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Midcard Royalty
19 Plays2 months ago
Join the Queens this week as we discuss the superheroes of the midcard!
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Transcript
Introduction and Mid-Card Wrestlers in WWE
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to Queen's Ring Podcast, where we celebrate the past, the present, and the future of professional wrestling. We're your hosts, Charity and Keri, your go-to duo. And on today's episode, we're diving into the world of mid-card wrestlers.
00:00:15
Speaker
It's self-explanatory. We'll be talking about the mid-card range in WWE. But first, we'll check in with each other.
Wrestling Events and WWE Show Criticism
00:00:23
Speaker
i think since the last time we recorded, we went to it an event on Valentine's Day. SOS Pro Wrestling, 10 Things I Hate About You. And then last night, we actually went to UFO Induction.
00:00:38
Speaker
Yes. For the first time. So that was also pretty pretty nice. First time going to that. Maybe we'll go there again. Yeah, we'll we'll see. And then we will be going to another place for the first time.
00:00:52
Speaker
is it? Peak Sports Entertainment. Yeah, so that's in March. Hopefully that's good as well. We're kind of branching out and seeing, besides SOS, what other promotions Washington has to offer.
00:01:06
Speaker
So it'll be good little experience experience for us. Yeah, that weekend going to a full weekend because Friday we have SOS. Saturday we have Peak Sports. Yeah, and then we typically record Sundays if we're spending the weekend together. So, a lot of wrestling.
00:01:23
Speaker
Going into the headline for this week, WWE has dropped their new show, LFG. And there's been something things saying, going around online, fans saying that Bubba Ray Dudley needs to go get out of here skedaddle as one of the mentors. Yeah, um a lot of people...
00:01:43
Speaker
think that he is not a good mentor for the next generation you know based off of what they're seeing on the show and you know not to discredit bubble ray we know that him and dvon have i think 20 something 30 something tag team title of reigns over a grip of promotions you know he is definitely a tag team staple however you play into both sides of oh being a fan and whatever, he talks he talks about himself as if he's the undertaker.
00:02:20
Speaker
And he's not. When you're training someone, there's one thing to be give them tough love, and there's another thing to sound like a fucking dick. And he sounds like a dick. Like, telling people, oh, you haven't earned to shake my hand sir no offense but who are you yeah like that's the one a little too much right yeah like having this big persona as if you won 16 world titles like yeah you did it though also on the other end of it it's like other people other wrestlers have said how much they don't like him so
00:02:54
Speaker
I feel like they got him on the show because other people said no. I feel like he wasn't the first choice. There's no way that he was a first choice. I would say, out of everybody, I don't think he made him the first choice.
00:03:06
Speaker
And I mean, it's one thing if it was like a specific tag team. We're trying to build the next tag team. the greatest a Maybe. But even then, like, I would not want to train under someone who is like that.
00:03:18
Speaker
Like, like you said, there was like a girl crying. Mm-hmm. in one of the clips like sir oh my dang people want to say that he should leave so they're like throwing ideas out there like who could replace him that was if we could have had mark henry yeah i mean i'm sure it's don't hold if you had asked him he probably would have he probably like was like oh no thanks and that's probably why you got divan mean bubble ray not even you could even have even had divan on there bro it
00:03:49
Speaker
But yeah, multiple wrestlers have said that they don't like him. I think there is something in Batista's book where he said that he didn't like him. I think CM Punk as well. So, don't know. I don't know.
Carmella's Contract and Women's Division Future
00:04:01
Speaker
But then we've also seen recently that Carmella's contract expired. Yes. She's not in the WWE anymore. What's next for her? I mean, it's been years.
