- 2 days ago
In this episode, we discuss a health update on AEW star Keith Lee, what's up with the NWA, Apollo Crews appears on WWE TV post release, and Steve Maclin lands a new home after his TNA Release!
All this and the rest of the Day’s news and Rumors!
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All this and the rest of the Day’s news and Rumors!
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SportsTranscript
00:22I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
00:51I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:00I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:06I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:21I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:32Promotional consideration paid for by the following.
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02:27Hello, everybody, and welcome to this episode of the Fro Wrestling Podcast.
02:30If you've got questions, comments, anything you'd like us to talk about potentially in a future episode,
02:35then you got to give me a shout.
02:36You got to give me a call.
02:37The Fro Wrestling Sound Offline, 267-642-1160, and give me those questions, comments, and concerns,
02:42and I will get to those in a future episode.
02:44Tonight, jumping into the day's news and rumor.
02:47Keith Lee in the news.
02:48Conversation about what he's up to, where he's been at.
02:51That backstage update, various outlets reporting that Keith Lee has been in discussions with
02:56some of the creative in AEW for a return to television, but that nothing has materialized.
03:02As a matter of fact, one person talking about, quote, if it made it back to him or not, about
03:07whether or not people in the creative team were talking about his return being discussed
03:12internally.
03:12And at this point, he's been out of the ring since December 2023.
03:15It's a significant amount of time, two and a half years to take off, to not be active,
03:19and there were some serious health concerns.
03:22And normally, when a wrestler's coming back from a medical situation in AEW, they go through
03:26a medical clearance process, and somehow that always seems to leak out.
03:30There's been no word of that, and that usually happens within the couple weeks before the
03:35wrestler actually returns to action.
03:37So we haven't heard that, but there is definitely interest in Keith Lee coming back to the company.
03:43He is still under contract, and I would imagine, especially the way certain things are with
03:49AEW and WWE, that when somebody gets hurt, they add injury time to their contract, so
03:53he's going to be there for the foreseeable future.
03:54So you would think they'd want to get some kind of return on their investment, because
03:57they have to be paying him a downside guarantee either way.
04:00So definitely something to keep an eye on, and you would imagine he would have to be back
04:04at some point.
04:04Now, there was conversation that he may have been, they may have been considering bringing
04:09him back earlier in the year for, I believe it was for, as a TNT Championship Challenger
04:18at one of the shows, and I forget which show it was, there was a report out, let me see,
04:22let me see here, who was the report by?
04:24This one here is E-Wrestling News, talking about how there were some discussions, tentative
04:31creative plans, and that they would have happened by now if they were as they were originally
04:37intended.
04:38So apparently, whatever discussions they had, haven't gone far enough to actually get
04:41him back in the ring, so again, it's something to continue to monitor.
04:45Somebody who is leaving one place, starting a new one, the news broke yesterday that Steve
04:50Macklin had asked for his release from TNA Wrestling.
04:56They came to terms with his release, and now he, you know, essentially was going to become
05:01a free agent, and that did not last very long.
05:04Um, he has signed a multi-fight deal with Produce Wrestling, which is an independent company
05:11who was also in the news earlier in the week because they have now signed on to be on the
05:16streaming network for AEW.
05:18So even though, I mean, look, so you had, you had Steve Macklin, and actually Myla Grace
05:23also got their, both of them got their release from TNA.
05:26This is an opportunity for him to go someplace.
05:29Jonathan Gresham is organizing the first big show for Produce, um, that will take place on
05:35that AEW streaming platform.
05:36But then, having a talent like this come in lends instant credibility to that company.
05:43And again, because it's a multi-fight deal, um, you have to wonder how things will play
05:48out long-term if this is, um, a worthwhile venture, this, uh, this Produce Wrestling.
05:53Their show's going to take place in Jersey City, New Jersey, Garden State, uh, representing
05:59because Steve Macklin is from New Jersey.
06:01Um, so we'll have to wait and see how things happen.
06:03It's going to be Produce Volume 2, um, I can't even pronounce this, Tiger Style, at the White
06:08Eagle Hall in New Jersey.
06:10So, you know, hopefully he has found his next home and it, it's very successful because
06:15I don't, I never think there could be enough options in the world of professional wrestling.
06:18I'm actually shocked AEW or WWE didn't jump in to sign him right away.
