Tag: Punch-Out

JNPO: Pro wrestling year in review – The first Vince McMahon allegations emerge

Posted on by Josh Nason

On a new Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, the clubhouse leader for the best pro wrestling year in review series continues with a stop in June 2022 — the month that saw the first of the Vince McMahon allegations come out.

Helping me through this month is first-time guest and Brace for Impact podcast host Mike Gilbert of Fight Game Media.

Mike and I talk about the emergence of the McMahon story by the Wall Street Journal and the immediate fallout that saw McMahon appear on WWE TV in a show of confidence, defiance and false bravado.

June also saw a strange path to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door including a notable post-Double or Nothing AEW Dynamite that included CM Punk getting injured on a stage drive, Hiroshi Tanahashi appearing to set up a match that never happened, and MJF deliver a scathing promo before his three-month disappearance.

We also get into everything that happened in Impact, Japan, and the indies.

Enjoy this latest deep dive into the pro wrestling year that was.

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: Pro wrestling year in review – MJF, Sasha Banks & Naomi take a stand

Posted on by Josh Nason

In the May 2022 stop in my JNPO pro wrestling year in review series, we arrive at two different types of situations where wrestlers took a stand against their employers but for completely different reasons.

The returning Jesse Collings of Voices of Wrestling and Wrestlenomics is my guest as we look back on all the happenings over that 31-day stretch.

Of course, the aforementioned situations included MJF no-showing an AEW fan event autograph/meet & greet session that led to an avalanche of speculation as to whether he would even appear at that weekend’s Double or Nothing. He did, but would later disappear for three months.

The other includes two talents that have yet to return after walking out before an episode of WWE Raw in Sasha Banks & Naomi. Upset about their upcoming creative direction given they were Women’s Tag Team Champions, they left the venue that night and what followed on TV was something we usually don’t see in WWE.

Jesse and I also hit on the following in our hour-long talk:

  • All of the happenings from Double or Nothing including CM Punk winning the AEW World title and the conclusions for both Owen Hart tournament final matches
  • Roman Reigns entering “a new phase” of his WWE career that would see him work less dates
  • The last-minute decision to unify the WWE Raw and SmackDown Tag Team titles
  • All the news from Impact, Japan, the indies and everything in between

Just click below to listen and catch up in the archives — all for free. You can also subscribe to our website’s free show feed to listen in your podcast device of choice.

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: Pro wrestling year in review – Steve Austin’s return, anti-AEW bot accusations

Posted on by Josh Nason

On the landmark 200th episode of Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, we unveil a supersized edition of the show as the 2022 pro wrestling year in review series rolls on.

Post Wrestling’s Andrew Thompson joins me for two hours (!) to talk everything that happened in the month of April, highlighted by WWE WrestleMania 38.

That show featured the in-ring return of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Roman Reigns unifying the WWE World and Universal titles, an all-time awful Vince McMahon bump that was scrubbed from Peacock, the return of Cody Rhodes, and more.

The month also saw an accusation from Tony Khan of an army of anti-AEW Twitter bots powered by a staff running thousands of accounts.

AEW also announced the NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view and the main event for Double or Nothing.

ROH held their first show under the Khan regime that saw surprises, title changes and debuts which included Samoa Joe and a great match between FTR and The Briscoes.

Andrew and I also talk all the news in Japan, Impact and all the other major headlines throughout the month.

Click Here To Listen for free

JNPO: Pro wrestling year in review – Cody & Brandi Rhodes leave AEW

Posted on by Josh Nason

The pro wrestling year in review series continues on Josh Nason’s Punch-Out with a stop in February 2022.

Joining me this week to sift through it all is website writer and columnist Ian Carey.

The biggest news from February was Cody Rhodes’ decision to leave AEW in favor of WWE. While the story extended for several months, it truly took bloom this month.

Some of the other big news and notes we talked about from 468 stories we posted that month:

  • WWE’s return to Saudi Arabia that saw Brock Lesnar regain the WWE title while Bobby Lashley never actually got into the match, in addition to Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg
  • Shane McMahon’s exit from WWE
  • AEW’s Tony Khan teasing another massive announcement
  • The strange story of Brian Kendrick
  • Several big AEW debuts including Keith Lee and Jay White
  • All the news from Japan, Impact, ROH, and the indies

Click Here To Listen

This show is brought to you by NordVPN, a service I have personally used since 2020. If you’ve ever thought about a VPN, check them out now with this unique URL to get a big discount and four free months — all with a money back guarantee. 

JNPO: John Pollock on POST Wrestling’s fifth anniversary

Posted on by Josh Nason

Nearly five years ago, John Pollock was a guest on Josh Nason’s Punch-Out just days after he and Wai Ting’s POST Wrestling launched. 

As he and Wai prepare for their fifth anniversary party on Saturday afternoon in Newark, New Jersey, prior to AEW Full Gear, I invited John back to talk about what the duo has learned over the past five years and where they hope to be in the next five.

We talked about how the company managed through the pandemic, their expansion of talent and doing different shows, and how his friend and business partner has grown through the process.

We also chat about his experience at Dynamite and Rampage in Toronto and details about Saturday’s live event.

Click Here To Listen

This show is brought to you by NordVPN, a service I have personally used since 2020. If you’ve ever thought about a VPN, check them out now with this unique URL to get a big discount and four free months — all with a money back guarantee. 

JNPO: Pro wrestling year in review – The month of Brock

Posted on by Josh Nason

With the end of 2022 hurtling toward us, it’s time to begin the best damn year in review series in the pro wrestling universe.

For the second straight year, I attempt to delve into all the big stories, results and news to help us remember all that we forgot about.

It begins with January — a month that saw two WWE pay-per-views, ahem, premium live events, Brock Lesnar winning and losing the WWE title and then winning the Royal Rumble, Jon Moxley returning from a rehab stint, and the free agency drama with Cody Rhodes beginning.

Helping me look back at this month is assistant editor, video game superstar and overall good guy Bryan Rose.

Here’s a few other of the many things we hit on:

  • GCW’s biggest pay-per-view of all time
  • Road Dogg, William Regal, Samoa Joe and others being cut from WWE
  • WWE’s “gory mutilation” shot at AEW
  • The first-ever AEW Battle of the Belts
  • Okada winning his first-ever IWGP World title…and more.

Click Here To Listen

This show is brought to you by NordVPN, a service I have personally used since 2020. If you’ve ever thought about a VPN, check them out now with this unique URL to get a big discount and four free months — all with a money back guarantee. 

JNPO: FITE co-founder Michael Weber on GCW streaming deal, future of FITE+, AEW

Posted on by Josh Nason

One of the big news stories this week in pro wrestling was GCW, Wrestling Revolver and Black Label Pro getting out of the pay-per-view business and moving both live events and their content libraries to FITE+.

While we initially heard from GCW owner Brett Lauderdale, I wanted to hear about the decision from FITE’s perspective. 

Enter company co-founder & chief operating officer Michael Weber.

Michael and I talked for 30+ minutes about the future of FITE+ and the decision to bulk up the streaming service including why GCW was such a key component of it. Mike also reveals how many shows GCW plans on running per year as part of the deal.

We talk about the financial importance of AEW+ on FITE for an international audience.

He also dishes about his wrestling front office triple crown past, working for WWE, WCW and TNA (with an ROH consulting stint added in for good measure).

We also talk about the PPV business and some of the barriers to concerts becoming a big part of the equation.

This was a fun conversation that wrestling business aficionados will love.

Click Here To Listen

This show is brought to you by NordVPN, a service I have personally used since 2020. If you’ve ever thought about a VPN, check them out now with this unique URL to get a big discount and four free months — all with a money back guarantee. 

JNPO: The underappreciated wrestling career of AEW’s JD Drake

Posted on by Josh Nason

This is a free show, courtesy of NordVPN. Scroll down to listen.

A Josh Nason’s Punch-Out bucket list guest can now be crossed off the list as wrestling veteran and AEW roster member JD Drake makes his debut.

For twenty years, Drake has been working in wrestling rings around the world, either solo or with longtime partner Anthony Henry of The WorkHorsemen.

Here’s a few thread from our near-hour long conversation:

  • His thoughts on his near-two year run in AEW and whether he’s happy with how things have gone
  • The decision to reunite with Henry after he was released by WWE
  • His approach to dealing with unruly fans at shows, especially those who say bigoted things
  • His recent Twitter comments about NXT’s Josh Briggs
  • His path to improving his mental health and standing up for himself
  • Some crazy travel stories
  • How he chooses what indies he works with among his 70+ matches a year and the process of telling an indie promoter that he can’t work a show due to an injury or double booking with AEW

Click Here To Listen

This show is brought to you by NordVPN, a service I have personally used since 2020. If you’ve ever thought about a VPN, check them out now with this unique URL to get a big discount and four free months — all with a money back guarantee. 

JNPO: Ariel Helwani on Tony Khan AEW controversy, Triple H WWE interview criticism, CM Punk

Posted on by Josh Nason

The following is a free podcast. Scroll down to listen.

24 hours after his comments on his interview with AEW head Tony Khan went viral on wrestling Twitter, Ariel Helwani makes his serendipitous debut on Josh Nason’s Punch-Out.

