Beyond The Beermat

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

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 i

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 smil

Both as part of the build up to years Wrestlemania and also to celebrate finally making it to a quarter century of episodes, we’re going to take you back to Houston in 2009. A show that contains what some say is the best WWE match ever. Even more impressively, an event for which we were in attendance. The experience of watching something live in person versus being at home is something else entirely. Also we’re going to get into how our memories of the PPV compare with watching it back again, parts of it for the very first time in over a decade. It was a show for the ages both in terms of it being a live experience as well as a one of the most polarizing Wrestlemania’s of the modern era. Join us as we go through this historic show beer by beer, match by match and segment by segment. The good, the bad and the Santina Marella.

Just when you thought you could have your fill of intoxicated wrestling analysis for one day, along comes another incredible dose of solo Beyond The Beermat goodess. Over the last few years as it’s grown, NXT has really give WWE programming as a whole a real shot in the arm. The sheer quality of matches, number of exciting young talents coming through and overall warmth from a fanbase that has been through the ringer these last few years has lead to an unprecedented and genuine wave of optimism for the future. But is it as simple as that? What are the unseen bumps along the road that may derail those making the step up to the main roster from fulfilling their obvious potential? Before we get on to the main event of the wrestling calendar, make sure you make an appointment with the best podcast out there. It’s HHH approved, we hope.

As part of the build up to this years Wrestlemania and as part of our commitment to our amazing listeners, we’re giving to you the first of a two edition solo podcast extravaganza. That’s a really glorified way of describing one man drinking alone, talking wrestling to whomever will listen. Traditions are always an interesting – if not fraught – concept in today’s day and age. We’re so used to change in wrestling, sometimes for the sake of it, that the things we hold on to simply because that’s the way they used to be done are actually now more important than ever. Just because Wrestlemania is the established place where feuds will end doesn’t mean that should always be the case. As we’ve seen in more recent years, it’s actually become where they begin. So as we’re here, just twenty four hours removed from the grandest stage of them all, let’s have a good look at the encounters that mattered; whether they started something big or finished things once and for all.

We are hot on the heels of a historic event and if you thought that Beyond The Beermat would let it pass without getting ourselves down to the nearest watering hole and going all in the you seriously doubt our commitment to you the listener, the art of wrestling itself and – of course – the allure of a drink or ten. All is not sunshine and roses however, for though the road to Mania rolls on and leads us ever closer to what promises to be a great show, still there is trepidation in the days ahead. In other words, while everyone else is getting rightly hyped for the first ever women’s match to main event the grandest stage of them all, we have some concerns. A whole bag full of them. We’re hitting the ground running, coming back with a bang as we go through every possible angle of all the headline matches going into Wrestlemania 35. The good, the bad and the problematic.

Though it may not always be the case, the ties that bind wrestling to more conventional media are stronger than some would care to admit. Played out in – and around – the squared circle, the stories that are told still connect the same dots that your favorite TV shows would. Of those aspects which they have in common, there is one that has a much more unsuccessful track record than the others. One thing is for sure though. They love to leave us hanging. This episode takes a hard look at the process of continually trying to pull in viewers and how wrestling has tried to hook them with classic writing cliches. For one reason or another though, they’ve ever quite managed to do it right. Take out your magnifying glasses and put on your Sherlock Holmes hat as Beyond The Beermat examines all the WWF who-dunnits and all the WCW I-can’t-believe-they-dunnits over the years. We can assure you, the payoff in this podcast is better than Hornswoggle.

WARNING: The following podcast contains a large amount of drunk talk. Beyond The Beermat are experienced inebriated conversational specialists and as such we implore you not to try this at home. Smackdown celebrates getting to a thousand shows and we wanted to join in with all the festivities. There’s no better way to show our appreciation than for a very special episode taking a deep dive into the blue brand. From it’s humble beginnings as a simple catchphrase days, through a roster split (or two) and into today. Not to mention it’s rocky relationship with Raw, we examine just how this show has carved it’s own unique place into wrestling folklore. From great moments we’ve seen over the years to possible surprises in store for the upcoming landmark show itself, get ready for a momentous podcast to go along with it.

Wrestling has many ways to draw your attention, to grab your imagination from an early age and ever let go. Quite possibly the most flamboyant and ultimately biggest of these are the superstars themselves. These larger than life athletes decked in these incredible costumes. So in today’s WWE we have to ask ourselves, where have they all gone? Even more alarmingly, did we make them all go away?   Beyond The Beermat is back to confront perhaps the deadliest question of all, did we just get old? We’re going to have to have a serious look at what makes a gimmick great and perhaps in the modern context even redefine what it means altogether. As times have changed, so too have tastes. The types of personalities had to adjust accordingly. This episode we’re going to trace it all back from childhood and see if our hunger for more realism went too far or did the outlandish gimmicks of our youth simply outrun their course. It becomes – in all senses of the word – a question of character.

Everyone has their own line to be drawn when it comes to the level of brutality in wrestling. That’s the way it’s always been. It’s not the way we’ve always been shown it though. The hardcore revolution in the late nineties and it’s legacy still holds a fond place in the hearts of fans of the time. To the point where some would say that WWE moving away from that and playing it safer – especially in regard to their policy regarding blood in match – is a big factor in the product as a whole suffering. Coming off the Hell in A Cell PPV and specifically a spot involving Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy, there’s a real question to be answered in regard to the perception of violence and it’s wider role in helping tell the stories that they’re trying to tell us. So put your barbed wire baseball bats down and wrap your ears around our latest offering. It’s bloody good you know.

When the stars align and something works so far above all expectations, it’s only natural to try and recreate the set of circumstances that allowed for such great success in the first place. That’s why all our good ideas come at the four/five pint rage and we continue to hit that mark as regularly as possible. But sometimes you fall back on the same idea too often, long after it’s continued producing the same initial results. Which is how you end up every few years with a tired old rehash of Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon. Beyond The Beermat is back and we most definitely have the power to take a long look at how the on screen role of those in charge came to be such a important one and all the ingredients that went into that. What’s more we fast forward to today and discuss whether there’s even a need for this kind of character in 2018 let alone why it continues to be relied upon. So grab yourself a couple of Steveweisers and settle in for another in depth look into the wonderful world of professional wrestlin