WCW spent eighteen months building to Sting vs. Hollywood Hogan… only to trip over their own feet at the finish line. In this episode of Grapple City Rewind, Brad and Aaron break down the spectacular chaos of WCW Starrcade 1997—from the overhyped “greatest night ever” promises to the infamous not-fast fast count that derailed the biggest payoff in company history.
Brad also opens the show with a full recount of attending WWE Survivor Series 2025 live at Petco Park, describing the nightmare seating, the hours-long entry lines, the obstructed views, and how the Dominic Mysterio injury angle worked the entire stadium in real time.
Then it’s back to 1997, where confusion reigned backstage, referees and managers looked like they’d been handed new script pages seconds before going live, NWO interference suffocated half the card, and Bret Hart wandered into the main event like he wasn’t sure why he was even there. We also cover the matches that quietly stole the show, the production choices that aged like milk, and the moment many fans consider the beginning of WCW’s collapse.
If you’ve ever wanted a blueprint on how to ruin an 18-month storyline in 18 seconds, this is the one.
This episode brought to you by Weber4Law - your tag team partner when life body-slams you out of nowhere. Call (818) 502-9200 or visit https://weber4law.com/
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Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.
Created by Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.