Austin 3:16 at 30 & Is NJPW Being Used By AEW? | The Still Real to Us Show | Episode #854 – 6/25/26

0:00 It's still really the beginning! [Music] What up, you all! Ooh! Welcome, everybody! Welcome to this week's "Dissimistor of the Show". I'm Summer, Inter in 54, for June 25th, 2026. Welcome to this week's edition of "ASR-T-U". I am one-half the show. I am Jeff Pekk. I am typically joy every single week for my ghost. The one on the lead Dr. Dre Franklin. And I typically ask Dr. Dre what is up my friend to kick off the show.

0:46 But this is kind of one of the rare occurrences of the year. There's like maybe three to five times a year where we sit down with recorded podcasts and Dr. Dre Franklin is unavailable. And this is one of those times. Dr. Dre is changing jobs. He's out doing job training. I think this is something all of us can relate to when they get a new gig, when they start a gig. Maybe for the first time you have a lot of training what's going on. And he's dealing with stuff that actually pays the bills. And not the wrestling podcast that him and I have been doing for 16 years. And we've made a couple dollars when we did the Patreon thing in the beginning. I appreciate a lot of those guys that contributed.

1:27 But other than that, this is just a love of the game. And you just got me this week in a very special edition of SRTU. We'll preview NXT Great American Bash. We'll preview A.W. For Ben and Door. And then of course we will wrap it up by previewing and predicting WWE night of champions where I actually have Dr. Dre's predictions. So while you may not hear his voice on this week's edition of the show, you will certainly hear his picks. So I'm recording this. I'm just usually I sit on my desk and I do this thing. I'm chilling on my couch right now doing this. And it's 1031 East Coast time.

2:09 I had a lot of stuff I had to do prior to recording this podcast this week. I actually took off for vacation. And I was going to sit down about like 9 o'clock East Coast time to record the show. And anybody who's a parent can relate to this. Anybody who's thinking about being a parent, listen to this story. Anybody who's thinking about being a parent at any point in their life. Listen to this story. I get home as I was out. And my wife has our son in my bed. And he's awake. And 9 o'clock and I he just turned to. Just a couple days ago my son is now a two year old, which is wild.

2:52 If you've been listening to the show for a long time, you remember me and born. And here we are. And he's talking now. It's usually talking back. And he doesn't want to go back in his crib because he wants to sleep with mom and dad. So we had to convince and tell my son, nope, you are going back into your crib. And the reason why I recorded later than I wanted to is because he was fighting it. He was fighting it pretty good. And eventually finally went to bed. And that's one of the reasons why I'm not recording at my desk because it's a little bit closer to his room. Then where I am right now, I'm a little bit farther away where if I'd say anything and it wakes him up, I am a dead man.

3:37 Which anybody who is married can relate to. If you're thinking about being married, if you have a significant other right now, and you've been together for a couple months, a couple of years, whatever, and you're thinking about marriage, these are the moments that you cannot mess up. And that's what I'm doing right now. I'm being very far away from my son's room. My voice is maybe a little bit lower than it normally is when we record this podcast because of that. But the other reason why is by myself. I don't need to yell and scream this week. I don't need to raise my voice any louder than it already is. So yeah, it's a solo edition of the show.

4:17 See how long I can do it for. Usually I'm for about 45 minutes. We do this podcast anyway. But that's when I'm talking to another person. Now I'm doing that WFAN sports radio style where I'm just talking to myself. Which I don't know how people have made careers in their life doing radio shows. Just talking to themselves like I enjoy conversations. I don't enjoy like proclamations and standing on top of hills and like just spewing my thoughts to nobody into the abyss. That's why I enjoy conversations. And I think that's part of the reason why radio was slowly that often podcasting is so much better. But that's another story for another day. There's two things to kick off the show where there was just major milestones.

4:59 Where, you know, I'm talking about my son turned in two years old and I'm like, "Man, I can't believe it. Where's the time gone?" Well, there's two moments this week where it's like, where has the time gone. And the first being that it's been 30 years, three zero, since the Austin 316 speech at King of the Ring 1996 this week. Three 30 years since that happened when I saw that I was like, "No, that can't be right." Because I just feel like Dr. Tray and I talked about like the 20th anniversary, the 25th anniversary, 15th anniversary of this speech. And here we are talking about the 30th anniversary of that speech. And I remember that being a little kid I was 9 years old turned 10 next month.

5:43 So now now I'm not turning 10. You guys can run the math on that one now what I'll be turning. It's a big digit number for me which makes me feel old just like this. And I remember being up, I think I had taken a bath some time. My mom and dad had the pay per view on. And watching Stone Cold Steve Austin just plow through the competition at King of the Ring 96. I wanted to see Jake Stank Roberts win. At that point all I knew about Steve Austin was like he was the Ringmaster, his time in WCW, a Ruse United States champion. But I really didn't know much else about him. He had just started doing this character turn.

6:25 And it was really surprising when he made that run that he did and became the 1996 King of the Ring. You know it's pretty well known that that was meant for Triple H on her cellm's either time to win that one. But then the whole click curtain call happened like less than a month later. And he cuts a promo where he says Austin 360 and says I just whipped your ass. And nowadays we think of that and it's like that's not a big deal. I mean we have TV shows for people are dropping f bombs like galore now. Podcast for people dropping f bombs all the time. But back then when it was like I will whip your ass on David WF television was a massive deal. And it was the one of if not the most impactful promo of all time.

7:10 I mean it really set the tone to his character. It really set the tone to the attitude era of the WWE. And just catapulted the company or started a catapulted company into a new era and generation of what we have become to known what role-brother's entertainment. Is and was like at that point of it so cartoony definitely trend change that was going on in society at that point as well. I'm a kid in the 90s and I'm always like amazed at how much the 90s changed the way that we are even nowadays in 2026. And Austin 360 and that speech, King Kong in 96 was one of those speeches that kind of is part of that defined era where it was changes in music.

7:54 Changes in television, changes in movies. And that's where we were and I can't believe it's been 30 years since the Austin 360 teen speech at King Kong the Ring in 1996. The other anniversary this week, other than my wedding anniversary, that was surprising was seen that the 25th anniversary of Kurt Angle vs. Shameck man, their match at King of the Ring 2001 was this past week and that's another one of those matches where I think I was a freshman in high school. Obviously it just got out and I remember those summers like so well back then of matches took place in the summer.

8:42 It's like this match, it's Jeff Hardy vs. The Undertaker in a latter match. I want to say in 2002 the one where like taker lifts up party and hearings is respect and which was such a really cool moment. But like this match was kind of like nothing burger going into it. I mean if you're a long time listener of this show, you know that I don't love that Shane McMahon as much as I respect him and his athleticism and what he does in the ring. I don't love the Shane McMahon as booked equal to people who have wrestled their entire lives or Uber athletic people like Kurt Angle, an Olympian.

9:30 We've talked about the AJ Styles stuff, the Braun Strowman stuff, the Miz stuff in the past like Shane as much as the fans love him and as much as I respect him. He's booked way too equal with with those guys and back then in 2001 he was still he had his moments. I'm trying to think of like where this was with in relation to the stuff with the test and Steve Blackman. I think that was all before it. I mean going back to like when he was wrestling X-Pock, it was like WrestleMania 15. Like back then Shane was still looked at as like a joke in a way, right?

10:10 Like a guy that shouldn't belong in the ring like like a David Flair or he'd take ricochet shot here David Flair or direct shot. But like that's how it was looked at it was the boss's son like no background in wrestling at that point. And the only thing that we knew about Shane McMahon was outside of being his son of Vince and being involved in the corporation. He was like the commentator on Sunday night. He went to first launched. That was like my first real introduction into Shane McMahon. Then as the years went on and he got more matches and needed like more daredevil things, you know, you could see that he could hang in the ring with people. The booking and all that stuff is obviously something I've already discussed and not my favorite thing in the world, but you know you saw his in-ring stuff get better.

10:55 And I think this was that match. That match where Shane could be taken seriously now as a performer in the ring. I mean he was months removed from taking on his father at WrestleMania 17. This was when the invasion angle was going on. Kurt was in his prime at that point or I guess you could even make a kiss like entering his prime. I think he was in his prime and Shane hung with him. There's no question in that like he was hanging with him. Did some absolutely wild spots like the. I remember watching live when they were doing that the belly to belly suplex through the glass and Shane. I don't think he went through the first time and the way like Shane tells us right they did like a WWE untold on this match back in the network and peacock days when it was on there and that was a great show.

