LLT Episode #4 - Jimmy Korderas Former WWF referee Jimmy Korderas, author of "The Three Count: My Life in Stripes as a WWE Referee“ and co-host of ”Aftermath“ on The Score in Canada joins me this week. The majority of the show is basically everything you ever wanted to know about being a WWE referee.  Getting time cues and other instructions in his earpiece, different styles of refereeing, calling matches "as a shoot,” what other referees did he like watching, what wrestlers were the best at hiding their cheating to make the referee’s life easier, working on the ring crew, etc. In addition to touching on his book and his new career as a broadcaster, we also debunk the rumors surrounding what exactly happened in the ring when Owen Hart died, since he was right there when it happened. This was recorded a few weeks before the book came out in case we happened to cover anything in there, but I read it since then (it’s quite good, BTW) and I think I managed to do a good job keeping our chat on a different path.  Jimmy is basically the nicest guy on the face of this planet (although that may be a Canadian thing where he’s just tied with everyone else…) and I had a lot of fun learning about the ins and outs of pro wrestling refereeing from him. Download it here.

Loser Leaves Town

LLT Episode #4 - Jimmy Korderas Former WWF referee Jimmy...

LLT Episode #3 - T.J. “TJP” Perkins T.J. Perkins, best known nowadays as TJP, sometimes referred to as “the youngest veteran in pro wrestling,” is one of the more unique talents around.  Making his debut at 15 years-old in 2000, he ended up traveling the world less than 3 years later thanks in part to New Japan Pro Wrestling’s LA Dojo.  He has a ton to talk about (we went 90 minutes without even touching on his many trips to Mexico in any substantial way), including: - A ton of stuff about the LA Dojo and Japan in general, including the politics of wrestlers switching promotions and how it affected Samoa Joe. - The inner-workings of New Japan Pro Wrestling and why the booking team of Gedo & Jado is so good. - Ignoring wrestling news that’s reported online and in newsetters. - Why he left Dragon Gate USA/Evolve. - The influence of Kevin Quinn, why he was a great trainer that influenced so many great wrestlers, and the bad timing that kept him from getting key spots in WWE & CMLL. - Moving to Florida so he could pay to go to FCW to try to get a WWE developmental contract and the tailspin the move soon sent his life/career into. And that’s just scratching the surface.  Like I said, we didn’t even talk about Mexico, so I’ll have to get him back on soon.  T.J. is a really interesting guy and a tremendous talent, but he doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, which is a shame.  Anyway, this is well worth listening to, and hopefully it encourages some of you to check out his work if you haven’t before. You can follow T.J. on Twitter at @MegaTJP and if you want to ask him anything, he answers just about every question he gets on his Formspring account. Download it here.

LLT Episode #3 - T.J. “TJP” Perkins T.J. Perkins,...

LLT Episode #2 - Steve Corino Part 2 Here is the rest of Steve Corino being awesome.  Topics include: - Asking about how his rib injury was healing leads into a great discussion of wrestler safety, including “the magic” behind how he took the superplex into a guardrail bump before without incident and some interesting details about his blading habits. - What makes Tony DeVito and Kane great workers. - Working as a road agent/producer in ROH and trying out for a similar gig in WWE. - The first time he worked with Dusty Rhodes and the awesome story of how he found out about it. - Calling Da Crusher “a boy toucher” in Milwaukee. And much more.  Corino is so awesome.  I hope you enjoy listening to him being awesome again. Download it here.

LLT Episode #2 - Steve Corino Part 2 Here is the rest of Steve...

