Welcome to the Latest PWI Weekly

Between Double or Nothing and yesterday’s WWE releases, this has been a busy week for professional wrestling journalists. In the forthcoming, October issue of PWI, I had the chance to explore both of the aforementioned topics—the former in a longer, Supercards-style section, and the latter in my “From The Desk Of …” column.

Given that you can read my thoughts in the next issue, I won’t repeat them here. However, I will say this is a most unusual time for pro wrestling. Just a year or two ago, it seemed unthinkable that Mark Henry would sign with AEW, that WWE would license its massive video archive to NBC, or that Braun Strowman would be released from his WWE contract.

The old adage in pro wrestling is to “never say never.” And yet …

I don’t really have a moral or catchy closing sentiment to leave you with today. I’ve just been thinking a lot about how much different the industry looks than it did 12, 24, or 36 months ago. In some ways, that’s a good thing. In others, the situation is a little bit murkier. But, in any case, I’m eager to see what on earth will happen next. —KM

Wrestler Of The Week

There were a lot of big winners at Double or Nothing, but perhaps no one won bigger than Dr. Britt Baker. With her decisive submission victory, she ended the 372-day reign of Hikaru Shida and launched what she referred to as “The DMD Era.” AEW’s Women’s division has struggled to find footing over the last year-and-a-half—not helped by the lack of TV time afforded to the wrestlers—but, what Shida offered as an in-ring competitor, Baker nearly matches. And she also adds quite a bit of charisma to the equation. Her character has developed significantly in 2021, which means eyes will be glued to screens in anticipation of what she might do next.

This Week In Headlines

• WWE Releases Braun Strowman, Aleister Black

• Okada vs. Takagi to Decide IWGP World Title

• Britt Bakers Teases Interpromotional Match

• Mil Muertes Signs New, Multi-Year Deal with MLW

From The Vault

In the photo above, future Dark Order member Alex Reynolds applies a rear chinlock on Super Crazy. This was a first-round match in the tournament to crown the inaugural House of Hardcore Twitch TV champion. Reynolds would win this match and advance to the finals, where he ultimately lost to current IMPACT star Willie Mack in a triple-threat that also included Sami Callihan.

Video Interview With TJPW’s Maki Itoh & Kamiyu

In anticipation of this coming weekend’s CyberFight Festival, Mr. Warren Hayes caught up with Maki Itoh, Yuki Kamifuku (Kamiyu), and Mr. Haku to discuss the big event and many other topics. This video interview is presented as a co-production of Bell to Belles and Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

ORDER NOW: Our 2021 “Summer Special”

The August 2021 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated is now available for purchase through our website (print and digital editions). As the cover states, the issue features conversations with four of the sport’s hottest stars:

• Hotseat Interview with Kenny Omega

• Feature Stories on Bobby Lashley, Lio Rush, and Maki Itoh

Plus: A 12-month, data-driven analysis of pro wrestling during the pandemic, feature stories on A-Kid and RJ City, and much, much more.

ORDER THE PRINT MAGAZINE NOW

DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL EDITION

Still Available: Find our June 2021 issue on newsstands now, or order a copy from getpwi.com

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