Torture Wracked

In which we discuss the in-ring debut of Haunted Francis, tracing back to his initial comic book design, his inspiration, and how we came to be portrayed by Brave Billy Avery. We briefly discuss the Royal Rumble 2021, and why the Women's rumble was SO much better than the Men's Rumble, and catch up with New Japan at their New Beginning in Nagoya! 

0:00 - 16:39  - The Debut of Haunted Francis

16:40 - 31:49 -  Royal Rumble 2021

31:50 - 1:00:04 - NJPW New Beginning in Nagoya

In which we discuss our choices for the Wrackies 2020:

• Best Manager/Non-Wrestler

We also give a brief rundown of Wrestle Kingdom, including which matches were our favourites, and which were overshadowed by the G1, and speculate about Kota Ibushi's 2021 opponents, and the future of Jay White.

0:00 - 7:42 - Bits & Bobs (WCW for the NES, Playstation WCW Games)

7:43 - 1:25:27 - The Wrackie Awards

1:25:28 - 1:46:07 - Wrestle Kingdom 15

To begin, we talk about the legacy of Jon Huber, aka Brodie Lee, and the joy he brought to wrestling fans, his friends, and his family.

We also discuss ‘AEW Dynamite’s Top 10 Moments’ from Complex Magazine, which was illustrated by our very own John F. Malta! We talk about the current state of AEW and New Japan, and incorrectly predict several outcomes from NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15.

We do a classic PPV review WCW Great American Bash 1990: The New Revolution, John quickly reviews Flair v. Steamboat 3, and we give our predictions for wrestling in 2021.

0:00 - 10:08 - Opening + Brodie Lee Tribute

10:08 - 17:09 - Complex Magazine - ‘AEW Dynamite’s Top 10 Moments’, illustrated by John F. Malta

17:09 - 19:11 -  Talkin’ Porky

19:12 - 38:02 - Previewing Wrestle Kingdom 15 Card

38:02 - 43:28 - AEW scratching the WWE itch

43:29 - 55:20 - AEW Dynamite

55:21 - 1:07:04 - WCW Great American Bash 1990: The New Revolution

1:07:05 - 1:11:04 -  Flair vs. Steamboat 3

1:11:05 - 1:27:02 -  2021 Predictions

In which we discuss NJPW Power Struggle and its redundant booking, The Great O-Khan and Okada's New Game+, as well as Ibushi losing his G1 briefcase and the implications for Wrestle Kingdom; the stellar AEW Full Gear, featuring the first chapter of Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page, a changing of the guard between Cody Rhodes vs. Darby Allin, the immediately iconic FTR vs. The Young Bucks, and a pretty gnarly Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston I Quit match. We also do a retro PPV review of WWE Survivor Series 1998, the Deadly Games tournament, featuring Stone Cold, The Rock, Mankind, Ken Shamrock, and more.

Marc reviews John's classic match recommendation, Kota Ibushi vs. AJ Styles, from NJPW's G1 Climax 25, 2015.

In which we shoehorn in a LOT of Halloween references for an episode that launches on November 5th, and discuss Nights 9-19 of the G1 Climax 30, including our Overall G1 Wrestler Rankings, our favourite matches of the tournament, and possible booking for NJPW's future. We also speculate about 'Hangman' Adam Page's future in AEW, and compare WWE and AEW's treatment of older talent.

John reviews Marc's classic match recommendation, Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21.

0:00 - 16:30 - Bits & Bobs (Hangman to Horsemen? - WWE booking returns to 2008 - AEW / WWE / NJPW on booking former stars)

16:30 - 23:34 - G1 Climax 30: Our Overall Rankings

23:34 - 38:40 - G1 Climax Night 9 (Jay White’s enduring heel work, Ibushi v. Ospreay)

38:41 - 48:24 -G1 Climax Night 10 (EVIL vs. Juice, SANADA vs. ZSJ, Naito vs. YOSHI-HASHI, KENTA vs. Takahashi)

48:25 -55:25 - G1 Climax Night 11 (Shingo vs. Ibushi, Ospreay vs. Suzuki)

55:26 - 1:05:54 - G1 Climax Night 12 (Yano vs. ZSJ, SANADA vs. KENTA, Naito vs. Juice, Tanahashi vs. EVIL)

1:05:55 - 1:15:02 - G1 Climax Night 13 (Cobb vs. Ishii, Ospreay vs. Taichi, Ibushi vs. Suzuki, Okada vs. Shingo)

1:15:03 - 1:18:57 - G1 Climax Night 14(EVIL vs. Naito)

1:18:58 - 1:24:00 -G1 Climax Night 15 (Cobb vs. Ospreay, Suzuki vs. Switchblade, Ishii vs. Okada)

1:24:01 - 1:26:18 - G1 Climax Night 16 (KENTA vs. YOSHI-HASHI)

1:26:19 - 1:32:52- G1 Climax Night 17 (Shingo vs. Suzuki, Okada vs. Ospreay, Ibushi vs. Taichi, Ishii vs. Jay White)

1:32:53 - 1:35:29 - G1 Climax Night 18 (SANADA vs. EVIL)

1:35:29 - 1:41:27 - G1 Climax Finals - Ibushi vs. SANADA

1:41:28 - 1:46:46 - Classic Match Review - Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle, Wrestlemania 21

In which Marc & John discuss the inevitable AEW/NJPW cross-over, reveal who they would choose in their own mock WWE draft, discuss the hard-hitting, pancrase-style MMA fighting of Josh Barnett's Bloodsport, including Jon Moxley vs. Chris Dickinson, recap a few weeks of AEW Dynamite and fantasy book the AEW Title Eliminator Tournament, and talk about Nights 5-8 of G1 Climax 30, including Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay from Night 5, KENTA vs. Zack Sabre Jr. from Night 6, Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shingo Takagi from Night 7, and KENTA vs. EVIL from Night 8.

