For a long time, Joshi wrestling was considered the red-headed stepchild of Japanese wrestling. They weren’t always given the same market share as the male-led promotions. Now, is it true that the all-women-led Japanese wrestling companies of the past like AJW, GAEA and Arsion always had top-tier wrestling, and during their peaks would easily sell out arenas and create an amazing life for their young female wrestlers? However, major international appeal was another story. Despite the huge boom that Joshi wrestling had in the 1980s and '90s in Japan. I wage to argue that over the past two years, Joshi wrestling has gotten an international spotlight than they have ever had before. Companies like Stardom, NJPW, NXT, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Progress, ROH, Pro Wrestling EVE, Shimmer and AEW, have played a big role in the new pairs of eyes around the world that are looking at some of the best women’s wrestling in the world. Over the past decade, Joshi Wrestlers have produced wrestlers for Western audiences. Similar to their male counterpoints in Japan. Let’s take look a at what contributed to this international boom for Joshi Wrestling. Prominent runs in NXT of legendary Stardom Wrestlers Triple H had a mission with NXT, to not only develop new talent in the industry but to make NXT its own brand. He also wanted to showcase international talent that could shape up the next generation of WWE superstars. The talent taken from Stardom, one of the first being Asuka, later on, KAIRI and IYO Sky made such an impact on the American scene as major attractions and champions that you can’t think of the black and gold era of NXT and not put these three former NXT women’s champions in the conversation. NXT gave a spotlight to these women’s backgrounds in Joshi wrestling and put them over majorly as women who are the standard of how wrestling should be. For the longest time, the question on everyone’s lips was who could beat Asuka. This was certainly due to the strong style approach that Asuka had to her wrestling which was unmatched at that time. KAIRI’s unbelievable aerial ability, but also her enchanting entrances were a sneak peek to women’s wrestling fans who not have seen the Stardom’s wrestlers pageantry that is at another level in Japan. IYO made such a splash that in NXT and the main roster her heavyweight title reigns were demanded. Kenny Omega’s dream to bring Joshi Wrestling to AEW When AEW was formulating its roster, one of AEW’s VPs, Kenny Omega’s biggest goal was to showcase Joshi wrestling for the women’s division. In his own words on what his motivation was to use Joshi wrestlers initially for the AEW roster: "There hasn't been much exposure to Stardom on a worldwide scale, but people know who they are, mainly due to Kairi Sane and lo Shirai. Since their NXT debuts, people have dug a little deeper and gone back to the roots and seen what Stardom is all about. I'm sure they've gained fans through that, but there are other styles of Joshi wrestling and other talent that people haven't seen, that don't wrestle for Stardom. These are the people I want to introduce to the world”. Talent like Aja Kong, Yuka Sakazaki, Emi Sakura and Roy Mizunami were given opportunities to progress in tournaments and the women’s rosters, showing what they were bringing to the table. Was the booking great? No. Did Covid also put a halt to this Joshi takeover of the AEW roster? Absolutely. However, it can be said, that the mission to have phenomenal Joshi wrestlers spearhead the AEW women’s locker room is still a priority. Especially with seeing women like Riho and Hikaru Shida get major storylines and championship runs. NJPW and Stardom Partnership In late 2019, NJPW’s parent company, Bushiroad, purchased Stardom. This was the beginning of us seeing women’s matches in NJPW. This collaboration helped NJPW gain customers that they lost, that Stardom was drawing in. To have a female-led promotion have this level of drawing power internationally is no small feat. A year ago, Stardom outdrew New Japan’s three Korakuen shows with just one of theirs. This is not a knock against New Japan of course. Because they had to deal with reduced seating during the pandemic years. So these huge promotions working together for the greater good of both promotions make sense. In the 2022 Stardom strategic meeting, it was announced that Stardom and NJPW would create a title for defences not just in Japan, but also in the US on New Japan Pro wrestling events. This was a major deal and a brilliant strategy to bring light and attention to the women of Stardom. A historic moment as well since this was the first time in NJPW’s 50-year history, that a belt for female talent would be featured. That showed the confidence that Bushiroad has in the Stardom World brand. Foreign wrestlers goming to Japan to successfully bring in American viewers Initially, many American fans were perplexed when they tried to piece together why Mercedes would want to go to NJPW after such a successful career in WWE. They knew that she had the pick of the litter when it came down to where she could sign, but she chose NJPW. When those same fans tuned into her first match in NJPW and saw the pageantry, the out-of-this-world entrances and five-star calibre matches with not only Mercedes, but the women of Stardom, many minds changed. It also opened the eyes of many American female fans, who never knew what Stardom was. Or where KAIRI was before coming into NXT. Now, you see more wrestling fans talking about factions like Oedo Tai and wrestlers like Mayu Iwatani. Mercedes Mone was able to have this successful transition in her career, because she chose the right dance partners and promotions, during this Joshi boom. The