The week in review is a compilation of the research, writing, audio and video output of Tony Richards and the team at the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel
This Past Week’s Issues of Our Daily Wrestling History Newsletter, The Daily Chronicle:
The daily newsletter for an injection of events that happened on this day and relative time frames in Territory Pro Wrestling History.
Sunday, February 22nd, 2026:
Issue 313: Flashback 1976: Q1 Los Angeles Office, NWA Hollywood Territory Analysis
Monday, February 23rd, 2026:
Issue 314: Flashback 1986 OTD Cards Analysis
Tuesday, February 24th, 2026:
Wednesday, February 25th, 2026:
Issue 316: Coming Attractions Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel History Show, ONE Thing About Eddie Einhorn
Thursday, February 26th, 2026:
Issue 317: The Life & Career of George Culkin, ONE Thing About Ole Anderson
Friday. February 27th, 2026:
Issue 318: The Life & Career of Helen Hild, ONE Thing About Buddy Austin
Saturday, February 28th, 2026:
Issue 319: The Life & Career of Billy Robinson, ONE Thing About The Missing Link
Pro Wrestling History Content for Premium Time Tunnel Subscribers:
My framework for understanding and analyzing the history and growth of Professional Wrestling are the 7 Stages of Growth of The Territory Era:
Stage One: Conception (1925 to 1935)
Stage Two: Formation (1935 to 1945)
Stage Three: Innovation and Expansion (1945 to 1955)
Stage Four: Investigation (1955 to 1965)
Stage Five: Re-Consolidation (1965-1975)
Stage Six: Fragmentation (1975-1985)
Stage Seven: Disintegration (1985-1995)
This week’s article covered year one of Stage Stage Seven of the Seven Stages of Growth:
Thursday, February 26th, 2026:
The Evolution of Wrestling: 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1985
The Evolution of Wrestling: 7 Stages of The Territory Era Series Archive:
The Evolution of Wrestling 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1925
The Evolution of Wrestling: The 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1935
The Evolution of Wrestling: The 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1945
The Evolution of Wrestling: The 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1955
The Evolution of Wrestling: The 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1965
The Evolution of Wrestling 7 Stages of the Territory Era The Year of 1975
The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Territory Era Tracking Series
Saturday, February 28th, 2026:
Tracking The Championship Title Changes for February 1976
The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Territory Era Tracking Series Archive:
Saturday, February 7th, 2026:
Tracking The World Champions On The Sixes: January
1985 Territory Review Series:
1985 is the first year of the final stage of the territories in my “7-Stages of Growth of the Territory Era” Framework. This stage is called “Disintegration” as it kicked off the final 10-year period of the territory era, as one by one, the remaining geographic territories began to die, making way for the national expansion companies.
In the month of January and February, we are doing a 40-year review of the situation in the remaining territories in the midst of the wrestling business expanding to a national fan base. Our plans are to do a show reviewing 1985 in each of the remaining territories.
Wednesday, January 7th, 2026:
We began our series with the year of 1985 in review with my WWF co-host Steve Gennerelli:
Championship Wrestling from, Florida with regular co-host Howard Baum and special guest, Bruce Owens for a look at the Florida Territory in 1985.
Wednesday, January 14th, 2026:
This week with my special co-host and World Class Championship Wrestling Historian, Lance Peterson, we went back to review 1985 in World Class.
Wednesday, January 21st, 2026:
The latest episode in our 1985 Territory Review Series, we go to Memphis, Tennessee with my Tennessee History Co-Host, Tim Dills as we re-visit all the wrestlers, all the angles, all the matches and more in Memphis Wrestling 1985!
Wednesday, January 28th, 2026:
The next week I was so happy to welcome back to The Richards Ranch, George Schire, a long time AWA wrestling historian to review the state of the American Wrestling Association territory in the year of 1985!
Wednesday, February 4th, 2026:
We traveled to the deep south to the Continental Championship Wrestling Territory, based in Pensacola, Florida with our good friend, owner and booker, The Tennessee Stud, Ron Fuller to review the many changes in 1985!
Wednesday, February 11th, 2026:
We took the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel back to 1985 into the Carolinas and Jim Crockett Promotions who has expansion on their mind! The acquisition of the WTBS Channel 17 contract from the WWF took the roster and creative to a national audience and the national expansion war was on. My special guest co-host for this trip was Jammie Ward, who did a fine job on our latest entry in the 1985 Territory Series!
This past week, we looked at the amazing Mid-South Wrestling territory, which was contemplating taking their small company into the national expansion spotlight. The last full year of being known as Mid-South Wrestling is 1985 and Greg Klein and I review the year including the exciting DiBiase-Murdoch-Ric Flair angle in November!
Special February Bonus Episodes!
Bonus Episode #1:
February 1986 was the 40th anniversary of the death of Gino Hernandez and I am joined by Gino’s biographer, Lizzy Flanagan. We review Gino’s career, his beginnings in South Texas to his incredible heel run in Dallas. Check out this special February Bonus episode!
Bonus Episode #2:
I am joined by the Crowbar Press Publisher, Scott Teal, who was very close to THe Great Mephisto, Frankie Cain. The two published two interesting books of their conversations about Frankie’s life and career in the business. Scott talks about those books and his relationship with the great Frankie Cain.
Tony’s Media Appearances This Past Week:
Twisted Turnbuckle Show
I was back on this show with Chris DeCarlo, Benny “The Playa” Scala, Mike DiGregerio and the special guests are The Koloff Family with Melodie and Neal Koloff! I was late to the show, but I made most of it!
The Outdated Wrestling Hour with Bob Smith
Bob Smith is one of the legendary journalists of professional wrestling through “the Apter mags” and his Outdated Wrestling Hour is his weekly podcast. Bob recently invited me to be on his show twice, so I have another appearance coming soon. This first time around, Bob was interested in my life growing up in Kentucky, my previous successful careers and how I transitioned into being a journalist and storyteller in pro wrestling.
Thank You for Reading, Listening and Watching
I’m Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share the history of pro wrestling territory era in each content vehicle of the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel. We publish the Week-In-Review each Sunday as a digest for our community members. If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
Remember, premium investors 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 Investors who contribute and invest in the work I do to preserve the history of the territory era.