NNW Episode 177 - Goldfinger vs. Sa-Mocha Joe

·1 hr 14 min·5 clips

Rhea Ripley's 380-day title reign ends after a freak injury, forcing WWE to crown a new women's champion on Raw.

The episode begins with hosts Kayfabe Phil and Wade Ilsen, joined by guest Doc Haas, discussing the aftermath of WrestleMania. They address Rhea Ripley's shoulder injury from a segment with Liv Morgan, leading to her vacating the Women's World Championship after 380 days. The panel speculates on how WWE will determine a new champion on Raw, with Doc advocating for a fatal four-way involving Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler. Phil suggests a gauntlet match or tournament, while Wade mentions Triple H's preference for battle royals. The discussion highlights Natalya's legacy as the last Hart trained in the dungeon, arguing she deserves a title run. The hosts then shift to the WWE draft, noting it's the first year NXT can participate, and touch on the Bloodline storyline with Tama Tonga's involvement. Guest Matt Sell joins, providing a non-fan perspective on wrestling memes, particularly The Rock's belt-whipping incident. The hosts explain The Rock's role as a board member and his Hollywood Rock persona. They compare Vince McMahon's and Triple H's creative approaches, crediting Triple H with improving long-term storytelling. The episode concludes with a preview of AEW Dynasty, where the hosts and Matt predict winners for key matches like Samoa Joe vs. Swerve Strickland and Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay. Throughout, the tone is casual and humorous, blending insider analysis with outsider curiosity.

As heard by us

A post-WrestleMania reset linking Cody Rhodes' lineage, WWE's creative change, and The Rock's franchise gravity.

New Normal Wrestling treats the post-WrestleMania lull as a planning board for the year ahead, keeping WrestleMania 41 in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the distance while the panel sorts through what WWE may be trying to build.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get the post-WrestleMania dust-settle session: a road-to-Minneapolis map, a Rock movie debate, and a Cody Rhodes creative read in one loose, lively ride.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from FourthWall POP! Network