Top Marks

The Biggest Party of the Summer has come and gone and the #goodfriends are here to talk about it! We're back on brand this week, sticking to the format breaking down the top 1-2-3 stories of the week in professional wrestling! And this week they are: 1. SummerSlam Review (Raw results): Breaking down the SummerSlam card from the red brand's perspective. 2. SummerSlam Review (SmackDown results): Breaking down the blue brand's side of the action. 3. NXT Takeover Brooklyn 4 Review: Our thoughts on the latest NXT trip to the Barclays Center. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks for access to Bonus Marks, our donors only bonus show. This month on the Patreon: listener-commissioned retro reviews! WWF St. Valentine's Day Massacre is available now, and King of the Ring 1995 is coming this week! Follow us on Twitter: @TopMarksPod

FULL EPISODE AVAILABLE at www.patreon.com/TopMarks The #goodfriends are back behind the paywall as Josh has recovered from concussion and we're ready to tackle this blast-from-the-past PPV that went down the night before an elementary school-aged Justin started watching Raw week-to-week on TV. And we're back in a big way, offering up not one but TWO live commentaries, of Mankind vs The Rock in a Last Man Standing match for the WWF Championship, as well as Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon inside a steel cage for the right to main event WrestleMania XV! Big thanks to Doug Crap for commissioning this episode.

It's the first annual Top Marks SummerSlam House Party and the #goodfriends are once again opening the door to all of their good friends to talk up The Biggest Party of the Summer! Joining us for this fine party are: Caitlin Hotchkiss (@criseyde) - 12:58 Andrew Zuber (@the_Zubes) - 35:38 James Cybulski (@JamesCybulski) - 1:01:19 Rob Rousseau (@RobRousseau) - 1:21:12 With special thanks to our friends Ryan Schaap, Craig Tamble, Scoots Brodo and Fake Cane. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks for access to Bonus Marks, our donors only bonus show. This month on the Patreon: listener-commissioned retro reviews of WWF St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and King of the Ring 1995! And BE SURE TO ENJOY SUMMERSLAM, GANG! Follow us on Twitter: @TopMarksPod

The Janitor is back! Josh's concussion seems (mostly) healed up, which means the #goodfriends are back in action for another round of Top Marks! This week it's a No Holds Barred episode as the boys break from format altogether for a casual bit of chat free from the typical Top Marks structure. Key topics include: 1. Paul Heyman, his influence on the outcome of SummerSlam's main event, and who he might work with next should Brock Lesnar step away from pro wrestling. 2. The 2018 Mae Young Classic. We go over the list of competitors, picking out favourites and discussing our thoughts on last year's competition, and our hopes for this one. All that plus a bevy of Mailbag questions, and the return of Keep It Or Kick It! Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content. Unfortunately as a result of Josh's concussion we weren't able to put out a donor episode for July, but that means we're bring not one but TWO retro reviews to you in August! As commissioned by the wonde

The #goodfriends are down a man this week, as Josh is on the shelf with a concussion. Stepping in in his place is friend of the pod, roommate of the show, previous guest and bass player for Hotel Mira, MIKE NOBLE! Mike responds to last week's rant denigrating him and we talk about the WWE show that's actually good: SmackDown Live! Our three rounds this week: 1. Mike's Response. We get into last week's blow-up and get into it about why this lifelong WWE devotee is teetering on the brink of giving up the product. What's changed, and why is NJPW that much more enticing? 2. Becky Lynch! The Lasskicker is ascending on SmackDown again. She's held on to her beloved babyface status despite not being given a shot in the main women's scene for the better part of a year of a half. She's got that special something where the crowd just loves her no matter what. What is that? And can WWE still blow this? 3. Randy Orton! The Legend Killer has become Legend, and it's killer. This incarnation of the Viper is killing it right

