Austin 3:16 at 30 & Is NJPW Being Used By AEW? | The Still Real to Us Show | Episode #854 – 6/25/26

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It's still really the beginning!

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[Music]

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What up, you all!

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Ooh!

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Welcome, everybody!

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Welcome to this week's "Dissimistor of the Show".

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I'm Summer, Inter in 54, for June 25th, 2026.

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Welcome to this week's edition of "ASR-T-U".

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I am one-half the show.

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I am Jeff Pekk.

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I am typically joy every single week for my ghost.

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The one on the lead Dr. Dre Franklin.

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And I typically ask Dr. Dre what is up my friend to kick off the show.

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But this is kind of one of the rare occurrences of the year.

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There's like maybe three to five times a year

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where we sit down with recorded podcasts and Dr. Dre Franklin is unavailable.

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And this is one of those times.

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Dr. Dre is changing jobs.

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He's out doing job training.

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I think this is something all of us can relate to when they get a new gig,

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when they start a gig.

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Maybe for the first time you have a lot of training what's going on.

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And he's dealing with stuff that actually pays the bills.

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And not the wrestling podcast that him and I have been doing for 16 years.

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And we've made a couple dollars when we did the Patreon thing in the beginning.

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I appreciate a lot of those guys that contributed.

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But other than that, this is just a love of the game.

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And you just got me this week in a very special edition of SRTU.

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We'll preview NXT Great American Bash.

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We'll preview A.W. For Ben and Door.

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And then of course we will wrap it up by previewing and predicting WWE night of champions

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where I actually have Dr. Dre's predictions.

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So while you may not hear his voice on this week's edition of the show,

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you will certainly hear his picks.

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So I'm recording this.

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I'm just usually I sit on my desk and I do this thing.

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I'm chilling on my couch right now doing this.

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And it's 1031 East Coast time.

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I had a lot of stuff I had to do prior to recording this podcast this week.

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I actually took off for vacation.

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And I was going to sit down about like 9 o'clock East Coast time to record the show.

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And anybody who's a parent can relate to this.

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Anybody who's thinking about being a parent, listen to this story.

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Anybody who's thinking about being a parent at any point in their life.

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Listen to this story.

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I get home as I was out.

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And my wife has our son in my bed.

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And he's awake.

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And 9 o'clock and I he just turned to.

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Just a couple days ago my son is now a two year old, which is wild.

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If you've been listening to the show for a long time, you remember me and born.

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And here we are.

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And he's talking now.

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It's usually talking back.

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And he doesn't want to go back in his crib because he wants to sleep with mom and dad.

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So we had to convince and tell my son, nope, you are going back into your crib.

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And the reason why I recorded later than I wanted to is because he was fighting it.

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He was fighting it pretty good.

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And eventually finally went to bed.

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And that's one of the reasons why I'm not recording at my desk because it's a little bit closer to his room.

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Then where I am right now, I'm a little bit farther away where if I'd say anything and it wakes him up, I am a dead man.

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Which anybody who is married can relate to.

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If you're thinking about being married, if you have a significant other right now, and you've been together for a couple months, a couple of years, whatever, and you're thinking about marriage, these are the moments that you cannot mess up.

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And that's what I'm doing right now.

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I'm being very far away from my son's room.

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My voice is maybe a little bit lower than it normally is when we record this podcast because of that.

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But the other reason why is by myself. I don't need to yell and scream this week.

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I don't need to raise my voice any louder than it already is.

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So yeah, it's a solo edition of the show.

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See how long I can do it for.

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Usually I'm for about 45 minutes. We do this podcast anyway.

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But that's when I'm talking to another person.

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Now I'm doing that WFAN sports radio style where I'm just talking to myself.

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Which I don't know how people have made careers in their life doing radio shows.

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Just talking to themselves like I enjoy conversations.

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I don't enjoy like proclamations and standing on top of hills and like just spewing my thoughts to nobody into the abyss.

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That's why I enjoy conversations.

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And I think that's part of the reason why radio was slowly that often podcasting is so much better.

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But that's another story for another day.

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There's two things to kick off the show where there was just major milestones.

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Where, you know, I'm talking about my son turned in two years old and I'm like, "Man, I can't believe it. Where's the time gone?"

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Well, there's two moments this week where it's like, where has the time gone.

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And the first being that it's been 30 years, three zero, since the Austin 316 speech at King of the Ring 1996 this week.

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Three 30 years since that happened when I saw that I was like, "No, that can't be right."

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Because I just feel like Dr. Tray and I talked about like the 20th anniversary, the 25th anniversary, 15th anniversary of this speech.

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And here we are talking about the 30th anniversary of that speech.

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And I remember that being a little kid I was 9 years old turned 10 next month.

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So now now I'm not turning 10. You guys can run the math on that one now what I'll be turning.

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It's a big digit number for me which makes me feel old just like this.

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And I remember being up, I think I had taken a bath some time.

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My mom and dad had the pay per view on.

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And watching Stone Cold Steve Austin just plow through the competition at King of the Ring 96.

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I wanted to see Jake Stank Roberts win.

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At that point all I knew about Steve Austin was like he was the Ringmaster, his time in WCW, a Ruse United States champion.

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But I really didn't know much else about him. He had just started doing this character turn.

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And it was really surprising when he made that run that he did and became the 1996 King of the Ring.

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You know it's pretty well known that that was meant for Triple H on her cellm's either time to win that one. But then the whole click curtain call happened like less than a month later.

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And he cuts a promo where he says Austin 360 and says I just whipped your ass.

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And nowadays we think of that and it's like that's not a big deal.

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I mean we have TV shows for people are dropping f bombs like galore now.

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Podcast for people dropping f bombs all the time.

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But back then when it was like I will whip your ass on David WF television was a massive deal.

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And it was the one of if not the most impactful promo of all time.

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I mean it really set the tone to his character.

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It really set the tone to the attitude era of the WWE.

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And just catapulted the company or started a catapulted company into a new era and generation of what we have become to known what role-brother's entertainment.

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Is and was like at that point of it so cartoony definitely trend change that was going on in society at that point as well.

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I'm a kid in the 90s and I'm always like amazed at how much the 90s changed the way that we are even nowadays in 2026.

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And Austin 360 and that speech, King Kong in 96 was one of those speeches that kind of is part of that defined era where it was changes in music.

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Changes in television, changes in movies.

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And that's where we were and I can't believe it's been 30 years since the Austin 360 teen speech at King Kong the Ring in 1996.

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The other anniversary this week, other than my wedding anniversary, that was surprising was seen that the 25th anniversary of Kurt Angle vs.

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Shameck man, their match at King of the Ring 2001 was this past week and that's another one of those matches where I think I was a freshman in high school.

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Obviously it just got out and I remember those summers like so well back then of matches took place in the summer.

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It's like this match, it's Jeff Hardy vs. The Undertaker in a latter match. I want to say in 2002 the one where like taker lifts up party and hearings is respect and which was such a really cool moment.

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But like this match was kind of like nothing burger going into it. I mean if you're a long time listener of this show, you know that I don't love that Shane McMahon as much as I respect him and his athleticism and what he does in the ring.

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I don't love the Shane McMahon as booked equal to people who have wrestled their entire lives or Uber athletic people like Kurt Angle, an Olympian.

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We've talked about the AJ Styles stuff, the Braun Strowman stuff, the Miz stuff in the past like Shane as much as the fans love him and as much as I respect him.

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He's booked way too equal with with those guys and back then in 2001 he was still he had his moments.

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I'm trying to think of like where this was with in relation to the stuff with the test and Steve Blackman.

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I think that was all before it. I mean going back to like when he was wrestling X-Pock, it was like WrestleMania 15. Like back then Shane was still looked at as like a joke in a way, right?

