The Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings is back from an incredible AEW Dynamite show in Boston. Too wired to sleep, Jesse goes over his experience attending the show live, what the atmosphere was like in the building, how the crowd reacted to different wrestlers, seeing Will Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita for the first time live and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings is joined by wrestling writer Suit Williams, to discuss Suit's project "Williams Watches WrestleMania" where he watched every WrestleMania in order. They discuss what are the best and worst matches in WrestleMania history, what wrestlers have been underrated historically in history of WrestleMania, what is the best single WrestleMania in history and a little bit about this year's show.

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Adam Berger to discuss the results of the AEW Fan Survey that the GWP conducted. They talk about growing fan optimism in the product, what fans enjoy and don't enjoy about the AEW product, fan trust in Tony Khan, the most popular and least popular wrestlers in the company and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by TNA historian Garrett Kidney to discuss the career of one of the most important wrestlers of the 21st Century, AJ Styles. They discuss Styles' importance during the early days of TNA, as well as his influence on the overall wrestling scene during the 2000s. They talk about his shocking departure from TNA, his run in NJPW and the importance he played in popularizing NJPW in the United States, and his surprisingly fantastic run in WWE.

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Sarah of the Trish and Sarah Wrestling podcast to discuss the Death Riders storyline in AEW. They talk about the issues with Jon Moxley's performance, the lack of clear creative vision, the problems with the Adam Copeland feud and in general discuss AEW's issues with relying on older, established stars.

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings reviews the weekends news regarding wrestling media, the overall lack of professionalism surrounding the industry, why gossips and rumors are damaging the public's understanding of the business, and why the wrestling companies themselves are partly responsible.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Gerard Di Trolio of the Emerald FlowShow to discuss the 2024 FSM 50, which was just published on VoicesofWrestling.com. Jesse and Gerard talk about their voting process before diving into the names that fell off the list from last year, and go into the wrestlers who made the list for the first time.FSM 50: https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2025/01/16/fsm-50-2024-the-50-best-wrestlers-in-the-world/

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, Joe Lanza from the Flagship Wrestling Podcast and FlagshipPatreon.com returns to the show to talk about John Cena as he begins his final year in wrestling. They talk about his legacy as the last traditional wrestling star, his underrated in-ring legacy, the fact that he never turned heel, and what to expect from his final year in wrestling.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss WWE heading into 2025. They discuss RAW debuting on Netflix, the potential positives and negatives that come with such a major move, John Cena's farewell tour, risk factors for the upcoming year and a lot more.

