{"id":223557,"date":"2026-10-12T11:57:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T16:57:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=223557"},"modified":"2026-10-12T11:57:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T16:57:36","slug":"wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-personal-favs-pet-peeves-la-knight-dominik-mysterio-austin-theory-cm-punk-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/10\/12\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-personal-favs-pet-peeves-la-knight-dominik-mysterio-austin-theory-cm-punk-others\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS \u2013 Personal Favs &#038; Pet Peeves: LA Knight, Dominik Mysterio, Austin Theory, CM Punk, others"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-91391360\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>Wrestling is like a buffet \u2013 with such a variety of choices, there\u2019s something for everyone.<\/p>\n<p>All fans have some wrestlers who appeal to them and others who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Coming of age, I was fascinated by &#8220;Macho Man&#8221; Randy Savage, The Great Muta, Bret Hart, and Triple H, but I never cared for Hulk Hogan, \u201cStone Cold\u201d Steve Austin, The Rock, or The Undertaker.<\/p>\n<p>What makes us fans gravitate to one performer over another? The reasons are likely many and complex. In some cases, we simply see an aspect of our own identity reflected a wrestler. This may be our values and beliefs \u2013 a belief in fair play and morality is one of the main reasons we tend to connect with babyface acts rather than heels.<\/p>\n<p>Our identification with a community may also play a role, leading us to favor a wrestler who shares our ethnicity, hometown, or nation. Sometimes the wrestler embodies traits we do not possess but aspire to: power, beauty, attitude, courage, wit, or just plain coolness. They may be the most capable of cutting an entertaining promo, or the most adept at delivering exciting wrestling matches.<\/p>\n<p>Fans often respond to individual heels in an entirely different way. Their presentation may remind us of people who upset us in our personal lives: a domineering boss, a narcissistic family member, an irritating coworker, or a childhood bully. That connection makes us more invested in the villain and more likely to want to see them fail or face justice.<\/p>\n<p>This week, I&#8217;m presenting my favorite performers who appeal to me personally, and my least favorite performers who I just don\u2019t get.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Rising Star of the Week: LA Knight<\/h3>\n<p>My favorite main-event wrestler in decades, LA Knight is a true character and a fantastic storyteller. I admire his swagger and find myself wanting to work his \u201cYEAH!\u201d catchphrase into everyday conversations (much to the confusion of friends and coworkers). Knight strikes the right tone in nearly every promo, finding a way to invest me in his story. Knight elevates any story he\u2019s involved with.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2671082599\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>His lapses into meta concepts, such as calling Reigns a corporate creation, are thankfully rare exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>Critics complain about botched moves, but an occasional stumble when leaping to the top rope does little to take me out of the moment, unlike more problematic botches like selling a blow that clearly did not connect.<\/p>\n<p>In my book, Knight\u2019s in-ring work is hard-hitting, realistic, and more than adequate to the task of putting on exciting matches.<\/p>\n<p>Although I recognized that the odds were against Knight winning the World Title at Money in the Bank, he more than earned his spot at the top of the card and should continue to be framed as a main-event-level challenger.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Runner-up: Kendall Grey<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An amateur wrestling standout, Kendall Grey possesses an inspiring story and has taken to professional wrestling like a fish to water.<\/p>\n<p>Her lifelong love of wrestling is undeniable. In high school, Grey competed on the men\u2019s varsity team due to a lack of female competition and earned distinction as an All-American selected for the USA National Team. Her success in college wrestling was even more impressive, winning three consecutive NAIA women\u2019s national championships.<\/p>\n<p>Much like Kurt Angle, Grey\u2019s amateur wrestling mastery translated to mastery of professional wrestling ringwork in short order. Beginning pro wrestling training in 2023, she was wrestling televised matches in 2024, won the Evolve Championship in 2025, and was wrestling for the NXT Women&#8217;s Championship by January of this year, ultimately winning the title in June.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-4180795297\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Grey\u2019s title matches have been nothing short of fantastic; they are the most exciting women\u2019s matches I\u2019ve seen in years. Her offense convincingly incorporates Greco-Roman wrestling, judo, and MMA strikes, and her selling is top-notch. She carried Jacy Jayne, Lola Vice, and Kelani Jordan to the best matches of their respective careers.<\/p>\n<p>The matches are, if anything, too hard-hitting. Her NXT Underground match with Lola Vice led to severe trauma to her right ear, which has sidelined Grey in recent months.<\/p>\n<p>Grey\u2019s weakness is her limited mic skills, but she comes off as earnest and relatable, with a palpable love of competition and wrestling \u2013 the makings of a top babyface. Grey would also benefit from a more well-defined character, a deficit recent therapy session vignettes are attempting to fill.<\/p>\n<p>If Grey can stay healthy, she has the makings of a top star on the main roster.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second Runner-up: Austin Theory<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although this may not be a popular opinion, I always look forward to seeing Austin Theory on Raw.<\/p>\n<p>Theory was pushed too hard and too soon after he debuted on the main roster in 2020, clearly unprepared for the spotlight he was given. His highest-profile feud came three years later when he was pitted against John Cena at WrestleMania 39.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than help him along as a performer, Cena seemed to exploit Theory\u2019s weaknesses. Far from building Theory up as a credible opponent or future star, Cena denounced him as an incompetent phony. Although Theory ultimately won their match, his credibility as a wrestler was greatly diminished by Cena\u2019s criticisms, a blow from which he has yet to fully recover.