The Turnbuckle Tavern

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to Episode 154 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers — G FUEL keeps us awake for those late-night edits with zero sugar and zero crash, and you can save 20% at GFUEL.com with code TAVERN. Dick Lazers is the official chaos device of The Tavern — a rechargeable red-dot pen with a flashlight and blacklight all in one. Hit DickLazers.com, use code TAVERN, and keep it Tavern. This week we break down the Netflix–Warner Bros situation and the wild overreactions swirling around AEW. Netflix is bidding for the studio side — not the networks that house TBS and TNT — and AEW's deal remains locked in through 2027 with an option for 2028. Tony Khan addressed everything on the Final Battle call, reiterated AEW's strong relationship with WBD, and reminded everyone he already works with Netflix, Paramount and Comcast through the NFL. The only real unknown is how Max simulcasts evolve after the corporate shuffle. We also hit WWE's emotional centerpiece: John Cena's final match, locked for December 13 on a retro-styled NBC primetime special. Gunther earned the spot, the legal noise is swirling, and Cena is openly confronting the realities of age, legacy and family as he closes the book. On the TNA front, the AMC move resets the entire company. Final Resolution felt like the final page of the AXS era before a massive 2026 pivot. A wild card of debuts, title chaos, crossover moments and a dramatic closing angle set the tone for what this next era will look like. ROH Final Battle delivered the usual in-ring consistency while its future waits for the right TV deal — something Tony Khan emphasized he's in no rush to compromise on. NXT Deadline fallout is coming, with the brand navigating crossover talent, shifting title pictures and a marquee NXT Championship outcome that now points toward a major showdown on NBC. We'll go match by match next episode and look at who steps into Cody's orbit as the road to the new year takes shape. AEW's Continental Classic continued with injuries reshaping the Gold League and both blocks tightening at the top. Holiday Bash sets up a new Dynamite Diamond path, and the next few weeks will determine the world title picture heading into 2026. We also talk PPV pacing, retirement teases, big men looking for one more run, and WWE's internal pressure as the new PLE deal shifts expectations. The week ahead is stacked across every promotion — major specials, tournament twists, international cards, big-brand build toward January, and the first real momentum toward WrestleMania season. This is Episode 154 of Wrestling Tonight — let's get into it.  

