November 4, 2025 • 55 mins
Today on Brewsers, we talk to Lwazi and Athi with Wrestling with Love podcast. We talk about their love of wrestling, how they started the pod, and so much more. Follow us on instagram and twitter at Brewserspod. Like, share, review, enjoy and cheers. #brewsers #brewserspod #Enjoylife #DrinkLocal #Cheers
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:20):
Welcome to Bruisers podcast, but beer, coffee, Booze and Bruisers.
I'm your host, Roy John and today we talked to
Lawazi and Ati with Wrestling with Love Podcast. We talked
about their love of wrestling, how they started the pod,
and so much more. This is such a fun conversation.
I found these guys on LinkedIn because they're in South
Africa doing absolutely amazing things when it comes to the
(00:41):
Wrestling with Love Podcast, and you don't want to hear
from me, you want to hear from them.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So without further.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Ado, here Islauasi and Ati with Wrestling with Love Podcast.
I would like to welcome the show, Liwazi and Atti
(01:07):
with the Wrestling with Love Podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
How are y'all doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well? Great?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Are you talking?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
I'm doing well. So those listen kind of paintings or
word picture. Where are you guys at what's going on
around you?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
So we are in Johanna's book in South Africa and
this is our hometown and yeah, we're just chilly Green. Yeah,
I'm very excited to be on your podcast. We've seen,
you know, you've had some very established people, so it's
really awesome just the fact that you considered us to
have us on the show.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, it is.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Funny because I did you know, we just both interviewed
Merk Brave from Black and Brave Wrestling Academy, and I
didn't know. I didn't know about you guys until I
saw you guys on LinkedIn because I was looking for
him to tag him on the on the podcast, but
he wasn't.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I didn't see him.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
But I found that you guys and I was like, oh,
somebody else has interviewed him and they're doing fantastic. And
then again I also found out that you guys are
in South Africa, so it's even better.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, yeah, so so awesome. Right, Well, that's what's.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
So great about pro wrestling is that it is this
connection from you know, the entire world, especially for WWE,
because a lot of people don't know about other wrestling
until they see a WWE on TV or they just
have to be lucky enough to have local wrestling the
where they can go see it, and then they find
ww and like, well, this thing's gigantic and you know,
(02:29):
bigger than I ever imagine it could be.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
Yeah, and just the community also like that just wrestling
has created, which is that kind of what we're trying
to do as well as the side, you know, because yeah,
like there's a lot of Raskling fans, but like we
don't know like way each person is type of thing.
And just like with you as well, also seeing Razie's
(02:52):
profile on LinkedIn and just like connecting that way as well,
seeing what he's doing, and then you guys had that conversation.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I think it's also.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Very just inspiring actually just how wrestling can actually bring
people across like all these worlds together.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I love the fact that we can all share the
same moments, but obviously we take it in so differently.
And right as we're recording this week, last night was
Saturday Night's main event.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Have you guys been able to watch it yet? I
know it's it's later for you.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
YEA watched it this morning on time and yeah, we
watched this on YouTube, so that was quite interesting for us.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Yeah, let's get into it real fast. What are your
what are your thoughts coming out of Saturday's main event
that happened? I know I sent you guys a message
or questions earlier back, you know, now that this has happened,
I really want to have y'alls take on it.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Yeah, no, because we actually recorded an episode oh perfect today,
so like that's only coming out on Wednesday though. But
in terms of the overall feel, like the biggest takeaway
was like four matches, Like it flew by so much,
and because you know, with having four matches, like we
(04:08):
thought that, okay, like maybe more time is going to
be given to the matches that I have, that fast
pacedness of it all. But like it was only in
the main event where you would say more time was given.
But you know, we had some surprising moments title changes,
so like it wasn't okay, but they are necessarily blown away.
(04:34):
What are your feels?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I think you nailed it.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
It felt standard even though we did have you know,
title changes and everything. But I think the expectation was
a lot higher. So yeah, it was that feeling of.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Oh okay, that was it.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yeah, I think I was, Yeah, we're just expecting way more,
especially looking at the storylines and what's happening, especially with
Jimmy and Jay. You know, Jay kind of screwing Jimmy
over essentially you know for the title shot, so I thought,
you know, there would be something there with Jimmy like
does something. I thought maybe we'ld also have some returns.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Like or if we don't get that, maybe you know
Drew surprises us and.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Actually wins the title for once.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Yeah, you know the fact that Drew always loses title
matches has become such a bit where this past week
on TikTok, we even did a skit of sorts.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Where we're like, we are ready for like to lose
and he lost again.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Basically, yeah, it is wild that he has just I mean,
obviously it's it's dug in more to the character, which
is great, and then when he does finally get that win,
it's gonna be even bigger. But the leading up is
like how many times is he just gonna keep losing
over and over again for these title matches and like
not get.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That chance again?
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Yeah, but that's my fear though, Like the moment it happens,
will we still be like this hyped and this behind him?
Because now it's just like, actually, there's no excuse anymore,
Like he can't make any excuses because this one was
solely his fault, Like this loss is one hundred percent
on him. Even the rules of the match got changed
(06:13):
just for him. Yeah, so's to bring right, there's no
excuses anymore. So as much as like we've been backing Drew,
does he still have a leg to stand on? And
my thing is like when the time actually happens, like,
how will it actually happen? How will it be a
feel good moment? When the momentum now is that going down?
(06:35):
Was just like actually, like we can't keep making excuses
for you anymore, you.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Know, right?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And then you know, obviously we come out with Punk
being on as a champ, which is fantastic, and uh,
where does that go?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Because, like you were talking about earlier, we got the.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Whole Jimmy and Jay thing and Jay is becoming a
little more old Roman.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
And trying to you know, be the champion again.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
He has he feels like he's got to do this
that and the other two get to that level one
more time. But is that going to get in the
way of him and his family and all of that?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
So what are we doing here?
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Yeah? I expected Jay to win actually because I thought
that's the best way to develop the story further. Then
maybe WrestleMania forty two we get should be versus j
part two. But then this time hopefully they deliver better
than they did at May.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
For that was.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
They said those themselves as well, so at least, but yeah,
now it's a bit confusing, and I think there is
a ceiling on Cempunk as the world champion because he'll
few the bronze breakup perhaps for the next two three months.
Maybe then maybe WrestleMania forty two will get him versus Roman.
But what else really can he do? Even when you
(07:44):
won the title, it just didn't feel like that was
the right moment. It just kind of felt like, oh, okay,
he's like the safe bet really more than oh my gosh,
Sam Punk did it?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
You know? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Right, it did feel bigger when he beat guntherer for
it than he did.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
He is exactly this day we got opponent.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
But so he beat him two weeks ago in that
triple threat, and I beat him again, So what.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Did he really gain?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right? Exactly?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well, then, also, we're going in the Survivor series, so
are we getting any of these guys in a war
Games match or you know, how is this going to work?
Because we have the vision, but the vision's only down
to two guys, and are who are.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
They going to team with?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Or are we going to get what we have over
on SmackDown where maybe it's a Wyat six and MFT
inside War Games, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah, it's very interesting how up in the air war
Games is at the moment. I don't think mft's versus
White six is big enough for war Games. That would
be a standard tag team match for me. But yeah,
now the Vision is just up and small greally even
that team of baby faces that could have potentially faced them. Yeah,
I mean, Roman Reigns stated he's only coming back at Christmas.
(08:52):
So will he be at Survivor series We don't know
as of now.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Yeah, the Vision actually also needs to find a new name.
They don't seem to have a Vision. There's nothing happening there, honestly,
because like even with today, I was like expecting them
to even pull through to like, you know, interfere because
they weren't really given the opportunity to participate.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
So yeah, man, well let's go all the way back
in time. What is y'all's earliest memory of for wrestling?
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Oh? For me, honestly, because I recently just got back
into not recently in twenty twenty one, when I made
this amazing man all we meet in twenty twenty he
introduced me back into racling again. Because I had stopped
for some time. So you know, as a kid, I
used to watch racing, but it was only when I
would go visit my grandma because my grandma watched wrestling.
(09:49):
You know, we didn't watch rastling at home, so whenever
I was with her, you know, wrestling would always be playing.
So for me, my fondest memory, honestly, and the scariest
it was the feud between Cain and the Undertaker. You know,
like as a kid, it felt so real, Like it
felt so real, and like I just remember being like
(10:10):
so emotional over it, like oh my gosh, like why
did Kine have to bury the Undertaker? Because now he
wouldn't look like this? And you know, I'm saying it
as if like that's not how he actually looks like,
but that's legit him. But you know, as a kid,
like you're seeing him with this wed hair, with this
you know, this gimmick, and you're actually believing that this
(10:32):
is real, like this is really him, and also just
feeling sorry for Cain as well, like oh my gosh,
like did the Undertaker really have.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
To burn him?
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Like? So, you know, that's my fundest memory as a kid, honestly,
and just like how real it felt for me, and
like I was just like always emotional every time they
would come on the screen because I'm just like they
didn't have to do each other like that, like they
were brothers, and I truly believed that they were really,
really really brothers, you know, but you know, I was
(11:00):
still a kid. But like that is like what I
remember back when I used to watch racing before I
got back into it again.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, I find that quite fascinating.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
As we'll really share the story how it resonated with you,
because I think most people consider Kane Versus Undertaker is
probably the second best storyline ever in w W, and
it's off you know, we can all relate to sibling
rivalries basically, so that's what it boils down to, even.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Though people are getting paid alive.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
And I said second best because I believe the bloodline
now has the that's the best storyline of all time
and it's still going technically to this day.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
But for me, my earliest memory is the nWo in
two thousand and two, that version that had HBK.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Booker t Big Show.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I just remember my cousin just coming to the house
one time and putting it on and for whatever reason,
I just got enamored by it and I never stopped
watching since then. And then it was very fascinating to
discover that that version of nWo is like the third
rate version, you know, this the Hogan version. There was
the Hogan version in WWE why just before You Face
(12:12):
the Rock? So but I got caught up in one
of that then just never looked back after that.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I love that, Yeah, because I always curious how wrestling
hits people for that first time, to really be like, oh,
what is this? And then you keep coming back for
more because obviously if the story's doing well, you want to,
you know, keep being entertained, and you got to have
that conclusion of that storyline.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yes, yeah, and for you.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
For me, my parents just keep saying it was something
on TV that we were really flipping through the channels
and I was like, oh, what's that? And then but
the earliest thing I could really remember was probably like
I think it was the Ultimate Warrior and Undertaker, and
so they used to show Superstars and it for us,
it came on like ten or eleven at night on
(12:59):
on like Saturday, so it was the Undertaker had locked
the Ultimate Warrior in a casket and you know, they
have all these people working backstage, you know, frantically trying
to get the casket open because he don't.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Through orders in there.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
And then by the time he does get out, he's
like gasping for air. You see that he's been clawing
inside of it. And I'm in my head, I'm like,
how am I supposed to go to sleep now?
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Like it's.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
And then for me, I just never stopped.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Like I know, there are so many people that, like
you said, they have gotten out of it and then
they get back into it, But for me, it was
just always that thing of like, no, it's like pro
wrestling's on, I gotta you know, nothing else is really
going on.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
What I also find fascinating just with one of us
sharing stories that both you John and Atti. Undertaker's heavily
involved in your first moment, oh and Nea my first moment.
But he's my favorite superstar all time. I love the Undertaker.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I love him too, and to.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Be able the way he ever like evolved his character
depending on what was going on with the storylines or
when he just wanted to be the Big Red Monster
big uh yeah Big Red for a while and be
a biker, go for it.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
It worked.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
People never said he was like, I don't know, Undertaker,
he is a biker, and that's we're not going to
try that.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
But no, of course it worked because it's the Undertaker. Yeah, well,
how did y'all meet?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Actually, oh, interesting story once upon a time.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, it was a worldwide pandemic.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
We actually been a gum dad.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Okay, so yeah, during.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
We basically COVID in twenty twenty when everyone was like
locked up, and even just like before that, like I'm
not a person who really goes out, like I'm very
much a homebody, you know, So now it was just like,
oh my goodness, like I'll actually never get the trust
to meet my person because now we're like locked up.
