Good Morning Wrestling Fans 👊

Straight Shoot UNFILTERED is back, and this weekend gave us plenty to talk about. WWE’s Wrestlepalooza debut on ESPN and Netflix had big highs, like Stephanie Vaquer’s star-making win and AJ Lee’s return, but the main event finish left fans frustrated. Over in Toronto, AEW’s All Out delivered returns, violence, and moments that will be remembered for years, from Hangman Page’s title defense to the post-ladder match shock of Jack Perry and Luchasaurus.

In other news - we are almost at 150 subscribers. For those who caught Mr. Teshk’s livestreams, he has been teasing our first giveaway: a signed WWE Superstar belt. Stay tuned, it’s coming soon.

Dive in for full reviews, star ratings, and our Straight Shoot Takeaways from one of wrestling’s wildest weekends.

Wrestlepalooza was billed as a new era. The first WWE Premium Live Event broadcast on ESPN in the U.S. and Netflix internationally, wrapped in glossy production and corporate hype. Triple H stood in the ring pre-show calling this the “final form of sports and entertainment” while an ESPN nostalgia reel hammered home the branding.

The stakes were high, the presentation was sharp, and the energy screamed “landmark event.” But when the lights dimmed and the final bell rang, Wrestlepalooza left fans split. There was one phenomenal women’s title match, a nostalgia-driven AJ Lee return, a dominant Brock Lesnar showcase, and a main event that collapsed under bad booking.

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena

Result: Brock Lesnar def. John Cena (8:50)

Textbook Brock. A barrage of shoulder checks, German suplexes, and six F5s demolished Cena in under 10 minutes. Cena’s triple AA hope spot got the biggest roar, but it was quickly buried. Post-match, Brock added insult with an F5 to the referee and another on Cena, hammering home his apex predator status.

What worked: The spectacle. Heyman’s surprise intro and Cena’s kid-heavy entrance framed the emotion.

What didn’t: The squash formula is stale in 2025. Without a teased next chapter, it felt more mean than meaningful.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed) vs. The Usos — Special Referee: LA Knight

Result: The Vision def. The Usos (17:12)

Chaotic fun, messy logic. LA Knight’s “let it ride” refereeing meant it was basically a Tornado Tag, but the first half still played as a standard tag. Once the furniture appeared, the crowd came alive.

Highlights included Bron Breakker’s double spear through a table and Bronson Reed’s Tsunami finish on Jey. Jey’s accidental cut from a chair shot added gritty urgency.

What worked: The power versus polish dynamic, Heyman lurking, and the red-hot finish.

What didn’t: Ten minutes of tags that did not matter. If Knight was not enforcing rules, just call it a Tornado Tag from the start.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Stephanie Vaquer vs. Iyo Sky — Women’s World Championship

Result: Stephanie Vaquer def. Iyo Sky (20:11)

Match of the Night. Vaquer targeted Iyo’s knee with precision, chaining dragon screws and rope-assisted submissions into a relentless game plan. Iyo’s comebacks, including a springboard dropkick, Spanish Fly, and Over the Moonsault, hit, but her selling forced slower covers and made every burst feel costly.

The finish sealed it. Iyo missed the moonsault on her bad knee and Vaquer hit a perfect Spiral Tap to score the win. Post-match, Iyo personally crowned Vaquer before she celebrated with her father in an emotional, star-making scene.

What worked: Airtight psychology, crisp counters, a finish that paid off the story.

What didn’t: The slow open. The crowd needed time to warm up, but by the end they were all in.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch

Result: Punk & AJ def. Rollins & Becky (29:18)

Patience and payoff. The story: deny the crowd AJ until the explosive hot tag. It ran long, but when she entered, the arena erupted.

AJ looked rusty in moments, but her Black Widow finish and teaming with Punk for stereo Shining Wizards and an assisted Sliced Bread hit big. Rollins and Becky leaned into their heel roles, with cross-gender sharpshooters and Stomp teases that popped the fans.

What worked: The hot tag crescendo, Becky’s charisma, Punk as glue, AJ’s return magic.

What didn’t: At 30 minutes it dragged. Cut 8–10 minutes and this would have been tighter and stronger.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre — WWE Championship

Result: Cody Rhodes def. Drew McIntyre (16:52)

The night’s biggest failure. The action had flashes: Drew’s Claymore nearfall, an inverted Alabama Slam on the steps, and an avalanche White Noise. But overbooked referee chaos sank the match.

The referee dodged phantom bumps, missed falls, and outright interfered. Drew’s “LED board kick” made him look foolish. Cody’s teased head injury went nowhere. The finish left Drew a choke artist and Cody a banana-peel champion.

What worked: Brief bursts of physicality.

What didn’t: The finish destroyed credibility for both men and killed the ESPN debut moment.

