Browsing: speed

By Ella Jay

Oct. 21, 2025 9:52 pm EST

WWE

With the WWE Women’s and Men’s Speed Championships recently moving to the “WWE NXT” brand, new contenders were named. At “NXT” No Mercy, Sol Ruca successfully defended the women’s title against Jaida Parker. Soon, El Grande Americano (portrayed by Ludwig Kaiser) will do the same for the men’s iteration.

On Tuesday’s edition of “NXT,” the WWE Men’s Speed Championship tournament kicked off with a pair of opening round matches pitting “WWE SmackDown” star Axiom against Sean Legacy of “WWE EVOLVE” and TNA Wrestling’s Zachary Wentz against “NXT” star Jasper Troy. Troy and Wentz were the first to take on the three-minute time limit, though Troy only needed two to seal the victory with a spinning slam.

Axiom and Legacy followed later in the show, with the back and forth action going down to the wire. In the end, Axiom picked up his own win with a kick and Spanish Fly off the top rope with a mere three seconds to spare.

Following their opening round victories, Troy and Axiom will move on to face each other in the tournament finals, slated for next week’s episode of “NXT.” The winner will then earn the right to challenge El Grande Americano for the Men’s Speed Championship. The time and place of that title match has yet to announced.

Troy, the co-winner of “WWE LFG” season one, previously challenged Oba Femi, albeit unsuccessfully, for the NXT Championship on “NXT.” Axiom is a former NXT Tag Team Champion, having held the titles alongside Nathan Frazier on two separate occasions.Â

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When you’re chasing speed or distance, it’s easy to get caught up in the obvious: speed training, a bigger turn, or just swinging harder, especially when you’re hungry for a few extra yards. But there’s one key move that rarely gets the attention it deserves — and it might just be the most important element of all.

Timing. More specifically, the timing of your delivery.

For elite players and top instructors, this is a well-understood concept, yet it’s largely overlooked by the average golfer. Why? Probably because it’s not as flashy as speed training or other power-building tools. But once you understand how delivery timing works, you’ll realize it’s the hidden engine behind nearly every powerful golf swing.

It’s something I recently incorporated into my own swing—and the results were almost immediate. After a few minutes, I was seeing major gains. But I didn’t just want to enjoy the extra speed. I wanted to understand why it was happening—so I could build on it.

To dig deeper into this “secret” move, I spoke with Joe Plecker, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher.

Delay your delivery for maximum power

Plecker explained that by holding off the club for a few extra ticks in my downswing, I was able to stay closed to the target for a beat longer. That subtle delay, he says, helped me shallow the club and build up more angular force—or energy that gets unleashed at the bottom of the swing.

“If you turn too early from the top, or your body slides forward while your hips hang back,” Plecker says, “you can have a little bit of an early release of the club.”

And when that happens, you can miss out on the angular force Plecker mentioned—and the power that comes with it.

Why angular force is key

Many golfers mistakenly think the club should follow their body turn—like the arms are just along for the ride, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

“There are wrist angles, trail arm bends, lead arm positions—each of those stores angular force,” Plecker says, “When those angles are lost too early in the downswing, you’re essentially bleeding power before you even reach the ball.”

The real key? Learning to maintain those angles just a little longer—especially during that brief “closed” moment in transition.

“Getting that “throw” of all those angles later in the swing is great added speed,” Plecker says.

Think of the release of your angular force like cracking a whip. If you tried to snap it without creating any angles in your wrist or arm, it would fall flat — lacking the speed needed to create a loud “crack.”

But when you create those angles — and maintain them until the right moment — you store energy that unleashes in a fast, powerful release. More angles mean more speed, delivered with greater efficiency.

Think: space for more speed

If all this talk of angular force feels a little abstract, there’s a simpler way to feel it: space.

“One of the best feelings to key in on is space,” Plecker says, “When players rotate too early from the top, they actually feel the opposite. They get crowded. They drift into the space where the club is supposed to go. That’s when you see compensations like tucking the arms, shortening the swing, or backing out of it.”

But when the delivery is timed well and you delay the turn to let your lower body glide forward, Plecker says, you create room.

“When you have space, the club can sling through. That’s when you feel like you’ve got room and can let it go fast,” he says.

Plecker’s “hockey” drill for a better release

When it comes to training a proper release, timing and sequencing are everything. One of the most effective ways to train both, without falling out of sync, is with Plecker’s split-grip, or “hockey,” drill.

To do it, take a mid-iron and get into your typical stance and set up. Take the club to the top of your swing, then, separate your hands on the club, like you’re a hockey player holding their stick. From here, Plecker says to think about hitting a slap shot in the downswing.

