Livelick landed back in October, and it’s not the kind of live record you drop in the background. Something Is Waiting pulled the whole thing straight off the stage at the Empty Bottle, start to finish, no edits, no cleanup crew, just the band in their element — a Chicago room that’s been home to every kind of beautiful chaos.
The release came out on Learning Curve Records, and the band leans into that wired-up intersection they’ve built for years: noise rock voltage, glam-metal attitude, and the sharp edges of ‘90s metal.
The Chicago Reader once described their sound as “Sunset Strip swagger forged with a sonic sledgehammer of ‘90s metal,” while Kerrang! landed on “the shrieky, sleazy crust-glam you crave.” New Noise pushed it further saying that it’s a “beautiful racket that mixes in their disparate influences of noise rock and sleaze rock… ‘Noise Rock & Roll,’ NR&R.” Decibel kept it blunt: “Something Is Waiting don’t play it safe… Livelick documents the band as they are: raw, nasty, and locked in.”
It fits the group’s larger arc. Two years ago, Eddie Gobbo dropped a wrestling feature for us — a top five of who was “best for business” heading into the year. That piece sat next to coverage of their album Absolutely. That era helped define the sly hybrid they call “nu roll,” and Livelick extends the line — more jagged, more unfiltered, but still unmistakably theirs.
Gobbo’s voice has always reached beyond the stage. He used to write the “Mark For War” wrestling column for MetalSucks, and the way he breaks down a wrestler isn’t far from how he breaks down his own band: mechanics, psychology, timing, the little things that make the whole thing land.
With Livelick out and the band ramping a fresh run of videos — “Poster Boys (Live),” “Unholy Alliance (Live),” “Get Yr Gimmicks (Live)” — Gobbo returns with his updated list: the five wrestlers he believes will define 2026. Ha!
5 “Best for Business” Wrestlers in 2026
by Eddie Gobbo of Something Is Waiting
Jacy Jayne (WWE NXT)
Regina George Thorogood. Perfect combo of Mean Girl and Rocker.
Pretty much for the jump I knew Jacey was going to be a big deal, talking YEARS ago. She took a vicious back bump on to a guardrail while wrestling in a women’s tag in NXT. She sold it incredibly.
Speaking of JJ’s selling, she has amazing facial expressions, particularly after a long two count she can’t believe wasn’t three. In ring, her stuff cracks. Has the #1 running knee to the face in the game. Period.
Her finisher, The Rolling Encore (great name) is an out of nowhere RKO style finisher. Right place, Right time, You’re OUT! It’s a rare finisher where the cover can get cascaded in to as well, so it’s over before ya know it. That’ll help her win a lot of upsets during a push. 91 Shawn look and very believable that it’s just her with the volume turned up.Probably the best match of her young career was against Masha Slamovich at this years Slammersary. Start there if you need to catch up on her in ring stuff cus she’s likely about to get called up to RAW before ya know it.
Pretty certain the best fit for her would be to shadow Liv Morgan upon her return (both from Jersey btw) in order to even the odds in an inevitable feud with Roxanne and Raquel. Oh, and her best weapon is the mic. Talks for LONG stretches of time and can nail about 40 different points across in the process.
The Women’s Division is really going to thrive off her on ramp promos talking shit about someone she’s about to face in ring about three minutes from now. I think JJ and Bianca are on a slow collision course. That feud will be amazing, particularly on a grand scale. JJ played out by Steel Panther in a packed Football Stadium while rocking Lars’s White Leather from the “And Justice” days. Big things ahead.
JD McDonagh (WWE RAW)
I’m dead serious when I say JD McDonaugh is probably the best wrestler between the ropes on the planet today. His in ring talent is probably the reason he gets a 20min match every week on RAW where he sets it off with literally ANYONE they throw at him.
Could be Otis, could be Penta, could be a comedy match with R Truth. No matter what, it’s going down and and it’s going down right. He’s the Owen Hart of this era. The in ring measuring stick. I see him and TAG TEAM partner Finn Balor having a huge match at this year’s Wrestlemania.
If I were to call it now I’d say it’s them and the Hardy Boys with a bunch of gold on the line. Maybe even in a latter match setting. Guaranteed JD has the best bump in the match too. All the greatest of greats between the ropes know how to bump and aren’t shy doing it. They know that ultimately it makes THEM look stronger, not weaker.
I don’t know exactly what the long term future holds for JD. He could be a WWE lifer. He likely will take over the Judgement Day in the next couple years and take it to the darkest place the group has ever been. Imagine a bloodthirsty nielistic Judgement Day with JD front and center. BUT JUST MAYBE he goes to AEW to showcase his skills as a legit main eventer? Him vs Ospreay would be absolutely unreal.
