Everybody.
That's the American Nightmare Cody Rosen and you are listening to the baby Faces on iHeartRadio.
Hey, guys, this is ww Superstar Tivity Run.
And you're listening to the baby Faces on iHeartRadio.
What's going on y'all? Is WWE Superstar Kobe Kingston.
You're listening to the Babyfaces on iHeartRadio.
Baby, that's right, you know what time it is. It's the baby Faces on iHeartRadio, the official for a wrestling podcast of iHeartRadio, Louisville, powered by ninety seventy five WAMZ Kentuckyana's number one four Country and now most recently Sports Talk seven ninety am here in Louisville. I'm your co host, Austin Montgomery, back with another full staff. We got Billy the Kid, he's finally back on. He's made some time
for us. And we have another special guests. And I've poached you guys for listeners before because I've been on the show, so a couple of them might know who you are. From the Score North podcast, Purple Daily, Mackie and Judd the executive producer. We got mister Decklan Golf all the way from Minnesota.
Dude.
How you doing my man, dudes, I'm doing well. First off, that intro, I mean that's bad.
Yes, I love that.
Yeah, that was department in the words of the rock like I, you know, are to visualize the rock for the YouTube audience. I got like a little bit of the goosebumps there.
I'm ana running strong.
I love it.
Yeah, I mean Phil and I and you know, for anyone who listened to Purple Daily, Phil Mackie, Jude Zolgad and myself hosted Daily Vikings podcast, and Phil and I are the resident wrestling nerds, and we've we've toyed. We've gone to wrestling shows before during the pandemic, reviewed a bunch of WrestleManias when no sports were going on. And we've always had this idea in the back of our
pocket that we want to do a wrestling show. But our hands and our wrists are deep into everything Minnesota sports. We haven't had the time to really harve it out. It's been more of a pipe dream for us. But anytime I can go on another person's podcast and spew some wrestling takes, I'm obviously all for it.
Right, Yeah, No, it's we appreciate you having uh coming on. I know I've listened to your show daily, so it's really cool. It's like you said that last time I was on. It's almost like talking to celebrity. And when I know that you guys, you know have our big wrestling fans and stuff like that. Actually, one of the first interviews I listened to you guys had an Italia on a few years ago, and I'm like, yeah, these guys are pretty legit, so it'd be it'd be pretty
fun to talk to them. So now we got you on the show. We're based out of Louisville, Kentucky. Our guy Billy the we hardly it's been a while since we've just done a review show without like a WWE superstar. We've been on a nice little run with having some guests and uh, we actually found out definitely no one likes to just listen to me and Billy. They only like it when we bring like guests on.
So like a right, we are the same thing.
We started around the pandemic time, and Billy's like, why don't we just do what we're doing in tech thread on a podcast, And that's that's how the Baby Faces was birth. But nonetheless we have a huge weekend coming up, the ww World Rumble, so we are or I'm at least gonna be in attendance. Billy was on the fence a little bit. But Billy, I don't know if you guys notice it, but Billy has uh for people that's followed us. Billy, he's expecting a little one on the way.
So wrestling is it's it's gonna be tough to kind of keep keep up with. But eventually, whenever that comes through, we're gonna get that one into watching wrestling, right.
I hope. So it's a baby girl on the way, So girls are a little a little tougher to convince about wrestling. But uh, we'll see, we'll see if we got a little wrestling fan coming. But yeah, unfortunately won't be able to make it down to the Rumble. I was really hoping to with it being in Indianapolis, you know, just such an easy drive for us. But some family, Yeah, I know, family stuff going on, and you know family
comes first. So but also he'll be there capturing all this social media that he represents the one he does that stuff. Anyways, I'm just kind of there and it usually as stuff.
Austin what what I was watching the presser this year, what what press or did you get the question through?
Was it a triple h?
That was summer Slam? I got that question?
Yeah, yeah, I heard. I was like awesome, Montgomery. I was like, wait a minute, that's awesome from that line watching the couch.
Yeah, I'm not gonna lie.
Uh the ca where he points at the TV.
He's like, oh, yeah, exactly. Sometimes I'll even go back and listen to it. That was That was a very proud moment. But that was the only time that they've actually led us into the press conference.
We've uh.
That was actually our second time getting to go cover the event as part of media, and they they let us in and that that was That was really really cool. If there was anybody I want to ask the questions too, was l a Night. He's one of my favorites. So it's gonna it's it's gonna be a good time.
Deck. Have you ever been to Indianapolis before?
No, man, I haven't.
I've heard actually a lot of comps to Minneapolis in terms of like the downtown and the infrastructure, because it's got skyways and convention centers and really good place for like hosting events and hosting people like that.
But no, I have never made it made it to Indy.
Yeah, it's it's pretty I would say I've never been to any I've never been to Minnesota. I've always wanted to go the Twin Cities. Minneapolis looks awesome. Uh, the US Bank stadiums, that's a bucket list. I've never been to Lucas Oil, but i mean, just driving through Indy, it's like the biggest stadium that you can ever see.
So it's really really cool down there.
And it's about time the ww is starting to do some stuff down there, because they just signed the deal where they're gonna have the big five pay per views over like the next three four years something like that, and it's kind of a shocker it's taken this long. I mean Lucas Oil and especially Indy. I mean they're the they're the resident for the Combine. They've hosted a Super Bowl, they've hosted Final Fours. I'm pretty sure they've hosted a
National Championship. But they haven't gotten WrestleMania yet, and that seems like it's in the books. But we're taking baby steps because a Royal Rumble probably the most exciting.
Pay per view that there is.
