🎙️ Ringside in Rose City #21 – Excitement in the Air: Voices of Northwest Wrestling, Volume Three One ring.One city.A thousand stories.And this week… the voices that carried the Northwest. In Episode #21 of Ringside in Rose City, Frank Culbertson and Mike Rogers crack open Excitement in the Air: Voices of Northwest Wrestling – Volume Three, the latest installment in Mike’s acclaimed interview series capturing the real stories of the wrestlers who lived, worked, and bled in the Pacific Northwest. As always, Lisa Hughes opens the show, spins the wheel, reveals the envelope, and keeps the episode moving—before dropping another unpredictable round of K-Fabe Curveballs, where trivia, pop culture, and wrestling history collide. Rather than racing through a checklist, Frank and Mike focus on what makes Volume Three special: not just big names, but important voices—the wrestlers who filled cards, shaped locker rooms, survived the road, and carried the business through changing eras. This episode highlights interviews including: • Tony Borne – One of the rarest interviews in wrestling history, covering his legendary toughness, massive Mexico draws, battles with Lou Thesz and Eric Pederson, and a career that spanned decades without ever chasing the spotlight• Haru Sasaki – A Portland mainstay whose quiet professionalism contrasted sharply with the stereotypes of the era, from tag gold with Mr. Fuji to unforgettable stories like being handcuffed to a ring post after the lights went out• Carl Styles – Glass eye angles, booking creativity, ribs, blind gimmicks, and a Portland run that became the best stretch of his career• John Buff – Carnival wrestling, AT shows, masked teenagers, betting crowds, and a side of wrestling history most fans have never heard• Brad Anderson – Growing up as Gene Anderson’s son, being smartened up late, protecting the Anderson name, and working Portland as the territories were closing• Jerry Oates – Southern style meets Northwest trust, becoming the first new babyface champion in years, and earning Don Owen’s confidence• Buddy Marino / Omar Atlas – Venezuela to the Northwest, Calgary stories, Stu Hart’s kitchen, injuries, and surviving the road• Vinny Valentino – A humble voice with a meaningful story, missed opportunities, and life after wrestling• Rick Drazen – “Headlock” finishes, bodybuilding fame, Hollywood work, and designing the Gold’s Gym logo• Bulldog Bob Brown – Why he thrived elsewhere, his honest opinions, and what territory turnover really meant• Mike Masters – Full nelsons, Buddy Rose’s army, near-misses, and what might have been• Earl Maynard – Mr. Universe, global success, Portland and Vancouver runs, and still looking incredible decades later Along the way, Frank and Mike discuss:• Why interviews matter more than match results• How memory, ego, and time shape wrestling stories• The difference between “top guy” and “important guy”• And why Northwest wrestling history is richer than most fans realize Plus, Lisa Hughes brings the chaos with Curveballs that veer from comic books to politics to music—ending with one of the most personal Portland Wrestling stories ever shared on the show. This isn’t just about a book.It’s about preserving voices before they’re lost. Step into the arena.This is Ringside in Rose City— wrestling wrestling the way it should be.
