Current State of WWE: World Title & Undisputed WWE Title Plans Through WrestleMania 40

This is WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre and you're listening to the WWE podcast show,
the one that everybody wants me sixteen yours it is mind you're gonna acknowledge me.
Welcome to the current state of WWE. It is time to talk about
what the heck is going on at WWE as we approach WrestleMania season with the
Royal Rumble just what five weeks away or so, and we've got a lot
to cover tonight as we're going to talk about the top two titles in the
men's divisions, that being the World Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Undisputed Championship that
is around the waist of Roman Reigns of course, So we're gonna talk about
those two things. And Anthony, how you doing? Man? You ready
for this one? Yeah? Man, looking forward to diving into this because
entering WrestleMania season, it shures, how seems that there are a ton of
options to go down with both of these titles following Wrestlingia. Yeah, there
really are. And this WrestleMania season, as we've outlined so many times as
so many different possibilities. I know you've given your predictions as far as what
you think the card could be for WrestleMania forty and so that said, I
mean, I haven't really given a ton of my thoughts. Maybe yours have
changed. But when it comes to the top two titles, as you've said,
the options are pretty vast. And when you look at the World title,
I guess we'll start there because we always talk about Roman. We'll get
to him in the second half of the show. When you look at the
world title, it's been around the waste of Seth Rolins since May of this
year, and that's a significant run all things considered. If you didn't compare
it to Roman, I think we'd say that's a pretty long run, and
I think it's been generally successful. But now you have a heal Drew McIntyre,
who I think is at the forefront of contenders to take that belt away
from Seth Rollins. So when we look to the rumble, how do you
think things are going to shape out? And if you want to project it
out to WrestleMania, you know, go ahead. Well, I do think
that we are going to see a different World champion go into WrestleMania. And
I think both of you, both you and I are in lockstep that that
guy will probably and should be Drew McIntyre. You know, if he doesn't
win the world title between now and Royal Rumble, I will be very surprised
if that comes, as you've alluded to, and maybe a triple threat match,
maybe a fatal four wave match of some sort. But I feel like
Drew is the guy to go into WrestleMania season as the World heavyweight champion.
Now. I know a lot of people have already written it in stone that
will be seth Rawlins or cmpunk for the World Heavyweight Championship. I want to
see that match, it's just but I just don't think that the world title
is necessary there. I actually think that it would detract from what that rivalry
means and the personal blood feud that really is going on between seth Rawlins and
cm Punk. So I would want Drew McIntyre going in as the World heavyweight
champion. And I've said this at nauseum now, but I think that La
Knight should win the Royal Rumble and cross over to Monday Night and get into
that World Heavyweight Championship picture, because I don't think that him dethroning Roman Reigns
is in the cards, and at this point it feels like he's kind of
done all he can do on SmackDown. So for me going into WrestleMania,
it's a Dru versus lle Knight for the World Heavyweight Championship. That's a pretty
solid bet. And I know that, as you just said, a lot
of people are looking at CM Punk versus Seth Rollins for the title. I
also prescribe to that. I don't think it really would be a good thing
to put the title match or the title in that match with Punk and Rollins,
just like we don't think the Rock and Roman reigns should have the title,
but that match, we don't think it's gonna happen this year or probably
ever if it doesn't this year. So yeah, really at this point,
it's wherever. So when we look at punkin Seth, Yeah, they've got
a lot that they can pull from. They've got so much that they can
talk about. They've already had a really fun interaction last week. This week,
I guess Punk is not on RAW. I haven't seen anything on Wrong,
but I guess Punk isn't there. And so we look forward to this
Punk and Rollins program, but it's not about the belt with them, even
though Punk said this is my this is my goal to win the Royal Rumble
and to main event WrestleMania. He said that, but I don't think it'll
happen. I think these two will have some kind of interaction at the Rumble
or Punk just gets eliminated and then he doesn't know what to do with the
rest of his WrestleMania path and Seth Rollins and enter stage left, so that
I think that they could have a massive interaction at the World Rumble itself.
One of them costs the other one the championship, I guess, or I'm
sorry, maybe Punk costs accidentally Seth the championship, or maybe just drew out
right wins, and I think that should be the case. But my question
to you is, if do the Punk and Rollins match at WrestleMania no title,
who is the babyface and heel in that? Do you think that Seth
Rollins is the guy that turns heel or do they just leave it be and
have the fans kind of decide who they're gonna cheer for. I would just
leave it up to the fans, honestly, because it feels like see him
Punk hasn't really decided whether or not he's a babyface or he'll either. I
guess he's just by default the babyface, but seth Rawlins was kind of someone
who organically turned into a babyface or maybe fourteen months ago ish. So I
just think that for a match of this magnitude, you just got to let
them just be themselves and let the fans decide. You don't always have to
have a baby face and a heel. Like it is a good thing more
times than not, but I think that in this particular scenario, you don't
have to do it. It was kind of like I know, at the
end of the match, Austin turned heel, but like going into wrestling a
seventeen wasn't a set babyface or a heel. It was just babyface baby face
of Austin Rain or even HBK versus John Cena at Wrestling at twenty three.
