Tights And Fights

Welcome to the first episode of the year 2018! And unlike the rest of society, there’s a whole host of things we get to look forward to in the New Year*. We’re well on the road to WrestleMania, as evidenced by all the news about the Royal Rumble that’s been coming out in recent weeks. But we also don’t know what’s going on with a lot of RAW’s most prominent characters. What will Jason Jordan’s current story with Seth Rollins evolve into? Will Samoa Joe continue to pursue the Intercontinental title after losing to Roman Reigns? And will Brock Lesnar vs. Kane amount to anything exciting? Plus, on Smackdown, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have finally seen some renewed success in their new alliance. They’ve beaten WWE Champion AJ Styles in back to back weeks. But is it okay for AJ to be taking losses like that? *Yes, including Wrestle Kingdom. But we’ll get to that next week! Main Event Women in the Royal Rumble were always treated as a novelty. Only gals like Kharma, Beth Phoenix and Chyna were ever afforded the hon

Because YOU helped make it happen: Here's a special music-filled episode of Tights and Fights! Tons of hits are explored from the Honkey Tonk Man theme, the RAW intro song, Bray Wyatt's theme and tons more. Hosted by Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford and Mike Eagle.  Produced by Julian Burrell for Maximum Fun. If you want to talk about more wrestling throughout the week be sure to join us on Facebook or @TightsFights on Twitter. If you liked the show, please share it with your friends and be sure to leave us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.

It’s our final full episode of the year, so let’s close it out in style! Looking ahead to next year, WWE has confirmed that the first ever women’s Royal Rumble is set for the January PPV. How hopeful are we that WWE has learned its lesson from the last few women’s “firsts” that they decided to institute? And at this weeks Clash of Champions event, AJ Styles retained his title over Jinder Mahal. Is this a sign that he’s going to be the top champion going into WrestleMania? Plus, how devastating Dean Ambrose’s injury is for WWE storylines, The third RAW debut of the Revival, Dolph Ziggler’s US Title win, and a lot more. Main Event It’s our annual best of wrestling list! What was the most exciting part of 2017? Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada? Braun Strowman? The Mae Young Classic? We’ll break down all of this and so much more. The Three Count: Mike put over The tag team of Aiden English and Rusev at Clash of Champions. Lindsey put over Kenny Omega attacking Chris Jericho at an NJPW press conference. Danielle p

Jay Washington joins the team for the week to make the Tights and Fights triple threat a fatal fourway! WWE’s rolling out a new Facebook exclusive show: The Mixed Match Challenge. It’ll run Tuesday nights with matches between mixed male and female tag teams. How likely are we to watch? We’ll tell you about it. And how great does Samoa Joe look? He’s probably the first guy who’s become a threat to the Shield entirely on his own. But what’s his path going forward? Could it possibly include beating Roman Reigns for the Intercontinental Title? And did Kevin Owens REALLY beat up Jay once? All that plus what we think of Cedric Alexander, Chris Jericho attacking Kenny Omega, why Mike love Sonya Deville and why Kane vs. Braun Strowman is already losing some of its shine. Main Event It’s our annual worst of wrestling list! What was the most disappointing part of 2017? Bray Wyatt’s title reign and booking? Roman Reigns and Undertaker’s match at WrestleMania? The Women’s Money in the Bank storyline? We’ll revisit the pa

We’re officially just a few weeks away from Clash of Champions, the final Pay-per-view of the year! But why does Smackdown feel so directionless outside of a few feuds going into the event? Maybe it has something to do with how much Shane McMahon has been inserting his influence into the Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn angle? Or maybe it’s because the tag team division hasn’t gotten another two teams hot yet for a big match? But at least RAW has looked really good this week! Jason Jordan seems to finally be developing a character and Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns are on a collision course for the Intercontinental Title. We’ll talk about all this plus The Bar retaining the RAW tag titles from the Shield, the differences between the Riott Squad and Absolution and more. Gimmick Corner When a wrestler named Husky Harris was sent back to NXT, he came up with a character named Bray Wyatt. He was a mysterious cult-like figure that seemed larger than life. But over the past few years, things haven’t gone as well as they could