06:22The guy's clearly a very talented guy.
06:24Now, somebody who WWE is jumping on board is, you know, and it's not new news.
06:29We've heard that Mike Santana's contract is coming up sometime this summer.
06:32And it sounds as though the reigning TNA world champion has been very open to the possibility
06:39of moving over to WWE.
06:40They are very thrilled with all his appearances he made during that whole, like, invasion
06:44angle they did.
06:46Um, but according to a report from False Finish, sources within WWE do expect Santana will let
06:53his TNA contract expire this year rather than signing a new deal.
06:56And when the belief being that he is WWE bound once free agency opens up.
07:02So look, he's done everything he can possibly do to try to help that brand out.
07:06I think they, when they first made the move to, um, the new network, I think there was
07:10some great buzz around them, but I think they've kind of fizzled in some ways since on AMC.
07:15Um, I think he has greener pastures in mind.
07:18He's already been to AEW.
07:19I don't want to say burnt some bridges there, but certainly doesn't have a clear pathway back
07:23there.
07:24So WWE seems like a logical destination.
07:26I really don't see him leaving to go to Japan or something like that, or going to CMLL or
07:31anything like that.
07:31So WWE makes a lot, a lot of sense and I wish him well.
07:35I hope he does phenomenally in WWE and he can really bring something.
07:39I think this Mike Santana is so he's starting to get the appreciation he deserves, but still
07:44in a lot of ways is underappreciated.
07:46What an incredible talent and kudos for him for, for, you know, taking the opportunity to
07:50really put himself out there as a single star, establish himself and look great doing it.
07:54So the WWE is now interested.
07:56Um, I got two things left for you.
07:59Let's go, let's go to the NWA for a second.
08:01The NWA doesn't get a lot of love on our show here, but I want to give a little bit
08:04of love
08:05to, uh, Alex misery, their, their new NWA world television champion.
08:10I say that, um, seriously and with a tongue in cheek.
08:14And here's why I'm thrilled for Alex misery.
08:17I'm thrilled that he's the NWA world television champion.
08:19I hope he uses that to springboard catapult himself to a higher position in the wrestling
08:25world, but here's what I'm having trouble with, right?
08:27If you look at their most recent set of tapings or an NWA power on June 6th, you had a
08:34scramble
08:34match for the world television championship, Alex misery, a lockjaw, Drake, Daisy kill wrecking
08:40ball, Ligurski and Jack to win the vacant championship.
08:44I couldn't tell you who any of those people are.
08:47Okay.
08:48And I'm a diehard fan, but I don't watch the NWA because I've seen something happen.
08:53And let me just do this.
08:54Let's go right down the card real quick.
08:55Carson Drake chokes out a trainee.
08:58Silas Mason jumps in a carnage defeats.
09:02Big, strong Mims.
09:03Greta does something with the Carson Drake podcast.
09:07NWA United States tag team champions, the slime balls defeated Jack Valor and Eddie Grayson.
09:14There is a Trevor Murdoch video package who, if you don't know, Trevor Murdoch recently
09:19retired.
09:20Then Silas Mason has a vignette with Carrie Morton.
09:24Tom Latimer talks some trash on El Dragon Nihon.
09:30Tommy Hendry had a spot with Kenzie Page and Kylie Page.
09:34Greta defeated Natalia Markova and Tiffany Nieves attacked Markova until Giselle Schar
09:41came out to make the save.
09:43Now, why did I just give you all those results?
09:45Here's why.
09:45When the NWA reintroduced themselves under the leadership of Billy Corgan, you had people
09:50like Eli Drake, a.k.a.
09:53L.A.
09:53Knight.
09:54Yeah.
09:54Who went into the company.
09:56They had people like Mr.
09:58Anderson.
09:58They had Trevor Murdoch.
10:00They had they had names.
10:04Let me just go that way.
10:05They had names and they started to grow some of their own talent.
10:08But at this point, they've allowed so many of those names to walk away.
10:12Nick Aldis was their champion for the longest time.
10:14Tim Storm, who wasn't necessarily a major internationally no name, but was NWA champion
10:19for an extended period of time, brought some credibility to their company.
10:22But now what do you have?
10:24The Rock and Roll Express went through for a while and stuff like that.
10:27But there's almost nobody on that list of their entire tapings that most people would
10:33know.
10:33And what is the goal?
10:35Is Billy Corgan just doing this for fun, paying low wages so that everybody leaves and goes
10:39elsewhere as soon as their contracts are up or whatever?
10:41Or is he legitimately trying to run this as a business that could be a functioning third
10:45or fourth or fifth?
10:46I don't even know where number you'd put them in the hierarchy of wrestling companies in
10:49the world right now.
10:51Is he trying to make a go with this?
10:53Because if you're trying to make a go, you spend some more money and you get people like
10:56a Steve Macklin.
10:58You spend some more money and you bring in people like when you have free agents like
11:02I don't want to say every name that pops up that comes down the line from WWE's like roster
11:08cuts.
11:08But like you go after some of those WWE roster cuts, whoever they are.
11:12I don't care who it is.
11:13You go for those guys, but it brings credibility to your brand, puts eyes on your product and
11:18gets you a better chance to get television deals, distribution, all that kind of stuff.
11:22I don't understand what has happened with the company where it used to, in my opinion,
11:26it looked wonderful.
11:27It had that old school feel, the original NWA feel to it, and it just seems to be tapering
11:32off and I don't want to see that happen.
11:34You know, I want to see this company rise.
11:37Tyrus, who's on Fox News like every week, was their champion for a while.
11:42That was great exposure.
11:43It's like in the last year or so, it's just torpedoed and it's shame because there's some
11:48really talented people in that company.
11:50Tom Latimer is incredible, former NWA world champion.
11:53You know, Giselle Shaw has a little bit of a name for it with her time from TNA and stuff
11:58like that.
11:58But when you start talking about the Alex Miseries, the Lockjaw Drakes and stuff like
12:04that, no disrespect to them.
12:06They're great workers.
12:06And if you don't believe me, go look up NWA Power and watch them.
12:10These guys can go, but you've got to have some mainstream names in there with them.
12:14So not only do you put eyes on the prize, eyes on your product, but these guys get to
12:19work with somebody who's so well established that they then look even better.
12:23I want to see them all succeed and I don't want people to perceive the company as second
12:27rate because we're not bringing any premium talent like a Steve Macklin or whatever.
12:32So, and then speaking of WWE cuts, the last thing I'll get to tonight is Apollo Crews.
12:36He is being featured on an episode of LFG and he's mentoring Elijah Holyfield.
12:44And there's this whole thing going on with the two of them and he wants to do more with
12:48him.
12:50My problem is they released Apollo Crews.
12:53So now you've got him on television for LFG season three while he's no longer with the
12:59company.
13:00And apparently he's there for multiple episodes, apparently.
13:03And now he's at the point where he's going to be a free agent very, very shortly.
13:08So are you going to have a situation where he'll be on LFG for WWE, but could show up
13:12in AEW because he'd be a great fit in AEW or does he go to TNA or does he go
13:17down to
13:17CMLL or does he go on the indie scene or whatever?
13:20And here you've got a WWE main show LFG and I don't care what anybody says.
13:24LFG is a great show.
13:26If you don't watch, if you're trash talk about it, you haven't actually watched a full
13:29season.
13:29I don't mean one episode here and there.
13:31So you don't get the full feel of it and you crap talk on it.
13:33Now I'm not talking about that.
13:34I'm talking about watching the full season.
13:35I've seen all every episode of season one and season two.
13:38They're solid.
13:39They really are, especially when you consider what they are.
13:43So when we see this, I don't love seeing WWE talent show up on a television show or they
13:47could show up elsewhere.
13:48WWE's planning and the people who are deciding who's getting cut and whatnot should have known
13:53this information before they cut somebody.
13:55Wait until after the show airs to cut somebody because you look stupid having somebody who's
13:59not under contract be featured on one of your television programs after the fact.
14:02Just my opinion.
14:03That's all the time we have for this episode.
14:05Check back with us next episode.
14:06We run down the latest wrestling news and rumors.
14:08Special thanks as always to Suno for creating the music and sound effects we use in the show.
14:11Today's show is sponsored in part by Beezle Games.
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14:36I'm Fred Froelich, better known as Dr. Fro.
14:38I want to thank you for taking some time with us today.
14:39Until next time, take care, everybody.
14:41Have a great night.
14:50I want to thank you for joining us today.
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