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  • Honest Conversation Is Overrated
  • Popcorn Culture
  • Comically Obsessed
  • Justify Your Bookshelves

Popcorn Culture

Ruminations on TV Shows, Comics, And Music

ALL ATTITUDE ALL THE TIME

7/28/2021

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1. The Corporate Rumble, 1999

The Attitude Era of WWE has been in full swing for a while. Steve Austin, Mick Foley, and The Rock have dominated TV wrestling. WCW nailed its own coffin shut at the end of last season, so it sounds like a golden age for Vince McMahon's corporation. Ehhhh? We're nowhere near the end of the Austin/McMahon feud, but it feels like their journey from the Royal Rumble to Wrestlemania 15 is going to be its peak. We also get our first glimpse of Val Venis. I'm skipping a lot of Raw continuity because, while it's often good, every week is a different person turning on a different person until it was really impossible to tell who was teamed up with who. So, you know, it was Very Vince Russo. 

Announcers: Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Howard Finkel




1. The Royal Rumble
Steve Austin, Mr. McMahon, Golga, Droz, Edge, Gillberg, Steve Blackman, Dan Severn, Tiger Ali Singh, The Blue Meanie, Mabel, Road Dogg, Gangrel, Kurrgan, Al Snow, Goldust, The Godfather, Kane, Ken Shamrock, Billy Gunn, Test, Big Boss Man, Triple H, Val Venis, X-Pac, Jeff Jarrett, D'Lo Brown, Owen Hart, Chyna

2. Hardcore Holly vs Al Snow for the vacant Hardcore Championship
3. Ken Shamrock (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Val Venis
4. Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon in a Steel Cage

​2. Over The Edge, 1999

Because Raw consistently featured pay-per-view quality booking, WWE's pay-per-view products got tremedously watered down. The Rock vs Mick Foley is great. The first five or six times. But the same pairing eight times in three months is exhausting, a lesson the WWE still hasn't learned. After this episode, we're going to skip a wide swath of main events, in order to focus on the undercard but first The Rock and Mankind have one of the best early cinematic matches in WWE history.

Announcers: Michael Cole, Kevin Kelly, Shane McMahon, Vince McMahon, 

1. The Rock (WWE Champ) vs Mankind in an Empty Arena Match
2. The Rock (WWE Champ) vs Steve Austin
3. Taka Michonoku vs Owen Hart as The Blue Blazer
4. The Ministry vs The Brood
5. Hardcore Holly (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs Al Snow
6. Mankind vs The Big Show in a Boiler Room Match
7. Raw Is Owen

3. Hardcore Attitude,1999

1. A ton of Corporate Ministry/McMahon/Stone Cold shenanigans
2. The Hardy Boyz vs The Brood
3. Billy Gunn vs X-Pac for King Of The Ring
4. Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon vs Shane McMahon for control of the WWE 
5. The Rock vs Triple H in a Strap Match
6. Al Snow (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs Big Boss Man
​

4. Fully Loaded, 1999

1. Edge (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Jeff jarret
2. The Acolytes vs The Hardy Boys
3. Ivory (WWE Woman's Champ) vs Tori Wilson
4. Ken Shamrock vs Steve Blackman
5. Kane & X-Pac (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs The Unholy Alliance
6. Steve Austin (WWE Champ) vs Triple H vs Mick Foley (as Mankind)

5. Rebellion, 1999
​

1. Mick Foley (as Mankind) (WWE Champ) vs Triple H
2. D-Lo Brown (European Champ) vs Mark Henry
3. Jeff Jarret (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chyna
4. The Acolytes vs THe Dudley Boys
5. The Road Dogg vs Chris Jericho
6. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs The Rock in a Steel Cage

6. Smackdown, 1999
​

1. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs British Bulldog
2. Jeff Jarret (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chyna
3. This Is Your Life, The Rock
4. The Hardy Boys vs Edge & Christian in a Ladder Match
5. Val Venis vs Mick Foley (as Mankind)
6. Chyna (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Jericho


7. Armageddon, 1999, 2000

1. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs Big Show vs The Rock
2. Too Cool vs Val Venis & British Bulldog (Rikishi debut)

3. Kurt Angle vs Shawn Stasiak
4. Kane vs X-Pac
5. Chyna (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Jericho
6. New Age Outlaws (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Too Cool & Rikishi
7. Triple H vs Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred Match

8. Royal Street Fight Bang Bang, 2000
​

1. Taz vs Kurt Angle
2. Hardy Boys vs Dudley Boys in a Tables Tag Team Match
4. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs Mick Foley (as Cactus Jack) in a Street Fight
7. The Royal Rumble
D'Lo Brown ,  Grand Master Sexay, Mosh,  Christian , Rikishi , Scotty 2 Hotty, Steve Blackman, Mabel, Big Boss Man, Test, The British Bulldog, Gangrel, Edge,  Bob Backlund, Chris Jericho, Crash Holly, Chyna,  Faarooq, Road Dogg, Al Snow, Val Venis, Prince Albert, Hardcore Holly,  The Rock, Billy Gunn, Big Show , JBL,  Kane , The Godfather, X-Pac



. Radical Invasion, 2000

1. New Age Outlaws vs Al Snow & Steve Blackman
2. Chris Jericho (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chyna (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Hardcore Holly

3. Chris Jericho (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Kurt Angle
4. Too Cool & Rikishi vs The Radicalz
5. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs Mick Foley (as Catus Jack) in Hell In A Cell Retirement Match
6. Dudley Boys (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Edge & Christian vs Hardy Boys in a Ladder Match

10. Radical Backlash, 2000

1, Jacqueline (WWE Womans Champ) vs Stephanie McMahon
2. Too Cool & Chyna vs The Radicalz 
3. Kane & Rikishi vs DX
​4. Kurt Angle (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit
5. Kurt Angle (WWE European Champ) vs Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit
6. Chris Jericho (WWE European Champ) vs Eddie Guerrero
7. Scotty 2 Hotty (WWE Light Heavyweight Champ) vs Dean Malenko
8. Eddie Guerrero (WWE European Champ) vs Emma Rios
9. Chris Benoit (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Jericho


11. The Attitude Era Blows Up, 2000

1. Eddie Guerrero (WWE European Champ) vs Perry Saturn vs Dean Malenko
​2. Chris Benoit (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Jericho
3. DX (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Dudley Boyz in a tables match
4. Steve Austin blows up the DXExpress
5. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs The Rock

10.  The Olympic King, 2000

1.Kurt Angle vs Chris Jericho
2. Rikishi vs Val Venis
3. Kurt Angle vs Rikishi
4. Hardy Boyz & Lita vs T&A & Trish Stratus
5. Triple H vs Chris Jericho in a Last Man Standing Match
6. The Rock (WWE Champ) vs Chris Benoit

11. TV-14 (2000)

1. Debut Of Right To Censor
2. Val Venis (WWE Intercontinental Champ) & Trish Stratus vs Eddie Guerrero & Chyna
3. Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho Best 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match
4. Edge & Christian (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Dudley Boyz vs Hardy Boys in a TLC Match
5. The Rock (WWE Champ) vs Triple H vs Kurt Angle
6. Edge & Christian (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Hardy Boyz in a Steel Cage Match
7. Triple H vs Kurt Angle
8. The Rock (WWE Champ) vs Chris Benoit vs Kane vs Undertaker in a Fatal 4Way

12. Stinkface (2000)

1. The Rock vs Rikishi
​2. Ivory (WWE Woman's Champ) vs Lyta
3. Kurt Angle (WWE Champ) vs The Undertaker
4. William Regal (WWE European Champ) vs Hardcore Holly
5. Val Venis Vs Chyna
6. Ivory (WWE Womans Champ) vs Molly Holly vs Trish Stratus
7. Kurt Angle (WWE Champ) vs Undertaker vs The Rock vs Steve Austin vs Triple H vs Rikishi in Hell In A Cell Match

8. Chris Benoit (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Jericho in a Ladder Match
9. Ivory (WWE Womans Champ) vs Chyna
10. Kurt Angle (WWE Champ) vs Triple H

13. The Road To Wrestlemania (2001)

​1.  Royal Rumble
Jeff Hardy, Bull Buchanan, Matt Hardy, Faarooq, Drew Carey, Kane, Raven, Al Snow, Perry Saturn, Steve Blackman, Grand Master Sexay, The Honky Tonk Man, The Rock, The Goodfather, Tazz, JBL, Albert, Hardcore Holly, R-Truth, Val Venis, William Regal, Test, Big Show, Crash Holly, The Undertaker, Scotty 2 Hotty, Steve Austin, Billy Gunn, Haku, Rikishi

2. Raven (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs Big Show
3. Chris Jericho (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Chris Benoit vs Eddie Guerrero vs X-Pac in a Fatal 4Way

4. Stephanie McMahon Helmsley vs Trish Stratus
5. Triple H vs Steve Austin in 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match 

14. X7 (2001)

Perhaps the greatest ever Wrestlemania with one of the all-time best matches that, unfortunately, led to some dismal storylines, but it was all shock and potential during this epic pay-per-view.

1. The Dudley Boyz (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Brothers Of Destruction vs Edge & Christian 
2. Kurt Angle (WWE Champ) vs The Rock
3. Chris Jericho (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs William Regal
4. Raven (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs Big Show vs Kane
5. Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
6. Ivory (WWE Woman's Champ) vs Chyna
7. The Dudley Boyz (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz in a TLC Match

8. Undertaker vs Triple H
9. The Rock (WWE Champ) vs Steve Austin

15. The New Boss (2001)

I've avoided as much as possible the WCW Vince Russo era. Just trust me, it's not worth it. A new title change very five minutes. "Celebrity" champions. Jay Leno wrestling. Vince Russo just chowing down on Hulk Hogan's c....ego. It's awful. So the owners decided to sell, and while Bischoff and some of the top brass at WCW made an offer, The McMahon family ended up purchasing the company, and Boom. No More WCW. It would now be owned by the WWE. The final episode of WCW Nitro had some decent curtain calls, so I've included those here.

