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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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 210 of Wrestling Tonight looks at the immediate fallout from AEW All In 2026, with Will Ospreay's first World title defense already set against Jon Moxley at All Out. Moxley enters with a 2-0 singles record against Ospreay, while Andrade El Idolo still holds a future title shot and Ospreay is also teasing a new AEW faction separate from the current United Empire. New Level remain one of the biggest stories coming out of Wembley, with Kofi and Austin Creed confirming WWE offered them deals with pay cuts of more than 50 percent and Conrad Thompson saying he heard the actual number was 75 percent. We get into why they turned those deals down, why AEW was always their preferred destination and how their contracts came together less than 24 hours before All In. We also break down the actual All In attendance, with 41,102 people going through the Wembley turnstiles compared with an estimated 46,987 tickets distributed. The number is down from both previous Wembley shows, but AEW still announced a $6 million gate and remains at a level very few wrestling events reach. All Out is already taking shape elsewhere as Adam Copeland and Christian Cage defend the AEW Tag Team titles against FTR and The Young Bucks in a three-way ladder match. Josh Alexander is also back from injury, while Copeland has Steve Maclin waiting for him in his Maple Leaf Pro debut one week after All Out. On the WWE side, Roman Reigns is heading toward a World Heavyweight Championship defense against Penta in Mexico City, with Tommy Dreamer comparing the potential atmosphere to John Cena at ECW One Night Stand. Sunday Night's Main Event in Atlanta has also moved 9,177 tickets so far, still below WWE's 2026 average of 12,476. Elsewhere, Chelsea Green revealed how serious another impact to her broken orbital bone could be and discussed her pitch for Royal Rumble winners to challenge for the United States or Intercontinental Championship. The Creed Brothers are back in NXT, WWE has officially retired the Speed Championships and we look at what all of those moves mean going forward. Episode 210 of Wrestling Tonight covers Ospreay vs. Moxley, New Level's rumored 75 percent WWE pay cut, All In's 41,102 turnstile count, Roman vs. Penta in Mexico City, the growing All Out card, Chelsea Green, the Creed Brothers, Josh Alexander and the end of the Speed titles.  

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! This week, we preview Sunday Nights Main Event and recap the past week that was WWE in all its wonderful glory! All this and more on your #1 source for all the things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern, this is the RAW DOWN! Transcript

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 209 of Wrestling Tonight is all about the fallout from AEW All In 2026, as Wembley delivered a night filled with championship changes, major returns, surprising debuts and developments that could reshape several parts of the company moving forward. At the center of everything is Will Ospreay, who finally reached the top of AEW by defeating Kenny Omega to become AEW World Champion for the first time. Ospreay's championship victory was about considerably more than the result itself. AEW built the entire presentation around his journey to Wembley, bringing different pieces of his wrestling history together before he ever stepped into the ring with Omega. We get into the significance of the moment, what happened between Ospreay and Omega afterward and why the entire weekend felt like the culmination of something AEW has been building toward for a long time. The rest of All In gave us plenty to discuss. Mercedes Moné captured the AEW Women's World Championship, Jon Moxley won the first-ever Continental Challenge Cup and Kazuchika Okada reclaimed the International Championship, while Andrade finally earned the World title opportunity he has spent months pursuing. Several of those results also came with circumstances that make what happens next considerably more interesting than the title changes themselves. Darby Allin became TNT Champion for the third time in a Falls Count Anywhere match with Kevin Knight that somehow managed to get even crazier as it went along. Sting made a surprise return, Steven Borden became part of the story and Wembley got the kind of Darby Allin moment that will probably be replayed for years. We also get into what the TNT Championship still means to Darby and why returning to it at this point in his career carries a different significance. The AEW tag team picture also became considerably more crowded after Copeland and Christian Cage retained against the Young Bucks, with Motor City Machine Guns, FTR and New Level all emerging afterward. New Level had already made their presence felt earlier in the night, as Kofi and Austin Creed debuted alongside Swerve Strickland and immediately found themselves at the center of AEW's Trios division. Britt Baker also made her long-awaited return, giving AEW another major piece to work with coming out of Wembley. There is also a significant business story surrounding the aftermath of All In. Tony Khan came out of the weekend extremely positive about where AEW stands, confirmed the company will return to Wembley in 2027 and revealed additional plans for Liverpool and London. We get into what AEW's expanding UK schedule tells us about the importance of that market and some of the bigger possibilities created by the company's changing 2027 calendar. Outside of AEW, NXT Heatwave and AAA Ola de Calor produced a fascinating weekend in Texas. WWE reportedly came away surprised by the way the audience responded to AAA compared with NXT, creating an interesting conversation about what the company may have learned from putting the two shows together and what that response says about the audience WWE has inherited through AAA. Heatwave itself completely changed the NXT championship landscape. Grayson Waller became NXT Champion, Kelani Jordan finally captured the NXT Women's Championship and Zaria made history in the women's title unification match. Myles Borne also entered the show carrying two championships and experienced a complete collapse over the course of the night, ending with a major development involving Tavion Heights that went in a very different direction from what NXT had spent months teasing. Raw also established two major championship matches for WWE's upcoming Mexico City show. Penta defeated his brother Rey Fenix to earn a World Championship opportunity against Roman Reigns, while Dragon Lee will challenge Chad Gable for the Intercontinental Championship. We get into Penta's path to Roman, the significance of putting that match in Mexico City and what WWE established with the final image of Raw. Money in the Bank is also beginning to come into focus, with qualifying matches officially starting next week ahead of the October 10 event in New Orleans. After both of last year's winners successfully turned their briefcases into World championships, there is already an interesting backdrop to this year's field before WWE has even revealed who will make it into the ladder matches. Episode 209 of Wrestling Tonight covers the fallout from AEW All In 2026, Will Ospreay finally reaching the top of AEW, Sting's return, New Level's debut and the championship changes that reshaped Wembley, plus Tony Khan's plans for AEW's future in the UK. We also break down a chaotic NXT Heatwave, WWE's surprising takeaway from the AAA/NXT weekend, Penta earning his World title match against Roman Reigns and the beginning of the road to Money in the Bank.

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 208 of Wrestling Tonight is all about AEW All In 2026, as the company returns to Wembley Stadium for its biggest show of the year. From the independent gamble that helped inspire AEW in 2018 to the enormous Wembley events that transformed All In into the company's flagship spectacle, the name carries a history unlike anything else on AEW's calendar. Now, after last year's trip to Texas, All In is back in London with a card built around some of the biggest names and most consequential matches AEW can offer. At the center of everything is Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship. Ospreay's road to this match actually stretches back to the decision AEW didn't make in 2025, and his recent comments about Tony Khan, Hangman Page, his injury and the importance of New Japan add another layer to what already feels like a defining moment in his career. We break down why Wembley feels so important for Ospreay, what an Omega victory would mean and whether AEW is finally ready to make the move it considered a year ago. The rest of the card gives us plenty to argue about. Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Moné meet for the Women's World Championship with an additional injury wrinkle hanging over the match, while Jon Moxley and Nigel McGuinness reach the Continental Challenge Cup final with Wembley providing an intriguing backdrop. There's also the three way between Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada, Kevin Knight vs. Darby Allin in Falls Count Anywhere, Copeland & Christian vs. the Young Bucks, the Women's Tag Team Championship match and the Casino Gauntlet. We're making picks across the card, and we don't necessarily see Wembley being a quiet night for the champions. One piece of the card that had remained unresolved is now much clearer. Hangman Page, Brody King and Bandido will defend the AEW World Trios Championship in a seven team Trios Roulette Royale on the Buy In. Tony Khan announced that the gauntlet style match will also feature five teams containing former Trios Champions The Demand, The Dogs, The Conglomeration, The Death Riders and the Bang Bang Gang, along with a mystery wild card trio. Kyle O'Reilly, whose status had been in question following Dynamite in Glasgow, is also expected to be available for the match. We get into what the late change adds to an already packed Wembley weekend and what possibilities that wild card spot could create. There is also a significant business story surrounding the show. The latest update has 43,585 tickets distributed for All In, up 568 from the previous day, as AEW makes its final push toward Sunday. We compare that number with the company's previous trips to Wembley and look at what this year's crowd tells us about where All In stands several years after the extraordinary success of its first London edition. Outside of AEW, we get into the ESPN WWE report that was subsequently retracted, as well as the $147.5 million WWE settlement and why the details behind that enormous figure matter considerably more than the headline alone. We also have CM Punk returning to NXT, adding another notable WWE story to an already loaded wrestling weekend. Episode 208 of Wrestling Tonight covers the history, stakes and biggest questions surrounding AEW All In 2026, our full Wembley predictions and the latest ticket update, plus the ESPN WWE retraction, WWE's $147.5 million settlement and CM Punk's NXT return. All In is back at Wembley, and we're breaking down what could be one of the most consequential nights of AEW's year without spoiling all of our picks before you hit play.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! This week, we dive deep into the reports that Ilja Dragunov allowed his WWE contract to expire, and Bayley's uncertain future, as her deal is expected to expire later in 2026 with no new contract signed yet . On the event front, the highly anticipated inaugural Joh. Plus, we discuss Kevin Owens vs CM Punk, and alongside WWE's reported plans to rebuild the tag team division around fresh challengers like Shinsuke Nakamura and the newly debuted Kyoki on SmackDown. Finally, We talk about the rumors of ESPN not renewing with WWE come 2030, the subscription hike. All this and more on your #1 source of all the things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern, this is the RAW DOWN!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 207 of Wrestling Tonight opens with a surprising WWE departure that appears to have come together very differently than many would have expected. Ilja Dragunov is leaving WWE, but the circumstances surrounding his exit make this much more interesting than a straightforward contract expiration. WWE reportedly wanted him to remain with the company, and the two sides were still having serious discussions about getting him back on television only a couple of months ago. So how did we go from negotiating a return to Dragunov becoming a free agent? We break down what is known about the timeline, where things apparently changed and what comes next for one of the most distinctive wrestlers to come through WWE in recent years. Then there is The Rock and WrestleMania 43. WWE is heading to Riyadh for WrestleMania next April, but a major commitment on Dwayne Johnson's schedule could make one of the biggest possibilities surrounding the show considerably more complicated. There is an important distinction between The Rock appearing at WrestleMania and actually wrestling at WrestleMania, and the latest information raises questions about whether there will realistically be enough time for the latter. We get into what his schedule looks like, why the timing matters and where that leaves WWE as the road to WrestleMania 43 begins to take shape. AEW All In is just days away, and we now have an updated look at how Wembley Stadium is filling up before Sunday. With Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship at the top of the card, the latest ticket numbers give us a much clearer idea of the size of the crowd AEW could be looking at when the company returns to Wembley. We'll go through where ticket distribution currently stands, how that compares with the stadium setup and what AEW still has available heading into the final days before All In. And Wembley is not the only major European story for AEW. Grand Slam is heading to Paris, giving the company another significant international date and its first event in France. There are some notable details about when and where the show will take place, what AEW intends to tape that night and where it fits into the company's European schedule coming out of All In. We also have movement on the John Cena Classic, an event WWE announced months ago without providing many concrete details. A potential date has now emerged, and its placement on the calendar carries an obvious connection to Cena's retirement that is difficult to overlook. There are still unanswered questions about the location, the lineup and exactly how WWE plans to execute Cena's unusual fan-voting concept, but we finally may have an idea of when the event is actually happening. We'll get into the reported date, why it stands out and what Cena has said about making sure the fans legitimately determine the winner. Elsewhere, Royce Keys returned to Raw and brought OTM with him, immediately inserting the group into an already crowded situation involving The Usos, Solo Sikoa and LA Knight. Rather than choosing one side, Keys, Bronco Nima and Lucien Price made their intentions clear by going after everyone. We'll cover how WWE brought Keys back after his absence, the significance of OTM appearing alongside him and how recent developments involving Nima may have helped set up the new alliance. The Women's World Championship picture also has its next major match. Stephanie Vaquer now has a date with Liv Morgan, but Becky Lynch remains directly involved in the story after what happened on Raw. With Vaquer and Lynch both pursuing Morgan since returning after SummerSlam, WWE now has multiple directions it can take as the championship match approaches. And on SmackDown, WWE advertised Blake Monroe vs. Giulia, but fans are still waiting for Monroe's official SmackDown in-ring debut. Instead of giving away the match, WWE used the confrontation to push their rivalry another step forward. Their history goes beyond WWE, and what happened before the bell ensures there is still unfinished business between them. Episode 207 of Wrestling Tonight covers Ilja Dragunov's unexpected WWE exit and the negotiations that preceded it, the scheduling issue hanging over The Rock and WrestleMania 43, the latest numbers heading into AEW All In at Wembley, AEW's first trip to Paris and the potential date for the John Cena Classic. Plus, Royce Keys resurfaces with OTM, Stephanie Vaquer moves closer to the Women's World Championship and Blake Monroe and Giulia's rivalry takes another turn on SmackDown.  

