Windy City Slam

Longtime Chicagoland wrestler and trainer Doug Simmons returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to talk about his comeback to the ring in 2025, including winning the Northland Pro Championship, being a part of this weekend’s “A Day For Priest” event and being a mentor for talent such as Skye Blue, Jordan Kross and Damien Walker. We discuss what gave him the itch to return to the ring, watching Skye Blue...

With TNA Slammiversary this weekend, Chicago guy and TNA color commentator Matthew Rehwoldt returned to the show for the first time in nearly five years to discuss the big event, including the three-way main event between Trick Williams, Joe Hendry and Mike Santana for the TNA World Championship. We discuss the Slammiversary card, the current state of TNA, TNA’s working agreement with NXT, Mustafa...

The New World Order – better known simply as the NWO – was a pop culture phenomenon in the late 1990s and catapulted professional wrestling into the mainstream consciousness. ESPN journalist Marc Raimondi joined Windy City Slam to chat about the revolution and his new book, “Say Hello to The Bad Guys: “How Professional Wrestling’s New World Order” Changed America.” We go back to how the NWO was fo...

Longtime wrestling contributor and local historian Nick Headford joins Windy City Slam Podcast to discuss a special event to honor the life of Eric Priest, who passed away suddenly earlier this year. Headford talks about the diverse group of talent who are scheduled to work at “A Day For Priest” at the end of July in West Chicago, memories of Priest and what to expect from the show, as well as the...

Growing up in the same area as WWE Superstar CM Punk, maybe it was destiny for “Big Hoss Hippie” Regan Lydale to become a professional wrestler. Lydale, who just won the Defiant Pro Wrestling Championship this past weekend, joins Windy City Slam Podcast for the first time to discuss how a family friend pushed her toward Tommy Else, who in turn prepared her for the rigors of the Freelance Wrestling...

Formerly of Alpha Zeta Zeta, Hans Carden has made his name from mastering the single-leg Boston Crab and securing multiple championships. Carden joins Windy City Slam Podcast for the first time to discuss his runs as Chicago Style Wrestling Metra Division Champion and GALLI Lucha Libre Discovery Champion, a memorable rib played on him and Charlie Kleiman during their time as AZZ, training at CSW A...

Rocket Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion “Simply Undeniable” Steve Michaels may be a beast in the ring, but he owns a heart of gold outside of it. Michaels returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to discuss his yearlong reign as RPW Champion, being the rock of The Undeniable, his upcoming match with former NXT and AEW wrestler Parker Boudreaux, participating at the Cauliflower Alley Reunion Showcase,...

Thanks to The IcePick Academy, “Icebox” Josie Valentine has transformed herself into a potential star over the last year. Valentine joins Windy City Slam Podcast for the first time to discuss her stint at Black and Brave, her father’s influence, the ups and downs of her wrestling journey, who pointed her toward The IcePick Academy and Vic Capri, her character makeover, filling out her literal wres...

Returning to Windy City Slam Podcast is the inaugural NWA Chicago Champion “Polish Power” Mario Pardua. Pardua joins us to discuss working his way through Chicago Style Wrestling and the CSW Academy, defeating his mentor “Superstar” Steve Boz to win the NWA Chicago title, teaming with Boz at NWA 76 last summer, Team Babushka with Shelly Benson and Eric Schultz, getting a pic with Billy Corgan, bra...

She’s one of the fastest rising wrestlers on the independent scene, a former Ohio Valley Wrestling Women’s Champion who has seen action in Illinois at DREAMWAVE, Uprising Women’s Athletes and Chicago Style Wrestling. “The Ultimate Athlete” J-Rod joins Windy City Slam Podcast to discuss the great names who have held the OVW Women’s title, working for DREAMWAVE, career aspirations in and out of the...

He’s done a little bit of everything on the Chicagoland independent scene, including broadcasting, managing, podcasting, working as an authority figure, and even wrestling. Steve Ahrendt returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to discuss a loaded card for Chicago Style Wrestling’s “Nowhere Generation,” the latest happenings in CSW, his match at Rocket Pro against Shaq Jordan and run-in with Aaron Stone...

Friend of the show, “The Godfather of the Lovely Intoxicated Men,” Tony Gabagool joins Windy City Slam Podcast for his first full-fledged interview as he recaps Rocket Pro Wrestling’s “Kicks on 66” season finale. Gabagool discusses the chaotic Three Stages of Hell main event between The Freebirds and Youth Gone Wild as well as some of the other craziness that went down in Joliet last weekend. Gaba...

One of the Chicago area’s rising stars, Ezio Orlandi, and his cohorts in FOBIA are strong-arming their way toward the top of 2econd Wrestling. Orlandi returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to discuss his journey, quest to regain the Maxwell Street Heritage Championship, thoughts on Sean Login, what to expect at “Anchorfists,” starting to train at the Chicago Style Wrestling school, expanding his reac...

In a stacked episode, AMB and Oscar Rodriguez of Midwest Championship Wrestling join Windy City Slam Podcast to talk about MCW “Street Fight” this weekend in Ottawa. AMB and Rodriguez discuss the card, the evolution of MCW and trying to grow the brand every day. Plus, former WWE.com writer Jordan Garretson returns to dive deep into WrestleMania 41 weekend, including a megastar who was conspicuous...

The now-former Freelance Wrestling World Champion Alfonso Gonzalez returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to talk about the emotions of winning the title, dreams of wrestling Damien Sandow, defending the Freelance Underground Independent Championship at Defiant Pro, previewing matches at the upcoming Ego Pro Chicago show in Shorewood, relationship with Robert “Ego” Anthony, having a hot sauce named af...

Chicago wrestling legend TINY returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to talk about retiring from in-ring competition and helping backstage at POWW Entertainment. He also talks about the future of the company in talents such as Mason Percs and Will Emory, a burgeoning women’s division and a busy month of shows in May. TINY also reflects on the recent passings of “Awesome” Ondy Austin and Mr. Bill. Also...

Longtime ring announcer and broadcaster for promotions such as AAW Pro, Freelance Underground, Freelance Wrestling and Zelo Pro, Jimmy D is one of Chicago indie wrestling’s most recognizable voices. Windy City Slam Podcast welcomes Jimmy D for the first time to preview AAW’s “Ring of Fire,” discuss what drew him to wrestling, times working for various local promotions, interactions with Drew McInt...

The Chicagoland independent wrestling scene is robust with great talent spread out through many promotions. PWE Report’s Sean Lennon joins Windy City Slam Podcast to recap Chicago Style Wrestling’s “Figure Four Leaf Clover” (which featured some surprises), Freelance Wrestling (including their top champions and the Red Star Medallion), the state of Chicagoland indie wrestling, top local independent...

“From the Far Side of the World Tree,” “The Ragna-Rocker” KRUX makes his debut appearance on Windy City Slam Podcast to explain his mission in pro wrestling, preview Illinois Valley Wrestling Federation’s inaugural show “The Donnybrook Brawl,” his connection with Angus McDuff, his inspirations to get into wrestling, working with PRW and ARW Pro and how he could fit in as a Juggalo. Plus, Mike reca...

A gruesome leg injury and excruciating rehab didn’t stop Sean Galway from returning to what he loved. A year after breaking his leg in a match, “The Irish Stallion” joins Windy City Slam to walk us through his origins in the wrestling business, training at Freelance Wrestling Academy, what he remembers from his debut match, his “gambler” gimmick, the match vs. Dante Leon at Iron Spirit Pro where h...

Emmy-Winning, Pro-Wrestling news anchor “Iron” Mike Curkov, originally from Schaumburg, returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to talk SSW Entertainment/Sports N Signings’ “HORSEPOWER III.” The CBS58 Milwaukee morning anchor discusses his role in the fundraising event for Mahone Middle School in Kenosha, other matches on the card, favorite moments since he started dabbling in wrestling, the origins of...

With SSW Entertainment’s “HORSEPOWER III” around the corner, “The Punk Rock Prince” Jordan Kross returns to Windy City Slam Podcast to talk about next week’s fundraising wrestling event for Mahone Middle School in Kenosha. Kross discusses his main event match against TNA star Mustafa Ali, his past big-ticket foes at the event, the impact the show has on the community, his first title defense as Al...

Will County’s top wrestling lawyer Eric Schultz has been getting “resultz” pretty much everywhere he has worked as he currently holds the Midwest Championship Wrestling and Northland Pro Championships. Schultz returned to Windy City Slam Podcast to brief us about MCW’s upcoming show on Feb. 28 in Ottawa, the trials and tribulations of obtaining the MCW title, his 800-plus-day reign at Northland Pr...

With a background in powerlifting and jiu-jitsu, you think it would’ve been a natural fit for Mya Caras to become a professional wrestler at some point. But took a little prodding, attending some Rocket Pro shows and a meeting with “Shogun” Chris L.O.G.A.N. to convince Caras to give it a shot. “Muscle Mommy” joins Windy City Slam Podcast to talk about her journey, training at Wrestle League and Ic...

It was a newsworthy Royal Rumble and former WWE.com writer Jordan Garretson joins Windy City Slam Podcast to recap the start of the Road to WrestleMania with some twists and surprises. We also discuss Garretson’s in-person observations from Indianapolis, the shocking victory by Jey Uso, Roxanne Perez’s coming out party and the many scenarios for WrestleMania for stars such as John Cena, CM Punk, R...