WEBVTT - John Cena and Weekend Predictions 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:02.880 Hey, this is Brian Alvarez and this is today's edition 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:06.760 of the Wrestling Observer Daily podcast on the eight Side Network. 0:00:12.360 --> 0:00:13.880 Bye from San Francisco. 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:17.279 I'm a Sports Byline Broadcasting Network. You are listening to 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:22.040 Wrestling Observer Live with your hosts, Brian Alvarez and Mike Sempervv. 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:24.000 Are you ready? 0:00:24.360 --> 0:00:25.000 Are you ready? 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:26.320 Let's get it off. 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:30.600 Let's get it Mike semper Vv here with you for 0:00:30.640 --> 0:00:34.240 the next hour talking about professional wrestling, which is something 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:37.280 we do every single day here on the Sports Byline 0:00:37.360 --> 0:00:43.080 Broadcasting Network. Tune in, iHeart American Forces Radio, sportspyline dot com, 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:47.000 over the air affiliates like KMAV ninety nine, KMSR in 0:00:47.120 --> 0:00:50.760 the Mightier ten ninety. Maybe you're listening on podcasts or 0:00:50.760 --> 0:00:54.320 replay on SiriusXM, or maybe you're video streaming on Twitch 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:57.400 or YouTube. However you're joining me today, I'd just like 0:00:57.480 --> 0:01:00.920 to say thank you. Hopefully wherever you are sunny outside, 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:04.280 and if not, hopefully it's sunny inside your mind. It 0:01:04.400 --> 0:01:07.720 is overcast on my portion of Del Marvo, but there 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:10.320 is a lot of sunshine when it comes to professional 0:01:10.360 --> 0:01:15.240 wrestling coming up this weekend, and as always that starts tonight. 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:19.399 Much like the Wu Tang Clan, Brian Alvarez is for 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:22.600 the children, and he's with his kids right now, trying 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:25.200 to relax a little bit before he has his busy 0:01:25.240 --> 0:01:28.880 weekend fire up, as he's going to Collision on Saturday 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:31.600 night and then once again on Sunday heading to the 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:36.880 Climate Pledge Arena to watch ae W Russell Dream. I 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.199 keep wanting to call it Russell Quest, and I can't 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:42.760 do that. That's a completely different event. Wressell Dream, the 0:01:42.920 --> 0:01:46.720 tribute to Antonio and Noochi, and will definitely be getting 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:48.880 into that. I'm not sure when Brian is going to 0:01:48.920 --> 0:01:51.440 be back for subscribers, if he's going to do two 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:56.240 shows after NXT and then after Russell Dream on Sunday, 0:01:56.280 --> 0:01:58.800 But just keep your eyes peeled over to Wrestling Observer 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:01.760 dot com and we'll let you know when he's going 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:03.960 to be back. If nothing else, he will be back 0:02:04.000 --> 0:02:07.360 with me on Monday and then we can wrap up 0:02:07.520 --> 0:02:10.959 what is going to be a incredibly busy weekend. SmackDown 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:14.520 is tonight, as it always is Friday Nights Live on Fox. 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:19.040 LA Night is reportedly ready to return. Will he be 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:22.560 the man to assist John Cena in his battle against 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:26.160 the Bloodline. Surely we will see commercials I would assume 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:29.600 for Saturday Nights NXT no Mercy event, and I'll give 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:33.280 you my predictions for that show. With it being Friday, 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:36.760 it's also CMLL day in their weekly show. I love 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:39.400 that show in Arena Mexico and it's actually a Night 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:44.320 of Champions showcase with all title matches taking place. Triple 0:02:44.320 --> 0:02:48.160 A is running this weekend with their heroes in Mortalite's 0:02:48.200 --> 0:02:51.800 show and start them the five Star Grand Prix, which 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:54.880 seems to have gone on for months because it has 0:02:55.400 --> 0:02:58.120 is finally coming to an end. We'll get into as 0:02:58.200 --> 0:03:00.440 much as we can, and we'll start when we get 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:07.480 back from Break Wrestling Observer Live. Welcome back to the show. 