So I don't think that this is a match that necessarily needs to have a
set babyface at a set heel, or even Rock versus Sena at Wrestling at
twenty eight. There's play of examples here, and I just think that this
is one of those rare scenarios where there can be a bit of ambiguity,
and I think there will be, but I will I will say that givin
Punk has newly isn't kind of the fresh new toy. That's a shiny new
toy again, and I think a lot of people will be excited for him
to main event WrestleMania, you know, or at least semi main evented.
I think that they're going to be a lot more support for Punk than Rollins.
That could change over the next few months with their promos and how they
go about this, But I think that if you were going to do it
tomorrow that Sampunk would probably get the majority of support in that match. But
I would agree I wouldn't turn any of them, either of them heel.
Hell, Cmpunk is printing money right now in his merchandise sales. He is
like setting records with his merchandise sales, and so I wouldn't touch him when
it comes to turning heel. There's no reason too. And Seth Rollins on
his own right, is doing really well as a babyface too, and I
don't think the turning him heel would be a good long term decision. I
think he's on a roll right now. As a baby face, So sure,
let the crowd cheer, and it'll be dueling chance and it'll be fun.
And the promos really are what's going to sell this match. The match
quality will be really good. But back to the World title trying to stay
on track already, when we have La Knight versus Dreamacatire as I'm going to
prescribe to that too. Does La Knight finally have his crowning moment at WrestleMania
or do they dare in an La Knight versus Dreamacatire matchup? Do they dare
have Dreamacatyre retained? Do I know it's an early call, but do you
think Ella Knight is going to be crowned and having his crowning achievement at WrestleMania
forty I think so, as long as the fans stay behind him out and
see why not? Like, look, do I think La Knight is going
to be a mainstay in the main event like consistent year over year pay per
view to pay per view. Probably not, but he should at least have
one World Championship run onto his resume because of how much of a breakout star
he was in twenty twenty three and all kind of like the history had with
Bray Wyatt, the only real program Bray had upon his return. I just
think that there's so much storytelling that you could do there. And if I'm
no mistaken, Drew and La Knight have a history going back to Impact.
So I really do believe that La Knight is the guy to walk out of
Wrestling of forty as the World heavyweight Champion. Now, do I think that
he should have a seth Rawlins type of run with the title. No,
And I think that in short order you can maybe dethrone him with a cash
in from Damian Priest, who, in my mind will be the next guy
to kind of take that World heavyweight championship, probably from sometime in the early
next summer, maybe right up until Wrestleman season next year. So I guess
I'm kind of getting ahead of ahead of myself here, but I don't think
La Knight's tyle ran run will be that long, But I think the pop
will be worth at resumet at forty. I think that it will give Drew
a nice two month slightly over two month run as the world champion, and
then that will just kind of lead into Damian Priest. Yeah, that's true
too, mister Wildcard over there, send your money in the bank. We
have yet to have him cash in. He's had it for what I feel
like six months. It's been a while, so there is that looming factor.
So I think that you have a guy in La Knight that should be
at WrestleMania forty winning the belt in front of fans, which is what the
fans want to see. They're on a long term story with La Knight.
But if I was La Knight, I'd be a bit I'd be a bit
kind of I don't know if concerns the word, but just I'd feel a
bit threatened by the returns of Punk and Orton because all the focus off that
was on La Night because he was the one guy that was on the rise.
He was the guy that was truly the fastest rising starring WWE. That
was true, and then you have Punk comeback, you have Orton come back,
and I mean it's just like I would feel like, man, it
takes some of the wins out of my sales. The fans have stuck with
him, and the fans continue to cheer for him when he's opposing the bloodline,
but it feels like he's been kind of maintaining his momentum. There hasn't
been a massive spike. Of course, now he's being thrown into AJ Styles,
which is kind of a weird side story. I'm not against it,
it's just I don't think anybody saw that come up with AJ Styles. I
don't know if you did, well. I think that it's something that I
think it's something that they did for pardon me, La Knight, to give
him something significant to do aside from the bloodline, because how many times are
we going to see him just run out and start attacking Jimmy Usso or Solo
Sakoa, Like it was starting to get a bit redundant, even with Randy
Orton's involvement, Like how long could you string out that alliance, that very
temporary alliance between Randy and La Knight. So I think that they have a
returning star in AJ Styles, and aside from Randy and Roman on SmackDown right
now, he's probably the biggest star you have and that is the most relevant
program that you could have La Night in right now, Like if you made
him go feud with Carrion Cross or even a Bobby Lashley. Based on how
they've booked Bobby since the draft, would it feel as important or if you've
feuded with like Santo's Escobar. But because of the history of AJ Styles in
WWE and just his overall track record, and I don't know if they cross
paths an impact at all. I think that it just instantly makes La Knight
feel important and with Roman reigns inevitably just going back on the sideline for at
least a few weeks or at least in the new year. I would imagine,
aside from Randy probably toying with the bloodline week to week, even with
Roman not there, AJ versus La Knight, especially with Logan Paul not there
at the US title, week to week, LA Night versus AJ Styles will
probably be the most important program, no no question about it. And AJ
Styles match quality is going to be just fine and in fact really good.
