The Straight Shooters
Nick Piccone (PhillyInfluencer.com, PhillyVoice.com) and Vaughn Johnson (formerly of Inquirer.com) started a pro wrestling podcast in 2015 and have continually produced excellent episodes weekly ... Live commentary specials before they were cool, deep dives into career retrospectives, high profile guests, current product analysis, and much more ... For exclusive content and more live commentary specials, become a patron: patreon.com/shootersradio
Episodes
July 21, 2024 • 121 mins
This week, we head back to the Golden Era of 1997 and dive deep into an event that was headlined by Dennis Rodman tag-teaming with Hollywood Hogan as the nWo goes mainstream! BUT FIRST, we discuss the latest news in the world of professional wrestling, including: AEW, TNA Slammiversary, WWE's Bloodline angle, the Phillies, and more! -- Follow us on Twitter/X [@_piccone...
Mark as Played
July 12, 2024 • 111 mins
On July 22, 2001, WCW and ECW defeated the WWF in the Inaugural Brawl. It would be cool if it meant former big WCW names coming in to join, but Stone Cold Steve Austin's second heel turn in four months highlighted exactly what was to come from a failed "Invasion" angle. Despite the factory reset by introducing ECW, this event showcased just how ridiculous the entire thing was to look back on. Join us as we dive deep into all the ha...
Mark as Played
July 5, 2024 • 104 mins
Recorded July 2021. It was a Triple Main Event as Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit were the underdogs heading into matches with WWF icons Undertaker, Triple H, and The Rock, respectively. WWF was absolutely on fire at this point, and some of the booking during this event made it clear they could do whatever they wanted, the fans were not going to abandon their fandom. Live from the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, it was ...
Mark as Played
July 4, 2024 • 61 mins
31 years ago today, Yokozuna challenged anyone and everyone to bodyslam him on the U.S.S. Intrepid; professional wrestlers, NFLers, NHLers, anyone with a pulse, really! And nobody was able to do it. That is, until "Made in the U.S.A.", Lex Luger, flew in on a helicopter and faced the challenge. Was it a hip toss!? You be the judge. -- Follow us on Twitter/X [@_piccone...
Mark as Played
July 2, 2024 • 105 mins
Recorded July 2023. In July 1996, we saw one of the most memorable moments in wrestling history, if not *the* most memorable. Hulk Hogan had finally turned his back on all of his fans and turned on WCW at Bash at the Beach to christen the New World Order (or Organization) on July 7. But we're here for the real action - Joe Gomez, Disco Inferno, THE NASTY BOYS, and more! So press play! -- Follow us on Twitter/X [...
Mark as Played
July 1, 2024 • 81 mins
Recorded July 2021. The WWF in 1997 had some very, very good things, and some very, very bad things. Their July pay-per-view offering in Calgary, Alberta, Canada was one of the best events they produced that year. With a very dynamic and non-traditional babyface Hart Foundation in Canada vs. those American jerks of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock and the Legion of Doom, the roles would be reversed if you just crossed...
Mark as Played
June 28, 2024 • 96 mins
The July 9, 2001 episode of Monday Night Raw was a hard reset of the ongoing WCW Invasion storyline as Paul Heyman and ECW joined the mix. Despite the show emanating from Atlanta, the crowd was HYPED for ECW's resurgence. By the end of the night, ECW and WCW would form The Alliance against the WWF. Despite missteps along the way, this felt like the true beginning of a legit Invasion storyline we could sink our teeth into. Just forg...
Mark as Played
June 27, 2024 • 117 mins
Recorded June 2023. 26 years ago, we saw one of the most memorable moments in wrestling history. The Undertaker threw Mankind off the top of the Hell in a Cell and created one of the most significant moments not only in the Monday Night War era, but in the history of wrestling, period. Oh, yeah, there was also a King of the Ring tournament that night and Stone Cold Steve Austin lost the WWF Championship. It was a busy night! -- Fol...
Mark as Played
June 21, 2024 • 117 mins
The July 2, 2001 edition of the WWF's Monday Night Raw featured the WCW World Heavyweight Championship being defended by Booker T against Buff Bagwell in the main event. There's a lot of lore about this match and this particular episode of Monday Night Raw, which included a cringy, creepy Vince McMahon angle with Torrie Wilson, so we'll dive deep into it on this episode of the pod! -- Follow us on Twitter/X [...
Mark as Played
June 21, 2024 • 105 mins
Recorded June 2023. This week, the guys head back to the circus of 1998 WCW and dive deep into the Great American Bash. Sting vs. Giant for... the WCW Tag Titles? Goldberg against the nWo Wolfpac, Eddie Guerrero and Chavo with a family feud, Heenan cutting off Schiavone, and more! -- Follow us on Twitter/X [@_piccone]...
Mark as Played
June 21, 2024 • 92 mins
Recorded June 2023. This week, we head back to the golden era of 1997 WCW! It's the Great American Bash! DDP vs. Savage II in a Lights Out Match! Flair/Piper vs. the Outsiders for the WCW Tag Team Titles. Kevin Greene vs. Mongo! Madusa's career ends!? And much, much more! -- Follow us on Twitter/X [@_piccone] [...
Mark as Played
June 20, 2024 • 125 mins
Recorded June 2022. This week, we head to 1996 WCW, just weeks after Scott Hall appeared for the first time on WCW Monday Nitro. He and Kevin Nash would have a surprise in store for Eric Bischoff at that year's Great American Bash. So would Kevin Greene with his monster promo skills, Steve McMichael making the most shocking turn in WCW in the summer of 1996, and plenty more good stuff! -- Follow us on Twitter/X [...
Mark as Played
June 18, 2024 • 126 mins
Recorded June 2022. This week, things get extreme AGAIN as we dive deep into ECW's One Night Stand 2006. This was the beginning of the new ECW brand that would be headed by Paul Heyman as GM and Rob Van Dam as the ECW Champion... only for it to fall apart literally weeks later. But first, we talk about Cody Rhodes wrestling at Hell in a Cell with a torn pec, Jon Moxley vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the AEW Interim World Heavyweight Ch...
Mark as Played
June 17, 2024 • 114 mins
Recorded June 2022. Things get extreme as we dive deep into ECW's very first One Night Stand pay-per-view from June 12, 2005. -- Follow us on Twitter [@_piccone] [@VaughnMJohnson] [@shootersradio] You can subscribe to The Straight ...
Mark as Played
June 15, 2024 • 113 mins
After WWF purchased WCW in 2001, it was all downhill from there, we just didn't know it yet. King of the Ring took place in June 2001 and it was the last "WWF-only" PPV until December's Vengeance PPV later that year. Shane McMahon - the "owner" of WCW - took Kurt Angle to the limit (!), Booker T made his WWF debut and injured Stone Cold Steve Austin - hell, there were a ton of injuries on this show - an anticlimactic main event, Vi...
Mark as Played
June 2, 2024 • 91 mins
This week, THE DEEP DIVES ARE BACK! A Patreon request, epsiode 395 is a deep dive into the very first PPV under the WWE name - Judgment Day 2002. Hulk Hogan as UNDISPUTED CHAMPION? Booker T gettin' freaky. Kurt Angle gets his hair shaved. And more! This episode features a new format for the deep dives... let us know what you think! -- Follow us on Twitter [@_piccone...
Mark as Played
This week, we discuss the latest news heading into a huge wrestling weekend as WWE presents King and Queen of the Ring from Saudi Arabia and AEW presents Double or Nothing from Las Vegas. We also discuss SummerSlam heading to Minnesota in 2026 and making it two nights! Speaking of SummerSlam, we also discuss the latest news that the winners of the King and Queen of the Ring will earn title shots at SummerSlam in Cleveland this year...
Mark as Played
May 11, 2024 • 121 mins
In the spirit of newly-designed WWE and World Tag Team Championships (finally!), Vaughn and Nick discuss their favorite title designs in the history of professional wrestling! -- Follow us on Twitter [@_piccone] [@VaughnMJohnson] [@shootersradio] You can subscrib...
Mark as Played
April 10, 2024 • 82 mins
Vaughn Johnson, Nick Piccone, Mark Henry Jr., and Jason Fanelli discuss their #WrestleMania weekend experiences and thoughts on Philly's spotlight from this past week and weekend as WWE and professional wrestling promotions from around the country took over the city. -- Follow us on Twitter [@_piccone] [@VaughnMJohnson...
Mark as Played
April 4, 2024 • 130 mins
Recorded April 2021. Episode 278. The Blue Meanie joins us to dive deep into the last WrestleMania that was in Philadelphia, WrestleMania XV! Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock headline what may not have been the greatest WrestleMania ever, but there's certainly no shortage of stories to come out of the March 28, 1999 pay-per-view from the First Union Center. ECW icon and WWF superstar The Blue Meanie joins the guys as we take no...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
The Podium: An NBC Olympic and Paralympic podcast. Join us for insider coverage during the intense competition at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the run-up to the Opening Ceremony, we’ll bring you deep into the stories and events that have you know and those you'll be hard-pressed to forget.
In The Village will take you into the most exclusive areas of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to explore the daily life of athletes, complete with all the funny, mundane and unexpected things you learn off the field of play. Join Elizabeth Beisel as she sits down with Olympians each day in Paris.
Listen to the latest news from the 2024 Olympics.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the 33rd Olympic Games and you can follow Paris Summer Games to stay up to date on all things Olympics. We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Paris Summer Games so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.