And I've always tried to tell everybody if you're not like a big fan of wrestling and if you want to watch something to kind of get you in, Royal Rumble is perfect because there's gonna.
Be like it's just fast action.
Especially when you watch that match and it sets up the storylines for the next couple of months, that really gets you invested. And that's what ww wants to do is get you invested that time heading into WrestleMania season. So it's gonna be a fun time. Lucas Oil Stadium. You can follow us on Instagram, x, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, depending on if that ever gets shut down.
But it's at baby Faces Pod.
We're gonna have some fun stuff from the press box and we're here to talk about it now. Billy, I know you got the card pulled up. You're always really good at going through this because I'll declan, I'll sit here and talk talk talk talk, kind of reel me in a little bit. So Billy's gonna kind of I took us off. Billy's gonna kind of take over the cockpit seat, the pilot's seat. He's gonna kind of help land it so well what you got for us, Billy?
Yeah, I mean obviously the Rumble matches we want to spend the most time on, so we'll wait to do this at the end. We got two other matches on the card right now, so it's not really a very full card. I expect probably one or two might be added before Saturday, but we'll see. But as of now, we got the the Tag Team Championship and the WWE Championship with Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. So let's just start with that Tag Team Championship. He got d I
Y taking on MotorCity Machine Guns just quickly. How do we feel about this one? We think dy retains the titles heads in the Mania season as the champs, or is it time to give the MotorCity Machine Guns a run? Definitely, we'll start with you.
Yeah, and in two out of three, right, yes, two out of three falls match.
So I didn't even know that I like d I Y.
You know, the tag I feel like the Tag team. They're trying their absolute best for years to like get the tag team division back to what it used to be.
I mean I was spoiled.
Your guys were probably spoiled too with you know, the early two thousands of you know, transitioning from the attitude to ruthless aggression, and you had just tag teams for days, and those were honestly just as marquee as anything in the main events. And obviously a lot of the times tag team matches and prolific matches like that were main events.
But I think DIY probably comes out on top here, probably because it's two out of three falls, right, We're going to have a rubber match, so I'm sure one on one and then something happens with the three. But I think DIY definitely retains.
Yeah, I kind of agree with you there. I think Di I Wy is probably gonna take it. I've never been like the biggest Chompa Gargano fan.
I'm not gonna lie. I've always kind of liked Chompa.
I think he's he's kind of been in the background of things for a long time and he's just now sort of got his shot.
He's like forty years old something like that.
But I know that he's a fan favorite, and I know that Di Why is a fan favorite. But also know that Motor City machine Guns once they first got to WWE. That was a huge signing because a lot of people were expecting him to go to AW That kind of fits their style with the five star match, flippity flop, all that kind of stuff.
Not that not that we're knocking that. I mean I sometimes do.
Online, but I think that that is that's probably gonna be like your workhorse match. Considering it's a it's a two out of three falls, it's gonna be a it's gonna be a ton You think you like false finishes, that's gonna have a ton of false finishes in there. And I know they got on a Motor City machine Guns very strong when they first bust on the scene and they took the championships. But I think they have enough reputation and everyone's because everyone's good, you're just squashing them.
And I think Triple H is ever since he's kind of this kind of fits his wrestling style and everything that he's done and worked with with NXT and now he's like the the head honcho there. This is something like a match that he's gonna that he's gonna love and he's not gonna take it as whenever they lose that they're just burying them. Everyone knows, and he's very
in touch with the internet community. He knows that they have a reputation and taking this loss to one of his guys, d I y that is, it's not gonna do a lot to their reputation. So I see they winning this matches as well.
I'll be different. I'll go with the MotorCity machine Guns. Like you said, it was a big, a big signing, and I feel like they've been gaining some steam over on SmackDown lately, so you know, let's mix it up, put some put some new champs in in the UH in the tag team division and see if that helps to kind of like like you're saying, get get the tag team division heading in the right direction, because it does seem like it's been a little stagnant as of late.
So yeah, I'll take the I'll take the machine guns for for the win. New tag team champs, all right. Moving on to the WWE Championship. Cody Rhoades defending, of course, in a ladder match where the undisputed championship and the Wing Dingle Championship will be hanging from the Raptors taking on Kevin Owens. This has been a rivalry going on for for quite a few months. Now, how do we see this one going? Do we see a new champ on Saturday or Cody taking the belts further into Mania season.
I think Kelly retains, but I do feel and especially after watching that promo to close Rough few nights ago, it feels like we're starting to we're starting to get a little bit of a shift with Cody Rhoades and the fans. It kind of reminds me of when John Cena won his first WB title and then, you know, some of that shine kind of eventually wore off, like edge cash st up money in the bank. But then he goes back in at Wrestlmating twenty two and he's
kind of getting booed. Actually, fans are cheering for Triple H and he becomes kind of the heel and fans get sick of them and they start booing Sena all the time. I feel like we're heading towards some type of build where Cody is no longer this lovable babyface that he typically is. I think we're on a slow burn for that. I think that starts now, but I believe he'll still retain this title. I'd be pretty surprised
if they took the belt off him for Rumble. I'll save my pick for the Rumble match, but it feels like you should retain. But I do think we're percolating towards some type of twist with Cody going forward.
Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with you, because he seemed like a different Cody Rhoades, right, And everyone's like, uh, I mean, you're you're familiar with the Homelander thing, right? Have you ever watched the boys declan so like you? He just so happens to look like him, with the white hair and the once glorified a superhero, And I don't know, I think I think we're kind of reaching that level too. I've always and we can kind of
talk about going forward. I always thought that this is ww's chance to kind of reverse what they didn't do with John Cena and make him the heel. And obviously Cody Rhods has played that heel and that him being a heel and the whole American Nightmare thing was his heel persona when he when he first left WWE and was doing all that in the endies. So I think that this is the build towards that and here's a
funny thing. I think that there's money in that. I didn't know that there's really money in John Cena turning heel. But I mean, I tried telling this because I was I was a Cody Denier for the longest time, because I'm a huge Roman Reigns fan, and a couple of years ago, when they had the first match at WrestleMania, I was convinced, like, this is not the match I wanted to see, Like, Cody is not that guy. He shouldn't be on Roman rains his level. He's not like
this baby face that everyone should love. He comes out in expensive suits, right, the nice hair, he has all these this verbiage and like his vocabulary, like he's someone that you should hate because he's richer than you, he looks better than you. He's got the tattoo on the neck. And I think we're slowly building towards that, and I think that that's gonna be a fun one. But you know, I obviously my opinions have changed.
It.
Hell, Cody Rhodes Kim on the show a couple of times, and I Billy Billy ratted me out by saying that we were big Roman reigns fans, and but he was. He was a good sport about it. He's really cool everything that he's done in terms of like the fans. Dude, he sticks around after the show for like an hour to take pictures and stuff like that. But now I think they're kind of really cooking with that. And I do then just kind of answer a question long whened Yeah, he does. He does end up retaining.
So what's the whole deal with like the two belts.
I've never really understood that with Ko And I know it's not like a unification thing because I know that the Winged Eagle isn't sticking around. But for the longest time, everyone thought once Cody wonted at WrestleMania, that that was going to be the new belt going forward.
I just kind of think that this is their way, I guess of.
Just kind of bringing it back for the nostalgia and having it and how maybe trying to make a couple extra bucks off the shop.
Yeah, I think I think it's just kind of a nostalgia grab, like you said, kind of scratching the edge for the fans that wanted to see it. I doubt we'll see it past this pay per view, but maybe you're wrong. Obviously, the nostalgia it's cool. I think it'd be cool to see it at a major show like The Rumble. But I like what you guys both said, how and how wbe is. Really they're not shying away from the fact that there's an inevitable, you know, downhill turn with babyfaces.
Right.
He hit the peak of babyface last year when he beats Roman at WrestleMania. Inevitably, there's some sort of drop off that comes, right. So now we're here almost a
year later into this title run. That's you know, I think it's approaching three hundred days or over it by now, and it is it getting kind of stale for Cody Rhoads, right, And this is their way of avoiding it getting stale like it did for Sina all those years back then, and they just kind of ignored it and and just kept rolling with the Super Sena thing over and over and over again, and people turned on it eventually. So I think they're trying to avoid that with Cody and
make it a little bit more natural. I love the promo on Monday Night between him and c HM punk I wasn't really exciting in the Leible too. Yeah, that was that was really cool. I wasn't really convinced of that being a potential WrestleMania match until I saw that that promo. I think there's a lot of meat on the bone between those two guys and what they can do on a full road to WrestleMania. You know, they're
both both full time guys, they're there every night. I think they can produce a really really cool story out of it, and I think Monday was was just the beginning of that. So with all that said, obviously I will also take Cody to retain the belt. I think this is a fun match. You know, these still have good chemistry. Kevin Owens always puts on great matches and spots like this. But I don't think it's really in
question that Cody is gonna walk into WrestleMania's champ. It's really who's he gonna face and who you know, who is gonna dethrone.
Him at that?
I know what I want, So we'll get in that soon. Hold that thought, let's let's jump to the women's rumble first, because I assume the men's Rumble will most likely made event tonight. So we got the thirty women Royal Rumble. I think only like nine names have been announced for it so far, so this could be one where we see a lot of surprises, maybe some TNA crossover. What we like to do with the Rumble, as you guys know that have been listening for a while, we like
to give our final four. We like to give like a breakout star of the match, maybe a couple of props like Iron Man or most eliminations, and then of course ultimately our winner of the match. So Deklan, what that said, Man, I'll turn it over to you. How we feeling for the Women's Rumble.
Yeah, Look, they've had some really good ones the last few years. And I love Bailey. Bailey's been one of my favorite wrestlers ever since she debuted from NXT. I love that she went basically the distance last year. You know,
wins the Rumble has the great WrestleMania match. But it feels like to me, it just seems like they're kind of gonna be playing the greatest Hits album here with with their Women's Wrestling Women's Royal Rumble match, And you know, Charlotte's gonna be back, which is awesome, Like, I think that's great and spoiler, she is my pick. Like I think Charlotte wins this match. I think it just makes
too much sense. The thing is is like what is the build up, because like Becky isn't confirmed, but like it's kind of gonna be like the worst kept secret, like not confirmed, but you're probably gonna see her in the ring and come back for the first time in like almost a year, which will be which will be interesting.
And then like.
Oscar's been kind of quiet lately, I think Eo EO's probably the one that steals the show. I think EO's the one that probably goes the distance, probably does the as the longest you know, tenure in the ring probably starts early and go you know, the forty five minutes to an hour or something like that. But I would say Charlotte wins, and then final four would be Charlotte Becky Eo Oska Okay. I would like to think they probably do have like a push from like Valkyrie or
Jordana Grace. Like I wouldn't be shocked if if an NX Tier or a TNA crossover kind of jumps in here and does sneak into that final four, and it probably is a safe assumption, but I just feel like I'm trying to get a good grip of what they want to do with the women's division building into Mania, and to me, it just feels like and I don't I don't hate going back to Charlotte, even though she's also kind of been the ruler of that division for
the better part of the last decade. But I think Charlotte comes back and they win the and she wins the Rumble, and then they kind of build up the storyline from there.
Yeah, I think I think I'm gonna be kind of with you on that.
I think EO Sky probably has potential to be like the show stealer in the women's match, but also just go ahead and spoil it real quick. I do kind of like Charlotte to win it. I think that they're eventually wanting to get to the the Charlotte Tiffany Stratton match, which has money written all over it, and I would love to see that at Wrestle Many you got two freakishly athletic women, and you have Tiffany Straffan's one of the best, Stratton one of the best things going on
right now. And I think that Charlotte Flair is probably one of the greatest women's wrestlers of all time, probably is one of the biggest stars obviously with her name, but I think I'm gonna Yeah, I know that Becky hasn't been announced, but I could totally probably see her in there, and I like Bailey to possibly be in
that four. In that final four, Becky, Charlotte and I don't know, Like you said, there's gonna be a lot of surprises with TNA n x T. You're probably gonna see some Roxane Perez or Jada Parker one of the one of the new bloods come in. But I can totally see they just signed Jordan Grace, so I definitely think that she's gonna want to have a good showing.
I could see her in that final four too, and I could see her kind of battling along with the e O sky Is having probably the more impressive like run through the world rumble, but I could see that and Charlotte Flair obviously getting the heroes welcome. It's been forever since we've seen her in a w W ring, so I think that she comes back, and for a lot of the times, I think the fans are probably
tired of seeing her in the spotlight. But I think that Tom Absence grows, the heart grows fonder, Right, So that's that's what they say, and I'm pretty sure that's gonna be the case here. So give me Charlotte and I see Charlotte Tiffany Stratton a WrestleMania match.
It's it's too bad that I think Dakota Kai the word is that she got injured, like on a house show.
Yeah, she's always injured.
Yeah, if she wasn't hurt. I actually I would love to see her get a push like she's awesome. She has always hurt, which stinks.
Huh.
Love Dakota Kai, but I feel like we could we could build like something between Dakota and EO and like just riff up that damage control even more. Sure, but it's too bad that she got hurt because I do think I'm gonna just assume internally, I bet she was part of their plans long term with this Rumble match.
So when I look at the Rumble, I mean obviously I look ahead and then I kind of backtrack from there, right, So looking ahead to WrestleMania, what's the plan? When I'm looking on the raw side, you know, Ree is the champion. I think the most likely challenger for her is probably EO. Sky on that side, and then on the back down side, he got Tiffany Stratton as the champion and Charlotte, like we mentioned, I think has money written all over it, right.
I mean, we actually had Tiffany Stratton on the show before and we talked about the potential of that match and she mentioned that as a match that you know, we asked through a dream opponent and she mentioned Charlotte. So I think that is inevitable that that one's going to happen at WrestleMania, right. But I don't think that it is through Charlotte winning the Rumble because I think they're going to kind of toe a fine line with Charlotte knowing that she has so many accolades and people
get tired of her. Like you said, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I think there will be that case with with Charlotte, and they don't want to ruin that by you know, having her just run through everybody of the Rumble and win. So I think her road is a little tougher to WrestleMania, and they make her go through like a chamber or something to win a one contender. I think I think EO Sky is the right decision here, So I will take her to win and go on
to face Rea at WrestleMania. So obviously she's in my final four. Charlotte will be in the final four, no doubt. They'll probably be the last two, is what I would think. I also like Live Morgan to be in the final four. It seems like every year Live finds herself in the final four, final two, and I think that can just add her story a little bit of like always just being so close to winning the rumble and you know,
kind of being a rumble specialist type type wrestler. And then my last one in the final four, was it Becky Lynch that I had. Yeah, I think, yeah, Becky, Becky's gonna come back. I think that's for sure. They need they need bodies, that's I mean, they got ten to announce right now, so they're gonna need some bodies in there. Uh. And then as far as like breakout superstars from it, you guys mentioned Jordan Grace, She's been
heavily rumored. She actually tweeted today though it was kind of a I don't know if she's trying to like, you know, put people off the sin a little bit. But she tweeted like a plane ticket that she's going to be in a different city for her mom's birthday or something. So I don't know, that feels like it could be her, just kind of like right exactly. I think if she is in there, she'll probably have a really good showing, maybe most eliminations or something like that.
And then, like Decla mentioned Lyra Valkyria, I feel like they're pretty high on her and she could have a good, you know, iron Man type showing, maybe starts the match at number one, and you know, she's that one where it's like Lyra's been in there for twenty minutes, thirty minutes, forty minutes, and then you know, eventually she gets eliminated towards the end. So yeah, I'll go I'll get different
from you guys. I'll take EO. I still think that we both, we all are in the agreement of that Charlotte is probably gonna challenge Tiffany for the title of media though. So with that said, let's go onto the main event. Boys, and this is all. I always like to recommend this to our listeners, and you obviously do
this for the women's match as well. If you're having like a watch party for the Rumble, you got people over, write down all the numbers one through thirty, you know, cut them up, put them in a hat, have an entry fee for you know, x amount of wrestlers that you can buy, whether it's a dollar per wrestler, five dollars wrestler, whatever it might be.
Oh yeah, so you got it.
I know you got a big pot of money at the end. All right, So let's say you bought five wrestlers. You pick five numbers out of the hat. You don't know what wrestlers those are until they come out. You know you got number seventeen, all right. Uh, you know Becky just came out at seventeen. She's one of mine. And then you know, you could have props where like if they're in the final four, you get some money, or just one big pot they win get some money.
It's always fun thing to do. So I like to recommend that to our our listeners if you will be having to watch party, but Austin will be there in person, so.
