Adam and Phil go over WWE's next moves after an eventful (and controversial) WrestleMania 39 weekend!
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00:00 Hi guys, I'm Adam Wilborn from WhatCulture joined by Phil Chambers from WhatCulture on Sunset Boulevard here in Los Angeles
00:07 And we thought before we flew home
00:08 We bring some new directions for WWE following the Raw after WrestleMania 39
00:13 Phil an obvious place to start appears to be Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar. Brock betraying Cody in the main event of Raw
00:19 Last night it feels like they are destined to face each other whether it be in Saudi or at
00:25 Backlash and I suppose this is part of Cody's redemption arc, isn't it? Yeah, I suppose so it's gonna be an odd one
00:31 I don't think anyone had this on their kind of coming out of WrestleMania bingo card
00:35 But obviously judging by what's gonna happen somewhere where that is is yet to be seen
00:39 But I guess the bigger question mark in this
00:41 I mean you've got a well
00:43 You've got a hope that Cody Rhodes is gonna actually win this and then go on to carry on the Roman Reigns stuff at some
00:48 Point, yeah, but the bigger question mark I think lies in the Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman connection
00:53 It's obviously Paul Heyman's done something here to get Paul
00:56 I brought Lesnar to turn on Cody like set the trap with setting that tag team match on raw
01:01 But then how is that gonna fit in with the bloodline?
01:03 How's Roman Reigns gonna like this probably not judging by the rest of the history with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar?
01:08 and how
01:09 It's gonna factor within the bloodline because obviously Roman Reigns has some business to hand handle with the you so is now he seemingly
01:15 May also have some business to handle with Paul Heyman as well. Yeah, it should be interesting. Yeah
01:20 I'm not sure what's gonna go on with you. So as we sort of haven't even really included them in this
01:24 We just we think I suppose that maybe they get put through the ringer by Roman on Smackdown and maybe it's
01:29 Ultimatum time for them beat Kevin and Sam any for the tag titles at backlash or you you're out of the bloodline
01:35 But that's not one of our new directions because well, there's lots of directions
01:39 They could go in and let's talk about Rey Mysterio. Hey, yes, so Ray
01:43 This is an obvious one happened on more Rey Mysterio and Bad Bunny versus Damian Priest and Dominic Mysterio
01:51 Obviously with everything happening at war last night with Damian Priest attacking Bad Bunny and all of that kind of stuff
01:56 This is obviously gonna be happening at black clashed in Puerto Rico
01:59 And it makes a hell of a lot of sense this I really like this as a match to be honest
02:03 You've got to keep this Rey Mysterio and Dominic connection going a little bit further because it's just too good not to
02:08 Yeah
02:09 I love me some ex-con Dom and I have to say I can't get over this relationship that we do we have got with Bad Bunny
02:15 What is the most successful artist?
02:17 Right now ever or whatever is on war a ridiculous
02:21 But yeah, it makes sense like you say backlash hosted by bunny in in Puerto Rico
02:26 It makes sense that he tags with with Ray against Dom and and Damian Priest and yeah
02:31 Just read keep replaying that chokes off through the table because it looked
02:34 absolutely brutal
02:36 Moving on we know we are gonna get at least a tag title match on
02:40 Next week's Monday night raw after Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez beat damage cut our all
02:45 To become the number one contenders despite the fact they lost the showcase match at Russell
02:49 I will move on they are gonna face Becky Lynch and Lita
02:52 I think they're gonna lose and I think Raquel Rodriguez is finally gonna turn on Liv Morgan
02:57 Which is I think a week removed from when they've got turned on by Rhea on the roar after WrestleMania last year if I'm not mistaken
03:03 Tradition let's start a new one. Yeah, I think this makes a lot of sense right here. I call Rodriguez has been
03:10 Sort of flatlining I guess on the main roster
03:13 It's just been an odd character decision for someone like Raquel Rodriguez to just hey
03:17 Just go out there and be the smiley person. It's never worked in the history of wrestling
03:21 So why they thought it would work here
03:22 I have no idea
03:23 But this leads us on to our other new direction that will follow on from this and it's a heel Raquel Rodriguez
03:29 Going up against Bianca Belair. Yeah, I really like this because obviously Bianca Belair's thing is that she is
03:36 Freakishly strong look at what she did to ask her to win the match at WrestleMania
03:40 But Raquel Rodriguez has got a big old back and she is just dominating
03:45 Like you say when she is a here when she was in NXT and she was that team with Dakota kind
03:48 She was basically the diesel to to take eyes
03:51 Shawn Michaels and then they in Michael Hamlet's words
03:53 They did exactly what they did to diesel of like right we're gonna split you and now you're the big smiling baby face
03:58 It just doesn't work for me as Raquel Rodriguez's character at least for now
04:01 And I think she could really I think we all agree that Bianca Belair holds this title going forward for the next few months
04:08 I don't think Raquel's the person to take the title off her but as a threat to Bianca's title
04:13 You know, it's kind of a bit thin on the ground in terms of female challenges
04:17 Because of how poorly that women's division has been booked
04:19 I will give triple H all the credit in the world for what he's done in the interim and we'll get to
