Category: Dragon King
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: History of pro wrestling at MSG in 1877
On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we travel back in time to the pioneer era of wrestling — 1877 — to see the first actual non-tournament pro wrestling cards at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. At this point, MSG was still known as Gilmore’s Garden but these shows were drawing sizable crowds for…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of actor & comedian Robin Williams
My series looking at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history continues with the death of actor and comedian Robin Williams. A comedic genius who first came to national attention on the Happy Days spinoff series Mork and Mindy, Williams followed this up with a stellar career both as a comedic and dramatic…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Abdullah The Butcher vs. Keiji Mutoh
Round two of the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament on the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling show continues with two very different pro wrestlers: the bloodletting Abdullah The Butcher vs. the blood-spilling Keiji “The Great Muta” Mutoh. Will the versatility of Mutoh be able to overcome the girth and brutality of Abdullah? You, the listener, voted, and we have…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A look back at WCW’s Renegade
On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we look at the late Renegade of WCW fame, using his Wrestling Observer Newsletter obituary as a guide. Formerly known as Rio Lord of the Jungle, Richard Wilson was brought into WCW by Hulk Hogan and the creative team when they failed to get Ultimate Warrior (Jim Hellwig)…
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DragonKing Dark: The ‘Twilight Zone’ movie disaster
The Dark 100 rolls on. In July 1982, actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed by a helicopter crash while filming a scene for “The Twilight Zone” movie. The accident revealed numerous shortcuts and safety protocols that were bypassed which contributed to the tragedy. The Twilight Zone movie disaster is one of our…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: CWA Memphis October 19, 1985 review
This week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling show features a look back at a weird time in the fall of 1985 where Southeastern/Continental Wrestling took over Memphis for a few weeks. This included Mr. Olympia (Jerry Stubbs) coming in as a fake Masked Superstar, Scott and Steve Armstrong, Mongolian Stomper, Mr. Class (Ken Timbs), The Heavenly Bodies…
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DragonKing Dark: The story of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez
Our next installment in our 100 darkest moments in pop culture history involves the story of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez was an elite level football player whose off the field exploits landed him in prison and later dead. Despite being one of the best players on his national championship winning…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: November 1982 in pro wrestling
On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I cover everything that happened during the month of November 1982 in pro wrestling. This includes, of course, Thanksgiving night back when it was the biggest night of the pro wrestling year. Our discussion includes Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Bob Backlund, Nick Bockwinkel, Stagger Lee (aka…
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DragonKing Dark: How ‘Seduction of the Innocent’ went after the comic industry
Free speech. Censorship. Right thinking. Moral policing. All of these terms are hot button topics to various political and social groups. The more that things change, the more they stay the same as in 1954, a holier than thou psychiatrist took on the comic book industry with his infamous book, “Seduction of the Innocent”. No…
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DragonKing Dark: The video game crash of 1983
Continuing our 100 darkest moments in pop culture series, this week’s DragonKing Dark takes a look back at the video game crash of 1983. It was a moment in time where subpar games were being produced en masse as a cash grab during a home video game boom. Juan Nunez wrote a tremendous article about this…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The history of pro wrestling at MSG, part 1
On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, it’s the debut of a new series looking at the history of pro wrestling at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Perhaps the most famous arena in the world, MSG has changed quite a bit over the years and we will talk about the venue’s different owners…
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DragonKing Dark: Napster Kills the Music Business
Nothing is free. Everything has a cost, including music. Our series of 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history continues with an entry you might not expect. In the late 1990s through early 2000s, file sharing services like Napster and Limewire were all the rage. People justified stealing music by pointing out the…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Ric Flair vs. Kenny Omega
This week on the GKT (Greatest Kayfabe Tournament), we get a battle of the eras. The legendary 20-plus time World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs. former AEW, AAA, Impact, and IWGP World Champion Kenny Omega. Both men are in the Observer Hall of Fame. Omega is divisive among modern fans. Many think he is one of the greatest…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The death of Giant Baba
Dave Meltzer’s Giant Baba obituary from the February 8th, 1999, Wrestling Observer Newsletter may be one of his most massive obituaries in his history. The size of a small book, the story of Baba is woven into many of the most important stories of pro wrestling history, especially that of Japan. We all know Dave is a…
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DragonKingKarl True Crime Wrestling Stories: The case of Mr. Wrestling 2, pt. 1
Welcome to the first of a three-part series focused on Mr. Wrestling 2 as part of my true crime stories from the world of professional wrestling — a series that is not for the kids or faint-of-heart as we will be discussing some very heavy themes. This focuses on a little-known assault story involving Mr. Wrestling…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: AWA Remco 80s figures
On a special DragonKingKarl Show, I look back at the old AWA Remco action figure series from the 1980s: the first mass market pro wrestling action figure series. Next week: I present three shows in three days in a special true crime series.
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Pro wrestling in October 1982
Image: WWE On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we deep dive into October 1982. Kung Fu Billy Graham is making the rounds this month, Nick Bockwinkel regains the AWA World title from Otto Wanz, Bullet Bob Armstrong makes his famous heel turn on Ron Fuller during an NWA World title match against Ric Flair…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Bruno vs. Andre
The second round of the GKT (Greatest Kayfabe Tournament) continues with the 50th match in the series: Bruno Sammartino vs. Andre the Giant! You have voted and the results are in. Who won in our fictional tournament that asks: If wrestling were real (not a shoot but the characters as presented were real) who would…