AEW All In 2026 Preview | AAA/NXT Counterprogram | Lil Yachty vs Baron Corbin | Bakusai is Born | Dirt Sheet Radio Ep 243

Welcome to a brand new episode of Dirt Sheet Radio! Jon and Greg are diving into another massive week in professional wrestling, previewing one of the biggest weekends of the year and breaking down shocking debuts, major television deals, and high-stakes sibling rivalries.

Here is everything on the card for today's show:

• WWE Leaves ABEMA: ABEMA has officially announced it will stop broadcasting WWE content in Japan on September 30, opening the door for the highly anticipated shift to Netflix later this year.

• BAKUSAI is Born: Former NJPW standout Hiromu Takahashi makes his WWE debut under the name Kyoki. We discuss his new alliance with Shinsuke Nakamura to form the tag team BAKUSAI, and their immediate sights on the WWE Tag Team Championship.

• AEW All In Preview: The ultimate Wembley Stadium breakdown! With over 43,000 tickets currently distributed, we dive into the storylines leading in, notable missing wrestlers, potential surprises, and our official match predictions.

• The Counter-Programming War: Analyzing how AAA and WWE NXT are strategically counter-programming against AEW's massive London weekend.

• TNA Lockdown Overdelivers: Reacting to TNA's return to the all-cage Lockdown format in Chicago. Surprisingly, it wasn't bad! We highlight the biggest moments from the event, including the Nemeth brothers winning tag team gold and Leon Slater capturing the X Division title.

• Lil Yachty at SNME: Lil Yachty is officially stepping into a WWE ring! We break down his upcoming five-minute survival challenge against Baron Corbin at Sunday Night's Main Event to earn Trick Williams a US Title shot.

• CM Punk vs Kevin Owens: Breaking down the escalating tension between Kevin Owens and CM Punk, and what Sami Zayn's sudden involvement means for the heated feud.

BloodyMania 19 and the End of JCW’s First Russo Season

In November 2025, JCW revealed Vince Russo as the company’s new mystery investor on Episode 59 after weeks of buildup. Since then, Russo has worked on-screen and on the creative team. His arrival signaled a push toward consistent serialized television, complete with cliffhangers, recurring segments, and stories that regularly spanned episodes and promos. This was Russo’s first BloodyMania.

True, JCW doesn't officially divide its weekly show, Lunacy, into seasons, but this year’s BloodyMania sure felt like a season finale. The annual event, held during the Gathering of the Juggalos, brought months of stories to a payoff.

JCW leaves BloodyMania with more weekly viewers, recognizable characters, and growing attention from beyond the Juggalo universe. The roster is more defined than it was a year ago, and wrestling media is increasingly treating Lunacy like a show to follow rather than an ICP adjacent curiosity.

It’s not perfect. Obviously. Some elements remained uneven, with too many interference finishes, referee bumps, and stipulations that unnecessarily complicated matches-matches that still sometimes unfold as if they don’t have the physical talent they now do. Still, overall, the company should be counting this year as a win.

JCW and the Gathering

JCW and Insane Clown Posse are inexorably bound, but they’re becoming increasingly less interchangeable. For those who are totally uninitiated into the glorious, odd, and sometimes disgusting world of Juggalo culture, The Gathering is Juggalo Mecca. This year’s 26th Gathering ran Aug. 19-22 in Macks Creek, Missouri. Wrestling, specifically JCW, is part of a much larger four-day reverie that includes musical guests, sideshows, contests, pageants, seminars, camping, and, no doubt, lots of not-so-wholesome activities not fit to print.

BloodyMania has been JCW’s flagship Gathering show since 2007. JCW is, first and foremost, a Juggalo wrestling promotion. Its owners are ICP. Its identity, humor, references, and audience are closely connected to Juggalo culture. As such, BloodyMania and the Gathering remain cornerstones. But Violent J has spent the last two years making JCW into something wrestling fans, in general, love, even if they have no connection to ICP. Before this year’s BloodyMania, he described the goal to PWTorch: “Our goal is to be a respected independent.”

More people are watching.

Vince Russo’s arrival signaled a change in identity, but he didn’t single-handedly propel JCW’s growth. Lunacy began its current weekly run before he joined the company. Violent J says its live YouTube audience has increased from roughly 100 viewers when the project began to around 3,000 now. Viewership may have increased fairly steadily since Lunacy launched, but there was a sizable spike around Russo’s arrival. Episode 54, released in October before Russo’s reveal, sits at about 20,000 YouTube views. Episode 60, the first full post-Russo-as-investor episode, has more than 55,000.

In December of 25, Sports Illustrated reported that Russo’s arrival coincided with Lunacy’s highest week-to-week YouTube viewership to that point. Violent J told SI that the promotion had become “very heavily involved in storytelling,” pointing to long-form stories, reveals, and cliffhangers.

Beyond advancement in episodic storytelling, driven by both Russo and Violent J, production value for the weekly has become more polished and more TV-like overall. That polish shows in weekly recap packages, edited backstage segments, and character vignettes, along with a more established broadcast team led by Joe Dombrowski and a rotating group of commentators. Technical execution is leaps and bounds more refined today than in episode one, though it still has occasional missed camera shots and low-quality backstage audio; the show consistently looks intentionally produced as weekly wrestling television.

Caleb Konley, Russo-era character

Konley has been a Lunacy staple since the beginning. He’s an industry veteran and came to JCW as a talented technical wrestler. His skill level didn’t necessarily change with JCW’s Russo-era storylines. What changed was how the company used him and how much airtime he got.

Over the last year, he's fully transformed into ‘The Chosen One,’ a Russo darling increasingly protected and clearly favored by the person with power over the show. Lunacy put an exclamation point on that in February on Episode 69 when Konley betrayed man-servant Jeeves and backhanded the Ring Rat to a hail of jeers from the audience, only for Russo to appear and applaud him.

Konley’s bro-mantic allegiance to Russo became a weekly staple; he eventually took the Lunacy World Championship, and with it a Russo-ordered custom belt engraved with his own face, which he seems to love gazing longingly into. From there, Russo’s favoritism became part of Konley’s title run, with protection, interference, and rule-bending repeatedly helping keep the championship on him, earning both men considerable heat.

Enter Kerry Morton

A second-generation wrestler and established NWA talent who continually earns his spot, Kerry Morton invested months developing and complicating his own identity on Lunacy. Morton called himself “Mr. JCW” on Episode 62 and kept using the moniker, with commentators and announcers following suit, spotlighting his growing role in the production. Still, JCW gave him space to become more confrontational and increasingly fixated on those he believed were working against him. In an SI interview this spring, Morton said JCW allows him to be “loud and creative and be my own self.”

The growing allegiance between “The Chosen One” and Russo left plenty of room for Morton to shake off the spoiled nepo-baby energy he initially brought to JCW and become a surprise favorite that fans can align with against the Konley/Russo dominion.

Their match on the Gathering edition of Lunacy brought that to a point.

Konley attacked Morton before he could enter the battle royal, leaving him unable to beat the referee’s 10-count and costing him the match. Morton later confronted Konley and got an immediate title defense. He hit a superplex, survived a belt shot and, with the referee down, got hold of the championship himself—but chose not to use it. Konley eventually used the referee as a shield, landed a low blow, and finished Morton with the Burning Hammer to retain. The Chairshot gave it the highest match rating of the Gathering episode and called Morton “a star.”

Morton lost, but the match made him look like an obvious future challenger.

The Supporting Roster

JCW now also has a recognizable group of recurring characters who don't depend on being in the main event.

Paige Collett’s Ring Rat is, perhaps, my favorite, and she’s become one of the most immediately recognizable recurring roles on Lunacy. The name comes from a historically derogatory slice of wrestling slang, but Collett has leaned into the stereotype, creating a deliberately exaggerated groupie-type character. According to Collett, another wrestler turned the role down (thankfully) before it was offered to Collett, who told WrestleZone, “There’s no small role, only small performers.”

“The Boss & the Ring Rat”

posted and captioned by Collett Feb 202g

Lunacy has let her prove that. She’s been tied to stories with Jeeves, Konley, Disco Ray and Steven Flowe, appeared in numerous backstage segments, and eventually moved from ringside character to in-ring participant. By the Gathering, her return in the battle royal got an immediate reaction.

CoKane has a similarly precise relationship with audiences. When he entered the same battle royal, fans threw drinking straws into the ring as part of his cocaine-dealer gimmick. Ring Rat and CoKane are good examples of JCW getting supporting characters over on their own terms. Neither needs to be in the main event to get an immediate reaction.

That depth extends well beyond Ring Rat and CoKane. The Outbreak, Barnabas, Steven Flowe, Brothers of Funstruction, and 2 Tuff Tony have all become familiar parts of the weekly show, while JCW has rotated in higher-profile guests including James Storm, Matt Cardona, Nic Nemeth, RVD, KENTA, and Matt Riddle.

Those big, outside names may bring people to the show, but the regular roster has to give them a reason to come back.

The Gathering Lunacy Episode and BloodyMania.

The final Lunacy before BloodyMania did a lot more than fill out the card.

GCW’s promoter, Brett Lauderdale, was seated in the crowd along with Nick Gage, Vipress, and Parrow. The camera panned to the group repeatedly throughout the show, rousing plenty of fan speculation.

Their presence wasn’t entirely new. JCW and GCW have worked together before, including at last year's Gathering and during The Collective over WrestleMania weekend in Vegas. What changed was the focus on GCW and how they were presented; by the end of the episode, it was clear GCW was no longer purely another independent promotion working with JCW. Lauderdale and his wrestlers had entered the Lunacy universe and storyline, a development that would be made explicit during BloodyMania.

BloodyMania wasn’t the strongest wrestling card JCW has produced this year. And that’s ok. It functioned as the payoff to stories the promotion had invested months developing.

Twisted Snow vs. Steven Flowe and Shane Mercer

James Storm and CoKane, paired as Twisted Snow, opened against Steven Flowe and Shane Mercer. Flowe was originally scheduled to team with Mr. Anderson, but JCW announced on the previous night’s Lunacy that Anderson couldn’t make the show. Flowe recruited Mercer by offering him the Golden Guitar. The match gave the crowd a mix of Storm's veteran offense and the more physical exchanges between CoKane and Mercer. One of the bigger moments came when CoKane launched himself over the barricade with a tope con hilo, carrying him into the second row.

The finish saw the Ring Rat come out to distract Storm, giving Flowe a chance to swing his guitar. Storm moved, and Flowe accidentally hit Ring Rat instead. Storm followed with the Last Call superkick, and CoKane hit the Tombstone to give Twisted Snow the win.

A straightforward opener, but the finish served the larger storyline, with Flowe and Ring Rat’s history on Lunacy giving the interference weight.

Alice Crowley Gets the Next Shot

Alice Crowley defeated J-Rod and Hollyhood Haley J to become No. 1 contender for the JCW Women’s Championship. AEW veteran Nyla Rose served as special enforcer. When J-Rod charged Haley J and Haley moved, J-Rod collided with the referee. Rose then revealed referee stripes under her gear and took over the match. J-Rod later swung at Rose, who answered with a neckbreaker. Crowley followed with a lariat for the pin.

The win establishes a clear path for Crowley as Dani Mo’s next challenger and gives JCW an immediate direction for the women’s championship after the Gathering.

Josh Bishop Remains Champion

Josh Bishop’s three-way title defense against Façade and Father Bronson gave BloodyMania some of its most ambitious in-ring action, with high-flyer Façade absorbing most of the risk. Façade used Bronson as a platform to attack Bishop, then climbed part of the lighting structure before diving onto both men.

Bishop retained with Exit 187, continuing a run that has established him as one of JCW’s more credible champions.

Dani Mo

It’s been a rough year for Dani Mo, who has been embroiled in multiple tense storylines. Earlier in the show, HoKane’s interference helped cost The Outbreak their tag-title match against Choppa City, and by the time HoKane faced off against Dani, the women’s championship was not the only issue between them. Control of Jacksyn and Abel was also on the line.

HoKane controlled much of the match with heavier offense, including a second-rope senton, while Dani answered with a Code Red and worked toward the Moonmist Twist. Barnabas’ interference backfired when special referee Gail Kim hit him with Eat Defeat, allowing Dani Mo to recover and finish HoKane with the Moonmist Twist. The win kept the title on Dani and, more importantly, gave her control of The Outbreak. HoKane then turned on Barnabas, closing one of Lunacy’s longer-running stories while immediately giving Dani a new direction with Jacksyn and Abel—and Alice Crowley waiting as her next challenger.

Konley Retains the Lunacy Championship

Violent J forced Konley into another title defense at BloodyMania, yet again overriding Russo’s “Jack Tunney Rule,” which is meant to limit his “Chosen One” to one defense per month. Mr. Happy emerged as the surprise challenger with unfinished business against Konley. Unlike Konley’s earlier demolition of Jeeves, Mr. Happy was presented as a legitimate threat. But outside interference in the form of Jasmin St. Claire once again handed the champion another escape. St. Claire appeared with fake labor contractions, distracting Happy long enough for Konley to evade with a roll-up, allowing Konley to leave the Gathering with the championship intact after surviving both Morton on Lunacy and Mr. Happy at BloodyMania.