The week we are joined by The Tavern's own Acefield Retro and Colton! Join us as we ask will TNA's AMC TV deal positively or negatively affect AEW; did Survivor Series prove WWE cares more about making shows look huge than actually telling fresh stories; and with Sting proving how strong an AEW retirement can look, does Chris Jericho risk a flatter ending if he finishes up in WWE instead? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era rolls on with your host Acefield Retro, and this week we are stepping into one of the most important stretches of the entire project. Episode 5, titled Eddie Ascending, covers February through July 2003. This is the moment when SmackDown did more than outperform Raw in the ring. It found its emotional core. WrestleMania XIX proves that the blue brand is the company's true in-ring backbone. The United States Championship returns and gives the midcard real purpose. Eddie Guerrero moves out of the tag ranks and becomes the heart of WWE. We begin at No Way Out 2003. Brock Lesnar and Chris Benoit are placed in a 2 on 3 handicap match after Edge's sudden neck injury forces him off television. The entire structure of SmackDown changes overnight, but from that uncertainty comes a turning point. Lesnar and Benoit fight from underneath, Team Angle grows into something special, and the rivalry between Lesnar and Kurt Angle begins to intensify just weeks before WrestleMania. From there we head into WrestleMania XIX, a main event that almost collapses before it happens. Kurt Angle is wrestling with a severe neck injury that should have kept him out entirely. Brock Lesnar nearly lands on his head attempting the Shooting Star Press. Somehow the match still becomes one of the most dramatic finishes of the era. Brock leaves as champion. Angle proves again that he is superhuman. Despite injuries and constant reshuffling, SmackDown stands tall as WWE's true wrestling showcase. After WrestleMania, the story shifts to Eddie Guerrero. The booking becomes chaotic, but Eddie thrives when things get messy. His partnership with Tajiri looks random at first, but it quickly becomes inspired. We take a closer look at their Tag Team Championship run, including a complete watch along of the June 26, 2003 Madison Square Garden match against Roddy Piper and Sean O'Haire. The match captures everything special about this period. Nostalgia, comedy, wild character energy, and athleticism all blend together. Holding the titles gives Eddie the opportunity to show every piece of who he is. The humor, the intensity, the timing, and the emotion are all there. The second half of the episode focuses on the return of the United States Championship. Stephanie McMahon brings the title back to SmackDown, instantly giving the midcard a new sense of identity. The tournament becomes a showcase for Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit. Their Vengeance 2003 final is a 20 minute battle filled with technique, grit, creative shortcuts, and a major surprise from Rhyno. Eddie wins the championship with the Frog Splash, and the title immediately feels meaningful again because Eddie makes everything he touches feel important. We also explore the early signs of tension between Eddie and Chavo. Chavo's frustrations build quietly as Eddie's star begins to rise even higher. These small moments begin the emotional story that eventually leads to Chavo's turn later in 2003. It is layered and human and exactly the kind of storytelling that defined this era. Alongside the on screen events, we take a wider look at the company through the Wrestling Observer newsletters. Paul Heyman is quietly removed from creative. The injury list grows longer every week. WWE struggles to commit to a consistent style. Evolution never forms the way it was intended. Goldberg arrives and immediately loses momentum. Nostalgia and shock television fill airtime, while SmackDown continues to stand out through strong wrestling and grounded, character driven stories. Eddie's rise, the renewed importance of the United States Championship, and the remarkable depth of the midcard give the brand stability during a turbulent period. By the time we reach the summer of 2003, SmackDown is no longer simply the house that the SmackDown Six built. It becomes the place where Eddie Guerrero's redemption arc turns into the emotional heartbeat of the entire Ruthless Aggression era. Fans begin to see him not only as a great performer but as someone who could eventually lead the company. Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era Episode 5, Eddie Ascending, premieres Friday, December 5, 2025, wherever you listen. Like, subscribe, and leave a review to support the project. You can visit TurnbuckleTavern dot com for merchandise, archives, and the full network schedule, and you can join Patreon dot com slash The Turnbuckle Tavern for $2.99 a month to help keep these deep dives going. Powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers. Use code TAVERN for 20 percent off your entire order.

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

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

Welcome to Episode 153 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers — code TAVERN saves you 20%. Let's get into it. WWE delivered a historic Survivor Series: WarGames from Petco Park — the first outdoor Survivor Series ever, a stadium show under the Netflix/ESPN banner, and John Cena's final Survivor Series appearance. The Men's and Women's WarGames matches brought major spots, shifting alliances, and WrestleMania-season implications, while title bouts like Cena vs. Dominik Mysterio and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Nikki Bella pushed long-term stories forward. From surprise appearances to heel turns, injury updates, and post-show press conference fallout, Survivor Series shaped the next six weeks of WWE television. Meanwhile, the Last Time Is Now tournament is officially down to its final four. After Jey Uso outlasted Rusev and LA Knight put away The Miz — who manipulated his way into the bracket as Sheamus' injury replacement — the semifinals are set: Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa and Jey Uso vs. LA Knight. With Penta removed due to a legitimate shoulder injury and Carmelo Hayes falling to Gunther earlier in the week, the path to Cena's last opponent is clearer than ever. Both semifinals land on December 1 Raw, with the tournament final on December 5 SmackDown — and Cena's final match set for December 13 at Saturday Night's Main Event. AEW's week was no quieter, as the Continental Classic opened with upsets and instant storylines. Kyle Fletcher stunned Kazuchika Okada in the Gold League, Kevin Knight beat Darby Allin, and PAC debuted with a win over Mike Bailey — putting all three atop the standings. In the Blue League, Jon Moxley submitted Mascara Dorada, Claudio Castagnoli powered through Orange Cassidy, and Konosuke Takeshita defeated Roderick Strong to join the early three-point pack. Week 2 arrives with Moxley vs. Claudio, PAC vs. Okada, and Fletcher vs. Knight — plus the Women's World Tag Team Tournament semifinals in a Hardcore Holiday Death Match. Outside the rings, the industry is spinning. Claudio Castagnoli became CMLL World Heavyweight Champion in Mexico City. WWE reportedly made Chris Jericho a retirement storyline offer as his AEW contract nears its end. Andrade is negotiating his non-compete. Rush and Dralistico face surgeries. NXT Gold Rush delivered two major title changes. Seth Rollins outlined his WrestleMania-season comeback timeline. AEW and WWE are juggling schedule shifts, network demands, sponsorship deals, legal battles, backstage politics, injury updates, and new recruits — from high-level athletes entering the Performance Center to departures, surgeries, and reality-era conflicts reshaping locker rooms. And the week ahead is stacked: Moxley vs. Claudio, PAC vs. Okada, an AEW hardcore semifinal, NXT's Iron Survivor summit, The Culling explaining their betrayal, Briggs vs. Heights, TNA Impact fallout, Friday's SmackDown push toward December 13, and a wave of December tent-pole events — ROH Final Battle, NXT Deadline, AEW Winter Is Coming, TNA Final Resolution, AAA Guerra de Titanes, and Cena's farewell match.  

