30 Week Journey: Wrestlemania XVIII (2002)

After nine years, Hulk Hogan returned to the Wrestlemania stage at the 18th installment in 2002, and lapsed fans around the world rejoiced. Thus, it is only appropriate that The Lapsed Fan podcast go deep on that historic night in Toronto. In the 18th stop of TLF’s 30-week Wrestlemania journey, hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro revisit Skydome in Toronto for a Mania stacked with figures from a cross-current of different eras – from Hogan to Rock to Austin to Hall to HHH to Jericho to Flair to Undertaker to Mr. Perfect to RVD to DDP. Get Lapsed on one of the most eclectic Mains ever, running on the fumes of the WWF’s Attitude boom and a rush of star power freed up year out from the folding of WCW. Your co-chairmen discuss: - WWF’s “Forceable Entry,” and other politically correct slogans - Why the fans were so ready to embrace the old Hogan histrionics again, even if they didn’t know it as they filed into Skydome before the show - Maven - Stern disagreement on the merits of the Undertaker v. Ric Flair match, the first to get across the Streak as a big deal and key storyline point - Vince McMahon injects the WWF with a lethal dose of poison. His greatest promo ever? - Did dropping the “F” from WWF have anything to do with the exodus of fans from the product? - How the squandered WCW invasion angle could have been salvaged by the nWo All that and another sterling contribution from guru Dave Meltzer make this another can’t miss deep dive into the Mains. It’s become what you need, so scratch that itch by downloading the latest Lapsed Fan!