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Like a guy that shouldn't belong in the ring like like a David Flair or he'd take ricochet shot here David Flair or direct shot. But like that's how it was looked at it was the boss's son like no background in wrestling at that point.

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And the only thing that we knew about Shane McMahon was outside of being his son of Vince and being involved in the corporation.

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He was like the commentator on Sunday night. He went to first launched. That was like my first real introduction into Shane McMahon.

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Then as the years went on and he got more matches and needed like more daredevil things, you know, you could see that he could hang in the ring with people.

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The booking and all that stuff is obviously something I've already discussed and not my favorite thing in the world, but you know you saw his in-ring stuff get better.

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And I think this was that match. That match where Shane could be taken seriously now as a performer in the ring. I mean he was months removed from taking on his father at WrestleMania 17.

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This was when the invasion angle was going on. Kurt was in his prime at that point or I guess you could even make a kiss like entering his prime.

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I think he was in his prime and Shane hung with him. There's no question in that like he was hanging with him. Did some absolutely wild spots like the.

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I remember watching live when they were doing that the belly to belly suplex through the glass and Shane. I don't think he went through the first time and the way like Shane tells us right they did like a WWE untold on this match back in the network and peacock days when it was on there and that was a great show.

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And of course they take it away where like Shane doesn't go through the first time and you hear his like head thud on the cement and I think like Shane is saying he's concussed and I'm laughing now even though it's not funny.

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I mean what we've learned about concussions now it's like this was kind of insane that they let this continue to go on and I think he like said something like Kurt was a pussy or whatever to make a mad.

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And that's what throw him in there and then there's the stories I believe that Vince was like tempted to go out there and be like this matches over like break character almost even it would be in character and just say like this matches over but they were feuding back then with like wf and wcw

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pretty sure they did not want the match to continue on and then it was just like way too much and then obviously the going back through the glass again is just such a memorable moment.

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It was violent it was bloody it would not happen today. I mean the close was obviously be AEW but like the concussion stuff it would be immediately stopped.

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And it's a match that legitimately took years off the life of Shane McMahon like no joke whatsoever like legitimately took years off of his life so.

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Just absolutely wild to sit and think like Austin 1330 years ago Kurt versus Shane McMahon 25 years ago I mean that means the invasion angle is 25 years maybe that's something Dr.

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and I will do here over the summer is kind of look back at that debacle we always tend to to do that at the anniversaries I mean this is like really important summers in my young youth life so hearing the anniversary of these being 25 years ago

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really makes you think about how life goes sometimes how quickly life can go and how old you can get but two memorable moments I miss the king of the ring paper view if you've been listening to the show for a long time I love the single elimination tournament like when they used to do it all in one night I think like 96 they stopped doing it like it was just semis and then finals I'm talking like king of ring 93 king of ring 94 95 where they were doing it all in one day.

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Brett Owen Mabel all winning all in one night I mean those were such awesome awesome shows and I just love the king of the ring concept I'm happy that it's back I would just love to see it back as as a people for King Queen of the ring and just do the tournament all one night like what are we doing be so much fun but I know WWE really just like having like five or six matches on a card so just while major anniversaries this past week of the Austin's 16th speech at King of the ring

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96 in the critical shank band match at King of the ring 2001 if you've never seen that match go anyway and check it out I'm assuming anybody that downloads this podcast has unless they are under the age of like 15.

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Go anyway check out that match it's wild it's insane and it was basically what was going on at that period of time with the ECW's of the world in the hardcore matches in WWE then WWE.

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Switching gears we're going to start premium predicting the major wrestling week and that's taking place you've got annexed greater American bash this Sunday on the CW network of free PLE if you've got the CW network you've got a W for Ben Dore on paper view HBO Max on Sunday night you've got night of champions first hour free on ESPN and the rest of the show will be up on the ESPN app I believe it's like 2 PM East on Saturday and this is one of the most loaded wrestling we can do.

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It's like this one and Memorial Day where you've just got a WNXC W we doing a bunch of stuff and it's going to be very exciting for wrestling fans and hopefully you don't have to pick a choose and you go out of your way and check out one show each of these shows.

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It's a point by the middle of the week because this is like 11 hours of professional wrestling we're probably talking about which 7 of them will be an AEW for Ben Dore.

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So looking at annexed great American bash this upcoming Sunday from the W performance center in Orlando Florida you've got the online experts to say con say con sugars they had a great back and forth segment on annexed television this week I thought it was really really good segment.

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This split of dark state is interesting because I don't think it makes sense to me as a viewer unless NXT sees like big things in sake one triggers like why would you remove them.

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Or maybe they're you know dark state gets a call up somewhere they're being looked at more as a trio which we know WWE tends to do rather than a four person set but then again like why would you sort of say con maybe thought is like he could just kind of stand out in his own so.

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That would be really good I think Dion Lonex is a guy that could be annexed you champion by the end of the year extremely talented love his new character that whole like bookworm thing that he was doing like a year and a half two years ago was not cutting it for me so looking forward to both these guys getting the opportunity shine on the great American bash.

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Another match here you got shallow Hill versus Tristan Angels.

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You know I'm probably one of the few people watch his LFG and shallow Hill never really connected with them on the show quite honestly and then he comes on annexed television and he is so much better than I thought he was going to be coming out of a LFG.

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He is extremely entertaining I enjoy his character I think a lot of fans enjoy relating to him and he's another one that I just would not be shocked that he has a run as an annex he champion so much at some point he might be so much of make fully maybe it's just the flannel it's that like blue collar worker type star that's a little bit different nod and he's really connecting well with the audience right now.

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Another person I'm extremely high on is Tristan Angels I know it's a throwback character to the Hunterhurst Helmsley character Grinch Connecticut days of 1995 in 96 but I'm taking it I think this kid is going to be a star.

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He's exciting to watch good in-ring worker great characters a throwback I love it I love this old school like snob British character William Regal Dave Taylor like that's what I'm getting those vibes are and I'm going to be a star.

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And I think the sky's a limit for Tristan Angels I've got rents sin Claire defending the women speed championship against Ariana Grace.

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I'm not too interested that one I like rent as a character she's been on the sideline with an injury Ariana Grace I think can be a star.

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I would expect Ariana Grace to win this one and bring the title to birthright.

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I'm sorry defending the annexed women's North America championship against Tatum Paxley I think this is like the dark horse sleeper right now for a match that could be match with night I'm really enjoying a lot of these characters I like that Zari is back to the character she was when she first joined NXT and Tatum Paxley so over she connects extremely well with the NXT audience and I think someone I could be extremely successful on the main roster here in the next year or two.

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Should she get the call up miles born versus taby on heights for the NXT North American championship I'm looking forward to this one because I think taby on heights is extremely talented and I think it's time if you're not going to do anything with this guy and he just takes an L like I think it's going to hurt his character so I think but the title on him give him an opportunity give him a run miles born with the NXT North American

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championship right now it's been kind of boring honestly and I love a story I love his look I love his in ringability it's just not is it's not connecting that well I feel like since he's had the championship which has been disappointing a little vice defending the next year I'm in

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She has a female champion against Kendall Gray.

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A huge fan of Kendall Gray.

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I am no Dave Meltzer.

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Like level of love for Kendall Gray, but man is she good.

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Like, you gotta put the title on her.

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If you're not put the title on her now,

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then it's gotta be like in the next month or two.

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I don't want to see a low level short reign,

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but Kendall Gray is legit.

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And another one that can be a star on the main roster,

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sooner rather than later.

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And in totally de-Angelo defending the next

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of championship, we have a Nuraku from my known as Evil.

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I believe that opens the show.

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The, the, the, the, the,

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a little of ice, Kendall Gray match is gonna main event,

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which is awesome for them.

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I'm thrilled for that one.

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Which dreams to me, title change.

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And I think the same thing with the opening.

