The Turnbuckle Tavern

Turnbuckle Tavern
  • 4.9 (53)
  • Wrestling
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Weekly breakdown of this weeks AEW Dynamite episode, plus hot takes on everything going on in the pro-wrestling industry!

  1. 6h ago

    SHOT OF NOSTALGIA #8.2: THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT WARS | AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT | OCTOBER 9 TO OCTOBER 30, 2019 | PRIVATE PARTY SHOCKS THE BUCKS | BÁLOR TURNS | SCU MAKES HISTORY

    It's time for the second episode of Season 8 of SHOT OF NOSTALGIA and we're continuing our journey through the WEDNESDAY NIGHT WARS between AEW DYNAMITE and WWE NXT. The historic premiere is behind us, AEW has already landed the first punch, and now the real test begins as the excitement of October 2 gives way to the responsibility of producing compelling national television every Wednesday. ACEFIELD RETRO is jumping back into the DELOREAN for October 9 through October 30, 2019, when AEW had to start creating its own history while NXT had to make years of established history feel urgent again. Over on TNT, AEW begins defining what its new wrestling universe is actually going to look like as Private Party shocks The Young Bucks in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament, Darby Allin earns a World Championship opportunity against Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley's issues with Kenny Omega begin pulling PAC into the chaos. Riho defends the AEW Women's World Championship against Britt Baker, Moxley and PAC battle to a time limit draw, Hikaru Shida arrives on Dynamite and the month ends with Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky of SCU defeating The Lucha Brothers to become the inaugural AEW World Tag Team Champions. We're looking at how AEW used upsets, tournaments, time limits and established stars such as Jericho, Moxley, Omega and The Young Bucks to build credibility for a company that entered October with almost no history of its own. NXT enters the same stretch with an enormous advantage in established depth as Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, Matt Riddle, Pete Dunne, WALTER, Roderick Strong and The Undisputed ERA fill a loaded month of television. Finn Bálor's return takes a dramatic turn when he attacks Johnny Gargano, transforming his homecoming into something far more consequential while helping NXT present itself as a destination rather than simply a developmental stop on the road to Raw or SmackDown. We're also examining the enormous advantage NXT already possessed in its women's division, where years of accumulated history allowed WWE to build toward the first women's WarGames match while AEW was still introducing its roster, establishing its hierarchy and effectively writing chapter one. We're also digging into what happened to the television war once the premiere audience began to settle and the two shows had to prove they could create a weekly habit. Dynamite follows its 1.409 million viewer debut with 1.018 million on TNT on October 9 before remaining almost completely steady at 1.014 million on October 16, while NXT moves from 891,000 on October 2 to 790,000 and then 712,000 over the same period. By the end of October, AEW has won every direct Wednesday comparison in total viewers and adults 18 to 49, but the numbers only tell part of the story as we examine AEW's younger audience, NXT's extraordinary roster depth, the World Series competition and the very different definitions of success facing a startup promotion and WWE's established Black and Gold brand. More than anything, Episode 2 is about watching two companies discover how to use completely different competitive advantages. AEW had the freedom of a blank page and needed to create championships, stars, memories and traditions quickly enough that viewers felt they were witnessing history being written, while NXT already possessed years of emotional investment and needed to make that established world unpredictable enough that viewers were afraid to miss what happened next. Don't forget to grab your weekly Shot of Nostalgia to continue FLASHBACK FRIDAY ON THE TAVERN. As always, tip your bartenders & learn from the past!

  2. 1d ago

    Wrestling Tonight: WWE MONEY IN THE BANK 2026 MEGA PREVIEW | PENTA & LASH LEGEND FAVORED, ROMAN vs. LA KNIGHT & VAQUER'S TRIPLE THREAT | 223

    Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week, JBugz from The Rawdown joins Acefield Retro on Wrestling Tonight for a full WWE Money in the Bank 2026 mega preview from New Orleans, breaking down the entire five-match card and everything that got us to Saturday night. This is the first Money in the Bank ever held in October, the first after SummerSlam, and the first edition streaming through ESPN's direct to consumer service in the United States. With Crown Jewel, Survivor Series: WarGames and Wrestlepalooza still to come, WWE is creating two new briefcase holders right as the company enters its final PLE stretch of 2026. The men's Money in the Bank match brings together Penta, Bron Breakker, Kevin Owens, CM Punk, Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans, with Penta entering as the narrow betting favorite at minus 110 ahead of Bron Breakker at plus 125. We look at how Penta went from losing a World Heavyweight Championship match against Roman Reigns to replacing Solo Sikoa after the 946 attack and suddenly becoming the favorite to win the briefcase. We also break down Bron Breakker and Je'Von Evans' year-long rivalry, CM Punk and Kevin Owens' recent championship history, and why this field is much deeper than simply Penta and Bron Breakker at the top. On the women's side, Lash Legend enters as the minus 120 favorite, narrowly ahead of Roxanne Perez at plus 125 and former Money in the Bank winner Tiffany Stratton at plus 300. Sol Ruca, Jacy Jayne and Lola Vice round out a field that has spent most of 2026 crossing paths through championship matches, NXT, WWE and AAA. We get into why the betting odds do not tell the entire story, especially when Lola Vice recently defeated Roxanne Perez, Jacy Jayne took the WWE Women's United States Championship from Tiffany Stratton and Sol Ruca has already had championship success against several women connected to this match. Roman Reigns also defends the World Heavyweight Championship against L.A. Knight, revisiting a rivalry that goes back to Crown Jewel 2023. Roman Reigns has already left two championship matches involving L.A. Knight with the title, then spent 2026 winning the Royal Rumble, defeating CM Punk at WrestleMania, and successfully defending against Jacob Fatu, Seth Rollins, and Penta. With Roman Reigns sitting at minus 1500 and L.A. Knight at plus 600, we look at why another moral victory does absolutely nothing for L.A. Knight this time around and why New Orleans has to be about finally changing the result. The Women's World Championship is also on the line as Stephanie Vaquer defends against Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan. Liv Morgan took the championship from Stephanie Vaquer at WrestleMania 42 and repeatedly defeated her throughout the summer before Stephanie Vaquer finally won it back on September 12 with Becky Lynch serving as special guest referee. Stephanie Vaquer then attacked both women during their number one contender match on October 5 and personally demanded the Triple Threat, creating the exact situation she now has to survive. We also break down Oba Femi against Bronson Reed, the most straightforward fight on the card but one that comes after an incredible year for Oba Femi. He has defeated Brock Lesnar twice, won King of the Ring, and spent months battling different combinations of The Vision before finally getting Bronson Reed one-on-one. Oba Femi enters as a minus 500 favorite, and we look at whether Bronson Reed can become the guy who finally slows down one of WWE's most dominant wrestlers of 2026. Plus, Acefield Retro and JBugz go through the history that makes Money in the Bank one of WWE's most important annual matches, from its WrestleMania 21 origins to becoming its own event in 2010. Of 34 official Money in the Bank cash-in attempts, 28 have produced championships, and the women remain perfect when officially cashing in their contracts. With New Orleans ready to crown the next two briefcase holders, we break down who has the strongest case, what the betting market is telling us, and what Saturday could mean for WWE's championship picture heading into the final nine weeks of 2026. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.

  3. 2d ago

    AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam France | Ospreay Survives Okada | Samoa Joe Qualifies As Clockwork Carnage Takes Shape

    It's Tuesday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from Acefield Retro and Ol' Reliable Hoch, filling in for The Two Bad Chads for a very special edition of The Flagship! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

  4. 2d ago

    Rawdown #248: One Versus All: The MITB Preview

    It's time to get RAW! It's time to get DOWN! The MVP Marco is alone this week as one half of the RAW DOWN preview's MITB '26 and recaps the week that was WWE! All that and more on your #1 source for all things WWE on the Turnbuckle Tavern ...this is the RAW DOWN!

  5. 2d ago

    Wrestling Tonight: WHAT DOES PARAMOUNT'S WBD TAKEOVER MEAN FOR AEW? | OSPREAY vs. OKADA, CLOCKWORK CARNAGE & CENA STANDS BY VINCE | 222

    Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week, Wrestling Tonight looks at what Paramount Skydance's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery actually means for AEW. David Ellison's company now inherits WBD's minority ownership stake in AEW along with the television relationship that runs through 2027 with an option for 2028. Nothing changes overnight, but with roughly $80 billion in net debt, expected cost cutting and Paramount already working extensively with TKO through UFC and Zuffa Boxing, AEW suddenly has a completely different company evaluating its long term value. And the timing could not be more interesting because Grand Slam France becomes AEW's first television show of the Skydance era, headlined by Will Ospreay defending the AEW World Championship against Kazuchika Okada. Mercedes Mone faces Queen Aminata, Darby Allin defends against Kyle Fletcher, Bandido puts the ROH World Championship on the line against Kofi and Samoa Joe faces Jack Perry for a spot in WrestleDream's Clockwork Carnage match. We get into why Okada needs to feel like a legitimate threat to Ospreay and why Paris could have major implications for WrestleDream. That leads directly into Clockwork Carnage, a concept reportedly brought to AEW by Ospreay after being used by Pro Wrestling EVE. AEW had previously discussed creating a six person match similar to WWE's Elimination Chamber before shelving the idea over questions surrounding the physical structure. We break down why Clockwork Carnage may actually be the better alternative, how its elimination and scoring stages work and why AEW is already considering making it an annual WrestleDream tradition. Ospreay is also heading back into his United Empire history at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling. Yuto-Ice and OSKAR are now two time IWGP Tag Team Champions and have recruited former United Empire member Jeff Cobb to challenge HENARE, Great-O-Khan and Ospreay for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles. With Yuto and Ospreay already trading shots and an NJPW versus AEW element developing around the match, we look at how New Japan's new generation is being positioned opposite several major names from its recent past. On the WWE side, John Cena is standing by Vince McMahon, saying he has "no guilt nor shame" about their friendship and that it is possible to love somebody who is not perfect. Those comments come as WWE prepares the inaugural John Cena Classic for December, bringing Cena's stated values of hustle, loyalty and respect into an uncomfortable conversation about his continued public support of McMahon and the way WWE is beginning to turn Cena's legacy into a permanent part of the company. Seth Rollins is also starting to show us what the next phase of his career could look like. Rollins revealed that he has three years remaining on his WWE contract while also working under a separate ESPN deal for appearances across its programming. At 40 years old, Rollins is trying to build his sports media career while he is still wrestling, potentially giving him a completely different role waiting whenever his full time WWE career eventually winds down. We also preview Money in the Bank in New Orleans, where Penta and Lash Legend enter as the current betting favorites for their respective ladder matches. Penta sits narrowly ahead of Bron Breakker while Lash is just ahead of Roxanne Perez, and we look at why either winner could use the briefcase to establish themselves at a completely different level. Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight Championship against LA Knight and Oba Femi facing Bronson Reed are also set for Saturday. Elsewhere, Sheamus is officially a free agent, preparing to use the name S. Farrelly outside WWE with reported interest from AEW. Max Caster and Anthony Bowens have also entered free agency following the expiration of their AEW contracts, while Jay White is facing another frustrating interruption after suffering an injury that is expected to keep him out for another one to two months. Plus, Adam Copeland wants Christian Cage to follow him into Maple Leaf Gardens after finally getting his own opportunity to wrestle inside the building at Northern Rising. AEW is also heading back to Chris Jericho's Rock 'n' Wrestling Rager at Sea on November 7, but this time Collision will actually broadcast live from the ship, something AEW was unable to accomplish when Dynamite came from the Jericho cruise in 2020. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.

  6. 6d ago

    SHOT OF NOSTALGIA #8.1: THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT WARS | AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT | OCTOBER 2, 2019 | COLE vs. RIDDLE | RIHO MAKES HISTORY | BÁLOR, CIAMPA & HAGER

