This week’s Portland Wrestlecast features one of the best interviews I have ever had on the show: former PNW Champion Jerry Oates.
Oates wrestled in the Pacific Northwest in 1978, the same time as Jimmy Snuka, Jesse Ventura, Buddy Rose, and others. He held the tag team titles with Ventura and feuded with Ed Wiskowski over the heavyweight title. A Georgia native, he has wrestled in All Japan, Georgia, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, Louisiana and more.
On this episode, he tells some incredible old school stories including a real life dressing room confrontation between Jimmy Snuka and Dutch Savage. Savage wasn’t only a veteran wrestler as he also promoted wrestling for Don Owen in Washington State and, on TV, was portrayed as a mentor to Snuka.
Hear about the unique way he got into Portland and his thoughts on the territory given his vast experience. Don’t sleep on this episode as Jerry Oates stood out among a region filled with talent in 1978.
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