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Episode 27: "I May Not Have The Title, But I Have This!" Feat. WWE's Extreme Rules & NJPW's G1 Climax
51 Plays7 years ago
The time is finally here my friends! This week Garrett & Derrick choose a winner for the All In ticket giveaway! Also, the boys chat about Extreme Rules, the start of the G1 Climax and the controversy of Hulk Hogan's reinstatement!
Remember to rate, review and subscribe! If you have any questions or matches you'd like us to talk about email predeterminedpodcast@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Ticket Giveaway Announcement
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of Predetermined, a pro wrestling hangout. I'm your host, Garrett Callender, and with me, as always, a man!
00:00:07
Speaker
who is very, very prepared to give you a pair of tickets to all in. Derek Halpin. I've never been more prepared for anything in my life. I am excited as hell for this episode. I'm excited as hell for this announcement. I just, oh, we've been building to this thing for a couple months now and it's a big episode for us and it's a big episode for one of our listeners.
00:00:31
Speaker
It really feels like this has been like the build of Roman Reigns getting to this belt. It feels like it's been four years coming. Yeah, it feels like it's been a long time, but today is the day and someone's gonna end up being pretty lucky. Someone is gonna be all in, Garrett. Who is it gonna be? We're about to find out. Hit our goddamn music.
00:01:26
Speaker
Oh, man. So what is there to say about this other than September 1st, man? We've been looking forward to this just for ourselves because that's a huge weekend for us. But it's kind of cool that we get to give back to one of our listeners. And now we're going to find out who that is. Thank you to everyone who has
00:01:51
Speaker
put their name in by writing us a review. It's been very, very helpful for us. And I don't know what else what else do we say, man? For real. Thank you from the bottom of our heart. Thank you for getting on there. I know, like you did it to win tickets, but some of you did it because you love us to death.
Podcast Growth and Episode Milestones
00:02:09
Speaker
And I appreciate that more than anything. Seriously. Thank you for listening to our new listeners. Welcome. We got quite a few new listeners after the Hoodslam show.
00:02:19
Speaker
Well, you know, we've had people who we know, we've had friends enter this contest, we've had tons of people who we have no idea who the hell they are, and that's even more exciting because it means we are attracting new people to the podcast. But we just want to thank everybody as a whole, people who know us, people who don't really know us, and this has been fun. Thank you for sitting on the couch with us these last 27 episodes. Or however, I don't know, we did bonus episodes in the beginning, but those died.
00:02:48
Speaker
It's hard to keep track, man. We're getting to a point where it's gonna be really hard to just keep track of where we're at, and we hopefully have a few hundred more episodes coming, so.
All In Ticket Winner Announcement
00:02:57
Speaker
Well, Derek, is it time?
00:03:00
Speaker
Well without further ado I think it's time for us to draw a random name out of a hat. You know what you take over the process here. Yeah I'm flipping this over to video and I'm going to record myself on a laptop so that you people know that I'm not cheating. Be honest be fair.
00:03:20
Speaker
Okay, so we're talking about this on the podcast right now, so you're gonna hear this as well. I'm pointing at a video screen. I'm taking a predetermined, a pro wrestling hangout hat. It's part of the deal. You're gonna get this sweet, sweet hat unless you say, Garrett, I'm not a hat person. Then I'll say, I'm not gonna force this hat on you. But let's open this thing up and start filling it with names. Oh, Luke Shemp, is it going to be you? Will it be you? Oh, will it be, will it be, will it be Steven Jensen?
00:03:49
Speaker
I don't know, will it? You know what, I'm gonna hurry up. Is it Mike Beckstrom? Is it Johnny Delgado? Is it gonna be Joshua DeVillers? I bet this is an annoying video, cause they're like, he's throwing all the names in the hat. That's not fun to watch. Who's it gonna be? We've got all the names in this hat. Shuffling them around, shuffling them around. Who's it gonna be? Who is it? It is. I've got it right here in my hand.
00:04:19
Speaker
Jace Green. Wow. I don't know you, Jace, but you just got two tickets to all in. We will see you there, my friend. Jace, have a great weekend, buddy. Come see us at Starcast, wear this hat around, and spread the word of the podcast. Love you, Jace. I bet that's weird that I just blew him a kiss in this video. It's a little weird. I'm still talking about it, too. But either way, Jace, you're all in. Thank you for listening, and congratulations.
00:04:48
Speaker
Congratulations to Jace Green. So we had somebody that we're not even too familiar with win a couple tickets to all in. And by too familiar with? Don't know this person. But you know what? I'll probably meet him there, I'd hope. I think that's the plan, right? That's the plan. I'd like to meet, I'd like to meet whoever we're giving tickets to.
00:05:07
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we kind of have to, right? I mean, I feel like they might be my new best friend. They didn't know that was part of the package. They have to be your new best friend. And they get the hat. The hat's apparently optional, but your friendship is not. No, no, the hat, you can do whatever you want with the hat. But my friendship,
Current State of Pro Wrestling Discussion
00:05:26
Speaker
don't you fuck around with that.
00:05:29
Speaker
very how you feeling man uh jace green what do you did is that somebody that's contacted us on social media at all i don't think so i don't jace you need to hop on the the twitters and chat with us more because there's a party going on over there man that'd be that'd be that would be very splendid
00:05:46
Speaker
But either way, congrats to him. It's time to talk about pro wrestling. Now that that's over, and we have determined who will be joining us at the Sears Center on September 1st here in Chicago, Illinois. There were some good names in here. There were some wrestling sounding names. There was a Cody Hogan in here. Cody Hogan. Somebody who's not in the WWE and somebody who has just recently let back into the WWE.
00:06:13
Speaker
Yeah, that's something we could definitely talk about today. Well, Cody, I'm sorry you didn't win, but your name has now got us talking about Hulk Hogan.
00:06:20
Speaker
Well, this was such a controversial thing to kind of break in the last, what, 24 hours. This happened yesterday, right? Yeah. Or I guess it happened at Extreme Rules. Yeah, it happened on Sunday. Yeah, because everybody was, to all be honest, I was expecting it to be Hulk Hogan, Roman Reigns, main event, dropping the leg,
Debate on Hulk Hogan's Reinstatement and Public Forgiveness
00:06:41
Speaker
brother. Oh, man. I know some people were predicting he was going to be the tag team replacement for Kane, but I don't think Hogan can move at all.
00:06:49
Speaker
How do you feel about him getting reinstated in the Hall of Fame and allowed to work with WWE again, man? I feel weird about it. I don't think everybody as a whole has forgiven him yet. Sure. Or if that will ever happen.
00:07:09
Speaker
Probably not with some people. I mean, I don't know how to feel about it in particular. There's some weird stuff with racism in media where, you know, like Mel Gibson said his fair share of racist things and everybody was just like, eh, it's old Mel. Give him three years and let's go see a movie that he's in.
00:07:29
Speaker
Yeah, I think Mel Gibson got plenty of opportunities to redeem himself. I'm not saying that you have to give Hulk Hogan your forgiveness, that'd be absurd for me to suggest that he's entitled to that. It's... I feel like the company has employed people who have done way worse, though, right? I mean, that's not a good excuse, though. It's like, who's the best bad guy there? I mean, they've definitely employed murderers. They've employed, uh... Yeah. This is... Domestic abusers?
