Pro wrestler and Banana Ball cast member Shane “The Smoke Show” Savage joins Sorg and The Riz for a conversation about the surprising connection between body slams, baseball stadiums and fan-first entertainment.
Also known to wrestling fans as The Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin, Shane is now Mr. November and a member of the Calendar Crew for the Banana Ball Firefighters. He explains what a Banana Ball cast member does, how the experience compares to professional wrestling and why performers with wrestling backgrounds are uniquely prepared to entertain tens of thousands of fans in packed stadiums.
Shane shares the full-circle story of attending Banana Ball at PNC Park, immediately realizing that he belonged in that world and eventually receiving the opportunity to join the organization. He discusses performing in football stadiums, meeting fans throughout every level of the venue and experiencing Iowa’s emotional stadium wave to children watching from a nearby hospital.
The conversation also explores Banana Ball’s fans-first philosophy. Shane explains how small gestures, personal interactions and taking time to acknowledge supporters can create moments that last a lifetime. He reflects on faith, gratitude, career changes and learning to appreciate opportunities instead of immediately rushing toward the next destination.
Back in the wrestling world, Shane recounts being unexpectedly booked against Matt Riddle for Northeast Wrestling. The dream match brought his MMA and professional wrestling experiences together while reconnecting him with someone who helped influence the development of The Savage Gentleman character during an earlier EVOLVE seminar.
The weekend became even more surreal when wrestling legends Ron Simmons, Lex Luger, Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Hart began asking Shane about Banana Ball. Shane discusses the validation of seeing performers he admired recognize that his Banana Ball contract represents a major accomplishment—even without the traditional wrestling television contract he once pursued.
Sorg and The Riz also discuss the latest wrestling stories, including Lyra Valkyria’s character transformation, Danhausen’s Madison Square Garden opportunity, WWE’s upcoming card, the possibility of Nick Aldis returning to the ring and several standout matches from Enjoy Wrestling.
Other topics include Nick Gage’s Pittsburgh appearance, Sonny Kiss moving to Pittsburgh, the chaotic Captain’s Fall match, Dani Mo versus Hazuki, Violence Is Forever battling The Fourth Line and why wrestling promotions must make their characters and stories understandable to brand-new fans.
News Stories and Topics Discussed
Lyra Valkyria’s character reset: The panel examines Lyra’s disheveled presentation and more emotionally unstable direction. They believe she has always possessed the wrestling ability but needed a character that felt uniquely hers. Learning from Bayley: The group discusses how working with an experienced performer such as Bayley could help Lyra develop the personality and presentation needed to reach another level. The problem with crowded wrestling promos: Sorg critiques multi-person in-ring promos where performers stand in positions that block the audience and television cameras. Danhausen at Madison Square Garden: The crew previews Danhausen’s match and speculates about possible celebrity appearances, New York personalities and outside involvement in the no-disqualification environment. Cody Rhodes and CM Punk attempting to coexist: The upcoming tag-team match against Gunther and Sami Zayn inspires a discussion about wrestling’s traditional “can they coexist?” storyline. Nick Aldis versus Gunther: The panel believes WWE is slowly building toward Aldis removing the suit and returning to the ring for a major confrontation with Gunther. Nick Aldis as an authority figure: Shane and Sorg praise Aldis for bringing credibility, composure and a believable sense of authority to his role. Chad Gable and Penta: The panel discusses the continuing masked-character storyline and the hometown reaction Gable could receive. Women’s Tag Team Championship: Fatal Influence’s match against Paige and Brie is discussed as a possible opportunity to finally establish the faction as a significant threat. Beastman’s Big Ass Birthday Bash: The show previews the unpredictable VCW event, including Beastman versus Toby Klein in a fans-bring-the-weapons birthday brawl. A mime at a deathmatch birthday party: The presence of Jean-Paul the Miserable leads to speculation about whether Shane would wrestle a mime. Congo Kong versus Jamie Jameson: The panel anticipates another violent and unpredictable championship encounter. Banana Ball explained: Shane describes Banana Ball as real baseball surrounded by nonstop entertainment, comparing its basic concept to the Harlem Globetrotters while emphasizing that it has grown into something much larger. The Banana Ball Firefighters: Shane explains that he is not a baseball player. As Mr. November, he is a cast member and part of the Calendar Crew responsible for energizing fans throughout the stadium. Why Banana Ball hires wrestlers: Wrestlers understand improvisation, crowd interaction, character