1. Vince McMahon announces he has purchased WCW
2. Scott Steiner (WCW Heavyweight Champ) vs Booker T (WCW US Champ)
3. Sting vs Ric Flair
4. Shane McMahon announces he has purchased WCW
5. Rhyno (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs Raven
6. Matt Hardy (WWE European Champ) vs Christian vs Eddie Guerrero
7. Two Man Power Trip (WWE Champ & WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Brothers Of Destruction (WWE Tag Team Champs) with every title at stake
8. Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle in an Ultimate Submission Match

16. Lead Me To My Throne (2001)

1. Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit in  a 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match
2. Chyna (WWE Woman's Champ) vs Lyta
3. Triple H (WWE Champ) vs Kane in a Chain Match
4. Stone Cold (WWE Champ) vs The Undertaker No Holds Barred
5. Kurt Angle vs Christian
6. Edge vs Rhyno
7. Edge vs Kurt Angle

17. First Strike In The Invasion, 2001

1. Kurt Angle vs Shane McMahon in a Street Fight
2. Steve Austin (WWE Champ) vs Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit
3. Paul Heyman & ECW invade again
4. Jeff Hardy (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs RvD
5. Team Coalition vs Team WWE
Booker T, Bubba Ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley, DDP, and Rhyno vs Chris Jericho, Kane, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, and The Undertaker

18. The Alliance, 2001

1. Rhyno gores Jericho on Raw
2. Jeff Hardy (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs RvD in a Ladder Match
3. The Rock (WCW Champ) vs Booker T
4. RvD (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs Chris Jericho
5. Steve Austin (WWE Champ) vs Kurt Angle
6. Dudley Boyz vs Big Show & Tajiri
7. The Rock (WCW Champ) vs Chris Benoit
8. Kurt Angle turns Stephanie McMahon into The Dairy Queen
9.Trish Stratus vs Ivory vs Jazz vs Jacqueline vs Molly Holly vs Lita  for the vacant WWE Woman's Championship

10. Team WWE vs The Alliance
The Rock, Chris Jericho, Big Show, The Undertaker, Kane vs  Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, RvD, Booker T, Shane McMahon

19. Unification, 2001

1. Steve Austin (WWE Champ) vs RvD
2. Edge (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs William Regal
3. RvD (WWE Hardcore Champ) vs The Undertaker
4. Trish Stratus (WWE Womans Champ) vs Jacqueline
5. Steve Austin (WWE Champ) vs Kurt Angle
6. The Rock (WCW Champ) vs Chris Jericho
7. Steve Austin (WWE Champ) vs Chris Jericho (WCW Champ)

20. Tough Decisions, 2002

1. Paul Heyman fired
2. Ric Flair is the new owner of the WWE?
3. Trish Stratus (WWE Womans Champ) vs Jazz
4. Chris Jericho (WWE Champ) vs The Rock
5. Steve Austin vs Booker T in Price Check On A Jackass
6. The Royal Rumble
Rikishi, Goldust, Big Boss Man, JBL, Lance Storm, Al Snow, Billy Gunn, The Undertaker, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Maven, Scotty 2 Hotty, Christian, DDP, Chuck Palumbo, The Godfather, Albert, Perry Saturn, Steve Austin, Val Venis, Test, Triple H, The Hurricane, Faarooq, Mr. Perfect, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, RvD, Booker T

7. Vince McMahon decides to bring the NWO into WWE
​
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The X-Files In 97 Episodes Worth Watching, 3: The Truth Is out There, Like Way Out There

7/4/2021

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One of the biggest problems with "Lost", and there were many, was that there were hardly ever payoffs to the questions posed in episodes. Eventually they would get sort of haphazardly answered, generally inducing a shrug in the viewer. "The X-Files" was definitely on that trajectory in the first two seasons (and would come back to that problem later) but in this season, they do a great job of answering big questions but then revealing that those answers are tiny compared to the bigger questions. Its shifting of focus somehow worked for a while, and this might have been the peak of that technique.

​I have peppered this season with three of the funniest episodes of the series, and also included the first episode of a TV show written by the guy who wrote "Breaking Bad". I think this season is really solid.
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Season 3:
​The Truth Is Out There

Episode 1: Humbug
(Mulder, Scully)

I know what you're thinking, you're starting a season with a Christmas episode? No. "Humbug" is the first comedic episode of the X-Files and the shift in tone is so drastic that it led David Duchovny to say, of the writer, "What I love about his scripts is that he's trying to destroy the show." It's a weird, wonderful Monster Of The Week storyline with no connection to the larger X-Files universe, and it's a total blast.


Episode 2: Soft Light
(Mulder, Scully, X)

On the opposite end of the episode spectrum, "Soft Light" is a conspiracy-centric bummer with killer shadows, the guy who played Monk beinc convinced the government is out to get him, and a government that is totally out to get him.


Episode 3: Anasazi
(Mulder, Scully, Smoking Man, Skinner, Krycek, The Lone Gunmen)

The beginning of a 3-part story about Mulder's descent into madness after he and Scully receives a tape seeming to confirm several of Mulder's theories about aliens.


