Are WWE’s Biggest Stars Becoming Stale—or Are Fans Taking Them for Granted? | The Still Real to Us Show | Episode #857 – 7/16/26

0:00 It's still really a big damage! What now? Welcome, everybody! Welcome to this week's This The Storold Us Show. Episode 857 for July 16, 2026. Welcome to this week's edition of S.R.T.U. I am one half of the show. I am Jeff Pack, joined every single week of like-host, Willow, Dr. Craig Franklin, Dr. Tray, the older week yet, we tend to take things for granted.

0:40 What are we taking? A specific era of professional wrestling for granted, my friend. I have no, usually on the internet, I know where you're going. And all I can think about this week, and I don't know how crazy this sounds is, how the hell did Austin Theory get Maxine to pray to jump into his arm? That's all I can think about. Which is fair. And then you hit me with this, and I'm just like, "Uh, are we taking?" I'll say yes, because I really don't think people are giving enough credit to this generation dressed. See, I know you would always pick up the ball and run with it. And little behind the scenes thing, I never, ever, in the history of this show, ever plan on what I'm going to say to introduce you to the podcast.

1:30 That literally always pops into my head, like seconds as I'm doing the introduction to the show. If you ever hear me say, "What is up my friend?" That means I like, and either extremely tired, lacking creation, have nothing to really open up with. So a little pullback, the curtain there. We'll always end with my friend, but if I always say, like, "What's up my friend?" Which I think is what we always started. That just means Jeff's got nothing. I literally, so like, I always try to kind of go, "Where do I think Jeff's going to go today?" I always, and I never told you this. And I was like, "Is he going to bring up the fact that Otis may be the most unluckiest man in love and professional wrestling?"

2:14 Because that's all I've been thinking about is what he's like. The dude got to like, be really tight with Mandy Rose and Maxine Dupray and never really got to seal the deal with either one of them on TV. And then Jeff goes, "Are we talking about eras and wrestling?" So maybe it's because Taylor Swift got married and that's why Erra is in your head. I don't know. Yeah, so let's get into it. Taylor Swift, Travis Kelsey's wedding, Dr. Trey, your thoughts on my friend. No, yeah, I mean, at least he got to kiss Mandy Rose during his segment back in the 2020 Erra. Remember they had that insane, like, make-up session? In like a-back, I always loved the 2020 Erra of wrestling because they were really creative with stuff and they were like going out of their comfort zone and like they didn't entire thing at someone's home.

2:57 And I just remember it was like a playoff of different movies that we see like, "What's the one?" "Oh man, it's that 80s movie where the kid..." Oh, like the Sandlot. Where he's like kissing the lifeguard. Like we've seen that plenty of times and that's basically what they played off of. But yeah, at least he got to kiss Mandy Rose who I guess is Pride making grats to her and Tino Sabatelli. Sabatelli, which was a former NXT wrestler who tried to become an announcer as well. We're an former NFL safety as well. For the bucks, fucking ears, yeah. So all the best to them and their pregnancy and I did not have on my bingo card within like three minutes and 30 seconds of the show.

3:43 Dr. Trey, I want to be wishing congratulations to Mandy Rose and Tino Sabatelli. But here we are. Dr. Trey, let's get into it because this kind of spawns some interest in me because the Summer Slam ticket sales are struggling a little bit. And I saw Jim Ross on Thursday morning had a reason for it because they don't have like a white hot star that people are interested in. And I thought about it a little bit. I know we could always kind of rest our hats on a ticket sales. And I still think that that plays a role into it, but they've been a little bit more self conscious with ticket sales. But I do believe that there's some truth to it. And what's unfortunate is five years from now, ten years from now, 15 years from now.

4:24 We may be looking back at this current men's main event, Eris Seen, with CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rounds and Roman Reigns were really carrying the torches for this main event scene. And go, wow, that was incredible. And they had like still a really good veteran Randy Orin. They had Brock Lesnar in the background. They had the up and comers like an Oba Femi and Braun Breaker. Like this could be similar to 99 in 2002 when we look back at it. And it's like rock, Austin, Triple H, mankind, Undertaker, Kane, Jericho, Tirt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, so many, so many people that were in that arrow profession wrestling. And that's including some of the tag teams that were amazing back then.

5:05 And I don't remember back then being like taking it for granted because I think they did a really good job of like kind of mixed matching all that stuff. But here we are, the four guys, they are leading the charge in the men's main event picture scene for some reason, the second biggest show of the year. And it feels still. So the more I thought about it with Jim Ross said the more I thought about it as I prepped this show, are we taking this error for granted? I know I am. So I'll answer that for myself. I am taking this error for granted. But what about you, Dr. Trey? Do you look at like the four of these guys, they're each heading up the men's championship matches at Summer Slam in a couple of weeks? Are you do you believe it's stale or are you like no, I'm full bore into this taking advantage and happy because I know someday we're going to look back at this go while that was pretty amazing.

5:54 You know, I've thought about that for a while because if you, you know, you and I have had many a conversation about A.E.W. I don't mean to sidetrack here, but there's a point to this is that as cool as watching A.E.W. wrestling is, who's that guy that everybody has a tune into every single week? Like you referenced a great error of W.E.W. but you threw two guys in there, Austin and Rock, that were transcendent. That were way above what professional wrestling was. They were mainstream, they were pop culture. You go back into the attitude area, you have the N.W.O. doing all the cool stuff they were doing, you had DX doing their stuff.

6:36 You know, before that you had Hogan, Macho, Manpiper. I don't know if we're taking them for granted in the sense of as characters, they're good at what they do. They're all for those guys are great performers, but as any of them must see TV. Like do you find yourself going, I got a tune in this week to see what Cody Rhodes is going to say. I got a tune in this week to see what Seth Roll is going to say. Maybe you can get away with Roman, maybe you can get away with punk, but I know the other two, to me those guys are a minus main event guys, I guess, in a sense.

7:17 I just don't feel like any of them are transcending professional wrestling to market it as that error that we have to tune in to see. So I think I am taking them for granted because yeah, they're really good and they're great, but they're not those guys. I don't see kids wearing Seth Roll in shirts. I don't see kids wearing Cody shirts. Punk shirts, maybe you'll see those Roman shirts, maybe you'll see those, but it's not like it's been in other areas where the performers were transcending the sport more than anything else. This is going to be interesting where this conversation goes because I got to say that as you talk, it reminds me a lot of the new generation era of WWE from like 94 to late 96 mid 97, maybe.

8:08 And that era was headed up by Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, you had Razer, Moan in there, 123 kid Kevin Ashtie, Zill, Psycho said Undertaker, mankind. I'm Ed Johnson. You have Ahmed Johnson who could forget Owen Hart, Goldust, British Bulldog. And you look at that era and headed by Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels as you were describing like Seth Rollins and Cody and saying A- and transcendent stars with the rock and Steve Austin. I tend to agree with you that I don't think Rollins and Rhodes are in that rock Austin vein. I think Punk is probably more Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart as is Seth Rollins.

8:58 I'd put them in there Cody, I'm not too sure yet. I would say Reigns falls into the bucket of like John Cena and I love Cena. I love Reigns. I love all these guys mind you. But I don't think Cena was ever up to rock Austin levels. And I just wonder like are we looking at something more of an era of when Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels led the way where great in ranked performers. But as much as I love those guys, I really didn't tune in to hear what either one had to say you watch their matches. And those are some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. I wonder if there are a little bit more new generation, heart.

9:40 Michaels are a doctorate than they are that transcendent attitude era that like you look back on and I said you know eight names that were on top of the main event picture scene and that and they were interchangeable and it was just amazing. Like I don't know I don't know if they're in that attitude era type of interchangeability with top top level stars. I mean I would say if you went to like the early 2010s like right after rock retired Austin, if you look at that roster and you're like there's edge there's Benwathers angle. There's all these great Eddie Guerrero. There's all these great in-ring performers. But you know you go back you would have been doing the show since that timeline.

10:21 And there were a lot of times where the show felt boring, stale like nobody was really breaking out Randy Orton but he said we're like all the guys I just named named out of that outside of maybe Cena and Cena was an anomaly in a sense. They're good promo guys, but they weren't saying anything that was going to be on a t-shirt. They weren't saying anything that kids were going to school and saying you know doing hand gestures and repeating those lines. You know there was nothing to really draw them in other than the in-ring action. It's the same thing I've said about AEW for the last six years. There's not that guy that is cooler than the show.

11:03 And you kind of need those guys to really have great big bankable errors. You know you walk into hot topic when the bucks were you know we made a big deal for AEW started about like hey there's Cody in the bucks and Kenny Omega in hot topic. You know right now I this sounds crazy but I was just in a hot topic there. There was two t-shirts on the wall. One was a Cody shirt. I think the other one was a CM punctured. And nobody was like I got to buy that shirt. We just don't have that next level breakout. Oh my god this guy is the coolest thing we've seen. Really in wrestling right now. Maybe the closest things punk maybe the closest things MJF to a degree.

11:49 But there's just not that guy that you're like I got a tune in this week to see what this person is going to do. I think the last one was punk. I think it was 15 years ago pipe on promo. There was a lot of punk stuff being sold back then. I think that's the last one that kind of really gave a shot in the arm to the world professional wrestling. I think I do think we take for granted this current main event level scene because I think five to ten 15 years from now we'll look back and go well. That was pretty cool. Those guys were at the top of their game. But I think the reason in the present it may be a little bit stale is because I think some of the creatives been been poor. I would have liked to see Oba continue to ride the wave coming out of Manian and setting up rains Oba for summer slam.

12:33 I felt that would have been great. The bloodline storyline is kind of in a valley right now like it's it was it was interesting. And then it's kind of slowed down a little bit which may be purposeful because you know they can't be like full bore for months on end. You need weeks where and months a month or two even where it kind of sits idle for a little bit and it slowly builds and I think that's where they're at with that with some of the stuff with Jacob Fattu. Jimmy use OJ LA night Royce keys and now so it's a co in there. So I will say that there's a little bit of a long term play. I think coming out of the booking with punk and Sami Zayn was at my favorite.

13:13 We talked about on last week's show the different options even though I think the feeling was maybe a fatal for away maybe a triple threat with Sami in the Cody and punk match or fatal for with with Gunther which is now the tag team match basically for Saturday night's event. We all felt that was going to go to Cody versus punk and then we get to Friday nights back down and despite having a number one contenders match weeks ago to get a match at raw with Sami Zayn the new champion. That ended up taking out Cody Rhodes and letting see a punk slide in there and become new champion they go the direction of like I challenge you to match at summer slam for the world of a championship deal like the same way they did wrongs and rains no real build up other than animosity and professional like respect and potential dream match for a lot of people so.

14:03 Maybe that's why I feel still right now Dr. Trey is creative has been that great form how we got here it feels like it's more of a ticket saving strategy rather than a creative one and that just kind of leads to maybe the creative coming on a media should have been a little bit better. So or something that they can hopefully learn for is they get to the next big PLE which would be then survivor series in November I think that's probably why the main event level scene is a little bit sale because I think the easiest way that you inject some life into it is you ride that oboe wave unfortunately braw breaker got hurt I think that wave could have been something this year in 2026 and now I don't think he holds a championship at any point or championship and if you ask me in January I would be like absolutely will so yeah I think some things for some people that.

14:49 And I think that's for some people that could shoot some life in there and maybe catch some some attention is not there in 2026 right now and they have to kind of fall back on the guys that they know they can count on in roads punk rains and wrongs. Yeah I think there's also especially in this maybe something that you and I can kind of touch on facing you are experiencing the real life world working for you big companies and corporations going from you know a privately owned family company to now it's a corporation the corporation has to trust who you're putting the ball in the hands of and if they don't feel a level of trust they're going to go back to the guys they know and I think that's kind of where we're at right now where it's like yeah these four of the most bankable stars in our company that's why we're falling back on them but because we also don't trust this young crop that's coming up like nobody has proven themselves but if you're not giving them the opportunity how can they prove themselves is that whole how do I get experience unless I get a job but I can't get the job unless I have experience it's kind of that same anomaly that we've ran into in real life playing itself out now with TKO only the company where there's like no we have to get so many ticket sales we have to get so much of a ratings draw we have to make so much money I don't know if Ova can do it I don't know if Brom breaker can do it I know Cody can do it I know punk and do it I know and when you hear those conversations where USA network like we really want to see a punk on our show that's why we want them on Smackdown is because they haven't given the opportunity for other guys

16:30 to really show what they can do and with it being much more of a corporate thing you don't get the chance to freestyle in freelance like we did in the attitude area or even in the 2010s like you don't get a John Cena who's like hey my regular character's not working let me be a white boy rapper you don't get those opportunities anymore to just try stuff out and see if it works so where guys can break out I mean the closest thing we had was going to be like let's see what happens with Sammy after this you know lost the punk and then they do like 30 seconds with them and we're just we're going right to punk and Cody is like that could have been huge and it didn't work out so it's just it's kind of like everybody's treading water to try not to drown right now absolutely absolutely that's a good way to put it and we'll talk a little bit about some of the main event level that we've seen because you know here you are with main stays and AW's trying something with their upcoming pay per view where you've you've got an up and cupping rising star but in the sense it's like is he ready and we talk about the time and we'll talk about that in just a little bit one of these rising stars at least in the W. East side of things right now Dr. Trays obviously the ruler Opa Femi and open will be taking on Brock Lesnar again for their third match and as I was watching Raw this past Monday, I started to think this build and this match as it happens is reminding me of a match that Brock Lesnar really helped Catepolt Brock Lesnar to really help him break through,

18:09 and you could make a case of his match against RVD in the finals of King and ranked 2002, helped him break through. The match with Brock when it became at the time the youngest WWE Champion of all time at Summer's time in 2002 is one where he broke through. But go back to October of that same year, October 2002, the no mercy paper view. It was Brock Lesnar versus the Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell. And I think that match to me and that feud and that build is what helped solidify Brock Lesnar as Brock Lesnar at that point in his career. And the more I think about it, I don't know how much that match is kind of fond to you, Dr. Trey, if you could remember what that was like back in 2002 when he defeated the Undertaker in no mercy in Hell in a Cell.

18:56 But that was a big deal back then. And this could be a very, very big deal if Oba can do the same thing in Brock's hometown, his original hometown, not the adopted in Canada. In Hell in a Cell, in a match that I think Brock may be undefeated in and in a huge stage of Summer's land. Do you see the correlation there and can it be a similar point where Oba Femi gets that same breakthrough moment by defeating Brock Lesnar in Hell in a Cell the same way Brock did against the Undertaker in no mercy 2002? It's a very, it's in a very eerie correlation you made here because you look at him, paper and you're like, all right, Brock and RVD on paper, Brock, you win that match.

19:38 Just size wise or anything else, you look at Oba and Jeyusa. All right, on paper, Oba should have that match based on size. You know, Brock beating Brock was cool, but even at that point, Brock was part time. He was not really a focal point of the show. He wasn't the standard and Undertaker was that standard to that match. At no mercy was kind of like, gave Brock credibility that, hey, he can go toe to toe with the Undertaker in Hell in a Cell and establish himself as, okay, now this is a new benchmark. And even though Brock is part time, he still has the credibility for being a benchmark in WWE that if you can get past the Brock benchmark, you're a guy.

20:22 So it does make a lot of sense in that way that if Oba can defeat Brock at in Hell in a Cell in Minneapolis and establish himself as, this is the new guy, then it's great for him. And they're very similar in their problems. Like, you know, Brock and Oba are not great talkers. I think Oba's probably, if you go back to that, do Brock was actually funny. And a lot of those backstage skits are kind of being a little bit more aloof than he is now. But Oba's kind of the same way where you're like, he might not be a great promo guy, but he's solid. I was laughing there when Oba was talking. The guy's brand new to wrestling and he's already got four nicknames.

21:06 I'm just kind of jealous that he's got that many nicknames already. And he's has even been on the main roster for a full year. And nobody contradicts him when he calls himself the ruler or the bringer of war. Nobody corrects him. That's just Oba being open. It is like an e-record relation and part of me wonders if that's the whole point of it from a creative standpoint. Triple H and company, I think they do love the history in the past. And I think there's some interesting tidbits there with this entire thing. I've enjoyed this feud. It essentially started at the rumble earlier this year when they had their moment in the rumble match and then carried forward for the next several months.

21:49 I said, "Abrez, Romania, then go head to Clash in Italy and now here we are at Summerslam." I think it's been an enjoyable feud and it's been nice to see somebody kind of like match the intensity strength and power of Brock Lesnar because that's something we haven't seen. Something to keep an eye on there is we get closer to Summerslam and if there is that correlation for no mercy 2002 and Brock Lesnar defeated the undertaker. It could all be for not and Brock ends up defeating him and then you're like, "Well, that correlation, and topics sucked." But at least that's how I feel early on heading into the show. Dr. Trayt was reported today by Russell Votes that Mike Santana's WWE's rival is reportedly expected to be happening here by the end of the summer.

22:29 The former, recently former TNA World Champion is no longer under contract with TNA. It has been pretty well known that both WWE and Mike Santana himself have been interested in working together since he appeared on NXT and got pretty over with the crowd. Santana was in a W4 a little bit. You can make a case from both the tag team standpoint and then as a singles star that he was underutilized. He certainly had a really, really bad injury. I think he blew out his knee and felt like he was almost out for like two years and at least a year in that blood and guts match. He has, Santana has the intensity and ring-in ring ability.

23:13 But where do you think he fits in WWE and can the company establish him as more than another addition to their roster? Can he become a star in World Wrestling Entertainment? I am going to lean, no. And I'm hoping I get proven wrong. I like Santana. I actually met him years and years and years ago at CZW Show. He's a good dude, good worker. I just don't know if he has that... If there's something in, he may find something but right now on paper I'm like, "He's an upper mid-card guy."

23:55 He's a US title, Intercontinental title, NXT champ, kind of guy. I just don't know if I look at him. I'm like, "Can I see him on TV in the late night talk shows? Can I see him doing commercial? Can I see him being a face of the company?" I don't see it. But I think he's a great guy you want to have in your company helping elevate your show and then helping elevate the talent around him. Yeah, he's an interesting case. I think he's very talented. I think he's a guy that's kind of caught wrestling at a later point in his time in professional wrestling.

24:37 I mean, for the longest time, I remember him just as a tag team star with Santana's, either the new LAX or Proud and powerful Santana Ortiz, whatever you want to call them. Then he put on some size, came back from the injury. He really didn't have a great run there towards the NWA. He was able to really connect with the audience in a very short amount of time. I think in an NXT setting, I agree with you. I think in an NXT setting, he could be very successful. How that transcends over to a Raw or Smackdown is where is the gray area in the question mark. Does he have the capabilities and the abilities to be a top star in WWE?

25:17 Absolutely. Can he catch lightning in a bottle? Is really the most important thing right now. I think from him in an NXT standpoint, I think he's going to be a star. How it transcends over into the main roster is what's really going to be intriguing and interesting to watch. You could make a case that, you know, watch some of the other guys that have come from outside into NXT and then into WWE like Ricky Saints. I think he's had some great matches since coming over to Smackdown, but I don't know if he's caught on yet. Joe Hendry is a great, you know, sing along, fun character to like. But, you know, he's had some peaks and valleys in WWE on the main roster.

25:59 I think a lot of that is obviously Logan Paul getting hurt and that kind of completely derailed what was going to be planned for him. But, you know, you can make a case that he really hasn't caught on on the Raw side of things. So, could Santana fall into that same category where you had guys that were successful outside of WWE, AEW and Ricky Saints, TNA, and Joe Hendry, Mike Santana now, and TNA, and will he be able to be successful once he comes to Raw and Smackdown after finding success in NXT. So, happy for Mike Santana. I hope he gets a great opportunity here to be to have a good run in Roller's Entertainment. Switching gears to all the wrestling Dr. Trey we were talking on, obviously at the start of the show of the main event picture feeling, Stale on the WWE side.

26:42 Well, AEW is doing the complete 180 here and there were some rumbleings about this midday on Wednesday that this was going to be the World title match at Redemption in Montreal, the next AWP review at the end of this month. And then it was made official on Dynamite last night and it will be the TNT Champion, Kevin Knight taking on Kenny Omega for the AW World Championship and then playing on this whole story line of like he doesn't need Don Callis. I know that there's a good person in there. Darby Allen wants to beat it out of him, blah blah blah. And here we are. I mean, there's been this upward trajectory throughout all of 2026 for Kevin Knight. And I ask you this Dr. Trey, is Kevin Knight prepared for such a major opportunity or is he simply being used as a credible first opponent before Kenny Omega essentially moves on to a bigger program with Will Osprey heading into all in London?

27:36 Can a strong showing against Omega help elevate Knight even if he does not win? Your thought here as Kevin Knight is now the next contender for the AW World Championship. No, I think it actually can elevate Kevin Knight. Do I think Kevin Knight is going to win the AW World title? No. But this is very similar to what they did with Darby and John Mox. It's very similar to what they did with, was it a Hangman and Kyle Fletcher last year as well when Fletcher was on the come up. They love putting these guys kind of in that spot of light. If this is a V level pay review before our big pay review next month, let's see how you handle being in the main event on a pay review.

28:16 Let's see how you handle the spotlight. Let's see how you handle the focus because what it does. It's a testing ground. The kind of see if these guys can take that next step up the ladder. We've seen it work out for Kyle Fletcher. We've seen it worked out for Darby. Kevin Knight is kind of on that track to kind of be the next guy that comes up. I think it's a good move to kind of test it out. If he falls down, he's still a great an on the roster. But you kind of know what you can work with coming out of this with him being the first challenger for Kenny. It's an interesting choice. I'm very happy for Kevin Knight having this opportunity on a fan of his.

28:56 The feeling and the vibe is, I know we debated this on last week's show. Now I feel like it's concrete by the announcement of this match. It just feels like he's filler for Kenny Omega before a bigger program. And that's what I don't like. I don't know. I feel like they could have gone in a different direction than a young star like Kevin Knight. Maybe this actually works out for him where, being in this position, Dr. Trey, he could be truly successful in the future here in the main event spot. And who knows what these little like. I know that there's a good person inside of you, little Easter eggs or seeds that they're putting out there are what they're being planted for.

29:38 But yeah, I don't think that's the only thing. If this was after all in, I'm all in, honest, all pun intended. But I think playing up before a major program, it's like, "Ah, man, why you got to use Kevin Knight in this spot?" I almost feel like they're like, "Oh, it's a pay for viewing Canada. We got to have Kenny and Jericho on the show." Well, I don't want to mess up any of their plans for Wembley. So let's try this and let's try this. I do think they've done this throughout their five or six years when somebody gets, I don't say "hot" but when they get kind of that come-up spot, the Orange Cassidy, Chris Jericho. Like, they do this every so often where they're like, "Hey, let's test the ground.

