What's next for Jey Uso?

When Jey Uso won the Royal Rumble at the start of the year, I wrote that it was a surprising choice, but not a bad decision. Ironically, the same can be said about the decision for him to drop the title back to Gunther this past week on Raw, as it was surprising, but not necessarily the wrong decision.

Still, does this stall the momentum that Jey had as one of the most over performers on the entire roster?

When discussing Uso's Rumble victory earlier this year, I mentioned that given the nature of his journey to the title, a path that took him from just a tag team wrestler to a star that the audience spontaneously and organically rallied behind, the downside of a possible title win was that the money might be in the chase, not the reign as champion.

When you take into account that Jey had the belt for less than two months, it's tough to argue with that notion.

Don't get me wrong, Jey was and still is one of the most popular performers on the WWE roster, a position that not many would've guessed he would be if the prospects of his success were asked just a few years ago. That being said, the most over portion of his total act is probably still the entrance. He's not terrible in the ring, but he's not Lou Thez either. He's more of a storytelling performer and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but the problem is that the vast majority of that story was based on his chase to become the champion, not his reign as champion. In the role of the titleholder, there's only so many ways to try to make someone look like the underdog, as there's a natural "champion's advantage" based on the traditional rules of the ring. For example, the belt can't change hands on a count out or a disqualification. It might sound trivial, but who the champion is definitely affects the dynamics and the psychology of a match-up. Furthermore, outside of saying "yeet" a lot, Uso hasn't exactly showed that he has the mic skills to carry main event storylines with promos on a weekly basis. In fact, with the exception of one or two occasions, the majority of Jey's promos have been generic and lacked the substance usually needed to sell a major match.

Jey Uso never really seemed to find his groove in the ring in that role, and to be completely fair, the office might not have given him enough time to have the opportunity to discover himself in that spot. However, and this might be the biggest point to be made from this entire scenario, it's going to be much more difficult for management to sell Jey Uso as a world champion again because the abbreviated reign sends the message that he wasn't truly a main event star, but rather just stopped by for a cup of coffee to have a Wrestlemania moment.

There's undoubtedly a difference between a memorable WM moment and a legitimate title reign as a money-drawing star.

Unfortunately, Jey didn't get the chance to show if he had the versatility to become a main event talent  even though he definitely had a very memorable moment at Wrestlemania 42 in Las Vegas.

Since Jey's win was unexpected, mostly because many assumed that John Cena was going to win before he eventually turned heel at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, there was a portion of the audience that didn't truly buy Uso as a potential top guy. It's a harsh reality, but a brief title reign didn't do anything to dissuade that notion.

All things considered, it seems like a rather odd decision for Jey to drop the belt on a random episode of Raw, particularly when there's another pay-per-view in two weeks, but maybe this was done to help bring more live viewers to the Raw broadcast on Netflix? Still, it's puzzling since it creates questions as to what Uso does next, especially because he already had a series of matches with Gunther on various shows so at least for the time being, there might nor be much steam left for another Uso/Gunter bout.

I could be completely wrong, but for the office to pivot with title change so quickly after Wrestlemania, a move that halted the momentum that Jey had, I'd guess that it wasn't a switch that was in their original plans when it was decided to give him the belt. The surge in support for Ron Killings after he was briefly released from the organization before an overwhelming amount of fan support led to his return a week later also wasn't expected among the WWE landscape.

With that being said, I have to say that I think the main reason that Gunther regained the belt was to allow for there to be a Ron Killings/Gunther feud on Raw. I wrote in a previous article that with Cena's limited dates and how his retirement tour was probably already completed mapped out that there might not be room for another Cena/Killings bout so I'm guessing that putting R-Truth in a feud with Gunther would still be a way for management to maximize his current fan support without disrupting the plans for Cena to ultimately drop the title back to Cody Rhodes before the end of the year. As I also wrote in the recent article, Killings might have another two years as an in-ring performer, but the plan with Rhodes will be as the top guy for at least another five years so it makes sense that it would take priority.

That might be why Killings could be paired with Gunther because halting the momentum of Jey Uso, even if it's the wrong decision, is a much smaller opportunity cost than diluting the plans for Cody since he's the more well-rounder performer.

In some ways, the story writes itself, and much of the same dynamic that was used in the angle with Uso could be applied to a feud with Killings. Gunther is the dominate  no nonsense champion, and he can spotlight Killings' past as a comedy character to create doubt that the former R-Truth could actually win the championship. Granted, there would need to be a decision made about if Gunther should lose the belt again in a relatively short span, but since it's completely hypothetical at this point, let's cross that bridge if or when we get there.

Still, where does this leave Jey Uso on Raw?

As I said, whatever the next step is, it must be something of importance if the office wants to keep him in the upper tier of the talent on Raw. By nature, with two world championships on the shows, there are going to be more champions and thus it's much easier for those titleholders to become forgettable. As talent as he was, injuries derailed Dolph Ziggler's title runs. He's known as a really solid worker, but his time as champion isn't exactly memorable. Does anyone recall any details of Jake Swagger or Alberto Del Rio as world champion? Kofi is a great star, but the only thing that fans remember about his time as champion was that he got squashed by Brock Lesnar in mere seconds when he dropped the title on Smackdown. Aside from the fact that this abrupt decision takes Jey Uso out of the main event scene, it could be an indication that management will be more flexible to change plans in the future. 

