John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about the political identity of WWE and the promotion of CM Punk’s match in Saudi Arabia at Night of Champions. Plus, WWE & McMahons refile motions in the ring boy lawsuit, Janel Grant requests travel logs for Colker & McMahon, BKFC president details a past meeting with Vince McMahon, a lawsuit is filed agains…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about R-Truth returning to WWE, the WBD split, WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, and Canelo vs. Crawford. First, we examine the six days between Ron Killings stating that his WWE contract wasn’t being renewed, the ensuing fan outrage, his return at Money in the Bank, and Paul Levesque’s non-answer at the post-show…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston cover this week’s major stories, including more information on Vince McMahon’s new company, 14TH & I. Then, they chat about SmackDown staying in its three-hour format and how important the program is for the USA Network, the recent contract expirations, and what leverage points the talent possess. Plus, two more an…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston cover the news that WrestleMania 42 is leaving New Orleans and is expected to land in Las Vegas. They chat about Thurston’s exclusive report, WWE’s handling of the announcement, how Las Vegas is expected to land ‘Mania for the second year in a row, and the ramifications of such a significant change. Major news brok…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston dissect the history of AEW as it heads into Double or Nothing, six years after the promotion’s first event. John and Brandon discuss the company's highs and lows since its launch, the important moments in its history, the most impactful moves, and how it affected the professional wrestling industry. Plus: WWE prese…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the latest developments in the wrestling industry, including TKO COO Mark Shapiro’s appearance at the JP Morgan conference following the company’s Q1 earnings report, highlighting cost-cutting and WWE’s live events strategy. Plus, the influence of Sabu, WWE confirms Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia on Jun…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston cover an extensive Wrestlenomics study, movement in the Janel Grant case & a TKO Q1 earnings preview. Brandon Thurston has conducted a big study into Reddit, focusing on fan opinions toward WWE over AEW over the past six years and when shifts occurred. Judge Sarah Russell has made a notable ruling in the Janel Gran…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the amended complaint and new allegations in the ongoing ring boy lawsuit. This past week, a 111-page amended complaint was filed, including three additional “John Does” added to the suit. We discuss the new allegations being levied, provide further information, discuss the plaintiffs’ argument in favor of …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston go through the success of WrestleMania 41 as WWE promotes the biggest weekend in its history. They discuss WWE’s released business metrics, Netflix stats, the reception for the two-night event, Paul Levesque’s speech at the Hall of Fame, and many other topics from Las Vegas. The major news on Saturday included WWE …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss WrestleMania Week and more developments from WWE and AEW. Pollock and Thurston go through expected attendance and revenue, how Las Vegas landed the event, and a historical look at WWE’s business across closed circuit, PPV, WWE Network, and Peacock eras. Plus: Nick Khan on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Paul Leve…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the latest filings in the ring boy lawsuit, and welcome Brandon Ross and Richard Deitsch. Richard Deitsch from The Athletic joins the show to speak about WWE’s transition to Netflix, the impact of the first WrestleMania on the platform, and the brand's popularity while transferring its leadership away from …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston go through the results of an AEW fan survey conducted by Jesse Collings and the state of its fanbase. Collings joins us to break down the results, how fan sentiment has changed over the past year, positive and negative responses, who is connecting, whether the company is growing its audience, and other insights. Pl…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are joined by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful to discuss the TNA cuts and the lead-up to this year’s WrestleMania. They chat about the reaction internally to the TNA cuts including Gail Kim being let go and the state of TNA in the marketplace. Plus, the promotion of WrestleMania 41 as WWE prepares for its major week in …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss estimates of WWE’s viewership on Netflix and compare it to cable. Estimates on how WWE’s U.S. viewership on Netflix compares to its performance on cable, recent comments by analysts on WWE’s performance on the streamer, and more. VIDEO VERSION: https://youtube.com/live/N6qCcapUdgY Plus: Omari Palmer (Odysse…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are chatting about TKO’s official entry into boxing with last week’s announcements and what it means for the industry. John Nash from Hey Not The Face is our guest to discuss the impact TKO can have on the boxing industry, Dana White’s comments last week, the fate of the Ali Act, and the financial power from Saudi …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss issues among WWE staff with employee incentive programs cut. Pollock and Thurston discuss new details of a consolidated shareholder lawsuit against WWE. The lawsuit alleges that the company manipulated its sales process and that the investigation into Vince McMahon was a “sham.” SLAM Wrestling editor Greg O…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston recap Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing to oversee the Department of Education. Reporter Aaron Rupar of Public Notice speaks with John and Brandon about last Thursday’s hearing, his outlet's coverage of the ring boy lawsuit, and how that subject was addressed at the hearing. Plus: How is Netflix assessing WWE's …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the court ruling related to the Vince McMahon case and documents being withheld. They break down the 44-page opinion that came down this week and explain what it is about, the status of the SEC investigation, and the statement provided by one of McMahon’s lawyers to POST Wrestling. Plus: Linda McMahon’s con…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston cover the latest involving the Ring Boy lawsuit and the Janel Grant case. The Ring Boy lawsuit will continue after the Maryland Supreme Court’s ruling this week to uphold the Child Victims Act. Since the ruling, additional survivors have joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs. The amended complaint was filed by Janel Gra…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about a record-setting Royal Rumble, WWE’s performance on SNME, and a return to Paris. This week, they cover the Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will set new attendance and gate records and cap off an incredible month in 2025. Plus: Viewership for Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC and Peacock is conf…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are here to discuss the WWE and TNA multi-year partnership and what each side has to gain. Rich Fann from PWTorch.com will stop by to discuss the WWE and TNA alliance, the benefits and liabilities of this news, the potential value on both sides and lots more. Plus: Netflix holds its earning call and comments on WWE…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss all the latest filings in the Janel Grant case and Vince McMahon’s SEC settlement. Plus: Netflix releases its first set of viewership figures for WWE Raw, TKO & Saudi Arabia poised to launch a boxing promotion, SmackDown viewership trends in the three-hour format, and the UFC’s media rights are up in the ai…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are back to discuss the SEC’s announcement that Vince McMahon will pay a fine and reimburse WWE over regulatory violations. On Friday, the SEC announced that the former WWE chairman will pay a fine and reimburse WWE for his failure to disclose two agreements signed in 2019 and 2022. Pollock & Thurston discuss the f…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston react to WWE's launch on Netflix and the fallout from the show at the Intuit Dome. They chat about the presentation on Netflix, the reaction to the show, and the coverage it received. Plus: An update on all the latest news involving the Janel Grant case, SmackDown to move back to two hours, WWE’s involvement with H…

