Grapple City Rewind
We revisit the pay-per-views, TV specials, and beautifully bizarre moments that shaped wrestling history, then decide if they deserve a Fast Forward, Play, or Rewind
A Sea of Humanity: WWF Survivor Series 1987
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Fifty wrestlers. Four matches. One pilgrim hat. And a whole lot of sweaty men standing around waiting for their turn.
Brad and Aaron head back to Thanksgiving 1987 for the very first WWF Survivor Series, where Hulk Hogan and André the Giant continue their WrestleMania III rivalry, Randy Savage leads an all-star team against the Honky Tonk Man, and the ring apron gets dangerously overcrowded.
Along the way, we've got Jesse Ventura in head-to-toe snakeskin, Jimmy Hart screaming into a megaphone, the Jumping Bomb Angels stealing the show, T...
Bonus Episode: Chelsea Green Has Zero Miedo (Reklusa vs. Pentagon Dark)
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Before Chelsea Green became WWE's Hot Mess, she was Reklusa, a sinister, spider-inspired character in Lucha Underground. And in 2018, she went one-on-one with Pentagon Dark, better known today as Penta.
In this bonus episode of Grapple City Rewind, Brad and Aaron revisit this wild intergender match from Lucha Underground Season 4. We're talking Canadian Destroyers, high-flying offense, brutal kicks, thumbtacks, gasoline, and a version of Chelsea Green that might surprise even her biggest fans.
Does this forgotten gem earn a Fast Forward, Play, or Rewind? Tune in as...
The Rusty Trombone: TNA Bound For Glory 2006
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Brad and Aaron head back to October 22, 2006 for their first full TNA show: Bound For Glory 2006.
It’s peak six-sided-ring TNA, with a ridiculously stacked roster featuring Sting, Jeff Jarrett, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, LAX, Chris Sabin, Senshi, Rhino, Abyss, Team 3D and more. The show ranges from chaotic X Division action and Monster’s Ball insanity to a title-vs.-career main event between Sting and Jeff Jarrett. Â
Along the way, Brad and Aaron try to figure out 2006 TNA lore...
Bonus Episode: Lucha Underground Grave Consequences (Mil Muertes vs. FĂ©nix)
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It’s spooky season at Grapple City Rewind, so we’re heading into the Temple for one of Lucha Underground’s most brutal matches: Mil Muertes vs. Fénix in the first-ever Grave Consequences match.
The Man of a Thousand Deaths meets the Man of a Thousand Lives in a bloody, chaotic fight involving a coffin, concrete stairs, torn masks, busted-open faces, and one of the wildest atmospheres Lucha Underground ever created.
Brad and Aaron break down the match, the bizarre supernatural mythology surrounding Mil Muertes, Fénix’s pu...
Why TWO Stings?: WCW Fall Brawl 1996
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It’s 1996, WCW is beating the WWF in the ratings, the NWO is taking over, and somehow there are TWO Stings.
Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink rewind WCW Fall Brawl 1996, featuring WarGames, the real Sting vs. Fake Sting confusion, Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Lex Luger, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson, plus one of the most ridiculous finishes we’ve seen yet. Luger never even submits, Nick Patrick decides he did anyway, and the NWO keeps rolling.
Elsewhere on the card, a young Chris Jericho makes his...
Bonus Episode: As Real As It Gets - WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov NXT UK 2020
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Grapple City Rewind throws out the rulebook for a bonus episode and jumps to October 29, 2020 for one of the most brutal matches of the pandemic era: WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov for the NXT UK Championship.
With zero fans in the building, every chop, kick, slap and scream echoes through the room as Dragunov tries to survive a champion already 573 days into his historic reign. Brad and Aaron talk WALTER before he became Gunther, Dragunov’s insane comeback, the match’s five-star reputation, pandemic-era wrestling, and why this might be one...
Blood on the Infield - AWA SuperClash (1985)
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The boys head to Chicago’s Comiskey Park for AWA SuperClash ’85, a massive, chaotic attempt to answer WrestleMania with 25,000 fans, 13 matches, approximately 900 championships and more nationalism than anyone asked for.
Brad and Aaron break down Ric Flair vs. Magnum T.A., the Road Warriors vs. the Fabulous Freebirds, Kerry Von Erich at full rock-star status, a completely unrecognizable Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, Sgt. Slaughter, Kamala, Stan Hansen beating the hell out of Rick Martel all over the ballpark, and plenty more.
There are questionable finishes, fake titles, bloo...
