In late 2020, Sting made his surprise debut in AEW. Despite his advanced age—at that point, 61—his iconic stature meant that the debut generated a lot of buzz. That included speculation about whether he’d work dream matches against the likes Kenny Omega, MJF, or CM Punk.

Be it a shrewd call on the part of Sting himself or AEW management, he actually hasn’t worked any singles matches in his run with the company, despite getting in the ring for 27 bouts to date. Using The Icon in tag team, six-man tag, and other team scenarios has protected him nicely.

These formats have allowed him to give other wrestlers the rub by teaming with or battling against them. Additionally, with a number of other bodies in the mix–including the steady presence of dynamic Darby Allin who is always willing to take big bumps–Sting has had the chance to contribute a key high spot or two each outing that highlight what he’s still capable of without the strain of wrestling at a high level all match long.

Last Fall, Sting announced he’d have his final match at Revolution 2024. Then, on the February 7, 2024 of AEW Dynamite, he and Darby Allin won the Tag Team Championship—a final milestone for The Icon, and also a reinforcement that his rumored last match opposite The Young Bucks was a likely eventuality.

With this final chapter of Sting’s in-ring career so focused on tag team wrestling, it calls attention to the fact that he actually has an underrated legacy specifically as a tag team wrestler, dating back to the mid-1980s.

Sting Launched His Career In A Tag Team With The Ultimate Warrior

Sting got his start in wrestling working with southern and mid-south territorial promotions under the banners of Power Team USA, The Freedom Fighters, and most famously The Blade Runners. His signature partner for these years was the man who’d eventually become known as The Ultimate Warrior.

It’s noteworthy that the team featured two future main eventers who’d come to reign as world champions in WCW and WWE respectively. While neither were necessarily polished in-ring workers, this pairing was foundational to each man’s success in the wrestling business.

Some Of Sting’s Best Work Came Teamed With Lex Luger

Both in real life and on screen, much of Sting’s prime was intertwined with Lex Luger. The two alternated between friendship and rivalry in WCW storylines, including a superb early 1990s tag team match that pitted them against The Steiner Brothers at the original SuperBrawl.

Years later, Sting and Luger had some even more intriguing creative behind them in 1995, when The Total Package returned to WCW at the dawn of the Monday Night War. Sting was at the tail end of his Surfer Sting run that brought him so much acclaim. The worked an ahead-of-its-time angle in which Luger was a tweener, then a full-fledged heel who kept talking his staunch babyface partner into bad situations.

This partnership paid dividends in Sting’s first WCW Tag Team Championship win. More importantly their bond was a key element of Sting feeling betrayed by WCW when fellow babyfaces thought he’d defected to the nWo in 1996. Luger in particular not trusting Sting was a key factor in launching the legendary Crow version of Sting’s character. From there, it’s telling that by 1998, the duo was ready to get back together under the nWo Wolfpac banner.

Sting Won More WCW Tag Team Gold During The Monday Night War

Something interesting happened for WCW’s tag team title and division during the Monday Night War. On one hand, the company had a wealth of iconic teams at different points, like The Road Warriors, The Steiner Brothers, Harlem Heat, Meng and The Barbarian, Kronik, and different permutations of top cruiserweight talents.

On the other hand, particularly when WCW was around the height of its popularity, the tag titles became less of a defined division than a prop for upper card talents who had cycled away from the world title picture. Some of that has to do with the depth of the roster and WCW striving to find a meaningful spot for its top talents. Some of that also has to do with The Outsiders ruling the roost.

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall had main event level heat, but played second fiddle to Hollywood Hogan throughout the original nWo’s hottest periods. On one hand, one might argue they elevated the tag titles on account of their star power. On the other hand, WCW booked itself into a corner in which most traditional tag teams weren’t portrayed as all that credible against them, requiring make shift star teams to assemble to compete, let alone take the titles.

Sting factored heavily into this picture in 1998. First, he and The Giant took the tittles off The Outsiders, only for the partners to turn on each other and feud over who should carry the title forward. The Icon prevailed and wound up seeing through the rest of his reign teamed with Nash.

Interestingly, Sting would enjoy one more tag title reign before his most recent one in AEW. This one occurred in TNA when it was again unconventional circumstances that led him to the gold. He won a four-way match over AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Christian Cage to be appointed Kurt Angle’s partner for a two-week reign.

Sting’s In-Ring Career Closes Teaming With Darby Allin

The final chapter of Sting’s in-ring career has been all about tag team wrestling in AEW. Every single one of his documented 27 matches to date has occurred with Darby Allin as his partner (and, in some instances, additional partners to make up a three- or four-man team).

So, it’s fitting that Sting would wind up his in-ring career in pro wrestling and AEW alike not only side-by-side with Allin, but reigning as AEW Tag Team Champions. (Incidentally, this title win makes him the only man to have held the tag belts in WCW, TNA, and AEW). This choice not only features Sting while protecting him from too much ring time and physical punishment, but also fits and pays homage to his underrated  legacy as a tag team wrestler.

AEW fans will see in the weeks ahead how Sting’s final angle takes shape en route to his final match. Maybe the presumptive angle of Sting and Darby Allin defending the AEW Championship against The Young Bucks will come to fruition, but maybe some more twists in the road lie ahead. Maybe the babyfaces in face paint will drop the titles as Sting “does the honors” in traditional fashion, or maybe he’ll get an ending befitting only a legend of his stature when he retires as champion. One way or another, fans should be in for something memorable in these final stages of one of the greatest careers in pro wrestling history.

Some movies hit too close to home. Others hit close enough. 

I had friends whose father’s were in Vietnam. They weren’t interested in spending two hours watching Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Tropic Thunder or Good Morning, Vietnam.

My dad was a firefighter. If Ron Howard’s Backdraft wanted a seal of approval, the pyrotechnic scenes were enough to make my dad turn it off. He’s never seen it and doesn’t want to. He had been in the room with his oxygen running out and the fire races up the corner of the wall enough times – he didn’t need to see Kurt Russell deal with it. 

Probably the best example I know involved the Atlanta Olympic bomber.

A journalist friend of mine was in Olympic Park the night Richard Jewell saved hundreds when a terrorist bomb went off. He reviewed music for a sister paper of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was the only reporter who was in the park. He couldn’t leave and no one could get in. 

He walked the area, seen the mangled bodies of people he knew who had made the trip to the Olympics. He handed notes to other reporters by crime scene tape, some written on napkins or whatever he could find. I think he told me he had blood on him at some point, but he wasn’t sure who’s it was.

When Clint Eastwood’s movie Richard Jewell was released in 2019. Jewell was played by Paul Walter Hauser. My reporter friend nearly yelled at me when I asked if he would see the movie. It wasn’t something he wanted to live again or feel again, whether fictional, on film or otherwise. 

I’ve never had a movie hit too close to home like my dad, my friend’s father or my fellow reporter. But I’ve had several hit close enough, and that’s how I felt about The Iron Claw.

I’m old enough to remember the Von Erichs on ESPN and the amazing World Class product at that time. I remember seeing them on the covers of magazines at the grocery store. I remember Kerry Von Erich in the WWF and wondered why an idiot would call him the Texas Tornado. 

In the late 80s, I dealt with suicide before I was even a teenager. In elementary school a classmate told me he was going to kill himself. I was young and I still don’t understand everything that happened, but I alerted a teacher, and then came a principal. Later, I assumed he took something. I don’t know. I never saw him again but was told everything was fine. 

In middle school a friend of mine was found dead in the closet of a juvenile detention home. We were in seventh grade. 

I heard news snippets through those years about Mike and Chris Von Erich, and then Kerry. Some things are too bad to imagine. War is one, family tragedy on this scale was another. Other families had similar tragedies, and the Von Erichs weren’t alone even in wrestling with the Grahams, or even in Dallas at the time of Kerry’s death. 

I talked to Kevin Von Erich once in the early 2000s for a short time. He was a guest on Chairshots Radio with my friend Rod Siciliano. I had called him to ask a few questions about World Class. To call him patient is an understatement. To call him nice doesn’t do him justice. 

I’ve dealt with enough death inside and outside the wrestling business to want to watch it as entertainment. 

When I heard The Iron Claw was in pre-production I was more dismayed than surprise. When I saw Zac Efron attached, I was shocked. I couldn’t understand why an A-list actor would want to tell this story, or what could come of it.

With A24 as the studio, I became confused. Sometimes you’re close enough you can’t see what others see in a story. 

Sean Durkin Does the Impossible

Last weekend I finally watched the movie. Almost daring myself to, despite not wanting any part of it since I heard the project started. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was seeing how close the film came to nailing a David Von Erich promo with Kerry and Kevin standing by him. 

To put how one particular scene moved me is too hard without sharing how much film I’ve watched and how much I’ve written about it. It needs perspective. 

I’ve watched thousands of movies in my life, and written movie reviews for too many websites and blogs to count. 

I’ve written essays and obituaries for RogerEbert.com. An essay I wrote about movie, The Right Stuff, after John Glenn’s death, earned me a comment from Chuck Yeager’s official Twitter account. (A family member, typing instead for him, said they had read my essay to Chuck, whose opinion of my work was, “Other than being full of shit, wasn’t half bad,” which I still consider as one of my proudest moments as a writer.)

Out of all those films I can hardly remember a scene as cathartic, as emotional, as sentimental and one as close to the heart as one I saw in The Iron Claw. 

Inhale enough pop culture, social media, music, film it will numb you to the ups and downs  normal riders take in a movie theater or sitting on your couch or recliner

There’s also this other problem called life. Life turns into a mix of wanting to sleep, apathy, weariness and wishing for just five seconds you could feel what you did at Christmas when you were 10, or at a family gathering with all your cousins, or what it was like the first time you took your son or daughter or home from the hospital. To have a parent or grandparent back for a second, or a long-forgotten day with childhood friends. 

The Iron Claw gave me that moment and after some research I wasn’t the only one. It pulls the humanity that’s covered with callouses out and reminds you why you watch movies or why dumb kids in Ohio watch wrestling families in Texas. 

I wondered what kind of madman would want to write and direct a Von Erich  and what Sean Durkin could possibly tell that hasn’t been re-told tearfully for over 30 years.

The direction and design is flawless. It’s 1985 back to life. The main cast is magical, especially Lily James, Maureen Tierney and Holt McCallany, whose performance is career-making. 

The best moments are between Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons and Harris Dickinson as the brothers, whose performance is almost as a foursome than a four contrasting actors. 

The approach is what makes the movie work. The world and parents fail them, as do the notions of who they should be, but the brothers haven’t failed each other in Durkin’s telling. 

Efron is the most featured, and carries a weight on his back and in his look that’s both drastic and painful to watch. Efron’s Kevin crying and telling his own sons he “used to be a brother” is a blow that rocks as hard as the other moment delivers in comfort. 

Chris Von Erich isn’t mentioned, but blended with Mike. It’s an unfortunate part of making a film like this. But Efron, Durkin and company do right by the family and have earned a long-time fan in doing so. Efron with his graceful, soulful and heavy performance. Durkin in the way I least expected. 

Durkin does what the best directors and writers have always done, from Quentin Tarantino to John Ford. But he is a rare exception that has them beat in one major respect. 

He doesn’t make his movie the way it should have been, but in how we hope it was and in that way, he did the impossible. He gave a graceful fictional ending to an enduring American family tragedy.

The main event picture surrounding Roman Reigns, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes has gobbled up a disproportionate amount of the spotlight on the Road to WrestleMania. Nonetheless, one of the best-built stories WWE has cultivated in recent months revolves, instead around Bayley. 

Bayley won the women’s Royal Rumble and is on a collision course with Iyo Sky after splintering from the Damage CTRL faction. Bayley reached new heights in these past four-plus years as a heel in WWE, but the timing is right for her to return to her babyface roots. There’s all the potential in the world for this new run to exceed Bayley’s first face campaign at the dawn of her WWE career.

WWE Main Roster Fans Have Been Along For The Ride

When WWE launched NXT as its developmental brand and, all the more so, after the WWE Network came around and made developmental programming more accessible for a wider range of fans, the company faced a conundrum. On one hand, NXT was very good. It featured great matches and creative, which cultivated a loyal fan base. The black and gold brand appealed especially well to fans who appreciated the stronger indie sensibility there over what was happening on the main roster.

On the other hand, there are real questions as to whether NXT was succeeding as a developmental training ground, given the disconnect between its style and that of Raw or SmackDown. That’s not to mention that a series of NXT stars struggled on their transition to the main roster.

Bayley was among stars who shone bright in NXT—working her way up the ranks until she became Women’s Champion and arrived as the face of her division. She carried some of that momentum into her main roster run, including promptly becoming a part of the title picture, but never gathered nearly the same level of momentum on Raw or SmackDown.

Part of the problem was a disconnect in how much fans knew or appreciated her story. While a portion of the audience followed NXT faithfully, there was also a portion that only did so casually, or who did not watch the black and gold brand at all. So, while, Bayley came across as a talented hand, they didn’t have elements like her climbing the ranks or her relationship with Izzy to tap into and fall in love with the character. The result was that she felt like a pretty flat babyface a few months into her run.

In 2024, fans know who Bayley is and what she’s capable, not to mention that they’ve had a over seven years to invest in her character. No longer is she the goody-two-shoes they’re supposed to like. They actually like her.

Bayley Is Enough Of A Veteran WWE Fans Like Her By Default

Ric Flair has more than once posed a classic example of the problems with trying to book a truly great heel veteran. No matter how much better a performer is at playing the bad guy, when fans have invested in a performer for long enough at a high enough level, they tend to respect him. Moreover, they want to cheer him.

This same matter has played out for talents ranging from Triple H to Randy Orton to Stone Cold Steve Austin, and there’s a case to be made that it’s happening now with Bayley. The 2024 Royal Rumble winner has proven herself as a great hand and a likable personality inside the ring and out. 

While Bayley has succeeded as a heel, there’s no question she also has an organic groundswell of support behind her from the WWE Universe. Moreover, her heel run stretched long enough that fans were itching to cheer her again, and now they have their chance.

Bayley Has A Compelling Storyline To Kickstart This Babyface Run

A big part of what got Bayley over the hump as one of the franchise players in NXT was her rivalry with Sasha Banks. The Hugger was an underdog who worked her way up to title contention, only to be overmatched against The Boss. As time marched on, though, and a proper feud took shape, Bayley arrived at her crowning moment with show-stealing performance against Banks at the original NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.

Enough time had passed and few enough eyes—proportionally—were on Bayley when she was working classics against Banks that the good will from that run didn’t really carry over to the main roster. Now Bayley has another shot as a babyface, and has not only a Royal Rumble win, but a long story WWE has told in organic fashion between her and Damage CTRL. 

Having her own faction betray her by degrees has set up Bayley as sympathetic. Moreover, her wielding a pipe to fend off an attack she saw coming has set her up not as a victim, but an all-too-rare intelligent babyface who was ready to defend herself against a heel surprise.

The most likely scenario is that Bayley beat Iyo Sky for the title at WrestleMania 40, but even if she doesn’t, she’ll remain a credible part of the title picture as a face, and likely as not win the title shortly thereafter. In either case, Sky is not only a performer Bayley has history and emotional story with, but also an outstanding worker sure to facilitate great matches as Bayley returns to the top.

Only time will tell how Bayley’s new babyface run will play out or how fans will receive it. Regardless, there are plenty of reasons for optimism and plenty of history to play off to make this one of the best runs of her career.

WrestleMania. The Showcase of the Immortals. The Superbowl of Wrestling. The Show of Shows. The Grandest Stage of Them All. The Biggest Sports Entertainment Show of The Year.

If there is one thing that WWE has been consistent about the last 4 decades, it’s selling the story of WrestleMania. With the constant hammering of the importance of the show, they have made it a legend in and of itself.

This legend has reached a point where attending the event is a bucket list item for any wrestling fan and competing on the show is a dream that every aspiring wrestler holds in his heart while entering the squared circle for the first time.

It’s hardly a surprise that Main Eventing WrestleMania is the highest honor in all of Sports Entertainment. The fact that names such as Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Eddie Guerrero, Goldberg, and CM Punk have never been in one only shows that it takes the combination of all four – skill, popularity, timing, and luck for a superstar to reach this pinnacle.

Considering all these factors, it’s hardly a surprise that The Rock, someone who has experienced the phenomenon 5 times in his career before, can’t resist the urge to do it one last time before he calls it a career. The big question, however, is if it’s the right time for it?

The Rock vs. Roman Reigns – A Match Made In Heaven?

The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is a WrestleMania Main Event. The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is THE WrestleMania Main Event. There is no arguing this point.

With almost 400 million followers on Instagram, The Great One is far ahead in terms of popularity and global recognition than the next 9 WWE superstars combined. As John Cena likes to say, The Rock is in a whole other universe of his own.

This is not to say that Roman Reigns is any less. ‘The Big Dog’ already possessed all the tools that he needed to become one of the greatest performers when WWE strapped the rocket to his back in the aftermath of The Shield’s breakup.

Since the start of The Tribal Chief era, however, Reigns has shown that he is also proficient in using all these tools together. The work that Roman has put into his character is something that aspiring wrestlers will be studying for a long time to come, to learn what it truly means to achieve a larger-than-life status.

With everything these two individuals have achieved in their respective careers, the impact of a collision between them will be impossible to replicate. It’s almost impossible to argue why this match shouldn’t Main Event a WrestleMania, but that’s the keyword -almost.

Cody Rhodes – An X Factor

If there is one thing fans have made clear in the aftermath of the events of Friday, it’s that they will not be giving in to this booking decision so easily, if at all.

But why?

There are many who are confused about the reaction of the fans. After all, The Rock vs Roman Reigns IS the bigger match.

It’s the match that will make the most buzz. It’s the match that will make the most headlines. It’s the match that will make the most money.

Cody Rhodes’ story is not about beating Roman Reigns and even then, he can face Roman anytime down the line, but a match like The Rock vs Roman Reigns only happens…. once in a lifetime. 

So why fans are insisting that it should happen this year? Well, it’s because WWE told us so.

If you look at the same time last year, people had many different ideas about who should end Roman Reigns’ undefeated streak. From Seth Rollins to Drew McIntyre and from Sami Zayn to Jey Uso, every contender had a group of fans rooting for them and giving good reasons why their chosen name should be the one that gets the glory.

