WWE Just Changed Everything: Releases, Call-Ups & Post-Mania Fallout | The Still Real to Us Show | Episode #846 – 4/30/26

0:00 It's still real to be damaged! What now? Welcome everybody! Welcome to this week's "The Dispister" on a show Episode 846 for April for you to 2020, 6th, welcome to this week's edition of "SRTU". I am one after the show, I am Jeff Peck, joined every single week for my most woman talking to her friend, Greg Len. Dr. Trey, I am thankfully not on vacation right now, as we were recording this one, right? I'm just thankful you didn't have to get divorced over WrestleMania, the recap show, the vacation, trying to balance all of that stuff out.

0:49 I'm very proud of you, Jeff, like you are a full-grown adult now, being able to matriculate the muddy waters of marriage, fatherhood, and the SRTU podcast. Yeah, the best thing about all of that is pulling back the curtain. I did all of that while they were sleeping almost. So, yeah, so there was like a lot of leeway there. You know, I share it on last week's show, I didn't get to sleep until like 130 those two nights at WrestleMania aired, but the podcast we recorded, my family was like getting ready to go to sleep to start a very early day on our vacation. Yeah, so it's almost like you cheated on your family with me. Is that like I'm the dirt and little secret that you keep hidden in the background?

1:32 Like we can't talk wrestling until everybody's asleep, baby. You know, one of those things. I get you, man, I've been there. Like we've done this show at one o'clock, two o'clock in the morning. I've been in parking lots and, you know, the back rooms of like beauty supply stores record in this show. So it's kind of nice having the shoe on the other foot, where I, you know, I'm your dirty little secret now. Yeah, you know, it's actually not a bad idea, right? If you want to add like a moniker as part of your wrestling persona, like the side piece, Dr. Trey Franklin. Something to think about. The side piece. I'd laugh if it hadn't been my real life. It dies as well. Well, you know, it's crazy. It's like you bring that up.

2:12 I'm pretty sure we record the podcast like 430 or 530 in the morning. Like the days I was working on ESPN and I was coming home from work. I think we were recording in windows when you were available just before your job started because I was working like the late night shift. So I wasn't around at nighttime. Do you remember though? That was like a period of time that was wild. Yeah, I mean, that was my brief dalliance into working at a distribution center. Like I was having to go into like six o'clock in the morning and I had like a two, like almost like an hour and a half drive from my house to that distribution center. And like I would get there purposely early just so we record the podcast. And then I'd go in and work like a 12-hour shift.

2:53 Thankfully that job did not last very long. Yeah, and mine didn't either. And as much as like ESPN was a dream job for me, I made the choice to leave and get out of radio kind of seeing the writing on the wall with like the way things that podcasting are. And now like podcasts are basically being aired as radio shows nowadays. So they have it full circle moment. Another one for the chapter. I just remember at one point, I think I said it on the podcast where I was like just like looking around at my hotel room and me and like, this is going to be an episode I always remember. Where we talk about like running that time, I recorded my, the WrestleMania recap show from my hotel room. Because I booked my trip around the idea that New Orleans WrestleMania, which was a week beforehand, originally scheduled, was going to take place and then they moved it.

3:37 Because that's how nice WWE is. With that said, Dr. Trey, let's get into it. This is a new chapter for a lot of different promotions right now. The two biggest in the United States, both WWE and A.W. The big A.W. news from last week. We did not cover during the WrestleMania show. We will cover that on this week's show. Now that we have a new A.W. World Champion, who is a fighting world champion. But from the WWE environment right now, there's a lot going on. Now there's a lot of changes, some call ups from both the NXT, from NXT into Raw and SmackDown. And from evolve, independent scenes, recent signings into a WWE World Champion. The landscape of World Wrestling Entertainment. This is usually the time when there's a little bit of a refresh.

4:17 The backlash pay per view is kind of always different in a way, because it has that feel that they're changing things around. And we're getting that vibe right now. So on the initial onset of everything that has kicked off in the last 10 days, coming off of WrestleMania 42, Dr. Trey, we're in the review now of the biggest show of the year. Where do you feel like we go from here now, my friend? I mean, I don't know about you, but it does kind of feel like a pretty strong youth movement, rolling through the entire roster from, like you mentioned, like all the new Colbs and NXT, the guys from NXT going up to the main roster, the roster cuts, it kind of feels like they're, you know, setting the table for the next generation, so to speak.

5:03 I mean, I don't know about you though, like the roster cuts, I don't feel like anybody was like a huge name on there. But it is like, you know, you got, we talked about it, you know, the previous show, you got, you know, CM Punk's in his late 40s, you know, Codys in his 40s, Randy Orton's in his late 40s, you know, Romans in his, like you got a lot of top guys who are kind of getting into the end of their career. So it does feel like this was kind of like a transitional WrestleMania leading to what we just saw over the last, you know, we can have with all these new faces in new places, it kind of feels like they're restocking the cupboard for the next decade coming up.

5:44 Yeah, I feel like to me, the biggest, like, change so far is the Roman Reigns stuff. So Roman Reigns, the new World of War, champion coming up, WrestleMania, he says, during the WrestleMania post show, he's going to be around all summer. His first feud coming out of WrestleMania is with his cousin, Jacob Fattu. It feels to me, Dr. Trey, I'm getting these vibes very early. And there were some reports that came out right after WrestleMania that the belief was that he was going to be feuding Reigns, was going to be feuding with Gunther, and hope a family that this is probably the last time we will get Roman Reigns around for like a week to week four months stretch. It's similar to like when John Cena would pop up from time to time towards the end of his active run with the roster.