GCW Gets Physical in GoreGames

BloodyMania closed with GoreGames, the five-on-five elimination match billed as the payoff to the months-long JWO-Luciano Family feud, with Mad Man Pondo serving as special ref. After plenty of fan speculation, GCW’s presence turned physical during GoreGames between the JWO and the Luciano Family. Nick Gage brawled with 2 Tuff Tony. Vipress tangled with Willie Mack. Painful Paul delivered the event's biggest turn after looking ready to help finish EC3; Paul turned on his own teammate, hitting Dijak with multiple chokeslams. Afterward, he stripped off his Luciano Family gear to reveal a JWO shirt underneath.

Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope abandoned the commentary desk to join the brawl before the JWO closed the show, standing tall.

GoreGames was a little crowded and difficult to follow as a match, but it worked as a storyline payoff. The JWO–Luciano Family feud concluded, Painful Paul switched sides, and GCW went from a presence in the crowd to an active part of the conflict. What JCW does with that GCW involvement now is a giant question mark coming out of BloodyMania.

What BloodyMania Showed About the Russo Run (so far)

Russo deserves a lot of credit for JCW’s increased emphasis on character development and continuity. Konley has become a reviled, television-worthy heel, Morton has shifted to become one of Lunacy’s principal characters, and Ring Rat is a recognizable, and more importantly, useful part of the show. Dani Mo, HoKane, Barnabas and The Outbreak carried one of Lunacy’s longer-running stories into a BloodyMania payoff that actually felt earned.

That isn’t Russo’s achievement alone. Violent J still sets JCW’s broader direction, and the wrestlers have had to make some pretty absurd material work. By and large, they have done just that.

Yes, there's still plenty of unnecessary padding around some pretty great wrestling. JCW continues to lean a little too heavily on interference, outside interruptions, and ref bumps. Sure, those devices can support a story, but when the wrestlers are already carrying the match, they’re filler at best and a distraction at worst. Morton and Konley showed us what a better balance can look like at JCW. The match still had a ref bump and cheating, but those elements served the characters instead of replacing the actual wrestling. The characters set the stakes, the wrestling carried the match, and the finish followed naturally: Morton refused to cheat; Konley used every shortcut available. The story and the match were pulling in the same direction.

What Comes Next — and Why It Matters

BloodyMania closed several stories. Now the question is whether JCW’s momentum can carry beyond Lunacy.

So far, it looks like it. The harder question may be whether the outside interest pays off. Case in point: On Sept. 6, Caleb Konley is scheduled to defend the Lunacy Championship against Avery Styles at Next Generation Wrestling’s Reckoning in Knoxville. Styles, the 19-year-old son of AJ Styles, announced at TNA Lockdown the day after BloodyMania that he’d signed with the company.

That puts a JCW championship on another promotion’s card against a wrestler who just signed with TNA, exposing both Konley and the title to fans that may not follow Lunacy. For a promotion looking to establish itself beyond the Juggalo world, cross-promotional visibility matters—especially with a veteran champion facing a heavily scrutinized second-generation prospect.

And, of course, Konley still has unfinished business at home. Morton’s loss at the Gathering didn’t close their story. Far from it. JCW has an established feud to return to while Konley takes the title elsewhere.  

Dani Mo is another example of JCW talent gaining traction beyond Lunacy. Crowley is next in line for her title at home, while the win over HoKane gave Dani control of The Outbreak, so there’s plenty left to build on leaving the Gathering. But outside JCW, she holds the IWC Women’s Championship, challenged STARDOM’s Hazuki for the SPARK Joshi World Championship, and appeared on Busted Open in August. JCW is developing her as a weekly television character while her profile grows elsewhere. If that continues, it’s evidence that Lunacy can help raise the value of the wrestlers it features—not just its own viewership.

That pattern continues down the roster. Bishop and J-Rod have both drawn outside interest, including WWE tryouts and reported TNA attention. That visibility matters for a promotion still trying to prove it belongs in the broader wrestling conversation. Konley, Morton, Dani Mo, Bishop, J-Rod, etc.: These folks can wrestle.

GCW is another part of that broader reach. Brett Lauderdale, Nick Gage, Vipress, and Parrow moved from lurking around Lunacy to being part of the story at BloodyMania, building on an existing working relationship between the two promotions. Whether that turns into another interpromotional feud, more crossover appearances, or something involving Russo and Lauderdale is still unresolved, but what matters is that there is room to develop it.

These developments may be a better measure of JCW’s progress than any single BloodyMania result. The promotion is getting more wrestling-media coverage, its talent is drawing interest from larger companies, and one of its championships is about to be defended outside JCW. That doesn’t make JCW a major promotion, but it does show the company becoming more connected to the broader independent wrestling business. The next test is whether that attention can translate into sustained growth beyond Lunacy.

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Jenny Catlin is a writer and pop culture enthusiast based in the square states. She’s a contributing writer to The Athletic, a Lighthouse Writers Book Project Fellow, and an award-winning essayist obsessed with obsession. You can find her on Instagram or Substack.

Pros and Cons if WWE Expands The Royal Rumble to Two Nights

Royal Rumble 2024. Photo credit: WWE.

It was reportedly recently by WrestleVotes that the 2027 Royal Rumble could be the last, at least for now, in the one night format. The Premium Live Event staple may be expanding to two nights in 2028, joining WrestleMania and Summerslam on the full-weekend slate as WWE internally ‘seriously considers’ the idea. While WrestleMania and Summerslam were successful in transitioning into the multi-night format, fan debate and behind the scene discussions have shown that opinions are generally more divisive. However, there are fascinating pros and cons to the expansion of the first PLE of WrestleMania season.

Pros

Spotlight for the Mens and Womens Rumble Matches:

Asuka winning the first women’s Royal Rumble. Photo credit: WWE.

Each night can feature one Royal Rumble match, giving the women equal closing billing rather than opening the show. The women have not closed the show since Asuka won the inaugural match in 2018.. It would be heavily debated if the women close the weekend, but at minimum they’d have the opportunity to close their respective event.

In a world where WWE continues to promote gender equality, gender equity hasn’t exactly been found amongst their PLE priorities, particularly elevated the women into the main event slots beyond particuar ‘first time’ headlines, though the two-night WrestleMania’s have offered the opportunity for the women to close the show when booked well enough to do so, most notably when Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair made history on Night One of WrestleMania 37 in Tampa. The Rumble being two nights would give the women the same opportunity that WrestleMania moving to two nights has given them.

The Rock defeated Mankid at Royal Rumble 1999 in a brutal I Quit match. Photo credit: WWE.

Relief from Fan Fatigue: The traditional one night Rumble card plus two hour-long over-the-top-rope matches usually leads to at least a four-hour runtime. At times, especially with two matches that are designed to be filled with surprises, crowds can get very exhausting, hindering the flow of the show. With two shorter cards audience burnout may be able to be prevented.

Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan had an excellent undercard match at Royal Rumble 2014. Photo Credit: WWE.

More Undercard Breathing Room: The title defenses in the midcard and the hot non-Rumble storyline feuds have an opportunity to shine instead of being rushed for an absurd amount of time. In recent years, WWE has been putting marquee matches on the go-home show instead of the event card to expand the amount of time they have for the events with matches that are longer. This would give more wrestlers chances on the major shows.

The Million Dollar Man at the ‘90 Royal Rumble Photo credit: WWE.

Increased Revenue: Recent WrestleMania events have given the blueprint to a revenue increase under Endeavor. The TKO Group has used this as an opportunity to bring in people on two tickets instead of one, and have also used the opportunity to bring more individual people into the venue at some point of the weekend. That increases the demand which theoretically should correlate to how much a city bids for the event, but it also gives more opportunities for merchandise sales, and guarantees a significant increase in concessions. This also fosters an environment where they are giving two separate events to their streaming partners, ESPN+ in the United States and Netflix in other territories. The more events they fill, the more ad-space they can run on these events, and potentially could put them in a better situation, should the events perform well enough to justify it, to re-negotiate when the deals are up for renewal.

Cons

Royal Rumble 1989. Photo credit: WWE.

Loss of Traditional Identity: The Royal Rumble always had an unusual aura that stands out from all the PLE’s from WWE, including WrestleMania. The chaos of the men’s and women’s fields unfold back-to-back, setting the immediate tone for WrestleMania season. With that identity being stripped because WrestleMania season no longer has a singular night that immediately sets a tone for the next few months of television being as unpredictable as can be. If the Royal Rumble gmimick is done on multiple nights, it creates an environment that may potentially normalize the event through the lalck of exclusivity, ultimately hurting one of the greatest WrestleMania traditions in the process.

An example of match dilution would be X-Pac defending the European Championship against Gangrel at the 1999 event. Photo credit: WWE.

Card and Match Dilution: Extending the event can force WWE to unfortunately book matches that would be considered filler or elevate feuds designed for weekly television onto a major PLE stage just to pad out the runtime for a second night. 

Weakened Appeal for Night Two: Since the Men’s and Women’s Rumbles will probably be split across different nights, there is a possibility that the remainder of the night featuring the women's match might struggle relative to the men's ticket demand or drawing power as the women still clamor for equity amongst the booking, which could hurt the appeal in the eyes of the audience who aren’t as invested in their storylines.

With WrestleMania and SummerSlam already occupying multiple nights, expanding the remaining ‘Big Four’ events risks overexposure while potentially diminishing the special feel of two-night cards. It’s up to WWE and TKO to execute the plan successfully for the Rumble. If the plan backfires due to negative feedback from the fans, expansion of the two night PLE’s could be in trouble outside of WrestleMania.

Regardless, WWE is eyeing an expansion of the Royal Rumble according to early reports regarding the 2028 event. It is not confirmed, but does fall in line with some of their more recent decisions. DSR and CBC will keep you updated on if the event expands, but for now, those are the positives and negatives of a potential expansion of the Rumble.

Avery Styles, son of AJ Styles, signs with TNA Wrestling

The legacy of AJ Styles continues in the squared circle, as on tonight’s TNA Lockdown, his “Phenomenal Son” Avery Styles announced that he has offically signed with the promotion.

The 19-year-old second-generation wrestler has made big waves in the independent scene, and now, he is moving up to the big leagues in Total Nonstop Action, the house that his father built.

After announcing his signing, Frankie Kazarian came out to congratulate the young up-and-comer, while also warning him that many wrestlers will come after him for a variety of reasons. Kazarian said that Avery can’t trust these wrestlers, but he can trust him.

It appears Avery Styles’ first feud on pro wrestling TV will be against a man that is likely an uncle to him.

AEW Continental Challenge Cup Semifinals Confirmed

The field for the AEW Continental Cup has thinned down to four, and the semifinals, which will take place on next week’s edition of Dynamite, have been confirmed.

First, it’s Death Rider vs Death Rider as defending Continental Champion Jon Moxley takes on fellow stablemate Claudio Castagnoli. This represents a rematch from the 2025 Continental Classic, a match that Castagnoli won. Moxley will look to avenge that loss against arguably the strongest member of the Death Riders stable and book his place in the final. For Moxley, this is the second consecutive match where he’ll look to avenge a loss, having already finally defeated Jay White in the quarters. Moxley is looking to run the gauntlet to retain the Continental Championship. Claudio will have to defeat two consecutive Death Rider partners if he wants an opportunity to take the championship, as he defeated Daniel Garcia to get here. Garcia had replaced Eddie Kingston.

Meanwhile, it’s a battle of the technicals, as the Conglomeration’s Kyle O’Reilly takes on part-timer Nigel McGuinness.

KOR had to beat out his fellow stablemates Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong in the last two rounds to make it to the semis. For McGuinness, despite dealing with an injury he suffered in his first-round match against Katsuyori Shibata, the Englishman has persevered through the pain and is one step closer to gaining homefield advantage in a Wembley Stadium championship match.

Ilja Dragunov Leaving WWE, Contract Expiration

Massive news in the world of professional wrestling as Ilja Dragunov is officially leaving the WWE.

This was first reported by PWInsider in which they say that Dragunov’s deal expired and he was removed internally from WWE”s active roster this week on their website.

Before arriving in the WWE, Dragunov was a massive star during his run with Westside Xtreme Wrestling (WXW) where he is a former Unified World Wrestling Champion, three-time wXw World Tag Team Champion and two-time wXw Shotgun Champion.

Upon arriving in WWE, Dragunov and Gunther had back-to-back 5+ star matches in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter where Dragunov came up short in the first battle but claimed the gold in the rematch against the Ring General.

Dragunov would go on to win the WWE NXT Championship before dropping it to Trick Williams, once he got up to the main roster, he would win the WWE United States Championship where he held it for 70 days and after being eliminated from the 2026 Royal Rumble by Brock Lesnar, then being eliminated from the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal by Aleister Black, Dragunov would not be seen on WWE TV again.