00:08:00
Speaker
yeah people uh people there's a big one of those that people forgave actually very quickly yeah um i've talked about it before i think it's it's sort of a no-no subject in the pro wrestling community and i'm not really going to shy away from it i i am a fan of stone cold steve austin i think a lot of people who listen to this podcast are fans of stone cold steve austin
00:08:22
Speaker
It's pretty well documented that he had a pretty rocky relationship with his ex-wife Deborah. I do not know the exact details, but it's been accepted that he beat her on multiple occasions. There wasn't a three-year suspension. He wasn't kept out of the Hall of Fame. In fact, he was back on WWE television almost immediately.
00:08:49
Speaker
This isn't the thing that gets brought up a lot. And I'm curious as to why you like, why do you think that is? Like, why? I mean, I'm not I'm not trying to play what about ism. Like, I can equally I mean, I can get not maybe not equally. I can condemn. Horrible, shitty things done by people who work for WWE and acknowledge them all is horrible and they are all to varying degrees. But it's interesting to me, this is one that this doesn't get touched with the 10 foot pole. And why do you think that is?
00:09:16
Speaker
Is it because when you think of, but that's weird though, because I was going to say if you had a Mount Rushmore of pro wrestling, he would be on it. But so would Polk. Yeah, absolutely. So I honestly don't have a real answer for that one. Like, why does that get a pass? I mean, that gets a pass probably with female fans.
00:09:35
Speaker
just as much as it would with any male fan. Do you think they just didn't make as big of a deal? WWE, I feel like didn't mention it at all. I don't remember it being in the news at all. I just remember hearing it kind of in passing, and then no one brought it up ever again.
00:09:53
Speaker
I mean, I know that some of it's a by-product of the times that we live in where that stuff is actually getting covered more and being addressed more often, which is great. I mean, I think that Hogan being held accountable for what he said is important. It's huge. I can't overstate that enough. But at the same time, everyone kind of knows this about Steve Austin.
00:10:18
Speaker
And nobody wants to talk about it. It's like he gets a pass because he's stone cold Steve Austin. That's really how it comes across. Hulk Hogan's kind of a lame old man that has held some people back and said some stupid things. And then he said these comments, which were for many people, they're always going to be unforgivable and maybe this is who he is.
00:10:39
Speaker
But Steve Austin definitely committed domestic abuse and nobody wants to bring it up. Unless Sylvester Stallone was heading at it in the first Expendables movie, there was a point when Eric Roberts, they have the the female in it and he says like, I don't hit women. And then he points at Stone Cold and said, but he does.
00:11:02
Speaker
And that's that's really uncomfortable. I out loud in the theater. I think I went, oh, like that's that's rough. But I mean, fuck him for doing that. Well, yeah. But I mean, is it that he's forgiven like?
00:11:20
Speaker
Are we a society that no longer forgives people for things that they've done or said? Like, that's the proper way to hold somebody accountable? I mean, this is a deep, heavy issue to kick off this episode after drawing a name out of a hat, but... Yeah, this is a lot heavier than I was expecting. Well, I mean, it's weirder when you do it, and then you're just... Your job is being in the public. Do you think that maybe after you do that, that you don't get to be in public anymore? And that was part of the... Like, we do kind of get to decide.
00:11:49
Speaker
I mean, that's what's interesting to me. The fans have voted and they've said, okay, we're over this. Or this isn't as big of an issue as the other one is, which is interesting to me because one is words, horrible words, but the other was actually physical acts of violence. The fans voted and they're giving Steve Austin a pass, apparently.
00:12:12
Speaker
I think if it happened now, he wouldn't be getting a pass at all. He would be gone. Oh, absolutely not. But it's still, you know, it's like the Cosby stuff. I was getting ready to say, are we Bill Cosby in Stone Cold right now where people are like, holy shit, I forgot about that. Well, that's what's interesting. That's what's interesting and controversial about this is that.
00:12:31
Speaker
There are people who are probably listeners of this podcast that consider themselves big Stone Cold Steve Austin fans who are probably unhappy that we're venturing into this territory. And yet part of me thinks it's kind of important to call it out because it doesn't make any sense to call one thing. If we're going to if we're going to rip on Enzo for like what he's done, if we're going to rip on Hogan for his comments, why not Steve Austin? You know, Stone Cold was the only person to have Enzo on his on their show after that.
00:13:00
Speaker
Eh, I'm not going to read into that. It's heavy. I just think there should be more of a discussion. I mean, Hogan's back. Maybe he's truly sorry. Not everyone's going to forgive him. I've heard reports that Titus O'Neill left the arena because he was so upset about Hogan being allowed back in. So, I mean, I think there's a vote. He votes no. So yeah. And he deserves more of a vote than we do.
00:13:26
Speaker
Well, I think there's a difference between what the company accepts and doesn't accept and what the fan there's, I mean, there's, there's a different territory for the fan acceptance. And I just, I don't know what word to use other than it's interesting. It's controversial that fans won't touch this particular subject. I don't know. I guess if I were voting Hulk would, uh, he would be on the shelf longer. I think he hasn't been in timeout long enough.
00:13:53
Speaker
Fair enough. I mean, I don't know when I would have reinstated him or if I would have reinstated him, but nevertheless, it has happened. He's back. And it will be interesting to see what kind of reaction he gets from whatever audience they roll him out in front of for the first time. Ooh, they give him to the wrong audience or the right audience. If you look at it that way, he could he could have a real uncomfortable moment.
00:14:17
Speaker
Well that's another, that's a whole other discussion too, which is that, you know, I saw some comments online after this happened saying, just saw some people being snarky saying that when they bring him out he's still gonna get a huge pop. Are we positive about that? Are we positive that that arena won't immediately turn on him? I mean, when you hear that song though, I feel like it's still hard to not get excited.
00:14:44
Speaker
I guess we'll find out. What song do you associate with Hogan? Oh, Real American. Okay. I think that's what most people
Current Wrestling Storylines and SummerSlam Preview
00:14:52
Speaker
associate with Hogan. I associate Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix. Really? Yeah, his Hollywood Hogan theme? Yeah. That's the first one that I think of. I'm sure there's other people out there like me. Well, I'm not saying you're wrong. Like, you can have your opinion. I just, it's wrong. It's not just that, Garrett. I'm saying that I'm not alone.
00:15:14
Speaker
You might be alone. Fuck you. I am not alone. Watch your mouth. Speaking of which, while we're on the subject.
00:15:23
Speaker
I gotta plug myself and a little adventure I'm going on. Today, if you were listening to this podcast episode, the day it drops, Thursday. Today, I am gonna be going to see the Windy City Thunderbolts baseball team in Crestwood, Illinois. And Scott Hall is gonna be there. And I will be meeting Scott Hall for the first time who was the very first favorite professional wrestler I had, the guy that got me into pro wrestling.
00:15:50
Speaker
So that's kind of a big deal for me. I'm excited about that. Being a pro wrestler is the weirdest job.
00:15:57
Speaker
Isn't it? It really is. Like, Scott Hall has to trap. Did you say there's a match happening after this? I think a local promotion is putting on like an hour's worth of pro wrestling after the baseball game. It's a promotion that they do. It's not just this one time. They do it throughout the season. I think they're going to have Sandman there at some point this year, which is hilarious if it's like a very family affair and, you know, he comes out smoking a cigarette, smashing beer cans on his head. Yeah. Maybe he'll kiss grandma.
