Is The Blackpool Combat Club storyline getting you invested in AEW? | The Still Real to Us Show | Episode #767 – 10/24/24

0:00 It's still. Welcome, everybody. Welcome to this week's edition The Star Relta Show, episode number seven and sixty seven for October twenty fourth, twenty twenty four. Welcome to your NXC Halloween Havoc Preview and Predictions edition of s R. T. Hugh. I am One After Show. I Am Jeff Pack, joined every single week by co host the one Only Doctor Trey Franklin. Doctor Trey has John Moxley brought you back, my friend.

0:46 Ooh uh, brought me back. Let me see, having like a refund. So I brought back, like am I getting exchanged? Brought you back from life to life. I don't know my evan essence now, like that's an old reference, but I like John Moxley. He's uh. I think somebody once called him recently the modern day Terry Funk. So yeah, I'm intrigued. I'm playing along. I mean, I'm I'm in the game, but I don't know if I'm all in. So let's talk about it. Blackpool Combat Club storyline is really taking over aw It is transcending multiple shows, whether it be Dynamite Collision Rampage. From time to time, they are really pushing their foot on the gas on this.

1:31 There was a report out earlier or late last week. I should say that the original plans for Brian Danielson's world title run, which we had heard, was he's got to win the title all in and then drop it to Darby Allen at Wrussell Dream Tacoma Hometown Boy, give it to Darby Allen a run with We had heard rumblings about that, I think leading into all In, that that was what AW was potentially thinking about. Maybe it was post all In. After Danielson won, they obviously changed it around. Darby lost the title shot at Grand Slam to Moxley. Moxley wants the title at Russell Dreaman. Now we're foot on the accelerator with this Blackpool Combat Club storyline, and the reason why the change happened is because AW reportedly wants to gain some more interest into the product, and they're pushing this Blackpool Combat Club storyline to the forefront to re engage some fans that may be on the fringe or those that are on I guess life supporting a way which I think I can almost put myself in that basket at times. So the question asked doctor Trey Aw is really trying hard. We cannot deny that at all. Are they doing a good job sucking you back into their product? Though?

2:43 I mean it's got my interest and I think we've talked about it. I think I talked about with you like one last CO show, like you and I being lifelong wrestling fans, love invasion takeover angles because you see some alliances you thought you never see. You see some intriguing matchups you thought you'd never see. Plus there's always mystery involved, whether it's you know, nWo, who's bankrolling the nWo, the WCWECW invasion angle, whether it's even like the Ministry of Darkness stuff, who's the higher power? Like, we love this type of stuff. It's what makes wrestling fans cross over that storyline, suspension of disbelief with the athleticism professional wrestling.

3:28 We love this stuff. So when something's being done and it is being pushed to the forefront, yeah, it's gonna get my attention. It's going to kind of grab me and go, Okay, where are we going with this? Who's involved? Who are the players? Where the chess pieces going? So I'm engaged in it, But like we've said, we've seen them do so many start and stop storyline pushes that it makes you nervous that this one might fall flat on his face. I mean, we're probably what six weeks into this. They've done a good job for the most part, but I'm still waiting to see some bigger pieces fall into place, because you know, as much as we love the orange cassidyes in the Darby Allens of the world, Like when I see a bunch of good guys outside waiting to fight them, and I see John Silver all five foot five of them right there at the forefront, I'm like, is that well the top three or four baby faces we have, Like that just kind of seems kind of weak if he's the guy fighting the good fight. That's like when I've referenced nWo last week, I was like, you know, that's the l Dandy, the Silver King, you know, those kind of guys when the nWo was kind of taking over WCW that you really didn't care about if they got beat up and destroyed.

4:42 Yeah, you know, it's funny that you mentioned that, And that was one of the arguments that we had, was like, these are the baby faces that they chose, And I was just looking up some numbers that I wanted to discuss in regards to viewership when it comes to aw Dynamite, and I came across a tweet from Daniel Garcia. He had subtweeted Russell Pure on Twitter, which is an account I always follow for a lot of news notes coverage of professional wrestling. Highly recommend them to everybody. And it's just the video of everybody at the beginning of Dynamite waiting for the Blackpool Blackpool Combat Club and Daniel Garcia, which is something we talked about in the show, and Doctor Trey just mentioned subtweeted that and said, quote, say what you want about this group, but we're the ones fighting, And then he could put in quotes, but what about dot dot dot question mark another quote, whereas dot dot dot question mark, that's a question for them. They should care more. I like that Garcia is addressing that on Twitter, but that's what they should address. Storyline wise, it well like have Daniel Garcia walk in the hallways, he passes by sort of Strickland swerve of why aren't you joining us?

5:47 Like what do you? I thought you were mister Elite wrestling. You know they're doing that right now with the elite, and you're kind of seeing the young bucks teasing, going back and forth like they want to help. I think Nicholas Jackson had another line. He's been like these this guy for subtle lines during this entire thing. He's like, should we go help? Like you hear or maybe it was Matt, I don't remember which one. I'm pretty sure it was Nick, but anyway, you hear them say should we go help? And I think the camera cut out and Jack Perry's the one that's being like, no, no, no, no, does let it go? But that is something that dismissing the storyline, like I like the top Flight, I like the Dark Orders doing this, but up until this point, why should I give a damn? And then you've got Private Party threatening to split up if they lose their tag team title shot. And they're the ones that are kind of in the forefront of all this with Dani Garcia along with Orange Cassie, like those are some of the recognizable names. It's basically not a who's who, It's a bunch of people that typically get some time on rampage.

6:44 Lord love them, longtime people in aaw like the butcher I saw the other night, But you know Captain Sean Dean Lord love him, but I'm not thinking he's going to be defending aw's hon or over the BCC. And to me, Doctor Trey, and we do this a lot with the Invasion Angles. We mentioned it in the description of it. Yes, we love Invasion angles and professional wrestling, but sometimes I feel like it gets to be so repetitive that it loses a little bit of luster, because I think you can make a case back in April that the Elite storyline was a takeover of AW, and then they're redoing it again but with a different group this time, so that's a concern. I'm gonna sound like an old head here, but this, to me, Doctor Trey reminds me so much of the way WW handled the nWo angle. It's a bunch of mid tier, not your top talent stars defending the honor of the promotion while the top talent stars are nowhere to be found and hopefully get integrated into it soon. This is one of the closest early stage nWo storylines I could remember in some time. I mean, it really really mirrors it, and we really don't have justification as to why the BCC is doing it. Other than the fact that they're like second tired of all elite wrestling the way that it's gone.

