Welcome to another week of wrestling politics, booking swerves, and locker room friction. Today is July 5, 2026, and the road to SummerSlam is already looking very different from the corporate roadmaps drafted months ago. Between sudden title changes in WWE, a disappointing box office for AEW, and legendary retirements in Japan, we have plenty to discuss.
The SummerSlam booking pivots leave CM Punk in limbo
On the July 3 episode of SmackDown, Cody Rhodes pinned Jey Uso in a main event that went 15:31 to secure a title shot. Rhodes will face Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship on the July 6 edition of Raw. If Rhodes recaptures the gold, Zayn’s run will end up as a brief nine-day reign.
Before Zayn’s sudden victory at Night of Champions in June, the creative team had locked in Rhodes defending against CM Punk at SummerSlam on August 1 and 2. Dave Meltzer reported that the belt nameplate manufacturers were not even notified of Zayn's victory beforehand, pointing to a last-minute decision. Now, rumors of minor backstage issues involving Punk have resurfaced, dating back to when he dropped the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, leading to reports of minor backstage issues.
Transition champions are a time-tested tool, but hot-shotting the title onto Zayn only to strip it away nine days later risks alienating fans who invested in the moment. It also leaves Punk’s role for the August spectacular completely up in the air. If the office is trying to keep the locker room on its toes, they have succeeded, but at the expense of coherent long-term storytelling.
Will Ospreay chooses to become a weapon with the Death Riders
Will Ospreay’s recent victory over Swerve Strickland to win the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament at Forbidden Door was a milestone, but the real story is his new alliance. After being sidelined for six months following a brutal neck injury inflicted by the Death Riders at Forbidden Door 2025, Ospreay has spent the last three months aligned with his former attackers. Ospreay recently addressed this bizarre partnership during an interview with 107.7 The Bone.
Ospreay did not mince words, noting that none of his United Empire stablemates or locker room friends came to his rescue when he was down. Instead of seeking revenge against Jon Moxley, Ospreay accepted Moxley's offer to build him into a weapon. He compared the arrangement to Batman training under Ra's al Ghul and the League of Shadows to find his killer instinct.
“Who came to save me? Like Swerve weren't there, none of my mates backstage were there, none of the United Empire were there.”
For months, Ospreay’s story revolved around his reluctance to use the Tiger Driver '91 after injuring Bryan Danielson. Under Moxley’s violent tutelage, that hesitation has vanished, giving the aerial master a necessary edge. While some fans might dislike Ospreay working with heels who broke his neck, it adds a logical layer of character growth to a wrestler who was previously too clean-cut.
Big Bill gives notice to AEW ahead of rumored WWE reunion
William Morrissey, better known to AEW fans as Big Bill, has officially given notice to the promotion. The giant, who turns 40 next month, appears headed back to WWE where he is rumored to reunite with his former tag team partner Enzo Amore. The duo was one of NXT and WWE's most popular acts between 2013 and 2017 before behavioral issues and injuries led to their releases.
AEW creative essentially left Morrissey in the cold after abandoning the Learning Tree group when Chris Jericho went on hiatus. While online fans complained about the goofy faction, it actually gave Morrissey his highest level of crowd connection in years. The office had planned a babyface turn and feud that would have given the big man a major singles push, but those plans evaporated.
Morrissey is a far superior worker now than he was during his first run under the Vince McMahon regime. While Amore is still marginal in the ring, he remains an elite talker and a proven merchandise mover. In an industry where character-heavy acts like Danhausen can find mainstream success, WWE sees a highly profitable nostalgia run in a tag team division that desperately needs personality.
Missy Hyatt blasts Dixie Carter for dodging TNA documentary
Dixie Carter will not be seen on Vice TV's three-part TNA documentary for *Dark Side of the Ring* when it premieres on July 7. The former TNA president reportedly declined multiple invitations to sit down for the project. Her refusal did not sit well with wrestling veteran Missy Hyatt, who went on a blistering Twitter rant targeting Carter's management history.
Hyatt questioned why Carter chose to hire Hulk Hogan for an expensive run that forced the rest of the locker room to take pay cuts. She also criticized TNA's treatment of international talent, referencing Kazuchika Okada’s infamous run as the green-masked Okato. Hyatt concluded by asking why Carter did not study the book *Death of WCW* before hiring the same executives who ran that company into the ground.
