Wrestling podcasts 2023

[Guest]

Foley is really realistic in his place in the pecking order on the pods I’ve listened to so far, enjoying them so far as it’s 90s wwf  and enjoyed his work at the time 

[BomberPat]

16 hours ago, Statto said:

I always come away feeling that wrestling in America (or at least being full time in WWF/E) was something of a necessary evil for him to maximise his earnings when the chance came, and if he'd have had the choice he would have preferred to remain an "international heavyweight" based primarily in the UK & touring India, Japan and maybe dropping in on WCW every now and then.

He speaks with such fondness about that (and the guys who were doing it as he was coming through) that he doesn't display about anything else.

I think it's the same with anything - the stuff you love when you're a teenager, whether that's music or movies or whatever, or in his case wrestling, always carries more weight and means more to you than anything you encounter later, so he probably earnestly believes that guys like Taylor, Finlay and Pete Roberts were the best wrestlers in the world, and that everything that's come since has been a bonus for him.

Something that I think gets lost in translation sometimes is Regal's approach to wrestling is very much that it's a job, and that your ultimate goal should just to be able to make a full-time living out of it. Not in the Kevin Nash sense of wanting to make millions and seeing that as the measure of success, but just that it's only worth doing if you're earning a living. So when he talks about NXT UK being great because everyone was getting a paycheque, fans who are more invested in how well someone's being pushed or if they've got a title or anything like that, and wrestlers who are perhaps more motivated by having some sense of creative freedom, think that he's bullshitting them or towing the company line. 

 

Again, I think the biggest problem with Regal's podcast is Matt Koon having no knowledge to hold up his end of the conversation (though the opposite of that could very easily be Conrad Thompson thinking he's smarter than he is, and trying to argue points of promoting and booking with Jeff Jarrett), and the topics being chosen just not being selected well. When I saw that the topic of one episode was King Booker's Court, I just thought, "fucking hell, why?". They seem to be prioritising bits of Regal's career that they're second-guessing American audiences will be interested in, rather than areas that he'd actually be likely to open up and talk at length. 

[air_raid]

5 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

Something that I think gets lost in translation sometimes is Regal's approach to wrestling is very much that it's a job, and that your ultimate goal should just to be able to make a full-time living out of it. Not in the Kevin Nash sense of wanting to make millions and seeing that as the measure of success, but just that it's only worth doing if you're earning a living. So when he talks about NXT UK being great because everyone was getting a paycheque, fans who are more invested in how well someone's being pushed or if they've got a title or anything like that, and wrestlers who are perhaps more motivated by having some sense of creative freedom, think that he's bullshitting them or towing the company line. 

It's a far wider held belief than we, the marks, are probably aware of. Whenever JR talks about nearly anyone in the industry trying to force an issue or complain and insist its not about the money, his reply is "Bullshit, its ALWAYS about the money." A lot of people are blind to this because of the apparently contradictory ideas of (a) if you're in wrestling to make money, you're in the wrong business and (b) you need to be passionate about the sport and really WANT it in order to make it. Now, short of a few that successfully crossover from other sports or entertainment mediums, the latter is true, but BECAUSE it can be so hard to get into and its a hard life to succeed in, and a short career with no guarantee of a job once you can't physically do it anymore, your goal 100% SHOULD be to make as money as possible when you're doing it. When people talk about the two gripes at the top always being "cash or creative" the creative usually ends up being about cash anyway. It's why the "wins and losses don't matter" lot can get in the bin - you protect your character, your spot etc because you need them be as high up the card as possible. The more you win, the more indispensable you are to your company, the more money you can make/demand, the better your merch sales are, the more your cheques keep coming in.

Speaking of Nash - when we talk about Bret not wanting to take a Jacknife and need saving by Taker at the In Your House in Louisville, is he just being a mark about protecting his character and not looking weak by needing to get saved from two guys' finishes on consecutive PPV shows when they're trying to build to Mania XII? Well, yes and no. He's keeping himself strong because he needs fans to think of him as a top guy so there's clamour for him to come back WHEN he comes back, so he's still high on the card, so his payouts are bigger. By the same token, he's protecting himself because he's about to put the torch into the hands of Shawn Michaels, who he hopes and expects to draw money with in rematches down the road. If the creative is going to make him look lame, it means far less when Shawn beats him. That does nothing for Shawn which in turn makes the fans' ardour for their rematches diminish, which means they won't take as much dollar at the gate.

Don't let the guys getting the dates of their title wins tattooed on them fool you ; "the business" is a business and while you've got to have passion to make it, "making it" still means paying your rent.

