Author: John Bass

AJ Styles Confirms 2026 Retirement: “It’s Time to Take Care of My Family”

The wrestling world is preparing to say goodbye to another modern legend. Hot on the heels of John Cena’s announcement that he’ll retire at the end of 2025, AJ Styles has revealed that he plans to hang up his boots in 2026.

During the WWE Crown Jewel Kickoff Show, “The Phenomenal One” opened up about his decision to step away from the ring after nearly three decades in the business.

“I’m getting old, folks,” Styles told fans. “If I could find the fountain of youth and take a couple sips, I’d wrestle for the rest of my life, but the fear of embarrassing myself is getting closer. There comes a time when you’ve got to take care of business—and when that’s done, it’s time to take care of your family.”

For Styles, that family time has become the next big priority. At 48 years old, the veteran performer admitted that the dream of every wrestler is to someday retire on their own terms—and he’s determined to do exactly that.

While Styles didn’t outline every detail of his final stretch in WWE, he’s hinted that a WrestleMania 42 appearance in Las Vegas is likely. Before that, fans can look forward to one more major showdown—Styles vs. Cena—at Crown Jewel, a match being promoted as their last encounter inside a WWE ring.

Styles joined WWE in 2016, making an unforgettable debut in the Royal Rumble before quickly becoming one of the company’s cornerstone stars. In less than a decade, he captured every major title available to him—the WWE, United States, Intercontinental, and Raw Tag Team Championships—earning Grand Slam Champion status and respect across the industry.

As the countdown to 2026 begins, Styles has also hinted at staying involved with WWE in a backstage capacity after retirement. Whether he’s mentoring the next generation or contributing creatively, “The Phenomenal One” seems poised to leave his mark on the business long after his final bell rings.

AJ Styles’ in-ring career may be nearing its end, but his legacy is already secure—and fans will surely savor every remaining match as one of wrestling’s all-time greats takes his final bow.

TNA IMPACT Preview 10/9/2025

The final TNA iMPACT! before the biggest event of the year (Bound For Glory) — don’t miss a moment of the action this Thursday at 8/7c on TNA+ around the world, AXS TV in the US, and Sportsnet+ in Canada.

  • No Disqualification: Joe Hendry vs. Eric Young
  • Matt Cardona vs. Ryan Nemeth
  • Mustafa Ali vs. JDC
  • Kelani Jordan and Indi Hartwell have a contract signing
  • Trick Williams kicks off the show

ROH TV Preview 10/9/2025

ROH tonight on HonorClub

  • ROH World Championship: Bandido (c) vs. Hechicero
  • IWGP Women’s Championship: Sareee (c) vs. Alex Windsor
  • Beef vs. Shane Taylor
  • Viva Van vs. Billie Starkz
  • Spanish Announce Project vs. TBD

Taz Announces Temporary AEW Commentary Hiatus for Shoulder Surgery

AEW commentator and ECW legend Taz is stepping away from the broadcast table for a while to focus on his health. After calling Tuesday night’s Title Tuesday edition of AEW Dynamite, Taz revealed on X that he’ll be undergoing total shoulder replacement surgery in the near future and will be “off for some time.”

The former ECW World Champion assured fans that this isn’t a permanent goodbye, closing his message with a simple promise: “See you soon.”

This isn’t the first time Taz has had to take time off for surgery. Around this same time last year, he underwent knee replacement surgery. AEW used an on-screen angle to write him off television then — an attack that set the stage for his son, Hook, to feud with Christian Cage and The Patriarchy. Taz returned to the company later that year, receiving a hometown welcome at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

This time, however, AEW has opted not to use a storyline to explain his absence, and there’s currently no word on how long Taz will be sidelined. The company’s schedule doesn’t include any New York events for the rest of the year, though Full Gear is set to take place just across the river in Newark, New Jersey, on November 22 — a show that could mark his eventual return if his recovery goes smoothly.

Taz joined AEW in its early days as a manager and transitioned to the commentary desk full-time in mid-2022, where his sharp analysis and signature sense of humor have made him a fan favorite. Most recently, this past August, AEW honored Taz with an induction into the Hall of Fame at Philadelphia’s iconic 2300 Arena — the historic home of ECW. In a classy move, Taz requested that the planned segment be kept off television so that airtime could instead go to AEW’s current roster.

For now, the Human Suplex Machine is focused on recovery, but fans can rest easy knowing Taz fully intends to return to the booth once his shoulder is healed and ready to go.

