Ranking Favorite Star Wars Films

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If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind Count on Granger for quality products, easy reordering, and twenty four seven support Call one eight hundred Granger, click Granger. com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done Hello everybody. Wlcome to What do you want to talkal about A a Fonatics and WWE original production. We of course are at WWE's warehouse, which is penter of everything in our entire wrestling history. Today is a really special and unique episode. My guess you might have seen, actually you might have seen quite a lot. They are often in the front row, in the good seats and they have an incredible story to share that I have heard firsthand. They've hung out on my bus. they have given me maybe some of the greatest gifts I ever received in terms of the things I actually like and was so excited about to meet them and they are massive contributors to the Dusty Rhodes Foundation, which my mother very, very much appreciates Please Please welcome to what do you want to talk about Sean and Finn Rat again Oh. Oh And is this also the first time I've ever had two Have we done it Well, look at that. Frint setting right trend setting U making history That's what we like to do. I have to say so The team here does a great job with the podcast and Craig does a great job. Ben and his team, everybody. they do this great job. You guys though today said we're going to help curate the space These are not warehouse material Ben probably would like them, but these are These are yours These two ropes U Finn, this one, where did we get this? That was from Bad Blood in Atlanta Okay, so with my bad blood robe. Yes. Okaykay, a good story there. And then Sean I know Is this eighty three So what we've been told is that's the one who wore the ring the night he fought superstar Billy Gram in the garden. So my gosh, you know, my So it's the which garden do you know which one of the three I think you're right Think it was the first one. Wow Don't quot me on. So the story. Yeah. the story and that robe. Yes. That is you know, the collect the collectors and those who are out there in the world of title collecting or whatever it may be, they always know about the guy who has. I know the guy who has the yellow intercontinental title. I don They always kind of kick back and forth. This seems like an item that is very valuable in a collection in terms of is very unique. And a lot of these guys and Ben can tell you this collected things are not collected things, they had stuff, but they had others that looked just like it. It's kind of hard to determine which is which. And then footage and photographs are not always great. I'll be prime example. I think Ben has authenticated them. boots I don't even know I don't even know. They could be. they smell like him. So I think I think they're they're the dreams, but that's incredible. I want to tell you a bad blood story because I really got tickled when I saw that rope come in here You guys were at bad, bud, Yes.es Did you like the entrances, the marching band entrance? That was great. Finn, thank you for saying that because On in the arena as we were We felt differently about it apparently. Because when I came to the back, Brian Fatam, who's very important to me and all of WWVE, the director, told me, I'm sorry about that out there saidid what So apparently, this is my understanding. I hope I'm not giving too much away, but it's a fun moment. I guess the band wasn't really supposed to play long. And the band was supposed to do a prelude and then we hit Kingdom But instead band did their prelude and then the band leader, not facing anyone who could give him any type of cue, looked at his band and just went full kingdom where they played it in that arena to us, the coolest thing ever as loud as possible where the music is playing, but they're also actually playing kingdom and they're moving back and forth. I never knew. that it wasn't supposed to go that way. I love it how it is. I thought I'd like this is the coolest entrance ever and it was ridiculous because he had the orchestra and I had the marching band, but Bad blood, you were a part of history because it's probably the best Atlanta WW show Ever. I would say so What would you say at the end? So Finn, your take on The rock comes out at the end I was very, I mean, I was very surprised because I thought it was over. And then he came out and I was just like There's no way this is happening. Yes I wasn't expecting him to come to a PLE like bad blood Yeah. So I was I was like blown away that he was there. And then he did like the thing where he got on his fingers and that was That was pretty cool. Do you know what he meant? Nope, me neither does any could be coming for us all, you know, could Okay. I love too that you're already ahead of the majority of my peers in the roster by you don't mind using the term PLE? Nope Solid. I don't either. And it's pro wrestling. It after a while, it just becomes secondecond nature. You move into saying it. and then you know, there were paperviews, but before paperviews, they weren't paper reviews There closed circuits. there was, you know, so PLE is the term. I I love that. So that in terms of I said it when I introduced you guys, you guys are in we see in the front row often. U do you always go Father son, is it always always together Well, now that I' I'm at a boarding school in here in Connecticut, it's harder for me to get out of school because it's a high school now But so my So my dad goes mostly like September, you went He went to Russell Plusa alone, He went to elimination Chamber alone. So I was at school weher. 'causeuse like I can't really miss sports games that much because at least you're not counting. Yeah. Now I go less Yeah withith my dad. But it used to back when I was in eighth grade and seventh grade, we would go a lot together. I love this and Sean You, uh This experience you guys have at shows. I hate to put you on like the hot seat, but comoming to these WW events. You guys have come How long has it been since what year have you been coming to these Our first one we actually went to was in twenty sixteen. He was a lot younger, but back then they were doing house shows. so it was a lot easier to go to. was WrestleMania forty where We really got really back into it. Okay. We're big Star Wars fans and they had just closed a galactic star Cruiser And we had been there once or twice and really enjoyed it and we just were Oh always watching, but we were like he wanted to go to thirty eight. thirty nine It was thirty eight It was it was Yeahah. And so he unfortunately had a little bit of a medical issue that was pretty serious at the time And when he kind of stabilized, I said, what do you want to do? Whatever you want to do, we're going to go do it. And he said, I want to go to WrestleMania forty and drove down the Philly and went Cld on night one, huh? It was very cold. yeah. Yeah. lot of a lot of long haired wrestlers had real dry hair the wind and we're not understanding it