{"id":156784,"date":"2023-04-01T19:25:33","date_gmt":"2023-04-02T00:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=156784"},"modified":"2023-04-06T12:29:27","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T17:29:27","slug":"4-1-wwe-wrestlemania-39-kickoff-show-night-1-details-on-all-star-panel-discussion-with-stephen-a-smith-rafael-amaya-gabriel-iglesias-ryan-garcia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2023\/04\/01\/4-1-wwe-wrestlemania-39-kickoff-show-night-1-details-on-all-star-panel-discussion-with-stephen-a-smith-rafael-amaya-gabriel-iglesias-ryan-garcia\/","title":{"rendered":"4\/1 WWE WRESTLEMANIA 39 KICKOFF SHOW &#8211; NIGHT 1: Details on all-star panel discussion with Stephen A. Smith, Rafael Amaya, Gabriel Iglesias, Ryan Garcia"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-2571664765\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><h3>WWE WRESTLEMANIA 39 NIGHT ONE KICKOFF SHOW REPORT<br \/>\nAPRIL 1, 2023<br \/>\nYOUTUBE STREAMING SERVICE<br \/>\nREPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR<\/h3>\n<p><em>Kickoff Panel: Wade Barrett, Booker T, Kayla Braxton, Peter Rosenberg<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Video package: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair<\/p>\n<p>Kayla asked the panel if Ripley was ready for tonight&#8217;s match against Charlotte Flair. Peter said Ripley was a completely different person back in the Performance Center days, but that everything is connecting for her now. Kayla asked if Dominik Mysterio would be a distraction for Ripley tonight. Barrett said he will be a non-factor: \u201cThey can canoodle afterward.\u201d Kayla asked what was Ripley&#8217;s biggest growth since NXT. Booker, not answering the question, said that tonight was going to be a spectacle. Barrett said that Judgment Day has changed Ripley. Peter said that Flair is always looking to improve, and often asks for feedback on her performance.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: History and statistics of WrestleMania<\/p>\n<p>The panel mentioned Rey Mysterio&#8217;s Hall of Fame induction, and added that it was hard to be in Los Angeles and not think of Eddie Guerrero. Barrett said that the wrestlers are used to 15,000-seat arenas, and that everything changes when you get into 60,000-seat arenas. He blamed that change for why he never won a single match at WrestleMania \u2013 the panel was amused.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: John Cena vs. Austin Theory<\/p>\n<p>Funnyman Gabriel Iglesias joined the panel. Kayla asked if Theory had a place to be in the ring with John Cena. Gabriel said that the new generation needs to remember how everything got started. He said Theory challenged the right person, but may be getting more than he bargained for. Peter compared Theory to a young Cena who called out Kurt Angle 18 years ago. Gabriel said it was emotional to see Rey Mysterio be inducted last night, and called out the disrespect of Dominik to walk out of ceremony.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony highlights<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-384823956\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Maria Menounos joined the panel. She told a story of how she once cut a promo as Dusty Rhodes to Ric Flair, and now anytime she encounters Flair, he implores her to repeat the impression for any onlookers. Maria did the impression for the panel \u2013 it was respectable. She comes off as a legitimate fan and reacted in real time to the crowd behind the panel.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio<\/p>\n<p>Actor Rafael Amaya joined the panel and generally disrupted any flow the Kickoff show has. He turned his back to the panel and addressed the crowd from the stage. Peter had to get up and corral Rafael back to the desk. Rafael seemed unprepared, a bit frantic, and easily distracted by the crowd. The panel laughed nervously throughout this strange segment.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns<\/p>\n<p>ESPN&#8217;s Stephen A. Smith joined the panel. Stephen said he&#8217;s watched wrestling since he was a kid, and that Goldberg is one of his favorites \u2013 the crowd booed this choice. Stephen said, \u201cI&#8217;m allergic to scrubs. I don&#8217;t waste my time with small-time events. If I&#8217;m here, it&#8217;s because it&#8217;s big time. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m here.\u201d Booker asked if Stephen would consider getting in the ring one time. Stephen replied, \u201cNever. There&#8217;s not a snowball&#8217;s chance in hell.