emerging creation of US based All Japanese promotions As the popularity of Joshi wrestling spreads across the globe, it seemed fitting for Japanese promotions to take a cue from NJPW and have a US-based promotion as well. In September, it was announced that the all-women’s Japanese promotion, Sukeban would debut in Manhattan on September 21st. This exciting new promotion has a unique, yet very Japanese approach with the wrestlers having very elaborate characters, and some comedic bits, but still showing off some hard-hitting action. Even having legendary Joshi star Bull Nagano as their commissioner. This pro wrestling league reminds me of the authentic punk rock, hard-hitting and over-the-top showcase that was frequent in the 70s and 80s for Joshi promotions like AJW. Spark Joshi is seen as the first Japanese pro wrestling promotion based in the US. They feature well-known talents such as Maya Yukihi, Sumie Sakai, Malika Ozaki and American wrestlers as well. A promotion like this allows American fans, like me, to be able to support Joshi wrestling locally and see this phenomenal wrestling up close. I think it’s very important, especially in this global age, to see how impressive it is to have female-led promotions corner the market in their respected country, but also be able to bring in the same amount of crowds across the globe. The gym regime, the hours of practice at the dojo, the delivery of well-developed characters that hold a strong level of kayfabe in this era, the unmatched entrances and fascinating characters. I would be lying if I said that I don’t feel that Joshi wrestlers are the benchmark for modern women’s wrestling.

Faces and Heels This episode starts with an announcement on Kentucky Sports Radio that the next stop in the OVW summer tour is the 2022 Poke Sallet Festival. This festival is giving me flashbacks to the Parks and Rec TV show Pawnee Citizens. Just a small town, a sacred festival that is beloved in the Kentucky area. Co-owner, Matt is so excited about this festival. It’s a time for him to show off his hometown and the wrestling company that he bought. Also, a moment to show his mom, who knows nothing about wrestling, what he’s invested in. Matt wants to put Kentucky on the map with this promotion and thinks that the buzz from appearances like this will do it. We see Leila Gray and Haley J in action at this festival. It wouldn’t be a wrestling event at a country festival without a funnel cake being shoved in the mouth of the women’s champion now would it?! An intimate glimpse into the home life of the wrestlers, as they gear up for a full weekend scheduled for wrestling, showcases another side of them. Haley J getting waxed at a salon, Cash Flo hanging out with the family, Shera getting his meal prep together and a tender moment, seeing Mr. Pectacular reading to his kids in bed warms my heart. A montage of a few more stops on the summer tour plays out. The tour dates include Harrodsburg, Pulaski County, Somerset, Jasper, Louisville,. Breweries, country fairs, festivals you name it, were all on the docket. With all the excitement and joy on display throughout these events, we find out that there was an incident that occurred at one of the shows. One of the wrestlers was arrested for doing drugs in the parking lot of the venue. This, of course, pisses off AL Snow and Matt. This does not look good for the company and is a bad reflection on everyone in the locker room. Maria calmly goes to pick up the wrestler from jail, and tries to comfort him, but makes it clear that the owners have to hold the the wrestlers to a certain standard. AL, being the father to these very young wrestlers, and also knowing what it’s like to be in the locker room, understands the personalities and demons that these men and women face. So there is sympathy on his part. Along with consequences for the reckless actions. Cash Flo asserts himself as a locker room leader in this episode. Which seems to come quite naturally. He balances the praise for the others but doesn’t hold back when telling them where they need to step up as a roster. He’s the locker room Dad and it’s awesome to see. It’s a tough scene watching Jake (the wrestler caught using drugs) go through withdrawals as his partner helps him through it. His young daughter witnessed this as well. You can tell that the loss of his child, when he was supposed to have twins, really sent him into a spiral. The pain from wrestling, and the use of pills to numb this, really brings stress to his partner Heather. He was also told that he might be in a wheelchair by forty, due to his years wrestling. So that news has probably added to his depression. Jake calls AL and I love the compassion, understanding and encouragement that AL gives him, to help Jake see that there isn’t judgment for his drug use. It’s just a concern for his well-being. This episode doesn’t shy away from a hot-bottom issue like drug use in the business. They face it head-o, but also analyze why it happens and how many veterans try to be there for their peers. This episode also does a brilliant job of bringing to light what type of personalities are needed to be a wrestler, but how that doesn’t easily translate to regular civilian life. How it’s hard to cope without getting that dopamine hit from a live audience. Also, how hard it is to be the companion of someone who wrestles. Some wrestlers haven’t seen their kids for months because they had to move to a state like Louisville that has the opportunities that they need to further their careers. That’s brutal. These wrestlers also have to work regular jobs to make ends meet. I’m assuming it must be hard to turn off the creative side of their minds to be a 'regular Joe' during the weekdays. One of the female