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00:00Hello and welcome to the Raw Preview.
00:03We are the Daddly Boys of WhatCulture.
00:04I'm Adam Wilborn, joined by Michael Hanfleet and Michael Sidgwick,
00:07here to look ahead to tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw.
00:09But before we get into it, if you're a fan of this sort of thing,
00:12make sure you subscribe to WhatCulture Wrestling on Apple Podcasts,
00:14Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
00:16We do daily wrestling podcasts where we're not going to review Raw,
00:19but also SmackDown, the show formerly known as NXT 2B.
00:22We do Dynamite pay-per-views, premium live events,
00:24where we have interviews, roundtable discussions,
00:26and a round of the week complete with a better quiz, of course,
00:28on WrestleCulture.
00:30As I said, they're joined by Hanfleet and Sidgwick to look ahead to Raw tonight.
00:32I messed up the intro.
00:33I should have said,
00:34Bonjour!
00:35Because we're in Paris tonight, of course,
00:38as the King and Queen of the Ring continues.
00:40Yes.
00:42Ça va?
00:43Ça va bien, merci à tous.
00:44Ça va.
00:48Do you want to know where we are tonight, Sidgwick, by the way?
00:50What?
00:50Where we are tonight.
00:52Paris.
00:53But where we are tonight.
00:55Ah!
00:55Specifically.
00:56What's the name of the venue?
00:57Le Knuckles Arena.
01:01Accor Arena.
01:01I couldn't really do it.
01:02You've been there?
01:03No, I've looked at it from afar, but I've never been.
01:08There was that one you had to be there for, you said.
01:10Oh, maybe there was that one, actually, yeah.
01:11So you might have been there.
01:12Probably.
01:13You'd think you'd remember that.
01:16It's Christ, what a cheat code.
01:18It is, isn't it?
01:19Italy was for the Fed, so we'll see how this goes tonight.
01:22The post-WrestleMania slump being dragged, kicking and screaming.
01:26Don't forget WrestleMania was itself a slump.
01:28Kind of was.
01:29Like, being dragged, kicking and screaming at something better by these crowds that have
01:32been hot without being annoying.
01:33So we'll see which way this goes with France, because I feel like this time last year, the
01:38reason why you were very defensive of the United States, because we were watching going, come
01:43on, dial it back a little bit.
01:44And Bramondo.
01:45Yeah.
01:46Well, this is it.
01:47No AJ Styles.
01:48I suppose there could be.
01:48They could fly him out there for it.
01:50AJ Styles, top French baby face in WWE.
01:53But Italy didn't have any of that.
01:55They were just shows made exponentially better by those crowds.
01:59So we'll see how it goes tonight.
02:01Volume minus Boney M equals, thank God.
02:05That's the formula.
02:06That's the formula.
02:07I thought you, as well, when you were saying a cheat code, it does feel a bit like this
02:11King and Queen of the Ring tournament has helped as well, because it just forces them
02:15to, well, do something, basically.
02:19And normally it used to be the triple threats.
02:21Now it's four ways.
02:22From what we saw on SmackDown, you got a good taste of like the way they can mix things up
02:26a bit.
02:27Yeah.
02:29Last week, the narrative around it, because of like those random changes where Drew and
02:33Sammy were in it and then they weren't.
02:35And then Liv Morgan sort of having to explain it because it didn't really make any sense.
02:39And just the general, you know, like awkward conversations around over Femi following the
02:44loss of Brock Lesnar.
02:45It didn't feel like the best time to be doing something like this.
02:48But then I sort of delivered last week and I like these, I like these Triple H tournaments.
02:53They make sense.
02:54Like, yeah, it was better when all the Fed was better.
02:58But when there's so few things that have stakes and they're actually delivering results of
03:03consequence, it's, it's something like these Clash in Italy was, WrestleMania was it really,
03:11but Clash in Italy especially, they double treble stacked that card to look and feel like the
03:17show that they were like given a lot of attention and time and care to.
03:20And then with such bottle job cowards with so much of the booking that you're left thinking,
03:26when does anything ever happen?
03:27Like how many weeks of buzz could you generate over this storyline when by the time you get
03:33to the actual show where it's supposed to pay off, it doesn't pay off.
03:35Like it's happened at WrestleMania.
03:37So that's the one place where you really can't afford to do that.
03:40And they've done it too much.
03:42The tournament forces it like there will be winners and losers because the, like there
03:46will be semifinals and finals like the, the brackets, if nothing else forced WWE's hand
03:51to sort of go with somebody that at least, you know, even if you sort of come up with
03:54cheap finishes, they still win and lose.
03:57So like, if like, Oh, the family dominant was there.
03:59It's absolutely tremendous TV match booking for a tournament.
04:02Right.
04:02And it really could go either way.
04:03If you think of how you want to arrive at that.
04:05They've got to deliver it.
04:06They have to deliver it.
04:07Like they, they deliver something consequential there and they actually have to provide
04:11rather than you take it to clash in Italy.
04:12Well, we're going to have it here.
04:13And then there's going to be a foot on the rope and there's going to be, you know what
04:15I mean?
04:15Like a cheap way out of it.
04:17The King of the Ring forces them to not do that because you can actually just pin
04:20somebody in the match.
04:21It feels like that's a knock on effect as well across WWE.
04:24Cause I was trying to put my finger on why I enjoyed SmackDown more than I have recently.
04:29We'll talk more about it later on the SmackDown review pod, obviously.
04:31And I think it was, it was not just Dom that we'll talk about in a second.
04:34Cause Oba's opening this show, but it was a fact like stuff finally happened.
04:38You finally got fatal influence going after the tag tag champions, not the tag belts yet,
04:43but we'll get there.
04:44You've got the split, but the drawn out split between Julia and Keanu James, for example.
04:49It just felt like finally they've decided to actually do things.
04:53Yeah.
04:55Maybe.
04:55They've been treading water for a long time.
04:56Yeah, no, they still are.
04:57They still are.
04:58Is Bron Breaker scheduled for tonight?
05:02He is not.
05:05Okay.
05:05Can I talk about him?
05:06Yes.
05:09Because I'm going to stand up for WWE.
05:11Why not?
05:15Before he's even done it.
05:18The discourse surrounding WWE is that they are refusing to pull triggers on certain pushes,
05:26that they are cowardly.
05:28In the words of Michael Hamflit, there is no intent to do anything.
05:30They seem happy to exist in this incredibly predictable bland.
05:35And it eventually will prove itself to be counterproductive holding pattern in that
05:39like Jacob Fatu staring down Bron Breaker has got nowhere near the same power and promise
05:45and allure as it did a couple of years ago because it felt like, oh my God, whoever wins
05:49that eventual monster mash is going to go on to do great things and neither of them are
05:54going to do great things.
05:56To a degree, right?
05:58I get it.
