Author: Marc Madison (Editor in Chief)

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…

Few rivalries in professional wrestling history embodied the collision of ideology, class warfare, and pure brutality quite like the feud between Tully Blanchard and Dusty Rhodes. It wasn’t simply a battle between two men; it was a war between the working-class hero and the arrogant elitist, fought in steel cages, soaked in blood, and amplified through some of the most compelling storytelling of the 1980s National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). This was not a rivalry built on a single match or moment. It was layered—personal, political, and psychological—woven into the broader dominance of The Four Horsemen and Dusty’s crusade as the…

On May 14th, 1995, the WWF presented its first-ever In Your House event from Syracuse, New York. The presentation of In Your House #1 was interesting as this was the first of a series of events. The commentary involved Vince McMahon and Michael ‘Dok Hendrix’ PS Hayes on commentary. The event showcased several matches, including Diesel against Psycho Sid for the WWE Championship. What is interesting to note about the event is that the show was just under two hours. The first match on the card featured a former WWE Champion and Hall of Famer, Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart, and some…

On June 6th, 1997, at ECW Wrestlepalooza ’97, a feud would draw to a close as Tommy Dreamer and Raven would do battle. It would emanate from the ECW Arena. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where a raucous ECW crowd would be on hand to see one man leave ECW in a Loser Leaves Town match. One of Extreme Championship Wrestling’s most notable feuds. It was a feud that had several layers to it. One of those layers included the intertwining of a love interest that was Beulah McGuillicuty. For some who were not aware, the two men engaged in a ‘lifelong’…

The Russians in Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA worked because they were simple, visual, and effective: Ivan Koloff as the veteran enforcer, Nikita Koloff as the explosive second-generation threat, and later additions like Krusher Khruschev and Vladimir Petrov to keep the act fresh as the territory expanded. Their run stretched from the mid-1980s until the faction’s breakup in the late 1980s, with the group cycling through title wins, key feuds, and then a gradual collapse once Nikita split off and the supporting cast changed. Ivan Koloff’s first NWA run Ivan Koloff had already spent years building his reputation before…

Passing of the torch is a term often used in professional wrestling to suggest that a previous generation ushers in a talent from the current generation as the flagbearer of the future. While arguments are often conveyed on who is or isn’t willing to put talent over, what has happened throughout wrestling history is that, in the time-honored history of professional wrestling, wrestlers will often lose on their way out as a way to bestow that this man or woman is a person that fans energy, time, and money should be all put behind. Here are 15 notable examples of…

On Sunday, May 17th, 2020, former WWE star Shad Gaspard went missing. Shad’s love for his family was as much a part of his life as performing in the ring. The outpouring of support for his family was evident. Whether it be on social media or not, Gaspard’s friendships with those in and out of wrestling were apparent. On Wednesday, May 20th, 2020, the body of Shad Gaspard was found. His body was washed up on a beach in Los Angeles. The collective wrestling community mourns this tragic loss, but those close to him mourn something far more significant. If…

On March 27, 1988, the WWF presented WrestleMania IV at the Atlantic City Convention Centre in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was advertised as taking place at the event space named after the former President of the United States of America prior to his initial term in office but actually took place across the street and sponsored by him. Mean Gene Okerlund welcomed those in attendance as Gladys Knight sang America the Beautiful to begin the event. The event featured a tournament to crown a new WWF(E) champion. First off the trophy was brought to the ring followed by the…