Is Aaron Rourke the future of professional wrestling? In this exclusive interview, we sit down with "The Dimepiece" himself, Aaron Rourke, to discuss his meteoric rise through the WWE ID program and his standout performances on the new WWE Evolve series.

From his roots as a competitive dancer and cheerleader to training under Brian Myers and Pat Buck at the legendary Create A Pro (CAP) wrestling school, Aaron breaks down how his unique background shaped his "Evil Gay" persona. We dive deep into:

The WWE ID Experience: What it’s really like being an "ID" athlete and the pressure of the WWE stamp.

The Evolve Brand on Tubi: Comparing the "WWE Way" to the independent circuit and the Team ID vs. Team PC rivalry.

Breaking Barriers: Aaron’s thoughts on being the first out gay man in the WWE ID program and the importance of authenticity in the ring.

The CAP "Secret Sauce": Insights into training with MJF and Kris Statlander.

The Future: Winning the 2025 Vacationland Cup and his goals for NXT and beyond.

Whether you know him from Chaotic Wrestling, WrestlePro, or his latest appearances on the WWE Evolve tapings, you won’t want to miss this deep dive into the mind of one of the industry's most polarizing and talented stars.

Jim Ross doesn't hold back on Vince McMahon's "intense animosity" and jealousy during the Attitude Era. Plus, we crown the winners of the 2025 Wrestling Awards and predict the massive shifts coming to WWE and AEW in 2026!

Welcome to Episode 50 of the Chi-town Shoot Wrestling Podcast! Today, Marcin, Chris, and David dive deep into the legendary Jim Ross’s recent comments about Vince McMahon—was the Chairman truly jealous of JR’s play-by-play skills?

We also take a look back at an incredible year in professional wrestling with our 2025 Year-End Awards. From Cody Rhodes and Gunther to Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay, we debate who truly ran the game this year. Finally, we look ahead to 2026 predictions: Will Chris Jericho return to WWE? Is Britt Baker Royal Rumble bound?

The wrestling business just changed forever, and the greatest of all time is saying goodbye. In this episode, we break down the massive $82.7 Billion deal that sees Netflix acquire Warner Bros., HBO, and Max—and what the confusing "Discovery Global" spinoff means for AEW’s future on TNT/TBS.

Plus, we discuss the sobering comments from GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale about the independent wrestling "down cycle." Is the indie bubble bursting? Finally, we look ahead to Saturday to discuss the concept of The Perfect Retirement. From Shawn Michaels to Stone Cold, very few get it right. Can John Cena stick the landing against Gunther?

👇 TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE 👇

📺 NETFLIX BUYS WARNER BROS: The AEW Fallout Netflix has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Studios and HBO Max. But with the cable networks (TNT/TBS) spinning off into a new company called "Discovery Global," where does this leave Tony Khan and AEW? We analyze if AEW loses its shot at streaming on Max and if Netflix is becoming a wrestling monopoly with WWE Raw and WB under one roof.

📉 THE INDIE WRESTLING RECESSION? GCW Promoter Brett Lauderdale recently admitted the scene is in a "down cycle," citing the economy, wallet fatigue, and a lack of drawing power. We debate if the "Super Fan Promoter" era is dead and if fans are too burned out by WWE/AEW saturation to support local shows.

👋 THE PERFECT RETIREMENT: John Cena’s Last Stand It’s finally here. We analyze the art of the wrestling goodbye. Does "going out on your back" actually ruin the moment? We compare the gold standard (HBK vs. Undertaker) to the cautionary tales (Ric Flair), and debate what John Cena needs to do this Saturday to achieve the elusive Perfect Retirement.