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PW Torch and Speaker bring you the Wade Keller Pro
Wrestling Podcast ten years ago. This week on the flagship, Jason Powell from prog Wrestling dot Net joined me and we discussed the pros and cons of the Daniel Bryan Roman Reigns dynamic leading into fast Lane, plus brock Lesner's future, the RUSEV, John Cena situation, Samoa Joe and TNA, and more with live callers in the free portion of the show, and then from there we moved to the previously VIP exclusive after show and we discussed whether Triple H was
sneakily angling for cheers against sting use of divas in WWE, the NXT announced Team Russev after WrestleMania, brock Lesnar if he sticks around, and more with email questions submitted by dot net and PW toorch VIP members. This originally live streamed on February seventeenth, twenty fifteen, and it is today's Wade Keller Pro Wrestling post show flagship flashback for Sunday, February sixteenth, twenty twenty five. Welcome to the p W
Torch Live Cast. I am Wade Keller, editor and publisher of the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter since nineteen eighty seven and also pwtorch dot Com, the website, and the PW Torch app and also the host of this the PW Torch Live Cast. The number one pro wrestling podcast, hosted by journalists and analysts and commentators throughout the week, different hosts, different mix. Five days a week. Mondays Bruce Mitchell and Travis Bryant. Tuesdays, I'm joined by Jason Powell of Pro
Wrestling dot Net. Wednesday's Pat McNeil hosts with a variety of all star panelists and special guests. Thursdays James Caldwell, often joined by Progressing Torch columnist Greg Parks, and Fridays is Interview Friday, where I host and interview a wide array of guests. Last Friday, former WDWE announcer Jack Corpela joined me on this program, first time he's been on the show along with Johnarezio the Progressing Spotlight radio show that John hosted back in the late eighties through the
mid nineties. And those are shows you can hear if you're a VIP member, which is pretty cool, perk, and we'll be telling you more about that later in the program. Also, Sunday nights after major pay per views, James Caldwell and Greg Parks get together and take your phone calls and discuss the pay per view, and they'll be doing that this Sunday after the conclusion of the Fast Lane pay
per views. So lots of man, lots of stuff on the doc of today, lots of cool stuff to talk about with Raw last night and really smacked out last week in the dynamic between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryant, and we're going to talk about a lot of pros and cons to the way that they have portrayed that feud.
I know from my Twitter feed you can follow me at the Wade Keller that there has been a lot of spirited back and forth disagreements about whether this has been more good than bad in terms of the sides of Daniel Bryan in Roman Reigns that we've been exposed to. So we'll be taking your phone calls and being joined momentarily by Jason Powell of Pro Wrestling dot Net, the PW Torchlivecast email dot com, slash pro Wrestling Torch. Our email address here is PW Torchlivecast at gmail dot com.
As always, we'll be doing this show live then and taking your phone calls, and then after between sixty and ninety minutes of live phone calls and conversation with Jason Powell and me will be shifting to the VIP After Show. Both of these will be posted for VIP members later the VIP Audio Show minus all advertisements and plugs, and then the VIP After Show is recorded exclusively for VIP members and dot net members, and that will be done in top audio quality by Jason and me with the
new equipment and techniques that we're using. We're still kind of working through at Jason's experimenting today with trying to call the show using a new headset and Skype rather than guesting on the show with by calling out a regular phone line. So we'll be working through that and we're trying to get hooked up with him right now. But in the meantime, why don't we start taking calls. I will be shifting to a temporarily to a different microphone as I sort through trying to get Jason on
the show. So just hold title, Just be a minute and I'll sound a little bit different, and then we'll be back to the setup or something close to it.
And I want to get your thoughts. Do you like the hype for Rowin Rains against Daniel Bryant? Has it made you eager to see the see the match on Sunday at Fat plane. That's question number one. But maybe a more important factor, or at least a co important factor, is does the way that Daniel Bryan has been portrayed and does the way that Roman Rains has been portrayed give you a better feeling about them as wrestlers that
you that you want to follow and root for. And if not, then that's probably not great head into WrestleMania. It might set up Rock Lesler to actually be the guy who gets to your the most, so that'll be interesting. Anyway, Let's let's go ahead and go to our first caller of the day and I'll try to address it as we figure out how to get Jason Paul's phoner to show up on the switchboard the way that it should if yeah, because all I'm seeing are different area goes
for the one Jason says. So anyway, let's go first to Matt from North Carolina. Matt, you were at first we had the express lane collar. Thanks for holding up. Please confirm this with you and let you know what's on your mind today.
It's me.
Yeah, as part of the Dane Bryan Roman Reigns thing, I fall asleep for the second week in a row watching Raw. Yeah, so I think that says that. But something I did notice was I have I clicked on Soddy's posts every now and then just to lead the comments and just see what other people think.
And it went.
From like when Roman Rains won the Rumble, it was everybody against Roman Reigns and poor Daniel Bryan. But since they started the storyline, yes, half the people saying they hate Daniel Brian and all Fames or cry babies, and you have half the people saying Roman Reigns or Daniel
Brian better than Round Marine. So it seems to be really dividing the fans and doing that kind of what's the word I'm looking for, like whither away at both their popularity just based on reactions and like if you look online and stuff.
So I'm not.
Matt. Do you think, Matt, there was a way to do this without that being the effect to build up Brian and Rains, create tension between them, but do so in a way that didn't that didn't hurt their their images. I think Daniel Bryan seems like Roman Rains hadn't really been established yet. His personality, you know, he was just kind of the guy who was the coolest guy in the room but didn't have a lot to say. You know,
we were just getting to know him. With Daniel Brian, it seems like he's shown a side of himself that I think has undercut what the selling point of his personality was. So do you think there was a way to pull it off more successfully but still accomplished building tension and anticipation for those who facing each other.
Yeah, I think if they didn't have both guys out there like making fun of the other and calling out points that were true, we probably wouldn't have the problem. Because, like the whole reason that people are saying Daniel Bryan's fins or crybabies and I hate Daniel Brian. I wish he wouldn't do this is because they've booked them to look like he's stepping in and trying to steal roam
and ranges right spotlight. They could have had him say you know, look you want and you know, best of luck to you, and then somehow he gets put into it, maybe like a board of directors, or there's another way to do it, like there's probably most boys.
You could force Daniel Brian into the match against his volunteering and kind of pushing Rains to accept it. I mean, there's a way to get Daniel Bryan into this match without it being Brian's idea. I thought Roman Reigns did a party of yeah, yeah, there you go. Yeah, have Rains go. No, No, Brian, You're right. You were the champion. And if I beat brock Lesnar at WrestleMania thirty one,
I'm sorry, WrestleMania, they don't have numbers. If I beat brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, then I haven't beat the guy who was champion last year. I never lost the title. So I want to face you first so that I know I belong and deserve to be at WrestleMania.
Yeah, that would totally work. And then it makes Roman Reigns look like a stand up guy that he's going to look to already screwed you over. He never gave you a title shot that told you had to start back from the bottom. That's not right. I'm gonna be the best that came to give you a title shot. I'll want to face you for the right.
Yeah, very good. Appreciate it, Matt, appreciate the call. Yeah you got more. Yeah I was.
I was just gonna say, uh, I watched that. I've been watching it for a while, but uh NXT and I watched the last pay per viewing Man, Finn Balor, what a that? That guy the star in the making. I really hope he doesn't get screwed up when they call him up because I mean, yeah, yeahs a badass insurance, but he knows his character.
He's awesome in the ring.
Like I'd become a huge fan of that guy. I just wanted to shoot your thoughts out on it because I haven't heard what a lot of people talk about him too much. But man, I've become a huge fan of him.
Absolutely, No, I am too. As Prince Devitt, he was amazing. It's Finn Balor. I think he's the one who has had the smallest drop off in terms of what made him special outside of WWE, in terms of his being in developmental. I think there's some a little bit of Jeff Hardy to him in terms of, you know, they're kind of this enigma and trying to figure out his personality being a little mysterious. But I think there's other people that come into play. I do believe weve got
Jason Powell now joining us here. Jason Powell from Pro Wrestling dot Net. Welcome to the program, Jason.
Hey, I hate technology.
No, no, you hate you. You love technology. You just hate the path of figuring out how it all works.
Yeah, once it's all Once it's all working, then I actually like it. It's the whole process of getting there and all that that's just absolute chaos. But things sounding okay.
Yeah, things sound okay. I think you've been able to drop in on the program so far. What did you think of the Roman rains Daniel Bryant Dynamic on SmackDown last Thursday and Raw on Monday? Did they get better? Was it bad in both cases? Good in both cases? Your thoughts?
Bad in both cases Until the very end of the show. They may have saved it for people in a perfect world, people tuned in for the overrun and missed everything leading up to it because I thought Daniel Bryan came off. I don't know about why any I don't know what the right word would be for it, But that whole victory lap around the ring doing the yes thing didn't click. He just his explanation for he's getting there, why it's okay for him to take this title match doesn't click either.
And Roman Reins is still kind of Roman Reigns, but once they got into the physicality and they didn't have to rely on Vince McMahon the creative staff, I thought they did a hell of a job.
Yeah. I mean, I haven't given my I've talked in circles around my thoughts, but in general, I'm with you. Jason and I talked about this at great length and nearly a one hour VIP weaight color hotline last night for VIP members. I thought, in the end, they made me want to see that match. I know that through some criticism of deservedly so, that Roman Reigns did not sell the two chair shots that Daniel Bryan gave him in the timekeepers area near the end of the show,
right before he threw that elbow. But man, was that elbow that he threw. It looked really cool, and I like that Roman Reigns finally wasn't too cool to show a level of enthusiasm that did not feel rehearsed and practiced. He reacted like somebody who just scored a knockout blow in USC as an underdog, or somebody who in the NHL just scored games, you know, Game seven overtime goal. When he hit Daniel Bryan with that, it looked good and he seemed to actually feel a genuine emotion when
he did it. I'm with you, though, I thought Daniel Bryan looked immature. I thought that they both acted at times petulant, at times petty, and often immature and trying to distract each other. And I just don't know that the way to build up babyfaces is to make the heel that they're fighting to battle seem like this dignified, classy sportsman who just happens to be a bad ass who kicks ass like that. Just that part of it does frustrate me, and I think that there was a
better way to go about it all along, Jason. But I think again, like you said, maybe they saved it by the end.
I hope so. I mean, because really the bill has been a tross. I mean, I'm looking forward to the match now that I've seen a taste of what they can do. I mean, they can't keep that pace up for the entire time they're out there, obviously, but they needed this. I mean, that had to happen at the end of that show. I'd be telling an entirely different story right now. Had it not been for the physicality of the end, I just I'd really have been disappointed
by the build for this match. It was when they announced, it was kind of like, Okay, I was ready for range In Lesner, but all right, I can you know, if you're just going for the box officer or the most appealing match up possible for the February pay per view, you picked it, But then it just kind of went slowly but surely downward and then just managed to peek up at the end.
Absolutely. How about Finn ballor.
What about him? I think I missed a massage.
Matt brought him up and just said that he loves him, he thought on NXT on the NXT special last week he was tremendous that and I commented that I think he's the talent that has come among the current crop. He's the one that has had the smallest drop off compared to what he was like outside of WWB, although that's so hard to say really, because Kevin Owens has been phenomenal, samy' Zein has been phenomenal. Adrian Neville has been there longer, but he's been really really good. So
in the context of NXT. They've all been good, but Finn Balor I think is maybe the most main event ready in terms terms of a personality that will really jump out. But of course it all comes down to weather. Vincent Matt likes him. Thanks for downloading today's show. Take it to the next level with a VIP membership. Get shows like this the Way Killer Prosing Podcast, Weight Keller Prosing Post Show, and the pw Torch daily casts on our pw Torch VIP podcast feed with ads and plugs
removed from the shows for a streamlined listening experience. And also hear the VIP exclusive shows that I host with Rich Fan and Todd Martin, Everything with Rich Fan and The Fix with Todd Martin signature VIP series that you're missing out without a VIP membership. So go vip here in twenty twenty two and enjoy all the benefits, all the bonus content and the ad free listening experience. Pw torch dot com slash go VIP. So your thoughts along those lines here.
Jeff Hardy, Now, I mean, and I don't mean that as a knock against Valor. He sees anything but a carbon copy, but he has some of that charisma, not just the face paint, but some of the charisma that Jeff Hardy did. And then you add an amazing insurance. I mean, that is going to get over huge on the big stage with ww WEED, you know, I hope it doesn't. I hope they kind of take the approach XT where it's a special thing. It's not part of
his weekly raw entrance. When that time comes he breaks it out for pay per views or even the end of major programs things like that. I hate to see that get watered down. But at the same time, and I'm just already looking forward to whether it's WrestleMania thirty two or wherever it is, you know, that big WrestleMania entrance. I think it's going to be phenomenal, excellent.
