Revisiting the Mania

Before he ever pointed a camera at a wrestling ring Barry Blaustein was making us laugh. Coming to America. The Nutty Professor. Police Academy 2. Chances are if you grew up in the 80s and 90s you have laughed at something Barry Blaustein wrote. We certainly did. And then he made Beyond The Mat and showed the world he could break your heart just as easily. 
With his recent passing Carlos felt it was the right time for Maria to finally sit down and watch the 1999 documentary that Blaustein himself called the favorite thing he ever did. Fresh eyes. No spoilers. Just an honest reaction to one of wrestling's most important films. 
Then we shift gears and break down WWE Backlash which went down May 9th in Tampa — what worked, what didn't and what surprised us. Finally we give you our full reaction to Saturday Night's Main Event XLIV from Fort Wayne Indiana — Penta vs Ethan Page, Cody Rhodes vs Jacob Fatu, The Street Profits chasing gold and that absolutely stacked six woman tag. 
It's a big one.
Don't forget to like, subscribe and drop your Beyond The Mat reaction in the comments below!

WrestleMania 42 has come and gone and we have A LOT to say! Carlos and Maria are back breaking down all the highs, the surprises, and the moments that had us out of our seats. Then we dive into not one but TWO major wrestling documentaries — the Shawn Michaels documentary on Peacock and the Hulk Hogan documentary. 
 
HBK has always been our favorite wrestler and through our journey of rewatching every WrestleMania together Maria has become just as big a fan. We give you our full reaction and recommendation. Hulk Hogan is one of the most iconic figures in wrestling history and this documentary dives deep into the man, the myth, and the legend. We give you our honest unfiltered reaction to everything the film puts on the table. All of it. Brother.
 
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and drop your WrestleMania 42 moments in the comments below!
 
🎙️ Revisiting the Mania — where wrestling's past meets the present
Hosted by Carlos & Maria

Chicago just hosted one of the most chaotic Elimination Chamber events in years, and we were there "boots on the ground" to witness every massive pop and shocking return.
In this episode, we’re breaking down the entire night from our live perspective. Maria, smart mark in training,  was living for the hometown emotion, but Carlos, as a long time fan, has a major bone to pick with the booking of the main event.
 
THE BIG DEBATE: AJ Lee is a champion again after 11 years! While the United Center exploded for the "Black Widow" submission, Carlos thinks WWE might have "pulled the trigger too early." Should they have saved this historic win for WrestleMania 42? We get into the "Work vs. Shoot" of it all!
 
 
Inside this Episode:
The Hometown Heroics: CM Punk’s 90s-style Bulls intro and his physical war with Finn Balor.
 
The Mystery Crate Reveal: We were in the bathroom when it happened (don’t ask!), but we’re reacting to the debut of Danhausen!
 
Chamber Chaos: Rhea Ripley’s path to Jade Cargill and why Randy Orton "The OG" was the MVP of the Men’s Chamber.
 
Seth Rollins is BACK: The "Visionary" returns to screw Logan Paul—what does this mean for the Mania card?
 
Exclusive Merch Unboxing: We’re showing off our Chicago-exclusive mini-belt and a mystery slap band!
 
Were you at the United Center? Tell us your experience in the comments—did you feel the heat from that pyro as much as we did?!
 
Note to Audio Listeners: We did some live unboxings during this recording! Check out the links below to see the Chamber exclusive mini-belt and the mystery slap-band we discussed.
 
IG
https://www.instagram.com/revisitingmania/
 
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John Cena’s final match marks the end of an era—but what does it mean when you look past the emotion?
In this episode, we break down Cena’s farewell, whether the match delivered closure or left something unfinished, and how WWE handled one of the most important exits in modern wrestling.
We also dive deep into Cody Rhodes vs Drew McIntyre in their brutal 3 Stages of Hell match. Was this the ultimate test of Cody’s championship run, or did Drew walk away with more credibility despite the loss?
Finally, we share our initial reactions to the Royal Rumble results—what surprised us, what didn’t, and what WWE is clearly signaling as we head toward WrestleMania.
This episode is about legacy endings, legacy tests, and the direction WWE is choosing next.
#JohnCena #CodyRhodes #RoyalRumble #WrestlingPodcast #ProWrestling #WrestlingFans #WrestlingTalk

It’s time to revisit WrestleMania 37! In this episode, a longtime wrestling fan (Carlos) and a first-time viewer (Maria) break down the entire two-night event to decide which matches are worth watching and which ones you can skip.
 
