SURVIVOR SERIES: THE “FINAL” KANSAS CITY CARD

GUESTS: Teddy Atlas

DATE: November 25, 2026 (1 Day to Survivor Series)

TOPIC: The “Cowardice” of the Boxing Syndicate, the UWC Holy Grail, and the Death of the WarGames.

JOE ROGAN: (Leaning into the mic, eyes wide) “Teddy, we are one day out. One day. And the Boxing Team just… they just evaporated. They pulled out. ‘Health reasons.’ Mental health? Give me a break. You and I both know what happened. They saw the footage from Japan. They saw what Zangief did to a 500-pound Sumo and two pro-wrestlers in three weeks. They realized that a cage doesn’t protect you from a 400-pound Russian; it just keeps you trapped in there with him.”

TEDDY ATLAS: (Intense, leaning forward) “Joe, let’s call it what it is. It’s a lack of character! It’s the ‘Dark Side’ of the sweet science. These promoters—Arum, King—they saw their investments about to get their necks snapped. They looked at the ‘Red Cyclone’ and realized there’s no blueprint for that kind of strength. It’s like being asked to box a hurricane. You don’t box it; you run for the basement. And they ran, Joe. They ran.”

JOE ROGAN: “It’s crazy because Triple H is still in. I’m actually surprised the ‘Cerebral Assassin’ hasn’t found a ‘medical’ excuse yet. He’s stuck! If he pulls out now, after the Boxers already bailed, the WWF ‘Mafia’ would skin him alive. There’d be no Survivor Series. So now it’s just the Wrestlers vs. the Street Fighters. A 4-on-4 bloodbath. And honestly? Without the Boxers taking up space, Zangief has a clearer path to Austin and Hunter. It’s terrifying.”

TEDDY ATLAS: “It’s a different kind of pressure, Joe. But let’s look at the opener. Ultimate Warrior vs. Gen. This is fascinating to me. Gen is a legend in the underground, but the man is dying. He’s literally requested to fight the best before he goes. The medical team cleared him—they say the stress of the fight actually focuses him. But he’s fighting a 250-pound powerhouse in the Warrior. Warrior is 2-1, he destroyed Hall and Mad Dogg, but he got caught by Bischoff. He’s ranked #25 because of that lapse in focus. If he doesn’t respect the ‘Old Master,’ Gen will pick him apart with those pressure points before his heart even realizes he’s in a fight.”

JOE ROGAN: “Then you’ve got Bret Hart vs. Randy Savage. Man, two legends outside the Top 10. They’re looking at that Heavyweight list—Hogan, Rock, Angle—and they realize the door is closing. Bret looked great against Piper, he’s 32, he’s in his window. Savage is 37. If Randy doesn’t win this, he can kiss that WrestleMania title shot goodbye. They need to be busy like Zangief, but they don’t have the youth. It’s a ‘desperation’ match, Teddy.”

TEDDY ATLAS: “It’s about the ‘Holy Grail,’ Joe. The UWC Title. Hogan vs. Kurt Angle. This is Neil Armstrong territory. Whoever wins this is the first. You can be the tenth champion, nobody cares. But the first? That’s immortality. And let’s be real—The Rock is injured, Shamrock pulled out saying he ‘wasn’t ready.’ Shamrock is a warrior, but he knows the UFC belt is a minor league trophy compared to the UWC. He saw the level Hogan and Angle are on and he realized he wasn’t in that zip code yet.”

JOE ROGAN: “And the tragedy of it all? That match should be the Main Event. But because Ted DiBiase is a tactical genius and a piece of work, he’s forced Hogan into a second fight. Hogan has to go through the most dangerous technical wrestler on earth in Kurt Angle for the UWC, and then—bloodied, tired, and maybe broken—he has to defend the USA belt against DiBiase. It’s the most ‘Vegas’ setup I’ve ever seen. DiBiase didn’t out-wrestle him; he out-lawyered him.”

TEDDY ATLAS: “It’s the ultimate test of a champion’s soul. Hogan is fighting for the history books at 8:00 PM, and fighting for his flag at 10:00 PM. If he leaves Kansas City with both belts, Joe… we have to stop talking about him as a ‘wrestler’ and start talking about him as the greatest combat athlete to ever walk the earth. Period.”

[[ SURVIVOR SERIES: THE “FINAL” KANSAS CITY CARD ]]

[[ ADMIN_NEIL NOTE: The Boxers pulling out has turned the WarGames into a ‘pure’ grudge match. Zangief is now the heavy favorite to win the MVP of the night. If Hogan survives Angle, can he possibly have enough left for the Million Dollar Man? ]]