“Cant wait to see the @DarkSideOfRing on tna. Questions dixie carter should had asked herself: Who has a creative mind with actual success & not inflated tales of previous success?”
Carter’s absence from the documentary is a disappointment but hardly a surprise. She would have faced difficult questions about why TNA repeatedly pushed WWE castoffs over homegrown pillars like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and the Motor City Machine Guns. By staying silent, Carter protects her personal brand, but she leaves TNA’s turbulent history to be written entirely by her critics.
Tomoaki Honma announces retirement due to severe neck issues
Tomoaki Honma shocked the Yamagata crowd on Saturday, July 4, by announcing his upcoming retirement from professional wrestling. The 48-year-old veteran cited recent medical evaluations that revealed severe degeneration in his neck. Honma famously overcame a 2017 spinal injury that left him temporarily paralyzed, returning to the ring in a miracle comeback that captivated fans.
Honma, who debuted for Big Japan Pro Wrestling back in 1997, is best known for his popular tag team with Togi Makabe, winning the World Tag League in both 2015 and 2016. He stated that he intends to spend the next several months conditioning his body to ensure he can perform in one final retirement match in his hometown next year. The announcement casts a somber shadow over New Japan Pro Wrestling as they prepare for a summer of transition.
“I agonized over this endlessly. I’ve decided to retire. I’ve been able to do what I love—pro wrestling—for 30 years, and I’m happy about that, but I’ve agonized over it and made up my mind. I’m retiring.”
New Japan’s schedule is moving fast, with Tiger Mask's retirement show set for Tuesday, July 7, at Korakuen Hall. Immediately following that event, the roster travels to the United States to kick off G1 Climax 36 on Saturday, July 11, at the NOW Arena near Chicago. Losing beloved veterans like Honma and Tiger Mask in the same week marks the end of an era for NJPW’s undercard.
Baron Corbin stripped of MLW tag titles amid WWE rumors
Baron Corbin's indie run appears to have reached its conclusion after a chaotic week in Major League Wrestling. Wrestling under the name Bishop Dyer, Corbin was stripped of his half of the MLW World Tag Team Championship and officially locked out of the promotion. MLW broadcaster Rich Bocchini announced that Dyer had demanded salary increases and perks that the front office refused to meet, leading to him being locked out of the promotion.
Donovan Dijak, Corbin's tag team partner, was forced to select a new partner by the end of the latest Fusion episode to keep the titles, ultimately choosing Josh Bishop. The lockout is widely viewed as a television write-off for Corbin, who is heavily rumored to return to WWE. Corbin's initial twelve-year tenure with WWE ended in November 2024, right when his tag team with Bron Breakker was gaining significant babyface momentum.
During his time away, Corbin proved he could adapt, working a highly physical style in MLW and even wrestling a quiet dark match for AEW. If WWE brings him back, they need to capitalize on the fan goodwill he established in NXT rather than reverting him to a generic midcard heel. Corbin has shown he can work, but he needs creative backing to avoid another forgettable run.
Lack of world title defense hurts Forbidden Door buyrate
Early data suggests that the 2026 edition of Forbidden Door will stand as AEW’s lowest-performing pay-per-view of the calendar year. While streaming purchases on Max remained steady compared to Dynasty, which drew 145,000 buys, traditional pay-per-view distributors saw a significant drop. The show struggled against competition from NXT Great American Bash and a Yankees vs. Red Sox baseball broadcast.
Dave Meltzer noted that the primary culprit was the lack of an AEW World Championship defense. Champion MJF was booked in a 12-person steel cage match to build future angles instead of defending his title in a major singles match. Although MJF defended the gold against Mark Briscoe on the July 1 episode of Dynamite, giving away the title match on free television did nothing to help the pay-per-view buyrate.
This is a classic case of over-booking. Forbidden Door should be a showcase of dream singles matches, not a platform for multi-man tag matches that belong on television. By prioritizing weekly television ratings over pay-per-view marquee value, Tony Khan cost his company a significant amount of revenue.
Looking Ahead
The next seven days will tell us exactly where these promotions are heading. Monday’s Raw features Cody Rhodes attempting to dethrone Sami Zayn, which will either validate Zayn's sudden push or confirm him as a historical footnote. Meanwhile, NJPW begins G1 Climax 36 in Chicago, while AEW must rebuild momentum for Beach Break on July 8, where MJF puts his World Title on the line against Kenny Omega under career-altering stipulations.
