WEBVTT - Smackdown and Rampage - No Spoilers 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:02.840 Hey, this is Brian Alvarez and this is today's edition 0:00:02.880 --> 0:00:06.680 of the Wrestling Observer Daily podcast on the Eighth Side Network. 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:16.360 By from San Francisco. I'm a Sports Byline Broadcasting network. 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:19.720 You are listening to Wrestling Observer Live with your hosts, 0:00:19.800 --> 0:00:22.080 Brian Alvarez and Mike Sempervv. 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:25.119 Are you ready? Are you ready? 0:00:25.640 --> 0:00:26.720 Let's get it off. 0:00:28.600 --> 0:00:31.520 Let's get it Mike Sempervv here with you for the 0:00:31.520 --> 0:00:35.040 next hour talking about professional wrestling, which is something we 0:00:35.120 --> 0:00:39.760 do every single day here on the Sports Byline Broadcasting Network. 0:00:40.120 --> 0:00:44.280 Tune in, iHeart American Forces Radio, Sports Byline dot Com 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:48.519 over the air affiliates like KMAV ninety nine KMSR in 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:51.960 the Mighty year ten ninety. Maybe you're listening on podcast 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:55.680 or replay on SiriusXM, or maybe you're video streaming on 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:58.400 Twitch or YouTube. However you're joining me today, I just 0:00:58.480 --> 0:01:02.600 like to say thank you wherever you are. It's sunny outside, 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:05.360 and if not, hopefully it's sunny inside your mind. It's 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:07.480 overcast here on Del Marvel, a little bit of rain, 0:01:07.680 --> 0:01:10.639 a little bit humid out here. There's one single gnat 0:01:10.680 --> 0:01:13.399 flying around this room right now that I want to demolish, 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:16.320 and I'm planning on doing that at some point during 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:18.600 the show. But we have a lot to get into 0:01:18.680 --> 0:01:21.800 as I go about doing that. Here to join me 0:01:22.160 --> 0:01:25.280 and help me out in this process. Filthy Tom Lawler. 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:27.520 He is here because, of course the Big boss Man, 0:01:27.560 --> 0:01:31.120 Brian Alvarez, takes Fridays off, but he does it for 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.600 a good reason, as he's going to volunteer at his 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:38.959 child's school, hopefully not teaching anybody math along the way there. 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:42.400 But we had a lot to get into here. Wwe 0:01:42.480 --> 0:01:46.200 SmackDown live tonight from the AT and T Center in 0:01:46.280 --> 0:01:50.800 San Antonio, Texas. It is completely sold out. We'll tell 0:01:50.840 --> 0:01:54.320 you what's going on there, also what's going on tonight 0:01:54.400 --> 0:01:57.240 on Rampage. And some of you will say, well, Mike, 0:01:57.400 --> 0:01:59.880 I already know what's going to happen on Rampage. It's 0:02:00.200 --> 0:02:03.360 taped ahead of time. I know who these spoilers are. Well. 0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:06.480 Number one, we will do no spoilers on this show. 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:09.520 And number two, if you have not been paying attention 0:02:09.919 --> 0:02:13.480 to your social media, then you would not know that 0:02:13.600 --> 0:02:18.280 Tony Kahan has got an announcement tonight for a dream 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:23.080 match taking place on the live episode of aw Collision 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:27.160 on Saturday, so we'll get into what he said about that, 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:29.680 as well as what's going to be a very busy 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:33.120 weekend around the world. Not only are those shows tonight, 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:36.519 of course CMLL has got their weekly show, and then 0:02:36.600 --> 0:02:40.040 also coming up here very shortly, the New Japan Super 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:43.519 Junior's Tag League kicks off, as well as New Japan's 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:46.560 return to Las Vegas. We're Filthy Tom Lawler is going 0:02:46.639 --> 0:02:49.960 to bust up some Bulley Club members. I guarantee that 0:02:50.720 --> 0:02:52.519 we'll be back Wrestling Observer Live. 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:07.080 And fifty six forty seven. 0:03:09.800 --> 0:03:12.800 You were listening to Wrestling Observer Live on the Sports 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:14.560 Byline Broadcasting Network. 