Shake Them Ropes is a pro wrestling podcast hosted by Jeff Hawkins and Chris Novembrino. Each week, we dive into the top stories in professional wrestling and opine on whatever's on our mind from the week in professional wrestling television (and sometimes even Jeff's beloved 80s wrestling) with a light hearted take on the performance aspects of the product. Check us out on Twitter @ShakeThemRopes!
In the news: Vince wants arbitration, WWE releases some talent and Broken Matt Hardy is your new TNA Champ. Fantastic. It gets weirder on the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM as AEW has perhaps their best overall ppv and starts Dynamite not with their new historic champ but...Trent Beretta? The Elite then stage a coup and topple the Khan regime. In WWE, it was treading water before the reboot.
This week, injuries abound, Oklahoma sends AEW a warning, and WWE plans to go after the world. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: AEW Dynasty preview, and a smidge of WWE and NXT. And we talk a little Dickey Betts and guitar players as for Jeff's old AWA watching vs. modern indy style..
CM Punk was a draw for both promotions. This week is pretty much one big LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM as we go through NXT Stand and Deliver, both nights of Mania and whatever the hell AEW was trying to do in response to WWE's big weekend.
This week a supersized show, in the news Vince McMahon's team leaks a love letter, AEW cuts some talent, Punk and Cody go on Ariel Helwani, Ronda Rousey metoos Drew Gulak. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: a very weird AEW Dynamite, we analyze almost the whole thing and we then preview NXT: Stand and Deliver and both nights of Wrestlemania. Also, plenty of jokes about the movie Predator.
This week AEW hits a low and Rock and Cody bring it home. Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch are talking a lot on book tours and we talk about audiences this week. Then the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM we examine the AEW storytelling vs. character thoroughly. WWE is in the home stretch for Mania.
Jeff returns after the death of his father, which he talks a little about then they go over some news stories missed in his absence including Kevin Kelly's firing and a footnote about the death of Jackie Crockett, then the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM including Hook/Jericho, tag team wrestling in WWE and do they want strong heels in AEW. We also chatted a bit about bad discourse about how WWE "blew it" with f...
While Jeff tends to family business, Nov goes for an extended LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM. Chris is joined by his friend, Desi, from Differential Brewery. Chris gave Desi the option to talk about any retro show he wanted and he chose Survivor Series 2014. After explaining to Chris why he inflicted this re-watch on him, Desi and Chris discuss how Vince's insertion into The Authority storyline was profoundly undermini...
This week we think both companies had pretty good weeks. Okada debuts for AEW, the Rock gets all the Rock IP, the WWE starts the Hall of Fame announcements and MORE. Then the world famous LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM where at least one of us gushes over AEW: Revolution, Sting's Retirement and Rock's twitter promo. We ask if the first hour of Dynamite was like an old Raw and wonder if the Ospreay/Fletcher story needed a...
This week: The passing of Richard Lewis, Ole Anderson and Virgil in the news then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: ice cold takes on Elimination Chamber Perth and a preview of Revolution.
This week, Chris and Jeff discuss John Cena and Randy Orton playing footsie with the Vince McMahon allegations to different bad results, the hiring of Jen Pepperman in AEW and why it's a possibly great hire, and the Rock decides now's the time for a Ric Flair biopic. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: Elimination Chamber Perth, very good Dynamite and Raw, NXT killing all its babyfaces and we both for fun watc...
This week, Chris and Jeff talk about the Ashley Massaro affidavit, why we have sympathy for QT Marshall, the other news and then the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM where we get into tonal problems of the BCC, and the odd choices in the Swerve and Darby promos relative to the stories they set up last week. Not a lot of WWE or NXT talk because one was there and one wasn't good but we do dip our toes there.
This week an interesting show as the first part of the show was recorded with original STR host Rob McCarron after last Friday's Smackdown where Rock and Reigns were going to headline. The second part was recorded the following Saturday after the press conference with regular co-host Chris Novembrino. Plus firings in Stardom and TNA and the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM
This week: Vince officially steps down...again. Johnny Ace throws himself on the mercy of the court of public opinion and CM Punk is hurt...again. Then on THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: ICE COLD TAKES on the Royal Rumble, a preview of Vengeance Day, and Jeff's other co-host may have deconstructed every Dynamite match to the point Jeff can't unsee it.
Plus: Don't go to grocery stores, go to rest...
So we "celebrate" Ten Years by first bringing on Rob McCarron, who created this beast, then Chris and I get a little dark with the Vince McMahon lawsuit and the Netflix/Raw deal among the news of the week. Not the happy light party we were hoping for, and this one isn't for the kids.
This week, Chris does his best Taxicab Confessions impression, then we talk Okada leaving NJPW, injuries to Seth Rollins and Cora Jade and Tony Khan bringing back the rankings. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM including asking if R-Truth is the best of this type of character WWE has done, Joe/Hook and what they got right and what they didn't, that Young Bucks promo and more.
This week, we talk the hiring of Lee Fitting to WWE which is not without controversy, Tony Khan in his feels on social media and the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: Does Adam Cole have only one promo when leading a heel faction? Has WWE found out about competency and nuance in character dynmaics? Also good comedy and bad comedy. Plus other nonsense.
This week it's the biggest wrestling week of the year, and we watched some of it. Kevin Dunn is gone, the Rock is back, and Mercedes/Sasha is going somewhere eventually. News, injuries, comings and goings and THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM including how you don't start breaking up a faction as soon as you debut it.
This week Chris and Jeff go through the news, review what Jeff thought were the top stories of 2023, and then on the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM we preview AEW World's End give our picks for our favorite matches and a few off base predictions.
Jeff's travel woes caused this to be late but to make up for it we included King of the Ring 1993 on the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM. Freezing Cold Takes on NXT Deadline and the guys critique where the Golden Jets/ Starks and Big Bill promo went wrong.
This week, post production in AEW going in a new direction, House Shows may be dead, and obnoxious in your advertising might be coming to WWE. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM with a preview of NXT Deadline and a week where things existed.
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A straightforward look at the day's top news in 20 minutes. Powered by ABC News. Hosted by Brad Mielke.