WEBVTT - Christmas Recap/New Japan Presser/WWE Covid 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:02.679 Hey, this is Brian Alvarez and this is today's edition 0:00:02.720 --> 0:00:06.519 of the Wrestling Observer Daily podcast on the eight Side Network. 0:00:08.400 --> 0:00:13.000 Ready are you ready? Let's get it all. Let's get 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:15.320 it Mike simper viv back here with you for the 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:19.840 next hour, talking professional wrestling and mixed martial arts, something 0:00:19.880 --> 0:00:24.160 we do every single day here on Sports Byelines Broadcasting Network. 0:00:24.360 --> 0:00:26.599 And however you're joining me today, tune in, I Heart 0:00:26.640 --> 0:00:31.480 American Forces Radio Broadcast affiliates Sports Byeline dot com, Serius 0:00:31.600 --> 0:00:36.200 x seven podcast. We're streaming on Twitch, We're on YouTube. 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:38.360 Just want to say thank you for spending a little 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:41.160 bit of time with us today. Hopefully your Christmas was well. 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:44.760 Hopefully you're boxing day one is well too. Hopefully went 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:49.400 better than Brian Alvarez's traveling plans which kind of went sideways. 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:52.080 In case you're wondering why I'm here again in the 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:55.160 main hosting chair, that is because Brian Alvarez and his 0:00:55.240 --> 0:00:59.280 family are stuck in Florida, which is a good place 0:00:59.320 --> 0:01:03.080 to be stuck when you're trying to go back to Seattle, Washington, 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:06.600 and a ton of snow apparently taking place in the 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:11.720 the Washington state region, apparently north Seattle got about five 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:13.800 or six inches of snow that was enough to shut 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:17.040 down the airport and stop Brian and his family from 0:01:17.080 --> 0:01:22.120 coming home. So he is scheduled to return very early 0:01:22.200 --> 0:01:25.520 Tuesday morning. There is the most minuscule chance in the 0:01:25.560 --> 0:01:28.320 world that he will be back for the show tomorrow, 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:31.360 but I seriously doubt it. Uh and more likely he's 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:33.240 going to be back on Wednesday, and you will have 0:01:33.360 --> 0:01:38.080 once again myself and filthy Tom Lawler hosting this show 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:41.120 giving you all of the raw review that you need 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.440 coming up tomorrow on the show. But we got a 0:01:43.440 --> 0:01:46.559 lot to get into today and unfortunately need to start 0:01:46.600 --> 0:01:49.880 it off on a sad note. Marcus Crane thirty three 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.840 years old, passed away independent wrestler, probably best known for 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:57.880 his work in death matches Game Changer Wrestling, went to 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:01.160 the g CW tour of Japan. Was trained by Danny 0:02:01.240 --> 0:02:03.600 Daniels and also is very notable for being in the 0:02:03.680 --> 0:02:07.480 Chicago area and the A a W Pro shows. Apparently 0:02:07.560 --> 0:02:10.040 passed away took a nap, did not wake back up again. 0:02:10.120 --> 0:02:13.000 He has had head issues. He was trying to return 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:16.680 from skull surgery that he had back in two thousand 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:20.200 and nineteen. When he had a craniotomy after they found 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:22.240 out there was an affection in his skull that was 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:26.200 leaking into his brain. So a very sad situation there. 