Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcast with your host Marie Shadows!

Season 7 kicks off going backwards through Wrestle Kingdom 20, starting with the main event: Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement match against Kazuchika Okada (January 4, 2026, Tokyo Dome).

Why this felt like NJPW coming back (even a little), why Okada still delivers elite psychology when motivated, the weird commentary dynamic nobody’s talking about (marching orders for Chris Charlton?), Tanahashi as the most powerful man in wrestling, why he could’ve called Nakamura but chose Okada, post-match brotherhood, the creepy ten-bell salute, and why wrist control & body-part work still matter more than flips.

I go in on AEW’s lazy Okada run, the failing NJPW-AEW partnership, bad yen excuses, immigration/culture takes, IWC negativity, and why Tanahashi retiring means he can finally president properly.

Substack: https://marieshadows.substack.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/marieshadows

Timestamps!

00:00 – Welcome to Season 7, Happy New Year, January 24 2026

00:46 – Where to find the podcast + what’s coming in 2026

01:14 – IWC negativity, wrong labels, Marty Scurll correct story

03:29 – Cyber bullying still alive, be open-minded

04:35 – Wrestle Kingdom 20 make-or-break for NJPW, Tanahashi retirement

05:52 – Economy/yen excuses vs real issues

09:49 – Sold out because of Tanahashi, Okada wins

12:01 – Why Okada over Nakamura, Tanahashi power

13:37 – AEW partnership not benefiting NJPW (Twitter thread proof)

14:47 – Dual contracts discussion coming soon

16:39 – Tanahashi could’ve called WWE for Nakamura

19:12 – Match breakdown: wrestling, wrist control, psychology

27:54 – Why struggle > flips, working body parts

30:50 – Finish, post-match mic, brotherhood parade

32:04 – Commentary dynamic: Charlton marching orders, tension

37:00 – Walker indie/woke insertions, respect Japanese style

42:41 – Storytelling lost art in commentary

51:02 – Final thoughts, brotherhood, ten-bell creepy

53:05 – Plugs: like/share/comment/poll, Patreon, Tape Study, consultations

Welcome to Season 7 of the Squared Circle Podcast, with your host Marie Shadows!

https://patreon.com/marieshadows

https://marieshadows.substack.com

https://rumble.com/user/marieshadows

Damn, January 2026—wisdom tooth out, cold recovery, but Season 7 of the Square Circle Podcast is here! We're closing 2025 (burnout, reflections, cesspool Twitter) & charging into 2026: chasing conversations, tape study breakdowns, calling out wrestling community BS. No trendy voice—real talk on partnerships (WWE/TNA good, AEW/NJPW slimy), content creator fakeness, women's "equity" nonsense (merit over gender/skin color—fuck feminism ruining minds), and more.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro: Happy New Year, Season 7 Kickoff, and Episode Overview

00:00:51 - Reflections on 2025: Building Over Six Years, Burnout, and Looking Ahead

00:01:07 - January Update: Wisdom Tooth Recovery, No NJPW Reviews, and Smooth Healing

00:03:19 - Back to Normal: Diet Changes, Solid Foods, and Tweeting Wrestling

00:03:31 - Wrestling Community Critique: Kayfabe vs. Real Analysis, Partnerships, and True Voices

00:07:07 - Partnerships Breakdown: AEW/NJPW (No Boost, Overpaid) vs. WWE/TNA/Noah (Done Right)

00:08:51 - Content Creators: Drop Fake Voices, Longevity Over Trends, Standalone Episodes

00:11:52 - Avoiding Burnout: Balance Streaming with Essays, Mental Health Real Talk

00:13:41 - Anti-Drama Farming: Stop Clowning Meltzer/Russo/Bischoff, Debunk with Sources

00:15:40 - Original Content: Value Perspectives, Not Bullying—When Does It Stop?

00:18:19 - Cyberbullying Flip: From "Bad" to Normalized, Need a Facelift in 2026

00:19:24 - Season 7 Vision: Chasing Conversations, 30-45 Min Topics, No Overwhelm

00:20:21 - Topics Tease: Women's "Equity" BS (Merit Over Gender/Color), Fuck Feminism

00:22:46 - Men/Women as Units: Help Isn't Weakness, Destroyed Minds from Ideology

00:23:25 - Tape Study Focus: Match Breakdowns, Psychology, Under Square Circle Umbrella

00:24:45 - 2025 Burnout: Hogan/Charlie Kirk Losses, Cesspool Twitter, Lost Friends

00:26:02 - Branding Shift: Ditch Ringology, Stick with Tape Study—Open to Pros for Consults

00:26:30 - Patreon Revival: Discord Notes for Off-Topic (Current Events, Frustrations)

00:32:52 - Discord Notes Examples: Minnesota Anarchy, EBT Misinfo, Denying the Obvious

00:35:10 - JCW Lunacy Exclusives on Patreon: YouTube Copyright Issues Suck

00:37:00 - Money in Content: Transparency on Splits, Memberships, Support Options

00:39:46 - More Patreon: Tape Study Reviews, Submit Ideas (No Guarantees)

00:40:59 - Fantasy Booking/Reviews: Slow Down, Add Elements, Showcase Untouched Areas

00:42:32 - Community Building: Create Original Lanes, Confidence, Adaptability

00:50:00 - Recap: Season 7 Plans, Chasing Conversations, Tape Study Sessions Interviews

00:57:02 - Spotify 2025 Wrapped: Growth Stats, Top Episode, Awards, Partner Program Goal

01:01:07 - Content Plans: Mini Episodes, Reviews, Live Streams on Patreon/Rumble/Twitch

01:05:22 - Substack Shift: Newsletter for Write-Ups, Links to Content

01:06:30 - Wrestle Kingdom 20 Tease: New Directions, Contracts Rumors (Evil to WWE?)

01:07:54 - Timeline BS: Engagement Farming on "Who Is Evil?"—Tag Knowledgeable People

01:09:09 - Algorithm Rant: Negativity Wins, But Try Positive/Educational

01:11:47 - Community Frustrations: Unload Negativity, No Productivity, Want Authority

01:13:16 - Marty Scrull Me Too Clarification: Story Wrong, One-Time, Victim Forgave—Facts Over Emotion

01:25:06 - Outro: Thanks, Links, Support, Tease Next Episodes (Wrestle Kingdom, Tsuji)

Over on youtube.com/squaredcirclepodcast we are reacting to JCW Lunacy. This is the VOD, please have a look!

JCW Lunacy is wild.

Please consider supporting all I do!

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Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcast! I am your host Marie Shadows!

Sometimes, girls become super insufferable that you need to call them out, and oh boy did I call them out. This is what happened:

1. Sarah is from the UK; she's a liberal and hypocrite and wants to yell at both men and women. She's a women hater and a men hater as well. She thinks she knows about wrestling, she doesn't. And I made the: Dry Ass Pussy Sticker in honor of her. Buy now: Dry Ass P*ss*y Talk | Marie Shadows2. Lizzy Flangan tried to ruin Tommy Invinicble's career by sending out false allegiations. I read it all. On video, you'll see the tweets. Visit here: https://youtu.be/AEA3evGX5ew

If you'd like to support me elsewhere, visit the links:

https://patreon.com/marieshadows

📼Tape Study Worldwide🌎 Community / X

Visit Patreon for exclusive Tape Study write up on this epsiode. https://patreon.com/marieshadows

Welome to the Squared Circle Podcast with your host Marie Shadows and co-host Dos Evil as we talk about MLW!

In this episode, you and Dos Evil dive into MLWxDongato, breaking down the show from top to bottom with honesty, humor, and actual wrestling insight.

We discuss MLW’s big move to Charleston and how the energy of the crowd elevated the show despite obvious production flaws. The Scarlett vs. Isla Dawn opener gets praise for presence and charm, though you both agree they deserved way more time.

