The Oh My Godcast: An ECW Retrospective

Ben & Trae, two wrestling nerds, guide you through the rise, fall, & history of Extreme Championship Wrestling.

Episode 23: Fly Girl Lorena

We're back with a new show looking at the January 25 and February 1, 1994 episodes of NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling. These are the final shows before one of the seminal events in early ECW and emotions are running high. Listen along with us as Terry Funk, Paul E. Dangerously for Sabu, and Shane Douglas prepare for a Three-Way Dance that will become a key moment on our journey to the Extreme. Other topics include Pat Tanaka's parentage, the bond between Sabu and The Sheik, the ECW debut of Mikey Whipwreck, and obligatory 1994 cultural references.@OhMyGodcastECW

07-22
01:15:33

Episode 22: Bruno Sammartino in Drag

Mr. "Jumpin'" TRAE "Six-Pack" Sulli and Ben E. Dangerously return to finish year one of ECW and enter year two. We briefly discuss the passing of Sabu and the disaster that was the Body Count Match before never speaking of the latter again. This week, Sabu, Terry Funk, and Shane Douglas are all contending for the ECW Heavyweight Championship in a way that will soon cross a significant line. Also, Matty in the House hawks t-shirts, The Rockin' Rebel commits an unpardonable sin, Jason's influence expands, The Sandman does car pranks, and Chad Austin rides through desert on a chokeslam from a 911 with no name.https://x.com/OhMyGodcastECW

06-17
01:21:06

Episode 21: A Turkey Stuffed With $100 Bills

This week on the Oh My Godcast, Terry Funk and Paul E. Dangerously cut their final promos for Holiday Hell as Funk searches for a few good men, but has to make do with what he can find. Meanwhile, the tag team title is on the line, Shane Douglas's motivations are unclear, and the music picker for the hype videos understands the assignment.

04-15
01:09:23

Episode 20: Implied Happy Endings

Trae and Ben return with reviews of the November 30 and December 7, 1993 episodes of NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling. This week, the promos are as good as usual and the wrestling is a little better than usual. Sabu defends the ECW Heavyweight Championship against The Tazmaniac; meanwhile, Terry Funk and Paul E. Dangerously cut promos for the Viewer's Choice match at Holiday Hell. Also, we marvel at the speed of the Pennsylvania criminal justice system as the Public Enemy have already been charged, tried, convicted, sentence, and incarcerated for a crime they committed a fortnight ago - but worry not, because they'll be out by Christmas!

04-02
01:14:57

Episode 19: A Regret You'll Never Forget

Join the boys for a show ripe with technical difficulties! This week, Trae's computer keeps going haywire when he plays the episode clips, the worst tag team division ever crowns new champions again, Terry Funk frightens Joey Styles, and wrestlers are held accountable for committing felonious assault for possibly the first and only time ever. If you're a new listener, this is a good show to start with because Paul E. Dangerously cuts a seven-minute promo explaining all of the key storylines in the territory. Enjoy!

03-17
01:06:19

Episode 18: A Backslide is a Casting Couch Position

It's an all new OH! OH! OH! My Godcast! This week, the fellas review the November 2 and 9, 1993 episodes of NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling, the go-home shows for the November to Remember. Listen along as Trae becomes angry at the sound of Matty in the House's voice and Ben develops hives at the sight of Jason. Also, the new Ford Escorts are very affordable, The Sandman is left for dead, Peaches is upset, Tod Gordon is confused, and Paul E. Dangerously is a master manipulator. If that's not enough for you, Trae imagines either the best or worst smoke circle ever, Joey Styles explains a stupid stipulation that Kevin Sullivan tries to make the best of, Madusa and Sherri Martel do a great job building a match that never happens, and we learn the Top 10 Reasons You Should Be at the November to Remember. #8 will shock you!

02-25
01:29:24

Episode 17: He Who Dies with the Most Toys Still Dies

Join us as we review the October 19 and 26, 1993 episodes ofNWA Eastern Championship Wrestling. This week, the Public Enemy make parole to wrestle Badd Company, there are serious problems in the New Dangerous Alliance, Trae hates Matty in the House, Terry Funk is unreasonable, Jason wears a suit, and Kevin Sullivan wonders what a "shoot fight" is.

02-11
01:18:16

Episode 16: We Have Met Sabu

The boys are back with a new episode covering the October 5 and 12, 1993 episodes of NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling! We know we say this every week, but it's really starting to look like ECW now. This week, we begin our coverage of NWA Bloodfe(a)st '93. Join us as Jimmy Snuka battles Terry Funk in a Steel Cage for the Television Championship, we learn of another unexplained title change, and Rockin' Rebel is a douchebag. We also witness the debuts of several more future ECW legends, including a death defier, a maniac, a pretty boy who definitely isn't hardcore, and a "rotten" tag team. Enjoy! Follow Trae on BlueSky⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ben on BlueSky

01-28
01:15:38

Episode 15: The World Will Be Our Hood

It's a new year and Eastern Championship Wrestling feels like a new company. Things are finally starting to resemble the ECW that everyone remembers. This week, Joey Styles takes over hosting duties as Jay "Six-Pack" Sulli prepares for the Fall Fashion Swimwear Showdown. Sal Bellomo's career may be over, and Joey is very distressed about it. Matty in the House is in the house, and Trae is pretty distressed about that. Elsewhere, Sabu is headed to ECW, Kevin Sullivan is bizarre, and the Public Enemy are our new promo MVPs. Enjoy the show! Follow Trae on BlueSky⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow Ben on BlueSky

01-14
01:21:36

Episode 14: Michael Jackson Kidnapped Freddie Gilbert

We close out the year with a review of the biggest ECW card yet, Ultra Clash '93! We also discuss the September 14, 1993 episode of Eastern Championship Wrestling, but mostly only to say how little happened on it. This week, the Pennsylvania Heavyweight Championship is defended for the first time since it was introduced and the last time ever. We also have a new ECW Heavyweight Champion, but don't worry your head about how, when, or where that happened. Ultra Clash gives us the debut of the Public Enemy, a mask vs. mask match between former friends, a horrendous scaffold bump, and a main event with a terrible finish. Also, the athletic commission ruins an advertised stipulation, the mixed gender battle royal is so bad that it's good, and Jay Sulli is VISIBLY UPSET! Enjoy the show and have a safe and happy New Year. Follow Trae on BlueSky⁠ ⁠Follow Ben on BlueSky

12-31
01:11:59

Episode 13: A Little Fear Goes a Long Way

Join us as we review the August 31 and September 7, 1993 episodes of Eastern Championship Wrestling! This week, the tag team title tournament concludes, the W*ING wrestlers are in town, nobody can pronounce "homage," Jay Sulli has poor facial recognition, and Stan Hansen has no idea who Eddie Gilbert is. Fortunately for him, real life happenings during the week between these two shows aired rendered the point moot. Also, either an Abdullah the Butcher video package is more important than either TV main event or this is the worst edited show ever. The show we review, I mean. I stopped editing the podcast a long time ago. Follow Trae on BlueSky Follow Ben on BlueSky

12-17
01:16:03

Episode 12: A Big Ol' Fat Gut and a Face Like a Hamburger

We're back with the August 17 and 24, 1993 episodes of Eastern Championship Wrestling. It's a new set of tapings, and we have the ECW debuts of some wrestling legends, including some one-offs and some who will become key names in ECW history. The tag team title tournament begins, as does the build to Ultra Clash '93. Elsewhere, ECW Heavyweight Champion the Magnificent Muraco has a new challenger in the form of an old rival, Stan Hansen has a big ol' fat gut, Terry Funk has a face like a hamburger, and everybody is giving poor Jay Sulli a hard time. We hope you enjoy the show! Follow Trae on BlueSky⁠ ⁠Follow Ben on BlueSky

12-03
01:01:59

BONUS: TWA Autumn Armageddon '90

At last, we bring you our long-promised bonus show looking at TWA Autumn Armageddon '90. Before there was Eastern Championship Wrestling, there was the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance. We delve into the background of America's first super indy, then we review a supercard that... has its moments. On the positive side, Cactus Jack and Eddie Gilbert tore the house down, Jimmy Valiant and Adrian Street give a master class in minimalism, and Terry Funk and Jerry Lawler have a great match with a bad finish. Elsewhere on the show, various other folks have bad matches with bad finishes. Still, it was a fun watch and this well be a fun listen! Follow Trae on BlueSky Follow Ben on BlueSky

12-02
01:02:47

BONUS: Halloween Havoc 1992

In this special bonus episode, we look at a pay-per-view that has a rather harsh reputation as a notoriously bad show. While there are significant booking (and other) problems, we found a lot to like. Two admittedly disappointing world championship matches are buoyed by a good six-man tag opener, a great singles match between two of the best wrestlers of the era, an awesome hoss fight that destroys the credibility of a championship, one of the best tag team matches to ever take place on American PPV, and an underrated main event, as Sting spins the wheel and makes the deal to face Jake "The Snake" Roberts in a Coal Miner's Glove match. Enjoy the show and have a safe and happy Halloween!

10-28
01:44:38

Episode 11: An Eye for an Eye Ain't Good Enough

This week, we review the July 27 and August 3, 1993 episodes of Eastern Championship Wrestling, a pair of shows where not very much happens. We still manage to get an episode out of it as Tod Gordon lays down the law, Terry Funk wrestles an enhancement wrestler so bad that he can't even pretend to take him seriously, Don Muraco does his best work in ECW, Jay Sulli goes on vacation, Eddie Gilbert cuts a problematic promo, and Trae imagines a hypothetical Hot Wing Federation. Follow us on Twitter @OhMyGodcastECW

10-22
58:12

Episode 10: Almost Kinda Like Hitler (But Not Quite That Bad)

The journey continues this week with the July 6 and 20, 1993 episodes of Eastern Championship Wrestling. No, we didn't skip a week; they did. This week, we discuss a pair of tag team championship matches, a match that you'd never imagine happened, an offensive portrayal of the blind community, the lack of quality control in editing these early TV shows, and our growing fondness for Hunter Q. Robbins the Turd. Also, Tod Gordon is sick of everyone's shit, Terry Funk is great, and Eddie Gilbert is kinda like Hitler, but not quite that bad. Follow us on Twitter @OhMyGodcastECW

10-08
01:15:20

Episode 9: Jimmy Hoffa is the Dark Patriot

On this week's episode, Trae and Ben begin to find hints of the extreme in Eastern Championship Wrestling as they review the June 22 and 29, 1993 ECW TV shows. Topics discussed include Tommy Cairo continuing to receive title shots despite losing them all, a surprising revelation about one of the most mysterious disappearances in American history, Jay Sulli's love life, wrestling's sociopolitical commentary on the Cold War, and trying to figure out what the hell Sal Bellomo was talking about. When the reviews are done, the guys have an impromptu 20 minute conversation about changes in pro wrestling business models over the last 30 years. Follow us on Twitter @OhMyGodcastECW

09-24
01:30:08

Episode 8: You Know You Like Me, But You Don't Know Why

After a brief sabbatical, Trae and Ben return to continue their journey to the land of extreme. On today's show, we discuss the June 15, 1993 episode of Eastern Championship Wrestling, as well as the first proper ECW Arena card, the Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular! Hopefully, the break between this show and the next won't be quite as long as the last one.

09-17
01:19:30

Episode 7: Some Fresh Meat to Beat

Join Trae and Ben as they review Eastern Championship Wrestling from June 1 and 8, 1993 - the last show at Cabrini College and the first show at the ECW Arena. Big things are starting to happen in ECW. @OMGPodcastECW @OutlawRedux @BenDangerously

01-14
49:22

Episode 6: Hotstuff International, the Dangerous Alliance, who knows?

Better late than never! We shoot through our two episodes of Eastern Championship Wrestling this week in record time, then Trae recaps Crown Jewel, then we have a chat about AEW. It's a good time! Twitter: @OMGPodcastECW @OutlawHistory @BenDangerously

11-08
45:22

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