The Top 10 Biggest Stories in Pro Wrestling Right Now, and 10 Questions to Pose

It’s a very big pro wrestling world out there.

So why not embrace it?

For this piece, I will quickly address ten major hot topics in the pro wrestling world right now, and with that, pose a question to answer after each one.

The idea is to get fans thinking about pro wrestling as a whole — as an entire larger picture outside of one or two promotions. While I won’t get to the literal hundreds of wrestling promotions in existence, I’ll start small with a nod to a handful that likely doesn’t get spoken about too much in ‘mainstream’ IWC spaces.

With that, I’m going to shut up and simply present ten topics and ten questions. Enjoy!

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1. New Japan Pro Wrestling Undergoes a Historic Ownership Change

The biggest story in wrestling may not be happening inside the ring. On May 27, Bushiroad announced that it was transferring all of its shares in New Japan Pro-Wrestling to TV Asahi and CyberAgent, ending a 14-year period in which Bushiroad served as the promotion’s parent company. TV Asahi, already NJPW’s longtime television partner, will become the controlling shareholder, while CyberAgent acquires a major ownership stake.

The implications could be enormous. CyberAgent already owns CyberFight, the parent company of Pro Wrestling NOAH, DDT Pro-Wrestling, and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. While NJPW has stated that day-to-day operations will remain unchanged, the acquisition raises major questions about streaming, media rights, inter-promotional relationships, and the future structure of the Japanese wrestling industry. It is the most significant business development in Japanese wrestling in years.

Question: Will New Japan’s new ownership help or hurt them in the coming years?

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2. WWE and AEW Are Headed for Another Direct Showdown

WWE’s decision to schedule NXT’s Great American Bash opposite AEW’s Forbidden Door has reignited the competitive tensions between the industry’s two largest promotions. The move places two major events on the same weekend and ensures another battle for fan attention, media coverage, and viewership.

I’m amazed WWE isn’t booking something to go head-to-head with AEW Grand Slam: Mexico on Aug. 5.

While wrestling has become increasingly collaborative in recent years, competition between WWE and AEW remains one of the industry’s defining narratives. June’s scheduling “conflict” is likely to become a major talking point as both companies build toward one of the busiest weekends of the year.

Yet, even though we have two very different fan bases, it’s likely the two will be annoyingly compared to death from numbers, attendance, and anything and everything in between.

Question: Does this even matter anymore? Different fanbases. Different styles. 

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3. Donald Trump Reveals Ownership Stake in TKO

Financial disclosures released in late May revealed that President Donald Trump purchased shares in TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC. The purchase reportedly occurred shortly before the White House’s heavily promoted UFC Freedom 250 event, an event where WWE stars will appear. This created renewed debate about conflicts of interest and the relationship between politics and sports entertainment.

The story has generated attention not because of the size of the investment, which appears relatively small, but because it further intertwines the worlds of professional wrestling and national politics. Whether you like it or not — everything is politics. Literally.

Trump’s longstanding relationships with the McMahon Family, Dana White, and WWE make the disclosure particularly noteworthy. Even Paul Levesque and Stephanie McMahon have appeared alongside RFK and Trump at recent White House events.

Trump has become arguably the most divisive President in our history. And as a Marxist myself, I don’t need to tell you my thoughts on this guy. You already know. Let’s just say history will not look back kindly at Trump’s life. And even if indirectly, your support of WWE could trickle into financial gain for Trump himself.

Question: Are you comfortable giving WWE your time and money knowing that Trump is bound to make money off of you in one form or another?

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4. Forbidden Door Continues to Expand Beyond AEW and NJPW

What began as an AEW-NJPW supercard has evolved into something much larger. Forbidden Door now regularly incorporates talent from Stardom, CMLL, and other partner promotions, making it one of the few truly global wrestling events on the calendar.

The event increasingly functions as a showcase for the interconnected wrestling world that has emerged over the last several years, bringing together stars from multiple countries and promotions under one banner.

WWE has even followed suit, partnering with NOAH, GCW, and Marigold to name a few.

However, with the June 28th event around the corner, does the concept need a slight makeover? Last year especially felt like a show booked with primarily AEW stars with “cameos” from other promotions. There’s still time to interweave a larger story into the fold of the show beyond simply having a few talents from Stardom and CMLL appear.

Question: Is the Forbidden Door Concept Growing Stale? 

