The Random Wrestling Review- Podcast!

What else could the world need more in 2021, than yet another podcast featuring 3 white guys in their 30’s talking about wrestling?! Actually a lot more, but we’re hoping you’ll settle for this. Ben, Tom and Sam are 3 long-time friends who have each been watching wrestling for the last 30 years and here, each week, they will select a wrestling show from the past at random and then talk about it. It’s a heady mix of in-depth analysis, juvenile humour and everything in between.

WWE Royal Rumble 2002

There is a moment, just minutes into the opening encounter of the 2002 Royal Rumble pay-per-view that sums this whole event up pretty well. The bout features Tazz and Spike Dudley against The Dudley Boyz for the WWE Tag Team Titles, and with the contest barely started and with The Dudleys already firmly in control, the crowd break into a hearty chorus of “we want tables”. Disregarding the fact that the Dudley Boyz were the heels and that the tag team titles were on the line in a match that had barely began, the fans were calling for them to fast-forward, past their pursuit of the belts and in contradiction to their disposition as heels, to using their most over spot. Like a rock band, past their best, and being heckled to play the hits of yesteryear rather than the material they’re attempting to promote from their most recent release, in this moment it was clear that The Dudley Boyz were no longer relevant beyond the nostalgia of their biggest hit. The feeling of staleness wasn’t helped by the concept behind the opener which would see Bubba Ray and D-Von on the opposite side of the ring to their kayfabe brother Spike, and Tazz; a combination of rivals which had been seen before in ECW, and even in this different setting, still felt like a rehash. The lack of fresh ideas and the sense that those involved were trying to recapture former glories is the abiding theme of this show.

WWE Fast Lane 2016

Are you excited for Wrestlemania? That has been the question on most wrestling fan’s lips since Fast Lane took place and events unfolded on the following evening’s episode of Raw. By the end of the Monday night show, WWE Had significantly shaped this year’s ‘Showcase of the Immortals’ by announcing the three headlining matches- the first of these was confirmed at the pay-per-view when Roman Reigns overcame Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar in the main event and booked his place in the WWE Title match versus Triple H. Ambrose vs. Lesnar and Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon were then confirmed the following night. Whatever your thoughts on that line up (and don’t worry, I’ll be getting to that later on in this piece) WWE at least went some way to beginning to generate some buzz around Wrestlemania over the course of the 2 nights. Shane McMahon returned to the company after a 5 year absence and was immediately positioned in one of the main spots going into the big event, Lesnar and The Undertaker’s roles at the big one became a little clearer and Triple H and Roman Reigns, two men who have been on a collision course for months, finally stepped up their feud with a trademark Triple H attack and the addition of Reigns spilling some crimson. Wrestlemania season had finally arrived.