The full written version of the new weekly newsletter: https://wrestlenomics.com/newsletter/2024/wrestlenomics-report-3-hour-smackdown-all-in-texas-lee-fitting-aew-international-rights-netflix/ Housekeeping: What is this? Smackdown moves to 3 hours in January Early All In Texas estimate of tickets distributed Netflix NFL games average about 24 mill…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the Lee Fitting story in the New York Times and Saturday Night’s Main Event ratings. Katie Strang and Andrew Marchand have a major story covering Lee Fitting’s departure from ESPN last year amid misconduct allegations. John & Brandon chat about the story, what is alleged, and WWE’s decision to hire Fitting.…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston review Mark Shapiro’s comments at the UBS conference on TKO’s upcoming year, including its launch on Netflix. The TKO president and COO spoke about WWE’s move to the top streaming platform in the world, the potential of more two-night premium live events, site fees, and TKO’s interest in boxing. Plus: The latest on…

The latest on pro wrestling business, with Brandon Thurston. Latest Dynamite ratings and other AEW ratings and attendance trends WWE ratings and attendance trends Saturday Night's Main Event ratings from 2006 to 2008. How NBC performs lately in that time slot. Your questions ====== 📺 FIND LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO VERSION HERE: https://youtube.com/live…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about WWE and Netflix’s media day and what viewers can expect in January when Raw moves platforms. Plus: WWE is attempting to place the ring boy lawsuit on hold until a Supreme Court ruling, WWE sets another arena record for Survivor Series in Canada, Eric Bischoff criticizes AEW, Saturday Night’s Main Event r…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the fallout for Conor McGregor after the conclusion of the civil case where a jury found him liable for sexual assault. We welcome lawyer Jason Cruz from MMA Payout to discuss the decision, the fallout for McGregor’s business endeavors, and his future in fighting. Plus: AEW is moving its Grand Slam event to…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss Linda McMahon’s role in Trump’s administration, Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson & AEW’s third-quarter performance. The President-elect has chosen Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department with many questioning this latest cabinet choice. Netflix staged one of its biggest events ever this past Friday, the boxi…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston cover the latest including Linda McMahon’s role in Trump’s cabinet, WWE’s cuts, Tyson vs. Paul on Netflix & more. Pollock and Thurston chat about Linda McMahon’s rumored appointment to Trump’s cabinet as its head of commerce, Dr. Carlon Colker issues another filing and Ann Callis responds, WWE makes a handful of ta…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston go through TKO’s Q3 earnings report, a breakdown of the Crown Jewel show, and chat about the WON Hall of Fame. Pollock and Thurston discuss the details from Wednesday’s Q3 earnings and call with analysts, the key takeaways from the report, and a follow-up interview Mark Shapiro did on CNBC. Our guest is U.K. journa…

