This week on the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel History Show, I am pleased and thrilled to welcome back one of my best friends and esteemed colleagues in the professional wrestling history space, it’s Brian R. Solomon, host of the Shut Up and Wrestle Podcast.

Brian just was announced as the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Book of the Year Award for 2025 for his excellent biography of WWE superstar, announcer, owner and executive, Gorilla Monsoon. Brian is the first two-time winner of the Observer Book of the Year Award, having previously won for his book on The Original Sheik, Ed Farhat.

When I invited Brian to come on the show to talk about winning the award, I intentionally did not tell him I had invited another three of his esteemed friends and peers to the show to help us with this surprise celebration. Noted AWA Historian George Schire, Bob Smith, the host of the Outdated Wrestling Hour podcast and Steve Gennerelli, our WWF Analyst at the Time Tunnel and co-host of the Stick to Wrestling podcast show.

It’s a surprise party to celebrate Brian’s success and in the process, a really great pro wrestling conversation among four passionate lovers of this crazy business. I could tell Brian was touched by the celebration and I’m happy to have pulled this off and together for him. I hope you enjoy this special episode of the Pro Wrestling Tunnel History Show!

• (00:00:02) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel
• (00:02:41) - SEC Tournament Preview
• (00:10:10) - Kentucky Bourbon Soap
• (00:12:57) - Brian R. Solomon Surprise Party
• (00:15:44) - Brian Solomon on Shut Up and Wrestle
• (00:17:35) - Dory Funk on the NWA World Champions
• (00:20:48) - Book of the Year
• (00:25:44) - Baby's First Birthday
• (00:26:06) - Brian Solomon's Surprise Party
• (00:26:47) - Gorilla's Best Book
• (00:31:45) - Brian on The Sheik's Book
• (00:35:06) - The Life and Times of Gorgeous George
• (00:42:10) - Bookmark: The Making of Professional Wrestling
• (00:44:27) - Understanding the History of Wrestling
• (00:45:32) - Bob Ley on The Old School Wrestling
• (00:50:52) - Brian Fallon on Bobby Heenan's Letter
• (00:51:13) - Brian Hill on His Own Audio Book
• (00:54:54) - Brian McIntyre on His Audio Book
• (00:57:40) - Vince McMahon On Gorilla Monsoon's Drug Test
• (01:02:24) - Kurt Hennigan on the Drugs in Wrestling
• (01:06:01) - Bob and Tony on the AI Comment
• (01:13:05) - Brian Stokes on Dissent
• (01:16:20) - Wonders of Wrestling: Brian Last
• (01:21:09) - Buffalo in the Honeymoon
• (01:21:23) - Brian Solomon
• (01:25:41) - Brian Solomon's Book of the Year Surprise
• (01:26:18) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel: The Q&A Mailbag