Episodes

  • Re-View #91: USWA 7/27/91 (Who’s “Cuzzun Harruld”?)
    Feb 18 2026

    If you like your Retro Re-View episodes with maximum Memphis logic, big TV angles, and the kind of side commentary that turns one absurd segment into a 10 minute discussion, then Episode #91 is absolutely for you.

    This week, the show is basically three things:

    • Jarrett getting jumped and coming back with a plank to split it over a Barroom Brawler's head!
    • Tony Anthony turning a wedding proposal into another battle with the Texas crew
    • Lawler/Reggie/Kong turning a title feud into a comedy bit about gold, jewelry, and “stolen property”

    The conversation stretches out deeper on:

    • How the Survival Cage stipulation is designed to force brutality
    • The “Cousin Harold” mystery and why Memphis loved the “huge guy who can fight”(but can't wrestle) hook
    • The studio brawl structure and why Marlin/Neighbors getting involved matters
    • The exact ways USWA TV is selling the Pipkin card and whether this episode would’ve gotten them to buy a ticket
    • The Monday night results fallout and what it means for the next stretch of TV

    Plus: this was the last week at the Pipkin Building as the Mid South Coliseum issue has been resolved!


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    1 hr and 44 mins
  • Re-View #90: USWA 7/20/91 (Awesome Kong Arrives!)
    Feb 11 2026

    On Episode #90 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast, the crew breaks down another week of early-90s USWA television including Memphis style gimmick matches, barroom fight storytelling, and the ongoing chaos surrounding multiple top feuds on the card.

    This week’s discussion includes a detailed look at the Barroom Brawlers vs Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller program, including promos centered around fighting “in their home environment” and threats to hospitalize their opponents ahead of the match.

    The guys also revisit fallout from recent specialty matches, including highlights of the infamous mud hole tag match, including discussion of Dr. Tom, Tony Anthony, Eric Embry interference, and how the mud pit spots were structured for maximum drama rather than just chaos.

    Also discussed this week:

    • Promos from Jeff Jarrett and Robert Fuller - plus BT gets another response from Jeff Jarrett answering a recent question
    • Character authenticity discussion, including commentary on personalities like Reggie B being “the gimmick is the real guy” type characters

    The episode also touches on the broader USWA landscape at the time, including:

    • Lawler shifting focus in his feud positioning
    • Incoming challengers entering the title picture
    • Recap discussion of Nashville house show results and how they tied into TV storytelling

    Match results and discussion also reference:

    • Bill Dundee working against rotating “monster / gimmick” opponents (when they show up)
    • Jarrett & Fuller regaining tag team momentum in street fight conditions
    • Embry interference continuing to play into major match finishes and story progression


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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Re-View #89: USWA 7/13/91 (Eric Embry asks "Do you love me?")
    Feb 4 2026

    On Episode #89 of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast, the gang dives back into another chaotic chapter of USWA television, where studio brawls, wild gimmicks, and classic Memphis escalation collide in ways only this territory could deliver. This week’s discussion covers one of the most memorable stretches of early-’90s USWA TV, highlighted by violent studio chaos, controversial stipulations, and the constant balancing act between spectacle and storytelling that defined the era.

    On this episode:

    • The fallout from recent studio chaos involving Jerry Lawler, Eric Embry, and Leatherface, including one of the wildest chainsaw angles ever attempted on Memphis TV
    • The infamous desk destruction segment and how it looked terrifying as a kid but hilarious in hindsight
    • Lawler’s reaction to the chaos and the moment the angle nearly went off the rails when the chainsaw malfunctioned
    • The continued blending of fear-based monster gimmicks with classic Memphis style storytelling
    • Why Memphis could get away with angles this insane and why fans bought into it anyway

    The episode also dives into the broader landscape around this time period:

    • Nashville Fairgrounds and Monday night Mid-South Coliseum results
    • The revolving door of talent including names like Rob Van Dam, Chris Candido, Sabu, and others passing through the territory
    • Mud hole matches, lumberjack matches, and Memphis-style stipulation overload
    • The chaotic, sometimes nonsensical booking that still somehow sold tickets

    Beyond just recapping matches and promos, the crew breaks down:

    • Why monster gimmicks like Leatherface worked in the territory environment
    • How Memphis TV created urgency even when logic took a back seat
    • Why this era still fascinates fans decades later

    This episode is a perfect snapshot of Memphis wrestling at its most unpredictable: part horror movie, part street fight, part live theater.