We cover every match from Night 1 and Night 2 — including Bobby Lashley vs Drew McIntyre, Sasha Banks vs Bianca Belair, Bad Bunny’s breakout moment, Roman Reigns’ dominant main event, and more. If you're jumping back into older WrestleManias or watching for the very first time, this episode gives you clear recommendations, honest reactions, and surprising moments you may have forgotten.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson steps into one of his most serious roles yet in The Smashing Machine, portraying real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr. The movie’s box office numbers may have flopped — but is it actually a hidden gem? In this episode, we break down what we enjoyed, how accurate it was compared to the real Mark Kerr documentary, what didn’t work, and whether wrestling or MMA fans should go see it, wait for home release, or skip it entirely.Chapters:0:00 – Intro2:20 – What We Enjoyed17:30 – What Didn’t Work40:15 – Recommendation: See It, Stream It, or Skip It?50:40 – Promo/PlugsDid The Smashing Machine deserve to bomb, or did The Rock deliver one of his most underrated performances? Let us know in the comments below!If you want more movie or tv reviews by Raymond you can visit his channel: https://www.youtube.com/rpadvideoMore Wrestling Movie Reviews:• Fighting with My Family – https://youtube.com/live/g4nrAU5NdVg• The Iron Claw – https://www.youtube.com/live/YvQaYs0rnPk?si=2gu7wUJX4pV2EiHJ• Queen of the Ring – https://www.youtube.com/live/Vuw6auegMcU?si=G5A3x1VhzB1D7C1p#TheSmashingMachine #TheRock #MovieReview #MarkKerr #WrestlingPodcast #MMA #DwayneJohnson

WWE’s New Documentary “Unreal” Gives Fans the Backstage Pass of a LifetimeWe break down the brand-new WWE Unreal series — a behind-the-scenes look at the road to WrestleMania 41. From Cody Rhodes’ title run to Rhea Ripley’s injury comeback, CM Punk’s return, and Jey Uso’s singles push, this is the closest you’ll get to Gorilla Position without a credential. Our hosts bring two very different perspectives:One – a lifelong fan who knows the ins and outs of wrestling production.The other – a newer fan seeing it all with fresh eyes. We cover:How Unreal balances hype with genuine behind-the-scenes insightThe creative process and match production revealedWhich moments will hit hardest for longtime fansHow new fans can jump into WWE What did YOU think of Unreal? Drop your thoughts in the comments.  

ECW One Night Stand 2005 - Does this love letter to ECW still live up to the hype?Maria & Carlos are breaking one of the most legendary one-night pay-per-views in wrestling history and they are joined by returning guests and friends of the podcast Wayne and Dre from Podcast Championship Wrestling. They break down every match, every moment, and ask the big questions:Was it just nostalgia... or does ECW still hit in 2025?Should new wrestling fans watch this show?Is it worth revisiting for longtime ECW loyalists?From Sandman's epic beer-soaked entrance to Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka’s brutal war, we cover it all.Plus:The best match of the nightThe most emotional momentAnd whether the flaming table spot still holds up We also spotlight the emotional Rob Van Dam promo, hard-hitting classics like Benoit vs. Guerrero, and the chaos that made ECW unforgettable.Matches reviewed include:– Chris Jericho vs. Lance Storm– Super Crazy vs. Tajiri vs. Little Guido– Rey Mysterio vs. Psychosis– Rhyno vs. Sabu (ft. RVD’s epic promo)– Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero– Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka– Dudley Boyz vs. Tommy Dreamer & The SandmanWhether you lived through the ECW era or you’re discovering it for the first time, this video is your full breakdown and viewing guide.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE if you want more wrestling retrospectives!Let us know in the comments:— What’s your favorite match from this card?— Should WWE bring back One Night Stand?Podcast Championship Wrestling:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552307077674https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-championship-wrestling/id1607545592#ECWOneNightStand #WrestlingRewatch #RobVanDam #Sandman #MikeAwesome #HardcoreWrestling #ProWrestling #WWE #ECW #WrestlingReview

Becoming a Spectacle: Does the Doc Change How We See WM9? #wweIn this episode, Maria & Carlos dive into the documentary *“Becoming a Spectacle: The Making of WrestleMania IX”* and compare what happened behind the scenes to the matches we recommended (or didn’t!) during our original WrestleMania 9 episode.Did backstage politics impact who won what? And does knowing how it all came together change how we feel about Bret vs. Yoko, Taker vs. Giant González, or that wild Hogan finish? We break it all down — from production drama to creative choices — and ask:Does the spectacle hold up, or does the documentary expose WrestleMania IX for what it really was? Should you watch this if you’re a: * New fan wondering if WrestleMania 9 is worth visiting * Longtime fan curious about the behind-the-scenes drama *Viewer of our original WM9 show — that enjoys revisiting everything with fresh eyes!Don’t forget to comment with your favorite (or least favorite) moments from WrestleMania IX and let us know: Did the documentary change your opinion too?

Wrestlemania 36 Rewatch: Is the Pandemic Mania worth Revisiting? #wweWrestleMania 36 was unlike any other—a two-night event with no live crowd, cinematic matches, and historic moments. But is it worth revisiting? In this episode, a longtime wrestling fan, Carlos, and first-time viewer, Maria, rewatch WrestleMania 36 and share their thoughts on each match.Did the unique circumstances make certain matches must-watch or forgettable? Which moments still hold up, and which ones should stay in the past? We’ll break down whether WrestleMania 36 is worth revisiting for longtime fans or if it’s a good entry point for new fans. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!#WrestleMania36 #WWERewatch #WrestlingReview #WWEFans #ProWrestling #BoneyardMatch #FireflyFunhouse #DrewMcIntyre #BrockLesnar #EdgeVsOrton #WWERetro #WrestleManiaMoments #WrestlingPodcast