The Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #132: AEW's Original Roster And Where Are They Now?

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:19:22 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen’s Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Suit Williams to review the early AEW roster from the first few episodes of Dynamite, and discuss how their AEW career has unfolded and what they are doing today. They discuss Darby Allin’s rise to world champion, Cody Rhodes’ time in AEW and what a return might look like, the “four pillars” branding that sank Sammy Guevara and Jack Perry and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #131: 2026 AEW Fan Survey Results

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:00:23 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Warren Hayes of the Mr. Warren Hayes Show to discuss the 2026 AEW Fan Survey results. They go over all of the details from the survey, including what fans are thinking about the product in 2026, AEW's strengths and weaknesses with fans, fans favorite and least favorite wrestlers, what new fans think about the product and so much more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #130: The Downfall of F4W/WON

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:11:08 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings is joined by Trevor Dame to discuss the current state of f4wonline.com. They talk about the site becoming SEO-bait aggregation, the lack of diverse content and voices on the site, Bryan Alvarez's clear burn-out in his position, the decline of The Board and what will happen in the future once Dave Meltzer retires.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #129: Winter Mailbag

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:18:50 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings answers your questions, from discussing media trends to favorite 80s wrestling territories to Aaron Wolf to the Irish potato famine.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #128: The New New Japan Pro Wrestling

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:03:20 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by J. Michael of Voices of Wrestling to discuss a busy 2026 in New Japan, including the departure of wrestlers like EVIL, David Finlay and Hiromu Takahashi, Jake Lee getting a major push, Shota Umino's rehabilitation, the Knockout Brothers, Boltin Oleg's status as a killing machine and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #127: Whatever Happened To The Rocketpack Push?

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 23:12:00 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen’s Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Sarah from the Trish and Sarah Wrestling podcast to discuss how wrestlers seem to rarely get pushed all the way to the main event at an early stage of their career. They talk about the booking patterns of AEW, WWE and NJPW that have wrestlers on longer trajectories to stardom, the changes in the industry that have made fresh new stars less essential, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #126: Wrestlenomics In 2026 With Brandon Thurston

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 23:51:45 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss the 2026 business outlook for AEW and WWE. They go over WWE's performance on ESPN and Netflix, AEW's ability to grow this year, what the future of wrestling on streaming services entails, talent development, international events and a whole lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #125: What Are Wrestling Fans Like In 2025?

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:16:06 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast host Jesse Collings is joined by Kevin Hare as they discuss their experiences going to live events, who are the types of people that make up wrestling audiences in 2025, how that differs from what most people assume, the changes WWE has made to pricing and touring schedule, how WWE influences other fanbases and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #124: The Most Interesting Wrestling Stories of 2025

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 18:37:22 +0000

In the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Trish Speirs of the Trish and Sarah Wrestling Podcast and the Social Suplex Newsletter to discuss the biggest and most interesting wrestling stories from 2025. They talk about WWE debuting on Netflix and ESPN, the retirement tours of John Cena and Hiroshi Tanahashi, TNA's new TV deal with AMC, wrestling media stories and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #123: Why Has Everyone Lost Their Minds?

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 15:34:48 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen’s Wrestling Podcast, David Bixenspan, co-host of the Between the Sheets podcast joins the show to discuss the tumultuous discourse that has infected all of pro wrestling. Jesse and Bix talk about the state of wrestling news aggregation, the reliance on older wrestler podcasts as “news”, how social media engagement has altered wrestling conversations, the differences between Gen Z wrestlers and past generations and a lot more in a wide ranging conversation.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #122: First Time Hall of Fame Voting With Oliver Lee Bateman

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:01:24 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by author and wrestling writer Oliver Lee Bateman to discuss Oliver's Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot. Oliver talks about his process as a first time voter, and they talk about a number of candidates in a wide ranging conversation, including Randy Orton, Edge, Samoa Joe, Junkyard Dog, The Von Erichs, Gorilla Monsoon and many more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #121: Where Are All The Black Wrestlers In The WON Hall of Fame?

