Growing up in the Los Angeles area
Earliest pro wrestling memories
Being inspired by Eddie Guerrero, Shawn Michaels, and Tiger Mask
Training with Jesse Hernandez
At age 15, wrestling under a mask in the Tijuana Auditorium
Training with friends the Havana Pitbulls and Samoa Joe at the New Japan gym in Los Angeles
At age 18, wrestling in the Tokyo Dome for New Japan
Working in CMLL with Rocky Romero
Learning from Negro Casas
A career limiting injury at the hands of Bryan Danielson
Working the TNA X Cup Tournament on Pay Per View
Frustration and complacency in the indies
Southern California skater ring gear and haircut
Working as a heel in front of his hometown crowd
His ethnic background

Some of the topics covered in Part 1 include:
New diet and workout routine
NWA Wrestling Showcase
Compliments from Bryan Danielson
Learning from Negro Casas in Mexico
Psychology of a wrestling match
Working in TNA
The best wrestlers in the world
The move from California to Florida
The CSI episode

If you ever cared about the original ECW, you’ve found the right episode. Paul Richard is back for Part 2 of our interview. The former WWF referee and I discussed his WWF career on #6. Now we talk ECW. Do you think you could have booked ECW in New England? Could you have handled the Mass Transit incident? Could you have done business with Paul Heyman? Talk to me after you’ve listened to Part 2 that includes another 56 minutes with Paul Richard. If Paul had not negotiated a television deal for ECW on WUNI Channel 27, New England fans might never have experienced the difference, and ECW might never have become so huge in our area. This is your chance to get inside the mind of the original ECW’s New England promoter.

This is a big interview for me. Paul Richard worked as ECW’s New England representative, booking and promoting all the shows that ECW ran in New England from 1996 until 2000, when problems arose and he ended the arrangement. Paul opens up and talks about his own career, from being trained by Killer Kowalski in Salem, MA at age 15, working the New England independent scene as a referee, and then graduating to the WWF. But perhaps most interesting stories come from his experience with ECW. Part 1 of the interview is 55 minutes and you’ll hear about everything I mentioned, plus all the details and memories that accompany the facts.

“The Promise” Antonio Thomas is a Massachusetts based independent wrestler and personal trainer. Antonio, along with Romeo, are best known for their one-of-a-kind ring entrance during their run in the WWE as the Heart Throbs. I’ll ask Antonio about his time in WWE, his recent appearance on NESN’s dating show Sox Appeal, his discipline when it comes to eating right and training, and all the personality questions I can think of along the way. This is a 25+ minute interview. If you want to hear more interviews like this, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast.

My guest on this episode of Wrestling Respect, John Rodeo, was a fixture on the New England independent pro wrestling scene from 1992 to 1999. One of the first wrestlers John managed was a young Triple H, who was then known as Terra Ryzing. My 78 minute interview with John Rodeo covers his memories of Killer Kowalski, John Kronus, Tony Rumble, and many of the talented wrestlers John managed. If you’re a fan of pro wrestling and you have a respect and interest in the past, you’ll enjoy our conversation about Shane Douglas, Perry Saturn, Paul Heyman, traveling to the ECW area, the local independent scene during the ’90s, and John’s return to managing last October at the Killer Kowalski tribute show in Malden, Massachusetts. If you’re like me, and you enjoy listening to an intelligent and passionate person talk about interesting wrestling subjects, this interview with John Rodeo is for you. For more on John Rodeo, visit his web site.

Now:

The beautiful, sexy, and athletic Sammi Lane is the subject of Wrestling Respect #3. She is the hottest up-and-coming athlete and manager on New England’s independent scene, so it was a pleasure for me to be able to conduct her first-ever audio interview. For 35 minutes, Sammi talks pro wrestling and the road that took her there including her first match with Nikki Roxx, the “Sammi Lane” character, managing Handsome Johnny, her respect for everyone in the wrestling business, and personal notes about playing Skee-Ball at Hampton Beach, her first concert (Neil Diamond) and ballroom dancing. This Saturday night, November 1, she will be part of the big New England Championship Wrestling card at the National Guard Armory in Quincy known as the Toxic Waltz. She is regularly seen on NECW TV, and she works a variety of other independent shows. When she becomes a big national star, remember that you heard her here first.

I’ll also talk about the big Ring of Honor news, the Killer Kowalski Memorial show I attended last weekend, Chikara, NECW, and Les Thatcher on the Mouthpiece Wrestling show.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to the podcast so you’ll never miss an episode.

Evan Ginzburg is a long-time New York, NY radio personality. He was on 50,000 watt WBAI FM in Manhatten for 17 years. Since 1990, he’s been writing an in-depth wresting newsletter called Wrestling Then & Now.

He and co-host Dr. Mike Lano, can now be heard every Sunday night from 7-9 on their internet radio show, Legends Radio. His most recent project is the up-coming film The Wrestler that opens nationwide on December 17. Evan was an associate producer for the film and was involved in wrestler casting calls with 150 hopefuls. He even has a speaking role in the film alongside leading actor Mickey Rourke! The radio host, writer, teacher, club promoter, and manager gave me an hour of his time over the phone from his New York apartment and we spoke about The Wrestler (his accounts and stories will give you chills), and so much else. Do you want names of people that Evan talks to me about? How about Afa the Wild Samoan, the Necro Butcher, Bruno Sammartino, Ring of Honor owner Cary Silken, director Darren Aronofsky? Hear all 70 minutes now, or download it to listen later. If you like what you hear, subscribe to the Wrestling Respect podcast so you’ll never miss an episode. Here is the RSS feed in case you’d like to subscribe to Evan Ginzburg’s Legends Radio show.

I’ll also talk about Chikara’s return to Framingham, MA, Ring of Honor’s return to Connecticut, and the Killer Kowalski Memorial Wrestling show coming this Sunday to Malden, MA.

I’m pleased to announce the availability of the first Wrestling Respect podcast episode featuring an in-depth, hour+ interview with one of Boston’s pro wrestling luminaries, Sheldon Goldberg. In this interview recorded at the Golden Touch studio, you’ll hear Sheldon enlighten us on his previous career in theatre, his passion for pro wrestling (and collecting 7″ vinyl singles!), his accomplishments and goals for New England Championship Wrestling, his relationship with the wrestlers, his experience with Extreme Championship Wrestling and Michinoku Pro Wrestling, etc. I could go on, but instead I’ll suggest that you listen to the podcast. It’s an honor to have Sheldon as Wrestling Respect’s first interview, as he has helped to better the pro wrestling scene in our area and he seems to embody the words Wrestling Respect. For more information on Sheldon’s work, visit NECW’s official web site.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to the Wrestling Respect podcast so you’ll never miss an episode.