He’s the Wrestling God. He’s a WWE Hall of Famer. He was the longest-reigning world champion in SmackDown history. And this week, John “Bradshaw” Layfield is the special guest for the 200th episode of Shut Up and Wrestle with Brian R. Solomon! Listen in as Brian and JBL talk wrestling history, including the Von Erichs, … Continue reading Episode 200: John “Bradshaw” Layfield →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #199 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes Kurt Nielsen, author of the new book, Howdy Neighbor! Stan “Plowboy” Frazier and His Appetite for Life. Stan Frazier, aka Uncle Elmer, is truly one of those endearing wrestling characters that doesn’t quite get … Continue reading Episode 199: Kurt Nielsen →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #198 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes longtime promoter/booker and Fight Game podcaster John LaRocca to the show. It’s a deep discussion of wrestling psychology, and how it has changed over the generations right up to the present. If you’ve got … Continue reading Episode 198: John LaRocca →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #197 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes author and historian Lizzy Flanagan to the show. Join Lizzy and Brian for a discussion of early 20th century wrestling history, the history of wrestling in Philadelphia, Lizzy’s obsession with the Von Erichs, her … Continue reading Episode 197: Lizzy Flanagan →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #196 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes author Ian Douglass to the show! Ian is the writer of such books as A Decided Novelty and Bahamian Rhapsody, plus the biographies of Steve Keirn, Dan Severn, Bugsy McGraw, Brian Blair and Hornswoggle, … Continue reading Episode 196: Ian Douglass →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #195 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! It’s part five of the NWA Word Champions Series, with special guest Herb Simmons. NWA champ from 1959 into 1961, Pat O’Connor took the title out of its Dick Hutton doldrums, and was the bridge between the golden … Continue reading Episode 195: The NWA World Champions Series, Part 5 – Pat O’Connor →

We go in the internet wrestling wayback machine this week for episode 194 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with special guest Scott Keith! If “RSPW”, “Usenet”, “Wrestleline” or “Smark Retro Rants” mean anything to you, then this is the episode for you. Brian and Scott take a deep dive into early internet wrestling culture, and … Continue reading Episode 194: Scott Keith →

Well, well, well… It’s time for Episode #193 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian’s guest is none other than the quintessential studmuffin himself, Joel Gertner. Brian and Joel get into their shared background as wrestling fans growing up in Brooklyn in the ’80s and ’90s. Lots of talk about … Continue reading Episode 193: Joel Gertner →

“My husband used to say to me, the only ones you got to worry about is me and you. So don’t ask me anything about the business. And I never did. I said OK. When the phone rang, and he was in his office, I closed the door. I didn’t wanna know nothing.” In July … Continue reading Episode 192: From the Archives – Maureen Marella →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #191 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! It’s part four of the NWA Word Champions Series, with special guest Mike Chapman. Despite being the hand-picked successor to Lou Thesz and NWA World champion from 1957-1959, Dick Hutton is the least discussed titleholder from the classic … Continue reading Episode 191: The NWA World Champions Series, Part 4 – Dick Hutton →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #190 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes author James Dixon to the show to talk about his new book on wrestling in 1992, Titan Shrinking: How Wrestling’s Muscle Lost Its Power. It’s a deep dive into the WWF (and a little … Continue reading Episode 190: James Dixon →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #189 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! Brian’s guest this week, for the first time ever on any podcast, is Valerie Marella-Jankowski, the daughter of Gorilla Monsoon! IRRESISTIBLE FORCE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GORILLA MONSOON has finally arrived, and it would not be what … Continue reading Episode 189: Valerie Marella-Jankowski →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #188 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! Straight out of the WWF Event Center, it’s the one and only Sean Mooney, Brian’s guest this week! Sean and Brian were unable to connect during the process of IRRESISTIBLE FORCE, Brian’s book on Gorilla Monsoon, but Sean … Continue reading Episode 188: Sean Mooney →

“I do know that at least at one time in my 21 years of doing this, I was better than absolutely anybody else… Around ’96/97, I don’t think there was anybody better than me at that time.” We go back into the Brian R. Solomon archives again this week on Shut Up and Wrestle, for … Continue reading Episode 187: From the Archives – Shawn Michaels →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #186 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes wrestling historian and author Sean Dulaney to the show! The state of Indiana, and particularly the Evansville area, was a fascinating place during the territorial era, and Sean is the man to talk about … Continue reading Episode 186: Sean Dulaney →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #185 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes UK-based wrestling historian Allan Blackstock to the show! Allan is responsible for a wealth of outstanding old-school wrestling media on Twitter (@allan_cheapshot) and is here this week to discuss the importance of preserving wrestling … Continue reading Episode 185: Allan Blackstock →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #184 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! It’s part three of the NWA Word Champions Series, with special guest Greg Oliver. Although often considered one of the “forgotten” NWA World champs, Whipper Billy Watson was not only a significant figure in the history of the … Continue reading Episode 184: The NWA World Champions Series , Part 3 – Whipper Billy Watson →

Hello, wrestling fans! Join Brian R. Solomon this week for the Best of Shut Up and Wrestle, Vol. 3! To fill the void while he’s away this week at the Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion, Brian has dipped into the archives of Shut Up and Wrestle once again to bring you some of the cream of … Continue reading The Best of Shut Up and Wrestle, Vol. 3 →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #183 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes author Ross Benes, author of the provocative new book, 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times. Needless to say, there are many intersections with that topic and the world … Continue reading Episode 183: Ross Benes →

Hello, wrestling fans! It’s time for Episode #182 of Shut Up and Wrestle, with Brian R. Solomon! This week, Brian welcomes author Dan Murphy back to the show to talk about his new book, Ed Don George: The Remarkable Life of an Olympian and Pro Wrestling Champion. Ed Don was a superstar in his day, … Continue reading Episode 182: Dan Murphy Talks Ed Don George →