The week we are joined by The Rawdown's own JBugz! Join us as we ask should Roman Reigns have another title run given his limited appearances in 2024 & 2025; is there enough story going into War Games or is it built solely on big names; and was it the right move for Samoa Joe to beat Hangman at AEW Full Gear? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era continues with your host Acefield Retro as we revisit the stretch where SmackDown quietly became the best wrestling show in the world. Episode 4: The Golden Age of Tag Team Wrestling covers November 2002 through January 2003, the period when Paul Heyman's system reached perfect balance. Every story connected, every match mattered, and SmackDown had evolved into a complete wrestling ecosystem that thrived on craft, chemistry, and trust. It begins on the November 7 episode of SmackDown when Edge and Rey Mysterio finally defeated Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in a two out of three falls match for the WWE Tag Team Titles. The match ran twenty four minutes and delivered a level of teamwork and precision that elevated the entire division. Just ten days later at Survivor Series 2002, Los Guerreros seized the spotlight by outsmarting both teams in one of the most celebrated triple threat tag matches of the decade. Their victory represented everything that made this era special. Eddie and Chavo's mix of wit, charisma, and timing made them the emotional center of SmackDown. This week's episode includes a special watch along of that match as we relive every moment of how they captured gold and redefined tag team storytelling. From there the show only gained momentum. On December 5, Angle, Benoit, Edge, and Eddie Guerrero met in a fatal four way elimination match that tied every rivalry together and showed how deeply Heyman's creative system was working. By the end of December, Team Angle had arrived. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin debuted on December 26 as Kurt Angle's chosen proteges, a pair of amateur wrestling standouts who brought a new layer of technical excellence to the brand. That arrival carried the SmackDown philosophy into the next year. The run reached its peak in January when Benoit and Edge faced Team Angle and Kurt, leading directly into the Royal Rumble 2003 where Kurt Angle defended the WWE Championship against Chris Benoit in a match that remains one of the most respected in company history. We also look at the wider picture through the Wrestling Observer newsletters from late 2002 that captured just how different SmackDown's approach was compared to Raw. While Raw was relying on shock segments that turned viewers away, SmackDown was earning loyalty through clarity and consistency. The Observer also documented the behind the scenes chaos surrounding Hulk Hogan's negotiations with Vince McMahon. Hogan had been planned to return for Survivor Series against Brock Lesnar but refused to lose to him again. The standoff left Lesnar without his expected opponent and forced creative to shift focus, which in turn gave SmackDown's tag division more room to shine. It was the kind of unintended consequence that helped the blue brand rise even higher. Fans made their preference clear. Ratings climbed, crowd reactions intensified, and SmackDown became the heartbeat of WWE's weekly television. By early 2003, SmackDown was not competing with Raw anymore. It had become its own force. Every match carried meaning, every performer felt essential, and every story flowed naturally. This was the golden age of tag team wrestling, a time when structure, emotion, and athletic storytelling defined an entire generation of WWE television. Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era Episode 4 premieres Saturday, November 29, 2025, wherever you listen. Like, subscribe, and leave a review to help the show grow. Visit TurnbuckleTavern.com for merch, archives, and the full network schedule, and support the project at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for just 2.99 a month to keep these deep dives alive. Powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers, use code TAVERN at checkout for 20 percent off 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!

