I was born in 2000 I have no idea how I started or what made me a fan but my earliest memory of watching wrestling is me being about 12 years old watching Daniel Bryan and AJ Lee together. Before that I grew up playing the PS2 WWE games during my childhood.
I imagine for the generation born after 2000 the video games played a big part in introducing kids to wrestling since the graphics are so good now. It’s like they take over for our generations magazines 👍
@@WrestlingWithThe80s I agree. Most wrestling fans around my age started with the videogames since wrestling magazines are not really a thing anymore. I would also think that the internet plays a huge role nowadays with how easy it is to stumble across video clips from matches.
My mother said that I didn't get it from neither her nor my dad. She said that I got that from her father who died soon after I was born. She said he gave me his love of wrestling. I'm the only grandchild he got to hold.
All of that! I swear! 80s was the best man. Superstars jobber matches were the bomb. Even ole Vince on commentary was great! Just a time that won't be repeated.
I am a proud professional wrestling going on 40 years in 2023. What made me a wrestling fans was being able to watch all of the different promotions on television in the early to mid-1980's. I remember watching the WWF, Jim Crockett NWA, Mid-South Wrestling/UWF, WCCW, AWA, and Paul Boesch Houston Wrestling (Only when I went to Houston in the summertime) all in one weekend. What really made me a fan was watching wrestling in person at the Civic Center in Lake Charles and seeing all the wrestlers in person and seeing tag team wrestling. I really like the Rock and Roll Express (My Favorite Tag Team of all time), The Midnight Express with Jim Cornette, The Fantastics, The Guerreros, The Sheepherders, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Von Erichs and The Road Warriors (Only saw them one time in person in March of 1985). Also seeing some of the younger wrestlers very early in their careers that became superstars: like Sting, Utimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Dr. Death Steve Williams, One Man Gang, Hercules Hernandez just to name a few. What really made it cool for me was being in a small town everyone went to the Civic Center to watch whenever Mid-South Wrestling of WWF came to town it was the talk of the town all weekend.
I think so many of us have similar stories. I’m a 40 year fan as well and we got WWF, AWA, Stampede, Atlantic Grand Prix, ICW (Savoldi version), USWA and a highlight show of the other territories here. Magazines were my gateway to the NWA territories and I loved collecting them! I finally saw my first WWF show in person in 1992, lol
It all began back when I was about 4 years old with my Grandad cheering for Andre the Giant on Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling. Fast forward a few years...plus a few more years and, thanks to my hubby, I have a newfound appreciation for the world of professional wrestling. Old school wrestling is my fave, AEW, I don't wanna talk about it, lol.
i was born in the late 90s so i missed that era, but i was fortunate enough to be around my grandfathers tape collection...i remember sitting for hours with him & watching old Hogan matches with guys like killer khan,terry funk,Kamala,beefcake, macho & zeus good times.
Very cool! Those are some great memories to have. Respect to you for being able to enjoy the old school product. Hopefully this channel will stir up some of those good memories👍
In the mid seventies, my mom who was a fan would take me to the WWWF events that took place at our local arena. Being a smaller town, it was B tier on a good day. I hated it and as everyone knows, there is nothing more precious than a bored six year old. Fast forward two years and TBS starts broadcasting in my area and I see Georgia Championship Wrestling for the first time. I started being the casual fan type when eventually the "Four Flat Tires" angle was shown on it. By the end I was jumping around similar to Stewie when Peter told him in the car that they were going to Disney World and that's pretty much the origin story of how I was a everyday fan until the 90s
For me it was watching it on Saturday mornings plus the greatest tag team rivalry with the Midnight express (Dennis Condrey or Stan lane and Bobby Eaton) with manager Jim Cornette vs the Rock and roll express ricky morton and Robert Gibson
@Wrestling With The 80's team Stan Lane cause when he replaced Dennis Condrey in the midnight express managed by Jim Cornette and his bodyguard big Bubba Rodgers they didn't miss a beat plus in Jim Crockett Promotions that rivalry was at the Great American Bash 1987 which I attended along with my late father
