CBWL 043

 Wrestling Observer Live

June 11, 2026 CBWL Gas South Arena Post-Show Discussion

Bryan Alvarez: Welcome back to Wrestling Observer Live. We’re going to talk about last night’s Celebrity Bitches Wrestling League show from Duluth, Georgia. Dave, this one got pretty ugly by the end.

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, it did. And not just in the ring. There were a lot of issues behind the scenes too. From what I’m hearing, it was a pretty chaotic day for them.

Bryan Alvarez: Let’s start with the main event, because that’s obviously the biggest story coming out of this show. Emma Watson beat Hilary Duff, but then went way off script afterward.

Dave Meltzer: Right. The match itself was stiff and ugly, which was expected since neither woman is a trained wrestler. They were fighting on plywood with a section of exposed dry ice in the middle. It started slow because they were both being careful around the ice, but once they started getting tired, it got more desperate. The crowd wasn’t really into it early on, but they woke up once things got nasty.

The finish, though… that’s where everything fell apart. Emma won clean with a sit-out powerbomb, but instead of going home, she grabbed a microphone and cut an unplanned promo on Hilary. Hilary spat in her face, and then Emma locked her in a Boston Crab-style submission right on the ice and held it well after the bell. Hilary ended up getting stretchered out with chemical burns on her lower back, ass, and thighs, plus some lower back strain.

Bryan Alvarez: Was there any planned heat between them going in?

Dave Meltzer: From what I’m told, no. They had a calm conversation backstage earlier in the night and seemed to be on the same page about wanting to have a real match. Multiple sources said there wasn’t any real bad blood between them beforehand. This looks like Emma just decided to take it further than what was called once the bell rang.

Bryan Alvarez: How are people in the back reacting to it?

Dave Meltzer: It’s mixed, but mostly negative toward Emma. Some people felt Hilary had it coming after spitting in her face, but the general feeling is that Emma took it too far by continuing to work after the match was over. There’s also concern about how it made the company look — like they lost control of their own finish. I’ve heard that Cowboy Watts wasn’t as upset with Emma as some expected, and there’s already talk about potentially leaning into her more aggressive side going forward.

Bryan Alvarez: What about the rest of the show? Anything else stand out?

Dave Meltzer: The undercard was mostly average, but the concession stand brawl between Mila Kunis and Laura was easily the best thing on the show. Mila looked really strong and dominant, and Laura got completely buried — including having her pants ripped down to show granny panties. That spot worked because of the That ‘70s Show history between their characters, but it was still pretty mean-spirited.

The bathroom tag match also got a lot of attention, but not all of it was good. There’s real heat backstage over a rib that happened before the match. Apparently the toilet hadn’t been flushed all day, and Boxxy ended up getting her head shoved into it during the match. Multiple sources said the referee crew knew about it and treated it like a joke. That’s created some tension.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else worth mentioning?

Dave Meltzer: The attendance was low — only about 5,187 in a building that holds over 12,000. That’s been an ongoing issue for them. And the fact that they had to run the entire show without a ring because the ring truck didn’t show up didn’t help the presentation either. It gave the show a very thrown-together feel.

Overall, it was a messy night for CBWL. The main event finish is going to be the main talking point for a while, both because of how far it went and because of the questions it raises about how much control the promotion actually has over its own shows.

Bryan Alvarez: So going back to the main event — from what you’re hearing, how much of what happened after the bell was actually planned versus Emma just deciding to keep going on her own?

Dave Meltzer: From everything I’ve been told so far, very little of it was planned. The match itself had a finish called — Emma was supposed to win with the powerbomb and that was supposed to be it. The promo after the match, Hilary spitting in her face, and especially Emma locking her in that Boston Crab on the ice and holding it well after the bell… that all seems to have come from Emma once she got her hand raised. Multiple sources have said there was no discussion beforehand about turning the finish into something personal or extending the match like that.

Bryan Alvarez: And Hilary wasn’t expecting it?

Dave Meltzer: Doesn’t sound like it. From what I’ve heard, she was already hurting after taking that bad bump on the ice during the botched press slam. When Emma kept going after the bell, it caught her off guard. That’s why she ended up spitting in her face — it came across as a real reaction rather than something that was worked out ahead of time.

Bryan Alvarez: How bad are the burns, from what you’re hearing?