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I don't think you run the flash bang, you know,

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burn paper, trick when he opened up the contract,

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Tony DeAngelo this week on NXT Television.

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If you're not setting him up to drop the title to Nuraku.

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Like, we just imagine like so Nuraku goes in this one,

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he loses.

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What do you do with the character now?

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Like what's the bounce back?

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I think that there's been an upswing of momentum

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for him right now that they're booking themselves

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in a hole where you need to do the title change.

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And they are coming in up by having this injury storyline

193
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with Tony DeAngelo having his eyes blind

194
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and when he opened up the contract,

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this past Tuesday on NXT Television.

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So NXT North American, great American bash.

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This upcoming Sunday looking forward to watching it

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on the CW Network.

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Before I get to AW forbidden door, there was a comment this week

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from IWGP Everyweight Champion.

201
00:21:15,540 --> 00:21:18,100
You know, it's a Jewelty.

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Not happy with the AW, New Japan partnership saying,

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I don't like AW and I think the biggest problem I have with them

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is that we aren't seeing to be on even footing.

205
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It's a real problem of people think of NJPW

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as a subsidiary of AW.

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It's a problem when the New Japan is subsurbing into them.

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I was happy on Drody came to wrestle on a New Japan show.

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Now for fair, even partners that I'll really be happy

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with our relationship and not if we're being used

211
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to produce talent for them to take.

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And like Taiichi said, New Japan rolls over and says to the guys

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that leave, oh please don't, oh please the doors open

214
00:21:54,060 --> 00:21:55,740
anytime, so I'm with AW.

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And then wrestle for us when you're free.

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Then of course more guys are going to

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00:21:59,220 --> 00:22:02,100
because the money's better, it's that simple.

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End quote, I thought that was a spot on quote.

219
00:22:04,980 --> 00:22:08,020
And I felt like somebody said the same thing last year

220
00:22:08,020 --> 00:22:11,420
as well about the relationship between New Japan and AW.

221
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And it's not true.

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I mean, as someone watching from home, it's so weird, right?

223
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Like imagine in 2018 telling someone,

224
00:22:18,540 --> 00:22:22,540
between 2016 to 18, when I think New Japan

225
00:22:22,540 --> 00:22:24,780
was so popular in the United States,

226
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just imagine telling a wrestling fan,

227
00:22:26,420 --> 00:22:29,100
like a promotion is going to start next year.

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It's going to be started by the billionaire son

229
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of the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

230
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And that promotion is going to like basically mop the floor

231
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with New Japan and take their talent.

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You'd be like, what the hell in New Japan doing?

233
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And that's what's basically happened.

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Like think to yourself, when has there been a time

235
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where New Japan star was put over extremely well on AW?

236
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Like legitimately trying to think here.

237
00:22:57,220 --> 00:22:58,220
I don't know.

238
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I really don't know.

239
00:22:59,660 --> 00:23:01,540
And then like J.Y.

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'cause it's got a Cata, they all come over, right?

241
00:23:04,940 --> 00:23:07,540
I mean, those are some of the biggest stars

242
00:23:07,540 --> 00:23:10,180
that AW, excuse me, New Japan had.

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They're all coming over.

244
00:23:11,820 --> 00:23:15,140
And you know, Kenosuke Tukeshiko's over.

245
00:23:15,140 --> 00:23:17,580
He wins the AWGP Heavyweight Championship.

246
00:23:17,580 --> 00:23:20,940
Andrade just had a run with a global championship.

247
00:23:20,940 --> 00:23:24,340
John Mox is at a run with the AWGP Heavyweight Championship.

248
00:23:24,340 --> 00:23:28,260
There's been times where I think FTR had the AWGP

249
00:23:28,260 --> 00:23:29,740
tag team championship.

250
00:23:29,740 --> 00:23:32,780
I think there's been some runs with maybe the

251
00:23:32,780 --> 00:23:36,260
Open Heavyweight Championship as well.

252
00:23:36,260 --> 00:23:39,580
But the Openweight Championship, excuse me.

253
00:23:39,580 --> 00:23:42,100
But it's like, when has there ever been an AW star

254
00:23:42,100 --> 00:23:44,180
that's come over and looked great?

255
00:23:44,180 --> 00:23:46,580
Like even Column Newsom recently,

256
00:23:46,580 --> 00:23:50,260
he was working that when they had United Empire

257
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taking on, God, who were they facing?

258
00:23:53,020 --> 00:23:54,700
The Don Callis family?

259
00:23:54,700 --> 00:23:55,540
Was it?

260
00:23:55,540 --> 00:23:56,900
And it made a vent.

261
00:23:56,900 --> 00:23:58,740
And they were playing bit players with a whole

262
00:23:58,740 --> 00:24:00,260
well-awesome stuff.

263
00:24:00,260 --> 00:24:02,060
What was it, the Death Riders?

264
00:24:02,060 --> 00:24:03,260
I think it made a Death Riders,

265
00:24:03,260 --> 00:24:04,460
now that I think about it.

266
00:24:04,460 --> 00:24:06,780
Like that was just all weird.

267
00:24:06,780 --> 00:24:08,540
Into that point, I mean, you know what I was

268
00:24:08,540 --> 00:24:11,020
bringing up a good point, you could go over there

269
00:24:11,020 --> 00:24:13,980
and you could leave New Japan and make more money.

270
00:24:13,980 --> 00:24:15,500
But you'll be welcome back with Open Arms

271
00:24:15,500 --> 00:24:17,460
and you may get a run with a championship.

272
00:24:17,460 --> 00:24:19,580
Like, 'cause it's Cata,

273
00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:23,820
took on Hiroshi Tanahashi in the Russell Cayden

274
00:24:23,820 --> 00:24:25,380
of Main Event, not granted.

275
00:24:25,380 --> 00:24:29,620
It was his retirement match and it made a lot of sense.

276
00:24:29,620 --> 00:24:32,260
But Okauta left New Japan.

277
00:24:32,260 --> 00:24:36,180
That would be like Sino leaving WWE at his height.

278
00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:38,740
Like who would be like, like Reigns?

279
00:24:38,740 --> 00:24:43,660
Rowan Reigns leaves WWE and joins another rival promotion

280
00:24:43,660 --> 00:24:46,620
and Sino wants to retire and wants to face somebody.

281
00:24:46,620 --> 00:24:48,740
And then they come back.

282
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Like whether we like it or not,

283
00:24:50,340 --> 00:24:52,060
and I love seeing the New Japan stars

284
00:24:52,060 --> 00:24:55,300
on my United States television,

285
00:24:55,300 --> 00:24:58,340
but it has done such a disservice to New Japan.

286
00:24:58,340 --> 00:25:01,860
Again, like 16 to 18, they were at Extremites

287
00:25:01,860 --> 00:25:04,380
and 19 even, would WWE launched.

288
00:25:04,380 --> 00:25:06,340
And it was exciting when the whole Forbidden Door thing

289
00:25:06,340 --> 00:25:07,700
was made.

290
00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:11,220
When I go through the Forbidden Door, like card here,

291
00:25:11,220 --> 00:25:13,380
it's now where near what it was when it first started

292
00:25:13,380 --> 00:25:15,620
where they had the dream matchups.

293
00:25:15,620 --> 00:25:18,300
Like wasn't it that night in LA

294
00:25:19,380 --> 00:25:21,020
when punk got hurt?

295
00:25:21,020 --> 00:25:25,220
Punk was supposed to take on Tata Hashi.

296
00:25:25,220 --> 00:25:28,220
And it was like AW versus New Japan matches.

297
00:25:28,220 --> 00:25:29,460
They were dream matches.

298
00:25:29,460 --> 00:25:32,740
And you get that with like Kenny Omega and Zach Sabre Jr.

