The wrestling world paused this week to say goodbye to one of its own. Joe Doering, the hard-hitting Canadian gaijin who carved out a legendary career in All Japan Pro Wrestling, passed away on June 26th after a third battle with brain tumors β a fight that, by any measure, he handled with more toughness than any match could ever demand. All Japan is holding a memorial service to honour him, and it’s entirely fitting. Doering overcame this disease twice before, kept wrestling, kept grinding, and earned every ounce of respect the Japanese wrestling world has for him. Our condolences go out to his family, his friends, and everyone in the AJPW locker room who called him a brother.
Chris Jericho Says AEW Return ‘Helped Me Reimagine What A Babyface Jericho Was Like’
Nearly two months back in AEW and Chris Jericho is sounding genuinely energised, which is a sentence that felt uncertain for a while there. The Renee Paquette sit-down is the kind of reflective, candid content Jericho does well when he’s not distracted by factions, rock bands, or whatever the Demo God arc was trying to be. If the Ricochet feud has genuinely helped him rediscover a babyface identity, then AEW made the right call bringing him back β just let the wrestling do the talking this time.
All Japan Pro Wrestling Holding Memorial Service For Joe Doering
There isn’t much to editorialize here β this is simply loss, and All Japan honouring Doering with a proper memorial service is the right and respectful response. Doering fought brain tumors not once, not twice, but three times, and continued to show up for the business he loved in between. The tributes that poured in from wrestlers across the globe last week said everything about the kind of man and performer he was.
John Cena Pushed For An Austin Theory Face Turn After Their WrestleMania 39 Match
This is fascinating in retrospect, because the Austin Theory experiment as a main-event babyface never really happened β and you have to wonder what WWE left on the table. Cena has always had sharp instincts about who has that next-level quality, and Theory had genuine charisma before the booking slowly buried it under directionless midcard limbo. Whether WWE revisits it with Cena now on his retirement tour remains to be seen, but as a sliding doors moment in recent history, this one stings a little.
Former TNA World Champion Released From Company
Eric Young is out of TNA, effective immediately, and per backstage reports it was his call β he requested the release after signing a short-term deal. EY is TNA royalty, a two-time world champion who has been part of the company’s fabric for the better part of two decades, so this feels like a genuine end of an era rather than routine roster trimming. The WWE return chatter is already circulating, and honestly, a rejuvenated EY in NXT or as a character on the main roster isn’t the worst idea anyone’s had this week.
Oba Femi’s Direction For WWE SummerSlam 2026 Addressed
Oba Femi wins King of the Ring by beating Jey Uso β a massive statement β and now he’s heading into a Hell in a Cell with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. That’s an enormous amount of trust from WWE, and frankly the right move; Femi has the size, the presence, and the athletic ability to hang in a big fight environment, and Lesnar at this stage of his career works best against someone who looks like they could genuinely challenge him physically. If they protect Femi properly in that cell, this could be the match that fully announces him as a top-tier star.
Nikki Blackheart Martinez Debuts On WWE NXT
A post-match ambush on Tatum Paxley is a tried-and-true NXT debut formula, and it works because NXT crowds are wired to pop for new arrivals. Nikki Blackheart Martinez arriving as a mystery aggressor is a solid hook, and attacking Paxley β who has her own unhinged energy β sets up a character collision with genuine potential. NXT has quietly been building an interesting women’s division, and this adds another piece.
Eric Andre: I Think WWE Is The Greatest School Of Performance
Eric Andre getting beaten down by Jacob Fatu at the behest of Roman Reigns is exactly the kind of celebrity crossover that works when it’s built into a real storyline rather than just a one-off segment, and his genuine praise for WWE’s performance machine afterwards lands with more credibility because of it. Andre’s comedy background means he understands timing, crowd work, and character β so when he says WWE produces elite performers, he’s not just being polite. The Little Brother press run with Cena has been a legitimately good piece of mainstream visibility for wrestling.
Backstage Update: Eric Young Quit TNA, News On Chances Of Move Back To WWE
Expanding on the earlier release news: Young requested his own exit, and a WWE return is reportedly being discussed as a realistic outcome. The short-term contract detail suggests both sides knew this was a transitional arrangement rather than a long-term commitment, which makes the whole situation feel less dramatic and more like a professional handshake. Watch for an NXT appearance before the end of summer.
Tommy Dreamer Reveals Favorite Moment As TNA Head Booker
Tommy Dreamer pointing to Naomi’s title reign as his proudest achievement as TNA head booker is both heartfelt and telling β she was criminally underused for years, and getting that spotlight right matters. Dreamer gets grief from some quarters but his passion for the business is genuinely undeniable, and when a booker’s highlight reel centres on elevating talent rather than personal ego, that’s worth acknowledging. TNA has quietly been doing some interesting work and deserves more credit for it.
Lola Vice Shares Advice For Future Wrestlers, Eric Andre Calls WWE Best Performance School
Lola Vice’s message β stay unique, stop comparing yourself to everyone else β is probably the most practically useful piece of advice any young wrestler can receive in 2026, when the temptation to imitate the latest trending style has never been stronger. Vice backed it up by becoming NXT Women’s Champion against people who said it couldn’t happen, which gives the advice genuine weight rather than motivational poster energy. File this one under things worth actually listening to.
π€ The WAW Take
That’s your Wednesday wrapped β from farewells to debuts, from Lesnar’s latest resurrection to EY packing his bags for greener pastures. Joe Doering’s memory deserves to be carried forward by everyone who watched him fight, in that ring and out of it. We’ll be back tomorrow β keep watching, keep caring, and for the love of everything good, let Austin Theory turn babyface.