The gang goes to a new wrestling arena, only to find the games under threat by the ghost of a former wrestler, now a deformed mutant known as the "Titanic Twist". Wrestling fan Fred takes up the case.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Anti-Villain: The culprits turn out to be Curt and Connie Crunch, the children of champion wrestler, Malachi Crunch — after they're exposed, Curt and Connie explain that they truly weren't trying to hurt anyone. Out of concern for their father, they were simply trying to scare him into retiring before he could suffer some kind of debilitating injury.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: Humongous Hammer, in the middle of a rant about the way Bosephus treated him after his injury, tells the gang to inform him of something, which sounds like a leadup to some vengeful threat. However, he actually just needs his boss to know he's run out of black licorice.
- Body Horror: The Titanic Twist is supposedly an ex-wrestler who fell victim to the move of the same name, resulting in both of his arms on the left side of his body.
- Career-Ending Injury: The risk of getting hurt in wrestling comes up multiple times during the plot. Malachi Crunch's kids, Curt and Connie, want him to retire largely to prevent this reason. Daphne and Velma also run into a candy vendor who was formerly a wrestler called Humongous Hammer. He was demoted after suffering a nasty knee injury. It even turns out to be the reason behind the "haunting."
- Chekhov's Gun: Shaggy accidentally puts himself to sleep with a can of knockout spray that he mistook for whipped cream. The knockout spray turns out to be how the culprits subdued the wrestlers.
- Crazy-Prepared: Fred apparently keeps a wrestling costume in the Mystery Machine, just in case.
- Disability Alibi: Just as the girls of the gang are convinced that Humongous Hammer, a former wrestler, is the culprit (thinking he's doing it to get revenge on Broderick Bosephus), the Titantic Twist races past them, chasing after Shaggy and Scooby. Hammer pulls the girls to safety at the same time, making them realize that Humongous Hammer can't be the culprit. Hammer also adds that, for as much as he'd love to get revenge on Bosephus, his trick knee keeps him from moving around as fast as the monster does.
- Distressed Dude: The monster kidnaps Fred at one point, leaving him tied up and unconscious in one of the food storage rooms. He turns up unharmed, eating a pretzel, after the others have finished the mystery themselves, remarking that he's disappointed he missed the cool trap that they set up.
- Draw Aggro: While eating their way through pretzels, Shaggy and Scooby find the unconscious Fred and the Titanic Twist in quick succession. Shaggy, trying to lure the monster away from Fred, asks him if he's left-handed or left-handed. The Titanic Twist chases Shaggy and Scooby, leaving Fred asleep in the pretzel room.
- Fat, Sweaty Southerner in a White Suit: Broderick Bosephus, the owner of the wrestling ring, is a rotund man in a white tuxedo who speaks in a Southern accent. Although he's not the villain of the week, he's more smarmy than nice, milking the Titanic Twist for publicity and treating the wrestlers as cash cows.
- Gentle Giant: Humongous Hammer, as befits his title, is huge and heavily muscled. Aside from his bitterness towards Bosephus, he's a pretty Nice Guy. When he hears the chaos during one of the Titanic Twist's attacks, he comes to see if everyone's all right, and uses his knowledge of wrestling moves to untangle Shaggy and Scooby. During one of the monster's later appearances, he pulls Velma and Daphne to safety behind the counter.
- Karma Houdini: Curt and Connie aren't trying to hurt anyone, but as the monster of the week, they did kidnap people and damage property. They end up getting exactly what they want "in spite of [the] meddling kids."
- Pro Wrestling Episode: The gang investigate a monster threatening a wrestling tournament.
- Recycled Title: "Wrestle Maniacs" shares its title with an episode of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. Interestingly, both series' episodes feature characters voiced by Jim Cummings.
- Red Herring: Humongous Hammer, one of the side characters, is a tall, broad candy vendor who was demoted after suffering a knee injury in the ring. He's bitter towards Bosephus, and his muscular build would seem to make him a natural for the role of the monster. However, he's not the culprit.
- Stating the Simple Solution: After finding out the wrestlers are on strike with the monster loose, Daphne suggests that the event could be postponed until the Titanic Twist is caught. Neither Bosephus nor Fred likes that idea.
- You Just Had to Say It: While Freddy, Shaggy, and Scooby are looking for clues, they're distracted when they see Daphne and Velma acting like genuine female wrestlers on a nearby monitor. Then they see the Monster of the Week shove the image aside to show his face.Shaggy: Hey, it's Titanic Twist! Good thing it's just on the monitor, eh, Scoob?[Shaggy chuckles and reaches out to touch the screen, but touches the monster's actual forehead]Shaggy: [weakly] I had to say it. [runs away screaming]
