The Turnbuckle Tavern

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week on Wrestling Tonight, Acefield Retro breaks down a Crown Jewel that delivered two title changes but still felt like very little moved forward. Roman Reigns beats Sami Zayn, but why is the WWE Champion's reward another man's approval? Chelsea Green defeats Liv Morgan before Tiffany Stratton ends her 97 day championship reign in three seconds, while Cody Rhodes stops the referee's count to punish Randy Orton with his own punt. We discuss what actually mattered, including Penta and Je'Von Evans becoming World Tag Team Champions as Oba Femi dismantles Bronson Reed. We also cover reports that WWE wrestlers left Riyadh before Sunday's attacks and landed in South Carolina. With some production staff potentially still handling the arena breakdown, we distinguish the confirmed reporting about talent departures from the less definitive information about staff. PWInsider reported no known WWE personnel affected, while Reuters reported damage in Riyadh's financial district. Then we dig into Blood & Guts beating an NXT loaded with John Cena, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. Dynamite drew 792,000 viewers against NXT's 552,000, with nearly 80% more viewers aged 18 to 49 despite TBS being available in 21.3 million fewer homes. We examine the surge among younger audiences, the missing streaming figures and NXT's preemptions, plus why Halloween's NXT victory over Collision tells a different story. AEW earned a major win, but can it keep those viewers when the cages come down? Cena also unveils the John Cena Classic, bringing WWE two episodes of Raw on December 14, with the tournament in Orlando and the regular show in Perth. Cody is the first invitee, talent from Raw, SmackDown and NXT will participate, and Club WWE voting will help shape the field. We discuss the spinner inspired championship, Cena's planned Survivor Series appearance and why this needs to create an opportunity for somebody beyond the established headliners. Over in Pro Wrestling EVE, four championships change hands at Elite Encounters 2. Kay Lee Ray defeats Kris Statlander after Session Moth Martina's interference goes wrong, Skye Blue ends Lucy Deathmatch's 72 day reign, and Marina Shafir takes the International Championship from Miyu Yamashita. HANAKO and Maika also capture the tag titles, giving EVE plenty to follow up beyond the initial excitement of new champions. We preview the week's television, including The Vanity Project defending the NXT Tag Team Championships against Dusty Classic winners Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno. Dynamite brings Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher face to face, Brodido against New Level, Ciampa against Speedball for the National Title, and Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir against Jay White and Mercedes Moné. Then we look ahead to Full Gear, including Ospreay vs. Fletcher, Moné vs. Shafir, a Texas Death Match for the trios titles and Anarchy in the Arena. Plus, Leon Slater defends against Trey Miguel at TNA Destination X, and Hechicero faces Zack Sabre Jr. at CMLL/NJPW Lucha Kingdom. Join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.

It's time for the 6th episode of Season 8 of SHOT OF NOSTALGIA and we're continuing our journey through the WEDNESDAY NIGHT WARS between AEW DYNAMITE and NXT. We're now entering February 2020, with AEW coming off a January that saw the company sweep the Wednesday night ratings, secure its television future with WarnerMedia and begin finding a much stronger creative direction after a difficult December. ACEFIELD RETRO is jumping back into the DELOREAN for February 5 through March 11, 2020, as we revisit six consecutive Wednesdays, AEW's Revolution pay per view in Chicago and NXT TakeOver: Portland. Both promotions are delivering some of their strongest wrestling since the competition began, with major championship changes, increasingly personal rivalries and two important events that will help define the early months of 2020. But what makes this stretch especially fascinating is that we're watching the final weeks of wrestling television as everyone knew it before the COVID-19 pandemic completely changes the industry. Over on TNT, AEW is building toward Revolution with several of its biggest stories finally reaching their breaking points. Jon Moxley continues fighting through Chris Jericho's Inner Circle, defeating Ortiz, Santana and Jeff Cobb before finally dethroning Jericho on February 29 to become the second AEW World Champion. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page successfully defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships against SCU and the Lucha Brothers before facing the Young Bucks at Revolution in a match that becomes one of the most celebrated tag team encounters in wrestling history. Cody endures MJF's humiliating ten lashes, survives Wardlow inside a steel cage and finally gets his opportunity for revenge, only for MJF to steal the victory with his diamond ring. Nyla Rose defeats Riho to capture the AEW Women's World Championship, Kenny Omega and PAC deliver an outstanding thirty minute Iron Man match, Orange Cassidy makes his AEW singles debut against PAC and Death Triangle emerges as a new force within the company. We're examining how these matches and rivalries helped AEW establish a more consistent identity, why Revolution became such an important event for the young promotion and how Tony Khan's increasingly focused creative direction was beginning to pay off. Behind the scenes, we're also looking at Revolution's commercial success, AEW's growing confidence following its WarnerMedia extension, the competition for available talent and the company's preparations for Blood and Guts as March begins. Meanwhile, NXT is heading into TakeOver: Portland with the Undisputed ERA's championship dominance beginning to unravel and several of the Black and Gold brand's most important rivalries approaching major turning points. Keith Lee successfully defends the NXT North American Championship against Dominik Dijakovic in an incredible heavyweight encounter, Finn Bálor defeats Johnny Gargano and Dakota Kai defeats Tegan Nox in a violent street fight with help from the debuting Raquel González. Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne complete their unlikely rise as the BroserWeights by defeating Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly to capture the NXT Tag Team Championships, while Adam Cole retains the NXT Championship against Tommaso Ciampa after Gargano shocks everyone by betraying his former partner. Rhea Ripley successfully defends against Bianca Belair before Charlotte Flair attacks her and accepts the challenge for WrestleMania, bringing one of WWE's biggest main roster stars directly into NXT's championship picture. In the weeks following Portland, Jordan Devlin defends the Cruiserweight Championship against Lio Rush, the Velveteen Dream continues his rivalry with Roderick Strong and the women's division begins qualifying for a planned ladder match at TakeOver: Tampa. We're examining whether Portland belongs among the strongest TakeOver events of the era, how WWE was positioning NXT heading into WrestleMania and what Charlotte's involvement revealed about the company's evolving approach to its third brand. Outside the Wednesday night competition, we're also revisiting Goldberg defeating Bray Wyatt for the Universal Championship at Super ShowDown, the continued rise of Tessa Blanchard in Impact, Marty Scurll's expanded responsibilities in Ring of Honor and the wider wrestling industry's increasingly competitive talent market. And the ratings continue telling an interesting story as AEW maintains its Wednesday night advantage, although NXT is beginning to narrow the gap compared with January. On February 5, Dynamite draws 928,000 viewers against NXT's 770,000, before the competition tightens considerably on February 12 when AEW attracts 817,000 against WWE's 757,000, a difference of only 60,000 viewers. Following TakeOver: Portland, NXT improves to 794,000 viewers on February 19, but Dynamite still wins with 893,000, while the February 26 go home show for Revolution draws 865,000 against NXT's 717,000. Across those four Wednesdays, AEW averages 875,750 viewers compared with NXT's 759,500, giving Dynamite an advantage of 116,250 viewers per episode and extending its winning streak to nine consecutive Wednesdays in 2020. But while AEW wins every February head to head battle, its average audience actually declines from January as NXT's improves, suggesting the competition is becoming closer despite the weekly results. We're comparing those numbers with Raw and SmackDown, examining whether acclaimed events like TakeOver: Portland and Revolution actually translate into sustained television growth and looking at the different business realities facing WWE and AEW. As we reach March 11, we're also examining how the rapidly developing coronavirus crisis is about to make traditional ratings comparisons considerably more complicated. More than anything, Episode 6 is about two wrestling companies hitting an important creative stride just as the entire industry is approaching an unprecedented disruption. AEW delivers Revolution, crowns Jon Moxley as its new World Champion and produces an extraordinary tag team championship match that demonstrates how effective its long term storytelling can become, while NXT answers with TakeOver: Portland, another outstanding showcase for the Black and Gold era built around Keith Lee, Finn Bálor, the BroserWeights and the latest chapter of Gargano and Ciampa's complicated history. AEW is continuing to win the television competition, but NXT is showing why its roster and TakeOver formula remain among the most respected in professional wrestling. We're also looking at how WWE's WrestleMania plans, its controversial decision to put the Universal Championship on Goldberg and the wider wrestling landscape were developing before everything changed. By March 11, AEW is preparing for Blood and Guts, NXT is building toward TakeOver: Tampa and WWE is still planning WrestleMania 36 as a major stadium event, with nobody fully prepared for the shutdowns and empty arena wrestling that will follow. This is the dividing line between the opening chapter of the Wednesday Night Wars and the completely different competition that emerges during the pandemic, making these six weeks one of the most fascinating periods we've revisited so far. Don't forget to grab your weekly Shot of Nostalgia to continue FLASHBACK FRIDAY ON THE TAVERN. As always, tip your bartenders & learn from the past!