    It's time for the first episode of Season 8 of SHOT OF NOSTALGIA and we're beginning a completely new trip through wrestling history. This season, ACEFIELD RETRO is going back through the WEDNESDAY NIGHT WARS between AEW DYNAMITE and WWE NXT, beginning with the historic first head to head night on October 2, 2019. More than 18 years after the end of the Monday Night War, major American wrestling promotions were once again competing for the same audience on the same night, and we're making our first stop in the DELOREAN to see exactly how it began. Episode 1 takes a close look at both complete October 2, 2019 broadcasts, beginning with NXT's first full two hour episode on USA Network from Full Sail University and the debut episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT from the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. NXT comes out swinging with Adam Cole defending the NXT Championship against Matt Riddle, Shayna Baszler defending the NXT Women's Championship against Candice LeRae, Undisputed Era defending the NXT Tag Team Championship against The Street Profits, plus Io Shirai vs. Mia Yim, Johnny Gargano vs. Shane Thorne and Pete Dunne vs. Danny Burch. The night also features two massive returns as Finn Bálor and Tommaso Ciampa reemerge in NXT. Over on TNT, AEW finally arrives on weekly television with Cody vs. Sammy Guevara opening the first Dynamite, PAC battling Hangman Page, MJF taking on Brandon Cutler and Riho facing Nyla Rose to crown the first AEW Women's World Champion. Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz battle Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks in the main event before Jon Moxley takes Omega out of the fight and Jake Hager makes his surprise debut during the chaotic closing moments of the show. We're also digging into the television war happening behind the matches, including expectations surrounding AEW's TNT debut, NXT's move to USA Network, the different presentation of Full Sail compared with AEW's major arena atmosphere and the ratings that immediately made October 2 such an important night. Dynamite debuted with 1.409 million viewers compared with NXT's 891,000, giving AEW the first victory in what would become an 18 month head to head battle. This season will follow the entire Wednesday Night Wars from its beginning in October 2019 through its conclusion in April 2021, revisiting the major matches, stories, ratings swings and changes that defined the era. Don't forget to grab your weekly Shot of Nostalgia to continue FLASHBACK FRIDAY ON THE TAVERN. As always, tip your bartenders & learn from the past!

  7. Oct 2

    AEW Dynamite: A Tribute To PAC | Bryan Danielson Returns To Join Death Riders | Ospreay VS Ricochet

    It's Thursday, and you know what that means! It is time to walk through those Tavern doors and order up a round of professional wrestling coverage from Snead and Hoch! This week we talk AEW and all the happenings of the week! Make sure you go to patreon.com/theturnbuckletavern for all your Tavern needs!

  8. Oct 1

    Wrestling Tonight: AEW SAYS GOODBYE TO PAC | OSPREAY'S BLACK ARROW & UNITED EMPIRE, CMLL WOMEN'S GRAND PRIX & EMANUEL SAYS TKO WILL NEVER SELL | 221

    Turnbuckle Tavern is powered by G FUEL and Official Dick Lazer. Use code TAVERN for 20% off at GFUEL.com and DickLazers.com. This week, Wrestling Tonight looks back at an emotional night for professional wrestling as AEW dedicated Dynamite to the life and career of Benjamin Satterley, known around the world as PAC. From Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley putting years of history aside to Kenny Omega returning and The Elite standing together again, the show used some of AEW's longest running relationships to tell the story of just how much PAC meant to the company. Then there was Will Ospreay. The AEW World Champion closed his match against Ricochet with PAC's Black Arrow, revealing afterward just how much preparation went into a move he had not attempted in eight years. We get into why the moment hit as hard as it did, the reaction from the AEW locker room, Ospreay's emotional comments afterward and the conversation that has already started about what should happen to the Black Arrow from here. Ospreay is also at the center of another interesting AEW story involving United Empire. New reporting has revealed an important detail about who actually controls the faction's name, and with United Empire now stretching between Ospreay's growing AEW branch and the group's original home in Japan, there is much more to this than simply bringing an old NJPW faction back. We also preview the 2026 CMLL Women's Grand Prix, with a 16 woman field bringing together talent from Mexico, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Defending winner and current CMLL World Women's Champion Persephone leads the Mexican side, while AZM, Miyu Amasaki, Momo Watanabe, Mei Seira, Shotzi, Lady Frost and more make this one of the most internationally diverse Women's Grand Prix fields yet. We also look at where the women's tournament fits into the much longer history of CMLL's International Grand Prix concept. Finally, Ari Emanuel had some very definitive things to say about the future of TKO. The TKO executive chairman was asked who could eventually buy the company and gave an answer that opens up a much bigger conversation about WWE and UFC, the exploding value of sports properties, artificial intelligence, the changing entertainment business and why Emanuel believes TKO is sitting on exactly the kind of assets everyone else is trying to acquire. Be sure to support the show and join our Patreon for just $2.99 a month at PATREON.COM/THETURNBUCKLETAVERN for exclusive content, and follow @turnbuckletavern across social media for all the latest updates. Until the following week, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans. God luck and good speed.

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About

Weekly breakdown of this weeks AEW Dynamite episode, plus hot takes on everything going on in the pro-wrestling industry!

Information

  • Creator
    Turnbuckle Tavern
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.4K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Turnbuckle Tavern

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