Wrestlesplania

This week Rachel and Kath zero in on Samoa Joe’s career in 2005 and 2006. (They were two really, really, really good years, okay!) They talk Joe vs Kobashi, his TNA feud with Kurt Angle, and the IWA Midsouth classic with Necro Butcher. Plus: what kind of restaurant Joe should open, CM Punk hot takes, and Sylvia Plath. Materials Discussed Includes: Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi in Ring of Honor 10/01/2005, Samoa Joe vs. Necro Butcher in IWA Midsouth 6/11/2005 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMU5S9VHhJM), and Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle in TNA 12/10/2006 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmSj54Ls6fQ). If you like what we do, consider supporting Wrestlesplania on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended episode notes (including a note from Bryce Remsburg about Joe vs. Necro Butcher), Discord access and more: https://www.patreon.com/wrestlesplania

“WHO IS THE CUTEST IN THE WORLD!??” is the question Rachel and Kath try to answer this week by delving into the career of former LinQ idol and current Tokyo Joshi Pro wrestler Maki Itoh. They talk about failure, beauty, more failure, and oversharing to get people to like you. PLUS: pores, tweets you immediately regret, face size, and even more failure. Materials Discussed Include: lots of tweets translated by Itoh Respect Army (https://twitter.com/ItohRespectArmy), “Throwing Your Life Away with Maki Itoh” (https://headmeetchair.com/2018/07/throwing-your-life-away-with-maki-ito/), Maki Itoh vs. Danshoku Dino in DDT 1/3/2018, Maki Ito & Saki Akai vs. Meiko Satomura & Cassandra Miyagi at DDT Ryogoku Peter Pan 10/21/2018, Maki Ito vs Natsumi Maki in Tokyo Joshi Pro 2/23/19. (Check out our patrons only notes for more match recommendations and links!) If you like what we do, consider supporting Wrestlesplania on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended episode notes, Discord access and more: https://www.patreon.com/w

Awoooouuu!!! Before saying goodbye to the US, Kris Wolf joined Rachel and Kath for Splania’s milestone 69th episode. They talked overcoming shyness, favorite movies, the Oedo Tai dance, thrill-seeking, and Kris’ retirement. PLUS: erotic audiobooks, erotic fan fiction, erotic friend fiction, pre-show nerves, and BUTTS. Follow Kris on Twitter (https://twitter.com/wolfinjapan), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wolfinjapan/), and Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/wolfinjapan) and make sure to check out the livestream of her sold out retirement show at Pro Wrestling Eve this Friday 4/26/19: https://eveondemand.pivotshare.com/media/we're-all-gonna-die!-aka-the-kris-wolf-retirement-show/86757 If you like what we do, consider supporting Wrestlesplania on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended episode notes, Discord access and more: https://www.patreon.com/wrestlesplania

Comedian Scotland Green (https://twitter.com/ScotlandGreen) joined Rachel and Kath to wrestlesplain WWF’s New Generation. They talked Shawn Michaels, Lex Luger, Bret and Owen Hart, Yokozuna, Diesel and Mankind! PLUS: local wrestling shows, tape trading, being Vince McMahon’s therapist, and different things “HBK” could stand for. Materials discussed include: Yokozuna's Bodyslam Challenge (Raw 7/5/93), Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart at Wrestlemania X (3/20/94), The 1-2-3 Kid vs. Hakushi at Summerslam 1995 (8/27/95), Shawn Michaels vs Diesel at In Your House: Good Friends Better Enemies (4/28/96), Shawn Michaels vs Mankind at In Your House: Mind Games (9/22/96), this Jeff Jarrett vignette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JoFItSmbY, Irwin R Schyster vignette (Action Zone 1994) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSy2s8aXJ_Q, and Bob Backlund on Raw 10/17/94. Sign up for our Patreon for bonus episodes, extended episode notes, Discord access and more! Patreon.com/Wrestlesplania

Rachel and Kath hobbled into the studio after a crazy Wrestlemania week to recap: Wrestlemania itself, Splania Mania, and Raw and Smackdown! PLUS: taking chair shots in the streets of Bushwick from new friend of the show Joey Janela. Bonus about the indie shows of 'Mania week will appear on Patreon shortly. Thanks so much for an incredible week, Splania fans, we love you!

