Straight Shooters

Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) discuss the weird confrontation at a Blink 182 concert between Enzo Amore and Joey Janela. The video doesn't show much, but it was the talk of Wrestling Twitter this week.

That got Vaughn and Nick thinking... who would you take in a real fight? The guys list their favorites of the current crop in pro wrestling as to who would win a real fight against anyone, not just other pro wrestlers. If you're involved in a bar fight (hopefully you're not), who would you want fighting alongside you?

After that discussion, Vaughn and Nick run down this weekend's big pro wrestling shows in EVOLVE 131, AEW's Fight for the Fallen, and WWE's Extreme Rules, and give their take on what match(es) they're looking forward to the most on each of those cards.

Pay attention to when some huge NBA news breaks during the podcast, which is probably about the 8th time that's happened.

You can subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

E-mail: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) discuss the Braun Strowman/Bobby Lashley angle from RAW, the Kofi Kingston/Samoa Joe promo from SmackDown and a few more tidbits about this week's WWE programming providing a tonal shift than we've seen in, well, years.

The guys also discuss whether or not WWE can continue with adult-oriented themes in 2019, even if they don't go as far as the Attitude Era in the late 90s did. Will they gain fans by shifting the storylines like they did in the 90s? Will lapsed fans come back? The guys discuss their thoughts on it all.

And at the end, the guys run down the blocks for the NJPW G1 Climax and give their prediction on who'll walk away the victor of pro wrestling's most grueling tournament.

You can subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

E-mail: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) take on a myriad of topics this week, the biggest being the bombshell announced by WWE on Thursday morning. Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman are back working for Vince McMahon, and each of them will be controlling one of WWE's television shows. Bischoff will run SmackDown as its Executive Director, and Heyman will be running RAW with the same title. 

 

What exactly will the Executive Directors do? According to the WWE.com article, Bischoff and Heyman "will oversee the creative development of WWE’s flagship programming and ensure integration across all platforms and lines of business. The creation of these roles further establishes WWE’s ability to continuously reinvent its global brand while providing two distinct creative processes for its flagship shows."

 

Two distinct creative processes... but what will that entail in the long run? Nick and Vaughn discuss the possibilities but also some harsh realities that many might be looking past. After all, they're still answering to Vince McMahon. And where does this leave Triple H?

 

From there, the guys discuss the beef between WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay. Rollins tweeted before the WWE Stomping Grounds pay-per-view that the company he works for has the best wrestling on the planet. Period. Ospreay took exception to Rollins intimating nobody could touch him in the ring. And wrestling fans who wanted a war are now upset.

 

WWE also made a move to broadcast the EVOLVE 131 10th anniversary show in Philly on July 13 on the WWE Network. It would probably be looked at as awesome for everyone that works for EVOLVE and WWN since they have begun a relationship with WWE, but not everyone was happy about it, including AEW's Kenny Omega. That's because AEW is running a charity event, Fight for the Fallen, the same night in Jacksonville. 

 

The guys discuss their thoughts on that and if it really affects the charitable aspect of AEW's show.

 

You can subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 201 | Heyman and Bischoff to run WWE TV; Rollins/Ospreay beef; EVOLVE vs. AEW? | 06/27/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) celebrate the 200th episode of The Straight Shooters! The guys discuss how the podcast got started, some of the best moments of the show, shout outs to all of our guests over the years, and more on this milestone episode!

 

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 200 | Inside Stories and the Best Moments of The Straight Shooters | 06/20/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

This week, Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) discuss WWE's reliance too much on aging superstars for some of their biggest shows. Goldberg vs. Undertaker? Match didn't turn out too well. What can WWE do to change its philosophical agenda and avoid using aging veterans that don't belong in a ring anymore?

 

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 199 | WWE’s Reliance on Aging Superstars | 06/13/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

This week, Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) react to AEW's DOUBLE OR NOTHING pay-per-view. What was good? What was great? Was there anything bad? The ring ropes and turnbuckles were great! The guys discuss their thoughts on the show and what to look forward to come the summer.

 

Then, the guys dive deep into Jon Moxley's appearance on Talk Is Jericho [you can listen to the entire interview here]. Moxley let loose on Vince McMahon and the creative ineptitude that WWE has right now. Vaughn and Nick discuss Moxley's comments on how ridiculous his promos were written, how he approached Vince McMahon many times throughout his six years there, the moment he decided he was going to leave, and a lot more.