We’re entering the final month of 2017, but there’s a lot being put in place before we’re full steam ahead on the road to WrestleMania! Roman Reigns had his first title defense against Elias. It was a great match, but now that Samoa Joe is in the mix, where does the IC title competition go from here? And AJ Styles is continuing his feud with Jinder Mahal. Most people want AJ to be the champ, but where does Jinder fit in now that he’s on the outs with his henchmen the Singh Brothers? All that, plus a look at the Riott Squad and Absolution, another spotlight on the Velveteen Dream and a requiem for the Hype Bros. after they got bludgeoned by the Brothers of the Bludgeoning. Main Event Matt Hardy’s broken universe may finally be making a comeback! But has the window of excitement closed for the concept? What does a WWE version of the broken gimmick look like? And is there anything else in WWE that they could draw their inspiration from in the recreation of the hottest concept of 2016? Three Count Danielle put ov

NXT TakeOver: War Games Rarely is there ever a TakeOver that doesn’t deliver the goods and everyone definitely kept up the tradition this time.  The War Games match itself was a hard-hitting, and slightly hard to follow, affair. The Undisputed Era looked great, Roddy Strong was an adorable little member of the Authors of Pain and SaNitY looked as crazy as ever. But that crazy match over-shadowed that Andrade “Cien” Almas is the NEW NXT Champion! He completed one of the strongest career turn-arounds in recent memory. How excited are we? We’ll talk about it. And every year, there always seems to be one person from NXT that steps up their game and raises their stock to a new high. This year, that was Velveteen Dream. He lost to Aleister Black, but he won the hearts of millions, including all of us. All of that, plus a look at the brand new NXT women’s champion, Ember Moon! Survivor Series It may be the least loved of WWE’s Big 4 PPV’s but Survivor Series week had a TON of great matches! But let’s be real, the wo

It’s the final stop before the last Big 4 WWE show of the year! Survivor Series continues to have tons of wrenches thrown into it at the 11th hour. Turns out Alexa Bliss will be facing Charlotte on Sunday after she beat Natalia for the Smackdown Women’s title. Between this, Roman Reigns returning, and Jason Jordan being replaced on the RAW team, there’s a lot going on. But is all of this serving to make for a better show, or is it just showing how haphazardly WWE is putting this together? Speaking of Roman he and the Shield finally had their first match as a unit in years. They’re all set to face the New Day in few days. Should they have wait for a bit longer for that Shield reunion? How about that RAW invasion? What are the stakes as we approach Sunday? And how excited is Danielle to have a fourth season of Lucha Underground confirmed?! Main Event Triple H is officially the fifth member of Monday Night RAW’s Survivor Series team! Between him, Kurt Angle, Shane McMahon and John Cena, that’s FOUR part-time wre

So much for that Jinder Mahal/Brock Lesnar match that got built up for two weeks! WWE went ahead and decided to pull the trigger on AJ Styles winning the WWE Championship for the second time in his WWE career. But where does the Phenomenal One go from here? And does the Modern Day Maharaja get that title back before the India tour in December? And how about Chris Jericho! He’s set to face Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in January! What could this mean for his future in WWE? And will the New Day face the Shield? Is The Bar going to lose to the Usos? Misandry Corner Chyna was one of the most dominant figures of the attitude era. She regularly was portrayed as tougher than any of the guys and even managed to become the Intercontinental Champion! So is her excommunication from WWE lore warranted? We’ll take a look at some of her greatest moments. The Three Count Danielle put over Corey Graves dunking on Pierce Morgan Mike put over his new music video for his song Wasteland Day Hal put over the Miz effectivel

Two WWE legends are set to be in the ring once again! Shane McMahon and Kurt Angle will be the captains for each of their respective brands. So what can we hope for this match now that the nostalgia pop has worn off for both of them? We’ll take a look. Plus, Nia Jax, Stephanie McMahon and Samoa Joe are finally back on TV! What’s the best way to make sure they succeed? How did Braun Strowman Survive death by trash compactor? Wouldn’t we all love a friendship like Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens?  Main Event Darren Young, Summer Rae and Emma have all been fired from WWE. This sort of thing comes frequently in the modern WWE. But is this a sign of a really stacked roster, or that WWE isn’t putting people in the best position to succeed? And out of the three of them which one has the best shot to continue their work as a wrestler? Three Count Danielle put over John Cena's cover of "Where is my mind?" Mike put over Drew Gulak's promo on RAW. Hal put over Sami Zayn on Edge and Christian's Pod of Awesomeness. Hosted by Ha