Ron Killings returns

Ron Killings is back in the WWE and it took less than a week, prompting speculation among pundits and fans, did the revolt of the audience truly make a difference in this scenario?

At the start of June, R-Truth posted on social media that he was going to be released from his WWE deal, ending his 17-year tenure with the organization. Besides the fact that Killings, who worked for the company for about a year after his original debut on television in 2000 before he was re-signed eight years later, is one of the most versatile workers on the roster, he's considered one of the most beloved figures in the locker room. The fans revolted on social media and there was an outpouring of support for him from his peers as well.

As I wrote in an article about his release last week, as disgraceful as Vince McMahon might be as a person, he would know enough not to release a performer like Ron Killings. I also mentioned that if the TKO corporation tries to view the roster as interchangeable parts then it would eventually be detrimental to the brand.

Quite simply, Ron Killings should have a job for as long as he'd like to continue to work with WWE.

At 53, Killings is undoubtedly at the latter stages of his in-ring career, but he has the experience and skills to be a solid coach or agent. At the very least, since he has the reputation of being a genuinely nice guy, he could do very well in a PR role after he retires from the ring. I'm not being sarcastic at all, there's a reason that Hillbilly Jim was kept on the payroll for so many years.

Of course, after Killings returned to the company during the main event of the Money in The Bank pay-per-view, there was immediately speculation that perhaps the entire story was a work to set up for the moment where R-Truth cost John Cena the match, which saw him get pinned by Cody Rhodes. At the post-PPV press conference, Triple H had a casual response, implying that it was a part of the plan.

It was absolutely no surprise that the head of creative was going to suggest that he was pulling the strings all along and obviously, he's going to tell the fans what the script is, not the other way around. Usually, that should be the strategy, as the fans vote with their dollars, but shouldn't necessarily be able to dictate everything because that sets up for an unrealistic benchmark that wouldn't be able to be followed. As amazing as ECW was and it undoubtedly changed the business, it caved to the demands of the audience too often to the point that the company burned itself out. 

In this case, it appears that the office realized that maybe the money they'd save on cutting Killings' contract wasn't worth the combination of the backlash from the audience and the damage it could potentially do to the locker room morale. It's not uncommon in WWE history that the office would snub their nose at the fans, seemingly out of pure spite, including Triple H himself, but the outpouring of support from the roster was a different dynamic.

Along with not wanting to give the impression that the office relinquished any of its power, bending to the demands of the audience would also potentially set a negative precedent for releases in the future as well. It's a harsh reality of the industry, but cuts are a part of the business, and in the social media age, there's already a tendency to lean into the notion that a performer is suddenly a top-notch talent just because they got released from the company. No Way Jose never had as many fans until he got his walking papers. 

So, it makes sense that management doesn't want to tip their hand and give the impression that with enough of a ruckus that the audience can disrupt the overall plan. That being said, this is more or less the first major faux pas that Paul Levesque had in terms of management decisions since he took over the head position of WWE after Vince resigned in disgrace last year. Handling blunders is a part of the job so it's not as though this mishap will derail the solid business the company has done the past few years. Accurate or not, Levesque has been praised for his leadership of the WWE brand after all the negative publicity from the previously mentioned lawsuit against McMahon. It's ironic that the fans that tout Levesque's success as the head of the WWE either aren't aware or forgot about Triple H's reign of doom in the early-2000s when he got more TV time than anyone else because he was Vince's son-in-law and used his political power to make sure he maintained the top spot.

Still, the faster that they can sweep this fumble under the rug, and hopefully use it to create some compelling television, the better it will be for everyone involved, including Ron Killings. Regardless of Triple H's efforts to attempt to imply that it was a work, both The Wrestling Observer and Fightful reported that Killings was legitimately finished with the company last week. I have to say that I don't think this is any type of work, mostly because there's no way that the office could've predicted the type of reaction that Killings' release garnered from the audience or the roster. As much record-setting profit as the company is making right now, they aren't quite that clever.

The reason that it matters if this was a work or not, and since it probably wasn't, it translates to a situation where management doesn't know exactly what to do with Killings next. Aside from the fact that he will continue to get a solid paycheck from the WWE, from a storyline perspective, Killings wasn't in the plans for the office beyond when he was pinned by Jeff Cobb on Smackdown a few weeks ago. John Cena's current storyline is literally based on a limited number of dates, and it's a safe bet that his retirement tour was carefully mapped out prior to this so is there a spot for another bout with R-Truth before Cena retires?

If not, it's going to be important for the office to find something of importance for Killings to do to be able to capitalize on the current momentum that he has from the surge of fan support. On Raw, we saw Killings not only cut a serious promo, but also cut his hair, which could be an indication that he wants to use this opportunity to start a fresh chapter, which makes sense if he wants to cover some new ground before he retires. Realistically, Killings probably has another two years in the ring so it makes sense for him to try to maximize his last major run as an in-ring performer.

There's an argument to be made that Killings could have a short run as champion, especially if it would involve John Cena, but that would unintentionally takeaway from Cody's quest to regain the belt before Cena leaves the company so it's doubtful that the office would deviate from that path. All things considered, they shouldn't stray from that plan, either. Don't get me wrong, it would be a sincerely nice moment that the fans would rally behind if Killings won the belt as somewhat of a coronation of his career, but as mentioned, he has at most, two years as an in-ring talent left, whereas Cody's role as the top star in the company should be planned for at least the next five years.

The biggest takeaway from this story isn't necessarily that the audience's reaction brought someone back to the company, Matt Hardy got rehired based on chants from the crowd, but rather the span of time that the office reacted to it. Traditionally, management, specifically under Vince, would force their plans onto television regardless of how panned it was from the fans. It took months for Matt Hardy to be re-hired, and it took months of the audience hijacking the shows for Daniel Bryan to get a chance to win the championship at Wrestlemania. Granted, the organization can't let the audience dictate everything, but the flexibility to change course to fix a mistake could be an indication of a new philosophy for the organization.

MITB review

Within the span of less than 10 hours, the TKO corporation had three events under their banner, including the AAA When Worlds Collide event, the Money In The Bank pay-per-view, both held in Los Angeles, and the UFC 316 pay-per-view in Newark, New Jersey. It goes without saying that TKO is doing solid business in 2025, as they ran events literally coast-to-coast on Saturday.

Depending on your perspective, the Money in The Bank event was either exactly as you expected or perhaps slightly underwhelming with the surprise cameo at the conclusion of the show as the exception. Given the moments created by the Money in the Bank stipulation, the match itself has become a draw. The downside of that is that within the context of a three-hour broadcast, the nature of the bouts are car crash spectacles that can lead to a rather flat presentation for the rest of the card.

The MITB matches were used to open and nearly close the show, which makes sense, but in terms of the structure, the contests were somewhat clunky at times, an aspect that was probably unavoidable. For example, the women's ladder match that opened the show was action packed and a very entertaining segment with the variety of interactions between the different competitors, but there wasn't exactly an overall build in terms of the drama toward the finish. This match, very similar to the men's match in the main event, had the ladder spots and the risky bumps, and somewhat of an inconsistent pace because there were some many wrestlers involved.

Naomi won the match to secure a future title shot, a decision that I have to think will eventually be incorporated into the still unresolved feud with Jade Cargill, and the involvement of Bianca Belair. To be completely honest, since she got steamrolled by Jade in their previous match, and there still hasn't been a decisive winner of the rivalry, I'm not sure if Naomi was the best choice for the brief case, at least at this point. That's why I'd speculate that she wouldn't cash in the title shot until somewhere down the road when it would involve Jade, which would be fine, but she would have to be kept strong on television. Along with keeping Naomi relevant, the scenario that would include a cash-in on Jade would necessitate that Cargill became a solid champion. Considering that she still has some glaring weakness for her in-ring work, it's not a sure thing that the potentially cash-in angle would truly materialize into a moment that would be considered a major payoff. That's not to say that it can't work since there's no reason to rush any of it, but rather to point out that there's still work to be done on both sides of the equation if that's the intended goal.

Since there are still questions about Jade, which could affect the payoff of a potential Naomi cash-in, I would've guessed that either Stephanie Vaquer or Giulia would've won the title shot. That's not a jab against Naomi either, but besides the storyline uncertainties, she already had a run with the championship so the argument could be made that she didn't need a cash-in moment. On the flip side, that same moment could be more impactful or effective for either Vaquer or Giulia if it was used to set up a title win on the main roster for them.

Dominik Mysterio beat Octagon Jr. to retain the Intercontinental title in a fun five-minute sprint. As we know, this was set up earlier in the day during the AAA event, and it was a good way get some exposure for the lucha project without dedicating too much time to a venture that is still relatively unknown to most of the WWE audience. The biggest takeaway from this contest is that Dominik is continuing to evolve well in the role as a heel champion and you can see that the experience that he had in the past few years has definitely helped him as a performer.

Becky Lynch defeated Lyra Valkyria to win the Women's IC title, and this was a really solid match. I don't know if now was the time for Valkyria to drop the championship, but I'm assuming it was a way to set up her winning the belt back at the conclusion of the feud. The much bigger and more important point is that she looked like a legitimate star again in a match against Becky Lynch, which speaks volumes to Lynch's ability as a performer to elevate the talent that she works with in the ring. Again, the title is almost moot in the grand scheme of things because we've seen titleholders fizzle out and even get released in the past after their push plateaued so the office went in a different direction. How many times has a wrestler got a brief push, had a brief title run, drop the belt, and eventually end up with a pink slip? Thankfully, Valkyria seems to be on the other end of the spectrum, as she's organically and steadily moving up the ladder in the process to become a legitimate star, which indirectly proves how much of an asset Lynch is in terms of her ability to help make new stars.

The Men's Money in The Bank match was a wild stunt show, and at almost 35 minutes went a little too long with a few stagnant points throughout the segment, but it was still some really entertaining stuff. Credit to Chad Gable for working twice in one night with a great match against Vikingo at the AAA event and then taking some brutal bumps in this match, including a back suplex off the ladder where he almost clipped his head on another ladder that was already on the canvas. Aside from going at least five minutes too long, this segment was probably overbooked as well, specifically when Jacob Fatu turned baby face to put Solo Sikoa through a ladder on the outside. I understand that it makes sense because of how over Fatu got over with the crowd, but it still seems a little rushed. That being said, I'm a little puzzled as to why the office decided to give Seth Rollins the brief case again, mostly because it's literally a retread from more than a decade ago. I know the counterpoint to that might be that since over ten years have passed, Seth could get a fresh run with the briefcase, but it's less about using the gimmick and more about the fact that Rollins simply doesn't need the cash-in to justify or elevate him to a position of prominence on the Raw brand. Granted, his booking and character presentation over the years hasn't always been helpful, but as far as an in-ring performer, Rollins is already an established star. Furthermore, the faction around him and his alignment with Paul Heyman is more than enough steam to put him in the conversation as a title challenger. I could be wrong, but I really think that Penta, Gable, or LA Knight would've been a better choice, simply because the MITB contract could've propelled them to the main event status where Rollins already is anyway.

The main event of Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena and Logan Paul was basically a paint-by-the-numbers WWE tag team main event, and there's nothing wrong with that. This was basic, but very effective, and that's what counts by the time the show goes off the air. The spots were very choreographed, which took any from any type of spontaneous presentation, but given Logan Paul's involvement and lack of experience, it still made sense to work that type of match. The moonsault to the outside through the announce table was impressive. I plan to write a specific column about the return of Ron Killings, as he cost John Cena the match, but I will say this much about it in this review, it's very doubtful that WWE management had the foresight to work his release with the expectation that it would generate the type of reaction it did with the plan being to bring him back at this pay-per-view. Cody pinned Cena to win the match, which is a key piece of the puzzle for that storyline because now the former champion just beat Cena so it starts to set up for the eventual rematch.

UFC 316

Earlier this week during the media tour for tonight's UFC 316 pay-per-view that will be hosted in Newark, New Jersey, Amanda Nunes, who will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in just a few weeks, announced her return to the sport, proclaiming her intentions to recapture the Women's Bantamweight championship, a belt that she vacated when she retired from the Octagon two years ago. "The Lioness" return to the cage dwarfs even the solid line-up that will take place at the Prudential Center on the ESPN+ streaming service.

The reason for this is rather simple, as the UFC, an organization that is a part of the TKO corporation after last year's merger with the WWE, needs the star power ahead of its negotiations for its next media rights deal. Different from the pro wrestling side of the publicly-traded company, the UFC didn't go to the bulk-pricing model that many streaming platforms use in the modern era. Instead, the TV cards that would air for free in the past were now included in the subscription to the streaming service. However, the pay-per-views actually increased in price, ballooning to a staggering $79.99 for each event, which doesn't included the subscription fee to the service itself. Yes, fans have to pay for the subscription just for the ability to be able to pay again to order the PPVs. It's a bold strategy, but it becomes a key aspect of the potential of their next move if the organization doesn't re-sign with ESPN.

As cliche as it is, as far as pay-per-view for the WWE, and thus virtually half of the TKO brand, the horse is out of the barn. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube so to speak in terms of the perceived value of the pay-per-views. For more than a decade, pro wrestling fans have been able to watch PPVs for either $9.99, $4.99, or in some cases even free between the original launch of the WWE Network and the Peacock platform. Sure, some fans would pay it, but it would be a very difficult sell to try to get wrestling fans to go back to paying $40 or $50 a month for pay-per-view.

That's one of the unintended consequences of the bulk-pricing model, as it looks to secure more subscribers at a lower price to generate more revenue overall than the amount of customers that were willing to pay the traditional fee. With the amount of streaming options that have fizzled out over the past several years, it's clear that the bulk model can be hit or miss depending on the content on the platform.

However, and this is key for the UFC, they never unintentionally lowered the value of their PPV offerings so it would be much easier for the group to possibly sign with a different network and make the transition back to traditional pay-per-view because the only difference would be where the events are broadcast, not the price point that could impact the decision  to order the show. Sure, outside factors like the economy could make a difference, but that could apply to any entertainment spending for any target audience. The point being, selling an $80 MMA card on ESPN+ or selling an MMA card on traditional pay-per-view if the UFC moves to a different network at the end of the year is moot in the grand scheme of things.

However, and this is where Nunes is such an important figure among the current landscape of the organization, with Jon Jones claiming on social media just a few days ago that he was willing to "step aside as heavyweight champion, a tactic purely to avoid a unification fight with interim champion, Tom Aspinall, the MMA league has very little in the way of major star power to demand major money at the negotiating table. Would a network want to pay a few billion dollars when one of the most promoted and most controversial fighters in the organization's history claims that he won't defend the heavyweight title? Conor McGregor was promoted ahead of nearly everyone else in the company for years, and after he failed to enter the testing pool to be eligible to fight Micheal Chandler earlier this year, there's zero assurance that he will fight again.

Don't get me wrong, the Ultimate Fighting Championship still has a tremendously talented roster, tonight's card is proof of that, but the harsh reality is that a combination of an oversaturation of fight cards and putting almost all of the programming behind a paywall in some form or fashion, the promotion just doesn't have the star power that it did several years ago.

Amanda Nunes has the skills and the accomplishments to be the top star of the organization, at least for the foreseeable future until the next crop of fights have a chance to make a name for themselves. During the announcement of her return, "The Lioness" explained that this was a full-fledged comeback, not a one-off return in the Octagon. It's a much easier sell to the network when a Hall of Famer and former double champion will be back on the roster to sell PPVs.

Speaking of which, the UFC 316 card will showcase the women's bantamweight division when Julianna Pena, who beat Nunes for the championship in December 2021 before "The Lioness" avenged the loss the following July to reclaim the belt, will defend against Kayla Harrison. After Nunes recaptured the title, she beat Irene Aldana before she vacated the belt. Pena defeated Raquel Pennington via split decision last October. While Harrison is the 6 to 1 favorite with a pro record of 18-1, it goes without saying that a potential trilogy fight between Nunes and Pena could be a draw for the company. If I had to guess, Harrison wins the bout, but there's intrigue because Pena was a major underdog when she shocked the world to dethrone Nunes in their original bout.

The main event will also be a rematch when Sean O'Malley gets a chance to reclaim the Bantamweight belt when he challenges Merab Dvalishvili, who beat him via unanimous decision last October. More than just the winners for tonight and how it could shape the respective divisions going forward, the bigger story might be how the return of Nunes to the organization could impact the overall direction of the company ahead of their next television deal. Along with that, it will be interesting to see how the details of that particular contract affects the distribution and thus the perception of the promotion in the future as well. If some of the fight night cards that have been behind the paywall of ESPN+ for the past several years are back on traditional television instead, the added exposure could allow more opportunities for more fighters to make themselves stars to the general public that might not be enough of a diehard MMA fan to pay a monthly subscription fee to follow the sport. In truth, that main stream exposure through cable television was what made it possible for there to be such a surge in popularity nearly two decades ago so it would probably be a wise decision to make the product, including the new generation of fighters, more accessible to more viewers, specifically with a new TV deal.

Mariah May debuts for NXT

The past few years, particularly since the launch of All Elite Wrestling, it proved how much competition, or at least options benefit the entire industry. It's not a ground-breaking concept, as it can be applied across the board regardless of the product being sold to the public. What would Coca Cola be without Pepsi? A sizzling Baconator for the racket-wielding manager isn't quite as enjoyable without the choice of a Big Mac or a Whopper. The competition between brands outside of the sports entertainment bubble isn't nearly as silly or harsh as the attempt to draw money inside the world of pro wrestling, but the fact remains that options within any business generally push each organization to provide the best product possible to get their piece of the pie from the overall market. Within the parameters of the squared circle, there are several different layers that are involved in the overall business model. Of course, any wrestling league, from the publicly-traded TKO corporation to the local independent outfit, are looking to maximize revenue from their audience through ticket sales and merchandise. Naturally, the further you move up the ladder as far as the scope of the company, it opens more avenues to generate more money. The WWE touts record-setting profits primarily because of the massive rights fees that it lands for its television shows. But, it's not simply a matter of putting the show on the air or investing in slick product, the track record and cache that the WWE brand has with the general public is what ultimately put them in a position to capitalize on their media properties to such a degree based on the continuing evolution of the media landscape.

For example, Monday Night Raw was on the air for over thirty years, and despite the peaks and valleys, was able to maintain an audience. More importantly, even if there were dips in the numbers depending on the era, it provided steady and consistent ratings, which makes for a much easier sell to advertisers and sponsors because they have an assurance of the amount of viewers that will be exposed to the commercials for their products.

Obviously, it hasn't always been positive, but for the casual fan, WWE is basically the representative for professional wrestling in the United States. I've written this before, in many ways, the WWE is the Walmart of the sports entertainment industry since its relatively cheap and easily accessible. Granted, you might need a second mortgage to afford tickets to the marquee events under the TKO banner, but as far as following the product, fans can get access to pay-per-views and the extensive video library for $5 a month on the Peacock streaming service.  

Of course, the status quo opens the door for an alternative, and there's not necessarily a right or wrong answer in terms of that notion because there can't be an alternative unless the concept of the status quo of an industry has been established.  Again, where would Coke be without Pepsi?

As mentioned, All Elite Wrestling, positive or negative, has become the alternative for pro wrestling in America. The narrative of the Khan-owned organization has been as fascinating as it has been frustrating over the past six years.

That's why in many respects, the debut on Mariah May, a former AEW Women's champion, makes a very direct statement about the status of the industry.

