Ruthless Aggression Relived

Episode 005 - Insurrextion 2002

Saturday 4 May 2002.
As a new era began, a different kind of era had to be ended as the World Wrestling Federation as the world knew it was to be rebranded under a new name. The final event produced under the name the company had held for almost twenty years would be this pay-per-view, exclusive to Great Britain and Australia, also the first brand-exclusive pay-per-view the company produced. Would the Superstars of Raw be able to wish a fond farewell to the WWF name?
Join L. T. and artist and Sonic the Comic Online editor Michael "Stiv" Stephenson for a look at the first UK-exclusive event of 2002... and an examination of the Plane Ride From Hell... Plus: Triple H profile.

Episode 004 - SmackDown!, April 25 2002

Thursday 25 April 2002.
As the brand split began to take hold, the winds of change were blowing across the World Wrestling Federation. A new period in the company would require fresh new faces. Enter one Randy Orton, who first appeared on television for the company this night some twenty years ago... and began one of the most illustrious careers in professional wrestling history.
Join L. T. and video game journalist and podcaster Stuart Gipp as they take a look back at Rookie Orton's first night on air.

Episode 003 - Backlash 2002

Sunday 21 April 2002.
With the brand split now in effect, it was time for the World Wrestling Federation to promote its first pay-per-view event of this brave new world. How would the Superstars of the company's two brands ensure they stood out? And how far could nostalgia take fan favourite Hulk Hogan as he challenged for the WWF Championship for the first time in nine years?
Join L. T. and newLegacy Inc.'s duel as they take a look at Hulk Hogan's first pay-per-view main event in almost a full decade and see just how the Hulkster held up in early 2002.

Episode 002 - Monday Night Raw, March 25 2002

Monday 25 March 2002.
The World Wrestling Federation was about to be turned on its head. To divide up the huge talent roster the company now employed, the first ever WWF Draft was presented to the world, with half the wrestlers to be exclusive to Monday Night Raw and half to be exclusive to SmackDown!. Of course, a wrestling draft had never been attempted before, so the wrestling world watched with baited breath to see how the WWF were going to make their Brand Split become a reality.
L. T. Fletcher is joined by stand-up comedian John Porter as the two of them look back on what the draft is, how it worked and the seeds of what it would lead to as the WWF entered completely new territory.

Episode 001 - Monday Night Raw, March 18 2002

Monday 18 March 2002.
Hot off the heels of WrestleMania X8 the night before, the World Wrestling Federation found itself in a dilemma as its weekly Monday Night Raw broadcast drew closer. In addition to the night after WrestleMania traditionally being a blank slate for new storylines, meaning they had to begin from scratch, the company had more talent than they had airtime in which they could properly utilise them all. Oh yeah- and their top bad guy had just been forcibly turned into a hero by the loving WrestleMania crowd. Vince McMahon and his team of writers and producers were forced to make changes- and quick. But McMahon had a few tricks up his sleeve... including a new WWF Superstar he couldn’t wait to debut in front of the world.
L. T. Fletcher is joined by John Blud of newLegacy Inc. and Deadlock (and co-owner of fast-rising independent wrestling promotion Deadlock Pro Wrestling) for this look at the night things changed for the WWF as old rivalries draw to a close, alliances shift… and a new face explodes onto the scene as the WWF landscape is about to be changed in never before seen fashion.

Episode 000 - Introduction

From 2002 to 2008, World Wrestling Entertainment produced the Ruthless Aggression Era.
But what is a wrestling era? How did we get to the beginning of this one? What did the wrestling landscape look like at the time? And what exactly were the challenges that lay ahead?
Join host L. T. Fletcher for this introductory look at a classic period in professional wrestling history and get brought up to speed on everything you need to know prior to the March 18th 2002 beginning of the Ruthless Aggression Era!