WHAT A CRAZY SEVEN DAYS IT’S BEEN! We were all set to have TLC show built around the first official match of the Shield 2.0 and a Demon vs. Sister Abigail encounter. But a sudden viral meningitis outbreak meant that the WWE had to reach deep into the deck to keep fans happy. Kurt Angle made his official return to replace Roman Reigns in their main event match and Finn Balor finally got to wrestle AJ Styles for the first time ever! We’ll break down what we thought about WWE’s last-minute scramble. Plus, how about Alicia Fox the last few shows? She’s stepped up in a big way to prove how much charisma she’s got and crazied her way to the Captain of the RAW Survivor Series team! And what about Kane’s first singles match on RAW? Or Sami Zayn’s adorably obnoxious skank routine? It’s all here and so much more! Main Event Now that Smackdown has officially put RAW #UnderSiege, it’s time to take a look at the classic invasion angle. Which ones throughout the course of history worked best? Are they completely ruined if

What a month for friendship! The Shield has made their full return to form this week, complete with tactical vests, NATO music and through-the-crowd entrance. But now they’ll have to face a 5th person this Sunday: The returning Devil’s favorite demon, Kane! Is the excitement of a Shield reunion enough to justify these constant additional antics? We’ll talk it out! And Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have the sort of friendship that we could all hope to achieve. Their added characters might even be enough to elevate Smackdown beyond the mirth that it’s been stuck in for the last few months! Plus, a look at AJ Styles vs. Jinder Mahal, Mahal vs. Brock Lesnar and why there are so few matches involving Tables, Ladders or Chairs before this Sunday’s TLC show. Main Event It’s looking more and more like Neville is completely done with the WWE. He was arguably 205 Live’s biggest star attraction, so what does this say about WWE’s purple brand? With such a thriving indie scene, how many more cruiserweights are going to follow

Nothing is incorruptible in this world. Not even Sami Zayn! Sami officially decided that friendship is more important than his principle when he saved Kevin Owens from Shane McMahon at Hell in a Cell. Where could this lead his character? We’ll talk about it. Plus, what a great match The Usos and New Day had! What fresh feuds await them now that this rivalry is over? And why Emma the first sacrificial lamb to Asuka? Will Kalisto amount to anything as the cruiserweight champion? What on Earth is Sister Abigail? Main Event After three years as separate superstars, the Shield is back together again! But what will this new iteration of the most famous faction in recent memory look like? Where do they go now that they’re back on the side of justice with individual aspirations? We’ll help you figure it out! The Three Count Danielle put over Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins reliving their Hell in a Cell match. Mike put over the Stone Cold impersonator on Edge and Christian's Pod of Awesomeness. Hal put over Dolph Ziggle

WWE's made tournaments a regular part of their network. There's been one based on the Cruiserweights, the United Kingdom, tag teams and more.  But the Mae Young Classic isn't just a way to continue that idea; it's WWE's most prolific showcase of women's wrestling yet. Our two-lady team is ready to sit down together and digest everything they enjoyed from the tournament, what could have been done better and why this should be the first WWE tournament to come back for a repeat performance. Hosted by Danielle Radford and Lindsey Kelk. Produced by Julian Burrell for Maximum Fun. If you wanna talk about more wrestling throughout the week be sure to join us on Facebook or @TightsFights on Twitter. If you liked the show, please share it with your friends and be sure to leave us a quick review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.

Sierra, Hotel, etc. etc. This week, the team discusses the upcoming Shield reunion. Sure, it’s an inherently exciting thing, but would it have been better if it was a little less telegraphed and little more of a surprise? And the crowd seems to be coming around to Roman Reigns lately. We’ll take a look at what that can possibly be attributed to, as he prepares to reunite with the hounds of justice. Plus, a look at WWE’s plans with Mickie James, the upcoming resurrection of Sister Abigail, and a recommendation for anyone looking for a great match as Lucha Underground winds down its latest (and final?) season. Ring Tones He’s been called the Deadman, the American Badass and the Last Outlaw, but he’ll always be known as the Undertaker! We’ll take a look at every phase of his music from the original MIDI version of Death March to his country rocker phase, back to the fully instrumental version of his classic theme. The Three Count Danielle put over John Cena’s latest antics on Total Bellas. Mike put over CFO$'s a

