Grapple City Rewind

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In this Grapple City Rewind bonus episode, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink jump back to December 29, 1995, to break down one of the strangest matches in ECW history: Mick Foley (as Cactus Jack) vs. Sabu from ECW Holiday Hell. What begins as an absurd “Olympic Rules” challenge—complete with an NCAA referee and point deductions—quickly collapses into pure ECW chaos once 9-1-1 destroys the official and takes over.

Recorded at the cramped, smoky Lost Battalion Hall in Queens, this match captures everything fans loved about mid-90s ECW: hostile crowds, sarcastic Joey Styles commentary, broken chairs, reckless dives, and total disregard for the supposed rules. Foley tries to prove he’s more than just hardcore, Sabu throws himself at anything in sight, and the whole thing spirals into violent absurdity before a surprisingly flat finish.

A focused, single-match rewind that highlights ECW’s attitude, humor, and brutality at its peak.

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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In this special holiday bonus episode of Grapple City Rewind, Bradley and Aaron jump back to NXT TakeOver: London (2015) to revisit a standout match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Bayley vs. Nia Jax. With a red-hot UK crowd, peak black-and-gold NXT energy, and Bayley in full “hugger” babyface mode, this match captures a unique moment in modern wrestling history.

Aaron breaks down why this bout stood out to him—its December timing, Bayley’s first encounter with the now-iconic “Hey Bayley” chant, and a performance that showcased both Bayley’s underdog resilience and an early-career Nia Jax looking genuinely intimidating. The hosts dig into the crowd atmosphere, the storytelling, the submissions, and the enduring charm of Bayley’s character during this era.

It’s a short, festive rewind packed with nostalgia for black-and-gold NXT fans and a warm lead-in to Season 2 coming in January.

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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Join Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink for a festive dive into the hilarious and chaotic 2011 WWE "All-I-Want-for-Christmas" Battle Royale! In this special bonus episode of Grapple City Rewind, we break down this over-the-top match featuring Sheamus, Hornswoggle, and a wild mix of WWE stars. From the strange holiday vibes to the unforgettable moments with Mick Foley as Santa, we discuss everything that made this match a memorable and lighthearted WWE moment. Tune in for some laughs, nostalgia, and surprising facts from the world of professional wrestling!

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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WCW spent eighteen months building to Sting vs. Hollywood Hogan… only to trip over their own feet at the finish line. In this episode of Grapple City Rewind, Brad and Aaron break down the spectacular chaos of WCW Starrcade 1997—from the overhyped “greatest night ever” promises to the infamous not-fast fast count that derailed the biggest payoff in company history.

Brad also opens the show with a full recount of attending WWE Survivor Series 2025 live at Petco Park, describing the nightmare seating, the hours-long entry lines, the obstructed views, and how the Dominic Mysterio injury angle worked the entire stadium in real time.

Then it’s back to 1997, where confusion reigned backstage, referees and managers looked like they’d been handed new script pages seconds before going live, NWO interference suffocated half the card, and Bret Hart wandered into the main event like he wasn’t sure why he was even there. We also cover the matches that quietly stole the show, the production choices that aged like milk, and the moment many fans consider the beginning of WCW’s collapse.

If you’ve ever wanted a blueprint on how to ruin an 18-month storyline in 18 seconds, this is the one.

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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Travel back to Thanksgiving night 1985 as Bradley and Aaron dive deep into Starrcade: The Gathering, a split-venue NWA mega-event overflowing with blood, Russians, rule-breaking, cage mayhem, and one unbelievably annoying drunk fan who somehow made it into the subtitles.

This episode covers:

• Rock & Roll Express vs. Ivan & Nikita Koloff in a cage match that’s somehow no-DQ and still worked like a tag match
• Endless blood, heel chaos, and wild Cold War heat
• Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes in a classic NWA main event complete with interference, cops escorting wrestlers, a massive blade job, and the original Dusty Finish
• Dave Meltzer’s ratings vs. what Bradley and Aaron REALLY think
• A mailbox segment with Frank checking in about Royal Rumble season
• The official GCR rating: Fast Forward, Play, or Rewind
• Announcement of the next PPV: Starrcade 1997 – Hogan vs. Sting

If you love gritty 80s wrestling, crimson masks, or just want to hear two guys yell about a drunk dude screaming “DUSTY RHODES! WOO!” for twenty minutes straight — this is your episode.

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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Step inside the Ruthless Aggression era as Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink break down WWE Survivor Series 2002, live from Madison Square Garden. This show has everything: broom-based hardcore weapons, the debut of the Elimination Chamber, Victoria beating Trish with a fire extinguisher, Matt Hardy’s “low-fat chocolate milk” Matt Facts, and way too much Saliva… the band, not the bodily fluid (though honestly, there’s both).

Brad and Aaron compare the women’s wrestling landscape then vs. now, talk Big Show’s shock title win and Heyman’s inevitable betrayal, celebrate the SmackDown Six putting on a clinic, and relive Shawn Michaels returning with the most unfortunate bob haircut in WWE history.

Plus:
 • Current product talk — John Cena’s IC title shocker, Sheamus’ case for Cena’s last match, Full Gear predictions, and Mercedes Moné’s 13-belt world tour.
 • Why the Elimination Chamber looked insane in 2002.
 • How many times can WWE force Saliva on the audience in one night? (Too many.)

Another chaotic, nostalgic, butt-rock-heavy trip through one of the most stacked cards of the early 2000s.

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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Neon lights. Cowboy hats. Clowns. Towels. Chuck Norris.
This week, Brad and Aaron rewind to WWF Survivor Series 1994 — a pay-per-view so weird it makes Heroes of Wrestling look like Wrestle Kingdom.

From Bret Hart’s 35-minute family therapy session with Bob Backlund to Jerry Lawler’s miniature monarchy of mayhem, it’s full-on professional wrestling weirdness from Vince McMahon’s Technicolor era. Add a casket match, an oversized Yokozuna, and a very confused Chuck Norris, and you’ve got one hell of an oddball Texas Thanksgiving.

The guys break down every bizarre moment, rank the matches, quote Meltzer, and wonder aloud why they keep doing this to themselves.

💀 “Pink and Stink Are All Elite.”
🎧 WWF Survivor Series 1994. Only on Grapple City Rewind.

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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Katie Vick. We’re sorry. We had to get to it at some point.

This week, Brad and Aaron crack open WWE No Mercy 2002 — a violent, blood-splattered relic from the Ruthless Aggression era featuring the Hell in a Cell blood geyser of Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, Ric Flair trying to survive peak RVD, and a Cruiserweight title match that ends in a forced make-out session because…that's where WWE was at the time.

But the headlining monstrosity: Triple H accuses Kane of murder, and somehow that’s not the worst part. We relive the most infamous storyline in company history — the Katie Vick “angle” — so you don’t have to bleach your brain.

Also on tap:
 • Low blows on sale 2-for-1
 • One ring rope says “Nope” and peaces out mid-match
 • JR wonders if Lawler is into pregnant women
 • The Intercontinental Title gets a funeral video package (!?)
 • Tribal wrestling fans argue while wrestlers just pay bills

Is it trash? Yes.
 Did we laugh? Way too hard.
 Would Vince book it again? I bet ya he would.

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

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This week on Grapple City Rewind, Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink crack open a Slim Jim and dive deep into WCW Halloween Havoc 1997 — live from Las Vegas, baby. From Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero’s all-time classic mask vs. title match to the absolute garbage that follows, this show has it all: Hogan vs. Piper inside the flimsiest cage ever built, Mongo’s missing Super Bowl ring, and the golden era of Dusty Rhodes one-liners. Plus, the guys talk TNA Bound for Glory, AEW WrestleDream, and why 1997 WCW felt like it was booked by a man on three Red Bulls and a Slim Jim. Was this really the night pro wrestling changed forever? We'll let you know.

(626) 657-SLAM

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.

Send us a text or voicemail

Brad and Aaron return to St. Louis for WWF No Mercy 2001, which took place live at Savvis Center—the same arena where Brad saw his very first wrestling show. The duo relive the Attitude Era’s turning point as WWF began its transformation into WWE, dissecting the struggle for power between Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Rob Van Dam. Along the way, they rewind through the entire card—Hardys vs. Hurricane, Edge vs. Christian, Kane vs. Test, and more—mixing in current product talk about Crown Jewel 2025, nostalgia for 90s house shows, and the ongoing Bloodline fatigue. Expect humor, deep cuts, and plenty of hot takes as Grapple City Rewind heads back to the Invasion Era.

(626) 657-SLAM

Email: [email protected]

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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.

Created by  Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.