This week in wrestling features major title implications, Royal Rumble buildup, and returns in WWE & AEW 💥 Get the latest on CM Punk vs. Finn Balor, Gunther's career-threatening challenge to AJ Styles, after winning trios gold Hangman Page with Kevin Knight and Speedball Mike Bailey mix it up across Dynamite

Key Highlights:

WWE: CM Punk retains World Heavyweight Title against Finn; Gunther challenges AJ Styles; Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu tear apart SNME while AJ and Shinsuke bring down the house

AEW: Death Riders vs Don Callis Family bring the rucus in a street fight and Jet Speed turn on the after burners all over the show.

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📺 Key Moments

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Tune In | Chill Out | Rise Up

#WWE #AEW #NJPW #WrestlingNews #CMPunk #RoyalRumble #Gunther #HangmanPage

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WWE Highlights

SmackDown Results (Jan. 16, 2026): Randy Orton defeated The Miz to advance in the No. 1 Contender's Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Undisputed Championship. After losing his title, Cody Rhodes declared for the Royal Rumble match and issued a warning to the champion Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu.

Raw Results (Jan. 12, 2026): Gunther secured a controversial win against AJ Styles in the main event. Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez became the No. 1 Contenders to the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.

NXT Results (Jan. 13, 2026): Tony D'Angelo triumphed in a No Disqualification match against Joe Hendry and Dion Lennox.

AEW Highlights

AEW Dynamite "Maximum Carnage" Highlights (Jan. 14, 2026)

World Title Defense: MJF successfully retained the AEW World Championship against Bandido in a grueling main event. After the match, MJF praised Bandido as a future champion before attacking him, prompting Brody King to make the save.

Contenders Established: The Don Callis Family (Mark Davis & Jake Doyle) won a chaotic 4-way tag match to become the No. 1 contenders for the AEW World Tag Team Championship.

Rivalries Ignited: Darby Allin finally defeated PAC, effectively ending his feud with the Death Riders. Meanwhile, Thekla pinned the AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander in a trios match, signaling a shift in the women's division.

Major Announcement: Kenny Omega returned to the ring, declaring his intent to reclaim the world title, which led to a match being set against Josh Alexander for next week.

Collision Results (Jan. 17, 2026): "Hangman" Adam Page & "JetSpeed" Air Wolf won the AEW World Trios Titles after the previous champions, The Opps, lost their titles following Powerhouse Hobbs' departure. The Callis Family attacked Jon Moxley, and Andrade had his first match since returning to AEW.

New World Champion: Mike Santana defeated Frankie Kazarian to capture the TNA World Championship in a dramatic main event. Despite a ref bump and belt shots from Kazarian, Santana hit his "Spin the Block" finisher to secure the win.

Nostalgic Returns: AJ Styles opened the historic debut on AMC, welcoming fans to a "new era". Former owner Dixie Carter also made a surprise appearance, while Bully Ray joined the commentary team.

Knockouts Division Shakeup: The Elegance Brand defeated The IInspiration to win the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Titles. Additionally, Daria Rae (Sonya Deville) debuted as the new authority assistant and introduced Elayna Black (Cora Jade) as TNA's newest signing.

Genesis Setup: Due to visa issues, Joe Hendry was announced as a replacement for Leon Slater in the X-Division title match at the upcoming Genesis event.

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Things get Strange at Raw last week and leaves everyone asking why? Also Cody and Drew tear down three stages of Hell and AEW Dynamite has it's up and downs.

WWE SmackDown (Jan. 9, 2026) – "Berlin" Edition

Taped in Berlin, Germany, this episode felt like a premium live event, headlined by a commercial-free final hour featuring a barbaric Three Stages of Hell match.

Undisputed WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes (2-1) to become the new champion.

Fall 1: McIntyre won a traditional wrestling match with a low blow and a Claymore.

Fall 2: Rhodes won a Falls Count Anywhere match after a Cross Rhodes through the announce table.

Fall 3 (Steel Cage): Jacob Fatu made a shock return, attacking both men, but specifically targeting Rhodes, allowing a battered McIntyre to crawl out for the win.

Key Debuts & Confrontations: Jordynne Grace won her SmackDown debut against Alba Fyre and was immediately confronted by Jade Cargill. Elsewhere, Randy Orton was interrupted by Trick Williams, who made his in-ring SmackDown debut with a win over Rey Fenix.