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:10:05 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by author and historian Ian Douglass to talk about the historic lack of inductees and candidates in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

Ian and Jesse discuss the circumstances that have led to some historical contributors to be overlooked by the voting body, as well as the barriers put in place that have prevented Black talent from succeeding and being recognized in a historical context.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #120: Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame 2025

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 23:38:56 +0000

On the latest edition of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Voices of Wrestling contributor Adam Berger to discuss the 2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. They discuss how candidates like CM Punk, Cody Rhodes and Jon Moxley have impacted their cases over the past year, go over new candidates on the ballot such as Mercedes Mone and Sabu, and talk about a very interesting Japan category with no clear-cut favorites to get elected.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #119: Does AEW Have A MJF Problem?

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 15:44:19 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings is joined by Warren Hayes of the Mr. Warren Hayes show to discuss AEW's currently most controversial figure, MJF. They talk about why MJF has become a lighting rod for AEW criticism, what it is about his character and instincts that causes anxiety in the AEW fanbase, how playing a heel character may contribute to fan displeasure and if AEW would be better off if MJF went to WWE.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #118: Post G1 NJPW Roster Check-In

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:50:59 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by J. Michael, NJPW columnist for Voices of Wrestling, to discuss the results of the G1 Climax. They go over the decision to crown Konosuke Takeshita, the various results of the younger generation of NJPW stars from the tournament, what NJPW can do to further establish the names, what Taichi and YOSHI-HASHI still bring to the table that others don't, and what the future holds of Aaron Wolf, Yuto Ice and OSKAR.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #117: Brock Lesnar Returns To WWE

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:35:33 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings talks about Brock Lesnar's return to WWE television at SummerSlam. Jesse goes over the significance of Lesnar returning to WWE despite being named in the ongoing lawsuit between WWE and Janel Grant, how WWE fans reacted to Lesnar's return, and how the wrestling media has handled Lesnar's return and what that tells us about WWE.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #116: AEW ALL IN Review

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 04:37:46 +0000

Jesse Collings hosts a special addition of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, reviewing AEW's ALL IN show. Jesse goes over the importance of Adam Page's world title win, the value of creating a feel-good energy around your annual biggest show, Jon Moxley's mid-year revival, where the Kenny Omega/Kazuchika Okada match fits into their legacies, how Toni Storm and Mercedes Mone have raised expectations for women's wrestling a lot more. At the end of the pod, Jesse also reviews an excellent Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor show.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #115: What Has Gone Right In AEW

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:27:53 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Trevor Dame, host of the ThROH The Years Podcast, to discuss how AEW has gotten on a hot streak in 2025 leading up to ALL IN. They discuss the successful utilization of the roster, the elevation of younger wrestlers, the culling of some problematic names from the roster, the development of new babyface stars and how Tony Khan has grown and matured as the lead decision maker.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #114: Does Gedo Have Any New Ideas?

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 23:09:24 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Gerard Di Trolio of the Emerald Flowshow to discuss NJPW's crappy booking, the repetitiveness of Gedo's core philosophies, the lack of emphasis on younger talent, and compare NJPW to other Japanese promotions who have successfully created new stars in recent years.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #113: Are young wrestlers succeeding in 2025?

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:57:47 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Alan4L of Pro Wrestling Torch to discuss the recently released Voices of Wrestling 30 Under 30 list, and break down why certain promotions were represented so well in the list while other wrestlers were not, the state of young wrestlers on American television, the various Japanese promotions and how they prepare young wrestlers for success, what Gabe Kidd's future may be like, WWE's problems with focusing on younger talent and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #112: WWE Buys AAA And The State Of Lucha With Luchablog

Wed, 28 May 2025 16:54:27 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Luchablog owner thecubsfan to discuss all the latest behind-the-scenes news in the world of Lucha. They discuss WWE's purchase of AAA, what WWE's goals may be in using the AAA brand and wrestlers--how the AAA aesthetic and traditions fit into WWE's vision of wrestling, what it could mean to CMLL and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #111: Wrestling's Global War

Mon, 12 May 2025 03:46:18 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, Trish from the Trish and Sarah Wrestling Podcast joins the show to discuss the wrestling war between AEW and WWE which is rapidly becoming a global conflict. They discuss WWE's acquisition of AAA, WWE's attempts to break into the Mexican, Japanese and European markets, promotions being forced to pick a side between being aligned with AEW and WWE, WWE's ID program and the potential ramifications of the entire wrestling world being controlled by two companies.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #110: WWE Pressers, Nobody Talks Ball, AEW Renaissance And More

Mon, 05 May 2025 08:54:21 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings discusses Paul Levesque’s cowardice in WWE press conferences, the lack of “talking ball” in post-WrestleMania discussions, what the strong run AEW has been on has taught us about the company, the eventual Jon Moxley title change, women’s wrestling as a way to reach new fans, the potential politicization of WWE and AEW and who are the candidates for Wrestler of the Year.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #109: Live Report From AEW Dynamite in Boston

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:56:25 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings is back from an incredible AEW Dynamite show in Boston. Too wired to sleep, Jesse goes over his experience attending the show live, what the atmosphere was like in the building, how the crowd reacted to different wrestlers, seeing Will Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita for the first time live and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #108: Watching WrestleManias With Suit Williams

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:18:03 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings is joined by wrestling writer Suit Williams, to discuss Suit's project "Williams Watches WrestleMania" where he watched every WrestleMania in order. They discuss what are the best and worst matches in WrestleMania history, what wrestlers have been underrated historically in history of WrestleMania, what is the best single WrestleMania in history and a little bit about this year's show.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #107: AEW Fan Survey Results

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:30:38 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Adam Berger to discuss the results of the AEW Fan Survey that the GWP conducted. They talk about growing fan optimism in the product, what fans enjoy and don't enjoy about the AEW product, fan trust in Tony Khan, the most popular and least popular wrestlers in the company and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #106: The Career of AJ Styles

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:06:49 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by TNA historian Garrett Kidney to discuss the career of one of the most important wrestlers of the 21st Century, AJ Styles. They discuss Styles' importance during the early days of TNA, as well as his influence on the overall wrestling scene during the 2000s. They talk about his shocking departure from TNA, his run in NJPW and the importance he played in popularizing NJPW in the United States, and his surprisingly fantastic run in WWE.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #105: Death to the Death Riders

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:15:39 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Sarah of the Trish and Sarah Wrestling podcast to discuss the Death Riders storyline in AEW. They talk about the issues with Jon Moxley's performance, the lack of clear creative vision, the problems with the Adam Copeland feud and in general discuss AEW's issues with relying on older, established stars.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #104: A Quick Word On Wrestling Media

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 03:38:25 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings reviews the weekends news regarding wrestling media, the overall lack of professionalism surrounding the industry, why gossips and rumors are damaging the public's understanding of the business, and why the wrestling companies themselves are partly responsible.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #103: Reviewing the FSM 50

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:32:28 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Gerard Di Trolio of the Emerald FlowShow to discuss the 2024 FSM 50, which was just published on VoicesofWrestling.com. Jesse and Gerard talk about their voting process before diving into the names that fell off the list from last year, and go into the wrestlers who made the list for the first time.

FSM 50: https://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2025/01/16/fsm-50-2024-the-50-best-wrestlers-in-the-world/

GWP #102: John Cena, The Last Great Wrestling Star

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:36:48 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, Joe Lanza from the Flagship Wrestling Podcast and FlagshipPatreon.com returns to the show to talk about John Cena as he begins his final year in wrestling. They talk about his legacy as the last traditional wrestling star, his underrated in-ring legacy, the fact that he never turned heel, and what to expect from his final year in wrestling.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #101: RAW On Netflix And What To Expect

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 17:33:52 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss WWE heading into 2025. They discuss RAW debuting on Netflix, the potential positives and negatives that come with such a major move, John Cena's farewell tour, risk factors for the upcoming year and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #100: A Parade Of Hot Takes

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 01:21:57 +0000

For the 100th episode of the podcast, Jesse Collings is joined by a marathon of different guests as they each pop in to give one hot take they have about pro wrestling.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #99: AEW's Relationship With WWE In 2024