04:24 Well the future of that in due course, but yeah, the women's division is not one of his strong points
04:28 I'm gonna give a nod to Simon Miller for our next new direction because he was the one who pointed this out whilst we were
04:33 Watching the raw after WrestleMania Trish Stratus. He's not happy just being a third wheel in this tag team
04:38 And so I sense maybe not during the tag title match on on raw next week
04:43 But I don't know the the issues between
04:46 Lita and Trish are never really settled if we're perfectly honest and Trish turning heel
04:51 And there's running back Lita versus Trish after all these years or or Trish and Becky it it's so intriguing that
04:58 Yeah, absolutely. It's definitely an interesting direction for it
05:01 But it's been long rumored this sort of Trish heel turn with this and if they're definitely sent floats
05:05 They're planting seeds for it
05:07 like especially the bit on more when
05:09 Lita and Becky were doing that thing and then Trish was like, oh you kind of leaving me out of this
05:12 And so yeah, definitely feel like this is the way they're gonna go whether this is gonna be a Saudi thing
05:17 They want a Trish versus Lita at a Saudi show
05:19 Maybe that seems like a a Saudi thing to do or whether it be a backlash
05:24 And it definitely feels like this is the way that they're going but sliding over to a different side of the women's division
05:29 Rhea Ripley is obviously looking for new challenges
05:32 With the weird segment that was on war with her sort of challenging Bianca Belair or Bianca Belair challenging her and turning him down and then
05:40 Delivering something that you're never gonna deliver to the crowd and then they're both gonna be on different brands. It's all a bit weird
05:46 Yeah, we might get a WrestleMania 40 if we're lucky and but it look but if you look over to
05:52 NXT the big thing that was missing wildly from the war after WrestleMania was call-ups from NXT and there is a certain Roxanne Perez
06:00 Who may have just lost a women's championship that would be a perfect first contender for Rhea Ripley
06:06 And I'm gonna give a nod to our cameraman Adam Nicholas who remembered the fact that Roxanne Perez faced Rhea Ripley as part of that
06:13 Pick your poison stuff going on in NXT with Perez and Cora Jade. I think they work really well together
06:19 I think perfect first foil as a defense for Rhea Ripley
06:23 Look, we all know Rhea Ripley's not dropping that title for many many months probably
06:26 And it's just gonna solidify potentially her kind of taking over the flipping Judgment Day
06:32 Because she's the only one who seems to be able to win matches in that group
06:35 But yeah, Roxanne Perez is more than ready for the main roster
06:39 They found a way to for her to drop the title without looking too weak in NXT
06:44 And you know Roxanne Perez coming up and losing to Rhea Ripley. It's not burying her in my opinion
06:50 I think she's you know, she's someone who yeah that can be part of her story of look
06:54 She wasn't ready just yet
06:56 But she is she is gonna grow into that role on the main roster
07:00 And I think Perez is someone really to watch out for throughout this year
07:03 Now we saw after the banger intercontinental championship match between Gunther
07:10 Sheamus and Drew a nice photo of Sheamus and Drew off to share pints to celebrate a
07:15 Job well done despite the fact that neither of them less as I see champion
07:20 But I don't know what's going on with Drew McIntyre contract situation
07:23 I'm not gonna speculate too much on that
07:25 But I have been crying out for a Drew McIntyre heel turn for quite some time
07:28 And I think the journey for Sheamus is eventually possibly being the guy to take that IC title off Gunther
07:34 Maybe even when they come to the UK for money in the bank, of course, it'd be Sheamus's backyard again
07:39 Sort of just like Wales is Drew's backyard
07:41 so I think a heel turn from Drew McIntyre of
07:44 Because there was times in that match where both of them had the match one
07:48 But the other one stopped the other person pinning Gunther basically
07:51 So I'd like the idea of Drew turning heel
07:54 I think it's a character refresh these needed for a while and we know these two just love kicking the crap out of each other
08:00 Yeah, absolutely
08:01 We can definitely move this on so long as there is a change in the sort of dynamic of the characters behind it
08:07 Because obviously we've seen it before but we've not seen it with Drew as the big heel going up against Sheamus
08:11 And that match itself would be a perfect stopgap for the next match
08:15 We're gonna get to which is Gunther versus Matt Riddle
08:18 Obviously Matt Riddle returned on war last night and he would be an incredible opponent for Gunther
08:23 It's sort of as a stopgap
08:26 feud to get to eventually Sheamus versus Gunther probably hopefully at money in the bank where Sheamus
08:32 Finally dethrones Gunther and then Gunther moves up to the next echelon of WWE like up to the main roster slightly. Yeah, exactly
08:39 Yeah, yeah main the main title picture. Yeah, exactly
08:43 I think you can easily see I mean we were
08:45 Booking before WrestleMania because we assumed Cody was gonna become world champion
08:48 It was gonna be Gunther versus Cody at SummerSlam. I suppose again. Everything's up in the air right now
08:53 We'll get to that in a second. I suppose Gunther versus world champion Cody at WrestleMania 40
09:00 We can but dream so we can do right now
09:03 and yeah keeps Matt Riddle busy until hopefully Randy Orton returns because I like in the
09:09 Reports that he appears to be coming back. Obviously, we would never suggest that people should come back unless they are absolutely ready
