Gerald & Badlands August On #RawOnNetflix & NJPW

And we're back plays with my guest right here from New York, The bad Lands August wrestles for lp W.

Right, what else you wrestled for? That's that's it for now.

It's LBW legacy progress.

You got you listen? How are you feeling good?

That's I'm feeling pretty good. Thank you for having me again. Of course it's a new year. The bad Lands is still right and high his next show on January eighteenth, lp W.

It's gonna be an exciting time. But of course we have there are more shows out there.

And m.

And and if if luck, if we strike gold, we'll strike luck.

And we'll see and we'll see if if the bad Lands makes his h in his debut on other shows, we'll.

Find out cool cool cool cool cool.

So like uh so, I'll ask you, like, like how your thoughts might not roll like the their debut on Netflix about that real quick.

Well in the moment, so as I was watching it, it was I I I enjoyed.

I enjoyed a bit of it.

It was I liked the uh, I liked the opening with Roman and uh uh so uh it really felt like it felt much more like a main event to me. The the outside interference was it was fun and energetic, the suspense was real, and it also feels like they're putting away this storyline for the year and that they're gonna move on to other things with with each faction. So we'll find out we'll find it out more about that in the future. And uh, although honestly the worst of the worst.

Of it was it uh when Hulk Cogan and Jimmy Hart came out, it.

Was almost to me, it was almost like John Cena returning.

In the Royal Rumble of two thousand and eight. It was a huge pop.

Everyone was uh so surprised that that he made that return. And then it takes about a minute for everyone to go, wait a second, you don't like this guy, and the crowd instantly turned on Hogan.

Did you get that?

That's what I felt?

Well, I think, well, I think that they were cheering Jimmy Hart, right, and.

Then I mean, I'm sure they would.

And then Hogan came out, Hogan, fuck Hogan, gonna boo him, And so I'm interested, no, because you know, I've had no perspective from you know, like African Americans on this, like on this on the show today. I had myself, Brandon Cavanaugh, Russ just now from his prior to you coming on and Chris Fleming right, and we're all you know, we're all black, right, and so even even Russ right, he said so himself. I'm just now I'm gonna read right here, he said, good show love Hoking, Bood hated

Bood?

Honestly, I think it has to do with last year, because you know, Hogan makes up and made a bunch.

Of public political appearances. And I feel like if you if you're a pop culture figure and you start getting into politics, you're gonna get into some hot water.

But then again that politics and pop culture have been and in twining. It's in twining between the two of the in between each other for like, I don't know, over ten years now, but it's still it's it's still a a controversial things.

Politics, Okay, Yeah, I.

Would say, I would say so, and a couple a couple with the fact.

That Hogan has done a lot of uh, has said a lot of well you know.

And uh, but when when his music hits, everyone has that sense of nostalgia and they just got to get up and cheer.

But then reality sets in for for about.

A minute for everyone to switch emotions.

I mean, I'll say this real quick, not not not too impossible to deep, but you know, on a take, it's also like, you know, I'm aga supporter, you didn't get.

Well, I'm it's true, but but Undertaker is different. You know, it's kind of strange you're saying this because we're it's cash stranger talking about this because last night, by coincidence, uh, one of my peers out of nowhere was talking to me about this.

About about politics.

And it just makes me think, uh, it just makes me realize that out of nowhere you can have you can you can have these in these conversations. Uh when when you're still in wrestling mode. But about here we are and it's you know, it's unavoidable.

Okay, okay, yeah, but so yeah, so you talked about the open air match, about holding coming out play with the other stuff, se puckets of rollins.

Uh, and so.

I didn't really want them to be the main event. But just like Undertaker, and just like Roman and Solo, it's it's almost like they're putting that storyline to to bed and uh thinking of something else thoughts, as in moving on to something else.

So you thought that Roman is to be made event.

I feel I feel like it should have.

Yeah, I mean my argument against that would be fucking superate raw guys.

