Brian Damage
This Week in Wrestling: Week 30 of 2026
Maya’s World
Last week was the AEW pay per view in Montreal titled Redemption. One of the biggest takeaways from that show was the young Maya World defeating Hikaru Shida to become the brand new TBS champion. On the surface, it might look like just another title change in pro wrestling…but this victory goes so much deeper than that.
Maya World is just 24 years old, but much more importantly than that she showed Tony Khan and AEW management her heart and passion for making it in the business. It all started several months ago when wrestlers Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize who had just debuted for the company a week prior decided to walk out of a scheduled match due to not being satisfied with only working for an allotted 3 minutes. Newell and Alize felt that the time for their match wasn’t worth sticking around for and left the venue.
The void of them leaving, left an opportunity for the unsigned talent of Hyan and Maya to take their spot instead. What it did was show others within the company that they were not only willing to put over their opponents, but become team players. In anything you do in this life, first impressions mean a lot. Maya World was now on AEW’s radar.
It did not end there. Tragedy struck Maya World and her family when she revealed her older brother was killed after getting hit by a passing car as he was on the side of a road in Texas. Maya cited that her brother was the one who helped her become a fan of pro wrestling and helped develop her passion for the business. Maya could have easily stayed away from the ring to mourn her loss, but instead used her grief as motivation to once again show up to work and wrestle instead.
Maya made it to the finals of the Owen Hart tournament only to lose to Mercedes Mone. That level of commitment helped propel her to not only get signed by AEW, it helped her get a much deserved push which eventually led her to winning her first major singles title in her career. A truly inspirational story.
Photo Gallery
Now THAT”S a coffee table!
Charlotte Flair
Karissa Rivera
Maryse Mizanin
Xia Brookside
Priscilla Kelly
Lacey Evans
Iyo Sky
Thunder Rosa
Paige
Kairi Sane
Tay Melo
Torrie Wilson
Video Gallery
At one time, WCW created a faction known as ‘The In Crowd.’ It featured Alex Wright, Joe Gomez, The Renegade and Jim Powers. As with many ideas in WCW, it did not last very long…
Luke
Remember when Honky made Warrior in thirty seconds? Wrestlers today are so stupid. Before you whine, you need check if you’re important enough.
Maya isn’t my cup of tea as a wrestler (perhaps because she’s working and being influenced by the wrong people), but she seems like a good person. If people like her, I wish her all the best.
Eddiebomber
This video could be slotted into the opening of The Warriors. They could be the gang that walks around taking off their shirts wearing sunglasses.