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.
ROH tonight on HonorClub
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 live tonight on The CW – NXT vs. TNA
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!
It looks like Santos Escobar’s time in WWE may be coming to an end. According to a new report from PWInsider Elite, the leader of Legado del Fantasma was expected to officially become a free agent early Tuesday morning, ending a six-year run with the company.
Interestingly, Escobar’s reported departure wasn’t about money. Sources told PWInsider that WWE had extended a new contract offer which included a raise, but Escobar turned it down. Instead, his main concern reportedly centered on WWE’s creative direction for his character and his future on television.
Escobar was said to have wanted clarity on how he would be used moving forward — not necessarily demanding a major push, but wanting assurance that he wouldn’t just be “spinning his wheels” on the roster without meaningful storylines or matches.
The 40-year-old’s last televised appearance came in June at AAA x WWE Worlds Collide, where he teamed with Angel and Berto to defeat El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Pagano, and Psycho Clown. His most recent SmackDown match aired back on May 2, a loss to Rey Fenix.
With Escobar’s contract expiring at midnight heading into Tuesday, there’s still an outside chance WWE could make a last-minute effort to retain him. However, PWInsider reported that as of Monday afternoon, no one within the company seemed to believe that was likely.
Escobar — who first joined WWE in 2019 and became a standout in NXT before transitioning to the main roster — has been noticeably cryptic on social media in recent weeks. Many fans have interpreted those posts as hints about his uncertain future, especially following Andrade’s recent return to AEW after a similar situation.
If this truly marks the end of Escobar’s WWE chapter, the former NXT Cruiserweight Champion leaves behind a legacy of in-ring excellence and charisma that made Legado del Fantasma one of the most stylish and underrated factions of the modern era.
Wrestling News Blog 