Wrestlespective: Recent Episodes
Wrestlespective
The Wrestlespective wrestling podcast hosted by Jason Mann looks back at classic wrestling matches from WWE and other promotions, with in-depth analysis of the action, drama, storytelling, interviews, and other happenings.
Jason is once again joined by K Sawyer Paul to discuss Pentagon Dark vs. the Black Lotus Triad (Kairi Sane, Mayu Iwatani & Io Shirai) from the 11/30/16 episode of Lucha Underground.
Jason is joined by his Over and Back partner Rich Kraetsch of Voices of Wrestling to discuss Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Dennis Rodman at WCW Road Wild 1999, the one (somewhat) bright spot of the worst period of Savage's career.
Jason and K Sawyer Paul discuss the Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena Firefly Fun House encounter at WrestleMania 36.
Jason is joined by longtime friend of the show K Sawyer Paul (@ksawyerpaul) to discuss the first meeting between the Macho Man vs. the Hitman.
We're back. Scott Holland (@StarOfSavage) joins to discuss for some Savage Distancing, to discuss both Macho Man vs. Jake The Snake matches from Saturday Night's Main Event and the highlights of the big feud.
Goldberg vs. Sting on the 9/14/98 episode of WCW Nitro and John Cena vs. Rey Mysterio on the 7/25/11 episode of WWE Raw are discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. We talk about Sting's terrible Wolfpac outfit, what we liked about Goldberg despite his limitations, WCW-NWO silliness of the time, sneaky Hollywood Hulk Hogan, the weirdness of Mysterio winning and losing his first WWE title on the same night, how Cena comes off as the fortunate son, and sending text messages to Kevin Nash.
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul continue their annual tradition of discussing WrestleMania's prior main event with a look at Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (and later Seth Rollins) at WrestleMania 31. They talk about what makes Brock Lesnar so different from any other WWE wrestler, why Roman Reigns has had such difficulty getting fan acceptance, where this ranks among WrestleMania main events, the power dynamic between WWE decisionmakers and grassroots fans and the parallels in politics, and much more.
Jason Mann and Steven Graham from the Pro-Wrestling Super Show talk about the Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin feud from 1996 and 1997, specifically their Survivor Series 1996, WrestleMania 13, and In Your House: Revenge of the Taker singles matches. They discuss why Austin and Hart worked so well together, how Canadians saw the feud as opposed to Americans, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul continue their tradition of review the prior year’s WrestleMania main event right before the next one. They discuss Daniel Bryan’s matches against Triple H as well as against Randy Orton and Batista, why Bryan appeals to a splintered wrestling audience, the rise of fan activism in WWE, where WrestleMania 30 rates among most satisfying wrestling shows, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/23/15
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena at Extreme Rules 2012 is discussed by Jason Mann and Lance Garrison. They talk about the novelty of such a brutal match in WWE, whether it could be done more often, the odd decision to have Lesnar lose in his return, the story of John Cena’s very bad year, and much more. #WWE #wrestling #UFC
Original airdate: 8/14/14
Jason Mann and Dutch Lombrowski of the Mighty Men of Mouse podcast discuss Survivor Series 1991, i.e. the set-up show for This Tuesday in Texas. They talk about the parallels between the Hulk Hogan vs. Undertaker feud and the famous Hogan vs. Andre the Giant feud, Randy Savage's reinstatement and his brilliant feud with Jake Roberts, how Ric Flair's main foil seemed to be Jack Tunney, Hogan possibly going into business for himself and playing off a famous paralysis, and much more.
Original airdate: 7/16/14
Jason Mann and Dylan Hales of the Wrestling Culture podcast discuss Hulk Hogan vs. Vader at WCW SuperBrawl 5 in February 1995. They discuss why this feud is perceived so negatively by smart wrestling fans; how Vader's aura was affected by the buildup, the match and the later matches; how WCW had evolved into Hogan's image; what role Vader might have played against the New World Order; and why this is one of Hogan's best performances. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 6/13/14
Jason Mann and Joe Somar discuss the only two Undertaker vs. Kane pay-per-view main events, at Judgment Day 1998 and Hell in a Cell 2010. They also go through a brief history of the Undertaker vs. Kane rivalry over the years, talk about Joe witnessing the end of Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak, and much more. #wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/27/14
Jason Mann and Charles of ProWrestlingOnly.com talk about Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger from WCW WrestleWar 1990. They talk Luger's often-overlooked very good work early in his career, Sting's injury forcing WCW to turn Luger and face him against Flair and the domino effect that had on their careers, whether reviving the Four Horsemen was a good idea, and much more. #wwe #wrestling #wcw #prowrestling #rasslin #whoo
Original airdate: 5/14/14
Jason Mann and Samantha Allen talk about the 2004 Royal Rumble, where Chris Benoit's marathon performance stacks up with others, how the Raw and Smackdown brand split changed WWE storytelling, our feelings on John Cena, Chris Jericho, Big Show, Kurt Angle and many more, the Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero, Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg and Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels feuds, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/7/14
Jason Mann and Adam Jones talk about ECW's Living Dangerously 1998, 1999, and 2000. This is the second part of their conversation. They discuss ECW's challenges as the No.3 company in the Monday Night War era, the importance of the Taz vs. Sabu feud, the charms of Asbury Park, Paul Heyman's slovenly appearance, the WWE Network's confusing policy on swear words, and much more. #wwe #ecw #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/22/14
Jason Mann and Adam Jones talk about ECW's Living Dangerously 1998, 1999, and 2000. This is part one of two episodes. They discuss ECW's challenges as the No.3 company in the Monday Night War era, the importance of the Taz vs. Sabu feud, the charms of Asbury Park, Paul Heyman's slovenly appearance, the WWE Network's confusing policy on swear words, and much more. #wwe #ecw #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/22/14
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul of International Object talk about The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 29, why it disappointed so many fans, what was remembered and what was forgotten in the Rock-Cena three-WrestleMania saga, and whether Cena throws a really good party. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/1/14
Jason Mann and Rich Kraetsch of Voices of Wrestling talk about Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Diamond Dallas Page at Spring Stampede 1997, Page's long rise to stardom, when the NWO started to become tiresome, Kimberly vs. Elizabeth, Savage's mastery of the craft, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/26/14
Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net discuss the WWE Monday Night Raw of November 19, 2001, the night after the Survivor Series. They discuss the end of the WCW/ECW Alliance, the ambitious attempt to make sweeping changes in one night, Steve Austin returning to hero status, Kurt Angle returning to villainy, Vince McMahon inducting William Regal into the Kiss My Ass club, Jerry Lawler's return, Paul Heyman's exit, Chris Jericho's ascension, Ric Flair's debut, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/19/14
Jason Mann and Jeff Martin of the webcomic Heat: The Space Age of Pro Wrestling discuss Bobby Lashley vs. CM Punk vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Big Show vs. Hardcore Holly vs. Test at WWE/ECW December to Dismember 2006. They talk about why the show was reviled at the time, the lack of interest in Bobby Lashley despite a massive push, Show's effectiveness as ECW champion, whether Punk should have been ECW champ at the time, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/27/14
Jason Mann and Mike of Monsoon Classic discuss the Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair career and title match in a steel cage at Halloween Havoc 1994. They talk about when the ideal time might have been for a first Hogan vs. Flair match, how Hogan's arrival changed the course of WCW, and the ethical implications of Hogan beating up Sherri Martel. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/23/14
Jason Mann and Joe Drilling of What A Maneuver! talk about Hulk Hogan & Genichiro Tenryu vs. The Road Warriors from Wrestlefest 1991, why Hogan and the LOD weren't so much pals, and how Hogan in Japan was different from Hogan in the USA.
Original airdate: 11/26/13
The first two WWE albums, The Wrestling Album and Piledriver, are discussed by Jason Mann and Patrick Brogan of The Unemployed Historian. They talk about the alternative universe in which Hulk Hogan had a boring theme, performances at the first Slammy Awards, the times charisma overcomes a lack of singing ability and the times it doesn't, the raw sexuality of Jimmy Hart, the many skills of Rick Derringer and Cyndi Lauper, and how girls in cars should be very afraid of Robbie Dupree. #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin #WWE #music
Original airdate: 6/17/13
Sting vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts at Halloween Havoc 1992 is discussed by Jason Mann and David McKinney of South Atlanta Wrestling. They talk about the promise of Roberts as a top villain, Bill Watts' time in charge of WCW, why Jesse Ventura never badmouthed Sting like he did Hulk Hogan, spin the wheel make the deal, Cheetum the evil little person, the baffling decision to make this a coal miner's glove match, and much more.
Original airdate: 5/20/13
David Arquette vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. Diamond Dallas Page in a triple cage of doom at WCW Slamboree 2000 is discussed by Jason Mann and Bill Bicknell. They talk a lot about how putting the WCW title on "Ready to Rumble" star Arquette, considered one of the great disasters in wrestling history, comes across more than a decade later. Also discussed: Jarrett and Page as good hands who probably weren't suited to carry main events, the improvements in production in this triple cage match over the infamous Uncensored 1996 match, the saga of the New Blood, the Millionaires' Club, and Russo and Bischoff, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/29/13
Backlash The Rock vs. Goldberg at WWE Backlash 2003 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Somar (also known as the paranormal interpreter for Katie Vick). They talk about Goldberg's debut in WWE, the end of Rock's short-term arc as a Hollywood villain, different ideas for how WWE could have incorporated Goldberg and other WCW stars into WWE, and how this match compares to John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules 2012. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/24/13
The 2011 AWE Night of the Legends pay-per-view headlined by Kevin Nash vs. Ricky Morton and Terry Funk vs. Tommy Dreamer is discussed by Jason Mann and Rich Thomas of the International Object podcast. They discuss how this is the only non-WWE wrestling show on Netflix, the Nash-Morton story fueled by real-life bad blood, how Funk vs. Dreamer comes off as an artful debacle, Perry Saturn's return to the ring after 9 years off, Fit Finlay's continued brilliance, AWE's spin on standard wrestling stereotypes, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/12/13
The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 28 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul of International Object. They discuss looking at the saga and match with a fresh set of eyes one year later, Rock's lack of character evolution, whether Cena could ever truly be a villain, making old moves new again, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/1/13
The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at No Way Out 2003 is discussed by Jason Mann and Patrick Brogan of The Unemployed Historian. They talk about trying to live up to the Rock v. Hogan classic at WrestleMania 18, Rock's brief and brilliant 2003 renewal as a villain, why the crowd turned against Rock in the first place, and how well Hogan's 2002-03 WWE stint holds up a decade later. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/28/13
Wrestling at the Movies: Below the Belt
Below The Belt, a mostly unknown 1980 drama centered around women's wrestling, is reviewed by Jason Mann and Casey of Hammer Dialectic and The Mandible Claw.
