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Michael Rothstein
Michael Rothstein
ESPN Staff Writer
- Michael Rothstein, based in Atlanta, is a reporter on ESPN’s investigative and enterprise team. You can follow him via Twitter @MikeRothstein.
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William Weinbaum
William Weinbaum
ESPN
Dec 5, 2025, 06:21 PM ET
Major League Baseball began investigating Pete Rose in 1988, the year before it launched the full-blown, publicly announced probe that resulted in his banishment, according to newly released FBI documents. MLB, however, suspended its investigation at the request of federal law enforcement officials who were investigating Rose’s finances at the time.
The documents show that MLB suspected in 1988, months before the public became aware of any investigation, that Rose was betting on baseball and was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. MLB did not respond to an ESPN request for comment.
In February 1989, MLB hired John Dowd, a former federal prosecutor, to lead its investigation of Rose. The resulting Dowd Report led to Rose’s lifetime ban that August for betting on MLB games, including those of his own team. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred lifted Rose’s ban this May, eight months after the all-time hit leader’s death at age 83, making him eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The FBI file casts new light on the timeline for MLB’s decision to impose a lifetime ban on Rose for his gambling activity. Rose’s entry into the Hall of Fame remains in question despite his record-setting career.
As early as the 1970s, MLB looked into Rose for suspected associations with bookmakers, investigators said years later. But the investigation did not lead to any action against him.
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The new information from the FBI is part of its second release of documents in response to a request by ESPN. The bureau publicly releases some records it maintains on individuals, after their deaths, often with redactions. This heavily redacted batch of documents includes 93 deleted pages, although the majority of those listed were labeled as duplicates.
The government, per a memo in the files, asked MLB to suspend its investigation into Rose on April 13, 1988, due to concern that the “investigation might in some way impede the efforts of law enforcement.” That FBI memo, sent to the FBI’s Cincinnati office, had a subject line naming Ronald Peters, who was one of Rose’s bookmakers. The memo said the FBI didn’t discuss its Rose investigation in detail with an MLB representative it quoted, whose name was redacted.
That MLB representative, a source familiar with the investigation told ESPN this week, was former FBI agent Joe Daly. According to the FBI documents, the man identified by ESPN’s source as Daly spoke with the FBI about MLB’s investigation of Rose on April 12, 1988. The source said MLB was investigating Rose in 1988 for suspected betting on baseball.
Daly told the FBI that Rose was “reputedly $300,000 to $400,000 in debt at this date,” according to the documents.
According to the interview summary, Daly said that at the time, he “had found only one person” who alleged that Rose bet on MLB games.
The government asked MLB to suspend its investigation because the Internal Revenue Service was investigating Rose, the source said, adding that the FBI promised it would introduce MLB to a potentially crucial witness regarding Rose’s gambling. The source said that a few weeks after MLB agreed to suspend its probe, it got the green light to resume its efforts. The FBI followed through, providing the promised witness for MLB’s investigation.
Most of the newly released documents focus on the narcotics and bookmaking operation investigations into Peters during the mid-1980s. Rose’s gambling and financial habits were mentioned throughout the documents, including a reference to the IRS investigation.
The documents reference an FBI interview with Rose in April 1988 about sports memorabilia, specifically the bejeweled Hickok Belt Award that Rose won as professional athlete of the year for 1975. Rose served five months in federal prison after pleading guilty in 1990 to filing false tax returns related to income from his memorabilia sales, gambling and other activities.
Also referenced are organized crime figures in New York, but the documents do not state any link between Rose or Peters and the New York mob.
According to the rules of the Hall of Fame, the earliest consideration of Rose’s candidacy for Cooperstown would be in 2027, when he would be eligible for inclusion on the Classic Era Committee ballot. The 16-person committee is to meet that December and weigh eight candidates’ résumés, integrity, sportsmanship and character.
ESPN’s T.J. Quinn contributed to this report.
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The tight relationship between John Cena and Vince McMahon has been well publicized with Cena saying earlier this year that he still loves McMahon and doesn’t care who hears it.
That has led to speculation as to whether McMahon will be in attendance next Saturday when Cena wraps up his storied WWE career on Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, DC.
Our Bryan Alvarez reported Thursday that the current feeling that the chances McMahon attends are “increasingly unlikely — not impossible, but unlikely.”
McMahon’s last on-screen appearance came in June 2022 when he coincidentally introduced Cena in recognition of his 20th anniversary during an episode of Raw. The former TKO chairman has been working on his new company 14+I, a private investment firm with a focus on sports, media and entertainment.
The sexual misconduct & trafficking lawsuit filed against McMahon and WWE by Janel Grant in January 2024 is still ongoing as is the “ring boys” lawsuit against McMahon and his wife, Linda, claiming they were aware of the sexual abuse of young boys in the 1980s by the late ring announcer and crew chief Mel Phillips and failed to do anything about it.
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Josh Nason
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He’s a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.
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MADRID — For many teams, losing a three-time, reigning Ballon d’Or winner two days before a major final might be too much to cope with. But not for Spain.
Their talent pool runs deep, with more emerging all the time, and in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Germany in their second leg of the UEFA Women’s Nations League final, two more stars, goalscorers Clà udia Pina and Vicky López, were crowned.
For over an hour, the 55,843 crowd at the Metropolitano — a record attendance for Spain’s women’s team — had to wait. Perhaps some began to wonder if the presence of Aitana BonmatÃ, absent with a broken leg suffered in Sunday’s training, might have made the difference.
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There had been no goals in 90 minutes in Friday’s first leg in Kaiserslautern, and no goals here in Madrid. Spain were playing well, consistently creating chances, but lacking the kind of poise, vision and cool-headed end product which Bonmatà specializes in.
