The Turnbuckle Debate #230

Welcome to Wrestling Tonight, your weekly dive into the biggest stories across the wrestling world! This week, we recap WWE Backlash 2025, where Jeff Cobb made a surprise debut to assist Jacob Fatu in retaining the U.S. Title, Gunther overwhelmed Pat McAfee, and Lyra Valkyria edged out Becky Lynch in a standout Women’s Intercontinental Title match. While the show had its moments, repeated interference and uneven pacing left some fans split. We also spotlight Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s Northern Rising event from Toronto—an impressive showcase that saw Josh Alexander win the Canadian Championship and Gisele Shaw become the inaugural MLP Canadian Women’s Champion. With Mauro Ranallo and Don Callis on commentary, MLP made a strong statement about its place on the North American scene. Over in California, NJPW Resurgence delivered a loaded card. AZM stunned Mercedes Moné and Mina Shirakawa to win the STRONG Women’s Championship, while the IWGP World Title match between Hirooki Goto and Zack Sabre Jr. ended in a controversial double pin. United Empire claimed STRONG tag gold, and the generational BULLET CLUB rift deepened. Quick hitters include WWE’s Night of Champions announcement for Saudi Arabia, AEW confirming Dynamite 300 for July 2 in Ontario, California, and the launch of AEW’s “Grand Slam Mexico” week. Plus: Becky Lynch talks acting, MJF, and her current goals, while Shelton Benjamin publicly responds to Hulk Hogan’s latest name flub. Support Wrestling Tonight by joining our Patreon for just $2.99/month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern and follow us @turnbuckletavern for all the latest. Until next week, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans—God luck and good speed.

Our guest this week is wrestling media personality, Ella Jay! Join us as we ask which recent release will be have biggest blow/impact on WWE’s future; Dakota Kai: where should she end up following her WWE release? AEW, TNA, STARDOM, other; and who should take the title off of Moxley: Hangman or Ospreay? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so make sure you don't miss anything and go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo!

Welcome to Episode 123 of Wrestling Tonight! This week’s focus is WWE Backlash, featuring John Cena defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against longtime rival Randy Orton. Other matches include Lyra Valkyria defending the Women’s Intercontinental title against Becky Lynch, Pat McAfee’s in-ring return against Gunther, Jey Uso facing Logan Paul for the World Heavyweight Championship, and Jacob Fatu defending the United States Championship in a four-way match with Drew McIntyre, LA Knight, and Damian Priest. Elsewhere, Hulk Hogan introduces Real American Freestyle (RAF), a new promotion debuting on August 30, emphasizing unscripted, athletic-based storytelling. WWE faces escalating legal matters, as additional plaintiffs join the ongoing ring boy lawsuit against the company, and Dr. Carlon Colker files a defamation lawsuit tied to the Janel Grant case. AEW’s Darby Allin completed a record-setting kickflip at Mount Everest. Buddy Matthews is nearing his AEW return following injury, while wrestling legend Meiko Satomura officially retires after a 30-year career. We’ll also cover news and updates from NJPW, TNA, and more. Follow the show on Patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern and on social media @turnbuckletavern for the latest updates. God luck and good speed!  

Our guest this week is Independent wrestling legend Chance Prophet! Join us as we ask has WWE reached the point to where they will never have another legitimate competitor in the pro-wrestling genre; with the growing ticket prices for a WWE event, will other companies see incremental growth; with the WWE acquisition of AAA, is it a positive or negative for pro-wrestling at large? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from The Two Bad Chads! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

The RAWDOWN boys discuss all of the news coming out of RAW and Smackdown and get you caught up on all of the news happening inside and outside the ropes in WWE. Everything is on the table. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all of the stories and news going on in the WWE. Let's talk about it and everything else in the WWE Universe! WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, NXT... It's all there! Come get your best weekly fix for all things WWE on The RAWDOWN, right here at The Turnbuckle Tavern! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, SHARE, & CLICK THE BELL! TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern to join our Patreon for only $2.99/mo!

Welcome back to Wrestling Tonight for Episode 122. Every week we’re here breaking down everything happening across WWE, AEW, NJPW, TNA, and the rest of the wrestling world — the real stories, the real moves, and why they matter. This week, we start with The Rock, who has been making serious noise behind the scenes after WrestleMania 41. After stepping away from the Cody Rhodes and John Cena storyline at the last minute, The Rock is back in the spotlight — not just for creative decisions, but for a public clash with Busted Open’s Dave LaGreca. We’ll dig into what’s really going on, how much influence The Rock actually has right now, and whether we’re seeing the start of a bigger shift inside WWE. The returns didn’t stop there either. Aleister Black made his long-awaited comeback on SmackDown, bringing back that dark, dangerous edge. Meanwhile over on Raw, Rusev returned in a big way. We’ll break down what both of these returns could mean for WWE’s summer plans, and where they might slot into the bigger picture. It wasn’t all celebration though. Charlotte Flair had some strong words after the WrestleMania Roast crossed a few lines, and you can feel the real tension just under the surface. We’ll talk about why this isn’t just about bad jokes — it’s about respect, the locker room atmosphere, and how things backstage might be a little more unsettled than they seem. In NXT, Noam Dar continues building a quietly historic resume. He’s now the only four-time Heritage Cup Champion, and at a time when consistency is rare, Dar’s steady presence is starting to stand out even more. We’ll take a look at why this win matters, and why it might be signaling bigger things for NXT moving forward. Meanwhile, TNA Rebellion is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of their modern era. Joe Hendry defends the World Title against Ethan Page and Frankie Kazarian. Masha Slamovich puts the Knockouts Championship on the line against a returning Tessa Blanchard. Ultimate X is back for the X-Division Title. The Hardys defend the Tag Titles against the Nemeth brothers. And Mustafa Ali vs Mike Santana in a Falls Count Anywhere match could end up stealing the show. We’ll go match-by-match and get you ready for a night that could reshape the TNA landscape. And across the border, the battle for Mexico’s wrestling future is heating up. AEW made the first move, announcing their upcoming Arena México show with CMLL — a historic partnership that immediately turned heads. Now WWE is responding in a big way, fast-tracking their plans following the acquisition of AAA and setting up their own events to plant a flag in the region. This isn’t just about who can sell tickets — it’s about who controls the narrative and future of lucha libre going forward. Finally, we’ll close tonight by paying tribute to the late Steve "Mongo" McMichael. Mongo was one of a kind — NFL champion, Horseman, commentator, and larger-than-life personality inside and outside the ring. We’ll share a few stories and a few laughs, and raise a glass to a guy who always gave the fans everything he had. Stick around — big moves, real emotion, and a lot to get into tonight on Wrestling Tonight. Grab a drink, pull up a chair — let’s talk some wrestling.

Our guests for this week are Seth and Jordan from The Goal Line Podcast! Join us as we ask who is more responsible for WWE's current boom: Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes; is the honeymoon over for HHH’s booking in WWE; and was TNA’s champion getting squashed on WrestleMania a bad look for TNA? It's going to be a fun week here at The Tavern, so to make sure you do not miss anything, go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!