8:07 But there are some holes in this right now. It's intriguing, but there are some holes in this. And because of past practices, whether it was who is behind the Devil Mask or are the elite taking over? Aw, there is some optimism and pessimism when it comes to as E as a fan, Should I get really invested into what they're doing right now? Yeah? You actually mentioned a great thing there when you're talking about the nWo and all thats of in the elite and this whole thing with the BCC and the elite. If you remember when the nWo took over, the Horsemen were still there and they were kind of the heel faction and you. Didn't it was them in like the Dungeon of Doom. Yeah, and you didn't know where their allegiance was going to fall, like were they going to side with the NW or are they going to stick out for WCW.

8:52 That's kind of where we're at with this storyline as well, where where does the elif fall in? But you know it is questionable because I mean, at least when the nWo first kind of came in, there was stinging Luger around, and then you had the Harlem He's so there were still some of the big, the top guys. But this is literally, I mean, I guess you can call Darby Allen a top guy in the company. Think Orange Cassidy's upper mid card, you know, top of the mid card, you know, food chain. Daniel Garcia is up. There a little bit too, But everybody else, I mean, it's like the BCC against aew Dark for the most part here, Yeah, I mean, there's no there's no Rickochet, Like Ricochet has nothing going on.

9:38 Why is he not involved in this? Well he's going off for Takashka. Okay, But still, like if if darb I mean, if if Daniel Garcia can fight MJF on one side, you know, half heartedly, that fuse kind of a little bit over because we moved MJFF and Cole, but you got Garcia over here. Private party is challenging for tag Belts and they can still be involved in this. Why can't ricks sh they do both sides? You know. Why can't FTR, who's doing nothing, you know, be involved. Why can't the outrunners be involved? Why can't we see some more of these top you know, upper upper mid card moorderline Maine event talents get involved. Now once again, the BCC's only got four people. If you camorn a five, it's five people against the entire roster. That's why it does give you very much early nWo vibes because so far those five people are beating the crap out of everybody.

10:32 So it does make you a little nervous, but it does have those shades of NW And especially if we get you know, Seae McMahon or Ted Debiossi to show up, then we'll we'll be really right there. I think that's like the thing that to the sea mcman point, Like, that's the thing that I'm really like banking on right now because outside of anything that's going to shock me surprise me, like making a holy crap, I can't believe this happened. This to me is just a solid storyline to help build the next wave of top stars in AW. Obviously, right now the focal point is Orange Cassidy. That is the focal point. It would but I would be under the impression right now that Orange Cassidy is going to be the title contender to John Moxley at full gear in late November. Like, that's the direction things are going. They're working on building Orange, They're working on building Darby Allen, maybe Daniel Garcia. Like that is the point of this storyline. And that's great, and it's it's engaging, but you gotta you gotta do these little things that make me go, man, this is this is intriguing. I think there are some intriguing things about the storyline. The Orange Cassidy. Everybody wants him to be a leader, but he doesn't see himself as a leader.

11:47 Every time he gets in with the best in the ring, with the BCC, he becomes a changed person. He doesn't really want to do this, but they keep like taking shots at his armor, taking out Chuck Taylor. And you saw his reaction at the end of dynam I thought was really good. I'm a big Orange Cassidy fan and believer in him. The other thing is, and I only noticed this on X the next day, and I did not notice this during the actual viewing of Dynamite when I was watching it on Live on Wednesday night, is as I was more focused on Claudio Wheeler. DA puts the steel chair on Chuck Taylor's ankle, which we all know his careers would presume to be over. He's now working backstage and his ankle is the reason why puts it on the ankle for them to smash it. Claudio takes it out, puts the chair on Chuck Taylor's neck, and Wheeler Youda is going back to this conflicted person.

12:41 He's like like freaking out a little bit, putting his hands on over his head. They obviously smashed the chair over or close the chair shut. With the stomp on Chuck Taylor injures his neck, and Wheeler da is very, very conflicted, And I wish commentary picked that up a little bit more. I don't know if that is supposedly supposed to or supposed to be an easter egg for us to notice and then discuss and be like, hey, Wheelers not fully on board with all this right now, but they're not. Like I wouldn't notice if it wasn't for X or the next day. I was too focused on, uh, you know, Claudio doing this thing. I did not notice Wheeler. And that is the point where like commentary should potentially say something like, hey, does Wheeler look conflicted right now?

13:25 Those are some subtleties that that I'm digging right now, Doctor Trey. Outside of that, I like the vignettes. I like the stuff that's starting on Dynamite and Rampage and Collision. I like the weird, crazy music. I like where they're putting them out in the desert and riding in the pickup truck. The riddles of John Moxley. Sometimes they go a little bit too far off the range for my liking. But those are some things that I'm like, Okay, this is good. Can I can I get behind it? I'm still like kind of dangling on my foot above the pool a little bit. Yeah, when you mentioned some of John Moxy's is going off the rails, all I can member is that he'll run when he had the gas mask. Yeah, Like, Okay, there was some meandering ramblings there, and that was again like who else would be a really intriguing higher power for this group? And I'm like, wouldn't be really awesome if they revealed that Renee Puckhead is the person behind this whole takeover?

14:18 Yeah? It was me, Tony was me all along. It was me all along, Marina, Like Roderick Strong's like right there with his wife now too, you know, but yeah, like I'm enjoying it. I like the way they're shooting some of this stuff. I like some of their placements, Like it's not always right at the beginning, it's not always right at the end, but there's always some kind of impact, which then makes you want to watch the entire show to see when it's going to happen, which is smart on their part. That's one of the things I've knocked them about for the betterment of four and a half years is placement of stuff on the show, because it is a television show at the end of the day. But yeah, the Wheeler stuff, I caught that cause I was like, oh, yeah, I remember Wheeler was in Best Friends, and that's why I think he would be conflicted. But you know, right now you got this is Trent hurt or just not being used right now.

15:12 We really haven't gotten full yeah. Because we saw this on a Trent and Don Kallis and then Trent disappeared, and I think the question mark meant where is he? We don't know where he went, but to. Me, it's still you're you're needing that next person on the baby face side to get involved. And Swurst tied up with Hurt Syndicate, Slash Business, slash LLC. I don't really know what their name is right now, you know. So you got Osprey and Fletcher tied up. Adam Cole now has this whole United Kingdom uh a disputed Kingdom. The thing, you know, whatever it is with m JF So like.

15:53 You Yeah, one minute he says I've got to cover the next minute, undisputed Kingdoms. Out the next week, you know. And and Adam Copeland still her the Blackpool Combat Club are not gonna be the house of Blacker if you thought for baby faces buddies calling out Adam Colet so like, I don't really, I mean, it's just you have a heel. Faction and and the purpose of this and you can. Go back to the old, the old uh wwf uh oh what was that show they had where they had the Legends of the Ring. Thing uh at the round Table? Yeah? And National Wrestling Yeah. And but you know, Kevin Nash said the purpose of the nWo was to build baby faces.

16:33 And that's the. Purpose of any heel group is to build baby faces. And now you have a heel faction that is borderline the cool kids, much like the NBO was but this is your chance to build up baby faces, and they're starting it with you know, their pillars, so to speak. But we also need some meat, we need some of the With the top guys get involved in this, I think that's when you'll see it come to full fruition. But right now, I mean argue, your top five baby faces in the company are off doing other stuff. You know, maybe Darby's exception, but really, I mean when you look at the other the Swerves and the Ospreys and the Ricochets and the O'shay's and the you know whatever, they're all off doing other things and kind of ignoring this whole BCC thing. And then with Jack Perry keeps stopping them, does that somehow put Jack Perry.

17:25 Into the BCC at some point too? If if he's the one that keeps the elite from getting involved and we find out that maybe it's Jack Perry behind. All of this, oh god, yeah, that would be like my mind would be blown if it was Jack Perry and Shane McMann. It was basically be everything that I don't like. So should it have been? Like I dig that they're trying to establish some new top level talent, and I think the ones that they're identifying here is Orange, Cassidy, Darby Allen, and Daniel Garcia. They want these guys to be elevated from the storyline, and I'm totally down and dig it with that. But I think the one thing that we're having our trouble with, because we keep going going back to it, Doctor Trey, is should they have started this all out with a very well established babyface.

18:07 You can make a case that that was Brian Danielson. He was put on the shelf, but should have someone else who was more established, whether it be Swert of Strickland, MJF. Jay White, whoever. Should they have been the ones that carried the flag to begin with, and then maybe they passed it down the line to Darby, Orange, Daniel Garcia. See, I think I'm okay with this with the way they've done this so far, because with the start, because of the fact that you know it's Moxley, it's Danielson, you have the Wheeler turn involved there. I'm fine with it. What I didn't like was they didn't really have I mean, you had a little bit of the Darby stuff, a Darby losing the title shot, but like there wasn't anybody really in place to kind of jump it up to the next level. I mean, you literally ended the career of Brian Danielson. That's a pretty big thing, and your follow up is Garcia and then and taking out Chuck Taylor like that feels like a drop off to me.

19:08 So I felt like they should have built upon it, and instead they kind of it kind of went down a little bit on who they're going after, because going after Danilson is kind of like you know, being uh, you know, your eating your own. It wasn't really like they were taking out an aw guy. They were kind of taking out one of their own guys. So I wish they'd had somebody else in line to take up the flag that was maybe a little higher on the food chain than what we're getting right now. Like to me, this is kind of like, I guess the appetizer before we get to the main course. I just don't want my stuffed kept mushrooms to be too slimy that I don't really I lose my appetite.

19:48 So speaking of programming, speaking of wanting to keep us locked in on dynamite rampage collision. This is the main storyline of all the wrestling right now? Is it getting us invested, is it keeping us around? And how are they building the rest of the show out? And I think that's kind of a little bit of the concern here. So I look at viewership for AW Dynamite on Wednesday night and it was six hundred and thirty seven thousand viewers tuned into AW Dynamite last night. Eighteen to forty nine age group was at zero point one nine rating NXT the night before seven or and two thousand, so more viewers obviously tuned in overall for NXT the eighteen to forty nine point one six, so a little bit lower than AW Dynamite, but more viewers tuned into NXT, and usually a year ago at this time those numbers and prior to all this were reversed in AW Ninamite was typically like in the eight hundreds. So they've seen a considerable drop off, and they're doing the storyline, they're changing their stuff up, they're giving it a shot. I'm noticing that they're acknowledging that the current climate of all lee wrestling is not good. There are plenty of photos in social media that notice at any point where it's the building is half full. I saw, I saw a picture from and video of last night's AW Dynamite, and I mean it wasn't it wasn't even like three quarters full.

21:13 I mean it was really really bad. They were very, very scattered all over the place. People are pointing out the Adam Cole, mjf rogerck Strong segment where there was like a lack of reaction at the end of it, and they are absolutely right. You could have heard a pin drop in that that is concerning AW is pushing tickets for upcoming events during their show a lot more or at least a lot more noticeable than I could ever remember prior to that. It would just be like, you know, we have some upcoming events on AW tick ticks dot com. Go down below and you could scan the QR code and join us. In a couple of weeks now they're running like thirty second spots on Dynamite Collision Rampage to tune in, and you're also noticing that they're promoting upcoming match and for future matches for future Dynamites Rampages Collision. The amount of times I heard about Shelton Benjamin Versus of strigling a week from tonight on Friday Night Dynamite. I think they added another match as well, Private Party in Young Bucks, which I like. That's well good.