The #goodfriends are back for one last Josh appearance before he spends some time on the shelf. So soak it in, marks! Prayers up, because our boy has a serious concussion. He will return to show in due time, but in the meantime enjoy this lively chat from before his injury, as we get into it about the latest advancement for women's wrestling in WWE in just two rounds this week, as we make room for a loaded mailbag. And those rounds are: 1. WWE Evolution! What could the first-ever women's-only WWE pay-per-view have in store for us come October? What matches would we want to see, and does it hurt these moments that Stephanie McMahon always puts herself front and center? We dive in. 2. Odds & Ends! We dive into a handful of topics that we couldn't go the full 15 on individually, including Impact's latest Slammiversary PPV, whether Impact Wrestling is indeed "back", the best of NJPW's G1 tournament, and a surprising week on NXT. Plus Justin goes off on another epic scream-fest freak out on so-called fans who

The #goodfriends are back for a quick one this week, almost as short as time period WWE was able to resist the charms of Hulk Hogan! Extreme Rules was so brutal we figured why even bother doing a round on it, so it's a one-round wonder! We talk a little about Extreme Rules off the hop but then it's: 1. Hulk Hogan returns to WWE. Is there any possibly justification for this? Does this do any good for anyone? The answer, friends, is no. All that plus a spirited round of Keep It Or Kick It, and listener questions have us pondering good NXT shirts, tassels on gear, Slammiversary, and which NXT talent is most likely to main event WrestleMania. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content. That's where we snuck out a Bonus Marks review of the 2018 Tournament of Death for the month of June, with special guest comedian Jordan Ducharme! And thanks to the generosity of our man Doug Crap, this month we'll be watching 1999's WWF St. Valentine's Day Massacre, finishing off

The #goodfriends are back for another round of Top Marks, and for the first time in weeks we actually follow the format, tackling the top 3 stories of the week in pro wrestling for a maximum of 15 minutes at a time! And those topics are: 1. Return to the Brocktagon! Brock Lesnar crashes the fallout of the main event of UFC 226, after Daniel Cormier laid the challenge. When can this match possibly happen, and what does his desire to return to the UFC mean for Lesnar's future in the WWE? 2. Previewing Extreme Rules on the Raw side. All the matches for this Sunday's big show involving talent from the red brand. 3. Previewing Extreme Rules on the SmackDown side. All the matches for this Sunday's big show involving talent from the blue brand. Plus things get silly once again in the listener questions, and it's the triumphant return of Keep It Or Kick It! Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content. That's where we snuck out a Bonus Marks review of the 2018 Tournam

The #goodfriends are back with an episode full of contentious debate about the man who's here to show the world. That's right, it's another edition of Top Marks and Justin and Josh break from the format once again for another two round episode breaking down what are surely two of the biggest stories in wrestling. And they are: 1. Dolph Ziggler's Renaissance. Is the show-stealer really on the rise again as a true top guy, or does wrestling Seth Rollins make everyone look good? 2. Handsome Rusev's Rise to Prominence. We look back at the long road it's taken Rusev to go from SmackDown's forgotten man to a legitimate World Title contender. Plus listener questions have us concocting a WWE dating sim! All that plus the triumphant return of Sunday Night Tweet. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content. That's where we snuck out a Bonus Marks review of the 2018 Tournament of Death for the month of June, with special guest comedian Jordan Ducharme! And thanks to the

Just like Daniel Bryan and Kane, the #goodfriends are back together podcasting side-by-side for another episode! This time we're joined by comedian and podcaster JOHN CULLEN (Real Good Show, Stone + Straw, Podcaps), at least for Keep It Or Kick It and an extended edition of listener questions. To make room for all those questions we're down to just two rounds this week, and they are: 1. Raw's Universal Title problem. It feels more glaringly obvious than ever that Brock Lesnar as champion is killing WWE television. We discuss, and speculate on what keeps Sable happy in those cold Canadian winters. 2. Team Hell No reunites! Daniel Bryan is saved by an old friend to close out SmackDown and the show felt alive again in a way that WWE TV has been so lacking of late. All that plus Keep It Or Kick It and a lengthy mailbag with @cullenthecomic, and Justin apologizes for last week's episode, believing he's hit the fatigue levels of a parent. John strongly disagrees. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 g