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    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Re-View #88: USWA 7/6/91 (Meet the BARROOM BRAWLERS!)
    Jan 28 2026

    On this episode of the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast, Gene Jackson, Josh Briley, and Brian Tramel break down another wild week of USWA Championship Wrestling from July 1991, a show loaded with debuts, bizarre booking choices, and escalating chaos.

    The episode kicks off with Sabu, who is now billed Samu “The Mystery Man,” raising plenty of questions as Memphis audiences are asked to pretend they don’t already know exactly who he is. Meanwhile, Eric Embry continues his reign of annoying the Memphis babyfaces, lying with confidence, dodging consequences, and drawing out his increasingly heated feud with Jerry “The King” Lawler, which is now barreling toward a lumberjack showdown.

    The show also introduces the Barroom Brawlers, a rough around the edges team whose debut includes chair shots, confusion, and one of the most unintentionally funny promos in recent memory. Add in mud hole match insanity, Lawler squashing Judge Dread, and Memphis TV at its most unfiltered, and you’ve got another episode that perfectly captures why this era remains endlessly fascinating.


    On this episode:

    • Samu (Sabu) debuts (again) as The Mystery Man (yeah, I don’t know either)
    • Rob Van Dam’s early Memphis run and unconventional style
    • Eric Embry’s greatest hits: lies, excuses, and chaos
    • Jerry Lawler asserts control with authority and violence
    • The debut of the Barroom Brawlers and chair-swinging mayhem
    • Dr. Tom Prichard, Miss Texas, Dirty White Boy & Dirty White Girl collide
    • Mud hole matches, questionable promos, and classic Memphis energy

    It’s another episode where logic takes a back seat to entertainment but it’s definitely fun, join us!

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    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Re-View #87: USWA 6/29/91 (Dirty White Girl gets Humiliated!)
    Jan 21 2026

    This week on the Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast, we dive deep into an unforgettable episode of USWA Championship Wrestling from June 29, 1991, a show that feels like Memphis wrestling turned up to eleven.

    Gene Jackson, Josh Briley, and Brian Tramel analyze a wild hour of television where Leatherface storms the studio with a chainsaw, Eric Embry proves why he’s one of the greatest chickens*** heels ever, and the studio ends up knee deep in syrup, feathers, and absolute madness.

    Highlights:

    • Why Leatherface works better as a visual threat than a wrestler
    • The psychology of Embry being terrified of Lawler despite having every advantage
    • The Ta-Gar experiment, the Dr. Doom mask, and why “Lord of the Volcano” quietly disappeared
    • Lawler’s masterclass in getting a passable match out of an impossible gimmick
    • The "tar and feather" angle dissected discussing history, intent, and why it felt dated by ’91
    • Miss Texas, Dirty White Girl, and the fine line between chaos and discomfort
    • The overuse of the DDT and whether finishers were already losing meaning by this era
    • Rob Zakowski’s upside, near miss spots, and early signs of innovation
    • Jeff Jarrett & Robert Fuller’s looping stipulation that backs the booking into a corner
    • Jackie Fargo’s return and why it still mattered to Memphis crowds
    • Attendance notes, Evansville and Memphis results, and behind the scenes notes

    WATCH THE FULL TELEVISION EPISODE THEY ARE REVIEWING, HERE: https://youtu.be/lCcaZbvvhU8?si=R-XijL8tAWsjqKZL

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    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Re-View #86: USWA 6/22/91 (Eric Embry gets FIRED!! Briefly....)
    Jan 14 2026

    This week on Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA, we dive into one of the strongest TV episodes of 1991 , a show where everything revolves around Eric Embry being the absolute worst human being possible… and it works beautifully.

    Gene Jackson, Josh Briley, and Brian Tramel break down an episode packed with consequences, continuity, and crowd investment, as the Lawler–Embry feud escalates from Leatherface horror into full-blown studio CHAOS!!


    In this episode:

    • Why the Leatherface angle exceeded expectations and hooked the crowd
    • Embry’s masterclass performance as a cowardly, manipulative heel
    • The art of cutting off babyface momentum at exactly the right moment
    • Eddie Marlin finally snapping and firing Embry on TV and why it couldn’t stick
    • Lawler’s insistence on one more match and how that fuels the feud
    • Why the studio chases worked instead of feeling silly
    • Rob Van Dam’s early USWA run and a mysteriously missing finish
    • Confusing booking, wrong records, and undefeated teams that definitely lost
    • Bill Dundee’s repetitive promos and that unforgettable jacket
    • Catfights, double count outs, and angles designed to sell Monday night
    • Eddie Gilbert quits the company
    • Real attendance numbers and live results from Dallas and Memphis

    This episode is a perfect example of Memphis wrestling logic: stretch the money feud, keep the crowd angry, and never give them everything at once.