22:10 That goes back to like the old days of AW. They're promoting matches two weeks out. I think first Atlanta Morra and Mercedes Monett or No Camill is going to take place in a couple weeks, Mariah May and Anna Ja. It's got to take place in a couple of weeks. So they're really doing this. They're acknowledging this from a storyline standpoint, they're acknowledging this from a promotion standpoint. Is it desperate, Doctor Trey or do we applaud them for doing this? See? I applauded for this because that's something else that we had brought up like a month ago, was the promotion, Like you don't see the AAW guys out on any of the mainstream media stuff. You don't really see other than the occasional Facebook posts about upcoming shows, like you have.

22:54 To go to the website. Most wrestling fans, I hate to say this is going to sound crass, but are kind of lazy. Just let me know when you're gonna be in my town at some point where I don't have to go to I don't have to go on your website and search when you're gonna be in my area. Let me know when the upcoming shows are. That was always a staple of w CW, Nitro and even WW back in the day, was Hey, next week, we're gonna be here. In two weeks, we're gonna be here, in three weeks, we're gonna be here. Tickets are still on sale, and you'd be like, oh crap, this show's been pretty good. I'd like to go check it out in person. You know, you kind of got to hit a lot of wrestling fans over the head with information, like, you know, the diehards, Yeah, the ones who watch being the elite and we're watching Dark and you know everything else, and the ones that's stuck around have stuck around for rampage, Like those people are always going to be in the note.

23:43 But your casual fans just kind of want it laid out in front of them, simple and easy when you're gonna be out there. I think it's a good move on their part, because, hey, if you're telling me Swerve and Shelton's and you know, next week, do we get the debut of Bobby Lashley also liked, might have to tune in to see that. If you're a Chris Statlander fan or a Camille fan, and you know that they're gonna be going in. Those are two big, strong women fighting it out. Hey, i'mot to check that out. So I think it's smart on their part to announce stuff like that, you know, Anna Jay and Mariah May. Hey, I think I may I might even sit by the bay and. Watch this play. These are all good things for them on the marketing end to kind of put it out there instead of just you know, waiting around. I mean, we still see raw do that Like, Hey, next week, we're gonna you know, during the show next week, you and I head to head toe to toe. You know, stuff like that that's intrigued.

24:37 It's creating that hook to keep the viewership around and have them coming back for more. So I like what they're doing. I like that they're trying. The one thing that I noticed on this past week loop of when we last spoke about aw programming, Doctor Trey, is if you want me to tune into your show, and you want me to be invested, if you want me to pay my hard earned money to sit down in your show. When you come into my town and support aaw you cannot run multiple matches with jobbers like you just can't. I'm pretty sure. And everything kind of blends together when it comes to a W programming, which sometimes is not a good thing. Brian Cage and Lance Archer had a tag team match against two jobbers. The House of Black had a trios match against three jobbers.

25:29 There is nothing outside of the Action Andretti Christ Jericho match that makes me ever think that I want to sit down and tune in and watch the House of Black destroy three job jobbers or Brian Cage and Lance Archer beat up two jobbers like that to me does not do anything for me. There's other talent on the roster, and maybe they're doing this doctor Tree because of the babyfacenario with the BCC angle that can be better utilized in the spot like make it worth my time, make it worth my my interest. Do you want to do a jobber match here and there? Fine, but to do it on Rampage, Collision and Dynamite This past week multiple times, I'm like you, what are they doing? I mean, they have a roster of one hundred and fifty people. Why am I getting this jobber match? And especially with a tendance down and viewership down, that to me in twenty twenty four doesn't make sense. And you and I grew up on nothing but jobber matches on television, and we may disagree on this, but I'm like, at this point when I watch Raw, NXT and SmackDown, there is value to nearly every single match that takes place on one of those three shows in WWA, and that is amazing and hard to come by. And why is an AW doing the same thing? So that is a problem that I've had with AW programming as of land. I'm like, why are they doing all these jobber matches knowing viewership and ticket sales are down?

26:54 Sorry, my wife's laughing. I think we just invented the first drinking game. One answer to you, I think you say jobber like twelve times perfect. Perfect. So now we have a jobb or drinking game. So anytime we throw out the word jobber, take a. Drink, ye chop squad, does that count. A little bit? Uh So when it came to those squash matches, see I went in there when squashed out jobber, I didn't mind the archer Cage one because that was one of the I mean, they're they're gonna try to build them up as a tag team, so you got to try to show them just doing like crazy ridiculous power moves to get fans going, oh crap, that these guys should be pretty cool. House of Black though, Like we don't need a trio It was a trios match against three no names to lead to a Buddy Murphy singles match.

27:42 Makes no sense there if that worst case there, put Buddy Murphy and getting in Leo Russian there and let Buddy Murphy beat Leo Russia then challenge Adam Cole to have them do a jobber match like that, like doesn't make sense to me. It's just kind of a waste of time. We're just have Buddy Murphy come out and call out Adam Cole backstage somewhere. It's kind of a waste of time. Like I get it if you're trying to establish something new for a kind of a new character or a new team or something like that, But what's this established team and they've been around your show for two three years. It's it's it's just. Complete waste and those that's when you get frustrated. Like Raw will have them occasionally, but if they do it, it's because they're trying to build up a new character, new team something like that. You know, think when bron Breaker debut or when you know, Goother or came to the main roster, some of those guys, you know, it's like, oh, we're having them beat up some note name guys and some Kira tizauas of the world, So going to kind of get them over, Like that's that's what the bottom of your roster is for, is to be the filler to sell their ass off for the big monsters, to make them look even more impressive. So it's to me, it's just like it's almost like when they do some that like that. The House of Black one really pissed me off because I'm like, did somebody like not make it to the venue in time and we just had three guys and catering. We're like, hey, you guys got there and fight House of Black real quick.

29:03 Uh. It just it just doesn't make sense to me for those guys Archer and Cage or as I saw Shane Helms call them on Twitter, Cage against the Machine, which I actually dug that name. I didn't mind that one, but House that House of Black one was just just ridiculous and there's no need for it. You know what's wild is that AW was the ones that put so much thought and effort from one show to another back when it was just dynamite, And maybe that's the case here. Do you think AW is just overall creatively exhausted, Doctor Trey? I think they have kind of spread themselves too thin where there's not.

29:43 Kind of a direct building program. You know, you see in w W you have NXC, the guys get built at NXT, they come to the main roster, they get a chance to establish themselves, see if they're if they can get over. If they can, great, we're gonna keep pushing you. If they can't get over, okay, down to the you know, kind of the middle to the bottom of the roster. There's not really like a set roadmap for AW establishing talent. And then plus, when you're putting guys on two and three different shows a week, you're going to run out of stuff for them to do a times that you know makes sense and keeps the creative fresh. Otherwise it's just you get kind of burned out, Like Okay, well, House of Black has been all over the map, you know, in their time on the roster, they've been healed, they've been babyfaces. You had the great stuff with you know, Anna Jay and oh what's her name?

30:35 Sky sky Blue? That was that was some fun stuff, you know, not Hannah Ja, it was sky Blue and Julia Hart. Julia Hart. Yeah, they have some great stuff there and then they kind of it's kind of falling off the map. And then you see one week you see Brody King fighting with Darby Allen and and shaking hands with him. But then you know, Buddy Matthews and they comes down and calls it Adam Cole, who's another baby face? Like, I don't think they have a set game plan all the time. Where I think that's where WWE is always ahead of them, is that there's always a plan in place for stuff. I think AAW's lacking in that foresight. If you told us a month ago that Chris Stallion or Adam Cole would be babyfaces on the AW roster, I think we would have like been like, you're crazy.

31:17 But that's the world that we live in right now. The amount of back and forth on babyface to heal, Heal the babyface and no rhyme nor reason anymore. It's like this really hokey, herky jerky type of creative. It's been bad for aw really, it really has been bad. And I like that they're acknowledging some things, but that's like one thing you need to tighten up. There is pleased and do not have any more squash matches on your programming, Tony Kahn, sincerely, Jeff and Doctor Trey speaking of storylines that are progressing rather well. Doctor Trey is on SmackDown right now. Also carried It's over to Raw on Monday. I wrote down this note after watching SmackDown where I was like, Okay, I want to talk about this on the show because as of right now it's not making sense. And then Monday happen, I'm like, oh, it's starting to make sense. I was going to sit here and ask you does the Roman reigns Jimmy Uso storyline with jay Uso make sense so far? And I thought coming out of SmackDown really didn't because why would jay Uso listen to his brother after they had a few rustle Mania match Why would he give him the time of day? And they have that backstage vignette with Jimmy and Roman arriving to the arena where Jay smiles at his brother, turns to Roman and straight face and then Roman says, you know, we're all proud of you,

32:48 and you know, Jay says, no yeat and then walks away. And he had a great segment with Solosaka to start on the show, but it was like, why is Jay involved at any point right now? Then you fast forward to Monday and the New blood Line costs Jay Usa the Intercontinental Championship, with bron Breaker now retaining that championship for a second reign, and I'm like, oh, We're We're getting somewhere right now. So I have answered my own question here based on what we're seeing, but I want to get your thoughts on this. From what we've seen right now with Roman reigns, Jay Uso and Jimmy Usso, is the storyline that is building towards some sort of rekindling reunion of the original blood line to take on the new blood line? Is it making sense so far based on everything that got Jay Uso away from the old blood line.

33:37 For me, not really, because I got the stuff on SmackDown made sense to me, Like he. Didn't really want to interact with his brother, you know that much. He didn't want to be a part of it. I didn't even understand why he was on the show because he's the Interconinal champion on Raw, so why is he on SmackDown? So that bothered me. The Solo stuff, I was like, Okay, I mean everybody points out Jimmy and Jay are twin, but Solo is his little brother. So I mean I could get why he'd be torn, but then to come back on Raw and have the new bloodline costs in the arcndent title and that be the reason why he decides to join back up with Rome and Jimmy doesn't make any sense to me because then that means to me, the Intercontinental title is more important to him than anybody in his family.

34:23 So I'm a little just off centered here with this, Like it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me. For Jaden, Now go, yeah, you know what they caused me an oc intercondinalent title, so I'm back with you guys, Like that just doesn't seem like a thing somebody would do for family. You know, if he could say, if he comes out and says, look, I'll help you guys, because I owe them, but don't forget I owe you guys. Also, if he does it like that, that'll hook. Me a little bit better. But if he just, you know, pretends like all is forgiven, then I'm gonna have an issue with it. So I get your points. And I think that this is like the first storyline in WI in sometime where there's a little bit of criticism that can go its way because of the things that you're saying, because there is part of me that's like, okay, I could see it making sense, but there's part of me that's going, why does Jay Uson want to integrate himself in this entire thing? Like what's it matter to him? I would have liked to see in a little bit of a deeper build going to it. And I think I'm coming from the position Doctor Tray. Today is October twenty fourth.

35:31 I'm thinking that this is leading towards wargames in about a month's time. We've talked about this for some time, and maybe I would have liked to seen a bit of a little bit of a longer stretch here. Friday SmackDown will be intriguing. If Roman Jimmy and Jay and the new Bloodline are all there to see if this carries forward again. If there is no pickup on SmackDown, that'll be disappointing because okay, what was the point of Monday. I tend to believe that there will be. I don't know if they have enough time to try to convince it one right now dot true, because I can't theoretically think of a situation where I'm like, Okay, they got me on this one, they got me on the Union. I'm pumped, I'm psyched. This makes sense other than like, and this is gonna sound so extremely lame, but I guess Jimmy and Roman need to almost apologize to Jay or maybe this brings back Paul Hayman. There has to be some sort of acknowledgment that what took place previously was a mistake. They made a mistake, and at the end of the day, they're bonded by blood and they're the original bloodline and they need to defend their families honor. Like, I don't know if what I'm positioning you can get us there. But this is some a little bit of uncharted waters for WWE right now, because they've got a storyline that fans can really you know, like you and I criticize basically, so.

36:54 I got a little bit a fancy booking idea that might. Let me ask you you have a jobber involved? Uh kind of. He did lose recently, so SmackDown comes out new blood lines in the ring. Jay comes out by himself basically, hey, you guys, coustmond your cons I don't I want some revenge you know, I want to fight youah blah blah blah. They'll basically say, hey, you know me and you know Solo, me and Jacob or you me and Jacob Fato against you and whoever you want to bring whoever you want to be your partner, thinking that's gonna be Jimmy, think it's gonna be Roman. Whatever goes backstage, Jimmy approaches him, Jay's like, no, I don't need your help.

37:37 I got this. I don't trust you guys that his mystery partner, Sammy's ain't. So he gets Sammy and Jay against Solo and Jacob, and then Sammy becomes the voice of reason and tells Jay, look, at the end of the day, those two guys are your family. We need to patch this up. And then that you kind of go from there where it's Sammy and Jimmy or see me Sammy and Jay kind of aligning with them early on, like kind of rekilling the alignment with them, because Sammy's the voice of reason. Sammy's the one who I mean, seriously, how many times has Ko turned against him over the years and Sammy Dewai always ends up forgiving him. So Sammy would be the one to kind of pull all this back together as the voice of reason because you know, he's still the honorary OOZ true.

38:24 That is true. So I like it. I like that there's some fantasy booking involved there. It's strange because this is the Bloodline storyline has been so good, right Doctor Trey, that the split that took place, whether it be Sammy, whether it be Jay, Jay and Roman and Jimmy and all this stuff, it made always made a ton of sense getting them all back together, even when take back one like Jimmy was the one that convinced Jay to turn on the Bloodline and then Jimmy turned on Jay and reunited with the blood Line. That was a part of the Bloodline storyline that never really made a lot of sense. And I think every time that there is a rekindling or reunion. The fans will want to see it.

39:05 They will pop, they will go absolutely crazy. But from a storyline perspective, I think we sometimes creatively puts themselves in a corner where it's a little bit tough coming out. Of Yeah, I mean, but at the end of the day, like for us, nostalgic kind of wins out in the sense of we want those We want see those four guys back together at some points, so we'll suspend our disbelief on the story just for the sake of the good that comes out. I mean, you know that. What you just said reminds me of I hate to cut you off. Go ahead, because I just saw this recently online. I don't know if it was like an anniversary of the moment or something like that, but from like two thousand and two to two thousand and five, Triple H and HBK had feuds back and forth over time.

39:51 On Monday Night Raw in two thousand and six, they reunited as Degeneration X, and everybody didn't give a shit. They didn't blink an eye because they wanted se DX reunited. That's what this reminds me of. For what the example you're trying to say were where it's like, yeah, we forget all that. I love the nostalgic act. Yeah, I mean, but they I think they kind of reunited over their common enemy. Yeah, common enemy. And you could kind of do the same thing here where the enemy of my enemy is my friend, where Jay is now an enemy of Solo, Roman and Jimmy are an enemy of Solo. So you know, you kind of put that in the riverw I mean, we saw that with the nWo. We were front NW a lot with the BCC, But how many times do we see you know, the giants get kicked out and then rejoined.

40:34 I mean Randy. Savage got turned on a bash at the beach and never once came after really came after the nWo afterwards, and just all of a sudden, he's like, huh, yeah, I'm I'm team Hollywood. That's fine. You know the finger Poke of Doom reunited wolf Pack in Hollywood. Yeah, I mean, we've but it was for the sake of like, oh yeah, let's put the band back together, so to speak. So we will suspend commons and storytelling at times if it makes us feel. Better about what we're seeing on TV. So if you end up with Sammy and Jay against say Toma, Tonga and Togolo for the SmackDown titles, and you got Jimmy and Roman and Solo and Jacob going at it. Well, then the four of those guys and the four of those other guys they should all hate each other and it kind of blends together, so there are ways of kind of patchworking it. And then once you get to war games, I mean, once again, the ultimate trump card that nobody's referenced, Solo takes out Rakishi, which then puts Jimmy and Jay back together to go after the little brother for taking out their dad.

41:38 That would be interesting, That would be interesting. Yeah, yeah, yeah, tries me to peace maker between three boys. And he did it for the Rock, Yeah, exactly. Solo did it for the Rock, the Rock's final boss yep, when he asked, why did you take out dad? I did it for the Rock. That would be actually. Money really for us, for us old guys, we would all get it. The younger fans will be like, what, huh. Did it for the Rock? You don't the entire thing that as we're talking about this, something that just came to my mind here is, you know, adding Jay adding Sammy into the storyline. The thing that we're tending to forget here is they don't they don't need this, Like this is kind of beneath them. They're they're big stars right now. Like is it a step back for Jay and Sammy. Let's just talk about Jay because we don't know about Samy, But is it a step back for Jay to be involved in a storyline like this?

42:37 Character wise? Probably a little bit, because I don't know if the New I can't I haven't really been able to gauge, like we knew when the og bloodline was over with the fans, like we knew, like they're like the fans. Everybody hated them, but they're still throw up the ones you know you're over. Then, I don't know if people look at the New bloodline and you can say they're over with the audience like I think people I don't know if people are if Solo's actually over with the crowd has the top villain on the show. I think people are fascinated by Jacob Fatu, which then makes it hard to boo him because the dudes of freak athletes and then Toma Tonga and Togoloa like for diehard fans. Yeah, we know who the Girls and Destiny are. We know what a great tag team they are. Does the WWE audience understand what they have? I don't know if that group is perceived on the same level as equal opposition to it a reunited og bloodline would be, or even Jay Uso on that level, because Jay, we know is super of the fans because I mean, hell yea shirts are like the number one or number two sellers on WWE right now.

43:51 It's crazy. So it probably is a step backwards, but for the sake of elevating family, I think it's the right move for him. Interesting. Interesting what storyline are you digging right now? The most of professional wrestling. Probably BCC just because the mystery involved as to who the person is behind it. Well, that's what we're assuming, right Yeah. And then well, I mean he's still his his that's our hope. That's our hope. Uh. And then he does have vague allusions to something somebody else being involved. Does he I can't tell? Sometimes with mox like, what what the hell did he say? I mean, he's making Lord love him and God rest his soul, is making some of the Brave White Stuff look sound like something I could follow.

44:41 I am intrigued now by by the way, you mentioned that, I am intrigued by saying Final Testament why six. Yeah, I'm happy they're back on TV. Miss and Miss being a darker version of Miss, Like it's kind of a weird thing. But I'm like, we've never seen Mis go like but horror Hollywood. But that and Xavier Wood stuff is really good. Yeah, I mean it. Plus i mean how cool, like like when our Truth by the way, I know we're kind of ex side step, is our Truth coming out to help out the New Day. I'm like, why have we ever seen our Truth with the New Day? Like that just seems like a match made in Heaven to put those guys together, because the comedy from those guys will be great. But this new dark Exavier Woods is still a cool twist. But yeah, I'm really I just want Carrying Cross. I'm a big Carrying Cross fan. I'm just wanting to see something good for Carrying Cross. You know, like he really has anything, had anything really good. He had the Strap few, the Strap match with Drew McIntyre when he first came back.

45:42 Outside of that, the NXT run and really nothing else has been really aviodated. But I love cultish type characters, so I'm on board with this. I thought you you were all on board with the Gladiator costume carrying cross at one. Time, only because I was hoping for a wardrobe malfunction from him or Scarlett. Interesting, fair enough, fair enough for me. It's it's the Kevin Owen stuff. But that's I mean, that's easy. I'm I'm like, Okay, where is this going. The Kevin Owens, Cody Roads, Randy Orton stuff right now, I think is really good. And that's an offshoot of the stuff that took place with the Bloodline. I'm like, this is a little bit more modern day. We're really well thought out, and I like how it's playing on television right now.

46:22 So that's that's mine. But that's probably because I'm a huge Kevin Owens fan. Wait, I was, as I was gonna ask you a question by this, who does Randy who do we see Randy Orton talk to on SmackDown this week to get the Magic. Crown jewel against Kevin Owens. Yeah, because Nick All just said it's above me. That's what he's talking about, right. Yeah, that's what everybody thinks. But who do you think you talk to, Sean Michaels. I don't know. That's the thing is like, do we see Triple H on SmackDown and a Triple Ah Randy orton segments? Yeah, I think yeah, that would be that would make sense. I think that's who they were alluding to. It would be really funny if it like, hey, can I have this match and they like the camera pans and it's it's it's I don't know, the returning Reggie or something.

47:09 They it's it's ak he goes to Stephanie instead. M Yeah, they have they have a history. But I thought that was I thought that basically was alluding to Triple H. Yeah, I know, but I just I was just like, but I mean, I know, we call him like, we call him by his title on TV, but we haven't seen him actually come out and make a match happen. So that would be a different take on it. That's so that's why I was wondering if they were gonna go bra because I'll forget. Well, they're playing it up as if it's a real thing that they're banning, like Kevin Owens from being in the arena and and doing these these videos even though they did air the video on SmackDown. Yeah, but and Ko is a Triple H guy, so you know it's it's and everybod kind of knows that because that was the first uh you know Triple H really with the Triple H helping Ko win the title overset that one time in the in the Fatal four Way talking.

48:01 About Triple H sidebar here before we get into Halloween Havic. Anybody ever think it's weird that they referred to him on television now as Paul Triple H Levec. It freaks me out with it when every time I hear so you say, I gotta go talk to. Paul, Yes, that that freaks me out because Triple H means hunter Hurst Helmsley. So if it's the full name, is he Paul hunter Hurst Helmsley Levec. Which sounds so fancy, But then I gotta go talk to Paul, I think and Hayman and Hangman, So it throws me off every time. It's the old school fan me. They're not like, here's Mark the Undertaker Callaway, which, by the way, Undertaker interviewed a former president. Yeah, it's crazy.

48:41 What a world. And by the way, nobody ever says, I gotta go talk to Higginbotham. True, Yeah, I gotta, I gotta go talk to Mike who Michael hbk Hickebottom here he is? Uh? Or yeah? What? I don't even know what Booker T's real name is, so Booker you're right, yeah, Booker T. Huffman. I guess, yeah, I think I think it's a Booker T. Huffman. You know, it's just little things are driving nuts, like Lexus King can't be known as Brian Pillman, Charlie Dempsey can't be known as Charlie Regal, but we're gonna call Paul triple h Levec. It's like, yeah, but Saban and Shelley get to keep their names. Yeah, they do everything. They get to keep everything. Which any thoughts there? Do you like the the tagline on their on their Titan Tron of rat a tat tat sure?

49:32 I mean what what, I don't know. I'm happy for them. This is this is great. I mean, these this is long overdue that they got the opportunity in this position, and it's it's it's got me excited for the Tag team division at least on SmackDown. But yeah, I mean they're they're getting a lot of pub on on a return and on coming to w w A and rightfully so I'm digging at Doctor Trey. I thought the crowd reaction though, was really light. I mean, they're not like extremely well known. Right, yeah, did they have I can't remember. I know they should have done vignettes like explaining who they were beforehand, I think, but and not just the weird video did that didn't show them at all?

50:16 Like show some you can get TNA to give you some highlights. Oh, absolutely you can, especially with the relationship right now. So but I know we had the American Wolves in NXT did like one time? Did we get I thought there was another tag team that they fought like the week but like because who was who was the champion of the time? Was that time splitters out of match or two because Shelley did? Who did? Who did? Who was it that the Wolves wrestled? There was uh Connor and Victor the Ascension? The Ascension. I thought there was another tag team at the time that they had the week before.

50:56 I know the Brisco has got a couple of dark matches. Sworn it was the it was MotorCity. I thought Motorsman Machina has had one match in NXC beforehand. No Shelley wrestled with Kashida. I don't believe Saban ever wrestled in w A. All right, but either way, like, I'm happy for them. I'm glad they're getting the chance. I'm looking forward to seeing them in d I Y because that should be a hell of a tag match. That's a borderline dream tag match, so that'll be really, really, really fun. But uh, you've got a lot of talented tag teams starting utilizing them, like Anderson and Gallows are on there, Dall. Mysterio and Dragon lead team up in the number one Contenders tournament because they've never seen before, but they should be number one contenders.

