Top 10 ‘Something To Wrestle With’ Episodes Of 2018

Following last year’s sophomore breakout, Something to Wrestle With Bruce Prichard had lofty standards to live up to in 2018.

You can read my piece on the top 10 episodes of 2017, but I’ll otherwise save you the exposition and cut right to the chase. The show has received a lot of criticism in online circles with commenters saying that Conrad Thompson and Bruce Prichard have lost a step or seem disinterested, and many have suggested that Conrad is stretching himself too thin between three shows. In other words, his involvement in three shows means he can only give 33% of himself to each one, (which I will happily plug: What Happened When Monday with Tony Schiavone and 83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff).

I can’t say for sure whether I agree or disagree, but I do know it’s something I’m guilty of in my own professional life and it’s totally possible. Much has been made about the audio quality of each episode as well. As the popularity of the show has grown, it has become more business-like than ever, and it means Bruce and Conrad are traveling constantly and can’t always be in optimal environments for recording shows. This is understandable in the case of the Mean Gene episode, but then you have the DX Invasion episode that was borderline unlistenable. In fact, what am I even saying…it was unlistenable. I couldn’t make it through.

So what’s the point of my critical remarks? In order to understand the show’s high points in 2018, it’s important to understand its low points as well. That DX show was a definite lowlight and as ashamed as I am to say it, there was just not a ton of meat on the bone in the Daniel Puder/Hardcore Title episode or the Carlito episode, two components of my favorite era in wrestling. Bruce and Conrad aren’t running thin on material either. There is a bit of an unnecessary want to make each of the episodes timely and the weekly polls are definitely missed. It was great incentive to subscribe to each of the show’s social media channels and an even better way to engage the audience. We don’t get as much of that now, and it is what it is.

Also, when you get three consecutive Royal Rumble episodes, you’re going to feel some burnout as a listener, and it sort of disengages you until a more interesting topic comes along. And to be frank, from both a consumer and supplier’s perspective, you can’t possibly tell me Christmas Raw is going to be more interesting subject matter than say…Chris Jericho’s first three years in the WWE or the transition to the HD era. And believe me, I get that not every show can be a home run for the same reason not every match can be a home run: it burns out the individuals on both sides of the content wall. But it’s just some food for thought.

However, all of this does NOT mean that Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard did not produce podcast gold this year. In fact, it’s quite the contrary, and as a spectator at the Los Angeles live show before NXT Takeover, I can say the podcast is still in a great state. So without further ado, here are the top 10 episodes of 2018.

10.) Rob Van Dam

I would say the Creation of Raw and Survivor Series 1993 (where Bruce talks about creating the HILARIOUS Reo Rodgers persona) are definitely honorable mentions for this list. But when it came down to it, the Rob Van Dam episode was an interesting listen and gave a third-party glimpse into what made the unorthodox RVD tick in WWE. Rob is one of my four or five favorite wrestlers of all time, and because he’s not really a boastful personality, he doesn’t really get the credit he deserves for being so ahead of his time and one of the most influential wrestlers for today’s general style. Bruce and Conrad give him due props in this episode, and you get Bruce’s account of the “involuntary voluntary” Tribute with the Troops incident of 2005 and the short-lived Stephanie McMahon romance angle, among other things.

9.) Survivor Series 1998

It’s no coincidence that the event episodes on my list are also some of my favorites from a critical standpoint, but I was especially appreciative of the time given to Survivor Series 1998. A favorite of Neal Wagner’s as well, Bruce and Conrad gave us a peak behind the curtain detailing the McMahon Family swerve and the decision to turn The Rock heel, analysis of every match in the Deadly Game tournament, an impression of Jim Ross talking about Al Snow and his “wooden head,” and a deep dive on the dink heard ‘round the world. Or is it tink? Either way, this is one you’ll want to check out.

8.) The First Draft

I loved the concept of WWE incorporating the Draft into storyline, and that should come as no surprise given the months we spent on a little draft of our own here at The Wrestling Estate. But what makes this episode memorable isn’t Bruce’s account of the first draft itself (that was pretty lackluster), but an all-out assault on Dave Meltzer. As the YouTube channel puts it, “Bruce has had enough and he blows a gasket to start the show this week.” Why? Because apparently, subscribers to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter trolled Bruce on Twitter for STWW being a “comedy show” and Bruce for being a “clown,” and did so one too many times that week. “Dave Meltzer and the rest of you fuck alls can go fuck yourselves,” Bruce says while a strange hip-hop apple track plays in the background, making the moment significantly more hilarious than serious. Really, nothing I say here can do this rant justice, so please just check it out.

7.) The Rockers

One of the longest episodes of the year, if not the longest, you have to appreciate the detail and due Bruce and Conrad give to the Rockers, and then later the singles career of Marty Jannetty. The best stuff comes when Bruce details some of the tag team’s infamous bar stories, like when Shawn Michaels broke a bottle over his head to get Jimmy Jack Funk to leave them alone and why Vince McMahon originally decided to take a chance on them despite their reputation preceding them. Plus, we get to hear why Andre the Giant hated them and why Bruce felt they ultimately got over. We then learn the logistics behind the infamous Barber Shop segment, and why Jannetty ultimately flopped as a babyface singles star.

6.) Bob Holly

“I got an idea! Gimme the damn belt and let me beat everybody!” Who would have thought that the Bob Holly episode would have been one of the more interesting deep dives of the year? I think a lot of this is owed to just how interesting of a career Bob has had, as it took him YEARS before WWE finally made him full time. All the while, Holly had repeatedly considered leaving wrestling for good for a high-paying welding job before being lured back to the company. Bruce gives good insight into all the memorable Holly backstage encounters, like the Hall and Nash disagreement, the Matt Cappotelli beatdown on Tough Enough and the Rene Dupree brawl, which was especially interesting to hear about from a third-party as I’ve only heard Bob and Rene comment on it. But I really think the subject is what carries this episode. Bob Holly is just cut from a different cloth, so his interactions with some of the other talent are just…different, in the best way possible. Plus, you’ll hear about his evolution from Thurman “Sparky” Plugg to Hardcore Holly, as remarkable a transformation as you’ll see.

5.) Brutus the Barber

I can’t comment on some of the dirty alleged tricks BTFBB has pulled on promoters as of late, but I have to say, this turned out to be one hell of an episode that kept me entertained on a plane ride from LAX to PHL. First off, the 80’s were such an interesting time in wrestling and life, and when you hear Bruce and Conrad dissect the careers of these guys, the stories usually stand out, such as learning that wrestlers who received a haircut courtesy of the barber would get a $200 bonus. The biggest takeaway for me? There was a time where Brutus could hold his own, and wasn’t merely looked at as Hulk Hogan’s lackey. Yes, that was a large part of his career, but there was a time where he was getting over on his own and was even considered to win the Intercontinental Championship before having his anatomy rearranged at the hands of a brutal parasailing accident. The details surrounding his recovery were shocking, and you’ll need to hear it to believe it.

4.) Goldberg in the WWE

In this episode, Bruce and Conrad discus Bill Goldberg and why his first run in the WWE was a bit of a dud. Bruce’s account made it seem Goldberg was mostly around to collect a paycheck and otherwise didn’t want to be there, but if you turned up to hear about Goldberg’s relationship with Chris Jericho on this run following their hostility in WCW, you’re in luck. But the best story, and really one of the highlights of the entire podcast this year, was the story of when Vince McMahon accused Bruce Prichard of killing Goldberg’s career. During a segment involving Jericho throwing paint all over Goldberg’s car, Bruce suggests Goldberg went into business for himself, shoved the security guard on camera and took off after Jericho in the opposite direction as directed. Bruce and his team were then called to Gorilla by Vince McMahon himself to answer for the gaff and for the rest of the story…feel free to use your imagination.

3.) Austin vs. McMahon

The watch-along episodes are extremely hit or miss because they really require you to be stationary for two hours to really get a feel for what’s going on. That said, I happened to love the Austin vs. McMahon episode, largely thanks to Bruce being so on point with his impressions and wit throughout the show, which recaps the 4/13/98 episode of Raw where Mr. McMahon finally stepped into the ring to battle with Steve Austin. Bruce says the goal was to give the fans something they’ve “never seen before,” and technically they did deliver on that promise, (even if the means to the end was really to set up Dude Love as Austin’s long-term opponent). There is a lot of good analysis and explanation to why this show worked and ended up being the turning point in the Monday Night War. I listened to it twice, one time with and one time without the benefit of watching along. If you haven’t tried a STW watch-along, this is the one to check out.

2.) WrestleMania XIX

This episode is spectacular, if for no other reason than hearing Conrad probe Bruce about the fascination behind Triple H and Bruce giving a non-answer for why they smashed The Game over Booker T when all signs pointed to Booker T getting a run with the strap. Funny thing is, HHH vs. Booker T was a preliminary match on the show, which is why this is my favorite WrestleMania (but I’ve done a whole editorial on that, so check it out). There’s so much meat on this bone. Bruce talks about what Vince is like on nights he has to go out and wrestle, Stone Cold’s trip to the hospital the night before the final match of his career and the physical state of Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar following their incredible main event match (and Kurt’s feeble attempt to get into the after party). A great time to be a WWE fan and a great WrestleMania from top-to-bottom, so you can definitely get a sense for Bruce’s enthusiasm and willingness to open up here.

1.) William Regal

If you thought Hardcore Holly had a unique path to the WWE, William Regal’s story has that AND a subplot of overcoming addiction and personal demons to make a successful life for himself in the top wrestling company in the world. We all know Regal as this measured, stoic presence on and off camera, but the real-life Darren Matthews had some serious issues behind closed doors, including an addiction to Renewtrient (fake GHB) that likewise nearly did Eddie Guerrero in. Bruce, a close, personal friend of Regal’s, details the former addict’s defiance with wanting help with his demons and his refusal to go to rehab, though as we all know, this story has a happy ending. Regal’s greatest strength was not his ring work, or even his mic work (though both great by all accounts), but his willingness to fill any role asked of him, no matter how comedic or ridiculous. Also, Bruce throws Vince Russo under the bus for coming up with the Real Man’s Man gimmick, a feeble attempt to make Regal relatable to a mainstream audience. This is the definitive episode of the year because of how well-rounded and comprehensive it is. Ironically, it was the last episode that came out before this year’s STW live show in Los Angeles. I can’t recommend it enough.