This Week in Wrestling: Week 30 in 2025

Brian Damage

This Week in Wrestling: the 30th week in the year 2025

Remembering Hulk Hogan

Growing up, my first introduction to seeing Hulk Hogan (like many kids my age) was seeing him on the silver screen as Thunderlips in the movie Rocky III. Who knew that that film would be the catalyst to an absolute explosion in professional wrestling that has lasted til this day. Not long after that movie premiered, I myself became a pro wrestling fan.

Initially like many kids, I was enamored by Hulk Hogan and the aura of Hulkamania. As I grew as a fan, I gravitated more so to the heels (bad guys). While not a Hogan fan, I always respected that he was so much more than just a wrestler. People who never saw a single wrestling match when asked about wrestling would recognize who Hulk Hogan was.

Personally, my one and only indirect interaction with Hulk came when my partner Matt Zombie and myself were booked on Hogan’s former friend ‘Bubba the Love Sponge’s’ radio show in Tampa, Florida. We were there to talk about Hulk and the both good and bad he contributed to the wrestling business. The interview did not end well naturally, with Bubba not letting us get a word in edgewise.

Regardless if you are a fan of Hulk Hogan or not, no questioning what he meant to the business overall. He was an icon that transcended wrestling and pop culture. He inspired countless youngsters to become pro wrestlers themselves. He was a very controversial figure indeed, but meant so much to so many. Rest in Peace Hulkster.

The Wrestling Resurgence

The last couple of weeks have seen professional wrestling truly thrive. It all started with AEW’s All In pay per view which saw the promotion set an attendance record for themselves in North America. Add to that, TNA’s Slammiversary show breaking their own attendance record in North America. As for WWE, Summerslam’s two night Summer Slam event has reportedly sold over 80k tickets so far. All in all, I would say that’s a great showing by pro wrestling’s top 3 promotions in the United States at least.

For me personally, I am just getting around to watching All In and as of this writing, it has been very good. Whatever the reason, AEW pay per views deliver more than their regular weekly broadcasts like Dynamite and Collision. Tony Khan has all that talent and with a little more creative storylines, I think AEW can get back to to where they once were. I know there are those that’ll laugh at that statement, but if TNA of all companies can survive some very dark years that involved Vince Russo, Dixie Carter, Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff…why can’t AEW make a comeback?

To see TNA in a packed, sold out arena for one of their signature events, really makes me smile. Especially if you’ve been following them for as long as I have. The once weekly pay per view wrestling company dodged bakrupcy and folding several times in their existence. They really gave a platform for great indie talent like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Amazing Red and countless others. I know that there have been some fans that have criticized their partnership with WWE/NXT. Especially seeing NXT stars like Trick Williams retain the TNA world title at Slammiversary and Jacy Jayne win the TNA Knockouts championship. I get that completely. However, considering TNA currently has a lousy TV deal with AXS TV which isn’t widely available to many wrestling fans, the NXT partnership has in many ways helped them stay in the spotlight. 

What the ultimate pay off will be is anyone’s guess. At the present time, despite two NXT wrestlers holding TNA’s two major titles, it has helped TNA get more eyeballs on them. Ultimately, this a business and if the partnership is generating revenue…who cares who is champion…as long as fans continue to attend their shows and buy their merch. Just my opinion. With all that said, I would love to see Mike Santana become champion and it would have been even sweeter if it happened in his own hometown of New York. 

Wrestling really has been cooking the last two weeks or so and as a longtime fan, that’s all I care about. More opportunities for more talent to make a living doing what they love doing.

Black Out

It was recently announced that former NXT wrestler Cora Jade now known on the indie circuit as Elayna Black has decided to take a hiatus from pro wrestling citing her mental health. I know that the business can be tough and will eat and then spit you out if they so choose. If Black is truly suffering from fatigue or mental illness, this is the best decision she can make for herself. What we don’t need is another Daffney or  Hana Kimura incident to happen. If this is truly the end of her wrestling career, so be it. 

Now on the flip side to that, there have been some rumors that Black’s Onlyfans site has generated a considerable cash flow for her. She is supposedly making more money posing scantily clad for Onlyfans than she ever did as a wrestler. If that is the case, so be it. Get the money and retire from wrestling. That paid off well for Mandy Rose. Whatever makes her happy.

Photo Gallery

A very cool pic of former WCW and WWE wrestler Mark Jindrak and his family posing for a photo with the legendary Fray Tormenta who baptized his son. Fray was the inspiration for the movie ‘Nacho Libre’ starring Jack Black.

Aalyah posing next to a mural of her dad Rey and brother Dominik

The cause of Goldberg’s retirement speech getting cut off by NBC revealed!

Taya Valkyrie

Natalya

Teal Piper (Roddy Piper’s daughter)

Catalina White

Torrie Wilson

Video Gallery

Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff and Jesse Ventura in a chili commercial circa 1986