    WATCH THE FULL TELEVISION EPISODE THEY ARE REVIEWING, HERE: https://youtu.be/RD_BTvq5Gzw?si=waXI0OVF9TcJzSjK
    Here's the fun "BENNY HILL SHOW" style video mentioned on the podcast:
    https://youtu.be/h9hMPcF4GL4

    If you're enjoying WrestleCopia and interested in helping us continue to grow, please consider Subscribing to our Patreon to help us pay the bills! https://www.patreon.com/wrestlecopia
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    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Re-View #85: USWA 6/15/91 (Leatherface Arrives, USWA Goes Grindhouse!)
    Jan 7 2026

    The Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast rolls on with Episode #85, and this week’s episode is a perfect snapshot of early 1991 Memphis wrestling: bizarre gimmicks, Rutter chaos, accidental comedy, and angles that began to turn things around.

    Gene Jackson is joined by Josh Briley and Brian Tramel as they break down an unforgettable episode of USWA Championship Wrestling, Eric Embry promises the debut of his next Texas ally, Leatherface, the in-studio debut of Ta-Gar: Lord of the Volcano, a kickboxing experiment straight out of a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, and one of the most unintentionally hilarious promos in territory history.

    On this episode:

    • Eric Embry introduces Leatherface by retelling the entire plot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (complete with clips)
    • Jerry Lawler immediately undermines the gimmick by calling it “a guy in a Halloween mask”
    • Why the Leatherface angle still worked — and drew nearly 1,000 fans at the Pipkin Building!
    • Ta-Gar debuts in the studio, shooting fire from his shield and clawing people with a flaming glove
    • The debut of "Pistol: Pez Whatley, including a promo that turns into an unintentional Corey Maclin impression
    • Miss Texas, Dirty White Girl, and one of the strangest catfight segments ever aired
    • A mysterious “Vietnamese Kickboxing Match” featuring Dong Chao Mang and Rob Zukowski
    • Why Chris Frazier deserves a medal for surviving this episode
    • Doug Gilbert’s unpredictable Roughhouse gimmick lives for another week
    • Real attendance numbers that explain why this madness seemingly actually mattered

    This episode is USWA at its most grindhouse — ridiculous on paper, oddly compelling in execution, and endlessly fascinating in hindsight.


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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Re-View #84: USWA 6/8/91 (Ta-Gar: Lord of the Volcano arrives!)
    Dec 31 2025

    The Retro Wrestling Re-View USWA Podcast rolls on with Episode #84, and this one has a little bit of everything — classic Memphis chaos, unforgettable characters, and the long-awaited return of the King!

    Gene Jackson is joined by Josh Briley and Brian Tramel as they break down this week’s episode of USWA Championship Wrestling, where Jerry Lawler finally steps back into the spotlight after a few weeks away, immediately reasserting control and reminding everyone exactly who runs Memphis (both behind and in front of the camera).

    On this episode:

    • Jerry Lawler’s triumphant return, confronting Eric Embry and physically dismantling both Carl Stiles and the Texas Ranger
    • The opening match delivers big heat as Dirty White Boy vs. Tom Prichard explodes — capped off by the shocking return of The Dirty White Girl, who launches Miss Texas over the desk
    • A deep discussion on why that opening segment worked and why it mattered
    • The debut of Carl Stiles and why his presentation never quite clicks with fans
    • Eric Embry’s master class heel psychology (“I ain’t got no beef with you, Lawler!”)
    • Jeff Jarrett, Robert Fuller, and the never ending “we used to feud” reminders, EVERY WEEK!
    • The arrival of Ta-Gar, Lord of the Volcano whose left hand is on fire, but he seems cool with it
    • Multi man tag team chaos, "Roughouse" Doug Gilbert get his character over, and Bill Dundee doing things only Bill Dundee can do
    • Real attendance numbers from the Pipkin Building that tell a much darker story about the state of the territory in June 1991

    This episode captures a promotion desperately trying to stabilize itself by leaning on Lawler’s star power, throwing gimmicks at the wall, and hoping something sticks.

    If you love Memphis wrestling history, honest analysis, and laugh out loud fun with the absurdity of it all, this one’s a must listen.


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    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 24 mins