Episode 4: The Blessing Way
(Mulder, Scully, Smoking Man, Skinner, Krycek, The Well-Manicured Man, Deep Throat)

A major death rocks Mulder during his investigation from the last episode, and once again, the X-Files are closed.


Episode 5: Paper Clip
(Mulder, Scully, Smoking Man, Skinner, Krycek, The Well-Manicured Man, The Lone Gunmen)

Wrapping up this three-parter we get more revelations than we probably planned on, given the nature of the show.


Episode 6: Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose
(Mulder, Scully)

A break is needed after that intense storyarc, and we find it in this amazing and hilarious episode where the dad from "Everybody Loves Raymond" (or Frankenstein's Monster in Young Frankenstein, if you're older than I am) can see how people die and assists Mulder and Scully in tracking down a serial killer who targets fortune killers.


Episode 7: Nisei
(Mulder, Scully, Skinner, X, The Lone Gunmen, Red Haired Man)

The first part of a two-episode arc based on the atrocities done to Japanese prisoners of war in WWII, Mulder and Scully come into posession of an "authentic" videotape of an alien autopsy and Scully begins to suspect her abduction last season may have complications.


Episode 8: 731
(Mulder, Scully, Smoking Man, X, Red Haired Man)

More alien conspiracy shenanigans and government conspiracies!


Episode 9: War Of The Copraphages
(Mulder, Scully)

Another great one-off comic episode by the writer of "Humbug" and "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" . Katsaridaphobes are going to want to skip this one.


Episode 10: Piper Maru
(Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek)

We end the season on a conspiracy episode spinning out of the 3-parter from earlier in the season. An investigation into a family member's death leads back to Krycek and that pesky tape.
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How To Watch The WWE In A Focused, Fun Manner, Whether You're New Or A Long Time Fan, 1: Rock, Wrestling, And The Megapowers

7/2/2021

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Wrestling is a work. It's sports entertainment with predetermined results. It's a soap opera famously designed for late twentieth century male-identified fans of steroid-riddled beefcakes. It's silly. It, like all sports, is 90% garbage, 10% amazing. It's way better than fat old white guys wearing tacky clothes on a liesurely walk through manicured grass while occasionally hitting a ball with a stick, or that other ball with a stick sport where a bunch of steroid-riddled non-beefcakes stand around in the sun (or the moon if it's a night game) waiting for someone to hit the ball in their general direction so they can maybe catch it or something.

Look, it makes just as much sense as soccer or lacrosse or underwater foosball . When it's great, it's Ping Pong Parkour Great, and when it's bad, it's insufferable golf with sweatier men.

I've watched A Lot of it. First in the eighties. All of my friends were into wrestling during the Hogan-centric era. All of them. Kids would act out The Interviews, not even the matches, The Interviews during recess, probably realizing they were more likely to grow up into Gene Okerlund or Tony Schiavone than Bret Hart of The Ultimate Warrior.

In the 90s, I lived with a family who got really into The Rock, Steve Austin, and Rey Mysterio, and I got hooked back in for a couple of years.

Poetry slam took over most of my life in the 21st century, but I would hear people talk about certain names that I would remember, and I would go on Youtube or DailyMotion and seek out the match and see if it still had any emotional resonance. And sometimes it did.

I am going to Seriously Condense wrestling history into a few seasons. Each season will contain YEARS of storylines. Maybe that sucks some of the drama out when you don't have to wait a full year for a feud to peak and resolve, but I want this list to MOVE. It will be mostly WWE (which is the product I grew up on) and some WCW.

The first season, Rock And Wrestling starts off with a Pilot Episode that doesn't really fit with the rest of the season but includes a bunch of famous matches from before I was born. Some of those matches are historically important, some of them just introduce characters who will come back much later but who you should probably see some of their Ancient Work.

I have edited all of these episodes together for my own personal use. I won't ever be sending these files out to people (because copyright is important) but I might do some free Discord viewing if people are interested.

Season One:
Rock, Wrestling, And The Megapowers

Starring The Immortal Hulk Hogan, The Macho Man Randy Savage, Andre The Giant, The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, The Nature Boy Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, Brett The Hitman Hart. The Honkey Tonk Man, Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse The Body Ventura, Bobby The Brain Heenan, Mean Gene Okerlund, and Howard Finkel as "The Fink".
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Pilot: All-American Wrestling

I got into wrestling during Hulkamania, and never watched classic 70s or early 80s matches until I decided to work on this project. So this episode are all matches that are Historically Important. I was going to start with the end of Bruno Sammartino's first (and longest in history) reign as WWE (then WWWF) Champion, but the video from that match is really terrible, so I've decided to begin the series with the end of Sammartino's second reign, which also introduces us to the prototype that Hulk Hogan is based on.

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Gorilla Monsoon, Gene Okerlund, Howard Finkel, and more.

