Portland Wrestlecast: Mike Rodgers on 30 years of Pacific Northwest history

Fresh off last week’s Cauliflower Alley Club reunion in Las Vegas, I talk with this year’s recipient of the James Melby Award, Mike Rodgers.

The Melby goes to the pre-eminent journalists in wrestling and our Dave Meltzer won it two years ago. For 30 years, Mike wrote “Ring Around the Northwest”, a wrestling newsletter focused on the Pacific Northwest. 

In this week’s episode of the Wrestlecast, Mike and I talk about his early fandom in the 60s and wrestlers like Lonnie Mayne and “Tough” Tony Borne, including their famous match at the the Portland Memorial Coliseum that drew 8,000 fans. We move onto the 1970s and talk about Beauregard, The Claw, Bull Ramos, Jesse Ventura, Gino Hernandez and the debut of “Playboy” Buddy Rose.

From there, we talk about Portland stars in the 1980s and 90s like Billy Jack, Rip Oliver, The Grappler and much more.

We cover lots of history and great memories in this episode. 

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