The Wrestling Archives

We lost the living icon, Hulk Hogan (1953-2025). We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the legend Hulk Hogan and the flaws of the man who portrayed him, Terry Bollea. We discuss his imprint on the entertainment form that we adore and confront his downfalls. We also discuss the happenings of the Maryland and Virginia Indie scene as several friends of the show had a huge weekend. The events of Virginia Championship Wrestling's Liberty Lottery left as as speechless as Hogan did when he was the third man of the Outsiders July 7, 1996. George Pantas, Jerry Stephanitsis, we want answers!

The annual tradition for Tim and Rich returns with their picks and whatever else is on their mind for the big weekend of WrestleMania 41, April 19 and 20 from Las Vegas, Nevada!

Tim and Rich take a break and sit down with The Picture Perfect Assassin, the Sharpest Blade, Chris Slade. Chris is quickly rising young talent out of the DC Metro area. He's got the look, he's got the moves, he's got the talk. You can see him at shows by ACW, VCW, MCW, PPW, and countless others in the Mid-Atlantic region. He's got hustle, and is just striving to be the best in the world.

Tim and Rich pick up with one of the most infamous stories of anyone quitting a job in any business, not just wrestling. "It wasn't a truck....no comment." Then, we get back to where Stan Hansen is clearly comfort, in the Land of the Rising Sun, fighting former sumo and some of the most legendary professional wrestlers from the Pacific rim.

Episode 3 finds us following The Lariat back to the states where Stan agrees work with the AWA where he immediately makes a huge mark, capturing their World Title and our hearts.

Rich and Tim follow Stan Hansen to the early 80's where he's is cutting his teeth and really making a name for himself in Japan. We watch as Stan's popularity explodes with matches against Giant Baba, Hulk Hogan, Terry Funk, and Andre the Giant.

New year, new format, same great hosts. Rich and Tim have decided to really focus and bring you the story of Stan Hansen told through his greatest matches. In this episode, they talk about the early days of Stan Hansen's career, and his rocket to fame when he broke Bruno Sammartino's neck in Madison Square Garden.

Tim and Rich were finally able to find time to record! This time, they went back to Madison Square Garden on August 7, 1976. It's Bruno Sammartino's return to MSG after the Texas bounty hunter, Stan Hansen, broke his neck. This injury not just nearly ended Bruno's amazing career, but nearly ended his incredible life. Bruno gets his revenge on Stan in a brutal steel cage match. Also on the card, The Executioners, who despite their masks, aren't fooling anyone on their identities. Bruiser Brody whips up on a baby Kevin Sullivan. We have the always beloved Chief Jay Strongbow in tag action, a late career appearance of Bobo Brazil, and the other pillar of MSG events, Ivan Putski and his Polish hammer. This show was incredible and we had fun talking about it! Thanks for tuning in!

Our favorite member of the Suidae family, Boar joins us again to talk smack about his upcoming match with Myles Hawkins at the next Virginia Championship Wrestling event, Grave Conflict, on October 12th! When then decided to watch the instant classic of Diesel vs. Bret Hart from the 1995 Survivor Series from Landover, MD (We covered this show before because Rich was there, but it's the favorite match of the guest Sus Scrofa). Did we ever mention that we LOVE Bret Hart? We did? Are you sure? Ok. I believe you!

Tim and Rich pop into the vault to bring up WCW's 24th Clash of the Champions from 1993. If you know, you know, amirite? This show starts out pretty good, but you can tell it's just doomed from the start, and then it happens, the most shocking debut in all of professional wrestling, and not in a good way. It's another one of those times where kayfabe is broken and a landmark moment in the history of wrestling is created, for better or worse. Thanks for listening!

Today, we travel back to 2015 for WrestleMania 31. I was going to make a Terminator timeline reference since this show is heavily sponsored by Terminator: Genisys, but the timeline is so messed up I can't tell what happened 2015. What we do know: Sting is not Japanese, HHH is not a robot, DX and the NWO are old, and Roman Reigns can work a shoot with Brock Lesnar. The Undertaker gets back on his winning ways, The Rock panders, and the WWE wants to be the NFL. I think that's pretty good summary of WrestleMania 31. Obviously, we explain these points, so download and take a listen!

We were truly blessed to be given some time to talk with Cliff Bumgardner and Chris Lea, the makers of the new PBS documentary, When Giants Walked Here. This fantastic documentary tells the story of the famed J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, NC. It's the little engine that could of wrestling arenas. The story of the creation of the building to the stories of the incredible wrestling presented there by Jim Crockett Promotions. You don't want to miss this documentary or this interview. These guys are real cool and great wrestling fans.

For the first time ever, Tim and Rich recorded in the same room with each other! They took some time out of Rich's visit to the tidewater to sit down and talk about SummerSlam 2024, which is coming live from Cleveland, Ohio. Who will keep their belt? Who will have their hearts broken? Hear what Tim and Rich think, plus they recount the awesome weekend they had going to the VCW Liberty Lottery where they got to meet and chat with The Brooklyn Brawler and Paul London! Thanks for listening!

When the Brooklyn Brawler says "Let's do it, baby" to you, you do it. That's exactly what happened here. Tim was given a phone number. He called it and Steve Lombardi answered and was ready right then to talk, so Tim got to have a 15 minute chat with the legend. We decided that wasn't quite enough for an episode so we hopped in the studio and had a talk about The Brooklyn Brawler/Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz/Kimchee/Doink the Clown. We watch one of his classic matches in real time and a legendary promo. Enjoy our reminiscing of the Brawler then Tim's great conversation with him. Don't forget, he'll be appearing at the VCW Liberty Lottery on July 27!

We dig into the VHS vault for this one and present a forgotten gem of the Coliseum Video era. A live show, recorded at the last stop of the 1992 European Rampage Tour, in Sheffield, England. Boy was this one a treat! Bret Hart and Rick Martel, Macho Man vs Shawn Michaels. This card, for the most part was banger after banger, and got Rich waxing nostalgia over the importance of the Coliseum Video collection. Download today!

Tim and Rich are back, this time getting into a favorite topic of every longtime wrestling fan, the fall of WCW. We've heard the stories a million times. Tim and Rich approach it from what the WCW product looked like at the time of death, WCW Greed, March 18, 2001 from a 50% capacity Jacksonville Coliseum. It's just a mere 8 days before the final Monday Nitro where Vince McMahon shocks the world with his bargain basement purchase of WCW. There's big time absences, like Hulk Hogan, Sting, Hall and Nash. Scott Steiner, the world champion, is the standard bearer with his brother Rick! It's unrecognizable and plagued with bad attitudes, bad booking, and a low-budget appearance. Is it even still WCW? Do we see any resemblance to the legacy of the NWA, Jim Crockett Promotions, Mid-Atlantic Wrestling? I guess at least Tony Schiavone is still hanging in there. Plus, hear what Tim and Rich think so far of the new Vice miniseries, "Who Killed WCW?" (How can you not love Bret Hart???)   WrestlingArchives.Com

Our first re-release. With Tim and Rich occupied with travel and family stuff, they felt it was a goof time to reflect and re-release their fantastic interview and chat with David Crockett. Enjoy!

We stayed up past our bedtime to have the opportunity to talk with the legendary Jesús Ricardo Rodriguez. He shares his incredible story that took him around the world twice over. We talk about his introduction to the business, his love for Eddie Guerrero, and his meteoric rise to fame as the personal ring announcer and valet to the WWE/World Heavyweight Champion and AAA Mega Champion, El Patròn Alberto del Rio! He was on top of the world, starting wrestling schools in Punjab and Cairo, Egypt. With that fame came a heavy cost. Jesús shares with us his extremely personal, but familiar story of his battles with addiction. He is two years sober and he tells us of the great power and hope that there is in recovery. He now runs the wrestling academy, Three Legacies Wrestling, in Lancaster, Pa. where he is building a new legacy and is featured with Major League Wrestling (MLW). You don't want to miss this one!   National Drug Hotline:  (844) 289-0879 SAMHSA Line: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) Suicide Crisis line: 988

Alright, you've been having a pretty killer summer. In an exchange with your mom, you watched (and secretly enjoyed) "A League of Their Own." In this bargain, you got to go see "Batman Returns." Your dad said no to "Lethal Weapon 3," but felt bad so he secretly took you to see "Encino Man" because Pauly Shore is so funny!!! In the lobby of the movie theater, you blasted through $10 (oh no, your popcorn money!) of quarters playing Street Fighter II. You and your friends can't stop doing that stupid grunt Tim Allen does on "Home Improvement." The calendar shows the school year catching up on you so as one last summer blast, your parents order SummerSlam. It's special because it's from England this year. The Macho Man is fighting the Ultimate Warrior with Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect lurking and Bret Hart must square-off against his brother-in-law, the British Bulldog with Diane Hart split between the two. Little did you know you were about to witness a Rembrandt-level wrestling match be painted before your very eyes between those two men. It must be good if Bobby Heenan isn't even acting the jerk! Plus, The Legion of Doom and their puppet Rocco is there! Sure, Rocco seems stupid, even for 1990's WWF but, the LOD ARE SO COOL! The Undertaker is so cool and spooky and new! But where is Hulk Hogan???

It's January 1990. You're happy they've finally stopped playing that dang Christmas song by Band Aid and you are fully jamming to Hangin' Tough by New Kids on the Block. Most Sundays you have to decide between America's Funniest Home Videos or ALF. But, not this Sunday. You were really good and did your chores and washed your grandma's feet so your parents would spring for the Royal Rumble on Pay-Per-View. They even ordered Domino'sand said you can stay up late to finish it! You can't wait to wave your arms at home like a Bushwhacker and you're a little jealous of that kid they always lick. You're excited for the 30-man Royal Rumble match but Hulk Hogan AND The Ultimate Warrior are in it and you can't decide who to cheer for! It's a real-life more panic, are you a Hulkamaniac or are you a Warrior? You took your vitamins and said your prayers, but you also believe you can so you know you're halfway there....Oh well, Grandma can watch Murder, She Wrote in the other room. Thanks for listening!