6:31 And that's the vibe I'm getting right now is that this Reigns run as World Champion isn't meant to hold the title for a long time. It's meant to give us some dream matches, help elevate some guys, and then eventually pass the torch in a way. And I think you're seeing these stages play out where the tip of backlash, pay-per-view, PLE, is set to help make up Jacob Fattu a star. And that's the right move. I think we've all been saying that Jacob Fattu has been a star since he debuted in WWE. And that's where I think the first leg of this Roman Reigns run is going. At some point soon, maybe the night of Champion's pay-per-view in June in Saudi Arabia, if it's still going to be held in Saudi Arabia, will be with Gunther.

7:16 And then I think the big set up here because they typically run the King of the Ring tournament during that same time frame. It usually ends at the June Saudi Arabian show, which would be 9 of Champions, if they still hold it with all the stuff going on the world. Is that Summer Slam is where we get Reigns vs. Oba Femi. And to me, in 2026, the best way I could parallel this is that this Oba Femi run is going to be very similar to Brock Lesnar, in 2002, when he debuted the first night after WrestleMania 18. Back in 2002, and it led to a King of the Ring win. It led to a match against the Rock, who was World Champion at the time at Summer Slam. And I think that's what we get.

7:56 And that, to me, I feel like, is the nucleus of this current rear-view run that they're going to be doing in WrestleMania. I think we get to the fall with Oba Femi as our World Champion. And everything that we're seeing right now is basically Reigns trying to give back to the industry while he can. Have a pretty week to week run. I don't think he's going to be gone after Summer Slam. I just think he goes back to his normal Roman Reigns-like scheduling. And this timeframe is being used to build Jacob Fattu, Gunther, and then eventually Oba Femi when he passes the torch and passes the title to him. That's the vibe I'm getting. That's the nucleus I'm getting for the rear-view of WrestleMania 42 now, Dr. Trey.

8:39 Yeah, I mean, I can't argue that point at all. It makes it sound a sense. If you have Roman around, and this could also be, we talked about Femi so setting up the eventual Jusso turn. And J kind of taking over as a leader of the Travel Chief of Bloodline. So if you set all that up in place to where you get to Summer Slam in Oba, you know, defeat's Roman. And then you come back the Monday after Summer Slam and J takes out Roman for letting the family down. And we get a new version of the Bloodline with J being the heel Travel Chief. And, you know, we've seen, you know, Solo get mentioned, you know, in that promo from Monday night. I think that you don't drop that name in that promo if it doesn't lead back to it.

9:26 And you saw Jacob battling, you know, the MFTs on SmackDown. So I think that's the eventual storyline telling is, yeah, Roman stays on top through Summer Slam, loses to Oba. And then we get the Jusso heel turn with, you know, uniting the Bloodline and the MFTs into one big group as well. Then I think the other legs are the Cody Road stuff. I think is another leg where it just goes back to the tried and true run that they will do in World Wrestling Entertainment where Cody's going to be feuding with Randy for a little bit coming off the eye and reads. It feels like Cody's going to be on the shelf for a little bit with the eye. I don't think he will end up on the backlash card based on everything that we're seeing on television play out.

10:12 And then it eventually goes to a feud with CM Punk, which they tease that that first night after WrestleMania. And then I think the third leg in this Dr. Trey is the most intriguing and probably the one I'm most excited about like the rain stuff. The chance the potential of the rain stuff has me very excited because if they do end up playing out rains past the torture with Oba Femme, I'm just going to really enjoy that as a wrestling fan. But the third part is just I kind of just taking a look at the Women's Division round in WWE. And I don't ever remember a time we've been this stacked with current top stars like Rhea Ripley, like Liv Morgan. Yesterday's Legends in the Bella Twins in a page and then like today's future stars in Roxanne Perez and Soul Ruka.

10:58 And even though she's had a championship run Tiffany Stratton like it is top from top to bottom fully loaded. It is the most amazing, interesting women's division I have ever seen. And I think that really plays a whole role in how WWE is shaped over the next 365 days because they have people like AJ Lee on the shelf. They reportedly she won't be back until probably summer slam time. It felt like she was more part time than then full time anyway. You've got Becky Lynch running around with the Intercontinental Championship. You've got great tag team wrestling from the women right now. That really is the third thing for me. When I look at the rearview of WrestleMania 42, Dr. Trey, he's kind of how the Women's Division paint things moving forward in WWE.

11:42 Yeah, I mean, we had a kind of a glimpse of this a couple of years ago when you had Becky Lita and Trish on the roster along with Charlotte Bailey and Sasha Banks. And then you had the up and coming, you know, Rhea Ripley's of the world, but it wasn't as deep as it is now like from top to bottom. The roster is completely stacked and that's why you're getting some really good tag team wrestling out of it because you're able to kind of slide, you know, your Bailey's Alexa's and Charlotte's and Nia's into the tag team division and pair them up. Maybe not in Charlotte's case, you know, Charlotte Alexa or well, it's that's but you got Bailey and Lyra, Nia and Lash and you can kind of build off of that of those, you know, veteran stars with younger stars and give them some credibility in this process as well.

12:34 And then, you know, you see EO and Becky for the inner continental title, not the world title, but the inner continental title, you're like, damn, that's that's a main event match, you know, three years ago, that's it, that's, you know, you can almost argue that could be a WrestleMania main event. And that's for the mid card top because the roster is so stacked right now, we, you know, and everybody you said you didn't mention Stephanie Vaakor, we didn't mention even Julia Chelsea Green, you know, Jade Cargill, like we got all these women that easily can be the top of the card in any in any promotion at any time. And it's just so thick from top to bottom, I mean, you still got Natalia, who's arguably one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time, and she's still down working with Maxine and some other stuff.

13:24 I mean, it really is a loaded roster and even with, you know, fatal, you know, fatal influence coming to the main roster, you still got Jordan Grace floating around, you mentioned Saul Ruka. You know, you got so much talent, but the NXTs, you know, we had a lot of people move up from NXT, but you still got, you know, your low devices, your Zarya's, your Tatum PAX, please help Blakeman rose on, you know, going to be on the main roster here soon, like it's, it's really, really loaded from top to, it's probably deeper in the women's division right now than it is our, the men's division. Yeah, no, I've never seen the women's division so deep, but I'd even touch upon NXT. I mean, how good NXT is right now with the women's division as well with Tatum PAX Lee, low levyce, Lizzy, Izzy Dame, I mean, there are so many people right now in the NXT women's division.

14:14 I mean, they could legitimately make a fourth brand of female wrestlers in WWE and I think it would be their best brand out of it. It would destroy Ross, Smackdown and NXT just how deep the storylines are so good, the matches are so good. It just makes you wonder like why they can't translate the same thing sometimes to the men's division and even the men's tag team division because they executed so perfectly when it comes to the women on a weekly basis, no matter what show it is, no matter what brand it is. So yeah, there's some stuff that's going on now with WrestleMania 42 and the rearview where we are and I think Dr. Trey, you hit on the head there when we first started the discussion in regards to basically kind of injecting some new life into WWE as we move forward.

14:57 With that life in WWE Dr. Trey unfortunately does come with some, I guess, career deaths in a way as I was tipped off on Friday morning that releases were coming from a source that reached out to me, said that there could be expect releases today anywhere in the like 20 to 40 range and I think we landed on about 25 that were at least announced. I'm going to go through the list here Dr. Trey, we could take a pause and discuss some of the names there and say like give a little bit more of a take on the entire thing. But I want to get your thoughts as like if we go through this and just say like shocked, not shocked or even like who the hell are you talking about.

15:41 Because I think some of the lists here towards the bottom are some folks that probably most wrestling fans aren't aware of but let's get into it. So first name here, Carly Bright, she was working on NXT level up I believe she was doing some stuff and evolve and I think she's on the current season of LFG which I have a bone of pick with LFG anyway, were you shocked or not shocked by this or didn't care. Only because if she's on LFG it is kind of shocking but once again it was just kind of like you know she's been around for a little bit and really hadn't moved up the card at all so I not that wasn't that surprised. Then you've got Chris Island Serena Linton, Truelundin, Tyrone May Steel, these are all LFG Alums, Tyrone May Steel actually won LFG season one.

16:26 I'm not, I'm actually surprised by this because if you want, Dr. Trey, have you watched LFG at all? Parts of season one. I don't recommend it. I think it's one of the worst shows WWE's ever done and I'd say that I don't say that lightly. I watch it because I always have enjoyed seeing like wrestlers come up even though I've not watched a single episode of Evolve. I put on the DVR and I do watch it. Some of these folks had some really bright future. I thought Truelundin, Serena Linton did. I like Chris Island's personality and his attitude towards the wrestling business. Tyrone May Steel seemed like somebody that could be successful as well but they are all being released. I think some of them are on the current season of LFG. Like I mentioned before, an LFG season winner. That to me basically just kills the whole LFG concept that these folks are being released.

17:13 And they're not going anywhere. Actually, there were a lot of people from season one and two that were in the most recent release prior to this, like BJ Ray, who is a big name on the show. He was released from the company. A lot of folks from season one didn't make it. It's like, what are we doing? Like really the only ones who have made it so far is Jasper Troy, season one men's winner. And Shiloh Hill, who is arguably on the path of being one of the top stars in NXT by year end. So I am shocked because of the whole LFG stuff but it just basically proves my point that it's like, what the hell is the point in the show? If you're not watching it, I don't recommend it. And I don't say that lightly. Tyrique Ewe, Tyson DuPont, they were tagging with a little bit with Wesley before he left. Returned back with the Rascals and TNA and now his NAW back as Desmond.

18:01 Exil here Dr. Trey, any shocker? Not shocked by this. I'm not shocked. Not shocked. Once again, like those guys have been with the company for about three or four years now and never really found their niche to get elevated. So it feels like they've already hit their ceiling and this will be a common theme I'll say is like, good, go to the Independence, reinvent yourself and then make them want you. We've seen that path work out now for several guys. We've also seen a path that I'm about to reveal here as well where it comes to retirement. So I'll group all of these kinds of into one here. You've got Malik Blade, Louis Chris of Crucifino, Dante Chen and Andre Chase.

18:45 I'm not surprised by all of them similar to the point that you made Dr. Trey of, you know, they've been around for a long time. I mean, Andre Chase and Dante Chen have probably been in NXT for almost five to seven years. Luca Crucifino, I thought, was a great character in the DeAngelo family. He has since announced that he is retiring for professional wrestling. I'm not surprised by any of these guys. It just seemed like they weren't being used on NXT television while there's talent. While there were times that there was like hope. I thought Chase you could have been called to the main roster. It just ultimately did not work out for them. Andre Chase is a long time veteran part of the Pervado brothers that were in ROH in like the 2000s. He has been wrestling for well over 20 years. You know, you obviously feel bad for a lot of these guys, but not surprised ultimately here Dr. Trey.

