WWE and AEW Are Giving Fans What They Want—For Better and Worse
Professional wrestling thrives on crowd participation and a passionate fanbase unmatched by any other form of entertainment, but that doesn't mean the customer is always right.
The industry is in an interesting place right now because its audience is more outspoken than ever, and the top companies have immediate access to a sample serving of our feedback through social media. However, it's often hard to tell what's merely a vocal minority until it translates into live show reactions.
Still, it's difficult to distinguish how much the fans' response should dictate the direction of major storylines or encourage a company to invest in or repackage a popular wrestler.
Sure, there are countless examples of a well-timed course correction paid dividends or unforgettable instances where someone ignored the evident outcry, which led to a regrettable outcome.
Regardless, there are many examples where a company stayed the course, and we were pleasantly surprised, too. Of course, there are more moments like the "Yes Movement," The Rock's heel turn, or #WeWantCody than exceptions such as Walter's name change to Gunther.
So, WWE or All Elite Wrestling should listen to the overwhelming response from their viewers more often than not, but it's a tough balancing act. The creative team and ownership must decide when it is better to trust the plan they have mapped out and motivate the fans to be patient or heed their reception as proof it's not working.
The following are two current situations where the audience may be right now, but each company must determine the best option in the long run.
What is Jey Uso's Ceiling?
On February 1, Jey Uso shocked the wrestling world when he eliminated John Cena to become the 2025 men's Royal Rumble winner.
The result garnered a largely positive response from avid WWE fans because the 39-year-old enjoyed such a successful jump to Raw. His catchphrase and infectious energy during his entrance instantly caught on, and his short stint as intercontinental champion and merchandise sales ultimately proved his worth as a singles competitor.
More to the point, this was a rewarding moment for viewers who have followed his journey since he took on Roman Reigns in 2020. It's almost poetic that Uso earned the opportunity of a lifetime while The Tribal Chief attempts to regain everything he lost last year.
Nevertheless, some online fans weren't happy with his Rumble win because he had just lost to Gunther one week prior at Saturday Night's Main Event. Some of his most high-profile matches were also a bit underwhelming.
His showdown with his twin brother, Jimmy, at WrestleMania 40 was almost universally panned, and he didn't really flourish in any of his world title matches in 2024.
Still, it's hard to argue Main Event Jey doesn't deserve the chance to win the big one on The Grandest Stage of Them All, because he's so incredibly popular.
It’s a little troubling that the excitement for his rematch against The Ring General has seemingly plateaued, though. That's not necessarily his fault because the fans still cheer for him, but the segments are growing repetitive.
Cena's heel turn and the build for Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk have quickly overshadowed their storyline. Even more, Cody Rhodes' recent appearances on Raw and SmackDown to promote his match with The Rock's new ally have also undercut Uso's momentum following the Rumble.
One could even argue that his win feels like a means to ensure Cena would be in the men's Elimination Chamber match for a bigger moment in retrospect. After all, this wouldn't be the first time WWE rewarded a fan favorite but immediately made it clear they're not the company's top priority.
It still feels like now or never for Jey, so he has to win at The Showcase of the Immortals. This isn't a great sign for his chances of headlining the event or his potential world title reign, though, because it already feels like he's lower in the pecking order than more recognizable superstars.
Should Swerve Strickland Dethrone Jon Moxley?
Meanwhile, AEW must address the growing criticism of The Death Riders and its world championship.
Revolution was an excellent show, but the main event was still the low point on a night packed with incredible in-ring action. Jon Moxley vs. Cope was widely considered the worst match on the card, and Christian Cage's Casino Gauntlet Cash-In was anticlimactic, to say the least.
At least, Swerve Strickland's re-emergence as the new No. 1 contender salvaged the ending and sent the Crypto.com Arena crowd home happy. The Most Dangerous Man in AEW also secured the win over Ricochet and capped off a great story with Prince Nana earlier.
Strickland was undeniably the most popular wrestler on Dynamite last week, and the reaction to him at the pay-per-view was just as loud. So, it's the perfect time to challenge Mox, and he should win for the second consecutive year at Dynasty on April 6.
The Death Riders angle has produced some of the most cumbersome and uninspiring title matches in the history of AEW. Even worse, it has completely lost the plot after a compelling start at WrestleDream last October.
