Judgment Day and Danhausen

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What have you had in your life that has been longer than nine days Longer than nine days, most things. But would be un assuming to last longer than nine days. So like had a hangover that has lasted longer than nine days. Although I do get hangovers while drinking these days. Wha. Yeah. That started in lockdown. I was like, wow, A just hit me. and it's come like so I don't really drink anymore. I don't get them anymore That's what He just brought me I said a sw word. it's not been three minutes. not even one minute or two. Well, it's last been long more than nine days I'm personally of the opinion that the date on a bottle of milk is guidance Oh, absolutely. And I trust this. So like a bottle of milk that should only last me for like six days. I can stretch that t night. I know when it's off. Oh yeah. The Woke Brigade have really started to like really trying to sell you health. The Americans in the Cons will have something to disagree with that, but it's we ours is actual milk. like there are no chemicals in our food It comes from actual c ye cous or you might have medically cows plus. Yeah you've scientifically created an America that's got stuff added into it. What about you it? Whatne have I had that has lasted longer than nine days I was trying to think about this and I actually don't I was trying to think of like ha had an illness that has lasted longer than night And I don't think I have. Like I don't think I've recovered from it this is Ben. I had a proper sore throat at the start of the year that I thought was never gonna to go away. And that was like it used to be funny. Like you get a sore that because of cold and you'd be like, hi I'm to dooop today. But my voice is my work now. Yeah. So like I was afraid it wasn't gonna I was like, I'm not gonna to be able to sing again ever. Yes thankfully, you don't have to be like Harry Cane, who whose feet are his. Fully hilarious one of the best moments of my life. I' already on a hide. I have never I have not stopped watching it and it's still funny. There are so many things about the England game that you are watching Monday Night Rule might assume didn't actually happen because it appeared only Mexico were in the AzteECca that day. Yeah, that and also Jordan Henderson getting both a yellow card and a World Cup ending injury, despite not actually being on the pitch are among my favorite things. But the Hurricane voice, exceptional stuff. And the funniest thing about it for me, we gets to Rar in a minute. Well the funniest thing for me is that the BBC reporter or just never seemed to acknowledge it She She couldn't she she's good. I like Kelly so much but she was giggling away. and then she was like, I'm gonna keep asking you questions. I'm just gonna to keep asking you questions, not cut this sh. L last thing you want right now is to answer more questions, but I've got five. And it cuts back to Wayne Rooney abolly losing it Yeah laughter. Good stuff. Anyway. good stuff. So Well, it's not like a lot happened on this episode of Roy. It was a very casual episode. The reason I bring up nine days is that Sammy Zayan's WW Championship run is over after just nine days. What? I know, right So we sort of talked a little bit about this on last wee episode because they taped SmackDown after Rw last week and I don't think I talked about this on the show, but I'll peel back the curtain here somewhat I misread the spoiler report for those smackdown tapings. So you know, things I was reading on my news and stuff. Wednes and I found a write up of the Smackdown Bahahah, typed those all up, recorded the news And then it wasn't until I was getting the comments that were left by Patreon where someone has said If you haven't seen the SmackDown spoilers yet, Sammy's defending the title against Cody Rhodes nextxt week And in my write up, I to it was happening at Sumerslam Beause I read like the way that the that smmack downown things again, was like, o, Codody wins the number one contetendionship. It's Codody versus Samiyit Samerslam. R. Okay, that that's pretty surprising. I really thought it was going to be Cody versus punk, but here we go.'s or maybe a three way. it's Codody versus Samiy Samerslam And I saw that come and I was like, Oh no report that I read was missing a very key and crucial detail about when it was going to happen when it was going to happen So then I had to go and I found some more like you know spoiler reports and stuff and yeah it was like, it's happening on raw. So we talked a little bit about this on last week's show. Yes, which my theory was Okay, so it's Cody versus Punk at Sumerslam. Cody wentin to the title on Rw. It's Chicago The end of the show is SM Punk returned, first time he's been seen since the Rar after Mania And he challenges Cody picking up on that chat that he had with Cody on that Rw afterom mania, right where It is like name the time, name the place. It's like turtle shots can, you know, they come the where you least expect it. I think's quite nicely tied into this episode. It's nicely s I'm set up and paid off And then we'll get that And that's not what happens. In the end, this show opened with Cody Rhodes being taken out by Guna, then a few backstage segments where I was like, I do' think Codody iss going to be okay. And then eventually, no, no, Cody cannot wrestle tonight But Adam Pierce like we're having a Rw main event. it is going to be a title match. And then Nick Aldis, on administrative leave but doing some admin work, found a replacement And it was CM punk The punp came out. Beat Sammy Z for the WW title So I guess we're still on the path to punk versus Codi at Sasap We just went there in a way that I didn't see coming. Well, it's interesting you say that because I mean, I don't remember exactly what I said last week, but I think it's fair to say I was underwhelmed by the pitch there that Cody would just win the bell back and we'd go to and it and it A large part of that was not because I don't want to see punk Cody You've seen my satorial choices today. Yes I not beating the shill allegations anytime soon. But for audio listeners, Dan is wearing a CM punk t shirt, which I put on this morning to just have a top on before watching the show when I woke up I And much like wearing my England shirt the other day, it feels like I'm responsible for have if I manifest this, I need to basically have myself printed toia my face on the Lay Miz poster so that I can manifest myself, you know, use this power for good. L one gonna you your birthday this year. There you go, Thankk you so much. C can't wait. Every single character, if you if you don't mind, E Cazette Yeah, I I love the idea of Cody Punk. I want to see it, but I was underwhelmed by the idea of it just being like like Oh, and I think because Last week's episode of Rw felt like slap in the face in many ways for like egg on my face for believing in the King of the Ring Tournament Ob has just banted it off and we thought maybe we'd get some answers this week and we still didn't get any answers on that fromont this week. Could have been an email this week Yeah in a few different places. I felt the whole thing really was just a testament to like we aren't going to reward you for watching the show. And I did read that the comments were sort of made during the week of like just Watch the show, don't think too deep about it and I'm like, now, it's not how our works Sorry. It's not how fandom investment works. It's not how you get audiences to continue to watch your show. That's what WE would like is complacency. R You empathy. I don't want empathy, but like because they want us to spend the money. Just watch the show, donon't think about it. Yeah. And what they're asking is like, we're like you to enjoy it is just watch it and don't think about it. But that's where I Yeahah, that' that's allre well and good for to say out loudness all well good to think that but that can't that can't be how to run business. Ites doesn't work for me, brother.es doesn't work for anybody becausecause ultimately if you bhe complacency and apathy No one's going to buy your merch. no one's going to pay to come and see your show. because because they're not interested. In the same way that I think that Disney have treated the Star Wars franchise with complacency and I think that has then bred apathy into the Star Wars franchise, which is why you end up with the Mandalorin and Grogu being a massive box office flop because Not last any. Yeah. So when you then presented me the idea of this is what's going to happen and punk will make a return. they'll be like, you and me brother whatever. I was like O That's the least interesting way to get to this thing that I really want to see following on from a really uninteresting show. I'm a bit disappointed in that. So turn up for the books that I actually think what we have had as a result is a lot of really nice detail, a lot of really nice. o, that's come backack whether or not that was planned or whatever oreded or you' seen opportunities you've g, let's do it. There are character developments as a result of this choice. basically, I think The inevitable was taking the belt off Sammy on this episode of Raw And when you have a certain amount of balance in the bank, you can make choices that feel unpopular. And WWE don't really have a lot of balance in the bank at the moment. And the idea of the belt just going back onto Codody, I think would have plunged him been into overdraft Comtely A lot of goodwill, a lot of interest, a lot of intrigue would have just disappeared out of the window. Cody would have just come across as Cody Win's lull and it wouldn't have been satisfying. Now there are a number of different avenues for them to go down creatively for multiple different characters, including and especially Samy Z.. And I think that So I'm giving them a thumbs up for this episode. I completely agree with you because I also was fairly underwhelmed by my pitch idea of Cody Wyn's Lull. But I suppose what I didn't give credit to is that Cody is smarter. I think WW is smarter than that. I think so I think, you know, they they know Like they would I think Triple H knows one hundred percent. Triple H knows if he'd have booked Cody to beat Sammy Zanne, the crowd would have booed, whichich is why Rrich it might not N yet. He wanted P Maffeey to win But I think what they've done is a really smart bit of business is as they might say. I think this is a really smart play Because you're in Chicago You just have punk do it The Sammy's not the long term plan. and there's never been the long term plan. The long term plan is Codeum punk. Yeah. So we're going to Codeum punk at Summerste C can see a world where it's a three way and it's Cody Punkin Sammy, which I quite like, but I'll get onto that in a second. But if your long term plan and the reported main event has been for a long time It Codody Punk at Sserslland If that is your long term goal, You really want to do it