WEBVTT - Are Naomi and Sasha Back? 0:00:00.280 --> 0:00:02.800 Hey, this is Brian Alvarez and this is today's edition 0:00:02.840 --> 0:00:07.320 of the Wrestling Observer Daily podcast on the eight Side Network. 0:00:07.480 --> 0:00:10.639 Are you ready? Are you ready? Let's get it off. 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:20.320 Welcome to the show. Everybody. Let me tell you something, 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:23.160 when you hear this show on a podcast, it is 0:00:23.200 --> 0:00:26.240 not going to have this opening. Yes, everybody, it is 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:31.080 Wrestling Observer Live. Mike Sepper viv here with you for 0:00:31.120 --> 0:00:35.200 the next hour talking professional wrestling and mix martial arts. 0:00:35.240 --> 0:00:37.600 Really know mixed martial arts, so just the pro wrestling. 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:40.080 We do that every single day here on the Sports 0:00:40.080 --> 0:00:44.240 Byeline broadcast network. And however, you're joining me today, tune 0:00:44.280 --> 0:00:47.720 in I Heart American Forces Radio, Sports Byeline dot Com 0:00:47.720 --> 0:00:50.760 over their affiliate's like the Mighty You're at ninety Serious 0:00:50.840 --> 0:00:53.560 Sex m via podcast or video street Me on Twitch 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:57.000 and YouTube. However, you're joining me today, even if it's 0:00:57.200 --> 0:01:00.760 two tin cans strung together with a piece of string, 0:01:01.240 --> 0:01:04.120 I'd just like to say thank you. As always, there's 0:01:04.120 --> 0:01:07.040 gonna be a lot to get into today, not the 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:10.280 least of which is all of the hullabaloo and scuttle 0:01:10.360 --> 0:01:15.200 but over could it be Naomi and Sasha Banks being 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:20.400 added back to the active roster page for w w E. Also, 0:01:21.240 --> 0:01:24.920 FTR taken out of the A E W video game. 0:01:25.240 --> 0:01:27.080 Some people who were wondering when they saw that news 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:29.680 this morning if that would be causing a ton of controversy. 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:33.000 It has not. FTR was well aware that they were 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:35.240 being taken out of the game. It's just that the 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:38.600 news has come out now about all that, and we'll 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:41.720 tell you all about that, as well as what's coming 0:01:41.840 --> 0:01:44.600 up tonight on Raw at a chance to watch both 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:47.880 SmackDown in Rampage, we can talk about that. I got 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:50.840 some news coming up about Samoa Joe as well as 0:01:50.920 --> 0:01:54.080 some other things, not the least of which is tournament 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:56.240 season coming to an end in Japan. We have the 0:01:56.320 --> 0:01:59.520 finals of the Noah and One all set up, as 0:01:59.560 --> 0:02:02.560 well us some news on the i w g P 0:02:03.160 --> 0:02:07.800 Women's Championship Tournament. The first match has been announced. It 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:11.200 is Jazzy Gabert against Eva. We'll get into that a 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:14.200 little bit later on as well too. I am tired 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:16.760 of holding onto this phone and I'm going to switch 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:20.120 back over to the fine microphone and highline method that 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:23.320 we usually use here on this program, So stick with me. 0:02:23.680 --> 0:02:26.679 We'll be back. I'm Mike semper Viv and this is 0:02:26.720 --> 0:02:46.799 Wrestling Observer Live. There we go. Welcome back Wrestling Observer Live. 0:02:47.000 --> 0:02:50.680 Mike Semperviv here with you, hopefully with h D audio. 0:02:53.120 --> 0:03:07.079 Let me get this now, SMR kids, I need this. Ah. 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:10.760 That's for the Big boss Man, Brian Alvarez, who will 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:15.639 be back tomorrow on this program. Right now, he is 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:20.079 somewhere signing and updating his last Will and testament. Why 0:03:20.639 --> 0:03:24.120 because he will be facing off against Filthy Tom Lawler, 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:29.240 their partners Billy Starks with Brian Alvarez and Killer Kelly 0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:33.600 with Filthy Tom Lawler coming up this weekend in Chicago. 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:38.800 I guess we're gonna have a heat up for that 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:43.800 show take place a little while from now for viewers 0:03:43.880 --> 0:03:47.680 of Twitch and YouTube, those premium subscribers, and for those 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:51.080 of you who listen to the Filthy for dailies over 0:03:51.800 --> 0:03:54.960 Observer dot com. I believe Brian will be back from 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:57.160 doing whatever it is he is doing right now while 0:03:57.200 --> 0:04:00.360 doing this show, and he'll be doing the show with 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:04.440 Bolthy Tom Lawler. So that is going to be certainly 0:04:04.600 --> 0:04:07.000 something here as we lead into this weekend. It is 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:09.840 a a big weekend. The whole opening segment of this 0:04:09.920 --> 0:04:12.080 show has thrown me off, but damn it. We have 0:04:12.160 --> 0:04:14.800 a lot coming up here this weekend as we lead 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:18.840 into both All Out four in Chicago and w w 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:23.880 e's Clash at the Castle taking place in Cardiff, Wales. 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:28.360 There is as well once we hit Sunday, right before 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:31.880 All Out, n x T World's Collide that is going 0:04:32.000 --> 0:04:34.160 to be taking place, and we have a little bit 0:04:34.520 --> 0:04:38.520 of n x T news to begin the show here. 0:04:38.960 --> 0:04:41.040 It's not really n x T news, but it does 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:45.040 involve a former n XT wrestler. Santanna Garrett has returned 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:46.800 to w w E and this is up on the 0:04:46.839 --> 0:04:49.960 front page of the website right now, although I'm not 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:53.760 looking at it since the show started, so it may 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:57.720 have changed because a little Birdie has told me that 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:02.200 she is back at the PC, just as a guest trainer. 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.880 She is not back full time as the article has 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:09.839 made it look. Garrett, on her Instagram stories on Monday, 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:13.120 spoke about the role and said she was helping a 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:17.520 class with new Hires, so it's gonna be uh. Garrett 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:19.640 had been there for a while. She was part of 0:05:19.680 --> 0:05:23.520 the two thousand seventeen May Young Classic. She signed full 0:05:23.560 --> 0:05:26.000 time with w w E and two thousand and nineteen 0:05:26.480 --> 0:05:29.440 she was a regular on n x T. She wrestled 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:32.080 on one episode of Raw and was a part of 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:34.960 the two thousand twenty one Women's Royal Rumble. But then 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:37.560 that was pretty much it for her. She ended up 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:40.839 going to a w and working a couple of shows 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:43.000 down there. In fact, the front page article said it 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:46.680 was four So uh, she's just back as a guest 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:49.720 trainer for now. But we've seen plenty of people who 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:51.479 have been part of n x T in the past 0:05:51.720 --> 0:05:55.280 make their way back. So if this goes successfully for 0:05:55.360 --> 0:05:58.040 her and everybody is happy, she may get called back again. 0:05:58.120 --> 0:06:00.280 And who knows, maybe she gets called back for a 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:04.160 full time role coming up soon to full time wrestlers 0:06:04.440 --> 0:06:06.080 that a lot of people would like to see back 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:09.800 in the ring, or Naomi and Sasha Banks, And apparently 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:12.080 there was a whole bunch of fewer cause when they 0:06:12.120 --> 0:06:15.360 were added back to the active page of w w 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:19.640 E Talent. I cannot confirm that firsthand, as I rarely 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:22.599 like to navigate the w w E dot com website, 0:06:22.640 --> 0:06:26.040 but their return to the company has been speculated on 0:06:26.200 --> 0:06:28.880 now for quite some time, and as we come to 0:06:29.040 --> 0:06:33.520 the end of the very jinxt w w E Women's 0:06:33.600 --> 0:06:38.480 Tag Team Championship Tournament. I have a feeling that once 0:06:38.600 --> 0:06:42.080 we see the finals, we may see Naomi and Sasha 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:46.600 Banks doing a challenge and on paper, if your champions 0:06:46.680 --> 0:06:51.599 happened to be EO Sky and Dakota Kai, matches against 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:54.440 Naomi and Sasha Banks may get as close to stardom 0:06:54.480 --> 0:06:57.600 stuff as we can get in this country. They ought 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:01.960 to be fantastic, uh together. So that's the at least 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:04.599 the direction that I'm hoping that they're going. It certainly 0:07:04.640 --> 0:07:06.799 would seem to be the case if Naomi and Sasha 0:07:07.120 --> 0:07:10.160 are coming back, because you can go with with those 0:07:10.760 --> 0:07:15.440 for for quite some time, probably right into a Survivor series. 0:07:15.480 --> 0:07:17.640 I know we have a w w E Extreme Rules 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:19.520 is going to be coming up as well too, but 0:07:19.920 --> 0:07:23.800 I have a feeling, because of the participants involved, as 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:26.720 well as Bailey being in there too, we could be 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:29.920 seeing tag team matches and six women matches going right 0:07:29.960 --> 0:07:33.000 into Survivor series if you wanted to. That's that's one 0:07:33.080 --> 0:07:35.400 of the best things. If there's a silver lining in 0:07:35.440 --> 0:07:38.520 the cloud that happened with Naomi and Sasha and this 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:42.040 whole deal with Vince McMahon is, I don't know if 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:45.360 they happen to fall into line together or what, but 0:07:45.440 --> 0:07:49.000 if Naomi and Sasha come back, Look, the Women's Tag 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:52.800 Team Championship since then has been a I want to say, 0:07:52.800 --> 0:07:55.560 a comedy of errors. But there they were. They gonna 0:07:55.600 --> 0:07:57.680 shelve it. Okay, are we gonna bring it back? We're 0:07:57.680 --> 0:07:59.680 gonna bring it back. We're gonna have a tournament for it. 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:03.320 They kind of made a non decision having again Nikita 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:06.480 Lines and in Zoe Stark, although I kind of understood 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:08.320 what they were doing. They're trying to give them ship 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:11.600 some shine on national TV that ends up not coming 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:14.560 to pass. Toxic trashing comes up, they get hurt. The 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:18.240 matches themselves haven't exactly been anything to write home about. 0:08:18.360 --> 0:08:21.280 So you know, when this whole thing finally shakes out 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:24.640 and falls, you know, frankly, Naomi and Sasha coming back 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:27.400 to rile up the new champions and to take their 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:31.040 shot at him will probably make everybody forget about how 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:37.200 forgettable that tournament has been. Samoa Joe's name has been 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:43.559 speculated on for quite some time as to where is he, 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:47.360 what is going on, what is happening? Is he upset 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:50.319 does he not want to be involved with Ring of 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:52.679 Honor as the TV champion? Why is he not on 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:56.600 a W Dynamite. What is happening with Samoa Joe? Well 0:08:56.840 --> 0:08:59.520 we have our answer. Samoa Joe has been filming a 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:03.040 TV show. In June, it was announced that Joe had 0:09:03.080 --> 0:09:06.520 signed on the rate signed on to play the role 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:11.760 of Sweet Tooth in the Peacock live action adaptation of 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:16.120 the video game Twisted Metal. On Saturday, the show's show 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:19.360 runner tweeted that the filming had all wrapped up and 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:22.560 that's where Joe had been. He suffered a shoulder line 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:26.080 a storyline shoulder injury at the hands of j leefal 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:29.800 Sttenham singing san Jay Dutt after r o h is 0:09:29.920 --> 0:09:33.559 July death before this Honor pay per view, where Joe 0:09:33.640 --> 0:09:37.520 had defeated Lethal in the title defense. So now he 0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:39.760 is back. He was in the Owen Hard Tournament. He's 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:43.280 only wrestled seven matches since the Owen Hard Tournament for 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:47.240 a w but his presence will be welcomed back, not 0:09:47.400 --> 0:09:50.679 only obviously for Ring of Honor and anything that they 0:09:50.760 --> 0:09:53.800 plan on doing, but just his name value on a 0:09:54.200 --> 0:10:01.080 W Dynamite and on rampage the rampage, and I guess 0:10:01.120 --> 0:10:03.600 I can blast it real quick before this segment ends, 0:10:03.640 --> 0:10:06.120 because there's not really a whole lot to talk about 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:09.040 with it. It was a a solid show. It was 0:10:09.120 --> 0:10:12.600 not spectacular. I'm not sure that if you were already 0:10:12.720 --> 0:10:17.080 dead set on watching your Major League Baseball Pennant Race 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:20.720 game or your NFL preseason game, that there was anything 0:10:20.800 --> 0:10:23.000 that was gonna be on this show that didn't have 0:10:23.200 --> 0:10:25.280 you going back to watch it on the DVR a 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:28.000 little bit later on, or or or maybe even just 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:35.439 skipping it altogether. The I thought, again, I don't know 0:10:35.559 --> 0:10:38.360 how how banged up Malachi but Black is, and I 0:10:38.480 --> 0:10:41.559 assumed that they're telling a story where Hangman Page is 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:45.959 going to take the place of Ten in this trio's tournament. 0:10:46.120 --> 0:10:48.240 But if that is not going to be the case, 0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:51.280 you should have had the House of Black when this thing. 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:56.079 But Malachi Black had a knee bar on Ten. When 0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:59.880 Miro's rams horn hit, he ended up coming out. Buddy 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:02.960 and Brody went to go after him. That allowed Alex 0:11:03.040 --> 0:11:06.000 Reynolds to get a roll up on Malachi for the pin. 0:11:06.559 --> 0:11:09.360 After the match, Miro got into the ring, he was 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:13.120 jumped by every Bolly Maliki spin picked him and the 0:11:13.160 --> 0:11:14.959 House of Black was able to put the boots to 0:11:15.040 --> 0:11:17.319 him for a little bit before Sting and Darby. Allen 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:20.160 made the save which has been setting up or does 0:11:20.240 --> 0:11:23.120 set up something that has been long rumored that six 0:11:23.200 --> 0:11:26.319 man match between the House of Black, Sting, Darby, and 0:11:26.520 --> 0:11:30.560 Miro for the pay per view Wardload destroyed Ryan mf 0:11:30.880 --> 0:11:35.319 No surprise there they're teasing. Dissension continued between the andrad 0:11:35.360 --> 0:11:39.400 A Family Office and private party Powerhouse. Hobbs killed a 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:43.760 guy named Ashton Day. Jade Cargill and Athena had a 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:45.959 short pull a park in the In the back, it 0:11:46.080 --> 0:11:49.040 seems as if Cargol has fired Layla Gray out of 0:11:49.040 --> 0:11:52.280 the batties by just telling her to to get out, 0:11:52.400 --> 0:11:55.880 basically in having kiro Hogan take her to the trash. 0:11:56.520 --> 0:11:59.600 Uh that was? That was that Sammy and Tay against 0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:05.640 him and Tie Mellow against Ortiz and Ruby. Soho it 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:08.000 was okay. There was some weird editing at the end 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.440 of the match. Double jump Cutter by Sammy ended up 0:12:10.480 --> 0:12:13.240 getting the victory. And then in the main event r 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:16.160 O H Heavy H Championship, Claudio cast No Only defeated 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:20.719 Dustin Rhodes Old school finish where Dustin jumped up or 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:24.520 duct underneath Claudio and uh hit A slammed him his 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:27.240 head into his crotch and that allowed Claudio to get 0:12:27.280 --> 0:12:30.079 the victory. Yeah, I fumbled that at the end there, 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:32.000 but you know what, that's just the way this show 0:12:32.120 --> 0:12:34.280 is going to be. To day we'll be back Wrestling 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:43.199 Observer A live take three Wrestling Observer live in the 0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:46.599 Sports Byline broadcast network. That announcment man just said that 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:49.000 my name is Mike Semper. Bobe. Bryan Alvarez is not 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:52.360 here with me today. He's out doing something getting himself 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:55.160 ready for today's show on Wrestling Observer dot com with 0:12:55.240 --> 0:13:00.160 Filthy Tom Waller Filthy for Daily available for subscribers over 0:13:00.280 --> 0:13:02.600 on that website. You know, we do this show here 0:13:02.720 --> 0:13:04.400 for an hour of time every day. But if you 0:13:04.440 --> 0:13:06.600 want to try to get us seven and I don't 0:13:06.640 --> 0:13:09.320 know after this show why you would, you can try 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:11.640 to get a hold of me at separ viv on Twitter, 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:14.120 the timeline for this show at w O n F 0:13:14.240 --> 0:13:17.959 four W the broadcasters at Sports Byline USA, and if 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:22.000 you love pro wrestling at mid Atlantic Pod. There was 0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:27.280 a report that came out earlier on this morning that 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:32.480 uh fightful. I believe it was initially reported this that 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:36.120 FTR was not going to be a part of the 0:13:36.679 --> 0:13:40.040 brand new a W video game that's coming out here, 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:43.160 that's gotten a little bit of buzz. Apparently won an 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:47.640 award not all that long ago, So he does FTR 0:13:47.800 --> 0:13:50.200 not going to be a part of it. People wondered, 0:13:50.280 --> 0:13:52.839 when this environment of everything going on, would they be 0:13:53.200 --> 0:13:57.800 incredibly upset about this? Well apparently, uh no, No, they 0:13:57.840 --> 0:14:02.160 were a little bit blindsided by it, according to according 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:05.920 to Dax, Or according to Cash, when he and Dax 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:11.600 spoke to give me sport, but they talked to Tony Khan, 0:14:12.160 --> 0:14:15.600 they talked to the legal department, Tony and everybody got 0:14:15.640 --> 0:14:19.160 back to him. They liked the answer they got, and 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:25.800 that's that there is no story here whatsoever, unless your 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:29.480 beat is to cover d l c s, which that's 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:31.640 got to be what this is. If they were taking 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:35.040 out of the game completely, I'm sure we would have 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:38.120 heard about that from Dax in Cash. I believe that 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:41.960 that would be a thing. But they're not. They're going 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:44.040 to be characters that are very likely going to be 0:14:44.160 --> 0:14:47.000 downloadable so they can get you to spend an extra 0:14:47.120 --> 0:14:52.120 three nine whatever it's going to be to get both 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:54.640 of those guys and maybe a couple other people. This 0:14:54.840 --> 0:14:57.520 is a method that I believe all video games used. 0:14:57.560 --> 0:15:00.400 I know certainly w w E uses it. I know 0:15:00.800 --> 0:15:04.360 about the micro transactions and Madden and MLB the Show 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:08.360 and in different games like that. So no issue here 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:11.480 with with Dax in cash, and no issue for anybody 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:13.720 that's going to buy the game and and be upset 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:16.200 that they're not going to be in it. Although I 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:19.320 don't know. I mean, I again, in this day and age, 0:15:19.400 --> 0:15:21.800 I have not played a wrestling video game in a 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:23.880 long time, at least one that was not a retro 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:28.560 and sixty four style video game or virtual pro uh 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:33.760 type of deal. So I don't know if it's insulting 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:37.120 that they're not as part of the original roster. I 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:41.080 don't know if it's insulting or if it hurts their 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.160 income not being a part of it and only being 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:45.200 part of it as a downloadable. I don't know if 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:47.800 that's an issue or not. It seems like, you know, 0:15:47.960 --> 0:15:50.400 real small potatoes in the grand scheme of things here 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:53.000 in the bottom line is if FTR isn't gonna be 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:56.160 pissed about this. Probably nobody should be pissed about this. 0:15:57.000 --> 0:16:01.360 So that's that on that one. Smell Backdown took place 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:05.400 at the Little Seasons Arena in Detroit, Michigan, and we 0:16:05.520 --> 0:16:08.320 do have some overnights on that. Now, these numbers are 0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:11.760 bound to change by the time the final numbers come 0:16:11.800 --> 0:16:13.920 out here probably, I guess it's going to be a 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:16.240 little bit later on today. Usually it's right after the 0:16:16.320 --> 0:16:20.720 show goes off the air. But according to Spoiler TV, 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:26.160 the overnights were pretty solid two point three million people. 