JCup's Blog

Ricky Saints finally  made his WWE main roster debut on Friday Night Smackdown, appearing in its opening segment to confront close friend and mega superstar Cody Rhodes. Saints drew a timid reaction from the Disney Adults and children in attendance, and would go on to lose his first match on the main roster to the Codester. I was preparing to write a long-form piece on how WWE was about to enter its sink-or-swim era with Saints serving as the avatar for my premise, when the stunning news broke the following morning: The New Day and WWE had mutually agreed to part ways.  The immediate reaction amongst fans and those within the industry was a mix of shock, disappointment, and ultimately hopefulness that the duo would likely continue on with All Elite Wrestling. That's not all, though. I couldn't help but notice a tone of resignation from both a devoted fanbase and the typical grifters who have spent the past three or four years touting the brilliance of Paul Levesque and Nick Kh...

In an effort to maximize profit margins and further debilitate the professional wrestling industry, the World Wrestling Entertainment engaged in its annual post- WrestleMania  roster purge. It's another soulless corporation that is laser-focused on padding the wallets of the top 1% at the expense of its own workforce; worse, Paul Levesque was awarded an extension to remain the company's Chief Content Officer despite rapid declines across various metrics. Corporate culture in a nutshell, folks! It's been a few days since The Purge, and the dust is starting to settle around these soon-to-be Free Agents. I'll be curious to see whether TKO attempts to enforce a non-compete clause against their former employers for more than 90 days, particularly those likely to jump to All Elite Wrestling. If we jump 90 days forward, we'd land on July 27th, about a month before All In  at Wembley Stadium. Let's see if this becomes a factor, another thorn in a prickly saga.  I've...

I find it utterly fascinating  when someone fires up a #HotTake for  thousands  of people to consume without first taking a long look  in the mirror. Conrad Thompson, a notable figure in the professional wrestling bubble for all the wrong reasons, decided to take his hypocrisy to an entirely new level. I made sure to double and triple-check that these sentiments came from his legitimate account, as opposed to someone impersonating him (or getting hacked), but, sure enough, it's real. Here's how it began: Joey gets a bad rap. He’s helped so many guys in the biz. Brodie rules too. Such a great family. But why is NXT catching strays? I don’t think Dave realizes that when he says stuff like this, it hurts the people he’s trying to compliment. No upside to making these comparisons. https://t.co/wHhgkGvodq — Conrad the Mortgage Guy (@HeyHeyItsConrad) April 23, 2026 For anyone still in the dark, Conrad was responding to a clipped Dave Meltzer quote, wherein he said, "Joey...

I don't feel the need to review this particular  Dynamite episode  segment by segment; instead, I'd like to share specific thoughts that occurred to me throughout the broadcast. Let's get into it: The Rise of Kevin Knight I expressed a similar sentiment last week, but it bears repeating: we are incredibly fortunate to witness Kevin Knight's ascension as one of the best wrestlers consistently featured on American television. It's exciting to see a hyped prospect not just meet expectations, but exceed them. He's a 29-year-old stud with the TNT Championship around his waist, holding his own in a promo battle with MJF. I'm genuinely excited to see their title match next week, and it's one I think Knight should definitely win. I hope AEW figures out their next licensing deal for action figures, because this kid needs one ASAP. Knight is the type of talent that will be very over with children and adults alike. He's unquestionably a future AEW World Champio...

The  build-up and culmination of  WrestleMania 42  confirmed many beliefs and suspicions, but none  more important than this: World Wrestling Entertainment serves as a perfect reflection of modern times, particularly in the United States.  The company is an avatar for what this great country is all about: greed, contempt, and unwavering support and devotion from a cult-like fanbase, who are far too stupid and proud to admit they've been duped by a collection of selfish, predatory ghouls.  Sounds familiar, alright. WrestleMania 42 was a soulless cash grab, a two-night event filled with nonsensical drivel that would make Vince Russo blush with embarrassment. I took immense  delight in seeing it all unfold, and it only hardened my belief that this company should die an unceremonious death. It's extremely difficult to feel  sorry for  anyone  who supports this gutless company; in fact, I sincerely believe they deserve it  and more....

We all felt the tension. We read or listened to the #HotTakes from our favorite (and hated) commentators, all offering various opinions of what Tony Khan should do with his promotion's World Championship. We tossed around scenarios and debated how effective they would be if properly executed. Quite honestly, something is intoxicating about watching a professional wrestling program with the expectation that a beloved babyface will finally win the big one.  We all have memories of Mick Foley's first WWF Championship win on Monday Night RAW in 1999, or Lex Luger submitting Hollywood Hogan with his signature Torture Rack to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship just two years earlier. Would this edition of Dynamite end in the same vein?  And from my point of view: yes, it did, though not without its faults. I faced an interesting duality when watching the 4/15 edition of Dynamite : I thought I was watching a strong American-style pro wrestling episode, yet a few of my fellow ...