without hurting your show too much. And a way to have hurt your show is by having ne half of that main event win the title and get booed out of the building. Granted, that boo would have been completely subsided because SM punk would have come back and the place would popped and wouldve been I would argue been doubble down on Yeah, because you've got the che of a pounet it would have you have had that big boo And it would have very clearly said this isn't like two baby faces going against each other. You've got one person that the crowd don't like. Exactly. And here's someone they like considerably. what you want a two baby face. Y. you want your number one baby face in Cody Rhodes and he is their number one baby face. He is the one A of this company going up against the number two baby face in CM Punk. Like that is the big time match you want to have. So you want to have both those guys going in Cering momentum. So a way to sidestep that is don't do the Codody win. and do the punk win, particularly when the report going back to this Codody punk thing Punk's going to win the title at Sammer Slam. So if Punk was going win the title at Sammerlam anyway M as well have him do it here in Chicago when you get on raw competing against the World Cup game with the USA. I was going to sayop I'm going to talk about that in a second. right? So like that's you know, that's starting going to play a factor into this. So you would do a title change to try and like compbat against this this the World Cup game just like AEW did the previous week with the USA game. I think this is a really smart play. I think they've done really I've just played this really, really well. Ganted, that that's as side The suckness of the Sammyan bit. like I don't think it sucks. I'm going to go into that. Well what I mean by that is like the suckiness of he just had a nine day title And And if this he eat, which I kind of feel this is my I kind of feel the DD's then I think that does You need to stop bringing up twelve different points that I want to talk about at once because we need to talk about them individually and separately. How would ag we should do? The first one is since you've done it the W Cup one, I'm just going to bring this up because I think that's a really good I think they plotted this brilliantly. I think why I'm so U I'm not as high as I was in twenty twenty four, maybe or twenty twenty three. But why I'm so complimentary about this episode of Rw is that I think they did a really good job of pacing of plot choices, of booking all through the show. because if you're arguing Um Weve got We said this about Dynamite week. they stacked the car. they're actually not going up against anything at all tomorrowight. But This episode of Rw was going up against a USA game after this week of drama in the World Cup. They might want to ack Smackown in c they have to play again because Tumps not happy it. I't. I'm going gonna really hope that that action hasn't made people not want to watch the World Cup in a way because, but it's interesting it's slully the game. It's sllly the game and you can tell from the way that they played not to make this a football podcast, but the way that they played the game, there was something hanging over that team in a big way. And the world the world had turned on them a little bit, especially European teams and there's a whole USA versus Europe thing at the moment anyway. Plus you've got them wearing they're even in wrestling parliments, they're wearing their dark gear. So like it was a lot of, you know, seemiotics. I woke up this morning rilled to see the result. Yeah, right. But like if you think about the way they're doing a show, if you imagine because there are massive amounts of wrestling fans, you aren't football fans, especially in the USA. So if you imagine you've got your episode of awar on TV, and you know some of your friends who would normally watch the show are instead watching USA who have played really well in this tournament and been quite interesting and there's been a nice positive energy in the USA around the team. And the tournament was going so well until that point and people's interest in it felt like it was getting larger and larger E that means that you probably did' need to stack this eyes were going over there. So maybe. So what you do is Okay, there's going to be a worldld title match. We all know how that's going to end. The show starts with that being changed. So instantly you've got friends being like,, it's changed Pp's coming back tonight. Yeah, send message. Then over the course of the show, what else did I write down Oh yeah, then you get towards the show. Sammy it's confirmed there is going to be aatch night It's definitely point you're want to watch it. might have few people trick away because at that point it's two one in Belgium. By the time it's four one Belgium. Their text ne friends being like, punk's getting a main character video game entrance. The man is winning the championship tonight. W the show. And also I think by the time that Cody got taken out of the start un the obvious. We we Yeahah, this is what I mean this is what I mean And the crowd in the building knew informed you.form you knew it was going to be CM punk. That's what I thought was so clever about the episode. And was for me, it was because it was the way even though it was inevitable from the beginning, it's not it's plotted throughout the show for them to text their mates and say, come and watch the show. Exactly. It wasn't just you had the angle and they said there's a replacement and it's punk It was there's the angle Now there's a question mark He can't do it. There is going to be a title match. I found a new guy. Here's the new guy. I thought they paced it The rest of the show was incredibly missable, like nothing going on. thought I thought it was a good show overall. But I see what you mean. but I think I would say overall it was a good show. because if you're trickling in, you're enjoying the showact because the main threreat of the show was this CM punk stuff and it was the Cody Rodes and Samuff. and I think they did it really, really well. Yeah. Yeah. So then when you get to the moment Punk has his win by by the time all of your people have turned off the four one loop loss. there's no way they're turning it back around. You've come you're watching the episode of Rw, or the people who were inclined to, I'm not saying that football fans with no interest in wreling were suddenly switching over to Netflix. twenty two million people watching But like your people who you wanted to get watching the show are probably watching the show by now The people who were on the fence about which one they werere going to watch Exactly And then you've got your big punk moment with the, you know, and then that sets up this idea of in the back of your mind, well, Cody's going to want to do something, but there's a Guna question in there as well. And then there's the Sammy question in there and all of these things. And if we're thinking about the push to get Cody and as the match for Summerlam. And that was to your point, the first thing I thought of the second I saw Cody get his head smashed into that car was his line And afterania. Sometimes a title you never know when it's going to drop out of the sky and in at this moment it absolutely dropped out of the sky and whether or not That's what they intended back in in April It's a really nice thing to be able to pull back into promos over the course of this. I know a lot of people would be inclined to feel like That's the Wrestleania night two. and it's one of the few WrestleMania night two ss that you've got left You know what I mean? U It's just, I feel like they want to try. they don't have a WrestleMania in the US. this year And this suummer sllam needs a big Mee two night event just as good as WrestleMania. This is your This is your heat last US WrestleMania for like a year and a half now. Well, not only that, but these two matches that we're getting, Seth versus Roman and Punk versus Cody were supposed to be the WrestleMania main event this year. Right until Seth got hurt. Right And plans had to change and they pivoted to Punkin' Reigns. Yeah. and Cody and Randy. Yeah. So like to your point, like now we're getting those big wrestle manania like ms and some of the themes feel s st you include that with Ober with Ober and Brock inside Hell in the cell. S three matches, you know So that might be announced. Those are three massive matches And it certainly makes you go Okay, now' now you've got my attention. Yeah, Do something with it. And that's where we come to the S exan of it all because You were talking about it It sucks for Sammy. He's only got the nine day rain. That's rubbish. And I have seen a few comments here and there on Instagram and on YouTube comments or whatever being like, Sammy done dirty button. Wow, they pulled the rug out of everyone who supported Sammy Zim. And I'm sorry, I just don't subscribe to that notion First of all, every player in a show has a role to play. and Sammy had a role to play And Sammy played that role over the past nine days to absolute perfection, including but not limited to every single moment in this show where He is driving in You know, Billy Big Bllocks having a go at Cody being like Cody hasn't said a word and he's still like having a go at him and basically say you just said this. Cody didn't say anything. great stuff just watching on while all of this drama takes place being ready to go just in case and then when Jackie tells him Cody's not cleared, he's with a massive smile on his face saying, o, I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm a good guy, so I like whatever and like pulling in the character, all of that stuff And then during the match itself, first of all while the crowd are channeling CM punk on the fly picking up the bell and being like, I'm the while it you know, fades away from him There's a moment where like they're in the middle and he's like youve fought a good fight, slap in the face. You're really doing well, but I'm the champ now, head butt. He played this role so. Well includluding on SmackDown, when he repeated his lines of, doesn't matter what happens from now, I'll always be a WW champion which is true But now you've lost the bll So you have to chs that you believe that as a character. Samy Z. Sami Zain character needs to now believe the things he said. How does he respond to that In terms of longevity Damiian Priest was a worldld champion performance Right The whole Mick Fole line that he said to SM punk twenty seven days I was champions. But my reigns are legendary kind of thing It's not what you do or how many days you have, I think, it's how you respond to it Yeah. This all getsown under the carpet and six months time we're like,ruma when Samys' the Champion nine days. That will have been massive failure and then I'll be like, yeah, done Sammy D I don't think we're anywhere close to there yet. In fact, I think there is so much in the in the present that could still be done. And this is maybe where it's more for me. but there's so much that could be done that I'm like I totally take your point history has shown us that's not usually the case. Yeah. and that's where my and this' why I bring up Damiian Priest purely pessimism But and to your point as well, like Damiian Priest had that title for like, you know, months on end and did absolutely naal for him. Kofi Kingston had the title for for ages, but then he just lost it in, you know twelve seconds what it was to Brock Lesnnerar and there was never in the title picture again You can have Darbie All was only champion for a month, but the point of that month is that he defended the title seven times. Yeah. And like and he had some really memorable matches out of it. It's not always the length that you have. it's what you do with it that counts. you know if I can make it an ob joke about it. And I think that's where the Samuse think is he did nothing. Like there are some bits you did there, but like the actual broad strokes of it is he won the title, then he lost it. Like that is the story of Samuse's title reign. is you won it, then nine days later he lost. So we disagree because I still think the story of Samyain and that championship is still currently act. that's okay, so that's the thing, right? is that Your point works If there is a follow up. Right Exactly. cave. My hope is that there is a follow up. I said this in the resta of news earlier just want there to be a follow up to this. Because if there is no follow up to this Then the complaints are justified of Sammy Dun dirty and this leads to nothing. If this is the only type of way he's got, he's not a WWE Champion. He's a factory. He's a pub quiz question. Yeah. He's the one you stumble over when you're trying to recount the WWE Champions a reverse chronological order because you forgot it happened. Yeah If there is a story that comes off the back of this though, then I'm all for it. Yeah because I think that there is some really interesting angles. like Wes who edits the R rest of News, his pitch was that Sammy was the title again at Mania And you tells the story now of Sammy. That's where my brain goes. Turning baby face within all of this and finding that self belief within him to actually believe the words that he's saying. It's not just bravado. it's not just this outwardly facing thing of just like, I'm a champion and you don't believe in me is to actually believe in himself. So he goes to Saudi Arabia at WrestleMania and he wins the WE title From Cody, from punk, whoeverver it is, it works better if it's Cody, but like it's, you know, it also works if it's CM punk. But that is the if That's if that's where the direction is going. Yeah. But there is but there is sorry to finish my point, but there is every just as just as likely a chance because of the history that WWE showown us over the last couple of years What this is leading to is a Chad gable nothing, which is where I loop back to the point of their money in the bank, not p of view. I mean, they're literal ye. what they have with us in terms of balance, like they've run out of let it playay out points because goodoodwills kind of gets dried up. It was there for a long time and there certain moments where I let it play I didn't get there, but we got there in the end. destination wise it worked That's run out. that goodwill has passed. So That's why I'm like presenting what's currently happening If on SmackDown it spaffed up the wall, well then we have the answer. But right now, I think it's of an active story in an active scenario because there's that moment because Sammy also has the justification of The deck was stacked against me. Like I didn't know I was going to like first of all, I thought I wasreressing Cody, notot unlike USA, Belgum where Belgium across because they, you know, their plans changed because Ballag' involved. Like he's like, I've been preparing for Cody. The guy who I actually faced was someone who hasn't been around in months. So how was I supposed to be ready to expect him?iven a title shots. Yeah. And like you know, he was in Chicago. you should have expected punk,, whatever, whatever. What's story like's rest. You exactly write story. You can whatever you want. So like I still see it as an active scenario. And so that's why I'm holding fire on Sammy Dun Dirty because I do see WrestlMane forty three on the horizon. and I would actually At Night of Champions Review, we talked about like someone saying you could have saved it for WrestleMania and made a load of money. This is how you make more money because spinning that out for the first time of WrestleMania was probably a long shot. Now you've got a good stretch of time to flesh out these characters to maybe have him Back against punk for a bit and lose and then needs to find a way and like there's stuff you can do now. There's avenues where previously there weren't. Yeah It's the only reason I say that it sucks is that it's at this point in time justust feels like a blit It just feels like They did it for the moments. I'm not ready to make I don't feel that I know I know. because it's not happened yet. I know, I know But this is what I'm talking about and you made the point of where the general vib is towards WWE is at this moment and sort of the fan perception of it. And you know, we'll get to when we get to the Patreon feedback. No one is into this. like no one is on board for this at the moment. But that is because I feel that The fans feel like they had something taken away from them because all of a sudden they were given this awesome thing at Night of Champions and nine days later it was taken away from them The idea then is to try and turn that into a positive that the company has got to do. That is what W now as a company, as a creative force, as an entertainment brand. is to carry that forward, carry that momentum, carry that feeling forward And at the moment, it doesn't feel like people do. So I am sat here. and know, I said this on last week's show. I said it on the Might of Champions showhow. This feels like it was just done for the moment Be everything is just done for the moment. Why did Brock retire? It was just for the moments. Why did Brock come back? Because it was just for the moment. Theres no doesn't feel like there's a lot of cohesive story elsewhere, certainly. But it feels like this could be. because if the idea is to get to Sammy winning the title again WrestleMania forty three in Saudi Arabia then this is all for a reason. Yeah. And you can then type it back to Punks promo because you could probably like link back and you can get your red string and be like, this is all connected. And this was always the plan all along And who knows, Maybe they'll retroactively pretend it was. I'm fine with that same way Brian D Andersson winning the title was always the plan? No, it wasn't. Like it was never the plan. likeike they did that they did that because punk left. L because punk left in twenty fourteen at the rumble, they had to pivot plans and they went with this instead. I also sometimes couldn't care less about the plan. Like I think we sometimes are in danger of working ourselves into a shoe brother, like where we where we And it is to do with the goodwill, which is completely accurate. But like the sometimes we do get to the point where we're like They have ruined this already and it hasn't happened yet. That's the difference between me saying like you can talk about the scena When we talk about the scene of heel turn, the moment, sure. And actually I would argue the first few months, I would argue it was the second Travis Scott walks down at WrestlemMania. that's when it all falls apart. The bell ringing ex match was no good. The match was no good, but I think we all were waiting for a moment. We were wait for the rocks And maybe the match would have got good, but it didn't. And that's where it fully went off the rails for months there That way People talking backwards would have you believe that it was crap from the elimination chamber. No there's first few promes, which sometimes that's what I mean when you can work yourself into thinking into retroactively. I just think In this case it's still live. So let's see what happens. And if they want to pretend that the plan was this from April Fine As long as what you actually do is interesting.. Because last week we were cross because last week was not interesting and actually actively insulting. Yeah. This week is different But if WrestleMania forty three just ends up being Codody Bus' punk for the title And Sammy Sammy's like languishing in like, I don't know. it's him and Kevin Ow' tagging together against whoever the hell Sure just for just for b for the ban then I will moment fully fully be saying it this was a waste. Yeah. you know, and I don't want to sort of like rehash old arguments that we had, but you were also telling me that Finn Baller was going to get this massiveM punk program. And I kept telling you it was like, no, this is being punked. No, that's a very fair assessment. So like I think that there is room to have some optimism about this because there's such a clear story to head towards But history has shown us that that optimism is misplaced and I've been very guilty of this before and Olli has been the voice of, I don't want to say reason within itdly the vice of pessimism. where he just kept looking at me and being like, they'll go with the safest option Right Every time I pitched something exciting, he would shut me down and say, they'll go with the safest option. Yeah. And sometimes and Sammy is not the safest option. He is not The No And it doesn't matter how much we can sit here and think Sam Sammy Kevin for the title or Sammy all the different things he could do. doesn't matter. He's not's not the guy. Kevin's not the guy Codody is the guy Punk is the guy Roman is the guy, Seth is the guy. You can argue now Oberfemi is the guy And even then like I'm you know, slightly concerned about that because by all accounts, this Oberfemi title match he's got from King of the Ring isn't WrestleMania. So we have got to ek that mother out for some time. Yeah. And people are going to lose patience. Yeah around him Constantly delaying that There is part I think I'm fifty fifty A the moment. in full honesty, I'm fifty fifty onon it. I can see a clear path being something really good. I can also see a clear path So this' just being more of the same. and It's just another one of my faves getting a three week push for a And I think that's where like We ultimately sit as fans watching a television show, right? O like a movie I It's arguably toxic optimism sometimes for me. I do think I'm very fair and willing to criticize when I feel it's necessary. Yeah. I think you're incredibly fair. And I'll go in. But I do when I'm interested in a story and I can see the narratives, I'm like, o, you got something interesting. It's the same way I go into a movie with five stars. Every single movie I go in with five stars and I want it to be the best it can be. Even the ones that are supposedly going to be critically panned. I want it to believe that it's going be the best it can be versus other people who I feel going in going, C on. impress me. your solder already. Yeah. And I'm like, if you're already in that mood, you're not going to like it. And that's where I say like, just Exercise a bit of caution when you're in a comment saying, this is already failed because it's not happened yet. Yeah They don't have that goodwill anymore. and that is a perfectly fair It's become quite a mor of this show. When you are hot, you can do nothing wrong, when you are cold, you can do nothing right. And it might just be They're a cold company who' about to go on a really good story. doesn't feel like it can do anything right Ego, That good story is actually a bad one. Yeah When you think about it actually, Push my glass on my nose. actuallyctually it sucks because my arms are folded. Yeah. It could just be It is really interesting. I think that the bads I' not say bad f The bad vibes towards this show and Punk's title win there from the outset Because the writing was on the wall that Sammy was losing the title on this show I did a podcast interview last night for the new Metal agenda And the host there is a resting friend. And she was saying that like, Sammy's her favorite wrestler So she just wants the best. she just wants him to win. And I was over like, I don't think he's retaining that title tonight I think it's going to be Cody and Punk's going to come out. There's also an element of relief in me that because I thought he was I agree he was going to be losing that one, but I'm just glad lost it to person Yeah, I well, as I said, I think they've made the right choice Yeah. I really do think this was the If you want to do punpkin Cody at Sste, this is the right way to go about it U But the the bad vibes already there from the outset because their guy that they wanted to see get, even if it was a Darby Allen one month round to at least get that one month range too have it just taken away after nine days where he didn't defend the title once, he had one problem on SmackDown and now it's over. L that it's not enough. like that is not enough of it's not enough to enjoy this the ride that we've been waiting ten plus years to get to be taken away so shortly thereafter I think that's where the bad vibes come I'm not going to say let it play out But I will I'm not going to say let it play out but I am allowing myself to let it play out with some cautious optimism You're saying play out asteris. Yeah. well, yeah, I'm study allowing myself to let it play out. And I'm not I'm not going to sit here and decate as a bad thing now. but there is part of me that thinks it might be a bad thing now. It's also like interesting with idea of belts and what they mean. because I think for a long time, It was nothing Right, the belt just sort of bl. Yeah. U But it should be a really useful pro because it is a pro. Ultimately, none of this is real, right It's an emulation of a sport in in a narrative context. The shamous thing so interesting because he's leaving WWE and he's not going to win the Incontinentational Championship. And genuinely, I feel gussed. Yeah that he's not won the Incontinentational Championship and then complete this set. And it actually has actively made me angry at AAA for just constantly kicking that can down the road when he could have could have I pulled that trigger ages ago And yet, you know else went out of the World Cup yesterday Christiana Ronald. That's one of the great football. Well, yeah big time. Well happy the North remembers. But that's one of the that's one of the greatest footballers like really of all time. and He's now gone out of the world company. he's never won the big one happens in real sports? Yeah if this is an emulation of a real sport Den it stands to reason that those titles used as props, which they are, these aren't real competitive championships, need to be used in a strategic way. And making this belt last nine days is a strategic Move. in the name of a story potentially. However, we as fans buy into and invest in the people as well. We want what's great for people. The shamous thing is a really, really pertinent point because U I don't hest I don't honestly think Shane was just gonna to finish his career and be like Oh well, I never really fully got that. And yet, there there might be a little moment in Brand. The reason I think it might be is when I interviewed him in twenty twenty, he'd just come back from injury and I said, you know, what are your goals You know, and it's an interview, whatever it is. He said, I've got no interest in winning the WWE Championship. I just want to win the NCono Championship because I've never done it. Yeah. And that's the one thing one thing' not It's the one thing I've not done. and the funny thing there is the point you're making, it's silly in a silly in a way. It's mad that I'm actually mad about this because it's not real. L it is not real's real a real accolade Your investment in these performers is real Right? Yeah. So that and the idea of seeing them get flowers is is real. John Cena when he won the Incontinental title, I was beaming like a little school girl. I was so excited. I was like I thought this was really funny. I was I remember giggling to myself because of how silly and fun I thought it was that he completed a set and I didn't expect that in this year or whatever. So that's a real thing that people feel and I think that's where This is such a unique creative performance art, like It's not real, none of this is real. Let's all pretend. Roddy Piper never won the W world title. Scott Hall never won the worldor title. like some of the greatest in the history of The business have never won the worldorld title because they were characters, but do you think Roddy Piper didn't have an incredible career? No We are so much more Fandom invest chat, talk. Smart to the business now. that we know someone like Samy Zain, a journeyman in the very truest sense of the world who has wrestled all over the world, is by large one of the good guys And yet I think we want as a result for him to Pire Flowers moments And I actually feel like in a small way, he did have that over the course of these nine days. The lovely video of Becky and Kevin with him You've read Becky's book, which I have She talks about them traveling together and that was a really sweet like thing to see. He got to walk around about. He is correct when he says, I will always be on that list It's a I just I think it's Fascinating. Yeah. Now that now I've gone away from the episode of Rw and I'm spepeaking in a more esoteric way about fandom and wrestling fandom specifically. But I think that's why people feel it Because even though it's not real and even though it is a prop, and in this case, I think it has been used correctly as a prop do you understand why people really want to see Sammy get a big one and have a long run? Two other points to add on to this on the We should move on to that. I mean, there's not much else to so going on. I disagree, Maxine Dupreis We'll get to that in a second There were two interesting hair moments on this show, Luke. We have to talk about it. What that? Jackie Redmond has a side part now. Oh, the side partods back, kids U I honestly could not tell you. if you put Jackie Redmond in a lineup now, I might struggle to pick her out No you wouldn't But she's not on a screot, I'd be like, there's Jackie Redm. Yeah. then you put a l because there's a name bar at the moment and said. But then if you put them in aine and said, which one of these Jackie be like, ooh, couldould could put a mrophone at their hands? Can you Can you stand her next to Aust in theory? I might be able to pick her out was like I say. So with Sammy and the idea of like he can now say he's a WW Champion, The McFoy think is an interesting comparison because he is a guy that will go down as one of the greatest of all time and like top three attitude era stars, but will never be in a conversation of greatest WW champions because of the multiple times that he won it, held it for like a handful of days. Yeah, right. And like, you know he wins it on january fourth ninety nine, then loses it like shortly thereafter. Th then he wins it back at then just lose talk about a one day re. E exactlyah. And you know, he wins it at Slam ninet nine, and then loses the next nights to Triple Hge, but he'll never be in the discussion of greatest WW Champions. And the same with Brian Danielson Brian Anderson, a former WE champion. will never be in the conversation of the greatest champions of all time because his run was cut you know Unfortunately, very, very short because of his injury But even out of the gate, he was feuding with Kaine and he was going to lose it to Brock Lesnner at Sumerslam anyway and was never going to be champion again Well, so then therein lies my question. Do you want to be remembered as one of the greatest champions of all time or do you want to be remembered as one of the greatest in your work of all time? for me is that one. I'm not saying that there is like it's an either all. Like I don't think there is it's a binary option. I just think there is a discussion around That's where SamyZan currently sits at Yeah he's in The greatest of his generation but can never be in the conversation of gracist WW champions. I think there's an interesting the other point I wanted to make just before we do move on is I think that this year, twenty twenty six has been an answer to a few fan complaints that we've had over the previous two years of lengthy title ranks. and this idea of I don't need Codody Rose to be champion for a full year whichich is so fascinating because you go back to the five years prior to that. Prior to Roman, yeah. Prior to Roman It was like man, like do you remember the days of like long title reigns and when people had the belt for a while and those title reigns then meant something? The guy I'll always point to his Triple H. I honestly do not think the tririple H is in discussion of the greatest WE Champions of all time because he had he had fourteen title reigns, only one of them meant a damn And that was when he won it in the start of two thousand, then lost it to the rocket backlash. That I would say is his only run that's worth a damn because every other run he's had after that, he held it for a little bit, had it for a bit, then lost it, won it back, held it for a bit, lost it, won it back, held it for a bit, lost it. You know that the Rign of Terror obvious I'm talking WHF you not Wor Heavywight Championship and also that reign of Terror is called that for a reason. It was dog and So it it's where' I trying to find? So we've gone from like having too many title reigns and too many hot potato wing to then having these lengthy title reigns and people being slightly title of that. I actually think twenty twenty six has got this right