Two-thirds of WWE’s No Mercy was really great and one-third of it… was just fine! But there’s plenty of stuff to break down all over the show including! Braun Strowman lost to Brock Lesnar. How badly did losing so decisively hurt the character of Strowman?   Plus, the status of Roman Reigns as “The Guy,” after beating John Cena; Sheamus and the Thwith Thuperman Thetharo losing their match (and teeth); Nia Jax being an absolute beast in her 5-way match; and a bunch more. Main Event Enzo defeated Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship on Sunday. Afterwards, they were part of one of the rarest and difficult to achieve tactics for booking: The double-turn, when a babyface and heel each switch roles by the end of the match. How has this been used successfully in the past? And will it be followed up well in this instance? The Three Count: Danielle put over Dean and Seth's continued romance reparations. Lindsey put over the continued work of the 205 Live team. Hal put over Mega Ran and his music for Randy Savage

This week, the team bids a fond farewell to the late great Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. He’ll always be remembered for his hilarious commentary, being a great bad guy… and that one time he wore a weasel suit. Plus Bayley and Charlotte made their big returns to TV this week, both for very different reasons; But which one is best set up for success in the next few weeks? And did Roman Reigns finally get a verbal win over John Cena before their big match at No Mercy? We’ll take a look and determine the final results Main Event WWE had a great chance to make a new star when they gave Jinder Mahal the WWE title earlier in the Summer. But from the beginning, his time at the top has been tinged with racism. It was bad enough when it was just Randy Orton saying this sort of stuff, but now Jinder is using outright offensive language against Shinsuke Nakamura. How bad is this beyond heel heat? We’ll explain. The Three Count Danielle put over Nia Jax at New York fashion week. Des put over Ric Flair confronting his problems

With Hal out for the week, Danielle is stepping into the hosting chair with Des Delgadillo back for another week of graps! Boy did Kevin Owens have a big week. He made Vince McMahon bleed  (hard-way?) after one helluva headbutt and is set to take on Shane McMahon at Hell in a Cell. We’ll discuss how great it is to have the vicious side of KO back for us to enjoy.  Plus, is anyone having a better year than Braun Strowman? He’s set to take on Brock Lesnar after surviving and thriving at his first trip to Suplex City! How good is this build? We’ll figure it out! And what’s up with Goldust and Kalisto getting on TV this week? What’s with the New Day’s 4th title win? And how scared are we that WWE will screw up Asuka? It’s all here and more! Main Event WWE occasionally pulls out a tool called the “worked shoot,” where they make a promo seem like it’s off-script… when it’s actually totally scripted. That’s been popping up in a few places: Enzo vs. Miz, Owens vs. Shane and ESPECIALLY Roman Reigns vs. John Cena. But

While the Nation of Conversation take a post-summer break, here's a special bonus episode that was recorded for the Max Fun Drive. Learn all about the origins of Tights and Fights, how we would decide to break up the new day and what we think are the most important parts of wrestling story-telling. Hosted by Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford and Mike Eagle.    Produced by Julian Burrell for Maximum Fun. If you wanna talk about more wrestling throughout the week be sure to join us on Facebook or @TightsFights on Twitter. If you liked the show, please share it with your friends and be sure to leave us a quick review on iTunes or wherever you get podcasts.

This week, Danielle steps into the hosting seat with Mike and Hal absent. In their place are the newest members of the Nation of Conversation: Des Delgadillo, the blind wrestling fan, and Jay Washington, a former wrestler and a current internet personality. The new team will discuss Roman Reigns and John Cena’s face-off, Alexa Bliss winning the title back from Sasha Banks and Finn Balor’s feud with Bray Wyatt continuing, post demon. Main Event Earlier this week at TripleMania, Sexy Star went into business for herself as she finished her match with Rosemary: Sexy applied a legitimate arm bar to Rosemary and refused to release it even after the match ended. We’ll discuss how this violates the trusts that wrestlers place in one another and what it means for Sexy Star’s career. Plus: there’s been a ton of injuries in the WWE this year. Now that Xavier Woods and Samoa Joe have joined that club, we’ll take a look at why this might be happening and how bad it could be for some of these wrestler’s careers. The Thre