Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcast with your host Marie Shadows!

https://patreon.com/marieshadows

https://rumble.com/user/marieshadows

https://marieshadows.substack.com

Please leave a comment, share, and listen! Thank you!

***In this episode of Square Circle Podcast, Evil and I dive into the chaotic excitement of Battle Riot — an event that felt like the Super Bowl of wrestling. With Evil fresh off the event and me soaking in all the drama from home, we’re breaking down the action, surprises, and big moments that went down.Timestamps:

[00:00] – Intro
Marie Shadows and Dos Evil open the show and set the tone for a full Battle Riot breakdown from start to finish.

[03:15] – Overall Feel of Battle Riot
First impressions of the event. Did it feel structured? Did it feel like MLW’s tentpole show? Discussion on pacing and presentation.

[08:40] – Early Card Match Reactions
Quick breakdown of the opening matches, in-ring quality, and what felt like setup versus payoff.

[15:20] – Middleweight Championship Match
Full discussion of Kushida winning the MLW Middleweight Championship.
Why Marie and Dos Evil have been advocating for Kwon to win the title — and how Kushida taking it shifts the division.

[23:10] – Kushida Joins Contra
The bigger twist of the night.
What Kushida aligning with Contra means for the faction, the championship, and especially for Kwon’s trajectory.

[30:45] – Kwon’s Position Moving Forward
Is this delay building something bigger?
What this means politically within the division and how Kwon fits into the evolving picture.

[38:00] – The Battle Riot Match Breakdown
Structure of the Riot match.
Key eliminations.
Who gained momentum even without winning.

[48:30] – Standout Performances & Momentum Shifts
Who elevated themselves on this card?
Who feels positioned for the next step?

[55:10] – MLW’s Direction After Battle Riot
Does this show feel like a reset?
Where the major storylines seem to be heading.

[1:02:00] – Final Thoughts
Closing reflections on Battle Riot, Kushida as champion, Contra’s evolution, and what needs to happen next.

Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcat by your host Marie Shadows!

Squared Circle Podcast and Discord Notes will be on Patreon and Rumble! Youtube has made my videos stagnat! Join me over at Rumble and Patreon! Any support helps keep me independent! See you in chat!

https://patreon.com/marieshadows

https://rumble.com/user/marieshadows

In this episode, Marie Shadows breaks down WWE's Royal Rumble 2026 from Riyadh, calling out fanboys for blind acceptance, critiquing Gunther's "career killer" gimmick, AJ Styles' retirement match, and John Cena's lackluster final bout.

She ties it all to bigger issues in wrestling fandom, nuclear heat in 2026, and why pushing back matters.

Plus, promos for Patreon exclusives like Tape Study and Discord Notes.

Make sure to like, subscribe, and comment—did AJ's retirement feel wrong to you? Follow on Spotify for more reviews.

Support on Patreon (patreon.com/MarieShadows) for unlimited Tape Study, JCW Lunacy breakdowns, and Discord Notes archives.

Check uncensored content on Rumble.com/user/MarieShadows.

Timestamps:

00:00:02 - Intro: Dislike for WWE fanboys accepting everything without pushback

00:00:47 - Real fans' valid dissatisfaction vs. complainers

00:01:11 - John Cena's final match: Worst ever, full breakdown on Patreon

00:01:37 - Patreon promo: Free follows, $7.50 tier for exclusives

00:02:44 - Welcome to Square Circle Podcast: Royal Rumble review

00:03:00 - WWE's bad decisions tying Cena's match to Rumble issues

00:03:37 - Gunther as "career killer": Doesn't make sense at 38

00:04:44 - No true nuclear heat in 2026 wrestling (except JCW Lunacy)

00:06:21 - Fanboy reactions to Cena's match: Gaslighting valid feelings

00:07:42 - Tournament for Cena's opponent was lame—should've played the hits

00:08:53 - AJ Styles' retirement at Rumble: Not accepting it yet

00:09:28 - Gunther vs. AJ should've been Cena's match level

00:10:04 - Wrestling subject to change—don't accept retirements blindly

00:11:07 - Rumble matches overview: Men's (Roman wins), Women's (Liv wins)

00:12:19 - Saudi Arabia hosting: Fan hypocrisy on human rights

00:15:02 - Gunther doesn't have nuclear heat—boos are superficial

00:17:13 - Don't let fanboys bully you into liking bad booking

00:18:50 - Rumble got a genuine reaction from me—WWE did its job

00:20:33 - Outro: Comments, polls, follow on Spotify

00:21:58 - Promotions: Rumble, Patreon, Substack, YouTube

00:23:26 - Discord Notes promo: Ep 10 on ICE "whitewashing" and Ava tweet

00:26:13 - Patreon value: Honest feedback, no sugarcoating

00:28:37 - Why Discord Notes exists: Uncomfortable conversations for growth

00:30:03 - Final thanks and sign-off

Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcast with your host Marie Shadows!

Visit:

https://patreon.com/marieshadows

https://rumble.com/user/marieshadows

In this episode of the Square Circle Podcast, I break down Wrestle Kingdom 20 (January 4, 2026), focusing on the chaotic NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag "Ranbo" opener and the IWGP/STRONG Women's title match between Syuri and Saya Kamitani.

I also go in-depth on why activist commentary (feminism, "women fighting for visibility") feels out of place in NJPW, cultural respect for Japan, why the women's titles feel like an afterthought, and how Stardom can headline the Tokyo Dome on merit—not gender narratives.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro & Wrestle Kingdom 20 overview

1:45 - NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag "Ranbo" (Zack Sabre Jr., Oiwa & Hartley win)

4:20 - The IWGP Women's & STRONG Women's title match (Syuri becomes double champ)

7:10 - Rant starts: Commentary activism & inserting "woke" narratives

12:30 - Respecting Japanese culture vs. American ideology imports

18:45 - Why the IWGP Women's title exists + Stardom as separate division

25:10 - Merit over gender quotas; Stardom selling out Tokyo Dome on its own

32:00 - Women's wrestling observations: safety, training, storytelling

40:15 - Final thoughts: Retire the titles? Revive NJPW Strong?

45:50 - Outro & call to action

If you're tired of forced narratives and want real talk on wrestling, hit like/subscribe/comment your thoughts below. No brainwashing here—just passion for the squared circle.