19:32 Yeah, I mean, Dante Chen, like never really, I mean, there's nothing about him that I ever went like that's... You see me going, okay, he's a good hand, but I just never sign thing big in him. Luca Crucifino, at your point, I like the character, but isn't he legitimately a lawyer? I think that there is some legitimacy of that. I think he... Is this baseball... Is this like baseball's background too? Yeah, there were really big on these athletes. And they really, none of them have broken out other than, I guess, like, Ola is like the anomaly here, which is part of the thing where... The sidebar on this entire thing is like, NXT is going back reportedly to hiring or going after independent talents, which we saw some of that this past Tuesday.

20:17 So yeah, nothing really shocking there. Alba Fire, I was surprised. She's been paired up with Chelsea Reign. Very, very, very talented woman as Kayleigh Ray, for Manix the UK champion. I was disappointed in that one, Dr. Trey. I don't think she got a fair shot. No, I don't... I think with her, they just didn't... Once they released her former tag partner, I just don't think they knew what to do with her. And that's why she got shoved in with the Secret Hervis, which I thought was actually pretty entertain, but then Piper got hurt. And then we've seen them talk about some people are high on Chelsea in the company in some art. Some people think she's made a card of best, some people think she's made a big talent. So it's one of those things where like, she's Alba Fire is a great in-ring wrestler.

21:02 When she had that look in NXT, I'm like, man, she could really break out. And then she just kept getting saddled with dumb stuff. And I for a while, it's like, you can only overcome so much before the company kind of goes, yeah, we got nothing for you. Yeah, if you don't... If you think Chelsea Green's a mid-cardier out of your mind, I'm do-to-you creative. Apollo Crews, not shocked, disappointed though. I mean, when was the last time out, Apollo Crews was like on television? Wasn't it like, didn't he have the like the 10-man tag with the MFTs? Was it like Sammy? Yeah, right. In Macardona. Yeah, that was the last time we saw him. Like, I still think Apollo's best character was his Nigerian warrior character.

21:46 I still like that one. But yeah, like Apollo, I still think that even though now he's more seasoned, he got stunted in his growth by getting called up from NXT way too soon. Yeah, should have run as champion. If he had had another year or two down there, he could have done a heel character in NXT and then come back up. But when you come up and you're this fun-loving Georgia boy and then all of a sudden you discover your Nigerian roots and a fake accent. And then they flip you back to being fun-loving. That's like the crowd just is never going to buy into that. No, no, no. Chris Saban, Alex Shelley, the Motor City Machine Guns.

22:26 Not surprised, disappointed. I mean, to me, big-time tag team guy, this sucks for the men's tag team division that these guys never really worked on in WWE. Yeah, it does feel like we're paying that cut and the wise as well. It just kind of feels like they're like, yeah, maybe we should just give up on the tag team division for a little while. Because we're seeing a lot of success with the women having these, taking two singles people and putting them together and making them gel and going from there. And maybe that's their thought process behind this where it's like, hey, maybe we don't need the established tag team. Maybe we can just get by with odd pairings or the weird opposites attract mentality or in like Nash and, or I'm just going to call them Nash.

23:09 I guess that would be Nia and Nash, which is being Nash. Like in their case, hey, these two people have similar kind of characters. Let's pair them together. Maybe that's the methodology they're going for for the next year or two, because you know they'll need you or can go back to hiring tag teams in about a year or so. Well, I mean, look who the current champions are. You got Damian, Priest and our truth on SmackDown and you've got Logan Paul and Austin Theory while in the same stable, those were two single guys that were Smack together as a team. So I think you're on to something there. Zoe Stark was released. That was surprising, very disappointed in that. I think she's extremely talented on her way back. I guess she got recently cleared to return from injury. They just never really tapped into her man. She is fun to watch in the ring. Yeah, and I thought Zoe, like when she came back, if they had put her in Piper Niven spot in the secret harvest with Zoe, Chelsea and Alba Fire would have made a lot of sense.

23:58 But once again, we talked about earlier and showed the roster is so stacked. And if you kind of have a history of injury problems, they kind of don't need you right now because there's so much depth they can just kind of focus on the people that are always kind of healthy. So in Zoe's cases, it's a little bit like Dakota Kai's situation from a couple years ago. It's like you're great, but we can't trust you to stay healthy. So, you know, like just go prove yourself that you can stay healthy for more than a year or two and maybe we'll bring it. And Zoe's still young. I mean, I fully expect these Zoe Stark back in WWE within the next couple of years. Just go out, get healthy, get some ring time, and then they'll probably bring her back.

24:42 Someone that they did bring back about a year ago, Alistair Black and his wife, Zalina Vega, now both released. That was surprising. It's disappointing. Again, that he has been released. There, I feel like he is someone that could be a world champion level talent. Everybody was saying online. I guess I'll go back to AW, AW, talents came out and said, nope, don't want them. There seems to be some issues there on his way out. And then also appears to be some injury concerns, Dr. Trey, that his back is not that healthy. Hence, one of the reasons why he couldn't go in the ring like he used to. I was disappointed to see this, Dr. Trey. I don't feel like he got a fair shake as return on the main roster in WWE when she was back there.

