Battleground Podcast

Should CM Punk win the NXT Championship from Grayson Waller? Battle and Eli kick off with that hot take, then look at NXT and AEW Blood & Guts going head-to-head Wednesday, November 4. They also get into what a wrestler removing a promotion from their social-media bio might mean—and why Jordynne Grace’s WWE run has fans wondering what could have been.

Which show are you watching live, and do you treat a bio change as a real clue? Send your take to @battlegroundpodcast. Follow Battleground Podcast so you catch the next conversation.

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Tony D’Angelo joins Battle on Battleground Podcast ahead of Halloween Havoc to talk about his match with Grayson Waller. Tony explains what changes when it is one-on-one, gives Waller credit for knowing how to build interest, and shares what he would do differently if he wins the NXT Championship back.

He also opens up about the pressure of carrying NXT as champion, moving on from The Don character, the kind of impact he wants to make on WWE’s main roster, and the NXT talent he thinks fans should keep an eye on. Follow Battleground Podcast for more wrestling interviews and reactions.

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What wrestling character actually scared you growing up?

With Halloween right around the corner, Battle, Josh, and Eli are revisiting the scariest gimmicks in professional wrestling history. From the disturbing early days of Mankind and the terrifying debut of Kane to The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness, Papa Shango, and Bray Wyatt's unforgettable creations, we're talking about the characters that genuinely gave wrestling fans nightmares.

Who was the scariest wrestler you ever watched?

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Does Sami Zayn feel like WWE’s top champion? Battle and Josh get into Roman Reigns’ comments about the title, Sami’s place in the main-event picture, and what a champion-versus-champion match with Roman could mean.

Then Battle sits down with WWE Superstar Kit Wilson. Kit talks about what The Miz has taught him, the creative pitches he hopes to bring to WWE, his book club with Axiom, and why he wants to help redefine masculinity.

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Ilja Dragunov joins Battle on Battleground Podcast to talk about why AEW felt like the right next step—and what he wants fans to see in this new chapter. He looks back on the emotion of hearing his entrance music at WrestleDream, explains how he was able to keep his name, and talks about the kind of challenge he’s looking for in AEW.

Dragunov also shares what he learned from Gunther, why the small details in a match can matter as much as the biggest moves, and what makes a wrestling match feel like a fight. Follow Battleground Podcast so you don’t miss the next conversation.

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AEW WrestleDream is in the books, and Battle and Josh are breaking down the matches, surprises and biggest talking points from the show. Was Clockwork Carnage the chaotic kind of fun AEW should bring back, or was the format a one-time experiment?

They also discuss Adam Copeland’s planned retirement in 2027 and whether he needs an AEW World Championship run, Jay White’s return, the stacked tag team division, Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland, and Ilja Dragunov’s AEW debut. Follow Battleground Podcast so you don’t miss the next episode.

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Kyle Fletcher returns to Battleground Podcast ahead of AEW WrestleDream! We talk about teaming with Kevin Knight against The Young Bucks, his picks for AEW's next Four Pillars, anime-inspired ring gear, what he's learned from The Miz, and his growing Pokémon collection. Plus, Kyle gives us an update on those sunglasses fans have been asking for!

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Penta has the briefcase, but who should he cash in on? Battle and Josh break down WWE Money in the Bank, Tiffany Stratton’s second win and Leon Slater’s TNA title moment, plus Josh catches up with Mick Foley about AEW, Tony Khan and his new Christmas movie at New York Comic Con.

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Thunder Rosa responds to Britt Baker's AEW return and explains why TBS Champion Persephone is the opponent on her mind. She also talks about reinventing herself in CMLL, the Lights Out legacy, mentoring Maya World, her secret AEW pitch and more! Subscribe to Battleground Podcast for more interviews and episodes, and follow @battlegroundpodcast on Instagram.

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Will Ospreay is AEW World Champion after finally beating Jon Moxley—but is he now the face of AEW? Battle and Eli break down AEW All Out, the Okada challenge, Andrade’s red-hot second run, Britt Baker’s return, Steven Borden’s injury and the criticism surrounding AEW safety. Plus, WWE ran Chicago the same day before holding its show for YouTube opposite Dynamite. Subscribe to Battleground Podcast for more reactions and interviews.

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WWE Superstar Tiffany Stratton returns to Battleground Podcast to talk with Battle about finding her voice in WWE and what she'd bring to another heel run. She discusses the possibility of becoming a Paul Heyman girl, making music with Lil Yachty on Twitch, revisiting her Becky Lynch match at NXT No Mercy, getting feedback from Triple H, her Hollywood priorities, WrestleMania dream opponents, and more!

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AEW'S Speedball Mike Bailey joins Battle to talk about the contract offer he accepted that ultimately never came together, his history with Will Ospreay and why beating him for the AEW World Championship would mean so much, Tony Khan showing faith in him with his Jon Moxley match, watching Konosuke Takeshita develop into one of the world’s best, the AEW rivalries he still wants with Kevin Knight, Josh Alexander, Brian Keith and more, plus what wrestling fans still don’t get to see about how matches are actually created!

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Legendary wrestling announcer Tony Schiavone joins the Battleground Podcast to talk about calling Steven Borden’s AEW arrival, his relationship with Sting, the craziest thing he’s ever seen Darby Allin do, finding a second career in wrestling with AEW, unforgettable WCW moments, Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay, and more!

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Brad Williams (@funnybrad) is a stand-up comedian, actor and massive wrestling fan. He joins the Battleground Podcast to talk about the Tall Tales Tour, becoming Minihausen at WWE SummerSlam, watching the show backstage with Big E, why professional wrestling has influenced his comedy, returning to Chris Jericho’s Rock ’N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea, wanting a full match with Hornswoggle, performing at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, whether AI can actually write comedy and more!

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Tommaso Ciampa joins the Battleground Podcast to talk about his run in AEW and why he feels like he's just getting started. Ciampa opens up about reconnecting with Mark Briscoe, the evolution of the Psycho Killer, and why MJF and Jon Moxley top his list for a long-term AEW feud. Plus, he talks Okada, Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, the championships he wants to chase, and his goal of becoming a bona fide main event player in AEW.

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When does a celebrity actually help professional wrestling—and when are they just taking somebody else’s spot? Battle and Josh debate Lil Yachty, Bad Bunny, Logan Paul, Jelly Roll, Pat McAfee and the celebrity appearances that worked, along with the ones that never should’ve touched a WrestleMania main event.

Then AEW’s Kevin Knight joins Battle ahead of Rebel Heart Dynamite. “The Jet” discusses losing the TNT Championship to Darby Allin, stepping into the ring with Kenny Omega, fighting for respect, training under Shibata and whether he would put his own partner Kyle Fletcher through a table.

Listen now and follow Battleground Podcast so you never miss an episode.

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BONUS EPISODE: Trick Williams joins Battle ahead of Sunday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta. Trick talks about training Lil Yachty for his five-minute challenge against Baron Corbin, why getting the United States Championship back means everything to him, the legacy of NXT 2.0, and what it means to see kids showing up to WWE events dressed just like him.

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NWA World Women’s Champion La Princesa Tiffany Nieves joins Battle for an interview that quickly goes completely off the rails. Tiffany talks becoming a Grand Slam Champion, making history in the NWA, the road that brought her to the top, beating cancer and the deeper meaning behind “Stay Beautiful.” Plus, she explains why nobody in the NWA works harder than La Princesa — and why Battle apparently should’ve been booking her trip to Puerto Rico instead of asking questions.

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AEW All In delivered a massive weekend of wrestling, and we're breaking down Will Ospreay's huge win, the arrival of New Level, Britt Baker's return, Mercedes Moné making history, and everything else that had us buzzing. We also look at what could be next for Ospreay, why AEW's tag team division suddenly feels loaded, and whether All In captured the feeling wrestling's biggest shows have been missing. Plus, we react to NXT Heatwave and Grayson Waller becoming NXT Champion.

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WWE NXT Double Champion Myles Borne joins Battle ahead of NXT Heatwave tonight to talk about pulling double duty, training with AJ Styles, and the pressure that comes with carrying two championships. He also opens up about the Randy Orton comparisons, his journey from NXT Level Up to becoming one of NXT’s fastest-rising stars, and why he wants fans to focus on what he can do in the ring—not feel sorry for him because he’s deaf. Plus, Myles shares the “Why Not Me?” mentality that continues to drive his WWE career.

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