Title Retentions: Giulia retained the Women's U.S. Title against Alexa Bliss, while Carmelo Hayes survived an Open Challenge from Shinsuke Nakamura.

WWE Raw (Jan. 5, 2026) – "Stranger Things" Anniversary

World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk retained his title against Bron Breakker in a physical main event. Punk neutralized interference from The Vision with help from Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, and Penta, eventually catching Breakker mid-spear with a knee followed by a GTS.

Two Title Changes:

Becky Lynch defeated Maxxine Dupri to reclaim the Women's Intercontinental Championship via a controversial pin using the ropes.

Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY defeated The Kabuki Warriors to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles after a Riptide/Moonsault combo.

Next Big Feud: AJ Styles slapped Gunther after the "Ring General" boasted about retiring John Cena, setting up a first-time-ever clash for the January 12 episode in Germany.

AEW Dynamite (Jan. 7, 2026) – "First of the Year"

The first Dynamite of 2026

Lights Out Main Event: "Hangman" Adam Page & Swerve Strickland defeated HOOK & Powerhouse Hobbs in an unsanctioned brawl featuring cinder blocks and steel chains. Page eventually hanged HOOK over the top rope with a chain to force a submission.

Returns & Alignments: The Young Bucks returned to their "Superkick Party" roots to partner with Jack Perry against The Demand. Post-match, Andrade El Idolo made a shock return, revealing himself as the newest member of the Don Callis Family.

TBS Title Drama: New champion Willow Nightingale celebrated her win, but Mercedes Moné crashed the party. The segment ended with Nightingale powerbombing Moné through a cake.

Continental Title: Jon Moxley defeated Shelton Benjamin with just five seconds remaining on the 20-minute clock to retain his title

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00:00:00 From Gestapo Tactics to Epstein: Unpacking Current Events

00:09:18 Netflix's Stranger Things Raw: Hits, Misses & Tag Titles

00:23:45 AJ Styles Slaps Gunther; Becky Lynch Reclaims IC Title

00:42:48 CM Punk's Veteran Prowess Against Bron Breakker

00:52:07 Moxley's Brawl, Darby's Grudge & Young Bucks Return

01:06:17 Mercedes Mone Crash Out, Sammy's Stagnation & Lights Out Chaos

01:25:49 Randy Orton's Return, Trick's Debut & Women's Title Scene

01:41:59 Three Stages of Hell: Cody Rhodes vs, Drew McIntyre

01:56:40 Podcast Wrap-Up: Lawsuits, Tattoos & Castle Doctrine

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Alex went to the last WWE Raw of 2025 and has the full report from being in person on the ground

Raw (Dec 29, 2025): The Usos defeated AJ Styles and Dragon Lee to become the new World Tag Team Champions in the main event. Elsewhere, Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer retained her title in a Triple Threat match, and Penta made a surprise return to help Rey Mysterio against Austin Theory and Logan Paul.

SmackDown (Jan 2, 2026): Matt Cardona returned to in-ring action, securing a victory, and an eight-woman tag match saw Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss defeat The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend. And the Miz got RKOd by a returning Randy

This week's AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash (aired December 31, 2025) focused on the fallout from Worlds End

TBS Championship: Willow Nightingale defeated Mercedes Moné to become the first-ever two-time TBS Champion in the night's main event. Following her victory, she celebrated with the Conglomeration and received a surprise embrace from AEW Women's World Champion Kris Statlander.

AEW National Championship: Ricochet retained his title against Jack Perry. After the match, Ricochet and his allies (The Demand) brutally attacked Luchasaurus, injuring his arm with a chair and guardrail.

AEW Continental Championship Eliminator: Jon Moxley defeated Josh Alexander in a hard-hitting contest.

Mixed Tornado Tag Match: The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, and Marina Shafir) defeated Toni Storm, Orange Cassidy, and Roderick Strong.

Singles Matches: Bandido defeated The Beast Mortos, and Brody King quickly Squashed Lee Johnson

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00:00:00 First Impressions of WWE Raw Live

00:05:31 CM Punk's Explosive Entrance and Arena Sound Differences

00:13:32 Nikki Bella's Performance and Fan Disengagement Live

00:19:53 Gunther's Loud Chops and Penta's Surprise Return

00:28:04 Usos' Tag Title Victory and Comprehensive Raw Live Experience

00:43:05 Randy Orton RKOs Miz, Matt Cardona's WWE Comeback

00:52:44 Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and Carmelo Hayes vs. Gargano

01:04:40 McIntyre Steals Cody's Photo, Priest vs. Black Ambulance Match

01:16:05 Kenny Omega, Hangman, Joe and Swerve Challenge MJF's Reign

01:24:36 Bandido, Brody King, and Jon Moxley's Submission Mastery

01:34:38 Willow Nightingale Wins TBS Title, Tanahashi's Farewell Match

01:45:29 Jericho's Return Rumors and CM Punk's Shirt Trolling

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This week in professional wrestling was headlined by AEW Worlds End, which saw major title changes and the conclusion of the Continental Classic tournament, alongside regular programming from WWE's Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.

AEW Worlds End (December 27, 2025)

MJF won the AEW World Title.

Jon Moxley won the 2025 Continental Classic and became the new AEW Continental Champion by defeating Kazuchika Okada in the final.

Kris Statlander retained her title.

WWE Highlights

SmackDown (December 26, 2025): Included Oba Femi's path of destruction, a notable match between Charlotte Flair and Lash Legend, and a "Miracle on 34th Street Fight" where Joe Hendry defeated The Miz.

Raw (December 22, 2025): Featured Austin Theory & Bronson Reed defeating World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk & Rey Mysterio, and Women's Intercontinental Champion Maxxine Dupri making Becky Lynch tap out.

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WWE Raw

Gunther gloated about making John Cena tap out in his retirement match, leading to a confrontation with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and a backstage tease of a future feud with AJ Styles.

Austin Theory was revealed as the masked man who had been interfering in matches, assisting Logan Paul in a win over Rey Mysterio. Theory would later be speared by Bron Breakker, who was confronted by CM Punk earlier in the night.

CM Punk cut a dang good promo against Bron Breakker, warning him to stop mentioning his wife and saying he would have Rey Mysterio's back later in the night.

Maxxine Dupri retained her Women's Intercontinental Championship against Ivy Nile, while the Women's World Championship match between Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez ended in a disqualification due to Nikki Bella's interference.

WWE SmackDown

Cody Rhodes was informed by General Manager Nick Aldis that he would be stripped of the WWE Championship if he physically touched Drew McIntyre before their scheduled match. Rhodes responded that as the champion/QB1, he is "the law".

Aleister Black attacked Damian Priest, putting him through a table to continue their ongoing neverending feud.

Nia Jax and Lash Legend defeated the Women's Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors in a non-title match, making them potential future contenders.

Giulia defeated Alba Fyre as she continues her quest to reclaim the Women's United States Championship from Chelsea Green.

A scheduled Tag Team Championship match between the Wyatt Sicks and the MFTs ended in a no-contest after a huge brawl broke out involving all members of both factions.

AEW Dynamite & Collision Holiday Bash

Continental Classic: Jon Moxley and Orange Cassidy secured points in the Blue League, with Moxley eliminating Roderick Strong from contention. In the Gold League, PAC defeated Kyle Fletcher, resulting in a four-way tie for first place.

The Elite (Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks) defeated the Don Callis Family to win $1 million.

FTR successfully defended the AEW World Tag Team Championships against the Bang Bang Gang.

On Collision, Kevin Knight scored a major upset over the AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada, putting him into the tie for first place in the Gold League. Mercedes Moné's Rev Pro Undisputed British Women's Championship open challenge was answered and won by Alex Windsor.

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00:00:00 Logan Paul, Epstein Files, and Gunther's Post-Cena Gloating

00:15:15 New Day vs Usos Again, Women's Division Highlights Raw

00:33:40 WWE Creative Struggles and CM Punk's Sorched Earth Promo

00:52:43 Rey Mysterio vs Logan Paul and Women's Tag Team Show Up

01:06:04 Cody Rhodes Terrorizes Drew McIntyre in His Backyard

01:18:59 Carmelo Hayes' Rise and The Rock Coming Back Without a Golden Globe

01:33:10 AEW Mox's Surprise Win and The Elite Face Off Against The Don Callis Family

01:46:05 MJF Returns at Contract Signing and Tears the World Down

01:54:33 PAC Dominance, Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal and FTR Defends Tag Titles

02:04:17 Netflix Getting Into Podcasts and Wrap Up

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John Cena's Retirement Match: The 17-time champion ended his in-ring career by tapping out to Gunther's sleeper hold in a brutal 24-minute match at Saturday Night's Main Event on Saturday, December 13. Post-match, fellow wrestlers and CCO Triple H honored him in the ring, where he left his signature gear behind.

