Wrestle Kingdom review

When it comes to the biggest event on the Japanese pro wrestling calendar, for the past two decades, it has been Wrestle Kingdom, New Japan's version of Wrestlemania that brings their signature card to the historic venue that has hosted some of the biggest matches, fights, and entertainment ventures in the history of Japan since it opened more than 35 years ago. It was the place where Buster Douglas shocked the world when he KO'ed Mike Tyson in his prime for a bout that had him as a 42-1 underdog. It was the building where Pride Fighting Championship debuted in 1997, kicking off a decade of MMA that shaped the direction of the sport around the world. The venue hosts a slew of baseball teams as well. It was where the legendary Jushin "Thunder" Liger retired six years ago, and it just hosted the stage for another iconic New Japan star to hang up his boots at this year's Tokyo Dome event.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, who announced last year that he was set to retire at Wrestle Kingdom in 2026, had his final bout of a legendary career that spanned more than a quarter century against an apropos opponent, Kazuchika Okada. To encapsulate the entire career of "The Ace" of New Japan in one article, DVD set, or book would be difficult, as the conclusion of his career strikes a cord that will echo throughout the Japanese pro wrestling scene on many different levels.

For somewhat of an apples to apples comparison since we just saw the retirement of John Cena a few weeks ago, you could say that Tanahashi was the Cena for New Japan. He was a truly beloved star that would take time to interact with the fans and took his responsibilities as the top guy seriously. Through even the rough patches of NJPW, including the change in ownership a few times and a downturn in business, Tanahashi was one of the tent poles that kept the Japanese league afloat. As we've discussed with Cena, he was a representative of the brand, you never saw him get a DUI or bring negative press on the company through anything scandalous, which is a small miracle in the social media age. In recognition of that, Tanahashi was named president of the organization a few years ago.

In some ways, Tanahashi is one of the last links, in terms of top stars, of the last generation of wrestlers that were under the direction of the late New Japan founder, Antonio Inoki, who sold a controlling interest to the THQ video game company in 2005 before he left the organization completely. As we know, before THQ went bankrupt, they sold the promotion to Bushiroad, which rescued the wrestling league, allowing it to have a surge in popularity thated last roughly six or seven years.

To truly understand the importance of Tanahashi, it's key to put the time period of his original run in NJPW in context. After the previously mentioned Pride Fighting Championship surged in popularity in the early-2000s, Inoki tried to pattern his pro wrestling group after it, leading to disastrous results. Some might try to look back on "Inokism" with rose-colored glasses, but make no mistake about it, the failed MMA experiment took New Japan to the brink of collapse. Tanahashi carried the company on his back through some very lean years and a significant degree of uncertainty during that era. After Bushiroad bought the company in 2012 and there was an influx of cash to be able to bring in more foreign talent, and the expansion of merchandise to generate more revenue, it was Tanahashi that passed the torch to Okada through their fantastic series of matches in the mid-2010s to propel a new star. Make no mistake about it, Okada wouldn't be where he is today without the initial rivalry that he had with Tanahashi.

That's why it was so fitting that Okada returned to New Japan for this retirement bout. There's no doubt that Tanahashi is a top-notch performer that checks all of the boxes of a main event wrestler. Everything he did was crisp and smooth. You simply aren't going to find a subpar Hiroshi Tanahashi match, specifically in the prime of his career. He was consistent quality in the ring throughout his legendary career, hence why he was trusted with the top spot for as long as he was. That being said, father time is undefeated and similar to so many that worked the Japanese style for years, the physical toll of his efforts in the ring has very clearly had its effect on him. Tanahashi has notoriously bad knees and hasn't moved well in the ring the past few years. However, it's a testament to his experience and ring smarts that he has been able to mostly work around his limited mobility more recently.

Proof of Tanahashi's massive impact on Japan is that for the first time in several years, Wrestle Kingdom was sold out, with more than 50,000 tickets sold about a week before the show was set to take place. During his heyday, Tanahashi was the in-ring worker, whereas Cena was entertainment based, which is fine, considering that they both drew money as the top star in their respective organizations. The common theme was that their retirement matches drew big numbers because the fans wanted to see their final bouts, the in-ring action or the result was secondary.

