• Contrary To Popular Wrestling Episode #15: Referee Dave Dwinell
    Nov 9 2021

    On this episode of Contrary to Popular Wrestling, Carmine and James are joined by legendary Northeast referee Dave Dwinell. Dave and the guys talk about how Dave managed to break into being a WWF referee when all of them were appointed by the State of New York, some of the legendary competitors he shared a ring with, and so much more! Be sure and pick up the paperback or Kindle version of Dave's book, "Ringman: My Thirty-Two Years in the Surreal World of Pro Wrestling", on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookBaby, or wherever you get your books.

     

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    53 mins
  • Ox Baker Halloween Stories from Contrary to Popular Wrestling
    Nov 5 2021

    Here's the audio from our Halloween Special we put out on our YouTube channel. We pay tribute to and share our memories of The Great Ox Baker! Stay tuned to our Facebook page and YouTube channel as more full episodes of Contrary to Popular Wrestling are coming soon!

     

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    Check out our podcast on YouTube as well to see the videos full of newspaper clippings, match footage, and photos to complement each show.

     

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    13 mins
  • Contrary to Popular Wrestling Episode #14: Howard Brody and WrestleConnex
    Feb 8 2021

    This week on Contrary to Popular Wrestling, former NWA President, former CAC Executive Board member, and Vice President and Co-Founder of WrestleConnex, Howard Brody joins us. We cover his time as an independent wrestling promoter, executive, and more. We also dive in-depth into his new project WrestleConnex. Find out exactly why Carmine and James call WrestleConnex "One of the best things to happen for people in the Pro Wrestling industry in a long time!"

     

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    Check out our podcast on YouTube as well to see the videos full of newspaper clippings, match footage, and photos to complement each show.

     

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Contrary To Popular Wrestling Episode #13: Charley "Thunderblood" Norris
    Jan 6 2021

    This week, Carmine and James make their return and explain their two-month-long absence. They are joined by a trainee of Eddie Sharkey, Charley Norris. Charley is most known for his time in World Championship Wrestling in 1993. After being released that same year he filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against WCW and Turner Broadcasting. After Eric Bischoff violated a non-disclosure agreement, Charley reached out to us and wanted to share his story.

     

    At the end of the episode, the guys give a preview of the episodes to come. Find out what we're covering to kick off 2021 here on Contrary to Popular Wrestling.

     

    Subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Amazon Music, and more!

     

    Check out our podcast on YouTube as well to see the videos full of newspaper clippings, match footage, and photos to complement each show.

     

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    55 mins
  • Contrary To Popular Wrestling Episode #12: The Untold Stories of the AWA in Their Entirety
    Oct 26 2020

    This week on the podcast we put together all three episodes of our "Untold Stories of the AWA" series for you to enjoy while Carmine is out on vacation. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode next week on Contrary to Popular Wrestling!

     

    We're joined by our old friend Eddie Sharkey to discuss the time he brought a gun to the AWA offices and shot up Verne's office.

     

    AWA Commentator "The Voice of Minnesota Wrestling" Mick Karch joins us to share some stories about Nick Bockwinkel, Sherri Martel, and more.

     

    We find out what really led to CWA Champion Otto Wanz winning the AWA World Championship in 1982 with Austrian wrestling historian Robert "Steam Hammer" Edlhauser!

     

    We talked to Frankie "The Thumper" DeFalco. When you have "The Thumper" on things can go off the rails, and they did.

     

    We want to incorporate our fans as much as possible. That's why when Mike Wilson from Racine, Wisconsin reached out to share a story he witnessed at an AWA spot show in his hometown, we knew we had to have him on the pod to share it with the world.

     

    Only 3 wrestlers in the world can say they wrestled Muhammad Ali, Kenny Jay is one of them. "The Sodbuster" proved he was "Very Capable" against many opponents in his life. Spending the majority of his career in the AWA he survived as the introduction for many wrestlers to the AWA. He also served to introduce The Greatest Boxer to ever live to pro wrestling.

     

    Finally, we are joined by one of the AWA's biggest stars, Baron von Raschke! The Baron discusses how he came to start in the AWA. He also fills us in on how the All-American amateur wrestler, James Raschke, became the evil German nazi, Baron von Raschke. Find out which former World Champion suggested he begin using his dreaded finishing hold "The Claw!"

     

    Check out our podcast on YouTube as well to see the videos full of newspaper clippings, match footage, and photos to complement each show.

     

    Subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, and more!

     

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    Write an email to us to ask a question, suggest a topic or guest, offer up a correction, or just to say hello at ContraryPod@gmail.com

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    3 hrs and 4 mins
  • Contrary To Popular Wrestling Episode #11: The Tales of Sheiky Baby - A Tribute To The Iron Sheik
    Oct 19 2020

    This weeks episode of Contrary To Popular Wrestling covers "The Greatest Hell of All Time, Bubba!" The one and only Iron Sheik! Carmined spent quite a bit of time partying with and managing Sheiky Baby while touring Europe, so he wanted to pay tribute to one of his favorite people in pro wrestling.

     

    Who better to talk about The Iron Sheik than his agent for 26 years, "Mr. ESS" Eric Simms! You've seen him on The Howard Stern Show and in various Iron Sheik shoot interviews but hear from the man himself what it was like trying to keep up with Sheik on a busy weekend in the tri-states area.

     

    Subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, and more!

     

    Check out our YouTube channel, where we post videos to go along with each of our episodes as well clips from each episode.

     

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    Write an email to us to ask a question, suggest a topic or guest, offer up a correction, or just to say hello at ContraryPod@gmail.com

     

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Contrary To Popular Wrestling Episode #10: The Untold Stories of the AWA Part 3
    Oct 12 2020

    This week on Contrary to Popular Wrestling, we wrap up our 3 part series on Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association. In our first two editions, we spoke to Eddie Sharkey, Mick Karch, Robert Edlhauser, and Frankie DeFalco.

     

    We want to incorporate our fans as much as possible. That's why when Mike Wilson from Racine, Wisconsin reached out to share a story he witnessed at an AWA spot show in his hometown, we knew we had to have him on the pod to share it with the world.

     

    Only 3 wrestlers in the world can say they wrestled Muhammad Ali, Kenny Jay is one of them. "The Sodbuster" proved he was "Very Capable" against many opponents in his life. Spending the majority of his career in the AWA he survived as the introduction for many wrestlers to the AWA. He also served to introduce The Greatest Boxer to ever live to pro wrestling.

     

    Finally we are joined by one of the AWA's biggest stars, Baron von Raschke! The Baron discusses how he came to start in the AWA. He also fills us in on how the All-American amateur wrestler, James Raschke, became the evil German nazi, Baron von Raschke. Find out which former World Champion suggested he begin using his dreaded finishing hold "The Claw!"

     

    Subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, and more!

     

    Check out our YouTube channel, where we post videos to go along with each of our episodes as well clips from each episode.

     

    Be sure and like us on Facebook to stay up to date with the show at facebook.com/ContraryPod

     

    Write an email to us to ask a question, suggest a topic or guest, offer up a correction, or just to say hello at ContraryPod@gmail.com

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Contrary To Popular Wrestling Episode #9: The Road Warriors, Behind The Spikes & Face Paint
    Oct 5 2020

    In this week's podcast, we pay tribute to the legendary Road Warriors! Considering the recent passing of Road Warrior Animal and the fact that we're approaching the 17th anniversary of the passing Road Warrior Hawk, we thought it was only fitting to honor the biggest box office attraction tag-team in history.

     

    Jax Dane joins us to discuss being managed by Animal along with his tag partner, Crimson. He also shares how Animal gave them the endorsement to use spikes and face paint.

     

    PL Myers got the full Road Warriors experience, from growing up as a fan to being their manager on Chicago independent scene. He discusses what he said when he was asked to speak at Hawk's funeral in 2003.

     

    Andrew Anderson looked at Road Warrior Animal as a big brother. He knew Animal and Hawk for close to 20 years. He talked to Animal in the days before he passed and Animal talked him in to ribbing Kevin Sullivan, here the rib on this weeks episode.

     

    Finally, the man who trained the Road Warriors, Eddie Sharkey, joins us again to discuss training them and what they were like outside of the ring.

     

    Be sure and subscribe to us on YouTube here, to see the videos we put together for each episode. Give us a thumbs-up on the videos you like.

     

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    1 hr and 10 mins