Retro Wrestling Archive

20/12/2025

19/12/2025

19/12/2025

For a glimpse into the life of "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert...the man, son, brother, wrestler, entertainer and the greatest booker of all time, you will want to read this. From the pen of someone who knew the man better than anyone, Doug Gilbert, the younger brother of Eddie Gilbert, shares his memo...

18/12/2025

📢 Announcement

After experiencing challenges with the previous publisher, we made the difficult decision to halt production and end that partnership. We’re excited to share some great news—a brand-new edition is now available on Amazon!

The 30th Anniversary Edition of “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert: The Uncrowned King of Professional Wrestling includes:
🔥 A bonus chapter
👑 A new epilogue

To everyone who previously purchased the book, thank you sincerely for your continued support. And for those who were waiting—or couldn’t purchase due to it being out of stock—now is the perfect time to grab your copy!

For a glimpse into the life of "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert...the man, son, brother, wrestler, entertainer and the greatest booker of all time, you will want to read this. From the pen of someone who knew the man better than anyone, Doug Gilbert, the younger brother of Eddie Gilbert, shares his memo...

17/12/2025

The Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast is back, and this week’s episode is loaded!

Gene Jackson is joined by Josh Briley and Brian Tramel, along with special guest Robb Helt, who brings a first hand fan perspective straight from Texas during one of the most chaotic periods in USWA history. Together, the crew breaks down the June 1, 1991 episode of USWA Championship Wrestling and there is no shortage of controversy, history, and jaw dropping moments.

On this episode:

Jerry Lawler’s shocking slap heard ‘round Memphis as Miss Texas pushes things too far!

The ongoing Texas vs. Tennessee war and its rapidly crumbling foundation

Robb Helt recounts being a teenage fan when Dallas wrestling abruptly collapsed, including the infamous locked door Sportatorium night

The passing of Freezer Thompson and why Memphis missed the boat on a potential special attraction

The strange, short-lived “crazy” Doug Gilbert / Roughhouse Fargo-inspired gimmick

Dirty White Boy’s uneasy babyface turn and the slow breakup of the Texas faction

Jeff Gaylord’s Texas Ranger gimmick escalates complete with post match hog tying

This is a deep dive episode that goes far beyond the TV screen connecting Memphis booking decisions to real world consequences in Dallas and beyond.

Watch along, relive the chaos, and hear the stories that only longtime fans can tell!

Jerry Lawler’s shocking slap heard ‘round Memphis as Miss Texas pushes things too far! Texas vs. Tennessee begins to crumble, Freezer Thompson, & more!

13/12/2025

Gene Jackson and Broadcast Bob are back, caffeinated, sarcastic, and mentally damaged after surviving Clash of the Champions V. But fear not for today the boys dive into the far more historic (and FAR more watchable) Chi-Town Rumble 1989… even if they do have to sit through the 20 minute Michael Hayes vs. Russian Assassin marathon first.

Plus:
• Magnum TA’s mullet steals the show!
• Paul Heyman attempts to explain WCW continuity (and nearly succeeds!)
• Bob’s story about Ring of Honor crowds demanding SNAPMARES and getting them!
• A full burial of Dino Bravo (deserved)
• The Tennessee Spot, explained in detail
• Why 1989 WCW was held together with duct tape, Jack Victory, and George Scott’s marathon squash matches

Join our Patreon for just $5 a month and check out the watchalong VIDEO version and the tons of other great content that we provide

https://www.patreon.com/posts/retro-wrestling-145410614?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

https://open.substack.com/pub/retrowrestlingarchive/p/retro-wrestling-re-view-wcw-podcast-ee3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=altc9

Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson #

13/12/2025

Join BT and Gene Jackson for a new episode of our Patreon Exclusive - Retro Wrestling Re-View CWA podcast reviewing the Memphis WMC version of the 1/3/87 episode.

Get more from Retro Wrestling Archive on Patreon

07/12/2025

In the 2nd episode of their WCW podcast, Gene Jackson and “Broadcast” Bob Anderson take a deep dive into a Clash of the Champions that WCW probably wishes we’d all forget. But they’re here to remind everyone that it did and they can’t take it back.

In this episode:

Midnight Express vs. Russian Assassins – Jim Cornette nearly fights Paul Jones, and Bob breaks down mullet competition physics
• The marathon that is Butch Reed vs. Steve Casey: 17 minutes you’ll never get back
• Lex Luger vs. The Blackmailer, the worst named gimmick of the year, and another Jack Victory Special
• The Flair/Steamboat brawl featuring tons of hair spray, ripped clothes, and Flair doing the same promo for the 4000th time, WOOOOO!
• The Varsity Club: why Kevin Sullivan in full “Taskmaster” mode managing “college athletes” still makes zero sense
• Why they Flair isn’t the GOAT, why Terry Funk could be, and the lost art of being a chicken sh** heel

This is pure Retro Wrestling Re-View chaos with plenty of sarcasm, deep cuts, trivia, and the kind of fun Gene and Bob bring to you each and every episode, no matter how bad the show they’re watching is (remember, they reviewed twelve episodes of Herb Abrams’ UWF Fury Hour, seriously it’s called the UWF Fury Cast…look it up!)

In the 2nd episode of their WCW podcast, Gene Jackson and “Broadcast” Bob Anderson take a deep dive into a Clash of the Champions that WCW probably wishes we...

05/12/2025

Episode #2 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View WCW Podcast where we watch Clash of the Champions V: St. Valentines Massacre drops on all podcast platforms tomorrow at 5:05pm cst/6:05pm est! It's in the Retro Wrestling w/Gene Jackson audio feed. If you want to watchalong with the VIDEO version, it's available now over on Patreon as part of the $5 a month tier along with a TON of other great content, new stuff going up daily!

https://www.patreon.com/posts/retro-wrestling-144681539?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

04/12/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/retrowrestlingarchive/p/ox-baker-the-menacing-legacy-of-wrestlings?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=altc9

By Gene Jackson

03/12/2025

Regardless of what we may have thought previously, this week’s show is one of the wildest, most convoluted, frustrating and most head scratching episodes of USWA Championship Wrestling we’ve seen yet!

From a legit knockout in the opening match…
to a southern-fried boardroom fiasco inside Eddie Marlin’s “office”…
to Eddie Gilbert cutting the most honest babyface promo of his career…
to Hurricane Walker blowing into Memphis like a wet breeze instead of a hurricane…
to a chaotic two fall main event featuring Dr. Tom, the Dirty White Boy, Eddie Gilbert, and a very young Brian Christopher…
…it’s all here, and it’s all off the rails,

This episode covers the May 18, 1991 USWA TV broadcast, including:
– A surprising knockout finish as Ben Jordan drops Rob Golden cold
– A 3-minute “meeting” that feels like 20 — and is somehow the most Memphis thing ever
– A no-tape controversy that defies all wrestling logic
– Eddie Gilbert’s heartfelt “future King of Memphis” promo
– Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller vs. Jack Diamond & Gary Scott
– The Texas Outlaws debut… dressed like the Assassins… and get zero heat
– Hurricane Walker arrives — and immediately gets exposed
– A hard-hitting main event first fall with four absolute pros
– Full Monday Night Pipkin Building card rundown

plus BT’s live gate & finish report, spoiler teases for next week, and plenty of laughs.

Hot Stuff "King of Memphis" Promo, a chaotic two fall battle featuring Dr. Tom, Dirty White Boy, Eddie Gilbert, & a very young Brian Christopher!