The Retro Wrestling Re-View

Re-View #107: USWA TV 11/9/91 (Meet Billy Joe's SUPER TEAM)

Episode #107 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast takes Gene Jackson, Josh Briley, and Brian Tramel back to the November 9, 1991 episode of USWA Championship Wrestling, featuring a Dr. Tom Prichard vs. Eric Embry title match live in the studio, along with Billy Joe Travis committing his worst atrocity yet unleashing the “SUPER TEAM” on everyone. At the center of the episode is Dr. Tom Prichard vs. Eric Embry, a match that looks great on paper because both guys can absolutely work, but also comes with all the baggage of where Embry is in the promotion at this point and how the USWA is trying to position everybody heading into the next phase of the story. This is one of those episodes where the talent list is stronger than the actual direction of the show. There are plenty of names worth watching, but the bigger fun comes from the podcast gang trying to figure out what the promotion is building toward, what still works, what already feels tired, and what somehow remains entertaining in spite of itself. If you’re following the 1991 USWA journey, Episode #107 is another important stop in the march through late year Memphis madness with Prichard, Embry, Gaylord, Travis, Dirty White Boy, Jarrett, Masters, and Sawyer all part of the mix as the territory keeps pushing forward one chaotic Saturday morning at a time. If you're enjoying WrestleCopia and interested in helping us continue to grow, please consider Subscribing to our Patreon to help us cover some of our costs! https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia] YOU CAN ALSO GIFT SOMEONE A PATREON MEMBERSHIP (OR ASK THEM TO GIFT YOU ONE) AT https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift [https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift] Includes the $5 “All Access” Tier $9 "VIP Superfan" Tier, and "The ULLLTIMATE Tier", featuring our various VIDEO-CAST Series, Early Show Releases, our insanely detailed show notes (for the Grenade, Monday Warfare, Regional Rasslin, Puro Academy, & Retro Re-View), monthly DIGITAL DOWNLOADS for your viewing and reading pleasure, & more! HELP SUPPORT THE SELF-FUNDED WRESTLECOPIA BRAND, CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR PAYPAL [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EA24QVRSAV6NW] WRESTLECOPIA MERCHANDISE - https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia [https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia] Visit the WrestleCopia Podcast Network https://wrestlecopia.com [https://wrestlecopia.com/] Follow WrestleCopia on “X” (Formerly Twitter) @RasslinGrenade [https://twitter.com/RasslinGrenade] Follow & LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE – https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade] Subscribe to the WrestleCopia Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia]

Re-View #106: USWA TV 11/2/91 (FLEA COMES HOME)

Episode #106 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast takes the gang back to the November 2, 1991 episode of USWA Championship Wrestling, and somehow the show manages to bring both good news and awful news at the exact same time. The good news? Corey Maclin is back at the desk with Dave Brown, and Gene could not be happier. The bad news? Well… just about everything else is fighting uphill. This week’s USWA TV features Doug Masters and Bart Sawyer continuing their push as new heel challengers to Jeff Jarrett and Robert Fuller, though the guys still aren’t completely sold on Masters, Sawyer, or the way the “Bartman” act is being used. Meanwhile, Billy Joe Travis returns with a new hired gun after last week’s masked man experiment goes nowhere, and this time he brings in “The Missouri Tiger” Jeff Gaylord to challenge Jerry Lawler for the Unified World Title, and when Jeff Gaylord is the top challenger for Jerry Lawler’s Unified title, these are time so hard that Dusty Rhodes couldn’t ever relate to them. Meanwhile, Dog of War is still here patiently waiting for Jimmy Valiant to bring back, “Flea”……and sadly it appears the “Freezer Thompson Experiment” is reaching it’s conclusion.  This episode is peak “we’re just trying to survive this stretch of Memphis TV” energy: bad booking, funny promos that shouldn’t be funny, attempts at funny promos that aren’t, confusing angles, and three hosts doing their best to make sense of whatever the USWA thought this was supposed to be. If you're enjoying WrestleCopia and interested in helping us continue to grow, please consider Subscribing to our Patreon to help us cover some of our costs! https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia] YOU CAN ALSO GIFT SOMEONE A PATREON MEMBERSHIP (OR ASK THEM TO GIFT YOU ONE) AT https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift [https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift] Includes the $5 “All Access” Tier $9 "VIP Superfan" Tier, and "The ULLLTIMATE Tier", featuring our various VIDEO-CAST Series, Early Show Releases, our insanely detailed show notes (for the Grenade, Monday Warfare, Regional Rasslin, Puro Academy, & Retro Re-View), monthly DIGITAL DOWNLOADS for your viewing and reading pleasure, & more! HELP SUPPORT THE SELF-FUNDED WRESTLECOPIA BRAND, CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR PAYPAL [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EA24QVRSAV6NW] WRESTLECOPIA MERCHANDISE - https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia [https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia] Visit the WrestleCopia Podcast Network https://wrestlecopia.com [https://wrestlecopia.com/] Follow WrestleCopia on “X” (Formerly Twitter) @RasslinGrenade [https://twitter.com/RasslinGrenade] Follow & LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE – https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade] Subscribe to the WrestleCopia Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia]