Now, with his deal officially expired and no longer being part of the WWE, he is free to go anywhere he wants, including an opportunity if it rises for him to arrive in All Elite Wrestling before their blockbuster Wembley Stadium PPV next Sunday at AEW All In.

We will keep you updated on any more news we hear regarding Dragunov and his WWE deal expiring.

Rami J. Hanna has written about combat and motor sports, as well sports such as baseball and basketball for a number of publications over the last ten years. In addition to his new role at CBC/DSR, Rami also recently began new roles at WrestlePurists and False Finish, and launched his own YouTube channel, VALUABLE with Rami Afif.

New Beginning for New Japan | Road Dogg's America | CMLL | WWE | AEW | Dirt Sheet Radio ep 242

Welcome back to a brand-new episode of Dirt Sheet Radio! Jon, Nick and Greg are diving into another massive week in professional wrestling, covering political controversies, historic tournament finals, and the newest updates on returning stars.

Here is everything on the card for today's show:

• Road Dogg's AEW Claims: We discuss Brian "Road Dogg" James claiming his conservative political beliefs are the reason he was turned down for a job with AEW

• CMLL Noche de Campeones 2026: All hail democracy! CMLL is handing the power over to the fans, revealing online polls to determine the challengers for multiple titles at the upcoming event.

• The New Era of NJPW: Breaking down an unbelievable G1 Climax 36 final where Ryohei Oiwa defeated Yuya Uemura by submission with the Big Lock. We also discuss the massive debut of Shun Skywalker and Jeff Cobb's shocking return to join Unbound Co..

• AI Antonio Inoki: Discussing the strange AI Antonio Inoki.

• Solo Sikoa's Breakout: Solo is officially his own man now! We debate whether this is finally his breakout moment as a top star or if WWE is destined to drop the ball on his current push.

• CM Punk & Kevin Owens: The latest updates and escalation in the heated feud between the two massive stars.

• Ruby Soho's Return?: Looking into the latest reports that Ruby Soho has been medically cleared for an in-ring return by AEW since June following the birth of her daughter.

• AEW Dynamite 08-19-2026 Review: A complete recap and review of all the action and storylines from this week's Wednesday night flagship show.

AEW Confirms Next Round in Continental Cup

After eight grueling and exhilarating first-round matches, eight wrestlers remain in the inaugural AEW Continental Challenge Cup. And today, AEW President and CEO Tony Khan announced the matchups for the random draw on the AEW Continental Challenge Selection Special on YouTube. The four matches are set to take place on this week’s editions of Wednesday Night Dynamite and Saturday Night Collision.

The official Continental Cup Draw.

On Dynamite, Continental Champion Jon Moxley will breathe with the Switchblade as Jay White looks to end Moxley’s defense prematurely. This will be their third one-on-one meeting, following the 2019 G1 Climax and 2023 Continental Classic, as Moxley looks to avenge his 0-2 record with his championship reign on the line.

Meanwhile, part-time wrestler and AEW color analyst Nigel McGuinness dukes it out with the CMLL World Heavyweight Champion, Hechicero. There had been speculation that McGuinness would exit the tournament due to an injury sustained in his first-round match against Katsuyori Shibata. Nigel, who has lost a significant portion of his career to injury, announced on the Selection Special that he’s staying in the tournament. He will not let another injury take him away from his opportunity.

“A different man, a smarter man, a prudent man, might say ‘Now is the time to bow out. No way you’re gonna be 100%,” McGuinnes said. “Clearly, I’m not that man.”

On Collision, long-time partners meet once more, as Eddie Kingston will face off against Claudio Castagnoli. The Mad King and The Swiss Superman are no strangers to each other, with a deep and personal history that has spanned 15+ years starting in the independent circuit.

And finally, it’s Conglomeration vs Conglomeration, as Kyle O’Reilly takes on stablemate Orange Cassidy. This will be the second time in a row O’Reilly faces off against a member of the Conglomeration in this tournament, as he defeated fellow member Roderick Strong on last week’s Collision to advance.

The finals will be held at All In on Aug. 30, where the winner will win the cup and become the AEW Continental Champion.

I Went to Arena Mexico for International Week, Now It's Your Turn.

I've been blessed with a career where I get to travel and have conversations with the artists and people who drive the art forms I dedicated my life to observing. I've been to Japan for Star Wars, I've crossed America for Comic Books and Pro Wrestling. Now I've traveled to Mexico for Lucha Libre.

Admittedly, my relationship with Lucha Libre is new and it started directly because of AEW’s international partnership with El Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, known as CMLL. The world's oldest operating wrestling promotion.

In early 2024, the stars of CMLL officially arrived in AEW after some preliminary crossovers in 2023. I was blown away, not just by the athleticism that we have come to expect from the world's finest luchadors. But, particularly, the technical wizardry of the master known as Hechicero.

Not long after his debut in AEW, Hechicero faced off against Bryan Danielson. Two of the World’s greatest technical wrestling masters. I thought I had seen it all but Hechicero was using moves and transitions I had never even imagined before.

I was completely taken. I needed more. I paid for CMLL’s YouTube subscription service at the Fan Leyenda tier and I never looked back. I have been watching weekly ever since. By the time CMLL announced they were doing a crossover event with THE POKEMON COMPANY of all places, I knew I had found a new home for my heart.

Fast forward two years. My Lucha Libre fever is at a peak. I’m not as knowledgeable as say, someone like the legendary Lucha fan Roy Lucier. But I have a collection of masks. I watch the shows and have rotated CMLL into Dirt Sheet Radio’s regular coverage.

I spread the word in American wrestling circles as best I can because I genuinely think CMLL is one of the most fun pro wrestling experiences you could have at home right now.

But it was time to take it one step further. It was time to visit the Cathedral in person and baptize myself in the religious experience that is an Arena Mexico Lucha Libre event.

Mexico is a beautiful country full of rich history, culture, hardworking people and gorgeous architecture. I wasn't prepared for how familiar everything would seem. I'm a New Yorker from the Bronx. As it turns out, that foundational multi-cultural experience was more useful than I ever could've imagined.

My Spanish is about 40% fluent but I understand it pretty perfectly so I never really had an issue with the language barrier. My experience may not be exactly the same as yours but Mexico City is VERY accommodating to Americans.

There is nothing in the world like Arena Mexico. But before I can even get into the building, we have to talk about the unbelievable vendor experience outside.

For starters Technically these are knock offs and technically you're not supporting the actual luchadors when you buy from these vendors. HOWEVER, the selection of masks, shirts, toys, posters, old magazines and assorted trinkets is absolutely incredible. You will be tempted to spend all of your money. I personally filled up my bag to the brim and spent more money than I'd like to admit.

You're fighting traffic and squeezing your way through a crowd of thousands but it is a MUST EXPERIENCE part of the trip when you're going to watch a Lucha Libre show at Arena Mexico

After you get passed security in the front of the building, you're treated to a culture rich tapestry of artwork in the lobby by the merchandise stands.

Beautiful Mexican artwork with mask designs of legends gone by. The stands themselves may not seem like much compared to the vendor experience outside but there are enough exclusive items with CMLL official patches that you won't be able to leave the arena without at least a Mask or T-shirt.

Of course, once you get down to the nitty gritty and get into the arena where the action takes places, it's off to the races. You are in for some of the greatest in ring action you will ever see in person.

You can expect this kind of high octane, top speed Lucha action on a weekly basis. But I was here for a special week in the year. Semana Internacional or International Week.

AEW is in town for their annual Grand Slam: Mexico event. The only American TV Wrestling company to ever run events in Arena Mexico, let alone broadcast live. CMLL, MLW and New Japan Pro Wrestling also send talent over for the CMLL Men’s Grand Prix, which is one of CMLL’s biggest events of the year. 11 men represent Mexico. 11 men represent the rest of the World. They face off in a Torneo Cybernetico style elimination match.

There is also a preliminary Tuesday show that features the best of each promotion facing off in interpromotional matches. I was allowed to attend all three events.

Watching from home, you can tell it's a great time to be in the audience at Arena Mexico. But you really don't know exactly how incredible the atmosphere is until you attend a Friday Night Viernes Spectacular event. The regulars in the building are UNBELIEVABLY loud and passionate.

The sound of thousands of women screaming when Soberano Jr comes down the steps will genuinely shake your core. As will the roar of the crowd when Hechicero wins the 2026 CMLL Grand Prix by defeating the evil European Foreigners, gaining revenge for Mexico’s loss to Europe during the World Cup.

Because I understand Spanish, I can hear the sometimes outrageous things said by hecklers and even supportors which would never get by in an American audience. The difference in live event culture is wonderful. I hope the continued interest in international expansion never gets in the way of the freedom these people feel to express themselves.

(There was a small period where another international promotion, New Japan Pro Wrestling, made some changes to pacify western fans and that was not taken very well by the fanbase or wrestlers.)

Ultimately, I left Arena Mexico knowing two things.

1) Every wrestling fan needs to do this once in their life time.

2) But once was not enough for me. No matter what else happens in this life of mine. I need to come back.

Until then, gracias CMLL. Gracias, Arena Mexico. 🇲🇽

Square One Pro Announces Kenta Kobashi Fan Meeting in Taiwan

In April, Square One Pro, a Taiwan-based promotion that organizes professional wrestling fan meetings, autograph sessions, and talk events, officially announced that Japanese wrestling legend Kenta Kobashi will hold a fan meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, on August 29.

Kenta Kobashi is widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of all time. Best known for his legendary career in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Pro Wrestling NOAH, he was one of AJPW's famous "Four Pillars of Heaven," alongside Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, and Akira Taue. During his career, Kobashi held major titles including the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship and NOAH's GHC Heavyweight Championship. His hard-hitting style, famous chops, and memorable matches made him one of the most respected figures in Japanese wrestling.

At the event, fans will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with Kobashi. The event will also include an autograph session, a talk session, and a special opportunity for fans to experience one of Kobashi's famous chops. According to Square One Pro's official Facebook page, a limited number of additional spots for the fan meeting will be announced soon.

Square One Pro was officially established in January 2023 by its founder, Shane Liu. Before starting Square One Pro, Liu had experience working as a booker and promoter and had helped bring several major wrestling matches to Taiwan. One of the most well-known examples came in late 2018 at an NTW event in Taiwan, when Johnny Impact defended the Impact Wrestling World Championship against Matt Sydal. The match was made possible through Liu's efforts.

Since 2023, Square One Pro has invited internationally known professional wrestlers to Taiwan almost every year to meet and interact with local fans. Previous guests have included Japanese wrestler Yuki Kamifuku, former WWE wrestlers Mike Rallis and Tenille Dashwood, Japanese wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki, legendary women's wrestler Manami Toyota, and now Kobashi. With such an impressive list of guests, Square One Pro's events have become some of the most anticipated annual events for wrestling fans in Taiwan.

Liu previously told us that the idea for Square One Pro came from his own experience attending wrestling fan meetings. At the time, he was disappointed that, for various reasons, he wasn't able to interact more with the wrestlers. That experience inspired him to create something different. His goal was to give wrestling fans in Taiwan the opportunity to create memories and experiences worth more than what they paid for.

Today, with the efforts of Liu and the many people working alongside him, Square One Pro has gained support from wrestling fans in Taiwan and around the world. For many fans, its events have also become some of their most memorable experiences as professional wrestling fans.

DSR's Andy Chen will also attend the fan meeting in person. Afterward, he will bring readers a more detailed look at the fan meeting, as well as reactions from fans in attendance.

A-Yong-Go: The Man Carrying NTW Wrestling on His Shoulders

Photo credit: NTW.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1984, A-Yong-Go has loved sports since he was young. During junior high school, he trained in judo and amateur wrestling, and even finished second in a wrestling competition.

His connection with professional wrestling began when he was in the third or fourth grade of elementary school, first watching professional wrestling with his father. Although his father couldn't remember the wrestlers' names, he would identify them by the colors of their gear. Mitsuharu Misawa was ‘the guy in green,’ while Toshiaki Kawada was ‘the guy in yellow.’ Jumbo Tsuruta was given another nickname by his father because of his personality.

After some time, his father became busy with work, so they didn't watch wrestling together as often. However, A-Yong-Go had already fallen in love with professional wrestling, beginning the search for wrestling information online and renting wrestling tapes to watch on his own. During high school, he discovered an online forum for professional wrestling fans in Taiwan. That discovery slowly started a fire inside him and turned his passion into a dream…A-Yong-Go wanted to be a professional wrestling.

A-Yong-Go attended an exhibition show at Xinyi Elementary School held by Impact Wrestling Love, one of Taiwan's early professional wrestling promotions. After watching the show, he began to believe that he might have a chance to become a wrestler himself. Wanting to see what he was capable of, he decided to join IWL, making his professional wrestling debut in 2004. His performances eventually led him to win IWL's top title, the UWC Championship, in 2006. Three years later, an opportunity to learn from a legendary Japanese wrestler became another important moment in his life.

In 2009, Japanese wrestler Ikuto Hidaka came to Taiwan and helped improve the fundamentals and techniques of Taiwanese wrestlers at the time. Although Hidaka was only there for a few days, he shared as much of his knowledge as possible with his students.

