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Now.
PW Torch and Spreaker bring you the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast.
Ten years ago.
This week on the Flagship, Bruce Mitchell guest hosted for me with Pro Wrestling dot Nets. Jason Powell and discussion with live callers raw from the night before, including Stephanie McMahon introducing three NXT women, John Cena's odd behavior in the russev Kevin Owens, Cesarro segment, brock lesnar seth Rollins,
Hype and more. So let's get to it. This originally live streamed on July fourteenth, twenty fifteen, and it is today's Way Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast ten years ago Flakeship Flashback for Sunday, July thirteenth, twenty twenty five.
That's the Kids on Bridges on the Tuesday after Raw PW Torchs live cast. I'm Bruce Smith Wade Keller. I should say National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee. Wade Keller has got the big head. I mean it's on a side. So I've got Rece Mitchell Senior, Torg Chalmers for twenty four years. Just back from Waterloo, Isowa. Just got from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Just that from a Target center with Tias Jones in Minnesota, Timberwolves, just that from whatever the news center is, the Target Ballpark,
whatever the hell is called for Minnesota. Twins. Uh, quite the week Quite the weekend and number to call here is six four six, seven, one nine eight two at best six four six seven two one nine eight two eight. I'm joined by today Pro Wrestling dot Net's headman, Jason Kyle, as he becomes every Tuesday. We discussed w walkd wrong, which wants to talk about from that show and all the letters Pro Wrestling News live callers and your email questions.
Your email questions too. You can jump ahead if you have the IP number to a Q line, or you can just send your send your questions to PW Torchlive cast at gmail dot com. If you are getting ready to order anything like your mother's birthday is coming up the spot, you can go to pw torch dot com and five pterw touch dot com, slash Amazon and directly order from that link. It doesn't cost you anything, but it gets us a little sliver of that of that difference,
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good deal. People can get access to access with Japan Pro Wrestling on Friday nights and Destination America with Ring of Honor and TNA Hurry Hurry, Hurry, Ring of Honor and t n A at PW torch dot Com, Slash direct tv where you find the phone number to call that will get you directly into that way. Kellers with direct TV as opposed to the unnamed place where I get my entertainment and television package and they hear from me one day they have to they have to come and get the baill.
So six four six.
Sixty four six seven one eight two eight, and we're looking here. Of course, last night the return of rock Lesner again coming into Battleground normally which is normally was considered a b Sunday night show, but rock Lesner getting his rematch, returning to seth Rawlins, who is now taking out both members of James j Security and taking out Cane leaving you would seek seth Rawlins all alone to defend the WB title. Whether that means that or not.
We don't know, but we shall. We shall find out, and if that doesn't work, we'll be talking, of course also of something of an NXC invasion, even though it was more of a step. McMahon is going to stand up for women everywhere and join the women's athletic movement. You know, I'd have to say, Serena Williams has kind of has crept a little bit ahead of the rappey anyways, winning Wilmington and looks to be on you know, and won the Serena Slam that looks to be on course
to gain another Grand Slam. And the women's soccer team, who's the first time it's nineteen ninety nine, won the you know, won the World Championship, won the World Cup against jet against Japan and got some folks there. So anyway, let's see there anyway, all right, if you're up six four six h take you any worry for a question or comment? Fine Nel Nelson from Bronx, New York. Yes, sir, all right, I just I'm sorry that I that.
Wad's not on the phone, because I would have wanted to congratulate and call him miss the Hall of Famer. But it's even better speaking to you, Bruce, because every time I listen to your show with Wait, Waite always picks on you and uh, you know, and always want to tell Wait, you know, take it easy on Bruce.
You know, I certainly appreciate that. I'm we're worried. But now that now that he's in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with all the restlings, you know, the great inductees this year and throughout these classes for about seventeen years, that you can be even meanier to me. So I appreciate that I should bounce that out a little bit.
You know.
It kind of hard for me to speak up for myself. So it's great when Paula's do that. But yeah, well you'll be back, no problem, you so follow it. But I appreciate that. What So what's your big of her all last night? What's your what's your.
Well, I'm I'm, I know, I'm preaching to the choir, but that Raw should be two hours show because it's I watched it live and it's really hard to watch the show for three hours straights. But I have to say, over the last two weeks, particularly.
Last night, Roll was really intriguing.
I thought it was a great It was a not a great show, but it was very good.
But I have a question about I have two.
Questions, but I want to give you one questions First about Czarrow and I think that he had the two back to back matches with John Tina last week and the week before, and I think a lot of people said the first match was better than last week. Do you see that that Vince and Triple H watching on the monitor together, that Vince McMahon must have been so impressed with Cizarrow that maybe Triple H told Vince like as a joke for being sarcastic, saying not bad for a man who is with.
What do you what do you think about that? Bruce?
And I have another question after that.
Okay, you know, I you know I think that I don't think the Bizarrow. You know, there were some blown spots, there was there were some things in that match last week, that thirty minute match that were quite right, but there was a real energy to the match and crowd with it. To a Bizarrow really commanded the raincow get part up. Good part the show that he helps make John Cena look strong and he helps himself with and looked strong.
I mean, I thought in the hole it was, you know, it was another good boot for Czara and they put him in a speech of match now this week, but they had him lose. So I don't know whether he's being elevated or he's being put in that slot which would be in elevation from the tagking slot. He's putting in that spot that dalfh Zigglers had for several years, which is you're out there, and David Bryn had it some too, but he, you know, he became a star
where you're there to provide action. You're there to you know, have to have good ringability, but in the end you're there to put over more important acts or you know, you're a carpenter to build a house for somebody else. I think that was that was some of what we saw there. So you know, I don't know. As Tom moves on, I think we'll have some left. Jason, what do you think did you joined the text? Uh?
Give me the question again. I kind of was trying to make sure. I guess everything was set up right here basically the the Cizarro push, but what was the.
G just to where does stand after the three right match last night?
I think he's okay, even though he's lost two matches in a row. They were both long, competitive matches, and I think in times like this you kind of listen to the broadcast team to hear what they're saying, and they're just raving about the guy. And I do think that whatever they're doing with him right now is ultimately going to lead to him being in a better place. I mean, I think he already is in a better place, but I do think they have plans for him.
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Yeah, it seems like he's progressing. I mean, make it. You know, there are sounds like I said where I mean just being that being the in the single guy who's put in the mix and it's there to make everybody else look good and then you have you have a great effort and then the end you lose. That's that's the spot that's better than attacking championship spot and
it can lead to more. So I don't know whether that's where it's because it's just kind of but the fact that they put it in a key spot on the television show three weeks in a row, I think it's pretty important. Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think he's figured in under the entity on Sunday not shut so fall he is not.
No, there's a I don't believe Russe is either. I mean maybe they do set something up on SmackDown between those two. I'm not sure where that's going.
Yeah, I sun it, so we'll see. So caller, what else do you have for us?
Well, this is my last, my last question.
Then I have a comment after that. I listened to a lot of the Pro Wrestling, the Pro p W Torch Classic audios from the early nineties, and you know, you are a lot of females calling in the show and kids, and you know you don't see that today on like the audio shows, and I was just wondering, how come there's no if the females don't call the shows anymore. And my comment is, Jason, like, I love the pro wrestling got met, especially when you make those
witty comments on the Raw review audio shows. But I missed hearing the Raw live audio show, especially hearing rabbits. I mean, I need my rabbit sticks rabbit It's hysterical and uh. And Bruce said. I just want to say, Bruce, I love your audio shows with with Wade and all that stuff. And I tell people that, you know, if you want to get an education on the history of professional wrestling from the n W, a w c W, Smoking Mount Wrestling, et cetera, I always say, you've got
to try to Bruce Mitchell audio show. And it's great. But thank you, gentlemen, and I hope you have a good evening and a great show to you guys.
Well, I really appreciate this con words. I mean, Jason, you know you have you have a direct line to all the women that are pro wrestling fans, but maybe just better than I can. But I you know, I think when you're listening to the audios from the early nineties, you should probably listening to Wade on you know, you're listening to Wade on k Fans, which he's He was doing it on the air the k Fans, a major station in Minneapolis, So Wade was over the air wrestling
radio shows before the days of the internet. And you're liable to get a more general from an autisticularly in a big market. But like he did, I did. Uh, it's the same thing. And here in Greensboro, a smaller market town, we didn't get as many. We don't as many women. We got some from time to time, but we got a very eclectic mix of callus.
