The Attitude Era didn’t just go off the rails this week — it begged Vince McMahon to hold its beer while it jumped the guardrail and stole a tank.

We’re back from our accidental holiday-season hiatus (small business girlies, we survive by vibes alone), and diving straight into the chaos that was Raw Is War: April 27, 1998 — an episode packed with invasions, betrayals, unhinged promos, and one of the funniest JR commentary nights in wrestling history.

Inside this wonderfully deranged time capsule, we break down:

• DX rolling up to WCW’s front door like AEW Twitter with a megaphone, complete with fatigues, fake artillery, and “Billy on the Street but for wrestling beef” energy.
• Owen Hart turning heel so hard he basically auditioned for Interview With a Vampire, biting Ken Shamrock’s ear straight off the continent.
• Dude Love’s chaotic era, complete with chicks, tie-dye, and being fired up that his title shot is being derailed by Vince’s nonsense.
• Sable entering her ‘I don’t need a man, but I will beat my husband’s ass in two weeks’ era.
• Stone Cold clashing with Vince, a deranged Gerald Briscoe refereeing like a man possessed, and Dude Love adding fuel to the custody-battle-from-hell energy.

This episode is packed with some of the best (and absolute worst) of ‘98 storytelling — but above all, it’s fun, unhinged, deeply iconic wrestling television.

If you’re a lifelong fan, a lapsed fan, or brand new to wrestling, this one is a ride.

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

Reading the Ring: Do A Powerbomb! by Daniel Warren Johnson

In this episode of Reading the Ring, Xavier dives into the explosive, emotional, and wildly imaginative graphic novel Do A Powerbomb! by Daniel Warren Johnson — a love letter to pro wrestling disguised as a cosmic deathmatch.

After a brief hiatus (shoutout to small business season), we’re back with a story that blends the heart of wrestling with the drama of mythic storytelling. Xavier breaks down the characters, themes, artistry, and pure wrestling nerdery woven through the book, from Lona Steelrose’s grief-fueled journey to the unhinged brilliance of a necromancer who thinks wrestling is real.

We explore:

• Lona’s fierce determination to chase greatness under the shadow of her legendary mother.
• How DWJ uses wrestling as metaphor — not just spectacle, but catharsis, legacy, and love.
• The beautifully choreographed action sequences and why wrestling translates perfectly to comics.
• That final emotional gut punch about storytelling, life, and why wrestling’s predetermined endings only make the journey more meaningful.
• The unexpected twist where our heroes face… God (yes, literally).
• Why this book is essential reading for wrestling fans, comic fans, and anyone who loves character-driven stories with heart.

Reading the Ring is our wrestling book club — where stories inside the ring meet the stories written about it, and where fans (new and old) can experience the art of wrestling through a whole new lens.

If you haven’t picked up Do A Powerbomb! yet? Trust us. You want to.
If you have? Let’s talk about it.

Welcome to Reading the Ring. Where wrestling is real… and books are too.

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!

The Attitude Era officially sets itself on fire — literally.

This week, Xavier and Kelsey dive into WWF Unforgiven 1998, a pay-per-view packed with absurdity, infernos, and enough double-crossing to make Vince McMahon blush (which he does, from a stretcher).

From The Undertaker and Kane’s inferno match — a legit cinematic masterpiece — to Sable vs. Luna redefining the term “evening gown match,” this one’s got everything: cult energy from Dude Love, creepy energy from Jerry Lawler, and chaotic energy from everyone else.

💀 Matches that had us howling
🔥 Kane literally on fire
🎙️ JR at his breaking point
🩸 Vince McMahon in a neck brace
👀 Sable’s most savage comeback ever

It’s a night of weird finishes, iconic moments, and one of the wildest finales in wrestling history — when Stone Cold Steve Austin takes matters (and the referee’s job) into his own hands.

Join us as we break down the storytelling, the spectacle, and the sheer “WTF” energy of Unforgiven 1998.

#NewToWrestling #AttitudeEra #WWE #WWF #Unforgiven1998 #StoneCold #Undertaker #Kane #Sable #VinceMcMahon #DudeLove #ProWrestlingPodcast #WrestlingRewatch #WrestlingHistory

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!