The Turnbuckle Tavern

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 215 of Wrestling Tonight begins with the increasingly strange situation surrounding WWE and AAA Worlds Collide, which takes place September 26 in the Chicago market on the same night as AEW All Out. Fightful Select reported that WWE did not have broadcast plans listed internally as of Wednesday, despite a card featuring CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Penta, Rey Fenix, Dominik Mysterio, Roxanne Perez and talent from WWE, NXT and AAA. That raises a bigger question than simply where the show can be watched. WWE created all the optics of direct counterprogramming by running the Allstate Arena while AEW runs All Out at the NOW Arena, yet nine days before the event there still isn't a confirmed live broadcast. We discuss whether WWE could potentially be reducing the scope of the head-to-head, while making clear there has been no reporting that WWE changed its plans because of AEW. There is also speculation that Worlds Collide footage could eventually surface on Club WWE, similar to the Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan title match. Nothing has been confirmed, but if WWE ultimately uses Worlds Collide as exclusive or delayed content, it creates a completely different discussion about what WWE wants this event to accomplish. Is September 26 primarily about competing with AEW in Chicago, or could WWE see greater value in using desirable crossover content to make Club WWE more important? We look at that potential tradeoff and why the eventual distribution decision could completely change how this event is viewed. Elsewhere, Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling has a new Women's Champion. Priscilla Kelly defeated Gisele Shaw to end Shaw's reign of more than a year, with the title change airing only days after Shaw's exclusive NWA contract was announced. Shaw is already the NWA Women's Television Champion and has identified the NWA Women's World Championship as her next goal, while Priscilla Kelly immediately moves into a prominent position for MLP and will defend against Nikki Storm at Northern Rising on October 3. AEW All Out continues to take shape with Kazuchika Okada defending the AEW International Championship against Tommaso Ciampa in a fresh Psycho Killer vs. Rainmaker matchup. Rather than allowing Tommaso Ciampa to float around the roster after his arrival, AEW is immediately putting him opposite Kazuchika Okada in exactly the type of matchup that demonstrates the value of adding another experienced wrestler to an already deep roster. Hangman Page, Bandido and Brody King have also earned an AEW Trios Championship opportunity, but they won't know their opponents until Swerve Strickland and The New Level defend against The Demand on the final Dynamite before All Out. Darby Allin and Steven Borden will face Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight in an eliminator to determine the next challengers for whoever leaves Chicago with the AEW World Tag Team Championships. We discuss why AEW having championship stories moving both into and beyond All Out makes the surrounding television matter. Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley headlines an increasingly loaded Chicago card, while Adam Copeland and Christian Cage defend against FTR and The Young Bucks in a three-way ladder match, and Brawling Birds defend the AEW Women's Tag Team Championships against Divine Dominion in a Chicago Street Fight. The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is also officially returning after a two-year absence, this time with an expanded 14-team field featuring talent from NXT, AAA, Evolve, Raw and SmackDown. NXT Tag Team Champions Vanity Project, Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes, and AAA Tag Team Champions El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno have been confirmed and will receive first-round byes, while Julius Creed and Brutus Creed are also officially part of the tournament. We look at why the cross-brand format gives WWE an opportunity to make this Dusty Classic feel different from previous versions and why the eventual bracket needs to take advantage of the talent available. With eleven teams still to be announced, WWE has enough room to create genuinely different matchups rather than making this another mostly NXT tournament with a handful of outside appearances. NXT also has a new number one contender as Mason Rook defeated Tony D'Angelo and Saquon Shugars to earn the next shot at NXT Champion Grayson Waller. Tristan Angels pulled the referee out of the ring during a Saquon Shugars nearfall before Tony D'Angelo's back gave out while attempting Dead to Rights, allowing Mason Rook to capitalize with a top-rope splash and secure the victory. Grayson Waller confronted Mason Rook to close NXT, setting the stage for the next championship program. We discuss why the physical contrast gives NXT a simple story to work with and why Mason Rook doesn't need to become Grayson Waller's equal on the microphone. He needs to become the massive problem standing between Grayson Waller and keeping his championship. Because Mason Rook is big, he's bad, and he'll body slam your dad. Plus, we look ahead to another loaded week across wrestling as the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic begins on NXT, Swerve Strickland and The New Level defend the AEW Trios Championships against The Demand on Dynamite, Moose puts his career on the line against Frankie Kazarian on TNA Impact, Money in the Bank qualifying continues on SmackDown and Andrade El Idolo defends the AEW National Championship against Daniel Garcia on Collision. We also preview the major events coming up on the calendar, including AEW All Out and WWE & AAA Worlds Collide on September 26, NJPW Destruction in Kobe on September 27, WWE Money in the Bank on October 10, TNA Bound for Glory on October 11, CMLL/RevPro FantasticaMania UK and AEW WrestleDream on October 17, AAA Heroes Inmortales on October 24 and NXT Halloween Havoc on October 31. Episode 215 covers a week where the biggest story might be an event we still don't know how we're watching. WWE spent months creating the perception of a fight with AEW on September 26, but the lack of a confirmed Worlds Collide live broadcast raises legitimate questions about what WWE actually wants the event to accomplish. Add a loaded All Out card, Tommaso Ciampa going directly after Kazuchika Okada, Priscilla Kelly becoming MLP Women's Champion, the return of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and Mason Rook emerging as Grayson Waller's next challenger, and there is plenty to break down across WWE, AEW, NXT, MLP and the rest of the wrestling world.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! We recap that week the week of WWE in Mexico City and highlight the title changes that happened. Plus, our usual off topic discussions that we have not regarding anything current in wrestling. All that 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 214 of Wrestling Tonight begins with Sami Zayn shocking CM Punk in Mexico City to become WWE Champion for the second time, with a chaotic finish involving Kevin Owens, Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. With Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn now reportedly being discussed for Crown Jewel in Riyadh, we look at what WWE's latest championship change could actually mean for Sami Zayn's second reign. Roman Reigns survived Penta in front of a Mexico City crowd that desperately wanted the upset, and we question whether WWE passed on the perfect opportunity to create one of those moments people would remember for years. Roman Reigns now moves directly into a World Heavyweight Championship program with LA Knight for Money in the Bank. Another surprising championship change came in Chile as Stephanie Vaquer defeated Liv Morgan to regain the Women's World Championship in her home country before WWE immediately carried the story into Raw. We discuss why the unusual live event title change worked and where the Liv Morgan rivalry goes from here. Outside WWE, Fightful Select reports Ilja Dragunov is coming to AEW following the expiration of his WWE contract. The fit inside the ring feels obvious, but how Tony Khan introduces and positions Ilja Dragunov on such a deep roster could determine whether this becomes one of AEW's most important recent additions. We also break down Triplemania 34 and the numbers coming out of WWE and AAA's biggest weekend, including the massive digital performance of El Grande Americano vs. Dominik Mysterio. At the same time, CMLL countered Triplemania at Arena México with an international card featuring talent from AEW, NJPW and Stardom, creating a fascinating look at the two very different alliances developing around Mexican wrestling. Plus, AEW honors Andy Williams, Triangle of Madness continue their run as champions in Stardom, AEW sets a loaded November with Blood & Guts, Full Gear and the Continental Classic, and Bronson Reed finally addresses the unscripted moment with Oba Femi that reportedly caught WWE off guard. Episode 214 covers a huge week across WWE, AEW, AAA, CMLL and Stardom, with major championship changes, a potentially significant AEW signing and plenty of questions about where everything goes next.

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. Episode 213 of Wrestling Tonight begins with Oba Femi, whose future may suddenly be much bigger than the backstage conversation surrounding his unscripted moment with Bronson Reed on Raw. During The Vision's beatdown, Bronson Reed reportedly placed his foot on Oba Femi without the spot being planned, prompting Oba Femi to immediately shove it away. WrestleVotes reported that the reaction generated backstage chatter, with some WWE personnel taking issue with how Oba Femi responded. We examine both sides of the situation, including whether Oba Femi should really be criticized for rejecting a dominance spot that apparently was never agreed upon in the first place. That story becomes considerably more interesting with Roman Reigns vs. Oba Femi reportedly viewed as the current direction for the Sunday main event of WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh. Dave Meltzer reports that the match is believed to be what WWE is building toward, although nothing is locked in and plans can change. With The Rock's filming schedule potentially complicating the long-discussed Roman Reigns match, WWE could instead use its first WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia to establish Oba Femi as a defining star of its next generation. If that direction holds, the Bronson Reed situation becomes a small part of a much larger question: how WWE protects Oba Femi's aura while preparing him for the vulnerability and responsibility that come with becoming a true WrestleMania main-eventer. WWE is also reportedly extremely high on Royce Keys, with WKRD Wrestling reporting significant internal praise for his recent work and False Finish indicating that WWE higher-ups view Royce Keys as a potential future World Champion. We look at how quickly WWE has elevated Royce Keys into The Bloodline orbit alongside Bronco Nima and Lucien Price in 946, and why the more important story may be WWE testing his ceiling rather than rushing him toward a championship. Bayley has not officially signed a new WWE contract, but all indications continue pointing toward her staying. Dave Meltzer reports that Bayley and WWE were essentially in agreement on terms several weeks ago, with her return to Raw serving as one of the clearest signs that the company expects the deal to be finalized. Bayley immediately resumed her issue with Lyra Valkyria, costing her a Money in the Bank qualifying match and putting months of AEW speculation involving Mercedes Moné further into the background. Paul "Triple H" Levesque says WWE's return to Hawaii will not be a one-time event. WWE is running two shows at Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu on October 16 and 17 while also holding a two-day tryout, with Paul Levesque emphasizing WWE's historical connection to Hawaii and the Pacific Islands through names including Peter Maivia, The Rock, Roman Reigns, The Usos and Nia Jax. We examine why WWE's recruitment effort may be just as important as the live events themselves as the company looks to establish a more permanent pipeline in the region. TNA's road to Bound for Glory is beginning to take shape, but the company has a much larger problem to solve. WrestleTix reports that only 675 tickets have been distributed for the October 11 event at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, with just 43 tickets moved over the previous week. Nic Nemeth vs. Leon Slater and the vacant X-Division Championship six-way are currently announced, while Fabian Aichner has joined KC Navarro in qualifying for the X-Division match. TNA is at least adding meaningful stakes on television, with Moose putting his TNA career on the line against Frankie Kazarian next week on Impact. M by Elegance will also defend the Knockouts Television Championship against Kiera Hogan, while Elijah and Ricky Sosa face two members of The System. The bigger question is whether TNA can turn increased visibility and online momentum into actual ticket demand for what is supposed to be its biggest event of the year. AEW World Champion Will Ospreay says he has discussed entirely new match concepts with Tony Khan, taking inspiration from the Casino Gauntlet and his love of sports-based competition. Will Ospreay also wants to test himself against AEW's previous generation of champions, with Jon Moxley already awaiting him at All Out and Chris Jericho mentioned as someone Will Ospreay would like to revisit. We discuss whether AEW needs another match type at all—or whether a genuinely simple, competitive concept could become another signature format. NJPW has added Aaron Wolf vs. Kosei Fujita for the NEVER Openweight Championship to King of Pro Wrestling on October 12 at Sumo Hall. Kosei Fujita earned the match by pinning Aaron Wolf during the Road to Destruction tour and would become the first junior heavyweight to hold the NEVER title since Will Ospreay in 2019. The match also creates a potentially massive night for TMDK, with G1 Climax winner Ryohei Oiwa scheduled to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event. Episode 213 covers the latest across WWE, AEW, TNA and NJPW, from Oba Femi's unscripted Raw controversy and the possibility of a WrestleMania 43 main event against Roman Reigns to WWE's growing belief in Royce Keys, Bayley's expected new deal, WWE's renewed investment in Hawaii, TNA's Bound for Glory ticket struggles, Will Ospreay's creative ambitions and a potentially historic night for TMDK at King of Pro Wrestling.

