Professional Wrestling Studies Association
Studying the Past, Present, and Future of Professional Wrestling
During my 1992 visit to the Memphis-based United States Wrestling Association (USWA), I was able to visit with African-American prelim wrestler Anthony “Cat” Garrett. Garrett, who had just won his preliminary match that night, was standing next to a souvenir table and talking to his family, before he excused himself to talk to me. … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Cat Garrett
What is your area of research? I am Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice, in the School of Justice Studies at Liverpool John Moores University. You can find my faculty profile here. What led to your interest in pro wrestling and how do you approach pro wrestling from your scholarly discipline? I watched … Read more PWSA Meet and Greet: Karen Corteen
After an hour of pestering the promoter of Memphis’s United States Wrestling Association (USWA) at a 1992 show, the promoter brought out one of the promotion’s top good guys (or “faces”), Jeff Jarrett, to talk to me. Sporting a mane of shiny blond hair and a friendly demeanor, Jarrett patiently described his wrestling career before … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Jeff Jarrett
What is your area of study/research? I am an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Tusculum University in Greeneville, Tennessee. My research interests primarily center around organizational and consumer behavior in combat sports, along with the globalization and labor economics of combat sports. What led to your interest in pro wrestling and how do you … Read more PWSA Meet and Greet: Nick Davidson
In part two of this 1991 interview, Pro Wrestling Torch editor Wade Keller talks about incorporating interviews into his relatively new newsletter. The interviews were a feature that set the Torch apart from The Wrestling Observer. KELLER: I decided to start doing interviews. I thought that would be good because there weren’t any in wrestling, and … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Wade Keller–Part 2
What is your area of study/research? I’m Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Bath. My study/research agenda is broadly split into two strands that frequently overlap. The first focuses on UK politics, in particularly in Wales and relating to the Labour Party more generally. The second focuses on ideological contestation, hegemonic struggles, and … Read more PWSA Meet and Greet: David S. Moon
Eddie Sharkey turns his attention to his Pro Wrestling America (PWA) promotion in the second part of this 1991 interview. In addition to describing the dynamics of trying to be an independent promoter at a time when the World Wrestling Federation had driven many other regional wrestling promotions out of business, Mr. Sharkey provides some … Read more Before Shoot Interviews: Eddie Sharkey–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