00:16:28
Speaker
kiss a baby like a president I I've never been to it's a Frontier League baseball team so I don't know what to expect I know that they're having dollar fifty beers so I may have a few beers you do not take one of those to Scott
00:16:45
Speaker
I won't. That is a subject that we could bring up, which is that he's finally, it seems like he's got most of his life back on track. He's not having substance abuse issues at this stage in his life, which good for him. Thanks to DDP and DDP Yoga. And I think if he didn't have Jake, the snake's hair to make fun of all throughout that process, he would have never been able to do it. So thank you, Jake. He's a goddamn baby bird, man.
00:17:13
Speaker
So yeah, I'm excited about that. I'm getting to do that in a couple days and hopefully I'll get my picture and get an autograph and... I don't know, isn't it kind of cool to meet the person that got you into this thing that we have a podcast about? Well, at this point, I think that would be Hulk Hogan for me and I feel like we'd have an awkward exchange. Was it Hogan specifically that got you into pro wrestling? I mean, I don't remember a time before Hulk Hogan.
00:17:42
Speaker
Feel like he was around an action figures cartoons, and he was just he's the one I remember most him an ultimate warrior But I mean I was definitely a Hulk a maniac as a kid And I feel like now if he and I were eating dinner I would be looking around a lot making sure no one was watching I would at some point he'd like you want to get a picture brother, and I'd be like I'm not really a photo guy That's a lie
00:18:10
Speaker
And I'll be like, I saw your picture with Kenny Omega, brother. And I'd be like, ooh. Well, that's another thing to bring up in relation to that, which is that I know the Young Bucks got a bunch of grief from fans for taking pictures with Hogan. We just excommunicated the guy for life. Who's the fucking, why am I blanking on his name? Michael Hayes. Isn't it pretty well known that he's kind of a racist asshole and he's still holding down a job in that company?
00:18:39
Speaker
I mean, you can't wear those clothes and not be a little prejudiced towards someone. What an ass. Yeah, that's a that is a terribly dressed man. I mean, I know that we're who are we to be discussing fashion. Maybe maybe we're lame for not taking risks like PSAs. Maybe we're assholes for not wearing a Burberry scarf around and charging people five bucks.
00:19:02
Speaker
Boo. Oh, speaking of that, just so you know, we are going to be this show predetermined a pro wrestling hangout. We're going to be sponsoring the next Southern Underground Pro Show. And part of the sponsorship says we're we sponsor a match as well. And what match are we sponsoring? I don't know what that means. What if we end up sponsoring that match with that son of a bitch MJF?
00:19:24
Speaker
You mean the guy that charged you five bucks for a picture? Five dollars and then made fun of me on the internet. And then I fucking roasted on the internet. And then he still wins because he's 22 and more successful.
00:19:39
Speaker
We joke, we say that we're all in. No, he's literally all in. He is booked for all in. He's super all in. Love him, JF. Please be nice to me. That's like getting beat up by my little brother or something. And I don't want that to happen because I know he can do it. He's probably insulted that you used the comparison of calling him his little, he's your little brother. That's really? 31 versus 22.
00:20:06
Speaker
Nine years. Nine years. Nine times. Nine times. So, we're gonna be sponsoring a match at Southern Underground Pro? Are we just sponsored, period?
00:20:23
Speaker
What do you mean? How does this work? I think our name is going to be said before the show. Our name is going to be on the flyers. I think before the show on Powerbomb TV, our name is going to pop up there. I think they're going to announce it. And yeah, I don't know. I like Southern Underground Pro. We've had fun at their shows. We should give a little back to them.
00:20:41
Speaker
Well, yeah, absolutely. They've made for a lot of good discussions on this podcast. But this is a pivotal moment in the history of this show. We're sponsoring a wrestling promotion. I mean, before you know it, you're going to be wrestling Brock Lesnar at Basement East in Nashville.
00:21:19
Speaker
I hope so.
00:21:21
Speaker
and just hope, hope that one day he's dumb and shows up for work. Like he could easily just wait the whole year and not get, Strowman will never get to cash in.
00:21:32
Speaker
Did they add the stipulation that he only has a year to cash that thing in? Is that still in play or is it just he just has a shot whenever? I think everybody assumed that he didn't need to hear that rule, that he was going for it sooner than later. But I think we're back to the idea you had. He needs to go kick down goddamn Brock Lesnar's door and get what's his.
00:21:53
Speaker
Yeah, I agree, but things have changed in the last few days and it sounds like Brock Lesnar has officially been booked for SummerSlam and the night after.
00:22:04
Speaker
at the Barclays Center for Monday Night Raw. And you're supposed to be at SummerSlam. I will be at SummerSlam. I hope that the night after is him coming out so everyone can throw tomatoes at him and then him leaving shame. Get the hell out of here, don't come back. Is that what you think's gonna happen? No. Do you really think that's gonna happen? No, I think he's gonna be celebrating another victory over Roman Reigns.
00:22:27
Speaker
Is that who you think is going to end up facing him at SummerSlam? I don't know. It sounds like Brock really wants to take that belt with him to the UFC. Can you picture him wearing that thing in there? He would be so embarrassed.
00:22:39
Speaker
That's that's what I just don't get is that they're alluding to that as a possibility I don't see that actually happening and It there have been rumors that they were gonna do Lesnar versus Reigns again So it's totally a possibility I know next week they're supposed to have Bobby Lashley versus Roman Reigns to determine who will be the number one contender for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam, so
00:23:02
Speaker
Is there a preference you have? I mean, obviously I'm assuming that you would rather have the new matchup of Lashley versus Lesnar as opposed to another Reigns versus Lesnar match. I like how unenthusiastic you're like, would you rather see this or this? Which do you choose? How do I dress it up? The thing is, what you just gave me is one of the more difficult would you rathers I've ever been given.
00:23:30
Speaker
And what way? You mean like, would you rather eat a handful of glass or have Roman Reigns fight Brock Lesnar again?
00:23:40
Speaker
Is that how you feel about Lashley facing them? No, but he hasn't done anything since he's been back to make me think that this is going to be a good idea. Hey man, he just beat Roman Reigns on Sunday. That's a big fucking deal. I know, I know. I don't want people to think that I hate WWE. I like WWE or I want to like WWE. I've loved it for years. This storyline does not have me very well. It's not holding me.
00:24:08
Speaker
Well, I would assume that you still want to like WWE if you're spending all this money to travel across the country to go to Chicago and into New York to go to these pay-per-view events. At this point, the trip to New York, I'm looking forward to Joey Janela lost to New York in NXT. I mean, what what's going on at SummerSlam right now? Is it what do we have? Ronda versus. Alexa Bliss. That's that's booked
WWE Pay-Per-View Highlights and Critiques
00:24:34
Speaker
for sure.
00:24:34
Speaker
So we're going to finally see her do the pop her arm out of the socket thing for the arm bar. That's definitely happening, right? It has to happen at some point. That makes sense. Because it looks horrific.
00:24:47
Speaker
But they've done it before. Like it's sad that they're just gonna be like, well, we're just gonna assume that they haven't seen that before. Like we talked about on a previous episode. Yes, they didn't know that they were gonna wind up in the spot with Alexa Bliss and Ronda Rousey, but yeah, you're calling it right. It's gonna fucking happen. Let's see, what else? And then just Brock Lesnar versus whoever wins between those two and then probably Braun Strowman.
00:25:09
Speaker
Well, the card is still shaping up, obviously, because we are just coming off of Extreme Rules this past Sunday. I actually watched the show live as it was happening. I think you came in a little bit after it ended.
