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In this episode we discuss Ilja Druganov choosing to leave WWE, Bronson Reed's potential return, what's up with Road Dogg and AEW, and the rest of the day's news and rumors!
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00:49Can he do it?
00:50Hold on.
00:52Oh, and a kick out.
00:54Unbelievable.
00:55I'm too cold, though.
01:00And I am my kicker, you savage.
01:06I'm too cold.
01:09I'm too cold.
01:11I'm too cold, can I?
01:12That's a match of thong-wearing fatty.
01:15I said WWE stands for...
01:21It's me, Austin.
01:24I will never retire.
01:27For more than that.
01:28For more than that.
01:31Promotional consideration paid for by the following.
01:39Hey, yo, Feral Wrestling Podcast listeners.
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02:15today.
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02:24App.WrestlerUnstoppable.com is the website where you can create a wrestler, sign contracts, get into storylines, headline PLEs, even
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03:41will get to those in a future episode.
03:43I am Dr. Fro.
03:44I am with you tonight talking all things pro wrestling.
03:47Lots of stuff in the news today.
03:49Let's get started with the biggest news of the day.
03:51Ilya Dragunov, former WWE superstar.
03:54Yes, you heard me say that right.
03:55Former WWE superstar because he has chosen.
03:58Early reports were that WWE released him.
04:01That is not the case.
04:02Then it was just his contract ran out.
04:04We've gotten much more detail at this point.
04:06It is being reported by Pro Wrestling Insider that Ilya Dragunov has been in intense negotiations with WWE for the
04:13last couple months.
04:14He has been off TV since, I believe, April, early April, April 17th, something like that, but that he has
04:20been off TV and he's been, you know, negotiating a return to television and a new contract.
04:25There were plans for him to return to TV just after SummerSlam.
04:29Unfortunately, those never came to fruition because Ilya Dragunov has chosen to leave WWE.
04:34His contract is expired.
04:36This is not a termination.
04:37This is not a release.
04:38And it was not because WWE didn't want him anymore or even about the money.
04:42They were making offers to keep him and wanted to retain his services.
04:46He chose to leave, which is fascinating.
04:50Now, where does Ilya Dragunov go from here?
04:52Does he go to AEW where they have a much harder hitting style, something I think he would really appreciate?
04:58And they don't mind accentuating, I hate to say it this way, but smaller stature wrestlers.
05:05As a matter of fact, I would argue larger bodied wrestlers in AEW don't get very far.
05:09If you don't believe that, take a look at Brian Cage or Lance Archer.
05:12You know, it's the more, you know, standard body individuals that seem to get very far in AEW.
05:18So I think he'd do great there.
05:19I think he'd do phenomenal in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
05:22Or does he do something like Aleister Black just did?
05:25Malakai Black.
05:26Does he go back to places like Progress and the European Independence scene?
05:31WXW or something like that?
05:32I don't know.
05:33It is sad for me to see him go because there were a lot of times last year that I
05:36thought his matches were the best matches of the week in WWE.
05:39This is a guy who can go with anybody.
05:41His feud with Gunther in NXT and NXT UK is just a thing of beauty.
05:47It is one of the most hard-hitting feuds you have ever seen.
05:51And just this guy is so immensely talented.
05:54So for WWE to lose him right now, very, very concerning.
05:58I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.
06:01I know WWE used to do that.
06:02Now they don't do it quite the same.
06:03He was moved to the alumni section of WWE.com.
06:06So this isn't conjecture or hypotheticals.
06:08This is all in real time.
06:10And theoretically, if his contract expired, there should be no 90-day no-compete clause.
06:15He could theoretically show up at Wembley for AEW.
06:19That's my assertion.
06:21That's what it sounds like to me.
06:22Is that he could show up for Wembley, which is part of probably why WWE wanted to sign him so
06:27bad.
06:27If Tony Khan offers him the right money, we may see Ilya Dragunov a lot sooner than people may have
06:33expected.
06:33I think at Wembley would be a great idea.
06:36Now WWE is losing Ilya.
06:37Somebody they're getting back.
06:38Bronson Reed is almost ready for his return.
06:41If you haven't seen pictures online, this guy went from about 380 down to like 285.
06:48You know, this guy is really jacked now.
06:51He looks phenomenal.
06:52And the word is he's getting a main vent push when he gets back to the ring.
06:56I can't wait to see him.
06:58This guy has been snakebitten with injuries.
06:59It was the ankles.
07:00It was the torn bicep.
07:01Now he's coming back, and I hope they finally push him to the mountaintop.
07:06Perhaps he gets involved in the brawn breaker Obafemi thing.
07:11Not sure.
07:12It's Saturday night's or Sunday night's main event.
07:14I apologize.
07:15Still got to get used to that.
07:16I'm not sure how they're going to do it if he's ready in time, but it's going to be great
07:19to get him back to TV.
07:21Somebody who's not coming back to WWE but is retired, but there's a conversation took place where there's some teasing
07:28that he could.
07:29And Eric Bischoff on his 83 Weeks podcast talking about the prospect, theoretically, of Brock Lesnar coming out of retirement
07:38to compete in real American freestyle wrestling, the organization that he and Hulk Hogan had started.
07:44Because Brock has such a history with amateur wrestling and is in such great shape at his age, he believes
07:50it's not out of the realm of possibility that he could come to RAF and really do some crazy stuff.
07:55And frankly, for me, I'd love to see it.
07:57Can you imagine a Brock Lesnar-Gable-Steveson match or a Hendrickson match?
08:02I would love to see either one of those.
08:04I actually hope he does it.
08:06I want to see Brock do anything.
08:07I really do.
08:08Brock's one of my favorite talents of all time.
08:10If you listen to the show, tune in to previous episodes, you've heard me say that same thing.
08:14I'd just like to see him do something.
08:15I know he's not big on speaking engagement, public appearances, things like that.
08:20He wants to really kind of keep to himself, be a family guy.
08:22But I'd still love to see him in a ring, even if it's an amateur wrestling ring.
08:25So we'll have to wait and see.
08:27Somebody we're not going to see anytime soon, Sami Zayn.
08:30The injury angle that they're playing up on SmackDown apparently is a legitimate broken wrist or broken hand.
08:36It reported, I believe, Sean Ross Sapp reporting that this is legit injury.
08:41They're working through it, trying to find ways to keep him on TV, but he's not going to have a
08:44lot of matches because it's a legit injury.
08:46And what a horrible time for that to happen.
08:48He was in such a high spot being champion for the nine days that he was.
08:52He really thought they would give him something at the main event level going forward because they took the belt
08:58off him so quick.
08:58But how do you do that when the guy's injured?
09:00Very frustrating for him, I'm sure.
09:02Hopefully he gets back to it.
09:04We get to see a great feud coming out of Sunday night's main event.
09:08And hopefully we get a chance to see him get back into the world title picture.
09:13I'd like to see him have another run.
09:14I really would.
09:15I know it's been a short period of time since he had it already, but I'd like to see him
09:19get a more substantial run.
09:20I really would.
09:21From there, let's talk about somebody looking to make one more run themselves.
09:25That would be Awesome Kong, also known as her government name, Kia Stevens.
09:31Legendary performer in TNA.
09:33Basically the face of the knockouts division in its early formation.
09:36Her and Gail Kim did have a brief run as Karma in WWE.
09:41Did not work out for her there.
09:43Their pregnancy scares, things like that.
09:46Appearance in the Royal Rumble as a female, which in the male Royal Rumble was interesting.
09:50Left there a short time in AEW.
09:53Did some things on GLOW, the TV show that used to be syndicated back in the day.
09:59But now has stepped away from the ring, but she has made it clear she wants to have one more
10:03run.
10:03If somebody would train her and prepare her for the right opportunity, she'd like to come back and have one
10:08more run.
10:09And why not?
10:10She was so inventive when she was wrestling.
10:13She had so much perspective.
10:15Great worker.
10:16I mean, you talk about work rate.
10:18This lady could do anything you needed her to do.
10:20Really great stuff.
10:21So I'm really hoping that she gets that opportunity.
10:25Somebody needs to step up and train the lady and get her ready so she can make a return to
10:29the ring.
10:30Somebody else who was trying to make a return to the ring.
10:33Now, again, I don't know.
10:34I'm hearing that this is key fave.
10:36I'm hearing other people say it's legitimate.
10:38But Nigel McGinnis, after beating Echicero on Dynamite, is supposed to battle for the Ring of Honor pure title at
10:49Death Before Dishonor.
10:50And if he loses, he can never wrestle for Ring of Honor again against Lee Moriarty.
10:54But it turns out he's being pulled from that match because of injury.
10:58Again, is this a angle or is it legit?
11:01I actually am happy with him getting pulled from the match because I don't want any stipulation about people never
11:06wrestling anywhere ever again.
11:08I think that's stupid.
11:08I would never book that in the first place.
11:10Word is it's either going to be Wheeler Yuta or Katsoura Shibata.
11:13You replace him in the match and take on Lee Moriarty.
11:16I'm pulling for Shibata so that he can win the title from Moriarty.
11:20And then we can get a rematch with Shibata taking on McGinnis whenever this injury angle plays itself out.
11:26But I hate seeing injury angles that are works when Death Before Dishonor is such a huge part of Ring
11:36of Honor history.
11:37And him being on the card as a guy who had so much to give in Ring of Honor really
11:42just makes the card feel more authentic, more legit.
11:45I would have liked to see him perform on the show.
11:47Maybe he'll do something else on the show.
11:48Maybe he'll do commentary.
11:49But I would have liked to have seen him in the ring.
11:51Really would.
11:52Pat McAfee in the news.
11:53That's another tidbit for the week.
11:55Making it clear he is never returning to WWE.
11:58It almost comes across as spiteful at this point.
12:03Because again, kind of like I said a few minutes ago about never having the never wrestle in this company
12:08thing for Ring of Honor for Nigel McGinnis.
12:13I don't want to hear never again from Pat McAfee for WWE either.
12:16Unless he's got so much bad blood for some reason.
12:20I hate that.
12:22I know he cares very much about what he does and how he performed.
12:26And I know he was not received well at the WrestleMania angle with Randy Orton.
12:29I get all that.
12:30But I hate the never thing.
12:32They always say never say never.
12:33I'd rather that.
12:34Never say never.
12:35Just say I'm not coming back.
12:37Because you can always go back on your word if you're the heel anyways.
12:39But I didn't like him reiterating this.
12:41Then again, he did just sign on to the Monday Night Football lead-in show.
12:48He's got other things.
12:49College Game Day and stuff like that going on.
12:50His podcast show.
12:52So he's got a lot going on.
12:53Maybe that's why.
12:54But I'd still like to see him wrestle again.
12:56That's just my opinion.
12:57And then got to touch on it because it was a big story.
13:00Road Dogg going back and forth with Dave Meltzer and others online about, it started out about
13:06the guns, Colton and Austin Gunn, saying that the AEW tag titles were beneath them.
13:14And look, they're a great tag team.
13:15But it led to some back and forth banter with he and several people.
13:18And then he ended up saying, somebody said that he should go work for AEW.
13:22He says that he got turned down by AEW because of his political views, that he's conservative
13:28but did not vote for Trump.
13:30And somehow that's weighing into it.
13:31And look, I'm not trying to be that guy, but I don't buy it for a second.
13:34I really don't.
13:36There's plenty of guys, I'm sure, that are in AEW who have varying political views, various
13:40religious perspectives, probably have varying opinions on abortion and education and military
13:47spending and defense spending and all that stuff.
13:49And yet they're still hired.
13:50As a matter of fact, we know that's the case from some of the people and things they've
13:53done previously in their lifetime related to some of these issues.
13:56So I don't think that precludes him from getting a job there.
13:59It's got to be something more to that.
14:01But that's what his story, that's what he's sticking to.
14:04He did not have things work out well with TNA.
14:06He did not end up going there.
14:08So he said that he's just staying at home and enjoying time with his family.
14:12Good for him.
14:13But I don't like all the banter about AEW because if they did turn him down for whatever
14:19reason and it was, you know, let's just say an amicable denial, he could still go back.
14:24But if you start talking trash about him, which is kind of what people were getting at with
14:27the guns comment, then you basically burn that bridge and you're never going to get
14:31a shot unless he's just ready to retire.
14:34I mean, at his age, maybe he is and maybe he's stockpiled his cash and he's good.
14:37But I wouldn't play it that way.
14:39That's just my opinion.
14:41I'd look for a better approach.
14:43In the end, he's his own man.
14:45We'll see how it plays out.
14:46I'm kind of surprised with having Billy Gunn there that he didn't get in.
14:49But hey, whatever.
14:49It is what it is.
14:50That's all the time we have for this episode.
14:52Check back with us next episode.
14:53We'll run down the latest wrestling news and rumors.
14:55Special thanks, as always, to Suno for creating the music and sound effects we use in our show.
14:59As I said earlier, if you're looking to bring a new friend to Family Game Night, it's
15:02easy with sketchy people.
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15:19No more trivial pursuit.
15:21It's time for something new.
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15:44Support independent gaming creation.
15:45It's the best thing you can do to help these small creators finally get a foothold and get
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15:50If you're looking for your next career move, you're considering college or university life,
15:53maybe you just need some formal training for your next career decision.
15:56Go to my website at frolifeplanning.com for all your higher education needs as FroLife
16:00educational planning is for today, for tomorrow, and for life with FroLife.
16:05I'm Fred Froelich, better known as Dr. Fro.
16:06I want to thank you for taking some time with us today.
16:08Until next time, take care, everybody.
16:10Have a great night.
16:16Have a great night.
16:22Have a great night.
16:38Have a great night.
16:42Have a great night.
16:43Have a great night.
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