Pre-Rocky III, I had watched wrestling sporadically, each time becoming amused, fascinated, awestruck, flabbergasted, and curious as to how these people could endure the kind of punishment that was dished out for more than 30 seconds at a time. But I have to admit that my exposure to Hulk Hogan in Rocky III is what spawned my regular interest in the sport, although I had to watch the movie a second time a in the summer of 1983 ( a year after its initial release) to bring it all out around Christmas time that year. At that time, my area had two regional programs - Al Tomko's All-Star Wrestling and Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling - neither of which the Hulkster had ever worked for. I started watching the two programs weekly around the time the Iron Sheik won the WWF title, which was a month before Hulkamania was born in the WWF. Then it took until several months after Hulk won the title for me to become exposed to the WWF program, which took over the Stampede time slot on the station it was on and was presented as Maple Leaf Wrestling. Initially infuriated (thinking that Stampede was the top promotion, and not realizing til much later that Hulk Hogan was the promotion's world champion). Not even Mr T's appearance with Hulk in the first Wrestlemania or Andre the Giant being in the promotion was able to get me on board, as I still wasn't watching the program regularly enough yet. But two things happened in the late summer of 1985 to finally get me on board: 1) Topps and O-Pee-Chee distributing WWF wrestling bubblegum cards, and 2) Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling - the former being mainly for major league sports. It got me sold because NO other wrestling league had ever achieved THIS. People had always told me that pro wrestling was fake. I didn't really believe them until one of our news outlets interviewed the wrestlers, which exposed them as actors.
I love this story…thanks for sharing! Hulk Hogan’s Rock n Wrestling was my “gateway drug” to WWF programming as well. Honestly it was genius by Vince McMahon to create a Saturday morning cartoon that led right into his wrestling program. I was hooked right from the start when I saw how huge those guys were in real life 👍
For me getting up Saturday morning with my cereal waiting for wrestling to come on it was the characters and personalities the music of the wrestlers I remember going over in the supermarket magazines section looking through the mags while my parents was in line I remember watching savage beating Santana I love he won even though he cheated and was shocked when Mr wonderful turn on hogan great times
I feel like we lived parallel lives because my story is pretty much the same! Haha Savage beating Tito was one of my earliest WWF memories and Orndorff turning on Hogan was what hooked me on WWF! I guess it was my first “holy s***” moment
@@WrestlingWithThe80s yea the orndorff thing turning on hogan the match was built up few weeks and I couldn't wait to see it and when he clothesline hogan and piledrive him and hogan was shaking I thought he broke his neck those guys perfected the art of wrestling
@@WrestlingWithThe80s orndorff should've been champ at least once but who u think his opponents would have been cuz piper was going to retire and savage was still heel Jake u think
@@WrestlingWithThe80s the first time I saw blood on a mans face and body. I was young. also bad memories because of bruiser Brody's death and many Fernandez elbow dropping on invader #3 so many times that blood came out from his mouth. I think its on youtube. I know now most of it was fake and part of the show but thats why I became a fan.
@@mrgonzale0978 yeah, the Brody death certainly casts a large shadow on the territory. But putting that aside the passion and intensity of Puerto Rico is second to none! We had a lot of wrestlers from that territory come to Nova Scotia to wrestle for Atlantic Grand Prix. Abdullah used to scare the crap out of me! Haha
They were so out of control! The Haiti Kid one from ‘86 freaked me out as a kid. Piper was so sloppy with the scissors I thought he’d cut an ear off, haha
I was born in 2000 I have no idea how I started or what made me a fan but my earliest memory of watching wrestling is me being about 12 years old watching Daniel Bryan and AJ Lee together. Before that I grew up playing the PS2 WWE games during my childhood.
I imagine for the generation born after 2000 the video games played a big part in introducing kids to wrestling since the graphics are so good now. It’s like they take over for our generations magazines 👍
@@WrestlingWithThe80s I agree. Most wrestling fans around my age started with the videogames since wrestling magazines are not really a thing anymore. I would also think that the internet plays a huge role nowadays with how easy it is to stumble across video clips from matches.
My mother said that I didn't get it from neither her nor my dad. She said that I got that from her father who died soon after I was born. She said he gave me his love of wrestling. I'm the only grandchild he got to hold.