25:23 And now it's like, what's next for me? I guess maybe TNA? I don't know, if you could go back to AW, your thoughts here is Alistair Black and Zalina Vega been released. I was moderately surprised, but for a guy that you and I have followed Alistair Black since even when he was wrapping up his Tommy hand before he came to WWE in part of NXT, you're like, man, he's got so much potential because he doesn't wrestle like anybody else. Like he is so different from whatever else you see. But I don't know if it's, I don't want to say poor writing because he was on top of NXT, but it's like they could just never tap into it.

26:06 Either they couldn't tap into it or he couldn't tap into like that next level. And just every time something got started to get hurt or dinged up and it was short circuit. And that's kind of the things. There's like, you got to maximize your return on investment with some of these guys. And in a year, I feel like he was in the same spot now that he was a year ago when he came in. So it's just kind of like, and I saw some, maybe it might have been hair bitch off. I saw him on somebody talking backwards like he just never wants to seem to evolve the character. Like it's always kind of the same character. And even this last evolution, you and I talked about it was basically just stealing the carry on Cross and Scarlett gimmick.

26:50 So I don't feel like he's ever really stepped up since he came into NXT and AEW. Yeah, cool entrances, cool music, cool look, great in re wrestler, but there is something that's just not resonating throughout the entire audience. Like there are those core niche groups that love him to death, but there's just something that's not translating to everybody. Yeah, there's also a theory out there right now that WWE for folks in TKO don't like the paranormal dark characters, which lends to the next group here as all the entire group, the wide six bowdow, the punkle outy, Nikki Cross, Joe Gaze, Eric Rohn, Dexter Lumens, all released. The highest point for the wide six was their debut, and that was really it.

27:41 I love the dark horror like characters, and I think you like them a lot more than I do, Dr. Dre. And as much as nobody wants to talk about this in, in Bre why it's passing, I think it's something that just reminding me of this once this release happened, because even when Bre why it was around and he was starting to when he was doing the fiend gimmick, it just felt like either two things. It plateaued hit a glass ceiling, and that was really at the fiend character, or WWE creative didn't know what they were doing. And I think people are either on one of those sides of fence, and I don't know which one is the right answer. I gotta be honest with you, because there were times that I thought that the wide six were extremely boring.

28:27 Did not enjoy their stuff. It did not resonate well. I did not like them as they attacked him champions. Them as a group, it seemed weak at times. But then the other part of me goes, is it their fault as performers that it wasn't getting over, or was it WWE creative because they didn't put them in the right spots? Because there were times where the fiend character was phenomenal as Bre why when he was booked well. When he reached a point where it's like, okay, how much farther can we push this? They really didn't know what to do with it. And that's so surprising because they had the undertaker for the longest time. And the undertaker was one of the most successful gimmicks, and he was a dark horror type character.

29:09 I don't know what the right answer is, Dr. Trey, I was disappointed in this release, but I wasn't surprised at all, just based on how they were booked, especially on their way out when they took the Elf from the MFTs. It just felt like they, whether it was them as characters and as a group, or WWE creative, or both collectively as a group and as creative, they were only going to go so far, and it just never reached the full potential it had when they first debuted. Yeah, I think for one part of who was the injury situation like bowdowes can't stay healthy. I think the second part of that is as a group, they were kind of pigeonhole.

29:50 I think WWE almost felt obligated to make them baby faces because of brace passing. And it's really hard to root for horror characters like we like them. But like no, we all go watch Friday 13th to see Jason, but then we want to see Jason be the villainous mass murderer and then the scrappy underdogs take them down like Freddie Krueger, like Michael Myers. They're never the good guys in these movies. They're still the villains, they're still the bad guys and it's kind of hard when you have characters that had, I think that's why they tried to do the whole humanizing them early on with those, you know, the Dexter Lumis promos, the air growans, like they did that to try to humanize the characters.

30:35 So when they got defeated, it was more like it wasn't the supernatural version. It's the human eyes were just kind of like the demon with infant valor. It's just hard as a group to be booked as baby faces because you have the numbers advantage as well. So I think it was a combination of injury, poor booking. Five of the people in that group, I'm not surprised they got released. I'm not surprised at Lumis. He's been released for air growing, been released for Nikki Cross has been released for four, but Joe Gacy was surprising because Joe Gacy, we saw him in NXT, super talented performer, had the cult gimmick, you know, all that I think they're, I think and I saw people come out like Joe Gacy's an inspiration to a lot of guys on the Indies.

31:20 I think you could have held on to Joe Gacy and repackaged him and done something with that, but really I think there was a combination of bad timing, bad booking, injury bugs and, you know, with that injury, they were never around long enough to really get a following. Like I don't know you, I think some people like there are fans that felt almost obligated to cheer for them because of braze passing. Yeah, I think you're right. Yeah. You know, and so without a die hard fan base cheering you on, what do you do with that? There's only so many groups you can put them up against to have the numbers to kind of even it out.

32:00 The MFTs were even hurt like last year when he was feigning with, you know, the American, was it American Alpha? No, American Alpha? Yes. American Alpha, Chad Gables group. Chad Gables group was the heels and they were still outnumbered five to four. So it's kind of hard to cheer on people when they have the numbers advantage as well. So I still, to this day, I'm like I said, you know, when they debuted almost two years ago, if their book does heels, they'll be good. If you book him his baby faces, it's hard to root for somebody when they have all the advantages. There's no like and when they lose, you're like, well, that just doesn't make sense like it's hard to book big baby face groups like that. Yeah, no, I agree with you. I think if they were heels a bit to different story, but they weren't a tough spot because they wanted to pay tribute and legacy to Bray Wyatt and they certainly did.

