Beyond The Beermat

It’s finally here.  The start of the most ambitious and comprehensive podcasts we’ve done to date.  This is The Five Count; where Beyond The Beermat goes in depth into the moments, events, people and circumstances that changed the wrestling business forever.  You’ll be getting no spoilers from us in terms of the contents within this – nor any – of our amazing list; so the only way you’re going to find out what made the cut is to listen in! Number five on our list is all about perspective.  In an industry surrounded by controversy, the line between right and wrong is both very difficult to find and an incredibly thin one.  Personalities clash, intentions are dubious and ultimately the question of morality has no easy answers.  Not only that, it’s a case of consequences.  What could happen, what might happen and what did happen both define the past and shape the future.   Get ready, get comfortable with your adult beverage of choice and get settled for the beginning of an incredible journey along wrestling’s past and how it ultimately connects and impacts everything that happened since, all the way up until today.  

Fifty episodes. Just how did we get here? Documenting history can be a difficult task. One that quite literally requires more work every single day. It’s good to take a step back every now and then however, to look at all the journey up until this point. In reaching the half century mark, Beyond The Beermat is kicking it up a gear. For our next run of podcasts, we will be counting down the most meaningful incidents in wrestling history. Finding out what led to a specific chain of events and knowing that things would never be the same again. In searching for momentous moments, we aren’t about to restrict ourselves. This isn’t about five star matches or one off instances, it’s about an everlasting mark on the business. Given we’re talking about everything that has ever had an impact in and of out of the squared circle, this might just be the biggest podcast we’ll ever do. That is, until we sit down with Steve Austin himself to drink a couple of beers and go over his career, which now that we’ve got to fifty glorious episodes should be any day. It’s only fitting that the most influential podcast of wrestling’s future would so clearly define it’s past. Forget the beers, this one calls for a little bit of the bubbly!

Having all the tools isn’t enough. Potential can only be realized through the right amount of time and nurturing, which does ultimately take a wrestler’s fate out of their own hands. In the case of Dolph Ziggler, who has returned to the top of the card in recent weeks, it’s the story of an entire career to date that has threatened to blossom time and again without ever really delivering. What makes it worse is that has nothing to do with the man himself. Caught in between two distinct eras in terms of pathway to stardom, Beyond The Beermat is back to take a good look at what went wrong for someone who seemed destined for so much more. Not only that, how the WWE’s inconsistent strategy – or lack thereof – has an even more negative impact than just not being utilized well. Kick back and relax as we show off our podcasting prowess. We’re here to show the world.

The names at the top of the marquees that matter the most are those of the performers themselves. The banner under which they’re wrestling shouldn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, and yet it does. Much like the superstars, companies change and grow over the years and we have similar peaks of interest or detachment. A few days ago, the company that is Impact Wrestling and was NWA:TNA reached a milestone. For nearly two decades now, they have been active and along the way they’ve had their fair share of memorable moments; most of them for all the wrong reasons. Their journey isn’t so much one of triumph but of perseverance. To be around for this long, they must have been doing something right. Join the celebration as Beyond The Beermat returns to toast TNA, as we blow out the birthday candles and wish for a brighter future.

Not quite all, but a large majority of the important moments in wrestling history all rest in the hands of a select group. While we see them all the time, they exist out of our conscious mind. To the point where on the occasions where they do take centre stage, it’s very clear something drastic has happened. Whether it be storyline or something even wilder, when the refs get involved it really means something. That’s even to ignore the pivotal yet deceptively simple job they perform in the middle of the squared circle. Beyond The Beermat is back to take a look in between the black and white stripes to see the men in the middle and all the stories of the important matches and moments they’ve played a part in. From the colorful histories of on the referees themselves to the times wrestlers themselves have had to step in, tune in to the podcast you know you can always count on.

Hype isn’t so much an aspect of the wrestling industry but one of it’s most important building blocks. The process of putting champions, challengers or even circumstance onto a pedestal is an art form onto itself. Part of our unwritten contract as fans is to acknowledge it all. To understand that being told someone – or something – can reach a level we all know isn’t realistic. But that’s how it has to be. Everything has to be bigger and better, more spectacular and different than anything we’ve ever seen before. That’s the business. Even that suspension of disbelief has a line. Using the tagline “The Greatest Wresting Match Ever” is some bluster, even for WWE. But their hot air isn’t the point so much as the question what does make a match great? Different encounters mean different things to different people, and yet there is to a degree some consensus. Certain confrontations have more acclaim than others. Which ultimately tells us that while it may be subjective, there is a guideline to follow. Beyond The Beermat is here to walk through the fundamentals of what needs to happen to makes any given match great. When it comes to greatness, we are well versed after all.

