WWE & AEW’s 30 Under 30 List For 2025
I know that I say this every year, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always had my eyes, ears, and mind on the future when it comes to all kinds of sports. I’m the biggest non-professional NFL Draft nerd there is, but I’ll also look at the future of other sports, watching film and putting all sorts of things together.
One of those other sports? Pro wrestling.
One of those other things I put together? My yearly 30 Under 30 column.
For years, I’ve been doing a column like this, and the title is pretty self-explanatory… I look at the WWE, NXT and AEW rosters, and I come up with the top 30 wrestlers under the age of 30, based on how bright I think their futures are. That’s the key thing to remember. The names I list aren’t necessarily the BEST wrestlers TODAY, although that helps to an extent.
At one point, this column was open to more than just WWE and AEW wrestlers, but that became far too complicated as time went on. It’s one thing to give praise to a 23-year-old in NXT that hundreds of thousands of people watch on a weekly basis. However, it’s another thing to give praise to a 23-year-old at a local independent promotion I’ve seen that has never been on television anywhere. Sure, that independent 23-year-old might be super talented with a bright future, but how much good does it do if I mention someone that you probably won’t get to see for what might be years?
The only other “rules” I use is that a wrestler has to be under the age of 30 as of January 1st of that year, and that, if I can help it, I will group a tag team together, as long as both members meet the age criteria.
Finally, the list is in chronological order, starting from the oldest wrestler to the youngest.
Are you ready to look at the future? Let’s rock.
Logan Paul (Born on April 1st, 1995): I’ve said this before, and I still mean it… if Logan were to ever commit himself to pro wrestling on a full-time basis, he’d be a World Champion and have WrestleMania main events under his belt. Hell, he might reach that point, anyway. He gets it, and has always gotten it, from the day he first appeared in WWE. Even if you don’t like him as a person, it’s difficult to ignore all of his natural gifts and abilities that translate extremely well to the sport.
Jamie Hayter (Born on April 23rd, 1995): I went back and forth on including her this year. In previous editions of this column, she got love, because it looked like she was well on her way to becoming the “next big thing” in women’s wrestling. Then she got injured, and everything was completely derailed. Since returning from injury, nothing has really seemed the same. She changed her look, her matches weren’t on the same level as they were pre-injury, and she wasn’t being booked in the same fashion. Things have recently gotten better, which gives me hope for her, and that’s why I’ve included her. I’m not 100% sold like I was in the past, but I’m still a fan.
Dragon Lee (Born on May 15th, 1995): Rey Mysterio said Dragon Lee would be the next Luchador superstar in WWE. Sami Zayn said Dragon Lee could turn into something really special. He continues to bring in tremendous praise from his coworkers, who have seen what he is capable of doing. That praise hasn’t translated to a ton of WWE main roster success yet, but there’s still plenty of time, and I trust that his connection with the aforementioned Rey Mysterio will lead to positive things eventually. He could make for a great United States or Intercontinental Champion in the near future.
Konosuke Takeshita (Born on May 29th, 1995): He has become a workhorse, wrestling 63 times in 2024 for a total of nine different promotions. No matter where he is, and no matter who he’s facing, you know that you’re going to witness quality from a match Takeshita is involved in. He is involved in the biggest push of his career at the moment, earning the AEW International Title and competing for New Japan’s NEVER Openweight Title at the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom show. As he continues climbing the ranks, and you just know he will, he will receive more and more of a spotlight. He seems to be on a mission to prove that he is one of the best in the world, even if he didn’t come from the biggest of promotions in Japan. So far, so good. (Writer’s Note: This entry was written before Wrestle Kingdom, where he defeated Shingo Takagi to win the NEVER Openweight Title, making him a double champion, and Wrestle Dynasty, where he successfully defended both of his titles against Tomohiro Ishii. Potentially seeing more of Takeshita in New Japan isn’t a bad thing whatsoever.)
