🎙️ Mid-Card Chronicles #6 – The Ones Who Passed Through

Main events get remembered.
Champions get photographed.
But this week… we look at the ones who came through, did the work, and kept moving.

In Episode #6 of Mid-Card Chronicles, Frank Culbertson explores another layer of Portland Wrestling history—the wrestlers whose time in the Northwest was brief, transitional, or quietly important, even if it didn’t last.

Because not every run is about staying.
Sometimes it’s about passing through at the right moment.

🥊 Stan “Crusher” Kowalski – The Name That Carried Weight

When Stan Kowalski arrived in 1973, expectationsfollowed him. Not because of what he did in Portland…but because of the name.

• Rebranded as Crusher Kowalski to avoid confusionwith Killer Kowalski
• A former AWA Tag Team Champion with real credentials
• A veteran presence in a territory that was speeding up

But Portland in 1973 demanded pace—and Kowalski’s run lasted just two months.

Sometimes experience isn’t enough.
Sometimes the fit just isn’t there.

🔥 Skandor Akbar – Before the Legend

Before he became one of wrestling’s most powerful managers…Skandor Akbar was just another mid-card wrestler finding his way.

• Solid wins and steady positioning
• Time split between Portland and British Columbia
• The presence, confidence, and voice already forming

The legend was coming—
but Portland saw him before the rise.

🌏 Tor Kamata – The Short-Term Solution

When Portland needed a top heel in 1975…Tor Kamata looked like the answer.

• Main events with Dutch Savage and Jimmy Snuka
• A global career spanning Hawaii, Japan, and the WWWF
• A resume filled with championships and “firsts”

But in Portland?

Six weeks.
Then gone.

A reminder that sometimes a wrestler’s biggest impact happens somewhere else.

💥 Avalanche (PN News) – The Late-Era Force

By 1987, Portland Wrestling was changing—and Avalanchearrived right in the middle of it.

• A 400+ pound athlete who could actually move
• Battle Royal winner in his Portland debut
• Tag Team Champion with Mike Golden and Buddy Rose
• A heel turn that clicked instantly

He wasn’t just a mid-carder— he was a bridge to the next era.

From Portland…to WCW as PN News…to international success as Cannonball Grizzly.

This episode isn’t about long runs or lasting fame.

It’s about timing.
Opportunity.
And the wrestlers who passed through Portland—
leaving just enough behind to matter.

Because in wrestling…
even a short run can tell a big story.

Step back into the territory.

This is Mid-Card Chronicles — because without the middle,there is no main event.

Based on The Encyclopedia of Portland Wrestlers byhistorian Mike Rodgers

One ring.
One city.
A thousand stories.
And this week… we go ringside with one of the men who held it all together.

On Episode #30 of Ringside in Rose City, Frank Culbertson and Portland Wrestling historian Mike Rogers welcome a special guest whose name may not have headlined the posters—but whose work made those posters matter:

Rocky Della Serra.

This is a conversation about the carpenters of professional wrestling—the dependable, skilled workers who opened the show, anchored the middle, and made the stars look like stars.

And Rocky was exactly that.

From Montreal to Germany…
From Newfoundland to Calgary…
From Vancouver to Portland during one of its hottest years ever…

Rocky lived the territory system from the inside.

🥊 The Carpenter Role

Before the interview begins, Frank and Mike break down whata “carpenter” really is:

• The wrestlers who set the tone early in the night
• The ones who could work with anyone
• The pros who didn’t outshine the main event—but made sure it delivered

Because without them…
there is no show.

🎤 A Life in the Territories

Rocky shares stories from across the wrestling world:

• Breaking into the business with almost no formal training
• His unforgettable first match in Montreal
• Touring Germany and learning the hard way with Japanese training sessions
• Newfoundland’s summer territory and the grind of the road
• Calgary bookings that started with “we don’t need you”… and turned into steady work
• And finally, arriving in Portland in 1980, surrounded by Piper,Martel, Buddy Rose, and the Sheepherders

📖 Wrestling With a Rocky Life

The episode also spotlights Rocky’s new book:

Wrestling With a Rocky Life

A firsthand account of the territory era—told by someone wholived it night after night, town after town.

🏟️ Portland 1980 – Learning From the Best

Rocky reflects on working in one of the greatest locker rooms in Portland history:

• Watching Roddy Piper control a crowd
• Working with Rick Martel—“like a night off”
• Learning timing, psychology, and pacing from the best in the business
• And understanding what separated good wrestlers… from great ones

This episode isn’t about championships.
It’s about craftsmanship.

The workers who didn’t always win…
but made everything else work.

Step into the arena.

This is Ringside in Rose City —

Wrestling

 wrestling the way it should be.

🎙️ Mid-Card Chronicles #5– The Ones Who Filled the Gap

Main events get remembered.
Champions get photographed.
But this week… we focus on the ones who stepped in when the territory needed them most.

In Episode #5 of Mid-Card Chronicles, Frank Culbertson continues the journey through Portland Wrestling’s dependable talents—the wrestlers who didn’t always headline, but who kept the machine running when things got uncertain.

🥊 Carl Steiner – The Unexpected Champion

A debut you almost never see.

On February 23, 1985, Carl Steiner walked into Portland and walked out Northwest Heavyweight Champion—defeating Buddy Rose on his very first night.

No long build.
No slow rise.
Just opportunity… and a territory in transition.

Frank breaks down:
• Why Steiner was given the ball so quickly
• His partnership—and eventual feud—with Mike Miller
• And how fast momentum can disappear in a changing territory

For one night, he was the guy.
And in wrestling… sometimes that’s everything.

🎯 Luigi Macera – The Craftsman

Not flashy.
Not loud.
But respected by everyone who stepped in the ring with him.

Luigi Macera represents the foundation of wrestling:

• A career stretching back to the 1940s
• Junior Heavyweight Champion
• Tag team success with Gory Guerrero
• A worker so smooth that, as Red Donovan said, “you hardly knew he was there”

Macera didn’t need the spotlight— he made the spotlight work.

🔄 Clay Spencer / Ken Mantell – The Quiet Turn

Sometimes the biggest changes aren’t loud.

In 1973, Clay Spencer arrived as a babyface…and quietly turned heel when Portland needed one.

• Tag team gold with Bull Ramos
• The “sugar hold” challenge that drew heat the old-school way
• And a future far bigger than Portland fans could have imagined

Because under another name—Ken Mantell—he would go onto help shape one of the hottest eras in wrestling history.

But here?
He was just another wrestler… finding his place.

This episode isn’t about legends.

It’s about timing, opportunity, and the wrestlers who filled the gaps when the territory needed them most.

Because in Portland Wrestling…
the middle of the card wasn’t filler.

It was everything holding it together.

Step back into the territory.

This is Mid-Card Chronicles — because without the middle,there is no main event.

 Ringside in Rose City #29 – Matt Farmer: The Historian’s Historian

One ring.
One city.
A thousand stories.
And this week… we bring in someone who’s spent a lifetime uncovering them.

When Lisa Hughes punches the button, Frank Culbertsonand Mike Rogers welcome a very special guest into the Rose City ring: Matt Farmer.

Historian. Researcher. Wrestler. Promoter.
And one of the most respected voices in wrestling history today.

📚 The Puzzle of Wrestling History

Matt takes us deep into the process of uncoveringwrestling’s past:

• Digging through microfilm, newspapers, and archives
• Piecing together forgotten spot shows and lost results
• Reconstructing territories town-by-town—Tacoma, Longview, Salem, Eugene
• The thrill of discovering matches featuring names like André the Giant in places you’d never expect

As Matt explains, wrestling history isn’t just research…

It’s a puzzle—and every piece matters.

🌎 Beyond Portland

While Portland Wrestling is the foundation, this episodeexpands far beyond:

• The surprising reach of wrestling across small towns,islands, and international territories
• Stories from places like Hawaii during WWII-era wrestling booms
• How territories across North America—and beyond—were deeply connected

It’s a reminder that wrestling’s footprint was once everywhere.

🧠 Historians Talking History

For the first time…
Mike isn’t the only historian in the room.

And as he puts it:

“Tonight Matt and I can finally have a real historian conversation…”

What follows is a deep, passionate exchange between twopeople who have spent decades preserving wrestling’s past—while Frank (and all of us) try to keep up.

🥊 From Fan to the Business

Matt isn’t just a historian—he’s lived the business:

• Early days breaking in and learning from veterans
• Behind-the-scenes roles across the industry
• Becoming a driving force behind DEFY Wrestling, one of the most successful independent promotions today

This is the rare perspective of someone who has seen wrestling from every angle.

🎤 Stories You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else

This episode delivers:

·   Behind-the-scenes insights on Roddy Piper’s creative genius

·   The truth about Buddy Rose—his brilliance, his mindset, and his legacy

·    The reality of how wrestlers were trained, protected, and developed

·    And the small, often forgotten details that made territories like Portland so special

·     How close Hulk Hogan was to appearing in Portland Wrestling

This isn’t just an episode about wrestling history.

It’s about how that history is found, preserved, andunderstood.

Because without people like Matt Farmer… a lot of these stories would be gone forever.

Step into the arena.

This is Ringside in Rose City —

Wrestling

Wrestling the way it should be.

The Mid-Card Chronicle – Episode 4
Featuring the Dependable Talents Who Made Every Card Complete

The spotlight doesn’t always land on the middle of the card—but that’s where the foundation of Portland Wrestling was built. The wrestlers who filled those roles made every show work.

In Episode 4 of The Mid-Card Chronicle, host FrankCulbertson takes a closer look at three more dependable talents who helped shape the Northwest territory:

• Brian Adidas – A solid performer in a stacked 1983 roster, highlighted by a brief but memorable tag title run with Buddy Rose.
• Geoff Portz – A veteran with personality, known for his signature wig reveal and contributions to the tag division alongside Johnny Eagles.
• Johnny War Eagle – A dynamic early-career talent who quickly made an impact, including a Northwest Tag Team Title win with Billy White Wolf.

They weren’t always the headliners—but they were essentialto the show.

Because without the middle… there is no main event.

📚 Based on The Encyclopedia of Portland Wrestlers by historian Mike Rodgers.

🎙 New episodes of The Mid-Card Chronicle drop every Friday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

🎙️ Ringside in Rose City #28 – December 1968: The Territory Takes Shape

One ring.
One city.
A thousand stories.
And this week… the foundation gets stronger.

In Episode #28 of Ringside in Rose City, Frank Culbertson and Portland Wrestling historian Mike Rogers head back to the Portland Sports Arena in December 1968—just three months into Don Owen’s bold gamble, and a moment where the territory is still finding its footing.

As always, Lisa Hughes spins the wheel and reveals the envelope: “PSA December ’68.”

And with that, the guys dive into a month where everythingis still in motion—rosters shifting, rivalries forming, and the identity of Portland Wrestling beginning to take shape.

🔥 The Von Steigers Take Control

If one thing defines December 1968, it’s this:

The Von Steigers are everywhere.

• Dominating the tag division
• Winning battle royals (even splitting one together)
• Regaining the Northwest Tag Titles on Christmas night
• Headlining cards across Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Longview

They aren’t just heels…
they’re the engine of the territory.

🥊 A Territory in Transition

Frank and Mike break down a constantly shifting roster:

• Billy White Wolf arrives, gets pushed hard… then exits for a Japan tour
• Johnny War Eagle emerges as a future player
• Luther Lindsay anchors the territory as Northwest Champion
• Tony Borne starts to re-enter the spotlight
• Shag Thomas begins moving into a more prominent role
• Stan “Crusher” Stasiak returns to the territory in a strange stretch of booking

And all of it is happening while Don Owen tries to stabilize a brand-new venue and keep fans coming back every Saturday night.

🎄 Christmas Night in Portland

One of the most important nights of the month:

• A capacity crowd at the Portland Sports Arena
• The Von Steigers reclaim the tag titles
• Title matches, returns, and transitions that set the stage for 1969

It’s not just a holiday card—
it’s a turning point.

📰 When Newspapers Sold the Show

This episode highlights something Portland Wrestling mastered:

Promotion through storytelling.