So they should be made raw.

That's true, But I don't know why why would there if it's if it's main event for raw and they are raw guys, why have a bunch of SmackDown superstars?

Uh? If if they can't main events raw?

Well, well, I was wanting to say I was saying this earlier about the broadcast because this wasn't like like this was like you know, like a tip ups. It was like they're jumped from cable to Netflix. So this is this is more of a of a special. It's probably like of like a celebration episode that's supposed like

Because it's a party.

Man, It's not like it's like it's like it's like when you're like a little It's like you're when you're in school, right, like like in kindergarten.

It was. It was very much a party when you're.

In kindergarten, right, and all of a sudden, you know, it's some kids birthday part for the classes Catholic and subating birthday party that that happen in the school day in saying, it's kind of like that.

That's why. That's why I thought it was how would you feel about how did you feel.

About the the lack of wrestling by comparison, it's like five matches, everything was just like no talking and showing the audience whatever.

The lack of wrestling compared to what.

The lack of respect by comparison, right, because five matches very very like interspersed, so so my comparison like the typical raw right, it was very like like it felt like it was like more more like more substance, more what's the word I felt like it was more it was more shine than substance.

People are saying, Uh, I mean I didn't really exactly notice it.

What I was. What I was noticing was what felt.

Uh worked for me and what didn't work for me, Like for instance, John Cena, I I expected him to to work for me, and he did him and entering himself into the Royal Rumble and the way he did it, it's it felt like John Cena and it was something I expected from Sina. Okay, and it's gotten me hyped forwards.

Okay, what what didn't work for you?

Uh? Well, I was previously mentioned Paul Cogan. It's what else ever since? Uh, I don't know, ever since.

Twenty nineteen, it feels like he just comes down to the to the arena, never walks into the stage in the ring.

And just says a few things and then it is out of there.

Well, he came here his false beer, you know, he came left with the fulls beer. So yeah, but yeah.

That's true.

It's true.

Well wealth didn't work for you, as you say.

Uh well, the matched placements. Yeah, the the the beginning and the main events I feel should have been switched. And what else was there there was James So and there was there was and there was.

Little Morgan versus Dominic, I mean, no real ripley new champions.

It it felt I mean, I am glad that.

I am glad that. Do you think that they're putting that storyline to bed?

Yeah? And I hope not.

I hope they are mean too.

Yeah it's been dragging, yes, and yeah this was a very yeah yeah I know that, right or the big bas won the matches a good again, like a good thing, especially especially trying to put on new viewers. This this was a this was a showcase to like millions and of new viewers, you know. So I think in every way this was like a massive success. But I'm just like, I'm like curious because I'm seeing a lot of the negat feedback.

You know.

Yeah, there's a lot of people on social media who who said the show.

Was a flop. Yeah.

And it's one thing if you're like, you know, like at a W for Life on Twitter or like I love a W one oh two five nine whatever on Twitter, or right saying the stuff you though because you know of tribalism fandom. But it's another thing where like you know, like you're somebody like you know, Brandon or Kavanaugh or Russ or whoever, right with with with an unbiased opinion, right. And I was surprised that of you know, of the candid that reception, you know, like you know, well Brandon

I thought it was good.

I was surprised to see that not by thoughts so well, but overall like thumbs up and thumbs down.

Um A considered, I.

Guess I'll give it.

Yeah, you know, yeah, you know, and uh yeah, and they built up stuff for um next week, right, you know, uh, you know, uh no, they built up you know, uh, they built up the next week, they built up the Women's Championship Finals, they built up other stuff.

They gotta say if if I can't say, it's a surprise that we're still in the copy and paste era of title belts.

M hm. You got you got the one big logo for for w W E and w W Women's, uh, the the World.

Heavyweight, the Intercontinental, the United States, the North American.

It's still very much a copy and paste era for.

For w W mm hmm. I mean, well, why do the word copy and paste?

