Embracing the fun in Wrestling
“We want Flair!” “We want Flair!” The Baltimore crowd made their feelings abundantly clear at the Great American Bash 1991. WCW Executive Vice President Jim Herd had been in charge of World Championship Wrestling for over two and a half years. Though he kept open communication with media and fans, he became public enemy number one. Herd’s ascension to …
Tonight on TNT, All Elite Wrestling will present what could be its most anticipated televised event. AEW has made no secret in being the spiritual heir to Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor World Championship Wrestling. On this night, they will unleash what many have called Dusty Rhodes’ greatest creation. Two rings wrapped in steel with two teams of …
WrestleManias are built on moments. One of my favorite parts of the iconic TLC 2 at WrestleMania X7 is a tiny “blink and you’ll miss it” moment, and it’s something you’ll never quite understand without knowing the context, but it makes me shake my head and laugh every single time. I’ll help set the stage a bit. We’re less …
If 1985 was the year the mainstream accepted professional wrestling, 1986 was when the medium found its identity within that mainstream. While Wrestlemania 2 might not have been a critical or creative success, it made a lot of money at the box office. More importantly, it helped push the WWF’s brutal national touring schedule. During this era, the Fed …
Coming off the heels of Wrestlemania, the WWF and pro wrestling itself could do no wrong. In the months leading up to Wrestlemania 2, the WWF’s penchant for bigger and better left them with a show that on paper should have been epic but turned into a bloated mess. The week after Wrestlemania 1, the WWF surrendered its TBS …
In the modern era of professional wrestling, the industry is filled with powerful female figures. From the women of WWE, IMPACT, and AEW to the joshi of Japan and the luchadoras of Mexico, these talented queens of the ring have been breaking new ground for quite some time. Throughout the history of professional wrestling some have come along who have …
A common misconception among pro wrestling fans is that Vince McMahon took over his father’s World Wide Wrestling Federation company, slapped the championship on Hulk Hogan, and the old territories withered and died shortly after. That’s not exactly true. Vince McMahon wasn’t the first promoter to try and “go national.” He is the one that made it work. The …
On March 4th, one of the greatest professional wrestling promoters in history succumbed to liver and kidney failure after battling through a bout of COVID-19. Jim Crockett Jr. was a brilliant promoter with an eye for talent whose unique insight for understanding the human condition helped shape the professional wrestling landscape of 2021. For more than a generation, WWE …
This is part 2 of a 2 part series. You can find part 1 here. While Ole Anderson and Jim Herd viewed Sting’s first run as WCW Champion a flop, the Stinger stayed in a marquee position with the company. At the WrestleWar 91 show, Sting teamed with Brian Pillman and the Steiner Brothers against the Horseman in a …
On February 5th, Bruce “Butch’ Reed passed away after complications from two separate heart attacks and a COVID-19 diagnosis. Though the former star had largely faded from the pro wrestling spotlight since the early 90s, Reed and his story’s impact helped shape the landscape of the pro wrestling business. Reed got his start playing football as a linebacker at …