was cold I popped for a galactic star crruiser So I'm a, obviously a massive, massive, massive Star Wars markark and Star Wars fan. I consider myself I don't try to be a no at all, but I consider myself pretty expert And Cardona, Matt Cardona, which you have some of his memorabilia here where is think we have a barbed wire bat. And you said it was from when I asked you it was like the craziest answer ever. If a barbed wire bat from Matt Cardona from what? It was the major pod holiday show this past December. Okay. Okay. well, that's a good They're friends, they're friends of ourPod. We like them. Glad you have that But his one thing he has on is he stayed at the Galactic Scuseum And I'm like, well, I can never really go too hard in on him on what he doesn't know or flony stuff and clone Wars and this and you know, the Mortis gods and whatnot And yeah no, so that's the one thing he has. But anyways, you guys go to WrestleMania forty. this is what I meant by the the hot seat is Do you have a favorite memory together as father and son coming to these events? Is there a moment that that it was not just another great night at the matches? Is there Is there your peak moment I have one. When youngtakers bell dongs at forty Yeah. that was justust I can still watch that and get goosebumps. Yeah. because it was it was as if the the sheriff had arrived to make it a fair fight. Very interesting. It It wasn't about he was going to give you an advantage, it was. and the way that all wound up playing out, lights go off. He's there. lights go off again and now it's just you and Roman in the ring. just it was inematic You mentioned the sheriff and it's very much how I saw it. Tipping the scales of the balance. Yes, putting the balance in order people who talk and I won't say names because it's very obvious who I'm about to P peopleople think somebody else could have been in that spot I would not have in my not that I'm saying I had an any structuring of it. I'm saying looking at it now from the perspective of hindsight I would never want it any other way That is how I wanted it exactly how that happened And that moment with him, which I think you know, I referred to as I thought it was real magic almost. And in a way it was Um, so undertaker Gong Uh Finn, what about you Honestly, I'd probably say the same thing because when the gong went off and the lights, I was I was going crazy Netflix has a thing that they put out. It's like the greatest five minutes in WrestleMania history. And it's John Cena coming down Rock coming down to do that. and then what we're talking about now, the undertaker showing up. The funny thing about it is it's my match And in the greatest five minutes in WrestleMan of history, I'm basically taking a nap. On campus while this happened. So I'm like, well, you could have included, you know, I got up I got up in the end. That's amazing. Okay. I I'm glad I'm glad WrestleMania forty I think the pressure on when you come to a WrestleMania forty widely considered one of the greatest WrestleManiia of all time pressureures on to continue that. Now I see you guys in the front row And uh I'm going to ask you, Finn. a lot of questions about some of the people in the front row. And I was very excited when I found out we were going to be talking ' I go maybe he knows Maybe he knows So you've been by green shirt guy, huh? Yes many times. Okay. Is the in sanitation Is he in the mob Do what what do you know about it He is one hundred percent. Actually, honestly, I wouldt know. Okay. So okay, we don't know I think at this point, the speculation on Greenshure guy, what he does. I don't know, maybe the fiction might be greater than the truth on it all, but he I don't know if you realize this is Green shirt guy and then is a Trinidad flag Yeah It was him last night. Trinidad fllag, of course Tinidad flag he came to a signing I had in Georgia. There's you. Is there any others that need to be shouted out? Any other real kind of OGs that our front row who? Yeah. so. The one I like talk to the most he's a great guy, his named Sammy Yeah on Instagram Sy Universal. He's just a really great guy to talk to. He's always wearing Like stuff from Kobe because that was his favorite basketball player. Okay. So he's always wearing Kobe shoes and Um he's always wearing like bright colors. And yeah, so he's a really great guy. Is it Sammy Universal? Yeah. Okay. now so this's another of the of the all star U front front row crew. Do you guys ever hang out U'm I mean, I've obviously been seeing them a lot less because I can't really go to these shows a lot because of school But it's not a bad thing, by the way. You brought up school. It's a very like so I love what I do. I love this. and I didn't go on to higher education. I didn't go to college But there are many moments when I wish I did And especially looking at a life of man, well, what do I do when I'm done wrestling? What do I If I got into like the executive side of this thing, I don't even know properly how to, you know format or spreadsheet and things of that nature. So That's the school will all work out in your favor. it's a good way, but continue you said, not so much because you're in school right now, right? Yeah. Yeah, so not as much because I'm in school right now. so it's kind of hard to see all the whole front front row crew Like when we're in hospitality and like Other places like, oh, like we might o want to go to the arena together in a car ride. like we're always kind of with each other. so it's really nice I used to think because during the house show run, att the end of the night, I'd always be able to talk to the crowd and sometimes I felt like Am I saying the same thing that guys would say in church And I was because I'd be saying like, hey, if you don't know that person, then say hi to them. If you don't I was basically saying say hi to your neighbor, shake their and I minced it. Bea I kind of thought like, hey, you had this fun night together, right? You know, like, you know, I don't think they're that crazy. whoever this is next to you, you know, maybe you'll see him again. The wrestling community becomes a family Um it's very special. One of the things I like now more than I think in the eighties and the seventies It was such a protected industry. Yeah that guys didn't want to reach across. as much and say hello And then in this modern era, it's far more common that we know one another But then also you're kind of you go to and you go to so many shows. do you feel you're still Is it still magical? you or is it harder to impress you It is for me, it is one hundred percent still. as magical as for someone's watching it. Yeah. just like seeing people fly off the top ropes or just watching the stories that you guys tell. Yeah. It's like the wrestling not Concorore being fake It's not in my mind at all when I'm at these events. That should. Yeahah, that's the way. Yeah That's the way. it's no different than when you sit in the movie and you you know, my the first time I think ever suspend your disbelief is really the goal of any of this, especially with who