What's next for Karrion Kross?

Professional wrestling blurs the line between reality and the script. Sometimes it can be sleazy, sometimes it's compelling, and sometimes it falls completely flat. By nature, there's usually a piece of the puzzle left missing, with the final fit often designed to draw money.

Depending on the circumstances, it's either thrilling or infuriating. It can be frustrating, but that's a part of the fun, isn't it?

Karrion Kross, the real-life Kevin Keasar, put not only the fans, but also management on notice when he cut a scathing promo on one of the WWE panel shows, venting his frustrations about being left off of the Wrestlemania 41 card that was held in his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada in April. Instead, he worked a much smaller, albeit entertaining, Game Changer Wrestling Blood Sport show the day prior.

Within the four months since, the fans rallied behind Kross, investing in his message that he was being underutilized by the powers that be within TKO corporation. After all, if he was given a chance to truly showcase himself, it would theoretically be another way that the audience would get their money's worth at a time when the publicly-traded global corporation touts record-setting profits, partially because of the astronomical ticket prices to live events.

Karrion Kross t-shirts began to sell, at least one metric that proved that there was something to his seemingly unplanned interview segment that put a spark to his career. 

In many respects, the former Killer Kross wasn't give a solid chance within the WWE landscape. Sure, he made a name for himself working in Mexico and later Impact Wrestling, which was at a time when the Impact brand offered as much exposure as the witness protection program. However, Killer Kross was always a big fish in a relatively small pond. Nobody was talking about the events in Mexico in 2017, as that was before the launch of All Elite Wrestling to bring more lucha stars to a bigger platform, as well as sending talent to CMLL on a semi-regular basis, and before the WWE purchase of AAA that has put the biggest spotlight on lucha on a more global scale since the WCW days.

Make no mistake about it, the fans that knew about Killer Kross had to put in the effort to find him in his earlier years, but it was almost a unanimous notion that he had the talent to work on the bigger stage of WWE. The reason that he didn't get the previously mentioned fair chance in the WWE was that he was essentially a victim of circumstances in some ways. He inked a WWE deal in February 2020, just a month before the COVID pandemic shut down the entire world. He was released just a year later when the organization cut dozens of performers to be able to tell shareholders that there were adjusting to the lack of live event revenue during the conference calls.

Just over three years ago, Kross and Scarlett were re-signed by the WWE in 2022, which was another time that the organization was in flux. as  it was less than a month after the initial Vince McMahon allegations were reported by The Wall Street Journal and the emperor of sports entertainment was ousted from his own company. As we know, Vince strong-armed his way back into the promotion before the Janel Grant lawsuit was filed in January of last year and exiled McMahon from the organization again. 

The point being, there was quite literally a shift in power and thus philosophy for what made it on screen for the product. A change in bookers always brings with it a change in who that booker wants to spotlight. Maybe Vince wanted to spotlight Kross more or less than he would've been featured otherwise if Triple H had the reigns when Kross returned. Austin Theory was deemed a pet project for Vince, pinning John Cena at Wrestlemania a few years ago, and once McMahon was given the boot, Theory was regulated to the B-side of a secondary tag team before an injury sidelined him.

With the shift in control a few different times during his fresh start in the company, Karrion Kross never truly had the chance to get his feet under him. He was paired with The Authors of Pain  for a short-lived push and an equally short-lived feud with The Hurt Business last year. The Authors of Pain and Paul Ellering were eventually given their walking papers this past February, and The Hurt Syndicate are now on the AEW roster.

Where did that leave Karrion Kross?

Basically, it left him no where in particular. He didn't wrestle on television for a few months earlier this year until he was on the losing end of a feud with AJ Styles, and was pinned by Sami Zayn in two pay-per-view matches in a row.

The fan support that Kross received this year was generated by him, not the company, and based on how he was booked before his contract expired over the weekend,  it looked like the office wanted to make sure he was framed as secondary before he hit the free agent market.

With his WWE contract expired, that would technically make him available to any wrestling league, AEW included, as soon as this week. Keep in mind, he's not subject to a no-compete clause since he wasn't cut from the roster, his contract just simply wasn't renewed. Along with his official return to the free agent market, Kevin Keasar released a documentary of sorts that chronicled his final months under WWE contract on his Youtube channel. The biggest takeaway from the video release that runs just over an hour is that it spotlights his fan support, and how he made time for the fans to express his appreciation.

But, could this all be by design?

We saw how the office constructed the Seth Rollins ruse to create a very memorable moment with the cash-in at Summer Slam. How injured Rollins was or wasn't before he cashed in to win the WWE championship is irreverent. The point being, the line was blurred and allowed for a level of intrigue before it was used to put Rollins over as the WWE champion. Maybe it was an injury scare and the writing team used it as a part of the script when Rollins wasn't as hurt as initially thought at Saturday Night's Main Event? Maybe the injury spot was planned and he was never injured at all?

We don't know for sure, but that's a part of the fun, isn't it?

Given that the Seth Rollins cash-in went about as well as it could've, it's not impossible that WWE management could lean into something similar for Karrion Kross with the concept of, "No, this is reality" when it's actually all being used to work the audience. Remember that piece the puzzle that is usually missing before the remaining piece is used to draw money? Taking into account the way that Kross was booked to lose continuously before his contract expired, it might be a way to further the narrative that the office didn't see the same value in him that the fans did. On the flip side, it's just as possible that they weren't going to put him over if he wasn't going to be under contract to the company going forward, which makes sense since there's no reason for them to promote someone for another company's show.

On the surface, it seems like his organic fan support would be too easy to capitalize on for management to pass up, but how many times have we had to shake our heads when the office missed the boat on certain talent in the past?

If I had to guess, and I could be totally wrong, I'd say that Karrion Kross will be back in the organization sooner rather than later. There appears to be too much of a push that he and Scarlett are done with WWE, almost as if they want to make it too obvious that they are out the door for there not to be something in the works. Both Kross and Scarlett confirmed their exits and are already claiming to be available for the independent circuit. It's well-known that the WWE ID program put a collection of independent leagues in contact with the WWE so even if Killer Kross starts to pop up on independent shows, it's possible that it could be used to add some credibility to the notion that the office didn't renew his deal.

The power of social media isn't nearly as strong as some might claim it to be, but the influence and the trickle down effect is undeniable. Social media alone can't do it, but it's possible that it could be the spark that starts a groundswell of support for Kross that might lead to his name being chanted on WWE broadcasts. Those circumstance would definitely increase the impact of his return if this is all a work.

Furthermore, it's a little too convenient that there just happened to be a camera there to capture his reaction when he finished the promo on the panel show as he was leaving the set for a documentary that was set to be released after his WWE deal expired. The same camera was there to follow him through the arenas to film his interaction with fans, adding to the narrative that he's a man of the people. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely not saying that he was being phony with his time for the fans. In fact, the reason that he got over on his own is because the fans can tell that he's genuine so those interactions are authentic. It's just a little too convenient that a third party camera was allowed to film backstage at WWE events for a project outside of the WWE umbrella.

The other side of the coin is that the story is legitimate and he's done with the WWE. Unfortunately, without the WWE machine to provide a payoff to this scenario, I'm not sure if Kross can continue to build his momentum. The WWE footprint gets larger with the expansion of assets like AAA and distribution like the new ESPN deal in 2026 so getting a portion of the market to take notice for anything outside of the WWE scope will be more difficult. As I said when I wrote about Kross prior to this, he could technically go to All Elite Wrestling and he would be lost in the shuffle within a matter of weeks. New Japan is an option and he would undoubtedly get a top spot there because the group is extremely thin in terms of star power so maybe that would be the best choice if he's actually gone from WWE, but it goes without saying that he would be back to being a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

I'm skeptical about the whole situation, as it would be counter productive for management to let the contract expire of someone that was selling merchandise, but it might be as simple as they don't see the upside of a possible Karrion Kross push so they don't think it would be worth the investment of TV time and the promotional push for him. 

The WWE/ESPN deal

 Earlier today, a blockbuster announcement was made as ESPN revealed a deal that will bring the marquee WWE premium live events, including Wrestlemania, Summer Slam, The Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Money in The Bank, to a new service that will launch at the start of 2026. At this point, it's unclear if the contract, which will pay the TKO corporation $325 million per year for the next five years, will include the other pay-per-view events or the extensive WWE video library. Netflix, the streaming platform for Raw, will continue to have the rights to the entire WWE product internationally, but the new ESPN deal further diversifies WWE's domestic distribution.

There are several layers of the onion, both for what this means for the pro wrestling industry and the streaming industry as a whole.

As of this writing, it was reported that ESPN's new service will be $29.99 a month for subscribers, but those that already have access to the ESPN channels through their cable providers will have the service included so it's technically not a step backward to fans paying for individual events the way that UFC pay-per-views are purchased through the ESPN+ platform. It remains to be seen if the new ESPN service will affect its streaming platform. Obviously, the newly-announced service that will host WWE events will distribute content as a bulk selling point, which has almost become the standard within the current media landscape so that's another aspect that differs from the past of $30 for traditional pay-per-view. If wrestling fans would be swayed by the other content on the service remains to be seen.

The WWE announcement was made right after ESPN announced a massive deal with the NFL, putting the NFL Network, the Red Zone Channel, and other content under the ESPN banner, while the NFL will have a 10% stake in the network. How ESPN would report on the league, and more specifically, its controversies, remains to be seen. Assuming that the deal is approved by the government and goes into effect, it rumps up the footprint that ESPN will have among the sports media landscape. That's a footprint that for a number of years was slipping, as other media, including podcasts and other networks, took a portion of the audience that wanted sports coverage. At the very least, the addition of the NFL content and the WWE events give ESPN another major selling point to those respective audiences, as well as reasserting itself as a force within the sports media landscape.

The trickle down affect is that it's more than possible that there could be advertisements for upcoming WWE events during NFL broadcasts, and getting even a fraction of that audience to either sample WWE programming or maybe become regular viewers again, could undoubtedly have an impact on not only viewership, but also the perception of the WWE brand. That might actually be one of the bigger points of that entire scenario, the WWE brand will have more cache, both for fans and sponsors, because of its association with ESPN.

It's ironic that there was a point in time several years ago that WWE would've been considered too "taboo" so to speak to be aired on ESPN since its scripted sports entertainment, but the evolution of the WWE and ESPN itself allows the deal to make sense for everyone involved. The WWE gets more mainstream exposure, particularly because, similar to the UFC deal, ESPN have a vested interest in the success of the WWE brand on its service so they will promote the organization. Keep in mind, TKO is getting paid the flat rate of $325 million per year so the amount of subscribers and thus the revenue from the new service will determine how profitable the venture will be for ESPN. Make no mistake about it, the cable channel will push the WWE events as much as possible to make sure the deal will be profitable for them.

On the flip side, this deal allows for a wider possible audience for the ESPN brand. The 18-34 male demographic will always be the cable's main target group, but it's well-known that the WWE audience generally skews toward either the younger audience or an older viewership of over 55 so this deal can add younger kids, more senior citizens, and potentially more of a female audience to ESPN viewership. 

As much as this deal diversifies WWE's media distribution, it can also diversify ESPN's demographics, which could be a way for the network to compensate for the increased amount of sports coverage in the modern era. A youngster might not tune into ESPN to see if Scottie Scheffler made bail in time to tee off, but they will want to watch Jey Usos' next pay-per-view match.

The other side of the equation is a little less optimistic, but it's still a possibility that must be considered for this contract.

What if there isn't enough or a demand from the WWE audience to either subscribe to another service or follow the content to another platform? We've heard for years about cord-cutting, and the supposed doom of traditional television, which I think has been completely blown out of proportion, as television is still the most common way to consume content. Still, there's no doubt that there are less traditional cable subscribers now than in the past so there will be a portion of the WWE fan base that will have to decide if they want to pay $30 a month for access to WWE pay-per-views.

The question is, has there been an oversaturation of WWE content?

