NW Favorites: The Heart of Portland Wrestling Episode #5Episode 5 highlights three standout stars who defined theNorthwest’s middle-to-upper card — wrestlers who brought credibility, excitement, and emotional investment to Portland Wrestling without being the territory’s absolute megastars.

Host Frank Culbertson covers:

🔹 Les Thornton — the technical master and “man of 1000 holds” who brought British style, legitimate toughness, and multiple title reigns to Portland.
🔹 Johnny Kostas — a world-traveling enigma with a dozen identities and a reputation for toughness, athleticism, and mystery everywhere he went.
🔹 Steven Little Bear — the fiery babyface who stepped into Lonnie Mayne’s spot, beat Bull Ramos for the NW title, and became one of the most beloved stars of the early 1970s.

These weren’t the megastars — they were the wrestlers whocarried Portland’s cards, anchored the semi-main events, and earned the crowd’s respect night after night.

Based on The Encyclopedia of Portland Wrestlers by historian Mike Rodgers, available now on Amazon.
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