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:31.440 And again, this is baseball at this point locally is 0:16:31.560 --> 0:16:34.600 probably causing some headaches. Certainly nationally is not an issue 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:38.160 when it comes to SmackDown, but surely the NFL preseason 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:41.800 probably cut into this number here a little bit. Last 0:16:41.880 --> 0:16:45.320 week where they also had competition as well, two point 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:48.960 six million people in the eighteen to forty nine demo 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:52.400 Friday night show registered a point five rating, which was 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:55.760 the same as the previous week. So solid numbers for 0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:58.760 SmackDown there, and I thought it was a again, it 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:03.680 was a a lid show for sure. The interaction between 0:17:03.760 --> 0:17:06.600 Sammy Zane and Roman reigns, and we'll get to that 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:10.320 later on. Is if nothing else that makes it worth 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:14.080 the two hours of fast forwarding through on the DVR 0:17:14.200 --> 0:17:16.240 portion of the show, at least through the commercials. You 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:19.200 shouldn't be you know, fast forward through everything. I think 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:21.760 that's what Alvarez does. He says he doesn't, but I 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:24.000 don't know about him. That's why I want Filthy Tom 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:27.679 to take him out. But the show itself opened right 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:31.000 in the ring with Ricochet and Baron Cordon. They had 0:17:31.000 --> 0:17:33.160 the introductions for both guys, but we got a match 0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:35.840 right off the bat. As Corbin was making his way 0:17:35.920 --> 0:17:38.160 to the ring, they did an old school in st promo. 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:41.439 I thought that was cool. This was a rematch from 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:45.200 a match three weeks ago that Ricochet won. Both of 0:17:45.280 --> 0:17:50.280 those guys were also in the UH Intercontinental Championship five 0:17:50.359 --> 0:17:53.360 way eliminator last week. I thought this was a fun 0:17:53.440 --> 0:17:56.479 match and went through one commercial break. Ricochet ended up 0:17:56.520 --> 0:18:00.880 finishing him off with a beautiful shooting star. S After 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:04.879 the match, Pat McAfee used a John Madden style tellustrator 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:09.560 to bury Corbin. So Corbin's back on a long losing streak. 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:13.119 It looks like here UH in dealing with Pat McAfee 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:17.080 poking at him from ringside. But the hope is, and 0:18:17.200 --> 0:18:19.440 at least this was the hope of David Bryan today 0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:22.159 on Wrestling Observer Radio, that maybe we're gonna get to 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:24.840 see a little bit of a turnaround and fortunes here 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:28.800 for Ricochet. I would be all for that. Again, Ricochet 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:31.680 does not have the main event WrestleMania for me. But 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:34.320 if you have a mid card where some guys you 0:18:34.400 --> 0:18:37.200 know they're they're at different levels here and you know 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:39.399 you can build your way up, you know, this might 0:18:39.480 --> 0:18:41.440 be a good time for Ricochet to see what you 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:44.960 can get out of him, because what else you gonna 0:18:45.000 --> 0:18:47.000 do here with this guy at this point? If you're 0:18:47.000 --> 0:18:49.159 not going to take him serious now, you may as 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:51.440 well just send him down to n x T or 0:18:51.640 --> 0:18:55.200 n x T Europe or something like that, because I again, 0:18:55.640 --> 0:18:57.960 to waste him in the way that they have to 0:18:58.080 --> 0:19:01.520 have him lose instantly and not be able to show 0:19:01.560 --> 0:19:03.840 off a lot of his skills I think is a 0:19:03.880 --> 0:19:07.560 big mistake. Hip Profits ran into our the hit row 0:19:07.760 --> 0:19:10.000 ran into the street profits. We'll have a little bit 0:19:10.040 --> 0:19:13.440 more on that coming up later on Great Video Package 0:19:13.480 --> 0:19:16.640 with Drew McIntyre. I thought this was excellent. A goat 0:19:16.720 --> 0:19:19.800 went back through his history with Highlight Clips and the 0:19:19.920 --> 0:19:23.119 first part of it played earlier on in the show. Uh, 0:19:23.200 --> 0:19:26.200 they covered up until his return to the company. He 0:19:26.320 --> 0:19:29.440 was followed by a carry on cross promo that was 0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:32.240 in black and white. He threatened to a race every 0:19:32.320 --> 0:19:35.720 memory that Drew actually had for good and TikTok, and 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:38.359 that was it for him on the show. Towards the 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:41.320 end of the show, we got part two with Drew's 0:19:41.520 --> 0:19:44.920 WW redemption story that they always liked going over and 0:19:45.400 --> 0:19:47.800 something by the way, they never mind, I won't even 0:19:47.840 --> 0:19:51.240 bring up one of his girlfriend at the time. Uh Terran, Yeah, well, 0:19:51.320 --> 0:19:53.960 Taran Terrell. They were like the they never talked about 0:19:54.000 --> 0:19:56.359 like the hotel room battles and I think it was 0:19:56.440 --> 0:19:59.879 the European tour and and everything else that happens. But 0:20:00.040 --> 0:20:02.560 they do talk about his mother passing away and how 0:20:02.720 --> 0:20:06.280 much that way down on him. But they also added 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:08.320 some hype for him in Romans Match coming up this 0:20:08.440 --> 0:20:12.760 weekend to Clash in the Castle. And I'm one of 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:15.720 those people that says felt up drew a cash in 0:20:15.800 --> 0:20:18.879 the Castle. It's not gonna hurt Roman Reigns whatsoever. It's 0:20:18.920 --> 0:20:21.040 gonna be a big feather and Drew's cap, you know, 0:20:21.119 --> 0:20:24.119 to end the rain at three. You know it was 0:20:24.240 --> 0:20:26.679 two years now, we're gonna have the two year celebration 0:20:26.800 --> 0:20:30.520 coming up on this addition to SmackDown. He's had both 0:20:30.600 --> 0:20:34.159 belts now for quite some time. It is time to 0:20:34.640 --> 0:20:38.840 give Drew the shot because unless this is a story 0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:43.280 to build to Cody, like the ultimate story where Cody, 0:20:43.880 --> 0:20:46.440 because I believe we're gonna have another Day one show. 0:20:46.640 --> 0:20:49.119 I believe it's going to be in Atlanta. If that 0:20:49.440 --> 0:20:52.480 is going to be the case, what a perfect time 0:20:52.560 --> 0:20:55.800 for Cody to come back from that peck injury, goes 0:20:55.840 --> 0:20:59.920 into the Royal Rumble, announces his entrances into that, when 0:21:00.040 --> 0:21:03.440 ends that, and then goes ahead and defeats Roman. That 0:21:03.560 --> 0:21:07.879 would be that unless you're going to do that, I 0:21:08.080 --> 0:21:10.800 I see no other reason for Drew not to win. 0:21:10.960 --> 0:21:12.760 I mean, that would be the only thing I would do. 0:21:13.040 --> 0:21:15.960 The Rock doesn't factor into that for me. The Rock 0:21:16.080 --> 0:21:18.080 and Roman reigns does not have to be a w 0:21:18.280 --> 0:21:21.359 W World title match. Maybe to somebody in w W 0:21:21.520 --> 0:21:26.040 E that's important, but I guarantee you for pretty much 0:21:26.119 --> 0:21:29.560 the rest of the world, including the world that you're 0:21:29.600 --> 0:21:33.080 trying to attract by having the Rock come back. It 0:21:33.200 --> 0:21:37.800 doesn't matter his battle against Roman reigns, his cousin, his family, 0:21:38.000 --> 0:21:41.840 his blood in the l A Coliseum or whatever that 0:21:42.080 --> 0:21:44.800 it's so Fi stadium in front of a hundred thousand 0:21:44.880 --> 0:21:49.080 people or whatever it is, whatever they're gonna claim. You know, 0:21:49.280 --> 0:21:51.720 that's all you really need. And then that way, you 0:21:51.800 --> 0:21:54.240 know you can do Cody and Drew or something like that. 0:21:54.440 --> 0:21:57.280 But again, it's not important for Roman to have that 0:21:57.400 --> 0:21:59.919 title if he's going to go ahead and face the Rock. 0:22:00.240 --> 0:22:02.720 But if the plan is he and Cody, that would 0:22:02.760 --> 0:22:05.119 be the only way I don't belt up Drew. There 0:22:05.240 --> 0:22:07.879 was a last chance fatal four way match only went 0:22:07.960 --> 0:22:11.000 three minutes. In Italian Sonia Daville defeated Duw dropping Nicky 0:22:11.080 --> 0:22:14.680 ash Nikki A s H Sully, Brian now Shot, see 0:22:14.680 --> 0:22:18.200 An Xialie and Dana Brook and Tomina. Natalia reversed the 0:22:18.240 --> 0:22:23.800 superplex by Nikki as Uh. Sonia made a blind tag 0:22:24.320 --> 0:22:26.680 sup plex or actually outside of the ring onto a 0:22:26.760 --> 0:22:29.520 bunch of people. Sonia ran down Scooper up for Carcass 0:22:29.640 --> 0:22:31.840 roller back in the ring, got the pin and they 0:22:31.880 --> 0:22:35.080 advanced to the semifinals. Later on against where Kel Rodriguez 0:22:35.160 --> 0:22:37.760 and Aaliyah. We had a segment with Shamus who came 0:22:37.800 --> 0:22:40.720 down for a promo. He was quickly cut off by Gunther. 0:22:41.680 --> 0:22:45.280 There was Luca Kaiser at gunther side, there was Butch 0:22:45.320 --> 0:22:49.520 and Ridge Holland at at Shamus's side, and they went 0:22:49.600 --> 0:22:51.600 back and forth. I thought they had, you know, good 0:22:51.640 --> 0:22:54.159 good verbiage, kind of these big two guys who are 0:22:54.200 --> 0:22:56.320 just gonna beat the hell out of each other. And 0:22:57.000 --> 0:22:59.760 Gunther says, the Shamus people tell me can't be broken. 0:22:59.800 --> 0:23:03.000 We'll He's gonna break them and is. He finishes that. 0:23:03.880 --> 0:23:08.639 Butch just jumps over, jumps on Liquid, starts fighting him. 0:23:08.760 --> 0:23:12.360