(15:02):
So even if I tried to go out, I don't
stand a chance, you know. So and you know, like
my friend she really was like, dude, you need to
download Tinder, like you know, you meet someone there. And
I'm just like, oh no, man, Like I don't believe
in these like dating sites or whatever. But I was
just like, you know what, let me give it a trime.
Came across his profile and there's something that I actually
(15:25):
missed on his profile, which I like would have made
me swipe lived, but I actually like it's a good
thing I missed that. But like, you know, came across
his profile, I was like, okay, you know, I like
what I see, and yeah, I don't.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Know who stripped first.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Yeah I still yeah, but like he acted very quick
because I think, yeah, like same day I received a
message from him and he was just like minutes later, right, like,
let's go up. Okay, So yeah, and I think you
tell the rest of the story very well.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
What Yeah, you know, what I did love from the
get go is her responsiveness I felt, and also how
she kept me updated in terms of Okay, I'm leaving
the house now, Okay, I'm going to be here at
certain time whatever.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
You know. She was just good at keeping time, which
was very impressive.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I'm sure even your side of the world you've
experienced people who are just so bad with things like that.
So that was very important to me. So, Okay, she
knows how to keep time. She's respectful of people's time.
And then also yeah, so we had the ice cream
and then we ended up spending like three hours together
and there was.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
Supposed to be one because we both had plans afterward actually.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Like, bro, where are you supposed to be at this
party now? And I'm like, I'm coming, guys.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
But yeah, So we had the ice cream dates and
then we had oh yeah. Then I invited you over
to have like a dinner at my place, and then
I made her mentioned in the first days that she
loves ms, so I did, and I don't even cook,
but I made sure I had a flatmates at the
time and he helped me out. We were like chopping
salads as well and just putting a lot of effort
(17:07):
into it. So she loved the food so much she
wanted to takeaways basically as well. Then I told, okay,
I'm going to give you this content of mine. It's
tough aways, but I was like, you have to bring
this back. But I didn't believe she's going to bring
it back, but she brought it back, so again she
earned my trust there. I was like, Okay, people don't
do things like this. So I was like, okay, that's
something special. And fast forward now years later, and I
(17:30):
think those same qualities are still present, and hence now
we're able to beyond just the relationship, we're actually able
to work together with the podcast because we have that
trust and dependability amongst each other.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Yeah, I love that so much.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
And it is the little things like that, like you said,
the receptiveness, the responsiveness and then just being a genuine
good person of bringing back up word.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It's rare in this age. So I was like, yeah,
I've won in life. What do I need now?
Speaker 4 (18:00):
She loves wrestling, Please tell the story because she was
always brings up how I would hide wrestling from her
actually because I thought, okay, this is where the bubble
burst and I didn't want to see me how into.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
It I am?
Speaker 5 (18:14):
Yeah, because he was. He was open and telling me
that like he watches wrestling, right, but like it would
be a thing of when because after work I would
like swing by his place to like visit him and
then you know, hit on home because like he stayed
on my way home like coming back from so you know,
I would visit him after work, and you know I
(18:35):
would tell him like just before like leaving, Okay, I'm
about to leave now because like I want him to
send up wrestling so like we can watch together because
he always talks about this thing. And every single time
that I would come back, like he'd be like oh no,
I just finished the show.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I'm like, why I.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Want to see it until eventually like he gave me
a chance and I was gone, like from honors because
I'm just like because you know, also just like watching
it obviously the first time around, I'm asking questions and
he's explaining things to me, and you know, I always
say this shameless and Drew of what did it for
me to like essentially get back into wrestling again?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
That match, Yeah, that's first Lane twenty twenty one match
and done.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
Like people don't actually talk about that at but it
was so brutal, take all my my kneed.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
I don't think Drew and Seamus get enough credit for
what they do.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
And I always love it.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Because their style is so brutal because of the whole
the European style is either very catches catch can or
very hard nosed, in your face kind.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Of almost Japanese style as well.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
But it when they bring it to America and they
actually let them go on WWTV, I'm like, yes, let's
do like especially when that when they had the triple
threat with Gunther as well at WrestleMania, I was like,
there's gonna be a lot of handprints on people's body and.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
This is going to be great. So how did the
idea for the Wrestling with Love podcast come from?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
So Atia had been speaking to me for a while
about wanting us to start a YouTube channel, and the
more I thought about it, the more I was like, Oh,
this is actually a good idea because you know, we
watched ww all the time, and I'd find that the
chats we're having in the countes are very impressive. I'm like, oh,
she knows a lot about wrestling and about that. It's
more than just the knowledge, it's actually you know, her
(20:28):
love and passion for it. And I was like, Okay,
let's actually try this out. So beginning of twenty twenty five,
in January, we decided to take the People of Faith and.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
It's just been going great, growing from strength to strength.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Yeah, And I mean it's been like years like work
in progress because at the time when I actually pitched
the idea, I would say I was still quite a rookie,
because like this was like around twenty twenty one. I
was like, oh, my gosh, I'm enjoying this so much,
like let's talk about it till my and then it
was just like, you know.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Just the execution.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Okay, so how are we actually going to get this royal?
Because we also just didn't want to, you know, start
something that's very I don't know if mid is the
correcterology of basic. Yes, we actually like really wanted some
effort into this so that you know, it can actually
resonate like with a lot of people, because also with
the age we're in now with internet, people do look
(21:19):
at like the quality of what you're you know, so
we just we are we were waiting for basically to
get to that point where we're like, okay, like we
can actually get like a studio, we can get all
of these things to actually record it in and that's
that's how now we've got to start it in January
of this year.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yeah, so you got the setup is very beautiful. If
people haven't seen the show, they definitely need to go
out the way, go on YouTube. You're on TikTok as well.
How did you guys decide what your logo is going
to be? Obviously, what the name was going to be,
what your you know, your backdrop and everything looks like
how did all that kind of come together?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yeah, so with the name, because you know, it's a
couple doing it right, and it's like, okay, it's a
rastling podcast and wrestling it's it's very intense, you know.
But it was just when we want to bring the
love that like we actually have for this and on
top of just the love for wrestling, also the love
that we have with each other, and I feel like,
you know that does come across with how we also
(22:15):
engage with each other, Like it doesn't have to be disrespectful,
it doesn't have to be just aggressive, you know, it's
just showing the love of wrestling and really just portraying
it in like and it's such like a beautiful form,
you know. So that's basically how we came with the
wrestling with love, because we're wrestling, but it's with love.
(22:35):
Like everything is done with love at the end of
the day. So that's how we got to our name
and with the heart in the ring and everything, because
you know, like just like being in the ring and
like in the heart of it all.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Like I don't know if Luzzi can.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Elaborate, it's a heart in the rings love play with
the words, but yeah, it was important for us that
even if you don't necessarily listen or watch when you
see it, you know what it is, you know, So
that's what we make sure of. Hence you know, the
big logo in the middle and the little logos next
to us.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
So and just providing that welcoming spirit.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Yeah, it doesn't matter whether you've been a wrestling fan
for twenty years or just five minutes.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
But we want you to do part of the conversation.
That's the main thing.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
Yeah, and also just to with the logo for people
to not get confused thinking this is like a dayting.
Oh yeah, like there's a wrestling ring. You know, it's
wrestling with love.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
So we're not fighting in the relationship.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I mean, obviously everyone has some kind of disagreements at
some point, but yeah, I imagine you guys work it
out like a like a good couple does.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Yeah, we do our best.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I mean, you could build it up to at some
point where you do interview couples that are in the
wrestling business and figure out how that all worked with them.
And then maybe you guys get to a point where
you do like a giant speed dating thing where it's
also a wrestling event.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Who knows.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Oh, that's great, Actually, we would love that.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Imagine us interviewing Seth and Bicky right. Yeah, one of
our aspirations, you know, one of our aspirations definitely is
to be able to interview some WWE superstars.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
We just would love to interact with them.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
It's really one of our passions that we want to
work towards, you know.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah, yeah, I did see the I mean we talked
about earlier. You guys interviewed Merrek Brave. How did the
idea for I guess just reaching out to him to
begin with, and then what you guys want to do
with your interviews going forward.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah, so I just came across him actually on my
social media, I saw that he had interacted with Soft
Ground Wrestling, which is in New Ganada, and I was like, okay, wow,
this is very interesting the fact that you know, he's
made a link with someone from Africa. So it gave
me the hope that hey, let me just shoot my shot.
So I just sent him a DM and he responded
very quickly. There's that responsiveness coming through again, and I
(24:54):
just how open he was. He was so respectfully, didn't
give off an energy of oh I'm bigger better than you, you know,
he was like, oh, sure, let's do it, and we
had organized it quite a while in advance, and I
love the fact that every time I'd follow up, he
was like, yeah, We're still good, We're still on, And
we just made it happen through that, and it was
just for us a big thing of Also what we've
noticed throughout TikTok comments, a lot of people in South
(25:16):
Africa do wonder, how can I become a wrestler from
South Africa?
Speaker 3 (25:21):
So we thought, okay, that's the angle. We need to
go at it.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
With the Black and Brave Wrestling academy that he's got
with Seth Rollins, it's the perfect opportunity to be the
South Africans putting the other South Africans on and whoever
else might be watching, how do you actually become a wrestler?
And then even for At and I, you know, we've
spoken about our aspirations, we'd love to involved that b
to w eat some way somehow. You know, it can
be as podcasters or some sort of ring announcers or
(25:45):
who knows the sky's the limit, you know, so we
would love to get closer into that space as well.
And this is kind of like our first step towards
that and just showcasing our passion and what we believe
is our talent.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Yeah, but yeah, America was.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
Amazing, and we've also been so for to have the
likes of former WWE Portugal announcer that's been on the
show as well, and also people from other podcasts in
the US as well.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Yeah, anybody out there that wants to interview wrestlers and
they have a podcast and you don't know how literally
what he just said, shoot your shot. You don't know
if they're going to say yes no, or some of
them may charge but they do or they are saying yes,
they're being receptive. So yes, I always shoot your shot.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
You never know what's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Yes, definitely.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
And Artie, that the promo you you cut on Bianca
Bellair in that interview, I think should be very scared, Like,
oh my goodness.
Speaker 5 (26:41):
I can't even describe like that moment because, like like
I mentioned in that interview, like I've entertained the thoughts
of like, oh, maybe being a wrestler, you know, like
like I said, you know, I'm a very animated person,
and I was just like, you know what, let me
actually put myself on the spot. And also just with
what we were trying to do, and you know, for
(27:02):
people who actually do want to submit now to the
Black and Brave Racing Academy. So let's use me as
a guinea pig. And knowing that you know, I'm a
person like I'm quite creative and all this suffer, like
you not let me put myself on the line. If
it lands, it lands.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
If it doesn't, it doesn't.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
But fortunately it didn't resonate.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
I love it, love it, and clearly John does. And
I think the reception was really impressive. It's like our
most watched video on YouTube and so on TikTok. We've
got that ton of engagement from them. People are like, yeah,
this is a promo hit up HBK. So yeah, no,
she's really good. And I'm so glad and proud to
(27:41):
see how she's just so open to things like that.
Because I was also caught of God in that episode,
I was like, wait what.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Okay, it was great.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Yeah, so yeah, now you're wondering, Oh no, she's gonna
start cutting promos on me randomly.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
You proceed with we're caught you.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, well you talked about how there are other people
from South Africa really wondering how they get in the
wrestling world in general, talk to us a little bit
what the wrestling scene in South Africa and in Africa
in general is looking like right now.
Speaker 5 (28:16):
Yeah, so look here in South Africa, I would say
like we have a lot of what we call closet fans,
right and when I say closset from the sense that
you find that people aren't just open to like saying
that they're a wrestling fans, then they're not as open
to post about wrestling like they do, you know, like
within other sport like soccer, rugby, which are really big
sports here in South Africa.
Speaker 4 (28:37):
Right.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
But you know, with our you know, Wrestling with Love
podcast and on TikTok, we actually saw there that no man,
there is an appetite for this and like the the
engagements that we also like get because when we first
started the channel and we launched the TikTok page, like
the views we were getting, the comments we were getting
(28:59):
were insane. So you know it let us know that
no man, there isn't appetite for wrestling in South Africa.
And as much as you know, we want to make
wrestling cool again where people can you know, actually openly
speak about it here in South Africa, but it's just
like we need to find those people because I think
that is the problem, Like we're so spread out and
(29:20):
we don't know who is a wrestling fan, Like you
only find out through conversations with like speaking to someone
where they drop little you know, notes over here, and
it's like, no, man, you know a bit too much.
You're not a fan, you know. So, But like now
we're just trying to actually just really make it like
a big thing again because WWE is.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Huge and you know, they are very.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
International now, so you know, let's let's put South Africa
in the mix. Let's put ourselves on the map worth
being actual wrestling fans as well. I mean we've had
some superstars as well who have interacted with WWE. We
have the late AKA, who was a big rastling fan,
someone who was very open about wrestling, and like that's
(30:05):
what we are trying to achieve essentially.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
And I think the more open now the conversation gets
around wrestling, then the bigger some of the promotions around
you will get as well, they'll get more traction. Then
people will know that Okay, there's a place maybe just
thirty minutes away from me, I can go and train there.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
You know, and then eventually work my way up to
joining at WW or whatever it may be.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
Yeah, but for now, I'd say, yeah, it's still relatively
small in terms of like the exposure, and hopefully in
time that can grow and then you know, we get
to a point where South Africa is one of the
HotBits as well of wrestling.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Yeah, oh yeah, without a doubt, because I know I've
talked to BJA Black in the back in the past
and he talked about how when he was growing up,
and I believe his dad was a promoter, it was
just kind of a melting pot and you would get
a little bit of this and a little bit of
that growing up.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
But you know, unfortunately has waved off a little bit.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
But I do hope that it does start picking up
again because Africa is the biggest continent on the planet
and people just don't realize how much is actually you know,
potential wise in the whole continent of Africa.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Yes, yeah, And just touching on PJ.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
Black, you know, he did such a great thing in
terms of exposing South Africans more and we came and
that you know, he's a proud South African representing as
justin Gabril in WW at the time, but I mean
that was about fifteen years ago, you know, so we
would love to have more new and names that are
in the picture. So hopefully now we can cultivate that
(31:29):
culture and bring it back basically so we have more PJ.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Blacks.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Yeah, without a doubt.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Yeah, I mean you obviously you guys want to grow
in the next year coming up. What do you guys
kind of look for when it does come to twenty
twenty six, because especially WWE wise, we've got we're starting
the year with you know, the Roar of Rumble in
Saudi Arabia, Rustlemanie is coming back to Vegas, and then
you know, everything that's happening from there after that.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
What do you guys want to look forward to in
twenty twenty six?
Speaker 5 (31:58):
So for us, it's really just growing the Wrestling with
Love podcasts, like even more. There's so much that we
want to do, you know, when we first started off,
you know, we did like a watch party as well
for when WWE was in Europe, and it's just like
we actually just want to do more of those. We
want to do you know, more live shows and actually
(32:19):
just really engaging with people and people not just engaging
with us in comments, like let's actually like, you know,
provide a platform where you know, we can all just
openly speak about wrestling. So for us, it's just really
just growing like they're wrestling with live podcasts to provide
that platform for people. I even had a colleague at
work actually it was just like, yo, guys, if you
ever record an episode, please just like call me for
(32:42):
like a live recording. And like it's so funny you
say that because like you know, we really aren't looking
into do into doing that, but like the numbers need
to match, like that's the biggest thing in order for
the traction to also come along. And just one of
the biggest things also is to be at WrestleMania and
just docure maintain all of that, you know, from like
our point of view, I mean Lazi has already been
(33:04):
to two WrestleManias. I still need to go, you know,
like it is a very big like dream of ours,
you know, as a wrestling couple to actually do that.
And then now with the Wrestling with Love podcast, just yo,
just like how much we would actually just push all
of that and like showing people backcount South Africa because
like you had mentioned earlier, you know, because now with
(33:27):
WrestleMania also going to Saudi Arabia, you reconsidering, you know,
going to media because those expenses, like it is a lot,
you know, with the travels, because there's flights, there's accommodation,
there's the actual tickets like an arm and a leg now,
you know. So now we're in a position of actually,
just you know, should there be a sponsor, sponsor us somebody.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
And I think I remember when I just finished with
WrestleMania fourteen Philly, I immediately messaged AI and I told
her that, you know, I need to experience this with
you now, because I felt like, Okay, I've you know,
satisfied in a child and me, I've experienced it live,
but now I need to like see it through her eyes,
and I think she should be even more blown away
and so excited to just see how it actually is
(34:13):
and just the environment in the vibe. And I enjoyed
many of forty so much because like I got to
link up with people from the Netherlands who didn't know
me from a soap, but I was like mates with
them that entire week. They took care of me and
it was just like so cool just interacting with all
these restling fans. So I think, now I just want
Wrestling with Love podcast to be at Restumenia forty two,
imagine in Vegas.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
Oh you know, so yeah, I would love that Rauzzy
being in WrestleMania was actually such like her, Like I
can't describe that moment, you know when you just get
emotional for someone, because like that is just how deep
like his love for rastling as well. Actual moment also
just being so gruesome for me because it's two am,
like they it's like daytime, having the time of his life.
(34:56):
I'm not me.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I'm here, I'm watching.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Did you see what?
Speaker 5 (35:00):
I just like, you know, so now it's it's just
that point where we want to experience it together, bring
it into the podcast. And actually I really spoke like
speak about the experience how it can be like accessible
for other people because, like you know, Leslie also has
quite a bit of merch as well, and we have
people asking about how can we get merged, how can
we do this? So we want to be that go
(35:21):
to that we can actually tep okay with regards to
the experience and actually making everything happen. This is how
you can.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Go about it, you know, so, and yeah, just be
South Africa's ultimately.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Yeah, if anybody's never made it to WrestleMania, like we
talked about, it is an arm and a leg day
to take it. Now, go to at least one day
of them, because there's two days now, so go.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
To at least one day experience the entire.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
Thing, because it is a spectacle that, like you said,
you will never experience anything like that in your entire life.
I get people every time I leave WrestleMania, like the
week after or the days after, they're always.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Like, oh my god, you there, that looked incredible, Like
how many? Like I'm like, it's nuts.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Being being with that many wrestling fans at one time
is absolutely magical, but also nuts cause you just kind
of look around.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
You're like, how we fitness many people and we're all
here to watch wrestling. This is crazy, right?
Speaker 4 (36:14):
And I think what's also very telling is how you
mentioned that you know, you've been to like sixteen WrestleManias,
and it shows just how addictive it can be because
there's just a rush you get from it. You can't
get tired of it. So yeah, if we could as well,
I think every single year we'd make sure.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
Yeah. So there's just.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
Something special about that atmosphere, the theatrics live live.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Yeah, it's just nothing like wrestle Mania.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
So yeah, yeah, I mean obviously the huge entrances as well,
Like it's yeah, it's it's something else that everyone needs
to experience at one point in your life.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Now twenty twenty five, we've seen the Sena World or
the retirement tour happening. We saw a heel turn, we
saw we have a you know, a last opponent tournament
about to happen. Uh, let's start with who do you
think his last opponent will be?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
And then I want.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
To get y'all's thoughts on what his retirement tour look like.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
So I think the opponent I would ideally like it
to be as Gunter.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Yeah. I think that's the big rumored one.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yeah, the story writes itself.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
He retired gold book earlier this year sat main event,
imagine that another one the same year. He does that
to Johnson has been absent off TV for a number
of months, and he makes the most sense. And now
we've got this whole tournament now the last time is
now tournament. It just makes sense for Guinta to win,
so I would say he should get the nod.
Speaker 5 (37:35):
And that's when Lassie and I disagree, because for me,
when they announces that it's going to be a tournament,
I was just like, what a way to contradict you
hand him over the torch to someone else, You giving
another person a chance like you.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
Were given a chance.
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Because that was quite a big part of the promo
as well, that you know what, he wants to give
someone else a chance like he was given a chance.
So for me, it would be you know, one of
the new guys to to to retire him, because imagine
how much that would actually just blow up a person's
career to have been that person to like, you know,
retire John Cena. So I would actually look at like
(38:17):
NXT and like the guys that at that side, You've
got your Trick Williams, your Javanne Evans, you know, like
I would really look there and in the main roster
right now, Carmelo, Like Carmelo needs a push right now.
You need something, you know, So I would give it
to to know, to to someone that can really just
elevate their career and just really going back now into
(38:38):
this thing that JOHNSONO was talking about of actually just
really giving someone else a chance, because I feel like
the other guys are already established, like Gunta is. He
is established, like he's a ring Gannadal like if you know,
and yes, he's been absent right now, but I feel
like it needs to be given to someone who really
needs that push.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
And I think just touching on the Farewell tour as
a whole, I know it's been criticized a lot in
terms of especially the heel turn, but I would say overall,
as a body of work, it has been good. You know,
we did have the Tnate elimination Chamber, which I think
is one of the greatest scenes I've ever seen. Even
the matches he had with the likes of Punk and Randy,
(39:19):
we forget how good those matches were, even though he
was using dastantly tactics, and then of course now turning
back to Babyface the run in his Head with Logan
Paul Cody AJ styles, those matches have been great. So
I think as a whole it might have not been
what we all expected, but I would give it a
good grading of like a seven or eight.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
In fact, I think it's been great.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Yeah, as much as people are, you know, kind of
crapping on the whole heel turn. That's what the fans
wanted forever, so like you got it. It wasn't pretty Obviously,
what are we doing with Travis Scott?
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Obviously why did the Rock never come back?
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Just little things in the story that made no sense.
But his obviously his promo about you know, it's the
fans' fault.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
I love that. I know a lot of people weren't
you know, big into it, but.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
He you know, he spoke from the heart kind of
I mean, as a heel and so I think it worked.
Obviously the random you know what, guys, I was wrong.
I you know, I'm really here for you. This was
a mistake, just the real over the night or over
the five minute promo.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
That he did.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
I was like, okay, well we could have got our
way out of that a little bit better, but sure.
But then it really worked out backstage with the whole
art truth thing, with the whole oh man, you were
being real mean and you got the haircut and that
was fun.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
But yeah, we.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Were going to get the classic matches because you have
to have the aj Again, could we have had the
brock eh?
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Not?
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Really, I don't really that one didn't do anything for me.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Right, I mean, you get the shock of oh my god,
brock lesseners back, but and then we get a you
know him basically just tearing up John Cena Again, I'm
fine with that.
Speaker 7 (41:03):
But then we also bought the kids, yeah exactly, like
what do we fall for those kids? It was Yeah,
it was bad, but everything else, I mean I knew
it was going to be good, especially you know, we
get the Samy Zain one, the AJ like everything match wise, Uh,
the latter half of the year was a lot better.
The first half seemed a little muggy and we were
(41:24):
kind of bogged down with the whole you know, oh
is he he's a bad guy?
Speaker 2 (41:28):
Now, Oh this is great. Let's see how this one
works out.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
Yeah, but obviously it's going to end fantastically in uh,
you know, December thirteenth, Saturday May event I imagine it's going
to be one of the most watched things ever in
WWE history, which is going to be great for John
Cena and obviously for w W. And they've done gangbusters
when it comes to merchandise, so every the city had
a different theme, different shirt, and you know, they did
(41:52):
exactly what they've been doing with John Cena is just
selling merch like crazy.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
That was smart actually, As I'd say, one of my
favorite shirts was the one from Indeed, the Yellow One Yellow,
That was amazing. But yeah, the fact that it's personalized
now people will never forget that time Johnson was in
for the last time.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Yeah. Plus you got John Cena with like just a
black logo in the white lettering. I love that part
of him being Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
That great and they've never seen in seventy Yes.
Speaker 4 (42:20):
And I think that helped Mark national lot as well,
just to give him a bit of identity as a
ring announcer.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
So that was all brilliant.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Yeah, I love that as well.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Well.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Speaking of WrestleMania, what do you guys kind of look
like for WrestleMania forty two? What do you think is
going to happen?
Speaker 4 (42:38):
So, just based off the poster that we saw last week,
I think most likely will get an amalgamation of sorts
between those four guys. So most likely will get now
that punk is the world heavy chap and I see
them doing Punk versus Roman.
Speaker 3 (42:53):
Of course, that scene in War.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
Games last year, it broke records on the numbers so
I think they'll want to do that, and I think
the original plan would have been Roman versus Seth, but
now set this out, so let's do Punk versus Roman
for the numbers and then even though this is not
necessarily something I want, but I can see them doing
Cody versus Brock, just for Cody again to overcome the
(43:15):
odds he's never faced him for the title, so that's
most likely how I see the main event scene of
Manu forty two looking.
Speaker 5 (43:22):
I'm gonna keep mine of it close to my chest
because unexpectedly, I actually went in like quite deep on
this on the episode that we recorded, which will be
coming out on Wednesday, So I think I want to
leave that one for there. But I have quite some
bold predictions that people wouldn't really you know, put out there.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
But what.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
A setup for everybody, you know. Wednesday, you guys, the
new episode will drop, so definitely make sure to check
out the pro.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Love it for yourself. What do you see MANI forty
two looking like?
Speaker 5 (44:00):
No?
Speaker 2 (44:00):
Because yeah, we have the poster.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
Unfortunately, injuries do happen, and Punk seems to be a
little more injury prone than.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
He used to be getting older. It happens. I understand.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
I don't want to see Brock and Cody. I want
to see me Brock, maybe Gunther or Brock and any
other monster.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
At this point, what are we doing with Cody? Like,
I just don't get that part.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah, he gave him his blessing it the SummerSlam what
two years ago?
Speaker 2 (44:30):
So what are we? Yeah? Why are we going back
to the well on that one? I mean, if they
make it an interesting story, I might be interested, But
I don't know. But then again, where is the whole
Paul Haymon thing happening?
Speaker 1 (44:41):
And then we have you know, brown Breaker will probably
have something to do with any part of that, and
you know, with the war Rumble coming right around the corner,
who knows even who's gonna win that?
Speaker 2 (44:51):
So I don't know. I'm very curious.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Also, a lot of contracts could be running out in
between here and there, so things get very interesting. We
are definitely getting on the road to WrestleMania. I'm very curious.
First off, how are we going to get in the
Survivor series with war games?
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Yeah? Right now?
Speaker 4 (45:09):
And also I want to throw out a name there
for the Royal Rumble. I think someone who definitely deserves
a shot, is L A. Knight.
Speaker 3 (45:14):
He's gotten to the point he's.
Speaker 4 (45:17):
Been kind of flirting with the main events scene but
just can't get over the hump. It's about time now,
and maybe they might give it to Samy Zay as
well because of the Saudi connection.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
But I think L. A. Knight is well over.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
You and I know, yeah, is over forty and whatever,
but still just give him one title shot, you know.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Yeah, I mean aj was over forty.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
I think what he got in the company and he
is still doing some of the best matches that on
the entire show.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
That's a good point. Yeah, we need to give other
people a chance, I think.
Speaker 4 (45:45):
And even now we see with the storyline with Cody
and Drew, it feels like they're dragging it a bit
and they don't really have people ready for Cody.
Speaker 3 (45:52):
Hence now they might defer back to Brocklesna. But let's
give other people a chance, maybe even a mellow, you.
Speaker 5 (45:57):
Know, Yeah, and miss doesn't get in the way.
Speaker 3 (46:03):
Yeah, No, I would love in L. A. Night.
Speaker 1 (46:06):
And I know the internet would go absolutely wild for
that as well, because they have been frothing at the
mouth for that to happen, and he just keeps getting
you know, his shots gets taken away from him every time,
you know, so I want that to happen for him
as well.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
Well, I have a segment on the show. I call
it the five Count. It's just five random questions. Okay,
what emoji do you use most?
Speaker 3 (46:33):
Laughing emoji?
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Number two?
Speaker 1 (46:39):
If you own a liquor company, brewery, winery, coffee shop,
or dispensary, which one would you own?
Speaker 2 (46:44):
And what would the name be?
Speaker 3 (46:46):
Oh that's a tough one. Oh my gosh, drinking with
love would be the name. And yeah, it'd be a brewery,
you know.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Yeah, is that the collective answer?
Speaker 5 (47:04):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (47:05):
Okay, I don't know if you had it. Number three,
what are you nerding out on right now?
Speaker 3 (47:11):
W W Yeah? Every day?
Speaker 5 (47:14):
Like it's literally our bread and butter. And I don't
think people understand how much we consume.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
We watched the p shows, we watch the post shows. Everything.
Speaker 4 (47:27):
The podcasts were like so interested in the TL so
there's no need for anything else.
Speaker 2 (47:32):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
I do wish they put matches back on the pre show.
That's something we're missing out on. Also, there's so much talent.
Why would you not do that?
Speaker 4 (47:39):
I don't really want matches on the p show. But
let's extend the pls as a whole. Let's go back
to like six or seven instead of the five and
now four.
Speaker 5 (47:48):
With such an I would cut down on the countdowns,
like is it still the countdown? If it's two hours,
it's a full show at this point.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
And then they just recap of like oh, in twenty nineteen,
this happened on this piano, and then you watch a
good ten fifteen minutes of an old thing. Yeah, you know,
it can just be an hour. Just hit us with
the okay highlights. This is what you need to look
out for. And that's why we enjoy watching the countdowns
and post shows as because I feel like you get
clues and it sways you in a certain way. Maybe
wrong so, but that's still fine as a way. It's like, oh,
(48:20):
because of what happened on the Countdown show, I think
this is going to happen, and it doesn't happen, or
it does happen, you know.
Speaker 5 (48:25):
And kidding you and your perspectives are huh, yeah you didn't.
Speaker 3 (48:28):
See it like that. Yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 4 (48:30):
And for me personally, I love the status as also
it's always about learning Okay, dirty down. Now he's had
the most title wins in twenty twenty five whatever. Those
kind of random things are very fascinating for me.
Speaker 1 (48:41):
Yeah, I like that too, Like that when when Michael
Cole said that on Saturday, I was like, Oh, that's
really interesting. And of all people, you wouldn't imagine Dominic
Pasteria had the most.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Yes, right.
Speaker 2 (48:53):
Number four. Who are what inspires you?
Speaker 4 (48:55):
Ooh, I would say my mom actually inspires me. She
is one of the strongest people I know and also
one of the kindest people I know, and she's just
done so much for myself and my family, and you know,
she's always been very supportive of my passion for wrestling.
Like going back to when I was a kid, Yeah,
when WW used to come more often to South.
Speaker 3 (49:16):
Africa, she took me there. We would drive to like.
Speaker 4 (49:18):
Durban was the closest city at the time, so we
drive a good five hours and go watch wrestling there.
And even now when like my career basically pivoted because
I'd studied accounting, but then now I was like, Okay,
let me push this media thing, you know. Yeah, So
you know, she's just been very rooting for me. It
never belittled me for loving ww it's like, okay, that's
what you want to do, let's push.
Speaker 3 (49:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (49:40):
I would say my mom as well, like what a strong,
powerful woman like truly someone that I like look up to.
And I would say, like just some of my traits
as well, with how I carry myself, how I go
about just life, like I've taken from my mom. Truly
inspiring women, very supportive and like just someone that you
(50:03):
know will just always be there, you know, and you know,
someone who has their stuff together and oh man, like
like you can't put it into words, but my mom
my biggest inspiration. The things that she's been able to do,
you know, for us, the opportunities that she has created
for myself and my siblings, truly like like unbelievable, you know.
Speaker 1 (50:25):
So yeah, yeah, you just learned something about each other.
Speaker 4 (50:33):
I love that we already knew, but I think now
it's like just hearing it though as well.
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Yeah, different, elaborate even more. Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (50:43):
And number five, what would you tell your seventeen year
old self?
Speaker 4 (50:47):
Oh? Wow, So I would say to him that always
follow your guts.
Speaker 3 (50:53):
It will leads to the right places.
Speaker 5 (50:57):
Oh my goodness. What would I say, like for me,
it be slow down, like not everything needs to be
done now and complete it now, like take your time
like you like, don't rush anyway, you know. So that's
basically the advice I give myself because I feel like
I put so much pressure on myself and I think
(51:20):
it's something that like I still do even now. So
if it's something that I would have told myself like
at a younger stage, like maybe I would be a
bit better, Like I find myself just putting so much
pressure on myself just.
Speaker 3 (51:32):
Like we need to do this now, this has to be.
Speaker 5 (51:35):
You know, like just slow down, calm down, it will
all happen in its own time, and just truly going
with that whole trust the process, which is something that
I think even implementing now with our podcast, Like trust
the process. You know you're going to get to where
you need to be. You don't need to rush it.
(51:55):
So yeah, that's what I would tell my seventeen your
old self, I love it. What about yourself?
Speaker 6 (52:04):
I would probably say, yeah, don't rush it, but also
make the don't chase women as much as you.
Speaker 1 (52:16):
Do and make it yeah yeah, I'll.
Speaker 2 (52:21):
Just probably just say chase, don't chase women as much
as you do. We'll start there and I think we
probably have more.
Speaker 3 (52:25):
Time sound advice now.
Speaker 2 (52:31):
If people want to find.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
Out more about you'll follow you guys online. Obviously listen
and watch Wrestling with Love. How can they do all
the things.
Speaker 5 (52:38):
Yeah, so we're on YouTube which is the Wrestling with
Love podcast, and also on TikTok which is Wrestling with
Love pod. So that's where people can find us on
TikTok or on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (52:50):
Yes, please subscribe, please click the follow button.
Speaker 4 (52:53):
A lot of people I think they watch, but then
they don't click that button.
Speaker 3 (52:56):
That's free.
Speaker 4 (52:57):
Yeah, just support the movement because yeah, we really do
to grow in twenty twenty six and who knows what
more potential this has, you know, so we'd love that.
Speaker 3 (53:05):
Yeah, so please check us out there. And thanks to
you John for this.
Speaker 4 (53:09):
This has been so cool, this conversation and yeah, yeah,
this has been so exciting.
Speaker 2 (53:15):
Thank you all for coming on.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
And definitely if you guys make it a WrestleMania this year,
I've already got my tickets, so hit me up. I
would definitely love to see what the new voice of
South Africa for WW is gonna look like.
Speaker 4 (53:27):
Yeah, you would love that as well.
Speaker 3 (53:31):
And also just a fun fact for you.
Speaker 4 (53:32):
I'm not sure if you're aware of this, You've got
a South African connection in the sense that your name
is very similar to a very famous South African musician,
Johnny Clig.
Speaker 2 (53:42):
Actually so interesting.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
I knew there was a there's an English comedian with
Jonathan Clegg, and I was like, oh, I would definitely
not use my entire name, but I like that, and
I good to know that there is a connection with
South Africa as well.
Speaker 2 (53:55):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (53:55):
Yeah, something just drew us together there, you know, so
let's keep it going.
Speaker 2 (54:00):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (54:12):
Thank you so much to the Luasi and Ati for
being on the show. Definitely make sure to check out
Wrestling with Love. You obviously want to find out what
Atti's take is on the whole Saturday at main event
and which he thinks WrestleMania forty two is going to
look like. So you definitely check out their show tomorrow
when it drops on YouTube.
Speaker 2 (54:27):
And when you're doing that, make sure to subscribe, follow,
Definitely do all.
Speaker 1 (54:30):
Those things, and while you're doing that, make sure to
follow us on social media.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
It is bruisers Pod.
Speaker 1 (54:34):
That is b R E W S t R S
p O D on the Instagram, the threads and the Twitter.
If you want to send us an email, it is
Bruiserspod at gmail dot com. If you're going to follow
me directly, it is Rody John. That is r O
D I E j O N. Roady John is the
name on the Twitter and an untapped in case you
want to find out when I'm drinking, maybe we can
have a beer together. If you're want to follow me
on the threads or the Instagram, it is official Rody John.
(54:55):
So until next time, make sure to enjoy life, drink local,
and cheers.
Speaker 3 (55:11):
Three two f
Welcome to Bruisers podcast, but beer, coffee, Booze and Bruisers.
I'm your host, Roy John and today we talked to
Lawazi and Ati with Wrestling with Love Podcast. We talked
about their love of wrestling, how they started the pod,
and so much more. This is such a fun conversation.
I found these guys on LinkedIn because they're in South
Africa doing absolutely amazing things when it comes to the
(00:41):
Wrestling with Love Podcast, and you don't want to hear
from me, you want to hear from them.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So without further.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Ado, here Islauasi and Ati with Wrestling with Love Podcast.
I would like to welcome the show, Liwazi and Atti
(01:07):
with the Wrestling with Love Podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
How are y'all doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well? Great?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Are you talking?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
I'm doing well. So those listen kind of paintings or
word picture. Where are you guys at what's going on
around you?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
So we are in Johanna's book in South Africa and
this is our hometown and yeah, we're just chilly Green. Yeah,
I'm very excited to be on your podcast. We've seen,
you know, you've had some very established people, so it's
really awesome just the fact that you considered us to
have us on the show.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, it is.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Funny because I did you know, we just both interviewed
Merk Brave from Black and Brave Wrestling Academy, and I
didn't know. I didn't know about you guys until I
saw you guys on LinkedIn because I was looking for
him to tag him on the on the podcast, but
he wasn't.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I didn't see him.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
But I found that you guys and I was like, oh,
somebody else has interviewed him and they're doing fantastic. And
then again I also found out that you guys are
in South Africa, so it's even better.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, yeah, so so awesome. Right, Well, that's what's.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
So great about pro wrestling is that it is this
connection from you know, the entire world, especially for WWE,
because a lot of people don't know about other wrestling
until they see a WWE on TV or they just
have to be lucky enough to have local wrestling the
where they can go see it, and then they find
ww and like, well, this thing's gigantic and you know,
(02:29):
bigger than I ever imagine it could be.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
Yeah, and just the community also like that just wrestling
has created, which is that kind of what we're trying
to do as well as the side, you know, because yeah,
like there's a lot of Raskling fans, but like we
don't know like way each person is type of thing.
And just like with you as well, also seeing Razie's
(02:52):
profile on LinkedIn and just like connecting that way as well,
seeing what he's doing, and then you guys had that conversation.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I think it's also.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Very just inspiring actually just how wrestling can actually bring
people across like all these worlds together.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I love the fact that we can all share the
same moments, but obviously we take it in so differently.
And right as we're recording this week, last night was
Saturday Night's main event.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Have you guys been able to watch it yet? I
know it's it's later for you.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
YEA watched it this morning on time and yeah, we
watched this on YouTube, so that was quite interesting for us.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Yeah, let's get into it real fast. What are your
what are your thoughts coming out of Saturday's main event
that happened? I know I sent you guys a message
or questions earlier back, you know, now that this has happened,
I really want to have y'alls take on it.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Yeah, no, because we actually recorded an episode oh perfect today,
so like that's only coming out on Wednesday though. But
in terms of the overall feel, like the biggest takeaway
was like four matches, Like it flew by so much,
and because you know, with having four matches, like we
(04:08):
thought that, okay, like maybe more time is going to
be given to the matches that I have, that fast
pacedness of it all. But like it was only in
the main event where you would say more time was given.
But you know, we had some surprising moments title changes,
so like it wasn't okay, but they are necessarily blown away.
(04:34):
What are your feels?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I think you nailed it.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
It felt standard even though we did have you know,
title changes and everything. But I think the expectation was
a lot higher. So yeah, it was that feeling of.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Oh okay, that was it.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Yeah, I think I was, Yeah, we're just expecting way more,
especially looking at the storylines and what's happening, especially with
Jimmy and Jay. You know, Jay kind of screwing Jimmy
over essentially you know for the title shot, so I thought,
you know, there would be something there with Jimmy like
does something. I thought maybe we'ld also have some returns.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Like or if we don't get that, maybe you know
Drew surprises us and.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Actually wins the title for once.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Yeah, you know the fact that Drew always loses title
matches has become such a bit where this past week
on TikTok, we even did a skit of sorts.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Where we're like, we are ready for like to lose
and he lost again.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Basically, yeah, it is wild that he has just I mean,
obviously it's it's dug in more to the character, which
is great, and then when he does finally get that win,
it's gonna be even bigger. But the leading up is
like how many times is he just gonna keep losing
over and over again for these title matches and like
not get.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That chance again?
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Yeah, but that's my fear though, Like the moment it happens,
will we still be like this hyped and this behind him?
Because now it's just like, actually, there's no excuse anymore,
Like he can't make any excuses because this one was
solely his fault, Like this loss is one hundred percent
on him. Even the rules of the match got changed
(06:13):
just for him. Yeah, so's to bring right, there's no
excuses anymore. So as much as like we've been backing Drew,
does he still have a leg to stand on? And
my thing is like when the time actually happens, like,
how will it actually happen? How will it be a
feel good moment? When the momentum now is that going down?
(06:35):
Was just like actually, like we can't keep making excuses
for you anymore, you.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Know, right?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
And then you know, obviously we come out with Punk
being on as a champ, which is fantastic, and uh,
where does that go?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Because, like you were talking about earlier, we got the.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Whole Jimmy and Jay thing and Jay is becoming a
little more old Roman.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
And trying to you know, be the champion again.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
He has he feels like he's got to do this
that and the other two get to that level one
more time. But is that going to get in the
way of him and his family and all of that?
Speaker 2 (07:06):
So what are we doing here?
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Yeah? I expected Jay to win actually because I thought
that's the best way to develop the story further. Then
maybe WrestleMania forty two we get should be versus j
part two. But then this time hopefully they deliver better
than they did at May.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
For that was.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
They said those themselves as well, so at least, but yeah,
now it's a bit confusing, and I think there is
a ceiling on Cempunk as the world champion because he'll
few the bronze breakup perhaps for the next two three months.
Maybe then maybe WrestleMania forty two will get him versus Roman.
But what else really can he do? Even when you
(07:44):
won the title, it just didn't feel like that was
the right moment. It just kind of felt like, oh, okay,
he's like the safe bet really more than oh my gosh,
Sam Punk did it?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
You know? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Right, it did feel bigger when he beat guntherer for
it than he did.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
He is exactly this day we got opponent.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
But so he beat him two weeks ago in that
triple threat, and I beat him again, So what.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Did he really gain?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right? Exactly?
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well, then, also, we're going in the Survivor series, so
are we getting any of these guys in a war
Games match or you know, how is this going to work?
Because we have the vision, but the vision's only down
to two guys, and are who are.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
They going to team with?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Or are we going to get what we have over
on SmackDown where maybe it's a Wyat six and MFT
inside War Games, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah, it's very interesting how up in the air war
Games is at the moment. I don't think mft's versus
White six is big enough for war Games. That would
be a standard tag team match for me. But yeah,
now the Vision is just up and small greally even
that team of baby faces that could have potentially faced them. Yeah,
I mean, Roman Reigns stated he's only coming back at Christmas.
(08:52):
So will he be at Survivor series We don't know
as of now.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Yeah, the Vision actually also needs to find a new name.
They don't seem to have a Vision. There's nothing happening there, honestly,
because like even with today, I was like expecting them
to even pull through to like, you know, interfere because
they weren't really given the opportunity to participate.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
So yeah, man, well let's go all the way back
in time. What is y'all's earliest memory of for wrestling?
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Oh? For me, honestly, because I recently just got back
into not recently in twenty twenty one, when I made
this amazing man all we meet in twenty twenty he
introduced me back into racling again. Because I had stopped
for some time. So you know, as a kid, I
used to watch racing, but it was only when I
would go visit my grandma because my grandma watched wrestling.
(09:49):
You know, we didn't watch rastling at home, so whenever
I was with her, you know, wrestling would always be playing.
So for me, my fondest memory, honestly, and the scariest
it was the feud between Cain and the Undertaker. You know,
like as a kid, it felt so real, Like it
felt so real, and like I just remember being like
(10:10):
so emotional over it, like oh my gosh, like why
did Kine have to bury the Undertaker? Because now he
wouldn't look like this? And you know, I'm saying it
as if like that's not how he actually looks like,
but that's legit him. But you know, as a kid,
like you're seeing him with this wed hair, with this
you know, this gimmick, and you're actually believing that this
(10:32):
is real, like this is really him, and also just
feeling sorry for Cain as well, like oh my gosh,
like did the Undertaker really have.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
To burn him?
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Like? So, you know, that's my fundest memory as a kid, honestly,
and just like how real it felt for me, and
like I was just like always emotional every time they
would come on the screen because I'm just like they
didn't have to do each other like that, like they
were brothers, and I truly believed that they were really,
really really brothers, you know, but you know, I was
(11:00):
still a kid. But like that is like what I
remember back when I used to watch racing before I
got back into it again.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Yeah, I find that quite fascinating.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
As we'll really share the story how it resonated with you,
because I think most people consider Kane Versus Undertaker is
probably the second best storyline ever in w W, and
it's off you know, we can all relate to sibling
rivalries basically, so that's what it boils down to, even.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Though people are getting paid alive.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
And I said second best because I believe the bloodline
now has the that's the best storyline of all time
and it's still going technically to this day.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
But for me, my earliest memory is the nWo in
two thousand and two, that version that had HBK.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Booker t Big Show.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
I just remember my cousin just coming to the house
one time and putting it on and for whatever reason,
I just got enamored by it and I never stopped
watching since then. And then it was very fascinating to
discover that that version of nWo is like the third
rate version, you know, this the Hogan version. There was
the Hogan version in WWE why just before You Face
(12:12):
the Rock? So but I got caught up in one
of that then just never looked back after that.
Speaker 5 (12:18):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I love that, Yeah, because I always curious how wrestling
hits people for that first time, to really be like, oh,
what is this? And then you keep coming back for
more because obviously if the story's doing well, you want to,
you know, keep being entertained, and you got to have
that conclusion of that storyline.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yes, yeah, and for you.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
For me, my parents just keep saying it was something
on TV that we were really flipping through the channels
and I was like, oh, what's that? And then but
the earliest thing I could really remember was probably like
I think it was the Ultimate Warrior and Undertaker, and
so they used to show Superstars and it for us,
it came on like ten or eleven at night on
(12:59):
on like Saturday, so it was the Undertaker had locked
the Ultimate Warrior in a casket and you know, they
have all these people working backstage, you know, frantically trying
to get the casket open because he don't.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Through orders in there.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
And then by the time he does get out, he's
like gasping for air. You see that he's been clawing
inside of it. And I'm in my head, I'm like,
how am I supposed to go to sleep now?
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Like it's.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
And then for me, I just never stopped.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Like I know, there are so many people that, like
you said, they have gotten out of it and then
they get back into it, But for me, it was
just always that thing of like, no, it's like pro
wrestling's on, I gotta you know, nothing else is really
going on.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
What I also find fascinating just with one of us
sharing stories that both you John and Atti. Undertaker's heavily
involved in your first moment, oh and Nea my first moment.
But he's my favorite superstar all time. I love the Undertaker.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I love him too, and to.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Be able the way he ever like evolved his character
depending on what was going on with the storylines or
when he just wanted to be the Big Red Monster
big uh yeah Big Red for a while and be
a biker, go for it.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
It worked.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
People never said he was like, I don't know, Undertaker,
he is a biker, and that's we're not going to
try that.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
But no, of course it worked because it's the Undertaker. Yeah, well,
how did y'all meet?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Actually, oh, interesting story once upon a time.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, it was a worldwide pandemic.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
We actually been a gum dad.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Okay, so yeah, during.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
We basically COVID in twenty twenty when everyone was like
locked up, and even just like before that, like I'm
not a person who really goes out, like I'm very
much a homebody, you know, So now it was just like,
oh my goodness, like I'll actually never get the trust
to meet my person because now we're like locked up.
(15:02):
So even if I tried to go out, I don't
stand a chance, you know. So and you know, like
my friend she really was like, dude, you need to
download Tinder, like you know, you meet someone there. And
I'm just like, oh no, man, Like I don't believe
in these like dating sites or whatever. But I was
just like, you know what, let me give it a trime.
Came across his profile and there's something that I actually
(15:25):
missed on his profile, which I like would have made
me swipe lived, but I actually like it's a good
thing I missed that. But like, you know, came across
his profile, I was like, okay, you know, I like
what I see, and yeah, I don't.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Know who stripped first.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Yeah I still yeah, but like he acted very quick
because I think, yeah, like same day I received a
message from him and he was just like minutes later, right, like,
let's go up. Okay, So yeah, and I think you
tell the rest of the story very well.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
What Yeah, you know, what I did love from the
get go is her responsiveness I felt, and also how
she kept me updated in terms of Okay, I'm leaving
the house now, Okay, I'm going to be here at
certain time whatever.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
You know. She was just good at keeping time, which
was very impressive.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I'm sure even your side of the world you've
experienced people who are just so bad with things like that.
So that was very important to me. So, Okay, she
knows how to keep time. She's respectful of people's time.
And then also yeah, so we had the ice cream
and then we ended up spending like three hours together
and there was.
Speaker 5 (16:34):
Supposed to be one because we both had plans afterward actually.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Like, bro, where are you supposed to be at this
party now? And I'm like, I'm coming, guys.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
But yeah, So we had the ice cream dates and
then we had oh yeah. Then I invited you over
to have like a dinner at my place, and then
I made her mentioned in the first days that she
loves ms, so I did, and I don't even cook,
but I made sure I had a flatmates at the
time and he helped me out. We were like chopping
salads as well and just putting a lot of effort
(17:07):
into it. So she loved the food so much she
wanted to takeaways basically as well. Then I told, okay,
I'm going to give you this content of mine. It's
tough aways, but I was like, you have to bring
this back. But I didn't believe she's going to bring
it back, but she brought it back, so again she
earned my trust there. I was like, Okay, people don't
do things like this. So I was like, okay, that's
something special. And fast forward now years later, and I
(17:30):
think those same qualities are still present, and hence now
we're able to beyond just the relationship, we're actually able
to work together with the podcast because we have that
trust and dependability amongst each other.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Yeah, I love that so much.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
And it is the little things like that, like you said,
the receptiveness, the responsiveness and then just being a genuine
good person of bringing back up word.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It's rare in this age. So I was like, yeah,
I've won in life. What do I need now?
Speaker 4 (18:00):
She loves wrestling, Please tell the story because she was
always brings up how I would hide wrestling from her
actually because I thought, okay, this is where the bubble
burst and I didn't want to see me how into.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
It I am?
Speaker 5 (18:14):
Yeah, because he was. He was open and telling me
that like he watches wrestling, right, but like it would
be a thing of when because after work I would
like swing by his place to like visit him and
then you know, hit on home because like he stayed
on my way home like coming back from so you know,
I would visit him after work, and you know I
(18:35):
would tell him like just before like leaving, Okay, I'm
about to leave now because like I want him to
send up wrestling so like we can watch together because
he always talks about this thing. And every single time
that I would come back, like he'd be like oh no,
I just finished the show.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
I'm like, why I.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Want to see it until eventually like he gave me
a chance and I was gone, like from honors because
I'm just like because you know, also just like watching
it obviously the first time around, I'm asking questions and
he's explaining things to me, and you know, I always
say this shameless and Drew of what did it for
me to like essentially get back into wrestling again?
Speaker 4 (19:16):
That match, Yeah, that's first Lane twenty twenty one match
and done.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
Like people don't actually talk about that at but it
was so brutal, take all my my kneed.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
I don't think Drew and Seamus get enough credit for
what they do.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
And I always love it.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Because their style is so brutal because of the whole
the European style is either very catches catch can or
very hard nosed, in your face kind.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Of almost Japanese style as well.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
But it when they bring it to America and they
actually let them go on WWTV, I'm like, yes, let's
do like especially when that when they had the triple
threat with Gunther as well at WrestleMania, I was like,
there's gonna be a lot of handprints on people's body and.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
This is going to be great. So how did the
idea for the Wrestling with Love podcast come from?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
So Atia had been speaking to me for a while
about wanting us to start a YouTube channel, and the
more I thought about it, the more I was like, Oh,
this is actually a good idea because you know, we
watched ww all the time, and I'd find that the
chats we're having in the countes are very impressive. I'm like, oh,
she knows a lot about wrestling and about that. It's
more than just the knowledge, it's actually you know, her
(20:28):
love and passion for it. And I was like, Okay,
let's actually try this out. So beginning of twenty twenty five,
in January, we decided to take the People of Faith and.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
It's just been going great, growing from strength to strength.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Yeah, And I mean it's been like years like work
in progress because at the time when I actually pitched
the idea, I would say I was still quite a rookie,
because like this was like around twenty twenty one. I
was like, oh, my gosh, I'm enjoying this so much,
like let's talk about it till my and then it
was just like, you know.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Just the execution.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Okay, so how are we actually going to get this royal?
Because we also just didn't want to, you know, start
something that's very I don't know if mid is the
correcterology of basic. Yes, we actually like really wanted some
effort into this so that you know, it can actually
resonate like with a lot of people, because also with
the age we're in now with internet, people do look
(21:19):
at like the quality of what you're you know, so
we just we are we were waiting for basically to
get to that point where we're like, okay, like we
can actually get like a studio, we can get all
of these things to actually record it in and that's
that's how now we've got to start it in January
of this year.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yeah, so you got the setup is very beautiful. If
people haven't seen the show, they definitely need to go
out the way, go on YouTube. You're on TikTok as well.
How did you guys decide what your logo is going
to be? Obviously, what the name was going to be,
what your you know, your backdrop and everything looks like
how did all that kind of come together?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yeah, so with the name, because you know, it's a
couple doing it right, and it's like, okay, it's a
rastling podcast and wrestling it's it's very intense, you know.
But it was just when we want to bring the
love that like we actually have for this and on
top of just the love for wrestling, also the love
that we have with each other, and I feel like,
you know that does come across with how we also
(22:15):
engage with each other, Like it doesn't have to be disrespectful,
it doesn't have to be just aggressive, you know, it's
just showing the love of wrestling and really just portraying
it in like and it's such like a beautiful form,
you know. So that's basically how we came with the
wrestling with love, because we're wrestling, but it's with love.
(22:35):
Like everything is done with love at the end of
the day. So that's how we got to our name
and with the heart in the ring and everything, because
you know, like just like being in the ring and
like in the heart of it all.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Like I don't know if Luzzi can.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Elaborate, it's a heart in the rings love play with
the words, but yeah, it was important for us that
even if you don't necessarily listen or watch when you
see it, you know what it is, you know, So
that's what we make sure of. Hence you know, the
big logo in the middle and the little logos next
to us.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
So and just providing that welcoming spirit.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Yeah, it doesn't matter whether you've been a wrestling fan
for twenty years or just five minutes.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
But we want you to do part of the conversation.
That's the main thing.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
Yeah, and also just to with the logo for people
to not get confused thinking this is like a dayting.
Oh yeah, like there's a wrestling ring. You know, it's
wrestling with love.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
So we're not fighting in the relationship.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I mean, obviously everyone has some kind of disagreements at
some point, but yeah, I imagine you guys work it
out like a like a good couple does.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Yeah, we do our best.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I mean, you could build it up to at some
point where you do interview couples that are in the
wrestling business and figure out how that all worked with them.
And then maybe you guys get to a point where
you do like a giant speed dating thing where it's
also a wrestling event.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Who knows.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Oh, that's great, Actually, we would love that.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Imagine us interviewing Seth and Bicky right. Yeah, one of
our aspirations, you know, one of our aspirations definitely is
to be able to interview some WWE superstars.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
We just would love to interact with them.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
It's really one of our passions that we want to
work towards, you know.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah, yeah, I did see the I mean we talked
about earlier. You guys interviewed Merrek Brave. How did the
idea for I guess just reaching out to him to
begin with, and then what you guys want to do
with your interviews going forward.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah, so I just came across him actually on my
social media, I saw that he had interacted with Soft
Ground Wrestling, which is in New Ganada, and I was like, okay, wow,
this is very interesting the fact that you know, he's
made a link with someone from Africa. So it gave
me the hope that hey, let me just shoot my shot.
So I just sent him a DM and he responded
very quickly. There's that responsiveness coming through again, and I
(24:54):
just how open he was. He was so respectfully, didn't
give off an energy of oh I'm bigger better than you, you know,
he was like, oh, sure, let's do it, and we
had organized it quite a while in advance, and I
love the fact that every time I'd follow up, he
was like, yeah, We're still good, We're still on, And
we just made it happen through that, and it was
just for us a big thing of Also what we've
noticed throughout TikTok comments, a lot of people in South
(25:16):
Africa do wonder, how can I become a wrestler from
South Africa?
Speaker 3 (25:21):
So we thought, okay, that's the angle. We need to
go at it.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
With the Black and Brave Wrestling academy that he's got
with Seth Rollins, it's the perfect opportunity to be the
South Africans putting the other South Africans on and whoever
else might be watching, how do you actually become a wrestler?
And then even for At and I, you know, we've
spoken about our aspirations, we'd love to involved that b
to w eat some way somehow. You know, it can
be as podcasters or some sort of ring announcers or
(25:45):
who knows the sky's the limit, you know, so we
would love to get closer into that space as well.
And this is kind of like our first step towards
that and just showcasing our passion and what we believe
is our talent.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Yeah, but yeah, America was.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
Amazing, and we've also been so for to have the
likes of former WWE Portugal announcer that's been on the
show as well, and also people from other podcasts in
the US as well.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Yeah, anybody out there that wants to interview wrestlers and
they have a podcast and you don't know how literally
what he just said, shoot your shot. You don't know
if they're going to say yes no, or some of
them may charge but they do or they are saying yes,
they're being receptive. So yes, I always shoot your shot.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
You never know what's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Yes, definitely.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
And Artie, that the promo you you cut on Bianca
Bellair in that interview, I think should be very scared, Like,
oh my goodness.
Speaker 5 (26:41):
I can't even describe like that moment because, like like
I mentioned in that interview, like I've entertained the thoughts
of like, oh, maybe being a wrestler, you know, like
like I said, you know, I'm a very animated person,
and I was just like, you know what, let me
actually put myself on the spot. And also just with
what we were trying to do, and you know, for
(27:02):
people who actually do want to submit now to the
Black and Brave Racing Academy. So let's use me as
a guinea pig. And knowing that you know, I'm a
person like I'm quite creative and all this suffer, like
you not let me put myself on the line. If
it lands, it lands.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
If it doesn't, it doesn't.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
But fortunately it didn't resonate.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
I love it, love it, and clearly John does. And
I think the reception was really impressive. It's like our
most watched video on YouTube and so on TikTok. We've
got that ton of engagement from them. People are like, yeah,
this is a promo hit up HBK. So yeah, no,
she's really good. And I'm so glad and proud to
(27:41):
see how she's just so open to things like that.
Because I was also caught of God in that episode,
I was like, wait what.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Okay, it was great.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Yeah, so yeah, now you're wondering, Oh no, she's gonna
start cutting promos on me randomly.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
You proceed with we're caught you.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, well you talked about how there are other people
from South Africa really wondering how they get in the
wrestling world in general, talk to us a little bit
what the wrestling scene in South Africa and in Africa
in general is looking like right now.
Speaker 5 (28:16):
Yeah, so look here in South Africa, I would say
like we have a lot of what we call closet fans,
right and when I say closset from the sense that
you find that people aren't just open to like saying
that they're a wrestling fans, then they're not as open
to post about wrestling like they do, you know, like
within other sport like soccer, rugby, which are really big
sports here in South Africa.
Speaker 4 (28:37):
Right.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
But you know, with our you know, Wrestling with Love
podcast and on TikTok, we actually saw there that no man,
there is an appetite for this and like the the
engagements that we also like get because when we first
started the channel and we launched the TikTok page, like
the views we were getting, the comments we were getting
(28:59):
were insane. So you know it let us know that
no man, there isn't appetite for wrestling in South Africa.
And as much as you know, we want to make
wrestling cool again where people can you know, actually openly
speak about it here in South Africa, but it's just
like we need to find those people because I think
that is the problem, Like we're so spread out and
(29:20):
we don't know who is a wrestling fan, Like you
only find out through conversations with like speaking to someone
where they drop little you know, notes over here, and
it's like, no, man, you know a bit too much.
You're not a fan, you know. So, But like now
we're just trying to actually just really make it like
a big thing again because WWE is.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Huge and you know, they are very.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
International now, so you know, let's let's put South Africa
in the mix. Let's put ourselves on the map worth
being actual wrestling fans as well. I mean we've had
some superstars as well who have interacted with WWE. We
have the late AKA, who was a big rastling fan,
someone who was very open about wrestling, and like that's
(30:05):
what we are trying to achieve essentially.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
And I think the more open now the conversation gets
around wrestling, then the bigger some of the promotions around
you will get as well, they'll get more traction. Then
people will know that Okay, there's a place maybe just
thirty minutes away from me, I can go and train there.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
You know, and then eventually work my way up to
joining at WW or whatever it may be.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
Yeah, but for now, I'd say, yeah, it's still relatively
small in terms of like the exposure, and hopefully in
time that can grow and then you know, we get
to a point where South Africa is one of the
HotBits as well of wrestling.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Yeah, oh yeah, without a doubt, because I know I've
talked to BJA Black in the back in the past
and he talked about how when he was growing up,
and I believe his dad was a promoter, it was
just kind of a melting pot and you would get
a little bit of this and a little bit of
that growing up.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
But you know, unfortunately has waved off a little bit.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
But I do hope that it does start picking up
again because Africa is the biggest continent on the planet
and people just don't realize how much is actually you know,
potential wise in the whole continent of Africa.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Yes, yeah, And just touching on PJ.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
Black, you know, he did such a great thing in
terms of exposing South Africans more and we came and
that you know, he's a proud South African representing as
justin Gabril in WW at the time, but I mean
that was about fifteen years ago, you know, so we
would love to have more new and names that are
in the picture. So hopefully now we can cultivate that
(31:29):
culture and bring it back basically so we have more PJ.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Blacks.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Yeah, without a doubt.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Yeah, I mean you obviously you guys want to grow
in the next year coming up. What do you guys
kind of look for when it does come to twenty
twenty six, because especially WWE wise, we've got we're starting
the year with you know, the Roar of Rumble in
Saudi Arabia, Rustlemanie is coming back to Vegas, and then
you know, everything that's happening from there after that.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
What do you guys want to look forward to in
twenty twenty six?
Speaker 5 (31:58):
So for us, it's really just growing the Wrestling with
Love podcasts, like even more. There's so much that we
want to do, you know, when we first started off,
you know, we did like a watch party as well
for when WWE was in Europe, and it's just like
we actually just want to do more of those. We
want to do you know, more live shows and actually
(32:19):
just really engaging with people and people not just engaging
with us in comments, like let's actually like, you know,
provide a platform where you know, we can all just
openly speak about wrestling. So for us, it's just really
just growing like they're wrestling with live podcasts to provide
that platform for people. I even had a colleague at
work actually it was just like, yo, guys, if you
ever record an episode, please just like call me for
(32:42):
like a live recording. And like it's so funny you
say that because like you know, we really aren't looking
into do into doing that, but like the numbers need
to match, like that's the biggest thing in order for
the traction to also come along. And just one of
the biggest things also is to be at WrestleMania and
just docure maintain all of that, you know, from like
our point of view, I mean Lazi has already been
(33:04):
to two WrestleManias. I still need to go, you know,
like it is a very big like dream of ours,
you know, as a wrestling couple to actually do that.
And then now with the Wrestling with Love podcast, just yo,
just like how much we would actually just push all
of that and like showing people backcount South Africa because
like you had mentioned earlier, you know, because now with
(33:27):
WrestleMania also going to Saudi Arabia, you reconsidering, you know,
going to media because those expenses, like it is a lot,
you know, with the travels, because there's flights, there's accommodation,
there's the actual tickets like an arm and a leg now,
you know. So now we're in a position of actually,
just you know, should there be a sponsor, sponsor us somebody.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
And I think I remember when I just finished with
WrestleMania fourteen Philly, I immediately messaged AI and I told
her that, you know, I need to experience this with
you now, because I felt like, Okay, I've you know,
satisfied in a child and me, I've experienced it live,
but now I need to like see it through her eyes,
and I think she should be even more blown away
and so excited to just see how it actually is
(34:13):
and just the environment in the vibe. And I enjoyed
many of forty so much because like I got to
link up with people from the Netherlands who didn't know
me from a soap, but I was like mates with
them that entire week. They took care of me and
it was just like so cool just interacting with all
these restling fans. So I think, now I just want
Wrestling with Love podcast to be at Restumenia forty two,
imagine in Vegas.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
Oh you know, so yeah, I would love that Rauzzy
being in WrestleMania was actually such like her, Like I
can't describe that moment, you know when you just get
emotional for someone, because like that is just how deep
like his love for rastling as well. Actual moment also
just being so gruesome for me because it's two am,
like they it's like daytime, having the time of his life.
(34:56):
I'm not me.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I'm here, I'm watching.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Did you see what?
Speaker 5 (35:00):
I just like, you know, so now it's it's just
that point where we want to experience it together, bring
it into the podcast. And actually I really spoke like
speak about the experience how it can be like accessible
for other people because, like you know, Leslie also has
quite a bit of merch as well, and we have
people asking about how can we get merged, how can
we do this? So we want to be that go
(35:21):
to that we can actually tep okay with regards to
the experience and actually making everything happen. This is how
you can.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Go about it, you know, so, and yeah, just be
South Africa's ultimately.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Yeah, if anybody's never made it to WrestleMania, like we
talked about, it is an arm and a leg day
to take it. Now, go to at least one day
of them, because there's two days now, so go.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
To at least one day experience the entire.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
Thing, because it is a spectacle that, like you said,
you will never experience anything like that in your entire life.
I get people every time I leave WrestleMania, like the
week after or the days after, they're always.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Like, oh my god, you there, that looked incredible, Like
how many? Like I'm like, it's nuts.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Being being with that many wrestling fans at one time
is absolutely magical, but also nuts cause you just kind
of look around.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
You're like, how we fitness many people and we're all
here to watch wrestling. This is crazy, right?
Speaker 4 (36:14):
And I think what's also very telling is how you
mentioned that you know, you've been to like sixteen WrestleManias,
and it shows just how addictive it can be because
there's just a rush you get from it. You can't
get tired of it. So yeah, if we could as well,
I think every single year we'd make sure.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
Yeah. So there's just.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
Something special about that atmosphere, the theatrics live live.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
Yeah, it's just nothing like wrestle Mania.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
So yeah, yeah, I mean obviously the huge entrances as well,
Like it's yeah, it's it's something else that everyone needs
to experience at one point in your life.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Now twenty twenty five, we've seen the Sena World or
the retirement tour happening. We saw a heel turn, we
saw we have a you know, a last opponent tournament
about to happen. Uh, let's start with who do you
think his last opponent will be?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
And then I want.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
To get y'all's thoughts on what his retirement tour look like.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
So I think the opponent I would ideally like it
to be as Gunter.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Yeah. I think that's the big rumored one.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yeah, the story writes itself.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
He retired gold book earlier this year sat main event,
imagine that another one the same year. He does that
to Johnson has been absent off TV for a number
of months, and he makes the most sense. And now
we've got this whole tournament now the last time is
now tournament. It just makes sense for Guinta to win,
so I would say he should get the nod.
Speaker 5 (37:35):
And that's when Lassie and I disagree, because for me,
when they announces that it's going to be a tournament,
I was just like, what a way to contradict you
hand him over the torch to someone else, You giving
another person a chance like you.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
Were given a chance.
Speaker 5 (37:54):
Because that was quite a big part of the promo
as well, that you know what, he wants to give
someone else a chance like he was given a chance.
So for me, it would be you know, one of
the new guys to to to retire him, because imagine
how much that would actually just blow up a person's
career to have been that person to like, you know,
retire John Cena. So I would actually look at like
(38:17):
NXT and like the guys that at that side, You've
got your Trick Williams, your Javanne Evans, you know, like
I would really look there and in the main roster
right now, Carmelo, Like Carmelo needs a push right now.
You need something, you know, So I would give it
to to know, to to someone that can really just
elevate their career and just really going back now into
(38:38):
this thing that JOHNSONO was talking about of actually just
really giving someone else a chance, because I feel like
the other guys are already established, like Gunta is. He
is established, like he's a ring Gannadal like if you know,
and yes, he's been absent right now, but I feel
like it needs to be given to someone who really
needs that push.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
And I think just touching on the Farewell tour as
a whole, I know it's been criticized a lot in
terms of especially the heel turn, but I would say overall,
as a body of work, it has been good. You know,
we did have the Tnate elimination Chamber, which I think
is one of the greatest scenes I've ever seen. Even
the matches he had with the likes of Punk and Randy,
(39:19):
we forget how good those matches were, even though he
was using dastantly tactics, and then of course now turning
back to Babyface the run in his Head with Logan
Paul Cody AJ styles, those matches have been great. So
I think as a whole it might have not been
what we all expected, but I would give it a
good grading of like a seven or eight.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
In fact, I think it's been great.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Yeah, as much as people are, you know, kind of
crapping on the whole heel turn. That's what the fans
wanted forever, so like you got it. It wasn't pretty Obviously,
what are we doing with Travis Scott?
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Obviously why did the Rock never come back?
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Just little things in the story that made no sense.
But his obviously his promo about you know, it's the
fans' fault.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
I love that. I know a lot of people weren't
you know, big into it, but.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
He you know, he spoke from the heart kind of
I mean, as a heel and so I think it worked.
Obviously the random you know what, guys, I was wrong.
I you know, I'm really here for you. This was
a mistake, just the real over the night or over
the five minute promo.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
That he did.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
I was like, okay, well we could have got our
way out of that a little bit better, but sure.
But then it really worked out backstage with the whole
art truth thing, with the whole oh man, you were
being real mean and you got the haircut and that
was fun.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
But yeah, we.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Were going to get the classic matches because you have
to have the aj Again, could we have had the
brock eh?
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Not?
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Really, I don't really that one didn't do anything for me.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
Right, I mean, you get the shock of oh my god,
brock lesseners back, but and then we get a you
know him basically just tearing up John Cena Again, I'm
fine with that.
Speaker 7 (41:03):
But then we also bought the kids, yeah exactly, like
what do we fall for those kids? It was Yeah,
it was bad, but everything else, I mean I knew
it was going to be good, especially you know, we
get the Samy Zain one, the AJ like everything match wise, Uh,
the latter half of the year was a lot better.
The first half seemed a little muggy and we were
(41:24):
kind of bogged down with the whole you know, oh
is he he's a bad guy?
Speaker 2 (41:28):
Now, Oh this is great. Let's see how this one
works out.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
Yeah, but obviously it's going to end fantastically in uh,
you know, December thirteenth, Saturday May event I imagine it's going
to be one of the most watched things ever in
WWE history, which is going to be great for John
Cena and obviously for w W. And they've done gangbusters
when it comes to merchandise, so every the city had
a different theme, different shirt, and you know, they did
(41:52):
exactly what they've been doing with John Cena is just
selling merch like crazy.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
That was smart actually, As I'd say, one of my
favorite shirts was the one from Indeed, the Yellow One Yellow,
That was amazing. But yeah, the fact that it's personalized
now people will never forget that time Johnson was in
for the last time.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Yeah. Plus you got John Cena with like just a
black logo in the white lettering. I love that part
of him being Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
That great and they've never seen in seventy Yes.
Speaker 4 (42:20):
And I think that helped Mark national lot as well,
just to give him a bit of identity as a
ring announcer.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
So that was all brilliant.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Yeah, I love that as well.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Well.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Speaking of WrestleMania, what do you guys kind of look
like for WrestleMania forty two? What do you think is
going to happen?
Speaker 4 (42:38):
So, just based off the poster that we saw last week,
I think most likely will get an amalgamation of sorts
between those four guys. So most likely will get now
that punk is the world heavy chap and I see
them doing Punk versus Roman.
Speaker 3 (42:53):
Of course, that scene in War.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
Games last year, it broke records on the numbers so
I think they'll want to do that, and I think
the original plan would have been Roman versus Seth, but
now set this out, so let's do Punk versus Roman
for the numbers and then even though this is not
necessarily something I want, but I can see them doing
Cody versus Brock, just for Cody again to overcome the
(43:15):
odds he's never faced him for the title, so that's
most likely how I see the main event scene of
Manu forty two looking.
Speaker 5 (43:22):
I'm gonna keep mine of it close to my chest
because unexpectedly, I actually went in like quite deep on
this on the episode that we recorded, which will be
coming out on Wednesday, So I think I want to
leave that one for there. But I have quite some
bold predictions that people wouldn't really you know, put out there.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
But what.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
A setup for everybody, you know. Wednesday, you guys, the
new episode will drop, so definitely make sure to check
out the pro.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Love it for yourself. What do you see MANI forty
two looking like?
Speaker 5 (44:00):
No?
Speaker 2 (44:00):
Because yeah, we have the poster.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
Unfortunately, injuries do happen, and Punk seems to be a
little more injury prone than.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
He used to be getting older. It happens. I understand.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
I don't want to see Brock and Cody. I want
to see me Brock, maybe Gunther or Brock and any
other monster.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
At this point, what are we doing with Cody? Like,
I just don't get that part.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah, he gave him his blessing it the SummerSlam what
two years ago?
Speaker 2 (44:30):
So what are we? Yeah? Why are we going back
to the well on that one? I mean, if they
make it an interesting story, I might be interested, But
I don't know. But then again, where is the whole
Paul Haymon thing happening?
Speaker 1 (44:41):
And then we have you know, brown Breaker will probably
have something to do with any part of that, and
you know, with the war Rumble coming right around the corner,
who knows even who's gonna win that?
Speaker 2 (44:51):
So I don't know. I'm very curious.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Also, a lot of contracts could be running out in
between here and there, so things get very interesting. We
are definitely getting on the road to WrestleMania. I'm very curious.
First off, how are we going to get in the
Survivor series with war games?
Speaker 3 (45:06):
Yeah? Right now?
Speaker 4 (45:09):
And also I want to throw out a name there
for the Royal Rumble. I think someone who definitely deserves
a shot, is L A. Knight.
Speaker 3 (45:14):
He's gotten to the point he's.
Speaker 4 (45:17):
Been kind of flirting with the main events scene but
just can't get over the hump. It's about time now,
and maybe they might give it to Samy Zay as
well because of the Saudi connection.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
But I think L. A. Knight is well over.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
You and I know, yeah, is over forty and whatever,
but still just give him one title shot, you know.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Yeah, I mean aj was over forty.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
I think what he got in the company and he
is still doing some of the best matches that on
the entire show.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
That's a good point. Yeah, we need to give other
people a chance, I think.
Speaker 4 (45:45):
And even now we see with the storyline with Cody
and Drew, it feels like they're dragging it a bit
and they don't really have people ready for Cody.
Speaker 3 (45:52):
Hence now they might defer back to Brocklesna. But let's
give other people a chance, maybe even a mellow, you.
Speaker 5 (45:57):
Know, Yeah, and miss doesn't get in the way.
Speaker 3 (46:03):
Yeah, No, I would love in L. A. Night.
Speaker 1 (46:06):
And I know the internet would go absolutely wild for
that as well, because they have been frothing at the
mouth for that to happen, and he just keeps getting
you know, his shots gets taken away from him every time,
you know, so I want that to happen for him
as well.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
Well, I have a segment on the show. I call
it the five Count. It's just five random questions. Okay,
what emoji do you use most?
Speaker 3 (46:33):
Laughing emoji?
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Number two?
Speaker 1 (46:39):
If you own a liquor company, brewery, winery, coffee shop,
or dispensary, which one would you own?
Speaker 2 (46:44):
And what would the name be?
Speaker 3 (46:46):
Oh that's a tough one. Oh my gosh, drinking with
love would be the name. And yeah, it'd be a brewery,
you know.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Yeah, is that the collective answer?
Speaker 5 (47:04):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (47:05):
Okay, I don't know if you had it. Number three,
what are you nerding out on right now?
Speaker 3 (47:11):
W W Yeah? Every day?
Speaker 5 (47:14):
Like it's literally our bread and butter. And I don't
think people understand how much we consume.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
We watched the p shows, we watch the post shows. Everything.
Speaker 4 (47:27):
The podcasts were like so interested in the TL so
there's no need for anything else.
Speaker 2 (47:32):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
I do wish they put matches back on the pre show.
That's something we're missing out on. Also, there's so much talent.
Why would you not do that?
Speaker 4 (47:39):
I don't really want matches on the p show. But
let's extend the pls as a whole. Let's go back
to like six or seven instead of the five and
now four.
Speaker 5 (47:48):
With such an I would cut down on the countdowns,
like is it still the countdown? If it's two hours,
it's a full show at this point.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
And then they just recap of like oh, in twenty nineteen,
this happened on this piano, and then you watch a
good ten fifteen minutes of an old thing. Yeah, you know,
it can just be an hour. Just hit us with
the okay highlights. This is what you need to look
out for. And that's why we enjoy watching the countdowns
and post shows as because I feel like you get
clues and it sways you in a certain way. Maybe
wrong so, but that's still fine as a way. It's like, oh,
(48:20):
because of what happened on the Countdown show, I think
this is going to happen, and it doesn't happen, or
it does happen, you know.
Speaker 5 (48:25):
And kidding you and your perspectives are huh, yeah you didn't.
Speaker 3 (48:28):
See it like that. Yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 4 (48:30):
And for me personally, I love the status as also
it's always about learning Okay, dirty down. Now he's had
the most title wins in twenty twenty five whatever. Those
kind of random things are very fascinating for me.
Speaker 1 (48:41):
Yeah, I like that too, Like that when when Michael
Cole said that on Saturday, I was like, Oh, that's
really interesting. And of all people, you wouldn't imagine Dominic
Pasteria had the most.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Yes, right.
Speaker 2 (48:53):
Number four. Who are what inspires you?
Speaker 4 (48:55):
Ooh, I would say my mom actually inspires me. She
is one of the strongest people I know and also
one of the kindest people I know, and she's just
done so much for myself and my family, and you know,
she's always been very supportive of my passion for wrestling.
Like going back to when I was a kid, Yeah,
when WW used to come more often to South.
Speaker 3 (49:16):
Africa, she took me there. We would drive to like.
Speaker 4 (49:18):
Durban was the closest city at the time, so we
drive a good five hours and go watch wrestling there.
And even now when like my career basically pivoted because
I'd studied accounting, but then now I was like, Okay,
let me push this media thing, you know. Yeah, So
you know, she's just been very rooting for me. It
never belittled me for loving ww it's like, okay, that's
what you want to do, let's push.
Speaker 3 (49:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (49:40):
I would say my mom as well, like what a strong,
powerful woman like truly someone that I like look up to.
And I would say, like just some of my traits
as well, with how I carry myself, how I go
about just life, like I've taken from my mom. Truly
inspiring women, very supportive and like just someone that you
(50:03):
know will just always be there, you know, and you know,
someone who has their stuff together and oh man, like
like you can't put it into words, but my mom
my biggest inspiration. The things that she's been able to do,
you know, for us, the opportunities that she has created
for myself and my siblings, truly like like unbelievable, you know.
Speaker 1 (50:25):
So yeah, yeah, you just learned something about each other.
Speaker 4 (50:33):
I love that we already knew, but I think now
it's like just hearing it though as well.
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Yeah, different, elaborate even more. Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (50:43):
And number five, what would you tell your seventeen year
old self?
Speaker 4 (50:47):
Oh? Wow, So I would say to him that always
follow your guts.
Speaker 3 (50:53):
It will leads to the right places.
Speaker 5 (50:57):
Oh my goodness. What would I say, like for me,
it be slow down, like not everything needs to be
done now and complete it now, like take your time
like you like, don't rush anyway, you know. So that's
basically the advice I give myself because I feel like
I put so much pressure on myself and I think
(51:20):
it's something that like I still do even now. So
if it's something that I would have told myself like
at a younger stage, like maybe I would be a
bit better, Like I find myself just putting so much
pressure on myself just.
Speaker 3 (51:32):
Like we need to do this now, this has to be.
Speaker 5 (51:35):
You know, like just slow down, calm down, it will
all happen in its own time, and just truly going
with that whole trust the process, which is something that
I think even implementing now with our podcast, Like trust
the process. You know you're going to get to where
you need to be. You don't need to rush it.
(51:55):
So yeah, that's what I would tell my seventeen your
old self, I love it. What about yourself?
Speaker 6 (52:04):
I would probably say, yeah, don't rush it, but also
make the don't chase women as much as you.
Speaker 1 (52:16):
Do and make it yeah yeah, I'll.
Speaker 2 (52:21):
Just probably just say chase, don't chase women as much
as you do. We'll start there and I think we
probably have more.
Speaker 3 (52:25):
Time sound advice now.
Speaker 2 (52:31):
If people want to find.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
Out more about you'll follow you guys online. Obviously listen
and watch Wrestling with Love. How can they do all
the things.
Speaker 5 (52:38):
Yeah, so we're on YouTube which is the Wrestling with
Love podcast, and also on TikTok which is Wrestling with
Love pod. So that's where people can find us on
TikTok or on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (52:50):
Yes, please subscribe, please click the follow button.
Speaker 4 (52:53):
A lot of people I think they watch, but then
they don't click that button.
Speaker 3 (52:56):
That's free.
Speaker 4 (52:57):
Yeah, just support the movement because yeah, we really do
to grow in twenty twenty six and who knows what
more potential this has, you know, so we'd love that.
Speaker 3 (53:05):
Yeah, so please check us out there. And thanks to
you John for this.
Speaker 4 (53:09):
This has been so cool, this conversation and yeah, yeah,
this has been so exciting.
Speaker 2 (53:15):
Thank you all for coming on.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
And definitely if you guys make it a WrestleMania this year,
I've already got my tickets, so hit me up. I
would definitely love to see what the new voice of
South Africa for WW is gonna look like.
Speaker 4 (53:27):
Yeah, you would love that as well.
Speaker 3 (53:31):
And also just a fun fact for you.
Speaker 4 (53:32):
I'm not sure if you're aware of this, You've got
a South African connection in the sense that your name
is very similar to a very famous South African musician,
Johnny Clig.
Speaker 2 (53:42):
Actually so interesting.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
I knew there was a there's an English comedian with
Jonathan Clegg, and I was like, oh, I would definitely
not use my entire name, but I like that, and
I good to know that there is a connection with
South Africa as well.
Speaker 2 (53:55):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (53:55):
Yeah, something just drew us together there, you know, so
let's keep it going.
Speaker 2 (54:00):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (54:12):
Thank you so much to the Luasi and Ati for
being on the show. Definitely make sure to check out
Wrestling with Love. You obviously want to find out what
Atti's take is on the whole Saturday at main event
and which he thinks WrestleMania forty two is going to
look like. So you definitely check out their show tomorrow
when it drops on YouTube.
Speaker 2 (54:27):
And when you're doing that, make sure to subscribe, follow,
Definitely do all.
Speaker 1 (54:30):
Those things, and while you're doing that, make sure to
follow us on social media.
Speaker 2 (54:33):
It is bruisers Pod.
Speaker 1 (54:34):
That is b R E W S t R S
p O D on the Instagram, the threads and the Twitter.
If you want to send us an email, it is
Bruiserspod at gmail dot com. If you're going to follow
me directly, it is Rody John. That is r O
D I E j O N. Roady John is the
name on the Twitter and an untapped in case you
want to find out when I'm drinking, maybe we can
have a beer together. If you're want to follow me
on the threads or the Instagram, it is official Rody John.
(54:55):
So until next time, make sure to enjoy life, drink local,
and cheers.
Speaker 3 (55:11):
Three two f
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