Author: John Bass

Update On Short-Term TNA Talent Contracts

TNA Wrestling is heading into a hectic December as the promotion balances its upcoming AMC debut with ongoing roster business behind the scenes. Along with the push to raise its profile on a bigger platform, TNA is also in the process of reshaping parts of its roster through a series of short-term talent contracts.

According to Fightful Select, TNA has been working on multiple deals that are believed to run roughly three months in length. Progress has reportedly been made with at least two familiar names, as former International Champion Steve Maclin and former Digital Media Champion AJ Francis are both expected to remain with the company. While Maclin is said to have finalized his agreement, Francis has not officially signed yet, and the specific length of either deal has not been confirmed.

On the other hand, not everyone has locked things down. As of December 19, neither Jake Something nor Zachary Wentz had reached new agreements with TNA. Their current contracts are reportedly set to expire by the end of 2025.

Wentz remains active as part of The Rascalz, teaming with Trey Miguel, Myron Reed, and Dezmond Xavier. Notably, Xavier is said to be working without a contract since his return to TNA last month. Reed is also technically a free agent, though recent discussions between him and company officials suggest a potential deal could be on the horizon.

Jake Something has been a consistent presence in TNA dating back to the summer of 2023. While he has yet to capture championship gold, his steady role on the roster continues as his contract situation remains unresolved.

With TNA preparing for a major television milestone, the coming weeks could bring plenty of movement as the company looks to solidify its talent lineup.

WWE SmackDown Preview 12/19/2025

WWE SmackDown airs tonight from the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania on the USA Network and Netflix for international fans.

  • WWE Tag Team Championship: Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy) vs. two members of The MFTs
  • Cody Rhodes to appear ‘after invading Drew McIntyre’s home’
  • Will Nick Aldis officially reinstate Drew McIntyre from suspension and reveal the date of his WWE championship match against Cody Rhodes? What stipulation will McIntyre choose? Tune
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors vs. Nia Jax & Lash Legend
  • US Champion Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes vs. DIY

NXT’s Arianna Grace Betrays Her Father Santino Marella During Shocking Moment On TNA iMPACT

WWE NXT’s Arianna Grace made a stunning statement on this week’s episode of TNA iMPACT, and it came at the expense of her own father, Santino Marella.

The episode featured a high-stakes steel cage match that brought together five of TNA Wrestling’s top stars against five competitors from WWE NXT. When the dust settled, Team TNA emerged victorious, seemingly sending the crowd home happy.

After the match, Grace joined her father in the ring for what appeared to be an emotional, heartfelt moment following the intense bout. However, that family reunion didn’t last long.

In a shocking twist, Grace abruptly struck Marella with a low blow, leaving the TNA authority figure vulnerable. Moments later, NXT’s Stacks stormed the ring and continued the assault, making it clear the attack was anything but spontaneous.

Grace and Stacks — who are engaged in real life — cemented their betrayal by sharing a kiss as members of the TNA roster attempted to reach the ring, only to be held back. The visual drove home the message: Arianna Grace has firmly aligned herself against her father.

Stacks currently holds the TNA International Championship, having captured the title from Steve Maclin at Final Resolution on December 5. With this betrayal now part of the ongoing WWE–TNA crossover, tensions between the two sides appear far from over.

ROH Global Wars UK 12/18/2025

Watch ROH Global Wars UK tonight exclusively on Honor Club 7/6c http://WatchROH.com

  • Special guest ring announcer Francesca Oliver
  • Wheeler Yuta Open Challenge
  • ROH Women’s World TV Championship Proving Ground Match: Red Velvet (c) vs. Session Moth Martina
  • Leo Rush vs. Lee Johnson
  • Nina Samuels vs. Alex Windsor
  • Mark Davis vs. Evil Uno
  • Rocky Romero vs. Michael Oku

TNA iMPACT Preview 12/18/2025

The road to Genesis and Thursday Night iMPACT! on AMC continues as TNA iMPACT! delivers a loaded episode this Thursday at 8/7c on TNA+ around the world, AXS TV in the US, and Sportsnet 360 in Canada.

  • Steel Cage Match: Team NXT (Stacks, Lexis King, Brooks Jensen & High Ryze) vs. Team TNA (Mike Santana, the Hardys, Steve Maclin & Santino Marella)
  • Battle Royal for TNA World Title Shot: Competitors TBA
  • Angel Warriors vs. Tessa Blanchard & Mila Moore
  • Elijah in concert

Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount’s Hostile Takeover Offer

The fight over control of Warner Bros. Discovery is heating up, and it could have ripple effects across the entertainment landscape — including All Elite Wrestling.

Warner Bros. Discovery, AEW’s longtime broadcast and streaming partner, has officially rejected a hostile acquisition attempt from the Paramount Skydance group led by David Ellison. The move comes after WBD recently agreed to a major deal with Netflix, which would see the streaming giant acquire a significant portion of WBD’s assets, including Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max.

