The Ring Post: Labor Day Edition | News, Results, History
Your weekly roundup of wrestling news, results, and history
Good morning, and Happy Labor Day!
This special holiday edition of The Ring Post is packed with news, results, the Video of the Week, and features that reflect both the wrestling world today and the hardworking spirit behind it.
We have the latest updates, including Pure Pro Wrestling live in Virginia today, AEW’s 2nd week in a row of Dynamite in Philadelphia this Wednesday, and 1CW teaming up with the Wilmington Blue Rocks this Sunday. There are also RVA Pro Wrestling ticket updates and news about the latest Charlie Tiger arrest.
Recent results cover a busy weekend with shows in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and more. The Video of the Week takes us back to 1986 for Ricky Steamboat vs. Jake Roberts in a Snake Pit Match from The Big Event.
Premium readers can explore classic history with events spanning Madison Square Garden, Philadelphia, Charlottesville, and Atlantic City, plus a full deep dive into the Capital Centre, once the wrestling mecca of D.C.
And on this Labor Day, our feature item takes a look at the everyday jobs wrestlers worked before, during, and after their time in the ring, a reminder that their grit and resilience were forged long before the spotlight.
Keep scrolling for results, news, the Video of the Week, and premium features you won’t want to miss.
The Latest News
Recent Results
Video of the Week
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat stepped into one of his most dangerous battles at The Big Event in Toronto, facing off against Jake “The Snake” Roberts in a Snake Pit Match. With tens of thousands of fans packed into Exhibition Stadium on August 28, 1986, the clash brought Steamboat’s fiery resilience against Roberts’ cold, calculating menace in a showdown that still stands as one of the most talked-about encounters of the era.
Premium Recap
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Today in Pro Wrestling History (8/25–8/31): This week’s entries revisit iconic moments - from the WWF at Madison Square Garden in 1984, NWA in Philadelphia in 1989, and Jim Crockett Promotions in Charlottesville in 1983, to a WWF show in Binghamton in 1980, WCW live events in Philadelphia and Baltimore from 1991, and WWE Raw in Atlantic City in 2006. Click through to explore the full archive.
Inside the Forgotten Wrestling Mecca of D.C.: From Bruno Sammartino to Bret Hart, the Capital Centre in Landover gave Washington fans two decades of unforgettable nights. More than just an arena off the Beltway, it became the stage where legends like Hulk Hogan, André the Giant, and Randy Savage made history. This full deep dive into the Capital Centre’s wrestling legacy is available now for premium subscribers.
On Labor Day, it’s worth remembering that the men and women who became wrestling legends weren’t always larger-than-life superstars. Before they ever stepped into the ring, many of them worked the same kinds of jobs celebrated on this holiday — the blue-collar, everyday work that keeps the country moving. Dusty Rhodes drove a forklift in Texas. Mark Calaway, years before becoming The Undertaker, studied mortuary science. Ric Flair and Roddy Piper both worked as bouncers, with Piper also spending time as a youth counselor. Steve Austin loaded trucks on a freight dock, Shawn Michaels did construction work and John Cena juggled bodybuilding with limo driving and cleaning locker rooms at Gold’s Gym. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson tried his hand in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders, and Brock Lesnar grew up working heavy machinery on a South Dakota farm. Kevin Nash served in the U.S. Army in Germany before returning home to work as a bouncer at an Atlanta strip club.
Some wrestlers kept steady jobs even after breaking into the business. Stan Hansen taught school while wrestling in Texas. Jim Ross balanced his career in wrestling with refereeing football and running barbecue businesses. Glenn Jacobs, better known as Kane, owned an insurance company while still competing. Jerry Lawler worked as a radio DJ and commercial artist. Matt Riddle’s background included lifeguard work and MMA fighting. And Tim Storm, the former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, continued teaching high school and coaching in Texas even while holding wrestling’s most historic championship.
Others started new careers after their time in the spotlight. Jesse Ventura became governor of Minnesota after earlier service as a Navy UDT and bodyguard. Mick Foley moved into life as an author, stand-up comic and professional Santa Claus. Chris Nowinski, whose career was cut short by concussions, founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation and helped reshape the conversation about brain trauma in sports. Sgt. Slaughter shifted into toy design and marketing with Hasbro during the height of the G.I. Joe craze. Steve “Dr. Death” Williams, remembered as one of wrestling’s toughest men, worked for Southwest Airlines after leaving the ring.
The odd jobs are just as memorable. Bruno Sammartino labored in construction and furniture moving before becoming a world champion. Andre the Giant worked as a farmhand and mover in France. The Iron Sheik coached amateur wrestling for Team USA and served as a bodyguard for the Shah of Iran. Paul Wight, known as Big Show, sold cars and bounced at clubs, while Haku’s reputation as a feared enforcer grew from his own work as a bouncer. Triple H managed a gym before focusing on wrestling full time. Randy Savage played minor league baseball, Kevin Owens worked at a video store and Kurt Angle did security work after his Olympic triumph but before signing with WWE.
On this Labor Day, the stories of these wrestlers serve as a reminder that the dignity of work extends far beyond the spotlight. Whether in schools, airports, construction sites or locker rooms, they put in the same kind of shifts as millions of Americans. Their grit and work ethic were forged long before the roar of the crowd, reflecting the very spirit of the holiday being celebrated today.