Category: Dragon King
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1908-1911 Madison Square Garden history
The first true World heavyweight champion is crowned. This episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show continues my long series detailing pro wrestling at Madison Square Garden in New York City with this week’s focus on 1908 through 1911. In this episode, George Hackenschmidt defeats the American champion Tom Jenkins to become recognized as…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Steve Austin vs. Eddie Guerrero
Karl Stern’s Greatest Kayfabe Tournament series continues. My Greatest Kayfabe Tournament series (aka the GKT) continues with a round two match-up featuring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Eddie Guerrero. You, the listener, voted for the winner and we will discuss it. Plus, this match actually took place six times in real life and I’ll take…
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DragonKing Dark: The 2000 Paralympic Games basketball cheating scandal
Inarguably, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history took place at the 2000 Paralympic Games where, brace yourself, Spain competed in basketball with players representing themselves as intellectually disabled who weren’t. Yes, you read that right. They also won the gold medal and outed themselves once it hit the newspapers. The International Paralympic Committee…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The life and career of Killer Kowalski
On this week’s DragonKing Karl Classic Wrestling Show, we return to the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter to take a look back at Dave Meltzer’s very detailed career and life history of the man who trained Triple H (Paul Levesque) and held multiple major titles during his career: Walter “Killer” Kowalski. A big drawing…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A look at January 1990’s Inside Wrestling
It’s time for another classic pro wrestling magazine review as this time, we revisit the fall of 1989 with the January 1990 edition of Inside Wrestling — part of the “Apter mag” family. Featuring Sting and Ric Flair on the cover, this issue also features a breakdown of then-current champions, ratings, stories on the Rock…
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DragonKing Dark: The sports trading card bust of the 1990s
Continuing my 100 darkest moments in pop culture history series, I examine the sports trading card bust of the 1990s. Generations of sports fans, especially with baseball, collected trading cards. In the past, these cards often also increased in value, especially for rookies who eventually became big stars. Enter the speculators who were then fed…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A look back at May 1983
Karl Sten’s longform history of pro wrestling series continues with a news-packed episode. Matt Borne is busted in Ohio for sexual assault of a minor — and that isn’t even the biggest news. Nancy Argentino is killed, allegedly by Jimmy Snuka, in a hotel room the same night that Eddie Gilbert breaks his neck in…
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DragonKing Dark: The 1972 Olympics
My 100 darkest moments in pop culture history series on DragonKing Dark continues as I examine the terrorist assault and murder of eleven Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, Germany. Germany, wanting to put the stain of the past behind them, had strongly pushed the “smiling Olympics” and despite warnings, failed to…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The history of wrestling at Madison Square Garden continues
One of the biggest matches so far in my series looking at pro wrestling history at Madison Square Garden takes place this episode as Tom Jenkins faces Frank Gotch. Did you know the legendary Gotch never won a match at MSG? I talk about that and more plus yet another giant Turk shows up squashing…
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DragonKing Dark: The Lindbergh baby kidnapping & murder
On March 1, 1932, one of most sensational crimes ever to grip America occurred: the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and murder. The son of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, aged 20 months, disappeared from his crib and was, apparently, held for ransom, which was paid. However, just over two months later, the child’s body was discovered in…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Antonio Inoki vs. Kazuchika Okada
The Greatest Kayfabe Tournament continues as we take a look at the histories of two of the greatest Japanese pro wrestlers ever: Antonio Inoki and Kazuchika Okada. Two different generations and two different styles. Inoki, recently departed, was one of the greatest trinity of wrestlers ever in Japan. At 35 years old, Okada is already…
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DragonKing Dark: The tragic death of pro baseball player Ray Chapman
The only Major League Baseball player to be killed during a game was Ray Chapman and it happened in 1920. The story is tragic, even beyond what was likely an accident. “Likely” because, well, the player who threw the pitch had a reputation for hitting batters, on purpose. And after hitting Chapman with the fatal…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WON Hall of Fame ballot discussion show, pt. 3
Join me on this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show for my final look at the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot for 2022. In this finale, I discuss the Other Countries candidates, the non-wrestler list, and talk about all the new tag teams on the ballot including the Robert Gibson paradox. Be sure to…
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DragonKing Dark: The 2022 Halloween special
It’s time for the 2022 DragonKing Dark Halloween special, hosted by Dirty Dawg Darsie. On this 90-minute episode, the Dawg is joined by Kid Zombie & The Desert Rat of When It Was Cool, and Joe Drilling & Eric Allen of On The Stick to talk all things spooky! Wrestling Halloween stories, UFO encounters, a Roanoke Dogman encounter…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WON Hall of Fame ballot discussion show, pt. 2
I continue with part two of my popular annual look at this year’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot. I break down the ballot and discuss my thoughts on each candidate. This year, there are a few rule changes (discussed in part one) and the addition of several tag teams. This episode, we continue…
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DragonKing Dark: 1988’s Beetlejuice
It’s the ghost with the most! This week on DragonKing Dark, we continue our month-long celebration of Halloween as Tonya and I take a look back at the 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice. An all-star cast battles with the afterlife in this late 1980s classic, fun for everyone on your Halloween playlist that has actually aged…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WON Hall of Fame ballot discussion show, pt. 1
Our most popular shows of the year are back: the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot discussion. On this opener, I talk about this year’s rule changes, the many new tag teams, discussion about Sgt. Slaughter and many others. Part one of three has arrived.
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DragonKing Dark: 1982’s Poltergeist
We continue celebrating Halloween all month long and this week, myself and Tonya from WhenItWasCool.com discuss the classic 1982 horror movie Poltergeist. Into the pop culture lexicon entered the eerie phrase: “They’re here!” And beyond the storyline itself, the movie was followed by the tragic death of its young star. Poltergeist gave birth to multiple…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Frankenstein in pro wrestling
This week on the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show we talk about the Frankenstein Monster in pro wrestling! Yes, the creature has popped up a few times in wrestling, most famously in Los Angeles and Memphis. We tell you all about that today — and we talk about the shoot fight Frankenstein had with Andre…
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DragonKing Dark: Reviewing the Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix show ‘Monster’
On this week’s DragonKing Dark, we take a look at a real-life monster. A new and controversial Netflix series called Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is currently one of the most popular streaming series of the year. Myself and Tonya from When It Was Cool have watched it and this week’s show is our review.…