On this week’s New to Wrestling, Kelsey and Xavier break down the March 17, 1998 edition of Raw is War — a go-home show so unhinged, it felt like Vince Russo scribbled it on a napkin five minutes before airtime.

We’re talking:

• Ken Shamrock inventing “ShamWow Mode” by snapping into a rage spiral, destroying everything in his path, and still eating a chair shot like it was breakfast.
• Mr. McMahon’s origin story: Vince steps fully into his villain era with a simple “Oh, hell no,” and wrestling would never be the same.
• HBK’s WrestleMania XIV package reminding us that, yes, Shawn Michaels is both “the most flamboyant” and “the most charismatic,” and it works.
• The New Midnight Express debuting with hair bleach so bright it could power half of Stamford.
• Kane absolutely murdering a gorilla mascot on live TV in maybe the weirdest Attitude Era fever dream yet.
• The Undertaker calling down lightning on a mannequin so sparkly Barbie would’ve asked for royalties.

Between animals being sacrificed, pyro being wasted on props, and Vince McMahon inventing himself as the ultimate boss villain, this episode is pure Attitude Era madness. Kelsey and Xavier unpack the chaos with their signature mix of sharp insight, comedic rants, and the occasional tangent about titties.

This is wrestling as theater — Shakespeare, but with chair shots, lightning bolts, and gorilla suits.

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!

The Thicky Time Bomb has landed on New to Wrestling! 💥

This week, indie star Brian Bomb joins us to talk about his Sable-inspired wrestling origin story (yes, it all started with a Toys “R” Us trip), the whip, the Bomb, and how he crafted a style that blends flamboyance with brute strength. From training at the Fallout Shelter to creating safe spaces like Fight for the Pride, Brian opens up about community, identity, and the reality of being an openly gay wrestler in today’s indie scene.

We also dive into the highs and lows—like his neck injury comeback, his rivalry with Sammy Chaos, the art behind his gear, and how wrestling in your 30s changes the game. Oh, and of course… we kiki about Sable, titties, and why sometimes the simplest moves tell the biggest stories.

This isn’t just an interview—it’s a celebration of authenticity, resilience, and pure wrestling joy.

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!

Cheyenne Ortiz — better known across the indies as “The Voice” — joins us for a conversation that’s equal parts storytelling, wrestling nerd-out, and wing recommendations.

Cheyenne pulls back the curtain on his 11-year journey in wrestling: from middle school morning announcements to becoming the trusted voice of ACE, BCW, ECWA, and beyond. We dive into the grind of commentary, the art of making wrestlers (not yourself) shine, and what it’s really like to prep for calling a match when you might not know a single move name going in.

We talk about:

• How commentary is “you get over by getting everyone else over”
• The early YouTube/DVD era of indie wrestling and the social media boom that changed everything
• Why trust between wrestlers and commentators is everything (plus some hilarious backstage stories)
• His thoughts on iconic commentary teams and the Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage WrestleMania VIII classic
• A surprise announcement about his own in-ring debut

Oh, and yes — chicken wings do make their way into this episode.

Cheyenne proves why he’s one of the most respected voices in independent wrestling, and why his perspective as both commentator and promoter matters now more than ever.

Upcoming events we discuss:

• BCW Grand Rumble – Cheyenne Ortiz vs. AJ Pan in a Les Street Fight
• ECWA Lalapalooza – La Vin vs. Monsieur Ooh La La (ECWA Heavyweight Championship)
• ECWA Lalapalooza – Joey Ace vs. Leo Sparrow (ECWA Legacy Title)

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!

In this New to Wrestling: After Dark episode, hosts Kelsey Silva and Xavier sit down with indie tag team standouts "Miami" Mike Walker and Vinny Talotta, better known as The Post Game, for a conversation that’s part locker room banter, part wrestling masterclass.

Mike and Vinny open up about their wrestling origins, training experiences, and the grind of building a name across different territories. They share how their tag team chemistry clicks, their favorite matches, and the challenges — and payoffs — of carving out a reputation in the independent scene.

We also get the inside scoop on their recent clash with Shot Through the Heart for the Focus Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championships, their dream to wrestle in Europe and Japan, and the role confidence plays in their in-ring style.

Highlights Include:

• The chaos of their pre-match rituals
• The unexpected story behind the name “Post-Game”
• The camaraderie (and occasional chaos) of the indie wrestling world
• Why they believe indie wrestling is the most creative playground in the business

Whether you’re a diehard wrestling fan or just discovering the scene beyond the big leagues, this episode offers an intimate, unfiltered look at two up-and-coming wrestlers chasing big goals — and having a blast along the way.

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 New to Wrestling, we’re taking it back to March 9, 1998 — a night where the glow-in-the-dark sticks were out, the People’s Elbow got its official christening, and the Attitude Era served up its usual recipe of chaos, questionable fashion choices, and about three disqualifications too many.

From Sable getting humiliated in heels that could outrun Jurassic Park raptors, to Farooq teaching The Rock a little Nation of Domination tough love, to Shawn Michaels swooping in for a superkick with a very broken back — this episode had it all.

