What's the status of Britt Baker?

The genre of professional wrestling blurs the line of reality to draw money so it's not surprising in the least that the rumor mill will lend itself to the genre that is based on not knowing where the script starts and ends. In truth, that's fine and I'd argue in some ways how it should be, the belief in the characters on-screen is what allows for an emotional investment by the crowd, which is ultimately the key to drawing money. Otherwise, professional wrestling becomes interchangeable with any other entertainment option.

That being said, in the social media age, it becomes a very difficult balancing act, as fans inherently have more access to performers, and the modern technology that goes along with social media gives fans and contemporaries a platform to voice their opinions, regardless of how ill-informed they may or may not be.

A dirt sheet was, and in some respects still is, a niche concept for a niche audience. The vast majority of wrestling fans have no idea who Dave Meltzer, Wade Keller, or others are, which is by design, as that's the premise of the "inside scoop" on the industry. However, and this is where the modern era differs so much from the past in terms of the access to talent, the stories that are reported by those dirt sheets can make their way to more fans through the blurbs on social media. Some local yokel in Alabama has never heard of Meltzer, but reports of free agency might become known on social media.

The tough part of this for talent is, more of their personal lives away from the camera become revealed to more of the public than it would've been otherwise, which makes it more of a challenge to navigate a career in the public eye than it was previously. For example, if Ric Flair was dancing on a pool table in just his robe in 1986, he didn't have to explain himself to the public because only a few dozen people in the bar would've seen it, and nobody had a smart phone to record it. By contrast, we've seen how Flair's actions in the modern era have brought him negative publicity because of not only what can be captured on a smart phone, but how it can be distributed through social media.

That's why the story making the rounds about Britt Baker's status in All Elite Wrestling is perhaps something that reporters or podcasters should tread lightly when covering, especially given the personal turn the story has taken within the past week.

The Pro Wrestling Torch's Wade Keller recently reported that the word from sources within All Elite Wrestling was that Britt Baker was essentially being kept home because she was too difficult to deal with behind the scenes. On the surface, this isn't a shocking revelation because that's more or less the protocol when there's any sort or dispute or disagreement backstage. Rey Fenix, Ricky Starks, Miro, and supposedly Malakai Black are all on ice for a variety of reasons. If Baker was difficult to work with, it wouldn't be shocking if Tony Khan decided to address the situation in a similar fashion.

However, as the story picked up traction online, the speculation increased to include the possibility that Baker might basically be done with All Elite Wrestling with the notion that she would simply be kept off of television for the duration of her AEW deal, which was said to not be close to finished, according to The Wrestling Observer.

This is where things get murky, and depending on the actual status of the scenario, could have a direct impact on Baker's career.

The DMD was one of the original competitors added to the women's division, and although her inexperience showed at times, it was generally thought that she had a lot of potential to develop into a star for the organization. Almost five years later, similar to many other aspects of the AEW project that were thought to have potential, there hasn't been a major boost in Baker's status that truly cemented her as one of the pillars of the promotion. There's a variety of reasons for that, but one of the biggest is that she has proven to be injury prone throughout her stint in All Elite Wrestling. During the early portion of her run, she suffered a broken nose that required surgery, a fractured leg kept her out of the ring for most of the second half of 2020, but she still appeared on television, and prior to her most recent return to TV, she was on hiatus from the company for more than eight months because of two herniated discs. She also said she suffered a series of mini strokes related to injuries when she was on the sidelines for most of 2024. Speaking of her return to Dynamite, it was rather brief, as she returned in June of last year and worked only five matches until she was away from the shows again in mid-November.

During the course of the five months she was back on the active roster, she was briefly suspended for a few weeks because of a reported confrontation with MJF's real-life girlfriend, Alica Atout backstage. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time that there were rumors of problems with her behind the scenes. Of course, you have to take some of those reports with a grain of salt because only those that were there know if there was anything to the speculation, and it's very rare that anyone will comment on those topics publicly. Reportedly, Baker is not on good terms with Jamie Hayter, which is why their involvement on-screen was dropped without explanation. There was also chatter that Baker and Thunder Rosa, who had her own backstage issues in the past, aren't on good terms either. Furthermore, Baker expressed frustration on social media about the lack of time given to the women's division previously.

On one hand, if there's smoke, sometimes there's fire, and in this case, there might be too many incidents, including the suspension, to dismiss the story completely. On the other hand, it's possible that an internet reporter ran with the story that was only partially true and it gained steam without merit or confirmation.

One thing is for sure, if Baker is healthy, it would be a rather odd decision to keep her home after she was already away from the company for eight months because of the prior health scare. Particularly with the often erratic nature of Tony Khan booking, it's out of sight, out of mind in regards to when a talent disappears from television. The 33-year-old wrestler is theoretically in the prime of her career and still has the skills to be a major star for the company. On the surface, Baker is a very valuable asset to a promotion, even besides her skills in the ring. You'd think that the wrestling dentist would be a great representative for the company, specifically for local media appearances to promote upcoming AEW events in those markets.

The fact that she isn't doing those things and hasn't been spotlighted to be put in a position to be more of a representative of the company might be a red flag in itself.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to criticize her, I actually met her a few years ago and she was polite, and of course, it's pure speculation with the online chatter, but the story became a topic of conversation because given how talented she is, it appears like there's probably a reason that she's been away from the company. Former lucha libre and WCW star, Konnan chimed in on his podcast and explained his negative interaction with Baker when he was backstage at AEW previously. He went on to claim that the reason that Baker and Adam Cole ended their relationship was that Baker was unfaithful. When Cole addressed the split in an interview, he claimed that the two were still on good terms despite the end of their relationship. Adam Cole has a reputation as a great guy, which is why nobody has anything negative to say about him. That's very rare for the pro wrestling business, but I actually met Cole as well, and he definitely is one of the nicest wrestlers you're going to meet. However, Konnan was out of line with the accusation unless he had some type of proof, and even if he did, maybe it wasn't his place to reveal anything, considering that Cole already took the high road publicly.

Given Cole's polite reputation, the accusations of infidelity could paint Baker in a very negative light, which could affect her marketability to the public. Obviously, infidelity is very sleazy, but accusations about it probably don't have a place on a pro wrestling podcast.

The biggest takeaway from this story, especially if the original premise is accurate, is that it would be extremely disappointing if someone as talented as Baker is too difficult to work with to live up to her full potential. That being said, it wouldn't be the first and won't be the last time that someone in the pro wrestling business fumbled their chance to be a major star. If Britt Baker is on ice for the duration of her AEW contract, she might be content to continue to work as a dentist away from the business, which might ultimately be her decision anyway. She has a solid career away from professional wrestling so a return to the ring might not be a priority in her career. Still, it's another story of backstage disagreements in AEW, which doesn't help the perception of the company.

The WWE/TNA agreement

Last week, it was announced that the WWE entered into a multi-year partnership with TNA wrestling, and according to the press release, it can be expected that there will be crossover talent between the two organizations. While the announcement made news, the concept itself isn't exactly news, considering that there was previously a working agreement between the two sides in recent years anyway. The newly-crowned TNA world champion, Joe Hendry appeared on NXT television last year, and Rosemary was also among some of the TNA talents that made their way onto WWE television. Charlie Dempsey, Wendy Choo, and others from the developmental brand worked for TNA as well.

So, on the surface, this isn't exactly anything ground-breaking, but the ramifications of the deal might have a very impactful ripple effect.

Essentially, this official announcement of a partnership expanses the opportunity for both sides. Of course, the WWE has the leverage because the massive publicly-traded corporation dwarfs the scope of TNA, but that doesn't mean that both sides can't benefit from this. Up until more recent years, TNA was more or less an afterthought in the sports entertainment industry for the vast majority of the Anthem ownership since the parent company of the Fight Network in Canada rescued Impact Wrestling from the brink of collapse in 2016. There were several embarrassing blunders, both from a production and organizational standpoint that typecast the beleaguered group as still in existence, but a non-factor as far as a commodity in the industry.

The world title reigns of Alberto De Rio and Tessa Blanchard didn't help the perception of the company at the time. Poor lighting and production value in tiny venues with only a few rows of fans on each side of the ring reinforced the notion that TNA was the minor leagues. Still, Anthem bought the company because of its ratings on the Fight Network so despite the lack of mainstream TV clearance in America, Impact Wrestling, at least for a limited period of time, accomplished its initial goal.

When there was an uptick in the interest in the promotion, it was eventually rebranded back to Total Nonstop Action just over a year ago before Scott D'Amore, who was largely credited for the turnaround, was fired because of a disagreement in the direction of the brand. Despite the change in management, TNA has trended in the right direction over the past year, drawing better live event numbers in different markets than they had in the several years prior to that. However, in recent months, there were a series of departures, including Rhino, Kushida, PCO, and a few others. Reportedly, some talents were asked to take a pay cut since the company would have a tighter budget in 2025. I don't think this is necessarily a reason to push the panic button, as Anthem is a billion dollar corporation, even if those assets or resources wouldn't be invested into the wrestling project. That being said, the logistics of running in different markets in bigger revenues to try to capitalize on the renewed interest in the product will increase live event costs across the board. Aside from the increased cost of the building rental, there's also an increase in the travel costs for the talent, and the production costs to get the equipment and crew there for the TV tapings.

In no way, shape, or form am I advocating for the talent to take less money to risk their bodies, but just to point out that maybe the suggested pay cuts were an attempt to offset increased production costs with the expanded touring schedule.

But aside from NXT talent appearing on Impact, and the WWE bringing in some of the knockouts for the women's Royal Rumble, what are the true business dynamics of this partnership?

First and probably most importantly for the WWE side of the equation, they can track the progress of TNA stars and basically cherry-pick those that they think will be best suited for the jump to WWE. Furthermore, TNA can also become a place where not only NXT talent can develop, but also any of the potential WWE prospects can be sent there to learn how to work television as well. As much as WWE will tout its accomplishments through the Performance Center because it sounds good on the conference calls for stockholders, even WWE management knows that there simply isn't enough room or resources within one organization to develop talent from the entire industry. Plus, different experiences can be more helpful to different talents. It's not a knock on the WWE philosophy or playbook, but some very talented performers will be better off learning different styles outside of the corporate environment.

In many ways, this increases the WWE footprint among the free agent market, not just for known wrestlers, such as Jordynne Grace, who finished up with TNA at the Genesis pay-per-view, but also for the yet to be discovered talent that is the focus of the WWE ID program. It's a very wise business strategy, as it gives the WWE first priority to sign a prospective talent with a minimal investment since it's not a full WWE developmental deal. The WWE ID talent can explore their options within the industry, but the TKO corporation still has the chance to exercise the agreement to have the right of first refusal so they can still ultimately decide if they want to offer a performer a full deal without any bidding war. Much of the same can be said for the TNA partnership, if the WWE wants someone that's under a TNA contract, the odds are that they will land that talent for a WWE deal because the money offered is exponentially more than you can realistically expect from TNA.

The result of those dynamics is that it more or less freezes many of the possible pipelines for talent for AEW. The WWE knows that letting Adam Copeland walk away without offering him an amount of cash that is too good to turn down isn't necessary because it's a much different situation for Tony Khan to sign an aging legendary near 50 than it is to sign a wrestler with major potential in their 20s.

On the other end of the spectrum, this also gives WWE access to WWE legends that either work for TNA now or will during the course of this partnership. I think it's fair to say that The Hardys have more or less had their run in WWE, especially because they've already had more than one comeback stint in the company so aside from a one-off special appearance, Matt and Jeff have done more or less all they can do within the WWE. That said, with this partnership, it becomes much easier for The Hardys to get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, and thus the revenue that will be generated from the merchandise associated with it. It can be more of a hurdle if the WWE office had to wait for them to finish their TNA contracts to invite them into the Hall of Fame. Yes, The Hardys work well in TNA because they can be a big fish in a smaller pod, which is completely fine, but they are still primarily remembered for their tenure in WWE so it makes sense that there would be opportunities for them from a nostalgia perspective.

