Category: Dragon King

In August of 1995, Tracy Smothers and Ricky Morton were top stars in both Smoky Mountain Wrestling and USWA when an incident occurred. Smothers and his girlfriend allegedly beat up the girlfriend of Ricky Morton and she pressed charges against them. Despite the fact that Smothers and his girlfriend were arrested on felony assault charges,…

Image: WWE On our cycle of shows we return now to From the Pages of the Observer — where Karl Stern takes a look at a Dave Meltzer biography, obituary, or history piece. This episode looks at the death of the Junkyard Dog. For a brief window of time, JYD was one of the most…

Or… how Boring Funk Jr. learned to take the press slam and like it. It’s one of the most popular shows of our classic wrestling rotation — the retro review! We return to Puerto Rico and the year 1987 to see an amazing match between LOS HERMANOS FUNKS vs.The Road Warriors! Plus, a senior citizen battles Kareem Muhammad…

This week’s episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show covers September 1982 in pro wrestling. This month sees El Santo’s last match as he retires in front of 25,000 fans in Mexico, The Midnight Express roll through Memphis, The Road Warrior (singular) debuts in Georgia, Otto Wanz defends the AWA World title around the loop,…

On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, it’s another edition of From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter discussing the death of Louie Spicolli. Spicolli wrestled for WWF, WCW, AAA, and ECW, among others. At the time it happened, his death was a major story related to the rampant drug deaths in…

On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I cover August 1982 and one of the strangest World title changes in history — Otto Wanz winning the AWA World Championship from Nick Bockwinkel. Plus, Jerry Lawler feuds with Kamala, Bob Backlund feuds with Bob Orton, Jr., Ric Flair in Memphis, World Class Star Wars, a huge…

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballots should be coming any day now, so Karl discusses this year’s ballot on this massive show. Who is new? Let’s talk about CM Punk. Randy Orton hate, and Sgt. Slaughter of course. Plus, Big Daddy, a few who have no chance, a breakdown of the Hall of…

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballots should be coming any day now, so Karl discusses this year’s ballot on this massive show. Who is new? Let’s talk about CM Punk. Randy Orton hate, and Sgt. Slaughter of course. Plus, Big Daddy, a few who have no chance, a breakdown of the Hall of…

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballots should be coming any day now, so Karl discusses this year’s ballot in this massive show. Who is new? Let’s talk about CM Punk. Randy Orton hate, and Sgt. Slaughter of course. Plus, Big Daddy, a few who have no chance, a breakdown of the Hall of…

On this week’s installment of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show, we go back into the pages of the Observer and look at two obituaries written by Dave Meltzer: long-time AWA president Stanley Blackburn and the cultural icon from England — Big Daddy. Big Daddy is one of the most divisive wrestling personalities ever. This is borne…

I turned 13 on this date. Kevin Sullivan was running around Florida in the midst of all his devilish madness, Blackjack Mulligan was there to save us all. A mysterious man in the most ridiculous wrestling outfit ever was trying not to get it dirty while Dory Funk Jr. cracked whip (literally). Florida in the summer…

It was a dream match of the 1980s. The monster squashin’ Incredible Hulk Hogan vs. Abdullah the Butcher. While Abdullah the Butcher never ended up as a Hulk Hogan opponent in the WWF, the two did face off three times. Yes, Hulk Hogan and Abdullah the Butcher were in the ring together just three times…

After a massive June 1982 (see last episode), the train keeps rolling this month. The Fabulous Freebirds win the NWA National Tag Team titles in Georgia, NWA World Champion Ric Flair faces WWF Champion Bob Backlund at the Omni in Atlanta, The Midnight Express are in Memphis, another big Superdome show with Junkyard Dog and Mr. Olympia,…

Image: WWE On this episode, we take a look back at one of Dave Meltzer’s most famous obituaries: a piece about his friend Brian Pillman. An amazing and in-depth piece from someone who knew Pillman personally and watched his spiral out of control, not only as we fans did, but from the inside. Brian Pillman…

This week’s edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling show is a fun-filled review of a very 1986 WWF Wrestling Challenge program hosted by Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan. Today’s show features: YOUTUBE COMMENTS, The Dream Team showing personality for once, creepy Lanny Poffo, Billy Jack Haynes, Randy Savage, The Hart Foundation, Tito Santana, Pedro Morales,…