Mission 035 – The Mission? Assessing the Hot Start to 2026
My AEW counterpart is absolutely right; 2026 is already off to an incredible start with the competitiveness being kicked up a notch, and even with the rules for the draft ALREADY being set, with the only thing remaining being an official vote on the terms negotiated.
Moreover, you look at the WOW website and you see that everything is finally up to date, with the ratings war taking center-stage. AEW is in the midst of another winning streak, and while that should come as no surprise to anyone who has paid attention for the past 6 years, it is important to note that AEW’s wins aren’t anywhere near as easy to come by as they were last era.
Rather, 2025 disrupted what was previously seen as the new normal in this business. BWM Inc. absolutely dominated the 6th Era, and while they hold the lead in ratings victories, their lead is much slimmer than it was between 2019 and 2024. Hell, 2025 saw AEW lose earlier in the new season than what they experienced in the new era’s first season. ULW has managed to keep AEW on their toes more like the UWA was able to do to UWF than what PWI could have ever dreamed of.
In fact, when you look at the ratings page you can see that AEW holds just under 50% of the first place finishes in this era’s ratings battles; for which there have been a total of 82 to date. ULW holds the second place spot in ratings wins, but WWE is close on our heels.
Yes, just over 80% of AEW’s shows which have competition have been met with a ratings win, but that number is deceiving and exposed once you dig in to the other relevant numbers. There remains an argument to be made that if AEW was ever able to more consistently deliver “Chaos” on Fridays that the increased exposure to competition would undeniably result in more frequent ratings losses for the brand.
Still, there is something to be said about the fact that AEW has STILL not ever placed third, and they have only lost once to WWE (the night that Seth shocked the world by appearing on Raw with the ULW Title). This is one of the reasons why ULW is still the second ranked company, even if WWE remains a constant thorn in our side!
Heading into 2026, WWE and AEW had each achieved victories over ULW (the only company which has been present in every single ratings battle this era, by the way), but ULW clapped back with the first ratings victory of the year by taking down the first Smackdown of 2026 via the special New Year’s installment of “Liberation”. We almost saw the critically-acclaimed “New Year’s Bash” defeat “Dynamite” earlier this week – falling short by far less than 100 viewers -, but I am hearing that ULW plans to try and spoil AEW’s fun this Monday, but the truth is that AEW’s upcoming extravaganza promises to be an amazing show that you can’t miss!
Before we continue with AEW, though, let’s talk about the momentum that WWE is riding on right now! For starters, the first thing that we saw in 2026 from them was the belated return of the world’s most forgotten champion, the Legends Gold holder, Batista.
Batista came out and declared his intent to prevent Rock from toppling Duxen’s record. It won’t happen (but, if it does, I will die laughing as Hyatte throws his keyboard at his TV), and still I want to be clear when I say that I completely dig this rivalry. Rock has never beaten Batista before, and he seems like an appropriate potentially final beaten opponent en route to passing the torch, likely at “Wrestlemania Legacy IV”. I have to agree again with Chris by underlining how much I love the touch here as the man whom Rock didn’t pin in his title win two years ago is now threatening to bring it to an end.
I also want to shout out some of the title changes that WWE threw at us in this first week of action in 2026:
Gable losing both mid-card titles, Bayley becoming the new Women’s Champion, and the Street Profits capturing the tag gold for the fourth time!
I am going to start with that last one and then work my way back to the first. The Profits have undeniably been one of the two teams that WWE favors since they were brought on board (the Viking Raiders are the others). While this win came out of nowhere in a week when title changes followed the same pattern, I did feel a sense of relief knowing that the straps are in steady and reliable hands for the time being. Ford and Dawkins put butts in seats, and that’s what matters!
Regarding the revived Women’s Title, I approve of Bayley coming away with the win. Bayley has been a top priority for WWE’s attempts at breathing life into the division since they drafted her last summer. Still, I was a tad puzzled by the announcers claiming that Michin (formerly known as Mia Yim) was the champion all along going back to its vacancy by decree. However, the last champion before it was vacated was in fact ULW women’s star Kairi Sane, while Michin was previously the Women’s Intercontinental Champion. No matter, though, because the women delivered here and elevated Bayley to new heights!