This move trains the ideal sequencing and the slight delay you need to generate real power. Instead of “throwing from the top,” it should feel like your arms are dropping straight down while your hips start to unwind. As your hands approach the bottom of the swing, you should feel your wrists and arms snap into position — cracking the whip — and releasing all the stored energy through the ball.

“It helps train that delayed, powerful release,” Plecker says.

As you practice, focus on keeping your legs stable and feeling the club release out in front of you. If you’re struggling to turn through, Plecker suggests pulling your trail leg back slightly to help clear your body and feel that proper release.

Not every great athlete makes a great golfer. We’ve all seen it — the explosive basketball player who can’t find rhythm in their swing, or the track star whose foot speed doesn’t translate to clubhead speed. Athletic prowess alone isn’t enough; golf demands something different, something more nuanced.

Jackson Eells may be the exception to that rule.

A college baseball player with the kind of natural swing sequence that makes a coach’s job both easy and exhilarating, Jackson walked into my studio with all the raw ingredients of greatness. He had power — tremendous power — but it was wild and unrefined. His grip alignment was off, and while he could generate impressive speed, control off the tee remained elusive.

The breakthrough came when I stopped trying to rebuild Jackson’s swing and started working with what he already knew. His baseball swing wasn’t the problem — it was the blueprint for the solution.

We rebuilt his setup around the mechanics that already worked for him: positioning his grip underneath, establishing a wide stance, allowing pressure to load into his trail foot during the backswing, and creating that crucial pressure shift before the downswing begins. Most importantly, we maintained his natural ability to achieve that classic impact position — upper body tilted, right elbow tucked — that power hitters know instinctively.

Once I identified these elements, the grip adjustment became obvious. We weren’t fighting against his athletic instincts; we were channeling them.

The Results

With a comfortable, repeatable setup in place, it was time to unleash what Jackson does best: swing hard.

In our most recent session, Jackson started at 138 mph of clubhead speed — already exceptional. But as we fine-tuned his setup and swing path, something remarkable happened. The speed climbed: 142… 145… and finally, 149 mph(!!).

To understand just how extraordinary Jackson’s speed is, consider these benchmarks:

Jackson’s 149 mph puts him:

• 34 mph faster than the average PGA Tour player
• 22+ mph faster than the fastest player on Tour (Niklas Norgaard)
• Faster than Bryson DeChambeau’s typical speeds, even after DeChambeau’s legendary transformation
• In elite long drive territory, competing with professionals who train specifically for maximum speed

It just goes to show that you can take the instincts from other sports and channel them into golf. All it takes is a little understanding of what your body does best and then tweaking your foundation to get the most out of it.

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Reducing the amount of three-putts you have per round is simple. All you’ve got to do is dial in your speed control.

When you’ve got proper speed control, you can get away with not starting lag putts on the perfect line. Typically, your dispersion front to back will be much greater than from left to right, so improving your speed is the best way to tighten up that circle of your misses around the hole.

Now, improving your touch on the greens will always be easier said than done, but if you’re serious about limiting those score-killing three-putts, it’s important to dedicate some time to dialing in your speed. In the text below, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trent Wearner shares a drill you can use to do just that.

Do this drill for fewer 3-putts

There are many ways to reduce the number of putts you take during a round. For some players, it’s about improving their routine and mindset over the ball. For others, it comes down to setup, stroke, or green reading. But for many golfers, the biggest opportunity lies in developing better touch and feel — the ability to control distance.

Speed control is something you should be intentionally working on every time your feet hit the putting green. It’s such a critical element of good putting that ignoring it means leaving easy strokes on the table.

Here’s a simple drill that requires only a few tees and a spool of thread.

Setup: Tear off two pieces of thread, each about four feet long. Place one piece three feet behind the hole and the other along the front edge.

Set 1: Place tees at 3, 6, 9 and 12 feet. Your goal is always to make the putt — but pay attention to speed. Tour players typically hit short putts with enough pace to roll about four feet past the hole (if it were covered). That’s a bit aggressive for most amateurs, which is why the back thread is set at three feet.

With one ball at each tee, aim to make the putt. If it doesn’t drop, it must finish between the two threads. Complete all four distances in a row before moving on.

Set 2: Move the front thread one foot short of the hole and leave the back thread three feet past. Place tees at 15, 20 and 25 feet. Again, each putt should either go in or finish between the threads. Make all three in a row before advancing.

Set 3: Now move the front thread three feet short of the hole, keeping the back thread three feet past. Place tees at 30, 35, 40 and 45 feet. Same rules apply: each ball must stop between the threads or you start the set over.

As mentioned earlier, great putters adjust their speed depending on the length of the putt. On short putts, they hit the ball a bit firmer; on long putts, they die it closer to the hole.

Here’s a fun bit of perspective: the circumference of a golf ball is 5.277 inches — meaning one full revolution rolls the ball just over five inches. So, if you’re trying to hit a putt one foot past the hole, that’s only about two revolutions. That’s how precise elite speed control really is.

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

To help you add context, my “Hits†are ordered from best to worst. Each review includes a historical tidbit and a final grade. With that said, letâ€s move into the high points of this weekâ€s episode, starting with the most significant moments.

HITS

TOP GODS vs. WILLOW & KEVIN KNIGHT & MIKE BAILEY

This mixed tag was fun, chaotic, and purposeful. Megan Bayne getting big spots (even on Mike Bailey) and Willow Nightingale holding her ground against the big names. The match managed to balance putting the spotlight on the women inside a mixed match. The interference finish wasnâ€t perfect, but it moved the needle, especially with Harley Cameronâ€s save setting up future angles.

TRIANGLE OF MADDENS vs. WRATHLANDER

AEW continues doing right by giving women real story space. The storytelling in the opening promos and during the match was crisp.

AEW MAKES THE BEST OUT OF A TOUGH SITUATION

Kota Ibushiâ€s match against Josh Alexander was shaping up to be something very good until things took a serious turn. The injury changed everything, but credit where itâ€s due – AEW handled it the right way. The production team didnâ€t sensationalize the moment, commentary treated it with the gravity it deserved, and the locker room rallied around the situation, giving the show a sense of humanity you canâ€t fake.

KENNY OMEGA

Kenny Omegaâ€s promo was one that actually makes sense of the chaos. He took lingering story threads, connected the dots, and gave purpose to angles that had been floating for weeks. Whether it was clarifying his role in Ibushiâ€s injury fallout or addressing his next move in his arc, Omega made it feel cohesive. This wasnâ€t a rambling “elite lore†segment; it was grounded, direct, and logical. Sometimes the best storytelling isnâ€t a twist, itâ€s cleaning up the plot holes and giving the audience a reason to care again.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

MISSES

THE ACCLAIMED RELAUNCH STILL SCREAMS MEDIOCRITY

Every week, this reboot of The Acclaimed fails to connect. The crowd is lukewarm, the rhymes are tired, and the spark is gone. It’s not heat; it’s apathy. AEW must either reset their characters or move on, as it’s currently just filler.

THE CONGLOMERATION IS DRAGGING DOWN SERIOUS TALENT

The Conglomeration gimmick is now overexposed. What was once quirky now burdens wrestlers who could contribute more elsewhere. Adding Willow, Orange Cassidy, and Mark Briscoe to this comedic group undermines credibility. ‘Quirky’ isnâ€t enough—thereâ€s no clear identity or direction. Everyone feels diluted, so AEW must decide if this is a serious faction or just a midcard diversion.

FINAL SCORE

FINAL THOUGHTS: Collision Homecoming wasnâ€t perfect, but it was purposeful. The Womenâ€s Division again looked like it was being treated as part of the story, not a sideline. The Misses are familiar. If next week leans into fewer matches, more mic time, and cleans up the undercard noise, we might see this show rattling off a string of strong weeks.

WRESTLING HISTORY:

On this day in 2016, James Ellsworth beat WWE Champion A.J. Styles on SmackDown with the help of Dean Ambrose.

PODCAST PLUG

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

After the conclusion of this yearâ€s G1 Climax, New Japan has been somewhat in hibernation mode. There have been some smaller shows, packed with multi-man tag matches, and some themed shows in partnership with other promotions or produced by some of the wrestlers. This is normal, as the G1 Final is one of the two peaks of their year that sets up multiple stories leading into Wrestle Kingdom.

As fall chills the air, the significance of their shows is starting to pick up. NJPW Destruction takes place on September 28 and features several title matches, and the Road to Destruction tour has seen several stories furthered and three titles defended. Todayâ€s article is intended to catch you up on the few things that have been going on as summer faded away.