Dave Meltzer: They’re pretty significant. Chemical burns from dry ice can be nasty because they affect the tissue differently than regular burns. I’ve been told Hilary has visible burns on her lower back, ass, and the back of her thighs, and she’s also dealing with some lower back strain on top of that. It’s not the kind of injury that heals quickly. We’re probably looking at several weeks at minimum, and there’s a chance it could be longer depending on how the burns heal and whether there’s any lasting nerve damage.

Bryan Alvarez: Has there been any word yet on how the promotion is planning to handle this internally?

Dave Meltzer: Not officially. From what I’m hearing, they’re still trying to figure it out. There’s some division on how to move forward with Emma. Some people feel she should be punished for going off script and potentially putting another wrestler at risk. Others think there might be something worth building with her new aggressive attitude. I’ve heard Cowboy Watts is leaning toward leaning into it rather than coming down hard on her, but it’s still being discussed.

Bryan Alvarez: What about the rest of the show? Anything else that stood out from a backstage perspective?

Dave Meltzer: The bathroom tag match is still a big talking point. There’s real heat over the rib with the toilet not being flushed. Multiple sources have confirmed that Sheri L. Dew used it earlier in the day and it wasn’t cleaned, and that Sarah Silverman was involved in encouraging it. By the time the match happened, the toilet was apparently in bad shape, and Boxxy ended up getting her head shoved into it without knowing what was in the water. The fact that the referee crew allegedly knew about it and treated it like a joke has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else worth noting?

Dave Meltzer: The low attendance was a topic of conversation throughout the day. Running that building at roughly 5,000 people is becoming a recurring issue for them, and the fact that they had to run without a ring didn’t help the presentation. A few people I’ve talked to said the show felt disorganized from the start because of the ring situation, and that it affected more than just the look of the matches.

Bryan Alvarez: Got it. Anything else standing out to you so far?

Dave Meltzer: Not yet. I’m still waiting on a few more details about how they’re planning to handle the Emma situation and what the long-term plans are for both her and Hilary. Once I hear more, I’ll have a better picture of where this is all headed.

Bryan Alvarez: Let’s go back to the bathroom tag match. One thing that stood out was how Larry David was officiating. He looked pretty lost at times.

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, Larry was the referee for that match and it showed. There were moments where he didn’t seem to know how to handle the action spilling slightly outside the stall or when someone would try to climb out. It felt like he wasn’t fully clear on what the rules were supposed to be once things started breaking down, which added to the disorganized feeling of the match.

Bryan Alvarez: What about the rib with the toilet water? From what you’ve heard, was there actually anything in the water when Boxxy got her head shoved in?

Dave Meltzer: From what I’ve been told, the water itself didn’t look visibly dirty on camera. You couldn’t really see anything in it during the match. However, there was a moment during the drowning spot when they lifted the toilet lid that Boxxy’s body language noticeably changed. She froze up for a second, like she suddenly realized what was in the water. That reaction was visible even if the actual filth wasn’t.

Bryan Alvarez: I’ve heard the same thing. What about after the match? Did anyone say anything about the smell or the condition of the stall?

Dave Meltzer: Yeah. I talked to someone who was there after the match, and they said the medical staff who checked on Boxxy mentioned that she smelled really bad. On top of that, the janitorial staff was apparently complaining about having to clean up the stall afterward. They weren’t happy about it at all.

Bryan Alvarez: How did this rib even happen? From what I’ve heard, Sheri L. Dew used the toilet earlier in the day.

Dave Meltzer: That’s right. Sheri used it at lunch and then again about twenty minutes before the match. Because of her Mormon diet and adherence to the Word of Wisdom, people were joking that whatever she left behind was probably very “clean.” But then Sarah Silverman got involved and was encouraging Sheri not to flush. Sarah has a very different diet, and let’s just say it’s not as restrictive. So you had this contrast between Sheri’s very clean, high-protein Mormon diet and Sarah’s more… unrestricted Jewish diet. Apparently Sarah thought the whole thing was hilarious and pushed for the rib to happen.

Bryan Alvarez: And nobody told production or the agents working the match?

Dave Meltzer: That’s the part that’s creating the most heat. From what I’m told, the referee crew knew about it and thought it was funny, but no one bothered to inform the people actually running the match. So when the spot happened and Boxxy got her head shoved in, a lot of people were caught off guard by how bad it actually was.

Bryan Alvarez: What did you think of Anya in this match?

Dave Meltzer: Anya looked bad. She escaped the stall first, but once she realized the bell wasn’t going to ring, she just stood there. She didn’t go back in to help Boxxy at all. That made her look cowardly. On top of that, she seemed genuinely confused about the rules. There was a point where she was arguing with Larry David about something that had already been established before the match, which made her look kind of stupid. It didn’t do her any favors.

