Kenny Omega returns

Former IWGP and AEW world champion, Kenny Omega was announced for a return to New Japan Pro Wrestling at its "Power Struggle" event next week in Osaka. Omega, who spent several years in Japan and was one of the top stars of NJPW before the launch of All Elite in 2019, has been on the sidelines for almost a year after he had a very serious bout with diverticulitis last December. The medical emergency was deemed life-threatening at one point, and his in-ring career was in doubt afterwards. This past May, Omega made a brief return to AEW programming for a short segment with The Elite, but hasn't been a part of the on-screen product for almost six months.

"The Cleaner," as he was known during his stint in The Bullet Club faction in Japan, wasn't announced for a match at the NJPW event, but the appearence itself might be an indication that he's gearing up for a return to the ring. If I had to guess, I'd say that Omega's appearence will be used to set up a match for the Tokyo Dome events in January, which All Elite Wrestling is expected to be a part of. Considering his strong ties to Japan, as he worked for DDT for many years before he landed in New Japan, it makes sense for the next chapter of his career to start there. 

However, that creates questions about how his return to the squared circle could affect the landscape within AEW?

Keep in mind, within the past few years, Omega has been somewhat of a non-factor for All Elite, as he took nearly a year off in 2021 to undergo a few different surgeries to repair several different injuries from many years of a high-risk style. He was back in the fold for about a year until the previously mentioned bout with diverticulitis put back on the sidelines. So, out of the past three years, Kenny Omega has been on the shelf about two-thirds of that time.

It goes without saying that Kenny Omega had an incredible career already, and despite some of the criticism of his style, he was one of the most influential performers of the modern era. The Omega/Okada series, both positively and negatively, changed the perception of what could be possible for an epic collection of matches. Those bouts weren't just high spots and risky bumps, they were incredible contests that built a level of drama toward the conclusion that pushed the envelope of the presentation of the sport.

As with anything else, there was a price to be paid for that, and it's nothing new or surprising in terms of those competitors that wanted to innovate a new standard in the sport. Dynamite Kid spent a portion of his life confined to a wheel chair, Harley Race often discussed his regret of implementing the flying headbutt, Mick Foley has explained his concern with head injuries, and Sabu destroyed his body to stand out as one of the most unique performers in the history of the business.

This isn't a retread of the article that I penned earlier this week based on Vikingo's recent injury less than a month after his return to the ring and the style that caused it, but rather Kenny Omega specifically.

At 41, Omega has been wrestling since his teenage years and has a toll of almost a quarter century inside the ropes on his body. I don't mean this in a sarcastic way, but at some point, it might be time to ask, is it worth it for Omega to get back in the ring? While I assume that he wouldn't make the trip to Japan just to greet the audience and that this will be used to set up his next match, even if it's not, in the grand scheme of things, it's still worth asking the question if Omega should wrestle again?

In many ways, Kenny Omega was the franchise guy for All Elite Wrestling when it launched in 2019. The buzz that his matches with Okada received in The Wrestling Observer newsletter, along with the popularity of The Young Bucks at the time on social media, and Cody Rhodes' ambitious exit from WWE basically set the foundation for what become All Elite Wrestling. Omega developed a cult following among wrestling purists, and one of the major selling points for the concept of AEW, beyond the much-needed alternative to WWE, was that "the best bout machine" would finally be able to showcase his talent on national television in the United States.

All Elite Wrestling has evolved, both positively and negatively. That's not a knock on the company either, the peaks and valleys are a part of the business. If Tony Khan made the most of the opportunity he had with the initial hype of AEW is a different discussion for another time. Still, Omega had an extended title reign before he took time off to heal from the myriad of injuries, and in many ways, Will Ospreay was given the spot as the next franchise performer for All Elite. That's not to say that Omega doesn't have value, but as far as the future, the British grappler is a decade younger and just started the prime of his career so from a business standpoint, it made sense to promote him as a top guy, especially after Omega was put on the shelf last year.The way that the high impact and risky style impacts the career of Ospreay remains to be seen.

The biggest takeaway of this situation, particularly with a potential return to the ring might be, is it really worth the risk to Kenny Omega's health at point? By all indications, the current generation of AEW has been typecast as basically what it is, an alternative that presents a niche style on national television. As we know, the Khan family can fund the wrestling project indefinitely so Omega nor anyone else is needed to keep it afloat. Kenny Omega already has an established legacy and will be known as one of the best of his generation, as well as one of the most influential of the modern era so in many ways, he doesn't have anything left to prove. Furthermore, he already made great money working for Tony Khan and can continue to make solid cash working in a backstage role for the company.

Let's be honest, with the level of excellence that Kenny Omega was known for, both in All Elite Wrestling and in New Japan Pro Wrestling, does anyone want to see a diminished Omega for the last few years of his career? On one hand, you can't blame someone for taking the money that's offer, the entire point of the business is to make as much money as possible for as long as possible during their in-ring career, but on the other hand, Omega is in a position that he can be an asset to the organization without taking bumps. Jushin "Thunder" Liger, the iconic jr. heavyweight that also inspired a generation, was basically the except to the rule, he had a 35-year career and could still go in the ring before he retired from the sport in 2020. Amazingly, Sting could still go in the ring using a few balcony dives and some smoke and mirrors until he retired at the age of 65 this past March. However,  There's a much longer list of bonifided legends that stayed in the ring too long because they either needed the money or thought they could recapture their glory days for another run. Harley Race is one of the greatest of all time and unanimously known as one of the most legitimately tough competitors in the history of professional wrestling, but nobody looks back fondly on his stint in the squared circle in 1990. Ric Flair was broke and needed the payday so he tarnished his legacy in TNA. It was embarrassing and should be considered a cautionary tale. He got back in the ring a few years ago at the age of 73 to cash in on his legacy as an in-ring wrestling one last time, but it was a train wreck. Flair passed out twice during the match and it was later revealed that test results showed that he took a heart attack in the ring. Mick Foley thought he could make a difference in TNA in 2008 and the effort was there, but the hardcore legend simply couldn't physically perform after years of a car crash style. Thankfully, Omega doesn't have to wrestle past his prime or end up confirmed to a wheelchair. At the same time, perhaps the extended time off gave him enough of a chance to heal and thus rejuvenate his body to add a completely new chapter to his career.

Vikingo injured

El Hijo Del Vikingo, the spectacular high-flyer that burst onto the American scene last year after praise from The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer led to a main event match on Dynamite against Kenny Omega, recently returned to the ring last month from a nasty knee injury that he suffered at an independent show in Mexico this past February. While not inked to an official All Elite Wrestling contract, the injury stalled his momentum in the United States after his profile was boosted significantly from the national television exposure of TBS.

However, he returned to the national scene of the US as well when he competed against Mike Bailey for the TNA X-Division championship this past weekend at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view. The two cruiser weights had an incredible spot fest with innovative maneuvers and fast-paced action that arguably stole the show in the opening bout of the night.

Make no mistake about it, between his stellar aerial skills and his look as a character, Vikingo has the talent to be a very marketable star in America. As mentioned, his talent is tremendous, but he has the size and the persona of the underdog so the audience can still rally behind him.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the injury bug to bite him again, as he suffered what appeared to be another leg injury at TNA's TV tapings that were held the day after the pay-per-view in a match with Trent Seven. According to PWinsider, after a dive to the floor, Vikingo was hurt, prompting the referee to legitimately stop the match and agents to go to ringside. Vikingo was stretchered from the building.

There's absolutely no doubt that the 27-year-old luchador as the ability to be a much bigger star than he is right now, but sadly, it's also possible that he might end up as a cautionary talent of the pitfalls of the modern era of the business.

It goes without saying that the term "high risk" is exactly what it sounds like, those that work that style have a higher probability of getting injured, and often times are put on the sidelines. All Elite Wrestling's injury rate is proof of what the modern style can do to the depth of a roster.

Of course, it doesn't take a dazzling dive to send someone into surgery. Kevin Nash infamously tore his quad with one wrong step in the ring, and Vince McMahon tore both of his with an overly-aggressive attempt to slide into the ring. But, that might be the true point of some of the risks of the modern era, as those currently within the sport continue to push the envelope. You can get seriously hurt in the simplest of situations inside the squared circle so the more risks taken, the more the chance of injury increases exponentially. The athletes are so talented and so graceful that it seems like sometimes the true risk of injury isn't taken into consideration.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that someone needs to work a headlock for 10 minutes, or that matches need to revert to squashes where one of the super heavyweights pummels a guy that wrestles on the weekends, but looks like he changes your oil during his day job. But, at some point, there needs to be some serious consideration into how much is too much and how far is too far in terms of the high spots that are becoming more common place than ever before. It's probably no coincidence that injuries are more common than any other time in history as well.

I understand that this discussion has taken place as long as pro wrestling has existed and it will continue to exist as long as there is a wrestling business. Johnny Valentine probably thought Harley Race took too many bumps, and while he appreciated his work, Harley told Mick Foley that he took too many dangerous falls in WCW. However, I think because the style is on national television today through AEW, and to some extent TNA, the scenario is amplified is some ways, which could have a bigger overall impact on the business than in the past.

Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston, Bandido, Kenny Omega, and others required surgery based on the damage that high risk spots caused in some form or fashion. Again, it doesn't even have to be the aerial stuff, but that underscored how risky the dives and apron bumps can be to the performers. This isn't a situation where a botched landing caused a wrestler to miss a few weeks, but rather months or even a year of their career could be sacrificed to heal from injury.

I can't emphasize enough that this isn't a knock on the talent or the skill, but rather that it should be somewhat of a wake up call of how many dives or high spots are used in a given match. Does a match really need five dives to the floor? Would it ruin the segment if there were only three aerial spots? The reason being is this, a talent can execute a maneuver perfectly three times throughout a contest, but it only takes one miscue for a serious injury to happen. I want to reiterate that we don't need one-sided jobber matches to make a comeback, but that not every match needs a high risk bump from the top rope.

This might irritate some of the wrestling purists or a few of the diehard All Elite fans, but the truth of the matter is, on a national level where the biggest money can be made, high spot wrestling on its own generally doesn't draw major numbers. Take into consideration of how many of those high spot "dream matches" Tony Khan booked for national television on Dynamite and it actually saw a decline in the ratings compared to the previous week. That doesn't take away from the talent level of the performers, but rather points out that from a business perspective, it's important to measure the risk vs. the reward of a contest. Maybe save the car crash spots for pay-per-view instead of a random episode of Dynamite.

Sure, the diehard fans have an appreciation for the work rate, but again from a business prospective on a national level, the general public connects with the characters, not just the maneuvers. Rey Mysterio might be the best example of this, he spent the 90s as one of the most talented high-flyers in the history of the business, but it wasn't until he fully developed the Mysterio character in the 2000s that he become one of the most beloved and most popular of all time. That's not a criticism either, just to point out that as he evolved to become a more complete performer, his star power increased exponentially. Do the fans love Rey Mysterio because he can do a hurricanrana or do the fans love him because his Rey Mysterio? Yes, his tremendous in-ring talent is a part of the package, but he's a complete performer because his persona connects with the audience.

Even Rey, who found his way to the next level with a focus on character development and mic skills, didn't dodge the injury bullets. He had several knee surgeries throughout his career, including the early years of WCW when he was out of action for six months in 1998. He was just 23 at the time of his first knee surgery and it was a problem that persisted throughout much of his tenure in the sport.