knows? Yeah. Everyone's journey to get to their seat is different, you know, like you're you're here, you know, and representing the modern part of our fandom, Sean, I feel like I read somewhere and preparing to talk to you that you Black Friday Like how longack Saturday Black Saturday. How Black Saturday. How long have you been watching this I started watching in late nineteen eighty two I was actually at WrestleMania too Wh which city in NASational Coliseseum. Okay Wh considered one of the worst Wrestle Manors. So I got to bookke it. What were they thinking? likeike let's do three cities. Yeah. We wouldnt do that today. Yeah. Yeah. Did we watch some of the show on a screen? We National Colisene was the first four matches or first three, and then you watched the rest of it on and that was the night they introduced the big blue steel cage. Yeah. Yeah. And so I was there with my mom and my brother. and we had a good time. But yeah, I've been watching since nineteen eighty two Big news, WW and sports fans, the world's number one sports fan festival, Fanatics Fest is making its return to New York City. Fanatics is bringing you closer to the league', teams, superstars and athletes you love across four action packed days in July. Meet your favorite WWE superstars, get your hands on exclusive merch and interact with the biggest names in sports Tickets are on sale now and fans of the podcast can use code Cody Tin at checkout for ten percent discount. Head to fanaticsfest dot com to get your tickets today When you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant You keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdowns With Granger's vast selection of high quality motors, sensors, belts, and hard to find parts, you can get what you need fast and all in one place, so nothing gets in the way of getting the job done Call one eight hundred Ganger, click ranger. com or just stop by Ranger for the ones who get it done You work hard to stay healthy and want the freedom to make the best decisions for yourself and your family. So why does healthcare still feel expensive and frustrating Crroud Health is a different approach built for entrepreneurs, families, and independent minded people who want a simpler way to pay for health carere More than twenty eight thousand members have already joined and over forty thousand medical bills have already been funded No restrictive networks, no corporate middlemen, just real people helping each other Learn more at joincowdhealth. com. That's joincrowdhealth d. com That's a really cool one to hear I was at WrestleMania two. Yeah. because it's like if you hear like I was at WrestleMania three, o, I get it Pontiac Silverdome you know, the Hogan Andre moment I was at WrestMania one, but the random, I was at WrestleMania two. Yeah. because technology like today, this crew would be the one who would do it. We would not say, you know what? Let's do a show in three cities. Let's do and we're going to show a screen with nineteen eighty two projection technology. We're going to show a screen of the other shows. D C you see what the other stuff? You could, but It would lose connectivity sometimes or the worse. There was about two or three minutes where during the Hogan Bundy match The announcing was about thirty seconds behind what was happening And my mom looked at me and goes, you like this? And yeah, we love it, mom Yeah, that's a hard one for mom. you know, Yeah probably Yeah, that's hard the biggest show, but you only got so many matches. So estimated to growing up, did you have a favorite in terms or a series of favorites for you Yeah I was I was a big Georgia guysy big NWA guy. Yeah. I loved Flare. I loved your father. Yeah. Tommy Rich was one of my all time He looked more like a flare guy. Yeah you got a bad thing. No, no, it's not But love Tommy Rich as well. L Wildfire huh? Yeah. Yeah yeah. What do you think people who've never who literally will watch this and nod their head like I know Tommy Rich, but not. What do they need to know fromr your perspective about Tommy Rich Every time you watch a hell in a cell match, that's a derivative of the last Battle of Atlanta. Wow Buzz Sawyer. That's a really great way to go with it. Yeah. I was just going to say babyface fire, but yes. And we watched it with him recently. We actually got to sit down and watch the lastast Battle of Atlanta with him, which was pretty pretty fun When you watch the old stuff, it's totally there is no wrong answers this on this pod When you watch the old stuff, does it hold up Mm I mean, you can tell it's a lot slower. Yeah. Th rather than today they're jumping off the top rope and doing whatever But I mean, imagine if you put Jvon That would be that would be something by. you know, It's still like Just watching matches of like Ho Hogan and Tommy Rich and all these people, it's like it's really cool. L they might not be doing all this stuff they're doing now, but it's really cool like just seeing what they We're doing at that time? Yeah It's funny you mentioned Tommy Rich. This is such a random detour, but busted open at me. they were really asking me to do this interview for them. It's really important for some anniversary shows. It' really important and I love them and respect them But they were really putting it on about doing it. And I was at the beach or some really rare moment where I was not plugged in. and I ended up saying, I'll do it. I'll just call in. I called in And they had fifteen minutes with me and Dave Legreca spent ten of it talking about Tommy R. He loves Tommy Ray And I told him after I go, this is what you wanted Man, people are going to be tuning into this. M going on about Tommy Rich like this is modern restrest. you know, like let's talk about like Bron Breaker Oba or something. What are we talking about? Tommy Rich? but yeah, he was incredible. And you're right, The last Battle of Atlanta. it's legacy hangs on Yeah You what do you do if you don't mind me asking? I feel like I never asked that question because always I said thanks to people who are already at Like my place of work, what do you do? I'm in finance. I'm a chief financial officer at a firm. CFO. Yes. I love that. Yeah, yeah. Do you have a jacket with CFO sequin on the back No, but You should. I think my wife asking for that for my birthday. Yeah, that's Bobby Heen style. Yeah, yeah, Boby And I think I think too, if you if you have it, it will only help the front row moment, you know, like Yeah everyveryone's got their own style, but you It's going to sound me and a green shirt guy who we're not sure is in the mob God. We're going to say not for the safety of all this And if he is, we appreciate him and respect him. And yeah, but I think they'd start to like you guys this is going to sound crazy. You guys always ign normal You know what normal. Some of them really stand out in a way that's like, okay, I know well I know him, you know, like In terms of these shows And and you're talking about your history with it. You mentioned the NWA. whereere are you from I'm from New York. I grew on Long Island. Okay. So how were you getting the NBA? Was it magazines? orr was at this point you were getting superstation? It was superstation and magazines. I love magazines growing up. Yeah. It was always take the bike and Do they have the new magazines? But yeah, we got superstations six hundred five on Saturday night. Mom would make pizza and you would Tell people why I was on six hundred five. That was if I remember the story correctly, that was Ted Turner time. So he felt like All the other networks played their first commercial five minutes in. Yeah. And that's when people would change channels. Yeah. So if you put a show on at six hundred five, you had a chance that when they were changing channels you were gonna Yeah catch them. I don't know if that's it. I think I've heard that and I've heard the Braves baseball thing. like something the Braves The games were never consistently timed. Yeah. Yeah, no, but six hundred five, the superstation What was your magazine of choice? Was it pro wreling Illustrated? Was it wrestler? It was the wrestler? I love the wrestling. always had the bloody covers. Yeah, it seems like the Northeast is far more into the wrestler. Yes than pro wrestling llustrated That's that's very interesting. And I know we share some similar interests. you Scotch cigars. Uh, one of the last magazines still in the game. point out Sigar Ficionado I was on the cover recently, so very Cratulations, Pen get a yes I'm so glad I got a pop out of that. Yeah, now, you guys got me some cigars once before. Yes, we did. So this is a secret and now it's not gonna to be a secret anymore, but I hate gifts hate hate them because I don't know how to receive them. Okay, I'm not I feel like I'm not being grateful enough or I'm not appreciative or sometimes I get so insecure. I'm not worthy, but then also fans give you gifts sometimes that are so nice but so insanely big. Where am I going to take this? Last year at WWB World, there was a fan who had the full production crew with him. This was a moment. They were in my line to meet me and they had a poster board like a giant board And I can tell this is big and I'm not going to ruin anyone's party. I'm excited to see what you got. But I can tell they're filming it. So it's a whole thing. We're on, right? We're okay He turned it around and God bless. It's a picture of my whole family completely AI generated. Except for my Pomeranians So Yeti is a real photo and then surrounded by AI images of my family Liberty's hair is wrong because like they they AI generated. what What her hair look like And I took in and it was honestly, the thought is always so important, but we have to do something with this. I have to get this back. Ay get into a car. I have to get this somewhere So we're kind of giving it a hard time and I brought it to my hotel room and I showed it to Liberty And it was a mistake because I said I said I, we got to we got to take this we got to, you know, we're going to get rid of this and started crying. No That's my family Oh. So we had to sit it by her bed And as we can hear on the monish like C I Edie tonight. Like she's like talking to it. So now I still have this. This ridiculous thing, but your gifts have always been things like cigars, the great gifts. U Are you is that something? Are you still a cigar guy today? I am. I am. Yeah, it's the only time I like really relax. I just I kind of channel everything out I'll watch a PLA, sorry I keep calling it a paper re. No PLA yous. And just sit on the back deck and just get a nice scotch and enjoy. I'll tell you a cigar story because you gotardonas Bat in here I gave I got him into him And I always start people with a stick called thejava, which is an easy steick to start with. It's cheat because it's flavored But he was like, I love these. I love these. This is awesome. He texted me all the time. And then he sent me a picture of him at his pool wrong side Ty he had been just Fully smoking Like he was still clipping and smoking the wrong way A month had gone by. So I can't imagine how many people come over, how many things, but it was a whole moment. Now I think he's got it down. He's got to figurered out. But it was it was a great little teaching moment. I don't get many on him because he's a big bully type. I don't know if you guys really. He's always so nice se in the pod with him, right? Yeah. He's a bully Oh, he's so nice to Finn. He is. Yeah nice to me. Yeah Yeah, we look at you, you dress nice, you know You got that bat of his, you know? likeike u Speaking of the bat came in, these unbelievable robes, the bad bllood robe, which I now look at and miss because whatever the material Sandra used on it Seems like it's holding up. Yeah. seems Seems great I won it back, but now not it's your. it's your. You behind us, did you bring the Ding Dong mask? Yes, so that's actually a replica, but we actually have a full ring used bodysuit of theirs and we actually have the bells that went with it simimple follow up I I'll ask you, Finn, why I genuinely don't know. Okay, very right. What is it about the ding dons that that you like They were doing a virtual signing at a K andS Russell Fest, which are friends of ours for friends and I. and they had Ring used gear and they were looking to sell it. And I thought, It's just a unique piece of wrestling history because It's not known as the greatest gimmick that any no has ever ever done. I mean, just dressing people up with bells, but Let me let me make it. Let me ask something. Ben Would you be interested in that dingong m ask The aphle left it sureure Wow, okay So yeah, you made the right call. Yeah Yeah, Ben would be honest and yeah, because he gets a lot of stuff that and you've done the warehouse tour. you've torered it around. Yes.. a chasket, I remember. Yeah We toured with you. It was great. Yeah. That was a good time. Yeah, that was an amazing time. Was it wasas it what it I think when I come in here, it lives up to the hype Like when I come in here, there's something that makes me if I'm having even a bad day How can there's like hulkksster hats over there and twenty four inch Python. Like how could you not love this? So lived up to the hype Def one hundred percent, yes Fend you u mododern generation, right? So I go on the show called the Breakfast Club yesterday And u The guy called me old And he was like,, its main events are all old And he was using the modern, you know, the social commentary that's happening right now. I'm like, all right, well we're experienced But I started thinking like, yeah, I'm the more experienced generation. Yeah, I'm off familine with that. In terms of this young crop that's coming up you seem to know. Do you have one or two that you like Like of the of the youngs of the youngs. NXT or new folks, The Youngs. Yeah. I think Javan Evans is going to go really far Yeah, like really, really far. Not physically, I mean, physically, he's going to go really far. Physically and like Just like like what you's going to accomplish this with his career? I think it's going to skyrocket and like for five years Wow, you got this well timed out. Yeah You're extremely well mannered, by the way. and that's a that's a lost That's a lost start. Well, well done. That's. Where's mom? That mom's done. So Javonne is one, do you have any of the ladies? anybody's like, Ohh but was there.ike You were in the garden last night Were you in the garden? No, sadly not. Were you in the garden? was I got questions about the garden for you. Okay. So Javon, give me one other O Um Oa Sami. Yeah. tell people nearly took my ear off, but it was actually the new table. It'ss terrible design. We all agree. Just go back to the old table. But yeah, no, anyway. ye. It's hard's so hard to think about it right now because I feel like I mean, I guess you could say she's not like currently she's not in next right now, but Roxanne Perez. Yeah I think she's going to go really far. You know how naive I am. It's my running gag with Ro Sam Perez is U Ice went up to her year ago or whatever it was. I was like, first rumble And she said, No, it's actually my third And I I oh Okay I just hadn't, you know, I honestly had not paid attention where I should have paid attention. So now every time I see her like I saw or yesterday, I was like, ah First Garden show, huh? It' like, Yeahp, first, I'm like, All right, that's our bvent. at least she appreciates it. But Roxem Perez andavvonne. I don't think you can go wrong with those two choices. I don't either. Yeah Are you ready to hold WW history in the palm of your hand is bringing you closer to the action than ever before with WWE Pops now highlighting the biggest matches and milestones from WWE shows and PLEs throughout the year. Cops now is enhancing the fan experience by connecting collectors to the superstars and spectacles that ignite their passion Featuring stunning event exclusive photography, each card is made for the moment. and for some lucky collectors, that moment could become the pull of a lifetime. Along with serial numbered parallels, some TopSn releases offer a chance at rare short prints, superstar autographs, and even pieces of the mat, gear or other items used during the featured match So Which moment will you collect With each card only available for a limited time, you won't want to wait to begin your tops now journey Be sure to subscribe to WWB Tops Now mailing list on tops d. com and follow Tops on all social media platforms so you never miss a single moment What do you like in terms of like subject wise in school? What do you like? Um, I really like history Right Arican history or world history? I always like one. Ancient history. I really like ancient history. Okay. And then Like anywhere from eighteen hundreds to the nineteen hundreds? Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. Yeah. So it's usually a sign that you're getting older Right? I heard Shane Gillis say that when you start watching history documentaries and N, you know,re you're starting to get a little bit older because you're a history buffs Yeah, history. I really like history. I've liked history for all throughout school Um and then also science. I really like science. Yeah. Yeah. we're doing So I'm a freshman. and so at my school do different science like subjects each term. So first we did physics, then we did CA, now we're doing biology And so we're learning about birds right now in our area, which is really cool. Yeah because like it's just cool likeike like Just seeing how living things work. Yeah. because it's just so complex, you know? So it's just really cool seeing all all. So you're learning about birds? Yeah. So I got this thing, I set it up bird buddy. I have it in my backyard I got it for liiberty. U It's a video, it's a camera Be there's so many birds in my backyard. it's crazy. You see like the bluebirds and the cardinals, and I just think it's the coolest thing ever. You see them all by the pool. And I thought, o, cool, I'll get them to come up to the camera becausenap it snaps a photo right when they come up I've had one visitor to the bird buddy. in one year And it's just a squirrel The bird buddy identifies it as a squirrel It'll say new species found And it's a sirrel So it's it's, I'm not even mad at it because I can at least show her like, hey, look who Lucu showed up for thirty minutes today and ate everything until the dog figured out to chase him off. But yeah, I appreciate that's my that's my bird watching, my bird watching days I have a question for you guys. It might border on, I guess a bit more serious, but Um And Seaan, I'll let you go first here I love my job Absolutely love it. and I just spoke to Tple H before you guys got here. So I'm just filled with I could run through a brick wall right now about what I need to do next and what does WWE need to do next What do you think as two fans of what we do? What do you think we need to do better as a wrestler, as a performer, what do we need to do better at a Monday night Rw at a Friday night smmackdown? What's something that stands out? What's something that you wish would happen more? And it can be specific or just a general, just I know that's a real, but I'm curious You come to this and see it. You're the dedicated. You're there all the time. What do we need to do better Here would be my answer. Yes. Okay. And it's not about what you would do on a Monday night or a Friday night, but rather what you would do maybe the other F days of the week. Yeah. I think having some more house shows. so that you're in a few more cities. I know there's probably business reasons for that, not doing that, but allowing the fans to have a little bit more of that connectivity in the live environment and how shows are so much fun, I think would really go a long way so that when you are in town for a raw smackdown, it's also a different level of presentation. It's a different it's a different experience. I think you're giving people two experiences You know, one of the fears in asking you guys is like, well, they'll say something that's just absolutely the thing we can't do That's something we can do. It's something that's talked about Um And it's in my opinion, I've gone on too often about it. It's something I would like to see for so many different reasons, but that's a great answer. Finn, what would what would you say Um honestly, I was gonna say the same thing that my dad said. Howouse shows? Yeah, howouse shows or maybe like More dark matches. O, because I feel like it gives ps are pre Oh I feel like pre because ye likeike Gs you settle in your seat, you know? And after the show, Maybe the kids just want to go home because they're tired or something. Like some people are just tired so they want to go home So I feel like the you know, the dark matches give some some people a chance to like experience bigger crowds. Yeah, you know, So I feel like it's good for peopleeople are like new to the business and also Mike Some people that just want to get there early get like an extra an extra match they can see You need a job here, man. You need a job here. just a prod a producer brain because also from the artist's brain and the performer, you don't always think about the overall totality of it. And something that I learn is a match is a card, for example, an entire card is a match itself something at the beginning of the night should get them excited the same way in the match the shining up of somebody gets you excited. somethingomet in the middle of the night should take take us down. same way heat in a match shakes us down, then we build to this big cete. it's actually a card is a match itself, which, you know Bess, I' have a lot of love for independent wrestling and a lot of love for The what's out there because I went out and got it But one of the things I said, I'm not taking that with me is the concept of the Dream Mat shows. because They don't flow the way they look like they're going to flow on paper.. No one's willing to concede to be the I'm going to be this and like we got, you know, a lot of young people as part of our crew, even some of our digital team. I love when I get to watch them watch one of their favorite indie guys come into this system. It's a different type of storytelling B can fit, the best can fit and the others you see why like Consumer experience is more important than your self gratification as a wrestler That's a hard pill to swallow. and it's really easy for me to say as WWB champion. You know, I don't know if I would have said that, but that's a hard pill to swallow. But to your point, people get tired Yeah People even even the people who make you jump out of your seat Simes you jump out of your seat and that's all the energy you have and you sit back down and you're like, all right Well here we go. or you have to you settle in. you know what this is going to be. This is going to be something. we can settle in. There's a whole psychology and it's lost But not. It's lost but found occasionally. And then again, like, I don't know if you've been around Michael Hayes or Bruce Pritchard or Triple H. and like they have that same sense. That's why I said, you got, you need a job here, but What is it that I mean, as a father and son, I appreciate it Father and Son stories are my my whole game It My whole it's my whole world What do you appreciate? Seaan about the industry and getting to experience this with Um with Finn and and and J just just speaking to that. what what is What makes you feel good about sports entertainment, pro wrestling and being with your kido I mean, I think when you take the actual entertainment part of it and move that to the side because that's the most exciting part It's kind of the inspiration you guys provide to someone who's trying to find their way through life. like you have story, but you went through that whole independent run and you're teaching him you know, that you have to grind, that you have to go, you have to work hard. you know, I always tell him if you want to succeed in life, you need patience, drive and ambition And drive and ambition are differentering because I know a lot of ambitious people with no drive. And you guys teaching him that drive. T that one more time I love You need patience drive and ambition and everyone always tells me drive and ambition are the same things. They're not. I know a lot of ambitious people who have no drive. They want everything But they don't want to do anything to get there. And you know, people like yourself, that's why he's a big fan of Matt Cardonas because it's like, if you keep going you know,, eventually something good is going to happen. So you're providing that lesson in a way that I could tell him a hundred times and he won't Listen to me because that's just the way the father son relationship works sometimes. But he sees it with you guys and it's like, oh, dad, if I work hard, Look at what's going to happen for me I love that. Yeah. I don't know if you know this and then this is just my u tell people this and you say it on the mic sometimes and I don't it might feel like it's part of the performance Um This is such a fun conversation because The same thing that we do for you, is done for us And sometimes you feel it as a raw nerve. and I'll give you an example Probably one of the greatest of all time, if not arguably, is Nature Boy Rick Filler f Naj Boy Rick Flair always crying And we know that passassion always He was a raw nerve The same energy that he was The same service he was providing was being provided for him, which is the scary thing about what we do is how long is it going to last? and that's we've talked a lot about that today is preparing for the next step, which again, we've slightly shaded school here left and right, but no, that's the area where I'm like gosh That would have been so important for me because this fun ends And new fun has to begin. but I love what you said about drive and ambition. Finn go to these shows with your dad is he your favorite person to go with? Yeah. yeah Do you consider him a good fan? Yes. O is he yelling at people you don't want him yelling at? He's definitely not doing that. I mean, I'm surprised he said he liked going with me. That's okay. Yeah. I mean, yeah, it's just like I just I love going with him. He's a great person to go with, especially like because he's he knows all the history and whatnot. Yeah get it's it's cheating almost. Thats Yeah that's. Yeah. So it's always like middle of the match or right before a match, always just hope ust say a cool fact or whatever. it's like oh I never knew that Now I know now I do know. it's like really cool. I love this. Go going with your dad. So I asked was a good fan becausecause the plumber, my grandfather He used to go and not many people knew this, but I just never felt like it was an important part of the tale, but he was a terrible fan He was trying to reach over the aisle and fight the heels and that's why he went. I have windshield wiper style. I always am kind of looking What happens with me is not a fan grabs me or anything dangerous. What happens is sometimes a parent will just put their kid in the bowl Right. Nobody's going to attack a kid. obviously. So it's like, oh, he, hello So it's I got to put them back, you know, like We've had people hand those babies as you Ohaking do literally just hand me their Yeah I mean, you've dealt with it, you know, you know how to handle a baby, you know Yeah. Last night, actually on the way to the ring, guy wanted to take a selfie and I am mid entrance. And I did the moment, but he was like, hang on, hang on. I'm like, bro, I I have to go. like we're we're alive And as somebody said I saw on Twitter, like that man was about to drop his child for that selfie because I was like pushing away like this, but I didn't want to. I like we got it, you know, but that's like Again, the fans are so passionate. I'm a big believer. We talk about it a lot on this pod. My peers don't always love it, But I don't think there's a wrong way to fan And yeah and you hear people talk about, o, there's people at the airport and Yeah and this and that Man, when there's nobody at the airport, there's a problem You know what I'm saying? L I'm gonna to say that and then be hot when I get to the airport, you know, but no, but like that's the thing. What do you got? You're hiding something? We u well This is probably that we