WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.720 Do you find yourself laughing at the most inappropriate moments, or maybe you've been 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.839 told that your sense of humor takes it a bit too far. We'll buckle 3 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:11.519 up because we've got the perfect podcast for you. Introducing Taking It Too Far 4 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:16.800 Podcast, Join the hilarious trio of hosts Brandon, Adam and Laura as they 5 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:20.679 take common to outrageous new lows. Hey there, I'm Brandon, the self 6 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:24.359 proclaimed leader and an all round mess of a person. I'm Adam, I 7 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:27.760 have no responsibilities and I'm just here till I get replaced. Last, but 8 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:32.399 not least, I'm La La La Laura, the butterfly of the group, 9 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:36.399 just trying to keep up. Tune in every week for your dose of unfiltered 10 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:39.880 humor, guarantee to make your commute a riot, your chores a giggle fest, 11 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:43.320 and your quiet moments full of own note did they really just say that? 12 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.679 On Taking It Too Far Podcast, we dive head first into today's topics, 13 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:54.719 cringe worthy life experiences and ridiculous scenarios that go too far. I can't 14 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:58.280 say the word ridiculous. Don't forget to follow us on social media for episode 15 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:06.200 clips and the occasional live This is ww Superstar Drew McIntyre, and you're listening 16 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:25.680 to the WWE podcast God Show, the one that everybody wants Met three sixteen. 17 00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:34.599 This modern You're gonna acknowledge Rain all right, everybody, It is post 18 00:01:34.599 --> 00:01:37.959 Summer Slam. This is a Summer Slam wrap up and a bit of a 19 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:44.000 focus on the world title and the undisputed w h World Championship that Roland Rains 20 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.439 is still carrying, and we'll get to that. And as always every single 21 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:52.200 Monday, I've got Anthony Demarca with me and Anthony Man I have to ask 22 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:59.760 overall thoughts and feelings about Saturday night's event. I thought the wrestling was very, 23 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:01.719 very very good. I thought that a lot of the matches that we 24 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:07.759 thought would be very very good delivered. There are some, I guess issues 25 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:13.159 I have with the outcomes, but I think the in ring stuff was excellent 26 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:16.520 as always and as we've been accustomed to in the Triple H era. But 27 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:23.280 I do think that maybe there were some unlofty expectations set by fans and probably 28 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:27.719 you and myself as well, so there were some disappointments in the way that 29 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:32.000 the show ended specifically and just how overall booking decisions came to be. But 30 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:37.240 from an in ring perspective, as I mentioned, a pay per view under 31 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.520 the Triple H regime knocks it out of the park in terms of match quality. 32 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.360 Well, let's talk about it. Then. Let's talk about Roman and 33 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:49.479 Jay and the quality of that matchup, which I thought was very good. 34 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:53.919 And while the pacing was at times almost too slow, I'd rather have that 35 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.639 than one hundred miles an hour. But at times it felt like it didn't 36 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.159 need, you know, as much time as it had gotten a lot of 37 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:04.599 near falls. To me, it never felt like during the event, during 38 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:07.159 that match that Jay actually had a chance, although there were some there were 39 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:10.520 some moments like the one of the useless splashes that you're like, oh, 40 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:15.280 okay, well maybe, and then ultimately it's Jimmy who screws over Jane. 41 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:19.639 There's a lot of a lot of strong feelings on that one. But I'll 42 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:23.599 let you let you kind of break down this match a little bit. Well, 43 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:27.639 I mean, it was a typical Roman match, and that's good and 44 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:34.039 bad. I really was hoping that it would just be a one on one, 45 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:38.199 no hooker crook match, and it quickly kind of turned into a handicap 46 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:46.560 match with the involvement of Solo Sakoa. I mean like the outcome of Roman 47 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:52.439 winning was something I expected. I had thought about Jay, about Jimmy turning 48 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.919 heel on Jay. I think a lot of other people did as well. 49 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:00.719 It's not like a profound thought. I disagree with it in match. I 50 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:04.879 understand why they did it because now you can set up a three four month 51 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:10.560 long program between the USO's and something that we haven't seen before and take their 52 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:13.800 focus off of Roman reigns. I just thought that maybe a heel turn could 53 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:18.240 have been done on SmackDown this week or just after SummerSlam. I really felt 54 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:23.000 that it would have been important for Roman to get a clean victory, and 55 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:27.639 obviously in a no disqualification match, and it's tribal combat, but that's essentially 56 00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:31.519 what it was, notice qualification. I just felt that, you know, 57 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:41.439 Roman hasn't won clean per se since what WrestleMania thirty eight against brock Lessner, 58 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:45.439 it feels like, and I just felt like, given him going against Jay, 59 00:04:45.560 --> 00:04:48.040 who, even though he's been built up very well, isn't a true 60 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:54.240 true main event or has ever held a singles championship, I thought that with 61 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:58.160 the stipulation of not disqualification, it could have set up for a lot of 62 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:01.000 ways to protect Jay. I just thought that it would have been best for 63 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:08.800 Jay to lose clean to Roman, and even the tribal combat rules, seemingly 64 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:13.920 at the beginning insinuated that no family member can interfere, but they quickly scrapped 65 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:18.040 those plans. Although it was always very blurry, but now the whole I 66 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:25.040 guess a segment of Roman blocking Solo from attacking Jay when they first agree to 67 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:29.160 this match really kind of makes no sense at this point. So look, 68 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.480 I agree with Roman winning for the most part, I just kind of disagree 69 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:36.920 with the way that they went about it. And it is like, look, 70 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:41.720 the refting get knocked out for once in a Roman match, so that's 71 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:45.439 something that should be applauded. I guess in a way, I just feel 72 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:49.560 like it's a bit tiresome with all the shenanigans that surround a Roman Rains match. 73 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:55.319 That's a good point. I was thinking about it while you were talking, 74 00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:58.959 is well, when was the last time Roman Rains actually won clean? 