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5. Stardom Continues Its International Expansion, Partnership with MLW

Stardom recently entered a partnership with Major League Wrestling (MLW), with top stars scheduled for U.S. appearances — notably Saya Kamitani and RINA. This is another step in Stardom’s effort to establish itself as a global brand rather than a Japan-only promotion.

Stardom remains one of the most, if not THE most, influential women’s wrestling organizations in the world.

As global interest in Joshi wrestling continues to increase, Stardom is positioning itself as a major international brand rather than simply Japan’s leading women’s promotion.

Question: Will the United States ever see a comparable all-women’s promotion? Large enough for a major network primetime deal? Or will mainstream American women’s wrestling ONLY always exist in the top two major promotions?

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6. Does Chad Gable Have a Shot at a World Championship?

The El Grande Americano vs. Original El Grande Americano Mask vs. Mask match at AAA’s Noche de los Grandes has become one of the most acclaimed wrestling matches of 2026 and arguably the most celebrated AAA match since WWE’s acquisition of the promotion.

Critical reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Several wrestling writers have called it a Match of the Year candidate, while others have described it as one of WWE’s best stories of the modern era despite taking place under the AAA banner. POST Wrestling called it “an all-time company classic,” and numerous fan discussions have praised the match’s storytelling, atmosphere, and emotional payoff.

The logical next step is for this to be a launchpad for Chad Cable’s WWE career. But will Gable get his main event flowers?

Question: Will this catapult Chad Gable to the main event picture in WWE? A spot some say he deserves?

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7. Attendance Trends Raise Questions Across Japan

Attendance figures from several major Japanese promotions have sparked discussion about the health of the market. While some promotions have experienced growth, others have faced declines compared to previous years.

Most notably, New Japan and Stardom have seen year-over-year declines, while promotions NOAH and AJPW have seen increases — as well as Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. By the numbers, New Japan and Stardom still dominate the Japanese wrestling market, but for how long?

Question: Is Interpromotional agreements between NJPW/Stardom and AEW, or NOAH/Marigold and WWE, helping or hurting the local Japanese markets? If not, what could be causing a downswing in Japanese wrestling attendance?

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8. The Owen Hart Tournament Has Become Central to AEW’s Annual Calendar – and to Pro Wrestling

The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament has evolved into one of AEW’s most important annual events. With championship implications and major storyline consequences attached to it, the tournament now serves as a key mechanism for establishing future main-event contenders. This includes the likes of Willow Nightingale, Mariah May (at the time), and “Hangman” Adam Page. At the very least, to establish a road to capping off a major story narrative, as in the case of past winners Adam Page and Bryan Danielson. This year looks to cement Will Ospreay in such a storyline to cap off at All In: London.

In short, it has become what WWE’s King of the Ring used to be.

Its growing importance reflects AEW’s effort to create traditions and annual milestones that fans can anticipate year after year. Last night, Mercedes Mone returned in a quarterfinal match against Alex Windsor, which places Mercedes firmly in the conversation of the likely tournament winner — likely in a longstanding story for Mercedes to capture the one championship that has always escaped her — the AEW Women’s World Championship.

But I can’t help but think of the last handful of KoTR winners for both men and women. Rhodes, Gunther, Xavier Woods, Zelina Vega, Baron Corbin, Nia Jax, and Jade Cargill. Has winning this tournament helped launched any of these talents into the main event picture, maybe aside from Gunther? King of the Ring 2026 has been announced and tournament is ongoing. Only time will tell if this year heeds different results.

Question: Has WWE’s King of the Ring lost its impact? 

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9. TJPW Continues Building Global Recognition

Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling may not generate the headlines of WWE, AEW, or NJPW, but the promotion continues to quietly expand its international audience. Through Wrestle Universe, international events, and increased exposure alongside CyberFight’s other properties, TJPW remains one of the fastest-growing brands in women’s wrestling.

With CyberAgent now holding ownership stakes across multiple major promotions, TJPW’s place within the broader Japanese wrestling ecosystem may become even more significant in the years ahead. With a year-over-year increase, and a recent successful Vancouver/Las Vegas tour, more and more are tuning into the princess-influenced promotion.

And if you haven’t seen Miu Watanabe, Miyu Yamashita and Yuki Arai — you should. Right now. Go.

Question: What would TJPW have to do to overtake the #1 Joshi promotion in Stardom?

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