When It Was Cool Wrestling (DragonKingKarl)
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When It Was Cool Wrestling (DragonKingKarl)
For all shows including our archived content visit our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/wiwcool Pro wrestling history. WWE, WCW, NWA, AEW, NXT, NJPW, TNA, Impact, ROH, AWA, ECW, and the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl) is a pro wrestling historian who has produced the...
Episodis Recents
176 episodis
January 2026 Q&A Show!
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 histo...
The Death of Clarence Whistler and Lewis Becomes the Strangler - 1000 Hours
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...
This First Wrestling Observer of 1986
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...
The Herculoids (1967) Retro TV Review
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 Herculo...
Long Form History of Wrestling - February 1986 - Death of Gino Hernandez and More
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 his...
Space Ghost (1966) Retro TV Review
Now, on Monday's we are putting up retro pop culture shows from When It Was Cool to supplement our many pro wrestling history shows! Today, we look ba...
Muldoon and Sorakichi Head to Court - 1000 Hours
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 di...
A Look at the WWE Encyclopedia!
On this last DragonKingKarl show of 2025, I grab a copy of a really cool book I've been looking at for a while - the WWE Encyclopedia. I have versions...
McLaughlin verses Muldoon! - 1000 Hours
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...
WWF Survivor Series 1992 & Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Today, I wrap up my months long look back into the early 1990s, a time when the pro wrestling business was in its worst state during my lifetime. Than...
WWF This Tuesday in Texas 1991
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl show, pro wrestling historian and author Karl Stern begins wrapping up our months long look at the 1990s by taki...
The Return of McLaughlin - 1000 Hours
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 engine...
New AWA World tag team champions and more!
We have now exited 1985 and finished my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus and sail into uncharted territory- 1986! This is a red-h...
Patreon Half Off Sale!
For the first time in the history of When It Was Cool! Half off every Patreon level! Get instant access to almost 3,000 podcasts, books, and more on p...
1994 AAA / WCW When Worlds Collide Reviewed!
In 1994 the train wreck that was WCW somehow managed to pull off one of the best PPVs of all-time. In association with Mexico's AAA promotion, When Wo...
Muldoon Makes a Run For It! - 1000 Hours
The 1000 Hours podcast series looks back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling, the era before Frank Gotch. On this episode, pro wrestling historian Kar...
1991 Steroid Madness, and Details of a Belt
Today our time machine takes us back to 1991, a time when pro wrestling was about as low as it could go. Business is horrendous across the board. The...
The End of 1985 and a New World Champion
My on-going series on the history of pro wrestling has now reached the end of 1985. The information for this episode is taken from my book DragonKingK...
Muldoon, Whistler, and Dinnie - 1000 Hours
My 1000 Hours podcast series is taken from my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus and covers the pre-1900 era of pro wrestl...
Ric Flair vs Vader Starrcade 1993 and More!
Today I hop in the time machine and travel back to January 1994. There I pick up an issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter which covered the previ...
Ric Flair vs Vader Starrcade 1993 and More!
Today I hop in the time machine and travel back to January 1994. There I pick up an issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter which covered the previ...
William Muldoon vs Donald Dinnie - 1000 Hours
The 1000 Hours podcast series focuses on the pioneer era of pro wrestling history. You do not have to listen to the shows in order, jump in at any poi...
1990 The Year in Review
On this edition of the DragonKingKarl Show, I grab the March 1991 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine which covers the year 1990 in depth. Bes...
Long Form History of Wrestling - November 1985 - Starrcade, Rick McGraw, more) Free
I continue my history of pro wrestling series today looking at November 1985 which is taken from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omni...
The Poisoning of Tom Connors - 1000 Hours
My 1000 Hours podcast sub-series is devoted to discussion about the pioneer era of pro wrestling (Pre-Frank Gotch). Currently, we are going through my...
2025 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame Ballot Discussion!
Generally speaking, this is my most listened to show of the year, so thank you and strap in. Over the past several months this podcast has focused on...
A Look Back at a 1990 WWF Magazine
Today we hop in the time machine and set it for the fall of 1990. Pro Wrestling was slumping but not yet bottoming out. When the December 1990 issue o...
New Homer Lane Information and More - 1000 Hours
Today on my 1000 Hours podcast series looking back at the pioneer era of pro wrestling (the era before Frank Gotch) from my latest book DragonKingKarl...
1992 WCW Had Lots of Problems
Today my classic wrestling podcast takes a detailed look back at September 1992 through the pages of Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter. WCW...
September Q&A Show!
Tons of great questions and topics submitted by our Patreon supporters this month. A wide range of pro wrestling history questions including a few gre...
The Rise of Catch as Catch Can Wrestling - 1000 Hours
On hour 80 of my 1000 Hours podcast series covering the pioneer era of pro wrestling, we continue in my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro W...
Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - October 1985 - A Wedding and World Champion vs World Champion
On this weeks show I continue my long form history of pro wrestling series taken from my book DragonKingKarl's 1984-1985 Pro Wrestling Omnibus. I take...
1996 in Pro Wrestling History
Join me today for a look back at one of the most significant and impactful years in pro wrestling history - 1996! WCW was exploding in popularity with...
Muldoon and Whistler Get into a Fist Fight - 1000 Hours
1000 Hours is my series on the pioneer era of pro wrestling history and is taken from my latest book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibu...
1992 When Ron Simmons Became World Champ, Scandals and more!
Welcome to my pro wrestling history podcast where, this week, I am going to look back at 1992 when Ron Simmons defeated Big Van Vader for the WCW Worl...
The William Muldoon Tour Begins - 1000 Hours
On this edition of the 1000 Hours Podcast, the podcast all about the pioneer era of pro wrestling, author and historian Karl Stern takes a look back a...
The Last Newsletters of the 1990s
I am back this week with a new podcast looking back at the 1990s. Recently, I took a look at the first pro wrestling newsletters of the 1990s to get a...
August Q and A Show!
Today is my birthday! And what better way to celebrate than with a packed mailbag and this month is probably our best yet with questions ranging from...
Why Study the Pioneer Era of Wrestling? - 1000 Hours
The 1000 Hours podcast this week answers a sponsor's question: Why should we study the pioneer era of pro wrestling? What relevance does it have to th...
A Look at the Beginning of the 1990s Through the Newsletters
What did the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s look like in pro wrestling? What did it look like in real time through the lenses of the...