Anthem closes the checkbook but keeps the keys
Pull up a stool, grab a cold draft, and let's talk about the absolute madness on our timelines. Wrestling Twitter spent the last week losing its collective mind over rumors that TNA Wrestling was being sold. Anonymous social media accounts claimed Anthem Sports & Entertainment was looking to unload the entire promotion for somewhere between $30–$50 million.
However, as WrestleTalk reported, those rumors have been firmly challenged by company sources. Anthem was quick to shoot it down. Sources inside the company laughed off the rumors, calling the number a massive undervaluation of what the brand is actually worth.
But let's be real for a second. The rumor mill didn't start spinning in a vacuum. It fired up because Anthem announced a major corporate cleanup on June 17, 2026.
When a company starts slashing its workforce, fans immediately assume the ship is sinking. They let go of some massive names, including the legendary Tommy Dreamer, who left by mutual agreement. We also saw the departures of former world champion Tessa Blanchard and veteran producer Sami Callihan.
Anthem claims this is just a routine cleanup job to streamline operations and sharpen their profitability. Still, cutting the heart and soul out of your locker room is a risky way to prove you are doing fine. It is especially wild because TNA just secured a new television deal with AMC.
You would think a fresh cable partner means stability, not a pink slip party. If you believe the company insiders, TNA is currently profitable under Anthem's umbrella. The timing of the rumors is suspicious, with some suggesting it was a deliberate attempt to hurt the company's momentum.
Either way, trying to run a wrestling promotion like a lean tech startup usually ends with creative looking like a dry spreadsheet. Let's see if the remaining locker room can pull together. If they cannot, this is the start of a slow corporate starve.
Gotham Wrestling turns West Nyack into an absolute warzone
While TNA is trying to convince us everything is fine, the local scene is turning into a complete madhouse. Let's look at what happened at the Gotham Wrestling television tapings in West Nyack on June 21, 2026. If you like your wrestling chaotic, overbooked, and featuring legends getting knocked unconscious, this was your night.
Commissioner Little Guido started the broadcast by announcing the big "Battle of New York" show. He also booked a singles match between Ray Jaz and Richard Holliday that ended in complete and utter chaos. The match was actually shaping up to be a decent contest, showing what these guys can do when they are allowed to just work.
Ray Jaz had Holliday dead to rights in a crossface, and the referee was about to call the submission. Out of nowhere, AEW star Max Caster hopped the guardrail like a lunatic. Caster distracted the official, Holliday hit a cheap low blow, and picked up the dirty pinfall.
This is where the booking went from a standard heel finish to a full-on backyard brawl. Caster kept beating down Jaz after the bell. That triggered a massive run-in from Drew Gulak, Leo Sparrow, and Chris Dickinson.
They were tearing the ring apart, forcing Little Guido to jump in to save his talent for the upcoming Skyscraper Match. That is when things went completely off the rails for the commissioner. As Guido was trying to separate the giant ball of angry wrestlers, Dickinson threw a back elbow.
The strike connected flush and Guido went down hard, completely knocked out on the mat. While PWInsider's TV report captured all the action, it highlighted how wild these tapings have become. Getting your commissioner knocked out by a stray elbow is certainly one way to build heat.
But you have to wonder if Gotham is losing control of its own roster in the process. It feels like they are relying too much on wild brawls to mask thin storylines. We need less chaos and more actual wrestling.
Max Caster takes his petty theft roadshow to Rhode Island
Max Caster did not restrict his troublemaking to the state of New York last weekend. The very next night, on June 22, 2026, Beyond Wrestling's Wrestling Open hit Cranston, Rhode Island. The show took place at the historic Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, and Caster was once again the center of attention.
He interrupted ring announcer Rich Palladino to taunt the crowd and boast about his latest heist. Caster was holding the trademark plaque he stole from Bobby Orlando, because apparently, he is now a cartoon villain. Orlando ran down to confront him, demanding his property back and challenging Caster to a match.
Caster was not about to give him a fair fight, though. Instead, he laid down a ridiculous stipulation that sounds like a video game side quest. Orlando has to face and defeat three opponents on the upcoming June 29 show just to get his entrance music rights back.
It is a highly entertaining storyline, but it shows how much power these visiting AEW guys have over the local talent. The crowd was hot for it, but it still feels a bit ridiculous that a major star can just steal your music and walk away. We will see if Orlando can run the gauntlet or if he will be walking out to silence.
The rest of the Rhode Island card was packed with fast-paced action and questionable officiating. In the spotlight match, Ryan O'Neill picked up a quick victory over Georgio Lawrence. Then we had Ichicinco, the team of Ichiban and Sammy Diaz, taking on The Verdict.
Bryce Donovan and Vinny Scalice, representing The Verdict, started the match with a massive brawl in the entryway. They spent the next ten minutes isolating Ichiban in a brutal double-team assault. While Diaz eventually got the tag and cleaned house, The Verdict managed to secure the victory.
Word is they are now sponsored by an anonymous benefactor, which should make them even more obnoxious. That is a great touch for a heel team that already thinks they are better than everyone else. Let's see if this mystery sponsor actually leads to something interesting.
The verdict on all this mid-major madness
Let's talk about the rest of the matches from the Wrestling Open. Nessa Ferrari picked up a big win against Liviyah in a physical showcase for the women's division. Jaylen Brandyn defeated Wonderboy Brian Morris after a back-and-forth contest.
Then we got the heavyweight clash between Dutch and Oxx Adams, who had the loudmouth BRG in his corner. Dutch had the match won, but BRG ran into the ring and stomped on the pin. That drew an immediate disqualification from the referee, which is always a cheap way to end a solid match.
If you are going to book a big guy like Dutch, let him get the clean pin instead of these dusty finishes. Corey Duke managed to defeat Kylon King in a wild "Chairs Are Legal" match that had the crowd on their feet. Later in the evening, Jermaine Marbury faced Nick in a rematch of their ongoing series.
Marbury managed to even up the score by holding the ropes for an illegal assist behind the referee's back. It was a classic heel move that fit the tone of the night, even if the officiating was questionable. The entire event showed how much talent is currently working the Northeast independent circuit.
As the Rhode Island live report detailed, the crowd at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet got their money's worth. So where does all this leave us? We have TNA insisting they are not selling despite cleaning house, while Gotham and Wrestling Open are dealing with AEW invaders.
It is a fascinating time to be a wrestling fan, but the booking choices are getting increasingly bizarre. Letting Caster run wild across multiple promotions makes the local talent look secondary. If these indie promotions want to grow, they need to stop relying on major stars to draw eyes and start building their own champions.
Otherwise, they are just playing host to other companies' B-storylines while their own authority figures get knocked out in the middle of the ring. That is a quick way to turn your promotion into a feeder system with no identity. Let's hope someone in charge figures out how to write a finish that doesn't involve a low blow or a referee distraction.