balance. bothoth companies have in a way This idea of like AW had its MJF, then it went to Derby, then it's gone to MJF. We're talking about. it might go to Kenny Omega this coming Thursday. and then it might go to Will Osprey Weembley I think the MJF one might like I probably would have done without that one. I'd have gone from Derby straight through to Kenny. But like you know, we'reort talking about hypotheticals here You look it over from WWE. Cody went to Drew back to Cody, now he went to Sammy, now it's on punk. It doesn't feel like it's being hot potatoes. But also at the same time, I is up in the Sammy notwithstanding But it also doesn't feel like we're getting stagnant title reigns either. I think they actually both companies are finding a nice healthy balance here. Yeah, they need to matter.ike this that otherwise they're ineffective props. L if they don't matter, the Gunther reign of Incontinental title, put that back on the map and make that count a little bit more Um interestnterestingly, Damen Priest showed up in AAA Um And he's going to be like the big the big star in the triA Ch. Well, that's that's quite it. is that someone in the comments were like, Hey, you know, when you haven't got nothing for the guys, it's a really smart move. If you've got nothing for pest, might well put him I'm like lose the bell I missed it? No, no they are current tag team champions. What do you mean you got nothing for him? So elsewhere, those belts don't they don't mean nothing. Yeah. So it's it's you have to make these props mean something so that we care when Samyzan loses it. Right we've gone forty one minutes. It's a big story. I know it is. And' me on the bookcast and people have been winging that I' been going too slow. I was about to say, we're giving the people watch Let's get into the rest of this show. So we had the Sammy San and Cody Rosen G a bit at the start And then we got Seth Wollins coming out for a long God this took L promo. That said, nothing at all. Yeah notothing at all. Nothing I have heard this promo. Oh, Roman's not here. Romans's a part timer. Roman gets big paychecks. He was the one who was hand picked. He was handpicked by the company He was always overshadowed the shield, so I drove a che This was covering No new ground whatsoever And it took so long to get nowhere. Yeah It did. Yeah. and I I I'm here Ellenight comes out did the Ellenab. Well, thankfully, I would this crowd were tired of this probe. Yes, they were very quiet. Very quiet, not into it. At the start of it, they were just en chanting for SM punk and Roman Reigns. By the end of it, they were just like heard a lot of this before. Sields Lore and all that. Ey night comes out. place like explodes and And it's so funny that you and I had that conversation last week about LA Night fans. Yeah and about how like they are just choosing their guy and to believe he could be a champion. He came out here. You'd have thought it was money in the bank in the O two arena got big He got what he came out And he said, lookook, You're putting everyone to sleep. This is the same old Sethalon as Romanigns trash I've heard this all before. It's a cheat code. Like this is nothing new Also, you lost in the first round the King Rarains Tournament and you're getting a title shot. No d dis respect, by the way, I also lost I also lost in the first round. The difference is I didn't come out and ask for a title shot because I'm looking to earn and work for it. You are the sort of people that have been holding guys like me down. I was cut up by the blood I was cut off by the vision can't be cut off again You guys keep holding people down, which is really funny becauseuse that was kind of what a lot of sets P promo was like there's a younger guys, not's a younger guy. I think he's old So this Right But the N Seth says you know, to wrap this all up, I don't like you, but I do respect you. and when I beat Roman for the title, I will glad to give you a title shot. Yeah He leaves, thenen Jimmy Yuso runs in and he attacks Elen out afterwards. Now that was the second. I' be gonna see that againay. Run back. Yeah back. G got run this back. I'm sort of tired of hearing about how old everyone is Everyone's old. Like, you know, with this Roman Seth promo last week about we're old now, oldld man punk. Cody's old as well. AJ Styles was old, Ram Mero is old. LA Kight's old, Everyone's old. C I not like In the World Cup they're all like he's thirty eight and basically dead. Like I just Can we just be? Like I don't care how old you are if you can still go. Like it's old man punk was different, I think, because it like it It played into the story and, you know, it played into the main eents. It played at the main event that was the great moment. like it was very well planned, but I like as a character. If you're constantly telling me how old everyone is Everyone just s asays an old man. L I think stop it. Like there are more interesting things to do. There are more interesting promos to cut. There are more interesting angles to take Um LA. Kights one about like you one about holding people down. I actually think it was really interesting that like Seth was talking about not being handed anything and wanting to do things the right thing and earn things. and how did he win the belt that he never lost? He cashed in money the bank after faking an injury. Like, you're a hypocrite, Seth Rllins called out there's interesting narrative stuff to play with And they just don't in favor of shhield law that Maybe I'm a contrarian and maybe I'm someone who's misreembering history because it's convenient to me doing a pithy line on a podcast. I don't remember I don't The shield of that It's been twelve years Really? They were super exciting when they came in, though, because it was because it was fresh and new. and it was fresh They were young guys. And that was a main event scene that needed fresh. It was because they'd already cut the legs off of Por on Ride backack. like we needed something new, we needed something fresh. and we finally got that with the shield. So it was really exciting. I mean, I think the thing that people have remembered or misreembered is the breakup of the shield.. We've done it for ages. Like like that initial like six month period where they broke the shield up is rubbish. We recapped it on the rest podcast a couple of years back. It's crap. It's no good at all. It's really like very poorly put together. It was done to popperating. I think that's what a lot of people don't know about the shield breakup They only broke that group up because they had a bad rating the previous week's Rw. so they had to do something shocking to pop a rating. did so they broke the shield um I justs just we've done that And we've done that. And like when we talk about Seth promo here It really kind of highlights to me, not age But this Roman character has not progressed. R. It's not moved forward. This Seth character has not progressed. It's not moved forward. He could have cut this promo when they were feuding over the Universal title or the WW title, whichever one it was that Roman held, when they had their match at the Royal Rumblel or which during the pandemic? twenty twenty two. Sorry, we could have done this promo then. That's what I mean is it's like it's like It's not new. and I don't it doesn't need to be new opponents to feel new. You can do the same old people who've voyed other for years if it's new. It's now in danger. it's Sena Orton stuff. Yeahah yeah, right. It wasn't during the pandemic was it? you say twenty? was twenty two. I just I just moved into my new flat I was at home watching. We were still in lockdown worlds Wow Yeah. twenty twenty two They were still in place when I flew to Boston in February and when I flew back, they'd been lifted. But we still we were still doing We did come back into the office in twenty We were back in the office, But we were doing live stream. It was the first time I was on a live stream because we did the I remember doing it at home. And I didn't have I didn't have any furniture, so my telly was just on the floor. That's's why I feel like it was a pandemic show. Yeah. I would tell you that fans weren't there for it because I was at home doing the live stream reaction. Yeah. No it was a big arena of people. we The Wrestle Maan was on fire during Dew Drop and Beculent That's so weird. Yeah. But anyway, I this was too long Yeah As a segment, this was too long and then you get the backstage segment with Pier shouting at Gun the Nick Ald disappears so the Gunther can shout at him about you're a failed wrestler. Yeah they're definitely heading towards a match there And alllder shouts of Pierce about you booked a main event and you're done a crappy job of running SmackD down. And I was like, aren't you supposed to be away? Yeah. Like, weren't the pair you sent homeministrative On your administrative leave, you're at work in a full suit kit Wankor and then does his job later on's the main event and And then Jackie interviews the vision with her side parting. Maybe this's why we recognize in the lineup. That might be. It's new hair. Yeah Um And would say that's not a jackiey, that's a me thing. Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah. And whoke barely knows who I am I don't know who you are ' becauseuse I love you. Yeah know, I get excited when I see you. Yeah. P put me in lineup with other Y guys with a beard, and you're like. No, no. I'd still be able to pick you out. I have no one' going. He put like, I don't know, the England squad together Like all of them lined up and he was like, C can you name all of these people? were like, U, one which one are you again So anyway, Jackie's entu in the vision aad of their tag title match with a straight prorophits Paul Hayman walks up and says, in effect, you guys suck, you're all a bunch of losers. Why are we even a team anymore? Yeah And he says, You can't even take out Austin Theory. you can't even take out Seth Rollins. to me with something worthy or don't come back at all So I hope that Paul Hayman thinks that tag titles and blonde women are worthy because that's what Austin Theory has brought back. They are. So the Vision and stet profets have their tag title match took me thirty minutes to get towards get some actual wrestling on this show I needed it And then with the match was fine, Loganpaul distracted the referee with some decoy nucks. He then slid in the actual nucks behind the referee' back while he was distracted. But that all like in the keruffle of all of this Maxine Dupri gets in the ring and she hits the low blow and Austin theory wins the tag titles and he and Bron Breaker are the tag team champions again And then and then Maxine Dupri and Austin Theory have a big old smoochy kiss. A good old fashioned China lob blow goes a long way for Dan Layon. I gott to say, I really enjoy it Nonsense with the Nooks took far too long. Like there was a lot going to the point where I was like ref. R. It silly so long you can be distracted by Logan Paul the actual, I think the actual businessus part of it. rogression' what we're talking about yesk storyies moving move forward. It's actively active on telling they' about a snog. And she had wet look hair and she was wearing black leather. Oh yeah, you could tell she was a baddy now. She's a baddy now. She's wearing she's wearing leather skirt and she's got a black. she got a wet look hair. That's the more crucial part.. She is definitely a baddy now. And she was celebrating with them backstage and Hayman walks up and says, this is the first step. But it's only a first step. At least someone here is accomplishing something And Uterer' like Doy, it's me. And he says, no Max EVPage. I'm interested because I really thought last week was the finidality of Paul Hayman involved with these goobers. Like I truly thought that was it. And The fact that it's not Has me going like Right, Interesting. that's another thing that I mean where I's like, oh, you've done something storyline wise. Interesting. There wass this Wrestle Votes report last week. I'm paraphrasing it so slightly, but it was like they're not sure what to make of the vision or what to do with the vision as to whether to just break them up or to just add new members and keep it going and just constantly refresh the lineup for it. Like who last long the judggement dayay or the vision? Yeah like the judgment Day you know it's the triggers room of factions. The suugar babes are factions where it's like none of the originalmers are there but they're still the judgment And that's maybe what they have with the vision And I'm like, this is not a choice for me. It's like I would just get rid of these losers finish it because I'm now looking at Bron Breaker as the fourth most focused on aspect of this group. It's it's Austin theory, Maxine Dupri, Paul Heayman and and Bron Breaker and Bron Breaker is only the one half Lanul on list. Well, Bronom Breaker is only one half the Titiam Champions because Loganaul is hurt. If Loganaul wasn'turt, Bron Breaker would be fifth in this group. I'd argue he's still kind of miss In a way he sort of is And eight months ago we were like he's the next wavewayight champion He's going to be C Punk on theetf the Netflix episode of Raw, like the know one Yeah And eight months later, he is just a guy in a group full of losers and he's not the most focused on. a poor brom brereaker.' one that neutered, legs cut out, all momentum gone, all momentum stops. Yeah. Yeah, it does feel that way Yeah that tags us, but at the very least, the storyline is moving forward. so can't compare progression is ultimately ourress. It's what've been after and we're moving forward and Alpha Academy saw them leaving a car And there was a beautiful. There was a beautiful little crowd going like A and look, I stand the Ala Academy And this is where I wanted it to go from Mondays in the O two. This is So we're still we're still moving towards my dreams. We got to the den, Liv was hyping up Raquel Rodriguez, who says she's going to win the side of the mode, but I'm glad some of them had hyper up because the crowd weren't Jackie interviewed Pener about the icy Gauntlet match that's happening next week Eth And Resesef woke up and said, Well, Ray Mysteria won't be this match. Dragon Lee who's always there to defend Ray Mystery. Ifinnone' got bad word to say about Ray Mystery, Dragonly appears from behind. This is his nice best one. You know, Joe Henriry say his name he appears. say Ray's name Dragon Lee appears to be like who is the best name his friend Gable then walks up and pai suggests a tag match that night Sooul Rucker took took on Raquel Rodriguez and crrowd boredom in a fine little match. I actually thought this was good. It was it's just we talk about this last week. I don't know what it is about Raquel, but just C crowdst do not vibe with her matches, which I think is a real shame. I think what's interesting is that so elsewhere on the show, I was like, Oh yeah, that's what a crowd was interested sounds like. And the main event, especially they were like still because we talked about it and I was like it's interesting to sit there and even in R Pro, the crowd goes deathly silent sometimes because you're just sitting watching the wrestling. It's hard to stay sustained noise the whole way through. and actually when you hear it, you're like, o, it's there it is. That's what it sounds like It's just the sound carries around the crowd and certain pockets pick it up when you want to have a little rest or whatever I think a part of it happened for me during the tag team match just prior was that I'm realizing that these fans are conditioned for matches to follow a certain structure. So I'm going to save my energy for when Liv Morgan arrives. Absolute. Be then the interesting narrative stuff is going to happen and I'll react accordingly elsewhere. Two wrests that I think are really good Cole said on the commentary like she hasn't had a single title since the NXT Women's title and that was years ago. And that's true because we haven't as a result, we haven't seen loads from Rcover guys in terms of what she has to offer. She was always the girl with the back. Like I love this character. I think her swagger. I think her the way she's lent into being the bigger woman on the roster is brilliant For one reason or another because of the way crowds have been conditioned to watch matches and because of perhaps a lack of familiarity that they've been able to connect with the crowd There is no response to her or soul Except for when Soul takes the moment and does a big flashy move She's actually slightly in a better position because she's still quite new. Yeah. So she can get that stuff over. If she's not hampered every time she tries to do a soul snatcher. Plus, she can do a flip. She can do a flip, which and every time we do a flip Oh. You just went which is handy andfort Raquele hasn't got Oh, no, she's got her. She's got big power moves, but the big power moves don't get the showcase as much and they're not as big they're not as big. whooa, puppy. you want the slam to be the pop. Like o, that felt like it hurt. I'd like go in harder, M. Maybe that's what gets Rael going. I don't know what it is, but it's funny you that like it feels like we don't get a chance to really show it off. I feel like she wrestles every week it's a good point. If this e year ends and she has not had the most matches at WWE, I will be surprised So ye, this is now a huge amount of heat. and as you're right, the crowd are waiting for DNI, the distraction and interference Ruckan runs down, Liv runs down, Eo runs down, Bish basash Bos, Soul hits the Soul snatcher and wins. Yeah. standard stuff We've got the trailer for Unreal season three. The main stories of that is going to be seniors retirement Livves rumble win this basically one I'm seeing that in traral. The Livves rumble win Sh his injury, the real injury this time round. AJ Lee's return. Yeah absues to be the four big threads of the the series, right Yeah Um excited for it Yeah, I like my sloppy trash tellellies reality TV that I get to sit and watch I love that kind of stuff anyway. I love a It used to be very big on like ITV two And we don't really get that stuff anymore, so I like it when I get a sh at that. So I was D this podcast interview last night, which means my wife put the kids to bed. and then she was waiting for me to come downstairs and well have our little evening routine of watching Telly together So it just meant that she was just watching whatever she wanted, while I was finishing my Inam. And I came downstairs and she was watching on channel four a documentary about Taylor Swift's relationships.. Yeah, right? O channel four. On channel four. It had big channel five energy. Yeah, huge. Yeah. ye, I was gonna say that sounds like a five Yeah job. Most notably because it had talking heads with people you don't know And then no actual like purchased archive footage, but ripped from YouTube Yeah the best quality foage that hass just been Fair dealed. Yeah, beif They've put their request through the laords it' went through the channel for our system. And all fair deal that one. fair deal that one just ripp from YouTube. We're fair dealing it fair dealing it. Yeah. Look it's like a DVD extra Like I was watching well, so the football got delayed for an hour, so I had some time to kill. so I watched the NXC takeover fail for awayay because I'm going back through the takeovers. and there was an advert for the Monday Night War archive on. Basically, all they were doing was pushhing the network and I was like, Christ, you don't know what you got tillil let's gone. You truly don't know what you got to let' g.work. L one dayll Look at these as the good old days. Not these. theseese aren't the good old days, but in the past we were living through the good old days And I was like, oh God, I love this kind of show. I loveved breaking ground. I love I love archive footage shows Unreal is going really tickle me. I like it Heayman came out for a promo couldould have been an email.. You made this point last week and boy how did this segment prove it I don't think they've got enough to sustain five weeks worth of build for this overfemy Brocklesar programe But they could have if they did it slightly differently. He came out and he said Brock Lesn is the beast Brock Lesnar will conquer Ober Femi Brock Lesar will destroy O Bfemi and he will do it inside hell in a cell. And Ober Femi came out and he said I'll beat Brock Lesnar And I'll destroy Brock Klesner and I'll do it inside Helena'sell. Thankfully this crowd was super into overfem me, and it carried this segment through. Yeah, S again next week Well, Brock's here next week. yes, he is. Rw next week. Lovely pull up R all Pull up. Mbe aall from Grace for and then you know, leaves Brock laying. There's options are you next week? At least two. Yeah, O's over because I got up and I was having I was going to met myself in another the coffee and I was doing this Like it's fun to do. and it's like it It was another one where I was thinking of this idea of like how much money do you have in the bank? how much balance have you got for overfending before you startop being like Well you're a bit a nob actually, becausecause you didn' You know, you're pushing away this tle opportunity that you won and you could you could be a champ right now if you wanted. Like you could do it tomorrow Like and you know, whatever. but Yeah. I also it struck me again because we repeated the line about he doesn't watch the show. Well actually he clearly does watch the show And I was like, whyy don't you just say he lives in the mountains and doesn't talk to all the human beings? We know this about Rrock. So when I get a phone call from Paul Heyman That means I need to be paying attention. I need to be coming out of my Solitude, like whatever. There's ways to do it without being like Oh you watch the show, you're lame. like yeah. you know what I mean We we have just dropped the reciring thing, right U N been mentioned for a while. N not been mentioned in the past two weeks. Yeah. I feel like Iired superar Bro Lons. We have just B Yeah Yeah Weird thing that was. Real choices were made U then they showed so we had during the Soul Rker Rquaail match, they announced Cody Rhodes is no longer medically cleared. The segment they had prior to that was him being like I don't know, when need to go to do some more test, we need to evaluate him further, then you got the announcement. he's been taking part all Then Jackie telling Sammy Cody's out. And Samy's smiling being like Oh well great big loud see and punk chance. Pierce walks up there will be a title match tonight Then they showed video of El Grande Americano at the Mexico England match. Hilariously did not announce the result. I O only showed one of the Mexico goals And the thing that made me Laugher is a strong word because I didn't laugh out loud, but I found amusing. is I saw El Grande America. During the broadcast I text it to Kirn because there was a there was a guy in the crowd. Wearing an El Grande Americano mask and I was watching the football with my wife and I said, Oh look Oh no. So I sw him like Price this is Alan Sheera on on the BBC onene broadcast and over his shoulder is the feed from the fe forgive everybody and there was El Grande. So there was a moment before he was shown before them Yeah. and he was just shown in the crowd, like just as like reacting And I said to my wife, Oh look, there's someone in an El Grandeo Americano mask. I didn't know it was actuallyutual El Grande American The El Gnde Americana. I just thought it was a fan. Yeah wearing their mask to the And I said it I was like, that's cool. Yeah Isn't that. I mean it's still cool. fan's wearing a mask and he's wearing it to the football. Yeah, notot realizing it was actually It was him. actuallyctually the El Grande Americano. Still cool that he was there. Still cool that he was there. There was one of other thing on that screen that you wouldn't have seen if you just watched Run of No Wars, So just for full clarity there it is. There it is J It's coming home. What performance Well I think we might win now So yeah, I mean, I didn't think we might win against Congo way might win now. Yeah. I mean, you can do that in the Aacer. Germany high up there. with're Germany out Brazil out Portugal out, so big hit are go I mean Spain and France and Belgium is still in Norway. Fortunately, the path is always going to lead to France in the final. L and I don't think if we make it to the final, we're going to beat France in the final. But to say that, would say that I don't believe And we still believe We still believe you might say I believe that we will win You w went out, didn't yet. Did I do that on this podcast H have the American chance of giving the ach the American chance of giving you the I believe that we will win. No, they don't. Yeah, they do. That's what they say. They also say think we support the US, the US, US because that's the way we like it, we like it. We love it. And then they turn Vindelu into barbecue Oh that that's know because then because it goes Bindalu, we're gonna to score one more than you because it's silly and self deprecating and whatever and lame. And we know it is. America T into we're going to score three more than you. Do doesn't matter of course, because they're out of the tournament You could I if they'd have scored three more goals at the Belgiian game, they might have tied it. You never know. Yeah, I don't know what it is. Like, you know, I really want to like a But I love America from about twenty years ago. America was m it really hard sometimes. You know 's a wonderful country full of beautiful vistas and incredible A country. Incredible entertainment. Yeah, culture. really good is incredible.ome great food. Boy Americans make it really hard to like that. Yeah, why? 'causeuse they know And I'd like to tell you about it. I mean, in fairness, I think there are a lot of Brits that make it hard to like this country. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. We might be two of them, Luke. have to We have to acknowledge that Anyway, we then got Chad Gable and Dragon Lee taken on Rus seven, Ethan Page. They had a very standard tag match that the heels weren't tapping out Dragon Lee because of course they did. and then they were they wouldn't like let go of the hold afterwards. So Chad Gable made the save. So they beat up Chad Gable, Joe Henry ran down to make the save, but the numbers game, Henry got taken out and officials had to break it up And I was like, oh yeah, Javonne Evans is also into that match He's just not been on TV for. Now he's been away for a while Well, they said this was part of the restructured deals is you're at work half the time now, so you would pay you half as much as we were. right So how was that? I haven't That was the rationale behind why we're offering these you're doing less dates and Part of doing less dates is that you're just off TV for a month. And there's, you know, certainly an argument to you that C miss if you don't go away I also think there is something about momentum. Yeah. and making like I felt like Svon could have had a lot of momentum from his call up to the main ros. Yeah And taking him off TV for a month is not going to help that moment. No. And now I'm looking at him being like, well, I don't think you're winning this gauntlet next week There are, you know, three other guys I think would I'd rather see and it's not even that I don't think hes win the three guys I'd rather see Yeah win. because they feel like they've got something some story interestnteresting stuff. And some interest about Wh Jon's like, you can just go in, be bountcy and then he'll get eliminated. Yeah That's not lot of great momentum. now. Jack he tried to interview Jimmy Yo backstage and he said, I'm heading to SmackDown because what is a brand splitits? Take care of Sotosuko. and Iike tried to walk up behind him but then Jacob Fasku was like noope. bodied him into the wall Yeah. I thought that was awesome. Yeah. And Bay cut a video promo on Lyra, saying she wants a face to face with her next week. Aldus walks up to Pierce and said a fana replacement, He's in the building Judgment Day Cuttero's not standing just outside the building, getting changed around the corner from the big entrance. And then Judgment dayay Cutter promo on Dan, which can I just take a moment on? Please because like I've got a lot of time Danhausen. I li like Danhausen. It's one of myavorite parts of the show. Like I was watching SmackDown and his errant nonsense with the Miz who when I was at Smackdown, like live and in person and was walking around like the electrified zombie with a Frankenstein streeak in his head bouncing off the ring steps because he couldn't figure out to get r them I did kept saying to myself two time WWE champion. It's like, what? are that's wild Yeah And I like downhousing a lot. so we like And I like it because it's ludicrous. Like I'm not saying here're going this is cinema. the way like Emmy Aardin at Jay U so was for me back in twenty twenty three I'm watching a bit of ludicrous television, which is a nice addition to my weekly show or whatever So when I get a very earnest and serious promo from the Judgment Day, not long after Bailey's cght a very similar one where she's standing in a especially lit room to be like like genuinely getting emotional because you betrayed my trust and I had a really hard year and you were there for me and you betrayed me. Like, what are we going to do? And then youve got the judgment Day being like, we're gonna teach you a lesson Dan Hausen. And then it cuts to a guy in makeup doing experiments on the miz. I was laughing through the whole thing ludicrous. Uncursse JD. Yeah, so good. Such stupid, stupid stuff I think I's dimention about Samus actually J just reminded me of it then U the idea of doing it all. Yeah and because you said Mizz is a two time champion. I was like yeah, he's one of those grand slam, type multle gndam, double time grand slam. Double time grand slam. But is not one of royal rumble and not one King of the ring But' like Samus is the only guy. if he won the IC title all, He would have done literally everything. The first wrestler in WWE history to have done everything Do That is a shame in. World Champion, IC US tag team, King of the ring, Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank. And before anyone says, what a bad edge He was a WCW United States Champion And he wrote the book on two thousand one, which you can get hold of is it kickst still going? No, it's finished. Thankk you very. can at some point. You will next year be somemer next year, the book will be available for all. but technically that one doesn't count. In the name of a hundred percenting, that is quite annoying actually, Sorry Samus. And then the main event was Sammy Zanne versus CM Punkks whichich we basically discussed, I thought it was a really good match. Yeah, reallyally, really good. I thought that that second GTS into the Blue Thunderbomb was great O man punk, you know, you mentioned earlier like Sammy getting into his face and that old manan punk firing back. I thought it was really good. It was a little Hogan moment, did you see it? Yeah yeah. And he fired back with the Halluva kick and hit a GTS of his own to get the win. Cole called it the summer of punk two. Actually it's the third summer of punk. M it like the fourth or something at this point? Like Did he have one in AW I not really Okay. Yeah. I don't think we can ever really call that a summer of punk.. Like I would say this is our third. because we definitely had one like last summer or the summer before, Like because he won the bet at Smmerers slam from Oh yeah. But then he lost it immediately to Sus Rollins. That's definitely not sumer of punk But this is, he was like it' sumer punk too and And'm like, don't forget ring ofd one. I'm looking forward to the winter punk. That'll be really good. No, I'm joking. That's a way for him to out Winter is his punk I actually going to attract everything I just said Overall, I would say because of all of the CM punk stuff and the Samy Zane and Codody Rod stuff, I think this is a thumbs up episode. I thought all of that stuff was pitched brilliantly. I thought all that stuff was booked really well it was creatively really interesting and I thought they told a good story throughout the episode The rest of it is fine. L soul defending style, fine. The vision, I'm not asked. Yeah. I understand that you've got an maccine thing, but you doesn't have m much otherwise I'd be wearing a maccine. Not asked about it whatsoever. Not asked about the judgment D. I'm not asked about thec actually at the Inc Championship pictureures all right, but like this match was just fine And the overafemi pull thing could have been an email. and that set while this promo was rubbish But overall, I did come out this epod to be in my good episode. I fear I've done that thing where I find one metaphor and that sustains me for an entire episode. But if you look at this as a balance, like a bank balance The punk tile picture stuff was so interesting. they allowed it. so I felt when the stuff that I was less interested in was happening I'll just go and make another coffee then during this part and it's not going to spoil my enjoyment. Where elsewhere If they don't have that much And that stuff was happening, I'd probably have been like with it. Yeah, Do know what I mean? So Well done, I liked this episode of television. Me too Let's get into your Patreon feedback patreon. com for slash Wrestleour you can get involved over there. And James here says Punk became everything he complained about fifteen years ago. Dude leaves for months and just windsle while title again. Meanwhile guys have been busting their asses for months to get cooled off and told You're not there you're not ready yet If he hadn't Yeah Oh even are punk hypocrite punk is. Well, but also U I advocate for an off season. and actually the fact that Punk was away for a while, I think was a good thing. Me too Evan, SM punk winning the title is so boring. It's the latiness of Tripleation and the fact that he just doesn't care about storytelling. Samy Change should have held the belt at least until the fall. This is why Seamus is better off anywhere else Things as I said, I think Jamis is gonna go a big AW. People's vibe on this show was all off. Interesting. I don't think Sames are going to go on a big tear either, but I would like to see Sames in the continontinental cllassic I like his oh it might be fun to have a little moment with Claudia Aziz, Great RW. I actually really liked how they did long term storytelling with the RAM episode where Punk said You never know where an opportunity for retit shop might be given and for that for him to fulfill that with his return tonight. Yes, Samuy was, but we can now finally see him transition from wannabe good guy to a full on delusional heel. So I'd slightly amend that to be like going from the transition to wannabe goodood guy Yeah I st under my eler Jamal. Hey, I actually didn't hate this roar. I mean, I've got some issues like the street prorofets and Samuane getting handed me down title reigns and tririple Hs booking being somehow boring, predictable and safe all at once, but honestly, a lot of it shaped out to be pretty intriguing. Summerim feels like a WrestleMania card Yeah, it's interesting. because I'm interested. You've made me sit forward Peter Sidorn. Well at least I we didn't drop the belts to Cody made me laugh. Which I yeah because I would I even I would have been Cross by that U Mike Ellie Knight starts the show complaining that a babyface get a title shot by not winning matches, but for nostalgia. The show ends with a babyface getting a title shot not by winning matches but for nostalgia. Sw Rcker cunning at a strong tle defendense Judish shenanigans It's N notot of an incorrect point but also conflict Andy, even though Punk Cody is fresh and may be a punk heel turn, it doesn't feel fresh. fourour fifths of the two main events from Mania forty one are the main events of Sumers Slam fifteen months later That I think is actually that's the bigger thing for me So the two main event people The two main events of last year's WrestleMania were Cod and Cena Rigns and Rollins. Yeah. And you fifteen months later at Sumerslam, your two main events are Punkin Cody and Rollins and Rigns Okay but we ha' seen pkin Cod No, no, but the point is more like the people is the main of stars are main of stars elevating anyone I think fifteen months is too short of a time. I mean, I agree but we're also having a Marquet match with Ofeming and a Hellen a cll match. Caveat, caveat, caveat. Yeah I see the point, but I also think fifteen months is not I dt I dude because like it's not like WrestleMania forty one was the first time that they were the main events of wrestle like like it's not the first time that Cody was a the main events of WrestleMania or Roman Reigns was the main event wrestleing. Yeah yeah, that's that's a fair assessment, I think, Yeah. Or even just top guys was like, you know, the whole story of Punky is it was his first Wrestlemaning main event, but but are they supposed to not top gu if these if if if, you know, if it might be charitable to include Seth, but if all four of these guys are the biggest money spinnders and any biggest top stars. Shouldn't you be putting them in the main event? This is my point I made earlier is and actually the point that Olli was makes W will always go with the safe safe option. Yeahah. And sae option. that's what I was saying to Wez, like earlier when I', you know, not trying to poor scorn and pour and water under his excitement fire us having win the title next year, but They will always play it safe and safe as Cody, safe as punk, safe as Roman. But that's where you're right you have to build someone new in order to otherwise that's true. So it's Cody versus someone newew. Yeah. It's Roman versus someone newew. If it was Roman and Ober, we would not be having this That's a very good point. That's a very good. Yeah, Yeah, fair enough ye. I signed up purely to make this point. The writing on this is so illogical. S. We came in as a group, but we were told Roman is the guy and he will main event WrestleMania set When I broke up the shield, when I cashed in Armania, it was to cash up with Rome The people who told you Roman was the guy are the same people who told you to break up the shield and cash in You can't tell us it's scripted and all the while tell us that it's real Welcome to Wrestling, Bother. It's the weird world King Wicked Lee I'm a CM punk fan. I was right there crying with Ollli when he came back at AEW. I shed tears when he finally maine evented Mania. I'm biased about Roman versus punk being my favorite match of all time. I want to see Cody versus punk But I was disappointed in the booking tonight H WWE hard WWE it makes you want to not to cheer your hero winning a wild title in his hometown. Bitter taste Oh I could spin as off into another full two hours, but like Oh yes Sammy's ain is currently a heel, right I don't know, or is he? Well he is a heel. He played the babyfish role because they were in Saudi Arabia, but he's one hundred percent of the heel in this story, Which is why I was saying, I think the best story to tell now is the baby Yeah because Another sour point, I would say. to Sammy finally winning the World Title for the first time is he did it as a whiny heel playing babyface because he was in Saudi Arabia when what you want is that Catholic moment of seeing him finally win the big one as that baby face as, you know, that that Samyan of old So maybe this is a way to kind of just, you know, get that moment twice. where you you get that pop twice because you can win the worldld title again at WrestleMania next year Yeah I still exist in Rerve in myudment until it till it is I think uil I read the next part of a two part story. If I don't get the next part, George R R Martin And then I'll be grumpy. And lastly, Graff. Need this after the heartbreak on Saturday against England. It m no sense at all, but at least it distracted me for a bit. It's g It's My kid loves that song. Yeah, it's great It's a banger. Yeah. It's really And people are also really wrong about it Because people think that it's arrogant. People think that us saying it's coming home is because we're arrogant and we believe that we have a God given right to be world Champions of football. but You love you listen Well, exactly. first of all, they haven't. Second of all, it's coming home is because It was originally writtenuring the ninety six Eururos where we were holding the tournament. Football was coming back. We were hosting it, we were going to be celebrating Europe and things like that. Also the song is about how we're The song is actually a lovely song about hope in the face of everything. Yeah. about still being able to find a little bit of green and the rubble. Everyone seems to know the school. Yeah. They've seen it They just know They're so sure. And it I thought you were going to bisten it the whole song where I was like England away It's sort of the wonderful thing of in know and I do miss a little bit about the Southgate Premiership of he's never ship I think that he did a stewardship. I think he did a really good job of restoring Yeah restoring the feeling to use a wrestling pal answer about it of genuine there was like everyone in this country was so down on the England team. But it does' it. And when we started doing, it's coming home again, there was an element of like, L, we know it's not so we're being ironic. And then we started to believe. Yeah And it's like thiss the start of the song. we still believe. actually this is the ninet That's ninety eight one, ye whichich you thinks is the better time I actually also think it's the better But that's purely because I was ninety eight and it was the first time I ye I was on that train, but then I listened to the ninety sixth one. I think the ninety sixth one's w. No, it is. it is. And I think but that might also be because I think the summer of nineteen ninety six is probably one greatreat suers of the pant history of time. Really fully present. Whereas like my first memory of watching an international tournament is ninety eight. Oh ye Euro night six was my that was my tournament. My brother was talking about this the other day, like like Italian ninety four was like, nope, u No not was a Wor Cup night for. It was a US night for, Italian ninety was the one that he was like that was his. And And he had like a little car with the logo on it stuff. But was the point I was going to make then before it escaped my mind. We were talking about's coming home. Oh, yeah, I'd say the summer of I was thinking about this yesterday. The summer of Lin se ninetenty six, I think is like a perfect summer that I would like to relive or the summer of two thousand two That would be my two years I would pick. Interesting Yeah. I'd go with two thousand six That a really good one What was you thousand six Uh, it was like just add to GCS' star Aay levels And culture was great. We had like Amy Weinehouse and stuff. Yeah so young. I know, I know. Basically finishhing university. Anyway, that's all gonna for this show. We' a little sidebar there. Look this is what you wanted, all right Let us know in the comments if this is what you're actually here for. I can't wait for the comments to just hate on us because we talked about how good England now at the moment. Well it's unfortunate that we just are. know, Jealousy is ugly. You know, Yeah. Jealousy is an ugly color in comments. Yeah, it really is. Evy. Green doesn't look good on you guys. No, no. And you know that's the four one one Thank you so much you've never be those you' ever drawn with those in World Cubics' got further. anyyway. anyway, than you so much for watching. We'll be back on Thursday with the AEW Dynamo Review where