When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture by DragonKingKarl

We continue in the final decade of the pioneer era of pro wrestling and the biggest star of the pioneer era, William Muldoon, has his last pro wrestling match in New York. Another veteran pioneer wrestler, John McMahon, has his last match as well. Still earlier pioneers like Col. James H. McLaughlin and Homer Lane continue to wrestler periodically, but it is now the era of Evan 'Strangler' Lewis and Farmer Burns is on the rise as well. The 1890s were an incredible era in pro wrestling history that set the stage for what American pro wrestling would become in the 1900s.

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With the release of my new book DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus available on Amazon, I continue a deep dive into those two years to look at the stories between the stories. Wrestling Observer Newsletter Dave Meltzer begins the May 29, 1986 issue by stating that there isn't 'any big news this week' which allows us to look at a lot of stuff that doesn't get regularly discussed. Buddy Rose and Doug Somers have won the AWA World tag team titles from Curt Hennig and Scott Hall, 'Cowboy' Bob Orton has been arrested, UWF is running a hot angle with Bill Watts, Eddie Gilbert, and Korstia Korchenko, and the big powerhouse team of The Bladerunners (the future Ultimate Warrior and Sting) are changing companies... sort of. This week is a fun deep dive back into 1986 pro wrestling history.

Bullshido at its finest! The 1976 post-Bruce Lee era Master of the Flying Guillotine is one of my favorite Kung-Fu movies. It is utterly ridiculous. Featuring a one-armed Kung Fu master who is the target of an evil Kung Fu master. The evil Kung Fu matches shows up at an incredibly ridiculous Kung Fu tournament and starts killing every one-armed person there! This movie features everything you love about wacky Kung Fu movies: bizarre tournament to the death, evil Kung Fu heels, traps, and more! Prepare to be destroyed!

On this installment of my Long Form History of Pro Wrestling Series, I cover one of the business months in pro wrestling history. Taken from the pages of my latest book DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus, April 1986 featured multiple giant supercards including WWF WrestleMania 2 featuring the debut of the Big Blue Steel Cage and NFL Football players in a battle royal, the first ever NWA Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament, and AWA WrestleRock '86. This is literally one of the most packed months in the history of pro wrestling. Join me as I discuss it!

This week on my 1000 Hours podcast series which focuses exclusively on pre-Frank Gotch era pro wrestling, we finish out the 1880s and enter the last decade of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Taken from my popular book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus, we look at the final days of William Muldoon as a pro wrestler. Muldoon began losing interest in pro wrestling after the more entertainment based Greco-Roman wrestling declined in popularity, replaced by the rougher and more vicious style of Catch-as-Catch-Can and the rise of Evan 'Strangler' Lewis. Muldoon began casting his lot more and more with boxing, particularly pioneer boxer John L. Sullivan and, well, let's just say that didn't go very well and ended with each insulting the other in the newspapers and Sullivan accusing Muldoon of being (aghast!) a GOVERNMENT RAT!

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 127.

This week on the DragonKingKarl podcast I take a look back at the April 4, 1986 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter by Dave Meltzer which discusses the lead up to WWF WrestleMania 2. The Observer looks at the training that Mr. T and Roddy Piper were going through leading up to their boxing match. Also, an update on the various NFL stars who are expected to be in the celebrity battle royal. In addition, more details are discussed on the upcoming NWA Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament. All of these events and much more are discussed in my latest book DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus available at Amazon.

A superhero combination that exists within the Hanna-Barbara and Scooby-Doo universe. Blue Falcon is clearly a parody of Batman and I suppose Dynomutt (the Dog Wonder) is a parody of Robin the Boy Wonder but is more Inspector Gadget than anything. When I was a young kid I loved it whenever the Blue Falcon would show up. He crossed over into the Laugh-A-Lympics, Scooby-Doo, and his own Hanna-Barbara show. He even returned a few years ago for a direct to DVD Scooby-Doo special. Today I take a look back at Blue Falcon and Dynomutt!

A superhero combination that exists within the Hanna-Barbara and Scooby-Doo universe. Blue Falcon is clearly a parody of Batman and I suppose Dynomutt (the Dog Wonder) is a parody of Robin the Boy Wonder but is more Inspector Gadget than anything. When I was a young kid I loved it whenever the Blue Falcon would show up. He crossed over into the Laugh-A-Lympics, Scooby-Doo, and his own Hanna-Barbara show. He even returned a few years ago for a direct to DVD Scooby-Doo special. Today I take a look back at Blue Falcon and Dynomutt!

My latest book, DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus is now available for order, and it is a massive near 600-page book detailing ever major event, story, and happening in pro wrestling for 1986 and 1987. On today's podcast I touch on just a few highlights and deep dives explored in the book from the real attendance for 1987's WWF WrestleMania III to both the 1986 and 1987 NWA Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial tag team tournaments. Let's also not forget the AWA had WrestleRock in 1986 and Japan, Canada, and Mexico had some incredible moments. Plus, sadly, the drug death epidemic began hitting pro wrestling hard and there were multiple tragic accidents as well including Magnum T.A.'s career ending car wreck. That only scratches the surface.

William Muldoon got about a 25-year head start on Frank Gotch's gimmick of returning from 'retirement' multiple times and about a 100-year head start on Terry Funk. William Muldoon had begun suffering from nagging hand and arm injuries and a severe downturn in the popularity of pro wrestling, especially French Greco-Roman style of which he was the dominate master. Evan 'Strangler' Lewis and the rise of Catch-as-Catch-Can wrestling was beginning to dominate the scene. All the ingredients are starting to set the stage for the coming of Frank Gotch. Martin 'Farmer' Burns is now on the scene and soon Tom Jenkins will be as well. Jack Carkeek gets in legal trouble and will become no stranger to it.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 124.