Angle-heavy show to set up a bunch of directions for WrestleMania
Should have a better indication of the WWE title match after Friday
CM Punk stated it was the "second highest arena gate in company history", putting this show between $4.9 and $6.6 million
WWE and AEW viewership made a comeback after Nielsen reportedly adjusted its Big Data + Panel methodology for cable programs. Wrestling ratings previously saw sharp declines under the new system.
An in-depth look at how the change has affected viewership:
wrestlenomics.com/articles/202...
The loan from Endeavor's 2016 UFC purchase grew again in 2025, from $2.75B to $3.72B. The loan was refinanced for a 6th time in September.
TKO is carrying more of this debt while planning over $1B in stock buybacks and paying $75M quarterly in dividends.
WWE in 2025 drove more than twice as much revenue as the inflation-adjusted best year Attitude Era (FY2001).
More than 4x the inflation-adjusted best year of Hogan era, 1990. wrestlenomics.com/wwe-annual-r...
I joined David Otunga recently to discuss various aspects of AEW, including its ownership, the Khan family's business background, AEW's current media deal with WBD, and the potential WBD M&A.
Something of a crash course in what's publicly known about AEW business:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUqB...
Janel Grant speaks publicly for the first time, “By a series of miracles that I can’t account for, I’m alive today
www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/20/j...
NEW: John Cena’s retirement show drew the biggest live gate for an arena event in WWE history, and probably all of pro wrestling history, even when taking inflation into account.
That and more on live event business of his retirement tour. 1500+ words: www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/19/j...
Record-breaking gates naturally coincide with record-breakingly high ticket prices.
The average ticket for WM41 was about $635, ~2x the prior year, which 2x'ed the year before that.
(Besides quote tweeting, consider reading!📖) www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/16/w...
NEW: Last year’s WrestleMania shattered all records for ticket sales revenue in pro wrestling history. The two events combined for $66M in ticket sales, according to Pollstar data not previously reported in media.
Read 800+ words: www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/16/w...
Similarly Sinclair never mentioned Ring of Honor in filings while owning the whole thing, and only after the 2022 sale a few times, without revealing much about what it sold for other than they made a $4M gain.
14.02.2026 21:21 — 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0You’re thinking of federal rules of civil procedure that would require AEW to disclose in lawsuits that a publicly traded company owns >=10%. AEW never making such a disclosure implies WBD has <10%. There is no such SEC rule that would require WBD to disclose ownership in AEW.
14.02.2026 20:39 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Tony Khan indicated in the past he owns all voting shares.
WBD’s portion is probably less than 10% because its ownership has never been disclosed in federal lawsuits AEW has been involved which would be required if it were 10% or more, because WBD is publicly traded.
CNN confirms in a passing disclosure that WBD owns a minority stake in AEW, in this article on politics in AEW and WWE. www.cnn.com/2026/02/14/b...
14.02.2026 15:54 — 👍 15 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 0
Pollock & Thurston: Live at 8:30 pm ET tonight youtube.com/live/zEFurEB...
12.02.2026 19:48 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0bsky.app/profile/bran...
12.02.2026 19:22 — 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0We also raised to WBD that some interpret "upcoming schedule" as leaving open the possibility WBD did prevent King from appearing. The spokesperson responded that the denial "includes yesterday's show," and emphasized that the report is "categorically false."
12.02.2026 19:19 — 👍 13 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 2
An AEW official with direct knowledge of the subject affirmed WBD’s denial and indicated Meltzer's report is incorrect and that WBD’s statement is true.
Read: postwrestling.com/2026/02/12/w...
WBD is contradicting a report that the network blocked Brody King from appearing on AEW Dynamite last night on TBS because of "Fuck ICE" chants the prior week, related to King's outspoken criticism of ICE.
12.02.2026 18:02 — 👍 15 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
WBD statement to POST:
“Warner Bros. Discovery did not have any involvement in Brody King’s upcoming AEW schedule. Any speculation to the contrary is categorically false. Brody is scheduled to appear during the next AEW event, which will air this Saturday on TNT and HBO Max.”
Reminder:
11.02.2026 17:54 — 👍 12 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 1
WWE/TKO, who are also defendants, have not submitted opposition filings as the McMahons have and apparently take no position on the anonymity issue.
Earlier coverage of the McMahon's opposition filings here: www.postwrestling.com/2026/01/27/v...
"The Court should reject the McMahons' transparent attempt to intimidate and shame survivors of childhood sexual abuse by forcing them to publicly reveal their identities."
McMahons say anonymity prevents witnesses coming forward who support their case.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Plaintiffs in the ring boy lawsuit filed their reply to the earlier filings from Vince McMahon and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, which argued the court shouldn't allow the plaintiffs to continue to use pseudonyms.
10.02.2026 18:18 — 👍 8 🔁 7 💬 1 📌 1
The economics of WrestleMania 42 compared to 2025 in Las Vegas
www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/09/t...
The Bills would’ve at least lost this Super Bowl in dramatic fashion.
09.02.2026 03:10 — 👍 77 🔁 4 💬 10 📌 0Yes
09.02.2026 03:07 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Also new: The judge denied Janel Grant’s request for discovery in her lawsuit against Vince McMahon & WWE, but is allowing her to renew the motion later.
The decision moves the case forward after 7 months of inactivity while awaiting this ruling. www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/06/j...
NEW: We obtained the complaint TNA parent Anthem filed in TN against Gail Kim.
The suit, submitted in January, seeks judgment to bar potential claims Kim might bring under FL's Whistleblower Act and civil rights laws that prohibit employment discrimination.
www.postwrestling.com/2026/02/06/t...
Pollock & Thurston will move permanently to Thursday nights at 8:30 pm ET starting next week, Feb 12. The audio-only podcast version will be available for listeners early the following morning.
04.02.2026 19:35 — 👍 5 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Includes background on the kafala system, Saudi Arabia’s 2025 labor reforms, why human rights groups say those reforms don’t go far enough, and an earlier report of the death of a worker on a World Cup stadium build in the country last year.
1600+ words: www.postwrestling.com/2026/01/30/r...
