Weekly Wrestling Roundup October 19–24, 2026: WWE, AEW, AAA, TNA, STARDOM, MLW and the Independent Scene
Professional wrestling certainly didn't suffer from a shortage of developments this week. Between shifting alliances, championship defenses, international tournaments, developmental opportunities, and independent promotions preparing for their next events, there was plenty happening both inside and outside the major television spotlight.
And that's one of the things I love about this business.
Professional wrestling is so much bigger than any single company. While WWE and AEW understandably command considerable attention, some of the most interesting stories are developing in Mexico, Japan, and independent wrestling rings across the country.
From Jay White's increasingly dangerous alliance in AEW to the family drama surrounding Dominik Mysterio in AAA, the continued evolution of TNA's Knockouts division, and fresh opportunities for developmental talent, this week provided plenty to discuss.
So let's get into it.
WWE: Crown Jewel Approaches as Major Storylines Continue
With WWE Crown Jewel scheduled for November 7 in Saudi Arabia, attention continues shifting toward the company's next major premium live event.
The event has also generated discussion beyond the wrestling ring, particularly regarding regional security concerns and contingency planning.
According to public comments from TKO leadership, the company has continued preparing for its scheduled events while evaluating the situation.
And that's an important distinction. Preparing for an event doesn't mean ignoring potential complications, particularly when international travel and the safety of performers, production personnel, and other employees are involved.
I've spent enough time traveling for wrestling to understand that what audiences see inside the ring represents only a fraction of the work required to make an event happen.
The logistics alone can be substantial.
And when you're talking about an international production of this magnitude, those responsibilities become considerably more complicated.
Meanwhile, Liv Morgan and Chelsea Green remain personalities worth watching as WWE develops its women's storylines.
Both women understand the importance of character work, although their approaches are distinctly different.
Liv has spent years developing a character capable of generating strong emotional reactions, while Chelsea has demonstrated how personality, comedic timing, and a willingness to embrace the ridiculous can become valuable tools.
And I appreciate performers who understand that professional wrestling isn't simply about executing moves.
It's about making people care.
Sometimes that means presenting yourself as the most dangerous person in the room.
Sometimes it means becoming the person audiences cannot wait to see get humbled.
Both approaches require commitment.
NXT and WWE EVOLVE: Development Is About More Than Winning Matches
WWE's developmental system continues evolving through NXT, EVOLVE, and the company's WWE ID initiative.
And while fans understandably focus on championships and television appearances, I think there's a much bigger conversation worth having about what actually constitutes meaningful development.
A wrestler can be incredibly athletic and still struggle to connect with an audience.
Another performer might have comparatively limited experience but possess a natural understanding of character, timing, and emotional storytelling.
Neither situation guarantees success.
Development is about identifying those strengths, addressing weaknesses, and learning how to translate potential into a sustainable career.
Having spent years working through the independent wrestling system, I know that experience doesn't arrive overnight.
You learn from the people you work with.
You learn from mistakes.
And occasionally, you learn considerably more from a match that goes wrong than one that goes perfectly.
That's why programs connecting independent wrestling with larger developmental opportunities are worth following.
But it's equally important to distinguish between someone receiving an opportunity, someone signing a developmental agreement, and someone officially joining a major company's roster.
Those are not interchangeable accomplishments.
WWE ID: Departures, New Contracts and the Next Generation
WWE's Independent Development program has experienced several notable changes this month, with established participants announcing their departures while additional wrestlers receive opportunities through the initiative.
Marcus Mathers, Laynie Luck, Sam Holloway, and Cappuccino Jones have publicly indicated that they are no longer participating in WWE ID.
Their departures represent changes to the program's roster, not necessarily the end of their professional wrestling ambitions.
And that's something I think deserves emphasis.
Independent wrestling careers rarely follow a predictable path.
An opportunity can open one door while closing another. Sometimes a wrestler moves forward through a developmental agreement, and sometimes their next chapter takes them somewhere completely different.
Meanwhile, Richard Adonis, Conan Lycan, Monica Monroe, and Josiah Jean have been identified as additions to WWE ID.
Lycan received his contract during WWE EVOLVE, with AJ Styles involved in the presentation. Booker T presented Jean with his opportunity, while Monroe's championship victory at Reality of Wrestling was connected to her entry into the program.
Those are significant moments for developing performers.
But they also come with expectations.
Being selected for a program is an accomplishment. Turning that opportunity into a lasting career requires an entirely different level of work.
And I sincerely hope the wrestlers receiving these opportunities understand that distinction.
Because once somebody gives you an opening, the responsibility of making the most of it becomes yours.
It's also worth separating WWE ID participation from WWE Performance Center recruitment. They are different pathways, and announcements concerning one shouldn't automatically be presented as announcements concerning the other.
