Titans of Wrestling

Titans of Wrestling

By Kelly NelsonSportsWrestling
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Titans of Wrestling episodes

  • Titans of Wrestling #13: WWF April to May 1980

    Originally released November 26, 2013

    James is back from the dead to join Parv, Johnny, Kelly and Pete in watching more 1980 greatness:

    On the docket tonight:

    04-21 RICKY STEAMBOAT/JAY YOUNGBLOOD vs BULLDOG BROWER/TOR KAMATA (Madison Square Garden)
    04-21 PAT PATTERSON vs KEN PATERA - Intercontinental Title Match (Madison Square Garden)
    04-21 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs LARRY ZBYSZKO (Madison Square Garden)
    05-03 PEDRO MORALES vs JOSE ESTRADA (Championship Wrestling)
    05-10 BOB BACKLUND vs HULK HOGAN - WWF Title Match (Philadelphia Spectrum)
    05-17 BOB BACKLUND vs EL OLYMPICO (All Star Wrestling)
    05-17 KEN PATERA vs DOMINIC DENUCCI (Championship Wrestling)
    05-80 Lou Albano, Fred Blassie, Bob Backlund, Ken Patera/Grand Wizard, Larry Zbyszko, Fred Blassie/Hulk Hogan Promos (WWF TV)

    Highlights include:

    - Bios for Ricky Steamboat, Jay Youngblood, Bulldog Brower, and Tor Kamata
    - Performing big and playing to the cheap seats
    - Random discussion of Mr. Perfect and modern WWE fans
    - Desert Island Bruno vs. Desert Island Backlund
    - Focus on Hogan's selling and offense

    3 hr 28 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #12: WWF March to April 1980

    Originally released November 20, 2013

    Parv, Johnny, Pete and Kelly plow on through 1980. This episode is dedicated to James.

    On the docket:

    03-24 ANDRE THE GIANT/PAT PATTERSON vs BOBBY DUNCUM/KEN PATERA MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    03-24 HULK HOGAN vs TITO SANTANA MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    04-12 BOB BACKLUND vs HULK HOGAN WWF TITLE PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    04-12 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs LARRY ZBYSZKO PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    04-12 TITO SANTANA/IVAN PUTSKI vs WILD SAMOANS TAG TITLE CHV CLIP PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    04-16 BOB BACKLUND vs ANTONIO INOKI WWF TITLE BAD MIAMI BEACH FL
    04-80 SAMMARTINO, PATERA/WIZARD, BACKLUND, PATTERSON PROMOS WWF TV

    Plus:

    - Johnny pays tribute to the dearly departed James
    - Spotlight on Larry Zbysko
    - An epic bio for Classy Fred Blassie
    - A surreal, mind-bending review of Hogan vs. Backlund
    - And Parv, Pete and Kelly argue about the latest installment of Backlund vs. Inoki as yet again Johnny skips his homework

    3 hr
  • Titans of Wrestling #11: Classic St. Louis Wrestling

    Originally released November 12, 2013

    Join us as the Titans pause their ongoing journey  through 1980 WWF to explore the world of classic St. Louis wrestling and  the iconic Wrestling at the Chase TV show! Kelly assumes the hosting  duties, and he is joined by Parv (for the first time in a non-hosting  capacity) and lead analyst Pete for an interesting look at wrestling  from what was known as the "crown jewel" city of the NWA.

    On the docket tonight:

    1962 Footage from the original Wrestling at the Chase show hosted by Joe Garagiola, featuring:
    -JOHNNY VALENTINE vs BILL FRAZIER
    -PAT O'CONNOR vs LORENZO PARENTE
    1979 A feature on the "Giants of Wrestling"--Andre the Giant and King Kong Brody
    1979 Two interviews with King Kong Brody
    1979 DICK MURDOCH vs PAT O'CONNOR Missouri State Title match
    1979 A look at NWA World champion Harley Race from around the world
    1978 HARLEY RACE & BULLDOG BOB BROWN vs TED DIBIASE & PAUL ORNDORFF (JIP)
    1979 Highlights of the Dick Murdoch/Kevin Von Erich feud, featuring:
    -DICK MURDOCH & BULLDOG BOB BROWN vs GENE KINISKI & KEVIN VON ERICH
    -DICK MURDOCH vs KEVIN VON ERICH
    1979 HARLEY RACE vs DAVID VON ERICH & FRITZ VON ERICH Special 30-minute Gauntlet Challenge