Jason, you're breaking up just a little bit. You're sounding clear, and I'm also hearing some weird sound effects that may be your Skype. So one thing that I know that Actually, when I was on the BBC a couple sundays ago talking about the whole cancel hashtake canceled WWB, first thing they told me when I called on Skype was make sure every other app you've quit, nothing else is running
in the background and that'll guarantee the strongest signal. I know we're just kind of experimenting with all this right now, but that is something to think about. And on that note, I do want to discuss r AD. If you enter that code Wade, you receive an extra ten percent off everything but airinhotel packages. That's Vegas dot Com. Click on the microphone and get your bonus savings by using the
secret word Wade book today. All right, we are back live here at PW Torch Live Cast taking your phone calls. Our phone number is six four six seven to one nine A two eight, and Jason Powell from Progressling dot Net as usual, has joined me on the program. Let's uh, let's go to our next caller here and let's see who did I have picked out just a minute ago before reading our spot from our Friendsvegas dot com. Uh No, I don't see the number anymore, so let's grab a uh,
let's grab a different line. Let's go to Eric code two oh nine. I believe this is Air calling Eric. You're up next. Thanks for calling. Just confirm this is you.
Hey, guys, you ask to me, how's it going?
Very good? You're calling from Stockton, California. What have you got for us today?
I am so.
I have two things actually once, kind of a two parter. So if I were to set the over under on Charlotte's call up to be WrestleMania, would you guys take the over or the under on that? And how do you think they might change your gimmick because it seems the WWE tweaks the gimmicks of all their NXT call ups. Then I got another question after that.
Sure, Sure, good topic, Jason. I don't think it's a good time to debut on the main roster during WrestleMania season. I think he get lost in the shuffle. I think there's guys on the main roster who have been working hard all year for WrestleMania match, traveling at house shows, you know, putting in the time, and it can even build up a little resentment if you come in and take a spot and then somebody else gets knocked out.
I think the best chance for any call up from NXT is right after WrestleMania, maybe even waiting till May or June. But I don't think they'll chang Charlotte's gimick, especially with Rick Flair in good graces. It seems once again it's always a rocky road with him. But that segment for Blach last night, I think featured Flair nicely, So I would think Charlotte will probably keep the same gimmick and not have that tweaked.
What do you think, Yeah, I would say over I guess you can't rule out the possibility they try to make a splash with her at WrestleMania, but I would much prefer it takes place after I kind of also want to I wouldn't mind if she stays down there a little longer. I know Rick says she's ready in an interview that he did, and I think she's come a long way, but I don't think there's any need
to run. I want to see the Diva's division ready for I'll see the preciation of this overhaul, just you know, sling and miss with her and she just becomes any other deep and I don't improve for her promo game a little. I mean, she's come a long way, but I just there's no need to rush it. It doesn't have to be a day after WrestleMania thing at all.
Eric, what does to be out for? So I'll take the other by the way, Eric.
Yeah, So the other thing was I was wondering if you guys think we could possibly see two screwy finishes at Bastling. I say that because Senior Russev was supposedly penciled in for Mania, So in order for them to get to that at Mania, there'd have to be some kind of unclean finish between the two, I would think. And then the other one would be they might have to do a triple threat with Brian, Rains and Lessner, because neither Rains or Lesner really can carry a match
by themselves. They both need somebody like Brian to be involved in the match.
Jason, I'll let you take this one first, give me that one again. I was just tweaking with Oh No, I knew that was gonna happen the one time it throwny. First, he asked if the there'll be two different screw job finishes of sorts unclean finishes at Mania, sure, with Sena Russev and having to move forward with that, and then the possibility of not having a clean finish between Brian and Rains.
Yeah, the rich Hans I think that be. I would say, there's there's also a chance so that Rusev beats scene somehow, it may it may be a little bit screwy if they I mean, if they want to continue to tell the stories that they kind of dropped last night, that he's this old guy now and how's he getting beat the new guy? Well, I have the new guy beat him and then what so ye. It would free them up to say it's a non title match at WrestleMania if they don't want to put the US Championship on
John Cena. If they're going to have him there, he Roossa beats and wants second match is non TI title from a personal thing and you ignore the US title, which they normally do anyway. And then main event. Wait, I I just don't have any real idea what they're going to do There's it wouldn't surprise me if it becomes a triple threat, as it has been rumored. I think that's the safest option for them. And yeah, you're probably going to get them sort of a as match.
Jason, Thanks, You're starting to break up even more. And I'm not quite sure why, because it sounds like you clicked on the Skype option to call directly into the site and I do not know why when you called directly in before, your number did not show up. But if you can call Jason, if you can call my cell phone number with your Skype number, then I'll be able to see what number shows up, and then I can look for that on the switchboard. Does that make sense?
I can't even understand all my regular Yeah you could. That's fine too, Yep, Okay, we'll do that. Yeah. For some reason, Jason's Skype connection just was not solid enough and in getting progressively worse. So we'll have Jason called back and we'll figure this out another time. Okay. So I think that, uh that Eric, did we cover that for you?
Yeah, that'll do it. I just want to know what you guys thought about that. Yeah, what about Shirtsha, what do you think about the possibility?
Yeah? I think that based on Seena dominating Russev raw last night in the even Stephen way wwe often books, I think that might be a sign Russev goes over on Sena Sina. I think if he's gonna lose, he's gonna lose in a way that gives him a message to give to his fans that he's gonna fight back. Differently, it's sort of like with Lesnar at SummerSlam and the
story he told him, the comeback he made. So I Thinka's character is built around his fans feeling a sense of adversity and then him saying I'm going to get back up again, brush myself off, and fight again. So I kind of think that'll happen. I really don't know how they're going to get to a three way match if they go that route. I don't know if if it involves I hope not, but Shamus doing something or
you know, getting involved, I hope not. It could just be one of those I don't want to say cheesy because they're not always cheesy, but they can be the back suplex where both guys' shoulders are down and for some reason there's two referees, one counting on each side.
It seems like it's been a little while since we've seen that, so possibly they go that route, but I think there's I think there's a better chance we see a clean finish and seene a Rocep I'll put I'll put it that way, and and then I if and it could be a clean finish if they want rains Lesnar one on one because they think Rains has looked good the last couple of weeks, and they feel better about him being one on one now and they want
to do something else with Brian. I mean, I could see Rains going over clean and Brian being instructed and doing so as a good employer, a good employee, I should say, just raising Rains his hands and going, hey, this guy beat me. More power to them. So well, we'll see. I'm I like that I don't know what's going to happen, and I like that I don't see it the one like, just one obvious path to get
to various places. So I'll be watching and hopefully word doesn't get out what's going to happen, because I'm not a fan of spoilers when it comes to big matches. You know, it's not it's not important for me to know a finish ahead of time. I think that kind of undercuts the enjoyment of the process, just like getting spoilers on anything. You know that any TV show, any weekly series, or a sporting event you taped down DVR and you're trying to avoid the score, whatever it is.
So I hope word doesn't get out in wwwe keeps a tab on it. And those who here don't don't widely report it without spoiler corrections or warnings if word gets out. That said, even when we get spoilers, they're wrong about a third of the time. So either consentsting Man changes his mind, or bad information linked out. So therefore, I'm just looking forward to Sunday, the last match that
I pretty much knew the outcome of. Well maybe the World Rumble, you know, that was pretty pretty darn predictable. But there was I think more of a chance that that Rains wasn't going to win than a year ago with Batista. I think you ago with Batista was pretty obvious that he was going to win. All right, let's keep going through the phone calls here and bring Jason back in the phone phone or back into the conversation here. Jason is is you?
It is me?
Okay, yep, So let's now go to Eric code two five six, next, two five six. Thanks for calling. Please state your name and where you're calling from.
The name name.
Hello, yep, that's you. Please state your name and where you're calling from.
Oh, I'm calling from the big Alabama. From Alabama here, it's all about no Rathlin, I'm real huge on the Roma rain character. You know, good looking guy. I mean I'm good looking myself with both tall and I light the way there, you know, going with the direction of it. Letting him be the big bull pit bull. Let him be the face of the company, the brand and everything else. And I'm fully supporting at all. I'm fully supported.
All right, So we got to vote for Roman Reigns beating Lesner, beating Brian and then beating Lesner. That's your stance.
That is my fan. He's gonna run through all of them like X like X flats, going through a through a hollow woman. He's going through it all, through the whole.
All right, very good. We're gonna keep her on to calls. We've got a lot of people on hole today. Let's move next to eight one six eight one six. Lease states your name and where you're calling from.
Trump's from Kansas City, Travis.
What have you got for us today?
I have a question, do you guys.
How hard do you think Romans and Brant are going into BESTLA mean their character?
Yeah, that is a good topic. Let me bring Jason in on that, because it is I think I shouldn't say indisputably, but anyways, but I think that some damage has been done, especially to Daniel Brian, based on the way that he's gone about getting this match. And I was a little surprised, Jason, and were you when Roman Rains brought it up and said he should have stepped down, stepped away like a man and let the Row Rumble winner get his WrestleMania Maine event. I didn't think Roman
Rains was whining when he said that. I thought he was pointing out a truth, and I thought it made Daniel Bryan look bad. And then Daniel Brian's response was he was kind of obnoxious about it, and so to me, I do think Daniel Brian has been damaged by this, even though, and this is the complicated, nuanced part of it, Jason, is we've all been asking for Brian to kind of stand up for himself a little more, not be such
a pushover. But I think he's strayed a little bit away from what made him so likable to begin with.
He's standing up for himself, but at the same time, there's not a good line of defense. He doesn't have a good crown to stand on, and so yeah, it's rain shouldn't have brought it up that shouldn't have been scripted. I just think it's an obvious flaw in the storyline. But if you don't have a good explanation for it, and they did not, then you don't go there and leave it alone.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, No, I'm with you. I'm with you. All right, Let's keep rolling through Calls's got a lot of people on hold, and I appreciate all the colors show and support for what we do here. Let's go next to Eric code four seven four seven. Please state your name of the city you're calling from. Four oh seven oh four oh seven. Disconnected? Maybe cold Feet? No problem.
Are you a nostalgic wrestling fan? Do you want to hear about shows you haven't seen in ten, twenty, maybe even thirty years. Well, I have the show for you. I'm pwsworts dot Com contributor Frank Petty Annie, and since December of twenty twenty, I've hosted Pro Wrestling Then and Now. Together with a rotating chair of co hosts. We go back and review old shows from top to bottom, talk about where the wrestlers were at the time, and compare
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Let's go next to eight to one and then on deck two five to one, eight to one. Please speak your name and where you're calling from.
My name is Derek, comes from Uto, Derek from Utah.
And on Twitter? Also, what have you got for us?
Oh, I kind of have to disagree with you.
I remembered what you were saying on Twitter. Go ahead, though, we love that point of view.
Yeah, that's that's just kind of how I am. No, I don't agree with Danny Brian petulant. I guess that's my perception, but I think I would say he's being a lot more assertive, and I think in them in the months leading up to us comeback, we all talked about how he should demand that he gets his rematch, because that's kind of always been in the narrative of WWE is a challenger or someone who loses the belt deserves a rematch, And I think he definitely deserves a rematch.
And the fact that he brought that up and was assertive enough to do so and confident enough to do so. I think his solid ground to stand on, as Jason said, he doesn't have. I think a rematch his concrete ground to stand on.
But Eric, let me jump in and because I want to get your thoughts on this is getting his rematch is shouldn't Daniel Bryan, as a babyface with integrity which babyfaces should have and a sense of fairness get his title rematch from the authority without taking something away from Roman Reigns, which he did do. He took something away from Roman Reigns by getting Roman Reigns to put his WrestleMania Maine event at stake in a match against him.
What Rains and Brian should do is stand next to each other in front of Triple H and Daniel Brian should look at at Triple H and say Roman Rains gets the title shot that he won at the Rumble, which, by the way, is what Daniel Bryan said the day after the Rumble on that snowed in raw. So when do I get my match? Is it going to before WrestleMania?
So maybe I beat Lesner and then I'm the one facing Rains at WrestleMania, or are you going to wait until after WrestleMania when I face the winner of Rains against Lesner. To me, that's how Daniel Bryan stays clean in this situation.
Yeah, and I would agree with that. I think that's definitely a logical viewpoint. But as a human, I think and as the competitive nature of what we kind of demand from WWE superstars or professional wrestlers is I want to be the main event of the biggest show of the year. That's what everyone should strive for. And the fact that he wants to bring that up and has legitimate ground to stand on given that he deserves a rematch,
I think that's fine. Why did he enter the Royal Rumble A good point, I'll give you that, definitely, And I think that is the from the narrative, is that he when he came back, it wasn't about a rematch. It was about I'm going to win the Royal Rumble, and then when he lost the Rumble, well, now I want my rematch so I can.