For me, the most encouraging aspect of the program remains its potential to create additional visibility for wrestlers who have spent years developing their craft outside the traditional WWE system.
Independent wrestling has never suffered from a shortage of talented people.
What it often lacks is access to the same resources and opportunities.
And anything that helps address that imbalance deserves attention.
AEW: Jay White Unveils The Last Outfit as Blood & Guts Takes Shape
AEW delivered one of the week's most significant storyline developments when Jay White formally introduced The Last Outfit during Saturday's Collision.
The alliance brings together White's Bang Bang Gang associates and The Dogs, including David Finlay and Clark Connors.
And considering the personalities involved, I wouldn't exactly describe this as a group built around trust and mutual respect.
White made his intentions clear, directing his attention toward Jon Moxley and the AEW Continental Championship.
Later in the evening, White defeated Kyle O'Reilly before the closing moments descended into chaos involving The Last Outfit, The Conglomeration, and the Death Riders.
Orange Cassidy inadvertently struck Moxley with an Orange Punch after White moved out of the way, allowing White to capitalize with a Blade Runner.
That's an effective way to close a television episode.
Not because everybody needed to end up fighting, but because the confrontation created another complication in an already volatile situation.
And White is particularly effective when he's allowed to manipulate those situations.
Meanwhile, FTR defeated the Motor City Machine Guns to even their best-of-five series at one victory apiece.
The finish involved Stokely Hathaway assisting Cash Wheeler, adding another layer of controversy to a rivalry between two exceptionally accomplished tag teams.
I've always appreciated tag team wrestling when performers understand that chemistry involves more than simply coordinating offense.
It's about knowing your partner, anticipating movement, and understanding how to manipulate the audience's expectations.
FTR and the Motor City Machine Guns are certainly capable of delivering that.
Elsewhere, Swerve Strickland defeated Myron Reed, continuing to establish his momentum.
And perhaps the most significant development for AEW's women's division came through the official formation of the women's Blood & Guts teams.
Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander, Harley Cameron, Jamie Hayter, and Alex Windsor are set to face Thekla, Julia Hart, Skye Blue, Megan Bayne, and Lena Kross on November 4 in Jacksonville.
That's an interesting combination of personalities.
And considering the nature of Blood & Guts, chemistry, positioning, and the ability to tell a coherent story amid controlled chaos will be absolutely essential.
Multi-person matches are challenging enough under ordinary circumstances.
Introduce weapons, a cage, multiple rivalries, and ten competitors, and the responsibility becomes considerably greater.
The spectacle matters.
But the story still needs to make sense.
TNA: Kiera Hogan's Betrayal Changes the Knockouts Landscape
TNA's October 22 Impact delivered one of the week's more interesting developments when Kiera Hogan turned against Allie following their championship loss at Bound for Glory.
Rather than accepting the defeat as a team, Hogan blamed Allie and reunited with Tasha Steelz.
The resulting attack brought Shotzi Blackheart into the situation, establishing another potential rivalry within the Knockouts division.
And that's where things become interesting.
A betrayal only works when the audience understands what has been broken.
The history between the performers matters.
The motivation matters.
And perhaps most importantly, what happens afterward matters.
Hogan and Steelz have an established identity together, while Shotzi's involvement provides another recognizable personality capable of carrying the story forward.
Elsewhere, Indi Hartwell successfully defended the Knockouts World Championship against Xia Brookside.
Daria Rae returned and immediately became involved in the championship picture, while Shayna Baszler and Zoey Serrano attacked Hartwell following the match.
Jason Hotch also retained the TNA International Championship against Mustafa Ali in a two-out-of-three-falls match.
Ali secured the opening fall but subsequently lost the second by disqualification after using the championship belt, allowing Hotch to recover and eventually secure the deciding fall.
And there's an important piece of psychology there.
Sometimes a wrestler's desire to punish an opponent becomes the very thing that prevents them from winning.
TNA also continued preparing for Destination X on November 15, including a World Championship defense involving Leon Slater and Trey Miguel, Ultimate X matches, and the return of the World X-Cup.
For a company historically associated with innovative wrestling and international talent, those announcements feel particularly appropriate.
ROH: Lee Moriarty Retains as Bishop Kaun Targets Bandido
Ring of Honor continued its weekly programming with Lee Moriarty successfully defending the ROH Pure Championship against Mance Warner.
Moriarty's continued success is particularly interesting because Pure Rules wrestling emphasizes aspects of the craft that don't always receive the recognition they deserve.
Technical execution, ring positioning, strategy, and knowing when to exploit an opening are all essential.
And personally, I appreciate wrestling that gives those skills an opportunity to shine.