Loser Leaves Town 9/7/10 w/ Colt Cabana on the Observer HOF Colt Cabana returns to discuss his ballot for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. A fun show as always w/ Cabana, as he discusses his reasoning for his picks as well as his other projects including his own podcast and his comedy.  As usual, other fun topics come up as well.  Check out his podcast, his store, and his Twitter account for more fun from the world of Colt Cabana, and remember to check out Cageside Seats for my daily writings on the pro graps and the occasional Cageside Radio podcast, including my interview with Frank Shamrock. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 1/10/10 w/ Ross Hart The foremost historian on all things Hart family and Stampede Wrestling, former program seller/TV producer/booker/wrestler/TV interviewer Ross Hart joins me for a fun look at everybody’s favorite prairie territory.  We talk about his first memories of wrestling, producing the TV show, Stampede leaving the NWA, the British and Japanese wrestlers who went through Stampede, wrestling in Hungary and England, the origins of the ladder match, and much more.  A really good show. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 12/5/09 w/ Dave Walsh: Discussion of Umaga’s death, Gail Gagne’s criminal charges, and more Dave Walsh of Cageside Seats and Head Kick Legend joins me to discuss the big news items from this past week and much more.  We talk about the death of Umaga and related topics including drugs in wrestling and how the decline in Japan has hurt American wrestlers, Gail Gagne’s arrest for allegedly having sex with a student at the school she worked at, and other stuff including Shane McMahon and Mark Cuban: Raw Guest Host. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/29/09 w/ Bill Dundee Memphis legend “Superstar” Bill Dundee oins me to discuss his career including his various booking jobs, pushing younger wrestlers, various Memphis-related topics, working for the Cole Brothers Circus, his wrestling school, and much more.  Definitely worth a listen if you’re a fan of Memphis and/or Mid-South.  You can email Bill via his website if you’re interested in wrestling training or the circus. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/14/09 w/ Colt Cabana & Rob Naylor on midget wrestling I’m joined by Rob Naylor and Colt Cabana as we discuss midget wrestling throughout history.  Lots of fun stuff including whether or not it’s okay to find midgets adorable, Cabana on his love of using comedy spots borrowed from midgets, Little Beaver’s appearance in Meatballs III, Billy Barty and Lou Albano in Bodyslam, a green Cabana missing his shot at being (a) Doink, Ninja Turtles, Roger Ebert’s dirty mind, and much more.  An action packed 80 minutes! Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 9/21/09 - Live at Lucha Va Voom w/ T.J. Perkins and Cassandro! Recorded last night at Lucha Va Voom’s successful New York debut, it’s the Loser Leaves Town Podcast. First I’m joined by T.J. Perkins (AKA Pinoy Boy/Puma/Cobra II, currently El Bombero in Lucha Va Voom) to discuss his travels around the world as a 25 year-old who’s a 10 year veteran.  Lots of great stuff about going to New Japan and the LA Dojo including wrestling in the Tokyo Dome, the MMA training that led to him actually having fights, becoming Cobra II while being tempted with promises of maybe eventually being Tiger Mask V, and much more. After that is Cassandro, the top exotico in wrestling today.  A 21 year veteran, he talks about his pre-wrestling career as a medical assistant, being trained by Rey Misterio Sr. in the class that included the original Psicosis/Nicho and a very young Rey Mysterio (Jr.), wrestling in Juarez and El Paso, being a gay man in the wrestling business in Mexico, how Antonio Peña helped him and others, his current travels around the world (including wrestling El Hijo del Santo at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France!), and more. All in all, a very fun hour of interviews. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 9/6/09 w/ Kurt Brown: Observer Hall of Fame 2009 Part 2 It’s time for the sequel to Friday’s show with Kurt Brown (seen above as Lucky Pierre) about everyone on the 2009 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame ballot.  From Rick Rude to Tim Woods and then the “non-wrestler” candidates from Albano to Ventura, it’s another 2 hours of fun.  If you liked the last show, this is more of the same with a wealth of information and stories from Kurt’s mental compendium of pro graps history and oddities. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 9/4/09 w/ Kurt Brown: Observer Hall of Fame 2009 Part 1 I’m joined by Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame voter, wrestler/historian/reporter/etc Kurt Brown (being bitten in the above photograph by El Fisico Nuclear) to discuss the every single act on the ballot (in alphabetical order) for the 2009 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame voting.  This is a task so huge that it must be divided into two parts, two hours each (yes, it’s long!).  In part 1, we cover everyone on the ballot from the Andersons to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, with tons of sidetracking to other topics such as The Monster, Lars Anderson’s cyborg gimmick, and much more.  I learned a ton from throwing names at Kurt’s psychedelic wrestling brain and you will, too.  A great, great show.  Part 2 of this Labor Day weekend spectacular will be posted on Sunday or Monday. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 8/28/09 w/ Rob Naylor: IWA Mid-South memories and Russians Rob Naylor finally rejoins me as we get back into the groove with the first Loser Leaves Town Podcast to be part of Cageside Seats (which is my main outlet now, but this site is staying put to make things easier for iTunes users and the like), part of the SB Nation network of blogs.  In the sequel to our popular Pacific Islanders show, we discuss the many Russians throughout the years in pro wrestling on top of our favorite memories of IWA Mid-South.  Learn which Russians were real (not a lot…at all), listen to us debate the merits of Nikolai Volkoff, be amazed at the match we suggested to IWA that they didn’t book because they thought it wouldn’t draw for some reason, and much more.  Over 2 hours(!!! -  It’s not like you have to listen to it all in one sitting) of heart-stopping action and the usual fun that results from putting me and Rob together. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 11/26/08 w/ CM Punk & Rob Naylor Rob Naylor co-hosts a Thanksgiving weekend spectacular where we interview one of of the World Tag Team Champions, former World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk! A great show (with them carrying me at times) where Punk discusses his past as an independent wrestler, his matches with John Morrison, burying the hatchet with Teddy Hart, having a bunch of merchandise, and much more, including a hilarious Tony Garea story that includes a fine vocal impersonation. Plus, Punk hands the phone to his good friend François Kevorkian (who may or may not be the same one who mixed for Depeche Mode) for a fascinating and enlightening discussion. Almost 80 minutes of the most (self?-)important Loser Leaves Town Podcast EVER! Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/29/08 w/ Rob Naylor on SAMOANS! and other Pacific Islanders After a fricking year, the show is back in style as Rob Naylor joins me to discuss wrestlers from Samoa and other Pacific Islands for over TWO HOURS! Yes. Consider it two shows or something. Naylor thought two hours or less would be too short for a topic like this. The usual fun with Naylor includes the two of us doing a reading of a legendary Jimmy Snuka promo, why Tama was so awesome, Samoan farmers, and the usual tangents that stray far from the topic. Plus, a brief special bonus where my upstairs neighbors make lots of noise and people yell at them (really)! A good show full of wacky Naylor fun. Special thanks to: Online World of Wrestling for making this show so much easier and if you want to hear more Rob Naylor, keep checking this site out as well as the archives of the late, great Joe Versus The World and The Dr. Keith Show at F4WOnline/FigureFourOnline/WrestlingObserver.com Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/27/07 w/ Lance Russell Lance Russell returns for another great interview. Lots of ground covered, including his departure from Memphis/the CWA for WCW in 1989, producing the WCW Hotline 900 number (as well as Jim Herd’s post-WCW hotline venture), Jerry Jarrett’s accusations against him and Jerry Lawler, the various Memphis bookers, random thoughts on various personalities that came through Memphis, and much more. Over 70 minutes long and well worth listening to. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 8/5/07 w/ Dutch Savage Northwestern wrestling legend Dutch Savage joins me to discuss his career, with topics including how he broke in, bad payoffs from Nick Gulas and others, the creation of his specialty: the Coal Miner’s Glove Match, working with NWA World Champions, why he left the business, and more. A fun-filled and informative 36 minute interview. Download it here. The Bixenspan Group 7/1/07 I’m joined by Dave Walsh, Steven Louis Lerner, and Andrew J. Wallace as we discuss the wrestling business driving people insane/insane people going into the wrestling business, why you should all watch AAA, Marvin the Baby, Japanese wrestling in 2007 and its western fans, the how the WON awards are shaping up, Edge being awesome, Batista’s turtleneck, and more. An hour and forty-four minutes(!) of exciting wrestling chat. Much better than last time as there’s a format and good discussion and everything. Download it here. The Bixenspan Group 6/17/07 My latest bad idea: A roundtable show. Fun though disjointed as it was done on short notice and there are TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES that include the show ending suddenly right as we were about to finish up. Panelists Dave Walsh (until his phone dies), Steven Louis Lerner, and Brian W. Tosh discuss Vince McMahon and his untimely death, the draft, Bob Backlund’s cardboard belt, & more. Next week will be tighter, I swear. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 2/18/07 w/ J.J. Dillon J.J. Dillon joins me to discuss his book, Dick Murdoch and his punches, the most important aspects of booking, booking a territory vs booking the (inter)nationally expanded WWF, the business model of Grand Prix in the Maritimes, wrestling El Santo, and much, much more. A fun 85 minutes that flew by. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 2/14/07 w/ Gypsy Joe The world’s oldest active professional wrestler, Gypsy Joe joins the show to discuss his career, including being lit on fire by Dynamite Kid, being the first to jump off the top of a steel cage, Chris Champion killing a town, and more. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 2/10/07 w/ Lance Russell The incomparable Lance Russell joins me to discuss various topics such as Sputnik Monroe, Elvis Presley, his WCW stint (including working with the Freebirds), being recognized outside of the Memphis territory, the music of Jimmy Hart, and much, much more. A tremendous show and I can’t wait to have him on again. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 2/4/07 w/ John Lister British wrestling writer John Lister joins me to discuss his books (Slamthology and Turning The Tables), British wrestling history, Brits in the WON Hall of Fame, his trips to the US to see wrestling, and more. A fun (if long) show. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 12/18/06 w/ Scott Norton Scott Norton joins the show to discuss his new promotion, arm wrestling, Rick Rude as a teenager, the dying days of the AWA, Tony Condello’s death tours of Manitoba (GREAT stories), his 15 year relationship w/ NJPW, why Kevin Wacholz thanks him every time they talk, Hulk Hogan taking liberties with David Flair, steroids in pro wrestling, and much, much more.  Almost 85 minutes of fun. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 11/7/06 w/ Steven Prazak As I try to get back into the swing of things, here’s Steven Prazak to discuss the GWF, ECW, Georgia Indies, The Shennonumake Post, and more. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 11/1/06 w/ Jon “Craig Johnson” Horton Jon Horton (known as Craig Johnson in the USWA & GWF from ‘90-’92) joins the show. We discuss his return to wrestling this past Saturday night producing & announcing for AWA Washington, how he got his USWA job, Saturday morning TV taping stories including the time he was fireballed in the locker room by Jerry Jarrett, the formation of the GWF including Olu Oliami, Baron Von Steiger, & The English Lords, his exit from the GWF while searching for The Viper, the formation of The Atlanta Boys & THE SHENANUMAKE POST, Chick Donovan’s tribute to the troops, and much more. This was a hell of a lot of fun and my favorite show so far. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/29/06 w/ Scott Williams Scott Williams, crime reporter and pop culture columnist for The Galveston Daily News, as well as the author of Terry Funk: More Than Just Hardcore, Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW joins me to discuss his books, crime, Mid-South Wrestling, what exactly he does for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the reaction to his column about Kurt Angle’s firing, his top 100 cover songs, and more fun stuff. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/27/06 w/ Bob Barnett & Brian Last Bob Barnett and our friend Brian Last join the show. Mainly we discuss Mike Lano in a tribute of sorts to his wacky antics over the years. Lots of other fun tangents include whether or not Diamond Lil’ is retarded based on her appearance in Lipstick & Dynamite, Paul McCartney’s divorce, former Lucha Libre promoter Ron Skoler’s current venture, wrestling for the deaf, and more! A fun show. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/19/06 w/ Dave Prazak Dave Prazak, the promoter of Shimmer - Women Athletes joins me to discuss this coming Sunday’s Shimmer DVD taping (for the 7th & 8th DVD volumes), the retail release of Shimmer DVDs starting Tuesday w/ Vol. 1, breaking into the business via ring announcing for Dennis Coraluzzo, his “Outside Interference” newsletter & public access show including the time he almost interviewed Eric Bischoff, the $2,500 that the Insane Clown Posse owes him, the creation of Shimmer, ROH’s Manhattan Center debut, THE SHENANUMAKE POST, and a bunch of other fun and random topics. Download it here. Loser Leaves Town Podcast 10/15/06: Debut show w/ Bob Barnett Bob Barnett joins me to discuss shooting Lucha shows, how he got into wrestling and video trading, Antonio Peña, a certain other video dealer in Pennsylvania, and more! Download it here. 

Archive of the original Loser Leaves Town shows:

A different kind of pro wrestling podcast. Hopefully.