 

The episode rounds out with a quick NXT TakeOver XXV preview.

 

You can also check out Nick's Medium posts on WWE's creative issues, and how a new wrestling war is kind of being forced upon us instead of allowing it to happen organically.

 

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 198 | Reaction to DOUBLE OR NOTHING, Jon Moxley on Talk Is Jericho, NXT TakeOver XXV | 05/31/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

This week, Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) preview in-depth the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view that's got the wrestling world waiting in anticipation. All Elite Wrestling takes center stage this weekend, so the guys go match by match with their preview and predictions for the event.

 

While that takes up 90% of the show, the guys also discuss Brock Lesnar winning Money in the Bank, as well as the introduction of the 24/7 Title, which was received with much negativity by the Albany audience.

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 197 | AEW Double or Nothing Preview; Brock Lesnar as Mr. MITB; 24/7 Title | 05/24/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

This week, Vaughn Johnson and Nick Piccone discuss AEW's television deal with TNT in great detail. After almost 20 years, professional wrestling will return to the Turner network in Fall 2019. What does this mean for pro wrestling? What type of rating should AEW aim for in the beginning? What about within the first year? What night will their show be on? Will TNT help AEW by giving them lead-in slots to NBA games? All those questions are answered and more during the in-depth discussion.

 

Before that, Vaughn and Nick discuss the untimely death of Ashley Massaro. Formerly of WWE, and apparently working towards a wrestling comeback, Massaro died Thursday at the age of 39. The guys their thoughts and memories of Massaro.

 

Money in the Bank is this Sunday! Did you forget? We almost did! We run down the card and predict the winners and losers of the event.

 

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 196 | AEW on TNT; RIP Ashley Massaro; MITB Preview | 05/16/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

This week, Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) discuss just how creatively bankrupt WWE is right now. With the Superstar Shake-Up happening just a few weeks ago, Vince McMahon basically decided to undo what his company did on RAW and SmackDown and introduced a "Wild Card" rule, allowing 4 RAW superstars to show up on SmackDown and vice versa.

 

The hell?

 

The guys discuss the decision to do this, why WWE is struggling right now to pull in good ratings, and what the future might hold before SmackDown heads to FOX in October.

 

The conversation then moves to Lio Rush, who made headlines last week. He wants to be paid more. Who doesn't? He doesn't want to carry someone else's bags. Who would? Rush gave his side of the story to Fightful, so Vaughn and Nick explore everything surrounding that situation and give their opinions on the matter.

 

And Lars Sullivan is a bigot? Old posts have re-surfaced and it doesn't paint one of the newest main roster additions in a good light. The guys discuss how WWE should basically cut bait with a dude whose character really isn't that special to begin with.

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 195 | WWE’s creatively bankrupt, Lio Rush, Lars Sullivan | 05/08/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tweet

This week, Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) and Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) discuss Jon Moxley (now formerly Dean Ambrose) and his future. Mere minutes after his WWE contract expired, Moxley posted a video on Twitter that got many people hyped. Is he AEW bound? The guys discuss Moxley's possibilities.

 

The duo also discusses Bill Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker being advertised for their Saudi Arabia show in June. Are we getting Goldberg vs. Lesnar again?

 

The discussion then shifts to PPV names. One of the guys' favorite topics, Vaughn and Nick help WWE put together their entire yearly PPV schedule with the best wrestling PPV names possible. Days ago, WWE Stomping Grounds was officially named as a June PPV, so the duo fights the good fight against terrible PPV names. Stay tuned for the end of the episode where we play classic audio from our 91st episode, as we all found out about WWE's second-latest terrible PPV name, Great Balls of Fire (1:05:45 mark).

 

You can also subscribe to The Straight Shooters on the following platforms: Apple Podcasts (please rate and review us!), Stitcher, Google Play, Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud, Player FM and wherever else you get your podcasts!

 

Exclusive Patreon content: patreon.com/shootersradio

 

Twitter: @ShootersRadio

 

Facebook: The Straight Shooters

 

E-mail: [email protected]

The post 194 | Better WWE PPV Names, Goldberg/Lesnar/Taker set for Saudi Arabia, Jon Moxley’s Back | 05/01/19 appeared first on Wildfire Radio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices