In a special celebration episode marking the exact 40th anniversary of one of pro wrestling’s most intense and unforgettable rivalries, host Tony is joined by the two men who lived it: Magnum T.A. and Nikita Koloff themselves!
This landmark episode dives deep into the legendary 1986 Best-of-7 Series for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship that electrified arenas across the Jim Crockett Promotions territory and forever changed the landscape of Mid-Atlantic wrestling. For the first time on the show, Magnum and Nikita sit down together to relive the entire program — from the explosive buildup on television, the sold-out crowds that packed the Omni, the Greensboro Coliseum, and the Scope, all the way through the dramatic conclusion of the seventh and final match.
Tony guides the conversation as the two former rivals recount the major story arcs, the real-life heat that blurred the lines between kayfabe and reality, the physical toll of wrestling seven straight high-stakes matches in a single month, and the personal respect that grew between them once the series was over. Listeners will hear never-before-shared details about the planning of the series, the psychology behind each contest, the emotional weight of the “Russian” vs. “All-American” storyline at the height of the Cold War era, and what it meant to compete for what many still call the most prestigious championship in the United States at that time.
The episode also spotlights the brand-new book “Magnum & Nikita: The Untold Story of the 1986 Best-of-7” (as told to acclaimed wrestling author Bill Murdock). Both guests discuss how the book came together, the stories they chose to reveal for the first time, and the moments that even hardcore fans have never heard until now. Magnum and Nikita read select excerpts live and answer listener-submitted questions about the series that defined both of their careers.
Whether you watched the matches live in 1986, discovered them on the Network years later, or are just now learning about this classic feud, Episode 66 is the definitive oral history of one of wrestling’s greatest seven-match wars.
Available now on all major podcast platforms and the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Substack and YouTube channel.
And don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share the show.
This week’s episode of Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Episode 66 should be in your inbox this morning if you are a subscriber here at the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel! You can also see the video version here on Substack and at our YouTube Channel plus download the audio version of our show on your favorite podcast provider platform.
Don’t miss this rare reunion — two icons, one unforgettable series, forty years in the making.
The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel: Your Home for the History of Territory Wrestling.
Here’s the archive of our regular podcast episodes for 2026:
Episode 52: Brian R. Solomon 2025 Book of the Year Surprise Party Celebration
Episode 53: 2026 Mailbag Episode 1
Episode 54: The Pro Wrestling World of Ian Douglass
Episode 55: The Dennis Condrey Tribute Show
Episode 57: Wrestlemania 42 Weekend
Episode 65: A Conversation with Michael St. John
The 1976 Territory Review Series:
Episode 56: Herb Simmons and Darla Staggs and the 1976 Review of St. Louis Wrestling Club
Episode 58: Howard Baum and Steve Keirn and the 1976 Review of Championship Wrestling from Florida
Episode 59: Steve Gennarelli and the 1976 Review of the World Wide Wrestling Federation
Episode 62: Todd Goss and the 1976 Review of Jim Crockett Promotions and Mid Atlantic Wrestling
Episode 63: Michael Norris and the1976 Review: Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling
Episode 64: George Schire and the 1976 Review: American Wrestling Association
Towns of The Territories Series:
Episode 60: Towns of the Tennessee Territory: Sean Dulaney and Evansville, Indiana
The 1985 Territory Review Series:
Episode 40: Steve Gennerelli and the 1985 Territory Review of The World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
Episode 43: Lance Peterson and the 1985 Territory Review of World Class Championship Wrestling
Episode 44: Tim Dills and the 1985 Territory Review of Memphis Wrestling
Episode 45: George Schire and the 1985 Territory Review of The AWA
Episode 48: Jammie Ward and the 1985 Territory Review of Jim Crockett Promotions
Episode 50: Greg Klein and the 1985 Territory Review of Mid-South Wrestling
Episode 51: Mike Rodgers & Frank Culbertson and the 1985 Territory Review of Portland Wrestling
Special Bonus Episodes In 2026:
Special Bonus Episode 47: Lizzy Flanagan and the 40th Annniversary of the Passing of Gino Hernandez
Special Bonus Episode 61: Brian R. Solomon and Bob Smith, Tribute to Ted Turner
Thank You for Watching and Listening
I’m Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter and each episode of our podcast show. Thanks for your support! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
Remember, Premium subscribers get access to exclusive and special content such as some special issues including a multi-part deep dives on wrestling territories, wrestler bios and championship title histories, special audio and video interviews on territory pro wrestling and more available in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel for Premium Subscribers. Being a Premium Subscriber also means you support me in my efforts to document Pro Wrestling History through my research, writing, books, vidoes and podcasts. And…I have something very special planned for our Premium Subscribers on the Podcast side of things in 2026! Details soon here in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel.