work, physical entertainment and how to remain composed when plans change. Shane’s PNC Park revelation: After attending Banana Ball in Pittsburgh, Shane realized the presentation combined everything he loved about athletics, wrestling and entertainment. Fans-first ticketing: The discussion examines Banana Ball’s efforts to maintain affordable ticket prices and help fans exchange tickets without relying on inflated resale markets. Taking entertainment to every seat: Shane describes visiting suites, press areas and upper decks so fans far from the field receive the same attention as those near the action. The Iowa wave: One of Shane’s most meaningful experiences involved a stadium acknowledging children watching from a nearby hospital. Learning to reflect: Banana Ball’s travel structure has given Shane more opportunities to process his experiences, practice gratitude and appreciate what is happening in the present. Small gestures matter: Following a young fan, taking a photograph or stopping for a conversation may cost a performer nothing but can mean everything to the supporter. Wrestling Matt Riddle: Shane discusses accepting a last-minute Northeast Wrestling booking and finally having a dream match against another performer with an MMA background. The EVOLVE connection: Matt Riddle previously helped Shane during a seminar that contributed to the development of his Savage Gentleman presentation. Praise from wrestling legends: Ron Simmons, Lex Luger, Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Hart became interested in Shane’s Banana Ball career, creating one of his most surreal wrestling weekends. Redefining success: Shane admits he once struggled with never receiving a traditional televised wrestling contract, but Banana Ball has provided a different kind of national sports-entertainment opportunity. Faith and career direction: Shane explains how stepping away from another fight created space for the Banana Ball opportunity to arrive. Wrestling prepares performers for everything: From taking a microphone in front of thousands of people to responding to unpredictable situations, wrestling has prepared Shane for his new position. Nick Gage at Enjoy Wrestling: Sorg and The Riz recap the expected pizza cutter, tables, weapons and audience interaction from Gage’s Pittsburgh appearance. A different side of Nick Gage: Shane remembers sharing a car ride with Gage and receiving thoughtful wrestling and life advice. Sonny Kiss moving to Pittsburgh: The group reacts to the announcement that Sonny Kiss is relocating to pursue a doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh. Dani Mo versus Hazuki: The match receives enthusiastic praise as one of the strongest performances on the Enjoy Wrestling show. The Captain’s Fall match: The crew explains the elimination-style contest in which the match cannot end until one team’s designated captain is defeated. The Fourth Line versus Violence Is Forever: The hard-hitting tag-team encounter is recommended for anyone who appreciates physical independent wrestling. Pittsburgh wrestling connections: The discussion celebrates how Pittsburgh wrestlers, producers and personalities continue appearing throughout WWE, AEW, independent wrestling and Banana Ball. Creating understandable characters: Shane argues that audiences connect with clear characters and stories. A fan seeing someone for the first time should immediately understand who that performer is. Lifting the next generation: The group reflects on Wrestle Pit’s attempt to remove gatekeeping and provide opportunities to talented Pittsburgh wrestlers.“What We Learned” Breakdown
Shane “The Smoke Show” Savage
Shane learned—or more accurately watched the rest of the world discover—that Danhausen is a legitimate star. Having previously worked with and booked Danhausen, Shane already understood his ability to attract attention and connect with fans. Seeing Danhausen featured prominently at Madison Square Garden reinforced how far he has come.
The Riz
The Riz noticed WWE leaning heavily into WrestleMania IX imagery with CM Punk’s black eye and championship presentation. The comparison to Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart led back to one of the show’s recurring theories: wrestling stories can be recycled after approximately seven years because they feel new to another generation of viewers.
Sorg
Sorg learned that one of the most entertaining “Pure Wrestling” matches he has seen was Mansoor versus Daddy Magic in Ring of Honor. The wrestlers appeared confused by—or intentionally resistant to—the Pure rules. They avoided the traditional handshake, quickly exhausted rope breaks and found ridiculous ways to incorporate a chair without technically using it as a weapon.
The match demonstrated that the Pure Wrestling format can support comedy and experimentation without completely abandoning its established rules.
Additional Match Recommendation
The Riz connected the Mansoor and Daddy Magic match to the absurd World of Sport Entertainment rounds matches presented by Mystery Wrestling. The comparison highlighted how complicated stipulations, rule manipulation and comedy can turn a familiar wrestling structure into something unexpected.