Kota Ibushi Reportedly Injured During AEW Collision Homecoming Tapings (Contains Spoiler)

AEW’s “Collision: Homecoming” taping at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida, took an unfortunate turn this week when Kota Ibushi appeared to suffer a serious leg injury during his match.

The episode, filmed on October 8, was meant to celebrate AEW’s roots at Daily’s Place — but for Ibushi, it may have marked another setback in his long battle with injuries. According to live reports from JJ Williams of the Wrestling Observer, Ibushi was facing Josh Alexander of The Don Callis Family when disaster struck.

During the match, Ibushi reportedly slipped off the top rope after his leg seemed to give out, sending him crashing to the floor outside the ring. AEW’s ringside medical team immediately attended to him, and the match was stopped shortly after, with Alexander declared the winner via count-out.

After the bell, the situation escalated when The Don Callis Family attempted to attack the fallen Ibushi, prompting Kenny Omega — Ibushi’s longtime tag team partner and close friend — to rush to the ring for the save. The segment ended with the house lights dimming as Ibushi was stretchered out of the ringside area.

At this time, the severity of Ibushi’s injury has not been confirmed. However, early accounts suggest it could be significant, potentially sidelining him for an extended period once again.

Ibushi only recently made his return to AEW, reappearing on the June 21 episode of Collision after nearly two years away. That return set up a dream match with Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship on the 300th episode of Dynamite. Although Ibushi came up short in that match, fans and critics alike praised his conditioning and performance, marking it as one of his strongest outings in recent memory.

Unfortunately, injuries have long haunted the Golden Star. Ibushi has dealt with recurring shoulder problems since his New Japan Pro Wrestling days and suffered double ankle fractures in early 2024 during a Pro Wrestling NOAH match against Naomichi Marufuji.

AEW has yet to issue an official statement regarding his condition, but fans are hoping this latest setback isn’t as serious as it initially appeared.

For now, all eyes are on Ibushi’s recovery and what this might mean for his AEW future — especially with Kenny Omega once again standing by his side.

UPDATE

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ibushi broke his leg. Meltzer noted that the injury looked to just be a freak accident and that anyone who took the fall and landing that Ibushi did would have also suffered a serious injury, or potentially something worse. Ibushi has had a lot of injuries over the past few years, which naturally meant a lot of people thought this was another case of Ibushi’s body not being able to do what he could do in the past, but Meltzer said that isn’t what happened and Ibushi took an out of control spill that couldn’t have been avoided.

Santos Escobar Re-Signs With WWE After Brief Free Agency, Promises of Bigger Creative Plans

It’s been a whirlwind week for Santos Escobar, and it looked at one point like his time with WWE had quietly come to an end. Reports surfaced Monday that Escobar’s contract was set to expire at midnight, and that he had chosen not to re-sign despite a strong offer from the company. Word was that creative frustrations had pushed the LWO member to test free agency.

But in true pro wrestling fashion, the story took a dramatic turn just 48 hours later. By Wednesday, Escobar was officially back under contract with WWE—this time with a deal reportedly more lucrative than the original offer he turned down.

During Wednesday’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed Escobar’s decision to stay put. Meltzer confirmed that the financial bump wasn’t the only reason behind his return, noting that WWE has promised to address Escobar’s creative concerns going forward.

“Yeah, [he’s been re-signed], with the idea that he’ll be used better creatively,” Meltzer said. “We’ll see. I remember that was said about Ron Killings too.”

That comparison to R-Truth (real name Ron Killings) isn’t random. Earlier this year, Truth had a brief “departure” of his own after his contract expired, only to return a week later following fan support online. WWE initially teased a new, more serious direction for him, but that quickly faded as he was eased back into his comedic role and used less frequently on television.

Escobar’s own recent run hasn’t been much better. Despite being a standout talent with charisma and in-ring ability to spare, he’s only wrestled seven matches in 2025 so far. A teased angle over the summer involving AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo was dropped without explanation, leaving Escobar largely off TV and fans wondering what’s next.

With this new deal in place, it seems WWE wants to make good on its promise to give the former NXT standout something meaningful to do. Whether that actually happens—or if Escobar ends up in R-Truth territory—remains to be seen.

For now, though, the “Emperor of Lucha Libre” is sticking with WWE, and the ball is in their court to make his return worth the hype.

Former WWE Star (Kayden Carter) Lacey Lane Made Debut in AEW, Answered Mercedes Moné’s Open Challenge

A familiar face made her AEW debut this week, as Lacey Lane—formerly known to WWE fans as Kayden Carter—stepped into the spotlight on AEW Dynamite to challenge reigning TBS Champion Mercedes Moné.

