WrestleWatch Podcast

All In Free Agency Recap | WrestleWatch Podcast 7/17/25

Time to do some ... summer cleaning? We'll discuss Athena winning a contract (and maybe a clue to her *other* contract), Adam Priest's odds of joining ROH, and the latest on a slew of others (Alexander Hammerstone, Gabe Kidd, Leon Slater, Sami Zayn, Saraya, Utami Hayashishita) Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 60!
Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: @maritalstreep]
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Hikuleo Debuts (Finally!) + SareeeISM Runs Wild | WrestleWatch Podcast 7/6/25

Hikuleo is now Tala Tonga, and he's finally made his debut in WWE. We look at the long road to this happening. Plus, Sareee wins the IWGP belt - is the Sun God going to be staying in Stardom long-term? All that plus updates on Bayley, Cedric Alexander in TNA, Miyu Yamashita continuing with ROH, AJ Styles renewal rumors, Alex Windsor is All Elite, and Karrion Kross has his contract expiring soon. Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 59!
Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: @maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWW
Bluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_

Powerman 5000 | WrestleWatch Podcast 6/16/25

Doug & Ryan chat about how the AAA has been managed so far by WWE and the implications for free agency. We also have updates on Alex Windsor, Danhausen, Private Party, and the New Day. Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 58!
This episode was recorded on 6/14/25. Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: @maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWWBluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_

The R-Truth Shall Set You Free | WrestleWatch Podcast 6/10/25

Mariah May debuts in NXT, R-Truth leaves WWE ... and returns to WWE, and Chris Jericho and Karrion Kross have contracts up this year. Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 57!
This episode was recorded on 6/9/25. Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: @maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWW
Bluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_

The End of May | WrestleWatch Podcast 5/31/25

Mariah May appears to be WWE bound - how accurate were we in seeing that coming? Thekla debuted in AEW too! Plus we'll take a look at AJ Styles, Bayley, Bea Priestley, Bishop Dyer, Deonna Purrazzo, and Zozay. And we have discussions on Ace Austin, Athena, and Masha Slamovich based on viewer suggestions! Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 56!
WrestleWatch is a project focused on analysis and discussion of free agency in the world of professional wrestling. Each week, Doug & Ryan explore the potential jumps and the implications that they can have on the industry, as well as adjacent topics in wrestling such as business developments, statistics, and other factors and news in the landscape.
Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: @maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWW
Bluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_

Recaps & Reviews | WrestleWatch Podcast 5/24/25

We took a week off but we're back at it - we'll take a look over the entire Free Agency Tracker to see how we're feeling heading into a busy Memorial Day weekend of wrestling. Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 55!
WrestleWatch is a project focused on analysis and discussion of free agency in the world of professional wrestling. Each week, Doug & Ryan explore the potential jumps and the implications that they can have on the industry, as well as adjacent topics in wrestling such as business developments, statistics, and other factors and news in the landscape.
Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: @maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWW
Bluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_

Good Brothers Return (Again) (Again) | WrestleWatch Podcast 5/10/25

The Good Brothers are back in NJPW! Let's talk about that, Sareee back at Stardom, a few people possibly AEW bound (Alex Windsor, Cedric Alexander, and Thekla), all those WWE releases (Dakota Kai, Eddy Thorpe, Gigi Dolin, and Shayna Baszler in particular), and a vibe check on Sami Zayn. We'll also do some Report Cards on Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and Drew McIntyre a year after re-signing with WWE. Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 54!
This episode was recorded live on 5/10/25. Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWWBluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_
Here is the updated Free Agency Tracker (with new, hopefully clearer tier names!):
 
Based on requests from our listeners we have changed the names of our tiers to hopefully make them clearer. All should be thought of in the context of likelihood of signing to a new promotion (ex: Certain Jump, Possible Jump, Unlikely Jump, etc).

WWE Releases + The Runaway Wrestler | WrestleWatch Podcast 5/3/25

This week Ryan is joined by guest host and Substack contributor Luke!
We thought we were going to do a show all about Mayu Iwatani signing with Marigold, and then WWE did their annual post-Mania releases... We'll chat about those things, plus Tam Nakano & Thekla also leave Stardom - where might they wind up? Miyu Yamashita makes an appearance in AEW. And to make this not just an episode about joshis, how about some news and analysis on Indi Hartwell, British indie star Rhio, and uhhhh let's go with Joe Hendry! And how about some Report Cards on MJF and Mike Santana? Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 53!
This episode was recorded live on 5/3/25. Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: maritalstreep]
Read more from WrestleWatch on our Substack! https://wrestlewatch.substack.com
Follow and support WrestleWatch:Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWWBluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_
As explained on this week’s podcast, we’ve slightly amended our criteria for a talent to appear on the Free Agency Tracker. Previously we only considered talent who were being pursued by a group of major promotions (AEW, NJPW, WWE, or Stardom). We now will consider talent who are being pursued by those major promotions and/or are noteworthy enough to demand our attention. This is colloquially been called “the Mayu Rule,” and it puts more emphasis on us keep an eye on the top current and potential free agents rather than having the focus be on promotions.
As always, here is the updated Free Agency Tracker:
 