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:19.399 Welcome back to the show. Mike simper VV and Filthy 0:03:19.560 --> 0:03:22.799 Tom Lawler here with you. We do this show right 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:24.640 here for an hour at a time, but if you 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:26.720 want us twenty four to seven, you can find us 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:28.959 on Twitter or x or whatever you want to call 0:03:29.000 --> 0:03:32.680 it at semper VV, at Filthy Tom Lawler, at Sports 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:38.080 Byline USA, and at won F four w Of course, 0:03:38.200 --> 0:03:40.480 since Brian's not here, I'll start the show like I 0:03:40.520 --> 0:03:43.120 always do, make the wrestling news part of your day. 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:45.200 Everything you need to know to get your day started 0:03:45.280 --> 0:03:47.480 or get you caught up or get you to your 0:03:47.520 --> 0:03:50.640 favorite wrestling review pod like Wrestling Observer Radio with Dave 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:54.440 and Brian. Daily free in between five and fifteen minutes long, 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:58.200 every single day, uploaded by about nine o'clock in the 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:02.960 morning Eastern Time. No clickbait, no speculation, no rumors, no paywall, 0:04:03.200 --> 0:04:06.000 just the Wrestling News. For more information, head on over 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:09.880 to the Wrestlingnews dot com and at Wrestling newsav on 0:04:09.920 --> 0:04:12.440 Facebook and Twitter. And also, since Brian's not here for 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:15.560 the ASMR kids, get ready. It is the winter edition 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:23.120 Red Bull, the Paar cinnamon one. There you go, filthy, 0:04:23.560 --> 0:04:24.080 how are you? 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:28.040 I'm doing great, Mike. I should have gone and grabbed 0:04:28.080 --> 0:04:30.720 my ghost pink lemonade. 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:34.000 Ghost toast pink lemonade. 0:04:34.360 --> 0:04:36.000 We could have toasted the ghost. 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:41.480 That sounds like it's got alcohol in it, I assume no, 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:45.279 just an energy drink. Oh okay, yeah, oh wait, okay, okay, 0:04:45.320 --> 0:04:47.480 I know that one now. Yes, it's usually sitting over 0:04:47.520 --> 0:04:50.040 there by, like the Starbus c fours and all those 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:52.560 other ones. I don't grab Red Bull. That's it. That's 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:54.480 the only one I can tolerate. All the other ones 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:55.040 are terrible. 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:59.560 No, just the only the only one that I generally dislike, 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:03.839 and I I'm upset with myself because I love the 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:08.960 marketing is G Fuel, but just the taste doesn't hold up. 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:11.440 I know he does not, And I think the Gatorade guy, 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:13.760 I like the PDA likee Gatorade they got out. Now 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:15.120 that's no, no. 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:17.240 No, no no. G Fuel is not made by GAORID. 0:05:17.560 --> 0:05:18.120 Oh it's not. 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:22.880 It's like a gamer's energy drunk. 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:25.080 No wonder why I'm not familiar with it. 0:05:25.279 --> 0:05:28.880 Sonic Peach Rings stuff like that. 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:30.719 Well, good crossover there, I guess. 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:33.560 Speaking of which, Yes, sir, I just picked up the 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:37.320 Super Mario Brothers Wonder game today. Is supposed to be 0:05:37.400 --> 0:05:40.919 the best two D Mario of all time. But I 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:42.800 don't know when I'm gonna get to play at Mike 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:47.479 because we have so much wrestling and MMA action this 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:49.920 weekend that we shouldn't waste any more time. We should 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:51.200 probably start talking about it. 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:54.560 We should, or or Brian's going to get imaginary emails 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:57.320 that he'll just blabber out on an air that he has. 0:05:57.440 --> 0:05:59.960 But uh, you said, m m A, there, you may 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:02.000 sure to point that out. I didn't have that on 0:06:02.080 --> 0:06:04.719 my little agenda here with all the wrestling taking place? 0:06:04.800 --> 0:06:08.919 But what has got your attention this weekend? Obviously the 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:11.200 Paul fight was last weekend. I mean, do you have 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:14.119 any thoughts on Paul and Danis and then Paul calling 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:15.799 out in Mysterio two? 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:20.320 No, I have virtually no thoughts. I have spent no 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:25.680 brain cells whatsoever on analyzing that matchup. After the fact, 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:28.800 good Man Della Danis did a good job of selling it, 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:29.680 I'll say that. 0:06:30.240 --> 0:06:32.040 Well, that's the only thing he knows how to do 0:06:32.160 --> 0:06:34.120 is be a spectacle to himself. 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:38.800 Well, what has my attention this weekend? And I don't 0:06:38.800 --> 0:06:40.760 know why it wasn't on your agenda, because if we 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:47.200 look at things objectively, this would be the biggest money 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:52.479 fight of the weekend. Right, whoever's gonna wrestle on SmackDown 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:56.520 tonight isn't gonna get paid more than Islam Makachev or 0:06:56.600 --> 0:06:59.880 Alexander Volkanowski will for their one battle tomorrow night. 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:02.640 Yeah, but will be as good as Rocky Romeiro and 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:04.799 Mistakoono two out of three falls match. 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:08.960 To be fair, the Islam Makachev and Alexander Volkowski fight 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:14.040 number one probably was as good as any match that 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:18.000 you're gonna see this weekend. In pro wrestling or MMA. 0:07:18.080 --> 0:07:20.600 I can't imagine that this fight will live up to 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:23.760 their last fight, which was And I said this to 0:07:23.800 --> 0:07:25.880 one of my friends. I said, you know what, this 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:31.760 is a top five technical skill level fight in MMA history, 0:07:32.240 --> 0:07:35.480 and then I started thinking, I can't name another one. 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:41.240 So I think there many technical fights in history not 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:44.040 on this level, not on the level of Islam Makichev 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:47.880 and Alexander Volkanowski number one. And I can't imagine that 0:07:47.920 --> 0:07:53.040 it'll be as close or as intriguing as good of 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:55.200 a fight over twenty five minutes as it was last time. 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:58.840 But I've been proven wrong plenty of times. 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:01.280 I want to prove right. Just we won't have the 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:03.880 time for me to dig back into the archives and 0:08:03.920 --> 0:08:06.360 see if there was a Pride Bushido show or something 0:08:06.480 --> 0:08:09.800 like that that had something that good on there. Well, man, 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:11.440 that's why I remember Pride Bushido. 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:16.160 It would be Socaraba and Carlos Newton when they had 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:19.160 a grappling battle and neither guy was throwing strikes if 0:08:19.160 --> 0:08:23.760 you remember that matchup. But they didn't display all of 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:28.200 the skills in mixed martial arts that were displayed in 0:08:28.240 --> 0:08:32.320 the first fight between Makachev and Volkanovski. We saw a 0:08:32.320 --> 0:08:36.120 bit of everything good striking what you didn't see in 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:37.880 Soccaraba and Carlos Newton. 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:41.360 So what was the ultimate result of this for those 0:08:41.360 --> 0:08:43.960 out there who been out there driving right now or 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:47.040 something like that. And we have long distance truckers and 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:48.960 things like that that end up listening to us. So 0:08:49.000 --> 0:08:50.920 if they were on the road all day, or they 0:08:50.920 --> 0:08:56.280 were doing things all day, what was the result. 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:58.920 Of Soccaraba and Carlos new No. Socaraba won by knee. 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:06.679 Bar Is Makachev is La. Makachev won a very close 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:11.120 decision over Alexander Volkanowski in their first fight earlier this year. 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:16.000 And it's the biggest fight I think right now that 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:19.560 the UFC could do. And it's happening on short notice and. 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:20.360 It's during the day. 0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:25.560 Yeah, two pm Eastern, this pay per view starts, which 0:09:25.600 --> 0:09:30.199 is great if you're an avid day drinker like myself. 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:32.760 I'll be able to get going at seven am for 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:33.520 the prelimbs. 0:09:33.720 --> 0:09:36.680 Oh goodness, specific time, yes. 0:09:36.640 --> 0:09:40.720 Yeah, and eleven we'll see. 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:42.520 Is that how you start things? If you're starting the 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:45.199 day with a beverage, do you go bloody Mary or 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:47.600 are you able to go beer? Like a double ipa 0:09:47.760 --> 0:09:48.560 right off the bat. 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:53.720 They have those horrific breakfast beers. We won't spend fifteen 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:54.760 minutes talking about them. 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:55.719 No, No, we won't know. 0:09:57.640 --> 0:09:59.880 I think I think I'm mighta go with a momo. 0:10:01.080 --> 0:10:03.040 Well, I mean the thing is this is this has 0:10:03.080 --> 0:10:05.000 to do with wrestling too. I mean, look at some 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:07.000 of these shows that come on now. I mean, Crown 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.480 Jewel is going to be two in the afternoon on 0:10:09.520 --> 0:10:11.880 the East Coast for the people out west, that's a 0:10:11.920 --> 0:10:13.880 morning show for them, you know, a little bit of 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:15.840 brunch and guinness or something like that. 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:20.160 Yeah. Absolutely, I think it makes I enjoy these daytime 0:10:20.200 --> 0:10:22.880 shows a lot more than I do the nighttime shows. 0:10:22.880 --> 0:10:24.080 I don't know if I'm just getting to be an 0:10:24.080 --> 0:10:25.480 old curmudgeon. 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.599 Yes, or it's a little of it. Yeah, you got kids, 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:31.880 You're on a normal sleep schedule. Now, I mean that's 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:34.199 going to be the way. But there's a look, we 0:10:34.520 --> 0:10:37.880 have to talk about night shows tom because tonight is 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:41.000 obviously Friday, and that means it's going to be really busy. 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:44.320 And as I mentioned, WWE SmackDown at the AT and 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:48.240 T Center in San Antonio sold out thirteen six hundred 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:51.520 and ninety five as estimated by Russell Ticks. Last time 0:10:51.640 --> 0:10:54.160 WWE was in the building, they did seventy nine to 0:10:54.240 --> 0:10:59.000 fifty eight for Monday Night Raw last year on July seventh. Technically, 0:10:59.080 --> 0:11:02.520 in storyline, this is Nick Aldos's first day on the 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:06.480 job as the SmackDown General manager. They have already announced 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:09.760 a women's title match between EO Sky and Charlotte Flair, 0:11:10.120 --> 0:11:14.400 and we have Santos Escobar alongside Carlito and Ray Masterio, 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:17.920 who will be at his side as he faces Monteese 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:21.720 Ford in this match. Is going to probably kick a 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:25.320 lot of tail. He'll obviously have Angelo Dawkins and Bobby 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:28.679 Lashley in his corner. I mean, both of those matches 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:31.320 ought to be really darn good, and with how they've 0:11:31.360 --> 0:11:34.439 been doing things where it seems like there's only four 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:37.600 matches on a SmackDown to take up the two hours, 0:11:37.960 --> 0:11:40.320 both of them are going to get ample time, even 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:43.160 if we may not like how they end up closing 0:11:43.200 --> 0:11:43.840 those matches. 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:50.040 Yeah, hopefully Escobar and Ford get some time. I believe 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:54.439 Charlotte and EO. You said yes, I can't see them 0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:59.439 getting any less than fifteen minutes, probably twenty on the show. 0:11:59.559 --> 0:12:02.880 All of that action I've seen between those two I've 0:12:02.960 --> 0:12:06.680 enjoyed as well in the three ways the tag team matches. 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:09.360 So I'm looking forward to that one. As far as 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:13.120 in ring competition goes, maybe we'll see a little bit 0:12:13.160 --> 0:12:17.280 of movement forward with the damage Control storyline. Everyone has 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:21.200 been waiting, waiting, waiting for months, maybe even a year. 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:25.280 It seems for Bailey to turn on Eosky and it 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:28.680 just never happens. And quite frankly, I'm okay with that. 