For weeks we've been sitting here saying the same thing...

WWE has been playing it safe.

Predictable champions.

Predictable booking.

A SummerSlam build that desperately needed something to wake it up.

Then Night of Champions happened.

Sami Zayn shocked the wrestling world by pinning Cody Rhodes CLEAN to become the NEW Undisputed WWE Champion, Oba Femi was crowned King of the Ring, Iyo Sky became Queen of the Ring, and suddenly the road to SummerSlam feels exciting because—for the first time in a while—we genuinely don't know what's coming next.

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🔥 IN THIS EPISODE

🏆 Sami Zayn defeats Cody Rhodes & GUNTHER to become the NEW Undisputed WWE Champion

👑 King Oba is officially crowned

👑 Queen Iyo earns another shot at Liv Morgan

🤔 Why WWE finally stopped playing it safe

💥 Why Bron Breakker should have won

💥 Why Jade Cargill should have won

🔥 How one night completely changed the SummerSlam landscape

👀 RAW Preview featuring Roman Reigns' return and the fallout from Night of Champions

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💥 ALSO DISCUSSED

• Cody Rhodes finally passing the torch to Sami Zayn • Why unpredictability is back • Oba Femi's dominant rise • The future of Brock Lesnar • SummerSlam championship scenarios • Ricky Saints' continued momentum • WWE finally taking creative risks • Why not knowing what's next is the best thing that could have happened heading into SummerSlam

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🛡️ This episode is sponsored by Zarc International.

You insure your home.

You insure your vehicle.

You insure your health.

Why not protect yourself, too?

Check out VEXOR Pepper Spray from Zarc International—the family business that's been manufacturing personal safety products since 1982.

Be Prepared.

Protect Yourself.

Carry Vexor.

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Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling is your home for weekly RAW, SmackDown, Premium Live Event coverage, WWE news, fantasy booking, long-term storytelling discussions, wrestling philosophy, and everything happening on the road to SummerSlam.

Follow the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

⭐ If we earned your listen, we'd truly appreciate a 5-star rating and review!

Follow Alexander the Great on X & TikTok:

@Froe87

Join the Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling Discord and keep the conversation going all week with fellow wrestling fans discussing RAW, SmackDown, Premium Live Events, fantasy booking, predictions, and everything happening across WWE.

00:00 WWE Finally Stopped Playing It Safe

03:12 Night of Champions Overall Thoughts

05:59 King Oba Is Crowned

10:58 Queen Iyo Is Crowned

18:10 Rollins vs. Breakker - Wrong Winner?

25:06 Why Bron Needed This More

31:09 Seth Wins... But Should He Have?

36:36 Trick Williams vs. Ricky Saints

42:32 Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill

55:12 Sami Zayn Shocks WWE

01:04:26 NEW WWE Champion!

01:11:01 What's Next for Sami?

01:15:58 Sami's 20-Year Journey

01:20:04 They Saved SummerSlam

01:23:56 Night of Champions Final Grades

01:27:00 RAW Preview | Roman Returns

One night.

Two crowns.

Two SummerSlam decisions.

Night of Champions isn't just about who wins King and Queen of the Ring...

it's about who takes control heading into SummerSlam.

Are WWE's tournament winners the right choices?

Will new stars be created?

Or is WWE about to play it safe when they should be building the future?

This week, we make our official Night of Champions predictions while opening the TTW Vault for two of our biggest countdowns yet.

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🔥 IN THIS EPISODE

👑 TTW Vault: Top 5 Greatest King of the Ring Winners of All Time

🏰 TTW Vault: Top 5 Greatest King of the Ring Moments of All Time

👑 Official Queen of the Ring Finals Predictions

🤴 Official King of the Ring Finals Predictions

🔒 Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker – Steel Cage Match

🏆 Championship Match Predictions

🎯 Which winners create the most compelling SummerSlam matchups?

🤔 Who SHOULD win... and who WILL win?

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💥 ALSO DISCUSSED

• Stone Cold's legendary Austin 3:16 promo • Undertaker vs. Mankind: Hell in a Cell • King Booker • Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon • Xavier Woods finally becoming King • Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar, Owen Hart & Triple H • Why King & Queen of the Ring matter more than the crowns themselves

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🛡️ This episode is sponsored by Zarc International.

You insure your house.

You insure your car.

You insure your health.

Why not insure yourself?

Check out VEXOR Pepper Spray from Zarc International and carry with confidence every day.

Be Prepared.

Protect Yourself.

Carry Vexor.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling is your home for weekly RAW, SmackDown, Premium Live Event coverage, WWE news, fantasy booking, long-term storytelling discussions, wrestling philosophy and everything happening across WWE on the road to the next major event.

Follow the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

⭐ If we earned your listen, leave us a 5-star rating and review!

Follow Alexander the Great on X & TikTok:

@Froe87

Join the Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling Discord and keep the conversation going all week with fellow wrestling fans discussing RAW, SmackDown, Premium Live Events, fantasy booking, predictions, and everything WWE.

00:00 – One Night. Two Crowns. Why Night of Champions Matters

04:14 – TTW Vault: Top 5 King of the Ring Winners

13:03 – Bret Hart vs. Brock Lesnar: Who Deserves the Higher Ranking?

19:04 – Brock Lesnar's King of the Ring Legacy

25:36 – Triple H, The King of Kings & The Curtain Call

29:31 – Owen Hart vs. Kurt Angle: Two All-Time Great Winners

33:30 – Owen Hart: The King of Harts

37:44 – Kurt Angle's Meteoric Rise to the Top

45:30 – Why Stone Cold Is the Greatest King of the Ring Winner Ever

54:02 – TTW Vault: Top 5 King of the Ring Moments

01:01:53 – King Booker & Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon

01:07:34 – Austin 3:16: The Promo That Changed Wrestling

01:08:41 – Undertaker vs. Mankind: The Greatest King of the Ring Moment

01:14:32 – Official Night of Champions Predictions

01:22:23 – Final Thoughts & SummerSlam Outlook

The road to Night of Champions is almost over, but did WWE lose the unpredictability that made the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments so much fun?

This week on Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling, we catch everyone up after missing our normal SmackDown Fallout episode before diving into a very unusual go-home edition of RAW. We discuss why SmackDown massively underdelivered despite an incredible card on paper, why the semifinal rounds may have taken all the excitement out of the tournaments, and whether WWE is struggling to stick the landing heading into Night of Champions.

We also break down:

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👑 Oba Femi vs. Jey Uso and why there's only one right outcome.

👑 Iyo Sky vs. Liv Morgan and why we're firmly on Team "Queen Iyo."

🔥 Roman Reigns, Jacob Fatu and the continuing Bloodline civil war.

🏆 The Street Profits become four-time WWE World Tag Team Champions.

🙏 Chad Gable's apology tour finally hits its first real roadblock.

😈 Lyra Valkyria's shocking heel turn.

💥 Ethan Page vs. Dragon Lee.

🤣 Danhausen continues stealing every backstage segment.

⚠️ Plus, we discuss the biggest spoiler developments from the taped Go Home SmackDown in London, including the future of Solo Sikoa's MFTs, Blake Monroe's first major storyline, Ricky Starks' continued rise, and the final build to Night of Champions.

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Sponsored by Zarc International

Protecting people since 1982.

Be Prepared. Protect Yourself. Carry VEXOR.

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🎧 Follow Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Amazon Music.

⭐ If we earned your listen, we'd truly appreciate a five-star review.

💬 Join the Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling Discord and keep the conversation going all week long.

Follow Alexander the Great on X & TikTok: @Froe87

00:00 - WWE's Unpredictability & The Road to Night of Champions

02:49 - SmackDown Catch-Up: The Good, The Bad & The Disappointing

06:11 - Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther: What Went Wrong?

09:07 - Jey Uso's Push & The Tournament Problem

11:49 - Liv Morgan, Charlotte Flair & WWE's Injury Angle Problem

14:48 - Why Nobody Wants Jey vs. Oba

17:59 - Oba Femi Is Still the Future

21:02 - SummerSlam Implications & Creative Concerns

23:51 - Final Thoughts on SmackDown

41:17 - Roman Reigns, Jacob Fatu & RAW Begins

45:15 - Women's Tag Team Championship & Lyra Valkyria's Heel Turn

50:48 - Chad Gable's Apology Tour Hits a Roadblock

57:12 - Dragon Lee vs. Ethan Page

01:06:45 - Rusev's Old-School Heel Promo

01:07:18 - Iyo Sky vs. Liv Morgan: Queen Iyo or We Riot

01:12:44 - Danhausen Strikes Again

01:15:03 - LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso

01:21:45 - Judgment Day Friction & Roxanne Perez

01:24:47 - Backstage Notes & Next Week's RAW

01:26:08 - World Tag Team Championship: New Champions Crowned

01:36:04 - Final Thoughts on RAW

01:41:11 - Go Home SmackDown Spoilers from London

01:55:02 - Night of Champions Preview

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 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

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?

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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.

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.

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

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