00:25:21
Speaker
Yeah, I flipped around through this one. This is actually the first pay-per-view they've put on in a, I don't know, the last time I didn't watch one live. And it's funny because you were just at their last pay-per-view here with me in Chicago. And I remember having a pretty good time. It was a good time. And it wasn't a horrible pay-per-view. I think that they made some bad booking decisions, but there were definitely a few spots that I would recommend checking out. You're talking about last night still?
00:25:49
Speaker
I'm talking about Extreme Rules. Yeah, okay. So the matches I saw, I was reading online some people defending the Roman Reigns Bobby Lashley match and saying it was pretty good. And I tried to take myself out of I don't like the story and just watch the in-ring work and see what happens. It was... It's kind of weird. It wasn't a bad match by any means, but it also felt like a very dated match.
00:26:15
Speaker
I think we've talked several times about how it feels like professional wrestling is going through another evolution. It's evolving. And matches like this, like you said, they feel dated because it's like the big muscular guy fighting the other big muscular guy thing. I think that works for certain people and I think it always will. There's always gonna be that crowd that even though they know that this is a work and that it doesn't matter how big or ripped the guy really is,
00:26:44
Speaker
Did they still enjoy seeing that? Or playing to the realistic aspects of a big guy fight? But you're right. Again, it wasn't a bad match. It was fine. You say it all the time. It's fine. It was fine.
00:27:01
Speaker
Yeah, he, I don't know, just when I start seeing like just very basic moves like the vertical suplex and that that's a big spot in the match. I don't know. It doesn't just pull me in. It's not kind of the in-ring work I want to be watching other than holy shit, that bump that Lashley took out of the ring.
00:27:21
Speaker
where he got dumped outside of the ring onto basically his side. Yeah, that was hard hitting. God, he flopped. Yeah, that was awful. Like, that made me hurt. Yeah, I mean, that was kind of the highlight of the match, was everyone kind of popped for that spot. Well, it reminded me of... Did you see... It kind of went viral a week or two ago. It was... What was that guy's name? Ace Romero?
00:27:45
Speaker
Yes, where he knocked the guy out of the ring. Yeah, so we saw that guy AC Baby, that's what it says across his ass at least. Yeah. Very, very large man. I think we've saw him wrestle MJF and DJZ. Yes. But in this match he's up against a much smaller person and they're running the ropes and he hits this guy and I have to imagine this guy ends up landing in the sixth row.
00:28:07
Speaker
Garrett, that clip made SportsCenter on ESPN. Good job, AC baby. Repping the indie scene on a Disney owned sports station. I hope he made like the top 10 where they're like, and this guy hits a home run. And then holy shit.
00:28:29
Speaker
Which is funny though because Mojo Raleigh tries to do a similar move, but it fucking wasn't his epic. He's like, all I gotta do is that and I can get over? It's just like a shoulder tackle like to a guy who's already in motion. Yeah, the difference is probably 200 pounds. Yep, that is the big difference. Literally the big difference.
00:28:53
Speaker
So I mean, a lot of the show, it was fine. I think one of the things that doesn't get as annoying, and I'll be the first to admit this, we struggle sometimes with the podcast. When WWE is struggling, we wanna be a positive podcast as much as we can. And when they're struggling, how do we talk about that? And then every now and then we have an episode where we rip them a new a-hole about how bad they've been doing.
00:29:20
Speaker
You don't want to fall into the pattern of being so down on them that you're not giving them a chance or being... What would you call it? Unfair? Like not giving them the opportunity to prove you wrong? Well, I don't want to chase anyone off that that's their favorite show. Yeah. But I also want to understand why it's still their favorite show.
00:29:44
Speaker
Yeah, like I try and watch and find like the little things that are grabbing me right now and writing that Stroman KO match. That was fun. Right. It was the attitude error tribute match. Jesus. Yeah. Go down the list. What all did he pay tribute to in there? Oh my God. I mean, we'll, we'll build up to the thing that everybody knows about and is talking about, which, but he worked in a stone cold stunner.
00:30:16
Speaker
He didn't have an actual problem with this form. He was giving him shit because he didn't actually beat Roman Reigns with it when he used it on him last time. Oh, yeah. He was like, well, if you're going to use it, you got to do it this way to actually beat him.
00:30:32
Speaker
So that was a funny exchange. But he breaks out the stunner on Strowman. Strowman does an okay job selling it, wasn't great. And then handcuffs Strowman to the ropes. I think he breaks out a few super kicks.
00:30:48
Speaker
to Strowman's face. But then as he's getting ready to climb the cage, he turns around and says, let's suck it and does a pretty nice crotch chop and starts scaling the cage. And then, of course, Strowman breaks the handcuffs and scales the cage and ends up chucking KO. God, I don't even know how many feet that was, maybe 20 feet.
00:31:09
Speaker
off the cage through the announce table and it looked eerily reminiscent of Undertaker chucking mankind off the top of the hell in the cell. It was a long fall, it was brutal, but it was basically the Attitude Era tribute match thanks to KO.
00:31:27
Speaker
No, he just kind of dove backwards into a table. It was an epic spot. And it was probably the highlight of the show, honestly, that match. And he technically wins because he wins. He touched the floor first. Yeah. So does winning in a steel cage match against Braun Strowman earn you a world title shot?
00:31:47
Speaker
I don't know where this is headed, man. I know that the theory I have at this point is that Strowman's going to attempt to cash in that money in the bank briefcase and Owens is gonna ruin it. I think Strowman's gonna start the match and then Owens is gonna come out and do something to fuck him over. That's my prediction. What does KO have to earn from that?
00:32:10
Speaker
What does KO have to earn from taking all these fucking bumps from Strowman? I mean... Well, with those of you who's trying to win a match, if he just comes out and fucks with a monster, then he deserves whatever happens to him. Right, but I think the argument here is that what has he done to earn the punishment he's been getting? He's been trying to avoid him and run away. Is that putting a porta-potty and flipped over?
00:32:31
Speaker
He's been treated like shit. I think the argument there is there has to be some sort of payoff to all this. It's, I mean, why would Owens just come back to work and act like nothing happened between those two? I think what happened is they realized how good of a shoulder tackle he could take from him on the outside and like, we got to put them in a program for the next two months. That's two pay-per-views in a row, though, where he's been chucked off really tall things through a table. Say you're sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
00:33:01
Speaker
Anyone would apologize at that point. But there was that. And then I guess while we're on the subject of this pay-per-view to kind of wrap it up and move on to other things, we have to talk about the main event, which you didn't watch. Oh, hold on. Like I gotta say, Rusev versus AJ Styles was really good. It was a good match.
00:33:22
Speaker
and Styles ends up retaining. But he made Rusev look pretty good. It took him a while to hit the Phenomenal. He really milked hitting the Phenomenal Forearm to beat him and that kind of hurt the end of the match.
WWE Talent Focus: Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns
00:33:35
Speaker
It probably would have done Rusev a little bit better if AJ had hit it out of nowhere, but there was a good 30 second build up to him hitting that elbow and the Forearm and beating him.
00:33:46
Speaker
That match was good, but what the main event ended up being was the 30-minute Iron Man match between Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship. And I know I had expressed some feelings on this online, and you seem to share those sentiments, so... Yes and no. I thought about it later, and I kind of changed my mind. Like, for me, when I watch an Iron Man match, I want it to be a 60-minute match. Like, I think that's the idea of it, is this really long, drawn-out thing.