From headlines like:
• “Double Dose of Violence”
• “Indian Declares War”
• “Fight to the Finish”

The matches were presented like real sporting events—building anticipation, drama, and urgency in every town.

🌺 Island Interlude – Hawaii, December 1968

The guys hop across the Pacific once again to compare what’shappening in Hawaii during the same time period:

• Professor Tanaka wins the North American Title
• Nick Bockwinkel is awarded the Hawaii Championship
• A rare women’s battle royal
• The continued presence of stars like Ripper Collins, Ray Stevens, and Mr. Fuji

Same business.
Different flavor.

🤯 The World of Man Mountain Cannon

And then… things get weird.

From managing the Kangaroos…
to hosting a TV variety show…

To:
• Reading Shakespeare while getting punched in the stomach
• Getting smashed in a “Big Splash” contest
• Wearing a jacket that simply said “I Am Right”

Sometimes wrestling history is stranger than fiction.

This episode isn’t just about results.

It’s about a territory finding itself—
week by week, town by town, match by match.

The crowds are growing.
The rivalries are heating up.
And Portland Wrestling is starting to feel like… Portland Wrestling.

Step into the arena.

This is Ringside in Rose City —

Wrestling

Wrestling the way it should be

The Mid-Card Chronicle – Episode 3
Featuring the Dependable Talents Who Made Every Card Complete

Main events tell part of the story—but the heart of PortlandWrestling lived in the wrestlers who showed up night after night and made the entire card work.

In Episode 3 of The Mid-Card Chronicle, host FrankCulbertson highlights three more essential contributors to the Northwest territory:

• Ricky Hunter – A trusted veteran whose longevity, toughness, and reputation made him a cornerstone of Portland Wrestling for nearly a decade.
• Carlos Belafonte (Carlos Colón) – A future international star whose brief Northwest run showed flashes of greatness before becoming a global draw.
• Baron Scicluna – A former WWWF Tag Team Champion whose short but notable Portland appearance brought big-league credibility to the territory.

These are the wrestlers who didn’t always headline—butwithout them, there is no main event.

📚 Based on The Encyclopedia of Portland Wrestlers by historian Mike Rodgers.

🎙 New episodes of The Mid-Card Chronicle drop every Friday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

🎙️ Ringside in Rose City #27 – The Grappler: The Man Behind the Mask

One ring.
One city.
A thousand stories.
And this week… we focus on one of the most important figures in Portland Wrestling history.

When Lisa Hughes pushes the button, a name that carried an entire era enters the studio:

The Grappler.

In Episode #27 of Ringside in Rose City, Frank Culbertson and Portland Wrestling historian Mike Rogers take a deep dive into the career of Lynn Denton—better known to Northwest fans as The Grappler—the masked man who didn’t just work in Portland… he helped save it.

This isn’t just about a gimmick.
This is about a career built on adaptability, intelligence, and trust.

🥊 From Journeyman to Cornerstone

Frank and Mike trace Denton’s path from early territory workto becoming one of the most dependable performers in the business:

• Working under multiple identities before Portland
• Developing the Grappler persona into a believable, credible heel
• Understanding how to work with anyone—from rookies to main-event stars
• Becoming the kind of wrestler promoters could always count on

🎭 The Mask That Meant Something

In Portland, the Grappler wasn’t just another masked wrestler.

He was:
• A top heel
• A tag team specialist
• A credible singles threat
• And eventually… something much more

The guys break down why the Grappler gimmick worked inPortland when so many masked acts didn’t—and how Denton made fans believe in it.

📖 Booker, Builder, and Stabilizer

As Portland Wrestling entered its later years, Lynn Dentonstepped into a role that may have been even more important than anything he did in the ring:

He became the booker.

Frank and Mike explore:
• How Denton helped keep the territory alive during difficult years
• His booking philosophy and approach to storytelling
• The challenges of working with shrinking crowds and changing times
• Why being a good hand wasn’t enough—you had to be a smart mind

🏆 The Legacy of The Grappler

Was he the biggest star?
No.

Was he the flashiest performer?
No.

But without The Grappler…
Portland Wrestling may not have made it to the finish line.

🌺 Island Interlude – The Maivia Story

This episode’s detour takes us to the islands—where a story surfaces involving the Maivia family and a pay dispute that left Denton… less than impressed, and Brody pulling him to safety.

It’s one of those classic territory-era moments:
part business,
part politics,
and all too real.

This episode is about respect.
For the workers.
For the bookers.
For the ones who kept the territory running when it would have been easier to walk away.

Pull the mask tight.

Step into the arena.

This is Ringside in Rose City —

Wrestling

Wrestling the way it should be.

In Episode 2 of The Mid-Card Chronicle, host Frank Culbertson explores three more wrestlers whose contributions helped shape the Northwest territory:

• Alexis Smirnoff – A seasoned veteran whose brief 1985 Portland run hinted at a big feud before his sudden departure to the WWF.
• Dean Higuchi (Dean Ho) – A respected veteran, bodybuilder, and trainer whose career stretched from Portland to Vancouver and the WWWF.
• Professor Dale Lewis – An Olympic wrestler whose amateur credentials and cerebral interview style made him one of the most unique personalities in the territory.

These wrestlers may not always headline the history books, but they were essential to the success of the Portland Sports Arena and the Northwest wrestling scene.

Because without the middle… there is no main event.

📚 Based on The Encyclopedia of Portland Wrestlers by historian Mike Rodgers.

🎙 New episodes of The Mid-Card Chronicle drop every Friday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

🎙️ Ringside in Rose City #26 – PSA November 1968 (Plus the Legend of Dirk Sheets)

One ring.
One city.
A thousand stories.
And this week… we return to November 1968, when Don Owen’s gamble on the brand-new Portland Sports Arena was only in its second month and the future of Portland Wrestling was still very much in doubt.

When Lisa Hughes spins the wheel, the envelope reads “PSANovember ’68.” That means Frank Culbertson and Portland Wrestling historian Mike Rogers dive deep into the matches, angles, and booking decisions that shaped the early weeks of the arena that began life as a converted bowling alley.

This episode explores a fascinating transitional month in the territory:

🏆 The Von Steigers dominate the tag scene while feuding with Tony Borne and Luther Lindsay and Lonnie Mayne leaves for a Japanese tour, shaking up the main-event picture
🔥 Billy Whitewolf and Johnny War Eagle arrive, instantly changing the tag team landscape
🥊 Gene Kiniski vs. Don Leo Jonathan headlines a Memorial Coliseum showdown with one of the strangest finishes imaginable
🎟️ Don Owen tries to balance new stars and reliable veterans while hoping his million-dollar gamble on the Sports Arena will actually pay off

Frank and Mike break down every major Portland card from the month, including the Thanksgiving special where Whitewolf and War Eagle capture the Northwest Tag Team Titles from the Von Steigers.

🌺 Island Interlude – Hawaii Wrestling

For the first time on the show, the guys take a trip acrossthe Pacific to look at what was happening in Hawaii wrestling during the same month, featuring appearances by:

• Giant Baba
• Nick Bockwinkel
• Johnny Barend
• Mr. Fuji
• Pepper Gomez
• Man Mountain Mike
• NWA Champion Gene Kiniski

Same era. Same business. Just a different land.

🎲 Kayfabe Curveballs

Lisa returns with another round of trivia chaos including:

• When Pringles first hit store shelves
• The mysterious breath-freshening chemical known as "Retsyn”
• And a commercial that accidentally leads to one of the best wrestling stories ever told on this show. Mike shares the infamous story of Dirk Sheets, The rogue “journalist” gimmick that involved jumping into the ring with a microphone, printing fake dirt sheets… and confronting a young Bryan Alvarez, now of the Wrestling Observer, after a match.

Let’s just say Alvarez was not thrilled with the interview.

Yes… there was a slap.
Yes… Mike thought it was brilliant booking.
And yes… the promoter absolutely did not.

How many stars did Dave Meltzer give the match, one has towonder!

November 1968 was only month two of Don Owen’s massive gamble on the Portland Sports Arena.

The building was new.
The crowds were uncertain.
The angles were heating up.

And as Lonnie Mayne would say…

“You can smell excitement in the air.”

Step into the arena.

This is Ringside in Rose City —

Wrestling

wrestling the way it should be.