Something to Wrestle

Episode 82: The Rockers & Marty Jannetty


The Rockers have to be the most interesting story of a tag team in the history of WWE! We cover their starts in the business individually, who put Marty and Shawn in the car together for the first time, who they learned from individually, who they wrestled in their first tag match, how they got to the AWA for their first big break,



a hilarious casino story that sets the tone for their careers, Gagne’s suggestions for them, the inspiration for their name, who they tried to emulate, the ribs the Rockers pulled in the AWA, how the partying stories about the Rockers grew, who pushed for them to come in, who Marty had a relationship with, how they left the AWA, what happened a month before that possibly changed everything, what an agent said to them on their first day, what really happened at the bar on their first night in, what Vince said the next day, how they were fired, the infamous “boots” comment from Vince, how Shawn got them ran out of Continental so quickly, how the legend of their WWF firing grew, who turned them heel which gave them another chance, how they got back in and out of the AWA, who pushed to bring them back, which of the boys told them how to fix their heat, what warning Vince gave them before they started back, who they had to win over in the locker room, a year long rib, who wouldn’t sell for the Rockers, who Shawn says helped the Rockers earn their “degree” in being a tag team, the night before their first WrestleMania, how much they made their first year in the WWF,



Iron Man tag matches, the crazy promo with Warrior and athletic tape before Survivor Series 89, who the Rockers got a good match out of that really caught the office’s attention, Shawn’s motorcycle accident, the broken rope story with the Hart Foundation that changed everything, did Bret politic to keep the tag titles, the entire Chuck Austin story including who paid what, what wrestler demonstrated the move in court, who testified against Vince here too, the famous hotel fight that Roddy Piper witnessed, how Savage kept everyone out of jail, how Vince tried to fix it the next day, what led to the Rockers wanting to quit, the offer from WCW, how Shawn tried to play “damage control” with Vince, and the fall out that followed. Then we move on to the break up angle, who had the idea to use the glass, the “he said, he said” that led to a fractured relationship for years. Marty’s firings,



hirings, whether or not Shawn buried Marty to Vince after their Rumble match, who pushed for him to have those second changes, the arrests, the New Rockers, and how Shawn got Marty to give his new found faith a shot. We answer your questions and of course address the controversial Facebook post from last year.Plus side bars about Vince speaking carny, working babyface, the wrestler handshake, the definition of psychology, why so many were influenced by Flair, how Shawn would have done in JCP, the Southwest territory, the “boss” being out of touch, why some guys were never able to break out of the “enhancement talent” title, Bruce burying an “old timer” he only met one time, Terry Garvin — who we never discuss, the importance of the ESPN TV contract, the influence of Dynamite Kid and Tiger Mask matches, what precautions were taken after the Austin injury, the WWF-SWS relationship, house show title changes, Shawn’s indy fed, and the “greatest tag teams in history” debate.Ask your questions for the “1998 Royal Rumble”