Match Rating: ⭐✨

Official Mr. Teshk Production & Pacing Notes

Performers of the Night

⭐ Stephanie Vaquer: Composure, psychology, star-making performance.
⭐ Iyo Sky: Elite selling that elevated every move.
⭐ Becky Lynch: Heel charisma carried long stretches.
⭐ CM Punk: Anchor and glue of the tag spectacle.
⭐ Drew McIntyre: Wrestled like a champion, undone by creative.

Honorable mentions: AJ Lee for the nostalgia pop, Bron Breakker for the double spear, Brock Lesnar for reestablishing menace.

Final Grade: 6.8 / 10

Wrestlepalooza had bright spots: one outstanding women’s title match, AJ Lee’s emotional return, and a trademark Brock mauling. But the shallow card, the pacing issues, and a disastrous main event dragged it down.

For an ESPN-era launch, WWE needed a defining statement. Instead, fans got a reminder: presentation cannot cover for broken storytelling.

Straight Shoot Takeaways

Wrestlepalooza promised to be a landmark. Instead, it ended as a warning shot: no level of polish can save bad booking … Didn’t Darrion talk about this in our last edition?

Check out our full review here of WrestlePalooza below!

AEW rolled into Toronto promising fireworks, and for the most part, they delivered. The card was packed with returns, chaos, and title matches that mattered. But there were also valleys where the energy dipped, and a couple of bouts that simply failed to click.

Here’s the full match-by-match breakdown below & Mr. Teshk’s livestream from yesterday!

Hangman Page (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher — AEW World Championship

Result: Hangman Page def. Kyle Fletcher

This was crisp, clean, and everything a world title match should be. Hangman feels like a reliable closer, and Fletcher proved he belongs in the main-event picture. The near-falls were sharp, the pacing was steady, and the finish was strong. Fletcher took the loss, but came out looking like he is just one step away.

What worked: Hangman’s credibility as champion, Fletcher elevating himself in defeat, a world title match that felt important.

What didn’t: Nothing major — a few minutes trimmed could have made it even tighter.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Cope & Christian vs. FTR

Result: Cope & Christian def. FTR

Toronto’s heart. The second Christian and Cope hit the ramp, the arena erupted. This was not a technical masterpiece, but it did not need to be. FTR handled pacing, the veterans told their story, and Beth Phoenix’s involvement gave the crowd a nostalgic rush.

What worked: The atmosphere, the hometown emotion, and the sheer satisfaction of the payoff.

What didn’t: As a wrestling match, it was fine, but the emotion carried it more than the in-ring.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kris Statlander vs. Toni Storm vs. Thekla vs. Jamie Hayter — Women’s World Championship

Result: Kris Statlander wins the title

The division needed a reset, and AEW delivered. Every woman played her part: Thekla sharp, Hayter powerful, Storm steady. But this was Statlander’s night. She dominated the closing stretch, won decisively, and finally felt like the star ready to lead the division.

What worked: Strong structure, decisive finish, a genuine feel-good title change.

What didn’t: Crowd energy dipped early but rebounded by the finish.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Okada (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Máscara Dorada — AEW Unified Championship

Result: Okada retains

The Rolls Royce match of the night. Okada was calm and commanding, Takeshita matched him with power and intensity, and Dorada injected high speed and flash. The pacing was excellent, and the storytelling planted seeds for future singles encounters.

What worked: Okada’s ace presence, Takeshita’s fire, Dorada’s aerial flare, smooth structure.

What didn’t: Nothing glaring. A textbook AEW main-event-style showcase.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Brodido (c) vs. Young Bucks vs. JetSpeed vs. Hechicero & Josh Alexander — Ladder Match

Result: Brodido retain

This was chaos done right. Big bumps, clever sequences, and champions who looked like they earned the win. But the real story came after the bell. Jack Perry returned, the lights went out, and Luchasaurus stormed back. The reaction was thunderous.

What worked: The spectacle, the creativity, the post-match returns that stole headlines.

What didn’t: At times the ring was too crowded, but the pacing recovered.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin — Coffin Match

Result: Jon Moxley def. Darby Allin

Exactly what you wanted. Moxley bled, Darby sacrificed his body, and every coffin spot had purpose. This was not aimless violence, it was storytelling through brutality. Darby’s bumps made you wince, Mox’s grit anchored the tone, and the finish felt earned.

What worked: Violence with meaning, crowd investment, both men true to their characters.

What didn’t: A few sloppy transitions, but the chaos covered it.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Eddie Kingston vs. Big Bill

Result: Eddie Kingston def. Big Bill

The low point of the show. Eddie looked rusty after his layoff, Bill lacked energy, and the crowd never got invested. The match dragged until the HOOK return post-match, which gave it a minor save.

What worked: HOOK’s surprise return.

What didn’t: Flat pacing, lack of crowd interest, rusty execution.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Mark Briscoe vs. MJF — “Tables N’ Tacks”

Result: Mark Briscoe def. MJF

This was ugly in the best way. A violent tribute to Jay Briscoe filled with real emotion. The Jay Driller into tacks will be replayed for years. MJF losing again keeps his story unpredictable and Briscoe shined in a cathartic victory.

What worked: Emotional weight, brutal spots that mattered, Briscoe’s heart.

What didn’t: At times messy, but that was the point.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Riho — TBS Championship

Result: Mercedes Moné retains

The biggest disappointment of the night. The match was technically fine, but the crowd did not care. The lack of energy exposed it badly. Wrestling is about connection, and this match had none.

What worked: Both women tried.

What didn’t: No crowd engagement, flat atmosphere, a TBS title defense that felt lifeless.

Match Rating: ⭐⭐

Final Grade: 8.5 / 10

All Out Toronto delivered big moments. Hangman looked like a real world champ, Okada carried himself like AEW’s global ace, the ladder match and post-match returns were unforgettable, and Mark Briscoe gave fans an emotional war.

But the valleys were real. Mercedes vs. Riho fell flat, Eddie vs. Big Bill dragged, and the pacing dipped in stretches.

Toronto still got their money’s worth. They saw returns, chaos, violence, and genuine feel-good coronations. AEW left the city buzzing, and that is the mark of a successful pay-per-view.

Straight Shoot Takeaways

All Out Toronto 2025 will be remembered for its moments, not its valleys. And in wrestling, moments are what count.

In December 1997, Vince McMahon reportedly offered Ultimate Warrior a WWE contract in hopes of bringing him back to the company. The deal, however, never materialized, and Warrior’s rocky relationship with WWE continued until his eventual Hall of Fame induction years later.

👉 A near-return that could have changed the Attitude Era storyline mix forever.

🌟 Darrion’s Drop: They Were Supposed to Be Managers, But Became Icons 🎤🔥

Sometimes wrestling’s biggest stars didn’t walk in with plans to become legends. They started as managers, valets, or simply background personalities. Yet their charisma, passion, and undeniable talent flipped the script. Instead of just standing ringside, they rewrote wrestling history.

Here are the names that broke the mold and became unforgettable:

💎 Trish Stratus – From T&A’s Manager to the GOAT
What began as eye candy quickly evolved into greatness. Trish transformed into one of the most decorated women in WWE history, proving work ethic trumps perception.

👑 Miss Elizabeth – The First Lady of Wrestling
Introduced as Macho Man’s manager, she became a cultural icon. Her grace and poise made her wrestling royalty forever.

🎙️ Paul Heyman – From Mouthpiece to Mastermind
A simple talker turned into the architect of ECW and the greatest manager of the modern era. Today, he’s the brain behind some of WWE’s biggest acts.

🧠 Bobby “The Brain” Heenan – The Blueprint
Heenan wasn’t just a manager. His commentary and wit redefined wrestling personalities. The Brain became the standard everyone measures against.

🎭 Sensational Sherri – The Queen of Heels
Her intensity and larger-than-life presence made her as unforgettable as the villains she managed. Sherri didn’t just manage, she dominated.

🔥 Lita – From Essa Rios’ Valet to Daredevil Legend
Originally a sidekick, Lita’s high-flying, fearless style made her one of the most revolutionary women in the business.

💃 Stacy Keibler – From Dudleyville to Mainstream Fame
She started with the Dudleys, but her charisma carried her far beyond wrestling, becoming a pop culture star.

🌟 Torrie Wilson – From Manager to Beloved Star
Introduced alongside Billy Kidman, she became one of WWE’s most adored Divas, showing how far charisma and persistence can take you.

⚰️ Paul Bearer – The Eternal Voice of The Undertaker
At first, a creepy side presence. But his unforgettable look and haunting promos made him inseparable from The Deadman’s mystique.

These stories prove one thing: in wrestling, the spotlight has a way of finding those who can truly command it. Trish Stratus was supposed to stand ringside, not redefine an era. Paul Heyman was just a mouthpiece, yet became the mastermind of modern wrestling. Paul Bearer was meant to be spooky background noise, but instead became the eternal echo of The Undertaker’s legacy.

Wrestling is full of surprises. The people you expect to be side characters can steal the whole show. That’s the beauty of this business - greatness isn’t always scripted, sometimes it just happens.

👉 That’s today’s Darrion’s Drop. A little history, a little perspective, and hopefully something that makes you nod along while you scroll. Until next time, keep watching, keep remembering, and keep respecting the legends who turned support roles into superstardom.

— Darrion Axel

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Be Good People🤘
mr.teshk

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