Welcome back to the Mop-Up! No, I’m not apologizing for missing the deadline. We both know any apology from me would be the kind of empty, performative nonsense reserved for press conferences and Instagram breakup notes. Just be grateful you’re getting anything at all. I’m a busy man. I’d love to drop the hottest wrestling takes on time every week, but sometimes I’m late. It’s part of the charm. Price of admission, etc.
Anyway, with this week’s flood of content (no complaints!), we’re doing Quick Hits instead of match-by-match breakdowns.
Here’s the biggest news from BWM Inc.’s so-called competition:
The Jade-Trade Affair
Johnny Quest hinted there was more to Jade Cargill’s move to WWE than what aired—and, surprise! He was right. The trade that sent AJ Styles to ULW? That was only part one. Part two was supposed to be Jade going to AEW… except ULW had already traded her to WWE.
Naturally, BWM Inc. felt swindled. It’s got early-2000s sleaze all over it, reminiscent of that infamous UWA/NWA deal where HBP got “sold” to MMouse Enterprises for $20 million.
ULW could’ve just said “no” to the trade—like adults—but instead claimed BWM’s negotiators were “too aggressive” and made a deal they couldn’t honor. End result: Cash Mouse got what they wanted, and AEW got burned.
WWE came out ahead. While there was backstage heat on Master Splinter at first—Danhausen allegedly even ordered the WWE/AEW talent swap scrapped and the Dual Dominion Title vacated—cooler heads prevailed. No curses. No chairs. Just awkward silence and quiet frustration.
BWM’s internal vibe now? “Not worth the revenge.” So while the trade’s dead, expect some caution moving forward. Jade? She’ll probably do better in WWE anyway—Naomi needs challengers, and AEW’s Knockouts division is already stacked.
Will Jade ever show up in AEW? Probably. Maybe sooner than you’d expect. But for now, the second part of the deal is dead, and BWM isn’t pursuing the two top ULW stars of their choosing, a contingency ULW offered for some reason. The feeling internally is there’s no need to escalate—especially when AEW might be cooking up their own tricks behind the scenes that will anger the powers to be at the World of Wrestling. Word around town is when AEW pulls that trigger, they’re hoping for forgiveness due to being the “cooler head” in this scandal.
The Bros Are Back in Charge
Say what you want about ULW, but they keep things interesting. This week’s chaos centered on none other than Vince Russo.
The man who once dropped 20 “bros” in under two minutes and nuked WWE’s titles like he was running GM Mode blindfolded. Fans hated it. He got bounced. End of story… until Lenny Mouse drafted him.
Lenny immediately put Russo in charge of Commissioners CJ Perry and Stacy Keibler. Then, on Intensity, Russo fired both of them on the spot for not being “bros” and replaced them with Scott Nash and William Regal.
Maybe Lenny’s just bored, or maybe it’s a calculated smokescreen to distract from that whole “Friday the 13th assault” conspiracy the Triad won’t shut up about. With Russo running creative amok, nobody’s asking tough questions about Lenny anymore.
To be fair, Russo on TV? It works. As long as someone reins him in, he’s compelling chaos. CJ and Stacy? Their run never really clicked. Maybe they rebound. Maybe they’ll start a podcast. Or, maybe they sue for discrimination?
Either way, ULW’s creative asylum is now fully lunatic-operated.
The Steiner Dynasty
Bron Breakker’s reuniting with Rick and Scott Steiner has flown under the radar, but it’s a solid move—especially while Bron waits for the main event door to open.
He’s in familiar territory: the Cardona/Knight zone. Tons of momentum, fan support, and charisma… but somehow still stuck behind legacy names like Jericho. That’s not a knock on Jericho—his title run’s slowly winning people over—but ULW has a pattern of stalling breakout stars. (I was intrigued by his appearance at the end of Guevara’s debut, and with Sammy getting a crack at gold tonight, maybe we’re seeing the remnants of the Inner Circle coming back together?)
Anyways, while Bron waits for the big opportunity, bringing in the Steiners keeps him fresh. It’s not a title run, but it gives him something meaningful to do for now. The character depth helps, and if ULW plays this right, it could set him up for bigger things.
It’s not quite the rocket push fans want, but it’s movement.
Other Quick Hits
Asuka vs. Rousey: I didn’t know how badly I wanted this match until we got 75% of it. Sasha Banks played spoiler, but once Asuka’s done with her, I hope ULW runs this back properly.
WWE Evolve: WWE’s new show is flying under the radar but has been quietly excellent. Free of competition, testing new stories—it’s been the company’s best weekly product for two weeks straight.
Pete/Jeff Murrey: Quest already touched on this, and I echo many of his sentiments. I will say, I’m hoping for some explanation on how and why Nikki Bella (Nikki the Ref? Nikki Murrey??) went from captive to willing/supportive bride. Maybe Pete delivered the “ONLY TWO!” in the pink, with the other in the sti— no Chris, be classy!
I do apologize for the shorter than usual column, but tonight’s the night for all three companies with Monday shows airing in just a matter of hours, and I literally ran out of time! More to come soon, I promise!
World Of Wrestling: Murrey Universe 