Original airdate: 3/25/13
The WWE career of Shane McMahon is discussed by Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net. They talk about his famous feuds with X-Pac, Vince McMahon, Kane, Big Show, Randy Orton, and DX, Shane's penchant for jumping from high places, his good and bad points as a wrestler, and ultimately how much he mattered to WWE. They also have a lively debate about the Shane vs. Kurt Angle match at King of the Ring 2001. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/4/13
The 2000 film "Ready to Rumble" starring David Arquette, Scott Caan, Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg, Randy Savage and other WCW wrestlers is discussed by Jason Mann and Adam and Matt from KayfabeComedy.com. They talk about the oddness of how WCW and wrestling are portrayed in this movie, imagine a world in which Caan had been WCW champ instead of Arquette, wonder how good Joe Pantoliano would have been as a wrestling character, speculate where plot points and wrestling characters were taken from, and appreciate the oddball performances by Oliver Platt and Martin Landau in a paycheck movie. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/8/13
Hulk Hogan vs. Jeff Jarrett, the infamous Vince Russo promo insulting Hogan, and Jeff Jarrett vs. Booker T at WCW Bash at the Beach 2000 are discussed by Jason Mann and Rich of Calling Spots. They talk about the confusing nature of Hogan lying down for Jarrett, how well it was presented to the audience and by the commentators, what seemed real and what seemed like part of the show, Russo's strengths and weaknesses as a character, whether Jarrett and Booker were good choices as WCW's champions, and more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/6/13
Stone Cold Steve Austin & Triple H vs. The Undertaker & Kane at WWE Backlash 2001 is discussed by Jason Mann and Trey Irby. They talk about the fascinating period between WrestleMania 17 and the WCW/ECW Invasion, rising talents like the Hardys, Edge & Christian, Chris Benoit, and Chris Jericho getting cameos in main events, the intense effort it took to get Austin to be booed, the merits of putting all the titles on the line at once, whether Undertaker and Kane were good choices as Austin and Triple H's first foils, and how this is an interesting meld of Southern-style tag and Attitude Era antics. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/31/13
Mike Awesome vs. Spike Dudley at ECW Guilty As Charged 2000 is discussed by Jason Mann and Danielle Matheson. They talk about the merits of big vs. little matches, how ECW was dealing with losing top talent, the lost footage of Awesome beating up Spike's girlfriend, how both wrestlers evolved after ECW, and Spike's recent appearance at the TNA Impact wedding of Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan. (Unfortunately, there's some muffled audio throughout.) #wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/22/13
The Royal Rumble 1990 match is discussed by Jason Mann and Scott T. Holland. They talk about the famous Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan confrontation, whether it was a good idea for Hogan to win the Rumble, an undercard that is much better in practice than on paper, the evolution of Randy Savage's fashion sense, the potential magic of a Rick Rude and Mr. Perfect tag team, and much more. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Original airdate: 12/24/12
Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit & Maven vs. Triple H, Batista, Edge & Snitsky at WWE Survivor Series 2004 is discussed by Jason Mann and Eric Allen of the What a Maneuver!! podcast. They talk about the rushed story of Evolution turning against Orton, Eric's great affinity for Snitsky and some of his best/worst moments, Maven's completely ability to be forgettable, and how novel was the stipulation of each winner being GM of Raw for a week. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 12/9/12
This joint two-part episode of Wrestlespective and Where The Big Boys Play looks at the first Clash of the Champions. Jason Mann and Parv talk about the Varsity Club, the WWF Wrestlefest arcade game, "Leave It to Beaver," why the Warlord is better in 2012 than 1988, NWA-style booking of babyfaces vs. WWF-style booking, the relative merits of the fan-fake Sting and fan-fake Hogan, the life and times of the 1988 "Pet of the Year" Patty Mullen, discussion of the decision-making skills of the NWA Board of Directors, and whether Sting vs. Flair is as great as it is cracked up to be. #WWE #WCW #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Original airdate: 12/5/12
This joint two-part episode of Wrestlespective and Where The Big Boys Play looks at the first Clash of the Champions. Jason Mann and Parv talk about the Varsity Club, the WWF Wrestlefest arcade game, "Leave It to Beaver," why the Warlord is better in 2012 than 1988, NWA-style booking of babyfaces vs. WWF-style booking, the relative merits of the fan-fake Sting and fan-fake Hogan, the life and times of the 1988 "Pet of the Year" Patty Mullen, discussion of the decision-making skills of the NWA Board of Directors, and whether Sting vs. Flair is as great as it is cracked up to be. #WWE #WCW #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Original airdate: 12/5/12
Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels in a ladder match at WWE No Mercy 2008 is discussed by Jason Mann and Razor of Kick-Out!! Wrestling. They talk about the highlights of this fantastic feud, how Jericho and Michaels rate as ladder-match performers, how their career arcs and strengths as performers are oddly similar, and also about Guess, Wrangler and Jordache jeans. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 11/21/12
Jason Mann is joined by Samantha Allen, Stan Morris and Will Pruett for the debut of the Wrestlespective Fun Club. They talk about the different ways wrestling can be presented on television, discuss the bombshell news of "Star Wars: Episode 7," share their thoughts on El Generico, Bruno Sammartino, Kassius Ohno, and the Jumping Bomb Angels, and then test their wrestling knowledge in the Wrestling Challenge. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 11/1/12
The Steiner Brothers vs. Terry Gordy & Dr. Death Steve Williams at WCW Beach Blast 1992 is discussed by Jason Mann and Robert Newsome of The Atomic Elbow. They discuss how WCW executive Bill Watts tried to overhaul WCW in his image in 1992 and the good and the bad that came from that, how this match was part of an attempt to re-educate fans to a new wrestling style, why WCW was getting back into bed with the NWA, and much more.
Original airdate: 10/22/12
Dr. Death Steve Williams vs. Bam Bam Bigelow from UWF Beach Brawl 1991 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Drilling of the What A Maneuver! podcast. They go over the differences between the good UWF (Bill Watts) and the bad UWF (Herb Abrams), the eminent prestige of the UWF SportsChannel Television Championship, and the somewhat odd careers and lives of both participants in this match.
Original airdate: 10/18/12
We get away from the corporate wrestling and take a look at September's three-night Chikara King of Trios extravaganza. First, Jason Mann and Casey of The Hammer Dialectic talk about Night 3's main event of UltraMantis Black, Frightmare and Hallowicked vs. The Young Bucks and Mike Bennett, the friendly atmosphere of Chikara shows, the diversity of wrestling styles presented, and the use of WWE nostalgia (including DEMOLITION). Then Jason, Brandon Stroud and Samantha Allen get into more highlights of the weekend, the tricky nature of presenting man vs. woman matches, advanced wrestling statistics, and why Chikara is a wrestling nerd's paradise. They somehow spend a whole lot of time discussing television's "Glee.” #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 10/15/12
Shawn Michaels, Sid & Ahmed Johnson vs. Vader, the British Bulldog & Owen Hart is discussed by Jason Mann and Adam Jones. They discuss Sid's appeal that Jason does not completely get, the Ultimate Warrior being pulled as the third man from this match, why Camp Cornette doesn't rate higher among stables, Vince McMahon as a commentator, and WWE totally getting outclassed by WCW at the time.
Original airdate: 10/9/12
WWE #wrestling
Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair at WCW Uncensored 1999 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Drilling of the What A Maneuver! podcast. They discuss the baffling storytelling and execution of the Hogan-Flair double turn, whether this was the true turning point of WCW's failure, WCW still having strong points in early 1999 despite its deep flaws, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 10/4/12
The 2001 WWE Royal Rumble is discussed by Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net. They talk about Stone Cold Steve Austin's return to WWE and descent into madness, the signs that WWE's salad days were coming to a close, Kane as a Rumble iron man, adding hardcore elements to the match, Drew Carey being one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Undertaker's terrible taste in music, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 10/1/12
The Elimination Chamber main event of John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. Mike Knox vs. Edge at No Way Out 2009 is discussed by Jason Mann and Derek Hernandez of No Coast Bias. They discuss the tortured logic of allowing Edge to enter the match after he brutally attacked Kofi Kingston, the merits of the Elimination Chamber and whether it belongs on the road to WrestleMania, the absolute brilliance of Mysterio, Cena lasting only 2:00 in a match, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 9/28/12
Wrestlespective expands its focus to discuss the entire Survivor Series 1994, not just the main event of Yokozuna vs. Undertaker in a casket match. Jason Mann and Stan Morris talk about the ponytails of Diesel and Shawn Michaels, Bob Backlund's seven-minute submission hold on Bret Hart, Jerry Lawler's brilliance in a minis match, WWE giving up on Lex Luger, and how Chuck Norris rates as a special enforcer. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 9/25/12
The 1993 Royal Rumble match is discussed by Jason Mann and Luke Starr. They talk about Bob Backlund's comeback and the crowd's reaction to him, WWE's transition away from older stars like Ric Flair and Randy Savage and toward Yokozuna and Bret Hart, Giant Gonzales' awful caveman outfit, and much more.
