MEET THE NEW BOSS (Wrestling Soup 1.29.26)

Royal Rumble 2025 pre-show discussion between Anthony and Joe, covering WWE's "Unreal" Season 2 documentary and the upcoming Saudi Arabia event.Main Topics:WWE Unreal Season 2 Criticism0:00-3:00Triple H's creative leadership criticizedR-Truth's poor treatment highlightedQuestions about Triple H's competenceSaudi Arabia Shows39:30-44:30WWE's relationship with Saudi Arabia criticizedShows becoming purely transactionalConcerns about company valuesRoyal Rumble Predictions61:00-71:00AJ Styles vs GuntherCareer matchDrew vs SamiWorld titleWomen's RumbleBecky or Bianca predictedMen's RumbleRoman or Seth predictedKey Moments:1:40-2:10 Triple H creative meeting20:00-22:00 Naomi/Sasha discussion48:00-50:00 Saudi cultural issues78:00-80:00 Match predictionsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

0:00-3:00 - Package delivery complaints, weather discussion, snow in various states3:00-8:00 - Cold vs hot weather preferences, people calling out for minimal snow, truck/four-wheel drive jokes8:00-12:00 - WWE Evolution PLE ratings, women's wrestling viewership, Cardi B and Patriots12:00-18:00 - Royal Rumble buildup criticism, Women's Rumble in Saudi Arabia, Eo in Puerto Rico18:00-26:00 - Royal Rumble entrants, new Saudi wrestler Tariq, Seth Rollins return speculation26:00-36:00 - Wrestler retirements, AJ Styles swan song, Raw recap begins, brand vs brand criticism36:00-46:00 - Corporate warfare comedy, six-woman tag match, Raquel Rodriguez character discussion46:00-56:00 - Raquel "pretty hunter" gimmick idea, Liv Morgan development, Judgment Day dynamics56:00-66:00 - Saudi Arabia jokes, Tony Khan burner account discussion, wealth vs Twitter behavior66:00-76:00 - AEW emotional attachment theory, internet fame and mental health, number one contenders match76:00-83:10 - CM Punk vs AJ Styles main event, Finn Balor interference, CM Punk's babyface run criticism, wrap-upBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Wrestling Soup's Saturday Night's Main Event XLII Post-Show! Anthony Thomas and Joe Numbers break down all the action from Montreal including the Cody/Fatu brawl, women's tag team action, Nakamura vs AJ Styles, and the Fatal Four-Way main event.Timestamps: 3:50 - Royal Rumble Predictions & Surprises 6:17 - The Rock Rumble Talk 13:04 - Saturday Night's Main Event Begins 13:07 - Cody vs Fatu Brawl Breakdown 17:56 - Women's Tag Match Review (Liv/Roxy vs Ripley/Iyo) 24:19 - Nakamura vs AJ Styles Analysis 31:51 - Fatal Four-Way Main Event (Zayn/Priest/Orton/Williams) 43:10 - Final Thoughts & Wrap-UpBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Join Joe and Anthony for another episode of Wrestling Soup as they dive deep into WWE's Unreal series on Netflix, discussing the controversial R-Truth situation, Triple H's creative decisions, and the state of modern wrestling. Plus: AEW's struggles, Hangman Page's latest controversy, and why JCW might be more entertaining than you think.🎙️ Topics covered: • WWE Unreal series breakdown - R-Truth's release controversy • Triple H's creative direction and backstage politics• Netflix & ESPN's dissatisfaction with WWE • Hangman Page photographed with Marty Scurll • JCW's ridiculous storylines (yes, there's a dog poop angle) • NFL playoff talk and Chicago Bears disappointmentSupport the show: patreon.com/wrestlingsoupTimestamps:0:00 - Intro 0:50 - Sons of Anarchy & Biker Gang Talk 4:00 - Seth Rollins Discussion 6:00 - WWE Unreal: R-Truth Episode Review 12:00 - Triple H's Treatment of R-Truth 20:00 - Creative Meeting Breakdown 28:00 - Triple H's Ego & Insecurity Issues 36:00 - EO Sky Hug Controversy & Vince Russo's Take 46:00 - Unreal Series Showing WWE's Problems 56:00 - Netflix Numbers & WWE Performance 1:06:00 - NFL Talk: Bears, Patriots & Playoff Discussion 1:16:00 - Hangman Page & Marty Scurll Photo 1:22:00 - JCW Review: "Who Shit in Big Al's Bag?" 1:36:00 - Wrap-Up & Final ThoughtsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Join Joe and Anthony for their latest wrestling discussion covering WWE Raw, Saturday Night's Main Event preview, and industry news. Topics include Gunther vs AJ Styles career match, Becky Lynch's retirement announcement, the Trey Miguel controversy, and why JCW might be wrestling's unexpected hero in 2026. Plus: NFL playoff talk, Saudi Arabia stadium concerns, and hot takes on creative direction.Timestamps0:00 - Intro & Show Overview1:56 - Gunther vs AJ Styles Career Match Discussion7:30 - Becky Lynch vs Maxine Dupri & Natalya Turn13:00 - Vision vs Mysterio/Penta & Adam Pierce Storyline15:00 - Women's Tag Team Division Discussion21:30 - Evans Injury & OBA Femi Debut27:00 - Finn Balor vs CM Punk Main Event29:00 - NFL Playoffs Talk (Patriots, Bears, Steelers)34:30 - Becky Lynch Retirement Announcement41:30 - Bruce Prichard's Pat McAfee vs Gunther Pitch45:00 - JCW & Vince Russo Discussion50:30 - State of Wrestling Industry Analysis54:00 - Saturday Night's Main Event Preview56:00 - Saudi Arabia Royal Rumble Stadium Concerns60:30 - Randy Orton Saudi Arabia Press Tour65:30 - Trey Miguel Firing Controversy (Full Breakdown)78:30 - David Starr Response & MJF Connection TheoryBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

0:30 - Epilepsy & Seizures Tangent2:30 - Westboro Baptist Church & Religious Extremism11:50 - Wrestling News: Roster Moves & Returns14:00 - Powerhouse Hobbs Leaves AEW for WWE24:00 - Tony Khan's Creative Control Comments26:50 - AEW vs WWE Perception & Talent Comparison33:00 - Tiffany Stratton's Return from Injury37:50 - Character Development Issues in WWE45:30 - Baron Corbin's Bizarre AEW Creative Pitch (Don Callis Family Biker Gang)51:30 - NWO Comparisons & Faction Building54:10 - R-Truth Retirement Plans56:30 - CM Punk Retiring at 5058:30 - WWE's Aging Roster & Future Stars1:02:00 - Cody Rhodes & Fan Interaction After Shows1:14:40 - Rikishi Complains About WWE Ticket Prices1:18:30 - Legends Contract & Complimentary Tickets1:19:00 - CJ Perry (Lana) Returns to Wrestling & Stand-Up Comedy1:28:50 - Nikki Bella's Drinking Habits Controversy1:31:20 - Wrap-Up & Patreon PlugBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

WWE RAW GERMANY RECAP0:00 - Intro & international tour discussion4:18 - Women's tag championship setup, Rio & Rio name15:12 - El Grande Americano vs Jovan Evans27:25 - Liv & Roxy confront Finn Bálor30:35 - CM Punk/Finn Bálor Belfast match announced43:58 - Women's triple threat tag match50:17 - Stephanie Vaquer attacked by Raquel Rodriguez56:00 - Jay Uso & Alpha Academy segment1:04:05 - AJ Styles vs Gunther (confusing finish)1:10:09 - Bronson Reed & Theory vs Dragon Lee & Penta1:13:45 - Adam Pierce vs Bron Breaker confrontation (SEGMENT OF THE NIGHT)1:33:56 - Final thoughts & show reviewBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

