The Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network

Retro Wrestling Archive Podcasts
  • 4.7 (10)
  • Wrestling

The Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network is a home for nostalgia pro wrestling podcasts featuring interviews, reviews, recaps, and deep dives into the people, promotions, and moments that shaped wrestling history. Our network includes original in-house shows like The Retro Wrestling Re-View Podcasts, Beyond Wrestling, Dangerous Conversations w/Doug Gilbert & Tommy Rich, and LIVE from the Archive!, along with affiliate podcasts such as STSPod, The Hang, Talkin' off the Top Rope, and Get Your Bell Rung, among others. Presented in association with Jackson Media Creations, the Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network is dedicated to one mission: preserving pro wrestling history.

  1. 7h ago

    RWR Power Pro Wrestling Podcast Episode #23 (9/19/98) SID arrives in Power Pro!

    On Episode #23 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View Power Pro Wrestling Podcast, Gene Jackson, Robb Helt, and Brian Tramel are back live on a Saturday morning to cover the September 19, 1998 episode of Memphis Power Pro Wrestling and this one has a little bit of everything: Jerry Lawler vs. Brian Christopher, Jimmy Valiant as special referee, Bill Dundee vs. Kid Wikkid, the beginning of the Randy Hales vs. Brandon Baxter feud, and the sudden arrival of Sid Vicious in Power Pro. The show kicks off with Lawler addressing the brewing issue with Brian Christopher, comparing it to his own rise past Jackie Fargo years earlier. Lawler says Brian believes he has to knock the King off the throne to become the top dog in Power Pro, but Lawler isn’t ready to step aside (and apparently never would be). The added incentive? If Lawler beats Brian, he gets five minutes in the ring with Randy Hales. And to keep things under control, Lawler brings in a special referee: “Handsome” Jimmy Valiant. The Sid material is the headline here. Downtown Bruno tries to explain that Sid wants to come to Power Pro and would help the company, but Randy Hales immediately reminds everybody that this is his company and he decides who works there. The Lawler/Brian Christopher story is also front and center, which is a good thing.  The Randy Hales show continues in full force as a show with eight segments total has Randy Hales involved in SEVEN of them. By the end, everyone agrees this episode has plenty happening: Sid is officially in Power Pro, Lawler and Brian Christopher are still at each other’s throats, Randy Hales is all over the show, Brandon Baxter is back in the mix, and the October 3rd Settle the Score card is starting to take shape. For fans of Memphis Power Pro Wrestling, Sid Vicious, Jerry Lawler, Brian Christopher, Randy Hales, Brandon Baxter, Stacey, Jimmy Valiant, Bill Dundee, Kid Wikkid, Downtown Bruno, Buddy Wayne, Billy Joe Travis, and late 90s Memphis wrestling chaos, this episode is a must-see. Sid has arrived. Randy won’t go away. And Power Pro is getting crazier by the week! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    RWR Power Pro Wrestling Podcast Episode #23 (9/19/98) SID arrives in Power Pro!

  2. 1d ago

    Rollin’ Into Mempho Episode #45 - 12/30/21

    It’s time for a special edition “Shootin’ The Shiznit” with “Rollin’ Into Mempho.” Brian Tramel is joined by RynoJB to review Championship Wrestlingfrom Memphis for Episode 45 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/Cq8In_sfVKM?si=SrKrLqvlOf6-Ri3T ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    Rollin’ Into Mempho Episode #45 - 12/30/21

  3. 2d ago

    Retro Wrestling Ep. 64: Remembering "Pistol" Pez Whatley w/special guest Pez Whatley Jr.

    On Episode #64 of Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson, Gene welcomes Pez Whatley Jr. for a conversation honoring the life, career, and legacy of his father, “Pistol” Pez Whatley. Gene opens the episode by explaining that he's still under the weather health wise, so this episode will be audio only, but he wanted to make sure this interview happened in time to help promote the upcoming 'Pez Whatley Invitational' in Red Bank, Tennessee: a one night tournament created to honor Pez Whatley’s legacy and celebrate Black wrestling excellence.  From there, the conversation becomes much more personal than a standard career retrospective. Pez Whatley Jr. talks about growing up as the son of a professional wrestler, traveling with his father during the summer, watching him work territories like ICW and Continental, and getting an up close look at a wrestling business that still guarded kayfabe closely. One of the most important parts of the episode comes early, when Pez Jr. discusses his father’s amateur wrestling accomplishments. He confirms that Pez Whatley was the first African-American wrestler at UT Chattanooga, and adds that father and son also became the first father-son state wrestling champions in Tennessee. Pez Jr. also provides a fascinating look at what it meant to grow up around the business when kayfabe was still protected. He understood that his father was not literally fighting for his life every night, but he also never viewed wrestling as “fake.” In his words, there is nothing fake about large men throwing themselves around a ring and colliding with one another. The performance may be exaggerated, but the physicality is very real. There is also some genuinely new insight into the Shaska Whatley character and the exact inspiration for the name itself. That is a piece of the story Gene had never heard before, and it gives some real background to one of Pez Whatley’s most memorable identities. The conversation gets more serious when Gene asks about the racism Pez experienced during his career. Pez Jr. says it was very real, both among some people within the wrestling business and among fans in certain towns. That part of the interview may be uncomfortable to discuss, but it's important because it puts Pez Whatley’s career into fuller context. He was not just working matches and cutting promos. He was traveling during an era and through places where the dangers outside the ring could often be far more real than anything happening inside of it.  The emotional center of the episode comes near the end when Gene asks what Pez Jr. wants people to remember about his father outside the ring. His answer is simple and powerful: Pez Whatley was the best person he ever knew. That makes the Pez Whatley Invitational feel especially fitting. Pez Jr. says he never imagined someone would someday create a wrestling tournament in his father’s honor, but he's very proud that day has come. in his opinion, Pez deserves it. The fact that others believe strongly enough in his father’s legacy to put in the time and work to honor him means a great deal to the family. This is not simply an episode about Pistol Pez Whatley the wrestler. It is about Pez Whatley the father. The amateur wrestling champion. The trailblazer. The heel who could make a crowd furious. The man who became Shaska Whatley and Willie B. Hurt. And, most importantly, the man his son still describes as the best person he has ever known. Head out to the TWE Arena in Red Bank, Tennessee this Saturday September 19. Bell Time is 7:30pm, tickets will be available at the door but can also be purchased in advance at TWETickets.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    Retro Wrestling Ep. 64: Remembering "Pistol" Pez Whatley w/special guest Pez Whatley Jr.

  4. 2d ago

    Huge Pop Entertainment DROPS THE MIC with The Legend Rip Rogers

    On this episode of Huge Pop Entertainment Presents… DROP THE MIC, the crew welcomes one of professional wrestling’s most outspoken veterans, Rip Rogers, for a fast moving, no filter conversation covering nearly 50 years in the business, from the wild territory days and ICW to OVW, WCW, Stampede, training future stars, and what he believes today’s wrestlers have forgotten about how wrestling is supposed to work. Rip starts at the beginning, talking about getting hooked on wrestling as a seven year old after seeing Dick the Bruiser vs. Cowboy Bob Ellis, then spending his youth in sports and the weight room before eventually finding his way into the business. From there, the stories come quickly, especially once the conversation turns to ICW, where Rip worked alongside Randy Savage, Lanny Poffo, Angelo Poffo, Bob Roop, Bob Orton, Ronnie Garvin, Boris Malenko, George Weingroff, and others. The centerpiece of the interview is Rip’s philosophy on how professional wrestling should be taught. He explains that his OVW trainees spent the first two hours of class drilling fundamentals, learning formulas, developing psychology, and figuring out how to call matches in the ring. Rip says he would throw guys out there for 90 minutes or even two hours because once they understood the structure, they should know how to work without somebody scripting every moment for them. Rip is equally passionate about the idea that wrestling is storytelling, not simply a collection of moves. He talks about working different body parts, changing tempos from match to match, understanding where you are on the card, and making sure the opening match does not use every weapon, stunt, and dramatic device before the main event ever gets there. There is also plenty of territory history. Rip looks back on riding with Randy Savage during the ICW years, competing against established promotions, working for Bill Watts and Ole Anderson, traveling through Portland and Calgary, and seeing the business when wrestlers routinely worked hundreds of matches per year. By the end of the episode, Rip’s message is pretty simple. If you love professional wrestling, he respects that. Take the good with the bad, try not to take advantage of people, understand the business side, and never assume a full building means everybody made money. Most of all, do the work and stop wishing you had. It’s loud. It’s opinionated. It’s unapologetic. And with Rip Rogers, that’s exactly how it should be. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    Huge Pop Entertainment DROPS THE MIC with The Legend Rip Rogers

  5. 3d ago

    Rollin’ Into Mempho Episode #44: 12/23/21

    It’s time for a special edition “Shootin’ The Shiznit” with “Rollin’ Into It’s time for a special edition “Shootin’ The Shiznit” with “Rollin’ IntoMempho.” Brian Tramel is joined by RynoJB to review Championship Wrestling from Memphis for Episode 44 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/EcFQ6rkaAGg?si=XCSKe4rh-ZzY_W8I ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    Rollin’ Into Mempho Episode #44: 12/23/21

  6. 3d ago

    Retro Wrestling Bonus Show: Shawn Ng of KWK Brand discusses the PG-13 Action Figure Controversy & the Pat Tanaka/AIW situation

    On this special BONUS EPISODE of Retro Wrestling, Robb Helt sits in for Gene Jackson and welcomes Shawn Ng of the KWK Kayfabe Heroes Action Figure brand to the show to discuss this week's Jamie Dundee/PG-13 action figure controversy as well as the Pat Tanaka/AIW situation. FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE RETRO WRESTLING CONTENT: Check out our Patreon at www.patreon.com/retrowrestlingarchive Check out www.retrowrestlingarchive.club for all of our social media, merch store, and everything related to our content and podcasts ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    Retro Wrestling Bonus Show: Shawn Ng of KWK Brand discusses the PG-13 Action Figure Controversy & the Pat Tanaka/AIW situation

  7. 3d ago

    RWR USWA Podcast Ep. 119 (1/25/92) Promo of the Year??

    On Episode #119 of the RWR USWA Podcast, The Gang is back inside the Retro Wrestling Archive to review the January 25, 1992 episode of USWA Championship Wrestling and this one is another wild chapter in early ’92 Memphis, where the Moondogs vs. Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett war is getting nastier by the week, Richard Lee may have just delivered the promo of the year, and the undercard suddenly comes alive with women’s chaos, strap match fallout, and a big Saturday night card at the Mid South Coliseum. The centerpiece of this episode is absolutely Richard Lee. After having his entire head set on fire during last week’s Coliseum chaos, Richard comes out bandaged, shaken, and speaking like a man who has been through something horrible. He says he was permanently disfigured, claims he cannot even control the Moondogs anymore, and then proves it as the Moondogs destroy Freezer Thompson and poor Dazzler Hayes (for the third week in a row). Look, this is exactly the kind of selling Gene, Josh, and Brian want from Memphis Wrestling. They point out that, too often, somebody takes a piledriver on the floor or gets fire thrown at them and shows up the next week with a towel around their neck acting mostly normal. Richard Lee goes the other way. He commits to the bit, sells the injury, changes his voice, brings the bandages, and turns a fireball spot into a full character moment. The other big surprise is how much life the undercard women’s angle brings to the episode. What starts with Tony Falk and Miss Jennifer turns into C.J., Miss Texas, Dirty White Girl, Dirty White Boy, Bull Pain, and Samantha all getting pulled into the mix. Dirty White Girl’s return gives Tony Anthony an equalizer against C.J., and suddenly the upcoming all-girl battle royal feels like something the guys actually want to see. By the end, the show sets up a loaded Saturday night card at the Mid-South Coliseum: a tournament for a shot at Kamala, the women’s battle royal, Embry vs. Dirty White Boy for the Southern Title, and another no DQ war between Lawler/Jarrett and the Moondogs. That’s a lot of moving parts for one week of Memphis television and somehow Richard Lee walking out wrapped up like he survived a horror movie still steals the whole thing. The Moondogs are out of control. Dazzler Hayes is catching another beating. And Richard Lee just might be the best thing in Memphis Wrestling right now. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    RWR USWA Podcast Ep. 119 (1/25/92) Promo of the Year??

  8. 4d ago

    Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson Ep. 63: with special guest Brother Ernest Angel

    On Episode #63 of Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson, Gene sits down with a guest that a lot of Memphis wrestling fans have wondered about for decades: Brother Ernest Angel. Known for his short but unforgettable run in Memphis and Continental in 1988, Brother Ernest steps back into the spotlight for a rare conversation about how the character came together, why it generated so much heat, working with Jerry Lawler, Jerry Jarrett, Jeff Jarrett, Lance Russell, Dave Brown, Bill Dundee, Jamie Dundee, Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt, Doug Gilbert, the Samoans, Maxx Payne, and more. Gene opens the show by explaining why this interview matters. Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson has always been about finding the people fans haven’t heard from in years, the names who weren’t on every shoot interview, podcast, or convention stage and Brother Ernest fits that mission perfectly. After Gene’s article and promo compilation reminded fans just how entertaining Brother Ernest was, the response made it clear: people still remember him, and they still want to hear his story. The heart of the episode is Brother Ernest explaining what the character actually was. He makes it clear that they were not mocking God, scripture, or sincere religion. The target was the shady televangelist type that had been all over the news, and Brother Ernest says they were careful not to cross certain lines.  By the end, this episode is exactly what Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson does best: it brings back a name fans remember, fills in the story behind the character, and gives a performer who hasn’t been heard from enough the chance to explain how it all happened in his own words. For fans of Memphis Wrestling, CWA, Continental Wrestling, Jerry Lawler, Jerry Jarrett, Jeff Jarrett, Lance Russell, Dave Brown, Bill Dundee, Jamie Dundee, Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt, Maxx Payne, the Samoans, and unforgettable old school managers who could make fans mad enough to jam a TV station switchboard, this episode is required listening. Brother Ernest Angel may have only been around for a short time. But brother, he made every minute count. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson Ep. 63: with special guest Brother Ernest Angel
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About

The Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network is a home for nostalgia pro wrestling podcasts featuring interviews, reviews, recaps, and deep dives into the people, promotions, and moments that shaped wrestling history. Our network includes original in-house shows like The Retro Wrestling Re-View Podcasts, Beyond Wrestling, Dangerous Conversations w/Doug Gilbert & Tommy Rich, and LIVE from the Archive!, along with affiliate podcasts such as STSPod, The Hang, Talkin' off the Top Rope, and Get Your Bell Rung, among others. Presented in association with Jackson Media Creations, the Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network is dedicated to one mission: preserving pro wrestling history.

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