For the 100th episode of the podcast, Jesse Collings is joined by a marathon of different guests as they each pop in to give one hot take they have about pro wrestling.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Canadian correspondent Trevor Dame, and they discuss the differences between AEW's relationship with WWE in 2019 and now in 2024. They talk about AEW in a world where WWE is far more popular, how that rise in WWE popularity has impacted AEW, the WWEID deals, the current Jon Moxley storyline, and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Adam Berger to discuss this year's Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot, go over all of the new candidates for 2024 as well as the large amount of modern candidates who's cases have changed since last year.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings has a micro-episode where he talks about a scorching hot Bryan Danielson take.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Suit Williams to hand out awards going over AEW's first five years of existence. They talk about AEW's best matches, the worst matches, best signing, biggest surprise and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by David Bixenspan from the Between The Sheets podcast. Jesse and Bix go over the Vince McMahon documentary series on Netflix and discuss the impressions they got from the series, what the documentary went over and what it missed, why older wrestlers love Vince McMahon so much, the lack of depth on some of the major scandals, Vince's history with women, and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings answers your reader questions! Jesse is asked if the type of wrestling we see on television has been stuck in the same format since Nitro, why AEW's attendance issues are so bad, and his favorite soccer players of all time.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by J. Michael of Voices of Wrestling to discuss all things NJPW after the G1 Climax. They talk about Zack Sabre Jr.'s long-awaited victory, the decision to not have him challenge at Wrestle Kingdom, the progress of NJPW's younger wrestlers and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Rich Kraetsch of VoicesofWrestling.com and The Flagship Podcast to discuss the current direction of both WWE and AEW. They go over the differences between Paul Levesque's main roster WWE and his NXT, the emphasis on melodrama and stories, the changes AEW has faced since it first started, and discuss their fears for the direction wrestling is headed into the future with WWE leading the way.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings goes over six different topics from across the wrestling world. Included are thoughts on Ring of Honor's place in the current wrestling landscape, early thoughts on the G1 Climax, WWE's potential on Netflix, Hologram and the decision to hold off on Swerve vs Hangman Page.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Adam Berger to play a game where they discuss 20 active AEW roster members and must choose to eliminate eight of them from AEW. The guys discuss the value of creating more TV time for other wrestlers, the history of talent shifting between different promotions, and some stars who have peaked in AEW and may improve if they move on to another promotion.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by his old friend Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss current AEW and WWE business trends, Tony Khan's leadership of AEW, rebuilding AEW with new stars, the sustainability of WWE's current success, the differences between Paul Levesque and Vince McMahon and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Warren Hayes of the Mr. Warren Hayes show, as they discuss the identity of AEW five years into the company's existence. They discuss what has changed since the company first started, if the company has become too WWE-like, the need to elevate new stars, and the challenges of evolving a wrestling product over the years in an organic way.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is by himself to talk about Paul Levesque's comments during the Backlash press conference, where Levesque reacted poorly to a question about Drew Gulak, and described both Fightful and ProWrestling Insider as not credible outlets. Jesse talks about how Levesque responded so poorly, why the reporter who asked the question should be applauded, and why media members who reacted so poorly to Levesque's criticisms should be ashamed.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Lyric Swinton of the Maps and Graps podcast, and Dani, owner of BlackGirlWrestling.com to discuss Swerve Strickland winning the AEW World Championship, the significance of AEW crowning its first Black world champion, the current state of Black talent in AEW, and an overall discussion of race and representation in the company.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Kevin Hare of Voices of Wrestling to talk about the final full year of Bryan Danielson. The guys discuss what makes Danielson such a great wrestler, how he stands out from the rest of his contemporaries, the impact of his WWE run on his career, and if he is the most beloved wrestler of the 21st Century.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Josh Nason, contributing editor for F4Wonline.com to discuss the angles that have led up to the main events of Night 1 and Night 2 of WrestleMania 40. The guys discuss the change-up WWE pulled in turning Rock heel, the drawing power and charisma of The Rock, how Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns have fared interacting with The Rock, and what they think will happen at WrestleMania.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Garrett Kidney, TNA/Impact Historian and host of the "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" podcast. The guys discuss the career of AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, who at 45 years old, has finally been pushed as a true world champion in a top promotion. They go over the consistent value Joe has brought to the table as a wrestler for the past 20+ years, why bookers have continually failed to "get" Samoa Joe, his durability as a wrestling figure, and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings answers your questions. Jesse discusses the challenges WWE may face later this year after WrestleMania, things AEW needs to do differently than WWE to stand out, rebuilding the main event scene in NJPW, why some fans don't care about match quality, and a lot more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Trevor Dame of the ThROH the Years Podcast to discuss the fallout in wrestling media after the Vince McMahon lawsuit story broke, the impact of the Royal Rumble press conference with Paul Levesque, the pressure that was put on members of wrestling media to ask good questions, the value of having a media space that works together, if this was a turning point for how serious members of the media viewed themselves, and more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Dr. Eric Wesselmann, a psychology professor from Illinois State University, to discuss what makes someone a devoted fan in pop culture. They discuss the evolution of people rooting for their "side" like a sports team, why fandom has become a bigger part of personal identity, the parasocial relationships that are formed between fans and wrestlers, and more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is solo for a brief episode on the Wall Street Journal Story regarding Vince McMahon being accused of sex trafficking. Jesse breaks down some of the content in the court filing, discusses the questions raised about whether this has happened more often than is being reported, what Paul Levesque and other WWE executives could have known, and how wrestling media should handle coverage of the situation.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Alan4L of Pro Wrestling Torch to discuss the major topics in Japanese pro wrestling heading into 2024. The lads start by discussing WWE's potential involvement in AJPW, the crowning of Yuma Aoyagi in 2023, and what the future holds for Katushiko Nakajima. They then talk about NJPW, fallout from Wrestle Kingdom, the need to elevate new names to the main event and the latest crop of young lions. They wrap it up at the end with some talk about Dragongate and NOAH.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Kris Ealy of the Nubian Wrestling Advocates on Post Wrestling, to discuss recently published Nielsen data that shows AEW lagging behind WWE in terms of Black viewers. Kris talks about the portrayal of different characters in AEW, the reputation wrestling companies have for promoting Black wrestlers, how both companies can improve connections with the Black audience, and more.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Rich Kraetsch of the Flagship Wrestling Podcast to discuss the state of both AEW and WWE heading into the new year. They discuss AEW's need to get younger and push new stars more consistently, the historical lessons of relying on older stars, as well as WWE under Paul Levesque, the creative patterns of a Levesque-run product, WWE's lack of younger wrestlers and the potential waning optimism of WWE fans. They also talk about The Iron Claw, the recent movie released about the Von Erich family.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Warren Hayes, as they discuss the current situation involving MJF's polarizing run as babyface world champion in AEW. They talk about the issues with presenting a character similar to how WWE would present them, the inauthenticity of his babyface persona, and the reliance on melodrama between him and Adam Cole.

