WWE and AEW's Biggest Storylines to Track This Summer In and Outside the Ring
As the summer months arrive and pro wrestling continues to enjoy a period of undeniable popularity, there will be several storylines to keep an eye on, both in and out of the squared circle.
From the final run of an industry icon to the contractual status of one of wrestling's most talented young performers, these are the stories to track over the next four months.
The End is Near
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The John Cena Retirement Tour, like most final runs for top acts, has been hit or miss, thanks to uneven creative and an unfamiliar role for the all time great.
From forced promos to so-so matches, the run got off to a bumpy start this spring, despite crowds still overwhelmingly in favor of providing Cena the biggest ovation of the night.
As the summer months arrive, the Unseen 17 has shown flashes of a Superstar uncertain that the path he chose by betraying Cody Rhodes back at Elimination Chamber is the right one. He has hesitated recently, including in his match with R-Truth, and has left some questioning whether this new Cena is a visage.
How dedicated to ruining the thing he has devoted his life to is the most decorated competitor in company history? Can the company truly convince the WWE faithful to hate him with their fullest might?
The answer to both is a resounding "no," and this summer should see the beginnings of a reversion back to his babyface side, where he can wrap up his career as the hero that fans have loved and adored for the last two decades.
Mariah May's Contractual Status
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Mariah May was one of the breakout stars of All Elite Wrestling in 2024, a woman who exploded onto the scene in a prominent spot alongside women's world champion "Timeless" Toni Storm and never looked back.
She defeated her idol to win the title, developing into one of the most despicable characters on the entire roster. Her match with Storm at Revolution, the Hollywood Ending, was one of the best, most violent, and bloody matches of the year and should receive consideration on end-of-year awards lists.
It is surprising, then, that May is in a contract year and as of yet, has not re-signed with AEW, per Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select.
She has not appeared on camera or backstage at any of the company's shows since the match at Revolution and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that May informed company officials that she does not plan on re-signing with the promotion.
Destined to be one of the hottest free agents in the industry when her contract does finally expire, if she does not opt to return to AEW before then, May figures to be one of the most buzz-worthy competitors in professional wrestling, something her superb work over the last two years has earned her.
The Success of WWE Evolution 2
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The first WWE Evolution premium live event took place back in October of 2018 and featured women from the current and previous eras. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair tore the house down with one of the best matches of the year while Ronda Rousey successfully retained her Raw Women's Championship over Nikki Bella in a star-studded main event.
The announcement Saturday night on NBC that the company is producing the second show of its kind, on July 13 in Atlanta, is long overdue and rightfully created buzz. The women's division in WWE has helped carry the company in recent months, amid sub-par creative and uncertainty at the top of the card.
Competitors such as women's world champion Iyo Sky, WWE women's champion Tiffany Stratton, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax, Naomi, Jade Cargill, Lynch, and Flair have all shown up and shown out while newer faces like Lyra Valkyria, Stephanie Vaquer, Roxanne Perez, and Giulia have proven why they are the faces of the company's future.
How WWE builds to that show and utilizes the generational talent at its disposal will ultimately determine how much of a success the show is, both from an attendance and viewing standpoint.
Part of the reason it took so long to get back to this point is because of the so-so fiscal returns on the first show. If Triple H does right by his talent and gives them intriguing stories to work with, there is no reason the sequel to that inaugural show cannot surpass it.
The Downfall of The Death Riders
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AEW is on the rebound, delivering a far better product over the last three months than it had to start the year but there remains one dark cloud hovering overhead: The Death Riders.
A one-dimensional, boring heel faction fueled by nonsensical Jon Moxley jargon and matches marred by interference, they have been at the forefront of complaints from company fans and critics alike.
Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, and Pac, with Marina Shafir, have been largely miscast as the central faction of a company that has opted to feature them in a dominant, ass-kicking mode rather than more dynamic and interesting characters such as Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Hangman Page, and the recently returned Kenny Omega.
Not to mention its wealth of talent in the women's division.
Thankfully, that trend is nearing its end.
Page won a shot at Moxley's AEW World Championship at All In on July 12 and should pay off his two-year redemption arc by defeating him and becoming a two-time world champion.
Thus will begin the downfall of the group that headed one of the more harshly critiqued eras of the promotion.
If he fails to do so, expect the vocal demands of a shift in creative to grow deafening.
Seth Rollins' Vision for WWE's Future
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One heel faction that has yet to fall into the same category of the Death Riders in AEW is the newest group on Monday nights for WWE.
Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Paul Heyman, and the newest addition, "Big" Bronson Reed, form what the former world heavyweight champion refers to as the "vision" for pro wrestling's future.
Thus far, they have made life a living hell for the likes of CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, and Jey Uso, all of whom have felt their wrath. That should continue as the faction continues to make hold of the flagship brand.
Whether the fans grow old of their antics, or Triple H is able to avoid the pitfalls that Moxley's group has experienced in AEW, remains to be seen but they are easily the most must-watch act in the company for now and the foreseeable future.
