Tony Khan on Dynamite

Tony Khan is a pro wrestling promoter.

He might've bought his way into the business from the outside with his family's money, but he's a promoter that saw a trend in the sports entertainment genre and was willing to put up the massive amount of money required to realistically take it national. Tony saw the popularity of New Japan with the introduction of The Bullet Club, and the resurgence of the organization through the Bushiroad ownership that also spotlighted excellent native talent like Okada, Naito, Shibata, and others. Kenny Omega, an absolutely tremendous performer, received rave reviews and an extra spotlight through The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer. At the same time, The Young Bucks used social media to build a dedicated following that wanted to see them succeed. Along the same lines, Cody Rhodes bet on himself and left the corporate structure of the WWE, pursuing the independents to prove that he was more than a mid-card comedy act. Given his current status, Cody was right. The pieces of the puzzle organically fell into place for an opportunity to create an alternative, and The Elite, a group of stars that joined together, used Ring Of Honor as an American platform to further establish their brand. It was a win-win scenario, as the Elite had the chance to showcase their talents, and ROH did the best business that it had generated in years.

Cody's ambitious exit from WWE, The Young Bucks' popularity on social media, and Kenny Omega's notoriety in New Japan that all happened at relatively the same time was something that can't be planned or scripted. It was a spontaneous shift toward an alternative to a WWE product that had become cliche and stale. In 2018, the original All In event proved that there was an audience on a major scale for an alternative in the industry in the United States.

Tony Khan, who worked in sports with his dad for years, took the blue print of All In and created the concept of All Elite Wrestling, a brand that drew very well after the initial launch since fans wanted another option to be established in the business.

Naturally, as the novelty wore off, the product had to stand on its own merit, a scenario that has yielded a mixed bag in recent years. As commendable as Tony Khan's efforts are to spark the industry that had become so stagnant, his only qualification for being a promoter was that he's a big wrestling fan. Unfortunately, fandom isn't enough to generate success and this week's edition of Dynamite was a prime example of that. All Elite ratings have generally dipped this year, and occasionally, it seems like Tony scrambles to attempt to get a one-week fix for numbers that slip with increased sports competition.

Again, Tony Khan is a promoter so course, he's going to shameless hype his product, that's his job, but this week's "major announcement" was a clear indication of his lack of the ability to build a compelling storyline on a weekly basis.

The "major announcement," which some speculated might have to do with a streaming deal for pay-per-view events, was simply that tickets for next year's All In at Wembley Stadium will go on sale in December. Yes, the big announcement that the American television audience had to tune in for was that tickets will go on sale for a European event that is scheduled to take place almost a year from now. Granted, pro wrestling isn't known for its ethics or moral standards, but this was such a flimsy bait-and-switch tactic that it gave the impression instead of booking an angle that will make the viewers want to tune into the show, he's just trying to make a cheap excuse as to way they shouldn't change the channel.

Similar to the "game changer" acquisition of talent that lost its luster after the term was overused anytime more or less anyone signed an AEW deal, the whole "major announcement" shtick doesn't have any credibility after this week's episode of Dynamite. This isn't really anything new from the Khan playbook either, as he would announce a "major surprise" before an All Elite broadcast, which more or less eliminates the element of the surprise on the show.

Again, this all seems like cheap swerves to try to keep the audience from changing the channel, but the roster has the talent to maintain an audience. The problem is, it's the booker's responsibility to put those pieces of the puzzle in the right place to maximize the payoff that can be generated from the angle. One of the biggest criticisms of AEW is that so many talents are either underutilized or lost in the shuffle.

A prime example of that from this week is the continued misuse of the world champion, MJF on the show, as well as the booking of the Omega/Friedman bout on Collision instead of pay-per-view. First, the world title match was a tremendous bout that actually had a decline in viewers from the previous week so a legitimate money match for pay-per-view was more or less wasted on a minimal audience for the Saturday show. It was an attempt at a one-week ratings boost for Collision, not an angle that could be used to build to a payoff on pay-per-view. Furthermore, the Wardlow backstage segment from Dynamite made MJF look like a total geek. How is cowering against the wall the trait of a world champion, even a shady heel? It's even more of a counterproductive segment when you take into account that depending on the perspective that MJF is supposed to be either and edgy baby face or a ruthless heel. Would Steve Austin do that? Would The Rock do that? Would Roman Reigns do that? Would Samoa Joe do that? Quite simply, if someone is terrified during a confrontation and gets more to look like a total dork, they aren't presented like a world champion? This all goes along with the honky and lame attempted comedy skits with the MJF/Adam Cole storyline that hinder his character.

As far as Tony Khan, he's a promoter so you have to expect him to hype his product, but the "major announcement" about ticket sales for London completely jumped the shark. More than anything, it was an indication of the overall lack of direction for the company.

Francis Ngannou vs. Tyson Fury

Last weekend, former UFC Heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou made his pro boxing debut in a super fight against current WBO Heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia. As I wrote when the fight was announced a few months ago, it was definitely a novelty bout, but it wasn't necessarily a sideshow fight. This was two champions from two different sports, a concept not foreign to the fight game or the entertainment world, especially in the modern era.

Obviously, there's a different between two legitimate athletes getting paid massive money to compete in Saudi Arabia, and a few Youtubers that participate in a cash grab on pay-per-view. There's a reason the Jake Paul cards drew significantly less after he lost because the novelty wears off after the villain gets defeated. If people paid to order a Jake Paul card, they were primarily paying to see him lose, not for the entertainment value of the action. Floyd Mayweather obviously did the same thing in the second half of his career and made a few hundred million during his tenure as a fighter because he actually had the skills to continue to win.

Still, despite the one-dimensional nature of these social media fights, the impact it had on the sport of boxing can't be denied. Instead of fighters building a fan following and then making the leap to pay-per-view for premium bouts, social media stars jump to the front of the line to cash-in on their popularity online. The problem is, the audience that is willing to pay to see KSI or Paul fight aren't the demographic that will follow the sport or be invested enough to order pay-per-views for the top draws in the sport. Essentially, when a sideshow pay-per-view does well, it takes a critical pie of the pay-per-view pie away from traditional boxing cards, even if that is simply taking away publicity that could've been used to sell the fight.

That dynamic, along with the fact that the Saudis have added boxing to the list of American ventures that they are willing to spend major money for, has put a dent in the sport in the United States. Showtime, the premium cable channel that promoted the sport for a few decades, recently announced that it would drop boxing from its line up. This news was five years after HBO, the network that many considered the gold standard of boxing, also left the fight game because the economic of the industry didn't make contracts realistically feasible. With the Saudis willing to pay exponentially more cash for boxing's top stars to compete in the country, Showtime couldn't compete with that type of money.

For example, Tyson Fury, who signed with the Saudis prior to the Ngannou bout, already has his next contest there scheduled against Oleksandr Usyk, the undefeated Ukrainian that holds three of the heavyweight championships, in December. Reportedly, Fury was paid a staggering $40 million for the contest against the former UFC champion, and that's a sum that Showtime simply couldn't compete with if the network realistically wanted to make any type of profit from a contract with Fury. The difference is, the Saudis are ultimately paying hefty cash as a part of their propaganda campaign using oil money to attempt to change the image of the country after years of criticism for human rights violations and the treatment of women. The Saudi goal is to make the country appear more modernized, not make a profit so the government isn't concerned with the tens of millions of dollars spent on these ventures, but rather the publicity from it, which is why an all-star line-up of sports stars and celebrities were in attendance for the Fury/Ngannou bout.

Sure, it's a ham-handed attempt to land publicity, but don't get me wrong, I don't blame Fury, Ngannou, or any other fighter for taking the cash that the Saudis offer. The fight game is a dangerous business and after you hang up the gloves, the cash you made and the financial security it hopefully provides are ultimately what counts. It's a harsh reality, but morality and principals don't pay the mortgage, but the money does. The mortgage company doesn't care if the cash comes from the Saudis or a lemonade stand either, they just want paid. Again, it's a harsh reality, but money fuels almost everything so you can't blame anyone for taking the major payday to fight in Saudi Arabia.

Still, from strictly a purist prospective, it's very disappointing to see the sport almost minimized to Saudi spectacles and social media sideshows. Granted, Premiere Boxing Champions still has Canelo Alvarez inked to a contract, and ESPN has some fight broadcasts on its line-up, but it might be a matter of time before the Saudis offer more key stars in boxing too much cash to decline. While ESPN is main stream distribution for the sport, these cards have more to do with the network attempting to maintain its viewership amongst the expanded sports media landscape so boxing might not become a staple on the channel the way it was in a previous era.

As for the fight itself, it was very entertaining, but it was a combination of factors that allowed this contest to be competitive. First, it should be noted that regardless of Francis Ngannou's status in mixed martial arts and his ability as a striker, it's almost embarrassing that Tyson Fury allowed this fight to not only be close, but debatable that maybe Francis beat him. That's not to take anything away from the Cameroon native, he's a tremendous athlete and his story is incredible, but anyone that had zero boxing experience shouldn't be able to get within just a few points on the score card to defeat the heavyweight champion. The razor-close decision that saw Fury get the victory was an indication of Fury's mishaps, not a lack of skill from Ngannou.

The biggest takeaway from this bout should be that Tyson Fury, who made a commendable comeback to the sport after struggling with substance issues before he turned his life around several years ago to reclaim the championship, looks to be getting too comfortable in his role as the heavyweight kingpin. Perhaps, the $40 million payday made this seem like an exhibition or he simply overlooked the MMA fighter since the Usyk fight is already penciled in for the end of the year. Either way, Fury looked out of shape, fatigued, and uninterested during various points in the bout.