11:53 And of course they take it away where like Shane doesn't go through the first time and you hear his like head thud on the cement and I think like Shane is saying he's concussed and I'm laughing now even though it's not funny. I mean what we've learned about concussions now it's like this was kind of insane that they let this continue to go on and I think he like said something like Kurt was a pussy or whatever to make a mad. And that's what throw him in there and then there's the stories I believe that Vince was like tempted to go out there and be like this matches over like break character almost even it would be in character and just say like this matches over but they were feuding back then with like wf and wcw pretty sure they did not want the match to continue on and then it was just like way too much and then obviously the going back through the glass again is just such a memorable moment.

12:49 It was violent it was bloody it would not happen today. I mean the close was obviously be AEW but like the concussion stuff it would be immediately stopped. And it's a match that legitimately took years off the life of Shane McMahon like no joke whatsoever like legitimately took years off of his life so. Just absolutely wild to sit and think like Austin 1330 years ago Kurt versus Shane McMahon 25 years ago I mean that means the invasion angle is 25 years maybe that's something Dr. and I will do here over the summer is kind of look back at that debacle we always tend to to do that at the anniversaries I mean this is like really important summers in my young youth life so hearing the anniversary of these being 25 years ago really makes you think about how life goes sometimes how quickly life can go and how old you can get but two memorable moments I miss the king of the ring paper view if you've been listening to the show for a long time I love the single elimination tournament like when they used to do it all in one night I think like 96 they stopped doing it like it was just semis and then finals I'm talking like king of ring 93 king of ring 94 95 where they were doing it all in one day.

14:07 Brett Owen Mabel all winning all in one night I mean those were such awesome awesome shows and I just love the king of the ring concept I'm happy that it's back I would just love to see it back as as a people for King Queen of the ring and just do the tournament all one night like what are we doing be so much fun but I know WWE really just like having like five or six matches on a card so just while major anniversaries this past week of the Austin's 16th speech at King of the ring 96 in the critical shank band match at King of the ring 2001 if you've never seen that match go anyway and check it out I'm assuming anybody that downloads this podcast has unless they are under the age of like 15.

14:51 Go anyway check out that match it's wild it's insane and it was basically what was going on at that period of time with the ECW's of the world in the hardcore matches in WWE then WWE. Switching gears we're going to start premium predicting the major wrestling week and that's taking place you've got annexed greater American bash this Sunday on the CW network of free PLE if you've got the CW network you've got a W for Ben Dore on paper view HBO Max on Sunday night you've got night of champions first hour free on ESPN and the rest of the show will be up on the ESPN app I believe it's like 2 PM East on Saturday and this is one of the most loaded wrestling we can do.

15:32 It's like this one and Memorial Day where you've just got a WNXC W we doing a bunch of stuff and it's going to be very exciting for wrestling fans and hopefully you don't have to pick a choose and you go out of your way and check out one show each of these shows. It's a point by the middle of the week because this is like 11 hours of professional wrestling we're probably talking about which 7 of them will be an AEW for Ben Dore. So looking at annexed great American bash this upcoming Sunday from the W performance center in Orlando Florida you've got the online experts to say con say con sugars they had a great back and forth segment on annexed television this week I thought it was really really good segment.

16:14 This split of dark state is interesting because I don't think it makes sense to me as a viewer unless NXT sees like big things in sake one triggers like why would you remove them. Or maybe they're you know dark state gets a call up somewhere they're being looked at more as a trio which we know WWE tends to do rather than a four person set but then again like why would you sort of say con maybe thought is like he could just kind of stand out in his own so. That would be really good I think Dion Lonex is a guy that could be annexed you champion by the end of the year extremely talented love his new character that whole like bookworm thing that he was doing like a year and a half two years ago was not cutting it for me so looking forward to both these guys getting the opportunity shine on the great American bash.

17:00 Another match here you got shallow Hill versus Tristan Angels. You know I'm probably one of the few people watch his LFG and shallow Hill never really connected with them on the show quite honestly and then he comes on annexed television and he is so much better than I thought he was going to be coming out of a LFG. He is extremely entertaining I enjoy his character I think a lot of fans enjoy relating to him and he's another one that I just would not be shocked that he has a run as an annex he champion so much at some point he might be so much of make fully maybe it's just the flannel it's that like blue collar worker type star that's a little bit different nod and he's really connecting well with the audience right now.

