Author: Josh Nason

Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.

AEW announces new championship, reveals design

Posted on by Josh Nason

The long-rumored AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship will soon be a reality as AEW head Tony Khan revealed on Wednesday’s Dynamite that the inaugural champions will be crowned “soon” in 2025.

Khan did not reveal any details or a timeframe, merely saying that it’s been a great year, he feels AEW is where the best wrestle, and he was so proud of how the women’s division has been this year.

He then kicked it to Renee Paquette who revealed the title belt design (seen below) which follows what the men’s tag belts look like.

The announcement came before the first title defense for new AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander who faced Mina Shirakawa, friends with former champion Toni Storm.

Khan has been asked about Women’s Tag Team titles frequently during media calls with Khan recently intimating that injuries to the division were holding up plans.

The new addition will make the eighth title in AEW, joining the men’s & women’s World titles, the men’s Tag Team titles, the Trios titles, the Unified title (comprised of the International and Continental titles), and the TBS and TNT titles.

AEW joins WWE and TNA who both have their own versions of women’s tag team titles.

Orange Cassidy returns from injury on AEW Dynamite

Posted on by Josh Nason

For the first time since March 2025, Orange Cassidy has returned to action inside an AEW ring.

On Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, Cassidy was the not-so surprise partner of Mark Briscoe and Hologram against Konosuke Takeshita, Kazuchika Okada and Hechicero of the Don Callis Family.

Cassidy made his return by emerging from the frame of a new portrait Callis had created for the evening, upsetting the manager. Cassidy’s team was later victorious following a Hologram portal bomb and pin on Hechicero.

TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher then came out afterward and issued a challenge to Hologram for next Wednesday’s Dynamite in a title vs. streak match which was accepted. No angle or future direction was laid out for Cassidy.

The 41-year-old suffered a torn pectoral muscle in March and hasn’t wrestled since a four-way eliminator match for an International title shot. His return was all but revealed on this past Saturday’s All Out in a backstage segment.

WWE Evolve special announced, first two matches set

Posted on by Josh Nason

WWE’s Wednesday night brand will host their first special in October.

Announced at the onset of Wednesday’s WWE Evolve on Tubi, the brand will hold their first-ever Succession on Wednesday, October 15 in its normal time slot on both Tubi and YouTube for international viewers. It’s assumed to be a taped show per usual.

Revealed by the brand’s “prime minister” Stevie Turner at the onset of Wednesday’s show, Succession will feature both the Evolve men’s and women’s championships defended on the same show for the first time.

In one match, reigning men’s champion Jackson Drake will defend against the winner of next week’s number one contender’s match between Keanu Carver and Brooks Jensen. The inaugural champion, Drake has three successful title defenses including in a three-way that included Carver and Jensen.

In the other, Evolve Women’s Champion Kali Armstrong will defend against Kendal Grey who defeated Chantal Monroe Wednesday to earn the title shot. Armstrong has four title defenses under her belt. Grey was involved in the four-way where Armstrong became the inaugural champion. The two have never squared off in a one-on-one except on house shows.

ESPN head says they previously tried to get WWE Raw, SmackDown & archive rights

Posted on by Josh Nason

The desire to have live WWE programming on ESPN has been a goal for quite some time, according to ESPN president of content Burke Magnus.

The longtime executive talked to sports media reporter Richard Deitsch about a variety of topics regarding the ESPN brand when the topic of the WWE premium live rights came up.

Noting that ESPN aired historical WrestleManias during the pandemic, Magnus said, “I took a couple of runs at the Raw and SmackDown packages and the WWE Network previously. I’ve had a great appreciation for this content for a long time.”

He didn’t give any details as to why that didn’t happen or how serious they were, nor the timeframes in which he tried to acquire them.

He continued that while he’s not too familiar with today’s storylines, “I have a full appreciation for what they’ve built over there in terms of a great form of entertainment and clearly, the results speak for themselves in terms of how many fans they pack in arenas and stadiums. It’s remarkable.”

Magnus was also asked about how WWE will be covered when news breaks storyline-wise which he said was “a really active conversation to date.” He said everything has been presented in relation to the launch of the relationship, and that he expects there will be coverage but “in the context of what WWE is,” noting that it’s entertainment.

Magnus also talked about wanting to retain the services of occasional WWE announcer Pat McAfee when his contract for College GameDay wraps up in May 2028. McAfee was part of the desk during last Saturday’s Wrestlepalooza — the first PLE as part of WWE’s five-year deal with ESPN. There has been heavy speculation they will be a major player for WWE archive content when Peacock’s domestic rights expire at year’s end.

WWE Raw on Netflix viewership for Wrestlepalooza go-home episode released

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

The Monday, September 15 episode of WWE Raw on Netflix brought in 2.6 million global views to go with 5.3 million global hours viewed through its first seven days, according to the Netflix weekly Tudum report.

The global views/accounts are identical to the September 8 episode while the hours viewed were slightly up from the previous week’s 5.1 million.

With the exception of August 4, the global views have been consistently between 2.4 million and 2.8 million over the last ten weeks.

The September 15 episode was the go-home edition prior to last Saturday’s Wrestlepalooza and featured an advertised appearance by John Cena in addition to a final face-to-face between CM Punk, AJ Lee, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.

The show had a 7 PM Eastern start time due to Monday Night Football (domestically), an hour earlier than usual.

Raw Viewership Details:

  • The episode ranked seventh globally, but was fourth in the U.S. — an increase of two spots from the prior week. It was in the top ten in 12 countries.
  • The show’s runtime was 1:58, ten minutes longer than the previous week which helped increase the global hours viewed.
  • The average of the last ten weeks is 2.69 million global views and 5.4 million global hours viewed.

Last 10 weeks of WWE Raw on Netflix ratings/viewership:

Episode dateGlobal ViewsGlobal Hours
September 15, 20252.6 million5.3 million
September 8, 20252.6 million5.1 million
September 1, 20252.4 million5.2 million
August 25, 20252.6 million5.0 million
August 18, 20252.8 million5.4 million
August 11, 20252.8 million5.3 million
August 4, 20253.0 million6.1 million
July 28, 20252.7 million5.5 million
July 21, 20252.7 million5.7 million
July 14, 20252.7 million5.4 million
Average for last 10 weeks:2.69 million5.4 million

Randy Savage biopic announced, SNL star to co-produce

Posted on by Josh Nason

A cinematic look at the life of Randy “Macho Man” Savage is one step closer to becoming a reality, first revealed by Deadline on Tuesday.

Artists for Artists, the production company co-owned by SNL star Kenan Thompson and Johnny Ryan Jr., is developing a movie based on a script written by the late Lanny Poffo, Savage’s brother, and Eric Shapiro.

The working title is MACHO.

As noted in the article, Savage and Thompson worked together in 1999 on a Nickelodeon promo, and Thompson and Ryan Jr. are lifelong fans of the former WWE and WCW star.

No timeline or attached talent were announced, nor if it’s intended for cinematic or streaming release. WWE/TKO were not announced as being attached to the project.

Thompson told Deadline, “Beyond excited for this one!! Macho Man is hands down one of the greatest of all time and can’t wait to bring his story to the screen!!!”

Savage passed away at 58 years old in May 2011, suffering a heart attack while driving. He has been the subject of numerous documentaries, both produced by WWE and independently.

WOL: How WWE & AEW each did a disservice to their World champs Saturday

Posted on by Josh Nason

On an extended play edition of Wrestling Observer Live, Josh Nason returns to discuss the best and the not-so-best from Saturday’s AEW All Out and WWE Wrestlepalooza.

Josh talks about his biggest takeaway: that both AEW and WWE each did a disservice to their men’s World Champions with the placement of their matches.

He also hits on how Tony Khan mentioning the term “family-friendly” in the lead-up backfired a bit after All Out and whether it honestly really matters.

Josh talks about the various stories and headlines from each show, one that had a lot of news while the other was relatively devoid of it. From fans not liking how John Cena lost to a new AEW Women’s World Champion to several AEW names returning, it’s all here.

All that and more await on an extended Sunday WOL, free for anyone to listen to on our site or Spotify/Apple Podcasts (search Wrestling Observer).

Click here to listen

Former Ring of Honor champion set to return from injury, date & match announced

Posted on by Josh Nason

After suffering a knee injury earlier this summer, former Ring of Honor TV Champion Komander has been advertised for his return.

Noted on X Sunday, the luchador is set to return for a Mexican indie promotion in his hometown of Reynosa on October 19. He will team with AEW’s Hologram against The Beast Mortos & Halloween NG.

He has been out of action since early-June when he injured his knee on a Mexican indie show. He was last seen on TV on the June 4 AEW Collision, teaming with JetSpeed. He was later written off in storyline in a backstage attack by The Hurt Syndicate.

Komander was pulled from AEW Summer Blockbuster that same month in addition to a high-profile match as part of the AEW x CMLL Fantastica Mania event where he was going to team with Bandido and Hologram against Mistico, Neon, and Mascara Dorada.

At the time, it was believed he suffered a significant knee injury but it’s still unknown what the severity or specific injury was.

Whether he returns to AEW or ROH before that October date remains to be seen.

Married couple victorious at WWE Wrestlepalooza

Posted on by Josh Nason

For the first time in more than a decade, AJ Lee returned to in-ring action, leaving WWE Wrestlepalooza victorious alongside her tag team partner in life, husband CM Punk.

The duo defeated rivals and fellow married couple Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch at Saturday’s premium live event in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The end came when Lee countered a Lynch Manhandle Slam attempt into a Black Widow submission, eventually getting the reigning Women’s Intercontinental Champion to tap out.

Punk and Rollins were both on the floor at the time, recovering after crashing through an announcer’s table following Lynch throwing Lee into them while on another announcer’s table.

It was Lee’s first match since March 2015 and her first time teaming with Punk since July 2012. She officially returned two weeks ago on SmackDown.

**********

The story of the match was Lee being kept out of the match by Rollins and Lynch who wanted no part of her. She finally did get in as Lynch was holding Punk’s leg, he blew her a kiss, and then backed up for the tag.

She got the better of Lynch with a flurry of offense and then, all four competitors battled it out with the men somewhat getting physical with the women. Punk and Lee hit an assisted sliced bread using Rollins onto a prone Lynch for a nearfall in one sequence.

One close call sequence began with a Lee counter to a disarmer into a Black Widow followed by Punk getting a sharpshooter on Rollins for a near double submission, thwarted by a Rollins eye rake and superkick to Punk. Later, Punk and Lee got double pedigreed by Rollins and Lynch for their own close call.

Another saw Lynch getting Punk in a sharpshooter of her own which he eventually countered, but got hit with a pedigree and curb stomp. Lee broke it up and got hit with a Manhandle slam for a very, very close two count.

It now remains to be seen if and when Lee challenges Lynch for her title and when Punk might challenge Rollins for his.

Jack Perry returns at AEW All Out, reunites with Luchasaurus

Posted on by Josh Nason

In a reunion teased for several weeks, former AEW World Tag Team Champions Jurassic Express officially reunited at Saturday’s All Out.

It happened following the four-way Tag Team title ladder match that saw Brodido retain the titles. The Young Bucks, who were in the match, were hanging around in the ring afterward when Jack Perry came in to confront them.

Perry hasn’t been seen in AEW since November 2024 and hasn’t wrestled since this past January’s NJPW Wrestle Dynasty. Recent episodes of BTE on YouTube have teased his return with his former Elite-mates in the Young Bucks as a focus.

Perry went after the Jacksons, but eventually got hit with a double superkick. The two were about to take Perry out with a BTE tigger when he smiled and the lights went out. A full video that has been shown in clips for Luchasaurus’ recent return then played, showing Perry was the one who brought him back to life.

The now-former Killswitch returned in August after nearly a year’s absence due to complications from double pneumonia in his lungs.

He then appeared in the ring behind the Bucks and took them out, eventually removing his belt that read ‘Killswitch’ and tossing it into the crowd to show he is returning back to his old pre-Patriarchy name. He split with Kip Sabian and Mother Wayne this past Wednesday after the two lost in an qualifier for the aforementioned ladder match.

Perry and Luchasaurus then hugged and their old entrance music played as they took in the cheers from the fans. The two are AEW originals, first forming their team with the now-retired Marko Stunt.

The duo held the titles for 161 days in 2022, but haven’t teamed since June of that same year. The two split and feuded, ending in a steel cage match Perry won at November 2022’s Full Gear.

New Women’s World Champion crowned at AEW All Out

Posted on by Josh Nason

In a bit of a surprise, Kris Statlander is the new AEW Women’s World Champion following the events of All Out.

Statlander got a flash pin on champion Toni Storm in a match that also included Thekla and former champion Jamie Hayter. Storm was shocked afterward, remaining on the ramp as Statlander celebrated and slowly walking to the back as it continued.

It’s Statlander’s first run with the title and comes nearly two years after she held her only AEW title: the TBS Championship she held for 174 days from May through November 2023.

The 30-year-old has been in AEW since November 2019. She was 0-3 in challenges for the AEW Women’s World title going into Saturday.

The loss ends Storm’s fourth reign that began at February’s Grand Slam Australia with a win over Mariah May. She had six successful title challenges with her last coming at August’s Forbidden Door over ROH Women’s World Champion Athena.

To this point, it’s been the only title change on the show.

Former AEW titleholder returning on Dynamite after long absence

Posted on by Josh Nason

After missing half a year, former AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will make his return to action on this Wednesday’s Dynamite.

Cassidy will team with Mark Briscoe and Hologram against Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita and Hechicero this Wednesday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The news was revealed during Saturday’s All Out in a backstage segment when Briscoe, flanked by The Conglomeration, called out Callis and any three members of his group to a match Wednesday. He said himself and Hologram would take part, leading to Willow Nightingale asking who the third person was.

Briscoe then looked at Kyle O’Reilly who was on the phone. Briscoe asked if “he” was ready and O’Reilly said, “Whatever” and gave the Cassidy thumbs-up.

The 41-year-old Cassidy has been out since mid-March with a torn pectoral muscle, believed to be suffered in a four-way match.

Also announced for Wednesday, AEW head Tony Khan will make an “important announcement.”

Current AEW Dynamite card | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | This Wednesday

  • Orange Cassidy, Hologram & Mark Briscoe vs. Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero
  • Tony Khan important announcement

Special referee added to WWE Wrestlepalooza match

Posted on by Josh Nason

LA Knight will make his presence felt at tonight’s WWE Wrestlepalooza as he has been announced as the special guest referee for The Usos vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed.

Adam Pearce revealed the news during the pre-show.

Knight and Jey Uso have been at odds for several weeks with Uso spearing Knight two weeks ago on Raw. After a shoving match to start Raw this past Monday, Knight teamed with Jimmy Uso against Breakker and Reed in the main event. Breaker and Reed picked up the win and Knight got a measure of revenge by hitting Jey with a BFT after the two exchanged a post-match handshake.

WWE Wrestlepalooza | Saturday, September 20 | 7 p.m. Eastern time:

  • Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defends against Drew McIntyre
  • CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch
  • IYO SKY vs. Stephanie Vaquer for the vacant Women’s World Championship
  • Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed with LA Knight as special referee
  • John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar

Former AEW Tag Team Champions to reunite next week

Posted on by Josh Nason

Former AEW Tag Team and Trios Champions The Acclaimed will reluctantly reunite next week on either AEW Dynamite or Collision.

The news was revealed during Saturday’s All Out with footage shown from after this past Wednesday’s September to Remember. Max Caster and Anthony Bowens were shown arguing with each other with recent peacemaker Jerry Lynn telling them he pulled some strings to get them a match against Swirl (Blake Christian and Lee Johnson) next week.

Caster and Bowens didn’t like the idea and continued to bicker with Caster eventually disappearing after Bowens briefly turned around.

That follows developments from last Saturday’s Collision where Bowens reluctantly helped Caster fend off Christian and Johnson after they attacked Lynn and Caster.

The two have been split up since January 2025 after a breakup was teased for several months. Both men had less than successful singles runs as pointed out by Lynn recently. Caster hasn’t won a singles or tag match since November 2024 while Bowens has had mixed results since returning from a three-month absence in April.

Notably absent in this angle is Billy Gunn whom the two held the aforementioned Trios title with. Previously aligned with Bowens, it’s unclear why he hasn’t been involved.

Eddie Kingston returns to action at AEW All Out, makes new alliance

Posted on by Josh Nason

After nearly 500 days, former AEW Continental Champion Eddie Kingston is officially back to in-ring action after Saturday’s All Out and now has a new friend coming out of Toronto.

Kingston defeated Big Bill in the second match of the pay-per-view, landing a second spinning back fist for the win.

After the match, Bryan Keith joined in on a post-match attack on Kingston, prompting Hook to make an appearance to aid and align with fellow New Yorker Kingston. After parting ways with The Opps recently, he mentioned perhaps needing to find a new crew. The two have never teamed or opposed each other to this point.

Kingston’s last match came 497 days ago at NJPW Strong Resurgence, losing his then-Openweight title to Gabe Kidd in a no rope, last man standing match. He tore his ACL and meniscus in addition to fracturing his leg during the match after hitting his leg on a guard rail while being suplexed through a table.