Butt Breath - WWF SummerSlam 1999
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Bradley and Aaron rewind to WWF SummerSlam 1999, a show where Jesse Ventura is governor and special guest referee, Shane McMahon somehow has one of the best matches on the card, and Jerry Lawler spends an alarming amount of time talking about asses.
Chris Jericho makes his first WWF pay-per-view appearance, Al Snow and Big Boss Man brawl out of the arena and into a bar, Test fights Shane McMahon over his relationship with Stephanie, and The Rock faces Billy Gunn in the unforgettable “Kiss My Ass” match that...
A Little Chunky for a Vampire - WWF Breakdown: In Your House 1998
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Brad and Aaron head back to Hamilton, Ontario for WWF Breakdown: In Your House 1998, a show caught right in the middle of the Attitude Era getting completely out of control.
Christian makes his first WWF appearance, Vader heads for the exit, The Rock looks more and more like the next megastar, and Gangrel leaves Brad wondering if he’s a little too chunky for the vampire lifestyle. Plus: Owen Hart vs. Edge, Mankind vs. The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock inside a steel cage, plenty of questionable Vince Ru...
Follow That, Motherfuckers - WWE SummerSlam 2002
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Follow That, Motherfuckers — WWE SummerSlam 2002
On this episode of Grapple City Rewind, Brad and Aaron head back to WWE SummerSlam 2002, a show many fans call one of the greatest SummerSlams ever. We break down the stacked card from top to bottom, including Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge, The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar, and the night’s true show-stealer: Shawn Michaels’ return against Triple H in an unsanctioned war.
We talk a...
Underfaker - WWF SummerSlam 1994
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Grapple City Rewind returns from bonus season and heads straight into the strange, colorful chaos of WWF SummerSlam 1994. Bradley and Aaron revisit the event from Chicago’s brand-new United Center, where Leslie Nielsen searches for The Undertaker, Lex Luger faces accusations of selling out, and Bret Hart battles Owen Hart inside a classic blue steel cage.
Along the way, they break down the Headshrinkers’ chaotic opener, Alundra Blayze versus Bull Nakano, the Million Dollar Corporation’s growing influence, Diesel versus Razor Ramon, and the unforgettable spectacle of Undert...
Bonus Episode: Two Out of Three Falls, Five Stars
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For our final summer bonus episode, Grapple City Rewind heads to NXT TakeOver: Toronto (2016) for one of the most celebrated tag team matches in WWE history: DIY vs. The Revival in a two-out-of-three-falls match for the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Bradley and Aaron break down the chemistry, the heel brilliance of The Revival, the rise of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, and why this match still hits even if DIY’s main roster run never fully clicked. From quick tags and old-school cheating to wild false finishes, dueling submissions, an...
Bonus Episode: CM Punk Leaves With the Belt
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This week on Grapple City Rewind, Bradley and Aaron head back to Money in the Bank 2011 for one of the most electric WWE matches of the modern era: CM Punk vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship.
With Punk’s contract set to expire at midnight, Chicago fully behind him, and Vince McMahon desperate to stop him from leaving with the title, this match becomes more than just Cena vs. Punk — it becomes a full-blown WWE crisis. The guys talk about the legendary crowd, the fall...
Bonus Episode: Did Bayley vs. Sasha Change Wrestling Forever?
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Bayley finally gets her moment.
In this bonus episode of Grapple City Rewind, Bradley and Aaron revisit one of the most important women's matches in wrestling history: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks for the NXT Women's Championship from NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (August 22, 2015).
The guys break down the story of Bayley, the last of the Four Horsewomen to reach the top of NXT, fighting to prove she belongs alongside Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch. They discuss Sasha's star-making heel performance, Bayley's...
Bonus Episode: Big Ass Country Boy
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For our first June bonus episode, we're revisiting one of the wildest WWE main events of the modern era: Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match from SummerSlam 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.
This was billed as the final chapter in the legendary Brock vs Roman rivalry, and WWE pulled out all the stops. Brock arrives in a tractor wearing a cowboy hat, Roman enters with the fully-loaded Bloodline, and what follows is absolute mayhem. Tables break, bodies pile up, Paul Heyman takes an F5, Austin Theory...
Nashville vs Japan - WCW Starrcade 1995: World Cup of Wrestling
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This week on Grapple City Rewind, we head to Nashville for one of the strangest and most ambitious events in wrestling history: Starrcade 1995: World Cup of Wrestling.
WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling collide in a seven-match international tournament to determine which country reigns supreme. There's just one problem: nobody seems entirely sure how the tournament works.
Along the way we get Jushin Thunder Liger making his first appearance on the podcast, Eddie Guerrero before he became Eddie Guerrero, Bobby Heenan openly rooting against America...
Win a Free House in Florida!? - WWF In Your House 1 (1995)
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On the very first edition of In Your House, the WWF promised fans one thing above all else: somebody was going to WIN A FREE HOUSE IN FLORIDA.
This week on Grapple City Rewind, Bradley and Aaron head back to May 1995 for a bizarre slice of New Generation-era WWF featuring Bret Hart vs. Hakushi, Diesel vs. Psycho Sid, Jerry Lawler’s fake mom, Todd Pettengale’s unholy mullet, screaming fans losing their minds for The Smoking Gunns, and one referee who somehow got trapped in the ropes.
We b...
We Needed That Ladder Match - WWF WrestleMania X (1994)
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We just got back from WrestleMania in Vegas… and now we’re rewinding to one of the strangest, most uneven WrestleManias of all time.
This week on Grapple City Rewind, we dig into WWF WrestleMania X (1994) — a show that somehow opens with an all-time classic… and then spends the rest of the night trying to live up to it.
Two Bret Hart matches in one night because one beating isn’t enough.
Two Yokozuna matches because gravity demands sacrifice.
Two Intercontinental Champions who both think...
This Is How WrestleMania Started?? - WWF Wrestlemania (1985)
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Bradley and Aaron rewind to WrestleMania 1 (1985)—the show that launched a billion-dollar empire—and break down all the chaos: nine matches, celebrity overload, bear hugs for days, and barely any actual wrestling.
From Liberace and Muhammad Ali to King Kong Bundy’s 9-second squash, this is less a wrestling show and more a bizarre cultural time capsule.
Plus, we kick things off with thoughts on the current product, including AEW Dynasty, and run through our WrestleMania predictions before heading back to where it all began.
D...
What a Maneuver - WWF WrestleMania XII (1996)
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WrestleMania season rolls on in Grapple City Rewind, and this week Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink dive headfirst into WrestleMania XII—a show defined by contrasts, chaos, and one of the most famous main events in wrestling history. From the jump, it’s clear this isn’t your typical Mania: we’ve got a bizarre mix of New Generation weirdness, Attitude Era seeds being planted, and a main event that dares to go a full 60 minutes.
Before getting there, the guys break down the current product during WrestleMania season—questionin...
Wrestling Under Watchful Eyes - NJPW / WCW Collision in Korea (1995)
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Collision in Korea 1995 is one of the strangest events in wrestling history. WCW and New Japan brought a massive show to North Korea, drawing over 300,000 people… but something felt completely off. The crowd barely reacted, the atmosphere was eerie, and even solid matches felt lifeless. We break down the weird vibe, standout moments like Flair vs Inoki, and why this is a “watch it so you don’t have to” show.
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Icon vs Icon and a Broomstick - WWF WrestleMania X8 (2002)
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Hulk Hogan. The Rock. Sixty-eight thousand screaming fans in Toronto. And somehow… a broomstick gets involved.
This week on Grapple City Rewind, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink head back to WWF WrestleMania X8 (2002) — the strange transitional moment where the Attitude Era crashes head-first into nostalgia. The nWo has arrived, Limp Bizkit is blasting through the arena, and the WWF is suddenly leaning hard on legends again.
But nothing on this show matters more than Icon vs Icon:
Hollywood Hulk Hoga...
Let Him Piss - ECW CyberSlam 1996
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Grapple City Rewind heads back to the gritty ECW Arena in February 1996 for CyberSlam 96, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink break down the chaotic compilation-style event featuring Taz squashes, a completely unhinged Brian Pillman segment, dancing babyface Bubba Ray Dudley, triple dog collar madness, and the only true wrestling clinic of the night Too Cold Scorpio vs Sabu, we debate whether ECW’s wild run-in heavy style still holds up, question Meltzer’s dud-heavy ratings, revisit Cactus Jack vs Shane Douglas in a brutal chair shot spectacle, compare modern crowd energy after atte...
Penis Jewelry - WWF No Way Out 2000
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Grapple City Rewind heads to No Way Out 2000 as Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink break down Kurt Angle vs Chris Jericho, Dudleys vs New Age Outlaws, the infamous Mae Young pregnancy storyline with Mark Henry, Kane vs X-Pac chaos, Too Cool vs The Radicalz, Big Show vs The Rock controversy, and the brutal Hell in a Cell main event between Triple H and Cactus Jack. Was this Attitude Era PPV a hidden gem or just main-event dependent? We give it our Fast Forward, Play, or Rewind rating and debate whether the...
Wrestling, on Meth - WWF No Way Out 2001
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WWF No Way Out 2001 is where the Attitude Era officially flies off the rails.
We’re talking shopping carts, stop signs, barbed wire, blood everywhere, and a level of sleaze and chaos that feels less like wrestling and more like a bad decision made at 3 a.m. This show exists in that weird space between WrestleMania hype and total creative insanity—and somehow manages to be both fascinating and exhausting.
Brad and Aaron break down a night that includes:
A hardcore match that immediately asks...All Curves, No Breaks – WWF Royal Rumble 2002
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We rewind to January 20, 2002 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta for Royal Rumble 2002, a stacked card sitting right on the edge of the Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression. From WWF New York time-capsule chaos to Vince McMahon absolutely loving being evil, we break down every match, every Lawler quip that aged like milk, and every massive star moment. The Rumble itself is loaded with returns, all-time pops, and one Tough Enough contestant who chose death. Plus, we kick things off with predictions for Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh, argue about AJ Styles’ retirement ru...
Tiny Traylor - WCW / NWO Souled Out 1998
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This week on Grapple City Rewind, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink dive into WCW Souled Out 1998, an NWO-heavy pay-per-view packed with strong undercard wrestling, baffling booking decisions, and peak late-90s WCW chaos. From lucha libre madness and Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio, to Bret Hart’s WCW in-ring debut against Ric Flair, plus the infamous Dusty Rhodes heel turn, we break down what works, what absolutely doesn’t, and why WCW felt both stacked with talent and structurally broken at the same time.
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Colder Than a Mother-in-Law’s Kiss - WWF Royal Rumble 1998
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The Attitude Era doesn’t explode overnight — it creaks, leaks, and occasionally catches fire.
Royal Rumble 1998 is the moment where everything finally tilts forward.
Before the Rumble even starts, Terry Funk and Mick Foley try to kill each other with chairs, chainsaws, and zero regard for OSHA. Stone Cold Steve Austin is a marked man, the NWA briefly wanders onto WWF television to tell everyone to stop having fun, and JR delivers some of the most unhinged one-liners of his career.
We break down:
Fo...How to Breathe and Talk - WWF Royal Rumble 1991
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Season 2 kicks off with Grapple City Rewind diving headfirst into Royal Rumble 1991, a bizarre time capsule of early-90s WWF packed with war-era patriotism, Hulk Hogan propaganda, and some truly questionable booking. Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink break down the entire card, from the Rockers’ polarizing opener to the shocking title change that sacrificed Ultimate Warrior, all the way through a Royal Rumble match where America apparently wins if Hogan wins. Along the way, they debate bear hugs that never end, creepy Macho King segments, confusing Rumble rules, forgotten entrants, and wh...
Bonus Episode: Samoa Joe vs Finn Bálor (NXT Takeover: London 2015)
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In this special Grapple City Rewind Bonus Episode, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink head back to NXT TakeOver: London (2015) to revisit one of the defining matches of peak-era NXT: Demon Finn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe.
This is a classic David vs. Goliath clash—cut-to-the-bone athleticism versus raw power and brutality. The hosts break down Bálor’s demon persona, the crowd-driven entrance that helped redefine modern wrestling presentation, and why this version of Finn feels so distant from his current main-roster role. They a...
Bonus Episode: Cactus Jack vs Sabu (ECW Holiday Hell 1995)
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In this Grapple City Rewind bonus episode, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink jump back to December 29, 1995, to break down one of the strangest matches in ECW history: Mick Foley (as Cactus Jack) vs. Sabu from ECW Holiday Hell. What begins as an absurd “Olympic Rules” challenge—complete with an NCAA referee and point deductions—quickly collapses into pure ECW chaos once 9-1-1 destroys the official and takes over.
Recorded at the cramped, smoky Lost Battalion Hall in Queens, this match captures everything fans loved about mid-90s ECW: hostile...
Bonus Episode: Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax (NXT Takeover: London 2015)
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In this special holiday bonus episode of Grapple City Rewind, Bradley and Aaron jump back to NXT TakeOver: London (2015) to revisit a standout match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Bayley vs. Nia Jax. With a red-hot UK crowd, peak black-and-gold NXT energy, and Bayley in full “hugger” babyface mode, this match captures a unique moment in modern wrestling history.
Aaron breaks down why this bout stood out to him—its December timing, Bayley’s first encounter with the now-iconic “Hey Bayley” chant, and a performance that showcased both...
Bonus Episode: 2011 WWE "All-I-Want-for-Christmas" Battle Royale
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Join Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink for a festive dive into the hilarious and chaotic 2011 WWE "All-I-Want-for-Christmas" Battle Royale! In this special bonus episode of Grapple City Rewind, we break down this over-the-top match featuring Sheamus, Hornswoggle, and a wild mix of WWE stars. From the strange holiday vibes to the unforgettable moments with Mick Foley as Santa, we discuss everything that made this match a memorable and lighthearted WWE moment. Tune in for some laughs, nostalgia, and surprising facts from the world of professional wrestling!
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Eighteen Months – WCW Starrcade 1997
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WCW spent eighteen months building to Sting vs. Hollywood Hogan… only to trip over their own feet at the finish line. In this episode of Grapple City Rewind, Brad and Aaron break down the spectacular chaos of WCW Starrcade 1997—from the overhyped “greatest night ever” promises to the infamous not-fast fast count that derailed the biggest payoff in company history.
Brad also opens the show with a full recount of attending WWE Survivor Series 2025 live at Petco Park, describing the nightmare seating, the hours-long entry lines, the obstruct...
Cold War Heat - NWA Starrcade 1985
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Travel back to Thanksgiving night 1985 as Bradley and Aaron dive deep into Starrcade: The Gathering, a split-venue NWA mega-event overflowing with blood, Russians, rule-breaking, cage mayhem, and one unbelievably annoying drunk fan who somehow made it into the subtitles.
This episode covers:
Rock & Roll Express vs. Ivan & Nikita Koloff in a cage match that’s somehow no-DQ and still worked like a tag matchEndless blood, heel chaos, and wild Cold War heatRic Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes in a cl...Low-Fat Chocolate Milk - WWE Survivor Series 2002
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Step inside the Ruthless Aggression era as Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink break down WWE Survivor Series 2002, live from Madison Square Garden. This show has everything: broom-based hardcore weapons, the debut of the Elimination Chamber, Victoria beating Trish with a fire extinguisher, Matt Hardy’s “low-fat chocolate milk” Matt Facts, and way too much Saliva… the band, not the bodily fluid (though honestly, there’s both).
Brad and Aaron compare the women’s wrestling landscape then vs. now, talk Big Show’s shock title win and Heyman’s inevitable bet...
Pink and Stink Are All Elite - WWF Survivor Series 1994
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Neon lights. Cowboy hats. Clowns. Towels. Chuck Norris.
This week, Brad and Aaron rewind to WWF Survivor Series 1994 — a pay-per-view so weird it makes Heroes of Wrestling look like Wrestle Kingdom.
From Bret Hart’s 35-minute family therapy session with Bob Backlund to Jerry Lawler’s miniature monarchy of mayhem, it’s full-on professional wrestling weirdness from Vince McMahon’s Technicolor era. Add a casket match, an oversized Yokozuna, and a very confused Chuck Norris, and you’ve got one hell of an oddball Texas Thanksgiving.
The guys bre...
Funeral Home Freaks - WWE No Mercy 2002
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Katie Vick. We’re sorry. We had to get to it at some point.
This week, Brad and Aaron crack open WWE No Mercy 2002 — a violent, blood-splattered relic from the Ruthless Aggression era featuring the Hell in a Cell blood geyser of Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, Ric Flair trying to survive peak RVD, and a Cruiserweight title match that ends in a forced make-out session because…that's where WWE was at the time.
But the headlining monstrosity: Triple H accuses Kane of murder, and someho...
You Don’t Have the Stroke - WCW Halloween Havoc 1997
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This week on Grapple City Rewind, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink crack open a Slim Jim and dive deep into WCW Halloween Havoc 1997 — live from Las Vegas, baby. From Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero’s all-time classic mask vs. title match to the absolute garbage that follows, this show has it all: Hogan vs. Piper inside the flimsiest cage ever built, Mongo’s missing Super Bowl ring, and the golden era of Dusty Rhodes one-liners. Plus, the guys talk TNA Bound for Glory, AEW WrestleDream, and why 1997 WCW felt like it was bo...
2001: A Wrestling Odyssey - WWF No Mercy 2001
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Brad and Aaron return to St. Louis for WWF No Mercy 2001, which took place live at Savvis Center—the same arena where Brad saw his very first wrestling show. The duo relive the Attitude Era’s turning point as WWF began its transformation into WWE, dissecting the struggle for power between Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Rob Van Dam. Along the way, they rewind through the entire card—Hardys vs. Hurricane, Edge vs. Christian, Kane vs. Test, and more—mixing in current product talk about Crown Jewel 2025, nostalgia for 90s house...
