Evan Husney and Jason Eisner helped to change the landscape of professional wrestling with the creation of the series Dark Side of the Ring. The duo behind the docuseries Tales From the Territories began researching and interviewing pioneers of the professional wrestling business to churn out an episodic series detailing a different aspect of the business, with outlandish stories dating back to the ’80s all the way to the early 2000s. Professional wrestling is often considered a hotbed of drama and strife, fit for a cinematic story.
Here, we are going to look back on the first season of this series and look back at the original six episodes that covered a myriad of crimes that plagued the industry. From tragic relationships, to murder, to the manipulation of young women, professional wrestling had always been an act, but some inside the industry hid their evil deeds behind the curtain.
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6 The Mysterious Death of Gino Hernandez
Viceland TV
Charles Eugene Wolfe Jr. was only 28 years old when he died. Official autopsies would state that he had died from a cocaine overdose. But the man professional wrestling fans know as World Class Championship Wrestling star, Gino Hernandez, had left many people questioning what really happened.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Throughout the episode, we are treated to a crime documentary where Gino Hernandez’s family and friends from the business would speak, revealing that the man many loved (or loved to hate) was getting involved in “dangerous crowds” and partying with high amounts of drugs and alcohol. Gino Hernandez’s former rival David Von Erich would reveal that Hernandez was discovered 3-4 days post-mortem and had around five pounds of cocaine in his system, far more than what was necessary to kill a man. David Manning would state his doubts stemmed from Gino Hernandez’s door remaining unlocked when Hernandez had made a habit of locking his door at all times.
5 The Fabulous Moolah
The Fabulous Moolah had a fabulous career in the ring. Being recognized as the longest reigning WWF Women’s champion, Moolah would wrestle for multiple decades and would prove to be an influential figure in the wrestling industry. Controversy would initially begin to show when Moolah performed what is recognized as the original screwjob, shooting on Wendi Richter and taking her championship before bullying her out of the company.
This episode would focus on the allegations made against Moolah posthumously, with a significant focus on her time as a trainer. Multiple women who were looking to get involved in the business were interviewed who had participated in Moolah’s training camp, with statements that after paying a $500 fee, they would discover it was mandatory to live on campus, paying rent and utilities. The extortion of these young women would only grow more severe as Moolah would also be accused of pimping the girls out to older promoters, citing that if they wanted work, they had to compromise.
4 The Last of the Von Erichs
There are many great families throughout wrestling history: the Harts, the Anoa’is, and the McMahons. But there is arguably no family that has had to face a more tragic loss than the Von Erichs. The Von Erichs, led by their father, consisted of six brothers, most of whom had significantly impacted the family business. Fritz ran World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas, and his sons were the most popular athletes on the entire roster, employing their famous maneuver, the Iron Claw.
This biography would cover the family’s terrible losses, starting with firstborn Jack Adkisson Jr. being electrocuted and drowned at the age of six. Fifth-born son, Mike Von Erich, would die from disease while working overseas. Years later, despite their success, the brothers suffered many hardships, and three of them committed suicide at different times before their father eventually succumbed to cancer. This would leave only one remaining brother, though the biography would end on a lighter note, focusing on how second-born son, Kevin Von Erich, survived his family’s tragedy and would go on to find peace and raise his own sons in the wrestling business.
3 The Match Made in Heaven
Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth may not always appear to be the perfect couple on screen. Randy Savage was often overprotective, and his outbursts would cause him to be verbally abusive to Miss Elizabeth, but their years-long story arc would have a picture-perfect ending, with the duo reuniting on the grandest stage and getting married in the summer.
The first episode of Dark Side of the Ring reveals that sometimes art imitates life as Randy was highly paranoid when it came to Elizabeth, with close friend Hulk Hogan often not being trusted near Elizabeth, even when she had only wanted to spend time with Hogan’s wife. Randy’s paranoia would cause him to act out, with Jake Roberts going on record to say that Randy forced Jake to be bitten by his own snake to prove the snake had been de-venomed.
2 The Killing of Bruiser Brody
Bruiser Brody is often regarded as a pro-wrestling legend, with many citing his matches against Abdullah the Butcher as precursors to the violence that would be glorified by ’90s pro wrestling company Extreme Championship Wrestling. During the boom period of professional wrestling, it was a common practice for top-rated performers to travel the world. Bruiser Brody was no exception, taking his talents to Canada, Japan, and Puerto Rico.
It would be in Puerto Rico, where this episode’s events occurred. Eyewitness accounts state that Jose Huertas Gonzalez had asked Brody to step aside to the showers to speak privately. Because of this, there were no witnesses to what happened next though many state that they heard the screams. Tony Atlas would rush to the scene, discovering Gonzalez had stabbed Brody. This crime doc would cover the immediate aftermath, though it would be revealed that Gonzalez had managed to get off murder charges by claims of self-defense. This claim would go uncontested as many witnesses stated they had not received their summons until the court proceedings had concluded.
1 The Montreal Screwjob
The episode many clamored to see. One of the most controversial topics in pro wrestling history is the Montreal Screwjob, a moment that has been covered in multiple formats from different perspectives. Here, the crew interviews people from both sides of the conflict in hopes of getting a clear picture. The event would come during a wrestling match when Shawn Miachels would trap Bret Hart in a sharpshooter and Vince McMahon would call for the bell, declaring Shawn the winner, even though Bret hadn’t tapped out.
This episode would provide in-depth interviews, although they didn’t always clarify people’s questions. When asking who had given Vince the idea to screw Bret Hart, both Jim Cornette and Vince Russo would attempt to take credit. The team would do well at covering the politics surrounding the wrestling landscape at the time, featuring discussions on “The Monday Night War,” Alundra Blayze dumping the WWF Women’s Title on live TV, and the poaching of talent that both sides allegedly conspired in.
