Episodes

This is a special free preview of this month's Patreon-exclusive 'Top Rope Nation Classics' podcast. We go back in time and look at WWF Survivor Series 1996. The show featured Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, Sid vs. Shawn Michaels, and the debut of Rocky Maivia (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson).Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up and hear the rest of the show (which clocks in at 2 hours and 10 minutes)! We'd be honored to have your support. Patrons receive five full-length, ...

With the WWE Survivor Series having occurred last weekend, we examine the history of the show itself. This is a selection from a podcast we recorded back in November 2016, a real deep dive on what led to WWE creating the event in 1987 (their second-ever yearly PPV, only behind WrestleMania). The rivalry between Jim Crockett Promotions and the WWF is examined in depth. If you enjoy this selection on the origins of the Survivor Series, check out the full podcast (Episode 13) from November 2016 as ...

Ryan and Kyle check-in to review Sunday night's divisive WWE Survivor Series PPV event in Brooklyn. We discuss The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, not showing up on the show despite WWE leaning heavily into that direction by building the event around his 25th anniversary with the company, Roman Reigns vs. Big E, Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch, and much more.For the best WWE retro t-shirts, check out our friends at Homage! https://homa.ge/TopRopeJoin our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.c...

Ryan and Justin attended AEW Full Gear live this past Saturday night in Minneapolis at the Target Center (as well as Rampage the night before in the same venue). The two of them give their account of the show from the audience in-person, while Kyle compares this to what he noticed watching live on television. It's our AEW Full Gear review!For the best WWE retro t-shirts, check out our friends at Homage! https://homa.ge/TopRopeJoin our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/...

Kyle and Justin check in with this week's bonus show on the Spotify Greenroom app. Immediately following Wednesday night's AEW Dynamite, we discussed that show and previewed this Saturday night's AEW Full Gear PPV event. Full match by match breakdowns of what should be a tremendous PPV in Minneapolis at Full Gear.Like the show? Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up to hear our "Extra" bonus shows every week! You get access to this bonus podcast each week, unedited, in...

It's a jam-packed show this week with the TRN crew covering a multitude of topics. We talk about how Bianca Belair has been put in unwinnable situations by WWE, the 2022 WWE PPV calendar, plus a massive mailbeg segment with questions on Classic WWF, the Attitude Era, WCW, AEW, the Survivor Series concept, and a lot more.For the best WWE retro t-shirts, check out our friends at Homage! https://homa.ge/TopRopeJoin our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/Si...

This is a special preview of this month's Patreon-exclusive 'Top Rope Nation Classics' podcast. We go back in time and look at WWF Smack 'Em, Whack 'Em. This is a legendary Coliseum Video, featuring a profile on Bret Hart that showcased the first-ever WWF ladder match (Hart vs. Shawn Michaels), as well as Bret Hart's first WWF title victory against Ric Flair. Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up and hear the rest of the show (which clocks in at 2 hours and 15 minutes...

With WWE NXT scheduled to bring back Halloween Havoc once again this week, we look back at some of the greatest matches and moments from the original events. We examine the full history of NWA/WCW Halloween Havoc from 1989-2000, and what we ended up with here is one of our favorite historical podcasts that we have ever done.Note: This show was originally released in October 2020 (Ep. 180) and is presented once again here as a bonus this week. For the best WWE retro t-shirts, check out our frie...

Kyle is joined on the pod by award winning author and good friend of the show Liam O'Rourke to review Thursday's WWE Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. Seth Rollins vs. Edge. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns. King Xavier Woods. Queen's Crown winner Zelina Vega. It's all covered here, only the way that Top Rope Nation can.For the best WWE retro t-shirts, check out our friends at Homage! https://homa.ge/TopRopeJoin our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/Sign...

With WWE King of the Ring (and Queen's Crown) happening right now, we decided to look back at the history of the tournament. A history full of some big misses (and a few hits, too). We look at the King of the Ring as it began (house show events), then cover the PPV shows, and look at the television-centric tournaments of recent years. In the end, we're left debating which ones worked, as well as why the majority of the King of the Ring tournaments were a failure.For the best WWE retro t-shirts,...

Drafts are in the air! With the WWE Draft occurring this past week, as well as discussion of where Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega from a couple of weeks ago ranks historically, we decided to bring back our fantasy draft format. This time, we're changing it up and making it auction style as we count down the greatest television matches (cable/broadcast) in pro wrestling history. We're joined by PWTorch Assistant Editor Zack Heydorn.The show ends up being a great discussion of the best matches t...

This is a special preview of this month's Patreon-exclusive 'Top Rope Nation Classics' podcast. We go back in time and look at WWF One Night Only from 1997. On the pod, we're joined by award-winning author Liam O'Rourke (who attended the show).Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up and hear the rest of the show (which clocks in at 2 hours and 15 minutes)! We'd be honored to have your support. Patrons receive five full-length, bonus podcasts each month (1 'Classics' sh...

We went live immediately after the conclusion of WWE Extreme Rules 2021 on Sunday night. We're here to talk about that (terrible) ending, Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor, Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss, the Street Profits vs. The Usos and much more. Plus some general comments about WWE creative and the narrative surrounding this show.Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/Sign up to support us on Patreon at www.patreon.co...

We recapped AEW Dynamite Grand Slam immediately after the show ended. The event, which aired live from the Arthur Ashe Stadium in NYC, will go down as one of the great wrestling television broadcasts of all time. Kenny Omega vs. Bryan Danielson went to a time limit draw in one of the best TV matches ever. Cody Rhodes was back in action. Britt Baker and Ruby Soho were put in the main event slot. And Sting impressed. We break it all down!Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.co...

Ryan and Justin check in with this week's bonus show on the Spotify Greenroom app. Immediately following Wednesday night's AEW Dynamite, we discussed that show, the loaded lineups for the next three AEW television shows including NYC next week, Big E's title win on Raw Monday night, the NXT relaunch, and much more.Like the show? Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up to hear our "Extra" bonus shows every week! You get access to this bonus podcast each week, unedited, i...

We discuss WWE's recent troubles at creating stars (and keeping talent in the promotion). We also look at the reasons for these failures and Vince McMahon's legacy with star-making. AEW has become the promotion that young talent are now aspiring to -- we look at why. Plus, AEW defeated WWE RAW this week in the key 18-49 demo for the very first time.Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/Sign up to support us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/topropenati...

We attended AEW All Out 2021 and what a night it was. Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole debut with AEW, as did Ruby Soho earlier in the show. One of the greatest tag team cage matches of all time. Chris Jericho's career continues. Kenny Omega retains. And so much more! We hit record when we got back to the hotel room to record only our second podcast ever where all of our hosts were in the same room at the same time. Enjoy!Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/29097149...

We return early this week to preview this Sunday's AEW All Out PPV in Chicago. We look at each and every match on the card, predict the victors, and talk about the creative direction of the company moving forward. Plus, some exclusive news on Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson and when WWE is expecting him to debut.Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/Sign up to support us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/topropenation - exclusive bonus content and access ...

This is a special preview of this month's Patreon-exclusive 'Top Rope Nation Classics' podcast. We go back in time and look at WWF SummerSlam 1989.Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up and hear the rest of the show (which clocks in at just under 2 hours)! We'd be honored to have your support. Patrons receive five full-length, bonus podcasts each month (1 'Classics' show, 4 Spotify Greenroom 'Extra' shows). There are over 45 bonus podcasts available for you to dive in...

It's finally here! Ryan and Kyle check in, albeit slightly late, with their respective reviews of Saturday night's WWE SummerSlam 2021. In one of our more unique PPV recap shows in the pod's history, the two look back at SummerSlam (without knowing what the other host thought!). How well do our views of Becky Lynch/Bianca Belair, Roman Reigns/John Cena, Lashley/Goldberg, and more match up? Do we agree that they blew it with Becky's big return?Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.face...

Ryan and Kyle went live on Spotify Greenroom on Friday night (as we do every week) immediately after AEW Rampage went off the air. We discuss CM Punk's return to wrestling, his prospects in AEW moving forward, talk to someone who was live at the United Center, and take a lot of great calls from fans who are pumped to see Punk back in a wrestling ring.Like the show? Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up to hear our "Extra" bonus shows every week! You get access to this...

Big changes are in store for WWE NXT. We discuss all the latest news on the behind the scenes moves happening at NXT, where the brand started to lose its way (and why), and discuss what the future could look like. Plus, we talk about this year's SummerSlam build and why our excitement is lacking. Then, we wrap things up with a discussion on the career of Bobby Eaton. Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/20% OFF at HOMAGE.com! We've partnered with ...

This week on the pod, it's a rapid fire discussion of a lot of current events in the world of professional wrestling. Adam Cole's status, the releases of Ric Flair and Bray Wyatt, why tribalism among wrestling fans is dumb, favorite SummerSlam moments, and much more.Join our Facebook discussion group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290971494637440/20% OFF at HOMAGE.com! We've partnered with the fine folks over at Homage for an exclusive discount for our listeners. If you're not aware, Homage ...

This is a special preview of this month's Patreon-exclusive 'Top Rope Nation Classics' podcast. We go back in time and look at WWF Invasion 2001.Head on over to https://www.patreon.com/topropenation to sign up and hear the rest of the show (which clocks in at just over 2 hours)! We'd be honored to have your support. Patrons receive five full-length, bonus podcasts each month (1 'Classics' show, 4 Spotify Greenroom 'Extra' shows). There are over 40 bonus podcasts available for you to dive into ...