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- [00:01]
Sam Roberts
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- [00:30]
Kofi Kingston
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- [01:02]
Sam Roberts
Roman Reigns finally goes face to face with Paul Heyman and tells him exactly who ruined the bloodline. Dominik Mysterio is clear. There are stipulations between Becky lynch and Lyra Valkyria. And CM Punk goes face to face with Gunther. The new day is going to be on the show. Welcome to Raw recap of WWE and fanatics original production. Oh Megan, Megan, Megan. I feel like we finally got to the to the to the root and we realized that a full on this isn't a tiny little cavity. You know, when the dentist goes I'm going to drill in a little bit and see what's there. The dentist drilled in and we realized we're going to need a root canal. We're going to need to pull the tooth. We're going to need. I felt like ever since at least WrestleMania but you could really argue going all the way back to the build up to Survivor Series of last year of the bloodline kind of reforming, you know, I mean, I mean last calendar year when, when Roman Reigns phone was not connecting to Paul Heyman's phone when, when first Heyman was there and Roman wasn't there, then Roman was back but Haymon wasn't there. And then it all finally came together. But those questions were never really addressed. And that's the thing with every relationship, right? That at least that's been my experience that you can go like okay, if we're cool now, we can ignore those problems because what, they're still there.
- [02:50]
Xavier Woods
Oh, they still exist?
- [02:51]
Sam Roberts
Oh, you bet they do.
- [02:52]
Xavier Woods
And they were brought to the surface tonight on Raw.
- [02:54]
Sam Roberts
And I love so you know, I love when we go like when we really get story heavy soap opera stuff. And I and I feel like it's been missing in Paul Heyman coming off of of wrestlemania and this alliance with Seth Rollins and Braun Breaker and Bronson Reed that we got the why as to why Paul Heyman was joining Seth Rollins and that crew because he believes that they're the future. But it was never enough for me to go like, okay, Paul has joined that crew because he thinks they're the future. And he always just goes with the future. I said, no, no, I know why he's there, but why isn't he the wise man? Why isn't he with Roman Reigns?
- [03:44]
Xavier Woods
And we got Paul's side of the story, right? We heard about how Roman left him.
- [03:49]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [03:49]
Xavier Woods
Roman allowed for solo sikoa to put Paul Heyman through a table and Roman never came to help Paul. But tonight we got to hear Roman's side of the story and we got to hear Roman say, listen, you were just a family friend. You were just kept around for business reasons. I brought you in to this family, right?
- [04:12]
Sam Roberts
There was this thing where forever Paul Heyman would say, we won the title. Paul Heyman would talk. But. But this was the first time that Roman said, you didn't, you didn't do this. Maybe you got me there. You helped to get me there. He acknowledged that for lack of a better term. But in terms of a four year long title reign, in terms of everything that I did, you didn't do that. I loved when he starts going like, did you think the bloodline was just another faction? Did you think this was just another wrestling group? God created the bloodline like this is a real family. And he says, you know, when I left it was to raise the next generation of the bloodline because that's where it comes from. And roaming, going back to his family. Which by the way, very interestingly, Roman, while maybe not blood considers Paul Heyman, you were a friend and that was what you were. Sami Zayn is still oos.
- [05:15]
Xavier Woods
He is.
- [05:16]
Sam Roberts
Sami Zayn's still a member of the family. You heard Roman shout him out.
- [05:18]
Xavier Woods
You did. I love hearing Roman shout out Sammy out because that was, I think a lot of people's, myself included, favorite iteration of the bloodline when Sammy was involved with it. But what stuck out to me when Roman was going through all of the different shout outs of people who are in the bloodline, the reaction for Jay.
- [05:36]
Sam Roberts
Uso, it was through the roof, through the Roof.
- [05:40]
Xavier Woods
The whole crowd started yeeting.
- [05:41]
Sam Roberts
I mean, it was almost like. Like you. Like the. The crowd was moving, you know what I mean? Because they were all kind of yeeting up and down with the hands and everything.
- [05:49]
Xavier Woods
It was like a wave that's not going around the arena. Everybody was in unison, simultaneous. Much cooler than the wave. The waves a little eating. Way cooler.
- [05:58]
Sam Roberts
Way cooler. The wave is like, I'm bored. I don't know what to do. I mean, to yeet all in unison. You have so in tune with what's going on in front of you.
- [06:06]
Xavier Woods
Takes a lot of energy, too, and passion.
- [06:08]
Sam Roberts
And how about the fact that he gave Solo credit? Solo credit as the guy? It's like, it's not just a matter of if you leave Roman, he has no space for you because Solo left Roman. And Roman is sitting there acknowledging going, he's part of the bloodline. He's still family. Like, this is. This is what we do. But Paul Heyman, you're not family. And you committed a cardinal sin. And it's very interesting too, because he didn't say, paul, you left me for Seth Rollins. He didn't say, paul, you left me for Bron Breaker. What's he holding in his heart? He said, you left me for what? For a best friend that you hadn't spoken to in 10 years. Go back to last week. Remember when we discussed, like, how Roman making contact with Jey USO in his return and his contact with CM Punk was A Tale of two Cities. It was totally different. And now we see that, like, Roman was hurt.
- [07:13]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. And I mean, I think back to Survivor Series as well, that you brought up last calendar year, Survivor Series, when Roman and Punk had to be on the same Survivor Series War Games team. And that moment when they were exiting from the cage.
- [07:28]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [07:29]
Xavier Woods
And Roman puts his hand in front of CM Punk.
- [07:32]
Sam Roberts
Yeah. I mean, it's just so his arm. 100%. Yeah. His army blocks him off. The tension that was in that shark cage, that, by the way, still hasn't been paid off in my mind.
- [07:42]
Xavier Woods
Like, I don't think it has either.
- [07:44]
Sam Roberts
They were in the ring in that triple threat, but that triple threat was a whole different beast. Nothing was settled.
- [07:48]
Xavier Woods
No.
- [07:48]
Sam Roberts
In that triple threat. If anything, that triple threat gave birth to this kind of next. I don't even wanna say chapter book of what's going on with these men.
- [07:58]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, it was interesting because I really kind of thought, you know, with Roman and Seth and their history.
- [08:05]
Sam Roberts
Right.
- [08:06]
Xavier Woods
I thought this would have more to do with Roman's anger at Paul because of Seth and because of this group. So the fact that he brought up CM Punk and the 10 year friendship and 10 years of not speaking to Paul Heyman, that was interesting to me.
- [08:22]
Sam Roberts
What's an everything counts scenario? Yeah, it's all this stuff where it's like you don't just erase everything that's happened because of what's in front of us right now. And that's the story of the bloodline, really. If you look at Roman Reigns and, and sort of the incarnations of what we've gotten with Roman Reigns, it was this, you know, five years ago, this Roman Reigns. And by the way, we were talking about this on the radio this week that like five years ago was when Roman returned at SummerSlam. It was SummerSlam 2020. And five, six days after SummerSlam was the episode of Smackdown where for the first time we saw Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman sitting on the couch together and nothing was ever the same again. It was a moment that like was a forever, forever, forever moment. But I don't think anybody realized that they would spend the next five years to me and people say whatever, changing the industry and changing the way stories are told in the industry, changing the way people perceive not only Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns, but everyone around them, from the Usos to Sami Zayn to all of their opponents. You know, be it Kevin Owens, be it Cody Rhodes, be it everybody that was involved in any way, shape or form with what the bloodline has been. And we see Roman Reigns and we see that rise of Roman Reigns and he, any, any kind of goes through in that first part is very much that story of the bloodline assembling, right? And Jimmy finding his way to Roman and Roman and Jay having their battles, but Jay finding his way to Roman and that bloodline builds and builds and builds and Sami Zayn joins that bloodline. Then we get to what you just described as peak bloodline. When you've got the USO's and Sammy and Solo and Paul Heyman is the wise man and Roman Reigns, they have absolute control over everything. And then at a point as they approach WrestleMania 40, it got into the sort of absolute power corrupts absolutely scenario where it's like they have too much. Yeah, you know, Roman has too much power, Paul Heyman has too much power. And then we watched a year of roman reigns between WrestleMania 40 and WrestleMania 41, trying to deal with the aftershocks of the massive earthquake. That was the bloodline, the consequences as well. Boom.
- [10:52]
Xavier Woods
The solo Sokoa interferences and matches.
- [10:55]
Sam Roberts
Yes, all. Yes.
- [10:57]
Xavier Woods
That happened time and time again. I have to give a little bit of credit to Paul Heyman, though, because all of this that happened, Paul Heyman still comes out. And he's true. Paul Heyman. I mean, he offers Roman a position in this, this new group because Seth Rollins is going to be out for a long time, according to Paul.