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 206 of Wrestling Tonight begins with one of the biggest "what ifs" surrounding John Cena's retirement run. Adam Copeland says he believes Tony Khan would have allowed him to step outside AEW for one final Edge vs. Cena match in WWE. Copeland made it clear that nothing was ever formally proposed, Tony was never actually asked and WWE never officially rejected the idea, but his belief is that AEW would not have been the obstacle. It is especially interesting because Cena and Edge were so important to one another's careers, and a final match could have been more than nostalgia. It could have been one of those rare moments where WWE and AEW put the promotional rivalry aside for something that made sense historically. We look at whether it was ever realistic, what Tony allowing it would have meant for the relationship between the two companies and why one of the most obvious matches for Cena's farewell never got beyond the hypothetical stage. We then turn to AEW, where Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay have made their All In match increasingly personal. The story has become about far more than simply determining who the better wrestler is, with their history stretching back through PWG, New Japan and Ospreay's years of being compared to the standard Omega established before him. That rivalry now intersects with Ospreay's return from neck fusion surgery and his attempt to prove that he has finally surpassed Omega. Their sit-down with Renee Paquette revisited Omega questioning whether Ospreay ever truly replaced him and the lingering issue of Ospreay needing Don Callis' involvement to defeat Kenny at Forbidden Door. Omega then crossed another line by bringing Ospreay's family into the discussion before ultimately putting him through a table with the One-Winged Angel. With Ospreay back in front of his home crowd at Wembley after everything surrounding his surgery and recovery, AEW has turned this into one of the most important matches of his career. Pat McAfee's WWE future also appears increasingly clear. More than a year after stepping away from Raw commentary because of burnout, McAfee has added another major ESPN responsibility by joining Monday Night Countdown throughout the NFL season. His daily show will also broadcast from the site of Monday Night Football each week while he continues working College GameDay on Saturdays. McAfee has now reiterated that he does not intend to return to WWE television following the WrestleMania 42 stipulation where Cody Rhodes defeating Randy Orton meant McAfee would leave WWE programming for good. He even acknowledged that he may have been wrong about Cody after spending the storyline attacking him. Wrestling stipulations can always be undone, but between McAfee's comments and an ESPN schedule that now consumes both Saturdays and Mondays throughout football season, a regular WWE return looks increasingly unlikely. Josh Alexander is also moving closer to an in-ring return just over four months after undergoing knee surgery. Alexander resurfaced on Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling Mayhem and confronted Stu Grayson, teasing the eventual unification of MLP's Canadian Championship. Alexander has remained champion throughout his injury while Grayson became interim champion, giving them a ready-made program whenever Alexander receives clearance. No date has been announced, but MLP's Northern Rising on October 3 in Toronto would be a logical destination if Alexander is ready. The return is particularly meaningful considering Alexander has spoken about how disappointing it was to be unable to fulfill his responsibilities as champion after becoming the inaugural Canadian Champion following Scott D'Amore's relaunch of the promotion. On the WWE injury front, Logan Paul appears to be making progress from the torn triceps that required surgery after Saturday Night's Main Event in May. Paul recently visited Champion Sports Medicine in Birmingham, with Kevin Wilk saying he is looking good following surgery and eager to return to the ring. Paul himself has been more cautious, recently describing himself as still "very much injured" while saying that he is healing quickly and undergoing PRP treatment as part of the rehabilitation process. WWE has kept him involved on television during the recovery, while The Vision continued without him and Bron Breakker stepped into the tag team picture alongside Austin Theory. There is still no confirmed return date, but the latest update suggests Paul is progressing toward eventually getting back in the ring. Jim Johnston also believes the door to a WWE return is essentially closed. Johnston says he would happily compose wrestling themes again but believes Triple H views him as one of Vince McMahon's guys and has little interest in bringing him back. That is Johnston's interpretation rather than something Triple H has publicly confirmed, but it creates an interesting conversation about one of the most criticized aspects of WWE's current presentation. Johnston's greatest strength was creating music that immediately communicated who a wrestler was before they ever reached the ring. WWE does not necessarily need to turn its entire music department back over to Johnston, but completely ignoring someone responsible for so many instantly recognizable themes is worth discussing when modern entrance music continues to struggle to create that same connection. And finally, 31 years ago this week, Cactus Jack and Terry Funk produced one of the defining matches in the history of deathmatch wrestling at IWA Japan's Kawasaki Dream. Nearly 29,000 fans packed Kawasaki Stadium for the King of the Death Match tournament, with Funk and Cactus each surviving two violent matches before meeting in the final: a no-rope barbed-wire, exploding barbed-wire board and exploding-ring time-bomb deathmatch. Both men entered already beaten up, and what followed became the gold standard for the genre. The match worked because Funk and Foley could create emotion underneath all of the violence. The exploding boards delivered the spectacle, but the planned centerpiece of the match nearly became a disaster when the ring explosion at the ten-minute mark dramatically underdelivered. Instead of allowing the match to die with it, Funk and Cactus improvised. They went back to the remaining explosives and brought a ladder into the match, with Cactus eventually coming off it with an elbow before the closing sequence left both men tangled and destroyed in the wire. Cactus crawled over Funk for the pin and was crowned King of the Death Match. That victory meant considerably more than winning a tournament. Terry Funk was already one of wrestling's great legends and had rarely lost in Japan, while Cactus was still establishing what his career would become after leaving WCW. Foley has described the night as Funk effectively passing the torch to him, and the prestige from defeating Terry gave Cactus credibility that followed him long after Kawasaki. The match was messy, dangerous and even technically failed at the moment that was supposed to provide its biggest spectacle, but Funk and Foley turning that failure into something memorable is part of why it has endured. There have been crazier and more dangerous deathmatches since, but when you combine the atmosphere, violence, improvisation, emotional connection between the two men and what the victory ultimately meant for Mick Foley's career, Cactus Jack vs. Terry Funk remains one of the genre's defining matches. Episode 206 brings together one of wrestling's biggest crossover matches that never happened, Omega and Ospreay turning their decade-long rivalry personal before Wembley, Pat McAfee seemingly closing the door on WWE, Josh Alexander moving toward his comeback, Logan Paul continuing his recovery, Jim Johnston questioning whether WWE would ever welcome him back and a look back at the night Terry Funk helped make Cactus Jack the King of the Death Match.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! Jacy Jayne defeated Tiffany Stratton to become the new Women's United States Champion, while CM Punk and Kevin Owens trade more words ahead of their WWE Championship clash and Tatum Paxley bizarrely locked Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair inside a makeshift closet. The intense momentum carried into Monday Night Raw, seeing Solo Sikoa stand face-to-face with Roman Reigns to answer to The Bloodline and Chad Gable successfully defend his Intercontinental Championship against Rey Mysterio. Raw also saw Je'Von Evans pick up a win over JD McDonagh before suffering a brutal post-match assault from the returning Big Cass, as well as Rey Fenix and Dragon Lee advancing in a high-stakes World Heavyweight Championship tournament. All this and more on your #1 source for all things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern! This is the RAW DOWN!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 205 of Wrestling Tonight begins in Japan, where Ryohei Oiwa defeated Yuya Uemura in a 35-minute final to win G1 Climax 36 and cap off a tournament that increasingly felt like NJPW finally committing to its new generation. We break down Oiwa's path from qualifying for the tournament to becoming G1 champion, the significance of a final four featuring Oiwa, Uemura, Yota Tsuji and Callum Newman, and Oiwa's decision to follow TMDK mentor Zack Sabre Jr. by taking his IWGP Heavyweight Championship opportunity at King of Pro Wrestling in October rather than waiting for Wrestle Kingdom. Before then, Yota Tsuji must defend against Hirooki Goto at Destruction in Kobe, while Jeff Cobb is suddenly back in NJPW and aligned with Gedo's Unbound Corp after confronting former United Empire stablemate Callum Newman. The G1 weekend also produced one of the strangest moments of the year when an AI recreation of the late Antonio Inoki appeared at Ryogoku, addressed Hiroshi Tanahashi and led the crowd through the traditional "1, 2, 3, dah!" We discuss the uncomfortable contrast of NJPW spending the weekend successfully pushing Oiwa, Uemura, Tsuji and Newman as its future while simultaneously using artificial intelligence to recreate its deceased founder, as well as MJF's social media exchange with Oiwa over their respective headlocks and Oiwa inviting him to enter the 2027 G1. We then head to GCW Homecoming, where former WWE wrestler Joe Gacy, now Joseph Sawyer, ended Atticus Cogar's 266-day reign to become GCW World Champion with assistance from the returning Drake Younger. Drake's appearance immediately generated controversy because of the statements and affiliations that surrounded the end of his WWE tenure, leading to a public apology the following night. Brett Lauderdale then explained his decision to give Drake another opportunity by revealing that Younger helped save his life during Lauderdale's battle with opiate addiction in 2012 and took him to his first Narcotics Anonymous meeting. We look at both the legitimate reasons for the backlash and the deeply personal reason Lauderdale believes Drake deserves a second chance. On the WWE side, Chelsea Green's cracked orbital bone has unexpectedly created one of SmackDown's more interconnected women's stories. Nick Aldis gave Green 30 days to be medically cleared rather than immediately stripping her of the WWE Women's Championship, while Mickie James praised Green's emotional promo as one of the greatest she has seen. Nia Jax and Lash Legend have already targeted the injured champion, Tiffany Stratton came to Green's defense and that decision later contributed directly to Stratton losing the Women's United States Championship to Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence. We also look at the growing possibility of LA Knight challenging Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at Money in the Bank in New Orleans, with AJ Styles publicly arguing that Knight has never been more ready to become world champion. Roman's September title defense is also being built through WWE-owned AAA, where La Parka has advanced to face Penta while Rey Fenix defeated El Fiscal on Raw to reach the semifinals of the tournament determining Roman's challenger in Mexico City. That integration is interesting, but it also highlights the continuing disconnect in AAA's presentation when Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio can regularly lose on WWE television while AAA is simultaneously being used to produce challengers for WWE's world champion. Plus, AEW has reached the quarterfinals of the Continental Challenge Cup with Nigel McGuinness fighting through an injury to face Hechicero, Jon Moxley meeting Jay White, Orange Cassidy facing Kyle O'Reilly and Claudio Castagnoli renewing his rivalry with Eddie Kingston as the tournament moves toward Glasgow and the All In final at Wembley. We also discuss Grayson Waller taking aim at CM Punk and the NXT locker room, and TNA bringing Lockdown back for the first time since 2016 while attaching the bizarre stipulation that Leon Slater's entire 298-day X-Division Championship reign will be erased from company history if he loses to Cedric Alexander.

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 204 of Wrestling Tonight begins in Japan, where G1 Climax 36 is officially down to Yota Tsuji, Ryohei Oiwa, Callum Newman and Yuya Uemura, guaranteeing a first-time tournament winner. Tsuji faces Uemura and Newman meets Oiwa in the semifinals Saturday, August 15 at Ryogoku Sumo Hall, with the winners advancing to Sunday's final. Both blocks ended with three wrestlers tied at 12 points. In A Block, Tsuji, Oiwa and Konosuke Takeshita all finished 6-3, but Tsuji and Oiwa advanced because both held head-to-head victories over Takeshita. Oiwa clinched his spot by beating Takeshita in the final A Block main event, while Tsuji defeated Jake Lee and benefited from Great-O-Khan eliminating Boltin Oleg by countout. B Block produced almost the same situation, with Newman, Uemura and Gabe Kidd all finishing 6-3. Kidd's losses to both semifinalists eliminated him on the head-to-head tiebreaker. With Tsuji already holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the stakes are different for the other three. If Oiwa, Newman or Uemura wins the G1, that wrestler earns a future championship opportunity against Tsuji. If Tsuji wins, the reigning champion would presumably be positioned to select his own future challenger. Saturday's tournament matches will not headline the show, however. Hiroyoshi Tenzan wrestles the final match of his NJPW career against longtime TenKoji partner Satoshi Kojima in a five-minute exhibition, followed by Tenzan's retirement ceremony. The show begins at 2 a.m. Eastern on NJPW World. We then turn to Adam Copeland's first appearance inside Arena México, where he received a reaction he compared to one of the defining moments of his career. Tony Schiavone revealed that after AEW Grand Slam Mexico, he contacted Copeland to ask whether he had ever experienced a crowd response like it. Copeland's comparison was his 2020 WWE Royal Rumble return, when he returned to the ring nine years after neck issues had seemingly ended his career. Arena México had been a bucket-list destination for Copeland, and Bandido provided additional context for what the building represents by comparing it with Korakuen Hall, the Tokyo Dome and Madison Square Garden. Bandido described competing inside Arena México as the type of achievement that allows someone to call themselves a "real luchador." Copeland is also preparing to check off another deeply personal venue on October 3, when he wrestles for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, located on the grounds of the former Maple Leaf Gardens. Copeland has called Maple Leaf Gardens his wrestling "hallowed ground" and explained that Tony Khan allowed the appearance because AEW and Maple Leaf Pro are partners, Khan wants professional wrestling to flourish and he understood what the opportunity meant to Copeland personally. We also break down the growing uncertainty surrounding Bayley's WWE future. Bayley has reportedly been offered a new WWE contract but has not signed it, and there is conflicting information about exactly when her current deal expires. Bayley's own comments from April 2025 point toward October 2026, Fightful has reported that the deal is expected to expire by the end of 2026 unless additional time is added, and Bryan Alvarez has heard January 2027 but has not been able to verify that date. Dave Meltzer says Bayley has a decision to make and confirmed that she will not become a free agent in August. The speculation intensified after Bayley posted a training video featuring Mercedes Moné, captioned it "all or nothing, baby" and used the song "All In." WrestleVotes reported through Fightful Select that the post raised eyebrows backstage in WWE and did not land well with everyone. Despite the obvious AEW references, the available contract timelines make an appearance at All In on August 30 extremely unlikely. The bigger story is whether Bayley eventually re-signs with WWE or becomes one of wrestling's biggest free agents later this year or in early 2027. Swerve Strickland is also back in AEW, making his first appearance since losing to Will Ospreay in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament final at Forbidden Door. Swerve and Prince Nana confronted AEW World Trios Champions Hangman Page, Bandido and Brody King before Ricochet, The Demand and Lethal Twist entered the picture. With Jay Lethal, Blake Christian and Lee Johnson challenging Hangman, Brody King and Bandido for the Trios Championship on Collision, Swerve immediately finds himself surrounded by old enemies and a developing championship program. We also discuss the Fightful Select report that Austin Creed and Kofi are expected to join AEW soon. The report stopped short of confirming that either has officially signed, and no debut date has been established. The timing naturally creates speculation around All In, while both men have also been announced for Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise in November. AEW All In 2026 continues to take shape at Wembley Stadium. Kenny Omega defends the AEW World Championship against Will Ospreay, Willow Nightingale defends the AEW Women's World Championship against Mercedes Moné, and Adam Copeland & Christian Cage defend the AEW World Tag Team Championship against The Young Bucks. One of the biggest additions is Kyle Fletcher defending the AEW International Championship against Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada. Takeshita defeated Okada for the title at Double or Nothing before Fletcher defeated Takeshita at Beach Break. Importantly, Takeshita has since left the Don Callis Family, while Fletcher and Okada remain aligned with Callis, adding another layer to the three-way. Kevin Knight defends the TNT Championship against Darby Allin in a Falls Count Anywhere match, with Knight entering their fourth singles meeting holding a 2-1 advantage. The men's Casino Gauntlet will begin with Andrade El Idolo entering No. 1 and MJF entering No. 2. MJF secured his position by defeating Mike Bailey and Nick Wayne on Dynamite, guaranteeing that his rivalry with Andrade will be part of the match from the opening bell. The winner receives a future AEW World Championship opportunity. The Wembley card currently includes Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Moné, Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. The Young Bucks, Kyle Fletcher vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kazuchika Okada, Kevin Knight vs. Darby Allin, Divine Dominion vs. The Brawling Birds, the men's Casino Gauntlet and the Continental Challenge Cup Final. We also look at the latest Wembley ticket business. WrestleTix reported exactly 38,909 tickets distributed as of August 12, an increase of 1,400 over the previous four days. The current setup is 45,023, leaving 6,114 available and putting AEW at approximately 86.4 percent of its currently configured inventory. All In 2024 finished with 53,922 tickets distributed, meaning the 2026 show currently sits 15,013 tickets behind that mark. With All In taking place August 30, AEW now has 16 days to continue closing that gap, although matching the 2024 total would also require thousands of additional seats to be opened. Additional 500-level inventory has already begun to appear. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 203 of Wrestling Tonight centers on a question WWE may eventually have to answer with Dominik Mysterio: what happens when someone develops into a legitimate main-event talent faster than the company seems prepared to treat him like one? Dominik has now held the AAA Mega Championship since September 12, 2025, a reign that has reached 333 days as of August 11, 2026, and his progression has become increasingly difficult to dismiss as simply the product of heat, presentation or the Mysterio name. We discuss why Dominik has the ingredients of a future WWE main eventer, but also why WWE's recent history of starting and stopping momentum makes it fair to question whether the company will fully capitalize on what it has created. That conversation opens into a larger criticism of WWE's ability to develop new stars and, more importantly, keep them hot once the audience begins responding. Roman Reigns has argued that WWE had two years after he stepped away from the championship picture to give other wrestlers opportunities to get over, but that idea deserves more scrutiny than simply placing the responsibility on the talent. Wrestlers cannot grab a proverbial brass ring that creative repeatedly moves out of reach, and getting over is not exclusively an individual accomplishment when television time, meaningful programs, victories, opponents and sustained creative investment are controlled by the promotion. Roman Reigns and CM Punk can produce a memorable nine or ten-minute segment because they have enormous presence and established equity with the audience, but WWE also has to create the conditions that allow somebody from the next generation to eventually develop that same equity. Professional wrestling history itself complicates the argument that stars simply force their way to the top. Steve Austin did not become Stone Cold because WWE immediately handed him the company and waited for him to succeed. During the period when his momentum was developing in late 1996 and early 1997, Steve Austin was consistently working with Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Vader, Sycho Sid, Mankind and other established names. He won the 1997 Royal Rumble, challenged Sycho Sid for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship on house shows, worked repeatedly with Shawn Michaels and remained intertwined with Bret Hart even when he was losing matches. The company did not need Steve Austin to win everything for him to become important; it needed to keep putting him in situations where becoming important was possible. That historical context is why Dominik Mysterio is such an interesting test case. His connection to wrestling history is almost literal, because Zilla Fatu has recalled growing up backstage at WWE events alongside Dominik while their fathers were wrestling, describing the two of them running around backstage, getting into the ring and practicing the 619 as children. Zilla Fatu even remembered Dominik as the wrestler's child he connected with most during that period. What was once two kids playing wrestling backstage has now become part of a much larger generational story, with Dominik holding AAA's top championship while WWE controls 51 percent of the promotion following its acquisition of AAA in 2025. That ownership makes Dominik Mysterio's AAA run more significant than a disconnected excursion. WWE announced its agreement to acquire AAA during WrestleMania 41 weekend, the transaction closed on August 1, 2025, and the relationship has since expanded through Worlds Collide, AAA programming on Fox properties in Mexico and Latin America beginning in 2026, and a Mattel AAA action figure line scheduled for fall 2027. Dominik defeating El Hijo del Vikingo for the AAA Mega Championship at Worlds Collide on September 12, 2025 therefore places him directly inside WWE's larger investment in the Mexican promotion, and his lengthy reign provides an opportunity to determine whether WWE views him merely as a valuable character or as someone capable of eventually carrying a major promotion at the highest level. We also compare that approach with the way AEW has positioned Kyle Fletcher as a future cornerstone, because developing a main-event wrestler requires more than identifying somebody as talented. The audience needs repeated evidence that the promotion believes the wrestler belongs at that level, and the booking has to reinforce that idea long enough for perception to become reality. That does not mean every prospect should win constantly or immediately become world champion, but it does mean losses, programs and television appearances should contribute to an identifiable trajectory rather than repeatedly resetting momentum. That is ultimately why WWE has a Dominik Mysterio problem, although it is a potentially very good problem to have. Dominik has lineage, character, experience, sustained championship credibility in AAA and years of television development behind him, and the question is increasingly less about whether he can become a main-event wrestler than whether WWE will provide the sustained creative environment necessary for him to become one. If the company believes the next generation needs to step forward, Dominik Mysterio represents an opportunity to prove that WWE is willing to meet emerging talent halfway rather than waiting for someone to somehow become undeniable despite the booking around them. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 202 of Wrestling Tonight begins by remembering Dory Funk Jr., who died at 85 years old. We look back at the former NWA World Heavyweight Champion's remarkable career, his influence across generations of professional wrestling, his importance in both the United States and Japan, and the legacy he leaves behind as one of the industry's most respected figures. In WWE, Kevin Owens has called his shot against CM Punk. After returning at SummerSlam and winning a Fatal Four-Way to become number one contender, Owens told Nick Aldis he wants his WWE Championship match on August 21 in Toronto. We discuss why the setting matters, where Punk vs. Owens could be heading, and Chelsea Green's uncertain status after suffering a broken orbital bone on SmackDown. The G1 Climax 36 enters its final block matches with Konosuke Takeshita leading A Block while Ryohei Oiwa, Boltin Oleg and Yota Tsuji remain within striking distance. B Block is even tighter, with Gabe Kidd, Callum Newman and Ren Narita tied at the top. We break down the qualification picture, the tournament's biggest risers and what to watch as NJPW approaches the August 16 final. AEW's Continental Challenge Cup is underway with Claudio Castagnoli, Eddie Kingston and Orange Cassidy advancing to the final eight. We look ahead to Jay White vs. David Finlay, Jon Moxley vs. Jack Perry and the rest of the opening round as the tournament begins its road toward the final at Wembley Stadium. Plus, Hechicero wins the 2026 CMLL International Grand Prix after eliminating PAC and submitting Claudio Castagnoli, further cementing an incredible year for the CMLL World Heavyweight Champion. Finally, we preview the week ahead across WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, AAA and NWA, including Penta vs. Laredo Kid on Raw, Grayson Waller vs. Cruz Montana on NXT, two Continental Challenge Cup matches on Dynamite, three championship matches on SmackDown, and the latest developments on the road to AEW All In. The August 30 All In card continues to take shape with Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship, Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Moné for the AEW Women's World Championship, Cage and Cope vs. The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship, Divine Dominion vs. The Brawling Birds for the AEW Women's World Tag Team Championship, the Men's Casino Gauntlet and the Continental Challenge Cup final. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.  

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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 201 is headlined by our complete review of WWE SummerSlam 2026 as we're joined by JBugz from Rawdown to break down both nights of WWE's biggest event of the summer. From CM Punk retaining the Undisputed WWE Championship and Oba Femi defeating Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell to Kevin Owens' shocking return, Chelsea Green becoming Interim Women's Champion, Chad Gable finally capturing his first singles championship, and Roman Reigns defeating Seth Rollins to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in the final chapter of their legendary rivalry, we cover every major match, surprise and storyline coming out of Minneapolis. We begin with Night 1, discussing Liv Morgan's successful Women's World Championship defense against Iyo Sky after her first title defense in roughly 100 days, LA Knight, Solo Sikoa and Royce Keys defeating Jacob Fatu and The Usos, Gunther submitting Nick Aldis in his first match back after three years, and Fatal Influence picking up the victory before The Bella Twins shocked everyone by turning on Paige. We also break down CM Punk's dramatic title defense over Cody Rhodes following Randy Orton's surprise return, the controversy surrounding the Night 1 main event, and Oba Femi defeating Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell before receiving Lesnar's public endorsement as the future of WWE. Next, we shift our attention to Night 2 as Kevin Owens made his long-awaited in-ring return following neck surgery and immediately earned an Undisputed WWE Championship opportunity by winning a surprise Fatal Four-Way over Sami Zayn, Finn Bálor and Gunther. We also discuss Baron Corbin capturing the United States Championship from Trick Williams, Chelsea Green winning the Interim WWE Women's Championship in a chaotic Ladder Match, Danhausen defeating Dominik Mysterio in the Human Monies on a Pole Match, Chad Gable finally winning his first WWE singles championship by defeating Penta for the Intercontinental Championship in front of his hometown crowd, and Roman Reigns retaining the World Heavyweight Championship over Seth Rollins in an emotional 33-minute main event that ended with one final Shield fist bump between the longtime rivals. From there, we discuss Triple H's post-show comments, the Randy Orton factor heading into the Undisputed WWE Championship picture, Kevin Owens immediately becoming CM Punk's next challenger, what Roman Reigns' victory means after finally closing the book on his rivalry with Seth Rollins, Oba Femi's continued rise as one of WWE's biggest stars, what the weekend accomplished creatively, where WWE succeeded, where it fell short, and what SummerSlam means for the road ahead. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 200 is headlined by our deep dive into All Elite Wrestling's newly announced Continental Cup as we explain the tournament's format, its inspiration from England's historic Football Association Challenge Cup and what it means for the future of the Continental Championship. Along the way, we explore the history behind the oldest national football competition in the world, examine Tony Khan's connection to English football through Fulham Football Club, discuss Nigel McGuinness entering the tournament ahead of Wembley Stadium and analyze why the Continental Cup is designed to complement rather than replace the Continental Classic. We begin by breaking down the announcement itself, explaining why Jon Moxley's comments on Dynamite created confusion before Collision finally revealed the structure of the Continental Cup. From there, we examine the tournament's sixteen-man single-elimination format, the random draw after every round, Continental Rules and why putting the Continental Championship on the line throughout the tournament creates immediate stakes for every match. Next, we explore the history of the Football Association Challenge Cup, tracing its origins back to 1871 and explaining how random draws, knockout competition and the tradition of "giant-killing" have helped make it one of the most prestigious sporting competitions in the world. We also discuss Tony Khan's decade-long involvement with Fulham Football Club and why the Continental Cup feels like a natural extension of his ties to English football rather than simply another wrestling tournament. From there, we shift our attention back to All Elite Wrestling as we discuss Nigel McGuinness announcing himself for the tournament, why competing for a cup at Wembley Stadium carries unique significance for one of Britain's greatest wrestlers and how his inclusion immediately gives the tournament an emotional connection to the country that inspired it. We then compare the Continental Cup to the Continental Classic, explaining why the two tournaments are fundamentally different despite revolving around the same championship. We also examine how New Japan Pro-Wrestling successfully presents both the New Japan Cup every spring and the G1 Climax every summer, rewarding different styles of competition while building annual traditions around the same roster. We discuss how the Continental Championship has evolved since Eddie Kingston won the inaugural Continental Classic, the role of Continental Rules in establishing the title's identity and why adding a second annual tournament could further elevate the championship. Finally, we address one of the biggest criticisms surrounding the announcement: does All Elite Wrestling have too many tournaments and too many prizes? We discuss why that criticism is understandable, why presentation and communication matter just as much as the concept itself, and why the Continental Cup should ultimately be judged by the moments it creates rather than by the fact that it is another tournament. We close by examining what All Elite Wrestling must do over the coming weeks to transform the Continental Cup from an interesting idea into a lasting annual tradition. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.  

