What's next for the WWE?

With the end of the year, there will naturally be a look toward 2026, and a retrospective point of view on how 2025 will mold the future. Truth be told, this year was a key year for the TKO corporation, as the conglomerate debuted on Netflix for the start of a massive $5 billion deal that took the flagship Raw show to a streaming platform, which globalized the product more than ever before. That notion is underscored by the fact that Saudi Arabia bought the Royal Rumble in 2026 and will get Wrestlemania the year after. Sure, the WWE is domestically based, but all bets are off with any type of tradition for where events will be held, as it will simply go to the highest bidder, which is why WM 42 was originally slated to be in New Orleans in April before Las Vegas outbid the city to land the showcase of the immortals for a second year in a row.

Much of that had to do with the business side of the organization, an aspect that is undoubtedly impacted by the creative direction, but the scripting of the shows was also affected by the business deals made, particularly when events where shifted around and thus certain angles were either pushed forward or postponed.

As we head into 2026, you have to wonder, can the office serve all of those masters or will attempting to do so eventually come back to bite them?

From the creative front, the retirement tour of John Cena fueled the company throughout the year, as it should've. Despite Roman Reigns taking the top spot in the company through his heel turn during the pandemic, Cena is still biggest star that the company has made in the past two decades. That's not a knock on any of the other stellar talent, but rather to point out the rare level that Cena obtained and why his retirement justified a year of the WWE calendar. Furthermore, Cena was a major revenue source for the promotion, as his final appearances sold tickets and an incredible amount of merchandise in each city. The sea of color-coded t-shirts, depending on the location, translated to dollar signs throughout the entire final run.

It was a smart business move, even if the story arc of his heel turn fell so flat that he randomly turned back baby face on an episode of Smackdown before he dropped the belt back to Cody Rhodes. Ultimately, that should be the biggest takeaway from the John Cena heel turn, it didn't truly get over because of how the follow-up was completely fumbled. The fans expected The Rock at WM 41, but they got Travis Scott, who was thankfully also MIA after his cameo appearance. All of this boils down to the fact that not everything that Dwayne Johnson is involved with is gold, the box office numbers for The Smashing Machine are proof of that, and it would be unwise for management to cater to him in 2026 if he popped his head out of Hollywood to try to increase his perceived level of star power to leverage it for a future film role.

Along with that, since Cena turned baby face before he lost the title back to Cody, it almost created somewhat of a plateau in terms of the title picture. Rhodes didn't slay the corrupt final boss or conquer the former hero that turned his back on the fans to win the championship for the audience, he simply beat the aging gunfighter that was scheduled to retire at the end of the year anyway so it wasn't a dramatic moment when he won the title back. From there, Cody's tenure as champion throughout the rest of 2025 was lukewarm at best. Sure, he had solid title matches, including a pair of bouts against Drew McIntyre, but it was very obvious that those were placeholder contests just to give Rhodes an opponent at various times, not a true rivalry where the fate of the belt was in question. Because of that, if management wants to continue to promote Cody as the top guy, which they should, as he checks all of the boxes as a representative for the organization, they are going to have to make a serious effort to get him involved in meaningful angles with credible opponents in 2026. In some ways, there's almost an unavoidable letdown in these type of scenarios because after Roman ran through everyone for over four years to set up for the memorable Cody victory, there's simply not many fresh opponents left for him to work with as champion, hence why the Cena turn had so much stream initially, as it gave Cody's character a purpose in his second year at the top of the card. Maybe other pieces of the puzzle could've been shuffled around during the past four or five months to give Cody something more important to do rather than him unintentionally coasting as champion, but it's a rather moot point now.

As far as the future, we've seen recently that the office is wisely positioning Bron Breakker to move up the ranks. I've said it before and I will say it again, Breakker has all the tools to be a top guy, and he's young enough that outside of injury, the promotion could have a top star for at least 15 years. However, and this is a critical piece of that puzzle, how the office books his coronation, including the follow-up, will determine if he can be truly cemented as a main event star. If the writing team attempts to shoehorn him into the spot or rush the storyline that would see him capture the championship, the fan base, especially the casual fans, might not buy it.

Finally, I could be wrong because there's without a doubt a diehard demographic of WWE fans that would follow the company anywhere at any price, but I honestly believe that the completely outrageous TKO ticket prices will finally catch up to the organization in 2026. Yes, the fans have paid insane prices up until this point, but there are peaks and valleys with anything. The Attitude era eventually came to an end, too. Anyone that doesn't think that there's a tipping point for the TKO business model is fooling themselves, even CEO Mark Shapiro, who brashly proclaimed that the corporation can restructure the WWE scale to reflect the prices usually associated with UFC. This shouldn't be a newsflash, but despite being under the same umbrella, the WWE has a different demographic than the UFC, which is why the ticket prices were traditionally different. More specifically, the notion that the WWE brand can continue to deliver less, with the recent four-match Survivor Series card as an example, at the inflated prices isn't something that can sustain itself. 

Again, I could be wrong, but I sincerely believe that the current TKO business model for the WWE, particularly with the higher cost of pay-per-views on the ESPN app, won't sustain itself through 2026. At some point, the fan base will pick and choose more cautiously on when they spend money on the WWE product. If the TKO suits wants to continue to have the profitable revenue stream, they will have to adjust the prices to a level that the market can support or there will be a decline in the numbers. Maybe all of this is relatively moot if the current strategy is to attempt to inflate the value of the corporation as much as possible before an eventual WWE sale to Saudi Arabia.

The state of the WWE union for the year should be kept rather simple in terms of how to proceed into a successful 2026. Don't allow The Rock to dictate the narrative of the organization, we saw how that worked out when he was a no-show for Wrestlemania. Make Cody's tenure as champion a priority in the creative meetings to keep him at a level of importance, even if he's scripted to lose the title, as his role as a representative for the company is arguably more important than the championship. There should be an effort to gear the future toward Bron Breakker, with a showdown against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. Finally, the executives shouldn't make the assumption that slapping the WWE logo on something will continue to sell it at such astronomical prices, as the argument could be made that John Cena's retirement tour was the only reason that the audience was willing to pay the prices this year.

The career of Ref Karen

Much like the history of the entire genre itself, the world of independent professional wrestling can span a wide array of characters, everyone from those with serious potential to make it to the next level to others that are such directionless dreamers that you'd think they've never watched the sport before, let alone attempt to be involved in it. As I've written about before, there's an unvarnished charm that the indys have, it's not overproduced or simply the setting for a television show the way that some of the national productions come across sometimes. More than anything, the independent experience, from the production to the presentation, is based on the live event experience.

As an announcer in the Pittsburgh scene, even the broadcasts are geared toward capturing the live experience for those watching via live stream from the indywrestling.us crew or the fans that want to relive the stellar bouts again later.

Of course, live entertainment is one-take, there's a live audience with no safety net so being prepared and organized are key to a smooth presentation that can sell tickets and give the fans their money's worth.

As mentioned, you'll occasionally find a few local yokels that are in over their heads, look foolish in the process, and eventually find another hobby. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those that understand the rarity of the opportunity to be apart of the industry in a meaningful fashion and take their duties seriously.

One example of this is when I shuffled into the West Newton gym, the home base for the Renegade Wrestling Alliance, a league that has cemented itself in the town over the past 16 years, to avoid the rain last year. It was the usual protocol as I took my roller bag backstage and greeted those already in the building along the way. I spotted longtime booker and nearly 30-year veteran of the business, Quinn Magnum in his usual spot in production with a few run sheets in his hand. An event organizer on the indies must spin a lot of plates, especially prior to bell time, as if someone's car breaks down or someone else on calls in sick, adjustments have to be made on the fly. Plus, an entire roster has questions about where they are on that night's line-up. So, I usually wait until Quinn has a moment before I will ask for a run sheet to know the order of the card to be able to be prepared for the live broadcast.

As Quinn was running down a few of the logistics with the sound engineer, Erin, I noticed a young lady literally taking notes in a small pocket notebook for her referee assignments that night. She politely said hello and introduced herself as a referee with the crew of talent that traveled in from Buffalo. I was partially stunned, as I've seen some so-called "referees" look so lost that a GPS wouldn't have helped them gain their bearings and their sole qualification for the position was that they happened to own a stripped shirt.

When Quinn had a free moment, I told him, "she's taking notes, finally a newbie that understands the job" The grizzled vet of the business responded, "yeah, it makes my job easier because it's one less person I have to yell at," Quinn said is his trademark bellowing laugh.

Thankfully, the RWA had longtime officials Jeff Jefferies, a staple of the Pittsburgh circuit, and George Ross, an independent standout, on their roster, but the promotion was getting an addition to their ref crew, Katherine Guenther, known in the stripes as simply Ref Karen.

As a native of the previously mentioned Buffalo, Guenther lived a very typical upbringing. Early in her youth, she was obsessed with comics and art work. She became an avid fan of Batman, Dragon Ball-Z and a slew of anime characters. She would sketch her animated idols in her notebooks during study halls. As with most millennial youngsters, she went through a sad phase in high school as a self-described "emo kid" at the time. 

Eventually, she found a genre of heroes that could jump off the page.

"Pro wrestling felt like the next logical step. It’s the closest thing we have to real-life superheroes. Some of my best memories are watching ECW on Sci-Fi with my dad. As an emo kid, Sting was a massive influence on me. And of course, like every kid at that age, I loved the Rated-R Superstar, Edge," she explained.

Being a right-brained individual with a flare for creativity, Guenther pursued and earned a Bachelor's degree in Communications Studies. She landed a job working for an insurance company in recent years and had the perk to work from home to avoid a commute during the blustery Buffalo winters.

However, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate found herself at a crossroads in life.

She had gone through a divorce and had to reassess her path going forward. Unfortunately, she became isolated and lost her sense of purpose, especially as the isolation of the pandemic at the time grew to keep everyone further apart even more so than before.

"Before wrestling, I barely left the house. I worked from home, was a complete hermit, and twice a month my dad had to come jump my car because I wasn’t driving anywhere," Kate commented.

It wasn't until a chance invitation from a friend that she reconnected with from high school to check out a pro wrestling show in her area that Kate unknowingly opened the door to the next chapter of her life. On the Grapple Pro card that night, the Zoey Skye vs. Haley Dylan bout opened Kate's eyes to possibilities she hadn't considered before.

"Growing up, I didn’t even know independent wrestling existed. I honestly thought you just worked out really hard, and one day Vince McMahon noticed you and recruited you to WWE. At almost 30 years old, you don’t really think athletic pursuits are still an option, you assume that chapter is closed. But Zoey Skye was my age, looked incredible, and completely changed that mindset. Haley Dylan walked out and she was exactly my height, around 5’2”. That single match shattered every limitation I thought I had. They absolutely tore the house down. For my 30th birthday, I decided to give this crazy wrestling thing a try," Kate said.

The aspiring pro wrestler took her first steps into the squared circle at the Grapple Pro training center, Grappler's Anonymous in south Buffalo. She started with the basics, learning to land on the canvas as safely as possible, and a variety of technical maneuvers. It wasn't until she bought a referee shirt on clearance after Halloween last year and continuously worn it to practice that she was given the option to learn how to become an official as well. She worked as a ref for weekly tapings and any practice bouts in training that she could to quite literally learn the ropes as a referee to be able to get an education in every facet of the business possible. While still learning all the techniques of an in-ring wrestler, she stood out in a matter of months as an official with a natural poise and ring presence that saw her excel in the role.

"I train under Mikey Everynite, I’m extremely lucky to train in the same space as Kevin Blackwood and Daniel Garcia, who will occasionally give feedback. Being so close to the Canadian border also means we regularly learn from talent passing through. What makes Grappler’s Anonymous unique is the philosophy of iron sharpens iron. There’s less rigid, step-by-step structure and more collaboration. You’re developing a wrestling brain,learning how to think on your feet, react to any situation, and truly understand the flow of a match," Kate remarked.

The knowledge that she gained since he took the plunge into pro wrestling training is apparent to anyone that sees her in the striped shirt and matching striped headband to add a feminine flare in the ring. When a promotion entrust Ref Karen to call the action, they get a young professional that looks to enhance each segment she's scheduled for. 

"A great referee has passion for the story being told. It’s not just about knowing the finish, it’s understanding the entire narrative. Who’s the face? Who’s the heel? Where are the big false finishes? What reaction should the ending create? While you never want to take attention away from the wrestlers, a referee can emphasize the moments that matter. The wrestlers tell the story; the referee adds the explanation points," she explained.

The pursuit of sports entertainment didn't just give her lessons on a professional career, it also gave her new friendships and allowed her to experience moments that she wouldn't have dreamed up when she was isolated in her house for weeks at a time.

"Traveling for wrestling has been one of the biggest joys of my life. I’ve put over 40,000 miles on my car traveling through three states and into Canada. Almost every weekend, I’m in a car full of friends, trying to keep each other awake on long drives home. It’s exhausting, I wouldn’t trade it for anything," she said.

As a cat enthusiast that fosters  a few dozen felines a year for the Feral Cat Focus organization, Kate helps with efforts to bring strays into good homes, make sure they are neutered as a population control measure, and up to date on all vaccines. Her week at home caring for animals in need is quite the contrast to her maintaining order over the in-ring mayhem on the weekends.

"Taking three ref bumps in a single match at Big League Pro, being part of an Eddie Guerrero belt tribute spot at Erie’s All Stars, Crowning the first Women’s Champion at 4th Rope Wrestling, and finally, I’m a huge Mickie Knuckles fan so refereeing the first all-women’s deathmatch at Death Proof, with Mickie, was incredibly special," Guenther said of her highlights.

She also noted the bond that was created between the ring ropes and on the road. The late-night gas station food, common accomplishments through their collaborative efforts at events, and the friendships through the industry allows for a comradery unique to professional wrestling, which provides a safe space for the young female as she makes strides in the business.

"I’ve been very fortunate to always have a strong, supportive group of men around me. I’ve thankfully never had any negative experiences. At Grappler’s, people genuinely look out for one another, especially on the road," she explained.

Despite her accomplishments in a relatively short time as an official, Kate hasn't let anyway of that take away from her true enjoyment of the sport. As an avid Game Changer Wrestling fan, she still tunes into events as often as she can to enjoy the action. Plus, she still has a goal to check off her list in professional wrestling.

"I also want to be clear, I’m still trying to wrestle. I’m in the gym every day and at the wrestling gym twice a week, working toward eventually having a match. I’ll admit I’m a much better referee right now than a wrestler, but I’m not giving up," she concluded.

Worlds End review

All Elite Wrestling's Worlds End pay-per-view is in the books, and despite looking very solid on paper, it continued the usual trend of AEW PPVs, too much too often, and too long. I found it interesting that at one point in the show, there was a video package to tout the awards that the promotion won from Sports Illustrated, but yet we rarely get video packages to explain the background of the slew of international talent that gets thrown onto various shows without much of an introduction. As I've said when Tony Khan values winning The Wrestling Observer awards, unless the Sports Illustrated awards come with a cash prize, does it really matter in the grand scheme of things?

The show opened with a pair of semi-final bouts in the Continental Classic, and while I can understand why the broadcast had to start with them to give the competitors the chance to rest properly before the finals later in the night, it put some of the other bouts on the card behind the eight ball so to speak, which should be a lesson in how to structure a card. Maybe Okada was trying to conserve himself for the finals, and it would be difficult to tell because of his minimalist approach to 95% of his AEW work, but he didn't kick it into second gear until the last few minutes of the contest. Konosuke Takeshita had his moments in this segment, but there was only so much he could do when his opponent seemed to coast until the conclusion. This was a decent match, but it simply wasn't nearly as good as I thought it was going to be based on the immense talent of both guys. Sure, Okada had to wrestle later in the night, but if the scenario was such that he couldn't give a full effort then perhaps Tony should've saved this for a different show. I say this not as a knock on them, but rather that I think this rivalry is something that they could build the company around for at least a portion of next year. However, that just didn't look to be the case here, and the lukewarm first impression of this match-up didn't create anticipation for anything between the two in the future. Furthermore, the finish with the screw driver was lame, especially when the entire premise of the tournament is based on pure competition without any interference. Okada could've won with a heel tactic that wasn't something as outlandish as a screw driver that the referee had to pretend he didn't see before the three count.

The Jon Moxley vs. Kyle Fletcher match was probably the best match of the night so you had the peak of the entire four-hour broadcast within the first hour of the show. It created an unintentional decline in the pace of the show because everything to this point, and for a period of time after this, was full speed without any attempt to truly pace the event with an effort to allow for natural peaks and valleys for a smoother overall presentation. That said, this was a match that Moxley needed under his belt to reignite his status in the promotion, especially after his role as the centerpiece of the tedious Death Riders angle was more or less unanimously panned. There's still an argument to be made that he should take some time away from the organization, but based on the results later in the night that doesn't appear to be the case. This bout with Fletcher was fast-paced, hard-hitting, and very entertaining. It highlighted the positives of the All Elite style. The was a scary moment when Fletcher took a suplex from the top rope, landing directly on his head. Despite the defeat, Fletcher still had a chance to shine and added more to his cache to be a potential top guy in the future. Moxley got the victory via submission 

I said earlier that this PPV followed the pattern of too much too often, and the tag team title bout was a prime example of this. I had solid expectations for the Bang Bang Gang vs. FTR, mostly because Juice Robinson is one of the more underrated talents in the business, and FTR is still the best in-ring tag team in the industry. Of course, this had to be a street fight because why not? This storyline didn't justify a gimmick match, and I'd argue that it took away from the segment. Don't get me wrong, in a vacuum, this was a solid tag bout, but within the context of this specific pay-per-view, there was no need for what they did in this match. For example, both Juice and Austin Gunn were bleeding during this segment, which meant nothing when Darby Allin and Gabe Kidd bled buckets two matches later. It's overkill for the sake of overkill and ultimately leads to diminishing returns. This is pro wrestling 101, it's not some tightly guarded Eddie Graham booking secret so Tony should know the foundation of booking if he's going to run a national promotion. Cash Wheeler had a very risky dive outside toward a table when he landed head first. More than anything, this seemed to be booked as a street fight to try to avoid a low point from the full speed tournament matches before this. FTR retained the titles.

The Babes of Wrath beat Mercedes Mone and Athena in a 10-minute sprint segment. The tag rules were ignored so that everyone could do a lot of moves without any type of pace. At this point, it became just a scrambled mess of a segment because without the peaks and valleys of the match, there wasn't a way to build any drama. The Babes of Wrath got the win, but this segment could've been cut from the line-up without making a difference in the overall quality of the show.

Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd was the true bloodbath segment on the card, and it was done very well. Given the characters of the performers involved, the high risk, physical bout with blood made sense here. Sure, Gabe Kidd isn't full-time with AEW so if he should've been highlighted like this if he's not going to be around to follow up on it is a different matter, but for what it was, this was an entertaining contest. This type of bout isn't for everyone, but it's one of the few aspects of AEW programming that they can deliever something that you aren't going to see in the WWE. Some of the bumps the Darby took, including his head bouncing off the apron when he was pushed from the ropes, were ridiculous, but right or wrong, that's a part of the territory for his matches. There was also a coffin drop spot from the top rope to the floor where it looked like Alin could've broken Kidd's arm with the way he landed directly on it, but there wasn't a report of an injury after the show. The finish that used the Bret Hart/Roddy Piper spot from Wrestlemania 8 was very well done, as it was something that used a level of psychology, which is something that isn't usually seen for the AEW product.

The Mixed Nuts Mayhem match was there because of the sponsorship, which is fine because at least it was a segment presented specifically with revenue as the objective. That being said, the bout itself was forgettable and meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. This would've been the time to make a turkey sandwich and get a can of Coca Cola from the refrigerator.

Kris Statlander beat Jamie Hayter to retain the TBS championship. After a night of most of the performers running at full speed or bouncing around the ring like a super ball, this was the unavoidable low point on the broadcast. These two are capable pro wrestlers, and maybe they were victims of circumstance in some ways, but this was a rather slow and somewhat boring segment. Statlander retained the belt.

Moxley beat Okada to win the Continental Classic and the Continental championship. Similar to many of the other titles in the promotion, the belt means nothing, and the argument could be made that the tournament format is too inside baseball for it to truly mean anything to an American audience, but that's a different discussion for a different time. The match itself was solid, another performance that Moxley needed to wash away the "stain' of the underwhelming Death Riders storyline. I'd still say that he should take some time away from television, but given his post-match speech, it looks like the stable will turn baby face. I have to be honest, I thought this was a set up for the faction to turn against him since it would be rather odd for one of the more devious groups to turn baby face without much explanation, but maybe this is an attempt at a completely fresh chapter for the entire stable.

The main event got to the ring about three and a half hours into the broadcast. Since four-way matches are based on spots rather than organic drama, the match was fine, but the action itself wasn't anything too spectacular, especially with the amount of endless high spots throughout the night in a similar formula. However, the much bigger and more important point was that MJF won the title. Taking into account that he returned to the company just two weeks ago, there wasn't a build up or storyline behind it, more proof that Tony Khan is a matchmaker, not a booker, but if this decision can provide some stability within the main event scene then it's mission accomplished. As I wrote about a few weeks ago, Friedman's return promo was the best that he has done in the past few years because it had substance and a purpose, it wasn't a cheap attempt to "shock" the audience.

Obviously, the follow-up and what MJF does next, including who he works with, is key if this run is going to be successful or if he will end up in the same spot that he is now the way that he did for his initial run as the champion. The ability to frame MJF as somewhat of an anti-hero might be the best bet for the time being, specifically because he could work with Samoa Joe to ensure quality matches to get started with the second run as champion. 

The AEW roster

One of the toughest parts of the live entertainment business is when you have to give someone their walking papers. Of course, the notion to give out pink slips for any reason in any field can be difficult, but it's a part of capitalism. If the economy is down, if sales are sluggish, or if there's a merger, it's the nature of the beast that some will get cut from the payroll.

However, the vast majority of the time that simply doesn't happen in All Elite Wrestling, and depending on the situation, it might hinder not only the organization, but the talent as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling for or encouraging anyone to lose their jobs. It goes without saying that it's a wonderful moment when someone can land their dream job and get the national contract to make a full-time living in professional wrestling. However, to make room for those new contracts to be offered, there must be cuts from the roster, or at least that's the traditional theory. The WWE machine churns out countless of hours of programming to be able to tout record-setting profits for the publicly-traded corporation through its extensive media rights deals. To fuel that engine, there's a constant recruitment, development, and thus turnover of talent throughout the WWE system.

That is until a recent report online that suggested that the office has a temporary hiring freeze in place because of the vast amount of performers already under contract on the main roster, the developmental system, and the WWE ID program. It's a rare situation, as you never know when the next potential top star of the future could be discovered, but at some point, even the WWE has a certain amount of resource designed to handle talent throughout the various levels of the promotion.

Keep in mind, that recruitment, developmental, and potential move to the main roster is made possible by the roster cuts that make room for a fresh group of new talent. It's not a fun aspect of the industry, and from an individual level, you wish everyone the best going forward, but it's a necessary process to continue to run the WWE machine.

Sometimes, it's a blessing in disguise, as it can be exactly what the talent need to be able to find themselves outside of the ridged structure of corporate wrestling to be able to return to the company after they've evolved into the type of performer that can achieve to their fullest potential as a marketable star in WWE. Drew McIntyre is a prime example of this, as before he left the promotion for a few years to evolve, he was in a comedy trio playing in a three man band. Without that exit, Drew wouldn't have the chance to completely rejuvenate his career to make a comeback as one of the top stars in the company. Cody Rhodes is probably the best example of this, as he wouldn't be the top guy in the organization today if he wasn't allowed to develop the American Nightmare persona outside of the WWE bubble through his work in All Elite Wrestling.

As mentioned, the turnover is much more rare in the Khan-owned organization, probably because Tony is too nice of a guy to fire anyone most of the time. In fact, on a few occasions, we've seen Tony quietly let the contracts expire so the talent can get paid the full amount of their deal before the decision was made not to renew it. It's a noble gesture, it just happens to go completely against business sense, but hey, it's not as though Tony is going to end up in the bread line because Marko Stunt got his last few paychecks before he decided to become a car salesman instead.

Still, unless the goal for AEW truly isn't to make a profit, and that might be true, a look at the roster ahead of 2026 might be advisable for him.

The amount of talent signed to contracts on the roster has been comical for years. As time went on, just how silly it was really got put into perspective when a countless amount of those talents signed to the full-time contracts either completely disappeared from television or were regulated to the witness protection program known as Ring Of Honor. It's literally direct from the WCW history books when wrestlers are either paid to stay home or the expense it taken for them to fly to a television taping to sit in catering during the shows. The late Lanny Poffo, the brother of Randy Savage, was signed to a WCW contract when Macho made the jump at Savage's request. For his part, Lanny stayed in shape and ready for the call from the time that his brother arrived in the Turner organization in late-1994. At one point, Lanny was even prepared to work an undated version of the classic Gorgeous George gimmick after the rights were purchased for it. Still, Lanny was on the books, getting a paycheck for seven years until WCW folded, but the office decided never to use him. One of the other infamous Turner tales is when The Iron Sheik, on a hiatus from the WWF at the time after he was accidentally in the same car as on-screen rivalry, Jim Duggan during a traffic stop, had his six-figure WCW contract rollover for a second year because nobody in the office realized that he was still on the payroll.

During a recent media call for this weekend's Worlds End pay-per-view, Tony Khan was asked about a few of the AEW performers that have been MIA recently, but those examples were merely a microcosm of the situation. It was no surprise that Khan didn't answer any of the questions about the talent off the radar, but at some point, even the wrestlers themselves have to consider if getting the billionaire's money to stay home in the short term is worth the detrimental effect it could have on their careers in the big picture. In many ways, it's out of sight, out of money. If a wrestler isn't featured on television as a way to showcase their skills, their stock or value to an organization is minimized. Are fans around the world clamoring for a No Way Jose comeback run? (no disrespect intended to Jose) Khan was asked about Nyla Rose, who hasn't been seen on AEW programming in more than a year and only worked about half a dozen independent dates this year. Danhausen was also mentioned, and outside of a cameo at Final Battle last year, he hasn't been seen on AEW or ROH programming since 2023. Yes, he suffered a torn pec muscle that year, but has worked for dozens of independent groups since he returned to the ring and is essentially a healthy scratch from the All Elite roster. Danhausen is a guy that actually knows how to work comedy in wrestling and is a very smart businessman with a slew of merchandise so it seems rather obtuse for AEW to continue to pay someone that is making money on outside merchandise when they could utilize him on television to utilize that revenue stream themselves. Keith Lee was mentioned and he's been dealing with health issues for so long that it's tough to imagine that he's going to make a major return to be a commodity for the organization. Maybe getting paid for a full time national contract ti stay home is as far up the ladder that Nyla Rose can go in the industry? If that's the case then take the cash, save your money, and enjoy the perks of the deal. But, what if it isn't? What if being stuck in All Elite purgatory puts a ceiling on what the numerous talent that are lost in the shuffle could accomplish? Maybe Nyla could completely reignite her career in Japan? Where's John Morrison? Does Matt Sydal still have a job? As far as we know, Jake Roberts is still under contract to appear at conventions to make money for himself rather than the company that signed him. Anthony Ogogo has worked one ROH match this year and ten matches total, what has any of that done for his career? Is Lio Rush still getting a paycheck? When is the last time anyone saw Ross and Marshal Von Erich? Is anyone looking for Action Andretti?

I'm not saying that any of those wrestlers shouldn't have a contract, I'm asking does it really make a difference if they are on the roster?

Unfortunately, with the roster so bloated and the slapstick booking approach, the are exponentially more names that could be cut from the organization and it wouldn't make a difference either way. That's not a statement on their skills, but rather how they've been presented during their AEW career. If the entire Dark Order stable was released, would it make any measurable difference in AEW? Rhio, Emi Sakura, and Kamille show up for a few weeks about once a year. Can anyone find Scorpio Sky?

It's very possible that some of those names could flourish if given the chance outside of All Elite Wrestling, and it seems like an overall disservice to their individual potential and the wrestling business as a whole for them to flounder All Elite purgatory. An example of success outside of being lost in the shuffle is Bear Bronson, who was completely underutilized in AEW so when he left the company, he made a name for himself in Game Changer Wrestling and was signed to a TNA deal about a month before the company debuted on AMC. When Wardlow heals up, he should get to TNA as fast as he can, if for no other reason than it could be a pipe line to WWE. The same can be said for Brit Baker. Obviously, there's a limited amount of spot on the roster, but with TNA set to get more exposure then they've had in more than a decade, there are undoubtedly some AEW talents that should test the free agent market next year.

Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul

The fight business is as much if not more so, the entertainment business. Prize fighting is about revenue and paydays, not pure competition. The Olympics can determine the best pure fighter, capitalism might do the same, but only by mere coincidence as the pro ranks judge, at least primarily, the best box office.

There was no better example of that than this weekend's Netflix presentation of social media star, Jake Paul vs. the former two-time heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua. The British technician stepped in on a month's notice after the original opponent, Gervonta Davis was canceled from the bout after he was named in a domestic violence lawsuit.

As with almost all Paul bouts, there was a gimmick to the presentation as "Tank" Davis fought in the lightweight division. Of course, when Joshua took the contest, it was a sideshow on the other end of the spectrum, as Paul usually fights in the weight class beneath him, the cruiser weight division.

Given the nature of the size and experience advantage that Joshua had, even as an underachieving heavyweight in recent years, he was still a two-time titleholder that had competed against legitimate competition throughout his career. As I wrote in a column about the initial announcement of the event, Joshua was competitive, beating solid opponents, but managed to lose key bouts that kept him out of the truly top-tier of the heavyweight division. He was surprisingly knocked out by Andy Ruiz before he avenged the loss and then eventually lost a pair of fights to Oleksandr Usyk, the current linear world champion. The timing of those losses derailed any plans for anticipated bouts against Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury, both former champions that have lost their luster in recent years as well. The last time Joshua was in the ring, he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois in the fifth round last September.

Still, despite the rough patch, and some that thought that perhaps his days as a truly competitive heavyweight might be behind him, especially with the hiatus from the sport, Anthony Joshua was a major favorite based on the fact that Paul had only 14 pro fights, with one amateur bout before that. The unvarnished reality of the situation is that the mediocre Tommy Fury, who is only known as the former heavyweight champion's brother, is the most credible opponent that he had. Paul lost that contest via decision.

The bottom line is, Jake Paul would have to channel something even more of a long shot than James "Buster" Douglas against a prime Mike Tyson if he was going to get a victory over a two-time heavyweight champion.

I say all of that to say this, there were senate hearings about crooked fights as far back as 1960, and when there's an estimated $92 million, the reported amount that Joshua was paid, on the table, anything is possible. Don't get me wrong, if Paul and Joshua can make that kind of cash for one fight, good for them, that's capitalism, but the economics of such an event, especially for a sideshow fight, is almost ludicrous.

Regardless, Joshua, particularly when his profile is at a lower point after the previously mentioned KO loss against Dubois, the bottom line is, simply isn't making that type of money with anyone else besides Jake Paul.

That's why I don't think the fight was necessarily fixed, but I honestly don't think it was on the level either.

If pro wrestling has taught us anything, there's a difference between going over and getting over. Anthony Joshua went over with a stinging KO in the sixth round, landing two or three solid punches before Paul hit the canvas. That being said, I think there was more of an orchestrated attempt for Jake Paul to "get over" in the process. The sharp and rightful criticism of him is that he hasn't fought any prime legitimate boxers so he took a fight where he was finally the one at a noticeable disadvantage. Jake Paul can say that he went six rounds with a former two-time heavyweight champion, he "stepped up to the plate" to fight one of the better known heavyweight of the modern era.

Where I'd suspect the work is in all of this is that prior to the contracts being signed for the previously mentioned $92 million payday, I wouldn't be shocked if that was a "gentleman's agreement" of sorts to allow Jake Paul to make it through at least half of the fight so that he could save face regardless of the result. If there was an agreement, after the half way point of the fight might've been when both sides agreed to let the result unfold however the legitimate rounds took it.  Usually, I'm not a conspiracy theorist (although, was there anyone on the grassy knoll?), but the first few rounds were so suspiciously stagnant that it appeared that something had to be off about it. For example, there were several times within the first three rounds that Paul looked to be clearly open to take a punch, but Joshua simply didn't throw any punches. Furthermore, when he did start to throw jabs, they looked to be as though he wasn't trying to follow through to actually make contact. The punch stats told the story, as there were a few rounds early in the bout where the amount of punches thrown was in the single digits.

It looked like comically bad acting as Paul circled toward his opponent's right hand, which is the completely wrong defensive move, but somehow, Joshua didn't attempt a right hook. You can call it trying to give the fans a show, but that's a rather weak excuse, specifically because the lack of action wasn't exactly thrilling the crowd.

That's really the sum total of all of this, it was a massive payday for Paul and Joshua, but it did absolutely zero for the sport of boxing. The brilliant Canelo Alvarez vs. Terrance Crawford bout this past September was a prime example of when two of the best in the sport square off, but that was for the purists, at least in the United States. The sad reality is, boxing doesn't have a mainstream star in the United States right now. Floyd Mayweather, for all of his faults, was a defensive machine and used a villain persona for the public to take notice when he fought, ironically the same tactic that Paul uses to draw numbers. If anything, this event might've sounded some of the causal fans on the sport if they were honestly expecting so type of competitive bout. It sounds silly to anyone that has followed the sport for any length of time, but there's a portion of the general public that don't follow boxing, but tuned in to see the social media star fight. From that perspective, it doesn't create any anticipation for the next boxing event on Netflix since the production that was built into a spectacle was a snooze fest for the majority of the time it was in the ring.

Post-fight, Anthony Joshua called for a fight with the previously mentioned Tyson Fury, which might be more realistic now after Fury lost a pair of contest against Usyk last year. That being said, I'm not sure how much interest that would actually draw, especially after it took Joshua six rounds to finish Jake Paul. Obviously, if Joshua would've lost to Paul, his career would've basically been over, and he took that relatively small risk in exchange for the big payoff. That said, despite the KO victory, nothing that the British fighter did in the bout suggests that he would be in top form for a fight against a legitimately dangerous opponent such as Tyson Fury. For Jake Paul, he claims to have a broken jaw, but given his track record, who knows if that's legitimate?

Since the premise for Paul's drawing power was to see him get knocked out, I'm not sure how much of that he will retain going forward. Don't get me wrong, it's possible that his following could continue to pay to see him fight, but I'm not a part of the target demographic so any projections would merely be a guess. I will still say that something wasn't completely above board, as everyone finished with a level of shine. Joshua got the KO victory in front of a massive viewing audience, which could potentially reignite his career, Jake Paul can say that he went six rounds with a legitimate former heavyweight champion, and everyone involved made money for the event.

The WWE video library

Physical media, especially in the professional wrestling business, is such a valuable piece of sports entertainment history. It's a scenario that doesn't usually exist in other genres, as far as the differences that can be found on a streaming platform compared to an original copy. For example, there might be deleted scenes from a film that are included on a special edition of a DVD or as some type of bonus contest on a streaming service, but the premise of the movie isn't altered based on how you watch it.

That's simply not the case with pro wrestling, as an edited or altered version can completely change the context and impact of an event.

While the WWE Peacock deal runs through March 2026 with certain specials to air on the platform, it was reported by various outlets that the extensive video library, which includes almost every major territory in the history of the business in the United States, will be phased out at the end of the month. Don't get me wrong, the WWE, despite being categorized as the evil empire, sometimes justly over the years, is still the best place to have ownership of the footage. The reason being is simple, there's no doubt that the WWE puts this spin on the narrative of the history of the industry, the victors always write the history books, but the publicly traded corporation has the ability to distribute the footage in a far better fashion than if the Mid South tapes were still sitting in Bill Watt's garage. Between the distribution channels and the state-of-the-art production team, the WWE can bring more fans more footage in the best possible quality.

That being said, the upcoming exit from Peacock is a prime reason why the struggle for physical media is real.

Of course, bootlegging wrestling tapes, even with the most innocent of intentions has happened as long as VCRs have existed. The legendary Louisville slugger Jim Cornette has talked about ordering blank tapes by the case in the early-80s to be able to copy as many wrestling shows as possible from around the country. Before The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer became more concerned with spinning every story into something positive about All Elite Wrestling, the earliest of his printed newsletter had a section where fans could trade tapes via mail. Maybe it's because VHS was the first format that I used for pro wrestling media or maybe I'm just an old soul, but there was always something neat about getting the clunky tape with six hours (in SLP mode, of course) of wrestling that you hadn't seen before. Maybe it's just as simple as if anything is just a few clicks away, it doesn't seem as special as something that took some research to track down. That six hour format was perfect for fitting two of the traditional pay-per-views on the tape when the shows somehow always finished right at the two hour and 45 minute mark. It was always fun to order the PPV and pop a tape into the VCR, hitting the record button just in time at the start of the broadcast.

I'm generally pessimistic, but I never understood why numerous fans purged their physical media collections when the original WWE network launched in 2014. Every pay-per-view, documentary set, and anthology was offloaded for pennies on the dollar on the resale market. The way I saw it, and I think this notion has been proven over the years, you have access to a streaming platform as long as those that control it are willing to provide the content, whereas if you own a physical copy, it can theoretically exist until the end of time. Given the current political status of not only American, but around the globe, who knows when we're all going to have to shuffle into the bunker with as many copies of Starrcade and Summer Slam as possible?

I can't emphasize this enough, if you enjoy watching any of the classic content, the best course of action is to get a physical copy of it, as that's the only way to truly ensure access to it.

Over the years, I've kept copies of everything that I thought was worthwhile, not just for the sake of the collection, but also for the ability to be able to watch it in the future. Furthermore, tracking down original copies of ECW events during the past several years was key to being able to watch them in an authentic form before they had to be butchered to avoid copyright on the WWE platforms. Let's be honest here, it's just not the same watching The Sandman's entrance without Metallica blaring in the background. It's comical when a generic hip hop track is obviously dubbed in while New Jack is pummeling his foes with household appliances. However, it goes beyond just the cut and dry aspects of trademarks, we've seen modern edits for content that didn't age well, too. There's absolutely no reason for any professional wrestler to take unprotected chair shots to the head today, but editing them out with a freeze frame from matches 25 years ago just distracts from the viewing experience. Depending on where the archives actually land, I wouldn't be totally shocked if blood was censored through the black and white screen that was sometimes used to review bloody segments on television. Is Austin bleeding in the sharpshooter at Wrestlemania anywhere near as iconic if the crimson is censored?

Fightful Select, an outlet that I take with a grain of salt, reported that the libraries will probably be uploaded onto various official Youtube channels, which makes sense since the WWE team has already established a WWE Vault, ECW, and WCW channels with a variety of content already added over the past year or so. It seems like the foundation of those channels were put in place so that fans can be familiar with them when the shift is made away from Peacock. From the WWE point of view, it's easy to see why they'd be willing to move the territory content to the Youtube platform, as with their following, it can still generate ad revenue and they've already monetized the footage for at least the past decade after the launch of the WWE Network. Don't get me wrong, I understand that the vast majority of the current fan base that buys Roman Reigns merchandise has no interest in the episode of Mid South Wrestling where Jim Cornette gets smashed with a cake, but this still goes back to the original hurdle, what if some shows just aren't available anywhere?

That underscores the importance of a physical copy of as many events as possible if fans truly want to maintain access to those shows.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the move to Youtube is the easiest way for the corporation to continue to generate some level of revenue from the footage without trying to justify its value to another potential media partner. It's somewhat ironic that ten years after the network and more than two decades after DVD releases put classic footage up for mainstream distribution, the value of that classic content, despite being the foundation of the history of the industry, is minimal since it has been available behind a paywall in some form or fashion previously. At the same time, those libraries were the blue print for the WWE Network that had the domino effect of a lot of the media rights deals that have garnered record-setting revenue for the organization today. In short, if someone wanted to watch the classic era and were willing to pay for it, they've already done so since the option was available for years. That's why Youtube is a wise decision because it allows a way to generate ad dollars from the audience that didn't want to pay to watch the footage, but are willing to sit through the ads to view the nostalgic content.

MJF returns

Maxwell Jacob Friedman made his return to All Elite Wrestling on last night's episode of Dynamite to add himself to the four-way main event for the world title at the Worlds End pay-per-view next weekend. On the surface, this was a welcomed boost for the $50 PPV card, as with the Continental Classic still playing out on television, there are only two matches confirmed for the show as of this writing. You can't simply assume that fans will purchase the card without a level of anticipation and build, but that build can't truly happen without the bouts in place. In short, a tournament is more matchmaking than it is booking, which is probably why Tony Khan has run a slew of tournaments over the past six years.

MJF's return, and more importantly, his promo added a level of context and purpose around what has been a rather scrambled main event scene since Jon Moxley dropped the belt back in July. Don't get me wrong, there was absolutely no reason for the drek of the Death Riders storyline to continue, as it was never revealed to have a point. It was cinematic Moxley promos about taking over the company with something that was dragged out seemingly because there  wasn't an ending booked when it started. Moxley was an MVP of the company earlier in his All Elite tenure, but the pointless angle went on for so long without progress that the audience basically looked forward to the end of it more than anything else.

So, when Adam Page won the championship, despite the booking fumbles of his All Elite career, it was at least thought that the tedious Moxley reign would be used to shine a top baby face. That wasn't the case when Samoa Joe unseated Page less than three months later. Joe is a solid champion at anytime, but if the victory over Moxley was supposed to reignite Hangman, dropping the title to Joe so soon more or less pulled the rug out from under him at Full Gear. Swerve returned the same night after being on the sidelines for a few months from knee surgery.

That's why Friedman's promo was so important, and arguably the best promo that he has cut in at least three years.

MJF addressed each of his opponents, putting their status within All Elite Wrestling at the forefront, which adds to the importance of the bout itself, and also explained his motivation for recapturing the championship, to be considered one of the all-time greats by the time he hangs up his boots. It sounds simplistic, but it gave a reason for why the audience should be invested in the PPV main event and why there is something at stake. If MJF can do more or this and less of what his mic work consisted of previously, he will be in a much better position to actually carry the organization, assuming that he will be around to do so. Way too often during too much of his AEW career, Friedman used flimsy attempts at cheap heat on the mic to attempt to "shock" the crowd, but in the end, it only made him sound desperate for a reaction. References to suicide and CTE to get a reaction were bush league, and quite frankly, Friedman is better than that. The segment on Dynamite emphasized the selling point for the pay-per-view, which should be the entire purpose behind the build to Worlds End on television.

But, if this surprise return was to put Friedman back in place to be one of the top guys in the company, will he be there to take that spot?