And I think that's the problem with the authority too, is Triple H and Stephanie kind of again came across as the smartest people in the room when they basically laughed at Daniel Bryan for foolishly entering the Rumble when Hunter, now, maybe he was being disingenuous because heels aren't honest, especially heels with power, but Hunter just kind of mocked Daniel, going,
why you enter the rumble? We would give you a title match, and that sort of prompts the question, well, why did entering the Rumble cost him his automatic title match? You know, I mean he can enter the Rumble because he wants to headline WrestleMania as the challenger rather than another show. I guess you could make that case, Derek. Maybe that's why he and Jason maybe that's why he answered the rumble because his preference would be to do
it at Mania and I prove he was back. But either way, my big thing is entering the Rumble should not storyline wise, so just qualified him from getting the title rematch that he's owed at some point.
Yeah, and then, you know, in the Roman rains viewpoint too, I think needs to be looked at because the big decision after the Rumble was you know, does this guy is this guy worthy of being the main eventor of the biggest show of the Year and Roman Reigns he needs to prove that, and he needs to prove that in storyline, and he also needs to prove that to
everyone who was watching him from Afar. And the best way to do that is is the Russell Daniel Bryan then proved that not only that he can keep up from a race.
You know what, Yeah, but this is what I would say. I think the best way for Roman Reigns to establish that he deserves that match against brock Lesn at WrestleMania. The best thing for Roman Rains to do would have been not to sit and lean on the bottom rope for a good portion of the time that the rumble
was going on a match that he won. A good way for Roman Reigns to prove he deserved the main event at the at WrestleMania was to have him eliminate Caanaan Big Show, not because Kanaan Big Show were bing and bickering and arguing, but because Roman Reigns took him on and beat them and tossed him over the top rope.
And a good way for Roman Rains to prove he belonged to the main event to WrestleMania would have been to not have Rock come out and create whatever distraction that was before Rusev snuck in, snuck back in and
Rains eliminated him. And I'd like to have seen Rains put in a few minutes of wrestling and battle with Russev, you know, battle him for a few minutes so that he actually won something without just simply standing in one spot and ducking as Roussev flew over the top rope, which is you know, essentially what happened, So all of that's there, And then I would add on to that that's the best way have Roman Reigns actually put in a memorable effort, a real hard working effort in the Rumble.
But once he won the Rumble, the best way for Rains to look like he deserves the WrestleMania match isn't to him and Haw and acknowledge that a crowd in Philadelphia didn't like it. The best way is WWE to produce music videos and interviews that shine a good light on him and put him in situations where he looks dominant and have a discussion about how he won the Rumble and the rule is headline Mania and get us
excited about that match. And you know what, they took step one in that in the Blizzard raw at the headquarters. That's what I was the most excited about Rains against Lesnar and when even just twenty four hours after the Rumble, less than about twenty one hours after the Rumble, I'm thinking, you know what, I wasn't so crazy about this match yesterday, but they're starting to convince me. And then they blinked
and VI SmackDown on Thursday. They completely changed plans and now all they've done is acknowledged to the entire massive WWE universe that Roman Reigns has something more to prove besides winning the Rumble, and that's a story WWE chose to tell that way. But I think Rain should have been without a doubt the guy as on television, and WWE should have used their platform and their years and decades of experience to make fans believe it. Of course,
there's going to be some doubters. I think they've created more doubters Jason by the path that they've taken, Yeah for sure.
Yeah. I mean they're basically telling you that this guy's not popular, that his Royal Rumble win was tainted. It's been bad. I mean, it just and the whole Daniel Bryan scenario as well that he's bringing up. It's just we can go back and reach for reasons why to try to make this make sense. They should be doing this. That's their job is to come up with infill these logic gaps, and they're doing a poor job of it.
Yeah, yeah, Derek, anything else you want to add before we move on to the next caller.
Oh, you know, I won't disagree with your points. But one more point I'd like to make is, you know, if Roland Rains is going to be this this new super babyface, I like that idea of the alpha male who doesn't want to depth the challenger and the alpha male who Yeah, Daniel Bryant, you think you deserve a rematch, Well,
I can beat you because I'm better than you. And from a storyline perspective, I think that's the end result of fast laying is let's see two alpha males who want to fight to be the best, and I'll pay to see that, and hopefully that's what we get on Sunday.
Derek, I really appreciate you providing your point of view today.
All Right, you guys have a nice dake.
Absolutely and I actually think we agree on a lot of things and just have a couple of disagreements. Uh, but mostly I think we found some common ground. Jason, it it I think some of it is. You know, if Roman Rains told Daniel Brian, you know what you deserved the title shot, you got stripped after WrestleMania, and Roman was one to say in heck, you defended the title more often in a few weeks than Lesner has in a year or or since summers you know, since SummerSlam.
You you you deserve an opportunity, another opportunity to headline WrestleMania. And I want to prove to fans that I that I deserve. This included that, including the doubters out there. I mean, there's a way for Roman Rains to be the alpha and take the lead. I just don't like the idea that Daniel Brian pressured him and Rains was suckered and manipulated by the authority into doing something against his better interest. So Derek scenario works better than what the it.
Did, it does.
I mean, at the same time, you know they're trying to fill that last night too by having him, you know, basically say he knew what was going on, and he chose to do this, and I'm like, well, why didn't they have him say this two weeks ago or whenever they came up with this kakamami approach to getting to WrestleMania. The strange path they're taking this has been bad. I mean, I would hope that there's serious discussions about this within WWE, and if it's Vince, then I guess you just got
to shrug your shoulders and go along with it. But I'm really amazed at just how many holes there are here, and then you see them desperately trying to fill them. And usually that's you know, they're good about it. If they make a mistake, they can come up with something that we can at least go okay, they're trying to cover it. For this time around, there's just there's still all these storyline gaps, and then the ones they even when they've tried to fill some of them, they don't make much sense.
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happen to be around. We are on live five days a week, Monday through Friday, Mondays in the hour before Raw starting at seven Eastern and Tuesday through Friday starting at five thirty Eastern, and also Sundays after major pay per views, including this Sunday, shortly after Fastling goes off the air, James Collegel and Greg Parks, we'll have you covered with a live call in show just like this one, discussing the happenings at fast Lane. So big week coming
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We probably has like, you know, seventy five more in the can.
Well that's a good point. Yeah, with all the tapings they did, Somojo leaves TNA and his farewell match will be August fifteenth, twenty fifteen on Destination America. Hey, they stayed in business and ratings seem to be pretty solid. So if they can if cut in the budget by taping far far ahead is what they need to do to stay around, you know, so be it. But Jason, you and I will talk about some mojoe unless the caller brings it up, we'll talk about it in the
VP after show. But thanks to everybody again, you've you've kept us high in the storch on your smartphones podcast app. Back to the phone lines we go for more discussion about an interesting week in pro wrestling, with a lot more yet to come. Let's go next to Eric Code seven to one to three. This is Arcade Lione at dot net member Arcade, Welcome back to the program.
Hey, gentlemen, what's going on?
Thanks for calling.
I had two questions. I know months ago people were asking, y' all you know the Ruman reigns ready for the main event WrestleMania, And I know Jason, especially you would just say get back to me WrestleMania season. We're not sure yet. He needs time and unfortunately he got injured, and I think that injury kind of set him back
the ways. But if you have the choice, do you go with somebody who's not ready like Rumman, or do you put him on the back burner and go with somebody who is ready like Daniel Bryan And my second question is does Seth Rowlins need to need to win when he cashes in the running the Bank contract in order to continue his momentum as for the past three months, or if he loses, does he lose more than what he gains?
And that's all I got, all right, Jason, you want to tackle that first intriguing possibility also Seth Rollins finding a way to cash in and become champion, leading to a four way match sometime in the next few months too with the rains Brian Lesner and Seth. I don't know if they're going to use a four way match with Lesner, but it is kind of a four person title picture right now.
It's you know, we'll start with the first one and yeah, eguation with Ramsey, I mean going back to that, going back to the rumble, I was saying, go with Daniel Bryant. He's not ready, and I don't think it's so much the layoff, because I think the layoff could have been a positive from the storytelling standpoint. I mean, we've been seeing them fumble around with him wrestling Big Show and Kane since his return, and I really believe that's what
he would have been doing the whole time. Anyway, you throw in one other opponent, So I think it should have been a time where people actually missed this guy. They kind of let him get his feet under him as far as his character's concerned, and they bring him back in a big way. They failed. They failed this guy. I mean, he has his own shortcomings, but creatively they
have done a poor job. And even if he gets let's say, just for the sake of argument, he goes on and as a singles match with leslerd at Mania and things go really well, I still don't have any confidence that he's the right guy going forward. Maybe he grows into the role, but I think there's some rock it's a rocky road ahead for him.
And how about number two Steth Rollins. Does he need to cash in?
I think it's you know, I would like to if Lesner's leaving, and I guess yeah, I would like to see. That's the most appealing option to me. It's if Lesnar stays. I think Rock Lesner should hold that championship. And I don't know how you have Rollins cash. Maybe cash is in during the match and eight fails, you know, but I think you have Lesner hold onto the championship to be sticking around if he's not. Yeah, I want to see Seth Rollins cash in on either Daniel Bryan or
Roman Rings. I think that's the way to play it, either at Mania or shortly thereafter, even the next night. And because I just think Rollins is the best thing they have going as a heel right now, all those ready made programs with so many different people, I think he's the best bet rather than Rains or Daniel Bryan.
Let's go next to Eric code four oh seven four seven. Thanks for holding. Please state to name and where you're calling from.
Hey guys, this is Kyle out from Lakeland.
Kyle from Lakeland. Yeah, yeah, go ahead, Kel, speak up a little bit.
I'm trouble hearing you, all right, I'm driving in the lane here, Orlando.
Yeah, Well stay safe first and foremost.
Yeah. Uh.
My question had to do with kind of the way that NXT is being perceived has so much more superior to the main roster. I know, Uh, we kind of have this discussion every time there's an NXT special. Do you think that it's that it's never gonna get to the point where the frustration ever boils over? You know, the Triple H's doing so well got in Orlando, and the main robster has so many problems? Or is that just the product of itfteen one hour a week with an occasional special.
The last thing you said is part of it, but it's not all of it, you know. I think some people Jason look at Nystein go, well, you know, if WW only had to put on two good hours every two or three months and only had one hour to fill the rest of the time, you know, then then they could put their best wood forward every two to three months and they'd be spectacular because you wouldn't be so that that the top stars wouldn't be so overexposed.
But there's more to it than that. But that's part of it, right Jason.
It is, man, that's a big question going forward, when when and if that day comes or Hunter takes over, you know, how does he do with five hours of meaningful television and you know, basing him on a weekly basis.
Exactly, or or if Hunter takes over. I mean, Vince is only sixty nine, and if he's eighty nine years old and still running WWE, Triple H is going to be in the sixties and he might be retired. I mean, this is a questionaid.
Winter, if you know I mean exactly. It's fancy may live here and may out live Triple H for all we know. And with Hunter, I just I guess. I hope that if there's a transition, Hunter's not completely out of touch. But by the time that transition occurs, that's a good point.
You don't have to wait for the way Keller Pro Wrestling post show to find out what I thought of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown. Each week, you can check out my reports that are updated live throughout Raw and SmackDown at pwtorch dot com. My written report What's You What's Happening in detail in case you missed the show, and it will also analyze key segments and give my random thoughts quips on what I am watching as it airs. So check it out every Monday night and Tuesday night
at pwtorch dot com. That also applies to WWE pay perviews. I cover those live at pw torch dot com with a detailed written report with star ratings, and of course you can find other TV reports from other contributors to pw torch such as NXT, ROH, Impact Wrestling, and more. Check it out pw torch dot com your first stop for TV and pay per view written reports. Do you
think that NXT has talent? Bruce Mitchell talked about this yesterday with Travis Bryant on pw torch Live cast the Money Edition before Raw, that NXT doesn't have talent that can translate into top stars in WWE, that the not main roster type of talent, and that therefore and for other reasons, NXT is more of promotion just to try to co opt hardcore fans and maybe take a little something away from the other outside groups and they get
more credit for developing their own stars. Bruce can make his argument better than I just did, but is because I don't necessarily agree that NXT is not valuable for the main roster if it's producing borderline top tier stars or really really good top of the second tier stars, Like I don't think that you need to have the next John Cena in the pipeline all the time for NXT to seem like a genuine effort to create main roster talent.
You don't. And I think the issue here is that the nxts, the guys that are, you know, on the verge of being elevated, we don't see them as Vince McMahon types. You know, that's kind of the issue here. I think if it's a different vision for WWE, these guys could be top stars. You know, maybe not all of them, so we're going to do better than others. But yeah, I don't any reason why why Sammy's Ain couldn't have some you know, maybe not the same success
as Daniel Bryant, but approaching that certainly. Finn Balor, I mean, there's there's a list of very talented people down there. I mean, I question, is Triple Lake setting this up for when he takes over or is he you know, it doesn't seem like he's certainly not taking the John Laurnidis approach of going and finding a bunch of muscle bound guys that look like they all belong in some strip strip club ad together. He's not doing that. He's
just going out and getting the best independent talent. But let's see where this is at a few years from now. Is he still going aggressively after independent talent or is it just that's how you get to sing on the map and then you slowly but surely start to recruit more of those athlete types as he talked about, and and kind of start from scratch with some guys. I mean, NXT may be different a few years from now. I just don't know what the future holds.
Yeah, I do think they're kind of the very small roster of talent that's featured on NXT, because it's not a deep roster. I mean, it's, you know, aly a dozen guys who are regularly on the NXT program. There's other people in developmental and when those guys are ready,
they'll get filtered in. And it could at any given time this could be looked on and look back on as a glory period for NXT, and the next two or three guys who dominate television can't have the Sammy's and Adrian Neville, Finn Balor Jdeo, Tommy Kevin Owens level matches. I think that these five that I just named are gonna be probably the measuring stick for every group of top four or five guys in NXT for years to come.
It's just a special time for them. But there might be a time when NXT's less entertaining, but it's more valuable in the sense that it's it's producing and grooming the next Roman Reigns, the next Batista, the next John Cena, the next Edge, the next you know, pick your next triple eighth, you know, the tall guy that fits what Vincickmann looks for. All right, back to the phone lines. Let's go to Ericode two five to one to five one. Please state your name in the city you're calling from.
Heyway, this is Brian from Fairhope, Alabamay.
Brian, thanks for Colin. What have you got for Jason?
Hey well, Waite, I really like a lot of your changes that you made to your audio programs, especially on your daily updates.
Yeah, well great the audio quality, you mean.
The quality the intros that you're putting in the new intro music, which kind of gives me kind of like a Midnight Express sort of nostalgie above.
Uh here for once, you know, Well it's there.
The teas is neat.
I really like it. Three things One could you tell us about anything more with the new Creative Vice president's bureaucrat whatever they have for WWE. I've heard that she's a vote splitter between Vincent Hunter or something. I haven't seen anything that screams wow Creative has done anything different before the announcement. Also, one thing that I mean when you ask if we like the current state of the Daniel Brian Roman Range feud, which week they've not had
a consistent story from one week to the next. I kind of like this week, but I don't know if I'll be around, And I really don't know if they know how to book a babyface like Brian who isn't all about ruthless aggression and who actually seems like content and doesn't need his approval from from anywhere else, that just likes what he does. And I think that kind of bites them in the tale for how to promote a guy like that.
And I think that.
They're freezing Brockwesterner out of fast Lane and they don't know what to do with him or what he's going to do for his contract. And once they have that decision that will determine what happens to the main event of WrestleMania.
Well, yeah, absolutely, Brian good top I think rock Lesner's future will change the booking plans at Russemania, or that'll have a tremendous effect on it. I think if Lesner sticks around, they're they're going to treat him differently than if it's Lesner's last or second or third to last appearance for WWE. The new executive vice president, Lisa Fox, and this was announced last month, is saying she's a
tie breaker vote Jason. Maybe on business matters, but overseeing the creative team is you know, having that as your title is something. But to say that she's going to be able to that she will be the tiebreaker of Vince is really against something. But she and Hunter are for it. I would like to be a fly on the wall for that happening.
I'm not buying it. I'm just I don't even know why that's part of her title. I mean, it's Vince, it's Vince's show, and Vince wants it. He's going to get it, And I just don't buy that they're going to bring in an outsider to make that decision for them. Vince has always been tiebreaker when you think about it. If not that, really, there's all these situations where the creative team is split because I don't think he values too many of their opinions. But that's what Vince does.
He steers the ship, and the Hunter has made it clear that at the end of the day, it's still Vince's baby. We're not hearing him in the media appearances he's doing talking about this person nothing. It's still Vince McMahon's vision and he still has final.
Say, And it almost seems I mean, you know, promoting somebody from within who's worked in television production and business strategy and heck, sponsorship sales, that doesn't prepare you for being somebody who's going to necessarily know what needs to be done to sell tickets. On a creative sense, I think that there's people in wrestling who have been very good at certain jobs who weren't necessarily, by definition of being good at sponsorship sales, being able to transition over
and be a tiebreaker on what's best creatively. But yeah, let's be realistic. Vincentc. Mann is his own tiebreaker, and until I have, uh, monumental evidence otherwise, I think it's it's a corporate press release that that sounds good and that gives the impression that w W is being run like a corporation and not a dictatorship. But yeah, I don't I don't see Vince, you know, doing something anything major that goes against his wishes. Now minor stuff that
he's not really all that concerned with. Sure, you know that I could see him just you know, defaulting to a couple different voices and you know, but no, no, on big, big issues. I don't see anybody being a tiebreaker. All right, let's go next to Eric code seven three two seven three two. Thanks for holding. Please state your name and where you're calling from.
Wait, it's taught from the Jersey br Sevember.
How you guys?
How you guys do It's night?
Good?
I did miss your first name even though you call it what what Scott?
Scott?
Oh Scott, Yeah, yeah, I recommend I recommend I recognize your voice. Go ahead, Scott, How do you guys?
Do it?
Tonight?
Good?
Terrifict Just two quick points I have questions about. Firstly, a couple of weeks ago, you were talking a little bit about maybe a soft Brands plat coming at some point. Has there been any developments on that in the last couple of weeks.
I was we've got such a bad connection. I didn't hear what you asked about. What what was the top now? Not much better, but just go ahead and repeat what you said a little louder.
I was asking if you had any more developments on I know you had a couple of weeks back on one of the Europe Week Colt hotlines about the chance of a Brands like of a Soft Brands splay. Has there been a more information on that over the last few weeks.
I no, I haven't had any any more information, and I think we've seen evidence. Just sort of to the contrary, Jason, that's Macdown's kind of gone back to being the show that is, especially last Thursday, it was a lot of video packages and it was a gimmicky formula the taking turmoil, but you don't get a lot of John Cena or Triple Ah and Stephanie for that matter, and it feels
like a B show. I'm skeptical whenever Vince McMahon or WWB get excited about a new program like Main Event or a new format for SmackDown, because or I mean, there's a lot of the taut or what was it called raw reaction or raw input where the fans got to vote for stuff, and they were so excited about that.
I just think there's corporate meetings and they get excited about something or they feel they need to say something to satisfy sci Fi when they move from Fridays to Thursdays to a better day, and then the creative just kind of gets carried away and they put their eye right back on just trying to promote WrestleMania the best way they can, and they don't know what they can save just for SmackDown. Perhaps post WrestleMania, Jason, there'll be
more of a differentiation between the programs. This is the time of year, even when there were brand splits that they ended up doing the super shows because they wanted everybody on Mania to always be on Raw. So, you know, just looking at history and learning from that, combined with what I heard a month or two back about this moved to Thursdays, maybe the changes will happen, but not
until after WrestleMania. And that's a thing I can ask more about, but certainly I haven't seen evidence of it yet.
Let's not judge them. But based on last Thursday though, because that was the taping where half the crew is on its way to Kuwait on Tuesday night, and so they were basically dealing with the half crew, and so I think that's a big part of the reason we saw that that tape tag team turmoil thing. But yeah,
I haven't been wowed. I mean even right out of the gate with their first show of the Thursday night air was like, Okay, thet bigger than most Smackdowns, But I wasn't just blown away, like, man, I can't wait to see next SmackDown, And you can usually tell it's when they start really driving home the hype for SmackDown on Raw, and we got kind of the usual last night. At least it wasn't a miss TV talking segment that
seems to be their fallback. But this they did give us the hype for the Dolph Segguler seth Rollins match, so that's something. But until I see them really banging, you know, just beating us over the head with SmackDown SmackDown SmackDown on Raw, I'm just going to assume, Yeah, they're still approaching this as a B show.
YEP. I want to see some evidants before I believe in it. All right, let's go to another color here. This is International or number is blocks that shows up as all ones for us. Please state your name and where you're calling from.
This is you.
If you heard a beebe If you're on hold, say your name all right. If you're about to be hung up on, that's you who should have spoken up. Sorry about that, all right, Let's go next to three four seven, three four seven. Please state your name and where you're calling from.
Hello, this is Christ from New York.
Hey, Chris, what have you got for us?
I have two questions. The first one is actually about brock Lesner. I read something today in which Jim Ross feels that brock Lesner will resign with the company because from a financial standpoint he can be paid very well, but also he can avoid the rigors of long term injury in MMA, which is actually obviously a real life contact sport. And the second question is about John Cena.
Do you think w B made a mistake in announcing, in terms of the Internet crowd that Roman reigns the next John Cena when the fact is Johnson is only thirty eight years old, and if he stays around for five more years he can or seven, he can still
be the top guy. And then at some point if he retires, there's a good chance for move into an executive role with a company, since he seems to be dow to be for life, and he's such a valuable tool just from a public relations standpoint, the fact that he's so clean.
Cut, Jason. I don't think preparing for life after John
Cena is giving up on John Cena. But as we saw last year and this year, he's willing to take a back seat at the WrestleMania main event in order to help give the rub of being a WrestleMania main event or to somebody else so that you know, as a corporate guy, as a company guy, Jason, John Cena seems to be willing to step aside or share that top tier with somebody else, And I just think it's smart business to make sure if Sena goes down with an injury, that you have somebody else ready to go.
I don't think it means they're giving up on Sena. I doubt he's a top guy for eight more years. But I've said that about a lot of people who are in there late thirties before, who still were around in their mid forties.
Right, Yeah, I mean it sounds with that hole he's getting old storyline. I don't know if they know something we don't, and the transition is happening sooner other than later. But he's no Hogan, you know, Hull Cogan was very much about Hull Coogan and didn't really care about the future of WWE. After Hull Kogan seen it really does seem to they have to give him credit for that one.
And his first topic on Lesner, I'm not quite sure. The riggers of MMA are different, but not necessarily greater than the riggers of a full time WWE schedule, But the riggers of training for MMA and actually fighting MMA
is a lot harder than Brock Lesner's WWE schedule. And if that's Ross's point and I didn't see or hear the particular comment Chris reference, then yeah, I mean, it does seem pretty obvious that Lesner would prefer to make guaranteed money doing something that doesn't require around the clock training for months and the possibility of getting hurt or
losing USC. I mean, it's attractive. The question is, does Brock have a burning desire to compete competitively once again, given the way that he left with that deverticulitis really slowing him down, in his fights or not. If he doesn't care about that, and good for him. If he doesn't, then he should do what is best for him and his family financially and for his health, and that might mean staying in WWW for another year or two.
Jason, Yeah, I mean, I think it's now or never for Brock and UFC in any meaningful way. I mean, I think the Punk signing shows that, Okay, they're they're open to just you know, selling out and making a little bit of money too. But if Brock wants to be in a meaningful title fight, I think it's kind of now or never for him. Ross cited concerns over long term health effects of competing in MMA, specifically concussion oriented issues. I mean, that's something I've been talking about
for a long time with Brock. Is he there were concerns after the the Shane Carwin and kine Velaskas fights. You know, it's not that he didn't like getting hit in the head. It's there's, you know, there's head traum issues that come along with that, and with that being so such a popular topic of conversation these days, I think it made him stop and think about it. And it doesn't mean he's not going back, but I do know that was a concern coming out of his last UFC run.
I'm Kelly Wells, host of PWT Talks NXT, the longest running NXT podcast Anywhere. Join me along with Nate Lindberg, Bruce Lee, Hazelwood and special guests live every Tuesday night, just minutes after NXT, where we cover the good, the bad, and the ugly on the way to becoming a star in WWE. Check us out live on YouTube or stream later wherever you get your podcast.
Samo Joe, we talked about him earlier, Jason, do you think he ends up in WWE Ring of Honor following aj styles pattern doing a little bit of everything? Or is he going to move to something else? Have you heard anything I asked I talk? You know, somebody asked me for a weight Keller hotline on the VIP side of things several days back. You know, Somojo is he still does he still have gassed in the tank and would he be valuable for WWE? And I give a
resounding yes. I think he'd be a great signing for them even if he had to you know, spent two three four months in developmental Just you know, as Tribla says, learning about the camera angles and how we do things. I'm fine with that. I think Tomojo would be hugely valuable for WWE's top tier right now. And it is sort of you say, Lesnar, now we're never MMA. It's
kind of now, we're never for Joe in WWE. But at the same time, he's probably got some good paydays waiting for him in Japan and the indie scene too that would more than make up for the loss of TNA dates how few there are, I could.