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:10.120 Mike semper VV here with you. You know, we do 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:12.600 this show right here for an hour at a time 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:15.079 every single day, but if you want us twenty four 0:03:15.120 --> 0:03:17.160 to seven, you can try to find us on Twitter. 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:20.960 I am at semper vb Brian Alvarez is at Brian 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:26.360 Alvarez and this show right here hosted by Sports Byline USA. 0:03:26.480 --> 0:03:29.320 You should check them out to at sports Byline USA. 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:32.359 Got to get in some plugs here too. While boss 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:33.000 Man's away. 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:36.480 Maybe you could also, Mike, you could also check me 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:41.000 out at Filthy Tom Lawler on the X as well. 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:45.880 We could, we could. You're here. I didn't expect you 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:48.280 to show up. I didn't expect you to pop in 0:03:48.360 --> 0:03:49.040 the door here. 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:53.480 You presented me with an olive branch and invitation. Did 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:56.320 you join? I asked for you to send me a 0:03:56.400 --> 0:04:00.520 video link, which I never received in. 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:02.240 Charge of the video links here. 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:06.160 Well, no, but I mean it does add a certain 0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:09.160 flavor to my day when I get to look at 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:10.280 your beautiful face. 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.720 Well, and everybody wants to see your beautiful face as 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:16.960 well too, So I am sure Producer John is on 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:19.080 that right now, and we'll be sending you out a 0:04:19.120 --> 0:04:21.360 link or maybe a link to me that I can 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:24.440 forward to you so we can see Filthy Tom Lawler 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:27.360 here on this show and filthy you know, I don't 0:04:27.400 --> 0:04:29.960 know if you are aware of Headlock Comics or not, 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:32.320 but I have to get this plug out of the 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:35.720 way before I move on, because Michael Kingston is going 0:04:35.760 --> 0:04:38.760 to be joining the show on Monday to talk about 0:04:38.880 --> 0:04:42.400 Tales from the Road Volume three, which is up on 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:46.080 Kickstarter right now. You can donate to that and get 0:04:46.120 --> 0:04:48.960 that book off. In the background here you can kind 0:04:49.000 --> 0:04:50.599 of see up on the wall one of the Game 0:04:50.680 --> 0:04:55.480 Changer Wrestling World on GCW deals that Headline Comics did, 0:04:55.640 --> 0:04:57.760 and they have done a lot of great work he's 0:04:57.800 --> 0:05:00.839 been on in the past. So go to Headline Comic 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:05.120 on Twitter at headlock Comic for more information there and 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:08.039 to check that out. But now that that's out of 0:05:08.080 --> 0:05:11.000 the way, what are you doing here right now? Should 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:15.360 you not be in Seattle knocking down doors and maybe 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:17.960 knocking over Adam Cole in a wheelchair? 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:24.800 I should be. I should have already defeated Adam Cole, 0:05:25.520 --> 0:05:28.440 and quite frankly, Mike, now that you bring it up, yes, sir, 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:30.400 I would like to take a little bit of credit 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:33.520 for Adam Cole being in that wheelchair, because if you 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:36.880 remember back to three or four months ago when I 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:41.640 showed up on rampage and attacked the old porcelain pansy 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:45.960 Adam Cole, I attacked his leg and look what happened. 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:50.080 He did a routine jump off a stage and came 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:55.560 up limp, came up. His leg is now flaccid, all 0:05:55.600 --> 0:05:59.320 because of me sustained damage months ago. Finally caught up 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:00.200 to him. 0:06:00.760 --> 0:06:04.680 You know, I am surprised that MJF. And I know 0:06:05.360 --> 0:06:07.880 now that he's got one friend, he's kind of screwed 0:06:08.000 --> 0:06:10.640 up right now. But I mean he's the one that 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:13.760 jumped on the horn and called you to help lead 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.400 that attack on Adam Cole and to do some damage 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:20.080 before those two faced off. But I mean, where's the 0:06:20.160 --> 0:06:24.760 call to help defeat the Righteous on Sunday? Has MJF 0:06:24.839 --> 0:06:27.000 lost your number? Do you have heat with MJF. 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:35.400 I don't know what the situation is. I believe it's 0:06:35.440 --> 0:06:39.000 all part of a bigger plan on mjf's part. I 0:06:39.000 --> 0:06:43.880 don't know that I fit into that larger plan. However, 0:06:45.400 --> 0:06:47.480 there may not be any happenings with me, but there 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:51.159 are gonna be ton this weekend, even if I'm not 0:06:51.279 --> 0:06:54.840 in Seattle at the wrestle dream. 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:57.520 Is that where you'd like to start, sir, because there 0:06:57.520 --> 0:06:59.560 are plenty of places we could I mean, we could 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:02.039 talk about only Night coming back. I mean that's pretty 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:03.960 big with the COVID and all that. Maybe he's there 0:07:03.960 --> 0:07:08.000 to save John Cena to Night from the bloodline. 0:07:07.960 --> 0:07:10.800 That has been rumored. It sounds like they would be 0:07:10.840 --> 0:07:14.440 moving in that direction using AJ styles as sort of 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:18.320 a placeholder last week, and you could always go back 0:07:18.880 --> 0:07:21.720 towards that direction if something with La Knight doesn't work out. 0:07:22.000 --> 0:07:26.600 Although you know, I'm no doctor, but I would imagine 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:30.080 that he won't be getting COVID again this season, so 0:07:30.120 --> 0:07:32.840 you would think that he'd be free and clear for 0:07:33.040 --> 0:07:36.080 the upcoming fast Lane pay per view or fast Lane 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:38.480 Premium live event. 0:07:39.120 --> 0:07:42.640 Yes, as there are premium live events, especially if they're 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:45.920 coming from Saudi Arabia, which is another thing that you 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:50.320 know again when it comes to this stuff coming up. 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:52.880 Dave wrote about it in The Observer this week, which 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:56.400 is up for subscribers on Wrestling Observer dot com, but 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.280 he writes, quote Night, who was very hot right now 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:02.080 when it comes to all facets of business and reactions, 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:04.960 appears to be groomed for a Roman Reigns title shot 0:08:05.000 --> 0:08:09.280 in the not too distant future. Rains has no obvious 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:12.360 contender at this point and will be defending on the 0:08:12.400 --> 0:08:18.040 November fourth show in Saudi Arabia. So obviously La Knight's 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:21.160 COVID was terrible and terrible timing with him not being 0:08:21.200 --> 0:08:24.560 able to be there on last week's edition of SmackDown, 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:27.240 but obviously they had more time to try to get 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.680 him back in the mix. He's now cleared, he's here, 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:32.960 but at a time where Roman Reigns really did not 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:37.240 have any other contender out there, him getting hot at 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:40.640 really right now we're in the last couple of months. 0:08:40.640 --> 0:08:44.920 I mean, this could not have been a better collision 0:08:44.960 --> 0:08:48.079 of worlds for him, because does it get any better 0:08:48.120 --> 0:08:50.520 than that, the shot against Roman Reigns and being next 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.200 to John Cena. 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:56.400 Not really to go from doing car commercials, being an extra, 0:08:57.240 --> 0:09:01.800 sitting in the crowd at times, and then being in 0:09:01.920 --> 0:09:05.640 the Impact Zone during the dying days of the Impact 0:09:05.720 --> 0:09:10.080 Zone to now being positioned in the spot that he's 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:13.480 in on SmackDown must be a dream come true. And 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:17.880 I think that perhaps you know to not to use 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:22.160 a cliche too much, but perhaps there was a shining 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:26.840 light or you know, perhaps the COVID the situation doesn't 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:30.320 end up being a bad thing in retrospect because they've 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:32.120 been trying to get over. La Knight is kind of 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:35.839 the working guy, the working man's wrestler. He's put in 0:09:36.080 --> 0:09:39.920 all this time throughout the years. And another guy who's 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:45.120 like that is Aj Styles, right, who's without La Knight 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:47.520 having covid aj styles wouldn't have been put in the 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:51.240 position to be beat up and ravaged and destroyed last week, 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:56.679 and now you'll essentially have La Knight coming to you know, 0:09:56.760 --> 0:09:59.440 even up the score on his behalf in a way, 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:03.280 whether it's displayed like that or not. So I think 0:10:03.320 --> 0:10:09.800 that that's gonna pay off. Saudi Arabia, the probable future 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:14.559 owners of Bellator in some way are certainly getting all 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:20.000 these big events, aren't they. La Night and Roman Reigns. 0:10:20.600 --> 0:10:23.920 I mean, he's one of the hottest acts of twenty 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:27.240 twenty three, if not the hottest act of twenty three, 0:10:27.480 --> 0:10:30.480 twenty twenty three, taking on the hottest act that they've 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:34.720 had over the past five years. I don't even know, 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:36.600 you know, I guess you could make a case for sammy' 0:10:36.640 --> 0:10:39.480 z ain in the lead up to him losing to 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:44.240 Roman Reigns last year was just on another level. But 0:10:44.600 --> 0:10:47.480 La Knight's gotta be as close as anybody's gonna be 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:49.040 for the foreseeable future. 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:53.959 You think the lever let us know what the initials 0:10:54.200 --> 0:10:59.160 LA stand for. I think it's like Lucius R. Buckle Knight. 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:01.880 You think they'll actually have something there for La Night there? 0:11:03.040 --> 0:11:05.200 I have no clue. I don't even have. 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:11.439 Well, look, you know, we're getting about a minute and 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:13.560 a half away here from going to break, but we 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:15.720 can kind of fit in with what else is going 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:19.240 on with WWE right now, with the exception of NXD 0:11:19.360 --> 0:11:21.520 No Mercy. We'll get into that a little more detail 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:25.280 coming up later on. But the rest of SmackDown Ray 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:29.319 Mysterio defending the United States title against Santos Escobar. I'm 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:31.360 trying to hope for the best in this, Tom, but 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:34.600 you know, Bobby Lashley's gonna be on the Grayson Waller effect. 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:36.920 I'm sure he's gonna be talking about the street profits. 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:39.440 I mean to me, I would actually like to see 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:42.480 them run in and beat up both Mysterio and Escobar. 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:45.640 Not because I don't want a crappy finish or anything 0:11:45.720 --> 0:11:48.160 like that, but just because I want Mysterio and Escobar 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:48.840 to stay together. 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:55.960 You, Mike, are certainly not a street profit. However, you 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:59.560 just may be a street profit because based on what 0:11:59.600 --> 0:12:04.559 they did last week with Bobby Lashley telling Dawkins and 0:12:04.640 --> 0:12:08.800 Ford to go sit in catering or to pick it up, 0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:11.840 give them back the suits, get out of his face. 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:15.680 They need to make a statement, and what better statement 0:12:15.720 --> 0:12:18.520 to make than beating up both of the men that 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:22.920 seemingly have or are going for the title that Bobby Lashley. 0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:26.560 Has his eyes set on, and also Charlotte Blair. The 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:28.640 only other thing they have announced that Charlotte is going 0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:31.520 to be facing Hofkins Bailey their first singles match since 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:34.920 May of twenty twenty. They have not feuded since the 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:37.800 end of twenty and nineteen, so if they get those 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:40.679 two together, it's been a while since we've seen them 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:43.559 actually in action, even though they're so joined at the 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:45.679 hip by being, you know, two of the four horse 