Tony D’Angelo (Born on June 9th, 1995): I’m somewhat torn on Tony D’Angelo. I can’t deny how much his in-ring work has improved in a short amount of time. However, I do think that his gimmick is silly, overly one-dimensional, and has the potential to hold him back. It hasn’t been an issue in NXT yet, but as we’ve seen a billion times in the past… NXT is its own world, and success there doesn’t guarantee anything when an act moves to Raw or Smackdown. As long as Tony D stays in NXT, he’ll continue to grow and will probably reach true main event status this year. I don’t think he necessarily needs a gimmick change to be good-to-go on the main roster, but the silliness and stereotypes probably need to be toned down quite a bit.
Kris Statlander (Born on August 7th, 1995): Her AEW career has been quite the roller coaster ride. Not all that long ago, she was one of the hottest acts in the company, and I was calling for her to be the one to hand Jade Cargill her first loss. That ended up happening, and nothing really came from it. She didn’t have the same momentum, and then an ill-advised heel turn happened, only for that to damn near be retconned a few months later. Even now that she has picked up a bunch of momentum again after two fantastic matches with Mercedes Moné, she lost both of the matches, so there’s still uncertainty there. I still believe in her in-ring abilities, as well as her connection with live crowds, and I think there’s still a lot to look forward to in her future.
Toni Storm (Born on October 19th, 1995): It’s crazy to see what her career has become. At one point, I was watching her perform and seeing complaints from people that she had little-to-no personality and charisma to go with her in-ring skills. Now, there are complaints that her personality and character work are overshadowing her in-ring skills. The “Timeless” character has done wonders for her, opening the door for more fans to enjoy her work. While I do think that sometimes the character and the silliness of it did prevent her matches from reaching their full potential, it was still something that was entertaining as all hell to watch. Now that she has shown she can do just about anything, I think we may have seen just the beginning in the Toni Storm “multiverse,” so to speak.
MJF (Born on March 15th, 1996): When he’s “on,” there isn’t a better promo in all of wrestling. While I don’t think he has been “on” anywhere near as often as he was while he was feuding with the likes of CM Punk and William Regal, he’s still a threat to cut a Promo Of The Year contender every week. The fact that he has busted his ass to have his in-ring work start to catch up with his mic work only makes him a more dangerous threat as a performer.
Rhea Ripley (Born on October 11th, 1996): She is already one of the biggest stars in the business right now, so it shouldn’t be surprising that I feel she has a bright future. I’ve seen some social media posts from people who feel she’s getting “stale” and all that, but I think that’s mostly due to her being involved in a storyline with Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan for most of the 2024 calendar year. Once Rhea is fully able to move on and work with someone else again, I think those detractors will once again see what made Rhea so special in the first place. She’s probably the next WWE woman in line to earn a WrestleMania main event spot, especially whenever the company gets around to the big-time Rhea vs Bianca Belair match that they’ve been hyping and teasing for years.
Dominik Mysterio (Born on April 5th, 1997): He continues to be one of the most over heels anywhere in the business, two-plus years after joining the dark side. His comedic timing has gotten so good as time went on, and while people were distracted with the character silliness, he also became really entertaining in the ring. It’s only a matter of time before he has a main roster singles title in his possession, and that’s only going to make the heat increase.
Axiom (Born on May 9th, 1997): When Axiom and Nathan Frazer were first put together as a duo in NXT, I expected a couple of fun matches, but nothing more. Both men are very talented and really excel at what they do, but the pairing was so random that I didn’t expect it to last. Fast forward to the here and now… they have a total of two NXT Tag Team Title reigns, making them one of only seven teams to reach that mark, and they have been champions for a total of 253 days (as of the day I post this column), which is the fifth most of any team in NXT history. Axiom isn’t the largest guy around, but he is able to blend a high-flying offense with technical ability that he really worked on during his time working in the United Kingdom. That allows him to mesh well with a wide variety of opponents, helping to make his matches more entertaining, whether he’s working tags or as a singles competitor. As soon as they drop the titles, whenever that may be, their next stop should be Raw or Smackdown. They’re ready.
