WWE Week in Review: Jade Cargill Finds a Spot at WrestleMania, LA Knight Attacks AJ, CM Punk on Raw, Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke

This is WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre, and you're listening to the WWE Podcast show,
the one that Everybody wants me God three sixteen. So your ass is
my you're gonna acknowledge me. Hey, guys, welcome to the WWE Podcast.
It is Sunday, March thirty first, the final day of March here
in twenty twenty four, and it is WrestleMania Week, officially WrestleMania Week.
Can you believe it? It's here? The road to WrestleMania concludes one week
from right now. As I record this, it's about ten pm Eastern Standard
time. But in about for all intentsive purposes, seven days, we will
be talking about the conclusions of every match, all of our speculations, all
of our predictions, all of the build will we'll find out. We'll find
out who's right, who's wrong. We'll find out some likely some turns and
things we didn't see, some surprises. I think we're gonna be looking at
a hell of a WrestleMania. And since it's WrestleMania Week, guys, we're
gonna be covering WrestleMania Wallda Wall. You're gonna hear predictions throughout the entire week.
Obviously a massive preview and prediction show coming up this week, and you'll
get to hear mine later in the week, and I'm interested to hear what
your predictions are. I mean, we got a big mail bag coming up
this coming week Wednesday or Thursday, but then Thursday ish, probably maybe Thursday
or Friday at the very latest Thursday morning or Friday morning. Rather, we'll
be dropping our official previewing prediction show covering every single match in detail for Night
one to Night two, and then with this week being the two night event,
we will have the Night one review and then a set print night to
review. So it's gonna be WrestleMania everything all week for those of you in
Philadelphia. If you're going, safe travels, enjoy yourselves. I think it's
going to be a memorable couple of nights. I don't care which night you're
going. I think both of them will be ones to remember. If I
had to pick one night, I would go the second night, even though
The Rock is wrestling the first night. I think there's more to talk about
on the second night. But before we get into the week in review,
it is WRESTLEMANI week, which means you can get yourself a week for free,
including the review shows for free ad free because of the seven day free
trial we have on Apple Podcasts and on Patreon, And if you like us
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of the shows. So head on over to Patreon dot com slash WWE podcast
or check out Apple podcast and go AD free there as well, right on
your podcast app. Last night I dropped a a after dark show, one
that was you know, it had to do with wrestling, but I dove
into some other topics that were not wrestling related, you know, some controversial
things and you know it certainly is a hot topic these days, and don't
leave it at that, And you can check it out if you are on
the NXT plus and above tier on Patreon it's available to you, or on
Apple it's available to you those of you that are subscribers. So let's dive
into this week in WWE, and let me talk about Jade Cargill first,
because we finally get Jade Cargill coming to a brand, finding out where she's
landing on a brand, and the storm is here. She's got a gimmick,
at least on the surface. She certainly has an entrance, she certainly
has a look, and she not only made her her signing public this week
with Nick Aldis, but she also got herself involved in a in a program
with Damage Control as predicted here, and I'm sure others did as well.
But it makes sense that Jade's going to be involved in a six women tag
team match. I don't know if that's official yet, but let's be honest,
it's it's official. It's officials, Adam Pierce, we put it.
They all pointed like robots at the WrestleMania sign and we now have, although
it's not un official on paper, we have we have Bianca Bellair, we
have Naomi and now we have Jade Cargill versus Damaged Controls Kyrie Saying Osca and
Dakota Kai and of course we have Bailey facing Eo Sky for the WWE Women's
Championship. Let me just say this, it's going to be a very bad
night for Damage Control, A very bad maybe couple of nights, depending on
when those women can pete for those two matches, it's going to be a
very bad WrestleMania for damage control bad because you know, here's the thing,
Jade Cargill is going to get the victory just a matter of against who.
You know. I don't think it'll be a pinning Osket will probably be pinning
Dakota Kai or Kyrie saying. Probably Kyrie saying. Because she's gotten, They've
given her nothing to say or do, so she's not gonna be hurt by
it because she's a pretty low level right now. Anyway, in the eyes
of fans, sadly, so, I think Jade Cargill, I mean early
prediction, looks dominant and takes the victory home for her team. I don't
know if anything after the match could happen, right, Maybe maybe maybe Bianca
bell Ara attacks Jade and turns heel. Maybe Jade turns heal on Bianca.
