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Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to battle Ground. This is a podcast.

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Speaker 1: We're battling friends, talk all things wrestling, and laugh with

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Speaker 1: comedians that are way funnier than him. And you never

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Speaker 1: know who's going to stop by. Here is your host battle.

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Speaker 2: Check.

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Speaker 3: Hey, check, one, two check.

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Speaker 4: We're all right. Here we go.

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Speaker 5: It is time for another episode of Battleground.

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Speaker 4: My name Miss.

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Speaker 5: Battle I got eli cross from me was up. Each

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Speaker 5: week we sit here and we just talk wrestling. That's

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Speaker 5: all we do is talk wrestling.

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Speaker 4: Can't you get better than now? Let's go ahead, just jump

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Speaker 4: right into it.

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Speaker 5: The big announcement earlier this week, AW announcing their TV

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Speaker 5: deal with T and T Ted Turner getting back in

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Speaker 5: the wrestling business.

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Speaker 4: Will it be different this time around?

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Speaker 3: You know, I think so, just because it's a much

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Speaker 3: different climate than it was twenty years ago. Especially, you know,

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Speaker 3: I think we're gonna talk about this in the future

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Speaker 3: with guests obviously. You know, I think aw's going to

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Speaker 3: try to do something different. They're not going to do,

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Speaker 3: you know, three hundred dates a year, and you know,

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Speaker 3: it's more quality over quantity. You know, they're going to

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Speaker 3: try to offer health benefits to their employees. I mean,

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Speaker 3: it's just it sounds like on paper everything is just incredible.

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Speaker 3: And it's funny because I think it was either the

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Speaker 3: same day it was announced for the day before Vince

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Speaker 3: McMahon was actually did an interview and he was kind

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Speaker 3: of nonchalant about like workers injuries and time off, and

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Speaker 3: he basically was just like, Oh, the wrestlers can take

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Speaker 3: off any time they want. I was like, no, that's

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Speaker 3: since when you know what I mean, Like that is

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Speaker 3: in their history. That's never been the case. And so

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Speaker 3: he almost kind of framed it like, well, they can

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Speaker 3: do it anytime they want to, not really telling the

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Speaker 3: ramifications if that happens, you know, that kind of a deal.

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Speaker 4: So, yeah, I'm.

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Speaker 3: Super excited about it. We've talked about it. I'm going

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Speaker 3: to Double Nothing next week in Vegas, so pretty excited

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Speaker 3: about that. And yeah, it'll be awesome to have wrestling

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Speaker 3: back on Turner on TNT.

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Speaker 5: It's gonna be just like it was one of the kids,

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Speaker 5: except this time I don't have to flip back and

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Speaker 5: forth with the commercials because I know that they're not

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Speaker 5: going to try to air on Monday nights or Friday nights.

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Speaker 4: It's going to be in between the week.

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Speaker 5: So another kind of big thing we talked about in

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Speaker 5: a text earlier this week. You said a thing about

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Speaker 5: see him punk, nonchalantly saying, well, you know, I would

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Speaker 5: go back to wrestling. Yeah, if and there's that dot.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you know he's and I think we've we might

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Speaker 3: have talked about on the show before. But you know,

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Speaker 3: I kind of appreciate that he walked away. It's actually

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Speaker 3: been five years now. He left in January of twenty fourteen,

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Speaker 3: and you know, besides the fact that he's been asked

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Speaker 3: that every single day for five years, you know, I

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Speaker 3: kind of respect that he you know, he did not

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Speaker 3: like his standing with the company. He did not like

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Speaker 3: the way he was treated medically. The day that they

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Speaker 3: chose to release him or fire and whatever was on

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Speaker 3: his wedding day, which was just low blow. So I

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Speaker 3: kind of like that he's stood by his convictions, like

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Speaker 3: I'm done, you know. But on the other hand, if

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Speaker 3: he did sign with AW, I'd freak out. I think

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Speaker 3: with AW, I think if they you know, hey, if

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Speaker 3: you come in and wrestle twenty times a year for

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Speaker 3: four million bucks or whatever, I mean, I don't know

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Speaker 3: how he could turn that.

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Speaker 4: Down, right, and that's the thing.

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Speaker 5: It's like with this, If this happens, it's kind of

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Speaker 5: you look at ae W and they're letting everybody kind.

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Speaker 4: Of basically pick and choose what they want to do.

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Speaker 5: They're letting them have control of creative, they're letting them

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Speaker 5: do this, They're letting them do that. And they've got

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Speaker 5: money behind him, and so it's it's not like Ted

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Speaker 5: Turner's opening up his checkbook. You got the cons that

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Speaker 5: are involved in this, and it's you know then have

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Speaker 5: probably more money than Ted Turner, more access to certain things, yea,

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Speaker 5: more money events, right, And so I think this go around,

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Speaker 5: it's gonna be good. I think seam Punk could you know,

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Speaker 5: potentially come back to that as that big name because

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Speaker 5: they've you know, you look at AW They've got big,

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Speaker 5: huge names in there, but there's that one name that

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Speaker 5: they're just they don't have to make all the WWE

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Speaker 5: fans be like, hmm, let me spend my night watching this.