The #goodfriends are back for an episode that, just like Vader, is better late than never. And we're joined by cracklin' Will Macklin of TSN 1200's 3 In The Key to celebrate the memory of the late Leon White, a.k.a. Big Van Vader. And we get back on format by breaking down the top three stories of the week in pro wrestling! This week they are: 1. Remembering Vader (with @WillMacklinShow). We say goodbye to the wrestler some have called the greatest big man of all time. 2. Money In The Bank 2018 review! We run down the card after one of WWE's biggest shows of the year. 3. NXT TakeOver Chicago II review! Have those beautiful bastards in NXT done it again, or has Triple H's golden brand finally served up a dud? We discuss. Plus Will joins in for a sizzling round of Keep It Or Kick It, and we rattle off some answers to your listener questions! Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content, including a Bonus Marks retro review of the 2018 Tournament of Death, with s

It's the one year anniversary of Top Marks! We celebrate the show's birthday by bringing you that classic #goodfriends content you've come to know and love, though we break with the format again this week to go two rounds, if only to make time for your sweet birthday questions. And those two rounds are: 1. WWE Money in the Bank preview! We go over the card, which has surprisingly strong potential despite a gruelling build. 2. NJPW Dominion review! We go over the card, including the unforgettable main event! All that plus a stacked Keep It or Kick It, your questions, and picking the NXT winners and losers in a new segment we call Take Over/Under! Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content, including a Bonus Marks retro review of WCW's 2000 PPV New Blood Rising, live from our hometown of Vancouver, BC! It's a terrible pay-per-view but a tremendous episode. We've got two new bonus shows coming this month as well, with a special review show of the Tournament of

We get back to the classic three round format this week and it's our longest episode ever as a result! We also totally goofed and thought Dominion was on later this evening instead of last night, so, I mean, our preview is entirely dated before the episode even drops. Oh well. The #goodfriends are breaking down the Top 3 biggest stories in the world of pro wrestling, and this week they are: 1. The Trial of CM Punk! We get into the court case that kept Punk and Colt Cabana tied up for years, and wonder what lies ahead for the Chick Magnet if he loses tonight's UFC bout. 2. WWE Fatigue! Justin is out on Raw. We talk about the show's problems, if the weekly programming is just too much, and if the issues with WWE TV could infect NXT. 3. NJPW Dominion Preview & Predictions! This show already happened! Whoops! Who can keep track of these international time differences? I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing us talk about it anyway. All that plus another round of Keep It Or Kick It and a brand new segment called Top Of

The #goodfriends are back for another Top Marks, but once again we can not come up with three compelling topics to sustain the typical three round format. So like Seth Rollins we once again elect to BURN IT DOWN and solely examine The Architect's rise from top heel to undeniable babyface star. Seth is perhaps the biggest star in the company at the moment, arguably ahead of AJ Styles and even Braun Strowman on the babyface side. How did he get here? And what has it taken for long-time hater Josh to give it up for the guy? We investigate. Plus: it's another loaded mailbag and we answer every single one of your questions and make sure to have plenty of laughs along the way. All that plus another round of Keep It Or Kick It and the triumphant return of Follow The Buzzers! You remember that game, right? Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 gets you access to all of our donor content, including a brand new Bonus Marks retro review of WCW's 2000 PPV New Blood Rising, live from our hometown of Vancouver

Wrestling is so bad this week that we break the format and do an extended Mailbag episode doing nothing but answering your questions, because fuck me if I'm supposed to come up with three topics after an abysmal Monday Night Raw broke our spirits this week. It was just awful. We get into it a bit about why Raw is so broken, but beyond that it's all listener questions, baby! Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 this month gets you access to our Avengers: Infinity War special, as well as the typical Bonus Marks retro review / live commentary coming soon! It's all going down on the donor feed, so get over there! Follow us on Twitter: @TopMarksPod

