The Anxious Millennial Cowboy Show

He's the genius behind Hulk-A-Mania, Rock N Wrestling, WrestleMania, and the entire WWE. In the final episode of Season 1, we take a look at how Vince McMahon conquered the world of professional wrestling, creating a worldwide phenomenon in the process. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:26-Rise of Vincent Kennedy McMahon 4:17-WCW, Mr.McMahon character, Public Opinion 6:38-Conclusion

In this episode, we discuss WWE’s relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which has come in for severe global backlash ever since its inception. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:33-WWE's Relationship with Saudi Arabia 4:06-Promo for Next Week

WWE’s NXT has lived many lives: from its original incarnation as a reality-television show in which rookies competed against each other, to its emergence as a developmental territory in 2012, to its official recognition as a viable third brand, and to its present-day version as a revamped NXT 2.0. In this episode of the Anxious Millennial Cowboy Show, we look at the evolution of WWE’s developmental territory-cum-third brand, NXT. Credit to @boomstudios (https://twitter.com/boomstudios?s=20) for the Cover Art for this episode 0:00-Intro 0:20-Debut of NXT in 2010 2:11-Evolution of NXT, Takeovers, NXT 2.0 7:10-Promo for Next Week

The world of professional wrestling has always been filled with controversies-from the violence presented on TV, to the portrayal of women as eye-candy and the risqué content of certain storylines, which has been heavily attacked by critics over the years. However, WWE’s decision to turn the product PG back in 2008 stands as one of the most controversial ones among its fans. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:08-WWE Transitions to PG-13 Rating 2:47-Why Going PG was the Right Move 4:16-Promo for Next Week

The Royal Rumble is the epitome of opportunity, where 30 wrestlers compete for the chance to secure a Championship Match at the Grandest-Stage-of-them-All, WrestleMania.  The rules are simple-30 wrestlers enter at timed intervals of 90 seconds each. Wrestlers are tasked with eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the floor. The Royal Rumble is a variety show holding a special place in the hearts of wrestling fans. You laugh, you cry, you're on the edge of your seat. Ahead of the 35th edition of the match, we take a look at the behind-the-scenes aspect of WWE's Royal Rumble. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:08-Promo for WWE Royal Rumble 0:46-Royal Rumble is Love 02:11-The Royal Rumble Match Layout 05:20-Promo for Next Week

28 years later and, more than 1,400 episodes down the line, WWE Monday Night RAW has been home to numerous entertaining, divisive, contentious angles and segments. But in 1996, WWE presented an angle so controversial, so shocking, and so adult-oriented, that it almost got them kicked off the air. 0:00-Intro 0:21-RAW is part of Wrestling Tradition 2:34-Pillman's Got a Gun 05:56-Promo for Next Week

Diversity has become a hot topic amongst professional wrestling circles for the last few years. Wrestling as a whole has had a rather sketchy history with race. Over the years, WWE TV has seen some of the most racially insensitive content presented to its audience. However, the company is now leaps and bounds ahead of where they were just a few years ago in representing its Black wrestlers each week. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:27-Racially Insensitive Content on WWE TV 3:19-2021 Landscape  5:22-Promo for Next Week

The wrestling business has been a longtime arbitrator of contentious taste, ever-willing to do anything in an attempt to garner a huge TV rating or sell PPVs. WWE, as the industry leader has always tried to cash in on real-world incidents and been able to turn in profits, no matter how controversial the angles they produced. And, although controversy doesn’t always result in financial gain, it does generate interest-both good and bad. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:08-WrestleMania 7, Sergeant Slaughter vs. Hulk Hogan, Gulf War 3:31-Mohammad Hassan, September 11 Attacks, London Bombings 2005 06:12-Promo for Next Week

While the wrestlers are the bread and butter of any wrestling promotion; WWE and its Chairman, Vince McMahon have received plenty of criticism for their handling of talent. Despite being in an excellent financial position, WWE continues to mistreat their wrestlers, who are not technically employees, but rather independent contractors, a distinction that allows the company to not provide long-term healthcare solutions and other benefits to the wrestlers putting their bodies on the line 200 nights a year. In this episode, we take a look at how WWE does business and how it treats its wrestlers. WWE | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO): https://youtu.be/m8UQ4O7UiDs Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:24-Independent Contractors 3:17-Wrestler Deaths, WWE-Saudi Arabi Deal, Wrestling Fans 6:33-Promo for Next Week

Dubbed as the ‘United States vs. Vince McMahon’ case, the Steroid Trials of the 1990s were a set of criminal proceedings, brought forward by the US federal government in an attempt to take down Vince McMahon, Chairman of the WWF, based on the suspicion that McMahon was supplying illegal anabolic drugs to professional wrestlers under his contract. In this episode, we look back at the high-profile federal trial that nearly brought down Vince McMahon, who if convicted, was looking at eight years in prison and half a million dollars in fine. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:08-Vince McMahon's Promo on the Steroid Trials 1:44-George Zahorian Indictment 3:53-The Trials, Hulk Hogan Testimony 7:58-Promo for Next Week

From ‘Bra and Panties' matches, Pillow fights, bikini contests to main-eventing professional wrestling’s biggest shows, including WrestleMania, women’s wrestling has certainly come a long way. The over-sexualized, distasteful booking of female talent pushed women’s wrestling several decades back from the competitive highs of the 1980s. Considered by higher management to not possess drawing power equivalent to their male counterparts, women’s wrestling in WWE was never going to receive significant traction. In this episode, we look at the evolution of women’s wrestling to understand what forced WWE to change its ways, bringing in a Women’s Revolution that took the entire professional wrestling industry by storm. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:28-Evolution of Women’s Wrestling 1:44-Women’s Wrestling in the 1980s-90s 4:13- Women’s Wrestling in the 2000s 5:54- Women’s Revolution 8:51-Promo for Next Week

Monday Night RAW is WWE’s premier flagship show that made its debut on our television screens on January 11th, 1993. 28 years later and, more than 1,400 episodes down the line, the show has been host to numerous milestones and jaw-dropping moments. While the company continues to shine on the financial metrics, the TV viewership has witnessed a ratings slide for the past few years, hitting record lows every other week. The show currently averages between the 1.5-1.6 million viewer mark, which is miles away from the historic highs of just two decades ago, where they were pulling in 10 million viewers each week. In this episode, we discern the reasons behind the steep fall in WWE RAW's viewership over the years. Timecodes 0:00-Introduction 0:07-WWE RAW is a Boring Show 02:33-Reasons behind WWE RAW’s Falling Viewership 08:03-Promo for Next Week

The box-office crushing, business launching, movie-producing, tequila-making, metal-clanking, charisma-oozing, always hard-working, always-entertaining, Dwayne Johnson, started out as a WWE wrestler. ‘The Rock’ has electrified legions of fans around the globe with his unmatched charisma, unique charm, and superb athleticism. November 17th, 2021 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Rock’s WWE debut at the 1996 Survivor Series PPV. In this week’s episode, we celebrate the 25 Years of the ‘Great One’, #Rock25. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:17-25 Years of the ‘Great One’ 1:20-Rock’s Debut and the Initial Run 5:14-Rock n’ Sock Connection, Rock’s Rise 6:54-WrestleMania Matches against Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, and John Cena 10:14-Promo for Next Week

At AEW Full Gear 2021 on November 13th, Adam ‘Hangman’ Page faces Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. On the one hand, there is an arrogant Champion who doesn't believe his former best friend is worth anything. On the other, we have the challenger, who is trying to overcome his insecurities, and finally, become Champion. In this episode, we cover one of the greatest, most relatable, most wholesome stories told in professional wrestling in some years. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:08-What makes a Cowboy? 1:11-Tag Team with Kenny Omega 4:09-AEW Revolution 2020, FTR, Fallout with Bucks 7:50-Dark Order, AEW Full Gear 2021 13:02-Promo for Next Week

The rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart was palpable, and the story that unfolded in the ring on the night of WWF Survivor Series 1997 blended the lines of reality-easily creating the most shocking, and controversial moment in wrestling history till this day. As real-life backstage politics bled over into the ring publicly, it caused wrestling to change in every way imaginable. It was an interesting situation with the WWF’s premier Champion, no longer in contract, yet in possession of the company’s most historic asset, the WWF Championship, leading Vince McMahon to make a decision that had industry-wide repercussions. Timecodes 0:00-Intro 0:28-Organizational Politics 01:43-The Montreal Screwjob 06:11-Bret Hart's Second Run with WWE 08:06-Promo for Next Week

CM Punk is one of the most polarizing figures to ever grace a wrestling ring. The embodiment of anti-establishment, Punk has become one of the most influential wrestlers of his time. His ability to ignite verbal pipe bombs coupled with his prolific in-ring abilities has arguably made him one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. On his 43rd birthday, we celebrate his career from his arrival on the wrestling scene during the Summer of 2005 in Ring of Honor (ROH) to the career-defining Summer of Punk in 2011 in WWE, and the story of the glorious return that we never thought would come true, in the Summer of 2021 in All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Credit to B/R Wrestling (https://twitter.com/BRWrestling?s=20) for the Cover Art for this episode. Timecodes 0:00-Introduction 0:25-CM Punk Returns after 7 Years 02:26-Summer of 2005 in ROH 04:31-CM Punk's WWE run 07:55-CM Punk arrives in AEW 09:19-Promo for Next Week

In the mid-1990s, Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was the premier promotion in sports entertainment. The company’s flagship show, Monday Nitro, was launched in direct competition with Vince McMahon’s primetime program, Monday Night RAW. WCW was in the midst of a dominant 84-week winning streak in the cable television ratings, forcing Vince McMahon back to the drawing board. With his back against the wall, Vince McMahon made a rather risky adjustment, forging a new identity for the WWE in the process- an identity with 'Attitude'.  Timecodes 0:00-Introduction 0:26-Monday Night Wars 03:26-Attitude Era 08:40-Promo for Next Week

One does not expect magicians to reveal how they successfully manage to pull off the different magic tricks. Or, chefs to give away their secret ingredients. Or, businessmen to reveal their trade secrets. But the way things operate in the wrestling industry (WWE, AEW) is quite different. In this episode, we look into the story of what made Vince McMahon expose professional wrestling’s biggest secret that wrestling is not real. Timecodes 0:00-Introduction  0:08-Vince McMahon's views on WWE 0:41-IPL has become boring 3:05-Vince McMahon exposes the business 6:31-Promo for Next Week

The sport of professional wrestling for the majority of its existence has been locked beneath the bunker of ‘kayfabe’, which is essentially a portrayal of staged competition as real. The wrestling media and fans, globally, have often wrestled with the narrative of whether wrestling is fake or not. Wrestling that we see now on WWE Raw, or WWE SmackDown, or AEW Dynamite was very different from the way it started out in the mid-1800s. Laurie Blake's 'Why Wrestling is Fake, Explained': https://youtu.be/_bBksryEBeU Timecodes 0:00-Introduction 0:21-Is Wrestling Fake? 2:32-The Story behind Wrestling's Evolution 7:30-Promo for Next Week

It has been two decades since WCW went out of business, leaving WWE to become the biggest player in the professional wrestling industry. But the rise of AEW as a legitimate competitor, consistently drawing more than 1 million viewers, and with the debuts of CM Punk and Bryan Danielson, there hasn’t been a more exciting time to be a wrestling fan. Join us on this ride as we look at the professional wrestling industry in 2021 and what the future entails. Timecodes 0:00-Introduction 0:08-What makes Pro-Wrestling Good? 2:18-WWE is Everywhere 3:58-Rise of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) 8:33-The AFL/NFL Merger 10:28-Promo for Episode 2