July 27, 2026 • 47 mins
SummerSlam heads to Minneapolis for two nights and 12 matches—and WWE has some huge decisions to make. Battle and Josh predict the complete card, including CM Punk defending against Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns facing Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar battling Oba Femi inside Hell in a Cell.
Could Cody finally turn heel? Is Brock walking into his final match? Does Nick Aldis return to the ring for good—and is Chelsea Green the perfect person to leave Minneapolis with the interim championship?
Listen to the full Battleground Podcast SummerSlam preview, make your picks and follow @battlegroundpodcast for coverage from Minneapolis.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to the Battleground battles let the
you heard the music. You know what time it is?
It's time to start the Battleground podcast. It is Battle.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I've got my tag team partner Josh with me as well.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
If you're new here to the show, welcome makes she
go back and check out some of the past interviews.
We recently caught up with a w president Tony Kahan,
so if you want to go hear that interview, it's
the episode previous to this one, along with a bunch
of other interviews that we have. Speaking of interviews coming
up later this week on Wednesday, Tiffany Stratton, you know
what time it is, Tiffy time gotta be joining the
(00:44):
Battleground Podcast on Wednesday, so make sure you hit that
subscribe button and check us out. But here we go.
Summer Slam is this weekend, two nights, twelve matches, and
WW has some huge decisions to make, right Josh.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
They do, especially when they have two nights worth of matches.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Very so much? I mean, does Cody Rhoades take the
championship away from seeing punk? Is brock lesnar about to
put over be Fit me over for good is Nick
All is a one and done after this weekend. You
and I are both gonna be there at SummerSlam this weekend.
It's gonna be exciting in Minneapolis ready.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
For us, two of us. You're gonna go to them
all America. I'm gonna go somewhere. I don't know where,
but we're gonna have a good time.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I'm excited about this for sure, because I think the
last time that we got together was what WrestleMania forty
in Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yes, sir, yeah, so we're we're.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Gonna take over Minneapplelis. Of course this weekend. It's gonna
be insane. You can stream it through the ESPN app
with ESPN Unlimited and of course internashally on Netflix. So
before we get into individual matches, does this feel like
a true Summer Slam card or just a very long
two night WWE show.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
It seems like what what WrestleMania was supposed to be.
I don't I don't feel the heat, as they say,
I'm not. I'm not feeling the biggest party of the summer,
although they haven't called it that a long time. It's
supposed to be the biggest party of the summer. Maybe
it's maybe it's just so much happening. Maybe it's all
of the pls they've been doing this year. I feel
(02:17):
like we just came from WrestleMania. I feel like we
just had Saturday Night's Main Event, which we did what
two weeks ago at this point, like it's almost two
weeks ago. Yeah, it just feels like it's one thing
coming after another. So I don't feel that what is
that the build up is what they call it, you know,
where you're just your hype for it. And to be
honest with you, as much as I'm excited for matches
like Punk and Cody, I'm not like I don't want that.
(02:41):
I don't know I want it, but I don't, you know,
I like I like Punk, and but like the Oba
brock Lester feels like a Summer Slam match, and it
really does Roman and Seth kind of does after the
after the Knicks getting involved in the Saturday Night's Main
event thing. But overall, I hate using the phrase what
(03:02):
is it where you say glorified. I hate the glorified
raw or glorified smack down because it doesn't feel like it,
but it also doesn't feel like SMS.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, and I mean, we can all agree when you
look on paper Night one, Night two, I feel as
if Night one is the much stronger card than Night too.
And obviously, as we're recording this, of course Monday Night
rawis and I will might get some more matches added
to it.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
SmackDown is this Friday. But I feel like with.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
This Summer Slam, like and we've talked about this before,
ticket sales are just kind of add then they drop
the prices on it. But I want to kinda just
dive right into this match. If we all know as
wrestling fans that this is potentially brock Lesnar's last match,
if this is the retirement match, what do you kind
of want to announce that this is brock Lesnar's last
match to sell more tickets.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
In Minnesota? Yes, of all places. I mean if this
was any other city, Philly, New York, Boston, Nashville, Miami, whatever,
I don't think any of us would really care would
It's still brock Lesnar's still his last match, But this
is Minnesota. If you're gonna make it his last match,
then you should announce it. If they're not announcing it,
then maybe they're going to do brock o before in Saudi,
(04:13):
you know, wrestling maybe able to be ten by then.
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah, And you think in this situation, like with you know,
everybody that retires, everybody gets that kind of like retirement treatment,
and obviously you would want to see maybe brock Lesnar
get the John Cena retirement treatment of like he goes
through Oba and then you go through these But also like,
who are you going to bring back for this this
brock Lesnar retirement thing if they did it the way
(04:39):
of John Cena, you.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Know, there's there's no one that comes to mind directly
other than Sena, which you're not going to do. But yeah,
for me, I don't know, it would be silly for
him to do a retirement tour and go through like
the current roster because then it's like, well, you're just
you're making your roster look bad doing that. Yeah, But
if you know, if it was one of those hey
(05:01):
let me let me pick my opponents, it'll be people
on the current roster who are in part of it
regardless if we had a history of it, you know,
and you would do Roman and Seth and Punk and
Cody and all those guys. You're not putting Joe Hendry
versus brock Lesner. He'd kill me in four seconds?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Would I would put it out.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
It's just it's I just of course you will put
them as a Hendry Housen versus brock Lessner too on.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
One exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
But yeah, I mean, but it doesn't. It just doesn't
feel like this would be a retirement tour type material. Yes,
you know, let's see what happens on uh, the Summer
Slam over the weekend. Let's see what happens with this match.
If if if, if it's if it's a no contest,
then give me more. Just give me more, you know
what I mean. I think tonight, Yeah, you got to
(05:49):
end it at some point.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
I think tonight on rall, they're going to do a
thing where it's like an official way in kind of
like a UFC a boxing match, where it's Oba and
brock are going to meet face to face. Uh, Triple
h is gonna be kind of like the modern the
Dana wide of it. But I mean it should be interesting,
of course. Uh. You know, I think I think brock
Lesner does lose this match on Saturday just to give
(06:11):
put Oba over, because we saw the reaction of him
at WrestleMania, right, I think you see him lose at
this Hell in a Cell match, and that is the
going away for him. Obviously, this match is not the
main event. I feel as if it's gonna be like
the first or second match of the night. If anything,
I would say, you make it the first night, the
(06:34):
first match.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Are are they doing the ESPN thing this time around
or know, I'm never saying, you.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Know, the first could be doing that. I mean, if
if it is the case, then yeah, then obviously, like
we've said before, I think Brock and Oba goes on
first if it's free on ESPN.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
But you know, I think I think Oba goes over.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Brock does the job, Brock rides off in the sunset,
and he goes back to his big farm in Canada
to go hunting and making be jerky and stake seasoning.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
And it kind of puts a little bow on the
last year, you know, because he returned at Summer Slam
last year of Met Life and it's one year later now,
so why not why not just put a little bow
on it. I think that would make more sense. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Absolutely, Now as we look kind of the rest of
the card for that night, one I know one particular
match that you're excited about, and I'm not talking about
Dan House, and we already know you're very excited about
that one. But I think we're going to talk about
the Fatal Influence and uh, you know the Page and
Brie Bella match, right, I think that that's gonna be
(07:41):
a fun one. Well, actually it's a six woman tag match.
Excuse me, the Bella twins and Page versus Fatal Influence.
I feel as if this match is designed to give
Page and Nikki and Brie a Summer Slam moment.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
But I also feel like this is the time.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Of them passing the torch, and I feel like Fatal
Influence should take the win.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Well. With Page only being back since WrestleMania, you know,
I don't think she's gotten that that omph that you
that she should have gotten. I don't know. I was spoiled.
I was spoiled to Wrestlemana before she came out, so
when she did, I just I haven't had that energy
for her. I also feel like her bubble bursted a
long time ago coming back just and I hate to
say this, it's going to feel the same way with
(08:23):
Trick and Corbin as well, these people come back and
they're not these massive pops that they're supposed to get.
So then you have this match like Nicky Brian Page
and Fatal Influence, And at least from my point of view,
Fatal Influence has been so over and unexed when they
were on NXT. Yeah, and they're they kind of got
right over right away. I don't I don't know what Nikki,
(08:44):
Bri and Paige are going to do, Like is Paige
gonna turn on them? Or they going if someone turns
on someone? What all of a sudden they joined Fatal Influence.
That Like, it's just it's like a weird over heels
so we have to look other heels. I don't really
I don't really like this match. I love them a match,
I just don't like this particular six women tag match.
Like give me, give me a championship match something, Yeah, yeah,
(09:06):
give me.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
And here's the other thing you got to think about
from the standpoint of this. If Page and the Bellet
Twins win, which member of Fatal Influence takes the pen
without losing momentum because they're on the rise with Fatal Influence.
I mean, you were there? Were you there when they
debuted on on on rawllin SmackDown or No, I don't.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
I don't think you wouln't think I was.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
But I mean it wasn't so much heat when they
came out and they they remember that.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
What the women's division needs right now with a massive
heel in the in the women's locker room, and fatal
Influence does it. And I think that in this one,
you got to give Fatal Influence to win over the
bellatwins and Page just to even solidify their rise and
giving them more because having Page and the bellatwins beat Influence,
(10:00):
I think it hurts fatal Influence more than helps them.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
I mean, that's that's that's always the that's always the problem.
You think, should the veterans go over or should the
the new team go over? Because at some point everyone
everyone argues, well, Page, you know, the Vellows and Paige win,
You're you're firing fatal Influence, Fatal Influence wins. Well, how
could they beat these three veterans who are champs? Then
(10:27):
they beat them and they're not and it's a non
title match. So I mean, maybe they'll change the stipulation,
you know, between now and the Weekend. I would I
would love to see that as like the you know,
the free bird rule, because well if if if they
can do the free bird rule, then then maybe Nicky
Brien Page can do the same thing and have all
of them be champs at the same time. You know
(10:48):
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
I'm all for a free bird rule. Put it back
in there. If you have a group of three, for sure,
give it to Speaking of groups of three, onto the
next one. Jay and Jimmy whoso of course have reunited
with Roman Rags as while Jacob Fat Too was kind
of forced back into the bloodline after losing Tribal Combat. Uh,
you've got this big match, You've got the randomness of
(11:10):
them thrown together of l A Knight solo and Royce
Keys versus Jacob Hawk doing THEOS.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
I kind of like it. I like that that put
together Keys Night in Socoa. I really, I don't know
how to explain it. It's not it's not the I
love this hokeness of wrestling like I do with you know,
Hendri and Dan Housen. But yeah, listen, Royce Keys was
putsing around on the main event for the last six
months since.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
The he was wanting to do that on his own,
though I know he did, I know, I know. So
we can't just sit here and be like, oh, you know,
w w's just pushing an ae W guy now because
he's there. No. Royce opened up in a recent interview saying,
I wanted to go to the main event.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I wanted to do the house shows just so I
could get that.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Fine, but now that he's you know, with with you know,
with the guys on the raw roster, it just seems
to make more sense that this match just happened. This
is the kind of match where the usso's and Jacob
for two, they don't it doesn't hurt them if they lose,
definitely not. The usos just lose every match and people
will still they'll still be over whether their heels are faces. Royce, Royce,
(12:13):
Keys needs like a win here, he needs he needs
this kind of a moment for himself. This is this
is gonna be his coming out party because you know,
after Royal Rumble, nothing we have we have, we haven't
had him. I don't think he's been on any pl
since Royal Rumble.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I don't think so either. And maybe it's like a
pre show or something like that. But another Here's here's
something I want you to think about. Does l A.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Knight feel central to the story or do you think
he just.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Got added to get him onto the card just because
fans want to see La Night.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
No. I think I think he feels like part of it. Listen,
they're not dumb. They know what happens. They listen to
the Internet and they, I'll quote unquote listen to it.
They know what the what the people say. I don't
think this was just to get him on the card.
I don't know how to say. It's it's the it's
the odd couple effect with the three of them, and
I think people are are taking to that, which I like.
(13:01):
It's not that it's not an odd couple when it's
USO's and Jacob for two, that's the that's the blood line.
But Royce, Keys, Solo, Soca and La n If you
would have told me six months ago this would have
been a match on Summer Slam and I and you
bet me one hundred bucks, I would have said forget it.
You you would you would have two hundred dollars right now.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
And here's the thing is.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I I like baby Face Solo.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
It's it's great to see baby Face Solo, But in
the back of my mind, the wrestling fan in me knows, oh,
this is all just a ruse, like we're about to
get Bloodline back again, and Solo's gonna turn on everybody
and it's gonna join and then it's going to strengthen
the bloodline and then we're going to figure it out
and then maybe we get Solo in Roman for a
title at WrestleMania next yar.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
I don't know, but the Solo Socoa face always makes
me laugh when he does that silly laughing face, like
it's like it's not that funny, but he thinks it's funny,
and oh my god, that just laughs. Right.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
But us on this one, I think that La Knight,
Royce and Solo get the way in over the Ussos.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And Jacob Flatto.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Moving on to the next one, uh, the one that
I'm actually signed about, and we recently talked about this
on the show Goother versus Nick Aldis.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Of course we've seen how this.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Has played out, uh recently on SmackDown. I know Nick
Alldis on the contract, they said, hey, you sign this,
you relinquish your GM duties, right, I know, we've had
this conversation before. I really, really, really hope.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
That this is not a one and done for Nick Oldis.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I hope that this is like kind of that coming
out party for Nick Alldis at SummerSlam. I hope that
this is a way for them to test the waters
to see if he could still go. Can WW make
nick Audis look credible without weakening Guther this weekend?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
You know, I'm gonna be honest with you. I did.
I didn't watch him in Tnas Magnus, I did not
see him in the NWA. I did. I was not
a nick all this guy until he was GM. And
I know you, I know you, and are are those?
So for me, this is gonna be my first time
seeing nick Aldi's wrestling. And here's here's where I have
(15:11):
a problem with this is w W E fans have
been conditioned to him being a GM, not a wrestler.
So to me, this feels like GM versus employee, which
we all know boss versus employee is that works. It
works when it works, and that's fine. I have no
problem with me as a w W fan. I don't
know him outside of it. I know only I only
(15:34):
know Nick Oldis as foreign an Adam Pierce. That's only
the only way I know him. So and thank you
to uh to Pat McAfee for that, for that fine
fine burn during his wrestlemaniar own. But seeing Nicoldos in
a ring against guns the guy who, geez, he's he's
you know, retired everybody, So what do you do? Are
(15:57):
you putting your GM over over your But maybe what
do you do? You put you put him over Gunther,
who's who's done all that? Or you put gun through
because he's your monster? You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Now, do you think a Gunther loss would hurt him?
After WW? Like you said, position him as the man
who retired Goldberg and aj Styles and John Cena.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
If you're going to get the guy who who retired
them and and and your general manager beats him? Like
what are you doing? You know he can't. He can
beat all those other guys, but he can't beat the
general manager.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
But here's the thing I go back to it. I
know that you know him as the general manager, but
I know him as the National treasurer. Nick outis the
one that held the NWA championship the ten pounds of
gold for the longest of reigning whatever I knew him
as Magnus Like, I feel as if they're going to
make this a very good match. But the thing that
(16:57):
I would love to know and see how this is
gonna playut and obviously we'll see it this weekend. What
exact finishes protects both of them in this match, because
I assume that this is not going to be a
one and done for Nick All this unless maybe this
is like a it is a one and done in
his contract was up with WWE.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
It might be it could very well be a one
and done. And if it is, you know, more power
to them, and you know, go seek other employment and
see where you can go. The funniest part, the funniest
part about this is that you don't. You don't people
(17:45):
it's the storyline. People thought it was legit, Like do
you really think they called this was the GM of
SmackDown like it's. It reminds me of when when Rick
Flair and Vince mcgraham owned WWE and people like started
selling their stock because they thought that Rick Flair actually
owned it like it was. He's a character GM, but
he's a wrestler. If he loses, I don't, I don't
(18:09):
think he'll be missed. But if he loses, maybe give
him some time off, let him, let him cook, you know,
and maybe make him a surprise entrant at the Royal Rumble,
throw gun throughout and give me one more match at
at at WrestleMania overseas and you know that could be fun.
Let guns a go on a tear between now and
the Royal Rumble, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Just everybody, I'm I'm all for that.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
And we'll throw this question up for the listeners if
you want to comment on it. When SummerSlam ends, is
Nick Alladi is going back behind the desk or we're
gonna get a real WW run you can you know,
if you're listening on the iHeartRadio, if you could tap
that right Michael button and drop him as real quick.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
I was watching Unreal and I swear he was sitting
there in Gorilla with Heavenson. Was he a producer too?
Speaker 1 (18:54):
He might have produced a couple of matches here and there,
So maybe maybe he's going into that role. Maybe he's
gonna do something.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Next match on the card, you look at it, The
Women's World Championship Live Morgan versus eo.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Sky simple, Eosky done, next.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Done, It's over. Eosky wins the title.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
She goes on to the next one.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
We've already kind of talked about our hell in a
cel match with Oba and Brock. We know how that's
gonna play out. Of course, your main event for the night,
Undisputed WW Championship. See him Punk Cody Roads night one.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Another short answer, it's either it's either Punk retains or
to no contest. I don't think Cody's gonna win, or
Cody goes heel Cody. Here he goes Dark Hair Cody,
he goes I give shit on on on Punk, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Give me, give me Dark Hair Cody.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Because I think this is it.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I think this could actually kind of hurt some stuff
because see him Punk losing the title less than a
month after winning.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
They're not going to do that twice in a row.
They're not going to do that with him, Sammy and him. No,
that's not gonna happen. Then what was the point of
taking it off of him to begin with if they're
going to give it back to him right now. But
here's what I think it is. I think Cody knows
that he's losing the crowd like us kind of crowd. Uh.
The kids still love him. Every time I go into
the event, the kids are excited. When I was a
Fanatics fest, their kids dressed up like him. Cool. Whatever. Yeah,
(20:13):
Punk is way over as a good guy. He's not
going to turn to that dark side again, at least
not right now. It might maybe went on his final
run before he's completely done, he'll go back to that.
But him and Aj and Dan Housen and and and
and mister Iguana and Raymonstereo at San Diego Comic Con
this week. I know they're themselves in there, but they're
(20:33):
their character. You didn't see Cody there, and he's in
Street Fighter, So like that's a place you would expect
him to be at before a big movie comes out.
I don't. I don't think Punk loses the title. And
if it's a no contest. I think Cody's gonna lose
his mind because that that promo the other night on SmackDown,
where I was like, oh, I love you, but I
don't like you. Like, Okay, let's let's get your nest
(20:57):
together and move on. You know what.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
I feel as if, like Sam, he's gonna somehow get
involved in this, and you know, we're gonna get at
money in the bank, probably like a triple threat of Sammy,
Punk and Cody kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
I feel like that's where it's kind of leading towards.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Yeah, well Sammy, we'll get to we'll get to Sunday
in a second. But Sammy's in that number one contendership
match against Finn ballor so we won't even know if
he's going to be that number one contender anyway, So
maybe he gets involved and says, you know what, I
can probably beat Cody more than I could beat Punk.
Let me interfere. I don't want to interference if they're
going to get a no contest. I want to see
Cody bust open, you know. I want to see Crimson
(21:36):
mask from Punk. I also know gety to be real,
you know, dark Cody.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, and I also don't think that there's going to
be like a surprise person that you know, does a
run in that they're.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Like, oh my god, I can't believe WW signing this person.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Like if there's anybody out there for that, absolutely, uh,
you know, But let's just kind of jump right into
it because night two we'll start with that one Sammy's a'
and Finn baal Or, whoever gets the the win on
that one is the number one contender. To be honest
with you, I really wanted to be Finn Balor because
he never got his opportunity after getting hurt in that match,
and he's just been kind of floating there and I
(22:11):
feel as if they're making Finn Balor the guy like
SmackDown needs somebody, and I feel like they're positioning Finn
Balor to be that guy on SmackDown.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
When they change. When they turned him on Judgment Day
and sent him over to smack then, I figured, this
is this is where he's gonna start shining again. He
didn't have that opportunity with the Universal title. It sucked
and it was such a good moment when he had
it too. It was so great that he won the
first ever you know title reign of that belt. Obviously
(22:42):
it's since been you know retired. In theory, I guess
it is part of the Undisputed Championship. I think they
kind of put them all together into one big ball
on that one. But all that said, who should win Finn,
Who's gonna win Sammy? I think it's gonna be Sandy
because because it's not whether I want them or not
to win. I'm just saying who should win is Finn.
(23:05):
Who I think is going to win is Sammy, And
I think part of that's gonna have something to do
with Pumpkin Cody. It has to because at this point,
you you can't, you can't make Sammy, you can't, you
can't push him back down again. He hit the he
hit the ceiling, he hit that, he got the title,
you know, give him the run. Let me make him
and Finn the next stone cold in the Rock.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
And no, they're not gonna be. I give them that.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Feud, Give them that feud that that maybe sticks with
them for a while that you know, when you look
back on the Undertaker and Mankind type of thing. Just
order the Rock in Mankind, which was a mini feud
within the bigger feud. Just something, just something to keep
them busy until we figure out, you know, who's going
to win. That on this feed of Championship again, that's all.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, absolutely, I think Finn gets this one.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
I think I think that the fine people at the
USA Network kind of has a little bit to say
so because they want a star on smack Down and
if anybody's gonna sell tickets. You and I have had
this conversation before. If anybody's gonna sell tickets, Finn will
sell tickets, Sammy not so much.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
I don't. I don't know he's going to sell them.
