On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, Josh takes a break from the pro wrestling year in review series to delve into the current day and the AEW Continental Classic.
The tournament kicks off tonight so returning guest & our AEW pay-per-view previewer Mike DellaCamera returns for a 30-minute talk about the leagues, the matchups in the Gold and Blue league, and our picks for both the semifinals and finals at Worlds End.
With Bryan Alvarez out playing the role of Cheech The School Bus Driver, Mike Sempervive is back with a solo show and there’s a lot to get into. Josh Nason stops by the show to give a rundown on Tony Khan’s media call today, plus WWE news, thoughts on Booker T’s response to being pictured with Chasyn Rance, your calls and much more. A fun show as always, so check it out~!
Chad talks about how this work of pro wrestling fiction featuring himself and other writers came together, how prospective readers can get the book, and how they can read the “bible” of this fictional universe and two chapters from his contribution for free.
We also talk about when Chad and friends co-promoted an indie show with DEFY Wrestling in Missoula, Montana, the decision-making process going into it, and if they are going to do it again.
We then flip to the MMA side of the coin and get Chad’s thoughts on a conversation Territories’ contributor Jonathan Snowden and I had last month about how we’re losing touch with UFC. Chad gives his own thoughts on how much the business has changed in just a few years.
I talk about the news itself, the twist that Stephanie McMahon is taking over in the interim, the further twist that Vince will remain on as head of creative, and the further twist that he will be on tonight’s edition of SmackDown.
What do WWE’s partners think? What does Wall Street think so far? What do you think?
I also speculate why one long rumored potential suitor to buy WWE is likely out, but not due to any of this news but their own issues.
Click below to listen to this quick 15-minute episode to get caught up on an already wild Friday in pro wrestling.
This is about as close to a therapy session as you’ll hear on Josh Nason’s Punch-Out.
For the better part of two years, I have found my interest and love for the UFC (and MMA in general) dying out after falling in love with it back in 2005.
I learned last week someone else is having the same issue: MMA and wrestling writer/author Jonathan Snowden who did this fantastic column as he comes to grips with what is happening to his fandom which dates further back than mine does.
We talk about the ESPN era and comparisons to the WWE/NBCUniversal/Fox deals, the loss of transcendent crossover stars like the Lesnars, McGregors and Rouseys, the death of the fun fights, and why the influx of Dagestan/Chechnya/Russian fighters isn’t as fun as when the Brazilians took over years ago.
We then wrap up talking about our shared frustrations about AEW today compared to three years ago and some new project Jonathan is working on including an unauthorized Dusty Rhodes biography.
Click below to listen and join us in our therapy session, followed by an unplanned solo rant about Jeff Hardy, drunk driving and Tony Khan’s Busted Open appearance Wednesday.
2:10: catching up, new projects (Dusty Rhodes book)
14:00: UFC therapy session
46:00 – 1:08: AEW frustrations
1:09 – end: A rant on Jeff Hardy, Jey Uso & Tony Khan’s Busted Open appearance
We kick off with the buzzworthy Hell in a Cell match from Sunday that saw Cody Rhodes wrestle with a torn pectoral muscle. Should he have or should we not worry about this stuff?
From there, I air my confusions and frustrations with the botched announcement and situation from last Friday’s AEW Rampage that saw CM Punk announce he was injured but without much clarity, Chris Jericho say he relinquished the title when he didn’t (twice!) and Excalibur later speed read through what actually was happening while a match was going on — all while Twitter was completely confused as to what was happening.
Then, we arrive at our main event topic: the AEW World title run of Hangman Page. What worked? What didn’t? Did it accomplish its goals and what happens with Page now?
This is a free show. Just click the link at the bottom of the post to listen.
When he was released by WWE near the end of 2021, Swerve Strickland had a lot of options in wrestling — especially given the true independent contractor status most non-WWE talents have now.
But he didn’t want to just limit himself to what you see in the ring as his interests are much broader like music, acting and podcasting.
On this new edition of Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, learn all about who I feel is pro wrestling’s next breakout star in a 40+ minute interview.
Here’s some of what we talked about:
What drove his decision to sign with AEW vs. other promotions that came calling
How he chooses what outside promotions to work with
What inspires his character from look to attitude to his promos
His AEW Rampage match with fellow Pacific Northwest wrestler Darby Allin
That Will Ospreay tweet that got people talking
The impending short horror film he recently shot scenes for and touring this summer to support his music
Click below to listen for free or search for ‘Wrestling Observer’ wherever you listen to your podcasts to get our free feed.
As always, this is a free show. Just click below to listen.
In January 2017, a new indie promotion launched in Seattle, Washington, headlined by Cody Rhodes vs. Shane Strickland competing for the now-defunct GFW NexGen Championship.
In current day, DEFY Wrestling just celebrated their fifth anniversary, has a rabid and loyal fanbase, their own on-demand video service, and has helped further along the careers of Strickland, Darby Allin and prodigy Nick Wayne.
In this look at the history and future of the promotion, co-owner and co-founder Matt Farmer talks with me about everything DEFY in a fascinating look at how an indie promotion has fought to make it in a region that needed a modern wrestling infusion.
In our talk, we discuss Allin, Strickland, the rise of Wayne and the night he was given his AEW contract, balancing cards with local vs. fly-in talent, and plenty more.
If you’re in the Portland, Oregon, area Saturday, check out their event headlined by DEFY Interim World Champion Christopher Daniels, 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Nick Wayne, a no DQ match between Joey Janela and Schaff, and more.
On a new (and free) Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, Mat Men co-host and wrestling insider Andrew Zarian joins me on a breaking news edition of the podcast to talk about Cody and Brandi Rhodes leaving AEW.
Just click below to listen. As always, this show is free.
We talk about the announcement, what Andrew heard and when he knew something was going down, the speculation as to what happened, what this means for the second season of Rhodes to the Top, and if this means Rhodes is definitely returning to WWE as many assume.
We also talked about what a Rhodes signing would mean for WWE and if recent big-name returns (and speculated returns) have awakened a sleeping giant in terms of taking it to AEW.
Also, considering Rhodes hasn’t been complimentary of WWE since leaving, how would that play out?
You can hear Andrew every week on Mat Men, We’re Live Pal, and the Sunday edition of Wrestling Observer Live on this very website.
The following is a free show. Just click the ‘Right Click Save As’ to listen.
On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, I wanted/needed to divert from the world of pro wrestling and MMA for a week and focus on another passion of mine instead: comic book movies/TV and the culture as a whole.
After explaining our backgrounds with comics and what got us into them to begin with, we recap everything that was released in 2021 from Marvel, DC and others on both the small screen and the big screen.
Then, we look ahead to the 2022 slate of movies and TV shows and what we’re looking forward to the most.
Spider Man: No Way Home? We talk about it. The Suicide Squad? Yep, here. Gushing over John Cena’s The Peacemaker? We checked that box too.
Just click below to listen and nerd out with us for a while.
The following is a free episode. Just click the giant red button below to listen.
December 2, 2020, kicked off the beginning of what would be a 10-month storyline between AEW and Impact Wrestling as following his title win over Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega and Don Callis said they would explain everything on Thursday’s Impact.
With Christian Cage losing the Impact World title to Josh Alexander at October’s Bound for Glory, the first chapter between the two companies ended, at least for now.
On this episode of Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, Martin Dickinson of The Sportster joins me to discuss the last 10 months and ultimately, whether the partnership was worth it for both sides. Martin recently wrote about this very subject, so he was the perfect fit to break it down.
A few avenues we take:
Whether fans’ dreams of an invasion angle were valid from the start
Did Kenny Omega need the Impact title after all?
Why didn’t AEW feature Rich Swann on Dynamite when he was facing Omega in a title vs. title match?
The Sammy Guevara incident
How the New Japan/Impact partnership has been better…and more.
Nearly a year ago, I introduced you to Christian Casanova, a standout in the Northeastern U.S. indie scene that was improving night in and night out and seemed to be on the cusp of a big opportunity. Four months later, he was signed by WWE and is now the NXT North American Champion as Carmelo Hayes.
Now, I’d like to introduce you to another potential breakout from the same region in “The Prize” Alec Price, a lean and brash young talent who has been on the run of his young career for promotions like Beyond Wrestling and Limitless Wrestling with matches against Josh Alexander, Eddie Edwards, Lee Moriarty, Daniel Garcia, JD Drake, Anthony Greene, Jake Something, Chris Dickinson and others.
We talk about what hooked him on the game, being trusted by promoters with big names in featured matches, how he hopes to raise his profile, intergender wrestling, and plenty more.
He’s going to get his shot sooner than later, so get the info on what you should know about this 23-year-old now.
After that, I talk about my night covering both AEW Dynamite and Rampage in Boston, the ridiculousness of “Attendance-gate” and why it’s futile to try to determine how many people are leaving an arena during a match.
Left My Wallet returns with our very own Josh Nason.
The contributing editor and host of Josh Nason’s Punch Out joins me to talk about a myriad of baseball topics like the overachieving Boston Red Sox and some possible trades they can make before the trade deadline, changes to bring more fans to the game, surprising and disappointing fantasy players, and a debate on the merits of a number of Hall of Fame candidates, both current and retired players.
We then talk the current state of independent wrestling and who are some local New England names who could be the next to break out on the national scene.
Finally, we get Josh’s answer to see if he’ll be back to defend his Observer Fantasy Football League Championship!
It’s our annual (almost) midseason baseball show, sprinkled in with a little bit of wrestling. Enjoy!
In MMA, we hear about managers and trainers, but outside the more outspoken ones that stand out, how many of us truly understand what the day to day life of one is like?
On this edition of Josh Nason’s Punch Out, learn about that and more as I talk with TopGame Management’sTyson Chartier, manager and trainer for UFC fighters like Rob Font, Calvin Kattar, Kyle Bochniak, and more fighters trying to get into the UFC.
Among the topics Tyson and I talked about:
How he has built up TopGame Management without doing much outward recruiting
What advice he gives to fighters about promoting themselves
What he’s learned from Joe Lauzon
Inspirations for how he’s built his business
His team’s successful night at January’s UFC 220 when Font, Kattar, and Bochniak all won within 90 minutes of each other
How he has dealt with aging fighters looking for one more fight when they are well past their prime…and more.