[Merzbow]

I'm back on the Rene Dupree livestream stuff and it's currently him Paul London and Masada(!?), what a weird lineup.  They all fucking hate CM Punk.. mainly for being a political shit stirer and a bit of a pussy who runs his mouth and backs away.

I didn't know Masada worked for All Star, is Brian Dixon into that deathmatch shit now? Seems like All Star is hell to work for though.

[Egg Shen]

On 8/31/2022 at 10:47 AM, BomberPat said:

 

Again, I think the biggest problem with Regal's podcast is Matt Koon having no knowledge to hold up his end of the conversation 

I listened to the NXTUK episode and outside of the ads. Matt Koon said about 50 words the entire episode. Poor.

Edited September 11, 2022 by Egg Shen

[LSM]

So listening to the Regal Podcast about Finlay and I had to go back and re-watch this match. Allegedly the only thing gimmicked was the front bumper coming off.

 

If you jump to 1:20.00 that's where Regal starts talking about the match. 

I certainly get the criticisms that's been thrown at the podcast so far but must say this portion was entertaining.

Regal seems to have a right laugh talking about his matches with Finlay and it comes across that this what he really enjoys talking about the most.

 

[Guest]

Regals passion was in what he was doing before he went to America. Deep down I don’t believe he sees it as being the same kinda job. He just did it for the money and got on with whatever he had to do. His careers too mid card for a long format pod 

Nash pod was pretty weak this episode, made sense at the end when he let on he was stoned out his box 

[DCW]

1 hour ago, Louch said:

Regals passion was in what he was doing before he went to America. Deep down I don’t believe he sees it as being the same kinda job. He just did it for the money and got on with whatever he had to do. His careers too mid card for a long format pod 

Nash pod was pretty weak this episode, made sense at the end when he let on he was stoned out his box 

Aye I heard great love on here for Nash's pod so gave latest edition a go. One word answers to most of the questions and gaps of nothing. I didn't listen to the end, so makes sense he was fucked up on something.

 

The Nash host is great though, he could work wonders on Regal's pod in place of the dullard who just says 'Mr. Regal ' all the time. 

[Liam O'Rourke]

On 8/8/2022 at 11:15 AM, WyattSheepMask said:

Awesome, although selfishly I wish the episodes would come around a bit more often. I’ll always have time for early 90s talk as that’s when I became a fan

Just finished your Pillman book too, really enjoy it.

Cheers dude, thanks for the purchase and glad you enjoyed it!

[Thunderplex]

I really enjoy the Regal podcast, but the way he explains things sometimes, I expect him to mention punching sharks in the fucking ear hole.

[Guest]

Regal this week spent over 5 mins just repeating that his version of something isn’t what Christian or Test would maybe say. That’s a one liner. Instead we get his prattling on for ages like he’s in his 80s. I pretty much hate listen now for the 10 mins a show that is interesting 

[wandshogun09]

I’ve stopped listening now because I do like Regal and I don’t wanna keep moaning about him 😂 I’ll catch some of the shorter clips on YouTube if a subject grabs my interest but I’m done listening to 2 hours of it.

Been listening through the old SCG podcasts covering 1990-92 for a while now (really enjoying it) and was just coming in here to ask @Liam O'Rourke when the second part of 1992 was gonna be available and just noticed it’s out now. That’s my nighttime listening sorted later. 

[boshealecta]

On 9/13/2022 at 2:59 PM, LSM said:

So listening to the Regal Podcast about Finlay and I had to go back and re-watch this match. Allegedly the only thing gimmicked was the front bumper coming off.

 

Creasing at the bit where Heenan is talking about the brawl and says that’s how they do things in Britain.

“Elizabeth took Di out back and they had a big fight out in the parking lot one day”

[Egg Shen]

10 hours ago, wandshogun09 said:

I’ve stopped listening now because I do like Regal and I don’t wanna keep moaning about him 😂 I’ll catch some of the shorter clips on YouTube if a subject grabs my interest but I’m done listening to 2 hours of it @Liam O'Rourke

i think that's the way to go with most of them, and in fairness every one of them break their shows down into nice manageable clips.

Still enjoying Cliq This though👍🏻

[wandshogun09]

6 hours ago, Egg Shen said:

i think that's the way to go with most of them

Maybe and it is handy sometimes if you just wanna hear about a specific topic. But podcasts are usually things I like to leave on in the background while I’m doing something else or listen to with an earphone in if I’m on a night shift. Can’t do that with those little 2 minute videos. Well I could but I’d be constantly pissing about with my phone looking for the next snippet that sounds interesting. 

Edited September 19, 2022 by wandshogun09