00:34:14
Speaker
And 30 minutes just seems like a regular match that's going to have more falls than normal. Yes. But I also, you know, after thinking about it, I realize I just I don't know. I don't think WWE style or, you know, having that on television, WWE TV, I don't think that's going to play right. I just don't think you can have that slow build match. So your argument is you don't think that the fans can have the patience to sit through a 60 minute match these days?
00:34:44
Speaker
I don't think that audience can. Well, that's what's interesting is that Seth Rollins just did that like a couple months ago. And it was awesome gauntlet match. So it does. I mean, I definitely hear what you're saying. I hear both sides of it. And I have made the argument before that the audience has changed and they do not have the patience that they once had. And that applies to both the length of the match and how storylines play out.
00:35:09
Speaker
So I understand the argument that maybe a 30 minute Iron Man match makes sense, but I'm so like, to me, that's not an Iron Man match. If a regular match is already going to last 20 to 25 minutes, how is it an extra five to 10 minutes? There's suddenly four extra falls in that time. Yeah, it does.
00:35:27
Speaker
Well, but, but I think isn't the bigger issue here that this was the match that they picked to go on last? I mean, did they, they obviously knew what would happen if they put Roman Reigns Lashley on last. Take this with a grain of salt. What Meltzer was reporting about this is that up until the day of the pay-per-view, the plan was to have Roman Reigns versus Bobby Lashley as the main event. And that Seth Rollins versus Dolph Ziggler and the Iron Man match was supposed to open the pay-per-view.
00:35:55
Speaker
Neither of those matches, in my opinion, should have been closing the show. To me, the correct answer was Rusev versus AJ Styles. It always makes sense to have the highest belt on last.
00:36:08
Speaker
Absolutely. I mean, there are exceptions to that rule. You know, if, if it's a big time guy returning, like if you're going to do rock versus Cena, I get why that goes on last over the title match. Understood. This wasn't that. And Ziggler and Rollins are both capable fucking performers, man. Like they know how to put on a good match. This I, it never, this never really got me.
00:36:32
Speaker
the day like I didn't see I heard good things about it though you're saying you didn't love it like it didn't it didn't grab you and pull you in there were okay moments but it just it
00:36:43
Speaker
For 30 minutes, it just never grabbed me. I feel like a 15 minute match between those two on Raw would have done better than a 30 minute match being drug out. I don't know, it just felt out of place. I think the problem they continue to have, and there has been some internet backlash where people have pointed out, the fans complain when Roman Reigns is in the main event at a WWE pay-per-view.
00:37:10
Speaker
so they don't put them in the main event of the pay-per-view and fans are still being dicks. Yeah. They're still, I mean, they were doing the Royal Rumble countdown thing every time they would be the last 10 seconds of a minute, they would do the Royal Rumble countdown in the buzzer and everyone kind of got fed up with it. Yeah, I'll agree. It was annoying. Was it that every time? Almost every time. Why every minute? What city were they in? They were in Pittsburgh. They weren't in Chicago.
00:37:40
Speaker
They weren't in New York, they were in Pittsburgh. Is that typically a problem in Pittsburgh? I've never heard of it before, but at some point you have to stop blaming the city and the fans and ask why, to me they just had the match at the wrong place. I think if that match opens the show, it doesn't get that response. People are into it. I think after an almost four hour show, putting the second tier belt on last, Dolph Ziggler,
00:38:09
Speaker
won a main evented pay-per-view in 2018 to close the show. And somebody's argument to me is...
00:38:20
Speaker
I don't know. That's what I'm saying is that like, it just seems like you're being dishonest if your only argument is, well, they didn't put Roman Reigns in the pay-per-view. What's the problem now? Well, you can't just put anything and expect everyone to be happy. Yeah, I guess it's a step up to not have Reigns closing the show. It's just so weird because there was a time where I was begging them to give Dolph Ziggler a belt. That time isn't now. That time was several years ago.
00:38:45
Speaker
Yeah. Multiple times, even. There was a time period like six to eight months ago I was just ready for Ziegler to go home and take a couple years away.
00:38:55
Speaker
Let him go do stand up, let him go do movies or something. I still feel that way about Ziggler. He doesn't do anything for me. I'm sure there's people out there who are happy to see him in this spot because they've been begging for him to get some recognition and some noteworthy TV time, but fuck man, really? The main event of this pay-per-view that everyone was already skeptical on when a guy who got over on his own merits and is in his first WWE Championship match, that doesn't go on last. That was the match everyone was looking forward to.
00:39:25
Speaker
Well, can I say something that I think is working for me in WWE right now? Go ahead. Drew McIntyre. Oh, my God. I'm so glad you brought this up. I'm going to be the most hated man on this show. Oh, no. I don't get Drew McIntyre. What like can somebody explain it to me? Like, like, what is it about that? What is it about Drew McIntyre that's that's so radically different than any of the other big guys they've had in WWE?
00:39:55
Speaker
I don't know. I think there's something about the way the accent. I do like the accent. I think I know when we would see him at PWG, my wife loved him because she thought he looked like the cover of a romance novel.
00:40:09
Speaker
That's the thing I consistently hear from the online community is that I hear a lot of female fans talk about how goddamn sexy he is. Do you want me to say it? I want to fuck Drew McIntyre. Is that how you really feel? No, but I like when he does a flip over the top rope.
00:40:26
Speaker
His finisher's half a dropkick. He has a Scottish accent. I bet you do. You know I love a good boot to the head. I've been very open about that since we started this show. You know I love a good boot to the head. Get that tattooed, please.
00:40:42
Speaker
I still think that one of the funniest moments in WWE of the last like five years is it was Enzo talking shit to Sheamus and Cesaro and then just out of the corner of the screen you didn't see it coming. Just Sheamus's boot connecting just square with with his face with Enzo's face and just taking him out. Love a good boot to the head like a good punt kick.
00:41:06
Speaker
Claymore confrontational I could say that you're wrong. I'm not gonna do that whole thing It's your opinion obviously so but I want our listeners to explain Drew McIntyre to me I've been very open and Excited is it is it just one of those things where he went out on the indie scene and got his got his street cred and now everyone's High on him because of that like what what it got me wondering because he was kind of the Roman reigns of his time and
00:41:31
Speaker
Correct. Yeah. So kind of but he wasn't given that kind of a push. But you know he he went away and he paid his dues and I feel like people feel like he earned it more and I feel like I mean obviously I wasn't watching when he was on WWE but I like what I see from the guy. What specifically? I like that he's a big guy that you know he doesn't necessarily wrestle big man style.
00:41:58
Speaker
Well his spot that he had on Raw where he dove over the top rope was like a senton onto Roman Reigns was pretty awesome. So I will give him that. He's pretty agile for a big guy. Like you have to admit, if you saw Roman Reigns do that same move, you'd shit your pants.
00:42:16
Speaker
Well, I see Roman Reigns dive over the top rope all the time, but not that move. Yeah, I'm saying if he did a flip. What if Roman Reigns climbed the... What if he just started working like Hangman Page? I think that's part of the reason... There's so many weird facets to Roman Reigns, and one of them, I just think his move arsenal is so fucking lame. I think it's hard in 2018 to...
00:42:43
Speaker
Force the idea of this guy's a badass look at how badass he is to the fans I don't think the fans receive that forceful message very well look at him. He's got a vest on He's got a bulletproof vest and he wears all black and his hair is really greasy
00:43:00
Speaker
And he throws punches where he jumps up in the air and he tackles dudes. He's a badass. He looks like an action star. He looks like an action figure. No, I love him. It's just me saying that. That wasn't... I wasn't doing it. I'm making fun of you now. Drew McIntyre's big and agile. And I want to kiss him. And that's not what you said the first time. Fuck, I believe.