Obviously, there will only be one Rey Mysterio, but there are similarities to him and Vikingo, which is why this is a concerning situation. Similar to Rey, he also started wrestling during his teenage years so despite only being 27 and theoretically just at the start of the prime of his career, Vikingo already has the toll of more than a decade of wrestling on his body. As I said, Vikingo has the potential to be a very marketable star in both the US and Mexico. He was already a champion in AAA, and with John Layfield's involvement with the lucha group to increase its foot print, Vikingo could be the franchise guy for an expansion. That doesn't mean that there's going to be a full-fledged AAA venture into America, the style is too different for lucha libe to become a commodity on a national level, but it's definitely possible for AAA to find another profitable niche in the United States to increase its overall business. Keep in mind, during its heyday in the early-90s, AAA drew major crowds in Los Angeles, including for the famous When Worlds Collide pay-per-view.

Hopefully, the injured Vikingo suffered this past weekend isn't serious and he isn't back on the shelf for any major amount of time. Still, this should be an example for the current generation of stars to take into consideration how many risks and how many bumps should be taken in a specific match. Unfortunately, if i had to guess, I think the trend of high risk matches and more injuries will continue in the modern era of the industry.

Maple Leaf Pro

Within the crowded pro wrestling landscape, we've seen some aspects of the industry condense, while other working agreements have yielded expanded exposure for other groups. As we know, the pro wrestling calendar, which usually peaks around Wrestlemania, sill remains busy, with more pay-per-views being added by All Elite Wrestling on an almost monthly basis, this weekend's Bound For Glory PPV in Detroit, and next Saturday's Crown Jewel event from Saudi Arabia.

However, in the midst of the changing dynamics of the industry, particularly with AEW's new TV deal with Warner Brothers Discovery, and WWE's move to Netflix early next year, a very unique pro wrestling product launched last weekend. Maple Leaf Pro, a revamp of the classic Toronto territory of the 70s and 80s under the direction of Frank Tunny with ties to the WWF, was brought back in 2024. Scott D'Amore, former wrestler, trainer, and head of TNA, acquired the trademarks for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling in May of this year. D'Amore, who was affiliated with TNA as far back as its days in the dingy Asylum in Nashville, ran Boarder City Wrestling successfully for several years, and has a background in business, as his family owns a well-known construction company in Ontario.

In a very surprising move, after Impact was rebranded back to TNA, with D'Amore cutting a passionate promo in the ring to announce the new direction of the company, he was fired from the organization in February. Anthem Entertainment, the parent company of TNA, rescued the promotion from the brink of collapse in 2016 after Dixie Carter ran the group into the ground. There were lawsuits and even a tax lien from the state of Tennessee against the organization under Dixie's ownership, which were paid off by Anthem when they bought the promotion. However, Anthem, which owns the Fight Network in Canada, is in the television business, not the wrestling business. Reportedly, Anthem is worth a few hundred million dollars, and in the grand scheme of things, pro wrestling is a relatively cheap investment within the television industry. Impact Wrestling was one of the highest-rated shows on the Fight Network. Again, Anthem bought Impact to keep it on the air and thus secure ad revenue, this wasn't a full-fledged attempt to compete in the sports entertainment business.

The first few years under Anthem were abysmal, with too many blunders to name, but Anthem kept the doors open, and eventually D'Amore made TNA into a commodity that gained an underground buzz around it again, if for no other reason than the company somehow remained in business after years of uncertainty. Additions to the roster like Josh Alexander, Mike Bailey, Brian Myers, and others made for more depth within the company. Sure, Myers wasn't the biggest star, but he was a solid veteran that can do anything that he's asked of, which makes him a very valuable asset. For whatever reason, Alexander was under the radar and much more talented than just another indy guy so he got a chance to shine under the TNA banner. Obviously, it was a smaller pond, but for the first time in years, there was a sense of positivity and optimism around the TNA brand under the direction of D'Amore. If I had to guess, the reason that the former coach of Team Canada built more of a following for the organization in recent years is that he didn't look for one answer to a multi-layered problem. One free agent or one major match wasn't going to remove the stain of the Dixie Carter era so it took a series of steady steps in the right direction of quality decisions to consistently improve the product over the course of a few years. 

Reportedly, D'Amore's exit was based on the fact that earlier this year, he wanted to spend more money to bring in some of the high-priced free agents that eventually landed elsewhere. Will Ospreay was one of the names that D'Amore wanted to ink to a contract, but Anthem wasn't interested in any type of increase in the budget. Keep in mind, Anthem views TNA as a television commodity, and while the executives understand that different wrestlers bring different things to the table, they simply aren't going to try to compete with the offers from the billionaire family of Tony Khan or the billionaire TKO corporation. At some point it's easier and more cost effective to invest in the rights to air reruns of series from the past. Again, Anthem is in the television business, they don't have all the eggs in the pro wrestling basket, and make their investments based on different criteria for different networks.

Obviously, D'Amore felt that TNA had a much higher ceiling than his bosses, which led to his release from the company. It was surprising, given that much of the success that the brand had to rebuild itself to something that had the previously mentioned optimism around it was credited to D'Amore. After his exit, many of the wrestlers supported him and praised him on social media. Credit to the former Team Canada coach, he put his money where his mouth was when he actually offered to buy the company after he was fired, but Anthem declined.

It's well-known that D'Amore is from a wealthy family that has done well in business in the Canadian market, and his ability to rebuild TNA during his most recent tenure there shows that he can get a pro wrestling project off the ground. Plus, he has goodwill with many of his peers in the industry, which can be key to working agreements. 

I think those aspects are really key to the potential success of the new Maple Leaf project.

The relaunch weekend of Maple Leaf Pro was based around two shows with a potpourri of talent from AEW, TNA, and New Japan, with an emphasis on Canadian grapplers. Mauro Ranallo, known for his work in MMA and a stint in the WWE, was on the broadcast team alongside Don Callis. Mauro has a very unique style that can be a little too quirky at times, but he's still a tremendous announcer and the pairing with Callis worked very well. Even the legendary Bret Hart did a voice over for a video package based on Maple Leaf Wrestling history. Considering that each show was over three hours, it would be too lengthy to parse details on every match, but I'd like to discuss the potential of a few of the broad concepts, as well as mention a few matches that are worth going out of your way to watch.

First, it should be noted that while D'Amore was released by Anthem, he still had a good working relationship with the TNA branch of the corporation. In truth, this looked very similar to a TNA event, running in a venue that hosted TNA shows previously and with a very similar production set up so while I haven't seen anything to confirm it, I wouldn't be surprised if thus Maple Leaf show actually used a TNA crew.

As far as the card itself, the talent that was brought in was very solid and different combinations were booked for each night. Some of the bouts were a little too indy so to speak or became a little too repetitive as certain multi-man matches looked very similar on the same card and then on the next night as well. This show had a little bit of everything, including defenses of the IWGP Jr. tag titles and the AEW International title, as well as the ROH Women's title so it wasn't strictly for the Canadian market. At the same time, Bully Ray was booked against some of the hometown competitors for a segment designed to cater specifically to the live crowd.

Miyu Yamashita had a very good match against Gisele Shaw on night one, and Mike Bailey had a really entertaining match against El Phantasmo on night two. However, undoubtedly the two matches that topped the entire weekend were Konosuke Takeshita's bouts against Bailey and Josh Alexander. Takeshita vs. Alexander on night two in particular was a great main event.

After a smaller, but sell out crowd and more or less unanimously positive reviews on the show itself, you have to wonder, what is the goal of Maple Leaf Pro?

D'Amore's offer to buy TNA suggested that he had lofty goals than just success on the independent level, but he might've found the perfect niche to run a profitable organization specifically tailored to the Canadian market. As I've written before, revenue and profit are the true barometer of success so if D'Amore can run half a dozen weekends a year and make money doing it, let might be the best option. Of course, it would take major cash to compete within the current wrestling landscape, and that competition might elimiate access to the talent that makes Maple Leaf a unique product. In some ways, Maple Leaf Pro could be the Switzerland of pro wrestling so to speak, a promotion where stars for different groups can compete against either other based on the trust and reputation that D'Amore has in the industry.

Obviously, this is only one pair of events, but given the level of production and the level of talent, Maple Leaf definitely isn't aiming to be just another independent group. In some ways, with TNA expanding its live event schedule into the United States more often than in the past, it's possible D'Amore's group could be the unofficial Canadian division of TNA so to speak, in terms of  catering to the Canadian market. The name alone implies that this probably isn't going to be a group that tries to compete on a national level, which is completely fine because as mentioned, profitability is the goal more than anything else in the industry.

What's next for Goldberg?

Who's next for Bill Goldberg?

The last time we saw the former WCW champion in action was when he put Roman Reigns over in six minutes for mega cash in Saudi Arabia more than two and a half years ago. Since that time, Goldberg, who finished his WWE contract with that match, expressed disappointment with the WWE management, citing a deal that he made with Vince McMahon that would've given him an official retirement match in exchange for putting over Reigns. In truth, Goldberg would've done the job for Roman without any special accommodations made because he's there for the money, which is completely fine, but at the same time, it's understandable that he would be frustrated if he was given the impression that he would get the chance to have a final bout with all the pomp and circumstance after the overseas match with Reigns. 

In fact, Goldberg expressed an interest in promoting a retirement match on his own in Israel based on his Jewish background, but talks of that halted when the current conflict in the region began in recent years. However, it should be noted that Vince McMahon is not only no longer the head of the WWE, but has zero involvement with the organization so I'd say that a new regime with Triple H as the boss opens the door for renewed discussions between the two sides.

The former Atlanta Falcon from his football days was in attendance earlier this month when the city hosted the Bad Blood pay-per-view. He was involved in a confrontation with Gunther, prompting speculation that something could be in the works for the former WWE champion to get into the ring again.

Despite his age, it was good that Bill Goldberg took time away from the WWE because as successful as his comeback was in 2016, the limited playbook became somewhat stale even on a limited basis. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to blame anyone for taking the millions of dollars that the Saudis offer for a match, but between the disastrous bout with The Undertaker, the pandemic era matches, and a six-minute contest against Roman, the Goldberg presentation lost some of its luster.

But, that's not to say that there isn't enough meat on the bone for another series of matches with Goldberg before he hangs up the boots entirely. Very similar to when he returned to the ring eight years ago, the office would have to be very careful with how they present Goldberg and what scenarios that they put in him if he wrestles again. It will definitely be a balance act to give him something of substance and thus importance to do without risking a train wreck. It goes without saying that management should use smoke and mirrors when they can to avoid anything like the match with The Undertaker in 2019.

Of course, the question is, how does WWE utilize Bill Goldberg in 2025?

Since we are closing in on the end of the calendar year, I think it's a safe bet that anything that Goldberg might do with the WWE will be next year to allow for the proper promotional push and for the right stage. I don't think it was a coincidence that he was booked to be involved in a confrontation with Gunther. Even in his hometown, it doesn't make sense for Gunther to mention him on the mic just to get a hometown pop, that could've been accomplished with the former WCW champion being announced as being in attendance at the event.

When you look at the current landscape of the WWE, Gunther is more or less the only one that makes sense for a bout with Goldberg. Keep in mind, he already worked with Drew McIntyre in 2021, Cody Rhodes is the top baby face so there wouldn't be much for him to do there, and The Bloodline heels look to be involved in that angle until at least Wrestlemania next year. Gunther is the heel champion and one of the top heels in the entire company so it makes sense to pair him with the aging legend, as the narrative writes itself. 