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:29.760 Marcus Crane passes away at the age of thirty three 0:02:30.120 --> 0:02:32.760 years old. Going to get into a whole lot of 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:34.880 what's taking place on the wrestling scene when we get 0:02:34.880 --> 0:02:50.120 back Wrestling Observer Live. You are listening to Wrestling Observer 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:53.840 Live with Brian Alvarez and Mike Semberviv on the Sports 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:59.000 Byline Broadcasting Network. Back on the show, Mike simber Vv here, 0:02:59.000 --> 0:03:02.240 whether you Wrestling Observer Live. We do this show every 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:04.959 day for an hour, but if you want us seven 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:07.480 you might be able to do it on Twitter. That's 0:03:07.520 --> 0:03:10.520 usually the easiest way. I am at semper vv, the 0:03:10.840 --> 0:03:14.280 website for this podcast at w O n F four 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:19.480 W the broadcaster at Sports Byline USA, the handsome and 0:03:19.600 --> 0:03:24.639 amazing co host at Filthy, Tom Lawler, and uh Brian 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:26.680 Alvarez is at Brian Alvarez if you if you want 0:03:26.680 --> 0:03:29.359 to talk to him or see pictures of him being 0:03:29.440 --> 0:03:31.080 upset that he's got to go back to snow but 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:34.080 Filthy with Brian being gone, of course, that gives us 0:03:34.360 --> 0:03:36.520 more than ample chance to get into all of the 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:39.440 things that actually make us happy, which could be any 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:42.160 number of things today on a on a Monday afternoon, 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:45.240 it could be uh going to the Raiders game. It 0:03:45.280 --> 0:03:49.520 could be Christmas, it could be catch wrestling rules, could 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:51.280 be any number of things filthy. What do you want 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:56.360 to get into the start? Well, let's talk about Christmas, right. 0:03:56.400 --> 0:03:59.080 We're coming off of the holiday this past weekend. Mike. 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:01.960 Is there any thing that you received for Christmas that 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:04.600 you'd like to tell the listeners about. I would love 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:07.040 to tell the listeners about what I received, but I 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:10.440 can't do that because of FCC violations. But one of 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:13.600 the gifts that I gave was a this Sharper image 0:04:14.200 --> 0:04:17.080 uh foot massage or it's got like to to my wife, 0:04:17.360 --> 0:04:20.040 these five different rollers in there and all these heat 0:04:20.040 --> 0:04:22.280 temperatures and everything. So I got her that, which made 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:25.400 her very happy. Offset the fact that I got a 0:04:25.480 --> 0:04:29.840 Ninja Blender Slash food processor for her her as well too, 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:31.800 because you know, I like Wacomo Lee, so that's what 0:04:31.839 --> 0:04:34.200 that's about. So you know, I gave that to her 0:04:34.240 --> 0:04:36.400 two so it's something that I can use and plus 0:04:36.400 --> 0:04:39.000 something that she can use. So that went well. The 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:44.640 boy is happy, so big success in the simper vv family. Awesome. 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:47.400 I myself, Mike, I gotta. I got a gift that 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:52.560 I cannot share with virtually anybody, A super super sexy 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:55.159 calendar my wife gave me, which I can either hang 0:04:55.240 --> 0:05:00.279 up nor show anyone. Uh. I also got this wool 0:05:01.560 --> 0:05:04.840 raizor ramon as a shoot. By the way, h g 0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:10.680 figure here. Did you get that from someone? Or was 0:05:10.720 --> 0:05:13.120 that the gift to yourself from being such a great 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:15.839 new japan strong open weight champion. That was a gift 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:20.760 to myself. Uh, and the best gift of all, I 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:23.839 must say, a gift I'd never thought I would receive. 