The big news dominating Thursday is Tony Khan getting on the mic β metaphorically β for his pre-Forbidden Door media call, and there’s a lot to unpack. TNA acquisition interest, Jack Perry’s contract situation, visa headaches, Sareee’s arrival, MyAEW’s growth β Khan was covering ground like a hot tag babyface who just got the crowd behind him. Whether any of it translates to the kind of sustained momentum AEW needs heading into what should be their marquee co-promoted event of the year remains the real question, but credit where it’s due: the World Cup concept alongside NJPW shows genuine creative ambition, and “free agent surprises” is exactly the kind of phrase that makes the dirt sheet ecosystem collectively lose its mind on a Thursday afternoon.
Tiger Mask IV on Whether the Character Should Continue After His Retirement
Yoshihiro Yamazaki has worn the mask longer than anyone in the character’s storied history, and his measured “I don’t feel strongly either way” answer about the Tiger Mask legacy continuing is quietly profound β it suggests a man at genuine peace with stepping away. His final match at Korakuen Hall on July 7 against Black Tiger deserves to be treated as the significant moment it is, because Tiger Mask IV’s tenure has spanned eras and promotions and meant something real to a generation of fans. However NJPW and the character’s rights holders decide to proceed, the weight of what Yamazaki carried deserves acknowledgement first.
WWE European Summer Tour: Sheffield Live Event Results
Charlotte and Alexa Bliss teaming as “Charlexa” on a European tour live event is exactly the kind of odd-couple combination that works in a non-televised setting, and the fact that Fatal Influence is running interference on Alexa Bliss matches suggests they’re keeping that programme alive through the tour. Live events are where you test chemistry and give talent reps, and the Sheffield crowd at the Utilita Arena always shows up for WWE β good box office makes everyone’s life easier. Nothing earth-shattering here, but it sounds like a solid night out.
Wendy Choo Posts Cryptic Message After Losing WWE EVOLVE Women’s Championship
Seventy days as champion ended courtesy of Nikkita Lyons and a spinning front kick that looked every bit as nasty as it sounds β and Lyons winning that title feels like a long-overdue arrival moment for someone who’s had a genuinely frustrating path through WWE’s developmental system. Choo going cryptic on social media post-loss is either savvy character work or a hint that something’s in motion, and either way it’s smart to let the audience wonder. EVOLVE continuing to produce meaningful title changes keeps it relevant as a brand, which is the whole point.
Harley Cameron vs. Shayna Baszler Set for BRCW; Thekla Rejects Mercedes Monè Talk; Bandido Eyes Moxley
Shayna Baszler holding gold on the indie scene and headlining a homecoming event in South Florida with Harley Cameron β who has been quietly one of AEW’s most watchable characters β is a matchup worth getting excited about on August 16. Thekla rejecting Mercedes MonΓ¨ talk is either genuine creative independence or careful positioning, but either way Thekla has earned the right to be talked about in those conversations. Bandido going after Jon Moxley is just correct professional wrestling booking β the styles contrast alone writes itself.
Sweet Daddy Guido Falcone Says Steve Austin “Forgot Where He Came From”
Look, veterans airing old grievances on wrestling podcasts is its own established genre at this point, and 25 years of Wrestling Epicenter means James Walsh has heard most of them. Falcone’s shots at Austin and the GWF story are interesting historical footnotes, but “guy from smaller territory feels overlooked by guy who became the biggest star in the industry” is a tale as old as the business itself. Worth a listen if you’re a wrestling history nerd, but take the Austin criticism with the appropriate seasoning.
Tony Khan Media Call: World Cup, Sareee, TNA Interest, and Jack Perry’s Future
Khan’s TNA interest is the thread that keeps pulling β he’s mentioned it enough times now that it’s either a genuine strategic play or the wrestling equivalent of a vague babyface tease that never pays off. The Jack Perry contract situation is worth watching closely given how central he’s become to AEW’s identity, and visa issues affecting Forbidden Door is an unfortunate but sadly familiar story for any promotion trying to work internationally at scale. Sareee on AEW programming, though? That’s the quietly exciting piece of news that deserves more oxygen than it’s getting.
WWE SmackDown Ratings Bounce Back with Best Demo Number in Over a Month
1.191 million viewers and a 0.25 in the 18-49 demo β up 25% week-over-week β is genuinely good news for a show that’s been grinding through a quieter stretch on USA Network. Context matters here, and we shouldn’t crown a trend from one data point, but this is the kind of number that makes the network happy and gives WWE’s creative team a bit of breathing room. Something on that episode connected, and it’s worth paying attention to what was on the card to understand why.
Piper Niven Gives Six-Week Post-Surgery Health Update
Anterior discectomy surgery in May following a neck injury that’s kept her out since August last year β Piper Niven has been through it, and the fact that she’s giving positive updates six weeks post-op is genuinely great news. Her quote about her neck being “straighter than my sexual preferences” is exactly the kind of sharp, unbothered wit that makes her one of the more likeable personalities in WWE when they bother to use her properly. Here’s hoping the recovery stays on track and creative has something worthy waiting for her return.
Apollo Crews’ Future in Wrestling After WWE Departure
Crews was released in that brutal April wave and is presumably working through his 90-day window, which puts him as a free agent around late July. The man is 37, athletic as anyone on the planet, and criminally underutilised for the back half of his WWE run β AEW, TNA, NJPW, and frankly any promotion with eyes should be making calls. Whatever comes next, a fresh start somewhere that actually has a vision for him can only be an improvement.
NXT Women’s Title Match Set to Main Event Great American Bash
Lola Vice defending against Kendal Grey headlining Great American Bash this Sunday is a genuinely interesting choice β Grey earned it clean through a number one contenders match, beating Kelani Jordan, which is the kind of logical build NXT does well when it’s on its game. Vice has been one of the more compelling characters in NXT for a while now, and Grey getting this spotlight feels like a real investment in her future. Three women’s title matches on one card and the women’s championship closing the show β NXT continues to put its money where its mouth is with the women’s division.
π€ The WAW Take
That’s your Thursday covered β from Tony Khan’s media call ambitions to Tiger Mask IV’s graceful farewell tour, it’s been a day that reminded us why this industry never really slows down. Forbidden Door weekend is almost here, Piper Niven is healing up, and somewhere Apollo Crews is about to have the best second act in wrestling. Stay loud, stay smart, and we’ll see you on the other side of Great American Bash.