- [11:19]
Sam Roberts
But tell me this. So now. And that's all to say that now we've got a very different Roman Reigns. Yeah, we've got a Roman Reigns out there. And I'll get to your point, because it's a great point. But Roman also said, like Paul, the only reason I'm the otc. And I thought he was going to say it was not because of you, it's because of my family. He goes, it's because they acknowledge me. And I go, is Roman giving credit to the audience? This is the same Roman Reigns said, that's my ring, that's my camera. These are my seats. This is my building. Remember that?
- [11:55]
Xavier Woods
Oh, I remember.
- [11:56]
Sam Roberts
And now he's fully aware I'm still the guy because they've said so. And you're right. Paul Heyman comes out, he's got his finger up in the air.
- [12:05]
Kofi Kingston
Oh, yeah.
- [12:06]
Sam Roberts
One of the most pathetic bloodline fingers I've ever seen is it just quivers downwards as he's realizing Roman is not buying any of this. And why would Roman buy any of this? But I find that so fascinating when he goes, we need a leader. He didn't just offer Roman a spot in that group. He literally offered Roman Seth's spot.
- [12:31]
Xavier Woods
Yeah.
- [12:32]
Sam Roberts
I mean, if I'm Seth, I'm going, whoa. I understand I'm injured, but I've literally been gone for two weeks. Well, two weeks, and you're. You're offering my spot to my arch nemesis.
- [12:44]
Xavier Woods
Also, the way this segment begins, Paul Heyman comes out and he says, I'm here because the entire future of the industry stands beside me. It is Bron Breaker in Big Bronson Reed.
- [12:55]
Sam Roberts
That's a great call.
- [12:55]
Xavier Woods
And they're just holding the briefcase. No mention of, oh, Seth as well. But he's not here because he's hurt.
- [13:01]
Sam Roberts
He said the entire future.
- [13:02]
Xavier Woods
The entire future.
- [13:04]
Sam Roberts
And it really did start to look more and more clear that the money's being put behind Bron Breaker.
- [13:12]
Xavier Woods
Yes.
- [13:13]
Sam Roberts
As that guy. And look, Bron Breaker stepped up. And that's a difficult scenario when you've got Roman Reigns, who granted, you know, six years ago. Yeah, Roman was figuring it out. But guess what? He Figured it out. Like, Roman is in the rarest of the rare air. The air where as, as Baba Ray Dudley pointed out, Roman can just stand and the world responds and they just wait. He sniffs the air, the way he.
- [13:49]
Xavier Woods
Gazes at the camera with the squinted eyes.
- [13:52]
Sam Roberts
And you go, I don't know what he's going to do, but he knows what he's going to do.
- [13:55]
Xavier Woods
And I'm waiting patiently.
- [13:58]
Sam Roberts
I fully trust my tribal chief.
- [14:00]
Xavier Woods
Yes.
- [14:00]
Sam Roberts
Whatever his plan is, it's probably the right one, a hundred percent. But Braun steps up to that spotlight, that impossible spotlight, and steps right up to him to the point where, like, listen, when you're a star on the level of Roman Reigns, it can't just be anyone anymore. Like, it can't just be anyone stepping up and being like, well, I'm going to be in a Roman Reigns match. And the world goes, that's a big match because Roman Reigns is in it. No, there's a lot of people who you'd go, I don't know. Roman Reigns match with this person. Roman Reigns match with. That's Roman Reigns you're talking about. But I feel like. I felt like I was like, oh, I. I believe this for. Again, for lack of a better term.
- [14:51]
Xavier Woods
I believe that when Bron Breaker reached out for Paul Heyman to hand it to him, I thought, oh, my gosh, this is going to be a moment five years from now, three years from now, one year from now, we're going to look back and be like, that was Brawn Breaker stepping up to Roman Reigns.
- [15:11]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, yeah.
- [15:13]
Xavier Woods
And also delivering a spear to Roman.
- [15:17]
Sam Roberts
And you saw. And Roman, I mean, listen, Roman tells a very elaborate story with his words. And I felt like as much as we started getting to the meat that's on that bone, we barely scratch the surface with what is really going on. When Roman said, straight up, I didn't ruin the bloodline, you did. It's like, boom, there it is. There it is. Like, straight up, you're the one who ruined the bloodline. And I normally would say, wise words from a wise man, but you're not a wise man anymore. And it's so funny because you see Bronson Reed behind him going, that's right, he's an oracle. And Roman corrects him and says, he's a dumbass. And every time he says he's a dumbass, Bron Breaker gets more angry and more angry and more. Roman starts to see it, but, you know, he. He weaves this story, Roman does with his words. But then there's even More of a story that's told after Roman catches that spear. And you see this look, and I always talk about this look that's on Roman's face because Roman's face will tell you everything that you need to know. And it's this look of pain. Obviously, Braun Breaker just speared you. But it's also surprise. It's also maybe a little bit of momentary humbling. It's a little bit of momentary, ooh, I didn't expect to be here. What am I going to do now? All of that is happening when this spear hits.
- [16:50]
Xavier Woods
But never once did you feel or did you see any real shake to his confidence.
- [16:58]
Sam Roberts
No. I mean, look, you saw him flat on the ground about to get Tsunami.
- [17:01]
Xavier Woods
Yes, you did.
- [17:03]
Sam Roberts
But that's more helplessness, right, than a lack of confidence. And it's a two on one scenario. And listen, you know he has history with both these guys, right? Obviously Braun Breaker is the one that took him out the Monday Night Raw after Wrestlemania. Don't forget Bronson Reed was in that War Games match.
- [17:22]
Xavier Woods
That's right.
- [17:22]
Sam Roberts
Solo's bloodline. Don't forget that's the match that. I mean, Bronson Reed was in that match. He's interacted there before, so he's also tied into this thing. But then Jay USO comes out and it's so great, right? Because last week it's CM Punk who's getting beat up and Jey uso comes out and then Roman Reigns music hits. The audience goes crazy in Birmingham. Jey USO's music hits while Roman is laid out and the audience goes crazy.
- [17:54]
Xavier Woods
We went crazy in your living room.
- [17:56]
Sam Roberts
Of course, in Houston and in the not Sam living room. But to see Jay come out and take him out and you realize like, this is. I mean, it's the prophecy. It's the whole bloodline prophecy, this idea. And it's not just a look anymore. It's like, Roman can be saved by Jay just as Jay can be saved by Roman. That everything that we thought Jay could be, everything that this bloodline could be leading Jay to, we saw it, you know, and at the end of the show, Roman is the one hunched over holding his ribs, and Jay is the one standing tall with this look on his face going, why would you ever think my family's the one to mess with? Why would you ever in a million years think that we were the ones that you should go after? That was dumb. That's not the right move. And they're looking at him going like, there's two of them now. This isn't Roman and his sidekick. This isn't Roman and Jay one half of a tag team. This is two bloodline main event stars going, hey, we're. We're controlling this place. And the audience is with him.
- [19:16]
Xavier Woods
And this isn't a Jay who's so happy to be there. Happy to. I mean, he belongs.
- [19:22]
Sam Roberts
It's his place.
- [19:23]
Xavier Woods
It is.
- [19:24]
Sam Roberts
I mean, you know, you're happy to be home, but you're grateful for your home. But it's your home. You built it. You made it a home.
- [19:34]
Xavier Woods
And that's what we've watched Jay USO do since Survivor Series until now with Roman Reigns.
- [19:40]
Sam Roberts
Yeah. I mean, that was the final, of course, but no, you're 100% right. That. That was the final, sort of. Oh, I think Jay is there.
- [19:47]
Xavier Woods
Yeah.
- [19:48]
Sam Roberts
And then it was like, let's watch him really get there. And that includes winning a World Heavyweight Championship. That includes, like, being in that conversation. I've said that before. It's like there are people that, regardless, everybody's got to lose a title at some point, but once you win that World Heavyweight Championship, you're in that conversation. And now when you look at Jay USO and Roman Reigns, you're looking at two World Champions that are staring him down. Now, Roman did briefly bring up the title. Losing the title, why? You know, that title, I think is still on the mind of Roman Reigns, but I think in the. In the meantime, it's more dealing with what is directly in front of him. But I think we got a. A new Roman Reigns, an interesting Roman Reigns, and a Roman Reigns that's there to. To take. To just not even to take back the way he took before. Because really, with the bloodline, what they took, they still have. Are they a group? Are they the most powerful thing? Do they control every show?
- [20:53]
Megan
They.
- [20:54]
Sam Roberts
No. But which member of the bloodline is not a star of the wwe?
- [21:01]
Xavier Woods
Can't think of one.
- [21:02]
Sam Roberts
You know, I mean, Sami Zayn got hit with a lead pipe, but he's.
- [21:05]
Xavier Woods
Still doing well, doing great.
- [21:07]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [21:08]
Xavier Woods
I mean, every member of the bloodline is doing pretty outstanding right now.
- [21:12]
Sam Roberts
Yeah. Solo's got his whole own group of mfts, you know.
- [21:16]
Xavier Woods
Yeah.
- [21:17]
Sam Roberts
So I think that that's all important, but when you talk about that title, I think it's also a question of who is going to have the title after SummerSlam. Is it John Cena or is it a. Or is it Cody Rhodes, Both of whom have history with Roman Reigns. And, you know, Cody Rhodes, not only is he. Is he. You talk about A new Roman Reigns that we saw on Raw. We saw a different Cody Rhodes. Completely different for sure, on smackdown. And Cody Rhodes has an entire new merch collection to go right along with everything that he's doing right now.
- [21:52]
Xavier Woods
You can edit this is the 10:00am Eastern tweet. Yeah, he got me with that one. New merch, baby.
- [21:59]
Sam Roberts
New merch, new merch. Cody Rhodes. The whole collection is available at WWE Shop. Check out the new American Nightmare Stars and Stripes collection. Authentic tees. There's a hat, there's a weightlifting belt. You can get the windbreaker. Everything you need to celebrate Cody Rhodes. The Cody Rhodes Stars and Stripes collection is live now. Don't wait to grab yours as we head towards this epic street fight with John Cena at SummerSlam. If you're going to SummerSlam, you want to wear that new Cody Rhodes collection. If you're not going to SummerSlam, but you're having some friends over your house, you're going to want to wear the Cody Rhodes collection to impress them. If you're getting tickets from Fandango to go to SummerSlam in a movie theater. Not the Fandango the wrestler, the Fandango the company. If you're getting. Because that guy, I don't think he's selling movie tickets. But if you're, if you're getting your tickets and you're going to a movie theater to watch SummerSlam, which was announced today, you got to wear this new Cody Rhodes collection. So go to fanatics or WWE Shop. Get those now. And speaking of champions, former champions as they were. It's. It's about time we introduce our. Our guest here tonight on the Raw recap. Well, let's welcome in our guest tonight from, From. From Houston, Texas, right backstage at Monday Night Raw. We have. We have Kofi Kingston. We have Xavier Woods. We have, we have the new day coming off of Sam.
- [23:32]
Kofi Kingston
This is crazy, bro. This is crazy. We've been boycotting your show since WrestleMania. Last time when we interviewed with you all, you remember, that was probably the best interview that you had. And we talked about your enthusiasm. And now it almost seems like you're trying to stifle a laugh. You know what I'm saying? You just can't hide your excitement, you know what I mean? You're so much more excited now than you were back then to see us. And we just came off this unfair, this atrocity, this miscarriage of justice. We shouldn't have even been in a triple threat tag team match for the number one contendership. Why were we even in that mess? And you're over here trying to stifle a laugh. It's not funny, man.
- [24:06]
Sam Roberts
No, I know. No, I know.
- [24:08]
Megan
Yeah, you know, and also Meg knows too, because she already knows that we're going to come at you like this because you came at us with this energy and she's already annoyed that you can see it on her face.
- [24:16]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, yeah, I'm annoyed. They've been grieving. It's been a really tough time for the new day. And you just come on here. Insensitive.
- [24:21]
Sam Roberts
Why? How. Why shouldn't you guys have been in the triple threat? Why wouldn't you have to earn your way?
- [24:27]
Megan
We should have had a match for.
- [24:28]
Kofi Kingston
The tag team championships to rematch the rematch clauses. How come Eel just got a rematch tonight? Is she. Is she getting. She got a rematch, right?
- [24:35]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, that's a good point. Lyra's been getting rematches after rematch, after rematch. I mean, come on.
- [24:39]
Megan
Oh, they. They want to.
- [24:42]
Sam Roberts
Well, I mean, there is no. The rematch clause in and of it said there is no technical rematch clause anymore.
- [24:48]
Megan
So now. So now it's whoever is in power. Adam, Pierce, Tyrone, he chose to not give us a rematch. But during Eo and Ria, Naomi cashed in. Rio gets a. Sorry, excuse me. Iyo gets a rematch. Ria, who wasn't even champion, gets a rematch.
- [25:09]
Kofi Kingston
Crazy.
- [25:09]
Megan
But the 13 time world tag team champions don't deserve a rematch. He said because we weren't giving rematches, we don't have the power to make matches official, as so stated by Adam Pearce, who says his catchphrase so happily when he does make things official. So to put it on us is ridiculous.
- [25:28]
Sam Roberts
I appreciate. Sorry. No, I appreciate that. It's just that also the argument that you should just get an automatic rematch, it's a tough argument. When we just saw the lwo were able to beat you guys tonight. So the idea, it was four on.
- [25:44]
Kofi Kingston
Two and you're surprised that you understand. But the lwo, they're very good wrestlers. They're very good.
- [25:50]
Sam Roberts
Okay.
- [25:50]
Kofi Kingston
They're incredibly athletic. They can do things that I could never, ever do.
- [25:53]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [25:53]
Kofi Kingston
The way that they beat people up in the ring while doing circus style moves. I mean, me, I'm a fan of watching the circus. I'm not a fan of being in it. But these guys, they're circus acrobats, Cirque du Soleil type brothers. Of course they match. You guys act like they're not capable of winning. You know, it's.
- [26:10]
Megan
It's not, it's not that we don't have Faith in this division. We have nothing but faith in this division. But people like you clearly don't to make comments like, oh, well, if the LWO can beat you, anybody in this division has the ability to beat anybody, because there are nothing but fantastic teams. But the problem is that when we are treated unfairly due to the decisions of WWE management, that then plays a huge role in the outcome of these matches. And that is the problem that we have.
- [26:38]
Kofi Kingston
What else is the problem? Sorry to cut you off. To cut you off. I didn't say not to cut you off. Said to cut you off. I didn't want to hear what you had to say. Do you know what kind of man is in power right now? The man. Did you see the post that Adam Pearce just had on social media today?
- [26:53]
Xavier Woods
Oh, I saw it. That was not. That was not cool.
- [26:55]
Kofi Kingston
Insensitive. Completely insensitive to the people who have lost their jobs. Adam Pearce then comes on and starts to make a post, pretty much pretending like he was fired and he makes a joke out of it. For what? For some clicks and some retweets.
- [27:10]
Megan
Was Rick rolling 15 years ago? People were doing that.
- [27:14]
Kofi Kingston
That's crazy, man.
- [27:14]
Xavier Woods
And you guys have, man that you.
- [27:16]
Kofi Kingston
Guys have in power. That's the kind of man that's making decisions on whether who gets rematches and who doesn't. Is that not a problem?
- [27:22]
Xavier Woods
It's a big problem. And you guys have been nothing but. I mean, you guys have been nothing but kind Adam Pierce. You're even offering him solutions to his bald head with the two pays, and still the guy can't even go out of his way to give you a rematch. It's ridiculous.
- [27:36]
Kofi Kingston
Gave you guys a real good segment on the show last week.
- [27:39]
Xavier Woods
Thank you.
- [27:39]
Kofi Kingston
You were good segment on the show last week, Sam.
- [27:42]
Sam Roberts
Oh, I know, I know.
- [27:44]
Xavier Woods
You don't appreciate them enough.
- [27:46]
Sam Roberts
I wasn't. My point was not that the LWO can beat you and the lw. My point was that because you guys lost the LWO beating you would make me as a viewer, simply a viewer, think clearly the LWO deserve a title match more than you guys do because they can beat you.
- [28:04]
Kofi Kingston
0Mark you.
- [28:08]
Sam Roberts
Did you.
- [28:08]
Megan
Did you not view all the shenanigans that happened in the end of that match? Grande Americano. I don't know why Dragon was out there. I don't know why Ivy was out there. This is a match between three very, very talented teams, us clearly being the best one. And when you don't have all these shenanigans, the new day does not lose. So to say something like that, that, that they're more deserving than us. I believe this was their first win on Raw all year. Or maybe, maybe even, maybe even two, maybe even three.
- [28:40]
Kofi Kingston
Matter of fact, I can't really remember the last time they won. That's beside the point. They shouldn't have had the opportunity. They shouldn't have been in that position. They jumped the line, you understand? They jumped us on the ladder. We were supposed to be the ones to have a rematch and be in the position to reclaim our tag team championships and save the entire tag team division and the WWE Universe from the loss of the tag team division. But now they've taken all that away. And to me, that's just crazy because what it tells me is that Adam Pearce doesn't have the people's best interests in mind, and that is the man who is the general manager of Raw. Make it make sense.
- [29:12]
Sam Roberts
So the people's the best. What's best for the people is you're saying that you guys be the tag team champions. Is that what you're saying?
- [29:20]
Megan
That's what we've been saying from day one. Because what happens when those championships aren't on the new day? They're never seen. They're not on the show, they're not in photoshoots, they're not at red carpets. They're not loved, they're not adored. They aren't given the effort that are needed for those championships. Let's break it down even further since you want to back the bald headed tyrant.
- [29:41]
Kofi Kingston
Is that the bald headed tire? And you know what? That's, that's probably why you like this man.
- [29:47]
Sam Roberts
Ball.
- [29:47]
Kofi Kingston
Birds of a feather.
- [29:48]
Megan
You would walk together if you had hair.
- [29:50]
Kofi Kingston
If you had hair. Right?
- [29:51]
Xavier Woods
That's right.
- [29:52]
Kofi Kingston
What would you call that? Birds of a feather. If you don't shine together, they have like the hairless cats, you know, so you'd be like, you'd be like a turkey on Thanksgiving before he got cooked. Because you've been getting cooked on this, on this, on this interview, this entire time.
- [30:05]
Megan
Let's, let's ask you this since you believe in Adam Pierce's ways so much. Do you recall another team that was previously tag team champions that has been hounding Adam Pierce for some sort of match to become number one contenders? Any teams come to mind as the viewer, since you view the show so much?
- [30:22]
Sam Roberts
No, I watch the. Yeah, sure, there are teams. Yeah, there are always.
- [30:25]
Megan
I'm asking you, I'm asking for the name of the.
- [30:26]
Kofi Kingston
Specifically. Specifically.
- [30:28]
Megan
That's all we want is the name of the team.
- [30:30]
Sam Roberts
I don't know. There have been multiple people that have requested.
- [30:33]
Megan
You are not an avid viewer like you say you are. If you were, you would remember that the War Raiders have been on Pierce's ass to get a match to become the Morgan contenders. Question for you. Where were the War Raiders tonight? Why were they not involved in the match? Why was the lwo involved in the match before the War Raiders were?
- [30:49]
Kofi Kingston
You said it yourself, they haven't won a match on raw. And how, how, how long? Why would they.
- [30:54]
Sam Roberts
No, I didn't.
- [30:55]
Kofi Kingston
Or yeah, the War Raiders, but I.
- [30:57]
Megan
Would think they're more deserving than you.
- [30:59]
Kofi Kingston
For a title opportunity.
- [31:00]
Megan
What are you talking about, Sam?
- [31:01]
Kofi Kingston
Makes sense, man.
- [31:01]
Sam Roberts
I mean, how do you feel about.
- [31:03]
Megan
The War Raiders not being involved in that? Since you have such an intense opinion on the tag team division that you clearly don't care about, I would love.
- [31:10]
Sam Roberts
To see the War Raiders have another tag team championship match. I will say, you know, when you talk about like, you know, what is best for the tag team division, that I did see that, like this amazing phenomenon happened. And when the Judgment Day won the tag team championship, I'd never seen them so popular. The, the, the ovation, the reaction that the Judgment Day got, winning the tag team title, my goodness gracious, Sam.
- [31:38]
Kofi Kingston
What. Do you understand why that is? Do you understand the relevance that we bring to those titles? The sanctity that we bring to those titles? The crowd, these hard headed, you know, people out here, they would be out there. You're getting, you're getting me flustered and you get me kind of aggravated, bro.
- [31:57]
Sam Roberts
How so?
- [31:59]
Megan
He's going to take a second because you're, you're bothering him too much. I want to go back to the comment that you just made. You've never seen the Judgment Day more popular, so you just haven't been clearly viewing the show for any amount of time because they've been extremely popular at many different times in the iteration of the Judgment Day, regardless of the members, they've had people who adore them. Did you forget the fact that Rhea Ripley was a part of a Judgment Day and one of the most popular people on the roster, Damian Priest, became World Heavyweight Champion while part of the Judgment Day and the crowd lost their absolute mind. So to say something like that means that you are not the viewer that you essentially are paid to be. So maybe we need to take that salary, give it to Meg, because you have no clue what you're talking about. Those people got off their feet because we brought prestige to those times.
- [32:42]
Kofi Kingston
Brought prestige. You understand that, Sam? No, I meant to dislike us that they would cheer for a team that they didn't even really care about. If you could go back and watch the match, man, and turn up the audio. Because when the Judgment Day first came out, when, when JD And Finn came out, Crickets dog, nobody, they didn't care when we came out. Now everybody's on their feet. Oh, they want to make all this noise and they want us to lose so badly that they would rather see the tag team titles around the waist of people who they don't care about than ours. That's a problem, man. That's a problem. But that is the kind of significance that we give, the kind of relevance that we give to the entire tag team division. Do you understand that, Sam? You understand that?
- [33:22]
Xavier Woods
Well, Sam, when the judge won the.
- [33:24]
Kofi Kingston
Titles, do you see, everybody was. Everyone was on their feet. Oh, my God. They cared about the titles. They didn't want us to have them. They don't know what's good for them, but they cared about them. That's because we brought that prestige to the titles, not the Judgment Day.
- [33:36]
Megan
And to piggyback off that, because it's very relevant, people were so upset about the new day, not constantly defending the tag team championship. We had, I believe, our second defense. 80, our first defense, what, 35 days in, I think second defense, which was very unfair for it to even happen anyway. Was it what, 80, 80 something days then?
- [33:59]
Sam Roberts
I think.
- [34:00]
Megan
And then the Judgment Day when they were tag team champions. Their first title defense was like 87 days in to their reign and it was against us in a match that we should have beat them in, but the referee was outside of the ring and people cheered for Judgment Day, right? When they stole the titles from us. Because they're not actual viewers with minds. They don't even remember three months ago, four months ago, five months ago. See, when the Judgment Day just hung the championships in their closets and we never saw them, they cheered for that after they discriminated against us for quote unquote, the same thing.
- [34:35]
Kofi Kingston
That's crazy, right? It's crazy when you break it down like that because these people have such a short term memory, you know, but we don't forget, you know what I'm saying? We play such, such prestige on those titles, man. We. It means so much to us. You see us mourning the titles. You understand that we're out here. This is like a real. It's a real emotional connection and attachment that we have to these Titles to the tag team division. We take tag team wrestling very, very seriously. And, you know, people want it to be a byproduct or an afterthought on the show. You know what I'm saying? Not us. We always wanted to make sure that we did photo shoots. We made sure that the titles were seen. We went to the tudum event, Netflix, we brought them there. We mingled, rubbed elbows with the stars. We had the people from one piece out there clamoring for our titles. Everybody wanted to see what the new day was doing, what they were all about. They wanted to see the titles. They wanted to wear them. And we let them wear. We took pictures with them. We made everybody happy. We put smiles on faces like we've always done. Have you seen the judgment day? Take these titles out in public on any social media? Have you seen one picture, One snapshot? Did they take any pictures at home? You haven't seen it, bro.
- [35:39]
Sam Roberts
Well, I've seen. Of course they've been on social media with the tudum's only once a year, so they haven't had the opportunity. But of course they've been on social media.
- [35:46]
Kofi Kingston
Is that the only red carpet event that's been going on?
- [35:49]
Xavier Woods
I mean, I saw with all the titles. I didn't see the. The tag team jams with the titles.
- [35:54]
Sam Roberts
Well, he was still putting them on.
- [35:55]
Megan
And if you're. If you're saying they're more popular than they've ever been, you don't think they would get invited to any red carpet events.
- [36:01]
Sam Roberts
By the way, I meant that point. I meant the current incarnation of the new day, not every incarnation that's ever existed. That was a little unfair.
- [36:08]
Megan
You mean of the judgment.
- [36:09]
Sam Roberts
You have the judgment day? Of the judgment day.
- [36:11]
Kofi Kingston
Even your subconscious knows. Even your subconscious knows that's what we call a freudian slip. You're talking about significant tag teams. And your mind knows that when you're talking about significance, you can only say the new day. That's why it came out of your mouth. You didn't want to, but your mind, Sam, your mind, your subconscious came out with the freudian slip saying the new day was making the titles relevant and significant.
- [36:35]
Megan
Sam, are you texting during this interview?