299
00:25:32,740 --> 00:25:37,220
But it's not like you're not having the IWGP heavyweight

300
00:25:37,220 --> 00:25:39,340
champion taken on MJF.

301
00:25:39,340 --> 00:25:42,180
You're not having the global champion taken on

302
00:25:42,180 --> 00:25:43,940
the TNT champion.

303
00:25:43,940 --> 00:25:47,300
It's like it's going to be made evented by

304
00:25:47,300 --> 00:25:50,740
Team Don Callis MJF taking on Team Mark Bersko

305
00:25:50,740 --> 00:25:52,460
probably in the Steel Cage.

306
00:25:52,460 --> 00:25:56,660
Like that's not a New Japan Stardom, CMLLL thing.

307
00:25:56,660 --> 00:25:59,300
Like that's an AW match.

308
00:25:59,300 --> 00:26:02,660
So it has really lost its way since the original Forbidden

309
00:26:02,660 --> 00:26:05,860
Door's probably about like two of them.

310
00:26:05,860 --> 00:26:08,340
And then they just kind of like lost the entire concept

311
00:26:08,340 --> 00:26:09,780
that I don't know why.

312
00:26:09,780 --> 00:26:14,620
So yeah, it's a spawning quote.

313
00:26:14,620 --> 00:26:17,980
I don't think New Japan should partner with AW to this extent

314
00:26:17,980 --> 00:26:18,780
anymore.

315
00:26:18,780 --> 00:26:22,380
I don't think the Forbidden Door pay-per-view is what it used to be.

316
00:26:22,380 --> 00:26:26,140
And basically it's just like a name and a shell of what

317
00:26:26,140 --> 00:26:28,340
what it was intended for.

318
00:26:28,340 --> 00:26:30,500
And that's disappointing because it was really cool thing.

319
00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:32,620
Where it was like this dream match pay-per-view because you

320
00:26:32,620 --> 00:26:36,220
would always wonder like what if AW and WWE did this?

321
00:26:36,220 --> 00:26:38,980
And this was like the close thing that we had.

322
00:26:38,980 --> 00:26:41,580
So New Japan, especially in the United States, is not as

323
00:26:41,580 --> 00:26:43,540
popular as it once was.

324
00:26:43,540 --> 00:26:46,180
Hell, I mean the bullet club shirts were being sold in Hot Top

325
00:26:46,180 --> 00:26:47,940
Ignore, bullet club is no more.

326
00:26:47,940 --> 00:26:49,980
And I just-- I don't know.

327
00:26:49,980 --> 00:26:52,380
I don't know what New Japan gets out of this other than like

328
00:26:52,380 --> 00:26:54,940
hey, their names on it.

329
00:26:54,940 --> 00:26:56,020
I agree.

330
00:26:56,020 --> 00:27:01,500
They look to be obedient to AW quite honestly.

331
00:27:01,500 --> 00:27:02,820
And it's just a point and see that.

332
00:27:02,820 --> 00:27:06,500
And I really think AW should do a better job in helping

333
00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:08,900
promote New Japan, at least in the United States,

334
00:27:08,900 --> 00:27:11,780
because it's not a relationship that's 50/50.

335
00:27:11,780 --> 00:27:14,540
And it is not helping New Japan.

336
00:27:14,540 --> 00:27:15,860
It's not helping start them.

337
00:27:15,860 --> 00:27:18,820
It's not helping CMLL.

338
00:27:18,820 --> 00:27:21,100
To me, the only thing that helps is like giving start

339
00:27:21,100 --> 00:27:24,020
them a platform, giving CMLL a platform.

340
00:27:24,020 --> 00:27:25,460
I didn't think New Japan did.

341
00:27:25,460 --> 00:27:27,780
I think they pretty well established among the wrestling fans,

342
00:27:27,780 --> 00:27:29,820
especially the AW fan base.

343
00:27:29,820 --> 00:27:32,540
And start them to CMLL to that point as well.

344
00:27:32,540 --> 00:27:35,540
But yeah, I agree with the comments.

345
00:27:35,540 --> 00:27:37,700
And I really don't think this should be a pay-per-view

346
00:27:37,700 --> 00:27:39,140
anymore quite honestly.

347
00:27:39,140 --> 00:27:41,580
I think they should go back to just doing AW shows

348
00:27:41,580 --> 00:27:44,060
and if they want to do for BitEndor again,

349
00:27:44,060 --> 00:27:45,300
then give me three matches.

350
00:27:45,300 --> 00:27:49,060
Give me the top star from AW, top star from New Japan, top star

351
00:27:49,060 --> 00:27:51,380
of CMLL, and put in all one match.

352
00:27:51,380 --> 00:27:53,180
And put over New Japan.

353
00:27:53,180 --> 00:27:54,460
Put over CMLL.

354
00:27:54,460 --> 00:27:56,740
AW doesn't need to be put over anymore.

355
00:27:56,740 --> 00:27:59,100
It's established in the United States.

356
00:27:59,100 --> 00:28:03,780
Anyway, AW for BitEndor is upcoming Sunday from the SAP

357
00:28:03,780 --> 00:28:06,780
Center in San Jose, California.

358
00:28:06,780 --> 00:28:09,380
We got a pre-show match here of Divine Dominion taking

359
00:28:09,380 --> 00:28:11,940
on Thunder Rosa on Olympia for the AW Women's World Tag Team

360
00:28:11,940 --> 00:28:13,220
Championship.

361
00:28:13,220 --> 00:28:16,220
I imagine Divine Dominion win that match.

362
00:28:16,220 --> 00:28:17,660
I don't know much about Olympia,

363
00:28:17,660 --> 00:28:21,020
but I am looking forward to seeing what she tags with Thunder Rosa

364
00:28:21,020 --> 00:28:22,300
on Sunday.

365
00:28:22,300 --> 00:28:24,500
Coping Cage defending the AW World Tag Team

366
00:28:24,500 --> 00:28:27,260
Championship against the dogs, David Finley,

367
00:28:27,260 --> 00:28:28,260
Clark Connors.

368
00:28:28,260 --> 00:28:31,420
If this was a year ago, this would be a great AW versus New

369
00:28:31,420 --> 00:28:32,300
Japan match.

370
00:28:32,300 --> 00:28:34,540
But this is all four guys in AW.

371
00:28:34,540 --> 00:28:35,740
I love the Coping Cage.

372
00:28:35,740 --> 00:28:37,700
We're giving the dogs the opportunity

373
00:28:37,700 --> 00:28:40,540
to shine in the spotlight.

374
00:28:40,540 --> 00:28:45,580
And I'm hoping Finley Connors really are showcased here

375
00:28:45,580 --> 00:28:47,540
in a match with Coping Cage.

376
00:28:47,540 --> 00:28:49,460
The young bucks take on L Sky Team,

377
00:28:49,460 --> 00:28:51,640
Mystico and Moscow out of Dorado, who are also

378
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,620
the RWH Tag Team Championship.

379
00:28:53,620 --> 00:28:54,940
Champions from CMLL.

380
00:28:54,940 --> 00:28:56,900
They'll be taking on unbound company,

381
00:28:56,900 --> 00:29:01,020
Shingo Takagi and Teton in a three-way tag team match.

382
00:29:01,020 --> 00:29:02,700
And this is like the point that I make it before.

383
00:29:02,700 --> 00:29:05,860
Put over these teams in AW.

384
00:29:05,860 --> 00:29:09,780
L Sky Team is not the tag team champions in NAW.

385
00:29:09,780 --> 00:29:11,300
They're the tag team champions in our way.

386
00:29:11,300 --> 00:29:14,980
It's like the sister promotion, the lower promotion,

387
00:29:14,980 --> 00:29:17,780
is getting it.

388
00:29:17,780 --> 00:29:18,900
Is where they're getting the love

389
00:29:18,900 --> 00:29:21,180
rather than on the main of AW.

390
00:29:21,180 --> 00:29:22,860
And I'm sure this match will be fantastic.

391
00:29:22,860 --> 00:29:24,340
It almost yield the show.

392
00:29:24,340 --> 00:29:26,020
John Moxley, Defendi AW Cardinal,

393
00:29:26,020 --> 00:29:29,020
Championship against Bandito, Showed a Umano Defendi,

394
00:29:29,020 --> 00:29:31,660
IWGP Global Head of Wave, Championship against Pock.

395
00:29:31,660 --> 00:29:34,740
I really wish that they leaned in a little bit more

396
00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:37,980
with Showed a Umano's relationship with John Moxley

397
00:29:37,980 --> 00:29:38,820
and the Death Riders.

398
00:29:38,820 --> 00:29:41,100
Like that's Moxley's young boy in New Japan.

399
00:29:41,100 --> 00:29:43,380
I don't feel like that story is being touched upon

400
00:29:43,380 --> 00:29:45,460
as much as it should be right now.

401
00:29:45,460 --> 00:29:46,900
Tech lead offense, AW women's role,

402
00:29:46,900 --> 00:29:49,860
Championship against Starlight Kid from Stardom.

403
00:29:49,860 --> 00:29:51,100
I'm really looking forward to that match just

404
00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:52,740
because I've never seen Starlight Kid before

405
00:29:52,740 --> 00:29:54,380
and I've heard great things about her.

406
00:29:54,380 --> 00:29:56,420
Mercedes-Benz A versus Maya World in the women's

407
00:29:56,420 --> 00:29:58,340
Owen Hart Cup Final.

408
00:29:58,340 --> 00:29:59,660
When it earns an AW women's role,

409
00:29:59,660 --> 00:30:01,140
championship match at all end.

410
00:30:01,140 --> 00:30:03,580
Dr. Trey, I haven't talked about this for a while.

411
00:30:03,580 --> 00:30:07,180
It just feels like it's Mercedes, Monae's to win.

412
00:30:07,180 --> 00:30:09,580
The Maya World Senarell Store has been great,

413
00:30:09,580 --> 00:30:10,700
but I really can't connect with her

414
00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:13,100
because every time I've seen her on AW Television,

415
00:30:13,100 --> 00:30:16,660
she's basically been like a jober of sorts,

416
00:30:16,660 --> 00:30:19,100
not where she's been at right now.

417
00:30:19,100 --> 00:30:21,540
Next match here is Kenny Omega taking on Sac State

418
00:30:21,540 --> 00:30:23,260
for Junior, this is a jury match.

419
00:30:23,260 --> 00:30:27,300
Probably a couple years too late.

420
00:30:27,300 --> 00:30:31,380
I love Kenny, but Kenny being signlined

421
00:30:31,380 --> 00:30:33,380
and I think this match was supposed to happen

422
00:30:33,380 --> 00:30:36,540
and he got the hospital out again.

423
00:30:36,540 --> 00:30:38,140
And they needed to remove it.

424
00:30:38,140 --> 00:30:39,820
I think it was last year at the '02.

425
00:30:39,820 --> 00:30:43,180
Kenny certainly isn't like Mrs. Step,

426
00:30:43,180 --> 00:30:45,060
but the height of Kenny,

427
00:30:45,060 --> 00:30:47,980
the height of Zach Saber Jr. CsJ would have been amazing.

428
00:30:47,980 --> 00:30:49,220
They'll still kill it.

429
00:30:49,220 --> 00:30:51,260
This will be a great one, really looking forward to that one,

430
00:30:51,260 --> 00:30:54,140
but I'm a huge fan of CsJ in general.

431
00:30:54,140 --> 00:30:55,860
Will Lost Breast versus Sworps, Rick Lynn Mendes,

432
00:30:55,860 --> 00:30:57,700
Owen Hart Cup Final, with the winner earns

433
00:30:57,700 --> 00:30:59,540
a AW World Championship match at all

434
00:30:59,540 --> 00:31:01,420
and everything it feels to me is like it's pointing

435
00:31:01,420 --> 00:31:03,140
to Will Lost Breast right now.

436
00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:04,700
Because if they don't pull the trigger

437
00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:05,700
and have a little Osprey win,

438
00:31:05,700 --> 00:31:07,380
then what the hell are we watching right now

439
00:31:07,380 --> 00:31:10,340
unless the Death Riders turn on them?

440
00:31:10,340 --> 00:31:14,980
And did Osprey legit fall in the opening segment

441
00:31:14,980 --> 00:31:17,100
there of Dynamite, or was that like a thing to play off

442
00:31:17,100 --> 00:31:20,260
to these some sort of goofball with the Death Riders?

443
00:31:20,260 --> 00:31:22,860
Like what the hell was that all about?

444
00:31:22,860 --> 00:31:24,540
If it was legit, awesome moment,

445
00:31:24,540 --> 00:31:26,260
great improv by everybody.

446
00:31:26,260 --> 00:31:29,340
If it wasn't, then what was the point of that?

447
00:31:29,340 --> 00:31:30,980
What are we doing?

448
00:31:30,980 --> 00:31:32,300
And then finally the main event here,

449
00:31:32,300 --> 00:31:33,980
Team Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassie,

450
00:31:33,980 --> 00:31:35,980
Roger Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, Kenoski, Tukeschi,

451
00:31:35,980 --> 00:31:38,020
and Darby, I'll take it on MJF and then Don Kals.

452
00:31:38,020 --> 00:31:40,220
Family Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle,

453
00:31:40,220 --> 00:31:42,060
'cause it's Dakota and Andrade El Ilo

454
00:31:42,060 --> 00:31:43,260
and a still cage match.

455
00:31:43,260 --> 00:31:45,580
If Team Briscoe wins, Mark Briscoe earns an AW

456
00:31:45,580 --> 00:31:47,860
World Championship match against MJF.

457
00:31:47,860 --> 00:31:52,820
This goes like obviously two ways.

458
00:31:52,820 --> 00:31:54,900
Mark Briscoe and his team win

459
00:31:54,900 --> 00:31:58,100
and then we get the match at the Montreal Pay Per View

460
00:31:58,100 --> 00:31:58,900
in July.

461
00:31:58,900 --> 00:31:59,980
I can't remember the name right now,

462
00:31:59,980 --> 00:32:01,300
not redemption is.

463
00:32:01,300 --> 00:32:04,060
And I feel like that's a TN show.

464
00:32:04,060 --> 00:32:05,780
But maybe it's redemption.

465
00:32:05,780 --> 00:32:08,500
Anyway, like that's the way or the other way

466
00:32:08,500 --> 00:32:09,820
someone on his team.

467
00:32:09,820 --> 00:32:11,340
Obviously it turns on him.

468
00:32:11,340 --> 00:32:13,620
Turns on Mark Briscoe, costs the match

469
00:32:13,620 --> 00:32:16,580
and then they feud and then MJF just goes and does some

470
00:32:16,580 --> 00:32:18,060
for a little bit before going into all of them

471
00:32:18,060 --> 00:32:21,220
where he takes on either Will Osprey or Swarp Strickland.

472
00:32:21,220 --> 00:32:25,020
I think it's more likely that we have the Mark Briscoe

473
00:32:25,020 --> 00:32:27,700
and MJF match at the July Pay Per View

474
00:32:27,700 --> 00:32:30,060
because the last time he's two guys linked up,

475
00:32:30,060 --> 00:32:32,740
heading into that September show last year where MJF

476
00:32:32,740 --> 00:32:34,260
went away for a little bit.

477
00:32:34,260 --> 00:32:37,820
Like great build during the ECW ring shows.

478
00:32:37,820 --> 00:32:39,780
On Dynamite Collision really enjoyed it.

