if the fact that Cargill or Belair weren't pinned will be used to set up a rematch, and if Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn getting the victory was simply a booking decision based on the location of the pay-per-view, not the direction of the women's division right now. Either way, it'd definitely be a good decision to continue to book Jade as a part of the tag team with Bianca for at least the rest of the year.

The Intercontinental title belt provided a lot of substance to go along with the sizzle of the show, especially with the drama of the hometown competitors on the card. Another example of polished pros, Chad Gable and Sami Zayn were top-notch in this segment. This bout had crisp wrestling, physical exchanges, and an element of storytelling with the Otis and Dupri involvement in the finish. As I’ve written previously, Chad Gable has really had a chance to shine in recent months and is a very solid heel, and Sami is doing very well in this run as the IC champion. With Otis’s role in the finish, it sets up for a fued between Chad Gable and his stablemates. It’s simple, but effective storytelling and puts more of an emphasis on both Gable as a heel and Otis as a baby face that the crowd can rally behind. Taking into account that Otis is an athletic big man, I would guess that his rivalry with Gable could provide some very solid matches throughout the storyline. Sami got the win to retain the championship.

The women’s title match could’ve been a very tricky situation because Bayley is unanimously very popular with the fan base, but at the same time, it’s almost a natural tendency for the audience to cheer for the hometown performer, despite the fact that Piper Niven is a heel. It could create somewhat of a lukewarm atmosphere to the segment, but that wasn’t the case as the crowd followed the action. Similar to the women’s tag match earlier on the card, this was a well wrestled segment, and more than anything, this baby face run from Bayley has added a new aspect to her persona as she has evolved as a performer during the course of her WWE career. The contest was fine, nothing spectacular, but nothing subpar either before it built momentum toward the conclusion with a series of high impact maneuvers. There was a level of drama, as it looked as though Piper Niven might win the championship. Eventually, Bayley was able to get the win, and there was somewhat of a flat reaction to the finish, but again that’s one of the potential pitfalls of the hometown performer doing the job. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it was time to switch the title, but there was somewhat of a flat moment for the pace of the show when Niven was pinned. 

The main event had an atmosphere of a major match-up, specifically with the elaborate entrance for Drew McIntyre, and this segment made him look like a top guy. You could say that is somewhat skewed because of the hometown advantage, but the presentation with the kilt and the jacket is something that can be used anywhere to emphasis his character. The bottom line is, Drew McIntyre can and probably should be a top guy for the company.

The story of the segment, more or less writes itself, and there’s nothing wrong with that. As I’ve said before, sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution, and this was a very easy story to tell for Damien Priest and Drew McIntyre. They maximized the moment with the extended entrance for McIntyre, and on the flip side, let the heat simmer For Damien Priest's introduction.

The match itself was solid and built drama very well, particularly towards the finish. Damien Priest had a very scary moment where his leg got hung up in the ropes, and while he appeared to be fine, he worked the spot into the latter stages of the match with selling the leg at certain points. When there was a ref bump, it more or less revealed that there was going to be some type of shenanigans involved for the finish, and the use of CM punk makes sense in the bigger picture for the eventual garage match down the road. McIntyre losing in Scotland was still disappointing  for the event. Obviously, they wanted the shock factor to make up for that, and the argument could be made that it worked, but the hometown guy losing in the main event is almost always unavoidable let down.

Overall, this pay-per-view was very solid and another example of the drawing power of the WWE brand overseas, and more than anything that might be the biggest take away this particular event. The TKO corporation seems to be utilizing the global market with the demand of the WWE, and that doesn’t necessarily contribute to a pop culture boom in the United States, there is obviously money to be made in the foreign markets so it’s a very smart business move. It will be interesting to see how things unfold on television in the next few weeks and how the Money in the Bank pay-per-view in just three weeks might impact the WWE landscape.

What's next for Ricochet?

As continues to be the case within the past few years, anytime a free agent is set to hit the market, there are decisions to be made and thus speculation on the future of careers. Recently, there was some scuttlebutt around key talent on the WWE roster, as some long-tenured, featured performers had to make the decision to re-sign with the TKO corporation or consider other options, primarily All Elite Wrestling or potentially New Japan, depending on the specific talent. The WWE office inked Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor, Damien Priest, and Seth Rollings to new contracts during the past few months.

All things considered none of those reports were surprising, with a slight exception made for McIntyre. The Scottish grappler had expressed some consideration for spending more time with his family, and given that his current feud is with CM Punk, a guy that is still several months away from being cleared for an in-ring return, it would've made sense if Drew wanted to step away from the company, not to explore his options, but rather to take a hiatus from the contractual demands of a WWE deal. Drew is a smart businessman, even though he was misused previously in his WWE tenure, he knows that while he's still in the prime of his career, the WWE is the place to be because of the biggest exposure in the industry that it can offer and the good money to be made. That's not to say that McIntyre will retire under the WWE banner, but at 39, it makes sense for him to use the latter stages of the prime of his wrestling years to boost his profile as much as possible. Furthermore, it would essentially make Damien Priest a transitional champion, but there's a very good argument to be made that McIntyre should win the World Heavyweight championship at Clash at The Castle. In some ways, it's almost too good of an opportunity to pass us since the story writes itself, even if the moment would be in a vacuum since he's a heel on Raw.

As mentioned, Priest is factored into the title picture so there wouldn't be much of a reason for him not to re-sign a contract. His stablemate Finn Balor probably didn't get the chance he deserved in the main event scene after he suffered an injury in the same match that he won the championship in 2016, but he already did much of his legacy work in Japan so remaining in the WWE allows him to maximize his earnings before he retires. Seth Rollins is often made to look secondary to the part-timers or the guest stars, but he's consistently near the top of the card so again, it was another situation where it wouldn't make sense for him to look outside of the WWE for other opportunities.

However, there are a few others that still haven't signed new contracts, with one departure more or less confirmed after Raw this week. Becky Lynch, one of the most popular stars in the company, finished up her current deal. That doesn't mean that she won't return, but rather it's a rest from the road schedule. It was almost comical when some fans on social media assumed that she was going to make the jump to All Elite Wrestling simply because she didn't immediately sign a new WWE contract. Considering that she travels with her family when she's on the road with WWE and she's one of the biggest stars on the roster so you can assume that she makes good money, why would she dismiss those advantages to work for AEW? That's not even a criticism of the Khan-owned organization, just to point out that for Becky's situation, there's no reason for her to consider a run in a different organization.

Chad Gable, who is doing some of the best work of his career with some of the best opportunities of his career in the past several months, still isn't confirmed to have signed a new contract with the company after news surfaced that his current contract expires soon. You have to take the internet speculation with a grain of salt, because he could've already re-signed with the company so the discussion might be moot. A few years ago, particularly when Vince McMahon was still the boss, the best move for Gable probably would've been to work elsewhere, specifically when he was mocked with the horrendous Shorty G gimmick, but the Triple H era changed a lot of possibilities in the company. I've written before that Gable is such a stellar athlete and how much of an asset he can be for the organization so I'm not going to retread that again, but it should be noted that he has the ability to move up the card as far as management would be willing to push him as a heel. He has the skills to be a main event guy, which isn't to say that he will be on the level of Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns, but if it's presented correctly, he could definitely be a title contender in the future. He's doing great work on Raw with Otis, and given the increased exposure he had, particularly since Triple H took over the scripting of WWE programming, it's very doubtful that he would want to leave the company.

It was reported that Ricochet, who originally signed a WWE contract in 2018, was considering an exit, and after the segment with Bron Breakker on Raw, it looks like he was written off of television because he opted not to sign a new deal. The story with Ricochet isn't anything new within the WWE landscape, he was a guy that would get a brief push or some level of spotlight before he was more or less forgotten about by management. He was a former IC and US champion, but his status within the company was more or less the same throughout the majority of his WWE tenure. Granted, this happened mostly within the Vince McMahon era, but the reality is, there are only so many featured spots in any promotion. Make no mistake about it, the office knows how talented Ricochet is, but if there's a place for him within the current plans is a different matter. Sure, he could sign a new deal, make good money, and probably remain in that same spot of a lower mid-card guy that has a lot of talent. The flip side is, he can bet on himself, evolve his career somewhere else and then potentially return to the WWE in a better spot in a few years. Keep in mind, there was a time when Drew McIntyre's claim to fame was as a of member 3MB, and Cody Rhodes was booked as a spinoff of Goldust. They are both booked for championship matches at the pay-per-view this weekend.

Of course, All Elite is the easy answer and that might be exactly where he goes, specifically if he wants to reignite a rivalry with Will Ospreay, as the two had a memorable series of matches in New Japan years ago. Given some of the recent fumbles from All Elite, I'm not sure if Ricochet would immediately sign there or if he'd return to New Japan to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Assuming he did well with his WWE paychecks, he probably has the financial stability to consider his options, which is one of the perks of working for the company for the past six years.