were talking just about. Are you surprising me on my own show? Yes. All right s since you don't like You said you felt awkward about gifts. Terrible at it. And we're talking about history. U this is something thin ass that we give you. Okay, and I'm going to show it to you in there this Yeah can I can a b But Finn specifically asked if we could give you this U I guess If you wrestle for Paul Bos, he used to have to sign a little perfunctory contract before the match and we bought a a set of those contracts. had BruceZ Brody in there, superstar Billy Graham, and this is one of your father'ers And that's the program from that night So And this is this is him That's the where would they say the government signature? So that's yeah,'s I'd sign it on his funkos every now and then and I don't think people know what I'm trying to do. Yeah, that's my dad's squiggle That's a V and that's Paul, right Is that Pll Bos? I believe it is een eighty three Houston. It looks like there was a battle rooyal I mean, he had to write, enter into a battle royal. Yes Why was Houston so locked up at this point? Gosh, this is incredible. This is gold And it's a cheap frame. so you could downsize it Easily fit out this one makes it home Gosh, this is special. My sister would lose her mind over this. This is so, so nice. For those if you're watching, this is just Department of Labor and Standards entering a battle Royal. And this is the card that night? That was ye, that's the program.h Above and beyond. man, this is your idea. Thank you so much. No problem. my gosh. This is incredible. Thank you so, so much. Jeez, Houston. I gott to tell Bruce Pritard, brother, you know Bruce? We've met him. Yeah. So Bruce is gonna like, he loves Houston You know, and like Dallas was world class, but Houston was Paul Bosch and then, you know, talking about Geno moving all over and this is this is history. Did you see this? Ben Yeah Holy smokes Forgive me for getting a little choked up here on the deal. I didn't expect that. Thank you so much. Yeah. Thank you I appreciate that Virgil Also Have you noticed? His name is spelled wr So the print on virtual runless Virtual Runless is amazing. What a terrible name, Virgil. Virgil. gosh. What a just awful name. I thought Dustin might get that. That's crazy. He'll go nuts. He'll go nuts for this too. amazing Man, thank you so much. You're welcome. Yeah How How can one repay you for such a nice gift You're doing it today. Yeah. Yeah, but this is we do this. This is fun. Yeah, R right? This is and again showed up probably the best rest for the pod. Guner showed up looking sharp. had a c owner showed up looking sharp. Yeah, I feel like I don't give him enough credit and then hearing you talk about kind of watching the grind Um So because you mentioned this, Sean, I'll kind of I'll I'll say this. I've kind of learned it Just recently, really If you find yourself in the ground You'll probably be bitter You might be angry. You'll definitely be motivated But I wish if I could do anything differently, I wish I could have not approached it from a place of bitterness or competitiveness with others instead of a competitiveness with me 'cause after a minute All the guys I was trying to outrun I didn't feel good if I did. It felt more o Yeah, it's far more satisfying when, you know, that happens and it will, right? It's life. Yeah. You being the best you That's the way. You know, You being the best you will take you exactly where you need to go. Oh man, this is incredible. thank you for this gift. It's certainly got me In WWE, every road leads to one place, WrestleMania, and every journey starts on the road to gold Now that journey comes to life with WrestleMania road to gold only at Fanatics Casino. The game features twenty WW superstars from Bianca Belaire and Rheia Ripley to Seth Rollins, John Cena and me Get your money in the bank or win the Royal rumble and Eimination chamber with bonuses every step of the way. Every reward brings you closer to the biggest stage there is. This is WrestleMania, Road to gold and it only lives at Fanatics Casino. Must be twenty one and over. Gambling problem callall one eight hundred gambler Not available in all states, see Fanatics Casino app But you mentioned you were at the garden last night Did did what did you like about the Garden show? And what do what did you like and what didn't you like? I'd love a good surprise. Okay. So Stephanie coming out. And was not on the bingo card at all Yes. And then with the way you guys left it, it just kind of where is this going? which is always nice. Tune in next week, which hpp me pretty hard, you know? Yeah. ye. It looked like it hurt. T be honest, man. Yeah. I felt it in my feet. Yeah.. I had to, you know, the jaw iss where the nerves are and good play with words with thank you Yeah, I am to say That was not what everyone in the crowd No, That's not what they wanted. But I think from a decision making standpoint, I still have to make the decision to be me All right. I like think there's this whole discussion on like, Ohh, is he going to turn heel or when is he going to turn he? I'm open to it. Gosh When that's the plan, that's the plan, you know, right now, like I get to be me I get and me makes the decisions, I think are the appropriate decisions appropriate sometimes get you booed. Yeah. but I'd rather be that in the end and maybe that's kind of my segue into the greatest, most appropriate, most virtuous baby face of all John Cena Yes. And you guys were there at the final match. and I'm on that show Yeah, the final match Tell me Tell me Tell me what you thought. Washington, D.C. One more time for John Cena It was I have an expression. I call him Jarar Binks moments Oh my gosh, yeah. okay. Okay. because u You know, when I see that first sequel Not loving it, not loving that character. Sure. But then years later I get to see it through his eyes. Yes. And now all of a sudden, a much deeper appreciation. Yeah. And I always I appreciate it John I would actually do the Sena sucks. Let's go scene. I' do both and my friends would make fun of me. Yeah. But you're not wrong in that way Yeah But now I got to see it through his eyes. and Before the match even started, I could kind of see him getting emotional And it was like, wow, this is pretty real for him Yeah. And therefore it's pretty real for me. My honest favorite part of that night was you were at ringside and you're just after the match and you're just staring at the gear. Yeah. And we're staring at you staring at the gear and everyone's kind of having this this moment and then someone's like, Cody and I turned and I'm like, just let them have a moment. Yeah What were you thinking in that moment Oh, well I just So you're aware of the moment, the cameras and the performance, but then kindind of over the thought. No, it's over The performance is over. He's left. Elvis has left the building I just couldn't bring myself to leave right away. And then I found myself sitting there and I couldn't bring myself to leave after a few minutes And I kind of wanted to check like, hey, you're not moving anything, Are you? And we're not moving until everyone is out of here Okay, well then I don't have to go. I can wait I can I can wigh and you know, it's TV So Even when we're not filming, it's Jackie Redman came and got a word with me and I was great. Okaykay, no problem. I think Drew took a like social jab at me about being out there lined up for the perfect photo Even if I was I was there And you weren't, you know, Drew in that case. And And I just didn't seeeeing it in, which is a beautiful part of our industry that was very hard I think for some to digest. Seeing it end is always hard. That is how it ends in wrestlleing. I there's not many absolutes. But in sports, entertainment, pro wrestling You don't go out winning And Again, there's not many absolutes. we can change it, you know, again, where things change, but to me, that's how it's supposed to be done, but it's hard. It's hard and u And I just wanted to be there, but it's so funny to think of you guys seeing it and then seeing me seeing it. Um Yeah, no, um, F Did u did it Did you feel? fulfilled or did you feel Well what did you feel like as a fan? John Cena's last match And that's how it went down H I guess I mean, I guess you could say I was like I was fulfilled because I knew eventually he was going to stop doing it And this was a year and it was I thought it was a really good match. I thought the ending was pretty good. like him tapping out because, you know, never give up He gives up in his final match I I was like going into the weekend. I was kind of sad And obviously, I mean, after the match was done, I was baallling out like Straight tears, but Um, I don't know, I like after I got out of the are, I was like That was That was great. Yeah, ye. Yeah, that's the that's the journey and I think Sean can tell you and you've learned enough about the game and seen enough of it to know when it's real It's at its best And then really the challenge is it's sometimes always real, but find, you know, that's the It's a very bizarre industry and I have like the misfortune but also the fortune of I play me So it's nine times out of's ten real Uh, you know, for me and just that's be there at that. was that was special. And I'm glad you got to see see it together to see the end. it's a special special event and obviously John's whole run is also set up a For our industry, it' set it up to where if you want to have a final run, maybe you can do something even similar to that. Yeah. Hey, this is going to be it This is we're going to do ten cities and this is it I think that's a really unique way that it was never done before and now Now we're doing it. It was like a closure For me, it was closure moment too because I had tickets to Flairress last match And I had to skip it for work. Yeah. And I was always kind of a little bitter about that. And then him and I were up on the You know, we were leaving and I just looked at him and I said Just doing this with you once, I would skip that match a thousand times to just have spent the last thirty minutes with you. Yeah. how much that's how much it meant to us Yeah Isn't it silly, right Wrestling's silly if you look at it. like Guys out there wearing our underwear just beating each other up and that What it really is though is this. It's not silly at all. You know, it's it's I'm very grateful to have this conversation because again, like just like the one with Hunter We're getting ready to do a massive show here and the idea that, oh, hey, man, hopefully we can Pop ya You know, I'm glad that worked with Stephanie It I'm glad. Heard the music play and went. Okay, now now It's her town. now things are heating up. Yeah. she did great with the house that her grandfather built. That's great. And ye greatreat promo and whereere do you put the garden? Do you have a top do you have top arenas? top two? I mean, as I do live in New York City, it's got toa be by far number one. And it's not even close Um We had someone yesterday. Is she and here's Kristen around Christin gave a lecture about how important the garden was to us yesterday. So he agrees with you Garden is the one That's it. Well You were right. You're o, okay Soarden garden is your number one, What's your number two Um Number two, do do stay at Gysi Stadium? Of course. Okay, so I would have to put A Is the Lincoln Cer? is it the Lincolninancial? Yllincoln financial? I mean, that's just really important to me for WrestleMania and all that U Do you know that they treat me like I am the president of the United States when I go there? No I did not know that. I could go to a Falcons game in my hometown. And Yeah, there he is. Cody Runneels from Marrietta. Yeah, you it wouldn't It wouldn't be much. I could unannounceced go to the link where I buy my own ticket and I'm happy just to watch the game and they would find me and make it the greatest day of my life. There's photos of me throwing the ball on the field after the last game. And Joe Biden was at the same game They I came in the locker room. I did a local access interview about how the boys did out there. It was wild. just to the point where my mom because she told me, she goes, well, why do you like the eagles? Nothing ever good happened like nothing good ever happened there. And I'm thinking Michelle Wrestling four that's where they play. Yeah, no, but you know, that's a that's a great one. The link Garden great, great wrestling cities. I'm as you a different question and this was this so this will be unless Craig has one more, this will be my final question You have mentioned Star Wars multiple times. Yes Do you feel comfortable ranking the ical like the canonical movies You're putting yourself out there for the world to get really upset. Yeah, know. It's something him and I. It's one of the few things we debate. Yeah, no it's a debate all right. I'd be willing to do top three. I think top three is I we're going to get everybody's top three. anyy other questions aboutide that, Craig. We're going out on Star Wars top Threes Mom, you like that Are you good. Do you need anything else, M You Aby Okay. If you want to file throw one in, it'srow you're good? Okay. All right, we're going to go top three I think are you older than me I am. I was I actually got to see Star Wars in the theater. Oh my. Okay you you than you for the compliment. I appreciate. We're taking the lead here. You're taking the lead and we'll goay that one back in your head a few times. Empire strikes back New hope and then row one Okay.. Those are going to be very popular, those choices because empire, o, good, good, okay. All right, All right. So three is harder than if you just rank them. I feel like now we set ourselves. All right, so top three is same number one, Empire Strikes Mack, which is the greatest movie of all time. And I feel if you meet others who dispute that, they're confused U So Empire Strikes backack is my number one U my number two Yeah, this is tough. Man, I'm gonna blow your mind I'm gonna blow your mind Number one, Empire Strikes backag Number two. Revenge of the Sth. Yes Number three, the one that people will try to hunt me down Llast Jedi.