479
00:32:39,780 --> 00:32:41,940
I thought Mark Briscoe really shined in those spots

480
00:32:41,940 --> 00:32:44,500
and showed and proved that he could work as an upper midcar

481
00:32:44,500 --> 00:32:46,420
to main event guy in AW.

482
00:32:46,420 --> 00:32:48,500
I believe in Mark Briscoe.

483
00:32:48,500 --> 00:32:50,180
That's not like a Joe Hendry line like legit.

484
00:32:50,180 --> 00:32:52,860
I think he is like, you know, I talked about Charlot Hill

485
00:32:52,860 --> 00:32:54,700
earlier, you know, those like Mick Foley vibes.

486
00:32:54,700 --> 00:32:56,460
You totally get that with Mark Briscoe.

487
00:32:56,460 --> 00:32:59,940
Like Mark Briscoe could be like that.

488
00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:03,740
He's that blue collar guy that people can relate to.

489
00:33:03,740 --> 00:33:07,340
Never anybody that has like the face or persona

490
00:33:07,340 --> 00:33:11,060
as someone that should be a world champion

491
00:33:11,060 --> 00:33:12,460
for a major brand in the United States,

492
00:33:12,460 --> 00:33:14,300
but he's a former ROH world champion.

493
00:33:14,300 --> 00:33:16,740
He had a run there, right?

494
00:33:16,740 --> 00:33:20,940
With, did he ever run as with the championship?

495
00:33:20,940 --> 00:33:22,540
And I know Jay did.

496
00:33:22,540 --> 00:33:24,260
What you're gonna think here?

497
00:33:24,260 --> 00:33:26,460
Oh, did he ever run?

498
00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:28,700
With the ROH world title?

499
00:33:29,620 --> 00:33:31,260
Where is he?

500
00:33:31,260 --> 00:33:32,100
Ring of Honor.

501
00:33:32,100 --> 00:33:32,940
Yeah, he did.

502
00:33:32,940 --> 00:33:33,780
One world title.

503
00:33:33,780 --> 00:33:34,620
I thought he did.

504
00:33:34,620 --> 00:33:35,860
He had a run with the World Championship.

505
00:33:35,860 --> 00:33:38,380
I've been watching Briscoe for cheese.

506
00:33:38,380 --> 00:33:41,700
He was about 25 years of a shaming man, Kurt Angle.

507
00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:44,180
I mean, I remember seeing him in 2002,

508
00:33:44,180 --> 00:33:46,420
campaign his brother in that first ROH show.

509
00:33:46,420 --> 00:33:48,500
And then reigning about the Briscoe all the time.

510
00:33:48,500 --> 00:33:51,180
I've been seeing them live for the ROH shows in New York City

511
00:33:51,180 --> 00:33:53,580
for, you know, like three years straight.

512
00:33:53,580 --> 00:33:55,420
When they were doing that a lot more,

513
00:33:55,420 --> 00:33:57,260
back in the good old days of Ring of Honor,

514
00:33:57,260 --> 00:33:58,260
huge fan of Briscoe.

515
00:33:58,260 --> 00:33:59,380
Huge fan of Mark Briscoe.

516
00:33:59,380 --> 00:34:01,500
I'm thrilled that he's getting this opportunity.

517
00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:04,060
And I hope we get to the AW world championship match.

518
00:34:04,060 --> 00:34:06,620
Because I think it's a more,

519
00:34:06,620 --> 00:34:08,380
point they should put the title on him.

520
00:34:08,380 --> 00:34:11,220
I think he is a world championship material for AW.

521
00:34:11,220 --> 00:34:13,780
And it would be great to see Mark Briscoe get that opportunity

522
00:34:13,780 --> 00:34:15,540
after what he and his family have gone through

523
00:34:15,540 --> 00:34:17,460
these last several years.

524
00:34:17,460 --> 00:34:21,340
And then finally, we got WWE night of champions.

525
00:34:21,340 --> 00:34:23,900
It's this upcoming Saturday from Kingdom, Arena, and Riyadh,

526
00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:25,500
Saudi Arabia.

527
00:34:25,500 --> 00:34:28,340
We have Tiffany Stratton defending the WWE Women's United States

528
00:34:28,340 --> 00:34:30,660
championship begins Jade Cargill.

529
00:34:30,660 --> 00:34:32,780
I have Tiffany Stratton in this one.

530
00:34:32,780 --> 00:34:34,980
Dr. Trey has Jade Cargill.

531
00:34:34,980 --> 00:34:37,300
I could tell you why I picked Tiffany.

532
00:34:37,300 --> 00:34:40,100
I think Charlotte for their cost, J, this match,

533
00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:44,980
like Jade cost Charlotte in the Queen of the Ring semi-finals match

534
00:34:44,980 --> 00:34:47,540
against Liv Morgan on SmackDown this past Friday.

535
00:34:47,540 --> 00:34:49,380
Like I just can't see Jade Cargill taking

536
00:34:49,380 --> 00:34:51,060
another championship against Tiffany Stratton.

537
00:34:51,060 --> 00:34:52,900
Like that's bad for her character,

538
00:34:52,900 --> 00:34:54,620
for Tiffany Stratton's character.

539
00:34:54,620 --> 00:34:58,740
So I don't think Jade wins this one.

540
00:34:58,740 --> 00:35:01,460
And I think Charlotte costs Tiffany Stratton the match.

541
00:35:01,460 --> 00:35:04,340
Excuse me, Jade Cargill the match against Tiffany Stratton.

542
00:35:04,340 --> 00:35:06,220
Next match, your Trick Williams defending the United States

543
00:35:06,220 --> 00:35:07,700
championship gets Ricky Saints.

544
00:35:07,700 --> 00:35:09,900
We both have Trick Williams in this one.

545
00:35:09,900 --> 00:35:13,140
Yeah, I mean, Trick Williams is super over.

546
00:35:13,140 --> 00:35:15,100
I love that Ricky Saints get this opportunity,

547
00:35:15,100 --> 00:35:19,180
but yeah, I just think you gotta keep the ton on Trick.

548
00:35:19,180 --> 00:35:21,140
Like I love what they're doing right now with Trick,

549
00:35:21,140 --> 00:35:22,380
Ricky Saints, Carmelo Hayes.

550
00:35:22,380 --> 00:35:24,540
I'd love to see some more guys added into this

551
00:35:24,540 --> 00:35:26,700
like where the hell is Elyah dragging off?

552
00:35:26,700 --> 00:35:29,620
Like he was great late last year.

553
00:35:29,620 --> 00:35:31,420
Like I think he was an MVP of SmackDown

554
00:35:31,420 --> 00:35:33,780
and he's just completely gone at this point,

555
00:35:33,780 --> 00:35:35,380
which is a huge bummer.

556
00:35:35,380 --> 00:35:36,780
Like he should be involved in this

557
00:35:36,780 --> 00:35:40,860
and it's the good old days of Mid-Card titles

558
00:35:40,860 --> 00:35:42,660
where you've got young up in commerce

559
00:35:42,660 --> 00:35:45,340
that people give a shit about fighting over that championship.

560
00:35:45,340 --> 00:35:47,300
Maybe trading the titles over here now and again

561
00:35:47,300 --> 00:35:49,580
and potentially even stealing the show.

562
00:35:49,580 --> 00:35:52,860
So Trick Williams is our pick for both this one.

563
00:35:52,860 --> 00:35:54,860
Bronn Breaker versus Seth Rollins, Steel Cage match.

564
00:35:54,860 --> 00:35:57,420
I've got Bronn Breaker, Dr. Trey and Seth Rollins.

565
00:35:57,420 --> 00:35:58,940
Reason why I picked Bronn Breaker here

566
00:35:58,940 --> 00:36:01,060
is because Seth cost Bronn Breaker

567
00:36:01,060 --> 00:36:02,660
and Austin Theory of the Tech Team Championship

568
00:36:02,660 --> 00:36:04,100
upon Raw This Pass Monday.