Re-View #105: USWA 10/26/91 (The Texas Bunch Falls Apart)

Episode #105 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast takes Gene, Josh, Brian, and their old pal Richard who makes a surprise “one off” return this week back to October 26, 1991 as they break down a show built around some major storyline shifts, questionable new arrivals, and a whole lot of “what the hell are we doing here?” The big story is the official split between Eric Embry and Dr. Tom Prichard, as the Texas Bunch finally falls apart after Prichard repeatedly nails Embry during the six-man tag from the Mid-South Coliseum. From there, Dr. Tom cuts one of the most fascinating promos of this 1991 run, openly addressing accusations that he sounds like a “cheap Roddy Piper imitation,” while also explaining why he’s done being Embry’s stooge. Meanwhile, Jerry Lawler and Billy Joe Travis continue their feud after Lawler throws fire at Billy Joe in the Coliseum. Unfortunately for Billy Joe, the aftermath includes one of the least convincing “burned face” sell jobs you’ll ever see, followed by the arrival of a mysterious masked man who may or may not be The Snowman (he’s not) Also this week: * Doug Masters debuts his new partner, Bart Sawyer and the gang is underwhelmed * Freezer Thompson continues his strange babyface mini/sorta push * Dog of War is still looking for Flea and Jimmy Valiant * Plus! We hear from “Memaw” for the first time in MONTHS! This is one of those episodes where the review may be more entertaining than the wrestling show itself with plenty of Memphis confusion, bad booking decisions, questionable promos, and the return of Richard Mullikin at exactly the right time for listeners and wrong time for his sanity! If you're enjoying WrestleCopia and interested in helping us continue to grow, please consider Subscribing to our Patreon to help us cover some of our costs! https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia] YOU CAN ALSO GIFT SOMEONE A PATREON MEMBERSHIP (OR ASK THEM TO GIFT YOU ONE) AT https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift [https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift] Includes the $5 “All Access” Tier $9 "VIP Superfan" Tier, and "The ULLLTIMATE Tier", featuring our various VIDEO-CAST Series, Early Show Releases, our insanely detailed show notes (for the Grenade, Monday Warfare, Regional Rasslin, Puro Academy, & Retro Re-View), monthly DIGITAL DOWNLOADS for your viewing and reading pleasure, & more! HELP SUPPORT THE SELF-FUNDED WRESTLECOPIA BRAND, CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR PAYPAL [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EA24QVRSAV6NW] WRESTLECOPIA MERCHANDISE - https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia [https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia] Visit the WrestleCopia Podcast Network https://wrestlecopia.com [https://wrestlecopia.com/] Follow WrestleCopia on “X” (Formerly Twitter) @RasslinGrenade [https://twitter.com/RasslinGrenade] Follow & LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE – https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade] Subscribe to the WrestleCopia Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia]

Re-View #104: USWA 10/19/91 (Dave's Not Here, Man)

Episode #104 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast takes Gene Jackson, Josh Briley, and Brian Tramel back to October 19, 1991, and this week’s USWA Championship Wrestling is… well, let’s just say Dave Brown picked a hell of a week to go on vacation. With Michael St. John flying solo at the desk, the show opens with a highlight reel of Eric Embry absolutely abusing Eddie Marlin, setting the stage for a big six-man tag at the Mid-South Coliseum: Eddie Marlin, Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller vs. Eric Embry, Dr. Tom Prichard & Tony Falk. Eddie Marlin promises he may be past his prime, but if he can just bust Embry in the mouth one time, it’ll all be worth it. Meanwhile, Jarrett makes yet another dramatic promise, Robert Fuller fires everybody up, and Embry’s crew continues to stir the pot. The guys break down the episode segment-by-segment, including why Freezer Thompson’s mini-push actually works, why the Dog of War angle feels like it’s wandering into very dangerous territory, and why Billy Joe Travis may be becoming one of the most polarizing figures on the entire Retro Wrestling Archive Network. It’s another strange, funny, frustrating, and somehow still entertaining week of early-90s Memphis wrestling. If you love USWA chaos, Mid-South Coliseum build, Eric Embry madness, Lawler promos, Billy Joe Travis drama, and three guys trying to make sense of Memphis logic in real time… this one is for you. If you're enjoying WrestleCopia and interested in helping us continue to grow, please consider Subscribing to our Patreon to help us cover some of our costs! https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia] YOU CAN ALSO GIFT SOMEONE A PATREON MEMBERSHIP (OR ASK THEM TO GIFT YOU ONE) AT https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift [https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift] Includes the $5 “All Access” Tier $9 "VIP Superfan" Tier, and "The ULLLTIMATE Tier", featuring our various VIDEO-CAST Series, Early Show Releases, our insanely detailed show notes (for the Grenade, Monday Warfare, Regional Rasslin, Puro Academy, & Retro Re-View), monthly DIGITAL DOWNLOADS for your viewing and reading pleasure, & more! HELP SUPPORT THE SELF-FUNDED WRESTLECOPIA BRAND, CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR PAYPAL [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EA24QVRSAV6NW] WRESTLECOPIA MERCHANDISE - https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia [https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia] Visit the WrestleCopia Podcast Network https://wrestlecopia.com [https://wrestlecopia.com/] Follow WrestleCopia on “X” (Formerly Twitter) @RasslinGrenade [https://twitter.com/RasslinGrenade] Follow & LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE – https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade] Subscribe to the WrestleCopia Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia]

Re-View #103: USWA 10/12/91 (Taboo Saturday)

This week the Gang revisits an interesting week in Memphis wrestling history where years before WWE's Taboo Tuesday "Interactive Pay Pay Per View was a thing, the USWA asks fans to CALL IN and vote for their "dream match". Episode Highlights: * Taboo Saturday: The team analyzes the USWA's version of fan-voted matchmaking, where viewers called in to determine the card for the Mid-South Coliseum. * The Search for Flea: The mysterious and massive Dog of War debuts, quizzing the announcers while searching for Jimmy Valiant and his missing girlfriend, FLEA! * Lawler’s Mark Out Session: Jerry "The King" Lawler spends nearly 15 minutes of TV time showcasing his Nashville celebrity softball highlights and his prized guitar signed by Garth Brooks, George Jones, Reba McEntire, and many more! * The Unforgivable Act: Billy Joe Travis interrupts the King's match with Bull Pain to "tune" Lawler's signed guitar by smashing it against the floor and ripping up his signed program. * Softball Bat Retaliation: A "crazed" Lawler takes a softball bat to the parking lot, smashing the windows of a car he believes belongs to Billy Joe Travis. * Studio Violence: Eric Embry and Dr. Tom Pritchard lead a brutal attack on Jeff Jarrett and Robert Fuller, and even the legendary Eddie Marlin isn't safe as his neck brace is ripped off during a brutal assault. Make sure you subscribe to keep up with the USWA action week by week right here on the Retro Wrestling Archive! If you're enjoying WrestleCopia and interested in helping us continue to grow, please consider Subscribing to our Patreon to help us cover some of our costs! https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia] YOU CAN ALSO GIFT SOMEONE A PATREON MEMBERSHIP (OR ASK THEM TO GIFT YOU ONE) AT https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift [https://www.patreon.com/WrestleCopia/gift] Includes the $5 “All Access” Tier $9 "VIP Superfan" Tier, and "The ULLLTIMATE Tier", featuring our various VIDEO-CAST Series, Early Show Releases, our insanely detailed show notes (for the Grenade, Monday Warfare, Regional Rasslin, Puro Academy, & Retro Re-View), monthly DIGITAL DOWNLOADS for your viewing and reading pleasure, & more! HELP SUPPORT THE SELF-FUNDED WRESTLECOPIA BRAND, CONSIDER DONATING TO OUR PAYPAL [https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EA24QVRSAV6NW] WRESTLECOPIA MERCHANDISE - https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia [https://www.teepublic.com/user/wrestlecopia] Visit the WrestleCopia Podcast Network https://wrestlecopia.com [https://wrestlecopia.com/] Follow WrestleCopia on “X” (Formerly Twitter) @RasslinGrenade [https://twitter.com/RasslinGrenade] Follow & LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE – https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.facebook.com/RasslinGrenade] Subscribe to the WrestleCopia Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade [https://www.youtube.com/RasslinGrenade] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ [https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia]