• OPW Tape Study: WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
    Oct 24 2025

    London is calling! Thanks to a special request from Nick on social media, we fire up the OPW Tape Study to look at WWE's 1991 trip to the Royal Albert Hall featuring a 20-man over the top rope battle royal main event for...a tea urn.

    That's right, it's WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall! No sign of Hulk Hogan or Bret Hart, but you do have the Legion of Doom defending the tag belts against...Power and Glory!?

    Those of you following us on YouTube can expect a video version of this soon, but we really, really wanted to make sure this got out in some format in the meantime. Thank you for your patience as we get back into the swing of things!

    UPDATE: WWE Vault has come through and uploaded this event on their YouTube channel, so if you're eager to give this a watch after the shuttering of the WWE Network (and the library on Peacock) you finally can!

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    50 mins
  • OPW presents The Calm Before The War (Episode 2: The Royal RAWmble)
    Jan 31 2024

    Monday Night RAW is upon us, with three episodes from the Manhattan Center taking us into and out of the 1993 Royal Rumble. A new era begins and a Federation career comes to an end as we enter…The Calm Before The War!

    We're looking at all the hits here, from Bobby Heenan trying to get inside during the first-ever show to the curious feud between Randy Savage and Repoooo Maaaaan, and the way the show handles being taped before a PPV event when airing after...and it all leads up to Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair duking it out to see who leaves the Federation!

    Thanks to Josh Innes of INNESX for the sweet 80s remix of the Monday Night RAW theme song to open and close the podcast! Josh is from the Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland area, and has some awesome work in music, photography, and more across his YouTube and other social media channels at INNESX!

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    17 mins
  • OPW presents The Calm Before The War (Episode 1: What Came Before)
    Dec 24 2023

    In 1993, the World Wrestling Federation stepped into unknown territory, promising a weekly live broadcast that was “uncut, uncooked, and uncensored.” In the two years that followed, Monday nights became a bit more RAW…even before the looming threat of an explosive WCW show going head to head. Submitted for your approval, dear listener, is a podcast series that looks back on The Calm Before The War!

    In this first episode of The Calm Before The War, we take a brief look at the history of televised professional wrestling, with a particular focus on the impact of early WWE programming like Saturday Night’s Main Event and Prime Time Wrestling for better context of what paved the way for Monday Night RAW!

    Opening/Closing Theme courtesy of Josh Innes of INNESX (@INNESX on YouTube, Instagram, and elsewhere on the Internet!)

    This series officially kicks off in January 2024, but for now enjoy the first look as a holiday gift from Occupy Pro Wrestling!

    Thank you for your support in 2023 and we'll see you in the new year!

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    9 mins
  • OPW Podcast SPECIAL: Something 'Wicked This Way Comes!
    Oct 25 2023

    In celebration of Smarktober, Alex Smiley is joined by the former CHIKARA Grand Champion and forever Broadsword of Nazmaldun, Hallowicked, to talk about pro wrestling and horror!

    We touch on how Hallowicked discovered each for the first time, leading to some fun chat about ECW, horror gimmicks in wrestling, Pet Semetary, and Evil Dead, before getting into the Broadsword's quest to find pro wrestling in horror movies with his Grappling With Demons videos!

    Hallowicked's central hub, where you can find Grappling With Demons and Arcade of Terror, can be found at nazmaldun.com

    Intro/Outro music courtesy of White Bat Audio

    Hallowicked's 4th CHIKARA theme: "Never Wake Up" by Josh Jones feat. Ian Vaflor

    "The Lords Theme" (from the film The Lords of Salem) composed by John 5 & Griffin Boice

    Be sure to check out OPW on YouTube for a video version of this episode as well as more fun videos for Smarktober and beyond!

    Special Guest: Hallowicked.

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    27 mins
  • OPW Podcast SPECIAL: IMPACT Wrestling...the Key to the Forbidden Door!
    Mar 25 2022

    On this special episode of the 'cast, Alex Smiley examines the central role IMPACT Wrestling plays in bridging gaps between promotions after a history of short-term failures, and how it brings full circle its partnerships with New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor!

    (NOTE: A video version of this will soon be available on our YouTube channel, be sure to SUBSCRIBE so you know when it comes out!)

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    9 mins
  • OPW Podcast: The Ocho
    Mar 26 2020

    On this episode of the podcast, I have a retrospective on Occupy Pro Wrestling’s eight years of existence before giving a nice little bonus: the debut of the Bright Side of Wrestling podcast!

    As always, I take a look at the latest from our site partners in the Partner Spotlight, and talk a little bit about what’s to come. Be sure to look for The Bright Side of Wrestling on its own podcast feed coming soon!

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    21 mins
  • OPW Podcast: Nostalgia Pop
    Jul 26 2019

    The OPW Podcast is finally back, picking up where we left off with a fun interview in store with Pittsburgh and West Virginia stalwart Bradley Ruthers about watching the fine graps on Saturday mornings, the history of wrestling in Pennsylvania, and much more! Before that, the latest Partner Spotlight showcases the latest from all of our site partners, including our newest friends at ESPN Sports Sims!

    Special Guest: Bradley Ruthers.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • OPW Podcast: Big Man On Campus
    Aug 4 2018

    Did ya miss us? I hope so, or this is gonna be awkward. Occupy Pro Wrestling is finally back with a new podcast, and I got to chat with Kevin Lee Davidson about Glory Pro, #NoNewFriends, the NWL, wrestling for ROH, and the upcoming Resurgence show where he takes on Shigehiro Irie! All this, plus some announcements about the future of Occupy Pro Wrestling and a condensed version of the Partner Spotlight, await you on a brand new episode of the OPW Podcast!

    If you're in the area of Swansea, IL, be sure and check out the Resurgence show! Tell 'em Occupy Pro Wrestling sent ya!

    Special Guest: Kevin Lee Davidson.

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    28 mins