00:04:13
Speaker
Yeah. Since she had her daughter and everything. Her child son. Her son. Her son. yeah since she had our child so yeah i mean i i see people online freaking out about it i'm like where was this energy when she was gone you had like two three years to did say something like oh, I can't believe they let her go. She wasn't wrestling. yeah And like I said, like every five years, i feel like the what we expect from the women's division and what we want from the women's division changes. And that includes the kind of wrestlers, the kind of personas and all of that. So who's to say that if they brought her back, is it just going to be like, she's going be in the background, like tag team matches that don't need to be done, like things like that. So
00:04:56
Speaker
It's better to let these people go than to just drag them along and not do anything. Especially if you don't have plan for Right. I mean, y'all can't be mad at that. If they don't have a plan for them in the future, i mean, you gotta let go.
00:05:07
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Camilla's contract is expired. So who knows what will happen with that. You never know if they'll make a decision later. But like i said, I feel like she's not even really needed at this point.
00:05:20
Speaker
Agreed. Yes. I love to see the women's division have multiple... wrestlers but at the same time like the women already barely get anything yeah so if you're not going to use her if you're not gonna do anything ah importance with her as there's ah already a bunch women on the roster that you're not doing anything with that are stars like shana baszler and stuff like that zelena vega so well well we wish the best for carmela and she'll be fine she's living life bro no for real
00:05:51
Speaker
But yeah, so today we are spotlighting the most often overlooked performers in the squared
Significance of Mid-Card Wrestlers
00:05:59
Speaker
circle. Although these men and women may not have always headlined, the show would not be the same without them. And we have to note that just because you were once a midcarder does not mean that you will stay there or stay there.
00:06:13
Speaker
um Some men and women we discussed today have been on the midcard. However, they moved on to the main event and one world heavyweight titles. So if you are not sure what we mean by saying midcard or midcarder, we're about to define it for you okay?
00:06:30
Speaker
So what is a midcarder and what makes a great midcarder? So the midcarders are the wrestlers that typically, like Carrie said, don't headline events, but are involved in significant storyline-driven matches that are often placed between the openings and main event matches on the card.
00:06:49
Speaker
And their roles can vary from challenging for secondary titles, engaging in personal rivalries, or even elevating the overall quality of the show. Because sometimes they do.
00:07:01
Speaker
They help elevate that. Mid-carders are often considered workhorses and put on very phenomenal matches. Okay. A great mid-carder can pull an audience in effortlessly. Their personality and wrestling ability captures, feels, and even wows the audience.
00:07:19
Speaker
They are dependable and can work with anyone. Correcto. Okay. Correcto. People can even see them as an underdog and get over with the crowd. Also correct.
00:07:35
Speaker
Also correct. The NBA has had a few min card titles. Some of the previous ones. We'll dive into. So midcard championships are important for wrestlers who want to become world champions.
00:07:48
Speaker
They also allow rising stars to be showcased before they reach the main event and elevate the titles they hold. Some of ah former mid-card titles that we had were the European Championship, which was held by the British Bulldogs, Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, and more. and then we had the Cruiserweight Championship, held by Mysterio, Jacqueline, Chavo, and more.
00:08:12
Speaker
And then the Hardcore Championship held by Mankind, Taz, Jeff Hardy, and others. And then finally the 24-7 Championship held by R-Truth, Kelly Kelly, Carmella, and others.
00:08:25
Speaker
ah Okay, so currently the WWE has six mid-card titles across three brands. So we have the Intercontinental Championship, which is currently being held by Braun Breaker. United States Championship, currently being held by Shinsuke Nakamura.
00:08:41
Speaker
The WWE Women's United States Championship, currently held by the President, Madam President Chelsea Green. Okay. Women's Intercontinental Championship, currently held by Lira Valkyria.
00:08:54
Speaker
The NXT Women's North American Championship, currently held by Stephanie Bercure. And the NXT North American Championship, currently held by Tony D'Angelo.
Spotlight on John Morrison and R-Truth
00:09:06
Speaker
The midcard masters, these are the wrestlers who might have been midcard, but you always know they are gonna shine. So, starting off, let's talk about John Morrison.