I don't. For me, I'm a big Finn Balor fan,
and you know that I love the demon character. It's
one of my favorites for everyone. Man ballort Club. There, okay, there,
I want I want him to succeed. The next thing
you know is going to happen is they're gonna be
at Finn's old. He's old. He's old. It's going to
(24:30):
go right back into that thing where it's like, why
can't w W give it to young stars. He's forty
five years.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Old, but he can still look forty course he can.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Of course he can listen. I'm forty seven. Forty seven
and twenty twenty six is not forty seven in nineteen
eighty six. It's completely different. But this is where the Penta's,
the Trick Williams, the Dan Housen's, the Doms. Those are
the guys they need to be building like immediately because
you're gonna keep because these guys aren't gonna get any
(25:02):
younger either, so it's hard to say. Is Finn gonna
go on some run when he's forty five? Maybe he should?
He should.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
He did with Punk, did it with Cody, did it
with Roman. I'm just saying I think Finn. I think
this go around, Finn deserves uh an appropriate run as
a champion. I mean, don't don't pull a Sammy and
he drops it in nine days. But I think, could
you imagine the Demon coming out with the championship like
(25:30):
that would be incredible?
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Don't don't tease me. Don't dangle the carrot in front
of me. Dude, what do you.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Mean Demon Beller as the champion?
Speaker 3 (25:38):
You think I lose my mind when Joe Hendry comes out?
Way do you see me and Demon Finn?
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Give me Demon Finn for the championship in New Orleans
and he comes out all voodooed up? Like? Book it
right now. I don't know if the show or not,
but I just booked your your money in the bank
with Finn Balor for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
By the way, you did mention some of those those
stars that WW needs to build up around. You mentioned
Dominic Mysteria, You mentioned Dan Housen, obviously we're getting another
Dan Housen match at SummerSlam versus Dominic Mysterio. The Dan
Housen streak continues. Do you think this is the right
kind of fun for a stadium Summer Slam or does
it feel does it feel like it may.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Be risk feeling out of place for this kind of weekend.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
This could be like a Friday night SmackDown match or
Monday Night Raw, not a Summer Slam match.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I think I think Dan Housen obviously is over enough
that people want to see him fight instead of just
doing his backstage bits and cursing everyone. Dom has gotten
to the point where everyone hates him. They want to
see him get his due. They want to see, you know,
Dan hasen in in reality. I mean, Dom would kick
his ass. But Dan Housen is not a schlub. He's
(26:56):
not just some job or wrestler. He knows how to perform,
how to put on a show and tell a story.
I think he's too over right now to to to
have him lose. I just wish there was more about
this match. I don't need a stipulation for every match.
This is the match. I kind of want a stipulation
for that doesn't have one, and you know, even if
(27:17):
it was you know, even if it was curse on
a poll, just you know, they make some kind of
joke at it. Just exactly just after seeing the whole
segment on Saturday's main Event, it rubbed me the wrong
way because they pushed on and he's your here's a
Triple A, making like he's your champion of another brand,
like he's.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Your Cody and see him punk and romance.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Triple A, and I understand they're not putting Triple A
at that same level as the other ones, just like
they're not putting n XT and when they mentioned TNA,
it's not the same look at it. But he is
still your champion. And if you're getting you're trying to
get people to go to to Triple Mania in a month,
like you need to sell tickets to that, and having
domin in a, I don't call it a comedy for
(27:59):
you because it's not comedy. It is, but it's not.
It is entertaining. But after seeing Saturday Night's made event
and and just like him and the and and and
and cat and the minie houses and this, and like
it's just for that segment, I understand it. I get
what they did. It was all about the next fine
I'll give. I'll put that as one of those did
(28:20):
it happen, did not happen yet it was on TV
whatever because it didn't affect the storyline. But the way
he just the way they just treated Dom and and
the trudgment day just I don't know. I'm excited for
the match. I want to see Dan Housen so bad.
I mean, he's my guy. But yeah, and I will
get a cursed Minneapolis shirt on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
And I'll have to be sitting next to you while
you're probably wearing that.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
I won't put it on. I won't put it on.
I can't be that there.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Make sure you're following us on social media.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Battleground Podcast.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
We're going to be posting all kinds of stuff from
SummerSlam this weekend.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
We're going to be there Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and we
fly back on Monday. So another match that that's Imerslam,
which I look at this match and I'm like, why
does Carmelo again get left off of a p l E.
We're getting Baron Corbin and Trick Williams. Baron Corbin shows
back up, do I think Baron's gonna beat Trick Williams,
(29:15):
probably because Baron Corbyn's back, and again Carmelo gets screwed.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
So you'll you'll you'll either laugh at this or you
think this is the dumbest thing I've ever said. But
Punk comes back after a couple of months after WrestleMania
and he gets the title and everyone loses their their
damn mind. Oh he was part time, not part time,
He just took a time off. Baron Corben has not
been in WW for what two years? Three years now?
(29:41):
Maybe like that, yeah, give or take Tom Pestock deserves
the title. Baron Corbin does not deserve the title. And
shout out to Tom because he's actually a really cool dude.
But but but the Baron Corbin character, this is gonna
sound terrible and it's not then too, but it's like
why should I care?
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Right?
Speaker 3 (30:02):
But what did you do to bring him back? Only
to you know, scare mellow and and then get into
this feud a trick. You're telling me this guy's going
to come back after three years and when the United
States Championship, Like come on, and Trick is your dude?
Like he dude, New York was rocking with Trick.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
That doesn't mean nothing. You and I know that that
does not mean nothing. WW will give this to Baron
Corbyn because he is back, it's.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Or they'll give it to him because he's going to
get really bad heat. And I'm talking xpoc heat, not
not just we don't like you heat, like really bad heat.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah, and play off the He'll he'll play off the
crowd of it.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
And you know, Trick, maybe they this is their way
to give Trick some time off so him and Lash
can go and enjoy a legit honeymoon and like, hey, dude,
like you have been putting in the work non stop,
Like we're going to give you some time off for sure.
Speaking of another championship match that night, Intercontinental Championship, Penta
and Chad Gable, which by the way, recently we have
(31:05):
Pina on the show if you want.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
To go back, yeah and listen to that interview. Check
it out. Uh Sattra mat I even wore a Penta
mask on there.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
And here's the thing I'm hoping, I'm hoping. Yeah, absolutely,
I'm a Penta mark. I spent like six hundred dollars
on a ring pentom mask.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
You better freaking wear that thing.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
It's the Joker mask. And if you go back and
listen to an interview and watch me wearing the mask,
I said, Hey, any chance that this Joker mask comes back?
And he said, be patient, my friend or something. And
so I'm hoping that we get that Joker mask this
weekend because I will lose my mind. I will be
like Josh losing his mind at Joe Hendry showing up
(31:46):
at WrestleMania. But again, let's talk about the match real quick.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
He'll be there, he'll be a part of He'll do
something with that Dan Housen match. You watch, you watch,
let's talk about let's talk about Penta and uh and
Chad because I like Chad against him. Uh. This is
another one of those weird the stories, the good guy
versus good guy thing unless this is where Chad turned.
(32:12):
But again, you can't turn Chad when when you know
the people who he's not with are now he because
then it's like, oh, you're got to rejoin uh, you
know Maxine and the and and the vision like this
whole convoluted thing.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Well, no, think about it, though, this is like a
homecoming for Chad Gable, like this is his home area.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Like obviously, Gables put in the work.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
He you know, was given the El Grande Americana gimmick
and everybody laughed it off. And then you know, lutally
took it even a step further and made it crazier.
But that match that him and El Grande and Original
and all this other stuff was incredible, and it shows
that Chad could still go. And I feel as if
like this is the time, like, hey, if we're gonna
(32:55):
see what Chad could do, let's give him this title,
because I'll give it to Penta. And yes I am,
I'm a mark for Penta. He has been crushing it
as the Intercottinental champion. He has been wrestling, he's been
defending it. But I think this is the time to say, hey, look, Chad,
you've busted your ass for us for so long.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
We gave you this El Grande.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Thing, you made it into what it was, and then
Ludwig took it even further. We're gonna reward you for
all the stuff you put in. Here is your inter
Continental Championship. It's a hometown story. It's gonna have a
great finish. I think Chad gets to win two things.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
One I don't like that both the US Championship and
Intercontinent champions are not on the same card. Give me
one like you put I do. You're putting ww title
in the world title on each, give me one on each.
I don't want them on the same show. That's fine,
fine whatever. I think this is going to be one
of those wrestling matches. It's gonna look like it's a
triple A match. It's gonna look just like any lucha
(33:53):
match that you see. Chad's gonna do spots, pens is
gonna do spots. It's gonna be a fantastic match. It's
tough a pick who's gonna win. I don't think. I don't.
Being in Minneapolis and Chad's from Minneapolis, I can see
them doing that, getting the hometown pop. He's never really
played on the fact that it's his hometown. That was
never really part of the character. It was he was
(34:15):
just USA. He was never on Minneapolis. Rock was Minneapolis.
That's that's when we think of brock Lessen ever we
think of Minneapolis. I don't think of that when I
think of Chad Gable. Yeah, but that's with that said,
who deserves it? I guess Chad does. Yeah, but it's
gonna be one of those matches where I think they'll go,
you know, forty minutes. Maybe they're not going.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
To go forty thirty minutes. I think they go maybe
twenty five at most, because you still got you got
to get to Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Oh, it's going to be a spot fest.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
For suret Pest. There won't be blood like the like
the Triple A match with.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
There will be some super kicks, but.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
There'll be some pretty off the you know, some giant
things off the ropes, all that stuff. But it's whoever
wins the other one will thank them. It'll be one
of those new ual respect kind of things. And if
that kicks off the night on Sunday on Sunday, then
that could set the tone for the whole night because
that that's the kind of you You want a championship
match to kick off the show, and you want something
(35:10):
that's going to keep people in. And that's the kind
of match that I think will keep people in. The
trick in Baron Corbin is not going to be the
Chad Pena kind of.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
Match, absolutely so. And here here's something to think about
as we head into this weekend. If Chad Gable cannot
finally win singles gold in Minneapolis. When is ww ever
going to do it and give it to him? There's
something to think about.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
I don't think they will, but I don't think he
needs it at this point. I think El Grande Americana
was his belt. That was his championship belt. It got
him so over, and so.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
The title as Elande Americana he did, but that doesn't
count as really a title.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Whatever it's it's the twenty four seven title, it's the
harder time.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Whatever it really is.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
Put the match against him versus Ludwig as Grande that
really put him over more recently, Like if you talk
about Shag Gable, the first thing that's coming to your
mind is that match. And I know he can put
in the time. I know he can put in the energy.
I don't think he needs a belt to be over.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Okay, I mean, you know, we'll see what happens this
weekend for sure. Another match to look forward to this
weekend is the interim WWE Women's Championship ladder match. You
got Tiffany Stratton who will be on the show Wednesday.
We'll talk about this ladder match. Jake Cargill, Charlotte Flair
Chelsea Green and then on Friday SmackDown, we'll get the
final qualifier.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
It's Julia versus last Legend.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
I think in this time, I feel as if they're
going to give it to Tiffany Stratton and give her
make her two belt Tiffy time. You know, I think
it just is there. I don't think Jade gets it.
I don't think Charlotte Chelsea or Julia or Lash. I
feel as if they really want to build up this,
this Tiffy versus versus whenever she comes back, because it's
(37:03):
Barbie versus goth girl, you know what I'm saying. And
I think that that's the way to do it, because
we haven't really gotten Tiffany and Rito. We've gotten Ria
and Jade, Ria and Charlotte. You know, do I see
Julia winning it? No?
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Do I see Lash legend.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Maybe I would really like Chelsea to win this, but
I just know that all signs are going to point
to Tiffany Stratton. But it could be one of those
ones where it's a wacky finish and Chelsea gets the
interim title, kind of like how THEA got the NXT
North American Championship against Blake Monroe.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
So I'm a Chelsea Green Mark. I have an interviewed
as well from WrestleMania if you want to see, that's
over on our YouTube channel, and hopefully we'll talk to
her again this weekend in Minneapolis. I want to see
Chelsea Green winning this, don't. I don't care who the
fifth person in this ladder matches. It means nothing to
me who that is. I don't care if it's Lash
(37:58):
or Julia. Fine. Elsea Green will win this, and I'll
tell you why. She's She's not the expected one. She
is over with the crowd, and her character is perfect
for the interim title because when Ria comes back, oh ship,
(38:18):
you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Like we know that real squash her and and they'll
just go on.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
But that's Chelsea. If you've seen her on Unreal, she
said it, I don't mind losing. I don't mind being
that person. Someone has to lose, and she's gonna get
paid regardless if she wins or loses. So let her.
Let her think she's the champion for a while until
until Ria comes back the whole maybe maybe maybe go
against Tiffy numerous times. Maybe, you know, and I don't
(38:46):
know what Ria's extent of her injury is maybe Roald
Rumble is her return, you know, I don't. I don't
know if it's a six months or longer, but that
could be a fun thing because maybe they pull a
triple h and they don't tell us that she's coming
back the Royal Rumble, and then.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
All, well, here's the thing. Is like, according to the
reports that I've read, is like they're not rushing her
to get back, but when she is back, she's still
the champion. Well that was just being versus champion.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
I don't like this interim thing. It kind of reminds
me a lot.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Like UFC when they make an interim champion and when's
the interim wants the actual champions back, it's the interim
versus the champion.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
But it reminds me that when Seampunk left with the
title and then ray Wan for like ten seconds and
then Sina got it back and then it was Sena
versus Punk and whoever won was the actual champion. But
Punk wasn't interim. They said he was champion and he left.
But they have a crown making this.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
They're labeling this as rum and that's.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
What I don't but I and maybe they're doing that
because of the UFC and the whole you know, because
of TKO. Personally, I don't like the whole interim thing.
It's like, I'm f that's like, that's like if you
weren't working for a long time because you were injured,
and they're like, Josh, you're gonna interim do battles radio show,
but when he comes back, it's his show. But you're
(40:02):
gonna do everything and you're gonna represent the show. How
can you represent the women's division with the championship if
you're not the actual champion. Do I want to see
Chelsea Green versus Rea Ripley, Yes, I love them both.
I want to see that Chelsea Green's the only one
that can take the type of the literal interim title
(40:22):
and run with it. I don't think that's something that
Tiffy wants to do. I don't think that's something Jade
would want to do. Like Jade raising the bell and saying,
I'm the champion, but you're interim champion because when Ria
comes back, you're ft, you know, like I don't. Chelsea
is that kind of character where she'll act like she
is and she'll say I'm the best champion. Ever, I
(40:42):
was the best US champion and then d perfect Chelsea
Green's my choice on that one.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Yeah, I think Chelsea gets it, and like you said,
I mean, if you watch Unreal on Netflix, she's She's like,
I'm okay with losing, and I think that that would
be fun. And then maybe, you know, whatever happens between
now and Money in the Bank, Like you know, it
could be interesting to see if Ria comes back at
Money in the Bank or if not, you know, Chelsea
defends that title at summer at Money in the Bank
(41:08):
and then gets cashed in later in the night.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
You just had a bell go off in my head.
This is a ladder match. Money the Bank is a
ladder match. What a great way to kind of bookend
this with something that way, Like maybe at the ladder match,
Chelsea if she's champion, and Rhea if she's there, they
pulled about at the same time, both belts at the
same time, they fall down. They're both on the belts.
Now they gotta fight an actual match and whatever, you know,
(41:33):
I mean, Money in the Bank's coming up in October,
so I don't think it's going to be back that quickly, But.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
It depends on what the extent of her injury is.
I haven't read deep into what it is, but I
mean it could be a fun thing. Money in the
bank of like if if Ria comes back, you know,
then she squashes Chelsea and then Chelsea decides to end
herself into the money in the bank, and then you
give her the money in the bank. Briefcase. But again
(41:58):
we're fantasy booking. Let's move on to the main event
Fortnight too. Obviously it's the big one. Roman Reigns Seth Rawins.
Seth says that you know, he's chasing the title that
he never lost and he still held a you know
a little bit of an edge over Roman in there
one on one record. Can Roman Reigns finally deveat.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Seth Rawlins or is Seth still the one opponent Roman
cannot solve and beat?
Speaker 3 (42:23):
So first of all, he never lost it, So I
guess that means Punk and Roman are the interim champions.
So Seth should have his title and they should be
fighting for the title. Total that's me, you know, nitpicking
everything they so we just talked about. But still no,
I don't think Roman loses. I think that this is
this is his I think they're really going to push him,
(42:47):
like one final push for this guy.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
You think this is a Swan Swan song for them.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Not necessarily, not necessarily the ending of his career, but
this is the ending of his career, but his last
year the Rocket and and Hogan, like, we know that
this is a big marquee matchup, and after this, it's done,
it's done. Well No, no, no, I think they're gonna know.
I think they'll keep going. I think I think this
might be something that goes to Royal Rumble and who knows,
(43:14):
maybe they have a match and and and I know
I keep mentioning Royal Rumble, but we're in August, like
it's right around the corner. It's four months away, five
months away, it's it's right there. But I don't think
this is the Swan song for a feud. I think
this might be just the beginning quote unquote, or we're
right in the middle of that story. Their beginning was
what it was before. Now we're in Now, we're in
(43:35):
the act two. We're not in there.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
Let me let me ask you this, because you and
I both grew up in this era. Do you feel
like this seth and Roman is this era's rock and
Austin feud.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
No, I don't. I don't think there is anything like
that since then, even like Orton Sina, it doesn't feel
like it to me, none of that. There's there's no
two bigger stars fighting each other in the history other
than Rockenhogan or Rock and Austin. Rockenhogan was fine. Rock
and Austin was better fifteen sixteen seventeen. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
(44:12):
So you know, maybe this is this is like I said,
maybe this is just the original bloodline was so good
and ending with Cody winning at WrestleMania was a perfect
writing story. We all agree that was Triple H's chef's kiss.
It was fantastic. I don't think people are as invested
(44:34):
now as they were three years ago with any of this.
You know, I said this many years ago. I watched it,
but I wasn't deep into it because I couldn't relate.
I couldn't get into any of the characters. I know,
you know my characters now that I like, they're the
fun ones or whatever. But Seth has never been one
of those guys where burn it down hits and I
(44:55):
go nuts, or romans hits and I go nuts, like
it's just okay. By the way John Cena did that
at aat Accession. It's one of the funniest things I've
ever seen. We have it on our on our Instagram
at Battleground podcast. Is that right podcast? On Instagram?
Speaker 2 (45:10):
How do you you work for the show?
Speaker 1 (45:15):
Battleground Podcast?
Speaker 3 (45:16):
You can find us on I have a lot going
on right now. We're going to this weekend all.
Speaker 1 (45:19):
Things Summer Slam.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
We're gonna be there this weekend.
Speaker 1 (45:22):
By the way, if you're going to Summer Slam this weekend,
shoot us a DM if you made it this far
into the episode and let us know, because we'd love
to meet up. I've got I've got these, yeah, and
I've got Battleground podcast chickers that I'm bringing. These are
holographic ones that I bought out of my own pockets.
Shout out to uh Battle not not the company that
(45:42):
we work for, because I paid for these, uh, but
also shout out to iHeart Radio for for allowing us
to be there every weekend. Uh Man Again, It's gonna
be fun Summer Slam. If you want to tell us
your thoughts, you can always if you're listening on the
iHeartRadio app, hit that little red microphone button you see
at the top you press that, you leave us a message.
You got thirty seconds to say whatever you gotta say.
(46:03):
But that wraps up Summer Slam preview. Super excited to
see what's gonna happen. Of course. Uh, we are going
to do the show, uh for next week, literally after
night two of Summer Slack.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
So we're gonna go live. We're gonna live. Are we
gonna record it? What are we gonna do?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
You know what? I haven't decided yet. Maybe if again,
if you made it to this far of the end
of the episode, please shoot us a DM on Instagram
Battleground Podcast, let us know. Do you think we should
go live? Do you think we should record it? Maybe
we should do it from the press box after night too.
Who knows, we'll see what.
Speaker 3 (46:33):
Happens to pick us out. They always kick us out.
Speaker 1 (46:36):
Yeah, we'll be fine away, I'll just I'll just pull
the hey.
Speaker 3 (46:39):
Uh hey, I know I know your bosses.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
We know we know what we know your bosses. Uh
but uh but yeah, So we'll be in Minneapolis this weekend.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
All your Summer Sam Summer Slam coverage, make.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Sure, as David boy Smith used to call it.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
Uh follow us for all your coverage needs. Battleground Podcasts
on Instagrams. We're gonna be posting a lot of stuff,
but again, well, we'll readdress this episode. Next week we'll
see how we did on our predictions, and don't forget
on Wednesday, Tiffany Stratton drops by. We're gonna be talking
about all things Summer Slam and the go home show
Friday night in Green Bay on SmackDown. So subscribe wherever
(47:17):
you listen to podcasts, and subscribe to us on YouTube
as well.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
And twelve By the way, that's what we're going to.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
Every pick that we did tonight's not even gonna matter.
Oh yeah again, follow us on Instagram Battleground podcast. But
we'll see you Wednesday with Tiffany Stratton. And if we
don't see you with Tiffany Stratton on Wednesday, we'll see
you next week when we recap Summer Slam from Minneapolis
Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to the Battleground battles let the
you heard the music. You know what time it is?
It's time to start the Battleground podcast. It is Battle.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I've got my tag team partner Josh with me as well.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
If you're new here to the show, welcome makes she
go back and check out some of the past interviews.
We recently caught up with a w president Tony Kahan,
so if you want to go hear that interview, it's
the episode previous to this one, along with a bunch
of other interviews that we have. Speaking of interviews coming
up later this week on Wednesday, Tiffany Stratton, you know
what time it is, Tiffy time gotta be joining the
(00:44):
Battleground Podcast on Wednesday, so make sure you hit that
subscribe button and check us out. But here we go.
Summer Slam is this weekend, two nights, twelve matches, and
WW has some huge decisions to make, right Josh.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
They do, especially when they have two nights worth of matches.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Very so much? I mean, does Cody Rhoades take the
championship away from seeing punk? Is brock lesnar about to
put over be Fit me over for good is Nick
All is a one and done after this weekend. You
and I are both gonna be there at SummerSlam this weekend.
It's gonna be exciting in Minneapolis ready.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
For us, two of us. You're gonna go to them
all America. I'm gonna go somewhere. I don't know where,
but we're gonna have a good time.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I'm excited about this for sure, because I think the
last time that we got together was what WrestleMania forty
in Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yes, sir, yeah, so we're we're.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Gonna take over Minneapplelis. Of course this weekend. It's gonna
be insane. You can stream it through the ESPN app
with ESPN Unlimited and of course internashally on Netflix. So
before we get into individual matches, does this feel like
a true Summer Slam card or just a very long
two night WWE show.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
It seems like what what WrestleMania was supposed to be.
I don't I don't feel the heat, as they say,
I'm not. I'm not feeling the biggest party of the summer,
although they haven't called it that a long time. It's
supposed to be the biggest party of the summer. Maybe
it's maybe it's just so much happening. Maybe it's all
of the pls they've been doing this year. I feel
(02:17):
like we just came from WrestleMania. I feel like we
just had Saturday Night's Main Event, which we did what
two weeks ago at this point, like it's almost two
weeks ago. Yeah, it just feels like it's one thing
coming after another. So I don't feel that what is
that the build up is what they call it, you know,
where you're just your hype for it. And to be
honest with you, as much as I'm excited for matches
like Punk and Cody, I'm not like I don't want that.
(02:41):
I don't know I want it, but I don't, you know,
I like I like Punk, and but like the Oba
brock Lester feels like a Summer Slam match, and it
really does Roman and Seth kind of does after the
after the Knicks getting involved in the Saturday Night's Main
event thing. But overall, I hate using the phrase what
(03:02):
is it where you say glorified. I hate the glorified
raw or glorified smack down because it doesn't feel like it,
but it also doesn't feel like SMS.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, and I mean, we can all agree when you
look on paper Night one, Night two, I feel as
if Night one is the much stronger card than Night too.
And obviously, as we're recording this, of course Monday Night
rawis and I will might get some more matches added
to it.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
SmackDown is this Friday. But I feel like with.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
This Summer Slam, like and we've talked about this before,
ticket sales are just kind of add then they drop
the prices on it. But I want to kinda just
dive right into this match. If we all know as
wrestling fans that this is potentially brock Lesnar's last match,
if this is the retirement match, what do you kind
of want to announce that this is brock Lesnar's last
match to sell more tickets.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
In Minnesota? Yes, of all places. I mean if this
was any other city, Philly, New York, Boston, Nashville, Miami, whatever,
I don't think any of us would really care would
It's still brock Lesnar's still his last match, But this
is Minnesota. If you're gonna make it his last match,
then you should announce it. If they're not announcing it,
then maybe they're going to do brock o before in Saudi,
(04:13):
you know, wrestling maybe able to be ten by then.
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah, And you think in this situation, like with you know,
everybody that retires, everybody gets that kind of like retirement treatment,
and obviously you would want to see maybe brock Lesnar
get the John Cena retirement treatment of like he goes
through Oba and then you go through these But also like,
who are you going to bring back for this this
brock Lesnar retirement thing if they did it the way
(04:39):
of John Cena, you.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Know, there's there's no one that comes to mind directly
other than Sena, which you're not going to do. But yeah,
for me, I don't know, it would be silly for
him to do a retirement tour and go through like
the current roster because then it's like, well, you're just
you're making your roster look bad doing that. Yeah, But
if you know, if it was one of those hey
(05:01):
let me let me pick my opponents, it'll be people
on the current roster who are in part of it
regardless if we had a history of it, you know,
and you would do Roman and Seth and Punk and
Cody and all those guys. You're not putting Joe Hendry
versus brock Lesner. He'd kill me in four seconds?
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Would I would put it out.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
It's just it's I just of course you will put
them as a Hendry Housen versus brock Lessner too on.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
One exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
But yeah, I mean, but it doesn't. It just doesn't
feel like this would be a retirement tour type material. Yes,
you know, let's see what happens on uh, the Summer
Slam over the weekend. Let's see what happens with this match.
If if if, if it's if it's a no contest,
then give me more. Just give me more, you know
what I mean. I think tonight, Yeah, you got to
(05:49):
end it at some point.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
I think tonight on rall, they're going to do a
thing where it's like an official way in kind of
like a UFC a boxing match, where it's Oba and
brock are going to meet face to face. Uh, Triple
h is gonna be kind of like the modern the
Dana wide of it. But I mean it should be interesting,
of course. Uh. You know, I think I think brock
Lesner does lose this match on Saturday just to give
(06:11):
put Oba over, because we saw the reaction of him
at WrestleMania, right, I think you see him lose at
this Hell in a Cell match, and that is the
going away for him. Obviously, this match is not the
main event. I feel as if it's gonna be like
the first or second match of the night. If anything,
I would say, you make it the first night, the
(06:34):
first match.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Are are they doing the ESPN thing this time around
or know, I'm never saying, you.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Know, the first could be doing that. I mean, if
if it is the case, then yeah, then obviously, like
we've said before, I think Brock and Oba goes on
first if it's free on ESPN.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
But you know, I think I think Oba goes over.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Brock does the job, Brock rides off in the sunset,
and he goes back to his big farm in Canada
to go hunting and making be jerky and stake seasoning.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
And it kind of puts a little bow on the
last year, you know, because he returned at Summer Slam
last year of Met Life and it's one year later now,
so why not why not just put a little bow
on it. I think that would make more sense. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Absolutely, Now as we look kind of the rest of
the card for that night, one I know one particular
match that you're excited about, and I'm not talking about
Dan House, and we already know you're very excited about
that one. But I think we're going to talk about
the Fatal Influence and uh, you know the Page and
Brie Bella match, right, I think that that's gonna be
(07:41):
a fun one. Well, actually it's a six woman tag match.
Excuse me, the Bella twins and Page versus Fatal Influence.
I feel as if this match is designed to give
Page and Nikki and Brie a Summer Slam moment.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
But I also feel like this is the time.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Of them passing the torch, and I feel like Fatal
Influence should take the win.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Well. With Page only being back since WrestleMania, you know,
I don't think she's gotten that that omph that you
that she should have gotten. I don't know. I was spoiled.
I was spoiled to Wrestlemana before she came out, so
when she did, I just I haven't had that energy
for her. I also feel like her bubble bursted a
long time ago coming back just and I hate to
say this, it's going to feel the same way with
(08:23):
Trick and Corbin as well, these people come back and
they're not these massive pops that they're supposed to get.
So then you have this match like Nicky Brian Page
and Fatal Influence, And at least from my point of view,
Fatal Influence has been so over and unexed when they
were on NXT. Yeah, and they're they kind of got
right over right away. I don't I don't know what Nikki,
(08:44):
Bri and Paige are going to do, Like is Paige
gonna turn on them? Or they going if someone turns
on someone? What all of a sudden they joined Fatal Influence.
That Like, it's just it's like a weird over heels
so we have to look other heels. I don't really
I don't really like this match. I love them a match,
I just don't like this particular six women tag match.
Like give me, give me a championship match something, Yeah, yeah,
(09:06):
give me.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
And here's the other thing you got to think about
from the standpoint of this. If Page and the Bellet
Twins win, which member of Fatal Influence takes the pen
without losing momentum because they're on the rise with Fatal Influence.
I mean, you were there? Were you there when they
debuted on on on rawllin SmackDown or No, I don't.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
I don't think you wouln't think I was.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
But I mean it wasn't so much heat when they
came out and they they remember that.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
What the women's division needs right now with a massive
heel in the in the women's locker room, and fatal
Influence does it. And I think that in this one,
you got to give Fatal Influence to win over the
bellatwins and Page just to even solidify their rise and
giving them more because having Page and the bellatwins beat Influence,
(10:00):
I think it hurts fatal Influence more than helps them.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
I mean, that's that's that's always the that's always the problem.
You think, should the veterans go over or should the
the new team go over? Because at some point everyone
everyone argues, well, Page, you know, the Vellows and Paige win,
You're you're firing fatal Influence, Fatal Influence wins. Well, how
could they beat these three veterans who are champs? Then
(10:27):
they beat them and they're not and it's a non
title match. So I mean, maybe they'll change the stipulation,
you know, between now and the Weekend. I would I
would love to see that as like the you know,
the free bird rule, because well if if if they
can do the free bird rule, then then maybe Nicky
Brien Page can do the same thing and have all
of them be champs at the same time. You know
(10:48):
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
I'm all for a free bird rule. Put it back
in there. If you have a group of three, for sure,
give it to Speaking of groups of three, onto the
next one. Jay and Jimmy whoso of course have reunited
with Roman Rags as while Jacob Fat Too was kind
of forced back into the bloodline after losing Tribal Combat. Uh,
you've got this big match, You've got the randomness of
(11:10):
them thrown together of l A Knight solo and Royce
Keys versus Jacob Hawk doing THEOS.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
I kind of like it. I like that that put
together Keys Night in Socoa. I really, I don't know
how to explain it. It's not it's not the I
love this hokeness of wrestling like I do with you know,
Hendri and Dan Housen. But yeah, listen, Royce Keys was
putsing around on the main event for the last six
months since.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
The he was wanting to do that on his own,
though I know he did, I know, I know. So
we can't just sit here and be like, oh, you know,
w w's just pushing an ae W guy now because
he's there. No. Royce opened up in a recent interview saying,
I wanted to go to the main event.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I wanted to do the house shows just so I
could get that.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Fine, but now that he's you know, with with you know,
with the guys on the raw roster, it just seems
to make more sense that this match just happened. This
is the kind of match where the usso's and Jacob
for two, they don't it doesn't hurt them if they lose,
definitely not. The usos just lose every match and people
will still they'll still be over whether their heels are faces. Royce, Royce,
(12:13):
Keys needs like a win here, he needs he needs
this kind of a moment for himself. This is this
is gonna be his coming out party because you know,
after Royal Rumble, nothing we have we have, we haven't
had him. I don't think he's been on any pl
since Royal Rumble.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I don't think so either. And maybe it's like a
pre show or something like that. But another Here's here's
something I want you to think about. Does l A.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Knight feel central to the story or do you think
he just.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Got added to get him onto the card just because
fans want to see La Night.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
No. I think I think he feels like part of it. Listen,
they're not dumb. They know what happens. They listen to
the Internet and they, I'll quote unquote listen to it.
They know what the what the people say. I don't
think this was just to get him on the card.
I don't know how to say. It's it's the it's
the odd couple effect with the three of them, and
I think people are are taking to that, which I like.
(13:01):
It's not that it's not an odd couple when it's
USO's and Jacob for two, that's the that's the blood line.
But Royce, Keys, Solo, Soca and La n If you
would have told me six months ago this would have
been a match on Summer Slam and I and you
bet me one hundred bucks, I would have said forget it.
You you would you would have two hundred dollars right now.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
And here's the thing is.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I I like baby Face Solo.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
It's it's great to see baby Face Solo, But in
the back of my mind, the wrestling fan in me knows, oh,
this is all just a ruse, like we're about to
get Bloodline back again, and Solo's gonna turn on everybody
and it's gonna join and then it's going to strengthen
the bloodline and then we're going to figure it out
and then maybe we get Solo in Roman for a
title at WrestleMania next yar.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
I don't know, but the Solo Socoa face always makes
me laugh when he does that silly laughing face, like
it's like it's not that funny, but he thinks it's funny,
and oh my god, that just laughs. Right.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
But us on this one, I think that La Knight,
Royce and Solo get the way in over the Ussos.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
And Jacob Flatto.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Moving on to the next one, uh, the one that
I'm actually signed about, and we recently talked about this
on the show Goother versus Nick Aldis.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Of course we've seen how this.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Has played out, uh recently on SmackDown. I know Nick
Alldis on the contract, they said, hey, you sign this,
you relinquish your GM duties, right, I know, we've had
this conversation before. I really, really, really hope.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
That this is not a one and done for Nick Oldis.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
I hope that this is like kind of that coming
out party for Nick Alldis at SummerSlam. I hope that
this is a way for them to test the waters
to see if he could still go. Can WW make
nick Audis look credible without weakening Guther this weekend?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
You know, I'm gonna be honest with you. I did.
I didn't watch him in Tnas Magnus, I did not
see him in the NWA. I did. I was not
a nick all this guy until he was GM. And
I know you, I know you, and are are those?
So for me, this is gonna be my first time
seeing nick Aldi's wrestling. And here's here's where I have
(15:11):
a problem with this is w W E fans have
been conditioned to him being a GM, not a wrestler.
So to me, this feels like GM versus employee, which
we all know boss versus employee is that works. It
works when it works, and that's fine. I have no
problem with me as a w W fan. I don't
know him outside of it. I know only I only
(15:34):
know Nick Oldis as foreign an Adam Pierce. That's only
the only way I know him. So and thank you
to uh to Pat McAfee for that, for that fine
fine burn during his wrestlemaniar own. But seeing Nicoldos in
a ring against guns the guy who, geez, he's he's
you know, retired everybody, So what do you do? Are
(15:57):
you putting your GM over over your But maybe what
do you do? You put you put him over Gunther,
who's who's done all that? Or you put gun through
because he's your monster? You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Now, do you think a Gunther loss would hurt him?
After WW? Like you said, position him as the man
who retired Goldberg and aj Styles and John Cena.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
If you're going to get the guy who who retired
them and and and your general manager beats him? Like
what are you doing? You know he can't. He can
beat all those other guys, but he can't beat the
general manager.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
But here's the thing I go back to it. I
know that you know him as the general manager, but
I know him as the National treasurer. Nick outis the
one that held the NWA championship the ten pounds of
gold for the longest of reigning whatever I knew him
as Magnus Like, I feel as if they're going to
make this a very good match. But the thing that
(16:57):
I would love to know and see how this is
gonna playut and obviously we'll see it this weekend. What
exact finishes protects both of them in this match, because
I assume that this is not going to be a
one and done for Nick All this unless maybe this
is like a it is a one and done in
his contract was up with WWE.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
It might be it could very well be a one
and done. And if it is, you know, more power
to them, and you know, go seek other employment and
see where you can go. The funniest part, the funniest
part about this is that you don't. You don't people
(17:45):
it's the storyline. People thought it was legit, Like do
you really think they called this was the GM of
SmackDown like it's. It reminds me of when when Rick
Flair and Vince mcgraham owned WWE and people like started
selling their stock because they thought that Rick Flair actually
owned it like it was. He's a character GM, but
he's a wrestler. If he loses, I don't, I don't
(18:09):
think he'll be missed. But if he loses, maybe give
him some time off, let him, let him cook, you know,
and maybe make him a surprise entrant at the Royal Rumble,
throw gun throughout and give me one more match at
at at WrestleMania overseas and you know that could be fun.
Let guns a go on a tear between now and
the Royal Rumble, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Just everybody, I'm I'm all for that.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
And we'll throw this question up for the listeners if
you want to comment on it. When SummerSlam ends, is
Nick Alladi is going back behind the desk or we're
gonna get a real WW run you can you know,
if you're listening on the iHeartRadio, if you could tap
that right Michael button and drop him as real quick.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
I was watching Unreal and I swear he was sitting
there in Gorilla with Heavenson. Was he a producer too?
Speaker 1 (18:54):
He might have produced a couple of matches here and there,
So maybe maybe he's going into that role. Maybe he's
gonna do something.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Next match on the card, you look at it, The
Women's World Championship Live Morgan versus eo.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Sky simple, Eosky done, next.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Done, It's over. Eosky wins the title.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
She goes on to the next one.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
We've already kind of talked about our hell in a
cel match with Oba and Brock. We know how that's
gonna play out. Of course, your main event for the night,
Undisputed WW Championship. See him Punk Cody Roads night one.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Another short answer, it's either it's either Punk retains or
to no contest. I don't think Cody's gonna win, or
Cody goes heel Cody. Here he goes Dark Hair Cody,
he goes I give shit on on on Punk, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Give me, give me Dark Hair Cody.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Because I think this is it.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I think this could actually kind of hurt some stuff
because see him Punk losing the title less than a
month after winning.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
They're not going to do that twice in a row.
They're not going to do that with him, Sammy and him. No,
that's not gonna happen. Then what was the point of
taking it off of him to begin with if they're
going to give it back to him right now. But
here's what I think it is. I think Cody knows
that he's losing the crowd like us kind of crowd. Uh.
The kids still love him. Every time I go into
the event, the kids are excited. When I was a
Fanatics fest, their kids dressed up like him. Cool. Whatever. Yeah,
(20:13):
Punk is way over as a good guy. He's not
going to turn to that dark side again, at least
not right now. It might maybe went on his final
run before he's completely done, he'll go back to that.
But him and Aj and Dan Housen and and and
and mister Iguana and Raymonstereo at San Diego Comic Con
this week. I know they're themselves in there, but they're
(20:33):
their character. You didn't see Cody there, and he's in
Street Fighter, So like that's a place you would expect
him to be at before a big movie comes out.
I don't. I don't think Punk loses the title. And
if it's a no contest. I think Cody's gonna lose
his mind because that that promo the other night on SmackDown,
where I was like, oh, I love you, but I
don't like you. Like, Okay, let's let's get your nest
(20:57):
together and move on. You know what.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
I feel as if, like Sam, he's gonna somehow get
involved in this, and you know, we're gonna get at
money in the bank, probably like a triple threat of Sammy,
Punk and Cody kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
I feel like that's where it's kind of leading towards.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Yeah, well Sammy, we'll get to we'll get to Sunday
in a second. But Sammy's in that number one contendership
match against Finn ballor so we won't even know if
he's going to be that number one contender anyway, So
maybe he gets involved and says, you know what, I
can probably beat Cody more than I could beat Punk.
Let me interfere. I don't want to interference if they're
going to get a no contest. I want to see
Cody bust open, you know. I want to see Crimson
(21:36):
mask from Punk. I also know gety to be real,
you know, dark Cody.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, and I also don't think that there's going to
be like a surprise person that you know, does a
run in that they're.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Like, oh my god, I can't believe WW signing this person.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Like if there's anybody out there for that, absolutely, uh,
you know, But let's just kind of jump right into
it because night two we'll start with that one Sammy's a'
and Finn baal Or, whoever gets the the win on
that one is the number one contender. To be honest
with you, I really wanted to be Finn Balor because
he never got his opportunity after getting hurt in that match,
and he's just been kind of floating there and I
(22:11):
feel as if they're making Finn Balor the guy like
SmackDown needs somebody, and I feel like they're positioning Finn
Balor to be that guy on SmackDown.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
When they change. When they turned him on Judgment Day
and sent him over to smack then, I figured, this
is this is where he's gonna start shining again. He
didn't have that opportunity with the Universal title. It sucked
and it was such a good moment when he had
it too. It was so great that he won the
first ever you know title reign of that belt. Obviously
(22:42):
it's since been you know retired. In theory, I guess
it is part of the Undisputed Championship. I think they
kind of put them all together into one big ball
on that one. But all that said, who should win Finn,
Who's gonna win Sammy? I think it's gonna be Sandy
because because it's not whether I want them or not
to win. I'm just saying who should win is Finn.
(23:05):
Who I think is going to win is Sammy, And
I think part of that's gonna have something to do
with Pumpkin Cody. It has to because at this point,
you you can't, you can't make Sammy, you can't, you
can't push him back down again. He hit the he
hit the ceiling, he hit that, he got the title,
you know, give him the run. Let me make him
and Finn the next stone cold in the Rock.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
And no, they're not gonna be. I give them that.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Feud, Give them that feud that that maybe sticks with
them for a while that you know, when you look
back on the Undertaker and Mankind type of thing. Just
order the Rock in Mankind, which was a mini feud
within the bigger feud. Just something, just something to keep
them busy until we figure out, you know, who's going
to win. That on this feed of Championship again, that's all.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, absolutely, I think Finn gets this one.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
I think I think that the fine people at the
USA Network kind of has a little bit to say
so because they want a star on smack Down and
if anybody's gonna sell tickets. You and I have had
this conversation before. If anybody's gonna sell tickets, Finn will
sell tickets, Sammy not so much.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
I don't. I don't know he's going to sell them.
I don't. For me, I'm a big Finn Balor fan,
and you know that I love the demon character. It's
one of my favorites for everyone. Man ballort Club. There, okay, there,
I want I want him to succeed. The next thing
you know is going to happen is they're gonna be
at Finn's old. He's old. He's old. It's going to
(24:30):
go right back into that thing where it's like, why
can't w W give it to young stars. He's forty
five years.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Old, but he can still look forty course he can.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Of course he can listen. I'm forty seven. Forty seven
and twenty twenty six is not forty seven in nineteen
eighty six. It's completely different. But this is where the Penta's,
the Trick Williams, the Dan Housen's, the Doms. Those are
the guys they need to be building like immediately because
you're gonna keep because these guys aren't gonna get any
(25:02):
younger either, so it's hard to say. Is Finn gonna
go on some run when he's forty five? Maybe he should?
He should.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
He did with Punk, did it with Cody, did it
with Roman. I'm just saying I think Finn. I think
this go around, Finn deserves uh an appropriate run as
a champion. I mean, don't don't pull a Sammy and
he drops it in nine days. But I think, could
you imagine the Demon coming out with the championship like
(25:30):
that would be incredible?
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Don't don't tease me. Don't dangle the carrot in front
of me. Dude, what do you.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Mean Demon Beller as the champion?
Speaker 3 (25:38):
You think I lose my mind when Joe Hendry comes out?
Way do you see me and Demon Finn?
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Give me Demon Finn for the championship in New Orleans
and he comes out all voodooed up? Like? Book it
right now. I don't know if the show or not,
but I just booked your your money in the bank
with Finn Balor for sure.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
By the way, you did mention some of those those
stars that WW needs to build up around. You mentioned
Dominic Mysteria, You mentioned Dan Housen, obviously we're getting another
Dan Housen match at SummerSlam versus Dominic Mysterio. The Dan
Housen streak continues. Do you think this is the right
kind of fun for a stadium Summer Slam or does
it feel does it feel like it may.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Be risk feeling out of place for this kind of weekend.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
This could be like a Friday night SmackDown match or
Monday Night Raw, not a Summer Slam match.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
I think I think Dan Housen obviously is over enough
that people want to see him fight instead of just
doing his backstage bits and cursing everyone. Dom has gotten
to the point where everyone hates him. They want to
see him get his due. They want to see, you know,
Dan hasen in in reality. I mean, Dom would kick
his ass. But Dan Housen is not a schlub. He's
(26:56):
not just some job or wrestler. He knows how to perform,
how to put on a show and tell a story.
I think he's too over right now to to to
have him lose. I just wish there was more about
this match. I don't need a stipulation for every match.
This is the match. I kind of want a stipulation
for that doesn't have one, and you know, even if
(27:17):
it was you know, even if it was curse on
a poll, just you know, they make some kind of
joke at it. Just exactly just after seeing the whole
segment on Saturday's main Event, it rubbed me the wrong
way because they pushed on and he's your here's a
Triple A, making like he's your champion of another brand,
like he's.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Your Cody and see him punk and romance.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Triple A, and I understand they're not putting Triple A
at that same level as the other ones, just like
they're not putting n XT and when they mentioned TNA,
it's not the same look at it. But he is
still your champion. And if you're getting you're trying to
get people to go to to Triple Mania in a month,
like you need to sell tickets to that, and having
domin in a, I don't call it a comedy for
(27:59):
you because it's not comedy. It is, but it's not.
It is entertaining. But after seeing Saturday Night's made event
and and just like him and the and and and
and cat and the minie houses and this, and like
it's just for that segment, I understand it. I get
what they did. It was all about the next fine
I'll give. I'll put that as one of those did
(28:20):
it happen, did not happen yet it was on TV
whatever because it didn't affect the storyline. But the way
he just the way they just treated Dom and and
the trudgment day just I don't know. I'm excited for
the match. I want to see Dan Housen so bad.
I mean, he's my guy. But yeah, and I will
get a cursed Minneapolis shirt on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
And I'll have to be sitting next to you while
you're probably wearing that.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
I won't put it on. I won't put it on.
I can't be that there.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Make sure you're following us on social media.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Battleground Podcast.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
We're going to be posting all kinds of stuff from
SummerSlam this weekend.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
We're going to be there Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and we
fly back on Monday. So another match that that's Imerslam,
which I look at this match and I'm like, why
does Carmelo again get left off of a p l E.
We're getting Baron Corbin and Trick Williams. Baron Corbin shows
back up, do I think Baron's gonna beat Trick Williams,
(29:15):
probably because Baron Corbyn's back, and again Carmelo gets screwed.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
So you'll you'll you'll either laugh at this or you
think this is the dumbest thing I've ever said. But
Punk comes back after a couple of months after WrestleMania
and he gets the title and everyone loses their their
damn mind. Oh he was part time, not part time,
He just took a time off. Baron Corben has not
been in WW for what two years? Three years now?
(29:41):
Maybe like that, yeah, give or take Tom Pestock deserves
the title. Baron Corbin does not deserve the title. And
shout out to Tom because he's actually a really cool dude.
But but but the Baron Corbin character, this is gonna
sound terrible and it's not then too, but it's like
why should I care?
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Right?
Speaker 3 (30:02):
But what did you do to bring him back? Only
to you know, scare mellow and and then get into
this feud a trick. You're telling me this guy's going
to come back after three years and when the United
States Championship, Like come on, and Trick is your dude?
Like he dude, New York was rocking with Trick.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
That doesn't mean nothing. You and I know that that
does not mean nothing. WW will give this to Baron
Corbyn because he is back, it's.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Or they'll give it to him because he's going to
get really bad heat. And I'm talking xpoc heat, not
not just we don't like you heat, like really bad heat.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah, and play off the He'll he'll play off the
crowd of it.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
And you know, Trick, maybe they this is their way
to give Trick some time off so him and Lash
can go and enjoy a legit honeymoon and like, hey, dude,
like you have been putting in the work non stop,
Like we're going to give you some time off for sure.
Speaking of another championship match that night, Intercontinental Championship, Penta
and Chad Gable, which by the way, recently we have
(31:05):
Pina on the show if you want.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
To go back, yeah and listen to that interview. Check
it out. Uh Sattra mat I even wore a Penta
mask on there.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
And here's the thing I'm hoping, I'm hoping. Yeah, absolutely,
I'm a Penta mark. I spent like six hundred dollars
on a ring pentom mask.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
You better freaking wear that thing.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
It's the Joker mask. And if you go back and
listen to an interview and watch me wearing the mask,
I said, Hey, any chance that this Joker mask comes back?
And he said, be patient, my friend or something. And
so I'm hoping that we get that Joker mask this
weekend because I will lose my mind. I will be
like Josh losing his mind at Joe Hendry showing up
(31:46):
at WrestleMania. But again, let's talk about the match real quick.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
He'll be there, he'll be a part of He'll do
something with that Dan Housen match. You watch, you watch,
let's talk about let's talk about Penta and uh and
Chad because I like Chad against him. Uh. This is
another one of those weird the stories, the good guy
versus good guy thing unless this is where Chad turned.
(32:12):
But again, you can't turn Chad when when you know
the people who he's not with are now he because
then it's like, oh, you're got to rejoin uh, you
know Maxine and the and and the vision like this
whole convoluted thing.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Well, no, think about it, though, this is like a
homecoming for Chad Gable, like this is his home area.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Like obviously, Gables put in the work.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
He you know, was given the El Grande Americana gimmick
and everybody laughed it off. And then you know, lutally
took it even a step further and made it crazier.
But that match that him and El Grande and Original
and all this other stuff was incredible, and it shows
that Chad could still go. And I feel as if
like this is the time, like, hey, if we're gonna
(32:55):
see what Chad could do, let's give him this title,
because I'll give it to Penta. And yes I am,
I'm a mark for Penta. He has been crushing it
as the Intercottinental champion. He has been wrestling, he's been
defending it. But I think this is the time to say, hey, look, Chad,
you've busted your ass for us for so long.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
We gave you this El Grande.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Thing, you made it into what it was, and then
Ludwig took it even further. We're gonna reward you for
all the stuff you put in. Here is your inter
Continental Championship. It's a hometown story. It's gonna have a
great finish. I think Chad gets to win two things.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
One I don't like that both the US Championship and
Intercontinent champions are not on the same card. Give me
one like you put I do. You're putting ww title
in the world title on each, give me one on each.
I don't want them on the same show. That's fine,
fine whatever. I think this is going to be one
of those wrestling matches. It's gonna look like it's a
triple A match. It's gonna look just like any lucha
(33:53):
match that you see. Chad's gonna do spots, pens is
gonna do spots. It's gonna be a fantastic match. It's
tough a pick who's gonna win. I don't think. I don't.
Being in Minneapolis and Chad's from Minneapolis, I can see
them doing that, getting the hometown pop. He's never really
played on the fact that it's his hometown. That was
never really part of the character. It was he was
(34:15):
just USA. He was never on Minneapolis. Rock was Minneapolis.
That's that's when we think of brock Lessen ever we
think of Minneapolis. I don't think of that when I
think of Chad Gable. Yeah, but that's with that said,
who deserves it? I guess Chad does. Yeah, but it's
gonna be one of those matches where I think they'll go,
you know, forty minutes. Maybe they're not going.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
To go forty thirty minutes. I think they go maybe
twenty five at most, because you still got you got
to get to Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Oh, it's going to be a spot fest.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
For suret Pest. There won't be blood like the like
the Triple A match with.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
There will be some super kicks, but.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
There'll be some pretty off the you know, some giant
things off the ropes, all that stuff. But it's whoever
wins the other one will thank them. It'll be one
of those new ual respect kind of things. And if
that kicks off the night on Sunday on Sunday, then
that could set the tone for the whole night because
that that's the kind of you You want a championship
match to kick off the show, and you want something
(35:10):
that's going to keep people in. And that's the kind
of match that I think will keep people in. The
trick in Baron Corbin is not going to be the
Chad Pena kind of.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
Match, absolutely so. And here here's something to think about
as we head into this weekend. If Chad Gable cannot
finally win singles gold in Minneapolis. When is ww ever
going to do it and give it to him? There's
something to think about.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
I don't think they will, but I don't think he
needs it at this point. I think El Grande Americana
was his belt. That was his championship belt. It got
him so over, and so.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
The title as Elande Americana he did, but that doesn't
count as really a title.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Whatever it's it's the twenty four seven title, it's the
harder time.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Whatever it really is.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
Put the match against him versus Ludwig as Grande that
really put him over more recently, Like if you talk
about Shag Gable, the first thing that's coming to your
mind is that match. And I know he can put
in the time. I know he can put in the energy.
I don't think he needs a belt to be over.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Okay, I mean, you know, we'll see what happens this
weekend for sure. Another match to look forward to this
weekend is the interim WWE Women's Championship ladder match. You
got Tiffany Stratton who will be on the show Wednesday.