See this one going either way. I mean, he's he's going to be thirty six here in about a month actually a month from now as I look it up here, he'll be thirty six years old, and you know he I don't think he needs a long stay in development. I'm like you say, somebody working on some of the intangibles. But I would like to see him end up in WWE. Selfishly,
I'd like to see him and Daniel Brown. I mean, I wish see him Punk was still there to go to bat for him, because Punk could, you know, be someone who would probably be more willing to do that than some of the guys on the roster. Today. I just don't know. I mean, there was that weird thing where didn't Triple H follow him on Twitter or something like that at one point not too long ago, and there was like that got some attention, So I mean there must It's not like Triple H isn't aware of
this guy. I don't think the whole stigma of TNA thing is a huge issue here. I think if WWE feels like they can make money with Joe, he'll be in. But yeah, I mean he could easily follow the aj styles path. I think Joe can do really well on the indie scene for a while. He can work those select dates and Ring of Honor if he wants to and do just fine and work in the New Japan,
I would assume. I mean, I know they have a pretty loaded roster, but I think they would probably make an exception if they could get their hands on Joe. So I'm just thrilled this is finally happening. The guy had done everything there was to do in TNA, there was nothing left for him, and it's just been it's been like this now for.
What five years, just playing a back seat, you know, MVP and the Beatdown Klan and just being, you know, a guy just standing in the background. Joe is better than that and worth more than that. But he had done everything. I would love to see a motivated in the shape of his life or the shape that he the best shape he can be in at thirty six, which is still pretty damn good. I mean, you know, look at Tim Duncan, and you know I mean that, well, I guess he's a bat etonecas he's pretty beat up.
But yeah, anyway, the TNA schedule has been good, better to Joe than probably the NBA schedule that Tim can as guy get in their late thirties as top level athletes. But I think Joe is somebody who I still think he's got guests in the tank to have great matches with Dean Ambrose except Rollins, Sam Zane, Daniel Bryan of course,
and then Brock Lesner, John Cena, Randy Orton. I mean, Joe's a guy who can be against the bigger heavyweight, top tier guys, and he's a guy who can also keep up with the guys who are more athletic too and and key pace, which is why he was put in the X division by TNA, and a move that I never thought was smart or good, But I get why they did it. They didn't want to take away some dream matches with the X Division guys, but I think it hurt Joe's, Joe Joe and the ex Division
by just breaking that whole weight barrier thing. So yeah, I would love to see him in WWE. There's a long list of matches that should happen, and I hope happened. But that said Smoe Joe in New Japan that's not a bad thing either, and there's some really fun matches that could result from that. So I just hope he's not retiring because I just sort of like with AJ, and I think it was yesterday Bruce Mitchell talked about this on the live cast. AJ's just had this. It's
a coming out party to the world. By leaving TNA a little over a year ago and doing what he's done in the last thirteen months, it's pretty awesome and I'd love to see Joe have that kind of year. And you know, Tena is gonna be fine without him, you know, given their business set up, in the structure that they have, and I think they had gotten what they needed out of him. I don't think they're given
the way that they book and promote. I don't think there was a lot that they're losing by losing Joe, but I think it's gonna there's a lot to gain, be it New Japan, Ring of Honor Or or WWE. At this point, all right, let's mention that if you're not a VIP member with p W Torch, you can become one by going to PW torch dot com. Talk
about VIP on the live cast. Going forward, all right, let's go back to the phone lines for the last call or two of the program before we moved to the VIP after show, and let's go to six six to one. Next six six one, Please state your name and where you're calling from.
A right, Jason, This is our Jason calling from Perth, Australia, VI our pay member.
Jason. Thanks for Colin. So glad you called. I saw you emailed and said you might be calling in today.
Yeah, not a problem light. I appreciate that, first of all.
Yeah.
I also a couple of hours a guy are right on Twitter that I thought that Ryman, Ryans and Daniel Brown were coming across a lot of two children who were, you know, fighting for the big boys. Table with brock Lesna and that might for some interesting discussion. Now, I'm not sure if you've got talked about this auretic, so I just joined the program, but I just wanted to make a point.
In regards to you, Jason, it doesn't matter because we just enjoy your accents. So even if you're repeating yourself, it's fine.
Well I appreciate that, all.
Right.
Anyway, what I was going to say, what I was going to say is in relation to that, A copped a bit of feedback, like and the people were saying, oh, you know, wrestling fans, they're all the lights of poke holes or storylines and they can't enjoy themselves. You know, Look, as far as I'm concerned with that, Like I mean, of all times to sort of poke holes or storylines to cast a critical eye, I mean, we're talking about WrestleMania.
We're also talking about wanting to make sure you have as many subscribers as possible and that you'll portraying your key babyface characters in the right way. And I just think the ww have done a horrible job with their
presentation of babyfaces. And I think it's been like this for a while and in relation to Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan, I mean, what I don't understand is that why would you put them against one another leading to WrestleMania where you're dividing the crowd and you're pointing out unlikable traits in relation to them. See my whole thing with sort of like Roman Rains and Daniel Brian has that.
I want to see Roman Rains as a kick oss baby face if he's given a roadblock or if he's given like saying, you know, okay, what you have to do is you have to go past Daniel Bryan a fast lane to qualify for WrestleMania, even though that is technically unfair. What I would like to see is him to say bring it on, yeah, you know. And in relation to Daniel Bryan. In relation to Daniel Brian, he's actually come across like a bit of an idiot because he's entitled to a world title. He's entitled to a
world title match, not a number one contendership match. This will be akin to the Seattle Seahawks getting screwed in the Super Bowl then going to the NFL and saying we want to rematch with the Green Bay Packers. Well, past that step. You're past that step. You should be going against brock Lesner. And people are saying, oh, Daniel Bryn is showing a bit of an edge, But the edge that I I've seen Daniel Brian show recently is
against baby faces. I saw more fire in him beating up a poor Russo Russo last week on SmackDown than what I've seen in getting revenge on Cain. I just think the whole thing's all over the place, and what I what I would like to see is that what I'd like to see is Roman Rains actually take control of the situation and after winning the raw rumbles say look, I won the raw rumble, Daniel Brian, I'm going to
be a fighting champion. I'm not going to be like brock Lester and pick and choose, so I'm going to face. I'm going to be a fighting champion. You deserve a title rematch the night after WrestleMania. And what they would have done is actually would have made Daniel Brian fans go for Roman Rains because it's like, well, if Roman Raine speaks brock Lesner, then now man Daniel Brian gets a title shot. Something to that effect, where Roman Rains
and Daniel Brian are taking control of a situation. Just a couple of other points I wanted to raise Waite. I thought it was really good in your hotline how you talked about Triple H's promo against Sting and how you mentioned he suddenly mentioned that he represents WWE and Sting represents WCW. I mean, we all saw how that happened, like about well fourteen years ago when they brought back buff Bagwell and Boo could see and try to paint
them as baby faced with Shane McMahon. What I also thought was pretty funny was that Rick Flair mentioned to Triple H, you know, people ask me if you could beat Daniel Brian. I said, you could beat him in five minutes, but you know what, thirty minutes later, you didn't. But he almost gave him the excuse that he was
a part time wrestler. And I just thought it was funny that they were sort of planting that seed that Rick Flair was saying that if Triple H wasn't a part time wrestler, then he might have beaten Daniel Bryan within that five minutes. And look, just just one further point, because I know you enjoyed my accent In relation to NXT. In relation to NXT, I agree with what Bruce said
on his Bruce Mitchell audio show. I like NXT, but I think like the endgame is sort of getting a bit mixed up because I thought the whole point behind NXT was to develop superstars so you could bring him up to the main roster as soon as possible. So then you have a unique selling point for the announcers that can say make sure you tune into the WWE network on the pay per views because it's the only place where you get to see the superstars of Raw
and SmackDown on the same show. And what I mean by that is I'm a big fan of the brand split because it gives you a unique selling point for the network. Now you look at guys like Luke Harper Ambrose and Wade Barrett and say Adolph Siegler. To me, that would be perfect to stand out performers on a SmackDown show. Now you Sprinkleen, say Kevin Owen's a Sammy Zaying and even what is it like Atami or Fim Baylor. There's about eight guys that you can build a brand around.
But you also have that unique selling point where they're exclusive to SmackDown and people if they miss SmackDown, at least they've got the network in order to watch the feature SmackDown Stars. So that's what I'm a big fan of the brand split because it gives you that unique selling point for the network, which is what they need.
Thank you you put it very well accent as a bonus, but some really good points I want to get Jason Powell of prosing dott Net his thoughts on that. Jason Powell, I just think Jason from Perth, Australia made added to what we had talked about earlier and made a strong case for how Brian and Rains kind of a main topic of today's show, have been somewhat damaged. It may not be crippling, but I think Jason made some really good points about that as his first major topic that he discussed.
Yeah, well said absolutely yeah.
And anything to add to what he said about NXT and the SmackDown Raw brand split.
I don't think they have the debt board. I don't. I mean, if you could call up the guys from NXT and maybe, but I kind of get the feeling like they're taking their time with some of these guys, maybe more time than they need to. But is that because they want to do more with the NXT brand
by taking it on the road. Are some guys going to be kept down longer than they would be if it would not were not for That's not sure, But I don't think they have the depth to People point to that one episode of Raw where we got more wrestling and it was a good show, but when they were you had a split crew, but it was one night. You know, Raw's is a tough one to get through when it's three hours, as it is with all these people.
The counter to that is, look at what they did with SmackDown last week when they had a smaller crew and it wasn't very compelling. I just don't have faith in them being able to do They didn't do it right the first time when they had an even deeper roster. I don't have faith in them to do it right now.
Yeah, And that's the issue is having faith that they would do it the right way, because I do think that if they put somebody in the main events of SmackDown who can cut promos and can wrestle, whether it's Seamus or Wade, Barrett or you know, pick a guy who has that borderline top tier potential and you just start treating him like he is, like they did with Edge, or like they did with Eddie Guerrero or JBL during the brand split. You treat the top SmackDown guy as
a top guy and you position him that way. I think you can end up having enough depth. It's the faith that Vince McMahon has the patience to put that kind of mental effort into producing somebody in a way that that portrays them as a top star. That's what
I don't have faith it. I just I really doubt whether Vince McMahon would look at SmackDown after he gets done with a live Raw that's the mothership, that's the main show, and being able to with a straight with a straight face, genuinely push guys that he doesn't think
our paper mamain inventors to the very top. I think SmackDown would draw very good ratings with a fresh crew of talent that didn't get overexposed on Raw if it wasn't just Rains and Brian and Big Show and Kane and you know the usual suspects that we see on both shows. And I think you could freshen that up with some NXT guys. I think it could be done. I kind of could imagine it being done well, but
I can't imagine Vince wic Mann doing it well. And I think that is pretty much you're saying, Jason is even if you can imagine it being done well, you can't imagine it's McMahon actually doing it well.
No, No, I mean the one out here would be all right, we're going to turn it over different vision for SmackDown, whether it's Triple H, Ryan Ward just you know, other writers take control of SmackDown legitimately. Okay, we can talk, but I just I don't have faith in him. Even it's maybe like one of those meetings they had about SmackDown where he talks a good game, but when push comes to shove, Vince McMahon won't be able to keep his hands off it.
Yeah, yeah, all right, very good. We're gonna shift to the VIP after show now we right about the ninety minute mark here of the program. Don't forget you can go VIP and not hear our ad. That will do it for me for today. So big thanks to Jason Powell, who I'll be talking to on the other side of the music as dot net members and VIP members can hear us answer email topics and discuss some stuff that we haven't gotten to yet, including some Expanta thoughts on
Rick Flair and his appearance. And another topic that Jason for Perth Australia brought up and that I talked about on the Waight Keller hotline last night. Is Triple H angling to get cheered at WrestleMania? Is he being sly in devious and actually setting things up for him to go shrug his shoulders and go, well, I don't know what to say. I guess the crowd liked me, when in reality he's planning the seeds right now to sabotage
things baby Face pop at Mania. It's conspiracy theory. There's not a lot of evidence yet directly, but there's a whole history to draw from, and I'll talk about the evidence and why I'm kind of pulling from history and wondering if that's not something that Triple H is deviously trying to get away, to get away with by positioning this as a wwwwe battle rather than a heal Babyface battle. So all that and more coming up in the VIP after show. Thank you everybody for your support. This has
been We've had tre medous growth. We continue to grow your for year, month to month with new listeners. Your loyalty to what we do here at Pro Wrestling Torch and the p W Tortch Live cast is very much appreciated, and we welcome all the new listeners and we hope you'll continue to spread the word. Don't forget. We really appreciate if you'd give us a five star review in iTunes, if you really like what we do here and put
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is Waydekeller of Petewtorch dot com signing up. Anytime you're watching WWE Raw or SmackDown or AEW Dynamite in particular, send us an email if you've got thoughts on the show or a topic you want us to address, or a question for us. Wadekeller Podcast at pwtorch dot com, Wadkeller Podcast at petewtorch dot com. If there's anything else going on in pro wrestling that you want us to address on our main podcast during our mailbank segments, that
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now in the VIP after show portion of the program. Jason, I want to start off with what I ended with a little teaser about Triple H. Did you get the sense that Triple H is being a little sneaky or if you did last night, am I planting that seed that maybe Triple H just trying to get that WWE loyal WrestleMania crowd to maybe at least in great percentage cheer for him against that WCW guy.
