This week on New to Wrestling, we dive headfirst into the May 18, 1998 edition of Raw Is War — an episode that somehow manages to be chaotic, hilarious, deeply cursed, and strangely heartfelt all at once.

Vince McMahon stacks the deck against Stone Cold Steve Austin yet again, the Stooges clock in for overtime nonsense, and Dude Love continues his deeply confusing villain era complete with gratitude speeches and… strong yet sensitive hands. We get the official (and highly suspicious) DNA reveal involving Kane and Paul Bearer, Val Venis makes his long-awaited debut, and DX and The Nation turn Monday night into full-blown gang warfare.

Along the way, Sable continues carving out her power era, Austin refuses to stay arrested, Al Snow and Head somehow evade all law enforcement, and Raw barrels toward Over the Edge with absolute confidence and zero adult supervision.

Some important community updates:
🧥 Our New to Wrestling Coat Drive is happening right now, and the response so far has been incredible. If you have gently used or new coats, hats, scarves, gloves, blankets, or winter gear, you can drop them off at DollyMoo in Montclair, NJ or The Coven’s Cupboard in Piermont, NY. We’ve got one week left, and every donation helps keep our community warm.

Plus, we check in on:
📚 The return of Reading the Ring with Becky Lynch’s Not Your Average Girl
🎙️ Our recent interview with Kevin Herrera Sanchez (Ringville)
💥 And what’s next as we keep building a more community-driven New to Wrestling

It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s very 1998.
And it’s exactly why we love this era.

The New To Wrestling Podcast follows two friends who enjoy wrestling but are in different stages of their fandom. Xavier Cruz serves as your guide through generations of professional wrestling while Kelsey Silva experiences these matches for the first time. Climb into the ring weekly to relive the famous matches beginning with the Attitude Era!