We'll talk about this ladder match. Jake Cargill, Charlotte Flair
Chelsea Green and then on Friday SmackDown, we'll get the
final qualifier.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
It's Julia versus last Legend.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
I think in this time, I feel as if they're
going to give it to Tiffany Stratton and give her
make her two belt Tiffy time. You know, I think
it just is there. I don't think Jade gets it.
I don't think Charlotte Chelsea or Julia or Lash. I
feel as if they really want to build up this,
this Tiffy versus versus whenever she comes back, because it's
(37:03):
Barbie versus goth girl, you know what I'm saying. And
I think that that's the way to do it, because
we haven't really gotten Tiffany and Rito. We've gotten Ria
and Jade, Ria and Charlotte. You know, do I see
Julia winning it? No?
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Do I see Lash legend.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Maybe I would really like Chelsea to win this, but
I just know that all signs are going to point
to Tiffany Stratton. But it could be one of those
ones where it's a wacky finish and Chelsea gets the
interim title, kind of like how THEA got the NXT
North American Championship against Blake Monroe.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
So I'm a Chelsea Green Mark. I have an interviewed
as well from WrestleMania if you want to see, that's
over on our YouTube channel, and hopefully we'll talk to
her again this weekend in Minneapolis. I want to see
Chelsea Green winning this, don't. I don't care who the
fifth person in this ladder matches. It means nothing to
me who that is. I don't care if it's Lash
(37:58):
or Julia. Fine. Elsea Green will win this, and I'll
tell you why. She's She's not the expected one. She
is over with the crowd, and her character is perfect
for the interim title because when Ria comes back, oh ship,
(38:18):
you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Like we know that real squash her and and they'll
just go on.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
But that's Chelsea. If you've seen her on Unreal, she
said it, I don't mind losing. I don't mind being
that person. Someone has to lose, and she's gonna get
paid regardless if she wins or loses. So let her.
Let her think she's the champion for a while until
until Ria comes back the whole maybe maybe maybe go
against Tiffy numerous times. Maybe, you know, and I don't
(38:46):
know what Ria's extent of her injury is maybe Roald
Rumble is her return, you know, I don't. I don't
know if it's a six months or longer, but that
could be a fun thing because maybe they pull a
triple h and they don't tell us that she's coming
back the Royal Rumble, and then.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
All, well, here's the thing. Is like, according to the
reports that I've read, is like they're not rushing her
to get back, but when she is back, she's still
the champion. Well that was just being versus champion.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
I don't like this interim thing. It kind of reminds
me a lot.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Like UFC when they make an interim champion and when's
the interim wants the actual champions back, it's the interim
versus the champion.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
But it reminds me that when Seampunk left with the
title and then ray Wan for like ten seconds and
then Sina got it back and then it was Sena
versus Punk and whoever won was the actual champion. But
Punk wasn't interim. They said he was champion and he left.
But they have a crown making this.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
They're labeling this as rum and that's.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
What I don't but I and maybe they're doing that
because of the UFC and the whole you know, because
of TKO. Personally, I don't like the whole interim thing.
It's like, I'm f that's like, that's like if you
weren't working for a long time because you were injured,
and they're like, Josh, you're gonna interim do battles radio show,
but when he comes back, it's his show. But you're
(40:02):
gonna do everything and you're gonna represent the show. How
can you represent the women's division with the championship if
you're not the actual champion. Do I want to see
Chelsea Green versus Rea Ripley, Yes, I love them both.
I want to see that Chelsea Green's the only one
that can take the type of the literal interim title
(40:22):
and run with it. I don't think that's something that
Tiffy wants to do. I don't think that's something Jade
would want to do. Like Jade raising the bell and saying,
I'm the champion, but you're interim champion because when Ria
comes back, you're ft, you know, like I don't. Chelsea
is that kind of character where she'll act like she
is and she'll say I'm the best champion. Ever, I
(40:42):
was the best US champion and then d perfect Chelsea
Green's my choice on that one.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Yeah, I think Chelsea gets it, and like you said,
I mean, if you watch Unreal on Netflix, she's She's like,
I'm okay with losing, and I think that that would
be fun. And then maybe, you know, whatever happens between
now and Money in the Bank, Like you know, it
could be interesting to see if Ria comes back at
Money in the Bank or if not, you know, Chelsea
defends that title at summer at Money in the Bank
(41:08):
and then gets cashed in later in the night.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
You just had a bell go off in my head.
This is a ladder match. Money the Bank is a
ladder match. What a great way to kind of bookend
this with something that way, Like maybe at the ladder match,
Chelsea if she's champion, and Rhea if she's there, they
pulled about at the same time, both belts at the
same time, they fall down. They're both on the belts.
Now they gotta fight an actual match and whatever, you know,
(41:33):
I mean, Money in the Bank's coming up in October,
so I don't think it's going to be back that quickly, But.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
It depends on what the extent of her injury is.
I haven't read deep into what it is, but I
mean it could be a fun thing. Money in the
bank of like if if Ria comes back, you know,
then she squashes Chelsea and then Chelsea decides to end
herself into the money in the bank, and then you
give her the money in the bank. Briefcase. But again
(41:58):
we're fantasy booking. Let's move on to the main event
Fortnight too. Obviously it's the big one. Roman Reigns Seth Rawins.
Seth says that you know, he's chasing the title that
he never lost and he still held a you know
a little bit of an edge over Roman in there
one on one record. Can Roman Reigns finally deveat.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Seth Rawlins or is Seth still the one opponent Roman
cannot solve and beat?
Speaker 3 (42:23):
So first of all, he never lost it, So I
guess that means Punk and Roman are the interim champions.
So Seth should have his title and they should be
fighting for the title. Total that's me, you know, nitpicking
everything they so we just talked about. But still no,
I don't think Roman loses. I think that this is
this is his I think they're really going to push him,
(42:47):
like one final push for this guy.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
You think this is a Swan Swan song for them.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Not necessarily, not necessarily the ending of his career, but
this is the ending of his career, but his last
year the Rocket and and Hogan, like, we know that
this is a big marquee matchup, and after this, it's done,
it's done. Well No, no, no, I think they're gonna know.
I think they'll keep going. I think I think this
might be something that goes to Royal Rumble and who knows,
(43:14):
maybe they have a match and and and I know
I keep mentioning Royal Rumble, but we're in August, like
it's right around the corner. It's four months away, five
months away, it's it's right there. But I don't think
this is the Swan song for a feud. I think
this might be just the beginning quote unquote, or we're
right in the middle of that story. Their beginning was
what it was before. Now we're in Now, we're in
(43:35):
the act two. We're not in there.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
Let me let me ask you this, because you and
I both grew up in this era. Do you feel
like this seth and Roman is this era's rock and
Austin feud.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
No, I don't. I don't think there is anything like
that since then, even like Orton Sina, it doesn't feel
like it to me, none of that. There's there's no
two bigger stars fighting each other in the history other
than Rockenhogan or Rock and Austin. Rockenhogan was fine. Rock
and Austin was better fifteen sixteen seventeen. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
(44:12):
So you know, maybe this is this is like I said,
maybe this is just the original bloodline was so good
and ending with Cody winning at WrestleMania was a perfect
writing story. We all agree that was Triple H's chef's kiss.
It was fantastic. I don't think people are as invested
(44:34):
now as they were three years ago with any of this.
You know, I said this many years ago. I watched it,
but I wasn't deep into it because I couldn't relate.
I couldn't get into any of the characters. I know,
you know my characters now that I like, they're the
fun ones or whatever. But Seth has never been one
of those guys where burn it down hits and I
(44:55):
go nuts, or romans hits and I go nuts, like
it's just okay. By the way John Cena did that
at aat Accession. It's one of the funniest things I've
ever seen. We have it on our on our Instagram
at Battleground podcast. Is that right podcast? On Instagram?
Speaker 2 (45:10):
How do you you work for the show?
Speaker 1 (45:15):
Battleground Podcast?
Speaker 3 (45:16):
You can find us on I have a lot going
on right now. We're going to this weekend all.
Speaker 1 (45:19):
Things Summer Slam.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
We're gonna be there this weekend.
Speaker 1 (45:22):
By the way, if you're going to Summer Slam this weekend,
shoot us a DM if you made it this far
into the episode and let us know, because we'd love
to meet up. I've got I've got these, yeah, and
I've got Battleground podcast chickers that I'm bringing. These are
holographic ones that I bought out of my own pockets.
Shout out to uh Battle not not the company that
(45:42):
we work for, because I paid for these, uh, but
also shout out to iHeart Radio for for allowing us
to be there every weekend. Uh Man Again, It's gonna
be fun Summer Slam. If you want to tell us
your thoughts, you can always if you're listening on the
iHeartRadio app, hit that little red microphone button you see
at the top you press that, you leave us a message.
You got thirty seconds to say whatever you gotta say.
(46:03):
But that wraps up Summer Slam preview. Super excited to
see what's gonna happen. Of course. Uh, we are going
to do the show, uh for next week, literally after
night two of Summer Slack.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
So we're gonna go live. We're gonna live. Are we
gonna record it? What are we gonna do?
Speaker 1 (46:19):
You know what? I haven't decided yet. Maybe if again,
if you made it to this far of the end
of the episode, please shoot us a DM on Instagram
Battleground Podcast, let us know. Do you think we should
go live? Do you think we should record it? Maybe
we should do it from the press box after night too.
Who knows, we'll see what.
Speaker 3 (46:33):
Happens to pick us out. They always kick us out.
Speaker 1 (46:36):
Yeah, we'll be fine away, I'll just I'll just pull
the hey.
Speaker 3 (46:39):
Uh hey, I know I know your bosses.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
We know we know what we know your bosses. Uh
but uh but yeah, So we'll be in Minneapolis this weekend.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (46:47):
All your Summer Sam Summer Slam coverage, make.
Speaker 3 (46:50):
Sure, as David boy Smith used to call it.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
Uh follow us for all your coverage needs. Battleground Podcasts
on Instagrams. We're gonna be posting a lot of stuff,
but again, well, we'll readdress this episode. Next week we'll
see how we did on our predictions, and don't forget
on Wednesday, Tiffany Stratton drops by. We're gonna be talking
about all things Summer Slam and the go home show
Friday night in Green Bay on SmackDown. So subscribe wherever
(47:17):
you listen to podcasts, and subscribe to us on YouTube
as well.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
And twelve By the way, that's what we're going to.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
Every pick that we did tonight's not even gonna matter.
Oh yeah again, follow us on Instagram Battleground podcast. But
we'll see you Wednesday with Tiffany Stratton. And if we
don't see you with Tiffany Stratton on Wednesday, we'll see
you next week when we recap Summer Slam from Minneapolis
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Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of NFL Media hosts including Jourdan Rodrigue, Colleen Wolfe, and Nick Shook provide all the NFL news, previews, recaps and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.