Wrestling Tonight: EL GRANDE AMERICANO MASK VS. MASK MASTERPIECE, CLASH IN ITALY FALLOUT, KING & QUEEN OF THE RING & AEW OWEN TOURNAMENTS | 188

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL — the clean, zero-sugar, zero-crash energy formula that keeps you locked in for the main event. Whether it's a late-night pay-per-view, a marathon gaming session, or just getting through your day, G FUEL has you covered. Right now, you can save 20% instantly with code TAVERN at checkout at GFUEL.com. Fuel up, save big, and always… keep it Tavern. Turnbuckle Tavern is also proudly powered by the one-of-a-kind Official Dick Lazer — a wild, over-the-top gag gift that's guaranteed to get a reaction. With the flip of a switch, it projects five laser images, and it also features a red-dot laser with over 1,000 feet of range, plus a flashlight and blacklight, all packed into a sleek, USB-C rechargeable pen weighing just 1.4 ounces. It's perfect for pranking coworkers, lighting up parties, college dorm antics, or just being the funniest person in the room. Head to DickLazers.com and use code TAVERN for 20% off your order today. Light up the room, get some laughs, and always… keep it Tavern. Episode 189 is headlined by the wild week of rumors surrounding CM Punk's WWE status. We break down the online speculation, Sean Ross Sapp addressing the "reckless speculation," Fightful Select pushing back on claims that Punk wanted out or was asked to take a pay cut, and PWInsider reporting that Punk is expected back on WWE television in the coming months with new merchandise being prepared. We also discuss Ariel Helwani's blunt criticism of WWE under TKO, including his comments calling the current product "soulless," his issues with WrestleMania, his disappointment in the John Cena retirement tour, and his belief that WWE may have creatively peaked with Cody Rhodes defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. From there, we get into the latest legal and business stories surrounding WWE. A settlement agreement in principle has been reached in the WWE shareholder lawsuit, cancelling the Delaware Chancery Court trial that was expected to feature testimony from Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, Mark Shapiro, Ari Emanuel, and others. We also cover WWE moving Money in the Bank again, with the show now set for October 10 in New Orleans, while September 6 will instead feature a special Sunday edition of Saturday Night's Main Event in Atlanta. The road to Night of Champions is also heating up as the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments continue. Je'Von Evans, Dominik Mysterio, and Oba Femi have advanced on the men's side, while Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and IYO SKY are moving forward in the women's bracket. We also discuss Cody Rhodes and Gunther running it back for the Undisputed WWE Championship on the June 19 episode of SmackDown, with Gunther set to choose the stipulation. On the AEW side, we look at All In 2026 ticket sales lagging behind previous Wembley Stadium events, MJF's hyperextended knee injury and why AEW still expects to use him, and the growing movement around the vacant TBS Championship with Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, Mina Shirakawa, Harley Cameron, Zayda Steel, and Queen Aminata all declaring for Survival of the Fittest qualifiers. We also dive into Stardom's major presence in North America. Syuri, Hazuki, Ranna Yagami, and Fuwa-chan will miss the 2026 5 Star Grand Prix due to excursions, while Syuri challenges Athena for the ROH Women's World Championship at Global Wars Cincinnati and Hazuki prepares to face Mercedes Moné in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semifinals. Plus, AAA officially announces Verano de Escándalo for July 25 in Aguascalientes, NJPW finalizes a loaded Dominion card headlined by Callum Newman vs. Yota Tsuji, YOH challenging DOUKI, and Konosuke Takeshita defending against SANADA, TNA confirms Nic Nemeth will call his shot at Slammiversary as Steve Maclin and Myla Grace exit the company, Fetty Wap gets involved in light tube chaos at GCW Tournament of Survival, HOOK prepares for his GCW debut and World title shot, and NXT sets multiple title matches for Great American Bash. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. 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. Good luck and good speed.

The week we are joined by The Ace of the Tavern, Acefield Retro and Colton! Join us as we ask will MJFs third reign be lengthy, or will this be another "hot potato" title reign; did the blood and hardcore aspects of the El Grande Americano mask vs mask match cheapen the traditional Lucha aspects of the match; and does Cope and Cage holding the AEW tag team championships elevate the tag division or is it just a short term veteran spotlight? 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! 

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL — the clean, zero-sugar, zero-crash energy formula that keeps you locked in for the main event. Whether it's a late-night pay-per-view, a marathon gaming session, or just getting through your day, G FUEL has you covered. Right now, you can save 20% instantly with code TAVERN at checkout at GFUEL.com. Fuel up, save big, and always… keep it Tavern. Turnbuckle Tavern is also proudly powered by the one-of-a-kind Official Dick Lazer — a wild, over-the-top gag gift that's guaranteed to get a reaction. With the flip of a switch, it projects five laser images, and it also features a red-dot laser with over 1,000 feet of range, plus a flashlight and blacklight, all packed into a sleek, USB-C rechargeable pen weighing just 1.4 ounces. Head to DickLazers.com and use code TAVERN for 20% off your order today. Light up the room, get some laughs, and always… keep it Tavern. Episode 188 is headlined by the incredible conclusion to the El Grande Americano saga at AAA Noche de los Grandes as Ludwig Kaiser and Chad Gable delivered a mask vs. mask match that has quickly become a Feud of the Year and Match of the Year contender. We discuss how the story evolved from a comedy gimmick into one of wrestling's most emotionally resonant rivalries and why WWE is now airing the match on Netflix. We also break down the full fallout from WWE Clash in Italy. Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther amid controversy, Roman Reigns defeated Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat, Rhea Ripley survived Jade Cargill thanks in part to Charlotte Flair's involvement, Sol Ruca captured the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship from Becky Lynch, and Brock Lesnar's dominant win over Oba Femi sparked major debate about WWE's long-term plans for one of its brightest young stars. The 2026 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are officially underway, and we discuss why Oba Femi and IYO SKY have quickly emerged as early favorites. We break down the brackets, SummerSlam implications, and whether WWE is positioning its next generation of main event talent through this year's tournaments. On the AEW side, we analyze the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semifinals featuring Swerve Strickland, Brody King, Will Ospreay, and Mark Davis. We also discuss AEW bringing ROH's historic Survival of the Fittest match to Dynamite to crown a new TBS Champion following Willow Nightingale's injury. Plus, Mistico's return to CMLL after a knee injury, MLW's new VEEPS partnership and move into quarterly pay-per-view events, the bizarre story of WWE nearly reviving the nWo during the pandemic, and previews of Raw, NXT, Dynamite, Collision, SmackDown, TNA Impact, AAA Noches de Grandes Part 2, NJPW/CMLL Fantasticamania, NWA Powerrr, and the entire week ahead across professional wrestling. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. 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. Good luck and good speed.  

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!

Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL — the clean, zero-sugar, zero-crash energy formula that keeps you locked in for the main event. Whether it's a late-night pay-per-view, a marathon gaming session, or just getting through your day, G FUEL has you covered. Right now, you can save 20% instantly with code TAVERN at checkout at GFUEL.com. Fuel up, save big, and always… keep it Tavern. Turnbuckle Tavern is also proudly powered by the one-of-a-kind Official Dick Lazer — a wild, over-the-top gag gift that's guaranteed to get a reaction. With the flip of a switch, it projects five laser images, plus a red-dot laser, flashlight, and blacklight all packed into a sleek USB-C rechargeable pen weighing just 1.4 ounces. Head to DickLazers.com and use code TAVERN for 20% off your order today. Light up the room, get some laughs, and always… keep it Tavern. Episode 187 covers one of the biggest weeks wrestling has seen all year as AEW Double or Nothing completely reshapes the company's championship picture, WWE heads toward its historic Clash in Italy premium live event, major injuries continue piling up inside The Vision faction, and the independent wrestling landscape sees a massive ownership shift. We break down the full fallout from AEW Double or Nothing 2026 from Queens, New York as MJF regains the AEW World Championship in a brutal Title vs. Hair main event against Darby Allin. We discuss the violent structure of the match, Darby's terrifying Coffin Drop off the stage scaffolding, the hardway bleeding controversy under the New York State Athletic Commission, and Kevin Knight's shocking heel turn after attacking Darby while he was strapped to a stretcher. We also look at the end of Darby's chaotic 40-day title reign after seven successful defenses and MJF beginning his third AEW World Championship run. We also cover the massive Stadium Stampede spectacle involving Jericho, The Hurt Syndicate, The Elite, Ricochet, The Don Callis Family, and The Dogs, plus Konosuke Takeshita defeating Kazuchika Okada for the AEW International Championship before Kyle Fletcher returned and betrayed Takeshita to officially end Protoshida. We discuss Jon Moxley retaining the Continental Championship against Kyle O'Reilly, Thekla surviving a four-way Women's World Championship match, Cage and Cope winning the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a violent "I Quit" street fight against FTR, and the latest Owen Hart Cup tournament developments involving Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, Athena, Mina Shirakawa, Samoa Joe, Bandido, Sareee, Persephone, Hazuki, and the mystery Wild Card entrant replacing the injured Willow Nightingale. Outside the ring, AEW officially announced the new AEW Redemption pay-per-view for July 26 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, bringing the company to ten annual pay-per-views for the first time ever. We discuss Tony Khan's comments about Montreal's wrestling history, Mick Foley potentially appearing at the event, and what the continued expansion of AEW's pay-per-view calendar means moving forward. We also break down the major independent wrestling business story of the week as former WWE stars Big Damo and Nikki Cross officially acquire ownership of PROGRESS Wrestling and co-ownership of DEFY Wrestling. We discuss their vision for the companies, expansion plans across the UK, relationships with Pro Wrestling NOAH and other promotions, the future of women's wrestling under Cross' leadership, and why this move could become one of the most important independent wrestling developments of the year. On the WWE side, we preview Clash in Italy, WWE's first-ever premium live event in Italy taking place from Turin at the Inalpi Arena. We break down Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther, Roman Reigns facing Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat for the World Heavyweight Championship, Rhea Ripley defending the WWE Women's Championship against Jade Cargill in a WrestleMania rematch, Becky Lynch defending the Women's Intercontinental Championship against Sol Ruca, and Brock Lesnar returning to face Oba Femi after appearing to retire at WrestleMania 42. We also discuss Saturday Night's Main Event fallout as The Vision retained the World Tag Team Championship against The Street Profits before WWE later announced Logan Paul suffered a torn triceps that will sideline him for months. We cover Bron Breakker replacing Paul as Austin Theory's tag team partner, Theory's brutal chair attack on Joe Hendry, Brie Bella and Paige retaining the Women's Tag Team Championship, Penta retaining against Ethan Page, Jade Cargill pinning Rhea Ripley ahead of Clash in Italy, and Sol Ruca officially earning her Women's Intercontinental Championship opportunity against Becky Lynch. Plus, we discuss WWE officially launching the 2026 King & Queen of the Ring tournaments next week on Raw from Turin, LA Knight declaring himself for the tournament while targeting Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso defending the modern Bloodline, and the increasing likelihood that this year's finals once again culminate at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. We also preview AAA Noches de Grandes, NJPW/CMLL Fantasticamania, Raw, NXT, Dynamite, Collision, SmackDown, TNA Impact, NWA Powerrr, and the entire week ahead across professional wrestling. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at Patreon.com/TheTurnbuckleTavern for exclusive content. Follow us on social media @TurnbuckleTavern for all the latest updates. 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. Good luck and good speed.

The week we are joined by Tanner from Kicking Out Pod! Join us as we ask was it right for MJF to call out Malachi Black by name on Ariel Helwani; is Double or Nothing the second biggest AEW PPV; and who makes a bigger impact if they would return to AEW: Britt Baker or Mercedes? 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!