New to Wrestling Podcast

How do you follow King of the Ring 1998?

Apparently… with absolute chaos.

This week, we’re diving into the fallout episode of Raw Is War after one of the most infamous nights in wrestling history—and somehow, the energy is immediately unhinged.

Stone Cold Steve Austin is NOT interested in letting Kane enjoy his new championship moment for even a full business day and demands his rematch immediately.

Honestly? Respect.

Elsewhere:
 🔥...

Viewer discretion is advised… seriously.

This week, we finally made it to King of the Ring 1998 — and somehow, it still exceeded the hype. 

From top to bottom, this might be the most chaotic, intense, and unforgettable pay-per-view we’ve watched yet.

We get:

•  A surprisingly strong King of the Ring tournament (with a HUGE final payoff) 
•  The Rock and Ken Shamrock leveling up in real time 
•  Peak Attitude Era chaos across the entire car...

What happens when you put one of the most outspoken voices in indie wrestling in the same room as New to Wrestling?

You get honest takes, deep dives, and zero filter.

In this episode, we sit down with Crit (Ringside Chat)—a true boots-on-the-ground voice in the wrestling world—to talk about everything from the state of independent wrestling to the frustrations with WWE’s current direction, and why storytelling sti...

Viewer discretion is advised — because this Raw is WAR.

This week, we’re breaking down the June 22, 1998 episode of Raw Is War, the final stop before King of the Ring… and somehow, things get even more unhinged. 

This is a full-on go-home show — and it delivers:

• Vince McMahon introduces a First Blood Match between Kane and Stone Cold (because why not stack the odds even more?)
• Undertaker takes things way too far… tracking Paul Bear...

Viewer discretion is advised — because this Raw is WAR.

This week, we’re breaking down the June 15, 1998 episode of Raw Is War, and things officially spiral as we barrel toward King of the Ring. 

From the jump, the chaos is undeniable:

• Vince McMahon continues his all-time gaslighting run
• Undertaker refuses to be manipulated… and makes someone pay for it
• Kane and Mankind stack chaos on top of chaos (and somehow become #1 contenders a...

This week, we’re breaking down the June 8, 1998 episode of Raw Is War… and somehow things get even more chaotic on the road to King of the Ring. 

Vince McMahon kicks things off by presenting himself as Humanitarian of the Year (??), which immediately tells you everything you need to know about how this episode is going to go.

Meanwhile:

•  DX is unleashed on New York City… and yes, it’s exactly what you think it is 
•  The King of the ...

Viewer discretion is advised — because this Raw is WAR.

We’re breaking down the June 1, 1998 episode of Raw Is War, coming off the chaos of Over the Edge — and somehow it gets even messier.

Vince McMahon opens the show as an unreliable narrator (because of course he does), verbally dismantles Mick Foley in one of the most brutal dressing-downs we’ve seen, and then immediately starts manipulating the board behind the scenes.

Meanwhile:

Viewer discretion is advised… and honestly, so is emotional preparedness.

This week on the New to Wrestling Podcast, we dive into Over the Edge 1998 — and this one might be a top-to-bottom heater.

From LOD 2000 vs. DOA chaos…
 to Kai En Tai delivering one of the most underrated handicap matches we’ve seen…
 to Sable getting absolutely done dirty in a “custody battle”…
 to Kane vs. Vader in a mask vs. mask showdown…

And tha...

Viewer discretion is advised… and so is Vince McMahon’s judgment.

This week on New to Wrestling, we break down the May 25, 1998 episode of Raw Is War — the chaotic go-home show before Over the Edge — and things spiral immediately.

Vince McMahon opens the show bragging about assaulting Stone Cold Steve Austin… and accidentally confesses in front of “police.” What follows? An arrest. Beer. Handcuffs. Public humiliation. And that’s just...

Viewer discretion is advised… but this one comes straight from the heart.

In this special mini-episode of New to Wrestling, Xavier and Kelsey hit pause on the usual chaos to say one very important thing: Thank You.

What started as a hopeful coat drive turned into something way bigger than either of us imagined. From coats and boots to handmade scarves and crocheted blankets, the outpouring of generosity from our wrestling community a...

In this episode of New to Wrestling, we sit down with independent wrestling standout Joey Conway — “The Cause of It All.”

What starts as a conversation about presence and first impressions quickly becomes a deep dive into what it actually means to love wrestling while living inside it. Joey opens up about staying a fan in a business that can burn people out, why being a great heel is really about making everyone else bette...

This week on New to Wrestling, we dive headfirst into the May 18, 1998 edition of Raw Is War — an episode that somehow manages to be chaotic, hilarious, deeply cursed, and strangely heartfelt all at once.

Vince McMahon stacks the deck against Stone Cold Steve Austin yet again, the Stooges clock in for overtime nonsense, and Dude Love continues his deeply confusing villain era complete with gratitude speeches and… strong yet sensitiv...

Welcome back to Reading the Ring, the New to Wrestling book club where wrestling is real and books are too.

This episode kicks off our three-week journey through Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Girl by Rebecca Quin, focusing on Season One: The Growing Years. From Becky’s childhood in Ireland to discovering wrestling during the Attitude Era, we unpack how belief, rebellion, and stubborn determination shaped the foundation of T...

On this episode of New to Wrestling: After Dark, we’re joined by someone we’ve admired for a long time — Kevin Herrera Sanchez, the creator and host behind Ringville.

Kevin flips the script and joins us on the other side of the interview for a wide-ranging, thoughtful, and genuinely joyful conversation about wrestling, creativity, and building something meaningful from the ground up.

We talk about Kevin’s journey into wrestling fando...

This week on New to Wrestling, we dive headfirst into the May 11, 1998 edition of Raw Is War — an episode that feels like the entire WWF hit the gas at once and refused to slow down.

With Over the Edge looming, nearly every major storyline collides in one chaotic night: Vince McMahon stacks the deck against Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dude Love spirals deeper into an identity crisis, DX continues their unhinged cross-company invasion t...

This week on New to Wrestling, we take a surprise detour — and somehow end up deep in the wild, confusing, and endlessly fascinating world of WCW Monday Nitro.

Thanks to technical issues (a recurring character on this show), we pivot from our usual Raw coverage and drop into the May 11, 1998 edition of Nitro — a three-hour episode that immediately makes Kelsey feel like a brand-new wrestling fan all over again.

What follows is a whir...

New to Wrestling Podcast: Raw Is War — May 4, 1998 | Community, Chaos, and the Cost of Wrestling

Before we even hit the opening bell, this week’s episode of New to Wrestling reminds us why wrestling is more than just what happens in the ring.

We kick things off with a community-first announcement: a coat drive in partnership with Respect Wrestling, collecting winter coats, blankets, and accessories for Tony’s Kitchen in Montclair. Wr...

The Attitude Era didn’t just go off the rails this week — it begged Vince McMahon to hold its beer while it jumped the guardrail and stole a tank.

We’re back from our accidental holiday-season hiatus (small business girlies, we survive by vibes alone), and diving straight into the chaos that was Raw Is War: April 27, 1998 — an episode packed with invasions, betrayals, unhinged promos, and one of the funniest JR commentary nights in ...

Reading the Ring: Do A Powerbomb! by Daniel Warren Johnson

In this episode of Reading the Ring, Xavier dives into the explosive, emotional, and wildly imaginative graphic novel Do A Powerbomb! by Daniel Warren Johnson — a love letter to pro wrestling disguised as a cosmic deathmatch.

After a brief hiatus (shoutout to small business season), we’re back with a story that blends the heart of wrestling with the drama of mythic storytelli...