⚠️ Disclaimer: This show contains strong opinions, adult language, and deeply unserious takes about very serious wrestling things. The views expressed are personal opinions for entertainment and discussion purposes.
🌐 Visit: www.thisisnotashootpodcast.com

Special Guest: Rick Elsey

This week, we go deeper.

Season 2, Episode 7 of This Is Not a Shoot Podcast isn’t just about match results — it’s about respect, legacy, and emotional investment in professional wrestling.

With special guest Rick Elsey at the table, we unpack the psychology of territory wrestling, what modern WWE and AEW sometimes miss, and why real heat still matters.

🔥 Booked or Cooked

Garrett highlights the AJ Styles tribute on WWE Raw, featuring Frankie Kazarian and Abyss — a rare example of respectful presentation done right. Legacy elevated. Emotion protected. Wrestling at its best.

Honorable mention goes to Dragon Lee rising against Gunther, building long-term credibility in a way that feels intentional.

But not everything is working.

Matt Cardona shifting into the United States Title scene after chasing the WWE Championship? It feels inconsistent. And Cody calls out WWE blocking watch parties as a move that hurts fan engagement.

Rick adds a worker’s lens on how booking decisions impact credibility inside and outside the ring.

👑 Ring Queens

Stephen delivers his Top 5 women in wrestling based on momentum and performance. Rick weighs in on crowd presence, believability, and what makes someone truly feel like a star — not just a featured talent.

🎥 Film Room (Anchor Segment)
The Fabulous Freebirds vs. The Von Erichs

This is the heart of the episode.

We break down:

• The cage door moment

• Texas territory heat

• Emotional realism in wrestling

• Why it felt legitimately dangerous

• Territory psychology versus modern spectacle

Rick drives much of the storytelling here, connecting past and present wrestling philosophies in a way that hits hard.

🤠 High Noon Trials

Trial Topic:
Is professional wrestling guilty of killing the finisher?

Multiple kick-outs. False finishes everywhere. Spectacle over protection. Has modern booking diluted what used to mean “it’s over”?

Rick gives the in-ring perspective.
Garrett and Stephen argue both sides.
Cody issues the final verdict.

🎭 Curtain Call

Final reflections on territory psychology, protecting the business, and what modern wrestling can learn from its past.

If you care about:

• WWE booking philosophy

• Wrestling psychology

• Territory-era storytelling

• The Von Erichs and the Freebirds rivalry

• Protecting finishers

• AJ Styles legacy

• Modern wrestling versus old-school heat

This episode is for you.

Because real heat isn’t noise.
It’s emotional investment.

🎙 Season 2, Episode 7: Territory Heat

⚠️ Disclaimer: This show contains strong opinions, adult language, and deeply unserious takes about very serious wrestling things. Listener discretion is advised.
🌐 Visit: www.thisisnotashootpodcast.com

Special Guest: Lee Gonzalez (Lee XL)

This week isn’t about wins and losses.

It’s about commitment.

Storylines. Title reigns. Promos. Characters. When wrestling commits, it thrives. When it panics, it collapses. And with special guest Lee Gonzalez (Lee XL) at the table, we break down what real commitment in professional wrestling actually looks like — from a wrestler’s perspective.

🔥 Booked or Cooked
Garrett opens with a deep dive into CM Punk’s layered storytelling with Roman Reigns and Finn Bálor — old-school psychology, meaningful promos, and elevating Balor back into a credible main-event threat.

Then we flip the coin.

Tommaso Ciampa’s 11-day title reign ending against Kyle Fletcher? The match was solid — but the short reign undercut momentum and weakened the championship’s importance. Commitment matters.

Each host delivers their takes, and Lee XL adds real in-ring insight on what works inside the ropes versus what just sounds good in a writers’ room.

👑 Ring Queens
Stephen drops his Top 5 women of the week based on momentum and performance. Lee weighs in on presence versus execution — what separates a star from someone just getting screen time?

🎥 Film Room
Cody leads a storytelling-focused match breakdown. Structure, pacing, crowd psychology, escalation — and Lee adds the wrestler’s lens on what actually makes a match click.

🤠 High Noon Trials
A wrestler or booking philosophy goes on trial. Arguments are made. Verdicts are delivered. Cody drops the ruling. Lee provides perspective before the gavel hits.

🌀 Weird AF
Billy & Chuck’s wedding.
Weeks of build. A full in-ring ceremony. Eric Bischoff’s reveal. 3 Minute Warning chaos. Shock value… and then nothing. The perfect example of wrestling committing fully — then immediately backing out.

🎭 Curtain Call
A reflective close on storytelling, momentum, and why commitment is the most important currency in wrestling. Appreciation for Lee XL and where to follow his journey.

If you’re into:

• WWE booking analysis

• Wrestling psychology breakdowns

• CM Punk vs Roman Reigns promo analysis

• Finn Bálor title momentum

• AEW and NXT storyline critique

• Indie wrestler perspective

• Long-form wrestling discussion

This episode is for you.

Because in wrestling — like in life — commitment is everything.

🎙 Season 2, Episode 6: Commitment Issues

⚠️ Disclaimer: This show contains strong opinions, adult language, and deeply unserious takes about very serious wrestling things. Listener discretion is advised.
🌐 Visit: www.thisisnotashootpodcast.com

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 5 – “Fog Machines & Foolishness”
Presented by This Is Not a Shoot Podcast

We’re back with a loaded episode full of hot takes, strong praise, and Dungeon of Doom-level nonsense. Garrett opens the fire with Booked or Cooked, spotlighting Sol Ruca’s legit rise and Kit Wilson’s stop-start spiral. Stephen crowns a brand new Ring Queen, then takes us into the Film Room for a thoughtful breakdown of pacing and purpose in one of wrestling’s most interesting recent matches.

Cody returns to the courtroom for another edition of High Noon Trials, but it’s Garrett who brings the chaos with a Weird AF deep dive into WCW’s ridiculous Dungeon of Doom era — fog machines, Taskmaster cults, and mummies, oh my.

Whether you’re here for the booking analysis, character work, or just the pure wrestling absurdity, this episode has something for every kind of fan.

🧠 Smart talk.
🔥 Strong opinions.
💀 Mummies for some reason.

🔗 New episodes weekly. No holds barred.
📲 Follow us everywhere @ThisIsNotAShoot
🎧 Listen, rate, and tell your wrestling group chat.

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