Bryan Alvarez: Between Jennette and Miranda, who stood out more?

Dave Meltzer: Jennette looked stronger. She was more aggressive and seemed more comfortable in that environment. Miranda was fine, but Jennette came across as the more natural leader of the team.

Bryan Alvarez: What about Boxxy’s condition afterward?

Dave Meltzer: She took some pretty nasty bumps, especially when they were forcing her head into the toilet. I’ve heard she’s dealing with some neck and shoulder soreness on top of everything else. Boxxy’s had a rough run for a while now with the online stalking and trolling she’s dealt with over the years, and this match didn’t help her situation at all.

Bryan Alvarez: Where do you see her future going from here?

Dave Meltzer: It’s tough. She’s been positioned in a way where she keeps getting humiliated and beaten down. Unless they have a clear plan to rebuild her, it feels like she’s just going to keep getting used as a punching bag. That’s not a great long-term position.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else about this match that stood out to you?

Dave Meltzer: Just that it felt like another example of the promotion leaning into really nasty, borderline dangerous spots without thinking through the consequences. Between the rib with the toilet and how the match played out, it left a bad taste with a lot of people backstage.

Bryan Alvarez: Let’s talk about the granny panties spot in the concession stand brawl. That moment got a pretty strong reaction. From what you’ve heard, why do you think they went with that spot? I know it’s obviously pulling from That ‘70s Show history, but I’m curious what you think they were actually trying to accomplish with it in the context of CBWL.

Dave Meltzer: From what I’ve been told, it wasn’t just a random “let’s embarrass her” spot. It was very specifically designed to do two things at once: completely destroy Laura’s character in the eyes of the audience while simultaneously elevating Mila.

If you look at how they built it, the goal seemed to be making Laura look as unsexy and undesirable as possible in that moment. By ripping her pants down in public and exposing those big, plain, high-waisted granny panties, they weren’t just going for cheap heat. They were attacking her femininity and her status as a desirable woman. The fact that it happened in front of people (even if it was mostly on camera) made it feel like a public execution of her image. Once those panties came out, any chance she had of being taken seriously or seen as attractive was gone.

At the same time, it made Mila look like the superior woman by comparison. Mila came across as the one who would never be caught in something like that — the more feminine, more put-together, more desirable one. By humiliating Laura in that way, they reinforced Mila as the alpha of the two. It wasn’t just about beating her physically. It was about beating her socially and sexually too.

Bryan Alvarez: So you think they were consciously trying to create that contrast?

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, I do. From what I’ve heard, the idea was to take Laura’s character — who’s already been positioned as someone who doesn’t really belong at this level — and knock her even further down the hierarchy. The granny panties spot wasn’t just about embarrassment. It was about making her look like the “lesser” woman compared to Mila. It played into that classic dynamic of the hot, feminine girl destroying the less conventionally attractive, more tomboyish one.

It also had that layer of vulnerability. Laura wasn’t prepared. She wasn’t wearing something “sexy” as backup. She got caught with her guard down, literally and figuratively. That made the moment feel more violating than if she had just taken a normal beating. It wasn’t just physical domination — it was psychological and social domination too.

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think it worked?

Dave Meltzer: From what I’ve seen and heard, yeah, it worked. The crowd reacted strongly to it, and Laura came out of that match looking completely finished. Whether that was the right move long-term is another question, but in terms of what they were trying to accomplish in that specific moment — making Laura look as low as possible while making Mila look strong and superior — I think they accomplished it.

Bryan Alvarez: Got it. Anything else about that spot that stood out to you?

Dave Meltzer: Just that it felt very deliberate. This wasn’t some last-minute idea. Someone sat down and thought, “How do we make Laura look as undesirable and pathetic as possible in this match?” And the answer they came up with was pulling her pants down and showing the audience the least sexy, most embarrassing underwear they could put her in. It was mean, but it was calculated.

Bryan Alvarez: Going back to the granny panties spot in the concession stand brawl — do you think this is actually going to have any real long-term effect on Laura’s character? Because in real life, after that episode of That ’70s Show aired, it didn’t really hurt Laura Prepon’s image at all. It became more of a funny meme moment than anything that damaged her reputation.

Dave Meltzer: That’s true in the context of a sitcom. But this is different. In That ’70s Show, it was a scripted comedy moment on a TV show. People laughed at it, it became a clip, and then everyone moved on. Laura Prepon’s career wasn’t affected because it was clearly a work and everyone knew it was just a joke.

This is wrestling. Even though it’s still a work, it’s being presented in a much more shoot-style way. It happened in a live arena in front of a real crowd. When Mila ripped Laura’s pants down and showed those granny panties, it wasn’t just some pre-written sitcom bit. It felt real in the moment. And when the commentary team immediately started saying she shit herself when Mila hit that finishing kick, that took it even further.

Bryan Alvarez: Yeah, the commentary was pretty rough on her during that spot. They basically buried her by saying she shit herself.

Dave Meltzer: They did. And whether she actually did or not almost doesn’t matter at this point. The commentary team ran with it and put that image out there. From what I’ve heard, she probably didn’t actually shit herself, but in the context of this angle, she might as well have. If they’re trying to completely destroy her character and make her look as pathetic and finished as possible, leaning into that kind of humiliation might actually help the angle get over. Sometimes in wrestling, the more disgusting and embarrassing something is, the more it sticks with people.

Bryan Alvarez: So you think the live element and the shoot presentation makes this different from how it played out on That ’70s Show?

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, I do. On the sitcom, it was contained. It was funny, it was embarrassing for the character in that moment, but it didn’t follow her outside of that episode in any real way. Here, because it happened in front of a live crowd and was presented with that more realistic, unscripted feel, it has a different weight to it. The commentary team doubling down on her supposedly shitting herself only adds to that. Whether it actually happened or not, that’s the story they’re telling right now.

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think it was the right move?

Dave Meltzer: It depends on what they’re trying to do with Laura long-term. If they’re planning to completely bury her and have no plans to rebuild her anytime soon, then yeah, it probably works. But if they ever want people to take her seriously again, this kind of public humiliation is going to be hard to walk back. Once you rip someone’s pants off and have the commentary team say she shit herself on live TV, that image tends to stick around for a while.

Bryan Alvarez: Got it. Anything else about that spot that stood out to you?

Dave Meltzer: Just that it was very deliberate. They clearly wanted to make Laura look as low and pathetic as possible in that moment. Whether it pays off long-term is still up in the air, but in the short term, it definitely accomplished what they were going for.

Bryan Alvarez: Going back to Laura for a second — I was looking at the list of contracts earlier, and from what I have, she’s not even under contract with CBWL.

Dave Meltzer: Really? Let me check mine… yeah, you’re right. She’s not listed on the active roster contracts at all.

Bryan Alvarez: So if she’s not under contract, why was she even there last night? Why put her in a match and bury her that hard if she’s not even signed?

Dave Meltzer: That’s a good question. If she’s not under contract, then either they brought her in as a one-off, or she was there under some kind of handshake deal. Either way, it’s strange that they went out of their way to humiliate her that badly if she’s not even part of the roster long-term. Usually when you do something that extreme to someone, it’s because you have plans for them moving forward — either to rebuild them or to keep using them as a punching bag. But if she’s not even under contract, then what was the point?

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think it was just a one-time thing to get heat on Mila?

Dave Meltzer: Maybe. But even then, it feels excessive. You could’ve had Mila beat her without going to that level of public humiliation. Ripping her pants down and having the commentary team say she shit herself is pretty far, even by CBWL standards. If Laura’s not signed, it makes me wonder if they were just using her as a disposable body to make Mila look strong. Which, honestly, wouldn’t surprise me given how this company operates.

Bryan Alvarez: So what do you think happens with her now?

Dave Meltzer: I have no idea. If she’s not under contract, then they don’t really owe her anything. She could just disappear after this. Or maybe this was some kind of tryout and they’re testing the waters to see if they want to bring her in properly. We’ll probably find out next week, depending on whether she shows up again or if they address what happened to her.

Bryan Alvarez: Yeah, I guess we’ll see. Anything else about that match or Laura that stood out to you?

Dave Meltzer: Not right now. I’m still trying to figure out what the actual plan was with her if she’s not even under contract. That part doesn’t make a lot of sense yet.

Bryan Alvarez: Let’s move on to the Florence Pugh backstage segment with Wendy Williams. Florence was eating a brick of cheese while Wendy interviewed her. What did you make of that?

Dave Meltzer: It was pretty light and pretty dumb. The whole premise was that Florence was stress-eating cheese before whatever she’s supposed to be doing next, and Wendy was calling her out on it in that over-the-top way she does. It got a couple of laughs, but it didn’t really accomplish much. It made Florence look ditzy and unprepared, which I guess was the point, but it also made her look kind of cartoonish. I’m not sure if that’s the image they want to stick with her long-term.

Bryan Alvarez: It felt like they were trying to position her as this clueless, out-of-her-depth character.

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, and they leaned into it pretty hard. The cheese bit was clearly meant to be funny and embarrassing for her. The problem is, once you start doing bits like that with someone who’s supposed to be a wrestler, it can be hard to walk back later if you ever want people to take her seriously. Right now it feels like they’re just throwing random comedy at her instead of giving her anything meaningful to do.

Bryan Alvarez: What did you think of Wendy in that segment?

Dave Meltzer: She looked rough. I don’t know what’s going on with her lately, but she didn’t look good under the lights. Her face looked puffy and tired, and she just didn’t have that same energy she used to have. If she’s going to keep doing these interview segments, she needs to get herself cleaned up a bit. Right now she looks like she’s falling apart, and that undercuts whatever she’s trying to do on camera.

Bryan Alvarez: A lot of people backstage were saying she needs more work done — more Botox specifically.

Dave Meltzer: They’re not wrong. If you’re going to be on television in any kind of regular role, especially one where you’re supposed to be putting other people down or playing a strong personality, you need to look somewhat put together. Wendy didn’t. She looked worn down. And when you’re interviewing someone like Florence, who’s younger and more put together, the contrast makes Wendy look even worse by comparison.

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think they should keep using her in this role?

Dave Meltzer: Only if they fix her up first. If they’re going to keep her on camera, they need to get her looking presentable again. Otherwise, it just makes the whole thing feel cheap. She’s supposed to be the one roasting these girls and making them look stupid, but when she looks worse than they do, it kind of defeats the purpose.

Bryan Alvarez: Some people were saying they should lean harder into Florence eating cheese and maybe keep doing bits like that with her.

Dave Meltzer: That’s the easy way out. Instead of giving Florence something real to do or building her up in any way, they’re just turning her into a joke character who stress-eats cheese. That might get a few cheap laughs now, but it’s not going to do her any favors long-term. At some point they’re going to have to decide if they actually want to do something with her or if she’s just going to be the company punchline.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else about that segment that stood out to you?

Dave Meltzer: Not really. It was light, it was stupid, and it made both of them look worse than they did going in. Wendy looked bad, and Florence looked like she had no idea what she was doing there. Not the strongest segment on the show by any means.

Bryan Alvarez: Going back to Wendy for a second — did you notice that big goose egg on her head during the Florence segment?

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, I saw that. It was pretty noticeable under the lights. She had a pretty solid bump on the side of her head. I was wondering what the hell happened to her.

Bryan Alvarez: Same. It looked fresh too. Any idea what that could’ve been from?

Dave Meltzer: I have no idea. It could’ve been from anything. Maybe she fell, maybe she walked into something, or maybe she got into it with someone backstage. It was big enough that it stood out, so whatever happened, it wasn’t subtle. I’ve seen people come out of matches with smaller bumps than that.

Bryan Alvarez: It didn’t look like something from a match though. It was too clean, like a single impact point rather than something from getting thrown around.

Dave Meltzer: Yeah, I agree. It didn’t have that “I took a bump” look to it. It looked more like she got hit with something, or took a hard fall and landed on that one spot. I’ve heard she’s been having some issues lately, but nothing that would explain a bump like that. It’s strange.

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think it happened at the show or before she got there?

Dave Meltzer: Hard to say. It looked pretty fresh, so it could’ve happened earlier in the day or even right before she went on camera. If it happened at the building, someone would’ve probably seen it or heard about it by now. But I haven’t heard anything. It’s possible she showed up with it already there and just tried to cover it up with makeup, but it was still pretty obvious.

Bryan Alvarez: Either way, it didn’t look good on camera. Between that and how rough her face looked overall, she really didn’t come across well last night.

Dave Meltzer: No, she didn’t. And having a big visible bump on her head while she’s trying to do an interview segment only made it worse. It just added to the overall messy, unprofessional feel of the whole thing.

Bryan Alvarez: Yeah. I’m curious if we’ll hear anything more about what actually happened there. It stood out enough that people are going to ask questions.

Dave Meltzer: We’ll probably find out eventually. These things usually come out one way or another. For now though, it just added another weird detail to an already strange segment.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else about Wendy or that segment that stood out to you?

Bryan Alvarez: Let’s talk about the agents for a minute. From what you’ve heard, how involved are they actually in putting together the matches and segments?

Dave Meltzer: From what I’ve been told, their involvement is pretty inconsistent. The main agents right now are Tony Soprano, Joan Rivers, Sarah Palin, Bill Parcells, and Arnold Palmer, with Mariska Hargitay also having a lot of input from the office side.

Bryan Alvarez: How much say does Arnold actually have?

Dave Meltzer: Not a ton, from what I’ve heard. He’s not really a wrestling guy, so his influence is limited. He tends to float around and give input here and there, but most of the actual match and segment layouts are being handled by the others. He was apparently pretty lost during the post-show meeting when they were explaining the granny panties spot, which kind of shows where he’s at in terms of understanding the product.

Bryan Alvarez: What about the rest of the group?

Dave Meltzer: It’s a mixed bag. Tony has a strong personality and pushes for more extreme, mean-spirited stuff, which fits the CBWL style but sometimes goes too far without enough pushback. Joan is very opinionated and isn’t afraid to say when she thinks something is bad or when she wants to bury someone. Bill Parcells is more old-school and tends to push for simpler, more straightforward booking. Sarah Palin kind of plays both sides depending on which way the wind is blowing at the moment.

Bryan Alvarez: Do they work well together as a group?

Dave Meltzer: Not really. From what I’ve heard, there’s not a lot of cohesion. It feels like multiple people are pulling in different directions, and when something goes wrong — like the bathroom rib or the main event going off script — there isn’t enough structure or experience in the room to stop it or fix it quickly. The fact that the toilet rib happened without the agents being fully looped in is a good example of that.

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think they’re too hands-off?

Dave Meltzer: In some cases, yes. It seems like a lot of the talent is being given a lot of freedom, and the agents aren’t stepping in enough to keep things on track. That can work when you have experienced wrestlers, but with a roster full of non-wrestlers like CBWL has, you need more oversight, not less. Without that, you end up with situations like last night where things spiral out of control.

Bryan Alvarez: Has there been any talk about bringing in more experienced agents?

Dave Meltzer: I’ve heard a few names thrown around, but nothing solid yet. Right now it feels like they’re still trying to make it work with the group they have. Whether last night’s show forces them to make changes remains to be seen.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else about the agents that stood out to you?

Dave Meltzer: Just that the lack of experience and cohesion is becoming more obvious. When you have multiple issues in one night that could’ve been avoided with better oversight, it points to a group that isn’t fully in control. That’s going to be a problem if they want to run a consistent product going forward.

Bryan Alvarez: Got it. Anything else you want to touch on from last night’s show?

Dave Meltzer: Before we wrap this up, I just want to say something about the overall power structure in CBWL right now. From everything I’ve heard over the last few days, the issues we saw last night aren’t isolated incidents. They’re symptoms of a bigger problem.

The agent group — Tony, Joan, Sarah, Bill, and Arnold — doesn’t seem to be working as a unified team. There’s too much pulling in different directions and not enough experience in the room to keep things under control. When you have situations like the bathroom rib slipping through without proper oversight, or a main event going completely off script because nobody stepped in to stop it, it points to a lack of structure at the top. That’s not sustainable long-term.

On top of that, it feels like there’s a disconnect between what’s being booked and what’s actually happening once the bell rings. The fact that Emma was able to completely change the finish and keep working Hilary after the match was over, with apparently very little pushback in the moment, says a lot about how much control they actually have over their own show right now.

Bryan Alvarez: Do you think this is something they can fix, or is this just how the company operates?

Dave Meltzer: They can fix it, but it’s going to take some real changes. Right now it feels like they’re running on chaos and hoping things work out. That might be fine for a while, but eventually it catches up with you — especially when people are actually getting hurt and the finishes are going off the rails on live TV. Whether they’re willing to make the necessary adjustments after last night’s show is still up in the air.

Bryan Alvarez: Anything else you want to add before we go?

Dave Meltzer: Just that last night was a rough one for CBWL, and a lot of the problems we saw came from the same place — a lack of experience and structure at the top. How they handle the fallout from the main event and the issues surrounding the bathroom match over the next week or two will tell us a lot about whether this is something they can course-correct, or if this is just the direction the company is headed.

Bryan Alvarez: We’ll keep an eye on it. Thanks for breaking everything down, Dave.

Dave Meltzer: No problem. We’ll talk again soon.

Bryan Alvarez: That’ll do it for this episode of Wrestling Observer Live. We’ll be back with more soon. Take care, everyone.