Quite simply, Tyson Fury has defeated top-notch heavyweight competition and he's better than this, but aside from the rounds where he landed more punches, he never put Ngannou in danger. Taking into account Francis' typical MMA stance, there were definitely moments where he was there to take punches, but Fury was more often than not too tired to throw combinations or push the pace. The third round knockdown that sent Fury to the canvas from a left hook was surprising, but not too shocking when you take into account the flaws in his preparation or lack thereof. Plus, we've seen Fury on the canvas before only to still secure victories so while it was an unexpected knockdown, it's doubtful that he was in any danger of not being able to continue the contest. Francis didn't exactly take the middle of the fight off, but rather looked to conserve some energy and remain cautious, which is understandable since it was uncharted territory for him.

The scoring of the fight is completely up to interpretation, and there was a legitimate argument to be made for both fighters to win. There were some very close rounds, and it might've looked like Francis won definitively, but that was probably because many pundits expected the fight to be lop-sided so that can lead to a skewed prospective. Still, you have to wonder if there was a realistic scenario where the judges would've given Ngannou the decision in Saudi Arabia when Tyson Fury is already scheduled to defend his title there in two months.

As mentioned, if a fighter can make major money from the Saudis, they should take it, and Francis  Ngannou, who lived in extreme poverty when he worked in salt mines during his youth, made an estimated $10 million for the fight. It's an incredible success story, and despite the deal he signed with the PFL after his UFC exit, it will be interesting to see Ngannou's next fight in boxing. Furthermore, with the Fury/Usyk on the horizon, it will be an intriguing scenario to see how many more high-profile fights will be held in Saudi Arbia, especially with the major publicity and stars that were in attendance for Ngannou's boxing debut. Keep in mind, for every blockbuster fight that the Saudis host, it takes an event away from Las Vegas, a city that was once considered the fight capital or the world, or Madison Square Garden in New York. With the speculation of a UFC deal for the country, an agreement that Vince McMahon helped facilitate for TKO because of WWE's prior deal with the Saudi government, as random as it might've seemed just a few years ago, Saudi Arabia might become the primary location for the biggest fights in the sport.

What's the status of Collision?

When Collision, the Saturday night show that was largely put together with the idea that CM Punk was going to be the face of the addition to AEW's weekly line-up, debuted on the air in June, the expected concerns were expressed with any Saturday night TV venture. Perhaps now more than any other time previously with the expansion of sports programming and pay-per-view distribution, there are countless options on the weekend for viewers. Typically, Saturday isn't considered a "TV night," not only because of events that might take viewers away from their television sets, but also because of the previously mentioned myriad of other options.

Unfortunately, after the very disappointing rating for this past Saturday's Collision, which garnered 472,000 viewers, a decrease from the prior week's 518,000 viewers, the harsh reality is that the show has a minimal audience. Regardless of if the reason is an oversaturation of All Elite programming or simply that people will watch other sports programming on Saturday, the current number is more or less a clear indication that there's probably not a realistic way to draw numbers similar to Dynamite for Collision. I say this because this past Saturday's episode included a stellar MJF/Kenny Omega match for the world championship, a bout that probably should've been saved for a pay-per-view, and there was actually a decline in numbers.

Again, none of this is surprising, as with the fall season, college football dominates Saturday TV line-ups across multiple networks, but management will have to ask themselves, what can they realistically hope to accomplish with the Collision brand? MJF vs. Omega is one of the biggest matches that the company can book right now, and given that it didn't maintain or gain viewers, it definitely should've been put on pay-per-view, but if that match can't generate ratings for Collision then the show itself might end up being cannon fodder in the grand scheme of things. Granted, there's an inherit disadvantage competing for viewers against college football, UFC events, and WWE pay-per-views on Peacock, but Turner executives, as well as All Elite management knew that before the concept was launched.

If a major title match with two of the best talents on the roster isn't going to draw ratings, why waste that valuable bout on a Saturday broadcast? I think it's fair to say that when you take into account that Collision numbers, both in the ratings and attendance, have dipped that Tony Khan booked the world title match as an attempted temporary fix, but since it didn't draw, it almost underscores the fact that the organization's best stuff shouldn't be used for a show that will have a minimal audience either way.

Make no mistake about it, MJF vs. Kenny Omega was a pay-per-view quality main event that was put on free television. They delivered and proved that despite some of the rightful criticism of the company, All Elite absolutely has something to offer to wrestling fans that they aren't going to see on WWE TV. The bout wasn't simply a one-week band aid for the ratings either, as far as a world title match with an obvious result, considering that if Omega had won then he would've maintained his position as the longest-reigning champion in the history of the company. There was something at stake, but the audience wasn't there for it.

In truth, I don't think there's anything that Tony Khan can book on Collision, especially on a consistent basis, that will draw better numbers than something similar to the average Rampage ratings. Saturday night at 6:05 was a great wrestling tradition, but cable distribution and the internet have changed media consumption over the past thirty years. More than anything, the concept of weekend wrestling, outside of pay-per-views, became an antiquated concept on the national level after the Monday night wars put such an emphasis on that particular night. In many ways, Wednesday is the AEW night for viewers and it was a major accomplishment that they could establish that routine for the audience. That said, the lack of translation of that viewership could be either that the viewers don't necessarily need another two hours of AEW programming every week or the previously mentioned sports competition.

