Dean and Liam are joined for Episode 11 by Ash Rose, member of top wrestling podcasting and media group Gorilla Position as well as the voice of Alive and Kicking, the 90s nostalgia pod. Of all the choices Mr. 90s had at his disposal, with most of WCW's existence occurring in that decade, he plumped for this absolute shower.

BATB '99, where the 'war' pitting rap vs country gets outright confusing, the conflict between the old guard and the young lions fizzles out with a whimper, the WCW title is decided in a tag match where there's more chance of finding out who drove that bloody Hummer than there is sussing the exact rules, and of course over a dozen men risking their careers in a junkyard for a match no sod could properly watch.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, WWE Network has finally begun to upload episodes of Thunder, WCW's ill-fated and corporate-mandated second major weekly show which ran from 1998 until the company's demise in 2001. So, what better time for Dean Ayass and Liam Happe to cover their first ever non-PPV on Because WCW?

The very first Thunder, unsurprisingly, featured some real effort before the show became the poorly-produced afterthought it will forever be known as just weeks later. This bumper three-hour opening gambit featured big stars, some notable results and even large chunks of footage from Starrcade. So, what went wrong? And why was the show's dismal failure so inevitable even after a successful debut? All will be explained.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some major professional wrestling events are forever known as "the show with that match". Uncensored 1996 is one of those events. And "that match" is the utterly reprehensible 8-on-2 Doomsday Cage debacle.

Join Dean, Liam and special guest Paul Benson of Hooked On Wrestling as they attempt to answer several pivotal questions. Questions such as "how was Giant Haystacks' big Stateside moment?", "why did mid-90s promotions treat women so badly?" and "can four of the company's most established performers really make a Chicago Street Fight a total chore to watch?".

Oh, and don't worry: they go in two-footed on Ed Leslie and Terry Bollea, too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We here at Because WCW have in just seven prior episodes covered some of the worst and most ridiculous PPV efforts that the company had to offer. And yet here, for the first time, we plunge deep into perhaps the most depraved overall period in the promotion's history: Early 2000. Head booker Kevin Sullivan, part deux, post-Radicalz.

And who do we have to thank for this? Why, the podcast's very first special guest! Joining Dean Ayass and Liam Happe is British fed IPW's owner, Billy Wood. Tune in to find out which member of the Superbrawl 2000 roster he very nearly booked in a moment of sheer madness. Or else we'll send over Tank Abbott wielding a knife.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dean Ayass and Liam Happe wrap up the opening chapter of the Because WCW project with Greed, the aptly-titled final pay-per-view in company history.

In typical fashion, the product had improved in the promotion's dying months but with Fusient's takeover hitting a brick wall just days prior to the event, WCW's days were officially numbered just as Scott Steiner peaked in his world title reign, Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair brought the nostalgic comedy and the cruiserweights finally began their comeback.

Tune into the entire show for a special discount code courtesy of our new partners IWN Live!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brace yourselves. This one's gonna be rough.

After enjoying a nice WCW-free winter break full of festive feasts, Dean Ayass and Liam Happe return with episode six, covering perhaps the worst ever attempt at a major wrestling event and by far the most Russorific of all time.

Sit back, relax and enjoy Dean and Liam reliving every elderly woman on a forklift, every fake miscarriage and every confusing attempt at reinventing the rules of a wrestling match. It's safe to say they may never put the show selection up for a vote on Twitter ever again.

NOTE: Our audio quality improved after the first six episodes, but we are perfectly audible in this one nonetheless. Please hang in there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WWE has recently revived the Starrcade brand name for a house show in the old North Carolina territory. So, Dean Ayass and Liam Happe look back to one of the reasons a rival company was in a position to revive the name in the first place.

In their first look at a 'Vince Russo PPV', Dean and Liam endure all 13 - yes, thirteen - matches on a three hour show that gave us so much crap and snatched away the in-ring career of Bret 'Hitman' Hart all at the same time.

NOTE: Our audio quality improved after the first six episodes, but we are perfectly audible in this one nonetheless. Please hang in there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WWE are bringing back the epic spectacle known as WarGames for the first time in almost 20 years at the upcoming NXT Takeover, so Dean Ayass and Liam Happe look back to a vintage WCW edition of the match. And as you the listener decided via Twitter, that show is WrestleWar 92!

In addition to learning to cope with covering a PPV that is actually fun to watch, Dean and Liam break down what is seen by many as the greatest contest in the 1990-2001 history of the WCW brand. And, as a bonus, they preview NXT's take on 'The Match Beyond' and discuss whether Triple H can successfully revive the concept.

As a result, our 'Classic WCW Themes' feature will return in Episode 5!

NOTE: Our audio quality improved after the first six episodes, but we are perfectly audible in this one nonetheless. Please hang in there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yep, THAT show.

One of the most infamous PPVs in WCW history and the inspiration for the Because WCW social media profile picture is the subject of episode three. Dean Ayass and Liam Happe endure Hogan vs Warrior II so, hopefully, you never feel you have to.

Plus, join them as they break down exactly how a major entertainment company can possibly run over their alloted PPV time and deny paying customers their advertised main event, costing them millions of dollars. Oh, and the duo look back at a truly wonderful classic WCW entrance theme.

NOTE: Our audio quality improved after the first six episodes, but we are perfectly audible in this one nonetheless. Please hang in there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After their peak at Starrcade 1997, WCW enjoyed a red-hot 1998 at the peak of professional wrestling's popularity. Unfortunately for them, they also inflicted enough damage upon themselves in 1998 to fall back behind the WWF/WWE and begin their three-year tailspin from glory to oblivion.

Join Dean Ayass and Liam Happe in looking back at BATB '98, a pay-per-view pitting basketball stars Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman across the ring from one another as WCW well and truly lost touch with what made them so popular in the first place.

Why? Because WCW. 

NOTE: Our audio quality improved after the first six episodes, but we are perfectly audible in this one nonetheless. Please hang in there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.