My grandmother was the huge wrestling fan in my family. She’s the one that got me into it 👍
All of that! I swear! 80s was the best man. Superstars jobber matches were the bomb. Even ole Vince on commentary was great! Just a time that won't be repeated.
I wholeheartedly agree my friend!
Born in 76 the 80s was the best years to me
I am a proud professional wrestling going on 40 years in 2023. What made me a wrestling fans was being able to watch all of the different promotions on television in the early to mid-1980's. I remember watching the WWF, Jim Crockett NWA, Mid-South Wrestling/UWF, WCCW, AWA, and Paul Boesch Houston Wrestling (Only when I went to Houston in the summertime) all in one weekend. What really made me a fan was watching wrestling in person at the Civic Center in Lake Charles and seeing all the wrestlers in person and seeing tag team wrestling. I really like the Rock and Roll Express (My Favorite Tag Team of all time), The Midnight Express with Jim Cornette, The Fantastics, The Guerreros, The Sheepherders, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Von Erichs and The Road Warriors (Only saw them one time in person in March of 1985). Also seeing some of the younger wrestlers very early in their careers that became superstars: like Sting, Utimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Dr. Death Steve Williams, One Man Gang, Hercules Hernandez just to name a few. What really made it cool for me was being in a small town everyone went to the Civic Center to watch whenever Mid-South Wrestling of WWF came to town it was the talk of the town all weekend.
I think so many of us have similar stories. I’m a 40 year fan as well and we got WWF, AWA, Stampede, Atlantic Grand Prix, ICW (Savoldi version), USWA and a highlight show of the other territories here. Magazines were my gateway to the NWA territories and I loved collecting them!
I finally saw my first WWF show in person in 1992, lol
Everything was wrestling for me! I carried action figures everywhere and loved getting to rent wrestling tapes from the video store! Great times
Were you like me and watched those video tapes about 5 times before returning them 😂
Oh yeah
It all began back when I was about 4 years old with my Grandad cheering for Andre the Giant on Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling. Fast forward a few years...plus a few more years and, thanks to my hubby, I have a newfound appreciation for the world of professional wrestling. Old school wrestling is my fave, AEW, I don't wanna talk about it, lol.
That must be one heck of a great husband you have! 😉
@Wrestling With The 80's ...in the words of Jumpin' Jeff Farmer, "yep!"
@@jencameron8124 🤣🤣🤣
i was born in the late 90s so i missed that era, but i was fortunate enough to be around my grandfathers tape collection...i remember sitting for hours with him & watching old Hogan matches with guys like killer khan,terry funk,Kamala,beefcake, macho & zeus good times.
Very cool! Those are some great memories to have. Respect to you for being able to enjoy the old school product. Hopefully this channel will stir up some of those good memories👍
In the mid seventies, my mom who was a fan would take me to the WWWF events that took place at our local arena. Being a smaller town, it was B tier on a good day. I hated it and as everyone knows, there is nothing more precious than a bored six year old.
Fast forward two years and TBS starts broadcasting in my area and I see Georgia Championship Wrestling for the first time. I started being the casual fan type when eventually the "Four Flat Tires" angle was shown on it. By the end I was jumping around similar to Stewie when Peter told him in the car that they were going to Disney World and that's pretty much the origin story of how I was a everyday fan until the 90s
Love it! Great story…appreciate you sharing!
Love this channel. Watching ICW & Mid-Atlantic with my grandma got me hooked. Cant wait for this series.
Thanks Ted! I have a feeling you’re going to be a big part of this channel 😉
Funny, it was my grandmother that got me into wrestling as well!
@@WrestlingWithThe80s Wrestling grandmas are the best.
For me it was watching it on Saturday mornings plus the greatest tag team rivalry with the Midnight express (Dennis Condrey or Stan lane and Bobby Eaton) with manager Jim Cornette vs the Rock and roll express ricky morton and Robert Gibson
Midnight vs R&R may never be topped. And the excitement from the fans made it all that much better!
Curious though, are you Team Stan or Team Dennis?