It goes without saying that his style would be a better fit for AEW or New Japan, but from a business prospective, Tony Khan would offer him the better money deal. I have to be honest, while I could see Tony paying Ricochet more than his worth (and good for him if he can get that money) to be able to recreate the New Japan series of matches with Ospreay in an AEW ring, outside of that, it wouldn't be surprising at all if Ricochet would get lost in the shuffle and become just another high spot wrestler on the roster. That's not a knock against him, he's much more well-rounded after several years under the WWE umbrella, but rather that the odds suggest that Ricochet will land in the same spot that the vast majority of new acquisitions after a few weeks of exposure, just another name on the roster.

Even if that is the case, it's very possible that Ricochet uses this opportunity to freshen up his career, and it wouldn't be shocking if he returns to the WWE in a few years. The biggest take away from all of this is what the series of re-signings suggest about AEW's standing within the industry. There was a time when All Elite was seen as a place where underutilized could flourish, and it might've been true after the initial launch of the company, but that's not the current narrative for the organization. Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and Jade Cargill are all in exponentially better spots now than they were in All Elite Wrestling. Beyond a potential money grab, would any of the talents that re-signed with WWE be better off if that make the jump to AEW?

The career of CJ Sensation

"Alcohol and cocaine were my crutches." -Craig Stephenson

Craig Stephenson has been through the peaks and valleys of life. Up until four years ago, he found himself through the literal highs and lows of addiction. DUI arrests, the need to cope with the passing of his parents within just months of one another, and the dependence on substances to get through each day were burdens that he carried with him for several years. One of his DUI arrests had his blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit. The next time he was arrested for DUI, his blood alcohol level was nearly to the point where he would've been considered legally dead.

"There were many nights where when I went to bed I would have been completely fine had I not woke up the next morning," Craig remarked.

On the flip side, through those years of personal turbulence, CJ Sensation, the alter ego of Craig when he laced up a pair of wrestling boots, found solace in the form of the squared circle. When he was inside the ring ropes, the natural adrenaline rush was all that he needed to enjoy life. He stood in the same ring as names like AJ Styles, Low Ki, Christian Cage, and many other national names.

For Craig, his love for professional wrestling, which he watched with his grandparents when he was a child, provided him with a welcomed distraction from any of the troubles of the outside world, and ironically, the mayhem inside the ring allowed for a level of stability from the harsh reality of life outside of it.

"I always loved the larger-than-life characters and the pure enjoyment I felt watching my favorites win," he commented.

CJ was so passionate about the spectacle of the grappling arts that he wanted to pursue his own path in the sport as soon as he possibly could, signing up for training to become a pro at the now-defunct NWA East training academy when he was still in high school. In 1997, when his peers were at soccer practice or solving equations during a meeting of the math club, CJ spent his time after school learning how to land properly on a dirt-stained canvas in a dingy building. It wasn't uncommon for him to have mat burns on his elbows when he finished his biology homework later that night. 

"Training for me was grueling, but I've always considered myself pretty athletic so I'd like to think I caught on to it fairly quickly, besides the psychology part of it, which for most comes with time and repetition. I always encourage people who want to live out their dream do it, but  the disclaimer is that this isn't ballet or for the faint of heart," CJ explained.

In fact, Craig was so young when he started to learn the ropes that he was actually a referee when  needed because of the guidelines of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission didn't allow him to compete when he was that young. Again, still in high school, but completed with his training, Stephenson jumped at the chance to be in the ring as an official, an experience that he credits to his early development as an in-ring performer.

"I would actually say being a referee helped me become a better wrestler, with ring positioning and being able to connect with the crowd more to try and bring out that emotion," he explained.

Craig made his pro debut in 1999 and began on the circuit around the tri-state area, working for an alphabet soup collection of organizations to get the valuable in-ring experience to progress his career. In those early years, some of his most cherished highlights took place in his home promotion, the International Wrestling Cartel, one of the longest-running and most well-known independent groups in western Pennsylvania. Ran successfully for many years by Norm Connors, regarded by many as the godfather of the Pittsburgh independent scene, IWC hosts the Super Indy tournament each year, a tradition carried on today by current owner, Justin Plummer. The Super Indy tournament is considered one of the most storied events of the Pittsburgh circuit and a staple of the calendar in the area. CJ Sensation was one of the participates in the very first Super Indy event when he competed against Low Ki in 2001. CJ also cited his chance to wrestle a bout against CM Punk around that same time as one of the most rewarding moments of his in-ring career.

During an era when WCW's cruiser weight division garnered rave reviews and then TNA's X-Division got fans to take notice, CJ Sensation was considered one of the high flyers to watch on the Pittsburgh scene. CJ zigzagged around the tri-state area, sometimes for big crowds, and sometimes for sparsely-attended cards for different organizations to pursue the goal that he set for himself when he was a youngster.

