Zeroes of Wrestling

Gavin reaches out to his old college friend Bo Kaier to have him stop by and talk Monday Night War Era wrestling. They watch and discuss the lowest-rated matches from Spring Stampede 99, Backlash 99, Slamboree 99, No Mercy 99 (UK), and Hardcore Heaven 99. Topics include the alternate reality where Mikey Whipwreck became WWF's top star, the questionable personality shift from cult member to narcissist, how uncool it looks to get hit with a kindergarten chair, ball sweat as a superpower, and how one is meant to respond when a tiny man jumps and sits on your face.AWASHA!!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

This week's guest is Denny, otherwise known as Twisted Eye. He and Gavin go through some wacky matches as they look at the lowest-rated entries from St. Valentine's Day Massacre, SuperBrawl IX, Uncensored 99, Living Dangerously 99, and WrestleMania XV. They ponder such questions as: Why did Mideon keep an eye in a jar? Just how badly can two wrestlers screw up a double knock out spot? What exactly is a Brakkus? All this, and Gavin gets excited about tool-assisted speed runs!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

This is 37?! Try not to record any podcasts on your way to the parking lot! Gavin is joined by comic creator Kyle Starks (Wrestle Heist, Peacemaker Tries Hard, Where Monsters Lie) and they have a lot of rough wrestling to talk about. They watch the lowest-rated matches from Rock Bottom, Starrcade 98, Guilty as Charged 99, Souled Out 99, and Royal Rumble 99. Not only are there technical issues at one point, but Gavin kind of screwed up sending Kyle his assigned matches and put him on the search for a Lex Luger/Wrath match that does not exist. Whoops! Otherwise, the two talk about spray paint cans that may not be spray paint cans, Sabu's neck diaper, and how much it hurts to get punched with a tampon.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

We got two guests on this one! Gavin's friend Kelsey Young agrees to watch the worst-rated matches from late-1998 PPVs, but only if she's joined by regular ZOW guest Vinny Murphy of the Rock Nerd Radio Show. Does Kelsey watch wrestling? Yes, for quite some time. Does Kelsey delve into wrestling history? Not so often, meaning she experiences her very first Hulk Hogan match! The bad news is that it's also her very first Ultimate Warrior match. Set your Stevie Rays to stun as these three discuss the dregs of Halloween Havoc 98, November to Remember 98, Survivor Series 98, World War 3 98, and Capital Carnage.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Gavin's longtime internet friend Amy (Taterpie on social media) steps in as we get another edition of "make someone who doesn't watch wrestling watch some bad wrestling." Gavin and Amy will go through the lowest-rated matches from Road Wild 98, SummerSlam 98, Fall Brawl 98, Breakdown, and Judgment Day 98. Topics include Gavin lovingly explaining the lore of Mark Henry becoming a millionaire, streaming services going out of their way to not pay the Insane Clown Posse, and how a feud about two brothers fighting somehow had a special appearance by a serial killer doll with a movie to shill.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Gavin's good buddy Bob Chamberlain makes his return to be chill as all hell. Together they discuss the lowest-rated matches from Great American Bash 98, King of the Ring 98, Bash at the Beach 98, Fully Loaded 98, and Heat Wave 98. Topics include Dennis Rodman's bizarre overselling, whatever the hell that one Juventud Guerrera video package is, and a wondrously distracting fan mullet. All that, plus Gavin goes on a long tangent at the end as he tries to explain Wrestling Society X to Bob.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

ZOW returns from a holiday break with the MightyGodKing himself Christopher Bird! He and Gavin sit through the worst matches from Spring Stampede 98, Unforgiven 98, Wrestlepalooza, Slamboree 98, and Over the Edge 98, and it does not sit well with them. Discussions include the horror of Hulk Hogan scooting his ass, a baseball bat death trap, and a very important PSA about the Harris Twins. Join in and get confused over the nWo civil war!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