Then, in the 61st minute, Pina’s confident, low drive found the back of the net; the shot was too strong for keeper Ann-Katrin Berger’s glove to keep it out. As Pina sprinted off for an ecstatic, knee-sliding celebration, before being mobbed by teammates, the feeling at the Metropolitano was of relief, as well as joy.
Just as Germany had dominated the first leg, without converting that control into a victory, Spain had been well on top at the Metropolitano. They had nine first-half shots, some of which were hard-to-miss opportunities, but no breakthrough.
But now, it was party time. Spain were playing with a new freedom, a confidence that befits the world champions, and last year’s Nations League winners.
Seven minutes after Pina’s opener, winger López — awarded the Kopa trophy for the world’s best under-21 player earlier this year — received the ball midway inside Germany’s half, and burst forwards. A left-footed shot, curled into the top corner, made it 2-0.
Either strike would have been a worthy matchwinner, a memorable highlight of this final. But neither was the goal of the night. In the 74th minute, with Spain now rampant and Germany demoralised, Pina won the ball on the halfway line, and ran straight at a tiring, retreating defence, calmly scooping a shot over Berger from the edge of the box.
The result was now beyond doubt. Pina was the final’s MVP, thanks to her two goals; López, 19, was its most thrilling talent whenever she got on the ball. Both players are proof that even without BonmatÃ, and with a subdued Alexia Putellas slowly fading in influence, Spain’s future is bright.
Another trophy for the reigning world champions as Spain pick up their second Women’s Nations League. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
The hosts’ threat had been evident as early as the fifth minute, when — thanks to an early evening kickoff — many fans were still making their way to their seats in the Metropolitano stands. Gotham FC’s Esther González, usually such a reliable finisher, skewed her shot across goal and wide, when in behind the defence, drawing groans from the crowd.
A minute later, Putellas had a header saved by Berger. Not long afterwards, López’s cross was unable to find González, waiting in front of goal for a straightforward finish. Many of Spain’s best moments came from López, who was brought into the team by coach Sonia Bermúdez to replace BonmatÃ. It was the only change to the first leg Spain XI, and it wasn’t like-for-like.
López — one of eight Barcelona players in the team — is a very different player. She is a true winger, relying on pace and direct running, rather than BonmatÃ’s midfield guile.
Here, she tormented Germany’s left-hand side. With 40 minutes played, her inviting cross into the six-yard box was unmet. Then she curled a shot onto the roof of the net herself, before playing in Mariona Caldentey, whose effort was saved by Berger.
The second half saw more of the same: López getting into promising positions, as Spain were unable to capitalize. For the first time, there was some frustration from the Metropolitano crowd when the winger burst inside, into the box, but her pass found a defender.
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All of that frustration evaporated with Pina’s goal, and the two more that followed. The remaining minutes were to be enjoyed, free of pressure. There was an ovation for Jenni Hermoso, as she was introduced as an 80th-minute substitute, and for Pina, as she departed in the final minutes.
After the whistle, as Spain were handed the Nations League trophy on the pitch, the team were bathed in a shower of sparkling, golden confetti. It was fitting for this golden generation: the 2023 world champions, 2024 Nations League winners, and Euro 2025 finalists.
Spain have gotten used to winning. But this is a first trophy for Bermúdez, who replaced Montse Tomé in August. And as the build-up begins to the 2027 World Cup, it is a reminder that even when they’re missing superstars like BonmatÃ, this is still a serious team.
The Knicks were defeated by the Boston Celtics 123-117 on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Here are some takeaways…
– The Knicks have been up-and-down on the road this season, but they got off to about as good a start as you could ask for in this one. Josh Hart continued his strong play, dropping 11 points in the first seven minutes, and New York knocked down four of their first seven attempts from downtown to quickly open a double-digit advantage.
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– The Celtics’ offense finally found their footing after an early timeout, but New York’s hot shooting continued. Boston turned to the ‘Hack-A-Mitch’ strategy on Mitchell Robinson in an effort to slow down the momentum in down the stretch in the first, but they still found themselves trailing by 11 after 12 minutes.
– The second quarter was a much different story. The Knicks put together one of their worst quarters of the season, losing their composure after some foul calls didn’t go their way, and Boston was able to take advantage. The Celtics used a long run to cut into the deficit, and eventually open an advantage of their own, which they carried into the break (58-52).
– Boston outscored the Knicks 37-20 in the middle frame; their leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, was responsible for 18 of those points, as he finally found his touch after going just 2-for-5 from the field in the opening quarter.
– The Celtics were able to keep the momentum going coming out of the break. New York eventually found their groove and was able to get the deficit down to six points, but Brown led Boston on another scoring barrage and they carried their largest lead of the game into the final frame (18).
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– The Knicks’ second unit helped them regain some momentum in the opening minutes of the fourth. The starters then returned to the court, and behind Mikal Bridges‘ hot shooting and Karl-Anthony Towns‘ three-point play, they were able to cut the deficit all the way back down to three points.
– Clutch buckets from Towns, Hart, and Bridges helped New York hang around down the stretch. The Celtics received big plays of their own from Jordan Walsh and Brown in the closing minutes, though, and they were able to just barely hang on for the victory. Brown finished with a game-high 42 points on 16-of-24 from the field.
– Derrick White knocked down four threes, Walsh had eight points on a perfect night from the field and six rebounds.
– Jalen Brunson tied his season-high with 11 assists, but shot an inefficient 6-of-21 from the field (15 points). With the captain struggling it was Bridges who led the way for the Knicks’ offense, finishing with 35 points on 12-of-17 from the field and 8-of-12 from three-point land.