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:29.920 Despite crying out on Twitter, I woke up the next 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:34.760 day over Christmas night, not even Christmas Day. The next day, 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:40.080 I woke up to five discs of Doink the Clown 0:05:40.600 --> 0:05:43.960 in my box and my email in box, and I've 0:05:43.960 --> 0:05:50.240 been watching Doink lighted up, I guess you could say, 0:05:50.720 --> 0:05:53.120 back in the early nineties for the past day, and 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:56.760 I'm loving it. Somebody's probably thinking you're lying about this, 0:05:56.800 --> 0:05:58.600 and I can say for sure he is not lying 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:02.440 about this. We what brought on this whole like we 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:07.280 gotta rewatch Doink thing. Well, there was a discussion between 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:13.640 Granny Brian's granny and Vincent ver High Uh the the 0:06:13.680 --> 0:06:17.720 grid the gladsome giant of the gridiron himself. Uh. Speaking 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.760 about Doink the Clown, Granny asked, was he a wrestler? 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:25.520 And Vinny said, oh, he was a great wrestler. And 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:27.680 I decided I needed to find out if Doink the 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:31.160 Clown was indeed a great wrestler. Um, I don't know 0:06:31.200 --> 0:06:34.200 if i'd say that, but I am enjoying the first 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:39.680 disc of Doink that I've dived into. There. Now is 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:43.040 there a see Now, there's going to be a break 0:06:43.080 --> 0:06:45.920 in this though. You're gonna have to actually start being 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:49.160 studious about this, aren't you. Because he goes from Matt 0:06:49.279 --> 0:06:52.760 Bourne to Steve Kern at some point, and then I 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:54.800 don't know Steve Lombardi and I don't know who the 0:06:54.800 --> 0:06:57.679 hell else belieyed all the Doinks and Dinks and such. 0:06:57.800 --> 0:07:00.600 But uh, I mean, doesn't it go from weren't the current? 0:07:00.640 --> 0:07:03.400 At some point? It does? And you know, Mike, and 0:07:03.440 --> 0:07:06.120 that's I think that's a perfect segue because watching these 0:07:06.120 --> 0:07:11.040 early Doink matches, Matt or Matt Boorne was a tremendous, 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:14.520 tremendous matt wrestler. He was out there shooting single legs 0:07:14.560 --> 0:07:19.040 ankle picks on typhoon. He was grabbing two holds of 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:23.000 his uh. He tried to have a dog in a 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:25.240 couple of years ago before he passed away. They got 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.960 into it on the Nindie show like for Real, for Real. Well, 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:32.000 watching him in the squared circle as Doink in those 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:35.000 early matches leads me to believe he would have been 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:39.760 a great candidate to face Cat's Yours Shabata under these 0:07:39.800 --> 0:07:44.360 Now I guess now that's out there catch wrestling rule 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:48.160 set that cats Her Shabada will be competing under at 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:51.920 the Tokyo Dome. Yeah, so New Japan held there Russell 0:07:52.040 --> 0:07:56.480 Kingdom sixteen press conference today in Tokyo, and as Tom mentioned, 0:07:56.520 --> 0:07:58.680 the most relevant thing for this show is the fact 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:01.480 that CATSI Orady Shabbata uh in his match against the 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:06.520 mystery opponent now has rules attached to it. Catch wrestling rules. 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:09.600 Stretches and submissions will be in use as well as throws, 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:13.240 which is really like a regular wrestling match. Do you 0:08:13.360 --> 0:08:15.200 have the finish is gonna come the same way? You 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:20.240 could be counted out, disqualify, pen or submission, but no punches, 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:23.880 no open hand strikes, no fists, no nothing like that. 0:08:24.040 --> 0:08:27.000 So in that way going to be a lot closer 0:08:27.000 --> 0:08:29.760 to what he did with Zach Saber Jr. Uh The 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:33.440 last time around, Shabbata talked a little bit about what 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:36.000 he wanted to do during the press conference, and this 0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:38.520 is up on the New Japan site if you wanted 