75 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:04.399 And I understand that WWE's logic always, you know, is strongly that Heels 76 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:08.720 have to cheat to win that they never want to defend their titles and baby 77 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:12.560 faces will defend it against anyone at any time, which I really think both 78 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:16.879 both of those logics are flawed deeply. It's not that clear cut, but 79 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:21.120 to WWE it seems to be. And with Roman, if you want to, 80 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:26.240 you know, maximize his run here, why wouldn't you want to start 81 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:30.279 making him feel like a dude that doesn't need help, but heels don't always 82 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:33.920 have to need help to win. I understand that. It's yeah, exactly 83 00:06:34.120 --> 00:06:40.680 exactly. Now they actually finish with Logan Paul bringing back brass Knucks. I 84 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:44.319 love that. I love brass Knucks. The old William Regal finish, I 85 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:46.319 loved it. I thought that was again not to get into that match, 86 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:50.519 but I mean it was exactly what as advertised and I enjoyed it. But 87 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:55.000 yeah, this is something that I think they could tweak a little bit where 88 00:06:55.000 --> 00:07:00.360 he doesn't always need help, like he's on a legendary run. We don't 89 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:06.839 need a cowardice three year run to sneak into the discussion here. I think 90 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:12.600 that you can start to make him just a legit, a legit badass, 91 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:15.079 and he is, but there is that Achilles heal of him needing help in 92 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:18.920 wonky finishes and ref bumps, as you mentioned, and as far as my 93 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:21.240 thoughts on Jimmy, I mean, again, guys, I know I've done 94 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:24.879 the full review last night, but just to kind of give the cliff notes 95 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:30.920 version of it, I think that it was weird. While some people pointed 96 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:33.439 it out and thought it was a possibility, I thought I was out there 97 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.319 in the realm of possibility as well, but when it actually happened, I 98 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:40.360 don't think people really knew what to think. I don't know if this is 99 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:44.240 a program people actually want to see. And I equated it to Matt versus 100 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:46.120 Jeff Hardy back in the mid two thousands, and I think Leda was the 101 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:50.120 referee or something like that it was, and I remember feeling like do people 102 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:54.839 want to see this? Like, yeah, it's a turn that most people 103 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:58.120 didn't see coming. But I mean that's a question to you, is like 104 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:03.160 do you even want to see Jim versus Jay? I mean I do, 105 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:07.240 but I don't because the reason why they're doing this, and look, the 106 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:11.319 story rights itself, you know exactly, like all you've been in a spotlight 107 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:15.720 for three years, right hand man, main event, j USO and when 108 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:18.279 I'm on the shelf injured, you use that to punch your ticket to a 109 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:22.920 World Championship match to main event summers. I'm like, you already see where 110 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:26.800 this is going. And much like Matt and Jeff where Matt turned heel because 111 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:31.399 he was in Jeff's shadow, and I believe they even reignited that program that 112 00:08:31.559 --> 00:08:35.200 culminated a match at Wrestling at twenty five. I think, so they went 113 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:39.159 back to the well on that a match that Matt actually want if I'm not 114 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:43.000 mistaken. So you see where this is going, and I understand why they're 115 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:48.039 doing it because Roman's gonna take time off. We're done with the whole Roman 116 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:54.480 verse, Jay Slash, the USO story, and now we're gonna find a 117 00:08:54.519 --> 00:08:58.480 way or we're finding a way to keep Jay and Jimmy in the main event 118 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:03.200 scene, because I guarantee you that on the SmackDown side of things, in 119 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:09.559 Roman's absence, this will be presented as the main event program. That being 120 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:13.080 said, do I want to see it? Like, look, I'm I'm 121 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:20.519 not getting blood lined out, but I'm just getting I guess in like Civil 122 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:26.000 War blood line out. And it seems like based on what we just saw 123 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:33.519 at SummerSlam they planted seeds for Solo versus Roman, and they are going down 124 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.639 the path of Jimmy versus Jay. So I'm just like, I just I 125 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:43.440 don't know how much more like anything short of the Rock versus Roman. Maybe 126 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:46.519 we could get into that as well, or you know, the lack of 127 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:50.360 the Rock that is. I don't know if I really have an appetite for 128 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:54.440 anything more of internal fighting in the blood line, Like we've been seeing this 129 00:09:54.159 --> 00:10:01.759 essentially since WrestleMania, Like they've only fought themselves since Solemania, and now all 130 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:05.879 signs point to more internal fighting. But now it's breaking down to the usos 131 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:11.440 against each other and Solo and Roman against each other. And to be honest, 132 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:15.000 I like, if it were up to me, I would have written 133 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:18.919 Jay off of TV for a while. Like I'm just kind of I'm exhausted 134 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:22.559 a bit with you. So it doesn't mean I'm over them. I just 135 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:26.559 think that a little time away for both of them would have been good. 136 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:30.080 And then if you want to revisit this, maybe in WrestleMania season you could 137 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:33.240 have. It's just it feels like not that I don't want to see it, 138 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:37.519 I just don't think the timing is right, because it just feels a 139 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:43.360 bit too much. That is how I'm feeling too. For the first time, 140 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:48.000 then I said this last night, for the first time in this Bloodline 141 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:52.399 run of three years, I looked at this and I said, hmm, 142 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:54.720 I said, and I didn't. I wasn't crapping on this decision or I 143 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:56.879 thought it was awful, But for the first time, I didn't look at 144 00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:00.200 it and go, wow, that was a great idea, you know, 145 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:03.679 And look, the follow up will happen. The follow up will happen Friday. 146 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:05.919 Maybe things turn, we start to feel more invested, But for this 147 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:11.840 is the first one where people go huh, you know, like, you 148 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:13.759 know, what, why is Jimmy doing this? Like sure, people are 149 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:18.320 shocked, but are people even going to be emotionally invested in this? And 150 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:24.399 like you said, I'm a bit of the Bloodline civil War burned out than 151 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:28.480 the just the story of Roman's run, which I'm still on board for. 152 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:33.879 But I guess what they're trying to do is just squeeze every combination of people 153 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:39.480 fighting that they can out of this magical story that is admittedly something that does 154 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.440 not come along often at all. And I don't blame them for it. 155 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:46.799 But now the question turns as we look forward, and after this we'll talk 156 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:52.000 about Finn and Seth. But given our time constraints here, I do I 157 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:56.399 need to ask we look forward. Roman is going to certainly take payback off 158 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:01.919 and probably not compete until October at fast Lane, So there's an initial additional 159 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:07.559 two months