Lyra Valkyria (WWE RAW)
Speaking of best wrestlers on the planet. I THINK what a lot of people sour on is Lyra’s “Bird Gimmick,” as people seem to always bring up to me every time I mention her greatness. “Yeah, but the bird gimmick…” . Guess what? I like it! It’s original. And in 2025 what is really original in the wrestling business? Everyone can’t be a hard ass.
The majority of the wrestling community are nerds, Game Of Thrones fans, DND people and proud of it. Why NOT a bird gimmick? Lyra’s very cool in my book. She just seems like an honest to goodness good person who is comfortable in her own skin. Sold. And that Bird Gimmick that seemingly gets birdshit on by everyone, there are PLENTY of visuals they can use with that down the line. She can turn heel, showcasing a dark look, more like a vulture.
I’d love for her to come out with the Vulture on her arm Undertaker came out with at Mania 9. I’m sure they have him in a WWE storage warehouse somewhere just chilling. As far as in ring work: Amazingly quick. Bumps like crazy, especially off the top rope. She’s very comfortable up there. Works really snug and hard contact, reminds me of a female “The Bastard” Pac (and vice versa actually).
You can tell Bayley and Becky Lynch have mentored her, as her psychology related to crowd interaction has gone up significantly since she became the FIRST WOMEN’S IC CHAMPION (Pat Patterson was the first Mens IC Champ, Mind you. Great company). She can mat and chain wrestle too. I’ve noticed her work with a lot of great OG womens talent is outstanding, particularly Auska. When her and Auska are in the ring together, stop and watch, it’s magic. Lyra’s big break I think will ultimately come when she wins a Royal Rumble, next couple years or so. The Women’s Division is hers in 3 Years.
Thekla (AEW)
Speaking of Lyra, I think this is her perfect dance partner and neither of them really know it yet. Someone who doesn’t work in WWE nor anyone really talks about being a WWE free agent, but boy is Tekla she worthy of a major contract signing splash in the future. She’s the best wrestler in AEW currently, which is saying something.
Criminally underrated but only a matter of time til word is out. Hailing from Austria you can see a little bit of the Gunther Hard European style in her game, but also her time in Japan seeps through. Reminds me of a Tajiri meets a MMA star turned pro wrestler, like a Shayna Baezler. Little bit of Trish Stratus too.
Really strong maniacal moxy to Tekla’s character as well. Her sic’st move is this deranged modified superplex she does, she remains tethered to the ropes after execution. I’m not going to name them but she has a couple high end moves which kinda mimic some WWE big competitors she may need to move away from, she’s an original and needs to be. BUT her Bray-esc Spider Walk is staying. Last thing a lot of people don’t know about Thekla: She’s a legit renaissance woman.
Guitarist and Vocalist for a band called Death Row Groupies. Art school grad. Painter. Wrestler. Ballerina. Gymnast. You’re lucky if you get one piece of real flair from a Wrestler other than they like Disney these days. She has about 10.
Derek Sanders (Referee, WWE NXT)
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Yep. A Referee made the list. Had to show off that I know the name of every mainstream wrestler in the game by name. You’ll learn a lot about matches that way, btw!
For example, WWE Referee Danilo Anfibio has basically reffed every Becky Lynch match for the past two years. Becky’s matches have a lot of in ring drama where she gets pissed off about something. She also gets caught cutting corners a lot. A ref’s timing has to be perfectly catered to a Superstar to pull it off properly.
I haven’t noticed Sanders tethered to any Superstars just yet, but he seemingly works with literally everyone. I’ll go as far to say he’ll be a senior ref in WWE one day. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. I’ve particularly noticed he holds down 6/8 person tag matches very well. He’s in notices bullshit when he needs to, and doesn’t when he needs to.
He’s awesome at handling devious managers/buddy who has no business at ringside interference. Little bit of a throwback look to him as well. He reminds me more of a Tim White than a Chad Patton, who tho amazing, looks a little too built for a WWE ref (more of a UFC ref) at times. Sanders ace up his sleeve is he has an amazing swing and a miss whiff to his close three counts too. HARD to do.
A lot of refs kinda have to graze the mat and then wave it off to get as close as Sanders naturally does. He’s in NXT, btw, a standout in a sea of amazing up-in-coming refs. I think it’s Sanders’ year to ref the Stand and Deliver Main Event this year, presumably Oba Femi and Trick Williams’s swan song before they’re off to Main Roster Greatness.