Following that agreement, Paramount launched an aggressive all-cash tender offer directly to WBD shareholders, offering $30 per share and valuing the company at roughly $108 billion. Unlike Netflix’s proposal, Paramount’s bid would include WBD’s entire portfolio, including its linear television networks.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, WBD’s board has now formally rejected Paramount’s offer, telling shareholders it is “inferior” to Netflix’s deal and warning that the bid carries “numerous significant risks and costs.” With that decision made, Paramount’s options are limited: either convince shareholders to sell at the current price or return with a higher offer in hopes of disrupting the Netflix agreement.

WBD Board Chair Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr. said the rejection followed a comprehensive review of Paramount’s proposal. In a statement, Di Piazza said the board determined the offer undervalued the company while placing unnecessary risk on shareholders. He added that the bid failed to resolve issues WBD had already raised during discussions around Paramount’s six previous proposals.

Di Piazza emphasized that WBD believes the Netflix transaction offers stronger and more certain value, stating the company is confident in the long-term upside of that partnership.

THR noted that the board’s response was widely expected. Paramount’s tender offer closely resembled a proposal submitted earlier in December, shortly before WBD finalized its agreement with Netflix. WBD has repeatedly expressed concerns about Paramount’s financing, particularly questions surrounding foreign investment and whether Oracle founder Larry Ellison would fully guarantee the deal.

In a December 17 filing, WBD specifically pointed to issues with the backstop provided by Ellison’s revocable trust, citing a lack of transparency regarding the trust’s assets and liabilities. The filing also raised red flags about funding tied to Middle East sovereign wealth funds, including $10 billion from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, $7 billion from Abu Dhabi, and another $7 billion from the Qatar Investment Authority.

Paramount has already had to adjust its financing structure. Tencent, which was expected to contribute $1 billion, was removed from the bid, while Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners has reportedly pulled out of a $200 million commitment. WBD has also stated it sees no meaningful regulatory advantage in Paramount’s proposal compared to Netflix’s.

Looking ahead, THR reports that Ellison and his team were waiting on WBD’s response before deciding their next move. If Paramount increases its offer, Netflix would have the opportunity to counter, potentially setting off a full-scale bidding war. Netflix, for its part, sent a letter to shareholders on December 17 calling its proposal “the right deal, with the right partner, at the right time.”

The report also revealed that Ellison texted WBD CEO David Zaslav just hours before the Netflix deal was finalized, signaling Paramount’s willingness to go higher than $30 per share. Notably, Ellison pointed out that the offer was not labeled “best and final.”

Despite the rejection, Paramount reaffirmed its $30 per share tender offer in a statement released today. Ellison reiterated his belief in the deal, arguing it offers superior value, a clearer path to closing, and avoids leaving shareholders with what he described as an overleveraged linear TV business.

Ellison and senior Paramount executives have continued lobbying investors, including at a recent UBS conference in New York. One attendee told THR they left believing Paramount is prepared to raise its bid and questioned whether Netflix could realistically match a higher offer given recent stock movement following the $83 billion announcement.

With several major WBD shareholders reportedly intrigued by Paramount’s all-cash proposal, pressure could continue to mount. If Paramount ups the ante, WBD may yet find itself forced to reconsider — setting the stage for an even bigger showdown in the media world.

Backstage Report Suggests NXT Rules Could Change Following Major Title Match Botch

The fallout continues from Tuesday night’s unexpected ending to the NXT Women’s North American Championship match, and new details suggest WWE may be preparing to adjust its backstage procedures as a result.

During WWE NXT, Thea Hail shocked viewers by defeating Blake Monroe to capture the Women’s North American Title. While the result appeared to be a major upset on screen, it was not the planned finish. The referee counted the pinfall after Hail hit her backwards drop from the second rope, with Monroe unable to respond in time. The confusion was immediately noticeable, as Monroe’s entrance theme briefly played before being cut off and replaced by Hail’s music once the decision was finalized.

According to Fightful Select, the timing of the mistake couldn’t have been worse. One NXT staffer described it as happening at “the worst possible time,” noting that NXT was in the middle of wrapping up its 2025 television tapings before the roster departed for the Christmas holiday.

The report states that several weeks of future NXT episodes had already been locked in creatively. Once the unplanned title change occurred, there was reportedly a “pretty frantic rush” behind the scenes to rework pre-taped material that had been built around Monroe remaining champion. WWE even briefly listed Monroe as retaining the title on its website before correcting the information.

Previous reports indicated Monroe had the wind knocked out of her during the move, which likely explains why she was unable to kick out before the referee’s count.

Rather than reversing course, WWE chose to lean into the outcome. Hail’s championship win was quickly promoted across NXT’s social media channels, and highlight clips were released almost immediately. The broadcast also included a post-match angle showing a stunned Monroe confronting Hail and Jordynne Grace during Hail’s victory interview.