Hidaka carefully wrote down what each wrestler needed to improve and gave them individual advice. His notebook was eventually filled with notes about his Taiwanese students. Seeing how seriously Hidaka treated them made an important impression on A-Yong-Go and strengthened his determination to continue pursuing his dream.

In 2011, A-Yong-Go wanted to build the kind of wrestling promotion he had always imagined. Together with several partners, he helped establish a new professional wrestling promotion in Taiwan: New Taiwan Entertainment Wrestling, better known as NTW. His longtime partner Super Da-Zhi provided the initial funding and invited A-Yong-Go to help organize the promotion in Taiwan, with A-Yong-Go becoming NTW's first president. From that moment, a new chapter in Taiwanese professional wrestling began.

After losing the match to crown NTW's inaugural Undifferentiated Champion, A-Yong-Go later decided to travel to Okinawa in 2014, where he trained and gained experience with Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling. Returning to Taiwan toward the end of that same year, A-Yong-Go once again took on the role of NTW president. His career also began to take him outside Taiwan. He competed for CWF in China in 2016 and Hong Kong Wrestling Federation in 2017.

After receiving several invitations from The Joker, the leader of Moon Circus, a faction made up of NTW's younger generation of wrestlers at the time, A-Yong-Go officially joined the group. With a new group of partners around him, he went on to capture both the NTW Undifferentiated Championship and Tag Team Championship in 2017, becoming only the second wrestler in NTW history to hold both titles at the same time.

However, things changed in 2019. After losing the Tag Team Championship, A-Yong-Go was forced out of Moon Circus. Looking back at the regret and lack of understanding between the former partners, A-Yong-Go now speaks about it calmly. He doesn't have many feelings about what happened anymore. In his view, both sides simply got what they needed from each other. In 2020, A-Yong-Go established the babyface faction BIG WAVE. As the group's spiritual leader, he has continued to support and lead BIG WAVE.

Beginning in 2024, A-Yong-Go helped establish NTW's annual collaborative event with Big Japan Pro Wrestling. NTW has also worked with Japanese women's promotion DIANA for several years, as A-Yong-Go has continued using his connections to expand NTW's relationships across Asia. In recent years, he has also helped NTW wrestlers compete internationally for promotions including Dropkick, PPP TOKYO and FTO in Japan, GrappleMax in Singapore, and APAC Wrestling in Malaysia.

More than two decades after making his debut, A-Yong-Go is no longer simply a wrestler. As NTW's President, a veteran performer, and someone who continues creating opportunities for the next generation of Taiwanese wrestlers, he has become one of the most important figures behind the promotion.

From a young boy watching Japanese wrestling with his father to becoming one of the people leading NTW forward, professional wrestling has been part of A-Yong-Go's life for more than two decades. Today, he continues to help Taiwanese wrestlers find opportunities across Asia. He has carried NTW through its past and present, and now he is helping build its future. He is A-Yong-Go, the man carrying NTW on his shoulders.

Zilla Fatu Debuts | CMLL Grand Prix Live Experience | AEW | WWE | G1 Climax | Dirt Sheet Radio 241

Welcome back to a brand-new episode of Dirt Sheet Radio! Nick, Mack, Jon and Greg are breaking down the latest monumental week of wrestling news, featuring massive main roster call-ups, international tournament finals, and heated backstage controversies. Here is everything on the docket for today's show:

Airport Stalker Fans: Jon tears into a Facebook Group full of airport stalkers The "Pay Your Dues" Debate: Breaking down the heat between indie wrestler Arik Cannon and AJ Styles regarding Avery Styles and discussing GCW's official statement on the situation.

Kevin Owens vs. CM Punk: Analyzing the escalating feud after Kevin Owens confronted CM Punk on SmackDown, declaring he won't let the business turn him into a "miserable piece of sh*t" like Punk.

Zilla Fatu Debuts: The Bloodline family expands once again as the son of the late Umaga makes a massive surprise debut on NXT, immediately wiping out Grayson Waller and Cruz Montana.

The Jade Cargill vs. Charlotte Disaster: Examining the messy fallout and chaotic booking from their recent SmackDown clash. Tatum Paxley Gets Called Up: Discussing Paxley's jump to the main roster after she surprisingly interfered to help Charlotte Flair fend off Jade Cargill and B-Fab on SmackDown.

Arena México Experience: Jon shares his firsthand personal experience traveling to Arena México for the CMLL Grand Prix and how it compared to AEW Grand Slam.

CMLL 93rd Anniversario Matches: Breaking down the massive stakes for the September 18th card, including the huge breaking news that Andrade's return and Mistico's addition have officially been announced.

G1 Climax Comes to a Close This Weekend: Discussing the best G1 Climax Tournament New Japan has held in years.

Jon Moxley and the Jeans: Jon shares a hilarious personal story involving his son's jeans and the leader of the Death Riders, who just advanced in the Continental Challenge Cup.

Chelsea Green Confirms Orbital Bone Injury

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 02: Chelsea Green celebrates after winning the Interim WWE Women's Championship during SummerSlam at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 2, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)

Just days after capturing the interim WWE Women’s Championship in a ladder match during the second night of this years SummerSlam festivities, tragedy has struck Chelsea Green during the peak of her run in WWE. On the Aug. 7 edition of SmackDown, the ‘Hot Mess’ of WWE teamed up with the Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton to take on the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Fatal Attraction. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid won after Jacy Jane interfered, hitting Green with the Rolling Encore, then downed Green with the Fatal Flaw for the win. After the match, Nia Jax and Lash Legend came out to attack Green and Stratton. Stratton was thrown out of the ring, but Green was not touched once as Jax and Legend stood tall.

Earlier today, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Green was injured during the show. Green later confirmed it in an Instagram video, having suffered a broken orbital bone.

“I did get injured last night. I ended up in the emergency room and I have a broken orbital bone,” Green said in the video. “So I just need to take a little bit more time to like process and to heal from the head trauma that is going on right now. Then, we’ll see what happens.”

The fate of Green’s reign is currently up in the air, as it’s unknown if she’ll have to relinquish her title. For Green, the championship win had been the culmination of a run that had seen her popularity blossom. Dirt Sheet Radio wishes her a speedy recovery.

The Zodiac Guide to Independent Wrestling: A Guide to GCW, EVE, Primos, TJPW and More

Independent wrestling is enormous, gloriously messy, and not especially easy to navigate. There are promotions built around deathmatches and promotions that feel like a punk show. Others feel like hip-hop, fashion-forward VIP lounges. Some wrestling is deadly serious, and some will have wrestlers dressed like breakfast food. Many promotions will have a little bit of all of those. Where does one even get started if you're new to indies or even a new wrestling fan, in general?

Astrology, naturally. Whether you're an Aries who treats bad ideas as a challenge, a Virgo who just wants everyone to respect the rules, or a Pisces ready to become emotionally attached to 12 strangers in dreamy gear, I promise you there’s an indie promotion waiting for you.

To be clear, this is less an expert guide to astrology than another excuse to hype up independent wrestling and point you toward promotions you might not otherwise find. So consider this less a horoscope than a questionable viewing guide. The stars have spoken — fine, possibly incorrectly — but let's find you a wrestling promotion anyway.

Aries – Game Changer Wrestling (GCW)

People are wrong about you, Aries; you don’t always choose violence.  But when violence shows up at your door, you know it would be rude not to answer. GCW is your promotion. Stubborn, a touch unpredictable, and forever unwilling to back down from a dare, GCW has gorgeous technical wrestling, but it’s not afraid of introducing a spool of barbed wire into the discussion either. You're impulsive, competitive, and loud. You’re extremely confident that consequences are a reward or, at worst, a problem for future Aries. GCW understands.

Matt Cordona after defeating Nick Gage to claim the GCW Deathmatch Championship

Taurus – Limitless Wrestling

Taurus, you care about quality, consistency, and most importantly, knowing there will be snacks. Welcome to Maine's self-described “Pine Tree State Pro Wrestling Party.” At Limitless, a stubborn regional identity alchemizes with first-rate indie wrestling. There are plenty of familiar faces worth getting attached to. You may claim to hate change, but really, you need a few months to decide the change was your idea in the first place. Pick a favorite wrestler here and become emotionally unreasonable about them.

Gabby Forza, now signed with TNA, with Limitless.

Gemini – Freelance Wrestling

Gemini, you need options. Freelance gives you exactly that: punk rock partying Chicago weirdos, rising indie talent, and enough stylistic whiplash to keep you from getting bored and opening another tab. One match may be a hard, technical fight between wrestlers trying to prove they belong on a bigger stage; the next may be loud, funny, deeply Chicago and built around a character the crowd already treats like family. Perfect. You're curious, social, and adaptable and, famously, you are full of duality, much like Freelance. You're also absolutely going to leave with four new favorite wrestlers and no memory of the one you came to see.

Cancer – Primos Premier Pro Wrestling

Cancer, you came here looking for community, and that's why you ended up in Denver indie wrestling. Primos has a training school, deep local roots, a proudly LGBTQ-supportive community, and enough deathmatch street cred in its DNA to remind you that family occasionally requires someone to respond to a challenge with a sharp object a fan found at the hardware store. You'll care deeply about everyone involved and then immediately deny it when asked.

Leo – 4th Rope

You wanted wrestling, Leo. You wanted an event. Can’t do anything without some flourish, can you? Westside Gunn’s 4th Rope mixes wrestling with hip hop fashion and enough cultural swagger to make just walking to the ring feel insufficiently ambitious. Naturally, you approve: the upside of Leo is charisma, confidence, and excellent taste. Extraordinary exhibition. By match three, you’ll have opinions about everyone’s entrance and a detailed plan for your own.

“4th Rope is a Lifestyle” - Westside Gunn

Virgo – Deadlock Pro-Wrestling

DPW has time limits, defined match formats, contender systems, and a website that will actually explain the rules to you. Virgo, try to contain yourself. There are so many rules. This is wrestling for people who enjoy chaos significantly more whenever the chaos is properly organized. DPW calls itself “all killer no filler,” which is essentially what Virgo has been trying to put into the group project guidelines for years.

** Technically, DEADLOCK Pro Wrestling (DPW) announced an indefinite hiatus following their final US show on December 12, 2025, in Cary, North Carolina, with one final show scheduled in Japan. But they really are Virgo’s soulmate.

Libra  -- Pro-Wrestling: Eve

Of course, Libra found the wrestling promotion with punk rock, cabaret comedy, and extremely talented women beating the hell out of each other. Eve is glamorous, political, inclusive, and chaotic without ever losing the plot. Libra, you came for beauty, justice, and excellent outfits, but you stayed because apparently all three can include a pile driver. The only real problem is that eventually someone will expect you to choose a side.

RIOT GRRLS of Wrestling

Scorpio – Wrestling REVOLVER

Scorpio does not believe in letting things go. Wrestling REVOLVER is happy to indulge that instinct with blood feuds, bitter rivalries, and matches that feel personal long before the bell rings. You like intensity, loyalty, and the occasional spectacular overreaction. This is basically your emotional support promotion. Wrestling REVOLVER favors intense personalities, hard-hitting matches, and wrestlers like Mance Warner, Killer Kelly, Sammy Callahan, and John Moxley, who rarely suggest that everyone process their feelings safely. You wanted emotional risks, danger, and commitment. Congratulations, Scorpio, you have once again mistaken escalation for closure.

Wrestling REVOLVER World Champion - Mance Warner

Sagittarius – New Texas Pro Wrestling

Sagittarius needs room to roam, so we're giving you the big old state of Texas. New Texas Pro runs across Houston, Austin, and beyond with tournaments, a contender series, and wrestlers representing different corners of the state that treat nearby as a philosophical concept. It's a great promotion for discovering names before everybody else knows them. You'll love the exploration; you'll love the I was here 1st bragging rights. You'll also immediately begin explaining why everybody should take a wrestling road trip with you.

Capricorn – West Coast Pro Wrestling

Capricorn, we know you respect a five-year plan. West Coast Pro is all about building a new Bay Area wrestling legacy while developing the next generation through its Academy. The card brings top independent wrestlers together with new and developing talent. It tends to take the wrestling itself very seriously: competence, ambition, long-term development, stability. You're delighted; please resist the urge to ask the rest of where they see themselves professionally in 2031.

Aquarius – Hoodslam / Slamtown

Surprised Aquarius? You shouldn't be. Obviously, Aquarius gets Oakland’s glorious Hoodslam universe. Who else were we going to give the wrestling promotion in which conventional good taste has historically been treated more like a curse than a virtue? Now appearing under the Slamtown banner, it remains theatrical, irreverent, intense, and deeply committed to doing wrestling its own way. You'll call it visionary; your friends will call it the “wrestling thing you made us watch, which we sort of liked but was also confusing.” Both of those things will be true.