Look, for as much rightful criticism as Goldberg received for his brief run, limited skill set, and lack of ability to evolve during the prime years of his career, there's no doubt that he's a major star. It would be silly to book him to be involved with anything outside of the main event scene or the top guys on the main roster. Nothing again The Alpha Academy, but does Goldberg spearing a few members of a mid-card faction really utilize the name value that he brings to the today?

At 57, Bill Goldberg isn't the future of the business, but as mentioned the argument can be made that in the right situation, he can still draw money. Keep in mind, while he's past his physical prime because of his age, he keeps himself in great shape and he simply doesn't have decades of wrestling that took a toll on his body. Remember, Goldberg worked full-time for WCW for about three and a half years. He worked about half a dozen matches for All Japan before he signed a one-year deal with the WWE in 2003 before he left the business for more than a decade.

He might have some gray in that goatee, but the guy can still transform himself into the smash mouth performer that can bring the intensity for a short segment. If any of this leads to an official Goldberg retirement, I'd say that either night of WM would make sense, as it gives a built in selling point for at least one of the two shows that weekend, or maybe even another pay-per-view held in Atlanta at some point. Gunther is already scheduled to work with Cody Rhodes at the Saudi event next weekend, perhaps Goldberg will make an appearence to set up a future bout? The Royal Rumble would also be an easy way to introduce him back into the fold of WWE, not necessarily to win it, but to use it as an opportunity to set up a match.

Given that Goldberg probably isn't going to work a twenty-minute bout at this point, I doubt that the office would book him against Gunther at Wrestlemania, but as mentioned, it's possible. The biggest aspect of this potential contest is the visual more or less sells the match. Let Goldberg do the entrance through the fireworks on Raw, cut an intense promo on the mic, and then keep the match itself as simple as possible.

Some might claim that Gunter is too physical in the ring for Bill Goldberg, and in some ways, they would be right, there's no reason for someone that's 57 to take chops until their chest starts to blister. At the same time, it's doubtful that would be the direction of the match anyway. The aging gunslinger vs. the dominate heel champion is a very easy narrative. The next Saudi event after Crown Jewel is in February, and it's possible that the Saudis would pay major cash to get Goldberg back for the show, but if he's given a retirement bout, it would make more sense for it to be held domestically so that it can be properly celebrated without the time difference that affects viewership of the live broadcast in the United States. More than anything, it's really ironic that more than twenty years after his first run in the WWE was a flop, Bill Goldberg could still be a major part of the WWE product next year.

Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley debut

One of the main narratives within professional wrestling of 2024 is how the evolving dynamics of the industry have created unique opportunities and circumstances, proving once again why competition and options are important to the overall benefit of the business. Perhaps more than anything else, the free agent market might've been the biggest story of this year, and more specifically, the domino effect it had, both positively and negatively.

We saw Will Ospreay, arguably the top performer in the top performer in New Japan at the time, opt to sign a full-time deal with All Elite Wrestling in March, undoubtedly giving the Khan-owned organization a potential top guy to build around, but at the same time, being another blow to New Japan's depth, which was considerably picked over during the past few years as both of the major leagues in America looked to secure more talent. At the same time, Mercedes Mone also signed a big money contract with AEW around the same time, yielding sluggish results that prompted criticism of her work outside of the WWE bubble. Kazuchika Okada, the longstanding top star of New Japan, also left his native country to work for Tony Khan. The fact that it looks like Okada is content to coast on his reputation in the majority of his All Elite bouts is another discussion for another time.

On the WWE front, CM Punk shockingly arrived last November, and despite a lengthy absence from in-ring action because of a triceps injury that required surgery, Punk is one of the main reasons the WWE had a level of sizzle throughout 2024. I've said it many times, Punk is about Punk and he's a jerk, but he's a talented jerk that can draw money. The real-life Phil Brooks and WWE brass are smart enough to know that they don't have to exchange Christmas gifts and break bread at Thanksgiving to work together. Drawing money is the entire point of the business, and it's ironic that even those that had animosity previously can work together when seven figures can be made for everyone involved. If only the All Elite EVP understood that concept.

We also saw the NXT/TNA working agreement, which as discussed in prior articles, is a win-win situation. Especially after the TKO merger, the office knows that TNA is no threat to the publicly-traded corporation, and a smaller platform for talent to be discovered can eventually be used as a way to bring talent to the bigger star of WWE. At the same time, if a veteran WWE talent doesn't have a specific role at a particular point in time, they could be sent to TNA to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. It's always better to attempt to maximize a competitor's skills than to have a talented performer stuck on the sidelines if there isn't a spot for them on a main roster.

There were rumblings in the past few months, but I was still surprised to see The Motor City Machine Guns, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley, make their WWE debut on Smackdown last week. To be clear, this wasn't a part of the previously mentioned NXT/TNA crossover, the veteran tag team was signed to their own WWE contracts. The reason for being surprise had more to do with the fact that if they were going to surface in the WWE, I thought it would've been five or six years ago, nothing about their skills.

In some ways, you could summarize the careers of Shelley and Sabin, both individually and collectively, as victims of circumstance.

They both landed in a fledgling NWA-TNA in its early years when they were barely 20 years old through their association with Scott D'Amore's Boarder City Wrestling, the independent league that provided a pipeline for Detroit-based talent to the Nashville-based upstart league in the early-2000s. With only a few years experience, Sabin and Shelley worked on television, and while they were definitely working a style you'd expect from young, energetic athletes that still had something to learn through that valuable experience, they didn't look out of place either.