This brings me to the final piece of the puzzle; Chad Gable. Gable only held the United States strap for a couple of weeks before dropping it to Braun Strowman, but he practically revived the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship throughout late-2024 and all year in 2025 (though he briefly dropped it to Mystico along the way). Gable is the very definition of a workhorse, so it made perfect sense for him to cling to this gold for so long.
As for the man who deposed him? Jey Uso was a fine pick, and I am excited to see what Jey can do as he is the first man in his family to win single’s gold; like, ever. Yokozuna, Satu, Fatu, Umaga, Jimmy Uso, Jacob Fatu, and even Roman Reigns all seemingly acted allergic to single’s gold, but Jey Uso has just snapped the unlucky streak for the celebrated Samoan dynasty.
Still, Chad’s dual title losses should NOT be mistaken as a proverbial burial unfolding. Rather, it should be acknowledged for what I truly think it is: a prelude to something BIGGER. AEW’s take on the upcoming Rumble – this Monday’s “Elite Warfare” match – features my pick to win it all: Jay White. Meanwhile, in WWE, I don’t think that predicting Chad Gable impending Rumble win is anywhere near the darkhorse pick that White is over on the elite side of things.
This is because White has been a sneaky contender while Gable’s being strapped with the rocket has been done in plain sight. 2025 belonged to Chad Gable through and through. The young man has come a long way since he debuted alongside Jason Jordan to create American Alpha and dominate PWI’s tag division. Now, this deeply layered talent is about to win the damn rumble, and he may even be my pick to topple the Rock when the big day arrives!
Truth be told, it will be a well-deserved accomplishment!
Speaking of world champions, let’s quickly remark on the other world title’s success in being promoted. The World Heavyweight/WOW Undisputed Champion, Seth Rollins, is now set to stand opposite of Gunther as his next challenger, and if Gunther’s brutal domination of Rey Mysterio was any indicator of what he has in store for Seth, this is going to be a tough mountain to climb! Look, I am not ready to say that Seth is going to drop the strap, but Gunther is destined to reign at some point. This may be a mere preview of what is to come!
On the topic of previews, the return of “Life and Legacy” made me literally jump for joy out of my seat! I have missed this comedic segment of the show, and the latest bits didn’t disappoint as we saw a toughened up hardened con-Pete getting out of jail to soon reveal the Jeff Gene files.
LMAO
I don’t know what they’re up to, but I know that Lenny could be heard scoffing aloud when he was briefed about this. The notion that man who has spent the past couple of years mocking the Mouse Family every chance he got may actually have a familial connection is just hilarious. Remember when Murrey was insanely asserting that Mickey was a nutcase in a Mouse suit? Yeah, he knew better, but the guy lost his marbles a long time ago! (Or, he wants to ruin the legacy of the man who literally made him act like he was having relations with a John Brown sex doll)
Another great comedy bit was the return of Hart and Spear, as we got two healthy helpings! I loved the chaos with Rhea and Natalya, but the drama of Goldberg and Hart ironing out their mutual hate as they were being interviewed by police was fantastically hilarious!
Yet, NOTHING was funnier this week or even year than NXT’s opening skit with RVD, the New Day, and…Jean Claude Van Damme! JCVD stole the damn show with his callback to his 80’s and 90’s martial arts classics. I laughed SO damn loud when JCVD brought out his iconic scream while kicking the New Day’s ass. This was fucking epic!
Lastly, I want to say that I was genuinely confused by two developments: the sudden inexplicable title change benefiting Ethan Page, and the sudden disappearance of Joe Gacy, being replaced by force with Strowman.
In the end, I dig both pivots, but I am completely in the dark about HOW we got here. Did I miss something as to why Strowman wants Gacy out of the Hollow? More importantly, WHEN did Ethan topple Trick Willy?
I have a feeling that we will get the answers soon, because WWE is literally the most receptive promotion when it comes to receiving any criticism. Or, this may have honestly been the plan all along, and I am just being impatient for the payoff.