The #goodfriends are strapped for time this week and frankly the wrestling world's not that interesting at the moment so we're only breaking down the Top 2 stories this week instead of the usual three. And this week they are: 1. All In sold out! Justin walks us through the ticket-buying experience before the #goodfriends discuss the show itself and what this means for indie wrestling. 2. Daniel Bryan's return! Because nothing is sacred when it comes to internet commentary, people have already soured on the D. Bry revival. Is there merit to the complaints, or is this a bunch of cockamamie bullshit? All that plus a jam-packed listener mailbag, the triumphant return of Keep It Or Kick It, and Justin's in charge of Sunday Night Tweet! It's just what the world needed: another wrestling podcast. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 this month gets you access to our Avengers: Infinity War special, as well as the typical Bonus Marks retro review / live commentary coming soon! It's all going down on the

It's been a week full of stumbles and missteps for WWE, and unlike Monday Night Raw and Backlash, this is one episode of Top Marks that is not painfully dull. The #goodfriends are back to slog through the weekly TV and try to make sense what can only be described as a mess, as they break down the top 3 stories in the world of professional wrestling. And this week they are: 1. WWE Backlash 2018 review. This show sucked. More like Craplash, am I right? 2. Bobby Lashley. The man finally got some mic time this week. Could it have gone any worse? 3. Roman Reigns. The Big Dog has been drifting into an abyss for the past several months. We look at where it all went wrong after it looked like things were poised to pay off for him. Is he beyond redemption as a babyface at this point? All that plus a jam-packed listener mailbag, and the triumphant return of Keep It Or Kick It! It's just what the world needed: another wrestling podcast. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 this month gets you access to our

Things get heated this week as the boys breakdown the WWE's venture into Saudi Arabia and Justin unloads on the show's problematic values and Saudi propaganda. But the #goodfriends are much more happy to be previewing this weekend's PPV, and go long on this week's two rounds: 1. Backlash preview! Lots to get to here in the first joint-brand non-Big 4 PPV, so we go into overtime to breakdown all the match-ups and make the most of what has been a cluttered and confusing build. 2. Greatest Royal Rumble review! Josh breaks down the card and Justin explains why he abstained from watching out of protest. All that plus listener questions and the return of the people's segment, Sunday Night Tweet! It's just what the world needed: another wrestling podcast. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks for access to Bonus Marks, the monthly bonus retro review show. We've got another retro review in store for you this month, but coming this week (and possibly out now by the time you read this) is our extended discussion of

This week we've got a mailbag brimming with big time questions, so we go two-rounds deep on the week's top stories to make extra time for your questions. And those two rounds are: 1. Impact Redemption! We review Impact's latest PPV and ask if the company can redeem itself after years of inconsistency. 2. SmackDown's heels! The blue brand is overflowing with awesome villains right now as we gush over great promos from Miz and Big Cass, and are generally in awe of what Nakamura has done since Mania. All that plus the return of Sunday Night Tweet, as we find out who on the roster does and does not like mint chocolate. It's just what the world needed: another wrestling podcast. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 this month gets you Josh's WrestleMania weekend special Half Marks covering Joey Janela's Spring Break 2, Impact vs LU, and Supercard of Honor! Not to mention an Andre The Giant HBO doc review show and a yet-to-be-determined retro review! It's all going down on the donor feed, so get over

The #goodfriends are back again with a conversation less one-sided than SmackDown's trades this week, as we go back and forth on the big moves breaking down the top 3 stories in the world of pro wrestling. And this week they are: 1. Greatest Royal Rumble. Previewing the match card in advance of next week's show, and discussing our feelings on WWE even doing a show in Saudi Arabia at all. 2. The New Raw. Post Shake-Up we look at Raw's new roster on the prospects of the show going forward. 3. The New SmackDown Live. Then we do the same for SmackDown, with what looks like the greatest roster in WWE history. All that plus listener questions have us building our own custom All In, Justin announces a few things, and we debut a brand new game called Follow The Buzzers. It's just what the world needed: another wrestling podcast. Support the show at patreon.com/TopMarks, where $5 this month gets you Josh's WrestleMania weekend special Half Marks covering Joey Janela's Spring Break 2, Impact vs LU, and Supercard of Hon