With This Ring #76

With This Ring #76: Royal Rumble 2001
Cindy and Ryan are back in the saddle and looking at 2001. We look at an all-time show, starting off a hot streak of great shows. We talk about how the Trish Stratus/Vince McMahon relationship as it continues to dominate the World title scene. We talk about the re-boot the WWE would do in early January, usually the first Raw after Monday Night Football, setting the course for the Royal Rumble after a typically slow Christmas and New Year shows. Topics we talk about include: 
Kurt Angle and Steve Austin having a damn good wrestling match as the main event of Raw until, we all have to remember how important Triple H is.
We start with the show proper with a rarity for this era: a straight-up, non-gimmick, really strong tag team match between the Dudleys and Edge and Christian. 
We talk quite a bit about Drew Carey and the Drew Carey show and Drew Carey’s Improv All Stars and how Drew gets involved in this show, with such an impressive showing where he would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. 
We talk about the Canadian Chrisses having a good, but now in hindsight kind of squeamish match.
A ridiculous Chyna/Ivory “match” where doing a flip and making minimal contact with 120 pound Ivory somehow breaks Chyna’s neck.  
Triple H/Kurt Angle having a pretty good match, which is split into a Trish/Stephanie/Vince segment and then follows with their strong World title match. 
A great Rumble, featuring an all-time performance by Kane, Drew Carey, the Rock going 40 minute, Big Show’s unsuccessful fat farm stay, Stone Cold getting bloodied before he even enters and the return of HAKU!
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #75

With This Ring #75: Armageddon 
Cindy and Ryan are back again to wrap up the year 2000. In this episode we cover the quick turnaround from Survivor Series to Armageddon and the very half-hazard build to the main event, which seems to be just put the big 3 matches from last month into one big match this week. Does it work? We’ll discuss all this and more:
We start with the re-emergence of Vince McMahon and him demanding a divorce from Linda and the Rock making fun of all his opponents.
We discuss the new direction for Dean Malenko and his infatuation with Lita.
William Regal making fun of Alabama.
Chris Jericho continues his feud with Kane.
We see the end of the title reigns of both the RTC and Billy Gunn, marking the end of Billy as any serious type of single’s threat.
The APA is back, hooray!
The 6 Way living up to its hype and how much can 1 match carry a show?
Christmas Raw, with an Angle Family Christmas.
Stone Cold feuding with Stephanie and getting a World title match.
Vince McMahon and a budding relationship with Trish Stratus.
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #74

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving! As is tradition in wrestling, that of course means it is Survivor Series time. Ryan and Cindy continue their trek at Survivor Series 2000.
When we last left we were among accusations that the Rock had told Rikishi to hit Steve Austin with his car, and newly crowned WWF Champion Kurt Angle looked to be heading to a feud with Triple H.
We start by talking about the sudden change in direction, with Triple H benign the mastermind of hitting Steve Austin and the Undertaker becoming #1 contender. 
We look at Molly Holly debuting against T&A and Trish Stratus along with Ivory RTC women’s title run.
We look at the return of the Radicalz and Road Dogg dressing even more ridiculous than ever. 
The Chris Jericho/Kane coffee feud. 
Rock/Rikishi having a really fun hate filled match. 
Kurt Angle taking on Undertaker in his snake themed pants.
TWIN MAGIC! 
A long, long brawl with Triple H and Steve Austin and the new Survivor Series tradition: ATTEMPTED MURDER!We then go to Smackdown for the 2nd annual Smackdown food fight!
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #73

Ryan and Cindy are back for the start of their sixth year, deep into 2000. We start talking about the big reveal of Stone Cold’s assailant and get into the big show, ending with Olympic glory.
We start talking about the big reveal of Rikishi hitting Stone Cold and how it was either a let-down, or at least out of nowhere. 
We talk about the Dudley Boys Tag Team Invitational and how it is an unique way to get a lot of guys on the card.
The ending, it seems, of the Chris Jericho/X-Pac feud, with the match taking place inside the confines of a steel cage.
We talk about how Eddie Guerrero has gone full heel, taking a shower with the ho’s and how he is now adjacent to the RTC due to their hatred of Chyna and her Playboy issue. 
The (kind of) in-ring return of Stone Cold Steve Austin as he takes out his frustrations on Rikishi and attempts to kill him, before police intervene.
A little levity with Naked Mideon taking on William Regal for the European title. 
The saga of the Los Conquistadors winning Tag Team gold…2 nights in a row!?!
Kurt Angle capping his first year in the WWF with a World title win.
We look at clips of the next few Raws, including Ivory joining the RTC, Edge Christian and Kurt Angle celebrating Edge’s birthday and Rikishi confessing that the Rock was the mastermind behind hitting Steve Austin.
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #71 & #72

