New to Wrestling Podcast

New to Wrestling Podcast
  • 5.0 (2)
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  • Updated Weekly

Lifelong wrestling fan takes his best friend through, the joys, the action, and all the drama that is professional wrestling! Starting with The Attitude Era and Beyond! 

  1. 1d ago

    Austin & Undertaker's Beer Toast, Brawl for All Chaos | Raw Is War - 7/27/98

    Viewer discretion is advised—we're back in 1998, and apparently, it's Kelsey's fourth birthday! This week, Kelsey and I dive into the July 27, 1998 episode of WWF Raw Is War, where the fallout from Fully Loaded brings us new rivalries, questionable decisions, and one of the most shocking moments of the entire Brawl for All tournament. Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker may be Tag Team Champions, but that doesn't mean they're friends. Meanwhile, Vince McMahon is spiraling, DX is having some internal disagreements, and Bart Gunn delivers a knockout that completely changes the trajectory of the Brawl for All. And somehow, that's only half the madness. In This Episode: Austin & Undertaker: The unlikely champions defend their titles against the New Age Outlaws, and a post-match beer creates some interesting tension.Brawl for All: Bart Gunn shocks Dr. Death Steve Williams in a fight that leaves us genuinely speechless.The Rock vs. DX: Triple H and X-Pac challenge The Rock for the Intercontinental Championship, but their partnership starts falling apart.Sable vs. Vince McMahon: A deeply uncomfortable confrontation reminds us why revisiting the Attitude Era requires more than nostalgia.Owen Hart's Open Challenge: Dan Severn, Ken Shamrock, and a little nugget-related humiliation keep the drama going.Val Venis & Kaientai: Swords, sausages, and one of the most infamous threats in WWF history.LOD's Troubling Storyline: We discuss the uncomfortable direction of Hawk's character and its real-life implications.The Birth of a Meme: Kelsey witnesses the legendary "Underwear Taker" sign in its natural habitat.Between the incredible character work, increasingly absurd storylines, and moments that genuinely catch us off guard, this episode is everything fascinating—and occasionally frustrating—about the Attitude Era. And if there's one thing we've learned, it's that **Austin and Undertaker might be wrestling's most complicated tag The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

  2. Oct 15

    New to The Temple: Boyle Heights Street Fight | Lucha Underground S1E5

    Viewer discretion is advised—we're back in God's country, and the Temple is getting messy. This week, Kelsey and I return to Lucha Underground Season 1, Episode 5: Boyle Heights Street Fight, where the drama is escalating, the cinematography is still ridiculously good, and Dario Cueto continues proving why nobody should trust this man. Between Mil Muertes dominating Drago, Sexy Star's increasingly personal rivalry with Chavo Guerrero, and Johnny Mundo looking like he walked straight out of Mortal Kombat, this episode has a little bit of everything. And then there's our main event, where Prince Puma takes on Big Ryck in a Boyle Heights Street Fight that ends with one spectacularly unsuccessful rescue mission. In This Episode: Konnan & Dario Cueto: Tensions rise over Big Ryck and his crew.Mil Muertes vs. Drago: Catrina continues to steal our attention while King Cuerno lurks in the shadows.Son of Havoc vs. Mascarita Sagrada: A fun matchup featuring the always-entertaining Ivelisse.Sexy Star vs. Chavo Guerrero: Things get personal as Pentagon Jr. and Fénix enter the picture.Prince Puma vs. Big Ryck: Weapons, interference, and a street fight that gets completely out of hand.Johnny Mundo's Big Mistake: Sometimes trying to save the day only makes things worse.Five episodes in, and Kelsey and I are completely hooked. The storytelling, the characters, the atmosphere—Lucha Underground just keeps delivering. Welcome back to New to the Temple. The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

