The return of the DragonKingKarl question and answer show! I have a huge mailbag full of questions today dealing with a variety of pro wrestling history questions including topics and on the evolution from VHS to DVD to streaming and the problems with streaming, poor wrestling spots, John Cena retirement and place in wrestling history, the Jarrett's, the WON Hall of Fame, greasy heels and more!

Today's show is packed with very important events in the history of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. The first event we will talk about may have even changed the course of history. When Clarence 'The Kansas Demon' Whistler died while on tour of Australia he was considered by many newspapers to be the real and true World champion of pro wrestling. His death is full myth and misinformation, and we will cut through the fog of time to get to the truth. Also on this show, Evan Lewis earns his nickname as The Strangler and in the same instance become the first real heel that wrestling had ever seen.

The extended Patreon edition is here.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 119. This is hour 89.

1986 is one of my favorite years in pro wrestling and that is why I am really excited about my latest booking coming out this March covering 1986 and 1987 in pro wrestling history. WWF launches two great TV shows: Superstars and Challenge. Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA are red hot with Dusty Rhodes chasing NWA World champion Ric Flair and the rise (and tragic fall) of Magnum TA. The AWA is still hanging in there with new World Champion Stan Hansen. On this episode I take a look at the first newsletter of the year, the January 13, 1986, issue of Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

The Herculoids were one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons when I was a kid in the 1970s. While the original run was before my time, The Herculoids, from Hanna-Barbara, ran often in repeats. A flying dragon with laser eyes, a dinosaur that shoots rocks out of its horn, ghost blob things, and a giant rock ape! What's not to love!

Today I take a detailed look back at February 1986 from my upcoming book (March 2026) DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus with a very historic month in pro wrestling history. The tragic death of World Class wrestler Gino Hernandez shocks the pro wrestling world. Plus, NWA Superstars on the Superstation, The Bullet battled Mr. Olympia over their masks, the Honky Tonk Man gimmick is born, a famous tag team wrestler is arrested for a fatal car accident, the first pro wrestling video game, and huge, tall tales spun by the Von Erich family.

The extended Patreon edition of the show is here.

Today on my 1000 Hours podcast series which focuses on the pioneer era of pro wrestling, two of the biggest stars of the era head to court for very different reasons. First, William Muldoon is arrested and hauled to court for slapping a security guard upside the head and calling him a dirty loafer for daring to tell Muldoon to move along. While the Muldoon trial was largely humorous, we see the dark side of Japanese wrestler Matsada Sorakichi who, freshly married, has already began abusing his wife. Amongst all the legal happenings there is actual pro wrestling going on as Col. James H. McLaughlin continues his return and faces a very violent man. The content for this episode is taken from my latest book: DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available on Amazon.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 116.

On this episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show 1000 Hours podcast series we finally get not one but TWO matches between the two biggest stars of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. William Muldoon had not previously wrestled Col. James H. McLaughlin mainly because Muldoon was not a fan of collar and elbow wrestling nor did McLaughlin consider Greco Roman his style. But Muldoon has now been largely disgraced on the west coast and crowds aren't what they used to be so the two finally had two matches... which were flops.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 111.

The year is 1884 and the first national pro wrestling star, Col. James H. McLaughlin has been semi-retired for quite a while working as a train engineer. He had been the American heavyweight champion and won pro wrestling's first major tournament in Detroit, MI in 1870 setting the course for pro wrestling going forward. Now, he suddenly returns and wins the World Mixed-Styles championship! His return to glory wouldn't last for long, however. Plus, the sponsor of this episode, Wrestling With the Dawg Podcast, has a question: What is the strangest or most inexplicable thing to happen during the pioneer era of wrestling? Well, the answer is strange indeed.

Please check out my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available at Amazon.

This is the extended Patreon version of the show.

YOU CONTROL THIS SERIES! It will only run as long as it is supported. In order to get another hour of 1000 hours we need a new Patreon supporter at any level or a cash donation via the front page of WhenItWasCool.com to either PayPal or CashApp (Please put "1000" in the note). As soon as it is received, I will produce a new hour. Presently, we are funded up to hour 107.