Welcome back to Wrestling Tonight, your weekly look at the stories shaping wrestling across WWE, AEW, TNA, NJPW, and beyond. Episode 143 follows a weekend where WWE launched its ESPN era with WrestlePalooza in Indianapolis while AEW countered with All Out in Toronto. Both events delivered major matches, big surprises, and plenty of conversation about where the industry is headed.

WrestlePalooza leaned on spectacle and presentation, framed as ESPN's debut showcase. Triple H welcomed fans to the "final form of sports entertainment," Pat McAfee returned home to the announce desk, and Brock Lesnar dominated John Cena in what felt like another farewell chapter. Stephanie Vaquer captured the vacant Women's World Title from IYO SKY, AJ Lee returned to force Becky Lynch to tap in a mixed tag with CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes retained over Drew McIntyre in a physical main event. The Undertaker also appeared to announce Stephanie McMahon as the first Hall of Fame inductee for 2026. Behind the matches, WWE emphasized site-fee partnerships and ESPN executives promised editorial independence — "a separation of church and state" — while creative stays in WWE's hands.

AEW's All Out was more chaotic and match-heavy. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage reunited against FTR in a feud intensified by Beth Copeland's involvement, Eddie Kingston returned and aligned with HOOK, and Mark Briscoe scored a career-defining win over MJF in a violent Tables & Tacks match. Kris Statlander shocked Toni Storm to win the Women's Title, Brodido retained the tag belts in a ladder match capped by the Jurassic Express reunion, and Jon Moxley beat Darby Allin in a Coffin Match with help from PAC. Kazuchika Okada outlasted Konosuke Takeshita and Máscara Dorada in the show-stealer, while Hangman Page retained the AEW World Title against Kyle Fletcher in a bout that elevated the 26-year-old as a future star.

Taken together, WrestlePalooza was polished and corporate-friendly, AEW was riskier and more unpredictable. WWE projected mainstream legitimacy, AEW doubled down on edge and workrate. Neither show reinvented the wheel, but both reinforced their identities.

Beyond the weekend, WrestleMania 43 is confirmed for Saudi Arabia in 2027, WWE will stage its first PLE in Italy in 2026, Joe Hendry is expected to move full-time to WWE, and Raja Jackson's arrest after attacking Syko Stu at a KnokX show has drawn widespread attention. Will Ospreay successfully underwent neck surgery, beginning a long recovery.

The fall schedule remains packed with TNA Victory Road, NXT No Mercy, WWE Crown Jewel, TNA Bound for Glory, and AEW WrestleDream on deck. For now, the story is clear: WWE and AEW both planted flags this weekend — one through ESPN's polish, the other through chaos in Toronto.

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