  3. Oct 9

    Reading the Ring: The Unauthorized History of WWE | Bill Hanstock

    Wrestling is real, and books are too! 📚 Welcome back to Reading the Ring, the New to Wrestling Podcast book club! Life has been life-ing, so Kelsey and I are taking a break from our regularly scheduled shenanigans this week. But don't worry, I'm not leaving you empty-handed. This time, I'm diving into We Promised You a Great Main Event: An Unauthorized WWE History by Bill Hanstock, a book that reminded me why I love professional wrestling while also reminding me just how ridiculous, complicated, and occasionally shady this business can be. We're going all the way back to wrestling's carnival roots, where some of the traditions we still recognize today were born, before making our way through Vince McMahon's rise, the Monday Night Wars, the Attitude Era, and the evolution of WWE into a billion-dollar entertainment empire. And because this is wrestling, things get weird. We're talking about outrageous gimmicks, questionable business decisions, larger-than-life personalities, and some genuinely uncomfortable chapters of WWE history that don't always get the same attention as the company's greatest moments. One of the things I appreciated most about this book is that it doesn't ask you to stop loving wrestling. It just asks you to look at the whole picture. The incredible stuff, the absurd stuff, and the things we'd probably rather not think about. For longtime fans, there's plenty to revisit and reconsider. And for anyone who's newer to wrestling, I think this is a fantastic way to understand how this strange little world became what it is today. So grab a book, get comfortable, and join me for a little wrestling history, some questionable characters, and probably more Vince McMahon discussion than any of us really need. 📚 This episode's book: We Promised You a Great Main Event: An Unauthorized WWE History by Bill Hanstock. 🎙️ Watch or listen to the full episode of Reading the Ring on the New to Wrestling Podcast! Wrestling is real, and books are too. The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

  4. Oct 1

    WWF Fully Loaded 1998: Rock vs Triple H, Austin & Undertaker Win Gold

    Viewer discretion is advised—we are officially back in 1998, and I dragged Kelsey with me to WWF Fully Loaded 1998. After spending some time in the Temple, we returned to the Attitude Era for a three-hour, nine-match pay-per-view that had us recording at midnight, questioning several life choices, and standing on business because we said we were going to watch it. And honestly? For a show I kept putting off, this one kind of delivered. Fully Loaded 1998 is a very strange mix of genuinely great wrestling, very 1998 nonsense, and moments that remind you nostalgia can be cute—but she is not always correct. I walked Kelsey through Val Venis making his pay-per-view debut against Jeff Jarrett, D’Lo Brown and X-Pac putting together a sneaky fun mid-card match, a completely bizarre tag situation with Terry Funk, Scorpio, Faarooq and Bradshaw, and a Vince McMahon-approved meat spectacle between Vader and Mark Henry. But the real pillars of this show are easy. Owen Hart and Ken Shamrock have a Dungeon Match in the Hart family basement that feels less like a wrestling match and more like found footage from a crime scene. The Rock and Triple H go nearly 30 minutes in a two-out-of-three-falls Intercontinental Championship match where you can feel two future stars fighting to steal the show. And in the main event, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker challenge Kane and Mankind for the Tag Team Championships, despite the fact that Austin and Taker absolutely do not trust each other. Beautiful nonsense. Exactly what we came here for. We also, unfortunately, have to talk about the Sable and Jacqueline bikini contest, Jerry Lawler being on his absolute worst behavior, and the parts of the Attitude Era that people love to conveniently edit out when they talk about how great everything used to be. ### In this episode: - I bring Kelsey back to the Attitude Era after our New to the Temple detour - We break down the full WWF Fully Loaded 1998 card - Val Venis makes his pay-per-view debut against Jeff Jarrett - Yamaguchi-san joins commentary and calls Jerry Lawler “Hamburger King” - D’Lo Brown and X-Pac have a solid mid-card match with Chyna looking incredible - Terry Funk, Scorpio, Faarooq and Bradshaw end up in one of the strangest tag pairings imaginable - Vader and Mark Henry collide in a true big meat spectacle - LOD and DOA continue fighting over Paul Ellering for reasons we are still trying to understand - Owen Hart and Ken Shamrock have a Dungeon Match that feels fully illegal - The Rock and Triple H wrestle like two future main-eventers trying to prove they are next - We suffer through the Sable and Jacqueline bikini contest so you do not necessarily have to - Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker challenge Kane and Mankind for the Tag Team Championships - We continue asking the only question that matters: are they in cahoots? If you’re going back to watch **Fully Loaded 1998**, my three match recommendations are simple: **The Rock vs Triple H**, **Austin & Undertaker vs Kane & Mankind**, and **Owen Hart vs Ken Shamrock in the Dungeon**. Everything else? We’ll guide you through it. The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