The title scenes

IWGP World Title
At Destruction, Zack Sabre Jr will defend the world title against Ren Narita. It is tradition that the champion defends his title against anyone who beat him during the G1, and Narita is the first of those to get a shot. As part of the House of Torture, Narita has been an infuriating talent to watch. When he tries to wrestle clean, he is phenomenal. He matched ZSJ hold-for-hold for much of their match during the G1 before using a low blow to secure the win. Notably though, there were no HoT Shenanigans (TM) during the match. I expect an excellent match, marred by HoT interference, only for TMDK to even the odds

Itâ€s highly unlikely that we see a title change though, as ZSJ is scheduled to defend against G1 winner Konosuke Takeshita in October. That is a marquee match and should be protected at the expense of another young gun failing at his first attempt at the title. Takeshita beat ZSJ in the semifinals of the G1 in a match that was only hurt by a lack of fluidity. I do think Takeshita wins and brings the title to AEW while New Japan goes into Tag Team Mode for the annual World Tag League tournament. The fantasy match for Wrestle Kingdom is Takeshita defending against Kazuchika Okada, but the fact that Takeshita was roundly booed in the G1 Finals against otherwise-concrete heel Evil might make the bookers reconsider. I could see ZSJ retaining, leading to a rubber match between the two at Wrestle Kingdom after Takeshita turns face.

IWGP Global Title
Gabe Kidd will defend the Global title at Destruction against Shingo Takagi in a match that promises to be extremely physical. Kidd can sometimes rely too much on naked headbutts and stiff shots, and Shingo is not shy about that style, so there is a risk the match turns into a slugfest. If Shingo is allowed to drive, the match will be much more enjoyable. I assume Kidd retains, leaving a dearth of likely challengers. Yuya Uemura is one option, though I would much rather see him further up the card.

Never Openweight Title
In a much less appetizing affair, Boltin Oleg will face Don Fale for the Never Openweight title. As much as Oleg has improved, asking him to haul Faleâ€s colossal carcass to a watchable match might be beyond him at this stage. I cannot see a world in which Fale wins, but itâ€s very likely that this match sets up a future defence for Oleg against another HoT member. I would be surprised if Oleg remains champion for a long time, as he seems to be tagged for big things in the promotion, but as it stands there is no obvious person to dethrone him. Perhaps a returning Henare, or Jake Lee, would make sense.

IWGP Tag Team Title
The tag team championship has been something of a hot potato over the past couple of years. The last team with a successful defence was TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste) in October of last year. You have to go back to June of 2023 to find a team with more than one. This is largely due to a total lack of established teams in the promotion; Haste and Nicholls have been MIA, Bishamon was shelved as a team while Hirooki Goto had his world title run, and the injuries to Callum Newman and Henare combined with Jeff Cobbâ€s departure meant there was no United Empire team in the running. The whole division has been sorely neglected, and that was painfully obvious last year when the lineup for World Tag League was announced. Of the 16 teams involved, only six could be considered established teams. The winners, Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito, had rarely teamed before and did not last long after winning the titles.

The return of Yuto Nakashima and Oskar Leube, now known as the Knockout Brothers Yuto Ice and Oskar, has breathed some life into the division. However, the new members of Bullet Club War Dogs were immediately given a title shot against Taichi and Tomohiro Ishii. Yuto and Oskar have been a team for a couple of years, spending their whole excursion together, so itâ€s unlikely theyâ€ll be treated as “flavour of the month†challengers. That said, I think it would be a mistake to switch the titles again. Having the Knockout Brothers win WTL and then challenge the champs at Wrestle Kingdom would be the better plan, in my opinion. After all, there are no other viable contenders.

Itâ€s my hope that the announcement of the WTL lineup will give us some visiting teams, or that they use the time before the start of that tournament (which is usually mid-November) to establish some more teams.

IWGP Junior Tag Team Title
On the September 24 Road to Destruction show in Sapporo, Douki and Sho successfully defended the titles against Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita) in a heck of a match that perfectly demonstrated how House of Torture can be heels without completely unbelievable and ridiculous tactics. They cheated, but without outside interference or resorting to literally holding the referee in place so he canâ€t see the cheating. The match was also a wonderful example of how to do a pure face vs heel match: when the heels were on offence, the pace slowed and the moves were more grindy and less flashy. When the faces gained control, the pace picked up and the action became more breathtaking. Only one team was trying to appeal to the crowd, and the four men in the match were the ones who decided it. By no means was it the best match of the year, but it was a template that I hope New Japan follows for HoT matches going forward.

The Junior Tag division has been almost the diametric opposite of the heavyweight one, with multiple successful teams at the top. That might be about to change as we have not seen TJP in a while, Kevin Knight is in AEW with his partner missing in action, and Clark Connors†partner Drilla Moloney is now competing at heavyweight. Junior Tag League is the next tournament series, starting in October, so we will see where the land lies very soon.

IWGP Junior Title
On the same show, El Desperado held off the challenge of Yoh in another match that should be used as a template. It was not a high-flying match, nor was it a technical masterpiece. It just told a story of a challenger who had never made it to the top of the division, who knew he did not have many chances left, and who was desperate to make this one count. El Desperado is far from my favourite wrestler, but he has this way of making sure that everyone he wrestles looks like a million bucks.

