Evolution pay-per-view review

After a pro wrestling weekend log-jammed with events, including a Ring Of Honor pay-per-view on Friday night and an NXT premium live event Saturday afternoon that were such smaller potatoes in the big picture that very little attention was paid or coverage given to them, it was the Evolution pay-per-view, an all-women's show, that concluded the weekend. This was the return of the concept after a seven-year hiatus, and while the timing seemed rather random to bring it back in 2025, there's at least some case to be made to book the show as an annual event, if it truly fits within the parameters of the WWE calendar.

The reason being, much like I wrote about last week in terms of the build or lack thereof for the PPV, Evolution seemed more like a bridge to Summer Slam than anything else, which is probably what it should be, taking into account the revenue involved with establishing Summer Slam as a two-night event, but it also inherently took away from the overall importance of a pay-per-view that was supposed to specifically spotlight the female roster.

This unintentionally had a B-show vibe to it, specifically because of the thrown together nature of some of the matches on the card.

The show opened with a triple threat match for the Women's Intercontinental championship, and as a match, it was very well done. Three-way bouts can be difficult to work and it becomes a task to avoid the tendency to throw someone to the floor to take a nap while the two other competitors work a conventional match. These three performers worked the stipulation into the bout in a logical manner and included it in the finish, which put more heat on Becky Lynch when she was able to sneak into the sequence to get the quick pin to retain the title. That being said, if I had to guess, Bayley was probably only added to this contest to take the pin to keep the door open for the Becky Lynch/ Lyra Valkyria rematch that was set up on Raw. In a theme that would continue throughout the night, some of the booking decisions made for this PPV were designed to boost Summer Slam, not make this a standout event.

 Jayce Jayne beat Jordynne Grace to retain the NXT Women's championship. This was a 10-minute sprint and built well in the finishing sequence. That said, the former Mariah May, Blake Monroe heel turn was extremely obvious so while the bell-to-bell action was solid, there wasn't much drama since viewers knew that the heel turn would determine the winner. That's not to say that Jordynne Grace needs another run with the title, and a feud against Monroe is probably a wise decision, as it gives both of them something meaningful to do on the brand, which is exactly what Monroe needs to do if she's truly going to establish herself among the WWE landscape With the increased distribution of WWE content across different platforms as the TKO corporation looks to expand the company's global reach and thus maximize the revenue possible from those avenues, it could be very easy for a performer to get lost in the shuffle. Given the annual releases of talent from the developmental system, it's almost unavoidable that some performers don't get the chance to showcase their skills. That's why it's important for someone like Monroe, who the WWE recruited after her tenure in All Elite Wrestling, to have a firm direction for her character in NXT.

The four-way  tag team match for the women's belts was entertaining for what it was, but it was an example of a match that was booked simply to get as many competitors on the card. Furthermore, it was only given 10 minutes for a segment that had eight wrestlers so it was rushed and didn't get a chance to develop into anything beyond a superficial presentation. The segment had a lot of action so it was a fun viewing experience, but with the level of talent in this contest, it seems like they could've either done more in this match or been used in a more important role on the pay-per-view. I have to say that for a show that went almost three and a half hours, better time management could've given this segment a few extra minutes to allow the performers more of the spotlight. Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez retained the titles when Rodriguez got the pin, which makes sense as the office looks to continue to attempt to establish her as a star on the brand.

Speaking of time management, I'm not sure if it was kept short to cover up any potential ring rust that Trish might've had, even though she always seems to be ready to go when she makes a comeback, but the women's championship match was relatively short. In fact, the video package, entrances, and introductions were literally as long as the eight-minute segment. There were some clunky moments early in the contest, and it looked like the referee was trying to tell them something so maybe there was somewhat of an audible called from backstage or something else that would've altered the original plan. After the rocky start, this developed into a very entertaining bout that didn't get into second gear because they went to the finish not long after a series of good in-ring sequences. Tiffany Stratton retained the title, as she should've since the organization is trying to push her as a star of the future, but there should probably be a rematch since these two could have a better match if given more time to build the segment.

Jade Cargill defeated Naomi in a street fight, which was ultimately a way to set up the surprise cash-in for the main event. This was fine, but nothing too spectacular. If anything, it underscored the notion that Cargill is either still too inexperienced, hasn't progressed enough during her time in the WWE system, or both to be ready for a top spot in the WWE. This bout was more about the time it took to set up the spots rather than working with them, and this was only a 10-minute bout so it become more of a furniture fight than anything else. It was overly choreographed, another aspect that suggest that Jade shouldn't win the championship in just over two weeks.

Stephanie Vaquer won a battle royal to get a title shot at the Clash in Paris at the end of next month. Since that contest depends on what happens at Summer Slam, there's not much to say about the battle royal itself. However, Vaquer seems to have the potential to be a major star so it was a smart decision to give her the victory for a title shot.

Rhea Ripley vs, Iyo Sky was a tremendous main event and a prime example of the top quality of the women's division. There's an argument to be made that Iyo might be the best worker in the business right now, and Ripley is also a really polished performer. There's a reason that Ripley is one of the biggest stars in the company, and considering her age, unless there are any injuries, the future of the female division will be bright for at least the next decade. Everything they did was crisp and smooth. The match had action, drama, and built well toward the conclusion. The Naomi cash-in was a really good surprise and created for a memorable moment for the event. There still seems to be an unresolved storyline between her, Bianca, and Jade so maybe there will be some type of angle at Summer Slam.

All in review

With several months of anticipation behind it, All Elite Wrestling presented what looked to be their version of the Tokyo Dome or Wrestlemania with All In Texas at Arlington Stadium. Before we get into any details of the line-up, it must be noted that the visual of the venue with more than 20,000 fans in attendance was very impressive, as it made AEW look like a major league organization.

