The Scholars briefly talk through their WrestleMania worries and plans to watch (or not watch) this year. Then they discuss Darby Allin winning the AEW World Championship on this week’s Dynamite. (3:14).

Then, they focus the rest of the program on Previewing WrestleMania 42. They discuss every match on the card, the muddy build for Cody vs. Randy Orton, the people primed for WrestleMania Moments, what to expect from John Cena hosting, whether or not the rocket will be strapped to Oba Femi coming out of Mania, and so much more! (14:50).

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The Scholars talk shop, looking at news items. They discuss Danhausen in WWE, including why his debut was not well received while his work since is beloved (02:50). Then they talk about the rumor of Brock Lesnar not wanting to lose another match until he retires, and what that means for the roster of monsters in waiting (15:27). They preview the bonkers card of Sunday’s AEW Revolution, and whether we think they will pull the trigger on Hangman being banned from the AEW Championship scene (22:24).

Then, they focus the rest of the program on the word of the day, Betrayal!. They talk about Finn Balor’s exodus from the Judgement Day and Randy Orton turning on Cody on Smackdown. Then they discuss the importance of betrayal to the creation of drama, and what makes for a deep rich betrayal in wrestling versus a lackluster one. Then they look at some of the most famous betrayals in theatre, film, and literature – and answer the question “has pro wrestling done this one before?” (31:32).

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The Scholars briefly talk about what wrestling entrance music would be great to perform at karaoke, before diving into some AEW NEWS ITEMS — mainly, the decision to move the Women’s World Title to Thekla, and the scary thought of Hangman Page not being able to challenge for the AEW Championship anymore. (03:19)

Then, they focus the rest of the program on Prognosticating the WrestleMania 42 card! They aim to break their two-years-running streak of only getting 4 matches correct. They start by discussing the matches they agreed upon, like the Punk vs. Roman as potential night 2 main event, and the joy of a Grande Americano vs Grande Americano match. Then they transition to the difficulty in booking the WWE Championship match with all the moving parts and potential players involved. They get into a lot of “Box Talk” and “Masked Man” talks, and try to determine if Gunther can afford to lose a match and still maintain his legend killer gimmick. And finally, they attempt to round out the card with matches that are believable but still get as many big names on the show. (19:50).

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The Scholars hunker down from the impending snowpocalypse and talk about some recent news items. They talk about the TNA Impact on AMC debut and how to move forward (8:00), the AJ Styles vs. Gunther match booked for Royal Rumble and the impending doom of AJ’s retirement (in WWE or elsewhere…) (18:00), and then they debate whether AEW’s wrestlers have moved up/down the card in the past few years or if Bryan Alvarez’s claim that there’s stasis is valid (24:45).

Then, they focus the rest of the program on the word of the day; Transitional Champion. They talk about the pejorative usage of the phrase, and how the idea of transitional champions came from early WWE Championship title reign patterns. They debate the importance of title reign length and title defense numbers in determining a transitional champion, and whether you can call someone transitional in real time or only after the fact. They talk through some notoriously good and bad examples of transitional champions. Finally, the scholars settle on a new definition and Tyler acts as judge on a handful of past examples of title changes, labeling who is and isn’t a transitional champ (31:30).

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After some chitchat about New Year’s Eve and Stranger Things (01:50) The Scholars start by talking through John Cena’s Last Match. They talk about the difference in their opinions in the moment versus with some time to think it over, the controversial finish to the match, the intention to the very theatrical story at the heart of the match, the pomp and circumstance to the whole evening, and little details that rubbed Andrew the wrong way. Then, they discuss the retirement tour as a whole, things they would change, and what’s next for John Cena. (10:00)

Finally, it’s time for the New Year’s Wrestle-utions. They talk about what the bookers Triple H and Tony Khan should focus on in 2026, what is in store for New Japan on the eve of Tanahashi’s retirement, the crazy thing Tyler said about Mercedes Mone, and what is to be done about the state of (checks notes) Wrestler’s Necks! (46:55).

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The Scholars start by talking about the European Championship and Andrew attending tonight’s Full Gear PPV.

Then, they check in on John Cena’s Retirement Tour. They talk through the remaining wrestlers in the Last Time is Now tournament, speculate about who will replace Sheamus, and take a live look at how expensive tickets are for Cena’s last match (10:40)

Then, the Scholars pivot to our mini-word of the day; Grand Slam Champions. They talk about the different title paths needed to be a Grand Slam champ, the way this accolade is used by WWE in the periphery, what wrestling can take from EGOTs or Golf Grand Slams, and determine what the criteria should be for an AEW Grand Slam (26:21).

Finally, it’s time for the Full Gear 2025 Preview. They talk about the trend of assigning cash prizes to matches in AEW, whether Moxley/O’Reilly or Brodido/FTR will steal the show, if Mercedes Mone will win the big one, whether Hangman is going to do a moonsault off the cage, and if Briscoe joining the Don Callis Family would be giant buyer’s remorse. (47:15).

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The Scholars start by opening a pack of WCW Trading Cards from 1991! The question isn’t whether Andrew will draw a Ric Flair card, but how many Ric Flairs will he draw. (05:40)

Then, the Scholars pivot to taking news items. They contemplate the serious implications on AEW of a Warner Brothers Sale, discuss the strange Andrade Contract situation, debate if CM Punk of Jey Uso should be the next WHC, and speculate what a Broken Hardyz match looks like in 2025. (18:00).

Then, it’s time for the Word of the Day: Tournaments. They talk about the machinations and multiple storylines that can be mined within a bracket format, run through predictions for the upcoming tournament to crown the first AEW Women’s Tag Champions, run through wrestling history to talk about tournaments that worked or didn’t work, and then pitch some new wacky tournament ideas (48:45).

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The Scholars start by briefly talking about, (checks notes) the etymology of the word “palooza” (01:10)

Then, the Scholars pivot to taking listener questions from the Kayfabe Mailbag. They start with questions about the future head of WWE creative, the status of “kayfabe” in 2025, and the underwhelming launch of ESPN Unlimited (06:54).

Then, they pivot to a series of questions about WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia, AEW’s response to this, and the overall TKO strategy of making money over keeping ticket prices affordable for families (27:23).

Next, they discuss nostalgia filled weeks of tv with NXT Homecoming and AEW from the ECW Arena (46:10).

And finally, they answer a series of questions about today’s double big-event day with AEW All Out & WWE WrestlePalooza (55:53).

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The Scholars start by briefly talking about SummerSlam this weekend, and what is in store for the two night event. (06:00)

Then, the Scholars pivot to the life of the late Hulk Hogan. They try to correctly explain the legacy and impact he had on professional wrestling as an industry and art form while also holding in their hands the flaws of Terry Bollea. They talk about the amazing timing his return to WWF had in the lead up to WrestleMania 1, the disappointing and now final appearance of his career at the Netflix Raw Premiere, and all of the highs and lows in between — including obits and comments from various people in the wrestling industry. (13:06)

They close their episode by breaking out the Tony Atlas Truth Index to, lovingly, revisit some of our favorite wild claims that Hogan said in interviews over the years. What band did Hogan almost play bass for? What other sports star was too afraid to fight Hogan in WCW? Wait, how many days did Hulk say he wrestled in a calendar year??? (59:55)

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The Scholars start by briefly talking about how they approached this mammoth Saturday of wrestling (spoiler alert; one Scholar elected to see Weird Al in concert instead) then they get into reviewing AEW ALL IN 2025 while touching on Saturday Night’s Main Event. They talk through the nitpicks of the length of the show and missed opportunities in some entrances/pacing of Omega/Okada V, but highlight the strength of the four main event matches. They also speculate the difficulties of producing the Saturday Night’s Main Event card in the wake of Seth Rollins’ injury, and discuss how Bill Goldberg did in his retirement match. They also touch on Adam Cole’s surprise retirement, Cope’s return, and Tyler’s new favorite female wrestler. (01:00)

Then, the Scholars pivot to the Word of the Day: Counterprogramming. They discuss the origins of the practice within wrestling and the past battles between WWF and JCP/WCW. They also talk about counterprogramming in a larger media landscape, mentioning the battle for attention during the Super Bowl halftime show, some strange feuds in Brazilian soap operas, and reverse counterprogramming or “burning off” an unwanted TV show. (50:00)

They close their episode with a discussion about all the recent counterprogramming on WWE’s part, how this has effected the potential success of WWE Evolution, and whether there is a way to do this ethically. (1:06:55)

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The Scholars start by briefly talking about Hangman’s Spanish promo, John Cena’s pipebomb and upcoming match with CM Punk, and the possibility of a Ron Killings World Title run (01:00)

Then, the Scholars dedicate the rest of the episode to their Top 10 Matches and Wrestlers of 2024-2025. They begin by running down the criteria for the voting and why we think of the wrestling calendar this way. Then they get into the lists:

Top 10 Matches of the Year (10:50)
Top 10 Wrestlers of the Year (58:15)

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VOTE HERE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $50 PRO WRESTLING TEES GIFT CARD!!!

POLLS CLOSE JUNE 13th, 2025

Text Link: https://forms.gle/vC43KmwGgqGukoLk6

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from internet journalism, it’s that everyone loves a list EVEN if they tell you otherwise. With that in mind, we’ve tried to make a respectable list of the best matches and wrestlers each wrestling calendar year, as voted on by the hosts of the podcast and the fans of the podcast.

While other “best of” wrestling lists tend to be promotion-based, or lean heavily on kayfabe strength (like the illustrious PWI 500), the aim of the Much Ado About Wrestling best of lists is to provide a clear picture of who and what was successful critically at the time in wrestling. Who were the big stars? What were the biggest moments? Who took the biggest creative swings? What were the technical classics? All are represented on our lists.

A note about the wrestling calendar: with no off-season in pro wrestling and multiple global promotions, it’s hard to delineate when a year of wrestling truly begins and ends. In this spirit, we mark the beginning of each “wrestling year” at the Monday after WrestleMania, and ending at the conclusion of the following WrestleMania.

Why do we do this? Simply because it’s the largest show from the largest promotion, and one where various storylines build up to and conclude at. It’s the cleanest version of a season finale, a championship game, a gold-medal event as we are going to get.

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VOTING IS OPEN FOR OUR ANNUAL TOP 10 WRESTLERS/MATCHES OF THE YEAR!

VOTE HERE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $50 PRO WRESTLING TEES GIFT CARD!!!