Original airdate: 9/20/12
The 1999 Royal Rumble match is discussed by Jason Mann and Brian Schmid. They talk about why this Rumble is considered the worst ever, whether it deserves that reputation, rewriting the conventions of the match to suit the Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon storyline, the staggering number of groin-based wrestlers and heel and face turns in 1999 WWE, and more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 9/10/12
Sting vs. Vader from Slamboree 1994 is discussed by Jason Mann and frequent guest Sawyer Paul. They talk about Vader's incredible combination of precision and power, how often Sting and Vader clashed on pay-per-view, how this match serves as a nice primer for their rivalry, and plow through the history of the maligned WCW International World Championship.
Original airdate: 8/30/12
Triple H vs. The Rock at WWE Backlash 2000 is discussed by Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net. They talk about the decision to delay the usual big babyface title win for a month, cranky Jim Ross, Steve Austin's convenient timing as Rock's cornerman, the overuse of the McMahons, and why this match comes off as a satisfying final chapter but has become almost totally historically insignificant. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/27/12
John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam at ECW One Night Stand 2006 is discussed by Jason Mann and Rich Thomas, co-host of the International Object podcast. They talk about the ECW revival, its success and failures in WWE, how Van Dam represents the spirit of ECW, how Edge's involvement in the match seem cheap and arbitrary, and how this match really centers around Cena and his interaction with a crowd that hated him. #WWE #ECW #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/22/12
The wrestling mockumentary Kayfabe is discussed by Jason Mann and Mike of Monsoon Classic. They discuss how the film strikes a balance between absurdity and believability, how well it works for wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans, and how it presents the characters and the camaraderie of wrestlers. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/16/12
The War Games match between Sting's Squadron (Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Nikita Koloff, Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham) and the Dangerous Alliance (Rick Rude, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton & Larry Zbyszko) at WCW WrestleWar 1992 is discussed by Jason Mann and former WWE writer Andrew Goldstein. They discuss the vast potential of WCW's roster in 1992, the super-enjoyable Dangerous Alliance story, how Madusa and Paul E. Dangerously contributed as managers, and who some of the best wrestlers were who never won a world championship.
Original airdate: 8/13/12
The Doomsday Cage Match featuring Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Kevin Sullivan, Meng, the Barbarian, Z-Gangsta, & the Ultimate Solution at WCW Uncensored 1996 is discussed by Jason Mann and Bill Bicknell. Topics discussed include the horrible reputation this match has, the excesses of Hulkamania in WCW, Michael Buffer's weird off-night, the story of the Dungeon of Doom and the Four Horsemen feuding and aligning, and how this compares to other triple-cage matches. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/30/12
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss Hulk Hogan v. The Giant in a steel cage at SuperBrawl 6, Bret Hart v. Diesel in a steel cage at In Your House 6, and the other main happenings on Raw and Nitro in February 1996. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/30/12
The Ultimate Warrior, Jim Neidhart, Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels vs. Andre the Giant, Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson & Haku at Survivor Series 1989 is discussed by Jason Mann and Stan Morris. They talk about the oddity of Hulk Hogan not being in a pay-per-view main event in the late 1980s, building Warrior up to the WWE title, what if Bret Hart had been given Warrior's push instead, how a hypothetical Michaels vs. Warrior match would have gone, how the story of trouble in the Heenan Family didn't lead to a memorable conclusion, and Jason's idea of a hypothetical Lethal Lottery-Survivor Series-Elimination Chamber concept pay-per-view. #WWE #wrestling #rasslin #prowrestling
Original airdate: 7/26/12
Ric Flair vs. Tatsumi Fujinami at SuperBrawl 1 is discussed by Jason Mann and David Kincannon. They try to clear up the muddied differences between the NWA and WCW titles at this time, whether Flair (as brilliant as he was) was the right man to be on top of WCW at this point, and much more.
Original airdate: 7/18/12
The 1995 Royal Rumble match is discussed by Jason Mann and Luke Johnson of Wrestlefeed. They talk about how the quicker-than-ever 60-second intervals made this Rumble feel much different than any other, the lack of depth and star power beyond Shawn Michaels, Davey Boy Smith and Lex Luger, the battle of the future Kronik members, the fate of Well Dunn, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/12/12
The Royal Rumble 1989 match is discussed by Jason Mann and Scott T. Holland. They talk about the continuing saga and soon-to-be breakup of Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan, bask in the wonderful battle of DEMOLITION, ponder what would have been if Terry Taylor and Curt Hennig had switched characters, and analyze the seemingly odd choice of Big John Studd as the first Rumble winner.
Original airdate: 7/6/12
The wild and wonderful wrestling documentary "Fake It So Real" is discussed by Jason Mann and David Shoemaker of Grantland. They talk about how the movie depicts the artform of pro wrestling, the different attitudes of the wrestlers portrayed, life among working-class friends in a small Southern town, the details of putting together a wrestling show, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/3/12
Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe from TNA Genesis 2006 is discussed by Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net. They talk about Angle's odd and acrimonious departure from WWE, Joe's undefeated streak, and the amazing atmosphere of this match and the sense of hope in TNA at the time. #WWE #TNA #wrestling
Original airdate: 6/28/12
Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Koko B. Ware, Hillbilly Jim & Hercules v. Haku, Ted DiBiase, Akeem, Red Rooster & Big Bossman at Survivor Series 1988 is discussed by Jason Mann and Stan Morris. They talk about the charm of the Survivor Series elimination matches, how this match continued the breakup of the Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan alliance, whether Terry Taylor's Red Rooster was the really worst gimmick ever, the incredible ability of the Big Bossman, and much more. #WWE #wrestling #rasslin #prowrestling
Original airdate: 6/25/12
The 1994 Royal Rumble match is discussed by Jason Mann and Chris from IVP Videos. They discuss the many surprising faces who show up in a 1994 WWE event, compare the sagas of Bret Hart and Lex Luger, praise Ted DiBiase's one-time appearance as a WWE pay-per-view announcer, and ponder the beginning of Diesel-mania. #WWE #wrestling
Wrestlespective expands its horizons with this look at the documentary Memphis Heat from Jason Mann and Scott Bowden of Kentucky Fried Rasslin. They discuss how the movie tells the story of Memphis wrestling, including the famous Sputnik Monroe vs. Billy Wicks feud, Monroe's role in integrating the wrestling arena, Jerry Jarrett, Jackie Fargo, Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Hart, Andy Kaufman, the Fabulous Ones, and more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 6/18/12
The infamous Sting vs. Jeff Hardy match from TNA Victory Road 2011 is discussed by Jason Mann and Cewsh Reviews. They talk about Hardy being in no condition to perform, the lack of long-term consequences for him, the confused atmosphere, and how wrestling media covered the event. That transitions into a long discussion of their wrestling media consumption habits, what dirtsheets and blogs do well and do poorly, gossip vs. news, and much more. #WWE #TNA #wrestling
Original airdate: 6/14/12
Christian vs. Abyss, the main event of TNA Sacrifice 2006, is discussed by Jason Mann and Sergio Hernandez. They talk about how the feud showcased the strengths and weaknesses of TNA at the time, how difficult it must be to put together a ladder match that makes sense, the merits of a spotfest, how the Unprettier name lasted so long for Christian's finisher, and much more.
Original airdate: 6/8/12
Konnan vs. Perro Aguayo at AAA When Worlds Collide 1994 is discussed by Jason Mann and Franny from RudoReels.com. They talk about how this show -- co-promoted with WCW -- is a great introduction to lucha libre, the incredible and odd array of talent who appeared on it (including Rey Mysterio Jr., Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Psychosis, Tito Santana, La Parka, 2 Cold Scorpio, and Louie Spicolli), the influence lucha had on 1990s U.S. wrestling, and much more.
Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Bret Hart, the finals of the King of the Ring 1993 tournament, is discussed by Jason Mann and Adam Jones. They talk about how WWE changed directions a lot of times in 1993, rebuilding Bret Hart after his WrestleMania 9 loss, why Bigelow wasn't in more WWE main events, and more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/31/12
John Cena vs. The Great Khali at Judgment Day 2007 and One Night Stand 2007 are discussed by Jason Mann and Trey Irby. That's right: Two matches in one podcast. And they are better than you'd think. Jason and Trey compare parts of this feud to both Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan and Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, discuss the merits of Khali as a professional wrestler, and consider Cena's abilities as a strategist. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/30/12
Ric Flair vs. Tatsumi Fujinami at the WCW/New Japan Supershow 1991 is discussed by Jason Mann and Cewsh of Cewsh Reviews. They talk about the distinctive Tokyo Dome atmosphere, the muddled history of the NWA and WCW world titles, differences between wrestling in the U.S. and Japan, and much more. #wrestling #WWE
Original airdate: 5/8/12
The War Games match of Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags v. Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck & Col. Robert Parker at Fall Brawl 1994 is discussed by Jason Mann and Dylan Hales. They talk about what a tremendous feud and match this was in what is considered a down period for WCW, why it might be overlooked among the great War Games matches, why Terry Funk is the greatest, arguments in favor of Dustin Rhodes being the best U.S. professional wrestler in 1994, the greatest Dusty Rhodes promo you'll ever see, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/5/12
The Miz vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 27 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul of International Object. After some jokes about what a mat classic this is, they talk about what went wrong and what right in their feud and this match, the Rock's involvement and how his return shook up WWE, the tone of Miz's and Cena's entrances and what they said about their characters, some about the Cena-Rock feud heading into WrestleMania 28, and much more.