From the Bold Italic, “Oakland’s Hoodslam is Crazy; Go To It”

Pisces – Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling

You and your feelings, Pisces. You want feelings, friendship, and whimsy, preferably followed by Miyu Yamashita breaking into tears. TJPW gives you vivid characters, absurd comedy, and stories built around relationships and then casually reminds you that these women are exceptionally skilled athletes and wrestlers. It looks like the dreamiest assignment on this list until you realize you’ve developed sincere feelings about twelve different wrestlers and are now furious about something that happened three years ago. As usual, you came for whimsy and left with everyone else’s emotional baggage.

Does the time you were born on a Tuesday really affect whether you enjoy watching someone get hit with a door in GCW; if you’ll find yourself crying over a TJPW friendship; or if enlightenment comes with discovering that Oakland wrestling can involve a detective, a cereal-themed superhero, and sometimes maybe, a bear? 

Who am I to say?

Independent wrestling is much easier to explore and appreciate once you stop thinking of it as a monolith. Every promotion has its own crowd rhythms, obsessions, and particular flavor of athletics. Maybe your sign will predict your favorite. Maybe it sends you way outside your comfort zone, and you love it. Maybe you hate it and watch the rest of the promotions on the list to spite me specifically.

Sometimes a questionable system is still a decent way to find something unexpected. Both indie pro wrestling and astrology have survived worse methodology.

Jenny Catlin is an award-winning writer and pop culture enthusiast based in the square states. She’s a contributing writer to The Athletic, a Lighthouse Writers Book Project Fellow, and the co-editor of the upcoming anthology  Wrestling with Writing. She’s obsessed with obsession. You can find her on Instagram or Substack,

Lucha Libre de Elite: How Mexico and the Luchadores Have Been Instrumental in the Rise of AEW

Lucha Libre de Elite

The second-ever AEW Grand Slam: Mexico is just a few hours away, and it has quickly become one of AEW’s best events and, for many, one of the most important of the year. Grand Slam celebrates the unique and phenomenal partnership not only with CMLL but also with lucha libre culture in general. This didn’t start overnight. Since day one, Mexican wrestlers and luchadores have been part of All Elite Wrestling, woven into its fabric. From the Lucha Brothers to Thunder Rosa to more current Mexican wrestlers like Rush, Bandido, Andrade, and Persephone, along with countless others, these Hispanic wrestlers continue to carve out their own space within the promotion.

At Redemption, Andrade became the third Mexican to win gold in AEW, after defeating Mark Davis for the AEW National Championship. El Idolo joined Thunder Rosa and Rey Fenix as the only Mexican Wrestlers to win singles gold in the promotion, not including sister promotion Ring of Honor. However, I don't think this will be the last time this happens as Bandido, Komander and Rush continue to show their ability to get over with the fans.

Photo Credit: AEW.

It’s not only about integrating lucha culture into the promotion, but also about the relationships AEW has built with other lucha promotions. Whether it was its initial partnership with AAA or what we see now with CMLL, AEW embraces the wonder of Lucha Libre. Last year, the event was truly one of the most magical moments in wrestling history, as AEW showcased some of its best wrestlers in one of the best environments the promotion has ever been part of. In honor of the return to Arena Mexico in Mexico City, let’s revisit how the culture of Mexican wrestling and luchadores has impacted All Elite Wrestling since the very start.

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From the Beginning…

Luchadores have been in All Elite Wrestling's DNA since the beginning. The Lucha Brothers, Pentagon Jr (later Penta El Zero M), and Rey Fenix were on the day-one roster. Because of their ties to Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, Tony Khan could easily work with the promotion. During the initial Double or Nothing ticket announcement, AEW and AAA officially announced a partnership. During the pandemic, AEW needed to do things a bit differently to break up the monotony of empty arenas. While not a new idea, defending a belt from another promotion is novel in this generation of wrestling. For lapsed or new fans, especially those who only knew WWE, a belt from another promotion being defended on AEW television seemed alien.

​The AAA Mega Championship match between champion Kenny Omega and challenger Sammy Guevara was the first time many American wrestling fans received this sort of exposure outside U.S. wrestling norms. It was easy to highlight that promotion and title on national television during the pandemic. It gave some fans their first glimpse of things to come for AEW and other promotions. It was an added benefit not only for AEW but also for AAA.

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Necessity Is the Mother of Cooperation

​AAA wasn't the only wrestling promotion that AEW worked with during the pandemic. Even if not strictly Lucha promotions, luchadores were always the candy in Tony Khan’s eyes. When AEW worked with TNA, Black Taurus eventually made the jump over under the moniker Beast Mortos. Even wrestlers who never made the jump, like Laredo Kid, were prominently showcased. It wasn't just the men who were showcased in AEW. Thunder Rosa was introduced to a much larger audience during the pandemic because of the AEW/NWA partnership during her tenure as the NWA Women’s World Champion. While she eventually lost to then-AEW Women’s champion Hikaru Shida, her profile grew, leading to a permanent roster spot for Rosa in AEW.

​However, nothing lasts forever. AAA and AEW officially ended their partnership around the end of 2022, when Tony Khan felt AAA had double-crossed his company in an attempt to end the relationship. Fortunately, in October of 2023, AEW announced a partnership with the oldest professional wrestling promotion in the world, el Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, or CMLL. This partnership propelled both companies into a new stratosphere and to a reach not seen before in North America.

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Mexican Milestone Moments

The ability of Tony Khan and those in his ear has given AEW the ability to become a major platform for Luchadores and Mexicans to showcase their culture, give a curtain call of sorts, and reassure us that we have more in common than we do differences.

Photo Credit: AEW.

Thunder Rosa and Her Mariachi

I know that Thunder Rosa hasn't been on television as often as she used to be, as she has become more of an AEW ambassador, but La Mera Mera winning the title against Britt Baker in that Steel Cage match is not only one of the greatest moments in the women’s division; it is one of the greatest television moments in the young company's history. For me, the main reason is that Rosa proudly represented herself, her family, and her culture throughout the match. Her reign began the moment the mariachi kicked off her entrance, and the emotion was palpable as she won her way, representing her culture unabashedly.

Thunder Rosa has now won the Mexican National Women’s Championship, parlaying her hard work in AEW to a blossoming career in Mexico.

Photo Credit: AEW.

Mistico’s Redemption

One of the most important moments for luchadores in AEW came at last year's Grand Slam: Mexico, with Mistico’s appearance. AEW’s impact on luchadores is not fully understood without also examining its impact on Mistico. Before his reemergence in All Elite Wrestling, Mistico was still widely known as Sin Cara, the much-maligned luchador whose time in WWE is remembered as an epic failure. While this was not his first appearance for AEW, it marked the official end of his redemption arc for an American audience.

​Mistico is one of the biggest modern stars of Lucha Libre and does not need to seek validation. Even so, this appearance at Grand Slam almost entirely erased his tumultuous WWE run, which, for many American wrestling fans, was their only impression of the generational luchador. From the entrance, finally getting his song back, “Me Muero,” to grabbing the Mexican flag and waving it proudly, his legacy was set in stone. The outcome of the match didnt matter much as this was his moment, despite the fact that MJF got one over on him by removing his mask and almost causing an all-out riot).

Photo Credit: AEW.

El Vaquero y Su Pueblo

And of course, how can we forget about our Cowboy? His promo, all in Spanish, connected the Mexican people to Hangman’s upbringing and to how the culture has always been something to aspire to be a part of. It was an incredibly moving promo that not only hyped up his upcoming match against Moxley but also cemented the relationship between the Mexican community and AEW.

So, while not given by a Mexican wrestler or a luchador, the top babyface in the company and the No. 1 contender to the AEW World Championship used his platform for such a moment, which was exactly what Grand Slam is all about. 

A Launching Pad

Photo Credit: WWE.

Not all wrestlers from Latin America have stayed in AEW or even picked the promotion during free agency. It would be impossible to hoard all the talent in a single promotion. For others, like Stephanie Vaquer and the Lucha Brothers, AEW was never the endgame, and that's okay. Still, AEW’s continued showcasing of lucha and Hispanic talent has made other promotions feel they have to keep up and sign them. For the burgeoning promotion, those opportunities would not have been available for that transition.

​Who is to say that the AAAXWWE partnership is even a thing without the exposure from AEW. Triple H is more open to working with other promotions, as we have seen with AAA, TNA, and NOAH. Hunter’s philosophy is 180 degrees different from his predecessor, Vince McMahon, who was reluctant to do anything like that. With that being said, would that have happened if the Forbidden Door hadn’t been opened previously?

​To say that AEW has never influenced WWE, or vice versa, would be silly. You know they have. It would also be inaccurate to say that CMLL and AAA are not big or smart enough to make the crossover on their own. Even so, with AEW unafraid to cross the aisle, Luchadores from those promotions have benefited from a larger audience and a bigger paycheck.

​Speaking of paychecks, wrestlers can now get a couple of paychecks without leaving the other behind. Wrestlers like Persephone, Hechicero, and Thunder Rosa all have two-way contracts with the promotions and can still represent both. A great launching pad toward a more secure future post-wrestling.

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The Future is Bright

The partnership between the two promotions is alive and well. Earlier this week, we had Semana Internacional (International Week), presented by CMLL, right before Grand Slam. While major AEW wrestlers were not be present, several were still major players on the card. Kyle Fletcher, Kevin Knight, Bandido, Komander, and others were promoted for CMLL’s event, giving us a little taste before Grand Slam. This also highlights the give-and-take relationship between the two promotions.

​However, this has been much more than just a wrestling partnership. It's been a highway for cultural exchange for fans from both countries. In that sense, Mexican and Mexican-American wrestlers have always had an impact not only on the storylines but also on AEW's culture and presentation. AEW is the platform that allows many of these men and women to be seen by an American audience. At the same time, AEW has become a more prominent promotion in Mexico and across the rest of Latin America. It's a symbiotic relationship, not a parasitic one, that has benefited both parties. More importantly, I think AEW has done a fantastic job of creating an outlet for Mexican and Mexican American fans to take pride in their culture.

Right now, AEW is chock-full of Mexican wrestlers who continue to make their push towards the top of the card. Persophone, Andrade, Bandido, Komander, and Rush are on television consistently and are winning and challenging for all of AEW’s championships. Pro wrestling has always been a funny and ego-filled business, but if these promotions can continue to see the good in working with each other, we can continue to see these wrestlers thrive.

Stephanie Vaquer, Big Cass and Becky Lynch Return | WWE RAW Results 08-03-2026

Roman Reigns says he has come to peace with his brother Seth Rollins and while he can only acknowledge so much, he will let Rollins hometown of Iowa acknowledge Seth instead.

Roman holds up the mic while they sign Rollins theme. And then LA Knight interrupted. Roman Reigns essentially tries to dismiss LA Knight as not on his level

Knight calls Roman a fraud. When Roman figures out where to buy a pair because he can't grow one, let LA Knight know so he can slap Roman back to factory settings.

LA Knight is the uncrown champion of this world.

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After getting a victory over Ethan Page, Je'Von Evans was attacked by the returning Big Cass!!!!!

Big Cass notably did not have Enzo Amore with him. It appears this will be a solo run.

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Becky Lynch is back and she wants the WWE Women's World Championship!!!!!

Stephanie Vaquer has returned to WWE and she also confronts and attacks Liv Morgan!!!

Vaquer walks up to Becky Lynch and tells Becky to stay out of her way, Becky says Or What? They stare down to end the segment

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WWE aired a new version of the Godsmack - I Stand Alone Brock Lesnar tribute video with clips of SummerSlam added onto the end. Paul Heyman is watching the video backstage.

Post match Oba Femi asks Paul Heyman to tell Brock Lesnar he says Thank you. They shake hands.

On the roster page, Brock Lesnar is in the Alumni section

Oba Femi says he can't put into words what SummerSlam meant to him. There was a battle and both men have come out with new respect.

Oba wondered why Brock Lesnar came back and made his life hell for weeks. In hindsight, Oba can see now that Brock Lesnar was testing him to make sure he chose right.

At WrestleMania, they asked if Oba Femi can swim. Then they had to ask if Oba Femi can hold his breath. Oba Femi came up from under the water and passed his test with flying colors. Now the Beast can rest. With the torch passed to him, Oba can now lead the new generation.

The old gods are dead.

After Oba Femi unquestionably declared himself the leader of the new generation, Bron Breakker came out. Breakker stares down Oba Femi and turns to leave for his match with Joe Hendry but Breakker goes back to Oba Femi.

Breakker seems to want this fight right now but Austin Theory pulls Breakker away

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Bron Breakker stares down the entrance ramp for the entire commercial break until his match with Joe Hendry begins. Hendry attacks Austin Theory and buys himself some time by dodging a spear on the outside but it's not long before Breakker takes out Joe Hendry for a quick win

Breakker rushed to the back and Akira Tozawa takes advantage to attack Austin Theory and get revenge for Otis

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Chad Gable celebrates his new Intercontinental Championship in front of Des Moines, Iowa

Dom Mysterio attempted to load his boots with a hammer for a 619 but Chad Gable catches the leg and tanks out the hammer. As the ref is looking at the hammer, Penta smacks Dom with the title and Chad Gable hits the Chaos Theory for the win

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Bron Breakker runs into Paul Heyman backstage and asks if Paul saw what happened. Paul did.

Breakker says Oba Femi tried to get him and Breakker is going to do something about it. Heyman says he should.

Now Breakker asks... Where is Oba Femi? Heyman says he doesn't know... Breakker says he thought Heyman and Oba were new best friends? Breakker walks off and Heyman looks furious

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Roman Reigns acknowledges Jacob Fatu after Jacob Fatu severs his ties with Royce Keys by attacking him over and over after winning their street fight.

Rey Mysterio approaches Roman Reigns backstage and asks if Roman is aware that he's the general manager of AAA.

Roman says yes. Rey says he wants to run something by him and the show draws to a close

A Cowboy’s Odyssey: How “Hangman” Adam Page Reestablishes Himself In AEW

Photo credit: AEW.

Adam Page is officially back in All Elite Wrestling after making the save and stopping The Demand from crushing The Conglomeration and Brody King. This was not his first appearance since losing to MJF; it came in his promo on the July 8th edition of Dynamite, where Hangman laid out the AEW World Championship-less roadmap for his return. However, this is the first time he has been woven back into the show and is officially part of weekly television again. It also looks like he is teaming up with Brodido to become The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, a trio name clearly tributed to one of the greatest westerns of all-time.This marks his official return to AEW and the start of a new chapter in his career.

Clearly, there is a lot of work to do before Hangman can compete for any AEW championship again, let alone the world championship. Page needs to rebuild his credibility with the locker room and the fans. That will be the foundation of Hangman’s story. How can Hangman redeem himself in his own eyes and come to terms with his new reality?

If he's not going to challenge for the World Championship, what will be his ultimate goal in his new era in All Elite Wrestling? Where does he start, and what titles should he try to win? Do we see partnerships with old friends and rivalries against some of his old Rogue’s Gallery? This new era of the Cowboy could be the most significant of his career, cementing his legacy even if he never wins again. However, let's look at how “Hangman” Adam Page can get back in the saddle and maybe, someday, get back to the mountaintop. 

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Photo credit: AEW.

Reckoning Day for the Cowboy

Hangman has been out of action since his loss to MJF at Revolution earlier this year. The match, at least how it finished, was one of the most shocking moments in AEW history. The Hangman being hung was jaw-dropping, and truly one of the most unexpected finishes to a match we've ever seen. It won't be an easy psychological bounce-back, so that will be the foundation of Hangman's story. Page has become the patron saint of resilience and perseverance, but at the same time, has been the personification of hate and struggle—the duality of a Cowboy. However, that story can only be told a certain number of times before the magic runs out.

So there needs to be an easy, simple jumping-in point not only for Hangman but also for the audience. Right now, teaming up with Brodido seems like an easy layup to get us started down his new journey. The Don Callis family is always a great punching bag, so it makes sense that Page is starting there. Maybe that is where we see his opponent for All In come in.

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Photo credit: AEW.

Where does Hangman Start?

A great way to kickstart his momentum again would be to revisit some of Hangman’s biggest rivalries, like Jon Moxley, Jay White, and Kazuda Okada; Kyle Fletcher would be a fantastic rival, with or without belts. Eventually, it would be nice if these were for some of the titles, but to start, I don't think that is essential.

Something I think would really catapult Hangman back into the spotlight is a reunion with his old tag team partner, Kenny Omega. Obviously, this depends on what happens with Omega post-All In, but if Will Ospreay is officially crowned, Omega could also use a landing spot. Either way, these are two great ways for Hangman to get his bearings and get back into the ring, from a storytelling perspective.

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Photo credit: AEW

Hangman Immediately Brings Legitimacy To Any Title

AEW has dozens of titles. Trust me, if you've been on the wrestling side of the internet for even  30 seconds, AEW naysayers will remind you about this. With so many titles in rotation for AEW, a hierarchy has developed regarding the importance of some belts over others. Having a legitimate former AEW World Champion compete for other titles, making them feel like the most important championship, can increase the value of any title in need of a push. Adam Page is a 2x AEW World Champion. The Cowboy winning and mid-card title would immediately bring prestige to any title.

​I think all titles are on the table for the Hangman, well, except for the World Championship, obviously. Whether he goes on a tear, winning titles left and right, or concentrates on just one, this will ultimately be up to Page and Tony Khan: which direction they want to go. However, I think it would be much smarter to make a concerted effort to determine which belts Page wins.​

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Photo credit: AEW.

What Title Makes Sense for Adam Page?

Out of all the singles titles that AEW boasts, I think the one title that could use the biggest boost in prestige and cache is the TNT title. The de facto AEW TV title has fallen behind other titles—the International and Continental—in prestige. Whether this was by design or not, the TNT title has fallen behind. Kevin Knight has been a worthy titleholder; however, he seems too busy trying to win the AEW World Title rather than defending his TNT Title. If Hangman concentrates just on the title, that would immediately prop up the title.​

A juicy story AEW can tell is Hangman for the Ring of Honor title. Whether that's his new partner Bandido or a new contender, Hangman winning the ROH World Championship could be a full-circle moment for the cowboy. Honestly, Page doesn't have to win a singles title right away. He can be a vagabond for a while, telling a meaty story.  Nobody tells a story like the Cowboy, so Page can hit the ground running to tell some laid-out stories, even without any of the AEW titles at stake. This can set a good foundation for this return and avoid having him challenge for a belt just for the sake of it.

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Photo credit: AEW.

A Cowboy’s Odyssey

This next chapter in the story of the Hangman will be twofold: 1) reckoning with the fact he can't compete for the AEW World Championship again and 2) finding a new purpose. Since day one, Adam Page has had one mission: to win the AEW World Championship. And that is exactly what he did, from battling Chris Jericho in the first-ever AEW World Championship match all the way to winning the title for the second time at All In: Texas. That has been basically his entire character arc in AEW: chase the biggest prize in the sport. It is time to add another layer to this character, one not in the World Championship picture. The Hangman has been broken down differently than when he turned heel.

When he turned heel, he at least had a direction. His direction was making sure his boot connected with Swerve’s ass. This time he is directionless and doesn't know where to start, or where the rest of his career will go. The Odyssey recently returned to the popular zeitgeist, and Tony Khan and Adam Page could tell the wrestling version of that story. Why not have Hangman go on his own odyssey to the World Title? I'm not saying Hangman should take 20 years to win the title. Still, making Page go through his own trials and tribulations, his own siren call and Island of Ogygia, could bring another sophisticated story to wrestling.

The suitors for his belt, which he lost so egregiously to Samoa Joe because of Hook, could be reunited with the king.

But he can't get there right away, obviously. He needs to get his sea legs again. Page already started with a new persona, establishing himself as a wise, grizzled veteran and savior for those in need. That is where his partnership with Brodido makes sense. For the immediate future, I think he will be presented as a savior, the guardian angel of AEW and those who need it, but throughout this journey, who is going to save the savior?

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Photo credit: AEW.

The Million-dollar Question Is: Does Hangman Ever Compete For The AEW World Championship Again?

Yes, I think he does—but this should be years from now, five to seven years plus. That is the real question: can the entire saga be worth the ride if they don't pull the trigger anytime soon? I know TK gets some criticism online for slow burning stories, but that is exactly the route he needs to take with Adam Page. The journey has to be the real story here and not necessarily the destination. I think Hangman's character and the crowd have to earn it. As fans, we have to live and die by the results, and that makes us care.

I think what will eventually set up Page for his title shot is this: like Odysseus breaking into Troy destroying Zeus’s Law to end the war, will keeping his word do more harm than good if he doesn't challenge for the World Championship again?

As always, the ‘Hangman’ Adam Page character has many layers that make him incredibly interesting, and I think his upcoming journey might be his most ambitious to date. There is so much for the cowboy to do outside the AEW World Championship scene that it will not only benefit the company but also build his legacy in wrestling. 

If done correctly, this era of the Hangman can be his magnum opus.

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What Do You Think?

Am I wrong, or what do you agree with? 

Where am I missing the point, or do you agree with any of my points?

Let me know in the comments below!

Kevin Owens Returns | Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins Close the Book on the Shield | WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 2 Results

In the name of "fairness", Nick Aldis has added Gunther to the number one contenders match between Finn Balor and Sami Zayn

Kevin Owens has returned to the WWE and he's been added to the number one contenders match!!!

Kevin Owens five seconds after returning from a broken neck

Kevin Owens defeats Sami Zayn, Gunther and Finn Balor to become the number one contender to CM Punk's WWE Championship!!!!

Fans in Minnesota let the tears flow as we once questioned if Kevin Owens would ever be able to return to professional wrestling

After 17 months, it's no longer a question ❤️

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🚨BREAKING🚨 Baron Corbin is the new WWE United States Champion

Trick shoved Corbin into Yachty which put him through a table and distracted the ref. Corbin hits Trick with the title and then hits the end of days for the win.

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CHELSEA GREEN wins the Interim WWE Women's Championship

Very good match!! Shove it, Michael Hayes!!!

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Danhausen successfully wins the Judgement Day's money via cursing Dominik Mysterio and making the pyro go off in the turnbuckle when he tried to grab the cash on the pole

Danhausen takes down the bag, wins the match and then gives all the money away. It was real $1 bills mixed with Danhausen Dollars

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Chad Gable is the new Intercontinental Champion. The first singles championship of his career.

Chad Gable originally lost his mind trying to learn Lucha Libre skills so he could take on Penta and the other WWE luchadors. Gabe mocks the Lucha culture at first.

This led Gable down the path that eventually leads him to El Grande Americano and eventually he learns to respect the culture

That has led him to this victory tonight.

Chad Gable wants to introduce us to his family who have stood by him through all this time

He celebrates. The pyro goes off and then Gable is approached by the Mug Root Beer mascot randomly comes over to get Chad Gable some root beer(?)

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The Shield theme song intro plays and graphics appear on the tron. Seth Rollins appears on the stage in Shield gear.

Burn it Down begins to play. Flames engulf Seth Rollins and the tron graphics change. Rollins is now in a new outfit that Michael Cole says represents Rollins' rebirth tonight

Michael Cole with some interesting choice of words as he's describing the Shield history of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins

Cole says the Shield lead to the birth of the two greatest singles competitors of the last decade. Two men who didn't leave WWE and helped get them where they are today

Seth Rollins with the rebound clothesline and Roman Reigns with the Paradigm Shift DDT in memory of their SHIELD brother Jon Moxley/Dean Ambrose

Absolutely fantastic piece of storytelling with this match tonight. References to their past and a nod towards the future. The Bloodline never interfered. The story needed to end.

The Shield chair comes into play one final time. Rollins attempts to hit Roman in the back the way he did all those years ago. Roman Reigns knows it's coming. He takes the chair and has the opportunity to do the same to Seth

He finally let's it go... They fight one on one until Roman Reigns gets the upper hand on Rollins and mercifully ends this 12 year long journey.

With one final bump of the fist and an acknowledgement of their brother long gone. The story of the Shield has finally and totally come to an end.

Sierra. Hotel. India. Echo. Lima. Delta.

Believe in the Shield.

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Randy Orton Returns | Oba Femi beats Brock Lesnar in The Cell | WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 1 Results

Vaughn Evelyn, the daughter of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon sang America the Beautiful to open the event

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SummerSlam kicks off with Liv Morgan retaining her WWE Women's World Championship over Iyo Sky in a pretty damn good match.

Judgement Day tried to get involved early and were fought off, leaving Iyo and Liv to have a fair competitive match for most of their time.

Liv wins clean after Iyo reverses an Oblivion and Liv hits a codebreaker into a successful Oblivion

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The Usos and Jacob Fatu get a really cool sponsorship entrance to promote Gears of War: E Day

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The anti-Bloodline crew gets a win over the Bloodline when Solo Sikoa hits a Samoan Spike on Jimmy Uso, preventing LA Knight from getting hit with a 1D and allowing Knight to win the match with the BFT

Post match Solo Sikoa calls for LA Knight to hug him. LA Knight refuses but then gives in.

Hugs all around.

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Nick Aldis officially returned to the ring after three years, making his entrance to Morning Glory by Oasis for his WWE in ring debut at SummerSlam

Nick Aldis received a standing ovation after tapping out to Gunther's sleeper hold in a very successful return to in-ring competition.

His wife Mickie James and his son enter the ring giving Aldis his childhood dream of a genuine WWE moment

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It's your favorite, objective wrestling show hosts, the Busted Open Radio crew

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The Bellas have turned on Paige after losing their match to Fatal Influence

The match was... A mess. The less said about it, the better. Post match, Nikki Bella drills Paige with a forearm and Brie Bella attempted to stomp Paige as well but she appears to have injured her shoulder and decided to stand still, rather than hurting herself further.

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Cody Rhodes made his entrance to Street Fighter menu music, wearing a Guile shaped Helmet

Cody plays Guile in the upcoming Street Fighter film.

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes really turned it up in the second half of this match that told the story of CM Punk's knee being attacked by Cody Rhodes over and over until Randy Orton attacked Cody Rhodes while Punk was gone outside of the ring and really made the whole knee story irrelevant

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The next big thing has arrived. Oba Femi just defeats Brock Lesnar inside the Cell after kicking out of everything including a Tombstone on Wood

Brock Lesnar gets back into the ring after the match. He hugs Oba Femi and asks for a mic. He tells Oba to come over.

Lesnar declares himself the past and Oba Femi the future

How to Watch: Regional and Indie Wrestling: August 2026

 Wrestling keeps moving platforms. MyAEW has spent the summer expanding its independent-wrestling footprint, while SiriusXM replaced Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 with the new WWE Radio channel on July 27. Access to wrestling is better than ever, but finding it and keeping up with it can still be a challenge. Dirt Sheet Radio’s monthly How to Watch cannot cover every indie and near-indie production; there are simply too many. Instead, this is a curated list of the best bets, largest cards, biggest-impact matches and some shows that are just plain fun.

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Best Bets

Best Regional: Primos Premier Pro Wrestling: Scorched Summer Aug 16.

Best free weekly shows: JCW Lunacy, Lucha Libre AAA and MLW Fusion.

Best service for regional wrestling: IWTV.

Best concentrated indie weekend: GCW’s Minneapolis events on Aug. 1 and 2.

Best lucha event: CMLL’s International Grand Prix on Aug. 7.

Biggest single event: TNA Lockdown on Aug. 23.

Primos Premier Pro Wrestling

Scorched Summer 2

When: Sunday, Aug. 16; doors at 8 p.m. ET, bell time at 9 p.m. ET

Where: The Roxy Theatre, 2549 Welton St., Denver

Where to watch: The Roxy Theatre or live on TrillerTV+

Cost: TrillerTV+ is $7.99 per month or $69.99 per year

Why Watch

Scorched Summer 2 is the easiest way for viewers outside Colorado to get a look at Primos. The Denver promotion mixes traditional wrestling, lucha libre, hardcore matches, and the occasional bit of absolute nonsense, all without sanding down the DIY character that makes the company distinctive. Primos has spent more than two decades building its own roster, training wrestlers through the Butcher Shop and maintaining deep ties to the American deathmatch scene. The full lineup has not yet been announced, but Scorched Summer 2 will stream live on TrillerTV+ on Aug. 16 at 9 p.m. ET.

Pro-Wrestling: EVE

EVE x The World 2

Links: EVE home |Watch EVE

When: Friday, Aug. 28, at 2:30 p.m. ET

Where: Big Penny Social, London, England

Where to watch: Live and on demand through EVE’s Champion YouTube membership tier.

Cost: Paid YouTube membership for live and latest full shows; selected content is free

Why Watch

London-based Pro-Wrestling: EVE has been running since 2010, combining women’s wrestling with punk rock, comedy, cabaret and an intentionally rowdy live-show atmosphere. Its roster has included major names from British wrestling, joshi and the international scene, including Meiko Satomura, Toni Storm, Kay Lee Ray, Emi Sakura, Manami Toyota, Kris Statlander and Miyu Yamashita. EVE is currently produced by Emily and Dann Read alongside AEW’s Will Ospreay.

EVE offers something most wrestling streams do not: a promotion built specifically around women without simply recreating the structure and feel of a conventional wrestling company. Its roster moves easily between British indie wrestling, Japanese joshi, AEW and the wider international scene. At the same time, the punk-rock and cabaret presentation gives the promotion an identity beyond the matches themselves.

EVE x The World 2 lands during the major London wrestling weekend, giving EVE access to an unusually deep pool of international talent. The biggest announced match has EVE International champion Miyu Yamashita defending against Kay Lee Ray. AEW’s Marina Shafir will make her EVE debut against Swedish martial artist Aliss Ink, while Aubrey Edwards is scheduled as a special guest referee. Skye Blue is also advertised to return.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Miyu Yamashita vs. Kay Lee Ray for the EVE International Championship, Marina Shafir vs. Aliss Ink, Skye Blue, Aubrey Edwards as special guest referee, EVE roster members, AEW talent, international guests, additional matches and mystery appearances to be announced.

PRODUCE

Volume 3 — Azúcar

Links: Official event page |MyAEW

When: Monday, Aug. 3; in-person bell time at 7:30 p.m. ET; MyAEW lists the broadcast for 8 p.m. ET

Where: Pioneer Works, Brooklyn, New York

Where to watch: MyAEW lists Volume 3 as a PPV; PRODUCE has also advertised the show as free and live on The Produce Network YouTube channel.

Cost: MyAEW’s established PRODUCE PPV price is $14.95, but PRODUCE’s July 17 announcement advertised the Aug. 3 YouTube stream as free; verify the listing before bell time

Why Watch

Launched in early 2026 by Adam Abdalla, creator of the wrestling and art glossy Orange Crush, PRODUCE operates like a curated performance series rather than a traditional wrestling promotion. Events are co-produced by Abdalla and a wrestler who not only competes on the card, but also helps assemble the lineup and shapes the show around their own artistic and wrestling influences. Original music, visual art, and film are shown alongside the matches, giving every volume a distinct identity.

Jonathan Gresham and Lee Moriarty curated the first two editions. Volume 3 belongs to Rocky Romero, whose heavily international card draws from lucha libre, Japanese wrestling, shoot-style grappling, women’s wrestling, and several corners of the American indie scene. Romero faces CMLL star Místico; Minoru Suzuki meets Hechicero; former UFC Heavyweight champion Josh Barnett faces The Butcher, musician Andy Williams; and veteran shooter Carl Greco-Malenko faces Tim Bosby. The show closes with a 30-person Royal Ranbo to crown the King of New York.

PRODUCE doesn’t depend on fixed champions, divisions or weekly storylines. Its appeal is the curation: each wrestler-producer builds a card around personal taste, creative influences and individual stylistic connections. Romero’s edition resembles a wrestling mixtape assembled by someone with an exceptionally deep contact list.

Dirt Sheet Radio writer Robert Acosta said PRODUCE’s debut “restored the feeling” of New York’s 2010s indie scene, praising its technical wrestling, international lineup and unusual touches such as live music and soccer-style yellow and red cards.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Rocky Romero vs. Místico, Minoru Suzuki vs. Hechicero, Josh Barnett vs. The Butcher, Fuwa-chan, Hazuki and Ranna Yagami vs. Janai Kai, Jordan Blade and Nixi XS, Violence Is Forever vs. Cowboy Way for the RevPro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship, Skadi vs. Persephone, Tim Bosby vs. Carl Greco-Malenko, Tiger Mask IV and Dynamite Kid Tommy Billington vs. Black Tiger IV and Black Tiger IX, 30-person Royal Ranbo for the title of King of New York.

Juggalo Championship Wrestling

JCW Lunacy

Links: JCW home |Psychopathic Records on YouTube

When: Thursdays at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Recorded and live events from venues around the United States

Where to watch: Psychopathic Records’ YouTube channel and JCWLunacy.net

Cost: Free

Why Watch

Co-founded by Insane Clown Posse in 1999, Juggalo Championship Wrestling combines traditional indie wrestling with carnival spectacle, violent stipulations, backstage comedy and dramatic serialized stories. Its weekly flagship, JCW Lunacy, creates its own unstable world of clowns, monsters, criminal factions and corrupt authority figures, with recognizable veterans appearing alongside developing talent and a stable of wrestlers suited to JCW’s deliberately unruly style.

Specific cards are usually teased on social media leading up to airtime and announced shortly before the show, but episodic stories develop through JCW’s weekly programming and touring events. Recent angles have centered on Caleb Konley, Vince Russo’s ‘Chosen One,’ maneuvering within the company, Jasmin St. Claire’s surprise pregnancy and Dani Mo’s status as Barnabas the Bizarre’s estranged daughter. The larger fight over who controls JCW is never far away.

Lunacy is one of the easiest independent shows to sample because it streams free and rewards weekly viewing. JCW delivers low-budget serialized chaos that would be difficult to confuse with any other promotion.

In July, JCW launched JCWLunacy.net as a central home for weekly episodes, archives, roster information, and results. The current JCW Lunacy World champion is Caleb Konley. Read my write-up of JCW for more reasons to watch.

Also in August: Bloodymania 19

JCW’s biggest annual event, Bloodymania 19, is scheduled across two late-night cards at the Gathering of the Juggalos in Macks Creek, Missouri, on Aug. 20 and 21. JCW’s official site lists the event, but a dedicated livestream has not yet been announced; check JCWLunacy.net close to the show.

Game Changer Wrestling

Links: GCW Instagram |GCW on TrillerTV

Game Changer Wrestling is one of the country’s most visible touring independent promotions. Originally a New Jersey regional company, GCW has grown into a national and international brand by mixing deathmatches, technical wrestling, lucha libre, comedy and emerging talent on the same cards. Its events stream live and on demand through TrillerTV+.

GCW: Rude Awakening

When: Saturday, Aug. 1, at 2 p.m. ET

Where: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota

How to watch: Live and on demand through TrillerTV+; included with a subscription.

GCW’s first Minneapolis event takes place at one of the city’s best-known music venues during SummerSlam weekend. The card combines established GCW regulars, Minnesota talent and new arrivals, including the GCW debut of Avery Styles.

The appeal is GCW’s unpredictability. Technical wrestling, comedy and heavyweight violence can all appear on the same show, and Rude Awakening gives the promotion a chance to introduce that style to a new regional audience.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Marcus Mathers vs. Avery Styles, Atticus Cogar vs. Devon Monroe, Bear Bronson vs. Shotzi Blackheart, additional matches to be announced.

GCW vs. F1RST Wrestling

Links:F1RST Wrestling |Watch on TrillerTV+

When: Sunday, Aug. 2, at 2 p.m. ET

Where: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota

How to watch: Live and on demand through TrillerTV+; included with a subscription.

GCW returns to First Avenue for a crossover with Minnesota-based F1RST Wrestling. The card pairs GCW’s touring roster with wrestlers from the Upper Midwest scene, giving the second show a stronger regional identity.

GCW brings national exposure and a deliberately unpredictable roster. F1RST brings Minnesota history, local loyalties, and wrestlers who may be unfamiliar to viewers outside the region. The show should work as both an interpromotional event and an introduction to Upper Midwest wrestling.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

GCW and F1RST Wrestling representatives in interpromotional matches; full lineup to be announced.

All Caribbean Wrestling

Georgetown Smash

Links: ACW home |Georgetown Smash |Watch on TrillerTV

When: Saturday, Aug. 8, at 6:05 p.m. ET

Where: Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Georgetown, Guyana

How to watch: Live through TrillerTV as an individual pay-per-view purchase.

Why Watch

All Caribbean Wrestling is a young touring promotion focused on Caribbean wrestlers, audiences and identity. It is led by wrestler-promoter JB Cool, with Mark Henry billed as the company’s CEO and public face. ACW has expanded across Jamaica, the Bahamas and Guyana while pairing regional performers with recognizable names from WWE, TNA and ROH.

Its style is traditional, family-oriented sports entertainment built around championship stories, veteran personalities and a broad mix of wrestling styles. The weekly series Saturday Night VIBE debuted on Tempo Networks, while ACW also distributes events internationally through TrillerTV. The promotion is still building its homegrown roster and regional circuit, which makes it especially worth following for viewers interested in emerging Caribbean talent.

Georgetown Smash brings ACW to Guyana as the promotion continues expanding beyond the Caribbean islands. ACW is promoting Kenny King’s appearance as a Guyana homecoming tied to his family heritage. ACW champion Prince Agballah and Digital Media champion Leroy Jones are also advertised, along with Women’s champion Kaylia Capri.

The card may not have the depth or production polish of a larger promotion. What ACW offers instead is a globally streamed event that treats Guyana as the center of the story rather than an exotic backdrop, and a chance to follow a company trying to build a sustainable wrestling circuit around Caribbean talent and audiences.

Matches and Scheduled Appearances

Kenny King, Mark Henry, Elijah Burke, The Bollywood Boyz, Paola Mayfield, Kaylia Capri, Prince Agballah, Leroy Jones and El Diablo Maduro. Additional matches and appearances will be announced.

SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling

Under the Same Moon

Links: Official page |SETUP on YouTube

When: Saturday, Aug. 29, at 5:30 p.m. ICT

Where: The Circus Studio, Bangkok, Thailand

Where to watch: No live stream has been confirmed; SETUP regularly posts full events and matches on its official YouTube channel after release

Cost: Free on YouTube after release; in-person tickets begin at 550 Thai baht.

Why Watch

Founded in Bangkok in 2019, SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling has become a meeting point for Thailand’s developing wrestling scene and the wider Asian circuit. Its cards combine homegrown Thai wrestlers with performers from Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Japan and India. The style varies accordingly, moving between Japanese junior-heavyweight wrestling, American sports entertainment, comedy and the faster pace common across Southeast Asia’s smaller promotions.

