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Shot of Nostalgia: Shuffle continues with your host Acefield Retro, and this week we revisit April 4, 1993, WrestleMania IX from Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada. The first fully outdoor WrestleMania. The World's Largest Toga Party. A Roman coliseum theme complete with live animals, trumpeters, and commentators fully committed to the presentation. But beyond the spectacle, this event represents a pivot. This episode traces the road into WrestleMania IX through the March and April 1993 Wrestling Observer Newsletter coverage, capturing a company navigating lawsuits, scrutiny, roster instability, and mounting pressure. Bret Hart entered as WWF Champion. Yokozuna had been elevated as the dominant Royal Rumble winner. Hulk Hogan had returned, but his long term direction was fluid rather than locked in. The structure of the card reflects that instability. Shawn Michaels versus Tatanka opens with an Intercontinental Championship match that creates movement without definitive closure, immediately signaling protection over payoff. The Steiner Brothers versus the Headshrinkers provide one of the night's most cohesive in ring performances, reinforcing how effective the tag division could be when execution was clean. Doink versus Crush leans heavily into character psychology and spectacle, highlighted by the double Doink finish. We examine the originally planned mechanical stunt that was scrapped and what that decision says about the era's emphasis on visual moments. Razor Ramon secures a direct win over Bob Backlund, continuing his steady rise. The Tag Team Championship match between Money Inc. and the Mega Maniacs unfolds through referee bumps, disqualification tension, and spectacle driven pacing. We revisit the reported late reshuffling that removed the originally planned tag title blow off and centered Hogan more prominently on the card. Lex Luger's WrestleMania debut against Mr. Perfect introduces rope leverage controversy and is layered with behind the scenes anecdotes that contribute to the uneven rhythm of the night. The Undertaker versus Giant Gonzalez becomes one of the most criticized finishes in WrestleMania history, prioritizing theatricality over decisive resolution. The championship picture ultimately defines the event. Bret Hart versus Yokozuna is framed as a generational collision until Mr. Fuji's salt interference shifts the WWF Championship. Moments later, Hulk Hogan enters, accepts an impromptu challenge, and captures the title in approximately twenty seconds. With three decades of hindsight, this episode examines whether that closing decision reflects creative confusion or calculated business pragmatism. The Observer context suggests urgency. The optics suggest an audible. The result reshaped Bret Hart's reign, altered Yokozuna's trajectory, and placed Hogan back on top during a volatile moment for the company. WrestleMania IX is remembered for its ending. It deserves to be studied for what it reveals about transition, pressure, and how quickly direction can change when stability becomes the priority. Shot of Nostalgia: Shuffle premieres Saturday wherever you listen. Like, subscribe, and leave a review to support the continued growth of the series. Visit TurnbuckleTavern.com for merchandise, archives, and the full network schedule. Support the project at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content and extended deep dives. Powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN at checkout to save twenty percent on your entire order.  

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from One Bad Chad and Ol Reliable, Hoch! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Episode 170 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN to save 20 percent at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Acefield Retro and Chad return this week with a focused, comprehensive look at WWE Elimination Chamber: Chicago, and the broader business and legal context surrounding the event as WrestleMania 42 approaches. Elimination Chamber is not simply a February premium live event. The 2026 edition marks WWE's first televised event at the United Center since SummerSlam 1994, the first U.S.-based Elimination Chamber since 2021, and the final structural checkpoint before WrestleMania 42. With title implications and WrestleMania main event positioning attached to multiple matches, this show operates as a pivot point in WWE's calendar. We break down the full card in detail. The World Heavyweight Championship headlines in Chicago as CM Punk defends against Finn Bálor in Punk's hometown. What began as professional respect shifted into hostility after Bálor was excluded from the Royal Rumble match and responded with a direct assault on the champion. Despite reported hesitation from management within storyline, Bálor forced the issue and secured the title match. A Bálor victory would immediately reshape the WrestleMania 42 main event picture. The Women's Intercontinental Championship match between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee is built on competitive imbalance. Since returning, AJ has submitted Becky twice in non-title settings, creating a dynamic where the champion is defending not just a title but her standing within the division. This is less about opportunity and more about restoring hierarchy before WrestleMania season locks into place. Both Elimination Chamber matches will determine WrestleMania challengers. On the men's side, the field includes Drew McIntyre, LA Knight, Sami Zayn, Bron Breakker, and Damian Priest, with one final qualifying spot to be decided on the go-home edition of Raw. Historically, the Chamber has either elevated a rising star or reinforced an established main event presence. With a mix of veteran credibility and emerging power, WWE appears to be actively testing which direction serves WrestleMania best. The women's Chamber features Bayley, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Jade Cargill, and Shayna Baszler, with one final entrant pending. Complicating the stakes is Rhea Ripley's pending WrestleMania decision as Royal Rumble winner. The eventual Chamber victor will not know their WrestleMania opponent until Ripley makes her choice, adding strategic uncertainty to the structure. Beyond the in-ring narrative, we examine WWE's reported restriction of public Elimination Chamber watch parties within the Chicago market. Multiple local venues were allegedly informed they could not host public viewing events. With ticket distribution reportedly below configuration and entry prices exceeding $260, the move appears connected to protecting live gate revenue. We discuss the business rationale, the optics in a historically strong WWE city, and the long-term implications for fan goodwill. We also address the week's most significant off-screen development. Janel Grant appeared publicly at a Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence briefing, where she discussed the impact of non-disclosure agreements in workplace misconduct cases and referenced the NDA central to her lawsuit against WWE and Vince McMahon. Grant spoke about the mental health toll of being publicly identified, her SEC whistleblower status, and directed remarks toward TKO leadership. As WrestleMania season accelerates, we analyze the corporate, legal, and reputational implications for WWE and its parent company. Additionally, reports indicate uncertainty regarding Chris Jericho's AEW contract status, with speculation that his deal may be paused or frozen during his television absence. While AEW has not confirmed details, the timing raises legitimate questions about contract structure, injury clauses, and potential movement in 2026. Inside the Chamber, WrestleMania challengers will be determined. Outside the ring, issues of access, optics, and corporate accountability continue to shape the broader conversation. Episode 170 examines both dimensions with clarity and depth as WrestleMania season moves into its decisive phase. Listen now.      

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod! Join us as we ask should AEW run house shows in the US; outside of the Trios Championships, what is the biggest weak spot in AEW's current creative; and you can choose 4 talent (male or female) currently on the AEW roster to carry AEW in the 2030's, who are you choosing? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Shot of Nostalgia: Shuffle rolls on with your host Acefield Retro, and this week we revisit October 2, 2019, the night AEW Dynamite debuted live on TNT and officially stepped into national competition. We trace the road from the January 2019 press conference to the WarnerMedia deal, the Double or Nothing launch, and WWE moving NXT to USA in the same time slot. By the time Dynamite hits the air from Washington, D.C., this is not just a premiere. It is the opening shot of the Wednesday Night Wars. The show wastes no time establishing tone. Cody vs. Sammy Guevara opens with a 20 minute statement built on pacing and credibility. PAC submits Hangman Page in a result that reshapes the early hierarchy. Riho defeats Nyla Rose to become the first AEW Women's World Champion, signaling the company's international lean. In the main event, The Elite fall to Chris Jericho, Santana, and Ortiz before Jake Hager debuts and The Inner Circle forms to close the night. Dynamite wins the ratings battle with 1.409 million viewers and doubles NXT in the key 18 to 49 demographic. More importantly, it establishes identity. The founders do not stand tall. A heel faction does. The message is clear. Long term storytelling over short term celebration. With 2026 hindsight, we examine who from that night became pillars, who evolved, and how this debut became the blueprint for everything that followed. Shot of Nostalgia: Shuffle premieres Saturday wherever you listen. Like, subscribe, and leave a review to help the show grow.  Support the project at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for just $2.99 a month to keep these deep dives going. Powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN at checkout for 20 percent off your entire order.

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Episode 169 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN to save 20 percent at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Acefield Retro and Chad are back, and this week we are pulling on threads that could reshape how you look at the entire industry. We open with the story that quietly shifted the business conversation. CNN confirmed that Warner Bros. Discovery owns a minority stake in All Elite Wrestling. Not rumor. Not speculation. Confirmed. For years, Tony Khan has emphasized that he controls one hundred percent of AEW's decision making while declining to confirm outside equity. Now a Warner Bros. Discovery outlet has acknowledged ownership outright. What does that mean for AEW's future? For media rights negotiations? For leverage and perception? And why is this confirmation being framed inside a broader cultural conversation? We break down what is confirmed, what is still unknown, and what it signals long term. From there, we move into AEW Grand Slam Australia, a show that clarified the top of the card while leaving deeper storylines open. MJF retained the AEW World Championship against Brody King. Hangman Adam Page secured number one contender status. Jon Moxley and Konosuke Takeshita went to a time limit draw. Kyle Fletcher retained the TNT Championship. Wheeler Yuta lost his hair. The direction at the top is clear. The layers underneath are still shifting. Was this a defining moment for the spring? Or a stepping stone toward something bigger? We then pivot to WWE, where the numbers tell their own story. WrestleMania 42 ticket distribution currently sits at 36,964 for Night One and 36,737 for Night Two, roughly 18 percent behind last year's pace. Allegiant Stadium is advertising a 25 percent discount. Only CM Punk versus Roman Reigns is officially locked in. Brock Lesnar still does not have a confirmed opponent. Internal discussions have reportedly included LA Knight and Oba Femi. Lesnar returns on February 23. Is the board being carefully shaped, or is urgency creeping in as sales lag? We close with the 2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, where several results sparked immediate backlash. John Cena versus Cody Rhodes was voted Worst Match of the Year. Booker T was voted Worst Television Announcer. AEW Collision ranked ahead of WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown. Bryan Alvarez publicly disagreed with multiple categories. Meanwhile, Mistico won Wrestler of the Year nineteen years after his first victory, and CMLL dominated across major awards. Are these results reflective of industry consensus, vocal fan sentiment, or deeper bias within the voting pool? Episode 169 is not just about results. It is about ownership, optics, ticket momentum, creative positioning, and perception colliding at the same time.

The week we are joined by The Rawdown's own, JBugz! Join us as we ask is it a good idea to do a blackout of WrestleMania broadcasts in Vegas; was it the right move for Matt Cardona to make a WWE return; and who will be the next 3 AEW tag champions? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Welcome to Episode 168 of Wrestling Tonight, a mini episode powered by G FUEL, Dick Lazers, and Code TAVERN. Use code TAVERN to save 20 percent at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Acefield Retro breaks down a weekend where AEW reinforces one of its most important global brands. This Saturday, February 14, AEW presents Grand Slam Australia 2026 live from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. For U.S. viewers, the event airs at 8:00 PM Eastern on TNT and streaming on Max. Because the show takes place Sunday afternoon local time in Australia, the American broadcast will air on tape delay in prime time. The episode opens with the evolution of Grand Slam. What began in 2021 as a post-pandemic statement at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York — AEW's first stadium show in the largest media market in the United States — quickly became an annual tentpole. For four years, Grand Slam meant Arthur Ashe, championship implications, and major television moments. Then in 2025, the brand pivoted. Grand Slam Australia in Brisbane and Grand Slam Mexico at Arena México transformed the event from a New York tradition into a portable international showcase. The identity shifted from venue-based prestige to global expansion. Now Sydney becomes the next chapter. From there, the preview turns to the stakes without giving the outcomes away. MJF defends the AEW World Championship against Brody King after King pinned him in a World Title Eliminator. It's manipulation versus physical dominance, and Sydney becomes a defining checkpoint in MJF's reign. Jon Moxley defends the Continental Championship against Konosuke Takeshita in a rematch rooted in last year's Continental Classic. Pride and positioning collide. Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe escalate their rivalry into a TNT Championship ladder match, raising the risk factor under Grand Slam lights. Hangman Page and Andrade El Ídolo battle for a future World Title opportunity, with long-term ripple effects tied directly to Revolution. The Women's World Tag Team Titles are on the line as the division continues to establish its identity on an international stage. And a mixed tornado tag with a hair-shaving stipulation guarantees visible consequence — the kind of moment Grand Slam has become known for. Episode 168 is a focused preview of a brand that started as a declaration in New York and has matured into a recurring global platform. From Arthur Ashe to Brisbane to Arena México and now Sydney, Grand Slam mirrors AEW's trajectory. Saturday night at 8:00 PM Eastern, the next chapter airs.

