Category: Dragon King
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: From William Muldoon to Roman Reigns
On this hour of my 1000 Hours focus on the pioneer era of pro wrestling, I think it is important to step back for a moment and ask the very legitimate question: what does the pioneer era really have to do with pro wrestling? Wasn’t it just untrained conmen with large mustaches traveling the country…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A boxer & a wrestler walk into a bar
My latest look back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling takes a look at John McMahon, whom we have previously discussed — a man who apparently liked his drinks. According to newspapers at the time, one of the first boxer vs. wrestler matches may not have taken place as a betting event for spectators,…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1984 & 1985
Celebrating the release of my new book, DragonKingKarl’s 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus, this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show looks back at these two massively important years in pro wrestling history. Some highlights: Hulk Hogan wins the WWF World title, the WWF national expansion begins in earnest including the takeover of the WTBS time slot, the…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Meet the first pioneer era influencer
If I told you that today’s look back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling involved a bear eating a kid and a funeral invaded by corpse eating cats, you might think me ridiculous. Well, welcome to the world of Richard K. Fox: pioneer era pro wrestling influencer. It was Fox, via his National Police…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The history of Dusty Rhodes, pt. 3
On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I present the conclusion of the near-book length Dusty Rhodes biography by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. This is part of my “From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter” subseries where I look back at some of Meltzer’s biographies and history pieces in historic Observers. Part…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A must-read book for pioneer era fans
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I delve into my 1000 Hours series focusing on the pioneer era of pro wrestling This week, I take a look at a much-overlooked book on the pioneer era (and beyond) called Ringside: A History of Professional Wrestling in America by Scott Beekman, a college educator…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The history of Dusty Rhodes, pt. 2
WWE On our rotation of classic pro wrestling themes we are back around to “From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter” — a show where we look back at some of Dave Meltzer’s biographies and history pieces in historic Observers. Today we continue a three-parter on Dave’s massive Dusty Rhodes obituary. It is basically…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The Zbyszko brothers
1000 Hours is my sub-podcast series on the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show about the pioneer era of pro wrestling: defined as before Frank Gotch and before 1900. This week’s show was a requested topic by Eric, the sponsor of this episode. He wanted to know about the Polish influence on wrestling. In the 1970s, especially,…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The history of Dusty Rhodes, pt. 1
On the DragonKing Karl rotation of classic pro wrestling themes, we are back around to “From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter” where I look back at some of Dave Meltzer’s biographies and history pieces in historic Observer newsletters. Today, I begin a three-part series on the massive Dusty Rhodes obituary — basically a…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Pioneer era wrestling beyond NYC
On a new DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we look at pioneer era wrestling outside New York City thanks to a request from listener Andrew. I dug into newspapers in Buffalo, Rochester, and surrounding areas to find out that the pro wrestling scene outside of New York City in the late 1800s was both well and…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 2023 Wrestling Observer HOF discussion, pt. 2
AEW Welcome to the second installment of my annual Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot discussion — one of my most popular shows of the year. Check out part one and then delve into this episodes where I continue to discuss nominees like Roman Reigns, the Young Bucks, Rocca and Perez, Sgt. Slaughter, Big…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 2023 Wrestling Observer HOF discussion, pt. 1
Welcome to my annual Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot discussion for 2023 — traditionally one of my most popular shows of the year. This year, it’s a two-part show, discussing the likes of Roman Reigns, the Young Bucks, Rocca and Perez, Sgt. Slaughter, Big Daddy, Roy Welch, Bob Armstrong, Mongolian Stomper, the Von Erichs,…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Main Event Wrestling magazine review
As I wrap up work on my upcoming DragonKingKarl Stern’s 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus book, I wanted to review a magazine from that timeframe on this week’s show. So, I struck outside the usual Apter mags and decided to review a George Napolitano offering: Main Event Wrestling from November 1984 featuring Hulk Hogan, Kerry Von…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The mystery of Barney Smith
On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, it’s another episode in my 1000 Hours series. Hour 21 focuses on the mystery of Barney Smith. While his current status of being alive or dead isn’t a mystery (he lived 150 years ago), the question is whether Col. James H. McLaughlin (seen above) killed him. In the…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Podcast: January 1984
WWE Today, pro wrestling historian Karl Stern begins looking back at the year 1984 in pro wrestling. January 1984 was a huge and historically important month as Hulk Hogan wins the WWF Heavyweight title from Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The AWA is beginning to get its talent raided by…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The history of the American Heavyweight title
This week’s DKK Classic Wrestling Show is a 1000 Hours edition focusing on pioneers of pro wrestling and taking a look back at one of the earliest and most important championships of the pioneer era: the American Heavyweight title. It was a time when it seemed like every wrestler billed themselves as “champion of America”…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The Zbyszkos at MSG
On this week’s DragongKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I continue my chronological exploration into the history of pro wrestling at MSG in New York City. We continue into the 1920s and discuss the saga of Tex Rickard and how he had taken over the pro wrestling scene. However, he ran into legal trouble and it threatens…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Kenny Omega vs. Great Muta
WWE In our rotation of classic pro wrestling shows we are back around to the GKT: The Greatest Kayfabe Tournament. We ask the question: If pro wrestling were real (not a shoot but the characters as presented on TV were real) who would win? This episode we have two wrestlers from two different generations who…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Pioneer era wrestling in Africa
This week’s episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show was both requested and sponsored by Eric Darsie who asked if there is any evidence for pioneer era (pre-1900) pro wrestling in Africa. Africa is hard enough to get modern era pro wrestling news out of, so I didn’t expect to find much. However, there does…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Podcast: Verne Gagne
This week from When It Was Cool Wrestling, host Karl Stern visits the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter to look at the life and career of AWA owner and multi-time World Champion Verne Gagne. Gagne was a contemporary of Lou Thesz and a major rival. He was one of the biggest stars on television…