17:45 Another person I'm extremely high on is Tristan Angels I know it's a throwback character to the Hunterhurst Helmsley character Grinch Connecticut days of 1995 in 96 but I'm taking it I think this kid is going to be a star. He's exciting to watch good in-ring worker great characters a throwback I love it I love this old school like snob British character William Regal Dave Taylor like that's what I'm getting those vibes are and I'm going to be a star. And I think the sky's a limit for Tristan Angels I've got rents sin Claire defending the women speed championship against Ariana Grace. I'm not too interested that one I like rent as a character she's been on the sideline with an injury Ariana Grace I think can be a star.

18:32 I would expect Ariana Grace to win this one and bring the title to birthright. I'm sorry defending the annexed women's North America championship against Tatum Paxley I think this is like the dark horse sleeper right now for a match that could be match with night I'm really enjoying a lot of these characters I like that Zari is back to the character she was when she first joined NXT and Tatum Paxley so over she connects extremely well with the NXT audience and I think someone I could be extremely successful on the main roster here in the next year or two. Should she get the call up miles born versus taby on heights for the NXT North American championship I'm looking forward to this one because I think taby on heights is extremely talented and I think it's time if you're not going to do anything with this guy and he just takes an L like I think it's going to hurt his character so I think but the title on him give him an opportunity give him a run miles born with the NXT North American championship right now it's been kind of boring honestly and I love a story I love his look I love his in ringability it's just not is it's not connecting that well I feel like since he's had the championship which has been disappointing a little vice defending the next year I'm in She has a female champion against Kendall Gray.

19:38 A huge fan of Kendall Gray. I am no Dave Meltzer. Like level of love for Kendall Gray, but man is she good. Like, you gotta put the title on her. If you're not put the title on her now, then it's gotta be like in the next month or two. I don't want to see a low level short reign, but Kendall Gray is legit. And another one that can be a star on the main roster, sooner rather than later. And in totally de-Angelo defending the next of championship, we have a Nuraku from my known as Evil. I believe that opens the show. The, the, the, the, the, a little of ice, Kendall Gray match is gonna main event, which is awesome for them. I'm thrilled for that one. Which dreams to me, title change. And I think the same thing with the opening.

20:20 I don't think you run the flash bang, you know, burn paper, trick when he opened up the contract, Tony DeAngelo this week on NXT Television. If you're not setting him up to drop the title to Nuraku. Like, we just imagine like so Nuraku goes in this one, he loses. What do you do with the character now? Like what's the bounce back? I think that there's been an upswing of momentum for him right now that they're booking themselves in a hole where you need to do the title change. And they are coming in up by having this injury storyline with Tony DeAngelo having his eyes blind and when he opened up the contract, this past Tuesday on NXT Television. So NXT North American, great American bash.

21:03 This upcoming Sunday looking forward to watching it on the CW Network. Before I get to AW forbidden door, there was a comment this week from IWGP Everyweight Champion. You know, it's a Jewelty. Not happy with the AW, New Japan partnership saying, I don't like AW and I think the biggest problem I have with them is that we aren't seeing to be on even footing. It's a real problem of people think of NJPW as a subsidiary of AW. It's a problem when the New Japan is subsurbing into them. I was happy on Drody came to wrestle on a New Japan show. Now for fair, even partners that I'll really be happy with our relationship and not if we're being used to produce talent for them to take.

21:47 And like Taiichi said, New Japan rolls over and says to the guys that leave, oh please don't, oh please the doors open anytime, so I'm with AW. And then wrestle for us when you're free. Then of course more guys are going to because the money's better, it's that simple. End quote, I thought that was a spot on quote. And I felt like somebody said the same thing last year as well about the relationship between New Japan and AW. And it's not true. I mean, as someone watching from home, it's so weird, right? Like imagine in 2018 telling someone, between 2016 to 18, when I think New Japan was so popular in the United States, just imagine telling a wrestling fan, like a promotion is going to start next year.

22:29 It's going to be started by the billionaire son of the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. And that promotion is going to like basically mop the floor with New Japan and take their talent. You'd be like, what the hell in New Japan doing? And that's what's basically happened. Like think to yourself, when has there been a time where New Japan star was put over extremely well on AW? Like legitimately trying to think here. I don't know. I really don't know. And then like J.Y. 'cause it's got a Cata, they all come over, right? I mean, those are some of the biggest stars that AW, excuse me, New Japan had.