Sadly for Yoh, who has been doing the best character work of his career recently, the immediate aftermath of that match saw Douki challenge Desperado. Everyone knew that was coming, since Desperado won the title in a match with Douki due to an injury and referee stoppage. With Hiromu and Taiji Ishimori focused elsewhere, these are the two biggest names in the division. Itâ€s in good shape though, with Francesco Akira and Kosei Fujita both waiting in the wings.

Never Six-Man Title
As in AEW, this title is an afterthought that is treated as something of a joke even by the talent. The most recent defence saw Toru Yano, Yoh, and Master Wato hold off the thrown-together team of Hiroshi Tanahashi, El Desperado and Ryusuke Taguchi. During the match, El Phantasmo was on English commentary with Walker Stewart and repeatedly joked about not knowing who the current champions were. If the promotion cares that little, itâ€s hard to justify giving the title any more attention than a passing mention. There is no division to speak of, and seemingly no pattern in challengers and champions.

What else is happening?
The current crop of Young Lions is progressing extremely well. Masatora Yasuda and Zane Jay are ahead of the curve, although Jay came in with a good deal of experience in the LA Dojo. Katsuya Murashima seems to have plateaued, but with Daiki Nagai and Shoma Kato likely to be heading off on excursion soon we might see Murashima step up as the senior Young Lion…if that makes sense.

Tanahashiâ€s Final Road is still trucking along to Wrestle Kingdom. Heâ€s been losing a fair amount, beating his contemporaries, and playing the role of peak babyface at each stop. I was somewhat surprised to see him face Master Wato, since neither result of that match would have been productive. Junior heavyweights almost never beat heavyweights, but at the same time Wato is in a weird place right now and could have used a big win. Heâ€s very talented, but just hasnâ€t found the gear that would elevate him to the level of Desperado and Douki. Tanahashi gave him a lot, and it was a good match, just a bit baffling. Then again, this is the same Tanahashi that randomly showed up for an AEW cage match and then had an elimination trios match against Great Bash Heel. Heâ€s set to face Great-O-Khan on September 28, a match he absolutely should lose.

Shota Umino may just be turning the corner in terms of fan reaction. Heâ€s been hovering around the top of the midcard, having good matches and not seeming unbeatable. Heâ€s been teaming up with Yuya Uemura in multi-man tags, and they recently made a show of shaking hands on the entrance ramp after a win. I would not be surprised to see them make a run in the World Tag League. From there we can either pull the trigger on the expected Umino heel turn and faction, or we can have them win and continue to team up. I am hesitant to say it out loud in case they jump the gun and try to rocket him to the top again, but if they stay the course they might be able to turn him into the new ace that they want him to be.

I canâ€t explain why, but I get a kick out of the mini-feud between Gedo and Taka Michinoku. Just two older, grumpy, former big names who plain donâ€t like each other and will take every opportunity to throw down. Itâ€s never taken seriously and itâ€s always in the undercard, and thatâ€s what makes it so much fun.

Hiromu, Shingo, and Yota Tsuji are still associated, calling themselves Unaffiliated (despite being affiliated with each other) and bringing in Daiki Nagai as their personal Young Lion. I understand that the Los Ingobernables name needed to change with Naito gone, but the solution thus far has been inelegant to say the least. It still feels like thereâ€s another shoe to drop in this story.

I think Kosei Fujita might be the most underappreciated name on the roster right now. He has as much charisma and presence as Tsuji, is just as good in the ring as Uemura, and is younger than all the other new stars. As heâ€s a junior heavyweight though, he isnâ€t given the press that Umino, Uemura, and Tsuji have received. New Japan has been fronted by juniors before – Jushin Thunder Liger, Prince Devitt, Tiger Mask, and Tatsumi Fujinami were all bona fide superstars at one point. Fujita is a long way from that rarified air, but he has the tools to get there.

Finally, I have some hope that House of Torture is starting to evolve. They are still firmly the main antagonists, but over the last couple of shows they have kept their usual shenanigans to the undercard tag matches. Heels who cheat are one of the foundations of wrestling, and that does extend to interference within reason. What HoT had been doing was far beyond that, and was almost a given in every match. I hesitate to say that they have found the balance until after the September 28 show, but at least there has been some movement.

I will be back with results from the September 28 show as soon as possible, and I am working on a couple of other things to keep you all informed with the New Japan happenings. Until then, thanks for stopping by!

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Wwe/Getty Images WWE star Andrade has reportedly left the promotion. Andrade…

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