Original airdate: 3/29/12
The last WCW pay-per-view main event, Scott Steiner v. Dallas Page at Greed 2001, is discussed by Jason Mann and Sergio Hernandez. They talk about Steiner's seeming mental instability, the Magnificent Seven, fans discovering Page might not be appealing, whether a fan in the crowd was Paul London, what the plans were for WCW before Nitro was canceled, and a little bit about why the invasion in WWE failed. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/27/12
The 1991 Royal Rumble match is discussed by Jason Mann and Scott T. Holland. They discuss what was going on with many of the cast of characters in the Rumble, including "The Model" Rick Martel, Mr. Perfect, Earthquake, Bret Hart, Saba Simba, Jake Roberts, Davey Boy Smith, Kerry Von Erich, The Undertaker, Jimmy Snuka and many more. They also go into this show built up the mediocre Hulk Hogan v. Sgt. Slaughter feud and the outstanding Randy Savage v. Ultimate Warrior feud. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling
Original airdate: 3/20/12
The Survivor Series 1993 main event of the All-Americans (Lex Luger, Undertaker, Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner) battling the Foreign Fanatics (Yokozuna, Crush, Jacques Rougeau & Ludvig Borga) is discussed by Jason Mann and Ben Pasco of It's Raining Meng. They discuss Lex Luger and his dull family, the Undertaker's track record of patriotism, Yokozuna's murderous past, Ludvig Borga's surprising competence, Jay Leno's awfulness, and more.
Justin Credible v. Lance Storm at ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Drilling. They talk about the merits of Credible's reign as champion in the last year of ECW (not to mention the merits of his jorts and tights combo), Storm's strong run in 2000 in ECW and WCW, Tommy Dreamer's brutal attack on Francine, past and current misogyny in wrestling, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/8/12
Shane Douglas v. Taz at ECW Guilty As Charged 1999 is discussed by Jason Mann and Tom Breihan of The Classical and Stereogum. They talk about whether ECW's myth matches up to reality, Douglas as a weary villain, comparisons between the character of the Franchise and Triple H, Taz and others in ECW succeeding despite their limitations, and much more. Tom also discusses writing about and meeting Colt Cabana and CM Punk (who has a very nice condo). #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/3/12
Chris Jericho v. Stone Cold Steve Austin at No Way Out 2002 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Drilling. They talk about the strange tone of the New World Order's WWE debut, the odd first interactions of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall with Austin and The Rock, how Jericho was often an afterthought, Mr. Perfect's drunkenness, how this match had so many chops, Austin's struggles in 2002, the many failures of the NWO, and more.
Original airdate: 2/25/12
Goldberg v. Diamond Dallas Page from Halloween Havoc 1998 is discussed by Jason Mann and Thomas Holzerman. They talk about whether Goldberg should be held in higher esteem, how he was underused in WCW main events, the merits of Page's diamond cutter v. Randy Orton's RKO, and much more. #wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/16/12
The Rock & John Cena v. The Miz & R-Truth at Survivor Series 2011 is discussed by Jason Mann and Alex Torres (aka Failraiser). They talk about the strengths and weakness of the Rock-Cena story in 2011, how Rock and Cena have each been insufferable louses at times, how fun the Awesome Truth were together, and Alex's experiences attending this show in person. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/9/12
The first Elimination Chamber match -- Triple H v. Shawn Michaels v. Chris Jericho v. Kane v. Rob Van Dam v. Booker T -- at Survivor Series 2002 is discussed by Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net. They talk about all the many things that went wrong during the match and why it still ended up being brilliant, Shawn Michaels' hideous brown tights, how nearly everyone's stories intersected in this match, and how brilliant and awful WWE could be in 2002. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 2/6/12
A.J. Styles v. Christopher Daniels at Destination X 2011 is discussed by Jason Mann and Alex Torres of Failraiser. They talk about the long history of Styles and Daniels, what the X Division meant to TNA, how it evolved from the WCW cruiserweight division, how this show compares to a nostalgia show like ECW One Night Stand, and more. #WWE #wrestling #TNA
Original airdate: 2/3/12
The War Games match of Team WCW (Warrior, Roddy Piper & Dallas Page) v. Team Wolfpac (Kevin Nash, Sting & Lex Luger) v. Team Hollywood (Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart & Stevie Ray) at WCW Fall Brawl 1998 is discussed by Jason Mann and Will Pruett of ProWrestling.Net. They chat about Warrior's weird run in WCW, how this match might have been regarded differently if it wasn't called War Games, Bret Hart's character inconsistency in WCW, and the unbelievable lost best-buddies potential of Hulk Hogan and Stevie Ray. #wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/27/12
Here marks the end of Starrcade: It's Scott Steiner v. Sid from Starrcade 2000. Jason Mann and Joe Drilling talk about both wrestlers' penchant for unintentional wrestling comedy, how far WCW had fallen by the this point, the possibly ironic over-the-top announcing from Tony Schiavone and company, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/21/12
Bret Hart v. Goldberg at Starrcade 1999 is discussed by Jason Mann and Razor. They talk about Hart's career-ending injury in this match, his ups and downs in WCW, Goldberg's lost 1999, how recycling the Montreal screwjob and creating a new NWO in consecutive nights might not have been the best idea, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/20/12
Goldberg v. Kevin Nash at Starrcade 1998 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. They talk about Nash's contrarian nature, how Goldberg's first loss should have been handled, whether the Fingerpoke of Doom was really as destructive to WCW as is generally thought, and much more.
wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/18/12
Hulk Hogan v. Sting at Starrcade 1997 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. They talk about the epic buildup and WCW v. NWO storyline, how big this match really felt in 1997, and how it all inevitably fell short. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/15/12
Hollywood Hulk Hogan v. Roddy Piper from Starrcade 1996 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Drilling. It's a surprisingly great match, and they discuss reasons why it wasn't considered great, the ups and downs of the NWO story, and the admittedly ridiculous lack of announcement that it was a non-title match.
Original airdate: 1/12/12
WWE #wrestling
Randy Savage v. Ric Flair at Starrcade 1995 is discussed by Jason Mann and Razor. They talk about the great Savage-Flair chemistry, the odd U.S. v. Japan concept of this show, the massive unlikability of Jimmy Hart, possible nicknames for Doug Dillinger, and dream matches that would have been possible but did not happen in WCW in the late 1990s. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/11/12
Hulk Hogan v. The Butcher (Brutus Beefcake) from Starrcade 1994 is discussed by Jason Mann and Robert Newsome. They talk about how Hogan's arrival transformed WCW, the tremendousness of a bitter Bobby Heenan, and whether Beefcake was really ever any good. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 12/18/11
Vader v. Ric Flair from Starrcade 1993 is discussed by Jason Mann and Bill Bicknell. They discuss Flair's return to prominence after some time on the sideline, the ethics of loving Vader despite his reputation for hurting people, and the development of the talent that fueled the late 1990s wrestling boom.
WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 12/16/11
The Battlebowls at Starrcades 1991 and 1992 are discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul in this marathon episode. They discuss the merits and flaws of the Battlebowl concept, how Starrcade often moved away from being WCW's biggest show, how Sting did a poor job of making friends, the greatness of Rick Rude, thoughts on Vader, Barry Windham, Great Muta, Lex Luger, and much more.
Original airdate: 12/11/11
Sting v. The Black Scorpion at Starrcade 1990 is discussed by Jason Mann and Brandon Stroud. They talk about their mutual love for Bob Caudle, Sting as the world's biggest sucker, how few endings fans really get in wrestling, the differences between the Black Scorpion's and the Undertaker's magic tricks, what happens when a child loses his belief in wrestling, discovering they both wrote for the same wrestling website in the late 1990s, Ric Flair having to wrestle a match without using his signature moves, and much more.
Original airdate: 11/17/11
Ric Flair v. Sting at Starrcade 1989 is discussed by Jason Mann and Scott Bowden of Kentucky Fried Rasslin. They discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of the iron man concept, how WCW could have better used The Great Muta, Flair's booking, and the great WCW roster of the time, including the Steiners, the Road Warriors, Doom, the Skyscrapers, the Midnight Express, Cactus Jack, Tommy Rich, Eddie Gilbert, Terry Funk, and more. #WCW #WWE #wrestling #rasslin #prowrestling
Original airdate: 11/14/11
Ric Flair v. Lex Luger for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade 1988 is discussed by Jason Mann and Robert Newsome. They talk about Flair's superhuman ability to make even a limited opponent look good, the merits of Luger and Sting, the passion of Southern wrestling crowds, the corporate Horsemen, and much more. #WWE #wrestling #rasslin #prowrestling #WCW
Original airdate: 11/6/11
Ron Garvin v. Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade 1987 is discussed by Jason Mann and the Masked Tweeter. They talk about the fearsome chops and slaps Garvin and Flair exchanged, the oddness of Garvin's title reign, how Flair almost came off as heroic during the match, and also a bit about the Garvins v. Rougeaus classic feud from Montreal in 1985. #wwe #wrestling #rasslin #prowrestling
Originally published: 10/5/11
Ric Flair v. Nikita Koloff at Starrcade 1986 is discussed by Jason Mann and Chris Shore of ProWrestling.Net. They talk about whether wrestling was ahead of the times with a Soviet character as a hero, the classic Koloff v. Magnum T.A. feud, the continual screwy finishes at big NWA shows, if it's weird that Flair never fought specifically for America, and much more. #wwe #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Original airdate: 9/28/11
Ric Flair v. Dusty Rhodes at Starrcade 1985 is discussed by Jason Mann and Scott Bowden of Kentucky Fried Rasslin. They talk about the contrasts between Flair and Rhodes, the rise of the Horsemen, Jim Crockett Promotions' successes and failures, the massive changes in the NWA and the wrestling world, and much more. #wrestling #prowrestling #WWE #rasslin
Original airdate: 9/15/11
John Cena, Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Edge, R-Truth, John Morrison, & Daniel Bryan v. Wade Barrett, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Skip Sheffield, David Otunga, Darren Young & Michael Tarver at SummerSlam 2010 is discussed by Jason Mann and Trey Irby.
Original airdate: 8/13/11
The Undertaker vs. Edge in a Hell in a Cell is discussed by Jason Mann and Trey Irby of Wrestling Theory. This is the only match in WWE history to ever headline both a WrestleMania and a SummerSlam. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/11/11
John Cena v. Randy Orton at SummerSlam 2007, their first of many pay-per-view matches ever, is discussed by Jason Mann and Razor of Kick-Out!! Wrestling. They also talk about the difference between a good headlock and a bad headlock. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/10/11
Edge v. John Cena at SummerSlam 2006 is discussed by Jason Mann and first-time guest and Edge super-fan Rhiannamator, who also talks about her upcoming trip to the 2011 show. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/9/11
Hulk Hogan v. Shawn Michaels from SummerSlam 2005 is discussed by Jason Mann and first-time guest Dre from the Old School Wrestling Podcast. With these two egomaniacs colliding, who knows what could happen? And the match is pretty exciting, too. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/8/11
Chris Benoit v. Randy Orton at SummerSlam 2004 is reviewed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. They discuss Orton’s rapid rise into main events and the inevitable backlash, plus how we now look at Chris Benoit’s time in #WWE. #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/7/11
The Elimination Chamber main event of Triple H v. Goldberg v. Shawn Michaels v. Chris Jericho v. Kevin Nash v. Randy Orton from SummerSlam 2003 is discussed by Jason Mann and Don Owens of Future Endeavors. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/6/11
The Rock v. Booker T from SummerSlam 2001 is reviewed by Jason Mann and Thomas Holzerman of The Wrestling Blog. They also discussion the highs and lows of the Invasion storyline and the general weirdness of 2001 in wrestling. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/5/11
The Rock v. Triple H v. Kurt Angle from SummerSlam 2000 is discussed by Jason Mann and Joe Drilling, as well as the infamous Triple H-Angle-Stephanie McMahon love triangle storyline. This is also the 100th episode of Wrestlespective, but it really doesn't feel like any more than 93.
Original airdate: 8/3/11
Stone Cold Steve Austin v. Triple H v. Mankind (with special referee Jesse Ventura) at SummerSlam 1999 is discussed by Jason Mann and Seth Roy. They compare it to Jesse's refereeing stint at SummerSlam 1988, describe the many attempts to make Triple H into a star, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/2/11
Stone Cold Steve Austin v. The Undertaker at SummerSlam 1998 is discussed by Jason Mann and Razor of Kick-Out!! Wrestling. Join them as they take a trip on the Highway to Hell. #wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 8/1/11
The Undertaker v. Bret Hart (with special guest referee Shawn Michaels) from SummerSlam 1997 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/31/11
Shawn Michaels v. Vader at SummerSlam 1996 is discussed by Jason Mann and Mitch from PizzaBodySlam. They are still waiting for Vader to have his chance at a rematch.
Original airdate: 7/30/11
Diesel vs. King Mabel from SummerSlam 1995 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. Somehow, they end up talking about Hulk Hogan as well. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/29/11
Real Undertaker v. Fake Undertaker at SummerSlam 1994 is discussed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. Was the silent crowd in awe as Vince McMahon suggests or were they just bored? #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/28/11
Yokozuna v. Lex Luger is dissected by Jason Mann and Bill Bicknell. They also discuss ways Luger could have been less of a disappointment, and how a countout victory changed the world. #WWE #wrestling
Bret Hart v. the British Bulldog (Davey Boy Smith) from SummerSlam 1992 is reviewed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul. Where does it rate among the greatest matches in WWE history?
Original airdate: 7/26/11
Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior v. Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa (Iron Sheik) & Gen. Adnan at SummerSlam 1991 is reviewed by Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul.
Original airdate: 7/25/11
The Ultimate Warrior v. Rick Rude steel cage match at SummerSlam 1990 is reviewed by Jason Mann and Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats. Also discussed are the limitations of the Warrior character and why fans might not have connected with him as deeply as they did with Hulk Hogan. And many other asides. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Original airdate: 7/24/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens of Future Endeavors discuss WWE Money in the Bank 2011, whether it really is the greatest pay-per-view of all-time, the classic CM Punk v. John Cena match, Punk's groundbreaking story, Triple H as the new boss, Vince McMahon in tears, how to end the Christian v. Randy Orton feud, the two Money in the Bank matches, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 7/23/11
Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake v. Randy Savage & Zeus at SummerSlam 1989 is reviewed by Jason Mann and David Buckler. #wwe #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Jason Mann and Don Owens of Future Endeavors review WWE's Capitol Punishment 2011. They discuss R-Truth's insanity, how it fit into his match with John Cena, strong efforts again from Christian and Randy Orton and CM Punk and Rey Mysterio, creative storytelling in The Miz v. Alex Riley and Alberto Del Rio v. Big Show, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 6/25/11
Jason Mann talks to Graham Cawthon of The History of WWE about some of their favorite times in wrestling, discovering things of interest in match results, the challenge of keeping up with everything, and much more. #wrestling #WWE
Original airdate: 6/22/11
Discussing Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage v. Vader & Ric Flair at WCW Slamboree 1995 are Jason Mann and Bill Bicknell. They also discuss a lot of the highs and lows of WCW in the mid-1990s. Note: Unfortunately, there are some unavoidable sound-quality problems with this episode, but we hope we've made it listenable. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 6/6/11
Jason Mann and Thomas Holzerman discuss Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage (the Mega Powers) v. Ted DiBiase (Sr.) & Andre the Giant (the Mega Bucks) at SummerSlam 1988. Topics discussed include the merits of Jesse Ventura as a special referee, the similarities between DiBiase and his son, the development of the Mega Powers' saga, Elizabeth using her sex appeal for the first time, and much more. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Original airdate: 5/31/11
WWE Over The Limit 2011 gets reviewed by Jason Mann and Don Owens in this here podcast. Jason expresses shock at how much he liked Miz-John Cena I quit match; Don laments the return of SuperCena. They also discuss the fantastic Orton-Christian match, the rise of R-Truth, the end of Jerry Lawler v. Michael Cole, Sin Cara’s flippiness, Kharma and the limits of a monster villain, the legacy of Macho Man Randy Savage and more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/26/11
Scott Bowden of Kentucky Fried Rasslin talks to Jason Mann about growing up a fan of Memphis wrestling and Jerry Lawler, the formative summer of 1977, other territories in the 1980s, living every fan's dream as a manager in the mid-1990s, the Lawler-Michael Cole feud, Andy Kaufman and much more. #wrestling #rasslin #WWE #prowrestling
Original airdate: 5/13/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens recap the Extreme Rules pay-per-view and talk about Christian’s big win, the shocking Smackdown spoilers, the passionate fan reaction, John Cena as champion again, and much more.
Original airdate: 5/5/11
Jeff Hardy v. CM Punk in a TLC match is reviewed by Jason Mann and 2ndCitySaint Original airdate: 4/18/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens of Future Endeavors discuss what was good and what was not so good about WrestleMania 27, whether The Rock was used to maximum effect, how awesome Triple H and Undertaker were, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/6/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens of Future Endeavors discuss The Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 26, how it compares to their classic from the year before, and Don’s roller coaster of emotions while watching the match in person. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/2/11
Jason Mann and Mitch of PizzaBodySlam discuss Triple H v. Randy Orton at WrestleMania 25, the very good and very bad storytelling heading into the match, and how self-restrictions kept this from being a cathartic good time (and maybe killed the crowd). #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 4/1/11
Jason Mann and Seth Roy discuss Edge v. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 24 and their somewhat forgotten yet epic feud. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/31/11
Jason Mann and Razor of Kick-Out!! Wrestling discuss John Cena v. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 23, where it ranks among the great WrestleMania matches, and Razor’s experiences attending the show in person. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/30/11
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul discuss John Cena v. Triple H at WrestleMania 22, how much thought WWE put into the entrances, and exactly how obnoxious the Chicago crowd was. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/29/11
Jason Mann and Razor from Kick-Out!! Wrestling discuss Triple H v. Batista at WrestleMania 21, how WWE is always in the here and now, whether Motorhead stole a bit of Batista's thunder, and WWE moving on to a new generation of stars. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/28/11
Jason Mann and Mitch from PizzaBodySlam discuss Triple H v. Shawn Michaels v. Chris Benoit at WrestleMania 20, how the match fits within the longtime HHH-Michaels story, and how it feels to watch the match years after the Benoit murder-suicide. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/27/11
Jason Mann and Seth Roy discuss Kurt Angle v. Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 19, how it is different from any main event in WrestleMania history, and why that's both good and bad. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/26/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens of Future Endeavors discuss Chris Jericho v. Triple H at WrestleMania 18, whether any match could have possibly followed The Rock v. Hulk Hogan, and why the buildup didn't quite click.
WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/25/11
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss The Rock v. Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 17, how Austin's heel turn was a turning point for WWE, whether Vince McMahon should have been involved and where the match ranks among the all-time classics. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/24/11
Wrestlespective Radio continues discussing the final matches in WrestleMania history. Jason Mann and Seth Roy talk about The Rock v. Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 15 and what drugs the director manning the replay booth must have been on. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/22/11
Jason Mann and Mitch from PizzaBodySlam talk about Shawn Michaels v. Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14, what Mike Tyson added to the mix, and whether Austin’s moment of victory felt suitably climactic. #wwe #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/21/11
Wrestlespective Radio continues discussing the final matches in WrestleMania history. Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul debate whether Sid v. Undertaker at WrestleMania 13 is the worst main event in WrestleMania history and talk about why early 1997 was such a strange time in WWE. #wrestling #WWE
Original airdate: 3/20/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens talk about the Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels iron man match at WrestleMania 12 and why it might not be the classic it is often touted to be. #WWE #wrestling
Jason Mann and Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats discuss Bam Bam Bigelow v. NFL legend Lawrence Taylor and somehow get off on a tangent about Mick Foley's greatness as well. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/18/11
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss Yokozuna v. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 10 and one of the best post-match celebrations of all time. #WWE #wrestling #wrestlemania
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul talk about Bret Hart v. Yokozuna at WrestleMania 9 and Hulk Hogan obnoxiously swooping in to save the day. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 3/16/11
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul discuss WrestleMania 8's final match of Hulk Hogan v. (Sycho) Sid Justice and why WWE didn't have Hogan v. Ric Flair instead.
Original airdate: 3/15/11
Jason Mann and Sawyer Paul discuss Sgt. Slaughter v. Hulk Hogan, the main event of WrestleMania 7, and the fascinating ways WWE exploited the Gulf War.
Original airdate: 3/14/11
Jason Mann and Fat Man After Dark discuss Hulk Hogan v. Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania 6 and ponder why the Warrior wasn't a huge success as champion, among other topics. #wwe #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat examine what happens exactly when Mega Powers start colliding.
Original airdate: 3/12/11
Jason Mann and David Buckler recount the WrestleMania 4 tournament and final of Macho Man Randy Savage v. The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Jason Mann and Razor discuss Hulk Hogan v. Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 3. Does this legendary match live up to the hype?
Original airdate: 3/10/11
Jason Mann and Fat Man After Dark discuss Hulk Hogan v. King Kong Bundy in a steel cage from WrestleMania 2. #WWE #wrestling #rasslin #prowrestling
Original airdate: 3/9/11
Part one of a conversation betweenJason Mann and Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats covers Survivor Series 1990, the Old School Raw, Roddy Piper’s wonderful emotional promo, Batista trying MMA, how UFC overtook WWE, lack of stars in today’s wrestling, WWE production, the greatness of Howard Finkel, how nostalgia colors opinions, the politics of the WWE Top 50 Superstars of All Time list, fan apathy because of overexposure and overscripting, the Internet’s role in shaping wrestling and MMA, concussions in combat sports, and how Mick Foley can still be coherent.
Original airdate: 3/6/11
Jason Mann and Black Cat of Flair Chop Illustrated: Old School Wrestling Podcast put aside their very serious wrestling podcast war to discuss their favorite times in pro wrestling and then pore over the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards and share their picks for the best and worst of 2010. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 3/6/11
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat are back recapping the December 1995 episodes of WWF Raw and WCW Nitro, plus In Your House 5 and Starrcade. Topics discussed include: the deliberative nature of the WCW Executive Committee, whether wrestlers of the 1990s had better fundamentals than today’s workers, the endless bickering between Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Sting and Lex Luger, the baffling protection of Bob Backlund, the baffling lack of protection for Savage, the power of Hogan’s mustache, how Xanta Claus ruined Christmas, the greatness of Bret Hart vs. Davey Boy Smith, wondering where all these fine Japanese fellows came from, testing the limits of how many times Jason can say “spoiler alert” and four words that will change you life: “Tell Me A Lie.” And, as you might imagine, much more.
Original airdate: 3/6/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens discuss Elimination Chamber 2011, which included a near-certain match of the year candidate and some fun surprises. They also discuss the Jerry Lawler-Miz saga, Undertaker's and Triple H's returns, what fans' expectations for The Rock should be, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 2/23/11
Jason Mann and Don Owens of the Future Endeavors podcast discuss Royal Rumble 2011, the 40-man Rumble, what they expect out of Elimination Chamber and Wrestlemania, and debate whether fans deserve to see The Rock in a WWE ring again. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 2/3/11
Jason Mann talks to K Sawyer Paul for the very first time, about pro wrestling as an artform, C.M. Punk’s brilliance, rushed WWE storytelling, TNA’s concussion angle, acting as Fake Vince, plus some great matches that all coincidentally went nowhere: Raven v. Chris Jericho at Halloween Havoc 1998, Ric Flair & Arn Anderson v. Steve Austin & Brian Pillman at Clash of the Champions 23, Hulk Hogan v. Lex Luger from the 8/4/1997 Nitro, and the Stone Cold Steve Austin v. Triple H epic at No Way Out 2001. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 1/26/11
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat go back to the (metaphorical) mailbag and tackle some pressing matters in the world of professional wrestling. They discuss why Shawn Michaels might not be the greatest of all time after all, unpopular opinions we might have about wrestling, greatest entrances, whether tag teams can be relevant today, what specifically Jason doesn’t like about ECW, what TNA is doing right these days, which wrestlers might move up or down in 2011, WWE’s insistence on sticking with theme pay-per-views and much, much more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 1/20/11
Don Owens and Jason Mann discuss TLC 2010, including the great John Morrison v. Sheamus ladder match, the merits of a non-title main event, whether Morrison is or ever shall be a good professional wrestler, the overall John Cena v. Nexus story, the best and worst moments of 2010, and favorite past TLC and ladder matches..
Originally published: 12/21/10
Jason Mann and Seth Roy review Randy Savage v. Junkyard Dog in the finals of The Wrestling Classic. They recount the best and worst of the 16-man tournament, marvel at Savage’s ability to draw heat, discuss the difference in perception between the WWE and Intercontinental titles at the time, the relaxed commentary of Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura and Mean Gene Okerlund, and much more. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Originally published: 12/11/10
Jason Mann and Razor discuss War Games from WrestleWar 1991, the good and bad in wrestling websites, whether WWE is really unfairly treated in the mainstream media, dealing with the negativity, being a young WWE fan in the 1980s, finding WCW and ECW in the 1990s, why it’s hard to watch TNA in 2010, Hulk Hogan v. Andre the Giant from Wrestlemania 3, whether John Cena is a good candidate to break Undertaker’s Wrestlemania win streak, greatness of Brian Pillman, Randy Orton v. Chris Jericho from Armageddon 2007, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 12/3/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss the brief but wild AWA Champion Rick Martel v. Stan Hansen at Superclash 1 on 9/28/1985, the atmosphere at Comiskey Park, Martel’s abilities as a babyface, answering the challenge of the WWF, the loaded card, Verne Gagne’s relationship with the NWA, Hansen’s falling out with the AWA, and more. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Originally published: 11/30/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat talk more about TNA’s failings coming out of Turning Point (though they could apply to just about any TNA pay-per-view), just how disappointing the Bischoff-Hogan regime has been, comparisons between Vince Russo and M. Night Shyamalan, why wrestlers sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees, how the argument that outsiders can’t understand the wrestling business is completely faulty, and how “This is Awesome” chants and the like from fans ruin the fun for everyone. Then they talk about a recommended Chikara match, Mike Quackenbush v. Claudio Castagnoli from Negative Balance (8/13/2005), on the Best of Chikara DVD. #WWE #TNA #wrestling
Originally published: 11/26/10
Don Owens and Jason Mann discuss Survivor Series 2010, The Miz’s big WWE Championship win, John Cena’s firing from WWE and how he could eventually return, whether WWE is too averse to risk, the outlook for the next TLC pay-per-view, WWE’s recent firings, how much Triple H could have left, next week’s King of the Ring, another season of NXT, the Ezekiel Jackson push, our favorite entrance themes and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 11/23/10
Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats talks to Jason Mann about Stone Cold Steve Austin v. Dude Love at Over the Edge 1998, frustrating continuity errors in wrestling and the constant shifting of Kane’s back story, Shawn Michaels v. The Undertaker Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood 1997, skillful podcast segues, Team WCW v. Team NWO War Games at Fall Brawl 1996, WCW’s good times and bad, the disappointing Hulk Hogan v. Sting match at Starrcade 1997, how big of a difference that made in the demise of WCW, Goldberg’s time in WCW and WWE, the infamous Brock Lesnar v. Goldberg match at Wrestlemania 20, the potential of unifying the WWE and World titles, considering ways to turn John Cena heel, whether the Undertaker should remain undefeated at Wrestlemania, the attractiveness of various championship belts, whether The Miz will successfully cash in Money in the Bank, developing concrete characters in 2010 in wrestling, why many MMA fans despise pro wrestling, why ignoring the connection between the two is silly, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 11/19/10
Jason Mann and Seth Roy talk about the buildup to the show, the incredible depth of talent in 1987, how much fans loved Randy Savage and hated the Honky Tonk Man, the awesome Jumping Bomb Angels, the less awesome Fabulous Moolah, women who can wrestle but don’t look like models, the breathtaking 37-minute 10-team tag match, why Hulk Hogan might not want to trust Paul Orndorff, Jesse Ventura’s contradictions the beginning of the Survivor Series cop-out finishes, and the incredible reaction to Bam Bam Bigelow.
Originally published: 11/17/10
It’s time again to dig into the mailbag (or the Twitter equivalent) with Wrestlespective’s Jason Mann and Josh Hachat as they discuss a random assortment of topics, including: which women’s wrestler has the most provocative Twitter picture, worst gimmick matches ever, best Intercontinental title match at Summerslam, the best way unify the WWE and World titles, why Diesel was doomed to fail as the next Hulk Hogan, the most pointless titles in wrestling history, why a studio used to be a great atmosphere for a wrestling show, poor promotion of pay-per-views, lack of good women’s wrestling, the Hart Dynasty breakup and more.
Originally published: 11/15/10
WWE’s list of top 50 wrestlers (sorry -- superstars) of all time has been released for its upcoming DVD, and boy some of the choices are kind of baffling. While it’s not worth getting mad about in any way, Jason Mann and Josh Hachat break down the top 50, try to comprehend what criteria could justify the list, consider what kind of political effects influenced the choices, debate which wrestlers were overlooked, who was ranked too high or low or not at all, why Hulk Hogan v. Bruno Sammartino debates need context, and why no one is qualified to call anyone the greatest wrestler of all time.
Originally published: 11/15/10
Mitch of PIZZABODYSLAM and host Jason Mann talk about trying to create a distinctive voice in the wrestling blogosphere, defending the ugly new TNA belt, massive love for 1997 WWF, how the stigma of being a wrestling fan has changed, best iron-man matches, excitement of attending Ring of Honor shows, getting into the independent style, dealing with chant-happy crowds, the joy of a great live crowd, having an arm on the cover of a DVD, the missed opportunity that was TNA, the badness of Jeff Jarrett, and the following matches:
-Bret Hart v. The Undertaker, Summerslam 1997
-Edge & Christian v. The Dudleys v. The Hardys, Wrestlemania 2000
-John Cena v. Randy Orton, WWE Bragging Rights 2009
-Bryan Danielson v. Claudio Castagnoli, ROH Northern Navigation 2008
-Samoa Joe v. A.J. Styles v. Christopher Daniels, TNA Unbreakable 2005
Original airdate: 11/12/10
WWE #wrestling
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss Hulk Hogan & Mr. T v. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff at Wrestlemania 1, Hogan’s first year as champion, Mr. T’s importance in the popularization of the WWF, the War to Settle the Score and the rock-and-wrestling connection, Piper’s unmatched ability to be hated, Orndorff’s perpetual underratedness and more. #wrestling #WWE #prowrestling #rasslin
Originally published: 11/8/10
Jason Mann and Seth Roy discuss Ric Flair v. Dusty Rhodes at Starrcade 1984: The Million Dollar Challenge, the awesome promos that set up the match, Dusty as a preacher, Flair straddling the line between face and heel, whether the quest for one million dollars worked as a story, the Mid-Atlantic territory’s evolution into WCW, Joe Frazier as a referee, Kyle Petty as a seemingly unnecessary ringside judge and more. #WWE #wrestling #prowrestling #rasslin
Originally published: 11/5/10
Seth Roy shares his thoughts on Mick Foley’s Countdown to Lockdown and the new Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 video game. Then he and Jason Mann answer reader questions about Raw’s mystery general manager, Sting’s future in wrestling and how he might fare in WWE, Harley Race’s king gimmick and more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 11/2/10
Jason Mann talks to Thomas Holzerman about his love for Chikara, covering independent wrestling and attending shows, why WWE pay-per-view business is declining, why nostalgia almost never works, learning from WCW’s failures, how TNA could be successful, the merits of wrestling as sport vs. entertainment, pushing non-wrestlers in prominent roles, promotions catering to the Internet crowd, whether the Beer Money-Motor City Machine Guns best-of-five series was a success, WWE’s lack of recent breakthrough stars and much, much more. They also discuss Tom’s evolution as a wrestling fan and some of his favorite matches:
-Ultimate Warrior v. Randy Savage, Wrestlemania 7
-Chris Jericho v. Pit Bull No. 2, Hardcore Heaven 1996
-The Rock v. Hulk Hogan, Wrestlemania 18
-Young Bucks v. CIMA & Susumu Yokosuka, Dragon Gate USA No. 1
Originally published: 11/1/10
Kevin Sullivan, author of “The WWE Championship,” and Wrestlespective’s Jason Mann talk about the evolution of the title and how its value has changed over the years, fascinating stories from past champions such as the Iron Sheik, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Sid and Sgt. Slaughter, overlooked champions, Kevin’s tenure at WWE.com for a decade, experiences working under Vince McMahon, his first memories of pro wrestling and his favorite wrestlers, matches and moments. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 10/29/10
Special guest Don Owens and Jason Mann look ahead to Survivor Series 2010 with Wade Barrett v. Randy Orton with John Cena as referee, talk about their favorite moments of Survivor Series past, express frustrations at pay-per-views with few announced matches, and answer questions from Twitter regarding Santino Marella’s push, how to best use the Undertaker, who might win the Royal Rumble, and more.
Originally published: 10/27/10
Special guest Don Owens of the Future Endeavors and Jason Mann discuss the fallout from Bragging Rights 2010, the Brock Lesnar v. Cain Velasquez UFC fight, the strange staredown between Lesnar and the Undertaker and some ideas of how WWE could take advantage of that buzz, whether an MMA v. WWE feud could work, what to do with Undertaker when he returns from the grave (again), why Wade Barrett won’t just make John Cena wear the Nexus T-shirt already, the great Daniel Bryan v. Dolph Ziggler matches and how WWE could follow up, whether Edge and Randy Orton can be effective babyfaces and much more. There is also a “Crossfire”-style debate (minus the yelling) over the Stand Up For WWE campaign, whether WWE has effectively answered legitimate criticisms and whether WWE has received enough credit for the good it has done.
Originally published: 10/26/10
Jason Mann talks with David Buckler about how women’s wrestling is treated in WWE and TNA, the source of David’s love for Beth Phoenix, Internet fans’ attitudes toward Michelle McCool, the Beautiful People’s dominance in TNA, the days of Awesome Kong and Gail Kim, Mickie James in TNA, memories of Saturday Night’s Main Event and classic Wrestlemanias, the awesome WWF tag teams in the late 1980s, whether wrestling is more fun the less you know, the Randy Savage and Elizabeth saga, the failure of the WCW invasion in 2001, the rise of The Miz, the Undertaker refusing to break character, Santino Marella and how WWE ruins a good joke, Beth Phoenix v. Michelle McCool at Extreme Rules 2010, the Strike Force v. Hart Foundation tag title change in 1987, and Honky Tonk Man v. Randy Savage at Saturday Night’s Main Event No. 12, which was the first meeting of the Mega Powers.
Originally published: 10/22/10
Jason Mann has a few things he needs to get off his chest regarding the insipid and insulting Stand Up For WWE campaign. He and Josh Hachat discuss that, plus the WWE.com list of 25 best talkers that ranks John Cena ahead of Dusty Rhodes, rumors that Matt Hardy will start his own dirtsheet, explaining why its pointless to fret over TNA because it is highly unlikely they will ever get a clue, and remembering the good times in WCW.
Originally published: 10/21/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss three of Mick Foley’s noteworthy battles in celebration of Five Days of Foley:
-Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne v. the Nasty Boys, WCW Spring Stampede 1994
-Cactus Jack & Raven v. Tommy Dreamer & Terry Funk, ECW November to Remember 1995
-Mankind v. The Rock, WWF Monday Night Raw, 1/4/99
Originally published: 10/21/10
WWE #wrestling #MickFoley
Wrestlespective digs into the mailbag to answer some questions from listeners. Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss how the X Division can be saved, unresolved wrestling storylines like Samoa Joe’s kidnapping, the WCW Hummer driver and Baby Doll’s photos, poorly resolved angles like Austin’s attack or the Higher Power, what wrestlers have the best and worst punches, why vehicle-related angles always seem so hokey, whether Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair should ever be on the same side, how many factions is too many and more.
Originally published: 10/15/10
Jason Mann and Seth Roy discuss Flair’s oddly dismissive attitude toward his first NWA title reign, NWA politics of the 1980s, Mid-Atlantic as the new power center of the NWA, Race putting a bounty on Flair’s head, the angle in which Bob Orton and Dick Slater injure Flair’s neck, Flair’s wild return from retirement and awesome promo, the press conference announcing Greensboro as the site of Starrcade, the sports-event feel of the crowd, referee Gene Kiniski as a distraction and the greatness of the match itself. #wwe #prowrestling
Originally published: 10/13/10
Jason Mann talks to Don Owens about Don’s 16-year streak of not missing a WWE pay-per-view, memories of attending Wrestlemania 26, love for Big Daddy Cool, watching Brock Lesnar, John Cena and Randy Orton before they were stars, and meeting the super-nice Rico Constantino. Jason and Don also discuss Hell in a Cell 2010, the storytelling possibilities of John Cena in Nexus, how to jazz up Bragging Rights, the best and worst themed pay-per-views, the possibilities of John Morrison, and whether 2010 fans will unite behind a top babyface. They also talk in detail about some of Don’s favorite matches:
-Shawn Michaels v. Diesel, In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies (4/28/96)
-Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock, Summerslam 2002 (8/25/02)
-Shawn Michaels v. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania 25 (4/5/09)
-Shawn Michaels v. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania 26 (3/28/10)
Originally published: 10/6/10
WWE #wrestling
Jason Mann interviews Jon Waldman about SLAM! Wrestling’s origins in the late 1990s, Jon’s experiences interviewing Chris Jericho, Jericho’s “Breaking the Code” DVD and great moments in his career, some key differences in wrestling between 2010 and the 1980s, Jon’s first memories as a wrestling fan, Davey Boy Smith’s legacy, Jim Cornette’s influence, Michael Hayes’ time in WWE, how TV overexposure has changed wrestling, Shawn Michaels’ early career, the WWE Smackdown Six era in 2002, memories of ECW, long matches on TV, philosophy of hardcore wrestling, So Cal Val and TNA, and more. They also go through some of Jon’s favorite matches:
-Bret Hart v. Davey Boy Smith, WWF In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings, 12/17/95
-Thrillseekers (Chris Jericho & Lance Storm) v. Heavenly Bodies, SMW Night of the Legends, 8/5/94
-Shawn Michaels v. Kurt Angle, WWE Wrestlemania 21, 4/3/05
-Rob Van Dam v. Jerry Lynn, ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999, 5/16/99
Originally published: 9/30/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann discuss some intriguing and generally fun matches involving big men facing off against other big men:
-Diesel (Kevin Nash) v. The Undertaker, WWE Wrestlemania 12, 3/31/96
-Sid v. Goldberg, WCW Halloween Havoc, 10/14/99
-Andre the Giant & Hulk Hogan v. Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy, Saturday Night’s Main Event No. 3, 11/2/85
-Albert v. Kane, WWE Smackdown, 6/14/01 and 6/28/01
Originally published: 9/28/10
WWE #wrestling
Jason Mann is joined by Seth Roy for a marathon show talking about the likely matches at the next WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, the Smackdown and Raw spoilers, the merits of blood in cage matches and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Then Jason and Seth discuss the following Hell in a Cell matches in depth before sharing their memories of the remaining 16 (at least the ones they’ve seen):
-Brock Lesnar v. The Undertaker, WWE No Mercy, 10/20/02
-Batista v. Triple H, WWE Vengeance, 6/26/05
-Steve Austin v. Kurt Angle v. The Rock v. Triple H v. The Undertaker v. Rikishi, WWE Armageddon, 12/10/00
Originally published: 9/24/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann answer your questions and discuss who “they” might be in TNA, being perversely interested in Bound For Glory and the end of the Hogan-Bischoff era, how to give the WWE tag-team division a lift, why Internet fans don’t like the Hardy Boys, our philosophy on defending championships and making them meaningful, how to keep main eventers busy when they are out of the title picture, Jason’s snarky comments about the ROH title, the WWE’s ban on somas, wellness issues and more. We also make some hacky Matt Hardy weight jokes; nobody is perfect. Speaking of which, thanks to careful planning, this show was recorded before Night of Champions, which should lead to many laughs about how out of date some of our answers are. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 9/23/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat recap the January 1996 episodes of WWF Raw and WCW Nitro, plus the Royal Rumble and Clash of the Champions 32. Topics discussed include: the Raw Bowl and football puns, Billionaire Ted’s Rasslin War Room, Lord Steven Regal: a man’s man, more drama between friends Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, Sting and Lex Luger and the Dungeon of Doom and the Four Horsemen, Jeff Jarrett’s ugly outfits, Shawn Michaels returning to the building, The Ringmaster and a skinny Matt Hardy, Undertaker vs. Kane before he was Kane, the many sides of Goldust, the baffling mix of genres that is the “American Males” theme song, Vader destroying Gorilla Monsoon, a shocking world-title change, the return of the Road Warriors, the debut of the notorious P.I.G., Sunny’s sultry come-ons for Raw, Shawn Michaels’ horrible babyface obnoxiousness, Flair’s great shoe-aided triumph over Hogan, Macho Man doesn’t care what you think, and more.
Originally published: 9/17/10
WWE #wrestling
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat answer questions submitted by listeners in this edition of Wrestlespective. Topics include the new design WWE Tag Team Championship, best facial expressions, our favorite title-victory celebrations, the future of wrestling on television, whether TNA has ruined the chance for a second wrestling company to thrive, WWE after Vince McMahon, the greatest tag teams in the world, why we’re horrible wrestling fans who don’t support independent wrestling, and wondering what would happen if ESPN got involved in the wrestling business.
Originally published: 9/3/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann break down the following bouts: -Hulk Hogan (WWF) vs. The Ultimate Warrior (Intercontinental), 4/1/90 WWF Wrestlemania 6 -Rob Van Dam (Intercontinental) vs. Tommy Dreamer (Hardcore), 8/26/2002 WWE Raw -Samoa Joe (X Division) & Kurt Angle (TNA World) vs. Team 3D (Tag Team), 7/15/2007 TNA Victory Road -Triple H (WWF) vs. Tazz (ECW), 4/20/2000 WWF Smackdown -Jerry Lawler (AWA World) vs. Kerry Von Erich (World Class), October 1988 AWA on ESPN
Topics discussed include the surprising spryness of 2002 Tommy Dreamer, silliness getting in the way of an otherwise pretty good TNA match, how swell Triple H was in 2000, good guys getting nasty and why the Ultimate Warrior ended up not being a bigger success. We even rant about how wrestling titles don’t mean as much as they used to. How novel of us! Check it out! #WWE #TNA #wrestling
Originally published: 8/27/10
Josh and Jason discuss three classic grudge matches: the Terry Funk-Jerry Lawler empty arena match in Memphis from 5/9/1981, the Iron Sheik-Sgt. Slaughter boot camp battle at Madison Square Garden from 6/16/1984 and Michael P.S. Hayes, Buddy Roberts and Terry Gordy battling Kevin Von Erich, Kerry Von Erich and Mike Von Erich in Fort Worth on 7/4/1984. Topics discussed include the wonderful insanity of Terry Funk, the beautiful intensity professional wrestling used to have and how baffling the Freebirds-Von Erichs was as a choice for Wrestling Observer match of the year. #WWE #prowrestling #wrestling #rasslin
Originally published: 7/26/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann discuss this week’s “ReCW” invasion of TNA Impact, whether this version will work any better than anything TNA does, what ECW means in wrestling in 2010, what influence ECW had in the Monday Night Wars, remembering some of the best and worst moments and much more.
Originally published: 7/17/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat continue looking back at the Monday Night War between WCW and the WWF. Part 3 of our series looks at November 1995, and topics discussed include: the Shawn Michaels concussion angle, the end of Dieselmania and that tricky Bret Hart, someone besides Hulk Hogan becoming WCW champion, the “wildcard” Survivor Series, the debut of the World War 3 battle royal, the beginning of Ahmed Johnson, Hogan’s “shoot” promo on the Wrestling Observer, the end of the Renegade experiment, excellent Japanese women’s wrestling, hillbillies and their love of slop, Randy Savage’s real fake arm injury and more.
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat travel back to October 1995 and explain Hulk Hogan’s first flirtation with the dark side and continued uncontrolled ego, Bret Hart’s continuing feuds with wrestlers who were far beneath him, the Horsemen deciding to turn on Sting for old times’ sake, Diesel being chewed out by Vince McMahon after a pay-per-view main event, Shawn Michaels being beaten up by Marines for realz, when Avatar was an unpopular wrestler and not a popular movie, the Yeti, the catastrophe that is Hulk Hogan vs. the Giant at Halloween Havoc, and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/26/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat take you back to September 1995, when Hulkamania was (still) running wild over WCW and Diesel power was running WWF.
Topics of discussion include Lex Luger’s shocking debut on the first Nitro, the serendipity of Sting and Ric Flair wrestling on the first and last editions, the 1-2-3 Kid rekindling his feud with Razor Ramon, whether the Smoking Gunns’ tight jeans are better than John Cena’s jean shorts, the baffling tactic of introducing new talent only to have them immediately lose, the tremendous Ric Flair-Arn Anderson feud, whether wrestling Canadian pirates was the best use of Bret Hart’s time and much more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally published: 5/18/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann talk about Ken Shamrock’s WWE career, specifically his debut against Vader at Cold Day in Hell in 1997 and his Lions Den battle with Owen Hart at Summerslam 1998. Topics covered include: MMA’s influence on pro wrestling, making submissions believable, Jerry Lawler’s seeming disdain for UFC, missed opportunities for Shamrock, how Goldberg succeeded in WCW by adopting the shootfighting gimmick, comedic examples of pure sports builds like Vince McMahon training for the Royal Rumble or Hulk Hogan training Mean Gene Okerlund and more. #WWE #wrestling
Original airdate: 5/9/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann talk about the end of the Second Monday Night War (what a glorious struggle it was) and what TNA should do now that it has to tuck its tail back to Thursday night. We also talk about the disappointing Wrestlemania 26 buyrate and the reasons why it was disappointing. #WWE #TNA #wrestling
Originally broadcast: 5/8/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann's wide-ranging discussion on "Pure Sports Builds" focuses on Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock at WWE Summerslam 2002 and Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe at TNA Lockdown 2008. We also talk about how emphasizing wins and losses can make wrestling better, the Gary Cubeta and Larry Matysik St. Louis booking sheets discussions at 57talk.com, how sports entertainment is more passe than “rasslin,” the inflexibility of TNA and WWE, the pitfalls of automatic rematches, stellar training montages, developing in-match strategy through interviews and commentary, cutting down on nonsense and shenanigans and much, much more.
Originally broadcast: 5/6/10
Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss Wrestlemania 2000, headlined by a fatal four-way between Triple H, The Rock, Big Show and Mick Foley with a McMahon in every corner. Topics include: how too many McMahons can ruin a perfectly good thing, seeing Paul Bearer do crotch chops, watching our first Chris Benoit matches in nearly three years, how Eddie Guerrero being a perfect heel can make something out of nothing, Val Venis being the worst referee in WWE history, how nonsensical table-setting can ruin an otherwise fun ladder match, a T&A (Test and Albert) match that might have been worse than any TNA match in history, the stunning lack of sense used in the 13-man hardcore battle royal and the fact that perhaps pimpin’ might not be easy after all. A huge, overbooked cluster of a show (the Wrestlemania, not Wrestlespective) that had many puzzling things and lent itself to good discussion. #WWE #wrestling
Originally broadcast: 4/8/10
Part two of our review of the 2000 Royal Rumble. Jason Mann and Josh Hachat discuss the greatness of Mick Foley, how patience paid off with the ascension of Triple H, detailing why their street fight might be among the greatest WWE matches ever, the Royal Rumble match itself, how The Rock was really developing into the No. 1 babyface, the merits of “Ass Man” and more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally broadcast: 4/4/10
Part one of our in-depth review of Royal Rumble 2000. Jason Mann and Josh Hachat talk about one of the best debuts in WWE history, the violent tables match that helped establish the Hardys and the Dudleys, the surprising length of time it took WWE to hire models, Chyna’s terrible punches, the New Age Outlaws and the vortex of catchphrase hell and lots, lots more. #WWE #wrestling
Originally broadcast: 4/4/10
Josh Hachat and Jason Mann break down the highs and lows of Wrestlemania 26 on the first episode of Wrestlespective. We talk about the awesomeness of Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker and whether it topped last year’s Match of the Year, discuss how Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon never reached the heights we hoped it would, consider whether Edge deserves an immediate rematch with Chris Jericho, ponder why hated rivals John Cena and Batista had a straight wrestling match and concede that Randy Orton is pretty over as a babyface, even if he did make Ted DiBiase (Jr.) look like a goof.
Original airdate: 3/31/10