ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Fridays are story time. Coach went to Thursday night's Cowboys–Buccaneers game at AT&T Stadium and paid $32 for a pizza and a pretzel, and the guys pay tribute to Mike Ditka, who died at 86. Then the main event: Cody Rhodes says he re-signed with WWE and will finish his career there, and on the same podcast he suggested WWE money now compares with other sports. Coach runs the numbers on MLB, NBA and NFL salaries, Russo wants to know why a man in his 40s is telling his mom what he makes, and the two debate why so many wrestlers don't follow sports.
Alexa Bliss told Busted Open she only learned she was cashing in her 2018 Money in the Bank briefcase after she'd started taking her makeup off. Russo says it shows WWE doesn't trust its own talent. Coach and Russo also react to streamer Cinna saying she'll stream her reaction from Money in the Bank in New Orleans months after WWE cracked down on reaction streams, and Russo asks how anyone verifies influencer numbers. Then they read WWE's writer job posting line by line.
Super Chats bring Russo's TNA story about Hulk Hogan's "wonton," Bayley as a natural babyface, Jim Cornette, the referee tragedy in Hidalgo, Mexico, ChatGPT, the easiest talent Coach and Russo ever worked with, Vince McMahon's idea in the October 1998 "Bang 3:16" angle, McMahon's interest in Mike Tyson, and Jim Johnston's entrance music. Coach finally reveals his residual check.
Housekeeping: Super Chats every show, the Friday Coach Brolette wheel, the new Hot Take Hotline link, and merch at the BTT store. Presented by BlueChew Gold.
Timestamps
00:00 Story time Friday + Steve Gleason's ManningCast line
01:59 Remembering Mike Ditka
03:07 Coach at the Cowboys game
04:43 Coach's residual check: guess the amount
08:15 Cody Rhodes re-signs with WWE and plans to retire there
10:45 Is wrestling pay really comparable to sports?
13:34 Russo: why is Cody telling his mom what he makes?
14:32 Why so many wrestlers don't follow sports
18:40 Booking around Roman's time off
19:31 Alexa Bliss' surprise 2018 Money in the Bank cash-in
21:13 Russo: WWE doesn't trust its talent
24:19 Streamer Cinna at Money in the Bank
27:50 Russo: there's no way to verify influencer numbers
30:43 WWE is hiring a writer: reading the job posting
33:24 Russo: why 22-year-olds can't write wrestling
35:12 Who is WWE's audience?
38:42 Super Chats: Hulk Hogan's "wonton"
40:12 Are WWE's women natural heels? Russo on Bayley
41:44 Jim Cornette and the Rock "payday" joke
43:39 Presented by BlueChew Gold
44:42 Sydney Sweeney's PR machine
46:16 Referee tragedy in Hidalgo, Mexico
48:45 Super Chats: HBK and Triple H storytelling
49:31 Russo's best friend: ChatGPT
51:08 Would you apply to be a WWE writer?
53:12 Favorite talent to work with: The Rock and Vince McMahon
55:22 Are Cody and Roman promoting Money in the Bank?
55:48 Vince McMahon's own idea in Bang 3:16
57:14 Who has great entrance music today? Jim Johnston
58:31 Vince McMahon and Mike Tyson
1:00:06 Coach's residual check revealed
1:01:19 Coach Brolette wheel + Hot Take Hotline
1:02:43 Coach answers "how far you've fallen"
1:04:35 Guardians–White Sox Game 5 + sign-off
Behind The Turnbuckle delivers the best in pro wrestling coverage, news, and analysis.
Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@behindtheturnbuckle
Instagram: @behindtheturnbuckle Twitter/X: @behindthebuckle
#BehindTheTurnbuckle #ProWrestling #WWE #AEW #Podcast
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