Jack Perry (Born on June 16th, 1997): I’m going to sound like a broken record again, but I still don’t buy Jack Perry in the heel character he’s currently portraying. He was easy to root for as a face, from his look to his entrance music, and everything in between. Now, though, he might be the least intimidating heel in recent wrestling memory. His look and his promos don’t come near to where they should be with the character he’s trying to play. The fact that I have him listed here says everything about how much I believe in what he will be able to do if/when this silly heel business comes to an end. Again, he’s easy to root for as a face, so seeing him miscast as a heel just makes me shake my head.
Bron Breakker (Born on October 24th, 1997): It doesn’t appear to be in the cards this year, based on the storylines that we’ve already seen playing out, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Bron is working in the main event of WrestleMania as soon as next year. He’s ready. It feels like he’s been ready from the start. Whatever questions were out there about whether or not he could use what made him successful in NXT on the main roster were answered almost immediately upon his debut. Bron is easily one of the biggest “sure things” on this list.
Oba Femi (Born on April 22nd, 1998): I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but… here’s someone who is going to dominate the sport for years to come, as long as he can stay healthy and avoid any sort of unforeseen legal issues. I’m talking World Titles, WrestleMania main events, WWE 2K covers, PWI 500 covers… anything you can think of to measure lofty success. It still blows me away when I think about how far he has come in such a short amount of time, especially without a wrestling background, either of the amateur or independent professional variety. He hasn’t even put all of the puzzle pieces together yet, but when he does, it will be his world and everyone else will simply be paying rent.
Nathan Frazer (Born on July 23rd, 1998): When Axiom and Nathan Frazer were first put together as a duo in NXT, I expected a couple of fun matches, but nothing more. Both men are very talented and really excel at what they do, but the pairing was so random that I didn’t expect it to last. Fast forward to the here and now… they have a total of two NXT Tag Team Title reigns, making them one of only seven teams to reach that mark, and they have been champions for a total of 253 days (as of the day I post this column), which is the fifth most of any team in NXT history. Seth Rollins is one of the men that trained Frazer when he broke in, and you can see a lot of Seth Rollins/Tyler Black in Frazer’s work. If there’s one word to describe the man’s offense, the word would be “speed.” He’s one of the fastest, quickest performers in the business today, and that helps him to gain an advantage as soon as the bell rings. Like I said in the Axiom entry, both of these guys are ready for a main roster spot, and I hope it happens sooner than later. There’s a ton of teams on Raw and Smackdown that could do big business with Axiom and Frazer.
Mariah May (Born on August 4th, 1998): When she first arrived in AEW, her talents were hidden behind her character of Toni Storm’s “understudy.” That wasn’t her fault, of course. It’s just the way the character worked. Since she turned heel on the “Timeless” one, though, she has been on fire. Her promos are working out well, her character work has been fun, and her matches have been clicking. She is finally able to show why her arrival came with a lot of hype in the first place. If you watched her pre-AEW work in places like Stardom or RevPro, you know what she’s capable of. Now that she’s showing that to AEW fans on a weekly basis, it looks like the company has a huge star in their midst.
Daniel Garcia (Born on September 17th, 1998): You can argue about whether or not he should’ve taken his talents to WWE, but the fact of the matter is that he is one of the best technical wrestlers going today. That skill is something that will help him find success for years to come. Some will say that his lack of a real over-the-top personality hurts him, and while I agree with that to an extent, I think it doesn’t matter as much in AEW. The focus in AEW is more on what someone can do in the ring than anything else, so he’s in a really good spot right now, and he’s in the middle of the biggest push of his career. I guess it’s all working out.
Kelani Jordan (Born on October 22nd, 1998): She has been one of the shining pupils of the Performance Center during her time with the company. After coming to the company with zero wrestling experience, she was able to use a gymnastics background to stand out as a trainee. You can see that background in her matches, as she is easily one of the most athletic women on the entire roster right now. Her in-ring debut came a little over two years ago, which means she’s still learning the ins and outs of the sport, and is only getting better every week. Being the first NXT Women’s North American Champion showed that the company appreciated the work she’s been putting in. With 2025 upon us, she looks to have bigger and better titles in her near future.
Komander (Born on December 15th, 1998): If you want excitement in the wrestling matches you watch, look no further than Komander. He is one of the most fearless competitors going today, willing to “flip, flop, and fly” at a moment’s notice. What I’ve enjoyed about his 2024 is seeing the lengths that AEW has been willing to go to help him improve in the ring. It’s one thing to place a Lucha wrestler in the ring with another Lucha wrestler. However, it’s another thing to put him in matches with the likes of Brody King, Claudio Castagnoli, Shelton Benjamin, Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, and others. Having him wrestle people with different styles can only benefit him in the long run. Those who dislike Lucha Libre often complain about a lack of psychology in the matches, and while I will admit Komander has some work to do in that area, I do think he’s getting better. Again, putting him in the ring with wrestlers of other styles, and with long-time veterans of the sport, seems to be giving him the tools necessary to become a more well-rounded performer. It remains to be seen if he can carry that into 2025 and beyond, but he’s trending in the right direction, in my opinion.
Kyle Fletcher (Born on December 24th, 1998): Man, at this point, you really have to feel bad for Mark Davis. There he was, finding a lot of success teaming up with Kyle Fletcher, winning championships all over the world. Then, he suffers a wrist injury, and while he’s on the shelf, he sees Fletcher in the early stages of a mega push that could see him become a superstar as a singles wrestler. As much as I enjoyed Aussie Open’s work as a duo, I prefer Fletcher’s singles run now. His career is currently following the path of Will Ospreay, and Fletcher looks like he has the ability to reach similar heights as Ospreay in the not-too-distant future.
Jaida Parker (Born on February 12th, 1999): Whether you enjoy it or not, NXT has gotten a lot more “urban” with their on-screen product. Of all the current characters on the NXT that fit that “urban” tag, it could be argued that nobody comes across as being more authentic than Jaida Parker. I don’t know anything about Tiana Caffey, the woman behind the character, other than she had a very successful soccer career before becoming a pro wrestler. Therefore, I don’t know if her authenticity has to do with her basically being herself, or if she’s just really dedicated to the character work. Either way, she’s doing a great job. Her in-ring work is quickly catching up, too. She just reached the two-year anniversary of her pro debut, but she has been trusted to handle more and more work recently, with no issues. As she continues to gain experience, it looks like she’ll be able to open any door she wants.
Tiffany Stratton (Born on May 1st, 1999): When I first called her the “next Bianca Belair” after her debut, a lot of people questioned it. Not so much anymore, huh? My initial comparison was that Tiffany, like Bianca, came to pro wrestling with an ultra athletic sporting background, but with no wrestling experience. Tiffy, like Bianca, started using that athletic background to carry her as she picked up bits and pieces of the sport. Bianca was able to speed the entire process up, and next thing you know, she’s in the main event of WrestleMania, on her way to becoming one of the most dominant women of this generation. Now, we’re potentially on the verge of seeing Tiffany reach the next level. As the Money In The Bank briefcase holder, she could be a World Champion any day now, and the sky continues to be the limit for her. (Writer’s Note: This entry was written before she cashed in to become the new WWE Women’s Champion. Now her future appears to be even brighter.)
Hook (Born on May 4th, 1999): He remains a mystery wrapped in an enigma. There was a time, not that long ago, that it looked like he had “future World Champion” written all over him. He was still brand new to the sport, but he had picked up on so much of his father’s in-ring teaching, and his connections with AEW crowds were growing to ridiculous levels. His development seems to have reached a plateau, though. He still wrestles too many short, squash-style matches, and when he isn’t, it’s against people like Chris Jericho, who has turned everything he touches into dried up dog shit for at least the last year or two. I’m of the thinking that Hook would greatly benefit from a spot in WWE, working at the Performance Center and spending time in NXT. Even if that never happens, though, he remains a fan favorite in AEW and someone that the company could realistically push to something beyond feuding over the FTW Title and working three-minute matches on television every now and then.
Cora Jade (Born on January 14th, 2001): I have a feeling this will be one of the more “controversial” inclusions on the list. She doesn’t exactly have a ton of momentum at the moment, owning a 1-5 record on television or pay-per-view since returning from a torn ACL in October. Prior to the injury, she wasn’t exactly mowing through competition like Goldberg in 1998, either. The main reason I have her listed is because I believe in her “mean girl” heel persona. She does an amazing job with it, and she always seems to be able to get a good amount of heat from crowds because of it. As long as she doesn’t get lost in the mix of a super loaded NXT women’s division, she should always at least be on the fringe of the top tier there.
Roxanne Perez (Born on November 5th, 2001): Unlike a lot of other people on the younger end of this list, Roxanne Perez is damn near a grizzled veteran at this stage in her career. She has seen success everywhere she has gone, and has been winning championships for about five years now. Her current run in NXT is probably coming to an end soon, as there isn’t anything left for her to accomplish there, but that only means that Raw or Smackdown is set to be conquered next.
Julia Hart (Born on November 8th, 2001): If you were going to name a Most Improved Wrestler for 2024, Julia Hart would be in contention for it, if not be the overall winner. She has come a long way since her days as a cheerleader for Brian Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison in AEW. Not just as a character, though. As she was still brand new to the in-ring side of things when she signed with AEW, she was understandably green. Things really started to click for her last year, though, in all areas of her game. The work she has been doing with the House Of Black has been really good, and as she continues to grow, will only get better.
Thea Hail (Born on September 9th, 2003): Her first storyline in NXT was her choosing to “sign” with Chase U to further her education. It was a natural story for her, as she had just graduated from high school in real life. Her signing with WWE at such a young age really opened the eyes of a lot of people. So far, her time with NXT has been a mixed bag. For the most part, she has been playing the background during the entire Chase U storyline. When she does get to wrestle, though, you can see the progression that she has made since arriving. Her match against Roxanne Perez at last year’s Great American Bash really showed me what she was capable of. Not only was she going step-for-step with one of the most talented young performers in all of women’s wrestling, but she was mastering the psychology of the sport, drawing the crowd in with everything she did. If that’s the Thea Hail we get moving forward, she’s well on her way to becoming a champion in NXT, and maybe even beyond that.
Je’Von Evans (Born on April 29th, 2004): There are always a ton of super athletic people in the wrestling business, but every so often, someone comes along that seems to have potential to be a generational talent in that area. When it comes to the “next up” generation, I don’t think there’s anyone more allergic to gravity than Je’Von Evans. He does things in a wrestling ring that shouldn’t be possible for a human being to do without a trampoline or a pair of Strength Leg Training Shoes from the old Eastbay catalogs. Not only does he do them, though, he makes them look easy. When you have that ability to draw viewers in and make sure they pay attention to everything you do, success is going to follow.
Billie Starkz (Born on December 8th, 2004): As long as she doesn’t have to wrestle Athena anymore, the sky is the limit for her. In all seriousness, though, it’s wild to see how far she has come in a relatively short amount of time. It feels like I’ve been hearing and reading about her for a decade, but in reality, it’s been about three years. If you watch her work in places like GCW from 2021, you can see the makings of something special, but even then, it’s like night and day when you watch her current work. With almost all of that current work taking place behind the RoH paywall, nobody is really watching what she’s doing, which makes her criminally underrated. If Tony Khan figures out what he wants to do with RoH in 2025, or if he visited by the Good Idea Fairy and moves Billie to AEW, I think her year could be a big one.