30:21 Let's see if this guy can handle the spotlight. Let's see if he can be in the ring with a top guy." And I air-coated that and you guys can see it. Let's see if they can fill this spot because, look, if he doesn't win, guess what, it doesn't hurt him that much because everybody's thinking about Osprey and Omega at all in, he just takes a step back. And then plus, he's already still the TNT champion, so he still has the credibility of being a mid-car champion to play off of as well. So, and then he's already got a storyline coming out of it also. So I don't think it hurts, but I'm with you. I do think this is kind of like, let's just have something on the card to fill it so we can get some ticket sales in Canada before we get to Wendley.

31:07 Now, this next conversation we're going to have was basically started out, what definitely started out before the show. I had asked Dr. Trey, "How he seen the dark side of the ring episodes that just started their season premiere, of Jeff Jarrett and the battle for TNA, to three-part series, because Dr. Trey has always been, you go back to the, if you've been listening to us since day one, Dr. Trey was the TNA guy. And going back to day one, watching this was like, "Man, I remember this all now," because it was like that first year and a half in doing this podcast, the sort of show that all this stuff was going on in TNA. And it's funny because you were like, "I don't think I've seen a dark side of the ring in such a long time."

31:50 You were telling me and I was like, "I got to save this for the air now." Because I love dark side of the ring. I would love to know first off, as we talk through this all, what made you either tune out or if you don't have lice or you don't. I forget about it whatever, there's too much wrestling. Because I think it's one of the best production shows that they're doing in wrestling for documentary standpoint for starters. And they all talk about topics that like sit in this little file in the back of my mind and I'm like, "It wasn't like this insane thing that I remember or anything like that, but it's like I can't believe they're addressing this." And it's like this upcoming episode is the Necro Butcher Samoa Joe match, where it felt like someone was going to die, is coming up and I'm like, "Man, I remember that as a kid."

32:37 But this brought back great memories because I remember the early stages of TNA, and then everything that went on there. But I guess before we start digging into this a little bit more, Dr. Train and kind of share some discussion, what made you check out of Dark Side of the Ring out of curiosity? It wasn't really a conscious effort, it wasn't like I'm done. It was more like, I just got tired of like sad memories, you know, in a sense. It's like the Bruiser Brody one, I was like, "Man, I remember that." I think the last one I saw was the plane ride from Hell One, they did, but a lot of them were just kind of sad in a lot of ways. And they're incredibly produced and they're very well done.

33:22 But it brings back a lot of sad memories or just like, "Oh yeah, and I just want to be happy right now." But like the TNA, like I still, I got yelled at there day by one of my good friends because I still have not watched the Hulk Cogin documentary on Netflix. I'm with you on that one, I'm not seeing it. I'm like, "It's just too soon for me." And they're like, "What?" And I'm like, "Yeah, I just don't want to be reminded of some of this stuff." Like, I just kind of want to be reminded of the good things and not the bad things. The TNA one though, I do want to watch because like I was so you off air, I know a lot of the stuff that was going on in TNA at the time because of my connections there. So I'm like, "I'm really just seeing what the narrative is on how they discuss it."

34:05 But having Jeff and Karen and everybody else involved in it should be pretty telling. He means Jeff Chair, not me folks. That's so much. Just want to be clear of that. Or you. Well, I guess the only spoiler that I will give to you and that maybe this is like, "Okay, I got to check this out." Is Dixie Carter gets absolutely torched. I know she was invited. That's not a spoiler. That is not a spoiler. That was an excuse. So what I will say is, you know, I used to do a segment for the early days of this show. Like I would say like the first like one to 20 episodes. That Eric Ardjulo and I joked around where I would read like the Dixie Carter dumbass tweet of the week.

34:48 And I think everybody's always kind of looked at her as a money mark and it was over her head. But it seemed like a very nice lady. I will say the nice lady part is like removed from that. Unless you knew things that I didn't know about. But yeah, I mean it's a very good free part episode looking back at the build of TNA. And then really the chaos that truly ended TNAs ever, ever. There's ever an opportunity to be a legit number two in World Wrestling and against World Wrestling Entertainment in the United States. Because they were on the up and up and they were they had a really good thing going. And then you know things changed. They bring Hogan in. Dixie's more involved.

35:29 And I remember just trashing it when they went to Monday night. Trashing when they would bring in Hogan's friends. Whether it be Bubba the Love Sponsor, the nasty boys. I think Sean Morley formerly known as Valfenis was in there. Like it was all these stars. It's like what the hell are they doing on television? And it got away from AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, the guys that were really caring and became a little bit more like WWE Light. And that was really truly the end of TNA and then there was financials and then the shit that was going on with Jeff. Jared. And then the personal stuff with Jeff Jared. I kind of forgot about like how he made, had some really hard personal struggles.