All this changed however on April 3, 2023.

It was the night after Cody Rhodes’ disheartening defeat at the hands of The Head of The Table the day prior. All the scenarios, all the possibilities that fans had envisioned for the end of Roman’s streak had been used up and for the first time in many months, they had no idea what to expect from this unprecedented run next.

This changed when Cody Rhodes showed up on RAW. While he had worked the whole year to get to Mania 39 and then failed, Rhodes proclaimed that he was not giving up the chase. And WWE let him do so.

While the two stars went on a different path from there, the American Nightmare never lost sight of his bigger goal. From that moment on, the stories of these superstars intertwined in a way that finishing the story became the synonym to ending Roman’s streak.

Match after match, promo after promo, and show after show, Cody worked hard to rebuild the momentum he had lost. And every time he poured his heart into this effort, one more fan bought into his story.

From that moment on, to Royal Rumble this past week, there had been nobody else who fans had in sight to end Roman’s undefeated streak and they had been patiently waiting for the time to come, until plans changed.

The Big Mistake

WWE’s big mistake isn’t booking The Rock vs Roman Reigns, it’s shunning Cody Rhodes on the way to it.

For a whole year and even longer than that, people have bought into the story that Cody is the one. That all the complaints about Roman’s reign have been null, that we are being prepared for a story with as epic of an ending as has been its run.

And now they have gone ahead and changed it.

It’s important to understand here that people are NOT against a match between Roman Reigns and The Rock. If anything, I’d love to see this showdown and all that it will bring, just not at the expense of the only full-time talent in this mix.

This moment, THIS MATCH, is the one that belongs to Cody.

It’s not so much about making the biggest WrestleMania headline. It’s much more about the people who bought tickets to a house show in a lesser-known city 5 months ago. Who went there not expecting Roman Reigns, or The Rock. They were there to see Cody Rhodes. Now once again, they want to see Cody Rhodes.

What’s next?

It’s not like WWE doesn’t know what happens when you test people’s patience beyond the limit. From the Yes Moment! to KofiMania, fans have shown that once the line is crossed, they are willing to go to great lengths to make the company realize their mistake.

Yes, The Rock vs Roman Reigns is still the bigger money match, but the new WWE management now has to decide whether they are willing to trade in the trust of their fans for it.

It wasn’t long ago that pictures of half-empty WWE arenas were a common occurrence, and they were willing to try the most ridiculous of ideas to stop the ratings from falling even further next week – all because they had lost the trust of the fans.

Yes, The Rock is the biggest star on the planet, but if the last few years have shown anything it’s that even the Great One is not invisible.

The failure of the relaunched XFL and the debacle that was the attempted takeover of the DC Universe is still fresh in people’s mind, and now the People’s Champion has to decide if he’s willing to trade in his equity with the only fans that will always welcome him back with open arms otherwise.

Conclusion

WWE can still go ahead with their plans, and as fans, we can’t really stop them. But they won’t be able to stop the fans from reacting to it either.

It’s the one situation where they can’t have their cake and eat it too.

If there is one show The Rock should really be thinking about saving, it’s Elimination Chamber and not WrestleMania.

Over 45,000 fans have bought tickets for the event at Optus Stadium and they’re expecting a grand show. With the absence of notable names such as Seth Rollins and CM Punk, WWE desperately needs to come up with a plan to make the event a success and a half-baked conclusion to the Rhodes vs Roman saga ain’t it. An appearance from TKO’s latest board member, however, could be just the thing it needs.

The Rock needs to realize that a WrestleMania Main Event is not just a match, it’s the personification of the passion that fans hold in their heart. It’s not just about winning and losing, it’s about the dedication that people show by tuning in to episodes of Raw and SmackDown week after week.

For everything he has done for the business, The Rock deserves one last adventure, one final send-off and he deserves it without any controversies. It should be an occasion that fans can cherish for a long time, not something that fans remember as an unjust calamity that came at the cost of hard-working talents. 

It’s time that talents coming in for a headline realize that they have to respect the people who have held the fort down in their absence.  If not they should be ready to face the consequences. I doubt The Rock wants that for his return match after more than a decade. I doubt Ari Emanuel wants that for the first WrestleMania Main Event under his management. 

That’s why I say, The Rock can have his WrestleMania main event, just not this year.

Cody Rhodes not facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania is at bare-minimum, bittersweet, but to a great deal of the WWE fanbase, it’s much more than that.

The Rock stepping the line to face his nephew had to feel like an “American Nightmare” scenario for Cody Rhodes fans on Friday. The full video clip of the segment on SmackDown has already become WWE’s most disliked YouTube clip of all time and so from a creative standpoint, that should give WWE a cause for pause if it hasn’t already. WWE clearly has a “Yes Movement Pt. Deux” on its hands. But as Cody mentor DDP once quipped, “that’s not a bad thing, but a good thing.”

Bryan Danielson was the fan-appointed favorite and for good reason. Just like Cody, the 2014 Daniel Bryan had synergy with wrestling fans and there was no denying riding with him was the move that should have been done. Poor Batista found himself in The Rock spot and he, along with Orton, became the unfortunate conduits for fan ire. Could that segment on SmackDown do the same for The People’s Champion?

The moment has gotten a lot of heat from fans, but how it was executed from all parties involved was beautifully done. Reigns immediately re-established the ability to hang with anyone behind the stick, but Cody became the main man to lay the groundwork for everyone involved. Sure, Roman went scorched earth on Rollins and his ‘Big Gold,’ but that can simply be chalked up to his manipulative ways. Plus, Seth did the same to Roman’s hardware on Monday, calling it a “Hollywood” championship.

It was Cody who helped bring Roman’s Title back to relevance, conjuring up the lineage from the Bruno Sammartino days. If WWE wants to make both titles feel equally desirable, a confrontation between Roman and Seth would do wonders.

Fans are hung up on Rhodes willingly calling an audible with The Rock usurping him in Philly, but Cody’s story ties perfectly into that match up that fans feel scornful of: the aspect of family.

Why does The Rock want Roman? His nephew has corrupted the Maivia and A’noai legacy and turned it into something self-serving. Cody knows all about legacy. The loving ties he has to his late father have been something fans have cherished throughout Cody’s story, so Cody would be the perfect man to understand The Rock’s intentions of wanting to end Roman’s reign. This is all the reason you need to have those respective matches at WrestleMania 40. Which leads me back to “Yes Movement Part Deux”

Can The Rock really be the recipient of boos in Philadelphia? The City of Brotherly Love have shown they aren’t above throwing batteries at Santa Claus, so yes, absolutely. However, it’s a match that has to happen and no matter what, despite what’s being said, it is the proper stage for it to go down on. The fans are who can ultimately change the course of what truly transpires at WrestleMania. Perhaps this feedback will force WWE’s hand in Cody really finishing his story, not just against Seth, but Roman too or maybe even The Rock.

At the very least, it will continue to add an unexpected chapter to Cody’s story: “‘The Thrill Of The Chase’ Continues” – a chapter Dusty originally penned. These hard times will pay off for The American Nightmare, because he has the fans on his side.

In 2006, Vince McMahon walked into the Tanzabar salon, located in a strip mall in Boca Raton, Fla. 

The 22-year-old woman who worked at the salon didn’t recognize McMahon when he asked her to take a photo of him with his phone. She certainly didn’t recognize him when he started showing him nude and semi-nude photos of himself. 

She asked him to stop, but he didn’t, according to a police report filed at the time of the incident. She asked him to stop trying to kiss her, she asked him to stop groping her chest and the rest of her body. She asked him to stop when she pushed him away from her.

While McMahon waited in a his black Hummer for 20 minutes, she ran from the salon to a Papa John’s Pizza located in the same mall. Crying, bawling, upset – she had just been sexually assaulted. 

A Papa John’s employee who had waited with the victim at the salon recognized McMahon in a lineup, as did another customer who was at the salon. The victim didn’t. The Boca Raton Police Department said there was enough evidence to charge McMahon with simple assault, but prosecutors decided there wasn’t enough evidence. 

In Florida at the time, there had to be photo evidence, another witness or law enforcement on hand to witness the simple assault – a case where to charge McMahon they needed evidence above a reasonable doubt, which is the usual standard for which someone is found guilty in a criminal court proceeding. Instead, McMahon was found “exceptionally cleared” and the case, filings made by prosecutors disappeared, and only a few articles of the incident remain online, most prominently one on the Daily Beast’s website from 2018, which remarked McMahon’s return of the XFL and how he was looking for “exceptional human beings” for his football league. 

McMahon is certainly an exceptional human being. The civil complaint, filed last week in federal district court in Connecticut by Janel Grant, alleges the exceptional lengths McMahon will go to groom, manipulate, humiliate, and assault a person. 

Rumors of McMahon’s bad behavior existed for years. As an investigative reporter, I’ve kept a spread sheet of McMahon’s sexual predatory behavior, potential victims, cases, settlements and other items detailing the alleged criminal activities of McMahon toward women. Even in the sordid details of the dozens of cases, nothing suggested the type of monstrous behavior – listed detail after nauseating detail – in the 67 pages of Grant’s civil complaint. 

As someone who has covered crime and courts in the past, it’s one of the most sickening documents I’ve ever read. 

The complaint itself is exceptional for more than just the demented behavior of McMahon. Even though it’s a civil complaint, almost all of the offenses it accuses McMahon are criminal. Rape, sex trafficking, assault – this complaint was laid out like a criminal court proceeding. 

The only non-criminal complaint in the civil filing is McMahon violating the terms of the non-disclosure agreement he sign with Grant while he was being investigated by WWE’s board in 2022. McMahon, for all his ego and his billions, made one $1 million payment to Grant for all that she suffered, and he refused to make the subsequent payments of the $3 million payment McMahon decided was a fair sum for her dignity, sexuality, humanity and mental well-being. 

The complaint is what a lawyer would describe as rock solid. Dates, times, places, text messages and possible video evidence – against McMahon, WWE and John Laurinaitis, the former head of WWE talent, whose alleged role in Grant’s torture is as sick as McMahon’s. Laureinaitis claims he was a victim of McMahon, not his former boss’ partner in crime.

William Tong is the attorney general for the State of Connecticut. Timothy Shaw is the chief of the Stamford Police Department. Colonel Daniel Loughman runs the Connecticut State Police. Everyday this case isn’t made a criminal investigation is a criminal case of apathy by the state of Connecticut, the federal government and any place Grant suffered abuse.

Where are the criminal charges against McMahon?

Six months ago, World Wrestling Entertainment announced during a quarterly report that McMahon was the subject of a federal grand jury inquiry. He was being investigated and warrants had been issued. 

What that inquiry is about is unknown, probably until the grand jury decides to indict McMahon or not. At the time, it was assumed by many following the fiscal end of the pro wrestling business that McMahon was under further investigation by the Securities Exchange Commission after he made payouts to other victims following his payout to Grant.

At some point, in the coming months, that grand jury is going to come down with an indictment. 

At some point, law enforcement will have to look at the case made by Grant and her attorney’s, the mountains of evidence they have against McMahon.

At some point, law enforcement, McMahon’s family, past victims, female wrestlers and employees, his friends and his loyal employees, will read this complaint and realize much of this they’ve read before.

Predators and rapists work in patterns. McMahon was accused by former WWE referee Rita Chatterton of trying to force her to have a certain sex act with him. If you read previous accusations against McMahon, or the Grant complaint, the same patterns are here. 

There’s no more excuses – McMahon is who is actions have said he has been for the last 40 years. It’s time for law enforcement – at the local, state and federal levels – the courts, prosecutors and the people in charge in Connecticut to protect their citizens, file a criminal case against McMahon and put him away. Women aren’t safe with McMahon free. He’s Harvey Weinstein with a wrestling company instead of a movie company. He may be more deranged. 

It’s all over

The civil suit states Stephanie McMahon, when she temporarily replaced her dad as head of WWE, never interviewed Grant when they investigated their relationship during McMahon’s initial removal from WWE’s board.

The company has said it had reached out to Grant, but didn’t get a response. That won’t save any member of the McMahon family with TKO’s board. It won’t save Paul Levesque, who was on the road and backstage with McMahon through his most sordid days. 

Levesque’s performance before an even milquetoast group of questioners at the Royal Rumble press conference shows how little he understands the reality of the situation he’s in. He’s done. Nick Khan is done. Bruce Pritchard is done. 

Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported most of those in the company with ties to McMahon expect to be gone – and soon. Top level employees like Jim Cornette and Eric Bischoff, were sickened by the details of the civil suit, believe this is the end. And they’re right. 

WWE’s employees have been quiet. Ronda Rousey spoke out, going to twitter and calling Bruce Pritchard an avatar for McMahon, saying if he’s there then McMahon is running WWE. That Rousey would take a stand isn’t surprising – she isn’t from the twisted world of pro wrestling that views McMahon as untouchable. She’s like Grant, where they come from reality, where even the guy who hands out checks has to follow the law. 

Nikki and Brie Garcia – the former Bella Twins – voiced support for the victim on their joint Twitter account. Garcia’s step-father is John Laurinaitis, the other party in the civil complaint. If the timetable in the suit is correct, Laurinaitis was having forced sexual favors with Grant while the Garcia’s mother was undergoing cancer treatment.

Linda McMahon will be filing for divorce at some point. Their marriage was a business arrangement for years, maybe decades. They make Bill and Hillary Clinton look like an old fashion romance. She won’t risk her financial well-being on waiting out her husband’s perversions. 

Levesque may believe he’s irrepla
ceable in WWE as its creative head, but he’s not. Nick Khan is not irreplaceable. What they are is open sores from an investigation that found McMahon should not return to WWE’s board, but voted for him to do so anyway. There’s the same people who wrote in an SEC filing – reported by CNN – that McMahon was a massive financial and litigation risk for WWE if he were to remain on its board. 

Yet there he was, until last week, as the Executive Chairman of TKO – both UFC and WWE – having just finished negotiating UFC TV rights with Saudi Arabia. 

McMahon’s next deal will be pleading guilty. Grant and her attorneys have expressed their goal with their suit is to shine a light on McMahon, WWE and other victims who are out there. They won’t be settling. And this won’t be passed on by law enforcement. 

Prosecutors will have to stand up this time. There won’t be shrugging at the goofy, ridiculous pro wrestling guy, an act McMahon has perfected since the 1980s to ward off journalists, until Bob Costas took him out. Weinstein fell, Bill Cosby fell, McMahon is falling and he’s going to jail, and it’s only a matter of time. 

Something this bad can’t be ignored. 

One lesson we all should have learned through recent years is to take bad actors at their word. When they say they will do bad things, or have, take them at their word. McMahon’s actions have spoken the same thing for decades, as far back as 1986 when Rita Chatterton had a life-breaking experience in a limo with McMahon. He told us who he was then, we just never listened.

For the victims, for the future women in pro wrestling, for those not yet walking or born, it’s time we take him at his word. 

The ending of WrestleMania 39 marked one of the biggest storyline disappointments in recent WWE memory. Cody Rhodes won the Royal Rumble and had a groundswell of fan support behind him as the incumbent top babyface and world champion. However, his main event match with Roman Reigns ended in all too familiar fashion, with The Bloodline offering outside interference and snatching The American Nightmare’s big win from him at the last moment.

One year later, Rhodes has accomplished the unlikely in maintaining his momentum as the top babyface in the company, only to win another Royal Rumble and presumably set up a WrestleMania main event rematch. The history of how back-to-back Rumble winners have fared at ‘Mania suggests Rhodes has a major victory on the way.

Every Man To Win The Royal Rumble In Back-To-Back Years Lost At WrestleMania After The First Win And Won At WrestleMania After The Second

In the years 1990 and 1991, Hulk Hogan became the first person to ever win back-to-back Royal Rumbles. This was before WWE instated any formal WrestleMania or title ramifications for winning the Rumble. Nonetheless, Hogan went on to main event ‘Mania both of those years. 

In 1990, Hogan went into both the Rumble and ‘Mania as the reigning WWE Champion, but wound up losing his title to The Ultimate Warrior in the Toronto SkyDome. In 1991, Hogan won the Rumble and went on to successfully challenge WWE Champion Sgt. Slaughter at WrestleMania.

In 1995 and 1996, Shawn Michaels won back-to-back Rumbles. By that point winning the Rumble did, most years, mean challenging for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. HBK came up short in challenging Diesel at WrestleMania 11, but the next year beat Bret Hart in an Iron Man Match to win his first world title.

1997 and 1998 saw Steve Austin win back-to-back Royal Rumbles. 1997’s Rumble had a chaotic finish to kick off a chaotic Road to WrestleMania. 

First, Austin was eliminated from the Rumble, but while referees were distracted, allowing him to sneak back into the match and oust Bret Hart for the win. Austin not only didn’t end up getting a title shot at WrestleMania, but lost to The Hitman at that event. One year later, things were more straightforward as Stone Cold won the Rumble then took the title off Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 14.

Cody Rhodes has now joined elite class of two-time Rumble winners. Like his predecessors, he lost in his first world title match at WrestleMania. History suggests that the second time will play out differently.

Similarities Between The Stories Of Cody Rhodes, Shawn Michaels, And Steve Austin

Like Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin after they won their second Royal Rumbles, Cody Rhodes embarks on this Road to WrestleMania as arguably the top babyface in the company and a man who has never won a world title before.

Also, similar to HBK and Stone Cold, The American Nightmare enters WrestleMania 40 as the presumptive champion-in-waiting. Michaels had, by 1996, solidified his place as one of the greatest workers in the world, not to mention a strong talker. 

On a similar note, while Austin had a lot of momentum in early 1997, by 1998 there was little question he was the most over wrestler in WWE. Rhodes occupies a similar space a popular star with both the in-ring and promo skills to make him a viable choice to end Roman Reigns’s historic title run.

Rhodes also enjoys some overlap with Austin as a talent who was arguably underappreciated in another national promotion before proving himself in WWE. Austin had been a tag team and mid-card act in WCW for years whom the promotion never really gave a shot on top, only to reinvent himself in WWE and arrive as “the guy.” 