00:09:19
Speaker
Though a top athlete in the ring and the sky... Morrison never really got that main of event spotlight, as his former tag team partner, at The Miz, did. Morrison obviously made an impact in his own right, and that is just the magic of mid-card wrestling. Whether he is Johnny Nitro or John Morrison in the WWE,
00:09:39
Speaker
Johnny Impact in TNA or Johnny TV in AEW, no one can deny that John is an elite athlete in the ring. His unique style of parkour-based offenses quickly caught the attention of the crowd. However, though he had a natural charisma about him, it was his promos that made him not reach the main event level. But that never stopped the iconic run that he had. Being a three-time Intercontinental Champion and multi-time Tag Team Champion, Morrison had memorable mid-card feuds with Jeff Hardy, Dolph Ziggler, and Rey Mysterio.
00:10:14
Speaker
And though he always put on great matches, was fun to watch in elevated mid-card titles, he never truly broke through to the chop. That's a good one. John Morrison. how I like John Morrison.
00:10:25
Speaker
So my first one, we which we mentioned earlier in regards to the twenty four seven championship, my first person is R-Truth. And he's known for his comedic and entertaining persona. He's had several noteworthy runs as a mid-card champion in WWE. So after re-signing with WWE in 2008, he was determined to come in feuding with anyone climbing those charts.
00:10:51
Speaker
So while he had his early feuds, in 2010, he captured his first mid-card title, which was the United States Championship. He defeated who was at the time, The Miz.
00:11:02
Speaker
Making a waste all throughout the mid-card matches, R-Truth went on to have alliances with the likes of Carmella, Xavier Woods, and Goldust, etc. And of course, feuds with Broda T'Clay, Elias, and Breezango from 2013 to 2019.
00:11:19
Speaker
So throughout that time, R-Truth stayed working hard. He entered the Royal Rumble as well as Andre the Giant tournament. In 2019, victory was on his side when Nia Jax took his spot in the Royal Rumble, in which then he got an opportunity at the United States Championship again and won for the second time, defeating Shinsuke Nakamura. The 24-7 championship was unveiled that same year.
00:11:44
Speaker
And later that night, Truth pinned Robert Roode to be the first to win the hardcore championship and the 24-7 championship. So Truth's 24-7 championship reigns were some of his most entertaining moments.
00:11:58
Speaker
I swear I loved whenever he had the 24-7 championship and he held that title a record of 54 times becoming the face of the gimmick. So throughout his mid-card runs, R-Truth was never positioned as a top-tier star, but his involvement in storylines was consistently entertaining. He became a fan favorite, providing both the comedic moments and wrestling skills in his championships.
00:12:22
Speaker
Yeah, R-Truth's
Goldust, Nakamura, and Carlito in Mid-Card
00:12:23
Speaker
a good one. We can't Talk about midcard royalty without putting up Goldust. Goldust was an important player for WWE during their Attitude Era and New Generation Era.
00:12:35
Speaker
and He can be considered one of the most iconic midcarders in WWE history. From the 90s to the he's always found a way to stay relevant.
00:12:47
Speaker
When he debuted in 1995, his Hollywood-inspired vignettes, bizarre mannerisms, and mind games made him one of the most controversial characters in the WWE.
00:12:59
Speaker
He pushed boundaries and used psychological warfare with over-the-top theatrics, making him the perfect mid-card villain. Goldust was a fantastic in-ring performer, and as we stated before about great mid-card wrestlers, he could literally hang with anyone in the ring. Goldust reinvented himself multiple times from era to era, however he did not make it past the mid-card trenches.
00:13:22
Speaker
While groundbreaking at that time, the Goldust character was considered too weird to be in the main event. However, some wrestlers don't need world titles to be legendary, and Goldust is definitely a prime example of that.
00:13:36
Speaker
Indeed. So I mentioned Shinsuke Nakamura from R-Truth taking the United States Championship from him. Shinsuke Nakamura is my next person. So his mid-card championship runs in WWE showcased his unique style and charismatic presence.