I don't know why you would care. I mean, let's see where it goes. Is this. I don't know how they would do it, but I mean, Lord knows, the authority has played out. Were everyone's tired of it. It's just they've done what they can do. Is this somehow when all is said and done, does he ultimately gain some respect for staying and become a babyface after all this?
So I mean, I'm just leaving that door open that maybe that's by design because he sooner rather than later, will be a baby face, not going into Mania, but maybe coming out.
I would love that because I think I'd like to see a baby face authority figure appear every once in a while like Rigal l NXT and not be a dominant heel. That would be nice. I just wouldn't be surprised if Hunter, being a WWE loyalist, who by the way, did jump from ww to WWE once, But if I would be in I would It wouldn't shock me if that.
He isn't trying to do it under the radar so it's not obvious, but shrug his shoulders after the match, going huh, I guess the fans love me, you know, because they cheer for Hima says say Sting's gonna have cheers. But I just I just think the way Triple H operates, he would get a kick out of out smarting everybody and acting like he's just setting up the match to sell it. It's wwa'st WWE and you know, being a heel, but really planning that seed for fans to go. Man,
do I want to cheer a WW guy? Given how Triple H talks about how other than his family, WWE's most important thing in the world to him, and they WWE makes money marketing their brand, the marketing brand loyalty. They want people to be fans, not of wrestlers. This is a mid card era, as Bruce Mitchell calls it. It's about relatively interchangeable wrestlers who work for this magnificent brand by the McMahon family, and I just encounters tapping
into that a little bit right here. Now. Maybe he can't help himself and it's not a plot, but I think that could end up being a side effect, even if he's not being devious, that some fans are going to see this as oh, I have to pick sides WWE or WW and Hunter loves this brand as much as anybody and sting as a Johnny come Lately. I don't know. Again, it's a conspiracy theory, admit to it. Very little evidence in this case other than last night's promo.
But when you look at the history of Hunter and things that he has either done or his friends have done, or things that he tends to admire, and just knowing his kind of personality and the way he works, I could say it.
Are there other examples of times when you feel like he's gone for the babyface reaction?
I think historically Triple h Is comes from a group of people who like to be the smartest people in the room and like to outsmart people. I think if you look even at the authority and the things that they said about Roman Reigns and how haha, he didn't have to do this again, that's Hunter. It's not so much saying I'm going for the baby face pop, but I'm the smartest guy in the room and I should
just be cheered on principle because I'm that good. And have Ric Flair come out, just again, going to last night, have Rick Flair come out and endorse him. I thought it was good. I thought, and this is worth exploring a little more to what Jason from Perth said that Rick Flair really I thought demean Daniel Bryan in a way that was completely unnecessary and if that was scripted. It goes to what I'm saying that Hunter, when he's involved in a program, can't help but put himself over
at the expense of others when he's involved. When he's not involved, he seems to have really good mind for things, but when he is involved, it's like he can't help himself. And that was another example. I don't think that line should have been there with Rick Flair. Who didn't Rick Flair pick Daniel Briand to win the rumble Jason in the pre show.
He did, and you know what I've heard, Flair, like a lot of the vets, didn't quite grasp the Daniel Brian phenomenon. I guess people have said of all people, they thought Rick Flair would have understood, but for some reason, I don't know if it's from hanging around Hunter or whatnot, but he just kind of looked down on the hole Daniel Bryan Graze.
Which is crazy because Daniel Bryan and Rick Steamboat standing next to each other are about the same, you know. I mean, it's just not a different it's just they're in the same size category. Steamboat was always a little smaller than Flair, and I would just think that you know, not that Daniel Brian's like milk toast, But if you're to draw a comparison between Babyface, a Babyface who Rick Flair feuded with and had great matches with, the personality
of Steamboat is pretty si. I think there's not a better comparison than Steamboat Daniel Bryan in terms of just smiling, affable, stand up for what's right type characters at who are great athletes. And I would think that Flair would understand it because of that, But you're right, a lot of veterans were slow to come around. Even Steve Austin is more in Daniel Bryan's camp now than he was a year ago.
I mean, the Flair thing just baffles me because that strikes me as like a dream match. You would think Flair would see it from that perspective too, Like man, if I was just you know, well in his mind today, but if he was twenty years younger, Imagine the money these two could make together. That one really surprised me. Some of the whole Kogan types, the guy that got by on you know, the guys that got by on their physiques. I understood that I didn't really grasp it coming from Flair.
I know, I know, but Flair's it's weird, you know. I think guys who are of average height in wrestling, or whatever height you are, it's almost anybody shorter than you doesn't belong to the main events. But you're the perfect type.
You know.
Anybody you're height or taller can be a main event, but anybody shorter can't. I would say, short of being six ft. You know, if you're above six foot four, you understand you got to fight people who at six two, six one sixty three. But if you're you know, if you're five ten to be a main eventeror you should be five ten or taller. If you're six to one, you should be six to one or taller to be a Maine venor. It just seems like that's kind of
the wrestler attitude. So I don't know. If I'm a main e venor, I'd want to fight face guys who are smaller than me to make me look bigger. But it does seem to be kind of a weird, a weird hang up that they have did. Did you think that was one of Flair's better performances Jason last night? Not necessarily his best, but one of his better performances in the last three four years.
Yes, because Triple Ah kept cutting him off. You know, t was very much in control of that, and I think he I think some of it was his character cutting off Lair, and I think other times he was really keeping the Lair on point and making sure everything went in the direction he wanted it to go.
Yeah, I think that's true because Flair, Roddy Piper, there are guys who aren't used to the scripting and aren't used to the long format interviews. You know, that's not something Flair did a lot of stand in the ring with a microphone and cut along prole or go back and forth in conversations. You know, Flair was used to someone holds the mic, he cuts a promo, he gets asked to follow up question, he cuts another promo, and
then it's over. So some of these old some of these guys like Piper and Flair, as they get older, they have had trouble with the longer format, remembering their lines and staying on on Q and so, you know, I think that Hunter when he's in there with Flair, is kind of like a parent mouthing the words along as their child. You know, performs a play like, Oh, I hope she hears your remembers the lines. I hope
she remembers the lines and all of that. Sometimes you get that feeling when Hunter and Steph are in the ring because they have such a big part in putting the stuff together. But I thought Hunter, yeah, I think Kunter helped the segment, but Flair gets co credit. I thought Flair brought it. I thought he did his best
to stay disciplined and made his points. I thought Hunter made the more humble comment that I'm used to out of his character, especially when he's playing a heel on TV, which is I've told people that Rick, you know, Rick Flair is the best ever, something along those lines, and usually Hunter accepts compliments from Flair that he's the best ever without going no, no, come on, Rick, you're the best.
Normally we don't get that courtesy response from Hunter, but we got it last night, and I thought that was nice, a nice gesture on Hunter's part, and it does maybe play into what you're saying, Jason, maybe there is a potential Babyface turn coming and Hunter's trying to become the WWE guy who loves the brand WWE and play into what the whole portrayal he has of being the father figure over NXT.
I hope so that that character is valuable to w W. The character he plays now just dominates, you know, he and Sephanie the heels that they represent our henchman for them. Seth Rollins is like the only guy who's been kind of immune to it so far, but everyone else they've been aligned with has ended up in that same just kind of casts the same way. I mean, Big Show and Kane are just worthless. And not that they had a lot of value coming into this, but it's diminished greatly.
I Mean, I just cringe now when I see those guys pop up on my television, and I hate to feel that way, but it's it's the booking. It's also just the fact that their underlings to Timpany and Hunter, and then the fact that they you know, all the Roman ranges are dope, that they easily manipulated Daniel Bryant's adope because he could have had his title match that he just asked for and said he entered the rumble, and it's all those things. It's just eat over and
over again. They're the smartest people and all these wrestlers are just stupid, yep.
And that's why I just really look forward to the days that they're showing up heels instead of baby faces in that same way, because it just seems like they can't help themselves, and it's they see it as very important for them to be the you know, the dominant, smartest personalities in the play.
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I know it's almost a week ago now, Jason, but the Triple H NXT conference call, was there anything about that that jumped out to you? And in terms of then how the NXT special played out when you're watching NXT Takeover, was there anything that Triple H said in the conference call that that you thought, Okay, this is what Hunter kind of thought would happen, or this this in tandem with what Hunter said, makes me look at what they're doing differently on the special.
Gosh, you know, nothing's jumping out of him. Is there something specific you're thinking of?
Oh no, totally just throwing it out there, trying to get NXT into the discussion.
So yeah, I mean it's I you know, I asked him about it, Tommy, and he just wants him to let loose basically. And I don't think we saw kent to but I think we saw a better version of a Tommy this time around than usual, So I mean progress was made there. He One of the things he emphasizes, I don't know how much he did it in this conference call is that it's a training ground for everyone. And I thought that really came through with the broadcast team,
because I didn't think they had a fine night. And I like Rich Brent and I think he has a future. But I just thought some of the main event call was off. There was just different points during the show where I found myself wishing it was another.
Broadcast name Yeah, and I would have to go back and rewatch it.
Now.
I've heard that from enough people that I gave them more of a pass than I probably should have. I've been in general, I've been a fan of Corey Graves. I think that too, he's really showing a comfort level on the microphone, and he's that mix of confident and conversational and likable but legible to put it to you can understand what he's saying and why he's saying it, and he does soon in a conversation a likable way.
I just think he has a chance to be really good, I mean to develop to be really good in that role, because I think out of the gate he's been good. And I'm a fan of Elbert too. Rich Brennan usually a fan of When some of the specifics have been brought up, Sean Radikin was the first to be really hard on the announced team. He brought up some specifics that I remember hearing and not thinking it was as big of a deal when Rich Brandon was calling, you
know too many near falls as finishes. But what in particular do you remember or things stood out Jason that that the announce team came up short.
On storytelling would be the big one. Just see a really dry I don't think he really grasped the story they were telling in that main event. It just seemed like he was in that point at different points, calling the spots more so than kind of painting the picture that the rest you know, helping the wrestlers paint that picture.
Do you think did you like the story? Do you think that bringing up brock Lessner John Cena was a huge mistake, a risky move that worked a little or didn't work a little, but not a big deal or really good with in the context of NXT to draw that comparison to history.
I didn't mind that as much as most people. It did kind of when everything was said and done, it was like, Okay, now I get that. Now I get why they brought that up, and it makes a little more sense. But you know, it did when they when he first said it. It's it. I mean, it's I don't know that i'd be comparing Kevin Owens given the body type two brock Lesner. I just I might. I would probably shy away from that. I just don't. It's not a favorable comparison for Kevin Owens, and he's got it.
You know, it doesn't mean he is going to be a failure in ww or anything like that. But I just think i'd shy away from that.
I think they could have told the story, which is Kevin Owens is dominating. We haven't seen a wrestler dominate a champion in a match in a one sided fashion as much as we have as we have since Summer Slam with Lesner and Sena, and then the next words out of one of their mouths is yes, And Kevin Owens obviously a different brand of wrestler, a different style of wrestler than Lesner. He's using this approach that's different,
but boy does it work for him? And I wonder how far this can take him using this approach against Sammy's Ain and talk about the strengths of Sammy's ain without having people go, well, he's no brock Lessner, And I think there was a way to make that point with a little bit more finesse. Yeah, without Kevin Owens paling in comparison, looking pale in comparison to lest who
is just somebody. It's it's kind of a losing proposition to be compared to him at this point, especially with how few matches Owens has had in NXT so far to really establish himself.
Hey, by the way, if Samoa Joe goes to NXT, will that be one of the rare wrestler where people were like, oh good, he's getting a name change.
Yes, it will, Yes, he will absolutely get a name change. I can't remember which caller. It was suggested half tongue in cheek, maybe two thirds that Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns have a battle over who the real Samoa Joe is. But I hopefully he was about ninety nine percent joking on that one.
Yeah, I just I've never I just remember the first time I read it, you know, I was back and when Ring of Honor launched, and it was like Samoa Joe. I just figured he was like some sidekick that wasn't even going to be a wrestler, and it's it's sucked. I mean, it doesn't seem like it's hurt him, but I'm anxious for change. Nonetheless.
Yeah, it's like it'd be like reading you know, Irish Pete. It's like, you're not going to take a guy seriously, you know called h you know, Johnny Astra. I don't know, it's just yeah, the first time I read it, I was like this, you know, this is not the glory era of Ring of Honor, Like when they started off and brought all the great indie wrestlers together and it
was low key and styles and all that. All of a sudden you're just like, oh, okay, Samoa Joe, and then you watch them work and you're like, okay, he won me over and you stop caring about the name. But the name limited. I think the name was limiting and it felt very lazy. It's not quite as bad as mister j L. But it's not a lot better. Minnesota Jerry. That's what he should have been called, Minnesota Jerry. All Right, we have an email question Mark wants to know.
This is shark Mary actually call dot net member and he says, assuming Roustev Sina is at Mania, win or lose, what is next for Russev? What do you think, Jason?
A good question. I guess let's see who the champion is coming out of Mania. If they want to go right to that. If you know what, if Seena beats him at Mania, I think next up for him is beating Scena somehow. I I whether it's decisive or he gets a cheap victory. I think they're going to want to try to, you know, just untarnish. I don't know that they're going to be able to. I don't think losing the scene at WrestleMania is like this just bad, bad moment for Roman or for BRUCEV. But wait, I
don't know what good it does either. Then hey, John Cena got a happy Wrestlemanian moment. I don't really understand what what they think that would do it? If that's great and you're going in, I mean, what am I missing something?
No?
No, no, you're not.
I agree.
I mean it almost seems like Russev's character expires the moment John Cena beats him at WrestleMania and he gets moved down the card and heck, and I don't think it's gonna happen because I think Vince likes Rusev. I know a lot of guys really like rusepfe Veterans who observe just think this guy's got something that they like. It's it's old school, but it works in modern day. You don't see a lot of guys like him anymore.
You know, we're so used to an x T producing, you know, Drew MacIntyre, Tye, you know, just the guys who have that lean muscle musculature body, and you know, it's nice to see a variety with Bray Wyatt now and Kevin Owens, but Russev is really different in that way. Russev. You could drop into nineteen seventy seven, and or you could photoshop him into or video edit him into wrestling from the mid seventies and nobody would think, oh, that guy,
you know doesn't belong. But you do that with you know, most of the guys today and it would be obvious they didn't belong in that era. And that's kind of cool. And I think he's versatile and good enough as a worker. He certainly showed it against Roman Raids at house shows. I mean, Rousselv was carrying him. I think that he that Rusev has a chance to be good for a
long time to come. But storyline wise, I think it almost has to be a step down unless they just find a way for seeing it to win but keep Russev strong. They do one more rematch, Roussev maybe wins the post Mania rematch or something, and then he moves on to a feud with another top level guy. Maybe he goes after the title. If Rains has a title, maybe he goes after Daniel Bryan. If Seamus is a babyface,
he goes after. I mean, there's only so many top baby faces from the wrestle, But I kind of think he ends up fighting a top tier babyface.
I think that, yeah, for sure. I mean he's established now. Like I said, even if he loses, I don't see any real good coming from it if he loses to see it Mania, But he's established. He's a top babyface, and I think, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a title reign in his future. I mean he's one of the few. Especially if brock Lesnar leaves, Well, there's your monster heel, you know, and you can't make him furniture throwing want you know, brock Lesnard want to be.
But I think he plays that part. He's the one guy that they have right now who believably could be that badass heel that I think they would be missing at brock were to leave.
A few months ago, I would not have been a favor of even I just say in favor. I wouldn't to put the odds high at all of him having a world title run. And I think the last four or five six weeks he's shown me enough where that's on my radar as a possibility. I don't see it as a long term parent ill heal champion. Vince only goes you know he did that with Yokazuna. I guess JBL is kind of a B champion on SmackDown, but you know, Vince like is always looking for that lead babyface.
But russav is a transition champion for a while, especially if you're trying to crown somebody new who beats him. You know, yeah, that can work, and now he might be a world champion in the way that Iron Cheek was simply to transfer the title one month to the next or one you know, big show to the next big show to somebody else. All right, up next, John says, Hey, Wade and Jason. I've read some reports online in the past week that the main roster superstars are why can't
they're wrestlers superstars? Is WWE's propaganda or Weillian term that many main roster wrestlers are frustrated and jealous at the freedom given to NXT wrestlers. I was wondering if you guys had heard any legitimacy to this report and if it may actually and if any change may come out of it. Have a great show, guys, and thanks love the upgraded audio quality. By the way, that's actually Jonathan
from Rockford, Illinois. So other than using the term superstars with a small s and buying it to the whole Orwellian language tricks that WWE plays. It's a good topic, Jason. Do you think NXT wrestlers have more freedom than WWE wrestlers or as part of the indoctrination process or orientation, Maybe is a better term in NXT is get them
to pace themselves. Tas was talking about that on his podcast last week reviewing the NXT special, saying, here doesn't think Kevin Owens can take that style to the main roster and find anybody who's gonna want to work with him night after night doing that. And I talked to another wrestler off record who just said, Kevin Owens is working a style that gets you main event credibility, but once you get over, you don't want to keep working
that style. And so maybe what Jonathan is sensing is that the NXT wrestlers wrestle to get themselves over, which means full steam ahead. But when you get to the main roster, a lot of the guys not to sustain the schedule. They can't work at that pace. So I'm not even sure a lot of the guys want to work that way, although I could see Ziggler, you know, saying I want that freedom, but it seems like he has that freedom, so I don't. No, we're about to
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Your thoughts, Yeah, I's not a complaints I've heard. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a lot of complaints right now. But NXC, I think naturally, when the young guys are putting out a product that's receiving more praise than the main roster, you're going to have some jealousy in there, you know, are. You just look at the structure of those shows, and it is a little more.
You get to those last three matches and they open things up where w it does seem like there's more of a concern about saving something for the main event, working in a buffer match and things of that nature. It's far just the overall in ring style though. I yeah, I mean it's it's a younger crew working a non ww syal that they're still conforming to, and I don't know how much of an emphasis is being placed on that right now when you see you know, the I mean,
we've seen some transitioning guys like Zaying. I mean Seth Rollins is a guy who went through that obviously, But I do yeah, I mean, I just think there's naturally going to be some level of jealousy and frustration when people are raving about how great this NXT thing is and kind of you have the main roster guys going, hey, we work hard too, and it's just a lot of it is out of their hands because creatively and with the presentation it's flawed.
Uh yeah, So I don't think that there's this mass number of main roster guys Jason, where like we want to work our ass off like the NXT guys do once every two or three months.
No, No, I think so. Yeah, yeah, but is it a good excuse if you're a guy who's working in the mid card and they're not asking, you know, they're giving you seven minutes and they're not letting you go out there and just tear the house down because you're, you know, working a mid to undercard match on a paper baby. Yeah, you know that. I can see where
guys are complaining. I'm not saying, you know, I don't know that you blame the NXT crew for that, but I'm sure there's always a lot of I mean, there's guys that still say, hey, if I could have done what, you know, if I'd been given the freedom that see him Punk did during the Pipelomb promo, I could have pulled it off. And it's like, no, you couldn't have. But it sounds nice.
Well yeah, And I will say I get where they're coming from in the sense it's like it's not an either or argument. Punk had a certain credibility based on who he was, how he carried himself, where he came from that made that work. But there is something about Punk using getting an advantage that other guys didn't have, which was breaking that fourth wall. It just made sense for his character more than it did others. But it doesn't make Punk the greatest promo guy ever because he
did get to break a rule. He did get to speak outside of the bounds in the rules of everybody else, So it's a little more nuanced. I'm not quite at the Jack Corpella stage wherein Friday Jack said, you know, see, I'm Punkin in the attitude era would have been a lower card guy, and you know, want to have jumped out to anybody. I'm certain certainly not anywhere close to that.
Punk is a phenomenal interview, but he did get to be able to have that restriction taken off of You did give him a leg up, and there's a reason that promo is more memorable than any other one.
That he did.
Oh it did.
But it's just a whole you know, the complaint that some of me I just had been given that opportunity. I could have done it too, And that's where I compare it to NXT. It's like, if I could just go out there and just work with reckless abandon for twelve minutes instead of the limitations I get. I can see where guys start to, you know, come to that conclusion where and in some cases they may be right. If you know, Tyson Kidd is a guy that probably if he was not only on the main roster, be
going hey, I could do that. And we've seen by him going that next heat. Yeah he can do that.
Yeah, yep, all right, I'm next to Brian Allston says he's from Phoenix, Arizona. Twenty free year of pros and toward subscriber. Big picture, it seems that Big Showman Kine are headed to a one on one match at Wrestling A thirty one. I'm sure a majority of fans do not want to see this parbatly because they fought several one hundred times. However, Big Showman Kine should be in matches at WrestleMania. So if they don't wrestle each other,
who should they wrestle? My vote is the Ascension. It would have Connor and Victor, two veterans to work with and give them a great, high profile win that they can brag about.
Jason, my vote is for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Yeah. No really, if they are they going to have that again.
I don't know.
I mean, people are talking about away it's happening, but I don't know if it's just because they made a big fuss last year and they assume no one has mentioned it to me and there's no sign of it. But I guess it wouldn't surprise me. It's an easy way to get people on the show, and it's it's really too bad they didn't do it more with the guy who won the first one. It might actually be something people would be looking forward to.
Yeah, yep, the the Ascension. Do you see them on the.
Show under the giant Memorial Battle Royal?
But I mean so not a not at a tag match?
It is?
Well, I mean, hey, it's if it's if they need another let's get everyone on the show match where you could see you know, some sort of elimination tag you know, something like that. Then you get all the tag teams on the show that way. I guess it just depends how much, you know, how many matches they need to get everyone on the show. Yeah, yeah, but I don't know, I don't think they deserve Like, here's the Ascension match. No, it's they're not over and quite frankly, neither a Big
Showing Kane. I would be more likely to do something with Big Show and Kane than the Ascension. And if it's they're trying to come up with the reason, you know, a way to get Big Show and Kane in a in more than the Battle Royal, well, you know, I guess, and you could do it, but it would be more about them than it would be the Ascension.
Up next, Wayne from Trades says, I know that we've seen this time and time again where they build up two baby faces for a match, but I think they actually fix the Roman Briand situation to a point where now it peaked my interest. By the way some of the things have been going on with parts of Rod, do you think Vince's letting Triple H actually take more control because some of these stories don't seem as goofy as Vince's stories. You know, we definitely got a lot
of feedback email, Twitter, callers, live cast. The end of Rod did seem to save or make up for and build anticipation for rains Brian and I think if you're gonna peak, you want to peek at the very end. We'll see what they do tonight on SmackDown. But I wouldn't say that this is that this feels so different that it has to be Triple Ah.
No, it goes back to what I said earlier. They're they're letting the wrestlers do their thing. They're they're going out there and fighting one another. You know, that isn't something that it takes Triple Ah or Ryan Ward or anyone, you know, Paul Aim and anyone to just say, all right, then you're gonna have a big brawl at the end. The reason it came off well is because there wasn't dialogue,
There wasn't any big plot holes. It was just two guys getting physical, and so you know, I don't see that as a sign necessarily that someone else is more involved in this. It just it's not the first time we've seen something like this from WWE.
Exactly. Yep, Okay, I'm next. Brian h says, why do you have John Cena and Russev's streak? What do you think instead of the scenario where Brock retains at Russemania, Russev beats Sena and they build a summer slant Russev against Brock, I could see Lana interfering here. And Russev even going over. Russev defends the title until Russemania twenty sixteen russe Mada thirty two, where Brock gets his rematch
and ends the streak. If done correctly, this could be a great storyline with a tremendous payoff as the main event in Dalla.
I don't want to see Brock Lesner as a babyface, so I say no to that. But if they are going in that direction, then I think it makes sense.
Yeah, yep, if Bronco's babyface being the first guy to beat Russev, if Sena can't. I'm not sure WWE wants to make that statement that Lesner greater than Sena, But if that's in the back of their mind, then I think they, you know they if they think Rusev Lesner is a money matter and that's the match for Lesner to really be a strong babyface at Wresselmania thirty one, I mean I could. I would say keep that in
mind as you watched the booking. I've seen a Rusev over the next few weeks and really the next you know till resume.
And I get the other thing with Rusev. He touched on it earlier. He doesn't strike me as a Vince McMahon long term heel champion guy. So I don't know that they didn't invest. I don't know that he'd be the one to take down brock Lesner unless it was, you know, some sort of cheating involved. I just I don't know that if Rock were leaving, I don't know that Rusev would be the guy who would passed the torch to it. Just Vince's history of using you know,
heels as champion isn't strong. I don't know that he would want to build his company around this heel Russian menace. Could It'd be more of a short term thing to me. It would be all right, it's a setup for whoever is going to take down the heel Russian menace.
All right, up next Anthony, you remember from Australia another US He says, was it just me? Or did Roman basically no sell everything Daniel threw at him in the brawl A the end of raw even the chair shot ridiculous. I thought, were they intending to leave the crowd in any doubt that Roman would go over strong at Festlinge. I wonder if Vince told Roman to no sell or if he took it upon himself, if he doesn't sell in the match, will it be as ugly as the
brawl itself. That is the other side of the argument about Rains Brian is you know, you know, I say it, well, Seen of dominating Russev means Seen is going to lose. Does Rains dominated dominating Brian mean Rains is going to lose? Or is this actually the exception to kind of that rule in that Rains is just being told just like Seampunk was in December of twenty thirteen. Make sure Rains looks strong and maybe Brian's being told the same thing.
How long did Daniel Brian sell that big forearm?
Didn't he just get thrown into the ring right afterwards?
Yeah? I mean, I think I'm asking you because I don't know. Yeah, I don't remember there being a lot of selling. I mean, it was a brawl and you'dt one guy get momentum briefly and the other guy take it back. I just I didn't read too much into it.
I just kind of thought it was two guys brawling, and if anything, I took away the possibility that they're setting up that, Okay, these two have this intention dislike for one another, and they have some sort of a you know, double fill in the count out DQ finish and somehow they both end up in WrestleMania.
Right yeah, so I And that's that's what we'll see on Sunday is is how does how does how does it play out? And then we'll look back at these clues and go, ah, you know, maybe we should have
seen it coming. The You know, Michael Cole I thought was at his best last last night, you know, when he was shouting let him fight, let him fight, and uh or the fans r actually channing let him fight, and then Cole sold the fans on the notion, hey, they're gonna do all their fighting on Sunday and and I but overall, I just thought Cole added to the excitement of the moment and JB. Ellen Booker were either able to add to it or stay out of the way.
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At pw torchdailycast dot com. Yeah, he was fine. I you know, he chimes in at times like that when the intensity is high at the end of the show. He usually does a pretty pretty damn good job. And then Booker and JBO might get a clever line at the end that is probably being fed to them by manage. Yeah, I keep waiting. I was excited, Whig when you were talking about the new role or the new division they had for Booker t where he would stand up to
JBL Moore in that. And it's just, you know, it's another thing where I'm certainly not questioning what you reported, but it's just I'm sitting here going damn again, it sounds really good and they should follow through on what they were saying, but I'm not you know, The only positive I can say I can find in Booker t right now is that he's not what the character that he was on the pre shows. You know, he's not over the top. There are times I forget he's there though.
That's a thing he's not as a sort of last night and this is what I had heard he was going to do more of, and he actually started doing it, which is he was saying and I can't remember during what match it was, but he was like, hey, guys, there's a match in the ring. Like he said that several times during the show to JBL and Cole as they as they were going off on different things. So there there were times where Booker was trying to keep cole and and JBL from getting too far off from
calling the actual match. Ye, so that's good, that's what I reported that you know, he would hopefully be doing. But yeah, I agree with you. I don't think he stood up enough to the uh, you know, JBL just being inconsistent, and you know, it doesn't help in Bookers saying that, you know, the Funk Brothers aren't the Funk brothers and Steiners aren't really brothers. That doesn't help his case. His credibility.
Literally.
JBL's like, yeah, you know, this's there's a risk between brothers all the time, like the Funks, Briscos, and Steiners, and Booker goes, well, yes, but they weren't brothers. They weren't all brothers. And he goes, well, the Funks were brothers, and I'm like, so the Briscos and Steiners weren't. So I don't know maybe if he didn't hear him or what that was, but anyhow, you know, Yeah, I mean, Booker is not going to be color Commentator of the Year.
I think he's bringing something different than Lawler brought to the show, although I really think Lawler was necessary would have been it would have been nice for Lawler to show up just for that page segment with the white towel.
What was that So she's nude backstage before her matches.
Yeah, maybe she was taking a pre match shower or posing her selfies in the mirror. I don't know, that'll get leaked later. Yeah, No, that's a good point, Like why was it gear just sitting out and she had no other clothing on, but she was in a white towel. It's like she got she just robed of her street clothes. In one room, the Bella snuck in and took her wrestling gear, and then she walked into the other room to put the gear on. I guess that's what we're
supposed to believe. Everything about that was just cheesy as all get.
Up, and none of it's working. You know, nothing they do with the demons these days is working. It's not really bad. I just cringe every time they come on television because I just know like that this is going to be bad. Vince McMahon vision of women's wrestling. It's terrible if you see what's going on in NXT. The athleticism,
the fact that they're treated like athletes. And we get some of that, you know, from Bailey, because Bailey is a different character and so yeah, the keels pick on her and things like that, but it's done in a way where you actually care about the person is being done to. It doesn't just feel like, oh, the Bellas are doing their weekly mean girl skit that isn't going
to go anywhere. That's why I'm so leary of Charlotte being called up is because if Vince's vision of the Diva's division isn't going to change, then she's going to mean what Page has, which isn't much. And I hate to say that. I mean, look at the women they've already called up. There's some talented women there. Emma's doing nothing. Page is in the spotlight as much as you can be in the divas division, and she's not making a difference. And it's not her fault, it's the presentation.
I totally agree. All right, let's try it. I want to sneak in at least one more email here. This is on the Brian Rains topic. It's another point of view. This is Elliott from Atlanta. He says, I've been pretty lukewarm on the Rains Brian feud until last night's raw. Normally I like clear baby faces and heels in a feud, but both Brian and Rain showed a ton of passion for WrestleMania at the end of the show. I can get past some of the antics they both exhibited earlier
on if it ends at fast Lane? Do you think Wresselmania fever is an acceptable reason for Babyfaces to do heal antics they normally wouldn't. And as a side note, I felt this was the best Rains was so far as a character I think Brian brings out a lot of personality and this is one of the few face face matchups I've enjoyed. Bruce talked about how we didn't
think Brian and Rains had credibility. Jason, Bruce Mitchell, what do you think about the chemistry and Brian bringing out the best in Rains through last night's raw?
Okay, let me go back to the question. Can they heal it up because of what's on the line? Yeah, maybe if someone were telling that story and you didn't have to reach as a viewer to come to that conclusion, you know that if there might be a way to do it. They're not. They're not telling that story, you know. Michael Cole was in talking about that. Daniel Brian and Roman Rains aren't talking about it. It's just their miscast. They're they're they're doing self destructive things with those you
know as characters. I mean, Daniel Brian is going around the ring doing the yes bit and no one's doing it along with him, and I just he wade. I think it's time to tone down on the yes bit. I think it's starting to feel old. And I've been saying that for a while now. I just it's okay when the fans do it naturally. I don't need to see Daniel Brian doing it, you know, five times a night.
It's time to scale back on that. But you have leaders of the company who feel like that's the only reason he's over, and so I don't know that it's going to change anytime soon.
Yeah, but I thought it was dangerous of Brian last night to say, oh, if Rains thinks the y s Chance are bothering him tonight, wait until Sunday. Like I think you kind of let the fans cheer for you without guaranteeing they're going to cheer for you ahead of time. Again, that was out of character for Brian, And it does get to the issue that of the email or email question, which is maybe people just lose sight of who they are in the frenzy to get to the WrestleMania main event.
And I think a big key is how do they come out of whatever happens on Sunday? And what does Brian do to recalibrate himself after what happened between the Rumble and Fast Lane. If he recalibrates himself then to
who he used to be. I think all can be forgiven and mostly fixed chemistry wise, as long as Rains is showing more personality than he has before and Brian is bringing it out of him in a way that maybe Rains is really feeling, because there's a legitimate feeling that Brian is kind of getting in the way of Rain's being the top tier guy and as he told Sam Roberts, hopefully getting rich along the way by doing
what management tells him. If Brian's popularity really is getting in his way and Rains is a little bit irked by that, then so be it. That's Vince mc matt always wants that, he wants two guys bringing out the best in each other. It's been rocky. I think the booking has let him down. I think the format of SmackDown last week and the way that they played into
things let them down. I thought, I don't know how many people picked up on it, but I just thought it was hugely hypocritical for Roman Reigns to complain about the USO's breaking up a pin on Brian and then later in the show Rains break Rains break up a pin on Brian, or when one of the no Rain's complained about one of the usso's breaking up a pin on another USSO and when Brian had the cover, and then later Rain's actually broke up a pin on Brian,
like he literally did what he complained about the usso's doing earlier. You just can't do that as a baby face, and rain should be smarter to see that and pointed out, you know, and he just didn't. And the other thing I don't like is when rain says I went through thirty guys to win the rumble, and you could say it's nitpicking, but I think babyfaces need to boast about what they do and not be loose with the facts.
You know, it's it's news anchors, Brian Williams, you gotta be You can't exaggerate to put yourself over if you want people to trust you. And as a lead babyface, I think Rain's needs to phrase it differently and say I outlasted everybody in that thirty man match, you know, or something along those exactly. There are ways to say it with Finesse instead of making it sound like he was the number one guy in the match. He wasn't.
He got their mid match and he laid around and then he ducked and he watched two guys canaan big show self destruct and then he ducked a chart jing rusev. I mean, he just didn't do enough to be bragging about eliminating and out and you know, fending off thirty guys or twenty nine other guys. It just did not happen that way. So anyway, I mean, I just think there's a lot of recovery that needs to happen on Monday,
a lot of recalibration, and I hope it happens. But I do think last night, Jason, to just end on this note, I think they got people excited about that match, even with all the flaws in the last couple of minutes of that show.
Yeah. Hey, the less that Vincent and the writers do as far as the scripting dialogue for these guys, the better. I mean, that's really what I took away from the end of that show.
Yep. All right, Well, we didn't talk about much else, but Fastling coming up on Sunday, I think is a good excuse so people can listen to our membership audio respectively if they want to hear us talk about other things this week. We've gone long today, Jason. Thanks, it's pleasures always absolutely very good. This Friday again, Josh Matthews would be my guest on pww torch Live Cast. You can email your questions too PW Torch Live Cast at
gmail dot com. Also coming up, I'm a little bit late and posting this, but Bruce Mitchell did a couple hours discussion with John Hitchcock talking about his book, and some of that will be posted also for the whole thing, I'll be posted for VIP members, so be on the lookout for that. All right, Jason, thank you again, and until next week. Thanks to our callers by the way, and thanks to the great email questions from our members,
the VIP members and also the dot net members. And until then, until next week, wad Keller signing off, invite you to email the show with feedback or questions or comments. That email address is Wade Keller Podcast at pewtorch dot com. That's Wadekeller Podcast at PW torch dot com. Also welcome your feedback on Twitter. You can follow us on Twitter at PW torch and follow me at the Wade Keller That's at PW torch and at the Wade Keller.
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One way that you can help us sustain our schedule of putting out podcasts throughout the week is by giving us a five star rating on Apple Podcasts. Just go to Apple Podcasts and look for our weight Keller Prosing podcast and Weightkeller Prosing post show and give us a five star ratio. We hope you think we've earned that score with our fast turnaround times and our quantity and quality of wrestling analysis throughout the week. So take a moment out for us and do us favor and give
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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 PWT 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 PW Torch VIP members.
A PW Torch VIP membership doesn't just give you add for access to these shows and a ton of other VIP exclusive podcasts throughout the week, but you also gain access to our unmatched vast library of wrestling history our contemporaneous week to week coverage through our progressing Torch Weekly newsletters dating back to the late nineteen eighties, along with streaming and download access to hundreds of retro radio shows from the nineteen nineties, including some of my interviews with
wrestling's top newsmakers in the nineties, and also our podcast library dating back to the year two thousand and three. There's no larger, longer spanning pro wrestling podcast library than that that comes with a PW Torch VIP membership. Now approaching twenty years of podcasting, Go VIP and dive into our post pay per view roundtables are covered with some of your favorite eras of wrestling, top name long form interviews, and special format podcasts that we've done throughout the years.
PW Torch dot com slash go VIP. We have a streamline signup form and you can pay with PayPal or directly with your credit card or debit card. In one or two minutes from right now, you can be a VIP member and diving into our library. Torch dot com slash go v I p