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:41.079 to take a look at not only this, but several 0:08:41.160 --> 0:08:44.160 videos that took place from throughout the press conference with 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:48.280 everybody facing off with each other. What Shabbata said was quote, 0:08:48.320 --> 0:08:50.880 he wanted to give this a different name to the 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:53.720 grappling exhibition match I had was Zach Saber Jr. And 0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:56.760 set it apart as something else. Grappling rules as a 0:08:56.840 --> 0:08:59.360 concept that has already common in mm A were strikes 0:08:59.400 --> 0:09:02.679 for band well, you know, catch wrestling rules is something 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:05.000 that I think can be specific to pro wrestling, and 0:09:05.040 --> 0:09:08.400 that's why the name changes. Is there to explain those 0:09:08.400 --> 0:09:11.679 differences with grappling rules. More specifically, I think it allows 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:14.800 for moves using the ropes or more pro wrestling styled 0:09:15.200 --> 0:09:19.160 three dimensional if you will, In expression, victory to a 0:09:19.160 --> 0:09:22.240 pro wrestler comes down to skill and technique in this environment, 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:25.360 and it strips pro wrestling down to its essentials, to 0:09:25.440 --> 0:09:27.480 go to the roots of wrestling. A bit pro wrestling 0:09:27.600 --> 0:09:31.040 sprung out of what we call the Lancashire style in England, 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:33.800 and that's something we mustn't lose sight of. I want 0:09:33.840 --> 0:09:36.320 a fusion in New Japan pro wrestling that brings the 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:40.360 base fundamentals to the fold. This is something that's just beginning, 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:43.120 and I think these rules, match times and things of 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:47.760 that nature can change the concept as it evolves. That's it. 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:50.400 That's all he had to say, and he was done talking. 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:53.560 Tom Uh. We talked about this a little bit last 0:09:53.600 --> 0:09:56.960 week when we talked about a number of men, including yourself, 0:09:57.000 --> 0:09:59.680 that you know, really bringing matt wrestling back into the 0:09:59.720 --> 0:10:02.120 four front much like a De Malenko and other people. 0:10:02.200 --> 0:10:04.520 You can make this style exciting, you can make the 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:09.000 essentials of pro wrestling and of wrestling at its core. Uh, 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:13.079 fun to watch and very interesting to watch. And obviously 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:16.160 that is something Shabata his entire career has been based 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:20.160 on from day one, and UH, something that he's obviously 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:23.360 feeding into his students. What do you think about what 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:26.079 what he said here, which was basically a long flower 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:28.520 your way to get around too. We're not gonna have 0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:31.400 strikes in this grappling match, But what do you think 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:33.520 about this? And can you see anybody if you thought 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:35.720 about anybody else, they could step in and be a 0:10:35.720 --> 0:10:39.880 good opponent for Shabata. Well, if you've listened to recent 0:10:39.960 --> 0:10:44.720 comments that he's made about the future of wrestling and 0:10:44.800 --> 0:10:47.320 especially in New Japan, it seems as if he is 0:10:48.080 --> 0:10:50.960 uh nonplused. I guess would be a term that could 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:54.280 use with the style that he currently sees and was 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:58.679 hoping for a change, you know, some sort of revolution 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:01.920 when it comes to the style of wrestling in New 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:05.760 Japan for the future. And you know, obviously he's a 0:11:05.760 --> 0:11:09.560 guy who's deeply rooted in the fundamentals, deeply rooted in 0:11:09.800 --> 0:11:13.280 legitimate techniques that would work in