On the first Sunday of each month, Wrestlenomics Radio is free for everyone. Wrestlenomics Radio is available every week exclusively for subscribers at patreon.com/wrestlenomics. ====== The latest on pro wrestling business, with Brandon Thurston. WWE, AEW popularity (attendance & TV ratings) monthly update Bloodline story continues to pop quarter-h…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston provide a breakdown of the WWE ID program, which was announced this week. They discuss the details the company has shared along with additional information and many questions this initiative brings up. Mark Pollesel, promoter of C*4 Wrestling in Ottawa, Ontario, joins us to share his reaction to WWE ID program and …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are joined by Greg Gutzler and Lee Cole to discuss the lawsuit filed by five ex-WWF ring boys against Vince & Linda McMahon and TKO. This is a detailed look at the 82-page complaint, the allegations by five John Does who worked for the WWF throughout the 1980s, and what they accuse the WWF of knowing. Greg Gutzler,…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss the long ties between the UFC and Donald Trump Journalist Karim Zidan of Sports Politika returns to chat about his new audio series In the Red Corner detailing Trump’s history with the promotion and how it has served the Republican strategy to cater to its audience. Plus: Preliminary approval is granted by …

NOTE: Sorry for the poor quality of Brandon's audio. I had tech issues just as we were going live -Brandon John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about the latest filing by Janel Grant’s team and look back at the career of the late Joe Koff. This past week, Grant’s team filed a memorandum opposing Dr. Carlon Colker & the Peak Wellness clinic’s atte…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are joined by Janel Grant’s spokesperson Kendra Barkoff Lamy to speak about their request for WWE to waive NDAs. Then, Pollock & Thurston will speak with independent wrestler Logan Knight about yesterday’s meeting of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, in which officials declined to change their rule that preve…

On the first Sunday of each month, Wrestlenomics Radio is free for everyone. Wrestlenomics Radio is available every week exclusively for subscribers at patreon.com/wrestlenomics. AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a renewal of Dynamite and Collision for TBS and TNT in a deal that will also broadcast the program live in homes without cable thr…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston examine the subject of independent contractors in pro wrestling following the suit filed by Kevin Kelly and The Tates. Pollock and Thurston welcome lawyer Stephen New to discuss the lawsuit filed by Kevin Kelly & The Tates against AEW, Tony Khan & Ian Riccaboni, and the argument of whether AEW talents are misclassi…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston share their thoughts on the six-part Mr. McMahon series released by Netflix. They discuss the major points from the Netflix series and welcome David Bixenspan to speak about the strengths and weaknesses of the series, who was interviewed, what stories were covered, and overall reaction to how McMahon was covered. P…

Note: My question isn't in the audio (because I was recording output but not my own input), which was "Do you anticipate other people who allegedly have been targets of sexual misconduct at WWE coming forward?" Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/wrestlenomics-radio2532/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Priva…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss AEW closing in on its media rights deal with guest Brandon Ross of LightShed Partners. Earlier this week, Puck’s John Ourand reported that an announcement of AEW’s media rights deal with WBD could be coming as early as next week. Pollock & Thurstom welcome analyst Brandon Ross to discuss the details, AEW’s …

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston react to the news of WWE moving Raw to a two-hour format in October. The two chat about the financials of WWE’s deal with NBC Universal, and the short-term extension for the final thirteen weeks of 2024 before the franchise moves to Netflix. Plus: Tony Khan indicates AEW is very close to the announcement of a media…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston speak about the latest attendance figures for AEW All In at Wembley Stadium. Kevin Kelly and The Tate Twins have filed a lawsuit against AEW, Tony Khan, and Ian Riccaboni, and we break down the complaint. Thurston goes through the turnstile count for AEW All In at Wembley Stadium and the latest figures attached to …

On the first Sunday of each month, Wrestlenomics Radio is free for everyone. Wrestlenomics Radio is available every week exclusively for subscribers at patreon.com/wrestlenomics. ====== WWE and AEW TV ratings and attendances for August 2024 reviewed by Brandon Thurston, plus listener questions. ====== 📺 VIDEO VERSION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston discuss all the news following AEW’s return to Wembley Stadium for All In London. Neal Flanagan of POST Wrestling joins us to chat about his in-person experience of covering All In London, the press conference afterward, and his question about the creative structure within AEW. VIDEO VERSION: https://www.youtube.co…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston chat about AEW going into its biggest show of the year and welcome Todd Martin. Todd Martin of The Fix on PW Torch speaks about AEW’s second show at Wembley Stadium, the health of the company, AEW’s identity shift, the pending TV announcements, and overall lead-up to All In. Plus, AEW All In 2025 in Texas, Tony Kha…

John Pollock and Brandon Thurston are back to discuss TKO’s second-quarter earnings report and developments in the Janel Grant case. Pollock and Thurston welcome Patrick Auger back to discuss the TKO earnings report, the key areas highlighted in the report, the state of the UFC antitrust cases, and notable points brought up during TKO’s call with a…