We’re back on the road to WrestleMania 14 and the chaos is dialed all the way up. In this week’s episode, Kelsey and Xavier dig into the March 2, 1998 edition of Raw Is War—featuring Mike Tyson’s very unexpected allegiance, Paul Bearer acting like a mafia don, and a casket that gets struck by lightning because sure, why not.

We also get way too much Jeff Jarrett, just the right amount of Chainsaw Charlie chainsawing a car, and the return of the Undertaker in one of the most dramatic, supernatural, and low-key operatic endings in Raw history. Yes, there were actual flames. Yes, we screamed. Yes, you need to watch.

Also:

• Sable vs Luna vs. All of Us
• A dumpster pop-up book from hell
• Stone Cold Austin’s “I’ll fight you in the dark” energy
• Why Paul Bearer is suddenly kinda slaying
• And how Titanomachy is a real word we’re applying to wrestling now

This is what we mean when we say, “We come to this place for magic.”

Welcome back to New to Wrestling.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro and episode overview
• 5:56 DX opens show with provocative promo
• 13:21 New Age Outlaws defend tag titles
• 26:41 Taka Michinoku teams with The Headbangers
• 31:43 Jeff Jarrett returns with new gimmick
• 39:37 Stone Cold confronts DX and Kane
• 51:35 Kane vs Stone Cold main event
• 58:28 Undertaker makes dramatic return

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

He flips. He flies. He bleeds (occasionally on purpose).

This week on New to Wrestling: After Dark, we’re joined by high-flying indie standout and deathmatch up-and-comer Christian Starr, a.k.a. The Starchild.

We get into:

• How GCW reignited his love for wrestling
• Training in Canada and prepping for Japan
• His first-ever deathmatch (featuring barbed wire, thumbtacks, and a dart gun 💀)
• Why he writes out match spots like homework
• The beautiful chaos of planning a match when your opponent shows up 5 minutes before bell time
• What it means to balance show-stealing flips with glass-shattering violence

Christian is thoughtful, intense, and way too calm about skewers to the head—and that’s exactly why we loved this one.

🎧 Stream now on all podcast platforms.

Timestamps:

• [00:01:21] – How GCW reignited Christian’s love for wrestling
• [00:03:11] – Learning flips on instinct, not gymnastics
• [00:07:40] – Wild match story: accidental nose break leads to a shoot finish
• [00:09:58] – What it’s like stepping into a deathmatch for the first time
• [00:12:43] – Plans for more deathmatches—with light tubes next
• [00:14:52] – “I’m a spot monkey”—leaning into high-flying chaos
• [00:19:40] – Prepping to train in Japan with TAKA Michinoku
• [00:22:11] – Dream match types: steel cage, no-rope deathmatch
• [00:24:07] – On turning up the volume on your real self in the ring
• [00:26:25] – “Pro wrestling is mental and physical”—why it’s the hardest sport
• [00:32:38] – Big goals: GCW, Tournament of Survival, Best of the Super Juniors
• [00:33:40] – “Deathmatch guys are the nicest”—backstage camaraderie

📲 Follow @cprstar on [Instagram/Twitter/etc.]

🎟️ Catch him at a show near you. You’ll know him when the barbed wire comes out.

📲 Follow us @N2WPodcast for more chaos every week.

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

This week on After Dark, we’re joined by indie wrestling standout and certified harvester of sorrows, Sammi Chaos—our first-ever female guest and instant icon. From the Mecca to the middle of a triple threat she wasn’t even booked for (until 10 minutes before bell time), Sammi brings the chaos, heart, and eyeliner.

We talk about growing up an Attitude Era kid, falling into wrestling after a very honest drunk epiphany, and balancing a 9-to-5 with throwing bodies on weekends. She shares how she’s carved out space for herself in the intergender scene, why she trains like Rey Mysterio but throws like Bam Bam, and what it’s like cutting promos on your real-life best frenemies. Also: eyeliner symmetry, kids calling her an a**, and why indie wrestling is the real land of misfit toys.

It’s chaotic, it’s emotional, it’s funny as hell—and it’s everything we love about wrestling and the weirdos who make it worth watching.

Timestamps:

• 00:00:00 – Intro & Guest Reveal: Sammi Chaos joins as the first female guest
• 00:02:23 – Wrestling Origins: Drunken epiphanies, desk jobs, and jumping in
• 00:04:00 – Social Anxiety & Performance: Overcoming fear and finding power through wrestling
• 00:06:20 – In-Ring Psychology & Influences: Learning from ROH, Kurt Angle, and Rey Mysterio
• 00:10:30 – Hard-Hitting Style: Sammi’s love for physical matches and making them feel like fights
• 00:13:28 – Improv & Adaptability: Last-minute bookings and the value of in-ring chemistry
• 00:15:20 – Intergender Wrestling: Storytelling dynamics and flipping the usual power narrative
• 00:17:54 – Full Circle Moments: Wrestling her trainer Brother Greatness
• 00:20:24 – Promos & Character Work: Her chaotic feud with Brian Baum and the power of creative freedom
• 00:21:32 – Pride Shows & Representation: Why inclusive shows matter
• 00:24:25 – The Persona vs The Person: Sammi Chaos as armor for social anxiety
• 00:27:42 – Makeup, Gear & Rituals: How visual identity enhances confidence
• 00:31:04 – Balancing Wrestling & Work: The physical toll and emotional reward of the grind
• 00:32:56 – Favorite Collaborators: Locker room love and tag team chaos
• 00:35:11 – Tough Coaching & Growth: Getting pushed beyond physical limits
• 00:40:53 – The Beauty of Indie Wrestling: Diversity, gimmicks, and true creative freedom
• 00:43:01 – Hopes for Intergender Wrestling: Acceptance, visibility, and booking without boundaries
• 00:45:09 – What’s Next: Upcoming shows and staying busy

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!