Category: Dragon King
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Omega vs. Bockwinkel
It’s time for the latest installment of the GKT — The Greatest Kayfabe Tournament. We ask the question: If wrestling were real (not a shoot, but real as presented on television), who would win? This is, of course, really just an excuse to have a couple of biographies and a little fun — and this…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WWC retro TV review
On today’s edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, host Karl Stern looks back at this summer 1991 episode of WWC wrestling, which features Abdullah the Butcher, Dutch Mantel, Nikolai Volkoff, Giant Warrior, Ricky Santana, and, of course, Carlos Colon as they battle throughout Puerto Rico in the post-death of Bruiser Brody era.
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: CWA Memphis retro TV review
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, Karl Stern reviews the June 6, 1987 episode of CWA Memphis Wrestling. The fallout from the cage attack on Jerry Lawler continues — but a tournament for the vacant Southern Heavyweight Tag Team titles is the focus. The show features Lawler, Bill Dundee, Jeff Jarrett, Billy Travis,…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1974 in pro wrestling
On today’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we continue the longform history of pro wrestling series as we enter the mid-1970s. Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki are battling over who is king of Japan, the NWA is still a worldwide powerhouse, and Jack Brisco is the NWA World Heavyweight Champion — except for briefly dropping the title…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Gorgeous George vs. Flair
It’s time for another new matchup in the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament! This is our ninth match of round one, and we go 40 years apart to get this episode’s combatants. From 1949 is the bleached blonde TV star (and better wrestler than he is given credit for) — Gorgeous George. His opponent was one of the…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WWF Spotlight retro TV review
The DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show today takes a look back at the January 6, 1990 episode of WWF Wrestling Spotlight, which featured The Bushwhackers, several great enhancement wrestlers, Dusty Rhodes, the introduction of Sapphire, hype for the 1990 Royal Rumble with some amazing interviews, Dino Bravo, and a WWF World Tag Team title change. The…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WWF Wrestling Challenge review
This is a review of a WWF Wrestling Challenge show that aired a short time after WrestleMania III that includes the Honky Tonk Man defeating Ricky Steamboat for the Intercontinental title. Plus — Bobby Heenan, Kamala, Sika, Can Am Connection, Brutus Beefcake, Dusty Wolfe, Killer Khan, Junkyard Dog, Steve Lombardi, Superstar Billy Graham, and more! Full…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Life and death of ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund
Legendary Hall of Fame wrestling announcer “Mean” Gene Okerlund has passed away at the age of 76. Karl Stern from Wrestling Observer and When It Was Cool takes a look back at Okerlund’s life and career in this brand new biography breaking news special. Okerlund was the prime interviewer for the AWA, WWF, WCW, and then back…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1973 in pro wrestling
The longform history of pro wrestling series continues and this episode we take a look at the year of 1973 in pro wrestling, We cover Bobo Brazil, The Funks, Harley Race, Giant Baba puts himself over huge, Bill Watts, the Dory Funk Jr.-Harley Race-Jack Brisco NWA title controversy and title change, and much more! A…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Sammartino vs. Blassie
It’s round one, match eight in the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament. This time, we pit two contemporaries from the late 1960s against each other: WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino vs. WWA World Champion Fred Blassie. Blassie has terrorized the west coast, Georgia, and Japan, while Sammartino has become a legend in Toronto and New York. Who will…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1972 wrestling timeline
The Longform History of Pro Wrestling Series continues with a look at the year of 1972 in pro wrestling. On this episode, we talk about Ray Stevens, Nick Bockwinkel, Pat Patterson, Roberto and Manuel Soto, Sonny King, Giant Baba, Antonio Inoki, Gorilla Monsoon, Mr. Fuji, and the Atlanta wrestling war kicking off. All this and…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1971 in pro wrestling
Wrestling historian Karl Stern takes a look at 1971 in this continuing chronological look at the history of pro wrestling Ivan Koloff shocks the world by beating Bruno Sammartino, El Mongol in Georgia, Pedro Morales becomes WWWF Champion, the Funks are tearing up the wrestling world internationally, the tragic death of AWA World Tag Team title…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Andre vs. The Destroyer
It is time for match seven in round one of the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament from the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show. This match pits the legendary Eighth Wonder of the World Andre the Giant against WWA World Champion The Destroyer (Dick Beyer). The votes are in — and now you can listen to who won and learn…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1970 wrestling timeline
The DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show Longform History of Wrestling series returns this week as we head into the 1970s. On this edition, we talk about stars like Andre the Giant, The Missouri Mauler, and The Assassins, along with Verne Gagne carrying the AWA World title to Japan, Atlanta wrestling, Dusty Rhodes, Dick Murdoch, and much more.
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Piper vs. Mascaras
The Greatest Kayfabe Tournament continues with match six in round one — and today we have a battle of people who seldom laid down on the job. Plucked straight out of 1984 following the famous Starrcade Dog Collar match and a year before WrestleMania I, we have “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. His opponent is one of…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: HOF ballot discussion, pt. 2
This is our second discussion of the 2018 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame ballot. On this edition, host and wrestling historian Karl Stern discusses the Japanese ballot, the UK and other areas ballot, revisits the Mexico ballot, and talks in detail about the non-wrestler candidates — including a passionate and angry rant about Jerry Jarrett.…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: HOF ballot discussion, pt. 1
It’s time once again for our annual examination of the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame ballot. This year, I split the discussion into two shows so we don’t have to rush things. Part two will be next Tuesday. On this episode, we look at the United States current and historical ballot, along with the candidates from Mexico.…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1969 in pro wrestling
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show host, Karl Stern presents episode 40 in the longform history of pro wrestling series as we look at the end of the 1960s. We refer to a couple of old pro wrestling magazines to fill in the gaps for this episode with segments on Dick the Bruiser,…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Vader vs. Brock Lesnar
The Greatest Kayfabe Tournament (GKT) — Round One, Match Five: Big Van Vader vs. Brock Lesnar. As Jim Ross would say, this one is going to be a slobberknocker! The listeners have voted and we have a winner. On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show, we discuss what would happen if Big…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Mid-1960s wrestling timeline
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we continue our longform history of pro wrestling series by traveling into the mid-1960s. As the AWA evolves into a powerhouse promotion and Verne Gagne trades the World title frequently with people like Mad Dog Vachon, Fritz Von Erich, and others, Bruno Sammartino tightens his grip…