Maybe nothing happens, but it's going to be an interesting dynamic. Nonetheless,
and yes, a lot of people are pointing out that it's the you know,
the the fact that there are three black women, right, very strong,
physical, strong black women, right, and hey, it's true.
I don't know the last time that there was a faction if you want to
call it that, or even just a team. They're not a faction,
a team of this type of women, right, three black women who are
incredibly in shape, incredibly athletic, And that'll be something that will be pointed
out right, and I think it should be. I think it should be
mentioned. But but here's the thing. I don't care what color you are,
red, right, white, green, yellow, violet. It doesn't
matter to me because while it will become a focal point and it is twenty
twenty four, which means people focus on race and all that kind of stuff,
my lens that I look through this, at this through, which is
how I look at all wrestlers through. I don't care whether you're a guy,
a girl, or a black, white whatever. To me, it's
merit. To me, it's what did you accomplish? To me, it's
how deep is your character? You know, how good are you in the
ring? The stuff that everyone should be measured by and measured by evenly.
That's how I look at it, and that's how I'm going to look at
it, and I know some people aren't and going to be looking at only
the side that the other's three strong black women is on a team, and
hey, you find like, if you want to make that the focal point
and make that the whole identity of the group, I think that's a very
shallow way to identify them, Right, I've already seen it blow up.
I'm not trying to I'm not bringing in politics in this. I'm just observing
what has been going on on Twitter or on x ever since that that has
happened in the image of it and all these things, and like, fine,
you know, yeah, they are, they're the very three strong,
very strong black women. You haven't even seen the best of Jade Cargill yet.
We haven't even seen anything from Jade Cargily yet for that matter. But
to me, the identity should not be as shallow as the shade of your
skin. Okay, it should be based on merit, as everything in every
position and every judgment should be. It should be based on your ability and
nothing else. Sorry. I know a lot of people want to make a
bigger deal than it is, but I actually think that's a you know,
just to me, a slap in the face to those women to only look
at it through that prism, Like sure, you want to mention it fine.
It is an interesting fact and one that you don't see too often.
Right visually, it is very it's different, and I have no problem with
it, but I want to dig beyond that. While some people stick on
that and stay on that and make that their whole identity, I care about
what they've accomplished and looking at their resume and what the future could hold and
who could feud with who. That's how I look at this through. So
I just wanted to put that out there. But it's gonna be fun because
you're going to look for tension between Jade and Bianca specifically, and you thought
Bianca was muscular, and then you see Jade and you're like, yikes.
Now, Jade didn't have a whole lot to say say. She basically said,
I have a new I have a new other report, the storm is
here, and she looked confident. She didn't rush her her short promo.
She didn't overstay her welcome either. And this bled a little bit into my
after dark last night, where you know, Jane came out and just I
understand she wants to show off her physique. I get it, she does.
She's very athletic, she's incredible shape and good for her. That's awesome.
She is a physique among gods and goddesses, right, we understand that,
But this is I mean this. You can't tell me objectively to look
at Jade and go wow. Can we back off the sexuality and actually talk
about what your credentials are to be here, talk about what your mission is
maybe instead of having you know, bad news bear it on commentary, talk
about how his jaws on the floor and need pick it up, and he
can't stop staring at her and try to make it respectful, saying, well,
in the best way. Wait, there's only one way to stare at
her, and that's just to stare at her, because we all know why
we're staring at her, right. See, this is what I'm talking about.
Even Wade Barrett alluded to it without even knowing who's alluding to it.
And that is just I'm not a fan of this. Just acceptance or indifference
even to the women who are you, who especially post stuff on social media,
but now it's bleeding into the wrestling attire. It's just not I'm not
saying it's not appropriate. I am offended. No, I'm not offended.
Okay, that's not the point. I just look at it and I go,
Jade, You've got more to bring to the table. We've seen the
five thousand and two pictures you've posted on Instagram. That is literally to most
fans, not all, but most fans, all you have shown us thus
far outside of a quick world rumblest and it was impressive. And you threw
an eya jacks over the top rope and you look like a star and great.
But outside of like you know, a blink of an eye. The
only thing you've got right now to fans, right now is a look.
You have no substance yet, none and that and I believe she'll she'll come
along. And I hope that her entering ability matches how much attention they're giving
to her physique. But for her physique to be the focal point right now,
and that's all they've got. I don't want to hear that. Well,
there's got to get her in ring ready. They don't have her in
ring ready, so that they're clearly going to lean on that is her mouth
broken? Have they forgotten that? You know? Even just cutting vignettes pre
tape stuff is something that is doable and has been proven effective over the many
decades. Do we not want to create any kind of character building until she
comes out? Why? So I'm only critical of it because it's just continues
to prove my point. Even the announcers, even the announcers, Wade Beard
specifically, is doing the very thing that I warned you about. So this
isn't me just sitting on my high horse conjecturing and telling women how to dress
or whatever weird thing you think I'm trying to do. It's a concern I
have that is now being validated and realized on air. So like, this
isn't just me in my mind trying to create a stir and dictating to women
how they should act and dress. No, not at all. And you
want even more evidence that what I'm saying is not just hot air and just
in my own head. And oh he's you know, he's telling women how
to be an act, which is, by the way, far from the
truth. And I'm actually on the road to continuing to push women's wrestling forward.
Becky Lynch has even come out and said that what Rea Ripley did with
the stink face was stupid in so many words, and that this is not
good for women's wrestling. She's even said that. I mean, Becky Lynch
has come out against that for the very reasons that I have. So good
for Becky Lynch. I don't care if this is in character or her just
Rebecca Quinn just attacking what Reea Ripley is really kind of spearheading, whether she
knows it or not, with the women's wrestling kind of being inadvertently or purposefully
re sexualized. And sure it's not the attitude era. Women's wrestling has come
a long way and women can actually wrestle now and they're not just looked at
as playboy models that occasionally have a pillow fight. But I have a big
problem. It's only a big problem in the sense that I'm concerned. I'm
concerned that women's wrestling isn't going to reach the height it can if for a
predominantly male audience. If you get if you guys forget what men are like.
Just ask your boyfriend, ask your husband, go to a local bar.
I mean, men are wired, hard wired for visual stimulation. That's
how we are made. And when you put these things on TV and you
titillate no pun intended men with these images, but then tell them you're supposed
to take them seriously beyond the sexual nature of it. Good luck with that.
Good luck it's going to be. They're just they're creating a problem that
doesn't exist right now, and a problem they overcame ten years ago and now
they're trying to they're bringing it back thinking that, well, women can be
sexy and powerful. Yeah they can. Here's the thing they can. But
you know how they do it the most effectively, and what has been proven
over the last ten years to work very well to get women to the main
event of WrestleMania. Have their own royal rub will have their own hell and
us I'll have their own own money in the bank, have their own damn
pay per view with no men. Remember all that stuff. And I'm only
skimming the surface of the accomplishments. You know how they did that. They
were powerful first and worried about kicking ass second. Being sexy was a byproduct
of what they did. It was something that was not a focal point.
It was not a part of their repertoire. It was not a part of
their promos or their outfits. It was just something that happened to have to
happen to be present. In addition to the other items that have pushed women
forward and actually moved women in the right direction, like Becky Lynch, who's
a perfect example. Right, She's not the only one. Charlotte is another
one, although her outfits have increasingly over the years become a little bit more
scandalous. And hey, but you know, it's not that women's wrestling is
gonna I think crash and burn, because it's got so much value behind it
and so much equity. But I just, I'm just I'm become a concern
fan because I have seen and been through the attitude era, and I know
what women had to overcome to get here. And now I'm seeing those very
things that poison the women's division in the first place make a return by the
way the women themselves are doing it. This isn't the company deciding to take
a sexualized approach to women. Now, this is the women themselves deciding to
re sexualize themselves, whether it's because they want more likes from strangers or validation
from strangers, and they like to show off their their their backside or their
front side, and then we're all supposed to not notice that. You know,
they're they're doing this for attention. But at the same time, we're
supposed to ignore the fact that we're supposed to know that they were supposed to
take them seriously in the ring. At the same time, it's just I
don't know. I mean, they do what they want. I've got nothing
to gain, by the way, from this, I just want to see
women's wrestling sixs. But okay, I'm going way off on a tangent,
but I wanted to address it because of Jade this week Becky Lynch's comments,
which you can go read for yourself. So this isn't again you go,
oh, just making it up. No one else cares. Really, no
one else cares, you know, except for the people in the company now
starting to talk about it. Yeah, so yeah, I'm certainly the only
one, alrighty. But beyond that, I am excited, I have to
say for Jade and her debut to see what she can do. That's all.
I'll leave it at that. All right, Let's keep keep on rolling
on here. There's a lot more to get to and beyond that. On
SmackDown, it was nice to have a rock Roman seth Cody free Knight.
It really was, because it has been really overbearing at times. And it's
not to say we can't ye know that they were done and sick of it,
but it's nice to see what a show looks like without them on it
and give the stars that benefited in a big way, like Carrying Cross and
the Final Testament and the Street Profits and Bobby Lashley just as an example,
give them time to shine and see what they can do when Rock, Roman,
Seth and Cody isn't taking up fifty five minutes a show. So it's
nice to see what they can do. And we did get I think the
perfect example of them maximizing their minutes. Now does that mean that The Street
Profits and The Final Testament are going to have a featured match at WrestleMania.
I mean, I don't know if that's official, but I could see them
at the very least on the excuse me, on the pre show. But
let's get into it as that's a long intro to the show, all right.
We get Kevin Owens and Randy Orton versus pretty deadly Kit Wilson and Elton
Prince, and this match was quick. It was pretty deadly, defeating Kevin
Owens at just under seven minutes, and Prince got the cover on Owens for
the wind But here's what happened, okay, because it wasn't just Prince outright
beating Kevin Owens. Of course, it was Elton Prince getting in the match.
Owens landed a big lariat. He followed up with the DDT covered for
a near fall. Orton, I'm sorry. Owens went up top, but
he was interrupted by Kit Wilson. He fought him off and attempted a swanton,
but Wilson got his knees up. Orton attacked Wilson on the floor and
set him up to sup plexim on the announced table. Prince interfered, and
then the ref turned his back on Owens. Logan Paul appeared under the ring
and KOed Owens with a brass knuckle punch. See that's the important part that
we didn't talk about here. So those brass knucks make a beloved but also
hated return to take out Owens. And then after the match, Orton was
not sure what happened. Initially upset with Owens and he was about to set
up Paul for an RKO on the table pretty deadly interfered and then they threw
Orton in the ring, but both of them got hit with a stunner.
And an RKO. Fine, I had no you know, this was a
match that you would think was set up to make Orton and Owens looked dominant,
as Kit Wilson and Elton Prince have really done nothing other than just say
yeah boy and like one vignette here and there and really do not much of
anything when it comes to putting W's in the you know, the the wind
column. Right, So they got a victory, albeit a very tainted one.
Fine, but really this didn't hurt Owens because it's brass knocks. I
think it furthered heat on Logan Paul, who scurried out of the arena in
his sports car and as Owen's chase or as Orton chased him down. So
I think it was an effective segment. I don't think anybody was hurt by
this, really, I don't think anyone was massively helped. I think it's
just WWE at this point, ready to get to WrestleMania. You know,
I think they're ready. I think we are ready. They're ready. Let's
go. You know, there's only one more Raw and one more SmackDown,
and it's gonna be I think two hotshows. Because now after this, they
know that there's no other chance to promote the show. This is it,
This is it to so they're throwing everything at the wall to get you to
subscribe to the network, subscribe to Peacock, or if you're out of the
state, subscribe to the WWE network so that you are able to watch the
show and you know, pay your fee to continue to watch wwepl's And this
is their big show, their big moment. These are going to be two
massive shows. So this is it. But I know there's a lot of
speculation too, of Orton turning on Owen's or Owens turning on Orton, and
sure that's possible, but I don't know if it's likely. I mean,
both of them are solidly in the babyface camp. None of neither of them
feel stale right now. I think they've got more to offer. Both of
them have a history of turning heel on a moment's notice, though, so
there is a lot of evidence to show both of them turning on their opponents.
I mean, my god, I'd like to know the totality of the
number of turns of heel turns that both Kevin Owens and Randy Orton have had
in their careers. Collectively, and I would say probably twenty plus that they've
turned heel. Maybe between the both of them. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but
I mean it's not big show level, but I think it's pretty substantial.
Orton loves being a heel, so I could also see Orton turning. Yeah,
I could see that happening, But if he's gonna face Logan Paul,
obviously he's not going to turn heel until after that match. But but all
right, let's continue, and let's see. We got EO Sky, who
was cutting a nice promo, the kind of a shin skate Awkamoro style,
and we got EO Sky saying that, you know, damage troll out grew
her and she did what she needed to be done to get rid of her.
She at one time considered Bailey a friend and she'll regret that for the
rest of her life. And then the director said, yep, okay,
that's a wrap. And then Bailey attacked EO Sky, which we all thought
was a pre taped interview, and it might have been pre taped. I'm
not sure if it was meant to be viewed as pre taped or whatever.
It doesn't matter. Bailey attacked her threw her through the green screen, and
it was a nice a nice touch for something different. You know, you
don't expect that because typically with these pre taped interviews or how that interview style
is done, it's usually in some kind of you know, undisclosed location.
They're in some mysterious place no one ever attacks. So it was nice.
I had no issue with it, and Bailey got the best of Eo,
but they got pulled apart and so cool. I mean, I think it
helped them because there's been too much focus on Dakota Kai and Neo Sky and
you know, Kyrie saying doubled teaming, triple teaming, quadruple teaming Bailey,
and I think Bailey and Io need to get to them, to the one
on one portion of this, as with really all the title matches outside of
Becky, well even Becky and Ria. Becky's been distracted with like fifteen opponents.
I think if there's one criticism of this year's WrestleMania build, and there's
not a lot, so I'm trying to search for them, but if I
was to find one, it would be that all of the top championship matches
have been very really have had a lack of focus with the opponent that they're
facing at WrestleMania. I mean, you look at Seth and Drew. Seth
has been extremely distracted with the Bloodline and rock Enrollment and Cody, and you
have again Becky being distracted with Naya Jacks and some other opponents Live Morgan.
You look at the the women's side of things with EO Sky and with Bailey.
Bailey has been being attacked by every member of Damn It's Control, and
there hasn't been a whole lot of one on one focus or promo time between
Bailey and EO you know so and with and with Cody and Roman. We
only started to get the Cody Roman promo. They's only started a couple of
weeks ago, and that even wasn't that effective, I mean because I don't
know, it didn't really work for me. And but that said, they
only got so much time now and they're finally getting to their opponents. I
guess that's just one one small complaint. Again, it hasn't really hurt everything
overall, because we know what it's going to be at WrestleMania, but it's
just a it seems like there's a lack of focus because there's so many other
little detours and spiderweb of storylines that these other people are going down. So
that's one one criticism. But all right, we then, uh, let's
see here, we got Jade Cargill as I talked about, And yes,
Jay does look like a megastar. Okay, she does. That's what thing.
You know, For all the criticism I've talked about, with the whole
sexualization of women and all that, Jay does still look like a megastar.
She does look like a star, no doubt about it. But you know,
she she is. She is a force to be reckoned with. But
it's all gonna come down to can she get the job done? Beyond standing
there and posing and oiling herself up and taking selfies and showing off her backside
in her front side and being extremely conceited and self absorbed online, can you
get it done in the ring? You know? The she seems like she
seems like a very big fan of herself, much like Mercedes Monette. Yeah,
that's that's a whole nother road I could go down with Sasha Banks Mercedes
Monette. There's no one more impressed with Mercedes Monett than Mercedes Monet. I've
never and she had this problem in w W. E never came off appealing
to me. Not that she wasn't amazing in the ring and had moments that
we'll never forget and had matches that we were all time greats Bailey and that,
yeah, all that, of course, but just her personality and her
promos and her presence always had this arrogance. Even when she was on the
Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions, had this arrogance about her that was just so
off putting, and just like she just is very impressed with herself and I
never felt just never felt good about it. But doesn't mean you still can't
be great. Sometimes I even think there's that that that's a trait that people
who are really great neat to have. But it's still to me an off
putting trade. So we'll see if Jade is able to deliver. Time will
tell all right. Street Profits versus Austin Theory and Grayson Waller. Austin Theory
and Grayson Waller beat the Street Profits in six minutes to join the WrestleMania Tack
Team Bladder Match. My god, I think we finally got all the qualifiers.
It feels like We've been doing this for eight weeks to find out how
many what teams are going to be in the six Pack Challenge ladder match for
WrestleMania for the tag titles. So fine, we now have the whole field
of competitors laid out and complete. We now know who is going to compete
for the undisputed tag team titles of Wrestlemanium, and the Street Profits are not
one of those teams. And what happened was there was a distraction caused by
a cause Ford because of an attack on Lashly backstage by carrying Cross and his
goons that caused a delay or a distraction. He got rolled up by Theory
for the victory, and after the match, AOP attacked the Street Province,
left them laying with the super Collider, and lastly tried to intervene, but
he was shot down quickly by crossing AOP and left lay. I mean,
at least that's something for those of us that have been interested semi interested in
this matchup. This did get you a little more interest. Didn't remind you
that this could be a decent program if they actually had consistently focused on it.