Over the years.
And it's different when you know, it's different than someone going up on the internet and finding their specialty show, because you get you get people who listening to the station all the day long, and all of a sudden, we're listening to a pro wrestling show and it might pick their interest in they may call.
So, yeah's women out there. I mean, I know, you get a call. I can't remember their names off the
top of my head, but you get a call. You get calls occasionally from the husband and wife duo, and uh, we've certainly had women call this show before I mean it's I think you just kind of look at the breakdown of the fans, skewing obviously more male, and who knows, maybe this NXT trio that was brought up last night, maybe you know, a year from now we're like raving about, Wow, look at all the women this brought in.
Well, that should be the goal. I mean, Ronda Ralsey brought in a woman's audience to to usc and really, you know, substantially grew their audience because men follow women and there's real money when you hear you know, if they can establish The other one is that if they can establish him, not he's not there yet and maybe he doesn't get there, and maybe he does. But Roman reigns.
I mean that's what Roman Roman rains is supposed to be the you know, the matt naof of the you know, the good looking movie star and women like a lot. And I'm sure you had this experience. I mean, I've certainly had women's pans. Tell me, you know, the lion John Cen is my boyfriend. Like, they love John Cena.
They're not paying that much attention to what's going on else on the show, but they love John Cena and and you know as he as he as at ages, he doesn't age that much, but you know he's spoken with the guy. But that's where you know, over the years carry Van Eric and the Rock and you know
Austen had some of that. But when you hear you know, Ricky Morton the way back in the day, when you hear those you know further back with Stiva, when you hear that screaming, you know, the women screaming and yelling for the guy that they really like and they're really attracted to it. There's money in that because you know, there's the foundation of rusty fans and then there's U
and then there's that sort of thing. So if that gets over and as you said, if they're able to, if w is able to start a new as they try to as they as they said they did last night, start a new error and the Diva's division and draw some of that athletic, badass women you know who look good but they're that they're out there too, you know, they're out and the stand whistling where it's to stand with Robert Ralph, stand with the woman's women's soccer team
is uh and stand with you know, Stephan McMahon that's you know, that's what that's there, that's what you're trying to do. So I'm gonna Jason, we got you. I'm want to start with Jason talk about for a Wrestling dot Net Absolutely and new and new listners.
Yeah. Absolutely, busy day at the Sight today again. All the details available on the main page at pro Wrestling dot Net. You have any questions and any abyss, hit me up on Twitter at pro Wrestling Net.
You know, I mean, I had a great week last week going to the National Wrestling with George Traders Lucas Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. As part of that including standing there waiting for Kurt Angle to walk in, you know, in a nice suit to get his ring and and
then standing and looking to the side. I told the story on the v I P side for Wrestling p w Porch dot Com Squash go to v I T but standing in the museum and current Angles coming across away from going to the the Professional Wrestling Hall to make make his speech, and there's a man standing there in the baseball cap and I looked over and then thinking make something familiar about him, and then it hits me exactly who it's Dan Gable, the greatest American amateur wrestler,
the gold medalists, champion, great coach at Iowa State and as I when I was a teenager, I mean, one of the great American sports socks. And in that part of the country, you know, that part of the country, in ioland particularly, I don't think there's a bigger there's a bigger cultural sports hero than Dan Gable and the Stunned And then got to talk to them, and you know,
that was really cool. But my one I had one regret last week and you know, instead of being instead of you flying go to the beach in New Jersey's gonna be Robbie, you that I missed you. I mean, you're working hard once day. It's not a good time to coming. I was over going to learn that. That's quite the ballpark, the Clinton, the Flints Park. It's really cool that one. You know, it would have been nice to have a call with you, James.
It would have been fun maybe. And the Twins are playing great baseball right now. I was gonna watch that game all I worked, and unfortunately it was blacked out here. It was like one of those rare you know, it's like you can see about one hundred and fifty games on television, and that just happened to be one I couldn't watch. So I was jealous, very jealous.
Yeah, I mean that, you know, it was it was really cool. I mean that it was one of those games. First four or five an nobody scores, then the O's go ahead, and two home runs later the Clints are back in there. But I mean, just beautiful park, right, so I don't think there's a fast seat in that place. I mean, it really reminded me. I go to bore obviously, I'm from you know, small town of America and rule leagues, and so I go to more minor league ballparks. Those
ballparks are great. I mean they're they're beautiful, and you know, you sit there and it's more of a party than than people will paying attention to the game. But had that atmosphere, but in the Major League baseball atmosphere, and somaally didn't help it. The Twins are good. That was that was cool. And then to go over to the Cimeral scrimmage and and sit there and seek tie my man Tis Jones was just clutching people and ludos in the National Championship that was. That was quite the best.
So the next time you come to town, we'll get you to a wild practice instead.
Oh yeah, that was great. And and also get my picture taking it to Mary Tyler Moore, at least the Mary Tyler Moore statue, because I honestly think that show was I don't know, the top two or three best television shows. Amazing show that back in it today. All right, all right, let's let's Oh and we should congratulate you should congratulate Way for his induction in the pro Rustling Hall of Fame.
And yes, he talked about you, Jason, all sorts of horrible things, they imagine.
Yeah, for the most part, possibly particularly on how you carried him during the money my warrior.
I'm guessing. I'm guessing the words thank you for this honor, despite the fact that I had Jason writing for the Torch at one time where we're mentioned.
No, no, no, he wouldn't have done that because I was glaring at him the entire time. I told him I was there for the three minutes of her bottles that
we sat it, we sat at the table. I mean you can't get I mean, honestly, you can't get more of a store through this Charlie, the widow of Luther Tom Trego's, the son of the son of George Tregos who trained Luthas, and then the daughter and the grandson of Jim Law arguably and argue with the biggest the biggest wrestling star in history, I mean in the United States.
I mean he was if you can imagine a wrestler and someone stiff, Steve Austen was the biggest one in my lifetime, you know, culturally across everything that he didn't approach Jim Longs. Jim Longdis was like Lebron James Is, you know, one of those figures where everybody in America knew who he was.
I mean he was.
He was actually one of the first of the you know, the national sports stars. And as Jim Ross said, you know this huge draw in the depression safe they wouldn't there. I think you can definitely argue there wouldn't have benefit wrestling at this guy in the depression where nobody had Jim Wassa, that nobody had two Nicholson to rub together.
They needed to buy food, and they had to buy food left and there, and they're going to see Lombes and record nunks and so you know, to see his daughter and his daughter you know, she the stories and had the pictures and all that. See how you know how toush you was there for this hall of fame for the people in it, to pay tribute to a father. It's just you know, for members.
In twenty twelve, NXT transitioned into the developmental system and ultimately the brand you see today. On the Torch VIP podcast NXT Eight Years Back, we'll be taking a weekly look at this page in NXT's early history.
Join Kelly Wells and me Tom Stout from p WT Talks NXT every Saturday as we go eight years back to the day to track NXT's rising talents and why they did or didn't work out exclusively for p W Torch Vip members.
All right, real quickly, as you're leaving out the best part, because I did keep up on the weekend through Wade's social media pages and then listening to your guys' audio, and I think my favorite part of all of this is that you were scolded by Jim Ross.
Oh yeah, oh god, yeah, that was great. I mean, like we're sitting there, oh well, there's two one story we haven't told yet. There's two stories. And you know,
Ross is Ross. I mean, he's I think that the fact that it may sound awful, but I think the fact that the faith is parallels really and he's not smiling when he's joking, really lends and stuff to it since he because he will just you know, he will say something and really you know, and really downplay and really say it in a real straight way, and it's
funny as hell. But he you know, we're sitting there and he he caught the two of us on our phones right as the thing was starting, right, you know, sitting there screwing around on our phones looking at nothing, and you know, and you know, curse at us and said,
you know, saything. Thank you know, get off your phone, and the world's going by, you know, what you want and all that stuff, and we're just like sitting there laughing and they're going, you know, as Wade said, here's this guy's on Twitter twenty four hours a day graping about something, you know, somebody trolling them. I'm not on Twitter. And one of the reasons I'm not on Twitter, I'm bad enough on my phone and did so It's like I have to see myself being that much more addicted.
Then if you saw the picture of Ross and I together the Wade put off, and I think you can find it on the Torch vip star too. We're standing in line talking. Way just go Way just runs up interrupt and rots and are standing line talking and he goes pose and act like you're talking to each other. So I looked at Ross and I said, all right, act like you're talking to him. And Ross said something back to me, and he was talking to me, but I'm not gonna say what he said because the show.
So that picture is me getting up blooded by Ross. So that was funny too. Ross was really good.
I mean well and best wishers.
Damn.
He underwent some type of surgery this morning, and you know, a plan surgery, and he said it would He described it as minor in his blog. He didn't specify, but I've been keeping an eye on his Twitter page and it looks like he's tweeting again. He didn't acknowledge the surgery yet, but obviously if he's up and if he's tweeting, then he's uh, he's feeling better. So best of luck to him.
Well, I mean, you know, Kurt angle to give you an idea. I mean, Kurt Angle came two days after this because I just spat, it's just the Danka and the speciftect it. But respected that a lot of these veterans half of this, half of this museum, and it's it's something, you know, I said this a lot, but there's something where you're sitting there going, Okay, I've seen everything in the museum, and then you look again, and you look again, and you look again, and there's all
these little details, all these things that are there. But Ross, you know, Ross came on his own dock. You know, he was for the most part, and you know, and it's time too, and he was coming into so he's tremendous. He's funny as hell and attenuated. And really, if you tell the guy really did a great job at the MC of that it was you know, and you know, I was just kind of sitting there waiting for him the riftway that he never did a kind of let's move.
Just let's move to some questions if you want to ask you and then they'll get it. We'll get to the college. Because a bunch of them sities. So what happens Sunday between seth Rollins and Brock lost. Was rock Lester just flat out kickers ask and win the final and then he's w championed again, which is what I think what they want. They wanted you to think. They kept going back and forth like they couldn't but they couldn't put one or the other really in that position.
Does Seth Rollins somehow come out of this with a win over Brock Lesner? Is it a disputed finished where they have to come back to a rematch as SummerSlam? Or is there somebody else that gets into the picture and rock Lester goes off against them and Seth Rollins Lessel somebody else SummerSlam? Or do we have disputed finish and there's a rematch of this.
I don't feel confident at all in this, and I like that. I like going into the show as blunt as they were being last night, with Paul Hayman just telling you basically, you know, pay money to watch him get his ass handed to him and see a title change. I mean, that's how they were positioning it. And I thought that was the best thing they could have done on the go home show because it'd kind of gone back and forth. Is Seth legit is he intimidated by Brock,
Which is it? And so they did a really good job with that, and I just think it's too simple. You know, maybe Sunday night, I'm just going, well, they told us. But I still think usually when they go to these lengths to stat the deck again or to kind of clear the deck, I should say, to make it seem like the weasel Champion has no way out of this. Yeah, a lot of times they find something else.
It could be Triple H. I know there's a lot of undertaker speculation, even just because there's like footage of him working out or a photo with or something. I don't even sure where that's coming from. But Triple H has been rumored for rollins for SummerSlam. I know that's just something Dave Meltzer talked about a lot. And so I don't know where they go on Sunday, but I'm very intrigued by what do you think they do?
Yeah, I mean, my my if I had to bet, and I don't have to, and I won't, and I'm not that confident in this, but my guess is we get a disputed finished and they rematch it, they rematch it SummerSlam now if Undertakers in the picture for Summer Slam, which would surprise me. He's not been in the Fisture or anything WrestleMania and in years, So if he's in the picture of that, and then I don't know, rematch to me, rematching Undertaker block Rust is you know, it
is really problematic. I mean that was not a good match, and I think people would have that expectation of Undertaker beating Rock Left and he would have to be you know, I think he did not only have to be better than he was at the Brock Left match with WrestleMania, but better than he was last year. And he was better, you know, he improved over last year's WrestleMania to this
year's Wrestleman. But I don't know that he looks credible beating brock Ls And what's the point of brug Wisser beating him again so well?
And they're both babyfaces, you know, I mean, I can't see them trying Undertaker heel, can you?
Not at all? Not at all? I mean, there's no way, you know, I think that. I thought, even though they did it on television, I wonder whether they're just doing it do it? But I thought that there's a a Caine Undertaker tag team with Caine turning back good and joining his brother, that that was something they could that was a card that they could play at some point. Although Caine has kind of worn out and not exposed.
But maybe that's the card that they were trying to do because they would bring Undertaker story back it with your cane, you know, a place to get off the train if he's ready to do that, and you know, and they could either go out together or you know, Undertakers could still do his you know, once the year again because you know it's on to keep him. He can hold them back. You know, I'm always I don't know. I think it's up for grabs every year. I mean,
and I'm kind of surpassed. And if both Tinker comes to SummerSlam, then maybe he does something different than than Brock Well.
So I don't know.
I mean, you know, I've heard, you know, I've heard theories of Kevin Owen's getting in with Brock West, you know, of all kinds of stuff, but there's nobody. I mean, the one thing Brock up is a baby face that there's nobody built up on the Hels side. That's a badass that she wants to see brock Leves taken down the Huels right now, even is not always is a good badass. I mean, you know with it with that cowardly thing to him, But he hasn't been He's not
built to that level yet. It would be too to me, that would be too soon. Maybe he could be later on, but there's no there's no you know, there's there's no bully who needs to be taken down by the bully on our side. You know, brock Wells is the baby.
I don't know.
I mean, I'm intrigued by it. I wonder if they don't know this is you know, we added brock wealth there to Battleground. We're going to bring it back at
Summer Slam. So the people fans who are getting WWE Network, you know, we're adding it to them, or the folks who have the free mark, they should be satisfied with getting a rock Wealthy match, even if it doesn't have a perfect finis even the finish is design to rematch it summerslams So, but I don't know, I think I think there's a lot of there's a lot of things at play that doesn't make it very interesting.
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So what did you think? I mean, the other big story I thought last I mean clearly last night was the Diva's division and Busha Banks and Charlotte and everybody else and Becky Lynn and all that. I mean, I think that was What did you think of that? I think that there's a lot of people saying that off the Great Star, and I think they're not looking close enough. I can go intothing. What did you think of that?
Well? To me, it was way too much about Stephanie McMahon being the face of this change. It doesn't make any sense because she's a villain and you know, but I guess in the Diva's Division they're all kind of heels anyway, they still have some major issues here. I
didn't like that Stephanie. It was like Stephanie knew that Charlotte and I think it was Becky Lynch would be a good fit with Page, and then somehow she also knew that Sasha would be more likely to go with Naomi, and so she's just kind of setting up this weird faction war. All of a sudden, you have three three womens, and that seems really screw to me. In a perfect world,
I think, you know, get get to the rebrand. If you want to go corporate and have Stephanie rebranded, whatever, fine, call it the women's division number one and number two. I don't think I would have introduced them this way.
I'm happy they're there. It feels overdue in some cases, but I just feel like you would have been they would have been better off being brought in as individuals, and I kind of fear that they're just going to get caught up in this goofy faction thing and kind of struggle to get three women over at once and
their unique personalities. And I don't know about you, Bruce, but I set the over under it five weeks on how long it takes Stephanie McMahon to put Sasha Banks in her place for daring to call herself the boss.
Yeah, yeah, I think you're right about that. I think that it was more about, you know, it's more about document man trying to attach herself to what's seeing as a woman at that but than really thinking through and getting over the stars. She's not going to be in the room. No one's gonna knock her down going and you know, there's nothing that you can do with that.
But then it really reminded me of when I'm in you know, I'm an elementary school teacher, so there are times when I go this kid, this kid, this kid, you go work on this this kid, this kid, this kid, you go work on this kid, this kid, this kid. And that doesn't make for stars. That doesn't make for stars on a pro wrestling show. Got you know, you've got three distinct, strong personalities. They're just in there doing moves. But the other thing, there's two parts of this that
I really wonder if they thought through it. They introduced three facts, they introduced three new personalities. Are they going to give more time to the divas? Now, you know, taking the side they should they should just call the women's get this and very much so, or that the ones that come from an exta should be want you know, women versus divas? Are they going to give them more time?
And we're just going to see a bunch of mix and match, you know, multi person tag matches where you know, the action is good, but nobody quite breaks through and nobody you know, they does that. But the other one that just and I think this is really important and I had I said this to a friend of mine. I don't want to say his name, Mark Madden, but he just goes, well, you know, that's how they dress in NXT, so it's okay, And I'm like, no, no, it's not. Serena Williams is great looking and and you
know it has a real so it's the fashion. Roger Rowsey is great looking and and the women on the US soccer team are you know, are just vibrant and all that kind of you know, really look good, but they don't dress like strips. They don't dress in booty shorts that are as tight and as you know, and as revealing and as small as they can possibly be to show more than bobs. They're not, you know, the demons are set up to be to be. I can't for then, and I'm not even talking about the morality
of this. I'm just saying that that that's the way to market them, to make funey. And they've made the devas money that way, they say, And then they have the you know reality show, you know, bickering back and forth. You know, women don't trust each other and all that kind of stuff. That's so probably make some money off of them. But why the rousing makes you know, is so much bigger. Serena Williams is so much bigger than
eye candy. The women, you know, you know, the the US women got such big ratings because women can identify with them. Even though they all look great, women can identify them and they can look at them and go, damn, they kick ass and there you know, in their athletic field and they look good too. But it's not, you know, it's not you know what you know, what do they ask look like?
What?
You know? While you can you know, what does their butler like, Oh they look good, you know, man, they're just about they're just about naked and their wrestling. And so that has to change if they're going to if they're going to tap into a bigger market than the Devas tap into. And I don't think they say, you know,
I don't think they see that at all. And to me, if you don't see that for all the steps of that man's lip service to a new type of woman athlete, you know, and it's not you know, three women's there take an asshole in tennis. For years and years we was you know, the women's soccer team won the gold, won the gold in nineteen ninety nine, won the World Cup in nineteen ninety nine. They get tender ever since,
you know, roder rows in two years. But you know, I understand trying to trying to attach yourself to that you ride that bandwiding, but you've got to know what what makes you know, in particular rober rowse such a star, and it's because she doesn't compromise on her body, she doesn't starve herself to death, will look sexy, and they get her as kis. She she's about being a great athlete first and then looking good, you know, as a compliment to it, not the other way.
An I'd like to see that, you know, I think where what what the NXT women are wearing to the ring is acceptable. I can't think of anything that jumps out in me is like, Okay, that's just gaudy and tacky. I think an easy way to do that.
Go ahead, Well, okay, I appreciate that. But if you know it's not gaud you're attacking. If you compare it to w W how w W dresses and how vas truss, it's gaudian tacky. If you compare it to Block, if you compare it to Serene, that's what. Sure, that's that's who you're trying to connect to. You know, we're used to it, we're used to seeing that. But you know, I look at Charlotte, you know, the only one to me to look at. She's not she's not athletic enough
to be part of what I'm talking about. But the rest of them, you know, really tight clothes really, So that's what you know, it's it's not you know, it's not gaudy attacks say the sun, but it's you know, in the days where they were where they or you know, setting that playboard cover bents but gaundy and tacky compared to the west of the rest of the winning apts.
Well, I think one way to counter that, if if they just won't budge on what they were in the ring, is to show them wearing normal clothing outside the ring more. And I'm not talking like get all dulled up for Total Divas, but dress in a classy manner and and and show that in a backstage interview now and again, I mean it's w W E. For whatever reason, we just don't see much of the outside of Total Divas.
Yeah, that's that's a good point. And have them not acting, you know, not not having the same caddy arguments and and all that, like you know that they're they're going after you know, while one of the things that makes rod Ralfie over them with everybody is she's about with She's not winning her championship. She's about beating everybody as quickly and excise as she can. That's another thing. And this is what you know when you when you feature nine before who stood out? You know who who's the.
Saw Charlotte's failed uhh Charlotte's failed drop kicks is the thing I remember most.
Yeah, and it's the figure out or whatever. It's like, that's not that's not you know, you're making a snig comment. I understand it, but it's like, you know, and they've got weeks to come with this, but someone needs to stand out. Someone needs to be picked. I mean the Clear, you know, and the Clear Canada and Sasha Banks. But still someone needs to stand out out of that. And
then they've got it, you know that. You know, there's a reason why Brion Della are featured, but they need and it's because they're successful in Ton of Devils and you know, the Merchant byself. But I think but I think they understand that the tons Ego audience is different from the Law audience because they thought it was the same. Then Nikki and John Cena would be featured on Raw again and they're you know, that's not even acknowledged something,
nor should it. It's like there's there's a difference between the two audience obviously, So I think develops can be featured, but they can go down the car it's significantly and you know, and be used and you know it because on Raw they're tiresome. I don't know. Total genis is another thing, but it's you know, they've they've got that to deal with too. They've got some they've got some other factors. You can't just beat them and send them on. But yeah, I thought that, and and you know, there's
just it was. It reminded me of E c W. When when when Stephane Man came out in that belrang and took over E c W and Paul Hayman and it didn't work out. You know, it was a genius move and it didn't work out. Which was Paul Hayman taking e c W and giving the stuff and telling her you're you know you're extreme, You're in the most extreme you can do that, and and and thinking that if I can marry you, if I can marry e
c W to Stephan mcmon, it'll last forever. And it didn't work out that way, you know, and he'll be good too, and she I'm sure she thought through some of that and all that. It's like, you know, you know, this was the great if. If if these performers have to have someone else come out and cut their promos, fork that just doesn't work. I mean it's just that
just doesn't work. It was more to me, a lot of this is more about the greater glory and the greater role modelness of the brand of Stephanie Man and us. You know, that isn't gonna work. I mean, it ain't gonna work for Stephanie Mann either. She would do better to stand a five and then, you know, then talk about it corporately and talk about it and other another heres and and really get this thing out instead of trying to big there.
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Do you think we see some of those women at Battleground. I mean, right now, there's there's only like six matches that advertise for the main show, so they have room.
Yeah, they do, and really they should. You know, Sasha Benk should be you know, they put her in a different fashion. Sasha Bean should be featured. You know, it gifts her best departments, you know, just put her and not do a one on one match and see the house and say this is what this is about, not
a not a not a six six women time. You know, I was, you know, and I'm also not an eight minute or twelve minute match either, you know, do the nx do the NXP deal and tear the house proudably ready for it.
The prown was.
Ready for it last night. That really, you know, the people that watch NXK are live and they're their significant.
Part of the live audience, and that the loudest I don't know about you, Bruce, I thought that was the loudest NXT chant we've heard of a w w E show.
I think you're right. I think you're right. I think that you know, and that's they need to take advantage of that, like, you know, give them and you know, give the best match box. On the show's Sunday while
and strike while the Iron the Top. Okay, John Cena is out there citing at ringside, smugly talking about how the three how russev And and Kevin Owens and Sorrow are wearing the cells out, making them making them easy pickings, making the one one, the number one contender easy pickings when he when he faces them, and wearing out Owen so he can beat In, which is completely gutless world champion, you know, real champion would want to face his number
one contender fresh to prove that he could beat him without any excuse.
And then there's you know.
There's Kevin Owens, who is beating up the beating up the Communists because he doesn't want the Communists to get the US title. There's America like he did before, Oh no no, because he wants to who up to beat John cenacor for it. Then there's Cizarro, who I don't know what to say about. I mean, you know, and you know who's getting over and really, you know, people are really into him, except for you know, where does he stand? I thought that was really a strange kind
of segment. And you know, between that and John scene to complain about refereeing. If I didn't know better, and I think I do know better, it's you know, it would look like there's a scene of scene a heels turn comic, but you know, they don't have anybody to
take that guy's plice. And because all the reasons why they haven't up for years and years is still they I wonder whether they think they're giving in shape and pray, but I think it's just weakned, you know, we can say them this was a I thought this was a good match, but I thought it was it was strange how the characters were all, you know, all the way they were and I don't know what it was weird. What was your reaction to all that?
Well, I think you just summed it up because it was just bizarre. I mean, I thought it was strange when John Cena worked a thirty minute match with Ciz Arrow and Owens comes out to attack him, and magically John Cena has enough strength just to fight him off, and you know, just in seconds, it was like okay. And then you get to this week and now it's John Cene is the one who can't handle Russeph who
just worked a twenty minute match. Johnsen is on the verge of tapping out because they're trying to tell this story of Kevin Owens is not going to let anyone else win the title, and it made scene a look weak. It made Owens. I didn't think Owens walking. I wouldn't have even put him in that match. I'd still have Kevin Owens destroying people on raw. Not top end guys, but I mean just winning squash matches and kind of protecting that special quality that he had that he initially.
It seems like he's quickly becoming just another raw guy. I thought, if anyone got over in that scenario last night, it was Russef, and that clearly wasn't by design. I don't think they want you to start liking Russef, but I actually felt sympathy for the guy.
Yeah, that was set up for you too. He was like he was perseverian kicking ass. I mean, yeah, you know his girlfriend, His girlfriend had abandoned him when he was hurt. You know they they was now so I got the impression they wanted to like, there's more isn't there more heat being from Russia than being from Bulgaria. Now he's got to be here for Mulgary.
Yeah, I know that's strange. I mean, I know, okay, he and Lona aren't together, but the story just as easily could have been. Well, the Russian Federation doesn't like Kilana anymore. They still like russ and we're not getting that.
Yeah, I mean you would that would be the logical thing because he he would be you know, he's ready to go back and take the US title and dominate, dominate w W E on on the Communist behalf and or whatever they are now on Russian behalf, and so you know that's yeah, it was yeah, he and he came across to me. You know, he's squared off his hair. I mean, he's got a better haircut. He can't just like a baby facing in a lot of ways. Yeah, you had sympathy for him, you know, and always got
somebody whoever stuck the summer right. But that's that's that's cop I don't get that. What does he need a what does he need a different blonde for? I mean, I don't I don't know where that goes or what that's about.
So you know, you think that these interferences that they're doing with you know, with Kevin Owen's constances are a one match and now he's cost Ruse the title. Are they setting up a cop out finished for Sunday where Czarro and or russap and up, you know, interfering in that match and so that way they don't have to give you a clean finish to the third match between Gena and Owens.
I mean, I what a lot of people assume, which is, you know, Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens, you know, loses the XT title, so he could the fin valas so he could leave NXT and of course they bring him back for those big shows that there's a lot of stake for me, whether they're you know, you know in the Barkley Center in the Philadelphia that they you know, they do more business than they've ever done with anty. But still, you know, if he would get the US title and
then John Tena would go and do something else. Although you know, when I look at I know John Cena and this US Title Challenge formula has really been, you know, a highlight of a more abound money night raw and a kind of a sales promotion, and I would like I would like to see them keeping it going. But I mean, they could do you know, they could do it. They could do it with Kevin O just having to do the USO the title challenge and John Cena is
chasing him. But I thought that Owens would win, and then you know, and then you would have Cizarrow and you would have Rusa in the mix. But if Owens wins, then Rusa Russ gets put to me and the sympathetic Well, the challenge you're chasing, you know, chasing you know, the bully. Whether that's got a little bit of power to Kevin Owens? Why do you want that? I don't. I don't know. It's I thought. I thought the chess pieces here or the follow pieces were fun in very strange ways last night.
I like the action of the match, but I didn't. I didn't like where the Czarro is. Okay, Cizzarrow, I think the crowds behind Bizarro. He just needs to be the great wrestling baby.
Base right now?
That the other two I didn't, I mean the other two in the match and John Cena at the third I didn't get you ready to take some phone calls always at George Hockey Champion. So we just kind of talk for a while the ship. Yeah, let's dive in, all right, eight one, three, you're up next phone if every torch.
Lotcast, Hey, Bruce and Jason, this is jacrom Tampa.
Hear me find some gas?
Yeah, I can't. Yeah, yeah, can you hear me? Yes?
I can?
Oh yeah.
I was thinking about what you just said about if there was I had two questions. One was about uh, Kevin Owen's if he uh, I know, he's still scheduled for the rematch at the takeover in at in Brooklyn. What does he go in as the US champion and then lose to the n x T champion or is that a sign that he doesn't at the bell this Sunday? And my second question was about the uh the uh
the the women's the new women's division. I think the way they had them set up is is just an example of what we had been saying for the longest. It's almost like it's not a really a good guy bad guy. It's almost like, uh, I didn't know where to put those three rows of of of women because it's like you had, I guess, three baby faces, three heels, and three loop worms.
I mean I didn't, I just give over right, I didn't.
Know where you put those at?
Who Who's Who's? I mean the bells have been that way for months now. They're just kind of loop warm. They just play based off of whatever they need them for, almost like they do with Mark Henry. I mean two weeks ago he was a heel coming out and then he team with the Babyface team last night, and we were supposed to cheer them, So I was just wondering why. I'm wondering what or her thoughts on. Kind of it's almost like picking who you picking your friend. Somebody chooses
who be your friend. I got somebody to be your friends exactly.
Let's get let's let's get to that.
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What about the match in the Barker Center? What about the match in New York? Kevin Owens comes in assuming, let's assume becomes of his US Champion, what happens with him and Sendala? Well?
A couple of ways they can do it. I mean, I'm guessing he doesn't come in as US Champion. I'm just the way he's been pushed lately. It almost feels like they've They're like again, they're just making him another guy on the show. I hope I'm mistaken and he comes out of the out of the Sunday with the championship. But you can always do what they've done already, which is only one titles on the line. That's what was agreed to. Sorry, and you know, and no one's can play that up beautifully.
You know.
They can try to make it seem like, uh, they that Vin ballor wants the US Championship, but Owens isn't it just being the heel that he has refuses to put the title on the line, so they can still do that. I wouldn't read too much into it, but do you feel otherwise?
First, yeah, I think, yeah, I think Finn Baalor is NXT champion and he defends the NXT Championship against Kevin Owens and he Allwens doesn't put up the f title if he's if he wins the US tople and he doesn't win the US title either way, I think sinn baller. You know that they give the fans and give an n XT fans, and I mean, they need to tear down the Halse. They need to have a lot, they need to have their biggest crowd ever by far, and
they need to tear the house out. And that's that's at least one of the matches and probably the match to do that there and and then you show highlights of it on Raw. But whatever. But it doesn't really count for Kevin Ollen. You know, it doesn't really count for Kenis as far as law. The bigger picture of the of anyone who wantses wrong smacking, So you know that's yeah, that's where I see it. You know, That's what I guess was that the one thing to me
that's what we're saying about the women. You know, and I went through my complaining and whining and all that, but it is the first week of the Reason and so while you know, the heel pace and luke warm is a pretty good way to put how everything was set up by stephan the Man last night. They you know, they need they're gonna need some more time to establish these more time on career show, and you think they
can get it. But if they feature you know, if they feature Sasha Banks in ways that elevates her, or they feature uh or if they or they feature Charlotte in those ways, and then you know, we can see more than this. It's still it's still in this nazic stage.
No, you covered it. I think we discussed kind of Stephanie picking sides for everybody the earlier, so I think he nailed it cool for some.
Of that Net locast that in their full question tod.
Okay, my name is Drell from Georgia and I have like, uh, my first question is a two part question, and I'm going back to the John Cena thing with the three guys.
I think they build them up to look kind of strong because I feel like they're about to remove the title from John Cena and move him, I guess, back into the main event pictures as it's kind of slow after you think after brock me in SummerSlam, do you think that's a rush if they moved Johnthena back up there, since they seem like they don't have another choice to put to Few for the title. That's the first.
Really, I think that's a really interesting question that that's in play because what that would mean, and maybe it is because Rock Wesler goes away after SummerSlam and are in some baby face load right now. That means that if John Cena goes back to main eventing raws and he's out of the US title pitcher and he's not working with guys too while he's a major star on the show that the elevant guy, he's back in that you know, he's chasing teth Rollins or he's you know,
he's doing something with Shameless. I don't know what, you know, I'm just trying to top my head think and stuff. That's a major capitulation. That's a major defiet for Reference, who is still slowly being built up to be the face of what he Jason, what you were actually the first Is there a possibility that that John Cena leaves this role he's there there, that he's been successful at he goes back to you know, the goes back to the third hour, main event of money, not Raw every week.
I think it's possible. I think I wouldn't do it if I were them. I think Sina. I know people want to see Owens win the title, but if they keep it on Scena, I think the saving grace that there is that the US Open Challenge has become a big part of Raw. People are into that, the mystery of who's going to step up this week, and granted it doesn't always deliver, but it does more often than not.
And so I don't think he needs to be moved out of that scene anytime soon, because the alternative then becomes, okay, John Cena is going for the US or going for the world title and it's held by seth Rawlins. It brocks out of the picture and he's not the champion. I don't want to see that match anytime soon. They ran that into the ground already and it's just too soon to go back to it.