The former Dolph Ziggler is a guy that can still go and he could provide a boost to the NXT brand with a series of appearances. Truth be told, TNA isn't in the position to be any threat to WWE, but even TKO management knows that it's not good for the industry if there aren't options so they can cherry-pick talent that they think will be an asset to the corporation, but at the same time, give enough to TNA in return to keep them a notable commodity in the industry. Of course, the more Total Nonstop Action can expand, there's a smaller piece of the pie for AEW because fans only have a realistic wrestling budget. Maybe the potential TNA live event with The Hardys meet and greet after the show will take priority compared to the standard Dynamite taping.

Finally, and this is more of a technicality than anything else, this partnership certain provides a great legal shield at any point in the future if TKO is accused of a monopoly or a violation of anti-trust laws. Keep in mind, the WWE had to pay Major League Wrestling a reported $20 million at the end of 2023 because of a lawsuit based on an anti-trust violation related to their brief television show that aired on the Reelz network. Again, the announcement itself isn't newsworthy on its own since we've seen the crossover within the past few years previously, but the sum total of the agreement is another way for the WWE to expand its influence on the industry.

GCW Hammerstein review

Game Changer Wrestling is 0-2 at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

Three years after its first event at the historic venue, a show that was plagued by timing issues and criticized by some for its booking decisions around the homegrown talent, GCW returned to the building that hosted many ECW and Ring Of Honor events in their respective heyday. In an interesting marketing strategy, GCW owner, Brett Lauderdale not only recognized the criticism, but used it as a part of the marketing campaign for this venture in New York. It was a way to be direct with the fans, the audience is going to be more willing to give a promotion another chance if the office is upfront rather than trying to convince them something was stellar if it clearly wasn't. At the same time, with that second chance, especially with that premise, it puts even more pressure on the company to deliver. If it doesn't work this time, and it definitely didn't, it reinforces the original notion that this was simply too big of a stage for GCW to flourish.

They might tour semi-nationally, which is a tremendous accomplishment because of how much it takes to truly establish a money-drawing brand in professional wrestling, and they might be the biggest independent group in the United States, but after the train wreck of a pay-per-view last time, one thing is crystal clear, Game Changer Wrestling is much closer to a regional indy that runs in VFW halls than being the ECW of the modern era.

That's not a knock on their efforts, but rather the harsh reality of the situation.

Unfortunately, the event was snake bit more or less before it even started. During a pre-show battle royal, PCO, who became a cult favorite during the past several years and had a notable run despite being in his 50s, went on a bizarre rant after he won the match. Given the nature of his character and the cynical nature of professional wrestling, I assumed that when he took a sledge hammer to the TNA Digital Media championship that it was some type of storyline. I thought it was odd that there would be an angle involving at TNA title on a GCW show because of the working agreement that was just announced with the WWE, but again, it was a pre-show battle royal, maybe it was just to get some buzz for PCO before he finished up with the company? However, PWinsider's Mike Johnson, the most accurate reporter in the business, has said that the title-smashing rant was legitimate. The ring announcer attempted to take the mic away from the French-Canadian grappler and the broadcast cut away to video packages.

I think it goes without saying that this was a terrible decision by PCO, especially if nobody from management knew what he was going to do. It could become a headache for the company, and at the same time, it almost emphasizes how much Game Changer isn't ready for something at the level of The Hammerstein.

The opening match was a wild nine-wrestler ladder match to unify a few of the death match championships in the organization. This is where management probably should've learned from the initial Hammerstein show, the state of New York has one of the strictest athletic commissions in the country, partially because of how much indy groups tried to push the envelope after ECW folded, and you simply can't perform many of the dangerous stunts that GCW is known for. If it's a wise decision to promote that type of style is a different discussion for a different time, but the bottom line is, you can't present a typical GCW event in New York. Furthermore, this opening segment exposed GCW's limited production abilities, which is surprising because their video packages are extremely well done, but the live production, including the camera work, looked very amateur hour. Seats were sold on the stage of the entrance way, and on several occasions throughout the broadcast, you could see fans walk into the shot of the hard camera as they were going back to their seats or on the floor of that side of the building. Matt Tremont won, but the car crash match was very clunky between the limited space around ringside and the camera work.

There was Effy vs. Allie Katch in a bout to determine who would challenge Mance Warner for the world title in the main event. Sadly, less than two minutes into the match, Katch went for a dive through the ropes and somehow her ankle got caught underneath her on the landing. The mishap broke her leg in two places and the gruesome injury was reminisce of Sid's infamous leg break in 2001. It was so terrible hearing Katch in agony, as Effy checked on her despite the on-screen rivalry. I've actually met Katch and called two of her matches through my work as an announcer in Pittsburgh, and she's extremely polite so I wish her a speedy recovery.

This is where the event went completely off the rails because the broadcast never recovered from the incident. Understandably, medics had to tend to Katch, and if I had to guess, judging by the reaction from the performers involved, I'd say that she was probably scheduled to win the championship that night. Warner attacked Effy and put him through a table at ringside and then the pay-per-view cut to video packages so that Katch could be taken to the hospital. There was a six man tag scheduled next, but with the legitimate athletic commission getting  Katch sent to the hospital, the event basically had to pause until another ambulance was on site. Again, it was a terrible situation that Katch was injured and medical attention for her should've undoubtedly been the priority, but would a major league company have to stall for more than twenty minutes because they have to wait for the required amount of medical staff to be in the building?

