In today’s episode of the Time Tunnel Podcast, I am joined by our WWWF analyst and commentator, Steve Gennerelli and our Time Tunnel Producer, Jake Hamar.
Last week we got the surprising news about the passing of one of pro wrestling’s biggest stars, Hulk Hogan. Hogan was a catalyst for a new era in professional wrestling during the decade of the 1980s. We, at the Time Tunnel felt we should do something to respect and honor his contribution to the pro wrestling business.
Steve had been a WWWF and WWF observer for almost 10 years by the time Hulk Hogan made his debut for his second run in the WWF for the National Expansion in late 1983 and early 1984. Steve’s stories about seeing Hogan on his first WWWF run and his entry the second time are amazing.
Jake’s first time seeing Hogan was at the age of 4 or 5 and it wasn’t long before he was transformed into a little Hulkamaniac. If not for Hulk Hogan, Jake might not have ever discovered pro wrestling at all. I think you’ll enjoy his take as a youngster and as a fan of The Hulk.
I’ll chime in with some history thoughts and my own perspective. While we all saw Hulk Hogan in different times of our lives and different places, I think you’ll enjoy this look at Hulk Hogan through three different lenses and at three different perspectives.
Episode 16 is now live of the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Podcast: The Tribute to Hulk Hogan Show.
*Video production by Time Tunnel Podcast Producer, Jake Hamar
The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller.
My concept of The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel to provide historical context to people, places and events in Pro Wrestling as they were happening at the time. Each ten year period in world history in terms of culture, business, economy, technology, science, and education were unique time periods unto themselves that pro wrestling both as a sport and as an entertainment tool reflected.
Matches, terms, gimmicks and related business items outside those time periods, which I refer to as “paradigms”, may not make as much sense or have as much relevance. At the same time, when viewed inside their current paradigms, they make a lot of sense, had a tremendous impact at the time and some of those provided a catalyst of the next changing paradigm. My mission is to provide as much of that context combines with historical research to provide more clairty in how to think about these time periods and related happenings in the pro wrestling business environment.
The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel endeavors to present this information in a multi-media myriad of ways, in much the same spirit as the concept behind Substack. The Time Tunnel will produce material for people who like to read, watch and listen through the connectivity of as many various methods as possible.
I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter, The Daily Chronicle. Thanks for reading, watching and listening, our Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel site takes a multi-media approach to the documentation of the history of this great sport.
The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Podcast serves the video and audio preferences of people who are interested in wrestling history.
Our first podcast series, Personalities, Territories, Towns & Buildings, showcases wrestlers, bookers, referees, promoters, television commentators, historians and others who put their bodies on the line and paved the way forward for professional wrestling.
Here’s the archive of our podcast episodes so far:
Personalities, Territories, Towns & Buildings:
Episode 1: 5/10/2025: Steven Johnson, Jim Londos: The Golden Greek of Professional Wrestling
Episode 2: 5/14/2025 Herb Simmons: St. Louis, Missouri Wrestling HOF
Episode 3: 5/17/2025: Scott Teal: Raisin Cain: From The Inferno to The Great Mephisto
Episode 4: 5/21/2025: Bobby Simmons: Georgia Territory Spring 1975
Episode 5: 5/24/2025: Brian Ferguson, Verne Gagne: Inside and Outside the Ropes
Episode 6: 5/28/2025: Jerry Oates: Kansas City Territory Spring 1975
Episode 7: 5/31/25: Evan Ginzburg: Blackboards, Wrestling Rings & Movie Sets
Episode 8: 6/4/2025: Tim Dills: Tennessee Territory April & May 1975
Episode 9: 6/11/2025: Greg Klein: Texas May 1975
Episode 11: 6/25/2025: Steve Gennerelli: WWWF Spring & Summer 1975
Episode 12: 7/2/2025: Dan Murphy on Ed Don George & Fumi Saito on Japan History & 1975 pt 1
Episode 13: 7/9/2025: George Schire, The History of the AWA & 1975
Episode 15: 7/23/2025: Greg Klein: East Texas Wrestling June & July 1975