\u201d He said if he thinks about doing something for WWE, it would be as a bad-guy manager, citing Bobby Heenan.<\/p>\n<p>Kayla pivoted to the men&#8217;s Showcase tag match. Booker said the Street Profits need the win more than anyone. Barrett said that the Viking Raiders will bring the fury and wrath of the gods tonight. Booker said that Ricochet has always been looking for that one thing to get him over the top, and suggested that it could be his tag partner Braun Strowman.<\/p>\n<p>Cathey Kelly was shown backstage with Johnny Knoxville. He said he can&#8217;t stand looking at Sami Zayn, and called him a \u201cwolf in creep&#8217;s clothing.\u201d He said that Kevin Owens was going to get pulled down by Sami Zayn. He predicted that the Usos were going to bang on Sami like the bottom of a bottle of Heinz 57, \u201cand I&#8217;m here for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video package: Six-woman tag match<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1047746753\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Video package: Bobby Lashley<\/p>\n<p>After an ad for WWE action figures, Kayla asked what it was like to have your own. Barrett said when he broke through with WWE, there were three things he was looking forward to: Getting his own tee-shirt, being in the video game, and being an action figure.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: Logan Paul vs. Seth Rollins<\/p>\n<p>Boxer Ryan Garcia joined the panel. He said Rey Mysterio is his favorite wrestler and he hopes to meet him today. Booker asked about Garcia&#8217;s upcoming fight against Gervonta Davis. Garcia said he&#8217;s ready to leave it all in the ring. Peter asked Garcia what it&#8217;s like coming out of the locker room for a big match. Garcia said it tests everything about you, and that you have to focus to remember your techniques. Garcia managed to transition his comments on Paul vs. Rollins into a total promo for his own upcoming match \u2013 impressive.<\/p>\n<p>Byron Saxton was backstage and introduced represntatives from three Los Angeles non-profit groups: Urban Scholar Academy, Downtown Women&#8217;s Center, and U.S. Vets \u2013 Inglewood. He announced that WWE, in conjunction with C4, is going to provide grants to all three organizations to revamp their community centers.<\/p>\n<p>Miz and Maryse performed in a pretaped song-and-dance number, culminating with Miz recounting famous WrestleMania moments in the style of \u201cWe Didn&#8217;t Start the Fire\u201d by William Joel. The performance and editing was strong, but Barrett wondered afterward how much autotune was required for Miz&#8217;s singing.<\/p>\n<p>Video package: Zayn \/ Owens vs. Usos<\/p>\n<p>Kayla called the Zayn \/ Owens \/ Usos match one of the most emotional events in the past several years. Peter said he never picks against the Bloodline because he fears for his life. He said that Owens and Zayn have struggled over the years with both their friendship and business relationships. Booker took a dig at Peter&#8217;s bow tie, and how it&#8217;s slowly been getting more and more crooked through the Kickoff show. Peter claimed that Corey Graves tied it for him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-860842346\"><div id=\"pwtor-3669693973\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>WWE WRESTLEMANIA 39 NIGHT ONE KICKOFF SHOW REPORT APRIL 1, 2023 YOUTUBE STREAMING SERVICE REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR Kickoff Panel: Wade Barrett, Booker T, Kayla Braxton, Peter Rosenberg Video package: Rhea Ripley <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2023\/04\/01\/4-1-wwe-wrestlemania-39-kickoff-show-night-1-details-on-all-star-panel-discussion-with-stephen-a-smith-rafael-amaya-gabriel-iglesias-ryan-garcia\/\" title=\"4\/1 WWE WRESTLEMANIA 39 KICKOFF SHOW &#8211; NIGHT 1: Details on all-star panel discussion with Stephen A. Smith, Rafael Amaya, Gabriel Iglesias, Ryan Garcia\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":156785,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,4349,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tvshowsandevents","category-wwe-ppv-kickoff-show","category-tv_wwetvreports"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2023\/04\/Screenshot-2023-04-06-at-12.24.51-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156784"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":156786,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156784\/revisions\/156786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}