When AEW launched in 2019, the potential of the project shifted the dynamics of the business, for the first time since WCW folded, there was someone that was willing to offer comparable money to the WWE, and established stars were willing to trust the future of their careers in All Elite Wrestling. WWE brass took notice of it too, as they signed talent to bigger contracts just to keep them off of the free agent market. Reportedly, The Good Brothers, a team that had history with The Young Bucks from their time as a part of The Bullet Club in New Japan, were offered $750,000 deals to re-sign with the WWE at the time to essentially prevent the possibility of them showing up for a Bullet Club reunion on the debut episode of Dynamite that October. As we know, when the actual product of AEW was revealed, management was less concerned with retaining talent, and when the pandemic shut the world down about six months later, most of the talent that were overpaid to stay with WWE were released as a part of budget cuts that could be touted for stockholders on the conference calls.

Despite that, we saw several talents opt to test the waters in AEW, and there's nothing wrong with that, it's a smart business move, but at the same time, as the narrative of the promotion, both from a booking and structure prospective unfolded, there was undoubtedly a shift in the paradigm of the industry.

Despite the non-disclosure agreement that he signed upon his exit from All Elite a few years ago, there's a compelling story to be told about the departure of Cody Rhodes from the organization when books are eventually written about that era. The backstage brawls, the underwhelming angles, and illogical booking took away a lot of the shine once the novelty of a new promotion wore off.

Furthermore, and this is possibility the biggest point to be made, there were a number of careers that were mismanaged or underutilized under the direction of Tony Khan. CM Punk, regardless of how egotistical that he was at the time, was ousted from the company to become one of the top draws for the WWE. Miro and Malakai Black saw the writing on the wall and returned to the WWE as soon as they were contractually able to do so. Adam Cole went from someone that might be the next Shawn Micheals to just another guy on the roster. Penta was underutilized for most of his All Elite tenure, and has become a featured star on Raw in a matter of just a few months.

The lesson to be learned is that the bloom was off the rose so to speak with the perception of AEW and the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

That's why the debut of Mariah May on NXT earlier this week is a microcosm of the shift in the paradigm of the industry.

At 26, May is in the prime of her career, and with less than five years experience between her time in Stardom in Japan and nearly a two-year stint in AEW, she has at least a solid foundation of experience to build upon for the major leagues. Her feud with Toni Storm was one of the better aspects of All Elite programming the past several months, as her heel turn last year was a memorable moment, she won the title at Wembley Stadium, and eventually there was a payoff to the rivalry on pay-per-view. Besides the fact that the match at Revolution was too gory and could potentially sour the audience, one of the reasons that her feud with Storm was so well done was because it built and concluded in a logical manner. The bout at Revolution less than three months ago was her final appearance in All Elite Wrestling.

Essentially, the past year and a half was an audition for WWE, as it gave Mariah May a platform to be seen and as soon as she had the chance to jump ship, she left All Elite. When you consider that she was in a featured spot as a part of a featured storyline on an extended basis on AEW programming, but still chose to leave the company, it speaks volumes about the narrative of All Elite. May has seen enough examples of talented prospects that got lost in the shuffle of the slapstick approach to Dynamite and knew when to make the move before she found herself in the witness protection program of Ring Of Honor or just paid to stay home completely off the radar. Has anyone seen Britt Baker?

The jump itself is minimal, that's not to say that Mariah May doesn't have the potential to be a star for the WWE, but rather that the company has a lot of depth in the women's division so the bigger story is the message it sends about the status of the industry. In 2019, legitimate stars trusted Tony Khan with the future of there careers, and prospects thought it would be the place that they could be made national stars. That simply isn't the case now, and it's been a very intriguing narrative to see unfolded in recent years. As mentioned, competition is a key aspect of the business, but the dynamics have flipped in many ways, as some of the blunders of AEW have actually put more of a spotlight on the success of the WWE in the past few years.

APWF returns

The Allied Powers Wrestling Federation, a league with a lineage that stretches back to 1998, kicks off its summer schedule in just a few weeks when it returns to Indiana country's S&T Bank Arena June 22nd for another super show under the APWF banner, headlined by former ECW and NWA World Heavyweight champion, Rhino.

Anchored by former longtime pro, "Bad" Bubba Brewer, the Allied Powers organization returned to action last year after it spent more than a decade dormant. Brewer, who retired from in-ring competition several years ago, citing age and injury, jumped back into the industry as a promoter with both feet after he saw the emerging young talent throughout central and western Pennsylvania, as well as the surrounding states.

When his organization made its comeback in June of last year at the venue located in central PA, Brewer planned the event as a one-off to honor the accomplishments of Chris Coleman and Don Fulmer, the pair known as Team Tapout, one of the most accomplished duos in the history of the region. A true old school grappler and pro wrestling historian, Bubba brought then-NWA World Heavyweight champion, Ethan Carter III to defend his title for the first time ever in Indiana county.

"Bubba asked me to join the team and I didn't hesitate when I had him as a guest on the Pro Wrestling Extreme Talk Podcast. This is a dream come true for me and I appreciate Bubba for asking me," said Larry Striker, who works on the APWF social media team and scouts independent talent for the organization.