After a month off, Ryan and Cindy are back for a special double episode, covering both SummerSlam and Unforgiven 2000. With 2 shows lots to cover including:
Big Show coming back from injury, only to be sent to Fat Camp, and getting cut out of No Mercy.
Growing tensions with Triple H/Stephanie and Kurt Angle
The first official TLC match and the unique celebration that followed the next night on Raw.
Shane McMahon taking a giant fall.  
Triple H/Kurt Angle going at it before the match and scary Kurt Angle bump. 
Eddie Guerrero “accidentally” winning the Intercontinental Title from his mamacita.
Eddie trying to stop Chyna from being in Playboy.
An overall bland PPV in Unforgiven with the Hardys/Edge & Christian being the lone stand-out.
The true return of Steve Austin, trying to stun his way to whoever ran him down. 
The move on from USA Network to the new National Network, WE’VE GOT POP!
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #70

The summer of 2000 continues on, with Ryan and Cindy traveling to Dallas for Fully Loaded 2000 and a possible changing of the guard in the main event scene…or not. 
We start talking about how this is a unique card, with 3 mid-carders stepping up against established main eventers. 
The escalation of the Trish/Lita feud, with the Hardy Boys and T&A on the side.
The return of Tazz and him facing the ultimate challenge of Al Snow.
The beginning of the Triple H/Stephanie flower confusion and Kurt Angle attacking the Undertaker with a cartoonish wrench.
Rikishi performing an insane splash from the top of the cage.
The underwhelming Undertaker squash of Kurt Angle and a discussion on 2000 Undertaker.
Two great main events, firmly establishing the Canadian Chrises as main event stars. 
We follow up with Raw the night after where we see the Big Show return…and turn heel within the hour. The continuing saga of Triple H/Stephanie receiving flowers and the continued build of Trish and Lita. Then head to Smackdown where more shenanigans continue to strain the Triple H/Stephanie marriage. 
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #69

With This Ring #69: King of the Ring 2000
 
Ryan and Cindy roll on, looking at the 2000 edition of King of the Ring. In this edition we once again see a very stacked, although shoddily booked tournament along with some other big time matches. Among the topics we discuss:
Lot of talk about the PPV and tournament in general and how only 3 matches in the entire 32 person tournament lasts past 5 minutes.
How by rebooking only slightly, you could have a much better tournament with the same 8 guys, or subbing two guys from the Fatal 4-Way tag match.
We look at the end of peak Too Cool.
The quick appearance of Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) in WWF and somehow led to a Hardcore Evening Gown match between Brisco and Patterson.
Kurt Angle being the proper choice for King and how it helped give me my AIM screen name.   
The main event being a good enough Sports Entertainment ga-ga match.
The night after-Raw where Vince says he’s going away to be a genetic jackhammer and how it was probably time to lower our McMahons for a little while.
Mick Foley making his comeback and the WWF finally getting a fan friendly authority figure and what it leads to.  
 
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #68

Ryan and Cindy roll on, hitting the Judgment Day 2000 PPV. In this edition we go to Louisville for a nice six match card, culminating in a classic Iron Man match. Among the topics we discuss:
Focus on how the upper card is still the McMahon Helmsley Faction taking on the Rock and Friends. 
The evolution of Edge & Christian into full pretty-boy heels and their budding friendship with Kurt Angle to form Team ECK. 
Too Cool and Rikishi taking on the mantle of big show openers. 
The continued growth of Eddie Guerrero along his Mamacita. 
Fun garbage brawl between Shane McMahon and Big Show.
The Intercontinental Title hot potato between Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit, culminating in a Submission match.
X-Pac and Road Dogg, still being confused for main eventers, take on the Dudley Boys in a table match and need Gerald Brisco’s help to gain a victory.
The Rock and Triple H face off in an Iron Man match, with Shawn Michaels and his booty shorts refereeing. 
The psychology of the Iron Man match and how it stacks up against previous Iron Man matches.  
The Undertaker returns and looks a bit different. 
KId Rock lending the Undertaker his new theme music, his performance on Raw and Cindy learning about Joe C.
All this and much more. Enjoy!