- [36:38]
Kofi Kingston
Sam's crazy.
- [36:38]
Sam Roberts
No, I know.
- [36:39]
Xavier Woods
It's so disrespectful, but you guys, I.
- [36:41]
Kofi Kingston
Mean, for some help.
- [36:43]
Xavier Woods
Well, I don't. I hope you don't get offended by this, but, you know, the lwo, they were. They were cheating out there tonight, and it did look like you guys may have needed Some help because it was unfair what they did. I noticed backstage you guys ran into Big G. Big G. Grayson Waller. What do you. What do you think of Big G?
- [37:03]
Kofi Kingston
Yeah, well, he's very excited right now. He's very excited about the fact that him and Theory are no more. You know, they've been on the rocks for about one, maybe two, two and a half, three years now. And sometimes the hardest breakups are the ones that are slow, you know, and this has been a slow breakup, to say the least. But I'm really happy for. For Waller because, like we've been telling him, you know, this man is a star. You go to Australia and you mention his name, everybody starts talking, man. Everybody starts, you know, getting giddy and just happy about hearing. Hearing his voice, you know, or hearing his name.
- [37:37]
Megan
He's from Australia.
- [37:38]
Kofi Kingston
He's. Is he from Australia? Right?
- [37:39]
Megan
I thought he was from England.
- [37:40]
Kofi Kingston
He's from England.
- [37:41]
Megan
I thought so.
- [37:42]
Kofi Kingston
That's. The accent is England.
- [37:44]
Megan
I could have swore he's from England.
- [37:46]
Kofi Kingston
I think it doesn't really. It all sounds the same. It doesn't matter where he's from. When he goes to his hometown, like, his name is being echoed in the streets. You know what I'm saying? People are just, you know, they're. They're clamoring to see him. And then when you stick someone like a town down, when you put a town down, when you. It's almost like you. You put that energy onto the air by putting that word into your. Into your name, you're automatically bringing yourself down. He's not the energy guy, you know, he's more of a meathead. Most of the. I want to post more videos of myself with my muscles and everything. And he's got big muscle. That's great. But when it comes to being in touch with oneself and affirmations and. And things of that nature, you know, positivity, he doesn't really understand it. So when he puts down in his name, that's why. That's what brings him down, and that's why he's at where he's at. And Waller should be up here, man. And we see that potential in him, you know, so we've taken him under the wing, you know, so it's really. We're just really happy for him that he's. That he's finally about to be set free, you know, he's about to fly.
- [38:45]
Sam Roberts
Could. Could he be a member of the new day?
- [38:48]
Kofi Kingston
He just. I mean, I. I'm. We're really happy. We're really happy. That you're over here trying to, like, you know, shun this man's moment. You try to do the same thing with us at WrestleMania. What's next? What's next with you for you guys?
- [39:00]
Sam Roberts
When you win the tag team champion?
- [39:01]
Kofi Kingston
You try to. You try to, you know, live outside the moment. And what we're trying to do right now is live in the present and be happy for him right here and right now, Sam. Okay? So don't jump the gun and don't try to, like, reduce this man's moment. Don't try to, you know, make it insignificant. This is a big deal for him. He's been on, what, four. Four year breakup and he's finally out. He's finally out. You know what I'm saying?
- [39:23]
Sam Roberts
I don't know. Sometimes people say people break up with their tag partners and they're never the same again. There are, you know, situations where that's happened.
- [39:32]
Megan
But do you realize that you're talking to the greatest tag team of all time?
- [39:35]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, no, I know.
- [39:36]
Megan
Literally the most experience with tag teams.
- [39:40]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [39:40]
Megan
And you're saying, oh, well, I heard some people. But you're not citing a source. You're talking to the greatest Internet guy. Yeah.
- [39:47]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [39:47]
Megan
All of you can tell.
- [39:48]
Kofi Kingston
Oh, you read the dirt.
- [39:49]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [39:49]
Megan
You get your. You get your little buddies on Twitter to back up what you say. You get some bots, you pay for some likes, you pay for some retweets, and then you go, oh, I'm the know it all. Sam Roberts.
- [40:01]
Kofi Kingston
Oh, I heard. Oh, I'll give this match 4 out of 10 star.
- [40:05]
Megan
But I have a question. Who knows the most about tag team wrestling? I'll just tell you.
- [40:09]
Sam Roberts
Not Sam.
- [40:10]
Kofi Kingston
Not Sam.
- [40:11]
Xavier Woods
Oh, here we go.
- [40:12]
Sam Roberts
I don't like that.
- [40:13]
Kofi Kingston
Get that T shirt made yet?
- [40:14]
Sam Roberts
No, No, I haven't.
- [40:16]
Kofi Kingston
Because you don't like money. Your pride. Your pride is. Your pride is up here. You don't. You don't want to make a good living. You wouldn't even need to have this show if you would just print that Not Sam T shirt. It would fly off the racks like hotcakes. And trust us know, because we used to slang them. That's another word for pancakes.
- [40:32]
Sam Roberts
That's right.
- [40:34]
Kofi Kingston
Not familiar with the. With the vernacular.
- [40:36]
Sam Roberts
No, I know. I remember. I remember. Those were good times. Those were good times. Okay, so, you know, I. So. So we don't know we have a mentor, mentee almost thing going on with. With. With Big G. With Grayson Waller. That's what it sounds like. And I think that could Be good. You guys are great mentors and everything. Do you feel at all like maybe the tag division, you know, you are the most successful tag team that the WWE has ever had. Do you feel like the tag division might be getting one step ahead of you guys at this point in your lives? I feel like.
- [41:07]
Megan
I feel like, first of all, you shouldn't talk so much on the show because I've barely heard from them. It's quite.
- [41:14]
Kofi Kingston
Is this the Sam Roberts, though?
- [41:15]
Sam Roberts
No.
- [41:16]
Megan
Oh, and then he's.
- [41:16]
Sam Roberts
Again, didn't you communicate?
- [41:19]
Kofi Kingston
I have a show called the Sam Roberts Show. Is that still going on?
- [41:22]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, there's no. There's a possessive apostrophe at the end of Sam Roberts, but yeah, that's a different. Yeah.
- [41:26]
Kofi Kingston
Is it? So is the show still going on? Do you still have it?
- [41:30]
Sam Roberts
Of course. Yes. Yeah, yeah.
- [41:31]
Kofi Kingston
Going on. Because I haven't seen anything about it. I feel like the viewership might have gone down.
- [41:35]
Megan
Yeah.
- [41:37]
Kofi Kingston
Because it used to be hot. It used to be hot. So they bring Meg on the show to help boost the ratings over. Talk her. This is wild, bro.
- [41:45]
Sam Roberts
I'll you have the floor.
- [41:48]
Megan
Oh, now you got to give her permission before she can.
- [41:50]
Kofi Kingston
This is crazy.
- [41:51]
Megan
She needs your permission to speak.
- [41:52]
Kofi Kingston
Wow.
- [41:52]
Sam Roberts
No, you don't need. Wow.
- [41:54]
Kofi Kingston
I'm so sorry, Meg.
- [41:55]
Xavier Woods
Well, I just want to thank you guys for taking the time. I mean, it's been. It's been really difficult. You guys are grieving. You just come in awful loss. You have situations going on with. With Big G. There's clearly a lot on your plate as we approach SummerSlam. So it really means the world to us that. That you would even give myself and my. My co host who has acted inappropriately throughout this interview, the time of day.
- [42:20]
Kofi Kingston
You want to call it what it is.
- [42:21]
Megan
Thank you. Thank you for having us, man. We appreciate it.
- [42:24]
Sam Roberts
What's up with showing those legs off recently? But what you've been showing off the. Of the legs. And there have been people on this show that have wondered if there's like something going on.
- [42:33]
Xavier Woods
He looks great.
- [42:34]
Sam Roberts
Okay.
- [42:36]
Megan
Remember last week, some people cite a source.
- [42:40]
Sam Roberts
Well, I don't want to. I'm not trying to. Biggie and us had a conversation and wondered if there was maybe some kind of midlife something or other going on that you were showing off your body like this. That's all disgusting. That's all.
- [42:55]
Kofi Kingston
Because the man has been working on his physique. The man is out here looking like a Greek God. He's out here showing off what he got.
- [43:03]
Sam Roberts
Wow.
- [43:04]
Kofi Kingston
This Ain't even what his mama gave him. His mama gave him. Somebody added on to it, Sam. Yeah, he added on to it. The man looks like a physical specimen. He is a. A shining example, a paradigm best example of what physical fitness looks like at its peak. And you're trying to shame him for this?
- [43:25]
Sam Roberts
What's going on with your lives?
- [43:26]
Kofi Kingston
It looks like, bruh. What are we talking about, man? You gotta show it off, bro. What do you mean? If you have. This is you. You don't understand because you would never have legs like him. But if you had legs like him, you wouldn't be covering them up. You let him breathe, bro. You let him breathe, Sam. What do you mean? Is there a midlife? What are you talking about? The man is 35. We talking about mid. He gonna be 155. We talk about midlife. Stop putting limits on this, man. You won't be dead soon. This is so crazy.
- [44:01]
Megan
You want me dead soon?
- [44:03]
Sam Roberts
Wow.
- [44:04]
Kofi Kingston
You see, your true feelings come out. Slip a lot of these little entendres. And you can slip a lot of these things in on a lot of other people, but not us. Because we understand what you're trying to say. We read the subtext. We read in between the lines. I understand what you're trying to say. You ain't slick, Sam. You know who slick not?
- [44:22]
Megan
Sam got him.
- [44:24]
Xavier Woods
They got you again. You fell for it again. You walked right into that one.
- [44:26]
Sam Roberts
Hey, Sam. Yeah?
- [44:28]
Megan
Sam. Oh, Sam's Internet is. Sam, question for you. Has has Randy Orton ever been on this show?
- [44:36]
Sam Roberts
On this specific show, we haven't had nobody. He's on Smackdown. This is like the Raw. So we haven't had the chance to talk to.
- [44:42]
Megan
Well, if you ever had the chance to talk to Randy Orton and interview him. Okay, so if you had the chance to talk to Randy Orton, interview him, would you ask him, hey, Randy, why do you show your legs?
- [44:53]
Sam Roberts
No, I guess I wouldn't ask Randy that question.
- [44:55]
Megan
Hey, and when you were talking to E about this, did you ask E, hey, why was your single cut so high that 34 of your butt cheeks were almost hanging out? Did you ask him that?
- [45:03]
Sam Roberts
No, that specific question didn't come up? No.
- [45:05]
Megan
No, you didn't ask. But you asked me as if there's a problem with me taking my health and my fitness seriously. To the point that in the business where we show our hard work with our bodies, now it's a problem because I'm doing it. Now it's an issue because woods is doing it because he's Taking the time to care for himself. Now it's a problem because you think it's a nerve that you can touch.
- [45:29]
Kofi Kingston
You should be ashamed of yourself.
- [45:30]
Xavier Woods
Your shaming.
- [45:32]
Sam Roberts
I didn't. I just asked a question. Just a question.
- [45:34]
Kofi Kingston
You should be ashamed of yourself. This is a platform that a lot of people watch, especially when we come on here. You could be the. The. The guiding light. You could give them positive messages for them to go and better their lives. Now, what if somebody is thinking about wearing some short shorts because they've been working hard and now they think that someone like you is going to come out and shame them for it? Now they're going to put some pants on. Oh, I don't want to show my legs because I'm self conscious because bald Sam came out and told me that my leg. People are going to laugh at my legs. What are you talking about, man? You got to be better, dude. Yeah, you got to be better.
- [46:02]
Megan
That's a lot of B.S.
- [46:03]
Kofi Kingston
Yeah.
- [46:04]
Megan
Bald Sam.
- [46:07]
Kofi Kingston
Bald Sam. As the day is long.
- [46:12]
Sam Roberts
Would you like to wrap? I mean, we thank you guys for your time. Appreciate it. It's been great.
- [46:20]
Megan
You can't wait to check your phone to see what kind of text messages you got.
- [46:24]
Sam Roberts
We'll get right back to it in a moment. Because I got to tell you about this superpower, we're kind of obsessed with it over here. You ever go to a doctor's appointment, physical, whatever it is, and you go in there and the doctor tells you, like, nothing. They tell you you're fine. They tell you drink more water, get more exercise, like the basics that we all know, but you leave knowing nothing new about your body or what's going on. This is why Superpower Health is. Is so amazing. Superpower sends a licensed professional to your home, or you can visit a nearby lab. They. They run a. A massive lab panel with over a hundred biomarkers, way more than you usually get their app. It includes detailed information on your heart, your liver, your thyroid, your hormones, your metabolism, your vitamin and mineral levels, even environmental toxins. I mean, you start to know everything, and then you start to know everything about everything. What you should be looking for, how you're doing, what you can improve. That's why. That's why I like it because it offers you. If you're. If you need nutritional supplements, guidance, whatever you need, it's going to tell you why you need it. If you need to adjust your lifestyle, adjust your behavior, it's going to tell you why you need it. And then once you start making those Adjustments and you feel the difference. You know, the difference you're feeling. Superpowers is they're amazing. They think every person has the potential to live a hundred years, and I'm hoping that they're right. For a limited time, our listeners are getting $50 off an annual Superpower membership by using Code RAW recap at checkout. Just head to superpower.com and use code RAW recap to get our exclusive discount. Your biology decoded, your blueprint activated with Superpower. After your purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them that RAW recap sent you. Yeah. That's a new day. Hey. Yeah. Thanks.
- [48:21]
Xavier Woods
For what?
- [48:23]
Sam Roberts
You just really had my back. You know, they were. It was a little difficult, but luckily you had my back so well that you really helped.
- [48:29]
Xavier Woods
I thought they brought up some good points.
- [48:31]
Sam Roberts
You did?
- [48:32]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Adam Pierce is in the wrong, and I.
- [48:37]
Sam Roberts
But here's what I know, and they didn't pick up on it right away. I know for a fact that the only reason you brought up that they were nice to Adam Pierce with the gifts was because they would associate our baldness. And I know you did that on purpose.
- [48:48]
Xavier Woods
Well, it was a little weird because Adam Pierce had an issue with your guy, Dominic Mysterio, but you were also defending him. So I was just kind of. I was wondering where you're at with Adam Pierce.
- [48:58]
Sam Roberts
That's all. You just wonder. You're just curious. Yeah.
- [49:00]
Xavier Woods
And then not. Sam, on your show, you talked about Adam Pierce. You know, doesn't run exactly a tight ship.
- [49:05]
Sam Roberts
It's chaotic when Adam Pierce is around. Yeah. Yeah. So you're just saying this was all just curious?
- [49:10]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. I mean, you have various takes, and I just would like to like you to set the record straight.
- [49:15]
Sam Roberts
Great. Great. No, I thought I was. I was, in a way actually respected your survival mechanisms. And then I feel like you. But if you were just curious, I guess you were just curious.
- [49:24]
Xavier Woods
Can you blame me now?
- [49:25]
Sam Roberts
You're. You're an investigative journalist after all.
- [49:27]
Xavier Woods
Right.
- [49:27]
Sam Roberts
You're a reporter.
- [49:28]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. Got to get to the bottom that medill journalism degree.
- [49:31]
Sam Roberts
No, it's important. It's important to have. Listen, you know what else is important?
- [49:35]
Xavier Woods
What?
- [49:36]
Sam Roberts
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- [50:32]
Xavier Woods
Wow.
- [50:32]
Sam Roberts
The hottest party of the summer.
- [50:34]
Xavier Woods
That's right.
- [50:35]
Sam Roberts
All thanks to Fanatics Casino. Very excited to see that partnership. Also something I'm pretty excited about before we get into what's next because you know, like I said, like we're talking about with Roman and even with the new day and I like, I get so into the stories and what's going on and the behind the scenes and everything. Like they keep airing every time they air a commercial for wwe. Unreal.
- [50:56]
Xavier Woods
Oh, I'm pumped.
- [50:58]
Sam Roberts
You should see me behind the scenes of I show speed being in the Royal Rumble, which was fantastic and I can't wait to like hear more about that story. But I love anytime they roll out the whiteboard and there's stuff written on the whiteboard, I'm pausing, I'm going letter by letter. I am reading every whiteboard that they don't blur out. Because if there's one thing that they accidentally don't blur out, I swear they, they put out. I'm so excited about this Unreal show. This is true. They put out stills from the different episodes and on our, on, on, on, on our wrestling show, we looked at that still of the, of the big whiteboard that they had. And on the whiteboard we zoomed in and we saw all the different Raws that they had written down in the writers room and we saw how many in a row that they were planning. Then we looked at the results of the actual shows to see if the matches that they planned and then we were finding out, oh my God, they thought they were going to do this, but they actually did that. I mean, as somebody who's really into this, I can't wait to see this Unreal show.
- [52:03]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, I'm. I'm pumped to see it as well. I think it's going to, it's going to expose the industry and the business to maybe people who don't watch. I think this is an opportunity for new fans to jump in on the.
