Pro Wrestling Archives : The Retro Network

The Story Behind the Birth of WCW Monday Nitro

WCW Monday Nitro began as a bold idea inside Turner Broadcasting, a live Monday night show designed to challenge Raw and ignite one of wrestling’s most influential eras.

The Wild History of Piper’s Pit

Mickey Yarber

Piper’s Pit transformed wrestling interviews into unpredictable battlegrounds, turning Roddy Piper’s sharp wit and chaos into moments that reshaped storytelling and defined an era of sports entertainment.

Whatever Happened to Nikita Koloff?

Mickey Yarber

Nikita Koloff left wrestling for ministry and mentorship, and today he inspires others through speaking events, retreats, and his “It’s Time to Man Up” podcast.

From Stadium Tours to Pay‑Per‑View Glory: The Story of the Great American Bash

Mickey Yarber

From stadium tours and concerts to pay‑per‑view showdowns, the Great American Bash became a defining summer ritual, capturing the energy and ambition of wrestling’s most transformative era.

How AWA Wrestle Rock Became Wrestling’s Favorite Punchline

Mickey Yarber

WrestleRock 86 was the AWA swinging for the fences and hitting something far stranger, a supershow remembered less for its matches and more for the glorious chaos that turned it into wrestling’s favorite punchline.

GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling and the Wildest Show on Television

Mickey Yarber

Long before wrestling embraced spectacle, GLOW delivered it in spandex and glitter, turning Saturday afternoons into a riot of characters, color, and pure 80s energy.

Wrestlemania 3 and the Slam Heard Around the World

Mickey Yarber

WrestleMania III marked the peak of the 80s wrestling boom. A packed Silverdome, Savage and Steamboat’s classic, and Hogan facing André in the biggest main event ever turned the night into wrestling’s most iconic spectacle.

WWF Superstar Ice Cream Bars: The Sweetest Slice of Wrestling Nostalgia

Mickey Yarber

WWF Ice Cream Bars turned summer afternoons into wrestling memories. With superstar cookies, sweet vanilla, and that perfect chocolate snap, they became a childhood ritual and one of the most beloved treats of the 80s wrestling boom.

LJN Wrestling Superstars: The Rubber Titans of the Toy Aisle

Mickey Yarber

LJN’s Wrestling Superstars turned 80s wrestling into playtime legend. Big, rubber, and full of personality, the figures let kids bring the WWF home, creating a toy‑aisle universe that shaped an entire generation of fans.

WrestleMania 2: Bigger, Louder, and Everywhere

Mickey Yarber

WrestleMania 2 turned one night into a coast‑to‑coast experiment. Three cities, three crowds, and a steel‑cage finale proved the WWF was determined to grow bigger, louder, and bolder, pushing wrestling further into the national spotlight.

The First WrestleMania and the Dawn of Modern Wrestling

Mickey Yarber

WrestleMania I was the night Vince McMahon bet everything on a dream. Celebrities, storylines, and a packed Madison Square Garden turned wrestling into mainstream spectacle, creating the moment the entire industry stepped into a new era.

Outback Jack: Wrestling’s Answer to Crocodile Dundee

Mickey Yarber

Outback Jack burst into the WWF just as America fell for Crocodile Dundee, a friendly bushman riding a wave of Aussie fever and turning the ring into his own wide‑open Outback for one brief, unforgettable moment.

The Royal Rumble That Started It All

Mickey Yarber

When the World Wrestling Federation introduced the Royal Rumble concept in January of 1988, no one watching at home had any idea they were witnessing the birth of a franchise that would become one of

WWF Survivor Series: The Birth of a Thanksgiving Tradition

Mickey Yarber

WWF’s first Survivor Series in 1987 was a bold and strategic move that reshaped the wrestling landscape. Conceived as a counter-programming tactic, it not only disrupted Jim Crockett Promotions’ Starrcade but also laid the foundation

WCW’s Chamber of Horror Match Was Halloween Havoc’s Wildest Match

Mickey Yarber

In the annals of professional wrestling, few matches are as gloriously over-the-top as WCW’s Chamber of Horrors bout at Halloween Havoc 1991. Held on October 27 at the UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the event

Revisit All of the WCW Halloween Havoc Wrestling Shows With The Haunted House Show Podcast

Walter King

It’s that time of year when the ghosts and goblins start coming out of hiding to torment all of us normal people. It’s also the time time of year when pro wrestling company WCW would