06:00If you look at how hot Jacob Fatu was earlier this year when people thought, should we just
06:04get Drew out of the way?
06:05Not for the first time.
06:06People have said that in connection to Drew McIntyre.
06:08Should we just get Drew out of the way and get Jacob Fatu versus Cody Rhodes as your
06:13WrestleMania main event?
06:14He can make a monster heel.
06:16So I do get that.
06:18Look, I'm not supporting or endorsing WWE's booking.
06:21I think it's been poor for a long ass time.
06:24But like in the specific case of Bron Breaker, people were up in arms that he did a job to
06:29Seth Rollins as if like, see your first week watching the Fed, like they do trilogies
06:33constantly.
06:352-1 is the result every single time it's fired.
06:37So absolutely lifting generally as a product.
06:43I can understand WWE, whether it's Levesque or someone in his ear or just this creative
06:50wide decision to go, you know what, nah, give him another chance to get over at some point,
06:54but don't strap the rocket to this dude.
06:55People were really livid.
06:57Alvarez, one of them.
06:58And I get it.
06:58Like, Jesus Christ, I don't want Seth Rollins to win a match.
07:01Jesus, at this point, I don't want Seth Rollins to wrestle another match.
07:04I'm not profoundly bored of him.
07:05But Bron Breaker has had at least two big, high-profile, show-and-watch-a-guard-kid,
07:13lengthy back-and-forth matches with wrestlers who, even if I'm not the biggest fan of professionally,
07:18come personally, you can't really have bad matches.
07:21You can have pretty mediocre, trope-infested, three-and-a-half-star matches, Seth Rollins,
07:28with them, but you don't necessarily have actively bad matches against Seth Rollins.
07:35You just don't.
07:36You can make a botch last two hours, Jay, so.
07:38Yeah.
07:38You know?
07:39When's his neckbreaker going to end?
07:41Jesus Christ, some legends say he's still falling down to this day.
07:48Look, Bone Breaker has crapped that mattress twice this year.
07:53So, I don't know, maybe WWE do know what they're talking about sometimes.
07:59I didn't know Alvarez had booted off about Bron Breaker, but it's that.
08:03I get it.
08:03I don't feel it.
08:04I'm with the own Bron Breaker, to be honest.
08:05I don't feel it about him, but I get it as somebody, I'm not speaking for Alvarez here,
08:10obviously, but, like, somebody watching wanting pushes to succeed.
08:12I felt it with Overfield.
08:13No, no, I get that.
08:14Like, there is this massive, massive problem that was...
08:16But it's a fully loaded 2000 thing, isn't it?
08:18We're living it every week.
08:19Yeah, it's like, that was one period where, like, for those that don't know, most people
08:24do, I think, but fully loaded 2000 is used from fans of a certain age, I was, like, where
08:28three potential main eventers were wrestling, three established ones on the same night,
08:32and the idea was, is this the night that any of them break through by getting a win?
08:34Because wins and losses can still matter in that way, the way wrestling functions.
08:39And they all lost.
08:40And ultimately, it did actually reveal, even at WWE's prior creative and commercial peak,
08:46that there was something of a glass ceiling that could cause problems down the line.
08:49And it would, sort of, it didn't foreshadow the specific problems, but it foreshadowed
08:53a problem in the way that WWE sometimes couldn't get out of its own way.
08:56You look the other way a bit, because everything was so hot and fun.
08:59But there was, it was, it revealed something.
09:02While at the same time, like, generating a bit of an argument of, like, well, how ready
09:06were they?
09:06How desperate were you to just put people in slots there?
09:08Yeah, and that's, that debate rages to this day, you know.
09:11And equally, it also proved how much the wins and losses matter, because people were
09:15up and on, it's like, you can't beat Brom Breaker.
09:17It's like, The Undertaker treated Kurt Angle like a complete J-Bron.
09:21How much did it matter?
09:22He was never going to be an Austin Rocketeer star, but he became that, I know it's cursed
09:29as a phrase now, but, and it's actually a really good score.
09:32If I got this in an exam, I would be happy.
09:34And he, he was that era's B-plus player, where it's like, he's probably not headlining
09:39WrestleMania, and you're not building WrestleMania around him, but give him the belt for the
09:42other six months of the year, have him headline the B-level pay-per-views.
09:45You need guys like that.
09:47Undertaker doing the old, one, two, I'm not f***ing finished with you yet.
09:51F*** off.
09:53He jobber pinned Angle.
09:55It's like, are you joking me?
09:56I was livid at the time.
09:57Real wrestling, I'll show you real kid.
10:00This is it.
10:00So certain results genuinely do not matter.
10:02That one didn't.
10:04Brom Breaker losing to Seth Rollins this week isn't going to kill off his push, and it's
10:08not this huge disgrace.
10:10A, if he's good enough, he'll get there.
10:11B, did he deserve the rocket strap to him this year?
10:14I don't even know.
10:15And to be fair, a lot of people, we weren't here to talk about it last week, but a lot
10:18of people were comparing Seth Rollins to Bret Hart off the back of last week's Raw.
10:22Why?
10:23Because he did the thing with the belt where he spitted him, and he was...
10:26Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:27So he's basically the new Bret Hart.
10:28Key difference being that Bret Hart came up with that idea.
10:31Not many people were saying that.
10:33You've seen some of them around to Sharpshire executions in your life, and they'll be
10:35compared to Bret Hart.
10:36Which I'm going to tell you for.
10:39The Rocks wasn't amazing.
10:41New.
10:41One of the worst, actually.
10:42Blinded by.
10:43It's funny you mentioned, by the way, Fully Loaded.
10:45Like, probably the go-home...
10:471998, the best Fully Loaded for you, Wilborn?
10:49No, I was going to say that the go-home for...
10:51He gets it.
10:52The go-home for Fully Loaded 2000 is probably one of the earliest wrestling memories I ever have.
10:58Oh, really?
10:59And I assume it was from a Sunday night heat or something, because we didn't have Sky.
11:03But I remember sat in Aunty Glynis's kitchen, and...
11:08Was Nanar there?
11:10Nanar was...
11:11She liked the Mr. W.
11:13She was watching one of the stunt grannies, getting her talking.
11:17But I remember, and there was like a tag match.
11:20It all broke down, basically, to pick all of the time.
11:23And it was like, Rock had Benoit in a crossface, and Jericho had Triple H in the walls or whatever.
11:30And I remember just being like, what the hell's this?
11:32This is awesome.
11:33But that was like one of the first things I distinctly remember watching.
11:36Yeah, should I check out...
11:37And then you took the way it built to like, oh, ruined it.
11:40Should I check out Fully Loaded 98, mate?
11:41That's more your speed, I think.
11:43Yeah, you'd enjoy that.
11:46But there's that mindset, that Alvarez thing about Brom Breaker, and in general about pick a wrestler.