- [52:17]
Sam Roberts
Fun as well and for people have a deeper appreciation for what is Actually going on for the amount of work that goes into everything that we see, for the. The amount of work that goes into every story that's told, every match that's out there, the amount of stuff on the fly that has to happen, and stuff that gets planned way out in advance without people even realizing how far in advance. Just the combination of all that. Obviously, we'll be able to talk about it more once the shows come out, but I. I just wanted to say I'm very, very excited about it. I got very excited at the start of Raw tonight. CM Punk and Gunther.
- [52:53]
Xavier Woods
Oh, yeah.
- [52:53]
Sam Roberts
Meeting face to face. This idea that it really is happening, and it's such an interesting meaning because CM Punk is this guy who still, like, you know, is so important in the history of WWE and really the greater history of professional wrestling. But Gunther is just this different beast that in the last couple years has, I would say, maybe even more. The last five years, maybe, you know, whatever it is, has, like, completely, for me, especially now that he's World Heavyweight Champion, changed the game. And you've now, after all these years, got CM Punk in there with somebody who is completely different. And Gunther comes out and, you know, CM Punk is being respectful. I know who he is. I know he's Gunther. But really, everything I've done has been training for this moment. I've been training all my life for this without even knowing it. And Gunther's gonna find out I'm the best in the world. And it's like, yeah, rah, rah. CM Punk. And Gunther just comes out and squashes all of it. All your hopes. He goes. He goes. Yeah, we have a lot in common, you know, we both think we're the best. We have these big egos. Except you have an ego because everybody chants your name. I have an ego from the results because I win. I win the matches. I win my matches.
- [54:13]
Xavier Woods
So my ego is justified.
- [54:14]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, I don't care. He said, between the bells. That's what I care about. What happens before or after, I don't care. And that's exactly right. You said it. My ego is justified. Yours? You care what they think?
- [54:27]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. And it's funny because, you know, Punk said, I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make money. As soon as he returned and Gunter, he lives pretty much. What. Yeah, exactly what he lives by. It did strike me as concerning a bit that Punk said he can't promise a win because that's very unlike CM Punk.
- [54:50]
Sam Roberts
It is. But he knows. You know what? This is what what is going on here? And it's really interesting because CM Punk has said, I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make money. But he's also, like, clearly still has this passion for pro wrestling. There's just nothing that matches it. Gunther doesn't.
- [55:10]
Xavier Woods
No.
- [55:10]
Sam Roberts
Gunther dates that. He doesn't have a. He has a passion. I'm here to work, but I'm here to win. I have a passion for being the best, but I'm not sitting here going, like, isn't this fun? I get to be a wrestler. That's not Gunther's vibe at all. And Gunther did that. He did it again. He goes, you know, I'm gonna choke you out. I'm gonna. He basically told him he's gonna bully him. I'm going to wipe the floor with you.
- [55:32]
Xavier Woods
And I believed every word that came out of his mouth.
- [55:34]
Sam Roberts
And he's made you believe. He said the same thing about Goldberg, and then he did it. Said the same thing about Jay uso and then he did it. And it's like, I don't know, man. CM Punk is the perfect opponent right now for Gunther because he's the ultimate test. It's like, if there's anybody that Gunther's not going to beat because he is our guy, it's Punk. Except if Gunther's right and truthful in his word, then he beats Punk, too.
- [56:00]
Xavier Woods
And what do we all want to happen at SummerSlam and MetLife Stadium?
- [56:05]
Sam Roberts
We want CM Punk to be the world champion. That's right.
- [56:07]
Xavier Woods
We all want CM Punk. Gunther doesn't care what we're chanting.
- [56:11]
Sam Roberts
It doesn't matter.
- [56:12]
Xavier Woods
Won't bother him.
- [56:13]
Sam Roberts
Like, it's like, you know what we want at SummerSlam. And Gunther would be like, no. And I don't care. Don't even bother to. Don't even bother finishing the sentence.
- [56:21]
Xavier Woods
That's right.
- [56:22]
Sam Roberts
It means nothing to me. And I love that whole. Like that. I love that. I love that whole energy. We just haven't. You. It's difficult to. To get that in a way that you actually buy into it and believe it.
- [56:36]
Xavier Woods
I also love. Gunther comes out and he goes, I didn't come here to create drama.
- [56:41]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, he's always. I mean, he's always just on his own vibe. I didn't come here to create last week. It was. I don't know what you're so upset about. I'm in a great mood this week. It was. I didn't come here to create drama. I'm just going to, like, verbally eviscerate you. And then I'm just going to leave. It's all good.
- [56:59]
Xavier Woods
It's fine.
- [56:59]
Sam Roberts
And Punk's like, what do we. What am I even dealing with?
- [57:03]
Xavier Woods
The reality.
- [57:04]
Sam Roberts
This wasn't what I left behind.
- [57:06]
Xavier Woods
The reality.
- [57:07]
Sam Roberts
The reality.
- [57:08]
Xavier Woods
That's what he's dealing with.
- [57:08]
Sam Roberts
The reality of Gunther SummerSlam is. Is. Is right around the corner, of course, and a couple of. Of new wrinkles put into SummerSlam on raw. First of all, confrontation, verbal confrontation. Well, it got physical between Becky lynch and Lyra Valkyria. And let me ask you, you've seen a lot of. Of wrestling.
- [57:32]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, yeah.
- [57:33]
Sam Roberts
Would you say that Becky's. The way Becky won at Evolution, Was it the slickest finish ever?
- [57:43]
Xavier Woods
Yeah.
- [57:44]
Sam Roberts
You would say that?
- [57:45]
Xavier Woods
I would say. And not just me. A lot of people are saying that.
- [57:48]
Sam Roberts
Because Becky didn't say was the slickest finish ever, but she did say that. A lot of people have said it's the slickest.
- [57:54]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, a lot of people are saying that. Do you go on Twitter?
- [57:59]
Sam Roberts
No, I have the app. You know, I don't see every tweet, but I do have the app. I've just never.
- [58:03]
Xavier Woods
A lot of people are saying that.
- [58:05]
Sam Roberts
Really?
- [58:05]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. About Becky's win, that it's slick.
- [58:08]
Sam Roberts
I've just never, in all my time of being a wrestling fan, I've never gone, like, I've never looked at anything and. And, like, heard a lot of people going, that was like, the slickest. That was very slick.
- [58:19]
Xavier Woods
Well, Becky lynch has completely changed the game.
- [58:21]
Sam Roberts
So even in the vernacular.
- [58:24]
Xavier Woods
Yeah, I mean, people have to come up with new ways to describe what Becky's doing because she's operating on a different level than everybody else.
- [58:32]
Sam Roberts
It wouldn't just say, like, oh, that was a sweet backslide.
- [58:34]
Xavier Woods
No, it's the slickest.
- [58:36]
Sam Roberts
The slickest backslide ever.
- [58:37]
Xavier Woods
You'll probably never see a slicker backslide like that again.
- [58:43]
Sam Roberts
That's probably right. That's right. And that's very well said, actually. Like how Tiffany Stratton has the prettiest moonsault ever. Becky lynch has the slickest backslide ever.
- [58:51]
Xavier Woods
Why are you questioning?
- [58:52]
Sam Roberts
No, I'm not. I'm just asking if you had the same. And that's interesting that you did agree with Becky lynch this time.
- [58:57]
Xavier Woods
I know that's fair.
- [58:58]
Sam Roberts
I didn't see it coming. That's very, very interesting. Also, I think. I don't know if she thought she was going to garner sympathy by saying she would far prefer to be promoting Happy Gilmore to.
- [59:09]
Xavier Woods
Well, I mean, it's the. The movie is coming out on July 25th.
- [59:14]
Sam Roberts
So memorize the date. You don't even have it on written down in front of you.
- [59:18]
Xavier Woods
It's July 25th, obviously.
- [59:20]
Sam Roberts
All right. Okay.
- [59:21]
Xavier Woods
I can't wait.
- [59:21]
Sam Roberts
I'm. Look, I'm looking forward to it. I'm not denying that. I've been looking forward to it for a long time. I didn't have it memorized.
- [59:26]
Xavier Woods
There's big things on the horizon. Couple days away.
- [59:31]
Sam Roberts
Right.
- [59:32]
Xavier Woods
And what did Becky have to do as the leader? She is. She had to go to Houston, Texas. Not ideal, you know, when you have a movie coming out in a couple days. But that's what Becky had to do.
- [59:43]
Sam Roberts
Okay, well, she challenged Lyra to abide by the stiff that Becky abided by in their last match, which was Becky said, if I lose, I'll never challenge for the title again. Now she's saying, lyra, if you lose, you can never challenge for the title again.
- [60:01]
Xavier Woods
Which, honestly, it's about time, Lyra. Right. Like, we just talked to the new day, and it was like, you know how many. They deserve another rematch? How many times?
- [60:09]
Sam Roberts
Well, you said you kind of made it seem like you thought new day did deserve another.
- [60:13]
Xavier Woods
They did. But, like, you know, Lyra keeps getting them.
- [60:16]
Sam Roberts
You're saying, like, you deserve, like, maybe one.
- [60:17]
Xavier Woods
That's right.
- [60:18]
Sam Roberts
I see.
- [60:19]
Xavier Woods
I already had a chance. Okay, and what happened? She got tricked by the slickest.
- [60:24]
Sam Roberts
It was pretty slick.
- [60:25]
Xavier Woods
Slickest move ever.
- [60:26]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, it was very, very slick. But then Lyra goes like, okay, and this is great negotiating. You don't give unless you're getting a little something. And Lylera says, no DQ, no count out. Must be a winner. Do you think that. I mean, listen, Lyra's a lot more aggressive than she would. This has been three months that she had, more or less, right? April, May.
- [60:49]
Xavier Woods
I mean, aggressive is one way to say it. Bratty is another way.
- [60:53]
Sam Roberts
You think Lyra titled? She's not entitled. She's wrestling for a championship.
- [60:58]
Xavier Woods
I mean, she's coming off pretty. Pretty bratty.
- [61:01]
Sam Roberts
Are you saying that, or you're saying people are saying that?
- [61:04]
Xavier Woods
I've seen. I've seen a lot of that going on. A lot of people are saying, yeah.
- [61:08]
Sam Roberts
I gotta get this. I gotta. Maybe I gotta refresh my app or something. I didn't buy the check mark.
- [61:12]
Xavier Woods
So maybe Becky's done so much for Lyra, and then now Lyra is still coming in and continuously making demands week.
- [61:19]
Sam Roberts
After week, and then you think that's untoward?
- [61:22]
Xavier Woods
Pretty mind boggling to me.
- [61:24]
Sam Roberts
Okay, okay. You're like, befuddled.
- [61:26]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. It's like every week, Lyra has a.
- [61:28]
Sam Roberts
New demand, and you're like, John.
- [61:31]
Xavier Woods
And like, obviously, Becky can make demands. She's just days away from the premiere of Happy Gilmore too. She's changed the entire industry. She can make whatever demands she wants.
- [61:42]
Sam Roberts
Was Becky wearing red and yellow today?
- [61:43]
Xavier Woods
She was. It looks good on her.
- [61:45]
Sam Roberts
Yeah, Interesting.
- [61:46]
Xavier Woods
Really good.
- [61:47]
Sam Roberts
Interesting.
- [61:48]
Xavier Woods
Great color for her.
- [61:49]
Sam Roberts
No, yeah, interesting. But, I mean, Lyra is getting aggressive enough and has found this new edge, I find, that even ended up with Becky lynch getting laid out at the end of that segment. Lyra doesn't fall for the old tricks anymore. Fool me twice. Well, he can't fool me again is what Lyra's whole philosophy is. Do you think that the no dq, no count out step may be a little bit more in favor of Lyra Valkyria? No. You don't. That's a shock.
- [62:19]
Xavier Woods
No.
- [62:19]
Sam Roberts
You don't think so?
- [62:20]
Xavier Woods
No, I think Becky is going to handle business in the slickest way possible.
- [62:26]
Sam Roberts
Right.
- [62:26]
Xavier Woods
And she's going to put Lyra away once and for all.
- [62:30]
Sam Roberts
You think it'd be embarrassing for Lyra?
- [62:32]
Xavier Woods
Totally.
- [62:32]
Sam Roberts
You do? Okay.
- [62:33]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. It's also, you know, not a lot of people are talking enough about how Lyra has been mistreating Bailey. It was like, oh, when. When Becky took BAILEY out of WrestleMania, it was like, oh, Becky's the worst. But Lyra can just walk all over Bailey.
- [62:49]
Sam Roberts
We mean, why? She literally teamed with her tonight.
- [62:51]
Xavier Woods
She didn't seem too happy about it, though.
- [62:53]
Sam Roberts
She's confused. Bailey's like, like, said terrible.
- [62:56]
Xavier Woods
Was so pumped about it.
- [62:57]
Sam Roberts
Bailey said, I'm not your friend. And then all of a sudden just walks up to her and is like, let's do a tag team. Yeah, it was very confusing.
- [63:06]
Xavier Woods
No, I was a little taken aback myself.
- [63:09]
Sam Roberts
Okay. I was also for SummerSlam.
- [63:12]
Xavier Woods
I mean, these are two legends that Lyra gets to be in the ring with.
- [63:16]
Sam Roberts
You're saying it's a privilege?
- [63:18]
Xavier Woods
I am.
- [63:19]
Sam Roberts
Okay. Okay, look, I. I love a Becky lynch match, and she is a legend. I think live Valkyrie is pretty good, but Becky lynch is a legend. You know, she's the man. She's great. I think that also AJ Styles has quite the privilege in front of him getting to share the ring with Dominic Mysterio.
- [63:41]
Xavier Woods
You Talking about Val, A.J.
- [63:44]
Sam Roberts
Yes, I am. That's exactly what I'm talking about. A.J. styles, who, like Dana Carvey, the master of disguises, was a, I believe, a medical practitioner, a janitor, valet. J. Yeah, yeah, he was. He was all over the map tonight. But how about it? How about it? That all night long it was like, AJ knows where Dominic is all the time. AJ's driving Dominic crazy. AJ's doing this, AJ's doing that. Dominic's trying to avoid getting cleared. Dominic's trying to avoid going to medical. And guess what? Who ends up on their back and who ends up standing tall at the end of the night?
- [64:21]
Xavier Woods
AJ Styles on his back. And Dominic Mysterio says, see you at SummerSlam.
- [64:25]
Sam Roberts
That's dirty Dom, baby. That's dirty Dom.
- [64:28]
Xavier Woods
It's about time he defends that intercontinental title. We've been waiting.
- [64:32]
Sam Roberts
He's had an injury. What can you do? What can you do? Well, look, I'm, I'm, I'm excited, you know, Listen, I wish that AJ Styles was in a different match only because I'd love to see him get a victory at SummerSlam. You know what I mean? But it is what it is. I can't wait for it.
- [64:51]
Xavier Woods
Slick would be a good word to describe Dominic as well.
- [64:54]
Sam Roberts
Dominic is a slick guy. I bet Becky lynch and Dominic Mysterio would probably have a lot to discuss, just in terms of strategy.
- [65:00]
Xavier Woods
I think so.
- [65:01]
Sam Roberts
You know what I mean? Yeah, they're both real winners.
- [65:04]
Xavier Woods
Yeah. I hate that I'm agreeing with you about Dominic Mysterio, but it's tough to argue right now.
- [65:09]
Sam Roberts
Yeah.
- [65:10]
Xavier Woods
Although Becky does defend the intercontinental title and Dominic, well, he's going.
- [65:13]
Sam Roberts
He's not injured. She doesn't have an injured rib. Well, Dominic doesn't anymore, but he was only cleared today. He finally got cleared today, by the way, miraculously. He's, like, seen at the Rumble at the Garden.
- [65:26]
Xavier Woods
I was getting back way quicker while Pierce and everybody was like, hunting down the doctor to get the report. I'm like, what about the HIPAA violations on this?
- [65:33]
Sam Roberts
That feels HIPAA ish, you know? It does, it does. It does feel HIPAA ish. And if I'm Dominic, I probably bring that up to him.
- [65:39]
Xavier Woods
Yeah.
- [65:40]
Sam Roberts
Like, this doesn't feel.
- [65:41]
Xavier Woods
He just.
- [65:42]
Sam Roberts
That's your private information.
- [65:43]
Xavier Woods
That's right, that's right.
- [65:44]
Sam Roberts
That's right. Maybe we'll get to him and, and, and kind of explain that to him. I hope that we do. Listen, we're going to have a lot to recap. We'll be back here next week to recap the last Raw on the way to SummerSlam. Then we'll be at SummerSlam recapping all of SummerSlam. Get it all on your feed. Make sure you're subscribed to this podcast feed. So you can hear Megan and myself recap it all. If you're watching on YouTube, make sure you're interacting with that video, hitting like and leaving a comment and doing it all. And we will see you again right here on the RAW recap in a week or so. See you guys.
- [66:31]
Kofi Kingston
Sam.