Similarly, there’s a sense that AEW took Rhodes for granted, excluding him from the main event picture, only to prove himself as a legit top-level star after he returned to WWE.

Differences Between Cody Rhodes And Other Back-To-Back Royal Rumble Winners

For all the similarities between Cody Rhodes and previous back-to-back Royal Rumble winners, and the suggestion of a pattern that favors him winning at WrestleMania, there are some differences worth paying attention to as well.

Hulk Hogan had the most differences from Rhodes. It wasn’t so much the case that the Royal Rumble legitimized The Hulkster, but rather that Hogan legitimized the Rumble. After Jim Duggan and Big John Studd won the first two iterations of the match, Hogan solidified as an event with main event implications. 

By 2023, the Royal Rumble was solidified for decades as one of the most important matches in wrestling, and as such winning the 2023 edition shored up Rhodes as a top guy in a way he arguably wasn’t previously. Moreover, Hogan’s win at WrestleMania 7 marked his third time as WWE Champion, while Rhodes is chasing his first reign.

Both Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin won their first Royal Rumbles as heels and walked into the WrestleMania to follow as underdogs—WWE not ready to supplant Diesel as the new face of the company, while Austin was going up against an ultra-credible Bret Hart. Most fans actually did favor The American Nightmare to “pull the sword from the stone” at WrestleMania 39 and end Roman Reigns’s already-long title run. It was a major disappointment when that didn’t come together, but that only fuels the idea that Rhodes will “finish the story” this year.

If recent years have taught wrestling fans anything, it’s not to take any outcome for granted, as anything may well happen. Nonetheless, Cody Rhodes—the son of the great Dusty Rhodes, whose persona is steeped in wrestling history—has WWE history on his side this year as he broaches his second WrestleMania main event.

The 2024 WWE Royal Rumble PLE is in the books and the road to WrestleMania is officially started. 

This year’s event in front of over 40,000 fans inside Tropicana Field in Tampa, Florida was as hot as we thought it would be thanks to special returns, major moments, and key directions taken on the way to WrestleMania 40 in April. 

What are the highs? Lows? Most memorable moments? Forgettable moments? We’re here for you.

Royal Rumble Pre-Show

The event began with a Hulk Hogan voiced promo vignette that hyped the show and the entire time I asked myself “why?” It’s shameful for WWE to continue trotting Hogan out in a way that highlights him and positions him front and center as a spokesperson for the company. What sort of needle move does he provide the company at this point? It’s bad any week, but especially this one, in which WWE was playing damage control thanks to Vince McMahon and the horrific allegations against him. 

Hogan aside, the open to the show was excellent. The vignette did the hype job, but WWE also showed various stars like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, CM Punk, and Rhea Ripley arriving at the building. It felt like something the UFC would produce and worked to position those competing tonight as the cream of the crop.

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Naomi, Grace, weird Nattie elimination. Dupri. Cargill over Jax.

The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble took a while to get going, but once it did, it worked very well. 

The root story throughout was two-fold — Bayley lasting for a long time as the iron man of the bout and Nia Jax rolling through other entrants to build up for the showdown with the debuting Jade Cargill. The latter story was executed perfectly. Cargill taking Jax would popped the audience and made her look as impressive as WWE hyped her to be since she first signed with the company. Cargill didn’t win, but had a memorable debut that will play with fans as she continues to appear on television.

Other notable takeaways? Jordynne Grace made her Rumble debut, but of course as a member of the TNA roster as the company’s Knockouts Champion. Grace showed a lot out there and was given a bunch even though she isn’t a part of WWE. She also was gifted a prominent elimination by Bianca Belair in a memorable KOD onto the ring apron spot.

Speaking of TNA stars, Naomi made her return to WWE during the match as the number two entrant in the match. I could do without the GLOW gimmick and comes across as a bigger star without it, but it stands out with WWE’s top tier production.

The real loser of the match was Maxine Dupri. Yikes. Michael Cole touted her as “heavily improved” as she walked to the ring, but then botched multiple spots and looked entirely out of her element. 

Bayley was the winner of the match after a fun final elimination of Cargill and the returning Liv Morgan. Bayley has already had a WrestleMania championship match in the works against fellow Damage CNTRL member, Iyo Sky, and her winning here is a smart way to continue that program and officially get to the match.

The match didn’t have any signature returns in the form of a Sasha Banks or an AJ Lee, but it was entertaining for what it was and left enough on the table for the men’s match later in the night.

Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles – WWE Universal Championship

There just isn’t much to say about this one. Roman Reigns is still the champion and the world knew he would be. It’s the problem with nearly every single Royal Rumble championship match. 

There were some cool moments in this with Reigns piling up his opponents and trying to pin them. The Solo Sikoa interference got boos, but not the right kind. Reigns’ continued reliance on interference in matches has run thin and that was the response more than true heel heat.

It was what it was, but nobody will remember this one next year at this time.

Logan Paul vs. Kevin Owens – WWE United States Championship

A pretty good match with a lousy finish. Logan Paul getting handed brass knuckles only for Kevin Owens to use them and get caught with them was backwards from a psychological perspective and left the audience confused on how to react. Happy because Owens used the knuckles? I guess. Frustrated that he lost? That too. 

The idea here and the takeaway is that WWE wanted to make sure both Paul and Owens were protected. They did that, but by the end it seemed unnecessary given that Owens is someone on the roster that can reliably lose, but still be just as over. Plus, Paul will certainly be lined up for a WrestleMania match, so why not just have him win and win clean.

The whole thing is ripe for a rematch.

Men’s Royal Rumble Match 

Given the strong build to the match, star power included, and different directions to go in terms of a winner, “they got where they needed to go,” isn’t high praise. It’s reality, though. 

The 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, didn’t grip the audience like the women’s match did this year and was full of odd focuses around talent that didn’t deserve them. Karrion Kross and Bobby Lashley got a huge moment in the match and the Tropicana Field audience couldn’t have cared less. Add into that some ill-timed production botches for key moments and the result was a bit of a mess when it came to in-match stories and moments. 

CM Punk received a strong reaction. Cody did too, so it was fitting that those two were the final two standing. Neither got the hyped up reaction you’d want for their moment because the already timid crowd was split thanks to the stories of both Punk and Cody going into the match. The crowd seemed to side more with Cody and popped when he won.

Other notable angles coming out surround Bron Breakker, who was featured prominently with multiple eliminations, but the victim of the production botch that saw his key elimination of Omos essentially forgotten and not featured with a timed out camera shot. It happened, but nobody saw it thanks to JD McDonagh’s entrance occurring at the same exact time. Carmelo Hayes also was featured due to how long he lasted in the match, but didn’t have the same type of dominant focus as Breakker did. 

So, it was fine. Cody heads to the main event of WrestleMania against Roman Reigns and the Raw side of the WrestleMania main event will get sorted out soon. It needed more big spots, more “moments,” more action, and much less focus on undercard stories. But, they got where they needed to go in the end. 

Overall

Kind of a bizarre night at the office for WWE. The Royal Rumble intrigue is firmly rooted in the element of surprise and neither the men’s or women’s Rumble match had a major one. Little ones in each, but nothing earth shattering. 

The filler matches between both Rumbles were incredibly disappointing with finishes that came across as weak and passive. Those helped slow the audience momentum ahead of the main event, which couldn’t fully pull a reaction of any kind out of the crowd.

It’s a C grade show and definitively so.

It’s already raining in WWE. Raining talent, raining momentum, and raining zeros in the form of billions for a brand spanking new, state of the art streaming agreement with Netflix. Things are good for Triple H, Nick Khan, and The Rock up in Stamford, but a storm is coming. A rain storm. A rain storm of excitement. 

The Rainmaker.

Last week, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that Kazuchika Okada would be leaving their company when his contract ends this month. Okada is a New Japan legend, multiple time heavyweight champion, and the man partly responsible for the company’s rebirth a decade ago.

This week, Monthly Puroresu reported that Okada was headed to WWE, a move that would shock the system in pro wrestling given Okada’s relationship with AEW and WWE’s poor history of booking top tier Japanese talent. 

A different WWE

WWE deserves all the criticism in the world for that ineptitude, but they are a different company today than they were a year ago. International expansion is a key maneuver to growth and has manifested itself in major PLE shows taking place around the world in places like Germany, the UK, and annual blood money extravaganzas in Saudi Arabia. In 2024, WWE is expanding that slate of shows to include major events in Australia and France. Japan is surely a smart play in that grand plan for WWE global dominance and Kazuchika Okada is the biggest Japanese star on earth to carry the WWE flag into the market. 

So, Okada makes perfect business sense for an expanding global company. The excitement doesn’t just reside in a corporate board room, though. Okada in a WWE ring and on WWE Raw or Smackdown weekly should jolt excitement for wrestling fans too. What would a Kazuchika Okada run look like in WWE? Let’s take a look.

The first thing that stands out for an Okada run in WWE is all the fresh matches he can have with top talent on the roster. That reality is the key reason why Okada to WWE is more exciting than Okada to AEW. There’s a lot of “been there, done that” for him in AEW — not so in WWE.

Dream matches galore

Roman Reigns is the first stand out opponent that comes to mind when making a Cody Rhodes-esque list of matches of Okada in WWE. Reigns is and has been the top dog in WWE and Okada was his equal in New Japan. A clash between those titans would generate global interest and would be an excellent in-ring showcase, too. Stylistically, Reigns and Okada are capable of having a classic.

Okada vs. CM Punk? There’s a match that nobody thought would ever happen. Even when Punk was surviving in AEW, he was disconnected from Okada and behind guys in AEW like Bryan Danielson for the big Okada crossover match. WWE certainly would have been the last company predicted to showcase the match, but now it’s more than a possibility. Okada and Punk is a match for the diehards. A true pro wrestling dream match that those who understand the history of both guys, understand why it’s as big as it is.

How about Okada against Cody Rhodes? The world saw this match at the NJPW G1 USA Special in July of 2017 when Cody was free on the independent circuit. Okada won the match and retained his IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Was it a taste of things to come? Not really. In 2017, there wasn’t a reason to believe the match would happen again in a major capacity for a big company, so it was what it was then. In 2024, Cody Rhodes is premiere level star for the biggest wrestling company in the world. Running the match back at a top WWE level has dollar signs all around it.

What else? Oh, Brock Lesnar. You could plaster “The Beast vs. “The Rainmaker” on billboards everywhere and it would pop as much as anything else WWE could book. My body hurts just thinking about this one. Brock Lesnar is the bigger man, but Okada can deliver his stuff as stiff as anyone. The two would beat the tar out of one another much like Gunther and Sheamus did at Clash at the Castle in 2022. What wrestling fan wouldn’t want to see that?

Hmm, speaking of Gunther? Gunther vs. Okada sounds like a dream match to me. Gunther has been the most well booked new act in the last five years in WWE and stands heads above the rest of the current, everyday roster because of it. He’s been treated as something special and a program with Okada would certainly reemphasize that point. The match would go a lot like a Lesnar vs. Okada match would go in terms of the tar being beaten out of both men. I’d be looking out for the chop battle. Okada can bring em. Gunther can too. WWE medical team, get the bandages ready.

Seth Rollins is a strong opponent for Okada. Rollins is a prototypical WWE wrestler and would be a good person for Okada to work with early in his run to adapt to the WWE style ring-wise, but production-wise too. Rollins is a pro and their names on a marquee could sell an event nicely for the company.

That’s enough matches for two years of Kazuchika Okada programs in WWE, but I’ll keep going because it’s fun to dream big. John Cena, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, AJ Styles again, Finn Balor, LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Logan Paul, Rey Mysterio, and heck even Dominik Mysterio all provide Okada with top level opponents. Up and coming NXT talent work opposite Okada too. Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, and Trick Williams are future members of the WWE roster with whom Okada can work with. 

Honestly, it’s an embarrassment of riches. WWE legends, current top stars, future top stars? It’s all there for Okada on one rainy gold freaking platter.  

Okada WWE moments

It’s not all about the matches. WWE has built it’s brand on moments and Okada has a plethora of those waiting for him if he shows up. 

Okada’s first WrestleMania appearance will be huge. First, the notion of that happening was unfathomable six months ago, so the unbelievable turning into reality is a moment in and of itself. The spectacle of WrestleMania is enormous, though. Okada will get the shine in front of 80,000 plus and will check a bucket list item, while collecting a thick, thick check at the same time. 

This next moment likely won’t happen this year barring some kind of unforeseen circumstance, but Okada in the Royal Rumble will be forever a lasting memory. The pageantry of surprise Royal Rumble appearances is deeply rooted within WWE lore. John Cena had a big return at the event. AJ Styles had his moment in the sun thanks to the surprise of the Royal Rumble. Same thing with Edge and others. Okada would join those ranks and that’s some great company. 

Further down the road, Okada joining the WWE Hall of Fame is a moment. Again, unthinkable just a few months ago, but if he joins the company, why not? Okada will certainly get his New Japan flowers at some point, but proper recognition in the United States is essential. The WWE Hall of Fame has it’s issues, of course, but remains a strong way to solidify a mark on the wrestling business. It would be fun to see someone with ties to Okada’s Japanese history like Shinsuke Nakamura or AJ Styles do the induction, wouldn’t it? 

Gaze into the crystal ball

That’s how the crystal ball looks to me when gazing deep into Kazuchika Okada as a member of the WWE roster. Excited? You should be. 

Now, WWE has a history of completely botching international stars. If you’re worried about how Okada would be treated, you should be. WWE has to prove itself from that perspective, but Okada is the perfect star to do it with. 

Okada joining WWE is one of those rare “it works for everyone” moments in pro wrestling. As a company, WWE wins with him signing. They’d have access to an international megastar that lines up perfectly with thei
r global business strategy. Okada wins. He gets to expand his star power to the biggest wrestling company in the world and will do so while earning top dollar for his services. The fans win too. See above. The matches and the moments Okada can have in WWE speak for themselves.

It’s pouring ladies and gentleman. Okada in WWE? Let’s sing in the rain. 

The 2024 edition of WWE’s Royal Rumble is right around the corner. One of the reasons fans look forward to this show each year is propensity for it to feature not only major surprises across the field of 60 Rumble participants between the men’s and women’s versions of the matches, but also surprises of consequence given this PPV also kicks off the Road to WrestleMania.

There is an especially high volume of speculation this year. There’s the possibility of noteworthy clashes within each Rumble match, as well as a number of talents poised to return from injury or other absences from WWE. Moreover, there are NXT talents who could be very interesting to add to the main roster mix right about now.

A Cody Rhodes Vs. CM Punk Encounter

One of the bigger dream matches WWE currently has its disposal is Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk. The only encounters between the two have come in tag team situations and battle royals, besides a couple of forgettable singles bouts on Raw before either man had attained main event status in WWE.

A proper feud between Rhodes and Punk doesn’t necessarily make much sense for the next few months. Assuming they both stay healthy, Punk appears to be on a collision course with Seth Rollins for WrestleMania, besides teasing a feud with Drew McIntyre. Meanwhile, The American Nightmare has unfinished business with Roman Reigns.

The Royal Rumble affords a natural spot for these two to face off though, perhaps working together or, all the more appealing, trading some moves to hint at an eventual destiny with one another going one-on-one on a big stage. The pairing is all the more intriguing because these two are on the short list of legit contenders to win this year’s men’s Royal Rumble, and given how Punk called out Rhodes recently on Raw.

Ava Raine Gets Established On The Main Roster

Despite her inexperience and not having the most prominent placement in NXT, The Rock’s daughter, Ava Raine, has had a great deal of intrigue around her since she signed with WWE. The 2024 Royal Rumble would provide an interesting platform to more formally introduce her to the main roster audience.

On one hand, there’s a low stakes opportunity for Raine to participate in the women’s Royal Rumble. WWE has, on quite a few occasions, had developmental prospects make one-off main roster appearances to work in this spot. This role both makes fans aware of an up-and-comer and gives them a proving ground working in front of a larger audience than usual.

On the other hand, The Rock’s recent appearance on WWE Raw brought up its share of speculation about his involvement moving forward with WWE, up to and including main eventing WrestleMania opposite Roman Reigns. With Rock’s own daughter in the company and one of the few people tied to the Anoa’I family who is not already in the Bloodline story, it could be pretty fascinating to introduce her as a point of intrigue, perhaps with Rock and Reigns dueling for her loyalties.

A Protected Appearance From Gable Steveson

Gable Steveson was a white-hot prospect when WWE signed him fresh off winning a gold medal in wrestling in the Olympics. Unfortunately, both from what fans have been able to observe from his on-screen appearances to date and from the rumor mill coming out of the Performance Center, it seems he hasn’t picked up pro wrestling as quickly as one would hope.

Still, he has worked house show matches in NXT, and more recently dark matches before SmackDown tapings, all of which suggests WWE hasn’t given up on him and may even be looking at introducing him on the blue brand in the near future. The Royal Rumble would be a natural spot to have him show up, hit a few belly-to-belly suplexes, and remind fans he’s around before someone sneaks in an elimination or the numbers game catches up to him.

The Return Of Andrade

Andrade’s AEW contract ran out at the end of 2023, as confirmed by Tony Khan in the media scrum after the Worlds End PPV, making him an intriguing free agent. His previous WWE run ended in frustration when he didn’t get much of a push on the main roster.

With Triple H now in charge of WWE creative though, and the history of Helmsley pushing Andrade in NXT, there might be a friendlier landscape for the luchador to return to the company now. That’s in addition to him having married WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair last year.

Rey Mysterio Tends To Unfinished Business

Rey Mysterio has been out of action due to a knee injury. While there’s no definitive word on when he’ll be ready to get back in the ring, most of the early forecasts suggested he should be healed up by mid-January.

Mysterio is a fan favorite, sure to get a good pop for a surprise return in the Royal Rumble. Moreover, there are multiple roles he could naturally play upon coming back. The most obvious route would be for him to seek revenge on Santos Escobar and company who, in kayfabe, were responsible for his absence. 

Mysterio has also commented on wanting to work an eventual hair vs. hair match with his son Dominik. The father returning to spoil the son’s Rumble could set the wheels in motion for that big-time gimmick match at WrestleMania this year.

