DAY 974 OF WWE/TKO (Wrestling Soup 6.18.26)

Oliver Tree death discussed earlyRecent wrestler deaths mentioned brieflyKevin Owens wife drama analyzedLudwig Kaiser battery case updatedLash Legend appearance heavily debatedWhite House UFC event criticizedTNA fires Tessa and othersRoster talent evaluation coveredNo PPV this week notedEarly Raw SmackDown times comingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

LFG S3E8 Podcast SummaryLufisto and Jeff review the episode.Chris Island returns with strong heel work.Mason Holliday gets her release.Coaches assign three key matches.Gargano helps Jamie Garcia break habits.Owens works with Tristan Angels.Booker promises a new Xena.Xena shows major improvement vs Nikita.Solid but flat second match reviewed.Hosts praise better episode flow.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Ava Raine on Libs Finisher podcast.Ava's deluded nepotism and lack of talent.Debate on Lash Legends looks and racism.Liv Morgan stalker ruled insane.Roman and Bloodline dominate Raw.Crowd cheers Bloodline beating LA Knight.iO Sky wins best match.Danhausen segments feel overexposed.Charlotte vs Roxy poorly booked.Oba Femi defeats Dominik Mysterio.Oba hits Samoan wall.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Anime / Manga boom: Logan Paul buying original One Piece issues, Netflix adaptation bringing in new fans, surface-level vs. hardcore fans, and whether the bubble will burst.Attitude Era vs. modern wrestling (AEW fans ignoring the past).CM Punk’s body changes, TRT speculation, straight-edge lifestyle debates (especially for older wrestlers).Nancy Reagan “Just Say No” tangent and unrelated celebrity dirt.The Rock’s cancer scare story (testicular lump), his one-day wait for results, health & money priorities for aging wrestlers, and related jokes.Speculation about Punk returning to AEW, Randy Orton/Drew McIntyre rumors.Meltzer influence and “copium.”Kathy Kelly / Kevin Owens’ wife dramaAnalysis of overprotective parenting, autism social dynamics, rejection sensitivity, and why it should’ve been a private text.Jerry “The King” Lawler street renaming in Memphis (near a middle school)Wrap-up: Birthday mentions, personal stories (hot tub trip, Maine plans, Seth Rollins coffee shop joke), possum video views, and sign-off.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

LuFisto and Jeff break down the latest episode of WWE’s developmental reality show. They open with the contrived Shawn Michaels segment pushing “Carnal Carver” (Keanu) to NXT, then review the coaches’ assignments and three matches:Arlen Lewis vs. Tate Wilder (Gargano coaching): Clumsy and slow due to an early eye injury to Tate; both show promise but lacked fire and polish.PJ Voss vs. Mason Holliday (Booker T coaching): Heavily criticized women’s match full of sloppy fundamentals, repetitive whips, and weak character work. The hosts express disappointment in PJ’s regression after three seasons.Elijah Holyfield vs. Apollo Crews: Standout match of the night. Praised as a strong teacher-vs-student story with crisp action, smart psychology (targeting the arm), and real improvement from Holyfield.They also discuss coaching notes, character needs, Elijah’s rapid progress and marketability, frustrations over Apollo Crews’ release, and Shawn Michaels’ post-match advice on fluidity and ring time. Overall, the episode gets mixed reviews — strong main match, weaker openers, and ongoing concerns about some talents stagnating.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

In this week’s episode, LuFisto and Jeff Lippman break down a very “old-school LFG” show packed with international flavor. The coaches (Kevin Owens, Booker T, Bubba Ray, and Natalya) assign three matches, including a women’s bout between Kali Bright and Bayley Humphrey (working heel), Elijah Ali (Elio LaFleur / White Eagle) vs. Malik Blade, and a strong main event between Mark The Router and Elio LaFleur. The hosts praise the in-ring action, coaching insights, and character work while discussing improvements, booking perception vs. reality, and the challenges of reality-show stakes when real-life releases are already known. They call it the strongest episode of the season so far for its heavy focus on wrestling and international talent.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

90s goth opening banterOverseas WWE crowd energySol Ruca vs. BirdgirlBayley and Lyra storylineNia Jax fantasy bookingRepetitive Bloodline storylinesLA Knight promo analysisBecky and Chelsea reactionsWWE vs. AEW fansDominik and Oba FemiJudgment Day needs muscleChad Gable and PentaQueen of the RingKing of the RingIron Chef sign-offBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Quick recap of the week of eventsMick Foley talks about wrestling in AEWRey Mysterio retirement talkWWE has Judgement Day fatigueLA Knight realizes he's getting older fastCM Punk might be juicing. Who cares?Nepo baby dream booking.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

0:00 – Ludwig Kaiser before Ludwig Kaiser10:45 – Roman discussion22:30 – Roman discussion33:15 – Roman discussion45:10 – Roman discussion55:50 – Roman discussion1:05:30 – Roman discussion1:16:15 – Roman Reigns and the boring Bloodline discussion1:22:45 – Show endBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Released Veterans & Scripted Rookies0:00 – Holyfield's scripted promo4:15 – Kevin Owens avoids coaching7:30 – Andre Chase gets released11:45 – Braxton Cole vs. Chase15:20 – Kelly vs. Serena Linton20:40 – Serena's identity crisis24:15 – Tristan Angels vs. Holyfield28:50 – Show needs a cliffhanger31:20 – Plugs and wrap-upBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.