About this episode

The episode revisits a pivotal moment in wrestling history with the contract signing between Nikita Koloff and Magnum T.A. and highlights the violent era of Jim Crockett Promotions.

On this edition of What Happened When, Tony Schiavone and Conrad Thompson fire up the time machine and take you back 40 years to one of the most explosive stretches in Jim Crockett Promotions and the National Wrestling Alliance . It's Memorial Day weekend 1986, and the road to The Great American Bash is already blazing hot. Tony relives the intensity of the unforgettable contract signing between Nikita Koloff and Magnum T.A. a moment dripping with tension that set the tone for the summer ahead. Things get even more brutal as Ricky Morton suffers a gruesome broken nose at the hands of Ric Flair , showcasing the violent edge that defined the era and cemented Flair and the The Four Horsemen as the most dangerous group in the business. Plus, the guys spotlight the debut of a man who would go on to become a major force in wrestling Big Bubba Rogers and discuss how his arrival fit into the rapidly evolving landscape of JCP. THIS WEEKS SPONSORS MUDWATER - Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code WHW at mudwtr.com/WHW ! #mudwtrpod MORGAN & MORGAN - If you're ever injured, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. Their fee is FREE unless they win. For more…

People in this episode

Hosts: Tony Schiavone, Conrad Thompson

Topics covered

• wrestling history
• contract signing
• Jim Crockett Promotions
• The Great American Bash
• Ric Flair
• The Four Horsemen
• wrestling sponsorships

Keywords

• Nikita Koloff
• Magnum T.A.
• contract signing
• Ric Flair
• Ricky Morton
• Big Bubba Rogers
• Jim Crockett Promotions
• The Great American Bash

Sponsors

MUDWATER, Morgan & Morgan, BlueChew

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Jim Crockett Promotions, National Wrestling Alliance

More episodes of What Happened When

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• Episode 493: Roderick Strong · July 1, 2026 · 1h 23m
• Episode 492: Tony's Forbidden Door Preview · June 24, 2026 · 1h 19m
• Episode 491: Bobby Cruise · June 17, 2026 · 1h 20m
• Episode 490: "The Natural" Dustin Rhodes · June 10, 2026 · 1h 10m

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