<\/p>\n<p>With his reemergence in 2026 and alignment with The Vision, Theory has successfully reinvented himself and rehabilitated his image. Theory\u2019s function in The Vision is analogous to that of another favorite of mine, JD McDonagh, in The Judgment Day. Theory puts on very good matches with babyface opponents, which he typically loses. He\u2019s the first to eat a pinfall in multi-person matches, providing a layer of protection for his faction mates who are higher on the card.<\/p>\n<p>A natural performer, Theory knows his role and plays it to perfection. Gifted with movie-star looks, he comes off as full of himself and overconfident, but ultimately cowardly in the mode of classic heels. More than passable in the ring as well as on the mic, his offense and selling are believable and effective. His nickname, \u201cThe Pressure,\u201d doesn\u2019t add much to his character, but it doesn\u2019t detract, either.<\/p>\n<p>The addition of Maxxine to his act has added a needed extra layer. It&#8217;s much easier to be jealous of a good-looking man when he has a beautiful woman on his arm, particularly if she is as infatuated with him as Maxxine seems to be with Theory. Add some extraneous public displays of affection, and we\u2019ve got a winning package.<\/p>\n<p>I believe Theory has earned a chance at a higher-profile program \u2013 one in which he is presented as a real contender instead of just the least prominent member of The Vision.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of what John Cena said, don\u2019t discount this underrated performer!<\/p>\n<p><em>ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Check out the latest episode of &#8220;Wrestling Night in America,&#8221; part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/episode\/wrestling-night-in-america-wwe-money-in-the-bank-post-show-lindberg-stoup-discuss-penta-and-tiffany-s-mitb-wins-reigns-vs-l-a-knight--75694440\">CLICK HERE<\/a> to stream (or search \u201cpwtorch\u201d on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wrestling Night in America - WWE Money in the Bank post-show: Lindberg &amp; Stoup discuss Penta and Tiffany's MITB wins, Reigns vs. L.A. Knight\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?episode_id=75694440&amp;theme=light&amp;playlist=false&amp;playlist-continuous=false&amp;chapters-image=true&amp;episode_image_position=right&amp;hide-logo=false&amp;hide-likes=false&amp;hide-comments=false&amp;hide-sharing=false&amp;hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Fading Star of the Week: Dominik Mysterio<\/h3>\n<p>When Dominik Mysterio wrestles, I find my fingers drifting towards the remote\u2019s fast-forward button.<\/p>\n<p>The nepo-baby backlash that made it fun to boo Mysterio \u2013 leading to nuclear heat in late 2022 \u2013 has faded. His pairing with Rhea Ripley and later Liv Morgan were initially entertaining as well, but the chemistry of those relationships has run its course. Last year\u2019s &#8220;cheat-at-all-costs&#8221; persona was also interesting, but lost steam over time.<\/p>\n<p>Dominik does not overact, but he\u2019s not dynamic enough to be interesting on the mic. His ring skills are barely adequate, and the quality of his matches is firmly on the lower end of those on WWE TV. His look is more suggestive of a gas station attendant than a professional athlete.<\/p>\n<p>Without sufficient heat, athleticism, presence, credibility, or an engaging storyline, there\u2019s just not much to recommend Mysterio at this point.<\/p>\n<p>Some see him as a future star. I see him as more of a bathroom break.<\/p>\n<p><strong>First Runner-Up: Tiffany Stratton<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although she looks like a star, Tiffany Stratton is arguably the worst actor in all of WWE, which tends to make every segment she\u2019s involved in seem stilted, awkward, and inauthentic. Her athleticism, which genuinely impressive, does not translate to convincing ring work.<\/p>\n<p>Stratton has underperformed in relation to her push and would be better suited to a sidekick or a supporting role.<\/p>\n<p>For too long, SmackDown fans have suffered from an overabundance of Tiffy Time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Second Runner-Up: CM Punk<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Punk is one of the all-time greats, a true legacy act, whose influence on wrestling cannot be overstated, nor can his enduring popularity. Among the top echelon of talkers, Punk remains a master storyteller on the mic. He has been responsible for some of 2026\u2019s most intriguing feuds, including his disputes with Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and Roman Reigns. The clashes of personality have led to some of the most highly anticipated PLE matches of the year.<\/p>\n<p>And then the bell rang.<\/p>\n<p>Punk\u2019s conditioning has deteriorated to the point that he no longer seems viable as an in-ring competitor. He becomes visibly exhausted quickly during matches, in contrast to his opponents, who seem far better conditioned. With the notable exception of his bout against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, Punk is no longer able to deliver matches of sufficient quality, leaving an unsatisfying ending to every promising story. Unless he can improve his conditioning, Punk no longer has what it takes to perform at a main-event level in WWE.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"PWTorch YouTube Live Post-show (10\/10) - WWE Money in the Bank w\/Nate &amp; Tom\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F91EF9ioagk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-1770292039\"><div id=\"pwtor-2581450161\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Wrestling is like a buffet \u2013 with such a variety of choices, there\u2019s something for everyone. All fans have some wrestlers who appeal to them and others who don\u2019t. Coming of age, I was fascinated <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2026\/10\/12\/wwe-rising-stars-fading-stars-personal-favs-pet-peeves-la-knight-dominik-mysterio-austin-theory-cm-punk-others\/\" title=\"WWE RISING STARS &#038; FADING STARS \u2013 Personal Favs &#038; Pet Peeves: LA Knight, Dominik Mysterio, Austin Theory, CM Punk, others\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49833,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,4309,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-223557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-rising-star-fading-star","category-specialists"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2017\/10\/DrakeEli_TeschJoel3x2_600-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223557"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":223558,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223557\/revisions\/223558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}