The event, which was stacked with the previously mentioned stellar youngsters, made such an impression that Brewer ran two more events the same year in August and October respectively, in Johnstown, giving the APWF somewhat of a throwback vibe to the territory system of a bygone era.

However, Brewer knew how important the S&T Bank Arena was to the resurgence of his pro wrestling company and he only felt it was right to bring another night of blockbuster action to the building when he decided to kickoff his 2025 schedule.

Among the nine matches already announced, NWA star, Spencer Slade will square off with Buffalo area standout Thomas Kennedy. Other Buffalo stalwarts on the card include Vince Valor, who drew the assignment as the opponent of the previously mentioned legendary grappler, Rhino. Women's action will see the rookie Ava Brooks, who has taken the independent circuit by storm, already winning championships along the east coast in her first year in the sport, across the ring from Laylah James. In a highlyanticipated match-up of the top young lions in the Pittsburgh area, Zach Nystrom collides with Canaan Kristopher. Former two-time Ryse Wrestling Grand Champion, Cowpoke Paul is scheduled to compete against NWA Exodus mainstay, Cristiano Argento, a competitor that has previously appeared on AEW and WWE programming. Well-known podcaster from the Conrad Thompson network of shows, Marcus DeAngelo is scheduled to make his APWF debut in a tag bout. Within the past few years, Marcus pursued a career inside the ring ropes after he spent countless hours hearing the stories of legends like Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Ted DiBiase on their respective programs. Marcus plans to bring fellow podcaster and his brother, Dominic to the S & T Bank Arena on June 22 in Indiana county.

"I’m looking forward to getting back to Indiana, PA for the APWF. I went to college there and I think it’s safe to say that I’m officially the most famous person who ever lived in that podunk town. Jimmy Stewart can stick it. I’m teamed up with “The Shape” Jake Wiley and I can promise you, there’s never been a more deadly combination in tag team wrestling. My brother Dominic will be joining me at ringside to make sure Alex Danis and Gerard Garrett stay in line," said DeAngelo with a smirk.

"As for June 22 Redemption, we have Rhino coming in, which is exciting, and a first time ever main event of Bill Collier vs. Gorgeous Gregory. That right there is a match you don't want to miss. I'm excited for the fans for this event. You never know what might happen or who will appear," added Larry Striker.

The main event of Bill Collier, a longtime pro of the ring that recently appeared as a part of TNA's Boarder Brawl and regarded as one of the best talents of the region, paired against the immensely talented youngster Gorgeous Gregory, is a bout that has became the talk of the local scene since it was announced. Gregory began training to be a professional wrestler at the age of just 16 before he debuted two years later and within the past few years has proven himself to be a prodigy of the canvas. Collier is the current International Wrestling Cartel heavyweight champion, a belt that he has held for more than three years. Along with that, Collier keeps a full schedule, wrestling primarily in New York. When it comes to APWF main events, Collier has been a franchise player for Brewer's organization. He was the man that challenged EC3 for the NWA world title when the promotion had the event at the S &T Bank Arena last year, and he had a critically-acclaimed main event bout against Spencer Slade in Johnstown last August. Many pundits have speculated that if Gregory is victorious, he might be able to obtain the top spot in the company.

Other contests slated for the card include "The Big Boss" Glenn Spectre against Isaiah Prince. This bout brings together grapplers from two different ends of the spectrum in terms of their experience. Spectre broke into the sport nearly 25 years ago, the same year that Prince was born. When Glenn became the first foreigner or "gaijin" to win the DDT Tag Team Titles in Japan in the early-2000s, Prince was just a toddler. "The Big Boss" is regarded by many as a jam up guy for his rugged in-ring style that he was able to blend with technical maneuvers to simultaneously be an offensive and defensive wrestler. Prince is a nearly five-year pro so will he be able to use a win over Spectre to make a statement in the APWF? To round out the line-up, Braden Elliot will set into the ring with Matt McCoy, another Buffalo standout that has been apart of the fabric of the APWF since its relaunch last year.

With a bell time of 3 PM on that Sunday afternoon, Rhino will be available to fans for a meet and greet opportunity at 2 PM before the live event starts with indywrestling.us cameras there for the video production of the event. APWF officials have expressed their excitement to be able to bring fans not only photo-ops and autographs from the legendary Rhino, but also an afternoon of memorable action for the next chapter of the company.

R-Truth released

By nature, professional wrestling, much like any other form of live entertainment, can be a shark tank. Fame, fortune, and ego can often have a nasty side to them. Of course, there are dozens of episodes of the Dark Side of The Ring series based on some of the bleaker aspects of the business. There was competition for the top spot and the massive money that went along with that so there were rivalries behind the scenes because of that dynamic. That was the case more often in a previous era than it is today because of how much the brand of the WWE is the overall selling point more than individual stars. It goes without saying that there are positives and negatives to that philosophy, but the point is, the current generation usually knows that they can make more money working together than trying to undercut each other in the booking meetings.

Don't get me wrong, pro wrestling will always be political, but the days of "that don't work for me, brother" when ego, not the goal of drawing the most money, happen exponentially less often now than they did thirty years ago.

That being said, even through the political landmine that the industry can be at times, there are certain performers that were universally beloved for their talent and genuine nature backstage. Terry Funk, Bobby Hennan, Rickey Steamboat, Bobby Eaton, and Big E are just a few of the names that you never hear anyone say anything negative about, a reflection of their real-life character.

That's why it was legitimately shocking to hear the news that Ron Killings, who has worked under the WWE banner for the past 17 years, was abruptly released from his WWE contract just a few days ago. Besides the fact that R-Truth is unanimously praised for his ability in the ring and his real-life good nature, it was very surprising because he was still currently featured on WWE programming, working a spotlighted match against John Cena at Saturday Night's Main event a few weeks ago, and a match against Jeff Cobb on Smackdown.

At 53, Killings was obviously at the latter stages of his in-ring career, but the guy stays in great shape, he can still go in the ring, and he's legitimately one of the most over performers on the roster. It can't be understated how valuable a performer like Killings is because he can do anything that he's asked to do. If you need an over baby face to warm up the crowd during the dark match prior to the live broadcast, Killings can work the audience up for the television show. If you need a comedy segment to pace the overall show, we know that it has been a Killings specialty for several years. It should be noted that there's a major difference between attempted comedy in wrestling, there are a laundry list of Vince Russo failures in that category, and entertaining comedy in the sport. Killings has been on the right side of that equation throughout his WWE tenure. Furthermore, and this really showed how well-rounded Killings is, he worked as a credible heel against John Cena for a pay-per-view main event in 2011.

Again, it can't be glossed over how important it is to have wrestlers as versatile as R-Truth on the card because while he wasn't the main event of Wrestlemania every year, he was always going to be an asset based on what the company needed, and that's where the true depth is to the roster. William Regal is another prime example of this, which is why he has such an extended tenure with the organization.

Was R-Truth going to wrestle for another 10 years? No, but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't have been kept under contract for another decade, especially given the level of his skills and how it could've been used in different areas even after he concluded his time as an in-ring competitor.

That's why the release of Ron Killings might be more of a statement about the direction of the WWE under the TKO banner than anything else.

There are countless examples of how corporate suites just don't understand the nature of the very unique genre of professional wrestling, the vast majority of the WCW ownership under Turner was an example of that. You simply can't run a sports entertainment venture as if the wrestlers are just interchangeable and anyone with a pair of boots will fit the mold. Hopefully, that's not the tact that TKO is going to take, but the release of Ron Killings might be an indication that says otherwise.

Last week, I penned an article about the shift of Wrestlemania 42 from the previously announced New Orleans back to Las Vegas again because sin city offered more money than Burbon Street to host the event for the second year in a row. As mentioned, since Wrestlemania is a travel audience, the destination is almost moot, but if the corporation leans in to the concept of snatching every dollar they can rather than serve the audience, it's possible that they could be some backlash from the audience.

Management was framed as the villains for years, which is why there was the initial demand for the alternative that became AEW, and it took several years for that notion to change, with Triple H being seen as the baby face leader of the organization after the disgraceful exit of Vince McMahon a few years ago.

Granted, given the type of deviant behavior that Vince was accused of and the millions of dollars that he paid to keep several affairs quiet, there's no doubt that he shouldn't be the head of the WWE. It might sound like an overly dramatic statement, but if even a portion of the allegations of the current lawsuit are true, it wouldn't be a safe environment for female employees if Vince was still the boss. That being said, Vince always got the match in the ring because he knew how important it was to deliver on what was advertised. That credibility is what made the WWE such a massive entertainment brand, because it wasn't the local indy show where the aging legend that was booked might no-show the event.

TKO taking the bigger money from Las Vegas despite New Orleans being announced wasn't something that Vince McMahon would've done. Furthermore, even with McMahon gone, if WWE wasn't owned by TKO, it's possible that Ron Killings wouldn't have been cut from his deal. The reason being is that regardless of some very ruthless business practices, including the release of a few dozen talent during the pandemic in the midst of record-setting profits to pad the profit margin for the next conference call with stockholders, there was still the concept of how the old guard took care of certain guys that earned it.

Vince kept guys like Captain Lou, Arnold Skaaland, Gorilla Monsoon, and others within the company because of their loyalty to Vince St. before the national expansion. There were also others that were quietly kept on the payroll as a sign of respect.

Under the TKO banner, should the talent be leery that their job could be in jeopardy when they reach a certain age? Clearly, R-Truth doesn't need a favor job, he's talented enough to still wrestle of television, work with younger talent, or be a great representative for the organization from a PR prospective. That's why his release is such a stark statement about the WWE with TKO as the boss. Despite all those qualities that legitimately give a reason why R-Truth should still have a job, he was released anyway.

It was obvious that a corporate entity that wasn't based in the history of the business was going to take the WWE brand in a different direction, but it could have an overall negative impact on the organization in the future if every decision that it makes is strictly based on the dollars and cents of the situation. Aspects like lock room morale, mentorship, and the overall positive atmosphere around the company are intangibles that could eventually have a domino effect on the product.