The Wrestling Rewind #217 🎙️ : WrestleMania Concerns, WWE 2K26 Controversy & WrestleMania 24 Revisited

📅 Air Date: 17-03-26 📻 Broadcast on Phoenix 92.5 FM This week on The Wrestling Rewind, we’re broadcasting across continents as Darragh checks in from Manchester while Christopher holds things down in Texas. We kick things off with the growing backlash surrounding WWE’s WrestleMania build, including Cody Rhodes returning to the title picture and concerns that WWE’s biggest show of the year is becoming predictable and creatively stale. We discuss fan reactions, Drew McIntyre’s booking frustrations, and whether the company is relying too heavily on the same main-event names year after year. We also break down the WWE 2K26 controversy, including the shocking pricing structure, battle pass system, and how modern gaming monetisation is affecting wrestling games. Plus, we review the latest WWE Raw, discuss Finn Bálor standing up to Judgment Day, and debate whether WWE is missing opportunities to build new stars like LA Knight and others. Finally, we jump into the Time Machine and revisit WrestleMania 24 (2008) — featuring CM Punk’s Money in the Bank win, Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair in one of wrestling’s most emotional matches, and The Undertaker vs Edge in the early days of the legendary WrestleMania streak narrative. 🎧 Honest opinions, wrestling history, and the stories behind the biggest moments in the business. ▶️ YouTube Chapters 00:00 The Wrestling Rewind Intro 00:57 Broadcasting From Manchester 02:30 Cody Rhodes Back in the Title Picture 05:00 Drew McIntyre’s Booking Frustration 07:40 WWE’s Creative Problems 10:30 Are WrestleManias Becoming Predictable? 13:10 The Problem With Repeating Main Events 16:30 WrestleMania Ticket Prices Debate 19:30 Is TKO Affecting WWE Creative? 22:30 WWE 2K26 Pricing Controversy 26:00 Battle Passes & Microtransactions 30:00 WWE Raw Review 33:10 Finn Bálor Stands Up to Judgment Day 36:30 CM Punk vs Roman Reigns Build 40:00 The Usos Drama Explained 42:40 Time Machine – WrestleMania 24 44:00 Money in the Bank Ladder Match 45:30 Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair 46:40 Floyd Mayweather vs Big Show 47:40 Undertaker vs Edge 48:40 Final Thoughts 🎧 Spotify Timestamps 00:00 Show intro and Phoenix FM opening 00:57 Broadcasting from Manchester and Texas 02:30 Cody Rhodes winning the title again discussion 05:00 Drew McIntyre’s stop-start title runs 07:40 WWE creative criticism and repetitive storytelling 10:30 Are modern WrestleManias becoming predictable? 13:10 The lack of new WWE main event stars 16:30 WrestleMania ticket price debate 19:30 Is TKO influencing WWE creative decisions? 22:30 WWE 2K26 pricing controversy explained 26:00 Microtransactions and battle pass discussion 30:00 WWE Raw review 33:10 Finn Bálor finally turning on Judgment Day 36:30 CM Punk vs Roman Reigns storyline discussion 40:00 The Usos and Bloodline tensions 42:40 Time Machine: WrestleMania 24 44:00 CM Punk wins Money in the Bank 45:30 Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair retirement match 46:40 Floyd Mayweather vs Big Show 47:40 Undertaker vs Edge main event 48:40 Closing thoughts and plugs 🔗 Follow & Support 🎙 Christopher's Podcast: The Josh Zodiac Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@THEJoshZodiacPodcast TikTok: tiktok.com/@thejoshzodiacpodcast X: x.com/joshzodiacpod 🐦 Darragh on X: @darraghwv 🌐 Website: nerdtoknowmedia.com #TheWrestlingRewind #WrestlingPodcast #WWE #WrestleMania #CMPunk #RomanReigns #CodyRhodes #WWE2K26 #ProWrestling #WrestlingHistory