mixed martial arts or 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:18.240 you know, amateur wrestling contests, and I obviously am a 0:11:18.280 --> 0:11:21.160 mark for that sort of style. And I think there's 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:23.880 a number of guys, and we talked about this last week. 0:11:24.160 --> 0:11:26.480 As you know, mixed martial arts has kind of become 0:11:26.520 --> 0:11:30.839 more prevalent. I think the audience is a little bit 0:11:30.840 --> 0:11:34.439 more open to submission wrestling, and I think a lot 0:11:34.480 --> 0:11:37.160 of the workers, UH see a benefit in it. You 0:11:37.200 --> 0:11:41.120 don't need to kill yourself getting dropped on your head repeatedly. 0:11:41.160 --> 0:11:44.079 You can save that for key moments. If you can 0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:47.480 work on the mat, if you can tell a story, uh, 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:50.960 with your motions and with your holds. And I think 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:52.840 there's a number of guys who have put in the 0:11:52.880 --> 0:11:57.240 time and the work and have really you know, kind 0:11:57.240 --> 0:12:01.000 of like cult began to cultivate this style. Once again, 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:04.680 I wouldn't say it's reached nearer its apex whatsoever. I 0:12:04.720 --> 0:12:07.080 think you know, as time goes by, you're gonna see 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:11.280 guys like John Gresham, like all of the young lions 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:14.360 that are coming up out of the New Japan system. Uh, 0:12:14.679 --> 0:12:21.240 really show that Matt Wrestling is the strongest New Japan, 0:12:21.320 --> 0:12:25.680 be strongest, progress the strongest. Since they used to say, 0:12:25.760 --> 0:12:28.480 I still believe it, filthy believes it. You should believe 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:30.280 it too. Of course you believe it. That's why you're 0:12:30.320 --> 0:12:32.920 listening to this show. It is Wrestling Observer Live. Will 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:47.520 be right back back on the show, Mike Summer vv 0:12:47.600 --> 0:12:51.520 here with your filthy Tom Lawler, feel me flow. Look 0:12:51.520 --> 0:12:54.000 at that. You know, it's like a nice summertime song, 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:57.560 except it's not summertime here. It's cold. It was like 0:12:57.600 --> 0:13:00.400 summer on Christmas. It was like sixty degrees. I'm at 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:04.640 on the del Marvel Peninsula east of the Briscoes. Was beautiful. 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:07.480 Now it's all rainy and pathetic and sad. How was 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:09.599 it yesterday at the Raider game? Was it awesome? I 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:13.560 didn't see any of that Raiders Broncos game. Yeah, the 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:15.760 game was awesome. I told you before we went on 0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:19.560 the air. I was all pumped up about watching during 0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:21.920 the clown and then I get to the game and 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:27.240 there's some other clown, Bruce Buffer doing the introductions. It's 0:13:27.280 --> 0:13:32.240 time for the Raiders to go out there and squeak 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:34.360 out of victory over the Broncos. But it was a 0:13:34.400 --> 0:13:36.480 bunch of fun. I had a blast. Were you sitting 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:39.200 with the people or were you like up in a box, 0:13:39.240 --> 0:13:41.600 like being pretentious and all that, getting getting the good 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:44.520 food and whatnot. I was in the eight hundred dollar 0:13:44.679 --> 0:13:47.840 club level seats, Buddy, I look at you. Yeah, where 0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:52.600 you're still sitting neck to neck with some peon and 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:58.320 paying thirteen dollars for a beer? Well, actually, you know, 0:13:58.480 --> 0:14:01.280 it's that's about average I guess we're an NFL same now. 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:04.720 It's completely ridiculous. I lived close to the that Redskins 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:08.200 stadium is the dirt worst and about a zillion different ways. 0:14:08.320 --> 0:14:11.680 Or the Washington football team just the absolute worst, including 0:14:11.720 --> 0:14:15.280 the dirt bag owner and the prices, they're absolutely brutal. 