PWI Weekly for June 29, 2026
Going Global: A Celebration of International Wrestling
WITH THE WORLD CUP in full swing, we thought we’d get in on the action and go international with this edition of the PWI Weekly. As much as we love our local graps, there is a great big world of wrestling out there to enjoy. Here are just a handful of the people and places capturing our interest lately.
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Few could have predicted that El Grande Americano—a character created in America and ultimately portrayed by Germany’s Ludwig Kaiser—would become one of the most beloved tecnicos (“good guys”) in lucha libre. What originally began as a controversial “comedy” gimmick (with Chad Gable under the mask) completely transformed when Kaiser’s Americano began making regular appearances in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.
Eschewing much of the earlier schtick of the character, this Americano showed deep respect for Mexican traditions, even singing “Cielito Lindo” during appearances. If anyone was skeptical at first, they didn’t remain that way for long. An intense feud with Gable’s “OG” Americano only served to create a stronger bond between the AAA audience and Kaiser’s reverent persona. The blow-off mask-vs.-mask bout between the two Americans (in front of a red-hot crowd in Monterrey on May 30) brought displays of raw passion seldom seen in modern wrestling.
Mexico has firmly adopted El Grande Americano—an outsider—as one of its own. And who knows? The country might just be on the cusp of making him a legitimate wrestling folk hero.
A QUICK WORD ABOUT …
With its TV show, Mayhem, set to debut on the esteemed TSN, Canada’s Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling is proudly flying the red and white on wrestling’s world stage. True, hockey is actually the national sport—along with (brace yourself) lacrosse—but we think grappling deserves an honorable mention. Wrestling would certainly be a very different industry without the contributions of the Canadians who have donned the tights and boots over the last century. Now, Scott D’Amore’s federation is poised to carry the Great White North’s wrestling scene into a bold new era.
SPOTLIGHT ON …
If you are a regular viewer of DDT Pro-Wrestling, then you need no introduction to Yuki Ueno. For the uninitiated, well, he’s one of the hottest young aces in Japanese wrestling. His matches are well worth seeking out.
Often compared to spitfire DDT predecessors like Kota Ibushi—owing to his good looks, athleticism, and charisma—the dynamic Ueno has a CV that speaks for itself. Last September, the Osaka native captured the prestigious KO-D openweight title for a third time. Heading into 2026, he also held the Universal and KO-D six-man titles, making him a triple-champion in DDT. Although he has dropped the latter two prizes since then, he has remained difficult to stop.
SPOTLIGHT PHOTO
Europe—and the U.K. in particular—has long been a hotbed of professional wrestling. To this day, it is still considered a place where top talent can be found.
In women’s wrestling, there are very few athletes on either side of the Atlantic who can dish out focused brutality like Rhio. Don’t believe us? Just ask Session Moth Martina, who had to weather this submission hold from “The Leader Of The Pack” after being busted open in their battle for the Pro Wrestling: EVE championship.
TERRITORIAL DISSINGS
Even though he was feared and adored throughout the world, Andre The Giant remains the biggest—and we mean that in every way—wrestling star that France has ever produced.
While the nation’s soccer team is famously the envy of many others, it seems as though its wrestling legends are, too. In this classic clip, Andre’s French accent can be heard reprimanding the very American (but no less legendary) Bob Uecker.