Weekly Show Results:

Raw (Dec 8): Highlights included Bronson Reed tsunaming LA Knight onto an SUV, and Bron Breakker demanding to battle CM Punk before throwing his worst line of the week saying he would steal Punk's wife and then Bron Breakk him.

SmackDown (Dec 12): Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley secured a victory against Aleister Black and Zelina Vega in the lowlight of the week.

Inaugural Women's Tag Team Champions Crowned: The Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron) defeated the Timeless Love Bombs (Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa) in the tournament final to become the first-ever AEW Women's World Tag Team Champions at Dynamite: Winter is Coming.

AEW World Championship: Samoa Joe successfully defended his title against Eddie Kingston on Dynamite, winning via submission.

Continental Classic Updates: The Gold and Blue leagues continued with significant matches. Night Off fav Speedball Mike Bailey scored big wins in the Gold League, tying him for the top spot, while a highly anticipated match between Claudio Castagnoli and Konosuke Takeshita in the Blue League resulted in a time-limit draw.

Swerve Strickland's Declaration: Following a win over Josh Alexander on Collision, Swerve Strickland declared his intention to reclaim the AEW World Championship, stating "The wolves are circling" Samoa Joe.

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00:00:00 Joe Hendry's Surprise and Night Off Merch Update

00:03:50 Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi: A Controversial Finish

00:16:40 Sol Rucca & Tag Teams at SNME

00:29:55 All the Emotions for John Cena's Retirement Match Against Gunther

00:46:47 The Poetic End to John Cena's Legendary Career

01:00:02 Logan Paul Antics and Judgement Day's Shifting Dynamics

01:20:07 A Hard Hitting Match and Smackdown Creative Struggles

01:34:46 Inaugural AEW Women's Tag Champs & Contiental Classic Gold League Action

01:50:50 Samoa Joe vs Eddie Kingston Title Match at Winter is Coming

01:54:03 Continental Classic Blue League and Collision Banger Matches

01:56:16 Stew's Real Name, Merch Tease and Movie Musings

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Bron Breakker delivered his best promo yet on WWE Raw! Plus, we break down AEW Continental Classic action with Okada, Kyle Fletcher, and Orange Cassidy...

Other musings of the week.

Raw: Liv Morgan re-asserted herself as a leader of The Judgment Day, while a tag team match between AJ Styles/Dragon Lee and The New Day was praised as a high-quality bout, despite the New Day nothing having much to do.

Dynamite: Kazuchika Okada and Kyle Fletcher scored crucial wins in the Continental Classic, with Okada defeating PAC and Fletcher taking down Kevin Knight in both fantastic fashion.

SmackDown: Gunther defeated LA Knight to earn the right to face John Cena in what's being billed as Cena's final match at Saturday Night's Main Event. And Jade had another squash match leading to another face off with Michin in the future.

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00:00:00 Introduction

00:10:56 Bron Delivers His Best Steiner-esque Promo

00:18:12 Rhea and Iyo's 'curious' Relationships

00:23:37 Dirty Dom's Measured Promo and Jey's Crash Out

00:33:09 WWE's Scripting with Clippy and New Day's Tag Title Match with AJ Lee

00:40:17 Gunther's Dominance and the Future of Retirement Matches

00:49:10 TNA at AMC, Gay Vampires, and Twilight's Sparkly Legacy

00:53:02 Rhea/Iyo vs. Charlotte/Alexa Women's Main Event non Finish

01:02:40 AEW Eddie Kingston vs. Jow, Okada vs. Pac, and Elite vs Don Callis Family

01:31:10 AEW Collision, Mercedes Mone and Cody Rhodes' Heel Tease

01:40:03 Dragunov's Livid Reaction and Chuck E. Cheese Lore

01:48:42 Jade Cargill's Squashes, Ric Flair's Airport Troubles

01:56:30 LA Knight Challenges Gunther, Industry Changes Netflix & WBD

02:07:58 Political Sketchiness, Backstage Harassment Rumors from Becky Lynch

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