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:50.240 women at least in WWE terms of being horsewomen. Filthy 0:12:50.280 --> 0:13:01.640 Tom and I will be back back on the show 0:13:01.679 --> 0:13:06.360 Wrestling Observer Live. Mike Sepfervivi and Felthy Tom Lawler here 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:09.560 with you, getting you ready for a busy weekend in 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:13.040 the world of professional wrestling. Half naked men and women 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:15.960 getting busy on a canvas met It's going to happen, 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:19.200 and it begins tonight Friday Night. We talked a little 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:23.640 bit about SmackDown already, Rampage has already been taped. We 0:13:23.720 --> 0:13:26.840 won't give you any spoilers for that show. In fact, 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:29.520 we won't even preview that show, to be honest with you, 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:31.480 you can find out all the information you need to 0:13:31.480 --> 0:13:36.080 know about that over at Wrestling Observer dot com. Before 0:13:36.080 --> 0:13:38.480 we get anything else, though, Tom, I gotta ask you, 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:40.120 do you believe kfabe is dead? 0:13:42.360 --> 0:13:42.440 No? 0:13:43.920 --> 0:13:47.120 You know what, You're right about that, And as long 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:51.800 as there is a Merriam Webster Dictionary, kfabe will never 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:54.520 be dead. It is one of the words, one of 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:58.160 the six hundred and ninety words that has been added 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:04.320 to the Official Mayor Webster Dictionary. How does that make 0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:08.600 you feel as a proprietor and an architect of k fabe. 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:17.840 Congratulations to all the favors out there. They are Uriah Hogan. 0:14:18.720 --> 0:14:24.200 One of the biggest ones are Brian Alvarez. 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:27.840 Yes, if we're talking about non Uriah favors, Brian Alvarez 0:14:28.280 --> 0:14:32.000 definitely at the top of that list, and obviously he's 0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:34.320 going to be at the shows coming up here in Seattle. 0:14:34.840 --> 0:14:38.320 The first big event, though not talking about Collision, The 0:14:38.360 --> 0:14:41.479 first big event of the weekend takes place on Saturday, 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:45.520 and that is NXT No Mercy from the Mechanics Bank 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:51.680 Arena in Bakersfield, California. Technically the first premium live event 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:56.840 under the TKO banner. And regardless of what you think 0:14:56.880 --> 0:15:01.000 about the show week after week and and some of 0:15:00.680 --> 0:15:05.320 the wacky things that take place on NXT, they really 0:15:05.520 --> 0:15:09.560 have given us, I think a hell of a show, 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:13.920 at least on paper, this has the opportunity. Again. It's 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:16.520 not gonna I don't think beat Russell dream, but there 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:19.600 are some sneaky great matches on this show. Have you 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:22.480 thought at all about this card and what you think 0:15:22.480 --> 0:15:22.760 of it. 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:28.520 I'm thinking right now about Ilia dragon Off hitting one 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:34.000 of those patented Dan Henderson's style h bombs onto the 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:40.320 dome of Carmelo, and I'm thinking, I'm thinking, I'm hoping. 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:43.600 I'm praying as a big fan. I'm a fan of 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:50.520 Mellow too, but I'm hoping that Ilia doesn't miss with 0:15:50.640 --> 0:15:51.440 that big punch. 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:55.520 I don't think he will. I think it's his time. 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:58.440 I think this is the perfect time for Ilia dragging 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:02.160 Off to win that title. And it's not just because 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:06.000 of Trick Williams and him possibly winning the North American 0:16:06.080 --> 0:16:10.720 title and continuing on something with Carmelo. It's more about 0:16:10.800 --> 0:16:13.840 Ilia Dragonoff. Carmelo's already had that belt, He's already had 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:15.600 all the belts you can have in NXD. I don't 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:17.240 know if he's had the tag belts or not, but 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:20.080 you know what I'm saying here with Dragonoff, I think 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:22.680 this is the perfect opportunity to go ahead and pass 0:16:22.760 --> 0:16:26.680 that torch because who knows how long Carmelo Hayes is 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:28.760 going to be down there, you know. I could see 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:31.520 it being only until around the Royal Rumble, you know, 0:16:31.640 --> 0:16:33.800 and we could see Carmelo Hayes come up. I don't know, 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:36.800 and he's still got a lot of business down there 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:39.600 with his friendship with Trick and whatever's going to happen there. 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:43.440 But I think for no other reason, Dragonoff, if you 0:16:43.440 --> 0:16:46.720 could say you've earned a title in professional wrestling, which 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:50.800 is always penciled in by somebody else, I mean, Dragonoff 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:52.400 really has kind of deserved it. 0:16:54.200 --> 0:16:58.120 Yeah, he's been around for years and years and years. 0:16:58.160 --> 0:17:03.320 I believe he actually was done at one point, right. 0:17:03.360 --> 0:17:07.280 I believe you had like a short retirement or something 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:11.400 might have gone back, do some researchers. I don't sound 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:13.240 like a total idiot. 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:15.919 I think you're right though, because I think didn't he 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:18.480 have a break after the matches that he had with 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:21.600 Walter or was it right before that or right after that? 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:25.520 No, I'm talking about well before then, well before East 0:17:25.600 --> 0:17:31.880 and back in like wXw or wherever he would have been. Yeah, 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:33.639 I think now's the time. I think you pull the 0:17:33.640 --> 0:17:38.600 trigger with him. He's put on great performances in every 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:43.159 single match I have seen him in, whether it's with Walter, 0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:49.840 whether it's with Trick Williams, whether it's with a non 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:54.640 functioning blubber of mass. I'm positive that you're dragging off. 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:56.320 Could have a good match with them. So I think 0:17:56.320 --> 0:17:59.159 you put the belt on him here. And you mentioned 0:17:59.160 --> 0:18:02.480 Carmelo Hayes. Sure, he's got plenty of unfinished business that 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:05.440 you go back to with Trick Williams. I would love 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:07.720 to see this be one of the rare times where 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:10.760 there's not a big breakup, they don't get into a 0:18:10.760 --> 0:18:15.920 big fight. Carmelo moves up to the main roster. Remember 0:18:15.960 --> 0:18:18.439 a few months ago he showed up and he was 0:18:18.480 --> 0:18:22.600 talking to Bobby Lashly. Maybe the Street profits bring him 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:27.040 in as the catalyst to putting them over the edge, 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:29.320 and then Trick Williams can kind of assume the role 0:18:29.359 --> 0:18:33.040 that Carmelo has had on NXT and you and you 0:18:33.119 --> 0:18:34.720 push that back to the future. 0:18:35.160 --> 0:18:37.680 I'd love to see it, and I it's in this 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:41.600 The North American title match is really interesting because obviously 0:18:41.720 --> 0:18:44.320 Dragon Lee is going to be the special referee. Dominic 0:18:44.440 --> 0:18:48.960 Mysterio has been a fantastic heat magnet as part of 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:51.640 Judgment Day. He's been wonderful in that role. He's been 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:56.320 wonderful in the role of playing off Rhea Ripley you 0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:58.480 you know him with the title makes sense. I mean, 0:18:58.520 --> 0:19:00.880 it's again, it's just extra heat that this guy, even 0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:04.200 though he won a really good match in the fans mind, 0:19:04.320 --> 0:19:06.840 from a KFA point of view, this guy doesn't deserve 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:09.320 that title. He's not worthy of that title. He keeps 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:13.359 getting saved for that title. But with Trick Williams, I mean, 0:19:13.440 --> 0:19:15.320 you don't have to pull a trigger now or anything 0:19:15.440 --> 0:19:18.919 like that, but he has looked fantastic And if you 0:19:18.960 --> 0:19:21.520 are gonna have Dragon Off, if Dragonoff is going to 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:24.560 defeat Carmelo Hayes, do you go ahead and pull this 0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:28.719 trigger now or do you continue to use Dominick and 0:19:28.920 --> 0:19:31.680 use the Judgment Day as a wedge issue for Trick 0:19:31.720 --> 0:19:34.000 Williams that affects him and Carmelo. 0:19:35.560 --> 0:19:39.600 Yeah, I think you keep this belt on, dominic He's 0:19:39.640 --> 0:19:42.439 been doing a great job, and the proof is in 0:19:42.480 --> 0:19:47.040 the ratings. I mean how often. I mean, sure there's 0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:51.200 a ple coming up. But I've noticed more talk recently 0:19:51.320 --> 0:19:54.560 about NXT that I remember hearing in the past year 0:19:54.640 --> 0:19:58.119 or so on a consistent basis. Whether it's been the 0:19:58.160 --> 0:20:01.480 work of Ilia Dragonoff, whether it's been the storyline and 0:20:01.520 --> 0:20:05.640 it's very simple storyline between Trick and Carmelo, whether it's 0:20:05.680 --> 0:20:11.240 been the use of Becky Lynch, Baron Corbin getting cheered, 0:20:11.840 --> 0:20:17.040 you know, vociferously a few months back. There has been 0:20:17.320 --> 0:20:20.600 more noteworthy stuff going on on NXT, as evidenced by 0:20:20.600 --> 0:20:22.840 the fact that we're sitting here on a Friday afternoon 0:20:23.240 --> 0:20:26.440 when there's an aw pay per view coming up. There's 0:20:26.520 --> 0:20:30.600 SmackDown tonight. There's probably a litany of other things I'm 0:20:30.640 --> 0:20:35.240 forgetting that are happening this weekend. You know, we're spending 0:20:35.240 --> 0:20:37.399 a lot of time here talking about an NXC show. 0:20:37.640 --> 0:20:39.880 Well, it's probably gonna be a pretty good show. Again, 0:20:39.920 --> 0:20:42.080 Dominican Trick isn't going to be any sort of you know, 0:20:43.040 --> 0:20:45.719 technical masterpiece, but it doesn't have to be, you know, 0:20:45.840 --> 0:20:48.359 it just has to be good Carmelo Hazing and Ilio 0:20:48.520 --> 0:20:51.439 is gonna be great. Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton. I 0:20:51.520 --> 0:20:55.679 have high hopes for here, and it's an extreme rules 0:20:55.720 --> 0:21:01.120 match for the women's title. I would say Tiffany Stratton 0:21:01.600 --> 0:21:04.560 wins that title back. I could be crazy here, but 0:21:04.680 --> 0:21:07.400 I'm going with Tiffany Stratton. What do you think. 0:21:08.960 --> 0:21:12.000 When they originally booked this feud? I would have thought 0:21:12.000 --> 0:21:14.320 she'd win it back here. But did they announce a 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:19.639 defense against Tiagan Knox or something on Raw? Isn't that 0:21:19.680 --> 0:21:21.359 what's happening? Well? 0:21:21.440 --> 0:21:25.560 Tiagan Knox defeated Natalia, right, is that where she's facing Natalia? 0:21:25.680 --> 0:21:28.440 Or did she defeat inn Italian? She defeated Natalia? Correct, Yeah, 0:21:28.480 --> 0:21:30.159 she did with the shiniest weather Wizard. 0:21:30.240 --> 0:21:32.480 So no, if you checked your messages, maybe you know 0:21:32.560 --> 0:21:34.480 I said I didn't watch anything yet. Well it's me 0:21:34.520 --> 0:21:35.920 to come on the show. I said I didn't watch 0:21:35.960 --> 0:21:37.239 anything this week. I'm in. 0:21:37.720 --> 0:21:39.960 Well, it doesn't matter. Look, Tigan Knox got the You 0:21:40.040 --> 0:21:42.640 have to tell me what happened. So did Teagan Knox 0:21:42.680 --> 0:21:45.879 got the victory over Natalia? So she's gotten NXT title shot. 0:21:45.960 --> 0:21:49.960 She's got that. She doesn't necessarily have it against Becky Lynch. 0:21:50.040 --> 0:21:52.240 I mean, it could be Tiffany Stratton if you wanted 0:21:52.280 --> 0:21:54.960 to give her a little showcase on Raw next week. 0:21:57.400 --> 0:21:58.879 Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. 0:21:59.680 --> 0:22:01.880 It's a pick them in mind. 0:22:01.640 --> 0:22:03.800 Wanting to pick them there. I'm going with no amdor 0:22:03.880 --> 0:22:06.159 over Butch, that's for sure. And I don't want to 0:22:06.160 --> 0:22:08.040 say that this is gonna be the best match of 0:22:08.080 --> 0:22:12.000 the show because the time limit is what limits it, unfortunately, 0:22:12.040 --> 0:22:15.320 whereas Carmelo and Elia won't have that. And obviously Becky 0:22:15.359 --> 0:22:19.240 and Tiffany have the extreme rules gimmick that they should. 0:22:19.400 --> 0:22:22.159 They can go around, but for the time it takes place, 0:22:22.720 --> 0:22:25.560 this ought to be awesome between these two. 0:22:26.160 --> 0:22:30.080 And I don't look at the stipulation, and I guess 0:22:30.160 --> 0:22:33.200 really you're not looking at the stipulation as a downside, 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:36.200 but rather the time limit. But I look at that 0:22:36.280 --> 0:22:41.879 as a benefit, you know, Mike, I watch awesome, great 0:22:42.280 --> 0:22:47.200 professional wrestling on TV. I watch awesome, great professional wrestling 0:22:47.280 --> 0:22:51.560 live when I'm at independent shows on the weekend. I 0:22:51.720 --> 0:22:57.080 know what awesome one on one matches look like. These 0:22:57.359 --> 0:23:01.320 heritage rules that's a little different, you know, And I'm 0:23:01.359 --> 0:23:03.480 all four different. 0:23:04.880 --> 0:23:06.760 Have you ever wrestled round style. 0:23:07.960 --> 0:23:11.840 I have done one British rounds rules match against Travis 0:23:11.880 --> 0:23:17.200 Huckabee at a Paradigm Pro show, but I don't believe 0:23:17.240 --> 0:23:19.480 that that's even the same rules that these have, right. 0:23:19.880 --> 0:23:23.040 No, these are again, these are modified, but I guess 0:23:23.040 --> 0:23:26.240