36:09 Came back from it and was honored by WWE. And the Hall of Fame and that was really what kind of catapulted this other run. And Jeff Jared is somebody that just clearly does not age. I hope I have like I age like he does the older I get because Jared looks and he does when he gets in the ring like he could still go. It's kind of a shame that he's not an AW television at all. I think it's been almost well over a year. The last time I think Jeff Jared was on TV. But you know it's I highly recommend it Dr. Trey. I think it's a long time TNA fan. You'll love it. It brings back memories of the chaos and good memories from the build and how they started to be coming a little bit more legit and how they got there.

36:50 And it was a little engine that could for a period of time. But yeah it it was the rise. It's basically like the rise and fall of TNA honestly. But I love I love that that was always the preface about Dixie Carter. Okay let me say about Dixie. She's a really nice lady and then somebody would trash her a little bit. You know it was like that backhanded thing and it's like yeah there was some stuff going on behind the scenes back in those days when you're just like. Yeah I don't even know she's that. I don't know she's a nice lady but but she's also doing a lot of the dirty work for her dad. You know like you know Bob Carter was like like kind of like he was the head honcho that she was kind of like.

37:32 She had to be the hatchet person and the lot of that stuff so. And then the chair stuff like I remember. I don't know if you remember this or not but I went to like a global force wrestling show. I do remember even to her. Yeah and you know I had friends of mine on that that were booked on that show so I got to kind of go see behind the scenes stuff. And that was supposed to be the next big thing was going to be global force then it got Jeff Saul because it was issues that got sold back to TNA and the right and the else. So yeah there was a lot of stuff that and that's where there is why I haven't watched it yet because that was my formative years in the sense of getting into independent wrestling.

38:14 I was right around that TNA GFW era of stuff so I am going to sit down and watch it but it's just been one of those things where it's like. I just I don't want to be reminded of negative stuff in a sense. It's like yeah yeah and you know Jeff Jeff I don't know if it's the Memphis guys man but like Jeff chair has that Jerry Lawler thing going on where it's like. They've looked the same age for 30 years you know and I still go like that Jerry Lawler mismatch and I'm like Jerry Lawler is still a wrestle. Jeff can still like these guys can still go even at their advanced ages so it's one of those things where I'm like yeah it's also got to be a thing where like.

38:59 Okay I need to watch it without interruption without Sammy Franklin or the wife or anybody I just want to sit down and watch it digest it and then process it and you know how it is with jobs and kids everything else is kind of hard to have. Time for a three part series actually watching digested on your own without distractions going on around you. I will say I know the whole sadness part of it and it's it's a very very fair point because it was a lot of sadness I think they've kind of gotten away from that while there is still some stuff that's sprinkled in there I would say this is more like a documentary than like sadness you like and going like. Sad for tna is just like well that was really interesting I guess the only thing for it was like what was sad was that they allowed tna to get to that point which we all know like that's that's history.

39:47 A couple of the other episodes that are coming up this season that were butchers and some old Joe which I mentioned they're going to cover the big boss man ultimate fantasy the fall of the renegade which is that character from W.C.W. that I remember like basically spin off of ultimate warrior Paul or doff saving Mr. Wonderful the walking right missy hi and then Zach Gowon against all odds and that is coming up here on dark side of the ring so. Hi recommend for your resting fans if you've got some wiggle room in your wrestling watching life this is a great show to add to it for sure speaking of some wiggle room Dr. Trey and shows to watch this coming Saturday on Pecock it'll be dad or WWE Saturday nights main event at Madison Square Garden in New York City surrounding everything that's going on with fanatics fest right now in New York City we've got CM Punk and Cody Rhodes versus Gunther and Sammy Zane and the tag team.

40:39 Match in the main event page and pretty bellied of fan the WWE women's acting championship against Fallon Henley and Laney Reed Danhausen taking on JD McDonough and a notice qualification match Bailey taking on Lyra Valcuria and then Jalen Brunson the NBA champion Jalen Brunson of the New York next is set to appear along with the OTC Roman reigned in MSG which actually be Jalen Brunson's first appearance in Madison Square Garden since becoming NBA champion which is odd I would have. Figured it would be a ring but here we are. It's a pretty like I would say a B level show looking forward to what they bring on Saturday night and should should be a fun show anything that's sticking out to you that you're interested in trade to see in this Saturday night in MSG.

41:28 When did Lyra Valcuria turn into Nikki Cross? I'm like, "Damn she has one bad day she just completely looks like she doesn't bathe anymore like she looks completely disheveled." I'm interested to see where they go this because I was more interested in Bailey being bipolar than I am Lyra going down this weird path that she's on now and bipolar Bailey just got dropped for no reason. There's no payoff on that. The JD McDonough Dan Housen might get a hearty boy's WrestleMania 33 level pop because there is a large population in New York that credit Dan Housen with the mix getting the title.