It's a lot nice, right, be weird to gamble on it, yeah, no doubt.
All right, So men's men's rubble match, declan, let's let's kick it off with you, all.
Right, So I love here John Channa, as Sano Santino calls him, I love them. He gets such a bad rap because he exited out of the attitude and ruthless aggression or kicked off ruth segestionion era and everyone's oh, he's not the Rock. Yeah, he's not the rock, but he carried the company on its back for thirteen years. He's on the retirement tour. I am all for this dude getting the elusive seventeenth title. I think that's great.
He should, he deserves it. I just don't think it makes a lot of sense for them to have for him for the WW to have him win the rumble, and we're just kind of going back to like an old Vince McMahon way of like, let's put an older person over because it's the last time through. Now, could he like challenge Gunther at WrestleMania through the Chamber or through some type of tournament or a triple threat or he wins a wins it at SummerSlam or sometime down the road. I'm all for that, do it. I don't
think he should win the rumble. Though I think he's in the final four. He's probably gonna be near the end of the entrance, probably like the one of the last five guys.
Uh.
But I don't have seen him winning this rumble. I do have him in the fire four. I think CM Punk and Seth Rollins are definitely in that final four as well. It just makes a lot of sense for them to be there.
You know.
I love Punk on the.
Mic is still incredible, man. I mean he might legitimately might be the best on the microphone of all time, like better than the rack, better than anyone. He can just spit it better than anyone and throw it in your face, blurs that line of reality and fiction better than anyone. To the only issue I have, And we saw it last year and we've seen it even at times this year.
Punk on the.
Mic is great, but the dude cannot go for more than like twenty minutes without looking completely gassed. And I don't like watching my favorite wrestlers basically crawling their way just to get through a twenty minute match. So I Punk's going to be in the final four, I just don't know how long he'll be in it for. And I also just don't think it's the best way to have him in a WrestleMania main event.
I wouldn't hate it.
I could be talked into it, but it's not my first choice. Seth Rollins, you know, should be in the mix too. It just makes a lot of sense. I would say the person I have stealing the show, or like the one I like to call the Gunther, like two years ago when Gunther right was went an hour plus and no one's really saw that coming and he almost wins the g d Rumble and then he gets pushed to be the world heavyweight champion.
I'm gonna go with Jacob Fatu.
I think Fat two is a one that they're gonna push heavily here out of the bloodline.
He's a freak of nature.
Yeah, he's an absolute studron like bron Breakers in this mix as well. I think Fat two is the one that I look at of Okay, I think I can see him going for a while. I can see him eliminating like nine to ten people and just cleaning a house left and right. I would love to see that, but I'm probably gonna get more props in Austin here. I have Roman Reigns winning this rumble. Wow, I think
I think we have a three peat. I think we have the rubber match between Cody and Roman Reigns, and we start to shift right like it's gonna be the same thing. I think we're gonna see by the time that match starts in the bell rings that people are rooting for Roman Reigns and they're turned on Cody Rhodes. I want to see the three pete. I was so pissed the first time this happened, and Rome's retained.
I was so mad.
Led to a great story, led to a great finish, and here we are again, and I'm like, yes, for the third year in a row, give me the same main event. So I have Rains winning this match. I have him facing Cody at WrestleMania. I have Punk and Sina and Seth in the final four. And I have Jacob Fatu as kind of the show stealer, the one that you know kind of surprises us.
All that's kind of my men's rumble take.
So yeah, that's that's I mean, I've been basically calling for and it's no secret anyone that's listened to all the few people that do. When it's just me and Billy when we sit here and talk about what our aspirations are, what I I've been wanting to see Rock versus Roman for my god so many years, and they've done been. They've just been teasing us so much within the last year and a half, and we're just almost
on that precipice. We had it last year. We literally had it, and it got taken away by the Cody cry Babies. It was in our hands and I've been That's why I was mad at the first one, because I don't want to see him versus Cody. It's the only reason I bought my tickets to.
Go to that. It's Hollywood.
The Bloodline story was absolute peak at that point and
it's it's still one of the best things going. But like having Rock interjected in that in Hollywood, La the stage, like that was it and it didn't happen, And it finally happened last year, But the way that they went about it with Rock just coming in and kind of taking Cody's spot was a little bit weird, but it still turned out to be a fantastic build, a fantastic lead up and lead into probably the greatest Wrestlmania main event and the biggest jam packed action I've ever seen
in a wrestling match with all those returns and all that sort of stuff.
So, I mean, I'm I don't.
Know where Rock fits in here, and it just seems like whenever they cause I just I wasn't really into watching. I mean, I've always been a WWE fan, but like I wasn't heavily invested like I am now. Back when they had the Rock and Sena first match and they did a whole year build for that match, I can only imagine when they do the Rock Verse. Roman Reigns could possibly be the biggest WrestleMania main event ever done right, They're probably gonna want a lot more promotion than three months.
I don't know where the Rock fits in with the match. I could totally see him getting involved somehow, getting in a bloodline's ear again and sort of kind of running that. But I agree with you, Jacob Batu is probably going to be the workhorse. This is He's everything that I think the WWE wanted Solo to be. And I've liked Solo, but Jacob's just got it naturally, dude. I mean, he could cut a promo. I mean, he just say he's vicious he's in a freaking ex con and so like
that comes out on the screen. He comes out as dangerous, someone that you don't want to f with in an alley. So I could totally see him, and this is where it hurts me, But I could see Roman going on a streak and then him getting eliminated by fought to or them just kind of bringing back the the New bloodline to kind of help screw him over that match, and they kind of do something to lead up in there.