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Speaker 5: And if you get punk, excuse me, oh, this is

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Speaker 5: I love recording stuff like this. If you get Punk

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Speaker 5: involved in it, that's gonna get everybody talking about it.

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Speaker 5: It's going to be the biggest thing. I mean, look

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Speaker 5: at what happened when the rumor of supposedly that was

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Speaker 5: Punk at that indie show hitting the GTS. For weeks,

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Speaker 5: that's all everybody talked about.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, he he has a mystique about him,

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Speaker 3: and you know, I think he'd left. You know, he

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Speaker 3: didn't leave in the way that he wanted to obviously,

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Speaker 3: and you know they went after Jericho obviously, and I'm

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Speaker 3: a huge Jericho fan, so I'm happy about that. But yeah,

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Speaker 3: I mean, I think if they'd landed Punk being able

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Speaker 3: to do that when no one else has been able

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Speaker 3: to that would be just huge. So we'll see.

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Speaker 5: I mean, man, just sitting here thinking about that, that's

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Speaker 5: gonna be ridiculous that happens, especially because Eli's gonna be

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Speaker 5: there at double or nothing, so we'll know firsthand if

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Speaker 5: it happens before the Internet gets it, because of course

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Speaker 5: Eli will be there. Let's kind of move on to

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Speaker 5: our weekly challenge that we like to do, the Battleground

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Speaker 5: Weekly Challenge this week the original four Horsemen versus Undisputed era,

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Speaker 5: which you could voice your opinion just follow us on

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Speaker 5: Instagram Battleground Podcast.

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Speaker 4: Who are you picking?

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Speaker 1: Uh?

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Speaker 5: I already kind of know where you're going because Arn't

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Speaker 5: Anderson is in the four horse.

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Speaker 3: I mean, I hate to I hate to do these

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Speaker 3: and just always pick the old school guys. But it's

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Speaker 3: just like it's almost like I think the old school

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Speaker 3: guy old school guys could work today, but I don't

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Speaker 3: know if the new school guys could work it back then.

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Speaker 3: Kind of a deal, right, I'm not sure this one

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Speaker 3: actually might be the toughest one we've done. I mean,

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Speaker 3: they're all just incredible. I think when it's all said

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Speaker 3: and done, I probably go for Horsemen just because you

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Speaker 3: do have Ric Flair, who's top three, and then just

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Speaker 3: the rest of the Horsemen are just so incredible. That's

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Speaker 3: not to say the un Disputed Era won't be at

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Speaker 3: a top five stable when it's all said and done.

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Speaker 3: But I mean, you know when you put something, when

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Speaker 3: you put it like a rig Flair in something like that,

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Speaker 3: it automatically stock raises up.

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Speaker 5: Right, and just he didn't get the name dirtiest player

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Speaker 5: in the game for nothing, right, So yeah, that that

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Speaker 5: is going to be an extramely tough one.

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Speaker 4: So you can voice your opinion on it.

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Speaker 5: Just follow our podcast Instagram page Battleground Podcast.

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Speaker 4: So, uh, yowie wowie.

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Speaker 5: That was the horrible, the worst transition I've ever done

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Speaker 5: on this show.

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Speaker 4: Let's talk about that.

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Speaker 5: That is probably the greatest thing in the world, watching

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Speaker 5: that Braywaitt promo, like this angle is the best. And

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Speaker 5: then him sending out a tweet on Twitter to seth

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Speaker 5: Rawlins and Dean or seth Rawlins and Romerains about wanting

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Speaker 5: to join the Shield Reunion and then turns around and

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Speaker 5: says something and tweets John Moxley as well, like the

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Speaker 5: greatest thing in the world right now.

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: He So, I'm a I'm a Braywaite fan. You know

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Speaker 3: when I when I got back into it, he was

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Speaker 3: still doing the the cult thing, the bray Waite family whatever,

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Speaker 3: and uh he you know, for a bigger guy, he

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Speaker 3: moves really good and you know, good promos and everything.

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Speaker 3: So I've I've been on board the whole time, and

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Speaker 3: like a lot of people, they just don't know what

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Speaker 3: to do with him. And you know, they gave him

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Speaker 3: the world title for like two weeks or a month

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Speaker 3: or whatever it is, and then just gave it to

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Speaker 3: Randy Orton, which was just yeah, and then they had

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Speaker 3: that terrible match with the Worms on the ring and

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Speaker 3: all that crap. So then he got injured and they've

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Speaker 3: repackaged him, and I didn't really know what to think.

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Speaker 3: But the Funhouse has been awesome, and now that I

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Speaker 3: kind of wish that they would have spaced it out a.

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Speaker 4: Little bit more.

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Speaker 3: I think they got to the demented mass thing too quick.

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Speaker 4: I think they could.

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Speaker 3: Have done with the Funhouse for like another month or something,

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Speaker 3: especially if he's not debuting anytime soon.

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Speaker 5: I think you could have dragged it out. You could

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Speaker 5: have gone a little bit more in depth. I mean,

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Speaker 5: they ripped that rabbit's head off and it was sitting there.

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Speaker 5: I mean you could have gone and dragged it out. Yeah,

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Speaker 5: a couple more weeks and then him debut at You know,

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Speaker 5: I don't see him debuting at Money in the Bank,

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Speaker 5: but you never know a WWE, especially with the game

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Speaker 5: plan of swapping and pulling ron Stroman out and putting

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Speaker 5: in Sammy's ain.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean that.

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Speaker 3: Would have been a good you put Pray White in

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Speaker 3: that spot. But anyways, Yeah, I mean, it's it's gotten

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Speaker 3: buzz for ever since it launched. I mean, even like

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Speaker 3: non hardcore fans or just like what is this? You know,

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Speaker 3: the mask was incredible. Tom Savini, legendary special effects guy

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Speaker 3: from Hollywood. He's he's done a lot of the stuff

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Speaker 3: for Ray Wyatt, a lot of the mask and stuff,

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Speaker 3: so this one was done by him. It looks awesome.

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Speaker 3: So I don't know if he's going to keep doing this,

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Speaker 3: you know, kind of a he kind of has the

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Speaker 3: kids show thing, but then when he goes to the ring,

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Speaker 3: he's this dark, demented thing. Like, I don't I don't

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Speaker 3: know how they're gonna do it, if it's just one

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Speaker 3: character or if he's gonna do kind of both, but

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Speaker 3: uh yeah, it's there's nothing like it on WW right now.

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Speaker 5: No, And you know, sitting there kind of like rewatching

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Speaker 5: the promo video and somebody made a good ballid point

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Speaker 5: on our Instagram about the clothing attire that Bray wore

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Speaker 5: is the same clothing attire that we've had somebody on

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Speaker 5: the show the Carnies, the stripe pants, the jacket. You know,

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Speaker 5: it seems like this is going to go down the

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Speaker 5: right path. It's just figuring out how they're going to

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Speaker 5: do it. And if I was in creative, which I'm not,

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Speaker 5: but every wrestling fan is in creative.

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Speaker 4: The way they voice their.

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Speaker 5: Opinions, I would say that if you do, they've jumped

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Speaker 5: to this. Now, something's gonna happen at Money in the Bank.

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Speaker 5: Lights are gonna come out. He's gonna be sitting on

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Speaker 5: top of that ladder with the mask on, looking at

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Speaker 5: whoever is trying to grab the thing. But I mean,

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Speaker 5: you never know.

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Speaker 4: It's interesting stuff.

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Speaker 5: So we do have a guest on the show today,

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Speaker 5: Josh Matthews, the guy from Impact Wrestling. He pretty much

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Speaker 5: has done it all in the wrestling business. He's gonna

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Speaker 5: be calling in. We'll talk to him in just a

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Speaker 5: few minutes. But it is the weekend Money in the

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Speaker 5: and uh, it's it's gonna be kind of an interesting thing.

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Speaker 5: Everything leading up to it. Uh, You've got the main match,

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Speaker 5: the Money in the Bank for the guys and the girls.

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Speaker 5: And the one thing that I'm interested as seeing is

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Speaker 5: the Becky Lynch versus Charlotte and then Becky Lynch versus Lacey,

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Speaker 5: which everybody is gung ho about.

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Speaker 4: You know, Becky Lynch.

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Speaker 5: Now that her and Seth Rollins officially made it Instagram

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Speaker 5: official by kissing each other and w since out of

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Speaker 5: all Winki weink face hearts in the eyes. Anyways, besides

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Speaker 5: the point, what do you think about these two matches?

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Speaker 3: I uh so. I my hunch is it's gonna be

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Speaker 3: something along the lines of Becky beats Lacey, or it's

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Speaker 3: like a really close fight and she barely wins, or

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Speaker 3: even like Charlotte interferes and it's just like she barely

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Speaker 3: wins that title, and then as soon as that's done,

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Speaker 3: they're like, okay, Charlotte, you're in, and she has no

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Speaker 3: time to rest, no recovery, and then Charlotte beats her

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Speaker 3: for the SmackDown belt. Because I don't think she's going

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Speaker 3: to smack down. I think she's gonna be on raw

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Speaker 3: and I don't I think they I think they did

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Speaker 3: the two belts thing just to kind of ride that wave,

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Speaker 3: but I don't think they really intend on her having

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Speaker 3: both belts. So I think they'll split that up and

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Speaker 3: give that to Charlotte. Wild card is she wins, she

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Speaker 3: loses both of them.

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Speaker 5: I mean, you know, I sit there looking at this

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Speaker 5: on paper, you talk about Charlotte costing the match. Here's

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Speaker 5: the thing that a lot of people are not really

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Speaker 5: talking about. I'm thinking that let's say Becky beats Lacey.

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Speaker 5: In the middle of Charlotte and Becky's match. You hear

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Speaker 5: jon Jet's music hit, Ronda comes running down. She cost Charlotte,

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Speaker 5: She cost Becky Charlotte's match. Charlotte takes SmackDown title back

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Speaker 5: to her boyfriend, and then it starts an ongoing story

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Speaker 5: with Lacey, Charlotte, and Becky.

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Speaker 4: Hmmm. I wouldn't.

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Speaker 3: I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if that happened.

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Speaker 4: I don't.

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Speaker 3: I don't know what their plan is for Ronda. I

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Speaker 3: know she's she broke her hand, right, she's taken some

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Speaker 3: time off, but I mean that didn't mean she can't

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Speaker 3: come out with a kindow stick or something.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, something's gonna happen.

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Speaker 5: And I'm I'm pretty sure that Charlotte's gonna take the

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Speaker 5: title back to SmackDown because Becky's having to fly back

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Speaker 5: and forth to these events, which most of the wrestlers

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Speaker 5: on the roster go to both events to begin with.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, and but it's just flying back.

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Speaker 5: And forth, and they're gonna want to more than likely

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Speaker 5: keep Becky with her boyfriend.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, And I would just be surprised. I'm actually

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Speaker 3: I'm a Lacey Evans fan. I mean I saw at

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Speaker 3: NXT when she was in Nashville a year or two ago,

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Speaker 3: and that was when she was doing more of the

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Speaker 3: like the forties, like the pin up bombshell thing, and

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Speaker 3: then they've tweaked it to the to the Southern bell thing.

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Speaker 3: And I mean I even said, you reminded me of Charlotte,

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Speaker 3: very athletic tall, you know, So, I mean I would

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Speaker 3: be okay with her being I like her how she

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Speaker 3: thinks she's better than everybody, Like she plays that to

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Speaker 3: a t and just like you know, one of the signings,

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Speaker 3: she was just like, I can't believe you didn't dress

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Speaker 3: up and all this, Like, I mean, she she nails

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Speaker 3: her character. I just think it would be a little

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Speaker 3: too soon because she's she got caught up this year

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Speaker 3: and she's only had a handful of matches. So just

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Speaker 3: to give her the belt this soon, I think would

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Speaker 3: be But.

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Speaker 4: I don't know. I mean, they never know what WW

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Speaker 4: is gonna do.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, evidently they love her at WWE, So I think

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Speaker 3: the future is bright for her, But I just don't

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Speaker 3: know if it starts at money in the bank.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, And that's what's crazy.

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Speaker 5: Speaking of future being bright, another transition this is I'm

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Speaker 5: like two for two right now. Impact the Wrestling Josh

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Speaker 5: Matthews is gonna join us right now, So let's go

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Speaker 5: ahead and get that set up. I'm gonna let Eli

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Speaker 5: introduce Josh.

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Speaker 4: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: So this gentleman has you know, he was in WWE

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Speaker 3: for I think we said fourteen years, fifteen years to

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Speaker 3: take you up, commentator, announcer. He did some he'd actually

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Speaker 3: did some wrestling. He was on the original Tough Enough. Uh.

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Speaker 3: He went to Impact in twenty fourteen and he's really

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Speaker 3: kind of helped with their latest revival, revitalization, whatever you

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Speaker 3: want to call it. So, yeah, so we're going to

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Speaker 3: talk to uh, the man himself, Josh Matthews.

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Speaker 4: Here we go. Let's get ready to rumble.

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Speaker 5: All right, we are excited about today's show. We've got

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Speaker 5: the man behind the mic.

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Speaker 4: Josh Matthews is on the phone with us.

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Speaker 2: How you do it, sir, I'm good, guys.

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Speaker 1: How are you?

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Speaker 4: We're good, We're good.

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Speaker 5: Let's let's kind of jump right into this real quick.

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Speaker 4: Let's talk about your background.

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Speaker 5: What led you to Tough Enough and had you always wanted

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Speaker 5: to be a wrestler or in the wrestling business.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think what I was like fifteen, was when

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Speaker 2: I decided that that was the vocation that I was

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Speaker 2: going to attempt to be a part of. I mean,

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Speaker 2: that's like when right around the time that we were

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Speaker 2: experiencing the biggest boom in wrestling with the Attitude era,

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Speaker 2: and I was right there in that age demographic for

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Speaker 2: we fans, and we bought a wrestling ring as kids,

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Speaker 2: and it was in our backyard, and I mean we

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Speaker 2: were all in on wrestling. My brother was a really

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Speaker 2: good football player. I wasn't big enough, So to me,

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Speaker 2: it was like if I was ever going to be

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Speaker 2: some sort of a professional athlete, that wrestling was going

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Speaker 2: to be the only avenue that I had. So that's

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Speaker 2: that was it for me.

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Speaker 4: Nice.

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Speaker 3: So, you know, after you got involved with Tough Enough,

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Speaker 3: I mean you were a part of the ww for

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Speaker 3: almost fifteen years. What was it like being a part

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Speaker 3: of that company, which was, you know, today almost as

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Speaker 3: big as like Disney, And you know, as much as

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Speaker 3: you can say, what was it like working with Vans?

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Speaker 2: It was great. I mean, you know, it was my education.

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Speaker 2: It was you know, I left college to to accept

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Speaker 2: the job with we and didn't quite know what I

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Speaker 2: was getting into. You know, moving from the Midwest to

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Speaker 2: the Northeast and really just kind of accepting this role

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Speaker 2: as a wrestling announcer and moving to Connecticut at twenty one,

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Speaker 2: I think I was when this all started, and you know,

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Speaker 2: it was it was really up to me to decide

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Speaker 2: if this was going to be you know, life changing

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Speaker 2: or if I was going to last three months and

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Speaker 2: come back home and go back to college. But to me,

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Speaker 2: I really thought this was my career path. You know,

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Speaker 2: I had just discovered it a little bit earlier or

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Speaker 2: later because I was in college but not really knowing

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Speaker 2: what I wanted to do while I was going to classool, so,

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Speaker 2: you know, it all kind of I always said, I'm

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Speaker 2: going to be in the in the wrestling business, and

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Speaker 2: I'll figure out a way in. And to me, it

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Speaker 2: didn't really matter what that role was. I just wanted

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Speaker 2: to be involved in the business somehow.

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Speaker 5: Our guest right now, Josh Matthews, is on the phone

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Speaker 5: with us, so let's kind of focus to where you're

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Speaker 5: at right now. You move to Impact Wrestling back in

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Speaker 5: about twenty fourteen.

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Speaker 4: How is it.

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Speaker 5: Different from where you were previously? Was it similar or

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Speaker 5: was it kind of like a nine day difference.

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Speaker 2: I mean it was It's pretty similar obviously, you know,

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Speaker 2: it's still the wrestling business per se, you know, but

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Speaker 2: in w W you're kind of a cog in the

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Speaker 2: wheel and you have your role and you kind of

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Speaker 2: stay in that role, and it's important role, but that's

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Speaker 2: your that's your one and only gig an impact. I

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Speaker 2: get to float around into every department that that the

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Speaker 2: company has, and I get to sort of, you know,

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Speaker 2: put my hand in everything and you know, find what

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Speaker 2: I like the most and and and the things that

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Speaker 2: I like doing the most. And and that's sort of

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Speaker 2: become you know, marketing and merchandise and now live events.

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Speaker 2: You know, those are the kind of the areas that

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Speaker 2: I prefer to be a part of more so than

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Speaker 2: you know, on the technical side of how do we

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Speaker 2: build an app? That's where I kind of have more fun.

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Speaker 2: And uh, those are the big differences. I get to

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Speaker 2: do more and uh, you know, I'm not just I

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Speaker 2: feel like I'm a part of something. And sorry if

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Speaker 2: it's a wind to gays, but I feel like I'm

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Speaker 2: a part of something more so than just a cog

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Speaker 2: in the wheel.

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Speaker 3: If that makes sense, Yeah, that totally makes sense. You

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Speaker 3: know impact in TNA for a time, they had a

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Speaker 3: reputation of uh, you know, getting legends from w cwwwe

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Speaker 3: for the roster similar to what WCW did in the nineties,

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Speaker 3: you know, about the time that you arrived that really

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Speaker 3: you really started to see that change. What's what has

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Speaker 3: been the biggest challenge with overcoming that perception of the

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Speaker 3: roster and then making sure that the new talent has

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Speaker 3: a spot.

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Speaker 2: And that's what the that's what the hardest part is

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Speaker 2: is it's not bringing in those guys you know from

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Speaker 2: WE or from w CW that are you know what's

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Speaker 2: next and it's file out of my career. It's really

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Speaker 2: building homegrown stars and it's really taking these guys that

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Speaker 2: have been a part of the roster for a couple

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Speaker 2: of years to the next level. And you can point

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Speaker 2: to guys like Lax who I really feel are impact,

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Speaker 2: homegrown talent and you know, have have taken their time

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Speaker 2: and now our full time World Tag Team champions, And

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Speaker 2: it's really cool to see the evolution of those guys

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Speaker 2: and to not have to rely on trying to bring

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Speaker 2: in the big ticket guys because one, you know, you

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Speaker 2: have to be able to afford those guys for a

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Speaker 2: sustained period of time. Two, I don't know if you're

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Speaker 2: getting the best out of them at this point in

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Speaker 2: their careers. And then three, you know, do I want

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Speaker 2: to continue to watch a water down version of the

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Speaker 2: what I watched as a kid, or do I want

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Speaker 2: to watch young, hungry, exciting athletes. You know, I said

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Speaker 2: un Impact a lot, there's a youth movement between Lax,

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Speaker 2: the Rascals, the Northeastern page of Josh Alexander. I think

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Speaker 2: you're really seeing a movement towards the youth, and you know,

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Speaker 2: guys that are going to be around for the next

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Speaker 2: ten or fifteen years.

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Speaker 5: Our guests on the phone right now, Josh Matthews, and

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Speaker 5: I know earlier, just a little bit ago, you talked

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Speaker 5: about doing something with an app, and there's an app

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Speaker 5: called Ringside Wrestling. Can you give us a little some

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Speaker 5: details about that.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, Ringside Wrestling approached Impact about a year ago. And

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Speaker 2: the ringset Wrestling app is owned and operated by a

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Speaker 2: company called kis We Mobile, and they do a lot

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Speaker 2: of gaming and they do a lot of stuff with

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Speaker 2: the NBA, and they approached us about this Ringside Wrestling

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Speaker 2: app that they were looking to launch, and I really

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Speaker 2: liked working with the guys. It's a small part of

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Speaker 2: my week, but I get to talk to those guys

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Speaker 2: and hear there what they're doing with kiswe it's really cool.

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Speaker 2: And every Thursday night at seven thirty pm Eastern Time,

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Speaker 2: I host Game Night with Josh Matthews and you could

436
00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,880
Speaker 2: download the app play for free. It's a lot of fun.

437
00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,840
Speaker 2: It's wrestling trivia, so it's an app for wrestling fan

438
00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,520
Speaker 2: and it's certainly growing, and it's really cool to be

439
00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,240
Speaker 2: a part of what they're doing. I mean, when you

440
00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,120
Speaker 2: look at everything happening now, You've got Impact Plus, which

441
00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,840
Speaker 2: is impacts app that we just launched, the subscription based

442
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,320
Speaker 2: You're gonna have months of specials on there. So I mean,

443
00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:51,520
Speaker 2: there's just so much happening in the tech side of

444
00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,280
Speaker 2: the wrestling world, which at one point was probably an actually.

445
00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,280
Speaker 3: More n Yeah, it's pretty cool that you guys partnered

446
00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,560
Speaker 3: with Twitch recently as well's I thought that was a

447
00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,200
Speaker 3: very four and thinking and.

448
00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,320
Speaker 2: The Twitch specialists have been great. They've been fun, and

449
00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:06,320
Speaker 2: it's just another opportunity for people to see, you know,

450
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,520
Speaker 2: our content and you know it's freak.

451
00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:10,840
Speaker 3: So battle and I were at both of the pay

452
00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,320
Speaker 3: per view and the TV tapings here in Nashville back

453
00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,200
Speaker 3: in January, and I mean both nights are just great.

454
00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:21,120
Speaker 3: I mean we we were just blown away. In general,

455
00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,880
Speaker 3: Impact the shows have been getting mostly positive, positive reviews,

456
00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,200
Speaker 3: you know, on a pretty consistent basis now for you know,

457
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,119
Speaker 3: probably about a year two years now. What does Impact

458
00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,239
Speaker 3: need to do to keep this momentum going well.

459
00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,080
Speaker 2: I think we have to get more eyeballs on the

460
00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,640
Speaker 2: TV show, and we've got to get more people looking

461
00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,720
Speaker 2: at Impact Wrestling, and either if you were a fan

462
00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:43,640
Speaker 2: and you left or you know, you hear everything that's

463
00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,280
Speaker 2: been going on over the past three years, I really

464
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,320
Speaker 2: do think you need to give it another look and

465
00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,360
Speaker 2: see what we're doing and go out of your way

466
00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,960
Speaker 2: to try to watch, you know, the Switch simulcast on

467
00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,520
Speaker 2: Friday nights at ten pm. If you don't have Pursuit.

468
00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,200
Speaker 2: You know, it was Ethan Page who said, you know,

469
00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,320
Speaker 2: if you have the Internet, you have Impact, and that's true.

470
00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,080
Speaker 2: You know, I would really just watch it with an

471
00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,960
Speaker 2: open mind and and realize that it's not uh, you know,

472
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:10,080
Speaker 2: p and A, It's not what it was. And I

473
00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,000
Speaker 2: didn't watch P and A when I worked for w W,

474
00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:13,560
Speaker 2: I just didn't have the time to do it, so

475
00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,040
Speaker 2: I didn't. But you know, it's not that product. It's

476
00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,800
Speaker 2: it's new, it's fresh, it's uh, you know, it's not

477
00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:21,640
Speaker 2: the same thing with the with the fresh quarter paint

478
00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,560
Speaker 2: on it. It's definitely new and exciting and exhilarating.

479
00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:27,000
Speaker 5: And you know, you kind of mentioned Impact, and you

480
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,320
Speaker 5: talked about when you're in WWE and you worked, you

481
00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,000
Speaker 5: weren't watching TNA something that's kind of a big thing

482
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,080
Speaker 5: that everybody's talking about. Impact started out as a as

483
00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:36,880
Speaker 5: a kind of a small thing, and now you've got

484
00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:39,560
Speaker 5: ae W. What are your thoughts on ae W and

485
00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,960
Speaker 5: their chances in the wrestling industry.

486
00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,760
Speaker 2: I mean, I wish from nothing but success. You know.

487
00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:47,240
Speaker 2: Cody Rhodes is a is a great friend of mine,

488
00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,960
Speaker 2: my wife's friends with with Brandy and and you know,

489
00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:52,879
Speaker 2: just even today I was reading about, you know, the

490
00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,000
Speaker 2: potential of them being on Turner and I think that's

491
00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,680
Speaker 2: where we all feel that they're going to go. I

492
00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,000
Speaker 2: think it's great. I think it's great for the wrestling business.

493
00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,119
Speaker 2: I don't think it hurts Impact in any way. I

494
00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,240
Speaker 2: think it helps the athlete, you know, Look, I'm married

495
00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:09,080
Speaker 2: to a wrestler, so you know it gives and she's

496
00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,119
Speaker 2: signed with Impact and happy to be with Impact for

497
00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,199
Speaker 2: the next several years. But it just gives people an

498
00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,800
Speaker 2: opportunity to kind of, you know, maybe go different places.

499
00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,600
Speaker 2: I know there's a lot of disgruntled athletes who work

500
00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,400
Speaker 2: for Not Impact Wrestling, and you know, it all gives

501
00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,600
Speaker 2: them a place to go and earn a living and

502
00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:26,760
Speaker 2: make money. And I think that's great for everybody, and

503
00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,480
Speaker 2: I hope that AW is a huge success. Yeah.

504
00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,480
Speaker 3: I mean, I think it's just the more, the more chance,

505
00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,119
Speaker 3: the more choices people have, the better the fans will react,

506
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,240
Speaker 3: you know. I mean, I don't think it hurts anybody, absolutely.

507
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,679
Speaker 3: So recently, Brian Cage won the world title, but he

508
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,240
Speaker 3: was injured. Can you give us any kind of the

509
00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,840
Speaker 3: latest update. That's not a super serious injury? Correct?

510
00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,720
Speaker 2: No, I don't think super serious, serious enough to stay

511
00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,840
Speaker 2: home for a few days, knocket on an airplane and travel.

512
00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:57,840
Speaker 2: And Brian's a big dude, so to get out a

513
00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,840
Speaker 2: plane and where he was injured on his lower back

514
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,080
Speaker 2: there in the area where he's feeling it the most,

515
00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,240
Speaker 2: probably not why to sit on a plane, So you know,

516
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,879
Speaker 2: Brian tweeted that, you know, he won the World Championship

517
00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:11,120
Speaker 2: and he went to the hospital and not the way

518
00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:13,320
Speaker 2: he wanted to celebrate that night. But I think that

519
00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,400
Speaker 2: Brian will be backing better than ever sooner, raving them later.

520
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:18,560
Speaker 5: Our guest Josh Matthews is on the phone right now,

521
00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:20,240
Speaker 5: and you know, I'm just kind of sitting here looking

522
00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,919
Speaker 5: at the Impact rosters and there is a lot of

523
00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,880
Speaker 5: an amazing talent on the roster. One guy in particularly

524
00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:27,840
Speaker 5: that we kind of want to talk about, Willie Mack,

525
00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,000
Speaker 5: who recently just signed a long term deal with Impact.

526
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,040
Speaker 5: What does this signing bring to the table for you, guys?

527
00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,440
Speaker 2: I love Willie. I was on the phone this morning

528
00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,679
Speaker 2: with our merchandise department talking about what we can do

529
00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,800
Speaker 2: for Willy and let's get some stuff out there for

530
00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,520
Speaker 2: Willy now that he's officially officially a part of the

531
00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:44,560
Speaker 2: Impact Wrestling roster. And know he's been on all of

532
00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,800
Speaker 2: our shows. So I mean, honestly, if you're just a

533
00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,600
Speaker 2: candid fan watching, maybe that's not breaking news to you

534
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,000
Speaker 2: or huge news to you that they really signed because

535
00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:53,879
Speaker 2: you see him every week on Impact Wrestling. But to

536
00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:55,800
Speaker 2: have him now, you know, really a part of the

537
00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,120
Speaker 2: roster and to be able to have merchandise for Willy

538
00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:00,679
Speaker 2: and I just think that what great guy, what a

539
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,359
Speaker 2: great athlete, great story. Can't wait to tell that story

540
00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,280
Speaker 2: about Willie on television. And you know, again, I think

541
00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,399
Speaker 2: it's just another It speaks volumes to the to what

542
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:13,920
Speaker 2: IMPACT's doing, what impacts building, how Impact treats talent, And

543
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,600
Speaker 2: you know, it's a step in the right direction, another

544
00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:17,480
Speaker 2: step in the right direction.

545
00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:21,399
Speaker 3: Well as far as the media future, what's next, what's

546
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,639
Speaker 3: like the next big events happening for Impact that we

547
00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:24,320
Speaker 3: can check out?

548
00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:28,159
Speaker 2: Sure, So we've got June sixth and seventh will be

549
00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:29,800
Speaker 2: in New York for our television tape things at the

550
00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,400
Speaker 2: Melrose Ballroom. June eighth will be back at the twenty

551
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,439
Speaker 2: three hundred Arena for a night you can't miss, in

552
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,560
Speaker 2: partnership with House of hard Core. That'll be on Impact

553
00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,720
Speaker 2: Plus to ninth is a Sunday that'll be our next

554
00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,439
Speaker 2: Twitch event that's called Digital Destruction. That'll be on Long Island.

555
00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,240
Speaker 2: And then you look at July the fifth, we're in

556
00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,800
Speaker 2: San Antonio. The sixth were in Houston with fift the

557
00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,800
Speaker 2: tea in Reality of Wrestling, and then the seventh is Slammiversary,

558
00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,960
Speaker 2: So I'm really looking at everything as the road to Slammiversary.

559
00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,800
Speaker 2: Between now and when we get to Dallas on July

560
00:26:58,880 --> 00:26:59,840
Speaker 2: to seventh, you.

561
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,200
Speaker 5: Know, you kind of run through those dates and there's

562
00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,639
Speaker 5: one city in particularly that I didn't hear, and I

563
00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:07,280
Speaker 5: know a lot of our listeners are going to kind

564
00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,840
Speaker 5: of want to know when is Impact coming back to Nashville.

565
00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:11,920
Speaker 2: I mean, that's a good question. I think we were

566
00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,640
Speaker 2: looking at coming back this summer and then some things happened.

567
00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,600
Speaker 2: I think House Hardcore is running on jukee first. I

568
00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,119
Speaker 2: could be wrong on the date. You know, it's just

569
00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:22,800
Speaker 2: you basically, we have our TEVKA things and then we

570
00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:27,760
Speaker 2: have our specials, so you know, it's it's finding the

571
00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,800
Speaker 2: right formula to where we need to go, you know

572
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:32,840
Speaker 2: how that works. But I would say that Impact would

573
00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,800
Speaker 2: be back in Nashville soon. We had a great time

574
00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,600
Speaker 2: at homecoming. If that means that we're not back for January,

575
00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,480
Speaker 2: that's only a few more months. But I'd love to come.

576
00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,320
Speaker 5: Back, and it was it was so much fun having

577
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,600
Speaker 5: you guys, and I got to DJ that little VIP

578
00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,399
Speaker 5: party before and just a great turnout all in general,

579
00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,400
Speaker 5: great card And if somebody wants to kind of stay

580
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,840
Speaker 5: up to date with Josh Matthews, what is your social

581
00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:56,320
Speaker 5: that everybody can follow you along with.

582
00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:58,840
Speaker 2: Sure, I'm on Twitter at real Josh Matthews with one

583
00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,640
Speaker 2: tee and then on Instagram it's just my name.

584
00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:03,720
Speaker 4: Awesome, Josh.

585
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:05,280
Speaker 5: Thank you so much for taking the time out and

586
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,399
Speaker 5: we are looking forward to what the future twenty nineteen

587
00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:09,600
Speaker 5: holds for Impact Wrestling.

588
00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:11,880
Speaker 2: Guys. Thank you so much. I really appreciate time.

589
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:13,040
Speaker 4: Thanks buddy.

590
00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:16,760
Speaker 5: I just want to quit a quick shout out thank

591
00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:18,800
Speaker 5: you to Josh Matthews for joining us on the show

592
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,120
Speaker 5: today giving us update on Impact Wrestling, which is really

593
00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,080
Speaker 5: cool to hear about the future that he's got going

594
00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:23,879
Speaker 5: for that brand.

595
00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:28,320
Speaker 3: Yeah, his app is cool, and you know Impact, you know,

596
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:29,760
Speaker 3: you and I have talked about We were at the show,

597
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,840
Speaker 3: the shows here in Nashville and January sorry coming months

598
00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,280
Speaker 3: mess the homecoming for you and then the TV taping,

599
00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,760
Speaker 3: and you know, the big thing is is just like

600
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,880
Speaker 3: you can't really have too much competition. So the more

601
00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,440
Speaker 3: choices people have, whether it's the fans or the wrestlers themselves,

602
00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,080
Speaker 3: I think the product's going to be better. So you know,

603
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,719
Speaker 3: and that you know, he talked about AW same kind

604
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:56,640
Speaker 3: of thing. I mean, if if IMPACT's offering somebody blah

605
00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,760
Speaker 3: blah blah for X amount, I mean he can just

606
00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:00,520
Speaker 3: go to AW and then may be a better deal

607
00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,560
Speaker 3: and you know whatever. So I think it's you know,

608
00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,680
Speaker 3: I think they've got their plan that they're focused on.

609
00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:10,600
Speaker 3: And you know, we talked about not just relying on

610
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:13,920
Speaker 3: the older stars. You know, they've got a lot of

611
00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:18,400
Speaker 3: fresh guys, you know, from the indies out. So yeah,

612
00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:20,360
Speaker 3: I think it's an exciting time for him.

613
00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,200
Speaker 5: And he's you know, Josh talking about cultivating talent and

614
00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,880
Speaker 5: building from within, and you know, it's it's exciting to

615
00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:26,840
Speaker 5: see what Impact says.

616
00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,240
Speaker 4: No matter what the internet.

617
00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,680
Speaker 5: Says, we know, we watch the product and it's exciting

618
00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,840
Speaker 5: to see what twenty nineteen has in store. So that

619
00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,720
Speaker 5: concludes this week's episode. So if there's anything you want

620
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,560
Speaker 5: us to talk about, you can follow us. We're on

621
00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:45,800
Speaker 5: social media. Instagram is Battleground Podcast, our Twitter is Battleground

622
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,680
Speaker 5: i h R, and we're on Facebook. Just search Battleground

623
00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,160
Speaker 5: Podcast you can find us there. Next week we have

624
00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,760
Speaker 5: a very exciting episode. Eli will tell you all about

625
00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:55,840
Speaker 5: who's on the show next week.

626
00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,760
Speaker 3: Yes, So we have an up and coming independent wrestler

627
00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:02,520
Speaker 3: named mister Brickster and his home base is here in Nashville.

628
00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,480
Speaker 3: Is originally from New York, but we've seen him several

629
00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,320
Speaker 3: times here at some local promotions and he's got a

630
00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:16,680
Speaker 3: really awesome message and really awesome clothing style and yeah,

631
00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,640
Speaker 3: he's just a really positive guy and should be a

632
00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,160
Speaker 3: pretty interesting chap.

633
00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:23,480
Speaker 5: All right, super excited for that one money in the

634
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:25,960
Speaker 5: bank this Sunday night. We will be tweeting along with it,

635
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,880
Speaker 5: so just makes you fall along. But until next week,

636
00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:30,000
Speaker 5: we'll talk to you later. See you