00:13:53
Speaker
He's a two-time intercontinental champion as well as a three-time United States champion as well. After moving to the main roster in 2017, Nakamura won the WWE wwewe United States Championship at Backlash in 2018 by defeating Jeff Hardy. His reign, though it was actually relatively short, helped solidify him as a key figure in the mid-cards.
00:14:17
Speaker
He also won the Intercontinental Championship in 2019, defeating Finn Balor at WrestleMania 35. So this win made him the second man after Chris Jericho to have held the IWGP and WWE Intercontinental Championship, as well as the first Asian-born wrestler to win the title.
00:14:36
Speaker
His run with the Intercontinental Championship, we were able to see him take on a more aggressive and calculating persona that enhanced his appeal as a top tier mid-carder. He ended up getting drafted back to SmackDown, which he then debuted as the Sinister Samurai theme gimmick, building a feud with l LA Knight, where he would later defeat him to win the United States Championship to become a three-time champ.
00:15:01
Speaker
His reigns, though not lengthy, were characterized by his distinct striking style and captivating in-ring performances, cementing his legacy as a highly skilled and entertaining midcard champion.
00:15:13
Speaker
And personally, in my opinion, i think he is kind of over, and not overrated, underrated, but he's also very talented, deserving of some of the spotlight in the midcards. One of my favorite midcarders is Carlito.
00:15:28
Speaker
you know, with his debut starting with a United States Championship win over John Cena, many thought this was a sign that another main event player was about to be born. However, Carlito's success in the WWE stayed within the midcard. His cocky, smooth-talking swagger made him stand out, and it helped that he was naturally sharp and funny on the mic.
00:15:51
Speaker
Carlito held all midcard titles at least once and had strong views with John Cena, crusty Ric Flair, And Jeff Hardy. Carlito never made it to the main event for a few reasons.
00:16:02
Speaker
One is his backstage reputation at the time, which had the locker room calling him lazy and not dedicated to the craft, as he has admitted that at the time he did not have the best work ethic.
00:16:16
Speaker
um two his like when he debuted it was during a time where well I call it the big three entrances so you had John Cena you had Randy or you had Batista so WWE was pushing hard for those three guys so he kind of fell into the back and then three you know while he had great rivalries none of them ever had a moment that elevated him to the next level yeah unfortunately but won't Yeah, she does.
00:16:48
Speaker
If y'all follow our Instagram, y'all would see that. If you see her. No. But for real, no. I like Carly though too.
X-Pac's Contribution and Mid-Card Tributes
00:16:59
Speaker
So my last person is X-Pac. a key figure in WWE during the late 90s and early 2000s. He had a memorable run as mid-carder, particularly as part of the DX faction, D-Generation X, if you don't know.
00:17:15
Speaker
Throughout his career, X-Fact, he captured multiple mid-card titles, most notably WWE-like heavyweight championship and the WWE Intercontinental Championship. His first significant single success came in 1998 when he won the light heavyweight championship, solidifying his pace in the midcard. He later won the Intercontinental Championship in 1999 Often being involved in high-profile feuds with stars like Chris Jericho and Kane, X-Fox's combination of high-flying moves, technical wrestling, and his charismatic personality made him a standout in the mid-card scene. Despite not reaching the main event level, his role in DX and his championship runs cemented him as an integral part of the WWE roster, adding depth and excitement to the mid-card division.
00:18:06
Speaker
And of course, you know, those are just few. We have to do our honorable mentions. Matt Hardy, Evan Bourne, Shelton Benjamin, MVP, x Xavier Woods, Santino Morella, Mr. Perfect, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, William Regal, Zach Ryder.
00:18:25
Speaker
Owen Hart, Razor Ramon, Sami Zayn, Ravishing Rick Rude, Roddy Piper, more. And you MediCard is not just for men. Multiple women have been MediCarders as well, like Maria.
00:18:38
Speaker
Ashley, Tamina, Natalya, Dakota Kai, Shotzi, Mee Chin, Chelsea Green, Lyra, Valkyria, and more. And sometimes the mid-card matches are the ones that kind of steal the show.