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!

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! We preview and predict WWE Crown Jewel '26 and recap the week in WWE. All that and more on your #1 source for all things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern. This is the RAWDOWN!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week on Wrestling Tonight, Acefield Retro breaks down a loaded Wednesday as CM Punk challenges Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship opposite AEW Blood & Guts. With John Cena appearing and Cody Rhodes presenting the Dusty Classic trophy, WWE is giving fans plenty of reasons to tune in. But can NXT turn the attention into something lasting for Waller, and where does Tony D'Angelo fit after the controversial finish at Halloween Havoc? We also discuss WWE's reported backstage succession plan, with Shawn Michaels expected to replace Bruce Prichard following his reported retirement after WrestleMania 43. AJ Styles could take on greater responsibilities in NXT, but who would handle creative if Michaels moves on? We look at what these changes could mean for WWE and where Styles' interest in developing younger talent fits into the picture. Chad Gable pins CM Punk at a WWE house show, and we explain why that result deserves a mention on television. Meanwhile, reports indicate Punk and Kevin Owens did not refuse to travel to Saudi Arabia, with their SmackDown match always planned for that show. We separate that clarification from the broader reporting about talent safety concerns and examine why WWE's assurances need to leave room for wrestlers to speak up as Crown Jewel approaches. Over in AEW, we preview both Blood & Guts matches as Will Ospreay, Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, Steven Borden and The Young Bucks prepare to face the Don Callis Family. The women's match brings together Triangle of Madness, Divine Dominion and Persephone against The Brawling Birds, Wrathlander, Willow Nightingale and Queen Aminata. Plus, Darby goes from wrestling Hechicero in Arena Mexico to completing the New York City Marathon just days before stepping inside the cage. Then we look at AEW's New Year's Smash schedule change, which avoids a clash with SmackDown and puts Dynamite after college football playoff coverage. Can AEW turn that lead into new viewers? We also cover Paul Walter Hauser leaving MLW over creative differences and the pointed message that closed his otherwise appreciative farewell. In New Japan, Taiji Ishimori and Robbie X face Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita in the Super Junior Tag League final at Power Struggle. We discuss the redemption story, Blake Christian and Lee Johnson narrowly missing the final, and the uncertainty surrounding a future championship opportunity. Then we preview the week's television and look ahead to Crown Jewel, Full Gear, Destination X and Lucha Kingdom, including Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher and The Death Riders against The Cut in Anarchy in the Arena. Join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.

It's time for the 5th episode of Season 8 of SHOT OF NOSTALGIA and we're continuing our journey through the WEDNESDAY NIGHT WARS between AEW DYNAMITE and NXT. We've officially entered 2020, NXT is coming off its biggest ratings victory of the competition and AEW is looking to recover from a December that exposed some serious creative problems. ACEFIELD RETRO is jumping back into the DELOREAN for January 1 through January 29, 2020, as we revisit the first five Wednesdays of the new year, AEW begins finding its footing heading toward Revolution and NXT builds toward TakeOver: Portland. With the excitement of the original launch and WWE's Survivor Series campaign behind them, both companies are now facing the challenge of keeping audiences invested in their regular weekly television product. Over on TNT, AEW is beginning to establish a clearer direction for its biggest stars while making some important changes behind the scenes. Jon Moxley rejects Chris Jericho's invitation to join the Inner Circle, survives a vicious attack that leaves him with an injured eye and defeats PAC to earn his AEW World Championship opportunity at Revolution. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page develop an increasingly complicated partnership that leads them to the AEW World Tag Team Championships after defeating SCU aboard Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea, while Cody accepts MJF's humiliating conditions for their eventual confrontation. The company brings back Bash at the Beach, Britt Baker begins developing the arrogant personality that will transform her career and the Nightmare Collective continues struggling to connect with audiences. But the biggest development comes on January 15 when WarnerMedia announces a multiyear extension of AEW's television agreement, reportedly worth approximately $175 million over four years, along with plans for a second television series. We're examining why Tony Khan's increasing involvement in creative oversight was becoming so important, how the company was responding to its December criticism and what the television extension meant for AEW's long term survival. We're also revisiting the Marty Scurll and Dark Order speculation, Brian Cage's reported signing, the Revival's contractual situation and the growing competition for established wrestling talent. Meanwhile, NXT is attempting to maintain the momentum it established at the end of 2019 while preparing for another major TakeOver event. Keith Lee builds on his breakout Survivor Series performance by winning a fatal four way to become the number one contender for the NXT North American Championship before defeating Roderick Strong on January 22 to capture the title and disrupt the Undisputed ERA's championship dominance. Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne form the unlikely BroserWeights partnership and advance through the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, eventually defeating the Grizzled Young Veterans to earn an NXT Tag Team Championship opportunity against Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly. Bianca Belair wins a seventeen woman battle royal to challenge Rhea Ripley at TakeOver: Portland, Finn Bálor continues his increasingly aggressive run and Tommaso Ciampa moves closer to reclaiming the NXT Championship from Adam Cole. We're also revisiting Worlds Collide, where Imperium defeats the Undisputed ERA, Ripley retains against Toni Storm and Jordan Devlin captures the Cruiserweight Championship, along with Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler's remarkable Royal Rumble performances. Outside the ring, we're examining WWE's recruitment of established talent like Killer Kross, the uncertainty surrounding Velveteen Dream's injury and the challenge of maintaining NXT's identity while WWE continues expanding its international developmental system. And the ratings tell an absolutely fascinating story as AEW immediately reestablishes its Wednesday night advantage after NXT's strong December finish. On January 1, Dynamite draws 967,000 viewers against NXT's 548,000, although WWE is airing its year end awards program rather than a regular episode of live wrestling. AEW follows with 947,000 viewers against 721,000 on January 8 and 940,000 against 700,000 on January 15, the same day WarnerMedia announces its major television extension. The competition becomes considerably closer on January 22 when Dynamite draws 871,000 viewers against NXT's 769,000, before AEW closes the month with 828,000 against WWE's 712,000 on January 29. Across all five Wednesdays, Dynamite averages 910,600 viewers compared with NXT's 690,000, giving AEW an advantage of 220,600 viewers per episode and a clean sweep of January. But AEW's own audience declines throughout the month, raising questions about whether winning the weekly competition necessarily means either company is experiencing sustained growth. We're also comparing those numbers with Raw and SmackDown, examining WWE's much larger television footprint and what AEW's new agreement with WarnerMedia reveals about the business realities behind the Wednesday Night Wars. More than anything, Episode 5 is about the moment AEW begins turning its early growing pains into a more focused television product while NXT continues demonstrating why the Black and Gold era was so highly regarded. Moxley's pursuit of Jericho, Omega and Hangman's championship success and Cody's increasingly personal rivalry with MJF give AEW several meaningful stories heading toward Revolution, while Keith Lee's rise, the BroserWeights' Dusty Classic victory and the developing championship programs surrounding Adam Cole and Rhea Ripley keep NXT moving toward Portland. AEW is winning the ratings battle and securing its television future, but NXT is still delivering major championship moments and some of the strongest in ring wrestling anywhere in the industry. We're also looking at how the wider wrestling landscape is changing through talent negotiations, Impact Wrestling's controversial Tessa Blanchard championship victory and WWE's preparations for another Saudi Arabia event. Four months into the Wednesday Night Wars, both companies are beginning to establish what their competition will look like over the long term, with no idea that the entire wrestling industry is only weeks away from an unprecedented disruption. Don't forget to grab your weekly Shot of Nostalgia to continue FLASHBACK FRIDAY ON THE TAVERN. As always, tip your bartenders & learn from the past!

