PWTorch Livecast Friday – Bruce Mitchell & Travis Bryant (Oct. 30, 2015)

PWTorch Livecast Friday
Hosts: Bruce Mitchell and Travis Bryant of the East Coast Cast
Airdate: October 30, 2015

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD

Recap by Mark Golden

Topics Covered

21:07: Shane O’ Mac
28:49: Raven’s Flock
34:15: Roman and Dean
37:48: Bob Backlund
48:01: King Kong Bundy
49:30: Dustin Rhodes vs. Blacktop Bully
52:00: Meximerica

1:00: Bruce opened with some plugs for PWTorch.com. Go VIP. He welcomed Travis, and asked him to go into detail about the Davey Boy Smith petition. Travis said it’s an ongoing petition to get him in the WWE Hall of Fame. Travis said it’s strange to go about it this way, as if WWE will cave to the results of the petition. Bruce agreed, unless there is truly an overwhelming number of signatures. There have been grassroots campaigns in the past to get WWF/E to do things, but they are going to do whatever they want. Bruce said the HOF is a marketing gimmick (i.e. they would probably put him in the Hall of Fame if WrestleMania were in the U.K. or Canada). Bruce also said, based on the nature of his young death, it’s also unlikely they will ever induct him, although there are some inductees that have died from unsavory circumstances. Travis said he would indeed induct Smith in the HOF if it were up to him, but the petition is a bit much. Bruce said they don’t have much impact, especially with a company like WWE.

Bruce moved on, and asked Travis for his opinion of Roman Reigns after Monday’s Raw. Travis said he always kinda liked Roman, and was happy to see him get cheered on Raw. Bruce said it was nice to see him make some progress, and this was the first Raw in a while that wasn’t unbearable. They discussed the semantics, semiology, and machinations of the blood in The Undertaker vs. Brock HIAC match. Bruce remarked that Brock bleeds a lot for a top guy in a company with a no blood edict. Travis said that while we heard about Vince freaking out about it, there has been no details since, but if fines are levied to either or both of them, they are probably more willing to pay it in an effort to enhance the violent nature and aesthetics of the match, than, for example, someone like Kofi Kingston, who doesn’t make nearly as much as Brock or Undertaker. Travis did his plug for Eastcoastcast.com, and his podcast that covers CW’s “The Flash” on iTunes. They briefly talked about Bruce and Wade Keller’s interviews on sheetsandwich.com, then went to the phones.

21:07: First caller (Kylen…from New Jersey) called to discuss WWE’s corporate structure, and Shane McMahon, who came out of his self-imposed exile to attend the premiere of Batista’s movie. He asked if it was possible for Shane O’Mac to replace Stephanie so she could spend more time at home. Travis joked that it was sexist for Kylen to suggest that the woman would want to tend to the children, as opposed to their father. Bruce said he could see Shane coming back at some point, but the last time he was with WWE, Shane didn’t like working for his father. He also wouldn’t want to replace his sister. Shane is working on a Netflix for China and he’s already invested a lot of his money in this project. Bruce said Shane didn’t impress anyone with his wrestling business acumen, as his ideas were a little absurd, into Vince Russo category. The hosts agreed that it wouldn’t be out of the question, but at the same time, not likely.

28:49: Next caller (Bryan…from Phoenix) referenced an article written by Bruce about Raven’s Flock. Bruce held nothing back in his analysis of what he saw as the gay elements of Raven’s Flock, saying that the group should be called “Raven’s Rough Trade.” He referenced what he saw as Raven and Stevie Richards’ “butch/fem abusive relationship,” Perry Saturn’s Biker Boyz Magazine look, Van Hammer’s “peep shows” look and fishnet, Lodi’s “college gay bar” look, Billy Kidman’s “bus station runaway” look, and Raven wanting to “recruit” Scotty Riggs (which Raven did, after giving Riggs an eye-injury with his trademark drop-toehold into a steel chair on Nitro). Interestingly, after Raven had hit the move, Kidman came in and told Raven to lay off of Riggs. Raven defeated Riggs in a re-match at the World War 3 PPV, followed by Van Hammer carrying Riggs to the back. The next night on Nitro, Riggs, now wearing an eyepatch, climbed the guardrail and joined Raven’s Flock. Bruce said Raven liked the article, and said: “Finally, someone ‘gets it.'”