00:18:54
Speaker
Shawn Michaels versus Razor Ramon in a ladder match for the IC title. You know this match revolutionized the ladder match and set standard for high-risk storytelling.
00:19:05
Speaker
Both men put their bodies on the line, and it completely overshadowed the main event of that year's WrestleMania. Edge and Christian versus the Hardy Boys and the Daly Boys.
00:19:16
Speaker
With insane ladder spots and Edge's legendary spear on Jeff Hardy midair, this match was the pinnacle of WWE's tag team division. Daniel Bryan versus Dolph Ziggler, WWE bragging rights 2010.
00:19:31
Speaker
Raw's United States Champion and SmackDown's Intercontinental Champion in a high-stakes fast-paced match that absolutely stole the show.
Transitioning to Main Event Status
00:19:39
Speaker
Some mid-carders thrive without ever holding that top title. Guys like Mr. Perfect, Roddy Piper, Christian, etc. But some turn into main event stars capturing the gold.
00:19:52
Speaker
The Miz, who cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase on Randy Orton successfully in 2010 for the WWE w Championship and went on to main event WrestleMania in 2011 with John Cena.
00:20:04
Speaker
And then has now become a mid-carder again. Yeah. He's just up and down. yeah Dolph Ziggler. From cheerleader to intercontinental champion to world heavyweight champion, Dolph Ziggler is no stranger to the mid-card and even went back to it after holding the larger title, just like The Miz.
00:20:23
Speaker
Yeah, which a lot a lot of the rest will be doing that in the day. Triple H, can you believe that the big boss himself, Papa H, was once a mid-carder? Triple H has gone on to win the WWE Championship a total of nine times, and the World Heavyweight Championship, five times.
00:20:42
Speaker
And Gunther, of course, from putting the Intercontinental Championship back on the map with an impressive, record-breaking title reign to becoming our current World Heavyweight Champion. So there you have it. The midcard masters. The heroes who help shape each show. Rounding out what wrestling is all about.
Conclusion and Upcoming Content
00:21:01
Speaker
We must give praise to the wrestlers who keep the action going multiple times a week. Adding layers to the show. And I think that's going to conclude this week's episode. o
00:21:17
Speaker
Make sure you join us next week as we discuss The attitude era, you know,
00:21:29
Speaker
this season of Queen's Ring is definitely diving more into actual eras. Like last year, we were getting a lot of people asking us when should we, where should we start?
00:21:42
Speaker
If we want to watch wrestling, listen to the podcast. Literally. See what's grabbing your attention. like we So far, we've covered the Divas era. you know we're We're covering all the eras. so And all the mid-carders, we're covering everything for you. So you can listen.
00:21:58
Speaker
Even if you're not a fan, you can listen to the podcast and kind of become a fan that way of wrestling and see where you want to dive in. I think that would kind of separates us yeah from wrestling.
00:22:09
Speaker
other podcasts. Yeah. And then we just listen to our podcast and learn a lot of history. Yeah. About where it came from and those things like that. Yeah. So, Charity, where can the people find you?
00:22:21
Speaker
You can find me on Instagram and TikTok at LivinLavish with Lonnie. And you guys can kind of, you guys can kind of find me. I'm going to try really hard on that.
00:22:32
Speaker
You guys can find me at CarrieVicious on Instagram and TikTok. And thank you for stepping into the ring with us once again hanging with your girls even though we're a little sleepy today tired yeah we have a time no for real way past my bedtime um make sure you like it subscribe For more exciting episodes every Wednesday and head over to our Instagram.
00:23:00
Speaker
Emphasis on the Instagram. And TikTok, Queen Drink Podcast. We love to interact with the wrestling community, so do not be shy. Don't be shy.
00:23:11
Speaker
Until then. Keep your crowns high and your shoulders off the mat. Go, Cole Kogan.