The WWF was on cruise control as it came to Raleigh, NC for the biggest party of the summer. The matches are mostly solid, but the highs are not quite as high, until one match gets injected with a little TLC. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
While it would still be over a decade until #givedivasachance, this main event from RAW from 2000 marked a change in the expectations and excitement surrounding women wrestlers. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
Before we look at the evolution of the art form at SummerSlam 2000, we look back at the first televised ladder match and one of the best wrestling matches of all time in this contest between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon. Theme song “Their Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam . Check out his tracks on Real Late by Peter Rosenberg, out now! Art by Alexis Yavne
The WWF continued its parade of stellar pay per views in the year 2000 with this entry from Dallas, TX. A future hall of famer continuing her ascent, a big man jumping from on high, and three main event worthy matchups round out this phenomenal show. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
Before we explore the sea change in women’s wrestling in the WWF from 2000, we look back for the first time at two women superstars that were doing it half a decade before with this classic from SummerSlam 1994. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
From Boston, Massachusetts, it’s the finals for the biggest field in King of the Ring tournament history, and sensible booking gives way to a nonsensical main event with a whole bunch of superstars acting against their interests. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
At Judgment Day, the sometimes mortuary agent, sometimes evil wizard we’ve grown to usually love reemerged as a biker. What better chance to look back at his history and his first two appearances, a taping of Superstars and Survivor Series from 1990. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
From Louisville, KY, it’s yet another stacked show that even the Big Show vs. Shane McMahon can’t bring down. It features an iron man main event between the Rock and Triple H that completely rewrites the conventions established during WrestleMania XII. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
Before the Rock and Hunter do battle in an ironman match at Judgment Day 2000, we look back at the original ironman match that capped off WrestleMania XII. Some would say it’s the best wrestling match of all time. Eric wouldn’t, but some would. Theme song "There Are Traitors in Our Midst" by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
From our nation’s capital, it’s the event that probably should have been WrestleMania. Tag teams are on display, Chyna catches some Latino heat, and the main event rights the biggest wrong from the showcase of the immortals as the Rock takes on Triple H, one on one. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
The bags of money thrown at Vince McMahon and the end of the WWE Network as we know it, means a change in how we do deep dives. Luckily, we peacock comedy here at Hell in a Cellphone, so instead we’re going to relive sketch comedy of the early aughts and dunk on the somehow worse interface that we have with Peacock. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne...
For FIFTY pay per views, the Hell in a Cellphone guys have led you through the Attitude Era of the WWF, and it’s all led to…one of the worst WrestleManias ever. Come for the matches that would have gotten a boring chant on Sunday Night Heat. Stay for the questionable booking throughout. Ask yourself, “Did EVERY McMahon need to be involved in this?” It’s the Showcase of the Immortals, 2000 style! Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne...
The Attitude Era is here, and it has no room for award shows. We review the changing landscape of the WWF and hand out the awards they didn’t for the year since WrestleMania XV. Come back next week for our WrestleMania 2000 episode! Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
The WWF continued their pay per view hot-streak in 2000 with this show from Hartford, CT with a Hell in a Cell match that truly understands how you book the stipulation between Cactus Jack and Mankind and a stacked undercard. Surly, they can keep up this momentum for WrestleMania 2000. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
We exhaustively look into the sexual addiction of Sexual Chocolate and the love of an old woman that pulls him out of it. It’s a modern Harold and Maude and we should all get a hand for enduring it. Did we make sense of this story from the Attitude Era of WWE? Not likely Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 1999 and 2000: September 30, October 7, October 11, October 14, October 18, October 21, October 25, October 28, Novembe...
30 men entered the 2000 Royal Rumble from Madison Square Garden, and most of them were either allied with the McMahon/Helmsley Era or directly opposed. Add to the fun a particularly brutal street fight between Triple H and Cactus Jack and you have one of the most complete pay per views of the Attitude Era. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
We continue our deep dive as Triple H takes the WWF Championship and the story shifts to a redemptive one for the recently fired Mankind with the Royal Rumble and the road to WrestleMania looming overhead. Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 2000: January 3, January 6, January 10, January 13, January 17 and January 20. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
In the wake of the surprise finish of Armageddon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H spend their honeymoon taking control of the day to day operations at the WWF, and nearly every storyline on RAW and SmackDown goes through them. Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from the following episodes of RAW and Smackdown from 1999 and 2000: December 13, December 16, December 20, December 23, December 27, December 30, and January 3. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vie...
Before you watch NXT: Vengeance Day look back at this other Valentine’s Day branded event from the build to WrestleMania XV. New episodes return next week with the first part of our deep dive on the McMahon/Helmsley Era. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
Nobody would call this show from Sunrise, Florida a masterpiece, but there is definitely a lot of interesting things going on as the WWF ended the millennium and entered into one of the biggest years in the company’s history. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
Wedding bells are in the air! Vince McMahon is feuding with D-Generation X. Certainly that will have no bearing on his daughter’s nuptials with Test. Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 1999: November 15, November 18, November 22, November 25, November 29, December 2, and December 6. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne...
We go all the way back to the Summer of 1999 to track every inch of the Test and Stephanie wedding story, from the proposal, to the second proposal, to the amnesia, to the third proposal. We even look at what’s going on with Triple H, even though there’s no way that could have anything to do with the happy couple’s nuptials. Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from Rebellion and the following episodes or RAW and SmackDown from 1999: August 23, August 26, August 30, September 6...
Survivor Series is filled with iconic moments: The Montreal Screwjob, the Deadly Game Tournament, and now the Middling Follow-Up from Detroit, Michigan. Aside from the traditional survivor series matches, we have the premiere of WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, Chyna’s first Intercontinental Title defense, and the first Championship win for future Hall of Famer the Big Show. Theme song “There Are Strangers in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne...
Known doggie murderer the Big Bossman sets his sights on the Big Show and his dying father for super vague reasons, but before its all done we’ll have broken watches, attempted murder and dragging coffins. Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 1999: October 7, October 11, October 14, October 18, October 21, October 25, October 28, November 1, November 4, November 8 and November 11. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst”...
Happy Holidays to you! Ever wish you could watch wrestling with us? We tried to do just that and it mostly worked! If you sync up your WWE Network with a countdown in podcast Wizard of Oz/Pink Floyd style, you can hear our witty commentary live along with the final match of the Terri Invitational Tournament, Edge & Christian vs. the Hardy Boyz from No Mercy 1999. If you don’t, be prepared for a lot of blank space. See you in 2021! Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam...
So many of our deep dives come to a head at this redundantly named pay per view from the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Rock thankfully finishes his business with the British Bulldog. Mankind goes to war with Val Venis over a sock. The Terri Invitational Tournament has its stunning finale. Chyna finally gets sweet revenge on Jeff Jarrett. And Steve Austin puts on his most solid outing in months in the championship match against Triple H. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco ...
A paper thin story with weird stakes leads to a sea change in tag team wrestling. Matt & Jeff Hardy, Gangrel’s New Brood, take on Edge & Christian, the former holders of that title, in a best of five tournament culminating in the first ever tag team ladder match at No Mercy for $100,000 and the managerial services of Terri Runnels. Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from SummerSlam, Unforgiven, No Mercy and the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 1999: Septem...
In our first of two deep dives leading up to No Mercy 1999, we explore the continuing rise of Chyna as a top superstar, the depths of Jeff Jarrett’s kayfabe misogyny, and the insane booking decisions the WWE had for every other woman on the roster, making a guest appearance, or just hanging around backstage Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from Unforgiven, Rebellion and the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 1999: August 23, August 26, August 30, September 2, Sept...
It’s off to Birmingham, England for another for another glorified house show at Rebellion 1999. While it does feature a major moment in the Stephanie McMahon storyline and a pretty good steel cage match between the Rock and Triple H, it also has a lot of British Bulldog. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne
More Rock! More Sock! Unlikely partners Mankind and the Rock found themselves teaming up in 1999. Eric, Bobby and Aaron find themselves teaming up in 2020 to talk about it. But can they coexist? Want to get caught up? This episode deals with content from the following episodes of RAW and SmackDown from 1999: September 27, September 30, October 4, October 7, October 11, October 14 and October 18. Theme song “There Are Traitors in Our Midst” by Disco Vietnam Art by Alexis Yavne...