11:53It shouldn't be a blanket thing for me, is all I'm saying.
11:55Yeah.
11:55Couldn't get a big new member, though, of the Vision, very soon.
12:00Maxine Dupri.
12:01Oh, yeah, yeah.
12:02Heavily linked.
12:03Oh, no Heyman there now.
12:05Maxine Dupri, here we go!
12:06I don't know why you're talking about heavily linked.
12:10But yeah, so...
12:12Maxine Dupri only wanted the Vision.
12:14Yeah, Heyman got speared last week as well, obviously, so there could be a sort of vacuum for power in
12:21the top of the Vision, and now...
12:23A vacuum for power at the top of the Vision?
12:25As Maxine Dupri steals in.
12:26The Vision appreciate Maxine Dupri exploring the conditions of the deal.
12:32Seth is in action, so that's why we could see...
12:34It is funny when you Romano that bitch and talk about Maxine Dupri, it really underscores, like, why would you
12:38ever advance on that wrestler?
12:41Maxine Dupri feels like one of the only wrestlers of recent times of her skill level not to tear ACL.
12:46The second she joins the Vision, she will.
12:47Like, that's what happens in this stable.
12:49It's cursed!
12:50Break it up!
12:51Like, even Paul Amor has nothing to do with it.
12:54Like, Maxine Dupri will join.
12:56I don't mind them paying this off.
12:57It's a...
12:58It's a potential romance storyline.
12:59Something to look at.
13:00But, like, yeah.
13:02Yeah.
13:02Oh, we got...
13:03We got...
13:03Raw's getting goated now, all of a sudden, for me, because it's a potential romance storyline.
13:07No, you could just watch a SACOM.
13:09Indentured Servitude as well, so...
13:11You could just watch a rom-com.
13:13Is that...
13:13Is something advertised about Jacob and Roman this week?
13:16No, nothing, I don't...
13:17As far as I'm aware.
13:18Anything advertised?
13:19There's a lot, like...
13:20There's some really exciting matches that we will get to.
13:22Seth is in action with regards to Bron.
13:24Not in a Bron match, but he's in the...
13:26Right, Seth's in action, so can we definitely talk about Jacob and Roman instead, please?
13:29Like, I had that segment last week where Jacob joins, and it's kind of, of course, as you
13:33think it would, and it was hot in the build, and it was, like, the Roman didn't have to
13:35do anything for, like, ten minutes and got this amazing response.
13:38Loves doing that.
13:38And herein lies...
13:39That's my favourite thing.
13:41Herein lies what I believe to be the enormous problem, part six, with Roman Reigns in 2026.
13:48I can't...
13:48I can't sanction this one yet.
13:51Like, when Batista first even glanced at the world title, he was glancing at that belt,
13:56which had basically been held prisoner, along with all our enjoyment of WWE for, like,
14:01three years, by the guy holding the key, swinging it around his finger, Triple H.
14:04I'll let you enjoy wrestling when I decide, actually.
14:06Please, Triple H, can we enjoy this again?
14:08Nope.
14:09Not for another couple of years.
14:10Like, think about how much you wanted Batista to solve that problem.
14:14And even though it was fiction, you were like, I am so invested in the creative destruction
14:18of this character, I will take anything.
14:20I was prepared to say, Randy Orton, for a minute, don't tell anybody.
14:22And then Triple H told me, don't take him.
14:24And I was like, got it, boss.
14:25We'll wait for the next guy.
14:27Prison's all right, in fact, actually.
14:29Like, so then...
14:29Getting institutionalised by Triple H, because, like, you see Randy Orton on the outside.
14:35Randy Orton's baby face, boss.
14:37Prison, the lesser of two evils.
14:38But Batista shows you, ah, right, no, him.
14:41I want him, please.
14:42And that's perfect.
14:44That is the perfect indentured service to you.
14:45The perfect protect the villain's title at all cost storyline, because there is the
14:49guy in front of you that you want.
14:51Like, the buy rate of WrestleMania 21 pre is there.
14:53Two of them, with him and John Cena.
14:54Jesus!
14:55Like, it was like, you got both of them.
14:56You got JBL and Triple H.
14:57It's the title, Prison.
14:58And, like, here's John Cena and Batista.
15:00They're the guys that are going to do it.
15:02It doesn't work.
15:03No matter how much people love Jacob Fatu, when Roman Reigns walk in the building,
15:06the people go, like,
15:08he's the top baby face by, like, unless he decides I might actually be a heel this
15:12week, which, like, again, happens half the time and doesn't make a difference.
15:16This is, like...
15:17Is Roman Reigns moxing out?
15:19Massively.
15:20Massively.
15:20Moxing out.
15:21Like, once again, we come back to Seth Rollins' complete lack of self-respect.
15:27And we're like, yeah, I'll do what you need.
15:29Like, the other two of them, I'm like, Shield, actually.
15:31Shut up.
15:32Right?
15:32We'll do this.
15:34Roman Reigns' flat-out refusal to not, like, play the game a little bit, literally
15:39and figuratively, means that, like, this indentured service thing could fall flat on
15:43its arse.
15:44Because you could get all the way to the rumbling.
15:45Yes, you could have people thinking, like, I want Jacob to win the belt.
15:49Like, that'd be great.
15:50But then, it's Roman...
15:52People just love Roman Reigns.
15:53And he won't force them to change.
15:54Unless he does.
15:55Like, six months from now, if he's just been like, actually, I need to be a heel for any
15:58of this to work, otherwise I'm a complete lying fraud.
16:00And I'm not trying to get my family member over.
16:01I'm just keeping my position at the top, because it's never felt so fragile.
16:05Like, he's actually got to embrace being a bad guy.
16:08Otherwise, this massive, grand idea that everybody has of Jacob Fatu's...
16:11He's broken away from the bloodline, everybody.
16:13Yay!
16:14It's gonna be...
16:15He's broken away from the bloodline, everybody.
16:16You stupid idiot, Roman's the best.
16:17Like, it's like...
16:18At the moment, I do like...
16:21Yeet!
16:22I like this, like...
16:23Jey Uso's so irritating that Jacob's like, I need to kill you.
16:26They might have something there, because Jey getting in his face was like...
16:30And Jacob's saying, you didn't beat me.
16:32Yeet!
16:33Like, that's...
16:34That has my attention.
16:35But Roman has to, like...
16:37He's got to show that ass, and I'm not convinced he's going to want to do it.
16:41Like, how are we going to get to the great Jacob Fatu breaking away from the bloodline?
16:47Roman's thinking, hmm.
16:48Yeah.
16:49How about we win war games, and I'm the guy that gets it done?
16:53What?
16:54Yeah, that's what we're going to do.
16:57Jey slips on a banana peel, obviously.
16:58Stupid idiot.
16:59Yeet!
17:00Like, Jacob can beat him up.
17:01Yeet!
17:02And then he's going to be ready for me.
17:03I like that.
17:03Do it again.
17:04Yeet!
17:05Yeet!
17:05That's where they...
17:07Overnight...
17:07Yeah, pop a T-mark for me.
17:09Er...
17:10Have them sort of competing, like...
17:11Jeez, I was just going through Jurassic Park.
17:13Yeet!
17:13Ah!
17:18AEW Dynamite, wherever you get your podcast from, we talk about that.
17:21Flips over you some of you.
17:23Well, in relation to Roman Reigns, one of the sort of long-term teasers, I suppose, is Oba
17:29Femi.
17:30And there's talk about...
17:31It's such a funny phrase that I read somewhere.
17:34Plan is, potentially, Oba Femi and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania next year.
17:38Unless The Rock wants to get involved.
17:40What a legend.
17:41I love that.
17:42But, Oba opens the show tonight, and as you mentioned earlier, he has a mouth-watering
17:48tie down the road, because we've still got a few matches to get through.
17:52Semi-final against Dominic Mysterio.
17:54Tough, tough.
17:55That's tonight?
17:56No, no, no.
17:56Well, him opening the show is the match isn't tonight yet.
17:59I like...
18:00He can lay the groundwork, I suppose, for, presumably, Brock Lesnar at some point costing
18:05him King of the Ring.
18:06He better.
18:07I was pretty pissed off last week.
18:08It's just compared, when I explained how I turned WB off, because I saw him grow
18:13out, Oba Femi losing, you compared it to, like, disciplining a badly-behaved dog.
18:17Yeah.
18:17I tapped the fed on the nose and turned it off.
18:19Bad fed.
18:20Bad fed.
18:21To go back and watch it.
18:22Not that you would ever do that in real life.
18:23Not in real life.
18:24Just an analogy.
18:26Frightening that.
18:27Hang on, you just...
18:28No.
18:30The...
18:30Leave it.
18:32The response...
18:32Not sure about that, but let's move swiftly on.
18:34The response was unbelievable.
18:36Like, he was great on Raw last week.
18:37He was.
18:37I wish that had all happened after I brought Lesnar win, because I'd imagine how even more
18:40over he'd be.
18:41But it was great.
18:42Like, the...
18:42Oba Femi, like, he's still...
18:45He's still got everything, and I hate that wrestling...
18:48It's WB mainly, but I do think even, like, most bookers will be like, oh, the best thing
18:52about having a guy that does everything is that he means you can abuse that.
18:54Like, I really hate that there becomes this mindset of, like, well, beat them then.
18:58Like, reduce that, because the fans will love him regardless.
19:02Like, something got lost along the way.
19:04When somebody has everything, like, we always use Austin as the example, he's not getting
19:08beat.
19:09Like, he's not losing this match that you might see as, like, one that is an affordable loss
19:13or anything like that.
19:14It is just not happening without all of this, and all of this, and all of this, and at exactly
19:19the right time.
19:20And it was the wrong time to beat Oba Femi.
19:21I still firmly believe that.
19:22And it was a pointless defeat as well, but he was amazing on Raw, and that's why they
19:27do these things.
19:27The promo was fantastic.
19:29Like, he continues to...
19:30I mean, he's lapped Ron and Jacob, which is part of the problem.
19:33Like, another guy, when these appear to be the two guys, when another guy just appears
19:37on the scene, it's like, it's actually him.
19:39That's how wrestling goes sometimes.
19:40So that's another reason why those don't feel like going concerns as much anymore, because
19:44there's the guy.
19:45I have absolutely no doubt that, like, his and Dom's stuff, any...
19:51If it's a backstage thing, if it's Dom, I wanted them to do it on SmackDown.
19:56Like, the graphic pops up on the screen.
19:58He's, like, celebrating it.
19:59Oh, God, that!
20:00But, like, at some point...
20:02I thought they were going to do it for a split second.
20:03So he wins the main event of SmackDown to qualify for the semifinals, and Wade's doing
20:09the, like, hey, Dom's won!
20:11Fantastic news!
20:12And Cole's like, that means he faces Oba Femi.
20:14I mean, Wade sort of did that for him.
20:16He was like, oh, we'll call off the celebrations then.
20:19But then Dom, down the lens, sort of said something like, Oba, I'm coming for you, or
20:22something.
20:23That's good stuff.
20:23So I like him being a cocky twat, maybe more.
20:25The visual of Dom, like, so there's Oba, and there's Dom.
20:31And Dom puts, like, Liv, or, like, a Roxanne Perez in front of, like, this giant, like,
20:36the smallest possible member of the judgement day, like, Roxanne Perez looking up at Oba Femi.
20:41Can you deal with that, please?
20:42Like, there's some fun to be had with that.
20:44Yeah, you didn't even know it was going to take some wicked bumps in this.
20:46I do, like, hate that there's only one other bloke in the judgement day, because some kind
20:52of, like, Raven's Rule-style scenario where just Oba Femi plows through the judgement
20:57day would be quite good.
20:58Nash in the end after a bone thrillers.
21:00Yeah, yeah, yeah.
21:01The ref counting anyway.
21:02Not even pinning half of them.
21:04But I think, yeah, tonight you set up not just Dom being, like, Dom interrupts Oba to say,
21:09like, you know, I'm a real ruler.
21:12I've got the AAA championship sort of thing.
21:14It's one of those segments where they wouldn't have to say a word, but people would get the
21:18idea of, like, you idiot.
21:20And then also, like, I mean, if I sense, obviously, Oba's going to come out, as he does, is Dom
21:28going to do the strut?
21:30Is Dom going to...
21:31That'd be very funny.
21:32We can all strut, mate.
21:33That's it.
21:33Not the same, though, is it?
21:36But yeah, I think you need Oba to say something that may...
21:39Because it feels like Brock feels he's done with Oba.
21:42He basically said, you're dumb, bitch, after he beat him.
21:45I mean, they're 1-1.
21:47Yeah, what is it?
21:48It's 1-1, so it's done.
21:50Way goals, I think he was thinking about that.
21:52Yeah, yeah, he's one of the way goals.
21:53He's won the feud.
21:54Brilliant.
21:55But yeah, I just sense there's going to be something said here, either intentionally or
21:59unintentionally, by Oba, that he's going to set in motion.
22:03I mean, Dom beating Oba is very funny.
22:06It's quite...
22:07There's something to be said for Oba.
22:10Charging through King of the Ring, attempting to win the King of the Ring.
22:12If he doesn't, he doesn't.
22:13But the idea is the King of the Ring winner gets a title shot at SummerSlam.
22:16And Oba has kind of already assumed that I will win this tournament and I'm going to
22:20be the champion as soon as I get a title shot.
22:22I'm focused on Brock Lesnar more.
22:23I'm just as...
22:24Like, that's where I'm angry now.
22:26The title is taken as red that I will win this tournament and I will win this belt.
22:29And it's the Brock Lesnar thing that becomes not like an obsession for him, but this thing
22:33where he won't let that go.
22:34He's not going to allow Brock to sort of escape into the shadows again and just quietly
22:39retire.
22:41And that's what teases Brock back to get you decided, like, Brock screws him in the final
22:46or something.
22:46Because Oba, like, it's weird, isn't it?
22:49Oba...
22:49I like it.
22:50It's good weird, I think.
22:51Oba has to win, but then he kind of has to not.
22:54Like, if you book in Oba...
22:56Like, if this is real, Oba family has to win this tournament and go to SummerSlam.
22:59But...
23:00You always lose at SummerSlam.
23:02Oba...
23:03I'm just putting it out there.
23:07Rollum funny.
23:08He should go to SummerSlam.
23:10He should defeat Roman Reigns for the world title or something.
23:12Yeah, that would solve two problems.
23:13One, Oba family gets his push.
23:14And two, I don't have to watch Roman Reigns be this absolute, like, desperate emulation
23:18of what he once was.
23:19Double correct.
23:22But...
23:22We'd assume...
23:23I'd assume, what, Seth Rollins also in the final?
23:25Yeah.
23:26Because the rumour is Seth and Roman for SummerSlam, I think.
23:29I think, yeah.
23:30Because we talked about it.
23:31It's not...
23:33I know, I get it, Sid.
23:34The idea of, like, Brock Lesnar screwing over Femi in that match and Paul him and being
23:38like, for Seth!
23:40It's not bad.
23:41Like, that's not a bad little overlap.
23:42And then it gets you to your decider.
23:44Like, I decided at WrestleMania, actually.
23:46But they'll call it a decider.
23:48And then Seth and Roman.
23:50It's a...
23:51That's a way to fork those matches.
23:53Yeah.
23:54It's SummerSlam.
23:55It's not WrestleMania, Seth and Roman, is it?
23:56But it's fine for a SummerSlam, I guess.
24:00So, yeah.
24:00Let's talk about the quick King and Queen of the Ring matches tonight.
24:03You've got Seth Rollins, Javon Evans, Tala Tonga, and Ricky Saints.
24:09Do you want to deal with that?
24:10And then we'll talk...
24:10Because the women's one's a good line-up.
24:11I really like the women's.
24:12It's a funny match, isn't it?
24:13Yeah.
24:14Something to look at.
24:15Something to look at this.
24:16Something to look at.
24:17But, hey, Tala Tonga's been racking up some momentum of late over on the blue brand.
24:21Correct.
24:22Yeah.
24:22Is there...
24:23I've actually missed the last couple of SmackDowns.
24:25For whatever reason, I had a really early start on Saturday, so I didn't get the chance
24:30to watch it.
24:31I was busy the rest of the weekend.
24:33Is Royce Keyes bad?
24:36Like, in-ring work-wise.
24:38It's not good enough.
24:39Like, that's not meant to be a dig at his work, but nothing's getting over, nothing's
24:42connecting.
24:43He's fine.
24:44He does like a...
24:45There's a big straps-down moment that keeps happening to no pop, which is less than ideal.
24:49So, I don't think the story is very interesting.
24:52I was one of...
24:53Like, I was pushing back on this idea when he debuted in the Rumble, and then they just
24:56took him off TV for a bit.
24:57I was like, that's actually quite smart.
24:59I think that would have died, that run.
25:01It's dying anyway.
25:02Like, now they're actually...
25:03It's just not working, isn't it?
25:04Not really.
25:04Now they're using him.
25:05I think it's reasonable to say whether or not you think the run's working, and I don't
25:08really think it is.
25:09I didn't watch SmackDown.
25:10I didn't watch his shutout, though.
25:12Didn't I?
25:12Saturday morning.
25:14What was that again?
25:15It was my team against...
25:16A team from Seeham.
25:18Oh, yeah.
25:18Yeah.
25:18You won 0-0, didn't you?
25:201-0-0.
25:20Yep.
25:21Well, my son was in defence, you see, so he did his job.
25:23Yes.
25:25Well done.
25:28Does it mean Solo's going to be on Raw, actually?
25:30I didn't know anyone.
25:33Can't you see him prayed?
25:35I love it.
25:35I absolutely love it.
25:36Chores to live there, but like...
25:37I know you.
25:39Nice to...
25:39You still know him.
25:40Didn't win, though.
25:41Well, he won.
25:42He won the defence.
25:43Which is how we all score football.
25:47Victories are there wherever you look for them.
25:49A victory might just fall out of the sky.
25:53That's Solo on Raw.
25:54Yes, please.
25:55Yeah.
25:56He...
25:56It was...
25:57No, especially if there's no Roman there this week.
25:59Well, all the more reason why I might turn up, because there was that little thing on
26:02SmackDown, wasn't there?
26:03We're getting ready for war.
26:04I was like, it's getting ready for a squash, pal.
26:06Like, this MFTs versus this bloodline.
26:08You're joking.
26:09Like, you're going to get...
26:10I want Jimmy and Jay to be there, and him be like, well, when Roman's not here, I'm
26:12basically de facto leader of this week, right?
26:14I would really, really enjoy that.
26:15I mean, yeet, get away, Solo.
26:18Jimmy's like, once again, eh?
26:20It's quite funny now.
26:21He seems all right.
26:21Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:22Can we have Solo back?
26:23No.
26:24I like it.
26:24Maybe they lean into this whole, you know, Brom Breaker, speared the belt, speared Paul
26:29Heyman last week.
26:29What if he spears all three other men in this match, not called Seth Rollins, accidentally?
26:34It's not...
26:34You can't be that stupid.
26:36I mean, I would believe it, but you shouldn't do it.
26:39It's him three times.
26:40You've done it again.
26:41Yeah.
26:44Who was...
26:45It's Javon Evans, isn't it?
26:49I'm trying to think.
26:49It's Seth Pins here.
26:51Probably Talatonga.
26:53As part of this Bloodline Civil War, they appeared to be referencing it.
26:58Saints?
27:00Well, maybe.
27:01Good match with Melo on SmackDown.
27:02Yeah, it was all right, actually.
27:03They're doing a Melo.
27:05Melo's starting to cheat a little bit.
27:06He's not happy that Trix lapped him.
27:08So he's kind of being a bit of a bastard to get his wins, but it has meant that Saints
27:12has sort of become welcome to SmackDown.
27:14You're Bruce and Out, but you're also losing.
27:15That's kind of what it was.
27:16That's what he does.
27:18He's what Bruce and Out?
27:19Yeah, that's what Bruce does, supposedly.
27:21Bruce Forsyth used to.
27:22Oh, right.
27:23I was completely lost there, I'll be honest.
27:26This women's four-way is very exciting, though.
27:28I like the line-up here.
27:29Becky Lynch, world champion Liv Morgan.
27:32Right.
27:34Alexa Bliss, and Chelsea Green.
27:38Into this.
27:39Yeah.
27:39I like watching Alexa Bliss do anything but bump properly.
27:44Well...
27:45I like that era.
27:45It's funny.
27:47I'm assuming she's actually going to be wrestling, because they've done a storyline where Jade
27:51Cargill and the baddies had injured her, so Charlotte Flair was having to work with her.
27:54So I'm guessing this must be her return, or she's taken out the tournament completely
27:57and someone takes her place.
27:58I don't know.
28:01But this will be up your street.
28:03Chelsea Green.
28:05And Chelsea Green's, like, obviously getting over as a babyface now.
28:09In fact, she's been...
28:09Like, they're allowing fans to cheer her, and it feels like it's setting up a Tiffany Stratton
28:13heel turn, because Tiffany's just not being very nice to her, and Chelsea's extending
28:16the hand of friendship and stuff.
28:18But she had a match with Lash Legend that was going really well.
28:21They were having, like, a good match.
28:23It was hot in the building.
28:24Most things were on SmackDown.
28:25And it's just one of the funniest botches of the year.
28:28Like, she goes to Low Bridge, Lash Legend, but, like, Lash Legend hasn't started running.
28:33So it's kind of been a miscommunication where, like, Chelsea Green is just like, oh.
28:37And it's, you know, in, like, a second last an hour.
28:39Yeah.
28:39She is stood where you would stand to stand on the apron and, like, fold yourself over
28:43to Low Bridge somebody for nothing.
28:46Lash Legend, I should probably run over that then.
28:47And she runs over the top of it and went, I think she's got some hair in her eyes or
28:50something.
28:52Oh, God.
28:53Every week there's something brilliant.
28:55Every week there is...
28:56There are victories wherever you look for them.
28:57There are just, like, wrestlers forgetting how to do it.
29:00Like, they...
29:00Maybe they never knew.
29:02But, yeah, she's really over as a babyface.
29:07So I think they might pin her.
29:09I think Chelsea.
29:10Yeah.
29:11Yeah, I don't know who advances.
29:12So this is the one.
29:13I mean, you could have, mmm, Alexa win this because Charlotte Flair's in the other.
29:18So we've got the other semifinals set.
29:21Eoska and Raquel Rodriguez is set for that.
29:23Is it revealing that you've kind of bollocksed it up if you have Liv Morgan trying to explain
29:30away why she would enter a tournament to win her own title and then say, it's because I
29:33want to win all the belts, I'm the best, and then lose in the first round?
29:36Is that a bit dodgy?
29:38Would you not just want to put Liv over here and make it seem like she's actually going
29:40to have a run at this and she's going to try and win it?
29:43That's a good point.
29:43Becky Lynch is in a position where she can get pinned.
29:46She knows when to do jobs.
29:48Like, she's very good at, like, taking, she takes more losses than you sometimes remember
29:51and that's the point.
29:52She's very good at that.
29:53Yeah.
29:55Who have you got going through, then?
29:56Liv.
29:57Liv.
29:57I think.
29:58They're just, there was too much of an effort made to, hang on.
30:01Yeah, as well as Liv and Raquel go through, but Roxanne doesn't.
30:04Yeah, that's not bad with the three of them.
30:06Yeah, they can't ever just be happy for a few months together.
30:10What problems with the judgment, though?
30:11Indeed.
30:12Jesus Christ.
30:13What am I still doing here?
30:15Liv, Morgan, Ian with Hanford here.
30:19Why invite ridicule of your booking process just to make it, like, not even remotely possible
30:26that she's going to actually do what she says?
30:28You know what I mean?
30:28It's just like, you're just making it look like you've, you forgot that she had the belt.
30:33That's, I will say.
30:34She didn't defend this title before SummerSlam.
30:36Well, I will say this Becky and Sol Ruka thing feels like it might be breaking a pattern.
30:40You know, normally what happens is the person will win the title and then Becky kind of wins it back.
30:44You know, it's that, like, old, like, Ric Flair heel champion book in where it kind of doesn't matter how
30:49many range you rack up.
30:50It's just what happens in the feud where you're trying to get somebody over.
30:53This one feels a bit different, doesn't it?
30:54They might actually run with Sol here as an IC champion.
30:57So you could have Becky pin live, not win the tournament, and then say, you better beat the world champion.
31:03Where's my title shot?
31:05Where's my title shot?
31:06Yeah.
31:07Then she throws a bin at Jessica Carr.
31:09Yeah.
31:11Like, some development in that never-ending story.
31:14Sol Ruka is defending the IC title tonight against Lyra Valkyria.
31:20Sol retains.
31:22They're both, obviously, great flyers.
31:27And Bayley is involved in the finish, probably, because it was really funny on Raw when they were having an
31:34interview on how they were going to win the tag titles.
31:36And then Lyra just dropped Bayley cold.
31:37I'm going to go speak to Sol Ruka.
31:38It's like Alan Partridge in that funeral episode where he's like, I want to go and talk to him like
31:44that because he wants his new TV contract.
31:46Like, Lyra's done.
31:48Bayley and her can split up.
31:49So I think Sol retains, obviously, and they can tease more tension with Lyra and Bayley.
31:53Because it feels like, like you say, they're always one step ahead in terms of showcasing where the titles are
32:01going.
32:01It feels like you're going to drop the titles to Fatal Influence.
32:06By the way, if you're unaware who's in that group, it's Laney Reid, Fallon Henley, and JC Jane.
32:15And then you get to Bayley and Lyra, which causes the split.
32:19Yes.
32:19So, yeah, maybe Lyra runs Sol really close, loses maybe, not contentiously, but like you say, something, there could, there's
32:30an element of doubt there.
32:31And Bayley's very quickly like, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's move on.
32:33Tag titles anyway.
32:34None of this is interesting.
32:35She's our queen in the ring, isn't she?
32:36Yeah.
32:37None of this is interesting, but it is fine.
32:39Like, somebody might get over, it's boring, but somebody might get over.
32:42Like, this is what you do.
32:44Like, Lyra and Bayley are not a very over tag team.
32:45So, you acknowledge that and you think, right, we're going to split these up and let's see if somebody can
32:49get over out of this.
32:50So, you find a way in which they're going to lose their tag title shot because they're not really on
32:53the same page anymore.
32:54You've had a Lyra getting a title match that she wants the IC title back.
32:57It was kind of better when I was just working by myself rather than constantly carrying you, Bayley.
33:01And then, like, they have to have a match.
33:03And, like, all of it might play out to utter silence or boredom.
33:06But there could be, like, an angle where one of them might get over us.
33:09Bayley, to an absolute trend.
33:10Very popular on social media last week, Bayley.
33:13Very popular.
33:14Right, well, I feel like I know what you're inferring there.
33:17But.
33:17Implying.
33:18Implying, thank you.
33:18You're inferring.
33:20Well, you've watched The Office, haven't you?
33:21I was getting mixed up.
33:22It's like, what's the other one?
33:23I can't do equations.
33:24I don't know why.
33:25Probably on fewer and less than I.
33:26Yeah, there's only two things I know.
33:28Never get it right.
33:29Never get it right.
33:29I shouldn't be such a c***.
33:32You know what?
33:34Bayley, like, love her.
33:36Never has good matches anymore.
33:37But, like, all the other wrestlers love her.
33:39And she strikes you as, like, one of the best player coaches you could have.
33:41She wants people to get over.
33:42She wants the best of people.
33:44Like, you know, like, she'll see this as.
33:47Well, this is just botchly.
33:49I just.
33:51Yeah.
33:52Botchly.
33:52Like I say, it's balling, but it is fine.
33:54Balling was good on SmackDown.
33:55Yeah, it was all right.
33:56It was, it was actually, yeah.
33:58It was.
33:58Stay tuned for the SmackDown preview.
33:59Yeah, it was all right.
34:00There was another, there was another botch.
34:02But, like, it was going pretty well until then.
34:04There was a, it's like wobbly finish.
34:06Um.
34:08Yeah.
34:08I just, I'm not interested.
34:10But it's their job to make it so.
34:12Like, what they, everything we're plotting out is fine.
34:14But you've got to make it entertaining.
34:16That's your job.
34:18Like, so and so, they'll split, they'll turn.
34:20That's, that's wrestling.
34:21But make it interesting.
34:22Is the focus here, you know, not necessarily have, like, this incredible 15 minute banger.
34:28Mm.
34:29Just make sure she hits the Soul Snatcher bob on.
34:32Yeah.
34:33They need weeks of Sol Ruka looking like a safer pair of hands than she has done so far.
34:38Because very, it's one.
34:39She could, you know what?
34:40Sorry, carry on.
34:41I was just going to say, it's one thing to do those botches when actually part of the story is
34:45you can't buy a win.
34:46I mean, she's a champion now.
34:47So the whole story is, are you a paper champion or are you legit?
34:50She needs to legitimize herself fast.
34:53Didn't happen as much in NXT.
34:54No.
34:55I feel, I feel a little bit sorry for that.
34:56It feels like the pressure of all of this is having an impact.
34:59She came off as a heel last week a bit in the promo.
35:02Um.
35:03That was another problem in NXT too.
35:05Yes.
35:06I've got, I got an ideal.
35:09Get any finish.
35:13I don't know, man.
35:13That's like what brought her to the dance.
35:15I know.
35:16I know.
35:17But you can't do it.
35:18So.
35:21And you risk, don't bag down, double down.
35:24You know, something else so audaciously flippy.
35:27Like, like you should have space flying tiger dropping.
35:29Maybe don't drop it out right because it's an admission of failure and it makes her look like a loser
35:33worth, not worth getting behind.
35:35Maybe, like, just phase it out by slowly introducing a second finishing move that she can actually execute and perform.
35:43And she gets it done one way or the other with either move and then, like, the one that's easier
35:48to do, do so she's not risking embarrassing herself.
35:50So, what is it?
35:51Is it the, the sort of, the bright lights of the main roster or is it the convoluted nature of
35:55the finish?
35:56Because I know obviously Andy hates the soul snatcher because you just kind of have to, you can hit it
36:00from nowhere.
36:01But in RKO, you can just jump and do it.
36:03She's got to do the elaborate setup in the ropes.
36:05What is it?
36:06Is it because you didn't, I don't remember having that many problems in NXT with this and she was doing
36:09it from.
36:09You make a good point.
36:11Sorry, I've stepped on your dick there.
36:12But, um, they have tried to, like, get the referee involved and sort of make an extra step that makes
36:20it a lot harder to execute.
36:22Yeah, I'd say the opposite was true in NXT, wasn't it?
36:24That very, that was getting shared online or that was, uh, Christ, I don't know if she could, there have
36:29been people that have never seen a Sol Ruka match but will have seen that finish.
36:32She was running up the rope, rather than just the corner, the ropes themselves.
36:35Like, in the middle.
36:36The escalation was for PLEs, wasn't it?
36:38Like, oh, we can use a ladder here on it.
36:39It became part of the fun of, like, well, how is she going to factor in it?
36:42For the most part, they worked as well.
36:43Like, they were convoluted, but who cares?
36:45Yeah.
36:45It's wrestling to work.
36:46Like, I don't put any stock in that.
36:47Like, they're, I wasn't a fan of it particularly.
36:50Remember when Cena started doing the lightning fist for a minute?
36:53It was just like, yeah, fine, it's wrestling.
36:55You know, like, the, if something gets over or if something, enough people buy into it, do what you like.
37:01You know, like, the cool.
37:02Jericho's elbow got over and it was a laughing stock.
37:04So, the quality of the move, whether it looks realistic or whatever, as long as you can do it, that's
37:10a new one of Uno priorities.
37:12The RFD, yeah.
37:13Will one, first hand, literally, has felt the Cobra.
37:16You know, people mock that.
37:17I need to share the footage of that, actually.
37:19You see Necco right now.
37:22I'm very proud of the sell.
37:23Oh.
37:24I was trying to kayfabe it, asshole.
37:27I'm trying to get some work.
37:28I'm trying to get some work here.
37:29I think I can.
37:30Protect the business, rule number one.
37:33I'm not getting any work in AAA after that.
37:34It's a good job.
37:35Bump.
37:36What the hell's a bump?
37:40Another friend of mine, Ray Mysterio.
37:43Tall, ginger, coming for my f***ing spot.
37:49Tall, ginger, podcasting.
37:54What's going on now?
37:55Check that neck.
37:56Who the hell is Anna Louise?
37:59I don't know, but she was always on my mind.
38:03Very good.
38:05Going deep with the dead man.
38:08Ray Mysterio facing a bit of a dream match.
38:10It's Penta for the IC title tonight.
38:13Cool.
38:14Yeah.
38:15I like this.
38:16I thought we'd end on a high note.
38:18Yeah.
38:19I'll, like, STEMI sees Ray.
38:22You just never know.
38:23And there's one more quality Ray Mysterio match.
38:25I actually think that's definitely, definitely the last one.
38:27And then he just does that ridiculous, sick ladder stuff.
38:30At WrestleMania, you still want a bit of this.
38:32Off the back of, yeah, we're going to do Gunther and Ray,
38:35but I don't think Ray's, I don't think Ray can do it anymore.
38:38Oh, I jump through a ladder like this.
38:40Whoa.
