Wrestlespective: A WWE / wrestling podcast

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