    Also on tonight's show:

    -A brief look at the history of St. Louis wrestling, featuring an extended discussion of the "philosophy" of St. Louis wrestling
    -The interesting career of Joe Garagiola (that's a mouthful)
    -The pros and cons of Larry Matysik
    -"Grandma St. Louis"!
    -Thoughts  on Brody, Race, DiBiase, Kiniski, Brown, Murdoch, Valentine, and  O'Connor, as well as extended analysis of the Von Erich's by Pete

    2 hr 59 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #10: WWF Feburary to March 1980

    Originally released November 5, 2013

    Parv, James, Johnny, Pete and Kelly eat up more 1980 goodness:

    On the docket tonight: 


    02-09 Vince McMahon conducts an empty arena interview with Bruno Sammartino (Championship Wrestling)
    02-80 Lou Albano (w/Wild Samoans), Bob Backlund promos (WWF TV)
    02-09 BOB BACKLUND vs BOBBY DUNCUM (WWF Title - Philadelphia Spectrum)
    02-09 TITO SANTANA & GORILLA MONSOON vs WILD SAMOANS (Philadelphia Spectrum)
    02-16 LARRY ZBYSZKO vs MIKE MASTERS (Championship Wrestling) 03-01 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs LARRY ZBYSZKO (Philadelphia Spectrum)
    03-80 Bruno Sammartino & Larry Zbyszko promos (WWF TV)
    03-24 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs LARRY ZBYSZKO (Madison Square Garden)
    03-24 BOB BACKLUND vs SIKA (WWF Title - Madison Square Garden)

    -  The debate topic: The Lost Art of the Manager, including what makes a  good manager?, why did managers decline? and the "Mount Rushmore" for  managers

    - Kelly gives bios for Grand Wizard and Mike Masters
    - Introducing Super 800!
    - Parv and Johnny debate whether a crowd can be "wrong"
    - And more general marking out for the awesomeness of the Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko storyline

    2 hr 51 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #9: WWF January 1980

    Originally released October 29, 2013

    Parv, James "the Super 8 stalker", "Weeping" Kelly,  "Lead Analyst" Pete and "the legend of podcasting" Johnny Sorrow take  their first step into WWF 1980.

    On the docket tonight: 

    01-12-80  Larry Zbyszko challenges Bruno Sammartino to a scientific match  (Championship Wrestling) 

    01-12-80 HULK HOGAN vs ANGELO GOMEZ &  JOHNNY RIVERA (Championship Wrestling) 

    01-12-80 Bruno Sammartino  responds to Larry Zbyszko's challenge (Championship Wrestling) 

    01-12-80  BOB BACKLUND vs BOBBY DUNCUM (WWF Title Match - Philadelphia Spectrum)  

    01-12-80 PAT PATTERSON vs LOU ALBANO (Philadelphia Spectrum) 

    01-80  PROMOS: Pat Patterson, Ken Patera & The Grand Wizard, Bob Backlund,  Lou Albano (w/Wild Samoans) (WWF TV) 

    01-21-80 TITO SANTANA/IVAN PUTSKI  vs WILD SAMOANS (Tag Team Title Match - MSG) 

    01-21-80 BOB BACKLUND vs  KEN PATERA (WWF Title Match - MSG) 01-26-80 Bruno Sammartino promo  (Championship Wrestling) 

    01-26-80 LARRY ZBYSZKO vs JOHN BUFORD; Larry  Zbyszko says if he can't get a match with Bruno, he'll retire. Bruno  comes out and accepts the challenge. (Championship Wrestling) 

    02-02-80  BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs LARRY ZBYSZKO (Championship Wrestling)

    Some  highlights include: - Spotlight on Bruno Sammartino - Kelly gives us  bios for Angelo Gomez and John Buford (WHO??!) - Johnny does an  impression of drunk Adam West as Batman meeting Lawler in Memphis -  Appreciation of and emotional responses to one of the all-time great,  subtle and nuanced angles, Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zybysko - Insights  into the character of the Grand Wizard

    2 hr 15 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #8: WWF December 1979

    Originally released October 20, 2013

    Parv, James, Kelly, Pete and Johnny Sorrow finish up WWF in 1979.