POLLS CLOSE JUNE 7TH, 2025

Text Link: https://forms.gle/vC43KmwGgqGukoLk6

The Scholars start by talking about married life, followed by recent Wrestling Surprises — did the right man win in Hangman vs. Ospreay? Should an NXT Wrestler be TNA Champion? Why is WrestleMania 42 going to moving from New Orleans to Las Vegas? (01:00)

Then, the Scholars dedicate the rest of the episode to their Bold Predictions. They begin by grading last year’s predictions (one scholar is on the honor roll while the other is flunking out), then go through guesses on next first time world champions and “same face, new place” candidates for the year. Finally, they count down their 5 most bold predictions; Where do the scholars think Dom Mysterio might get his first World Title? Who does Tyler have coming out of retirement to try to break a record!? And wait, why are our scholars talking about Vince McMahon and what directly opposing predictions do they have about him!?!?!?!? (28:01)

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The Scholars set the clock for 30 minutes and discuss their hot takes immediately following the end of Cody vs. John Cena in the night 2 main event of WrestleMania 41. They discuss the fall out of both main events, the surprises (Becky Lynch, Joe Hendry, the Steve Austin ATV Wreck!), the highlights and lowlights, what might be next for the Raw after Mania, and whether or not Andrew was right with his wild prediction of LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu being the match of the weekend. (01:00)

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The Scholars start things off with some chatter about Triple H’s interview comments this week and WrestleMania being on Easter – then a John Cena Heel Turn Press Conference where Tyler delivers a prepared statement, then answers follow-up questions about how the long awaited John Cena heel turn has gone. (09:06)

Then, the Scholars dedicate the rest of the episode to previewing the WrestleMania card. Which match did Andrew say was going to be the match of the week? What does Tyler think will be the final image of WrestleMania? What are the myriad of options that the Scholars cooked up for competitors to answer Randy Orton’s open challenge? Why was Raw Roulette mentioned!? (20:30)

Finally, very briefly, the Scholars attempt to redeem themselves from their poor WrestleMania prognosticating by breaking down the card for next month’s Backlash PLE! (1:27:45)

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The Scholars start things off by talking through Elimination Chamber, the number of matches on the card, what the card order will be, how long will the segment over Cody’s Soul be, and what is going on with The Rock in general? (03:06)

Then, the Scholars dedicate the rest of the episode to predicting the WrestleMania card. They’ve got to save face after a historically bad run of predictions last year. They start with the two hardest decisions, who faces Cody and who faces Logan Paul, and they end with trying to figure out which WWE Championships get left off the card and how to fit in multiple women’s division storylines into 2 or 3 matches. (20:05)

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The Scholars start things off by giving their reactions to the 2025 Royal Rumble. They start with the winners, the eventful final minutes of the men’s rumble, and the long betting odds. They also talk their favorite performers and pops from the night (Chelsea Green, Alexa Bliss, Bron spearing people!), and John Cena’s amazing media scrum promo. Finally, they look ahead to Elimination Chamber and chat about the rumble bottomline news ticker. (02:20)

Then, the Scholars dedicate the rest of the episode to the history of Wrestling Eras. They take us from the Golden Era all the way to today, looking at the characteristics of each other and what storyline and outside factors should be remembered as the first/last moments of each era. They close this out by talking about the latest era we’re entering now, who we think will define it, and what could possibly happen down the line to END this era.(37:05)

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The Scholars start things off with some quick discussion of the new streaming era of wrestling with AEW’s launch on MAX and the contraction of WWE content from Peacock, and highlight the recent AEW and New Japan barrage of shows including World’s End, WrestleKingdom, and Wrestle Dynasty.(03:15)

Then, it’s time to look at the three “debut” episodes of RAW in its history of changing networks. They look at the very first episode of RAW on USA in 1993 – running down what WWE programming was like before Raw, who and why was Rob Bartlett there, and what glimpses of success were in that pilot. Then they move on to the cash grab move to TNN in 2000, and how that revolved around Steve Austin playing detective to try to find out who ran him over with a car 10 months prior. And finally, they look at Raw Homecoming from 2005, with the move back to USA, a reliance on legends segment, and the Raw vs. Smackdown of it all. (19:30)

Finally, the scholars talk about the history of RAW’s theme music and build expectations for the first Netflix Raw. They talk about which matches on the card should open or close, how and why the aesthetics might change, and whether John Cena will be appearing and who he should first feud with on his retirement tour. (57:24)

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The Scholars start things off with the “now” heard round the world! Big E returned to RAW to help get Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods back on the same page, and he succeeded! But at what cost!?(06:30)

Then, it’s time for the career retrospective of The New Day. What makes them the most atypical (and best?) tag team in WWE history? What are our favorite moments of their story, and how did they manage to turn bad ideas into good ideas. What kind of value do they have going forward and is their success repeatable? (24:43)

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The Scholars start things off by exploring all the hypothetical positives and negatives for WWE’s latest recruiting program, WWE ID – which gives a pipeline from the Indies to WWE. They try to parse corporate speak to determine what “financial opportunities” and “mentorship” mean, while contemplating what doors could open and close for any wrestler who signs one of these deals. (04:00)

Then, it’s time for the Word of the Day: Independent Wrestling. They try to differentiate the indies from the territories, talk about incidents that birthed the indies like the NJ Athletic Commission deregulation and the creation of Ring Of Honor through RF Video, and go through the ins and outs of how to stand out as an indy promotion in a crowded landscape. (36:00)

Finally, the scholars come back to everyone’s new favorite segment, the Tony Atlas Truth Index, looking at the truthfulness of some comments about WWE ID from indy promoters, wrestling journalists, and QT Marshall. Plus, Bully Ray said what!? (1:01:50)

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The Scholars start things off with a new segment, The Tony Atlas Truth Index. They go through statements and designate how truthful they are, such as CM Punk and Drew’s Hell in a Cell match deserved five stars, it is ethical to add injury time to a wrestler’s expiring contract, and The Rock won’t be on the WrestleMania card this year. (04:15)

Then, it’s time for a post mortem on the six part Netflix documentary series Mr. McMahon. They share their initial reactions to watching the documentary, the ethical and non-ethical ways the documentary approached editing & showing a filmmaker’s point-of-view, and what to do when your documentary subject doesn’t want to open up in their interviews. They also discuss what the main questions of the doc are, and if it is successful in answering them. They talk about the most juicy bits from Vince’s statute of limitations remark, Phil Mushnick calling Vince a scumbag, Richard Belzer getting choked out, Stephanie McMahon getting the bad news about Mike Tyson in real time, Tony Atlas getting his pecker touched, Bruce Prichard’s review of the doc, and so much more. They also talk about who they wish got interviewed, and the questions left on the cutting room floor. (26:34)

Finally, the scholars roll with a second helping of the Tony Atlas Truth Index, looking at the truthfulness of some of the biggest quotes from the documentary. (1:08:20)

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The Scholars start things off by discussing the recently passed Sid Eudy, known in the wrestling world as Sycho Sid, Sid Vicious, and Sid Justice. They talk about his look and who he influenced, why he doesn’t come up more casually in conversations of world champions, how his success in wrestling was always a start/stop and lived on the fringes of some of the more infamous political wrestling moments. They also touch on all the powerbombs, the WrestleMania main events, the gruesome leg injury, and unpacking Sid’s personality. (04:15)

Then, it’s time for a post mortem on AEW ALL IN 2024. They start by talking about the most well-told stories on the show, Danielson vs. Swerve & Toni Storm vs. Mariah May. They roll through what worked at the top of the card (Ospreay/MJF), what didn’t work (Mone/Baker), and what didn’t get enough time (Perry/Darby). They dissect the magic that is the AEW Casino Gauntlet match, get giddy about ALL the surprises and returns on the card, and air some gripes about the opening of the show. Finally, they look ahead to the next few months and feuds in AEW. (25:25)

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The Scholars start things off by discussing SummerSlam. They talk about the title changes, the hell turns, the returns, the friendship bracelets!!! What is the best squad to take on the Bloodline? How did we feel about Ref Cam? Will Rhea Ripley be allowed to do some inter-gender wrestling in a WWE ring? Will SummerSlam be 2 nights going forward? All of these questions and more are answered (05:20)

Then, it’s time for the Word of the Day: Ace. They talk about the origins for the top guy term coming from baseball, why we associate Tanahashi with the term ace, explore just how close New Japan was to closing its doors, and talk about the US Ace John Cena and his upcoming retirement tour. (32:37)

Then, we take a page out of The Ringer’s playbook, and try to determine the lineage of the Pro Wrestling Ace Championship Belt! We start at WrestleMania 1 and go year to year trying to determine who the Ace was, who challenged them, and when the title was vacant. (49:40)

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The Scholars start things off by discussing the big debut of the Wyatt Sicks faction led by Bo Dallas. They talk about the One-er film shot in their debut, and the sit down interview from this week. They try to answer the two big questions in keeping the momentum with this group: What do the Wyatt Sicks want? and how do you tie what makes this group interesting back to a wrestling ring? (06:00)

Then, the Scholars talk AEW Forbidden Door. They take sides in the debate for who should walk out as AEW Champion, Swerve or Ospreay. They also talk about incorporating CMLL, if an AEW wrestler will drop a title to a wrestler from another company, and the magic that is Mariah May being listed as in the corner for both Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa. (26:11)

Then, it’s time for the annual Bold Predictions! The Scholars knock out the superlatives with some safe (and wild) predictions for first time world champs, most over acts, and same face new place (Andrew gets wild here, ngl). (37:45)

Then, they move on to the countdown of 5 bold predictions (from possible to bonkers). How much is TNA going to factor into WWE’s plans for this year? How does Andrew think David Zaslav will respond to TNT losing Inside the NBA and how does it relate to wrestling? And, man oh man, does Tyler have a doozy with what he thinks Vince McMahon will be up to. (56:15)

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The Scholars talk about the summer plans for WWE, including the hottest angles (Liv & Dom, Drew vs Punk), the impending departure of Becky Lynch, and Bloodline: The New Class! (06:11)

Then, the Scholars talk AEW Double or Nothing. They recount all the ways this bonkers show reminded them of peak ECW PPVs (fire, chaos, weird table breaks!), look at the future of the Elite vs. other random factions, and Andrew embarrassingly admits that he’s into Jericho’s new Learning Tree character. (19:15)

Then, it’s time for the annual best of lists! The Scholars explain the wrestling calendar (WrestleMania to WrestleMania) and start with the top 10 Matches of the year, highlighting things like the great international crowds this year, the scorn of performers when a match is bumped from the card, and the star ratings of it all. (34:25)

Then, they move on to the top 10 Wrestlers of the year, touching on how many matches a wrestler needs to have in a year to be in consideration, why no tag teams appeared on the list, and how to rate kayfabe performance vs work rate vs consistency. (1:08:00)

Finally, the scholars announce the winner of the Pro Wrestling Tees gift card giveaway!(1:29:20)

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Vote at the following links:
Match of the Year
Wrestler of the Year

By voting for each respective list, you gain one entry to our random draw for a $50 Pro Wrestling Tee’s gift card!!! *Must be a US Resident*

Voting is open now through May 3rd.

