Bumps and Thumps

Bruce Wirt is considered the "Voice of Choice" in the Pro Wrestling Podcast arena. Bruce is the founder of the VOC Nation which hosts podcasts from legends and stars of the wrestling business. He hosts a podcast titled "Wrestling with the Past" along with legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter and former AWA and WWE announcer Ken Resnick. Bruce discusses his upbringing, how he got involved in pro wrestling, working with some well known names in the pro wrestling industry, his opinion of wrestling today vs the past and other projects he is working on. 

You can follow Bruce Wirt on the following social media platforms:

Facebook: @vocfanpage

Twitter: @vocnation

You can find the VOC Nation podcasts on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. 

You can also find them on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/c/VOCNationRadioNetwork/featured

You can follow us on the following social media platforms:

Ken Patera is considered to be the first man in pro wrestling named "The Worlds Strongest Man". Ken excelled in athletics at BYU and won four gold medals at the 1971 PAN AM Games. He competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, West Germany and was part of Vern Gagne's wrestling training class of 1972 with future stars Ric Flair, Greg Gagne, Jim Brunzell and the Iron Sheik. Ken has won may titles in the territories he worked in to include the WWF Intercontinental Title, AWA World Tag Team Titles and the NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title just to name a few. In this podcast, Ken talks about how he grew up in Oregon, going to college at BYU and competing in college athletics, competing in the Pan AM Games and the Olympics. I hope you enjoy  part 1 of this two part episode. I would enjoy hearing your feedback! 

You can follow Ken Patera on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ken.patera.12

You can follow us on the following social media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BumpsThumps

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumps_n_thumps/

We have a TEESPRING Store: https://teespring.com/stores/bumps-thumps-2 

Your purchases from the store help support the podcast. 

Sam Houston is one of the true trailblazers of pro wrestling in the 1980s. He started Wrestling in 1983. Sam is known to be an excellent worker, performer and wrestler. He was primarily in the NWA and WWF. He won the NWA Central States Championship, Mid Atlantic Title and many other titles. On this episode, Sam talks about growing up as a child in a wrestling family, getting started in pro wrestling, travel experiences, chemistry with other wrestlers, big card events such as Starrcade, working in the NWA vs WWF, the difference in pro wrestling from when he started vs today and what he is doing now. 

You can follow Sam Houston on Social Media on the following platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSamHouston and at https://www.facebook.com/groups/samhoustonbrand

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc22jAB6dzVCDDE5dR9mbrA/featured

Nikita Koloff is considered one of the great pro wrestlers of the mid 1980s and early 1990s. He is most remembered for his signature move "The Russian Sickle" and his feuds with Magnum T.A, The Road Warriors and The Four Horsemen. His many accomplishments include wining the second annual Crockett Cup with "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes know as the Super Powers. He also won the NWA World Six Man Tag Team Titles with "The Russians" Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruchev, the NWA World Tag Team Titles, the NWA U.S. Title and the NWA World Television Title. Nikita was awarded the Frank Gotch Award in 2006 and was inducted in the NWA Hall of Fame in 2008. He has also written three books: Breaking Chains, Wrestling with Success: Developing a Championship Mentality, and A Tale of the Ring and Redemption. He hosts a podcast titled: It's Time to Man Up! which you can find anywhere you get your podcasts.  

During the podcast, we discuss Nikita growing up in Minnesota, getting started in Pro Wrestling, travel experiences, Chemistry when working with wrestlers, being a member of the Russians, big events like Starcade and The Great American Bash, Working in the NWA and AWA, and what Nikita is doing now.

You can find out more about Nikita Koloff at www.koloff.net as well as on his social media platforms.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikita.koloff.31 

Twitter: @NikitaKoloff1

Instagram: nikitakoloff1

Dan is a ground pounder on the business side of the world of Professional Wrestling. Dan worked for many years with "The Greatest Wrestler on God's Green Earth" Harley Race in Harley's World League Wrestling promotion (WLW) out of Eldon, MO. He also has worked with Major Baisden, who owned and operated the National Wrasslin League (NWL) out of Kansas City, MO and St. Louis, MO until 2018. Dan discusses his upbringing, schooling, how he got into the wrestling business, Wrestlers he has had interaction with, Indie Wrestlers that have the "It Factor" to move up to WWE, AEW or ROH. We also discuss what Dan is doing now. 

You can follow Dan Gier on the following Social Media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.gier.18

Twitter: @mcbigd1

In Part 2 of our podcast with George Schire, we continue our discussion about his interaction with managers, big wrestling cards he attended, challenges and difficulties in collecting pro wrestling results from events pre-internet, difference in pro wrestling today and being awarded the James C Melby Wrestling Historian Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2013. 

In part 1 of a two part podcast, I talk to well known Pro Wrestling Historian George Shire. In part 1, George talks about how he grew up  in Minnesota and how pro wrestling influenced his life. He also discusses his interactions with pro wrestlers and how he promoted his first pro wrestling at his hometown High School Gymnasium. 

Paul "The Butcher" Vachon is considered a an icon in the tag team division .He started in pro wrestling in 1955 and went on to win with numerous singles and tag team titles with his brother, Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon in all the major territories. He is best known for competing in the AWA, NWA and Stampede Wrestling promotions. He wrestled until his retirement in 1987. He is a member of the Cauliflower Alley Club, inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2004) and the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2010). He is also the author of the four books, the most recent titled: Wrestling in the Past; Life in and out of the ring.

You can find Paul's book on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Wrestling-Past-Life-Out-Ring/dp/1475070683/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604101566&sr=8-4

You can also follow Paul "The Butcher" Vachon on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/paulthebutchervachon

Bill Apter is a legend in the Pro Wrestling Magazine world. Bill started as a writer in 1970 working for Mr. Stanley Weston (who he considers his mentor). He also worked as a photographer and reporter. Bill worked his way up and eventually became the senior editor for Mr. Weston's publications. Bill is best known for writing, photographing and publishing for Pro Wrestling Illustrated. We discuss how he got started in the business of pro wrestling, stories about Buddy Rogers, promotions he covered, the COW belt, leaving PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated), his induction into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (2012) and what Bill is doing now. His book "Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken!" is on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Is-Wrestling-Fixed-Bill-Apter-audiobook/dp/B01COQ6FSS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Is+Wrestling+Fixed+I+didnt+know+it+was+Broken&qid=1601601119&s=books&sr=1-1 

You can follow Bill on Twitter: @apter1wrestling 

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.apter 

Website: 1wrestling.com