On this episode, we continue to flashback 50 years in Pro Wrestling History and today we go to one of the wildest and craziest territories in wrestling, the Detroit Territory in 1975. The territory, which the Sheik purchased from Jim Barnett in 1964, has been on an incredible run for at least 7 of the 11 years, Ed Farhat has been in charge. Starting in the early 1970s, as we learned from our Toronto Analyst, Wes Maidment, Farhat became the talent booker for Maple Leaf Gardens as well as his own territory through Michigan, Ohio and parts of West Virginia. Today, Detroit Analyst, Terry Sullivan, who did the announcing on the television show and worked in the office, joins Tony to talk about the turbulent year in Detroit of 1975 as the Sheik’s run has peaked and is heading for a downturn. Terry has great stories to share about Sheik and going to work for an outlaw promotion in opposition to Farhat and much more. There is an amazing connection to the Amarillo territory that they discuss in this show as well! Sign up for Tony's Substack and have pro wrestling history at your fingertips each and every day! https://tonyrichards4.substack.com/

• (00:00:02) - Podcast
• (00:00:36) - Personalities, Territories, Towns and Buildings
• (00:01:47) - How Did You Get Involved in Pro Wrestling?
• (00:10:58) - Bob Finnegan, Chuck Le
• (00:11:44) - Wrestling Announcer Bob Finnegan on Becoming a
• (00:13:34) - The Sheik
• (00:17:45) - Terry Jones Can't Remember His First TV Taping
• (00:18:45) - Bruiser on the Outs
• (00:26:52) - Jack Kane Was the Booker for The Sheik
• (00:32:20) - Jack Black on The Sheik's Lifestyle
• (00:38:58) - The Sheik Should Have Slammed Andre The Giant
• (00:43:12) - Bobo vs Abdullah the Butcher
• (00:46:39) - Wild Bull Curry
• (00:50:40) - Detroit Wrestling on a Weekly Schedule
• (00:57:34) - Randy Savage on Phil Golden and His PAFOs
• (01:02:48) - Bob Kane on the Sheik's
• (01:04:48) - The Sheik's Office
• (01:11:05) - Terry McGuirk on Detroit Wrestling

Memphis Wrestling hit its peak in 1982—and we’re kicking it off with the wild month of January! Lawler vs. Dutch, the Gibsons vs. the Midnight Express, and Jimmy Hart’s First Family chaos—all in Memphis in Minutes!

Today on the show, Tony Richards welcomes Bobby Simmons back to the show as they return to the state of Georgia in the Summer months of 1975. Bobby was working as both a referee and also in the office for Jim Barnett and booker Tom Renesto during this time and has plenty of stories about the happening in the Georgia territory. Bobby tells some great Abdullah the Butcher stories, stories about the new tag team of Bob Orton, Jr and Dick Slater, Jerry Brisco, Jerry Lawler and Don Greene, and a fairly gruesome story about a Mr. Fuji rib you’ll have to hear to believe. There are some new names in the territory you will recognize just starting out here in 1975. They cover the whole state of Georgia in this episode of the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel podcast.

• (00:00:02) - Podcast
• (00:00:36) - Georgia Wrestling
• (00:06:09) - Jerry Lawler on Rock Hunter
• (00:11:26) - Leon Ogle and Lynn Rossi
• (00:17:08) - Bob Armstrong on Timmy vs Johnny Walker
• (00:21:45) - Bob Armstrong and Bill Dromo
• (00:27:18) - Austin Idol
• (00:29:12) - Savannah and Athens as a wrestling town
• (00:34:12) - Flying to Savannah for the NWA
• (00:37:48) - The City Auditorium in Atlanta
• (00:44:42) - Georgia Championship Wrestling
• (00:49:35) - Omni Hall vs the Coliseum
• (00:55:35) - Larry From The Sudan
• (00:58:48) - Jerry Briscoe in the Georgia territory
• (01:03:12) - Dusty Comes In
• (01:06:21) - Fuji Thomas and Dudley Clemens
• (01:09:26) - Bobby Simmons on Talking To Former WWE Superstars

It’s time for a “special edition” of STSPOD ! “Was It Really THAT Good?” E30, Episode 755. Long time wrestling fans always talk fondly of the old days in professional wrestling, so Gene Jackson and Brian Tramel have joined forces to take a look at wrestling shows in the WWE VAULT or on YouTube. This episode they review the Fabulous Ones. After the Gene & BT are done - they answer “Was It Really THAT Good?”

• (00:00:15) - Gene Jackson on Rolling Into Mempo (podcast)
• (00:04:44) - The Snowman Episode 1
• (00:06:34) - The Fabulous Ones
• (00:12:56) - The New York Dolls Were Baby Faces
• (00:15:10) - Steve Kern vs Stan Lane
• (00:20:48) - The Fabulous One vs The Midnight Express
• (00:26:26) - The Fabulous Ones vs The Road Warriors
• (00:32:16) - The Fabulous Ones vs The Fantastics
• (00:36:32) - The Fabulous Ones
• (00:42:09) - Gimmicks Table: How Much Money Did They Make

It’s time for a “special edition” of STSPOD ! “Was It Really THAT Good?” E29, Episode 710. Long time wrestling fans always talk fondly of the old days in professional wrestling, so Gene Jackson and Brian Tramel have joined forces to take a look at wrestling shows in the WWE VAULT or on YouTube. This episode they review the infamous Snowman angle on Memphis Wrestling. After the Gene & BT are done - they answer “Was It Really THAT Good?” !!

On today’s show, Tony Richards welcomes former NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion, NWA World Tag Team Champion and All-Asian Tag Team Champion, Jerry Oates. They discuss the Kansas City Territory, Bob Geigel, Bob Brown, The Cormier Brothers, Jerry’s brother Ted, his father-in-law Milo Steinborn, his two legendary brother-in-laws plus other facts about the territory in 1975 in a pre-cable television business environment.

Subscribe to Tony's substack for great pro wrestling history daily! https://tonyrichards4.substack.com/

• (00:00:02) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Podcast
• (00:02:29) - Jerry Oates
• (00:04:14) - In the Elevator With Yasu Fuji and Okie
• (00:06:18) - Working With Ed Wiskowski in NWA Kansas City
• (00:11:52) - Bob Wiskowski in a Chain Match
• (00:15:45) - Neville on His Match
• (00:16:22) - Brother on Tank Patton and Wachkowski
• (00:21:14) - Ted vs Tank in Topeka
• (00:25:13) - Omni Hall Match
• (00:27:34) - Jesse Ventura on TV, 25 Days in the Business
• (00:30:44) - Bob Griffin on Tank Patton and His Mask
• (00:33:31) - Jerry Lee vs Bobby Heenan
• (00:37:55) - Nick Brody on Ray Stevens
• (00:41:27) - St. Louis
• (00:44:14) - Big Bill Miller on His Match With Wilbur Snyder
• (00:48:15) - Baron Von Rasky on Working With Red Bastine
• (00:52:33) - Terry Funk on His Time in St. Louis
• (00:58:12) - Jerry Lawler on Working With Jack Dempsey
• (01:02:10) - Terry Funk on His Match With Dory Funk
• (01:04:44) - St. Louis Match 1
• (01:09:19) - Jerry on the Wrestling Podcast
• (01:13:08) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel
• (01:16:59) - St. Joseph Wrestling Legend Mike George on
• (01:21:59) - Ken Ramey on His Time Down in Louisiana
• (01:26:13) - Bulldog Bob Brown on St. Joe Wrestling
• (01:30:41) - St. Louis
• (01:35:22) - Back in Japan, Working for Giant Baba
• (01:39:06) - Bruno Sammartino on His First Tour of Mexico
• (01:41:39) - Boskoe vs Gene Kiniski
• (01:42:57) - Bob Geigel on His 80th Birthday
• (01:46:35) - Jesse Ventura Was A Rough Start In The Business
• (01:49:40) - Wrestling Legends Remember Gus Geigel
• (01:54:21) - Joplin Wrestling
• (01:58:37) - Cecil Cox on Wrestling
• (02:03:19) - Referee Joe Dillon on Working With Carl Cox
• (02:08:14) - Jerry Oates on His First Florida Championship Match
• (02:11:41) - Mike George on the WWWF and the Fall of 75

Movies in Minutes with Gene Jackson: Episode #2 – I LIKE TO HURT PEOPLE (1985)

On this episode, Gene Jackson reviews one of the most chaotic, violent, and oddly historic wrestling “movies” ever made:

I LIKE TO HURT PEOPLE – a 1985 VHS-era oddity that’s part documentary, part fever dream, and all vintage Detroit madness.

Originally meant to be a horror flick titled Ringside in Hell, this thing got Frankensteined together from mid-70s wrestling footage, bonus footage from 1984, and a storyline about banning The Sheik from wrestling. What we got instead? A cult classic full of blood, promos, and pure territory wrestling gold.

Featuring:
• The Sheik (Ed Farhat) stabbing people with no remorse!
• Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk, Andre the Giant, Bobo Brazil & more!
• Managers screaming, blood pouring, and 300 lb. Heather Feather demanding to wrestle a man!
• Behind-the-scenes stories about the movie’s wild production
• And yes... Andre trying to say “Are you talking to Andre?” 17 times

It's not really a movie...it's not really a documentary...it's a glorious mess

Let's talk about it!

It’s time for a “special edition” of STS ! “Was It Really THAT Good?” E26, Episode 386. Long time wrestling fans always talk fondly of the old days in professional wrestling, so Gene Jackson and Brian Tramel have joined forces to take a look at wrestling shows in the WWE VAULT or on YouTube. This month they deep dive Ricky Morton for ROCKTOBER “Month of Morton” leftover episode ! Also, Dustin “Five” Starr stops by to tell a story about the night Moondog spot died.

• (00:00:00) - October of Morton
• (00:04:10) - Jimmy Cornet on The Rock and Roll Express
• (00:07:23) - Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton
• (00:12:18) - The Rock and Roll Express vs Smoky Mountain
• (00:15:12) - Ricky Morton Tells A Great Ricky Morton Story
• (00:20:56) - Ricky Morton on His Moondog Story
• (00:21:21) - The Moondogs vs Rock and Roll
• (00:24:19) - Jack Morton on The Midnight Express vs The Russians
• (00:27:26) - Rock and Roll Express vs British Bulldogs
• (00:32:47) - The Ultimate Men's Hygiene Bundle
• (00:35:52) - Jerry Lawler on Ricky Morton vs Nick Botwinkle
• (00:39:46) - Ricky Morton on Working as a Baby Face