This Week in Wrestling: The Final Week of 2025

Brian Damage

This Week in Wrestling: The Final Week of 2025

First of all, Happy New Year and I hope all of our readers have a very prosperous 2026.

Another Y2J moment in WWE?

Word around the water cooler is that Chris Jericho will return to WWE. It could perhaps happen as early as the first Monday Night Raw of the new year at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Will it happen or will he return to AEW? I have no idea, but give credit where credit is due. Jericho is 55 years old and he has created somewhat of a buzz on where he will end up in 2026.

My personal journey in 2025

This past year has been one with many ups and downs for me personally. I had an interview with WWE in Stamford, Connecticut to become an assistant writer. It did not pan out, but it was cool to see the inside of WWE headquarters. I got approached to ghostwrite the biography of Bill Eadie. I had the privilege to talk with Eadie and learned so much about his colorful life in and out of the ring. Unfortunately, my original blog was shut down and I couldn’t focus my attention on the book.

I was interviewed for an upcoming HBO documentary series on former wrestler turned politician turned murder suspect Daniel Rodimer. I got asked to appear on a podcast called ‘Calm Down’ with Erin Andrews, sadly our schedules didn’t mesh up. All of this in 2025…the good, the bad and the ugly. That was my life personally this year. As for pro wrestling itself, it also saw some good and some bad.

TNA finally got a good TV deal and grew more and more. AEW struggled with attendance and ratings, but has really been clicking again with some great wrestling. WWE didn’t have a great year creatively, but still made money hand over fist with all of their side deals. AAA and NXT have been entertaining, while New Japan struggled this year with the loss of so much talent, but look to rebound big in 2026 starting with Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome. 

In memoriam to those we lost in professional wrestling in 2025

Artist Artest (May 21, 2025)

Australian Suicide ( December 9, 1992 – March 6, 2025)

Austin Steele (February 18, 1955 – July 6, 2025)

Bill Mercer (February 13, 1926 -March 23, 2025)

Black Terry (September 3, 1952 – April 20, 2025)

Frank Holtz (May 8, 1940 – May 22 2025)

Bob Caudle (August 2, 1930 – November 16, 2025)

Bob Uecker (January 26, 1934 – January 16, 2025)

Brian Mackney (September 10, 1948 – November 7, 2025)

Chuck Coates (August 13, 1962 – September 8, 2025)

Ciclón Ramirez (July 28, 1961 – March 4, 2025)

Colonel DeBeers (January 10, 1945 – January 23, 2025) best known as Colonel DeBeers

Don Robinson (June 27, 1934 – November 6, 2025)

Eric Priest (February 15, 1975 – February 22, 2025)

Gran Hamada (November 27, 1950 – February 15, 2025)

Hisashi Shinma was a figurehead president of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and later World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1978 to 1984

Hulk Hogan (August 11, 1953 – July 24, 2025)

Ozzy Osbourne (December 3, 1948-July 22, 2025)

Jaka (February 1, 1986 – September 7, 2025)

Knuckles Madsen (January 31, 1984 – July 11, 2025)

Kalijua (1998-2025)

Takashi Okamura (September 4, 1964 – April 25, 2025)

Mick Romeo (1978 – June 5, 2025)

Miss Janeth (January 14, 1973 – December 17, 2025)

Osamu Nishimura (September 23, 1971 – February 27, 2025)

Rick Derringer (August 5, 1947 – May 26, 2025)

Rodolfo Ruiz (March 13, 1939 – September 7, 2025)

Roddy Hogan (July 21, 2025)

Ralph Mosca (1970 – November 10, 2025)

Black Bart (January 30, 1948- January 9, 2025)

Sir Mo (April 13, 1967 – October 19, 2025)

Sabu (December 12, 1964 – May 11, 2025)

Hartford Love (September 24, 1940 – April 10, 2025)

Salman Hasimikov (May 4, 1952 – May 28, 2025)

Steve McMichael (October 17, 1957 – April 23, 2025)

Mr. Electricity Steve Regal (August 25, 1951 – July 30, 2025)

Solomon Grundy (August 12, 1961-December 15, 2025)

Taishin Nagao ( September 13, 2003 – September 7, 2025)

Tomohiko Hashimoto (August 16, 1977 – August 5, 2025)

Vince Steele (April 18, 1985 – March 16, 2025)

Katsumi Sasazaki (December 02,1965 – October 2025)

Mark Wolf (October 31, 1969 – December 2025)

Hunter Q. Robbins III (January 10, 2025)

Bracito De Oro (April 13, 1956 – March 9, 2025)

Rico Suave (July 4, 1970 – April 20, 2025)

Robbie Ellis (April 8, 1943 – August 7, 2025)

Claire Lynch (April 1, 2025)

The Great Wojo ( November 13, 1940 – August 12, 2025)

Photo Gallery

Congrats to WWE Women’s Intercontinental champion Maxxine Dupri on her recent wedding!

Tessa Blanchard just got engaged to a luchador named Sphinx

Congrats to Peter Polanco aka Aldo Montoya aka Justin Credible who checked into rehab 2 1/2 months ago and says not only is he clean and sober, but lost 25 pounds crediting DDP Yoga. Here’s to Polanco’s continued health and happiness in the new year.

Brother Love visiting Kane at the burn unit…

A little late, but Jake and Cheryl wanted to wish you a Merry Chisssmas!

Carmelo Hayes, Austin Theory with MJF in the background during their independent days…

Liv Morgan, Cathy Kelly and Raquel Rodriguez

A bunch of wrestlers “hanging out.”

Happy 82nd birthday to the Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart!

Kayla Braxton

Brooke Adams

Nikkita Lyons

Trish Stratus

Priscilla Kelly

Torrie Wilson

Thunder Rosa

Elektra Lopez

Video Gallery

New Year’s Resolutions from WWF Superstars circa 1987

Once again, Happy 2026 to all of you!