Elsewhere, Bishop Kaun defeated Oro before continuing his attack, prompting ROH World Champion Bandido to intervene.
Kaun subsequently issued a championship challenge, establishing a potential direction for the ROH World Title picture.
Mina Shirakawa also defeated Isla Dawn, while The Rascalz, Dark Order, The Swirl, and Zayda Steel recorded victories during the episode.
ROH continues to offer a platform for wrestlers with different backgrounds and styles.
The challenge remains making sure those performers have stories worth following beyond their individual matches.
AAA Héroes Inmortales: Three Champions Retain as Rey Mysterio Intervenes
AAA Héroes Inmortales XVIII began its multi-week presentation on October 24 from Mexico City, and the opening installment featured three championship defenses, a surprise return, and another chapter in the ongoing Mysterio family drama.
In the main event, El Grande Americano successfully defended the AAA Mega Championship against Dominik Mysterio.
But as anyone familiar with Dominik's recent history might have anticipated, this wasn't exactly a straightforward championship match.
Dorian Roldán and Omos became involved, creating repeated obstacles for the defending champion.
Eventually, Rey Mysterio entered the situation, confronting Omos and striking both the imposing giant and Dominik with a steel chair.
Americano capitalized with another Tope Azteca to secure the victory.
And honestly, Dominik continues demonstrating that he understands exactly how to make people want to see him lose.
That's a valuable skill.
Not everybody needs to be universally admired to become successful in professional wrestling.
Sometimes being the person audiences desperately want to see humbled is considerably more effective.
Elsewhere, La Catalina successfully defended the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship against Flammer and La Hiedra.
The two challengers initially worked together, but their individual championship ambitions eventually created problems.
La Catalina capitalized on the disagreement and defeated Flammer with a running knee strike.
And that's one of my favorite aspects of multi-person championship matches.
Alliances can be useful.
Until everybody remembers there's only one championship to win.
Los Perros del Mal, represented by Ángel, Berto, and Daga, also retained the AAA World Trios Championship against La Parka, Mr. Iguana, and Niño Hamburguesa.
The victory involved questionable tactics and interference, but the biggest surprise came afterward when Big Mami returned and confronted Karmen Petrovic.
Meanwhile, Mini Vikingo revealed that an elbow injury suffered during NXT would require surgery, forcing him out of his scheduled AAA World Cruiserweight Championship opportunity against Rey Fénix.
Fénix subsequently announced an open challenge for October 31, during the second installment of Héroes Inmortales.
As someone who understands how quickly injuries can interrupt a wrestler's momentum, I hope Mini Vikingo receives the time necessary to recover properly.
The opportunities can return.
Your health needs to remain the priority.
AAA's opening installment gave audiences several developments worth following, but the larger event remains ongoing.
And with WWE's relationship with AAA continuing to evolve, I hope the promotion preserves the traditions and identity that make lucha libre distinctive.
International exposure is valuable.
But preserving a promotion's identity is equally important.
CMLL: Skadi Wins the Grand Prix de Amazonas
CMLL delivered a significant result on October 23 when Skadi captured the Grand Prix de Amazonas at Arena México.
The tournament brought together Mexican and international competitors, including wrestlers associated with AEW, STARDOM, MLW, and other promotions.
Skadi ultimately defeated Megan Bayne in the final elimination to secure the victory.
And that's particularly meaningful considering Skadi's recent defeat to Olympia in the CMLL Universal de Amazonas Championship tournament.
Professional wrestling careers rarely follow a perfectly straight line.
Sometimes you're celebrating a major victory.
Sometimes you're watching somebody else celebrate while wondering what you need to change.
The important part is what happens next.
Skadi made the most of her next opportunity.
And tournaments like the Grand Prix demonstrate the value of international collaboration.
Different wrestling cultures bring different styles, expectations, and approaches to storytelling.
Bringing those competitors together creates opportunities for performers and audiences alike.
STARDOM: Goddesses Tag League Highlights International Women's Wrestling
Japan's STARDOM continues preparing for its Goddesses Tag League, with an 18-team field bringing together established partnerships and international talent.
The tournament represents another opportunity to showcase the depth of women's tag team wrestling.
And I think tag team competition is sometimes unfairly treated as a secondary attraction when it requires an entirely different collection of skills.
A successful partnership isn't simply two talented wrestlers performing alongside each other.
It requires timing, communication, trust, and an understanding of how to build a match around two distinct personalities.
Sometimes those personalities complement each other naturally.
Sometimes they couldn't be more different.
And occasionally, that contrast becomes the most entertaining part of the partnership.
STARDOM's international connections also remain significant, particularly as wrestlers move between Japanese, Mexican, and American promotions.
Those experiences can help performers develop versatility while introducing audiences to talent they might otherwise never encounter.
For me, that's one of the most encouraging developments in modern women's wrestling.
There are more opportunities for international exposure than ever before.
And the performers making the most of them deserve recognition.
NJPW: International Competition Remains an Important Part of the Landscape
New Japan Pro-Wrestling continues to play an important role in the international wrestling landscape as its autumn schedule develops.
And while much of the American wrestling conversation naturally centers on WWE and AEW, NJPW's influence extends far beyond its own events.
Its emphasis on tournament competition, long-term rivalries, and distinctive in-ring presentation has helped shape generations of performers.
That's something worth remembering when discussing wrestling's continued international expansion.
Different promotions don't need to become identical to appeal to broader audiences.
In fact, I'd argue the opposite.
The differences are often what make them interesting.
A performer accustomed to American television wrestling may discover entirely different expectations when competing in Japan.
And learning to adapt without losing your own identity is an important part of becoming a well-rounded professional wrestler.
MLW Fusion: Austin Aries Advances in the Opera Cup
Major League Wrestling delivered another significant development on October 22 when Austin Aries defeated Trevor Lee to advance in the Opera Cup tournament.
The victory moves Aries into the semifinals, continuing one of MLW's most recognizable competitive traditions.
And there's something particularly effective about tournament wrestling.
The stakes are immediately understandable.
Win, and you advance.
Lose, and your opportunity disappears.
Simple.
But when the performers understand how to build tension around those stakes, the results can be compelling.
Elsewhere, Saya Kamitani defeated Lady Frost, creating additional interest in MLW's women's division.
Shotzi Blackheart subsequently addressed Kamitani, raising the possibility of a future encounter.
Josh Bishop also continued his issues with Killer Kross, with their confrontation escalating into a brawl outside the building.
And with Saturday Night SuperFight approaching, MLW has several stories positioned for further development.
What I appreciate about MLW is its willingness to feature performers from different wrestling backgrounds.
Independent wrestling benefits when companies are willing to create those opportunities.
Because sometimes the most interesting matches are the ones audiences didn't realize they wanted to see.
Independent Wrestling: House of Glory, Create A Pro and Beyond
The independent wrestling scene continues demonstrating that major developments don't require a major television contract.
Create A Pro has generated attention through an advertised appearance involving MJF and Road Dogg, bringing together recognizable personalities with a promotion known for developing emerging talent.
MJF's connection to the independent wrestling world remains an important part of his professional history.
And appearances like these can provide additional visibility for promotions that are doing meaningful work outside the national television spotlight.
House of Glory has also been promoting upcoming programming, continuing its presence within the Northeast independent wrestling scene.
Meanwhile, the collaboration between CZW and Beyond Wrestling provides another example of promotions bringing together distinct audiences and wrestling philosophies.
Those partnerships are worth paying attention to.
Because independent wrestling has always been about more than simply preparing people for WWE or AEW.
It's an ecosystem of its own.
Some wrestlers are building careers.
Others are reinventing themselves.
And some are creating opportunities that didn't previously exist.
I've spent enough time in independent wrestling environments to know how much work goes into making those events happen.
The performers are only part of the equation.
Promoters, referees, production personnel, photographers, ring crews, and countless others contribute to the final product.
And often, they're doing it without anything resembling the resources available to major companies.
That's why I believe independent wrestling deserves consistent coverage rather than an occasional mention when a familiar name appears.
Because the next major star might already be working in a building most wrestling fans have never heard of.
Final Thoughts: Wrestling's Future Is Bigger Than Any One Promotion
If there's one thing this week demonstrated, it's that professional wrestling continues developing in several different directions simultaneously.
AEW is building toward Blood & Guts with increasingly complicated alliances.
WWE is preparing for Crown Jewel while its developmental programs continue evolving.
TNA is establishing new championship rivalries.
AAA is combining established lucha libre traditions with personalities familiar to international audiences.
CMLL is showcasing women's wrestling through international competition.
And promotions like MLW, ROH, STARDOM, NJPW, and the independent scene continue providing opportunities for performers to develop their craft.
That's a lot happening in one industry.
And personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Having experienced professional wrestling from inside the ring, I know how much more goes into this business than audiences sometimes realize.
The physical demands.
The travel.
The personalities.
The politics.
The sacrifices.
And the occasional moments when everything comes together and reminds you exactly why you fell in love with wrestling in the first place.
Those are the moments that make it worthwhile.
And that's why I believe wrestling coverage should extend beyond simply reporting who won and who lost.
Results matter.
But the people, decisions, and stories behind those results matter too.
Because professional wrestling isn't just entertainment.
For many of us, it's something we've dedicated a significant portion of our lives to.
And it deserves to be covered with that understanding.
Wrestling Written By A Wrestler — TaelerHendrix.com