…wait…is this what it feels like…Chris?
ANYWAYS, WWE is legitimately off to a great start in 2026, and the world better watch out. They just may start WINning soon enough!
On to AEW, and we had a great two-segment show for Dynamite’s 2026 opener. The catch? They didn’t feature the Mouse family at all, save for the indirect connection via Sami Zayn’s promo wherein he promised to enter Elite Warfare immediately after Brodie Lee.
There was also no sign of the Knockout’s Championship, but the truth is that Becky, Toni, and Jade didn’t need to do anything else to put this match over. It’s a masterpiece waiting to happen.
AEW joined the fray with a title change of their own (on a night when all three companies featured gold changing hands) as Bianca Belair dropped the Knockout’s Hardcore title to the debuting Charlotte Flair! Flair enters her new home after previously holding the ULW International Championship in 2024. I don’t know what is next for Bianca, but something tells me that she is heading for the door come Draft time.
We did get a great primer for this Monday’s “Elite Warfare” bouts for the World and Tag Titles. This primer came in the form of a segment featuring Omega and Ospreay signing the contract for their bout. Things got heated as the men signed the dotted line, but the temperature reached a boiling point when the Bucks and then the Briscoes ran interference! A great way to leave us wanting more en route to the big show!
Finally, we had this incredible Main Event with MJF and Jay White squaring off to earn the half-way spot in the Warfare match while the loser comes in at number 3. The men brought the house down in a barnburner of a showdown. They had me on the edge of my seat throughout, and then MJF pulled off the victory after getting some help from the Hurt Syndicate!
Lashley held up his end of the bargain by assisting MJF, but I am NOT convinced that White isn’t winning this thing. No, Jay is rising straight to the top, and I think that part of the reason why is that MJF will be eliminated by Lashley, or somehow distracted by Lashley. Just a prediction!
Now I move on to some quick predictions for this Monday’s “Elite Warfare”!
First things, first, I see Ospreay retaining over Kenny Omega. It is simply too early for the strap to change hands. What does that mean for Omega? We’ll cross that bridge AFTER we get through this. Ospreay is heading for a decently long run, in my opinion.
Next, we have the Tag Titles, and I believe that this is the moment that we get a title change, because there is no way that the Briscoes start 2026 off without gold. The Young Bucks are great heel champions, but you don’t have the iron this hot for so much talent and not strike it with at least one of them!
Following that, we will see Toni Storm manage to retain over Becky and Jade. I think I have mentioned before that I see the next phase of this story being Jade taking down Becky in a separate match after a likely true heel turn from Miss Lynch. Then, Jade gets her second shot at Toni.
Lastly, and you should all know this by now: Jay White is winning Elite Warfare. I will genuinely be shocked if he or Cody don’t win this, but I see Cody and LA Knight taking each other out, leaving Jay to profit from the chaos. The match will be a ton of fun, though!
Here is where I would predict Raw, but…there is no preview available. All I can deduce is that we will get another Seth/Gunther encounter, Rhea and Natalya will interact, we may get more development with the Hollow, more comedy to our hearts content, and perhaps a follow-up with Chad.
Over here in ULW, Monday’s “Unhinged” special will feature two tournament matches as the first round kicks off:
Opening the night will be a match between the Premier Bracket’s 16th Seed, Scott Steiner taking on the Premier 15th Seeded Roderick Strong. Then, the Main Event pits two icons against each other as the Extreme Bracket’s 14th Seeded Giant Gonzales takes on the 13th Seed, Slammu!
On Friday, ULW presents the next installment of “Insane Intensity”, which will feature the exhibition bout between Dragon Lee and Ricky Starks, an all-important and high stakes encounter between Magog and AJ Styles, and another first round tournament match featuring the Premier Bracket’s 14th Seeded Saguna and 13th Seeded Dragonfly for their first ever encounter!
It’s going to be another amazing week in professional wrestling!
Until our next Quest, this has been Johnny with yet another mission!
World Of Wrestling: Murrey Universe 