Monday Night Wars: 30 March 1998

Craig Wilson & Jamie Lithgow

It’s the night after Wrestlemania 14 and it’s a huge Raw. Triple H has an announcement to make regarding DX, the Nation get a new leader and The New Outlaws face Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie in a steel cage to determine who the undisputed tag team champions are. While over on Nitro tensions in the nWo increase further with Kevin Nash joining Randy Savage in Hollywood Hogan’s bad books, and Hogan headlines the show against Rowdy Roddy Piper.

All that and more as Monday Night Wars continues.

Sunday Sermon: Have the WWE done enough to sell Wrestlemania 30?

Craig Wilson, Brian Damage, Russ Morgan, Jamie Lithgow & Gary Henderson

One week from now Wrestlemania 30 will take place. The biggest wrestling show of the year and the 29th installment of the superbowl of wrestling. Yet many have been critical of the lead-up to this event. It hasn’t been helped by the negative reaction to Batista’s return and the clamour for Daniel Bryan to be in the main event instead.

Has the build-up to Wrestlemania been affected by the fact that with it being on The Network those that have signed up for the WWE’s on demand service have already purchased the show or is there more to it? That and other topics will be covered in today’s Sunday Sermon as Craig, Brian, Russ, Jamie and Gary discuss whether the WWE have done enough to sell Wrestlemania 30.

This Week in Wrestling 2014 week 13

Craig Wilson, Jamie Lithgow & Brian Damage

In the latest instalment of ‘This Week in Wrestling’ Craig wonders if it’s more of a ‘Hall of Redemption’ than a Hall of Fame, Jamie shares what wrestling taught him this week and we see a huge gaffe from the makers of WWE figures.

All that and more in the latest ‘This Week in Wrestling’.

Mike Adamle: The Man Who (Perhaps) Knew Too Much

Brian Damage

It seemed like a decent decision on paper. The WWE announced the hiring of former American Gladiators announcer…Mike Adamle in 2008. In the 7 seasons he anchored American Gladiators…Adamle showed a keen knowledge and pacing in broadcasting. While Adamle had zero background in professional wrestling, his skill level in broadcasting was pretty solid. Not only did he do Gladiators…he also worked for ESPN, the USFL and even the XFL.

A Moment In Time: Madusa Throws the WWF Women’s Title in the Trash

Jamie Lithgow

Back in the early 1990’s one of the best and most high profile female professional wrestlers in America was Debrah ‘Madusa/Alundra Blayze’ Miceli. For over ten years Miceli wrestled in the big leagues. Sandwiched between her two WCW runs as Madusa was a two year stint in the WWF as Alundra Blayze. After leaving the wrestling scene in 2001 she became a successful monster truck driver, something she continues to be involved in. Despite capturing titles in both America and Japan – including the WCW Cruiserweight Title – and a successful monster truck career, there is one championship and one incident in particular that she is remembered for. On the December 18th 1995 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Miceli marked her first WCW appearance in two years by throwing the WWF Women’s Championship in the bin.

The Dudleys: A Family History

Brian Damage

One of the most fascinating gimmicks to me personally, was the kayfabe family known as the Dudley brothers. I’m not just referring to the multi-time tag team champs…Bubba Ray and D-Von…but the others that made this “family” so unique.

The story of the Dudley family starts out with “Big Daddy” Dudley, who was a traveling salesman in the 60’s and 70’s and was married to Mama Dudley. When Big Daddy was on the road, he would fornicate with a woman at every stop along the way. Some….if not most of these women became pregnant and had a child (most likely a boy) 9 months later.

Scott Hall – The Good, The Bad Guy and The Ugly

Russ Morgan

Coming the day after it was rather surprisingly announced that Scott Hall is to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, I thought it was only fitting to sum up Scott Hall’s colourful career in my own inimitable way…

Scott’s early career is a bit up and down. He began in the old NWA in 1984 to very little success, but a year later he would join the AWA where he would actually garner quite a big spot. “Magnum” Scott Hall was a tag team champion with a pre ”Mr Perfect” Curt Hennig and put in the World Title picture on more than one occasion. Seeing the writing on the wall for the promotion after a 4 year stay, he would return to the NWA/WCW.

Monday Night Wars: 23 March 1998

Craig Wilson & Jamie Lithgow

It’s the final Raw before Wrestlemania 14 so we have Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels in attendance. Austin even wrestles the main event against The Rock. On Nitro DDP and Sting have a cracking match and Holywood Hogan accepts Roddy Piper’s challenge to a baseball bat match for Spring Stampede.

All that and more as Monday Night Wars continues.

Sunday Sermon: Is A Shield Face Turn Best For Business?

Craig Wilson, Jamie Lithgow & Brian Damage

Last Monday’s episode of Raw appeared to indicate a new direction for Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns after the trio powerbombed corporate Kane, seemingly indicating a face turn.

The group have been heels since their debut at the 2012 edition of Survivor Series and have been a revolation since. Even more than a year after their debut they continue to excel in 6-man tag matches with their recent one against The Wyatt Family being their best effort.

In this Sunday Sermon Craig, Jamie and Brian take a loo at The Shield’s face turn and decide if it, to quote Triple H, is “best for business.