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:33.600 The montes Ford an Escobar match, Like I said, I 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:36.720 hope that it doesn't just turn into a Schmas or something. 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:40.160 I'd like to see those guys get a shot at 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:42.760 each other one on one. And then that leaves plenty 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:45.600 of time for all nick Aldis to book some swing 0:12:45.720 --> 0:12:52.280 bouts for SmackDown and ruin the lives of the scheduled competitors. 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:55.559 Some television time remaining bouts from back in the day. Well, 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:57.320 we had a lot of time remaining, which is good 0:12:57.400 --> 0:12:59.800 because we got a lot to get into, including it 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:03.120 up date on the Rock in Wressell Maania forty, We'll 0:13:03.160 --> 0:13:04.440 be back Rustling Observer Live. 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:20.080 You were listening to Wrestling Observer Live on the Sports 0:13:20.120 --> 0:13:22.320 Byline Broadcasting Network. 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:27.160 Back on the show, Mike SIMPERBB and Filthy Tom Lawler, 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:31.439 it is a filthy Friday here on Wrestling Observer Live. 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:35.000 I didn't mention here before we went to break that 0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:39.240 the Rock and Wrestle Maania forty. We have some news. 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:41.240 You would already know this if you went to the 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:44.000 front page of the website and saw a little bit 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:48.120 about what Dave Meltzer has in this week's newsletter. I 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:53.000 will read it verbatim here quote regarding the stories that 0:13:53.200 --> 0:13:57.280 WWE won't do Rock versus Rains at Mania. If Rock 0:13:57.400 --> 0:14:00.240 wants to do it, what we are told is this, 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:04.240 if he wants the spot, I can't believe wwee would 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:07.960 turn him down. But after Johnson turned it down last year, 0:14:08.160 --> 0:14:10.760 nobody is going with the idea he's going to do 0:14:10.840 --> 0:14:15.280 it this year. That's how it's written. I got a 0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:18.120 little bit more. The match is not scheduled, unlike at 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:20.520 this time last year when the match was considered a 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:23.600 good shot. The belief is that Johnson will have plenty 0:14:23.640 --> 0:14:26.080 of work once the strikes are over, and he'll have 0:14:26.200 --> 0:14:29.280 plenty to do. What we were told is Rock is 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:31.600 not going to come back and win the title. I'd 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:34.040 never anticipate that would be an issue, as if the 0:14:34.120 --> 0:14:37.360 match was to happen, I always figured Rains to win 0:14:37.560 --> 0:14:42.160 and Rock then retiring in the ring. End quote. Aside 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:45.479 from a six second squash of Eric Rohan at WrestleMania 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:49.000 thirty two, Dwayne the Rock Johnson has not wrestled since 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:51.880 facing Johnson in the main event of WrestleMania twenty nine 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:56.200 in twenty thirteen. He made a surprise appearance on SmackDown 0:14:56.240 --> 0:15:00.040 alongside Pat McAfee in September and took part in a 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:03.040 segment with Austin Theory and had a little bit of 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:07.880 an interaction with John Cena. So, Bothy Tom Lawler, we 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:11.120 have lots of options. Actually you could say we have 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:13.880 lots of options. I see one option as a still 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:17.840 rat right now, it is Cody Rhodes to face Roman 0:15:17.880 --> 0:15:21.400 Reigns at WrestleMania. But what say you do you think 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:23.840 at this point it's going to happen? And I got 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:27.440 I guess more than that, because I gotta be honest, 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:30.000 I don't care to see it necessarily. I don't care 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:32.600 if he comes back or not at this point. But 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:35.680 does the Rock do you care about this? Does it 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.400 