Shake Them Ropes is a pro wrestling podcast hosted by Rob McCarron with Jeff Hawkins. Each week, we dive into the top stories in and out of the WWE ring. No match by match reviews with no emotion, but real heat on real stories. Check us out on Twitter @ShakeThemRopes!
Nov botches the intro then we talk Vince's legal team's latest memorandum, AEW taking over Arlington Texas and Pro Wrestling NOAH seeking to get tighter with WWE. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF CRITICISM talking all things Dynamite, RAW/Smackdown and NXT including the welcome return of Darby Allin on a show lacking a lot of connection.
This week, Jeff is upset AEW didn't plug Will Ospreay for Collision, then in the news, USA gets RAW for a couple more months, Mania goes to Vegas, and the Backlash scrum leads to drama. Then the LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: Backlash and Raw were fun watches, AEW had one or two things and NXT only had Chelsea Green to redeem it.
This week we ask if AEW is a lazy company. In the news, Johnny Ace is a gutless simp, Drew and Seth re-sign, Brad Blum quits and NXT cuts. Then THE LAZY RIVER OF WRESTLING CRITICISM: a Backlash preview, Kenny's promo, Christian and Swerve, and MORE!
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 free agents.
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 undermining, the lousy nature of the CFO-era theme songs, nightmare blunt rotations with JBL, and why The Bunny is actually a big jerk & how Adam Rose is kinda right to hate him.
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 show long build. Plus, improv lessons...from Chris.
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