There are plenty of possibilities for how this year’s Royal Rumble PPV could play out. That includes other rumors around prospective returns for Naomi or Liv Morgan, and speculation about whether some of Sean Waltman’s social media posts may be hinting at an appearance. Regardless, it seems fans can be certain there’s an entertaining show in store, and that it will have at least few twists and turns.

When that teaser came at Bound for Glory that Impact Wrestling was returning to its roots of TNA Wrestling, I admit to questioning the thought process. However, seeing the energy and excitement in the weeks leading up to Hard to Kill those concerns melted away. Then after a strong pay-per-view, I witnessed the rebrand firsthand over two nights of television tapings at the Osceola Park in Kissimmee. I can now say with confidence they made the right move. TNA! TNA! TNA!

The company used the venue just a year prior, but there was something about seeing the set complete with the yellow and red color scheme, and tunnel and hearing those TNA chants again. Talk about goosebumps. So many memories started flooding back for TNA’s Orlando homecoming, thinking about all the shows I used to attend at the Universal Orlando. A lot of the promotion’s history can be traced to Central Florida. My wife remarked to me on the first night of the shows that she felt the nostalgia, especially seeing longtime talents like Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, and Frankie Kazarian.

Friday’s event proved extra special for Trinity Fatu. The former Knockouts champion had family in attendance for this homecoming. This Orlando native and former Orlando Magic dancer glowed a little more than usual as she teamed with current women’s title holder Jordynne Grace against Gisele Shaw and Savannah Evans. Following the match, Trinity spoke to the fans about what her TNA run has meant. It was a tearful goodbye, amid rumors of where she would end up next including going back to WWE. Claps could be heard from the TNA team when Trinity made her way backstage.

It may have been the last night for one performer, but for the former Dolph Ziggler, the tapings served as the continuation of a new chapter. Nic Nemeth worked Trey Miguel and advanced his feud with Steve Maclin. In a nice tribute to Trinity, and in typical Nic fashion, he wore Trin’s robe during their meet-and-greet after. The Grizzled Young Vets showed up and showed out in their Orlando return, this time under the TNA banner, with two great matches during Friday and Saturday against ABC Bullet Club tag team chants Chris Bey and Ace Austin. Their chemistry was on full display.

TNA Impact Tapings (Night 2)

Night 2 featured the TNA in-ring debut of the former Dana Brooke, now known as Ash by Elegance. The entrance, complete with George Iceman’s grand intro, made her come off as a big-time star. It’s too early to tell how fruitful this run will be, but it’s clear a lot of time and care is being put into Ash’s presentation. That alone is a step forward for the new signing. Speaking of fresh starts, it looks to be one for Simon Gotch. A strong return for the former Vaudevillian. Another AJ in AJ Francis certainly making an impact. The former Hit Rower had an entertaining segment with Joe Hendry.

It was fun experiencing high-production entrances at the events. At the top was PCO, whose Frankenstein-inspired visuals really added a lot. The same for the Decay and MK Ultra. Speaking of the female talent, Xia Brookside has come a long way since her first introduction to audiences in the WWE Mae Young Classic.

For me, a breakout during the tapings was Kevin Knight. The New Japan Pro Wrestling star really turned heads working with Alex Shelley and Kushida against The System. His interaction, particularly against TNA Champ Moose, made me want to see two from both of them.

In all, a good set of shows leading into the No Surrender event in the weeks to come. TNA is gaining momentum one fan at a time. I took someone who had never seen pro wrestling or been to a show before. She had the time of her life. So if you find them in your town, make sure to check them out and support this crew because they will give you your money’s worth. 

2024 is here and with it comes a treasure trove of free agent wrestlers that are chomping at the bit to make a difference and collect a paycheck. 

2023 was a boom for the pro wrestling industry. WWE stood strong at the top of the food chain and ushered in a new era of the company under the banner of Endeavor and the newly formed TKO Group with the UFC. With Vince McMahon on the creative sideline for much of the year, the WWE roster as it’s shaped right now was done through the thoughtful lens of WWE Chief Content Officer, Paul (Triple H) Levesque. 

Levesque constructed his talent roster with standard WWE mainstays like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and others, but also rounded it out with “Triple H guys and women” like Karrion Kross, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Nia Jax, and Bronson Reed — all talents that made their way through the Triple H led NXT system at some point early in their run with the company. Triple H also broke the internet and the brains of wrestling fans when he orchestrated the WWE return of CM Punk.

Over in the land of AEW, Tony Khan added to his roster in 2023 by bringing in notable talent like Kota Ibushi, Adam Copeland, Billie Starkz, Nick Wayne, Jay White, Mariah May, and also announced signing of world renowned wrestler, Will Ospreay, to a contract beginning this year.

Impact Wrestling and their soon rebrand back to TNA saw an influx of new talent hit their ring in 2023. Trinity was the most notable name of the bunch. After being away from wrestling for months due to her walkout of WWE with Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) Trinity made her debut in April and won the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship in July. 

New Japan Pro Wrestling maintained the status quo in a lot ways when it comes to their roster with the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Sanada, and Hiroshi Tanahashi at the top of the company. They onboarded a few new faces including Wheeler Yuta and Mike Bailey for one off appearances and will continue to make a splash in 2024 with the appearances of Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler) and Matt Riddle.

Many potential free agents landed with companies at the end of 2023. CM Punk signed with WWE, Rey Mysterio renewed his deal with WWE, Dominik Mysterio did the same. Charlotte Flair also signed with WWE and will remain with the company for the foreseeable future. Tony Khan opened up the checkbook to keep Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Adam Page under contract with AEW.

There are plenty of free agents that will hit the open market in 2024 and where they’ll land could significantly change the outlook of the industry by the time things are said and done. The free agents we’ll analyze are talents that would have considerable impact on the organization they’re leaving and joining, and have contracts that will reportedly be up in 2024, leaving them open to joining a new promotion. First up..

Mercedes Mone

Mercedes Mone, formerly Sasha Banks, is the talk of the wrestling world and the top free agent that is currently open and available to sign a contract. Mone famously stormed out of Monday Night Raw in May of 2022, walking out of the company where she became famous and landed in Japan as a part of New Japan Pro Wrestling and Stardom. Mone had matches against Kairi Sane and others in Japan, but was injured in the summer of 2023 and has appeared for any wrestling promotion since. 

Both AEW and WWE will try to roll out the red carpet for Mone. Talks between Mone and WWE reportedly stalled, but with the Royal Rumble on the horizon and WWE showing their chops in hiding major surprises with CM Punk, a surprise appearance at the annual event can’t be overlooked.

Mone in AEW is an interesting proposition. The women’s division in the company has searched for it’s face and top star since it’s inception in 2019 and Mone could finally bring direction and top tier star power that it’s needed. With matches against Toni Storm, Britt Baker, Jaime Hayter, Saraya, and Hikaru Shida all potentially viable, signing Mone gives Tony Khan multiple years worth of material for his women’s division. 

Mone to WWE is a safe play that will pay her lots of money, but AEW is the intriguing one with fresh matches and business abound.

Drew McIntyre

Much has been made about Drew McIntyre’s contract situation in WWE, but he’s a virtual lock to stay with the company. McIntyre has been the focus of Monday Night Raw for months and has lead the show with a compelling character turn that has bolstered his act, moving it from upper mid card to main event. 

McIntyre is a WWE guy. He sees himself as a company guy and the company sees him as such. If McIntyre slides into a role as heel foil for the likes of Cody Rhodes and CM Punk in 2024, that’s a premiere spot to be in and not something that Tony Khan will be able to compete with.

AEW can offer McIntyre a fresh start and lots of money, but McIntyre vs. Omega, McIntyre vs. Copeland, and McIntyre vs. MJF just doesn’t have the same juice like his potential WWE bouts. 

Drew McIntyre is a top talent, but defined by his work in WWE at this point. Can he move the needle for AEW? A little, but his impact there won’t be as significant as it will be in WWE.

Mustafa Ali

Since officially hitting the free agent market at the end of 2023, Mustafa Ali has filled up his calendar with various independent wrestling events like GCW, Freelance Wrestling, and others. 

Ali released a video that declared his purpose as a wrestler and it very much indicated he’s out to change the narrative of himself. He clearly is set to use his time to prove how much of a draw he can be, but also how much of a character wrestler he can be. To that end, I don’t think we see him sign a contract.

Look for Ali to continue to make appearances at various top indy promotions and maybe pick up a run in Impact Wrestling. When it’s all said and done, Ali impresses with this run and creates enough demand for WWE to sign him again in a few years.

Giulia

All indications point to Giulia signing with WWE when her contract in Japan wraps up in the spring and it’s a perfect signing for both parties.

Giulia is a wonderful worker with a great look that is tailor made for the WWE product. Starting in NXT will get her the lay of the land working on a national television show in the United States and when the time is right, she’ll move up to the main roster for a permanent run there. 

Giulia is a master in the ring and the number of great matches she can have with WWE talent like Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, and others is endless. 

Kamille

Another perfect signing for WWE. Kamille has “WWE wrestler” written all over her. She was able to show her skills and wrestling chops in the NWA for the last few years, but being under the banner of WWE will help her greatly from a promotional perspective, but also for an in-ring work perspective as well.

Kamille in AEW would be an interesting twist if it ever happened, but the rest of the women’s roster there doesn’t match up well with what Kamille brings t
o the table. WWE can get the most out of her and she can deliver the most for them.

Kazuchika Okada

Reports indicate that Kazuchika Okada may hit the open market this year and let the bidding ceremony commence. Both AEW and WWE will be in on a generational talent and draw like Okada. 

AEW would have to be the likely landing spot given the working relationship that he and Tony Khan already have due to the business partnership between AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Okada has worked with much of the talent on the AEW roster and the company seems like a comfortable landing place for him to slow the work down, earn good money, and get national television exposure in the United States.

Okada wouldn’t take a first look at a Vince McMahon-run WWE. McMahon has a terrible reputation pushing Japanese talent in a prominent way and likely wouldn’t take the time to understand how special of a performer Okada is. Paul Levesque isn’t Vince McMahon. It’s obvious that Levesque respects talent from other parts of the world and would give Okada the respect he deserves as the star that he is. 

If WWE has aspirations for entering the Japanese market, Okada would be the guy to bring in to help with that endeavor. He’d be top guy regularly as well.

Opposite to the situation with Mercedes Mone, AEW is the safe option for Okada, but WWE is infinitely more intriguing. 

Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler)

Well, Nic Nemeth, formerly Dolph Ziggler in WWE, is a free agent, but is also tied to New Japan Pro Wrestling. Nemeth appeared at Wrestle Kingdom 18 on Thursday and had a physical altercation with David Finlay — the new IWGP Global Champion. 

Nemeth and New Japan is a strong fit for both parties. He only has his WWE work to lean on and with such a good reputation as a worker in the ring, trying his hand in Japan is a nice way for him to break away from the WWE mold. As for New Japan, 

Nemeth can help the company as a well-known American act that can help drive some interest for high level U.S. shows. He’s also someone Gedo can beat regularly, while not damaging his aura as a draw. If Nemeth enters the G1 this year, it’s a thumbs up signing for NJPW.

Becky Lynch

“The Man” will become a free agent in 2024, but she’s not going anywhere. If it hasn’t been done already, the TKO Group will send Lynch a new contract with lots of zeros on a gold platter with a platinum pen to sign it with. 

Lynch is one WWE’s top stars and TKO Group will not want to be in the business of losing her. She’s said openly that she wants to finish her career with WWE and she will do just that.

Mandy Rose

Mandy Rose doesn’t need professional wrestling. Her modeling career has flourished since leaving NXT at the end of 2022 and she’s stated on many occasions that she simply doesn’t know if a return to the ring is in the cards.

If it is, AEW should give Rose a hard look. Rose can’t wrestle like Shida can, but she’s a character wrestler that the AEW women’s division could desperately use. Being in AEW would give Rose the chance to expand her in-ring work and grow that part of her game.

WWE would certainly try to win her back, but she’s background noise in a company that is now stocked with top tier women. She likely wouldn’t crack the top tier of the women’s division on the WWE main roster, so why go back there? AEW is the landing spot as it gives her the most upside possible.

Ronda Rousey 

Since leaving WWE, Ronda Rousey has made a couple appearances for Pro Wrestling Revolver and Tony Khan’s ROH. Who had that on their bingo card? 

Rousey joining those companies was a fun gesture, but she’s certainly going to be looking for a big payday if and when she decides to sign on again as a full or part time wrestler. That leaves two companies open to her — AEW and WWE.

How much value does Rousey have to WWE anymore? She’s feuded with almost every top tier woman on the roster already aside from Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley and the run she just completed wasn’t that memorable. She’s a top name, but not nearly as “household” as she was when she first joined the company. Is she worth it? 

For AEW? She sure is. AEW needs pillar stars in their women’s division. Rousey can provide that and she also provides fresh matches for wrestling fans. Most of the AEW women’s roster she hasn’t worked with, so anything she does will feel new.

Conclusion

There’s the picture. We’ll see how each company paints it. WWE is in a strong position to sign whoever they want. Not only does the company have deep pockets, but it owns a hot product right now and case studies of outside talent being featured strong. That goes a long way.

AEW has come on some hard times as far as it’s product goes, but is still a strong landing spot due to the money they can throw at potential stars. They have deep pockets as well. 

It’ll be a fight, but a fun one to watch play out.

As a young pro wrestling fan, I was enamored with many of the stars from Japan who would pop in on WCW shows. At the top of the list for me was Jushin Thunder Liger followed by others like the Great Muta, Ultimo Dragon, Masahiro Chono, Bull Nakano, Akira Hokuto, Kensuke Sasaki, and others. I remember listening to “The Professor” Mike Tenay running down the list of accomplishments and backgrounds of the performers. These appearances were a gateway to wanting to consume more from them.

This was before the explosion of YouTube or any streamer service. I know it’s hard to believe today. The idea was that if you wanted this type of content, you needed to hunt down tape traders, and or some early marketplace websites including eBay or Highspots. Some of my favorite finds were the Super J-Cup from 1994 and 1995, as well as some compilation sets like those wars between Vader and Stan Hansen. I also remember spending many nights going to a friend’s house who happened to have “King of Colosseum,” which wasn’t easy to get and play in the States.

All this compounded into a grand desire and probably unattainable fantasy to one day visit Japan and get a taste of the culture firsthand. Now years later I can say I had that opportunity to cross a trip to the “Land of the Rising Sun” off the proverbial bucket list. A truly surreal experience and something that I didn’t know would ever happen after COVID. It exceeded all expectations. The country is a truly wonderful place. I encountered some of the nicest people right from the moment I landed. Basically, Japan is as magical as its toilets.

Before I continue on, I would be remiss not to thank Jim Valley and his wonderful wife and travel agent extraordinaire Kari. They made planning the trip seamless and fun while also alleviating a lot of stress and answering many questions I had.

Also, helping make my wife and I’s time in Japan especially memorable was Fumi Saito. One of the most respected pro wrestling journalists and arguably the foremost historian in Japan. He carved out a lot of his time over three days to connect. Fumi and I initially bonded over WrestleMania 24 weekend in Orlando when we happened to sit next to each other during a Ring of Honor show. We would see each other almost every year since then when he’d come over to America to cover the events. Pro wrestling really does bring people together.

I was honored that Fumi would open up his home to me for an incredible tour. He could charge museum admission. The history was felt the minute you walked through the doors. Photos from his interactions with everyone from Chris Jericho to Hulk Hogan. A library of written pieces, books, and pretty much every issue of the Wrestling Observer. One of his most cherished possessions is a note from Lou Thesz! His knowledge of the business and all he has done in his career is pretty inspiring.

You could also sense what a gutwrenching blow it was when Hana Kimura passed away. Besides having a dedication to her in his home, he even wore a shirt celebrating her and bringing awareness to mental health born out of the tragic loss. Fumi felt she could have been a huge crossover mainstream star in Japan on the level of The Rock. High praise from someone who’d seen so much in his decades-long career.

Of course, going to Japan a portion of the trip was dedicated to hitting many of the hot spots as a fan. Among them was the Tokyo Dome. Unfortunately, I did not get to attend a wrestling show there, but I did get to see Coldplay with opener YOASOBI! The band just happened to bring their world tour over two nights during my stay. Aside from it being a truly immersive concert-going time, I got to take in the legendary venue.

It was so cool to stand outside before going in where I pictured everyone from Antonio Inoki to Okada making history. There is also so much to do around the Tokyo Dome City like riding the Thunder Dolphin rollercoaster. I was taken aback by the fact you could bring food and drink into the venue. I can’t remember any stadium in the United States with such leniency. Although leaving the place you might get caught in a tailwind at one of the main exits. It was entertaining watching people leave through that specific door. Leaving, I also got an outside look at Korakuen Hall next door.

Within walking distance was also the New Japan Pro Wrestling store. I picked up a location-specific t-shirt, but they had other merch from the usual top stars. There was some fun decor. At the same time, it was your typical pro shop you’d find near a stadium for say your local football team. 

Then there was my stop at the Toudoukan store. It has two floors of goodness. A fan’s ultimate dream. You could spend hours and all of your money at this place. The bottom floor alone one could get lost in all the vintage programs, magazines, and other pieces from pretty much any decade you can think of. And they are all pretty reasonably priced. 

I managed to track down a 1991 program from a WCW/NJPW Super Show and a 1997 Osaka Dome show during the glory days of the nWo. The top floor has various action figures, tons of masks, and shirts, and a space where the store hosts events like talks in an intimate setting. They are constantly getting new items, so no trip will ever be the same. I wish I could have packed the store in my bag and taken it home with me. It truly needs to be seen to be believed.

A special moment came when I got to sit in Ribera Steakhouse. The restaurant was made famous by the late Bruiser Brody. Over 50 years and counting, it has been this rite of passage for those in the business who are lucky enough to receive one of their famed jackets. I was just happy to take home a shirt. Just sitting there, you can look around and see so many of the top names in the industry lining the walls and ceiling. The menu is as simple as can be. A sizzling steak, corn, and white rice. It’s a barebones formula that has clearly worked. I’m happy I got to experience Ribera on the trip.

I didn’t have many days to spend in Tokyo, and it was mostly during the week. So, I knew it would be hard to see an actual show. Luckily, there was one that worked out well. Ikemen, who was just released by WWE, was making his triumphant return back to Japan and helped promote two shows at the Shinjuku Face. A small venue that hosts events of the pro wrestling and martial arts variety. 

