SmarkRage

09/26/2025

37 years ago today on WWF Superstars, the world witnessed the bizarre debut of “The African Dream” Akeem!

Gene Okerlund stood in a run-down neighborhood, waiting for Slick, who promised to take him to the “deepest, darkest Africa.” Instead, Slick arrived dancing with a boombox, declaring he’d bring Africa to Gene!

The “ceremony” began with tribal dancers, fire, and Slick grooving in the background before the shocking transformation took place, the former One Man Gang was reborn as Akeem.

Slick insisted Akeem had a new intensity, while Okerlund (to Slick’s annoyance) kept calling him the One Man Gang. Akeem then tried to talk like his new manager, and the over-the-top segment cemented itself as one of the wildest character rebrands in WWF history.

If you’ve never seen it, do yourself a favor...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m9-Xhjz3Vw

09/11/2025

I love this about Adam Pearce!

One of the realest people I’ve ever met in wrestling!

09/07/2025

WWE Vault will start streaming the classic animated series Hulk Hogan’s Rock ’n’ Wrestling on YouTube beginning September 6, 2025.

Episodes will drop in chronological order, with four released every Saturday morning at 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m. ET.

The show, which ran for 26 episodes over two seasons (1985–1986), featured cartoon versions of WWF stars like Hulk Hogan, André the Giant, Junkyard Dog, and Roddy Piper, though their voices were provided by professional actors, with Brad Garrett voicing Hogan.

09/05/2025

09/04/2025

Olds stomping grounds!

09/01/2025

08/31/2025

Before he became “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff, Oreal Perras grew up on a dairy farm in the small town of Crysler, about 30 minutes outside Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, as one of ten siblings.

After leaving high school, he pursued training at Jack Wentworth’s wrestling school in Hamilton, Ontario. On Thursday nights, the school would host shows that drew a few hundred people, with students performing alongside a handful of professionals.

Perras debuted in the early 1960s under the name “Red McNulty,” an Irish heel who wore an eye patch. By 1967, he had reinvented himself as Ivan Koloff in Montreal.

08/31/2025

08/26/2025