When It Was Cool Wrestling (DragonKingKarl)
For all shows visit our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool Pro wrestling history. WWE, WCW, NWA, AEW, NXT, NJPW, TNA, Impact, ROH, AWA, ECW, and the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl) is a pro wrestling historian who has produced the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show for over 15 years at Wrestling Observer. This is the free version of some of the pro wrestling podcasts we produce at When It Was Cool. There is much more available to Patreon supporters and there are over 2500 shows available for subscribers. Enjoy these free shows for a deep dive into pro wrestling history and we hope if you enjoy these shows you will become a Patreon supporter and gain access to many others. Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Frank Gotch, William Muldoon, Lou Thesz, Bruno Sammartino, Strangler Lewis, Farmer Burns, Bob Armstrong, Ron Fuller, Jerry Lawler, The Rock, Chris Jericho, Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, and hundreds more are discussed.
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 53 minutes
- Episodes
- 118
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
The Early 1990s
Today we are headed back to the early 1990s to discuss the state of pro wrestling at the time. While business was just about as bad as it could get, there were still plenty of great storylines and pe…
June Question and Answer Show!
It is time for one of my favorite shows to record, our monthly question and answer show where, you the listener ask any pro wrestling history related question or suggest a topic. On this show, I fiel…
And Now They Have Swords - 1000 Hours
1000 Hour is my continuing podcast series about the pioneer era of pro wrestling. The pioneer era is the time before Frank Gotch, roughly 1850 to 1900. It was an era of wild showmen and tough real wr…
Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - June 1985 - Action Figures, AWA, Hulk Hogan, More!
My podcast today takes a detailed look back at June 1985 in pro wrestling history. The text is taken from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus. In June 1985 pro wrestling's first …
Gordman and Goliath in WON HOF, MSG, Tokyo Dome, and more
It is a regular gravy edition of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling podcast, and I dive deeper into the list of those on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame ballot who have not yet been …
Along Came the Bears - 1000 Hours
Hour 72 of 1000 Hours podcast is here and today I discuss the invasion of bears into 1870s pro wrestling. Yes, you read that right... bears. Many may think that wrestling bears was a curiosity of the…
New Q & A Show Talking New Japan History, JBL, and Tons More!
Our new question and answer podcasts take several questions from our listeners today that cover a huge chunk of pro wrestling history. The history of New Japan Pro Wrestling has been a complicated on…
Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - May 1985 (AWA Remains Strong, WWF Growing Stronger)
It's time for the latest installment in my Long Form History of Pro Wrestling podcast series and this episode is taken from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus looking at the pro…
The Horse Lifting Incident - 1000 Hours
This edition of the 1000 Hours Podcast which is taken from my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus finds us in 1878, and things continue to take an entertaining turn. The co…
Mongolian Stomper in WON HOF, MSG, Tokyo Dome History and More!
Join me today for a look at another Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame nominee- The Mongolian Stomper! I grew up watching the Stomper on Southeastern Wrestling, but he worked a different sort…
New Q&A talking Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, WCW, Ric Flair Return to WCW, and More!
This was a really fun question and answer show as I had numerous questions and topic suggestions submitted. I have several follow-ups on Ric Flair in the WWF, winning the Royal Rumble and his later r…
The Birth of Sports Entertainment is 1870 - 1000 Hours
Thank you for joining me for my podcast series all about the pre-1900 era of pro wrestling or the era before Frank Gotch. We are presently going through the pages of my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer …
Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - April 1985 - Fallout from WrestleMania 1
I return to my long form history of pro wrestling series and look back at April 1985 from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus. The first WWF WrestleMania has ended. Hulk Hogan gr…
Hart Foundation Case for the WON HOF, MSG History, Big Tokyo Dome Section
On today's podcast, I continue my look at acts which have not yet been voted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame with a focus on the tag team of The Hart Foundation. While Bret Hart i…
Return of the Mail Bag!
After many years, the mailbag question and answer show returns to the DragonKingKarl Show! We have a great set of questions and topics for this show including Ric Flair jumping from WCW to WWE, Bill …
Drunker Than a Musicians Dog - 1000 Hours
My 1000 Hours Podcast covers the pioneer era of pro wrestling and presently we are going through my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus. Col. James H. McLaughlin rules the …
Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - March 1985 - WWF WrestleMania I
Today my show returns to one of the most epic months in pro wrestling history, March 1985. WWF WrestleMania took place at the end of the month, however, during first weeks of the month Dr. D David Sh…
Iron Sheik in the WON HOF, Tokyo Dome, More!
On this episode, I take a look at the Hall of Fame case for former WWF Champion and one of the craziest characters in pro wrestling history - The Iron Sheik. I look at the qualifications for the Iron…
Monster Classical and Geological Hippodrome - 1000 Hours
1000 Hours Podcast takes a look back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling. With information pulled from my latest book, DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era…
Bob Armstrong in the WON HOF, Tokyo Dome, MSG, More!
On today's show, our Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame candidate discussion moves to 'Bullet' Bob Armstrong. Bob Armstrong (and family) was among my favorites growing up. Bob Armstrong was t…