Under the Same Moon celebrates the 15th anniversary of Thai wrestler and promoter Pumi. SETUP is presenting the anniversary show as a reunion of wrestlers and partner promotions that have helped build professional wrestling across Southeast Asia.

SETUP offers a look at a wrestling culture that rarely reaches American streaming guides. The promotion is not simply importing Japanese or American stars into Bangkok; it is helping connect wrestlers from countries whose local scenes are still small, geographically scattered and often difficult to watch outside the region.

Scheduled to Appear

Pumi, SETUP Thailand Pro Wrestling roster members, representatives from partner promotions across Southeast Asia, returning Thai wrestlers, additional matches and appearances to be announced.

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TNA Wrestling

TNA Lockdown

Links:TNA home |Lockdown event page |TNA+

When: Sunday, Aug. 23; preshow at 5 p.m. ET and pay-per-view at 6 p.m. ET

Where: Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago, Illinois

How to watch: Live through TNA+ and participating pay-per-view providers

Cost: $39.99 as an individual PPV; TNA+ annual plans that include PPVs also carry the event, while the $9.99 monthly tier does not include PPVs

Why Watch

Founded in 2002, TNA Wrestling occupies the space between the independent circuit and wrestling’s largest national companies. Its programming combines established television names with emerging talent, continuing storylines, the women’s Knockouts division and the fast-paced X Division. Crossovers with WWE’s NXT and wrestlers from the wider independent scene have also become a regular part of the company’s current identity.

First held in 2005, Lockdown returns for the first time since 2016. Every match takes place inside a steel cage, giving the event a built-in sense of escalation and making it a natural setting for rivalry conclusions, title matches and faction warfare. The complete card has not been announced.

Lockdown was once one of TNA’s defining events, alongside Slammiversary and Bound for Glory. Its return gives the company a chance to revive a concept strongly associated with its earlier identity while introducing it to a newer roster and audience.

Scheduled to Appear

Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Nic Nemeth, Mustafa Ali, Moose, AJ Francis, Brian Myers, Leon Slater, Ricky Sosa, Xia Brookside, Elayna Black, Indi Hartwell, Rosemary and Allie. Additional matches and appearances will be announced.

Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide

Weekly Lucha Libre AAA

Links: AAA on WWE |WWE YouTube

When: Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Events recorded or broadcast from venues throughout Mexico

How to watch: FOX in Latin America; YouTube and Facebook in other markets through AAA/WWE distribution

Cost: Free on YouTube/Facebook where available

Why Watch

Founded in 1992, Lucha Libre AAA combines Mexican lucha libre with elaborate characters, faction warfare and American-style sports entertainment. Its cards are known for masked rivalries, fast multi-person matches and a willingness to favor spectacle over strict realism. AAA’s expanding relationship with WWE has also brought its wrestlers into regular crossover stories with WWE and NXT talent.

AAA’s August programming continues the aftermath of Verano de Escándalo. Dominik Mysterio betrayed El Grande Americano and aligned himself with Omos and Dorian Roldán. At the same time, La Hiedra and Laredo Kid defeated Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana to become AAA World Mixed Tag Team champions. General manager Rey Mysterio is also resisting attempts to place the vacant Latin American Championship directly onto Omos.

The weekly series is one of the easiest entry points for viewers curious about lucha libre. It streams free in many markets, the matches are colorful and fast, and the WWE crossovers provide recognizable names without completely displacing AAA’s own wrestlers and rivalries.

The month also leads toward AAA x NXT Heatwave on Sunday, Aug. 30, at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas. The full card is still being announced. Triplemanía 34 follows with events in Las Vegas on Sept. 11 and Mexico City on Sept. 13.

Wrestlers and Storylines to Watch

Rey Fénix vs. Mini-Vikingo, Dominik Mysterio, El Grande Americano, Rey Mysterio, Dorian Roldán, Omos, Daga, Angel, La Hiedra and Laredo Kid.

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)

International Grand Prix

Links: CMLL home |CMLL YouTube

When: Wednesday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Arena México, Mexico City

Where to watch: CMLL’s paid YouTube membership in Spanish; MyAEW also offers the event with English commentary.

Cost: CMLL YouTube membership varies by tier; MyAEW lists the Grand Prix at $20, with a three-event CMLL bundle for $35

Why Watch

The men’s Grand Prix takes place Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Arena México, pitting 11 wrestlers from Team World against 11 from Team Mexico in an elimination field that ultimately produces one winner. Team World includes PAC, Claudio Castagnoli, Orange Cassidy, Bandido, Roderick Strong, DOUKI, Yujiro Takahashi, Austin Aries, Blake Christian, Leon Cage and Rohan Raja. Team Mexico includes Xelhua, Volador Jr., Titán, Último Guerrero, Máscara Dorada, Hechicero, Templario, Ángel de Oro, Bárbaro Cavernario, Soberano Jr. and Místico.

CMLL also runs throughout the week, generally presenting Monday cards from Arena Puebla, Tuesday and Friday cards from Arena México, Saturday events at Arena Coliseo and Sunday family shows at Arena México. Premium live programming is available through its official YouTube membership tiers, while selected matches, interviews and archival material are posted free.

Major League Wrestling

MLW Fusion

Links: MLW home |Where to watch |MLW YouTube

When: Saturdays at 6:05 p.m. ET on YouTube, 9 p.m. ET on VEEPS and 10 p.m. ET on beIN SPORTS

Where: Episodes taped at MLW events around the United States

How to watch: Free through MLW’s YouTube channel and VEEPS; also on beIN SPORTS, with a later NJPW World window in Japan

Why Watch

Major League Wrestling combines a sports-oriented presentation with faction stories, heavyweight wrestling, lucha libre and international talent. Partnerships with CMLL, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and STARDOM regularly bring Mexican and Japanese wrestlers into MLW’s weekly programming.

New episodes of Fusion continue throughout August, beginning with matches built around MLW’s FantasticaMania collaboration with CMLL and New Japan. The weekly series offers a more traditional television structure than many smaller indie shows, with commentary, continuing feuds and established championships.

Its international partnerships are the main attraction. A single episode can move from American heavyweight wrestling to Mexican lucha libre and Japanese junior-heavyweight action without requiring viewers to follow several promotions or streaming services.

Announced for Aug. 1

Místico, El Desperado and Diego Hill vs. Último Guerrero, DOUKI and Austin Aries, Big Damo vs. Mads Krule Krugger, Mark Coffey and Wolfgang vs. Okumura and Ikuro Kwon, appearances by Donovan Dijak, Bishop Dyer and Josh Bishop, additional matches to be announced.

Hoodslam

Hoodslam: Revelations 8:28

Links: Hoodslam on TrillerTV |Revelations 8:28 stream

When: Live event Friday, Aug. 28, at approximately 8 p.m. PT; TrillerTV+ currently lists the streaming broadcast for Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Continental Club, Oakland, California

How to watch: TrillerTV+ on Sept. 1; no live Aug. 28 stream is currently listed

Why Watch

Hoodslam is an adults-only Oakland promotion combining wrestling with performance art, comedy, fantasy and sprawling fictional mythology. Its setting, SlamTown, operates as a complete universe populated by supernatural creatures, detectives, corrupt officials and alternate versions of familiar wrestlers. Character and story frequently matter more than conventional sporting logic.

The story follows Wrestle Detective Contra Costa Cooper as he investigates a banned religious text written by Sheikah and evidence that several SlamTown residents may have lived in another universe. The mystery also draws in former mayor Mike Rayne, current mayor Christina Von Eerie, and wrestlers beginning to recover memories of identities outside SlamTown.

Hoodslam is deliberately theatrical, strange and difficult to understand completely without accepting some confusion. Viewers seeking rankings and clean athletic competition may struggle with it. Viewers interested in wrestling as camp, queer performance, community theater and living comic-book mythology will find little else like it.

Scheduled to Appear

Ricky Stoner, Scotty Stoner, Anton Voorhees, Contra Costa Cooper, Sheriff Boone, Deputy Regular Rob, Justice Jaguar, Justice Gonzo, Daniel T, Lara Frazier, Sheikah, Dave Reckoning and KEiTA.

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Streamable Regional Promotions to Keep on the August Radar

Keep in mind, many local promotions do not release complete monthly calendars in advance. Some broadcast every event live, while others upload complete shows after a delay or post only selected matches for free. Listings can change during the final week before an event, so viewers should check both the promotion’s official page and its streaming platform before bell time.

Pacific Northwest

DOA Pro Wrestling — Portland, Oregon

Links: Official |IWTV

DOA is one of Portland’s established local promotions, with recent complete events available through IWTV. Its cards tend to mix regional regulars with wrestlers moving through the broader West Coast circuit.

SOS Pro Wrestling — Washington

Links: Official |IWTV

SOS is a useful entry point into Washington’s scene beyond the better-known Seattle brands. Its official site links both IWTV and YouTube, while live dates are often added relatively close to showtime.

Northeast

Beyond Wrestling and Wrestling Open — Worcester, Massachusetts

Links: Official |IWTV

Beyond remains one of the most reliable weekly indie products in the country. Its Wrestling Open series provides regular matches rather than waiting for occasional supercards, while larger Beyond events also stream through IWTV.

Limitless Wrestling — Maine

Links: Official |IWTV

Limitless regularly brings national names into cards built around wrestlers from Maine and the wider New England circuit. Its on-demand home remains IWTV, and the promotion also posts selected material on YouTube.

Mid-Atlantic

MCW Pro Wrestling — Maryland and West Virginia

Links: Official |YouTube

MCW runs frequently throughout Maryland, with occasional West Virginia dates. Free matches are posted on YouTube, while channel members receive access to longer and complete-event videos.

H2O Wrestling — Williamstown, New Jersey

Links: Official |IWTV archive

H2O is best known for hardcore and deathmatch programming, although its cards also include conventional singles, tag-team and tournament wrestling. A large archive remains on IWTV; current live-stream availability should be checked event by event.

Appalachia

International Wrestling Cartel — Pittsburgh region

Links: Official |IWTV

IWC has promoted wrestling in Western Pennsylvania for more than two decades. In 2026, it began moving its video library to IWTV, and it also sells individual digital events. August live dates include Caged Fury on Aug. 8 and an Iron City Comedy Festival card on Aug. 19.

TWE Chattanooga — Chattanooga and Red Bank, Tennessee

Links: Official |IWTV

TWE is rooted in the Chattanooga-area scene but regularly draws wrestlers from Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas and the wider Southeast. Complete recent events are available through IWTV.

South

ACTION Wrestling — Tyrone, Georgia

Links: Official |IWTV

ACTION is based outside Atlanta and consistently produces compact, wrestling-heavy cards. It is closely connected with the Scenic City Invitational weekend, one of the Southeast’s strongest showcases for emerging independent talent.

Southern Honor Wrestling — Canton, Georgia

Links: Official |IWTV

Southern Honor offers a more traditional, storyline-driven regional product with recurring characters, championships and longer local arcs. Its archive is available on IWTV, and an Aug. 7 event is advertised in Canton.

Deep South

New South Pro Wrestling — Alabama

Links: Official |IWTV

New South has built a substantial archive of events and continues to tour Alabama and nearby states. IWTV carries its library, while selected programming is also posted on YouTube.

WildKat Sports — New Orleans, Louisiana

Links: Official |YouTube

WildKat is one of Louisiana’s more durable promotions, operating live events and a wrestling school in the New Orleans area. Its current official video presence is easiest to follow through YouTube; do not assume every live card is streamed.

Plains and Rockies

New Texas Pro Wrestling — Houston, Texas

Links: Official |IWTV

New Texas Pro is one of IWTV’s more active regional promotions, presenting main cards alongside the recurring Texas Contenders Series. The Contenders shows are especially useful for following wrestlers before they move onto larger Texas and national bookings.

Wrestling for a Cause — Oklahoma

Links: Official |IWTV

Wrestling for a Cause presents community-centered events around Oklahoma and has built a substantial IWTV archive. Its cards emphasize accessible regional wrestling rather than nationally imported dream matches.

California

West Coast Pro Wrestling — Northern California

Links: Official |YouTube

West Coast Pro regularly brings together California talent, national indie names and wrestlers from Japan, Mexico and Europe. Its current official site directs viewers to YouTube for full matches and complete shows; IWTV is useful mainly for older archive material.

Desert Southwest

Future Stars of Wrestling — Las Vegas, Nevada

Links: Official |Title Match Network

FSW is Las Vegas’s primary developmental and regional promotion, with alums who later appeared for WWE, AEW, TNA and other national companies. Current events are available through Title Match Wrestling Network and FSW’s own network, with free material on YouTube.

Arizona Wrestling Federation — Phoenix, Arizona

Links: Official |YouTube

AWF tours across Arizona and releases episodes of High Voltage and other material free on its official YouTube channel, making it one of the simplest no-cost options for following local Southwestern wrestling.

Jenny Catlin is a sports and pop culture writer in the square states. She’s a contributing writer to The Athletic, a Lighthouse Writers Book Project Fellow, and an award-winning essayist obsessed with obsession. You can find her on Instagram or Substack.

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