Happy Wrestlemania Weekend! Enjoy this free bonus episode released from the bounds of our patreon, in which Rachel and Kath prepare for the festivities ahead with a preview of The Biggest Stage Of Them All (tm) as well as some highlights from the other shows they'll be attending this weekend.

It’s Wrestlemania week!! In this episode Rachel and Kath get ready for #Kofimania by looking at Kofi Kingston’s 11 years in WWE. They talk about the cringey Jamaican gimmick, fabulous Royal Rumble saves, WWE’s ability to commodify dissent, the erotic appeal of touring comedians, and Cesaro yodeling.

Get ready to be delighted, Splania fans. Rachel and Kath are joined this week by wrestler Willow Nightingale (https://twitter.com/w_nightingale_), fresh from surgery, to talk about pop punk, wrestler tattoos, breaking her neck, and Neopet commitment issues. PLUS: wanting to marry John Cena and the return of mouth stuff vs butt stuff.

Rachel and Kath go back to the late 1980s this week to watch the babyface of babyfaces Ricky Steamboat. They talk legendary matches, cool shoot names, old NWA crowds, Ric Flair's fuck schedule, and cruelty to animals. PLUS: Budweiser horses, wrestlers who look like horses, and entering events on horses.

Say yeah! Yeah! yeah! Yeah! This week Rachel and Kath go through the rise and fall and then rise again of The Revival! Yeah! They talk wrestling on TV, tag team gimmicks, the time Rachel met Scott Dawson on a plane, catchphrases, and inter-promotional social media feuds. PLUS: The Shadow Realm, All Elite Wrestling, and Rachel saying “woo woo woo” a bunch of times. Material Discussed Includes: The Revival vs DIY Two out of Three Falls for the NXT Tag Team Championship at NXT Takeover Toronto 11/19/16, Being the Elite, The Revival vs Tyler Breeze & Zack Ryder on Main Event 1/3/19, The Revival vs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable for the Raw Tag Team Championship Monday Night RAW 2/11/19

In this absolute treat of an episode, the world's buffest bee Solo Darling dropped by Splania HQ. And she brought Officer Magnum! While Magnum chilled out looking cute, Solo talked to Rachel and Kath about rescuing animals, embracing her 30s, and why she loves being a professional wrestler. PLUS: surprise cat births, favorite muscles, match structure, and chain restaurants.

This week Jordan Olds (https://twitter.com/mrjordanolds) joins Rachel and Kath to celebrate the life and times of Breezango. They talk getting into wrestling as adults, goofball gimmicks, Tyler Breeze in drag, and comedy. PLUS: Hair plugs, how Nobodies Watching Wrestling came to be, and Kath’s plan to murder her Wrestlesplania cohorts if it means she can live in a cabin with Fandango in Maine. Materials discussed include: Chris Jericho vs. Fandango at Wrestlemania 29 4/7/2013 http://network.wwe.com/video/v31289579/?contentId=&contextType=wwe-show&contextId=wrestlemania (at 55:04), New Jersey WWE crowd Fandango-ing Monday Night Raw 4/8/13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmWn_j5S26E, Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tyler Breeze at NXT Takeover Brooklyn 8/22/15, http://network.wwe.com/video/v400412483/?contentId=&contextType=wwe-show&contextId=wwe_nxt, Breezango & Fashion Files Compilations (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnDm1IOvy4I & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fymZ6RvkXC4, Breezango go after John Cena &