I'm excited to see, especially given the all the memes that I'm seeing are
pretty hilarious. By the way of the fact that Randy Orton leaves comes back
absolutely jacked. AJ Styles leaves comes back, He's absolutely jacked. I don't
know what's going on there. I'm not trying to insinuate anything, Okay,
but it's just is a bit to it's a bit I don't know how suspicious
is the right word, but it's it's something noteworthy that you see these two
guys who have never really been known for being jacked come back and they're just
they put on like twenty pounds of muscle. I don't know what to say
about it, but AJ Styles right now, I think it's a good thing
for his career because he's absolutely he's really good at both. I think AJ
Styles usually there's one that's better than the other. AJ Styles for me,
is split down the middle in terms of how good he is as a heel
or a babyface. We've seen both. I like both a lot, and
AJ Styles, to be honest with you, has been underutilized over the last
couple of years in my mind for what they can have him do now,
he's surely set up to help Eli Knight move forward. AJ Styles is not
in that position right now, but they can I think have a you know,
match of the Night candidate, you know, just on paper anyway,
So I'm looking forward to that. Now. Switching to the other side of
things, we have, of course Roman Reigns, as you mentioned there,
and he's probably gonna take a few weeks off, as he normally does at
least, and when we look at this, it's all been all roads pointing.
I guess pun intended leads from Cody to Roman at WrestleMania Part two and
there is I think that's still going to be the case. I'm not even
considering the Rock right now. To me, the Rock is a non factor
until they're here otherwise. But to me, you could even have Cody Rhodes
win the Rumble. They made a big point about the fact that Cody Rhodes
could be a back to back winner, and there's only been I think three
back to back winners in w WE history. They made a very kind of
subtle point on back down on last week and a raw rather last week rather,
and they made it that to tell us how many people and who they
were that won back to back rumbles. I don't think that's by accident,
because I think that's to remind you of how rare it is for someone to
do it, which means, guess what, I think Cody Rhoades is going
to be the one to do it and to face Roman Reigns winning the Rumble
at WrestleMania and I also think you could still have Ellien and I do it
because guess what, we have the Chamber, and the Chamber is probably going
to determine who faces a supposed Drew McIntyre for the world title at WrestleMania,
So we could have Ellen Andite certainly get there without winning the Rumble. So
as I think about it more, I still think we get to those two
matches that everyone is seemingly landing on, but it's Cody that wins the Rumble
because they want to put that on his resume, and you have La and
I win the Chamber that gives him the right to face Drew mcintyret WrestleMania for
the world title. Yeah. Well, I don't want to go down to
Roman reigns diatribe here, but his return on SmackDown kind of a like it
was like reassurance for a discussion last week where I'm just like, they don't
need him anymore. Like at the end of the at the end of the
show where you had aj Styles in the ring, Randy Orton there, your
aj Styles just attacked La Night and Or and Roman who kind of like poetically
is standing on the outside of the ring looking in which he will be probably
for the next month. I'm saying like between Orton, AJ Styles, La
Knight, and even if you wanted to elevate a guy like Bobby Lashley into
the main event scene, they have enough star power on SmackDown that they could
probably make the WWE Championship feel as important. Like between the four guys I
just mentioned, you could get a year's worth of storytelling out of the with
the WWE Championship and just main event matches in general, Like if you had
just for argu and AJ Styles is the WWE champion right now feuding with La
Night, and then Randy Jorton was in a hold me over program with Bobby
Lashley something that we've never really seen, like is that a bad smack Down?
And this is not me thrapping on Roman Reigns and I if you had
a week to week Roman Reigns, it would be a completely different story.
And I still really like Roman Reigns both in the ring, on promo and
storytelling, but it just showed me like at the final screen grab of AJ
Styles on the apron looking jacked do as all hell, Randy Orton in the
ring, in La Night on the floor, and again not even including a
guy like Bobby Lashley, not even including a guy who obviously hasn't been around
a few months, but like a Shamus. I was just saying to myself,
like, they don't need Roman reigns anymore so for the WWE Championship.
I even as much as I despise Cody Rhodes, I really just I'm praying
that Cody Rhodes d thrones. Now we've already gone down the road last week
of what I would do have Randy d throne him. But by WrestleMania time,
what has to be is it could be Doink the Clown for all I
care, but he cannot be holding that ww Championship past WrestleMania, you would
think, And then you know that they're gonna maybe talk themselves out of it
as well. We didn't get to Punk in Roman yet, but again,
you can do all these programs without the belt. I don't think we need
Punk in any kind of championship match. I think, and you know,
when I look at Punk's run, if it is a multi year run,
I think you could have a world title run or a non disputed title run
that's you know, four six eight months. I don't I don't have any
problem with that, but it's getting over this hump that we've been talking about
literally for years now with Roman and our conversation last week that was really centered
around WWE not needing Roman, and I don't think while I'm not amending anything
I said, I guess I'll clarify what we were talking about. And from
my perspective anyway, because I had people reach out and say, Yo,
what are you talking about WWE? You know, Roman reigns is one of
the greatest of all time. What do you mean they don't they of course
they need him, well, they need him in the sense that I think
it would help match quality of course star power. I think ratings will increase
when he's on the screen, and that's proven minute by minute if you look
at the ratings. But my I think clarification is that they don't need his
run anymore. They and honestly, even if Roman Rains has disappeared, they'd
be fine. They did it without Stone Cold Steve Austin, who just stopped
wrestling after WrestleMania seventeen. They did it with the Rock, They've done it
with John Cena. The machine goes on. There's nobody that if they just
stopped wrestling tomorrow, ww is say, oh man, we need you.
We're not gonna be able to survive without you. I think that there's nobody
that exists, no matter how big of a name you are. But I
think that what I'd like to clarify is that the title run is no longer
needed. It's it has not been needed for quite some time. And I
would agree. I think Cody Rhoads, as much as I am with you,
I despise everything he stands for as a babyface. I am rooting for
him simply for the fact of giving another guy an opportunity to have the belt
and stop talking about a championship that's so important yet never hear. And I
think that, yeah, Cody Road should be the one to do it.
I think he's gonna win the Rumble to give him that second victory back to
back, and then you have Cody and Roman. And now to your point,
though, final point before I pass it back to you, is Randy
Orton could still win at the World Rumble. I know I keep overlooking him
as a guy that's well, yeah, he's passed his prime, but you
know you were right last week. He is still really, he looks like
he hasn't missed a step. He is forty some years old, but he
looks better than ever. There's still a good chance, given the story with
Cody and Randy, that we have a Randy Orton and Cody Roads match at
WrestleMania. I don't think that's gonna happen, only because I think Randy Orton
may screw Cody in the main event of WrestleMania. That's another conversation for another
We're getting four steps ahead. But to me, I think that, uh
yeah, I'm with you. Cody Rhoads. As much as I hate him,
I don't care. Just get it off of him. As you said,
Jink the clown. It could be I put it on Twitter. It
could be Mordecai, it could be the Gobbledygooker. It could be I don't
even I don't even care. It could be Zach Gallant. I don't care
who it is. So well, I think either way, we've just had
a point now where And look, as I'm talking objectively here, because everyone
knows, the way you and I feel about Cody Rhods is that he should
walk out of wrest forty as champion because as much as I don't like his
character, the Cody Rhoads, the guy seems like a hell of a dude
and someone who's committed to WWE day in and day out. And I do
think that finishing his story would make a hell of a lot more sense if
it came against Randy Orton, because of all their history and no put intended
their legacy with one another. And I think that that would actually meet me,
you know, for Cody Rhoads as as a wrestler to hold the champion
as opposed to just cheering for anyone not named Roman Reigns. So I mean,
like, remember that whole story where like Bray Wyatt against Roman Reigns.
I think it was in twenty fifteen and it was anybody but you. That's
where I'm at. That's where I'm at right now. It's anyone but Roman.
And like I said, like don't like Cody Rhodes, Like I just
don't care anymore. And it's because it's gone to a point now with that
championship and his title run that it's the law of diminishing returns, like the
law. They've gone so long now that the guy who dethrones them doesn't matter.
It would have made sense against Drew Clash. The Castle would have made
sense against Samuel. Elimination Chamber would have made sense against Cody last year Wrestlemate
would have made sense against Jay. And now you've just so far past it.
Like for me, ever since the whole Civil War stuff, I just
don't care anymore. And usually I always got hung up on Bloodline stuff.
When they were on TV this week, I didn't care. I was just
waiting for part of me, for Randy Orton to come out. So it's
unfortunate that they've taken a brilliant story and they've just pushed it so far.
And I do think that a babyface version of the Bloodline could be very interesting,
But in this current version, I think it's just run its course.