You can't, you can't you can like you can't make an original design for the or for the for the women's division.

Well you mean design or the titled self, the.

Title belt itself.

So so the design like the design okay, So, but being called the United States Championship or air College that's fine, right, Okay?

I mean I don't only see a problem with that to me because I studied business in school. That's like, that's like that's like.

Branding and branding identity, you know, saying so I I didn't I only see a problem with that. That's like branding and branding identity. So again, I don't really see a problem with that. Yeah, and I know this is the w W Women's United States Championship. It's so and so forth, I would my one thing. And I know there's probably no like like factors in making factors and successes involved, but I'm like, they should stop calling the world and stop calling the WB called the raw.

World Championship.

Yeah, and I know I realized it's probably mitigating substances that that's not allowing that, right, But that's the best thing you can do, makes the most sense, because that always bothered me, Like, this is the w W World Championship, Well, this is the World Championship, like that always they bugged this shet of me.

Oh my god, going, I'm confusing me, so like which one is more important? Orders the same?

But so I'm a champion of w W, I'm a champion of the world. So that comment confused me. And yeah, I don't like so I again I'm repeating myself. I know there's probably a circumstances that's for bringing that, but the best thing you can do is to say, all right, this is the raw.

This is the the SmackDown World Championship. This is the Raw World Championship. You know what I'm saying. You know they have what no.

No, I would disagree it.

That reminds me of the Ron SmackDown Women's Championships, the main Events, the main Events, Big Card World Championships.

I didn't.

I didn't like the Raw and SmackDown branded championships even even at the time, and I still don't now. It's it's it doesn't feel legitimate. It doesn't sound legitimate to me.

Why not.

Like it's.

It just sounded it sounds more brandish to me, brandished for a show, a show.

Brand for a title you've got and then but if you have the w W E and the World Heavyweights.

It feels like it's two distinct titles with two distinct histories. That's how I felt when I first discovered the w W A Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship. That's and that's how I felt when I first discovered it, and that's how.

I feel still feel about it.

Real quick, Right, it's not supposed to be called w W champions right, that's just the version. It's just supposed to be called the w W World Championship, right, So you have to the WOR World Championship, the world ships.

Which one is is the real one?

This is what I did.

I didn't know that it was supposed to be called the WWE World Championship.

I thought I thought it was just meant to be called the champion.

Listen when when they announcer announcing the Tomas right, this mess with one ball is for the w W World the Heavyweight Championship.

That's what it is.

That's maybe it's just headcannon for me and you. And it's what w W has to say about their belts.

I feel like.

I know what, Yeah, but I don't know because again they treat like this technique and promotions raw as a promotion by itself, smacked up promotion by itself, and XT promotions by itself. Right, n XT has its has the NXT Championship, so smacked up, would have to spect that championship. RUS should have the row Chimps. That's why that's why I see it, you know, and and and and that was fun. I was saying, probably the factors involved in that. But they're no longer filled with fox, you know what

Feel like I feel like they said they should change it.

They should like, yo, it is the WRAW Championship because it's each brand is it's it's all separate promotion, right, and they should just do that.

But it's whatever, Okay, cool cool? Cool? Uh yeah real quick?

You were you were telling me that prior to watching We're All on Monday, right, you and your peers talking about Russell Kingdom and how didn't feel like Russell Kingdom this year.

Well, I'm not much of it.

I don't have much knowledge of New Japan for Wrestling or Japanese wrestling, but but I do have some knowledge of it and.

Its history of tell me about also Kingdom.

I did not see a look of it because I've just been too carprom all this personal stuff.

Well, from what I've heard, it's, oh you see it. I thought I told you before, but but I did not.

But from what I heard, it did not feel like my peers felt like it didn't feel like Wrestle Kingdom and uh, and how New Japan Pro Wrestling is starting to be trying to americanize itself with with American with a similar style and similar characters to w w EE like like their own their own kind of Triple H or Vince McMahon, and it's losing its feel.

I believe.

I believe I'm hearing what you're saying because my my peers and UH and trainers always tell me how Japan Japan.

Wrestling pro wrestling always had its distinct feel and it's a lot more tough and and grinding, and they've always stuck with that. So I'm not exactly sure what's happening in New Japan for wrestling, but if they're choosing to do this, UH, I would not.

I would not support that. It's I feel like if it's if if you have a feel and you've and you've.

Stuck with it this whole time and it's been totally successful, there's no need to to create competition with someone else.

We need don't need to.

I feel like I feel like that's cos versions right, that's that's not like no down talk a W. But I feel like because a W is kind of rating all of the New Japan talent, like all the top guys like Okada and Jay White, and the list goes on and on, like E C E and all them people.

A right.

I feel like they're kind of like the sapping way the life force of New Japan. Like who's who is all New Japan right now?

I'm saying that taking away so many Yeah, taking away?

Yeah, m you know, I haven't like yeah, like I used to like enjoy New Japan, but like I feel like it's like the souls now and like I hope to God because this rumor's going around the toy's gonna buy New Japan, and I pray that he doesn't.

That's who don't. I'm being a call once.

It could be.

Hello, Hello, fudge, who is this?

God?

Damn?

Hold on?

Hell h hello yeah, hold on, hold on, hold on alright, Heldo said, I say something talk talk there you go? Yeah, sorry about that. Somebody called, they didn't answer. I lost and lost their connections with you.

So but we're back.

It's fine, not a big deal.

But what's the camera plane?

All? Right?

There?

You go?

Uh?

Like I was saying, yeah, I feel like because of no, they don't been taking away all these all the top names, right, I feel like you kind of lost some deliight, like like lost like some soul, this energy like it's it's it's it's five it's feel like whol Like Whol is on a not either who's on New.

Japan right now that you know or remember or care about. And it's not not to be mean, it's just like the.

I feel like it's just it's just lost a lot of its substance because of all the time going to a w something like that. And I just hope that I hope the rooms aren't true that Toy is gonna buy New Japan because he bought the Barn and what happened in the.

Not the same. It's pretty much like it's pretty much a.

Dark and has has been through dark times before.

I've read the I've read the stories on how there were very few people going to see Breaking Up HM and they had new wrestlers that brought some new energy and a new feel to it.

Yeah, so maybe that happened again, hopefully, hopefully. I guess the time will tell. Okay, Okay, it's almost eight o'clock. I'm gonna cut off now because I've been doing this for hours.

Dog I bet I bet so.

Yeah, I would have joined sooner, but it's been a long, busy day.

It's fun, I don't I'm I think that's a whole. That's a lifely schedule in your career, a lot of stuff, So I don't blame you.

It's fine.

Oh, I appreciate this, dude. It's uh, it's it's really good. It's really good to uh to talk about this stuff. And it's always it's always a lot of fun.

Yeah, okay, I read any. I also want to stay real quick before I let you go and take a break, to your to your.

Viewers out there, you got to bring out We've got to bring out the future because on January eighteenth, the Battle is gonna make.

His next his next standoffs.

Uh where So.

That's yet to be determined as for a lot of things on lp W, but we're gonna find out.

Too. Stay tuned for that follow up.

Yeah, so who follow up p W on Instagram real quick before fow Badlands August on Instagram real quick. That's bad Lands b A D L A N D S Underscore August A U g U S T so follow him and also follow follow Legacy for Wrestling on Instagram. He's pulled up real quick. Uh one a second uh Legacy for Wrestling Okay, Uh, yes, that's l p W R E S T L I n G Wrestling, so follow on Instagram real quick already.

Now, all right man, it's nice having you on.

Thanks so much for having me. I hope to do it again soon.

Of course, of course. You all right, let me know, let me know, let me know about the show come up.

I might pop hocket all the time, so yeah, all right, all right, betman, A right leally, gentlemen,