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

The week we are joined by The Ace Of The Tavern, Acefield Retro and our very own Colton! Join us as we ask Is CM Punk/Roman Reigns the best option to main event WrestleMania 42 in Vegas; did the Saudi Rumble quell anxiety of having WrestleMania there or make it worse; and is AJ Styles really retiring? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Welcome to Episode 167 of Wrestling Tonight, a mini episode powered by G FUEL, Dick Lazers, and Code TAVERN. Use code TAVERN to save 20 percent at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Acefield Retro breaks down the week in pro wrestling. We open with AEW Dynamite and a result that immediately changed the landscape at the top of the card. Brody King defeated MJF in decisive fashion. We break down why the finish felt intentional, how it repositioned King from a short term challenger to a more credible threat, and how the result cleanly sets up their AEW World Championship rematch at Grand Slam Australia. From there, we circle back to the broader context of the main event, including a pre bell crowd chant involving ICE that moved beyond wrestling coverage and into wider media discussion. We look at why that moment drew attention, how uncommon it is for an unscripted crowd reaction to be picked up outside the wrestling space, and why AEW choosing not to immediately move past it allowed the moment to register more clearly. The episode then shifts to WWE, starting with confirmation that John Cena will not be inducted into this year's Hall of Fame class. We discuss why the timing is notable, why WWE may be holding Cena's induction for a future year, and how Hall of Fame moments are increasingly planned with long term presentation in mind. We close with a backstage story tied to WrestleMania season involving Bron Breakker being considered to win the Royal Rumble at one point. Using recent reporting, we examine how injuries and creative changes altered those plans, what that shift suggests about WWE's priorities, and where Breakker currently fits as the company moves into its biggest stretch of the year. Episode 167 focuses on moments that were not scripted, including match finishes that altered perception, crowd reactions that drew outside attention, and behind the scenes decisions that influenced the direction of WrestleMania season.  

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Episode 166 of Wrestling Tonight, a mini episode powered by G FUEL, Dick Lazers, and Code TAVERN. Use code TAVERN to save 20 percent at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Acefield Retro breaks down Roman Reigns officially selecting CM Punk as his WrestleMania 42 opponent, a decision driven by long-standing personal history rather than championships or accolades. On Monday Night Raw, Reigns—fresh off his Royal Rumble victory—made his choice clear. He did not present the match as an opportunity or a legacy play. He stated plainly that he chose Punk because he hated him. That framing immediately shifted the segment from promotion to explanation. This mini episode examines why that moment worked. Punk entered the exchange as the World Heavyweight Champion, positioning Raw as his domain and revisiting familiar critiques of Reigns' schedule and WWE's historical protection of him. Reigns responded by addressing an issue WWE had largely avoided for over a decade: Punk's 2014 podcast comments, which helped shape public perception of Reigns before his singles push fully began. We revisit those remarks, why they mattered at the time, and why WWE acknowledging them now signals a more historically grounded approach to building WrestleMania 42. The episode also touches on Punk's role during The Shield era, the tension between influence and resistance, and how both men have evolved since their first professional overlap. Episode 166 focuses on intent over spectacle—why Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk feels rooted in reality rather than construction, and why WWE's willingness to incorporate real history gives this WrestleMania match added credibility.

The week we are joined by Ella Jay! Join us as we ask what WWE brand should Powerhouse Hobbs debut on; can TNA take the #2 spot, and will AJ Styles retire after the Royal Rumble and should he? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Welcome to Episode 165 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL, Dick Lazers, and Code TAVERN. Use code TAVERN to save 20% at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Acefield Retro breaks down Royal Rumble: Riyadh, WWE's first traditional Royal Rumble held outside North America, with a full recap of what happened and why it happened. We start with the Men's Royal Rumble, won by Roman Reigns after lasting 58 minutes. The focus here is on structure more than surprises — Oba Femi's early dominance, some jarring eliminations involving major players, the Bloodline-heavy finish, and why this Rumble leaned into timing, hierarchy, and direction instead of pure chaos. From there, we go back to the Women's Royal Rumble, a match that got off to a rough start thanks to production issues and uneven pacing, but steadily improved as it went. Liv Morgan picked up the win with a smart, controlled performance. Lash Legend led everyone with five eliminations, Sol Ruca continued to look like a long-term piece, and Rhea Ripley still felt like the biggest presence in the match, even without the victory. We then break down Gunther vs. AJ Styles, a 24-minute match that was the closing chapter of AJ's WWE run. Styles stayed competitive throughout, but Gunther's patience and late-match execution decided it, leading to a bigger conversation about what this loss means for Styles moving forward.  The episode also covers Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship. McIntyre retained after a physically demanding, emotionally heavy match that leaned hard into Zayn's toughness and McIntyre's increasingly ruthless edge as champion. Episode 165 is about results, structure, and intent — what worked, what didn't, and what Royal Rumble: Riyadh tells us about where WWE is heading on the road to WrestleMania.