The Good Brothers tag match sparks a rant about commentary inaccuracies — especially Karl Anderson’s sobriety — and some of the awkward booking choices that made the finish feel unnecessary. Diego Hill’s lightning match and the Akamora interference angle leads into fantasy booking that makes far more sense than what MLW delivered.

Cross vs. Riddle becomes the segment of the night for both of you: strong character work, callbacks, and undeniable chemistry. This is the feud MLW should anchor their upper card around.

Then comes the big one: the bunkhouse match. You both unload on the poor layout, missing “bunkhouse” elements, confusing babyface/heel alignment, and the complete lack of time needed for a match with legacy names. This becomes the most passionate part of the episode.

We wrap by talking potential — MLW is clearly trying, but trying too much at once. With better planning, production alignment, and breathing room, they could turn these chaotic shows into something genuinely great.

Join me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/marieshadows

This Halloween episode is a fiery deep dive into the viral tweet that had wrestling Twitter on fire — and an honest breakdown of how fans, media, and content creators have stopped using their words correctly.

Marie starts the show with Halloween greetings and a quick reminder that the grind doesn’t stop — even on spooky season. From there, she recaps how one tweet about WWE’s triple threat booking went viral and turned into a full-on literacy test for wrestling Twitter.

The core debate? The misuse of the word “trope.”
Marie defines it clearly — a recurring theme — and then exposes how The Wrestling Observer twisted the term just to fuel anti-WWE sentiment. She then contrasts that bias by showing how AEW uses the same tropes — weekly multi-man matches borrowed straight from New Japan — but never gets called out.

From there, she gets into storytelling psychology:
Dominic Mysterio hiring mercenaries isn’t “stupid booking,” it’s character consistency. WWE tells stories rooted in motivation, consequence, and payoff — not chaos for chaos’s sake.

Marie also explains how she used her viral moment to teach about rhetoric, logic, and honesty — because the problem isn’t the “tropes.” The problem is that fans and media don’t understand definitions or context anymore.

She ends the episode with free advice for Tony Khan on how AEW could use Twitter Spaces and social media to actually build stories, while urging all fans to think more critically about wrestling and stop hiding behind tribal labels.

This episode isn’t just wrestling talk — it’s a lesson in media literacy, independent thinking, and keeping wrestling discussions honest and informed.

Time stamps

00:00 – 02:00
Halloween greeting, show intro, talk about making two podcasts in one day.

02:00 – 05:00
Explaining the importance of Patreon, creator economy, and independent voices.

05:00 – 10:00
The viral tweet breakdown — Wrestling Observer calls WWE’s triple threat booking a “bad trope.” Marie defines “trope.”

10:00 – 15:00
Storytelling psychology of Dom, Rusev, and Penta — why this is proper storytelling.

15:00 – 20:00
Observer’s anti-WWE bias vs. AEW’s constant multi-man match reliance.

20:00 – 25:00
AEW’s New Japan influence; how Tony Khan could use Twitter Spaces for story hype.

25:00 – 32:00
Social media bias, media literacy, and how the creator economy punishes independent truth-tellers.

32:00 – 40:00
Marie reacts to viral tweet replies — AEW defenders, bad-faith arguments, and misuse of “rhetorical.”

40:00 – 45:00
Debunking “booking pattern = trope.” Literary clarity meets wrestling education.

45:00 – 50:00
Closing thoughts: consistency, education, honesty. “Make honesty great again.”

https://patreon.com/marieshadows

Join Marie Shadows and Dos Evil as they break down MLW Symphony of Horrors — a night filled with legends, chaos, and cross-promotion questions. From Blue Panther’s lucha legacy to Brock Anderson’s emotional promo and the mysterious attack on Shotzi, this episode goes deep into storytelling, booking logic, and where MLW fits in the wrestling landscape.

