Hello Schmoedown fans, Tim here with the preview to our season premiere of “The New Era” in New York City. At the borough of Brooklyn, two matches of excitement and power open the seventh season of the Movie Trivia Schmoedown. In front of a sold-out crowd and many more livestreaming from around the world, there has been no time to get emotionally hyped for a season premiere such as this where new rules and new factions have formed. Tonight, a grudge match kicks off another big rivalry and three of the best face off to be the first challenger to Ben Bateman’s Singles Championship.

Ghai vs. Burnett

The undercard matchup is a matchup that could be its own main event. This is the matchup that starts one of the new rivalries that has risen up at Spectacular last year. A hotshot competitor who was seeking to make his mark again, betrayed and slighted by his manager who was scheming to change the game for himself. This Saturday night, Andrew Ghai gets his opportunity to lay an early wallop of pain on his former manager. All of this thanks to the decision by Ben Bateman that he won from his resounding victory in Houston last season. That being that he can put Ghai in any matchup. Why he wants Andrew, his ex-teammate, to face Robert Meyer Burnett is a question we may never get answered. Still, this is a rivalry and a major storyline of this season that is waiting to be opened so why not tonight?

When Ghai announced his retirement after losing the Teams Finals, we all thought that his time was over as he focuses on his other priorities. He was going to move on, but after hearing what he thought was no thoughts about his retirement from Robert Meyer Burnett, he decided to change his plans. Andrew Ghai saw that his manager turned on his back, and focused on his own success instead of helping him. Returning with that passionate fire, Ghai wants to redeem himself, his teammate Drew McWeeny, the Action Army, and make his new manager Samm Levine proud by laying a smackdown in movie trivia fashion on his ex-manager. For him to take this victory, he has to remain composed and let Samm help him run through a confident game plan because who knows what his ex-manager might do.

As for Robert Meyer Burnett, he said that what he did with “The Nuke” did not affect his love for his “Family.” It was not evident given his numerous ploys to change the game with the draft instead of focusing on getting his competitors the championship belts. Surprised with the news, Burnett didn’t offer any forgiveness but retribution for Andrew Ghai, as Burnett said, was weak in his eyes. With his new faction and his new ace Ethan Erwin leading it, Robert Meyer Burnett seeks to snuff out the last of his former “Family” before moving on to dominating with his Droogs. Make no mistake, this is a lop-sided match against him. The last time we have seen him compete was against Tom Dagnino in what was a glorified and funny “dumpster fire” of a match in the Schmoedown. Against a well-versed Schmoedown pro in Andrew Ghai, he needs to prepare a lot as possible to possibly turn the tides. Could it include loopholes? We will have to find out.

Andrew Ghai will be the absolute favorite to dominate over Robert Meyer Burnett, but that is what it appears on paper. Will it be the same on-stage? Only tonight will have that answer as fires of a new rivalry spark anew.

Murrell vs. Bibbiani vs. Meyer (Triple Threat #1 Contender Match)

As for our main event, this was a switch-up from what was supposed to be an Innergeekdom title match between Kevin Smets and Mara Knopic. The reason was that Mara was suffering from recurring illness problems that is keeping her from prepping for her title match. With joint agreement from the Innergeekdom Champion Kevin Smets, the match will be postponed to a later date. The one to take over is another main event match that is worthy to headline the Brooklyn live event. That being William Bibbiani versus Dan Murrell by decree of MTS Chairman Kristian Harloff and overseen by the new Commissioner Clarke Wolfe. That matchup is a powerful one to open up the season, but Bibbiani doesn’t want a sequel match between them. Instead, he is giving his Free 4 All #1 Contender shot to his partner and 2019 Babyface of the Year Brendan “The Kid” Meyer. What we have now is a triple threat match between a member of The Finstock Exchange and two members of The Mouthy Mercs for the right to face Ben Bateman for the Movie Trivia Schmoedown Championship.

In that debut season last year, Brendan Meyer shined brightly as one of the popular faces of the league. Not only that, he backed it up with plenty of strong performances and wins including a lengthy run in the Free 4 All. The only faltering moments were his elimination in both the Singles Semifinals and the loss in the Team Championship match. Going into his second season, Brendan is no longer just a nice guy. He is a top contender the likes we have never seen. For this matchup, this is his biggest opportunity to play for the singles title since competing in that teams title match against Founding Fathers last year. It’s an opportunity anyone who is starting young in their Schmoedown career would dream of having. It’s an applauding decision by Bibbiani to have him in this match, but how will “The Kid” fare with a #1 Contender match of this magnitude? As long as he becomes comfortable with his surroundings, then this will be a great start for Brendan to stay one step ahead of the “sophomore slump.”

After another excellent season despite not winning any championship belts, William Bibbiani is seeking to keep the amazing times rolling as he begins his fifth season in the Movie Trivia Schmoedown. He is on a run to where he’s back on top as the competitor we were promised in 2016, with marquee victories and the most memorable Free 4 All run from #1 to the final table. Tonight, “The Beast” is staring at another opportunity to get his title shot and to get his rematch against Ben Bateman. Once again, he will be facing Murrell but in a 3-round bout instead. The important key is to get off to a great start in the first round and focus his best in the final round. He excels in the first round, but a slim lead could make it troubling. Not only that, he will also have to contend with his teammate competing as well. Bibbs needs to not mind what Brendan is doing and focus on the game at hand. If he can finally beat Murrell it will have to be in the final round where the questions go his way.

With another stellar season added to his GOAT resume, the legend himself that is “Dangerous” Dan Murrell goes back into competition for his fifth season after winning his second Overall Player of the Year award. There is no doubt that this is the Murrell we have expected to see from him last season with winning the Singles Championship for the third time, winning his first Free 4 All, and winning his first ever Team Championship belt. For this season, there is another unconquered challenge for him to check off: holding two belts. As the defending Team Champion with John Rocha, Dan Murrell has a path to win the Singles Championship and hold it alongside his other championship belt. Now that would be an amazing sight to see. In fact, we would question why he hasn’t done it before already? Well, better now with this chance than never. For Murrell to succeed, he will have to contend with two of the very best contenders in the league in Bibbiani and Meyer. It’s a tough challenge for sure, but with steady nerves and confidant trust in his movie knowledge, Murrell should be able to rise up to this main event challenge.

If there is one person that has to be smiling at this main event, it has to be Bibbiani’s and Meyer’s manager Coy Jandreau. For him, this is the best chance to show that his faction is worth the preseason hype after succeeding in the Schmoedown Draft earlier this month. He has his two aces facing the GOAT for a title shot opportunity, and score big points for his faction The Mouthy Mercs. This definitely makes up for having his Innergeekdom competitor Mara Knopic postpone the Innergeekdom title match. If “The Beast” or “The Kid” wins, Coy will have shown that he has what is necessary to beat the top manager Tom Dagnino and get a jump start in the faction rankings for this season.

And boy oh boy, what a start to “The New Era” it will be. This will be very close and very intense in this triple threat match. While Meyer has a legitimate chance to shock the world, it will come down to between Bibbiani and Murrell. If one of them gets the momentum in the final round, he will face Ben Bateman for the singles title. Murrell is the slight favorite, but I would not be surprised if Bibbiani can beat him.

With all that said, and all the factions ready, it’s time to lift the curtains for the Movie Trivia Schmoedown live in Brooklyn, New York!