Episode Details

🎙️ Ringside in Rose City #12 – The Top 10 Matches in Portland Sports Arena History

One ring. One city. A thousand stories.
And this week… the ten stories that shaped an entire era.

In Episode #12 of Ringside in Rose City, Frank Culbertson and Mike Rogers crack open a long-awaited envelope—one they wrote themselves months ago—and finally tackle a monumental topic:
The Top 10 Most Historically Important Matches of the Portland Sports Arena Era.

Not the biggest money-draws.
Not the wildest crowds.
But the matches that shaped the territory.

And this list delivers.

🔟 Dobermans, Double Cages & Pure Chaos

Rip Oliver vs. Matt Bourne (1981)
The infamous Doberman Cage Match—two cages, two dogs, and one terrified arena. Buddy Rose saves the entire spectacle by coaxing the dogs into “chasing” him. A match so strange even Don Owen would’ve never booked it… because he didn’t.

9️⃣ Violence, Blood & the Kangaroos

Jesse Ventura & Bull Ramos vs. The Royal Kangaroos(1976)
One of the wildest matches ever held in Portland—three men juiced, action inside and outside the ring, and so legendary it was still being talked about in Kansas City nine years later.

8️⃣ When Bull Ramos Became a Star

Bull Ramos vs. Terry Funk (1973)
Dory Funk Jr. is injured, Terry steps in, and Bull beats him clean. A shocking result that instantly elevates Ramos into world-title contention. Portland fans believed he could win it all.

7️⃣ The Ultimate Specialty Match Clash

Bull Ramos vs. Dutch Savage (1972) – Strap Match + Coal Miner’s Glove Combo
Bull’s specialty. Dutch’s specialty. Combined.
Dutch wins in a dramatic finish, leaving Ramos literally hanging in midair—one of the most unforgettable visuals in Portland history.

6️⃣ AWA Gold in Portland? Believe It.

The Von Steigers vs. The Vons (1971)
AWA World Tag Team Title change… in Portland? It happened. It’s rarely acknowledged, never cleanly explained, and still one of the territory’s most fascinating title mysteries.

🎵 K-Fabe Curveballs Return

Frank torments Mike with trivia about librarians, The Breakfast Club, Swedish Christmas TV, Jiminy Cricket, and a surprise cameo from Mama Wayne—complete with the real story of Mike discovering her in the back of Ed Moretti’s pickup truck.
Yes, really.

5️⃣ The Blueprint for Modern Wrestling

Dynamite Kid vs. Curt Hennig (1983)
A world-class series that put Portland on the global map. Meltzer raved. Tape traders hunted the footage. Pure wrestling magic.

4️⃣ Champ vs. Challenger at the Extravaganza

Ric Flair vs. Billy Jack Haynes (1985)
A 45-minute draw on Don Owen’s 60th Anniversary show. Piper, Rose, Slaughter, Hennig, The Southern Rockers—this entire card was stacked, and Flair vs. Billy Jack was the crown jewel.

3️⃣ The Match That MADE Bull Ramos

Bull Ramos vs. Lonnie Mayne (1972)
Bull breaks Lonnie’s arm in front of a stunned arena, nearly triggers a riot, and instantly becomes one of the most feared men in the territory.

2️⃣ A Coliseum Classic

Gene Kiniski vs. Don Leo Jonathan (1968)
Not technically in the Sports Arena—but historically essential. A 4,600-fan sellout. A believable world title threat. And a match that proved Portland was ready for a new era.

1️⃣ The Biggest Match in Portland History

Buddy Rose vs. Roddy Piper (1980) – Loser Leaves Town
The top feud of the territory. The top talents of 1980.
Piper loses… and his career