But it's hard to not see Roman Reigns in a main event at WrestleMania, especially on the run that he's on. He's the biggest star WW he's had in so long, So my heart wants to say Roman reigns, but something in my head is telling them, like they brought Cimpunk back for a reason. He's been featured for a reason, and part of that bargaining chip is he's never made event into WrestleMania before and it just seems that if he wins, he's gonna go after Cody because he said
that on Raw. But I don't know how much what a Cody cm Punk match does for WrestleMania, So I'm kind of caught between the edge. Something tells me in my head because it's trying to get away Austin, they're not doing Rock Roman. My wonderful fiance is just telling me to get off of it already. But I'm never gonna let that dream die. So that's gonna come down eventually. And I just always, I just always imagine that third rubber match between Cody and Roman, that the roles would
finally be the last couple of years. People, you cannot have Roman Reigns win two straight years. I think the rubber match is gonna be completely reversed. We're gonna have heal Cody somehow.
So I don't know. I think I might go with you, dude.
I think Roman Reigns probably wins this, and I think we get that third Cody Roman match, and I think that the Rock factors in somehow with an interference or like special guest referee. He's gonna bring back his final Boss thing at some point. He's been featured on TV, but for the longest time. You remember they were talking about Rock and Cody at WrestleMania, they still never finished
up that thing. After the Raw WrestleMania last year, he handed Cody something, and he told him, don't ever break my heart again. And he said, your story with Roman Reigns is finished, but we're not through.
So I don't know.
WW sometimes likes to leave you in the dust and never bring up things again. It could be a classic case of that. But give me, give me Roman Reigns, and I think he's gonna be in there with ce him punk or see him punk. Drew McIntyre also friend of the show we just had on a couple weeks ago. Drew McIntyre I think is going to factor in that final four. I think John Cena is gonna be there, and maybe Seth Rollins. Seth Rollins is a workhorse too.
I could probably just see them, as Declan referred to earlier greatest hits, just throw in your your four biggest stars and there they are. I'm not seeing any any crazy outside person that makes it. I think you just kind of go cut and dry some of the biggest stars that are there, some of your favorites, and I think that's what you have.
So give me Roman Reins. I'm going with my heart on this one, Billy.
So, like I said, I always look ahead, right, what do I first see at WrestleMania. And this is my dilemma really because you have basically three guys that aul challenge for the world title, and I don't I don't think they're gonna do some sort of triple threator everything like that. I feel like it's not heading towards that. But you got you got Seampunk that could go after Cody Rhodes. We talked about that earlier, right, you got John Cena on his quest to break the world title record.
But then where does that leave Roman Rains, your your biggest star in the industry right now, if he if he isn't going to face the Rock this year, like you said, I doubt they would kind of hotshot it this quickly. But maybe they do, right, maybe they do. Maybe the Rock does make an appearance and at this event and eliminates Roman Reigns or something with outside interference and sets that up and boom wore full steam ahead. Rock vers the Roman at the main event, and then
you can do these other two title matches. Who knows, But that's kind of my dilemma when I'm looking at is because I don't see where the Roman Reigns, you know, puzzle piece fits into the puzzle and that's a problem. I mean, he's he's the guy, right, So I'm not going to pick him to win because I just don't think they're going to do Roman and Cody again. It
would not surprise me if they did. But I really do think that this is Cmpunk's time, Like I felt like it was last year too, and obviously got injured and they weren't going that direction anyway. But like you said, one of the bigger reasons that cm punk came back to w E is because you know, he hasn't won the Rumble, he hasn't made event to WrestleMania, he hasn't had that marquee you know, WrestleMania match yet, and I think it's perfectly set up to do it this year.
I really do. You know, you got Cody Rhodes and this kind of weird part of his title reign. You got you know, perennial fan favorite see him punk that that gets gets involved with that. They have a lot of history with the whole a w tie ins and all that. So I just think that that's a money feud and it gives Cody something, you know, a little more fresh to do at WrestleMania, gives Roman something else
to do. I'm not sure what that is. And then you got the John Cena factor in it too, right, But I feel like just giving John Cena, just giving him this rumble win and and kind of going that cookie cutter route like Vince McMahon would do, is just not the way to do it, right. He's got to go through a little bit more hard times and and build you know, sort of that that kofe Mania or Daniel Bryan type hype where they had to go through so many obstacles to eventually all right, finally he's getting
that title match and they're all in on it. So I think that it's a little too soon to get seen on that path. I think elimination chamber is probably a better way to do that and go after for the world title. I think that is a pretty you know,
obvious opponent for him. That's always been kind of an obvious type of villain for John Cena to work with, right a you know, kind of a foreign dude, big big guy, been the imperialist monster heel and John Cena is the American hero that comes in and saves a day.
You know.
It's tales all his time with wrestling, So I'll have Punkin in the final four obviously in my winner to go on to face Code Grows to WrestleMania. I'll have John con in my final final four. He will not win, he will win the chamber and go on to face gun Throw at WrestleMania. I'll have Roman Reigns in my final four because I think he's obviously going to be there being your biggest star. Does the Rock get involved in eliminate him, Does the Bloodline get in there and
eliminate him? I don't know, we'll see. That's always fun with the Rumble matches. There are always a little easter eggs that kind of tell you, you know, what guys been towards a wrestlemandium. If they don't win, then my last part of the final four will be Drew McIntyre, So the same final four as yeah, Austin. I think Drew is kind of that wild card in here where like you could see him maybe winning for some reason, you know,
just kind of mix it up a little bit. He's always a force in matches like this anyway.