@Wrestling With The 80's team Stan Lane cause when he replaced Dennis Condrey in the midnight express managed by Jim Cornette and his bodyguard big Bubba Rodgers they didn't miss a beat plus in Jim Crockett Promotions that rivalry was at the Great American Bash 1987 which I attended along with my late father
@@juliansmith1951 just listening to Cornette about Bash 87 right now! What a great event to have witnessed 👍
Pre-Rocky III, I had watched wrestling sporadically, each time becoming amused, fascinated, awestruck, flabbergasted, and curious as to how these people could endure the kind of punishment that was dished out for more than 30 seconds at a time. But I have to admit that my exposure to Hulk Hogan in Rocky III is what spawned my regular interest in the sport, although I had to watch the movie a second time a in the summer of 1983 ( a year after its initial release) to bring it all out around Christmas time that year. At that time, my area had two regional programs - Al Tomko's All-Star Wrestling and Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling - neither of which the Hulkster had ever worked for. I started watching the two programs weekly around the time the Iron Sheik won the WWF title, which was a month before Hulkamania was born in the WWF. Then it took until several months after Hulk won the title for me to become exposed to the WWF program, which took over the Stampede time slot on the station it was on and was presented as Maple Leaf Wrestling. Initially infuriated (thinking that Stampede was the top promotion, and not realizing til much later that Hulk Hogan was the promotion's world champion). Not even Mr T's appearance with Hulk in the first Wrestlemania or Andre the Giant being in the promotion was able to get me on board, as I still wasn't watching the program regularly enough yet. But two things happened in the late summer of 1985 to finally get me on board: 1) Topps and O-Pee-Chee distributing WWF wrestling bubblegum cards, and 2) Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling - the former being mainly for major league sports. It got me sold because NO other wrestling league had ever achieved THIS. People had always told me that pro wrestling was fake. I didn't really believe them until one of our news outlets interviewed the wrestlers, which exposed them as actors.
I love this story…thanks for sharing! Hulk Hogan’s Rock n Wrestling was my “gateway drug” to WWF programming as well. Honestly it was genius by Vince McMahon to create a Saturday morning cartoon that led right into his wrestling program. I was hooked right from the start when I saw how huge those guys were in real life 👍
For me getting up Saturday morning with my cereal waiting for wrestling to come on it was the characters and personalities the music of the wrestlers I remember going over in the supermarket magazines section looking through the mags while my parents was in line I remember watching savage beating Santana I love he won even though he cheated and was shocked when Mr wonderful turn on hogan great times
I feel like we lived parallel lives because my story is pretty much the same! Haha
Savage beating Tito was one of my earliest WWF memories and Orndorff turning on Hogan was what hooked me on WWF! I guess it was my first “holy s***” moment
@@WrestlingWithThe80s yea the orndorff thing turning on hogan the match was built up few weeks and I couldn't wait to see it and when he clothesline hogan and piledrive him and hogan was shaking I thought he broke his neck those guys perfected the art of wrestling
@@alpharob6959 that piledriver looked so vicious. Even though I was a Hulkamaniac I actually wanted Orndorff to take the title off Hogan.
@@WrestlingWithThe80s orndorff should've been champ at least once but who u think his opponents would have been cuz piper was going to retire and savage was still heel Jake u think
When I was living in Puerto Rico the NWA did a lot of shows there. Carlos colon vs Abdullah the butcher. Bruiser Brody and others were there.
Man, those would have been some wild shows to attend! The crowd in Puerto Rico was amazing for Backlash! They made that event feel so special 👍
@@WrestlingWithThe80s the first time I saw blood on a mans face and body. I was young. also bad memories because of bruiser Brody's death and many Fernandez elbow dropping on invader #3 so many times that blood came out from his mouth. I think its on youtube. I know now most of it was fake and part of the show but thats why I became a fan.
@@mrgonzale0978 yeah, the Brody death certainly casts a large shadow on the territory. But putting that aside the passion and intensity of Puerto Rico is second to none! We had a lot of wrestlers from that territory come to Nova Scotia to wrestle for Atlantic Grand Prix. Abdullah used to scare the crap out of me! Haha
Piper's Pit
They were so out of control! The Haiti Kid one from ‘86 freaked me out as a kid. Piper was so sloppy with the scissors I thought he’d cut an ear off, haha