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:17.760 Obviously a Falcon fan, we have a good owner that 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:20.920 offers up nice pricing for all the fine people of 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:23.840 Atlanta who go to the game and then root for 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:27.000 the Cowboys and other teams. But yesterday was a successful 0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:30.040 day against the Detroit Line, so I will take it. Yeah, 0:14:30.080 --> 0:14:32.760 I have actually been to that stadium and I rooted 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:38.280 against the Falcons. You are correct. There were more people 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:40.080 when I was coming up to and you know, I'm 0:14:40.120 --> 0:14:43.040 glad they were the old uniforms yesterday, like when Dion 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:46.040 was there and everything, Chris Miller, Jerry Glandville gets there. 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:48.400 They were like the only team that wore black. They 0:14:48.440 --> 0:14:51.000 could not sell any merchandise whatsoever. And it's like you 0:14:51.040 --> 0:14:54.120 go to games the Redskins and the Cowboys and whoever 0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:56.880 else they play. Those two teams especially would just kill 0:14:56.960 --> 0:15:00.440 Atlanta in their own stadium. Was pathetic. Yeah, there were 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:04.680 a lot of Broncos fans actually at the game yesterday 0:15:04.880 --> 0:15:06.440 and I was told, I guess they traveled with a 0:15:06.440 --> 0:15:10.560 pretty heavy fan base. But they're not a good football team. 0:15:11.040 --> 0:15:13.200 So those people are wasting their money because I know 0:15:13.240 --> 0:15:15.440 the Raiders are not good. It's very tough to share 0:15:15.480 --> 0:15:18.680 for the Raiders after comments that their owners make after 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:22.880 you know, well das nefarious, deadly deeds that some of 0:15:22.880 --> 0:15:25.720 the players do. I mean, it's tough being a new 0:15:25.800 --> 0:15:28.680 Raiders fan. But at least the stadium was cool. It's 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:31.160 still very pro wrestling though, to be a Raiders fan, 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:33.520 I mean, they still operate. I mean Mark Davis for 0:15:33.600 --> 0:15:35.720 the fact that he's got a crappy hair do. I 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.200 mean he still tries to carry on some of the 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:42.440 swaggering lags his father, even though it's in a ridiculous way. 0:15:42.480 --> 0:15:45.200 But like Otis is drunk and all the all the 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:47.560 maniacs that the Raiders have given us over the years, 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:50.040 it's still better to have them than to be. Imagine 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:51.960 what could have moved to Vegas. You know, you could 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:53.960 have got the I don't know, we could have got 0:15:53.960 --> 0:15:56.440 the Vikings. Weren't they like trying to move out of Minnesota? 0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:58.880 There for a while, Birmingham and all these other places 0:15:59.000 --> 0:16:01.600 good and now I'm good at her cousins in Sin City. 0:16:01.640 --> 0:16:04.720 I don't think it would have worked, man, I was 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:08.760 just hoping for an XFL team. Hey, you know, there's 0:16:08.800 --> 0:16:11.000 there's still time, you know with the rock buying that 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:13.840 thing again and one thing I guess too, well, how 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:16.560 what was the crowd like? Were there any COVID scares? 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:18.920 Was anybody scared to go there as they apparently were 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:23.720 to Madison Square Garden? Well, interestingly enough, Uh, if you 0:16:23.800 --> 0:16:27.400 are vaccinated, well, you have to be vaccinated to get 0:16:27.440 --> 0:16:30.160 into the stadium. However, if you've only had one of 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:33.720 the shots, you must wear a mask, so you don't 0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:37.600 have to be fully vaccinated. It to be halfway vaccinated. 