Timestamps:

• (00:00) Intro & show setup — MLW in Long Beach

• (00:01:00) César & Salina open; Matt Riddle’s confusing Lesnar jab

• (00:04:20) National Openweight Championship: Blue Panther retains — title confusion and lucha culture

• (00:12:00) Prestige vs. Money: MLW, AEW & CMLL partnership talk

• (00:17:00) Contra Unit analysis — Mads Krüger’s rise and MLW’s faction identity

• (00:23:00) Shotzi vs. Brittany Brooks — lightning match breakdown & mystery attacker theory

• (00:27:00) The Good Brothers’ promo — Marie’s honest take on their MLW arrival

• (00:34:00) Brock Anderson’s promo — emotion, family legacy & bunkhouse match setup

• (00:39:00) Scramble match — Diego Hill’s win, Akira Kwon’s frustration

• (00:43:00) Tag division & Hammerstone’s commentary brilliance

• (00:50:00) Final thoughts — MLW’s consistency, Contra’s future, and what fans should look forward to

Call to Action:
🎙️ Subscribe for MLW coverage
💬 Leave a comment: Do you want prestige or payday to drive MLW’s future?
🔔 Follow Marie Shadows everywhere @Marie_Shadows

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Hey friends,

Today, I want to break down the Super Junior Tag League 2025 with you—every team, every potential story, and the bigger picture of where New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is right now. We’re going to talk about everything: from Hiromu and Gato’s wild mismatched team to the missed opportunities with AEW and other promotions.

First off, the tag teams:

• Hiromu and Gato: Honestly, this is one of the strangest pairings in NJPW history. I love what both do in the ring, but I just can’t take them seriously as a team. That said, they’re the sleeper team to watch. Don’t be surprised if they steal a few moments of the show.

• Ichiban Sweet Boys – Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita: Returning champions, last year’s winners. They’re going to be dominant, fun to watch, and could carry most of the tournament’s spotlight. Robbie and Kosei always amplify the energy.

• Bullet Club War Dogs – Taiji Ishimori and Robbie X: Taiji is solid as ever. Robbie X? I feel he tries too hard with flashy moves that sometimes look cartoonish. Still, as a duo, they’ll likely steal the show in the Tag League.

• El Desperado and Kukai: Debuting team with strong chemistry. El Desperado consistently picks quality partners, so this is one to keep an eye on.

• Tiger Mask and Yamato: Another debut pairing. Tiger Mask is heading into retirement, so this could be a fun send-off, though I’m not expecting them to win.

• Kushida and Yuki Yoshioka: Debuting as well. Kushida is incredible, but I don’t see this team advancing far.

• House of Torture – Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Dick Togo: Expect chaos. Anything can happen here, and shenanigans will be guaranteed.

• IWGP Junior Tag Champs – Doki and Sho: These veterans always have tricks up their sleeves.

Beyond the matches themselves, I want to talk about the bigger picture of NJPW:

• We need fresh storytelling. Repeating the same faces over and over is stifling. The Super Junior Tag League could have been an opportunity to bring in new teams from All Japan, Pro Wrestling NOAH, TNA, and even AEW. Instead, we’re seeing missed opportunities for collaboration and growth.

• The AEW partnership is not serving NJPW well. Wrestlers aren’t being utilized to maximize storylines, and money is being left on the table. For example, Jack Perry as a potential House of Torture member could’ve been huge for Super Junior, but it never materialized.

• The Dojo system is still strong, but it’s no longer clear who the “next big stars” are. NJPW used to cultivate talent visibly and create a sense of legacy. That clarity is gone, and it affects fan engagement.

• NJPW must start building slowly, branching out, and taking control back. Partnerships are fine, but they shouldn’t dictate who wins titles or who represents NJPW.

Constructive criticism is key here. I love NJPW, and I will continue to use my voice to advocate for story growth, collaboration, and giving fans the chance to see new talent thrive. Blind positivity doesn’t help anyone; we need balance—acknowledging flaws while celebrating strengths.

I want to hear from you: how excited are you for the Super Junior Tag League 2025? Which teams do you think will shine? Let’s keep this conversation thoughtful, honest, and constructive.

Thanks for reading, engaging, and helping me keep independent wrestling commentary alive.