Shot of Wrestling

Episode 271: Living Up to the Hype

After CM Punk's return to the ring at AEW's All Out, we discuss what star level of a match Punk needed to silence his critics. Also: Should major promotions teach their wrestlers about social media etiquette? Is Nia Jax a liability? What will the future hold for NXT? Are we seeing the best version of Baron Corbin aka Happy Corbin? Is Becky Lynch's heel turn working? Will "The Demon" Finn Balor be the one to beat Roman Reigns? Which newcomer do we have our eye on in IMPACT? Plus, we pay our respects to Daffney. May she Rest In Peace.

Episode 270: Cult of Personality

This week we are joined by former WWE employee, Kevin Wood. We talk about what it was like to see CM Punk’s return live. Also: Should TV networks have so much say on the product? Can Becky Lynch be an effective heel? Does Adam Cole go to AEW? What will happen with Paul Heyman in the Brock Lesnar/Roman Reigns storyline? How will WWE’s decision not to sign indie talent impact the future of professional wrestling? Plus we take a look at CM Punk’s promos, and why they are so effective. 

Episode 269: Welcome Back!

SummerSlam this year certainly had it's fair share of surprises.  Becky Lynch finally made her long awaited return, but some people were not thrilled about what happened next.  Will this squash defeat hurt Bianca Belair's future?  Brock Lesnar also made his return, is he the one to dethrone the Head of the Table and which side will Paul Heyman land?  After seven years and one of the loudest pops in recent memory, CM Punk returned to professional wrestling.  Will his time away affect his in ring ability and is Darby Allin the right first opponent for him?  We also learned why the biggest party of the year was held on Saturday, could this be a trend that we see going forward?

Episode 268: Hunter or Hunted

Many people are starting to point the blame on Triple H for losing the Wednesday Night War.  With how successful NXT has become over the past few years, is it fair to place the blame or is he still the right man for the job?  Ric Flair wants to come out of retirement again, at the age of 72, do want to see him lace up his boots again or should we just "Leave the Memories Alone"?  Roman Reigns claims he has not been following a script as of late, should this be adopted by more people or is it safer to stay on script?  Should John Cena become a 17 time world champion or is that a record that should always be protected?

Episode 267: Homecoming

Following the shocking release of Bray Wyatt, you think that would be enough for awhile.  Nope, the Future Endeavor train rolled in NXT this week and taking some surprising names with it.  Should anyone feel safe in the WWE locker room?  Would it be a smart move for Adam Cole to resign or could a change of scenery be more beneficial?  How do we think the Labors of Jericho are progressing?  Even though he may have lost, just being included in the Breakout Tournament is still a big deal for Joe Gacy and we wonder what is next for him?  It's our Homecoming, as Green Man returns along with Shane Fair, who talks all things about his philanthropic event that was, BasketBrawl!

Episode 266: Dropping like Dominos

How do you release someone like Bray Wyatt?!  Although that happened after we recorded this episode, we do talk about the potential of more releases and if anyone is safe given Mr. McMahons cryptic quote.  After Jericho v Gage, Domino's is thinking of pulling their advertisements and parents were upset that there was violence at a wrestling show.  Is this backlash surprising or should we have seen this coming these days?  There seems to be a future for Deathmatches in AEW, but is there a future there for the former King, Nick Gage?  Becky Lynch continues to show us that she seems close to a return, but WWE says fans will have to wait a bit longer.  What are they waiting for or is this a smoke screen for a surprise eminent return?  

Episode 265: Pipebombs Ahead

AEW caused the wrestling world to blow up when it was announced that they have signed Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.  Not to be forgotten, Thunder Rosa is now also All Elite, which of these names will have the bigger impact and who are we most looking forward to seeing?  Does the announcement of big signings ruin their debut or should it be kept a secret?  The Rock is everywhere these days, including a rumored appearance at Survivor Series and WrestleMania.  Is it possible to get too much of The Rock or do we actually want more?  Coming of his surprising loss, is it too soon to hit the panic button on Karrion Kross?  What's the disconnect between NXT and the casual wrestling fans?  Will we finally get a Queen of the Ring and who is most deserving of the crown? 