In our 35-minute talk and our first podcast together in ten years, we hit on the following topics:

  • His reaction to the reaction about his comments on the Khan interview being “one of the most frustrating and not so fun interviews” of his career
  • His specific reaction to Dave Meltzer & Bryan Alvarez’s comments on WOR
  • Would he interview Khan again?
  • An exclusive on a story pitch he made regarding Khan
  • Has he talked to CM Punk since the events of All Out?
  • The narrative that he throws WWE talent softballs in interviews
  • Why he didn’t ask Paul Levesque about the Vince McMahon allegations in their sit-down interview
  • An exclusive on his status with BT Sport
  • His experience attending his first AEW show
  • His other controversy about ranch vs. blue cheese with buffalo wings

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: Impact’s Scott D’Amore on Bound for Glory, state of the company

Posted on by Josh Nason

With their Bound for Glory pay-per-view coming this Friday, it was the right time to welcome first-time guest and Impact Wrestling/Anthem Sports & Entertainment senior vice president Scott D’Amore to Josh Nason’s Punch-Out.

In our thirty minute chat found below, we talk about a few of the top matches this Friday and the overall state of Impact in October 2022.

A few specifics:

  • Where does Impact fit in today’s wrestling landscape?
  • Why did the company make the recent move to have PPVs and monthly specials on Fridays vs. Saturdays?
  • Was he happy with how last year’s AEW storyline played out?
  • Were the rumors of him meeting with Braun Strowman in a Detroit airport true?
  • Is there a desire to get Impact on a more traditional and widely-available cable network?
  • The current title picture in the World, Knockouts and Knockouts divisions

Get all this and more on this week’s Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, available for free by clicking below.

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: Jon Alba on how to improve the wrestling media ecosystem

Posted on by Josh Nason

Heard a good story about wrestling media lately?

With each passing week, there is more and more grumbling from writers, podcasters, wrestlers and organizations about how the business is covered and discussed and how information is disseminated.

Can the wrestling media ecosystem be improved or are we all just doomed to endure an endless cycle of finger pointing?

Joining me on this week’s Punch-Out to talk about this is Jon Alba, the Emmy-award winning sports broadcaster, wrestling podcast host, and recent indie manager & behind-the-scenes consultant.

We set the table through a July 2022 interview AEW head Tony Khan did on Busted Open Radio where they discuss media issues.

Jon and I talk through the issues including why all outlets are not built the same, how social media gets sandwiched into the conversation, the importance of media literacy with fans and wrestlers, how media can better learn to conduct themselves, and why transparency from promotions would go a long way to helping curb issues before they start.

Also, we talk about Jon’s battles with mental health including this podcast he did with Matt Hardy about the subject in addition to his farewell to an indie crowd where he discussed his issues.

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: Dr. Keith Lipinski on AEW drama, All Out experience, state of AAW

Posted on by Josh Nason

With all the drama surrounding this past weekend’s events in Chicago (including Bryan Alvarez going down in defeat), there’s no better time to welcome Windy City resident, AAW executive vice president and former Dr. Keith Presents host Dr. Keith Lipinski to Josh Nason’s Punch-Out.

On his maiden voyage, the good doctor and I hit on the following:

  • Thoughts on all the unfolding drama stemming from the backstage incident with CM Punk, the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Ace Steel
  • The role Tony Khan has to take moving forward 
  • Whether Keith has ever seen Steel bite someone!
  • Keith’s thoughts on the All Out show including the length of the show and some of his favorite matches
  • A deep dive into Chicago’s AAW where he is involved with creative and the talent
  • How does AAW compete and survive in a big market with other promotions?
  • The budgetary and creative balancing act of bringing name value wrestlers mixed with local talent

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: A different take on WWE & AEW TV rights, ratings & demos

Posted on by Josh Nason

This is a free podcast. Just scroll down and click to listen.

With wrestling ratings and TV rights talk basically a daily occurence ’round these parts, I have wanted to get a different take on the subject from someone outside the wrestling media bubble that still understands the product but doesn’t have a lean one way or another.

I found one.

On this week’s Punch-Out, I talk to New York Post sports media & entertainment reporter and wrestling fan Ryan Glasspiegel. 

Ryan and I talked for 30 minutes about what his wrestling intake is like and how he has viewed the current landscape of both WWE and AEW through his reporting lens.

We talk about whether ratings or demos matter to advertisers and networks, if he thinks WWE will sell the company, if AEW needs more suitors and how streaming services may get involved.

Join us for this free and fascinating conversation from someone outside our intense wrestling media bubble.

Click Here To Listen

JNPO: Chad Dundas on ‘The Territories,’ UFC’s gradual evolution

Posted on by Josh Nason

The following is a free show. Just click below to listen.

Author and Co-Main Event Podcast co-chair Chad Dundas returns to Josh Nason’s Punch-Out for the third time to talk his new project, The Territories, available on IndieGogo now.

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.

https://vimeo.com/728114340

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.

Click here to listen.

JNPO: Vince McMahon, Stephanie & WWE’s already wild Friday

Posted on by Josh Nason

This is a free show. Just scroll down to listen.

It’s been a wild Friday for both WWE and the McMahon family.

Ahead of today’s Wrestling Observer Live where this topic will be expounded upon further, I provide everything we know thus far about today’s big news that Vince McMahon has voluntarily (and temporarily?) stepped down as WWE CEO & Chairman.

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.

Click Here To Listen