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 15:54:50 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Canadian correspondent Trevor Dame, and they discuss the differences between AEW's relationship with WWE in 2019 and now in 2024. They talk about AEW in a world where WWE is far more popular, how that rise in WWE popularity has impacted AEW, the WWEID deals, the current Jon Moxley storyline, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #98: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame Mega Pod

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 17:21:33 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Adam Berger to discuss this year's Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot, go over all of the new candidates for 2024 as well as the large amount of modern candidates who's cases have changed since last year.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #97: A Hot Bryan Danielson Take

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 22:01:20 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings has a micro-episode where he talks about a scorching hot Bryan Danielson take.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #96: AEW 5 Year Awards

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 14:19:04 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Suit Williams to hand out awards going over AEW's first five years of existence. They talk about AEW's best matches, the worst matches, best signing, biggest surprise and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #95: The Vince McMahon Documentary

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by David Bixenspan from the Between The Sheets podcast. Jesse and Bix go over the Vince McMahon documentary series on Netflix and discuss the impressions they got from the series, what the documentary went over and what it missed, why older wrestlers love Vince McMahon so much, the lack of depth on some of the major scandals, Vince's history with women, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #94: Fall Mailbag

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 18:29:48 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings answers your reader questions! Jesse is asked if the type of wrestling we see on television has been stuck in the same format since Nitro, why AEW's attendance issues are so bad, and his favorite soccer players of all time.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #93: The Future of NJPW Post-G1

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 15:02:14 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by J. Michael of Voices of Wrestling to discuss all things NJPW after the G1 Climax. They talk about Zack Sabre Jr.'s long-awaited victory, the decision to not have him challenge at Wrestle Kingdom, the progress of NJPW's younger wrestlers and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #92: Where Is Wrestling Going In 2024?

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 15:19:12 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Rich Kraetsch of VoicesofWrestling.com and The Flagship Podcast to discuss the current direction of both WWE and AEW. They go over the differences between Paul Levesque's main roster WWE and his NXT, the emphasis on melodrama and stories, the changes AEW has faced since it first started, and discuss their fears for the direction wrestling is headed into the future with WWE leading the way.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #91: ROH, G1 Thoughts, WWE on Netflix and ALL IN

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:36:50 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings goes over six different topics from across the wrestling world. Included are thoughts on Ring of Honor's place in the current wrestling landscape, early thoughts on the G1 Climax, WWE's potential on Netflix, Hologram and the decision to hold off on Swerve vs Hangman Page.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #90: Trimming Down The AEW Roster

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 15:35:58 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Adam Berger to play a game where they discuss 20 active AEW roster members and must choose to eliminate eight of them from AEW. The guys discuss the value of creating more TV time for other wrestlers, the history of talent shifting between different promotions, and some stars who have peaked in AEW and may improve if they move on to another promotion.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #89: AEW and WWE Business Discussion With Brandon Thurston

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:36:45 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by his old friend Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss current AEW and WWE business trends, Tony Khan's leadership of AEW, rebuilding AEW with new stars, the sustainability of WWE's current success, the differences between Paul Levesque and Vince McMahon and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #88: What Is AEW's Identity?

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 18:09:23 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Warren Hayes of the Mr. Warren Hayes show, as they discuss the identity of AEW five years into the company's existence. They discuss what has changed since the company first started, if the company has become too WWE-like, the need to elevate new stars, and the challenges of evolving a wrestling product over the years in an organic way.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #87: We Need To Talk About Paul Levesque At The Backlash Presser

Mon, 06 May 2024 20:50:36 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is by himself to talk about Paul Levesque's comments during the Backlash press conference, where Levesque reacted poorly to a question about Drew Gulak, and described both Fightful and ProWrestling Insider as not credible outlets. Jesse talks about how Levesque responded so poorly, why the reporter who asked the question should be applauded, and why media members who reacted so poorly to Levesque's criticisms should be ashamed.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #86: AEW's First Black World Champion

Wed, 01 May 2024 16:24:29 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Lyric Swinton of the Maps and Graps podcast, and Dani, owner of BlackGirlWrestling.com to discuss Swerve Strickland winning the AEW World Championship, the significance of AEW crowning its first Black world champion, the current state of Black talent in AEW, and an overall discussion of race and representation in the company.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #85: The "Last Year" of Bryan Danielson

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:57:15 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Kevin Hare of Voices of Wrestling to talk about the final full year of Bryan Danielson. The guys discuss what makes Danielson such a great wrestler, how he stands out from the rest of his contemporaries, the impact of his WWE run on his career, and if he is the most beloved wrestler of the 21st Century.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #84: WrestleMania 40 Has The Biggest Main Event Since....?