The argument could be made  that there's already an oversaturation of WWE programming with at least six and a half hours of original shows each week, as well as the extended pay-per-views. Summer Slam was a staggering seven and a half hours over the course of two days. Let's not forget the new Unreal series on Netflix, and the myriad of online content, such as the WWE Vault Youtube channel. There will eventually be a tipping point where the average viewer just isn't going to watch endless hours of pro wrestling. Considering the amount of programming already on cable and Netflix, will viewers truly want to potentially pay $30 a month for more WWE content? Granted, the new ESPN service will have various shows, but the WWE audience will decide to subscribe or not primarily based on the wrestling shows.

That being said, this deal, at least on the surface, is overwhelming positive for the WWE, particularly for the previously mentioned promotional push from ESPN throughout the next five years. It's rather astonishing that 15 years ago that Smackdown was on the Sci-Fi channel, a secondary network, and now the WWE shows are worth literally billions of dollars. Some of that is based on the evolution of the media landscape, but the brand is definitely stronger today than it was for several years in the past. It will be very interesting to see if the WWE overplays its hand as far as trying to sell too much sizzle without enough substance as far as expensive ticket prices and potentially another cost to watch WWE content or if the new deal adds more fuel to the increased WWE popularity in recent years.

Summer Slam night two review

The second night of Summer Slam took place with some loftier expectations than night one had, and mere minutes after the broadcast went off the air, I'm honestly not sure if the company met them or not. More than anything, the totality of the two-night format gave the impression that the best parts of each night could've been combined into one show for a much tighter and probably better presentation.

I hate to say it because it's a repetitive statement, but night two also had several segments that were stretched out to the point of being tedious just to get the runtime of the show to almost four hours.

The show opened with the triple threat match for the Women's championship, and while it was a very good 15-minute bout, there's not necessarily a lot to say about it since it was yet another example of everything being quality for a featured bout in the women's division. This was action packed and checked all the boxes for a quality segment. Naomi stealing the victory was a very wise decision since it gave her more heat, and as I've written before, both Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are already established so it makes sense to spotlight Naomi. I'd go as far as to say that Ripley and Iyo are such polished pros that they will maintain their status within the division even if they are outside of the title picture for a few months.

The tag team TLC match was exactly what it was advertised to be, especially with the comparisons to the original TLC matches and the introductions of two of the tag teams that were involved in those bouts, The Dudleys and The Hardys. This was the car crash that you'd expect with some wild spots and brutal table bumps. Any ring psychology was minimal here, but that's the nature of the stipulation. The spot where Tommaso Ciampa was hanging from the bracket that held the belts will probably be the most memorable portion of this match. That being said, it makes sense for the Wyatts to retain the belts. Most importantly, after they completely lost any steam that they and basically needed a restart when they resurfaced a few months ago, it's key that the office gives them something of substance to do if the company wants the faction to have any longevity or the group will fizzle out again. Furthermore, it's reported that the Wyatts have done well for merchandise sales so if the organization wants to maximize that revenue stream, the stable has to be showcased as stars.

The Women's Intercontinental title match  was where this card took somewhat of a dip. The action was fine for what it was, but this match went 25 minutes, which was at least ten minutes too long. It was also unintentionally repetitive with the no DQ stipulation, as it was right after the TLC match and used some of the same weapons without being nearly as spectacular as the prior match on the card. This had a slow and plodding pace that might've been  justified by the office as some type of dramatic presentation, but it became a tedious viewing experience. Bayley's involvement didn't add much, and given that the segment wasn't exactly thrilling, it didn't boost  Lyra Valkyria's status either. This is a rare time that a Becky Lynch bout was underwhelming. If I had to guess, there will be another match in the feud, but after this, it's not exactly going to be an anticipated rematch.

Speaking of underwhelming, it's also rare that the word underwhelming would be used to describe a Jacob Fatu segment, especially because he's been absolute money since he debuted in the WWE, but I have to be honest, I expected more than what they delivered in this 10-minute cage match. Everything seemed rushed and blatant rather than a narrative that could unfold organically to allow for the drama to build toward the conclusion. This segment never got into second gear because it wasn't given enough time to do so, as the interference became the narrative more than anything else. More specifically, and this became more apparent later in the night, this card seemed to use gimmick matches as a substitute for compelling drama. The conclusion where Solo Sikoa fell out of the cage to win was very flat.

The Intercontinental title match was fine, but similar to some of the contest from the night before, this was a TV match in a stadium rather than something you'd expect to see on a featured pay-per-view. I understand the narrative based around Eddie Guerrero, which is a nice tribute to the late legend, but there just wasn't enough meat on the bone in terms of bell-to-bell substance in this segment. This was another contest that didn't get into second gear before the finish when Dominik Mysterio retained the title.

I think that I've probably been too negative in this review, but I can only react to what I watched, and outside of the first two matches of the night, similar to night one, the show as a whole was rather underwhelming prior to the main event, putting more pressure on the championship bout to deliver something memorable. I wouldn't go as far as to say that Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena had to save the show, but similar to Saturday, I got the impression that the two-night format spreads the talent too thin to maintain the quality of the event.

That being said, the main event saw John Cena recapture a performance from his prime rather than a retirement run where he looks his age. However, the match was still too long, too tedious, and structured in a fashion that didn't build any major drama. This bout went almost 40 minutes and it was just too long, as the action on screen didn't justify that amount of time it was given on the broadcast. Furthermore, a series of finishes isn't dramatic, it's just a crutch for a lack of a compelling narrative. This contest had a lot of finishers, but didn't truly have any back and fourth action. Along with that, the street fight stipulation is the exact same thing as the women's match earlier in the night, and it was more proof that this card used gimmicks to add a sizzle that the in-ring action didn't have. Maybe I'm being too critical, but I found the pace to be so slow that it seemed like the audience was waiting for some type of interference to set up the finish since it was obvious when they was going to be a kick out.

Similar to how the ending of the cage match was flat, I think the same can be said here. There wasn't a back and fourth exchange to lead to the finish, but instead a rather tedious conclusion for Cody to win the championship back. I'm not sure the match itself provided a good conclusion for Cena's final reign or a boost for the start of Rhodes' second tenure as champion. If this would've went 20 minutes, it might've been a different story, but the actual runtime was nearly double that.

As far as surprises, the return of Brock Lesnar was undoubtedly a surprise, even if it's a retread of the same spot that they company did in 2012. Ironically, the last time that anyone saw Brock in the WWE was at Summer Slam two years ago when he lost to Cody Rhodes. As we know, Brock was named in the Vince McMahon lawsuit earlier this year after it was originally filed in early-2024 by Janel Grant, prompting the organization to distance itself from him. His rumored return to the organization at the Royal Rumble that year was scrapped, and he was removed as a playable character in the video game. At the time of the initially filing, it was only stated that a former UFC and WWE champion was involved, but Lesnar was literally the only performer on the roster that had won the UFC title so it was obvious that he was going to be included in the lawsuit before he was officially named, which is why the company immediately canceled any plans for him.

The fact that Lesnar was brought back while the lawsuit is ongoing could mean a few different things. Obviously, WWE brass thinks enough time has passed that they can promote Lesnar for key upcoming foreign shows without any major backlash from the fan base or sponsors. Secondly, Lesnar being named in the lawsuit might prove that he's a sleazy guy, but he's not a defendant so he isn't the subject of any legal ramifications. If there was even the slightest chance that Lesnar might be the subject of legal action, there's no way that the WWE lawyers would've advised to bring him back to television. Given the nature of the lawsuit and the text messages that appear to prove his involvement with Janel Grant, the reaction that he received at Summer Slam proves that the fans often don't care how shady a performer is if they are a big enough star. If the Hogan scandal happened in his prime, it probably would've been swept under the rug, too. Lesnar appears to have requested a sexual encounter with a WWE employee as a part of the negotiations to re-sign with the company a few years ago.That's disgusting behavior, but the core WWE audience will cheer him and buy his merchandise because the pyro and ballyhoo is more important to them. 

Hey, pro wrestling isn't exactly know for its ethical nature.

Aside from the shock return because of the controversy with the lawsuit, I'm not sure how much demand there is for another John Cena/Brock Lesnar feud in 2025. As mentioned, it's quite literally a "been there, done that" scenario. More specifically, is there truly a demand for another Brock run? I'm not doubting his star power even after the negative publicity, but is there really anything else for him to do? He was used in a featured role for several stints in the span of several years, I think it's a fair question to ask, is there any new ground to cover, especially when his move set became repetitive and stale the last time the audience saw him?

Still, the same way that night one will be remembered for the cash-in at the conclusion of the show, the second night of Summer Slam will be known as the event where Brock Lesnar showed up after everyone thought that he was  persona non grata so maybe it's mission accomplished for the company.

Summer Slam night one review

Summer Slam, the signature event of the season for the WWE, kicked off its two-night presentation at MetLife Stadium. As unnecessary as making this event two nights is, the bottom line is, if they can sell twice as many tickets in a particular location, and get the city that hosts the show to pay a site fee, they are going to maximize the profit, even if it hinders the quality overall. The show had just six matches, but went nearly three and a half hours, which was a major factor because the pace of the show and the matches were designed to stretch as long as possible, even when there wasn’t a need for it in terms of the quality of the show.

An example of this was the opening tag team match of Roman Reigns and Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. Everything from the entrances to the introductions were done at a very deliberate pace. The match itself was fine, but more of a Raw main event than a featured bout at a pay-per-view in a stadium. Granted, it was the first contest of the night so they didn't have to do anything other than play the greatest hits, and they probably shouldn't have done more than that anyway given its position on the card, but it was still somewhat odd that Roman booked for the first match of a major event that was almost forgettable by the time the show went off the air.

Reigns and Uso got the victory, but I'm not sure the results mean all that much in the grand scheme of things, which was another aspect that made this seem like more of a TV main event than anything else. In some ways, it's uncharted waters with how to use someone like Reigns after such an extended title run in the modern era, what else is there to do? I'm not sure what the answer is, but taking into account Roman's extended absences at various points since he dropped the title last year, if the office wants to keep his star power strong, he's going to need a firm direction as a character at some point. The Bloodline angle was very well done, but Roman in particular, has worked with and against almost everyone involved so it's probably the right time for him to go in a different direction. The reason being, Roman appears to be there just to be there rather than to have a purpose, and that scenario could actually diminish the star power he brings to the table.

After the opening tag bout went just over 20 minutes, the women's tag match was somewhat of a flat point, both in terms of importance and performance. As mentioned, Reigns has a certain level of cache just for his involvement, something that can decline if he's not given the direction going forward, but the point is, at least for right now, Roman Reigns still have the mystique of a top guy. It's a natural decrease to go from the longest-reigning champion of the modern era to a pair of thrown together tag teams. Ironically, Charlotte Flair was booked to do so much, partially to artificially get her close to her dad's title record, so early in her career that by this point when she's such a polished pro, it's another situation where you have to wonder, what else is there for her to do?

The tag team with Alexa Bliss is new territory in a sense, but the pair was scheduled for this match just to give both of them on the card. As much as Raquel Rodriguez appeared to make some progress increasing her stock working with Rhea Ripley, she looked like a secondary performer in this segment. I don't know the best way to explain it, but she doesn't present herself in the most effective way, almost as if she's somewhat timid as a performer. Instead of being the powerhouse that she was working with Ripley, she almost shrunk into the role of follow the leader with Charlotte more or less leading the match.

As far as the match itself, it was somewhat clunky and for whatever reason, it just didn't get into second gear. The crowd wasn't that invested in the action either and there were a few quiet moments for spots that were designed to try to get a reaction. It looked like there was a point there they got lost and the referee might've been relaying some information to them. Charolette and Bliss won the titles, and in the long run, this will probably be a successful duo, but for the moment, it was a thrown together tag match that still seemed like it went long even though it was under 15 minutes.

