PWI Weekly for February 10, 2025
Love Is In The Air ... And In The Ring
WITH VALENTINE’S DAY fast approaching, we decided to take a look at some wrestling partnerships that have grabbed our attention lately. And while not all of the duos mentioned here are romantically involved, that doesn’t mean their alliances shouldn’t be celebrated. So, grab your favorite tag team partner, and let’s share in the love of this PWI Weekly.
COUPLE OF THE WEEK
Steph De Lander and Mance Warner have emerged as TNA Wrestling’s newest power couple. After weeks of vignettes surrounding the number “23,” it was finally revealed on the January 23 live impact that the real-life couple were behind the mystery. What’s more, the duo arrived with championship gold already in hand—the TNA Digital Media championship—which De Lander won in her “divorce” from PCO.
De Lander's towering presence and brash mic skills complement Warner’s Southern psychopathic style, creating a dynamic that has quickly established them as a force to be reckoned with. Their collective ability to connect with (and disgust) audiences through their passionate promos and makeout sessions has made them a vital part of TNA programming in early-2025. Who says romance is dead?
HEAR US OUT …
Bianca Belair and Montez Ford possess undeniable talent, but their current trajectories sometimes lack a certain edge. Or so thinks PWI’s resident cantankerous old geezer, Matt Brock.
In a recently overheard rant, Brock suggested that the couple ought to lean into their bad sides. That, paired with an on-screen romantic alliance, could inject “much-needed intrigue into their careers.”
And we have to say, as lovely as Belair and Ford appear, we’re kind of obsessed with the idea. Imagine them as a dominant force, arrogantly flaunting their love for one another. Their promos could be filled with disdain for the fans and belittling remarks toward their opponents. Moreover, they could exploit their relationship for an unfair advantage, with distractions and interference becoming their trademarks.
The real-life couple are beautiful, talented, and full of charisma. That should make them easy to dislike, right?
Actually, that’s why we love them. Maybe Matt Brock just hates Valentine’s Day.
TERRITORIAL DISSINGS
Normally, in this section of the PWI Weekly, we will include a classic interview from decades past. This week, we’ve gone for one from 2024. Yet, everything about this promo from The Outrunners screams “the 1980s.” That’s part of the reason why AEW fans have such affection for this tag team—Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd are pro wrestling’s love letter to a different era.
FROM THE VAULT
Speaking of platonic pairings …
At WrestleMania 31, The Rock and Ronda Rousey came together to lay the smackdown on The Authority’s Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. With that verbal joust-turned-physical encounter, the seeds were planted for a match, three years in the making, at WrestleMania 34. However, due to a scheduling conflict, that bout (the first runner-up for PWI’s 2018 Match of the Year) saw Kurt Angle fill in for Rock. Together, the Olympic gold medalists downed the Levesques.
The above photo of Rock and Rousey stands as a reminder of a tag team that was never meant to be; but which, for a glorious moment, had WWE fans on their feet.