Rachel and Kath talk about the top troublemakers of Japanese women’s wrestling: Stardom’s Oedo Tai. They get into the history of the faction and discuss the importance of female dirtbags to the future of feminism. Plus: choreographed dances, purple jumpsuits, living in a post-Jersey Shore society, and CTE. Material Discussed Includes: Kate Willett’s Glass Gutter (https://open.spotify.com/album/1Y0pAm9cKOqjNJhyn4JQdW), Oedo Tai vs Queen’s Quest Loser Leaves Unit Match 1/21/18 (http://www.stardom-world.com/2018-2/1-21-2018-korakuen-hall/), Queen’s Quest vs Oedo Tai Exploding Bat Match 4/1/18 (http://www.stardom-world.com/2018-2/4-01-2018-nagoya/), Kagetsu vs Hana Kimura 10/23/18 (CW for hanging at about 11:35; http://www.stardom-world.com/2018-2/10-23-2018-korakuen/)

This wasn’t planned as a Valentine’s Day themed episode, but we dare you to listen and not fall in love with our guest. Faye Jackson (https://twitter.com/fayejackson419) stopped by Wrestlesplania HQ to chat with Rachel and Kath about gear struggles, hunks, and how being a DJ taught her how to work wrestling crowds ALSO: entrance music, 8x10s, DM slides, wishlists, Tomohiro Ishii, and, of course, Beyoncé. Make sure to check Faye out this weekend in her wXw debut!

Happy anniversary! We've come full circle to another Royal Rumble. This week, Rachel and Kath look at how far they’ve come in a year and get into the meat of the 2019 Royal Rumble card. They talk suspension of Shane McMahon disbelief, Lacey Evans’ hat, favorite guys from the shadow realm, and being #HawkinsHive. PLUS: Kath pitches Rachel on Jeff Jarrett.

Healthcare activist and PWR general manager Tim Faust (http://www.twitter.com/crulge) returns to lead Rachel and Kath through the beautiful and batshit career of Macho Man Randy Savage. They talk about the landscape of 80s WWF, mystical promos, the genius of Mean Gene Okerlund, and the 20th century's most important wedding. PLUS: Tim’s Macho Man memorial party and the Ultimate Warrior. **Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of emotional partner abuse (from 43:30 to 47:49)** Materials Discussed Include: Macho Man vs. Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania III, Macho Man vs. Bret Hart on Saturday Night’s Main Event 11/87, Macho Man vs. Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VII, and a whole bunch of promos (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3VkBy0eHlZz6wt_ymqcHTnPWgwGCDMvn)

This week Rachel and Kath lend us all their love and energy to celebrate two decades of Hiroshi Tanahashi. They get into his hairstyles, feuds with Nakamura and Okada, injuries, and position as a mentor in New Japan. PLUS: Billy Joel, getting stabbed, post-steroid titty, Kota Ibushi’s brain, raccoon spines, and Joel Hardy the Phantasmagoric Speed Star. Materials discussed include: (content warning for violence to teeth) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at G1 Special 2011 https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00184_1_3, (content warning for violence to teeth again) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at New Beginning in Osaka 2012 https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00189_1_6, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Power Struggle 2017 https://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00456_2_09

The Skulk's Leon Ruff (https://twitter.com/LeonRuffsxe) and Adrian Alanis (https://twitter.com/AnthonyAlanis76) sat down with Rachel and Kath to talk wrestling in Evolve and training with AR Fox. PLUS: Favorite guys, broken limbs, and your beloved hosts feeling old as dirt.

Happy New Year Splania fans! Rachel and Kath come full circle this week to talk about Wrestle Kingdom 13, one whole year after Rachel’s first Wrestle Kingdom. They review the show, covering such topics as: the Himbo Division, Will Ospreay move names, Zack Sabre Jr’s dick, brain damage, the KUSHIDA mask, and Naito’s hair. Also, what famous rapper almost suplexed Rachel one time at the mall? Listen and find out! NOTE: This episode is dedicated to the memory of the old Guerillas of Destiny fuck jam entrance theme. We’ll never forget you.

It finally happened. We got him. Trent? AKA Beretta AKA everyone’s favorite ponytail man Greg joined Rachel and Kath (and producer Nate!) after wrestling at ROH Final Battle Philadelphia to talk about pain, truth, and blading. PLUS: President Nate of the anime club, Dustin’s dry Denny’s dinner, and the REAL story behind Excalibur’s Greg Fact from episode 31.