The Top 10
WRESTLER-HOSTED PODCASTS
Ever since my daily commute has been extended to 90 minutes each way, I've really become a fan of wrestling podcasts. And while there are a TON that focus on wrestling analysis (my personal fave is Live Audio Wrestling), what follows is a guide to the 10 best hosted by wrestlers.
10) Who's Next with Goldberg
Goldberg is extremely new to the podcasting world, so it may take him a while to find his "voice". So far it's mostly been non wrestling-related in terms of talk and guests - which is fine - but it's hard to determine what he will bring to the table that others don't already do. Still, he has a decent voice for podcasting and certainly brings some enthusiasm to the table.
9) The John Layfield & Michael Cole Show
As evidenced by their work together at WWE events and their numerous years behind the broadcast booth together (surely you haven't forgotten how they were once exclusively on SmackDown?), JBL and Cole have a very natural chemistry. However, this podcast is more about current events and politics than wrestling. And again, nothing wrong with that; they do a great job with the material.... but it just doesn't hold my interest on a weekly basis.
Anyone who has ever listened to Cornette's rants about the state of the wrestling industry knows that they are things of beauty. My only complaint would be that an hour or so of this in the same stretch can sometimes be too much. Thankfully, Cornette has co-host Alice Radley to reign him a little. The quality of his guests can be hit or miss, depending on the week.
8) The Jim Cornette Experience
Rowdy Roddy Piper is one of my all-time favorites, so it actually pains me to rank him this low. Why do it, then? Some weeks he is spot on and can have a great old-school conversation with his guest (such as Chavo Guerrero Jr.). Other podcasts will be free for alls, such as a conversation he recently had with Brutus Beefcake and Jimmy Snuka where it just sounded like he was tape-recording them shooting the shit in a car or something, with absolutely no direction.
7) Piper's Pit with Roddy Piper
6) Taz Radio
Taz is extremely comfortable behind a mic, as evidenced by his broadcasting stints in TNA and WWE. Although it's fairly early on in The Human Suplex Machine's podcasting career, he recently had a great conversation on the air with Vince Russo and I'm sure the format will only continue to improve.
Technically, this could be seen as more of a wrestling analysis podcast, as it also features former WWE writer Court Bauer and indy wrestler Mister Saint Laurent. But Konnan is clearly the star of the show here, with his hilarious observations and stories about the industry acting as a great reason for listeners to come back to the podcast each week.
5) MLW Radio (Konnan)
4) The Ross Report
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross comes across just as educated and polished as you'd expect, discussing everything from wrestling to boxing to football and MMA. His interviews with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Trish Stratus and Mick Foley have been revealing, and his analysis of the current state of wrestling is always worth a listen.
3) Talk is Jericho
Much like everything he does (wrestling, music, writing, acting), Chris Jericho works his ass off to create an entertaining, informative and fun podcast twice a week. His guests range from wrestling (Daniel Bryan and Bully Ray are recent examples) to athletes to musicians and actors - and everything is honestly worth listening to, even if you're strictly there for the wrestling content, because Jericho is such a blast to listen to.
CM Punk's buddy Colt Cabana is dubbed "wrestling's best-kept secret" and damned if his podcast isn't just that. Whether he's interviewing someone like Gangrel, Angelina Love or Roadkill (he's also interviewed Steve Austin and Punk), it feels like a relaxed, fun conversation while still coming off as extremely professional. WWE should hire Cabana back if for no other reason (and there ARE other reasons) than to become the company's official podcaster.
2) The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana
Just as he revolutionized wrestling in the late 1990's, Stone Cold Steve Austin has revolutionized the world of wrestler-hosted podcasting. Not only do you get to hear his trademark Texas drawl talking about a variety of subjects, but you can tell he is going out of his way to get guests that the other shows don't seem to capture. For example, his guests include James Storm, Eric Bischoff and Kevin Steen - none necessarily names you'd expect the WWE Hall of Famer to know, but all of them were incredibly personable and fun to listen to.
In addition, Austin's language comes shining through, whether he's using freely using wrestling jargon like "gimmicks" and "kayfabe" or more colorful terms on his less-family friendly "Unleashed" program. Both are insanely entertaining and full of great stories from the Texas Rattlesnake, and that's the bottom line.
1) The Steve Austin Show/The Steve Austin Show UNLEASHED!
Note: Click on the images below to subscribe to the various podcasts.
How does my list compare to your own? Any podcasters I missed here? Let me know in the Comments section below.... and don't forget to check out the fledgling Canadian Bulldog's World Radio.