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– Towns had 29 points and brought in seven boards, Hart ended with 19 and seven boards of his own.
Game MVP: Jaylen Brown
Brown took things over after a quiet first quarter, finishing with a game-high 42 points.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks return to MSG to host the Hornets on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
With two weeks of Gold Rush now over, WWE NXT is back tonight with its Deadline go-home show.
An eight-man tag team match headlines tonight’s card with Je’Von Evans, Myles Borne, Leon Slater & Joe Hendry taking on DarkState. The bout features all five of the men’s Iron Survivor Challenge competitors, with Evans, Borne, Slater, Hendry, and Dion Lennox set to face off at Saturday’s PLE.
The women’s Iron Survivor participants — Kelani Jordan, Sol Ruca, Jordynne Grace, Lola Vice, and Kendal Grey — will meet for a summit in advance of their upcoming match. The Iron Survivor bouts at Deadline will determine future challengers for the NXT Championship and NXT Women’s Championship.
Jacy Jayne is the NXT Women’s Champion once again after winning the belt from Tatum Paxley at Gold Rush. The Culling will address their betrayal of Paxley tonight.
Plus, Tavion Heights vs. Josh Briggs is set to take place on the episode. Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
**********
NXT is on the air from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando with a live studio audience. Vic Joseph is commentary as usual, but Booker T is not on the show this week. Instead, Corey Graves is back on NXT for tonight’s episode.
In the ring is NXT General Manger Ava, and she is joined by the participants of the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge. Sol Ruca, Jordynne Grace, Kelani Jordan, Lola Vice and WWE Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey are in the ring for a summit of sorts.
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SEVEN WEEKS AFTER his 23rd birthday, Chet Holmgren won his first NBA title. Ten days after celebrating it, Holmgren estimated, he forced himself back into the gym.
“Nothing’s worse for your body than not training,” Holmgren told ESPN. “I learned that being on bed rest for six weeks watching my muscle just f—ing wash away.”
Almost everything about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s dream ride to a 2025 NBA championship is remembered with radiance. But there’s some gloom within Holmgren’s retelling. It included the proudest and the darkest chapter of his basketball life.
Last November, in the Thunder’s 10th regular-season game, Holmgren rotated to contest a baseline drive by Golden State Warriors wing Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins squared up a leaping Holmgren at the wrong angle, using an extended elbow to send the aggressive but skinny shot blocker careening toward the court on a parallel descent.
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Hip met hardwood. Holmgren fractured his pelvis and writhed in agony. His two biggest teammates, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams, followed the training staff to his aid, carrying the franchise center to the locker room and staying with him as he came to grips with the diagnosis. He went to the hospital that night. Hartenstein visited him.
“In my career, that’s the first time I really saw someone in that much pain,” Hartenstein said.
Holmgren, who returned for the Thunder’s title run after sitting out 39 games, has already checked a pair of boxes that most premium lottery picks spend their entire career chasing. Three summers after he was drafted No. 2 in 2022, he has been a major contributor on an NBA champion and, in July, signed a five-year, $240.7 million contract extension.
Holmgren is a proven and paid winner but is still in the infancy of his NBA development. He has appeared in fewer regular-season games (131), for example, than Amen Thompson (148), the Houston Rockets wing drafted No. 4 in 2023.
Holmgren’s hunger for a personal leap is helping drive the Thunder’s powerful repeat effort this season. In previous seasons, his extended absences partly opened the door for Jalen Williams to become the team’s second All-Star.
But Williams sat out the first 19 games this season dealing with a wrist injury, partly opening the door for Holmgren to stretch his legs. The Thunder have sprinted to a 20-1 record with a historic point differential (15.5). Holmgren is averaging a career-high 18.2 points.
“We don’t really have anybody on the team who is just sitting and reminiscing on what a great career they had,” Holmgren said. “I think everyone on the team is striving and chasing for more. The championship wasn’t the last check on their bucket list.”
Oklahoma City big man Chet Holmgren is averaging a career-high 18.2 points this season. The Thunder are an NBA-best 20-1. Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images
HARTENSTEIN WAS OUT when the Thunder opened last season in Denver. That meant Holmgren was matched up at center against Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP.
It was a perfect showcase for the work he’d put in between his second and third seasons.
“We’d lost in the second round [against Dallas],” Holmgren said. “Four-and-a-half month offseason. I took one weekend vacation. That’s it. I worked so hard. I was seeing it pay off.”
Holmgren had 25 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks in a dominant win over the Nuggets. He held Jokic to 16 points. Two nights later, Holmgren had 21, 16 and 2 blocks in Chicago. The next night, he had 25, 9 and 6 blocks in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. The leap was materializing.
“He would’ve been in contention for Defensive Player of the Year,” Hartenstein said. “He had a chance to make an All-Star team. So I think that’s probably another mental factor. You have to go through the what ifs.”
Two nights before he cracked his hip, Holmgren punished the Houston front line for 29 points in 29 minutes. The blowout pushed the Thunder to 8-1.
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“Then boom,” Holmgren emphasized. “Backward. It’s just so disheartening.”
Holmgren compared his first month after the fractured hip to solitary confinement. He spent a week in the hospital and then three more stuck in his oversized bed, ordered to lay on his left side and move as little as possible to ensure healing.
“You don’t want people to be around you because you’re miserable,” Holmgren said. “You can’t go do anything. You’re not even living, you’re just surviving.
“That’s something I don’t think fans realize about some of these real f—ed up injuries.”