Notably, that interview segment was not part of the original plan for the episode. Fightful reports it was assembled on short notice and added to the CW Network broadcast once the decision was made to move forward with Hail as champion.

One NXT executive reportedly believes the incident could spark a meaningful change in protocol. Going forward, talent may be required to remain backstage until all TV tapings are fully completed. Currently, NXT pre-tapes are filmed on Mondays, with wrestlers typically expected to stay through the following night’s live television taping — a policy that may now be enforced more strictly in the wake of this situation.

MJF Makes AEW Return, Alters Worlds End Title Picture

Maxwell Jacob Friedman is officially back, and his return has instantly changed the landscape of the AEW World Championship scene.

During this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, MJF re-emerged to cash in his Casino Gauntlet contract, inserting himself into the already high-stakes World Title match scheduled for Worlds End. The bout was originally set to feature reigning champion Samoa Joe defending against both Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Adam Page, but MJF has now made it a four-way showdown.

Samoa Joe captured the AEW World Championship at Full Gear in November by defeating Page, aided by Hook’s involvement and Joe’s renewed alliance with The Opps. Strickland later returned to the picture, joining forces with Page as the two former rivals united against Joe and his allies. Their partnership was on full display at Dynamite: Winter Is Coming, where Page and Strickland fended off Joe’s Trios Championship partners, Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs, before officially declaring their shared pursuit of the world title.

On Dynamite, Joe, Page, and Strickland met in the ring to sign the contract for their upcoming clash. While tensions were high, Page and Strickland stood shoulder to shoulder, warning Joe that he had underestimated them. Moments later, the arena went dark — and MJF’s music hit.

The former champion made his first AEW appearance in three months, having last been seen losing to Mark Briscoe in a brutal Tables n’ Tacks match at All Out in Toronto. MJF wasted no time reminding everyone why he was there, signing the Casino Gauntlet contract he earned by winning the match at All In back in July, officially adding his name to the Worlds End title bout.

MJF then addressed each of his future opponents, taking shots at Strickland with a controversial comparison and referencing his WWE past, while also making it clear that his goal was to humiliate Page and the two men he considers his biggest rivals.

There’s plenty of history between all four competitors. Page defeated MJF to retain the AEW World Championship at Forbidden Door in August, while Joe ended MJF’s first title reign at Worlds End 2023. Joe would later lose the championship to Strickland at Dynasty 2024, setting the stage for a deeply intertwined and volatile main event heading into this year’s Worlds End.

AEW Dynamite & Collision – ‘Holiday Bash’ Preview 12/17/2025

AEW will present its 3-hour ‘Holiday Bash’ special episode of AEW Dynamite & Collision tonight on TBS and HBO Max from the Co-Op Live in Manchester, England.

  • AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: FTR (c) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson & Austin Gunn)
  • Mercedes Mone’, Athena, Megan Bayne & Marina Shafir vs. Harley Cameron, Willow Nightingale, Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa
  • $1 Million Match: The Elite vs. The Don Callis Family (Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero)
  • AEW World Championship Three-Way Match Contract Signing For Worlds End: Samoa Joe, Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Mascara Dorada vs. Orange Cassidy
  • Continental Classic Blue League Match: Jon Moxley vs. Roderick Strong
  • Continental Classic Gold League Match: Kyle Fletcher vs. PAC
  • Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale

Unexpected NXT Title Switch Leads to Major Backstage Adjustments

Tuesday night’s episode of WWE NXT delivered a surprise that few — including those backstage — saw coming. Blake Monroe’s defense of the NXT Women’s North American Championship against Thea Hail ended with Hail scoring an unplanned victory, abruptly changing the title picture.

According to Fightful Select, Monroe was originally slated to retain her championship. Instead, a mistimed finish led to Hail being counted down for the win, prompting what was described as a frantic backstage response. That confusion reportedly explains the noticeable delay before Hail’s entrance music played, as officials worked in real time to adjust to the unexpected outcome.

The ripple effects were immediate. Creative plans for Hail, Monroe, and several other talents had to be reworked, as upcoming storylines were reportedly built around Monroe continuing her reign. With Hail now holding the title, NXT is said to be heading in a completely different direction than what was planned just days ago.

As of now, there’s no indication that anyone has been singled out for blame. Fans, however, have been quick to speculate online, with theories ranging from Monroe missing a kickout, to Hail’s pin being overly complex, to the referee simply following through with the count. The situation has drawn comparisons to an earlier incident this year involving Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, and Jade Cargill, when a referee stopped a three-count — a decision that sparked widespread backlash at the time.

Monroe’s reign ultimately ends at 52 days, despite expectations that it would continue. For Hail, the moment marks a major milestone, as the former Chase U standout captures her first championship since signing with WWE in 2022. Now aligned with Joe Hendry, Hail’s sudden rise adds an intriguing new wrinkle to the evolving NXT landscape.