09:15 Let's talk about US champion though from the IC champion to the US champion Austin Theory
09:21 I really like what's happened with Austin Theory recently
09:23 I'm not saying that he's matched with John Cena was it was anything to write home about WrestleMania, but he got the victory
09:28 Shenanigans, but he got the victory nonetheless and then on the roar after WrestleMania
09:31 He beat Rey Mysterio again via shenanigans with Dominic on this occasion
09:36 And I thought he caught a really confident promo one of the best promos
09:40 He's caught with fans in the arena because I did like the one he did the empty arena before
09:44 WrestleMania and I like him taking on some sort of legend killer gimmick actually of
09:50 Taking on the likes of Cena and Rey and maybe even edge because we were all googling
09:55 Frantically before we film this video edges history with the US championship technically has held it
10:00 I think it was the WCW US title which was then sort of merged as part of the invasion with the IC title
10:06 He fought for test and basically left this intercontinental champion edges
10:11 you know coming towards the end of his career, of course, but
10:14 Yeah a decent challenger for for Austin Theory and yeah the legend killer gimmick whether you want to include Randy Orton in that as well
10:22 I don't know but big things this year regardless of who's in charge for Austin Theory. Yeah, absolutely
10:28 I really like this as an idea sort of have a few
10:30 Few big matches for him to go through winning of quite a few as he goes along maybe bring in some old names just for like
10:36 One-off appearances with him and fully go on board with this sort of legend killer idea as a gimmick
10:41 Possibly even leading to whenever Randy Orton is ready to come back that finally being the big payoff and you'd be like
10:47 Oh, you're gonna be the legend killer. Are you and then he kills Austin Theory and probably takes his belt. Let's face it
10:51 Yeah, let's be perfectly honest before we get to our final new direction here Phil
10:55 Bobby Lashley, please do something with him in the next few days weeks months
11:00 I know he squashed Ali but he just came out and held up the
11:04 Trophy on WrestleMania and there was plans for having to have him something with with LA night
11:09 At WrestleMania, which was inexplicably pulled at the last minute big things for him and for LA night, I suppose in the coming months
11:16 Yeah, absolutely. They need to do something with this. It's like LA night as well as Smackdown
11:20 he was so over here and it feels like that might be a
11:24 Situation of all your two over because you got over kind of without us and then they never like that happening
11:29 Do they and so I really hope they have something planned for both these guys going forwards a lot of?
11:35 Questionmarks still in the new directions coming out of WrestleMania and the roar after WrestleMania
11:40 But the biggest question mark of them all I will say is Vince McMahon by all accounts
11:46 He is back. He is in creative in some fashion. He is backstage in war the war got changed like three times
11:53 I think not just before the show
11:55 but also during the show as the we have might have seen footage of
11:59 Seth Rollins when he was in the ring like he originally came out he had a
12:02 Microphone in his hand it seemed like it was ready to cut a promo and then someone was frantically yelling
12:06 I am from ringside ended up getting rid of the microphone and just doing that weird thing where he just kind of
12:11 Stood in the ring while people chanted his song for a little bit
12:15 That along with there was a bunch of planned things for war like there was a women's triple threat number one contenders match
12:20 The Cody mystery partner thing was supposed to be like a show long story arc kind of thing leading into the main event
12:27 a bunch of things Bailey Bailey, of course, yeah big question mark about Bailey and
12:32 lots of things being changed very much feeling like
12:35 WWE of old the war itself very much felt like a Vince McMahon show and this has got to be the biggest question mark leading
12:42 into any kind of new directions is can they keep up the quality that people have come to expect over this sort of last six
12:49 Months and judging by the war last night doesn't seem like it. Yeah, we haven't got Simon Miller with us anymore
12:55 He's he's flown home and it feels like the positivity has gone with him. I'm so deflated following that roar after WrestleMania
13:03 You know, there was still some good stuff in there
13:06 I don't necessarily subscribe to the idea that was the worst roar ever or the worst roar after WrestleMania
13:11 But we had a great tag match with Kevin and Sammy versus the the Street Profits. We got the return of riddle
13:16 We got Brock
13:18 Teasing at least working on raw for the first time in 20 years and this new direction with Cody is intriguing if they do the right
13:24 Thing here, but yeah, let's be honest all of these new directions. We're pitching to you now could be changed by
13:29 the time this video goes out basically because Vince just changes things on a whim and
13:36 Well, we're all a little bit anxious going into the next few months
13:41 But let us know your thoughts on new directions for WWE after the roar after
13:45 WrestleMania in the comments or on Twitter at what culture WWE where you can find both of us
13:50 You can follow Phil Chambers at Phil my chambers and follow Adam at Adam will warm followers all at what culture
13:56 WWE as I said, but for now my thanks to Phil Chambers. Thank you for joining us and we will see you soon
14:01 it.