Time waits for no man. Some men however, have no interest in delaying it. They are the ones that will write the pages of history, that will remain a constant in our memory. Generations will come and go and what once was future will become past. Standing tall among all of that, that’s how legends are made. With every Wrestlemania – and indeed – calendar year that passes, speculation continues to mount about The Undertaker finally calling time on his Hall of Fame career. In addition, as we’ve found out in recent weeks with the incredible behind the scenes WWE produced documentary The Last Ride, even after all this time we still don’t really know the man behind the Phenom. To reduce him down to just one match is to do an amazing career and legacy a disservice. That’s why Beyond The Beermat is here to go through Taker’s timeline to see the bigger picture. All his best feuds, all the pivotal moments and everything in between.

That flash of recognition is all powerful. Coming face to face with the familiar once again. Reunions – even with those we didn’t fully appreciate – are always joyous; on the outset at least. Wrestling feeds this feeling to the extreme. Often the biggest cheers, the loudest pops and wildest reactions are reserved for those we haven’t seen in a while. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.   Part of the thrill of wrestling television of the last twenty plus years, have been when an unexpected appearance shakes the whole landscape. Even if their follow up actions leave us deflated. However in recent years, these occurrences have been announced well in advance, diluting the excitement somewhat.   As part of this extra special Beyond the Beermat, a familiar voice returns after some time away. If that’s not the perfect excuse to pour yourself a cold one, kick back and listen we don’t know what is.

Whether it be from the world of acting, music or even other sports; wrestling loves extending the invitation across media outlets. In a world already full of outrageous characters, when you add an extra helping of star power can add to the spectacle of it all in a big way.   Over the years, there have been many successes and failures when it comes to celebrities stepping inside the squared circle. Beyond The Beermat is back to take a look at the very best and worst examples, as well as picking apart why certain personalities are better suited to it and how we as an audience connect to them.   So get ready to roll out the red carpet, for a podcast that’s always on everyone’s A-List. We just need to figure out what the A stands for.

While the world around us continues to change, it’s nice to have certain things you can rely on. The joys of a nice cold refreshing adult beverage after a hard day of staying at home, the sheer fact this podcast will always remain the very epitome of high quality content and the idea that things move at a breakneck speed within the world of wrestling.   Last week – just twenty four hours after the PPV in question – we had two Money In The Bank briefcase holders, now we are down to one. The circumstances of Asuka being crowned Raw Women’s champion aside, there are still a couple of points to be addressed before we turn our attentions to the surprise winner on the men’s side; Otis.   Using MITB Cash-ins from the past, we can plot the path forward. What needs to change and what opportunities are out there, this episode we go into what the options are from here. Your best option – as ever – remains to tune in.

Our relationship with the superstars we see on a weekly basis is a uneven one. Especially when you mix their personal lives with their professional. Now – more than ever – these connections matter. Becky Lynch announcing her pregnancy and subsequent vacation of the Raw Women’s title on Monday highlighted a very real sentiment. We don’t often get the chance to feel any great happiness for wrestlers as people and it is only once they are gone – be it retirement or injury – that we fully appreciate what we had. Not only that, our emotional association with wrestling when we’re young takes on a whole new meaning that disappears as the years go by. Beyond The Beermat is here to be your wrestling psychiatrists as we go through our own personal highs and lows, just know that we charge by the crate of beer rather than the hour.

To keep going is one thing, to do so in the right direction another entirely. As the wrestling business at the top level at least looks to march on hesitantly, there can be no doubt as to the importance of the months that lay ahead. What happens now will shape history and likely define years to come. Right now we can’t look that far ahead but we can look to the immediate future. Whether wrestling of any kind should be going on right now. There is a very distinct possibility that this could all lead to a seismic change within WWE management. There are concerns as to what this could do to those in NXT, being primed for a future that now looks very unclear. With uncertainty there is also opportunity, but it may be one that AEW aren’t quite ready for. Then we come to the smaller independent promotions, who have to find a way back from all of this. Beyond The Beermat is here to gaze into our crystal ball and look ahead. From here all we can see are empty beer cans.

It’s hard to put into words quite simply how big of an impact the internet has had on, well everything. For one, you certainly wouldn’t be reading this right now. For the sheer fact of bringing Beyond The Beermat to the masses, it ranks up there among mankind’s (no not that one) greatest inventions. With the entire world now cut off from one another, we’re relying on technology to bring us together more than ever before. But even before lockdown there’s a whole host of ways in which the world wide web has affected the wrestling business as we know it. From the early days of forums to the social media explosion, we’re gonna take you through the history of how the fan experience has completely changed and in turn how that’s impacted the actual content we see on screen. So dial up, log in and get ready to have the most fun you can have online without going to *those* websites. We’re not judging. Actually we are, some of you are downright filthy. You need to take a look at yourselves.

No publicity is bad publicity, as the saying goes. That being said, at a time when we’re all looking at companies through a very different lens, the powers that be with the WWE could have picked a better time for their annual spring cleaning in terms of talent releases. Perceptions can change very quickly in the wrestling world and while it was only two seconds ago that we were all praising the company for putting on any kind of show, questions of safety are being be asked. Looking further ahead, we examine a couple of potential consequences for their actions that could cause them massive problems in the future. There’s also the small matter of certain political dealings that have allowed WWE to continue in their current capacity. Is the whole thing leaving too much of a sour taste or is this just Vince being Vince? Beyond The Beermat is ready to ask the big questions, and if the answers are too hard to swallow we’ve got a whole stash of cold adult beverages to wash them down with.

An event so big they had to split it over two nights, taking place in unprecedented circumstances that are being felt on a global scale. There’s only one podcast that could do it justice. Once we’re done listening to it, we’ll have a couple of drinks and have a go ourselves. Not so much a review as a reaction to the reaction of all the weekends action, Beyond The Beermat is here to take a look at Wrestlemania 36 and all of the fallout. What worked, what didn’t work and everything in between. Controversial content, questionable finishes, problematic run times and the biggest aspect of all what could happen going forward; we’ve got you covered. There is also the small matter of the two main events that left us both speechless and with lots to say. This was a show that will undoubtedly go down in the record books as a historic one. By that we mean the podcast as well as Mania itself. Obviously.

Being there live in person for a Wrestlemania the show itself is only part of the experience. With no one able to attend this years event in Tampa, we’re gonna take some time to appreciate the times that we actually made the trip that every wrestling fan should do at least once. Beyond The Beermat has made the pilgrimage out for two very different Mania experiences in Houston and Miami, with an additional trip out to Atlanta for the Royal Rumble for good measure. From our adventures and experiences of the event to the nightlife and the cities themselves (the stories we can tell on air at least). We’re here to give the full breakdown of what those who have yet to experience it can look forward to as well as hopefully stir up some good memories for those that already have. Consider this a travel programme, the likes of which you’ve ever heard before and join us for the trip of a lifetime, without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home.

From Wrestlemania to the podcast itself, the best laid plans always go to waste. Whatever we thought was going to happen, that’s gone. Now what matters is that we try. The show must go on. Brought together by a love for wrestling – as well as half decent internet connection – Beyond The Beermat is going to take a in depth look at what awaits us in the performance centre next Sunday. Of all the things we don’t know, what can we anticipate from the little information we do have? Not only that, how much do we have to park our expectations give the circumstances and also will these enforced changes as a result make a difference to the way they go about the show itself? At a time when people need some humour, need a distraction and above all want to feel connected; we got you. We’ll get through this, together.

At certain milestones, it’s good to look back at what came before to see how far you’ve come. That’s why as we approach the first Wrestlemania of the new decade, this episode we’re gonna take a time out to examine everything that went down at the Mania across the last ten years. We forget certain points in wrestling history for a variety of different reasons. It can mean there were do clear defining moments, both for good or bad. Given the degree of change in the industry in the very first part of the millennium, it was a period of relative stability. While the wrestling itself from a quality standpoint has only ever gotten higher, still there is’t quite the same fondness that fans have for previous eras. In fact, the 2010s are almost defined by not even having one. It was a period of returns, both in terms of superstars and storylines that looped from one edition to the next. There was also still time for a revolution. Beyond The Beermat is back to deliver a wrestling buffet for the ages. Why settle for one Wrestlemania, when you can have ten?

Whether it’s shows, PPVs or superstars themselves; we’re always looking to the future. The wrestling business itself is constantly in motion, whether we agree with the direction or not. The developmental system is unrecognisable from what it once was, both in terms of scale and scope. Much like the federation as a whole, it is a worldwide operation now. What’s more, we sit in the midst of a similar revolution with NXT on network TV – and the reasons for why they did it – are changing the game yet again. Beyond The Beermat however sits in a very unique position (and that’s not due to the amount we drink). As fans of wrestling of all kinds, we’ve been going to local independent British shows so we see the whole process from start to finish. As such, we’re here to take a look at what all this might mean for the entire industry going forward. While we might may have to wait a little longer for the next breakout superstar, the next breakout wrestling podcast has you covered.  