If perception is reality, All Elite Wrestling looked like a big deal until the card started and then all of its weaknesses were exposed to an exponential degree, as the main card went a staggering six hours. I don't want to hear of the rare Wrestlemania or Tokyo Dome cards that went that long, as that was a mistake, too and there's also a reason that runtime was discontinued for those events. Besides the fact that I don't think it's possible to book a truly spectacular six-hour card, it was also completely and totally unnecessary for Tony Khan to do so. Not only did it not add anything to the bouts or the event itself, it also hindered them in the marathon of a process. If you want to make the case that certain contests on this particular show justified an extended segment, there's an argument for that, but for each match to be given a sometimes absurd amount of time just so Tony Khan can talk himself into believing that he produced an American version of the Tokyo Dome is ridiculous.

As I've always said, Tony Khan is more or less unanimously known as a great guy, but that doesn't automatically make him a successful booker or promoter. It's sincerely wonderful that the guy puts his concern to take care of the talent ahead of money, and he probably does many things to help the talent that nobody knows about, but the harsh reality is, his booking decisions impact the level of success or lack thereof the organization has from strictly a business perspective.

Since the runtime of the broadcast was literally six hours, it would simply be too lengthy to attempt to discuss each match individually so I'm going to try to divide the card into sections, as that loosely looked to be the method to the madness. However, the question that you will have to consider throughout this review is a simple inquiry, was this really needed on a six-hour show and if it wasn't, why was it included? The reason this became so important is that by the four-hour mark, this broadcast became a chore to watch, not an entertainment option. Granted, I had the incentive to make it through the event to be able to work on this article, but it's difficult for me to think that the average viewer was really excited to sit in front of their television for six hours on a Saturday afternoon in July.

The show kicked off with the six man tag between the Opps and The Death Riders. The match was fine for what it was, but it was chaos from almost the opening bell with fights on the floor and in the ring at the same time within minutes of the start of the broadcast. Tag rules were completely ignored, which became a theme throughout the night, and the problem with that is, there were several segments that became an endless sequence of moves without any rhyme or reason. There was no drama or build up, it was just more high spots for the sake of high spots, which renders the legitimate risks the performers take repetitive and often pointless. The Opps won the match, but Samoa Joe was attacked afterwards, prompting him to be taken away on a stretcher. Maybe this was a way to write Joe out of the show for another film role, but the last thing this show needed was an extended post-match segment, The gauntlet after that was much of the same, a lot of moves with minimal drama as a way to get as many wrestlers on the card as possible. Tony really had something with Mark Briscoe as the sentimental favorite, especially after the truly incredible and heart-wrenching video presentation from The Player's Tribune that chronicled his journey into the sport with his late brother, Jay, but if I had to guess, it will be forgotten about in two weeks because there's rarely follow-up among the AEW landscape, especially if it's something that gets over organically that could interrupt Tony's charts and graphs. MJF winning theoretically could put him back on track as a main event heel, but I honestly don't know if anything can be done to reignite his status, specifically after how insignificant he was booked to be within the past several months. Given the big picture of AEW, there shouldn't be a scenario that MJF has to be reestablished in the first place.

Right after that, Adam Cole made his way to the ring to announce that he had to vacate the TNT championship because of an injury, and it was later reported that he suffered another serious concussion during a match on Collision. Taking into account that he was on the shelf for almost a year with a prior concussion and spent another year on the sidelines because of the foot injury, as much as I hate to say it, I'd rather see Cole retire way too young and still healthy in the long run than him attempt to continue to wrestle when another injury, specifically head trauma could affect his quality of life. I've actually met Adam Cole twice and both times, he was one of the politest wrestlers that I had the chance to meet. It was only a brief conversation each time, but he seems like someone that is too kind for the wrestling business so it would be terrible to see him suffer a diminished quality of life if he continues to compete. Furthermore, he could work backstage, and as trivial as it might sound, he was booked in a way that minimized his star power so it's not as though he would leave a top spot behind if he finished his career. That being said, the emotional announcement really drain the enthusiasm from the crowd and it didn't pick back up until later in the card. It was a nice moment for Dustin Rhodes to win a championship in Texas, but in the grand scheme of things, the TNT belt means very little, especially because of how Daniel Garcia and Adam Cole didn't became bigger stars during their recent reigns as champion.

At this point, we're three matches into this show and at the 1 hour and 45 minute mark. There has yet to be a one-on-one contest. The multi-person matches so far, were mostly just a series of moves without logic, psychology, or a build to the finish. You can do that for one bout on the card and it stands out, similar to the WCW lucha match on pay-per-view, but if everything is chaos then it all gets lost in the shuffle. Everything I just described accurately explains The Young Bucks vs. Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay match. Minimal selling, no tags, and more high spots just for that sake of high spots. That would be fine if we didn't just watch the same thing for almost the previous two hours. Of course, The Young Bucks had an extended entrance because we had to make sure that we stretched everything to be able to get to the six-hour benchmark before the show went off the air.  Swerve and Ospreay won, but does it really matter? Do the fans really care if The Young Bucks are sometimes heel authority figures? Most importantly, isn't there a better use for both Swerve and Ospreay than a mid-card tag match at the biggest show of the year?

Athena won the women's gauntlet match to earn a title shot, and another 25-minute battle role is exactly what this card needed to maintain its clunky and tedious pace. There was no reason for the men's gauntlet to be 35 minutes and no reason for this to be 25 minutes. It's just too long for the audience to care about hypothetical title matches at some point in the future. The Hurt Syndicate retained their tag titles in a three way match, offering exactly the same type of match that you've already seen a few times on this card. The action was fine, but it wasn't anything that was "must see" in the context of this event. The Adam Copeland return post-match was illogical because why would he help Christian, a heel that attacked him several times, prior to this?

For those that are keeping score, this was almost 3 hours and 40 minutes into this show, and we still haven't seen a standard match yet.