32:53 And in the same sense, they also, you know, we're going to get cheered by the fans because people were excited for it. It was a great, great moment on Monday night. Well, one of the best of that year when they debuted and unfortunately did not pan out well was almost like dead on arrival, all pun intended there for the Y at six. And then the last one here, Dr. Trace Kyrie saying I was surprised at a disappointment that she's been released. She was involved in that EOS Kai, Oscar storyline that is actually going to be playing out at backlash. A lot of fans and co-workers alike were upset about the release. There was a lot of trends that were going on. A similar push to when our truth was going to be let go by the company. There was a report out there that Kyrie saying reported the asked WWE to let her go so that she could return in Japan. I don't know if that's been verified yet from Kyrie saying side.

33:42 But I was disappointed to see that Dr. Trace Kyrie because I did find her to be a great in-ring worker enjoyable character and she was involved in a very top storyline on Raw right now with EOS Kai and Oscar. I mean, it's playing out at the PLE. It was supposed to play out at WrestleMania 42 and here she is released just before they're going to cultivate that feud in less than 10 days. Yeah, I'm surprised. I don't know. I don't want to say this is kind of normal for Kyrie, but we've seen it before where she is. The first time she was released, she wanted to go back to Japan. She went back to Japan. She realized she wasn't happy in Japan. She wanted to come back. She came back. And now the story is she wants to go back to Japan. What do you do with that person? Like you can't make somebody stay who's miserable if she's happy. You have to do that.

34:34 I've never been the biggest Kyrie fan. She's a great, well, I want to say great. She's a really good in-ring wrestler. The pirate princess character kind of wore thin on me pretty quickly. I like the last couple of incarnations of her more than that one. But I don't have the affinity for her like I did for when our truth got released. And if it is true that she wanted to go back, hey, then WD did right by her by letting her go. And the fact that she was wanted to go back in the middle of the storyline would look bad on her. Now if the story is not true and somebody from TKO or somebody sells me, well, she's not wrestling. Let's just get rid of her. Then that's shitty on their part.

35:24 And then you see the tribute going back and forth from like EO to her and from her to EO is like, well, I mean, if she was so happy being there with her best friends, why does she want to leave? So that's why I don't know where the truth really lands in this. I think it was the way to Irish side comes out. But it was surprising because it is in the middle of a storyline during WrestleMania and post-Restrel Mania season. It's kind of weird to see something like this happen. But then again, we kind of saw Alice or Black because he was kind of involved in that Sammy Zane Trick Williams storyline as well. And he also was playing a little bit of a role of the Ray Neworton turn before they went to Pat McAfee as we discussed in the last couple of weeks during the podcast.

36:06 With the releases, Dr. Trey, there are always call-ups and then changes to NXT. So there's been some call-ups in NXT, Soul Rooka, Ethan Page, and Joe Hendry appeared on Raw while fatal influence, JCJ and Fallon Henley and Lanyne Reed, Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints are headed to Smackdown coming up to NXT from either of all or signings that they did. You've got evil from New Japan Pro Wrestling, the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, made his debut on Tuesday. Will Cross from overseas there in England of progress. Wrestling who's extremely talented, Lizzie Rain, who was a recent signing. Tristan Angels, who I think was performing in a vault from what I've read, Kim Hendrix, who was on LFG and also performing on a vault.

36:55 And then Tate Wilder, who was performing on a vault as of late all made their debut. Looking at the call-ups, Dr. Trey. So from the Raw side, Soul Rooka, Ethan Page, Joe Hendry, which one of those do you think has the biggest impact in their rookie year on the main roster? I'm gonna go with Joe Hendry. I think that's been something that they have been wanting. I mean, the guy, I mean, what a year and a half ago, he was in TNA. And they went from like kind of mid-car TNA, TNA World Champion, getting the special treatment in the rumble, then getting these NXT matches when he was still in a TNA contract, then getting signed NXT, then becoming NXT Champion, and then on to the main roster in about a year and a half.

37:38 I think that's somebody that they really believe in. I don't know about you. I was bummed that Ethan Page went to Raw because I was really hoping they'd put Ethan Page in Chelsea on the same show. And then Matt Cardona, and then you have this weird triangle of Ethan Page, Matt Cardona in Chelsea. I was kind of hoping for that. But I think Ethan's gonna be like a solid upper mid-car to got on Raw. I do think Soul Rooka will have a really, really good year because I think they have a lot of faith in her. But it was weird they called her up on Monday night and then Tuesday she went off that platform through the tables on NXT to write her off. I'm like, did you really need to write her off if she was already on Raw?

38:18 But it's fine. They had to finish Nazariah's storyline. But I do think that they have a lot of faith in believes in you. I think WWE believes in you, Henry. Yeah, I don't see why they should it. And then from the SmackDown side, Fatal Influenza had a huge debut this past Friday on SmackDown, Blake Monroe and Ricky Sainz, who do you think has the best rookie year on the Blue Brand? I'm probably gonna go Blake Monroe because I think a Blake Monroe rear-ripply match is in the cards for about summer slam time. So I'm probably gonna leave Blake with a row. I don't, like I like Fatal Influenza. I like, I like Fallon Henley. I like JC Jane. I don't know how much I believe in Laney Reed yet.