wrestlers, Freya The Slaya takes a huge risk by selling her house. The only asset that she has left. It’s hard to remove that layer of security to continue to chase your dream. Some people might ask why these wrestlers sacrifice their bodies, families, and livelihoods for this business. The answer is simply that they have a passion that won’t go away. A fire that will never stop burning for this industry. We get a look back on Cash Flo’s wrestling career. He started on the indie circuit in the 2000s. Even faced off against CM Punk during that time. His specialty was death matches. Which were popular at the time. Now he’s thinking about his health more and decided to tuck that part of his career away. His wife has been very supportive throughout their 23 years together. For ten years, she worked as a nurse, while he pursued wrestling and took care of the kids full-time. Now, wrestling takes care of them full-time. Making time for one another is still hard, but they both put each other’s needs first and make it work. I’m a sucker for a good love story. Especially when opposites attract, so this tugged at my heartstrings. Reverend Ronnie brings up the issue of pay to Matt and honestly, Matt is so clueless about what these wrestlers go through to pay their bills, including gas to get to shows. Matt makes it seem like it's not an issue when he is seen leaving the show. Then we see a montage of other wrestlers bringing up that Matt made them cancel shows for other promotions. Threatening them to do it or they can’t work for OVW, then not paying them after shows. Maria stands up for the wrestlers and brings this issue to Matt. Making it clear that she knows that when there is money available, the wrestlers still don’t get paid. What does Matt say to her? It’s not her business. Beyond disrespectful. Al makes a good call, and talks to co-owner Craig Greenberg and suggests Matt have fewer interactions with the wrestlers. Honestly, Matt is creating a tense work environment when it doesn’t need to be. AL is out there trying to hold the whole thing together. During a staff meeting, Matt brings up a tense conversation that he’s had with a wrestler when he starts to have a seizure. I think this also brought to light how stressful these high-pressure situations in wrestling can be and how it can affect the health of the staff dealing with such A-type personalities. As viewers we are left on a cliffhanger with several ice packs being applied to Matt's head and the ambulance being called. Matt recovers from the seizure and even walks out on his own. So that gives us some solace that he will be okay, but how does this affect the team? Stay tuned to find out. How do you like 'Wrestlers' so far? Also, check out our interview with Wrestlers star, Freya the Slaya

Get Over We start this episode off with Mahabali Shera talking about his only true love. His car. A sleek, black Nissan. A look into his home life reveals that Shera comes from the Sikh culture and prays to Hanumanji daily. A Hindu god with a big tail that is 30 feet long. All of the sportsmen in India would pray to him for strength and power. Like Hanumanji, Shera wants to follow in the Hindu god's footsteps and not get married and focus on building his strength. Shera is a bit afraid of love and doesn’t want to face heartache. He’s worked 20 years for where he is now. And honestly seems like he doesn’t want any distractions. After the scary seizure incident with Matt in the last episode, it is revealed that he suffers from epilepsy. Seeing other people’s reactions embarrasses him. He specifically feels that the seizure bothered Al Snow. He doesn’t like that he can’t get a read on Al's reactions to things. He’s never seen Al sweat. Honestly, this episode really humanized Matt. It showed why he is the way he is. He’s insecure and at the core, a people pleaser. Starting from him wanting to please his mom. He feels that he has to protect her. Especially after she had to deal with his dad serving jail time because of a drunk driving incident that led to several deaths. Matt really seeks the approval of Al. There are a few kinks in their relationship, but I think that they can make it work. For the sake of OVW. Mahabali is being seen as a strong leader in the locker room as champ. Also a major talent in the industry in general right now. Al Snow had really been building Shera as the ultimate babyface. Now the next mission... finding a formidable opponent for Mahabali to face and essentially put him over. Matt proposes to Al that they have some wrestlers go to AEW Elevation and Dark to have some matches. To work with established wrestlers and to create attention for OVW. Matt has ambitions to make OVW a feeder system to AEW. This allows the OVW talent to have valuable TV time in AEW, learn proper etiquette and make connections backstage. This seems like a good idea to me. Al Snow doesn’t seem to think so. He believes that it would make the OVW wrestlers look weak. That people wouldn’t tune into OVW just because a few of their wrestlers are on AEW. Matt wants Al to realize that there is a bigger world outside of OVW and that making connections with other companies is essential to build up a fan base. Brian is out looking for sponsors to bring in some revenue. As another way to show his worth as a staff member. He visits a local comic store to ask for sponsorship. He has to compromise on the price but lands a deal. Nice to see Brian get a win. OVW sees a packed house in this episode and things start to look up. The feud between Maria and Haley J heats up. Maria vows to never fight her daughter. But Haley attacks her dear mother with no regrets. Matt, Brian and others agree that Haley J has a charisma that can’t be taught. Matt believes