Puddy’s Podcast

After months of anticipation, Big E cashed in and become the new WWE Champion!  Was is the right time for him to cash in and what's next for the Champ?  With Big E now champion, who will be the man to take the Universal Championship away from Roman Reigns?  NXT 2.0 is finally here, what did we think of the new look and will it have an effect the in ring product?  AEW is making their Grand Slam show feel like a big PPV, which match are we looking forward to the most?

It's our season six premier and what better way to start things off by having both hosts suffering from Covid-19.  Mick Foley released a video talking about how he feels WWE has a problem, which upset some in the E. Does he make a compelling argument and should the WWE listen to him?  Pro Wrestling Illustrated released their annual top 500 list.  Did they get it right or should there have been a different number one?  Is it fair to compare Gable Steveson to Kurt Angle?  When the dust settles, where will Paul Heyman find himself aligned with?  We would be remiss if her didn't also pause to reflect on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

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. 

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.

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?

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?

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!

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? 

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? 

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.