Dave Simon and pro wrestler “Genesis” Johnny North delivered a passionate analysis of WWE’s tale of two cities on Wrestling Uncensored Episode 745, contrasting last week’s incredible SmackDown from Montreal with tonight’s lackluster Boston offering. From Cena’s farewell tour magic to Sami Zayn’s brand switch and the ongoing wrestling war between WWE and AEW, the hosts didn’t hold back on their honest takes.
The episode opened with Dave recounting his live experience at SmackDown Montreal, where he witnessed John Cena’s potential final match in the city alongside his 8-year-old son. What followed was a comprehensive breakdown of wrestling’s current landscape, including AEW’s Forbidden Door preparations, WWE’s counter-programming strategy, and some brutal honesty about tonight’s underwhelming SmackDown from Boston.
Whether you’re looking for insider perspectives on Naomi’s mysterious medical clearance issues or want to hear two wrestling veterans debate the merits of AEW’s six-hour pay-per-view format, this episode delivered the unfiltered commentary that Wrestling Uncensored fans expect.
Montreal Magic: When WWE Gets It Right
Dave couldn’t contain his enthusiasm when describing last week’s SmackDown at Montreal’s Bell Centre, an experience he shared with his son and brother that created lasting memories.
“Look at what they did tonight. The main event of SmackDown tonight was Sami Zayn with Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu beating Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and JD McDonagh. That was the main event. The main event last week was John Cena and Cody Rhodes versus Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre,” Dave explained, highlighting the stark contrast in star power.
The experience proved particularly special for Dave’s 8-year-old son, who had never seen John Cena before. “My son had never seen John Cena, and this was going to be the last and only time he would ever see John Cena. He’s eight years old. He was super hyped, decked out in the Cena gear. He had the hat. I got him the hat, the shirt, the whole thing, the wristbands, the towel.”
The John Cena Experience: From Hater to Appreciator
In a candid moment, Dave shared his evolution with John Cena, including a memorable encounter from his younger days when he and his brother weren’t exactly Cena supporters.
“I was a younger man and Cena comes out and he’s just becoming babyface Cena right like everybody loves him at this point… And I’m just saying he’s not anywhere near as good as Kurt Angle or Chris Jericho or Rob Van Dam. Why is this guy getting pushed like, you know,” Dave recalled of his earlier skepticism.
The story took a humorous turn when Dave described their encounter at ringside: “My brother and I did not like it. So we were sitting on the aisle of a Smackdown in Montreal and Cena comes… we’re like, the Steve Austin fingers, you know, F you, see you suck, Cena, and he just he’s coming out like yeah. And then he’s walking over to us, and he’s like Oh and then he walked to the other aisle, the other side, because he liked something broken in his face, where he was like, Oh, what? These guys hate me.”
Sami Zayn’s Brand Switch: Strategic Move or Desperation?
One of the biggest storylines emerging from the episode was Sami Zayn’s official move from Raw to SmackDown, which both hosts found intriguing from a booking perspective.
“Sami has just changed brands, which is something that people don’t do that often in WWE. So it’s a pretty big week for Sami. He shows up on Smackdown when he’s not supposed to have a match, beats the US Champion, and then tonight shows up on SmackDown, says he’s… announces he’s on SmackDown, and then gets the win with his kick on Solo beating Solo again,” Dave noted.
Johnny appreciated the storytelling aspect, particularly how WWE built the storyline across multiple shows and cities. The “pajante” chants in Quebec also caught their attention, with Dave explaining the French phrase for non-French speakers.
“Pajante pajante, which is just funny, like it’s not nice for those of you that don’t speak French. It means not nice, which is just not nice, a hilarious thing to say to wrestlers who are doing dastardly things. That’s not nice. That’s not nice. You know, like we don’t do that,” Dave explained with obvious amusement.
Tonight’s SmackDown: A Study in Mediocrity
The hosts’ enthusiasm for Montreal’s show made their criticism of Friday night’s Boston SmackDown even more pointed. Dave didn’t mince words about the quality difference.
“Boston got screwed. It was the Boston screw job tonight,” Dave declared, referencing the lackluster card compared to Montreal’s star-studded affair.
Johnny found himself defending one match from the evening: “I thought it was the best match tonight that I saw that I thought was Carmello Hayes and the Miz against Fraxium. I thought that was a perfect tag match.”
Dave, however, wasn’t having it: “They injured pretty badly, they suck also the Miz was in that so like how dare you even talk about that match John it was terrible I hated it it was garbage the best match of the night was Alexa Bliss versus Piper Niven by far the best match.”
The Wrestling Wars: WWE vs. AEW’s European Invasion
A significant portion of the episode focused on the scheduling conflict between WWE and AEW, with both promotions heading to Europe around the same time frame.
“AEW and WWE are going to Scotland, England, France, and Ireland. Around the same time,” Dave noted, highlighting the strategic nature of the competing schedules.
The hosts discussed how this represents genuine competition in ways that go beyond just ratings: “You know, like regardless that, you know, it’s not a debate about one or two. Because that’s obvious. WWE is number one, AEW is number two; that’s obvious. But you can’t deny it now. There’s clearly competition. Like not just in terms of the competing dates, but even the schedules feel like they’re competing,” Johnny observed.
AEW’s Forbidden Door: Too Much of a Good Thing?
When the conversation turned to AEW’s upcoming Forbidden Door pay-per-view, both hosts expressed mixed feelings about the promotion’s direction, particularly regarding show length and audience demands.
“Kids don’t want to sit through six-hour shows, though. I’ll tell you that much, John. I could not bring my son to an AEW pay-per-view. It would take too long. He’d get bored. We’d have to leave halfway through,” Dave pointed out, highlighting a fundamental issue with AEW’s approach to family-friendly entertainment.
Johnny agreed with the assessment: “No, you’re not wrong about that. I think AEW is more geared towards hardcore wrestling fans who will watch anything, pretty much. And WWE, it’s more suited, like you said, for like families.”
The Coffee Analogy: WWE’s Mass Appeal vs. AEW’s Niche Market
Dave delivered one of the episode’s most memorable analogies when explaining AEW’s position in the wrestling landscape:
“It’s like I like drinking coffee. Okay, I’m drinking a cup of coffee right now. But I get regular ass grocery store coffee because I’m not all that into trying to figure out coffee and stuff. There are some people who really enjoy coffee and its various kinds. It’s made here, and you can get it special, along with the beans and other goodies. Some people like that. Those are hardcore coffee drinkers, but they’re niche. They’re already drinking coffee. So WWE is just… that’s coffee.”
The analogy continued: “It’s like it’s going to be the thing that everybody’s going to like, and then the people that like it and are looking for something more refined, they’re going to go and find AEW. But they’re already under the umbrella of… like they’re already in.”
Championship Chaos: Naomi’s Uncertain Future
The hosts spent considerable time discussing the uncertain status of WWE Women’s World Champion Naomi, who was pulled from her scheduled match due to unspecified medical clearance issues.
“Naomi was supposed to wrestle Iyo Sky this week on Raw, but she did not. They said she’s not medically cleared, and they didn’t elaborate, and rumors are flying that she’s pregnant,” Dave reported, while being careful to note these were unconfirmed rumors.
The timing concerned both hosts, given Naomi’s current momentum: “Naomi hasn’t had runs like this ever really… yeah, but not as a heel, not with like a catch phrase that’s getting over like she might be on the best run of her career right now,” Dave noted.
Johnny provided perspective on WWE’s likely response: “You know it’s funny, I think they’d probably do a four-way… I think you’re right too, it’s just it’s easier to go with that, just put it on Rhea, I think they wanted to put on Rhea in the end anyways, so more like what’s gonna happen, yeah.”
Braun Breakker’s Generational Challenge
The episode also touched on Bron Breakker’s confrontation with CM Punk and LA Knight, where the young powerhouse called out their ages.
“You’re 46 years old what are you gonna do to me you’re an old man and then he goes to LA night you’re 40 what are you gonna do and Bron Breakker you know jacked and dangerous and 27 but like should he be saying that on camera like punk you’re 46 you’re old because then it kind of reminds you like man he’s 46,” Dave questioned the wisdom of the promo approach.
Johnny defended it as part of Breakker’s push: “Should he say that was planned yeah like it was planned though like because they replayed that throughout all social media so many times like that clip went out crazy like that was all part of the plan like they’re trying to put over Breakker they’re trying to make him into like a big star.”
