The Turnbuckle Debate #244

Episode 147 is live. Acefield Retro and Chad are back with a brand-new edition of Wrestling Tonight to break it all down, a massive week across AEW, WWE, and beyond. AEW WrestleDream 2025 in St. Louis felt like a complete show from start to finish. Every match had purpose, and every moment built toward something meaningful. Darby Allin finally defeated Jon Moxley in a violent but deeply emotional I Quit match that ended with Sting’s return.  Hangman Page and Samoa Joe delivered the kind of world title match that rewards patience, ending with Page barely surviving before The Opps made their presence felt again. Cracks began to form in Don Callis’ camp when Kazuchika Okada accidentally hit Takeshita with a Rainmaker, costing them the tag titles. Kris Statlander’s win over Toni Storm was the title defense her reign needed, and Mercedes Moné continued her dominant streak by defeating Mina Shirakawa to break Ultimo Dragon’s record. Elsewhere, Jurassic Express reunited to beat the Young Bucks in a fast, fun tag match that raised new questions about Kenny Omega’s next move. Fletcher retained against Briscoe, Hayter and Thekla tore into each other, and The Hurt Syndicate picked up a strong win that puts them in line for gold. In WWE, Seth Rollins’ shoulder injury could reshape the road to WrestleMania, but the larger story is the company’s quiet rollout of an AI-driven storytelling system. Reports suggest WWE creative has begun testing artificial intelligence to help design character arcs, anticipate audience reactions, and fine-tune story pacing before scripts reach production. Whether this becomes a valuable tool or a creative crutch remains to be seen, but it marks a major shift in how wrestling stories might be told. Jacob Fatu’s violent write-off and Ilja Dragunov’s surprise United States Title win over Sami Zayn arrived with uncanny timing, fueling speculation that elements of the new system are already in play. Across the Pacific, AJ Styles may have wrestled his final match in Japan, closing the night with an emotional farewell speech delivered in Japanese by Shinsuke Nakamura. It was a week that balanced endings and beginnings. AEW delivered purposeful, organic storytelling while WWE stepped into uncharted territory by blending creativity with artificial intelligence. Wrestling keeps evolving, and nights like these remind everyone why they care. 💥 Episode 147 of Wrestling Tonight is streaming now. Watch exclusively at patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern. Support independent wrestling media, and join the conversation. Sponsors: G FUEL | DICK LAZERS — Code TAVERN saves 20%. Fuel up at GFUEL.com for clean, steady energy that keeps you locked in for late-night shows. Pick up a Dick Lazer at DickLazers.com for the ultimate gag gift and use code TAVERN to save 20 percent.

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod (KOP)! Join us as we ask who should the first inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions be; who says “I Quit” at WrestleDream; and was it the right decision to bring back Jurassic Express? 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! 

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:de2fea0a-ff3a-49b4-8984-ec3d97e4aa55-10" data-testid= "conversation-turn-20" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> This weekend captured the full scope of what wrestling looks like in 2025. WWE delivered layered storytelling and big moments in Perth, TNA tapped into its history and emotion in Lowell, and AEW kept its focus sharp heading into WrestleDream. Each promotion showed what makes it stand out in today’s landscape. At Crown Jewel, Seth Rollins outlasted Cody Rhodes in a physical, methodical main event to win the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship. The finish saw Rollins use the wristwatch Cody once gave him as a weapon before landing two Curb Stomps to close the show. Just 48 hours later on Raw, everything unraveled. The Vision turned on its leader — Bron Breakker dropped Rollins with a spear, Bronson Reed followed with a Tsunami, and Paul Heyman silently joined their side as Breakker raised the World Heavyweight Title. Rollins’ declaration that he didn’t need anyone came full circle in a single segment. Bronson Reed’s weekend was career-defining. He pinned Roman Reigns in an Australian Street Fight after Jey Uso accidentally speared his cousin through a table. Afterward, Reigns told The Usos he loved them but didn’t want to see them until Christmas — a rare glimpse of distance inside The Bloodline. Stephanie Vaquer’s victory over Tiffany Stratton gave credibility to WWE’s new women’s title, Rhea Ripley’s homecoming drew an emotional response, and John Cena’s match with AJ Styles served as a fitting farewell to his international career. In Lowell, TNA’s Bound for Glory focused on closure and renewal. Mike Santana defeated Trick Williams to capture the TNA World Championship in an emotional moment that felt earned. The Hardys and Team 3D shared the ring for what appeared to be their final meeting, giving the crowd one last look at a legendary rivalry. Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans delivered a standout X-Division match that showcased the next generation, even with interference affecting the outcome. AEW stayed consistent in its build to WrestleDream. The St. Louis card is locked in: Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe for the world title, Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin in an I Quit Match, Toni Storm vs. Kris Statlander for the women’s championship, and Okada teaming with Konosuke Takeshita for tag gold. During an interview with Ariel Helwani, Allin said the locker room feels “as strong as it’s ever been,” crediting a more focused and cooperative atmosphere behind the scenes. Meanwhile in Japan, Konosuke Takeshita defeated Zack Sabre Jr. to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at King of Pro-Wrestling. The 31-minute match saw Sabre attack Takeshita’s neck before the new champion rallied with back-to-back Powerdrive Knees to close out Sabre’s 106-day reign. Takeshita becomes the first AEW-contracted wrestler to hold New Japan’s top title and will bring the championship into WrestleDream alongside Okada. The weekend showed just how global and interconnected wrestling has become. WWE continues refining its presentation, TNA is rebuilding through passion and legacy, AEW is focused on consistency and collaboration, and NJPW’s partnership moments keep expanding what’s possible in the modern era. 💥 PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN Support independent wrestling media. Join the conversation. Sponsors: G FUEL | DICK LAZERS — Code TAVERN saves 20% Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL, the zero-sugar energy formula built for late nights and big ideas. Save 20% at GFUEL.com with code TAVERN. Also powered by Dick Lazer, the rechargeable three-in-one laser pointer, flashlight, and blacklight. Visit DickLazers.com and use code TAVERN for 20% off.      

The week we are joined by JBUGZ from Rawdown and Travis from Wicked Bitter! Join us as we ask Is it best to have your top stars a special attraction(limited appearances) or be apart of the show in a major role weekly; is AEW and WWE really as different as the tribalistic fans want you to think; and who is more likely to turn heel first: Jey Uso or Iyo Sky? 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! 

It’s one of the biggest and most unpredictable weeks of the year in professional wrestling, and Wrestling Tonight is here for all of it. Episode 145 takes you from the glow of Perth to the grit of Lowell, from The CW’s cross-promotional chaos to AEW’s calm confidence on Title Tuesday. Every company is making a statement and not all of them are speaking the same language. WWE Crown Jewel heads to Australia for the first time, trading the desert lights of Riyadh for the arena shine of Perth. On paper, it’s a landmark: the first Crown Jewel outside Saudi Arabia, another PLE on ESPN in the US, and John Cena’s final international PLE before retirement. But beneath the historic veneer, this show feels more corporate than creative. Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins is technically “brand warfare,” but the Crown Jewel title still feels like a branding exercise without meaning. Stephanie Vaquer vs Tiffany Stratton offers contrast and quality, but the match’s stakes are as vague as the men’s. Rhea Ripley’s homecoming with Iyo Sky and Cena’s farewell with AJ Styles will give the event its emotion, but the rest feels like presentation over purpose — a global commercial dressed up as a PLE. Across the ocean, TNA returns to Lowell for Bound for Glory, a show that should be the company’s proudest moment but instead feels like a balancing act between rebirth and identity crisis. Trick Williams defends the TNA World Championship against Mike Santana in a match that will showcase charisma and intensity, but still carries the shadow of crossover influence. The Hardys and Team 3D will blow the roof off in a nostalgia-fueled tables match, yet it’s a reminder that TNA’s tag division still leans too heavily on its past. Leon Slater vs Je’Von Evans for the X Division Championship might be the purest wrestling of the night — a true flash of the TNA that once made fans believe. And Kelani Jordan vs Indi Hartwell for the Knockouts title should deliver, even if it highlights how much of the division’s spotlight now comes from NXT. Bound for Glory 2025 will probably be a strong show bell-to-bell, but it’s also an identity test — can TNA still feel like TNA while sharing its spotlight with WWE’s developmental system? Meanwhile, AEW isn’t flinching. Title Tuesday goes head-to-head with WWE and TNA’s Showdown special on The CW, but Tony Khan isn’t chasing the scoreboard anymore. AEW knows exactly what it is — and it’s not playing defense. With Andrade El Idolo’s shocking return and the debut of El Clon as the newest member of The Don Callis Family, AEW’s creative direction feels confident, deliberate, and entirely its own. The “no-win” narrative misses the point: AEW doesn’t need to win the week — it just needs to keep telling stories that matter. Elsewhere, Hikaru Shida confirmed she’s re-signed with AEW, ending retirement rumors sparked by her stage work in Japan. And in Mexico, Bandido suffered a shoulder injury during his successful ROH World Title defense against Hechicero at CMLL Viernes Espectacular. Despite the setback, he’s expected to continue teaming with Brody King as the AEW Tag Team Champions “Brodido.” The other side of that fight — the NXT/TNA Showdown — looks sharper than anyone expected after WWE scrapped the “Invasion” branding. The teams are locked, the captains are set, Mustafa Ali finally gets the North American Title shot he was promised before his 2023 release, and the tag titles from both companies go on the line between The Hardys and DarkState. Joe Hendry’s vow to appear and Jordynne Grace’s role as guest referee add the kind of wild-card energy that could make this one of the more memorable Tuesday nights in years. From Perth’s global showcase to Lowell’s nostalgia-fueled battleground, from AEW’s quiet confidence to WWE’s marketing machine, this week proves just how fragmented and fascinating the modern wrestling landscape has become. Every company is thriving — but not all of them know who they are. 💥 PLUGS: PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN Support independent wrestling media. Join the conversation. Keep it Tavern.

We go 3-wide this week with The Two Bad Chads and Colton! Join us as we ask is this a true resurgence built by TNA, or a borrowed identity propped up by WWE that could collapse overnight; are open challenges the best vehicle for creating new stars quickly, or do they devalue matches that should be saved for big stages; and six years in, is AEW still the genuine alternative it set out to be, or has it become the very thing it tried not to be? 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!