We've assumed this will lead to Darby Allin's return to defeat Moxley after his struggle in 2024, but he won't be back anytime soon, and AEW can’t afford to wait. Mox has been calling for someone on the roster to step up, and Strickland fits the bill as someone who could match his intensity.
Moreover, many fans weren't ready to see him drop the AEW World Championship at All In London last August, and he has continued to be one of the company's most valuable assets since his loss to Bryan Danielson.
There's unfinished business between Strickland and "Hangman" Adam Page, and their rivalry should culminate in a title match later this year.
The prevailing takeaway from Revolution was that it's time to move on from Moxley's run as The King of These Lands because at least five men have proved they're ready to dethrone him. And Strickland leads the pack as the No. 1 contender.
Predictions and Analysis for Every Unsigned MLB Free Agent as Opening Day Approaches
The start of the 2025 MLB season keeps creeping closer and closer. The Tokyo Series will go down next week on March 18 and 19, with Opening Day for everyone following a week later on March 27.
Yet the free-agent market is not only still open, but it's also well-stocked.
FanGraphs lists 40 free agents who are awaiting work. Though, to be sure, it isn't a given that all 40 will get a minor league deal or a coveted major league contract.
It's worth making an attempt to sort through the pile, so let's do a position-by-position deep dive into which players are still in free agency, which are worth signing and where they might end up.
Ultimately, each positional set will get one bold prediction.
Available Catchers
The List: Yasmani Grandal, Yan Gomes, James McCann
As a 37-year-old who posted a .421 OPS in 34 games before he was DFA'd by the Chicago Cubs in 2024, Gomes may be at the end of the line for his MLB career.
Grandal and McCann, on the other hand, still look like semi-viable backstops. The former has a knack for framing and some pop in his bat, while the latter's .667 OPS for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 was halfway decent by catcher standards.
Grandal reportedly turned down an offer from the Atlanta Braves, who have a need for catching after Sean Murphy cracked a rib. Elsewhere in the NL East, the New York Mets are also down a backstop after Francisco Alvarez fractured a hamate bone.
Bold Prediction: The Braves sign McCann and keep him for the whole year.
Available Infielders
Middle Infielders: Aledmys Díaz, Matt Duffy, Whit Merrifield, Joey Wendle
Granted, just how usable any of these guys are at second base or shortstop is debatable. Further, Díaz, Duffy and Wendle played in a total of 35 MLB games last season. Each will be lucky to get anything more than a MiLB contract.
The 36-year-old Merrifield is on the downswing of his career, yet he's a three-time All-Star who had a decent finish (i.e., .348 OBP) to 2024 with Atlanta. He's worth a flier as a super-utility type.
Corner Infielders: José Abreu, Anthony Rizzo, Miguel Sanó
Sanó's comeback in 2024 went so poorly that it's reasonable to believe MLB is done with him. The same may be true of the 38-year-old Abreu, whose MVP and All-Star credentials (not to mention his contract) didn't save him from getting released by the Houston Astros last June.
There's been little action on the 35-year-old Rizzo throughout the offseason, yet he was adamant last month about wanting to continue his career. Though he hasn't been the same player since suffering a concussion in 2023, the three-time All-Star may find a fit with a team in need of a left-handed bat at first base or DH.
Bold Prediction: Rizzo returns to the New York Yankees to help spell Giancarlo Stanton.
Available Outfielders
The List: Adam Duvall, Robbie Grossman, David Peralta, Alex Verdugo
After he posted a .616 OPS for three different teams in 2024, it's frankly hard to identify a way forward for the 34-year-old Grossman.
Duvall and Peralta, on the other hand, should still be able to sell themselves as worthwhile platoon outfielders. The former owns a career .780 OPS vs. left-handers, while the latter has a .814 OPS against righties.
As he's only 28 and still a competent everyday major leaguer, Verdugo is the oddity here. He's a better hitter than the guy who posted a .647 OPS for the Yankees in 2024, and there are times when he resembles a Gold Glove outfielder.
Verdugo reportedly rejected a one-year, $8 million offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the offseason. Even if the ship has likely sailed on him earning that kind of money, there must be a major league deal out there for him somewhere.
Bold Prediction: Verdugo lands with the Kansas City Royals as their starting left fielder.
Available Designated Hitters
The List: Matt Carpenter, J.D. Martinez
It was a nice story when Carpenter returned to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, but he ended up being the same player he was for (2022 notwithstanding) most of the five previous seasons: A low-impact, basically replacement-level hitter.
The 39-year-old is likely finished, in other words, and that pretty much makes it Martinez or bust in this section.
Though the 37-year-old slumped in the latter stages of 2024 with the Mets, his metrics included a 94th-percentile barrel rate. It's a decent indication that the J.D. Martinez of yore still walks the earth in some form.
The Yankees were briefly linked to Martinez, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post now calls a reunion unlikely. That is for the best, frankly, as the last thing the Yankees need is another aging star.
Bold Prediction: Martinez lands with the Cincinnati Reds as their new DH.
Available Starting Pitchers
Left-Handers: Patrick Corbin, Marco Gonzales, Alex Wood
The phrase "nothing to see here" comes to mind. Gonzales and Wood combined to make 16 starts last season, while the last five years of Corbin's tenure with the Washington Nationals were festivals of hits and runs.
Corbin did make 30-plus starts in each of the last four seasons, though, so teams can view the 35-year-old as a source of innings if nothing else.
Right-Handers: Anthony DeSclafani, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, Noah Syndergaard, Spencer Turnbull
If anyone had been wondering what Syndergaard was up to these days, the latest on him is that he had lost a bunch of weight in hopes of making a comeback in 2025. However, that was all the way back in early November.
DeSclafani likewise hasn't been the subject of much buzz after missing all of 2024 following arm surgery. In what may be a related story, the 34-year-old is four years removed from his last effective season in 2021.
This leaves Gibson, Lynn (who, in an interesting wrinkle, could be used as a closer) and Turnbull as the best options of this bunch. The first two are being eyed by the Cubs, according to Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Any of the three could hypothetically fit in New York as well.
With Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) out for the year and Luis Gil (lat strain) gone for as long as three months, the Yankees need starting depth. For their part, the Mets are missing Sean Manaea (oblique strain) and Frankie Montas (lat strain).
Another team to watch is the Baltimore Orioles, who failed to replace Corbin Burnes and are now without Grayson Rodriguez because of an apparent elbow issue.
Bold Prediction: The Cubs sign Lynn and the Yankees let it ride with incumbents.
Available Relief Pitchers
Left-Handers: Brooks Raley, Joely Rodríguez, Will Smith, Drew Smyly
Out of this foursome, only Smyly didn't have a rough season in 2024. He made 50 appearances for the Cubs and posted a solid 3.84 ERA.
If there is any value to be mined from the other three, it concerns Smith's former status as a good-luck charm. Between 2021 and 2023, he became the only player in MLB history to win successive World Series rings with three different teams.
Right-Handers: Daniel Bard, Matt Barnes, Adam Cimber, José Cisnero, Jay Jackson, Joe Kelly, Craig Kimbrel, Jordan Lyles, Phil Maton, Keynan Middleton, David Robertson, Hunter Strickland
This is a long, yet largely uninspiring list. In particular, Bard, Barnes, Cimber, Cisnero, Jackson, Lyles and Middleton all have sunken value by way of age, injury, poor performance or some combination of all three.
Contrarily, there's a bit more to see with Kelly, Kimbrel, Maton and Strickland.
Kimbrel still has some name power courtesy of 440 career saves, though his star has fallen since his last truly great season in 2021. Maton (71 G, 3.66 ERA) and Strickland (72 G, 3.31 ERA) were solid in 2024, while Kelly still brought the heat with a 98.1 mph fastball.
Robertson, meanwhile, had a 3.00 ERA and fanned 12.4 batters per nine innings as a 39-year-old for the Texas Rangers in 2024. It's a surprise that nobody has snapped him up yet, though the stalemate surely won't last forever.
Bold Prediction: Robertson signs with the Boston Red Sox as another closer option.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
The Triple Threat Match WWE Has to Book For WrestleMania 41—And the 1 It Must Avoid
With WrestleMania 41 right around the corner, WWE is looking to finalize the card for this year's two-night event with two potential Triple Threat matches.
Most of the biggest matchups started to take shape following Elimination Chamber and Royal Rumble. However, the opening and closing moments of Monday's Raw may have given viewers a glimpse at two more high-profile contests planned for The Showcase of the Immortals.
CM Punk opened the flagship show this week with a blistering promo, which led to another pull-apart brawl with Seth Rollins. Tension between these two bitter rivals has been brewing since The Straight Edge Superstar returned in November 2023 at Survivor Series: WarGames.
Still, it's unclear if next week's steel cage match will be enough to settle this feud or if another noteworthy star will emerge to set up a rumored multi-man match.
Meanwhile, Iyo Sky's upset win in the main event gives WWE the perfect opportunity to weave three long-standing plot threads together.
Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley Would Be A Welcome Addition
Although nothing could top John Cena's heel turn, Sky's world title win proved WWE still had some tricks up its sleeve. This is the best way to add The Genius of the Sky to this year's card.
More to the point, it will allow Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley's paths to converge with the Japanese wrestler's redemption arc. All three women have something to prove, and an encounter on The Grandest Stage of Them All offers them the chance to do so.
Losing to Lyra Valkyria in the Queen of the Ring semifinals lit a fire under Sky to eventually win without relying on Damage CTRL or the Money in the Bank briefcase. Last year, she won fans over by putting on excellent matches and earning a title shot against Liv Morgan.
When she lost her chance to compete for another opportunity at Elimination Chamber, the popular high-flyer subverted expectations. Now, she seeks to enter Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 19-20 as champion and avenge her loss to Bayley at last year's event.
Conversely, Belair is determined to reestablish herself as a singles competitor after a successful run as a tag team wrestler.
The EST of WWE hopes to put her struggles in 2024 behind her, and a rematch against the woman who has arguably become the most persistent obstacle throughout her WWE career is a great start.
Sky has had Belair's number ever since she dethroned her at SummerSlam in 2023, and their acclaimed match from the Sept. 16, 2024 episode of Raw drove this point home.
Beating her would likely lift a weight off her shoulders, and that's what Ripley doesn't seem to understand.
Their friendship and the WrestleMania match they always talked about aren't as much of a priority for The EST right now because she put her aspirations on the back-burner for a year to be a part of a team. In truth, The Eradicator should understand that better than most.
The runner-up in the 2021 women's Royal Rumble match, which Belair won, lamented about being a team player and giving her friend a fair chance to win. This motivated her to return to the event and win in 2023, but she's conflicted now because she's not the same person anymore.
After everything she went through with Morgan and The Judgment Day, Ripley wanted to believe she had a friend on Raw and that they wanted the same thing. Instead, Belair is showing signs she could turn heel if she did attack Jade Cargill in November.
There are so many layers to this storyline, and the hints at a Triple Threat became evident when they stood on the stage together after the women's Elimination Chamber match. WWE illustrated this again at the end of Raw, and it's the right call.
Putting two of its homegrown stars up against someone as experienced and respected as Sky makes so much sense, and they're both seeking a definitive win over her now.
Ripley vs. Belair could also become a major feud that will play out throughout the year.
Who Will Be Roman Reigns' WrestleMania 41 Opponent?
The fallout from the men's Rumble match was the latest chapter in Punk and Rollins' heated rivalry. Their matches have been tremendous, and their segments are electric because their animosity is so believable.
The fact that they already have a second match set for Monday would imply that the rumored Triple Threat match with Roman Reigns is still planned for WrestleMania 41. But it's hard to see how The Tribal Chief will factor into this now.
The second-generation star has been out indefinitely since Rollins attacked him outside the ring at the Royal Rumble. The angle was one of the highlights of the event, and it perfectly set up a showdown between the three.
Nevertheless, the longer Reigns is out of the equation, the more it seems like this feud never needed him in the first place. The brawl from the latest episode of Raw was so compelling without him that it would make sense to keep it going or do something else.
Frankly, every combination of these three stars is more interesting as a one-on-one match, and this seems like an attempt to please everyone. Rollins vs. Reigns is long overdue. There is plenty of continuity to lean on there, and their last interaction gave us the ideal inciting incident.
Punk's relationship with Paul Heyman, and the ominous favor he owes him, is a fantastic way to build to a match with Reigns, but that doesn't have to play out immediately. A Triple Threat match doesn't give WWE the chance to delve into his deep history with both opponents effectively.
These two storylines are too big, and throwing it all into a catch-all match does them a disservice. It would make more sense for Punk to use his favor to insert himself into the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match and move forward with Rollins vs. Reigns.