1. Bruno Sammartino (WWE Champ) vs Superstar Billy Graham, 1977
2. Superstar Billy Graham (WWE Chanp) vs Bob Backlund, 1978
3. Terry Funk Vs Jerry Lawler in an Empty Arena Match, 1981
4. Andre The Giant Vs Killer Khan in a Mongolian Stretcher Match, 1981
5. Pat Patterson vs Sgt Slaughter in a Street Fight, 1981
6. Bob Backlund (WWE Champ) vs Superfly Jimmy Snuka in a Steel Cage, 1983
7. Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask 3 in Japan, 1983
8. Andre The Giant Vs Abdullah The Butcher, 1983
9. Bob Backlund (WWE Champ) & The Persian Club Incident, 1983 sets up
10.  Bob Backlund (WWE Champ) vs. The Iron Shiek, 1983
11. Iron Shiek (WWE Champ) vs. Hulk Hogan, 1983

Episode 1: WCW Starrcade 1983/1984 

The first closed-circuit wrestling spectacular for a revamped wrestling promotion, Starrcade introduces us to a bunch of faces who will become famous in the WWE but who put on some of their best matches in this slightly less soap-operay divison.

1. Abdullah The Butcher vs Carlos Colon
2. Roddy Piper Vs Greg Valentine in a Dog Collar Match
3.  Brisco Brothers (WCW Tag Champs) vs Ricky Steamboat and Tully Blanchard
4. Harley Race (WCW Champ) vs Ric Flair
5. Tully Blanchard (WCW TV Champ) vs Ricky Steamboat
6. Wahoo McDaniel (WWE US Champ) vs Superstar Billy Graham

Episode 2: The Birth Of Wrestlemania, 1984

No one can deny that Hulk Hogan was The Guy who made wrestling mainstream, and as quirky as the weekly wrestling Superstars shows were, I'm really not inflicting people with Famous Wrestlers Take On Jobbers (usually local talent whose job it was to lose matches and make the stars look good), so  the WWE story really gets revved up with the first WWE (then WWF, no longer the WWWF) pay-per-view spectacular. The first match does not take place at Wrestlemania but was a match worthy of being on the ppv. I've also tacked on some early Saturday Night Main Event matches to stretch this out to two hours. This really helps because the main event of Wrestlemania was kind of meh. This allows the main event to be Hulk Hogan (in white diapers instead of the usual yellow) waving an American flag. Ain't nothing more 1980s WWE than that.

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Vince McMahon, Gene Okerlund, Alfred Hayes, Howard Finkel

1. The Iron Shiek vs Sgt Slaughter
2. Junkyard Dog vs Greg Valentine
3. Andre The Giant Vs Big John Studd
4. Wendi Richter (WWE Woman's Champ) vs Leilani Kai
5. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) and Mr. T vs Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorfff
6. Wendi Richter (WWE Woman's Champ) vs Fabulous Moolah
7. Terry Funk vs The Junkyard Dog
8. Randy Savage vs George Steele
9. The Dream Team (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs The British Bulldogs
10. Hulk Hogan Vs Nikolai Volkov in a Flag Match

Episode 3: The Great American Bash, 1985

While some of the talent from the first WCW episode jump shipped for the WWE for the Wrestlemania era, those who stayed behind worked some serious grit into their routines to balance the WWE's polished Hollywood storylines. This episode features matches from the first Great American Bash, as well as the third Starrcade.

Announcers: Bob Caudle, Gordon Solie, Barbara Clary, Tony Schiavone, Tom Miller

1.  Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Nikita Koloff
2. Tully Blanchard (WCW TV Champ) vs Dusty Rhodes in a Steel Cage
3. Abdullah The Butcher vs Manny Fernandez
4. Magnum TA Vs Tully Blanchard
5. The Koloff Brothers (WCW Tag Team Champs) vs Rock & Roll Express
​6. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Dusty Rhodes


Episode 4: The Wrestling Classic, 1985

Wrestlemania 2 is kind of a letdown. There aren't a ton of good storylines or matches, but if you combine it with the exceptionally well (for an early 80s ppv) formatted event like The Wrestling Classic, you get a solid 80s rasslin' show. Also, this event is 50% Randy Macho Man Savage matches. This is mostly because of The Wrestling Classic tournament, but also because, even though he wasn't Hulk Hogan, he was omnipresent in all their marquee shows.

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Gene Okerlund, Vince McMahon, Alfred Hayes, Elvira, Tommy Lasorda, Ricky Schroeder, Howard Finkel

1. Junkyard Dog vs Ted Dibiase
2. Randy Savage Vs Ricky Steamboat
3. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) vs Roddy Piper
4. Randy Savage vs. Dynamite Kid
5. Junkyard Dog vs Randy Savage
6. Ricky Steamboat vs Hercules
7. Randy Savage Vs George Steele in a Lumberjack Match
8. Hulk Hogan Vs King Kong Bundy in a steel cage

Episode 5: Skywalkers, 1986

While Hulk Hogan was the face for WWE, a certain someone to be revealed later was definitely The Man Behind The Scenes. Over in WCW, Ric Flair was the face of the promotion but his biggest rival was also one of WCW's best bookers and promoters, and 1986 was a great year for the man called Dusty Rhodes. This episodes features matches from the 2 WCW ppvs in 1986: Great American Bash 2, and Starrcade 4.