If I had to guess, I'd say that Tony put the singles matches on last as a way to differentiate them as main event bouts. It's one of those booking aspects that was a decent concept in theory that didn't flourish in application. After nearly four hours of chaos by the time the bell rang for the Women's world title match, there wasn't anything that any of the final three matches could do, with the exception of the gimmicks in the Jon Moxley/Adam Page match that the audience didn't already see earlier on the card. The bumps, the car crashes, and the high spots were all done to a repetitive level by the time the singles matches had a chance to get in the ring. In a vacuum, Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Mone was a very solid match, and one of the better matches that Mone had during her All Elite tenure. Toni retained the belt and was one of the most over competitors with the crowd, but within the context of this show, it got lost in the shuffle. Much of the same can be said for the Kazuchika Okada/Kenny Omega bout, in a vacuum, it was a really entertaining match, but I'm not sure how it stands after such an extended event. Granted, they weren't going to be the same performers that they were years ago in New Japan, but this was a quality match that deserves the proper spotlight to maximize its drawing power as a marquee match. I'm not sure being the unified champion means much in the grand scheme of things because of the comical amount of belts that the company still has, but the Okada victory should set up for a rematch.

The main event, as gory and somewhat goofy as it was, at least had the premise of a storyline that justified all the pyro and ballyhoo that went along with it. This was the crescendo of the feud, as flimsy as it was, for someone to finally defeat Jon Moxley for the AEW world championship so it made sense to have all run-ins with the return of Bryan Danielson and Darby Allin to dispatch of the death riders before Page claimed the title. Sure, the fork spot and the glass were ridiculous portions of this match, but at this point, positively or negatively, this is the AEW brand. I don't think Adam Page is in a prime position to be the top guy in the company with how dilluted his character was over the past few years, but that's a different discussion for a different time. The point being, as far as a main event on a big show, this was mission accomplished. 

The career of Goldberg

Father Time is undefeated.

When former WCW and WWE champion, Bill Goldberg made his return to WWE programming last month to confront Gunther to set up his retirement match in his hometown of Atlanta, I penned an article about the numerous reasons that it probably won't a wise decision for the 58-year-old former Atlanta Falcon from his NFL days before he found wrestling stardom, to lace up the boots one more time.

It didn't have quite the same wholesome presentation, with Bill Goldberg's friends and family surrounding him the way that the conclusion of the Saturday Night's Main Event broadcast did, but his 2016 comeback was more much logical and successful.

Nobody would've guessed it when fences were mended from more than a decade earlier of a disastrous run that soured Goldberg on the WWE experience, but management was able to catch lightening in a bottle for the second time in his career. Bill Goldberg returned to the WWE to promote his association with that year's 2K video game, with the notion that his title match against Brock Lensar at Survivor Series was a one-off to promote video game sales, particularly because of how lucrative that revenue stream continues to be for the organization even today.

The fans knew that Goldberg was put in a no-win situation when he inked a one-year deal in 2003. The guy that was booked to smash everyone in a short amount of time and rightfully catered to in an effort to maximize his drawing power while minimizing his weaknesses in WCW wasn't suddenly going to be able to carry a 20-minute main event on pay-per-view in the WWE. Considering we saw Vince McMahon still fighting the Monday night wars in 2015 when Triple H just had to beat Sting at Wrestlemania, it's not surprising that Goldberg wasn't given much help under the WWE banner in 2003.

Ironically, the negative experience that repelled Bill Goldberg from even considering another WWE run for several years is what prompted the demand for his comeback stint when it was announced that he was a part of the 2K series. The fans wanted the WCW legend to get a chance to conclude his career in a more deserving fashion, as he legitimately was one of the biggest stars in the industry at a time when the pro wrestling business peaked in popularity. The fan response was so overwhelming that management took the chance and gave him a shocking victory over Lesnar for the championship, one of the very few legitimately surprising moments of the modern era.

After almost a six-month run, Goldberg dropped the title back to Lesnar, but tickets and merchandise were sold because there was still fuel in the engine to draw money with Bill Goldberg as a main event talent, albeit as tailored as those main event matches had to be for him.

It's well-documented and I already discussed in the previous article about the reasons why nothing after that 2017 run was truly impactful or served a purpose. Sure, if he wanted to take a seven-figure payoff to work for the Saudis, everyone can conveniently forget about it, as they did with Shawn Micheals' return match, but anything after that was an attempt to try to reignite something that had to organically fall in place to work to begin with when he returned. The circumstances for a successful Goldberg comeback were right in 2016, it's not something that can be scripted or resuscitated any time the office wants to try to add a short term boost to an event or storyline.

Saturday Night's Main Event this past weekend was no exception.

I understand that Goldberg thought, based on interviews within the past few years, that he was going to be given a chance for an official retirement after he finished up with his tenure during the pandemic era, a time frame within sports entertainment that was so unprecedented and uncharted that the office tried any strategy they could to continue to produce content to be able to satisfy the massive TV deals the company signed the year previously. Of course, it wasn't something that could've been properly planned or promoted at the time because limited capacity was an initial goal, but understandably, nobody knew when jam-packed arenas or stadiums would be a regular part of the industry again.

That being said, I'm not sure three years after Goldberg had his last match, when he's officially a senior citizen, was the right decision to put him back in the ring.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not insulting the former WCW champion, it's quite the opposite. I sincerely think that he deserved better than his body could give him, despite his legitimate efforts. I'm sure he was happy to get the chance to be surrounded by his friends and family, but Saturday Night's Main Event didn't honor his legacy. Granted, it didn't tarnish any of his accomplishments either, but it wasn't needed and could've put him at risk for a more serious injury.

Bill Goldberg looked like he was hobbled a few weeks ago when he originally confronted Gunther, and I was equally as concerned when I saw him walk with a noticeable limp after WCW head of security, Doug Dillinger knocked on his locker room door for his final bout. Goldberg didn't look like he could move well at all as he made his way through the hallways and toward the ring, which is something that necessitated that Gunther more or less work around him while the aging legend stayed stationary for the majority of the match. The concern I had wasn't about him ruining his legacy with a subpar retirement match, his accomplishments in his prime far surpass that, but rather that less than an hour earlier, we saw Seth Rollins, one of the most athletic performers in the industry today, suffer a serious knee injury so it wasn't unrealistic to think that Goldberg could get hurt as well, specifically when he clearly had a compromised knee going to the ring.