    On the docket tonight:

    12-01 ALBANO MAKES DEAL WITH WIZARD FOR PAT PATTERSON CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
    12-01 TONY ATLAS vs JOSE ESTRADA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
    12-06 BOB BACKLUND vs ANTONIO INOKI WWF TITLE JAPAN
    12-08 KEN PATERA vs JOHNNY RIVERA ALL STAR WRESTLING
    12-08 PATTERSON/SAMOANS vs ZBYSZKO/DENUCCI/PUTSKI CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
    12-17 HULK HOGAN vs TED DIBIASE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    12-79 BOB BACKLUND, LOU ALBANO/BOBBY DUNCUM PROMOS WWF TV
    12-17 BOB BACKLUND vs BOBBY DUNCUM WWF TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    12-17 HARLEY RACE vs DUSTY RHODES NWA TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    12-31 ANDRE THE GIANT, LOU ALBANO PROMOS WWF TV

    Some highlights include:

    - The mailbag returns, possibly for the last time
    - Bios for Tony Atlas (Johnny), Antonio Inoki, Ken Patera (both Kelly), and Harley Race (Parv)
    - Does the piledriver hurt the top of your head or just the neck?
    - End of year awards for 1979
    -  Plus Al Pacino, how many members of the Village People were gay?, cheap  generic colas, Sylvester the Cat, and loads more fun and nonsense

    2 hr 55 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #7: Portland Wrestling in the Late 70s

    Originally released October 16, 2013

    Join us as we take a slight detour from the usual WWF  journey to look at Portland Wrestling from the late-70s! Parv graciously  steps aside as Kelly takes the hosting seat for the first of a proposed  series of periodic specials documenting wrestling even more obscure  than Backlund-era WWF. For this episode Kelly is joined by Titans  co-founder James and rising star Martin (Superstar Sleeze) to look at  wild and crazy action from the Pacific Northwest.

    On the docket tonight:

    4/7/79  PLAYBOY BUDDY ROSE, ED WISKOWSKI, ROWDY RODDY PIPER, KILLER TIM BROOKS  vs ADRIAN ADONIS, RON STARR, GEORGE WELLS, HECTOR GUERRERO
    8/31/79 PLAYBOY BUDDY ROSE vs ADRIAN ADONIS
    9/8/79 PLAYBOY BUDDY ROSE vs ADRIAN ADONIS
    5/12/79 ROWDY RODDY PIPER vs PLAYBOY BUDDY ROSE
    5/19/79 ROWDY RODDY PIPER vs PLAYBOY BUDDY ROSE LUMBERJACK MATCH
    1/12/80 HARLEY RACE vs RICK MARTEL NWA TITLE MATCH
    12/1/79 ROWDY RODDY PIPER, STAN "THE MAN" STASIAK vs THE SHEEPHERDERS / KILT BURNING ANGLE

    Also on tonight's show:

    -Martin's history as a wrestling fan, featuring his Stan Stasiak-hating father
    -A brief look at the history of Portland Wrestling
    -Don Owen: Great promoter; terrible announcer
    -Numerous jokes at the expense of elderly wrestling fans
    -Come visit Sandy Barr's Flea Market!
    -Opinions  on Buddy Rose, Roddy Piper, Harley Race, Rick Martel, Dutch Savage, Ed  (Col DeBeers) Wiskowski, Stan Stasiak, and others

    2 hr 49 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #6: WWF November 1979

    Originally released October 6, 2013

    Join Parv, James, Kelly, Pete and the one and only Johnny Sorrow once again for more WWF in 1979.

