It’s time for a special edition “Shootin’ The Shiznit” with “Rollin’ Into Mempho.” Brian Tramel is joined by RynoJB to review Championship Wrestling from Memphis for Episode 21 in their quick RT format ! They answer the following questions about the show:
-Hits?
-Misses?
-MVP??
-What do they want to see on next week’s show?
-THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?

They reviewed this episode !
https://youtu.be/CCaxXcI1WQc?si=kh_UQJlSqtwBjOi8

On Episode #113 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast, the Gangs closes in on the end of 1991 with a show that feels like the ground floor for what 1992 is going to become. Brian Christopher officially turns heel, the Moondogs become the blood soaked monsters who will dominate the next phase of Memphis, Dr. Tom Prichard sends Eric Embry home for Christmas with five piledrivers, Jeff Gaylord returns from whatever time portal he fell into, and the USWA starts setting the table for the first post Christmas Mid-South Coliseum card.

Episode #113 is not just another late year USWA episode. It is a key transition point. Plus, Corey Maclin gets heated towards Richard Lee and “his dogs”, T.D. Steel is wearing tights over khaki pants to referee, the “Bartman” has an underwhelming main event against former partner Doug Masters, Dave Brown paints Jeff Jarrett and Robert Fuller as the greatest tag team who ever lived, the logic behind the USWA Top Ten continues to be confusing as ever, and all while B.T. “stirs the ship” this week! This was a sleeper episode you don’t want to skip. There’s a lot of fun to be had here.

1991 is almost over, but 1992 is already kicking the door open!

On this episode of Rick Del Santo’s Classic Wrestling Talk Podcast, Rick welcomes former USWA and Global Wrestling Federation announcer Craig Johnson for a wide ranging conversation about wrestling, broadcasting, the Sportatorium, ESPN, the GWF, the USWA, the Von Erich era, Steve Austin, Chris Adams, Joe Pedicino, Scott Hudson, and a life that has taken Craig from pro wrestling commentary to sports production, roller derby, corporate training, and beyond.

Craig may not always be the first name fans mention when talking about early 90s wrestling announcers, but as he points out, a generation of fans watched him every day on ESPN during the Global Wrestling Federation years. In this interview, he looks back on how he got there, what he was trying to bring to the broadcast booth, and why calling wrestling like a real sport mattered to him.

One of the strongest parts of this episode is Craig’s view of wrestling commentary. He was not trying to be a cartoon announcer or just hype whatever was in front of him. He wanted the wrestlers to feel like athletes with histories, rivalries, and accomplishments. That came from his sportscasting background, and it helped give USWA and GWF broadcasts a different flavor from a lot of wrestling television of the time.

The Global Wrestling Federation discussion is especially valuable. Craig gives insight into how GWF was built, what Joe Pedicino was trying to accomplish, how the ESPN exposure shaped the presentation, and how quickly financial realities caught up with the project. He also makes it clear that he still takes pride in what the original GWF team created, which is why the later bungee match and more cartoonish direction still frustrate him.

There are also some great memories of Steve Austin, Jeannie, and Chris Adams. Craig talks about how natural Austin’s talent already was, how much heat Jeannie could generate, and how intense the mixed tag feud felt in the Sportatorium. Those segments had real crowd reaction, and Craig understood his job was to help tell that story without getting in the way.

The interview also gives fans a broader look at Jon Horton (his given name) the person. Wrestling was only one chapter. Since then, he has worked in television, soccer production, roller derby, improv, training, podcasting, and advocacy. His stories about his kids, kindness, and supporting people who are often overlooked give the episode a thoughtful, human side that goes beyond wrestling nostalgia.

For fans of Global Wrestling Federation, USWA Texas, World Class, the Sportatorium, classic ESPN wrestling, and old school sports style commentary, this is a tremendous conversation with a voice many fans remember more than they may realize.