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, Case Lowe returns to the show to discuss the top candidates for Wrestler of the Year Awards. The guys talk about the strongest candidates, including Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, Roman Reigns, Mistico, Kenny Omega and more. They also talk about the philosophy behind the award, who owned the narrative of 2023, breakout stars from the year and more.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by VoicesofWrestling.com contributor Adam Berger, as they discuss the 2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot. They take turns going over their most intriguing candidates, including Roman Reigns, the Young Bucks, CIMA, Hayabusa, The British Bulldogs and more. They wrap up the show with a quick glance and discussion over every candidate on the ballot and their chances of getting inducted this year.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by VoicesofWrestling.com contributor Suit Williams as they discuss the current impression of AEW, and if there is a changing philosophy around the kind of product the company wants to present. They talk about the differences between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MJF's babyface run being more sports-entertainment and WWE-like, and the constant struggle the company faces to be different than WWE.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings goes through a mailbag of questions from listeners. He talks about one trend he thinks is being under analyzed in wrestling, the possibility of a third major company emerging, the future of Under 30 wrestling development, wrestlers cutting promos mid-match, and a lot more.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Trevor Dame, as they discuss CM Punk's firing from AEW. The guys break down the chaos of the Punk-led episodes of AEW Collision, what they believe led to Punk's final outburst, Punk's future in WWE and his legacy in wrestling if this is really it for him.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by thecubsfan, aka Luchablog, to discuss all the latest happenings in the world of Lucha Libre. Cubsfan tells us all about how CMLL has grown business in 2023 by building around a former star, the ups and downs of Konnan's booking in AAA, American wrestling promotions and their interest in lucha talent and a lot more.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings flies solo to talk about some recent issues in wrestling. First, Jesse talks about AEW's lack of thorough creative direction for a majority of its roster with only a few weeks remaining before the biggest show in company history. Then he talks about SummerSlam, the current WWE roster and why he has never felt less connected with the product or WWE fans. Lastly, he reviews the performance of each wrestler in the G1, discusses NJPW's push of a new generation and more.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Josh Nason, Contributing Editor for F4Wonline.com, to discuss the business growth for WWE over the past year. They talk about the popularity of the Bloodline angle, the shift in company creative since Vince McMahon originally resigned last year, the booking of babyfaces and how sustainable this kind of success is for WWE.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Post Wrestling's John Pollock, to discuss the history and evolution of AEW and WWE's post-PPV press conferences. The guys talk about the evolving sense of transparency in the pressers, the quality of questions being asked, the various forms of wrestling media that are involved, and the general state of wrestling media a few years into getting unprecedented access to wrestling executives.

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Joe Gagne, as the two discuss the career and legacy of The Icon, Sting. Jesse and Joe go over their respective introductions to Sting as fans, their thoughts about his career in WCW, TNA, WWE and finally AEW, how he has won them over since coming to AEW and how his star power still stands out today.

Host Jesse Collings is joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss the results from ten years of the WWE Performance Center, WWE strategies in terms of talent development, the lack of top stars developed internally by WWE, AEW's use of young and promising talent, the changing landscape of indie wrestling and what that means for future talent development, and a lot more.

On this episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is joined by Joe Lanza of The Flagship Wrestling Podcast to discuss the current state of wrestling criticism and whether or not the idea of constructive criticism is dying. They discuss the problems caused by social media, have bad-faith trolls have muddied the perception of honest criticism, the dynamics of fan culture and the resistance to criticism that both fans and wrestlers themselves have, and a lot more.

In this episode of the GWP, Case Lowe joins the show for a deep discussion on the future of pro wrestling. They discuss what they think happening in wrestling at this moment will influence the product in the future, how the changing landscape of US independent wrestling has hurt that section of the industry's ability to innovate and influence, the issues with WWE's talent development, AEW's role in bringing certain practices mainstream, the next generation of great wrestlers a lot more.

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings)is joined by Garrett Kidney, and they discuss the history and legacy of TNA/Impact wrestling. They get into the general image TNA has left on pro wrestling, why people don't always evaluate the company fairly, the miscues the company had in promoting/hiring talent, the lack of consistent creative vision, and the important role the company played in defining a non-WWE wrestling world.

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings)is joined by Warren Hayes, as they discuss the unique cultural phenomenon that is CM Punk, why news about his possible return and feud with The Elite drives so much discourse, the unique emotional connection Punk has with fans and how Punk's original rise to popularity still impacts wrestling today.

Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is solo recapping the incredible last 48 hours in WWE, dating back to the decision to have Roman Reigns defeat Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania, the reason why Cody Rhodes is the biggest star in WWE that needed to be protected and that misfire. He also talks about Vince McMahon returning to full power in WWE, the horrible RAW after WrestleMania, and a lot more.