Tag Archives: 1980’s

Episode 358: Bald For Life

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we take a bodyslam back in time to the May 5, 1985 edition of World Class Championship Wrestling’s Parade of Champions! Strap in, folks — it’s hotter than Fritz Von Erich’s temper on July day in Texas. We dive into:

–Ric Flair vs. Kevin Von Erich for the NWA World Title! Would another Flair vs Kerry Von Erich rematch have been a better idea? Did we get the wrong Von Erich? Did Kerry’s dog die again? (Just kidding. You know better.)
–The match and payoff that caused Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express to peace out faster than you can say “tennis racquet”.
–“Son, you’re gonna kill him.” The NWA champ gets buried again in a World Class ring, and not in a subtle “he’ll bounce back” kind of way.
–An end of an era. We didn’t know it then, but this was one of the final times the NWA title would be defended in World Class.
–“Muh cur!” Kevin Von Erich’s new $25,000 vehicle gets “destroyed”.
–World Class is still bringing the thunder, drawing over 26,000 fans for this event. You’ll never guess how many fans the WWF drew in Dallas just four days earlier.

PLUS: Johnny Mac reveals his totally healthy, not-at-all-concerning video game habits, so what are you waiting for? Smash that play button with a steel chair shot and get ready for another classic pro wrestling deep-dive!

STICK TO WRESTLING: Give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a wicked good, suplex-to-the-soul podcast that pulls zero punches (unless, of course, it’s a worked shoot).

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 357: Verne Was Great, Vince Was…

This week on Stick to Wrestling, we dive deep into the AWA with special guest and AWA aficionado Brad Breitzman! We’re asking the tough questions:

–Could Hulk Hogan realistically have stayed in the AWA?
–What about the Road Warriors—was there ever a chance they’d stick around?
–How over was Otto Wanz during his run as AWA Champion?
–Should Ken Patera have gotten a shot at the top? If so, when?
–Was it smart to use Jumbo Tsuruta as a transitional champ?
–What would Rick Martel and Tito Santana have looked like as AWA Tag Team Champions?
–How should we feel about The Crusher and Baron Von Raschke winning the belts in 1984?

Plus, Johnny Mac unleashes a ton of thoughts on how the AWA could’ve survived into the 1990’s so what are you waiting for? Hit play and get ready for another wicked good classic wrestling deep-dive!

STICK TO WRESTLING: Give us sixty minutes, and we’ll give you a wicked good and rawboned wrestling podcast that pulls no punches.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 353: Do You Fish? I Fish.

This week on STICK TO WRESTING we review the WWF from the month of March 1985, which of course includes a review of the first Wrestlemania!

We talk Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Mr. T, Bobby Heenan, Bruno Sammartino, Andre The Giant, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Orndorff, Greg Valentine, Big John Studd, Ricky Steamboat, Bob Orton Jr, Tito Santana, King Kong Bundy, David Sammartino, Junkyard Dog, Jimmy Hart, Brutus Beefcake, Magnificent Muraco, Buddy Rose, Johnny V, Jimmy Snuka, and more!

It’s a double extra large, extra long episode with lots of rare audio including Mr. T appearing on Late Night with David Letterman, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 351: Buddy Hackett

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the recently released footage from the Omni in Atlanta, which took place on February 26, 1984!

We talk Ric Flair, The Road Warriors, Ted Dibiase, Wahoo McDaniel, Stan Hansen, Tommy Rich, King Kong Bundy, Jake Roberts, Nikolai Volkoff, Ron Garvin, Brad Armstrong, Tommy Rogers, The Spoiler, Jesse Barr, Pez Whatley, Les Thornton, Johnny Rich, and more.

Plus there are classic late night comedy references, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 349: Settling Scores

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING features Part Two of our review of all things WWF, February 1985!

The month was a turning point in the WWF’s history, with celebrity involvement and mainstream exposure paving the way for WrestleMania I. The War to Settle the Score on MTV was a massive success, setting the stage for professional wrestling’s boom in the mid-to-late 1980s.

The WWF was aggressively expanding nationwide, competing with regional territories. The promotion was actively signing top talent from rival organizations, and Vince McMahon’s vision was pushing WWF toward becoming a global powerhouse.

We also review The War to Settle the Score, a pivotal event that aired on MTV featuring Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper for the WWF Championship. The match ended in disqualification after interference from Paul Orndorff and Bob Orton Jr. Mr. T came to Hogan’s aid, setting the stage for the first WrestleMania.

Plus there’s lot of rare and classic audio, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 348: Mr. Giant, What An Idiot

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a look at what was going on in the WWF during February 1985!

We talk Roddy Piper, Bobby Heenan, Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Paul Orndorff, Cyndi Lauper, Captain Lou Albano, Magnificent Muraco, Big John Studd, Wendi Richter, Jesse Ventura, David Schultz, Mad Dog Vachon, Bob Orton Jr., Blackjack Mulligan, Greg Valentine, Bret Hart, Jimmy Snuka, Andre The Giant, Junkyard Dog, Barry Windham, Johnny V, Adrian Adonis, Mr, Fuji, Ken Patera, Brutus Beefcake, Iron Sheik, Ivan Putski, Fabulous Moolah, Fred Blassie, Tito Santana, David Sammartino, Mr. Wrestling II, Dick Murdoch, Johnny Rodz, Mike Rotondo, Jim Neidhart, Rick McGraw, Nikolai Volkoff, Judy Martin, Jack & Jerry Brisco, Sal Bellomo, and more!

Plus there’s lot of rare and classic audio, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 347: The Top Ten Matches of 1985

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we rank our Top Ten matches of 1985! It’s a killer episode as 1985 was a huge year for wrestling: WrestleMania 1, Starrcade ’85, The Parade of Champions, The Wrestling Classic, the NWA / AWA shows at the New Jersey Meadowlands, and more. Lots of legendary matches to choose from.

If you haven’t already joined our Facebook group, now is the perfect time to do so as we will be putting up links for the bouts so you can easily watch and enjoy them.

So what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 345: State Haircut

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we finish our review of the WWF during the month of January 1985!

We talk Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Bobby Heenan, Roddy Piper, Barry Windham, Wendi Richter, Iron Sheik, Captain Lou Albano, Tito Santana, Gene Okerlund, Magnificent Muraco, Fred Blassie, Greg Valentine, Big John Studd, Tonga Kid, Jack & Jerry Brisco, Cyndi Lauper, Blackjack Mulligan, Ken Patera, Johnny Rodz, Adrian Adonis, Mike Rotondo, Andre The Giant, Bob Orton Jr, Dick Murdoch, Salvatorre Bellomo, Junkyard Dog, Mr. Fuji, Jimmy Snuka, Bret Hart, Paul Orndorff, Brutus Beefcake, Nikolai Volkoff, and more!

Plus there’s lot of rare audio and an absolutely wild segment from Tuesday Night Titans, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 344: The Original Vern Schillinger

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a look at the WWF during the month of January 1985! We talk Hulk Hogan, Bobby Heenan, Cyndi Lauper, Greg Valentine, Andre The Giant, Ken Patera, Jimmy Snuka, Adrian Adonis, Barry Windham, Captain Lou Albano, Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, Tito Santana, Jack & Jerry Brisco, Magnificent Muraco, Fred Blassie, Dick Murdoch, Bob Orton Jr, Nikolai Volkoff, Wendi Richter, Tonga Kid, Junkyard Dog, Buddy Rose, David Schultz, Mike Rotondo, Paul Orndorff, and more!

Plus there’s lots of rare audio from the wrestlers, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 343: Isn’t That Duggan’s Car?

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Jeff Lyons, and we discuss a virtual cornucopia of pro wrestling topics including:

–What a Vince McMahon vs Bill Watts wrestling war might have looked like. A war between these two would have been fascinating, as McMahon’s flashy, spectacle-driven product would clash with Watts’ more grounded and hard-hitting style. Watts would have likely fought to maintain regional control over the Southern territories, while McMahon’s ambition to go national would have presented a direct challenge to the old territorial system.
–The earliest NWA shows in the Baltimore / DC metroplex. Baltimore and DC were key cities that bridged the gap between the southern and northeastern parts of the country and their significance in the NWA’s growth cannot be understated.
–The sheer joy of Mid-South Wrestling debuting on WTBS. This was a major (albeit temporary) milestone for the company, as WTBS was one of the biggest cable networks in the country. The regional promotion and its inclusion on WTBS exposed it to a much wider audience.
–The movie “The Iron Claw”. Our podcast’s host has finally seen it.
–A point-by-point analysis of one of the all-time great and logical angles.
–The games Vince McMahon played to keep other promotions out of traditional WWF arenas, and a promoter who would have played hardball against the WWF having his group locked out.

Plus Johnny Mac does his impression of The Human Beat Box of the 80’s Fat Boys rap group, so what are you waiting for? Hit play and dive into this wicked good episode now!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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