Tag: pro wrestling year in review

JNPO: July 2025 wrestling year in review – Hulk Hogan passes away, AEW All In

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

The Josh Nason’s Punch-Out pro wrestling year in review series continues with a stop in July — arguably the busiest month of the year when it came to news.

That’s because Hulk Hogan passed away which brought out a lot of big feelings, memories and a lot of mainstream media attention.

The month also featured AEW All In which saw Hangman Page end the night as World Champion in addition to a lot of newsworthy happenings.

July also saw the retirement of Bill Goldberg on the same show in which Seth Rollins got “injured” which also saw its own torrent of speculation, news, and conjecture.

Helping me sift through that and a few hundred headlines is returning guest Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net which includes the rest of the news in AEW, WWE, NXTNAAA, Japan, Mexico and more.

Click here to listen for free, also available on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Past episodes:

JNPO: June 2025 wrestling year in review – Mr. Punk heads to Saudi Arabia

Posted on by Josh Nason

On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, the best pro wrestling year in review podcast series from here to there continues with a stop in June 2025 and returning guest Kate Elizabeth of Fightful.

June featured another WWE trip to Saudi Arabia but this time with a new passenger: CM Punk. We talk about the controversy in his first visit, his apology when he arrived, and all the hubbub around it.

The month also featured R-Truth’s run in WWE coming to an end…for about a week. Remember this story? We do.

Josh and Kate also talk AEW Grand Slam Mexico, all the happenings in NXTNAAA, Japan, and the rest of the pro wrestling world.

If it was important in June, we talk about it here.

Click here to listen for free or stream on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts (currently processing), also for free.

Past episodes:

JNPO: May 2025 wrestling year in review – AEW Double or Nothing, WWE cuts, RIP Sabu

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: JJ Williams

On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, the best pro wrestling year in review podcast series from here to there continues with a stop in May 2025.

Returning for this second go-round is Mr. Warren Hayes of Voices of Wrestling and his own YouTube channel for an extended play edition of the show.

Josh and Warren talk about AEW Double or Nothing, a show that saw two Owen Hart tournament winners, a big round of WWE cuts and events like Backlash and Saturday Night’s Main Event, all the happenings in NXTNAAA, Japan and the rest of the wrestling world.

Of course, they talk about the passing of Sabu at just 60 years old.

Over 300 headlines are scoured and discussed, so get out of that turkey coma and join them on the fifth entry into the year in review series.

Click here to listen for free or stream for free on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts (search Wrestling Observer).

Past episodes:

JNPO: April 2025 wrestling year in review – The Rock skips WrestleMania, another frustrating AEW PPV main event finish

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, the best pro wrestling year in review podcast series from here to there continues with a stop in April 2025.

Returning for an earlier than usual appearance on the series is Rich Kraetsch of Voices of Wrestling and also of the new dad club.

There’s a lot we get into on this hour+ long show like:

  • The build to WWE WrestleMania 41, the show itself, and the PR effort afterward for why The Rock skipped the show and the John Cena angle
  • A second straight AEW pay-per-view main event that ended in a meh feeling
  • WWE’s intent of a controlling interest of AAA
  • Naito and NJPW parting ways
  • Over 300 headlines and news items mentioned…and lots more.

Click here to listen for free or stream for free on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Past episodes:

JNPO: March 2025 wrestling year in review – Cena’s heel turn, that AEW Revolution main event finish

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, the best pro wrestling year in review podcast series from here to the Andromeda Galaxy rolls on with a stop in March 2025.

Rejoining the show for his yearly visit is Rich Fann of Pro Wrestling Torch and Post Wrestling.

The guys go for an hour going through 300+ topics including:

  • The John Cena heel turn at Elimination Chamber powered (briefly) by The Rock and subsequent follow-up
  • Several other key WWE returns
  • AEW’s first PPV of the calendar year with a main event finish no one was into
  • TNA continuing to make changes with the dismissal of Gail Kim
  • NXT title changes
  • The Chris Bey bey-nefit show…and so much more.

Click here to listen for free or stream for free on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Past episodes:

JNPO: February 2025 wrestling year in review – AEW releases, The Rock wants Cody’s soul

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, the best pro wrestling year in review series in the solar system rolls on with a stop in February 2025.

Rejoining the show for his yearly visit is Jesse Collings of Voices of Wrestling and the Gentlemen’s Wrestling Podcast.

The guys go for an hour going through 200+ topics including:

  • The Rock telling Cody Rhodes he wanted his soul
  • AEW finally parting ways with Ricky Starks, Malakai Black and Miro after months and months and months of speculation
  • AEW’s successful debut in Australia
  • WWE Royal Rumble
  • WWE signing Ricky Starks immediately after his AEW release
  • A new IWGP World Champion
  • The best of the news from Japan, Mexico, the indies, TNA, NXT and more

Click here to listen for free, also available for free on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Past episodes:

JNPO: January 2025 wrestling year in review – WWE’s newsworthy debut on Netflix

Posted on by Josh Nason

With 2026 in the distance, it is time once again to begin the best pro wrestling year in review series on Josh Nason’s Punch-Out.

