Tag: Portland wrestling
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Portland Wrestlecast: What Happened Then?
What Happened When? Jim Valley will try to tell you on this episode of the Portland Wrestlecast. If you heard Tony Schiavone and Conrad Thompson watch Portland Wrestling from April 1982, you may want to watch along with this show, too. Portland Wrestling is kind of its own world. Watch along again and hear explanations of…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Remembering The Iron Sheik
On a new edition of the Portland Wrestlecast, I remember the Iron Sheik who we lost Wednesday at the age of 81. In early 1978, a young Jim Valley saw the Iron Sheik come through the Pacific Northwest. He was only in the territory about six months, but it was a memorable six months: he…
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Wrestling Observer Live: A talk with Roddy Piper’s former assistant
On a special edition of Wrestling Observer Live, I share an exclusive interview with Lewis Rach, Roddy Piper’s former assistant from 2001-2005 which will give you an inside look at one of the most enigmatic figures in wrestling. He was there for the infamous confrontation in a dark bathroom between Piper and Bryan Alvarez. What…
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Portland Wrestlecast: A talk with ‘The Berzerker’ John Nord
Learn about the infamous Breakfast Club angle with the Grappler. WWE The Portland Wrestlecast is back with a great episode as I am joined by John Nord, best known as The Berzerker in the WWF. The very entertaining and personable Nord talks about one of the most infamous angles (seen below) in Portland Wrestling history:…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Charting the territory in 1979
The Portland Wrestlecast is back again as I welcome Al Getz from Charting The Territories for a fascinating conversation about the Pacific Northwest in 1979. We talk Roddy Piper, Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski, “Killer” Tim Brooks, Adrian Adonis and other stars who you may not even realize came through the territory like Tully Blanchard, Iceman Parsons, Sal Bellomo,…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Charting the territory in 1979
The Portland Wrestlecast is back again as I welcome Al Getz from Charting The Territories for a fascinating conversation about the Pacific Northwest in 1979. We talk Roddy Piper, Buddy Rose, Ed Wiskowski, “Killer” Tim Brooks, Adrian Adonis and other stars who you may not even realize came through the territory like Tully Blanchard, Iceman Parsons, Sal…
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Portland Wrestlecast: The biggest feud in Portland history
The Portland Wrestlecast is back with the history of the biggest feud in Portland Wrestling history. It was bigger than Piper vs. Rose or Rip Oliver vs. Billy Jack. In 1968, “Tough” Tony Borne vs. Lonnie Mayne drew thousands of fans to the then brand-new Portland Memorial Coliseum. They went from dominant World Tag Team…
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Portland Wrestlecast: The biggest feud in Portland history
Courtesy Lloyd N. Phillips The Portland Wrestlecast is back with the history of the biggest feud in Portland Wrestling history. It was bigger than Piper vs. Rose or Rip Oliver vs. Billy Jack. In 1968, “Tough” Tony Borne vs. Lonnie Mayne drew thousands of fans to the then brand-new Portland Memorial Coliseum. They went from…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Portland Wrestling TV signs off
This is a free show. Just click below to listen. On December 28, 1991, a Pacific Northwest institution came to an end as Portland Wrestling signed off the air. Originally started in 1953, Portland Wrestling is still one of the longest-running shows in TV history, even longer than WWE Raw. On this 30th anniversary edition of the Portland Wrestlecast,…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Portland Wrestling TV signs off
This is a free show. Just click below to listen. On December 28, 1991, a Pacific Northwest institution came to an end as Portland Wrestling signed off the air. Originally started in 1953, Portland Wrestling is still one of the longest-running shows in TV history, even longer than WWE Raw. On this 30th anniversary edition of the Portland Wrestlecast,…
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Portland Wrestlecast free podcast: The Iron Sheik’s real shoot match
On this new and free edition of the Portland Wrestlecast, it’s part two of our interview with former Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion Jerry Oates. Part one is available for subscribers. Oates talks about his tag team title run with partner Jesse Ventura in 1978, dealing with booking issues and politics with promoter Elton Owen and Dutch Savage while…
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Portland Wrestlecast free show: Rip Oliver’s big 1980s run
Editor’s Note: This is a free show. Just click the red button below to listen. When fans talk about Portland Wrestling in the 1980s, Rip Oliver is one of the first names that come to mind. In a podcast scheduled before this week’s announcement of Oliver going into hospice care, myself and historian Rich Patterson…
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Portland Wrestlecast free show: The biggest crowds & shows in territory history
Editor’s Note: This is a free edition of the Portland WrestleCast. With a huge crowd for Sunday’s NXT TakeOver: Portland, this week’s episode of the Portland WrestleCast looks at some of the biggest wrestling crowds in Portland from 1968 to present day WWE. After looking at a some of the key events from the modern era, we…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Rocky Johnson’s Pacific Northwest run
You know Rocky Johnson from WWF, Memphis, Hawaii and California, but he also had a very successful run in the Pacific Northwest in 1981-82 with heavyweight and tag team title reigns. In this episode of the Portland Wrestlecast, I look at one of my favorite babyfaces who came through Portland when I was a kid. Johnson had…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Don Owen and the WON HOF, Carl Styles part two
**Editor’s Note: This is a free show. Just click the red button below to listen. On this week’s Portland Wrestlecast, I look at how longtime Portland booker Don Owen came within just two votes from being inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. I’m still shocked, but we have to talk about the 2019…
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Portland Wrestlecast: The night Art Barr broke John Rambo’s face
Editor’s Note: This is a free show. Just click the red button below to listen. On this episode of the Portland WrestleCast, wrestler and trainer John Rambo tells the story of the infamous night in 1994 when Art Barr, who was working in Mexico as American Love Machine at the time, came back to work…
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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…
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Portland Wrestlecast: ‘Golden Boy’ Jerry Grey on 1980s wrestling politics
The mid 1980s were a transitional time for Portland Wrestling as established stars like Billy Jack Haynes, Rip Oliver, and Buddy Rose were in and out of the territory. Former wrestler Jerry Grey was there and seemingly caught in the middle of a political game between Billy, Rip, and Buddy. With Buddy reportedly going into the…
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Portland Wrestlecast: Doug Masters on the end of Portland TV
You may not know former pro wrestler Doug Masters, but he worked for Portland Wrestling during the time period you probably know best (1990-91) and was part of the last Portland Wrestling television show in 1991. In this episode of the Portland Wrestlecast, Masters talks about getting his nickname “Pretty Boy” from Roddy Piper and working with Raven,…
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Portland Wrestlecast: The legend of Tom and Gloria Peterson
Editor’s Note: This is a free edition of the show. No subscription needed! With catchphrases like “Wake Up!” and his famous flat-top haircut, Tom Peterson as synonymous with Portland Wrestling as Buddy Rose or Don Owen. Tom and Gloria Peterson sponsored Portland Wrestling for almost 25 years. With the recent passing of Gloria at the age of…