39:03 They got the rocket ship on Friday, Dr. Traynade. A lot of people have gotten that type of debut their first night. No, I mean, that's a big push. I still think that, I mean, Blake Monroe is arguably their biggest free agent signing in the last couple of years. So I still think there's more meat on the bone for Blake Monroe because she is also by herself. Like you can do Blake Monroe and Ricky and Blake and go into our crazy mode that we all know and love. I think long term, maybe maybe one year one, it might be Fatal Influenza, but I still think Blake Monroe by the end of the year is, you know, main event challenging for the women's title on SmackDown. And then let's look at the NXT changes their evil will cross Lizzie Reigns for San Angel's Cam Hendrix Tate Wilder. Who do you think has the biggest year on NXT in the next 365 days?

39:52 It's really trick is I don't know how long evil is going to be on NXT. Like I mean, I can see him coming in for a little bit and then getting moved to the main roster because I'm in some former IWGP World Champion. I really like Lizzie Reigns. >> Yeah, she's good. >> And it's a little bit of Tony Storm, but it goes back. It's almost like if Wendy Richter and Tony Storm had a baby is what Lizzie Reigns is. It's a little bit that throwback 80s metal hair, but it's she's fantastic. The guys, I don't want to say they're not a diamond dozen. I just haven't, like I thought Tristan A's was, I thought that was Elton Prince at first.

40:33 I was like, oh good Elton's back. And they're like, I'm in my name's Tristed Angels. I'm like, okay, you're not Elton Prince. Okay, fine. The guys, I don't know. To me, I see Lizzie Reigns, I see Star. >> Well, Cross looks like he could be a big deal, man. >> Yeah, like in John Cena already kind of gave a stamp of approval on Twitter for him. So maybe that probably be where I hedge my bet. But then again, you're seeing a lot of like, you know, Tavy on Heights got involved in that storyline at the end with evil and will and Tony D. So sometimes we see these like big debuts and there's nothing goes there. I'm still just kind of, I need a little bit more.

41:16 I need to like another couple of weeks of these guys to kind of figure out like where I would stack them and write the guys. I would say the only issue I had with Will Cross's debut is that they're like, is this a fan? Like they should have probably put a little bit more behind that. And they made him cut his hair. You got to leave that mullet on there. But you have very, very cool, cool stuff going on. And I see where the Cummings and Goins there and evil be in WWE is really intriguing to me. Yes, Dr. Trevor. >> And then how did you know that you signed this guy and you haven't come up with the name yet? >> Who evil will cross? I mean, both those guys, right? >> Yeah, it's like, I mean evil, we've talked about that back in like what January? >> That was the one or more, yeah.

41:56 >> Yeah, like if you're pretty sure he's coming, how have you not already cycled through names? I did like that when they went like, was that a gift of respect or gift of pure evil? And I was like, okay, I love the little wordplay there, but I'm like. >> Vic Joseph does that a lot. >> Yeah, like seriously, like you haven't thought of a name yet at this point. If you haven't got my name, just call him evil and just put an extra E on the end of it or something. >> Something along those lines. And then lastly here, Dr. Trey, this was something that was part of last week. We did not cover because it was WrestleMania, but it was a huge deal. It was an attempt from AW to steal headlines and during WrestleMania week and they certainly pulled that off.

42:36 We have a new AW World Champion and it's finally happened in his one Darby Allen long overdue putting the title on him. He is now defending the World title each week. He had a great match two weeks ago with the Mosul Champa, this past Wednesday with Brody King. He takes on Kevin Knight next Wednesday as well. It's a lot of fun he's doing this until the wheels fall off. It's very Darby-esque. I don't imagine that this is going to be a long title reign because of that, how this usually goes. My concern is Darby ending up like a Rey Mysterio and Daniel Bryan as World Champs. Smaller guys that when you look at them on your television screen as much as respect that I have for both Rey Mysterio and Daniel Bryan. They never came off as like someone that is your World Champion.

43:21 It pains me to say that, especially with Darby as well, but you look at Darby and he looks like somebody that you'd run into at Hot Topic in your local mall. You could potentially beat the shit out of it all honesty. I still think Darby Allen would kick my ass, but I'm sure there's people out there that feel otherwise. Thoughts overall here Dr. Trey as we have a new AW World Champion Darby Allen and what is the longevity for Darby as the World Champ? Yeah, I mean what you said is very accurate. That's kind of what I think too. I think this is kind of not so much a reward me because how we've been talking about this is John Moxie was a World Champion that we kind of felt like all this was to lead to Darby beating John Moxie and it wasn't the case.

44:03 But I don't want to say it's like a participation award or hey thanks for sticking with the company all these years. Darby is a fantastic wrestler and Darby is a fantastic talent and gotten so much better at promos and everybody who works with him loves Darby Allen. I mean from sting to Swarth Strickland all these Daniel Brown, Brian, he also they all love Darby. So I get why they made them move in plus it gives his character credibility down the line when you put him in the ring with bigger guys. I don't think this is a long term solution because or a long term thing because undersized baby faces. It's really hard to book those guys who are talking about with the whites baby faces.

44:45 It's really hard to book the undersized baby face as being a dominant champion. He always has to feel like you slip on the banana. We saw Emily Hell you mentioned you know, Ray Missy or Dairman CM Punk in his first title. It wasn't pretty Jeff Hardy. It wasn't until they got more established. They got longer title runs. Daniel Brian's best title run was when he was a heal and he was trying to save the planet. He had the the hemp title but he also had Eric Rowan behind him. Yeah, Peter. Yeah, so I mean as a baby face, it's usually short runs and then they're better on the chase. So I mean, it's been plus not to mention the AEW title looks like it might almost outway Darby Allen.