At a time when there's such an emphasis and a premium placed on broadcast rights fees, which prompt networks to pay hefty cash to security programming that can sift through the crowded TV landscape, this might sound counterproductive, but an excessive amount of programming might actually hinder the organization than help it, particularly on the long-term basis beyond just the duration of a specific TV contract. With seven hours of weekly television from the WWE, when the AEW brand had just two hours of content each week, it was much easier for the audience to consume, as it was literally a fraction of the time that was required to commit to following the product. Too often, especially in the modern era, WWE viewing seemed more like a chore than an entertainment option. That narrative has flipped in many ways with the current direction of the organization, but for several years, fans were subjected to paint-by-the-numbers drek just to get to the payoff of the major events on the calendar. Raw was tedious, skippable, and predictable in 2015, but if the audience made it through that, the memorable moments of Sting's involvement after years of anticipation provided highlights.

AEW didn't have that problem prior to the launch of Rampage or Collision because to be an AEW viewer, the company only asked for a two-hour commitment of your time each week, an ironic throwback to the early Monday night wars when the business yielded record ratings. That made the product, even with Tony Khan's slapstick booking approach, much easier to follow because again, it was restricted to just Wednesdays for only two hours.

Listen, we all know that the almighty dollar is what truly makes the decisions, and Turner executives were willing to pay more money for the addition of another two-hour show since the general consistency of wrestling numbers give them some leverage when they sell commercial time during the broadcasts. The concern is, the addition of Collision doubled the amount of shows that Tony Khan has to book and thus the angles or storylines aren't as fresh. You can only run a certain angle so many times before it becomes cliche or recycled so instead of a potentially stacked storyline for Dynamite, it must be stretched across two shows. If you spread an angle too thin, either in the segments or overexpose it then it dilutes the quality of the presentation. If that dynamic causes an overall drop in the quality of the product, could it impact the total audience? Furthermore, when Kenny Omega vs. MJF was put on television instead of pay-per-view, the argument could be made that Tony sacrificed some potential revenue.

The bottom line is, more wrestling doesn't automatically translate to better wrestling, and in a year where there was a noticeable decline domestically for the company, both in ticket sales and ratings, Collision truly wasn't needed or serves a purpose beyond the relative short-term money of the current TV contract. CM Punk was fired, and Bryan Danielson is back on the sidelines with another injury so in terms of legitimate star power that might actually move the needle, Collision doesn't have the "must watch" atmosphere for most episodes.  It will be interesting to see the direction of Collision next year, but last weekend's ratings decline was an indication that AEW doesn't have enough of the market share to justify three weekly shows.

Ric Flair debuts for AEW

Ric Flair, the 74-year-old former world champion, finally made his All Elite Wrestling debut this past week on Dynamite as the surprise guest for String, the legendary grappler that announced he will hang up his boots next March at the AEW Revolution pay-per-view.

When Sting surfaced in the Khan-owned organization nearly four years ago, it was a shocking arrival, as many assumed that he was completely retired after a serious neck injury that he suffered in a match with Seth Rollins a few years earlier. Despite being 64, amazingly, Sting can still go and has done well in the scenarios he was booked for. The variety of tag matches in recent memory allow him to play the greatest hits and be Sting without putting him in a situation that might hinder his mystic. He's not running the ropes the way he was in 1997 and he doesn't have to, he can hit a Stinger splash and it's a successful segment.

That said, there's obviously an end to everyone's in-ring career so it makes sense for Sting to target his final match, especially after he had a memorable run in All Elite.

Given his massive legacy, a tenure that spans decades, and an influence across generations, it makes sense for Sting to get a retirement tour so to speak, both as recognition for his accomplishments and to generate business.

I understand why Flair was brought in to AEW for this angle, especially because Sting's career will always be linked with "The Nature Boy" in some form or fashion since the famous match at the first Clash of The Champions put him on the map, and there were several other key bouts in the real-life Steve Borden's career that saw Flair as his opponent, including the final match in Nitro history.

The concerning part is that this storyline should theoretically keep Flair on All Elite programming for at least the next six months, and as much as I hate to say it, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Ric Flair eventually wrestled for AEW. It's too easy and Flair has too much of an ego to miss the chance to get back in the ring, even if most promoters wouldn't take the risk of booking a match for someone of Flair's age with his health problems. Keep in mind, Flair was more or less confirmed to be on his way to All Elite a few years ago before the episode of The Dark Side of the Ring episode about the infamous flight from England aired and the backlash of the allegations against Flair created too much negative PR to sign him to a contract.

As recently as a few weeks ago, Flair made headlines for comments he made about wanting to wrestle again. Unfortunately, Tony Khan showed more often than not that he can't tell his favorite wrestlers no or that he'd rather be their friend than their boss. So, I don't think it would be unreasonable to think that Flair might eventually try to push for another opportunity to get into the ring, and Tony Khan is probably too much of a super fan to turn down the chance to promote a Ric Flair match, especially because it's well-known that he was a Nitro fan. In fact, taking into account that he desperately attempted to recreate the Shane McMahon moment on Nitro when he bought Ring Of Honor, I wouldn't be entirely shocked if Tony tried to book Flair vs. Sting for Sting's retirement match to be able to promote a rematch of the final bout in Nitro history.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think it's a matter of time before Flair at least gets physically involved at ringside. Keep in mind, when Conrad Thompson, Flair's son-in-law, promoted "Ric Flair's Last Match"  last year the former NWA champion returned to the ring for the Jim Crockett Promotions banner in a tag match alongside his other son-in-law, Andrade against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal. Afterwards, Flair bragged about making a few hundred thousand dollars for his payoff at the event, but the performance was a combination of concerning and embarrassing. Make no mistake about it, Flair is an absolute legend and arguably the greatest in-ring performer of all time, but he passed out twice during the match, claiming he was dehydrated, and was slumped on the apron, unable to stand at certain points during the contest.

Quite simply, it's just too risky to put Flair back in the ring for a match or probably any type of physical involvement, given that he has a pacemaker. It would be completely irresponsible for any organization to allow him to get involved, but that doesn't mean it won't happen, especially with Tony's fandom as a priority. Assuming, All Elite is smart enough to avoid that, you have to ask, what does Flair really bring to the table at this point?

I don't mean this as an insult, but rather a realistic evaluation of what the 74-year-old Flair truly adds to the television show. The fans have seen his promos and routine for decades, and in some ways, when he made comebacks previously, it was almost somewhat disappointing because it was sad to see him tarnish his legacy. Haven't we seen enough of the strutting and wooing? Perhaps because it's very obvious that Flair didn't want to truly retire, the segments seem more like an aging grappler that can't hang up the boots rather than an elder statesman embracing his legacy. When Flair is on the mic, you can tell he thinks he's still the same guy he was 40 years ago, and he has even said he thinks he could still wrestle today. A senior citizen trying to act like he did in his prime is often sad, not entertaining so I'm not sure Flair on Dynamite just for the promos is a wise decision.

Don't get me wrong, Ric Flair at ringside for Sting's final match makes sense and would be a nice gesture, but I just don't think there's a productive reason to have Flair around for six months. While it honestly wouldn't be Flair's intention, putting Ric on television on a weekly basis might allow him to overshadow Sting during the retirement tour. If Flair takes a bump on the floor or blades at his age, the story will be what Flair is doing at 74, not Sting's final run on television.

Unfortunately, Ric Flair, who nearly died from alcoholism several years ago, readily admits that he still drinks today. Restraint isn't exactly The Nature Boy's strong suite, and it's doubtful that he will be content just standing at ringside for the next six months. It goes without saying that Flair always needs the payday so it's good that he will get the chance to earn some cash, but hopefully Tony Khan is smart enough to keep him from doing anything to risk his health because nobody wants to see anything tragic happen, and the company certainly doesn't need the negative PR after the CM Punk debacle a few months ago.

What's the status of Raw?

After this week's three-hour episode of Raw, a few different aspects of the product were reinforced, both positive and negative, depending on what angles were on course as opposed to those that seem to just tread water to buy time. That's not necessarily a knock, either, but rather to point out that a few portions of the show are clearly on autopilot until the proper stage is there for the payoff.

Some might say that WWE is in a hot period right now, but given that Raw, the flagship show of the company, sometimes dips under two million viewers, I have to disagree. To put it in perspective, during the dying days of WCW, Thunder, the B-show of the Turner organization, still garnered a 2.6 in the ratings, simply because the sport was actually in a boom period at the time. So, no sports entertainment is not reaching another peak, especially given that much of WWE's success in recent years was based on the climate of the television business, not the popularity of the product. In fact, during the initial Brock Lesnar title run after he broke the streak at Wrestlemania when he was rarely on television, and the ill-fated Roman Reigns super baby face push that completely flopped, viewership declined every year for several years in a row.

A more accurate description, at least in my view, is that WWE isn't in a boom period, but rather what they are presenting receives very positive feedback from its audience. The number of fans watching isn't anywhere near a hot period, but given the quality content, the fans that are still regular viewers are willing to invest both time and money into the current product. That's not a back-handed compliment to WWE management either, they have record-setting profit, completed a blockbuster merger worth $21.9 billion, and their fan base is satisfied enough to pay very steep ticket prices for the signature pay-per-view events on the calendar.

For a comparison, just a few years ago, WWE brass had to bring Stone Cold out of retirement to try to move more tickets for the two-night Wrestlemania at the massive AT&T stadium. On the flip side, there are already more than 40,000 tickets sold for each night of Wrestlemania in Philadelphia next year.