51:37 I hope that that's leaning towards war Raiders Doctor Try. I am too, so I'm not gonna lie. Lots of good stuff, And I'll just add one more thing on the MotorCity machine guns, because we talked about AW at the top of the show. I do think it does speak some volumes here, that MotorCity machine guns. I mean, it just seemed like a foregone conclusion. We go to a w Stephanie Vakor went to we those some things that, like people are noticing that maybe my career isn't going to be as postful in AW as it would be in WWA. Well, I still think for a lot of wrestlers, especially longer term like longer tenured wrestlers and wrestlers from overseas, WW is still the place to go. Like, it's still the dream to have a wrestle media match. So somebody like Stephanie Vaccor who grew up watching ww and what grew up watching WRESTLEMDIA has it and hurt like lursy machine guns. I mean, those kids grew up on WWE, so it makes a lot of sense the younger kids, maybe AW.

52:34 Is the place for them to go. But to me, it's like if. You're a tenured veteran and you're like, man, I got one less good run in me, I gotta take my shot at WWE. Yeah. These are two guys in their forties and they've been wrestling for over twenty years and here they are finally making their shot in w WA. Modersoton machine guns. Let's preven predicted NXC Halloween Havoc taking place to Sunday from the Giants Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. First match on the car here, Doctor Trey's an ambulance match against Ridge Holland and Andre Chase. This is a hard one to pick, but I'm gonna go with Andre Chase because Chase h has just been destroyed by Ridge Hall in the last two to three months. Yeah, I'm taking Andre Chase as well. I just feel like you'll see, you know, something like Duke will be driving the ambulance and you'll see, uh thea Hale in a nurse's outfit. I just the ambulance match means like anything goes kind of thing, So I can see Chase Young getting involved to all get their revenge.

53:24 On Ridge Holland. Chase Young from the New Orleans Saints Young, I mean Andre Chase. Sorry, yeah, Chase Young. I've I've been playing a lot of football on my on my PS five, so yeah. Yeah, he could definitely spear like bron Breaker does Calonne Jordan defense against either Fallon Henley, Jacy Jane or Jasmine Nicks in a Spinner's Choice match for the NXC Women's North American Championship, Doctor Trey, who do you like in this one? I got momentarily confused when I saw Spinner's Choice because I was like, wait, are we putting the spinner on the North American title for the women? Like that would be horrible. They just and it's just that I a jeweler. They just pick which spinner they select. That's the match. I'm taking Kilani because I think I don't know what her new name is, but her old name was Delta.

54:07 I think she gets involved to help her out in this match. I'm going to go with Fallon Henley. I think you gotta do some with this. Is it Fatal Attraction that's their tag name now, yeah, trio name. I'm going to go with Fallon Henley in this one because I think they could use a little bit of some firepower for their group moving forward. So Doc Tray is Kolanie. I'm gonna go with Fallon Henley to be the winner in this one. Next match is Roxane Perez and Cora Jay taking on Julia and Stephanie vakor Doctor Trey. Who do you like in this one? I guess Julia and Stephanie vack Or just because of the tag match, the titles and not on the line, so I think they can afford to get a win to kind of boost them up. This is gonna be fun though, because I'm really interesting how this Korra Roxan thing works out, because if I remember correctly, they were partners and then feuded and then kind of made up and then got hurt.

54:54 So I'm gonna say Julia and Stephanie Bucker though, because. They kind of need the win to kind of pump them up. I like you, I'm gonna take Julian stephaniebau Chorus as well. Tony D'Angelo defends the NX North American Championship against Obafemi and a tables, ladders and scares match. Uh, this is a tough one to call. I'm gonna go with Obafemi in this one, Doctor Trey. Uh. I think I'm taking Tony d to retain, and I think you see Obafemi move up to the heavyweight title in the next month or two. And then finally the Devil's Playground match for the NXC Championship, Trick Williams defense against Ethan Page. I'm gonna go with Trick Williams. Yeah, I'm going with Trick Altar because I think Trick and Oba is the next big feud for Trick, So I'm gonna take Trick retaining.

55:36 So there you go. We will recap and review NXC Halloween Havoc on next week's edition of this show, and we'll get you ready for Halloween and also w W Crown Jewel, right, Doctor Trey. That's next weekend. Yeah, see, next weekend, I'll be in Tennessee with the family for Halloween and then Crown Jewel'll be the Saturday I'm driving back. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, So we'll be preview and predicting Crown Jewel, recap, being in reviewing NXD Halloween Havoc, and also getting everybody ready for the Halloween holiday. With that said, let's hit a couple plugs and sponsors out of the way. You could download the show every Thursday or Friday at Realguy Radio dot com, Wrestle Chatting neet on X and the still Realta Show iTunes feed don't forget to rate, review and subscribe to help us climb the charts on iTunes.

56:20 You could follow us individually on X for myself SRTU Jeff and for Doctor Trey Franklin at the Doctor Trey and of course don't forget to follow the show on X at SRTU podcast. With that being said, what is going on in the one Full World of Doctor Trey Franklin this week. Well, like Jeff said, you can follow me on Twitter at the Doctor Trey. You can fame me on Instagram and Facebook to search out Doctor Trey Franklin. When you're on Facebook, be sure to check out Rocky City Championship Wrestling. We just had a huge show last weekend headlined by me getting into a Chase Owens and suspending him from Rocket City Championship Wrestling. Take that Chase Owens crown Jewel of the Bullet Club. Also, be sure check out Spark Championship Wrestling where they haven't it's been in Chase Owens and Chase will be wrestling Barry cole Off this weekend as Spartan, So be sure to check out those two local shows here in Alabama. But most important to get out there support your own local independent wrestling show so you can find the next three jobbers to be sacrificed to the House of Black on aw Dynamites.

57:17 So you go support all the great things that support the still route this show. Thank you for downloading. Join us next week again recap interview and NX Halloween Havock preview and predicting we Crown Jewel and getting you ready on recapping anything that goes on in the world a professional wrestling. Thank you for downloading, Thank you for making us part of your week. Spread the word about the Still route the show, rate, review and subscribe, and until next week. For doctor Troy Franklin, I am Jeff Beck. This has been the Still Rolas Show.