Professional Wrestling Studies Association
Studying the Past, Present, and Future of Professional Wrestling
In part 2 of this 1991 interview with Bruno Sammartino, Sammartino describes the stress of his long-term WWWF championship runs and his concerns about steroid use among professional wrestlers. SAMMARTINO: Overnight, everything turned around. The Italians started following me. Not bragging, but the WWF became the number one organization. I had an enormous career, a … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Bruno Sammartino–Part 3
After I graduated from college in 1991, I was awarded Columbia’s Henry Evans Traveling Fellowship, which allowed me to travel around the United States and interview people in the professional wrestling business. I collected eighteen interviews, which will be now be released twice a month in the PWSA Ringside blog series “Before Shoot Interviews.” In … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Bruno Sammartino–Part 2
As a religion major at Columbia University, I wrote a senior thesis on ritual and religious imagery in professional wrestling during 1990-1991. I subsequently applied for and received Columbia’s Henry Evans Traveling Fellowship, which allowed me to travel around the United States and interview people in the professional wrestling business. I collected eighteen interviews, which … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Bruno Sammartino–Part 1
We’re taking off the Nylons today, friends. I have much to say about the journey we’ve mapped for women’s wrestling in the past three years that Nylons and Midriffs has existed, but I want to take one last review at this unforgettable year first. So much happened in America in the midst of great trauma, … Read more Nylons and Midriffs: Being Seen (Year in Review, 2020)
Where did the fall go? As temperatures plummet around the country, so goes down this year in wrestling history as well. I cannot believe we are in December! All Elite made some improvements in women’s visibility per my suggestion in the last Nylons, and WWE put on a decent Survivor Series, albeit with some questionable … Read more Nylons and Midriffs: I Feel Like A Woman (December 2, 2020)
I’m laying all the cards on the table early this week. We have some major news to discuss in our Thorny section, ranging from very problematic to downright insidious. The lack of care for AEW’s women’s division is getting more attention recently with the pathetic build to Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose at Full Gear. … Read more Nylons and Midriffs: Consequences (November 18, 2020)
We are on the road to WWE’s Survivor Series and AEW’s Full Gear, which means that 2020 is nearly drawing to a close. With Hell in a Cell now in the rearview, I’ll be taking a look at the epic meeting between forever rivals Bayley and Sasha Banks, as well as where the rest of … Read more Nylons and Midriffs: Poetry in Motion (October 28, 2020)
Announcement from Professional Wrestling Studies Association President CarrieLynn D. Reinhard September 29th, 2020 The video of the address can be watched here. “Good evening, everyone, and thank you for tuning in to this stream. I am the PWSA President, Dr. CarrieLynn D. Reinhard, and it is my honor to continue developing this association and bringing … Read more PWSA Presidential Announcement
We’re in the heart of spooky season pals, and there are some very scary things happening in the WWE world right now. We’ll talk about them at the end of this entry, but before that we’ll keep our discussion centered on in-ring action. I apologize in advance that this week’s Nylons will once again tilt … Read more Nylons and Midriffs: Wicked Ways (October 14, 2020)
Fall is finally here, friends! And with the withering of the leaves outside also comes the winding down of the wrestling calendar year of 2020. I can’t believe we’re entering the final quarter of this black hole of a year. Are we heading toward going out with a bang, or a quiet sizzle for the … Read more Nylons and Midriffs: Wild Women (September 30, 2020)