That being said, the success of this year's Tokyo Dome event was based on the Tanahashi retirement, which made business sense, but the narrative of the promotion itself is very much influx. There are peaks and valleys with everything, even the Attitude era came to an end. As mentioned, New Japan had several lucrative years after the group was purchased by Bushiroad, as the combination of foreign talent in The Bullet Club and native stars brought a surge of popularity for the promotion. The launch of AEW took a core group of talent away from the Japanese league and in the years since then Tony Khan has signed away almost every top NJPW star. That's not a criticism, that's capitalism, as New Japan simply can't compete with the amount of money a billionaire can offer talent on the roster. Still, it's a really difficult task for the New Japan office to attempt to replenish that amount of talent in a relatively short time.

Obviously, it's not a matter of just pushing talent up the card to fill the void when other main eventers left, as it depends on if that guy is in the right spot at the right time for the push to be successful. The pandemic didn't help matters, as the majority of the New Japan business model depends on live event tickets so it was a massive hit to their bottom line when events were canceled or held with very limited capacity for a few years. The argument could be made that the company still hasn't truly recovered from the impact of the pandemic. Don't get me wrong, the organization is stable because Bushiroad is behind it, but there was undeniably a downturn in business the past few years.

In theory, the audience for Tanahashi's retirement, including its broadcast on television, could provide a platform for the younger talent of New Japan to showcase themselves, but it remains to be seen how effective it was in the grand scheme of things. Shota Umino challenged Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWPG heavyweight championship last year, but didn't win it and his main event push was rather undistinguished. Yota Tsuji beat Konosuke Takeshita for the title, and seems to have a more realistic chance to take the top spot than Umino did, but with so many variables, it remains to be seen if Tsuji can be a legitimate draw on a consistent basis. Aaron Wolf, an Olympic gold medalist in Judo, made his debut for the organization, but despite the publicity and a decent under card, it's very clear that Wrestle Kingdom was a one-match show, the crowd was there to see Tanahashi's last match. The match itself was solid with a level of drama that built toward the finish. Given Okada's history with New Japan, I don't think it was a letdown that he beat Tanahashi, especially since the draw was the spectacle of the conclusion of the legendary career, not the result of the contest. The post-match ceremony with several former NJPW wrestlers and legends to watch Tanahashi's retirement bout was a very nice moment.

That's why you can't discount a sell out of the Tokyo Dome, moving 50,000 tickets for a show is undoubtedly a major success, but it's important to keep in mind that with the draw being based on the conclusion of a legendary career, there's still an amount of uncertainty around the future of the organization, as far as how much of an impact it will have on the entire industry.

What's the status of Smackdown?

With tomorrow night's Raw designed to be a major show to commentate the anniversary of the debut on Netflix with CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker for the World Heavyweight championship, the blue brand made a statement of its own on the first broadcast of 2026. Obviously, exclusive rosters are mostly ignored, as they probably should be, but it's less about the brand itself, and more about WWE's TV brand compared to the streaming brand. I understand that some have claimed the eventual death of traditional television, which I disagree with as it's still the most common form of media distribution. If for no other reason, while TV was downsized in recent years, cable news and professional sports leagues will remain the foundation for TV consumption in the future. Sure, the NFL and the NBA will have holiday games on certain streaming platforms because of the massive money offered, but the bulk of the schedule, including playoffs games will stay on television because that's how to maximize the audience and thus the major ad revenue.

Because of that, it can't be understated how important it is for the WWE to have a viable brand on traditional television as an avenue to draw in the next generation of fans. If you put everything behind a paywall, it will eventually chip away at the overall audience, with the UFC's ESPN deal being a prime example of that. Ironically, that's also why the pay-per-views being lowered to a $7.99 subscription has a chance to set up for another surge in popularity of the MMA league. There are a group of fans that haven't discovered the WWE product yet, and the only way to do that is to have content on television since they won't be willing to pay for content they aren't familiar with. I'm not talking about the new fans now, but the fans that discover the product a decade from now. Of course, that traditional TV avenue can be used to generate a following that could eventually be willing to pay for the content behind the paywall of Netflix and the ESPN app.

But, the importance of Smackdown to be the brand that the fans can follow without any extra subscriptions allows the company to attempt to draw the widest demographic possible.

That's why the newsworthy notes from Friday's edition can be an indication of not only what direction management looks to take Smackdown, but also the subtle differences that could make it stand out from the flagship brand.

Matt Cardona made a surprise return to the company about a month after he made a cameo as Zack Ryder in the John Cena tournament. From what was posted online by Triple H, it appears that Cardona is back with the company full-time. I wouldn't be too surprised if he still made an occasional TNA appearance, especially with the move to AMC in less than two weeks, but it appears that nearly six years after he was released from the company, Cardona is officially back on the roster. As I wrote about when he did the cameo as Zack Ryder, the case of Cardona is an intriguing one, as he was originally more or less intentionally thrown under the bus when he got himself over years ago, and was able to completely reinvent himself through a five-year run on the indies, most notably Game Changer Wrestling. That being said, I think it's fair to say that Cardona has done more or less everything that he can in GCW and seemed to hit somewhat of a ceiling in terms of progress in TNA, which might be because Anthem expected him to get a WWE contract offer.

As I said before, I think Cardona has shown his ability to connect with the audience and diversify himself through his podcast and Youtube videos. You have to wonder if he was given any assurances that he wasn't immediately going to be pigeon-holed back into the lower card Ryder spot? On one hand, the money might've been too good to decline, and there's nothing wrong with that, it's capitalism. On the other hand, he has worked for years to establish himself and surpass the level of Zack Ryder, which is why it was key that this comeback was done as Cardona so it won't make sense to hinder that progress if he ends up working four-minute squash matches by the end of the year.

It will be interesting to see how he is booked on Smackdown going forward, as he already proved both inside and outside of the WWE that he can get the fans invested in his journey. However, this might sound trivial, but it can also be one of the bigger reasons that Cardona is back under the WWE umbrella, he has been able to make big money from his own merchandise lines. The Major Wrestling Figure podcast has made a slew of action figures, including bendies and the Big Rubber Guys that Mattel also launched similar lines. The toy manufacturing giant wasn't going to let an independent line get the whole pie, especially when it was proven to be a successful venture so Mattel released the LJNs just in time for the holidays with mainstream distribution that an independent company can't get for their products. John Cena, Logan Paul, Hulk Hogan, and Dusty Rhodes were Target exclusive figures because Cardona's crew proved that there was a market for the 80s-inspired figures. It won't be too surprising if Cardona became one of the better merchandise sellers for the company.

The former TNA Knockouts champion, Jordynne Grace made an appearance on Smackdown and looks to be another addition to the full-time roster. I have to be honest, this isn't meant to doubt her skills, but rather as a reflection of the depth of the women's division, after a year in NXT, I'm not sure she's anywhere near the same level as the rest of the females on the main roster. The reason I say that is simple, she was a big finish in a smaller pond in TNA, specifically at the time that she was there in terms of perception of the organization, and there really hasn't been anything up until this point that would indicate that she could go step-for-step with someone like Charlotte, Bayley, Asuka, Iyo Sky, and others. I could be wrong, but I'm going to be skeptical of her chances of being able to stand out in the division until she proves otherwise.

Sami Zayn cut a very good promo and it might be something that the office can run with based on the impact it had before he was interrupted by Trick Williams, a former NXT and TNA champion that was called up to the main roster. Still, the impression I got was that this segment was designed to spotlight Trick, and unless there are plans for Zayn to challenge for the championship, maybe that was the right call. Williams seemed to be a guy that can do all of the moves so athletically, he checks the boxes. The question is, will he be able to learn the "glue" of the presentation on WWE television? I'm definitely not saying that he's going to flop, but rather to point out that it will be the key question going forward. Clearly, the office seems potential for Trick, as pairing him with Zayn, as it appears that they have with this segment, will give him an opponent that can make him look as good as possible on Smackdown. There was a reason that Zayn was the guy picked to work with Johnny Knoxville at Wrestlemania.

From a more general perspective, I have to ask, were these decisions made based on a plan for Cardona, Grace, and Trick or will this amount to nothing more than an artificial boost because management wanted something noteworthy for the first episode of the year?

An example of this was that United States champion, Carmelo Hayes worked a lengthy and solid bout against Johnny Gargano, a match that was probably given the amount of time it was because of the addition of a third hour to the show. Hayes is very athletic and seems to be working his way up the ranks after he won the US title since he was spotlighted as a star. But, it's important to keep in mind that he was brought to Smackdown last year and more or less floundered until recently.

Realistically, there's usually a specific time frame that the office has to showcase a talent before the audience loses faith in them. Once a talent gets typecast in a certain position, it's not impossible to change that perception, but it's not easy either. Assuming they didn't hire Cardona just to pay him to sit in catering, it would be rather easy to book him in an upper mid-card spot. He has a track record of success within the past few years so the office just has to follow the playbook. Grace is jumping into deep water so it will probably be relatively quickly that the crowd will see if she can sink or swim in the women's division. Trick has a lot of potential and seems to be off to a good start if he's going to work with Zayn. If I had to guess, I'd say that within the next few months, particularly if any of the three performers are scheduled for featured matches at Wrestlemania, it will be an indication if their tenure on Smackdown will be successful.

What's next for AEW?

Since I penned an article about the state of the union for the WWE, I thought it was also fair to do the same for All Elite Wrestling, the second-largest group in the United States, that just had their finale of 2025 on pay-per-view with the Worlds End event. I parsed details on that particular card in a column of its own so I won't rehash that here, but obviously, the results of the show will impact at least the early portion of 2026.

In many ways, writing this article might seem like a retread of the same concept that I wrote last year, as the strong points for the organization, as well as the weak spots, have remained the same for the past three or four years. That's as frustrating as it is disappointing, but specifically after the path that AEW took this year, I think that the pitfalls of the promotion are just a part of the package, which isn't meant to be a total knock on the product, but rather to point out that Tony Khan pays the bills so if it's what he wants to see then he's going to book it for his television show. It's one of the perks of the job, even if it goes against overall business sense.

The program is too all over the place without a structured pace, but for the agenda for 2026, I'd say that there must be more of a direct effort to educate the audience on some of the absolutely stellar foreign talent that show up on AEW television. There skills aren't in doubt, but without framing them in the proper context, it undersells the true potential and theoretically, the drawing power that they can bring to the table. As one of many examples, instead of Neon randomly popping up in a trios match for CMLL titles that most of the audience is clueless about at the start of a pay-per-view, simple video packages could be used to give these guys the proper introduction and thus the spotlight. At some point, the audience chalks it up to another random guy in a mask because nothing is explained and there's no consistency for exposure to establish these stars to the American audience.

The bottom line is, as I've written before, too often Tony Khan has The Wrestling Observer mindset that the crowd is as well-versed in the absolute most obscure and nuanced reference in the industry as he is. That's just not the case. If it was, one of the many smart mark groups that have catered to the internet fan base previously would've been able to truly make the jump to the national stage long before AEW existed. ECW was a niche, but had enough of a mainstream appeal to peel off a portion of the audience that watched the other big two at the time. Ring Of Honor was even more niche than that and survived nine years as an independently-owned promotion, with less of an overall impact on the business than ECW, before it was sold to Sinclair Broadcasting in 2011. Don't get me wrong, I'm not discounting the diehard style of professional wrestling that  has such a passionate following that sustains itself for years, but rather to point out that it's simply not enough of a market share to truly be successful on the national scene where AEW promotes itself. The Dynamite Kid, Brian Pillman, Hayabusa, Misawa, Kobashi, Minoru Suzuki, Dr. Tom Prichard, Chris Candido, and Brad Armstrong are just some of the names that deserve way more credit for their contributions to the business. Bret was right about Shawn in 1997. The Ultimate Warrior was a one-trick pony that was 99% media creation, and who knows if he actually made peace with those around him before he passed away? The problem is, Will Ospreay might be exponentially more talented in the ring than The Miz, but there's a reason that exponentially more people have heard of The Miz than Will Ospreay. A Wrestlemania main event, as underwhelming as it was, has a lot of cache among the causal fans.

That's not to say that there's only one correct way to produce and promote pro wrestling. We saw in the boom period of the late-90s that three different groups with three different philosophies drew money as national entities. At the same time, there was a reason that the territories before that were very lucrative on a smaller scale, as Mid-South was tailored to its area, but wouldn't have translated to the north east at the time. Maybe it's a moot point because money is no object to Tony, but if nothing else, he must at least attempt to cast a wider net as far as a product that is aimed toward more viewers to try to keep AEW from being pigeon-holed into a secondary position the way that TNA was for years under Dixie Carter.

Aside from diversifying and in some respects simplifying the product, I'd say that there has to be some tough decisions made with talent. The bottom line is, there's no reason to keep interchangeable wrestlers under contract, especially when it hinders their overall potential. One of the best examples of this is that Mike Santana was stuck in All Elite purgatory until he took a chance on himself and requested a release so he could pursue his options in TNA. Santana is arguably doing the best work of his career and is one of the top names in the organization. Frankie Kazarian is another example of someone who left AEW to try to rejuvenate his career in TNA. While I'm not sure if I would've booked Kazarian as the world champion at this point in his career, he's still a very solid talent. The bottom line is, if those guys weren't going to get the chance to do something of more importance in their careers if they would've been stuck in catering during Dynamite tapings. That's not a jab at Tony, but rather to explain that talent shifting around is a part of the industry, as it allows new opportunities for everyone involved. There are only so many featured spots on any roster so it makes sense for talent to test the waters elsewhere. The problem is, there are numerous names on the roster that are in the witness protection program that would probably be able to make bigger contributions to the industry as a whole in a different organization. With as slim as New Japan is on talent between the launch of AEW in 2019 and the pandemic that followed it, there's no reason that some of the talents that haven't been given anything of substance in All Elite couldn't make a splash in Japan.

In short, cutting talent is better for the organization from a payroll perspective, and will probably be better for the wrestlers in the long run. Along with that, as odd as this might've sounded a few years ago, I think it would be wise for Jon Moxley to either take an extremely long vacation completely away from the promotion or consider a return to WWE when his AEW contract expires. I say that because the Death Riders angle was so tedious and at some point, complete drek last year that as a character, Moxley needs to put as much distance between himself and the storyline as possible. The whole thing went on for the majority of the year and ultimately had no point or purpose behind it. The stain of the dissatisfaction from the angle is still upon Moxley, there's really no hype around his persona. The Jim Cornette notion of, "how can we miss you if you don't go away" sums up this situation. Moxley either needs to be away from television or work elsewhere, that's the amount of rejection was associated with the Death Riders storyline.

Finally, there should be a direct effort to differentiate who the top guys are. Too often during AEW programming, everyone is booked at a 50/50 rate, both in terms of perception and the matches themselves. Not everyone has to be a back and fourth epic Tokyo Dome classic. The matches should be structured in a way that truly showcase who the promotion wants to invest in as the top-tier guys that will be responsible for selling tickets and pay-per-views. That's not to say that we should go back to the squash matches of the 80s when it looked like the guy that works at the deli is in there to get pummeled by Brian Cage for a few minutes, but rather you can book competitive matches where there's still an objective to specifically shine a wrestler. 

If you try to get everyone over, nobody gets over. The main event scene was unsteady in the second half of 2025, but Tony should pick half a dozen wrestlers that he considers a priority. Those six performers should be booked in ways that spotlight them, and more importantly, they aren't put in any position to take away from the status that they are the future of the organization. Konosuke Takeshita, MJF, Kyle Fletcher, Will Ospreay, Swerve, and Kris Statlander should be a focus in 2026.

What's next for the WWE?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The career of Ref Karen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worlds End review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The AEW roster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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