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

Welcome to Episode 152 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers — code TAVERN saves you 20%. Full Gear 2025 leaves AEW in a very different place than it entered. Samoa Joe left the steel cage as AEW World Champion after HOOK's unexpected alignment swung the match, and Swerve Strickland's return immediately complicated the fallout by standing beside Hangman Page. Across the rest of the card, several wrestlers shifted their standing at once: PAC reasserted himself, FTR and Brodido delivered one of the night's most reliable performances, Kyle O'Reilly submitted Jon Moxley again, Mark Briscoe fought through an exhausting challenge to become TNT Champion, and Kris Statlander recorded the biggest win of her run. With Neón's debut and a high-stakes trios match added to the mix, AEW used the event to create new directions rather than reinforce the old ones. WWE, meanwhile, is closing in on Survivor Series with every major angle converging at once. The WarGames lineups are finalized, AJ Lee's return has shifted alliances, Becky Lynch has crossed brands, and both Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns made their presence felt in Madison Square Garden. John Cena preparing to defend the Intercontinental Title against Dominik Mysterio in San Diego, Nikki Bella's first heel turn in years, and a suddenly active Women's World Title picture all add layers heading into WWE's first outdoor Survivor Series at Petco Park. Running alongside that build is the "Last Time Is Now" tournament, which finally settled its quarterfinal field — Gunther, Carmelo Hayes, Solo Sikoa, Penta, Jey Uso, Rusev, LA Knight, and The Miz — all moving one step closer to Cena's retirement match. Beyond WWE and AEW, TNA is deep in media-rights talks with AMC while expanding into most of Latin America, GCW named Atticus Cogar its new world champion, Laynie Luck arrived in WWE ID with a title already in hand, and Jacy Jayne reclaimed the NXT Women's Championship. It's one of those weeks where every promotion is making moves that appear designed for the long term, not just the show in front of them.

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod! Join us as we ask is it time for Mox to be overtaken as leader of Death Riders; does Chris Jericho's comments on TNA/AEW taint his contributions to AEW? And does this telegraph him leaving the company; and what can AEW do in 2026 to make sure they remain as the number two promotion? 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!

The DeLorean's still running blue, and this week it lands in October 2002, the point where SmackDown stopped experimenting and started executing. In Episode 3 of Shot of Nostalgia: The SmackDown Six Era, we look back at No Mercy 2002, the night Paul Heyman's vision for wrestling took full shape. SmackDown had found its rhythm. While Raw chased spectacle, SmackDown focused on structure, timing, and storytelling. It became a show built around wrestling that felt alive and purposeful. The SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament showed exactly what that approach could do. Each team brought something different to the table. Angle and Benoit were reluctant partners whose precision outweighed their egos. Edge and Mysterio wrestled with emotion and energy that connected instantly with the crowd. Eddie and Chavo Guerrero mixed pride and deceit into something that felt effortless. We'll walk through the full month of October, from Edge and Rey's semifinal win over Simmons and D-Von, to Angle and Benoit's tense victory against Los Guerreros, and finally to the No Mercy 2002 finals. Angle and Benoit versus Edge and Mysterio remains one of the most complete tag matches WWE has ever produced. Every tag mattered, every transition meant something, and when Edge finally tapped to the Ankle Lock, the audience clapped because they understood what they had seen. We'll also revisit the aftermath, when the handshake between Benoit and Angle turned to chaos, the trophy broke, and Los Guerreros stepped in to take advantage. In that moment, the tag division reset, and SmackDown's golden run officially began. We're also doing a full watch-along of the No Mercy 2002 Tag Team Finals. Sync up the match, press play, and experience it with us as it happened. By the end of October 2002, SmackDown wasn't chasing Raw anymore. It was proving what weekly wrestling could be. More than two decades later, you can still see its fingerprints in AEW's tournament storytelling, WWE's renewed focus on the ring, and how modern wrestling builds from match to match. No Mercy wasn't about nostalgia. It was proof that the system worked. Episode 3 drops Friday at 7 PM ET. Join us for the full breakdown and watch-along. Like, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen. Support the project and get early access and bonus content at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for just $2.99 a month.    

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

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

Welcome to Episode 151 of Wrestling Tonight, powered by G FUEL and Dick Lazers — use code TAVERN for 20% off. Acefield Retro is riding solo this week, and there's plenty to sort through across all three major promotions. AEW heads into Newark for Full Gear 2025, approaching the event as a marker for where the company stands heading into the new year. A steel cage world title match, a women's rivalry reaching its conclusion, the introduction of a new championship, and the lingering fallout from last week's Blood & Guts — including the first women's version of the match — give this show a lot of moving parts. AEW is promoting Full Gear as a "supercard," and the layout suggests they're aiming to steady the direction heading into 2026. In TNA, Turning Point left the company with more questions than answers. Frankie Kazarian's cash-in, the situation surrounding Mike Santana's weekend, and another NXT appearance have made the ongoing crossover angle feel increasingly unsettled. The matches were strong, but the overall perception of TNA's trajectory continues to be a topic of discussion. Over in WWE, the biggest story is straightforward: John Cena has completed the Grand Slam, and the "Last Time Is Now" tournament has begun. A mix of returning veterans, familiar rivals, NXT talent, and established stars are competing for the spot in what is expected to be Cena's final match. With three-hour SmackDowns returning and adjustments happening up and down the roster, the tournament is already influencing the company's direction. This week also brought the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame announcements, always a point of conversation regarding criteria, regional voting, and modern representation. Plus: NXT roster movement, reports of tension in AEW's locker room, Bound for Glory attendance concerns, notable returns on Raw, and even Punk and Roman Reigns appearing in upcoming Disney projects.

The week we are joined by The Rawdown's own JBugz! Join us as we ask who should be the one to face John Cena for his last match and should the match take place at a joint NXT show; what 3 NXT talent should be featured on SNME; and did AEW go too far by introducing the National Championship ? 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!

The DeLorean's still parked under the blue lights — and in Episode 2 of Shot of Nostalgia: Season 7 – The SmackDown Six Era, we're stepping into the stretch where SmackDown built its identity. Acefield Retro breaks down Blueprint of Greatness, when Paul Heyman's creative direction started to take form. By late 2002, Raw leaned on promos and spectacle, while SmackDown focused on matches that told stories and defined characters. This episode features a watch-along of Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero (No DQ, 9/26/02) — a match that shows exactly how the SmackDown Six style came to life: physical, precise, and built on timing and trust. Also covered: • Angle vs. Mysterio at SummerSlam 2002 — A showcase of what WWE's new in-ring standard could be. • Angle & Benoit vs. Edge & Rey (8/29 SmackDown) — The match that revealed the SmackDown Six chemistry. • Los Guerreros form as a team — Eddie and Chavo add humor, arrogance, and cohesion to the division. • Tag Team Championship Tournament announcement — The moment Heyman's structure became official. By September, SmackDown wasn't trying to compete with Raw — it had its own rhythm, purpose, and storytelling approach. Presented by The Turnbuckle Tavern, where nostalgia meets conversation. Follow @TurnbuckleTavern and @AcefieldRetro for updates. Support the show on Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for early access, bonus episodes, and exclusive content for just $2.99 a month. New episodes air Fridays at 7 PM ET. Grab a seat, pour one up, and revisit the months where SmackDown built the Blueprint of Greatness.

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! 

Acefield Retro and Chad are back for Wrestling Tonight, and Episode 150 lands during one of the biggest weeks of the year. AEW is heading to Greensboro next Wednesday for Blood and Guts, live on TBS and HBO Max, with an expanded two-and-a-half-hour broadcast that feels closer to a pay-per-view than a weekly show. Hangman Page does battle against Powerhouse Hobbs in a Falls Count Anywhere match, the fifth men's Blood and Guts takes place, and for the first time ever, the women get their turn inside the cage. Greensboro isn't just another stop—it's the birthplace of WarGames, and AEW is honoring that legacy with a lineup that blends history, chaos, and spectacle. While AEW doubles down on its roots, WWE is rewriting its global playbook. Beginning in 2026, the company will run three Premium Live Events in Saudi Arabia, starting with Royal Rumble: Riyadh. The strategy is paying off in a big way. WWE officially surpassed UFC in both revenue and profit this quarter, powered by massive site fees and fewer but bigger shows. Nick Khan calls it "strategic scarcity," and the numbers prove him right. Fewer events, fuller arenas, higher prices, and bigger energy. Triple H continues to steer creative toward long-term storytelling, trading shock moments for layered narratives. The road to WrestleMania 43 runs through Montreal, Riyadh, and San Diego, with each stop feeling like a blockbuster on its own. Chelsea Green might be the story of the week. She reclaimed the Women's United States Championship on SmackDown, just days after winning the AAA Mixed Tag Titles with Ethan Page. Her rise from comic relief to crossover champion shows how WWE's new era is connecting international stories with mainline programming. AEW stirred its own headlines by unveiling the National Championship, sparking backlash from the NWA, who claim Tony Khan hijacked their legacy. Legal battles, brand pride, and a healthy dose of ego are turning a simple belt unveiling into one of the year's most intriguing real-world rivalries. Behind the scenes, AEW quietly moved its training and storage hub from Florida to Nashville, signaling a shift in infrastructure. Darby Allin celebrated a personal milestone as his long-awaited skatepark project with Tony Hawk was approved in Georgia, turning his offbeat persona into a real community legacy. In WWE, Drew McIntyre's meltdown and suspension following his attack on Cody Rhodes showed how fragile redemption arcs can be, while Ridge Holland's early release after his injury highlighted the harsh business side of the sport. And in Japan, the biggest emotional announcement of the year became official. Kazuchika Okada will face Hiroshi Tanahashi in Tanahashi's retirement match at Wrestle Kingdom 20. It's the final chapter in one of wrestling's greatest rivalries, a torch-passing moment that connects generations and promotions across the world. Outside the ring, the sports world is battling its own integrity crisis. The UFC is under FBI investigation for another betting scandal, and NBA figures like Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier were charged in a federal gambling probe. These headlines cast a long shadow over sports entertainment as TKO navigates its dual ownership of WWE and UFC. As gambling expands across platforms, the line between competition and speculation grows thinner. Protecting legitimacy will matter just as much as growing profit. Episode 150 captures wrestling at a crossroads. AEW is refining its identity, WWE is globalizing its empire, and TKO is turning the entire industry into a corporate powerhouse. The business is bigger than ever, but it's still driven by the same thing that always made it work—real stories, human stakes, and the pull of seeing what happens next. Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL, the clean energy that keeps you locked in for late-night shows and long nights on the mic. Save 20 percent with code TAVERN at GFUEL.com. And don't forget the ultimate prank gift—the official Dick Lazer—available now at DickLazers.com, also 20 percent off with code TAVERN. Support independent wrestling media, join the conversation, and as always, keep it Tavern.

The week we are joined by The Tavern's own Colton and Ace! Join us as we ask Is Logan Paul the piece that finally makes The Vision matter, or is WWE forcing a brand fit that won't last; Is Seth Rollins becoming one of wrestling's great "what if" stories, or have injuries stopped being a real setback in an era where stars never truly disappear; and If WWE approached AEW for a cross-promotional deal to feature Edge at Cena's farewell show, would saying yes make AEW look progressive or weak? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Shot of Nostalgia is back for Season 7, and we're jumping straight into one of the most important turning points in modern wrestling history. The DeLorean's set for 2002—a year where WWE was trying to figure itself out, and SmackDown quietly stole the show. Acefield Retro kicks things off with The Split & The Spark, covering March through July 2002, when everything started to change. The Invasion had fizzled out, the roster was packed to the brim, and WWE needed a new identity. The solution came in the form of the first-ever Brand Extension. Raw got the spectacle. SmackDown got the wrestlers. Under Paul Heyman's direction, SmackDown became a wrestling-first show built on pacing, precision, and purpose. And at the center of it all were six names—Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Edge, Rey Mysterio, and Chavo Guerrero. Together, they gave the show rhythm, personality, and heart. This episode revisits the early foundations of the SmackDown Six era, including: • The 2002 WWE Draft and how it reshaped the company • Eddie Guerrero's return and redemption match with Rob Van Dam at Backlash • Kurt Angle and Edge turning a Hair vs. Hair match at Judgment Day into a breakout moment for both • Rey Mysterio's WWE debut against Chavo Guerrero and the high-flying spark that made everyone stop and stare SmackDown wasn't supposed to be the show people talked about every week—but it became exactly that. Cleaner finishes, longer matches, and stories that actually paid off. For one summer, wrestling television just felt right again. Presented by The Turnbuckle Tavern, where nostalgia meets conversation. Follow @TurnbuckleTavern and @AcefieldRetro for updates, retro drops, and full discussions every Friday night. Support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for just $2.99 a month to get early access, bonus content, and exclusive throwback coverage.

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! 

Acefield Retro & Chad are here for episode 149 to discuss all things pro wrestling. Salt Lake City's Saturday Night's Main Event captured WWE's late-2025 identity. CM Punk's World Heavyweight Championship win over Jey Uso gave the company a new anchor at the top, Cody Rhodes retained his Undisputed Championship in another clean, composed defense, and Jade Cargill officially began her reign as WWE Women's Champion by ending Tiffany Stratton's impressive year-long run. Dominik Mysterio continued his momentum with a smart, character-driven Intercontinental Title defense against Penta and Rusev. Seth Rollins confirmed a six-month recovery timeline following shoulder surgery after his Crown Jewel: Perth injury, officially ruling him out until spring 2026. WWE's creative direction remains centered on continuity, with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed leading The Vision and the CM Punk–Roman Reigns alliance giving the upcoming Survivor Series: WarGames an established focal point. John Cena officially announced his final match will take place on Saturday Night's Main Event December 13 in Washington, D.C., closing a twenty-year career where it began. A 16-man cross-brand tournament will determine his last opponent, and as Cena teased, "not everyone in this tournament works here yet." Reports suggest Gunther is the favorite to face him, potentially setting up one last "passing of the torch" moment before Cena's retirement. Over in AEW, Tony Khan confirmed both lineups for Blood & Guts, set for November 12 in Greensboro. The men's match will see The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Kyle O'Reilly, Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong, and Darby Allin) face The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, and PAC), while the first-ever women's Blood & Guts match will feature Mercedes Moné, Megan Bayne, Marina Shafir, Thekla, Julia Hart, and Skye Blue battling Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, Harley Cameron, Jamie Hayter, Queen Aminata, and Willow Nightingale. Meanwhile, Full Gear is beginning to take shape with Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Moné for the Women's World Title, and FTR vs. Brodido for the Tag Titles among the confirmed bouts. AEW's focus on faction warfare, long-form storytelling, and cross-promotional balance continues to define its late-year build. Elsewhere, Chelsea Green signed a new five-year WWE deal through 2030 and is set to challenge for the AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles alongside Ethan Page at AAA Alianzas. Across the industry, promotions are closing the year by emphasizing stability, continuity, and legacy rather than volatility — a trend that defines wrestling's current moment as much as any title change. It was a week that highlighted structure over shock, balance over chaos, and transition over turbulence — a calm before what could be a seismic close to 2025 across all major promotions.

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

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

NXT's Halloween Havoc 2025 brought big moments and fresh direction across the board. Je'Von Evans & Leon Slater shined in the opener, Ethan Page retained in a brutal Day of the Dead match, and new champions emerged with Blake Monroe, Tatum Paxley, and DarkState all capturing gold. Ricky Saints closed the night with a clean win over Trick Williams, keeping his title reign steady as new challengers line up. In WWE, Seth Rollins' injury forced changes to Survivor Series: WarGames, but the CM Punk–Roman Reigns alliance remains intact. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed now anchor The Vision, ensuring the match still delivers major star power. Over in AEW, Tony Khan officially launched the Women's World Tag Team Title Tournament, featuring Jamie Hayter's return, Mercedes Moné & Athena's alliance, and Storm & Shirakawa's pairing, with the finals expected at Full Gear. Meanwhile, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura is heavily rumored for Wrestle Kingdom 20, potentially serving as Tanahashi's retirement match. Elsewhere, AAA's Heroes Inmortales saw Dominik Mysterio retain his title, and The Wyatt Sicks escalate their eerie takeover. It was a week defined by new champions, shifting alliances, and dream match rumors — proof that wrestling's global storytelling keeps getting bigger and bolder.

The week we are joined by Jordan from GOAL LINE and The Chick Foley Show! Join us as we ask between WWE and AEW what wrestler is the most long overdue of a world title reign; is it more beneficial or a detriment to storytelling when a wrestler holds multiple titles at the same time in a promotion; and Is a one year non-compete after a firing too far, or if the contract is signed its fair game? 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! 

Episode 147 is live. Acefield Retro and Chad are back with a brand-new edition of Wrestling Tonight to break it all down, a massive week across AEW, WWE, and beyond. AEW WrestleDream 2025 in St. Louis felt like a complete show from start to finish. Every match had purpose, and every moment built toward something meaningful. Darby Allin finally defeated Jon Moxley in a violent but deeply emotional I Quit match that ended with Sting's return.  Hangman Page and Samoa Joe delivered the kind of world title match that rewards patience, ending with Page barely surviving before The Opps made their presence felt again. Cracks began to form in Don Callis' camp when Kazuchika Okada accidentally hit Takeshita with a Rainmaker, costing them the tag titles. Kris Statlander's win over Toni Storm was the title defense her reign needed, and Mercedes Moné continued her dominant streak by defeating Mina Shirakawa to break Ultimo Dragon's record. Elsewhere, Jurassic Express reunited to beat the Young Bucks in a fast, fun tag match that raised new questions about Kenny Omega's next move. Fletcher retained against Briscoe, Hayter and Thekla tore into each other, and The Hurt Syndicate picked up a strong win that puts them in line for gold. In WWE, Seth Rollins' shoulder injury could reshape the road to WrestleMania, but the larger story is the company's quiet rollout of an AI-driven storytelling system. Reports suggest WWE creative has begun testing artificial intelligence to help design character arcs, anticipate audience reactions, and fine-tune story pacing before scripts reach production. Whether this becomes a valuable tool or a creative crutch remains to be seen, but it marks a major shift in how wrestling stories might be told. Jacob Fatu's violent write-off and Ilja Dragunov's surprise United States Title win over Sami Zayn arrived with uncanny timing, fueling speculation that elements of the new system are already in play. Across the Pacific, AJ Styles may have wrestled his final match in Japan, closing the night with an emotional farewell speech delivered in Japanese by Shinsuke Nakamura. It was a week that balanced endings and beginnings. AEW delivered purposeful, organic storytelling while WWE stepped into uncharted territory by blending creativity with artificial intelligence. Wrestling keeps evolving, and nights like these remind everyone why they care.

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod (KOP)! Join us as we ask who should the first inaugural AEW Women's Tag Team Champions be; who says “I Quit” at WrestleDream; and was it the right decision to bring back Jurassic Express? 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!