Yeah, I don't think. I don't think you go back to John C. And I think, you know, and I don't know what's gonna happen. I mean, it's he's not over, it's not working to where it should be working. He is improving, but it's you know, and you know, we have a talk about him in Bray Wyatt and but it's kind of exactly where everybody is with Ray Watt
and Ray White. But I have said this, I like the Roman ranks as a personal too, keeps them away from failing to win the W title until the time comes on it's the most opportune time for him to win it. But I you know, I mean, I guess the possibility. I'm with you, I wouldn't do it. And I think I don't think they're going to go back.
I mean I think that, you know, I think that they're going to keep moving forward and hope that run the range clips in and games even more traction or hope that you know, hope the Kevin Owens and some of it, some of what's going on in this you know, in in this US title division, the strengthen strengthens their hands. So we'll see, you know, seven or eight. Thanks for waiting that next time the torch out chest he was.
Going off from US.
This is Mike from Brooklyn, another New York heard from What's up?
Like how you doing? Yeah? Just to also add on, you know to that, call me like what if they don't move Scena back to the main event picture and have him take you know, the IC title from right back and you know, try to elevate that title to the level of the US title. That's my first question, and.
All right, go ahead and second take.
The second question is, you know, with Rollins and you know, aiming and everybody representing the undertaken so much, will you posably see maybe like a Robins undertake a match down the line, maybe bad Mania or something.
Jason, what about elevating the inter Continental title with right back? Like, you know, how would that worker? Should they do that? Or does that take that takes some of the EMUs away from the focus away from you know, a U S side was just starting to get stronger.
Yeah. I think the only way if you want to try to do the open Challenge thing, then I think you need to make that exclusive to SmackDown. I wouldn't want to see the same gimmick on both shop. I think the the IC title is in an okay place. I mean it it's lower and prestige than the US title, But I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I mean, in a perfect world. I'm just you know, because it's w WE history, I like, I prefer the Icy title
mean more. But that's just me. They've established the US Championships is being meaningful right now, and the ICY title right back. I think is a good title holder. I think he's a decent guy to hold onto that championship for a while and work with some of the mid card heels and and and people are response are reacting to him. He's getting a pretty strong reaction almost every place he goes.
Yeah, I would like to see them simplify. I'd like to see him keep it on Live too. I'd like to see them simplify the formula and do the Goldberg and formal in other words, you know, unless there's a reason not to why that walks through everybody on SmackDown. He's fed mid level heel and he you know, he walks to a formula and he marches around and drops the down, you know, drop the guy on his back at the end of every match. I think that's what
people respond to. Its him being dominant. I don't want to see him adding moves. I don't want to. I want him to see be a bad ass. And you know, you know exactly. I always talk about Popeye cartoons and Popeye cartoons, you know, way out of the culture, but they worked like this. Popeye got pop I got beaten
up by Bluto until he got a spinach. He opened the can of spinich dright ate the spinach really fast, and then he then he beat Bluto and that will beat him in one and that will do him the cartoon. Every single cartoons the same what every single cartoon for a kid and for for adults to watch. He was completely satisfying. You didn't look pretty more to that and and you can catch you know, it's because I think
that's where right Back would be at his best. And then as you build him up, if he really you know, bulb or caught bomb. And I don't think it, right Back would catch fire up. All the years we see him be a mediocrity, but but it would be better. I think it will give you that segment on the show. People would oh, here's row act. You're gonna see something. Now he's going to be somebody up. I think, you know, I think that's I think that's definitely un there.
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H M, tell me tell me the second question. Tell me the second question again?
Yeah, well, I have a split question. The second question was with the what with so many you know Undertaker references over the past couple of weeks, do you think you know, possibly down the line we'll see a rollin Undertake a match, which I think will be pretty good. And I also have a question about global Force.
Okay, what's your question about Global Force.
Just seeing you know, just seeing the brackening and you know them, you know, explaining their poor division, Like I want to get you guys who takes you know where you see that.
That's a that's a good question, Jason, what do you think about Undertaker facing Seth rol.
I think it's a it's a good match for Undertaker in that Hollins can create a lot of the movement for him take you know, some some crazy bumps say I think it would be comparable, if not better then Undertaker's match with CM Punk the Truth now that the streak is gone. I think, you know, in that case, Rollins is just one of those guys where if he's facing Taker for the streak, I think people are going
to go, oh, Taker wins again. In this case, you know, people are still probably going to assume that Taker wins again. But you know, there's a they can do different things
with it. I don't know if you'll see you for all, I know that they're bringing back Taker to face Rollins at SummerSlam, but if that's not the case, and I don't know that you'll see Taker challenging Seth Rollins for the championship, but I could definitely see them doing something together at a WrestleMania if if Taker sticks with this Mania only schedule.
Yeah, and you know I could see it at WrestleMania. And for the reason that you said he'd be a good oppun for it's tremendous in the ring, and you know when he's a coward and the characters, the cows that plays in, the Undertakers, the college and all that. But I would think that you would want to pull the trigger on Roman ring beating Seth Rawls before he got to that match. In other words, the championship is away from Seth Rocks and whether Tournaman range or not.
The Global Force thing real quickly. My reaction Jason to this is, I don't think you know they set up that they're going to do tournaments for tournaments for Global Force Championship for a you know, a New Generation league, that's what it's called the WF, but you know, a young wrestlers, how do you want to say in a women's division and attacking division. I don't think Jeff Jarrett, Global Force Wrestling have the time to go through a tournament. I think that that I think that they don't have
anybody established. If I have, if Jeff Jarrett had called me up on the phone and said, Brus, what do you do? And you know he is yet to do this thing, and he's been in wrestling for you know, since nineteen eighty whatever it is. But if he called me and said what do you do? I would I would have set And this may make people mad, people may disagree with, but I would have set champions and all four of those divisions and then have them defended
and then said this is what we're going with. These are you know right now, these are our top four stars in each of these divisions, and they're going to defend against these contenders and get started. I think, you know, the the waiting for waiting for a tournament when you got a lot of you know, decent but mid pard town and waiting to find out who's going to be established.
He doesn't have time and and put and also just trying to sell you know, the television taping right now seems to be a TV Popps, so you know, and and we've seen what I've got. We've seen what a brand about good wrestling without stars, how how hard that is to get that on and get them on a good cable television plane.
I I want to see champions earn the titles, but at the same time, I'm not crazy about rolling out four tournaments at once. It kind of goes back to what we were saying about the NXT women. It's it's a little too much too soon. I think established those championships individually and you know, maybe create a need for next Gen title, I think is what they're calling it. The other thing that jumps out of me with this is that the net I guess the next Gen title.
It might turn out to be great wrestling. The X Division was a lot of fun in TNA, but that's just it. It's the X Division. I guess I was kind of hoping for something new, something, you know, that Jared had some fresh idea, and it wasn't just renaming the X Division the next Gen because I'm looking at the names in there and they're just X Division wrestlers. I mean, what is PJ. Black? He worked in WWE
as justin Gabriel. It's not like he's some new guy that no one's seen before and he's in that tournament, and so that part, I guess I just seeing the next Gen thing kind of made me cringe more than it did it just like the fact that I think the matches will actually be good. It just made me cringe more than than it got me excited about Global Force Wrestling.
Yeah, you know, in thirteen years, the ex Division, all the wild Spot, all the crazy matches, all that stuff. Soon who do you look back on and remember from that who got established as a stough, who I would say made some out of the Exhibition.
It's been a long time. I think you have to go back to AJ Styles, Samoe, with Joe and Daniels when they were feuding over the championship.
Beyond that, I mean even those three, I don't think those three made himself by the exhibision. I mean, I think AJ South got started me, but I don't think that's where, you know, that's where they made their real names. That's where the highlight of their career is an AJ Styles.
I mean to me, you know, here's this guy that's home grown TNA, and it says so much to me that when he got out from under TNA, his career became so much better, you know, so much better for him finance, but he became you know, an international star much more more respect. But anyway, I'm just I'm just like that style of We're going to give a lot of action, but they're not going to be stars. They're going to shape the guys that want, you know, that want spots or want you know, want a rate match
the stars. I mean, I think that approach didn't do a whole lot bet.
The other thing, well, the other thing I want to say about this too is I'm looking at their heavyweight tournament brackets and I mean there's only a couple of matches announced as far. They're really lucky that they have this working agreement with T and A. I mean, I just I don't even know what the heavyweight title tournament would look like if they didn't have Bobby Roode involved,
and I think Magnus is also in there. I just I think they would be really short on talent on the heavyweight side, which is you know, build as their most important championship.
And you know, when the rest of the promotions do this this crap about well, I mean, I'll put it like this. You know, Jason, I'm sure you've never heard you mention that the s C Double A Tournament is the biggest events sports with a huge amount billion dollars in this huge audience all over the country. And you know, when they announced the brackets, they don't announce two games and then tell you know, in some other time in the future, at some point, we will announce the rest of the brackets.
I mean, now, don't give the idea. If they can melk them, if they can milk out Selection Sunday into like three days and get TV ratings, they might do it.
Yeah, they might. I mean they could turn it into it.
Now.
I will say, as big as Selection Sunday is and they draws huge rating, if they could turn it into that damn NFL draft, I'm sure they would. But you know, they draw suage ratings everyone you know six, you know, three or four days. But but my point being, if you're going to follow a sports model and don't do that half assed. We're gonna here's a couple of guys.
Don't be too massive, sound good, get the tournament pairings out there, you know, and then the other and you know the other part is and and pick you know, and pick your real commission that's supposed to be competent. It's not a it's not a heel or a baby face and go online and and you know, and and then bail the tournament brackets and have the wrestlers there talking about it and then starts your turn, you know, and then starts your tournament and you can use that
footage on the television ship later. But I've never seen wrestling tournaments work when when they when they're when they treat the tournament like Wimbledon. You know, like Wimbledon, you know all the seedings before it starts, there it is, and then and then you can you know, you can talk about the seedings, but there it is, and that you play the NFL playoffs same way any kind of term. When they do this halfway mess of a tournament, it
doesn't make sense. And it's just and then excuse it when it's just wrestling when you know what that it's just wrestling that that doesn't look it's not going to be there. And you know, I don't think I do want to see champions earnest, but I just don't think they have time to center. I don't think they have time to have a bunch of matches on a TV pilot that that finally builds the subbody winning the championship. I think they just need. You know, it's not a
perfect situation, but I think they need to. I think you need to get to it. And that's sense. I mean, you don't have time to build. You need to just go. You know, this is our guy and he's better than anybody else, He's more scouting than anybody else. And then you know the network needs to jump on this, and and so does everybody else.
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Ip so three one nine treat every course lotche calls.
Yeah, Carlos. Yeah, this is Carlos from Peter Rabbits. Iowa. Had a time in and then a question.
First, I never thought i'd be in Iowa, and I really enjoyed my time. So i Iowa was a cool place, a lot of nice people. I really had fun.
That's the first time I've ever heard anyone say Iowa is a cool place. I've always heard really nice people, but I've never heard Iowa is a cool place. Yeah.
I was about to ask you. I was about to ask how it sounds like waterleoois treating You're really good. That's good to hear because I grew up there.
In water, so maybe you didn't have you know, the Five Brothers Convention Center, let's see risque the seventies and eighty what was the name of that seventies eighty is far? And then the diner was cool?
No broken record?
Is that on broken record?
Yeah?
Broken record?
Was I enjoyed that. Of course, you know, I'm a child with the seventies, so I had fun in there. And also it was just you know, cool to hang out. But yeah, I thought at the museum was off and we we got you know, the river the river was great and that was off.
I thought it was.
I like it.
Yeah, I saw that. We put a picture of the camp Hayton Newton's Yeah, Newton's.
Yeah, Newton's Newton, which is owned by the Say people Broken Record. I thought I it was you know, you know, and Jason, I know that this girl thought we were falling around because we went to Broken Record. You at
the cool Bark, the Cool Barton. She was cool. She's telling us about her life and how she how she worked really hard and she's just go sit the concert trail and then comes back and you know, she's at that port in the life in the early twenties, and you know, and I was sitting there and I'm at this point in my life. Even if they have to do it for a job, a good looking twenty year old girl, it's being nice to me, even if it's
her job, very nice to me. I enjoyed that too, so well, yeah, you know, And then it turned out she's also a waitress at Newton's doed, so it's like she's bouncing back and forth and working two shifts. That having to be you know, poor thing, having to be nice to these old guys hanging out the bar and we were the only nothing way the way. But yeah, that was yeah, Newton's that was that. It had the revolving diner sign, Like I thought that was pretty good. The food is right, it was top lunch.
Yeah, they've done a lot of last few years as far as getting downtown redeveloped, a new chap the new restaurants, bars, housing options and stuff like that. So and Newton just to be a Julie Star. Our family's business. That's getting our Washington from them. So have you been to the museum.
Have you've been to the National Rustling Hall of Fame Music?
Unfortunately, No, I haven't. I when I go up there, I usually go once to try some months just visit family. But I haven't been up there yet. And based on what you guys have been talking about, I need to go up there. I need to go visit it.
So, I mean it covers every aspect of professional rustling, you know, including you know, boltimat War. I mean, it has it has everything, but definitely, you know, definitely it was a song the tough guys and the tough strong shoot russels who became professional offers.
Yeah, I guess with the table's name on there. That's that's the best option to take because he is, like I get said, he's like the man up here.
So it comes back clearly clearly. Well, I mean I was, I was, I mean, I was just I can't believe I stand here talking to day to day talk about an American soociate that guy that guy's and you can just tell it was just it was boring. I hate saying this ny but it was live for Iowa. I got to I got to distigure Russian. Daron Dabel was what being Smith was in North Carolina and what my chefs should be. But it was a mean what Dee Smith was.
Yeah, So what's your what's your not to go on and on?
What's your pro wrestling with? What's your question?
And commin Well my kind of well my comment her question for last time I called, like Jason, we had talked about the women's division, and I was happy to see what they did last night. But my question for you guys is now that they've given us this, brought up the new talent, can we trust them to follow through with it?
Long time?
This?
I mean, other way, what's the point They're just getting our hopeset.
No, you can't trust them to follow through with it. They need to earn that trust. I mean, you know, you can't rule out that they're actually going to change things and for the better. But until I just think it's one of those you kind of waiting and hope rus Yeah, no, I agree with that.
I mean you have to wait to see they you know, they have they have done some tremendous things over the years. I mean, they have a decade of history behind them. They've also blown it many times and you have to look at and to me, I thought last night was it looked like gold, but it wasn't gold. It was school's gold. And a big part of that was Stephanie's mad you know, kind of taking over and taking the instances away from the women and then just bringing them up.
They're going name them off and then put them in little groups and then they go to it. It was too it was too fast. It was you know, it was hard for someone to get over. But still it may, you know, it may just catch fire. Sometimes things that aren't done well catch fire because of the star power and people involved in and you know in w W in wrestling, and maybe that could happen here. But it's it's way too soon to say this works. To me, it's soon enough to say I wasn't as impressed in
the first chapter as I would liked to be. I did you know, And you can also say I did like the three newcomers in the middle of the ring make you know, making everybody tap, making with wrestling holes and wrestling wings that look that look pretty cool and and being taken seriously. I like that. So, but as far as like getting your host up, get your host up, I mean, it might work, and if it doesn't. The thing about following wrestling to me is you learn stuff
and it's fast. This is gonna be fascinating wherever it wherever it falls, and it works, and it works to a medium extent that they lose interesting or it was just flops all the all the players in play. You know that that story that the real story was fast. Okay, lot's not five soon. Hey, how you doing, Bruce doing all right? Going off? I have to agree with your guys.
This sentiment on the Diva thing segment last night, with all them coming up, I just hit schools go like I wanted to be excited.
My girlfriend she was excited, but I.
Had to tell her that this isn't gonna last. And you said it best if by Stephanie's involvement and just the fact that none of it was given to any one single, uh female wrestler on your roster. It was all kind of divided amongst them evenly, three perfect sets of three, one of which was a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead.
I mean, it's so formula, it's almost kind of it was.
It was deflating.
I'll say that, you know what I say, I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but I've learned that when someone's watching them and they I'm really interested in that, and I don't try to like, like what side.
Tom, I you know, I think it's kind of a coincidence. The hair color. I mean, it's just those are the three who are ready to be called a Bailey as as well, but she's she's still sidelined with the risk injury. I you know, I guess the thing I'd be curious about is like a somebody who's just a very casual viewer, how they're looking at this. And I'm guessing the thing you're talking about is ay Rick Flair's daughter was on and that's about all they're going to take from this.
I I just don't know that they're looking if they're not watching NXT, I guess that's that's the reaction I'm hoping to get from people. People who don't watch NXT. How did they you know, how did they view this? Or is this something they're excited about? Or is this just all NXT excitement? People who know how good these women are, they're the ones who are excited. But what's the regular viewer out there thinking?
Yeah, that's that's exactly right. I hear a regular viewer, you know, the girlfriend got excited. I'm like, okay, well she got excited. That that's that's the score for them. That's yeah, that's that's where we're gonna look at something. We're gonna lookt a couple of emails before we get Jason. I know we're gonna do a bonus show. I'm assuming you're okay with that, and I'm gonna evil. I've got a very evil idea that maybe we can make something up.
Just I don't I don't mean to teach for the v I people, I mean the teacher there, but I have I have an idea you and I really make something up. This is v I T member Sam from Santos Day. Uh do you think that? Okay? Which the three divers of these three new new divas, of the three X team women. I sure would like for them to call them win. I like to to say we're not we'll win, you know, and we're and we're here
for the championship and we're here to kick half. They say we're gonna kick that on three If it will be featured at the hot at the highest level at Russell May, and which one will be, which one will get will get that spotlight higher than the level.
I'm gonna go with Charlotte because of the family history. I mean, not that she's not worthy of it, because she's very talented. Sasha's right there with her. Becky is the one that's kind of come on the scene here pretty strong lately. But I just think there's the built in history with Charlotte that makes her I think the right person for that job. You know, if anyone's going to get over out of this, I think it's going to be here. I mean, I hope in time they
all do. But if the booking is kind of flimsy, as long as they protect her, and they don't feed it in a tully in two minutes. Again, I think she's the one to really keep an eye on.
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Yeah, I think you're right. I think saaf If won SASA Banks one A. But yeah, yeah, I think I think that's definitely. I think that's definitely there.
So does it? Were you that they paired her with Naomi and Tamina who really haven't been taken care of it.
All a little bit. I think the reasons why they did that was so that they could have so that they could have a mat as a saw they can have a match, that they could do the matches. But yeah, yeah, that's the that's the kind of as you said, she didn't seem much.
I would have put Alicia with those two and then put uh Sasha Banks with the bellas if you insist on doing a faction war. I mean I wouldn't. I wouldn't have done any of this. But I just think Sasha's character she you know, that that very Bellai like, you know, just not that now that she's turning baby facing NXT not so much. But the boss character I think would have mixed it nicely with those two if they wanted, you know, if they had they take had
they actually thought about this, But instead I don't. I mean, what's the bond with the Boss Sasha Banks and Naomi and Tamina. I'm just missing it completely.
Yeah, it just seems like, yeah, there's no And that's to me that's the problem with I mean, I wonder where this I wonder where. I wonder how this idea of morphed into the step in it makes because it sure look to me like there was going to be an XP invasion with these three kicking asps, and then it became Stephanie's gonna be involved in it to really hit it over so she can get the love to thee because she's you know, a wonderful role model for
athletic women everywhere, and blah blah blah. I you know, I just you know, I wonder, you know, I wonder, I wonder, like you know, where where they you know, why they put them in other words, they could have if they if they had done Charlotte this week, you know, and it spread them out and had to come out, and they could come up with reasons why they're you know, organic reasons why they're they're alive with you know, with pay their page being the one to bring them and
and then and then someone calling in Slasha Vents and sent them just we don't know why these people exactly together. You know, the page kind of makes sense that you've been watching n ST and watching w w A, But why it it took it took it away from the storyline by having definitely you know, it's definitely gonna patten herself on the back of being you know, from from for this. Let's see, this is that's the you member Jay Dad one twenty Hall of Famer Way the future
Hall of Famer. Jason, have two quick questions for you. I mean, all right, Anyway, when Lisa Scott Lee being fired from DEDE, she was she was the person who created that was below triple H and dismantment, above the writers and Brian Dewartz leaving. What does this mean for the creative team? Also, I'm worried for the NFTD this because I don't trust that will going to need to do like of it. What about Brian to works and Lisa Scott Lee that will change anything With Brian.
Brian has been working part time for the longest time. I mean he's there anytime Rock is there, that's his guy. I wouldn't even be surprised even though he's leaving, he's still associated with Rock. I wouldn't be surprised at all of when Rock shows up, you still see him. I know he's doing a little bit more than just Rocks up with the company, kind of working as a very
part time guy. I don't think it changes much. I just you know, I don't know how much he's been responsible for as far as the the other dismissal first, I mean as high of a position as she had. I just don't hear much about creative and who's really calling the shots aside from well we know it's bench has final sake, Kevin duns in his ear, and certainly
Triple H has some influence as well. I just don't even know what the pecking order is now for writers beyond the head the head and writer level, and so I just don't know how much he was contributing.
Yeah, I agree with that. I want to you know, I think that maybe she was more administrative. I mean, I don't hear that this was there, Like you said, you York for years was Rotkin and you know he just him up work. But he had been he had been de emphasized a long time ago. And I don't know. I just think the creative team is in the same position that's always them, which is they're those guys are
gonna be kept off guard. You know, they're gonna be They're gonna do some good work and do some other work and they're not exactly make the credit for and then the main creative force is gonna be a man on Triple H. And I don't think that changed when will don't get their heads out of the stand and realize people won't go for Jerry springer swork, but the Jerry Swing Spreinger Show and when to understand did good you know, did good enough?
Really?
The four show I assume is doing doing that. It's you know, Sunday Sunday night shows NXC and those shows. I mean, I'm not san Terry Springer Swos even though I got to see the great you know, the way I got to spend time with the great Harry Wife he was. I guess I'm friendle But you know, if if the money works, they can afford them, and they they're they're successful. I don't know, So that's you know, that's one of that war shots fired and it was
just released. It would be cool if you watched the final Nitro box Fialcas and and and see what why. Well you can't because w SE Nitro stops in nineteen ninety six. But now you'll get to do that at some point. And I guess, I guess Jason, they added I saw a whole bunch of E C W. But I think you know, E C W W. You've got to addit that. I mean, you've got to have the generic music, and that's that's no fun, and that God knows some of the other you know, some of the
other content. More Today, it's got to be I mean, I'm assuming that's editor if you're gonna you know, you don't see why e c W. I mean I think I think you have searched out.
Yeah, I don't think that's going to be difficult they I mean, they're definitely gonna have to trim some of that music off there. I think they'll leave. Content wise. I think they leave it and just put up some sort of a disclaimer. I'd be surprised they did too much with that. I mean, you can still see Chris Benjan different things, and so they're just kind of leaving. They're kind of boasting like as is type thing. But the music is a different story. What was the other
part of Oh, Swerved? I've seen a couple of the episodes. They're positioning it pretty strongly in that they like to air it right after raw, and so I'm sure they're getting decent numbers just for that reason. People still how or why they'd want a WWE fix after three hours and fifteen minutes, I don't know why, but I'm sure they do get some people going there right afterward. It's I mean, I haven't watched the Jerry Springer show. Swerve doesn't do much for me. But it's kind of mindless TV.
I've done it myself. Row's over and I'm still working on things, and they'll just kind of have it on in the background. So it's kind of perfect as far as just being my English. And I don't know that it always shows the talent in the best light, but it's if you've seen the prank shows on m t V, it's just a watered down, very light w w E
corporate version of those. You know, they're never going to go too far with anything, and so it's just it's it's a pretty came version of I guess is the one that they used to do.
Yeah, you know, I think people, I mean, you know, it's more popular. They get more views than say, the you know, than the Nitro shows, than the you know, the the the old programming has not been a huge
success to say the least. I mean, it's at the bottom of the bottom, with the exception of you know, I think the Special Facts are famous rustlersise and I know that I know that the second show last Monday Night, Dustin Leves produced by this man with the jarry Laller hosting on Aniston Ritt Flair together and you know, j j Dillon and Michael Hayes. They were very happy to ab so that they can so you know, we'll see what Jason. I will thank Blackcast listeners posted downloading this
Torch Uh the Q members. You can become a people Torch the AC member and get everything. We get a huge fast library of audio and newsletter articles, just a ton of stuff and it's a great value. You go get ply Torch dot com. Slash gave the I T and of course you can also be the same with Pro Wrestling dot Net and Jason I'll see you on the other side.
And just then.
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