569
00:36:04,100 --> 00:36:05,940
Congrats to doing new Tech Team Champions,

570
00:36:05,940 --> 00:36:06,900
the Street Profits.

571
00:36:06,900 --> 00:36:08,900
So I think that's where Bronn Breaker gets his come off its

572
00:36:08,900 --> 00:36:11,500
and gets his get back here, his lick back,

573
00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:15,940
they may say, and defeat Seth Rollins in the Steel Cage match.

574
00:36:15,940 --> 00:36:18,060
J.R.O. versus Oba Femi in the King of the Ring tournament.

575
00:36:18,060 --> 00:36:19,460
Final winner is Crown King of the Ring

576
00:36:19,460 --> 00:36:20,580
and earns a World Championship match.

577
00:36:20,580 --> 00:36:22,500
At Summer Slam, I have Oba Femi, Dr. Trey.

578
00:36:22,500 --> 00:36:25,860
It's J.R.O. So you can see it go either way,

579
00:36:25,860 --> 00:36:27,140
which is wild, right?

580
00:36:27,140 --> 00:36:30,460
Like I think any other time, Oba Femi,

581
00:36:30,460 --> 00:36:32,620
you're picking up every single time.

582
00:36:32,620 --> 00:36:35,020
But the relationship with J.R.O.

583
00:36:35,020 --> 00:36:37,980
so in the bloodline right now, maybe having him go

584
00:36:37,980 --> 00:36:41,380
after Cody Rhodes or whoever wins the World Away Championship

585
00:36:41,380 --> 00:36:44,860
at night of Champions and chase that at Summer Slam

586
00:36:44,860 --> 00:36:47,820
is a path to go, but I don't think that's the direction

587
00:36:47,820 --> 00:36:48,660
they go with that title.

588
00:36:48,660 --> 00:36:51,140
I think CM Punk is due to come back soon

589
00:36:51,140 --> 00:36:52,380
and that would be the direction

590
00:36:52,380 --> 00:36:55,540
and then that brings us to Oba Femi winning this one

591
00:36:55,540 --> 00:36:58,100
and setting things up where he would take on Roman Reigns

592
00:36:58,100 --> 00:37:00,140
and that to me screams like Summer Slam

593
00:37:00,140 --> 00:37:01,220
main event match.

594
00:37:01,220 --> 00:37:03,940
Like that is something that I think fans can really, really,

595
00:37:03,940 --> 00:37:06,420
really, really, really get behind.

596
00:37:06,420 --> 00:37:09,660
So I hope Oba Femi wins this and wins the King of the Ring.

597
00:37:09,660 --> 00:37:10,780
It would be old school style there,

598
00:37:10,780 --> 00:37:12,460
like King of the Ring as I mentioned on the show

599
00:37:12,460 --> 00:37:15,420
over the last month, should be used to catapult people

600
00:37:15,420 --> 00:37:19,020
and then like secondarily, like the redemption story,

601
00:37:19,020 --> 00:37:21,500
like a J.R.O. so, but it certainly should not be used

602
00:37:21,500 --> 00:37:26,220
to reestablish top guys like they did with Cody Rhodes last year.

603
00:37:26,220 --> 00:37:28,820
Like this is an opportunity to catapult,

604
00:37:28,820 --> 00:37:30,820
continue to catapult Oba Femi to the top

605
00:37:30,820 --> 00:37:32,140
and that's what I hope they do.

606
00:37:32,140 --> 00:37:35,500
In the same vein, you have EOS guy,

607
00:37:35,500 --> 00:37:37,620
taking on a Women's World Away Champion,

608
00:37:37,620 --> 00:37:39,540
Liv Morgan and the Queen of the Ring tournament final

609
00:37:39,540 --> 00:37:40,820
where the winners crown Queen of the Ring

610
00:37:40,820 --> 00:37:43,460
and it earns a World Championship match at Summer Slam.

611
00:37:43,460 --> 00:37:45,260
We both have EOS guy in this one.

612
00:37:45,260 --> 00:37:47,220
There's no reason for Liv to win this.

613
00:37:47,220 --> 00:37:49,620
Like if Liv, if they're just doing this,

614
00:37:49,620 --> 00:37:52,260
like do a resume builder, fine.

615
00:37:52,260 --> 00:37:54,620
If they're doing this to do something different,

616
00:37:54,620 --> 00:37:56,220
I could kind of get behind that

617
00:37:56,220 --> 00:38:00,420
because we've never seen a champion win a tournament

618
00:38:00,420 --> 00:38:03,900
like Queen of the Ring where the winner gets a title shot

619
00:38:03,900 --> 00:38:06,260
so then she's basically going after both titles

620
00:38:06,260 --> 00:38:08,780
and then we've got reaverses live at Summer Slam,

621
00:38:08,780 --> 00:38:11,220
which is fine, like we could reopen that,

622
00:38:11,220 --> 00:38:12,900
but are we doing title versus title

623
00:38:12,900 --> 00:38:14,300
or they unify the championship?

624
00:38:14,300 --> 00:38:15,580
God, I hope they're not.

625
00:38:15,580 --> 00:38:18,540
I'm going with EO because I think this is an opportunity,

626
00:38:18,540 --> 00:38:21,180
again, someone to Ovefemme to really catapult her

627
00:38:21,180 --> 00:38:25,140
and help her send up the chart as someone.

628
00:38:25,140 --> 00:38:26,500
This would be an ascension,

629
00:38:26,500 --> 00:38:28,020
but this is obviously a redemption story

630
00:38:28,020 --> 00:38:29,700
and I would love to see you as guy.

631
00:38:29,700 --> 00:38:33,460
Get this and add it to her resume and take on Liv Morgan

632
00:38:33,460 --> 00:38:34,780
at Summer Slam.

633
00:38:34,780 --> 00:38:37,260
And then lastly, you've got Cody Rhodes taking on Gunther

634
00:38:37,260 --> 00:38:38,940
in San Luis A and in a triple threat match

635
00:38:38,940 --> 00:38:41,540
for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

636
00:38:41,540 --> 00:38:43,940
Dr. Trayon and I both have Cody Rhodes in this one.

637
00:38:43,940 --> 00:38:46,540
I was so, so, so tempted.

638
00:38:47,460 --> 00:38:49,380
Picking Sammy Z.

639
00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:52,620
But then I really feel like Cody Rhodes

640
00:38:52,620 --> 00:38:54,900
versus CM Punk is on the table for Summer Slam right now

641
00:38:54,900 --> 00:38:57,380
and I think Gunther goes in a different direction.

642
00:38:57,380 --> 00:38:59,500
And I almost wonder at times,

643
00:38:59,500 --> 00:39:02,020
with what they did on Friday's Smackdown,

644
00:39:02,020 --> 00:39:03,940
which I thought was like really good,

645
00:39:03,940 --> 00:39:06,380
entertaining and brilliant booking, by the way,

646
00:39:06,380 --> 00:39:08,620
where the Cody Gunther match were Sammy's,

647
00:39:08,620 --> 00:39:10,500
the special guest referee,

648
00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:13,140
he cost Gunther the match, looks like,

649
00:39:13,140 --> 00:39:14,700
like he should be cheering him as fans,

650
00:39:14,700 --> 00:39:16,740
but they're still basically booing him.

651
00:39:16,740 --> 00:39:18,980
Cody's like, I don't wanna do it this way.

652
00:39:18,980 --> 00:39:20,740
Restart the match, they restart the match,

653
00:39:20,740 --> 00:39:22,180
Sammy comes out, lays out Gunther,

654
00:39:22,180 --> 00:39:23,300
sets up the triple threat match.

