Shooting The Ropes

This weeks episode, we talk with PWHOF'er Dave Drason, who managed the likes of The Sheik, "Sweet Daddy" Malcolm Monroe and "The Motor City Hitmen" Al Snow and Mickey Doyle. We start out with a brief history of Dave's journey from a fan to a photographer to wrestling manager. As the 90's decade came upon Drason, he was ending his time actively ringside yet discuss the changes that were afoot as the era of valets began to be used and the wrestlers and future of the business began taking shape to pass on the knowledge to the talent for years to come. From the number of promotions dwindling down to the State of Michigan loosening its grip on Professional Wrestling, we take a look back through the eyes of Drason as he leaves the bright lights of ringside to once again sitting back amongst those entertained by the weekend warrior of the Michigan Independent Scene.

In Episode #10 we talk with WAR HOF'er Bobby Lee about his journey in independent wrestling as a member of the tag team The Outlaws and Nightmares and his singles career. During the interview we discuss his teaming up with his at that time future father in law Woody Lee, his travels through the Midwest, the infamous bat incident on Live TV for Motor City Wrestling, the actual reasoning for wear the mask leading into the tag team The Nightmares and The Homage by the tag team The Cold Brothers one day before a scheduled match. Plus we discuss how it was working during a time when wrestling was sanctioned in the state of Michigan and if that was true to this day in the state and its effects on the current state. Plus stories wrestling in GLW and so much more!

Episode #9 we talk with "North of 8 Mile" Jason Fuller. In this episode we discuss his training at the Cam Am School in Canada  with the likes of The Canadian Destroyer, Scott D'Amore and Mickey Doyle, his venture into the Detroit scene working with Insane Championship Wrestling and the CWF and winning a forgotten title in the Detroit wrestling lore, the ICW Brass Knuckles Title! We also learn what part place in wrestling he enjoyed more then being a wrestler, 2 interesting stories concerning a missed opportunity by forgetting a gear bag and how a program flyer caused a huge scene at a CWF show. All this, plus opinions on things missing from wrestling nowadays and much more!

On Episode #8, we speak to "Irish" Mickey Doyle and his career path that saw him still wrestling in local rings as the 90's decade was ending. During our interview, we discuss his time training at Lou Kleins school and leading into his first ever wrestling match against WWE HOF'er "Classy" Freddie Blassie. We then travel into his tours working for Jack Tunney in Canada, Alabama, Japan, Hawaii, Eddie Grahams Florida promotion, driving with The Mighty Igor and Bobo Brazil and many other stories. Plus learn how one of his neighbors brothers became a household name years later on the wrestling circuit and starting the Can Am school with current IMPACT! VP Scott D'Amore. so many stories, so many notes of history in this interview with the man behind "Irish" Mickey Doyle!

Episode #7 we speak to "Rude Boy" Rudy Hill and his 30 years + in the wrestling buisness. He talks about his first taste of wrestling back all the way to 1971 as a yound child watching wrestling alonside his father as the Sheik and Big Time Wrestling took over Cobo Hall and how a chance meeting as a 12 year old outside a party store with Chris Carter set forth what would become his beginnings into professional wrestling. Rudy shares with us the life lessons he learned from Al Costello and "Sweet Daddy" Malcolm Monroe in training, his beginnings as manager at "WrestleRama" in 1988, his first match against Andy Chene and his transformation into the "Rude Boy" we have known in and out of the ring during his career. The budding friendships he gained through wrestling, his association with ICP and Psychopath Records and his decision to begin promoting his own promotion "International Big Time Wrestling". As with past guests, we discuss the pros and cons of wrestling back in the early days and now, lessons many of the young guys now need to heed closely to better themselves in the wrestling buisness. So sit back and reflect back through the eyes of Rude Boy and how his travels into wrestling where in the 90's decade.

In Episode #6 of "Michigan Wrestles The 90's", we speak to 30+ year veteran of the wrestling business, "Hard Time" Gene Austin. Austin, who was a former wrestler and promoter in the area for NWA Michigan, later renamed NWA Great Lakes, speaks to us about his training back in the 80's in Georgia, his time spent in Canada at Border City Wrestling and the talent he witnessed at the Can-Am School, his personal travels as well as fued with "Death Dealer" Tommy Starr. Also, we discuss the school he held in Michigan and what he taught there that he now passes on at his promotion and school for Diamond Championship Wrestling in Mississippi.  Gene and I also discuss the changing of the guard as it pertains to the styles and training in wrestling from the tike period to the 2020's, how to make it in the business when your mind is focused, and lots of advice from the 30 year vet on how to be successful and just what NOT to do as you progress in the wrestling business. Grab a chair and sit back as we learn more about "Hard Time" Gene Austin in this 74+ minute interview.

This episode we venture back with wrestler Jimi V! Jimi V was one of the fast risers in the independent scene and as quickly as he rose to the top in the mid 90's and by the end of the decade, left the business, only to return for a quick stint 2 decades later. During this 120+ minute interview, we will discuss his training at Al Snows' Body Slammers Gym in Ohio, the group of names he trained with and how the phrase "Right Time, Right Place" started him on the track to venture the US quickly. We also discuss numerous stories and times during his career consisting of Prom vs WWF Try Out, Wedding vs Dark Match, how he met Lance Cade through mail as well as the ups and down and just what made him hang up those boots so quickly and what brought him back for one quick final run.  Grab a chair, sit back and reminisce as we "Wrestle The 90's" with Jimi V!

This weeks' episode, we get the perspective of photographer Leonard Brand, who has been a fixture on the Michigan scene for 20+ years. In this episode we learn how he got his first ever opportunity back in the 1980's by chance, as well as how the work "networking" truly set him up to bigger and better opportunities as the years passed by. Dating back to his childhood, how wrestling became special to him and the journeys ahead. We discuss many stories of his travels in the 90's, those who he worked with, and his progression into working more inside the business as time went on. Truly an astonishing perspective as he takes us on a journey through the looking glass of a photographers lens in and around the wrestling ring in this almost 3 hour interview full of laughs and memories.

On Episode #3 of "Michigan Wrestles The 90's", we talk with wrestling veteran Nate Mattson and his side of how wrestling was in the Detroit area in the 90's decade. We start off with how he went from a kid being a fan and a conversation about wrestling at work jump started a meeting to begin training in a business he has been apart of for over 20 years. From a member of "Youth Of American" to "Amazing" Nate Mattson, he shares stories of training at the Cam-Am school in Canada, his first match versus The Canadian Destroyer, going on the road to Ohio for Cleveland All Pro Wrestling and numerous cities.  One of the "Go To" Locker room leaders in my book and others, this almost 2 hour interview gives an interesting look into what helped make him the wrestler he is today and what the landscape looked like in his eyes going into the 21st Century. Plus a little knowledge into the training and development of former TNA Champion Chris Sabin, who he guided in his first wrestling training. 

This episode with talk with 2nd Generation Wrestler and Promoter "The Most Dangerous Man In Michigan" The D.B.A.  We discuss what it was like having having a father such as "Sweet Daddy" Malcolm Monroe in the wrestling business, training under his guidance, his start in wrestling and how  his promotion, XICW came to be. We discuss when DBA REALLY debuted in wrestling( its NOT when or how you may have thought or heard), a trip to The Sheik's house at the age of 16, a few noteworthy moments in Michigan History and some advice to the new class of wrestlers plus So Much More! Sit back and learn, and relive the 90's in Michigan wrestling through the eyes of The D.B.A.