About the Wrestling Calendar:
With no off-season in pro wrestling and multiple global promotions, it’s hard to delineate when a year of wrestling truly begins and ends. In this spirit, we mark the beginning of each “wrestling year” at the Monday after WrestleMania, and ending at the conclusion of the following WrestleMania.

Why do we do this? Simply because it is the largest show from the largest promotion, and one where various long storylines build to a head. It’s the cleanest version of a season finale, a championship game, a gold-medal event as we are going to get.

Criteria for Match of the Year:

• Storytelling (In the entire lead up to the match, during the match, and after the match)
• Platform (Did this get eyeballs or happen at important venues?)
• Originality (Was there a finish or move we haven’t seen before? Did they find new ways to highlight a weapon or gimmick?)
• Work Rate (The athletic performance of the wrestlers)
• Moment (Was the match memorable? Did it leave us with an image that will go down in wrestling history?)

Wrestler of the Year Criteria:

• Kayfabe Accomplishments (In storyline were they winning and defending titles, or at the top of the card?)
• Usage (Were they consistently on the show, headlining pay per views, and getting dedicated on-screen time to develop character or storylines?)
• Work Rate (Did they provide consistently great matches through in-ring athletic prowess? Were they turning out five star matches no matter who they worked with?)
• Popularity (Did they get the best pops, did they achieve crossover appeal, were they tapping into great TV by evolving their character?)
• Moments (When we think of 2023-2024 in wrestling history, will we see their faces? Will we think back to their spot, or their match, or their tv segment?)

The Scholars take the minimum amount of time possible to talk through their feelings about Tony Khan’s decision to show backstage footage of CM Punk and Jack Perry’s fight from ALL IN. (03:15)

Then, the scholars give their thoughts on WrestleMania XL. They break down the careful bits of storytelling from the warm night 2 main event, including assigning which wrestler fit which superhero from Avenger’s Endgame. They talk about what felt different in this year’s WrestleMania than in years past. They talk about the non-literal winners of the weekend (Michael Cole, Samantha Irvin, Bayley & Iyo, cinematography) and the losers (bad weather, live musical performances, a total and disgusting lack of Gritty!). (27:00)

Finally, the scholars look ahead to WWE’s post-Bloodline future. They talk about how Cody can avoid cooling off now that he’s finished his story, what the next steps are for the likes of Roman Reigns and The Rock, they talk about who should be the focal point of the next batch of longterm WWE storytelling, and fantasy book SummerSlam, The Royal Rumble, and WrestleMania XLI.(1:05:48)

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The Scholars rundown the entire WrestleMania week by answering 40 questions in a marathon recording sesh! But first, Andrew talks to Tyler a bit about WWE Next Gen on RokuTV. (05:00)

First, they look at the CM Punk- Ariel Helwani interview, contemplate the place of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale, look at the WWE Hall of Fame lineup, and talk about the early start time of NXT. (08:45)

Then, the scholars look at night 1 of WrestleMania. They talk about the second year in arow with a tag team main event, the layers of Rhea vs Becky, how to keep Dom vs. Rey going, and pitch some new traditions for WrestleManias in the future. (36:12)

Finally, the scholars look ahead to night 2 of WrestleMania. They talk ALLLL about the possible outcomes of the main event, how they expect night 1 to preview night 2, how extreme the Philly street fight will be, what The Rock will do next, and what we will be left with once the event is over.(1:06:50)

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The Scholars talk about how life is getting in the way of their wrestling fandom, and preview what the pod’s WrestleMania schedule will be like. (00:35)

Then the scholars recap AEW Revolution, including talking about Tyler’s attendance at the event, the stellar undercard, the joys of watching Will Ospreay in person, the perils of high spots involving glass, and the perfection of Sting’s farewell match. (04:00)

Then, the scholars look at the outstanding career of Sting. They talk about the dumb luck that got Steve Borden to try wrestling, the early attempts at ripping off the Road Warriors, the early promise of Surfer Sting in the transition from NWA to WCW, becoming the Crow, turning down WWE to become TNA’s ICON, the eventual WWE run, and the surprise AEW farewell tour. They talk about what made Sting so popular, and why Steve Borden feels like a one of one in wrestling. Tyler is put on the spot to try to rank Sting in the hall of greatest wrestlers ever. (31:43)

Finally, the scholars look at what is to come in this soft reboot of AEW. Should the next champ be Okada or Swerve? Is the impending arrival of Mercedes Mone what the women’s division needs to take off? Is now the time for Bryan Danielson to get gold in AEW, and who should he take a title from? Is Dynasty one too many PPVs for the company? And is its name a hint at an MJF return? (1:16:10)

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The Scholars quickly hit on all the news from the past week, including the good (Royal Rumble), the interesting (Raw to Netflix), and the truly awful (Vince). (03:48)

Then the scholars use the rest of the episode to prognosticate the WrestleMania XL card! It’s a way too early set of predictions they never get right. They talk about how much they believe the card changed in the last three days, and why they disagreed on the top of the card matches. Then they consolidate the midcard matches and find the best ways to get trending superstars like Jade Cargil, LA Knight, and Dominik Mysterio on the card. (31:30)

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The Scholars preview their Iron Claw talk, then chat about the prediction that Amazon will win the TV rights to Monday Night Raw, and what it would mean in terms of changes in audience, content, and length of the program. (05:54)

Then the scholars talk about their experiences seeing Sean Durkin’s Von Erich family drama film The Iron Claw. They chat about the quality of the actual wrestling in the film, how it deftly tackled the idea of kayfabe, and where it took creative liberties with reality. They also talk about the film’s artistic merits including how Durkin’s former films gave Andrew interesting expectations going in and informed the “dream sequence” towards the end of the film. They also rank the performances (these can always change!) (15:53)

Finally, the scholars look at the history of pro wrestling on film. They talk about addressing kayfabe, what happens when wrestling companies themselves produce films (No Holds Barred and Ready to Rumble), and the more artsy fare that attempts to find truth in wrestling (The Wrestler). They also explore hidden gems about wrestling that neither were aware of like a nihilistic noir film from the master of the heist film, or a Sly Stallone movie that totally isn’t at all like Rocky. (43:00)

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The Scholars talk about AEW Worlds End, New Japan’s WrestleKingdom 18, and the New Year’s Revolution edition of SmackDown leading to the Royal Rumble. They talk about why PPV quality might be more important for AEW than other companies, who the next year of New Japan should be built around, and whose story needs finishing soonest in WWE. (02:22)

Then the scholars look at 10 people, places, and things related to Pro Wrestling and wax on what their new year’s resolutions – pardon, wrestle-utions should be. Tony Khan has a lot on his plate, but what issue do the scholars think he should focus on first? How should TNA follow through on their rebranding? What should the ethos of the major women’s divisions be? Mercedes Mone, Kota Ibushi, Kevin Dunn (), Chris Jericho () – what should their next moves be! (45:02)

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The Scholars talk about CM Punk returning to a WWE Ring and all the messy questions that come with it. Questions like, who should he feud with? How was it kept a secret? And will CM Punk fulfill all 3 years on his new contract? (07:15)

Then the scholars look at the word of the day, Network. They talk about the history of wrestling during the early TV era through syndication and how Vince McMahon’s shrewd business practices positioned WWE to usurp the NWA as the king of cable. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a wrestling company with a national weekly television partner, highlighting the journey that TNA took to stay on TV and the contentious relationship between ECW and TNN. Finally, they talk about how NXT fits in with the CW, and speculate about where Raw and Smackdown will air after the next media rights negotiations. (43:30)

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The Scholars talk about the upcoming wrestling films The Iron Claw and Cassandro, before delving into some book club picks. Then they talk about Adam Copeland joining AEW, and Brian Pillman Jr. becoming Lexis King in NXT. (04:30)

Then the scholars look at the word of the day, Ring Name. They talk about the differences between ring name changes and repackaging. Then they discuss the legal reasons why a wrestler might not be able to keep them name across companies, and why other wrestlers built their brand up enough to be able to have that freedom. They discuss the wrestling fan meme “What’s BLANK doing in the Impact Zone?” and some of the stranger TNA ring name conventions. They also talk about some hypothetical ring name changes for current wrestlers like Alexa Bliss and The Acclaimed. (32:26)

Finally, our scholars jump into the Kayfabe 5000 to answer burning questions like What is Jade Cargill’s ceiling in WWE, What made Paul Heyman’s hair change colors, and is Toni Storm stuck in a time vortex??? (1:14:06)

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The Scholars dedicate the entire show to recapping 6 newsworthy events in the past few weeks as the Squared Circle turned. They start with the passing of Terry Funk and Windham Rotunda, touching on their legacies (2:48). Then they talk about the matches and disputed attendance numbers for AEW ALL IN, followed by the unfortunate backstage events and termination of CM Punk, and then AEW ALL OUT, which was surprising in both its quality and the reaction it garnered from the Chicago fans (17:00).

Then the scholars get into the business side of things, contemplating how the WWE/UFC merger as TKO will change the presentation of the show in the immediate and how Vince McMahon will react to finally having a boss (47:17). And finally… FINALLY, The Rock has returned to WWE!!! The Scholars talk about the real reason this is happening (the SAG/WGA strike), the news that at some point Rock/Roman was on the table for last year’s Mania, and if this is the last realistic chance we will get for a singles match between them (55:17).

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The Scholars talk about what they’ve learned after doing 100 episodes of the podcast. Then they preview AEW All In 2023. They talk about what the vibe of the show will be, how to make All In feel different and special going forward, what sticks out about the card, the gold between MJF and Adam Cole, and if there will be any surprises on the show (04:30)

Then, the Scholars do their annual Bold Predictions for the rest of the year. After going 0 for 10 last year, they start with some safer bets before totally going off the deep end again. Who does Andrew think will jump ship from WWE to AEW by this Sunday? Who does Tyler see making the jump from the squared circle to the silver screen? What match do they think will headline WrestleMania 40 (and possibly 41 and 42)? Listen to find out! (39:45)

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The Scholars start off by giving their thoughts about the upcoming announcement of the location of the first AEW Collision, eulogizing the late Superstar Billy Graham, discussing Seth Rollins being cast in the MCU, and the upcoming Double or Nothing and Night of Champions cards. (07:24)

Then, we run down the top ten wrestlers of the 2022-23 wrestling calendar (27:30), followed by the top ten wrestlers of the year (1:05:00) and we reveal the second winner of the $50 Pro Wrestling Tees gift card!

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Voting is open now through May 12th.

By voting for each respective list, you gain one entry to our random draw for a $50 Pro Wrestling Tee’s gift card!!! *Must be a US Resident*

Vote at the following links:
Match of the Year
Wrestler of the Year

About the Wrestling Calendar:
With no off-season in pro wrestling and multiple global promotions, it’s hard to delineate when a year of wrestling truly begins and ends. In this spirit, we mark the beginning of each “wrestling year” at the Monday after WrestleMania, and ending at the conclusion of the following WrestleMania.

Why do we do this? Simply because it is the largest show from the largest promotion, and one where various long storylines build to a head. It’s the cleanest version of a season finale, a championship game, a gold-medal event as we are going to get.

Criteria for Match of the Year:

• Storytelling (In the entire lead up to the match, during the match, and after the match)
• Platform (Did this get eyeballs or happen at important venues?)
• Originality (Was there a finish or move we haven’t seen before? Did they find new ways to highlight a weapon or gimmick?)
• Work Rate (The athletic performance of the wrestlers)
• Moment (Was the match memorable? Did it leave us with an image that will go down in wrestling history?)

Wrestler of the Year Criteria:

• Kayfabe Accomplishments (In storyline were they winning and defending titles, or at the top of the card?)
• Usage (Were they consistently on the show, headlining pay per views, and getting dedicated on-screen time to develop character or storylines?)
• Work Rate (Did they provide consistently great matches through in-ring athletic prowess? Were they turning out five star matches no matter who they worked with?)
• Popularity (Did they get the best pops, did they achieve crossover appeal, were they tapping into great TV by evolving their character?)
• Moments (When we think of 2022-2023 in wrestling history, will we see their faces? Will we think back to their spot, or their match, or their tv segment?)

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The scholars start things off with a News Round-up, focusing specifically on the trio of developments in AEW. They talk about the return of CM Punk and what they means for the current status of the AEW locker room. They also discuss what a Saturday programming addition would do for the brand, and how a potential roster split could be incorporated. (03:59)

Then it’s time to do our own AEW Brand Split Fantasy Draft. The scholars go over some ground rules, and then try to accurately draft as if they were The Elite and CM Punk. Who will Tyler take with the number 1 pick? What shocking youngster will Andrew reach for in an early round? (43:00)

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Hot off the presses, the Scholars give their immediate reactions to WrestleMania 39 minutes after the end of Night 2. They talk about the surprising end of the night and what it means for the future of Roman and Cody, then they talk about the slew of fantastic matches on Night 1 and the unfortunate injuries and wonky bits of Night 2. They talk about the difference in presentation from product placement to special entrances and the amazing set. Then they speculate if WrestleMania will look different next year as a rumored sale of the company might finally becoming official this week.

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The Scholars run through everything we can expect during WrestleMania Week. They start by addressing non-WWE things they’ll be checking in on (11:30), then they look at the bits of interest in WWE’s pre-Mania events like Smackdown, the Hall of Fame, and NXT Stand & Deliver (24:00).

Then, it’s time to talk about the showcase of the immortals itself, WrestleMania 39! They start with the talking points for Night 1, including why Cena/Theory was picked as the opener, what the crowd reaction will be to Charlotte/Ripley, and what should main event the evening (46:00). Then, they transition to Night 2 where they talk about the future of the Bloodline and Cody, what to expect from a Hell in a Cell match that is in the midcard, and why we expect some surprises. (1:14:00)

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The Scholars get things started by recapping the highs and lows from the Royal Rumble (Highs include the post main event angle and bar raffles, lows include the Pitch Dark match and the Kevin Owens Chicken Fingers). Then they talk about the build to Elimination Chamber this Saturday, how to transition the main protagonist of the Bloodline Saga from Sami to Cody, and why this normally transitional show is a must-watch with huge implications this year. (06:30)

Then, the scholars spend the rest of their time methodically predicting the card for WrestleMania 39. They ponder what their initial agreement on the card says about WWE’s recent storytelling changes, then try to ruminate on how a Sami Zayn title win could blow up 3 to 4 matches on the card. Then, they talk about why they believe we’ll see Brock vs. Bobby again even with a rubber match happening this weekend. They discuss the Ronda Rousey of it all and the delicate balancing of egos in constructing the women’s matches on the card. Finally, they try to round out the bottom of the card, including finding an opponent for Braun, scheduling anything for the Miz, and getting a match for Dom’s custody onto the show! (46:48)

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The Scholars get things started by recapping the fantastic Raw segment The Trial of Sami Zayn, while connecting it to their word of the day; Go-Home Show. They discuss the two theories about how this nickname was devised, look at what needs to be accomplished in a Go-Home show, and recall some of the best and worst examples in recent history (06:30)

Then the Scholars look ahead to this Saturday’s Royal Rumble premium live event. They talk favorites, expectations, and wild predictions for the titular Rumble matches, they ponder what Sami Zayn’s final test might be, and they try to get to the bottom of what exactly is a Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match. (46:48)

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The Scholars list all the events that have happened since Vince announced his return to the WWE executive board last week, including his coup to regain chairman status, the new company bylaw he wrote, Stephanie McMahon’s resignation, and the late rumor of a sale of WWE to the Saudi Public Investment Fund (05:28)

Then the Scholars discuss the lingering questions about the uncertainty of the business side of WWE. They talk about what a Saudi-controlled pro wrestling landscape would look like, what Vince’s motivations are in coming back, who else might step up and buy the company, and what famous villain Vince is most similar to. (20:41)

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The Scholars welcome us with some life updates including Andrew’s current very real strike going on. Then they recap a few recent wrestling news items including MJF vs. Ricky Starks from Winter is Coming, the NXT Women’s Championship title change and subsequent release of Mandy Rose, and the PWI 2022 list of top Tag Teams. (01:30)

Then the Scholars discuss the word of the day, Tag Teams. They define what the rules of a tag team wrestling match is, and look back at the earliest tag matches on record. Then they go over the “casting” of tag teams and how they are constructed. They go through the general storytelling arc of the life of a tag team from inception through breakup, and then look at some of the most notable tag teams in history including the Fabulous Freebirds, the Mega Powers, the Rockers, the Road Warriors, The Hardy Boyz, and more! Then they wrap up their tag team discussion by looking into the future to see what can be done to keep a tag team division strong, and ponder what could be a potential WrestleMania main event tag match. (27:31)

And finally, Tyler boots up the Kayfabe 7000 and questions are answered including what is the best tag team finishing move? What is the best way to win a tag team match? Who will eventually beat the Usos for the Tag Titles? And More! (1:23:55)

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Tyler welcomes the audience by giving an update on our future legal episode, and then running down the show match by match in chronological order. Tyler talks about the Zero Hour matches answering questions like who should be the next number one contender and who is Cole Karter??? (03:00). Then Tyler dives into the main Full Gear card! He explores the undercard, including explosive opening matches, the return of The Elite, The ROH four way, Saraya’s return to the ring, and more! (10:00). Finally, Tyler gets to our main events, discussing Jamie Hayter’s win and whether she is an interim champion, the third in the Acclaimed vs. Swerve in our Glory series, the AEW World Championship title change, and the storyline swerves (pun-intended) in each (36:45).

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The scholars start things off by looking at the life and career of the recently departed Antonio Inoki. They dig a little deeper into the life of the man they both mostly knew as the creator of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and explore his life as a politician, pioneer of mixed martial arts, hostage negotiator, and more! (04:00)

Read the Ringer article about Inoki that our hosts reference multiple times

Then, the scholars talk about the AEW’s very bad summer. They talk through all the incidents that plagued them; CM Punk’s media scrum and backstage fight, Sammy Guevara’s multiple backstage incidents, injuries galore, and lackluster storytelling. They discuss Andrew’s experience attending AEW Grand Slam, and identify issues they think Tony Khan needs to change and address in his company. Then they talk about their confidence in some headline-grabbing statements about the state of AEW. (20:10)

Finally, the scholars throw off the bad vibes and talk about all the things on the wrestling horizon that they are excited for and feeling positive about. They talk about how quickly WWE has changed direction after the departure of Vince McMahon, if Sami Zayn could be the one to dethrone Roman Reigns, and why we expect AEW’s console video game to be a crossover hit. (1:04:13)

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Before diving into the meat of the episode, the scholars react to SummerSlam, focusing on the Last Man Standing match between Roman and Brock, and the Becky and Bianca match and the subsequent fallout. They discuss early changes in WWE’s post-Vince era, and why it has them excited for what’s to come. (00:35)

Then, the scholars talk about Ric Flair – who he is, what he means to wrestling in and out of the ring, his gimmick, the things he credited in creating, and why it’s unsurprising that this isn’t his first retirement match. (22:15)

Then our scholars do a career retrospective on the life of Ric Flair; from his beginnings as part of an illegal adoption agency, to his early wrestling years and plane crash, through his ascent to best in the world status in the 80s as the Nature Boy, to his brief but memorable run in WWE in the 90s, to why he wasn’t used properly in WCW, to his role in Evolution and critically acclaimed retirement match, to his disastrous run in TNA, and all the pitfalls and tragedies along the way. (36:20)

Finally, the scholars review the good, bad, and ugly of Ric Flair’s Last Match- fake heart attacks included. They discuss how and if it changes his legacy, and why his post-match comments were troubling. (1:32:10)

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Vince McMahon has retired from the world of pro wrestling. The Scholars discuss this bombshell, how it is likely prompted by the misconduct allegations and potential further news to come, what might change in how WWE looks and feels in the immediate and the future. (01:13)

Then, the scholars touch on what they had originally planned to talk about this episode, the upcoming Ric Flair’s Last Match pay per view event. (48:00)

Be on the look out for our upcoming episodes:
– A look at the Vince McMahon scandal from a legal eye
– A retrospective of the complicated career and life of Ric Flair

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The Scholars react to the potential changes in WWE following the Vince McMahon hush money scandal (and preview an upcoming episode all about the legal implications). (01:00).

Then, the scholars go through the other giant news items that happened during their sabbatical, including the AEW Title Change at Double or Nothing, the injury bug that has hit WWE and AEW, what to expect from Forbidden Door, the Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins 5-star Hell in a Cell match, and the MJF worked shoot saga (13:40).

Finally, the scholars dedicate the rest of the episode to the word of the day; Worked Shoot. They explore how the definition of a worked shoot sounds similar to the mission statement of pro wrestling in general, but how it is so much different. Then they take a handy quiz to help determine if what you are watching is a worked shoot. They also look to other media where worked shoots happen (Reality TV and Found Footage Movies) and recount some of the most infamous worked shoot moments in pro wrestling history from the likes of Andy Kaufman, Brian Pillman, The Outsiders, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, and more! (47:00)

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