Holmgren sat out his entire first season because of a Lisfranc injury, but even that longer rehab was more bearable because it was more mobile and social. Most NBA injuries come with a freedom to be around the team and work out other areas of the body. On bed rest, as Holmgren put it, you just watch the growth and muscle “waste away.”
“Then you have another two weeks on crutches,” Holmgren grumbles. “Which, basically, it’s like parole from bed rest.”
IN THE DIMMING glow of that late June championship, after those 10 days away from the grind, Holmgren entered the gym intent on building back specific areas of his body and game.
To do that, he queued up tape. Holmgren returned in February from the hip fracture, figured out how to comfortably play the power forward position next to Hartenstein, who was signed in the offseason to reinforce OKC’s frontline, and reintegrated admirably as a winning player on a runaway train in motion.
He started all 23 playoff games, averaged 15.2 points in 29.8 minutes and finished second among all players with 43 postseason blocks. But he hated the film.
“The worst person to talk to about his good performances is him,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He’s a perfectionist.”
Holmgren made only 29.7% of his playoff 3s. He saw a lagging release. He was held below 10 points in three of the seven Finals games. He’d watch himself run and cut and just didn’t see the athlete or playmaker he knows himself to be. Instead, he saw hesitancy.
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“I look slow out there,” Holmgren said. “It felt slow, too. I didn’t have my pop and my movement at all.”
On a night that will partially come to define the legacies of those within this burgeoning Thunder era — Game 7 to win their first title — Holmgren had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks. When the Thunder separated from the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter, Holmgren was all over the place. Four of his five blocks and 13 of his 18 points came after halftime.
“The best framework to look at him is through the lens of floor and ceiling,” Daigneault said. “That game is just a great example of the floor of the player. The guy just changed the game. I mean he blocks five, but he alters another probably two or three. Then he deters a few more because they won’t even go in there. So all of a sudden you’re taking 10 quality shots away in the biggest game of the season. You’re removing those because of his presence.”
Holmgren, even when compromised, is a 7-foot floor spacer defenses respect even when he’s missing shots. On the other end, he has been among the elite rim protectors the moment he stepped into the league.
For his career, he has given up a 46.4% effective field goal percentage as the contesting defender, third best among those to contest 2,000 shots in that span, behind only Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. This season, per GeniusIQ, Holmgren has held opponents to 39.9% as the contesting defender, best among the 42 players to contest at least 250 shots.
“He’s always got all that,” Daigneault said. “But then there’s still a ceiling for him because he’s such a young player. He has only played [131] games in his career. So we view him as a guy that is developmental still. And it sounds weird to say that because usually that is associated with guys who haven’t accomplished what he has.”
Jalen Williams, right, made his season debut Friday coming off of offseason wrist surgery, powering the Thunder to their 11th consecutive win. Holmgren had 23 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37. William Purnell/Getty Images
WINNING IS OFTEN rewarded in the NBA. Holmgren pushed hard in his hip rehab to get back as quickly as possible — needing just under three months — and pushed through discomfort to help muscle the Thunder over the finish line. Less than a month later, on July 9, they planted that monster contract offer on his table. He accepted.
“I never played basketball for the financials of it,” Holmgren said. “Obviously it’s a blessing. I can take care of my family for a long time. But I never did it for any amount of money. So my urgency to get out on the court and play has nothing to do with needing to get paid or finally being paid.”
But the changing financials will be the next story of this evolving Thunder team. This season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren make a combined $58.5 million. Next season, they’ll make a combined $123.8 million. The season after, it’ll be a combined $150.6 million.
As they take up an increasing percentage of the salary cap, Thunder general manager Sam Presti will inevitably be forced to be stingier with the rest of the rotation and roster, even with a treasure trove of draft assets.
That makes Holmgren’s ultimate ceiling a greater part of the bigger picture. What can he become as he ages into the middle of his prime? The signs early this season have been positive. His raw scoring production is up. His 55.5% shooting is a career high. He says he feels better physically, and his superstar teammate also feel it.
“He just doesn’t fade physically,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN. “His moves are stronger throughout the game. Naturally, he’s going to walk into 15, 17 points a night. Then as he continues to get stronger, he will develop his low post and midpost game, kind of the way Dirk Nowitzki did.”
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Holmgren is finishing better than ever around the rim. He has made 75% of his dunks and layups, up from 63% last season. Daigneault also called one of the Thunder’s internal stats on Holmgren “very encouraging.”
“He’s taking a higher percent of his open shots than he did last year,” Daigneault said. “About 10% higher by raw percentages. I think it’s gone to 73 [percent] from 62 [percent] by our numbers.”
Williams returned to the lineup this week. In his first two games back, Holmgren still had 23 and 19 points on a combined 17-of-28 shooting. The two work well together, especially as the combo engine of second units when Gilgeous-Alexander sits.
But Williams’ climb in usage as he reintegrates will inevitably eat into everybody else’s, including Holmgren’s. It’ll be the latest balance for Holmgren to strike, as he tries grow into the individual player he wants to be within the needed confines of a juggernaut.
“The sky’s the limit,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He can take this game and his game wherever he wants it.”
SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
Earlier this month on the ProWres Paradise podcast right here at PWTorch VIP, in the midst of discussing Eddie Guerrero, Case Lowe and I took a detour into a topic that weâ€re both very passionate about. Through the lens of Eddieâ€s work we mused on how standards and attention to detail are at a worryingly declined level in 2025 and how so much of what made Guerrero great has been forgotten, ignored or even gone over the head of modern wrestlers in favor of mimicking his two or three most Pavlovian spots.