655
00:39:23,300 --> 00:39:26,660
I just thought that was really good, old school booking

656
00:39:26,660 --> 00:39:29,780
that makes sense and was entertaining and enjoyable.

657
00:39:29,780 --> 00:39:30,980
And I love that.

658
00:39:30,980 --> 00:39:34,060
If Summer Slam wasn't right around the corner,

659
00:39:34,060 --> 00:39:36,140
I would pick Sammy Z and this one.

660
00:39:36,140 --> 00:39:39,660
But I don't wanna see, I don't want them to do,

661
00:39:39,660 --> 00:39:41,140
and they're backed up in the corner,

662
00:39:41,140 --> 00:39:43,540
why let's say Sammy wins coming out tonight,

663
00:39:43,540 --> 00:39:46,380
champion says that amazing moment in Saudi Arabia

664
00:39:46,380 --> 00:39:48,620
in front of his people,

665
00:39:48,620 --> 00:39:50,780
which I really wish he was like a baby face,

666
00:39:50,780 --> 00:39:53,300
if that's the route that they go.

667
00:39:53,300 --> 00:39:58,300
But anyway, I don't wanna see Sammy then drop the title

668
00:39:58,300 --> 00:40:01,380
to Cody like three weeks, four weeks later,

669
00:40:01,380 --> 00:40:02,620
Saturday night's main event,

670
00:40:02,620 --> 00:40:05,340
and then that sets up the match at Summer Slam,

671
00:40:05,340 --> 00:40:06,260
where Cody is a title like,

672
00:40:06,260 --> 00:40:08,900
I think they want the title on Cody going into Summer Slam,

673
00:40:08,900 --> 00:40:11,580
like they don't want him to not have the championship.

674
00:40:11,580 --> 00:40:14,300
And I don't see a world where like Sammy's champion

675
00:40:14,300 --> 00:40:16,300
and we get a Gunther Cody rematch,

676
00:40:16,300 --> 00:40:19,620
or maybe it's Cody and CM Punk, Gunther and Sammy Zane,

677
00:40:19,620 --> 00:40:21,500
and Fatal Four Way.

678
00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:24,380
Plus, I still believe that like Gunther is being set up here

679
00:40:24,380 --> 00:40:29,380
still to try to retire Brock Lesnar in Minneapolis,

680
00:40:29,380 --> 00:40:32,780
rather than, you know,

681
00:40:32,780 --> 00:40:34,860
having to continue on the World of the Way Championship run

682
00:40:34,860 --> 00:40:37,020
and he's currently going at.

683
00:40:37,020 --> 00:40:39,700
But yeah, that's the thing where I just,

684
00:40:39,700 --> 00:40:42,260
like that would basically be WrestleMania all over again,

685
00:40:42,260 --> 00:40:44,500
the booking of WrestleMania and Cody Rhodes,

686
00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:47,460
would be happy all again if they took the title off of him now,

687
00:40:47,460 --> 00:40:49,300
only to have him chase and then win it back

688
00:40:49,300 --> 00:40:52,740
just before Summer Slam, like that would be so lame.

689
00:40:52,740 --> 00:40:55,620
And would be very, very lazy, lazy, lazy booking.

690
00:40:55,620 --> 00:40:58,700
So, with that said, long-winded answer,

691
00:40:58,700 --> 00:41:00,140
I'm taking Cody Rhodes in this one

692
00:41:00,140 --> 00:41:02,900
to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.

693
00:41:02,900 --> 00:41:06,260
And there you have it, there is our Knight of Champions preview,

694
00:41:06,260 --> 00:41:08,660
that's how we looked at AWF for Ben and Door,

695
00:41:08,660 --> 00:41:10,820
that's where we looked at NXT Great American Bash,

696
00:41:10,820 --> 00:41:13,900
and obviously had the Milestone Annabershers this past week

697
00:41:13,900 --> 00:41:16,140
in the World of Precious and Wrestling.

698
00:41:16,140 --> 00:41:18,660
With that said, let's get a couple plugs and sponsors

699
00:41:18,660 --> 00:41:19,580
out of the way, you can download,

700
00:41:19,580 --> 00:41:22,580
show it patreon.com/srtupodcast

701
00:41:22,580 --> 00:41:23,980
and the store will also show feed,

702
00:41:23,980 --> 00:41:26,220
still will also show feed on Apple Spotify,

703
00:41:26,220 --> 00:41:27,780
wherever you download this podcast.

704
00:41:27,780 --> 00:41:29,340
Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe,

705
00:41:29,340 --> 00:41:32,420
you can follow us individually on X for myself at SRTU Jeff,

706
00:41:32,420 --> 00:41:34,820
ever Dr. Dre Franklin at the Doctor Train, of course,

707
00:41:34,820 --> 00:41:38,700
don't forget to follow us on X at SRTU Podcast.

708
00:41:38,700 --> 00:41:39,860
Usually I say, with that being said,

709
00:41:39,860 --> 00:41:41,340
I was going on the one for World of Dutgery,

710
00:41:41,340 --> 00:41:43,220
Franklin this week, but he's not here.

711
00:41:43,220 --> 00:41:45,420
So he'll be back next week,

712
00:41:45,420 --> 00:41:48,020
we'll recap NXT Great American Bash,

713
00:41:48,020 --> 00:41:49,660
AWF for Ben and Door,

714
00:41:49,660 --> 00:41:51,100
and WWE Knight of Champions,

715
00:41:51,100 --> 00:41:54,620
and maybe we'll even throw in,

716
00:41:54,620 --> 00:41:56,380
we usually do it at the halfway point,

717
00:41:56,380 --> 00:41:59,100
where we look at the awards.

718
00:41:59,100 --> 00:42:01,380
We may do it next week,

719
00:42:01,380 --> 00:42:03,540
even though there's so much to recap with these shows,

720
00:42:03,540 --> 00:42:05,300
or maybe we do it in two weeks,

721
00:42:05,300 --> 00:42:06,980
somewhere we have like an entire show,

722
00:42:06,980 --> 00:42:09,900
where we look at where things are here at the halfway point

723
00:42:09,900 --> 00:42:12,620
of 2026, which is absolutely wild to think.

724
00:42:12,620 --> 00:42:14,140
So say to you about that,

725
00:42:14,140 --> 00:42:15,380
either it's gonna be next week,

726
00:42:15,380 --> 00:42:17,580
or it will be the week after.

727
00:42:17,580 --> 00:42:20,660
So I think that is either the July 2nd episode

728
00:42:20,660 --> 00:42:24,300
or July 9th, but we'll be doing the halfway point award to you,

729
00:42:24,300 --> 00:42:26,180
very, very soon on SRTU.

730
00:42:26,180 --> 00:42:28,100
And we'll also have our boy Dr. Dre Franklin back.

731
00:42:28,100 --> 00:42:31,580
So hope training is going well for him.

732
00:42:31,580 --> 00:42:32,980
Can't wait to see him get back here,

733
00:42:32,980 --> 00:42:34,020
recap these shows with him,

734
00:42:34,020 --> 00:42:36,060
and talk some professional wrestling

735
00:42:36,060 --> 00:42:38,380
with another boy Dr. Dre Franklin.

736
00:42:38,380 --> 00:42:40,220
With that being said, for everybody,

737
00:42:40,220 --> 00:42:43,220
thank you for downloading this week's edition of the show.

738
00:42:43,220 --> 00:42:45,620
Thank you for making us part of your week.

739
00:42:45,620 --> 00:42:46,500
Enjoy the weekend,

740
00:42:46,500 --> 00:42:48,740
enjoy the weekend professional wrestling.

741
00:42:48,740 --> 00:42:50,220
And until next week,

742
00:42:50,220 --> 00:42:53,340
for Dr. Dre Franklin, I am Jeff Peck.

743
00:42:53,340 --> 00:42:55,700
This has been The Stiller of the Show.