  5. Sep 24

    New to the Temple: Big Ryck Destroys Johnny Mundo | Lucha Underground S1E4

    Lucha Underground episode four, “The Thrill of the Hunt,” opens with a live band and the Temple absolutely lit. Honestly, if we could travel back to one wrestling show, this might be the one. Sexy Star and Ivelisse kick things off by slapping the entire taste out of each other’s mouths. Fénix and Pentagon Jr. then give us another impossibly fast match between two brothers who seemingly communicate through flips, violence and complete trust. Somewhere in the middle, King Cuerno hunts tonight—or, as we immediately decided, c*nts tonight—before making his debut against Drago. Meanwhile, Dario Cueto has paid Big Ryck a generous bounty to put Johnny Mundo in the hospital. Prince Puma is warned to stay out of it, but Cortez and Cisco make that decision for him before helping Big Ryck leave Mundo underneath a broken table. Highlights include: The Temple transforming into the hottest party in Los AngelesSexy Star promising to destroy the Guerrero family nameIvelisse introducing Sexy Star to her MMA backgroundDario demanding that Drago impress himPentagon Jr. demanding the respect he deservesFénix and Penta moving faster than our notes can handleA Penta Driver that nearly stopped the showKing Cuerno’s completely unhinged hunter video packageThe tallest taxidermy deer entrance gear imaginableDrago folding King Cuerno into an expedited Christmas packageKonnan warning Prince Puma to mind his businessBig Ryck wrestling in his comfies and still looking terrifyingJohnny Mundo selling like Big Ryck actually ran him overCortez and Cisco ensuring Mundo’s evening ends underneath a tableThe bounty has been collected, Johnny Mundo may need a hospital and Dario Cueto remains one deeply satisfied supervillain. The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

    New to the Temple: Big Ryck Destroys Johnny Mundo | Lucha Underground S1E4

  6. Sep 17

    New to the Temple: Fenix Flies, Penta Arrives | Lucha Underground S1E3

    We’re still cheating on 1998 Raw with Lucha Underground—and frankly, we have never felt more alive. Season one, episode three, “Crossing the Border,” introduces us to Fénix, Pentagon Jr. and Drago before throwing all three into an absolutely ridiculous main event. Somewhere between Penta’s showmanship, Drago’s unique offense and Fénix launching himself from the roof of Dario Cueto’s office, this became our favorite Lucha Underground match yet. Elsewhere, Mascarita Sagrada runs circles around El Mariachi Loco, Chavo Guerrero continues his violent spiral and Vampiro conducts an interview with all the restraint of a Housewives reunion. Konnan warns Chavo to disappear, Katrina promises that he will eventually belong to Mil Muertes, and Johnny Mundo fights his way into Dario’s office to demand Big Ryck. Highlights include: Dario Cueto giving the people “more lucha”The triumphant return of short-boy propagandaMascarita Sagrada reminding us why everyone is the same height on the matChavo Guerrero explaining why he’s done living in his family’s shadowVampiro abandoning journalistic objectivity—and being incredible at itKonnan delivering the line of the night in a dimly lit hallwayKatrina appearing from the darkness and licking another man’s faceThe earthquake origin story of Mil MuertesJohnny Mundo turning a backstage fight into a full action sequenceDario paying Big Ryck to put Mundo in the hospitalPentagon Jr., Drago and Fénix making unforgettable Temple debutsFénix taking a completely reasonable 30-foot dive from Dario’s officeAnother mysterious ending that immediately has us begging for the next episodeThe wrestling is incredible, the drama is delicious and every person responsible for this show’s lighting, editing and sound design deserves to be filthy rich. The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

