The BackupHangman Side: It’s Been Awhile

BackupHangman avatar
Ibou, of Self Made
@BackupHangmanJun 23, 2026

The Spaces returned after a year-long hiatus with Eboo (Back of Hangman) hosting a free‑flow, caller‑driven session that blended wrestling debate, community storytelling, and pop‑culture asides. Early banter covered a recent NYC meetup (MSG, Five Guys lore), a lighthearted roast of home‑cooking, and a sober reflection on language after an N‑word workplace anecdote. The core wrestling segment centered on WWE’s Bloodline: Ibis defended Roman Reigns’ aura, social traction, and the current Jacob/Jey direction, while Eboo countered with ratings/context, diminishing returns of revisiting an old boom, and the need for clearer endgame and fresh matchups. A substantive NXT women’s segment (with Corey Haze) spotlighted Kindle/Kendall Gray, Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, Sol Ruka, and Lizzy Rain, plus honest realities of call‑ups, performance‑center reps, and evolving Triple H/Shawn Michaels alignment. On AEW, chat weighed a “New Japan‑lite” Forbidden Door, Tony’s booking optics, and shared agenting intel (Dustin Rhodes on Swerve–Hangman; Christopher Daniels on Hangman). Q&A touched ELP discourse, CM Punk’s silence, anime/music tangents, and a forward look at Mercedes Moné’s Owen path and Wembley prospects. The Spaces closed with invites to Self Made Sessions on YouTube, a Discord watchlist, Pride/Father’s Day salutes, and a “legacy” sendoff.

Back of Hangman Side – Twitter Spaces Recap (June 21, 2026)

Format, Hosts, and Vibe

  • Host: Eboo (Back of Hangman/Self Made). First Twitter Space in ~a year; ~300–500 live listeners at peak. Free‑flowing agenda, open mics, no late‑night start this time.
  • Regulars/Co‑hosts and friends: AO, Crystal Bread (Chris), Rob, BV (Puerto Rican BV), plus rotating guests and callers.
  • Ground rules and tone: Open debate welcome (even from detractors). Heavy camaraderie, in‑group roasting, adult language (with a mid‑space reflection and reminder about responsible word choice). No formal structure—“back to the park, get reps up” energy.

Community Banter and Shared Anecdotes

  • MSG/NYC meetup stories:
    • AO’s chaotic entrance at Madison Square Garden: Light taps on friends’ heads to announce his arrival; reactions ranged from mock outrage to unguarded joy (Crystal teased for grinning ear‑to‑ear).
    • Fans in the wild: One energetic supporter crushed AO in an over‑zealous dap and chest bump; another introduced himself then sprinted away when asked for his @.
  • Five Guys revelation: Eboo believed his “connection” with the African cashier yielded extra fries; Crystal pointed out Five Guys fills every bag with fries—humbled laughter ensued.
  • Cooking posts and playful teardown:
    • Eboo posted a “healthy” plate (salmon burger, sweet potato fries, cauliflower rice, panko shrimp, a bit of lettuce, homemade ranch/sauce). AO’s immediate critique: too starch‑heavy, token greens, provocative plating.
    • Fab clarified on‑mic that the “rice” was cauliflower rice—point to Eboo.
  • Light sports talk: Knicks, NYC impressions (Crystal flip‑flopping between loving and hating New York over minor inconveniences), and casual NBA/NFL nostalgia.

Quick Shoutouts and Wrestling Watchlist

  • AEW women’s Owen Cup shoutout: Eboo congratulated “Maya World” (context from speakers: she beat Athena in an Owen Cup semifinal on Collision and heads to Forbidden Door to face Mercedes Moné in the Owen final). He pledged to watch the match and offered congratulations.
  • Self Made Sessions (YouTube): Returning Monday for an AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door preview.
  • Discord watchalong (announced at close):
    • Pro wrestling matches: Bison Smith vs Kenta Kobashi; Young Bucks vs Time Splitters; Cara Noir vs Ilja Dragunov; Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho (No Mercy 2008, ladder match); FMW (1998) Mr. Gannosuke vs Masato Tanaka; plus Ministry of Hell Show.
    • Comedy and sports: Charlie Murphy – Real Hollywood Stories comp; NFL 2015 Panthers vs Giants highlights.

WWE Macro: Roman Reigns, The Bloodline, Ratings, and Direction

  • The setup: Eboo invited “Ibis/IVs” (longtime Bloodline Twitter defender) for a live debate on Roman Reigns’ current run.
  • Eboo’s thesis (ongoing since 2024):
    • Roman is a top in‑ring and screen presence but creatively avoids challenging himself.
    • Wrestling history suggests “going back to the last big boom” rarely recreates it (Hogan trying to rekindle Hulkamania; NWO attempts; Austin returns, etc.).
    • “Acknowledgment Ceremony” Raw (with Roman/Jacob Fatu) posted one of the lowest Raw Netflix ratings—his example used to question “the formula.”
  • Ibis’ defense of The Bloodline:
    • Claims the current Bloodline arc with Jacob Fatu is compelling and the most‑engaged story weekly across social platforms.
    • Ratings rebuttal: Blamed NBA Finals/time zone for the low number; insisted the formula works and the majority of WWE fans still love the story.
    • Endgame: “Wait and find out.” He expects the Bloodline to hold the top spot “for at least three more years” and believes adding Solo and others fortifies the empire.
  • Friction points raised by Eboo and AO:
    • Social metrics vs TV/live attendance: Social views don’t equal sustained business; crowds are smaller than the peak; “6–7k attending aren’t 15k.”
    • The “lowest Raw” refuted excuse: The following week’s afternoon Raw reportedly improved by ~400k without Roman in a more wrestling‑centric format.
    • Story direction: “What’s the endgame?” Is it Jey vs Roman again? Forcing Jey to kneel and re‑acknowledge Roman felt like backwards writing for a hot babyface.
  • Roman/Cody backstage dynamic (Eboo’s sourced perspective):
    • Passive‑aggressive coexistence as 1A figures—both want direct say with Levesque/Nikon and to be the one whose call comes first.
    • Roman sat out much of 2025, took a victory lap that WWE cooled without him, and in 2026 is reasserting control (Eboo claims he forecast this on Self Made Sessions).
    • Business reality has not snapped back to 2022 highs as promised.
    • Prediction: We likely won’t see a Roman–Cody clean 1‑on‑1 finish; politics and brand control concerns will keep outcomes entangled.
  • Ibis’ “Roman is Michael Jackson” analogy (and the lingering “Hitler” clip):
    • He tried to frame Roman as a singular, magnetic cultural figure whose aura compels audience allegiance regardless of kayfabe misdeeds.
    • On the old viral “Hitler” analogy: His attempt to explain two years later was muddled and unconvincing; the room laughed it off and moved on.

NXT Women’s Division: Case for Its Strength and Main Roster Translation

  • Defenders: Corey Hayes (False Finish) and Corey David stepped up to represent NXT, particularly the women’s division.
  • The pitch (Corey Hayes):
    • Depth and variety: Kindle Gray (amateur base, rapid improvement), Lola Vice (MMA pedigree; active in AAA and NXT), Kelani Jordan (versatile utility, should be in title mix), Zaria and Tatum Paxley (angles and character work), plus Lizzy Rain rising.
    • Story arcs: Current dynamics around Kindle/Lola/Kelani are engaging, with accidental collisions and antagonistic pivots building anticipation.
    • Dave Meltzer’s recent view (relayed by callers): He reportedly praised NXT women’s top tier as exceeding main roster/AEW contemporaries; Corey broadly co‑signed the sentiment.
  • Eboo’s skeptical but respectful questions:
    • Translation gap: Performance Center‑refined matches can look different on the road. Example cited: So Ruka’s main roster work hasn’t yet matched her PC polish—time and reps needed.
    • Call‑up pipeline: Shawn Michaels (NXT) and Triple H (main roster) aren’t fully aligned on timing; notable case—Oba Femi and Je’Von Evans were expected for Stand & Deliver but were called up earlier.
  • Production and leadership (as recounted by Corey and Eboo):
    • Jeremy Borash has significant influence “in the weeds.” Undertaker (Mark Calloway) referenced jokingly as a “promoter” figure in the room; the gist is NXT’s production vision is distinct and less meddled with.
  • Recruitment strategy shift (Eboo’s sourced summary):
    • Women: Gymnastics/athletic converts can become TV‑ready in 2–3 years; this track is working.
    • Men: D2/D3 football prospects often weren’t main‑roster ready in the same time window; pivot back toward indie‑hardened prospects who use NXT as finishing school (e.g., Dorian Van Dux) for faster deployment.

Producers/Agents: WWE vs AEW Practices

  • Why WWE producer credits surface and AEW’s often don’t:
    • WWE: Producer names appear on internal run sheets that frequently make their way to media; culture of sharing after shows.
    • AEW: Similar agent/producer structure exists, but rundowns leak less often.
  • Specifics offered by Eboo:
    • AEW Full Gear (Texas Death Match): Swerve Strickland vs Hangman Page was produced by Dustin Rhodes.
    • Hangman’s AEW agent/producer: Often Christopher Daniels.
    • WWE examples: Chad Gable prefers Jason Jordan; Sami Zayn typically lays out his own matches and gets agent sign‑off.
    • Agents at top level more often coordinate resources, prevent overlap (e.g., weapon/prop usage), and communicate—to veterans, less dictation, more facilitation.

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door: Card Texture and NJPW Representation

  • AEW Forbidden Door preview set for Monday’s Self Made Sessions.
  • Tone in this Space: Amused frustration that NJPW presence feels thin—likened to 2001 “Alliance” branding (over‑sold at the desk vs who’s actually on the card).
  • TMDK talk:
    • TMDK presented on AEW TV with Zack Sabre Jr., Mikey Nicholls, and Bad Dude Tito.
    • Trivia: Mikey Nicholls’ most recent NJPW run the speakers recalled was World Tag League 2024.
  • Kenny/ZSJ segment: Eboo highlighted Nick Jackson’s body language during a Omega–ZSJ faceoff—playing the Bucks’ “check cleared, we’re here for Kenny” kayfabe apathy for laughs.
  • New Japan top star absences discussed; nods to Shingo and others on the card, but overall sentiment: a “New Japan‑lite” Forbidden Door compared to earlier editions.

Women’s Owen, Mercedes Moné, and Wembley

  • Mercedes Moné vs “Maya World” (Owen women’s final at Forbidden Door):
    • Eboo’s pick: Mercedes wins the Owen. He believes Willow Nightingale’s injury/absence likely altered the original Wembley plan; expects Mercedes to challenge for the title at Wembley regardless.
    • Potential opponent if champion remains Tekla: Eboo praised Tekla’s TV build instincts—could yield a strong program.
  • AO’s interrupted tease: AO’s phone dropped as he began to hint “My [Maya] might win at Wembley.” Not confirmed; his answer never fully transmitted.

Fan Call‑ins, Culture, and Odds & Ends

  • “Samoan mind control victim” (Roman first / Bloodline second):
    • Acknowledged Bloodline isn’t the old saga; doesn’t want a full civil war redux that crowns Jey the “new Roman.” Wants Roman to work beyond family dynamics at some point (e.g., Oba Femi, Bron Breakker), but not sold on Bron as the guy.
  • Trudy: Challenged casual use of the N‑word and other slurs; called for reflection and restraint. Also ribbed Eboo about seeking a diagnosis (“go to a doctor”) with an admitted comedic, sharp‑edged tone.
  • Taryn (longtime Liv Morgan supporter):
    • Defended Liv amidst timeline pile‑ons (e.g., Video discourse, DOM/Liv saga). Pushback on claims Liv “sandbagged”; pointed to positioning issues of others in a debated spot. Emphasized brand strength and engagement.
    • Eboo admitted to mounting a “pro‑Liv ethics” paragraph for goodwill during storyline heat.
  • Ellie: Flagged ELP’s coming Dynamite, half‑serious jabs at prior ELP discourse and match ratings.
  • UNO (Cool UNO): Anime/YouTube side bar—pressure from the room to increase One Piece content; discussions on recap culture and keeping up with long‑running shows.
  • Zubaz: Comic relief segment, riffing a spoken‑word “Puroresu legacy” over an instrumental; rattled off a parade of Japanese wrestling legends and styles.
  • Pedro (Brooklyn):
    • Believes Hangman Page is one of the best modern storytellers (from AEW launch through the Swerve feud and heel turn/redemption).
    • Asked about anti‑AEW content creators: Eboo’s take—everyone can dislike what they dislike, but creators who posture inauthentically risk curating an audience that may not stick or may demand only that fix.
  • Demonte: New father (congrats); asked how to win Self Made over to pro‑Punk; Eboo’s view—room mostly acknowledges Punk’s quality; sway hinges on AO’s stance powering groupthink memes. Larger point: People often judge from clips; jokes are largely tongue‑in‑cheek.
  • Nat: Pride Month shout; asked pointedly for Eboo’s view of Bron Breakker (not sold) and where CM Punk is; Eboo: Punk’s inactive, enjoying life in Illinois (no drama implied).
  • Surfer: Asked about a “Night of Champions” card (called terrible by Eboo); asked if Sami Zayn will win a world title—Eboo’s short answer: “No.”

Notable Perspectives and Takeaways

  • Roman Reigns’ creative arc:
    • Eboo: Great star/presence, but the “Bloodline formula” is creatively safe and may not restore peak business; history suggests diminishing returns when repeating past booms.
    • Ibis: The Bloodline remains the central story driving conversation; social engagement and consistent weekly interest justify the approach.
  • WWE internal dynamics (per Eboo’s sourcing):
    • Roman and Cody coexist as co‑leads with competitive instincts and direct lines to decision‑makers; this informs booking/finish caution in prospective head‑to‑head matches.
    • NXT/main roster coordination is imperfect; call‑ups can blindside NXT’s seasonal plans.
  • NXT Women’s division:
    • Advocates (Corey Hayes/Corey David) made a comprehensive case for depth and variety; the show is an active women’s laboratory
    • Skeptics (Eboo) emphasized translation challenges to main roster touring and production.
  • AEW producer/agent norms: System exists (Dustin Rhodes, Christopher Daniels, etc.), but not publicized like WWE.
  • Forbidden Door flavor: New Japan involvement feels thinner than earlier years; some comedic disdain for how TMDK was framed vs their recent NJPW activity.

Closing Logistics and Community Notes

  • Self Made Sessions returns Monday on YouTube for Forbidden Door preview.
  • Self Made Discord programming posted with wrestling/comedy/sports lineup (open invite via bio link; $5 entry tier).
  • Gratitude expressed to: Ellie, Trudy, UNO, Corey Hayes, Corey David, Buggy D. King, Zubaz, Demonte, Nat, Surfer, Pedro, Dan and many others for calls, questions, and energy.
  • Final notes: The Space mixed serious wrestling debate with irreverent community storytelling. A reminder—in the middle of jokes—the hosts acknowledged the importance of language and being mindful of audience, striving for a fun but respectful environment.