Tag: DragonKingKarl
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: NWA retro TV review
NWA JCP retro TV review from July 13, 1985 What a grand show this was as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express battled and won the NWA World Tag Team titles from The Russians (Ivan Koloff & Krusher Khruschev — the future Demolition Smash). Plus, appearances by Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and Nikita Koloff, and David Crockett…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Georgia Championship Wrestling retro TV review
Our latest classic wrestling TV review looks at Georgia Championship Wrestling from February 23, 1980, which includes Terry and Dory Funk and another ridiculous Terry promo, Mr. Wrestling II, Austin Idol, Tommy Rich, Gordon is disappointed in Harley Race, and the Masked Superstar. It’s another blast of retro pro wrestling action — this time from GCW!
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Orton vs. Muta
The 12th match in round one of the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament takes place today — and you the listener have voted for the winner! This matchup takes two very different wrestlers from two different eras. Randy Orton pits the RKO against the moonsault and shining wizard of the Great Muta/Keiji Muto! You have picked the…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Continental Wrestling retro TV review
On today’s edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show, Karl Stern looks at Continental Championship Wrestling from November 22, 1986. The show features Gordon Solie on commentary, Ron Fuller and his battle against Kevin Sullivan and the New Guinea Headhunters, Roy Lee Welch, Tom Prichard, The Nightmares, and Jerry Stubbs & The Dirty White Boy…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: WWF Wrestling retro TV review
Host Karl Stern takes a look at this 1982 WWF TV show that features Salvatore Bellomo in his debut, Ivan Putski, Jimmy Snuka, an ill-fated tag team, Bob Orton, SD Jones, Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito, Buddy Rose, Tony Atlas, and Pedro Morales (who Vince McMahon dogs out on commentary) as Intercontinental Champion.
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Kiniski vs. Abdullah
In the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament, we ask the totally geek question — If pro wrestling were real (not a shoot but real as presented on TV), who would win? Fans vote on the @wiwcool Twitter account and we discuss the match. Of course, this is just a fun way to have two biographies on a show…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: ‘Tag Team’ retro TV review
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show, host Karl Stern takes a look back at an unsold 1991 television pilot starring Roddy Piper and Jesse Ventura as two pro wrestlers who get fired for not throwing matches (against Pat Tanaka and Akio Sato) and become cops instead. Is it as bad as…
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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: 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: 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 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 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 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: 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…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: O’Connor vs. Liger
We continue the GKT — Greatest Kayfabe Tournament — today with an interesting clash of styles between Pat O’Connor and Jushin Thunder Liger. O’Connor was a mat wrestling machine and NWA World Champion. Jushin Liger was a revolutionary high-flyer who later developed a tremendous mat wrestling style as well. It’s the past vs. future in today’s tournament matchup. Who…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1963 was a huge year in wrestling
1963 was a hugely eventful year in pro wrestling, especially in Japan and in the life (and death) of Rikidozan. But there was a lot happening in the United States, too. Verne Gagne and the AWA title, Lou Thesz vs. Buddy Rogers for the NWA title, Bruno Sammartino and the formation of the WWWF, plus…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Jericho vs. Superstar Graham
This is a fictional 64-man. single-elimination tournament that asks the question: “What if these wrestlers were real? Who would win?” This is not a “shoot” fight, nor an argument over who the best “worker” is. This tournament is about why we started watching wrestling to begin with — could Chris Jericho the character defeat Superstar…