Wrestling Tonight: AJ LEE RETURNS | CENA’S FINAL MATCH NOT IN BOSTON | OSPREAY SURGERY | JERICHO & STYLES FUTURES | AEW ALL OUT UPDATES | RIDDLE CONTROVERSY

Welcome back to Wrestling Tonight, your weekly deep dive into everything happening across WWE, AEW, NJPW, TNA, ROH, and beyond. Episode 141 covers a packed slate of returns, retirements, controversies, and major updates shaping the wrestling world.

We begin with the biggest story of the week: AJ Lee’s long-awaited WWE return. On SmackDown in Chicago, Lee appeared for the first time in a decade to confront Becky Lynch, dropping her with a Thesz press before celebrating with CM Punk. We’ll cover the industry-wide reactions, from Saraya and Bayley to the official MLB account, and discuss WWE’s reported plans to team Lee and Punk against Lynch and Seth Rollins at Wrestlepalooza.

Next, we turn to John Cena’s farewell tour, where his final stop in Chicago ended with a surprise Brock Lesnar return that set up their Wrestlepalooza main event. While many speculated Boston would host his retirement match, it has now been confirmed that Cena’s final match will take place on December 13 in Washington, D.C. at Saturday Night’s Main Event. We’ll run through his remaining schedule and reflect on what this moment means for one of WWE’s greatest stars.

From there, we shift to AEW, where Will Ospreay is set for neck surgery that will sideline him for months after battling through injuries at Forbidden Door. We’ll also look at AEW’s evolving PPV strategy, as All Out becomes the first AEW show available on HBO Max at a discounted $39.99, and the start time has been moved up to 3 p.m. Eastern to avoid a direct clash with WWE’s Wrestlepalooza. With Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. FTR the first announced match, we discuss the significance of this new distribution model and what it means for AEW’s future.

On the WWE side, AJ Styles continues to tease retirement, posting a symbolic hourglass graphic as reports confirm his contract expires in early 2026. Meanwhile, Chris Jericho addressed his AEW future, saying he’s open to a WWE return once his current deal concludes at year’s end. We unpack how both men are positioning their final career chapters.

Finally, we examine Matt Riddle’s latest controversy, as he no-showed Global Wrestling Kingdom’s debut charity event in the UK, only to wrestle unadvertised in Florida the same day. With conflicting accounts between Riddle and the promotion, we review the fallout, his repayment of the deposit, and what this means for his standing on the independent circuit.

All this plus updates from across the industry as WWE and AEW prepare for one of the most pivotal months of the year.

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Until next Monday, when we wine and dine with you kings and queens, stay out of the alley and away from the pork and beans: good luck and good speed.