The end of 2024 is just days away, but before we turn the calendar to 2025, it's time to look back on what the year offered us in terms of music. Andrew and first-time guest Dakota Jones (Voices of Wrestling) resurrect "A Taste of" from the old format of the podcast, looking at a sampling of songs that came out in 2024 that they enjoyed. It's not meant to be a definitive "best of" list, and there are some big names who did not make the cut, but Andrew and Dakota still have plenty of great music to gush about. Artists played include Brittany Howard, Sturgill Simpson, Ghost, The Smile, Magdalena Bay, Charley Crockett, Judas Priest, Sierra Ferrell, and many more. Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and thank you to everyone who listened to the podcast in 2024!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Twitter: @MusicoftheMat

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JD returns for a special Sunday edition with Mike, bringing his expertise as a fiction writer to analyze AEW’s storytelling hurdles. The duo also covers the success of AEW’s smaller venue strategy, the underwhelming ratings for WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, and TNA’s new TV deal in Canada that could give them a major advantage over WWE and AEW in that market.

Topics:

• JD’s Fiction Writer Lens on AEW’s Storytelling

Breaking down the Death Riders storyline and pointing out the plot holes that are hurting AEW’s overall narrative.

• AEW’s Smaller Venue Success

Why AEW’s move to more intimate venues is paying off and what it means for their business model.

• WWE’s SNME Bombs in Ratings

Exploring why Saturday Night’s Main Event failed to capture an audience and what implications it has for WWE’s programming strategies.

• TNA’s New TV Deal in Canada

TNA lands a stronger Canadian broadcast partner than WWE and AEW, potentially reshaping the wrestling landscape north of the border.

Support the show: patreon.com/themikeandjdshow

http://teepublic.com/user/brace-for-impact

This week the Athletic with a hit piece of Lee Fitting, in the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM- is Ricochet a geek or is this the start of a supervillain origin story and in Vader Club from WCW Saturday Night 1996, The Belfast Bruiser vs. Lord Steven Regal

Our podcast provider, RedCircle, offers the listeners the option to sponsor the show. Click on “Sponsor This Podcaster” at https://redcircle.com/shows/shake-them-ropes-pro-wrestling-podcast-wwe-nxt-njpw you can donate a single time, or set up a monthly donation to STR!

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The Flagship Podcast returns this week with a packed show covering a ton of news and notes across the world of wrestling, including news that WWE's Lee Fitting was dismissed from ESPN due to misconduct allegations, WWE's disappointing Saturday Night's Main Event rating, NJPW Strong Style Evolved, the retirement of Stalker Ichikawa, a preview of ROH Final Battle 2024 & more!

• WWE's Lee Fitting was dismissed from ESPN due to misconduct allegations & Janel Grant's reps responded.
• WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event had a disappointing rating & more importantly, some patented Legentil Activity.
• NJPW Strong Style Evolved review
• Dragongate Final Gate 2024 + Stalker Ichikawa Retirement
• ROH Final Battle 2024 Preview
• & more!

In this episode of The Mike & JD Show, Mike goes solo as JD is out at the last minute. The wrestling world is buzzing, and Mike breaks down the top stories:

• WWE’s Newest Scandal:

A recent report reveals troubling allegations against WWE’s Lee Fitting, who allegedly exhibited misconduct during his time at ESPN. According to The Athletic, Fitting objectified women, criticized physical appearances, and made crude, sexual remarks. Mike discusses the implications for WWE and how this may affect public perception moving forward.

• TNA’s Annual Exodus:

As the calendar turns, multiple TNA contracts have expired, and some wrestlers aren’t returning—some were even asked to take pay cuts. Mike explains why this talent turnover is happening, how it impacts TNA’s roster stability, and what it says about the company’s financial health and future booking plans.

• Darby Allin vs Will Ospreay Match Review:

Mike dives into the jaw-dropping Darby Allin vs Will Ospreay showdown from AEW Dynamite, asking whether this could be the best TV match of 2024 so far. He breaks down the key moments, the storytelling, and what made the match stand out in a crowded wrestling landscape.

From unsettling scandals to roster shake-ups and show-stealing matches, this episode covers the biggest news and controversies shaping pro wrestling right now.

Support the show:

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#WWE #TNA #AEW #WrestlingNews #DarbyAllin #WillOspreay #TheMikeAndJDShow

On the latest episode of the Gentlemen's Wrestling Podcast, host Jesse Collings is joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics to discuss WWE heading into 2025. They discuss RAW debuting on Netflix, the potential positives and negatives that come with such a major move, John Cena's farewell tour, risk factors for the upcoming year and a lot more.

Welcome back to Open The Voice Gate! Case (https://twitter.com/_inyourcase) and Mike (https://twitter.com/fujiiheya) are back with an update on the comings and goings of Dragongate.

It’s a big Open The Voice Gate this week as Case and Mike are back to talk Dragongate, The Final Gate, and Konomama Ichikawa’s retirement. They lead off with the Shimizu situation, GLEAT’s PR and Subscription strategy. Then it’s time to talk The Final Gate, the YAMATO vs Dragon Dia Double Dream and Brave Gate matches, and the rest of Dragongate’s final “big show of the year. After that, Case and Mike review today’s Korakuen with Konomama Ichikawa vs Hiroshi Tanahashi, a 3 way 6 man tag and a lot of fun from Tokyo!

Our podcast provider, Red Circle, offers the listeners the option to sponsor the show. Click on “Sponsor This Podcaster” at https://redcircle.com/shows/open-the-voice-gate and you can donate a single time, or set up a monthly donation to Open The Voice Gate!

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A very special Super J-Cast as Joel and Damon are joined by the guys from Keepin' It Strong Style to review the year that was in New Japan. In this special live-stream, the guys discuss Wrestle Kingdom build, the IWGP World Championship picture, G1 fallout, AEW partnerships, New Japan's transition year, what went wrong in Strong, and the great, good, bad and ugly in 2024 for New Japan Pro Wrestling.  

JD returns this week as Mike & JD dissect the latest in wrestling, including AEW’s struggles in the ratings and at the box office, the staggering dominance of WWE, and seismic shifts in talent movement. With key stats and insights, they examine what’s causing AEW’s decline and whether TNA and WWE are capitalizing on these weaknesses.

Topics Covered:

• AEW’s Business Struggles

Ratings Down Across Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, especially in the coveted 18-34 demo.

Despite a lucrative TV deal with WBD, AEW’s declining house shows and viewer erosion spell trouble long-term.

AEW’s "cool factor" is waning as fans call out inconsistent booking and a perception of the product becoming too "WWE-lite."

• WWE’s Continued Success

Raw and SmackDown thrive across all demos, far outpacing AEW.

WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event revival with PPV-level matches proves the company’s ability to draw major crowds.

WWE’s star power and stable storytelling reinforce a positive perception with fans and maintain strong house show attendance.

• AEW vs. WWE in Ticket Sales

WWE’s post-Christmas SmackDown and AEW’s Worlds End PPV go head-to-head in Orlando. WWE currently leads in ticket sales.

AEW’s biggest challenge: retaining younger viewers and keeping events feeling special and must-see.

• TNA’s Bold Moves for 2025

TNA announces major PPVs in Los Angeles and New York City, aiming to expand its footprint.

Questions arise about whether TNA can fill these larger arenas and whether strong ticket sales will follow the company’s ambitions.

• Tessa Blanchard’s Surprise Return to TNA

Tessa’s comeback at Final Resolution 2024 re-energizes the women’s division and sets up high-profile feuds.

Her return adds star power and historical significance given her past World Championship win in TNA.

• Lucha Bros’ Discontent with AEW

Rey Fenix’s deleted tweets accuse AEW of neglecting talent care, fueling rumors of dissatisfaction.

Pentagon Jr. hints at a future WWE run and confirms he’s dropping the "Pentagon Jr." name due to trademark issues. Both Lucha Bros appear poised to leave AEW once their contracts expire.

All this and more as Mike & JD break down the winners, losers, and what the future holds for each promotion.

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With mere days left until a seismic Souled out, Days of Thunder return to sniff out the latest in WCW:

*Running back angles from 3 years ago AND 3 weeks ago on the same show

*Champagne on a Pole

*A new crack detective team begin their first case in WCW

*A ruling must be made on the Linear Martial Arts Division Championship!

[Original Broadcast Date 12 January 2000]

We'll be back in two weeks, in the meantime follow us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/wcwthunderpod)to keep up to date with us, go to our linktree ( https://linktr.ee/WCWThunderPod ) to find all the ways you can listen to or follow us, and if you want a hell of a lot more Dave & Lee in your podcast diet, subscribe to our Patreon ( http://alargemanappears.com )

This week Netflix with little interest in the WWE archives, in the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM sight gags and a rampage match for your major return and in VADER CLUB a first, a match Jeff doesn’t remember from December to Dismember, Ultimate Jeopardy and we’ll talk what ideas WWE should take from this for War Games.