0:00 - Intro0:26 - CM Punk's Republican Baby Raper Comments Controversy1:38 - ICE Shooting Incident Discussion3:49 - Political Climate & Extremism12:24 - Ariana Grande & Wicked Discourse17:32 - Jake "Something" Doyle Joins AEW30:31 - WWE Roster Call-Ups: Grace, Williams, Legend, Evans32:40 - Jade Cargill: The Unintentional Vader39:10 - WrestleMania 2026 Predictions41:10 - CM Punk Directing Movies & VHS Series43:00 - Hollywood's Creativity Crisis & Streaming vs Theaters52:07 - Netflix vs Paramount: Warner Bros $82B Acquisition Battle64:00 - TNA Lands AMC Deal Thanks to WWE Partnership73:00 - Tony Schiavani's WWE Hall of Fame Comments81:33 - Chris Jericho to TNA Rumors & Mohawk Jericho88:20 - Outro & PlugBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

[0:00-0:20] Opening banter - Joe making Jade Cargill references, Anthony catching up on wrestling news[2:00-2:30] Introduction and show setup - Discussing Monday Night Raw's quality issues[2:30-4:00] Raw show structure critique - Too many women's matches, lack of coherent booking, disappointing for live Brooklyn audience[4:30-5:30] Kabuki Warriors vs Rhea/IyO Sky tag match - Best match of the night, good action but questionable placement as opener[9:30-13:00] Asuka/Shayna Basler Twitter incident - Cultural misunderstanding about toughness compliment[14:30-15:30] Stranger Things promotion - Just a van, no actors, completely underwhelming tie-in[22:30-25:00] Gunther/AJ Styles segment - Gunther looking weak, poor booking decisions[29:00-32:00] Maxxine vs Becky Lynch - Too much time given, Maxine too green for featured spot[21:30-22:30] Stephanie Vaquer injury angle - Rushed off TV despite being over with fans[33:00-35:00] Paul Heyman group criticism - None ready for main event spots except possibly Drew McIntyre[34:00-35:00] Logan Paul/Austin Theory promo - Disconnected and ineffective[38:00-44:00] CM Punk main event - Stumbling through promos, match with Bron Breaker was sloppy[40:00-48:00] Bron Breakker concerns - Too green, dangerous spots, needs shorter matches[49:00-52:00] Liv Morgan return - Poorly positioned after multiple women's matches, crowd was dead[54:00-58:00] Judgment Day storyline - Falling apart, no clear direction for members[58:00-1:05:00] Overall show critique - Poorly structured, felt like contractually obligated content[1:05:00-1:08:00] International shows vs US shows - Better matches given to international audiences[1:05:00-1:07:00] Saudi Arabia performance center discussion[1:09:00-1:13:00] Commercial breaks - Excessive ads on Netflix, VPN workarounds[1:13:00-end] Wrap-up and closing thoughtsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.

Joe and Anthony discuss the current state of wrestling, focusing on WWE’s use of old footage, the Netflix deal, and the value of nostalgia content. They critique modern wrestling’s creative direction, the risks wrestlers take for fan approval, and the business of monetizing archival material. The conversation also touches on personalities like Chris Jericho, Mr. Beast, and the challenges wrestlers face after retirement, ending with commentary on the cyclical nature of wrestling trends and media.0:00 – WWE vault, nostalgia, and old footage4:00 – Classic wrestling humor, Andre the Giant stories15:00 – Humanizing wrestlers, behind-the-scenes moments40:00 – Modern wrestling risks, fan influence, dangerous spots1:00:00 – WWE’s business model, YouTube/Netflix monetization1:15:00 – WWE creative team, bureaucracy, and lack of vision1:25:00 – Chris Jericho rumors, nostalgia pops, closing thoughts1:29:35 – EndBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.