Of course, the argument could be made that both of them deserved much more of an opportunity than they were given, but that was more or less the summary of much of the Dixie Carter era of TNA. Keep in mind, The Motor City Machine Guns were alongside a young Okada, as guys that were used as secondary talent at a time when TNA pleated with Vince Russo scripts. Shelley was known as a well-versed technician, but someone that could still work as a heel, despite such a smooth style, Sabin was an energetic high-flyer that didn't have much depth to his character in his early years, but a solid skill set that made him an asset. To be fair, from a character perspective, neither Shelley or Sabin were given much of a chance to evolve their presentation until they were paired as a tag team for TNA in 2007.

Throughout the four or five years they worked as a team, The "Motor City Machine Guns were always known as a solid aspect to the product, in a similar fashion that the X-Division as a whole was used as a foundation during the peaks and valleys of the company during the Dixie regime. They were definitely a time when The Motor City Machine Guns were one of the best tag teams anywhere in the business.

The reasons for why they were ultimately underutilized in TNA could be its own discussion for a different time, but possibly the biggest fumble of their careers was actually after Shelley originally left the company. Sabin had suffered two serious knee injuries that required surgery, but made a comeback in 2013 for a story that more or less wrote itself. Sabin beat Bully Ray to win the TNA world championship, but dropped it just a month later and was regulated back to X-Division status.

Maybe that's the biggest takeaway as to why The Machine Guns didn't have a bigger run in the prime of their careers, they were typecast earlier on as "just X-Division workers" so they were labeled as just high spot wrestlers, not stars. There were very few guys that started in the X-Division that were ever truly given a chance to work their way up the card, with AJ Styles and Samoa Joe being two of the only examples that had a push beyond the division.

For the most part, Sabin stayed the course in TNA, only recently leaving the company after his deal expired. Shelley bounced around the independent scene, working a few different stints in Ring Of Honor after his intitial TNA run, and in later years, he worked with Kushida as a tag team in New Japan. If Shelley was going to ink a WWE deal, I thought it was going to be when he was briefly brought into NXT in 2020 for a Time Splitters reunion.

In some respects, what someone "deserves" as a talent in pro wrestling is moot because much of that is subjective, and technically the most objective way to determine that would be what draws money. As we know, the behind-the-scenes dealings often dictate the direction of the on-screen product. For whatever reason, particular after Shelley suffered an injury while working the physical style of New Japan, he stepped away from the sport to pursue a career outside of wrestling in physical therapy in 2018. As I wrote at the time, it was disappointing that someone as talented as Alex Shelley didn't have an offer to work full-time for one of the national companies in the United States. Because of that, it's good to Shelley and Sabin get the chance to have a main roster run in the WWE, as the argument could be made that they were more than talent enough for the biggest stage in the business throughout most of their career, but didn't get the opportunity.

That being said, even with their successful debut to advance to a number one contender's match and presumably an eventual run as the tag team champions, it's doubtful that The Machine Guns will spark a resonance in the tag division. Granted, tag teams have more of a chance to be featured under Triple H than Vince McMahon, but it's important to keep in mind that the WWE hasn't made the tag division a truly focal point of the company since the TLC era almost 25 years ago. I'd expect the Machine Guns to have a solid run and be valuable veterans to work within the tag division, but will still be a secondary aspect of WWE programming. Keep in mind, the WWE is getting Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in the 40s after more than two decades of wrestling so it's not exactly the prime years of their career. Still, this is a solid addition to the WWE roster, and as mentioned, it's good to see them finally get a chance to have a WWE run.

GCW returns to Hammerstein Ballroom

Earlier this week, well-known independent organization, Game Changer Wrestling announced that the company plans to return to The Hammerstein Ballroom, the famous venue that ECW ran in its latter years and a building that also hosted Ring Of Honor events during the Sinclair era, on January 19, 2025. The rabid atmosphere of the venue gave it a place among pro wrestling lore, and as the saying goes, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. It was also the site of the legendary One Night Stand pay-per-view in 2005 that exposed an entirely different audience to how organic the environment can be for a pro wrestling event.

Given the level of regard that the Hammerstein Ballroom has, both for its ROH and ECW history, a successful event there could definitely move the perception of an organization up a notch among the landscape of sports entertainment. On the surface, it makes sense as to why an organization would want to plant a flag there, especially if they looked to attempt to solidify themselves as the alternative to pro wrestling television in the modern era.

In many ways, within the past several years since GCW has been on the scene, they've been able to build themselves into that spot, knowing their position and there audience with an ambitious level of expansion, but still wise enough to avoid some of the pitfalls of trying to grow too fast. First and foremost, as much as Matt Cardona used GCW to completely reinvent himself and rejuvenate his career, his involvement in a death match group really allowed the independent league to stand out from the pack of indies. Zack Ryder, the prototypical WWE guy was going to wrestle a light tube match against Nick Gage, a former ex-con that almost accidentally stabbed David Arquette?

To go along with the intrigue of what was going to happen when someone that had nothing to do with a death match style got in the ring with one of the most notorious death match wrestlers of the past two decades, GCW served a buffet of pro wrestling with lucha libre, physical striking, and of course the signature grittiness expected on the independent level. Plus, say what you want about Gage, the guy is over with the GCW audience. Thankfully, he seems to have been able to clean his life up and has found a level of peace. The combination of the styles showcased and the intriguing storytelling around the GCW championship made it a fun product to follow. I'm not sure of the backstage drama that led to Rickey Shane Page's exit from the organization, but his feud with Gage was very well done in terms of how it built to a crescendo for an eventual Gage victory. Furthermore, the ability to use Jon Moxley as the GCW champion at the same time that he was the All Elite Wrestling world champion was another fun aspect. Of course, Cardona's involvement in the title picture was entertaining stuff because it was such a counterpoint to what's expected from the brand.

