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, April 26th, 2026:
Issue 376: Flashback 1976: Q2 Analysis (Apr-Jun) Tampa Office, Florida Territory
Monday, April 27th, 2026:
Issue 377: 7 Stages of the Territory Era: Stage 7: Disintegration April 1986
Tuesday, April 28th, 2026:
Wednesday, April 29th, 2026
Thursday, April 30th, 2026:
Issue 380: The Life and Career of Kay Noble, ONE Thing About Joe Stecher
Friday, May 1st, 2026:
Issue 381: The Life and Career of Elizabeth Hulette, ONE Thing About Joe Turner
Saturday, May 2nd, 2026:
Issue 382: It's DERBY Day! The Life and Career of Jos LeDuc, ONE Thing About Sam Steamboat
Pro Wrestling History Content for Premium Time Tunnel Subscribers:
Family Tradition: The Orton Family: Bob Orton, Sr.
Robert Keith Orton Sr., better known as “The Big O,” was not a flashy national headline-grabber or a household name in the manner of later WWE superstars. Yet he was the quintessential “wrestler’s wrestler”: a tough, scientific technician and brawler whose career spanned territories from the Midwest to Florida, the AWA, Stampede Wrestling, and even a run in the WWWF. Born on July 21, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri, Orton Sr. became the patriarch of one of wrestling’s most enduring bloodlines—father to “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. and Barry Orton, grandfather to Randy Orton, and the man whose lessons in resilience, ring psychology, and family pride echo through three generations.. Excerpt from Family Tradition: The Orton Family: Bob Orton, Sr
Where they overlapped most strikingly was in punishing psychology and toughness. Neither relied on high spots or elaborate setups for drama. Instead, they wore down foes through attrition—long holds, repeated stiff shots, and comebacks built on resilience rather than spectacle. Orton Sr.’s early version of the pedigree (a double-underhook facebuster) served as a high-impact payoff after methodical buildup, much like Valentine’s signature brainbuster (an elbow-driven head slam) or flying elbow drop. Both were “stiff” workers by design: Valentine earned a reputation as one of the era’s toughest (peers noted his punches landed with audible force), while Orton’s rawboned authenticity made him a credible challenger to world champions like Bruno Sammartino and Verne Gagne. Historians note the pair’s shared ability to elevate any opponent, turning mid-card bouts into main-event wars through sheer believability. - Excerpt from comparison between Bob Orton, Sr. and Johnny Valentine in Family Tradition: The Orton Family: Bob Orton Sr.
Tuesday, April 28th, 2026:
Family Tradition: The Orton Family: Bob Orton, Sr.
When you support the work I do as a Pro Wrestling Historian by investing in a Premium Subscription, this is the kind of Premium Content I publish for our Premium Subs three or four times a month. Next week, the first edition of our new Family Tradition Series will be published for Premium Subscribers. Become a Premium Subscriber today to have access to The Evolution of Pro Wrestling Series and Family Tradition Series now. Thank you to all our free and paid subs, you are whaty makes the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel what it is.
This week our 1976 Territory Review Series rolls on as we head to the northeast portion of the United States for the World Wide Wrestling Federation territory.
With the expert analysis of my special co-host analyst, Steve Gennarelli, we begin the year in January as the story between Superstar Billy Graham and WWWF Champion, Bruno Sammartino continues in what will be a very hot year for both men! Not only will Bruno face Graham in 1976, but in the first five months along, he will also be challenged by Ivan Koloff, “The Big Cat” Ernie Ladd and a huge moment in wrestling history in April of 1976!
Wednesday, April 29th, 2026: The 1976 Territory Review Series: World Wide Wrestling Federation:
WATCH HERE:
VIDEO EXTRA:
As an extra video feature only here in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Week-In-Review, let’s time tunnel back to 1976 where on January 12, 1976, at Madison Square Garden in New York City (attendance: 22,092), “The Big Cat” Ernie Ladd (the heel) defeated Gorilla Monsoon (the babyface) in a singles match on a WWWF card that was televised on HBO with Vince McMahon on commentary.
The match lasted just 8:25 and ended via referee’s decision/stoppage when Monsoon suffered excessive blood loss from a bad cut on his forehead.Ladd used his signature “loaded thumb” gimmick (a taped thumb he claimed was injured from his football days) to repeatedly jab and rake Monsoon’s forehead and throat. One of those thumb strikes sent Monsoon flying over the top rope to the floor in a big bump. The bleeding got so bad that the referee had no choice but to stop the contest and award the win to Ladd, even though Monsoon wanted to keep fighting.
It was a short, stiff, bloody brawl typical of the era’s MSG undercards—more about heat and the thumb gimmick than a long technical showcase. Full footage of the match is included below if you want to see it for yourself.
WATCH HERE:
Tony’s Media Appearances This Past Week:
Before I get into the two great podcasts I was able to be a part of in the last week, let me give you a YouTube Channel update. On our Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel YouTube Channel, we now are beginning to curate three cool playlists for you so you won’t have to search for my guest appearances all over the channel. My Media Guest Appearances, My Appearances on the Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw Show are two new curated lists we are in the process of building, so if you want to catch me on other shows or you want to check out the great history series I have done with Gerry and JBL, they are not being put together in one playlist in order for you.
Also, to go along with our 1976 Territory Review Series, a new 1976 playlist is being curated with as much 1976 video footage as we can find. The first match in the list in the one in this newsletter above. We also made the 1976 list one you can collaborate with me on, so if you want to add matches you find to our list, you can do so!
The first guest shot I made this past week was with my friend Keith P. Miller and his Most Excellent Entertainment podcast. Keith talks about all subjects that have to do with entertainment including pro wrestling and I was thrilled to be on this really fun show with Keith!
Also, this last week, I was a busy man as I also appeared on Between The Ropes with Hunter Diaz and Colt Powers talking about the coming Tragos-Thesz Hall of Fame event in Waterloo, Iowa and my induction this year into the Hall of Fame with the 2026 James C. Melby award. Check out this fun show!
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.