Wrestling has never been better, from the creative direction of WWE under Triple H, including that shocking John Cena heel turn, to the high-flying matches and Toni Storm's compelling character in AEW. The sport has become so popular that NXT has the best women's division in the business and TNA is working with WWE. Both AEW and WWE landed huge TV rights deals last year too, but it's not just the likes of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite, and Collision that we have to watch. If you're a wrestling fan, there's also a whole host of documentaries, reality shows, and movies too.
Late 2023 saw the release of The Iron Claw, a powerful biopic feature film about the tragic Von Erich family. 2024 gave us a biopic as well, and although the story is about someone not as well known, it's still just as good. Queen of the Ring tells the story of Mildred Burke, a women's wrestler who rose to fame in the 1930s. Emily Bett Rickards stars as Burke, but there are several women's wrestlers in the film as well, such as Toni Storm, Kamille, and Naomi. Queen of the Ring was released in theaters on March 7.
That's not the only wrestling movie of 2025. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the horror comedy Dark Match starring AEW's Chris Jericho. The future Hall of Famer plays a cult leader who is hosting a wrestling show in a backwoods town. Dark Match recently came out on the streaming service Shudder.
For many wrestling fans, VICE TV's Dark Side of the Ring is the most compelling show on TV. Whether an episode is covering a topic you know well or a wrestler you're not familiar with, the mix of interviews with family members and famous wrestlers creates some unforgettable heartbreaking stories.
Dark Side of the Ring returns to VICE TV on March 25 with ten new episodes. In them, they will cover Hell in a Cell, Big Van Vader, Tony Atlas, Ludvig Borda, Billy Jack Haynes, 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert, 'Superstar' Billy Graham, Daffney, The Original Sheik, and Muhammad Hassan.
Stephanie McMahon may not officially have a role in WWE any longer, after resigning her co-CEO position a few years ago during her father, Vince McMahon's, scandals, but she does still appear on WWE TV from time to time as a cheerleader for the promotion her husband, Triple H, now heads the creative for. Fans have been very accepting of her, and now she's getting her own show.
WWE partnered with ESPN for an ESPN Original Series called Stephanie's Places. It premieres on March 26 on ESPN+ with 10 episodes that, as described by WWE, "Follows WWE icon Stephanie McMahon as she explores the pockets of America that helped shape the journeys of some of the most famous names in WWE history." NFL great Peyton Manning is the executive producer through his Omaha Productions.
WWE has also had a partnership with A&E the past several years with shows like Rivals and Greatest Moments. In 2025, they returned to the channel, along with a new series that gives a glimpse at the new generation of WWE stars.
WWE LFG (which stands for Legends and Future Greats) premiered on Sunday, February 16. It's reminiscent of Tough Enough, with legendary wrestlers coaching new talent, except that these newbies are already signed with WWE. The coaches for the show are the Undertaker, Booker T, Mickie James, and Bubba Ray Dudley, with current stars like CM Punk appearing as well.
February 16 also saw the return of WWE Rivals . With a round table that includes the likes of JBL, Cody Rhodes, Kevin Nash, and Kevin Owens, the weekly series will look at the promotion's biggest rivalries. This year will cover major feuds like Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior, Steve Austin vs. the Undertaker, Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins, and many more.
Closing out the Sunday night block is WWE's Greatest Moments . The weekly half-hour show has Michael Cole sitting down with superstars like Steve Austin, Kevin Owens, and AJ Styles to talk about their greatest moments in the ring.
Whether you're looking to learn about the past or future of wrestling in documentaries or feature films, 2025 is a big year for the sport in entertainment.
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