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:40.720 And I'm pretty sure they're not checking throughout the game 0:16:40.760 --> 0:16:42.920 to make sure that you're wearing your masks. So that 0:16:43.000 --> 0:16:46.720 was quite questionable. Um, you know, the guy making you know, 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:49.640 eleven fifty has already got enough on his plate. I 0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:51.160 don't think he's you know, gonna be there at the 0:16:51.240 --> 0:16:53.160 end of the row like, hey, you know, pull that 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:54.880 up now to like, you know, the black hole. I 0:16:54.880 --> 0:16:57.480 don't think that's the best idea. It was a little 0:16:57.480 --> 0:17:04.040 bit questionable, much like the match making for Rising, which 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:06.840 we have upcoming in a few days. Mike, we talked 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:14.919 about Shabbata earlier, but we also have Shipatar who also 0:17:15.160 --> 0:17:18.919 like catch your shibata, Uh should stay away from the 0:17:19.000 --> 0:17:23.879 striking arts for the foreseeable future as he's he's a 0:17:23.960 --> 0:17:26.920 YouTuber who does m M A and he's fighting the 0:17:27.119 --> 0:17:31.760 utah utah Cobo you Takubo um And we also have 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:39.879 the biggest fight in Rising history, Tension Nasakawa taking on Takarou. 0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:44.280 That fight will be over the suburb because in a 0:17:44.320 --> 0:17:47.440 couple of days, Tension Nasakawa will face the man who 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:51.200 showed up to the press conference in a tack room mask, 0:17:51.920 --> 0:17:56.440 and that is Taka Noriri Gomi, the fireball kid who's 0:17:56.440 --> 0:18:00.720 probably in his forties, forty two years old. Forty two 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:04.639 years old. Takanori Domi, your former deep champion, your former 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:08.399 rival of b J Penn, your your introduction for a 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:12.080 lot of people to Pride's Bushito series. When health Grace, 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:14.399 he ran across the ring with his head down and 0:18:14.480 --> 0:18:17.480 go Me just basically lifted up his knee and delivered 0:18:17.480 --> 0:18:20.600 a ny strike, knocking him dead in six seconds in 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:24.440 a highlight real knockout for the ages the Fireball Kid, 0:18:24.520 --> 0:18:28.840 who's not a kid anymore. In true Rising Pride Never 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:32.600 Die fashion, they announced a couple of fights days before 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:38.240 New Year's Eve, including this one against Tension, who so 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:43.000 he fights at one he's he fought Mayweather it whatever 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.400 weight it was that went the way that it did. 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:47.840 What is this What is this going to be at? 0:18:47.920 --> 0:18:50.800 Because Gomi was like walking around like one five or 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.719 something like that the last time he had fought, So like, 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:57.240 are there even weight requirements to this or is this 0:18:57.320 --> 0:19:00.640 just an open weight deal? I mean, I seriously doubt 0:19:00.680 --> 0:19:03.280 there's some sort of weight requirement. It wouldn't be New 0:19:03.320 --> 0:19:06.520 Year's Eve if there was. I think, yeah, certainly not. 0:19:06.600 --> 0:19:09.960 There's always gonna be some something bizarre going on in 0:19:10.040 --> 0:19:13.120 Japan a New Year's We don't have a I don't 0:19:13.119 --> 0:19:16.159 think we have a Bobby Oligan fight on this show, 0:19:16.600 --> 0:19:21.399 although I'd be trying to capitalize off of his big 0:19:21.440 --> 0:19:26.359 win at the last show. But yeah, we have Tension, Gomi, 0:19:27.640 --> 0:19:33.760 rain of Kubota, uh, most marketable women they have, you know, 0:19:33.960 --> 0:19:36.600 rough fault one time on Bella Tour, ended up losing. 0:19:36.600 --> 0:19:39.439 Got revenge for that fight over in Japan where she 0:19:39.600 --> 0:19:44.120 is a far a star against Seawoo Park. So who 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:46.560 is a you know, a deep fighter of you know, 0:19:46.680 --> 0:19:49.720 relative repute. So I would assume Koboda is coming out 0:19:49.720 --> 0:19:54.639 of this. Uh, but again just again to fight fights 0:19:54.680 --> 0:19:57.200 thrown up at the last minute, here with no and 0:19:57.280 --> 0:20:00.800 again with no real except for you know, ship Atar. 