It was pretty impressive to see Ikemen in his element as he anchored the entire show appearing in just about every match or segment in some form or another. It was awesome to witness Minoro Suzuki in Japan and the energy of the crowd just for his entr
ance. He brings such a legendary aura to him. There was also a fellow legend Masato Tanaka (still in amazing shape and with one of my favorite entrance music) on the card, as well as Kaz Hayashi. The same one from WCW! It’s about coming full circle. The show was a reminder of just how pro wrestling connects no matter what language is spoken.

I’ll never forget my first trip to Japan and can honestly tell you everything you’ve heard is exactly true. A place like nothing else in the world. One that should truly be experienced to really appreciate. 

Thinking of the Rock/Cody Mania situation and am reminded of that Conan O'Brien joke when he lost the Tonight Show. "To the kids out there watching: You can do anything you want in life…unless Jay Leno wants to do it too."

— Trevor Dame (@TrevorDame) January 2, 2024

I was sitting at home, minding my own business, watching the University of Michigan continue to prove the universe does not arc toward justice, when a friend sent a text. 

I’ve known Shawn Stidham for 20 years. He’s the best radio host in the history of wrestling. Stidham and Rhode Island’s Rod Siciliano were kind enough to let a stuttering Midwest kid with a slow yarning draw on their radio shows during the Monday Night Wars. 

He’s covered local sports for years on the radio, acted on stage and in film and somehow managed one-on-one interviews with all of the 1996 Chicago Bulls prior to the beginning of their second three-peat. 

I’m not sure if he’s interviewed The Rock, but he’s interviewed nearly everyone else. His long-running show The Wrestling Guys was on a 50,000 watt radio station and was the first wrestling radio show to have a booth at a WrestleMania. Much of what you hear on podcasts – whether from the sites, wrestlers, Conrad, Chris Jericho or Steve Austin – that format and the way to do it were put in place by The Wrestling Guys years before. 

So I had great interest in what Stidham shared with me concerning the career woes and wrong turns by Dwayne Johnson the last few years in film.

Treating media studios like wrestling bookers and  campaigning for roles like you’re competing for a main event slot brought a crushing halt to his once sterling reputation and helped nail the door shut on a franchise.

This is why Johnson needs World Wrestling Entertainment more than it needs him at the moment. It’s why he’s cashing in that card for the Head of the Table match, with Roman Reigns. (I can only imagine such a match with Jon Moxley and Atsushi Onita.)

Dwayne needs to get his groove back

Johnson bumped egos with Vin Diesel while working on the Fast and Furious franchise. According to an article in Fortune in March, Johnson’s demands of the DC Studios while playing Black Adam were major factor in the DCU films not panning out. 

Johnson, it seemed, didn’t want to match up with Shazam (played by Zachary Levi) but a  opponent – Superman, played by Henry Cavill, who appeared in a post-credit cameo in the Black Adam movie. 

“Johnson’s plan of becoming the apex of the DC universe backfired in a matter of months when both he and the past decade’s Superman, Henry Cavill, were unceremoniously sacked last December by DC Studios.”

From Fortune: “Dwayne tries to sell himself as bigger than the movie,” a Hollywood executive told TheWrap under anonymity. “Instead of making a movie, he wants to extend his brand make a brand centered on himself.” 

Johnson’s ex-wife, Dany Garcia, represented Cavill as well as her ex-husband. Cavill fired her earlier this year. DC fired Johnson and Cavill. 

Johnson’s flailing goodwill took another beating during his ill-advised social media campaign to garner donations for victims of the wildfires in Hawaii. Standing alongside Oprah in numerous ads and commercials, the two urged people to donate to help wildfire victims – which is a good thing. Except millionaires and billionaires asking people to donate money has a dynamic lack of self-awareness. 

So Johnson is back on WWE, after showing up in Colorado a few months ago for Smackdown and then the Colorado State at Colorado game so he could market the hell out of his Project Rock Under Armour gear. 

Johnson has 11 projects in various stages of production, according to the Internet Movie Database – most are sequels to previous Johnson flicks (one is a Santa Claus movie). He needs to rebuild his base, he needs people to buy tickets and that starts with WWE.

Johnson returned to Raw on Monday, taking out Jinder Mahal after Paul Levesque promised a former WWE champion to appear. Johnson then dropped a not-so-subtle hint that he wanted Roman Reigns, echoing thoughts he put together during his last WWE appearance. This is a booking Johnson has teased for 10 years, and now he’s cashing in. But it’s not in the best interest of the company. 

WWE’s current success was built on its current roster and new talent. Cody Rhodes is the anti-Rock if there was one. He left WWE on his own accord, not for Hollywood, but for the indies. He joined the Bullet Club. He wrestled in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla as the Grandson of a Plummer. He made the damn list. He became ROH champ, he got the Money Shakes, half a decade later he was Executive Vice President of a pro wrestling company broadcasting for the same company as his dad. 

When Rhodes lost in the WrestleMania main event last spring, fans nearly rioted online. Everyone wants the story to end, but the good ratings and gates WWE are currently enjoying are built around a Cody Rhodes WWE title reign that hasn’t happened yet. 

He’s the company’s first true babyface since at least John Cena, maybe Steve Austin, if you look further back. 

It took years for WWE to get over new babyfaces after having part-timers squash them repeatedly during one-off matches and feeding them to Reigns during the Reign of Error. It finally paid off with the Bloodline storyline, but it took years and it ran much of the top talent out of the company. 

Johnson’s marketing problems are his own and he’ll always think he’s bigger than WWE – and he probably is. Yeah, he’ll bring in gates and he’ll bring in sales. He’ll be a big boost for Mania – like it needs it. But there’s other problems ahead, and WWE should remember its own myth making.

Hulk Hogan, who had Hulkamania running wild in the American Wrestling Association in 1983, was poised as the next champion. He wrestled Nick Bockwinkel in a series of matches, usually having decisions reversed after fans thought he won the title. By the end of the year, Hogan (who had already won his first world title in New Japan) couldn’t get the title. 

The reasons – or perceived reasons –  Verne Gagne didn’t see Hogan as a viable champ because he was lacking as a wrestler. Bockwinkel and other traditional world champions had true wrestling kudos and ability and could protect the title. Hogan didn’t have any amateur background and he wasn’t known as a tough guy. Despite what the fans were saying with their money, the story goes, Gagne stayed old school and stayed with the old school wrestler while Hulkamania and Hollywood walked out the door. 

The truth is a little different than the myth, but not much. Gagne stayed in his lane and wasn’t thinking ahead. The WWF grabbed most of AWA’s top talent in one of the most predatory raids of any wrestling company. Hogan was among them, who let without notice and quickly went to work helping Vince McMahon Jr. start knocking AWA television off local stations in place of the WWF.

Johnson is not the future of the company and he isn’t the present. He’s going to bring ratings and gates, but how long that holds will remain a mystery. 

WWE is now at an interesting crossroads. Rhodes is the guy in the company. It’s not Reigns and it’s not CM Punk. But Hollywood is now the old and Rhodes represents the new. The heir apparent is the grandson of a plummer who plied his way to the top by going his own path. 

The pro wrestling PPV calendar will wrap up with the brand new AEW Worlds End PPV event on Saturday night December 30, live from the Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum on Long Island on Bleacher Report, Fite TV internationally, and traditional PPV. On paper, the event is a “B” show with the main hook being the final match in the first annual AEW Continental Classic tournament.

The Continental Classic has been the primary focus of AEW television for the past month, so it makes sense for that to be the key point of intrigue for fans. It’d be nice to see Tony Khan round out the show with strong bouts around it, but that simply isn’t the story.

MJF will defend the AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe in an all to predictable main event. Both women’s championships are on the line, but both are even more predictable the MJF vs. Joe. Outside of that, Christian Cage vs. Adam Copeland should be interesting and Hook vs. Wheeler Yuta in an FTW Rules Match that has the potential to reignite Hook to 2021 levels of popularity. 

The other reason why fans may purchase this event has nothing to do with the card itself. It’s that ‘ol devil mystery that AEW has cooking. The AEW Devil has been a prevalent story in AEW for months, but is overdue for some true narrative progression. On a show without a lot of news on it, a devil reveal is a logical move to keep people talking about AEW heading into the new year.

Call this a preview, a calm look into the distant future, or a gaze into a wondrous crystal ball; just don’t hold me to anything, ok?

Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage – TNT Championship No Disqualification Match

Christian Cage has a win over Adam Copeland in AEW, but he’s not going to add to that record in this match. The Cage vs. Copeland feud has had it’s high points, but doesn’t seem to have captured the full attention and intrigue of the AEW faithful. There’s an element of “been there, done that” with these two that the new AEW environment isn’t adding to at this point in their career.

Cage has been wonderful in the heel role he occupies. He’s not only tormented Copeland, but has found a way to get real bad guy heat regularly. 

It’s time to wrap this up so both guys can go their own way. That means the good guy goes over to finish the story properly. So, Copeland gets the win and finally silences The Patriarch.

Prediction: Adam Copeland

Toni Storm vs. Riho – AEW Women’s World Championship

Riho is a formidable opponent for Toni Storm given her history as a former AEW Women’s World Champion, but formidable doesn’t mean credible. Storm is the “it” act in the AEW women’s division right now and the only real over character in that division as well. It would be silly for her to lose the championship given those circumstances.

AEW jumped through the right hoops and had Riho earn her way to a title shot by winning, but the story between her and Storm starts and ends there. This is missing heat, but Storm’s “Timeless” persona is doing wonders to fill the void. Look for Storm to win clean.

Prediction: Toni Storm

Swerve Strickland vs. Keith Lee

This match has been over a year in the making, so it’s a bit tough to see AEW finally get to it with almost zero build or hype. Strickland has been involved in the Continental Classic and Keith Lee has been calling out “Him.” Apparently “Him” is Swerve Strickland and now both men are on a collision course. 

There was a lot of meat on the bone here considering Lee and Strickland were tag team champions and the match will have a bit of meaning and context because of that. Outside of that context, though, there isn’t a broad story here. With Strickland losing in the Continental Classic semifinal he needs a win here and will get it cleanly opposite Lee.

Prediction: Swerve Strickland

Hook vs. Wheeler Yuta – FTW Championship FTW Rules Match

Honestly, this feels like an AEW Rampage main event. Hook and Yuta have a little history that the feud is leaning on, but it isn’t a deep one. 

Hook hasn’t show and ability to connect on a narrative level with his stories and the end result is usually a flat tone and tenor. Yuta isn’t a beacon of charisma either, which leaves this match with an uphill battle to climb. 

The high end of expectations would be these two tearing it up in a bloody brawl that changes the perception of both coming out regardless of who wins. The more likely scenario is a bloody brawl that leaves both in the exact same position.

In either scenario, Hook wins to retain his championship. The bottom line is the FTW Championship isn’t anything without Hook and Hook isn’t anything without the championship. They need each other. 

Prediction: Hook

Andrade El Idolo vs. Miro

I’ve really liked what these guys have done with this feud. Lana and Miro have been at odds with one another because of Lana managing Andrade, but it’s been done in a tasteful way that very much features Miro’s dedication to wrestling. Andrade is a strong heel foil for Miro and has shown to have some chemistry with Lana.

As for Lana, she’s worked in a very believable way that shows off her sadness due to her split from Miro on the topic of wrestling, but also her determination to continue working in the business she loves. 

At this point, Lana is the most important character in this story, so Andrade takes the win if for no other reason than to simply give Lana credibility as a returning manager.

Prediction: Andrade El Idolo

Julia Hart vs. Abadon – TBS Championship

The Abadon program is a holdover feud for Julia Hart and that’s ok. Establishing Hart as a winner is a key element of her run as champion, so it’s nice to see AEW take a couple weeks to try and establish Abadon as a challenger, so Hart can beat her.

This is the pinnacle of the Abadon character. In it’s current form, the gimmick can’t get past this spot on the card and to that end, Abadon has played things ok. Hart is a strong personality to play off of, which enhances the act.

Fans aren’t salivating for an Abadon title win here and that’s a good thing because she certainly isn’t getting one. Hart wins as clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring.

Prediction: Julia Hart

Sting, Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara & Darby Allin vs. Ricky Starks, Big Bill, Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs

Not much to this except for a one night brawl on this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite. Kenny Omega getting sick threw off the courses of Jericho, Ricky Starks, and Big Bill and this is a way to collect some of those pieces and get them on the card. Sting is involved, so the babyfaces take this after a wild fight.

Prediction: Sting, Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, and Darby Allin

20-Man Battle Royal

This one doesn’t have an announced participant list, but it is for a shot at the TNT Championship, so there are are some stakes even if it is on the PPV Zero Hour pre-show. That said, I’ll go out on a limb and say Malaki Black is the winner as I strongly believe Copeland is walking out of the show with the TNT title.

Prediction: Malaki Black

Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston – AEW Continental Classic Tournament Final

You’re looking at the match of the night with this one. The tournament final creates some very high stakes, but the personal nature of Moxley and Kingston’s friendship and rivalry adds significant depth to the match as well. The tournament has been about Eddie Kingston. He got the comeback angle and put up his championships to create the triple crown title that the winner of the tournament gets. It makes perfect sense for him to vanquish Moxley and get the W. Plus, Moxley simply isn’t going to be toiling around with lower card ROH and NJPW titles as part of the AEW Triple Crown. Kingston is a strong choice for that role.

Prediction: Eddie Kingston

MJF vs. Samoa Joe – AEW World Championship

AEW has a lot of balls to juggle with their final main event championship of the year. So many, in fact, it’s as if the Joe vs. MJF story and feud is a secondary player to everything else going on.

The big focus going into the match and within the build to the match itself has been the AEW Devil. The Devil has played a central role in the relationship between Joe and MJF, bringing both men together and on the same page ahead of the match. Not great given the fact you of course want the championship at the center of what’s happening, but it leaves AEW the opportunity to reveal who the devil is on PPV as the company heads into 2023.

The other big focus is on MJF himself. The champion’s contract ends at the end of this year and one has to wonder whether or not he’s signed a new deal. If he has, of course he’s retaining the title here. If not, Joe just may get a surprising world title win.

Now, my guess is MJF has re-signed or will re-sign and will retain his championship over Joe with the big devil reveal coming after the match. MJF will get a clean win on Joe and then execute the angle with the devil, leading to that feud taking over AEW programming in the first quarter of next year.

Prediction: MJF

The devil is in the details. 

Everyone knows what that means. Whether it’s sitting across the desk from an obnoxious salesperson for hours on end trying to buy a car, negotiating a new salary at work, or hammering out expectations in an “eat this and you can get that,” battle of wits with your children, it’s the pesky details that get in the way of a smooth operation. 

AEW knows this better than anyone right now. The Devil storyline that has been a regular episodic feature of AEW programming for the better part of three months is still running rampant and seemingly will come to a head at the company’s upcoming World’s End PPV event on December 30. The details in this devil story, well, they’re as pesky as ever and it’s imperative AEW pay attention to them in order to put a bow on their biggest story of the year.

The Mystery of The Devil

This is the situation. A rogue star with an inside track on the happenings in AEW has commandeered MJF’s devil mask and has been threatening and physically harming various members of the AEW roster with a gang of masked thugs.

The Devil was the alter ego of MJF and he famously appeared wearing the mask when he made his return to AEW at All Out in 2022 after a summer vacation hiatus. MJF went full “devil” that night, dressing up as the villain, but also walking out to a specialty entrance song, Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones. The presentation got him cheered in Chicago opposite CM Punk, who had just won the AEW World Championship. 

The AEW Devil and his masked assailants have left a who’s who of top AEW talent dropped and hurt including former number one contender to the AEW World Championship, Jay White, former champion Adam Page, The Acclaimed, and presumably MJF in a vicious backstage assault — one that nobody saw. 

So, the mystery at hand here is, just who the heck is The Devil and what the heck do they want? The conspiracy theories are out there among fans and media. Hidden clues have populated discussion around AEW programming and within AEW programming itself. Even AEW stars have made public comments that allude to involvement with the angle.

The Devil story in AEW is the biggest of the year and the most important long term arc they’ve attempted in their four years on national television. With the finish line in sight, they have to get it right and it means shoring up the devil’s details in the story. 

Who is The Devil?

There are names that make sense as the AEW Devil and potential names that make you want to bash your head into a door. Let’s start with the good ones. 

Adam Cole is guilty party A. Cole and MJF had a budding friendship prior to The Devil making an appearance and he only did once Cole was sidelined with a serious ankle injury. Or, was it a fake injury? Cole and MJF are friends, but have done battle on two different occasions for MJF’s AEW World Championship. The two wrestled to a time limit draw on AEW Dynamite and MJF defeated Cole at AEW All In late in August.

Cole failed twice to secure the world championship from MJF. Is that a good enough reason to stalk your best friend and turn on the entire company? Maybe it is. Cole as The Devil is the least sexy choice of everyone possible, but is the most logical given the history he has with MJF and the fact that the devil has centered his attention him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0N9ACT3CH0

Guilty party B? Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly has been away from AEW for months nursing an injury, but reports indicate he’s potentially ready to rejoin the company soon. What a better way to make an impact upon returning than to forcibly threaten your way back in as a masked maniac? O’Reilly has history with Adam Cole, which makes him a viable candidate. Cole would stay an MJF ally in this scenario, but O’Reilly would feel betrayed by his former best friend and want to take out the man who stole him away.

Could it be Britt Baker? Sure it could. Baker has obvious ties to Adam Cole as his better half and she’s posted scud missiles on social media that rail on the company for neutralizing her talents. A bit of a longer shot with her, but it makes sense. 

Cole, O’Reilly, and Baker all work as the identity of the devil, but there are details that don’t add up around each of them. 

If it’s Adam Cole, why would he attack Jay White? White was an MJF opponent at the Full Gear PPV. If Cole wanted to get to MJF, he wouldn’t help him out by attacking his opponent would he?

As for Kyle O’Reilly, the devil’s detail is more of a gargantuan issue and that is he simply just isn’t a big enough star in AEW to be the reveal of such a major storyline. The reveal has to be a home run and O’Reilly isn’t that at this point. 

Baker checks the star box and the logic box as being a devil character that just wants to watch AEW burn. The missing detail with her is the payoff. Because of being terrorized by The Devil like he has, MJF has vowed revenge in the form of violence. AEW isn’t going to run with Baker vs. MJF. If not, what’s the point? The business of this angle is a match between MJF and whoever the devil is. It’s immediately off the table if Baker is revealed in the end. 

Other theories about AEW’s Devil

Who are some bad choices, but options that AEW potentially has on the table? Well, Jack Perry comes to mind. Perry was suspended because of a backstage incident with CM Punk at All In and hasn’t been seen on AEW TV since. A return as the AEW Devil would immediately put him into the top tier of AEW, but he’s not ready for that. His character isn’t either. Bottom line? Nobody would buy it.

Dolph Ziggler? A long shot, but it has to be put out there. AEW loves nothing more than overhyping sub-par talent acquisitions and this would certainly fall in that bucket. Ziggler becomes a free agent as of Thursday December 21 after being released from WWE earlier this year.

The worst of the bad choices is MJF himself. Yeah, it could be ‘ol MJF just up to his mean tricks again and he was the one that set everything up, attacked everyone, and made it all look like it wasn’t him. He’d certainly be a heel if that was the reveal, but it would be a nauseating one. AEW cooled off it’s biggest star with a babyface turn this summer and the smart play isn’t to turn him back until he’s hot again — if ever. Too much effort has been put into MJF working as a babyface and this would derail all that effort. Plus, what, MJF took himself out backstage? He recorded promo videos on his own to interrupt his own promos in the ring? It’s just too much and too cute to believe. 

It was the devil, in the parking lot, with the pipe

Now, mysteries in wrestling are always fun because of the clues at hand. They are there to analyze with The Devil story as well with more pouring in week after week, day after day, and show after show. How about this one?

Last week on AEW Dynamite, The Devil appeared from a car as his henchmen attacked Adam Page. With one nod he demanded that they put Page through the windshield of a car. Sound familiar? It should. Jack Perry is synonymous with car wind shields for better or worse — it was a spot on a car during his match with Hook at All In that sparked the backstage incident with CM Punk and his indefinite suspension from the company. Coincidence? 

How about
this one? A giant devil henchman has been spotted by fans throughout the last month and some hat hair possibly gave the surprise away. In one segment, the giant man threatened in the ring with a mask on and in the next segment Wardlow appeared with messy hair that could only come from wearing a mask and pulling it off fast perhaps? Coincidence?

More nuggets and clues are sure to drop prior to the reveal, but the reality is AEW is juggling a lot with this angle. The details will either make this a memorable moment and story for the company or a giant eye roll for a company that consistently is weak at telling week to week stories on their episodic television show. 

Regardless of whoever the devil ends up being, the reveal has to tie the loose ends and teases together so that everything that has happened to this point makes sense. Did The Devil have a reason to attack heel and babyface talent? Did The Devil have enough of a connection to MJF to make the stalking of him believable? Same thing with Samoa Joe. Joe is the challenger to MJF’s world title at World’s End, but is in the mix with The Devil now because of his relationship with MJF. AEW has to make those details blend together with logic. 

Final Dynamite before AEW World’s End

Next week on AEW Dynamite, Joe and MJF will team up to take on some of The Devil’s henchmen in a tag team match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. The match was made official on this week’s Dynamite after Joe and MJF destroyed a large contingent of devil supporters in black outfits. Will there be more clues dropped next week? Likely. 

The bottom line with this is angle is that AEW has to hit on it. Not only has the company driven some fan interest with the mystery, but a hot story is a smart way to enter the new year with some momentum. Plus, the company hasn’t proven it cares to or can effectively execute week to week stories that engage an audience to watch the show. Hitting here with The Devil would alleviate that criticism.

To hit, AEW has to have key answers to major questions. Does the reveal make sense? Can it connect back to the history of the story? Is the revealed devil a big enough star to command the time the story has gotten and the interest its generated? 

The devil is in the details, remember? It’s imperative AEW gets these right.

The first wrestling tape I’d ever seen was Hulkamania – it was the second tape made by the World Wrestling Federation’s Coliseum Video team, and the first featuring a single wrestler. 

This tape was all over. If you were a suburban kid, city kid, rural kid, kid on Mars – this tape somehow found its way into your home. I once went to a friend’s house. They were extremely religious, non-violent, went to a private religious school and wouldn’t wear shorts and didn’t have cable – but somehow this tape was sitting propped next to the VHS player on top of their TV. 

Hogan was one of the biggest stars in the country at the time. In the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon movie Air, there’s a cascading montage of 80s memories flowing through the opening credits, and right there is Hulk Hogan with his big leg drop. Along with Reagan, Michael Jackson, Van Halen, MTV, the Cold War – you name it. 

The tape featured early Hogan WWF title defenses, including the big ones from his feud with Big John Studd, a match with Dr. Death David Schultz, another with Greg Valentine and his world title win against the Iron Sheik. But what got me and my friend’s attention was this milk shake, python power drink mix he’s trying to shell with Lord Alfred Hayes in a comedy promo. 

Yes, we tried making our own Python Powder. We dropped in some raw egg like Rocky Balboa, went into the cabinet for anything like powder (thank God my friends mom and dad weren’t that 80s, that could have been interesting. I’m not going mentioning my neighbor two doors down who was busted for selling that white powder). And figured out the blender without losing any digits. This also occurred with my cousin, but that’s a different story. 

Half of it was on the kitchen tile, half was chugged and then brutally hurled into a toilet. The dog growled at us when we tried feeding her some of it. 

I had seen a couple matches, but the Hulkamania tape and my near-death experience with this home made concoction was the most wrestling I had experienced at this very, very, very early date in my life. 

My best friend went the ultimate route – he bought the Starrcade 85 DVD, which was advertised heavily on Crockett programming. By the time he got it, it was months after the PPV. Half the matches were cut short, but it was still a hell of a card. 

We piled on his floor for about three and a half hours of wrestling. Flair vs. Dusty was the main event, but the real show was Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard in the famous I Quit cage match. WWE blu-rays featured this match on its cover decades later, maybe the only non-WWE match to get that kind of billing. 

If there was a match that made you question the kayfabe accusations, this was it. I never believed wrestling was a legit sport, and that’s one reason why I was able to take it for what it was. Magnum and Blanchard made me think they hated each other – which they did. We nearly burned through that tape looking for clues, to Baby Doll throwing that wooden chair into the ring to Magnum putting wooden spike from the splinters into Blanchard’s forehead. 

It’s still the best cage match I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if a major promotion has ever done another. Mid-South and some other promotions did a few barb-wire cage matches, (Hello, Sheepherders). But the judge is always Magnum vs. Tully. 

My fandom ebbed and flowed through the years -usually ebbing. But for some reason, a few times a year, we would grab every UFC or WWF/WWE tape or DVD we could find at the rental store. That made for a binge weekend and some of the best times we had in the house.

Maybe we were slowed in, or the Ohio heat had slowed down summer to a long burn, we started plowing through tapes and DVDs at a record pace, especially on weekends. There was non better than the Royal Rumbles. 

The Royal Rumble is the best time capsule of WWF you can find. if you want the state of the company, go through the rumbles year to year and you’ll see it. 

The event peaked in 1992, early on, when the winner won the WWF title. Flair started second or third (I can’t remember which), and the heels got the crap beat out of them. Flair took bumps for the entire match from every top babyface, and some in the middle. This was every WWF match at the big shows, where the bad guys only got control through some kind of illegal activity. 

We knew Flair would come out early – he was the master of long match. Minutes to him were like seconds. And he could make everyone look amazing. This match was the accomplishment of his WWF career, and he left no doubt who the best wrestler around was by the end. 

Toward the mid 90s the rumbles had an every thinning roster. By the Attitude Era, that continued. A lot of former wrestlers and surprises would come in. Booking around Steve Austin and The Rock was always a feature, but it was easy to see the WWF had a lot on top during this period and was thin in the middle and at the bottom. 

The first Coliseum Video was the first WrestleMania. Tons of matches, tons of stars, the show had a lot of splash. It was fun, but next to Starrcade 85 it might as well been on a different planet. 

There were so many gems on these tapes and DVDs. The Orient Express (Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond) vs. the Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels), resuming their feuds from their AWA days. 

The biggest was Bret Hart and Curt Hennig. Mr. Perfect was a long-reigning WWF Intercontinental champ. Hart was the babyface of the moment, the up-and-comer. The excitement around him from the crowd was amazing. The match they put on at Summer Slam 91 was the best WWF match I’d ever seen. WWF would go to is New Generation youth movement officially within a couple years, but this was the beginning.

Keep the physical stuff

The debate about physical media isn’t a debate at all. 

I went to a GameStop recently. Staff implored customers to buy consoles that used actual DVD games. Don’t rely on digital. Playstation’s network recently dumped 1,500 games, someone said. He had lost a few dozen and was out several hundred bucks. 

Why? Because those online purchases are licenses for a limited time, for as long as Playstation can use those games. Meaning once they’re up on the network, they’re also up on your device. No in-store credit – nothing. 

Similar concerns have been stated by Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro. Two major directors, Nolan’s Oppenheimer opus was a major draw for film at the theater – it couldn’t be experienced the same way. 

Nolan believes physical media guarantees fans can keep hold of their purchases. Giving that up means giving up everything in the longterm. 

I’m not surprised WWE is gutting its physical media. TKO wants that stock price over $100 and they’ll do everything they can to get it there. Most get the WWE network through Peacock, but people still buy DVDs – I do. Sure, it’s easier to bring up the iTunes or Google store, but the act of downloading is a cheap imitation of contraction. It’s an ugly practice that does worse than commodifying art, it renders it non-existent, except a cloud – which the gatekeepers always control. 

The movie studios, sports, TV, media, news – it’s a race to split themselves from the physical sale of products (which is where money is made) to the sale of nothing – air – which has had major declining returns or everyone who has taken the dive.

Music and words were turned into nothing first for the reason it was easier to download over a phone or broadband line. Then came photos, TV and film, which is confusing since the open waters that led to music and words being unprotected have been all but sewn up by modern corporate America. They’re in a race to see who can go out of business first. 

Wrestling is among that art. If you want a real representation of wrestling in the territories, or the WWF at different eras, it can’t be had on the streaming servi
ce. A big chunk is there, but a lot of what made the product what it was – some good, some bad, and a lot of it terrible – is gone or censored. 

We don’t know what the future holds, but I know when the power goes out, I can grab a book. If the wifi goes out, I can grab a DVD or an album. If the internet goes out for good, we’ll be without our most valuable possession – our culture. 

This week on Top Rope Nation, SEScoops Site Manager Ryan Droste and Justin Joynt discuss John Cena’s big return to WWE Raw this past Monday night (and some of the criticism it prompted online).

Each week, the video version of Top Rope Nation streams live to the SEScoops YouTube channel. You can join the live streams by subscribing to the channel and turning on notifications so you never miss a live broadcast. This will include a regular weekly edition of Top Rope Nation (typically Thursday nights), as well as reviews of all major WWE and AEW PLE/PPV shows.

Also on this week’s show, Ryan and Justin discuss Jey Uso’s turn on Sami Zayn, the WrestleMania card, AEW Dynamite this week, a question and answer segment and much more!

You can subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are found. You can listen to the podcast via the player below as well.

AEW Revolution takes place tonight from the Chase Center in San Francisco, California This will be the fourth incarnation of AEW’s Revolution PPV event; the first was held in Chicago back in 2020.

SEScoops correspondents Tyriece Simon, Andrew Ravens, and Ryan Droste have assembled to provide our official AEW Revolution predictions.

• AEW Revolution Betting Odds

Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Starks

Tyriece Simon: Ricky Starks should get the clean win over Chris Jericho, especially with the Jericho Appreciation Society banned from ringside. Starks has been beaten down and made the underdog for weeks, so it makes sense for him to come out of AEW Revolution looking strong. While he wins here, I wonder what AEW has planned for Starks moving forward. (Prediction: Ricky Starks)

Andrew Ravens: Starks should win here as he’s the babyface in this feud, and while he doesn’t need the win to get the rub from the wrestling veteran, it would add to it. They’ve done a good job of building up this match, and one I look forward to seeing. (Prediction: Ricky Starks)

Ryan Droste: It really only makes sense for Starks to go over here. The veteran should put him over and Starks should continue his march to more prominence. Hopefully. (Prediction: Ricky Starks)

Consensus: Ricky Starks

AEW TNT Champion Samoa Joe vs. Wardlow

Tyriece Simon: Wardlow has to get his revenge and win the title back. I think AEW messed up this one of the feuds by having Darby Allin win the title. I think it would’ve been more effective for Joe to have remained dominant and unbeaten until he faced Wardlow again. To me, the feud had lost some momentum from when it started. However, I think Wardlow will win, and he already has his next opponent in Powerhouse Hobbs, who is a heel. (Prediction: Wardlow)

Andrew Ravens: Wardlow is a massive favorite to regain the title, and it makes too much sense for him not to get his revenge, especially considering everything that Joe has done to him for Wardlow to not win the title back. Plus, Joe is being used for the ROH brand going forward, albeit that hasn’t stopped Tony Khan from double-booking ROH talent on AEW programming before. (Prediction: Wardlow)

Ryan Droste: The amount of steam Wardlow has lost since last spring is concerning. It’s time to change that, and although you wouldn’t usually put a title on someone not quite firing all cylinders, beating Wardlow here feels like it would be a big mistake. Joe figures to be one of the cornerstones of ROH, so you go back to Wardlow here. (Prediction: Wardlow)

Consensus: Wardlow

AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter vs. Saraya vs. Ruby Soho

Tyriece Simon: I think Jamie Hayer retains the title in this match. I don’t see why AEW would take the championship from her now. What I can see happening is Soho preventing Saraya from winning, which creates conflict between Saraya and Toni Storm and her. Regardless, I think Hayter keeps her title. (Prediction: Jamie Hayter)

Andrew Ravens: Hayter shouldn’t lose the title here, and I see her retaining the title. The interesting part will be how they get there. I expect Soho to take the pinfall loss so that AEW can build to Hayter vs. Saraya at Double Or Nothing in May. (Prediction: Jamie Hayter)

Ryan Droste: Anything other than Hayter winning would be a mistake. Neither of the other two have the momentum right now, and unlike Wardlow in the previous example, won’t have their stock hurt by a loss here. (Prediction: Jamie Hayter)

AEW Tag Team Champions The Gunn Club vs. The Acclaimed vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal vs. Orange Cassidy and Danhausen

Tyriece Simon: Based on how the story has gone with The Gunns and The Acclaimed, I can see Billy Gunn turning on The Acclaimed. It seems the act between The Acclaimed and Gunn has reached a point where it’s time to break them up. I can see the Acclaimed getting close to winning the title, but Gunn stops them leading to one of his sons getting the win. (Prediction: The Gunn Club)

Andrew Ravens: It wouldn’t make much sense to put the titles on The Gunns just to have them drop the titles here. I think the reason AEW is doing the multi-team match is so The Acclaimed doesn’t have to get beat, and another team can take the loss instead. It also prolongs the rematch between The Guns and Acclaimed for a later date. (Prediction: The Gunn Club)

Ryan Droste: Feels too soon to go back to The Acclaimed after the shocking title change. I think The Gunn Club retain and wouldn’t be surprised to see Billy Gunn play into the finish; maybe not a full blown turn on the Acclaimed, but some type of accidental interference that costs them. (Prediction: The Gunn Club)

Consensus: The Gunn Club

Christian vs. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry

Tyriece Simon: This has to be the match Jungle Boy gets his revenge on Christian. The feud cooled off because Christian was out due to injury. I expect Luchasaurus to have some involvement in the match, but I think Jungle Boy wins and ends his rivalry with Christian. (Prediction: Jungle Boy)

Andrew Ravens: Months after this feud started, we’re finally going to get a payoff. Hopefully, Tony khan is as done with this feud as I am, and they have Jungle Boy get his revenge by beating Cage, and we move on to something. (Prediction: Jungle Boy)

Ryan Droste: Jungle Boy wins and gets his revenge here finally after Christian’s long time off from injury. It’s time to move on from this, so Jack Perry has to go over. (Prediction: Jungle Boy)

Consensus: Jungle Boy

AEW World Trios Champions The Elite vs. House of Black

Tyriece Simon: I believe The House of Black gets the win here. The Elite needs a credible threat to go against right now. AEW can have The House of Black and The Elite feud for a little longer and probably last until Double or Nothing, which should occur in May. This match can steal the show for AEW Revolution. (Prediction: House of Black)

Andrew Ravens: I can see this being a pick ’em as The House of Black does need a big win to stay credible, and as much as I would like to see Kenny Omega go back to being a top singles star, I don’t think it will happen here. The Elite keep the titles in an excellent match. (Prediction: The Elite)

Ryan Droste: I can’t imagine The Elite losing to House of Black here. I have high hopes for the match, but this would be a really surprising title change to me. Keep the belts on The Elite until (hopefully) we get a match between they and FTR/CM Punk match down the line. That needs to be for these belts. (Prediction: The Elite)

Consensus: Split

Jon Moxley vs. “Hangman” Adam Page

Tyriece Simon: It’s weird how we got here, considering we already had the rubber match. However, this will be the fourth time these two will compete in this ongoing feud. I think Adam Page needs the win here, mainly because Jon Moxley already has two wins over him. Although I don’t know where AEW is going with the BCC and Moxley, as they act like heels, they are cheered by fans. Moxley may win but does something that makes him look more like a heel. I will stick with Page getting the win because I think he needs it at this point in his career. (Prediction: Adam Page)

Andrew Ravens: Page looks like he will be getting the win, but I would rather see Moxley score a PPV win. He lost to CM Punk at All Out and to MJF at the Full Gear shows, the last two PPV events. He has been protected strongly on television, and I will go against the grain by thinking he will get it done here. (Prediction: Jon Moxley)

Ryan Droste: As Andrew pointed out, Moxley is on a streak of big losses on PPV. Adam Page’s stock has fallen a lot since his time as world champion last year. There’s a strong argument for both to win here. I’ll say that Page gets the win, but Moxley does something dastardly after the match in a fit of rage for the loss, continuing his push down the line as a full heel. (Prediction: Adam Page)

Consensus: Split

AEW World Champion MJF vs. Bryan Danielson

Tyriece Simon: This is a true test for MJF as a world champion. He is going against Bryan Danielson, who is still one of the best wrestlers in the world. It’ll be interesting to see how MJF will compete in a 60-minute Iron Man match, considering he doesn’t wrestle that consistently. I believe MJF will win, but the real intrigue is how he will work for 60 minutes with Danielson. (Prediction: MJF)

Andrew Ravens: MJF should and will retain his title here. This could be the best match of MJF’s career thus far, although I think the stip will hurt the match. If AEW wanted to go for an hour, I would rather see it just go an hour without being told in advance. They did that before with 30 minutes and could’ve done it here. Either way, it’s not time for MJF to drop the title. (Prediction: MJF)

Ryan Droste: I would absolutely love to see Bryan Danielson win a world championship again. Love it. That being said, Bryan himself does not seem to care about winning championships at this point in his career — he’s more interested in helping young talent. That’s what he has done with this feud, as the build to this match has been great stuff. They should have an excellent match, but in the end MJF retains. (Prediction: MJF)

Consensus: MJF

Major stars in professional wrestling all have certain matches that define their legacies. Sometimes they’re title matches or main events. Sometimes it comes down to match quality and two or more performers putting on a show that keeps fans talking for years to come.