42:12 So that'll be interesting. The Jalen Brunson Roman Reigns stuff is Roman a baby face? Wrestling is weird right now brother. Look at where Osprey and the Death Riders, right? A.W. Both companies are doing it. Yeah and it drives me nuts. The tag match is going to be interesting because this is Sammy and Gunther who for all of his purposes have been on and off feuding for two years now teaming up against Cody and C.M. Punk who we all want to see a few with each other is good that that dynamic will be interesting and plus Saturday's main event for old guys like me. I grew up on these mismatch tag matches on Saturday's main event. This is kind of like taking me back to the mid 80s early 90s with Saturday's main event.

43:00 Weird tag team matches. This is where the make-up powers explode brother. I'm just telling you. Yeah it definitely has that old school feel I love that it's an MSG obviously in Northeast kid. I mean MSG is always a special place in my heart. The Libert Valkiri thing. I have a theory on this. I think this is leading to the eventual debut on the main roster of Tatum Paxley Dr. Trey. I think she's she's acting a lot like Tatum Paxley does. And I think that this is where they this is where they fire Tatum Paxley because why do we need Tatum Paxley if we have Libert do the same character. Tatum is is really really talented though. I that's what I feel like I feel like this is open in the door to Tatum Paxley.

43:41 You know the Dan Housen stuff obviously he's going to get that MSG near next type pop. He's been teasing like getting some help. So we know Brunson is supposed to be there a lot of the nicks are all the nicks are in town because of the fanatics fast right now. I have a feeling that it's either like the entire team is going to be involved in this. I originally thought it was going to be big cast and so a mori that was going to be helping out. And I also thought Baron Corbin was going to be underneath that that that sheet that he's been teasing. But Baron Corbin returned up Friday night smack down this past week. Big cast was teased to be returning at raw this past Monday.

44:21 They have not teased an Enzo return yet. I think that you know he's saying he's going to be getting some help. I think it's the the nicks that come out here and handle for that sports center moment. They're going to take out like Dom. Is that is that where they're going to be? Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Well, Brunson can he has a he had a surgery but I'm thinking like crawling into the towns. Maybe Josh Hart. I would I would my seeking Josh Hart because I as a Laker fan Josh Hart was on the Lakers briefly so I do like some Josh Hart. But you know and those from Jersey. You know and and and and Dan has a face paint and but you can't teach that I don't know it curses people.

45:05 You can't teach cursing. No, you certainly cannot. If you want to get you want to get some some good reactions. You got to have Tyrie's Albertan from the Indian Pacers in the building for that one as well. Get some good heal. He I think he loves that shit anyway. So Saturday nights made event this Saturday on Pecock will recap it on next week's edition of SRT. With that being said, let's get a couple plugs and sponsors out of the way you can download the show at patreon.com/SRTUpodcast and the still real toe show feed on Apple Spotify wherever you download this podcast don't forget to rate review and subscribe. You can follow us individually on extra myself at SRT. You Jeff and for Dr. Trey Franklin at the Dr. Trey and of course don't forget to follow show on X at SRT.

45:46 With that being said, what is going on the wonderful world of Dr. Trey Franklin this week? Well, like Jeff said, you can follow me on X at the Dr. Trey. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook Dr. Trey Franklin. When you're on Facebook, be sure to check out Rocket City Championship Wrestling. We have the Sean Shocker Evans Memorial Tournament coming up this weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with Shocker Evans. He was one of the guys who trained Kurt Angle in Pittsburgh in his early days of pro wrestling. He was best friends with Barry Kohl off our owner of Rocket City. So we do this Memorial Tournament every single year. So it's a big thing. You can also check out the YouTube page, youtube.com/Rockets City Championship Wrestling. It's all of our past episodes.

46:31 Jeff, we drew a grand total of 35 people to our last show because we had it on the 4th of July. Not a great turnout, but we had more views than we've had in a long time because some of you had to miss the show because of the 4th of July. So thank you America and your 250th anniversary for making us draw a low crowd. Most importantly, get out there and support your own local independent wrestling shows. Go find those stars of tomorrow today. Maybe you can find the person who's underneath Dan Housens white cloth in the experiment room because he looks tall. I don't know. It's not Enzo. Enzo's not that tall. But this guy looks tall. So who knows who it could be.

47:11 Yeah, who knows what's I have no idea where they go with that if if anywhere. So there you go. Enjoy the weekend. Enjoy the world of professional wrestling this weekend. We will be back next week to help get you prepared for AW Redemption. Recaps Saturday. It's been event and everything else that goes on into the world of professional wrestling throughout the weekend weekend. So until next week for Dr. Tray Franklin, I am Jeff Peck. This has been The Still Rilla Show.