that she is the most charismatic person on the roster. You can see that Haley really enjoys what she does and has really great chemistry with Leila Gray. Eric Darkstorm is really feeling an onset of jealousy toward Haley. He feels that everything is moving too fast for her and that it's going to go to her head. Al Snow feels that Haley still has a lot of growing up to do, and has to learn proper conduct to make it far in the business. Al makes the announcement about who will be going to perform on AEW Dark. You see all of the wrestlers' ears perk up. CashFlo, Hal, Freya, Luke, Kal and Omar make the cut for luckily few, that get to be backstage in AEW. You see the competitive looks being exchanged by the others because being a part of AEW is a big deal. I believe Haley J wasn’t chosen because she was caught smoking on the OVW premises prior to this. These wrestlers are going to give Al a heart attack with the code of conduct being violated. CashFlo seems to be the only wrestler who sees Matt Jones being a co-owner of OVW as a plus. He feels that he’s getting opportunities that he hasn’t gotten in 20 years since Matt came on. Al Snow calls on James Storm to come in to be a formidable opponent to Shera. I agree that this is a great choice. Storm can make anyone look good. With the time that James has had in Impact and NXT and his phenomenal tag teams and solo runs, he knows what the fans want in a heavyweight champion. Matt doesn’t want to spend money on James Storm but still agrees to bring Storm in. Digging deeper into Shera’s background we find out that In 2012, TNA discovered Mahabali. They trained him for three months and then he became the first Ring Ka King heavyweight champ for Impact India. It made him so happy to get his father's approval. A father who put him through the ringer as a child with his alcohol addiction. His father’s death due to cancer made him a much more serious, focused person. He was given a tryout with WWE and got signed shortly thereafter under the name Amanpreet Singh. This signing received a lot of press. So, it seemed like it was a no-brainer that Mahabali would get a good run with WWE. Sadly. after eight months he was let go in 2018. He felt that things were hopeless. Even wanted to commit suicide. But quickly, he let go of that anger and let it fuel him. He then became The Lion and gave Al Snow a call. Jessie Belle from WOW asked if Haley J could come in to do some TV tapings. This is exciting news for her because even though she is getting opportunities in OVW, it wouldn’t be the same as it would be in an all-women’s promotion like WOW. WOW has a national TV deal, so it's a wonderful opportunity for Haley J. Especially with her personality and WOW lends itself to wrestlers with over-the-top personalities. Maria already works for WOW, with a character named Big Rig Betty, who’s a truck driver. Now her daughter is joining in on the fun and becoming a country truck driver as well. You see Haley doing a mini photo shoot in front of a truck and getting into this character. While her mom gives her posing tips. I love this mother/daughter duo as the mother truckers! The build-up for the James Storm/ Mahabali Shera match is heating up, as the fans wait outside and make their choice for the potential winner. Loyal OVW fans are rooting for The Lion Shera. Al Snows has both James and Mahabali come into his office to discuss the outcome of the match. Shera is taken for a loop when he hears that he will lose his title to Storm to build up heat. Moments before the match. This step is being done to showcase Shera’s climb back up the top of the mountain. After this announcement, Shera’s eyes look vacant. Like he feels that he lost something very special to him. You can also see that this news added fuel to his fire. James Storm is a veteran, so this feud will definitely build up Shera, as a former champ that will prove that he will soon become the National Heavyweight champion again. The fans are 100% behind Shera in this match. When the pin is made and James Storm is holding that title, it must be truly surreal for Shera. Young fans are crying at ringside and Shera looks a bit brokenhearted. Mahabali still remains an ultimate professional and thanks James for the match and Al for the opportunities that he has been given in the promotion. You can see the trust that Shera has in Al, and that speaks volumes. Especially in the wrestling business. Next, we see Al on the phone call in his office. It’s Maria, and she’s asking if she and Haley J are needed for their upcoming event. Al Snow makes it clear that they are needed because their feud has been building up in OVW. Maria announced that she and Haley J are committed for three weeks to WOW for TV tapings. This frustrates the hell out of Al, but as usual, he has to suck it up and find a solution. This was surprising considering Maria works behind the scenes and knows how important these feuds are to the overall show. It’s great that Maria and Haley J are getting these opportunities, but it did leave Al hanging. This does mean that another woman will get the opportunity to shine as Haley J and Maria will be gone. This episode did a wonderful job of showing Mahabali’s journey in life and wrestling thus far. It also makes us as fans want to root for his eventual championship title recapture even more. His hard work, discipline and professionalism, motivates me, to one day be as morally rich as Shera is in my own life. What did you guys think of this episode? Check out our interview with WOW Superhero Jessie Belle

Episode 1: Ohio Valley Wrestling Pro Wrestling fans have a new reality show to attach themselves to available on Netflix and it’s simply entitled Wrestlers. This show gives us a lens into what co-owner, booker, producer and all-around father to the wrestlers, Al Snow has to do to keep the famous indie wrestling promotion OVW alive. While also butting heads with the other co-owners on what tactics will work to get more ticket sales and viewers to their product. This spotlight on OVW will show us who can be the next wrestling stars in the industry. A promotion that has an amazing history of having dream rosters during the 00’s, when they were a developmental territory for WWE. Immediately, this first episode starts off by giving us a sample, just a taste, of what we can expect from the wrestlers that will be highlighted on this show. Standouts like female wrestler Hollyhood Haley J. The 26-year-old started wrestling as a last resort to get away from a chaotic life and actually grew to love the wrestling business. Al Snow is bringing all of his expertise as a highly respected trainer and equally successful in-ring performer, during one the biggest booms in wrestling history. He intends to preserve the legacy of OVW and continue to have a platform for upcoming talent. Al brilliantly explains the objective of a wrestler. A wrestler should always be to able create the suspension of disbelief for that fan at ringside or watching on TV. A viewer should become completely immersed in that character, to the point where the audience is in awe of what they’re presenting. Simply put, It is physical storytelling. This leads to a look back into the history of wrestling and how society over the decades has always dictated what we see in wrestling. And how OVW has always been a third-tier promotion that is one of the last regional promotions in the US. You really get to see Al Snow’s everyday responsibilities with keeping OVW open and running. It’s not an easy task, but he does it because of his love for the business. I love that Al Snow provides this kind of insight for this generation. His wealth of knowledge and care is needed. Having a live television show is paramount for these wrestlers to learn on the job, how to handle the intense, fast-paced, strict, yet unpredictable world of live TV. The babyfaces on the rise in the company are: Mahabali Shera, known as the Indian Lion is the national heavyweight champion. He has the whole package. Cash Flo is the veteran of the roster. He adds a certain level of experience to the group and seems to have a heart of gold. The Reverend Ronnie is a charismatic wrestler who is experienced, more than others on the roster and really cares about the promotion's growth. Leila Grey is the new OVW women’s champion. She started out in AEW but is in OVW to make some waves. The heels of the company are : Freda the Slaya. A heel on the women’s roster, who has height, strength and a mean attitude. Mr. Pectacular. Has the shredded, douchebag persona locked in and has seen some success in Impact Wrestling. That experience and true conflict in his gimmick will take him far. Eric Darkstorm seems like a no-nonsense guy that’s in his own words, wants to take out all the the boys in the company. He’s not that crazy about authority and is as straightforward as you can get. Amon is a demonic character, who is cunning and downright evil. The amazing Maria is an older female wrestler who feels that she has one more run in her. She’s also a segment producer for OVW behind the scenes and plot twist… Hollyhood Haley’s J mom. Hollyhood Haley J is a heel, but she’s in that gray area where the fans actually love to hate her. You can’t really help it. She’s down to earth, with an attitude where she truly doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Matt and Craig Greenberg are the other side of the owners for OVW. Craig is a business guy, who was also running for mayor in Ohio and loves wrestling. So he called Matt who has leveraged his spot in talk radio to promote OVW. Jessica Sarven, Al Snow’s wife, who is very involved with OVW, feels that Matt and Craig didn’t take a moment to get to know how the company is made up. How it is different to run a wrestling promotion, as it would be a regular company and their lack of understanding of this, created a distaste in the mouths of the wrestlers for the new co-owners. Craig and Matt nominate building up attraction for the promotion, by having a travelling summer tour. Al Snow is skeptical of it, he thinks that the tour still won’t bring in enough money. Matt and Craig are losing every month. So they are demanding the tour. Matt and Craig want to attract a bigger audience, outside of wrestling nerds according to Matt. If they don’t make it through the summer and break even, then OVW may need to close their doors. You get a glimpse of what this company means to wrestlers like Cash Flo and Haley J. And why OVW could end their wrestling dreams if it cease to exist. Sheba has a following in India, due to his time in Impact Wrestling. You can see how serious he is about getting to the next stage in his career. Haley J and Maria work together at their daytime jobs at the hotel that Maria owns. Wrestling brought them back together after having a hard relationship during Haley’s formative years. Maria was a young Mom. She was hard on Haley and had several stints in jail for dealing drugs. Haley was on her side own since 15, so under the hard attitude, you can see the vulnerability there. She doesn’t feel like anyone has her back. I loved seeing the behind-the-scenes lens of what an agent like Maria and Al has to do to make the television show run smoothly. Lots of yelling, and even laughing when things go well and how much structure the ref gives to a match. Once you get to the end of this episode, the viewers are shown the many obstacles ahead for this promotion, but also the wealth of talent that OVW currently has.

