The Wrestling Rewind #220 : 🎙Pat McAfee Chaos, Punk’s Pipebomb & WrestleMania IX Disaster

📅 Air Date: 24-04-26 📻 Broadcast on Phoenix 92.5 FM This week on The Wrestling Rewind, Darragh and Christopher dive headfirst into one of the most chaotic weeks on the road to WrestleMania — and somehow, it all gets even messier. We kick things off with the biggest talking point in wrestling right now: Pat McAfee’s shocking heel turn and alignment with Randy Orton. Is this a bold new direction or a completely misjudged move driven by corporate influence? The lads break down the backlash, the rushed storytelling, and why fans are already turning on the angle. From there, we get into CM Punk’s explosive pipebomb promo on Raw, taking aim at McAfee, Roman Reigns, and the state of WWE itself. Did Punk just save the storyline — or expose even more cracks in the build? We also dig into the ongoing issues with Cody Rhodes as champion, the lack of clear direction heading into WrestleMania, and the growing feeling that creative decisions are being made on the fly. Plus, discussion on ticket price backlash and why WrestleMania might not be the guaranteed sellout it once was. Over in TNA, there’s a refreshing dose of chaos done right — with the return of Abyss, the eerie presence of Father James Mitchell, and a renewed focus on character-driven storytelling. But not everything is smooth sailing, as reports emerge of talent being pulled from AEW crossover events during WrestleMania weekend. Finally, we jump into the Time Machine for a painful revisit of WrestleMania IX — the infamous “toga party” in Las Vegas. From The Undertaker vs Giant Gonzalez to Hulk Hogan’s baffling last-minute title win, it’s a reminder that things can always be worse… somehow. 🎧 Real talk, strong opinions, and a look at wrestling’s past and present colliding in the wildest ways. ▶️ YouTube Chapters (Short & Punchy) 00:00 Wrestling Rewind Intro 00:55 Chaos Week in Wrestling 02:30 Pat McAfee Heel Turn Reaction 07:00 Corporate Influence in WWE? 11:30 CM Punk Pipebomb Returns 16:00 Punk vs McAfee & Roman Reigns 20:00 Cody Rhodes Problems Continue 24:00 WrestleMania Build Falling Flat 28:00 Ticket Price Backlash 31:30 TNA’s Spooky Comeback (Abyss Returns) 35:00 TNA vs AEW Crossover Issues 39:00 Too Much Wrestling? 42:00 Time Machine – WrestleMania IX 44:00 The Toga Party Disaster 46:00 Undertaker vs Giant Gonzalez 47:30 Hogan’s Infamous Title Win 49:00 Final Thoughts 🎧 Spotify Timestamps 00:00 Show intro and Phoenix FM opening 00:55 Chaotic week overview 02:30 Pat McAfee heel turn discussion 07:00 TKO influence and creative direction 11:30 CM Punk pipebomb promo breakdown 16:00 Punk targeting McAfee and Reigns 20:00 Cody Rhodes booking issues 24:00 WrestleMania build concerns 28:00 Ticket pricing backlash 31:30 TNA creative highlights and Abyss return 35:00 TNA/AEW crossover complications 39:00 Wrestling overload discussion 42:00 Time Machine: WrestleMania IX 44:00 Las Vegas “toga party” setting 46:00 Undertaker vs Giant Gonzalez 47:30 Hulk Hogan title controversy 49:00 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 #WWE #AEW #TNA #WrestleMania #CMPunk #PatMcAfee #CodyRhodes #RandyOrton #Undertaker #WrestleManiaIX #WrestlingPodcast