Why No Holds Barred is the Ultimate Nostalgia Trip for Hulkamaniacs

If you grew up in the late 80s or early 90s, you didn’t just watch Hulk Hogan—you lived in a world defined by him. Between the vitamins, the prayers, and the neon yellow spandex, the Hulkster was less of a wrestler and more of a living superhero.

But then, 1989 gave us something that defied logic, physics, and perhaps, good taste: No Holds Barred.

Look, I’m not here to tell you this is an Oscar-contending masterpiece. It’s objectively ridiculous. It’s loud, it’s sweaty, and the plot makes a Saturday morning cartoon look like Succession. But despite its campy nature—or maybe because of it—this movie still resonates with me today.

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Why Irresistible Force is the Greatest Wrestling Biography Ever Written

Every once in a while, a biography comes along that does more than just recount the dates and achievements of a famous figure; it forces you to look inward. I recently finished Brian R. Solomon’s latest masterpiece, Irresistible Force: The Life and Times of Gorilla Monsoon, and the timing couldn’t have been more poignant. Finishing the final pages just before attending a family funeral, I found myself struck by the heavy, beautiful theme of legacy—specifically, how we choose to be remembered.

Solomon has long been a heavyweight in wrestling literature, but this is, without a doubt, his best work yet. It is an extraordinary achievement that manages to entertain while simultaneously cultivating profound introspection.

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The Return of The Hardys: TNA Wrestling’s Dynamic Duo Re-Signs

TNA Wrestling confirmed today that it has re-signed Jeff & Matt Hardy, aka, The Hardys – the reigning TNA World Tag Team Champions, as first reported by Sports Illustrated.

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What was your dream job as a child?

What was your dream job as a child? Kids say the craziest things, so I’m sure many of you had unusual aspirations at a young age. Read for my answer to this question and let me know yours.

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WWE Raw: Ultimate Warrior’s Last Public Appearance

The night after WWE WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans, the Ultimate Warrior was on Monday Night Raw for what would wind up being his last public appearance. Thankfully, I was one of the thousands in attendance that night. Below is a video I shot of the Ultimate Warrior’s last public appearance and last time in a WWE ring.

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WWE Board Probes Secret $3 Million Hush Pact by CEO Vince McMahon

The board of World Wrestling Entertainment is investigating a secret $3 million settlement that longtime chief executive Vince McMahon agreed to pay to a departing employee with whom he allegedly had an affair, according to documents and people familiar with the board inquiry. Read on for the full story from The Wall Street Journal.

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Review: Ultimate Warrior WWE A&E Biography

Growing up, the Ultimate Warrior was my favorite pro wrestler. He was colorful, intense, and relentless — a comic book character come to life, with face paint and tassels to boot. Thankfully, I decided to attend WrestleMania XXX in 2014, which wound up being the Ultimate Warrior’s final run with WWE. It was an incredible weekend of events, capped off by his prophetic words on Monday Night RAW. This past Sunday, the latest WWE A&E Biography was all about the life and career of this icon of the squared circle. Did it delve deep or was it simply a puff piece? Read on for my thoughts.

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WCW: The Ultimate Guide

Back in 2000, DK, the same company that brings us incredible WWE books, published WCW: The Ultimate Guide. This slim hardback book was a precursor to the WWE Encyclopedia. It compiles wrestler biographies, information about moves, events, TV shows, PPVs, and more. It’s an interesting look at a company that, just one year later, would be bought out by Vince McMahon’s WWE. Below is a video review, where I show you every single page in this out-of-print book. Enjoy!

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The Unofficial Wrestling Figure Retrospective 1990-1994

I am a big pro wrestling fan. Growing up in the 1990s means I have fond memories of the wildly popular WWF Hasbro action figures that came out during the first few years of that decade. Crazy, over-the-top commercials promoting the wild and wacky toys, including a miniature WWF ring where my tiny titans could battle it out to become the World Wrestling Federation Champion! It was a glorious time to be a fan, and I still own my WWF Hasbro figures. When I heard that a book came out celebrating these cherished WWF Hasbro figures, I knew I had to check it out. So, is this 388-page tome of pro wrestling action figures’ glory days worth buying? Read on for my thoughts on The Unofficial Wrestling Figure Retrospective 1990-1994.

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Audible Review: The Death of WCW

I grew up watching professional wrestling in the 1990s, during the famous Monday Night War between Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling (WCW). It was an exciting time to be a fan, as I’d switch back and forth on Monday nights between WWF Monday Night Raw and WCW Monday Nitro to see what both promotions were serving up that week. Both WWF and WCW eventually created secondary prime-time shows, over-saturating the market with their content. And WCW suffered so greatly that it was bought up by Vince McMahon for far less than it was worth just a few years prior.

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