38:41What was the last thing Phoenix did, just out of interest?
38:43Phoenix, God.
38:45Got apologised to?
38:46Yes, he was involved in a very hot segment backstage on SmackDown with Chad Gable.
38:51Because Chad Gable was the original El Grande Americanos.
38:56Yeah, do you know this?
38:57And he went on a bit of an apology tour.
38:59Otherwise, it's kind of been a source of ridicule because he was like...
39:02The other one's Ludwig Kaiser.
39:04The gingerbread man's funeral.
39:05Oh, it's part of his, like, threesome.
39:07So one more we need to find from his group and then the other...
39:09Five Gables will fall.
39:11There's five more to get.
39:11The general manager of SmackDown is Nick Aldis.
39:16Sorry, I've zoned out there.
39:17I need to zone in, like the Miz.
39:19Hoorah!
39:19Hoorah!
39:21Oh, another all-timer segment for the Miz.
39:23Shout out to Josh, I think it was, who emailed me.
39:27Josh B, who sent me a clip of a Kit Wilson TikTok where he was just putting over the Miz
39:33and
39:33he was like, Master Inspire Zoning.
39:37Hoorah!
39:37Oh, even he knows the 2026 is a year of the Miz.
39:40It is.
39:40Busy week for Kit Wilson as well.
39:43He's one of the judges of the NXT pageant this week.
39:46Ah.
39:47Yeah.
39:48Okay, I'm into that.
39:49I am into that.
39:51I think I'm going to be into this.
39:53Like, Penta...
39:55I still reckon there's a Penta-Roman Reigns match, you know.
39:59I'm not saying he wins a title.
40:00Remember when Roman...
40:01He was just nobed because he'd have to take a Destroyer.
40:04Can you imagine?
40:05You can't kick out of something you can't bump from.
40:08Like, he had that...
40:09Remember that weird backlash Fu-Ed in the pando he had with Cesaro?
40:14They actually pushed Cesaro.
40:16I was like, this is good.
40:18He should never win.
40:19Goodness gracious, it's Cesaro.
40:20But it was interesting to watch on TV that the guy actually gets the goal.
40:24And Roman was almost affronted.
40:26You.
40:27Got to face you.
40:28And then he has this, like, really competitive...
40:29It was off the back of the UFO on Seth Rollins, wasn't it?
40:31And it was like, he's never been more over in a singles capacity.
40:34Go now, go now.
40:34And he did, and it was pretty good.
40:36Like, I think that's...
40:37I think that's what you get with Penta.
40:38I think Penta could get an audience.
40:40I don't know where, and I don't know how you book it.
40:43But, like, he's just...
40:44Like, you would sneer at him the first time, wouldn't you, Roman?
40:47Yeah.
40:48Him, he would send Jey Uso or something.
40:50Eat against him, and he'd get Canadian Destroyed immediately.
40:53Like, Jey Uso...
40:53I'd like to see that one.
40:54Jey and Jimmy neck braces over the two weeks.
40:56He's like, this guy, what?
40:59Jacob, deal with this.
40:59They'd have, like, a ripper on TV, and then somehow Penta would get the win against Jacob,
41:02and it'd be hot, and then it's like, I'm going to have to fight this guy.
41:06The way Penta's going, I just think there's that.
41:08It feels like one of them form players.
41:10Never wins the belt, probably.
41:12But just, he feels like this hot character, regardless.
41:15Like, the IC title booking's pretty bland.
41:17It's just the run of the mid-carders.
41:19Ethan Page will get a shot.
41:20Rusev will get a shot, whatever.
41:21But Penta feels like the...
41:23There's almost like an old-school quality to be, like, the next guy to be the world champion.
41:27Ray versus Penta will be good, though.
41:28I'm looking forward to this.
41:29Especially in this market.
41:31Yeah, I didn't even think about that.
41:32Yeah.
41:32Because, like, the crowd will actually make some noise.
41:34It's always like, a match that's so nakedly structured in the pursuit of, like, spots and pops
41:43is always better.
41:45Like, it's always more embarrassing when that match type fails to get a reaction.
41:51Because, like, they are nakedly going, here's a destroyer, here's some flips, here's some
41:54dives to the outside, come on, pop.
41:55We're not asking you to emotionally invest in the characters here.
41:57We're asking you to make some f***ing noise, people.
41:59Come on, Jesus Christ.
42:02So, that's good.
42:04That's happening in a place where they will make noise.
42:06Those early 2019 funeral fed crowds.
42:12And then they would, like, should we do, like, a Best of 100 series between Ray and Andrade?
42:15Yeah.
42:16They would just do, like, running, dive, destroyers to the floor and guardrails.
42:22Jesus Christ, Andrade's back.
42:24Ray never went away.
42:26They were awesome.
42:27He was smackers, actually.
42:28Yeah.
42:29I think so.
42:30It was, uh, oh, it was incredible.
42:32Ray's great for that.
42:33Because people love him.
42:34Yeah.
42:35So, he does make some calm.
42:37He does make some calm.
42:39Well, uh, let's know your thoughts ahead of Raw tonight.
42:42Rage is stereo.
42:44Rage is stereo.
42:45Oh, I thought, because before I got the jizzles, I was, like, raging hard on.
42:49So, that works twice.
42:50They did that Belly's Gonna Get You song, didn't they?
42:53Yeah.
42:55That is deep.
42:56Let's know your thoughts ahead of Raw tonight.
42:58All right, in the comments.
42:59Or an X at WhatCultureWWE.
43:01Like, say, you can follow all four of us.
43:02You can follow Michael Hamflat, sort of, at...
43:04HamflatX at gmail.com.
43:05I'm also on Cameo.
43:06Or Michael Sidgwick at...
43:08What?
43:08M. Sidgwick.
43:11Follow our brilliant producer, Adam Nicholas, at...
43:14I'm just used to it now.
43:14It's normalised.
43:15It's Adam Nicholas.
43:17And follow me at Adam Wilbur.
43:18Follow us all at WhatCultureWWE, as I said.
43:20Make sure you subscribe to WhatCulture Wrestling, wherever you get your podcasts from, for daily wrestling podcasts.
43:24We'll be doing a live Q&A on YouTube later on today.
43:27And myself and Hamflat will be reviewing SmackDown.
43:30And then we'll all be back tomorrow.
43:31Oh, no.
43:31Me and Sidgwick will be back tomorrow to review Monday Night Raw.
43:35Ah, dude.
43:36Oh, yeah.
43:37At least I'm at Charlie's school.
43:39I will be telling them I'll be missing the NXT pageant preview.
43:42I'm not happy about it.
43:44But for now, it's been the Raw Preview.
43:46My thanks to Hamflat Sidgwick.
43:49It's my thanks to the crew as well.
43:50Thank you for joining us.
43:51And we'll see you soon.
43:53We'll see you soon.
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