God bless Kerry Morton, the guy tried his best, but the task to stall for twenty minutes without knowing how long you have to stall for would be tough for anyone. Eventually, the ring announcer informed the crowd that they were waiting for the commission to get back to ringside. Homicide, Amazing Red, and Grim Reefer won the bout, but the show never recovered from this delay.

The 12-minute cage match that followed was too tedious, and again without the blood involved, it came up very short of what fans would expect for a GCW cage match. Also, the cage itself looked like it was going to collapse, with members of the staff actually holding the cage to keep it secure around ringside. Vikingo vs. the former Reggie, Sydney Akeem, was a fun spot fest. Masato Tanaka vs. Joey Janela might've been the strongest showing on the card, as it was a physical bout that brought back a lot of the ECW elements that made Tanaka a star in America a quarter century ago. The six man tag that involved some other ECW talent was fun for what it was, but the event was such a tedious viewing experience that nothing was going to revive the card. The blood sport match between Josh Barrett and the former Baron Corbin just wasn't what the New York crowd wanted to see, especially the further delays involved with taking the ropes down and putting them back up. The Matt Cardona mystery opponent segment was underwhelming, especially since the original announcement for his opponent was supposed to be Ricky Starks.

By the the time the main event was in the ring, the crowd just didn't care and they were mostly quiet. The Effy win got somewhat of a reaction, but given his popularity, and Warner's solid work as a heel, this probably would've gotten a much better response under different circumstances.

Promoter Brett Lauderdale said on a podcast prior to the event that the show would be a six-figure gate so from his perspective, he was probably satisfied regardless of the lackluster quality of the show. That being said, I'm not sure how GCW as a brand will realistically be considered a force within the industry again. Sure, every group has peaks and valleys, that's part of the business, but this wasn't subpar because of a lack of available talent, it was lackluster because the company was unprepared and the presentation was a mess.

Keep in mind, the premise of the marketing of this pay-per-view was that GCW wanted to show the wrestling world that the first Hammerstein show wasn't representative of the brand. Unfortunately, this Hammerstein event more or less confirmed the criticisms of the organization previously. Make no mistake about it, GCW isn't going to fold because of this, they've weathered literally the same negative feedback before, but the biggest takeaway from this situation is that instead of maintaining its status of somewhat of a bridge between AEW and WWE for talent that look to rejuvenate themselves, it will be regulated to a regional independent organization.

Copeland vs. Moxley

With the north east looking like a blood runs cold promo for Ray Lloyd in 1997, I've avoided the frigid temperatures of western Pennsylvania as much as possible, and when I caught up with the great Pat McLaughlin on the phone to discuss this week's potpourri of pro wrestling, a few points were made that set up for this column. As I wrote earlier this week, despite being in the hometown of the AEW world heavyweight champion, Cincinnati, Dynamite drew an estimated 1,500 fans to the Andrew Brady Music Center. The venue itself can hold up to 4,500, but the set up was essentially tailored for what they sold, according to WrestleTix.

The hometown champion drew less than half a house at the less-than-legendary Andrew Brady Music Center. Again, no disrespect intended to Andrew Brady.

Yes, I agree that All Elite Wrestling can't run large arenas with dismal ticket sales, but when you can see the back row in every camera shot, the visual sends a message too, especially when the brand was able to pack buildings at one time in its formative stages. As I said to Pat on the phone, the small buildings in professional wrestling were romanticized by ECW. The extreme commodity was built on grittiness, mostly because they had no other choice, they either made that visual presentation work, which suited the era of the edgy 90s perfectly, or the company would've folded long before it actually closed its doors in 2001. The visual presentation of fans jammed into the frame of the ECW television show enhanced the aura of the underground atmosphere that Paul Heyman tried to market to his audience.

Make no mistake about it, Sabu is one off the most innovative performers in the history of the business, and through his own series of unwise decisions, probably still doesn't fully get the credit that he deserves for what he brought to the business in his heyday. Raven, particularly when he was in the right frame of mind, was a tremendous performer that could've also been much more of a star than he was, based on his own unwise track record. Taz was one of the most fearsome tough guys in the business, at least that was the perception. You could go down the list of money-drawing acts that ECW had on its roster at various points during it's seven-year history. Shane Douglas, Tommy Dreamer, New Jack, Super Crazy, Steve Corino, and others were proven to sell tickets for the organization.

But, would ECW have ever fit into a stadium environment? Besides the fact that it was a niche product, albeit a niche product that changed the business forever, it simply didn't have the main stream star power of WCW or WWF. Ironically, that was part of what made ECW as special as it was, it was very much a product of its time and place in the business. One of the many reasons that dozens of indy groups failed in their attempt to recreate it was because the climate of the industry was different after the national consolidation of 2001.

So, yes, smaller venues with a passionate fan base can be productive portions of a pro wrestling narrative, but the other side of the coin is that sometimes smaller venues are an indication of less of a demand for tickets and thus less revenue for the organization. The horse is out of the barn so to speak, All Elite already had several sell outs with thousands of tickets sold. Anything less than that must be considered a step backwards. Nobody praised WWF for running high school gyms for some early episodes of Raw when the business was in a total skid in 1995.

Aside from the fact that you can't go backwards in terms of perception with smaller venues after bigger success previously without it looking like a step down, the bottom line is, the ECW analogy doesn't jive with All Elite because Tony Khan isn't trying to present a counter culture product, All Elite Wrestling is marketing itself as one of the major leagues in sports entertainment.

This week's episode of Dynamite certainly didn't look major league, and the aesthetic was something closer to the modern TNA product. It's more or less unanimously agreed that TNA is a smaller pond so again, the optics send a message. Speaking of Total Nonstop Action, the newly-announced partnership with WWE doesn’t bode well for Tony Khan's wrestling project. We've seen how the talent swap has been beatifically to both sides, specifically with the sense of optimism it created for the TNA brand. If the biggest sports entertainment company in the world is willing to work with these guys then there must be some quality talent on their roster. If nothing else, it gives fans that might've tuned out of TNA years ago when it fell off the map to air on Pop TV and Destination America a reason to sample the show again. Make no mistake about it, the bigger that TNA can become under its current brand, and that appears to be the goal with events announced for New York and Los Angeles  this year, it takes at least some portion of the pie away from AEW.

But, what was the drawing card to this week's edition of Dynamite, even if there were only 1,500 tickets sold for a product that airs live on national television every week?

As mentioned, hometown champion Jon Moxley headlined the card, defending his belt against Powerhouse Hobbs. EVP Kenny Omega's first bout in the company in more than a year didn't move the needle at the box office either. After Moxley beat Hobbs and his stable attacked for a post-match beat down, Adam Copeland made the save with FTR.

By all indications, the man known as only "Cope," which isn't exactly the most marketable moniker in professional wrestling history, looks to be the one that will square off with Moxley for the championship next. On the surface, it makes sense to book two stars against each other for the title, but similar to why the ECW ideology doesn't apply for smaller buildings, it must be determined if the booking suits the time and a place for an organization. TNA in 2009 wasn't the time or the place for Ric Flair even if he theoretically brought star power to the table. 

Just because fans are aware of a performer, it doesn't automatically translate to viewership or ticket sales, it clearly didn't in the Cincinnati market.

When discussing this with Pat, a comparison was made about bringing in those older stars to a newer company, as it's necessary if you want to expose the wrestling audience to your product, but as with anything else, how those assets are used is key. When WCW signed away Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in 1994 and promoted them very successful for about five years each, it proved that older stars could still have a major value to jump start a brand. As we know, the mistake was made when nobody on the bloated roster was spotlighted ahead of any of those WWF acquisitions, with the exception of Bill Goldberg so ultimately the WCW engine ran out of steam, collapsing under the titanic of stupidity of Vince Russo.

Are aging WWE stars really what's going to be what turns around All Elite Wrestling?

To put it in perspective, Cope is 51, and Moxley is 39 right now. Hulk was 41, and Macho was 42 when they were signed to WCW. And make no mistake about it, as successful as Cope and Moxley are, they aren't on the same level in terms of star power as Hogan and Savage. That's not a knock either, they are only a few in the history of the business that have that level of stardom.

So, the smaller arena atmosphere of ECW won't work for All Elite because of the mission statement originally presented by Tony Khan, they have a more dedicated, but still smaller audience than TNA had when they brought in former WWE stars, and they haven't been nearly as effective as WCW was with maximizing the star power of older talents. In some ways, Tony Khan has replicated at least a few of the mistakes that other promotions made in the past, and that's not meant nearly as harsh as it might sound, the professional wrestling business is such a unique commodity that it's just extremely difficult for any promoter to find continued success on a long-term basis, which is why WWE remains the kingpin of the industry.

What's next for Powerhouse Hobbs?

This week's edition of AEW Dynamite had the tagline "Maximum Carnage," a moniker that was probably too generic to add any importance to the show, but the broadcast was somewhat of a microcosm of the promotion itself. Emanating from the Andrew Brady Music Center in the world champion's hometown of Cincinnati, this edition of the show looked small time in scope, as you could see the back row of the building in more or less every camera shot. Don't get me wrong, All Elite Wrestling definitely had to get away from the larger venues because they simply weren't selling enough tickets, which became problematic on many different levels. Of course, the empty seats are never good optics, as it's tough to sell the viewing audience on the next pay-per-view when clearly the brand wasn't popular enough for fans to want to see it live. The visual presentation was also affected, as there were several weeks on television in the past that the lights in the arena were kept low to essentially hide some of the empty sections in the building so it doesn't create an optimistic aesthetic. Aside from that, when a performer cuts a promo and you can hear someone ordering pizza at the concession stand because the minimal amount of fans that were there didn't react, it almost reinforces the notion that AEW isn't an in demand product.

So, yes the company had to move to a smaller space to produce television, and while it can't be done within a week because of the amount of time that buildings have to be booked ahead of the actual show, the argument could still be made that management waited too long to make the change in venues, as the extended time frame running in empty buildings almost makes the switch to smaller venues more of a stark contrast. I'm also not sure if the series of decisions made for the arenas will help or hurt the overall narrative of the organization. For example, five years ago All Elite Wrestling shows sold out in minutes, you had to be waiting in the queue online with the special presale password and then hope the website didn't freeze because of the amount of people on the site trying to buy tickets to be able to ensure yourself a decent seat for the event. After that, there was a sharp decline in attendance and then a move to considerably smaller buildings so it's almost as if it sends the message they happen to be at the Andrew Brady Music Center because they can't sell the same amount of tickets that they did previously. No disrespect intended to Andrew Brady.

The reason that this show was such a reflection of the company is that the talent that you saw on-screen is stellar. Sure, there was a learning curve in terms of picking talent in the formative stages of the promotion, Marko Stunt, God bless him, just wasn't talented enough to truly work on national television, and that's not meant as a knock, good for him for taking a chance to live his dream, but at this point, there are dozens are extremely talented and qualified performers on the roster. The problem is, and this episode demonstrated this, how they are showcased is key to maximizing their skills and effectiveness to the promotion.

After more than a year away from the ring, Kenny Omega made his return to competition in AEW against Brian Cage. Given the seriousness of the life-threatening diverticulitis that put him out of action entirely in 2024 and the extended absence that he had prior to address several injuries, I wrote previously that maybe it would be wiser for the former AEW champion to consider retirement in favor of a backstage role. Despite the critics, Omega already had a legendary career, and positively or negatively, depending on your perspective, influenced an entire generation so it was questionable if it was worth it for him to potentially risk his health again. Taking nothing away from his talent, I wondered how much he had left in the tank after such a high risk style took such a notable toll on his body. Thankfully, I was wrong, as Kenny Omega stole the show with Gabe Kidd at the Tokyo Dome earlier this month with a physical 30-minute bout that proved he can still deliver those trademark memorable bouts. At 41, it's clear that he's at the latter stage of his career, but if he can stay healthy, I don't think it would be unreasonable to expect at least another 4 or 5 years of quality matches from him.

