OM DENNE EPISODE
It's the busiest day in the BTT universe and Coach opens with a beef: everyone at his New York autograph signing asked "Where is Vince?" Then the guys go in order. SmackDown on Oct 16 opened with Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn, Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae talking before Trick Williams came out, and Russo says shows have to start hot. Coach wonders why the stars are everywhere but wrestling, from Cody Rhodes promoting Street Fighter to Seth Rollins' new ESPN deal. Russo pitches the angle that should have built tonight's Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn title match on Raw, and both hosts take issue with Paige beating Nikki Bella with her feet on the ropes: the babyface cheated to beat the heel.
The Hawaii house shows bring the business talk: Bron Breakker's nasty fall against LA Knight, a babyface celebration Russo says "rubs our face in it," and why house shows are where talent learns. Coach tells his West Palm Beach tables story and his "I am not Shawn Michaels" moment before wrestling Ric Flair in Afghanistan, and the guys back Drew McIntyre's comments on choreographed matches. A Super Chat about Vince McMahon's writing team leads to Russo's claim that he'd add a million SmackDown viewers in a year, and Coach says the creative team should be held to the same standard as an NFL GM after the Colts fired Chris Ballard.
Russo builds a full story for Fraxiom on the spot, says Nikki Bella should be WWE's Kim Kardashian, and asks why nobody uses Paige's wrestling family. Then Carmelo Hayes' wedding video with Solo Sikoa, Roller Derby, and Cody's "crossroads" quote raise the big question: who replaces the stars leaving for Hollywood? Super Chats close it out, from Jim Johnston to Linda McMahon to UFC knockouts.
Housekeeping: Book Intros — 10 one-on-one minutes with Coach or Vince, next Tuesday at 8 PM ET. Russo's Brand relaunches Nov 1 with a call-in show (russosbrand.com). The Coach and Bro is live Mon/Wed/Fri at 2 PM ET. All shows: bttstudios.tv
Timestamps
00:00 Coach's autograph weekend: "Where is Vince?"
03:19 Book Intros: 10 minutes with Coach or Vince
04:52 SmackDown was a "nothing burger"
10:37 Star power: Cody, Street Fighter & Seth Rollins at ESPN
14:59 Cody vs. Sami Zayn tonight: Russo's parking-lot angle
16:56 Paige vs. Nikki Bella: the babyface cheated
20:22 Hawaii house shows and the babyface celebration
24:02 Suspension of disbelief (and MobLand)
27:00 Bron Breakker's scary fall + Coach's tables story
30:13 Why today's agents don't protect the stars
36:24 Drew McIntyre on choreographed matches, NXT & Shawn Michaels
41:59 Coach vs. Ric Flair in Afghanistan: "I am not Shawn Michaels"
43:21 Super Chat: why Vince McMahon needed 20 writers
46:09 Russo: "I'd grow that audience by a million"
48:29 Call the creative team on the carpet
50:25 Is Triple H the guy to drop the hammer?
53:18 Russo's Fraxiom fix
58:29 Nikki Bella, multi-hyphenate, and Paige's wrestling family
1:02:57 Super Chats: Steph & Cena, Jim Johnston
1:05:22 Stables, the 946 and Carmelo Hayes' wedding
1:10:47 Roller Derby and the stars leaving for Hollywood
1:13:53 Cody's "crossroads" quote: who replaces the stars?
1:17:38 Tonight on Raw: Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn
1:18:35 Super Chats: Coach & Bro DLC, "wrestling is fake," Linda McMahon, UFC
1:24:36 Russo's Brand relaunch Nov 1 + sign-off
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