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 199 is headlined by our midway report on G1 Climax 36 as we break down where every wrestler stands after eight nights, analyze the biggest stories shaping this year's tournament, and examine the road to Wrestle Kingdom. Along the way, we dive into the rich history behind New Japan's signature tournament, tracing its roots from the World League, MSG League and IWGP League eras through the birth of the G1 Climax in 1991 and the creation of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship rights certificate. We also examine Konosuke Takeshita's dominant run as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, the emergence of Callum Newman, Boltin Oleg and Drilla Moloney, Gabe Kidd continuing to establish himself as one of wrestling's most compelling personalities, HENARE quietly putting together the best tournament of his career, and Zack Sabre Jr.'s shocking struggles just one year after winning the G1. We begin by looking at the history behind New Japan's annual summer tournament, from Antonio Inoki's dominance of the World League, MSG League and IWGP League through the World Cup Tournament in 1989, the one-year hiatus in 1990 and the debut of the G1 Climax in 1991. From there, we examine how the reward for winning the tournament evolved over the next two decades, discussing why early G1 winners didn't always receive the same prize, how some champions entered and won the tournament while already holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, why Yuji Nagata remains the only G1 winner never to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and how New Japan ultimately created the IWGP Heavyweight Championship rights certificate to establish the modern Road to Wrestle Kingdom. We then break down the certificate era from 2012 through 2025, following Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi and others as they defended their Wrestle Kingdom opportunities before January 4. We also discuss Jay White becoming the first wrestler to steal the rights certificate from a G1 winner, Zack Sabre Jr. and Konosuke Takeshita cashing in their title opportunities before Wrestle Kingdom, and how those decisions reshaped the modern tournament. We also preview the field for G1 Climax 36, New Japan opening the tournament in the United States for just the second time, and the unfortunate concussion that forced Shota Umino to withdraw before block play was complete. From there, we shift our attention to the action inside the ring as we recap Nights 5 through 8 of G1 Climax 36. We discuss Callum Newman scoring the biggest victory of his career over Zack Sabre Jr., Drilla Moloney's rise to the top of B Block while also signing a multi-show agreement with PRODUCE Wrestling, Konosuke Takeshita continuing to look every bit like the tournament favorite, Great-O-Khan's controversial victory over Hirooki Goto, SANADA's creative count-out win over Jake Lee, Yota Tsuji rebuilding momentum after an 0-2 start, HENARE becoming the first wrestler to reach eight points, and Gabe Kidd delivering one of the tournament's most memorable moments after defeating Zack Sabre Jr. and declaring he planned to win G1 Climax 36 "for my cardio" before entering what he called "a real tournament," the AEW Continental Classic. We wrap up by examining where both blocks stand heading into the second half of the tournament. We discuss Takeshita separating himself atop A Block while Yota Tsuji, Boltin Oleg and Ryohei Oiwa continue their pursuit, the three-way tie between HENARE, Drilla Moloney and Gabe Kidd atop B Block, Callum Newman's breakout performance, Zack Sabre Jr.'s uphill climb to stay alive, the impact of Shota Umino's walkover losses on the standings, and the biggest matches and storylines to watch as the race toward the G1 playoffs and Wrestle Kingdom enters its most important stretch. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! This past week in WWE delivered massive final implications heading into SummerSlam, headlined Monday Night Raw where Raquel Rodriguez captured the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship by defeating Sol Ruca, while Brock Lesnar taunted Oba Femi with the key to the Hell in a Cell and Roman Reigns had a final face-off with Seth Rollins. The momentum was built off Friday Night SmackDown, which saw Finn Balor defeat Damian Priest, Royce Keys, and Trick Williams to earn a shot at the Undisputed Championship, alongside a war of words between CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, and Chelsea Green officially qualifying for the SummerSlam Ladder Match. We also make predictions for SummerSlam and much more on your #1 source of ALL things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern! This is the RAW DOWN!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 198 is headlined by the fallout from AEW Redemption as Kenny Omega retained the AEW World Championship before shocking Will Ospreay in the closing moments of the show, Willow Nightingale captured the AEW Women's World Championship, Andrade became the new AEW National Champion, and Tony Khan provided the first meaningful update in months on the long-awaited AEW Podcast Network. We also break down a newsworthy edition of Monday Night Raw that crowned a new champion, featured Ryan Garcia joining Judgment Day, and further reshaped the road to WWE's biggest weekend of the summer. We begin with AEW Redemption, reviewing every major match and angle from Montreal. We discuss Speedball Mike Bailey winning the opening ladder match to earn an AEW International Championship opportunity, The Young Bucks defeating Death Riders after Will Ospreay refused to become the monster Jon Moxley wanted him to be, Kyle Fletcher retaining the International Championship against Bandido in another Match of the Year contender, Andrade defeating Mark Davis to capture the AEW National Championship, Chris Jericho and Tommaso Ciampa delivering one of the most violent matches in AEW history, Willow Nightingale dethroning Thekla to become AEW Women's World Champion, Maya World shocking Hikaru Shida to win the TBS Championship, Cage & Cope retaining the AEW World Tag Team Championship before The Young Bucks officially challenged them for All In, and Kenny Omega surviving Kevin Knight before attacking Will Ospreay after Ospreay rejected the Death Riders and officially set the stage for Wembley. We also share our full match grades and biggest takeaways from AEW's newest pay-per-view. We also break down everything Tony Khan revealed during the Redemption media scrum, including the long-awaited update on the AEW Podcast Network, why Redemption was designed to launch the road to All In, improvements regarding international visa issues, new interactive fan experiences planned for Wembley, his comments about Kenny Omega's importance to AEW, the latest on Mistico's recovery ahead of Grand Slam Mexico, and why he intentionally structured Redemption to conclude before midnight Eastern. Over in WWE, we recap a headline-filled Monday Night Raw as Raquel Rodriguez captured the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship, earning her first singles championship on the main roster with help from Roxanne Perez and adding even more gold to Judgment Day. We also discuss Bron Breakker and Austin Theory brutally writing Otis off television, Ryan Garcia's shocking arrival and alliance with Judgment Day, YouTube TV subscribers now receiving access to ESPN Unlimited and WWE Premium Live Events, and the latest developments across Raw as WWE continues building momentum toward its biggest event of the summer. We then turn our attention to two of wrestling's biggest developing stories as Bayley openly reflects on her career while her WWE contract reportedly nears its expiration, fueling even more speculation about her long-term future and the possibility of joining Mercedes Moné in AEW. We also discuss former TNA World Champion Mike Santana officially becoming Cruz Montana in NXT, the emotional story behind the new name honoring his late father, and what his arrival could mean for WWE's future. From there, we preview the week ahead across professional wrestling, including AEW Dynamite featuring Willow Nightingale's championship celebration, The Conglomeration defending the AEW World Trios Championship, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage sitting down with The Young Bucks ahead of All In, Rhino appearing live, NXT featuring Myles Borne defending the North American Championship and Cruz Montana addressing the NXT Universe for the first time, TNA Impact headlined by Nic Nemeth defending the TNA World Championship against Jeff Hardy, Mustafa Ali defending the TNA International Championship, Knockouts Television Championship tournament action, plus AEW Collision, WWE SmackDown, AAA on Fox, NWA Powerrr, and a look ahead at the biggest matches coming up across the wrestling calendar. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

Episode 197 of Wrestling Tonight is LIVE! Acefield Retro is joined by JBugz of The Rawdown for our biggest SummerSlam preview of the year as we break down everything you need to know before WWE's biggest event of the summer. SummerSlam 2026 takes place across two nights on August 1 and August 2 from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. We go match by match through the full card, examining every rivalry, every championship picture, and every storyline that has brought WWE to one of the most anticipated premium live events of the year. We dive deep into Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins as their decade-long rivalry reaches another defining chapter. We also break down CM Punk defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes, Oba Femi colliding with Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell, Liv Morgan defending the Women's World Championship against Iyo Sky, Chad Gable challenging Penta for the Intercontinental Championship in his hometown, the latest chapter in The Bloodline civil war, Nick Aldis stepping into a WWE ring for the first time, Danhausen's bizarre $100,000 showdown with Dominik Mysterio, the Interim WWE Women's Championship Ladder Match, Sami Zayn's road back to the world title picture, and every other announced match on the SummerSlam card. We also count down our Top 5 Greatest SummerSlam Moments of All Time, revisiting the unforgettable matches, shocking twists, emotional victories, legendary returns, and defining moments that helped make SummerSlam "The Biggest Party of the Summer." Plus, we share plenty of honorable mentions and debate which moments deserve a place among the greatest in WWE history. If you're getting ready for SummerSlam weekend, this is your complete guide to every major story heading into Minneapolis. As always, we'd love to hear from you. What are your Top 5 SummerSlam moments of all time? Which match are you most excited for this year, and what are your biggest predictions for SummerSlam 2026? Let us know in the comments! Turnbuckle Tavern is proudly powered by G FUEL, the clean, zero-sugar, zero-crash energy formula built for wrestling fans, gamers, creators, and anyone looking to stay energized. Save 20% on your order at GFUEL.com with promo code TAVERN. We're also sponsored by Official Dick Lazers. Whether you're looking for the ultimate prank gift or just want to be the funniest person in the room, head over to DickLazers.com and use promo code TAVERN to save 20% on your 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!

Episode 196 of Wrestling Tonight is LIVE! WWE and SiriusXM have officially launched WWE Radio, replacing Pro Wrestling Nation with a 24/7 company-branded channel featuring live Premium Live Event commentary, WWE podcasts, Superstar interviews and Busted Open Radio as the centerpiece of its daily lineup. On the surface, it looks like another major media expansion for WWE. But does it represent something much bigger? This week, we're dedicating the entire episode to breaking down what WWE Radio really means for the future of wrestling media. We examine how the launch changes the perception of Busted Open, Jim Ross' recent criticism that the show had become a "WWE infomercial," and whether an official WWE-branded platform can still be viewed as an independent voice covering the wrestling industry. From there, we dive into WWE's broader media strategy, exploring how the company continues to expand its influence through television, podcasts, streaming, partnerships and now national radio. We also discuss WWE's ongoing counterprogramming of AEW, including Dave Meltzer's recent comments, the fan reaction across the wrestling community, and whether these scheduling decisions are about winning individual weekends or strengthening WWE's long-term position within the industry. Finally, we take a deeper look at the larger media conversation. How does company-controlled media differ from independent journalism? Can promotional platforms also provide objective analysis? And what happens when one company increasingly controls not only the biggest wrestling product, but also more of the platforms discussing it? Join us for one of the most in-depth conversations we've ever had as we examine WWE Radio, media influence, editorial independence and the future of wrestling coverage. Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com.    

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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 195 is headlined by WWE Unreal Season 3 pulling back the curtain on one of the company's biggest creative decisions as Triple H reveals Bron Breakker was originally planned to win the 2026 Royal Rumble, the fallout from Saturday Night's Main Event at Madison Square Garden, growing speculation surrounding Tom Brady's WWE future, AEW's inaugural Redemption pay-per-view, and a dramatically reshaped G1 Climax 36 after four nights of tournament action. We begin in WWE with the fallout from Saturday Night's Main Event as CM Punk and Cody Rhodes preserved their SummerSlam Undisputed WWE Championship showdown after defeating Gunther and Sami Zayn in a controversial main event. We break down Nick Aldis' decisive involvement, why Gunther has every reason to feel robbed, and how WWE protected its SummerSlam main event while leaving unresolved issues between all four competitors. We also discuss Fatal Influence capturing the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, Lyra Valkyria taking her rivalry with Bayley to an even darker place following a vicious post-match assault, Danhausen defeating JD McDonagh with memorable assistance from NBA Champion Karl-Anthony Towns, Trick Williams retaining the United States Championship over Laredo Kid, Oba Femi sending another warning to Brock Lesnar before Hell in a Cell, Roman Reigns closing the show alongside NBA Champion Jalen Brunson before a confrontation with Seth Rollins and Tyrese Haliburton, and why the celebrity-heavy closing segment made for an unusual ending after the night's biggest wrestling match had already concluded. We also examine the show's impressive Google Trends performance and how Madison Square Garden once again delivered one of the strongest Saturday Night's Main Event performances of the modern era. We then shift to WWE Unreal Season 3 as Netflix's behind-the-scenes series reveals Bron Breakker was originally scheduled to win the 2026 Royal Rumble before WWE changed course. We discuss Triple H's concerns over whether Breakker was ready for the pressure that comes with winning WWE's biggest annual match, whether fans would accept the push, and how Breakker's hernia injury the following night ultimately changed the trajectory of his WrestleMania season. We also examine John Cena's candid stories from his farewell tour, including why he refused to perform Rey Mysterio's 619 during his final match with AJ Styles at Crown Jewel, the handwritten introduction he personally gave Alicia Taylor honoring Styles' legendary career across TNA, NJPW and WWE, and why that unscripted tribute unexpectedly landed Cena in trouble with WWE management. We also discuss reports that Tom Brady and WWE are engaged in ongoing conversations following Brady's recent confrontations with Logan Paul at Fanatics Fest and the FIFA World Cup Final. We examine how Brady's relationship with Fanatics, his comments about potentially wrestling, and his ties to WWE could make an eventual appearance a realistic possibility. We also cover popular streamer N3on's public apology to Penta after accidentally livestreaming the Intercontinental Champion without his mask at Fanatics Fest, plus the latest legal development as Janel Grant's lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE officially moves into private arbitration. Over in AEW, we preview the inaugural Redemption pay-per-view from Montreal as the Bell Centre hosts its first-ever AEW pay-per-view event. We break down Kenny Omega defending the AEW World Championship against Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher defending the International Championship against Bandido, Mark Davis putting the National Championship on the line against Andrade El Ídolo, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage defending the AEW World Tag Team Championship against Claudio Castagnoli and PAC, Thekla defending the AEW Women's World Championship against Willow Nightingale, Hikaru Shida defending the TBS Championship against Maya World, Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay joining forces against The Young Bucks, Chris Jericho facing Tommaso Ciampa in a No Holds Barred Match, and the Rougeau wrestling dynasty celebration scheduled for the pre-show. From there, we head to AAA, where Rey Mysterio has officially launched the tournament to crown a new AAA Latin American Champion following El Hijo del Vikingo's injury. We discuss El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. becoming the first qualifier for the TripleManía 34 championship match, preview the remaining qualifying matches, and break down La Hiedra and Laredo Kid earning a AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship opportunity against Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana as Verano de Escándalo rapidly approaches. Over in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, G1 Climax 36 has become even more unpredictable after four nights of tournament action. We recap Hirooki Goto's victory over IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura's career-defining upset of Zack Sabre Jr., Ren Narita shocking Callum Newman, Gabe Kidd rebounding after his opening-night loss, and then break down Night Four as Oleg Boltin scored a statement victory over Shingo Takagi, SANADA handed Tsuji another costly defeat, Jake Lee knocked off Goto to erase his undefeated record, and Konosuke Takeshita and Ryohei Oiwa continued their impressive tournaments. We examine why A Block has transformed into a five-way tie for first place while B Block remains just as competitive heading into the next round of matches. Plus, we preview the week ahead across professional wrestling, including Monday Night Raw featuring Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins face-to-face, Oba Femi confronting Brock Lesnar, Sol Ruca defending the Women's Intercontinental Championship against Raquel Rodriguez, and Joe Hendry and Danhausen's concert. We also preview AEW Dynamite, TNA Impact, WWE SmackDown, AEW Collision, AAA on Fox, NWA Powerrr, and continue looking ahead to SummerSlam as CM Punk defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns battles Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship, Brock Lesnar collides with Oba Femi inside Hell in a Cell, Penta defends the Intercontinental Championship against Chad Gable, and several more blockbuster matches continue taking shape. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.  

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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 194 is headlined by the return of Saturday Night's Main Event to Madison Square Garden, CM Punk's candid comments about WWE's backstage culture, the surprise return of Baron Corbin, and the official start of NJPW's G1 Climax 36 as one of wrestling's biggest weeks of the summer unfolds. We begin in WWE, where CM Punk sat down with Stephanie McMahon for one of his most revealing interviews since becoming Undisputed WWE Champion. Punk discusses why he believes WWE needs to do a better job providing constructive feedback to its talent, why too many wrestlers care more about social media reactions than live crowd responses, and why both performers and producers share responsibility for developing the next generation. We also discuss Punk's praise for WWE's current leadership, why he hopes future wrestlers work fewer dates while making more money than previous generations, and his emotional reflections on winning the Undisputed WWE Championship in his hometown of Chicago. Plus, Punk explains why watching John Cena and AJ Styles retire has motivated him to continue wrestling at the highest level as he prepares for SummerSlam. We also preview Saturday Night's Main Event XLV, as WWE brings one of its most historic television franchises back to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 2007. We look at the show's rich history dating back to 1985, how it became one of the defining programs of wrestling's boom period, and why WWE continues embracing its classic presentation today. We also preview CM Punk and Cody Rhodes taking on Gunther and Sami Zayn, Bayley facing Lyra Valkyria, Danhausen battling JD McDonagh in a No Disqualification Match, the Bella Twins defending the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, and Roman Reigns' appearance alongside 2026 NBA Champion Jalen Brunson at The World's Most Famous Arena. We also discuss the surprise return of Baron Corbin, who made his first WWE television appearance since his release at the end of 2024 by attacking Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams on SmackDown. Corbin laid out both men with End of Days before holding the United States Championship high above his head, immediately establishing himself as a new challenger. We also examine Corbin's run on the independent scene as Bishop Dyer, his MLW Tag Team Championship reign alongside Donovan Dijak, and his brief AEW appearance earlier this year before returning to WWE. Roman Reigns also had plenty to say following Monday's heated contract signing with Seth Rollins. After Rollins stood tall by delivering a Stomp on Raw, Reigns fired back on social media, claiming every major accomplishment of Rollins' career happened because of him while warning that The Bloodline could "end" him for the disrespect. We discuss the latest chapter in one of WWE's greatest rivalries and what it means heading into their World Heavyweight Championship match at SummerSlam. We also discuss the latest speculation surrounding Bayley's WWE future after Mercedes Moné once again fueled rumors with another social media tease. Following Bayley's Raw confrontation with Lyra Valkyria, Moné posted an hourglass GIF just weeks after sharing a WrestleDream graphic featuring herself against Bayley under her real name, Davina Rose. We discuss why fans continue to speculate about Bayley's future while emphasizing that there is currently no confirmation she is leaving WWE or signing with AEW. Over in AEW, one of the biggest stories isn't happening inside the ring but in the courtroom. Paramount Skydance's proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is facing a major legal challenge after a coalition of 12 state attorneys general filed a federal antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the merger. Led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the states argue the deal would combine two of Hollywood's five largest studios, reducing competition while leading to higher prices, fewer theatrical releases, and less content. Paramount maintains the merger is pro-competitive, expects to receive final European Union approval on July 22, and is still targeting a September closing despite the lawsuit. We discuss why the case could have long-term implications for AEW, whose multi-year media rights agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery includes Dynamite on TBS, Collision on TNT, and streaming on Max. While nothing changes for AEW today and its current television deal remains fully intact, the lawsuit creates uncertainty surrounding the future ownership of AEW's broadcast partner and what that could mean whenever the company's next media rights negotiations begin. Over in AEW, the company heads to Boston riding significant momentum after Beach Break delivered its largest television audience in years. We break down Wrestlenomics reporting that Beach Break averaged 773,000 viewers, up 22 percent from the previous week while finishing No. 4 on cable in the key demographic. We also discuss Fightful Select's report that AEW officials were thrilled with both the television numbers and Kenny Omega versus MJF, along with confirmation that the match's memorable table spot paid tribute to Mick Foley's iconic Mankind bump. Looking ahead to Dynamite, Kenny Omega celebrates becoming a two-time AEW World Champion as AEW continues building toward Redemption later this month, while WrestleTix reports Boston ticket sales have climbed to 2,628 distributed. We also discuss Hangman Page's emotional return to AEW Collision after nearly four months away. Reflecting on his inability to ever challenge for the AEW World Championship again following his Revolution loss to MJF, Page made it clear he's turning his attention toward new goals, teasing future pursuits of Kevin Knight's TNT Championship and Kyle Fletcher's International Championship as he begins the next chapter of his AEW career. From there, we head to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where G1 Climax 36 is officially underway. We recap opening night from Chicago as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji defeated Konosuke Takeshita in the main event to earn his first two tournament points alongside Jake Lee, Yuto-Ice, Hirooki Goto, Ryohei Oiwa, Aaron Wolf, OSKAR, Zack Sabre Jr., and Callum Newman. We discuss the early standings, Gabe Kidd's visa-related absence, the history and prestige of the G1 Climax, and preview another loaded weekend of tournament action. Plus, we preview the week ahead across professional wrestling, including AEW Dynamite featuring Kenny Omega's World Championship Celebration, NXT, AAA on FOX, AEW Collision, TNA Impact, the opening week of G1 Climax 36, Saturday Night's Main Event from Madison Square Garden, and everything else to watch across WWE, AEW, NJPW, TNA, AAA, and the NWA. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.  

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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 193 is headlined by one of the most shocking championship changes of the year as CM Punk reclaimed the Undisputed WWE Championship in his hometown of Chicago, major backstage reports revealed WWE's long-term plans for Oba Femi, AEW prepares for Beach Break, and questions continue to surround WWE's handling of its ID program. We begin in WWE, where CM Punk stunned Chicago by defeating Sami Zayn in a surprise Raw main event to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion. After Cody Rhodes was attacked backstage by Gunther before his scheduled title match, Punk stepped in as the replacement challenger and defeated Zayn in a thrilling 20-minute championship match, ending Sami's reign after just nine days. We discuss Punk capturing his eighth recognized WWE/World Championship, his emotional 2011-inspired celebration through the crowd, the refrigerator callback on Instagram, and what this title change means heading into SummerSlam for Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Roman Reigns, and the rest of WWE's main event picture. We also break down reports that WWE's decision to have Oba Femi give up the World Heavyweight Championship opportunity he earned through King of the Ring was the plan from the very beginning. According to Dave Meltzer, WWE wants to build Femi vs. Roman Reigns into the biggest match possible rather than rushing it at SummerSlam. Instead, Femi will face Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell in the deciding match of their trilogy while Reigns defends the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins. We discuss the reported long-term strategy, whether WWE made the right decision, and what it says about how highly the company views Oba Femi. We also examine the growing criticism surrounding WWE's ID program after reports that scheduling changes to Evolve tapings and communication issues forced independent wrestlers to cancel previously scheduled bookings. Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez both detailed the challenges facing WWE ID talent, who are reportedly expected to secure regular high-profile independent bookings while remaining available for WWE commitments. We discuss why some independent wrestlers are reportedly questioning whether signing a WWE ID deal is actually beneficial. Plus, we discuss reports that Sheamus is nearing the end of his WWE run after reportedly declining both a contract extension and a restructured deal. We look back at the career of the former WWE Champion, Royal Rumble winner, Money in the Bank winner, and King of the Ring winner, and discuss what could be next if his nearly 20-year run with WWE comes to an end. We also discuss the continued crossover between WWE and AAA after the AAA World Tag Team Champions, The War Raiders, challenged WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth to a winner-take-all championship match featuring both companies' tag team titles. Over in AEW, we preview Dynamite: Beach Break from Clearwater, Florida, where MJF defends the AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega in one of the biggest television main events of the year. With Omega permanently losing his ability to challenge for the championship if he comes up short, we discuss the enormous stakes, Konosuke Takeshita defending the International Championship against Kyle Fletcher, the Women's Casino Gauntlet Match, Chris Jericho facing Tommaso Ciampa, and AEW's first-of-its-kind partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and Twitch featuring Agent00 and CashNastyGaming. We also look at the latest business news surrounding AEW as Beach Break has distributed 2,686 tickets according to WrestleTix, while All In has reached 26,915 tickets distributed for Wembley Stadium with just over 55 days remaining. We discuss the latest All In build, Mercedes Moné and Will Ospreay's championship opportunities, and Tony Khan officially bringing All Out back to the Chicago area on September 26 while explaining why the event will remain separate from Labor Day weekend. From there, we head to New Japan Pro-Wrestling as the field for G1 Climax 36 is officially complete. Ryohei Oiwa and OSKAR claimed the final tournament spots, Chicago prepares to host opening night this weekend, and we preview one of wrestling's most prestigious tournaments as 20 competitors begin their pursuit of an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship opportunity. Plus, we preview the week ahead across professional wrestling, including AEW Beach Break, TNA Impact featuring multiple championship matches and the Knockouts Television Championship Tournament, CM Punk's first SmackDown appearance as Undisputed WWE Champion, NJPW G1 Climax opening weekend in Chicago, WWE Saturday Night's Main Event from Madison Square Garden, and everything else to watch this week across WWE, AEW, TNA, NJPW, AAA, and the NWA. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 192 is all about one of the biggest wrestling weekends of the year as WWE, AEW, TNA, and NXT all delivered major shows that set the stage for SummerSlam, All In, and beyond. We kick things off with WWE Night of Champions, where Sami Zayn finally climbed the mountain and won the Undisputed WWE Championship in a thrilling triple threat against Cody Rhodes and Gunther. Was this the right time to crown Sami? Where do Cody and Gunther go from here? We also break down Oba Femi winning King of the Ring, IYO SKY becoming Queen of the Ring, Seth Rollins surviving Bron Breakker inside a steel cage, and the rest of the night's biggest moments. Then it's on to AEW Forbidden Door, where Will Ospreay defeated Swerve Strickland to punch his ticket to All In against MJF. Has AEW finally found its defining long-term story with Ospreay? We also discuss Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Mercedes Moné earning another title shot, Jon Moxley, Team Briscoe, and everything that made Forbidden Door one of the year's best shows. From there, we celebrate TNA Slammiversary's 25th anniversary, including Nic Nemeth regaining the TNA World Championship. Is this the right direction for TNA as the company heads into its next chapter? We also recap NXT Great American Bash, where Kendal Grey stunned Lola Vice to win the NXT Women's Championship. Is she ready to be the face of the division? Finally, we preview the week ahead, including MJF vs. Mark Briscoe, the first-ever Survival of the Fittest Match for the TBS Championship, WWE title matches, AAA, NXT, TNA, and much more. Join us on Patreon for just $2.99/month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content, and follow @TurnbuckleTavern on social media. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.  

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 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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 191 is headlined by a massive week across WWE, AEW, TNA Wrestling, and NJPW as Night of Champions, Forbidden Door, Slammiversary, and G1 Climax continue to take shape. We begin in WWE, where Sami Zayn's controversial actions as special guest referee have led to a WWE Championship Triple Threat between Cody Rhodes, Gunther, and Sami Zayn at Night of Champions. We break down the fallout and preview the rest of the card, including Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker inside a steel cage, the King and Queen of the Ring Finals, Trick Williams defending the United States Championship against Ricky Saints, and Tiffany Stratton facing Jade Cargill. Over in AEW, we discuss reports that multiple AEW, NJPW, and CMLL talents still don't know their Forbidden Door plans, Gabe Kidd's expected involvement, and the unique way the event continues to come together. We also preview a loaded card featuring Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay, Mercedes Moné vs. Maya World, Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Jon Moxley vs. Bandido, PAC vs. Shota Umino, and more. The women's division remains a major focus as Kris Statlander joins Hikaru Shida and Persephone in the first-ever Survival of the Fittest Match to crown a new TBS Champion following Willow Nightingale's injury. We also discuss Tony Khan naming Thekla, Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, and Mercedes Moné among AEW's modern pillars. In TNA Wrestling, we examine the company's ongoing restructuring following the departures of Tommy Dreamer, Sami Callihan, and Tessa Blanchard. We discuss Matt Hardy's defense of TNA President Carlos Silva, the latest creative rumors involving Delirious, Eric Tompkins, and Road Dogg, and whether the promotion is entering a new era. We also preview Slammiversary, headlined by Mike Santana challenging Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship. Over in NJPW, Aaron Wolf and Yuto-Ice officially qualify for G1 Climax 36 as the tournament field continues to take shape. We discuss NJPW's continued investment in its next generation of stars and what it means for the company's future. Plus, Paul Heyman praises AEW's impact on wrestler compensation and the industry at large, Mystery Wrestling's Infinite Rumble sets a new fundraising record, Josh Barnett responds to Bully Ray's criticism of Jon Moxley, and we discuss why Moxley remains one of wrestling's most polarizing figures. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow @TurnbuckleTavern on social media for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! We're back again! This week, we break down all the latest developments heading into Night of Champions, including the WWE Championship Triple Threat between Cody Rhodes, Gunther, and Sami Zayn, the King & Queen of the Ring Finals, major championship implications for SummerSlam, and all the biggest stories coming out of Raw and SmackDown. We'll discuss the latest twists, standout performances, surprise moments, and what could be next for WWE as one of the biggest events of the summer approaches. All that and more on your #1 source for all things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern. This is the RAWDOWN!

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 190 is headlined by a major development in Janel Grant's lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE, as all parties have received approval to move the case toward private arbitration. We discuss what the canceled June 16 hearing, the July 10 status report, and the potential move to confidential arbitration could mean, not just legally but publicly, as questions grow about whether WWE and TKO may eventually test the waters for a Vince McMahon rehabilitation tour. We also break down CM Punk's expected WWE return. Punk has been announced for FanaticsFest on July 19, reports continue to point toward a return on or before the July 6 Raw near Chicago, and Dave Meltzer reports WWE's current plan is for Punk to join the SmackDown roster. We examine the teased Cody Rhodes program, why creative changes delayed his return, and what it could mean for SummerSlam. Rhea Ripley is dealing with issues both inside and outside the ring. WWE revealed that the Women's Champion is being evaluated for a knee injury suffered in Italy, while Ripley also opened up about fans crossing major boundaries, including showing up at her home and one person obtaining her personal phone number after being unable to purchase SmackDown tickets. On the AEW side, we look at ticket sales for Redemption in Montreal and Grand Slam Mexico, with both events showing encouraging early momentum. Redemption has distributed 4,782 tickets and is already approaching AEW's previous Bell Centre number, while Grand Slam Mexico sits at 5,146 tickets distributed, well above AEW's current 2026 attendance average. We also cover NJPW Dominion 2026, where five championships changed hands. Yota Tsuji regained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Shota Umino captured the IWGP Global Championship, YOH became the 100th IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Aaron Wolf reclaimed the NEVER Openweight Championship, and Great O Khan and HENARE captured the IWGP Tag Team Championships. Plus, Gabe Kidd returned and immediately inserted himself into the title picture. The road to G1 Climax 36 is now set as NJPW finalizes its play in matches. We discuss Aaron Wolf's rapid rise, the final qualifying matches, and how the field is shaping up before the tournament begins July 11 in Chicago. John Cena also shares new details on the planned John Cena Classic, including WWE's version of an All Star Game, a new championship, fan voting, cross brand exhibition matches, and the possibility, however unlikely, of one more match. Plus, UFC Freedom 250 becomes one of the strangest stories of the year. The FBI says it foiled an alleged attack plot targeting the White House event, Dana White publicly criticized Josh Hokit's remarks about Michelle Obama, Roman Reigns, Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, Shane McMahon, and Declan McMahon were all in attendance, and Daniel Cormier found himself at the center of a bizarre social media controversy involving Eric Trump. From there, we head to TNA, where the company is undergoing major changes. Tessa Blanchard has been granted her release after reportedly declining an exclusive contract offer, while longtime creative figure Tommy Dreamer has mutually parted ways with the promotion after nearly a decade in leadership and creative roles. We break down the reported wrestling politics involving TNA, WWE, AAA, CMLL, and AEW that may have contributed to Blanchard's departure, discuss Dreamer's exit and his impact on the company behind the scenes, examine the reports linking Road Dogg to a potential role in TNA's creative future, and explore what these departures could mean for the company's direction moving forward. We also preview the week ahead, including Cody Rhodes defending the WWE Championship against Gunther with Sami Zayn as special guest referee, Charlotte Flair facing Liv Morgan in the Queen of the Ring semifinals, Mercedes Moné battling Hazuki in the Owen Hart Tournament, AEW's continued build toward Forbidden Door, and a loaded slate of action from NJPW, TNA, and more. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! We're back again! This week, we discuss Danhausen leading the Knicks to their first championship in over 50 years, Rhea Ripley's injury, why Sami Zayn may be the last true good guy in WWE, the latest King & Queen of the Ring developments, and Eric Andre getting absolutely destroyed by Jacob Fatu. All that and more on your #1 source for all things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern. This is the RAWDOWN!

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL — the clean, zero-sugar, zero-crash energy formula that keeps you locked in for the main event. Whether it's a late-night pay-per-view, a marathon gaming session, or just getting through your day, G FUEL has you covered. Right now, you can save 20% instantly with code TAVERN at checkout at GFUEL.com. Fuel up, save big, and always… keep it Tavern. Turnbuckle Tavern is also proudly powered by the one-of-a-kind Official Dick Lazer — a wild, over-the-top gag gift that's guaranteed to get a reaction. With the flip of a switch, it projects five laser images, and it also features a red-dot laser with over 1,000 feet of range, plus a flashlight and blacklight, all packed into a sleek, USB-C rechargeable pen weighing just 1.4 ounces. It's perfect for pranking coworkers, lighting up parties, college dorm antics, or just being the funniest person in the room. Head to DickLazers.com and use code TAVERN for 20% off your order today. Light up the room, get some laughs, and always… keep it Tavern. Episode 189 is headlined by the wild week of rumors surrounding CM Punk's WWE status. We break down the online speculation, Sean Ross Sapp addressing the "reckless speculation," Fightful Select pushing back on claims that Punk wanted out or was asked to take a pay cut, and PWInsider reporting that Punk is expected back on WWE television in the coming months with new merchandise being prepared. We also discuss Ariel Helwani's blunt criticism of WWE under TKO, including his comments calling the current product "soulless," his issues with WrestleMania, his disappointment in the John Cena retirement tour, and his belief that WWE may have creatively peaked with Cody Rhodes defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. From there, we get into the latest legal and business stories surrounding WWE. A settlement agreement in principle has been reached in the WWE shareholder lawsuit, cancelling the Delaware Chancery Court trial that was expected to feature testimony from Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, Mark Shapiro, Ari Emanuel, and others. We also cover WWE moving Money in the Bank again, with the show now set for October 10 in New Orleans, while September 6 will instead feature a special Sunday edition of Saturday Night's Main Event in Atlanta. The road to Night of Champions is also heating up as the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments continue. Je'Von Evans, Dominik Mysterio, and Oba Femi have advanced on the men's side, while Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and IYO SKY are moving forward in the women's bracket. We also discuss Cody Rhodes and Gunther running it back for the Undisputed WWE Championship on the June 19 episode of SmackDown, with Gunther set to choose the stipulation. On the AEW side, we look at All In 2026 ticket sales lagging behind previous Wembley Stadium events, MJF's hyperextended knee injury and why AEW still expects to use him, and the growing movement around the vacant TBS Championship with Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, Mina Shirakawa, Harley Cameron, Zayda Steel, and Queen Aminata all declaring for Survival of the Fittest qualifiers. We also dive into Stardom's major presence in North America. Syuri, Hazuki, Ranna Yagami, and Fuwa-chan will miss the 2026 5 Star Grand Prix due to excursions, while Syuri challenges Athena for the ROH Women's World Championship at Global Wars Cincinnati and Hazuki prepares to face Mercedes Moné in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semifinals. Plus, AAA officially announces Verano de Escándalo for July 25 in Aguascalientes, NJPW finalizes a loaded Dominion card headlined by Callum Newman vs. Yota Tsuji, YOH challenging DOUKI, and Konosuke Takeshita defending against SANADA, TNA confirms Nic Nemeth will call his shot at Slammiversary as Steve Maclin and Myla Grace exit the company, Fetty Wap gets involved in light tube chaos at GCW Tournament of Survival, HOOK prepares for his GCW debut and World title shot, and NXT sets multiple title matches for Great American Bash. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.

The week we are joined by The Ace of the Tavern, Acefield Retro and Colton! Join us as we ask will MJFs third reign be lengthy, or will this be another "hot potato" title reign; did the blood and hardcore aspects of the El Grande Americano mask vs mask match cheapen the traditional Lucha aspects of the match; and does Cope and Cage holding the AEW tag team championships elevate the tag division or is it just a short term veteran spotlight? 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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL — the clean, zero-sugar, zero-crash energy formula that keeps you locked in for the main event. Whether it's a late-night pay-per-view, a marathon gaming session, or just getting through your day, G FUEL has you covered. Right now, you can save 20% instantly with code TAVERN at checkout at GFUEL.com. Fuel up, save big, and always… keep it Tavern. Turnbuckle Tavern is also proudly powered by the one-of-a-kind Official Dick Lazer — a wild, over-the-top gag gift that's guaranteed to get a reaction. With the flip of a switch, it projects five laser images, and it also features a red-dot laser with over 1,000 feet of range, plus a flashlight and blacklight, all packed into a sleek, USB-C rechargeable pen weighing just 1.4 ounces. Head to DickLazers.com and use code TAVERN for 20% off your order today. Light up the room, get some laughs, and always… keep it Tavern. Episode 188 is headlined by the incredible conclusion to the El Grande Americano saga at AAA Noche de los Grandes as Ludwig Kaiser and Chad Gable delivered a mask vs. mask match that has quickly become a Feud of the Year and Match of the Year contender. We discuss how the story evolved from a comedy gimmick into one of wrestling's most emotionally resonant rivalries and why WWE is now airing the match on Netflix. We also break down the full fallout from WWE Clash in Italy. Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther amid controversy, Roman Reigns defeated Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat, Rhea Ripley survived Jade Cargill thanks in part to Charlotte Flair's involvement, Sol Ruca captured the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship from Becky Lynch, and Brock Lesnar's dominant win over Oba Femi sparked major debate about WWE's long-term plans for one of its brightest young stars. The 2026 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are officially underway, and we discuss why Oba Femi and IYO SKY have quickly emerged as early favorites. We break down the brackets, SummerSlam implications, and whether WWE is positioning its next generation of main event talent through this year's tournaments. On the AEW side, we analyze the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semifinals featuring Swerve Strickland, Brody King, Will Ospreay, and Mark Davis. We also discuss AEW bringing ROH's historic Survival of the Fittest match to Dynamite to crown a new TBS Champion following Willow Nightingale's injury. Plus, Mistico's return to CMLL after a knee injury, MLW's new VEEPS partnership and move into quarterly pay-per-view events, the bizarre story of WWE nearly reviving the nWo during the pandemic, and previews of Raw, NXT, Dynamite, Collision, SmackDown, TNA Impact, AAA Noches de Grandes Part 2, NJPW/CMLL Fantasticamania, NWA Powerrr, and the entire week ahead across professional wrestling. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. Good luck and good speed.