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The DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show continues to add additional content during this era when many people are confined to their homes. Today, I want to give you something from my WhenItWasCool.com archive — a biography on Mr. T!
Mr. T was very important to the national expansion of WWF, appeared in the main event of WrestleMania I, boxed Roddy Piper at WrestleMania II, appeared in WCW, Rocky III, The A-Team, and more.
On this episode of the longform history of pro wrestling series, Karl covers April and May 1981. The months include the quick switch in Georgia of the NWA World title between Tommy Rich and Harley Race. More on the filming of Rocky III, the origins of the IWGP title, Sgt. Slaughter in the WWF, the debut of Mr. Olympia, and much more!
1981 was a huge year in pro wrestling history — come join wrestling historian Karl Stern as he discusses it.
You can learn all about the year 1981 in pro wrestling at Karl’s Longform History of Pro Wrestling project.
This is a massive show with tons of stuff — including a lot of things you might not know.
Karl Stern covers the entire story of Ric Flair quitting WCW to jump to WWF in 1991 while still WCW/NWA World Champion. Karl discusses what the NWA was during that time. Could Flair have jumped as still NWA Champion and not WCW Champion? Why that didn’t happen. Why we really didn’t get Hulk Hogan vs. Flair at WrestleMania VIII. Literal quicksand and plexiglass mazes (I’m not kidding, it’s part of the story). How WCW got the big gold belt back. Royal Rumble 1992 and more. Everything you could possibly want to know. We go week-to-week in the Observer to fill in the details, plus what narratives have changed over time.
On the new DragonKingKarl Old Tyme Wrestling Hour podcast, host Karl Stern talks about pandemics both now and in the early 1900s and how they affected the pro wrestling business, or alternately titled, Mine Constitution is Superior to Thine.
Plus, Karl answers some listener emails and covers a ton of pro wrestling history.
The history of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Championship is rich and reaches back into the 1940s. During many of the last 100 years, the NWA World title was viewed as the most important championship in wrestling. Join historian Karl Stern on this journey through every NWA title change, including much about the early history of the title you might not have known.
We combine both the wrestling ring and a sitcom with a special retro TV review today.
This is a review of the 1988 sitcom Learning the Ropes starring NFL star Lyle Alzado and the crew of Jim Crockett Promotions, including Steve Williams, Jimmy Garvin, The Road Warriors, Ric Flair, and many others. While the show only lasted one season in syndication, it wasn’t a bad show actually and Lyle Alzado showed some promise as an actor. Sadly, he got sick soon after and died a few years later.
While the show was filled with the standard pro wrestling cliches, it also had some legit action from the stars of the NWA. Alzado’s character wore a mask and the wrestling scenes were played by Steve Williams. Also on this episode, Tommy Rich’s dog.
We enter 1981 by looking at the Omni in Atlanta, Andre the Giant, Barry Windham, All Japan Pro Wrestling, the Sgt. Slaughter and Bob Backlund feud, AWA, Jerry Lawler back on top in Memphis, Harley Race battles Ric Flair in the Mid-Atlantic area, Los Angeles is on its last leg, the original Midnight Express win a title, and much more! Join wrestling historian Karl Stern for a detailed look back at January 1981.
For a complete timeline of the year 1981 in pro wrestling visit https://www.whenitwascool.com/history-of-wrestling-1981.
It’s time again for a look back at some obituaries and biographies from the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter by Dave Meltzer.
On this episode, host and wrestling historian Karl Stern takes a look back at the deaths of top junior heavyweight Danny McShain, one half of the Kangaroos tag team Roy Heffernan, and legendary NWA and WWWF World Champion Nature Boy Buddy Rogers. Let’s go to school with pro wrestling history from the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The last two months of 1980 are discussed as Karl Stern’s longform history of pro wrestling series continues.
Memphis is struggling with near all-time low attendance. Where is Jerry Lawler? Ron Fuller buys north Alabama and starts the classic era of Southeastern Championship Wrestling which will include Birmingham. The original Midnight Express start to come together. The Freebirds are dominating and Dory Funk Jr. and Dusty Rhodes are battling it out in Florida. All of that and much more as we wrap up the year of 1980.
Check out the Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling Zone for 1980 — http://www.whenitwascool.com/history-of-wrestling-1980
The Ace of WWWF in the late 1970s into the early 1980s vs. the Ace of New Japan. It’s a clash of styles to be sure and a clash of charismas as well.
As the GKT continues, Karl Stern of WhenItWasCool.com and F4WOnline.com takes a look at the careers of Bob Backlund and Hiroshi Tanahashi and asks the question — If pro wrestling were real (not a shoot but the characters as presented were real) who would win? You voted, now let’s talk about it!
May 22, 1993 might not be a landmark day in pro wrestling history — but on this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show, Karl is going to review WCW Saturday Night featuring Kevin Nash as Vinnie Vegas, Rob Van Dam as Robbie V, Sting, Harley Race, Al Green and the Laurinaitis brother you know the least about working enhancement, and Big Van Vader killing people.
Also, the British Bulldog and his amazing hair.
The longform history of pro wrestling series continues into 1980. Harley Race, Bob Backlund, Verne Gagne, Giant Baba, Ricky Steamboat, and Ric Flair are having great years. Jerry Lawler, not so much. He has broken his leg and business in Memphis is horrible. We discuss all of this and much more as our look at pro wrestling in 1980 continues.
Be sure to follow along with our timeline here.
Karl Stern is back to review Herb Abrams’ horrendous 1994 Blackjack Brawl PPV — where Herb was out of his mind, the card was packed with main event level wrestlers who did not want to be there, and more!
Sid Vicious, Steve Williams, Johnny Ace, Dan Spivey, some muscle dude, this other muscle dude, LUDVIG BORGA, and more. Plus… words of wisdom from… Jimmy Snuka.
It’s our final Halloween Havoc review for this year and we go out with a bang! It’s the infamous Spin the Wheel Make the Deal match between a ragged out Jake Roberts and Sting in an utter anticlimactic Coal Miner’s Glove match.
Also appearing: The Tag Team of Cast Away Partners, The Dynamic Dude Stallions, two greats somehow manage to pull off a bland match, a battle of THE HOSSES, The Steve Williams Express, and two of the worst World title matches ever on a PPV according to Dave Meltzer. Okay, pull up your britches and let’s get to it.
On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, Karl Stern looks back at three short obituaries pulled from the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Gene Anderson was one half of the famous Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Ole Anderson and a well known name on the East Coast. You might have never heard of Lance Idol, but his story is bizarre and sad. Finally, Karl looks at Dave Meltzer’s obituary for El Gran Davis.