matter at this point or do people want to see Cody. 0:15:39.400 --> 0:15:50.040 Mike after the Rock at WrestleMania thirty nine ghosted the WWE. 0:15:51.120 --> 0:15:53.960 I could care less about seeing him wrestle It's been 0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:58.840 ten years. I think it's time to give the rightful 0:16:00.280 --> 0:16:04.760 member a shot to take on Roman Reigns in the 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:10.200 main event of WrestleMania. Now, you could have Cody Rhodes 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:16.200 challenge on Night one and once again come up short, 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:20.760 and then night two you set up the big return 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:29.280 Roman Reigns defending against the long lost family member Luther Reigns. 0:16:33.640 --> 0:16:36.000 There's a lot of setup, but as far as I'm concerned, 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:39.680 it was worth it. That's a deep cut right there. Honestly, 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:46.360 without old Horseshoe Luther Rains. Do you believe is? Do 0:16:46.400 --> 0:16:48.600 you believe you're gonna have two Roman Reigns? But would 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:50.600 you want to see two Roman Rains matches? 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:50.840 Or? 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:53.520 I mean the women obviously got pushed out of the 0:16:53.520 --> 0:16:56.360 spot last year because Sammy's ain was so over and 0:16:56.400 --> 0:16:58.520 you had that going on where it was Sammy and 0:16:58.560 --> 0:17:02.080 Kevin against the USO's. That really was the right match 0:17:02.120 --> 0:17:06.040 to make the main event. Ria Ripley, Bianca bell A 0:17:06.200 --> 0:17:09.840 or Rhea Ripley and whoever. Let's say, you know on 0:17:10.000 --> 0:17:13.320 Night one, would that wouldn't that still make more sense? 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:16.040 Or do you do a thing where you know again 0:17:16.119 --> 0:17:18.800 Roman Reigns would open the first night of WrestleMania then 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:19.880 close the next one. 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:23.199 No, I think we're getting one Roman Reigns match that 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.879 was simply for the setup of the joke that I 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:30.119 mentioned Roman Reigns would wrestle twice. I don't know. 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:32.119 This is older than a lot of the listeners. They 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:33.160 don't remember that time. 0:17:35.359 --> 0:17:38.400 When I look at the layout, I mean, Cody Rhods 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:41.359 versus Roman Reigns is the only match that I'm pretty 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:48.320 confident is scheduled for that future WrestleMania. Maybe you get 0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:51.760 something along the lines of also Kevin Owens taking on 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:58.040 Sammy z Ain. You know, Seth Rollins probably will be 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:02.840 involved in some way in that other title situation. And 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:07.080 other than that, I don't really see, you know, I 0:18:07.080 --> 0:18:10.760 don't see the cards. I don't see the future layout 0:18:11.000 --> 0:18:14.320 of next year's WWE. We have La Night taking on 0:18:14.440 --> 0:18:18.280 Roman Reigns, which was made official today I believe for 0:18:18.400 --> 0:18:22.040 Crown Jewel, and it looked like the direction was in 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:26.280 that way anyway, So I'm not surprised, but they're gonna 0:18:26.320 --> 0:18:29.040 have to be really careful about what they do as 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:32.440 far as this finish of this match goes. Obviously, La 0:18:32.560 --> 0:18:37.520 Knight is hotter than virtually anyone that I can remember 0:18:38.240 --> 0:18:41.160 in recent times. I mean, if you ask Brian Alvarez, 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:45.040 he say John Cen is hotter than anyone. But other 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:48.840 than La Knight and Sammy Zain over the past year, 0:18:50.280 --> 0:18:52.760 I can't remember two people of the crowd has been 0:18:52.800 --> 0:18:58.159 behind more in recent memory than those two guys. So 0:18:58.200 --> 0:18:59.960 you don't want to take any of the scheme off him. 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:03.679 But clearly the plan is not for La Knight to 0:19:03.720 --> 0:19:07.280 be the long term champion or even a short term champion. 0:19:07.280 --> 0:19:10.040 I would think, you know, this. 0:19:09.920 --> 0:19:12.960 Is I guess subjective depending on how you view somebody 0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:15.480 after a loss, but one thing that they've been really 0:19:15.520 --> 0:19:19.160 good at during the Roman reigns his reign has been 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:24.200 and again this is some of this is because there's 0:19:24.240 --> 0:19:26.399 a lot of goodwill built up for these people from 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:31.080 the fan base. But Bobby Lashley multiple opportunities or teases, 0:19:31.480 --> 0:19:34.480 he doesn't win it. He's not less over. Drew McIntyre 0:19:34.600 --> 0:19:36.919 was not less over from winning Sammy's ain was not 0:19:37.040 --> 0:19:40.280 less over. Sure they lost some off the fastball along 0:19:40.320 --> 0:19:43.160 the way, but Kevin Owens a great example, how many 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:45.680 shots did he have? I mean, that's one that's even 0:19:45.760 --> 0:19:48.920 woven into the storyline that they have with Kevin Owens 0:19:48.960 --> 0:19:50.719 with how many times he had a shot and there 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.680 was some sort of nonsense that ended up screwing him 0:19:53.720 --> 0:19:55.399 over and out of the way. And that's what they 0:19:55.400 --> 0:19:57.919 could do right here with La Knight is have that 0:19:58.000 --> 0:20:00.960 type of interference because I'm sure they have a lot 0:20:00.960 --> 0:20:03.960 of confidence in themselves that they can continue to keep 0:20:04.000 --> 0:20:08.040 this storyline moving and continue to keep guys strong who 0:20:08.160 --> 0:20:11.159 weave in and out of it. So I'm sure that 0:20:11.240 --> 0:20:15.120 they're probably thinking that. As you mentioned, it was revealed 0:20:15.119 --> 0:20:19.159 by Houston Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times. You know, 0:20:19.400 --> 0:20:22.520 I like Houston Mitchell very very much. It has been 0:20:22.560 --> 0:20:27.320 a long time contributor to the Wrestling Observer newsletter. But 0:20:27.800 --> 0:20:30.119 you know, it feels like this was, you know, like 0:20:30.160 --> 0:20:33.200 everything that they fed this story to him. And it's 0:20:33.280 --> 0:20:35.600 not any surprise that we're talking about La Knight and 0:20:35.720 --> 0:20:38.320 rains for Crown Jewel because that's what we've been assuming 0:20:38.359 --> 0:20:44.679 the whole time. There's also seth rollins against Drew McIntyre. Honestly, Tom, 0:20:45.040 --> 0:20:47.639 I think by the time it gets to WrestleMania, we 0:20:47.680 --> 0:20:54.959 will have Drew McIntyre as the top mail leader in 0:20:55.000 --> 0:20:58.119 the Judgment day. The boss of that family is Mommy 0:20:58.119 --> 0:21:00.840 and it will remain Ria Ripley. But I believe Drew 0:21:00.920 --> 0:21:03.840 McIntyre is going to be in the Judgment day, Damian 0:21:03.880 --> 0:21:08.119 Priest will be out of the Judgment Day, and maybe 0:21:08.160 --> 0:21:10.960 by that point one of the two will be the 0:21:11.080 --> 0:21:13.199 champion on the Raw brand and that could be a 0:21:13.240 --> 0:21:14.800 match we see. What do you think? 0:21:16.880 --> 0:21:19.600 I am not an avid viewer of Raw? Is that 0:21:19.680 --> 0:21:22.040 something that they've been moving in the direction of. I 0:21:22.119 --> 0:21:25.480 know that they've been teasing a Drew McIntyre heel turn. 0:21:25.720 --> 0:21:28.720 And that's what it's based around. Is really Jay Uso 0:21:28.880 --> 0:21:31.639 being mac and everybody telling him he has to drop it. 0:21:31.680 --> 0:21:35.600 And the reason that I theorize this is, you know, 0:21:35.640 --> 0:21:38.760 you got JD McDonough there. He's cool, but he's not 0:21:38.840 --> 0:21:40.800 going to be the leader of that group. There's no 0:21:40.880 --> 0:21:46.080 badass of that group once Damian Priest were to leave, 0:21:46.200 --> 0:21:48.320 So it just seems to make sense. That's a good 0:21:48.359 --> 0:21:51.120 place to kind of slide Drew. You keep the group strong, 0:21:51.480 --> 0:21:53.960 You keep Drew strong because he's in a strong group, 0:21:54.200 --> 0:21:56.399 and then you have a strong opponent with Damian Priest 0:21:56.440 --> 0:21:58.000 and somebody to work off of. 0:21:58.920 --> 0:22:03.760 Yeah, I think it makes great sense actually, And you know, 0:22:03.840 --> 0:22:07.800 Drew McIntyre's essentially been the same Drew McIntyre for years 0:22:07.840 --> 0:22:12.400 and years. At this point, he's great in ring. It's 0:22:12.440 --> 0:22:16.720 not like, believe me, that wasn't a knock on Drew 0:22:16.800 --> 0:22:20.040 McIntyre at all, because he's one of the best things. 0:22:20.200 --> 0:22:23.840 He's one of the best things on in the WWE. 0:22:23.840 --> 0:22:28.400 He's phenomenal in ring. He's he looks great, but he's 0:22:28.480 --> 0:22:31.960 essentially had the same character for years and he needs 0:22:31.960 --> 0:22:36.000 a change. The only difference I guess would be when 0:22:36.000 --> 0:22:38.879 he was in the team was Shamus, you know, but 0:22:39.720 --> 0:22:43.320 really he was still the same guy. So I think 0:22:43.320 --> 0:22:48.199 this is a needed change and it'll give a you know, 0:22:48.600 --> 0:22:51.879 a lot more depth. At the top of the raw 0:22:52.280 --> 0:22:56.600 main event, he'll scene now who is there now, Knakamura? 0:22:57.520 --> 0:23:00.720 Well, right now, it shouldn't skate knock right, it's the 0:23:00.840 --> 0:23:04.520 judgment day as a group, you know, and then you know, 0:23:07.640 --> 0:23:09.800 I mean from there it does get kind of like 0:23:09.920 --> 0:23:12.000 spread around a little bit. It just kind of depends 0:23:12.000 --> 0:23:15.040