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Episode 164 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN for 20 percent off. Acefield Retro and Chad are back, and this week is built around the road to Royal Rumble: Riyadh, while also zooming out to examine how WWE, AEW, TNA, AAA, NJPW, Stardom — and the global wrestling economy itself — are all adjusting direction at the same time. We open with a full preview of Royal Rumble: Riyadh, taking place January 31, 2026 at the King Abdullah Financial District as part of Riyadh Season. This marks the first traditional Royal Rumble ever held outside North America, the first Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, and the first of WWE's "Big Five" events to take place in the Kingdom. We break down why this Rumble matters more than usual, with both the men's and women's winners earning world championship matches at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, the event's return to its traditional January slot, and the shift in distribution with ESPN streaming the Rumble in the U.S. for the first time while Netflix carries most international markets. From there, we dig into what's already locked in for Riyadh: the Men's and Women's Royal Rumble matches, Drew McIntyre defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against the winner of the Saturday Night's Main Event four-way, and Gunther vs. AJ Styles in a career-threatening match where Styles must retire if he loses. We also run through the early betting odds, where Roman Reigns and Bron Breakker sit at the top of the board, followed by Sami Zayn, Gunther, and Cody Rhodes, and discuss what those numbers tell us about WWE's short-term and long-term thinking. We cover the growing list of announced entrants on both the men's and women's sides and how the field is already beginning to take shape. We then pivot into Saturday Night's Main Event fallout from Montreal, breaking down Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu, AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, the Women's Tag Team Championship defense with Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY against Liv Morgan & Roxanne Perez, and the massive four-way number one contender's match featuring Damian Priest, Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, and Trick Williams, with the winner stepping directly into McIntyre's title picture at the Royal Rumble. From there, we widen the lens to WrestleMania season planning. We discuss WWE's current reluctance to turn Cody Rhodes heel, how WrestleMania 42 plans remain fluid, and why AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch is shaping up as one of the most locked-in matches on the card. We also look ahead to WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia, with The Rock openly addressing his excitement for the event and internal speculation swirling about possible appearances from Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin as WWE enters its busiest stretch of the year. We then shift fully into the global business of wrestling, as Dave Meltzer reports that Místico has headlined 13 consecutive sellouts at Arena Mexico in 2026, a venue that holds approximately 16,000 fans. Meltzer called the run unprecedented, noting that sustained, high-frequency sellouts in the same building represent a business pattern rarely seen in wrestling history. We contextualize the streak against past drawing eras, the legacy of El Santo, and why comparisons to Japan or North American touring models often miss the structural realities of how wrestling draws actually function. We also discuss the growing push for Místico to capture a major championship currently held by talent from All Elite Wrestling, and what that would signal about CMLL's place in the current power structure. Outside WWE, AEW remains in a moment of transition. We break down Powerhouse Hobbs officially signing with WWE, the company parting ways with longtime executive Nik Sobic, and what those exits say about AEW's current phase. We also cover Will Ospreay's next step toward a return as he undergoes a medical evaluation, Hikaru Shida being backstage in Orlando as she edges closer to U.S. competition, and clarity emerging on AEW's streaming future as reports indicate the promotion is expected to remain aligned with Warner-backed platforms rather than moving to Netflix. TNA continues to operate within a shared ecosystem, as we revisit the fallout from Genesis and Impact's AMC debut amid lingering visa issues, the accidental TNA+ audio leak revealing No Surrender plans, Trey Miguel's emotional return, and the Knockouts Tag Team picture coming into focus with ZaRuca crowned as new number one contenders. We also hit international headlines, including AAA's FOX era officially beginning, Dominik Mysterio's accidental AEW belt graphic during a promo, El Hijo del Vikingo emerging as number one contender for the Mega Championship, NJPW seeing TMDK lose the NEVER Six-Man titles at Korakuen Hall, and Stardom keeping its options open following an alleged intellectual property violation involving trading cards. Episode 164 is a full-scale snapshot of the wrestling industry at a turning point — Royal Rumble season underway, WrestleMania plans coming into focus, media rights shifting, talent moving, and promotions everywhere adjusting direction rather than delivering final outcomes as the calendar heats up.  

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod! Join us as we ask should Trey Miguel be signed to AEW or is he too much of a liability; who make a bigger impact, Rascalz in AEW or Hobbs in WWE; and of the latest AEW signings, who are you most excited about? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Episode 163 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN for 20 percent off. Acefield Retro and Chad are back, and this week focuses on how multiple promotions are adjusting direction rather than delivering final outcomes. We begin with TNA Genesis, where several championships were defended and key moments shaped the current hierarchy. The event took place amid confirmed visa issues that affected both Impact's AMC debut and Genesis, requiring multiple card changes and substitutions. Those adjustments highlighted the degree to which TNA is currently operating within a broader, shared wrestling ecosystem. WWE made notable changes at the top of the card. WrestleMania 42 plans have been revised, Drew McIntyre is the current WWE Champion, and the direction toward WrestleMania remains fluid. On Raw, a confrontation involving management and top talent escalated into a suspension, adding another layer of uncertainty to the weekly product. AEW saw movement in both directions. FTR learned their next challengers for the AEW World Tag Team Championships, while The Rascalz were confirmed as new signings as were Jordan Oliver & Alec Price. At the same time, Powerhouse Hobbs appears to be nearing the end of his AEW run, with WWE expected to be his next destination. NXT continues its transition following the NXT Championship being vacated, with a multi-man ladder match scheduled to determine a new champion. Meanwhile, AAA began its new FOX television run, crowned a new number one contender for the AAA Mega Championship, and featured the return of a familiar name. The promotion also outlined a broadcast model centered on periodic live events rather than weekly live television. Episode 163 centers on how these developments fit together across the industry, as companies make adjustments and set short-term direction heading into a busy stretch of the calendar.