Speaking of the Seth Rollins injury, according to The Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez, the last 40 minutes of the broadcast had to be changed on the fly, and it makes you wonder if Rollins was originally supposed to play a role in the finish of the main event. I said before, and discussed it on the "Histories, Mysteries, & Victories" podcast with my pal, Declan Finnegan that maybe Goldberg was going to get the sentimental hometown win to retire on a nice note before Rollins cashes-in the MITB contract to win the championship. It would be a way for Goldberg not to lose in his final match in his hometown, it would protect Gunther because he would've lost the title on a technicality, and it further solidifies the new Heyman faction with Rollins as the world heavyweight champion.

If any of that was the plan in any way, shape, or form, management would've had to call an audible. I could be wrong, but I just can't believe that the original concept for Saturday Night's Main Event was that the hometown guy gets choked out to lose in his final match. It's something Vince McMahon would've gleefully booked, but I don't think it's the first option in the Nick Khan era of the company. 

Furthermore, and perhaps this was a bigger problem than the finish, since the LA Knight/Rollins' bout had to end so abruptly after Rollins got hurt, it seemed like the main event had to be given more time than originally planned. The Goldberg/Gunter match went just over 15 minutes, and I don't think any of his prior matches at any point during his comeback went anywhere close to that long for a bell-to-bell segment.

Bill Goldberg is a 58-year-old former pro wrestler with a noticeable level of wear and tear on his body from a career in sports, and at Saturday Night's Main event, Bill Goldberg looked like a 58-year-old guy with noticeable wear and tear on his body from a career in sports. He put fourth an admirable effort, but father time is undefeated. The lesson that should be taken from this, at least in my view, is that in an era when we've seen more guys wrestle to an older age, partially because of the advancements in the medical field, it's not always the best decision. Sure, every old-timer, at least in a prior generation that they thought had enough left in the tank for one more match, one more run, or one more big payoff, but more often than not, the risks aren't worth it.

Ric Flair took two heart attacks and was unconscious in his last match, Sabu couldn't move well in his final match, and Goldberg looked his age in his retirement bout so at the very least, some caution should be used going forward because the trend of retirement matches for aging legends hasn't yielded the best results.

What's next for TNA?

The professional wrestling business, for all its faults and carny nonsense that will probably plague it as long as there is a wrestling industry, still remains one of the most compelling genres of the entertainment field. Sometimes, the drama that happens behind the camera is more of a draw than the action in front of the lens. Furthermore, some of the real-life events that happen behind the scenes would seem too outlandish if they were scripted for television.

TNA president, Carlos Silva made headlines this week during a series of interviews when he explained that the league is looking for a new media rights deal that would take the show live 52 weeks a year, which isn't something that the organization has tried since the Hogan era 15 years ago.

It's a bold move and a risk, depending on the logistics. But, if TNA wants to expand their footprint to more of a noticeable degree as far as being a player in the industry, a live broadcast could certainly be a step toward that goal. Sure, for the past several years under the Anthem banner, TNA has been stagnant with the exception of the WWE crossover spots, but in this case stagnant isn't a negative, as it also meant the company was stable, which it hadn't been for several years prior to that.

It often gets lost in the shuffle of how the industry changed so much since the launch of All Elite Wrestling in 2019, and the peaks and valleys of not only that company, but of the WWE as well, with the fall from grace of Vince McMahon, but there was a time when TNA was on the total brink of collapse.

All things considered, it’s probably a small miracle that Anthem rescued the organization in late-2016, initially only in an effort to retain the Impact program for the Fight Network in Canada. Still, it wasn’t as though there was overnight success with new ownership, as the blunders of the Global Force Wrestling merger, and some comically bad fumbles, including when some of their official streams were broadcasted literally using someone’s iPhone, were embarrassing moments that made the organization seem completely subpar. Alberto Del Rio no showing when he was the Impact champion, and Tessa Blanchard refusing to drop the title, were just two of the numerous incidents that reinforced that notion.

Truthfully, I’m honestly not sure why fans, at least in the United States, still followed the product for most of its tenure under Anthem ownership. That’s not necessarily meant as a knock on the talent that were getting a chance to make a living, but rather that the company was such small potatoes at the time, that nothing that happened in Impact Wrestling truly made a difference in the grand scheme of things.

It might sound trivial, but the lack of mainstream distribution for the entire tenure under the Anthem banner has prevented any sort of industry-shaking momentum to take place, simply because the program isn't as easily accessible as other options within the sports entertainment business. Did anything that happened in Impact Wrestling truly dictate any of the dynamics of the industry? Sure, the Impact program is a staple in Canada, but by nature that’s a smaller scale than the American wrestling scene, and at one point, Twitch was the main American distribution channel for the product. It's sometimes forgotten that the organization spent a year on the Pursuit channel in 2017, an outdoor network that literally had ice fishing as the lead-in program for Impact. It goes without saying that Anthem wanted to expand TNA‘s coverage when they purchased the former HD Net channel in an effort to get the show on more American televisions. Still, the TV clearance of Axis is rather minimal compared to the main stream cable networks that other wrestling shows air on. Again, this might be another somewhat trivial aspect of this scenario, but it still holds merit, TNA could theoretically have the best wrestling show in the business, but if it’s not somewhere that fans can easily watch it, the point is almost moot. That is especially true in the evolving media landscape, as there are more options now for consumers than any other time in history. A product being easily accessible and easily identifiable are key to building a brand in the modern era. The days of underground buzz, for the most par,t are largely over because of the immense amount of distribution options for entertainment commodities. The media landscape is so crowded as every TV show, podcast, streaming platform, etc. look to get a portion of the market to be able to monetize their content. The bottom line is, if TNA wants to simply continue to exist, it appears that the financials would allow them to do that, as minimal as their ad revenue might be in comparison to other companies, but if the group wants to truly try to put itself back among the contenders of the industry, better television distribution is undoubtedly a piece of the puzzle.

If it wasn’t the case, Silva and the rest of TNA management wouldn’t be shopping their show for a more lucrative, more accessible television deal. On the Ariel Helwani show, Silva explained that the group is looking for a media rights deal in the neighborhood of $10 million per year. Taking into account the amount of cash that is thrown around for media rights these days, $10 million a year for original live programming every week is a decent proposition for a network. Much like WWE and AEW as a result of the previously mentioned media dynamics, the potential rights deal would bring TNA its biggest revenue stream.

Mainstream distribution, regardless of what form it takes, is a critical aspect of not only the expansion itself, but also its level of success. For example, the more television clearance a product has, the more potential viewers will be exposed to the program. If there are better ratings, the company can secure better ad money for an increase in commercial revenue. Furthermore, when the show is available in more areas, that opens up more territory for their live touring schedule. It's much easier to know where to tour and have better success at those live events in terms of attendance when viewership can be examined for different regions of the country.

Of course, the live aspect will increase the costs of the production of the show, but in theory, the media rights deal would compensate for that. As mentioned, it's not without risk, as the attempt to go live every week just for the sake of being able to say the show was live during the Hogan era, was one of the many reasons the organization imploded under the direction of Dixie Carter. Given the modern media landscape, the ability to realistically run a live weekly show without it being a financial burden might be more of a possibility now than it was during TNA's original attempt in 2010.

But, what does this all potentially mean for the sports entertainment business?

As much as rumors have made the rounds online about a potential WWE purchase of TNA, I don't see that happening for a few different reasons. It goes without saying, if the TKO corporation truly wanted the TNA brand, they could offer an amount of money that Anthem couldn't say no to, but outside of that, there are a few reasons that a WWE buyout probably wouldn't be the best option for the industry. Taking nothing away from the WWE system, it's still the biggest pro wrestling organization in the world for a reason, the promotional machine and the cache that the history of the promotion has makes it an absolutely media powerhouse. That being said, the WWE system is one philosophy, and not every star can realize their true potential within the same system. Even if those stars eventually end up as money-drawing commodities in WWE, their best chance to evolve as a performer isn't always under the regulations of the WWE playbook. For example, AJ Styles became the franchise guy for TNA, and he had enough name value from his time there that he was immediately a star upon his arrival in WWE in 2016. Quite frankly, AJ wouldn't have been given the chance to have the innovative career that he had if he worked for the WWE in the early-2000s. Drew McIntyre was thought to be a comedy act until he reinvented himself outside of the restrictions of the WWE. Cody Rhodes wouldn't have been able to become the top guy as the American Nightmare unless he had to chance to find himself as a performer elsewhere.

The WWE already has NXT as a developmental league, they don't need to try to use their playbook in TNA, and even WWE brass knows that different systems help develop talent.

That's not to say that the WWE won't have a hand in TNA's potential growth because it will benefit TKO, directly and indirectly, if they have success with an expanded TV deal. At this point, the partnership gives TNA access to star power if or when it's needed. For example, maybe for TNA's first live broadcast on a new network, AJ Styles is sent there for his TNA return. Something as simple as TNA events being promoted on WWE television could be very useful to boost the brand. Mostly, we know that this gives TKO the ability to pick talent from TNA that they want to add to the WWE roster at some point. At the same time, management is smart enough to know that they need to leave enough meat on the bone for the brand to still look like it's on an upswing, hence why they've traded NXT talent.

Indirectly, the domino effect of all of this is that another contender in the industry, with it being under the WWE umbrella to some extent, puts more pressure on All Elite Wrestling to attempt to maintain its market share. That's competition for pay-per-view orders and live event tickets if TNA expansions its touring schedule. As far as the optics, the bigger that TNA looks, the more it puts Tony Khan under a microscope to keep pace. We've seen during the past few years that ratings and attendance have dipped for AEW, and as far as narratives within the industry, it would send a message about the perception of the Khan-owned organization if a beleaguered brand like TNA saw an increase at the same time that All Elite scaled down to run smaller venues for shows that draw decreased ratings. 

Outside of that, it prevents All Elite from scouting or adding talent from the TNA roster if the WWE becomes more involved during a potential TV expansion. Technically, Joe Hendry is signed specifically to a TNA contract, but is there any realistic chance that he will turn down WWE's eventual offer in favor of an All Elite deal?

How TNA would actually perform as a television entity on a bigger network remains to be seen, mostly because of the variables of what channel they would land on and the talent available to be on the shows, but the potential for success is certainly there if they land a deal to run live every week. It's much easier for a surprise WWE cameo and thus the ability to create "must see" TV if the show is live rather than several episodes that are taped in advance of when they air on television.

More than anything, the biggest takeaway of this story is that TNA, a brand that was so toxic at one point management had to change the name, is not only still around, but potentially on the path of the best status the company has had in more than a decade. 

What's the status of the women's division?

With a massive wrestling weekend ahead of us, including the Bill Goldberg/Gunther world title match at Saturday Night's Main event, and The AEW All In Texas pay-per-view, the second women's Evolution PPV is unintentionally an afterthought. That's not to mention the Great American Bash premium live event that will be held Saturday afternoon to go head-to-head with the AEW event. I don't think it's that management was trying to minimize the spotlight on the female division, especially because of the way that the women on the roster were given a much more notable platform within the past few years, but rather a mere matter of logistics.

Just two weeks after the Saudi Arabia pay-per-view and three weeks before the two-night Summer Slam weekend, The Evolution event finds itself stuck in between two signature shows so there just wasn't realistically enough time to build it up in a way that you'd expect for a proper pay-per-view. Furthermore, the office can't necessarily book each marquee match in the division that might theoretically be on the table since they have to save some notable contests for Summer Slam weekend.

The result is that the matches were still being finalized this week on WWE television, including on the Raw and NXT programs. While it makes sense to include the women from the NXT brand to maximize the number of female performers that can get a chance to showcase their talent, it also created a disjointed promotional push for the PPV, mostly because the developmental show has roughly half of the viewership of the main roster brands.

It's not meant as a knock on the developmental crew, just a matter of fact based on the numbers, there's a portion of the WWE audience that's simply not familiar with the NXT grapplers. As trivial as it might sound, that aspect itself could curb the amount of interest for the event, at least for live event tickets.

In some ways, the "selling point" of pay-per-view in terms of a broadcast is an antiquated concept, as a subscription fee for Peacock is $7.99, which includes the extensive WWE library so the shows don't have to be nearly as stacked as they were during a prior generation because modern PPV doesn't have to justify the traditional $40 price tag.

That being said, WrestleTix reported that just over 4,500 tickets are sold for a set up of just over 6.500 at the State Farm Arena. That's not a terrible draw by any means, but the company has regularly touted sellouts for TV tapings in bigger venues. Again, I don't think this is an indication of the female talent not being a draw, but rather how the lack of an overall build and a proper amount of time for a promotional push affected the perception of this show. Somehow, the second all-women's pay-per-view was scheduled just a few weeks before the first two-night Summer Slam event, which is very important for the company, as they will have to add a lot of fuel to the WWE machine to prove that a weekend event is worthwhile. Granted, I don't think even Wrestlemania should be two nights, but from a corporate perspective, the success of Summer Slam this year could establish it as a regular weekend presentation each year, which means cities will theoretically pay more money in site fees for the right to host the event. 

It might sound dramatic, but there are millions of dollars in future revenue possibly at stake based on the success of Summer Slam this year to become a two-night event going forward. Keep in mind, the economic impact of signature WWE events brought to each city is measured in millions, and it's such an important part of the business and tax revenue of those locations that Las Vegas outbid New Orleans for Wrestlemania next year. The bottom line is, a two-night Summer Slam is a bigger selling point for the TKO corporation when they look for cities to bid on the rights to host the shows. Two nights of Summer Slam, very similar to the concept behind the expansion of Wrestlemania, is a second show for more hotel rooms booked, more plane tickets sold, and more restaurants occupied in those cities that fans travel to for the pay-per-views.

So, from strictly a numbers perspective, it's easy to see why Summer Slam must get the top matches in the women's division, but I must say that I think the way that the Evolution pay-per-view was promoted, or the lack thereof is a shame because it doesn't do near enough justice to the depth of the division.

I've said it before and I will say it again, the women's division is probably the most consistent quality aspect of WWE programming.

More than anything, the thrown together nature of this PPV makes it seem like a B-show even when the talent involved are top notch.  Jacy Jayne vs. Jordynne Grace for the NXT Women's title is an example of a bout that will only have minimal interest because of the difference in viewership between the developmental and main roster brands mentioned earlier. Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley is a match I'm looking forward to and it could steal the show in terms of performance, but it was booked to give this show some fuel, not because of an established rivalry between the two competitors. The reason that matters is that it was probably just put on the line-up to give Iyo, who hasn't defended her belt too often since she won it, a challenger for the championship. If this isn't a one-off contest, the Evolution match will be used to set something up for Summer Slam, which makes this show a bridge to a bigger event, not a featured pay-per-view.

The four-way tag match for the tag titles was nothing more than a way to shoehorn as many wrestlers on the card as possible. That's fine, but the match itself is superficial rather than anything that is must-see, despite the tremendous amount of talent involved. The battle royal is merely cannon fodder. Trish Stratus vs. Tiffany Stratton is a bout that could provide some substance to a show that has very little, and it creates a level of intrigue since Trish might actually win the title if she has another short run planned as opposed to a cameo. It will be interesting to see if the result of this match leads to a heel turn at some point, especially prior to Summer Slam. Much of the same can be said for Naomi vs. Jade Cargill, as there's still a lot of unfinished business between the two from when it was revealed that Naomi was the attacker that sidelined Jade. The story seemed incomplete with more to be revealed, and perhaps, this will be a way to reignite the feud before there's a concrete resolution to the storyline.

Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria is a feud that has been benifical to both athletes, as it allowed for a new chapter for Becky with something fresh to do as a heel, and Valkyria has been elevated in the process. That said, while Bayley is one of the absolute best female performers in the history of the company, adding her to the main event for a triple threat match seems like another case of adding more wrestlers to a match just to get them on the card. Sure, Bayley probably should have more important things to do this year, but given her popularity and how solid her skills are, it's not a hindrance to her star power if she wasn't booked for this show.

If this seems like a criticism of the all-women's pay-per-view, it's quite the opposite. There are three WWE events this weekend, and if nothing else, that doesn't help the live gate of the PPV, considering that the ticket prices are outrageous right now. Goldberg's retirement match is tough competiton for any event, and it might be a matter of fans deciding what event to attend because of how expensive tickets are. Most importantly, the talent in the women's division is at such a top level that it shouldn't be relegated to the B-show before Summer Slam. Ripley, Iyo, Bayley, Bianca, Asuka, Beckly, and the others deserve a bigger platform for this type of event.

The AEW lawsuit

When you take into account that one of the many criticisms of All Elite Wrestling was its wild style that sometimes saw the action spill too far into the crowd and the potential liability that it could bring to the company, it's not necessarily shocking that something that happened during an AEW event landed the organization on the wrong end of a lawsuit, it was probably just a matter of time.