In a lot of cases, fans can’t see these kinds of matches coming. After all, even with the most talented performers in the ring, questions of how much time they’re allotted, what kind of chemistry they’ll have with each other, or what the booking looks like can all color how the match comes across.

However, at AEW Revolution this weekend, the writing is on the wall. In their main event, world title Iron Man Match, Bryan Danielson may well have the most important bout of his AEW tenure. For MJF, this could be the most important match of his career.

MJF Must Prove Himself As An In-Ring Champion

It’s no secret that MJF rose to the top of AEW on personality and talking skills. Since before the company even launched, MJF cultivated his promos and a commitment to garnering heat, which included remaining a heel at every turn, never letting fans see him out of character.

MJF took his skills to new heights last year with a worked shoot angle fans still haven’t fully unraveled. That storyline saw him stay off television for a period of months only to come back and claim an AEW Championship shot, which he converted into his first world title reign at Full Gear.

MJF had some very good matches in 2022, including a brutal Dog Collar Match with CM Punk and his title fight with Jon Moxley. However, in the catalog of AEW Champions to date, there’s little doubt MJF remains the least proven commodity in the ring.

In facing Bryan Danielson, MJF clearly has a more than capable dance partner. Still, the pressure will be on for the champion to hold his own over a full hour, hanging with one of the best in the world for the longest match of his career.

Bryan Danielson Needs A Great Match To Solidify His AEW Legacy

Bryan Danielson garnered an electric response when he made his surprise first appearance for AEW at All Out 2021 and he followed it up with sensational time-limit draw match, going the distance with Kenny Omega.

A bit if the of the luster has worn off over the year and a half to follow, though. Danielson has yet to win a title nor a single PPV match since joining AEW. While many fans were excited for him to join the promotion to ride out his career putting on world-class matches with a fresh slate of opponents, he also hasn’t had many “all-timers” either—his run arguably peaking so far with that early Omega match.

Despite his less than sterling win-loss record, Danielson now finds himself in his first AEW main event and world title match. All the more notably, for a wrestler who has built a career on exceptional ring work and remarkable stamina, he has an ideal showcase in the sixty-minute Iron Man Match format.

So it is that—win, lose, or draw—Revolution marks an opportunity for The American Dragon to redefine his AEW legacy with a great, marathon match that helps further legitimize his younger opponent.

There Aren’t Many Great Iron Man Matches In Mainstream Wrestling

The Iron Man Match is an inherently epic gimmick. While lots of matches have the theoretical potential to go long, knowing that competitors will work for a full half hour or hour sets the stage for a number of twists and turns and the foreknowledge that the first person to pick up a pin, submission, disqualification, or count out fall won’t necessarily be the winner overall.

Despite the ways in which an Iron Man Match can be appealing, it also has its limitations. Particularly in the modern era, retaining fans’ attention for a full hour straight is no small feat. In addition, the gimmick requires heightened physical conditioning for both participants to ensure they can still deliver in the latter stages of the match—particularly for the kind of exciting conclusion fans will be waiting for to cap such a long match.

AEW has only hosted one Iron Man Match before—a free TV bout between Kenny Omega and PAC three years ago. Bryan Danielson and MJF are uniquely situated, then, to make the Iron Man Match work in AEW.

That’s especially noteworthy given the uneven history of the match-type in WWE, where a number of fans suggest iterations like Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels and The Rock Vs. Triple H haven’t aged well. There’s an opportunity for AEW to one-up WWE, and further their status as the company that delivers at the highest level in the ring, especially on PPV.

There will be no telling how Bryan Danielson vs. MJF plays out until AEW Revolution this weekend. Nonetheless, the pieces are in place for both men and their company at large to make a major statement if the Iron Man main event delivers.

The idea that WWE has a glass ceiling, an extra barrier to break through to get to the top level of stardom for wrestlers that don’t look a certain way, is hardly new. In fact, it’s so well known that WWE has played with the idea in storyline. Daniel Bryan’s rise to the top had HHH label him a “B+ Player” on TV, and CM Punk’s infamous pipebomb promo included him talking about grabbing “Vince McMahon’s imaginary brass rings” and getting nowhere for doing so. But the truth is WWE doesn’t have a single glass ceiling, it has two. The first can be broken, and it happens from time to time, Sami Zayn being the most recent example. But the second glass ceiling? It’s never been broken, and last Saturday Zayn became the most recent example of that too.

Ever since taking the reigns of the company from his father Vince Sr. in the ‘80s, Vince McMahon had shown the world what he thought a main eventer looked like: Tall and incredibly muscular or just all-around huge. The proverbial “guy who turns heads at an airport” metric. The steroid era came into full effect and we saw the start of a pattern that would continue in WWE to different degrees to this day: Some wrestlers that weren’t that talented or over got pushes and chances they didn’t deserve because they were big, and wrestlers that were talented or over found themselves denied those same opportunities because they were small.

The original person to break WWE’s first glass ceiling was probably Bret Hart. He was the first WWF World Champion to rise up from within the promotion’s system, climbing the card year by year and finally getting the top title despite the fact that he wasn’t an absolute behemoth. Yet if you look at his career, you’ll see that second ceiling, the one he didn’t break, the one nobody like him does.

When Bret won the WWF Title, it was late 1992. Dr.George Zahorian had been convicted the year before of providing steroids to WWF wrestlers, and the specter of a coming larger steroid trial aimed at Vince McMahon himself hung in the air. The magic of the ‘80s Hulkamania boom was starting to fade. So WWE tried something different. They put the title on someone comparatively smaller than the Hogans and Warriors of the world, someone who was supremely talented, they put it on Bret. Yet months later, at WrestleMania IX, Hart was dumped in a double title change, as WWF rolled the dice on seeing if there was any more juice to squeeze from another run with Hulk Hogan.

When that fizzled out in a matter of months, WWF turned its attention not back to Bret, but to building a new Hogan in the form of Lex Luger. Was Lex completely talentless, as some would claim? No. Was he the most talented potential main eventer WWF had access to at that time? No. Was he as talented or as over as Bret? No. But he did have an incredible body, even in a somewhat reduced form from his ‘80s physical peak. So in 1993, WWF spent the summer trying to build its new Hogan. We got the “Lex Express” bus tour, his slamming of then-champ Yokozuna on the U.S.S. Intrepid, and a count out win over Yoko at Summerslam that set him up for a coronation as champion at WrestleMania X.

Somewhere along the way Vince realized that Luger was not going to work, wasn’t going to be his new Hulk, so he turned to the most talented guy he had. WrestleMania X turned out to be the coronation for Bret rather than Lex. History would repeat though before the year was out, as just like he had lost the title to Yokozuna so he could in turn drop it to Hogan, Bret lost the title to Bob Backlund so he could pass it on days later to Kevin Nash, Diesel. Nash was far from the least talented big man Vince had ever pushed, and he had a charisma that would come out more and more throughout the rest of his career, but prior to the WWF, he had done nothing but gone through one embarrassing gimmick in WCW after another, from being a Master Blaster, to Oz, to Vinnie Vegas. Nash wasn’t as close to as talented as Bret. But he was taller. One year later Vince was ready to end the Diesel as the new top star experiment and who did he run back to as champ? Bret Hart. 

Bret was our first example of breaking the first glass ceiling, but he was also our first example of the second ceiling you can’t break. The WWF pushed Bret as a star, as a main eventer, as its world champion even, but they never really ran with him as “the guy”. They were always looking towards the next wrestler who actually fit the mold of what they thought a true top star of the promotion should look like, and so time and time again they abandoned him, for Hogan, for Luger, for Diesel. Every time it failed they came back to the safety of Bret. He was good enough to hold the fort while WWF looked for its next true ace, but did they ever really see him as an ace himself?

Some will point to the business being soft in the mid-90s under Bret as a reason why WWF never fully got behind him. That’s a valid point, but it’s worth noting that in the doldrums after a boom period, as the first “undersized” homegrown talent WWF put on top after a decade of telling their fans that only the biggest could be the best. Everyone in this period “failed” to some degree at the box office, many more than Bret. WCW’s business during these early Bret reigns was even worse. 

The WWF would eventually turn to a contemporary of Bret, another supremely talented but undersized wrestler who had risen slowly through the promotion, tag titles to Intercontinental Title to World Title, Shawn Michaels. Like Bret, he put on a great show in the ring but didn’t move the needle enough during a tough time for the promotion. Like Bret, he broke through that first glass ceiling but couldn’t break the second.

Next came Steve Austin, and you could argue he did break through the second ceiling. After all, he was not the size of a Hogan, and the WWF certainly did not initially see him as a top star, but eventually did, and pushed him as hard as they had Hulk. I’d point to Austin being big enough to get by the size bias, and I’d also point to Austin being a guy that was seen in many circles as a blue-chip prospect from very early on in his career. But even if you want to say Austin broke that second ceiling, I’d argue he’s the exception that proves the rule, as the Attitude Era was an aberration in WWF’s history, the one time where, with his back forced against the wall, Vince McMahon broke a lot of his usual habits. And if you do want to list Austin as the one example of breaking a second glass ceiling, then let the record show that the one time WWE has ever done that, it resulted in the highest popularity they have ever had.

From there we can see a ton of examples of the two ceilings. Chris Benoit got his WrestleMania main event win, but it was a reign that was like getting a gold watch at your retirement party. He had already been earmarked as the guy to “make” Randy Orton, a guy with the look and pedigree WWE valued, and months later at Summerslam, Benoit did just that. Years later, Rey Mysterio got his WrestleMania world title win, but like Benoit, WWE stuck him in a three-way rather than giving him a complete solo spotlight. Like Benoit, like Hart, his reign was just a transition from the jump, a placeholder given to a talented fan favorite while the company looked for the next star they could truly get behind with no reservations.

Rey is one of the most talented wrestlers who has ever lived. He has at times brought WWE nice chunks of the prized Hispanic fan demographic, to the point that so often when you hear WWE signing another Latin wrestler, word comes down that the company is hoping they can be “Their next Rey Mysterio”. Yet none of that talent or underrated drawing ability was enough for WWE to give him a fair opportunity to run with the ball as champ. His reign was just a few months, and saw him for a time lose on TV almost as much as he won. In his first month and a half as champion, Rey lost to Mark Henry, he lost to Great Khali, he went to a no-contest with Kane. Even with a top title, his size colored his presentation and booking. That first glass ceiling was broken, the second never showed a crack.

Then came CM Punk. Since the day he had signed with WWE, the climb had been all uphill. From very early on you heard how some of the power players in WWE felt he was overrated. His indie star reputation and his look worked against him, made WWE want to prove their existing biases right. You saw stories that WWE brass felt like he “Just simulated good wrestling”, that they resented him for dating women they thought were out of his league. But slowly, year by year, brand by brand, level by level, Punk’s talent proved to be undeniable. He gained fans, he rose up the card, and with his 2011 feud with John Cena, he was finally able to break into the upper levels of WWE stardom. The second ceiling remained.

If you want proof of that, look no further than Punk’s landmark year-plus reign as World Champion. Go look back at the PPVs during that reign and you might be shocked at on how many shows Punk’s title defences weren’t the main event, John Cena matches were. Even that year’s SummerSlam saw Punk play second fiddle to HHH and Brock Lesnar. From very early on in that title run, WWE made clear to the fans: Punk is our champion, Punk is a star, but he’s not THE star. That spot never changed and was never in danger of changing. No matter how many t-shirts Punk sold or how loud the cheers got, he was never going to fit WWE’s idea of what the top star should be, and so there was always going to be a limit to where he could go.

It’s telling that when Punk left WWE, two of his major gripes were the preferential booking of part-timers like Brock, and the fact he didn’t get to main event a WrestleMania. Punk as well as any wrestler saw the second ceiling. The main event of WrestleMania during the time period Punk was riding high was the ultimate honor, even above any title, it was what they gave to “the guy”. Even after achieving so much fame and fortune, Punk was unsatisfied, because he saw there was still a barrier put in place.

Finally, we got Daniel Bryan. Yet another hall of fame level talent that had to work twice as hard, get twice as over, and wait twice as long to rise to the top than others who were six inches taller or carried an extra 30 pounds of muscle. Yet another guy whose talent eventually made him undeniable. Yet another guy who broke that first ceiling, but only when WWE’s hand was forced. The fans had to hijack shows. They had to reject people like a returning Batista. Bryan had to be one of the hottest acts WWE had in years. CM Punk had to leave suddenly without warning. Only when all those stars aligned did Bryan get to break his first ceiling, begrudgingly get the thing that even Punk couldn’t get: the main event of Mania.

But as soon as Bryan became champion, the end of his story had already been written for him. It’s been said that the slot John Cena occupied, getting destroyed by Brock Lesnar at Summerslam to finish his rehabilitation as a top star that had started with his ending of Undertaker’s streak? That was originally Bryan’s role. It’s a role we had seen many times by this point, from Bret, from Rey, from Benoit, Bryan was to be the guy who held the fort as the next real star got made, the man who would be sacrificed to make them. Bryan could not have gotten more over, done more right in the months prior, and yet from the start of his reign, there was already an end game. There was that second ceiling.

There are so many examples I’ve left out. Great wrestlers who WWE dragged their feet on or never got 100% behind because of their size or image, and wrestlers who got undue opportunity after undue opportunity because they filled that superficial mold so well. The point isn’t that any of the wrestlers I’ve mentioned haven’t had great runs. They have all had careers that most wrestlers would kill for, become huge stars beloved by millions, made a lot of money, and had great moments of glory. That’s what breaking the first ceiling gets you. And it’s possible to do that, even if you don’t fit WWE’s ideal. You might have to get denied again and again first, you might have to work so much harder than others with so much less to offer, but it’s possible to get there.

No, the point is that the second ceiling is a push without limits. It’s a push at the absolute top where there is no set end in sight or goal other than seeing how big a star you can possibly be. It’s absolute faith in a talent, to the level where if there’s a speed bump in their rise, if half their audience even chants that you suck when you’re supposed to be the company’s top babyface, WWE works to fix it rather than to abandon the wrestler. It’s a push reserved only for people at a certain size, with a certain look, with a certain pedigree. It’s saved for the Hogans, the HHHs, the Cenas, the Romans. The people that are handpicked to be the top star before they ever prove that they are one.

Sami Zayn has broken the first glass ceiling. He’s the hottest rising star the company has had in years, since Nia Jax broke Becky Lynch’s nose, maybe even since the rise of Daniel Bryan. Sami’s storyline with Roman Reigns is the most over thing WWE has had in years. It’s a huge moment for Sami, something that he will always be remembered for, and will likely guarantee that he will never fall below a certain level of push ever again. Down the road he might even get a world title reign for a little while.

What Sami likely won’t get is what the fans want most, which is him beating Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania. Sami has made himself the hottest babyface WWE has had in years, and is at the center of a fairy tale storyline, but he probably won’t get the fairy tale finish. No, he and Kevin Owens will likely beat the Usos in a major match on Mania weekend, and get a huge reaction. It’ll likely be a great moment, but not the moment he deserves.

People have argued that Sami wouldn’t work well as champion, that in the long term, Cody Rhodes is the better option. That he wouldn’t be as good a public face for the promotion. That all might very well be true, but maybe not. Theories only become fact when you test them, and when it comes to people who look like Sami Zayn, WWE is never willing to truly try. They lack the faith. In wrestling you only truly know how big a star can be if you push them with no end in mind, with no hesitation, with no restrictions. If Sami won the main event of Mania, if he beat Roman for the title there, and it all didn’t work out, if a month later it became apparent that Sami’s run was a flash in the pan, or that he was better as a chaser than a champion, would that really hurt WWE? If they quickly changed course, put the title back on Roman, or Cody, would it do any damage to WWE at all?

I think we’re never going to know. One of the most fun parts of wrestling is seeing the rise of someone, of seeing them catch on in a way no one ever expected, and not knowing how hot they’re going to get. For months in WWE, you’ve been feeling that excitement. But if you’ve followed WWE’s history, that excitement has been tempered by the knowledge that for the Sami Zayns of the world, there’s a limit to where he can go. A high one, but a limit nonetheless. If he was a few inches taller, more muscular, a second or third-generation suave handsome American wrestler rather than a lanky ginger Syrian-Canadian, this would be just the start of Sami’s story, instead this is likely the peak. In WWE if you’re a Roman Reigns, the sky’s the limit. If you’re a Sami Zayn, the limit’s the sky.

This weekend, all indications are that Montreal will be positively electric for WWE Elimination Chamber. The Road to WrestleMania and the staging of two eponymous Chamber matches are, in and of themselves cause for excitement. What really elevates this event, though, is the main event confrontation scheduled between Sami Zayn and Roman Reigns.