    On the docket tonight:

    11-03 BOBBY DUNCUM vs BILL BERGER ALL STAR WRESTLING
    11-03 GREAT HUSSEIN ARAB vs DOMINIC DENUCCI CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
    11-03 LARRY ZBYSZKO vs BILLY COLEMAN CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
    11-17 WILD SAMOANS vs DOMINIC DENUCCI/JOHNNY RIVERA ALL STAR WRESTLING
    11-17 HULK HOGAN vs HARRY VALDEZ DEBUT CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
    11-17 BATTLE ROYAL PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    11-17 JAY STRONGBOW vs BOBBY DUNCUM PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    11-17 BOB BACKLUND vs PAT PATTERSON WWF TITLE PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    11-30 BOB BACKLUND vs ANTONIO INOKI WWF TITLE JAPAN

    Also on tonight's show:

    - James debuts a new feature: "on this day in 1979"
    - Kelly's jobber bio marathon, plus bios for The Wild Samoans, Hulk Hogan, and Gorilla Monsoon
    - Who would Dominic Denucci be in The Godfather?
    - Who were the best Samoan team?
    - Johnny channels Gary Michael Cappetta to introduce the 18-man battle royal
    - And loads more fun and nonsense

    2 hr 6 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #5: WWF August to October 1979

    Originally released September 24, 2013

    James can't get a break from work, so Parv is joined by Kelly, Johnny and Pete to take on more WWF from 1979.

    On the docket tonight:

    1979 DISC 5

    08 INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION PAT PATTERSON PROMO WWF TV
    09-24 BOB BACKLUND vs PAT PATTERSON WWF TITLE/CAGE MATCH MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    09-24 JAY STRONGBOW vs NIKOLAI VOLKOFF MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    10-20 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs NIKOLAI VOLKOFF PHILADELPHIA SPECTRUM
    10-22 VALIANTS vs IVAN PUTSKI/TITO SANTANA TAG TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    10-22 BOB BACKLUND vs SWEDE HANSON WWF TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    10-22 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs GREG VALENTINE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    10-22 DUSTY RHODES vs JIMMY VALIANT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    10-22 PAT PATTERSON vs TED DIBIASE IC TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

    In this week's show:

    -  More from 'the Mailbag' including WWF escape-the-cage rules, should  Andre vs. Backlund have been a feud, other territories in 1979, angles  on tv at this time, and more

    - What happened to the North American title post-Pat Patterson?
    - Johnny adds Nikolai Volkoff singing to his repertoire
    - Bruno invents ECW and Chief Jay Strongbow wrestles in a shark cage
    - Andy Kaufman in WWF in 1979!!!
    - Bio for Swede Hanson
    - 'Fanny' in the US and in the UK

    2 hr 6 min
  • Titans of Wrestling #4: WWF July to August 1979

    Originally released September 14, 2013

    Parv and James welcome back Titans regulars Kelly, Pete and Johnny Sorrow for more 1979 goodness.

    On the docket tonight:

    07-30 BOB BACKLUND vs PAT PATTERSON WWF TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    07-30 JAY STRONGBOW vs GREG VALENTINE STRAP MATCH MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    07-30 ANDRE/SANTANA/PUTSKI/DENUCCI vs VALIANTS/ALBANO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    08-79 NIKOLAI VOLKOFF CRUSHES APPLES WWF TV
    08-26 STRONGBOW, ALBANO/VALIANTS, PAT/WIZARD, BACKLUND, ANDRE WWF TV
    08-27 PAT PATTERSON/WIZARD, GREG VALENTINE/WIZARD PROMOS WWF TV
    08-27 BOB BACKLUND vs PAT PATTERSON WWF TITLE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    08-27 BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs NIKOLAI VOLKOFF MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
    08-27 ANDRE THE GIANT vs JERRY VALIANT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

    Some other topics include:

    -  Explaining the appeal of Bob Backlund to fans raised on a) the  Hogan-era, b) the Attitude era, and c) current WWE. And why is he so  divisive?
    - Stooging: to what extent if any is "parity" between the offense of faces and heels important?
    - General marking out for the greatness of Pat Patterson
    - The structure of MSG cards
    - Detailed bio for Dominic Denucci (by Kelly)
    - The total and utter douchery of Chief Jay Strongbow
    - Favourite memorable wrestling fans

    2 hr 32 min

About Titans of Wrestling

From the publisher's feed

Podcast originally ran from August 2013 to February 2017