However, it's surprising that when details recently emerged about the legal filing, it was revealed that a former crew member was the one that filed the lawsuit against All Elite Wrestling and Jon Moxley. Sports Illustrated reported that Christopher Dispensa, a production member that was contracted to work through an outside agency, claims that the promotion and Moxley are liable for various injuries he sustained when he was pushed to the ground by Moxley during an episode of Dynamite in May 2023 that featured a Kenny Omega/Moxley cage match. Footage of the incident shows the AEW champion pushing a crew member to the ground to retrieve a screwdriver. Dispensa, who is being represented by Raitt Law, claims that the shove was unscripted and listed negligence, civil assault, and battery in the lawsuit.

 Dispensa claims that he required neck and shoulder surgeries, among other injuries.

On the surface, the first aspect to consider is the legitimacy of this lawsuit, is this is a frivolous attempt at a money grab? Most reputable lawyers aren't even going to invest their time or energy into a case unless there's at least a decent chance at getting some type of measurable settlement. But, we all know that there are more than enough ambulance chasers that will represent someone at anything just to make a few dollars. Remember when a legal decision had to be rendered to determine that coffee at McDonald's is hot?

Unfortunately, it's nothing new in the world of professional wrestling, either. The infamous Konstantine Kyros, who brought several lawsuits against the WWE that were all eventually dismissed, would offer to represent any performer that had even a short stint in the organization to be able to get enough clients to file a class action lawsuit. Regardless of if a wrestler worked there for a year or decades, they were all filed under the same premise that they were owned money for injuries that may or may not have even taken place in a WWE ring. The legal filing, flimsy as it was, also cites the deteriorating health of those in the lawsuit, despite the fact that some of those performers were still wrestling, and that some of their unwise choices outside of the ring contributed to their condition. After the cases were dismissed, Kyros was ordered to pay the WWE $312,143.55 in 2023 to cover fees that were associated with the numerous cases that he filed that were found to have no legal merit.

It's a shame because there are undoubtedly situations where a talent that was legitimately injured in a WWE ring probably had a legitimate case to get some type of compensation for it, especially some of those talents that worked there before the current medical protocols were instituted that the organization has now, but that got completely lost in the shuffle of Kyros' attempt to get any old-timer that needed a payoff to join the list just so the lawyer could try to get his piece of the pie. The fact that pro wrestlers are still classified as independent contractors is a different matter entirely, and wasn't the subject of the legal argument.

Let's not forget, the Ted Turner organization had its share of lawsuits, and the vast majority of them appeared to be completely ridiculous on the surface, including claims of racial discrimination by Ranger Ross and Charlie Norris. If anyone can name their favorite (or any) Ross or Norris match without help from Google then maybe their claims might've had validity. Missy Hyatt also filed a lawsuit against Turner after she was fired from the company, and it was settled out of court. That's where the precedent was set that the Turner organization didn't want the negative press so frivolous or not, they'd settled more or less any lawsuit just to avoid any publicity. Charlie Norris worked there for less than six months, but got a quick payoff with his cup of coffee on national television. Notoriously, there were a series of lawsuits against WCW in the late-90s, which were also settled out of court. In short, The Turner media empire had enough cash to pay for these nonsense claims to go away and it was relatively cheap for them to do so in the grand scheme of things. On the flip side, Vince McMahon, for all of his legitimate faults, never wanted to set the precedent of a the legal position of paying off complaints, as it would encourage frivolous legal action. If someone was going to sue the WWF, they knew they needed a valid case rather than an attempt at a money grab. Of course, it's ironic that Vince didn't fold on a professional level, but personally had to pay millions of dollars to keep his affairs quiet.

The legal approach that Tony Khan decides to take in this scenario might be an indication of how far Dispensa's claims could go in court.

If Tony wants to rebuff the lawsuit, it could get into some very interesting territory, as far as if Moxley going off script, as innocuous as his intentions might've been, put the company at risk to be liable for his actions. When you start to peel that layers of the onion back, if the case goes to court, could the lack of true structure of AEW be made public? This wouldn't just be podcast snippets or social media posts from disgruntled talent, the main stream press could pick up the story, with the implication that this wrestling company didn't have control of its talent. The validity of that notion depends on perspective, but we've seen for years how obtuse the mainstream media is with its reports on sports entertainment.

Because of that, and considering that Tony had often opted to pay talent to stay home without any communication rather than handle a dispute, the odds are that he's going to take the Turner approach to settle out of court just so he doesn't have to actually deal with the problem. The Khan family has billions of dollars, and with the amount of contracts Tony offers to talent that end up in the witness protection program in terms of exposure, paying off Dispensa is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.

Still, the question should at least be asked, are these claims legitimate?

The video of the incident, which was broadcasted on national television, doesn't appear to be anything even close to the injuries that are listed. However, for a lawyer to bring this to court, you'd expect the medial records and doctor reports of the neck and shoulder surgery that were required. If somehow that fall did legitimately cause that type of damage then it's possible that he might have a case. That being said, there are still some odds details that don't quite gel with the idea that this guy suffered this serious injuries, specifically because he kept working for the promotion until he was cut from his contractor deal in December of 2024. First, if he had to undergo these surgeries and AEW was responsible, why wasn't this addressed sooner? Furthermore, if the company didn't cover his medial costs at the time that he needed this surgeries, why did he continue to work for them for another year and a half? If he was truly injured because of negligence from All Elite or Jon Moxley, why would he potential risk his health again by continuing to work there?

Don't get me wrong, Dispensa might have a case, but there are definitely legal questions that would have to answered on both sides of the argument to determine if AEW is responsible for his injuries.

As mentioned, if I had to guess, I'd say that All Elite Wrestling will settle with Dispensa out of court to avoid the negative publicity and to keep the possibly disorganized nature of the organization from being on the record. The optics of the world champion going rouge and putting the company in legal jeopardy aren't good. So, how this specific case ends is probably moot, as Dispensa will get paid to go away. However, and this is the much bigger point in this situation, the precedent that the decision could set might be an entirely different matter. If Dispensa gets paid off, it wouldn't be too surprising if a fan files a lawsuit the next time glass or chairs land in the crowd.

The career of John Gleason

Within the over-the-top world of professional wrestling, the amount of eclectic characters that you find in front of the curtain is almost equal to the unique personalities that you will find behind the scenes. It might sound cliche, but it takes an outside-the-box individual to pursue the sports entertainment industry, as there are no guarantees, risks of injury, and sometimes an infamous political shark tank.

The other side of the coin of that rather bleak outlook on some of the harsher realities of the business is that the unique genre of the ring can bring together and bond performers from every background, race, gender, and orientation. 

For an industry that originated from the carnival circuit over a century ago, the misfits toys are under the same banner, as the common ground of the canvas far surpasses any superficial differences that they might have.

Ironically, it's some of the most devious villains, the heels that generate the loudest jeers from the audience, that are often those that are the most cordial away from the squared circle.

One such example is John Gleason, who is known as Some Guy Named John, at 880 Wrestling, an upstart league that launched in the years after the pandemic with a mission statement of an open door policy for anyone that truly wanted to test themselves in the pursuit of pro wrestling. The pompous John persona is just about everything the real-life Gleason tries not to be.

"They aren’t remotely similar. I base a lot of my wrestling persona on customers I interacted with working with Whole Foods Market in my twenties back in Philly. I also lived in a very affluent yuppie”neighborhood during my time in Ann Arbor. The virtue signaling was beyond belief. People would do nice things or support great causes but there was this two faced nature to it," Gleason explained.

In a stark contrast that is only possible within the realm of sports entertainment, Some Guy Named John riles up the audiences on 880's Thursday Night Fight cards, or the typical Saturday independent events on the weekends, encouraging every obscenity and as much foul language from the fans as he can in the name of the performance, while the actual Gleason spends the majority of the week as a civilian as a bank manager, and a dad to his three young children.

Yes, the guy that cracked his opponent in the head with a championship belt when the ref's back was turned, and pulled the tights to steal a victory, is the same professional that gladly helps senior citizens open up savings accounts for their grandchildren, and takes his own kids to the park.

Gleason cites pushing the youngsters of the swing as easier than taking suplexes on the mat. Still, as diametrically opposed as the two lifestyles might be, it necessities a delicate balancing act for grappler that trades dress shoes and a suit for boots and a singlet when the time calls for it.

"I attend at least one practice and one show a week. Anything beyond that, it’s a barter system. It motivates me to maximize my time. When I’m at home, I’m taking my kids to playgrounds and on adventures in the city or I’m doing every conceivable chore and meal prepping to make my wife’s week easier. I make it my mission to take on most of the cooking, cleaning and repairs at home. It’s exhausting, but it’s fulfilling. I’m genuinely happier because I wrestle and it allows me to maximize the time with my family," Gleason said.

 It was actually that same family dynamic that prompted Gleason to pursue his own path in the sport in the first place. Originally from Philadelphia, a hotbed for independent wrestling for years, Gleason had a cup of coffee at the Combat Zone Wrestling training academy in his early-20s. Coming from a very humble background where money was sometimes tight in his family during his childhood, Gleason put the spectacle of potential professional wrestling fame on the back burner to focus on higher education and a real-life career.

More than a decade later after he relocated to Pittsburgh, a city with its own extensive history of the sport, when John was married with a family, the rat race of working in hotel management at the time became a drain on him. The late-night and early morning shifts made it tough for him to find the balance that he has now.

What about professional wrestling? He had been in the squared circle before and knew he felt at home between the ring ropes so what did he have to lose? Every youngster in elementary school is told they can chase their dream, was it too late for this 30-something to chase his?

"I was working a very unfulfilling job as a general manager of a crummy little hotel, and I wanted to show my kids that it’s never too late to chase a dream," Gleason remarked.

Not only did he find his passion for pro wrestling in Pittsburgh, he also found the door opened for him to become the performer that he hoped to be. Gleason didn't want to look back as he sat on his couch in his 50s with regret that he never took the chance so he found himself in the town of New Kensington, the original location of 880 Wrestling as the name is an homage to the town's area code, to learn the sport from the ground up.

"I got really in to Enjoy Wrestling, and attending those shows as a fan reignited a love of Pro Wrestling that had been waning going into the pandemic. I started training with MV Young and T2T Pittsburgh after learning about it thru Enjoy Wrestling. They all seemed like genuinely nice people and encouraged me to do a drop-in. I was hooked immediately and appreciated there being so many different instructors with their own styles. When I started Chris LeRusso, Beastman, Ganon and several others were rotating in with MV Young so it always felt new and like I was learning from some of my favorites from the area," Gleason commented.

In the year and half that Gleason took those first steps in an 880, he has become the 880 Thursday Night Fights, the live weekly cards that are streamed online, champion, and recently added manager to his resume as the advisor of Gianni Micheal Emricko, one of the brightest prospects anywhere in the Pittsburgh area, at Enjoy Wrestling, the league that originally inspired Gleason to start this journey.

"John is a great guy. He always knows how to turn chicken scratch into chicken salad with the ideas that are thrown at him. He is a true wordsmith on the microphone," said Emricko.

At 37, Gleason isn't looking for worldwide fame and stardom, he finds himself more than content with being able to check all the boxes as a dad and a pro wrestler simultaneously more than enough to consider himself a success. However, he still has goals and looks to pursue them throughout the rest of 2025.

"I just want to work at cool places and make great friends. I’m not trying to be a television guy. I had a list of three promotions I wanted to work with going into 2025: Enjoy Wrestling, SmashMaster, and Olde Wrestling. I’ve worked at two, and I have a booking at the third in August. These places all had wrestling that I enjoy watching so I wanted to be a part of their promotions. I want to work at the type of shows I liked to attend as a fan. I have an opportunity to work with Canadian Deathmatch in Hamilton in August. I want to try new things and work in front of new crowds with my friends," Gleason concluded.