Throughout the show, as we analyzed four somewhat unheralded Guerrero bouts, we remarked on one thing after another that Guerrero did that made us ask the question of why we donâ€t see that anymore. The simplest of things from the way he staggered selling a move, to the most beautiful baseball slide youâ€ll ever see, and countless others. Sequences with La Parka and Jushin Thunder Liger which left us in awe. There was so much on display that made us frustrated about what we see in the wrestling rings of the world as we turn the corner to 2026.
While I think all our points were valid, and I stand by everything I said, I also think it probably came across as unfairly negative. I think the care we have for wrestling and the standards we hold it to took a hold of us. We certainly donâ€t think all modern wrestling is degenerative slop, and I wouldnâ€t want people to think that. If it was true, I wouldnâ€t be watching, talking or writing.
Amidst the muck, there are a whole lot of wrestlers who I think are going about things in a better way. Wrestlers, who might not be shimmying their shoulders before doing a terrible frog splash, but are actually doing far more justice to the spirit of Eddy Guerrero in ways people probably donâ€t realise.
These are wrestlers who clearly hold their work to a high standard, put thought and effort into the details of what they do, and try to present as a unique, not just copying the dozen guys beside them who are all doing the same tropes and achieving mixed versions of the same results.
In an effort to win back some positivity points, in this piece I want to showcase some of these wrestlers. Some obvious, some maybe not.
Zack Sabre Jr.
If one modern pro wrestler sums up the essence of what Iâ€m trying to convey itâ€s Zack. He is the gold standard. He has a (well-founded) confidence in his base as a technical wrestler that it allows him to explore many different avenues in his work. Whether itâ€s counters or holds heâ€s coming up with on the fly, or reacting to big strike in a way that adds a new layer of intensity to a match, he always knows if things go wonky, heâ€s got the skills to put things back together and get the match back on track.
Darby Allin
Obviously itâ€s the wild stunts that get Darby most of his attention but what I enjoy most about him as a performer is the unique snappy way he moves around the ring when on offence and of course the way he moves when dying a thousand deaths during heat segments. There have been so many wrestlers with Darbyâ€s frame that could have never been credible main eventers, but he can as heâ€s found a really special way of physically working between the bells which works perfectly for a character whose central core is his relentlessness.
Mad Dog Connelly
If youâ€ve never seen Mad Dog Connelly, heâ€s an experience. A throwback brawler who does it in a way that would make Buzz Sawyer proud (if he were not a miserable piece of shit…. RIP Buzz). Check out his recent match with Dom Garrini in Deadlock or of course the incredible Dog Collar match with Demus on the first Action: DEAN show in April 2024. Visceral, aggressive and more serious than a lot of fans are comfortable with in modern wrestling (good!).
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Chihiro Hashimoto
In this piece Iâ€ll probably speak about movement to an annoying degree. But to me itâ€s such an integral part of being a professional wrestler. It was integral to what made Eddy Guerrero the wrestler he was. But itâ€s so undervalued in terms of discussing what makes great wrestlers great and terrible wrestlers terrible. Chihiro Hashimoto has better movement than all but a handful of wrestlers walking the earth. The heiress to Meiko Satomura in Sendai Girls, Hashimoto came into wrestling a decade ago with an accomplished amateur background and a skill-set that made her a natural. She was one of the best womenâ€s wrestlers going within three years of her debut and I would argue sheâ€s been the best for a while. Itâ€s Hashimotoâ€s power and suplex technique which she makes her name off, but her speed and ability to change levels which most impress me. Sheâ€s so fluid, but always in an aggressive and intense way. When she takes hold of an opponent for a move, it never looks co-operative. It looks like sheâ€s snatching a tree out of the ground by the roots. I love watching her work. The recent match with Sareee on Hashâ€s 10 year anniversary show is one to seek out if you want to see her operating at full throttle.
Adam Priest
Maybe the person in AEW who Iâ€m most wanting to see get an opportunity to spread their wings in 2026. This yearâ€s Continental Classic was always going to be too soon for the Alabama native given his current station in the promotion, but one of my biggest wishes for 2026 is for Priest to make next yearâ€s field. Heâ€s the definition of a thinking manâ€s wrestler and I feel like heâ€d put more mental effort into his match to match storytelling than anyone else. But it would be simple stuff. The calling card of Adam Priest isnâ€t wild, crazy, outside the box ideas. Itâ€s smart, little things which make you think “wow, I canâ€t believe nobodyâ€s ever thought to do that before!â€. The guy just sees things that others donâ€t and when he shows them to you itâ€s eye opening. A joy to watch him ply his trade. And for such an effective dirtbag heel on the indies, heâ€s been a shockingly great plucky babyface thus far in AEW.
Yuya Uemura
Out of all the wrestlers Iâ€ll write about here, thereâ€s one who has essentially openly expressed what Iâ€m talking about. Thatâ€s NJPWâ€s Yuya Uemura. Prior to his G1 match with his contemporary Ryohei Oiwa, Uemura spoke about how he wanted to display a style of wrestling that was in his mind what wrestling should be. He didnâ€t explicitly say “simple†or “more thoughtful†but you could read through the lines, and you certainly saw what he was talking about when he and Oiwa put it on display in front of a Korakuen Hall crowd which ate it up. One of my favourite matches of 2025, and I hope Yuya gets to show this on a main event stage on a more regular basis next year.
Pac
For one of the most spectacular and innovative high flyers of all time, Pac has done one hell of a job of remodeling himself as a mat based mauler. Heâ€s taken this to another level since coming back with his new look in September. The package just works so well now. Iâ€m not breaking any news by telling anyone Pacâ€s execution is elite level, but I like how heâ€s still put new wrinkles into his arsenal. A fine example is the recent lariat heâ€s been doing where he runs the ropes back and forth as his opponent slowly finds his feet. Nobody was doing that. But itâ€s so simple. I want more young wrestlers thinking like that.
