Bret vs Taker w/ HBK in Pinstripes: The SummerSlam 97 Watch-Along
Awesome Truth: A Wrestling Book Club
Release Date: 08/28/2024
Awesome Truth: A Wrestling Book Club
With WrestlingPalooza right around the corner, it was time to revisit the most iconic showdown between Brock Lesnar and John Cena: SummerSlam 2014. Everyone expected your usual main event between two beefy legends, but instead we got a squash for the ages. Join us as we discuss this famous match and also speculate wildly about Cena's mediocre retirement tour.
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Once Raw hit Netflix, you knew a documentary series couldn't be far behind. And now it's here: WWE Unreal, an intimate and up-close look at the inner workings of WWE. They'd have you believe it's unprecedented; we think there is tons of precedent, including dozens of backstage docs that previously aired on the WWE Network and Peacock. So is Unreal worth a watch, especially with the ho-hum year that WWE is having?
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To "honor" the late Hulk Hogan, we decided to watch the most Hogan match in history: the Hulkster (and Randy Savage) versus 8 guys in a Doomsday Cage match at Uncensored 1996. That's right, to satisfy Hulk's massive ego, WCW put him up against Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, actor Tiny Lister, and professional beefy boy "Jeep" Swenson (amongst others) and ... he won. How did it all go down? Watch along with us and find out.
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It's true; my boy Terry has passed away. Hulk Hogan was pro wrestling's first megastar and arguably its most controversial; he couldn't give up the spotlight and loved to lie, the quintessential carny until the day he died. We've talked about him for hours and hours on this show, and we're gonna do it one more time. Join us as we discuss the life and legacy of the Hulkster.
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When it comes to professional wrestling in popular culture, there are two eras: before and after The Wrestler. The 2008 film from director Darren Aronofsky changed the way wrestlers were perceived by the public. It used to be "out of sight, out of mind," but now everyone knows the toll pro wrestling takes on people's bodies, minds, and lives. In fact, we don't think there would be Dark Side of the Ring, The Iron Claw, or all these nostalgia podcasts without it. Join us as we discuss Mickey Rourke's performance, the movie's legacy, and which pro wrestler likely inspired Randy the Ram.
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With Goldberg heading toward his retirement match with Gunther, we thought it was time to revisit the moment he probably should've retired: His 2019 match with the Undertaker at Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia. Is it as bad as everyone says? Is it worse? And what was the ceiling for old man Goldberg versus broken-down Taker anyway? Join us as we grit our teeth and watch along.
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For the last few weeks, the internet has been abuzz with talk of Ron Killings. Did WWE release R-Truth? Did they just decide not to renew his contract? How could Truth, a low-key legend and beloved locker room presence, get the axe? We may never know exactly how it all went down, but we at Awesome Truth knew the best way to honor our half-namesake was to watch him turn on the charm. That's why we're discussing our first-ever Table for 3 episode, featuring Truth, Carmella, and Dana Brooke. It's the perfect example of Truth turning garbage into gold and justifying his existence on the roster.
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The hardcore legend Sabu passed away on May 11, 2025; in his honor, we're watching what's probably his most famous match, the 1997 barbed wire showdown with Terry Funk at ECW's Born to Be Wired event. It's a grotesque bloody mess that also perfectly illustrates what made Sabu special and why teenage Walt and Steve thought he was one of the coolest wrestlers in the world.
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WrestleMania III, the Pontiac Silverdome, Hogan versus Andre. It's where everything changed, at least according to the new book by friend of the show Keith Elliot Greenberg. Keith's been on before talking about ; now we've read it and we're breaking down his latest opus. Join us as we discuss Bigger! Better! Badder!, aka the story of pro wrestling in the mid-1980s.
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Who asked for a feature-length documentary on WrestleMania 9? Nobody, of course, which makes it even more wild that this thing is somehow fun. WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle gives us exclusive backstage footage of Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Undertaker, and a ton of other wrestlers at the first-ever Vegas Mania. It also, unfortunately, features a ton of Hulk Hogan's world-famous "exaggerations" about the day he magically regained the WWF title. Join us as we dissect this doc on the first time Vince (and Terry) screwed Bret.
info_outlineAugust 1997 was a quaint period in wrestling history: Before the Montreal Screwjob, before D-Generation X and Hell in a Cell and the Attitude Era, there was a tame little title match at SummerSlam 1997 that would redefine everything. It's Bret Hart versus the Undertaker with Shawn Michaels as guest referee, and it leads directly into a brand new era for WWE. It also partially inspired the recent Drew McIntyre/CM Punk match with Seth Rollins as ref, continuining the trend of Punk paying "homage" to the much better stuff that came before him. Join us as we rewatch this classic showdown.