Nick Wayne (Born on July 10th, 2005): When Nick Wayne was born, the #1 song on the Billboard charts in the United States was “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey. The #1 movie at the box office was Fantastic Four, starring Jessica Alba and Chris Evans. This dude is YOUNG young. When it comes to purely in-ring skills, he’s light years ahead of where he could/should be at this age. Anything that really involves acting, though… promos, facial expressions, and so on… is what’s currently holding him back. He needs a lot of work in those areas if he wants to make it to the next level, but take another look at his date of birth… he has plenty of time. Right now, he’s in a great spot in AEW. He can learn from Christian Cage, who has been so good for so long, and he doesn’t need to do any heavier lifting than he should be dealing with at this point.
Am I missing anyone? What under-30 wrestlers do YOU think have the brightest futures? If you want, you can even expand it to beyond WWE, NXT, and AEW. Hell, tell me about someone in your local independent promotion that people should keep an eye on. As always, feel free to hit me up in the comments section below, or on Bluesky (@aaronhyden.bsky.social), and let me know what’s on your mind.
Now, let’s get to my Weekly Power Rankings before closing things out with the list of songs I was listening to as I put this column together.
Weekly Power Rankings
Kenny Omega vs Gabe Kidd: A hot crowd that was turning their backs on Omega the longer the match went. A star-making performance by Gabe Kidd. Omega showing that he still has it after spending more than a year on the shelf. This was a beautiful ode to the sport of Puroresu, and it’s going to end up on a lot of year-end Match Of The Year lists.
Shingo Takagi vs Konosuke Takeshita: Two of the hardest hitters going today, trying to knock each other’s block off time and time again. What’s not to like?
Zack Sabre Jr. vs Ricochet: They were in an unfortunate situation, having to follow Omega vs Kidd, but they did a really good job on their own. There was zero suspense over who was going to win, but Ricochet still put in work, with his best match in a long time.
Seth Rollins & CM Punk: I’m not saying that Drew McIntyre and CM Punk are best friends, but there were times during their feud where it seemed like their hatred was more “manufactured” than anything else. I don’t think you can say that with Rollins and Punk. There’s so much tension and hostility there, bubbling over and coming to the surface. Their promo battle on Raw was a magnificent piece of work, with both men truly feeling like they’re in the right. That makes for great television.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs Shota Umino: Watching New Japan continue trying to push Shota as this super babyface, only for the live crowds to turn their backs on him, has been fascinating. The company tries and tries, and nothing is working. This was the latest attempt, putting him in the Tokyo Dome main event in one of the longest matches in Wrestle Kingdom history, and having him fight back again and again and again as his opponent threw everything possible at him.
Konosuke Takeshita vs Tomohiro Ishii: Two of the hardest hitters going today, trying to knock each other’s block off time and time again. What’s not to like?
Tiffany Stratton: It has been teased on a weekly basis for a long time, but she finally got to cash in, turning her Money In The Bank briefcase into the WWE Women’s Title. The way she did it was fun, too, and it made the crowd pop even more. She was overdue for this opportunity, and I’m looking forward to seeing where she goes from here.
Ren Narita vs Jeff Cobb vs El Phantasmo vs Ryohei Oiwa: I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this match, but in the end, it was a lot of fun. All four men played their roles to perfection, and the mix of in-ring styles made things really entertaining.
Brody King vs David Finlay: Brody is always looking for a wild fight, and there might not be a more underrated power guy in wrestling right now than David Finlay. Put that together, and you have a really physical contest that saw both men look good.
Mayu Iwatani vs AZM: If New Japan wasn’t allergic to giving women more than ten minutes to work with at Wrestle Kingdom, this probably would’ve been listed higher. These two were just starting to find their groove, and then the match came to an end. They packed a lot into the eight or so minutes they had to work with, though, throwing each other all over the ring with reckless abandon.
Tetsuya Naito vs Hiromu Takahashi: Lots of drama with the longtime stablemates battling it out in a “teacher vs student” matchup. It was that drama that helped carry this to an even higher rating than it may have received otherwise. The “heavyweight vs junior heavyweight” matches in New Japan tend to be a blast, with the different styles clashing.
David Finlay vs Yota Tsuji: This went a long way to making Tsuji look like a star. Finlay gave him everything he had, and Tsuji kept fighting back before finally finding his own wave of momentum that carried him to the victory.
Nia Jax vs Naomi: Before the Tiffany Stratton cash-in, these two were having quite the banger of their own. With Smackdown moving to three hours, they were given more time to work with than they probably would have in any other week, and they took advantage of that time to the fullest.
Shota Umino vs Claudio Castagnoli: Another big challenge for Super Shota to overcome. Claudio was sent to Japan by Jon Moxley to get some revenge on Shota for some of the things that Shota has said about Mox and his crew since they turned heel. For a while, that’s what Claudio got. He punished Shota and delivered quite the beating before eventually being defeated. It was a good match that laid another brick in the foundation of a potential heel turn for Shota, or at least the next twist in the story of his face run.
Orange Cassidy vs “Hangman” Adam Page: It’s not Continental Classic time anymore, but you can always count on AEW to deliver pay-per-view length and pay-per-view quality matches on television. This was another one of those instances. It does seem like both of these men need something more substantial to sink their teeth into right now, though.
Sami Zayn & The Usos vs Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga: This was easily something that could’ve been in the main event spot of a WWE pay-per-view. The storyline would’ve called for it, but the quality of the match ended up being right in line with what we’ve seen, too.
Rated FTR vs Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta: A real old school vibe here, and in no way is that a complaint from me. Now, please don’t get me started on Adam Copeland shortening his name to just Cope. Please.
DIY vs Motor City Machine Guns: With Smackdown gaining an extra hour of television time every week, I’m hoping that the tag division is one of the biggest winners of that move. Matches like this, with an additional five to ten minutes to work with every week, are going to be a blast. (Writer’s Note: Or not, since Triple H just revealed that Smackdown’s three-hour run is only temporary.)
Iyo Sky vs Lyra Valkyria: A really fun television match that featured both women working hard to advance in the Women’s Intercontinental Title tournament. As I always say, it’s amazing what merely adding some stakes to a match can do for its quality.
Otis vs Chad Gable: Yes, these two have been feuding since the Bill Clinton administration, but they’re still having fun matches with each other, so… hooray, I guess?
This Week’s Playlist: “I’m On 4.0” by Trae Tha Truth, Joyner Lucas, Chance The Rapper, Busta Rhymes, Ty Dolla $ign, Jeezy, Jay Rock, DMX, Method Man, D Smoke, G Herbo & Mark Morrison… “Hatred” by Paleface Swiss… “…and with hope you’ll be damned” by Paleface Swiss… “Don’t You Ever Stop” by Paleface Swiss… “River Of Sorrows” by Paleface Swiss… “We’re Back” by Lil Wyte & Jelly Roll… “Break The Knob Off” by Lil Wyte & Jelly Roll… “Band Plays On” by Lil Wyte & Jelly Roll… “Keep It Like That” by Rittz & Vinnie Paz… “Let It Go” by Keyshia Cole, Lil Kim & Missy Elliott… “-N- The Bay” by Woodie & Lil Los… “Good News” by Shaboozey… “Fix What You Didn’t Break” by Nate Smith… “Law & Order” by BigXThaPlug… “YES IT IS” by Leon Thomas… “Digital Animal” by Honey Claws… “Mass Appeal” by Gang Starr… “H.O.O.D.” by Masta Ace… “Sugar Hill” by AZ… “Across The Nation” by The Union Underground… “I Walk Alone” by Saliva… “Some Bodies Gonna Get It” by Three 6 Mafia… “Down 4 My N’s” by Snoop Dogg, C-Murder & Magic… “Bow Down” by Westside Connection… “To The Hellfire” by Lorna Shore