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 for this edition of The Flagship! This week, we break down Fright Night Dynamite as Queen Aminata dethrones Persephone to become TBS Champion, Jay White and The Cut leave Claudio Castagnoli on a stretcher and the Death Riders head toward Anarchy in the Arena at Full Gear. Kyle Fletcher beats Jack Perry and secures his World Championship showdown with Will Ospreay, while Darby Allin survives Josh Alexander with Steven Borden back in the fight ahead of Blood & Guts. Plus, the Motor City Machine Guns take a 2–1 series lead over FTR, Swerve Strickland brutalizes Bandido to push his Texas Death demand and Marina Shafir confronts Mercedes Moné! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week on Wrestling Tonight, Acefield Retro breaks down John Cena's upcoming appearances on Raw and NXT as Wednesday-night competition heats up against AEW Blood & Guts. With Cody Rhodes presenting the Dusty Classic trophy and a potential John Cena Classic update looming, we discuss how NXT can turn its loaded lineup into lasting momentum. We also take a critical look at WWE moving forward with Crown Jewel in Riyadh amid deadly airport attacks, travel disruptions, and a U.S. government personnel departure order. With a United States backup location reportedly available, what would actually convince WWE to relocate? We examine the company's Saudi partnership, the responsibility to protect its workforce, and a card now featuring The Vision against Penta and Je'Von Evans. Plus, an unredacted court document reveals how WWE's Netflix agreement gave the streaming giant an early opportunity to negotiate for UFC's domestic media rights. Then, in a special Halloween discussion, we make the case that wrestling should still be weird. From Undertaker, Kane, Mankind, and Bray Wyatt to Lio Rush's Blackheart, the Wyatt Sicks, and Danhausen, we explore why scary characters can still connect—and why atmosphere needs a story behind it. We revisit Lucha Underground's commitment to supernatural storytelling, Mil Muertes, Pentagon, and Grave Consequences while discussing the difference between building a compelling monster and booking an unbeatable character into a corner. Stephanie Vaquer's uncertain return timetable forces a Raw shakeup, Judgment Day helps Liv Morgan escape Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton, and another interrupted cash-in raises questions about WWE's briefcase booking. We also discuss Bruce Prichard's reported retirement plans after WrestleMania 43 and what a transition to consulting could mean behind the scenes. Over in New Japan, Super Junior Tag League approaches its final stretch as Taguchi and Sumi defeat KUSHIDA and Nick Wayne, while Mistico and Yasuda struggle to build momentum. Then we preview the week's television, including Danhausen's Halloween SmackDown special, before looking ahead to Halloween Havoc, Crown Jewel, Destination X, Lucha Kingdom and Full Gear. Join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.

It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! It's episode 250, and what better way to celebrate than to talk about the week in WWE and reminisce on the good ol' days of the RAWDOWN All that and more on your #1 source for all things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern. This is the RAWDOWN!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week on Wrestling Tonight, Acefield Retro breaks down NXT going head-to-head with AEW Blood & Guts, WWE's instruction to load up the show and the latest ticket movement in Jacksonville. With Shot of Nostalgia Season 8 revisiting the Wednesday Night Wars, the timing couldn't be more fitting. We also discuss Ari Emanuel's comments on Crown Jewel's status amid growing security concerns, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton's next chapter, and the early WrestleMania 43 direction involving Roman Reigns and Oba Femi. Plus, a possible Rey Mysterio farewell in 2027, new Women's Tag Team Champions, an update on Ric Flair and a record-setting sale for a piece of Savage–Steamboat history. Over in New Japan, Super Junior Tag League is already wide open. We check in on Nick Wayne and KUSHIDA, the crowded standings and the road to Power Struggle before previewing the week's television and what's taking shape for Halloween Havoc, Crown Jewel, Destination X and Full Gear. Join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.