Callum Newman
Okay, Callum haters, calm down. Hear me out for a second. I too would have never considered the young Brit for a list like this a year ago. For many he was the stereotypical “Will Ospreay cloneâ€. I would have pushed back against that to a degree given that he was Ospreayâ€s actual protégé but Iâ€ll concede he wasnâ€t a great example of what weâ€re talking about here. However, what Iâ€ve been seeing very recently from Callum is EXACTLY what I want to see, and heâ€s an example of a young wrestler actually adapting and adopting a more interesting way of going about things. Newmanâ€s at a real crossroads, in his early career and thereâ€s a lot of question marks about where he stands in New Japan. But the way heâ€s wrestling, with an aggressiveness and a chip on his shoulder to me is the best route he can go to make people take notice. Now Iâ€m not one of his co-workers, and I could certainly believe it if I was told he might actually be over-stepping his bounds (see his crazy slap on a Young Lion ring attendant a few weeks ago). Maybe heâ€s doing himself no favours professionally, but as a fan I sure am enjoying what Iâ€m seeing!
Jacky Kamei
Before it essentially became the seeds that bloomed into the globalised wrestling style worldwide, Dragongateâ€s wrestlers regularly blew the minds of fans who were seeing them for the first time. Guys like Masato Yoshino, Dragon Kid, CIMA and Genki Horiguchi left a trail of jaws on the floor in their primes, but as good as the modern Dragongate roster is, itâ€s very difficult for them to have the same impact. If thereâ€s one guy who I think you could put on Dynamite or into a Best Of Super Juniors and have him become the talk of wrestling (for as long as the modern news cycle allows anyway) itâ€s Jacky Kamei. I would describe him as a blend of 1996 Rey Misterio Jr. and 2011 PAC. Iâ€m not sure I can come up with a better complement for a babyface high flyer. Only problem is we canâ€t let him out of the house unless he dresses himself properly. Jackyâ€s gear is as bad as his top rope frankensteiner is majestic.
Kushida
My man canâ€t get no respect! I feel like the last man standing when it comes to Kushida fans. Every discussion of him since like 2018 seems to be coated in this idea that heâ€s stale and boring. While I get that in terms of character and presentation, I just donâ€t see it when it comes to his work. He is always doing little things that make his matches interesting all while being able to flow seamlessly from underdog babyface to an aggressive bully at the drop of a hat. I thought he looked world class in his Super Jr. Tag League match with Yuki Yoshioka against Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita. Kushida wonâ€t just put a guy in a hold, heâ€ll grind his knuckles in, heâ€ll switch positioning and he’ll plot ahead to whateverâ€s coming next in terms of his opponent countering or continuing on offense. I take great comfort knowing that heâ€s the head trainer in New Japanâ€s LA Dojo.
I could probably list a dozen more wrestlers, but maybe thatâ€s for another day. Thereâ€s plenty of guys and girls out there doing good work. We just need more of them (you can never have too many), and we as fans and observers need to have higher standards to encourage this. So next time youâ€re watching a match, put the phone away, stop waiting for the next “familiar†spot that has a pavlovian response attached to it and reward the wrestlers putting in the effort to give you as a fan an authentic experience. Conversely, realize when youâ€re being fed interchangeable slop and donâ€t be afraid to call it out for what it is.
After winning six of seven games on their road trip, the New York Islanders have lost four of their first five games to start their seven-game homestand.
While the game outcomes tell one story, head coach Patrick Roy remains confident in his squad, which is still 13-10-3 and tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card spot.
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“Sometimes after games there’s nothing to be said,†said Roy.
“And I think today is an example. We did everything right. We had a lot of shots and we had a lot of chances. We just came up short. We could find excuses. I get it. I mean, the standard of our team is to win hockey games and do the right thing, but sometimes we just need to continue to play the way we are and believe that things will go our way.â€
Stefen Rosner asked Roy if he’s noticed anything different from the way they’ve played on their recent road trip to how they are playing right now.
“I feel like we played pretty much the same way,” Roy said. “Actually, we might give more shots on the road than at home, but other than this, I feel like we’ve been playing the same kind of hockey. I really do. Did the puck bounce our way, maybe a little more on the road, maybe, yes — obviously, we score more goals. But I mean, I felt like we played really well defensively. I thought on the trip where we won, what six out of the seven, I mean, the game that we lost was the game we played our best. And we’ve been playing some good hockey, and unfortunately, we don’t win.”
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There is no doubt the Islanders’ finishing has struggled in their recent stretch, shooting at just a 3.49% rate, but is the rest of their game there?
During the first five games of their home stand, the Islanders have had 69.1 shot attempts per 60 minutes, 12.39 of which from higher-danger areas. Both of these metrics are significantly higher than their road trip, where they had 50.23 and 9.57, respectively, according to Natural Stat Trick.
At 5v5, the numbers are closer: 63.02 to 48.39 in shot attempts and 10.98 to 9.27 in high danger shot attempts.
Natural Stat Trick’s expected goals model also has the Islanders generating 3.8 expected goals per 60 minutes at all strengths during the home stand, as opposed to 2.9 on the road trip.
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However, the Islanders have scored just 1.16 goals per 60 minutes amid this stretch, while they scored 3.38 on the road trip.
Roy said himself, following the Islanders’ 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in their third game of the homestand on Nov 26, that the shot quality had to improve, and this is something expected goals models struggle to pick up as they track location on the ice but not the location on the net.
Fortunately for the Islanders, the chances are there, and at the very least, the defense has been much improved.
During the homestand, the Islanders have conceded just 18.19 shots per 60 minutes compared to 29.13 on the road trip — an over 10 shot improvement.
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They have also conceded 5.81 fewer high danger shot attempts per 60 minutes, down to 9.1 from 14.91.
On the season, the Islanders are shooting 9.75% — the sixth lowest in the NHL — yet this is still over 6% higher than their stretch on the homestand.
Roy has said himself that there are no moral victories and the goal remains to win hockey games, but fans and the team should hold optimism that, at the very least, the data is promising.
Dressed in all gray with a beanie and glasses, Tyrese Maxey explained that he was out of breath, feeling as if he had just played a full quarter of NBA basketball.
Except, Maxey hadn’t bounced any basketballs or attacked the rim. The Philadelphia 76ers star guard instead was directing multiple dogs through the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Agility Show, a part of the 2025 National Dog Show.
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Maxey participated in the agility course in a Nov. 16 show taping in front of roughly 15,000 spectators at the Kennel Club of Philadelphia. He ran two dogs — Howie and Spike — through the course, with his performance to air on NBC on Thanksgiving Day. Howie is an 8-year-old border collie, while Spike is a 2-year-old border collie papillion.
“It was really fun. They got me out here sweating. Like I just played a whole quarter. I think I’m going to stick to staying on the court,” he said on the NBC broadcast.
The course included two tunnels and weave poles, multiple agility hurdles and a tire for the dogs to jump through. Maxey, who was unavailable for an interview, held a toy and directed Howie and Spike through the obstacles with commands such as “jump,” “tunnel” and “weave, weave, weave, weave.” Maxey’s turn on the course occurred after the breed judging and before the National Dog Show group judging.
Show officials previously reached out to the 76ers to see if any player would be interested in participating, NBC Sports producer Alexa Maremaa told ESPN. Maxey, an NBA All-Star in 2024, has three dogs and had previous experience on a dog agility course.
In 2024, Maxey appeared in a State Farm commercial with the Players Tribune, learning dog training skills from Perry DeWitt and Jessica Ajoux, two professional agility trainers. DeWitt was part of the 2025 dog show, making it a “perfect melding of the worlds,” Maremaa said.
The producers wanted Maxey to arrive early for a tour of the space. Similarly, he wanted to look around himself, specifically to find dog breeds such as the cane corsos — one of the breeds he owns — and bullmastiffs.
Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey participated in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Agility Show, a part of the 2025 National Dog Show. Steven Donahue/National Dog Show
“His face lit up just like when they were walking towards each other like these big old dogs and you know, they’re slobbering,” Maremaa said. “He ate it up. He’s clearly a dog lover.”
With the various obstacles and carpets on the course, Maremaa worried that Maxey might injure himself.
“I frankly was afraid that he was going to trip and fall on the carpet,” she said. “Like the Sixers were going to have an issue with this. … You’re running alongside a dog, and you’re not really looking where you’re going, there’s a tunnel in your way and like all this stuff.”
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Agility professionals at the show helped pick which dogs would be best for Tyrese. They settled on a smaller dog that “might yap at him because they thought that might be fun,” Maremaa said, and one of the bigger dogs that was low maintenance.
Once the dogs were picked, it was time to begin taping. Maxey asked if he could walk through the course with the pros and practice commands for each section.
“There’s only so much you can control with these dogs. … So, I think doing that dry run with the pros and just making sure he knew, ‘OK tunnel here, weave here,’ set him up for success,” Meramaa said.
It typically takes professionals with their own professional dogs 18 to 21 seconds to run through the course.
Maxey’s first run with Howie took 41 seconds after the dog became more interested in a toy than weaving, leading to a mini tug-of-war with Maxey. His second run with Spike — which Maremaa thought looked “real smooth” — resulted in a commendable time of 30 seconds.
“We wanted to give him two shots with two different dogs just to see if it would be an improvement or a difference, and the second dog was faster,” she said.
Though there were no plans to have Maxey return to an agility course in the future, the affection he displayed for dogs left the door open.
“Any time you can showcase somebody who has that passion,” Maremaa said. “It’s not a bad thing.”
There were several firsts on Wednesday for the Pittsburgh Penguins when they took on the Buffalo Sabres in an important Thanksgiving Eve matchup.
The most prominent first was, obviously, the first NHL game of Penguins’ center Tristan Broz’s career, and he put forth a nice effort for Pittsburgh. It was also forward Ville Koivunen’s first game back from injury, and he and Broz – frequent linemates in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) – had the opportunity to play on the same line for the first time at the NHL level.
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But there was another player who was playing his first game after a stint on injured reserve. And he was the most important player on the ice for the Penguins en route to a 4-2 win.
With Buffalo pressing big-time in the second half of the game, Penguins’ goaltender Tristan Jarry stood tall, keeping his team in the game and making some huge saves. He stopped 28 of 31 Buffalo shots on goal, and he was the main reason the Penguins got back in the win column Wednesday after dropping two straight games.
“He was outstanding,” head coach Dan Muse said. “And I think, especially the second half of the game, he saw a lot more than we’d want him to see. But even in the second period, the first – I don’t know exactly what it was, but – the first half of the period, there wasn’t much for scoring chances for them. I thought we controlled play, and then, it kind of flipped.
“That’s not easy for a goalie. You go a lot of the period there without seeing too much, and then suddenly, you see a lot. I thought that was a huge part of the game there where he was able to help us weather the storm with some big saves – especially that really long, extended shift that we had in the d-zone there in the second period.”