Ironically, the success already achieved more or less puts some angles in a holding pattern to give them the payoff at the big stages like The Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, etc. Given that there were some resolutions with the strike in Hollywood, The Rock's potential availability for WM in 2024 still seems to be undetermined. Obviously, if management can ink Dwayne Johnson to another match, it's too good of a proposition to pass up, especially when you take into account the major main stream press it would get and the casual fans that would tune in for it, which all translates to a boost for the TKO stock.

However, if there's not a possibility, the natural option appears to be that Cody Rhodes gets a rematch against Roman Reigns, a return bout that would be a year in the making and could add another layer to the storyline. I have to be honest, when Cody didn't win the title this year at WM, I didn't think it was realistically possible to maintain his momentum, but the Brock Lesnar feud kept him strong as one of the top performers in the company. That being said, the set up for his match with Damian Priest at Crown Jewel was such a retread of the Lesnar feud that it's obvious that the office is just trying to keep both of them busy until their individual angles have the chance to unfold. Brock injured Cody's arm to stack the odds against the baby face as he tried to slay the monster, which makes sense, but the leg injury on Raw was a completely recycled concept that probably didn't add that much in the grand scheme of things. More than anything, it's noticeable that the office wants to keep as much distance as possible between Rhodes and Reigns until the time is right if the WM rematch is eventual booked. At the same time, Priest has the MITB contract and it looks like management wants to keep the audience guessing as to when he might cash-in for a title shot.

Speaking of the eventual cash-in, the Seth Rollins involvement on the show was almost moot. Unfortunately, when the premise of the championship was the consolation prize title, there's just not a lot of steam or investment behind what the character does on the show. Don't get me wrong, Rollins is a tremendous performer, but as I've said before, I don't think the character makes sense at all. Sure, the song is over, but is the character really over? More than anything, Seth seems like a placeholder champion until the belt can be used to elevate a performer and thus give the belt more of a purpose that provides an opportunity for progress on the brand. It goes without saying that Damian Priest could be used for that role with the MITB contract, and it might be a way to add something more to the title than "the belt that was created because Roman Reigns works a limited about of shows" on Raw. In a similar fashion to Rollins as champion, Drew McIntyre almost appears to be typecast as a placeholder challenger so to speak, as far as when there needs to be a credible challenger, Drew is usually the choice, but  it's doubtful that there are plans for McIntyre to get another run as champion. For whatever reason, despite the fact that he was guy during the bulk of the pandemic era, it almost seems like the office has a "been there, done that" mindset in terms of Drew as the champion. Make no mistake about it, Drew is one of the best performers on the roster, but he can only be put in the challenger role so many times before the audience knows that there's not a chance that he will win the belt.

As a result of those dynamics, the entire Rollins/McIntyre angle seems moot, especially until the possible Damien Priest cash-in for the MITB contract.

On the other end of the spectrum, the women's division, often the most consistent aspect of WWE programming, is one of the strong points of the Monday night show. Rhea Ripley is such a top-notch performer and given her age, assuming she can avoid any major injuries, WWE brass has a major star on the roster for at least the next decade. The set up for the match at Crown Jewel was more of a way to push Rhea's character than to stall for a bigger angle on the horizon. Along with that, Becky Lynch has done very well as the NXT Women's champion and added a lot of star power to the brand. Overall, the women's division is one of the main reasons to tune into Raw, based on the quality of the in-ring action and the dynamic characters in the division.

As much as I don't understand why Logan Paul is famous or why anyone cares what he did on Youtube, he undoubtedly the athletic ability to excel in the WWE. I'm not sure his audience will truly translate to regular WWE viewers, as his previous appearances on television didn't necessarily spike the numbers, but the company's investment in him might be purely for the publicity from his involvement in WWE events. For example, the Saudi government pays hefty cash for American star power as a part of its propaganda campaign, and booking Logan Paul for a match against Rey Mysterio at Crown Jewel gives the Saudis what they are paying for. Again, I don't think he will boost weekly ratings, but he did very well with the promo and the set up for the Mysterio match.

It was said for more than a decade, but a three-hour weekly show is often a tedious viewing experience, and the fact that the numbers almost always dip in the third hour demonstrates that, but the macro view of WWE, especially for aspects beyond just the in-ring product, look very optimistic for the organization. Sure, there's some stalling for the angles with Cody, Reigns, and Rollins, but there's enough potential for very compelling content on the horizon that the audience looks to be willing to see how the storylines unfold. Cody vs. Roman, Jimmy vs. Jey at Wrestlemania, and the potential Damien Priest cash-in intriguing possibilities. Plus, the company is on track to sell nearly 100,000 tickets combined for a two-night Wrestlemania event so that will secure the stock price for the TKO group next year.

The return of TNA

The cliche that anything can happen in the pro wrestling business was often used as a marketing tagline, but in the scripted world of sports entertainment, truth is usually stranger than fiction, an aspect of the sport that underscores just how unique the genre is.