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:03.080 There no real freak show fight. I mean they have 0:20:03.200 --> 0:20:05.840 five hours and forty five minutes is apparently what's been 0:20:05.880 --> 0:20:08.920 scheduled on Fuji TV for the New Year's Eve show. 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:12.719 And I you know, where is the forget about Acabono, 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:15.040 but where are the only guns or somebody like that 0:20:15.080 --> 0:20:19.959 to bring the mainstream appeal? Well, you have the Osakara brothers, 0:20:19.960 --> 0:20:24.800 who are um, I mean I guess there's I guess 0:20:24.800 --> 0:20:27.880 they're stars in Japan. But yeah you don't, I mean 0:20:27.920 --> 0:20:31.600 you have Shipatar. Uh you've got I mean, go mean 0:20:31.920 --> 0:20:35.520 intention is a freak show fight to a certain degree, 0:20:36.119 --> 0:20:38.679 but I mean they could use they could use a 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:44.840 super hulk fight. I mean Cozy against yallow Man is 0:20:44.880 --> 0:20:46.879 gonna be the thing. Although I now I want to 0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:50.800 see yah Man to see what that's about. Yeah, maybe 0:20:50.800 --> 0:20:52.959 I should be over there Why aren't I defending that 0:20:53.119 --> 0:20:56.840 strong belt. You should attack him after mask and be 0:20:57.040 --> 0:20:59.560 nah man like whatever he does, you just knock his 0:20:59.600 --> 0:21:02.160 ass out like nah man. They gotta catchphrase and everything. 0:21:02.440 --> 0:21:04.200 If I show up over there, I'm showing up in 0:21:04.240 --> 0:21:11.200 the thong like Takata. Who was that? H oh God 0:21:12.040 --> 0:21:15.600 Aca hera go no with Aca Hero's gonads when they 0:21:15.760 --> 0:21:18.679 did the shot of him in a thong, which I 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:20.439 was also at the show, and you there was the 0:21:20.520 --> 0:21:23.920 ufc C show in Newark. Somebody wore a thong? Was it? 0:21:24.200 --> 0:21:28.479 Who was it? Joe Riggs? Was Dennis Hallman, Yes, Dennis 0:21:28.520 --> 0:21:33.120 Hollman And he was defeated by Brian Eversoul and Dana 0:21:33.160 --> 0:21:37.120 White gave him a special bonus forgetting the thong off 0:21:37.160 --> 0:21:39.600 of his television. There was at one point I believe 0:21:39.600 --> 0:21:43.359 Brian Eversol his toes got caught in the thong of 0:21:43.400 --> 0:21:49.480 Dennis Harman head expose exposed his Oka Hero gonads to 0:21:49.600 --> 0:21:53.159 the audience. It's like it worse when Gary Goodridge the 0:21:53.200 --> 0:21:57.440 story of him telling using his toes too against J. T. 0:21:57.560 --> 0:22:00.159 Kass and he just said it felt like mush his 0:22:00.280 --> 0:22:03.920 toes into his um crotrio region. He said it felt 0:22:03.960 --> 0:22:10.480 like crunchy peanut butter, which pride never die, kids filthy 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:14.320 the extension of pride. Uh. Somehow, some way, I have 0:22:14.400 --> 0:22:16.760 no transition away from this back to COVID or anything 0:22:16.800 --> 0:22:18.520 like that, So I'll just I'll just go ahead and 0:22:18.520 --> 0:22:21.480 go to this and the fact that uh, w W E, 0:22:21.760 --> 0:22:25.960 just like everywhere else, has been getting pounded uh by 0:22:26.080 --> 0:22:30.320 COVID Bowl games obviously falling out. The NHL season has 0:22:30.359 --> 0:22:33.480 not restarted yet, It's supposed to be Tuesday. Whether that 0:22:33.560 --> 0:22:37.320 happens or not, who knows what's going to be the 0:22:37.320 --> 0:22:41.800 deal with that. But today just breaking uh. Over the 0:22:41.840 --> 0:22:46.200 weekend there were several wrestlers that have either come down 0:22:46.200 --> 0:22:48.840 with COVID or or or being put in a bubble 0:22:48.880 --> 0:22:51.480 by w W too try to protect them and keep 0:22:51.560 --> 0:22:55.120 them as healthy as possible going into day one, but 0:22:55.520 --> 0:22:59.119 apparently is also going through the producer's ranks, which again 0:22:59.200 --> 0:23:02.679 not a surprise, was something like this. P w I 0:23:02.800 --> 0:23:05.840 Insider is reporting that while a typical raw taping would 0:23:05.840 --> 0:23:09.280 have around a dozen or so producers, the company is 0:23:09.320 --> 0:23:12.600 down to quote about half of that. Now. This now 0:23:13.000 --> 0:23:16.840 makes a story yesterday about Pete Williams having to be 0:23:16.920 --> 0:23:21.320 pulled off a card because WW needed him. That will 0:23:21.359 --> 0:23:23.560