This extended look at all the big news, results and happenings from January 2025 in WWE, AEW, TNA, ROH, NXT, Japan and the rest of the wrestling world.

Joining me in the leadoff spot is returning guest Jack Farmer.

On the topic board for this episode:

  • WWE’s debut on Netflix with Raw — a show that featured the booing of Hulk Hogan in a bit of a surprise moment
  • The Rock’s babyface promo on Raw and bizarre follow-up on NXT that had us all scratching our heads
  • Kenny Omega returning to action after a lengthy injury absence, first in NJPW and then in AEW
  • The official news of the WWE/TNA partnership
  • A very strange intro song for AEW Dynamite
  • New NXT champions
  • The best from NJPW, the indies, Mexico and more

Click here to listen for free, also available for free on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

JNPO wrestling year in review series: Punk-led clashes & a newly-opened forbidden door

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

We’re at the halfway point of my annual JNPO wrestling year in review series, hitting on the month of June.

Joining me for the first time is Garrett Kidney of the ‘You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me‘ podcast looking back at TNA history one month at a time.

Some of the many topics we hit upon in this hour include:

  • WWE Clash at the Castle which saw CM Punk screw hometown favorite Drew McIntyre out of winning the WWE World Heavyweight title
  • The annual AEW x NJPW x CMLL Forbidden Door which saw Will Ospreay take his first AEW loss, the return of Britt Baker, and several other new champions
  • The launch of the ‘NXTNA’ era as WWE and TNA began an unexpected partnership
  • WWE further expanding their interpromotional relationships with NOAH and Marigold

All that and lots more of the news you somewhat remember and that you also forgot awaits you with a click below:

Click here to listen

Here’s the rest of the series:

JNPO wrestling year in review series: Bad cage jumps, flamethrowers & restaurant fights

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

Josh Nason’s Punch-Out nears the halfway mark in my annual 12-part pro wrestling year in review series with a stop in May featuring returning guest Andrew Thompson of Post Wrestling.

Andrew & I go deep (two hours and 30 minutes~!) into happenings like:

  • AEW Double or Nothing which saw the use of flamethrowers, an unfortunate landing off a barbed wire cage jump by Adam Copeland, the return of MJF and the in-ring debut of Mercedes Mone
  • Two international WWE PLEs
  • Some moving and shaking with big WWE contracts
  • Lots of early AEW TV rights headlines and rumors, and WWE TV developments
  • Marigold’s debut show
  • The surprise NXT debut of Ethan Page…and lots more in WWE, AEW, NJPW, TNA and the wrestling world.

Click here to listen

Here’s the rest of the series:

JNPO wrestling year in review series: A Rocky road to WrestleMania

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

In the second installment of my 12-part pro wrestling year in review series, Josh Nason’s Punch-Out takes a stop in, you guessed it, February 2024.

Joining me this month is Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net.

As the headline indicates, this month was dominated by the formation of the WWE WrestleMania 40 main event from The Rock vs. Roman Reigns to Cody Rhodes vs. Reigns instead, made official during a press event during Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas. We hit on all the key points and happenings including the #WeWantCody movement.

Of course, there was the continued fallout from Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and his latest fall from grace. Many wrestlers went on the record about Vince. What did they say and why were they so conflicted?

We talk about the surprising firing of Scott D’Amore from TNA Wrestling, the announcement of AEW Big Business, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay both wrapping up in NJPW, Giulia preparing for her immediate future, and lots more from all your favorite groups.

Click here to listen and be sure to check out all the episodes as listed below:

JNPO wrestling year in review series: WWE’s newsworthy & nightmarish January

Posted on by Josh Nason

For WWE in January, it was the best of times and the worst of times.

That and more kicks off my third annual Josh Nason’s Punch-Out pro wrestling year in review series where I do 12 episodes covering all the news and happenings for WWE, AEW, TNA, Japan and everything else that made headlines.

Helping me kick things off with January 2024 is Rich Fann of PWTorch and POST Wrestling fame.

Among our topics:

  • Janel Grant sues Vince McMahon for sex trafficking, sexual assault and sexual abuse which resulted in McMahon resigning from his TKO leadership post and a lot of fallout
  • WWE announcing a megadeal with Netflix to bring Raw to the streaming service
  • The Rock announced as joining the TKO board and also beginning his insertion into the WrestleMania 40 main event scene
  • TNA officially rebranded itself and kicked off a new era
  • NJPW began to prepare for a massively transitional new year with two big stars preparing to leave
  • The other AEW, WWE and news from other smaller promotions

Join me here twice a week as I continue the series with new guests. Did I forget anything from the month? Let me know.

Click here to listen