The Wrestling Business Philosophy Debate
Near the episode’s end, the hosts engaged in a thoughtful discussion about WWE’s “worked shoots” and attempts to blur the lines between reality and kayfabe.
“They keep trying to do these like work shoots that everybody sees through, and then they think that they’re pulling like this great trick, are they that dumb, are they that unaware of what’s going on, nuts?” Dave expressed frustration with WWE’s transparent attempts at creating “real” moments.
The conversation extended to Karrion Kross’s contract situation, with Dave expressing skepticism about whether it was legitimate: “The Karrion Kross thing maybe it is a work maybe it isn’t I think it is if it like here’s the thing though if it is I don’t care because it just means he’s gonna come back to WWE with a new attitude and then like who cares and if it isn’t I also don’t care.”
International Wrestling Culture: Montreal’s Unique Atmosphere
Dave’s firsthand account of Montreal’s wrestling culture provided insight into how different markets respond to WWE programming.
“I like being at Raw in Montreal, and I also like when they do shows in Quebec City or Smackdown in Montreal, and then the Raw in Quebec City. I like watching that on TV. I enjoy watching a Quebec audience’s reaction to WWE on TV. It’s fun. Because we do it differently, you know,” Dave observed.
Johnny added perspective from his friend who attended the Quebec City show: “Well, I had a friend in Quebec City. He was giving me notes and all that saying that again, like me watching on television. I’m like, it doesn’t seem that great, but he says live it. It was fantastic.”
The Business of Wrestling Entertainment
The episode concluded with observations about wrestling’s evolution into broader entertainment, touching on everything from merchandise sales to the economics of live events.
“It was expensive, all the stuff I bought, man, cost money, but they only come like once a year now. So I figure you go all out. Get everything. My son wanted everything. I said, all right, let’s do it. Let’s go. It’s pro wrestling. Who doesn’t love pro wrestling?” Dave reflected on the financial investment fans make in the live experience.
The hosts also discussed the changing landscape of wrestling storytelling, with Dave noting: “It was a it was good it was fun for me, man. The John Cena pop. I mean, we had really great seats too. Cena coming out. It was crazy.”
Looking Ahead: Wrestling’s Uncertain Future
As the episode wound down, both hosts reflected on the current state of professional wrestling, from AEW’s upcoming Forbidden Door event to WWE’s continued dominance in mainstream entertainment.
“TNA is talking about going to Wednesday nights, you know, like that’s the thing. WWE kind of controls TNA now, and they’re using them as a proxy in the war against AEW. It’s pretty nuts,” Dave noted, highlighting the complex relationships in modern wrestling.
The discussion of wrestling’s future included observations about audience retention and the challenge of creating new fans versus serving existing ones. Both hosts agreed that while competition benefits the industry, the approaches taken by different promotions serve different audience needs.
Final Thoughts: A Tale of Two Wrestling Philosophies
Wrestling Uncensored Episode 745 ultimately served as a meditation on what makes wrestling entertainment successful. Through the lens of Dave’s Montreal experience contrasted with Friday night’s Boston show, the hosts illustrated how star power, storytelling, and audience connection remain the fundamental pillars of sports entertainment.
The episode’s strength lay in its honest assessment of both WWE and AEW’s approaches to wrestling entertainment. While praising WWE’s ability to create magical moments like Montreal’s Cena farewell, the hosts weren’t afraid to criticize lackluster efforts like Boston’s SmackDown.
Similarly, their discussion of AEW acknowledged both the promotion’s commitment to match quality and its struggles with accessibility for casual fans and families. The coffee analogy perfectly captured the niche versus mainstream debate that defines modern wrestling’s landscape.
Whether discussing Sami Zayn’s brand switch, Naomi’s uncertain championship status, or the broader wrestling wars between promotions, Dave and Johnny provided the unfiltered perspective that makes Wrestling Uncensored essential listening for serious wrestling fans.
📺 Watch live Fridays at 10 PM ET on YouTube, Rumble, Twitch, and Kick.
🎧 Listen to the podcast on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
🛍️ Grab exclusive merch at merch.ringsidereport.net
💬 Join the Wrestling Uncensored community and share your thoughts on the wrestling wars!