23:10 They're all coming over. And you know, Kenosuke Tukeshiko's over. He wins the AWGP Heavyweight Championship. Andrade just had a run with a global championship. John Mox is at a run with the AWGP Heavyweight Championship. There's been times where I think FTR had the AWGP tag team championship. I think there's been some runs with maybe the Open Heavyweight Championship as well. But the Openweight Championship, excuse me. But it's like, when has there ever been an AW star that's come over and looked great? Like even Column Newsom recently, he was working that when they had United Empire taking on, God, who were they facing?

23:53 The Don Callis family? Was it? And it made a vent. And they were playing bit players with a whole well-awesome stuff. What was it, the Death Riders? I think it made a Death Riders, now that I think about it. Like that was just all weird. Into that point, I mean, you know what I was bringing up a good point, you could go over there and you could leave New Japan and make more money. But you'll be welcome back with Open Arms and you may get a run with a championship. Like, 'cause it's Cata, took on Hiroshi Tanahashi in the Russell Cayden of Main Event, not granted. It was his retirement match and it made a lot of sense. But Okauta left New Japan. That would be like Sino leaving WWE at his height.

24:36 Like who would be like, like Reigns? Rowan Reigns leaves WWE and joins another rival promotion and Sino wants to retire and wants to face somebody. And then they come back. Like whether we like it or not, and I love seeing the New Japan stars on my United States television, but it has done such a disservice to New Japan. Again, like 16 to 18, they were at Extremites and 19 even, would WWE launched. And it was exciting when the whole Forbidden Door thing was made. When I go through the Forbidden Door, like card here, it's now where near what it was when it first started where they had the dream matchups. Like wasn't it that night in LA when punk got hurt?

25:21 Punk was supposed to take on Tata Hashi. And it was like AW versus New Japan matches. They were dream matches. And you get that with like Kenny Omega and Zach Sabre Jr. But it's not like you're not having the IWGP heavyweight champion taken on MJF. You're not having the global champion taken on the TNT champion. It's like it's going to be made evented by Team Don Callis MJF taking on Team Mark Bersko probably in the Steel Cage. Like that's not a New Japan Stardom, CMLLL thing. Like that's an AW match. So it has really lost its way since the original Forbidden Door's probably about like two of them.

26:05 And then they just kind of like lost the entire concept that I don't know why. So yeah, it's a spawning quote. I don't think New Japan should partner with AW to this extent anymore. I don't think the Forbidden Door pay-per-view is what it used to be. And basically it's just like a name and a shell of what what it was intended for. And that's disappointing because it was really cool thing. Where it was like this dream match pay-per-view because you would always wonder like what if AW and WWE did this? And this was like the close thing that we had. So New Japan, especially in the United States, is not as popular as it once was. Hell, I mean the bullet club shirts were being sold in Hot Top Ignore, bullet club is no more.

26:47 And I just-- I don't know. I don't know what New Japan gets out of this other than like hey, their names on it. I agree. They look to be obedient to AW quite honestly. And it's just a point and see that. And I really think AW should do a better job in helping promote New Japan, at least in the United States, because it's not a relationship that's 50/50. And it is not helping New Japan. It's not helping start them. It's not helping CMLL. To me, the only thing that helps is like giving start them a platform, giving CMLL a platform. I didn't think New Japan did. I think they pretty well established among the wrestling fans, especially the AW fan base.

27:29 And start them to CMLL to that point as well. But yeah, I agree with the comments. And I really don't think this should be a pay-per-view anymore quite honestly. I think they should go back to just doing AW shows and if they want to do for BitEndor again, then give me three matches. Give me the top star from AW, top star from New Japan, top star of CMLL, and put in all one match. And put over New Japan. Put over CMLL. AW doesn't need to be put over anymore. It's established in the United States. Anyway, AW for BitEndor is upcoming Sunday from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. We got a pre-show match here of Divine Dominion taking on Thunder Rosa on Olympia for the AW Women's World Tag Team Championship.

28:13 I imagine Divine Dominion win that match. I don't know much about Olympia, but I am looking forward to seeing what she tags with Thunder Rosa on Sunday. Coping Cage defending the AW World Tag Team Championship against the dogs, David Finley, Clark Connors. If this was a year ago, this would be a great AW versus New Japan match. But this is all four guys in AW. I love the Coping Cage. We're giving the dogs the opportunity to shine in the spotlight. And I'm hoping Finley Connors really are showcased here in a match with Coping Cage. The young bucks take on L Sky Team, Mystico and Moscow out of Dorado, who are also the RWH Tag Team Championship.

