Grapple City Rewind

Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink
  • 4.5 (8)
  • Wrestling
  • Updated Bimonthly

Grapple City Rewind is a retro wrestling podcast where Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink go back to the pay-per-views, TV specials, and bizarre moments that shaped professional wrestling history. From the glory days to the absolute stinkers, we rewatch the shows with fresh eyes, break down what still works, question what the hell everyone was thinking, and decide whether each event deserves a Rewind, Play, or Fast Forward. Expect WWF, WCW, ECW, AEW, forgotten gimmicks, questionable commentary, great matches, terrible booking, and plenty of detours along the way.

  1. Apr 10

    This Is How WrestleMania Started?? - WWF Wrestlemania (1985)

    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. Does it deserve its legendary status… or is it just weird? (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    This Is How WrestleMania Started?? - WWF Wrestlemania (1985)

  2. Aug 26

    Butt Breath - WWF SummerSlam 1999

    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 gives this episode its title: Butt Breath. Plus: AOL signs, Pepper the dog, the Mean Street Posse, Jesse Ventura making up his own rules, and a Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H vs. Mankind main event that raises one big question: Does SummerSlam 1999 actually hold up, or is this one better left in 1999? (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    Butt Breath - WWF SummerSlam 1999

  3. Aug 20

    A Little Chunky for a Vampire - WWF Breakdown: In Your House 1998

    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 Russo-era booking, and Stone Cold Steve Austin defending the WWF Championship against Kane and The Undertaker under rules seemingly designed to make absolutely no sense. Before the rewind, Brad and Aaron also catch up on the latest SummerSlam. (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    A Little Chunky for a Vampire - WWF Breakdown: In Your House 1998

  4. Aug 6

    Follow That, M***********s - WWE SummerSlam 2002

    Follow That, M***********s — 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 about Brock’s rapid rise, HBK coming back after four years away, whether this was really the start of the Ruthless Aggression Era or just the Attitude Era in different clothes, and all the weird, uncomfortable Vince-era nonsense scattered throughout the show. It’s a loaded card, a wild time capsule, and a PPV that somehow still lives up to the hype. (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    Follow That, M***********s - WWE SummerSlam 2002

  5. Jul 23

    Underfaker - WWF SummerSlam 1994

    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 Undertaker versus Undertaker. The entrances deliver supernatural pageantry, but once the bell rings, the illusion begins to fall apart. Was SummerSlam ’94 a nostalgic New Generation gem, or a card carried almost entirely by Bret and Owen? Bradley and Aaron revisit the matches, the bizarre storytelling, the Meltzer ratings, and all the wonderfully absurd details before giving the show a reluctant Play rating. (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    Underfaker - WWF SummerSlam 1994

  6. Jul 7

    Bonus Episode: Two Out of Three Falls, Five Stars

    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, and a red-hot Toronto crowd, this one shows exactly why black-and-gold NXT had such a strong reputation. Plus, the guys talk FTR before they were FTR, Gargano’s everyman appeal, Ciampa’s future menace, Dave Meltzer’s five-star rating, and why this match is still considered one of the greatest WWE tag matches ever. It’s the end of bonus season, it’s episode 50, and yes — it’s a Rewind. (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    Bonus Episode: Two Out of Three Falls, Five Stars

  7. Jun 23

    Bonus Episode: CM Punk Leaves With the Belt

    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 fallout from the pipe bomb, Cena trying to win “the right way,” Vince and Laurinaitis attempting a screwjob, Alberto Del Rio’s failed cash-in, and Punk’s iconic escape through the crowd with the championship. Was it really a five-star classic? Is this Cena’s best match? And how much did Chicago make this thing feel bigger than wrestling? Bradley and Aaron rewind one of the defining matches of the 2010s.  (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    Bonus Episode: CM Punk Leaves With the Belt

  8. Jun 15

    Bonus Episode: Did Bayley vs. Sasha Change Wrestling Forever?

    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 underdog journey, the electric Brooklyn crowd, and the incredible match psychology that helped turn this bout into a defining moment of WWE's Women's Revolution. From Bayley's inflatable tube men to Sasha's bodyguard entrance, from the brutal targeting of Bayley's injured hand to the unforgettable top-rope Poison Rana, this is a match that still holds up more than a decade later. Was this the greatest women's match in WWE history? Did Black & Gold NXT represent the perfect blend of sports-based wrestling and character-driven storytelling? And does Bayley vs. Sasha deserve its legendary reputation? Join us as we revisit an all-time classic and decide whether it's a Fast Forward, Play, or Rewind. (626) 657-SLAM Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com IG: @grapplecitypod X:  @grapplecitypod TikTok: @grapplecitypod Threads: @grapplecitypod Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens. Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

    Bonus Episode: Did Bayley vs. Sasha Change Wrestling Forever?
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4.5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Grapple City Rewind is a retro wrestling podcast where Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink go back to the pay-per-views, TV specials, and bizarre moments that shaped professional wrestling history. From the glory days to the absolute stinkers, we rewatch the shows with fresh eyes, break down what still works, question what the hell everyone was thinking, and decide whether each event deserves a Rewind, Play, or Fast Forward. Expect WWF, WCW, ECW, AEW, forgotten gimmicks, questionable commentary, great matches, terrible booking, and plenty of detours along the way.

Information

  • Creator
    Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink
  • Show Website
    Grapple City Rewind

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