Episode 426: This Will Not Work

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the NWA, also known as Jim Crockett Promotions, covering the entire month of August 1986!

We talk Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Baby Doll, Magnum T.A., Jim Cornette, Dick Murdoch, Tully Blanchard, Buddy Landell, Nikita Koloff, Rock & Roll Express, Arn Anderson, Ron Garvin, Road Warriors, Dutch Mantell, Midnight Express, Jimmy Valiant, Bill Dundee, Ole Anderson, Ivan Koloff, Jimmy Garvin, Manny Fernandez, J.J. Dillon, Bobby Jaggers, Paul Jones, Wahoo McDaniel, Baron Von Raschke, Krusher Kruschev, Sam Houston, Steve Regal, and more! Also discussed:

— The Best-of-Seven series between Magnum T.A. And Nikita Koloff comes to a shocking conclusion.
— Baby Doll commits the most shocking heel turn of all time. Was this an attempt by the booker to kill the Baby Doll character?
— World Wide Wrestling presents a pay-per-view quality episode.
— The promotion is already setting up Starrcade ’86.
— In a stunning turn of events, Jimmy Valiant loses a hair match to Paul Jones.
— Tully retained the National Title in his series against Ron Garvin. Was this a mistake?

We discuss why Dusty should have been NWA longer, the story behind Buddy Landell’s return, and how the promotion blew it with Big Bubba Rogers, and more.

So what are you waiting for? Download it, fire it up, and join us for another wicked good episode of STICK TO WRESTLING.

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 425: The WWF meets The Vines

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we’re stepping back into July 1986, one of the most eventful months of the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era. Alliances crumble, new stars emerge, old rivalries get even hotter, and the WWF continues its rapid transformation into the hottest promotion in North America.

We cover Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage, Paul Orndorff, Adrian Adonis, the British Bulldogs, The Machines, the Hart Foundation, Fred Blassie, Jake Roberts, King Kong Bundy, Harley Race, Magnificent Muraco, Honky Tonk Man, Ricky Steamboat, Jimmy Hart, Iron Sheik, Greg Valentine, Mike Rotundo, Tony Atlas, Dick Slater, Billy Jack Haynes, Captain Lou Albano, The Fabulous Moolah, Hercules Hernandez, Tonga Kid, the Killer Bees, Slick, Big John Studd, Nikolai Volkoff, Ted Arcidi, Brutus Beefcake, Dan Spivey, Junkyard Dog, Bob Orton Jr., Tito Santana, Mr. Fuji, Tony Garea, King Tonga, George “The Animal” Steele…and plenty more.

As always, we’ve unearthed some outstanding and rarely heard audio that helps bring this unforgettable month back to life. Whether you lived through it or you’re discovering it for the first time, this is one trip back to 1986 you won’t want to miss.

So what are you waiting for? Download it, fire it up, and join us for another wicked good episode of STICK TO WRESTLING.

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 424: Moolah’s House

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take questions from our listeners! Including but not limited to:

–Why didn’t the WWF and other territories have more Babyface vs Babyface matches?
— Could an old school type promotion work in 2026?
— What were our best and worst live pro wrestling experiences?
— Who should NOT have had a run with a world title, but did?
— What would a WWF version of the Four Horsemen have looked like when Ric Flair joined the company in 1991?
— How would the careers of Mike Graham and Greg Gagne panned out had they not been the sons of a promoter?

It’s the start of a warm, wonderful Summer weekend, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING… give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 423: Life Insurance? We’ll Live Forever.

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the UWF, formerly known as Mid-South Wrestling, through May and June of 1986!

We talk Bill Watts, The Freebirds, Ted Dibiase, Dusty Rhodes, Eddie Gilbert, Steve Williams, Sting, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Nikita Koloff, One Man Gang, Rick Steiner, The Fantastics, Dark Journey, Road Warriors, Terry Taylor, Buzz Sawyer, Kamala, Scandor Akbar, Jack Victory, Missing Link, Korstia Korchenko, The Sheepherders, Chavo Guerrero, Ivan Koloff, Lady Maxine, Ultimate Warrior, and more!

Plus there’s lots of great, rare audio, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING… give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 422: A Promotion’s Pinnacle

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the NWA / Jim Crockett Promotions during the month of July 1986!

We talk Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, Magnum TA, Tully Blanchard, Jim Cornette, Ole Anderson, Baby Doll, Rock & Roll Express, Big Bubba Rogers, Nikita Koloff, J.J. Dillon., Midnight Express, Jimmy Valiant, Ron Garvin, Wahoo McDaniel, Jimmy Garvin, Arn Anderson, Paul Ellering, Baron Von Raschke, Hector Guerrero, Buddy Landell, Manny Fernandez, Pez Whatley, The Barbarian, Black Bart, The Warlord, Sam Houston, Krusher Kruschev, Steve Regal, Don Kernodle, and more!

Plus there’s lots of great, rare audio, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING… give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 421: As The Years Go Passing By

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we rank and discuss the greatest years in WWWF/WWF history, from 1976 through 1995! Johnny Mac and Steve lived through every one of those trips around the Sun, and they have plenty of information, and even more opinions, to share. On the discussion table:

— The year the WWF broke from its traditional Madison Square Garden booking patterns.
— The year Bruno Sammartino faced five future Hall of Famers as his primary challengers.
— The year Bob Backlund suddenly found himself with a whole new slate of exciting rivals.
— The year Superstar Billy Graham shattered every mold and presented a WWWF unlike anything fans had ever seen before or since.
— The year Hulk Hogan exploded onto the scene and changed everything.
— The year of WrestleMania III when, for better or worse, the WWF emerged as the unquestioned number one wrestling promotion in the world.

Which year comes out on top? There’s only one way to find out. Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING… give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 420: Machine Delivery

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we review the WWF during the month of July 1986!

— Paul Orndorff finally turns on Hulk Hogan, who somehow never saw it coming. Then again, neither did TV commentator Bruno Sammartino.
— The Machines make their television debut through a series of vignettes, and Bobby Heenan takes a decidedly dim view of the whole thing.
— Dick Slater debuts, and he’s a bomb- a stinkbomb. He feels like a first-round NFL draft pick who already looks like a bust after two weeks of training camp.
— Meanwhile, Jake Roberts is absolutely on fire. He’s unlike any other heel in the WWF, and the fans can’t take their eyes off him.
— From coast to coast and everywhere in between, the WWF is drawing enormous crowds in Canada.
— Three Dogs are losing momentum: Junkyard, Dynamite, and Davey. Woof.

Plus, Johnny Mac talks about a WWF event he deliberately avoided and we’ve got plenty of rare, outstanding audio. So what are you waiting for? Skip the predictable fireworks, then download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 419: Catcalls, Rumors, Sad Memories, and more.

Johnny Mac is joined by frequent co-cost Steve Generelli, and we have a casual discussion about old school wrestling!

We talk bad main events at small shows in upstate New York, people we hope are alive and not in prison, ditching Junior High Spring dances to see attend pro wrestling events, how many live events the hosts have attended, Stan Stasiak getting exposed, bad wrestling surprises, getting “smartened up” a bit, the best and worst live shows we’ve ever attended, long nights attending television tapings and the “dark matches” that were part of them, Ric Flair finally joining the WWF in 1991, the rumor about Greg Valentine winning the WWF title, Vince McMahon and Harley Race meeting in a bathroom, bad and sad memories as a fan, missed shows we regret, pro wrestling magazines vs newsletters, early pay-per view experiences, the greatness of Terry Funk, the badness of Papa Shango, the mid-90’s rise of WCW and who landed on their feet when it fell, Steve Austin’s early potential, and more!

We also talk about Homeowner’s Association Presidents who dated Rick Rude, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 418: Saturday Morning Comedies

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the NWA during the month of June 1986 with popular returning host Jammie Ward!

We talk Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Jim Cornette, Magnum T.A., Road Warriors, Ole Anderson, Jimmy Garvin, Nikita Koloff, Big Bubba Rogers, Rock & Roll Express, Tully Blanchard, Krusher Kruschev, Baby Doll, Jimmy Valiant, Midnight Express, Arn Anderson, Ivan Koloff, Paul Jones, Sam Houston, The Warlord, Manny Fernandez, Ron Garvin, Pez Whatley, Black Bart, Wahoo McDaniel, Baron Von Raschke, Hector Guerrero, J.J. Dillon, Denny Brown, The Barbarian, and more!

Plus there’s lots of great and rare audio, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 417: I Would Have Been Brutus

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING Johnny Mac and Steve Generelli take questions from the STICK TO WRESTLING Universe on the WWF during the year of 1986! On the discussion table:

— What would have happened if the wrestlers went on strike the night before Wrestlemania 2?
— Did Jimmy Hart surprisingly win the trade of Adrian Adonis and Missing Link for King Kong Bundy?
— If Hogan gets seriously injured in 1986 who takes his place?
— The WWF seriously upgraded it’s production value by the end of Summer 1986. What affect did it have on the company?
— The Machines: fun or stupid?
— Could the Honky Tonk Man Character have worked in the NWA?

What are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam