Brian Damage
This Week in Wrestling: Week 32 in 2025
Business As Usual for WWE?
So this past week, WWE fans got a two night Summerslam event and saw the return of Brock Lesnar. Lesnar, who has been absent from WWE for a couple of years made a shocking return to the company…much to the chagrin of some. The Beast incarnate disappeared during the time Vince McMahon was accused of sex trafficking a female employee. Lesnar was named in the lawsuit against Vince. Basically, McMahon allegedly offered the employee to Brock if he re-signed with WWE.
Reports were floating around that Lesnar was on WWE’s parent company (TKO’s) banned list. Despite that, Lesnar returned to WWE at Summerslam to confront John Cena. While many fans threatened to boycott the company now that Lesnar returned to WWE, it is nothing but business. Love or hate him, Brock Lesnar is a definite attraction. I am certainly not defending or condemning the decision. In the case of his return, WWE sees dollar signs, nothing more and certainly nothing less.
Piggybacking on that news, is the report that WWE and ESPN are partnering up and signed a multi billion dollar deal with the sports network to exclusively air their premium live events starting in 2026. So as it stands right now, Netflix airs Raw, USA Network airs Smackdown, Peacock currently has the WWE video library and next year ESPN gets all the ple’s like Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania. Reports are that the NXT PLE’s are NOT included in that deal and will be shopped around as well. We will need a territory map once the company is through shopping all of their content to various bidders. WWE truly is the Disney of pro wrestling…good, bad or indifferent. Who knew that when the WWE network was around, those were simpler times?
RIP
‘The King of Connecticut’ Matt Granahan aka ‘The Diva Smasher’
In case you missed it, former indie wrestler, MMA competitor/trainer, book author and lawyer ‘The King of CT’ Matt Granahan was found dead in what was initially reported as a suicide. Granahan was also known for dating several former WWF/WWE ‘divas’ throughout the years. Despite the initial reports, many believe that Granahan was potentially murdered and made it look like suicide. Granahan was outspoken about drug cartels in Mexico and lived a very flamboyant lifestyle that hobnobbed with very powerful individuals. We did an interview with Granahan last year. He was just 51 years old.
Photo Gallery
This cloud formation apparently appeared above the funeral service for Hulk Hogan. If this is 100% legit, that is wild brother!
Jacques Rougeau took this pic of inside the memorial service for the Hulkster.
Tammy Lynn Sytch
The torch has been officially passed…
I think Gene Okerlund really missed out on selling ‘Mean Jeans.’
A recent pic of the Great Muta. These wrestlers truly put their bodies on the line day in and out for our entertainment.
Lola Vice
Jakara Jackson
Samantha Irvin
Charlotte Flair
Kari Sane
Bianca Belair
Stephanie Vaquer
Elektra Lopez
Video Gallery
The NWA Wrestling Hotline commercial featuring Paul E. Dangerously
Luke
“These wrestlers truly put their bodies on the line day in and out for our entertainment.”
And yet every generation is dumber than the previous one. Wrestlers never risked more when it mattered less.
Outside of a few exceptions, this year’s SummerSlam sucked. Did they give a booker tryout to Tony Khan for night two?
177613735
I have to agree with you there. Summerslam wasn’t that good. Although I did enjoy night 2 more than night one. If that means anything? lol
David Fullam
That pic of Muta was from here in Charlotte at a convention. So wanted to go, he and a few other Japanese legends were there. But man, the prices for these are too insane now.
John Gianno
That picture of Sunny is a few years old. This isn’t even from the same state where she killed the guy. A quick search implies that this photo is at least 4 years old. The fatal incident happened in the state of Florida, this photo is from the state of New Jersey.