1. Legion Of Doom (WCW Tag Team Champs) Vs Koloff Brothers in a Russian Chain Match
2. Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA, and Baby Doll vs Midnight Express & Jim Cornett
3. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Ricky Morton
4. Wahoo McDaniel vs Rick Rude in a Strap Match
5. Big Boss Man vs Ron Garvin
6. Dusty Rhodes (WCW TV Champ) vs Tully Blanchard in First Blood Match
7. Legion Of Doom vs Midnight Express in a Skywalkers Match
8. The Rock & Roll Express (Tag Team Champs) vs The Minnesota Wrecking Crew in a Steel Cage Match


Episode 6: The Slam Heard Round The World, 1987

More Saturday Night Main Events matches to end old storylines and tease events for Wrestlemania 3.

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Lord Alfred Hayes, Vince McMahon, Jesse Ventura, Bob Eueker, Mary Hart,  Gene Okerlund, Howard Finkel

1. Hulk Hogan and Junkyard Dog vs. The Funks
2. Ricky Steamboat vs Jake Roberts
3. Hart Foundation vs Tito Santana & Dan Spivey 
4. Junkyard Dog vs King Harley Race
5. Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat
6. Honky Tonk Man (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Jake Roberts
7. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) vs Andre The Giant ​​

Episode 7: The Survivor Series, 1987/88

After some requisite setup matches from Saturday Night's Main Events, we see a cool team tournament idea that still sort of exists to this day, a bunch of five person teams come together to tie several wrestler's storylines into fancy knots while introducing new grudges and opportunities. Plus, the first ever (it wasn't even on pay-per-view!) Royal Rumble. Ending this with a Royal Rumble gives us our first WWE event not headlined by Hulk Hogan!

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Vince McMahon, Gene Okerlund, and Craig DeGeorge, and Howard Finkel
​
1. The Hart Foundation (WWE Tag Team champs) vs British Bulldogs
2. Honkey Tonk Man (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Randy Savage
3. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) vs King Kong Bundy
​4. Bam Bam Bigelow vs Hercules 

5. The Honkey Tonkers vs The Savage Animals
Honkey Tonk Man, Ron Bass, Harley Race, Hercules, and Danny Davis vs  Randy Savage, Brutus Beefcake, Jake Roberts, Ricky Steamboat, and  Jim Duggan

6. Hulkamaniacs vs The Giants Of Wrestling
Hulk Hogan, Bam Bam Bigelow, Don Muraco, Paul Orndorff, and Ken Patera vs Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude, Butch Reed, and The One Man Gang.

7. The Glamour Girls (WWE Womens Tag Team Champs) vs Jumping Bomb Angels
8. The Inaugural Royal Rumble
Bret Hart, Tito Santana, Butch Reed, Jim Neidhart, Jake Roberts, Harley Race, Jim Brunzell, Sam Houston, Danny Davis, Boris Zhukov, Don Muraco, Nikolai Volkoff, Jim Duggan, Ron Bass, B Brian Blair, Hillbilly Jim, Dino Bravo, Ultimate Warrior, One Man Gang, and Junkyard Dog​

Episode 8: War Games, 1987
WCW's answer to The Survivor Series pits two teams of four or five people in a steel cage! I've also included the following ppv, Starcade, to flesh this out.

1. The Road Warriors vs The Four Horsemen
Legion Of Doom, Nikita Koloff, Dusty Rhodes, and Paul Ellering vs Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Andersen, Tully Blanchard, and JJ Dillon
2. Eddie Gilbert/Larry Zbysko/RickSteiner vs Sting/Jimmy Garvin/Michael Hayes
4. Lex Luger (WCW TV Champ) vs Dusty Rhodes
5. Barry Wyndham (WCW Western States Champ) vs Larry Zbysko

6. Ron Garvin (WCW Champ) vs Ric Flair 

Episode 9: The Tournament Of Champion, 1988

Another Wrestling Classic style tournament takes place at Wrestlemania 4, but this time, it's to crown a new champion due to some chicanery from The Main Event that led to the tournament. Also, the closing match gives us a new champion, who's not wearing yellow and red! I've also tacked on some matches post-Wrestlemania so you can see Hulk Hogan with Elizabeth as his manager, but also end with Randy Savage defending his title, and not having Hogan around to hog his spotlight.