as just Roman continues to tack on these months of as we've discussed 160 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:11.919 many times, there's two months automatically to his run, and he'll probably be 161 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:16.799 off to me for a little while, you'd imagine. So if Roman is 162 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:20.639 not a payback there was no Rock last night or two nights ago, So 163 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:24.399 I was a bit surprised by that. I didn't expect it, but I 164 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:28.639 thought it was the highest possibility that we've seen thus far of the Rock coming 165 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:33.080 back. Where do you envision Roman now moving forward? Is it solo that's 166 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:35.000 his next competitor? Do they move away from that? Is it's somebody else 167 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:39.240 where the hell Randy is? I mean, there was zero big returns at 168 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:43.519 Summer's Slang, which a lot of people were disappointed by. So where do 169 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:46.519 you see this going in the next few months for Roman? Anyway? Well, 170 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:50.320 how many pay per views do we have between now and Survivors Series two? 171 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:54.080 Yeah, I believe it's Vast Lane in October and next month is Payback. 172 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:01.159 So there's no Crown Jewel. I'll have to look that up while you're 173 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:05.399 talking, but I don't because I would imagine he would fight at Crown Jewel. 174 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:07.840 Look. I mean, the one thing I want to say about the 175 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:13.080 USOS before I address their own question, is that I do agree with you 176 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:16.039 that they're trying to squeeze every last bit out of every combination they have. 177 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:20.360 And I actually think that you could have had Jimmy versus j at WrestleMania, 178 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:26.960 because I think that it would have given people enough time to digest everything that 179 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:31.960 they just saw, and then you revisit that maybe in the new year in 180 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.279 twenty twenty four, and then you build to that. As for Roman, 181 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:39.039 who does he face? I mean, I guess it's solo because by all 182 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:43.519 accounts, we're not going to see Roman four. I wouldn't be surprised if 183 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.720 we don't see Roman until October, which is crazy, but that's where it 184 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:50.240 seems to be going. And then maybe he'll pop his head out of this 185 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:54.720 end, and I would imagine his next title defense. I mean, I 186 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:58.320 want to say his next title defense is going to be at Survivor Series. 187 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:01.960 But we've already he heard rumblings on the internet and I may, I don't 188 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:07.799 know if you've seen them, that they're preparing for a champion versus champion match 189 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:13.440 at Survivor Series of Roman versus Seth, which I mean I'm I'm in for, 190 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:18.360 don't get me wrong, But then that means that it's another major pay 191 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:22.679 per view where he's not defend the championship and I'm down to see him versus 192 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:28.440 Seth for sure, both of them as respective world champions on their respective brands, 193 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.919 all the history involved, the unresolved stuff from the Rumble in twenty twenty 194 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:37.200 two. But he's not going to defend the WWE Championship at Survivor Series. 195 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:41.480 And I don't know if he's going to defend the title at Payback or I 196 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:45.159 don't know if he's going to defend the title at fast Lane. So if 197 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:50.399 he doesn't defend it at Payback and fast Lane and the rumors are to be 198 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:56.519 believed that it's him versus Seth in more or less an exhibition match at Survivor 199 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:01.639 Series, when's the next time he's going to be defending that championship, And 200 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:05.240 when's the next time we're going to see Roman Reigns in a feud with any 201 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:09.399 one other than a family member. And that's why you said something earlier that 202 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:16.799 I totally agree with that I'm not over Roman's run as champion. I'm just 203 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:22.960 over this version of it, just like I was over him feuding with Rock 204 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:26.240 Lessner from the summer twenty twenty one until the spring of twenty twenty two. 205 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:33.320 But this is something that it just feels is dragging, dragging and dragging, 206 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.240 and before you know it, we're gonna go through all of two and twenty 207 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:43.279 three more or less that he will have defended his championship against no one other 208 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:48.799 than within the blood line aside from Kevin Owens at the Rumble. And I'm 209 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:54.320 counting Sammy Zane as a blood Line member because he was so like I. 210 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:58.159 It's hard for me to really articulate how I feel because I'm not over Roman. 211 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:02.960 I'm not over him as champion. I think he's really good. Yes, 212 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.559 the way his matches are booked are becoming very repetitive, and I really 213 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:11.240 would I would kill to see a Roman match that doesn't involve hanky panky, 214 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:15.600 like I don't know why. Like I mentioned while you were talking, you 215 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:19.759 know you see Gunther beat Drew Clean. It can happen that Heels win Clean, 216 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:25.720 and I just think we're missing that with Roman reigns, and I just 217 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:29.039 I really want to see him face someone other than the bloodline. Like we've 218 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.519 had this story for four months. It's okay, And now you see the 219 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:36.200 way Bobby Lashley is coming back. He looks like he's gonna be super over 220 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.399 with the crowd, with a new faction you have at LA Night. You 221 00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:41.879 still have Shamus that you've never gotten to. And that's not counting any of 222 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:48.080 the potential returns. But I just named three fresh opponents on SmackDown four Roman 223 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:52.519 reigns that you could book between now and WrestleMania, but based on what we've 224 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:56.720 seen, and no seeds being planted for any of those three, and with 225 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:00.879 him rumored to take time off and a rumored match with seth Rawlins where no 226 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:03.960 belt is going to be on the line at Survivor Series, it's just it's 227 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:08.799 exhausting me thinking about Wednesday, next time we'll see Roman reigns in a non 228 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:14.279 like you get what I'm saying. Yeah, yeah, this is you and 229 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:18.799 you mentioned the non and basically yet another exhibition match with Seth. Yet they 230 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:25.079 have yet to have a true proper long term program, which is mind boggling. 