AEW NEWS - DECEMBER 2025

[Dolfan in NYC]

We wish you a merry Christmas...  we wish you a merry Christmas..

...and a happy Oz year.

[The Natural]

More information is available regarding NJPW booking Kazuchika Okada as Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Wrestle Kingdom 20 opponent.

An article by Trish Speirs of The Social Suplex published this week notes that NJPW had interest in bringing in Shinsuke Nakamura as Tanahashi’s final opponent, but several factors led to Okada being booked instead.

According to the report, Nakamura requested his release from WWE so that he’d be able to wrestle Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom. Even though Nakamura has a clause in his contract that allows him to wrestle for other companies in Japan, being released from WWE would mean his match against Tanahashi wouldn’t create political issues stemming from NJPW’s partnerships with CMLL and AEW.

After originally agreeing to the request, Speirs writes that WWE later informed all parties that Nakamura could still work the match, but he would not be released from his contract.

Speirs wrote:

“The most consistent story (in terms of multiple outlets having been given the same information) is that Nakamura had asked to be released from his contract during the summer and that WWE had agreed to the request, allowing him to fulfill the match without any political issues with AEW or CMLL.“

“After the shows at Ryogoku Sumo Hall, TKO/WWE had stepped in and informed all parties that this would no longer be the case; however, Nakamura could still work the match, under conditional approval.“

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed Speirs’ article on the post-Raw edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Meltzer said:

“The basic gist of the story is, and we all knew it, Tanahashi did want to face Nakamura. He’s also basically said that of the choices that he felt the best choice for him to have a great match, which he wants to have, is Okada.”

Meltzer also noted that Kenny Omega and Tetsuya Naito’s names were brought up in discussions as well, although it’s not clear how seriously they were considered.

Meltzer mentioned that while NJPW using a WWE-contracted wrestler could hurt its relationship with AEW, it would also be damaging to its long-standing partnership with CMLL.

“Their longest partner is CMLL and CMLL is now in a war with WWE and AAA in Mexico with WWE owning AAA,” Meltzer said.

“If they used Nakamura and worked with WWE to put a WWE guy in the main event of their biggest show of the year then it’s kind of a slap in the face of both AEW and CMLL and that’s not something that they were willing to do.”

Edited December 2, 2025 by The Natural

[Technico Support]

So really a big nothingburger, more about NJPW not wanting to slight their partners, than about evil puppermaster Tony Khan?  I'm shocked, I say, shocked.

[Niners Fan in CT]

Taken from a post from someone on the last day of November.  I'm not sure why anyone would think Mercedes isn't going to do the job for her titles.  She lost to Toni Storm clean and then Statlander clean.  Tony himself has repeatedly said that she has nothing to do with her wins/losses in AEW and the RevPro owner said the same thing.  People hating for no reason. 

[username]

Yeah I've had my issue with some character-based aspects of Mone's belt collecting persona but I'm pretty sure she's a decent person and a decent person will have no issue jobbing those titles back, I would be truly shocked and disappointed if she ended up not doing so.

[SirFozzie]

Hell, it would be a really fun storyline where she starts losing the titles, one by one by one, and gets more and more frantic to keep the ones she has.. taking every shortcut (intentionally getting DQ'd/counting out, only to be forced back into the ring to at least take a compensatory whuppin.. then somehow get the crowd to start a "Where's your titles" chant.

[Shartnado]

9 hours ago, SirFozzie said:

Hell, it would be a really fun storyline where she starts losing the titles, one by one by one, and gets more and more frantic to keep the ones she has.. taking every shortcut (intentionally getting DQ'd/counting out, only to be forced back into the ring to at least take a compensatory whuppin.. then somehow get the crowd to start a "Where's your titles" chant.

And as I said in the now closed weekly thread, once everything seems lost and she's on the verge of total collapse when there's no titles left, THEN she can redeem herself and win the World title. 

[SovietShooter]

I think a lot of people are putting the ones on Mine to drop all these titles, but keep in mind that these smaller promotions have to book her again, in order to do that. NJPW, CMLL, RevPro, that is probably not an issue. Some of these random European indies, I can see it being more of a problem. 

[Curt McGirt]

She could always drop them to someone domestically who can travel over that they can afford, maybe?

[twiztor]

2 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

She could always drop them to someone domestically who can travel over that they can afford, maybe?

but isn't half the appeal of somebody like Mercedes holding your title that you get to book them as more than a one-off? It's that implication that Mercedes will be on a future show that will add casual appeal.

[zendragon]

On 12/1/2025 at 6:09 AM, Dolfan in NYC said:

We wish you a merry Christmas...  we wish you a merry Christmas..

...and a happy Oz year.

I have no idea what's going on here but does who ever currently owns TBS still have the Wizard of Oz broadcast rights? Big Sexy is still taking booking right?

[Cobra Commander]

Minor League Baseball website mentions the Eddie Kingston jersey from last night

https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/aew-eddie-kingston-trash-pandas-jersey?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

 

Edited December 4, 2025 by Cobra Commander

[Technico Support]

Eddie can cut one promo, on the go home show, to make you desperate to watch a match you know he’s going to lose.  Dude is a treasure.

[Log]

1 hour ago, Technico Support said:

Eddie can cut one promo, on the go home show, to make you desperate to watch a match you know he’s going to lose.  Dude is a treasure.

I've got this fool-hearted feeling that he might just win it. My brain knows it won't happen, but man. What if it did!??!

[tbarrie]

2 hours ago, Log said:

I've got this fool-hearted feeling that he might just win it. My brain knows it won't happen, but man. What if it did!??!

That would be a pretty good curveball to throw, I think. 

[Brandon Bones]

2 hours ago, tbarrie said:

That would be a pretty good curveball to throw, I think. 

And Joe winning being something of a curveball too might be indicative of the current booking mood.  Could invite a “flailing hot shot booking” accusation.
 

But the idea of Eddie Kingston winning the AEW title isn’t someone being unrealistic.  

[Casey]

Looks like Netflix has won the bidding war for WBD. I’m sure the government won’t like it but it all it takes these days is a few million dollars kicked their way and it’s approved, so…

[twiztor]

13 hours ago, Casey said:

Looks like Netflix has won the bidding war for WBD. I’m sure the government won’t like it but it all it takes these days is a few million dollars kicked their way and it’s approved, so…

i don't really see the issue with Netflix buying WBD. Sure, in the general sense i don't like it when big companies merge and all that, but it's not like Netflix was been gobbling up production houses/movie studios en masse. 

on a selfish note, anything that keeps the dream alive that the 1987 cartoon TigerSharks may someday be released, SOMEWHERE, IN/ON ANY FORMAT is fine with me. streaming? i'll sign up for your app. bluray? i'll preorder it immediately. vhs? i'll dust off my vcr. some obscure japanese computer? i'll find some way to play and convert it. i just want to watch all 26 of these episodes alongside Thundercats and Silverhawks.

[hammerva]

In terms of wrestling the biggest issue is the chances of Netflix dealing in both WWE and AEW feel like slim to none.  Even if they keep the current channels like TNT or TBS.  If they do decide that it is fine, someone either WWE or AEW will complain 

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

27 minutes ago, twiztor said:

i don't really see the issue with Netflix buying WBD. Sure, in the general sense i don't like it when big companies merge and all that, but it's not like Netflix was been gobbling up production houses/movie studios en masse. 

It's going to depend on what Netflix does with the linear channels and with HBO Max. I doubt Netflix makes this buy for anything other than the Warner Brothers library of content.

Pretty much all chatter is that Netflix has no interest in the linear channels and would move forward with WBD's initial plans for the Discovery Global spinoff to move TBS, TNT, TruTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, et al into its own company. I would be stunned if Netflix decides to keep any linear assets aside from HBO, but stranger things have happened. (Pun somewhat intended.) AEW was already slated to go with the spinoff.

The real thing that might trigger an antitrust is if they shutter HBO Max, but it'll depend on how strong other competitors (Disney+/Hulu, Amazon) are. I don't have numbers in front of me but I think if Netflix commits to licensing out a good amount of pre-purchase Warner Brothers content instead of keeping it for their own uses, they'd dodge an antitrust bullet.

[Elsalvajeloco]

45 minutes ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said:

It's going to depend on what Netflix does with the linear channels and with HBO Max. I doubt Netflix makes this buy for anything other than the Warner Brothers library of content.

Pretty much all chatter is that Netflix has no interest in the linear channels and would move forward with WBD's initial plans for the Discovery Global spinoff to move TBS, TNT, TruTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, et al into its own company. I would be stunned if Netflix decides to keep any linear assets aside from HBO, but stranger things have happened. (Pun somewhat intended.) AEW was already slated to go with the spinoff.

The real thing that might trigger an antitrust is if they shutter HBO Max, but it'll depend on how strong other competitors (Disney+/Hulu, Amazon) are. I don't have numbers in front of me but I think if Netflix commits to licensing out a good amount of pre-purchase Warner Brothers content instead of keeping it for their own uses, they'd dodge an antitrust bullet.

That is essentially what Dolfan posted in the Movies/TV folder. 

[DMJ]

I'm not a finance whiz or knowledgeable about media law or even the operating costs of HBO MAX vs. its profitability, but I know that, personally, I'm a Netflix and an HBO Max subscriber. I no longer watch much WWE, but this isn't really a wrestling conversation (the Tim Robinson shows on each respective platform are enough to keep me subscribed) as much as me positing that there are probably lots of folks that subscribe to Netflix and HBO Max. 

Combining them into one streaming platform at one price might be good for the consumer - and bad for AEW as this would almost definitely lead to AEW getting dropped sooner than later - but wouldn't it be better financially for Netflix to maintain HBO Max separately and basically just take people's money 2 ways? 

To make a comparison - Yum! Brands owns Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's. While they serve different styles of food, they also all serve breaded and fried chicken in some form or other (the Taco Bell nugs are surprisingly good). I could be wrong, but they also all might sell some form of french fries. The point is: it doesn't fucking matter which restaurant you pick, they just want your money so owning all 4 of the restaurants on main street is a pretty great thing for them. Tacos? Pizza? A bucket of chicken? They don't care. They make more money when all 4 are in business. So, wouldn't it stand to reason that Netflix would want to do the same with HBO Max? 

[twiztor]

1 hour ago, hammerva said:

In terms of wrestling the biggest issue is the chances of Netflix dealing in both WWE and AEW feel like slim to none.  Even if they keep the current channels like TNT or TBS.  If they do decide that it is fine, someone either WWE or AEW will complain 

you know, despite the fact that this is the AEW thread, i didn't even make a wrestling connection. good call.

and like Stefanie and Dolfan pointed out, this could have major implications for linear TV. that i also did not think about, my brain just kind of defaulted to thinking this was about a monopoly situation. thanks everyone for keeping me in check.

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

18 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

That is essentially what Dolfan posted in the Movies/TV folder. 

Wouldn’t surprise me if we saw the same chatter!

[Cobra Commander]

how much does TBS value have to fall for Tony to be able to buy TBS?