There is no greater force than when the WWE machine gets behind someone. We may push back from time to time, but on the rare occasions that they decide to strap the rocket onto a given superstar at the exact right moment that we as an audience are primed for it; that’s when the magic happens. The Royal Rumble did a incredible job of putting Drew McIntyre over. It is one of the best instances of establishing a new star we’ve ever seen. The question hanging over this all now is how do you keep a guy like that hot? Given what we’ve see in recent years, do we even trust them to see this through? It’s a long road until Wrestlemania and we need to go all in and make sure the path is clear. Building up and setting off a genuine superstar is a very unique opportunity, Beyond The Beermat is here to give the roadmap to make it happen. Expect a lot of stops off at drinking establishments along the way.

Having a guaranteed draw is such a precious commodity in the world of wrestling for many reasons, but one of the often overlooked factors is that it allows you to experiment with the formula a bit and put together matches that you wouldn’t otherwise, safe in the knowledge that fans will still tune in. The Royal Rumble itself is one of those. Everyone is already watching for the main event, so what do you do with the rest of the card? Aside from the headline battle royale, there have been many matches over the years that have really stood out either from a quality perspective or the fact that they’re even being put together in the first place. Title challengers that wouldn’t otherwise get a look in, iconic bouts from down the years that have lived in the shadows of the Rumble match itself and so much more. Quite a lot of classic encounters from years past have been slept on and as such it’s up to Beyond The Beermat to go back and bring them to you. Consider this your podcast wake up call.

Renewed, refreshed and ready for another Royal Rumble, we are back again after far too long to inject the wrestling world with another dose of our intoxicated ideas. You’re welcome internet. For our glorious return, we’re going to put our pints down and get our abacus out as we attempt to count to thirty. Only joking, we’d never put our pints down. We are however going to take a long look at all the numbers behind the numbers that matter. Winners, runners up – even the final four – everything is on the table when it comes to looking at who has won from which position. There couldn’t possibly be a pattern, could there? When it comes to the Rumble who knows if you’ve picked the right number but you’ve definitely picked the right podcast. As far as we’re concerned, we’ll always be number one.

The thirst for knowledge is a noble pursuit. But when it comes to wrestling, have we gotten to a point where knowing every little thing that goes on – both on and off camera – has become a little counter productive. We’re so interested in jumping ahead of the story that when it comes to criticism, we jump on the negative before it’s even been played out in its entirety. There are two sides to every discussion. Those that feel the comfort in knowing – for better or worse – what’s to come so they can prepare accordingly. On the other hand there are those happy to be along for the ride, who in turn run the risk of being unprepared and may not like where they may end up. For this episode of Beyond The Beermat, we’re pulling all the stops and drawing from may different worlds outside of wrestling to illustrate why it’s really really good – or bad – to know everything in advance and how it shapes your overall experience of the product. As more and more people tune out of wrestling, tune in to this to see what the impact of our desire to consume everything about the product may have done to it.

Reinvention is an absolute necessity in the wrestling world. Nobody at the top level stays the same forever. Whether it’s little tweaks or something a bit more comprehensive, going back to the drawing board is just part of the process. It is something of a rarity however, to go through that process more than once. Bray Wyatt has already had his big repackaging. The former Husky Harris went through a widely acclaimed transformation only to eventually run out of steam. This episode we’re going to take a look at exactly how that all was dropped as well as the make up of all those before him that have gone through not just one but two dramatic character changes. And in true Beyond The Beermat style it wouldn’t hurt to wash down a few adult beverages and wildly speculate as to where this new role could lead. Wrestling will always move with the times, the only change you don’t have to worry about is this podcast remaining as amazing as it ever was.

With Wrestlemania 35 now firmly consigned to the pages of history, Beyond The Beermat returns to deliver a very different kind of review. In fact, this one might be about a bigger bout than any that was even on the card. The fight between our own cynicism and optimism. Between enjoying the moment and not caring because it won’t ultimately matter. Really rather unusually for a modern WWE show, when it appeared that the choices were obvious there was no swerve for the sake of it. We’ve become so used to not getting what we want as an audience that when it happened, thoughts immediately turn to the future where perhaps a sting in the tail may lie. In a business that often relies on the promise of our heroes getting their ultimate victory at a later date, what happens when that day is today? So come and join us for some post Mania drinks as we take a look back at the event as a whole as well as at the relationship between WWE making us happy and how that sometimes has the opposite effect. We’re sure to put a smile on your face.