The peaks and valleys of the company that Jeff Jarrett started with his dad, the legendary Memphis promoter, Jerry Jarrett on a shoestring budget in 2002 would be too lengthy to attempt to recount in full, but even a brief synopsis illustrates how astonishing it is that the company still exists in any form more than two decades later. From the infamous Jay Hassman debacle when he fabricated pay-per-view reports that exaggerated the amount of buys in the early weeks to the Health South scandal that almost saw the company collapse within three months, the Nashville-based group survived. Panda Energy coming to the rescue with the "peak" of the organization for a few years after their Spike TV debut in 2005, which saw an all-star roster on one of the main stream cable networks are all aspects of the very complex story of Total Nonstop Action. AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, Abyss, and many others provided an alternative to the WWE at a time when the sports entertainment landscape had been scorched after the purchase of WCW. The Hulk Hogan era that ultimately spent the company into so much debt that Bob Carter finally decided to stop funding Dixie's vanity project, and the subsequent attempt she made to try to hustle Billy Corgan tainted the TNA brand.

The sum total of TNA Wrestling, as much as it provided a platform for several stars that would go on to bigger success elsewhere, was a tax lien and lawsuits. Amazingly, Anthem Entertainment, the parent company of The Fight Network, bought the organization, settling the Corgan lawsuit and keeping the promotion on the air for their channel. From a purely Canadian perspective, Anthem made a smart move, as Impact was one of The Fight Network's highest-rated shows and they were more or less the only potential buyer after the organization had so much negative publicity. Anthem didn't have to spend a hefty amount of cash, but had ownership of one of their popular commodities.

That being said, it's standing among the industry overall, particularly in the United States was minimal. After the Impact show was cancelled from Spike TV in 2014 when network executives found out that Dixie still secretly employed Vince Russo, the Impact television show was moved to Pop TV for a year before it landed on Destination America for another year, with ice fishing from Poland as lead-in programming. Knowing how tainted the TNA brand was prior to the 2016 purchase, Anthem knew they had to change the name to attempt to rejuvenate the company.

I have to be honest, I'm not sure Impact Wrestling was the right decision for the name change, simply because the name of the television show was obviously so closely associated with TNA. In fact, Anthem probably would've been better suited to start a completely new organization because again, retaining the championships and the history of TNA further associated it with the letters of the previous regime.

Those decisions are probably why fans still considered and often referred to Impact Wrestling as TNA.

Still, it was very surprising that at the conclusion of this past weekend's Bound for Glory event, a pay-per-view that was lost in the shuffle of a shows that included a UFC PPV and a three-hour block of AEW programming with Collision and a Battle of the Belts special, it was announced that TNA will officially return in 2024.

Yes, anything can happen in pro wrestling, as TNA, the letters that many thought would collapse numerous times over the year, will be back in January, but will it actually make a difference?

In truth, I'm not sure the name of the company translates to all that much. Anthem is smart enough to know what they have and what they don't have. Impact is a Canadian product that happens to run some of its TV tapings and pay-per-views in America. There's nothing wrong with that either. The small scale events are usual only set up for a few hundred fans, and as far as optics go, it's better have a full crowd in a small building then a smaller crowd in a venue that looks mostly empty, Keep in mind, Anthem purchased TNA to keep it on The Fight Network in Canada, their purchase of the Axis network was purely expanded distribution, not a primary goal. Basically, if Impact is profitable for Anthem then it's a successful project, regardless of its standing among the industry.

The reason I mentioned that the name of the group has minimal "impact" is rather simply, TNA will have the same hurdles as the organization did previously in the current crowded wrestling landscape. The WWE just merged with the UFC to form a $21.9 billion corporation, and Tony Khan has spent major cash not only to launch All Elite Wrestling, but to sign an almost comical amount of talent to contracts. Where does that realistically put TNA? Again, the problem for the Anthem-owned group will remain the same, Impact usually has a solid and entertaining product, but it's cannon fodder in the grand scheme of things. Yes, Impact has good matches, but given the style of the modern era, you're going to find good matches in WWE and AEW on a regular basis. In a vacuum, Impact is solid and successful in what it brings to the table, but it's on such a smaller scale that it can't make a dent in the overall industry. For example, when Edge exited WWE, he wasn't going to show up in TNA because Anthem isn't going to realistically compete with the money that Tony Khan was going to offer. Essentially, the major events within the business are going to happen in WWE or AEW, Impact has some very talented performers, but doesn't have the star power to truly be a difference maker in the direction of the industry.

That's not to say that Anthem should throw a ridiculous amount of money into TNA, as there are many pieces of the puzzle that would have to fit together for the company to compete for a portion of the market share. The bottom line is, what does TNA bring to the table that you can't already watch on a bigger and more important stage in WWE or AEW? In many ways, Anthem is in the TNA business, not exactly the pro wrestling business, and there's nothing wrong with that. While the company isn't going to take a slice of traditional market share, it can serve its audience. It's extremely important to remember that revenue and profit are the barometer for success. If TNA is a profitable niche for Anthem then it's a successful venture for the company.

What's the status of Wardlow?