He defeated Cage, which was the right decision, but the post-match mayhem was a little puzzling. Still in a confrontation with the Don Callis family, the rest of the stable ran out to attack Omega, with Will Ospreay making the save. The question I have is, and this isn't meant as a criticism, what exactly is the destination for any of the wrestlers involved? Kyle Fletcher has done very well as a heel in his series of matches with Ospreay, with it implied that there will be at least one more bout between the two for the rubber match. Lance Archer is a tremendous big man, but his role is reduced to being a part of the goon squad with Cage. Hey, if the check clears, maybe it's worth it to make the type of cash that Tony Khan offers.  Konosuke Takeshita is arguably the best performer in the business right now and is finally getting spotlighted in a position of prominence that he should've had at least a year ago. But are there any plans to sort any of this out in a fashion that will be used to draw money? Ospreay/Fletcher is a given because the rubber match was already mentioned, but was this segment designed to push an eventual Takeshita/Omega showdown? Was this to establish a tag team between Ospreay and Omega? Does Fletcher get lost in the shuffle after he finally made some progress beyond just a sidekick? I'm not discounting any of the potential match-ups or the possibility of a team team, but rather to point out that this segment was so slapstick with the extended brawl that it wouldn't surprise me if Tony Khan doesn't have a plan for this yet.

The amount of talent in this segment alone provides quite a line-up for a promotion. Omega, Ospreay, Takeshita, Fletcher, Callis, and Archer are all at different points in their careers and serve different roles, but the talent that they bring to the table isn't in doubt. However, this segment didn't clearly demonstrate what the purpose was or what it was supposed to push going forward for anyone involved.

A disjointed presentation isn't anything new, and neither is the fact that Tony Khan, even if it's completely unintentional, gets hot and cold on performers on an unpredictable level. The examples would be too numerous to name, but how many times have we seen guys go from a featured spot on the card to the witness protection program without any explanation? Where's Ricky Starks? Has anyone seen Wardlow recently?

Unfortunately, Powerhouse Hobbs has been in that category more often than not. Yes, he spent half of 2024 on the shelf because of a knee injury, but before that he was one of the names that was either in the mix on television and pay-per-view or he was more or less invisible across the All Elite landscape. After he returned in November of last year, he had a very good match with Takeshita at the Worlds End pay-per-view, and he won a gauntlet match last week to get a title shot this week. During the main event, he had a solid match against Jon Moxley and there was a lot of interference to protect the baby face in some ways, but the problem becomes, what's next for Hobbs? His journey to the championship concluded in literally two weeks. If I had to guess, he was selected to win the gauntlet not because Tony had plans for him, but rather that Moxley needed an opponent for a title match in his hometown. At 33, Hobbs is in the prime of his career, and at least on the surface, checks all of the boxes you'd think a company looks for in a talent that they can push as a marketable star. If management thinks Hobbs has a major upside, why did he have to lose in an AEW world title match? The roster is notoriously bloated, Tony could've picked anyone to put in the ring with Moxley because the point of the segment wasn't the match, but the post-match angle with FTR.

The Moxley stable Pillmanized Hobbs' ankle, which would theoretically write him out of television so is he going to be forgotten about for a few months ago? Ironically, FTR was also in the same category as Hobbs at different points in their All Elite tenure when it appeared that Tony was hot or cold of them as a featured tag team. It goes without saying that Dax and Cash are one of the best tag teams in the business, and I'm usually not a conspiracy theorist, but it was certainly convenient that they were often kept off television when The Young Bucks were used in a main role on the shows, and now that The Bucks haven't been on the program for a few months, FTR is back in the fold. That being said, it looks like Adam Copeland and FTR will be the ones to challenge Moxley's group. As talented as FTR have always been regardless of if it was in WWE or AEW, because they've been under the radar for so long, do they really have the star power to be involved in the main event feud? I don't want to be too pessimistic, but the harsh reality is, does anyone want to see the 51-year-old Cope challenge Moxley for the championship? The former Edge is a legend, but again, given the amount of young talent, is another former WWE star really the answer for the next AEW champion?

The mishap for this angle is that the premise was misguided, as it was set up with the cryptic promos from Moxley with the notion that there was more to the story to unfold. Some speculation online even pondered if Shane McMahon might be the reveal because photos of his meeting with Tony surfaced online around the same time. Unfortunately, those promos were basically just Moxley quoting movie lines that he happened to stumble upon that week. As of right now, it seems like there's no reveal or more to the story, this is just Moxley's heel group steamrolling the company for a while to presumably set up a match between factions. As I've written before, it's not his fault because he carried the company on his back when the organization needed it, but Moxley has been overexposed in AEW. The verbose promos without any direction or without a clear point to this storyline are just a tedious viewing experience.

Finally, and this ties into the original point about the size of the venue, the MJF/Jeff Jarrett promo was also too verbose to be productive. It was surprising since the silver-tongued Jarrett has made a career out of putting a positive spin on things, but his promo just dragged on during this show. Don't get me wrong, I'm legitimately looking forward to Double J Tennessee two-stepping his way to the AEW world championship before he retires, but the lack of a reaction from the crowd during the promo in a small venue was another way that the company looked minor league, especially compared to the original events.

Keep in mind, I haven't said anything negative about the skills of the talent, it's perfectly understandable why Tony would select these performers for a national wrestling organization, but the way they have been used is counterproductive more often than not. What's the point or purpose of what we saw on Dynamite? As usual the disclaimer, yes by all accounts Tony Khan is a great guy and it's legitimately wonderful that he genuinely cares about his roster, but if being a nice guy was the only thing needed to being a successful promoter, there's no way that Vince McMahon would've been the most powerful promoter in the business for several decades. Unless you're Dave Meltzer, it's almost impossible to ignore the decline of All Elite Wrestling. Two and a half years ago, there were roughly a million viewers each week for Dynamite, and now there's usually about 40% less than that watching on any given week. They are running smaller venues because of a decrease in the demand for tickets, how is any of this not an indication that the current booking philosophy isn't useful?