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 02:56:32 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Josh Nason, contributing editor for F4Wonline.com to discuss the angles that have led up to the main events of Night 1 and Night 2 of WrestleMania 40. The guys discuss the change-up WWE pulled in turning Rock heel, the drawing power and charisma of The Rock, how Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns have fared interacting with The Rock, and what they think will happen at WrestleMania.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #83: Samoa Joe Is World Champion, Why Did It Take This Long?

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:28:20 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Garrett Kidney, TNA/Impact Historian and host of the "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" podcast. The guys discuss the career of AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, who at 45 years old, has finally been pushed as a true world champion in a top promotion. They go over the consistent value Joe has brought to the table as a wrestler for the past 20+ years, why bookers have continually failed to "get" Samoa Joe, his durability as a wrestling figure, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #82: Winter Mailbag

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:14:44 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings answers your questions. Jesse discusses the challenges WWE may face later this year after WrestleMania, things AEW needs to do differently than WWE to stand out, rebuilding the main event scene in NJPW, why some fans don't care about match quality, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #81: Wrestling Media Post-Vince Scandal

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:17:36 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Trevor Dame of the ThROH the Years Podcast to discuss the fallout in wrestling media after the Vince McMahon lawsuit story broke, the impact of the Royal Rumble press conference with Paul Levesque, the pressure that was put on members of wrestling media to ask good questions, the value of having a media space that works together, if this was a turning point for how serious members of the media viewed themselves, and more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #80: The Psychology Of Intense Fandom

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:13:21 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Dr. Eric Wesselmann, a psychology professor from Illinois State University, to discuss what makes someone a devoted fan in pop culture. They discuss the evolution of people rooting for their "side" like a sports team, why fandom has become a bigger part of personal identity, the parasocial relationships that are formed between fans and wrestlers, and more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #79: Vince McMahon Accused Of Sex Trafficking

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:53:27 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is solo for a brief episode on the Wall Street Journal Story regarding Vince McMahon being accused of sex trafficking. Jesse breaks down some of the content in the court filing, discusses the questions raised about whether this has happened more often than is being reported, what Paul Levesque and other WWE executives could have known, and how wrestling media should handle coverage of the situation.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #77: The State of Puro In 2024

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Alan4L of Pro Wrestling Torch to discuss the major topics in Japanese pro wrestling heading into 2024. The lads start by discussing WWE's potential involvement in AJPW, the crowning of Yuma Aoyagi in 2023, and what the future holds for Katushiko Nakajima. They then talk about NJPW, fallout from Wrestle Kingdom, the need to elevate new names to the main event and the latest crop of young lions. They wrap it up at the end with some talk about Dragongate and NOAH.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #77: Why Is AEW Less Popular With Black Fans?

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:49:22 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Kris Ealy of the Nubian Wrestling Advocates on Post Wrestling, to discuss recently published Nielsen data that shows AEW lagging behind WWE in terms of Black viewers. Kris talks about the portrayal of different characters in AEW, the reputation wrestling companies have for promoting Black wrestlers, how both companies can improve connections with the Black audience, and more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #76: The State Of American Wrestling Heading Into 2024

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 18:34:08 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Rich Kraetsch of the Flagship Wrestling Podcast to discuss the state of both AEW and WWE heading into the new year. They discuss AEW's need to get younger and push new stars more consistently, the historical lessons of relying on older stars, as well as WWE under Paul Levesque, the creative patterns of a Levesque-run product, WWE's lack of younger wrestlers and the potential waning optimism of WWE fans. They also talk about The Iron Claw, the recent movie released about the Von Erich family.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #75: How Has MJF Become AEW's Biggest Problem?

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 01:41:48 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Warren Hayes, as they discuss the current situation involving MJF's polarizing run as babyface world champion in AEW. They talk about the issues with presenting a character similar to how WWE would present them, the inauthenticity of his babyface persona, and the reliance on melodrama between him and Adam Cole.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #74: Who Is Wrestler Of The Year?

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 02:58:39 +0000

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, Case Lowe returns to the show to discuss the top candidates for Wrestler of the Year Awards. The guys talk about the strongest candidates, including Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, Roman Reigns, Mistico, Kenny Omega and more. They also talk about the philosophy behind the award, who owned the narrative of 2023, breakout stars from the year and more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #73: 2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall Of Fame Spectacular

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 21:31:30 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by VoicesofWrestling.com contributor Adam Berger, as they discuss the 2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot. They take turns going over their most intriguing candidates, including Roman Reigns, the Young Bucks, CIMA, Hayabusa, The British Bulldogs and more. They wrap up the show with a quick glance and discussion over every candidate on the ballot and their chances of getting inducted this year.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #72: Is AEW Losing Its Image?

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 01:42:33 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by VoicesofWrestling.com contributor Suit Williams as they discuss the current impression of AEW, and if there is a changing philosophy around the kind of product the company wants to present. They talk about the differences between 2019 and 2023, the impact of MJF's babyface run being more sports-entertainment and WWE-like, and the constant struggle the company faces to be different than WWE.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #71: Fall Mailbag

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 18:49:16 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings goes through a mailbag of questions from listeners. He talks about one trend he thinks is being under analyzed in wrestling, the possibility of a third major company emerging, the future of Under 30 wrestling development, wrestlers cutting promos mid-match, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #70: The Demise of CM Punk

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:32:41 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined once again by Trevor Dame, as they discuss CM Punk's firing from AEW. The guys break down the chaos of the Punk-led episodes of AEW Collision, what they believe led to Punk's final outburst, Punk's future in WWE and his legacy in wrestling if this is really it for him.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #69: Lucha Libre In 2023, CMLL On The Rebound and AAA's Rollercoaster

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:14:53 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by thecubsfan, aka Luchablog, to discuss all the latest happenings in the world of Lucha Libre. Cubsfan tells us all about how CMLL has grown business in 2023 by building around a former star, the ups and downs of Konnan's booking in AAA, American wrestling promotions and their interest in lucha talent and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #68: AEW's Creative Issues, SummerSlam Thoughts and NJPW's Roster

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 02:45:47 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings flies solo to talk about some recent issues in wrestling. First, Jesse talks about AEW's lack of thorough creative direction for a majority of its roster with only a few weeks remaining before the biggest show in company history. Then he talks about SummerSlam, the current WWE roster and why he has never felt less connected with the product or WWE fans. Lastly, he reviews the performance of each wrestler in the G1, discusses NJPW's push of a new generation and more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #67: WWE's New Boom Period

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 22:40:00 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Josh Nason, Contributing Editor for F4Wonline.com, to discuss the business growth for WWE over the past year. They talk about the popularity of the Bloodline angle, the shift in company creative since Vince McMahon originally resigned last year, the booking of babyfaces and how sustainable this kind of success is for WWE.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #66: AEW and WWE Press Conferences And Changes In Wrestling Media

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:34:18 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Post Wrestling's John Pollock, to discuss the history and evolution of AEW and WWE's post-PPV press conferences. The guys talk about the evolving sense of transparency in the pressers, the quality of questions being asked, the various forms of wrestling media that are involved, and the general state of wrestling media a few years into getting unprecedented access to wrestling executives.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #65: IT'S STIIIIIINGGGGG!!!

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:34:32 +0000

In the latest episode of the GWP, host Jesse Collings is joined by Joe Gagne, as the two discuss the career and legacy of The Icon, Sting. Jesse and Joe go over their respective introductions to Sting as fans, their thoughts about his career in WCW, TNA, WWE and finally AEW, how he has won them over since coming to AEW and how his star power still stands out today.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #64: The WWE Performance Center, Indie Wrestling And The Future of Talent Development

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 02:09:02 +0000

Host Jesse Collings is joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss the results from ten years of the WWE Performance Center, WWE strategies in terms of talent development, the lack of top stars developed internally by WWE, AEW's use of young and promising talent, the changing landscape of indie wrestling and what that means for future talent development, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #63: Is Constructive Criticism In Wrestling Dead?

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 08:04:12 +0000

On this episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is joined by Joe Lanza of The Flagship Wrestling Podcast to discuss the current state of wrestling criticism and whether or not the idea of constructive criticism is dying. They discuss the problems caused by social media, have bad-faith trolls have muddied the perception of honest criticism, the dynamics of fan culture and the resistance to criticism that both fans and wrestlers themselves have, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #62: Where Is Wrestling Going?

Fri, 19 May 2023 14:18:44 +0000

In this episode of the GWP, Case Lowe joins the show for a deep discussion on the future of pro wrestling. They discuss what they think happening in wrestling at this moment will influence the product in the future, how the changing landscape of US independent wrestling has hurt that section of the industry's ability to innovate and influence, the issues with WWE's talent development, AEW's role in bringing certain practices mainstream, the next generation of great wrestlers a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #61: The Legacy of TNA/Impact Wrestling

Mon, 01 May 2023 23:06:29 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings)is joined by Garrett Kidney, and they discuss the history and legacy of TNA/Impact wrestling. They get into the general image TNA has left on pro wrestling, why people don't always evaluate the company fairly, the miscues the company had in promoting/hiring talent, the lack of consistent creative vision, and the important role the company played in defining a non-WWE wrestling world.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #60: Why we can't stop talking about CM Punk

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 03:39:43 +0000

On the latest episode of the GWP, Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings)is joined by Warren Hayes, as they discuss the unique cultural phenomenon that is CM Punk, why news about his possible return and feud with The Elite drives so much discourse, the unique emotional connection Punk has with fans and how Punk's original rise to popularity still impacts wrestling today.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #59: WWE's Post-WrestleMania Disaster

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:39:34 +0000

Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is solo recapping the incredible last 48 hours in WWE, dating back to the decision to have Roman Reigns defeat Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania, the reason why Cody Rhodes is the biggest star in WWE that needed to be protected and that misfire. He also talks about Vince McMahon returning to full power in WWE, the horrible RAW after WrestleMania, and a lot more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #58: Brutally Honest WrestleMania Preview

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 07:44:05 +0000

Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is joined by Adam Berger, and they cut through the BS and give you all their thoughts on WrestleMania 39, including the improved build of the card under Triple H's leadership, the handling of Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes, the terrible build around each of the women's matches, the use of big stars like John Cena and Brock Lesnar, and more.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #57: CM Punk's Meltdown Seven Months Later

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 17:58:26 +0000

Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is joined by Trevor Dame (@TrevorDame) to discuss CM Punk's incredible exit from AEW following the ALL OUT press conference. They discuss what motivations Punk may have had during his public tirade, the long-term impacts the incident has had on the perception of AEW, and of course, wonder what could happen if Punk does come back to AEW.

Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #56: Wrestling In The World of 2023 Pop Culture

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 21:47:24 +0000

Host Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is joined by music journalist, journalism professor and pro wrestling fan Maura Johnston (@Maura) to discuss how the world of pro wrestling fits into pop culture in 2023. They talk about how changes in pop culture have made it impossible for a Stone Cold Steve Austin-type star to emerge, how nostalgia in wrestling mimics nostalgia in TV, movies and music, the end of monoculture and how promotions are impacted by the rapidly evolving world of entertainment.

The Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast #55: The Way We Talk About AEW Is Broken

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 22:07:58 +0000

In this edition of the GWP, Jesse Collings (@JesseCollings) is joined by Rich Kraetsch of VoicesofWrestling.com and the Flagship Wrestling Podcast as they discuss the discourse of how fans, analysts and journalists discuss AEW, the issues caused by constant pessimism towards the promotion's future, and the role charlatans and grifters play in influencing AEW business.