Oh, and yes, we finally got one full match from bell to bell. Miracles do happen.

Match Card:

• Ken Shamrock & Steve Blackman vs. The Rock & Farooq (Nation of Domination) — Glow sticks, bowling shoes, and a hard-launch for the People’s Elbow.
• Owen Hart vs. Barry Windham — Ends in a DQ after a Chyna low blow, but sets the stage for WrestleMania.
• Águila vs. Brian Christopher — A lucha fever dream (literally — he had the flu) with an Attitude Era DQ finish.
• Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie vs. The Quebecers — Powder blue fashion choices and a post-match ambush from the Outlaws.
• Marc Mero vs. Goldust (Luna & Sable handcuffed at ringside) — Face paint humiliation, drink tossing, and an intergender WrestleMania challenge.
• Savio Vega vs. Triple H — More lumberjack brawl than match, ending in a Stone Cold beatdown and a DX sneak attack.

📚 Book Club Alert: We’re also deep into our Reading the Ring wrestling book club, currently reading There’s Just One Problem by Brian Gewirtz. New videos drop weekly on our YouTube channel — subscribe and read along so you can join the chaos

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!

We’re back for week 2 of There’s Just One Problem by Brian Gewirtz, and if you thought last week was chaotic… buckle up.

This stretch (Chapters 5–9) covers everything from Brian taking a literal bump courtesy of Bubba Ray Dudley, to the culture shock of writing promos for The Rock and Vince McMahon at the same time. We get into the rise of SmackDown, the disaster of the original XFL (and what it was like watching that trainwreck from the inside), and a backstage power struggle with Paul Heyman that somehow ends in friendship…?

We also talk about:

-How to survive a writers’ room with Vince Russo (spoiler: don’t),
-The glory of Hollywood Rock and why he still lives rent-free in our heads,
-That one wild SmackDown watch party in Vegas that none of us will ever recover from,

And the moment Brian realizes just how high the stakes are when you're scripting real-life beef between wrestlers who actually want to kill each other.

Next week: Brian climbs the WWE ladder, Vince goes full Vince, and yes—we talk about that chapter. You’ve been warned.

🎧 Stream now and read along with us.
📘 Because wrestling is real, and books are too

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!

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Reading the Ring, where wrestling is real — and books are too.
This week, we crack open There's Just One Problem by Brian Gewirtz, the one-time 7th most powerful person in WWE (his words, not ours). In this debut installment, Xavier takes you on a deep dive through the first four chapters, including:

• 🧑‍⚖️ A real-life “Wrestler’s Court” session — featuring Kane as bailiff, JBL as prosecutor, and the Undertaker literally judging people.
• 🪪 How Brian got hired by Vince McMahon (spoiler: it involved nepotism, fast food, and one extremely awkward meeting).
• 📺 His first day at WWE, featuring chaos, no introductions, and a DX burn line that made air.
• 👑 Why TV time — not the championship — is the real gold in wrestling.

📚 Plus: fan stories, writing gigs gone wrong, and the moment Gewirtz almost became a secret shopper for Jack in the Box instead of changing wrestling forever.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or just stepping into the squared circle, we’re breaking down this book chapter by chapter every Monday — so grab a snack, hit play, and let’s get literary about body slams.

👉 Watch now or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
📖 Next week: Chapters 5–9 a.k.a. The Golden (and Unhinged) Era.

#ReadingTheRing #BrianGewirtz #WrestlingBookClub #NewToWrestling #WrestlingHistory #WWEBackstage #WrestlersCourt #VinceMcMahon #AttitudeEra #WWEBooks #ProWrestlingPodcast

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!

With Kelsey off the grid (and possibly packed in a moving box), Xavier holds down the ring solo to cover one of the most chaotic weekends in modern wrestling history — and he’s got thoughts.

The episode dives into three major events:
🔥 WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
👑 WWE Evolution II
💥 AEW All In: Texas

From Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre to Hangman Page’s blood-soaked redemption, Xavier breaks down the key matches, title shifts, and emotional gut punches across both WWE and AEW. He covers standout performances, storyline developments, and what these events mean for the future of both promotions.

Match Highlights Include:
• Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre
• Gunther vs. Goldberg
• Becky Lynch vs. Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria (Women’s Intercontinental Title)
• Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Moné (AEW Women’s World Title)
• Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega
• Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page (AEW World Title – Texas Death Match)

Xavier also dives into WWE Evolution 2’s strongest moments — including Naomi’s unforgettable cash-in, Jade Cargill’s no-holds-barred brawl, and the instant-classic between Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky. Then it’s over to AEW, where All In felt like an adrenaline-fueled fever dream: think Ospreay & Swerve vs. the Bucks, Dustin Rhodes' big moment, and Okada rewriting the AEW main event scene.

Plus:
📚 Reading the Ring is officially here — the podcast's new wrestling book club kicks off with There’s Just One Problem... by Brian Gewirtz, with weekly breakdowns hitting YouTube starting July 21.

If you love wrestling, chaos, emotional turns, and pop-up book clubs, you’re in the right place.

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!