It's a devastating week of ZOW as Gavin is joined by Rad Pro Rasslin's Max Smashmaster. The face-painted monster (who is surprisingly chill here) helps discuss the worst-rated matches from In Your House 20: No Way Out of Texas, SuperBrawl VIII, Living Dangerously 98, Uncensored 98, and WrestleMania XIV. If anything, the two spend the hour confused about so many topics. Why were the Quebecers a thing in 1998? What were the lyrics to that Stone Temple Pilots single? Who the hell was Lance Wright? Why would you push someone out of a cage, only to bring them back in ten seconds later? Why were Flash Funk and Steve Blackman of all people in a tag team battle royal together? And most importantly: which one of you is Pumpkin Spice Daddy?!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Gavin's lucky enough to get another guest from the halls of Wrestlecrap, this time in the form of writer Art O'Donnell. The fodder for this episode is the worst matches from November to Remember, In Your House 19: D-Generation X, Starrcade 97, Royal Rumble 98, and Souled Out 98. A lot goes on this week, as we discuss ECW's connection to Taco Bell Godzilla commercials, the comfort of being woken up by Scott Norton, the dramatic sadness of watching Hawk have part of his head shaved off while he foams at the mouth, and the horrifying truth about Larry Zbysko's age in the late-90s. All this, and more!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

I promise the background dog barking goes away after a few minutes. It's Thanksgiving week and Gavin brings in his brother Justin Jasper to help him watch some late-97 schlock. This time around, the lowest-rated matches come from One Night Only, Badd Blood: In Your House, Halloween Havoc 97, Survivor Series 97, and World War 3 97. I'm going to level with you, some of these eight-man tag matches were hard to recall, even with notes, and the alcohol involved when watching these might not have helped. Anyway, we're done with the Gang Warz stuff, and that's worth being thankful for.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Wrestler, commentator, and former CHIKARA referee "Top Shelf" Troy Nelson is this week's guest. He and Gavin discuss the worst matches from SummerSlam 97, Road Wild 97, Hardcore Heaven 97, In Your House 17: Ground Zero, and Fall Brawl 97. Of course "worst" is only relative, as two of the matches are pretty good in their own right and one is at least fascinating to watch. Topics include offensive ECW promos, contrasting motorcycle entrances, Scott Norton's amazing feud with Ernest Miller, and Savio Vega's questionable role as the first secret character in WWE video game history.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

It's Zeroes of Wrestling with special guest Alex Sharkey, YAAAAAY! Otherwise known as Captain Idol or idoliside, Sharkey has been doing his own online chronological wrestling history lesson, which is a partial inspiration for ZOW in the first place. Our heroes together face the lowest-rated matches from Slamboree 97, King of the Ring 97, Great American Bash 97, In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede, and Bash at the Beach 97. They discuss the worst version of the worst rest hold, a match where the two wrestlers have a different idea of how the final spot is supposed to go, and Mongo McMichael's very questionable trash talk.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Gavin's friend Dan Mullooly stops by as ZOW continues through 1997. This time around, it's all about the lowest-rated matches from WrestleMania 13, Spring Stampede 97, ECW Barely Legal, In Your House 14: Revenge of the Taker, and In Your House 15: Cold Day in Hell. Yes, ECW has finally entered the chat, and it's a doozy. Together, the two discuss such topics as how Ahmed Johnson's sudden injury saved WWF, how it's possible to be both a fake Undertaker AND a fake Rick Rude, how far is too far when repeatedly slamming someone's head into an exposed turnbuckle. Whatever the case, one thing is certain: The big Johnson is hard to handle!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

FAK! You want to play 21? Well, this week, Gavin's going into the danger zone by sending for the man. And by that, I mean Maffew Gregg of Botchamania. JEEZUS! Together, they go through the worst-rated matches from such shows as Royal Rumble 97, Souled Out 97, In Your House 13: Final Four, SuperBrawl VII, and Uncensored 97. Topics include whether or not spending a week in Alcatraz makes your balls invincible, Randy Savage's most underrated outfit, the bizarre realization that Crush has yet to have a match on ZOW somehow, and the most random-ass trio to ever get a PPV spot in WWF history. Who can withstand the Flash of the Golden Gunn? Presumably, a lot of people.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

