This week on STICK TO WRESTLING, we’re hopping in the time machine and looking back at the WWF in September 1986!
— A New Era Begins: Championship Wrestling and All-Star Wrestling are out, replaced by Superstars of Wrestling and Wrestling Challenge—game-changing flagship shows that made the WWF look like the pro wrestling equivalent of the NBA.
— Returns & Reveals: “Superstar” Billy Graham returns (and we have some thoughts on his… unique ring gear), plus Hillbilly Jim makes his comeback with a great story behind it.
— Major Angle: The heels finally lay a beatdown on Roddy Piper, cementing his historic babyface turn.
— Tag Team Oddities: We break down some of the WWF’s bizarre tag team booking during this era.
— Future Legends: Mick Foley and Shane Douglas quietly make their national TV debuts.
Plus, we cover Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage, Paul Orndorff, Adrian Adonis, Slick, the British Bulldogs, The Machines, the Hart Foundation, Kamala, Fred Blassie, Jake Roberts, King Kong Bundy, Koko Ware, 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, 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, King Tonga, George “The Animal” Steele…and plenty more.
As always, we’ve unearthed rare, classic audio snippets to bring this unforgettable month back to life. Whether you lived through it live or are exploring it for the first time, this is one 1986 deep-dive you can’t miss. So 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
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