SMACKDOWN NEEDED GUNTHER

Oba Femi Is The Story

King and Queen of the Ring have become some of WWE's most unpredictable tournaments in years. Seth Rollins is gone. Bron Breakker is gone. Becky Lynch is gone. Dominik Mysterio made a run. Je'Von Evans made a run. And as Night of Champions gets closer, one thing has become clear: The entire tournament now feels like it's orbiting around Oba Femi. But is WWE about to stick the landing? Or are we heading toward the safest possible outcome? ⸻ On this episode: Eddie Andelman passes away at age 89 and we look back at the man who helped create WWE's King of the Ring tournament. A major update in the Vince McMahon lawsuit and why the move toward arbitration could dramatically change how this story unfolds moving forward. Roman Reigns continues manipulating Jacob Fatu. What did Roman whisper to Jacob backstage? Iyo Sky advances to the Queen of the Ring Finals. Charlotte Flair defeats Roxanne Perez and continues building momentum. Why Roxanne Perez may have been the best wrestler in the match despite taking another loss. Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker inside a Steel Cage is officially set for Night of Champions. Chad Gable continues proving why he's one of WWE's most underutilized stars. LA Knight calls out The Bloodline after being proven right once again. Logan Paul attempts to recruit Je'Von Evans into The Vision. Oba Femi destroys Dominik Mysterio and advances to the King of the Ring Finals. And our full SmackDown preview from Kansas City. ⸻ This week's episode is brought to you by Zarc International. Protecting people since 1982. If you're looking for a simple way to add a little peace of mind this summer, check out the VEXOR line of pepper spray and personal safety products at Zarc.com [http://Zarc.com] or on Amazon. Be Prepared. Protect Yourself. Carry VEXOR. ⸻ If you're a wrestling fan who cares about storytelling, character direction, and wrestling philosophy, you're in the right place. Follow Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Follow Alexander the Great on X and TikTok: @Froe87

THE LAST REAL GOOD GUY

SmackDown finally felt like it knew where it was going. Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes delivered the best segment on the entire show. Gunther added even more tension to the WWE Championship picture by naming Sami as the special referee for next week's title match. And the King & Queen of the Ring tournaments continue reshaping the road to SummerSlam. But did WWE make the right call sending SmackDown completely out of the men's side of the King of the Ring tournament? ⸻ Sami Zayn vs Cody Rhodes explodes Gunther chooses Sami Zayn as special referee Charlotte Flair advances in Queen of the Ring Jey Uso advances in King of the Ring SmackDown gets swept out of the men's bracket Oba Femi vs Dominik Mysterio implications Trick Williams, Carmelo Hayes & Ricky Saints heat up the U.S. Title scene Rey Fenix vs Axiom frustration Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa continue to collide Love that Danhausen ❤️ SmackDown MVP RAW Preview ⸻ Quick shoutout to the family business — Zarc International. Be Prepared. Protect Yourself. Carry Vexor. ⸻ If you're a wrestling fan who cares about storytelling, character direction, and wrestling philosophy, you're in the right place. Follow Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Follow Alexander the Great on X and TikTok: @Froe87

WWE Finally Got Unpredictable

WWE Finally Got Unpredictable. A week ago, it felt like the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments were starting to take shape. Seth Rollins looked like a favorite. Bron Breakker looked like a favorite. The SummerSlam roadmap felt relatively clear. Then WWE blew the whole thing up. Rollins is out. Breakker is out. Becky Lynch is out. Dominik Mysterio is still alive. Je'Von Evans is still alive. And somehow the biggest story coming out of RAW might be that nobody knows where these tournaments are headed anymore. For the first time in a long time, WWE genuinely surprised us. And honestly? That's a breath of fresh air. ⸻ On this episode: Why Oba Femi remains the most important piece on the entire King of the Ring board. The growing Brock Lesnar problem. Liv Morgan advances while already Women's World Champion. Why the Queen of the Ring tournament is becoming increasingly difficult to figure out. Chad Gable's redemption story continues. Why "The Man Under The Mask" might be one of WWE's best character arcs right now. Penta vs Rey Mysterio delivers. The return of the American Alpha theme. LA Knight's best promo in months. Why Roman Reigns' SummerSlam direction suddenly feels less obvious. Je'Von Evans shocks the tournament. Seth Rollins is eliminated. And our full SmackDown preview. ⸻ Quick shoutout to the family business — Zarc International. Be Prepared. Protect Yourself. Carry Vexor. ⸻ If you're a wrestling fan who cares about storytelling, character direction, and wrestling philosophy, you're in the right place. Follow Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Follow Alexander the Great on X and TikTok: @Froe87

The Road to SummerSlam Begins

The Road to SummerSlam Begins. RAW after Clash in Italy felt less like a fallout show and more like WWE finally starting to show us where some of these major stories are heading. King and Queen of the Ring are underway. The SummerSlam picture is starting to come into focus. And while some of those directions are exciting... Others feel a little too familiar. Has WWE already started repeating the same Bloodline story with Jacob Fatu? Why does WWE keep loading multiple major stars into the same tournament qualifiers? And what exactly is WWE trying to tell us through the King and Queen of the Ring brackets? ⸻ On this episode: Roman Reigns gets exactly what he wanted from Jacob Fatu. Why the new Bloodline dynamic feels a lot like the old one. King and Queen of the Ring officially begin. Oba Femi advances and continues his path back toward Brock Lesnar. Why WWE's Fatal 4-Way qualifier obsession continues to frustrate us. Iyo Sky advances while Giulia gets pinned in Italy. The growing confusion surrounding Liv Morgan's place in the Queen of the Ring tournament. Why Chad Gable isn't underrated — he's underutilized. The future of American Made. Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker delivers one of the best RAW main events of the year. And our full SmackDown preview from Bologna, Italy. ⸻ Quick shoutout to the family business — Zarc International. Be Prepared. Protect Yourself. Carry Vexor. ⸻ If you're a wrestling fan who cares about storytelling, character direction, and wrestling philosophy, you're in the right place! Follow Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Follow Alexander the Great on X and TikTok: @Froe87 Chapters 00:00 The Road to SummerSlam Begins 02:56 Roman Reigns Gets What He Wanted 07:37 King & Queen of the Ring Begin 12:20 Oba Femi Advances 22:45 WWE's Fatal 4-Way Problem 36:22 Your New Women's IC Champion 39:21 Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee vs Rusev & Ethan Page 43:57 Finn Balor, Jey Uso & Backstage Fallout 57:23 Chad Gable Isn't Underrated 01:02:30 Iyo Sky Advances — Giulia Gets Pinned?! 01:14:03 Quick Hits: Maxxine, Danhausen & Bayley 01:20:30 Next Week's RAW Looks Weird 01:30:20 Seth Rollins vs Bron Breakker 01:40:00 Final Thoughts on RAW 01:48:28 SmackDown Preview

SAFE ISN'T MEMORABLE

There was nothing objectively wrong with Clash in Italy. That's the weird part. The matches were good. The crowd was hot. A Championship changed hands. Storylines moved forward. And yet by the time the wrestling weekend was over, the show we couldn't stop thinking about wasn't Clash. It was AAA Noche de los Grandes. This week, we break down a wrestling weekend that ended up becoming a conversation about something much bigger than wins and losses. Why did Clash in Italy feel good... but not memorable? Why does WWE keep choosing the safe version of the story? And why did a four-match AAA special television event leave a bigger impression than a WWE Premium Live Event packed with stars? ⸻ On this episode: Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther and why their WWE Championship match left so much on the table. Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill and the performance that finally made us rethink Jade's future. Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi and why Oba may have needed this loss more than another dominant victory. Sol Ruca captures her first main roster championship. Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu and the growing frustration with WWE's reliance on the safest possible direction. Our full Clash in Italy review and final thoughts. AAA Noche de los Grandes results. El Grande Americano vs. El Grande Americano in a legitimate Match of the Year contender. Why Ludwig Kaiser's accidental masterpiece may have become the biggest success of his career. And why Undertaker's approach to booking professional wrestling feels completely different right now. ⸻ Quick shoutout to the family business — Zarc International. Be Prepared. Protect Yourself. Carry Vexor. ⸻ If you're a wrestling fan who cares about storytelling, character direction, and wrestling philosophy, you're in the right place! Follow Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Follow Alexander the Great on X and TikTok: @Froe87 Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Wrestling Weekend Thesis 01:54 Building a Community of Wrestling Nerds 10:39 Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther — Left So Much on the Table 23:10 Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill — I'll Eat the Crow 36:06 Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi — Oba Needed This 54:24 Sol Ruca vs. Becky Lynch — Becky Hogan Strikes Again 01:06:52 Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu — WWE Chose the Safe Option 01:11:51 Clash in Italy — Final Thoughts 01:24:49 AAA Noche de los Grandes — Quick Results 01:29:08 El Grande Americano vs. El Grande Americano — Match of the Year 01:45:55 MVP of the Weekend — Undertaker 01:55:46 Good Isn't the Same as Memorable