We had two Confirmed Jumps this week! Let’s first head look to the title of this episode and cover Mayu Iwatani. It was only a week ago that she was defending the NJPW Women’s Championship in a losing effort to Syuri, and over the course of the week she had a press conference announcing her departure from Stardom and another announcing her signing to Marigold. Her Stardom contract was a long-term deal which ran out just now, hence why she had not left Stardom with the initial Marigold exodus. She seems to be focused on staying in Japan, so as for now we don’t think a Giulia situation is upon us for Iwatani’s time in Marigold.
Let’s do two quick hits of other Stardom departures. Tam Nakano is now officially retired from wrestling; we had her as Safe Stay for the off-chance she didn’t actually retire, but it seems her career is now over following the Title vs Career match at All Star Grand Queendom. The other departure is Thekla, who in kayfabe was fired for her continued attacks on Stardom President Okada. It appears she’s already left Japan and headed to the United States, with multiple outlets believing her next destination to be AEW. We previously had Thekla on our Tracker for some time due to her interest in working in the United States, so her ending up in AEW doesn’t surprise us; we’ve moved Thekla up to a Likely Jump as there hasn’t been word yet of a signing.
Keeping it in Japan and related to AEW, Miyu Yamashita made a return appearance in AEW in a losing effort to AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm. Frequent watchers of TJPW note that Yamashita, a four-time Princess of Princess Champion, doesn’t have a lot left to do in the promotion and has ramped up US bookings in recent months. This AEW appearance is part of a North America trip that includes stops for Mania week indie shows, AEW, MLP, and MLW. When Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful was asked if there was interest from AEW or WWE in signing Yamashita, his response was “not from WWE.” Put that all in a blender, and we’re feeling Lean Stay on Yamashita at the moment. More could develop so stay tuned.
Now we’ll fly over to the UK where British indie star Rhio joins the Tracker as a Lean Jump. This past week she challenged Progress Women’s Champion Nina Samuels in a Title vs Leave The Territory match, winning the Progress belt in the process. Normally that is a signal someone is staying put, right? Well, Rhio was a name floated as one WWE has kept an eye on in the UK indies for a while now (the other being Man Like Dereiss). And Rhio was invited and attended WWE’s Europe tryouts last month. We’ll be adding Rhio as Lean Jump and see if she does wind up getting a WWE contract soon.
Our other Confirmed Jump takes us to TNA, where Indi Hartwell was featured on the TNA Rebellion PPV and announced as their latest signing. There had been some rumblings of AEW interest following Hartwell’s match with Mercedes Moné at House of Glory last month. Hartwell appears to be slotted towards the top of the TNA Knockouts division already, so it seems so far to be a good landing spot.
Let’s finish up in TNA with Joe Hendry👏👏. The TNA World Champion appeared at WrestleMania 41 as Randy Orton’s surprise opponent, and then was trounced in only a few minutes. His appearance in the Royal Rumble turned some heads, and his Mania debut and official WWE shirt turned even more. It’s now been reported his contract with TNA will indeed expire within the year, and thus he moves up to Lean Jump.
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What Comes Around Goes Around Part 3 | WrestleWatch Podcast 4/25/25

WWE buys AAA - what does it mean for wrestler free agency and the industry as a whole? TNA's World Champ gets squashed, Miro / Rusev and Malakai Black / Aleister Black return to WWE, and we do a Report Card on the Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) signing with WWE. Welcome to WrestleWatch: Pro Wrestling Free Agency Podcast Episode 52!
This episode was recorded 4/25/25. Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: maritalstreep]
Support and follow WrestleWatch:Substack: wrestlewatch.substack.comKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWWBluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_YouTube: wrestlewatch_
As always, here is the updated Free Agency Tracker:

Walking Weapon | WrestleWatch Podcast 4/18/25

Josh Alexander is All Elite! How did the Walking Weapon go from TNA to AEW? Discussion on Alexander plus: Mariah May negotiates through the media, the Good Brothers' next locale is teased, Jeff Cobb leaves New Japan, and only a week later we might have to re-evaluate Michael Oku again!
This episode was recorded on 4/19/25.Music Provided by Wendi Freeman [TikTok & Instagram: maritalstreep]
Support and follow the show:Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ryanWWBluesky: wrestlewatch.bsky.socialTwitter: wrestlewatch_
As always, here is the updated Free Agency Tracker and updates: