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John Cena (photo credit WWE media kit)

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For the most part, Iâ€ve really enjoyed a post-Vince McMahon WWE. Most of the things I dislike about the current product have been faults of TKO. The constant brand-integration sponsorships, rising prices to attend a live event, and having to have access to six different platforms to watch WWE are at the top of my list. While not perfect, WWE’s Creative has been better than what we were getting from WWE in the last decade of Vince McMahon. Better is not an automatic pass, though.

Paul Levesque will never be a perfect booker, nor should he be expected to be. Look at any era and there are stories that didnâ€t work. The same shows with The Undertakerâ€s debut had the Gobbledy Gooker, and while Steven Austin and the Rock were on top of the world, Mae Young was delivering Mark Henryâ€s baby hand. Any writer will tell you that not everything is a hit. I know that different ideas in my head will play differently when put out into art for others to appreciate.

Weâ€ve had great moves like Codyâ€s story, the introduction of mid-card womenâ€s titles, and the rise of brilliant talents such as Dominik Mysterio. Weâ€ve also had some misfires that were more than simple undercard angles that were dropped.

Tag Teams (or Making Every Title Matter)

If you watch Smackdown in a vacuum, they have a really good tag team division. Thereâ€s even a team in Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss that are a pretty fan act as champions right now. But thereâ€s a lacking of depth in the company when it comes to tag team wrestling.

Raw has been the worst offender, as Finn Balor & J.D. McDonough have only defended their titles once on television before the match with A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee – two guys who have been feuding with another guy in their stable, showing there are no actual tag teams that are taken seriously on Raw as contenders right now. With a roster with more members on it than ever before, there have to be more green guys who can learn in teams or established stars without storylines, like with Styles & Lee.

With the women, it will be the same 3-4 teams, not leaving enough teams to have personal grudges as established teams. Makeshift teams end up being the majority of the womenâ€s tag roster. We need the male equivalents to the Road Warriors, Dudleys, and FTR who make tag wrestling their established division to work within.

As stacked as the Smackdown tag roster is, you do have to watch Smackdown to catch the matches. With USA not having streaming abilities outside of a cable package, this leaves many people without access to Smackdown. While personally loving tag team wrestling, and one that has watched the majority of WWE PLEs, I miss watching tag title matches on the big cards. The biggest moments are saved for these PLEs, and their tag team champions arenâ€t priority to get those moments.

Wyatt Sicks

While on the topic of tag team champions, The Wyatt family not being a major part of your October PLE makes no sense to me. People adored Bray. We miss him and want to celebrate and honor his work that was left. After a stellar debut, it quickly became just another faction. There were injuries, but instead of using the healthy members, theyâ€re removed from television until all were healthy. Thereâ€s a Universal Studios exhibit, and theyâ€re tag team champions, but we missed a lot in between, and now fans have less invested in the group than we should.

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Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Karion Kross

I remember when Claudio Castignoli was in WWE as Cesaro and how everyone he worked with seemed to have great things about him, fans were strongly behind him, and even “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was pushing for Cesaro to get pushed to the top of the card on a live podcast to Vince McMahon. Alas, that glass ceiling withstood, and there was no shattering it by proving yourself if the right person who made the decisions didnâ€t see it.

Kross was a viral sensation and top merch seller, while being at the bottom of the mid-card. He was getting ovations in multiple cities that didnâ€t match his presentation. The fans liked him. I guess the new WWE offices have those glass ceilings too.

Ron “The Truth†Killings

The man cut the Promo of the Year after returning from being released from his contract. Interrupting the broadcast, taking over the show, and ending that monologue by cutting the braids from his hair heâ€d been known from for decades… and nothing.

Heâ€s now the same R-Truth comedy character he was before. I was ready for a matured version of his TNA run. I wanted to hear from the man who was always held back. Especially when the fans – and fellow wrestlers who disagreed with the decision – were very vocal in their support. It was his chance to visit the main event in the twilight of his wrestling career, but nowâ€s heâ€s another missed opportunity.

Cena Heel Turn

We all wanted to see it. We got it and the wrestling world was on fire. Crossover attention on memes, fan reaction videos creating internet traffic, and the venture fandom wanting to hear that first promo afterwards. Then he came out in jorts and a retirement T-shirt that celebrated his career as brightly as a cereal box.

When Eric Bischoff recalls working with Hulk Hogan, he remembers how, no matter how good an idea was, that Hulk Hogan would always ask, “What happens next?†Hogan knew that no matter how big the moment could be, there was a show to do next week and a new PPV to start building towards. WWE has attempted to build too many shows around “moments†without there being a payoff or a move to something bigger.

In any narrative, you need a reason for a character to change their motivation, and it needs to be plotted out, as a shocking moment should be a stepping stone, not the ultimate moment itself. TV dramas have shown how this can go down for years. Kill off a character in order to alter the relationships of the characters for a storyline payoff, or a ratings ploy that left them in a hole they couldnâ€t get out of. The Cena turn ended up being the latter.

(Griffin is a lifelong fan of wrestling, superheroes, and rebellious music of all forms. He is the owner of Nerdstalgia, and you can shop online, learn about visiting the store in Colorado Springs, or catch him at a comic con in the Rocky Mountain area by going to http://nerdstalgia.shop.)

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Indi Hartwell says her wrestling bucket list has one of the most infamous matches on it.

Hartwell recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about the ongoing NXT/TNA partnership. While she has largely stayed out of the chaos leading up to ‘Showdown,†she did guest referee a Knockouts title match at TNA Victory Road featuring NXTâ€s Kelani Jordan.

Indi Hartwell said that she enjoyed her guest referee spot, calling it a bucket-list moment. When asked what else would be on her wrestling bucket list, Hartwell shared a surprising answer.

“Well, something that Iâ€ve already done is the wedding, which is like a huge part of my career. Some wrestlers win titles, but not everyone gets to have a wrestling wedding,†Indi Hartwell explained. “So, I think that should be a bucket list item that a lot of wrestlers should have.

“I got to knock off being on commentary at TNA because I was never a special guest commentator at NXT or WWE that I can remember,†she added. “So, I got to do that. Thereâ€s a lot of, like, stipulation matches too that I havenâ€t gotten to have. Punjabi Prison, thatâ€s my top.â€

What is a Punjabi Prison match?

The Punjabi Prison match is similar to a steel cage match. It features two cage-like structures made of bamboo, and the goal is to escape them both. The winner has to escape the inner cage, then climb the second cage before their opponent. Escaping the cage is the only way to win, as there are no pinfalls or submissions.

WWE has sanctioned three Punjabi Prison matches in the companyâ€s history. The first one took place at Great American Bash 2006 between The Undertaker and Big Show, while the second was between Batista and The Great Khali at No Mercy 2007. The match concept was shelved for nearly a decade, but returned at Battleground 2017 when Jinder Mahal faced off with Randy Orton for the WWE Championship.

Read More: Rhea Ripley Shows Off Broken Nose Suffered During WWE Japan Supershow

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Penn State freshman Gavin McKenna is one of 27 players to get an A rating from NHL Central Scouting in the preliminary players to watch list for next year’s draft.

The list, released Monday, gives an A rating to players considered first-round candidates.

McKenna, who moved to the NCAA from the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers this season after a rule change by the U.S. college sports governing body, has one goal and five assists in six games for Penn State to start the season.

The Whitehorse native is playing against older competition than in the CHL, where he led the Tigers to the Memorial Cup final last season and was named the top player in the country.

Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino had McKenna ranked No. 1 in his October rankings for the draft.

All players in Cosentino’s top five also got A ratings — Frolunda winger Ivar Stenberg, North Dakota defenceman Keaton Verhoeff, Windsor Spitfires winger Ethan Belchetz and Niagara IceDogs centre Ryan Roobroeck.

Other notable players to get A grades include WHL scoring leader JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers, QMJHL defence scoring leader Xavier Villeneuve of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armanda and WHL defence scoring leader Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants.

The OHL leads the way with eight A prospects.

Here’s a list of all players to receive an A grade:

LW Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires, OHL)
D Carson Carels (Prince George Cougars, WHL)
C Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting, OHL)
D Malte Gustafsson (HV71 Jr., Sweden)
LW Oscar Hemming (Espoo, Finland)
RW Elton Hermansson (Modo, Sweden)
LW JP Hurlbert (Kamloops Blazers, WHL)
RW Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit, OHL)
C Tynan Lawrence (Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL)
D Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants, WHL)
C Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs, OHL)
LW Gavin McKenna (Penn State, NCAA)
LW Marcus Nordmark (Djurgarden, Sweden)
LW Adam Novotny (Peterborough Petes, OHL)
D Juho Piiparinen (Tappara, Finland)
RW Mathis Preston (Spokane Chiefs, WHL)
D Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds, OHL)
C Brooks Rogowski (Oshawa Generals, OHL)
LW Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs, OHL)
D Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL)
D Luke Schairer (U.S. national development team, USHL)
C Egor Shilov (Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL)
D Alberts Smits (Jukurit, Finland)
LW Ivar Stenberg (Frolunda, Sweden)
C Oliver Suvanto (Tappara, Finland)
D Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota, NCAA)
D Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)

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Stephen Curry hasn’t just changed the way basketball is played — he has changed how itâ€s valued.

Spotrac released its updated list of the NBAâ€s highest career earners, and Curry currently sits third, behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Durant passed James for the top spot on Sunday after signing a two-year, $90 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, which includes a player option for the 2027–28 season.

Other members of the top 10 include Devin Booker, Paul George, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum — a mix of established stars and younger faces quickly climbing the list.

That younger wave could soon reshape the standings entirely. With Booker, Gilgeous-Alexander and Tatum all still in their late-20s and already on max extensions, theyâ€re on pace to shatter the totals set by Curry, James and Durant as new TV deals and cap increases drive salaries even higher.

Curry, though, has been at the forefront of the leagueâ€s salary evolution. In 2017, he became the first player in NBA history to sign a $200 million contract, a five-year deal worth $201 million. Two years later, he became the first to make more than $40 million in a single season.

He topped that milestone again in 2021, signing a four-year, $215 million extension that made him the first player ever to sign multiple $200 million contracts. That deal helped him become the first to earn over $50 million in 2023–24, and by 2026–27, he is set to be the first player to surpass $60 million in a single season.

Over the past few years, Curry has climbed steadily up Spotracâ€s career earnings rankings. He first appeared in the top 10 at No. 7 through 2022–23, rose to No. 4 through 2023–24, and reached No. 3 this year, where he is expected to remain for the foreseeable future as his current deal runs through 2026–27.

Curryâ€s journey into the NBAâ€s top three career earners reflects more than a decade of sustained excellence — and positions him to stay there as new deals reshape the leagueâ€s financial landscape.

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Oct 18, 2025, 12:12 PM ET

Ange Postecoglou has been sacked by Nottingham Forest after just 39 days and five Premier League matches in charge following a 3-0 home loss to Chelsea.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis saw enough an hour into the contest at the City Ground and took just 19 minutes after full-time to announce the end of Postecoglou’s reign.

Postecoglou’s dire spell in charge after taking over on September 9, made him the 10th permanent manager to last less than 100 days as a permanent manager during the Premier League era.

Here, ESPN take a look at all the managers who failed to make a positive impact in the early days of their reign.

Nathan Jones, Southampton – 84 days

Nathan Jones, Southampton Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images

Welsh manager Nathan Jones left Luton to succeed Ralph Hasenhuttl on the south coast in November 2022 but, for the second time after his miserable 10 months at Stoke City in 2019, it proved an unsuccessful spell away from Kenilworth Road.

While in charge of Southampton, Jones secured fell to nine defeats in 14 games and left Saints seeking a third boss of the season.

Quique Sánchez Flores, Watford – 85 days

Quique Sanchez Flores, Watford Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Watford’s managerial merry-go-round under the Pozzo family’s ownership stands out among Premier League clubs and Sánchez Flores has taken two rides, serving for 44 games between June 2015 and May 2016 but only a dozen — with two wins — on his return three years later.

Bob Bradley, Swansea City – 85 days

Bob Bradley, Swansea Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images

The first American to manage in the Premier League, Bradley lasted from October to December of 2016 — though, unlike Reed, he made it through Christmas before being axed on Dec. 27.

Bradley took eight points from 11 games and left Swansea 19th in the table, having also struggled under Francesco Guidolin, but they finally found their man as Paul Clement secured top-flight survival.

Frank De Boer, Crystal Palace – 77 days

Frank de Boer, Crystal Palace Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Lasting two days longer than Meulensteen, former Netherlands international Frank De Boer took charge at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2017.

After just four games of the 2017-18 season — the lowest amount of games a permanent manager has ever been in charge for — De Boer was dismissed without yielding a single point or goal.

Rene Meulensteen, Fulham – 75 days

Rene Meulensteen, Fulham Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images

After a 12-year period in various coaching roles with Manchester United, Meulensteen replaced fellow Dutchman Martin Jol as manager of Fulham in December of the 2013-14 season.

Meulensteen failed to see out the season, as his side slipped to the bottom of the table after losing nine of his 13 games in charge.

Javi Gracia, Leeds United – 69 days

Javi Garcia, Leeds United Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Gracia lasted 69 days in charge of Leeds United before being replaced by Allardyce. Garcia took over in Elland Road following the sacking of Jesse Marsch in their tumultuous 2022-23 season.

The Spanish coach managed just 12 games in all competitions before his reign was cut short. He ended his tenure with three wins, seven losses and two draws.

Les Reed, Charlton Athletic – 40 days

Les Reed, Charlton Athletic Photo by Nick Potts – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

After suffering eight defeats in 12 games in 2006, Les Reed took over at Charlton but failed to improve matters for the south London club.

Reed picked up just four points in seven games, suffered a League Cup exit against Wycombe Wanderers and was sacked on Christmas Eve.

Sam Allardyce, Leeds United – 30 days

Sam Allardyce, Leeds United Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

In 2022-23 Sam Allardyce took over his eighth different club in the Premier League when he became the manager of Leeds United on May 3, 2023. The former England manager was brought in to Elland Road in a last-ditch attempt to stay in the top flight after the club fired Javi Gracia.

Leeds were above relegation on goal difference when Allardyce took the reins on a short-term contract, but he failed to keep them up after claiming just one point in the final four games of the season.

Allardyce’s contract ran out on June 2, leaving his stint in charge of Leeds as the shortest of any permanent Premier League manager in history.

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Injury Report and Waiver Wire Targets

The Rams have already announced that star receiver Puka Nacua won’t play in Week 7 because of an ankle injury. Since L.A. plays on Sunday morning, managers should go ahead and adjust their lineups ahead of time.

Calvin Ridley, Josh Downs, Terry McLaurin, Christian Watson and Ricky Pearsall qre also out, while Jets wideout Garrett Wilson is listed as doubtful. Jakobi Meyers, Stefon Diggs, Jalen Coker, Dontavyion Wicks and Deebo Samuel are among those listed as questionable.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t made designations for Monday night yet, but Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka have all missed practice time this week.

Denver Broncos wideout Troy Franklin might be the most enticing waiver target this week, as he’ll face a New York Giants defense that has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. Franklin has logged at least three receptions in three straight games. He’s rostered in just 22 percent of Yahoo leagues and 33 percent of ESPN leagues.

Kayshon Boutte’s matchup with the Tennessee Titans isn’t quite as attractive, but the New England Patriots receiver is coming off a 95-yard, two-touchdown performance. He’s still available in over 60 percent of Yahoo leagues and 70 percent of ESPN leagues.

Other wide receivers to consider this week include Kendrick Bourne, Tre Tucker, Elic Ayomanor and Christian Kirk.

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Oct 17, 2025, 05:50 AM ET

Cristiano Ronaldo has again been named the highest-paid player in the world, while Barcelona’s phenom Lamine Yamal is on the list of the top 10, according to Forbes.

The American business magazine released its annual report of the world’s 10 highest earners.

The Forbes ranking reflects on-field earnings estimates for the 2025-26 season, including base salaries, bonuses and, club-based image rights agreements.

Ronaldo, 40, who on June signed a new two-year deal with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, is projected to claim $280 million in total earnings over the coming year before taxes and agents’ fees.

The Portugal captain, who recently declared he has no plans to retire as he is “still producing good things,” will earn $230m from Al Nassr during the 2025-26 season plus $50m in off-field earnings.

Ronaldo, who has over 1 billion total followers across his various social media accounts, leads the Forbes list for the sixth time in the last decade.

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is the only MLS representative on the list and is a distant second to Ronaldo.

The Argentina captain’s projected total income for 2025 is $130 million, with a whopping $70m coming from off-field earnings. Messi, 38, has endorsement deals with Adidas, Lay’s and Mastercard, among others.

Yamal, who inherited Barcelona’s iconic No. 10 shirt once worn by Messi, is the first 18-year-old to enter Forbes’ soccer list in its 22-year history.

Cristiano Ronaldo was recently named as football’s first billionaire player by Bloomberg. Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

The Spain international put pen to paper on a 10-year contract with Barcelona in May. He completes the ranking with expected earnings of $43m.

Karim Benzema has climbed to third place, with the Al-Ittihad captain estimated to make around $100m on the pitch and around $4m off it.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is one of two Premier League players included. The Norwegian star’s estimated $80m earnings, some of which comes from his lucrative endorsement deal with Nike, place him at No. 5 while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who signed a two-year deal to remain at Anfield this summer, is seventh at $55m.

– Ronaldo nets 2 to set WCQ goal-scoring record
– Cristiano Ronaldo football’s first billionaire player – report
– Ronaldo: Family ask me to stop, but I want 1,000 goals

LaLiga have four players in the top 10, with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham fourth ($95m), sixth ($60m) and ninth ($44m), respectively.

Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate Sadio Mané is No. 8, expected to get $54m.

In total, the 10 highest paid players are set to collect record earnings worth $945 million this season, down nearly 4% from last year’s $983m.

Brazilian forward Neymar was No. 3 on last year’s list but has fallen out of the ranking since leaving Al Hilal earlier this year to rejoin boyhood club Santos.

Forbes’ top 10 high-paid players 2025:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $280m (On-field: $230m, off-field: $50m)
2. Lionel Messi – $130m (On-field: $60m, off-field: $70m)
3. Karim Benzema – $104m (On-field: $100m, off-field: $4m)
4. Kylian Mbapp̩Р$95m (On-field: $70m, off-field: $25m)
5. Erling Haaland– $80m (On-field: $60m, off-field: $20m)
6. Vinícius Júnior– $60m (On-field: $40m, off-field: $20m)
7. Mohamed Salah – $55m (On-field: $35m, off-field: $20m)
8. Sadio Man̩Р$54m (On-field: $50m, off-field: $4m)
9. Jude Bellingham – $44m (On-field: $29m, off-field: $15m)
10. Lamine Yamal – $43m (On-field: $33m, off-field: $10m)

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C.M. Punk (artist Grant Gould © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

At WWE Crown Jewel we had what many are calling – and Iâ€m on their side – the Match of the Year, at least in WWE. It was the face of a previous version of WWE in John Cena against the same from TNA in A.J. Styles.

These were “The Guys†the company, including any storylines, merchandise, or media presence. Both have grown to become classy acts who are confident in who they are as characters and were able to deliver a crowd-pleasing match that paid tribute to both careers that are winding down.

Many other characters have left WWE to “Cross the Line†to TNA, or made the switch from the smaller company to the true big league. There were matches we saw that we never thought weâ€d get, especially after A.J.â€s debut. There were some matches that were left on the table, though, that we havenâ€t yet seen, or will not get the opportunity to, but it was fun to come up with five dream matches roughly from 2001-2014 era TNA vs WWE.

The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The Usos

The best home-grown TNA tag team vs. who I think is the greatest tag team of all time. The energy of the performers, the fans in the area, and the moves within the match alone could be off the charts in front of the right audience.

The story: Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley have been around as a tag team longer, and have succeeded in every promotion theyâ€ve been involved with, and still have the athleticism to wow an audience. As for the Usos, while Jimmy and Jey have not been a tag team as long, or had titles outside of WWE, theyâ€ve defended for years against the best of the best at a high level. Who is the better team?

Outcome: Usoâ€s in a match of the year contender

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Kurt Angle vs Dolph Ziggler / Nic Nemeth

While we technically had this match, we also had previously seen John Cena vs. A.J. Styles. Itâ€s about the build this match, as Nemeth is a world class mat wrestler with an incredible list of accolades, but in pro wrestling, heâ€s a guy who was known for selling and having tremendous matches through his amazing talents in telling a physical story.

There was a wrestling machine inside of the former Dolph Zigglar that could have come out. Kurt was able to turn that wrestling machine to a new dial when in TNA, and became an incredible well-rounded performer. I would have loved to see an entire program between these two, bringing that out of Nemeth.

Story: Kurt, returning to WWE, takes shots at Dolph about needing to tighten up and not be so involved with silly nonsense. Challenge him to a wrestling match and ask if Dolph can find the serious side of himself again.

Outcome: after losing the first two matches, the second an even more narrow loss than the first, Zigglar works himself up to one more match where he is able to get a clean win over Kurt, legitimizing Dolph for a new title run.

Samoa Joe vs. C.M. Punk

We did get this match in AEW, but it was tainted with backstage drama. These two made each other IWC famous. It was harder to learn about independent wrestling in the early 2000s. You had to know what sites and forums to go to online or you could read the newsstand wrestling magazines or an insider newsletter such as PWTorch.

Anyone who was involved in that scene knew a couple of names before ever getting a television debut, and those were Samoa Joe and C.M. Punk. The ROH trilogy between them sold a lot of DVDs for a small independent wrestling company. Wrestling fans of that generation were not used to seeing a one-hour Broadway, let alone two in a row for these performers.

They were showing they had the raw skills to hang with the established television stars, and it was going to be a matter of time before each would end up amongst them. They each chose different paths, as C.M. Punk, who had previously had a run in TNA, decided to try to make it in the larger and more “big show atmosphere†of WWE, where he was going to have to work his way up through the developmental program.

Samoa Joe, however, become a featured player on TNA television right away. While I watched Impact as often as I could in that era, I was hooked and started spending on a few PPVs at a time where that was tough to justify. Both became respective world champions, but to see them clash with the lights and storytelling ability WWE could provide or a Punk and Joe TNA reunion, much like the Hardys and Dudleys just had could blow the roof off.

Story: I kind of like the TNA return route. Joe could make an appearance about how successful his run was and list legendary opponents; Punk could come out to say that he was only as successful as he was because Punk decided to go to the big leagues and he let Joe run TNA. Major heel heat for Punk on this match.

Outcome: Joe wins clean as a babyface. Punk had the better career and can afford a loss to his friend.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “PWTorch ’90s Pastcast” with Patrick Moynahan and Alex McDonald, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Abyss vs. Cactus Jack

We got Mick Foley in TNA, but this was far from what Foley was known for. Itâ€s unfortunate that this man who gave us fans too much of himself doesnâ€t get to have the big comeback matches. He had a couple, but seeing wrestlers learn how to have good matches into their 50s and even 60s shows the difference in how Foley sacrificed himself.

Abyss was obviously influenced as a character, but also as a performer by Cactus Jackâ€s work. The master of the death match from two different eras clashing at peak was the dream I wish Foley had been healthy for and would love to have seen this match happen in a WWE ring. Not enough people got to enjoy Abyss.

Story: Mick Foley comes back for a special appearance and is attacked by a deranged Abyss (essentially what they did to get Bray Wyattâ€s Fiend character over). Triple H tries to get ahold of Foley to apologize, but hears nothing back. After a couple of weeks with no word, Triple H only hears from kids and wife that theyâ€ve never seen him like this and he wonâ€t even verbalize himself to his family. Then, when Abyss is about to win a match in an underhanded way, Cactus Jack arrives to interfere, and set up a match between the two.

Outcome: Cactus wins as a conquering hero.

Sting vs. Undertaker

Itâ€s the match we all wanted, and the biggest dream match left on the table from the hot ’90s era – unless youâ€d make the Hulk Hogan vs Steven Austin argument. For a fan who watches the product in a similar way that I read comic books, these are the obvious two. Dark and brooding, but many times the conciseness of the promotions they were in.

The WCW years created an aura, and when Sting said he would rather go to the underdog brand than WWE, it added to it. To have finally seen Sting and Undertaker at a WrestleMania is what we wanted, but instead we got heartbreak.

Story: Icon vs Icon, baby! All we need would be a face off, one to point at a sign, and the other to nod.

Outcome: Undertaker keeps the streak I wish heâ€d never lost.

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Ravindra Jadeja struck to hand India the first breakthrough on Day 4, with the wicket of John Campbell (PTI Photo) Ravindra Jadeja added another milestone to his glittering career as he overtook Harbhajan Singh to become Indiaâ€s third-highest wicket-taker in international cricket at home across formats. The left-arm spinner achieved the feat during the second Test against the West Indies, when he dismissed John Campbell for 115.

‘Jadeja has never done gym!’: Former IND strength and conditioning coach Ramji Srinivasan

The moment came in the 63rd over of the West Indies’ innings. Jadeja struck to remove John Campbell, trapping him leg-before wicket. The Indian fielders immediately went up in a confident appeal as Jadeja celebrated, but umpire Paul Reiffel took a moment before raising his finger. Campbell decided to review the decision, yet the replays confirmed Jadejaâ€s success and ball-tracking showed all three reds, sealing the dismissal.The dismissal ended a strong 177-run partnership between Campbell and Shai Hope, both of whom had scored centuries to help the visitors post 293 for 4 at the end of 89 overs, leading India by 23 runs. The wicket carried special significance for Jadeja. With it, he moved past Harbhajan Singhâ€s tally of 376 wickets at home, taking his total to 377 and joining the elite company of Anil Kumble (476) and Ravichandran Ashwin (475) at the top of the list.

Most wickets for India at home in international cricket

1. 476 – Anil Kumble
2. 475 – Ravichandran Ashwin
3. 377* – Ravindra Jadeja
4. 376 – Harbhajan Singh

Jadejaâ€s recent form has been exceptional, especially in the longer format. He was one of Indiaâ€s standout performers in the England Test series, contributing with both bat and ball. He also scored a century in the first Test against West Indies in Ahmedabad.

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Jadejaâ€s rise into Indiaâ€s top three wicket-takers at home is only fitting given that he is one of India’s trusted spinners and has been so over the years.

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At the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards 2025 in Mumbai, Rohit Sharma looked notably fitter and slimmer. Through rigorous fitness training with former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, the 38-year-old reportedly lost about 10 kg. He will play under new captain Shubman Gill when he makes his ODI comeback against Australia later in October, and this transformation comes before then.

Rohit attended the event wearing a maroon blazer, and his appearance drew praise from fans and fellow cricketers alike. He was joined by his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, and looked relaxed and cheerful throughout the evening.

At the ceremony, Rohit credited Rahul Dravid for building a winning culture in the Indian team that led to victories in the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy. Rohit stressed his unwavering dedication to the team and alluded to his focus on remaining healthy and playing well in advance of the 2027 ODI World Cup, even though he resigned as ODI captain.

CEAT Cricket Rating Awards 2025: Full List of Winners, Rohit Sharma Receives Momento

At the 27th CEAT Cricket Rating Awards 2025 held in Mumbai, several Indian players were honored for their performances. Harsh Dubey won the CEAT Domestic Cricketer of the Year award for his outstanding display in domestic cricket. Angkrish Raghuvanshi received the Emerging Young Player of the Year award. Among women cricketers, Deepti Sharma was named the CEAT Womenâ€s International Bowler of the Year, while Smriti Mandhana earned the CEAT Womenâ€s International Batter of the Year award for her consistent performances.

For scoring the highest runs by an Indian player in the 2025 Champions Trophy, Shreyas Iyer was given a memento. Sanju Samson won the CEAT Menâ€s T20I Batter of the Year, and Varun Chakravarthy was honored as the CEAT Menâ€s T20I Bowler of the Year. Rohit as captain, received a special memento for leading India to victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Veteran spinner B.S. Chandrasekhar was presented with the CEAT Lifetime Achievement of the Year award for his contribution to Indian cricket.

Below is the complete list of winners for the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards 2025:

CategoryWinnerMemento for Winning CT 2025 as CaptainRohit SharmaMemento for the Highest Runs by an Indian Player in CT 2025Shreyas IyerCEAT Men’s T20I Batter of the YearSanju SamsonCEAT Men’s T20I Bowler of the YearVarun ChakravarthyCEAT Lifetime Achievement of the YearB.S. ChandrasekharCEAT Domestic Cricketer of the YearHarsh DubeyCEAT Men’s Test Bowler of the YearPrabath JayasuriyaEmerging Young Player of the YearAngkrish RaghuvanshiCEAT Women’s International Bowler of the YearDeepti SharmaCEAT Women’s International Batter of the YearSmriti Mandhana

The event will be broadcast on Star Sports and JioCinema/Hotstar on October 10, 2025, after the conclusion of the India vs West Indies 2nd Test.

FAQs

Q. What are the CEAT Awards?

A. The CEAT Awards were created to honor and reward cricket players’ yearly performances across all formats.

Q. Who was named Player of the Year at the CEAT Awards for Rohit Sharma?

A. Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar presented Rohit with the CEAT Player of the Year award.

Q. What is Rohit Sharma’s salary at CEAT?

A. Rohit receives between ₹3 and ₹4 crore annually from CEAT for promoting their brand, especially by wearing the CEAT logo on his cricket bat.

Q. Did Rohit Sharma use an MRF bat?

A. Rohit used an MRF bat early in his career, before using CEAT.

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