RWA anniversary show

The Renegade Wrestling Alliance, a blue collar league based out of West Newton, Pennsylvania, will celebrate its 16th anniversary with a stacked card hosted at the West Newton gym, dubbed "The House of Renegades" this Saturday night.

Founded on the passion for professional wrestling of Derek Widziszewski, known as "Dr. Feelbad" when he walks through the curtain to address the typical rowdy wrestling action at events, RWA opened its door in 2009 merely based on hopes and dreams. As is the case with any business venture, there are always risks and obstacles, which can be exponentially more difficult within the very unique genre of sports entertainment.

Juggling talent, marketing, the economy, the climate of the industry itself, the numerous requirements from the athletic commission, and just about anything else that can be a factor in the live event business can all be road blocks for a successful pro wrestling organization. Keep in mind, this is independent wrestling, there aren't major corporate sponsors writing a hefty check to get their logo shameless plastered all over the screen. As we know from many different examples on the indy circuit, an organization can only thrive when it directly serves its audience, prompting fans to travel to the venue to pay their hard-earned dollars for a unique live entertainment experience.

The milestone of the 16th anniversary is a testament to not only the RWA's ability to serve its audience, but also its ability to grow its reach as a force in the industry over the course of that time. Recessions, pandemics, and changing trends in the sport didn't deter the promotion from continuing to produce its own brand to add to the potpourri of Pittsburgh wrestling.

“I used to go to RWA shows as a fan in the early years when the crowds were not that great. All these years later. I’m happy to see that RWA still exists, and that it’s a packed house every month. In the last year that I’ve had the opportunity to work with Doc and Tony on commentary, I feel the promotion has grown even more and I’m happy to be a part of the broadcast team," said color analyst Jason Gray.

"RWA was the first promotion I worked for, I will always call home. Because of this company, I am now working different promotions and have over 15 years of experience. I am forever grateful to call this my home. When RWA started, many people picked us to fail, to not last with the others. Now, I can say we are one of the top promotions in the Pittsburgh indies. RWA will continue and is going to have a strong year in 2025, added Mike "Doc" Daugherty, lead play-by-play announcer and one of the premiere voices in Pittsburgh.

One of the many reasons for that growth is the atmosphere from the dedicated fan base of West Newton. The passionate audience that jams itself into the gym with refreshments and popcorn from the concession stand bring their energy for the product every event, consistent of one of, if not, the most dedicated audiences in Pittsburgh wrestling. RWA is their wrestling and the support is reflected in the accomplished tenure of the organization.  

Promoter Derek Widziszewski has often cited his personal connection with the fans as a reasoning for the genuine atmosphere at RWA events. He doesn’t see attendees as simply dollars and cents, but rather customers that he strives to give their money’s worth each month RWA sets up shop in the West Newton gymnasium. Many pro wrestling pundits consider the RWA fan base as much a part of the experience as the in-ring action. When the fans call for ticket reservations, they can talk to Derek directly, and it's not uncommon to see Widziszewski at the doorway more than an hour after the final bell of the evening, as he takes the time to personally thank each fan for their attendance.

The action from the stellar crew of performers provides the fuel for the promotion in front of the curtain, but behind the scenes, there's an equally dedicated team that puts all the pieces of the puzzle in place before the doors open for the night of action. From security and ring crew to management and production members, there's a concerted effort to organize before the bell rings and indywrestling.us cameras go live for the broadcast.

"Derek and his entire support group, along with the great roster of phenomenal talent that RWA had when I first came into the organization and are currently there now have welcomed me with open arms. This is  something that not only rejuvenated me in wrestling, but has been very humbling as well, finding out that working together towards a common goal can be completely fulfilling," said Quinn Magnum, a former in-ring grappler that has 30 years of experience in the industry that he brought to the promotion when he joined the management team at the start of last year.

The management team has kept itself quite busy in preparation for the anniversary celebration, as the line-up looks to be pivotal toward the course of 2025 for the promotion. Three-year pro Gianni Micheal Emricko, who many pundits have predicted a bright future for in the sport, will defend his No Limits championship against a bonafide Pittsburgh legend, Dennis Gregory, a competitor that has won championships in the region for more than three decades. Speaking of championships, a wild five-way Steel Gauntlet will be held to determine the new RWA PA Regional champion when Super Hentai, Glenn Spectre, Shadow man Elijah, "The Rev" Ron Hunt, and AJ Alexander square off in a highly-anticipated bout.

Among the full card of action scheduled will be the main event, a clash of super heavyweights, as Crash Jaxon defends his title against the monstrous Beastman. The contest will be a rematch from last month, which saw Beastman get disqualified when he attempted to injure Jaxon, ignoring calls from the referee. Prior to the mayhem that ended the match early, the agile big men put on tremendous displays of speed and athleticism not often seen from competitors of their size. Crash, a youngster that was embraced by the RWA crowd after he won the Renegade Rumble to earn a title shot, eventually defeated accomplished veteran Mike Law to claim the championship. Guided by the infamous Tony Kincaid, who has steadily become one of the most powerful figures in the organization in the past year, the mammoth Beastman just recently returned to the United States after his second successful tour of Japan with the Big Japan Pro Wrestling group, competing in Korakuen Hall, the Madison Square Garden of Japanese professional wrestling.

"I'm excited for RWA's anniversary show, I'm excited to watch Feelbad and the RWA fans have to watch AJ Alexander become the PA Regional Champion. When Beastman takes the RWA Heavyweight championship from Crash, I'm going to be excited to watch Feelbad cry when he realizes my beast and my business partner hold all the power," said Kincaid when he was reached via phone.

The other bouts on the card feature talent from across the Pittsburgh spectrum, as one of RWA's philosophies is to bring together the best talent from both inside and outside of the area. Champions from accomplished groups like Prospect Pro Wrestling and Ryse Wrestling, along with talent from Buffalo, Lexington, and Columbus will showcase their skills in the squared circle of the RWA.

Despite the milestone and the celebration of 16 years of the Renegade Wrestling Alliance, management already has a progressive look toward the future with its goals for the upcoming year.

"Our hope for 2025 is to continue to grow and provide a positive experience for the great fans of RWA, while finding new ways to evolve, improve, and create new ways to present the great sport of professional wrestling. This is something that RWA hopes to achieve in 2025 as I believe in and appreciate everyone that puts in the time to make RWA one the pinnacle organizations around," concluded Quinn Magnum.

Penta debuts on Raw

After months of speculation, Penta, the former AAA and AEW star, arrived on Raw as the mystery luchador opponent for Chad Gable. Based on the signs in the crowd in San Jose, his debut wasn't much of a secret, which is fine because the company actually put his merchandise on WWE Shop a few hours before the Raw broadcast started, and according to PWinsider's Mike Johnson, Penta has already sold a respectable amount of merchandise for a new star that just got there.

The segment itself was very well done, the introduction alone made Penta look like a major star, and for his first outing on WWE television, the office made sure to put him in a position to succeed. It's no coincidence that Chad Gable was the opponent for him, as his agility and technical skills allowed him to be more adaptable to Penta's style. Furthermore, debuting him on the west coast was a very wise decision as well since the Hispanic demographic of the area is more familiar with lucha libre than some of the other areas of the country. Let's be honest, if the WWE machine truly gets behind him, Penta has the character and the talent to get over as a national star, but at this point, the reality is, the crowd probably wouldn't have been as familiar with him on his debut night if the show was held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All due respect to Cedar Rapids, of course.

The fact that the crowd was so behind him, particularly with the "Cero Miedo" chants before the match even started was a major positive because even for the fans that had no idea who he was before he walked out on Raw, it gave the impression that this guy is a big deal. As I've written before, perception is reality, which is something that All Elite Wrestling should take note of, specifically with this example of another former contracted talent that shows up in WWE looking like a bigger star in one night than they did in years working for Tony Khan.

As far as the match, it was a little clunky, as Penta worked both sides of the body, something common in lucha libre, but considered essentially backwards in the United States. As a result, Penta's back was to the camera at different times, which is something you rarely see in the WWE and thus why it stuck out as somewhat odd here. While the post-match promo was very nice because it was a genuine moment, something that is usually very useful in professional wrestling, it seems like Penta might've misunderstood the purpose of the post-match segment. Instead of jumping to the portion about a new era of WWE, a tagline since the move to Netflix, and the era of Penta, he basically did an appreciation speech. No, I don't think Penta went into business for himself or intentionally went off-script, but rather that he isn't used to working the television environment of WWE.

Yes, he was on the All Elite roster for five years, but I think it goes without saying that the production value and thus the experience needed to work on the stage is on another level in WWE. That's not a jab at AEW either, simply to point out that working the camera dictates much more of the presentation in WWE than any other sports entertainment company. Something as trivial as ring positioning or when a spot takes place is a key aspect of WWE programming. The talent have to be aware of the hard camera more or less at all times, and it's understandable that there would be an adjustment period for new talent.

I think that's why the few mishaps in the overall presentation are moot in the grand scheme of things. Keep in mind, Penta worked his first ever WWE live on Raw so of course there's going to be somewhat of a learning curve to get up to speed on camera work or timing of promo segments. Granted, I could be wrong, but based on what looked like genuine happiness when he cut the post-match promo, I'd guess that Penta understands that working with the WWE is a different scenario than AAA or AEW.

As we know, Mistico, who wrestled under the name Sin Cara, had a rather infamous run in WWE several years ago because it appeared that he refused to adapt in any form or fashion to the WWE presentation. Remember, the WWE caters to the casual fan so regardless of the specifics, much of the product has to be tailored to the general public. After botches and mishaps, Mistico was released, and another wrestler was put under the mask so the company's investment in the character wasn't a complete waste of resources. Make no mistake about it, Mistico was a tremendous drawing card in Mexico, but the WWE is the global stage.

It remains to be seen how Penta adapts to the new atmosphere, but I doubt that he will make the same mistakes as Mistico. Furthermore, I don't think that WWE brass will make the same mistakes of All Elite Wrestling, basically missing the boat on what they had with Penta and Rey Fenix for the majority of the five years that they were under contract. As we know, Fenix's deal was extended because of injury time, and while it's petty, if Tony Khan has the legal right to do it then you can't blame him for enforcing the contract, especially when Fenix was paid during the healing process from the injuries. Still, it's more or less confirmed that Fenix will join Penta as soon as his All Elite deal expires.

That might be the biggest takeaway from this whole situation, it's yet another example of WWE signing a free agent that All Elite underutilized despite the opportunity to spotlight their skills. It's not just with the presentation and the importance that was placed on his WWE debut, but as was already reported, the WWE has also already successful merchandised the design of his mask. That's one of the many reasons that the WWE is the entertainment powerhouse that it is today, because more often than not, they maximize potential revenue streams.

As far as if WWE has finally found their next Latino superstar to take the torch from Rey Mysterio, the answer might be yes and no, depending on your perspective. At 40, Penta still has some prime years of his career left, but it's difficult to say if he will be on the WWE roster five years or a decade. At the same time, the question of if the WWE has a performer that has the potential to be a major superstar and draw big money for the Hispanic demographic at a time when the organization is looking to globalize as much as possible appears to be yes, it's very possible that Penta could be the key performer for a continued expansion into the Mexican market. Again, it remains to be seen how Penta's run will develop in the WWE or if he can make the transition to the specific WWE style, but one thing is for sure, it was undoubtedly a very memorable debut, which at least sets up the lucha star for a successful run.