So I think, well, they gave him the money in the bank earlier, which and he ended up cashing it. In that day, So I mean they and they they let him win the damn title at WrestleMania too, So I mean he's still in high graces and he's still someone that they can that they can you know, rely on having a big moment and people it will be believable.
Yeah, no doubt. And then as far as my breakout star, I'll go with Penta the new signing. I think that they are right. I think they got big plans for him this Mania season. I don't know what that looks like, whether you know what his opponent is and whatnot, but I think they'll they'll feature him pretty heavily. He'll enter pretty early in the rumble and last long time, have some you know, cool high spots, big eliminations type deal.
So give me Pentas the breakout star Punk to win and we'll just kind of go from there.
I'm gonna go ahead and ask you this now that we kind of got that out of the way, so there's a lot to unpack with. You know, they had the CEM Punk and this promise that he was made from Paul Hayman, and then they put that back on the screen when they had Drew McIntyre come out try to threaten Paul Hayman again and told him to send the message to see him punk. And also with the whole John Cena gnther thing. I feel like I was always the biggest deter of them having two championships and
bringing that new one out the World Heavyweight Championship. Now it's kind of like ingrained in what they're doing, but I feel like it would maybe behoove them that because the last obviously last year's winner, it was Cody Rhoades, and he knew that he was going to go after Roman Reigns a WWE un disputed champion. But now you have the World Heavyweight champion. Once you think that they would one of these years have a winner that actually
wants to go after that title. Because anybody that wins and they're like, a screw Gunther's title, I want to go after the real one. You got to have that relevancy built up for that title that someone wants to win the Rumble and wants that title from gun So that.
Would be interesting to see.
What are some other not necessarily breakout, What what are some big surprises. I mean, obviously there's a lot of fan favorites that could be coming over from either NXT or now TNA's in the involvement. I mean, I think it's it's obvious, right, we're gonna see Joe Hendry appear at the World Rumble, Right, But you guys have any like any surprises, any big pops that you think is gonna show up and be a part of it.
I would love to see. I think he was asking the Red Carpet by Denise.
But I love xpoc man, I love xpox x lock, and I know he probably can't go for very long. Like he basically comes out there, the music hits, you get the pop, and he lasts, you.
Know, Bronco Buster one last time.
Exactly, get a Bronco Buster an x Factor and you know Jacob Fatu throws him out of the ring in three right, But like, you still get the pop, you get the return, you get some of that. I would like to see that, you know. I wonder what their plan is for your guy, Ellen Knight Austin. Like I love Ellie Knight. Oh yeah, I'm a big Elleen Knight fan. And it feels like some of that shine has now worn off a bit in the last like six months.
What and the worst problem is like when that shine warns off and then you're stuck in mid card like hell and territory forever, Like, what is their plan long term with him? Like I would love to see him get a push, but there's definitely like way too many bigger horses that are above him where it's like, are they going to really push Elly Night when see him
punk and Roman reigns. There's always great stories out there, right, I think that one's also like interesting to watch because I don't like to see him just buried in the mid card range. But I don't know what their long term plan is.
Yeah, I'm with you with that. I mean I think that me and Alson have said it forever. He's got megastar written all over him, but it does seem like he's just been kind of can't get through that proverbial glass ceiling because there's just so many other guys. And I think, surely he'll have a good showing and hopefully we'll get maybe a tease for whatever his you know,
Maybia program will be. I hope he gets, you know, a singles match, maybe let throw him into a ladder match for one of the mid card titles or something like they like to do, but uh yeah, I'd like to see something from him. As far as a surprise entrance, I think Dolph Szigler is probably an obvious one. Oh that's right, just with the old TNA crossover, you know, and he's he's been their their TNA champ for a while before he just lost it to Joe Hendry. So
I think Joe Hendry is another potential. But Dolf Zigler, you know, come out to his old music. I think that would get a pretty good, pretty big pop.
Yeah, I think that would be pretty cool. And Billy loved. Billy's huge Dolph Sziggler fan.
I was a big I was a big Ziggler guy. I was actually just watching Rumble twenty twelve earlier while I was working, and he he was going to see him punk for the for the title and that one, and he was a Camble match like right after that. So he was their workhorse man.
He was a good, big, big Dolph Ziggler fan.
I think another person we're not factoring in here, and it's obviously someone WW holds in high regards, but Logan Paul.
A lot of people are gonna hate it. I would not mind.
I wouldn't say, I wouldn't mind, but I would not be shocked if he is in the final four. But I can also see Johnson them not. I don't think they're gonna give John Cena a title run like immediately. I know that that's probably the goal that they want to give him that championship at some point. But I could see Logan Paul mixing it up with John Cena
at WrestleMania. I could probably possibly see him being a Sena is on a run in the World Rumble, and what bigger a hole than Logan Paul to be the one that's halt all that momentum and throw him out and boom, now you got Seena Logan Paul. I think it's obviously two of the bigger stars that you have in wrestling, so that I think that one could be
pretty fun. But as far as La Night, yeah, it's ill. Sadly, I think he'll probably get thrown into some other like Intercontinental Championship, like ladder match or something.
But also he's he's a he's a pro too.
I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't mind being world champion, but he he knows where the money's at and he knows that all he needs to come out, say is a couple of catchphrases, sell some shirts, and sult some people, get on the mic, and then he's over these guys at the core value of it, these wrestlers, they're workers and all they want is a paycheck. And he's he's fought his whole life from the indy scenes to get where he is, So I'm pretty sure he's just happy
to be there. So anytime that he's featured and anytime he gets to come out and basically do your shit, pal, then he's he's fine to do that. So it'll be interesting to see what they do with him. I don't think he necessarily needs a world title, but it would be It would be pretty fun because when he had that stuff with Roman Reigns and he and Face in Saudi Arabia, that that was some fun stuff.