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Vince McMahon,  Bob Ueker, Gene Okerlund, Vanna White, Robin Leach, and Howard Finkel

1. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) vs Andre The Giant
2. Ted Dibiase vs Jim Duggan
3. Honky Tonk Man  (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Brutus Beefcake
4. Randy Savage vs One Man Gang
5. Strike Force (WWE Tag Champs) vs Demolition
6. Rady Savage vs Ted Dibiase for the WWE Title

7. Rick Rude vs Koko B Ware
8. Randy Savage (WWE Champ) vs One Man Gang

Episode 10: Bunkhouse Stampede, 1988

As an event, The Bunkhouse Stampede is often considered a failure, but if you smush it together with the following event, The Great American Bash, you get a pretty solid WCW ppv event.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Bob Caudle, Missy Hyatt, Jack Gregory, and Tom Miller 
​
1. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Hawk
2. Steel Cage Bukhouse Stampede
Dusty Rhodes, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Barbarian, Warlord, Ivan Koloff,  Animal, and Tully Blanchard
3. Tower Of Doom Match
Legion Of Doom, Steve Williams, Ron and Jimmy Garvin  vs Al Perez, Ivan Koloff, Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda and The Russian Assassin
4. Barry Wyndham (WCW US Champ) vs Dusty Rhodes

Episode 11: The Megapowers, 1988

Hulk Hogan, egomaniacal former champ, and Randy Savage, egomanical current champ, join forces to utterly dominate the industry with their storyline. This episode features the first ever Summer Slam, and the second Survivor Series. Please note that the "Hart Family" here is not, in fact The Hart Family (Bret, Owen British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart), who will become the main stars of season two, but members of Jimmy Hart's wrestling stable. 

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Vince McMahon, Jesse Ventura, Superstar Billy Graham, Gene Okerlund, Sean Mooney, and Howard Finkel

1. Randy Savage (WWE Champ) vs Andre The Giant
2. 4. Hulk Hogan vs King Haku
3. Honky Tonk Man (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Ultimate Warrior

4. Demolition (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Hart Foundation
5. Megapowers vs Megabucks
6. The Hart Family vs The Warriors
Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, Bad News Brown, Ron Bass, and Danny Davis vs Ultimate Warrior, Brutus Beefcake, Owen Hart, Jim Brunzell, and Sam Houston

7. Super Megapowers vs Million Dollar Dream Team
Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Hercules, Koko B Ware, and Hillbilly Jim vs  Ted Dibiase, Big Boss Man, One Man Gang, Haku, and the Red Rooster


Episode 12: Chi-Town Rumble, 1988/89

2/3rds of WCW's 1988 events smushed into one supercard, including the first of the three epic showdowns between Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair.
Announcers: Tony Schiavone, Magnum TA, Jim Ross, Bob Caudle, and Gary Michael Capetta

1. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Lex Luger
2. Russian Assassins vs Junkyard Dog & Ivan Koloff

3. IRS (WCW TV Champ) vs Rick Steiner
4. Barry Wyndham (WCW US Champ) vs Bam Bam Bigelow
5. Legion Of Doom (WCW Tag Team Champs) vs Sting & Dusty Rhodes
6. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Lex Luger

Episode 13: The Royal Rumble, 1988/89

Featuring matches from Saturday Night Main Event, The Survivor Series, and The Royal Rumble, storylines develop that will keep building until Wrestlemania 5. We also have the second Royal Rumble, which contains storybeats and choreographed moves as opposed to the general chaos of the first rumble.

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Vince McMahon, Gene Okerlund, Sean Mooney, and Howard Finkel

1. Ultimate Warrior (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Honky Tonk Man
2. Mr. Perfect vs Koko B Ware
3. King Haku vs Harley Race for the cape and crown
4. Royal Rumble Match
Ax, Smash, Andre The Giant, Mr Perfect, Ronnie Garvin, Greg Valentine, Jake Roberts, Ron Bass, Shawn Michaels, Bushwhacker Butch, Honky Tonk Man, Tito Santana, Bad News Brown, Marty Janetti, Macho Man, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Hulk Hogan, Bushwhacker Luke, Koko B Ware, Warlod, Big Boss Man, Akeem, Brutus Beefcake, Red Rooster, Barbarian, Big John Studd, Hercules, Rick Martel, and Ted Dibiase

5. MegaPowers vs Twin Towers

Episode 14 : Wrestlewar, 1989

Ok, the event names at WCW could use even more work than their WWE counterparts, but this event closes out the very eventful year of 1989 and includes the second and third of the three amazing Rick Flair vs Ricky Steamboat matches from this era.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Bob Caudle, Lance Russell, Joe Pedecino, and Gary Michael Cappetta

1. Sting vs Butch Reed
​2. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Ricky Steamboat
3. Dick Murdoch vs Bob Orton in a strap match
4. Sting (WCW TV Champ) vs Iron Sheik
5. Ricky Steamboat (WCW Champ) vs Ric Flair

Episode 15: The Megapowers Explode, 1989

At the end of the last WWE episode, we saw the Megapowers partnership crumble, in this episode we see the end of their storyline. 

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Gene Okerlund, Sean Mooney, Tony Schiavone,  and Howard Finkel

1. Hulk Hogan vs Big Boss Man in a Steel Cage
2. Twin Towers vs Rockers

3. Brain Busters vs Strike Force
4. Jake Roberts vs Andre The Giant
5. Ultimate Warrior (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Rick Rude
6. Randy Savage (WWE Champ) vs Hulk Hogan

Episode 16: Rise Of The Warrior, 1989

The man who dethroned The Honkey Tonk Man lost his Intercontinental Championship in the last episode but now begins his time to shine. We also see Hacksaw Jim Duggan as King of the WWE, the tag team reign of two of the biggest WCW stars (Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson of the Four Horsemen are now the WWE's Brain Busters), and a couple of Survivor Series matches. Despite being the WWE Champ, there is no Hulk Hogan in this episode. 