Wardlow, a performer that had many touting him as one of the future major stars of All Elite Wrestling upon its launch in 2019, recently returned to television after an unexplained few months on the sidelines. Make no mistake about it, the upside of Wardlow is still there, as he has all the physical gifts of a prospective main event talent, but more than four years into his tenure at AEW and the argument could be made that he's more or less in the same position he was before Dynamite debuted on TNT.

Sure, he's a three-time TNT champion, but you must ask yourself, how much progress was truly made in the time that he was a part of the roster?

Don't get me wrong, that's not a knock on him, but rather the management or lack thereof with his persona on television. As we know, he was initially paired with MJF as a bodyguard, and given his size and presence, that role served a dual purpose. It added something to Friedman as the sleazy heel that had the hired bodyguard do his dirty work, and it helped establish Wardlow as a dominate character on All Elite programming. Plus, with someone that has the size, speed, and agility of Wardlow, it makes sense to pace his involvement on the shows for him to develop as much as possible as a TV performer to be able to maximize his theoretically run as a main event star.

Even though it was somewhat of a retread of the Chris Jericho feud with the weekly hurdles to get an eventual match with MJF, the Friedman/Wardlow showdown was built well. Wardlow established the power bomb symphony gimmick and it was something that became anticipated by the crowd. The bottom line is, everyone knew that Wardlow was paired with MJF so that he would eventually turn baby face, and the fans were ready to see Friedman get power bombed out of his shoes. In the modern era, the concept of long-term storytelling is often overlooked or missed completely when the opportunity is there, but MJF/Wardlow had more than a two-year build up behind it. Simply put , in an era with monthly pay-per-views, the featured angles for next month as usually the focus, not the major payoff down the road that could really propel a talent. All Elite had a rare chance to use the long-term angle to elevate Wardlow to the next level in the company.

Instead, MJF no-showed an afternoon autograph signing the day before Double or Nothing last year and the story became if Friedman would show up at all or if he was willing to do business in the midst of a contract dispute with Tony Khan. Make no mistake about it, MJF knew exactly what he was doing when he decided to imply the threat of a walk out before a key match at a pay-per-view. Some might still claim that it was a work, but there wasn't a major payoff for it at the time, and if anything, it was the first indication of a major management problem that surfaced multiple times with different stories around different talent since that time. In fact, in retrospect, the argument could be made that the whole debacle set a negative precedent, as sometimes if a talent causes enough of a hassle then they get what they asked for instead of working toward a compromise. A side note, it's still somewhat surprising that Khan trusted Friedman enough to put the belt on him after such a public dispute, especially when, if his interviews with media outlets are accurate, MJF's contract expires at the start of next year. Will MJF be willing to drop the title before the "bidding war of 2024" in a few months? Clearly, MJF got the hefty contract that he wanted because he showed up and took the power bomb as scheduled, but the damage was done in terms of the chance to push Wardlow.

The story was if Friedman, one of those that the company was going to be built around, was going to go on a real-life strike for a new contract, not if a scripted angle was going to elevate Wardlow's character. The MJF walk out overshadowed what should've been a key victory in the career path of Wardlow. He won the TNT title not long after that, but dropped it to Samoa Joe a few months later. He added two more title reigns this year, but they were rather brief and undistinguished. Furthermore, he was paired with the legendary Arn Anderson, which was a way to try to rejuvenate his run in All Elite, and it worked to some extent until Wardlow abruptly disappeared from television more than three months ago.

When he resurfaced recently, Arn isn't anywhere to be found so the sum total of the Double A association was moot, especially given Wardlow's current direction. Don't get me wrong, I understand what they are going for with the referee stoppages in the past two weeks. Wardlow is a laser-focused wrecking machine that hits the ring, knocks out his opponent, and leaves from ringside. It's a scenario that gets the point across quickly and impactful, while spotlighting his strengths and camouflaging any potential weakness. The major problem is, that's a booking strategy for a new project, not someone with a four-year tenure in the organization and three championship reigns.

Essentially, Wardlow is back at square one because he's doing the same gimmick that he was doing with the power bomb symphony almost two years ago, and that was based on the feud with MJF, not an extended run. For example, if he's going to reach the main event potential, he must be able to work a main event match, you can't conclude a pay-per-view with a one-sided referee stoppage so what exactly is being accomplished with the retread of the power bomb gimmick?

The bottom line is, from a character prospective, Wardlow was not only completely stagnant, he made almost no progress in the grand scheme of things because he's back to squashing enhancement talent again. The talent and the ability of Wardlow the athlete is still there, but the mismanagement of the Wardlow character is a direct result of the lack of booking skills of Tony Khan. Again, Wardlow has all the gifts that you can ask for with a prototype for a main event guy, and after four years on the roster, he's still squashing Griff Garrison instead of in the main event scene.

It's somewhat of a harsh reality, but it would be wise for Wardlow to at least consider his options for WWE when his All Elite contract expires, considering that WWE management made Jade Cargill a bigger star in two weeks than AEW did in two years. If Wardlow eventually makes the jump to WWE, he will probably have a bright future in the company.