Sami Zayn defeated Karrion Kross in a bout that only went seven or eight minutes. There wasn't anything wrong with it, but there's not too much to say about it either. It was another TV match in a stadium. Since Kross' contract status is still unknown, this might be another example of the office putting Sami over until they know if Kross is going to remain on the roster. It's basically the same thing that I wrote about their bout at the Night of Champions pay-per-view, management doesn't have a reason to push Kross until they know that he will be under a new deal. As far as Kross' future, he might be in a no-win situation, as WWE management didn't put much stock into him until he got himself over as somewhat of a cult favorite, and if he doesn't re-sign to go to All Elite Wrestling, it's almost certain that he would get completely lost in the shuffle in a matter of weeks.

Tiffany Stratton beat Jade Cargill retain the Women's championship in about six minutes, which was about as long as this segment should've been given. This contest was tailored for the circumstances and it was a wise decision, as the office showcased the skills of each competitor without putting them in the ring too long to expose any weaknesses. This was a very good, albeit, very choreographed match and both athletes had a solid performance. Tiffany as a baby face is rather cringe worthy, but her athleticism is a valuable asset and she's young enough that she has enough time to evolve in terms of in-ring quality so there's no reason to rush her into longer segments unless she has an established veteran to work with. Jade's biggest strong points and her most glaring weaknesses remain the same now as they were when she arrived in the WWE. She looks and presents herself like an absolute star. She's also completely unpolished in the ring, and another six-minute PPV match definitely isn't an indication that she's ready for the next level, which might be why she didn't win the championship.

Any celebrity involvement has the possibility to be hit or miss. Thankfully, Jelly Roll's WWE debut was somewhere in the middle at Summer Slam. Some of the spots were very much a novice that hadn't wrestled in front of a crowd before, but there were times that Jelly Roll made what he did work for the situation. It was somewhat of a wonky scenario, as Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre are two of the best workers on the roster, and they had to work within the context of the completely new wrestler of Jelly Roll and a still relatively new Logan Paul. The match was fine and had some memorable moments, but it was also a lot to juggle for the veterans in the match. Logan Paul pinned Jelly Roll, and besides the main stream publicity, it makes sense to  put Logan over if he's going to continue to be a semi-regular competitor on the roster.

Remember when I mentioned that the two-night format might hinder the overall quality?

Prior to the main event, you could see why a weekend of events might spread the roster too thin, as at this point in the show, it wasn't necessarily anything subpar, besides the women's tag match, but there wasn't really anything spectacular either. Outside of the celebrity tag match, most of the card was a TV taping, not a signature pay-per-view. At the very least, this suggest that the two-night format will often have a B-show and that was definitely the case here.

With that being said, there was undoubtedly pressure for the main event to deliver not only quality, but also something memorable. It went over 30 minutes, which was a little too long and they could've easily trimmed a few minutes off while still being able to accomplish the same goal, but this was a very well done segment.

There are a few key lessons that should be taken from the Gunter/CM Punk bout, including how effectiveness is determined by how the talent works with anything involved, not necessarily the biggest bumps or over-the-top gimmicks. When Gunther chopped Punk, it was sold and put over as a brutal aspect of the segment. The narrative of the match was relatively simple, CM Punk was going to try to use technical maneuvers to wear down the bigger champion, and Gunther was going to try to smash Punk with brute force. They didn't need to drop each other on their head or take unprotected chair shots to make the action meaningful and important. Basically, it's a lesson in ring psychology that should be taken into account by some of the other performers of the modern era. Furthermore, the blood was used as a focal point of the match that ultimately led to CM Punk winning the title. Nobody bled buckets on a random TV taping that will be forgotten about in two weeks.

The conclusion of the pay-per-view was somewhat telegraphed, as it was difficult to believe that Seth Rollins was only going to appear on stage, especially with the speculation that he might cash-in the MITB contract, but it was still very well done. As mentioned, this card needed something memorable to truly boost its quality before it went off the air, and the quality main event, as well as the cash-in accomplished that. I'd guess that tomorrow night's event will be the A-side of Summer Slam, but there's no question that night one will be known for the memorable cash-in when Seth Rollins won the title.

MJF vs. Briscoe

At the conclusion of Dynamite, a show that had its main event world title match in the middle of the show and thus a natural decline afterwards, had an extended overrun this week. Besides the fact that it seemed like the segment was really crowbarred into the format, it was also something that could've easily been booked for next week and probably had more or an audience since the ratings tend to dip later in the show, as well as the fact that the previously mentioned Jon Moxley/Adam Page bout was an hour earlier.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, once thought to be the future of the business and the current number one contender, attacked Mark Briscoe following a match against Ricochet.

This was after Friedman was booted out of The Hurt Syndicate earlier in the night, making him look like a total dork in the process. I've written about it before, but it remains relevant now, there are key times when key booking decisions have to be made, and if the office misses the window to capitalize on it then the talent won't be nearly as over otherwise. Stone Cold cut the 3:16 promo at the right place and at the right time to set the wheels in motion to become the hottest star in the company the following year. Booker T was more than ready to win the world championship in 2003, but Triple H just had to pin him at Wrestlemania.

In the case of MJF, he was supposed to be the ultimate villain, the "real heel" so to speak, even though that should be the standard for all heels in the business, or at least it was at one time. The comedy friendship angle that he did with Adam Cole in 2023 really ruined and diluted any progress that he had as a villain. The switch between heel and baby face within a relatively short time can completely derail a career, just ask Adam Page. When Cole, who was injured at the time and is unfortunately back on the shelf again, was revealed under the devil mask, it made Friedman look silly as a character. The majority of he audience had it figured out for months, but supposedly one of the most calculating characters on the show didn't see it coming when it was revealed at the end of the year?

Furthermore, and this is probably the bigger point to be made about that disastrous storyline, MJF acting like a comedy baby face with the lame hug spots and the cringe worthy kangaroo kick neutered him as a serious character. Sure, performance-wise, those guys did the best they could with what they were given, but when a character is put in a scenario that sacrifices their credibility, it undoubtedly affects the perception of that performer going forward.

Just a few months ago, MJF was only making cameos at ringside during pay-per-views and begging to be a part of a faction, is that really a main event guy?

Now, all of the sudden, the audience is supposed to take him seriously as a vicious heel because he mentioned the late Jay Briscoe? If anything, the fact that Friedman has to reach for more low-hanging fruit to try to get heat as a potential main event villain again almost underscores the notion that maybe he didn't have quite the potential that many thought he did a few years ago.

This is also something I've written before, when you look at the best heels in the history of the business, they didn't have to resort to "shock tactics" to get heat. For example, Tully Blanchard got a reaction just by his body language and the way that he carried himself in the ring. He looked like a jerk, walked like a jerk, and talked like a jerk so it was very easy to believe that he was a jerk. The late great Roddy Piper had fans in a frenzy and he never had to use profanity to do it. 

There's a difference between working as a heel and desperately trying to shock the audience. MJF is the latter, as he had to use references to CTE, suicide, and now Jay Briscoe's death to get a crowd reaction. Don't get me wrong, as I've said before, I think Mark Briscoe is more than talented enough and more than over enough to justify an angle where he wins the championship in honor of his late brother, similar to when Kerry Von Erich pinned Ric Flair to win the NWA world heavyweight championship for David more than 40 years ago, but all things considered, that's not where the storyline is going. The mention of Jay Briscoe's passing isn't being used to set up for the wholesome win of his brother, but rather used as a substitue for a compelling storyline to try to get Friedman back in the main event scene after his stock dropped considerably over the past two years.

The most frustrating part of all of this is that there's absolutely no guarantee that any of this will follow through in a way that will actually put MJF in a position to be a top guy. Given how tarnished his value was in recent years, even if Tony Khan follows through with a potential plan to get him back in the title picture, it's not automatic that he would get over in that position again. In many ways, with how MJF leaned on cheap heat when he had the main event spotlight, he proved himself to be a big fish in a relatively small pond. Some dismiss the comparison, but would MJF truly stand a chance on the mic with the top tier talent in the WWE? Granted, he can't use the lower level cheap heat tricks that uses in AEW in that type of scenario, but that's the point, the WWE talent that are the top names in the business don't have to lower themselves to CTE references to get a reaction.

This might sound like it's all a knock on MJF, but it's actually quite the opposite. Instead it's that he's way too talented to either have to resort to such low-hanging fruit, or the way that he was booked minimized the skills that he brought to the table. MJF is a smaller guy that sometimes doesn't know how to work big, and when he has to attempt to shock the audience, it almost emphasizes his smaller statue. For example, he literally ran from the ring on Dynamite. Either he's a coward heel or a serious villain that is ready to challenge for the world title, he simply can't be both at the same time. On the flip side, Randy Savage was someone that knew how to work big and thus enhanced the larger-than-life perception.

If I had to guess, this MJF/Mark Briscoe feud will be used to set Friedman up to challenge Adam Page for the championship at some point in the future. Right now, I'm now sure how much interest that truly draws as a possible money match for the organization, hence why the Briscoe angle will probably be used to renew some heat for Friedman. That being said, if I had a vote, I'd eventually decide to have MJF beat Hangman before Briscoe defeats him to win the title. The problem is, when that doesn't happen, it's another key defeat for Mark Briscoe, and it's possible that the fans will lose faith in him as a character. The result of that would be that the legitimately emotional story of possibly winning the title for his brother will be rendered useless and Mark will become just another guy on the roster, which would be disappointing since he's much more talented than that.

Even if MJF emerges as the world champion again down the road, I don't think that it will make much difference in the grand scheme of things. As much as I hope that All Elite Wrestling is successful, the product has been so slapstick for so long that the harsh reality is that the brand has shown itself to be exactly what it appears to be, both positively and negatively, for its audience. Similar to other beleaguered leagues in the past, one signing, storyline, or title change isn't going to change the course of the promotion. So, if MJF wins the championship, the impact is rather moot, specifically because Tony Khan is content with winning The Wrestling Observer's booker of the year instead of making a profit. It's the complete opposite of the point of the business, but it's important to keep in mind that profit isn't the objective for AEW, and considering that the Khan family has billions of dollars, it doesn't have to be. Still, if Friedman gets the chance to pursue acting on a full-time basis, he might want to take it because there's a limit to the success of AEW as far as the status of the company.

Jason Hendrix returns

Live entertainment is a tough business, regardless of what form it takes. Professional wrestling might be even more physically demanding than the grueling tour schedule of musicians, or the exhausting film schedule of the movies. One of the reasons being that sports entertainment, especially for those that are working their way up in the business, is so multi-faceted and there are so many different bases to cover that it becomes a constant juggling act to maintain the upward trajectory in an effort to obtain the rare status of pro wrestling fame.

It goes without saying that young lions making their way in the sport have to hammer down a workout regiment that suites them best, they have to polish their skills in the training center, the have to make sure to market themselves in the modern age of social media, and they have to stay focused to have the best live event matches that they can to present the best overall performance that they can. There's also the travel of hours in a car to get as much as exposure as possible to get their name out there in the minds of promoters. All of that is not to mention the spinning plates routine of working a regular job and trying to have some type of personal life outside of the ring ropes.

One of the harshest aspects of trying to make it big in pro wrestling is that a performer can be doing all of the previously mentioned things right and be on the right path to make it to the next level, and it can all change instantly. Their life, both inside and outside of the squared circle can change course abruptly, testing if the dream of sports entertainment is worth it, and if they are truly willing to sacrifice for it.

Unfortunately, Jason Hendrix, a youngster that broke into the business just a few years ago and had already made waves, turning the heads of some of the sport's most accomplished pros, had his promising career path derailed in a matter of moments last year.

 Hendrix, who made his pro wrestling debut in 2022 under the Ryse Wrestling banner, a blue collar league based in the blue collar area of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, spent the first year and a half of his career as a young grappler in the business taking strides to make a name for himself. Not long after his first pro match, he graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with minors in Marketing, Advertising and Communications. He had a fresh diploma and a new pair of wrestling boots that he took with him, as he zigzagged around different states of any given weekend. Eventually, he caught the eye of the then-NWA World Heavyweight champion, Ethan Carter III, who invited Hendrix to train him with at the NWA star's training center.

Hendrix thought enough of the opportunity to relocate from his home in Wildwood, New Jersey, where he originally became enthralled with the sport after attending a WWE house show in 2011, to Cleveland to train with the NWA Exodus crew on a full-time basis. Within six months of that decision, Hendrix was on his way up, competing for Ohio Valley Wrestling, Exodus, groups in New York, and places like Boston.

"EC3 is a complete psychopath, I love it. We worked like absolute dogs there, and just about everybody in that school was a complete fitness machine as a result. With so many polished working wrestlers there, it was kind of like grad school for wrestling in many ways," Hendrix commented.

As quickly as he was ascending the ladder, he experienced an abrupt halt, shattering his progress as a talented performer and his leg in the process.

During a routine training drill, Hendrix landing wrong, breaking his tibia and fibula, an injury that was serve enough to require immediate surgery. In a show of solidarity, his entire training class went with him to the hospital where X-rays confirmed the nature of the devastating injury. With Hendrix in a wheel chair, his pro wrestling comrades posed for a picture with him to show their support.

"We were practicing at the Control Your Narrative school in Cleveland. Essentially, I tried to reverse a move with a backflip, and rotated in a manner where all my weight came down on my right leg causing a loud snapping noise. The hospital folks peeled me off the mat on a stretcher," he commented.

It was going to take a metal rod through his knee, a plate in his ankle, and a collection of screws to not only fix his leg, but to keep his pro wrestling dream together. 

After three different procedures successful repaired the damage, Hendrix was in a cast, placed on various different medications, and it became a tough task for him to even use crutches during the first few days of his recovery. He needed assistance with the most routine and mundane tasks. He needed help getting to the bathroom, getting in the shower, and getting dressed. Using one crutch to steady himself, he leaned against the sink to brush his teeth and comb his hair on his own. This was the far less glamours side of the sports entertainment business.

 "The injury really took my life and flipped it on its head. I went from being in 2-4 states a week, on shows wrestling to my big road trip being to get to the bathroom or maybe the fridge. Needless to say, my ego took quite a hit," Hendrix recalled.

He moved back home to Wildwood because the amount of care and physical therapy he was going to need to recover was simply too much for him to do on his own.

At just 24, Jason Hendrix was going to have to decide if being a professional wrestler was worth it, and if he was willing to sacrifice for it?

As he entered 2025, Jason Hendrix was on the road to recovery, allowed to do small exercise and adding more to his physical therapy routine as he slowly progressed in his quest to regain mobility in his once-shattered leg.

"PT was definitely challenging for me. It felt like all the work I had put in, especially with the intense level of training I was just participating in was flushed away. I have had serious injuries before, but never anything on this level that required a surgery. It was one of those moments where I had to remind myself that progress isn’t linear, and truly successful people are defined by how they bounce off of their dips," he said.

The silver lining of such a massive setback was that through the peaks and valleys of recovery, Hendrix found a reassurance in not only his passion for the industry, but also of his talent as a performer. Still, one of the toughest battles for him through the agonizing healing process were the mental hurdles and self doubt that can surface in the quiet moments, the times that the echos of the live audience were replaced with tedious stretching exercises to improve his mobility in his leg.

"I had second thoughts on my return until about a week before I actually did it. For a few months, I really felt my fire go out. For the first time since I started wrestling, I didn’t love it anymore. I had given everything to this business and I was watching as the wheels kept turning without me. As much as that affected me, I was fortunate to work with some great trainers in Shawn Donovan and Leon St. Giovanni at Create-A-Pro New Jersey that helped ease me back into things, showing me that I could still do this," Hendrix explained.

Medically cleared in March earlier this year, Jason Hendrix took no chances, taking his time to slowly rebuilt his conditioning up to a level that was suitable for the impactful nature of professional wrestling. He already experienced that a few years worth of progress can be stopped in an instant, it's the nature of the beast so he saw the value in patience before he stepped into a ring again.

Finally, nearly a full year after his leg was left literally in a few different pieces on the canvas of the training center in Cleveland, Jason Hendrix was ready for his return to Ryse Wrestling, the place where his career started, just a few weeks ago. Wrestling in New Jersey the night before in his first match back from injury, Hendrix still wasn't prepared for the emotions running through his mind as he stood behind the curtain during the final segment of The Ryse Rumble, one of the signature events on the organization's calendar. Just when the villainous David Lawless, who had just won the Ryse Grand championship through nefarious efforts in the rumble, and his new stable were putting the boots to a few of the fan favorites, Jason Hendrix made his surprise return to make the save.

The crowd erupted as Hendrix, sporting brand new gear, walked through the curtain, The thunderous ovation that echoed around the venue was a stark contrast to the quiet moments that he spent with him leg in a cast several months earlier, pondering if the sacrifice for sports entertainment was worth it.

"Returning to Ryse was special, I’ve been so blessed to do some pretty cool stuff in wrestling. I’ve worked with people I grew up watching and been on TV in front of thousands of people, but I’ve never had a moment so emotional in the ring like that. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I almost cried," Hendrix said.

So, yes, Jason Hendrix was willing to make the sacrifices to continue his path in professional wrestling. In many respects, his journey is a reflection of the business itself. There are moments of despair and moments of triumph. Hendrix has cried tears of pain and tears of joy throughout his young career in the sport. True to his craft, he cites a laser focus toward the future with a series of goals set for himself.

"I’m going to continue to pursue this with everything in me, but this time around, I’m holding myself accountable to smell the roses along the way a little more. My goal in wrestling is to do this at a level where I can reach people, and make them feel the beautiful range of emotions wrestling has taught me over the years to the best of my ability," he concluded.

Jace Mara vs. Tad Jarvis

Being involved in the pro wrestling business for the past 17 years, I've seen many things that fall into the "truth is stranger than fiction category. Given the nature of the industry that originated from the carnival circuit, especially on the independent level, it just goes with the territory. Professional wrestling, as with many other genres, especially within live entertainment, is comprised of con artists, yo-yos, talented people, wonderful people, and eccentric people. I'm nobody, but I think I have enough authority to say that the sports entertainment field is, true to its origin, very similar to the circus.

