Retro Wrestling Episode #41 w/special guest Mad Man Pondo: Deathmatches, Comedy, $5 Wrestling & Horror Icons!
The Retro Wrestling Archive Podcasts · Retro Wrestling Archive
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Show Notes
On this episode of Retro Wrestling, Gene Jackson is joined by one of the true originals of hardcore and deathmatch wrestling, Mad Man Pondo.
In a wide-ranging, no-filter conversation, Pondo walks through his incredible career, from his early days breaking into the business to becoming one of the most recognizable names in deathmatch wrestling. Along the way, he shares unforgettable stories from Memphis, Japan, JCW, ICW, $5 Wrestling, and beyond.
Topics include:
How Pondo knew from childhood he was destined to be a pro wrestler
His early Memphis and USWA experiences, including working with Jeff Jarrett and the Moondogs
Locker room rib stories, cookies with Bengay, and surviving being “the new guy”
The rise, magic, and misunderstood legacy of $5 Wrestling
Balcony dives, stop signs, and the chaos of KAW at the New Daisy Theatre
Working with ICP and JCW, including matches with Terry Funk and unforgettable moments with Vanilla Ice
The infamous scaffold barbed wire net bump with JC Bailey and why it wasn’t about money
Herb Abrams’ UWF, Bruno Sammartino, and Captain Lou Albano stories that sound unbelievable… but are true!
Transitioning into stand-up comedy and why wrestling prepared him for it
A deep dive into Pondo’s books, including Memoirs of a Madman and the upcoming Pondo vs. the Horror Icons
This is a career-spanning conversation filled with laughter, honesty, hard lessons, and stories that only Mad Man Pondo can tell.
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