The match came about after Moné threw down an open challenge to any standout from Florida’s wrestling scene. Lane, who built her reputation in NXT as part of a successful tag team alongside Katana Chance, was quick to answer the call, earning a warm reaction from the crowd.

Despite being the underdog, Lane delivered an impressive showing against one of AEW’s most dominant champions. Her athleticism and striking offense kept Moné on her toes, but in the end, the “CEO” capitalized on an opening and sealed the win with the Moné Maker, extending her reign to a remarkable 500 days.

With the victory, Moné continues her reign of dominance—now boasting 22 successful title defenses since defeating Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing 2024.

For Lane, though, her AEW debut made a lasting impression. Even in defeat, she proved she can hang with one of the company’s biggest stars—potentially setting the stage for more opportunities inside an AEW ring.

TNA World Tag Team Champs The Hardys Win NXT Tag Titles, WWE NXT vs. TNA Showdown

The Hardys continue to make history. Matt and Jeff Hardy added another championship to their legendary résumés Tuesday night, defeating Darkstate’s Osiris Griffin and Dion Lennox to become the new NXT Tag Team Champions at the WWE NXT x TNA Showdown special.

The win makes the veteran brothers double champions, as they currently hold the TNA Tag Team Titles as well. Their next challenge? A tables match against longtime rivals Team 3D—Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley—this Sunday at TNA Bound For Glory, where both sets of tag titles will reportedly be on the line.

The title bout in Orlando opened the highly anticipated crossover event with classic Hardy energy. Darkstate’s powerhouse tandem managed to keep Jeff Hardy grounded early, cutting the ring in half and punishing the high-flyer. But the “Charismatic Enigma” turned the tide with a signature Whisper in the Wind, creating the opening to tag in Matt.

Matt Hardy unleashed his trademark offense, smashing Lennox’s head into each turnbuckle before nearly scoring a three-count. The challengers briefly regained control and attempted a Doomsday Device, but Matt countered in midair with a Twist of Fate. After another Twist to Lennox, Jeff climbed the ropes and sealed the victory with a picture-perfect Swanton Bomb.

As confetti fell and the crowd erupted, The Hardys stood tall with both the NXT and TNA Tag Team Championships held high—while Team 3D watched from ringside, making it clear that their decades-long rivalry is far from over.

With Bound For Glory just days away, the stage is set for another chapter in one of wrestling’s greatest tag team rivalries—Hardys vs. Dudleys—with double gold hanging in the balance.

WWE NXT Showdown (NXT vs TNA) Preview 10/7/2025

WWE NXT Showdown live tonight on The CW – NXT vs. TNA

  • Men’s Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team NXT (Ricky Saints & Trick Williams & Je’Von Evans & Myles Borne) vs. Team TNA (Mike Santana & Moose & Leon Slater & Frankie Kazarian) (with Joe Hendry as special guest referee) – Men’s Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination match
  • Women’s Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team NXT (Jacy Jayne & Sol Ruca & Jaida Parker & Lola Vice) vs. Team TNA (Kelani Jordan & Jessie McKay & Cassie Lee & Mara Sade) (with Jordynne Grace as special guest referee) – Women’s Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination match
  • Title vs. Title – Winner Take All: TNA World Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff Hardy) vs. NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState (Dion Lennox & Osiris Griffin)
  • NXT North American Championship: Ethan Page (c) vs. Mustafa Ali

AEW Dynamite Homecoming Title Tuesday 10/7/2025

AEW Dynamite Homecoming Title Tuesday live at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TBS and HBO Max from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL. It will be a 2.5 hour special!

  • TNT Championship Match: Kyle vs. Kyle 2– Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly
  • AEW World Tag Team Double Jeopardy Eliminator Match: Brodido (Brody King and Bandido) (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita. If either Okada or Takeshita win, they earn a future AEW Tag Team Title Match. However, if Bandido or Brody King win, whoever gets the pinfall challenges Okada for the AEW Unified Championship.
  • TBS Championship Open Challenge Match: Mercedes Mone’ (c) vs. someone from Florida
  • Street Fight: The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) vs. Hurt Syndicate (MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin)
  • Orange Cassidy vs. PAC (No Death Riders, No Conglomeration – 1 on 1
  • Jon Moxley vs. Tomohiro Ishii
  • Jurassic Express in action
  • AEW World Champion Hangman Adam Page and Samoa to go face-to-face