That's all it is. There's nothing slightly I'm not trying to bash the storyline
in terms of it wasn't successful. Everyone acknowledges that it was one of the
most successful storylines that ww has ever created in its history. I'm not overstating
that it really was that good, and it carried SmackDown for a number of
well years almost especially when the Sammy and Jay and all the dynamics that went
into it and how emotionally invested we all were. That was a lot of
fun. It's just the natural progression of things. It has just come to
a close. It's just time to move on. There's nothing left to do
with this story. When you're right about this week, This to me was
the first week that it felt like fans didn't give a damn like and I
maybe it's I don't know, I don't know if it's me personally feeling this
way for the first time, but the whole allure of him not being there
and when he's there is more special is gone. For me, it's been
gone. But for me also when he comes back after being gone for so
long, typically there's a big baby face reaction for him and he has to
almost turn heel every time he gets on the mic. This time, the
crowd was just like, I felt like they were booing at the storyline.
They're booing at the fact that he's still champion. They're not really booing the
character. We all know how good it is. But for the first time,
this to me, I also was I agree. I was just like,
I don't care who the error to the tribal chief is. I don't
care about Jimmy being feeling slighted by Solo being named, you know, second
in command. Basically, I don't care about that anymore. None of that
interested in me. And it's just like they're running it back again and again.
Jimmy's never been less interesting to me. Solo You're waiting for him to
snap on Roman and I It's just it's they've squeezed everything out of it,
and that's just all it is. It's just time to move on. And
there's nothing wrong with that, Like, there's nothing wrong with them just having
to move on. But look at some of the other factions that have you
know, lasted what less than two years the Shield evolution, like DX came
and went, but the original version was like what a little over a year.
Like it just happens, and it doesn't mean that this was a failure.
It's just like it's like you said, like do I care, Like
I actually kind of feel bad for like Jimmy USO right now because he's kind
of relevant just by being associated with the bloodline. But it's like I feel
like if he actually detached from the bloodline kind of like what is what his
brother Jay is doing, he would actually have a chance to kind of blaze
his own trail, and even solo Sokoa, Like, I'm not gonna lie.
I know they're trying to push them to like all hell, but like
I'm just kind of over the perpetual scowling thing and like I don't know,
like I just need more depth than he's the pissed off like enforcer of the
bloodline like that. I just the entire thing to me just feels a very
stale. And it sucks because they're all individually great for wrestlers, great performers,
great at what they do. They own their character. Roman's great on
the mic. But it's just this version of themselves. It's just it's runs
course, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's not me crapping all over
it doesn't it doesn't discredit anything they did since you know, the summer of
twenty twenty. But we're three and a half years later. You know,
it's just time to try something new. And that's not a bad thing,
No it's not. And I don't want them to continue to do this and
run it back again and again because they think it's a formula that worked really
well in the past, and it's kind of continue to work and then all
of a sudd and when fans look back, they're going to have a bad
taste in their mouth thinking about this storyline. I'm not there yet because I
still have very fond memories of how just amazing the storytelling was. The acting.
I think it peaked to me in Montreal last year that that was to
me, the absolute crescendo for me. But you know, when I look
at this, I think that this storyline needs a major kick in the ass.
That's all it needs. It needs some major shift. I don't know
if to me the shift is Roman loses the belt. But if that's not
going to be the shift, then I don't know what it is. And
maybe Solo turns on Roman. Do you have an idea of what they could
do if Roman doesn't drop the belt, how they could kind of revive the
bloodline story or maybe they just completely disband. I don't know, maybe you
have to go that extreme, but it just feels like they're just the spin
in their hamster wheel and I feel like they just need this, just a
kick right in the ass. I don't know how else to put it again,
And it sucks to say, but it's gotten to a point where I
don't care, like I just I don't care how they dispend like I always
Like if you asked me two years ago or even a year ago when sammy'
zame really breathed new life into this story, I would have been saying,
I'm looking forward to who dethrones him for it, how the bloodline falls apart.
But like I feel like we've seen the bloodline fall apart like seventy times,
like a clash at what was it, the the Saudi Arabia event,
what was it Night of Champions, Clash of Champions whatever they call it now?
When the USO's turned on Roman, that to me was like the big
like like cratering of the bloodline. And then we saw the Civil War match
and money in the bank overseas I think it was in the United Kingdom or
wherever, like I got my fix of that. And as far as the
WWE title goes and how that will change hands, I could name you off
the top of my head two times that I would have rather that I would
have wanted them to drop the title. Two perfect opportunities against Druid clashed the
Castle and Sammy at the elimination Chamber, and both times they decided to go
in a separate direction. I don't think you could recreate either of those opportunities
in their respective hometowns, and what that title victory would have meant to either
Drew or Samy Zay. So I'm just at a point where I don't care
about how the bloodline falls apart, because we've already kind of seen it less
than a year ago. And the other thing is that I really don't care
who drops the title because they've had two missed opportunities. It's such a shame,
you know, because we were at a point, I mean, the
WWE fans, I think we're at a point where they're just they were so
invested in who could beat them? Oh my god, that'd be so great
if this person that person did it could it could catapult them. And then
a lot of this anger and frustration had to do with his schedule, which
we have, I mean, we have gone over chapter in verse about how
just egregious it is and how frustrating it is, and you know, we're
being sold a bill of goods that it's so well, it's special, and
it's like, yeah, no, that that stopped like a year ago.
So that to me is the most frustrating part is his schedule. That is
one of the worst parts about this. And when you look at as you
as you mentioned all these perfect opportunities that have presented themselves, you you're not
gonna be able to duplicate that those are gone. They are They're forever gone
in WWE history. You're not gonna be able to get that kind of perfect
alignment of stars, particularly with Sammy, which we keep harping back on.
But I haven't changed, honestly an inch since Elimination Chamber. Typically I'll kind
of soften to the idea of, oh, maybe it was a good idea.
This is like one decision that I look back and I'm like, this
still makes no sense at all, kind of like the brock Lessner being Undertaker
Streaks does. It doesn't make any sense. There's certain things that you look
back on you're just like, nope, I feel the same way I did
when I saw it. It doesn't make any sense. But I think when
you look back, WWE said, guys, we need to look at the
your picture. If Cody's going to finish his story, we got to have
Roman as champion until next year. So if all of this is to have
Ef and Cody Rhodes finish his story. I mean that I will never know.
It's just a speculative assumption, of course, But I'm just trying to
think of you have a perfect opportunity here and there and there, and they
don't pull the trigger. It's like, well, what are they planning?
And honestly, whatever it is, it is never going to be as good
as what they could have had. You cannot go back, you cannot recreate
that moment. And so to me, whenever Roman does drop the belt,
it's going to be a disappointment from the perspective of how high our expectations was
were and how perfect the moments were. So there's no there's not going to
be at a moment where we're like, wow, that was awesome. It's
not because they have those moments have passed them by, and that's something that
they're going to have to live with, right And what's more important getting a
moment in Montreal like with samue Same winning his first ever world title or making
Roman reigns custom a jumpsuit with the number one thousand on it. I don't
know, it's up to them, Like, I don't know what's more important
but I guess the jumpsuit is what they really wanted. And the more I
think about it, it's just like, who gives a damn about a thousand
days? Like what does it mean? Really? Like I don't know,
it's yeah, I guess, And they're gonna make documentaries about it. And
aren't they already filming him behind the scenes? I saw, yeah, okay
they are yep, So there you go. And you know what the thing
is is that I don't want to diminish what the title reign was up until
last year at Elimination Chamber, like the first two and a half years maybe
save for a little blip following Wrestling at thirty eight and the summer of twenty
twenty two. It's it was brilliant. It brought them through the COVID era,
it brought them through twenty twenty one, for most of twenty twenty two
with sammy' z ain's involvement, it was absolutely brilliant. In the early days
of Triple E shaking over as head of creative Like, but now it's just
you've blown so many opportunities to the point where some fans don't give a damn
anymore. And I mean, maybe we're still in the minority year. And
this is not to say that Roman Reigns has no value, but like I
think he's even around less than Brock was when Brock was be taking all that
flat for being an absen CT champion. Like, I don't know, it's
it's crazy the level that's gone to. And it's a damn shame that I
don't care how it ends anymore. That's I don't know how many fans are
in our boat. I really am starting to care less and less as long
as it's just Roman not champion anymore. And here's the thing. You're gonna
be killing two birds with one stone in a good way. You get the
belt off of Roman, then that person whoever it is, can go on
to claim they stopped Roman streak. If it's Cody whoever, it is still
a great thing to have on your resume. But also, you instantly turn
Roman rains babyface. You could instantly do it. You're you're you're gonna transform
him from a heel that was ultra successful, even more so than all of
us fans could could have imagined. And since what August of twenty twenty,
you're gonna turn him into this baby face. So he's had this heel run
that's been significant, and you're gonna instantly turn him back to a baby face
that I think fans will be ready to embrace. He's no longer holding a
championship hostage. He can come and go as he pleases. Fans aren't gonna
be pissed off about the fact that he's never here, because then it will
feel like, oh okay, cool, yeah, romans back, who's he
gonna beat up? And you know who's he gonna face. You could come
up with these dreamatches that don't involve the title that it's not a distraction.
So you're really gonna benefit by doing that on all fronts. But I think
they are just too damn locked into this. Every day is a day closer
to beating Hulk Hogan's record, and it's infuriating, and they're all it feels
like they're doing it only for themselves, because the fans, I generally think,
don't give a damn about his record as far as anymore. It's just
there's nothing more you could do or add to it that fans will be like,
wow, well now it feels really special. It's over. There's nothing
I don't care if he beats Brunos Sarra Martino's record, no one cares anymore.
I'm sorry, WWE does so they can say Hulk Hogan's no longer number
three. And I actually think, I mean this is a prediction out a
little bit further here. I do think that Roman reigns. If WW is
looking at this, they want Roman. They are hell bent on getting Roman
past Hulk Hogan's record. I still think Roman's gonna be champion until they beat
Hulk Hogan's record. I hate to say it. I don't know how you
feel. The only thing is Triple H. He's the only thing that's making
me think that maybe they're gonna do something that's best for business, you know,
like that cliff has been circulating from five years ago, the McMahon family
promising for change and all that, and like as much as that was a
bunch of malarky five years ago, like like the product has gotten noticeably better
under Triple H since, like Vince was pushed aside by aera Manuel, Like
what was that two and a half months ago, it's been noticeably better.
So I'm just thinking that now, you know, Triple H might say we
have all this talent at the ready. We've got him into the top five
of all time in title reigns, we got into a thousand days. Apparently
he's taken time off. I think to film a movie after WrestleMania. I
think that I think this is it. I really really really do, just
because like they got to get a belt on SmackDown, they got to get
that. You got to involve some of this other talent, Like how many
more years? Like as much as we love Orton, as much as we
love ajuselves, as much as we love even La Knight, they're all in
their forties. They all have what five years left at this level, Like
make the most of it. Not to mention Cody Rhodes, not to mention
Damien Pre's not to mention Bobby Lashley. Not to mention is seth rawlins and
see him punk even though they're on Monday Night Raw with the world title.
Like you don't need Rome. Like if you want Roman Rings to play the
role of brock Lesner, fine, that's cool. Even if you want him
to come back and win the title and hold it for another six months and
a separate Babyface run, that's fine, that's cool. But this one it
just needs to end. And this is not me saying I want Roman gone
away forever. I think there's an amazing, epic, arguably industry changing baby
face run coming out of Roman reigns somewhere down the line. But this version,
it's run its course, and I think Triple H has well. I
can't say that I've never spoken to the guy, but he's the one part
of me that's making me believe or the one part of this that's making me
believe that they're gonna do the right thing and pull the trigger on him dropping
the belt. That is the one thing that does give me hope, because
you know, damn well, if Vince McMahon still here, it wouldn't even
be something anyone brings up, like, hey, Vince, what do you
think about dropping the belt and having Roman drop it? He would just say
the guy, you're fired, get out the door. I mean, like,
you know what Vince would say, it's not even up for debate.
So with Triple H, though, if he's truly in charge, and I'll
take that at face value, it does give me a little bit more of
a of a positive outlook on possibly having Roman drop the belt. But they
are here's the thing too. Though, as much as that is a good
argument against Roman or for our Roman dropping the belt, they're looking at this,
and I understand this perspective too. They're saying, guys, We're never
in our lifetimes going to have a run this long. It is very unlikely.
I know Triple h loves his long title runs. I respect that,
but this is ultra like ultra plus long. It is something that is historic,
it literally is. And they're looking at the same, guys, we
have one chance, probably in our lifetimes to have Roman reigns beat Hulkogan.
We're never gonna to have someone in our lifetimes that's going to get this close
to beating the Hulk Hogan's record. And to that, I would agree,
and I understand the temptation, but I would also say at what cost,
Like, Okay, you have it happen, say it happens tomorrow. What
do you get out of it, just this big celebration like he did for
one thousand? Okay, you move Roman Regins's face above Hulk Hogan's on the
top five or top ten list, Okay, then what you have then sacrificed
another six to eight to twelve months of other guys that could have had an
opportunity. So I'm just playing Devil's advocate here. I understand the temptation to
do it. They want to knock Hulk Hogan down a peg for a guy
that is, at this point, he's going to be a first ballot Hall
of Famer, And so do you understand the temptation though, Like if you're
WWE, You're probably like, oh, but I know fans are pissed,
but we're not going to get this opportunity again to be this close to taking
down Hulk Hogan's record and being number three on the list. But again,
what cost for me? I don't think there's a debate. Honestly, for
me, there is no debate here. There's no debate because I get it.
But who who even looked at this list before Raymond rains? That's what
I'm trying to figure out. Like I didn't, Okay, I knew,
I knew Brunos San Martino held it for like seventy or seven years or whatever
it was. Aside from that, I had no idea more did I ever
think like, oh, you know, it'd be really cool, Like I
never thought about this ever, Like before this the longest title run I remember
was Brock holding the Universal title? That's it? Like that from I think
it was Wrestling thirty three in twenty seventeen until SummerSlam twenty eighteen, like and
that felt long like and you know, like it doesn't always have to be
and I get it. It's once in a lifetime. It's special and all
that might to get away, but it doesn't. It doesn't matter, and
they have to know it doesn't matter. He's in the top five. That's
amazing, that's brilliant, that's awesome. Great Now it doesn't matter anymore for
me, there's no debate. I'm with you, but I'm thinking trying to
think in their shoes what the benefits of this are now again, Hulk Hogan
arguably is the biggest name and professional wrestling history. I would argue he's bigger
than The Rock in terms of household name, bigger than Stone Cold. That's
that's saying something bigger than anybody in terms of just if you walk someone down
the street and said, hey, do you know who hul Cogan is,
they'd be like, oh, yeah, even if they're not a wrestling fan,
they know the face, they know the name. It's it's instant recognition.
So to them having Roman reigns supersede hul Cogan's record and be above that
number of days. While it wouldn't make Roman Reigns a bigger household name in
their mind, on paper, he's above Hogan. Again, this feels all
very self serving, though for me it feels very kind of selfish on WWE's
part, because there's nothing they can offer me at the end of this that
would say, oh, well that was all worth it. Now I see
what they were doing. Nothing, It's all over there. I can't even
concoct an crazy fantasy scenario in my mind that would absolve WWE of going this
long for Roman reigns outside of their own interests, which is all this is.
It's their own interest to create headlines for Roman reigns tops Hulk Hogan's all
time, you know, or a championship run and it becomes the number three,
like you can see the headlines in the press, and like, I
get it, But is it really all worth this? And my answer is
no. But to that end, I'll just kind of close this. My
ultimate question to you is how long do you think they go? When do
you think Roman drops this damn thing? As much as they want it to
be at Rumble. I would. I think it's gonna be at resumated to
Cody Roads. It's a low banging fruit. I would rather than drop it
at Rumble to Randy Orton, there's a way better story to tell there.
But I think he drops it at restumated Cody Roads. That that's what I'm
thinking about. What about you? Yeah, I would. I would second
that it's probably Cody because they couldn't Dare or they wouldn't Dare have Cody loose
twice, right, Like, there's just almost no way, almost no way.
The only way around it is if, as I was kind of teasing
earlier in the show, that they have Cody, you know, there's no
say, say you know Solo and Jimmy are band from ringside, which is
obviously what Cody should do in that match, and then Randy Orton comes down
RKO's you know, Cody Rhoads and costs Cody Rhoads the match, and then
you're off to a program with Cody Roads and Randy Orton. That's the only
way I could see it happen. But I would agree that the money is
the smart money's probably on Cody Roads. Winning this match, because I don't
think they dare do it twice to Cody Rhoads. Yeah, and as much
as I don't like Cody Rhods, like it would be so disrespectful. Like
like, again, there's a difference between the character and the guy, and
I think the guy has paid his dues. Even though I don't agreed.
We can still hate the character, but understand the man we go, we
can, we can understand both. We're not We're not totally blind to the
fact that this is how he is in real life. Although when you're really
good at being a character, typically there is some truth to your off air
personality translating so well onto camera. But you know, I'll give him the
benefit of that out he does seem like a genuine dude, albeit full of
himself, and he can't help but show it on camera that we've gone over
many times. But all right, any any final wrap up thoughts on WrestleMania,
Rumble or any anything. All I would say is that they have so
many options at their disposal that I hope that they don't keep beating their head
against the Roman Reigns wall. That's all I'm gonna say. Yeah, I'm
with you that wall needs to be broken down. So all right, well
we'll end it here. Thank you for joining me as always, and don't
forget guys. Go to Patreon dot com slash ww podcast to get yourself on
the NXT plus or higher and you can get Anthony's show that's dropped every week
for the after Dark show and non adult version of the show. And what
topic would you do? Did you do this past week? Remind everybody?
I spoke about Cmpunk's return mainly and why he'd made this return, like was
it And what I landed on was like to just write his own legacy and
not to rip a page out Cody Rhoades's book, but finish his own story.
And I know everyone's doing a lot of finishing stories lately, but I
think on a personal level, Cmpunk really just wanted to kind of rewrite history
in a way. And I think he was very humbled about what went down
in aw So. I mean, Polly had to eat a bit of a
Karme sandwich there, but I think it all worked out for the best,
well very good, And I encourage everyone to go check that out. It's
again, it's only on Patreon. It's not going to be available on the
Apple podcast speed or on the website, so go check it out on Patreon.
You'll be glad you did. It's a again, not a show for
the kids and the wives, but a show that I'm sure that you'd enjoy.
And thanks so much for joining me, man, and we'll be chatting
in a week. Yeah, man, looking forward to it. Take care,
Thanks for listening to the WWE podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your
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