It just is a lack of consistent focus, mainly due to the fact
that Rock Roman and Cody and Seth have taken up half the show every week.
So it's nice to see again talent get an opportunity that you know otherwise
wouldn't if they were on the show. But there's also post WrestleMania season.
Guys, don't forget, you know, post Mania. I think there's gonna
be a lot of a lot of those faces back when the Rock maybe takes
a break and comes back before WrestleMania forty one, or maybe he continues.
I mean, we don't know, but there's still a lot to be hashed
out post Mania, and we'll get to that, of course after WrestleMania is
over. But let's continue as we got. Santos Asca are coming out and
says he hates to be the guy that hates to be the guy, but
I told you so. He told the audience that he never wants them to
forget, especially the kids. In Mysterio masks that he was the one who
put Ray on the sho shell for months. Dom tries to talk, he
gets booed, as he always does, which is quite amazing how long that's
lasted. Ray Mysterio's music hits and he shows up with the rest of the
LWO. He told dom and he truly believed that he was done fighting him.
And then Ray said he called having the two men in front of him
and said was divine intervention because now he can beat some respect into both of
them. And he issued a challenge for a tag team match between Santos Escobar
teaming with Dominic to take on Ray and a partner of his choosing, and
he said it would be the newest member of the LWO. Dragon Lee.
Crowd didn't know what to do with this because they were chanting for Carlito,
And I think it should be Carlito, honestly, because Carlito's the one that
had the program with Santos Escobar, not Dragon Lee. He only really recently
entered the whole program, So I think from a star power perspective, I
think it absolutely it should be Carlito. And the fans were on booing dragon
Ly just kind of like, huh, really, but you got two Luca
doors. Maybe Dragonly will turn on Ray Maisterio. Well you know that's very
possible as well. Get a dragon Le on Raymisterio match. But this ended
up with a big brawl between the two factions. The LWO got the better
of it and left the Goatto del Fantasma. Yeah, kind of collect them
themselves outside the ring. And let's see, we got a new Catch Republic
teler Bit and Pete Dunn versus Angel and Umberto. This match was let's see,
I don't see a time stamp, but it ended with the New Catch
Republic defeating Angel Garza and on Berto Career to qualify for the WrestleMania Tack Team
Ladder match. I forgot, Okay, there was one more. That's the
final in the field. I knew that SmackDown completed the field as a whole,
and they are the final team to to get into the match. So
the New Catch Republic or in the match, which they have a exactly negative
five percent chance of winning it, but they're in it, and to have
a match at WrestleMania is still a big deal. So all right, let's
continue, and we got Styles coming out. He said aj Styles that it
had been over a week in l Knight, an La Knight champ broke out.
He blamed the crowd for Night showing up at his house and he said
he should have locked him up. So he missed WrestleMania, but he has
bigger plans for him. He said he was going to embarrass him for the
trash that he is, and Styles claimed to know what La Knight would that
he would show up there tonight and he's looking for him through the crowd or
down the aisle. Is he a cameraman And Styles was messing with the cameraman,
bullying him and someone came in the crowd and was grabbed by security,
but it was actually La Knight to be one of the ring crew attacked or
he was dressed up very convincingly as part of the ring crew, and he
attacked Styles, and Styles escape through the crowd. Knight grabbed the microphone and
said he would show the whole world whose game it is when he defeats Styles
of WrestleMania. So cool. This program has been just fine, And I
don't mean that in a disparaging way or kind of a backhanded way. Did
I expect more from Night at WrestleMania in terms of a title match, I
was hoping for a US title match, but working with one of the world's
greatest pro wrestlers, a guy that has a hell of a lot of name
value, Aj Styles, is not a bad gig either, and it's a
one on one versus being in some kind of multi person match for a title
one on one match of WrestleMania. Kind of tell it says that you've made
it, you know. So this is just fine Again, it sounds like
I'm h hum about it, but it's it's good. It's just fine.
I don't know what other words to put a put in place of it.
All Right, we got a vignette for Tiffany Stratton where she talked about the
burdens of perfection and everyone, introducing everyone to what Tippy time is all about.
Out and back in the arena, we get Bianca Belair. So they're
kind of taking a pause here for on Tiffany Stratton clearly plans for her or
at WrestleMania or likely Postmania. All right, so we've got Dakota Kai versus
Bianca bell Air in the main event, and the finish was Bianca Belair beating
Dakota Kai in nine minutes and thirty nine seconds. Bellair ended up landing a
forearm strike, Dakota Kai shut her down with a scorpion kick, and she
attempted a running kick. Bianca avoided it. And Bellair then put Kai back
into the ring with the dead lifts suplex and both women were down. Bianca
ended up landing a spear and the kod and got the victory, and so
Bianca wins, and then after the match they get beat down, and of
course that's when the Naomi and eventually Jade Cargill come out to even the score,
and it's going to be a six woman team match. You know,
I think that's while it's not official, there's no other option really, I
mean, that's the story they've been building to week after week. You know.
Originally it was just Bailey getting beat down and then Naomi comes to her
help and she gets beat down, right, and then Jade Cargo comes out,
and it's been like one person progressively trying to even the odds here with
damage control, and I think they finally found it, and Bianca Bella are
getting involved. Like so it went from Bailey by herself to Naomi helping her,
to then convincing Bailey, I'm sorry, Naomi convincing Bianca Belair to help,
and Bianca Bellair gets involved, and then it's Jade Cargill as the final
boss so to speak, being the final really puzzle piece to that six woman
tag team match, you know. And it's also some people look at this
as well, Naomi is or rather not Naomi, but Bianca Belair is having
a fall from grace. But you know what, Bianca Belair doesn't need to
be in the main event or in a singles match every single year. She's
a hell of a talent. And sure it is a step down. It
just is. I'm not going to pretend it's not. But if this is
building to something bigger with Jade Cargill, then bring it on. You know,
As I've said over the last several weeks, WrestleMania isn't the end all
be all. There's a you know, there are days beyond WrestleMania. There
always are, even though WrestleMania feels like, oh my god, if we
don't do it by WrestleMania or at WrestleMania, it'll never happen. No like,
of course not. You don't want to. You can't physically do everything
you want to do at WrestleMania. It's a big destination, it's a big
mile marker, but it just rolls into the next pl e and then the
next one, and then it's SummerSlam. And then all of a sudden it
Survivors Series and then Rumble and then up here's another WrestleMania. It's just the
way it goes, you know. So we can't get everything we want at
WrestleMania, even if it's WrestleMania forty. Not everything you want. Every dream
match that we think we should have is going to happen at this event,
and I think at times we need to remind ourselves of that. Fans.
It's a two nine event, sure, but I wouldn't want everything that I
could dream of in one night. As Vince McMahon has famously said, you
always have that ace, and you have to have that ace in your back
pocket. And I think that WrestleMania, for Jade Cargill, and for Bianca
Belle Air and for maybe others that we don't see coming, it's going to
be a setup for a future match. It's not just the end game for
everyone and everything. You know, WWE isn't going down to business. This
isn't you know, This isn't their final show, you know. So I
think it's just an important point that I that I'd like to stress as we
get into and close to WrestleMania now all right, so that was Raw.
I'm sorry, SmackDown. Let's talk a little bit about Monday Night Raw,
and that was if you didn't remember, in a place called Chicago. I
think I pronounced it right finally, but maybe they need this. The problem
is they didn't say it enough, so I couldn't get a correct renunciation.
So I think I finally figured it out. I think it's called it's Chicago,
Chicago or Chica. I don't know one of the two. It's right,
But uh, all right, I'm being an ass. Let's move on.
Just a quick recap of RAW for the matches that took place. Well,
Rock, I'm sorry Cody and Rock obviously headlined the whole thing. I'm
not. I don't need to dissect the beat down. Everyone has dissected it
into a fine powder, including myself, so I'm not gonna really go over
that again in the final Boss and you know, Cody bleeding all brilliant stuff.
So I'm gonna kind of skip by that because it's not really much more
to add to it other than interesting to see what Cody's reaction is this week,
which should be just attacking the Rock. We got the first match of
JD McDonough versus Ricochet and that match was longer than expected at fourteen minutes,
and Ricochet beats JD McDonough. See im Punk comes out. That's that's when
things got really fun with Drew mckott tire and with Seth Rollins, and it
eventually landed with Sampunk taking a commentary role during the world title match on the
Night two with Seth and Drew McIntyre, which is gonna be a fun little
dynamic. You know, how does Sampunk interject himself? Does he Maybe he
waits till after the match, but he's not there to just do commentary.
Of course, there has to be something, you know. Maybe maybe here's
what I'm thinking. Perhaps he's wearing underneath a referee shirt on whatever he's gonna
wear, so he's actually a he's doing commentary. But during the match,
the referee gets bumped and we need a new referee and Sampunk ends up coming
in the ring and counting the three for whoever's down, and maybe he has
to award Drew McIntyre of the title. I mean, I don't know,
I'm just spitballing, okay, but that was a fun segment. I mean,
having Seth Rollins and Punk co Face to face gets too excited for when
Punk eventually comes back, and there's a lot of feuds. Punk Punk essentially
named four guys that he's gonna have match with at some point before his career
is over. Drew mcattyre Seth Rollins the Rock, and I think eventually Cody
Roads, and I think Cody Roads and Sam Bunker are gonna cross paths before
the night is over or before his career is over. So all right we
got After that, there's a massively long segment Cannis Array versus Ivey Nile Boy.
Not a good place for this match to be because not only is a
minute and fifty seconds, but it's also after a really hot segment with Rollins
and Drew and Sampunk. Not good. I'm sorry, no one really cared.
It's really difficult to care when the WWE tells us we shouldn't care by
giving these women a minute to wrestle. I mean, just it's it's pitiful.
But the next match was New Day, which was Kofi Kingston and Xavier
Woods versus Johnny Gargano went to Mouscole Champlin DIY and this match was a lot
of fun. You know it ended with the New Day getting the victory and
leaves you wondering where Di why is going to be? But you know,
I didn't. I don't hate the New Day in this match. You know
what they bring to the table, and they are a bigger star, bigger
stars than DIY. So all right, we got Androde versus Giovanni Vinci.
That was seven minutes and ten seconds with Androde beating Giovanni Vinci, and then
we got Riya Ripley and Becky Lynch. In their confrontation, Becky Lynch did
kind of hit back on Ria Ripley for just posting her ass on the internet,
and Rhea Ripley just really tore into fans and just said, I do
it because I don't. We'll get it attention. Essentially, I do it
because the fans will respond the way I know they're going to. Like Sheep,
I mean she which I think she actually believes, you know. But
all right, Sammy's Ain and Chad Gable had a backstage interview or a backstage
altercation and they continue to have friendly competition, but also have Chad Gable be
a little bit stern with Sammy, making you wonder if Sammy's going to turn
heel, or rather Chad Gable's going to turn heel or still somehow find a
way into the match tomorrow night Unraw. All right, this is Sammy's Ain
versus Bronson Reid. Sammy's Ain beats Bronson Reed. I'm sorry, Bronson redefeats
Sammy's Ain in nine minutes and thirty five seconds. And let's see what else
we got. What was the main event here, jay us So versus Shinsky
Nakamura with jay us So beating Shinzky in seven minutes and thirty seconds, and
then of course the end of the match end of the show was a what
felt like an eight minute long beat down on Cody Rhoads by The Rock.
So certainly no lack of things to talk about, and there will be no
lack of things to talk about this next coming week with the final go home
shows for Raw and SmackDown. I'll be interested to see if they call it
WrestleMania Raw or WrestleMania SmackDown. I hope they don't, but that will be
Those will be two hot shows, and then coming up of course WrestleMania.
We got the Hall of Fame Friday night, WrestleMania Saturday Night night, one
night two on Sunday Night, which she will be a whole lot of fun.
And I think we'll they we'll be talking about this WrestleMania for quite some
time. Yeah, I really think that with Triple Ah fully in charge,
this is gonna look and feel different. As he has really shown over the
last several months. It's not a one to eighty, or rather a one
eighty is the right term, but it has been slightly different. Tweak things
here and there. Don't blow up the four Armila, don't you know,
set the world ablaze. Just tweak a little thing here, a little thing
there, this production piece, that production piece showing them arriving to the arena,
which is I think a nice touch. Attacking during a pre taped interview
that you didn't think was coming. Certain camera angles you didn't think that existed
now exist. Just little things like that, you know that just oh wow,
that's new, that's different. Makes a big difference, and I've really
appreciated those things. So that'll do it for me. Guys on this Week
in Review again, if you want to go add free Patreon dot com.
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and yes of course the raw review and some other things that we'll cram in
and maybe some video for patrons, and I thank you guys will enjoy it.
Big week coming up guys here, Our super Bowl of Wrestling is only
one week away, six days actually, so thank you everybody for joining me.
Take care, I'll talk to you next time. Thanks for listening to
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