Speaking of the brand, as much as some of the production even today is very indy and somewhat sloppy, one of the biggest successes for Game Changer Wrestling is that they've been able to establish the brand itself as a draw. The group runs events across the country most weekends and usually draws at least a decent audience, which speaks  volumes to how important streaming is for continued visibility to the product, as well as the analytics that can show what regions are a specific draw for the product and thus can sustain live events. I'd say that during its peak as an independent, Ring Of Honor had more value as a brand, but lacked the same level of brand awareness because the distribution channels simply weren't a realistic option in the early-2000s.

It can't be understated how valuable it is to be able to deliver an event live as it happens, as opposed to trying to sell DVDs of the show after the results are known, it's just not the same viewing experience. Again, it made sense for GCW to venture to Hammerstein, especially if they saw themselves as trying to reach that semi-national spot that ECW had in the late-90s.

However, their Hammerstein event in January of 2022 was a line in the sand, and in my ways, provided an example as to why the group wasn't ready for the next level. To parse details on a show from two and a half years ago would be moot, but even the organization recognized the mixed reviews in its promo material for their return in 2025. For whatever reason, their Hammerstein event was offered on traditional pay-per-view through cable providers to go along with the standard internet distribution, which might seem like a way to provide more access to the PPV, but there was literally no advertisements or commercials that let viewers know that the show could be purchased through their cable providers so it was essential a zero gain, while it put the strict time constraints on the broadcast since it was being shown on the traditional PPV time slot at the same time as its usual online platforms. One of the first matches, a lucha scramble ran long, and at one point, a go home cue was sent over the house mic. As a result of one of the matches running long at the start of the show, the card became a logjam and resulted in a very underwhelming five-minute main event because they had simply run out of time on pay-per-view. Outside of that, it's well-known that the New York State Athletic Commission is one of the strictest in the country so many of the wilder aspects that the organization was known for were off the table. Finally, the booking of the event was almost a downer because many of the GCW mainstays lost and looked secondary to outside talent. Jeff Jarrett supposedly got the finish of his match with Effy changed with the pitch that he wins at Hammerstein to build up for a rematch where Jarrett returns the favor to put Effy over. Apparently, the savvy veteran did the Tennessee two-step to AEW before the rematch could be booked so he didn't have to lose to Effy.

The first question I have is, does GCW actually have to return to Hammerstein? Is it truly going to make a difference in their standing in 2025? Honestly, I don't think it's a critical piece of the puzzle, as GCW has found itself a profitable niche and could probably stay in that profitable, albeit small niche for several years. At the same time, it might be an attempt to spark a fresh chapter for the organization, which would make sense given the almost natural decline it had in terms of hype after being the most talked about independent for a few years. Still, I'm not sure what the overall goal is for GCW, as some of their small shows are still very indy, which is fine because that's part of the package, but at the same time, even with a successful Hammerstein show, the product isn't made for TV, with that being part of the charm so where exactly would there be in terms of expansion? I don't have the answers, but as much as GCW has provided a "bridge" so to speak for released talent to showcase themselves between organizations the way that Extreme Championship Wrestling did, it's a very difficult balancing act since attempting to expand too fast can be disastrous, which was one of the many the lessons of ECW.

Most importantly, GCW can't make the same mistakes again, not with the production or the booking. It should go without saying that ultimately what set Game Changer Wrestling a part a few years ago from the typical smash and slash indy was the storytelling involved in the product. You can only break some many tables, light tubes, and chairs before it becomes cannon fodder. The story behind the violence is still key to success, especially if the group looks to boost its profile.

It was a very wise strategy for GCW to acknowledge the previous blunder because the audience and thus the consumers of the product can appreciate honesty rather than an attempt to con them. Sure, that sounds counterproductive to the work of the industry, but it provides a level of goodwill with the fans, which makes it much easier to get the fans to invest in tickets and event orders online.

Again, I'm not sure if Hammerstein is really a necessity or if even a successful event is the key to a bigger piece of the pie for them in the current crowded pro wrestling market, but with the modern technology of streaming and the distribution channels available, GCW has at least a solid chance of continued success within its niche demographic. It will be interesting to see the eventual line-up for the event and if the Hammerstein show will be a part of an expansion for the company next year. 

The politcs of pro wrestling

Politics are more of a work than pro wrestling, and they are more profitable, too.

It goes without saying that when there is a puppet master, or booker to pull the strings in sports entertainment, very similar to any other aspect of life, nepotism and politics will play a role. The American political landscape over the past several years has resembled a Royal Rumble or a dumpster fire at various points, depending on your perspective. Five or six years ago, Lavie Margolin sent me a copy of his book, "Trumpamania" to review for this column. It was a nonpartisan look at the WWE Celebrity Wing Hall of Famer's history with Vince McMahon and how the narrative of pro wrestling was weaved into much of his political jargon. The book is a solid pick up for those that don't know the details behind the early dealings Vince had with Trump, and more specifically how the WWE was rewarded for its loyalty to him when Linda McMahon was granted a seat in his cabinet. Those pages had nothing ground-break, but again, worth the read for those that don't know how the association began in the 80s. 

It goes without saying that there are similarities between professional wrestling and American politics, because they are essentially based on the same thing, the ability to use human psychology to elicit an emotion with the goal to draw money. Within their respective narratives, sports entertainment casts a hero and a villain, and if the heel triumphs, what does that mean for the fate of the wrestling championship? In the very same way, politicians, especially the vast majority that are masters of the double talk, will paint their opponents in the most vile light possible, if the other side wins, the fate of the country is doomed. Pro wrestling fans must flock to the box office to support their hero to victory so that the foreign menace doesn't take the title away from the baby face, and supporters of a political party must donate to ensure the stability of the country. Isn't it ironic that the end game in both scenarios is how much money is brought in?

Even more ironic is that political campaigns take in hundreds of millions of dollars and somehow after election season is over, there's never a surplus of cash or a refund offered to those that donated for money that wasn't used after all the campaign costs were tabulated. There's never enough cash for what they need to run a campaign, but we're going to vote for one of these parties to run the country?

I follow politics, not because I have a vested interest in the outcome, but rather because I enjoy history and it's always interesting to see how key decisions impact the direction of the country or society as a whole. When it comes to the current political landscape, I use the late, legendary George Carlin theory, "when you're born, you get a ticket to the sideshow, but when you're born in American, you get a front row seat." Perhaps, it's because I've followed pro wrestling for as long as I can remember or that I've worked in the business on the local level in Pittsburgh as an announcer almost half my life, but I'm too skeptical to get emotionally invested in the ham-handed tactics used in American politics today. I've never bought a yard sign, a bumper sticker, a silly hat, or a t-shirt for a politician.

Still, the narrative of left vs. right and "the nation is at stake" has more or less consumed every facet of American life, especially within the past few years. If anyone wanted to save the tress, I'm sure a few rain forest were sacrificed for the amount of junk mail I've seen on an almost daily basis to promote a candidate. Because an extremely obtuse flyer in the mail is truly going to sway someone's vote, right?

With the shared traits that both genres have, it's not totally shocking that there was some crossover, but I have to say, I'm still  a little surprised how much pro wrestling is tipping its toe in the political waters. The simple reason is this, it's not good business to potentially sour half the audience, especially based on outside factors. When TKO management are calculating those big box office receipts for the latest pay-per-view, they don't care how many conservatives or how many liberals bought tickets, it's just about the cash. Sure, it's well-known that the WWE as a corporate commodity leans right, mostly because of Vince's well-known friendship with Trump, and Linda McMahon's two failed runs for Senate on the Republican ticket. However, the company hasn't publicly endorsed a political or let too much of it influence the on-screen product. Fans could still follow the WWE without a blatant dose of political drek.

As mentioned, the gap between the two is closing, as more of the pro wrestling industry sees an influx of political cannon fodder. Of course, we saw Hulk Hogan parade around on stage at the Republican National Convention like a clown and tear his shirt off at the age of 71, while proclaiming Trump to be his "hero." Stuff like that just makes me shake my head, not because of the political party associated, but because similar to many other aspects of the political landscape, it's low brow and embarrassing. However, make no mistake about it, Hogan was smart enough to see how lucrative the political game can be, and aligning himself with Trump just happened to coincide with the release of his "Real American Beer" so I think this is less of Hulk jumping into the political discourse and more of him being a shameless self promoter, which should surprise nobody.

It's almost as if just being involved in the political game can make someone millions of dollars, isn't it?

Alex Isenstadt of Politco reported that Donald Trump will be a guest on The Undertaker's podcast this week, which was another somewhat surprising tidbit, as The Undertaker is still very much involved with the WWE in an ambassador role with meet and greets for those expensive priority packages to major pay-per-views, and his one man show that often takes place in cities that hosts those major WWE events. It makes you wonder if or when there would be a tipping point where political leanings impact the audience's decision to support certain projects?

In truth, Trump does pro wrestling for politics, he embraces the role of a heel,and we all know that some fans loved to cheer the bad guys even in the kayfabe era. Sure, Trump uses scare tactics and rambles worse than The Ultimate Warrior in a promo after a night on the town in the 80s, but the guy works the crowd just like a sports entertainer. How often has it been said that perception is reality in pro wrestling? That's how you make a character believable and thus connect with the audience. It's no coincidence that Trump's rallies resemble pro wrestling crowds, he works them on the mic and allows them to response for the interaction to create the perception that he wants for his campaign. Trump gets on the mic and creates "bad guys" for his supports to rally against, and in many ways, as irresponsible as it might be, it works for his base. On the other side of the coin, his politician opponents can portray him as the big bag wolf, and a person will accept the version that that want to believe is true.

Kayfabe isn't gone yet.

Similar to anything else, I think the vast majority of this riffraff will fade from the pro wrestling landscape after the election is over, but it's fascinating to see the parallels between the two topics. The Rock spoke out against Trump during the insurrection attempt on January 6th, but that didn't stop Wrestlemania 40 for being one of the most lucrative events in WWE history when he was in the main event. Dave Bautista recently lambasted Trump during a talk show appearence, but his films are still going to do well at the box office. Trump's appearence on The Undertaker's podcast is probably nothing more than an attempt to secure a few more votes from the insecure "bro" demographic that associate machismo with loud engines and verbal drek that they couldn't possibly back up. Harley Race never had to tell anyone how tough he was.

It should be noted, and this goes for any political candidate that just because The Undertaker has Trump on his podcast, that doesn't mean that the real-life Mark Calaway with the absolute worst of the GOP stereotypes. It's important to note that he has a BSK tattoo as a sign of friendship with The Godfather, Yokozuna, and Savio Vega so it would be unfair to assuming the worst just based on Trump as a guest of his podcast.

Finally, too often the current political discourse resembles a softball team, everyone wants to pick a side, and someone with absolutely no knowledge or experience on the subject matter thinks that access to a Facebook page makes them qualified to offer an opinion. Make no mistake about it, one of the gifts that America offers is the right to express an opinion, but at the same time, that doesn't automatically mean that every opinion has value. Some yo-yo wearing a tin foil hat in North Dakota might think that the New World Order wasn't just a faction in the 90s, and will post that view publicly without any reasoning behind it. Unfortunately, I'm not going to win anyone over with my thoughts the dumpster fire of election season. No, the Mexicans aren't automatically bad people. No, the wall isn't going to get built even in the next four years. No, groceries shouldn't be this expensive and it continues to be ridiculous that nothing was done about it, Yes, people should be able to live their own lives privately and make their own decisions. Yes, Jeff Bezo should pay his fair share of taxes. Yes, the majority of the politicians are shady.