I understand why any wrestler with the opportunity would pursue film work, as there are no pensions or retirement plans in pro wrestling. Roddy Piper made sure to take film roles on enough of a regular basis to remain a part of the Screen Actor's Guild to keep health insurance for his family. That being said, while there's an argument to be made that his appearance in Happy Gilmore 2 was theoretically good press for the organization, it didn't move the needle. Furthermore, he was able to make a return to AEW programming since he just finished filming Violent Night 2, but the reality of the situation is this, MJF can't be the top star in AEW, or even a full asset to the promotion if he's a part-time performer. He's in the prime of his career, he doesn't have the cache behind him to check in a few times a year like Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar and still be able to bring a level of importance with him. Don't get me wrong, if Tony Khan is willing to allow him to do film work and continue to pay him on his AEW deal at the same time, for his individual career path, he should do that, but it limits what he can do for the company in terms of being a commodity that can sell tickets.

That's one of the many reasons that Friedman hasn't panned out to be the big time star that many thought he would be yet.

Some of it was the booking when he was there, but it was exponentially more of a glaring pitfall when he would leave for months at a time to do film work since there wasn't a way to truly build momentum as the star that was going to be at the top of the marquee when tickets go on sale. The start and then stop without consist exposure almost rendered his status in the organization indifferent, which is the opposite of how to draw money. Along with that, the way that he was portrayed over the past three years or so hasn't done him any favors either. The last great feud he had was with CM Punk, who has been in the WWE for the past few years. As I wrote at the time, the baby face run alongside Adam Cole with the lame attempts at comedy more of less ruined Friedman's persona because it was counterproductive to what made him stand out in the first place. If anything, and this might be the way to get him over now, is to present MJF as somewhat of an anti-hero character. He's a jerk, but he's AEW's jerk and while he might be crass, he has a line in the sand that he won't compromise when he confronts the heels. In some respects, it's the way that Stone Cold's persona got over so strong with the audience. Sure, it's somewhat of a drastic comparison given Austin's statue in the industry, but as far as a potential top baby face, would Stone Cold have ever done the kangaroo kick?

Even after Friedman's predictable heel turn more recently, he still wasn't portrayed properly if he was going to be a main event performer that the organization invested significant stock into to be able to be a driving force behind live event tickets and PPV orders. He was a sidekick to The Hurt Business, and at a few of the pay-per-views, he was only booked to make a cameo at ringside. Again, was Stone Cold anyone's sidekick? A top guy shouldn't be at the pay-per-view to hang out at ringside.

I say that to say this, while this is the third of fourth restart of MJF's All Elite Wrestling career where he returns with a slightly new look, this might be the last chance to Tony Khan to get it right before MJF is typecast in a category where there's a ceiling as to how much of a star that fans are willing to see him as for the promotion. Remember his return promo as a baby face when he wore the Triple H attire and showcased a comically bad AEW tattoo? How about when he made his return after a contract dispute?

We've seen this story before and ultimately, MJF still ended up middle of the road or at best, under the expectations of the level of his talent. It will be interesting if this fresh run can allow him to make more overall progress, and taking into account the very good promo, there's an argument that he should win the championship at the Worlds End pay-per-view. Who he would work with after that or the context of it is a completely different matter, but either way, I'd still say that this particular run could define his status in the company. 

Mick Foley quits WWE

Foley is good. But you already knew that.

Professional wrestling, a genre that originated from the carnival circuit, has never been known for its moral or ethical standards. Murders, con artists, and addicts have all been involved in the industry at some point or another. It's no different than any other form of live entertainment, often a cash business, that will draw shady individuals into the fold. There are literally dozens of episodes to document the tragedy and heartbreak of the sports entertainment industry.

Still, and this is probably one of the reasons that the business has survived through all the negative press and scandals through the years, the other side of the coin is that it can inspire hope, it can give the audience a break from the real-life stress with a dose of scripted mayhem. However, make no mistake about it, the result of the scripted entertainment can be very real, both for the performers and for the fans. In some ways, pro wrestling can provide a level of justice, as after a dramatic clash, the "good guys" can actually win, which doesn't always happen in the real world.

As I wrote a few days ago, John Cena is a prime example of this, he was a real-life superhero for those that needed it and through his immense charity efforts he was able to help many people. He knew the impact that his in-ring persona could have and carried the responsibility with him outside of the ring.

There's a reason a lot of the same thing can be said about WWE Hall of Famer, Mick Foley.

Mick, who slept in his car to be able to afford to train to be a wrestler with the late, Dominic DeNucci, defied the odds, breaking the mold of what a superstar could be when he achieved stardom during the biggest boom period in the history of the pro wrestling business in the late-90s. Foley gave hope to every underdog out there that followed his career, if he can make it, maybe you can, too?

Foley, outside of a few critics that he had professional beefs with over the years, is more or less praised as one of the nicest guys in the wrestling business. Given the notorious reputations of some of his peers, some of the same people that criticized him in the past, Foley has one of the better track records of anyone in the industry. He has done charity work as long as his name had enough cache to make a difference, and continued to do so even during the years that he wasn't in the spotlight.

In short, it's tough to find something negative about a guy that gave his body, often too much of it with too many risks, in an effort to give the fans their money's worth, and has given years of his time to good causes.

That's why when someone like Mick Foley takes a moral stand, you can be assured that it's not a matter of virtue signaling, but rather one of moral conviction.

Similar to Mick Foley, when the orange heel in the White House had the audacity to blame actor and director Rob Reiner for being murdered on "Trump derangement syndrome" in a vile statement posted just hours after Reiner and his wife Michele were stabbed to death at their home, I was completely disgusted. It was a new low for even a fragile fearmonger like Trump. It was disgusting and an insult to the office of the President of the United States. The awful trolls that somehow celebrated the death of right-wing podcaster, Charlie Kirk were just as vile, but you'd think that the leader of the free world would hold himself to a level above clueless internet morons.

This has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat, right or left, it has to do with decency and filth. 

Reiner was known for his work on All in The Family, and his directing resume on films like The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally. By all accounts, he was a figure in the film industry that provided opportunity and was an asset to those that he worked with. Yes, Reiner was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, but he was also one of many the condemned cruel remarks made after Kirk's death. Reiner didn't allow his political stance to override his sense of humanity. Despite that being a relatively low bar, it was one that Trump still couldn't clear. The bottom line is this, would George W. Bush have said those things about the death of Rob Reiner? Would Barack Obama have said something like that? Would the late, great John McCain have made such a statement?

I shake my head when I look at the political landscape, especially when Trump used so many blatant pro wrestling tactics to con so many that honestly thought that he was the right answer. Of course, in response to his position, the other side of the aisle has sometimes taken an equally extreme view, which is completely counter productive, but that's a different discussion for a different time. Trump's tenure isn't about taxes or political policy, it has rapidly deteriorated into a situation where you have to ask yourself, can you morally endorse the statements that he makes on a continuous basis? Is there any line in the sand where even the most staunch Republicans will say that something has gone too far?

If someone is so morally bankrupt that they would gleefully go along with anything a politician says based solely on their party affiliation, regardless of what party it is, they might be as indignant as Trump himself.

Of course, the WWE has basically taken that position with Trump, as Linda McMahon bought herself a seat in his cabinet during his first term as the head of the Small Business Administration when she donated $6 million to his initial campaign, and ensured herself a position when he was re-elected after she worked with a Republican Super Pac prior to the last election. Maybe the fact that she was gifted the position as the head of the Department of Education despite having no background in education would explain the country's infamously low test scores?

Besides Linda's affiliation, the McMahon family has been hosted at the White House on a few different occasions, and the TKO corporation has hosted Trump at UFC events, with a UFC pay-per-view planned at the White House on his birthday. At a time when corporate tax rates are comically low and there's the possibility of more media mergers, it certain benefits the WWE to be in the good graces of the president.

But that goes back to the original question, what's the line in the sand?

For Mick Foley, the Reiner comments were enough, as he announced that he won't renew his WWE Legends contract when it expires in June because he doesn't want to be associated with the company as long as Trump is in office. Foley is leaving money on the table because he doesn't want to make a dime from a corporation that aligns itself so closely with someone like Trump. You can agree or disagree with Mick politically, but the fact that he's willing to put his money where his mouth is speaks volumes about his moral code.

I've always respected Mick Foley's work ethic as a performer, and I respect him even more now for taking a stand in the name of common decency. Not every Republican automatically agrees or supports Trump, and some of his GOP colleagues have spoken out against him. The argument could be made that he doesn't truly represent what the core values of the Republican party were intended to be. Trump blamed Rob Reiner for his own murder due to "Trump derangement syndrome." This doesn't mean that the WWE agrees with those comments, but they won't condemn them either. The thin defense of WWE being apolitical is more of a work than the scripted matches in the ring. The WWE stop being apolitical when they released photos of the McMahon family at Trump's desk publicly. It's more than possible that some in the WWE that supported Trump don't agree with his disgusting remarks about Reiner's passing, but how many of them are going to speak about against it?

Those WWE royalty checks are easy money, as the WWE promotes and produces the merchandise to an established customer base. It's a way for Foley and other legends to generate an income from their legacy when they can't perform in the ring. I guess you could call it a makeshift pension plan since the ludicrous notion that pro wrestlers are independent contractors is somehow still legal. Mick is going to leave the easy cash on the table to continue to hustle at autograph signings and live shows the way that he has done for the past several years.

Mick Foley's morals were more important to him than the WWE royalty check each quarter. Mick took a stand in the name of decency. Foley is good. But, you already know that.

Austin Theory returns

After just a few weeks of speculation, the masked man that attacked CM Punk at Survivor Series was revealed to be Austin Theory in the main event segment on Raw. There were some reports that Theory was penciled in to be the guy under the mask, but most were skeptical of that, given his status or lack thereof in the company the past few years.

It should be noted that Theory was a victim of circumstances in some ways, as he was a hand-picked project by Vince McMahon three years ago and eventually beat John Cena at Wrestlemania 39. When McMahon was ousted in disgrace last year after the sexual misconduct lawsuit was filed against him, Triple H took over creative and went in a different direction. That's not necessarily a knock on Theory, as anytime in the history of the business that there was a change in the booker in an organization, there was often a shuffle of talent based on who the new head of creative wanted to use to implement their vision for the product.

That being said, Theory was left rather rudderless, and even being paired with Grayson Waller to form a tag team did very little to give him any substantial direction. In short, Theory was a secondary lower card talent that was basically interchangeable for most of the roles that he was used for since Vince was shown the door. The team spent the majority of this year in NXT before an injury in July put Theory on the shelf.

Make no mistake about it, this is a fresh start for Austin Theory so it's a chance for him to reinvent himself as a performer. I think it's a lofty comparison, but it's tough to write anyone off completely when there was a time that Cody Rhodes was Stardust, and Drew McIntyre was a comedy act in the three man band. Those two are top-notch pros that among the best workers in the entire business, which isn't something anyone would've guessed a decade ago. That being said, I just don't see what Theory brings to the table that others don't already present in a more polished form. That's not to say that Theory is as clueless as Tom Magee, who looked the part, but tripped over himself in the ring, but rather that Theory, both in persona and in-ring performance is basically the average WWE TV wrestler. Maybe that's why Vince made him a project, because he was the stereotypical WWE performer?

His promos, at least during his initial push, were over scripted and sounded phony. His matches were almost robotic, as if he had to run the WWE playbook page by page. In short, there was nothing organic about the Austin Theory character for the audience to invest in one way or the other, and indifference is the absolute opposite of how to draw money.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't to proclaim that Austin Theory is doomed, we've seen that he can do the moves and he looks like an athlete. The problem is that there's an entire main roster and many at the Performance Center that can do the moves and look like athletes. The biggest hurdle for Theory right now, besides trying to reinvent himself, is to dissuade the audience from the notion that he's a lower card talent that doesn't have any cache among the WWE landscape. In short, why should the WWE audience care about Austin Theory? The last time they saw him on the main roster, he was cannon fodder so changing that perception will be key if this fresh run is going to be successful.

It's not impossible for Theory to accomplish that, it's just a difficult task that might require more than four or five months away to create enough space between the performer that had to go back down to NXT to try to be a big fish in a smaller pond and the guy that is aligned with the main heel stable on Raw. 

The possibility is there that the association with Paul Heyman, Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed might be enough to give Theory a fresh coat of paint so that he could evolve as a performer. Still, for there to be a better chance of Austin Theory being able to reinvent himself, I'd say that a change of scenery, maybe a run in TNA or Japan with the premise that the office would keep tabs on his progress, might've given him a better chance than just a few months off the radar. Again, I could be wrong, but I just don't see anything that stands out about him as anything more than the average WWE TV wrestler.

As far as his alignment with the Heyman faction, on one hand, it gives him some help with top heels beside him and the best talker in the business today to put him over. On the other hand, it's equally as possible that he could be overshadowed by those same factors. Paul Heyman has sold events to the audience for main eventers like Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and CM Punk. Heyman currently touts the praises of Bron Breakker, who many pundits regard as the future of the business and is scheduled to compete against CM Punk for the world heavyweight championship in a few weeks. Is the audience going to buy it if Heyman tries to sell them Austin Theory? There's a legitimate possibility that he will get eclipsed by Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, and Bronson Reed during segments for the heel faction on WWE programming.

The bottom line is, I don't think this was the spot for Austin Theory and he was simply the wrong choice for the role as the masked attacker at Survivor Series. Furthermore, it was somewhat of a missed opportunity by WWE brass since there wasn't really a chance for the intrigue or drama to build with a relatively quick reveal, and maybe that's because they didn't want the speculated to build to a point where it would be a letdown when Theory unmasked. It was also a chance to use the scenario to introduce someone of more importance into the fold. As I wrote previously, the office could've put anyone in the disguise to play the role until the time was right for a bigger reveal. For example, Chris Jericho's deal with All Elite Wrestling expires at the end of the year and there are rumors that he will return to WWE so management could've had anyone under the mask until the start of 2026 when Jericho could've revealed himself as the masked man. I also thought Killer Kross, who left the company a few months ago when his contract wasn't renewed, could've been put in the role, theoretically aligning with the heel stable as a way to get revenge on management since he was snubbed in contract negotiations.

Instead we have Austin Theory back in a prominent spot on Raw. I'd say at best his odds are 50/50 that this new push gets off the ground on a long-term basis. The reason being, it's not as though the audience was clamoring for Theory to be back in the spotlight. Different from someone like the previously mentioned Kross, there wasn't some organic level of fan demand for Theory to be back on Raw. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how Theory is booked and if this stoyline allows for a new chapter in his career.

What's the status of the UFC?

Is the fix in for the Ultimate Fighting Championship?

Nearly six weeks ago, the sports world was rocked with yet another potential betting scandal when Isaac Dulgarian, a major favorite in his featherweight bout with Yadier del Valle, was choked out in the first round. The upset win for Yadier del Valle set off alarm bells after there was suspicious betting activity placed on the bout prior to the event. As with any reputable gambling operation, there are outside agencies that ensure the integrate of wagers as a way to protect betters and the organizations themselves. Post-fight, Dulgarian was released from his UFC contract, and Dana White confirmed to media outlets that the promotion was cooperating fully with the FBI.  Dulgarian's fight purse was withheld, pending an ongoing investigation.

Unfortunately, this isn't anything new for the fight game or even anything new for the current news cycle, as betting scandals have hit both the NBA and MLB in recent months. Portland Trailblazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in connection with rigged poker games that were backed by alleged organization crime groups. The initial report suggests that Billups wasn't involved in bets on games that he coached. However, the problem is rather simple, if Billups gets in debt to the mob, it's easy to see a situation where he could tailor his coaching decisions in a manner that could clear his tab with the organization. Miami Heat point guard, Terry Rozier finds himself in significantly hotter water, as he doesn't have the weak layer of plausible deniability that Billups might be able to use to attempt to shield himself from any direct wrongdoing. There were several prop bets made on Rozier's performance for certain games so when he left a game with a foot injury, it essentially ensured the under wager was going to be able cash out. Rozier remains on unpaid leave from the Heat, and his salary has become a legal proceeding of its own, as there will be an upcoming hearing to determine if he should be paid while the gambling case is still pending. Despite the original story making headlines in late-October, the FBI investigation is still very much an ongoing process, with The New York Times reporting just this week that cell phone records from multiple teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, are being requested as authorities continue to gather more information about the case. Reportedly, there were already more than 30 arrests made in connection with the gambling scandal, but who knows how far this will reach when the dust clears?

Just last month, Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were both indicted on a slew of charges related to rigged prop bets for the pitches that they'd throw at a certain point. Both have plead not guilty, but remain on leave from the team until the legal action is resolved.

As much as this makes scandalous headlines and it's definitely surprising, it shouldn't truly be shocking. There have been attempts to rig sports bets as long as there has been action taken on the games, fights, etc. Maybe Shoeless Joe needed the extra payoff to finally buy a pair of sneakers? There were senate hearings in 1960 about boxers taking a dive for the mafia in exchange for cash and future opportunities.

The problem itself remains the same, but the relatively new technology that has allowed sports gambling to grow exponentially has shifted the paradigm.

Much like everything else, smart phones and the internet have completely changed online gambling. You can play slots, blackjack, roulette, or place a bet without leaving your house. If you want play a few hands of poker while doing laundry, it's literally only a few clicks away. The real-time technology opens up the possibility for more prop bets like the pitching accusations against the Cleveland players. Online gambling is a billion dollar business, and to keep that revenue stream, federal agencies are going to regulate it.

It's not just cash for the online corporations that allow casino games and sports books that take bets, it's the advertising involved that brings more money to the leagues themselves. The bottom line is, the federal government passed the legislation to clear the way for legal gambling online in many states in recent years because of the tax revenue from it. Once the sports leagues saw the writing on the wall, they partnered with many of the platforms so that basically everyone gets a piece of the pie, directly or indirectly. There's a reason that Fan Duel, Draft Kings, and ESPN Bet get their logo plastered all over the place at sporting events.

For the UFC, the company under the TKO banner is about to embark on a completely new chapter, a situation that will bring more fights to more fans than any other time in the more than 30-year history of the organization. After years of being one of the only remaining commodities to generate significant revenue through traditional pay-per-view, the MMA league will switch to a bulk-pricing model after the staggering $7.7 billion deal with Paramount. The UFC pay-per-view, events that had a price tag of $79.99 after fans had to pay to subscribe to ESPN+, will be available with a $7.99 Paramount+ subscription at no extra charge. In theory, the UFC will be more accessible now than ever before. That's a chance to make new stars through the expanded exposure, and of course, more bets to be made on more fights, from the gambling side of things.

That's why while it remains to be seen how all of this shakes out, even if Isaac Dulgarian is found to have been involved in taking a bribe as it appears that he was, the UFC will continue to keep it's business above board. The reason being is that there's literally billions of dollars at stake for the TKO corporation, they aren't going to risk the credibility of their MMA empire, especially for a sport that they've promoted as legitimate, for a fighter that is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. Obviously, it would be easier for a lower-tier fighter to be influenced to take a dive because the promotion notoriously underpays most of its roster. So, again, it was surprising, but not shocking when Ariel Helwani reported that after the Dulgarian story broke, he was contacted by dozens of fighters that said that they were at least approached in the past by gamblers that asked if they would considering throwing a fight for the right price.

I waited to cover the Dulgarian scandal to see what exactly, if any, the ramifications were going to be from the story before the move to Paramount. In truth, it's much to do about nothing, which is actually the best case scenario. Regardless of the outcome of the investigation of the featherweight fighter, the story itself actually proves that the safeguards that are in place work. Betters can be assured that if anything unusual is going on with the wagering process that the regulation agencies will detect it. Fighters have taken dives before and will probably attempt to take dives again for the right price, but the amount of times it will happen in the big picture will be minimal. The reason being is that they would risk throwing their career away for the short-end money. The circumstances around the Dulgarian are such that even if there isn't enough evidence to pursue the case beyond his dismissal from the UFC, he's persona non grata in the sport going forward.

Assuming that this can be dealt with as an isolated incident, it will be business as usual for the UFC, as the company will start its previously mentioned seven-year contract on Paramount, but the biggest takeaway from this situation is how it might impact the regulation of the sport itself. For example, in light of the MLB pitching scandal, most sports books have placed a $200 limit on prop bets for pitches. Could there potentially be a limit placed on certain possible outcomes for UFC fights? That could theoretically limit the amount of overall revenue generated. Either way, it's a fascinating dynamic because as mentioned, as long as bets have been taken on sports, they have been attempts to influence them so it will be interesting to see how the organization continue to adjust to the evolving online betting landscape.  

John Cena retirement

John Cena, the last mega star that the company made in the past two decades, has officially hung up his sneakers. Given the retirement tour and the fact that Cena has been part-time for the past several years, I'd say that he will be one of the very few performers that actually stays retired from the ring. The retirement tour itself had peaks and valleys, with the initial buzz of the heel turn being rather brief in the grand scheme of things, as it fell woefully flat when Travis Scott was sent in place of The Rock at Wrestlemania. The notion was solidified when Cena randomly turned baby face again on an episode of Smackdown just before he dropped the title back to Cody Rhodes. If the Cena heel turn should've happened at all in hindsight is debatable, but the fact that he retired as the heroic baby face makes that discussion rather moot.

Still, the entire year of WWE, as it should've been, was built around the exit of the superstar that was at the very rare top level of the industry. This isn't a knock on any of the other current talent, and taking into account the perception of the industry today compared to twenty five yeas ago, it might not be possible for an individual star to reach that level when the brand itself is promoted as the main selling point, but Cena is the only guy from the relatively modern era that is on the same level as top-notch stars from previous generations. Stone Cold, Ric Flair, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker are guys that eras were built around. John Cena is in that category.

However, what puts him in a league of his own in many ways is an aspect of his career that goes beyond the matches, the storylines, or the merchandise sales.

Nobody is perfect, everyone has an occasional bad day, and it's nearly impossible to always be on as an entertainer. More than ever before, between social media and smart phones, if someone has a negative moment, it can be captured for public judgement, regardless of the context or the circumstances around it. That being said, you rarely saw negative interactions with John Cena in public, and he knew the importance of the role that he had as the top guy in the PG era. This is where the jaded diehard fans miss the forrest through the trees so to speak. While Cena was pushed to the top of the card relatively early in his career and thus had to play catch up for a period of time in terms of his in-ring work, the position of the top star in a publicly-traded corporation requires more than just the skills of a main event star in the ring. Cena eventually got there and could go bell-to-bell, even if that success was based on dramatic storytelling rather than star ratings. But, the much bigger point was that John Cena was the best representative that the company could ask for. He did the media appearances, he quietly did the charity work for years without any recognition until Paul Heyman insisted on it, and you never saw Cena do anything to paint the organization in a negative light. For example, you never saw Cena make headlines for a DUI or made the rounds on TMZ for some type of public outburst. Again, nobody is perfect, but John Cena has a track record that suggests that he knew that his responsibilities as the top star were more than just working the main event on the card.

Along those lines, it can't be understated how much of an impact Cena had as a hero for so many that needed someone to look up to. There's a reason that he has the most Make-A-Wish requests in the history of the organization, and the genuine moments that were captured were proof that it wasn't something that Cena took as some type of novelty. He carried the responsibility of being a role model the same way that he carried the duties of being the WWE champion during his prime, understanding how much of an impact he had on so many as something that surpassed the scripted drama of a pro wrestling match. In many ways, John Cena was the real-life superhero that Hulk Hogan only pretended to be in the heyday of his career.

There was an authenticity to John Cena, and that allowed him to be a hero, providing hope for those that needed it. The honor in his charity work speaks volumes about the man behind the pro wrestling persona.

As far as Saturday Night's Main Event, that might've been the title of the show, but this will simply be known as John Cena's last match. I understand the point of putting the younger talent on the under card to allow for the next generation to get some spotlight on such a memorable night, but this was undoubtedly a one-match show.

At 48, John Cena wasn't going to be the wrestler that he was 10 or 15 years ago, but this was a solid performance that had a certain level of drama to it because of the cache that he has for everything he did in his legendary career. The audience was emotional invested because of the respect they had for his accomplishments as a performer and a representative, not necessarily if he defeated the scripted villain on this particular night. That being said, while I completely understand why Cena wanted to go out on his back, and traditionally that is the right move, I'm not sure it was the right decision here. The reason I say that is that given the level of Cena's impact on the business and that he's still in great shape, this was a scenario where it would've been better to allow for the triumph final victory to retire on a winning note, somewhat similar to when Peyton Manning retired after winning the Super Bowl.

The match went about 25 minutes, and despite Cena wanting to leave it all in the ring for his final performance, I think the bout went about 10 minutes too long. Again, I understand what they were going for with the sleeper hold and counter sequence toward the conclusion, but it dragged on a little too long and thus lost some of its effectiveness by the time Cena tapped out. Speaking of which, that was a rather odd transaction that added to the disappointment of the finish, as Cena smiled before a whimper of a tap out. I think they could've avoided some of the immediate negative reaction if Cena was choked out rather than tapped out because then the narrative would've been that he never gave up even though he was defeated.

The post-match celebration was a very nice moment and the video package to commemorate his career was very well done. The broadcast ended on a very wholesome note so the disappointing finish will probably be secondary in the big picture. That being said, it highlighted a unique dynamic of the modern era, when everything is exposed as a work, including the WWE Unreal show, the heat doesn't go toward the heels, it goes toward the office because the audience knows that's who made the decision. I'm not sure if there's anyway around it since the horse is out of the barn on the scripting process of WWE, but it undoubtedly changes the perception of the product. Triple H got booed mercilessly, not Gunther. Part of the problem and a scenario that reinforced hostility toward the office is that management has been cast as villains at various points for almost thirty years. It remains to be seen how the creative team will navigate this situation with other storylines in the future, but there's no doubt that the perception of the product has changed for the audience.

Finally, and this might be the biggest takeaway from John Cena's retirement, in a business where they are too many tragedies, disappointments, and cautionary tales, John Cena is a true credit to the professional wrestling industry.