Hell yeah, yeah, he I with Logan or I'll start with obviously Beck back with La like I love Ellie Knight.
He's yeah, he's great on the mic. He's phenomenal.
He's definitely got megastar war and he's up there in age right. I think he's almost forty, if not forty now, So like he's he was a late bloomer to get over. But I just with Logan Paul Man like he is a lot more athletic than I certainly give him credit for. And he is a very he he's good and they hate him and I'm all for fans booing the hell
out of him. But God, if if a ring could explode in March with him and his brother falling into the earth, I wouldn't I wouldn't be upset, Like I would not be upset about that I'll.
Be fighting each other or something.
Is that is that real?
Yes, I'm gonna that's a real picture. It's a real picture of them facing off. But I've seen internet rumors that that's just gonna be like a reality show with them or something.
But like, see, I don't know.
Why why am I?
Why am I getting wasted with my whiral rumble guys with guys like that that are part timers that aren't like legit, Like if you you gotta be you got to earn your status to be the part timer, Morgan Paul, you haven't earned anything, man. Uh So I wouldn't be shocked if they push him, but I will still be upset at any outcome.
Yeah, if I mean the roof would explode in a bad way if he eliminates John Cena, like come in. Could you imagine if seeing it like he comes into like twenty five, it's like business just picked up. He's clear in house and then yeah, Logan Paul drop kicks him behind it he goes over.
Are gonna hate it?
Pal?
Yeah, that would be. That would be what Bence would do, no doubt about it. I don't think it's what Triple H will do. But crazier things have happened. So that's the beauty of the rumble. You never know what's gonna happen. You know. We always see, like I said, like little easter eggs within the match that kind of tell you what their plans are for Mania, which is always fun. And obviously we'll find out who's going to challenge for the world title in the main event of WrestleMania for uh,
for both the men's and the women's. So it's one of the more exciting nights in wrestling as we officially start the road to WrestleMania forty one, which I am super pumped about. And yeah, we'll kind of put a bow on it with that. You guys got any any final thoughts.
Uh I Basically, once again, I just want to thank Daclin for coming on and I appreciate your time, dude. I know that we could probably go another two hours talking about all this.
And it's just it's just fun.
Wrestling is still a fun getaway for everybody, and it seems like it's in like it's back in pop culture now, like people accept it at ESPN's tweeting about it and making memesout it and stuff like that. It's on Sports Center, Bleacher Report, all that kind of fun stuff. So it's fun to see it like now be sort of cool again. And the whole factor of it being on Netflix. I still think they're kind of getting their feet under them where they don't even have a time limit. They can
say cuss words and stuff like that. It's this whole build up now that they have that platform is going to be pretty fun and just the selfish part of me, I want to see some rock, dude.
I want to get further with that story.
I've been waiting for a long time for this, so it should be pretty fun and I just can't wait for it. Once again, Declan, thank you so much, you have any last second shout outs. I know you guys over there, My guy Phil Mackie likes now that you have this grand platform and everything that you've ever wished for. Is there anyone that you'd like to think or shout out or plug Where can people listen to your show at?
Yeah, you can find Purple Daily wherever. Get your podcasts on YouTube as well. Same with all of Minnesota sports. So if you're a Minnesota sports fan down in Louisville, I can go check us out Score North basically anywhere on YouTube or Apple, Spotify, doesn't matter. And I guess last take Xbox if you come back, give that Bronco buster logan, Paul just ride him, cowboy. I'm all for it, man, just I would love I would love to see him embarrassed.
So I'm looking forward to it, guys.
Like like you said, like real rumble like marquis one of my favorite days of the entire year.
I'm excited. I can't wait for it.
And we will see if Austin's dream comes true of the Rock getting involved in setting up a Roman program. I don't think that's in the cards, but hey, yeah, never say never with the Rumble. Let's go keep tasitive mindset. We're gonna get there. What if he comes out number thirty one? A lot of people kind of like, oh, tease that, Like, because he's the TKO guy, right he runs the show.
No blue chew will be needed if that happens.
Okay, well that will be everything that I that I'll need for that, because this is something I've been waiting for, Billy, for my whole life. I built this brick by brick my reputation for this match. And I mean gotta play that final Boss character somehow. I mean, last time we seen him on screen, he was he was humming up with Cody Rhoades and like a TKO executives, shaking babies and kissing hands. And it's gonna be interesting to see.
But you know, we really wish that you could be there, Billy, And of course you all know that you could follow us on Instagram, on x on Facebook, on YouTube. That's where this is going to be the video version, and gonna have a lot of fun stuff from the press box. There's always some fun stuff to go up there, all the other chummy people up there that I'm gonna be rubbing elbows with the Chris Van Vliet might run into
Diamond Dallas page again. I know that that was pretty fun and all the other WWE wrestling influencers, so it's gonna be fun. We're gonna have some exclusive stuff, and I'm ready to check out Lucas Ol Stadium.
Yeah, Lucas Oil is an awesome venue. I've been there for football, but I imagine that wrestling there would be really cool. So yeah, I'm excited to see how Indy does hosting. They're usually phenomenal with big events. It's rumored that WrestleMania might be coming to Indy in a couple of years.
Yeah, we hope.
I mean that would be legit and I will be there.
Be an easier trip than we made up to Philly.
Exactly unless I have another kid, which.
So I got keep it in your pants, buddy.
No blue shoe. All right, let's end it with that rumble going down this Saturday. Declan, thanks so much, man, it was awesome. We're the baby Faces and we will talk to you us next time.