0:00 - 11:15  - Bits & Bobs (AEW/NJPW forbidden portal)

11:16 - 18:50 - Torture Wracked WWE Draft (Round 1)

18:51 - 34:34  - Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport

34:35 - 42:12  -  TW WWE Draft (Round 2)

42:13 - 48:45 -  AEW Dynamite, Sept 30th

48:46 - 1:01:54 - AEW Dynamite, October 6th

1:01:55 - 1:09:25 - AEW Title Tournament Predictions

1:09:26 - 1:17:21 - TW WWE Draft (Round 3)

1:17:22 - 1:59:37    - G1 Climax 30, Nights 5-8

1:59:38 - 2:03:03 - TW WWE Draft (Round 4)

In which THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN after a lengthy absence to discuss WWE Clash of Champions 2020, featuring Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso for the title of Tribal Chief and the Intercontinental triple threat ladder match between Jeff Hardy, Sami Zayn, and AJ Styles, two weeks of AEW Dynamite, including the backlot brawl with Best Friends vs Proud & Powerfu, and Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston for the AEW title, as well as the Nights 1-4 of the G1 Climax 2020, especially Tanahashi vs. Naito, Ishii vs. Suzuki, Ospreay vs. Ishii and Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Marc reviews John’s classic match recommendation:  Steve Austin vs. Keiji Mutoh, G1 Climax 1992

0:00 - 7:10  Bits & Bobs

7:11 - 38:14 -  WWE Clash of Champions 2020 (Intercontinental Triple Threat Ladder Match, Roman Reigns  vs. Jey Uso)

38:15 - 59:19 AEW Dynamite (Proud and Powerful vs. Best Friends Backlot Brawl, Mox vs. Eddie Kingston, John rants about the Bucks) 

59:20 - 1:45:34   G1 Climax 2020, Nights 1-4  (Tanahashi vs. Naito, Ishii vs. Suzuki, Ospreay vs. Ishii, Jay White vs. Ibushi)

145:35 - 1:51:00 Marc’s Classic Match Review: Steve Austin vs. Keiji Mutoh, G1 Climax 1992

0:00-5:27 - Bits & Bobs (last week’s lost episode, Marc and John enter the time machine)

5:28-24:34 - Marc + John’s Excellent Adventure

24:35-53:02 - NJPW Summer Struggle in Jingu

53:03-1:56:58 - AEW All Out 2020

1:56:59-2:02:29 - Classic Match Review: Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards, ROH Death Before Dishonour VIII

In which we discuss the best WWE PPV in years, Summerslam 2020, and the merits of Seth Rollins and Randy Orton, the many factions of AEW and the ascendance of The Dark Order, the finals of both AEW’s Deadly Draw and the New Japan Cup USA, + GCW’s fantastic Tournament of Survival 5, including Allie Kat, Alex Colon, Shlak, Shane Mercer, the utterly despicable Ricky Shane Page of 440H, and Nick Gage on commentary.

Marc reviews John’s classic match recommendation, Mick Foley vs. Terry Funk in a Barbed Wire Rope, Exploding C4, and Time Bomb Match, in the Finals of the King of the Deathmatch Tournament, Kawasaki Dream, August 20, 1995.

0:00-19:44  - Bits & Bobs (Stone Cold Steve Austin provides a shipping updates, Villains in Wrestling documentary by Super Eyepatch Wolf)

19:45-26:04  -  New Japan Cup USA Finals

26:05-53:49  -   WWE Summerslam 2020

53:50-1:00:23 -  AEW Deadly Draw Semi-finals

1:00:24-1:13:17  -  AEW Dynamite

1:13:18-1:24:34  -  GCW Tournament of Survival 5

1:24:35-1:30:59 - Classic Match Review - Cactus Jack vs. Terry Funk - Barbed Wire Rope, Exploding C4, Time Bomb Match, Kawasaki Dream

1:31:00-1:34:22  -  The Bottom Line + John’s Classic Match Recommendation

In which we discuss what would have been at New Japan’s Wrestle Dynasty in Madison Square Garden, and fantasy booking an alternate NJPW 2020 sans COVID; the current NJPW Strong featuring the overselling of KENTA on commentary, the human spirit of Yoshi-Hashi, and the tournament MVP David Finlay; AEW's Deadly Draw and the possibility of Ivelisse and Diamanté joining the Inner Circle; and AEW Dark & Dynamite, including Marc's utter immersion in kayfabe, another great Cody TNT title match, and the colossal performance of The Butcher & The Blade. 

We also do a retro PPV review of WWF Summerslam 98 in anticipation of next weekend's Biggest Party of the Summer, and John reviews Marc's classic match recommendation, Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk at Summerslam 2013.

0:00-17:17 - Bits & Bobs (NJPW booking during COVID, the cancelled Wrestle Dynasty 2020, fantasy booking alternate WK14)

17:18-41:59 - NPW Strong - New Japan Cup USA + Never Openweight Trios Tournament

42:00-49:04 - AEW Deadly Draw

49:05-57:03 - AEW Dark

57:04-1:24:35 - AEW Dynamite

1:24:36-1:40:55 - WWF Summerslam 1998

1:40:56-1:48:11 - Classic Match, Brock vs. Punk, Summerslam 2013

1:48:12-1:51:24 - The Bottom Line + John’s Classic Match Recommendation