00:43:26
Speaker
I'm excited when your dad hears this podcast. He's like, he wants to do what to whom? Who's Drew McIntyre? And what are you doing with my son? And he's going to pull up Google images and be like, oh, I get it. You know, I'm going to I'm going to remain open minded on Drew McIntyre. I just hear so many positives.
00:43:50
Speaker
about the guy and I'm still waiting to, I'm still waiting to get it. I am not shitting on it. I just, I'm waiting to figure it out. And it does happen when you least expect it sometimes. Like I would have never guessed that I would just love Jay White now. Somebody that, you know, when we were still doing Say Something Nice, he was one of the first guys I chose. And things have changed. Things have changed. He is just such a shitty little heel.
00:44:15
Speaker
Like he's, the problem is he's a good wrestler but he wrestles like an asshole. And it pisses you off. Yeah but he pisses me off and it works. You're getting worked? Oh I'm getting worked like he makes me mad. I think it also is because he looks like a pervert.
00:44:31
Speaker
He does, that's a great way of describing him. Just looking at that greasy bastard, he's like if Connor Oberst from Bright Eyes were a wrestler. He's gonna fuck your girlfriend, be unapologetic about it, and then go write some poems.
00:44:49
Speaker
Yeah, I guess I will remain open-minded on Drew McIntyre. I hear so many good things about him, and I was happy that he went out and had a successful indie career and got back in. Well, I mean, he won the NXT Championship, and then he got hurt, and now he's up on the main roster. I guess pairing him with, I think pairing him with Dolph Ziggler didn't do the right things for me, cuz I already had a feeling with Ziggler where I was like, I'm over you.
00:45:15
Speaker
And especially when he comes out and he's like, I came here for two reasons. One, to get Dolph Ziggler the Intercontinental title. And I was like, what? Why do you owe that motherfucker a favor? He's a multi-time world champion.
G1 Tournament Review and Predictions
00:45:32
Speaker
Were you friends with him previously? Like, I feel like this is a weird goal for you to have as number one. Like, I thought maybe make money so that I can buy my kid cereal or something would be higher, but he's like, no, get my buddy Ramen Head. A, uh... Ramen Head. That's what my wife calls him. Get him a title, and then also while I'm here, get myself a better title!
00:45:54
Speaker
Yeah, I think I think what happened for him on Monday for Drew McIntyre is step in the right direction for me. At least I like seeing him stand on his own, especially standing up against big guys like Reigns and Lashley and stuff like that. Like to me, that will help establish him. Maybe maybe I'll warm up to him the more he does stuff independently of Ziggler, but.
00:46:17
Speaker
hasn't caught me so far. I know everyone's high on them. So I will, I will keep waiting. Extreme rules. This is a pay-per-view. It was okay. That's really all I've got to say about it. Like there's only a few spots I would recommend tuning in for it's over. And there's other things happening in the world of pro wrestling. G one's going on right now, which is you got caught up on that over the weekend.
00:46:40
Speaker
I'm not a hundred percent caught up because there's just so much of it constantly. There's a lot going on there. Like while it's happening, like you kind of got to if you don't have time, you got to just pick the matches you think are going to be the ones you want to see. Can you explain to somebody who is just now getting into New Japan, how the G1 works? Because like for me, I'm just now kind of following New Japan a little bit more closely. So so it's a tournament essentially, right? It's a tournament with an A block and a B block.
00:47:07
Speaker
and the person with the most points at the end of the tournament gets to you know they face each other and then that person goes on to main event wrestle kingdom but how it works if you win a match you get two points if it's a draw one point if you lose zero points and the man and it goes on basically all month i mean it's scattered here and there but i think the next ones are on the 19th and 20th
00:47:32
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I was only able to watch one match out of it, but man, it was a hell of a match. I watched Naito versus Kenny Omega. And they went all out. Man, and for that to be, because you know they're going to be wrestling multiple times throughout this tournament. So they kind of have to, you know, choose their battles, save your body for certain matches. And it just so happened that Naito and Kenny, one of the most anticipated matches of it, was right up front.
00:47:59
Speaker
Yeah. Are you still standing by your prediction that down the road you think Kenny is going to drop the title to Naito? I think that Naito and Kenny are easily the two most over guys.
00:48:12
Speaker
New Japan right now for sure and I think we just watched what they fucking did and I think they could absolutely do that again and probably even bigger I mean, I know not every match they shouldn't be doing that because they'll kill themselves But I mean there was a moment where Kenny toe. He did a crossbody From what he did like a springboard crossbody from the rope over the barricade to probably like the third row and
00:48:39
Speaker
Right. And I made a note of this because I wanted to comment on it. Holy hell, he traveled really far. And when he landed on Nido, Nido kind of spilled into some of those hard like like what are the Brunswick bowling chairs? Yeah, those things are. Oh, those are something that you sat in and music class in the second grade. Just think about getting slammed with one of those babies. He flew really, really far. That blew my mind. And that's got to be the thing where
00:49:07
Speaker
This is something we don't really talk about enough for having a pro wrestling podcast. Every time you're setting up as a worker to get ready to do a thing, there's always the potential that whatever you're about to do is could go horribly wrong and you get injured or killed or whatever. And to see a guy who just won the IWGP championship.
00:49:29
Speaker
It's like the night it was out in the crowd. It's just a tournament at this point. And it's day one or day two of the tournament. Like they're literally his first match of many. And yeah, screw it. I'm putting my whole body online. I'm going to do the spot where I springboard from the top row to the outside over the over the railing and land on a guy who's then going to essentially be splashed into a bunch of hard ass chairs. Day one. Welcome to the show.
00:49:57
Speaker
When you saw him fly off of that, though, wasn't there part of you that just thought, God, if we could get Shawn Michaels in his prime versus Kenny Omega at a WrestleMania, what that would have been like? There's a lot of possibilities. That's the first thing that comes to my mind, I think.
00:50:14
Speaker
Kenny's so good at making things look not... What's the word for it? It's hard-hitting. It's not necessarily clean. Like, especially the V-triggers. They look nasty. It's not super choreographed. I'm really hoping that's one of those things that looks way worse than it feels. I'm hoping. Because if it feels as bad as it looks, that sucks.
00:50:41
Speaker
Well, we talked about this Strong Style shit on our last episode. Well, that would, to me, like, that would chop from Walter to things I don't want. What about PCO? Um, I feel like me and PCO are gonna be friends. You needed, wasn't something supposed to happen in an interview with him? What happened? Well, I haven't messaged him yet.
00:51:05
Speaker
Well, get on it. I'm sorry. I mean, when am I? Do you really want me to go alone somewhere to talk to PCO? Okay, so I'm going to take this opportunity on the podcast to say that Garrett has publicly thrown me under the bus and trying to get me to go to another Nick Gage deathmatch style situation. And I have received a text message from a mutual friend saying that I had to do this for the podcast as well and that I need to suffer for my art.
00:51:30
Speaker
Was this person Bradley Bergstrand? This was Bradley Bergstrand. If you're listening to the podcast right now, Berg, I got your text. I didn't respond, but you're probably right. So. I did respond to him and we talked about it and I was going to bring it up on this show. Well, I brought it up, so I beat you to it. It's my scoop.
00:51:48
Speaker
So if I, how can you look me in the eye, which you're not doing right now, by the way, but how could you look me in the eye and say, you need to go to another death match. I won't be there, but you go after, I guess it's after all. And so I will have at least seen that show. Um, go to this death match show, Derek. I don't know if I have the courage to go interview PCO.
00:52:13
Speaker
But you go to this deathmatch show. Everyone listening to this podcast, Garrett may have the opportunity to do an interview with PCO.
00:52:23
Speaker
Hound him. Make sure it happens. Don't you guys want to hear that? Yeah, but here's something exciting. They've never heard me interview anybody. They've only heard of me hang out with you. I could be shit. You kind of interviewed Metal Dave, right? No, I hung out with Metal Dave. Do I just need to really just like, hey, you got to be cool with PCO. You got to be chill. You may only need 10 minutes with him.
00:52:45
Speaker
You're gonna be hanging out with Queen of the Ring while you're in New York. Let's be clear about that. That's another hangout. Well hang out with PCO. I don't know if I can.
00:52:59
Speaker
They want to they want to hear it. Okay fine. I'll contact him. I'll talk to him myself Jesus so hound him listeners unless Garrett decides to edit this part of the podcast out later So he doesn't happen to him I mean, I guess we need to prepare for all-in weekend where we're gonna be interviewing somebody I hope to God Macaulay Culkin and I hope everyone knows I'm not joking
00:53:21
Speaker
Something dawned on me over the past couple days that I am legitimately concerned about, which is that I am sorry to anyone who's listened to this podcast. If this offends you, I apologize. I have to speak from the heart. And the truth is Insane Clown Posse is going to be at Starcast during All In Weekend. And I really, really, really don't want to interview ICP.
00:53:48
Speaker
I really don't. We do not get to pick who we interview at Starcast, and I guess we should just be thankful that we get to interview anybody at all. That's probably the approach I should be taking, but I have spent a lifetime avoiding ICP, and it may be forced upon me. We do get to put in a recommended list. That's still on the table, man.
00:54:10
Speaker
I know, and I'm gonna throw ICP on there just so you're fucking surprised by clowns day of. No. No. You don't want that. I'll hang with ICP. Will you really? Whoop, whoop fam. God damn it. Why don't you have some Faygo, man? I would love some. You can get some at Dollar Tree. I'm gonna go get some after we're done recording. Hey, I'm not done with the G1. All right, go back. Let off, man. I had brought up...
00:54:41
Speaker
switchblade j white that guy has so far spoiler alert if you are not watching uh you should be he just won his first two matches and his first two matches were both fucking huge matches okada and tana hashi and he knocked both of them off he already yeah i mean it's not like they're out of the tournament they just lost he just got you know four points and his first two matches against two of the top guys there
00:55:07
Speaker
which started to make me wonder, what do you do with Okada at this point? A guy who's hard to act to follow after the title reign he had? Well, he's already getting weird. He's got a new thing that when he does this crossbody, he shouts Scooby Dooby Doo. And he has red hair now.
00:55:28
Speaker
Is he going through essentially like what would be a pro wrestler's midlife crisis? I think he is. I think he's like, this is what the kids like, right? Scooby dooby doo. And I may not have the title, but I have this. It's kind of weird, but I'm into it. It's like a really it's just like, hey, you know what? Okada with a title.
00:55:45
Speaker
He's very strict. He's very, uh, he's very stoic. You know what? Okada without a title? Fuckin' this guy is just having casual Friday over here. His parents are out of town. He's slidin' around the house without underwear on. He's smilin' in matches. He's lovin' it, Scooby Dooby Doo. Hey, I saw that, uh, Ibushi knocked off Zack Sabre Jr.
00:56:06
Speaker
Yeah, yeah that was. How do you feel about that? Ah man, I just, I get so excited anytime I get to watch Zack Sabre Jr. There's just so many combinations for that guy that I was trying to think what would my dream match with Sabre be? Like who's the best grappling wrestler you can think of?
00:56:25
Speaker
I mean, would Japan? No, just in general. Like, would him and Kurt Angle be a cool matchup? Him and William Riga would have been a lot of fun. Oh, man, that would have been fantastic. I wonder if that ever happened. It's possible.
00:56:39
Speaker
Oh, what else happened during the G1 that was notable? Let's see, I watched Tanahashi beat Suzuki, which if anyone ever tells you that wrestling's fake, like if I had one wish, I'd be like, you have to sit in a room with Minoru Suzuki and tell him that to his face.
00:56:58
Speaker
Hey, uh, quick question. What is the, uh, medical update on Takahashi? He, he made it. Was it on Twitter that he posted a picture that in three different languages, he just wrote, I'm fine. Thank you. And a little illustration of himself that is his body with his head removed smiling.
00:57:18
Speaker
I don't know how to read that. So, I mean, we haven't gotten like a real, he'll be back in this amount of time, but it sounds like he's going to be okay. And I saw a lot of wrestlers, you know, tweeting out things like X-Pac saying, I broke my neck twice in the ring, he got up and walked out, he's gonna wrestle again.
00:57:39
Speaker
I mean, I think that was a lot of people's reaction just from his ability to continue for a little bit longer. I don't know. Do you see that? Do you think he'll do that same reckless style? Do you think he's just going to come back like he didn't miss a beat or do you think he'll try and tone that shit down? You always hear from like professional athletes. They say that the worst thing you can do when you come back from a major injury is play scared. And if he's 100 percent healed, I mean, he should go back to doing what he was doing, I think.
00:58:07
Speaker
and just hope to hell it doesn't happen again. You know it's gonna be one of those things like when Daniel Bryan came back and we're all like cringing, just waiting to see what's it gonna be like. And you know he's gonna do the craziest shit back on his first night. Just to prove a point. He'll probably even take that move again on the first match. Yeah, that wouldn't be surprising. Uh, let's see. Oh, something that we didn't even bring up last week.
Dojo Pro Taping Experience and ROH Connection
00:58:33
Speaker
We brought it up in the intro, completely dropped it.
00:58:37
Speaker
And that is I attended a taping of that new show on Amazon, Dojo Pro. Yes. I attended that back in March and I wasn't able to talk about it. And now, you know, it's all up on there. You can binge watch it on Amazon Prime. So it was an interesting show. There are only about 30 people around the ring, it felt like.
00:58:57
Speaker
It was a small room and we walk in and it's just, you know, the ROH logos everywhere. So that makes me wonder what the hell's going on with this. We find out the way it's set up, it's a series of different belts. It almost felt like the show, like at least being there, it felt like the show was intended for children. I haven't seen the way they edit it and everything yet, but it was just, it was very bright. And the wrestling I watched was pretty basic wrestling.
00:59:25
Speaker
So you haven't had a chance to actually watch it yet since they've released it.
00:59:28
Speaker
No, since I've been there, I have not watched it on Amazon. But it has people like Cheeseburger, Joey Janela, Jeff Cobb, James Storm, and then even some familiar faces from Southern Underground Pro, like I believe Kevin Ku, Kerry Awful, you know, just some of those guys are popping up on. Wasn't MJF there? He was. He wasn't there the day I was. But I did find out he was at a different taping
00:59:56
Speaker
And the way it works it's a series of belts and once you reach like the black belt you get a shot at the R.O.H. TV title. Well I mean, I just thought it was weird that you got to go to the show and then it was that you had to sign a non disclosure agreement and couldn't talk about it. I mean, now it's finally out man. Are you gonna make some time here in the next few days to check that out?
01:00:18
Speaker
I think I would. There's just with the G1 going on, it's going to be hard for me to catch up on that as well right now. So much content. But, you know, there's some guys on there. I'm curious to see how it ended up turning out. Because like I said, the wrestling they were doing was pretty basic wrestling, which is also what made me think maybe this is more geared towards kids.
01:00:38
Speaker
Yeah. Because they're not doing anything crazy where, you know, they're going to kill each other on this show. But I did like the idea of it. It almost felt like it felt like it was kind of leading up to being like ROH is NXT. Sure. Where it gives, you know, a new up and coming guy a shot at an ROH title. I mean, I get that. That would be how I would interpret it, especially. I mean, they go out of their way to what? Call it Dojo what? Dojo Pro.
01:01:06
Speaker
Right. And the dojos, where they train, you know, incoming Ring of Honor talent. That's what you would think. But then, like, it's I hadn't heard anything about, you know, Joey Janela being in Ring of Honor or Jeff Cobb. So it's kind of where they just contracted to that show. I wonder what the actual relationship is between ROH and Dojo Pro. Yeah, I don't know, man. But I guess we'll we'll come to find out. I wonder how soon the person who won that belt gets to go over to ROH and get a shot at it.
01:01:37
Speaker
Who knows, man? Which, oh, shit. Speaking of ROH, I'm going to two ROH shows this weekend. Oh, I had no idea. Oh, that's right there in Nashville. Yeah. So this Friday, ROH is in Nashville and I think it was pretty much a house show, like one of the house show ones that are going to be broadcast on The Honor Club.
NWA Championship Match Speculations
01:01:56
Speaker
But now they added a huge match to it, which is Nick Aldis versus Flip Gordon. Winner goes to All In.
01:02:03
Speaker
And that's who's going on to face Cody for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. I would assume so, right? Is that officially that's what's happening? Cody's set to face whoever the NWA World Heavyweight Champion is. That was the original agreement. And Flip versus Cody is the best story that they have going. I mean, they've built him not liking Flip Gordon for months. They have. Is that the match that they want to do at all in?
01:02:31
Speaker
I don't know. At this point though, it's Cody's show. I see Cody winning the NWA title, but not having it super long unless he has other plans that I don't know about.
01:02:48
Speaker
Well, that's the thing is that we don't know what they negotiated before they started all this. Do you really think part of the negotiation was, oh, okay, and here in two months, we'll have you drop the title to Flip Gordon? You think that was the plan that Nick all disagreed to?
01:03:05
Speaker
possibly. But at this point, don't you think Billy Corrigan just wants to do whatever is best for business on that one and get it on a big platform? I guess so. But the question is, does that mean putting the belt on Flip Gordon? I mean, would that mean keeping the belt over at ROH for a minute?
01:03:23
Speaker
I guess. I mean, I don't think he's a bad person. I think the style between the two is going to be a little weird, but yeah, I'm excited to see it. And I'm also maybe the match I'm most excited about. Chucky T versus Bubba Ray Dudley. Oh, man. That's a match I never thought I'd get to see. And I'm so happy it's happening. You're going to get a good couple of shows there, then. Yeah. And then on Saturday, head into Atlanta to go to the TV tape in there.
01:03:52
Speaker
You're traveling. How far is that drive from Nashville to Atlanta? Ah, like three, three and a half hours. It's not bad. Nice.
01:03:59
Speaker
But should we give a shout out to our contest winner again, our drawing winner? Yes. Once again, thank you, Jace Green. You're going to be going to all in. You're getting a hat whether you want it or not. Wait, no, the hat was optional. My friendship is that's mandatory. We need to get that clear. You have to be friends with Garrett now. But you know what? This I haven't met Jace. This could be equally bad for me.
01:04:25
Speaker
Or Jace could replace me on the podcast in a few months. What if he replaces me? That's gonna be fucked up. I feel like he just comes and takes all of the equipment and shit. I'm wearing the hat now. You're all out. No! Well, he did get the hat. Hey, if Jace takes your spot, just know I still love you.
Teaser for TNA Retrospective Episode
01:04:49
Speaker
Thanks, I appreciate the reassurance. But oh, next week, you know what, we'll save this for next week. So I'll just tease this a little bit, I guess. I had never watched a single TNA match. And last night I went over to my buddy Daniel's house and he showed me some of the best of TNA.
01:05:09
Speaker
What did you think? We'll get into the full thing next week so I can actually break down a couple matches I watched, but I saw some pretty good shit, man. A lot of the stuff I was watching, I didn't realize that TNA had the X division, which basically ended up being the future of pro wrestling.
01:05:28
Speaker
Yes. You know, that was where you had AJ Styles. That's where you had Samoa Joe, Chris Daniels, you know, those guys. And they put on a hell of a show. I watched a few matches, including some against Kurt Angle, where Kurt Angle is more jacked than I've ever seen him in my entire life.
01:05:47
Speaker
Well, it's surprising to me you didn't know about the X Division because that's kind of been a big deal in the history of pro wrestling. Like that's that was a TNA in their prime. I just don't want to put on that stuff. So I don't even remember passing TNA, you know, flipping through channels. I just feel like I never had access to this.
01:06:05
Speaker
I guess we can go over this in more detail next week, man, getting to kind of pick your brain about how you feel about TNA now that, you know, I guess in retrospect, I mean, it's still going on, but are you watching current product? Probably not. Probably not. But I also do think that the guys that they're starting to get in their current product are good enough that I could actually see that going somewhere.
01:06:25
Speaker
I don't think they have as big of names as like Ring of Honor does, but I think, you know, when you have guys like Pentagon, Sammy Callahan, Brian Cage, that's a good roster of people, of really talented people too, so. I mean, it makes me interested in checking it out, but I have no idea how to access that TV station. Pop TV. Yeah, you gotta put it somewhere I can find it, and I've already have like six apps of shit, and if it's not on any of those, you're out of luck.
01:06:55
Speaker
Too many. That's our preview for next week, I guess. So yeah, we'll we'll discuss a few matches from that. I watched a few off the list that are supposed to be some of the greatest in the history of that company. And based off of what I watched, I saw some really, really good stuff out of TNA because I mean, pretty much all you ever hear about it is the negative stuff. You kind of hear the last few years. Yeah, you hear about like what was kind of the downfall of TNA. You never really get to hear about what really build it up. And those ended up being very worthwhile matches.
01:07:25
Speaker
I think, I think their period from like 04 to like 07 was like their, their prime years, unless I'm mistaken. Those are basically the years that I believe I was watching from. I feel like a lot of the stuff I watched last night was between 2004 and 2006 or so. Yeah. No, I would agree. That AJ style stuff though. I will, I will try to do some research on that between now and next week too and try to watch some stuff to be prepared to talk about it. So.
01:07:51
Speaker
Yeah, so we'll talk some about that. Of course, we're going to keep talking about the G1 and whatever the hell else happens.
01:08:07
Speaker
at Predetermined Podcast on Instagram. Again, we can't say it enough. Thank you to every single one of you who is listening to this podcast and who wrote a review for us to enter our contest to give away the two tickets to All In. Congratulations to Jace Green.
01:08:24
Speaker
And just because the contest is over doesn't mean I don't want you to still rate, review, subscribe. That helps us out so much. That's a really easy way to help us out that doesn't cost you a dime. It takes six seconds. I guess the encouraging thing is we can tell our listeners this will not be the last time we give something away on the podcast. No, there'll be more giveaways. This was fun. I like doing it. We'll have to find something else cool to give away. Garrett, anything else you want to add? Hit our goddamn music.