We last saw Mandy Rose aka Mandy Sacs on NXT, on December 13th when she lost her NXT Women's Championship to Roxanne Perez and the next day was fired from WWE reportedly due to her FanTime website. Since then she has been living her best life and recently let us know she will be launching an Only Fans account. Having multiple streams of income and thinking about the future seems to have always been the play for Ms. Sacs because on top of her OF account , her fiance Tino Sabbatelli and herself have launched a new podcast called Power Alphas Podcast. The goal of the podcast is to inspire folks to WIN in life and business. In the premiere episode Mandy talks about it all, from her going back down to NXT, to her release from WWE, to her brother passing away and and so much more. Check out her side of the story and let us know what you think.

NXT No Mercy took place in the city of Bakersfield, CA, and left fans with a night filled with beautiful memories. New champions were crowned and the ladies held it down in the main event. In fact, the ladies opened and closed NXT No Mercy. Blair Davenport def. Kelani Jordan Our first match of the night took place on the pre-show where the young upstart, Kelani Jordan, looked to take down the NXT Women's division resident bully, Blair Davenport. While it could be seen that Blair was overlooking her opponent the entire match, it truly felt like Kelani Jordan arrived here. "May not have gotten the dub, but you better believe I was there. #NXTNoMercy" Nailing an array of jaw-dropping aerial maneuvers. Blair would eventually get the upper hand, hitting her patented Suplex Driver for the three count. But make no mistake about it, the future is bright for Jordan and she's a strong bet to win the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament. As for Davenport, it looks like her next faceoff will be with Gigi Dolin, who hit the ring immediately once the bell rang. Dolin attacked Davenport before the two were separated by security. It seems all but likely both superstars will get to settle their differences on Tuesday night. Becky Lynch def. Tiffany Stratton (retains NXT Women's Title) The main event of NXT No Mercy saw the Man come around in a rematch vs. Tiffany Stratton. The crowd erupted during Lync h's entrance upon her bringing a special set of toys for this Extreme Rules match. Stratton wasted no time allowing Becky to play to the crowd, attacking her during her entrance and the two would fight throughout Mech anics Bank Arena. The two definitely brought the extreme as the match featured broken dolls, chairs, tables, barbed wire baseball bats, and a fire extinguisher. Stratton currently has the prettiest moonsault ever, but should absolutely trademark the "prettiest Swanton bomb" ASAP. She hit two Swanton bombs on Lynch with one putting "The Man" through a table. In the end, Stratton would miss with her moonsault and find herself on the end of a "Man Slam" through a set of chairs for the three count. Becky Lynch, and still your NXT Women's champion. What's next for Lynch will be a title defense against Tegan Nox, and while Becky brought the big time to NXT and to Stratton, it was Stratton that looked like a megastar in this match. It will be interesting to see if Stratton continues the chase to become two-time NXT Women's Champion or if greener pastures await. She took to Instagram after the match to pay respects to the champ and put ther would on notice that would be just the first of many main events. "Name an assignment I didn’t understand 💅🏼 I’ve always loved the idea of not being what people expect me to be, but tonight was different. The man @beckylynchwwe brought it to me on another level unlike anyone ever has, but I brought it right back, I said what I said and I’m not going anywhere. See you all in the main event of wrestle-mania sooner rather than later! Toodles."