Annoucers:  Jesse Ventura, Tony Schiavonne, Gene Okerlund, Sean Mooney, Howard Finkel, Ron Garvin

1. King Hacksaw vs Rick Rude
2. Brain Busters (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Hart Foundation
3. Dusty Rhodes vs Honkey Tonk Man
4. Rick Rude (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Ultimate Warrior
5. Brain Busters (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Demolition
6. Debut of Earthquale
​7. The King's Court vs The 4x4s

Randy Savage, Earthquake, Dino Bravo, and Greg Valentine vs Jim Duggan, Bret Hart, Ronnie Gavin, and Hercules

8. The Ultimate Warriors vs The Heenan Family
The Ultimate Warrior, Jim Neidhart, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty vs  Bobby Heenan, André the Giant, Haku and Arn Anderson

Episode 17: Kings Of The Hill, 1989

NWA/WCW loved to put multiple rings together for special gimmick matches. Here we begin with a two-ring Battle Royal, throw some War Games in the mix, and end with the WCW answer to The Megapowers, about a year too late.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Bob Caudle, Gordon Sollie, Chris Cruise, and Gary Michael Cappetta

1. King Of The Hill Battle Royal
2. Sting (WCW TV Champ) vs The Great Muta
3. War Games Match
Legion Of Doom, The Midnight Express, and Steve Williams vs The Fabulous Freebirds and The Samoan SWAT Team

4. Ric Flair (WCW Champ) vs Terry Funk
5. Doom vs The Steiner Brothers
6. Lex Luger vs Brian Pillman

Episode 18: Superstars Of Wrestling, 1989/90

Some classic matchups from Saturday Night's Main Events. Plus, the 1990 Royal Rumble which sets up the feud that will finally topple Hogan from his perch.

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, Tony Schiavone, Jesse Ventura, Gene Okerlund, Sean Mooney, and Howard Finkel

1.  Ultimate Warrior (WWE Intercontinental Champ) vs Andre The Giant
2. Dusty Rhodes vs The Big Boss Man
3. Rockers vs Brain Busters
4. Rockers vs Hart Foundation
5. Royal Rumble Match
Ted DiBiase, Koko B. Ware, Marty Jannetty, Jake Roberts, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, The Warlord, Bret Hart, Bad News Brown, Dusty Rhodes, André the Giant, The Red Rooster, Ax, Haku, Smash, One Man Gang, Jimmy Snuka, Dino Bravo, The Earthquake, Jim Neidhart, The Ultimate Warrior, Rick Martel, Tito Santana, The Honky Tonk Man, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, The Barbarian, Rick Rude, Hercules, Mr. Perfect

Episode 19: Future Shock, 1989/1990

A two tournament simultaneous pay-per-view. One individual tournament, and one tag team tournament. Why? Why not? We'll also include the steel cage tag team match from the previous pay-per-view, and our first glance at Mick Foley, who debuts here as Cactus Jack Manson.

Announcers: Jim Ross, Terry Funk, Gordon Solie, Missy Hyatt, Gary Michael Cappetta

1. Ric Flair/Sting vs Great Muta/Terry Funk
2. Norman The Lunatic vs Mick Foley (as Cactus Jack Manson)
3. Legion Of Doom vs Doom
4. Ric Flair vs Great Muta
5. Steiner Brothers vs Legion Of Doom
6. Sting vs Great Muta
7. New Wild Samoans vs Doom
8. Legion Of Doom vs New Wild Samoans
9. Sting vs Ric Flair


Episode 20: The Ultimate Challenge, 1990

Make no mistake, Hulk Hogan is in every wrestling season for years and years and years, but this Wrestlemania 6 outing marks the end of Hogan's death grip on the WWE Heavyweight title. Sure, he'll snatch it again a few times, but he'll never have another five year long run with the gold again. This also signals the end of 80s stars' domination of  the industry, as "The New Generation" starts stepping into the spotlight. We also highlight the role of The Earthquake who is about to replace Andre The Giant as the WWE's Monster Heel.

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, Jim Ross, Bob Caudle, Gene Okerlund, Sean Mooney, Tony Schiavone, Gordon Solie, Gary Michael Cappetta, Howard Finkel.

1. Ultimate Warrior (WWE Intercontintenal Champ) vs Dino Bravo
2. Ted Dibiase vs Lee Peak
3. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) vs Dino Bravo
4. Collossal Connection (WWE Tag Team Champs) vs Demolition
5. Dusty Rhodes/Sapphire vs Randy Savage/Sensational Sherri
6. Ted Dibiase vs Jake Roberts
7. Hulk Hogan (WWE Champ) vs Ultimate Warrior (WWE Intercontinental Champ)
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