Dutch Harris, Scott Kamura, and Bryan Harris are seated around the Straight SHOOTIN' desk. The Master of the Mat bracket graphic is displayed on the monitor behind them, several matchups already crossed out and replaced with advancing names.
Dutch Harris: Welcome back to Straight SHOOTIN', everyone. I'm Dutch Harris, alongside Scott Kamura and Bryan Harris, and we have a LOT to get into. Zenith 13 is in the books. The entire first round of the singles Master of the Mat is done, we've got the tag team bracket set for Zenith 14, and honestly, I don't even know where to start.
Scott Kamura: You start with Sakai. There's no other place to start.
Bryan Harris: You absolutely start with Sakai.
The Sakai Shock
Dutch Harris: Yorinobu Sakai. The 16 seed. A SHOOT Project newcomer. He walked into the main event of Zenith 13 against the number one overall seed, the two-time and current Premier Champion Izzy Sia, in an Eliminator match, and he won. He won the match.
Scott Kamura: 16 over one. In an Eliminator match. I don't care what sport you follow, that doesn't happen. And Sakai didn't just steal it, he earned it. That kid went toe to toe with the Premier Champion and came out the other side. I'm done doubting him.
Bryan Harris: Let me play devil's advocate for a second. Izzy Sia had to sit there all night and watch seven matches happen before hers. She had the weight of being the one seed, the Eliminator stipulation hanging over her head, and the entire Pinnacle expecting her to cruise. Sometimes the pressure of being the favorite is heavier than the freedom of being the underdog.
Dutch Harris: Sure, but that's not an excuse. That's being a champion. You're supposed to handle that.
Scott Kamura: And now Sakai doesn't just advance in the tournament. He's got a guaranteed future shot at the Premier Championship because of the Eliminator rule. That's the thing people keep glossing over. Even if his tournament run ends in the quarterfinals, he already won. He's already got a title shot in his pocket.
Bryan Harris: And his quarterfinal opponent? Arthur Pleasant. The nine seed who just beat KATSUMI. So Sakai goes from the frying pan directly into the fire. Pleasant is the worst possible draw for a guy riding an emotional high.
Dutch Harris: We'll get to the quarterfinal previews in a bit. But I want to stay on this for one more second. Where does this rank all time? Biggest upset in Master of the Mat history?
Scott Kamura: It's number one. I don't think it's close.
Bryan Harris: I'd have to go back and look, but off the top of my head, yeah. A 16 beating a one who also happens to be a reigning champion? That's unprecedented.
First Round Breakdown
Dutch Harris: Let's run through the rest of the first round results because there were some really compelling matches beyond the main event. Jamie Johnson over Josiah Hudson to kick things off.
Scott Kamura: Jamie got tested. Hudson came in as the 11 seed and fought like a top five guy. That was not an easy win for the three seed, and I think Jamie would be the first to tell you that. But he got it done, and that's what the three seed is supposed to do.
Bryan Harris: Vito Valentino over Mike de los Huesos was the other upset I want to highlight. De los Huesos was my dark horse pick. I said it on the preview episode. And Vito walked in there as the 14 seed and took it from him. That's a statement win.
Dutch Harris: Ricky Tenet beat The Darkspade. Ten over seven. Tenet's been on a roll and you saw it backstage, he was loose, he was confident. His dad told him to kick Darkspade's teeth in and he basically did.
Scott Kamura: Johnny Napalm handled Aiden Vanity in the other Eliminator match. No title shot for Vanity. Napalm's Empire State Championship stays safe and he moves on. That was pretty much chalk.
Bryan Harris: Madison Seton over Ignatius Albert Martin. She came out before the match and cut a hell of a promo about being ready, about last year's disappointment, and then she went and backed it up. IAM's been finding his footing since coming back, but Madison was just sharper.
Dutch Harris: Laura Seton over Holden Nobody. That's a big one. Holden came in as the four seed carrying the UWA Championship, the Resistance Championship, a future Premier title shot, and he just agreed to tag with Ricky Tenet in the tag tournament on top of all that. The man's plate was overflowing.
Scott Kamura: And Laura made him pay for it. Thirteen over four. That sets up the Seton sisters in the quarterfinals, which we all called as a possibility at the top of the show.
Bryan Harris: And Arthur Pleasant over KATSUMI. The match I said would set the tone for the tournament. It delivered. KATSUMI brought everything she had, and Pleasant just found a way. He always finds a way. That's what makes him so dangerous.
The Lazarus-Thunderwolf Situation
Dutch Harris: We need to talk about what happened at the top of the show. Corey Lazarus came out to address the Thunderwolf situation. Thunderwolf came out and told him, and the entire Pinnacle crowd, to go fuck themselves. And then it got worse.
Scott Kamura: Dustin Kelser was raw. There was no filter on that man. He called Corey a snake, an egotistical prick, told the fans to go to hell for supporting him. That's a guy who feels genuinely betrayed.
Bryan Harris: And Corey's response was to challenge him right there. Strip the title off, let's go, right now. That's Corey Lazarus in a nutshell. He doesn't think, he just acts.
Dutch Harris: Then Arthur Pleasant jumped Thunderwolf from behind. Dustin hit him with the Wolf's Bane mist and blinded him. And just when you think it can't get any crazier...
Scott Kamura: NC-17. Dressed as an old woman. Climbed over the barricade. Hit Thunderwolf with a walking stick and threw him off the stage onto the concrete.
Dutch Harris: NC-17 dressed as a grandmother and threw a man off a stage. I don't know what to do with that information. I genuinely don't. That's the most unhinged thing I've ever seen on a SHOOT broadcast and I've been watching this company since the Yakuza days.
Bryan Harris: Thunderwolf ended up on a stretcher. Blood everywhere. His leg twisted in the lighting rig. And even while being loaded onto the gurney, he's still telling Corey to fuck off. That's how deep this goes.
Scott Kamura: The question now is whether Thunderwolf is even cleared to compete. That fall was nasty. And you've got Arthur Pleasant and NC-17 seemingly aligned, which is a terrifying combination if it's what it looks like.
Dutch Harris: And Sammy Rochester carried Pleasant out of there. So that's Pleasant, NC-17, and Sammy Rochester all in the same orbit. If that becomes a formal unit, that's a problem for everyone on the roster, not just Lazarus and Thunderwolf.
Backstage Notes
Dutch Harris: Quick hits from backstage. Madison Seton cut a promo before her match talking about being ready, wanting to make up for last year, and then threw some shots at Mikey Draven. Called him a golden oldie, suggested he couldn't hack it in the new era.
Bryan Harris: Which is interesting considering Draven is now teaming with X-Calibur as the World Warriors in the tag tournament. Those two were in the production truck watching their own vignette and having a full-on identity crisis about whether they're too old. It was hilarious and kind of sad at the same time.
Scott Kamura: Ricky Tenet went to his dad's locker room before his match and Corey was on the phone dealing with the Dustin situation. Then Corey told him the "Iron Saint" nickname is already taken and they need to workshop something new. Ricky left muttering about "the Iron Dawn" and "the Iron Bishop." I kind of love that kid.
Dutch Harris: Chunk Suckley interviewed Alexander Vaka in the gym. And Vaka, the man who never talks, gave one of the most eloquent promos I've heard in a long time. Talked about Fear and Loathing's legacy, 20 years together, the bond they have. It was genuinely moving.
Bryan Harris: Then we had Embrace Black Excellence leading IAM to a locker room where Josiah Hudson was waiting. Those two are teaming up for the tag tournament. Mauler Kulinski was there too, doing his overprotective manager thing. And the running bit where Mauler couldn't grasp that "Embrace Black Excellence" was the man's actual name was gold.
Scott Kamura: Holden Nobody did a pre-match interview with Mary Kelly where he accidentally created the worst catchphrase of all time. "Nobody is a small task." He immediately knew it was bad.
Dutch Harris: And then Ricky showed up asking Holden to be his tag partner. Holden listed everything on his plate and said it was full, but agreed anyway because he's "a hungry man." Then Josiah Hudson showed up and told Holden the word "ridiculous" belongs to him now. There's clearly mutual respect between those two, but also some unfinished business.
Bryan Harris: And after Jamie beat Hudson, the Grappler's Guild was backstage at the loading dock. Jamie's already looking ahead to Vito Valentino, calling him a world-tier opponent. Quinn and Richards know they need to perform in the tag tournament. There's a real sense of purpose with that group right now.
Singles Quarterfinal Preview
Dutch Harris: Four quarterfinal matches at Zenith 14. Let's go through them. Yorinobu Sakai versus Arthur Pleasant.
Scott Kamura: This is where the fairy tale gets real. Sakai pulled off the impossible against Izzy Sia, but Arthur Pleasant is a completely different challenge. Pleasant doesn't care about your story, your momentum, or your feelings. He's going to try to break Sakai physically and mentally. If Sakai can survive the onslaught, he's legitimate. If he can't, we'll look back at the Sia match as a beautiful fluke.
Bryan Harris: I'm taking Pleasant. The emotional comedown from beating Sia is real, and Pleasant is too vicious to let a guy ride vibes into the semifinals.
Dutch Harris: Laura Seton versus Madison Seton. Family on family.
Bryan Harris: Laura and Madison Seton in the quarterfinals. Family against family. One of them goes home. I've been waiting for this matchup and I am telling you right now, this is going to be the most personal match of the entire tournament.
Scott Kamura: Madison is the higher seed, she's the former Premier Champion, and she came in looking locked in. But Laura just upset the four seed in Holden Nobody. She's playing with house money and she's got nothing to lose. That makes her dangerous.
Dutch Harris: I'm going Madison. She was so focused coming into this tournament. But I wouldn't be shocked either way. Johnny Napalm versus Ricky Tenet.
Scott Kamura: This is fascinating. Napalm is the two seed, the Empire State Champion, and he just rolled through Aiden Vanity. Ricky Tenet is the 10 seed, the son of the World Heavyweight Champion, and he's been on a tear. He beat Darkspade, he's got a new tag team with Holden Nobody, and he's riding momentum. But Napalm is a different level of opponent.
Bryan Harris: Napalm for me. But Ricky's going to make it competitive. That kid doesn't know how to have a boring match.
Dutch Harris: And the last quarterfinal. Vito Valentino versus Jamie Johnson.
Bryan Harris: This might be the best match on the card. Vito is a former Premier Champion. Jamie is the leader of the Grappler's Guild and the three seed. Both of these guys can flat out go. Jamie said it himself backstage: he doesn't know if he's better than Vito overall, but he just has to be better than him at Zenith 14. That's the right mindset.
Scott Kamura: I'm going Jamie, but barely. Vito is desperate, and like Dan Richards said, desperate guys are dangerous but they make mistakes. Jamie's too disciplined to let Vito's desperation beat his preparation.
Tag Team Master of the Mat Preview
Dutch Harris: The tag team bracket is set and the first round happens at Zenith 14. Eight teams, four matches, and the winners get one step closer to a Pantheon Championship opportunity. Let's run through them.
Scott Kamura: Spinebuster Island as the one seed against IAM and Josiah Hudson at eight. On paper, that's the top-seeded established team against a duo that literally formed during Zenith 13. IAM and Hudson have individual talent, and Embrace Black Excellence put this together because he sees something there, but team chemistry takes time. Spinebuster Island has that chemistry already.
Bryan Harris: Don't sleep on the Hudson-IAM pairing though. Josiah has been impressive since he got here and IAM has two decades of experience. If Embrace Black Excellence can get them on the same page quickly, they could be a problem. But I'll still take Spinebuster Island in the first round.
Dutch Harris: The DeMONSTRANCE at four versus The Moonshiners at five. That's a tight seeding gap and I think that's going to be a tight match.
Scott Kamura: The Moonshiners are scrappy and they know how to work as a unit. The DeMONSTRANCE bring power and intimidation. Style clash, which usually makes for great tag wrestling. I'll lean DeMONSTRANCE but I'm not confident about it.
Dutch Harris: The World Warriors, the two seed, against Ricky Tenet and Holden Nobody at seven.
Bryan Harris: X-Calibur and Michael Draven have the pedigree. We saw them in the production truck having a meltdown about whether their vignette was too corny, and honestly, that's kind of endearing. But when the bell rings, X-Calibur is one of the most dangerous competitors in SHOOT history and Draven is no slouch. On the other side, Ricky and Holden are both coming off singles matches the same night, Holden lost his, and they've never tagged together. The talent is there but the timing is rough.
Scott Kamura: World Warriors. Experience wins out in first round tag tournament matches where one team is brand new.
Dutch Harris: And then the match I'm most intrigued by. PLANET MOTHERFUCKER, the three seed, versus Fear and Loathing at six.
Scott Kamura: Fear and Loathing versus PLANET MOTHERFUCKER might be the sleeper match of the tag tournament. Vaka gave Chunk Suckley the interview of a lifetime talking about legacy and loyalty, and now they're walking into a match against a team that doesn't give a damn about any of that. Something's gotta give.
Bryan Harris: Fear and Loathing have been here for 20 years. Vaka said it himself, they've lost more than they've won, but they're still here. The question is whether this is the tournament where two decades of persistence finally pays off, or whether PLANET MOTHERFUCKER is just too much firepower for an aging team to handle.
Dutch Harris: My heart says Fear and Loathing. My head says PLANET MOTHERFUCKER. I'm going with my heart on this one. Curtis and Vaka deserve a signature tournament moment after everything they've given this company.
Scott Kamura: That's a dangerous pick, Dutch.
Dutch Harris: I know. But somebody's gotta believe in them.
Looking Ahead
Dutch Harris: Before we wrap, let's zoom out. Zenith 14 is going to be massive. Four singles quarterfinals. Four tag team first round matches. Eight matches minimum, plus whatever segments and storyline developments come out of everything that happened at Zenith 13. Thunderwolf's status is unknown. Corey Lazarus has a target on his back. Arthur Pleasant, NC-17, and Sammy Rochester are lurking. The Seton sisters are about to collide. The Grappler's Guild has irons in both tournaments.
Scott Kamura: And don't forget about the UWA. Holden Nobody still has both those belts to deal with, and what's happening over there is feeding directly into the SHOOT landscape. If you're not watching both, you're missing half the picture.
Bryan Harris: The road to a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity for the singles winner. The road to a Pantheon Championship opportunity for the tag team winner. It all goes through Zenith 14. This is the most important stretch of the SHOOT Project calendar and we're right in the thick of it.
Dutch Harris: That's going to do it for this edition of Straight SHOOTIN'. Thanks for hanging with us, everyone. We'll be back after Zenith 14 to break down whatever chaos comes next. Until then, stay safe, stay loud, and we'll see you at the Pinnacle.