Episode 80: 1976 Territory Review: All Japan Pro Wrestling & RIP Jerry Oates

Episode 80 of The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel History Show is a special one, with a trip to Japan and a heartfelt look back at our friend Jerry Oates. Segment 1:We travel to Japan as wrestling historian Fumi Saito joins us from Tokyo. Fumi looks back at Giant Baba’s All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1976, the year Jerry and Ted Oates won the All Asia Tag Team Championship. Segment 2:Two of our regulars, Georgia wrestling analyst Bobby Simmons and Gulf Coast expert Michael Norris, join me to share their friendship and memories of Jerry Oates. We laugh, we reflect, and we get sad at times talking about our friend. Segment 3:My last conversation with Jerry Oates for the show — recorded a couple of weeks before his passing — as Jerry discusses his career in 1976. This is a history-packed and deeply personal episode. Episode 80 is available now on Castos, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all your usual platforms.Hit play, leave a review, and keep riding with us through the Time Tunnel. Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and Show Overview(00:01:35) - Remembering Jerry Oates and Show Roadmap(00:04:59) - Catfish, Cornmeal, and Southern Cooking Talk(00:09:50) - Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Campaign for Roy Welch(00:12:44) - Fumi Saito Joins: Remembering Dory Funk Jr(00:19:06) - All Japan's NWA Connection and Title History(00:23:20) - Jumbo Tsuruta's Rise and the 10 Match Series(00:26:47) - Foreign Talent Tours and Dick Murdoch's Impact(00:30:10) - Understanding the Japanese Tour System(00:34:58) - Champion Carnival and Abdullah the Butcher's Win(00:38:46) - Oates Brothers Win All Asia Tag Titles(00:47:44) - Fall Tours, Title Changes, and Kim Duk's Rise(00:53:26) - Comparing All Japan and New Japan in 1976(00:59:47) - Reflecting on Dory Funk Jr's Legacy in Japan(01:03:23) - Wrap-up with Fumi and Show Promotion(01:06:12) - Introducing Bobby Simmons and Michael Norris(01:10:06) - How Bobby and Michael Met Jerry Oates(01:13:52) - Jerry and Ted Oates as a Tag Team(01:21:52) - Jerry's Georgia Career and Barnett Relationship(01:26:50) - Wrestlers Jerry Trained and Mentored(01:35:43) - Funny Ribs and Road Stories About Jerry(01:43:28) - Jerry's Gym, Milo Steinborn, and Business Ventures(01:56:16) - Remembering Kathy Oates and Jerry's Faith(02:07:07) - Remembering Bill Dundee(02:20:22) - Final Thoughts and Tributes to Jerry Oates(02:31:56) - Texas Wrestling Series Promotion(02:37:33) - Final Jerry Oates Interview Begins: 1976 in Kansas City(02:42:36) - Leaving Kansas City and Return to Georgia(02:52:36) - Back in Georgia: New Feuds and Territory Politics(03:07:08) - Working with Gordman, Goliath, Thornton and Charles(03:10:31) - Milo Steinborn's Incredible Backstory(03:15:33) - Injury, Surgery, and Return to Action(03:20:52) - Trip to All Japan: Winning the Tag Titles(03:28:43) - Reflections on Tag Team Trust and Territory Politics(03:35:58) - Joining Bill Watts' Territory(03:40:17) - Reflecting on Career Choices and the AWA Path Not Taken(03:46:45) - Closing Thoughts on 1976 and Gratitude(03:53:12) - Show Support, Sponsors, and Sign-off