Grapple City Rewind
Step into the time machine and rewind the glory (and the weirdness) of pro wrestling’s VHS era. Hosted by Bradley Palermo and Aaron Fink, Grapple City Rewind dives deep into classic pay-per-views from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s—unpacking everything from five-star classics to glitter botches, fake Diesels, and forgotten squash matches.
Each episode blends play-by-play recaps, backstage trivia, and plenty of sarcastic banter. Sometimes it’s reverence, sometimes it’s ridicule, but it’s always passionate. Whether we’re debating star ratings, laughing at signs, or reliving Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind, we’re here to remind you why you fell in love with wrestling in the first place.
We kick off every show with a look at today’s wrestling headlines, then rewind to the pay-per-views that shaped us as fans. Think of it as a tape-trading party with your loudest friends, only with better audio.
Want to cut a promo on us? Call 626-657-SLAM and tell us what you loved, hated, or want us to cover next.
Grapple City Rewind – part history lesson, part comedy roast, all love for the squared circle.
Grapple City Rewind
Cold War Heat - NWA Starrcade 1985
Travel back to Thanksgiving night 1985 as Bradley and Aaron dive deep into Starrcade: The Gathering, a split-venue NWA mega-event overflowing with blood, Russians, rule-breaking, cage mayhem, and one unbelievably annoying drunk fan who somehow made it into the subtitles.
This episode covers:
- Rock & Roll Express vs. Ivan & Nikita Koloff in a cage match that’s somehow no-DQ and still worked like a tag match
- Endless blood, heel chaos, and wild Cold War heat
- Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes in a classic NWA main event complete with interference, cops escorting wrestlers, a massive blade job, and the original Dusty Finish
- Dave Meltzer’s ratings vs. what Bradley and Aaron REALLY think
- A mailbox segment with Frank checking in about Royal Rumble season
- The official GCR rating: Fast Forward, Play, or Rewind
- Announcement of the next PPV: Starrcade 1997 – Hogan vs. Sting
If you love gritty 80s wrestling, crimson masks, or just want to hear two guys yell about a drunk dude screaming “DUSTY RHODES! WOO!” for twenty minutes straight — this is your episode.
Email: Grapplecitypod@gmail.com
IG: @grapplecitypod
TikTok: @grapplecitypod
Threads: @grapplecitypod
Music by Bradley Palermo & The Shadow Queens.
Created by Bradley Palermo & Aaron Fink.
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