The comradery is one of the most ironic aspects of a business built on perceived violence and thrilling drama. You will find performers from every background, race, gender, and orientation on any given card. Heroes, villains, neanderthals, cowpokes, fashion plates, and rock stars all work together toward common goals, sell some tickets and entertain the paying audience.

The bond they all share is the squared circle.

As I said, being an announcer in the Pittsburgh area since 2009, and a photographer for a year prior to that, I've seen some absolutely ridiculous things that you'd probably have to see to believe, simply because it would seem too outlandish for anything other than sports entertainment. I've seen fans fight wrestlers, I've seen fans fight fans, I've seen fans jump in the ring on multiple occasions, and I saw an intoxicated fan crawl under the ring. I've seen untrained "wrestlers" try to call themselves pros and nearly break their leg when attempting to take the most basic of bumps. I saw the late Balls Mahoney once leave a vulgar voicemail (allegedly) threatening a shady promoter's well being and the possible destruction of his home after Joe Rogers skipped town with the money box without paying anyone in 2009.

So, when something over-the-top, off-the-walls, or flabbergasting happens, it might be surprising, but it's rare that anything is truly shocking in this field of sports entertainment.

Thankfully, the organizations that I've worked with for the past several years are upstanding groups with professional events and dedicated fan bases. One such example is Ryse Wrestling, the league based out of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. As I wrote about last week, Ryse had their annual showcase at the Fayette County Fair, a more rural part of the western Pennsylvania region. Tad Jarvis and Jace Mara, two grapplers that grew up in the same place that hosted the fair, were given the main event spot to settle their longstanding feud in a wild bunkhouse brawl match, a fitting stipulation for the fair grounds.

The upside for the organization is that more fans get exposure to the product, and the customers of the fair get to watch the wrestling show included in their price of admission to the festivities so it's a win-win for everyone involved. The downside is that it was 85 degrees and the humidity was close to the surface of the sun. The EQT Pavilion was located directly across from the cattle stables (more on that later) and somehow, it smelled worse than the typical independent wrestling crowd.

The John Deer crowd or the finer points of farming aren't my area of expertise so I'm not quite sure of the reason why several different types of cattle are brought to the fair, but champion live stock, dairy cows, and calves at the petting zoo are all included at various pens that zigzag between the stands of funnel cake, lemonade, and fried oreos.

Wes Fetty, the caveman professionally known as The Beastman, was slated for a surprise appearance on the card, and the monstrous grappler that is clad in his trademark furry boots, an homage to his hero, Bruiser Brody, was nice enough to let me tag along with him to the show. There are times that I want to strangle the death match fighter, but you want to hug him just as often, as the guy truly cares about his friends. Proof of that is that since I have to avoid walking long distances the way that Lsrry Zbyszko avoided taking bumps in his glorious career (read that in the Zbyszko voice), Wes made sure to drop me off at the back of the fair grounds where there was a fence with a gate mere steps away from the previously mentioned EQT Pavilion where the ring was being assembled, before he went to park at the designated lot at the fair.

The floor of the pavilion is covered with saw dust, as it's usually used for livestock when it's not housing professional wrestling. With that in mind, I carefully focused on each step I took to avoid any surprises on the floor. It was great to see The Runway, Calvin Couture and Tyler Klein, make their return to Ryse. They were scheduled to compete against DD Vince and Marcus Twist, the team of Saturday Night Special that made their debut with the organization. It was also great to get to call the return match of longtime pro Axl Lsw, who trained for several months to make a comeback to the ring. Axl is a wild man and within a minute of hitting the ring for his bout against Glenn Spectre, launched himself through the air to nail his opponent with a drop kick.

After calling a full card of action in the humid conditions, I was ready to exit the fair grounds as soon as the final bell sounded when Mara defeated Jarvis in the Bunkhouse Brawl. However, there were some of the tear down efforts that took place so I had a few minutes before Wes, Ryse organizer Dean Radford, and I left the area to go to a local restaurant to get some food since most of the fair booths were closing at the end of the night. Since I had a few minutes, I wondered through the maze of buildings and food stands to find some ridiculously expensive, but equally delicious $10 funnel cake and an $8 lemonade, which was also as refreshing as it was expensive.

As I was sipping on the lemonade, the cavemen told me that he was going to get his car so I told him that I'd meet him at the same gate that we started at in the afternoon. As a line of cars filed out through the gate of the exterior fence, I took my phone and sent a text to Dean to let him know the plan to grab dinner after everything was packed up from the event.

As I looked up from my phone, I saw a full-size cow running at a full stride toward me, and it was one of those moments where it's obviously not something that you see everyday so it took me about half a second to truly process that there was a farm animal making a run for it in my general direction. I stepped to the right to make sure my tenure in professional wrestling wouldn't come to an end via fleeing cattle, and you could hear the hoofs clacking on the dirt as the cow headed for the highway. I'm not sure if this was a dairy cow that was tied of being a milk supply or if the animal was running for its life to avoid being a hamburger patty. I didn't get a chance to ask, but it was rather astounding that somehow, even with all the pens and gates to contain the animals, this cow had enough meticulous planning to find the fence that was open to be able to make a break for it on the highway.

The scene that followed looked like something from a movie scene and was almost as surreal as the rouge cattle that was galloping toward me just seconds earlier. A regiment of ranchers, complete with cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and lassos were in pursuit of the escaped animal. All jokes aside, it was definitely dangerous to have the large animal on the highway at night when cars wouldn't be able to see it. Ironically, the cow was polite enough to go in the direction of traffic. When Wes brought his car around, I jumped into the passenger seat as quickly as I could since I didn't know if the escaped cow had an accomplice that would try to join him in the middle of the commotion. The wrestler that has competed with light tubes and barbed wire for Game Changer Wrestling recently couldn't believe that the people that he saw running were trying to find an animal. As he made his way onto the highway, we saw another movie scene as the ranchers mentioned before were standing on the running boards of a pick up truck as it went down the highway to locate the cattle, still with their cowboy hats and lassos. As of this writing, there's no confirmation if the cow is still at large or was detained, but from where the group was stopped down the highway, it looked like the cattle might've been captured without incident.