45:27 So I don't how he hasn't fallen over whole meth thing. I haven't figured out yet. I must admit they did like a little bit of a tribute video of his time in a W on Wednesday's dynamite that I thought was really cool because he is a day one guy he has been really involved in his evolution as a character as a performer has been really interesting and intriguing. And if it wasn't for a company like a W guy like him, we may never have heard about quite honestly. I don't think he fits the WWE mold. I don't think you would be successful in WWE and he is a great performer. He is a great in-ring worker. I'm happy that he's a W world champion. But the way that he's being booked and the way that he is is viewed makes you think that this title run is going to be very short lived and somehow leads leads back to MJF.

46:08 I mean, he's like, I want you to put something on the line that is valuable to me and it's like, well, what is what is he looking for from MJF that is valuable to him. I don't really think it's the dynamite diamond ring. Well, yeah, it's as precious. I mean, literally like Lord of the Rings in a sense. I mean, he tried using it in the match with Kevin Knight. I think that's going to be when it comes down to me, the ring versus the title. Do you think he has had that ring for like four years? Do you think he does something like you have to let Hangman challenge for the title? It's possible. But like if I'm Darby, like, why do I bring another person in the mix that would then jump the line in front of me if I lose the match?

46:52 The Darby character doesn't give a shit about that. The Darby character doesn't care about dropping the champion ship. I know and I get that. But like, just to me, it's a little bit of like common sense. Like, well, I mean, if I lose Hangman can challenge which means I might not get my rematch hangman jumps me. I don't get my chance to get the title back because they don't talk about you know, we don't have those like confirmed rematches like we had in WW like the written in rematch clause. Because we see MJF trying to get a rematch and Darby's like, I don't have to give it to you. So I mean, I mean, it's a good option. I think the most important thing to MJF is is that diamond ring because that's the one thing he's held almost as dear to his heart as the triple B has been that ring because he's had it to win matches for four years.

47:43 So if you take that away from him, that's his kind of who to draw to cheat and win. So it's and then you know, then Darby can take the ring and throw it into a like a fire or something or a ball. Yeah, yeah, drive it with a quad and then flipping it through a yeah, yeah, into a pond. So much crazy stuff. I do love this. This is like really the first time we've ever seen like a world champion do an open challenge every single week, which is really cool. I hope that they run with us for like three months. It just feel like it's short live, but I hope it keeps going. And I think if people opportunities in the championship so that when we can look back after, you know, very short time and say what was our favorite match during that dynamite run of Darby is world champion defending the title that we could sit there and say those things and make it memorable.

48:26 So I am digging what they're doing again, I will say this as of April the 30 May starts tomorrow, the first four months of 2026, AW has been the best promotion going right now. It has been phenomenal run that they are on right now both creatively in ring wise and everything and they're just really, really fun to watch right now and Darby winning the AW World Championship. See on some headlines around so many week was a very good business decision by Tony Khan and creative and company for a w with that said, let's get a couple plugs and sponsors out of the way. Let's close up shop on this week's edition of the show. Dr. Trey you can download the show over at patreon.com/srtupodcast you could sign up for free and join the show there. And you can also check us out on the stairwell that show feed on Apple Spotify, wherever you download this podcast don't forget to rate and subscribe.

49:12 You can follow us individual on extra myself at SRT you Jeff and for Dr. Franklin at the Dr. Trey and of course don't forget to follow the show on X at SRT you podcast with that being said, let's take it over to Dr. Trey who has a very big week ahead and a very big week ahead my friend. Well, like Jeff said you can follow me on X at the Dr. Trey you find me on Facebook and Instagram Dr. Trey Franklin. When you're on Facebook be sure to check out Rockestiny Championship Wrestling because this is the week of wrestling con nine coming up from the Rockest City arena and lovely Hazel Green, Alabama. Headline by for Rockest City fans maybe a dream match. It's it's very call off versus scrap iron lose versus Luther X maybe the three pillars of Rockest City over our nine year run.

49:58 They are headlining the show in a winner takes all match for the Rockest City world and television titles in a TLC match. We're also going to have Sin Bodie on the card action Mike Jackson Johnny Swinger. Lance Anowai, Mickey Knuckles who's one of the best female death match wrestlers in the country. Alex Taylor former NWA junior heavyweight champion that you can see competing as part of the Southern six in NWA wrestling brick Aldridge who's been in AEW just a really, really top to bottom solid card for wrestling con nine coming up this weekend.

50:38 If you can't make it out to Hazel Green, Alabama because you probably can't find it on a map is kind of hard to small little dot but if you can't make it out there. We can only send you to page YouTube dot com slash Rockest City Championship Wrestling and check out the highlights in the videos from this week's upcoming wrestling con nine support all the great things that support this tell real to show and keep showing some love over there. Rockest City Championship Wrestling or Rockest City Wrestling wrestle con this weekend over on YouTube and give our some love to our one and only doctor Franklin will be behind the stick right you'll be commentating. I yeah I'm doing commentary I've actually been able to outsource some of my ring announcing duties which was so nice last show I was able to let somebody else kind of carry the torch but I'll still be your Rockest City general manager and play by play guy for wrestling con nine.

51:31 So you go support other great things that support SRT you thank you for downloading this week's this show thank you for making this part of your week for everything that you could check out from the you your wrestling fandom again join us over at patreon.com/srtupodcast it is free for you go there and support the show enjoy the weekend enjoy everything that's going on the world professional wrestling and until next week when we get you ready for WWE backlash in Tampa Florida for doctor. For Dr. Tray Franklin, I am Jeff Pack. This has been The Sturler Show.