231 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:29.599 It really does boggle the mind, Like you like, how has they 232 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:33.799 how have they not let this full fleshed out? And sure they may have 233 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:37.279 their exhibition and it'll be good and they can pull in their history, but 234 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:40.519 they just kind of dip their toe in and then get back out of the 235 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:44.079 pool. It's like, no, like, can we get a real program 236 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:47.559 with Seth? In Roman? There isn't a guy on the roster currently he 237 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:52.599 has more history with outside of maybe brock Leser, but even then, there's 238 00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:56.240 a more emotional ties to Seth. And I just I'm not understanding if they 239 00:17:56.279 --> 00:18:00.160 just do that exhibition which means absolutely nothing with no titles on the line, 240 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:03.200 why they would do that and not just get the most out of it, 241 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:08.079 do a big trade. I continue to propose the trade, but it does 242 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:12.279 You're right when you look at everything line young up now, yeah, time 243 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:17.200 off. You know, if it's solo, fine, but then if he's 244 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.960 if it's solo at Survivor series. Then again, it's still intra family. 245 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:25.519 No one else Unsmackdown, even acknowledges pun intended. I guess that the title 246 00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:29.200 exists, or that there is a world title on SmackDown. Everyone just is 247 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:33.519 blind and doing their own thing. It's it is a bit frustrating. And 248 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:36.880 again it sounds like I'm complaining just like you, but I'm not. It's 249 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:42.200 just that this needs to evolve outside the bubble of the bloodline family issues. 250 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.960 It needs to go outside. And I understand Solo is going to be a 251 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:51.400 big star. I get it, but there are still other guys and that 252 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:53.240 you could work with, and of course the returns that we mentioned. That's 253 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:57.359 why Roman reigns as a run right now. Still has so much left that 254 00:18:57.400 --> 00:19:00.680 he could do. And that's why I think that outside of that bubble of 255 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:06.680 the bloodline is where a lot of that kind of fresh feeling will come. 256 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:08.799 Because if it's Solo, it's like, all right, well that's cool. 257 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:12.559 People want to see Solo versus Roman. Can Roman actually beat Solo? All 258 00:19:12.599 --> 00:19:17.000 that? And then but then where does Jimmy Lyne and Jimmy like then it's 259 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:18.799 weird. It gets weird again. I want the family the hell out of 260 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:23.200 this and have Roman actually have a real, true, proper opponent over a 261 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:26.519 couple of months. And it doesn't look like by the way, I don't 262 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:30.559 see any Crown Jewel event. That could change, but as of right now, 263 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:33.920 I don't see anything. It's Payback, Fast Lane Survivor series. So 264 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.279 that's the lineup. But you know, I'll let you have any closing comments 265 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.400 here because I do want to talk about Seth and Finn, but I'll let 266 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:45.480 you have the floor. Yeah, I don't want to dump on this because 267 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:51.960 I really do liker the bloodline, and I think the storytelling is great and 268 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:56.240 all of their chemistry with each other is second to none, and I do 269 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:02.079 think that all these are separate matches that I would eventually like to see, 270 00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:04.359 Like I do you asked me before what I want to see Jay and Jimmy, 271 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:07.319 I do, just not now. Do I want to see Roman and 272 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:11.920 Solo? Probably just not now. And it's like eventually, I mean, 273 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:17.559 we told the story of the civil war, it blasted into Smitherians. It 274 00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:21.400 seems like we're gonna have a sub civil war now, but like eventually, 275 00:20:21.400 --> 00:20:26.480 like here's the thing is, like we've on SmackDown. We saw Lashly debut 276 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:29.960 basically like the Hurt Business two point though, which I think is really bad, 277 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:33.920 as I think it's a great rebranding for the street profits. And the 278 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:37.559 first thing in my head was just like, could you imagine these three against 279 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:44.359 the Bloodline? But now we can't see that, Like I almost would have 280 00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:48.359 rathered after Jimmy turned on Jay, like all of them, like four, 281 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:52.799 like the four members of the Bloodline in the ring at SummerSlam, just all 282 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:56.160 like agree, like Jay falls back in line, just because I would be 283 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:02.279 like, Okay, it's over whatever, kind of predictable and all this, 284 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:04.799 but at least we know the Civil War stuff is over and we can move 285 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:10.480 on to a non blood Line opponent and for Roman reigns. But the fact 286 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:12.480 that, like, and I get that they're always trying to tell a story 287 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:18.880 and further a story, but it almost feels like the storytelling they're doing with 288 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:23.079 the Bloodline, it's like they're going too far just to say that they're telling 289 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:26.759 more of a story, Like and I can't believe I'm saying that, because 290 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:32.279 I felt like under Vince McMahon, they overtly wouldn't do good storytelling and they 291 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:36.400 would just care about the payoff. But it just feels like with the Bloodline 292 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:41.720 stuff, it's and I know that Paul Haman and Roman Reigns easy enough for 293 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:45.799 me to say, are very involved in booking it and writing it, so 294 00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:49.960 I understand that they have a vested interest. It just feels like maybe going 295 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:53.880 down a simpler path and having Jay and Jimmy fall in line, Like maybe 296 00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:56.400 Jimmy would have been like, we just had to fall in line, and 297 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.960 we're stronger when we're together and whatever, but he just felt like maybe simpler 298 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:04.720 would have been better for this time, just for this time. Yeah, 299 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:11.359 absolutely, and this is something that hey, maybe we'll be vested interested, 300 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:15.240 much more interested come Friday when they have something that Jimmy says that you're like, 301 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:18.759 Okay, fine, you know this makes sense, let's go. But 302 00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:21.079 yeah, I mean, did Jimmy turney? When I look at it, 303 00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:23.039 I'm like, well, Jimmy's the one that actually turned on Roman to begin 304 00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:26.680 with, and now he's the one bringing him back. Anyway, that's a 305 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:29.799 whole nother conversation. But all right, Well, let's let's talk about Seth 306 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:33.000 and Finn, a matchup that I thought was very good. A lot of 307 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:34.680 people, including you and I thought that Finn had a very good chance to 308 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:37.799 win, and I think we both predicted Finn to win, I believe, 309 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:41.079 and there's an argument to me made that he should have won, and they 310 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:48.279 didn't go that road. They went the Damian Priest and Finn slow burn about 311 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:52.920 to explode though road where we had the briefcase get thrown into the ring, 312 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:59.960 Seth uses it inadvertently. We assume it was supposed to be for Finn. 313 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:03.599 He used on Seth, but Seth ends up capitalizing and stomps Finn's skull off 314 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:10.680 of the off the briefcase and gets the victory. And that's the way Seth 315 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:14.960 retains. So what did you think about the match and where you think