I've hit a wall with Monday Night Raw.

The past few weeks, I've turned it on and just felt a vague sense of disinterest. Some of that feeling is on me, but some of it is the result of the weekly program. I'll take responsibility for my mood going into it. If I watch it reluctantly, it's not going to be a good time. If I, instead, just relax and let the show wash over me, it's usually a success.

RAW is responsible for its rigid structure, however, one of my main turnoffs. The opening scene this week between Sami Zayn and CM Punk felt ill-conceived and forced. I couldn't help but see parallels between AEW's A-story and WWE's A-story. Both involve champions holding a title "hostage" as a collection of benevolent characters endeavor to "rescue" said title. Sami interrupted Punk to give him a little more than a pep talk, explaining why he needed to win his MITB qualifying match. It didn't feel like a natural interaction between these characters. The pair had to thread a fairly convoluted needle; Sami, dejected from losing his MITB qualifying match last week, interrupted Punk in an effort to inspire him to win. Reason being, if Rollins won, that would spell doom for the WWE.

JOURNAL ENTRIESTim KailJune 2, 2025raw, dynamite, John cena, wwe, aew

Tim Kail's Wrestling Journal, 5/8/25

I've enjoyed RAW for what feels like an unprecedented three weeks in a row.

Something about the show has been better; perhaps it's the combination of a livelier midcard and an exciting main event scene. I also appreciate the simplistic yet effective narrative construct of good guys versus bad guys. On the bad guy side of things is Seth Rollins, Paul Heyman, Gunther, Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, Chad Gable, and others not worth mentioning. On the good guy side of things is Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, CM Punk, Penta, Pat McAfee, Sheamus, and others not worth mentioning. With firm moral alignments established, both heels and baby faces believing in their version of "right", the stories tell themselves.

I particularly enjoyed seeing two of my favorite wrestlers, CM Punk and Sami Zayn, at the end of this week's Monday Night Raw making the save for Jey Uso.

JOURNAL ENTRIESTim KailMay 8, 2025wwe, aew, seth rollins, gunther, pat mcafee, fight forever, jj mcgee

Tim Kail's Wrestling Journal, 4/18/25

Hello there, dear reader. How are you?

It feels like it's been a while, though it's only been a few weeks since I wrote my last RAW REVIEW. I don't regret not reviewing the latest episodes in the slightest, but I do miss the weekly interaction with you (hence this journal entry).

I'm overjoyed CM Punk will be main-eventing night one of WrestleMania. There's a lot of pressure on this match - at least, I know I'm putting pressure on it. I want it to steal the weekend, a clash of styles and an intricate contest of wills. I predict Roman Reigns will win it, and I'm fine with that. A case could be made for each participant, though, which makes the match more difficult to figure out. And how will Paul Heyman factor into things - where does his loyalty lie?

Tim Kail's Wrestling Journal, 3/13/25

I'm bursting with excitement. As I write this, tomorrow I'll be a guest on NPR affiliate CT Public radio's The Colin McEnroe show. I'm nervous, psyching myself up to make the most of this opportunity. I had a pre-interview call on Tuesday to prepare me for the interview. I love talking about wrestling as an art particularly with people who don't know much about wrestling but are curious.

This interview has activated my imagination.

Maybe if I do well I'll get some new listeners and readers.

Maybe if I do really well NPR will offer me a job.

Tim Kail's Wrestling Journal, 2/27/25

AEW Dynamite has become an afterthought in my wrestling viewership, sad to say. Wednesday rolls around and I find my wrestling appetite has already been sated by RAW. This is especially true because I review RAW and spend a lot of time thinking about it and honing my critiques throughout the week. As of now, I have no intention of purchasing AEW's next ppv. I need to save money, for one thing, and I'm not enamored with any particular story. If I find myself bored and with nothing better to watch, I'll put Dynamite on the TV when I get home from work, but there's no longer a sense of urgency. There was a time when I firmly believed AEW was producing not only the best weekly wrestling television show at present, but the best I'd ever seen at any time in my life.

JOURNAL ENTRIESTim KailFebruary 27, 2025tim kail's wrestling journal, wrestling, pro wrestling, art, wwe, aew, orange cassidy

Tim Kail's Wrestling Journal, 2/15/25

Sometimes I'll be sitting calmly at my desk at work when I'll remember something particularly embarrassing from my past. A girl I tried to flirt with who wasn't having any of it. Something deplorable I said in middle school. That time I hurt a friend's feelings.

Such memories are accompanied by the following thought, "I hate myself". Then there's a whole other category of dark thoughts related to mortality that pop up like Wack-A-Moles. I'll find myself with nothing to do after completing a task, and then the dread slips in, seducing me into a tiny spiral, "What does any of this mean?"

For the past few weeks, I've been attempting to course correct this pattern of thought by "staying in gratitude", "reality testing", and "thought stoppage". Much to my surprise, the results have been positive. When such thoughts arise I say to them something like, "No thank you" or "I know what you're doing and I choose not to accept it". I feel like I'm getting to know myself better, because I know exactly what prompts the dark thoughts and I know their goal. When you know those things, it's harder for the thoughts to take shape in reality. They're actually fake-thoughts based in fear that only become real when you accept them as fact. But if you cut them off, you start to recognize the little game your lizard brain is playing.

