SummerSlam is here, and it just doesn't feel like it should. Peter Klein breaks down why WWE's creative direction has deflated what should be one of the most anticipated events of the year.

The lack of meaningful stakes, results without consequences, the bloodline reunion undoing one of the best long-term stories wrestling has ever told, and a roster full of exciting performers being blocked by the same veterans cycling through the same top spots. Oba Femi had the King of the Ring. Braun Breaker should have beaten Seth. Trick Williams, Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight, and others are knocking on the door, and the booking keeps slamming it shut.

Peter also digs into where Triple H has struggled to translate his NXT success to the main roster, why the Cena heel turn felt hollow, and a Christopher Daniels answer from the old Combat Central days on Sportsnet 960 that has stuck with him ever since, and might actually be the solution to what ails WWE's creative right now.

Living Room Lariat is the wrestling podcast from the Couch Potato Diary network. Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Has professional wrestling lost some of its momentum?

In this episode of Living Room Lariat, I discuss why WWE and AEW don't quite feel like must-watch television right now despite having incredible talent across both companies. Is it a lack of compelling stories? Are companies relying too heavily on established stars? Or is the wrestling landscape simply in a quieter period?

Then, I have some fun fantasy booking what a WWE version of Forbidden Door could look like using the company's current partnerships with NXT, TNA Wrestling, AAA, and Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Do you think wrestling has lost some of its excitement? And what matches would you book for a WWE Forbidden Door event?

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A big wrestling episode of Living Room Lariat with a lot to get through.

The WWE cuts have dominated the conversation, and I give my honest take on all of it, including some thoughts that might not land well with everyone. The talent deserved better. But some of where the frustration has been directed this week feels like it is missing the target entirely.

The RAW after WrestleMania delivered. Jacob Fatu and Roman Reigns is going to be a fantastic program. Ethan Page looked like a star from night one. And a few others made strong first impressions in the new WWE year.

AEW Dynamite continues to be must-watch with Darby Allin as champion, and there is a line from his promo that I think quietly opens a very interesting creative door that AEW needs to walk through.

And to close, five WWE performers I think need to be a major focus coming out of WrestleMania season. Some of these are obvious. One or two might surprise you.

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WrestleMania 42 is in the books. Peter Klein went LIVE w/ Couch Potato Diary once the WWE's biggest show wrapped up, and it delivered in a much better way than Night Two did. Share your thoughts in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe for more Wrestling breakdowns.#WWE #Wrestlemania42 #WrestlingPodcast #InstantReaction

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WWE's biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania 42, is halfway done with Night One in the books. Peter Klein went live to break down an incredibly disappointing show.#WWE #Wrestlemania42 #WrestlingPodcast #InstantReaction 🎧 Listen on: Apple https://apple.co/49NGm2L | Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3QgazeHcSKSteZbBIubcuM?si=icY7NEBvT7yZadv_JFlT6Q💬 Follow for live breakdowns: X.com/primetimepk | Twitch.tv/primetimepk | Kick.com/primetimepk🔗 Support the Show: - Tip Jar: https://streamelements.com/couchpotatodiary/tip (fuels more content!) - Partners: C of Dead http://cofdead403.ca/ | Swift Energy https://www.swiftenergy.gg/?ref=mriusnqm PROMO CODE: PKPrimetime for 25% Off!

WrestleMania 42 is this weekend, and the build has been... interesting. Some stories have landed, some have not, and the whole card has that feeling of stories that are still finding their footing heading into the biggest show of the year. But if the Vince era taught us anything, it is that the matches can be incredible even when the build is not ideal, and this card has the talent to deliver exactly that.

I break down where each major story stands heading into Las Vegas. Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer have been one of the genuine hits of the build. The Punk and Roman program has had its moments. Drew and Fatu have gone almost too over-the-top. And the Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar build has been one of the most quietly effective programs heading into Mania. Plus thoughts on the McAfee situation and what it says about where this WrestleMania season has felt a little off.

Then I turn to AEW Dynasty, a very good show from a promotion that has set the bar incredibly high lately. MJF winning makes sense. The Darby Allin title picture has some interesting possibilities, but feels like it needs a stronger build to be fully believable. Could this be the start of that?

SmackDown was a mixed bag this week, and I break down why most of it felt like filler with a few genuine highlights mixed in.

The Randy Orton story has an intriguing thread running through it with the mystery mentor angle, but the execution this week felt like time-filling rather than story-building. The Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu finish was a little flat and raises questions about where that program is actually going at WrestleMania. And a couple of other stories just kept on keeping on without moving anywhere meaningful.

But there were highlights. Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov had a really strong match; these two have genuine chemistry, and I want to see more of it. Fraxiom and Motor City Machine Guns finally got some spotlight and delivered. And Damian Priest and R-Truth winning the tag titles is entertaining even if they do not exactly scream championship material.

Then I look ahead to RAW with my Three Things to Watch. How does Brock Lesnar respond after Oba Femi's big moment? What does the tag title match actually lead to heading toward WrestleMania? And after getting the spot of the year retiring John Cena and then AJ Styles, where on earth is Gunther and when do we hear from him again?

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Revolution delivered another wild night, and there is a lot to get into.

Hangman Page and MJF were tremendous, maybe dragged slightly in spots, but this was a genuinely great match that lived up to everything the build promised. FTR and the Young Bucks were excellent, and the aftermath with Christian Cage and Adam Copeland sets up some fascinating matchups heading into AEW's Canadian tour toward Dynamite in Vancouver.

Moxley and Takeshita were outstanding again, and then Will Ospreay returns to a thunderous reception, setting up what could be one of the most compelling programs AEW has had in a while.

Bandido and Andrade quietly delivered one of the night's best matches, and having Bandido on a pay-per-view stage made him feel like a significantly bigger deal. Megan Bayne and Lena Kross are your new Women's Tag Team Champions, and that team makes a lot of sense. Thekla continues to be one of the most compelling characters in AEW right now. The in-ring ability is there, the charisma is there, and the ceiling feels genuinely high.

Not everything landed perfectly. One match probably did not need pay per view placement. One stipulation choice I am still not convinced was the right call. And Marina Shafir stepping up against Toni Storm, plus Ronda Rousey's appearance afterwards, could be setting up something significant.

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