This is WWW Superstar Drew McIntyre, and you're listening to the WWE podcast god
Show, the one that everybody wants me Godot three sixteen says, just clifts
your ass is more. You're gonna like now a tree. Okay, everybody,
it is time for your Summer Slam, your official twenty twenty three Summer
Slam preview and predictions show. I have Anthony Marco with me, who currently
is co hosting with me but normally is on the currency a w E every
single month to night, but we transferred the night to tonight so you guys
could get a dose of us and be able to hear what our thoughts are,
previews, predictions, possible returns, all that kind of good stuff that's
swirling around the news wire. But and they welcome to the show, and
are you excited for this pay per view? You know what, I've just
been conditioned now to be excited for pay per views even when the build doesn't
warrant it, because, as we've talked about multiple times, under the Triple
H regime, every single pay per view, even with bad builds, has
delivered like the weakest pay per view. I guess you could say under the
Triple H regime was the Extreme Rules pay per view, which was what just
three months into his run as chief content officer, where you had no World
title match. I think the main event of that was the pit fight between
Riddle and Rawlins, and then you obviously had the subsequent return of Bray Wyatt,
but even that was a solid, solid pay per view. I think
they opened up the card with the six man street fight between the brawling Boots
and Imperium. So even the lower end of pay per views have been really
good the last twelve or thirteen months under Triple H, and with SummerSlam being
one percent one of the top pay per views of the calendar year for WWE
and the biggest pay per view since WrestleMania, depending whether or not you count
Grown Jewel or any Saudi Arabia event. I am excited because I think WWE
is going to pull out all the stops. It's a good way of looking
at it, and because so how many times have you and I and others
come out of pay per views going wow, that was so much better than
the build. It's just like you said, we've been conditioned at this point.
It kind of is a self hype machine, because while some of the
programs aren't great, and the go home shows, I think we've kind of
got I mean, I just need to just say this. The Go Home
shows for a long time, not just in the Triple H regime, but
even prior to that, have never really been the go home shows that we
used to get, you know, five, ten, fifteen years ago,
where it'd be a boiling point. Things just kind of lollygag into the event
and things don't feel like they're at a boiling point anymore. Usually for the
Go Home Shows, two events, but after the event we are always left
going wow. And that's a credit to the talent. I mean, that's
just that's not a credit to creative. Yeah, well I shouldn't say that,
because creative does obviously come up with the outcomes. But the story in
the journey to get there is done one hundred percent by the talent. So
that's a credit to the talent showing what they can do in the ring.
And even when a storyline going in is crappy or really people feel indifferent about
it, they come out going that was so much better than I expected.
Now, the one challenge that I would imagine that this plle is going to
have that the last three didn't since WrestleMania, is that it's not in front
of an international crowd. I mean we're back in the United States. The
bar is now lower with the crowd reactions, so it's while the crowd reaction
will still be from a United States I guess perspective anyway, will be a
little higher the typical plee reaction we've gotten from May and May, June and
July and the pls, it's going to be a lot lower. I mean,
we had Saudi Arabia, we had we had the UK, we had
London, right, we had a Dominican Republic, we have more Puerto Rico.
So these are going to be fans that are lowed. But do you
think it's going to take away from the show as we've been conditioned the last
three months to hear these just unbelievable crowds. Do you think coming away that
we may feel a little bit down on the crowd just based on how how
much insanity we've heard the last three months. I don't think so, because
at least with this event, and I guess you could say that about Saudi
Arabia and in London where they were in stadiums as well. Typically when it's
a stadium show, just the sheer quantity of people will usually make it feel
very, very significant, Like it's not like they're doing a pay per view
in an arena. And now that I think about it, when was the
last arena pay per view that they had in the United States? Was it
Survivor Series? Which Survivor sites held in a stadium? We're in arena.
I think it was an arena, so I would imagine it was Survivor Series,
the last area in a pay per view they had in the US.
Yeah, it doesn't happen often, so you're right, the shoot the volume
should make up for it. But also if it's a stadium, a lot
of the noise can escape through the roof that doesn't exist. I don't know
if Fordfield has a retractable roof. I don't think it does. But anyway,
like, let's just dive into the card because we got eight matches to
go through here. Obviously, guys, we're going to talk about possible returns.
We know all the names that are floating out there, will get to
those as we roll through here. But starting with starting with the Battle Royal,
this slim Jim SummerSlam Battle Royal. It's a twenty man Battle Royal.
It doesn't seem and again, guys, we have not seen SmackDown that we're
recording this on a Thursday, so if something changes on Friday, we don't
know about it. But doesn't look like anything's actually on the line. It
just seems kind of one of those Battle Royals, the catch alls for people
that don't have anything really going on. That that's what these these men are
going to be doing right now. The only confirmed participants are Chad Gable,
Otis Shinsky, Champa Shamus, and La Night. So this one, as
as La Knight has been dealing with the last few pay per views where he's
the heavy favorite, he has not come out on top in the heavy favorites,
this one, I'm gonna say he has to come out on top.
I understand I said that the last time, but this one he really does.
Because if if he doesn't, I mean, if he can't win a
Battle Royal, the kind of a throwaway match that honestly may actually be put
on the pre show, I mean, then I don't know what we're doing
here. We have reached that point. We are now as you and I
have talked. I think we are now at that point. We're not approaching
it anymore. We are at the point where WWE can no longer do the
pushing him by not looking like we're pushing him strategy and routine. We are
now here, and I think this will propel La Night, at least in
a baby step to the next thing where he could say I won the battle
Royal, I want this, or that he has some kind of significant victory
under his belt. So what do you think? Yeah, I think so.
I think you're at the point where you have to throw the fans a
bone, and it doesn't have to be a massive bone. And I think
you and I have kind of been in lockstep with that that you don't have
to make them world champion tomorrow or WWE champion tomorrow, but you have to
put them on some meaningful path. And you know, just me personally,
I think that just the fact that they haven't given La Night a meaningful feud
or a meaningful program since the bray Wide stuff back in the winter that wasn't
even to you know, benefit or elevate l A Night. That was to
elevate bray Wide. And it's crazy how you know six seven months later,
how the two different paths each of those two guys to have taken and La
Knight has just kind of been fly by night, no pun intended and just
kind of like you know, in this match, losing important matches, winning
meaningless matches. And I think that it doesn't even necessarily have to be a
title, It just has to be a path And the Battle Row would be
a good start. But what they do after that with that catapultation of them
out even if that's the word, but I made it one, But I
think giving him that catapult off of a not a big win, but a
more of a significant win at a big time pay per view. I know
that Battle Royals don't mean anything typically, but like I don't know if WW
could attach something to Battle Royals, like it guarantees you a non world title
opportunity, like you can challenge for the tag title or won the mid card
titles, just something like that to give their like something of significance on the
line. But it's better than nothing, right, And I heard you mentioned
that, like would you have rathered him challenge for the US title on SmackDown
or in the Battle Royal on SummerSlam? And it's a valley question. For
me. I would have probably rathered the US title just because I think he's
in need of a meaningful feud and he really hasn't had a clear cut direction
since bray Wyatt. But if he wins the Battle Row, which he should,
that's my prediction. I think he's going to win the Battle Royal,
just because I don't think that they could stand or afford to make him lose
again, because as you mentioned, they are at that point. But it
would be a good stepping stone for him and something they could they could kind
of use to have him bounce off into something more significant. This, yes,
this is the starting point for Elia Knight. I can't think of a
more just, foundational victory than this. This is not a staple victory.
It's not one that we're going to remember, per se. There's nothing on
the line other than pride and that's it. But if if Eli Knight doesn't
win this, I don't I don't know what they're doing. I really don't.
To me, if he doesn't win this, they're trying to get too
cute. I think that they're trying to stretch this strategy of him getting over
without trying to get him over is going to run out of steam. And
this, to me, is it not that things are going to crash and
burn, but I think you will. You've we've reached that crossroads. And
if they don't do it, I think fans are going to get angry,
disinterested and maybe turn cold on this. And I don't want that to happen.
Nobody wants that to happen. So this is the starting point, the
starting blocks for La Night to get to that next level. You said us
title perfect. I thought that he should have been there. You thought he
should have been there to begin with. But perhaps this is the one that
gets him to say, you know, talk to Adam Pearce on the following
Friday and say, hey, I want the Battle Royal. You know,
I should be getting something out of this. There's a way to do it.
And this is the starting point for La Night. There's just no other
person that needs it. Shamus doesn't need it, Champ it doesn't need it
Nowkamer doesn't need a Otis Gable, whoever the hell else? The other sixteen
people are fifteen people are don't need it. There is no one else here
that needs it other than La Nights. So all right, I'm gonna mention
the next match and then toss it to you, Ronda Rousi, Shana Baesler,
MMA rules match go ahead. Not really sure what they mean by MMA
rules. I guess they're going to try and mimic what they did with Kane
Velaska's and Brock in twenty nineteen. I mean, look, I think they're
both good workers. Obviously, these two know each other. I think that
they've done a good job building it, which is a far cry from what
I would have said a few weeks ago. I think they did a hell
of a job with those video packages. Both of them have legitimacy behind their
names as real life badasses in pro in amateur wrestling, and in mixed martial
arts. I'm gonna say it's Shana Basler. You know, there's a lot
of rumors floating around about what the future holds for Ronda Rousy and whether or
not this is her swan song in professional wrestling. So I'm saying Shane Basler,
and I'm actually looking forward to it because of the bill that they've had,
Not sure how the result is going to be, because of the complexity
of having an MMA rules match in WWE. Obviously, now that they're owned
by the same company UFCNWWE, that is, it probably will allow them some
more I guess intel from the MMA side of endeavor. But I really am
looking forward to this surprising enough, and I think Shana Bilisler is going to
come out on top. I'm with you on that. Now. If this
is a multi month program, I might lean Rowsy. But the problem is
that this does seem to be, at least for the time being, Ronda
Rousey's you know, final match for the foreseeable future. That's the reports coming
out. Of course, those are just you know, what we're hearing from
the major sites, and it could be that Ronda Rowsy is going to return
towards WrestleMania forty. I don't know how she, you know, as you
get towards SummerSlam, you're already kind of peeking down the road a little bit
to WrestleMania forty. I don't know how she, you know, wouldn't want
to be a part of that and finally get to Becky Ronda one on one.
For God's sake, she need they need to have that before she goes
away. But I mean that's just my own personal preference. So this match
um, yeah, I don't know what they mean either. I was thinking
they were gonna do a fight pit match like they did with Rollins and Riddle
last late last year. I was thinking that's where they were going. But
yeah, this MMA rules match. I don't like when they try to bring
in, you know, a sport in which you're actually trying to hurt your
opponent into a sport where you're trying to work with your opponent. It's it's
oil and vinegar or oil and water rather as I say it, I just
this could be disastrous. I continue to say that. I hope it's not.
I'm not rooting for it to be a disaster. But when you're actually
trying to make the gimmick of the match the opposite purpose of a professional wrestling
match, and try to make it look like they're hurting each other when they're
really not and you can see they're pulling punches, but then calling it MMA,
it has the potential to be disastrous. I mean, of course,
I'm thinking of Cane Valaska as a brock Lesner. That was just an absolute
abomination. It was bad. It was embarrassing Cane Valaska as I mean,
it looked like my you know five year old son could have kicked his ass.
I mean, he just didn't look good, even though I mean he's
legit badass, we know that. But the visual wasn't good that he was
taking down Brock and it just wasn't my favorite. So I am worried about
the quality of this match from just a logistical standpoint of how are you gonna
it would be like them putting in pro wrestling rules in a UFC fight and
trying to do like it's just is. It's two things I understand, endeavor,
it's all under the same umbrella, but it doesn't mean you need to
mix them. It's a dangerous. It's a dangerous thing to do. Maybe
they'll pull it off. But are you worried about that at all? Oh?
Yeah, one hundred percent. With the execution, this is a weird
thing, kind of like the reverse under the Triple H era where I'm more
worried about the execution than I am about the build. And I think that
the build has been good. I think the legitimacy behind both of these women
is making me look forward to this match and maybe give it the benefit of
the doubt in the meantime. But no, honestly, we saw what we
saw from Kane velaska As and Brock back in twenty nineteen, and both of
those guys are real life badasses. And Brock is an incredible worker, arguably
the most underrated worker in the history of professional wrestling and underrated, not best
underrated. And I think that their execution and their results was, you know,
satisfactory at very best. And I am worried about that with Ronda and
Shana, But like I said, I think with the build that they've got,
me given them the best for the doubt in the interim, I think,
what's gonna happen if I'm if I'm gonna be realistic here when they say
MMA rules, what that really means I would imagine is they're gonna do rounds,
right, They'll probably do like, you know, however, whatever the
round three minute rounds or whatever they are in UFC, and there's just gonna
be a lot more punching and kicking and striking like that. That's probably like
takedowns and and mound like pounding what are they what are they call it?
Ground and pound like, there's probably gonna just be more punches and kicks that
are all just pulled punches and kicks, and again, this is no different
really than a pro wrestling match. You're just using punches and kicks more than
you would actual souplexes and you know, ankle locks and that kind of thing.
So there's I don't know if there's really going to be any difference here
other than just oh, okay, they're gonna do rounds and that's it.
Like, they didn't say it's going to be in an octagon, they just
said MMA rules. It's a very vague term to use, so that's probably
in my mind what it's going to look like. Is that, Sony,
any other thoughts before we get to the ICY title. No, I think
that's pretty much. We kind of gave it a good coverage going into it,
and now we've just got to hope that the execution is as good as
the bill. That's the only thing that we could really do. Agreed,
And I'm also going SHANEA. By the way, I didn't make my pick.
Shane is also my pick. Okay, Intercontinental Championship Gunther versus Drew McIntyre
for the IC title. I'm not gonna get my pick other than to say
this is the first real true threat to Gunther's run as Intercontinental Champion with Drew
here. Tough pick, but I'll let you choose. You know, this
is probably the toughest time I had with my predictions, because, as you
said, Drew McIntyre is a legitimate threat to Gunther, and I don't know
if he's had a legitimate threat before maybe Shamus and Drew back at WrestleMania,
but even at that it never really felt like his run was in jeopardy.
Riddled In threatened it or the likes of we're going back a bit now,
but Ricochet didn't threatened it, Shamus didn't threatened it. But Drew, you
know, he's still looking for that big win, that big win that was
taken away from him because of COVID three and a half years ago at Wrestling
at thirty six. And it isn't a world title, but they have done
a hell of a job building up the Intercontinental Championship, and Drew's a history
with that title during his first run with the company, and I really do
think that he would be an amazing Intercontinental champion. But in this instance,
I'm going with Gunther just because I think he's in within striking distance of the
honky tonk Man for the longest running Intercontinental champion of all time. I don't
know how far away he is. I feel like we went over this and
it's sometime during the fall, maybe in October. So I'm picking Gunther.
That being said, and this is kind of like an asterisk beside it,
I do think Drew McIntyre will will eventually be the guy to dethrone him as
their conne champion. I think this is a program you could probably string across
three or even four pay per views, So I think Gunther gets this victory,
but I do think eventually Drew is the one to strip of that IC
title when Gunther does eventually pass Honckey tong Man, I'm gonna go Gunther two.
And I could see w W E getting tempted by Drew. He've just
returned, He's hot, he feels a little I mean, he doesn't feel
a little fresh. He feels much more fresh than he did prior to his
exit from his injury and getting healed up. So I'm gonna stick with Gunther
as I look at the actual number of days, and this is the only
reason that I'm choosing Gunther, and not only not the only reason because there's
also rumors of a Gunther brock Lessner match at WrestleMania forty. That seems to
be what they're eyeing. And if that's the case, you you know,
you want to kind of start to make Gunther look unbeatable, and you know
that that's another another reason why. But right now, okay, this is
as of July twenty eighth, so we'll have to add a few days to
this, but as of July twenty eighth, we had Gunther at four hundred
and fourteen days. Now that means that the Honky Tonk Man is at this
point thirty five days ahead of Gunther at four hundred and fifty three days,
So really he only has to get to the next pay per view I think
pretty close to that. So we're getting very close now to the point where
all they have to do is keep the belt on gun Through for another month
and then we could claim he is the longest running intercondinal champion of all time.
They probably are going to choose that path. Instead of Drew winning,
we'll have Gunther. I mean, I'm sure Giovanni Vinci or Ludwig Keiser are
going to get involved cost gun Through the match. Or cost Drew the match.
I just think, for the biggest reason being, there's this close to
having Gunther being able the claim that he's the longest running Intercontinental champion. It's
too tempting, and honestly, it's a hell of an accolade, hell of
an accolade to be able to say that now that four hundred and fifty three
days seems puny in comparison to Roman Reigns, who was overshadowing every record that
everyone is is compiling right now. But still, I think that would be
a really great thing to put on Gunther's resume for his entire career, that
he's the longest running ic champion of all time. Yeah, And like,
I don't know if you feel the same way, but could you see Drew
dethroning him as Intercontinental champion after he surpassed his Honckey talk man? Yeah,
dude, Drew's an excellent candidate. I could also see if Biggie eventually returns
here, and I think if there were going to be a return from Biggie
at some point that he would fit nicely into the intercontinental title picture. Obviously
he's been WWE champion before, but you know, if they if they don't
go Withdrew, I could see if Biggie comes back then next month or two
he could be the one to take it from Gunther as well. So yeah,
either Drew or Biggie, Yeah, I think so, but it really
depends with Biggie. But I do feel like they owe Drew a big victory
because for some reason, like well, obviously we know the reason as to
why he probably hasn't gotten that victory since, but I don't think he's held
a singles championship since losing the w w E Championship in early twenty twenty one.
So eventually I want Drew to get that, but get that victory,
but just SummerSlam isn't the right fit. But I do think that this is
a program you could string across several pay per views. Absolutely, and Drew
does deserve that victory. He his timing constantly gets to him. He has
the worst possible timing and not of his own, you know, his own
fault, but being able to get that victory in front of fans, which
he has yet to get. Yeah, So all right, so we both
are still in the same boat here as we look at the intercounital Championships.
So right now we are. We've picked the same people for the Battle Royal,
the MMA Rules match, and the Icy title. Let's see if that
continues here with Ricochet and Logan Paul. Go ahead, it's Logan Paul.
This one's very easy for me. Like, I love what Ricochet has done
here. I think you've mentioned it. He's been built up more in two
or three weeks than he has in two or three years prior. But Logan
Paul hasn't won a match since Summer Slim of last year. I believe against
them is and since then he's had how many singles matches? I want to
say two against Roman and Seth rightfully lost both of those. But Logan Paul,
as bad as it is to say, is the bigger star here,
has more tread left on the tire, has a higher ceiling. You know,
you can go down and down the list. I really like what Ricochet
has done here. I think the match is going to be phenomenal, But
it's a slam dunk. It's gonna be Logan Paul. It should be Logan
Paul. It has to be Logan Paul. Yeah, no, I'm still
I'm with your pick. I'm going to also choose Logan Paul to win,
but as not as confidently. And the reason I say that is a couple
of reasons. Number One, Logan Paul got the best of Ricochet going into
the pay per view. Now that is certainly not a hard and fast rule,
but I'd say the majority, not the overwhelming, but the majority of
the time the person getting the advantage going into the event doesn't win. Certainly
not a rule of thumb, but it's you know, it's prominent. So
there's that. Also, Ricochet has gotten more support and caught more fire over
the last two weeks in the last two years, so perhaps they're thinking they
have something here with him. And Ricochet is you know, he's not an
old man either. I mean he's he's still he's certainly not as young as
Logan Paul. But he's got a lot more mileage on his body, yes,
but he still can perform at the highest of levels. He doesn't show
any signs of wear and tear. So I'm still going with Logan Paul.
I agree, but I could see them being tempted by Ricochet. And there's
gonna be a lot of holy s chance for this one. A lot of
this is awesome, chance a lot, maybe a fight forever chance. This
could be that. And honestly, I'm more not even concerned about the quality.
We know what the quality is going to be. I'm concerned about the
actual health and safety of these men, like because they know what level they've
taken this too for expectations. We've seen what they can do, and seeing
Logan Paul nearly break his neck the last time they met, was that was
a scary I mean, yeah, sure, I don't like Logan Paul in
a personal level either. I don't. I don't, you know, there's
a lot I don't like about him, but I think he's a great heal
and I have no problem with him being in this in WW. But that
all aside. I mean, there are two human beings, and I'm genuinely
concerned that they're gonna take risks that they don't need to take just to raise
the bar to that next level and give something the crowd will never forget.
Like, if that's the mentality, I'm genuinely gonna be worried about, like
just the health and safety of these two men. Do you think that that's
a concern or do you think that that is not something you're gonna be looking
at, going, yeah, they'll be fine, Honestly. I mean with
Ricochet, I've seen enough to just assume that he's gonna be okay. And
after that spot that they both took and money in the bank, I think
Logan Paul has earned that bev hitted out too. Like he may be the
most natural gifted at and naturally gifted athlete I say, I mean steps seamlessly
into wrestling. Ever, it's absolutely insane how athletic that guy is and how
much of a natural he is. So honestly, I'm gonna give them both
the benefited doubt. I'm not worried for either of their health. Well,
I am worried for their health, but I'm not worried that they're going to
mess up and hurt themselves, if that makes sense. I just think that
you can make the argument argument that they are the two most natural athletes in
WWB right now. That's crazy to say when you have the likes of seth
rawlins and ag styles and so on and so forth. Agreed, Yeah,
no, and they are professionals. They you know, ww wouldn't be putting
them together. They actually feared for the health and safety of both of these
men. But inherently, I don't care how good you are. Inherently they
are going to be performing at a higher risk and the wrestler than the rest
of the card because of the moves they're doing. Gravity doesn't discriminate. I
mean, gravity doesn't discriminate. The laws of physics don't discriminate. You can
be as talented in the world as you want to be, but you're inherently
taking more risk the way in the style that these men are going to perform
at. So that is just my concern. I'm just gonna be keeping a
keen eye on this with a little bit of a little bit of an air
of safety on my mind just because of what happened before and the way that
both men wrestle is. So anyway, I'm looking forward to it. We
all know what it's going to be. It's gonna be a highlight reel,
which again it's been built around them having a viral match, instead of them
talking about caring about winning, which I don't. Any time that that happens,
I'm never a fit. It should be about hey, I'm gonna beat
you, I'm gonna win. Instead they're talking both about just putting on a
great show. Not my favorite narrative going in that should be a byproduct of
what they do. I never like when it's the focus. It's like pulling
back the curtain a little too much for me. But I don't know.
Maybe does that bother you at all? Um? I guess yeah, because
it's kind of like when didn't Sasha Banks I used to say, I want
to tear the house down that, Yeah, we're gonna make history history history.
It's like, no, what about winning? Yeah? And I agree,
like, why are you guys here? Is it not to win?
Because that's when he kind of exposes the business as like a spectacle like cert
disilate. Right, So I try and just bypass that, and I just
I try and ignore it. But when you really break down, like the
actual comment, it does bother me for sure. Yeah, it's again,
Yeah I too. I just shut it off and I go just just shut
up and can we talk about winning? Right? But anyway, all right,
let's get to a few more matches here. Let's talk about the tribal
combat for the undisputed w W Universal Championship. This is also on the line.
Here is the recognition of who the travel chief is Roman Rains versus JAU,
So I will just give my pick and then I'll toss it to you.
I think this is also no doubt or kind of a slam donc Juso
loses and I think Roman Rains retains. But there's a lot of X factors
here and I'll just let you have the floor. Yeah, you know what.
I kind of went back and forth a little bit because I've seen reports
of Roman Reigins taking a hiatus post SummerSlam and that I think he's only advertised
for one PLI Being Survivors series between now and twenty twenty four. And it's
really parton a shame that that's the case, because if you really think about
it, he hasn't been head to head with anyone but his fellow Bloodline members
since WrestleMania with Cody Rhodes, and I really think that I'm I'm craving like
a Roman Rains feud other than just the civil war within the Bloodline. I
think you mentioned it on your weekend review that while this has been awesome,
the civil war war angle, enough is enough. We have to move on.
We have to move on to bigger and better things. And it feels
like, while it will be that it will be the end of the civil
war angle with the bloodline, that we still will have to wait to see
the next step for Roman Reigns. So that's why I kind of thought for
a bit, will they give it to Ja because j will maybe stick around
and then he could have a short run with the title and then maybe drop
it to an La Night, or drop it to a returning Randy Orton,
or drop it to a Bobby Lashly or an AJ Styles or whoever. That's
the only, only, only reason why I even given Jusso a slim of
hope, just because he could have a short title reign and then drop it
at the very next pay per view to one of the guys I just mentioned.
But it just makes more sense to keep it on Roman Reigns. You
still have tread left on that tire. What's happening with who with Voldemort?
Is he going to come back? You know, there's still a lot of
storytelling to be had with this version of Roman Reigns as the underst to Champion.
It just sucks that it feels like we're going to have to wait till
Survivors series, if not later, to see the next chapter in Roman reigns
his career in his next chapter as Industry Champion and see his first program with
someone not directly within the Bloodline since WrestleMania. We are now Yeah, I
mean, as we talked about this is this is four months now since he's
defended his title, last four months. And that's not to say, as
we've all known, the television storytelling between the Bloodline and the Civil War and
all that has been really good. But now we're in a post We're in
a post Bloodline era, and that means Roman has to go outside and finally
go outside of his bubble of the family, unless Dwayne comes back, which
yeah, I'm still torn on if there's a possibility of that happening at Summerslimon,
I'm leaning no. I'm leaning no on that. I think that Grayson
Waller is going to be the connection that brings him in. He continues to
talk about him, and Grayson Waller continues to talk about him in almost talk
about or do the People's Elbow. I mean, like Grayson Waller right now
seems to be that connection that's keeping this whole thing alive. But I don't
think that the rock appears here at at Summers Slam. I'm saying no,
but not not an absolute no. Um, but Roman retains. I'm with
you there. Tribal combat obviously, is just a fancy way to say no
DQ. Uh. I mean, it's just tell me what the differences between
tribal combat and no DQ and and you know you can't. It's it's all
just talking about a street fight. I mean, there's so many ways to
say no disqualification. This is just a new way to say it, which
is fine, it's marketing makes sense. But Roman Rains retains. And there
is an argument that you laid out which where Jay could win. But if
Roman Rains is going to take time off here and do what he does and
not compete for or put his title on the line till Survivor series, that's
what another three months because that's in November. So now, I mean that
would mean that Roman Rains would defend his title twice in six months, and
that's just I mean, that's just as it's just ridiculous. I understand that
he's the heel champion and that he don't want him to be overexposed, but
I mean, you've just taken it to the other extreme and inflated his numbers
that we've talked about countless times here, but it is what it is.
We've accepted at this point, we're gonna have to eat it whether we like
it or not. I guess my question to you is, if it's not
Dwayne, do you think anyone does come out well? While Roman Reigns is
celebrating that we all anticipate holding up his championships, the fireworks are going off.
It's the same old thing we've seen for three years. Now. Do
you see anyone, Randy Bray, anybody that maybe I'm not thinking of coming
out and identifying who Roman's next opponent is. I mean, there's several candidates
you could go with, and I think that's why it makes more sense to
have Roman Reigns keep the championship. Among authors you just brought up to Bray
and Randy, I really think Bobby Lashley is a good one. Bobby Lashley
would probably pose the most serious threat during his title reign, with the exception
of Drew and Cody Rhodes. I mean, he's forming what seems to be
a new version of the Hurt business with the street profits, so he would
have some backup to counter to kind of counter set or offset to Solo Sakoa.
But honestly, this is my other fear here is that nobody's going to
come out and Roman Reigns is just going to ride off into the sunset until
November and then, as we've said, going back, what fifteen months now,
that we're just going to artificially tack months and weeks and days on to
his title reign and like you said, six months to title defenses. You
know, I don't like this at all, and I think that's the only
reason why I've tried to tap myself into picking j even though I know it
doesn't make that much sense, just because I don't want the WWE champion Ship
to disappear, and it feels like until Survivors Series it will like I mean,
maybe they could set something up with a Bobby Lashley, but I mean
Bobby Lashley hasn't really been a part of SmackDown since being drafted there in April,
So are you going to have him confront Roman Reigns and not have an
in ring match until Survivor Series? Are you gonna have a returning Randy Orton
confront Roman Reigns and not have a match until Survivor Series. Ditto for bray
Wyatt. I mean, it's like it's damned if you do if damned if
you don't. Because if you take the belt off of Roman Reigns, you're
ending the most historic title run arguably ever and certainly in the last decade,
decade and a half, two decades. But if you keep the bells on
him, yeah, down the road you're gonna get some really good matches,
some really good segments, some really good stories. But in the interim and
in the short term, there's gonna be nothing going on in the main events
scene. So I mean, it's weird. I'm looking forward to the match,
but no matter what the result is, I'm not looking forward to it
because there just really seems to be no positive unless the rumors are wrong and
he isn't going on hiatus post SummerSlam. But assuming that the rumors are true,
and historically going back fifteen months, that has been the case with Roman
Reigns post winning the Undisputed Championship against Brock at WrestleMania in twenty twenty two,
I fear that even if he help wins the championship he retains it, it
will be several months before we see him against a fresh opponent. Yeah.
See, that's the thing. We're just going on assumption that these reports are
true, that he's not actually going to compete again until Survivor Series and challenge
anybody for the title. But here's the thing. It doesn't mean that,
for example, Dwayne, if he comes out and stares down at Roman,
gives him a rock Bottom or it doesn't do anything physical. Just you kind
of just have that final interaction of hey, here's what's to come. They
can easily just kind of talk about it over the next couple of months and
then eventually Roman will address it. Rock doesn't show up again for a little
while again, because you have what seven months, eight months until the next
time that they have to build it, or then until they actually have their
matchup Mania. So again, that's all there's a lot of assumptions going on
here. But that's how you could do it. I mean, just because
somebody returns big, big name, whether it's Randy or Rock and then just
kind of give Roman like a warning shot and give him time to prepare.
They certainly have no issues stringing out Roman's programs at all. This doesn't need
to be at payback. They could do it at what's the next one fast
Lane and then Survivor Series, so they could easily do that. Even if
a big name returns, it doesn't exempt somebody from returning. It's Roman Reigns
is run is not a traditional run. See. That's the thing too,
is like this is a very unique run, and that means that if someone
returns, it doesn't mean that that person has to be facing Roman at the
next pay per view. We all know that's not Reigns his schedule anymore.
So I don't know. I guess I'm trying to talk myself into something exciting
happening at the end of SummerSlam, as we kind of imagine him standing there,
Paul Hammond's got the two belts holding that up. Romans got his one
Universal Universal Championship, and you know, maybe the show ends there, But
I don't know. I can't imagine them ending the WrestleMania of the summer with
just that visual that we've seen countless times before. So no, I agree
with you. It's just I really hope that he doesn't disappear completely, Like
if you don't want him have it, if you don't want him to have
a match until Servar series that sucks in and of itself because you have what
two pay per views between now and then the next one is Payback, and
then you have fast Lane, and I don't know if there's a crowd Jewel
somewhere mixed in. Usually there seems to be one in late October or early
November. But I mean, if you're gonna just leap frog three pay per
views and he's not going to wrestle again until late November, I don't know.
It's it's kind of again old. Like he hasn't had a singles match
since WrestleMania. Think about that. Okay, there you had the singles match
in Mexico against Ray Mysterio. I have a show, but I'm not counting
that. He hasn't had a televised singles match since WrestleMania. Yeah, it
didn't happen on television. It didn't happen. I mean, it's just the
way it is. And not only that, but no one on SmackDown is
even talking about the Universal Championship, Like, no one on SmackDown's even trying
to chase it. Yep. It's it's like nobody has cross passed with Roman
Reigns other than his fellow Bloodline members since the Raw after WrestleMania when they when
they started the Brock and Cody Rhodes angle, Like nobody has acknowledged him.
The new guys on SmackDown haven't acknowledged him, Shamus hasn't acknowledged him, Bobby
Lashley, aj Styles La Night, nobody like Ray Mysterio Center, Like it's
like he doesn't exist. I know, he's in his own There's there's the
Roman Rain Show, and then there's just everyone else on SmackDown and everyone just
pretends you're right, like Roman doesn't exist. Yeah, And I don't want
to crap on this because I love the blood Line. I do think it's
gotten a bit monotonous now with Jay and this and that, But again that's
only because like the blood Line kind of just lives in their own bubble,
aside from when the USOS fights someone from the outside. You know, Solo
was doing that from for a bit, but now he's been attached with Roman
Ragins at the hip. And I do like the content. It's great storytelling,
it's phenomenal, but it's just gotten a bit redundant because it's the same
thing and we know that in less you're solo or Paul Hayman or the USO's
You're not going to be seen with Roman Reigns on television. It's like he
has like, like I don't know, it's like he has like a three
hundred foot long meter stick like and he's just walking around and they have to
keep that radius from him like other wrestlers like. And it sucks because I
like Roman Reigns. I think he's awesome. He's must watch television. He's
one of the best promos in WWE right now. And I don't say that
lightly. His facial expressions, he's epic, but it's just like it has
to be a bit different. And the fact that he hasn't had a singles
match since WrestleMania is just it's non negotiable. I'm sorry, it's non negotiable.
I'm not saying that he has to fight every single SmackDown or every second
SmackDown, even like I do think there should be some benefit to being champion
and that should be a reduced work schedule. Don't tell that seth rawlins though,
But I mean, I don't know, the fact that he hasn't had
his singles match since WrestleMania is absolutely insane to me. There is a lot
to be desired with the run. As good as a story, no,
as great as a storytelling has been in credit to all involved, the wrestlers
and the writers and in production everybody. But it's time to trying to change
things up. It's time to move out of the family. It's time to
give Roman Reigns a real opponent. And fine, you want to skip Payback,
We've kind of been We've been a customed to Roman skipping every other pay
per view. But when you go multiple pay per views in a row now
where he doesn't have a match of any of any any note, and then
doesn't have a singles match and he's not defending his title, and no one
on SmackDown is talking about it, it's a little much. So it's funny
because those on SmackDown that were with Roman Reigns during the time that Raw didn't
have a title, we're probably like, well, you know, even though
we have a champion here, we might as well not have a champion here
because he's in his own world. Like it doesn't you know, it's it's
it's he's here, but he's not. So like, sure, Raw doesn't
have a champion, for all intents and purposes, not either, do we
That's how I'd feel if I was on SmackDown. But so anyway, Yeah,
the dynamic needs to change. And I'm not saying like he said,
Roman needs to compete at every house show and be there at every SmackDown.
M No, no, no, no, I don't mind that he's there
every three smackdowns. I really don't, or even more to that degree.
But if he just disappears off the face of the earth between now and Survivor
stories, that's inexcusable. No, that cannot happen. But all right,
any any final thoughts as we get to the last couple of matches here,
No, I'm Roman Rainstowe, Right, let's go. All right, So
the Women's Championship triple threat Oscar Charlotte Bianca. Who's your pick? You know
it's crazy to say, but I'm going to Oscar and I don't think there's
gonna be a cash and I think there's gonna be a failed cash in.
She's gonna keep the briefcase, but shots he'll get involved. Um, here's
the here's my reasoning. And it's crazy because I'm not a big fan of
Oscar, the character but I just think it's because if you put the belt
on Charlotte, it's just like another I don't want to say meaningless title run
for Charlotte, but it feels like it would just be kind of forced.
And I just I don't think you could put the smack Down or SmackDown the
w w E Championship back on her or the Women's whatever they're calling it.
They can't put that belt back on Charlotte right away because she just dropped it
not too long ago at WrestleMania, although that was the old World Championship,
but it was on SmackDown. Kind of confusing how to follow the lineages,
as we talked about a few weeks ago. But I just don't think the
time is right for Charlotte with Bianca. I mean, she just dropped it
out too long ago after holding it for well over a year. So I
mean, I don't think you have to let that breathe a bit. You
have to keep Bianca and chaseboad for a bit. And as far as Eo
skycashing in, I just think you need a lengthy kind of run with a
woman holding the briefcase because aside from Carmela, who was the first ever woman's
money in the bank holder, and I think she held it until the SmackDown
after WrestleMania in twenty eighteen, so she held it for about I think it
was eight months or so. Every other woman has cashed it in in like
two months or less, like Alexa Bliz cashed it in on the same night
in twenty eighteen. In twenty nineteen, it was who won. In twenty
nineteen, it's escaping me now. But in twenty twenty Oscar won the briefcase
and then was awarded the women's championship. In twenty twenty one, oh yeah,
and twenty nineteen, Bailey won the briefcase and cashing in on the same
light as well. Then you got Oscar winning the championship with because Becky Lynch
was pregnant, she had to step away. So then when she opened the
briefcase she became the women's champion. Twenty twenty one, it was Nicky ash
and she cashed it in several weeks after all, in the briefcase last year,
you had Lived Morgan cash it in soon after weighing the briefcase. So
I mean, I just think that Yoski should keep the briefcase for several months,
if not well past six months, just because there's a story to tell
with her and Bailey. They have the shotsy thing going on. So it's
almost like a process of elimination with me, not so much because I think
Oscar should hold onto the bill, but more because all the other options don't
make sense right now. So your pick is Oscar retaining, I'm gonna go
Charlotte winning, but the reason is okay, so she's my first pick,
but a very close second is Oscar retaining. Bianca Belair winning is a distant
third. I think there's almost no chance of Bianca Belair winning, probably next
to zero. But the reason I say Charlotte Flair wins is that I think
that her being a fourteen time champion, they want to get it to fifteen
quickly so that they can eventually get to sixteen. And when would that sixteenth
happen? Maybe towards WrestleMania season, where they could actually, you know,
put on a celebration, maybe her dad comes out, all that kind of
thing where her dad and her are also their co sixteen time champions. They
like that kind of thing that that shouldn't be the sole reason that you change
championships, but it is a strong reason with Charlotte Flair there. But of
course the at X that X factor that you mentioned EO Sky and the Bailey
thing, and does she cash it in quickly? As women cash a women's
money, the bank holders cannot hold out more than like five seconds to cash
in, and actually having a woman hold on to it longer than you know,
like like you said, for such a short time, I'm gonna say,
Charlotte, but then I'm gonna say that, uh, you know,
EO Sky tries to cash in and maybe doesn't even have the bell ring because
Bailey screws her over or screws over you know, her screws over EO before
or as she cashes in her cash in's official and then Bailey ends up screwing
her over, and then you get a Bailey EO program, and Charlotte is
working with you know, still working with Oscar and uh, you know,
I've heard rumors also too of her Nia Jack's return. I don't know if
that's true or not. If Nia Jax gets injected in here. She did
come back for what the Rumble or something this past year, so she is
floating out there in the ether as a discussion. But you know, I
still think she does Charlotte does win, but boys is a slim margin of
confidence, and that's what I think. So yeah, no, I just
on the EO Sky front, I would like her to keep that briefcase pass
WrestleMania, Like I think the art of holding the briefcase for like eight to
nine months is a lost one. I don't even remember the last person to
hold it that long, maybe like on the women's side it was Carmela who
was the first ever women's money in the bank holder. Even on the men's
side, like who was the last guy to hold it that length? Like
I can't even remember something like I guess the miss but he wanted away from
Otis, So does that even really count? You know? Everyone else has
cash it in typically by the fall after winning it sometime during the summer,
So I don't know. And I think that with EO. Sky they could
use the next eight to nine months to build up her character. And we
talked about it last week or the week before, two weeks ago actually because
we haven't been current State in a few weeks, but we've spoken about it
recently. That the women's division is in good shape. Right now. They
have a lot of top heavy talent, So there is absolutely no rush to
shoehorn EO Sky into the women's championship picture before she's ready. And as you
mentioned, there's a story to tell with Bailey, there's a story to tell
with whatever shots he's gonna whatever role she's gonna play in this presumably when Dakota
Kai comes back, there's a story to tell between Dakota and EO. Like,
I think that if you play this right, the next eight months could
be a really good build for EO. You have the top talent on the
women's side in the meantime to tread water and then some it's not even trading
water. You have some good programs that you could have with Osca, with
Charlotte, with Bianca, if Nia Jackson returns, there's no reason to rush
it with EO. Oh yeah, no, I'm all for it. And
what I would also like, and this goes for the men's side of things
too, what the briefcase is, don't carry it around all the time.
Yeah, Like I want to kind of forget that you're the money the bank
briefcase holder, where you know, you go several months and then they don't
have the briefcase, but they're still the minding in bank briefcase holder and they
only cash it in when they're you know, they're running out to cash it
in. I just think, you know, out of sight, out of
mind, and if they do it for a longer period of time, that
would be good. They don't need to carry her is it Are they obligated
to carry it around all the time, like every time? You know what
I mean? Like, is it part of the part of the package deal?
I don't understand it. I just think it's a missed opportunity where you
could just kind of put it out of the minds of fans and they just
don't have to carry it around with every place they go. Like it's just
I don't know. I know that they're trying to remind the fans, but
at the same time reminding the fans it takes away the surprise element. So
anyway, Yeah, so again, I think Oscar is a strong, very
close second at least in my opinion and Charlotte Flair. But again, Oscar
is a boring champion. I'm sorry. I think you said that too.
She's so boring, and I hate saying that because she's trying. She's like
the face paint, the new outfit, the new haircut. She actually had
a dialogue on SmackDown this past week that was more that she said in two
minutes than in like five years. So she can speak more English than w
W WE allows her to say, which is the extent of nobody's ready for
Osca. It's the only thing we ever know of what she says. So
she can speak a little more English than at least WW leads on and I
think that that is a massive limiting factor for her, that they're not allowing
her to do it. And maybe they loosen up on that, but either
way, if they keep Osca as she is, she's so boring. I
understand she's healed, but she's just hates. It's weird to say, but
she's a snooze fest because you know what you're gonna get with her. We've
seen every version of her that we could possibly see. There's no more layers
of the onion to peel back with her. Because I think of promos,
not being able to cut promos is a massive problem. I don't care who
you are, so other way, last thing I'll say, I think this
match has the potential to be in the conversation for Match of the Night.
I think we're kind of sleeping on that too. Which the talent involved in
this matchup is top tier, So I think this could be really a match
that a lot of people are looking at going but it could be Match of
the night. It could be could I don't think it will be, but
it maybe in top three. All right, let's get to the last two
here, Seth Rollins Finn Balor. This is another not so easy one for
the World Heavyweight Championship. Go ahead. I'm picking Finn Balor just because I
think there's more of a story to be told, and I think in the
triple h WWE or Triple hs w W, EA should say that's typically been
the way that they book, that they always do what's best for the long
term story outlook. And I don't know if it's I don't know if Seth
Seth Rawlins is stale, but for me, I think that they could do
a lot more with Finn. Let's be honest, the Judgment Day is the
best thing of that Monday Night Raw has going right now. And that's crazy
to say, and it's insane what a world title could do for a show
because I don't know if it's must watch because it is three hours and it
is tough to get through. But since they reshuffled the deck and brought in
a world title and switched up the rosters, Raw has been that much better.
You have Gunther and Drew McIntyre feuding over the Interconnal Championship, you have
the tag team titles predominantly living on Monday Night Raw, and you have a
world title to chase. And the Judgment Day have had their fingers in that
pie since its inception back in May. And I think that because of the
history of Finn Balor and seth Rawlins at SummerSlam seven years ago over a world
Championship, the title reign that was robbed from Finnbalor, I think it just
makes all the sense in the world for Finn Balor to dethrone seth Rawlins.
And I think that there's such a story to be told with Finn Balor and
the Judgment Day all kind of holding gold in some capacity. Obviously, Damian
Priest just has the briefcase, but that does presumably will or will presumably translate
into gold and then you can continue down the path of the fracture between Damian
Priest and Finn Balor, and they can drag this on if they play their
cards right all the way into Royal Rumbull season between Finn Balor and Damian Priests.
And I just think that that would be amazing storytelling and amazing theater on
Monday Night Raw if you just had Judgment Day dominating. But every week,
bit by bit, with each passing night, you see that fracture going thicker
and thicker with Finn Balor finally having his world title reign that was taken away
from him seven years ago, but Damian Priests lurking in the weeds with that
briefcase chomping at the bit for his first ever run as a world champion,
and seth Rowns, you know, could take a long deserved break. It
is been what two years running now that he's been one of the bigger workhorses
in WWE, has been the top guy on Monday Night Raw, going back
to last year round this time when they didn't have a world title to defend
off. And then you can move on to bigger and better things. So
I mean, I don't know, I hate saying to take the world title
off of Seth Rawlins just two plus two months and change after winning it.
But I just feel like there's such better of a story to be told with
Finn Balor. This is difficult. This is really difficult. There are strong
cases for both. You're right, the Judgment Day is an absolute shining star
of Raw. There may not be another opportunity to put gold on nearly all
the members of Judgment Day. The Judgment Day have never been hotter. The
fracture did start again on Raw between Damian and Finn, with Finn doing that
one to two second hesitation that costs Damian the cash in on Rollins to beat
him for the world title Raw. So there's that that started again. So
the question is does Damien return the favor and give Finn a receipt during his
match with Seth where you know, a momentary hesitation by Damian costs Finn the
match and there's no cash in, but there's a you know that that hesitation
that costs Finn the match and Seth Rollins retains. There's there's that argument,
and to be honest or to be fair, Seth hasn't had exactly a long
reign with that championship yet, if I mean he wanted what back in May,
so he's only had it for two and a half months or so.
So there's you know, it's not exactly a long reign by any any standard.
So there's that. And then also we already have a massive heel champion
on SmackDown, and the argument of well, the world heavyweight title was created
for a baby face to counter that, of which I think they've gone way
too far to the other other extreme. But it was designed to have a
champion that's a fighting champion and all this nonsense. So if you have a
heel champion, while they'll be there much more than a Roman reins is on
SmackDown, it's still a heel champion and you got that same dynamic. So
there's that argument against it. Now the argument for it is the one you
laid out, which I'm not gonna, you know, repeat piece by piece.
But Finn winning a world title is no problem here. The symmetry of
seven years ago. I think they'll try to replicate that spot that injured Finn.
I don't think they'll they'll do it, or if they do it,
I'm sure they they'll do it a little bit safer this time, you know,
as WW likes to reenact things. I think that may be the very
spot that Seth tries to or you know, do and the announcers remind us
that that was the spot the buckle bomb, but it was on the outside
barricade, I believe, is what tour Finn Boaler's shoulder. So maybe they
do that as kind of a memorium to seven years ago. And I love
them bringing up the history of seven years ago. I love when they do
that stuff because it brings things full circle. And Finn has really been shining
lately. He reminds you how damn good he is on the mic when the
crowd isn't trying to go into business for themselves, you know, the backstage
promos, the locker room promos, all of it is so good. Finn
is so good that I have no problem with him winning the World Heavyweight Championship.
So ultimately, what's my pick? This is really tough. I'm going
to say Finn Balor does win. Here I'm going to also agree with you,
But my god, is this difficult because both men have such strong arguments.
So you're going with Balor, Yeah, Balor, but by a hair,
you know what. It's so tough because you laid out a good argument
for the other way, But I mean it just I don't know what how
much more they could do with Seth as world champion right now, not forever,
but just right now. He was the right guy at the right time
to legitimize that World championship. But I just feel like, given the landscape
on Monday Night Raw, like they could do so much more with Finn Balor.
Like, look, I'll take away from what we've talked about or you've
mentioned, and even Roman Reigns mentioned on SmackDown. If Roman Reiins loses,
he goes back to being Roman Reigns. But then Jay Usso loses, and
who is he? What's he gonna do? And for me, I'm saying
like, if Finn Balor loses here, like not to say that he's nothing,
but like it feels like all the wind will be taken out of his
sales. It feels like this is the final chance that you can finally give
Finn Balor his world championship run. Seth Rollins loses and he'll be fine.
He'll probably take a few months off, well deserved, he'll come back,
He'll still be super over. He'll immediately be a top contender for the World
Championship, he won't lose his plays. I feel like if Finn Balor loses
here, you will not be able to relegitimize him as a top contender for
the World Championship. And it took them a hell of a hike to get
him to beat back into this position because when he returned in twenty what was
a twenty seventeen, He's been a lot of time in the mid card,
feuding for the Intercontinental Championship, going to SmackDown, coming back to Raw,
then he went down to NXT, came back up, Like this has been
a long hike to get Finn Balor back as a true threat to a World
championship and in the main event scene. And I just think that if you
decide to have him lose here, you will never ever get a chance again
to put him back in the main events. And maybe that's the case,
Like maybe they just feel like he's never going to be a main event player
for them. I just look at the landscape of Monday Night Raw, with
the judgment day, the other competitors that could face him in the interim,
Like maybe you have Sammy and Kevin dropped the tag team titles to the Indus
year whoever, and they each take a turn feuding with him for the world
title as opposed to seth Rawlins. You would imagine that after SummerSlam, his
program with them with the judgment date is going to be wrapped up. And
I just can't really see a path for him with that world title right away.
So I don't know, it just feels like everything is pointing towards Flynn
right now, and also outside chance. I mean, if if Seth drops
it, I mean, what about that infamous seth Rawlins Roman Reigns program that
we know we possible right Like I keep proposing that trade that like Blockbuster trade
announcement, Seth going to Smackdowns and and then Raw gets whoever. We could
we could figure that out. But um, I don't know. I'm I'm
such a big proponent of Seth in Roman that you know, that's another opponent
that I would love Roman to get into, uh you know, in late
twenty twenty three here. But anyway, all right, let's get to the
final match here. Let's get to Cody Rhodes. Let's get to brock Lesner
in a match that I believe does does this have a stipulation or is this
wrestling just plain old wrestling Match number three? I think it's plane match number
three, And to be honest, it's the match I'm looking forward to the
least, and that is because I have it. And I'm sorry if you
hear my cats fighting in the background. They're very being, very annoying right
now. But I would bet a solid chunk of change that they are going
to make Cody Rhodes win. And I know everyone loves him, but I
cannot stand the guy right now. I can't. And it's not him,
it's the character. He's a great worker, he knows the business. I
wouldn't want m to be fired or anything. I just I cannot take the
pandering, holier than thou character. And I know that they're going to push
him for a victory. He hasn't won clean since coming back to the company
in eighteen months. And I really don't think that brock Lesner should be a
stepping stone. And I know that brock Lesner is in the twilight of his
career and he's done all he's had to do and then some. But I
just think that brock Lesner is a valuable commodity and should keep his mystique and
should keep his aura and should keep his legitimacy. And I you know,
maybe I'm wrong, and I hope to God I'm wrong, but I'm so
certain that they're going to make Cody Rhodes get the victory here, and I
just can't stand. I mean, I know it's subjective, and I know
from an objective point of view it makes sense, and he has more tread
left on the tire and talk baby face and this and that and the other
thing, and then he could be a challenger to Finn Balor. Finn Balor
actually does win the world title. I get all that, I understand.
I just subjectively, personally, biasedly cannot stand Cody Rhodes. So I'm dreading
this match because I think he's gonna win. Yeah, you're not being very
clear about your position, So I think so Cody Rhodes has to win this.
I especially if Brock takes his a little bit of a hiatus, which
is rumored to be happening. And again all rumors and innuendo, we'll see.
But Cody Rhodes is much more of the future of w w E than
Brock is. We all know that. And even if Brock competes to WrestleMania
forty or whatever. It's the fact that Cody Rhodes is the top baby face
on Raw and competing with Seth of course, but Cody Rhodes right now needs
that little bit of a push, even if he support love his character or
not. And I'm leaning more towards your side as well that the whole well,
I'm gonna put the you know, I'm gonna turn my back on everyone
at home so I can see the faces of the people here, like,
shut up, bro like you know what I mean, like that kind of
stuck. He sucks. I'm sorry, he sucks. And I know that
everyone loves him. I know that everyone bows at his altar. I'm sorry,
cut you off. But it's just like it for me personally, it's
channel changing. If I find it, like if I know that, or
if I get a sense that Brock isn't coming out, I just don't listen
because it's always the same garbage. It's just the same thing in his shoe,
his theme song pisses me off. His ring gear pisses me off.
His bleach blonde hair pisses me off. His neck tattoo pisses me everything about
him, aside from his in ring work and promobility, pisses me off.
I don't. I'm sorry, Like I thought I was coming around on him
for a bit, but maybe it's because I'm just a big Brock guy.
And I like the mystique that Brock Lessner has and I like the aura and
the legitimacy he brings. And even though he's in the twilight of his career,
I think you have to keep that legitimacy with one of the best of
all time. And like it or not, Brock is one of the best
of all time. And I find it absolutely infuriating that their positioning Cody Rhodes
is someone that could beat him like main event or sure future World Championshure,
but he's not Like I would never think that Cody Rhodes should be able to
come back and be Triple H Rock or Austin or whatever. And maybe Brock
isn't pardon me in that here, but he's scratching the surface of it.
I don't know. It's I'm literally getting red in the face right now.
I just I cannot stand Cody Rhodes, and I what I can't understand is
why people love him so much. I don't get it. He you remember
when John Cena called Roman Reigns a cheap bootleg off of him. He is
a bootleg off of John seen it except the worst. That's the end of
my rant. I'm sorry, that's good, No, I absolutely so.
Here's the thing. I have softened a little bit on the Cody Rhodes a
little bit, but then he's whatever, Like you said, anytime he starts
to like you're softening on him, going okay, like all right, I
mean he is good on promos and all that, but the suits and the
bleachmall hair, the neck tattoo, now that you mentioned it, that does
kind of piss me off too. I just I don't know, it's like
he's trying to be a tough guy when it just doesn't suit him. But
nonetheless, I M I don't like the pandering stuff about trying to he's pretending
he's just one of us, Like, dude, you're not. We know
what you're doing here. Stop, you know. I think it has a
lot to do with the way w w WE envisions how they think baby Faces
should be an act instead of having an edge and and not always trying to
be buddy buddy with the crowd. Fans respect you more when you're not trying
to do that and just being yourself. And Cody Rhodes is taking the you
know, let me, you know, let me tuck you into bed and
give you a kiss good night to approach to the crowd. And I can't
that. I don't like, I hate, I don't care who you are.
When you pander to the crowd, It's just it turns me off instantly.
It's uh for I don't know why or what that's why that turns me
off, but it does. And that's not to say Cody Rhodes is an
exceptional in the ring. He is. And I think this match with Brock
is going to be very good, and I don't know how long it's going
to go. It could be a surprise ending. Hell, Randy Orton could
come out in r K Okay, Cody Rhodes, there's a lot of history
there, you know, as we think he's going to interfere or possibly challenge
Roman, what about Randy Orton? You know, going on to Cody Rhodes,
there's again it's just a wild thought. But um, yeah, as
far as this match goes, I'm I'm with you. Cody Rhodes wins uh
in a hard fought match. I don't know if he's gonna hit you know,
eighteen cross Roads to do it, but probably he'll. He'll do it
and then do it multiple times as he does with his finish, and you
know, lose, and brock Lesner will go into the you know, back
into his forests and through the trees and and hide in his home for for
several months and come back around, you know, probably Survivor Series or Rumble
Time is my guess. Maybe he sticks around, but I have my doubts.
So, uh, this is gonna be a fun match. If you're
just looking at it from a pure wrestling perspective and not character perspective, it's
gonna be awesome. Oh yeah, it'll be awesome. You take the personal
feelings about Cody Rhodes out of this, and I think that it'll make it
much more enjoyable. And I think also, like you said, if you
change the opponent for Cody, I don't think you'd have such visceral hate for
his character, at least a little bit less. Yeah, it's I don't
I don't know what it is, to be honest, because I didn't hate
John Cena this extent. I was very indifferent on John Cena. I actually
grew to like him more as I got older, which is weird. But
with Cody, I think because with John Cena, I guess I just felt
like that was him, Like even though I wasn't a huge fan of it,
it felt genuine. It doesn't feel genuine with Cody Rhodes. I don't
understand how to explain it. It's like I feel patronized when he's talking.
I don't know, yeah, but he's trying to act cool, Like it's
like he's trying to act nice, but like he's talking down to me.
I'm being condescended, but like he's respecting me, but he's not. And
his and he has sparkles on his pants and I'm like what why? And
I'm looking at his tattoo. And even the biggest Cody Rhodes Mark Jim Cornette
talks about how much he hates his tattoo, so that just goes to joy.
I hate his entrance, Like every entrance he has is like a WrestleMania
main event entrance, like singing along to his own theme song, the Coordinated
Pyro, the dry Eyes, you know, like he comes out like it's
like he sings along to his own theme. It's just everything about it.
It's just so heroic, like everything is just so furs and it's just like,
dude, like come like, I don't know it's I guess I know
that you thought you did. It's like Cody Rhodes, but I and I
thought I was coming around on him, honestly. But for me it was
mostly because he can't take a clean lage. Just have him take a clean
loss because seth Rawlins took fifty five clean losses in a row, including three
to to Cody Rhodes, and he's fine. He's one of the most over
guys in the company. No, it either has to be by like Solo
Sakoa interfering or him passing out from pain of the Camora logue. He can't
just take a pin. Why who is he? Superman? Like I don't
know who he is, Like like we're supposed to just assume that he's like
God's gift to wrestling because he went to a e W and kicked around on
the indies for a bit, and because he's Dusty Rhodes' son, all those
things together make him unstoppable, Like I I'm sorry, I'll stop now.
He's undeniable. What are you talking about? Yeah, it's nuts. I
didn't really think that I would get this heated vote. Cody Robe, Well,
I think this is the best way I can describe it, because I
know the feeling you're feeling. It's not as intense, but it's there.
It's like he's so self aware of how he looks at every moment that he's
thinking about how he looks in every moment, if that makes sense. It's
like he's always thinking about himself in a mirror, like yeah, like how
does this affect me? Yeah? Like he's so calculated in every move he
makes. He's just two produced. He's so two thousand, if that makes
sense. Yeah, like everything like you said, the coordinated, the whoa,
all that lich you know the crowd loves. I mean, not going
to convince anybody not to like that. It is. You know, I
get it. It's a very singalongable song. I understand, but it is
it's like he's so self aware of himself, like like where he Yeah,
he's you can tell that in his mind he's thinking about how how he looks
in that moment instead of just being himself, and that he the pandering I
agree, and the just so produced in every movement he makes. That that's
the best way that I can possibly describe the feeling about that. Um So,
now we're gonna have all these people like, oh, you guys hate
Cody, Well, no, we respect him never. He is a absolute
asset to the roster. He's really really good in the ring. He obviously
knows how to cut promos. It's just simply that his character belongs to be
I think a he'll I mean, it's just I just I continue to say
that when he turns, he'll eventually in his career, hopefully he's gonna be
more effective I think than as a baby face, just because he's hiding it
very well to most fans. But he's inherently unlikable and he sucks, and
like you know, like I even have buddies who like are more casual fans
now, but we're really big fans, like you know, twenty years ago,
and like they'll always watch like pay per views. Like one of my
best friends he's gonna watch Summer's Line with me, and he always like keeps
tabs on like the current stuff, but like doesn't watch every show religiously and
even he's just like, why do people like Cody Rhodes like and you know
what as a as a heel, he would be so over as a heel
with me, I would want to see I just for me, if he
would just to be quite honest, to be quite honest, if he took
a clean loss to Brock on Saturday, I would probably be that much more
invested to see him get humbled and then build his way back up, like
he could not beat Brock and he has to find himself. And that is
the Cody Rhode story between now and WrestleMania. If he just took a clean
loss to Brock on Saturday, and I know he won't, we both predicted
Cody Rhodes, but I think that that personally for me, I would be
like, Okay, now, I really want to see where they go with
Cody Rhodes, because he is a talented a wrestler. He's talented on the
mic, he knows the business, he has all the natural abilities. It's
just this character that he has envisioned for himself drives me insane. It drives
me nuts because it's so like you said, Forrest and contrived, and I
just think that if they would take a more traditional approach by seeing the character
actually build itself from the ground up, as opposed to just jumping on a
moving train at two hundred miles an hour and just pushed to the moon,
I think that would fix a lot of things for me. I'm surprised the
fan stuck with him through being number thirty in the rumble and winning the rumble
and then claiming he beat twenty nine other men and then just immediately getting injected
into the main event like that. I can't believe the fans didn't turn on
w doing that. I mean, I just that still baffles me. It
was just I don't want to go down that road. But I don't understand
that decision. Obviously. Here's the thing WWE, if they were sitting across
the table from us, trying to debate us, they'd be like, well,
listen to the reactions, like, you know, what's their success,
listening to the merch all that, and I'd be like, you know what,
that's true, But here's the other side of the coin for the people
that obviously have an issue with it. But yeah, I mean it would
be kind of we wouldn't win that argument. Because of all the metrics and
the crowd reactions, and he is arguably the top two baby faces on raw
so and I know I'm in the minority, and that's what drives me nuts.
And I can't I just don't understand what people see to love him to
this X. That's what I don't get because in ae W and I'm not
a big AW guy. I actually tried to watch Dynamite the other night.
I'm just like, this just really isn't for me. But in AW,
by all accounts, they hated his baby face character. So is it just
because there's that many more like children in the audience with their families at w
W reevents? Like I just I don't understand how stark of a contrast there
could be. Yeah, I don't know. Uh. And I was thinking,
well, you take his entrance music away and maybe that would do it.
I don't know. I mean, people love his entrance music. It's
a very participatory, you know, part of his part of his character,
the whole what do you want to talk about? Thing? Every time he
says that, I really want someone to punch him in the mouth for real,
I mean, TikTok. I see what his first ever TikTok oh god,
yes, yeah, oh my god, oh my god. Uh,
it's just that that to me, if I was to boil everything down to
that where he just tries to be cute and and and and talk, you
know, come up with the catchphrase, which I understand. You know,
you want to be a baby phace, you gotta come up with a catchphrase.
But how does it make sense to come up with a catchphrase as a
baby face that the crowd can't participate in, like they should know what the
answer is. Why would you ask the crowd an open ended question. That's
the stupidest thing you could do. And uh, you know, he thinks
it's just gonna catch on. And it also is just like he always has
to say it with a smile on his face, and like I really just
I want to just punch him right in the mouth. He just is He's
like trying to be so cute about it. That part of it is annoying
to me. I know, some people don't care whatever that if I was
to boil it down to my frustrations with him is trying to be cute with
his catchphrases and his self awareness that I think is off the charts. But
anyway, all right, all right, so we'll close it up there.
But any final thoughts on SummerSlam or things that we didn't mention that you want
to bring up, No, I just I didn't mean to go on two
rants. I think I went on a mega Cody Rhodes diet tribe and kind
of a rant about Roman reigns. But I do. All I want to
say is that I am actually all joke inside looking forward to this card,
and I'm looking forward to the pay per view because it actually feels for since
last year, pay per views are fun again, and it feels like every
single pay per view is delivering, and it's a pretty cool feeling that Like
when there's a pay per view now on the weekend, I'm actually excited and
I have friends over and like it's the way it felt for me like fifteen
twenty years ago as a kid. But I'm an adult, so I get
to have my fiance tell me how they give a loser. I am,
Oh, I know, the feeling. It doesn't go away, but and
I do like the shift to Saturday. I really love it. It's so
much better again. If you're a football fan NFL fan, obviously, coming
up in the next month of the seasonal start doesn't really interfere too much with
that come in college football and all that happens. But you know, it's
better. I'm sure the production team in w and the wrestlers everybody loves it
because instead of just packing things up and going to the hotel at eleven o'clock
eleven thirty at night and then having to fly out to whatever city the next
day, they get that buffer day, that buffer day. I mean like
it just makes all the sense in the world to make Saturday the pl e
night. So I hope this stays forever. I mean I really do so.
All right, well, very good, and any final plugs or social
media you want to share, well, there's no plug this week because it
is a pay per view week, so no retro. Obviously, my Twitter
handle or x handle whatever it's called now is Ada Mark or twenty five.
And my retro last week was Batista and Ramis Here against Kingdom Big show from
two thousand and five, kind of paying homage to my old show Rivalries,
and I hope you guys were able to check that out. Very good,
yeah, very much a retro show about a retro show. So yeah,
exactly right, so very good, and well you enjoy SummerSlam, trying not
to watch the Cody Rhodes match or maybe step away for fifteen minutes or something
so you don't have an aneurysm, and because we all, I think know
the outcome of that one. So all right, well enjoy the event and
we'll be talking probably in a little less than a week. Yeah, man,
looking forward to it on Monday. All right, take care, Thanks
for listening to the WWE podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast
app so you don't miss a show, or head to WWE podcast dot com
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