The week we are joined by The Rawdown's own, JBugz! Join us as we ask will Drew McIntyre hold the world title until WrestleMania; should AEW add an on-screen GM; and will Chris Jericho hold the TNA world championship in 2026? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Welcome to a bonus episode of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN for 20 percent off. Acefield Retro with a focused breakdown of TNA's AMC debut, a show that looked professional, sounded historic, and still felt unsure of what it wanted to be. This was not a loud failure. There were no disastrous matches or segments that collapsed in real time. That is exactly why it matters. This was a failure of priorities, not execution. A failure of conviction, not talent. On the night TNA needed to be decisive, it hesitated. The framing told the story. From the opening seconds, commentary, graphics, celebrity shots, and symbolism worked overtime to declare the moment historic. Wrestling does not build momentum by saying something matters. It builds it by showing it. When action is rationed, importance feels manufactured. AJ Styles opening the show worked emotionally. He is the most iconic figure in company history, and the goodwill is real. But it also exposed the core issue. TNA still seeks legitimacy through validation rather than assertion. Styles blessed the era, promised wrestling, and what followed leaned far more on legacy than identity. Three matches in two hours on a live network debut for a company called Total Nonstop Action is indefensible. Wrestling is the clearest language a promotion has, especially for new viewers. When talking outweighs bell to bell action, the message is simple. TNA did not fully trust wrestling to carry the show. That is the irony. The roster clearly can deliver. The six man tag warmed the crowd but felt disposable. The Knockouts Tag Title match was overbooked to the point of undercutting what has historically been TNA's strongest division. Production choices and celebrity cutaways weakened the illusion the broadcast was trying to sell. The TNA Plus outage compounded everything. On a night this big, reliability is not optional. New viewers do not contextualize failures. They leave. The clearest vision of what TNA could be came in the main event. Mike Santana versus Frankie Kazarian was physical, focused, and credible. For stretches, it felt like a mission statement. That is why the cluttered finishing stretch was so frustrating. Santana winning was the right call. One strong match was not enough. This episode is not about piling on. It is about recognizing the pattern. TNA's AMC debut did not collapse. It stalled. The talent is there. The platform is there. Until TNA commits fully and unapologetically to wrestling as the centerpiece rather than the accessory, moments this big will continue to feel smaller than they should.  

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Episode 161 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN for 20 percent off. Acefield Retro and Chad are back this week, and there is a lot to talk through as WWE, AEW, NXT, and TNA all continue to feel like they are in the middle of major transitions rather than arriving at clean conclusions. WWE drives most of the conversation again, not because of one isolated moment, but because of how many significant pieces are moving at the same time. Drew McIntyre capturing the WWE Championship in Berlin, CM Punk surviving a defining title defense on Raw's Netflix anniversary, and the looming Royal Rumble in a stadium that is still under construction all point to a company comfortable operating under pressure. Between Raw, SmackDown, and the way NXT talent is being elevated, WWE feels less interested in overexplaining its choices and more focused on letting outcomes speak for themselves as the road to WrestleMania comes into view. NXT, in particular, feels like it is clearly handing the keys to the next era. Oba Femi vacating the NXT Championship, titles changing hands, and open acknowledgment of roster movement make it clear this is not a quiet reset. It is a deliberate handoff. Established names are moving on, new names are being asked to step up immediately, and the brand is leaning into the uncertainty that comes with that shift. The instability is intentional, and it is creating urgency across the show. AEW approaches the week from a different angle. Instead of accelerating everything at once, the company leans into timing and restraint. Mercedes Moné stepping away, Jay White remaining sidelined, and stories being allowed to pause rather than peak all at once give the product a different rhythm. Absence becomes part of the narrative, and patience is treated as a feature rather than a flaw. TNA also finds itself at a meaningful crossroads. The company's debut on AMC marks a major step forward in visibility, while Genesis looms as a test of whether that momentum can carry through on a bigger stage. With championships on the line and long-running threads converging, Genesis feels less like a standalone event and more like a statement about where TNA sees itself heading in 2026. Episode 161 is not about chasing headlines or ranking moments. It is about reading the landscape as it exists right now. It is about recognizing where WWE is applying pressure, where NXT is opening doors, where AEW is choosing to wait, and where TNA is attempting to grow. It is a conversation about direction, tone, and trust during a week that did not rely on shock, but still managed to move the industry forward.  

The week we are joined by The Ace Of The Tavern, Acefield Retro and our very own Colton! Join us as we ask will Saudi pay for Stone Cold Steve Austin to wrestle and if so, who does he wrestle; will MJF hold the AEW Championship until All In; and does Bron Breakker losing his first title match clean hurt or help his rise? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Welcome to Wrestling Tonight. Episode 160 is a solo, instant reaction from Acefield Retro to Drew McIntyre winning the WWE Championship in Berlin. This episode focuses on why this title change felt different in the moment and what it says about WWE's direction as 2026 begins. Ace breaks down how the finish reshaped the championship picture, why WWE chose this specific night and setting, and what this win means for McIntyre moving forward. Rather than revisiting the past, the conversation centers on what comes next, with new challengers already being established and the European tour still underway. This wasn't a shock-driven decision or a temporary pivot. It was a deliberate shift at the top of the card, and the episode reflects on the trust being placed in McIntyre to carry that momentum forward. This is Episode 160 of Wrestling Tonight. A clear, immediate reaction to a moment that reset the landscape.  

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

New Japan Pro-Wrestling closed the book on a defining era at the Tokyo Dome with Wrestle Kingdom 20, a show built around transition rather than nostalgia. Hiroshi Tanahashi's retirement match marked the end of a 25-year in-ring career and served as a clear dividing line for the company moving forward, while the rest of the card focused on consolidation and direction through major title matches and contender-setting bouts. Wrestle Kingdom once again functioned as NJPW's annual truth serum — clarifying priorities, tightening the championship picture, and setting expectations for the post-Tanahashi era. Elsewhere, AEW wrapped up 2025 with Worlds End drawing an estimated 140,000 buys, pushing the company's annual PPV total near 1.25 million worldwide. MJF reclaimed the AEW World Championship, restored the "Triple B," and immediately introduced volatility to the title scene with challengers lining up on television and a potential independent title defense looming at Limitless Wrestling. Willow Nightingale made history on New Year's Smash by becoming the first woman to hold two AEW championships simultaneously, while Tony Khan confirmed the return of AEW Grand Slam Mexico in 2026 and reiterated plans to expand dual-contract partnerships with CMLL talent. WWE entered the new year in the midst of its own structural shift. Trick Williams officially joined the SmackDown roster, Giulia regained the Women's United States Championship, and Matt Cardona was confirmed as an active SmackDown competitor. The WWE PPV and PLE archive began its transition to Netflix in the United States as Raw prepares to celebrate its one-year Netflix anniversary with a Stranger Things–themed episode. Injury updates for Dominik Mysterio and Sheamus, combined with The Usos capturing the World Tag Team Championships, further highlighted a roster recalibration heading into 2026. Tonight's episode breaks down the fallout from Wrestle Kingdom 20, what Tanahashi's retirement means for New Japan's future, and how AEW and WWE are repositioning themselves at the start of a new year. No overstatement, no revisionist framing — just a grounded look at a week that quietly reset the industry's direction. Wrestling Tonight: Episode 159

It's Friday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

It's time for one of the most anticipated Wrestling Tonight episodes of the year. The Turnies 2025 results are here, and we're bringing them to you exclusively on The Turnbuckle Tavern. Join your hosts, Acefield Retro and Chad, as we look back on the matches, moments, performers, and stories that defined professional wrestling in 2025. This episode is about more than trophies. It's about recognizing the work that held up across an entire year, the performances that carried pressure, and the moments that shaped how wrestling felt week after week. From Wrestler of the Year to Tag Team of the Year, we spotlight the performers who separated themselves through consistency, range, and responsibility. Who truly carried the year from bell to bell. Which team set the standard for chemistry and credibility. And who emerged as the most valuable presence in women's wrestling during a year filled with depth and opportunity. Wrestling is built on moments, the kind that stop you, shift momentum, or permanently change the direction of a story. 2025 delivered no shortage of them. We revisit the biggest conversations of the year as we reveal Moment of the Year, Feud of the Year, and Storyline of the Year, examining not just what happened, but why it mattered. The Turnies also celebrate the craft itself. We break down Match of the Year, honoring the bout that stood above the rest in structure, emotion, and consequence. We recognize Best Wrestling Maneuver, the move that consistently changed matches and defined a performer's identity. We also highlight growth and arrival with Most Improved and Rookie of the Year, recognizing wrestlers who took real steps forward and new faces who made immediate, lasting impressions. Character and presence matter just as much as athleticism. In this episode, we honor the performers who brought wrestling's emotional stakes to life in 2025. Who defined the year as the Best Heel. Who connected most deeply as the Best Babyface. And who commanded the microphone as Best Stickman, delivering promos that anchored stories and elevated everyone around them. Beyond the ring, we recognize the voices, minds, and institutions that shaped the wrestling landscape. From Best Non Wrestler and Best Commentary Team to Best Promotion, Best PPV or PLE, and Best Booker, we examine the decisions and performances that influenced the industry at every level. What makes The Turnies special is the community behind them. Your votes, your perspectives, and your passion are woven throughout this episode. We share fan selections, discuss points of agreement and debate, and reflect on how the wrestling audience continues to shape the conversation around the art form we all care about. Whether you follow WWE, AEW, NJPW, TNA, or the wider wrestling world, this episode is for you. It's a chance to slow down, take stock, and appreciate what made 2025 distinct, challenging, and memorable. Welcome to The Turnies 2025, exclusively on The Turnbuckle Tavern. Let's get into it. Subscribe, join the community, take part in the conversation, and let us know your picks in the comments. Let's talk wrestling.

Welcome to Episode 157 of Wrestling Tonight, and we went live immediately after AEW Worlds End from Hoffman Estates because this was a show that demanded to be discussed in real time while the emotions were still raw and the consequences were still unfolding, rather than filtered through distance or softened by hindsight. Worlds End closed the year in a way that felt deeply consistent with what AEW has been building toward all along, presenting a demanding, physical, and unapologetically work driven pay per view that avoided shortcuts and resisted the temptation to chase shock for its own sake, even when that choice asked more patience and endurance from the audience. This was a long and intense night, occasionally messy in ways that felt earned rather than overproduced, and by the time the final bell rang, Worlds End felt less like a traditional year end finale and more like a deliberate stress test for the roster and the creative philosophy guiding the company into 2026. The Continental Classic served as the backbone of the show, reinforcing AEW's belief that winning should carry weight and that endurance, discipline, and adaptability matter just as much as spectacle, with the matches unfolding at a pace that allowed fatigue, strategy, and resilience to become part of the story rather than something to be edited around. Jon Moxley standing at the center of the tournament by night's end was not about surprise or reinvention, but about validation, as the Continental Classic once again rewarded a wrestler willing to absorb punishment, adjust under pressure, and keep pushing when the cumulative toll of the tournament became impossible to ignore. Even as the crowd grew tired late in the night, they stayed engaged because the work demanded that investment, and the structure of the tournament justified asking it. At the top of the card, MJF reclaiming the AEW World Championship in a chaotic and layered main event reflected the broader theme of the evening, offering a finish that was intentionally uncomfortable and unresolved, designed not to provide closure but to reintroduce volatility and tension into a main event scene crowded with credible challengers and lingering grudges. Rather than simplifying the championship picture, the result complicated it, creating forward momentum built on uncertainty instead of finality. Across the rest of the card, Worlds End found a careful balance between violence, personality, and humor without allowing any single element to dominate, and while not every match landed with the same precision, very little felt disposable or disconnected from the larger direction of the company. More importantly, multiple wrestlers left Hoffman Estates feeling more significant than they did entering the night, which is exactly what a year closing pay per view should accomplish if it is doing its job correctly. Since its debut on December 30, 2023, followed by December 28, 2024, and now December 27, 2025, Worlds End has quietly established itself as AEW's annual checkpoint, a place where stories close, standings shift, and the path forward becomes clearer even when the answers are intentionally uncomfortable or incomplete. Tonight, we are breaking down Worlds End match by match, examining what worked, what did not, and what feels deliberately unfinished as AEW turns the page toward a new year, offering a grounded and honest assessment of a show that asked a great deal from its audience and largely earned that investment.  

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Wrestling Tonight, with your hosts Acefield Retro and Chad. Episode 156 is centered on AEW's year-ending statement show. For the third straight year, Worlds End closes the calendar not by starting new stories, but by finishing them. Set for Saturday, December 27 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Worlds End is AEW's annual reckoning — where endurance, not momentum, decides who carries the company forward. The backbone of the event is the Continental Classic. AEW's round-robin tournament strips the product down to results and consequences. In 2025, those consequences revolve around Kazuchika Okada. As both Continental Champion and International Champion, Okada enters Worlds End as the Unified Champion. AEW has clarified the rules: only the Continental Championship is awarded through the tournament, league matches do not put titles on the line, and everything comes down to Worlds End. If Okada loses the Continental Championship, the unification ends. One night determines whether the Unified Championship continues to exist. The format is ruthless. Two semifinals and a final in one night, no recovery, no protection. Winning the Continental Classic means surviving the tournament and the pressure of immediate repetition. Worlds End also features a volatile AEW World Championship match. Samoa Joe defends against Swerve Strickland, Hangman Adam Page, and MJF in a four-way born from betrayal, unresolved claims, and opportunism. Joe holds the title through control. Swerve brings momentum. Page is chasing redemption. MJF enters by exploiting timing. In a match like this, dominance matters less than navigation. The women's division is a focal point as well. Kris Statlander defends the AEW Women's World Championship against Jamie Hayter in a clash built on identity and unfinished business, while Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron face Mercedes Moné and Athena in a defining test for the women's tag division. We also touch on WWE this week, as John Cena addressed the disappearance of Travis Scott and The Rock from WWE storylines, explaining that once those pieces were gone, the focus shifted immediately to adaptation rather than regret — a revealing look at how WWE pivots when plans change. Worlds End isn't about comfort. It's about clarity. By the final bell, champions will stand because they endured, not because they were protected. This is Episode 156 of Wrestling Tonight — where the year answers back.  

The week we are joined by Seth and Jordan from The Chick Foley Show and Goal Line! Join us as we ask did WWE botch John Cena's retirement; is AEW in a doom spiral or irrelevancy; and why do you think viewership is down for professional wrestling? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era rolls on with your host Acefield Retro, and this week we're stepping into one of the heaviest, most emotionally loaded chapters of the whole project. Episode 7: The Legacy Run covers January through March 2004 — the stretch where the SmackDown Six philosophy stops being "just" a great TV formula and becomes the backbone of WWE's entire main-event scene. Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero, the two workhorses who defined this era between the ropes, finally break through the ceiling and hit the very top of the industry at the exact same time. We start at the 2004 Royal Rumble, a one-match show that actually delivers exactly what WWE needed. Paul Heyman stacks the deck, forces Benoit into the #1 slot, and dares him to fail. Instead, Benoit puts together a marathon performance: 61 minutes, six eliminations, and a finish built around pure will, dragging Big Show over the top rope in a head-and-arm choke that feels earned instead of cute. Along the way we hit all the key beats that made this Rumble feel alive in the building — Orton's elevation through the Foley feud, Goldberg getting robbed by Brock, Big Show as a real "final boss," and the sense that for once, the obvious story actually got the right payoff. From there, we turn to No Way Out 2004, where Eddie Guerrero walks into San Francisco with three weeks of build… and a lifetime of baggage. We walk through how a thrown-together title program becomes a full redemption story: the SmackDown Rumble that sends Eddie to the title shot, the promo duel where Brock mocks his addictions and Eddie weaponizes his own past, and the infamous mariachi "celebration" that starts as comedy and turns into something dead serious. Then we break down the match itself as a heavyweight title fight built on structure and psychology — Brock's 2002 monster template, Eddie chopping down the base, the STF that flips the crowd from hopeful to believing, Goldberg's spear that protects the champion without stealing Eddie's moment, and the DDT-onto-the-belt into Frog Splash finish that still plays as one of the most cathartic three-counts WWE has ever produced. After that, we head to Madison Square Garden for WrestleMania XX, where the World Heavyweight Championship closes the show for the very first time. We don't ignore the reality of Benoit's crimes or how impossible it is to watch his work the same way after 2007 — that context lives with this match forever. But we also walk honestly through what this main event represented in 2004: the SmackDown Six template blown up to world-title scale. We dig into how the triple threat with Triple H and Shawn Michaels turns a format that usually feels cheap into a 24-minute clinic — the "Let's Go Benoit" crowd, the rotating pairings, the Crossface spot where Hunter literally grabs Shawn's hand to stop the tap, the table bump that buys time for the final act, and the visual of Triple H tapping clean in the middle of MSG. It's the one time in that era where the finish matches the story they told for months. We keep rolling with Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle from that same night — maybe the most "pure SmackDown" match on the card. This is where we zoom in on everything that made Eddie special at this stage of his career: the improvisation, the timing, the creativity that compensated for a body that had taken way too much punishment. Angle tries to strip the magic away and turn it into a straight amateur wrestling lesson — grinding holds, targeted rib and ankle work, suplexes on a loop — and for most of the match, he succeeds. Eddie's comeback isn't about overpowering him; it's about surviving just long enough to create one opening. We break down the boot spot in detail, why it works as psychology instead of a cheap gag, and how that final small package stacks up as the perfect "lie, cheat, steal" finish without burying Angle for a second. And then we close with the image that defined this era at the time: confetti falling in Madison Square Garden as Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit celebrate together, both holding world titles, both representing a version of WWE where skill and heart could overcome size and politics. Today that shot is complicated, even haunting, because of what would happen in the years that followed — Eddie's death, Benoit's actions. We sit in that discomfort instead of pretending it isn't there, but we also talk about what that night meant in 2004 for fans who had lived through the entire arc of the SmackDown Six: the B-show workhorses finally standing on top of the company they had quietly carried. By the time we're done with early 2004, the SmackDown Six era isn't just about a tag formula or a handful of TV classics. It's a storytelling blueprint — athletic, grounded, character-driven — that bleeds into both brands, reshapes what a WWE main event can look like, and influences everything from peak-era NXT to how AEW builds its big match payoffs today. Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era Episode 7 — The Legacy Run — premieres Saturday, December 13, 2025, wherever you listen. Like, subscribe, and leave a review to help the show grow. Visit TurnbuckleTavern.com for merch, archives, and the full network schedule, and support the project at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for just $2.99 a month to help keep these deep dives going. Powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers — use code TAVERN at checkout for 20% off your entire order.  

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo! 

Welcome to Wrestling Tonight, with your hosts Acefield Retro and Chad. We open Episode 155 with the defining image of the week: Gunther standing tall as John Cena taps out in the final match of his WWE career. What should have been a shared emotional release instead became a revealing moment about WWE's creative posture, as Saturday Night's Main Event exposed the company's increasingly adversarial relationship with its audience. The result wasn't the issue. Gunther is already a made man, and his credibility never hinged on retiring Cena. The friction came from the framing. The show was presented as a celebration, yet paced like Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. By the time Cena escaped the sleeper once and Gunther reapplied it, the atmosphere didn't crest into catharsis. It stalled. That disconnect sharpened during the post-match ceremony. WWE rushed into pageantry — roster surrounding the ring, titles presented, tribute video cued — without letting the building settle. The reaction made clear the audience understood exactly what kind of ending they'd been handed. We break down why the finish felt less organic than corrective, and contrast it with Sting's retirement in AEW, which showed how patience and alignment can create a farewell that feels complete. From there, we pivot to AEW's Continental Classic, where Dynamite delivered real movement. "Speedball" Mike Bailey stunned Kyle Fletcher, Kazuchika Okada handled Jack Perry, and Claudio Castagnoli and Konosuke Takeshita fought to a punishing time-limit draw that reinforced the Classic as AEW's most sports-driven concept. We then hit an Observer-style business and schedule corner, breaking down AEW's crowded December — early U.K. Collision, a three-hour Manchester Dynamite with $1 million at stake, a tight Worlds End promotional window — before flipping to WWE's business side: Royal Rumble demand, archive strategy, NXT PLE timing, and mid-December pre-taping. We close with a look ahead at a loaded week across the industry, from Holiday Bash and the Continental Classic to Impact's cage chaos, SmackDown's continued Cena fallout, NXT's road to New Year's Evil, and a packed runway toward Worlds End, Wrestle Kingdom, the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania 42. This is Episode 155 of Wrestling Tonight — where the moments matter, the context counts, and the conversation goes deeper than the finish

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod and Travis from Wicked Bitter! Join us as we ask has modern wrestling shifted too far toward an athletic focus and away from storytelling, or is that necessary to keep the industry moving forward and alive; what is more likely to happen- LA Knight becoming world champion or going to AEW; and if you had the pencil, who would be the next 4 AEW men's world champions? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era rolls on with your host Acefield Retro, and this week we're diving into one of the most transformative stretches of the entire project. Episode 6: The New Standard covers August through December 2003 — the moment when SmackDown didn't just outperform Raw, it redefined what WWE television could be. The original SmackDown Six formula sharpens into something faster, more ambitious, and more confident, and the blue brand starts carrying itself like the true flagship. We open with the match that shattered expectations for what a TV main event could look like: the 60-minute Iron Man Match between Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle on September 18, 2003. With no September PPV, WWE hands them an entire hour on network TV, and they deliver a masterpiece of strategy, pacing, and physical storytelling. Lesnar wrestles like a cold, calculating monster, even sacrificing a fall early to inflict damage he cashes in later, while Angle brings textbook precision and furious comebacks. It's chaotic, logical, brutal, and brilliant. Brock's 5–4 win establishes him as SmackDown's apex predator and cements the match as one of the greatest in TV wrestling history. From there, we hit the Parking Lot Brawl between Eddie Guerrero and John Cena on August 28, and this week's episode is paired with a full Shot of Nostalgia watch-along of that match. Eddie weaponizes an entire parking lot with the same creativity he brings to a wrestling ring — seatbelts, hoods, roofs, doors — while Cena bumps and sells like a young star fighting to earn his stripes. Eddie bleeds, Cena crashes through a windshield, and the Frog Splash off one car onto another remains one of the defining images of the Guerrero legacy. It's gritty, stylish, violent, pure SmackDown identity — and being able to watch it back together in real time adds a whole new layer to how we talk about its impact. We also revisit Rey Mysterio vs. Tajiri from No Mercy 2003, a match that captures exactly why SmackDown's in-ring output was blowing Raw out of the water. Tajiri's heel turn, complete with red and black mist plus the arrival of Akio and Sakoda, gives the Cruiserweight division the villain it had been missing. Rey brings the explosiveness, Tajiri brings the strikes and swagger, and together they deliver a crisp, high-velocity title match that resets the entire division going into 2004. The rest of this episode is about how the entire brand evolves beneath the surface. Injuries pile up, Heyman's creative voice gets quieter, Goldberg's Raw run exposes WWE's stylistic confusion, and Evolution stumbles behind the scenes. Yet SmackDown stays true to itself — athletic realism, character-driven drama, and a match quality that feels years ahead of the WWE main-event formula. Even as the original SmackDown Six pairings splinter and reform in new combinations, their philosophy — built by Eddie, Edge, Benoit, Angle, Rey, and Chavo — pulses through every show. By December 2003, SmackDown isn't the "other" brand anymore. SmackDown is the new standard. Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era — Episode 6: The New Standard premieres Friday, December 13, 2025, wherever you listen. Like, subscribe, and leave a review to help the show grow. Visit TurnbuckleTavern.com for merch, archives, and the full network schedule, subscribe to the Shot of Nostalgia newsletter for bonus writeups and deep-dive extras, and support the project at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for just $2.99 a month to keep these deep dives alive. Powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers — use code TAVERN at checkout for 20% off your entire order.