    New to the Temple: Fenix Flies, Penta Arrives | Lucha Underground S1E3

  7. Sep 10

    New to the Temple: Chavo Guerrero Turns Heel | Lucha Underground S1E2

    We apologize for any audio or visual issues in this episode. The technical demons were working overtime, but we pushed through because the Temple waits for no one—and this episode was simply too good not to release. After spending entirely too much time wading through the racism and sexism of 1998, we’re returning to our favorite elective: Lucha Underground. Episode two wastes no time reminding us why we love this show. Johnny Mundo and Prince Puma put their differences aside to face Cortez Castro and Cisco, delivering ridiculous athleticism and an immaculate double 450. Ivelisse makes her debut in an intergender tag match that lets the women be wrestlers—not attractions or afterthoughts. Then Mil Muertes arrives with Catrina and enough supernatural energy to make us deeply concerned about whatever she’s carrying in that stone. Highlights include: Big Ryck smoking the fattest cigar imaginable from the Temple stairsPrince Puma doing things that should not be physically possibleJohnny Mundo and Puma casually inventing tag-team offenseIvelisse making an immediate impressionSexy Star getting her revenge on Son of HavocCatrina delivering a “taste before a thousand deaths”Mil Muertes making his terrifying in-ring debutVampiro continuing to be everything we want from a commentatorChavo Guerrero betraying Blue Demon Jr.Chavo handing out chair shots to referees, luchadors and even Sexy StarThe Temple crowd telling Chavo exactly how they feelWe came for the lucha, stayed for the drama and left with one question: Chavo, girl…what was that? The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

    New to the Temple: Chavo Guerrero Turns Heel | Lucha Underground S1E2

  8. Sep 3

    Stone Cold Battles Kane & Mankind & D’Lo Brown Wins Gold | WWE Raw Is War 7/20/98

    We’re six days away from Fully Loaded 1998, which means Raw should be firing on all cylinders. Instead, the July 20, 1998 go-home show earns a generous five out of ten and has us considering another emergency trip to the Temple. Vince McMahon opens the night with a presentation on reflection, respect and retribution before ordering The Undertaker to face Kane and Mankind. The Undertaker responds by leaving the building, so naturally Stone Cold Steve Austin inherits the handicap match—and proves once again that he may be the most effective employee in the entire company. Highlights include: D’Lo Brown and Triple H delivering the match of the nightD’Lo becoming the new European ChampionDr. Death nearly committing a televised crime during Brawl for AllVal Venis rescuing Kyoko from a deeply uncomfortable public punishmentOwen Hart reminding everyone that he is not a nuggetJacqueline and Sable escalating their Fully Loaded bikini-contest feudEdge appearing from the crowd to attack Marc Mero—and the cameras missing the whole thingShawn Michaels returning to commentary and repeatedly calling a referee a narcThe Rock and X-Pac tearing it up over the Intercontinental ChampionshipStone Cold stunning everyone in sight, whether they were technically helping him or notThe word “cahoots” continuing to hold this company in a chokeholdWas The Undertaker trying to help Austin? Was he trying to hit him with a chair? Is he secretly working with Kane? We still have no answers, but Stone Cold isn’t waiting around to find out. The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

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Ratings & Reviews

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About

Lifelong wrestling fan takes his best friend through, the joys, the action, and all the drama that is professional wrestling! Starting with The Attitude Era and Beyond! 

Information

  • Creator
    New to Wrestling Podcast
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    186
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 New to Wrestling Podcast
  • Show Website
    New to Wrestling Podcast