All About The Fans

WWE is officially back with fans, and already we can feel the difference. We discuss the impact fans have on the performers and why this is such a big deal. Also: Is IMPACT the right choice for Buddy Murphy? Is Goldberg still a draw? Who wins in the Mandy Rose/Aliyah trade? Will we see a match between Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross? Why is there so much hate for Cody Rhodes? What is IMPACT doing creatively that WWE should explore? Plus, Alfonz Stevens tells us why we shouldn’t sleep on ROH. 

Episode 263: Bye Bye Bayley

We were all shocked to hear that Bayley will be out of action for nine months.  How big of a loss is this, not only for Smackdown, but the entire women's division?  Who will step up and fill that big void?  With all the recent, and upcoming call ups, can NXT still thrive with the loss of some big names? How big of an impact will Aleister, oops, Malakai Black have in AEW?  We don't know about you, but we are officially rooting on Joe Gacy in the NXT Breakout Tournament! 

Episode 262: Rated R for Return

The chopping block came to NXT this week as several names were added to the list of Future Endeavored in 2021.  We once again play the guessing game of who will end up where.  Which match stole the show at Hell in a Cell?  Will AEW airing on different nights actually help bring in new viewers?  How good is the NXT Women's Tag Division and why isn't crossing over into the main roster?  Which surprised you more, Edge's return or the debut of Diamond Mine?  Green Man is back and brings with him a dream match scenario, For Your Consideration.

Episode 261: NY State of Mind

Becky Lynch has been spotted at the Performance Center, are we close to seeing the return of The Man?  With ratings dipping, Fox and NBCU have been pitching ideas for themed episodes.  Could the return of special gimmicks help them see the numbers they want?  AEW is coming to NYC for the first time, what went into selecting the venue and how smart of a move was it?  is LA Knight poised to be the next big thing?  Should some people stay in NXT rather than go to the main roster?  How impressive was the debut of Eva Maria?

Episode 260: Rush Decision

Triple H made some comments that rubbed people the wrong way this week.  Were his comments out of line or does he have a point?  Braun Strowman is reportedly asking for five figures for an independent appearance, is this too high of a price for the former Universal Champion and is any promotion willing to cough up the money?  Lio Rush announced his surprise retirement, but have we in fact seen the last of the Man of the Hour?  Is Tony Khan a believable authority figure?  With the success of heel Roman Reigns, is there any regret in the WWE on not turning Cena heel when they had the chance?

Episode 259: For Sale, Call Vince

Our AEW correspondent was in attendance for Double or Nothing, he offers his first hand account of how hot the crowd was and which match stole the show.  Some surprising names were released this week, a lot of people are saying AEW should sign them but should they?  Could all these recent cuts be part of a bigger plan, is Vince preparing to sell?  If so, which company is best equipped to buy them and is it a smart move to sell at this time?  Impact may have won the week with the help of that epic iron man match, but can we talk about how great Pat McAfee is doing on commentary?

Episode 258: The Britt Baker Era

This week a bunch of WWE employees received their pink slips, including Adnan Virk.  What went wrong and how will his replacement Jimmy Smith fare?  Could we see the WWE become the exclusive North American partner for New Japan Pro Wrestling?  What would that mean for AEW and Jon Moxley?  How will Finn Balor be handled on his second stint on the main roster?  Cardi B will host SummerSlam, are hosts effective or even needed?  AEW finally upgraded their Women's Championship belt, what better way to usher in the Britt Baker era?  If God created the universe, does that mean aliens go to heaven?  If so, Papa Puddy is in store for one major party!

Episode 257: Zombies, Live Shows, and Backlash

WWE is making it's return to live crowds this summer! With other sports already bringing fans back, why did WWE wait so long? Also: Will we see Velveteen Dream signed to another promotion? Why is The Miz's injury so significant? Is Bronson Reed worth the hype? Is the AEW Women's Division vastly underrated? Just how vital is Don Callis to Kenny Omega's success? Plus, we take a look at Wrestlemania Backlash. Who stole the show? What grade does it get? And, ZOMBIES?!