This match will be pay off months of captivating storytelling around The Bloodline faction, but no less importantly, positions Zayn as the number one contender when he’s one of the most over babyfaces WWE has had in years, and all the better in front of a hometown crowd that doesn’t play host to major WWE events all that often.

As the wrestling world casts its eyes on Montreal, there’s no better time to look back at some of the biggest moments WWE has staged in this very same city across the years.

5. Breaking Point 2009

WWE has only staged one PPV branded under the Breaking Point name. That’s understandable, as it was a niche concept to focus on submission matches. Nonetheless, the 2009 event was a compelling one. It featured an excellent Falls Count Anywhere Submission Match between DX and Legacy, in which Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr. made Shawn Michaels tap out to a tandem hold. That’s not to mention one of the better matches in the John Cena vs. Randy Orton omnibus, as they competed under I Quit rules.

Unfortunately, an otherwise solid PPV tends to get overshadowed by a poor main event. WWE booked itself into a corner with heel World Heavyweight Champion defending against The Undertaker. It seemed clear WWE both didn’t want to take the title off Punk less than a month after he’d won it from Jeff Hardy, but also wanted to protect The Dead Man—both on his own merits and because he would ultimately win the feud.

The powers that be opted for perhaps the least satisfying conclusion possible to the nine-minute match, with Punk scoring a phantom submission victory with the Anaconda Vice, in a finish that called back to the Montreal Screwjob. That ending might have been intended to read as poetic, but the consensus among fans was that it felt like lazy booking that rubbed salt in a wound WWE really should have left alone.

4. Shawn Michaels Trolls Montreal In 2005

Over the summer of 2005, the feud between Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels became one of the most fun storylines WWE had to offer. The two were set for a legitimate dream match at SummerSlam, and on the road there, HBK momentarily embraced his old heelish personality, much to the entertainment of the fans.

A climactic moment in the build came when Raw aired out of Montreal. The music for Bret Hart– who had been gone from the company for nearly eight years, last appearing in Montreal–rang out to the shock and exhilaration of the fans in attendance. The Hitman wasn’t coming, though. Instead, it was Michaels demonstrating an uncanny ability to draw nuclear heat, teasing Hart was there only to go on roasting the fans and Hogan alike.

3. Sami Zayn Challenges John Cena In 2015

John Cena spent a good chunk of 2015 in the United States Championship picture, highlighted by his fun weekly US Championship Open Challenge. This series of matches saw him take on a variety of fresh, often unlikely opponents. Moreover, it marked a high point for Cena’s career as he paid a decade of success forward. He made a number of less established talents look terrific when they held their own with, or even came close to beating the guy who had up until recently been the face of the company.

There may have been no greater moment in the US Championship Open Challenge series than when Sami Zayn—then, one of the most popular stars of NXT—made his surprise main roster debut and drew a huge pop from the Montreal faithful. Unfortunately, Zayn suffered a fluke injury on his entrance to the ring, but it’s a testament to his talent and composure that he toughed out the match just the same, putting on a star-making performance in defeat.

2. Brock Lesnar Debuts On The Raw After WrestleMania 18

The Raw after WrestleMania has a well-established history of being one of the wildest nights in wrestling on annual basis. With the biggest show of the year out of the way and a lot of eyes on the product, this is often an episode with big returns or debuts, or other momentous storyline developments.

In 2002, the Raw after WrestleMania went down in Montreal and featured a thread of The Rock and Hulk Hogan feuding with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. That’s not to mention the announcement of the original brand extension that would lead to Raw and SmackDown having totally separate rosters.

Perhaps most exciting of all, though, Montreal was witness to the main roster debut of Brock Lesnar. Now that The Beast is one of the biggest names in wrestling history, it’s hard to recall a tie when he was just a face in the crowd. That’s literally what Lesnar, was though, when he hopped the barricade and absolutely destroyed Spike Dudley, Maven, and Al Snow to make his presence felt. He’d spend that whole next year on a tear, culminating in main eventing the next WrestleMania.

1. The Montreal Screwjob

No list of major moments in WWE history in Montreal would be complete without a nod to The Montreal Screwjob. The events of Survivor Series 1997 have been discussed and dissected ad nauseam. The central takeaway that WWE, in real life, screwed Bret Hart out of the WWE Champoinship with a phantom submission loss to  Shawn Michaels.

That finish put an end to one of the most storied rivalries—on and off-screen—in WWE history and forever changed the course of The Hitman’s career. Moreover, the moment changed WCW history as Hart joining their roster fresh off Montreal caused chaos and contributed to a wildly over complicated main event to Starrcade 1997, blowing the climax of what was otherwise one of the best stories the company had ever told between Sting and Hollywood Hogan.

Perhaps most importantly, though, the Montreal Screwjob marked one of the starkest breakdowns of the kayfabe-reality spectrum ever. It was a key moment in ushering in WWE’s Attitude Era, as well as establishing Mr. McMahon as a heel character who’d define so much of the product for years to come, across one of WWE’s hottest periods.

While WWE hasn’t spent a lot of time in Montreal relative to other major markets in North America, there’s nonetheless significant history embedded there. Win, lose, or draw, it seems entirely possible Sami Zayn will add a very significant chapter to that story at Elimination Chamber 2023.

One of the more interesting elements of the creative process in professional wrestling is just how collaborative it can be. There’s typically either one person in charge of the creative direction of a promotion, or else a booking committee that works together. From there, though, fans can sway the direction of a character or storyline based on their reactions, like the times the WWE audience all but forced Vince McMahon’s hand by getting behind Daniel Bryan in 2013 and 2014, or the groundswell of support behind Kofi Kingston in 2019.

A wrestler has input, too, as a gimmick will only be as successful as the wrestler executing it. Often as not, that work doesn’t come in a vacuum as a wrestler’s peers inevitably offer their opinions or the chemistry between different performers as partners or opponents can be far greater than the sum of the parts at hand.

One of the more remarkable instances of one talent redefining another’s career trajectory came when Scott Hall offered a new perspective on Sting’s identity.

What Was Sting’s Crow Gimmick?

For the first leg of his career in mainstream wrestling, fans got to know Surfer Sting. The early version of the character was known for bleach blond hair, brightly colored face paint, and neon tights to go along with a loud personality on the mic and in-ring offense that included high-flying and high impact moves like The Stinger Splash. A seismic shift happened in 1996, though, when the New World Order ushered in a new era for WCW, defined by more realism and an edgier product.

Sting was a key rival for the nWo, standing up against them in their first official match at Bash at the Beach, and a part of a four-man team representing WCW for War Games at that year’s Fall Brawl. The heels planted seeds that Sting had actually joined their ranks, causing The Stinger’s teammates—including Lex Luger and Ric Flair, who had each betrayed Sting in the past—not to trust him. Sting hadn’t actually joined the nWo, but resented the implication enough that he abandoned his teammates for not only that fateful War Games match, but over a year to follow.

Sting retreated to the rafters, dressed in black with white face paint, no longer working televised matches or cutting promos. The eerie persona was a major hit with fans, elevating Sting to a new echelon of super stardom before he’d finally clash with Hollywood Hogan at Starrcade 1997.

Scott Hall’s Input On The Crow Version Of Sting

On a recent episode of Eric Bischoff’s 83 Weeks podcast, centered on the formation of the nWo Wolfpac, he took a detour to discuss the development of Sting’s Crow persona. The former WCW executive credited the concept to Scott Hall.

Bischoff explained that Hall laid out the idea to Bischoff himself and gave him goosebumps for how creative and off the beaten path it was. From there, Bischoff described Sting listening to the pitch and appearing pensive and engaged all the way through, excited about the new direction.

Bischoff’s account was consistent with what Hall had said when he visited 83 Weeks for a guest spot in 2021. He also talked about giving Sting advice on his new persona, including that he advised him, “I’m not saying to rip off Taker, but rip off Taker.” The idea was for The Icon to borrow from some of the more serious and cryptic elements that had made The Undertaker’s supernatural character so successful over the years in WWE.

Crow Sting’s Legacy In Wrestling

Sting’s efforts prior to his big character shift in 1996 had already made him an all-time great babyface and surefire Hall of Fame talent. The Crow persona elevated him, though, not only at the time in WCW, but for his work to follow.

Sting conspicuously worked much of his TNA run in black and white gear. It’s little wonder that he showed up in WWE as a variation on the Crow character as well, with his first appearances seeing him stalk Triple H and The Authority not so dissimilarly from how he’d gone after Hollywood Hogan and the nWo. Sting has maintained that look for his AEW run alongside Darby Allin, too.

Indeed, while memories of Sting as a colorful wild man live on for longtime fans, the Crow version of the man has become his defining gimmick that the wrestling world remembers best.

Sting has been open that his retirement is looming, though he hasn’t yet announced specifically when it will happen. Regardless, the work he did under his Crow persona in particular made him an absolutely unforgettable legend, not to mention a rare performer to work a starring role in Jim Crockett Promotions, WCW, WWE, TNA, and AEW alike.

When wrestling fans look back on the biggest icons from WWE’s Golden Era, there are a few usual suspects whose names tend to come up the most. People think of names like Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Ted Dibiase, and Roddy Piper. Another name on the short list is that of The Macho Man Randy Savage. Right alongside him, though, stands his too-often overlooked younger brother, Lanny Poffo. The world recently lost his underappreciated wrestling talent at the age of 68. It’s always sad to acknowledge a beloved wrestler of yesteryear’s passing, but the moment does offer an opportunity to look back at the legacy Poffo left behind.

Leaping Lanny Poffo Was Ahead Of His Time

WWE is notoriously a big man’s territory. The face of the company in most eras was a superhero of sorts, with guys like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, and Roman Reigns each exceptionally muscular and strong. This preference was especially clear in the Golden Era as WWE staged a national expansion on the premise of appealing to as wide an audience as possible with visibly impressive stars, bolstered by an era when steroid use ran rampant behind the scenes.

Lanny Poffo didn’t fit the profile of a top guy in WWE. His brother, Randy Savage, was able to break through the glass ceiling despite a smaller frame, based on his intensity and charisma, but Poffo never quite could. Still, he earned his “Leaping” moniker based on his impressive athleticism. As a babyface, he regularly incorporated leap frogs and high dropkicks; perhaps most impressively of all, he was one of the earliest American wrestlers to adopt the moonsault into his offensive repertoire.

Lanny Poffo’s Genius Gimmick Was Inspired

There was a relatively low glass ceiling over a smaller-sized high flyer like Lanny Poffo, and it is to his and WWE’s credit that they ultimately pivoted his gimmick. As The Genius, Poffo enjoyed some success, culminating in a featured match against Hulk Hogan on a Saturday Night’s Main Event special.

Before too long, Poffo started to wrestle less on TV and lean more into managerial work under the persona. As The Genius, he used own original rhyming verses to anchor his promo work, much to the annoyance of the WWE audience.

The Genius gimmick pulled elements of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and foretold gimmicks like Damien Sandow’s as an elitist villain who thought his superior intelligence made him better than the babyface wrestlers of the day as well as the fans. He memorably served as a cornerman to Mr. Perfect before settling into a bit less auspicious role managing The Beverly Brothers.

Lanny Poffo Was Squandered In WCW

As an example of WCW’s bloated roster and tendency to squander resources, there’s a famous story of the company signing Lanny Poffo, but never actually using him. Eric Bischoff has been open in discussing this choice on his 83 Weeks podcast, explicitly sharing that Poffo was signed as a favor to Randy Savage—paid out of money that otherwise would have gone to The Macho Man—to take care of his family.

The general consensus is that this story speaks highly of Savage’s selflessness and loyalty to his brother. Despite Bischoff’s concession that he never really wanted to use The Macho Man’s little brother, the situation does also bespeak a failure to take advantage of the resources WCW had at hand. With the former Genius on the payroll, WCW had a recognizable manager they might have put to work. Moreover, given Poffo’s level of experience, he might have, at minimum, served as a valuable role player—mentoring and putting over younger wrestlers in a budding Cruiserweight division that was so entertaining for WCW during the Monday Night War.

Lanny Poffo didn’t enjoy all that much tangible success—never winning titles or high profile matches on a truly national stage. Just the same, his acrobatic offense was well ahead of its time, particularly for mainstream American wrestling. Moreover, his promo work bespoke a special talent who should have been better appreciated in his day. Word of Poffo’s death arose on February 2—The Genius is now gone, but will certainly never be forgotten.

WWE Royal Rumble takes place this Saturday from San Antonio, Texas. This will be the 36th Royal Rumble event for the company; it originated as a standalone PPV event in 1988. This is the fourth time that the Rumble has been held in San Antonio (1997, 2007, and 2017).

SEScoops correspondents Andrew Ravens, Tyriece Simon, and Ryan Droste have assembled to provide our official WWE Royal Rumble predictions.

WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Alexa Bliss

Andrew Ravens: Bliss has been a fine title contender, but I’m not sure anyone takes her seriously as a threat to Belair’s protected reign as champion. That may hurt the reaction from the live crowd in the match, although I don’t rule out some interference by Uncle Howdy. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)

Tyriece Simon: This match is interesting because different stories are happening with this rivalry. We have Belair defending her title against Bliss. However, we also have Uncle Howdy helping or distracting Bliss. I expect Uncle Howdy to be involved with Bliss somehow at the Royal Rumble. Regardless, Belair should win the match and end the feud this weekend. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)

Ryan Droste: Associating Bliss with this Wyatt nonsense again isn’t good in my book. Absolutely dreadful television. Do we really need “Uncle Howdy” involved in two stories? Please, make it stop! There’s no way that Belair should lose here, so I’ll go with the champ to retain. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)

Consensus: Bianca Belair

Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight (Pitch Black Match)

Andrew Ravens: No one knows what to expect from this match other than maybe being a street fight in a dark arena where you barely see the competitors brawl. What is likely is the fact that Wyatt is nearly a lock to win the match, and it would be a mistake to beat him in his first televised match. (Prediction: Bray Wyatt)

Tyriece Simon: This rivalry has been fun to watch. LA Knight has stepped his game up, and WWE is behind him. Bray Wyatt has reminded me of people of just how great he is. Wyatt should win the match decisively, but I hope Knight has some highlight moments in the match. (Prediction: Bray Wyatt)

Ryan Droste: Nothing makes me want to change the channel faster than this latest incarnation of Bray Wyatt. The Fiend was responsible for some of the worst television segments to ever air on a WWE program, and we’re toeing that line again here with “Uncle Howdy.” I had hoped that his return would equate to better storytelling and television than when we last saw The Fiend. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. There’s no way they beat him here, though. (Prediction: Bray Wyatt)

Consensus: Bray Wyatt

WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens

Andrew Ravens: Although this should be a fun match, Owens isn’t winning the title here. WWE has done a great job of building him up as a worthy contender, and it’s nice to see him back into the fold as a worthy challenger for the top title in WWE, but he won’t win here. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

Tyriece Simon: The story of The Bloodline vs. Kevin Owens has been so good. Owens winning the match would be well deserved, as he has lost to Reigns numerous times for the title. However. The champion will win this match. I expect Sami Zayn to get involved in the match to try to help Reigns. Reigns will stand tall at the end, but The Bloodline and Owens story will continue past Royal Rumble. Another thing for fans to look out for is if the match will be the main event. If this match is the main event, I can see an angle happening after Reigns wins. If Rhodes wins the Royal Rumble match earlier in the night, the Rock could still show up to set up a match at WrestleMania. I can see a scenario where the Bloodline beats down Owens, and The Rock comes out to make the save to end the show, which could set up a confrontation with Reigns. I don’t want The Rock involved, but I can see it happening if they want him for WrestleMania. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

Ryan Droste: To state the obvious, the Bloodline, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn are responsible for what has been, far and away, the best WWE television for many months now. I’m looking forward to this match as Reigns and Owens have delivered big at the Rumble twice before, and I expect this to be the same. It would be completely asinine to beat Reigns here, though, and there’s no way it happens. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

Consensus: Roman Reigns

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Andrew Ravens: This is a real pick em, but I will side with Rhea Ripley. She makes the most sense to get the win here as she’s pushed as a top star and I could see her take the Raw Women’s Title away from Bianca Belair at WrestleMania with a program that could last months. (Prediction: Rhea Ripley)

Tyriece Simon: The build for this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble has been underwhelming. WWE has different storylines happening in the women’s division, so it has taken away from building the Women’s Royal Rumble match. With that said, Rhea Ripley will win the match. She is the most featured talent in the match, but she is also an opponent Belair has yet to face for the title and has unfinished business with Charlotte. Ripley had a great year in 2022 with The Judgement Day, and I can see WWE giving her the opportunity for a WrestleMania title match. (Prediction: Rhea Ripley)

Ryan Droste: The obvious answer here is Rhea Ripley. The question is whether they go with the obvious (and right) call or try to get cute and change things just to do so. I hope they stick with the obvious and put Ripley over. (Prediction: Rhea Ripley)

Consensus: Rhea Ripley

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

Andrew Ravens: Cody Rhodes is a heavy favorite to get it done here, and unless WWE wants to swerve fans, I believe he is the man that will win the bout. It makes too much sense unless there is another road to the WrestleMania main event for him. I see Rhodes challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at Mania and will pick him to win. (Prediction: Cody Rhodes)

Tyriece Simon: The winner has to be Cody Rhodes, right? WWE has shown video packages for the last couple of weeks to promote his return at Royal Rumble this Saturday. Rhodes is seemingly the favorite to win the Rumble, but another option exists. You have to also factor in The Rock if they did get him for WrestleMania 39. They have the Royal Rumble poster with the lighting images, he has a natural story with Reigns, and the company has wanted The Rock to have one last match at WrestleMania for some time. I hope this isn’t the case, so I’m going with Rhodes. However, I’m not entirely assured that WWE won’t pull a swerve. (Prediction: Cody Rhodes)

Ryan Droste: Feels like a contest between two men, Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes, unless a big surprise is planned (The Rock, Steve Austin). The way that Rhodes has been built, it almost feels like he has to win it. Once again, they might try to swerve the audience since it is so obvious. Then again, the obvious choice in the past has often been the correct winner (Michaels in ’96, Austin in ’98, Austin in ’01, Batista in ’05, McIntyre in ’20 and many others). I’ll go with Cody.

Consensus: Cody Rhodes