JOURNAL ENTRIESTim KailFebruary 15, 2025wwe, aew, captain america, the avengers, endgame, thor, podcasting, the work of wrestling

Tim Kail's Wrestling Journal, 2/13/25

For this blog entry I simply want to reflect on the state of my wrestling fandom and The Work Of Wrestling. It's not a review or an essay - think of it as a journal entry with little structure. I wrote it because I felt like it with no immediately apparent purpose. Let’s see what shakes loose.

For the past six weeks I've watched and reviewed Monday Night Raw. During that time I've also caught up on AEW Dynamite. One show is not particularly better than the other. They share so many similarities that their differences hardly register. If I showed one show to a non-fan and then the other show a few minutes later and asked them to tell the difference, I don't think they'd be able to.

I'm particularly perturbed by AEW's backstage camerawork.

It's indistinguishable from WWE's, and they've even started doing that thing where the camera lingers on the subject or interviewer for a few seconds after the scene is over. I cannot fathom why AEW would do this. Someone in a position of power is actively making this terrible creative decision. There is no visual wrestling rule book dictating it be done this way. Also, don't they want to distinguish themselves from WWE? Why not do so in easy, simple ways like camerawork?

JOURNAL ENTRIESTim KailFebruary 13, 2025journal, raw, aew, wwe, Seth rollins, criticism, arts criticism

Professional Wrestling Heals Us

I’ve recently come out of a depression.

I didn’t even know I was depressed until, around September of last year, I started feeling better about work, life, and art. I experienced the mental equivalent of clouds parting after a storm, and a warm beam of sunlight cutting through the dark. The juxtaposition of mindsets was so palpable that I realized, “Oh, I was depressed!”

That depression lasted for about two years and it manifested as a kind of dull, throbbing ache, a sense that something was about to go wrong at any moment. At my day job I struggled to decide what task to undertake next. I didn’t have a schedule (big mistake when you have bipolar!) and I would wander, aimlessly in my mind from one potential tragedy to the next. At home I was better, but I wasn’t really enjoying my life either.

To enjoy life seemed like a luxury I couldn’t afford.

How did I deal with this depression?

10 Ways Pro-Wrestling Changed My Life

I’m thirty six years old and I’ve been a wrestling fan for about twenty four of them. In that time, pro-wrestling has played a pivotal role in my life, serving as more than mere entertainment. Pro-wrestling has inspired me to be a better writer, a better podcaster, and a better person.

It has enlightened me on the role art plays in our lives, and it’s made me appreciate the craft that goes into constructing a wrestling match. I’ve gained friends and colleagues through pro-wrestling, people I trust and admire. Put simply, I can’t separate my growth as a person from my fandom of pro-wrestling. Realizing that, I decided to create this list, Ten Ways Pro-Wrestling Changed My Life.

Let’s begin…

The Importance Of Poses And Gestures In Professional Wrestling

Much, if not all, of pro-wrestling’s artistry is meant to contribute to a wrestler’s identity. Their entrance music, body language, move-set, catchphrases, and look all coalesce into a character. Neglect one aspect of characterization and the rest may suffer. For a wrestler to really resonate in the minds of the audience, they must have a completely drawn identity that is consistent across every tool in the wrestler’s tool box. Their music, for example, should sound like it comes directly from that wrestling character’s soul. Their attire should reflect the character’s tone. Their phraseology should be consistent with the character’s aesthetic. Their moves should represent a fighting style that character would actually use.

There are other less obvious ways a wrestler tells their story, though.

EDITORIALSTim KailJanuary 7, 2023pose, gesture, wwe, aew, the acclaimed, daddy ass, ass boys, max caster, the rock

Three Ways AEW Can Improve In 2023

I’ve been watching AEW Dynamite since it premiered on October 2nd, 2019.

Three years on from that date, I’m happy to report I still love the show. At its best it is genuinely compelling television comparable to anything else in the medium, weaving effortlessly between drama and comedy. The in-ring action has been spectacular, showcasing some of, if not the absolute best talent in all of professional wrestling.

Tony Khan’s wrestling buffet works, the blend of styles and sensibilities complimenting rather than stifling one another. While it’s still a relatively new wrestling show, I feel safe asserting that AEW has produced the most consistently excellent weekly wrestling product I have, personally, ever experienced.

If you find that hyperbolic then I should reiterate consistent is the key word there.

Professional Wrestling Is Good For My Mental Health

For the past few months, I’ve been watching Monday Night Raw, AEW Dynamite, and Friday Night SmackDown every week. It’s been fun, and reminiscent of the early days of my pro-wrestling fandom where I watched totally devoted. Establishing this routine has made it easier to get through the work-week. Each day, I remind myself that wrestling awaits and it helps the next handful of hours pass a little quicker.

My favorite of the bunch is Dynamite. It’s the most inventive and naturalistic, featuring a fantastic cast of colorful characters. There’s the super serious sort like Jon Moxley and Hangman Adam Page and the hilarious sort like Orange Cassidy and The Best Friends. Unlike WWE-television, Dynamite has an actually funny sense of humor - that is to say comedy in AEW is genuinely amusing and not cringe-inducing. Dynamite also features wrestling matches with stories rather than wrestling matches as time-filler.

The Writings