Beyond The Beermat

An event so big they had to split it over two nights, taking place in unprecedented circumstances that are being felt on a global scale. There's only one podcast that could do it justice. Once we're done listening to it, we'll have a couple of drinks and have a go ourselves.

Not so much a review as a reaction to the reaction of all the weekends action, Beyond The Beermat is here to take a look at Wrestlemania 36 and all of the fallout. What worked, what didn't work and everything in between. Controversial content, questionable finishes, problematic run times and the biggest aspect of all what could happen going forward; we've got you covered. There is also the small matter of the two main events that left us both speechless and with lots to say.

This was a show that will undoubtedly go down in the record books as a historic one. By that we mean the podcast as well as Mania itself. Obviously.

Being there live in person for a Wrestlemania the show itself is only part of the experience. With no one able to attend this years event in Tampa, we're gonna take some time to appreciate the times that we actually made the trip that every wrestling fan should do at least once.

Beyond The Beermat has made the pilgrimage out for two very different Mania experiences in Houston and Miami, with an additional trip out to Atlanta for the Royal Rumble for good measure. From our adventures and experiences of the event to the nightlife and the cities themselves (the stories we can tell on air at least). We're here to give the full breakdown of what those who have yet to experience it can look forward to as well as hopefully stir up some good memories for those that already have.

Consider this a travel programme, the likes of which you've ever heard before and join us for the trip of a lifetime, without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home.

From Wrestlemania to the podcast itself, the best laid plans always go to waste. Whatever we thought was going to happen, that's gone. Now what matters is that we try. The show must go on.

Brought together by a love for wrestling – as well as half decent internet connection – Beyond The Beermat is going to take a in depth look at what awaits us in the performance centre next Sunday. Of all the things we don't know, what can we anticipate from the little information we do have? Not only that, how much do we have to park our expectations give the circumstances and also will these enforced changes as a result make a difference to the way they go about the show itself?

At a time when people need some humour, need a distraction and above all want to feel connected; we got you. We'll get through this, together.

At certain milestones, it's good to look back at what came before to see how far you've come. That's why as we approach the first Wrestlemania of the new decade, this episode we're gonna take a time out to examine everything that went down at the Mania across the last ten years.

We forget certain points in wrestling history for a variety of different reasons. It can mean there were do clear defining moments, both for good or bad. Given the degree of change in the industry in the very first part of the millennium, it was a period of relative stability. While the wrestling itself from a quality standpoint has only ever gotten higher, still there is't quite the same fondness that fans have for previous eras. In fact, the 2010s are almost defined by not even having one. It was a period of returns, both in terms of superstars and storylines that looped from one edition to the next. There was also still time for a revolution.

Beyond The Beermat is back to deliver a wrestling buffet for the ages. Why settle for one Wrestlemania, when you can have ten?

Whether it's shows, PPVs or superstars themselves; we're always looking to the future. The wrestling business itself is constantly in motion, whether we agree with the direction or not.

The developmental system is unrecognisable from what it once was, both in terms of scale and scope. Much like the federation as a whole, it is a worldwide operation now. What's more, we sit in the midst of a similar revolution with NXT on network TV – and the reasons for why they did it – are changing the game yet again. Beyond The Beermat however sits in a very unique position (and that's not due to the amount we drink). As fans of wrestling of all kinds, we've been going to local independent British shows so we see the whole process from start to finish. As such, we're here to take a look at what all this might mean for the entire industry going forward.

While we might may have to wait a little longer for the next breakout superstar, the next breakout wrestling podcast has you covered.

There is no greater force than when the WWE machine gets behind someone. We may push back from time to time, but on the rare occasions that they decide to strap the rocket onto a given superstar at the exact right moment that we as an audience are primed for it; that's when the magic happens.

The Royal Rumble did a incredible job of putting Drew McIntyre over. It is one of the best instances of establishing a new star we've ever seen. The question hanging over this all now is how do you keep a guy like that hot? Given what we've see in recent years, do we even trust them to see this through? It's a long road until Wrestlemania and we need to go all in and make sure the path is clear.

Building up and setting off a genuine superstar is a very unique opportunity, Beyond The Beermat is here to give the roadmap to make it happen. Expect a lot of stops off at drinking establishments along the way.

Having a guaranteed draw is such a precious commodity in the world of wrestling for many reasons, but one of the often overlooked factors is that it allows you to experiment with the formula a bit and put together matches that you wouldn't otherwise, safe in the knowledge that fans will still tune in. The Royal Rumble itself is one of those. Everyone is already watching for the main event, so what do you do with the rest of the card? Aside from the headline battle royale, there have been many matches over the years that have really stood out either from a quality perspective or the fact that they're even being put together in the first place. Title challengers that wouldn't otherwise get a look in, iconic bouts from down the years that have lived in the shadows of the Rumble match itself and so much more. Quite a lot of classic encounters from years past have been slept on and as such it's up to Beyond The Beermat to go back and bring them to you. Consider this your podcast wake up call.

Renewed, refreshed and ready for another Royal Rumble, we are back again after far too long to inject the wrestling world with another dose of our intoxicated ideas. You're welcome internet. For our glorious return, we're going to put our pints down and get our abacus out as we attempt to count to thirty. Only joking, we'd never put our pints down. We are however going to take a long look at all the numbers behind the numbers that matter. Winners, runners up – even the final four – everything is on the table when it comes to looking at who has won from which position. There couldn't possibly be a pattern, could there? When it comes to the Rumble who knows if you've picked the right number but you've definitely picked the right podcast. As far as we're concerned, we'll always be number one.

The thirst for knowledge is a noble pursuit. But when it comes to wrestling, have we gotten to a point where knowing every little thing that goes on – both on and off camera – has become a little counter productive. We're so interested in jumping ahead of the story that when it comes to criticism, we jump on the negative before it's even been played out in its entirety. There are two sides to every discussion. Those that feel the comfort in knowing – for better or worse – what's to come so they can prepare accordingly. On the other hand there are those happy to be along for the ride, who in turn run the risk of being unprepared and may not like where they may end up. For this episode of Beyond The Beermat, we're pulling all the stops and drawing from may different worlds outside of wrestling to illustrate why it's really really good – or bad – to know everything in advance and how it shapes your overall experience of the product. As more and more people tune out of wrestling, tune in to this to see what the impact of our desire to consume everything about the product may have done to it.

Reinvention is an absolute necessity in the wrestling world. Nobody at the top level stays the same forever. Whether it's little tweaks or something a bit more comprehensive, going back to the drawing board is just part of the process. It is something of a rarity however, to go through that process more than once. Bray Wyatt has already had his big repackaging. The former Husky Harris went through a widely acclaimed transformation only to eventually run out of steam. This episode we're going to take a look at exactly how that all was dropped as well as the make up of all those before him that have gone through not just one but two dramatic character changes. And in true Beyond The Beermat style it wouldn't hurt to wash down a few adult beverages and wildly speculate as to where this new role could lead. Wrestling will always move with the times, the only change you don't have to worry about is this podcast remaining as amazing as it ever was.