they're 316 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:18.079 going now with the world title? You know what, I actually liked it. 317 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:22.039 I thought that my predicted Finn to win. I thought it would be 318 00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:25.880 better for storytelling for Finn to win, and I do think, and I 319 00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:29.240 still maintain this, that this was probably your last kick at the can with 320 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:33.240 Finn valor as a credible world champion in a lot of ways. So, 321 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:37.680 I mean it's a sacrifice they felt was needed, But I mean they did 322 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:41.960 a hell of a lot of storytelling here. And to be honest, after 323 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:45.440 the match was done and I was looking at Finn and I was looking at 324 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:48.720 Damien, I was saying to myself, like, you know what, Damian 325 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:51.519 feels like more of a main eventer than Finn, And I think it was 326 00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:55.319 the right decision. And I still do think there's a lot more tread left 327 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:00.079 on the tire of Seth Rawlins' World Heavyweight champion, and they could string this 328 00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:03.960 out a bit and there's a good storytelling that's going to be told with Damien 329 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:08.160 and fim Balor, for sure. I mean, Damien Priest to me is 330 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:11.599 a star in the making. He looks the part. I think he is 331 00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:17.440 the part, and Finn Balor kind of just came off, and this was 332 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:22.559 probably their intention, kind of just came off as like an entitled weasily leader, 333 00:24:22.599 --> 00:24:30.039 if you will, but and subconsciously knowing that in some ways his understudy 334 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.039 is surpassing him in terms of legitimacy. So the fact that I was able 335 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:37.160 to take that away from the match maybe say that, hey, you know 336 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:40.720 what I was wrong, Seth holding onto the championship was the right call. 337 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:44.680 And I do think they really have something with Damien Priest. I don't know 338 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:49.599 why, but the stare he gave Seth Rawlins and fim Balor after the match, 339 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:53.200 just that look he gave made me think, like, this guy, 340 00:24:53.319 --> 00:25:00.400 when he becomes world champion is going to really do special things. That look 341 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:06.000 it was the most dead pan just look, but it told such a story. 342 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:10.079 I don't know where that came from, but it was a burning image 343 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:11.799 in my mind, like whoa, you know, like, without saying a 344 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:17.920 word, what the hell is going on here? And I don't dislike this 345 00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:22.440 decision either, even though you know I was wrong that that's to me, 346 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:26.200 it's fine because there is still a lot you could do a Seth and especially 347 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:29.599 if you're trying to get Seth versus a Roman for an exhibition match as Survivor 348 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:32.680 Series and all that you're looking ahead. You know that then you can do 349 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:36.759 that. But because you don't want to Heal versus a Heal Roman and I 350 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:40.799 get that, um, but the matchup with Thought was really good. I 351 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:42.440 could watch these two, you know, every other pay per view if they 352 00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:45.440 if they just kind of had wanted to have like an annual few that you 353 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:48.480 know, they have five six matches a year, I could. I could 354 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:52.720 do it they're so damn good together. They brought back the twenty sixteen injury 355 00:25:52.839 --> 00:25:56.880 of having Finn try to do that to Seth that I figured they would do 356 00:25:56.920 --> 00:26:00.839 that where they kind of do they do that same spots at this time Someone's 357 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:04.640 shoulders not torn off their you know, their body. But it was well 358 00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:10.440 executed. Having of course Dom get involved, he I think he got stomped 359 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:15.200 on the outside, Riah getting involved, the usual suspects, but then it's 360 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:22.759 furthering Finn versus Damien, and sure having Finn's champion looking over his shoulder with 361 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:26.119 Damien, uh, you know, over there saying I'm not gonna cash in 362 00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:27.279 and your man, I'm not going to cash it on you. Eventually knowing 363 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:30.480 Damien's gonna cash in on Finn would have been a fun story. And also 364 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:37.000 having them being able to claim that they are all holding gold would have been 365 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:40.160 a lot of fun. And I think that, yeah, sure, that 366 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:41.680 that's a story that they absolutely could have told. No one would have been 367 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:45.319 sad about it. But I think what it comes down to it is that 368 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:48.319 they look at this and say, well, Seth hasn't had a full fledged 369 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:52.279 run yet. It's still you know, kind of in its infancy or man 370 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.119 more like it's teen years, like it's we're just getting going here, and 371 00:26:56.240 --> 00:27:00.599 I think that they look at sat Seth as a longer term champion, maybe 372 00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:03.480 at least six months before they start to talk about Seth losing it. And 373 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:07.279 overall, again, good storytelling it. You really can't go wrong here, 374 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:11.240 Like, you know, just because I was wrong about the pick doesn't mean 375 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:14.880 that I just it's not the right pick. You really couldn't have gone wrong 376 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:18.559 with either way, because there's a good story to be told that both. 377 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:22.039 I really have no complaints. No, I don't either, and it's I 378 00:27:22.119 --> 00:27:26.400 guess what they're going for here with Finn. I do kind of feel bad 379 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:29.160 for like the actual person. I don't know his real name, but the 380 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:33.759 actual man, because it feels like his character is best used to kind of 381 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:38.680 just shoving himself in a position that he doesn't belong in, like trying to 382 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:44.720 recreate history and rewrite his story. Not to rip off Cody Rhodes, but 383 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:47.920 he's trying to like rewrite history and be like, no, I was supposed 384 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:52.240 to be a main eventor and I deserve this World Championship run, but in 385 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:56.960 the end time has pasted you buy men, and it's Damien's ton now and 386 00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:00.279 that's the story that I think they're telling. And to me, you know, 387 00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:03.240 I'll eat my words. I thought the best story would be having Finn 388 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:07.680 hold the world title and having Finn, you know, be the leader the 389 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:11.920 Judgment Day, which I suppose by de facto he kind of has been positioned 390 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:18.400 as for the last fourteen fifteen months, and having every Judgment Day member hold 391 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.119 some form of gold or in Damian Priest's case, the briefcase. But lo 392 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:26.279 and behold, they told the different story, and I think the storytelling was 393 00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:30.759 perfect, And to be honest, I wonder where the Judgment Day is going 394 00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:34.160 to go from here. I wonder if they oust Damien Priest. I wonder 395 00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:37.440 if they ouse Finn balor like for you, do you think one of them 396 00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:41.079 get ousted? And if so, which one is it? I think Finn 397 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:45.559 turns baby face. I mean, what's going to happen is Finn is going 398 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:49.759 to get I think he's going to be attacked by the entire Judgment Day. 399 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:55.880 Maybe Priest you know, bludgeons him with the with the briefcase. I don't 400 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:59.119 know if it will happen, right, you know, what happens tonight. 401 00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:00.240 I mean, I don't Again, I don't know what happened on Raw yet. 402 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:06.440 Maybe maybe it gets drawn out several weeks and happens at payback, or 403 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:08.279 they again they pulled the trigger tonight, or are they drawn out even further. 404 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:11.559 I'm not sure, but either way, this is going to result in 405 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:15.759 Finn Balor being the baby face and having Damien Priests be the heel. That 406 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:18.960 just seems to be the natural way to go as people have a lot of 407 00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:22.680 respect for Finn. He's very likable. He's you forgot how good he is 408 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:26.079 on a promo for you know, many months at a time where he doesn't 409 00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:30.359 get to talk. He's just got that that just inherent likability about him. 410 00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:33.920 So yeah, Damien versus Finn is going to be something that happens, and 411 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:38.400 maybe Damien puts his briefcase on the line or something like that. I don't 412 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:41.759 know, but that's where they're going, is uh, you know, probably 413 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:48.799 in the next couple of months leading out to fast Lane. And do you 414 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:52.559 think, well, where do you think seth Rawlins goes with the World Heavyweight 415 00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:57.960 Championship Because we look at the Raw roster like there hasn't really been a heel 416 00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:06.000 positioned in a an event capacity since before the draft, because this stuff with 417 00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:11.039 Finn and Seth has been going on essentially since WrestleMania and subsequently the Draft. 418 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:15.160 So like, where do you think this leads for Seth? Because we know 419 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:18.319 he's going to be the Fighting Champion and he's going to Maine event probably fast 420 00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:22.319 Lane and Payback before presumably getting to Roman at Servirus Series. Like, what 421 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:26.039 do you think is in store for Seth rollins in the world title between now 422 00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:30.480 and serviror Series. Well, I would say Dominic Mysterio wish, I really 423 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:34.039 wish he would become world champion. Obviously they went a different road and put 424 00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:37.200 the NXT North American title on him, which is fine, I would actually 425 00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:41.519 say, I mean, I think given that Cody Rhodes is now freed up 426 00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:48.559 from brock Lesner and presumably for the time being, Seth and Finn are complete 427 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:55.279 as Finn moves his focus to Damian and Cody also confronted Seth before brock Lesner 428 00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:59.799 attacked him again a couple month or two ago, that the Cody's going to 429 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:04.359 continue to try to pursue Seth's championship, and maybe that's what happens. Maybe 430 00:31:04.359 --> 00:31:10.400 it is Cody versus Seth perhaps, I think that's one possibility, or they 431 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:12.880 keep those two separate because they are arguably the top two baby faces unwrong, 432 00:31:14.440 --> 00:31:18.599 so I mean, looking at the rest of the roster, I mean, 433 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:23.640 Riddle doesn't make sense. Ricochet is a baby face, you don't want him. 434 00:31:23.880 --> 00:31:29.279 Bron Stroman maybe, I mean, yeah, broun Stroman has been an 435 00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:32.720 m I am. I would imagine he's injured, so I haven't heard much 436 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:37.920 about him. But Gunther's got the IC title. I really I don't know. 437 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:41.759 I mean, that's really kind of it. Unless it's like a fatal 438 00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:47.160 or a triple threat. Maybe Seth does, you know, stay in the 439 00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:49.799 judgment Day's crosshairs and they have a triple threat even though he's the money in 440 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:52.960 the bank briefcase holder. I mean, that's also a possibility. But other 441 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:57.400 than that, I don't see any other guy on the roster pending a massive 442 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:01.119 return, of course, on the roster that would make sense for Seth to 443 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:06.640 face off of against in the next couple of months. The only thing I 444 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:09.119 thought about, and I thought that this was going to happen after Seth won 445 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:14.880 the World heavyweight Championship at I believe it was a Knight of Champions against j 446 00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:20.359 Styles in Saudi Arabia that he won it, and I thought that his first 447 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:23.799 opponent would be a heal Drew McIntyre. They went to the Finn Road. 448 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:28.039 I thought it was an excellent decision. His feud with the Judgment Day has 449 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:30.279 been awesome. But I don't know if you caught this, but after Drew 450 00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:35.880 loss claim to Gunther, they just showed a clip of him like marching up 451 00:32:36.359 --> 00:32:39.039 the ramp, up the aisleway, whatever you want to call it, and 452 00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:44.079 I just thought to myself, like, maybe this is the straw that breaks 453 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:47.480 the camels back in the baby face version of Drew McIntyre, Like we're three 454 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:52.200 and a half years into him weighing the rumble, which is effectively when he 455 00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:57.519 turned baby face in January twenty twenty, and I don't know if he's going 456 00:32:57.559 --> 00:33:00.680 to continue this feud with Gunther. Like I mentioned when we spoke last Thursday 457 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:06.839 in the preview show, I wouldn't be opposed to him eventually dethroning Gunther, 458 00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:10.680 even though I thought that Summerslime wasn't the right time to do it. But 459 00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:15.480 I wonder, like, are they maybe going to go down a path of 460 00:33:15.640 --> 00:33:21.599 Drew turning heel and that it just he's finally snapped. He can't sit idly 461 00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:25.720 by anymore. He hasn't held the championship since the winter of twenty twenty one 462 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:30.640 when the miss cashed in on him, And I'm just thinking myself, would 463 00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:36.200 a heel Drew McIntyre be a good opponent for seth Rawlins. Oh hell yeah, 464 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:38.200 I think Drew needs. And again, anytime you come back from a 465 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:43.799 return, whether you're heal or baby face, people you embrace you, but 466 00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:47.119 eventually they get bored with you again. It's just human nature. So I 467 00:33:47.160 --> 00:33:52.240 think a good way to refresh Drew is to turn him. Hell, as 468 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:58.200 you mentioned, it has been several years pre pandemic, before or since Drew 469 00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:00.920 mcti has been a heal. And he's a good heel. I mean I 470 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:04.359 think he no, I know, he could play a very good heel. 471 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:07.400 He's a polished wrestler, he understands a business, he's got great in ring 472 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:12.800 psychology, he can cut good promos, he's legit badass, like, he 473 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:15.920 checks all the boxes to not just be a good baby face, but a 474 00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:19.639 really good heel. And it also would give Seth another guy to work with 475 00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:23.639 that is a legitimate threat to his world title, not just one of the 476 00:34:23.679 --> 00:34:28.000 stepping stones of well, it'll be a fun match, but Seth will win. 477 00:34:28.199 --> 00:34:31.320 No. I think Drew turning heel and facing Seth would be a very 478 00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:37.159 real threat to sets world championship. Absolutely, But like you said, does 479 00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:39.679 that I think that. Here's the thing I will say, I think that 480 00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:44.920 happens. Yes, I do think that happens, but I don't know of 481 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:49.679 the timing of it, because perhaps Gunther and Drew stretch this out one more 482 00:34:49.719 --> 00:34:53.159 because don't forget this pay per view that's coming up is called Payback, and 483 00:34:53.239 --> 00:34:58.760 that would insinuate that some whatever happened at the previous event, the you know 484 00:34:58.800 --> 00:35:02.519 that payback has come and not that every match how in the card has to 485 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:07.320 fit that, but for some of the high level ones it would make sense. 486 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:12.320 So I think it happens probably shortly after Payback, maybe leading into fast 487 00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:15.599 Lane or Survivor Series if they don't do Roman in Seth. So I think 488 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:20.519 that's happening for Drew. Before twenty twenty three is over, we'll see a 489 00:35:20.599 --> 00:35:24.840 heel Drew Macintar against Seth rollins and they had a very underwhelming program in the 490 00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:30.599 early stages of the pandemic era, if I'm not mistaken, and it just 491 00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:34.840 feels like a program we never really got to see. Obviously, back then 492 00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:37.320 it was a baby Face Drew and a heel seth Rollins, so it would 493 00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:42.199 be reversed. But I mean, just quickly, like I'm kind of thinking 494 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:45.199 about it, do you feel like the SmackDown roster, not in terms of 495 00:35:45.239 --> 00:35:51.639 star power, but just like the mid card and the depth is much stronger 496 00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:55.760 than the Raw roster. Well, I mean it depends, like you take 497 00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:00.519 Roman Reins out of it and for the most all intents purposes of how frequently 498 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:06.360 he's there. I you know, the roster. It's it's difficult because when 499 00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:09.079 you add the world title to Raw, that's really helped and it's made the 500 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:14.360 guys chasing it feel more important because they have a top title to chase. 501 00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:16.679 But now that things are I guess as equal as they've been in a while. 502 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:21.039 When I look at the SmackDown card, I mean, or the SmackDown 503 00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:25.719 roster, you have a kind of an amba of Bobby Lashley, who's been 504 00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:30.159 heel baby face with the Hurt business, not with the hurt business. You 505 00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:31.599 know, he's been all over the damn place, and now he's got this 506 00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:36.119 new group. Bobby Lashly has been all over But I still like what he's 507 00:36:36.159 --> 00:36:38.760 doing and I think he's a real opponent for Roman Reigns whenever they want to 508 00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:44.920 go down that road. I think, ultimately, though, SmackDown does have 509 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:52.800 the more I guess better is a subjective term, but it's a more star 510 00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:58.000 studded roster I think. I mean, you have Edge wherever the hell he's 511 00:36:58.079 --> 00:37:01.679 going these days. You have AJ Dials, you have Juzo, Jimmy Us, 512 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:07.119 Roman Reigns of course SOLOSICOA. You have a rising La Night and we 513 00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:12.639 didn't even talk about him, but maybe that's another conversation. La Night. 514 00:37:12.760 --> 00:37:15.239 Is you know a star, a mega star, truly in the making right 515 00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:21.079 now? You have Shotzi with her new haircut, she feels fresh. You 516 00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:24.559 know you have ray Masterio he's injured right now. I mean, I think, 517 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:30.519 really, when you look at this right now, SmackDown's probably the bigger 518 00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:35.440 star that I guess, more exciting roster than Raw. Yes, well, 519 00:37:35.480 --> 00:37:38.119 I was just theme bot because you also have Austin Theory who's been lost in 520 00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:43.320 no management land. And returning Bobby Lashly as you mentioned Shamus, who was 521 00:37:43.400 --> 00:37:45.440 just like a really good utility guy, and I think he didn't interview where 522 00:37:45.480 --> 00:37:50.840 he said he felt underutilize, which I would concur with, like you could 523 00:37:50.840 --> 00:37:53.760 have Shamus even if it was baby Face versus baby Face feud with seth Rawlins 524 00:37:54.239 --> 00:38:00.480 and then buried at the bottom of the food chain is AJ styles feuding with 525 00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:04.400 carry and Cross and carrying Cross is about as stale as you can get. 526 00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:07.280 But I still actually think there's something fare with him. I really do think 527 00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:12.400 there's a lot of untapped potential. It's just about finding him a meaning and 528 00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:15.000 I just find that there's not good chemistry with him in AJ and I just 529 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:20.639 I don't care that much. But like just AJ and to a much lesser 530 00:38:20.639 --> 00:38:24.679 extent, Carrying Cross being buried at the bottom of the SmackDown roster kind of 531 00:38:24.719 --> 00:38:29.039 tells you all you need to know, because for me, like I do, 532 00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:31.800 I guess you have Sammy and Kevin on RAW, but they're tagging right 533 00:38:31.800 --> 00:38:35.880 now, so that kind of takes them out the single scene. And then 534 00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:38.840 you even have a guy like Santos Escobar, So I mean, I just 535 00:38:38.920 --> 00:38:45.320 think there are some guys on SmackDown that if they were on raw could put 536 00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:50.000 themselves into that mix with Seth Rawlins, And I just think that maybe maybe 537 00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:53.880 overall right now there's a lack of heels, and I guess, like it's 538 00:38:53.920 --> 00:39:00.400 so weird, like Bobby Lashly returning now as a heel, presumably based on 539 00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:04.239 what the street profits did, it almost feels like he would be the perfect 540 00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:07.320 guy to feud with Seth Rollins, right, Oh yeah, yeah, I 541 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:13.800 mean absolutely if they could make that happen. Yeah, but with Bobby Lashly 542 00:39:13.840 --> 00:39:16.679 seth Rollins, you know, on separate brands, it's a little difficult again 543 00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:22.000 unless they do some kind of trade, but or they just have people come 544 00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:24.199 over, because you know that happens every now and then now where people just 545 00:39:24.199 --> 00:39:29.639 come over and no one cares and the whole draft rules and imaginary ones anyway, 546 00:39:29.679 --> 00:39:31.920 so they could still make it happen even if honestly, even if there's 547 00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:36.679 no trade, they can still I mean really like because they have told us 548 00:39:36.679 --> 00:39:39.440 that it doesn't really matter and that we can just kind of pop people over 549 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:43.480 whenever we feel like and you're not going to care because you're getting the best 550 00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:47.280 match possible. And people are blinded by that, so that's still a possibility 551 00:39:47.320 --> 00:39:51.199 for all intensive purposes. They have a brand split, but they don't when 552 00:39:51.199 --> 00:39:53.639 they don't want one. So um, yeah, that Brobby lastly would be 553 00:39:53.639 --> 00:39:57.599 an absolutely, I mean, it'd be an excellent opponent for Seth Rollins right 554 00:39:57.639 --> 00:40:00.199 now. But all right, well, well you know I'm gonna I guess 555 00:40:00.239 --> 00:40:02.840 I'll end things here. We could go on and on about Summer Slam, 556 00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:07.440 and there's so much we didn't even talk about. With a brilliant MMA rules 557 00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:10.320 match with Shane and Ronda that was just overwhelming with the crowd reaction and all 558 00:40:10.360 --> 00:40:15.800 that. But I'll pause and I'll just give you the floor for anything that 559 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:20.280 we didn't talk about, maybe that you wanted to quickly mention. Um, 560 00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:25.920 you know, I guess we could briefly touch on. Uh, there's so 561 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:28.920 many things. I just wanted to say. One thing, I guess you 562 00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:32.920 know what m l A night. Um. All I would say is that 563 00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:37.400 maybe this is the beginning of a major push for him. Obviously, for 564 00:40:37.440 --> 00:40:40.920 all intents and purposes, it's a meaningless a battle royal that is just for 565 00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:45.159 bragging rights. But there were some decent names in there, you know, 566 00:40:45.239 --> 00:40:49.199 Shame is aj styles I liked Oh my god, I almost said brotus Clay 567 00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:54.559 Bronson reed, I liked him, yeahs in that match carrying Cross. I 568 00:40:54.599 --> 00:40:58.719 mean, maybe I'm one of the few, but I do think there's something 569 00:40:58.760 --> 00:41:01.199 there with him, even though he is boring as all hell right now in 570 00:41:01.199 --> 00:41:06.239 a lot of ways. But I do think that maybe this is the start 571 00:41:06.320 --> 00:41:13.159 of something with with La Knight. But one now that I'm really thinking about 572 00:41:13.199 --> 00:41:19.320 it, like, is it not absurd that Austin Theory wasn't on the pay 573 00:41:19.320 --> 00:41:23.039 per view? About as absurd as the fact that I mean, first of 574 00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:27.360 all, yes, because they did so much in the last couple of years 575 00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:30.280 to build up the US title with the absence of the World title on Raw, 576 00:41:31.239 --> 00:41:36.320 which I mean it only got built up simply because something else wasn't there. 577 00:41:36.599 --> 00:41:39.559 But they still did a nice job, and all the all the equity 578 00:41:39.639 --> 00:41:44.400 that they built up in the US title, it wasn't on SmackDown, or 579 00:41:44.440 --> 00:41:46.639 it wasn't on SummerSlam. It is a bit of an abomination. Yes, 580 00:41:46.760 --> 00:41:51.639 not not necessarily that Austin Theory wasn't on it, but the US title more 581 00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:58.199 importantly wasn't showcased on SummerSlam. Yes, it was ridiculous. But also, 582 00:41:58.400 --> 00:42:01.320 you know you didn't have Trish and and Leda or I'm sorry Trish and Becky 583 00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:06.239 Lynch. How does that take it? I mean, like certain things, 584 00:42:06.360 --> 00:42:08.719 and I know all the time constrains this and that. I mean, how 585 00:42:08.760 --> 00:42:15.840 about you substitute out Ronda and Shana for Becky and and Trish. I mean 586 00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:19.039 that that's a hell of a better story. And yet I don't know. 587 00:42:19.119 --> 00:42:23.239 I digress. Yeah, I mean it's I think overall it was a good 588 00:42:23.239 --> 00:42:27.639 show. I guess the one thing, well, I could say a bunch 589 00:42:27.679 --> 00:42:31.159 of one things. I guess this is the lack of return somewhat surprised me. 590 00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:36.039 Not saying that I was expecting Voldemort, but I just thought that maybe 591 00:42:36.039 --> 00:42:38.639 we would get one return. But at the same time, we can't always 592 00:42:38.679 --> 00:42:42.719 expect to return. But no bray White, no Randy Orton. I was 593 00:42:42.800 --> 00:42:45.000 kind of surprised by that. Yeah, I thought at least one of the 594 00:42:45.199 --> 00:42:49.800 one of the four three four that we mentioned would come back. And I 595 00:42:49.800 --> 00:42:52.920 think that took away because people were waiting. I feel like there was that 596 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:55.760 kind of underwhelming or that kind of ground swell of people like, Okay, 597 00:42:55.760 --> 00:42:59.559 who's coming back, where's the big return. Where's the big and the biggest 598 00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:01.480 thing coming out of that his own Jimmy USO signing with Roman, Now, 599 00:43:01.880 --> 00:43:07.119 like that's the biggest item arguably that you could come up with. Um, 600 00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:10.840 you know, and again, I know, returns don't necessarily make or break 601 00:43:10.880 --> 00:43:14.639 an event, but I feel like it's been a while since we've seen a 602 00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:17.000 big return. I mean, it feels like it's been I mean, I 603 00:43:17.039 --> 00:43:21.639 don't know, it feels like it's been months since we've had that shocking like, 604 00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:23.519 oh my god, so and so's back, and we keep waiting for 605 00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:28.159 Randy, like where's Randy, where's Randy? Ah, he's coming back here 606 00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:30.199 doctors reports, and then ten minutes later you'll say, oh, well no, 607 00:43:30.480 --> 00:43:35.239 doctors say, you know that they told him never wrestle again. And 608 00:43:35.239 --> 00:43:37.639 then they're like, well Randy still wants to wrestle. It's like, what 609 00:43:37.679 --> 00:43:40.599 is going on? You know, Like, so Randy Orton is still floating 610 00:43:40.599 --> 00:43:45.119 out there. But yeah, the no returns, it was Honestly, it 611 00:43:45.159 --> 00:43:46.679 was a disappointment. I'm not gonna lie that was a bit disappointed there no 612 00:43:46.800 --> 00:43:51.840 returns, but the overall solid event, I don't think it was their best 613 00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:54.639 event of the year. Crowd certainly didn't match what we saw overseas the last 614 00:43:54.679 --> 00:44:00.239 few months. But yeah, yeah, overall a good show, and there 615 00:44:00.280 --> 00:44:02.480 are specifically on Monday Night Raw, but even on SmackDown, Like I'm really 616 00:44:02.519 --> 00:44:07.239 interested to see where I'm just saying call them the hurt business two point zero, 617 00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:10.440 but I mean, I'm really interesting to see what happens on SmackDown with 618 00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:15.800 Bobby Glashley and the street profits l A Night and on Monday Night Raw. 619 00:44:16.039 --> 00:44:22.440 Really interested to see what happens with the World Heavyweight Championship in what direction they 620 00:44:22.480 --> 00:44:24.599 take it. Agreed. Yeah, and like you said with La night Man, 621 00:44:25.320 --> 00:44:29.320 this is the beginning of something. I hope they finally gave the fans 622 00:44:29.320 --> 00:44:32.960 something to sink their teeth into and I hope it continues. And boy, 623 00:44:32.960 --> 00:44:37.639 again, they couldn't have given a more just basic foundational victory. I mean 624 00:44:37.400 --> 00:44:40.280 that that you talk about starting from the bottom winning a Battle Royal. And 625 00:44:40.320 --> 00:44:45.559 then the promo video for the Battle Royal included just royal rumble footage. It 626 00:44:45.679 --> 00:44:46.440 was like, no, no, no, no, it's not a Battle 627 00:44:46.519 --> 00:44:52.159 Royal, right, Like fifty percent of that footage was Royal rumbles, not 628 00:44:52.320 --> 00:44:55.440 Battle Royals. But I digress so all right, Well, I know that 629 00:44:55.519 --> 00:45:00.119 this week you'll be returning with a new retro last week we take take breaks 630 00:45:00.159 --> 00:45:02.960 on our pl e weeks, but I don't know if you want to give 631 00:45:04.039 --> 00:45:06.599 us any sneak peek or maybe you're not sure yet of what you're going to 632 00:45:06.679 --> 00:45:10.119 talk about this week. Yeah, I'm really not sure because I sometimes review 633 00:45:10.280 --> 00:45:15.760 angles, I sometimes review pay per views, so I'm bound to a few 634 00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:17.519 things around right now. I have a couple of irons in the fire, 635 00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:21.000 but I'm not going to reveal all that just just yet. Cool. All 636 00:45:21.119 --> 00:45:23.079 right, well, looking forward to it, and thanks so much for coming 637 00:45:23.079 --> 00:45:25.039 on. It'll be, like I said, very interested to see what's going 638 00:45:25.079 --> 00:45:29.280 to be happening over the next couple of months because we can already. Sounds 639 00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:30.840 insane, but I think we can already kind of start taking a peek at 640 00:45:30.840 --> 00:45:35.199 WrestleMania. A lot of times, storylines go from summer slim to mania. 641 00:45:35.239 --> 00:45:39.039 We've seen it several times over the last five years or so, so I 642 00:45:39.079 --> 00:45:42.960 don't know. It sounds crazy, but I think we can start looking over 643 00:45:43.000 --> 00:45:47.039 the horizon and start booking a little bit. So it's crazy. That's WrestleMania 644 00:45:47.079 --> 00:45:50.880 season right around the corners. I know, I know it is, and 645 00:45:51.599 --> 00:45:55.679 ay, WWE already has want to understand their top four or five matches already 646 00:45:55.679 --> 00:45:59.480 booked out, so we'll have to decode it and figure it out. But 647 00:45:59.760 --> 00:46:01.039 all right, well, thanks so much for coming on and there we'll be 648 00:46:01.119 --> 00:46:04.800 chatting in a week or so. Yeah, man, looking forward to it. 649 00:46:05.159 --> 00:46:10.119 Take care, Thanks for listening to the WWE podcast. Don't forget to 650 00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:15.119 subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a show, or head 651 00:46:15.159 --> 00:46:21.440 to WWE podcast dot com and for all of these shows ad free, head 652 00:46:21.480 --> 00:46:27.639 over to Patreon dot com slash WWE podcast. Until then, we'll see you 653 00:46:28.400 --> 00:46:29.039 next time.