Shut Up and Wrestle with Brian Solomon

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #132 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by Lucha Libre AAA superstar, Sam Adonis! With 16 years in the business across multiple organizations and countries, Sam has a unique perspective on pro wrestling, which is also informed by his vast … Continue reading Episode 132: Sam Adonis → The post Episode 132: Sam Adonis...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #131 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Toronto promoter Mike Clark makes his return to the podcast! Mike was a member of the Jack Tunney Toronto wrestling office during the WWF’s national expansion, and has lots more memories to share. Plus, he’s got … Continue reading Episode 131: Mike Clark Returns → The post Episode 131: Mike...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #130 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by wrestling critic/historian and lifelong fan, Verb Abrams! He’s the author of a recent Slam Wrestling piece on the phenomenon of 1960s wrestling sensation Ted Boy Marino, the biggest wrestling star in the … Continue reading Episode 130: Verb Abrams → The post Episode 130: V...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #129 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes to the show Herb Gerwig, the son of Killer Karl Kox! Herb discusses the life and legacy of his dad, one of the most accomplished and respected wrestlers of the heyday of the territorial … Continue reading Episode 129: Herb Gerwig → The post Episode 129: Herb Gerwig appeared fi...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #128 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, one of Brian’s most popular guests–author, editor and musician Mike Edison–returns to the show to discuss the strange phenomenon known as “wrestling journalism”. From the days of the kayfabe magazines right up to the head-scratching “press … Continue reading Episode 128: Mike Edison Talks “W...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #127 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by independent wrestler “The Cure” Lucas Chase! In addition to being a student of Dustin Rhodes, Lucas is a student of the history of the business, and is here to discuss that history … Continue reading Episode 127: Lucas Chase → The post Episode 127: Lucas Chase appeared fir...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #126 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! It’s time to go back to the message board days this week, as Brian welcomes to the show Vince Fahey, creator and founder of Kayfabe Memories! Brian talks with Vince about the creation of legacy of this unique … Continue reading Episode 126: Vince Fahey → The post Episode 126: Vince Fahey appeared first...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for the 125th episode of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! Argentina’s bizarre and wonderful Titanes en el Ring! The wild and wacky world of wrestling in Southern California! The beautiful legacy of classic lucha libre! All that and so much more are on tap as we welcome … Continue reading Episode 125: Vandal Drummond Returns → The post Episode 125: Vandal...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #124 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! What’s it like to be married to someone who won’t shut up about Frank Gotch and Baron Mikel Scicluna? Who uses the Mid-South theme song to lull the baby back to sleep? Find out this week, when Brian … Continue reading Episode 124: Jaimee Smith-Solomon → The post Episode 124: Jaimee Smith-Solomon appear...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #123 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! Join Brian this week for his second roundtable of former WWE employees. Johnny “Photo” Giamundo, former head photographer; Melissa Costabile of Publications; and Dave Barry of Creative Services sit down to discuss their unique memories and perspectives on … Continue reading Episode 123: WWE Employee Ro...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #122 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by legendary ring announcer, David Penzer! David has a new book out about his years in WCW, Sitting Ringside. He talks about that, plus growing up on Florida and Georgia wrestling, the ill-fated … Continue reading Episode 122: David Penzer → The post Episode 122: David Penzer...

“Why am I still alive? A question I ask myself a lot… God takes care of fools and babies.” We go back into the archives this week for part 2 of Brian’s July 2006 interview with Roddy Piper! Turn back the clock and hear Roddy talk about the infamous Lord Alfred Hayes rib, the making … Continue reading Episode 121: From the Archives – Rowdy Roddy Piper, Part 2 → The post Episode 121: From the Archiv...

“If you have any creativity in you, and you have enough balls, there’s nothing that you can’t do in that squared circle… And that’s freedom.” In the summer of 2006, Brian went to a warehouse in Utica, New York and spent two hours interviewing Roddy Piper. We go back into the archives this week for … Continue reading Episode 120: From the Archives – Rowdy Roddy Piper, Part 1 → The post Episode 120:...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #119 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with @BrianRSolomon! This week, Brian is joined by Brad Balukjian, author of The Six Pack: On the Open Road in Search of WrestleMania! Brad discusses his interesting new book on the early years of Vince McMahon’s WWF and the wrestlers who took … Continue reading Episode 119: Brad Balukjian → The post Episode 119: Brad Balukj...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #118 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by Arcadian Vanguard’s very own Lou Kipilman! Join Brian and Lou for a conversation that wanders everywhere. Hollywood voiceover legends! San Francisco wrestling history! NWA World Champion Harley Race in the WWF! Samoans! … Continue reading Episode 118: Lou Kipilman → The po...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #117 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by the accomplished wrestling promoter and historian, Matt Farmer! Join Brian and Matt for a discussion of old school vs. new school, WWF vs. NWA, the life of a wrestling researcher, Singapore, the … Continue reading Episode 117: Matt Farmer → The post Episode 117: Matt Farme...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #116 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by wrestling reporter and interviewer, Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s own Candace Cordelia! Join Brian and Candace for a discussion of PWI, wrestling reality shows, women’s wrestling, early 2000s fandom, life on the red carpet … Continue reading Episode 116: Candace Cordelia → T...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #115 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by DeSean “Whipdog” Whipple and Mr. Joe Walker of the Wrestling Heroes and Insiders Podcast! It’s an in-depth three-man panel talking about everything from the ins and outs of wrestling journalism, to hip-hop … Continue reading Episode 115: Whipdog & Mr. Joe Walker → The post...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #114 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! In honor of WrestleMania week, and in light of recent discussions of WWE corporate culture, Brian has put together a roundtable of former WWE employees. Brian and his guests, former head of security Jimmy Noonan, former creative director … Continue reading Episode 114: WWE Employee Roundtable → The pos...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #113 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by vintage wrestling footage curator extraordinaire, Kris P. Lettuce! The proprietor of Armstrong Alley on YouTube and the keeper of the best wrestling Google Drive in existence, the elusive Mr. Lettuce joins Brian … Continue reading Episode 113: Kris P. Lettuce → The post Ep...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #112 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by Portland Wrestling historian, Mike Rodgers! Recipient of the 2019 Jim Melby Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club, Mike is the author of such books as The Encyclopedia of Portland Wrestlers, Katie Bar … Continue reading Episode 112: Mike Rodgers → The post Episode 112: Mik...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #111 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by Colin Hunter, the man behind Kayfabe News! Colin has also spent time as a wrestling referee, and created the documentary, The Ref Didn’t See It. We chat about everything from the importance … Continue reading Episode 111: Colin Hunter → The post Episode 111: Colin Hunter a...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #110 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined once again by Mike Sempervive to remember the life, career and legacy of Ole Anderson. Mike has done extension work commemorating the legacy of Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast and elsewhere, and he and Brian … Continue reading Episode 110: Mike Sempervive Remembers Ole Ande...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #109 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by his former WWE Publications colleague Melissa Costabile for a trip back to Titan Tower! Melissa has loads of amusing tales and anecdotes from her days in Stamford, so listen in as she … Continue reading Episode 109: Melissa Costabile → The post Episode 109: Melissa Costabi...

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #108 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian is joined by longtime pro wrestling journalist, author and historian, Steve Johnson! Listen in for a conversation on the inner workings of the craft of writing wrestling books, not to mention a dip into history … Continue reading Episode 108: Steve Johnson → The post Episode 108: Steve...