This is it. Newsletter number one of 2026, and we are coming in hot and heavy to kick the year off the right way. No warm-up lap, no soft open. This drop leads with the grandmaster himself, MrTeshk, delivering his full week in reviews and Best of the Week first thing Friday morning, setting the tone for what this year is about to look like.

We are officially lifting off into 2026, and the energy is already there. You can feel it on television, you can see it in the reactions, and you can absolutely peep it over on MrTeshk’s Instagram as the takes roll in real time. Wrestling did not wait around for the calendar to flip. Legacy moments happened, futures got fast-tracked, and the board is already being set for a massive year ahead.

This newsletter is your launch point. RAW planted flags. NXT stayed consistent and hungry. AEW reset its direction. The Best of the Week locks in who is hot right out of the gate, with no nostalgia goggles and no patience for slow starts. This is Straight Shoot in its purest form, and it is only the beginning of what we are bringing to our readers in 2026.

Thank you for riding with us, sticking with us, and growing alongside this thing as it continues to evolve. Buckle up, stay locked, and enjoy the chaos.

Happy freakin’ New Year (hopefully no broken freakin’ necks).

P.S. Want to listen instead? Hit Listen Online at the top right of your email or browser!

December 29, 2025
Year-End Edition | New Year Drop

Final RAW of the year, and WWE clearly treated this one like a runway into 2026 rather than a victory lap.

You could feel the priorities immediately. January 5 in Brooklyn looms large with CM Punk and Bron Breakker. The European stretch is right around the corner. The NFL calendar is about to swallow weekly television attention. This episode was not about nostalgia or reflection. It was about positioning.

And three things stood out above everything else:

The Vision tightening their grip
Austin Theory finally finding alignment
The Usos forcing the GOAT tag team conversation

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

🎤 THE VISION, CM PUNK, AND A LINE IN THE SAND

The Vision walked out like they already owned the building. Bron Breakker. Bronson Reed. Logan Paul. Austin Theory. Paul Heyman. Framed as if the next era had already started and everyone else just had not caught up yet.

Heyman did what he always does best. He weaponized truth. He told the crowd that five years from now, this moment would be pointed to as the birth of the next generation of main eventers.

Then it became official.

Austin Theory is in The Vision.

And this did not feel cosmetic. Theory did not look like he was cosplaying credibility. His posture was different. His tone was colder. This felt like a guy who finally picked a side instead of trying to be liked by everyone.

CM Punk interrupted and immediately cut through the noise. Theory is drinking the Kool Aid. Heyman is pouring it.

Then Punk made the smartest move of the segment. He did not talk to the group. He called out Bron Breakker.

The Vision stepped back. Bron stepped forward.

Bron said he is not the future. He is the now. He got here fast because he is built differently. He will die for that championship.

Punk responded like a champion who refuses to become a footnote. You are ready. But I am not done. And you are not taking this from CM Punk.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was excellent. Bron sounded dangerous. Punk sounded resolute. January 5 now feels like a real inflection point, not just another title defense.

And yes, it still feels like Austin Theory is a Seth Rollins guy hiding in plain sight. Shirt, music, alignment be damned. That suspicion is not going away.

👑 WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPLE THREAT

Stephanie Vaquer vs. Nikki Bella vs. Raquel Rodriguez

This match got time, and that was the right call. Triple threats live or die on pacing, and this one built properly.

Raquel was the power problem. Nikki was the legend hunting one more defining moment. Vaquer was the champion surviving chaos and capitalizing on openings.

Vaquer and Raquel worked well together, and by the final stretch every nearfall felt earned. The finish was exactly what it needed to be. Vaquer found the moment and ended it before the chaos reset.

Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Vaquer is no longer just wearing the title. She is starting to feel like the anchor of the division.

🥩 GUNTHER VS. R-TRUTH

This was simple and effective.

Truth tried. The crowd cared. Gunther crushed him back into reality.

Sleeper finish after total control.

Winner: Gunther
⭐️⭐️

This existed for one reason and it nailed it. Gunther is still dining off the Cena tap-out like it is a career trophy.

🥋 KABUKI WARRIORS VS. RIPLEY AND IYO BUILD

A promo turned into a brawl. No overthinking. No twists.

Just physicality to sell next week’s title match.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ripley and Iyo feel positioned as the future centerpiece of the women’s tag division, especially as WrestleMania season creeps closer.

🔥 AUSTIN THEORY VS. REY MYSTERIO | PENTA RETURNS

This was where the Austin Theory shift really landed.

New entrance energy. Sharper movement. No “trying to impress” vibe. Theory wrestled like he believed he belonged in the room now.

Rey did what Rey always does. Speed. Timing. Heart. Crowd belief.

The finish came via Logan Paul interference and a disqualification, which is fine. The chaos was the point.

Winner: Rey Mysterio by DQ
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Then Penta returned and cleaned house, sending the crowd into celebration mode. The DQ did not matter. The presentation did.

This is the best version of Austin Theory in a long time.

🎙️ MAXXINE DUPRI AND BECKY LYNCH

Maxxine came out with champion confidence. Not happy to be here energy. Champion energy.

Becky did what Becky does. Framed the pressure. Took her shots. Positioned Brooklyn as a proving ground.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maxxine held her own. That is the takeaway. Next week feels like a real spotlight moment, and she needs to leave Brooklyn still champion.

🏆 MAIN EVENT | WWE WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. The Usos

This was the match of the night. No debate.

Two babyface teams, but The Usos told a subtle story. They had to be more aggressive than usual. Not heel. Just desperate.

Styles and Lee were excellent champions. The chemistry was there. The pacing was tight. The nearfalls elevated everything.

Jey surviving the Styles Clash was a legitimate gasp moment.

The double superkick counter was clean.

The 1D on Dragon Lee felt earned.

Winners and NEW Champions: The Usos
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️¼

And now the conversation is unavoidable.

Nine-time tag team champions.

Longevity. Era-spanning relevance. Big match delivery across generations.

At this point, the Usos are not just in the conversation for greatest tag team of all time. They are sitting at the head of the table.

🌟 THREE STARS OF THE SHOW

🥇 The Usos
🥈 AJ Styles and Dragon Lee
🥉 Stephanie Vaquer

✅ FINAL THOUGHTS

This RAW did exactly what a year-end episode should do.

The title matches delivered.
The Vision angle made January 5 feel must-see.
Austin Theory looks like a new man.
The Usos closed the year with a historic moment.

No fireworks. No nostalgia bait.

Just momentum.

WWE did not look backward here. They planted flags for 2026.

Score: 7.5 / 10
Straight Shoot Unfiltered

Happy New Year. We are just getting started.

Saturday, December 2025

This was a good show.

Not a disaster. Not a regret. Not something you turn off halfway through wondering why you ordered it.

But for AEW, on a PPV labeled Worlds End? This never quite reached the level where it felt special.

There were strong matches. A few genuine standouts. A main event that delivered a real shift. But the show as a whole stayed one gear below what AEW usually finds when it really wants to flex.

And no, we are not calling everything a classic just because it happened in AEW.

This was a solid PPV. Not a defining one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

🎬 ZERO HOUR TAKEAWAYS

Hyan & Maya World vs. Sisters of Sin
⭐️⭐️¼
A perfectly fine opener. The crowd was more into Hyan and Maya than expected, which helped. The work was uneven in spots, but the intent was clear and the finish made sense. Warm-up accomplished.

Eddie Kingston vs. Zack Gibson
⭐️⭐️
This should have hit harder. It never found urgency or edge, and for a PPV weekend match it felt strangely muted. Eddie winning was fine. The match itself never became anything memorable.

Bandido & Máscara Dorada vs. Mark Davis & Rocky Romero
⭐️⭐️⭐️¼
Pure talent carrying the moment. Bandido continues to feel like a star the second he moves, and Dorada brought highlight energy. Easy to enjoy, easy to move on from.

Don Callis Group vs. JetSpeed & Jurassic Express
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This actually told a story. Ambush, numbers game, structure. It dragged in places, but it made sense and gave Jack Perry momentum toward something bigger.

🏆 MAIN CARD

Continental Classic Semifinal
Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️¼
They were cooking. Smooth counters, real intensity, and a crowd that was locked in. Then the screwdriver finish sucked the air out of it. Great match, weak ending. The rematch will be better by default.

Continental Classic Semifinal
Jon Moxley vs. Kyle Fletcher
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Started slow, finished strong. Fletcher’s ankle work gave the match direction, the violence stayed grounded, and the finish with Kyle passing out was perfect. This felt like a true PPV-level fight.

AEW World Tag Team Championship
FTR vs. Bang Bang Gang (Chicago Street Fight)
⭐️⭐️⭐️¼
Plunder with structure. Blood, chaos, and competent execution. Enjoyable in the moment, but unlikely to stick with you long-term.

AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship
Babes of Wrath vs. Athena & Mercedes Moné
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Rough early minutes. Timing issues and awkward transitions. Then it found rhythm, Willow brought the crowd back, Athena looked sharp, and the finish was clever. Mercedes’ frustration arc is clearly heading somewhere.

Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd
⭐️⭐️⭐️¾
Exactly what it needed to be. Darby absorbing punishment like he is made of duct tape and bad decisions, Kidd looking like a killer. Brutal, efficient, effective.

Mixed Nuts Mayhem
Claudio, Garcia, Marina, Yuta vs. Briscoe, OC, Roddy, Toni Storm
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Controlled chaos. Not clean, not perfect, but fun throughout. Toni Storm remains endlessly entertaining, and the match understood its assignment.

AEW Women’s World Championship
Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
The best women’s match on the show and one of the best overall. Heavy shots, imperfect moments that added realism, and a strong champion performance. This felt like a true title fight.

Continental Classic Final
Jon Moxley vs. Kazuchika Okada
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Well told story. Okada as the polished ace, Mox as the battered grinder. Very good, but not as high as the card’s earlier peaks.

AEW World Championship Fatal 4-Way
Samoa Joe vs. Hangman Page vs. MJF vs. Swerve Strickland
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
This flowed well for a four-way. Hangman and Swerve chemistry continues to carry weight. The outside involvement leaned a bit convenient, but the finishing stretch delivered. MJF winning feels like a real directional shift.

🌟 THREE STARS OF THE SHOW

🥇 Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter
🥈 Jon Moxley vs. Kyle Fletcher
🥉 Okada vs. Takeshita

✅ FINAL THOUGHTS

AEW deserves credit for pacing this show properly and not letting every match run long for the sake of it.

There were real highs. Statlander and Hayter stood out. The Continental Classic paid off cleanly. The main event crowned a champion that immediately reshapes 2026.

But as a full PPV experience? This never quite reached that “AEW magic” level from top to bottom.

Good. Solid. Worth watching.

Just not special.

Score: 7 / 10

From the WWE Performance Center, Orlando
Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Alright, let us address the elephant in the room right away. This was pre-recorded. We all knew it. And in 2025, taped wrestling shows come with an automatic penalty flag thanks to spoilers, muted crowd buzz, and that slightly boxed-in feeling.

And yet.

NXT still cooked.

Not with smoke. Not with shortcuts. With effort. With urgency. With a roster that wrestles like every segment is an audition for the next level. This felt like a year-end exclamation point for a brand that quietly stays one of WWE’s most reliable products.

Tight runtime. Clean flow. Commentary locked in. And a card that actually advanced stories instead of killing time until January.

NXT North American Championship
Ethan Page (c) vs. Moose

This was a veteran’s match in the best sense of the phrase.

Moose came in looking like a real problem. Explosive offense, physical presence, and enough credibility that the crowd bought every near-fall. Ethan Page countered by wrestling like a champion who understands survival. Absorb the damage. Pick your spot. Then punish it relentlessly.

The steps spot changed everything. Page slowed Moose just enough, stacked his offense, and closed the door before the storm could restart.

Winner: Ethan Page (retains)
⭐️⭐️⭐️½

This was exactly the right defense. Beating Moose matters. Ethan Page continues to feel like a pillar, not a placeholder.

NXT Year-End Awards
Male Superstar of the Year: Je’Von Evans

Je’Von winning makes sense from a fan perspective. The connection is real, the reactions are organic, and the belief is already there.

From a pure “brand-carrying” standpoint, you could argue Oba Femi or Ethan Page had stronger years. But fan votes tell you who people are ready to follow.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This award says more about where Je’Von is headed than where he has been.

Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley
New Year’s Evil Setup

Izzi Dame tried to paint Paxley as fragile and broken. Tatum responded with something Dame cannot manufacture: authenticity.

The crowd stays with Paxley because she feels genuine. She has lived in the weird corners of NXT and come out louder, not smaller. The exchange was simple, the match got locked in, and Paxley ended the segment standing tall.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not flashy, but effective. This feels like a real turning point for Paxley.

Jacy Jayne vs. Wren Sinclair
Non-title Match

Solid, purposeful work.

Jayne controlled the pace like a champion should. Wren fought from underneath and stayed likable. The finish was clean and decisive, even if the arm selling could have been tighter.

Winner: Jacy Jayne
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Then Kendal Grey hit the ring, fought off Fatal Influence, and forced Jayne to tap in the chaos.

⭐️⭐️⭐️¼

That is how you build a challenger without burning the match early. Grey is gaining credibility every single week.

Joe Hendry Concert
Interrupted by Darkstate

Joe Hendry doing Joe Hendry things. Music. Jokes. Crowd energy. A feel-good year-end vibe.

And then Darkstate reminded everyone this is still a fight show.

They jumped Hendry, swarmed him, and left him wrecked.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fun turned serious fast. Darkstate needed edge. They got it. Hendry continues to be the perfect emotional lightning rod.

Tavion Heights vs. Lexis King
WWE Speed Tournament Match

Eight seconds.

Winner: Tavion Heights

This was a message, not a match. Heights needed a moment. He got one.

OTM vs. Swipe Right

Swipe Right exist to get punched. OTM happily obliged.

Heavy chops. Big throws. No nonsense.

Winner: OTM
⭐️⭐️¼

Short and effective. OTM feel like a team that could realistically hold gold in 2026.

NXT Year-End Awards
Female Superstar of the Year: Sol Ruca

This one felt inevitable.

Sol Ruca is not just talented. She feels like someone one spotlight away from exploding into the next tier.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Her ceiling is main-roster high, and the trajectory backs it up.

MAIN EVENT
Je’Von Evans vs. Ricky Saints

This is the version of NXT main events that works.

Modern pace. Real intensity. Clear character contrast. Evans wrestled like momentum personified. Saints wrestled like a man who decided being liked is overrated.

The knee work mattered. The table spot landed. The chaos felt earned.

And then Saints did what real heels do.

Ref bump. Low blow. Big finish. New ref. Three count.

Winner: Ricky Saints
⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Right result. Evans does not lose clean. Saints wins like a villain. The rivalry stays hot if they want to circle back.

Three Stars of the Night

🥇 Ethan Page
🥈 Je’Von Evans / Ricky Saints
🥉 Moose

Final Thoughts on WWE NXT

For a pre-recorded, end-of-year episode, this was strong.

The Performance Center crowd stayed engaged. The matches delivered. The angles mattered. And New Year’s Evil now feels like a real checkpoint, not just another themed show.

You can nitpick the number of heel wins if you want. The bigger picture is this:

NXT ended 2025 looking focused, confident, and future-facing.

That is exactly what this brand is supposed to be.

Score: 7.25 / 10

Our first of the year.
Who is hot right out of the gate in 2026.

New year, no easing in. Wrestling kicked the door down immediately, and across WWE Monday Night Raw, WWE SmackDown, WWE NXT, and AEW Worlds End, the message was loud and clear. Legacy is being cemented. Futures are being fast-tracked. 2026 wasted zero time.

Here are the five moments that mattered most this week.

1️⃣ The Usos become 9 time World Tag Team Champions
Show: WWE Monday Night Raw

This was not nostalgia booking. This was dominance.

The Usos defeating AJ Styles and Dragon Lee to win their ninth World Tag Team Championship officially pushes them into the greatest tag team of all time conversation, whether people like it or not. The match delivered. The nearfalls were wild. The finish felt earned.

Why it matters:
Longevity + consistency + big match delivery across eras = GOAT territory.

2️⃣ CM Punk vs Bron Breakker face to face
Show: WWE Monday Night Raw

This was the segment that made January 5 feel massive.

Bron Breakker saying “I’m not the future, I’m the now” did not sound like a line. It sounded like a mission statement. CM Punk answering with calm confidence instead of panic made the World Title feel important again.

Austin Theory quietly aligning with The Vision elevated his stock, whether people want to admit it or not.

Why it matters:
This is how you build a world title match without gimmicks or shortcuts.

3️⃣ Kris Statlander vs Jamie Hayter steals Worlds End
Show: AEW Worlds End

On a card stacked with Okada, Moxley, MJF, and Swerve, this was the best pure wrestling match of the night.

Two powerhouses throwing bombs, countering finishers, and wrestling like champions instead of performers. No smoke. No shortcuts. Just a title fight that felt earned.

Why it matters:
AEW’s women’s division does not need hype. It needs matches like this.

4️⃣ Ricky Saints steals the main event on NXT
Show: WWE NXT

This was textbook NXT storytelling.

Je’Von Evans looked like the future. Ricky Saints looked like a man who decided morals do not win championships. The ref bump, the low blow, and the Rochambeau all served the story and protected Evans on the way out.

Why it matters:
This is how you elevate a heel without burying a rising star.

5️⃣ MJF wins the AEW World Championship
Show: AEW Worlds End

This was not an all time classic, and that is fine.

What it was is direction. MJF regaining the AEW World Title resets the main event scene and gives 2026 a villain everyone can rally against. The chaos fit. The finish made sense. The result mattered.

Why it matters:
AEW needed a clear “this is where we are going” moment, and this was it.

Final takeaway.

This was a strong opening week to 2026.

WWE delivered legacy and future at the same time.
NXT proved again why it is the most consistent weekly show.
AEW hit real highs on a good, not great, PPV.

Not everything was perfect.
But the moments that mattered landed.

And if this is how the year starts, it is going to be a ride.

Be Good People🤘
mr.teshk

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