Bryan talked about being at the Smackdown tapings this week in Phoenix, and noted that Roman Reigns was cheered. He also mentioned that they were selling Dudley Boys brand plastic glasses for $10, and there were fans in his section that actually purchased them. Travis thought the glasses were a good idea, and he’s surprised they didn’t market them until now. Ryan talked about The Dudleys as an idea for Undertaker and Kane’s partners for Survivor Series. The hosts discussed the idea, and weighed the pros and cons of it.

34:15: Next caller (Derrell…from Georgia) said Dean Ambrose is more like a glorified cheerleader than the “Lunatic Fringe” and asked what could be done to change that perception. Travis said there’s no need to turn Dean heel, and it’s okay that he’s Roman’s friend. He said there’s nothing that Dean could do to Reigns that would get the crowd behind him. Bruce agreed, and said he and Wade Keller discussed this very topic in the past. The two have a natural connection because of the Shield, and they are likable because of it. The hosts said they’d rather see Roman win the title now, than have Dean turn on him in a lazy booking move to keep the title on Seth.

37:48: Next caller (Scott…from New Jersey) talked about liking Roman and Dean as friends, and he wants to see a slow build for Roman. It’s nice when the top babyface has a buddy. Hogan had that, Dusty had that, Cena didn’t, but Roman does. Bruce said that heel teams or factions usually stab each other in the back. Scott said he likes that the two have each other’s back. Scott and the hosts talked about the #1 contender’s matches on Raw, and they all agreed that whole thing was handled well.

Travis asked Bruce if it’s too soon to call Alberto Del Rio a flop, to which Bruce said yes, it is. Scott commended the interview with Bob Backlund, and Backlund’s book, which is universally recommended, so far. Scott talked about Backlund discussing the build of a top contender, and asked what the process was at the time. Bruce said it was a lot more simple in those days. There were a lot less main eventers and even mid carders in a territory. There were a lot of older workers that worked popcorn matches. What used to happen was the top contender would only come into the territory for TV tapings, kill enhancement talent, and eventually shoot an angle with the champion, as a prelude to their big match. The goal was to get three consecutive main events against the champion at Madison Square Garden. This was based on gate receipts. If the match sold well, the challenger would be back for a rematch. If the challenger came back for a third match, it would be some sort of stipulation blow off match. They would usually put the title match on right before intermission so they could announce the main event for next month and the fans could buy their tickets then.

48:01: Next caller talked about King Kong Bundy being inducted in the HOF in 2016. Bruce said it’s possible, because he has no heat with WWE, and he has some history in Dallas, having worked at WCCW.

49:30: Next caller asked about the WCW match with Dustin Rhodes and Blacktop Bully that took place on the back of a rig, and how it seemed to turn from day to night to day again. Bruce said it was taped over a period of time in different segments. Bruce said he doesn’t remember details, but at least Dustin Rhodes was fired as a result of the violence and blading.

52:00: Next caller talked about Alberto Del Rio, and asked why he can’t just be a babyface as himself. The caller also said he’d like to see Roman Reigns get a bit arrogant over time, because he has failed in his previous attempt to win the title. Bruce said he doesn’t really get what point of the Meximerica storyline, but the idea is nice. He said they have to be positioning him for a top spot, but either way, it’s going to be interesting. Bruce again reiterated that he wouldn’t ruin the dynamic that he and Dean have. Travis liked the idea of, if there is going to be a title switch and heel turn, what the caller suggested.

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