28:53 Champions from CMLL. They'll be taking on unbound company, Shingo Takagi and Teton in a three-way tag team match. And this is like the point that I make it before. Put over these teams in AW. L Sky Team is not the tag team champions in NAW. They're the tag team champions in our way. It's like the sister promotion, the lower promotion, is getting it. Is where they're getting the love rather than on the main of AW. And I'm sure this match will be fantastic. It almost yield the show. John Moxley, Defendi AW Cardinal, Championship against Bandito, Showed a Umano Defendi, IWGP Global Head of Wave, Championship against Pock. I really wish that they leaned in a little bit more with Showed a Umano's relationship with John Moxley and the Death Riders.

29:38 Like that's Moxley's young boy in New Japan. I don't feel like that story is being touched upon as much as it should be right now. Tech lead offense, AW women's role, Championship against Starlight Kid from Stardom. I'm really looking forward to that match just because I've never seen Starlight Kid before and I've heard great things about her. Mercedes-Benz A versus Maya World in the women's Owen Hart Cup Final. When it earns an AW women's role, championship match at all end. Dr. Trey, I haven't talked about this for a while. It just feels like it's Mercedes, Monae's to win. The Maya World Senarell Store has been great, but I really can't connect with her because every time I've seen her on AW Television, she's basically been like a jober of sorts, not where she's been at right now.

30:19 Next match here is Kenny Omega taking on Sac State for Junior, this is a jury match. Probably a couple years too late. I love Kenny, but Kenny being signlined and I think this match was supposed to happen and he got the hospital out again. And they needed to remove it. I think it was last year at the '02. Kenny certainly isn't like Mrs. Step, but the height of Kenny, the height of Zach Saber Jr. CsJ would have been amazing. They'll still kill it. This will be a great one, really looking forward to that one, but I'm a huge fan of CsJ in general. Will Lost Breast versus Sworps, Rick Lynn Mendes, Owen Hart Cup Final, with the winner earns a AW World Championship match at all and everything it feels to me is like it's pointing to Will Lost Breast right now.

31:03 Because if they don't pull the trigger and have a little Osprey win, then what the hell are we watching right now unless the Death Riders turn on them? And did Osprey legit fall in the opening segment there of Dynamite, or was that like a thing to play off to these some sort of goofball with the Death Riders? Like what the hell was that all about? If it was legit, awesome moment, great improv by everybody. If it wasn't, then what was the point of that? What are we doing? And then finally the main event here, Team Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassie, Roger Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, Kenoski, Tukeschi, and Darby, I'll take it on MJF and then Don Kals. Family Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle, 'cause it's Dakota and Andrade El Ilo and a still cage match.

31:43 If Team Briscoe wins, Mark Briscoe earns an AW World Championship match against MJF. This goes like obviously two ways. Mark Briscoe and his team win and then we get the match at the Montreal Pay Per View in July. I can't remember the name right now, not redemption is. And I feel like that's a TN show. But maybe it's redemption. Anyway, like that's the way or the other way someone on his team. Obviously it turns on him. Turns on Mark Briscoe, costs the match and then they feud and then MJF just goes and does some for a little bit before going into all of them where he takes on either Will Osprey or Swarp Strickland. I think it's more likely that we have the Mark Briscoe and MJF match at the July Pay Per View because the last time he's two guys linked up, heading into that September show last year where MJF went away for a little bit.

32:34 Like great build during the ECW ring shows. On Dynamite Collision really enjoyed it. I thought Mark Briscoe really shined in those spots and showed and proved that he could work as an upper midcar to main event guy in AW. I believe in Mark Briscoe. That's not like a Joe Hendry line like legit. I think he is like, you know, I talked about Charlot Hill earlier, you know, those like Mick Foley vibes. You totally get that with Mark Briscoe. Like Mark Briscoe could be like that. He's that blue collar guy that people can relate to. Never anybody that has like the face or persona as someone that should be a world champion for a major brand in the United States, but he's a former ROH world champion.

33:14 He had a run there, right? With, did he ever run as with the championship? And I know Jay did. What you're gonna think here? Oh, did he ever run? With the ROH world title? Where is he? Ring of Honor. Yeah, he did. One world title. I thought he did. He had a run with the World Championship. I've been watching Briscoe for cheese. He was about 25 years of a shaming man, Kurt Angle. I mean, I remember seeing him in 2002, campaign his brother in that first ROH show. And then reigning about the Briscoe all the time. I've been seeing them live for the ROH shows in New York City for, you know, like three years straight. When they were doing that a lot more, back in the good old days of Ring of Honor, huge fan of Briscoe.

33:58 Huge fan of Mark Briscoe. I'm thrilled that he's getting this opportunity. And I hope we get to the AW world championship match. Because I think it's a more, point they should put the title on him. I think he is a world championship material for AW. And it would be great to see Mark Briscoe get that opportunity after what he and his family have gone through these last several years. And then finally, we got WWE night of champions. It's this upcoming Saturday from Kingdom, Arena, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We have Tiffany Stratton defending the WWE Women's United States championship begins Jade Cargill. I have Tiffany Stratton in this one. Dr. Trey has Jade Cargill. I could tell you why I picked Tiffany. I think Charlotte for their cost, J, this match, like Jade cost Charlotte in the Queen of the Ring semi-finals match against Liv Morgan on SmackDown this past Friday.

34:47 Like I just can't see Jade Cargill taking another championship against Tiffany Stratton. Like that's bad for her character, for Tiffany Stratton's character. So I don't think Jade wins this one. And I think Charlotte costs Tiffany Stratton the match. Excuse me, Jade Cargill the match against Tiffany Stratton. Next match, your Trick Williams defending the United States championship gets Ricky Saints. We both have Trick Williams in this one. Yeah, I mean, Trick Williams is super over. I love that Ricky Saints get this opportunity, but yeah, I just think you gotta keep the ton on Trick. Like I love what they're doing right now with Trick, Ricky Saints, Carmelo Hayes. I'd love to see some more guys added into this like where the hell is Elyah dragging off? Like he was great late last year.

35:29 Like I think he was an MVP of SmackDown and he's just completely gone at this point, which is a huge bummer. Like he should be involved in this and it's the good old days of Mid-Card titles where you've got young up in commerce that people give a shit about fighting over that championship. Maybe trading the titles over here now and again and potentially even stealing the show. So Trick Williams is our pick for both this one. Bronn Breaker versus Seth Rollins, Steel Cage match. I've got Bronn Breaker, Dr. Trey and Seth Rollins. Reason why I picked Bronn Breaker here is because Seth cost Bronn Breaker and Austin Theory of the Tech Team Championship upon Raw This Pass Monday. Congrats to doing new Tech Team Champions, the Street Profits. So I think that's where Bronn Breaker gets his come off its and gets his get back here, his lick back, they may say, and defeat Seth Rollins in the Steel Cage match.

36:15 J.R.O. versus Oba Femi in the King of the Ring tournament. Final winner is Crown King of the Ring and earns a World Championship match. At Summer Slam, I have Oba Femi, Dr. Trey. It's J.R.O. So you can see it go either way, which is wild, right? Like I think any other time, Oba Femi, you're picking up every single time. But the relationship with J.R.O. so in the bloodline right now, maybe having him go after Cody Rhodes or whoever wins the World Away Championship at night of Champions and chase that at Summer Slam is a path to go, but I don't think that's the direction they go with that title. I think CM Punk is due to come back soon and that would be the direction and then that brings us to Oba Femi winning this one and setting things up where he would take on Roman Reigns and that to me screams like Summer Slam main event match.

37:01 Like that is something that I think fans can really, really, really, really, really get behind. So I hope Oba Femi wins this and wins the King of the Ring. It would be old school style there, like King of the Ring as I mentioned on the show over the last month, should be used to catapult people and then like secondarily, like the redemption story, like a J.R.O. so, but it certainly should not be used to reestablish top guys like they did with Cody Rhodes last year. Like this is an opportunity to catapult, continue to catapult Oba Femi to the top and that's what I hope they do. In the same vein, you have EOS guy, taking on a Women's World Away Champion, Liv Morgan and the Queen of the Ring tournament final where the winners crown Queen of the Ring and it earns a World Championship match at Summer Slam.

37:43 We both have EOS guy in this one. There's no reason for Liv to win this. Like if Liv, if they're just doing this, like do a resume builder, fine. If they're doing this to do something different, I could kind of get behind that because we've never seen a champion win a tournament like Queen of the Ring where the winner gets a title shot so then she's basically going after both titles and then we've got reaverses live at Summer Slam, which is fine, like we could reopen that, but are we doing title versus title or they unify the championship? God, I hope they're not. I'm going with EO because I think this is an opportunity, again, someone to Ovefemme to really catapult her and help her send up the chart as someone.

38:25 This would be an ascension, but this is obviously a redemption story and I would love to see you as guy. Get this and add it to her resume and take on Liv Morgan at Summer Slam. And then lastly, you've got Cody Rhodes taking on Gunther in San Luis A and in a triple threat match for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Dr. Trayon and I both have Cody Rhodes in this one. I was so, so, so tempted. Picking Sammy Z. But then I really feel like Cody Rhodes versus CM Punk is on the table for Summer Slam right now and I think Gunther goes in a different direction. And I almost wonder at times, with what they did on Friday's Smackdown, which I thought was like really good, entertaining and brilliant booking, by the way, where the Cody Gunther match were Sammy's, the special guest referee, he cost Gunther the match, looks like, like he should be cheering him as fans, but they're still basically booing him.

39:16 Cody's like, I don't wanna do it this way. Restart the match, they restart the match, Sammy comes out, lays out Gunther, sets up the triple threat match. I just thought that was really good, old school booking that makes sense and was entertaining and enjoyable. And I love that. If Summer Slam wasn't right around the corner, I would pick Sammy Z and this one. But I don't wanna see, I don't want them to do, and they're backed up in the corner, why let's say Sammy wins coming out tonight, champion says that amazing moment in Saudi Arabia in front of his people, which I really wish he was like a baby face, if that's the route that they go. But anyway, I don't wanna see Sammy then drop the title to Cody like three weeks, four weeks later, Saturday night's main event, and then that sets up the match at Summer Slam, where Cody is a title like, I think they want the title on Cody going into Summer Slam, like they don't want him to not have the championship.

40:11 And I don't see a world where like Sammy's champion and we get a Gunther Cody rematch, or maybe it's Cody and CM Punk, Gunther and Sammy Zane, and Fatal Four Way. Plus, I still believe that like Gunther is being set up here still to try to retire Brock Lesnar in Minneapolis, rather than, you know, having to continue on the World of the Way Championship run and he's currently going at. But yeah, that's the thing where I just, like that would basically be WrestleMania all over again, the booking of WrestleMania and Cody Rhodes, would be happy all again if they took the title off of him now, only to have him chase and then win it back just before Summer Slam, like that would be so lame.

40:52 And would be very, very lazy, lazy, lazy booking. So, with that said, long-winded answer, I'm taking Cody Rhodes in this one to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship. And there you have it, there is our Knight of Champions preview, that's how we looked at AWF for Ben and Door, that's where we looked at NXT Great American Bash, and obviously had the Milestone Annabershers this past week in the World of Precious and Wrestling. With that said, let's get a couple plugs and sponsors out of the way, you can download, show it patreon.com/srtupodcast and the store will also show feed, still will also show feed on Apple Spotify, wherever you download this podcast. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe, you can follow us individually on X for myself at SRTU Jeff, ever Dr. Dre Franklin at the Doctor Train, of course, don't forget to follow us on X at SRTU Podcast.

41:38 Usually I say, with that being said, I was going on the one for World of Dutgery, Franklin this week, but he's not here. So he'll be back next week, we'll recap NXT Great American Bash, AWF for Ben and Door, and WWE Knight of Champions, and maybe we'll even throw in, we usually do it at the halfway point, where we look at the awards. We may do it next week, even though there's so much to recap with these shows, or maybe we do it in two weeks, somewhere we have like an entire show, where we look at where things are here at the halfway point of 2026, which is absolutely wild to think. So say to you about that, either it's gonna be next week, or it will be the week after. So I think that is either the July 2nd episode or July 9th, but we'll be doing the halfway point award to you, very, very soon on SRTU.

42:26 And we'll also have our boy Dr. Dre Franklin back. So hope training is going well for him. Can't wait to see him get back here, recap these shows with him, and talk some professional wrestling with another boy Dr. Dre Franklin. With that being said, for everybody, thank you for downloading this week's edition of the show. Thank you for making us part of your week. Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the weekend professional wrestling. And until next week, for Dr. Dre Franklin, I am Jeff Peck. This has been The Stiller of the Show.