Author: Marc Madison (Editor in Chief)

Before Togi Makabe ever stepped foot inside a professional wrestling ring, he was known by his birth name, Shinya Makabe. He was born on November 29, 1972, in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan, Makabe grew up with a natural affinity for sports and physical competition. Unlike many of his peers who gravitated exclusively toward amateur wrestling or martial arts from a young age, Togi Makabe explored a diverse range of athletic endeavours. He was a dedicated judoka, developing a solid foundation in grappling, balance, and physical leverage that would later serve as a major asset in his wrestling career. His athletic pursuits…

On July 6, 1985, the sweltering heat inside the American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, mirrored the boiling point of professional wrestling in the Southeast involving Baby Doll and Dusty Rhodes. The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), spearheaded by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), was deadlocked in a territorial cold war with Vince McMahon’s rapidly expanding World Wrestling Federation (WWF). McMahon had launched WrestleMania in March, but JCP’s counter-offensive would be defined by grit, athletic realism, and deep-seated personal animosity. That night marked the birth of an iconic summer tradition: the first-ever Great American Bash. The stadium-sized supercard was the…

In 2019, we were on the retirement tour, but at the same time, there’s a lot of memories, a lot of matches that probably have meant a lot to you, Lufisto. For instance, in Smash wrestling, I’m sure it holds a near-and-dear place in your heart. What can you say about your time here, your time in the ring, your time in Shine? Speak of that if you could. Lufisto: There are so many things I could say. There’s definitely memorable matches.  I’ve had a long feud with Mercedes Martinez. I always believed she was, my wrestling soulmate, so she…

Kana’s rise to Asuka did not happen because she fit a company mold. It happened because she made herself impossible to ignore. From the Japanese scene to WWE, her career has been built on sharp edges, hard matches, and the kind of presence that turns a crowd when she walks through the curtain. She did not arrive in WWE as a blank slate. She arrived as a finished product, and that is what made her one of the most dangerous women’s wrestlers of her generation. Kana to Asuka: The Rise of a Wrestler Who Never Fit the Box Her career…

June 26, 1976, stands out as one of the most chaotic nights in combat sports history. At the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight boxing king, faced Antonio Inoki, Japan’s top pro wrestler, in a match billed as “The War of the Worlds.” What was supposed to settle the debate between boxing and wrestling ended in a 15-round draw, leaving everyone confused and frustrated. Inoki spent nearly the entire fight on his back, kicking at Ali’s legs, because rules banned him from using throws, suplexes, or submissions. The buildup was massive, the execution was bizarre, and the fallout…

On Sunday, April 18th, A&E presented the first part of an eight-part series of WWE wrestlers’ biographies, with the first episode about ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. The two-hour documentary chronicles the life and career of Steve Williams (Austin), one of the biggest stars in pro wrestling history. Austin 3:16 ushered in an entire generation of wrestling fans, with his character described as the catalyst for that generation. _____________________ During the early part of the documentary, viewers heard clips from familiar voices discussing Austin’s contributions to the industry and how he left an indelible mark on it, never to be replicated.…

One of the most famed rivalries in WWF/E history was the battle between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. Their animosity erupted when Andre challenged Hogan for the WWF Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania III. From their confrontations on Piper’s Pit to The Body Shop, the feud between them would reach a fevered pitch at WrestleMania III. However, while that match was the one that was highly publicized, it was another match that is often talked about still to this day. When ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage defended the WWF/E Intercontinental Championship vs Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat at WrestleMania III. Before their…

Before He Was Big John Studd John William Minton was born on February 19, 1948, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Long before fans knew him as Big John Studd, he was simply an unusually large athlete trying to find his place in professional wrestling. His size opened doors. His work ethic kept them open. Minton trained under the legendary Killer Kowalski, whose school produced numerous future stars. Kowalski later recalled that Minton possessed one of the most imposing physiques he had ever seen. Studd entered the wrestling business, but he also understood that size alone would not guarantee success. The territories were…

Ronnie Garvin had a career that was built the hard way. He did not become a name because of flash or style points; he became a name because promoters trusted him to work, draw, and take punishment in the kinds of territories where that still mattered. From his early days in Canada and the Carolinas to his peak in Jim Crockett Promotions and his later WWF run, Garvin’s career tracked the old-school path of a wrestler who earned his place by being reliable, physical, and tough. Ronnie Garvin – The Early Years Ron Garvin was born Roger Barnes in Montreal…

On June 11, 2005, at a show aptly titled Something to Prove, the wrestling world was gifted something that felt more like a public execution than a choreographed performance between Samoa Joe and Necro Butcher. Fans of independent wrestling in 2005 didn’t just watch matches; they hunted for them. You traded DVDs, scoured message boards, and waited for the latest “must-see” tape from IWA Mid-South or Ring of Honor to drop. It took place in the “New Alhambra Arena” in Philadelphia—the building the world knows as the ECW Arena. The air was thick with the kind of humidity only a…