‘He’s A Great Player’: Tristan Broz Confirmed To Make NHL Debut Wednesday Against Buffalo Sabres
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There was no score – and not a whole lot of shots – for most of the first period until Penguins’ defenseman Matt Dumba threw a knuckling puck from the right circle through a screen and toward the net and in. The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Penguins through the end of the second period, too, despite Buffalo beginning to push in the latter half of the middle frame.
Then – when the Sabres just kept pressing in the third period – the tying goal felt almost inevitable. And ex-Penguin Jason Zucker did register that tally with 7:20 to go in regulation.
The Penguins have certainly been in that position – the aftermath of a blown lead – plenty of times in the month of November. But, this time, they responded the right way.
Just 31 seconds later, Bryan Rust buried one from the right circle to put Pittsburgh back on top, 2-1, and less than four minutes later, Kevin Hayes added an insurance goal and his first of the season in the form of a net-front redirection off of a gorgeous feed from Erik Karlsson.
Buffalo’s Jack Quinn did bring the Sabres within one with just over four minutes to go in regulation, but Connor Dewar responded with a late empty-net goal to seal the 4-2 win.
Here are a few takeaways from this win:
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– There were ups and downs for Broz in his debut. He didn’t have a great defensive zone showing on Buffalo’s tying goal, and there were some jitters and adjustments earlier on in the game.
But, by the end of it, he looked like he belonged. And he looked comfortable with both Koivunen and Tommy Novak.
We’ll see how everyone lines up Friday when the Penguins play the Columbus Blue Jackets, as – presumably – rookie Ben Kindel will be back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch Wednesday.
– Speaking of Kindel’s scratch, I had no issue with it.
Yes, the Penguins have not played a lot of games lately, and resting him might seem silly to some because the Penguins hadn’t played since Saturday.
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But, remember this: The Penguins originally had a development plan in place for both Kindel and rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke, and that kind of went off the tracks for both of them in opposite ways. While Brunicke found himself scratched for seven consecutive games on his way to an AHL conditioning stint that began Wednesday against the Hershey Bears, Kindel found himself as an essential part of the lineup because of the Penguins’ injury situation, which means they couldn’t really give him any planned breaks.
Penguins Loan Top Defensive Prospect Harrison Brunicke To AHL
Wednesday was an example of them simply having the ability – for the first time in a while – to actually follow through on their development plan. With Broz able to slot in at third-line center, Kindel could afford to have a night off.
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So, I wouldn’t read into it too much, and I expect him back Friday. However, one thing I would keep in the back of your mind is that – especially if Broz does end up sticking around and the team continues to get healthier – it’s no guarantee that Kindel won’t play in the World Junior Championship.
I feel it’s probably still unlikely for several reasons, but I wouldn’t rule it out entirely.
– Dumba has looked a bit better in the last couple of games, and I think he’s at his best when he’s getting pucks to the net.
Of course, his goal Wednesday wasn’t the hardest shot in the world, but Dumba does have a booming shot that he could sure use a whole lot more than he does. If he continues to activate more in the offensive zone, I think we’ll see a better version of him moving forward.
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I thought he was good Wednesday.
– Rust really needed a goal. And, man, was that goal huge.
For him personally, it had been going on seven games without a goal and six games without a point. Rust tends to score in bunches, and the Penguins really need him to score goals right now in the absence of Rickard Rakell and Justin Brazeau.
Hopefully, this gets him going.
Team-wise? The Penguins very well could have deflated entirely after surrendering yet another third-period lead. Instead, they responded with a quick goal and added another insurance goal in pretty quick order, almost as if to say, “Not this time.”
When a team is mired in a funk, winning games this way can really help to boost morale and propel them forward, especially with a tough, condensed schedule ahead. The Penguins responded, and they hung on.
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And it started with Rust’s goal.
– Over 77 percent of the time in the NHL, teams in a playoff spot come Thanksgiving do indeed make the playoffs.
With a Utah Mammoth comeback against the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday, the Penguins are officially in a playoff spot come Thanksgiving.
A lot can happen this season, obviously. But remember this.
It’s no small thing that the Penguins are tied for third in the NHL in regulation wins, which is the first tiebreaker. It’s no small thing that – despite a rough November where their luck has run out – they still hold a winning record and seem to be in almost every hockey game, save for a few. And it’s no small thing that they’ve been able to scratch and claw and still bank points – and hold a playoff position – despite being severely injury-depleted during this tough stretch.
The Penguins will be getting much healthier soon. Brazeau and Noel Acciari skated with the team Wednesday in a non-contact capacity. Koivunen is back. Jarry is back. Rakell is skating on his own. Hallander is skating. Rutger McGroarty is tearing up the AHL with three goals and five points in three games.
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If they continue to get the goaltending – and they get healthy – maybe, just maybe, this is actually a good hockey team. There is still a lot to clean up defensively, and they need to start scoring a whole lot more goals again.
But it’s possible that we’ve seen the worst of it. Of course, that might not be the case, and the sport of hockey has an unpredictability that makes it fun and unique.
So, all I will say – for now – is that something does feel different about this team. There is a different air in the locker room. There is a different kind of fight in this group.
We’ll just have to see where it takes them.
Penguins’ Top Prospect Rutger McGroarty Extends AHL Goal-Scoring Streak
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/penguins-top-prospect-rutger-mcgroarty-extends-ahl-goal-scoring-streak" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Penguins' Top Prospect Rutger McGroarty Extends AHL Goal-Scoring Streak Pittsburgh Penguins‘ top prospect Rutger McGroarty can’t stop scoring goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “> Penguins’ Top Prospect Rutger McGroarty Extends AHL Goal-Scoring Streak Pittsburgh Penguins‘ top prospect Rutger McGroarty can’t stop scoring goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.
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