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 212 of Wrestling Tonight begins with AEW Rebel Heart Dynamite and the wrestling world coming together to support Tanea "Rebel" Brooks. Gail Kim, Killer Kross, Dasha Gonzalez, Scarlett Bordeaux, Allysin Kay, Christy Hemme and Marti Belle were among those reportedly backstage in Athens, Georgia, while Rebel reunited with Britt Baker for The Waiting Room and appeared again during the six-woman tag team match. TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro says WWE and UFC have "resized" talent compensation following their massive new media-rights agreements with ESPN and Paramount. We examine what that language actually tells us about talent pay, along with Shapiro's comments on WWE's developmental system, premium experiences and his belief that attendance has become "a social currency." WWE President Nick Khan has responded to fan complaints surrounding WWE Premium Live Events on ESPN Unlimited, acknowledging that there is "some truth" to accessibility concerns. We discuss the difference between criticism of WWE creative and legitimate consumer frustration, especially as Mark Shapiro says WWE PLEs are performing "well" on ESPN but should soon be "doing much better" as distribution expands. Nick Khan also revealed that WWE is already "across the creative" for WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the first WrestleMania held outside the United States or Canada. WWE is also planning official viewing experiences in New York and other markets, further expanding WrestleMania into a global weekend even for fans who will not travel to Riyadh. The AEW, CMLL and NJPW relationships continue to produce major crossover matches, with Claudio Castagnoli accepting Shingo Takagi's challenge for NJPW Destruction in Kobe on September 27. Meanwhile, AEW is sending PAC, "Speedball" Mike Bailey, Bandido, Komander and Divine Dominion to Arena México as CMLL goes head-to-head with the second night of AAA Triplemanía this Sunday. CMLL's 93rd Aniversario has also added Jeff Jarrett vs. Blue Panther, giving the September 18 event another unique attraction. The loaded card also includes Hechicero defending against Claudio Castagnoli and Zack Sabre Jr., Andrade El Idolo vs. Volador Jr., Bandido vs. Soberano Jr. and Titán defending against Komander. Maple Leaf Pro will crown an undisputed Canadian Champion at Northern Rising on October 3, with Josh Alexander returning from injury to face interim champion Stu Grayson. Adam Copeland vs. Steve Maclin is also set as MLP continues using major outside talent while building its own identity. We also preview the week ahead across WWE, AEW, TNA, NXT, AAA and NWA. Raw in Mexico City features Roman Reigns vs. Penta and Chad Gable vs. Dragon Lee, while SmackDown has CM Punk vs. Sami Zayn, Chelsea Green vs. Nia Jax, Paige vs. Nikki Bella and two AAA championship matches. Next week's AEW Dynamite features Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne and Will Ospreay, Andrade El Idolo & Francesco Akira vs. PAC, Jon Moxley & Gabe Kidd, while Saturday's Collision will serve as an Andy Williams tribute show. TNA Impact is headlined by Nic Nemeth vs. Matt Hardy in a No DQ TNA World Heavyweight Championship match, with NXT, AAA on Fox and NWA Powerrr also on the schedule. Episode 212 covers the latest across AEW, WWE, CMLL, NJPW, AAA, TNA, NXT, Maple Leaf Pro, Stardom and NWA, from the emotional Rebel Heart Dynamite to TKO's latest WWE business strategy and another massive week of international crossover wrestling.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! This week, we recap the abysmal week that was WWE with starting with Smackdown, dragging ourselves to watch Sunday Night's Main Event, and hopefully be happy with RAW. All this and 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 211 of Wrestling Tonight begins with the passing of Andy "The Butcher" Williams at 48. We look back at Andy Williams' career as a founding guitarist of Every Time I Die and his transition into professional wrestling as The Butcher in AEW, as well as the tributes from those who worked alongside Andy Williams in both wrestling and music. We also remember "Superstar" Bill Dundee, the Memphis Wrestling legend who passed away at 82. WWE Sunday Night's Main Event saw Randy Orton defeat Cody Rhodes, while Bron Breakker vs. Oba Femi ended without a decisive winner following the return of Bronson Reed. Trick Williams also regained the United States Championship from Baron Corbin to begin a second reign. AAA Triplemanía 34 takes place across two nights in Las Vegas and Mexico City. Rey Mysterio faces Omos on Night 1 with Omos' status in AAA at stake, while Dominik Mysterio defends the AAA Mega Championship against El Grande Americano on Night 2. We preview both cards and the WWE crossover surrounding the weekend, including an AAA World Tag Team Championship match on SmackDown and the subsequent open challenge at Triplemanía. On WWE Raw, Bayley returned during Lyra Valkyria's Money in the Bank qualifier, helping Sol Ruca advance before attacking Lyra Valkyria after the match. Bron Breakker also qualified for Money in the Bank, while WWE's Mexico City schedule continues with Roman Reigns vs. Penta and Chad Gable vs. Dragon Lee set for Raw. Netflix VP Gabe Spitzer says WWE has "hit every metric" Netflix hoped for since the partnership began, pointing specifically to international performance as an area of growth. We examine those comments, what Netflix is saying about its relationship with WWE and what can actually be measured publicly about the partnership. Meanwhile, WWE Worlds Collide has distributed 10,149 tickets compared with 8,501 for AEW All Out ahead of the two events running in the Chicago area on September 26. We look at the numbers and the important differences between the two events as WWE and AEW compete for the same market on the same day. Also discussed: John Cena's assessment of his 2025 heel turn, Malakai Black becoming PROGRESS Men's World Champion, WWE's latest round of NXT departures and Triangle of Madness defending the Artist of Stardom Championships. Episode 211 covers the latest across WWE, AEW, AAA, NXT, PROGRESS and Stardom, along with the wrestling world remembering Andy Williams and Bill Dundee.

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!