Episode 2: Cheap Heat This episode starts off with Al Snow and a few of the wrestlers at his house watching WWE and giving their critiques on what they feel is missing from wrestling right now. They feel that there is a stark difference between the real, unscripted promos of the 90s and the heavily scripted and monitored promos and mic work of wrestlers now in the WWE. Al agrees and feels that these younger wrestlers sell what they do and not why they do it. He does agree that OVW has the same goal as WWE, which is to make the wrestlers into stars. We cut to a segment that takes the viewers down memory lane on how Al Snow got his start in WWE. He made his debut with the company, in 1993, with a masked gimmick. Then was paired off with Marty Jannety to create the new Midnight Rockers tag team that wasn’t successful. Al admits that he had an attitude during his first run in WWE. He finally found his gimmick with a schizophrenic character that he created in 1998 during his stint in ECW that was a relatable and imaginable character that led him back to WWE. He stopped thinking about just the wrestling moves and made finding a good character that registered fans a priority. Hollyhood Haley J is back in training mode and getting some tips on locking up in the ring from Dark Storm aka Eric. Her real-life boyfriend. There are issues because of competition between the two. He’s worried that the early success that Haley J is getting, could possibly go to her head. We get the treat of seeing Al Snow and his team, which includes Maria working on the stories for the weekly shows and that leads to the pay-per-views. One match in particular, for the upcoming pay-per-view, is a Hair vs. Hair match with Haley J. She’s a trooper and is completely okay with getting her hair shaved. Al Snow’s dilemma is that he has to promote this pay-per-view to make sure that they can get 500 purchases to break even. You can see the stress of achieving that goal weighing down on him. We then get a historic recap into why TV and wrestling go hand in hand and why pay-per-views are so important to a wrestling company from a revenue standpoint. OVW certainly doesn’t make money from ad revenue from their weekly shows, because they don’t get high ratings yet. Matt, one of the co-owners of the OWV is pushing for more traveling shows because that is the one time that he actually makes a profit. So the summer is set to be a traveling carnival ride for all of the roster. Three days before the pay-per-view, Haley J. and her mother Maria are cutting backstage promos that really help to show the intensity of their impending feud. Al Snow is being hounded by the talent that wants to be on the PPV. It is absolutely hilarious seeing how drained he is hearing every wrestler's idea for what their match should entail. And Al has to say no many times. In the end, the co-owners Matt and Craig, are laying down the law and making it clear that if they don’t see a change in ticket sales over the summer, some of the staff will be let go. So the pressure is on. We get to see the hard work and hours upon hours of filming that is put into a specialty match that will take place in hell for the upcoming PPV and requires a special location and a great deal of acting and props to make it perfect. This behind-the-scenes look gives you a glimpse into how hard these wrestlers and crew work to make these specialty matches happen. You see Bryan, who works as a cameraman, announcer and graphic designer for OVW being told that he’s not doing enough to justify his salary. So now he’s putting in more hours and putting more pressure on himself. This results in him losing that quality time with his family that he loves. It’s crushing to see him call his son and have to cancel his plans because he’s working. Bryan doesn’t care about being fired because he needs the money. He cares about OVW and what it represents. The next scene shows Dark Storm aka Eric once again bringing up that Haley J has more merchandise and attention towards her, but he feels confident that he will sell a good amount of merchandise during the event. Haley is backstage talking to Leila Grey about how some fans are leaving comments on social media saying that they are only watching the pay-per-view because of her. Leila is excited to participate in this women’s hair vs. hair match and you can see the joy bubbling over for both ladies leading up to this match. As the Pay-Per-View is set to go live, Al Snow is greatly disappointed with the turnout for the live audience and can’t understand why it is so hard to sell out this building. Haley J. and Leila Grey’s match is one of the last matches of the pay-per-view and it gets gritty. Leila comes in as the women’s champion. There are no rules or countouts. Early on in the match, the ladies take it out of the ring and this leads to trash bins being used and all hell breaking loose. The producers backstage are very pleased with this women's match. In the end, Leila gets the win and Haley J of course, tries to leave the arena, but Maria makes sure that she follows the rules of this stipulations match. Leila grabs the scissors and hacks a huge chunk of Haley’s hair. To the crowds' satisfaction. This is another great showing for the women’s division. Even though it was a good match, Haley J is seen confiding in her Mom that she is a bit disappointed that there weren’t more people in the crowd. Maria feels the same way. It is very clear that OVW still has an uphill battle to climb. This episode ends with Bryan describing what makes OVW special. It’s not overproduced. It has depth, It makes you think and overall it is unique. The question is, can this indie promotion stay on track to see the light at the end of the tunnel?

WOW, World Championship, Penelope Pink has quite the weekend ahead of her as she tries not to lose her title to Princess Aussie or Tormenta in a triple-threat match. We had the opportunity to talk to the champ about how she is preparing for this match, despite the fact she has beaten Princess Aussie quite a few times. Ms. Pink is relying on her manager, Lana Starr to run interference if anything were to go awry. Other than the triple threat match you also will see, The Beast make her in-ring return from her devastating injury as she prepares to take out her anger on Chainsaw. Her search for her assailant continues - once she has proof, there is no turning back. IQ Superior Samantha Smart prepares GI Jane for a match against Tiki Chamorro. The tension is building in Team Exile, as Exodus and Genesis prepare to take on Jessie Jones and Americana. Check out the latest episode of WOW - Women Of Wrestling nationwide in syndication. You can go to wowe.com and enter their zip code to find their local station in the US. Also, click the link below to check out our latest interview with Penelope Pink and the new WOW post-show is coming soon too.

After a much-anticipated confirmation, we now know, that Jade Cargill has signed a multi-year contract with WWE. Yesterday, WWE released a video clip of Jade proudly walking up to the performance center building. Of course, after this announcement and tease of seeing Cargill on WWE territory, we as fans were clamouring to hear what she had to say. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait too long, because ESPN and The Ringer made sure that they were the first to get an exclusive interview with Ms. Jade Cargill. Here are a few takeaways from the interviews: 1. Jade left AEW because of leadership. She feels that having people like Paul Levesque (Triple H), Bruce Pritchard, Nick Khan etc. is paramount and unmatched in any other wrestling promotion. 2. The WWE training facilities is a game-changer for performers like herself 3. She adores and wants to be a part of the history and legacy of WWE. 4. Jade pointed out that she is the first signee under the TKO umbrella. This certainly shows the strong desire that WWE has to show how big of a star Jade will be on their roster. 5. Jade believes that WWE already sees something in her, the ability to be a top draw for the company. She even teased that she is already getting five-star treatment upon being signed. 6. She clarifies that nothing negative happened in AEW that caused her to leave. This is simply an evolution in her career. 7. Cargill wants to push herself to the limit and this is the best place for her to be. Cody Rhodes is definitely a mentor to Jade and really took the time to sit with her and teach her about the wrestling business when she started out in AEW in 2020. She never forgot that and won’t let him down in WWE. When asked about dream matches, Jade feels that it would be a dream match with any woman that she steps into the ring with. She thinks that WWE has the best women’s roster in the world and looks forward to locking up with these ladies. Jade does agree that she and Bianca will be the main event on TV if they collide. She goes on to say that they would be Wrestlemania's main event worthy. The Endeavor talent agency aspect with this UFC/ WWE TKO merger would allow Jade to spread her wings and look into possible opportunities in the world of show business. This also played a factor in her decision to sign with WWE. This insight into why Jade signed with the biggest wrestling company in the world is not surprising. This just continues to show that Jade is a star and her meteoric rise in the pro wrestling world is not by accident. Every move that Jade makes is a calculated one, that meets the approval of her legion of fans. Fans have shown excitement for this new stage in her career. Congrats again to Jade Cargill. The first signee to WWE in the TKO era of the company Check out Jade's last interview before she signed with WWE

As we celebrate #IMPACT1000, the Knockouts division remains the best in the world. For part one of the celebration, we see the return of both Mickie James and Tasha Steelz. Next week, the greatest Knockouts match of all time will happen according to Mickie James. The Beautiful People's very own Angelina Love teams up with Team Adams' very own Deonna Purrazzo and Tasha Steelz alongside Savannah Evans and Gisele Shaw. They will take on the team of Mickie James, Awesome Kong, Gail Kim, Jordynne Grace, and current Knockouts World Champion Trinty. During the opening segment, Mickie James unnoticeably touches the Knockouts World Championship that Trinity is holding. Many took to social media to make Trinity aware of how close Mickie James was to the title. Trinity seems to be watching all the eyes on her since coming to IMPACT! Wrestling. On the other hand, Trinity might want to watch out for Jordynne Grace. Coming off the heel of a victory against Deonna Purrazzo, Grace may be playing nice for now. However, Grace is always thinking about the gold and could come after Trinity at any given minute. With this being said, the field of opponents for Trinity continues to open up. For now, let us focus on this historic Knockouts match for next week! Who do you think will take home the victory? I will be back with my official #IMPACTRecap on September 28th!