Check out more great stuff from Rick Del Santo on his YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheRickDelSanto

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On Episode #59 of Retro Wrestling with Gene Jackson, Gene kicks off a special deep dive series on one of the most fascinating short lived promotions of the 1990s: Bert Prentice’s Ozark Mountain Wrestling out of Jonesboro, Arkansas. For this series Gene is joined by the perfect guest for the subject: Brian Tramel, the owner, founder, and president of STSPod.club, and, more importantly for this story, a man who was right there in Jonesboro watching Ozark Mountain Wrestling unfold as it happened.

This episode heads back to 1995, when Memphis wrestling was struggling, the USWA still considered Jonesboro part of its turf, and Bert Prentice decided to plant his flag in Arkansas with a promotion built on local talent, old-school promotion, TV exposure, sponsorships, giveaways, gimmick tables, and one hell of a lot of hustle.

The heart of this episode is Bert Prentice as a promoter. Gene and Brian make it clear that Bert was not just some guy running outlaw shows. He understood how to work a town. He got TV. He walked into businesses. He sold sponsorships. He got free tickets into people’s hands. He built a local identity. He made Jonesboro feel like Ozark Mountain Wrestling belonged to them, and that is why the promotion had a real buzz almost immediately.

This episode also captures the strange space Ozark Mountain Wrestling occupied. It was technically an outlaw group in USWA territory, but it had television, local sponsorships, packed armory shows, real momentum, and a promoter who knew exactly how to squeeze every dollar out of the building without making the fans feel cheated. It was carny in the best possible wrestling sense.

Part One only gets the story started, but it already shows why Ozark Mountain Wrestling is worth a serious look. This was not a footnote. It was a short lived promotion functioning as a “mini-territory” with big personalities, strong local heat, smart promotion, future stars, veterans, wild stories, and a very real place in the late territory wrestling landscape.

For fans of Memphis Wrestling, USWA, Jonesboro wrestling history, Bert Prentice, Colorado Kid, Cactus Jack, The Spiders/Headbangers, and the last gasp of old school independent territory-style promotion, this is a must-listen.

On this episode of the Get Your Bell Rung Wrestling Podcast, host KG Landry welcomes one of the true originals from the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling: Hollywood, also known as Jeannie Basone. A professional wrestler, model, actress, stunt performer, author, and one of GLOW’s most recognizable heels, Hollywood joins the show for a fun, honest, and wide ranging conversation about growing up in Southern California, breaking into GLOW, playing the bad girl, life after the show, stunt work, Playboy, the Netflix series, and her book Hooray for Hollywood: The True Story of the Original GLOW Girl.

A major theme of this episode is how Hollywood was more than just a character. Jeannie explains that the rebellious, rock & roll, rule breaking side of Hollywood came from a real place. She was not just handed a gimmick and told what to do. She helped shape the look, the attitude, the gear, and the presentation, pulling inspiration from the Sunset Strip, rock videos, and the larger than life vibe of the 1980s.

The GLOW stories are especially strong because Hollywood was there from the beginning. She was part of the pilot and all four seasons, which gives her a unique perspective on how the show evolved, how the roster changed, how the schedule worked, and how the women handled the physical side of wrestling while also dealing with comedy, music videos, sketches, characters, and television production.

The conversation also gives fans a clear look at how tough GLOW actually was. Hollywood talks about the bruises, the ropes, the bumps, the training, and the pressure to prove herself. GLOW may have had comedy and music, but the women still took real bumps and paid the physical price for entertaining the audience.

Her thoughts on the Netflix series are also interesting. Hollywood does not dismiss it outright. She understands that it brought new attention to GLOW and helped put the original women back into the conversation, but she also wishes the real GLOW girls had been used more directly, even in cameo roles. That mix of pride, frustration, and appreciation makes for a very honest discussion.

This episode is a great listen for fans of GLOW, women’s wrestling history, 1980s pop culture, stunt work, and performers who helped open doors before they always got full credit for doing it. Hollywood comes across as funny, thoughtful, tough, and proud of what she and the other GLOW women accomplished.

Also, for all your current wrestling news and reviews with K.G., Bob Cook, Robbie Idol, and the “Grizzled Vet” Michael McCurdy…subscribe to the Get Your Bell Rung YouTube Channel over at https://www.youtube.com/@getyourbellrungprowrestling and like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583941710996

It’s time for a special edition “Shootin’ The Shiznit” with “Rollin’ Into Mempho.” Brian Tramel is joined by RynoJB to review Championship Wrestling from Memphis for Episode 20 in their quick RT format ! They answer the following questions about the show:
-Hits?
-Misses?
-MVP??
-What do they want to see on next week’s show?
-THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?

They reviewed this episode !
https://youtu.be/YU-rfNnj98s?si=Ft0j0WTj3-fR1rBj

Video Cast
https://youtu.be/Wx76gbIOm_0?si=MH5BLWk0sDU31p75

***WATCHALONG W/Gene & Brandon at this LINK!!***
https://rumble.com/v7cwbmy-rwr-ecw-podcast-ep.-6-51193-hair-vs.-titles.html

On Episode #6 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View ECW Podcast, Gene Jackson and Brandon Wheeler are back in the earliest days of Eastern Championship Wrestling, and this week feels like another real step forward. Paul E. Dangerously is now fully in the mix, Hot Stuff International and the Dangerous Alliance are starting to merge into one major heel force, the ECW Tag Team Titles are on the line in a Hair vs. Titles match, and the promotion is beginning to feel less like a random local TV show and more like something with momentum.

There is also the strange, wonderful, confusing early-ECW weirdness that makes this part of the series so fun. Terry Funk is cutting promos at the Double Cross Ranch, Eddie Gilbert is pretending to be Terry Funk in local ads, Sandman is still a surfboard-carrying babyface champion, Rockin’ Rebel is somehow attached to a featured storyline, and Wildman Sal Bellomo remains impossible to fully explain.

The mixed tag main event with Sandman & Peaches vs. Rockin’ Rebel & Tigra continues the Sandman/Rebel issue, but the episode runs out of time just as the women get involved. It is one of those classic early TV endings where the show promises to pick things up next week, and Gene and Brandon have plenty of fun with the idea of a taped show “running out of time.”

Episode #6 is another strong step in the evolution of Eastern Championship Wrestling. The tag titles change hands, Paul E. gets louder, Hot Stuff International gets stronger, Stevie Wonderful may be gone…forever, and the pieces are slowly moving toward a more familiar version of “the ECW”.

It’s still rough. It’s still weird. It’s still Eastern Championship Wrestling.

But now, it is getting Dangerous….ly. 

They’re back again with another episode of The Hang, and this week Alex Jaffe is in the host chair bringing the energy for “Pug Ugly.” Alex brings along his buddy Gabriel Wacker for a fun trip that goes off the rails in the best kind of way, and you’ll find out pretty quickly why this episode got named Pug Ugly.

This one keeps the usual Hang chaos rolling with a mix of strange matches, loose energy, and the kind of weirdness that makes the whole thing feel right at home. Between the episode’s bizarre flavor and the energy Alex and Gabriel bring to the table, this one is a ride from start to finish.

For more of their related content, subscribe to their channel at https://www.youtube.com/@H.E.M.P.420

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On this episode of Chewin’ The Fat with Chubby Dudley, Bay Ragni welcomes another name from the earliest days of Eastern Championship Wrestling: Ernesto Benfica. While Ernesto may not have been one of ECW’s biggest stars, that is exactly what makes this conversation so valuable. These are the kinds of stories that can easily get lost over time, and Bay’s goal with Chewin’ The Fat is to sit down with everyone who was part of that early ECW/Tri-State/Philly wrestling scene and preserve those memories before they disappear.

Ernesto himself even questioned why Bay wanted to interview him, saying he felt like such a small piece of the larger ECW story. But Bay makes the point perfectly: fans still ask about the names they saw on those early shows. They want to know where those guys came from, what they remember, and what the scene was really like before ECW became the extreme phenomenon everyone talks about today
.

One of the strongest aspects of this episode is the idea that history is not only made by the main eventers. ECW fans remember the Sandmans, the Sabus, the Dreamers, the Tazzes, and the Dudleys, but the early version of the company was built by a much wider group of people. Ernesto Benfica represents that layer of wrestling history: the guys who were there, who worked the shows, who helped fill out the cards, and who became part of the footage that fans are still discovering and discussing decades later.

Ernesto’s early ECW TV appearance against The Rockin’ Rebel is a perfect example. On paper, it is a showcase win for Rebel, with Ernesto there to give him someone to beat while Rebel’s issue with Sandman and Tigra continues around the edges. But for fans studying early ECW, that match is still part of the timeline. It shows who was around, what the roster looked like, and how far the promotion still had to go before becoming the ECW everyone remembers.

The episode also fits perfectly into Bay Ragni’s larger Chewin’ The Fat project. Bay has repeatedly said he wants to talk to everyone connected to Eastern Championship Wrestling, not just the obvious names, because each person has a piece of the story. Ernesto may joke about being a small part of it, but those small parts matter. They help explain the atmosphere, the locker room, the towns, the payoffs, the politics, and the reality of what it was like before the mythology took over.

For fans of early ECW, Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, obscure Philadelphia wrestling history, and the real roots of the ECW scene, this episode is another important piece of the puzzle. It is not just about reliving the famous moments. It is about remembering the people who were there before the world was watching.

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On Episode #14 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View Power Pro Wrestling Podcast, Gene Jackson, Robb Helt, and Brian Tramel head back to July 18, 1998, for the final TV push before “Malice in the Palace” at the Mid-South Coliseum. Power Pro is only a few months old, but this episode feels like the promotion has found its main identity, Memphis’ answer to Austin vs. McMahon……Lawler vs. Hales! 

The heart of this episode is the Jerry Lawler vs. Randy Hales angle. Randy has gone from the happy “aw-shucks” promoter on the first episode trying to bring back “Memphis Wrestling for the fans” into a full blown 1998 “heel authority figure”, and this week is the moment where that identity really locks in. He is smug, he is awkward, he is personal, and he seems to be loving the heat. Lawler, meanwhile, gives the whole thing the classic Memphis twist by showing up “injured”, selling the attack, then revealing it was all a trap.

The backstage footage from Raw is a big part of what makes the angle feel different. Power Pro is still a local Memphis show, but using Jim Cornette, Monday Night Raw, and the “Giant King” attack gives the feud a bigger world feeling. Gene, Rob, and BT all point out that the Giant King may be limited, but the presentation made the upcoming match feel more important than it probably had any right to feel.

Another major highlight is The Rock’s promo for his upcoming Intercontinental Title match with Brian Christopher. He is still introduced as Rocky Maivia, but the personality is already shifting into The Rock. Gene, Rob, and BT spend time talking about how far he had come from his Flex Kavana days and whether Memphis should have acknowledged that history or treated Power Pro as its own separate world.

There is also plenty of classic Memphis weirdness: Brandon Baxter suddenly being okay with Randy Hales because you know, “rasslin logic”, Heinrich Franz Keller sounding like a bad German villain from Austin Powers movie, Streak painting stripes on people, Dundee getting flattened by Koko, and Randy Hales ending up on the hood of a car in his underwear while everyone at the Pizza Hut across the street looks on in horror (seriously, watch til the end).

Episode #14 is the true Malice in the Palace “go home” show. It may not all make sense, and some of it is absolutely “ridiculous”, but by the end of the hour, you know the big matches, you know the major feuds, and you know Jerry Lawler wants Randy Hales and the Giant King to pay.

Memphis wrestling may have changed in 1998, but this episode proves one thing had not changed at all:

When it was time to sell a Coliseum show, they were still willing to get really ****ing weird to do it.