Tag Archives: 1986

Episode 398: They Turned The Wrong Guy

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we review World Class Championship Wrestling from January and February 1986!

–Bill Mercer visits The Freebirds at a pool hall in an entertaining sketch.
–Gino Hernandez and Chris Adams are now feuding, and the booking is a bit too fast-paced.
–There’s a main event that looks good on paper, but stinks in the ring.
–The hot girl never gets the middle-of-the-road guy over. Yes, we discuss Missy Hyatt and John Tatum.
–WCCW rolls out an angle that is in the worst taste imaginable.
–We discuss a good old fashioned phantom title switch that the promotion presented.

Plus we’ve loaded the show with great and genuinely 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 397: My Habits and My Lifestyle

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we dive deep into Mid-South Wrestling from January 1986, a month where the booking fires on all cylinders. On the table this week:

–The booking is fantastic. For example, Dick Slater is positioned perfectly as the wily veteran, using every trick in the book to outsmart a younger, less experienced Steve Williams. You’re left believing the result might be very different six months- or even sooner- down the road.
–The impact of wrestlers touring Japan is clearly being felt throughout the promotion.
–People often parrot the idea that Jake Roberts had “great ring psychology.” We break down what that actually means, and why it matters.
–For the first few weeks, Mid-South featured the real Masked Superstar… before blatantly slipping in a fake one.
–Butch Reed’s Mid-South run comes to a sudden and unceremonious halt.
–Dick Slater was once an all-time great, then he went to the WWF. Here in Mid-South, though, he’s still standing on top of the mountain.

Plus, we discuss the difference between valets being struck in 1986 versus 2026 and we’ve loaded the show with great—and genuinely 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 396: Tickets To See Pilgrims Arriving

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we are joined by Beau James and we provide Part 2 of our review of the NWA from the month of January 1986!

We talk Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Tully Blanchard, Jim Cornette, Arn Anderson, Magnum TA, Billy Jack Haynes, The Midnight Express, Baby Doll, Harley Race, Ole Anderson, Nikita Koloff, The Road Warriors, Ron Garvin, Buddy Landell, The Rock & Roll Express, 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 395: He Was Up For Days

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we are joined by Beau James and we review the NWA from the month of January 1986!

We talk Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Tully Blanchard, Jim Cornette, Arn Anderson, Magnum TA, Billy Jack Haynes, The Midnight Express, Baby Doll, Harley Race, Ole Anderson, Nikita Koloff, The Road Warriors, Ron Garvin, Buddy Landell, The Rock & Roll Express, 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 393: Get This Off My TV

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the World Wrestling Federation from the month of January 1986!

We talk Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Andre The Giant, Bruno Sammartino, Terry Funk, Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage, Paul Orndorff, King Kong Bundy, Jesse Ventura, Fred Blassie, Bret Hart, Ricky Steamboat, British Bulldogs, Captain Lou Albano, Iron Sheik, Tito Santana, Jimmy Hart, Fabulous Moolah, Greg Valentine, Big John Studd, Brutus Beefcake, Jim Niedhart, Bob Orton Jr, George Steele, Hercules Hernandez, Johnny V, Don Muraco, King Tonga, Junkyard Dog, The Hillbillies, Miss Elizabeth, Nikolai Volkoff, Corporal Kirschner, Ted Arcedi, 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 208: World Class With A Different Lance

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Lance Peterson, who lived in Dallas during the glory days of World Class Championship Wrestling. He saw all of the big angles, went to the Texas Stadium shows, the Cotton Bowl shows, and much more. We discuss:

–The rise of the Von Erichs as mainstream stars in the Metroplex.

–WCCW’s break from the NWA.

–The creation of a Von Erich cousin named Lance.

–The return of Gino Hernandez, right when it was needed.

–Highlights from the Fort Worth TV show that only aired in the Metroplex.

–The downfall of WCCW.

Plus we beat the dead horse of the “Was David Von Erich promised the NWA title” question, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good bad boy!

STICK TO WRESTING. Give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a wicked good and rawboned podcast!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 194: A Natural Assumption

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular returning guest Chris Tabar and we take a look back at 1986 and the wrestlers who deserved year-end awards from 35 years ago:

–Wrestler of the Year!
–Tag Team of the Year!
–Best Heel and Best Babyface!
–Feud of the Year!
–Best on Interviews!
–Match of the Year!

Plus we wander into 1988 talking about some of Jim Cornette’s best lines, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good bad boy!

Stick To Wrestling – give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawboned and wicked good podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 181: Finishing Third

On this week’s STICK TO WRESTLING popular gust Barry Rose makes his return! For the past two weeks Steve Crawford and Johnny Mac have discussed Starrcade ’86, but what else was going on Thanksgiving Night, 1986? We talk about what World Class, the AWA, the UWF, and the WWF were doing that evening.

–The sum was greater than the parts: Buddy Rose, Doug Somers, and Sherri Martel weren’t much on their own in 1986, but it was a different ballgame when they were put together.

–Why couldn’t Vince McMahon just give his guys Thanksgiving Night off to spend with their families instead of keeping them on the road to appear on meaningless house shows in Dayton and Springfield?

–World Class draws 6,000 to Reunion Arena on Thanksgiving Night…somehow.

–Nick Bockwinkel vs Larry Zybysko in the main event, again?

–Michael Hayes was in his prime and in the Superdome main event for Bill Watts’ UWF.

–Why wasn’t there a major Hulk Hogan vs One Man Gang feud in 1987?

Plus there’s FREE BONUS CONTENT where Barry and Johnny Mac discuss their favorite Twilight Zone episodes, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good bad boy!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a wicked good and rawboned podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 179: A Very Poor Investment

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular guest host Steve Crawford as we discuss Starrcade ’86, which happened 35 years ago this month. We discuss:

–Dusty Rhodes is in his 40’s, but he adopts the hairstyle of college football sensation Brian Bosworth. The Boz had twenty years on Dusty, so that’s not a good choice.

–Speaking of hair, not having any made you a “bald headed geek” in 1986. How times change.

–The Four Horsemen, as a unit, threaten to boycott Starrcade unless Tully Blanchard gets the match he wants against Dusty Rhodes.

–Brad Armstrong, Tim Horner, and Don Kernodle: good workers, but what can a promotion really do with them?

–Nelson Royal sits in front of a campfire and explains what a Bunkhouse Stampede is.

–Dutch Mantel and Bobby Jaggers bought some expensive looking gear for their Kansas Jayhawks gimmick, which lasted about six months and they never got pushed. Whoops.

Plus Steve guesses how many of these matches involved blood and Johnny Mac goes on an anti-Peacock rant, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good bad boy!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a wicked good and rawboned podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 169: You’re Not Gonna Turn On Me, Are You?

Popular guest Christian Boddie returns to Stick To Wrestling and we thave Part Two of our discussion about our favorite Summer in wrestling which happened thirty five years ago: 1986. Discussed on this week’s episode:

–Paul Orndorff turning on Hulk Hogan may have been obvious and an overly simplistic story, but their feud drew spectacularly.

–The AWA and World Class Championship Wrestling came into 1986 still looking and feeling like major league promotions. By the middle of this Summer they did not.

–Roddy Piper finally turns babyface and of course, is immediately in main events.

–The UWF putting on great television. The Freebirds and Eddie Gilbert’s crew are the lead heels while Hacksaw Duggan, Ted Dibiase, Steve Williams, and Terry Taylor are the top babyfaces. Bill Watts comes out of retirement and makes things even more interesting

–Championship Wrestling from Florida continues to spiral despite having the mega-talented Barry Windham and the promising Lex Luger in the promotion.

–The suspended Andre The Giant returns to the WWF…in disguise, as the Giant Machine.

What are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good bad boy!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a wicked good and rawboned podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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