However, in 2003, not only the momentum that he built with a reputation as a top prospect in his career, but Craig Stephenson's life came to a grinding halt. During a triple threat match, a mistimed Styles Clash maneuver planted CJ on his head, breaking his neck. He was partially paralyzed for a few hours and wondered if he would ever live a normal life again. Doctors at UPMC Presbyterian hospital performed a C6 and C7 fusion surgery to repair the damage. Stephenson made a full recovery, but it look several months and ultimately altered the trajectory of his pro wrestling career. Today, he has a six-inch scar on the back of his neck as a reminder of the injury scare.

"It affected my career because for a period of time, I was unable to do something that I was very passionate about and that I loved. I became very depressed, but thankfully I was able to get back to it. My goal remained the same as I was trained to no matter how long I'm involved in this great business that whenever my time comes to an end to make sure I leave this business better than I came into it," Craig commented.

Acknowledging how disastrous the consequences of the injury could've been, CJ transitioned back to where he started, as a referee. With the prior experience of counting pin falls and his time as an in-ring performer, he was a natural fit for the official of major Pittsburgh bouts. He dabbled with short stints as a wrestler again over the years, but kept those comebacks to limited special occasions or specific storylines to reduce any further risks to his neck.

"My favorite highlights as a referee are a match between AJ Styles and Christian Cage at an IWC Show, which if I'm not mistaken, is one of the biggest attendance records in the 23-year history of IWC. We have such great talent, and hope we top that in the years to come. Secondly, my dive off the top of the cage during a IWC Caged Fury War Games style match. I am so grateful to be able to be in the ring and learn from some of the greatest men and women to ever lace up a pair of boots," CJ said.

Amid the years of professional fulfillment was the personal turbulence bubbling underneath the surface. Craig cited 2017 as a year where he completely spiraled out of control. Lines  of cocaine and empty liquor bottles defined his existence at the time. It wasn't until the COVID-19 pandemic that shut the world down that Craig had the chance to reflect on the path he was on, and if he would have a future. In an undeniable show of courage, Craig checked himself into the Pocono Mountain Recovery Center, where he spent 33 days at an inpatient program to address his struggles with addiction. August 12th of this year will mark four years clean for him.

"It was the best decision I've made in my life. The reason I decided to overcome those hurdles is pretty simple now that I'm able to look back on it with a clear mind. If I didn't make the necessary changes I did, I can 100% promise you that I would either be dead or in jail. So many people saw so much in me that until I go clean, I didn't see in myself. It's my goal day in and day out to be 1% better than I was the day before and live a life that I never thought Imaginable," Craig explained.

Today, CJ Sensation is known as one of the top referees in Pittsburgh, working with almost every major independent organization in the area. Groups like IWC, RWA, and 2PW know the value that a stellar referee brings to that table, and CJ is considered a major asset to each organization.

"CJ Sensation was one of the first people I met in this business. He has gotten me through some of the toughest times in my life, and just times in this business when I wanted to hang up the headphones. CJ is not only a loved friend and a brother,I considered him back then and now a mentor. He has helped me so much with commentary,  delivery,  and other wrestling knowledge, I would've been lost without him," said Doc Daugherty, lead play-by-play commentator for the Renegade Wrestling Alliance.

More recently, despite the accomplishments in getting clean, Craig learned that he suffered from Chiari Malformation Type 1, a brain disease that he plans to undergo surgery for this month. Still, CJ is excited for the future, as he enrolled in online classes to pursue a Psychology degree from Carlow University this fall. Along with that, Craig uses his experiences to help others that have struggled with addiction.

"I work a full-time job as a Certified Recovery Specialist and share my experience, strength, and hope with those that may still struggle and seek a life of recovery," he explained.

Craig also enlisted the help of fellow pro wrestler, Elijah Dean, a personal trainer, to continue to be as healthy as possible as he recovers from the upcoming surgery to address the Chiari Malformation Type 1 disease. It's not uncommon to see pictures of CJ in the gym early in the morning on social media, which is much different than where he was several years ago.

"Besides refereeing, I've been blessed to be able to get more into the production side of things, as well as helping produce or agent a lot of the matches that you see for various different indy promotions in the western PA area. With me getting older, I still feel that I can add a lot of value to any product using my brain and not deteriorating my body more than I already have. I have a lot of big life goals," CJ remarked.

Craig Stephenson broke his neck in a wrestling ring in 2003, but he endured. Craig hit rocky bottom in 2017, but he endured to get clean. In 2024, CJ will undergo surgery for a brain disease, but the odds are that he will endure that to be the healthiest that he has been in his entire life so that he can continue to contribute to his passion for the sport of professional wrestling.