To celebrate 25 episodes, Gavin has convinced Brighid Kivlehan to be a guest on his show. This is six years after Gavin convinced Brighid to marry him. The husband and wife duo shares a microphone (so sorry about the lack of volume) and talk up the lowest-rated matches from Halloween Havoc 96, Survivor Series 96, World War 3 96, In Your House 12: It's Time, and Starrcade 96. Discussions include why there's a Diesel and a Razor Ramon in both promotions, how one of them looks like a supporting character from an obscure Fox sitcom from the 90s, and whatever the hell was going on with Jeff Jarrett's in-ring attire.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Kevin Ford, the guy behind CHIKARA Special, stops by to help with five very fun matches that are low on the totem pole for their respective PPVs. For this episode, the shows in question are Hog Wild 96, SummerSlam 96, Fall Brawl 96, In Your House 10: Mind Games, and In Your House 11: Buried Alive. Two of the matches here are genuinely good! Gavin and Kevin seemed to get a kick out of them, at least. Otherwise, discussions include the coolest-looking setting for a wrestling match, how the New Rockers were like a Disney cartoon about Christmas elves, and the forgotten unease of seeing the CGI Mind Games logo just randomly pop up.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Imagine actually wanting to be on this show. That's the case for this week's volunteer guest Genericide, who is also the first ZOW guest from across the pond. He and Gavin go through the worst-rated matches from In Your House 8: Beware of Dog, Great American Bash 96, King of the Ring 96, Bash at the Beach 96, and In Your House 9: International Incident. We get a couple matches of big dudes colliding... both of which would have been better a few years earlier. We also get the ZOW debut of Mongo, brightening all of our days.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

22?! Oh, man! This week, Gavin's guest is prolific podcaster and former Bob Saget flunky Joe Sposto. Only together can they withstand the worst matches from In Your House 6: Rage in the Cage, Uncensored 96, WrestleMania XII, In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies, and Slamboree 96. Fun fact, one of these shows includes the lowest-rated Ultimate Warrior match of all time! If it actually counts as a match. Topics include Warrior comic solicitations, Steve Austin being in a transitional period in terms of gimmicks, which Hulk Hogan foes have hung out in Gotham City, and how awesome the Barbarian was. The wrestler, not the movie. Though seeing Barbarian kick Justin Long's head off would be pretty rad to see.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

There are two WWF PPVs and two WCW PPVs in this week's episode, but there's a unique show mixed in there that's such an undertaking that Gavin needs to call on someone he can trust to handle it. Vinny Murphy (Rock Nerd Radio Show) returns to ZOW to help discuss the worst matches from In Your House 5: Season's Beatings, Starrcade 95, CWA Bodyguards vs. Bandits, Royal Rumble 96, and SuperBrawl VI. Granted, for that third one, it's the ONLY match, but that's what makes it so harrowing. Otherwise, Gavin's Ahmed Johnson fandom sees eye-to-eye with Vinny's Jeff Jarrett fandom, Triple H eats like a pig, and Hulk Hogan's kayfabe power level is starting to reach critical.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations

Hulk Hogan and The Giant are about to do battle in a sumo monster truck match and Gavin needs help talking about it. He doesn't need a partner. He doesn't need a friend. He needs his older BRAH-ther! Geremy Jasper (director of O'Dessa, now on Hulu!) steps into the ring as he and Gavin discuss the lowest-rated matches from In Your House 3: Triple Header, In Your House 4: Great White North, Halloween Havoc 95, Survivor Series 95, and World War 3. Topics include how awesome Bam Bam Bigelow was, Waylon Mercy's questionable fashion, giant mummies who are also giant ninjas, and how the power of friendship conquers all.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/zeroes-of-wrestling/donations