Dark Side of the Ring
The Biggest Stories in Wrestling’s Darkest Secrets.
Storyline
Finding truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality in the veiled world of professional wrestling.
Episodes
Season 1
No overview available for this season.
The Match Made in Heaven
Apr 10, 2019
Art collides with real life when the mythical love story between wrestling icons Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth explodes beyond the ring with tragic consequences.
The Montreal Screwjob
Apr 17, 2019
In one of wrestling's most infamous off-script moments, wrestler Bret Hart is stripped of his championship title through a backstage plot of betrayal that forever changes the sport.
The Killing of Bruiser Brody
Apr 24, 2019
Wrestlers discuss the tragic evening in 1988 when they witnessed a locker room confrontation that resulted in the death of legendary wrestler Bruiser Brody.
The Last of the Von Erichs
May 01, 2019
The last surviving brother of the legendary Von Erich wrestling dynasty revisits the tragedy that plagued his once iconic family
The Mysterious Death of Gorgeous Gino
May 08, 2019
New revelations about her son's death are revealed to the mother of wrestling star Gino Hernandez, whose 1986 death was believed to be a drug-related murder.
The Fabulous Moolah
May 15, 2019
The legacy of wrestling's biggest female star, The Fabulous Moolah, is re-examined after controversial allegations surface following her 2007 death.
Season 2
No overview available for this season.
Benoit Part One
Mar 24, 2020
In 2007, wrestling superstar Chris Benoit murders his wife and 7-year-old son, then ends his own life; those closest to the tragedy never speak openly until now.
Benoit Part Two
Mar 24, 2020
The conclusion to wrestling's darkest hour, including startling revelations about the troubled mind of Chris Benoit before he killed his wife and son, and then took his own life.
The Life and Crimes of New Jack
Mar 31, 2020
One of the most feared and controversial wrestlers of all time, New Jack's career reads like a criminal rap sheet; revealing the man behind the monster and his hardcore legacy
The Brawl For All
Apr 07, 2020
Known as the worst idea in the history of professional wrestling, a legitimate boxing tournament leads to career-ending injuries and has audiences begging for the final bell.
Jimmy Snuka and the Death of Nancy Argentino
Apr 14, 2020
Investigating the mysterious story of Jimmy Snuka, whose girlfriend Nancy Argentino died in their motel room in 1983, and revealing her family's 30-year struggle for justice.
The Assassination of Dino Bravo
Apr 21, 2020
Family and friends of Dino Bravo relive his descent from Montreal's favorite wrestling son to mob enforcer, and the deadly consequences that followed.
David Schultz & the Slap Heard Round the World
Apr 28, 2020
The cautionary tale of David Schultz, set to become a superstar until his violent run-in with "20/20" reporter John Stossel saw him exiled from the business he'd sworn to protect.
Cocaine & Cowboy Boots: The Herb Abrams Story
May 05, 2020
One man's fanatical attempt to build a wrestling empire to rival Vince McMahon's goes tragically haywire as his ego and cocaine addiction kills his dream -- and him along with it.
The Last Ride of the Road Warriors
May 12, 2020
The inside story of how wrestling's ultimate tag-team partnership is undone when one half of the powerhouse duo slides into alcohol and substance abuse.
The Final Days of Owen Hart
May 19, 2020
In 1999, Owen Hart fell 80 feet to his death in a stunt that went tragically wrong. Bravely reliving his final day, his widow Martha reveals the mistakes that took his life.
Season 3
No overview available for this season.
Brian Pillman Part One
May 06, 2021
Brian Pillman clawed his way to infamy with a groundbreaking performance that blurred the lines between fact and fiction until it led to his ultimate destruction.
Brian Pillman Part Two
May 06, 2021
After enduring a horrific car wreck, Brian Pillman masks his injuries while pushing his body to the brink. His untimely death leaves his young family struggling to cope.
The Ultra-Violence of Nick Gage
May 13, 2021
Nick Gage is the self-proclaimed king of deathmatch wrestling, but his road to the top has been marked with a six-year prison sentence for armed robbery and personal tragedies.
Collision in Korea
May 20, 2021
In one of the most bizarre acts of political theatre ever conceived, professional wrestlers deployed to North Korea faced a terrifying ordeal that had them fighting for their lives.
Becoming Warrior
May 27, 2021
The Ultimate Warrior was a divisive force in and outside of the ring. His first wife reveals how an aspiring chiropractor morphed himself into wrestling's most polarizing figure.
In The Shadow of Grizzly Smith
Jun 03, 2021
Having survived familial abuse at the hands of their father and the mysterious abduction of their sister, Jake "The Snake" and his siblings struggle to reconcile with their past.
The Dynamite Kid
Jun 10, 2021
The Dynamite Kid earned worldwide fame with a riveting, self-sacrificing style, but violent confrontations outside the ring would destroy his family, his body and his legacy.
The Plane Ride From Hell
Sep 16, 2021
A private 757 flight descended into a nightmare as intoxicated wrestlers clashed with their flight crew, erupting into one of wrestling’s most infamous scandals.
The Double Life of Chris Kanyon
Sep 23, 2021
In a culture that celebrates machismo and negative gay stereotypes, wrestling innovator Chris Kanyon kept his own sexuality a closely guarded secret for decades.
Blood & Wire: Onita's FMW
Sep 30, 2021
After Japan's Atsushi Onita creates FMW and its spectacular matches featuring explosions and gratuitous gore, his handpicked successor takes his own life while drowning in debt.
Bikers, Bombs & Bedlam: Johnny K9
Oct 07, 2021
Johnny K9 led a double life as an in-ring brute and the leader of a biker gang implicated in drug trafficking, the bombing of a police station, and a gruesome double murder.
The Many Faces of Luna Vachon
Oct 14, 2021
A striking villain in the ring, Luna Vachon was a groundbreaking physical performer who battled mental illness and addiction while seeking to champion women's wrestling.
Extreme & Obscene: Rob Black's XPW
Oct 21, 2021
XPW merged Rob Black's passions for hardcore porn and deathmatch wrestling, but after he waged a war with federal authorities his empire imploded.
The Steroid Trials
Oct 28, 2021
In the mid 90s, wrestling was rocked by accusations of rampant steroid abuse. With star witness Hulk Hogan, prosecutors set out to prove that Vince McMahon was the one responsible.
Season 4
No overview available for this season.
Chris and Tammy
May 30, 2023
Chris Candido and Tammy Sytch were high school sweethearts whose talent and ambition had them on a path to wrestling stardom. Along the way, drugs, injuries, and ill-fated choices sent them down another road altogether.
Shattered: The Magnum T.A. Story
Jun 06, 2023
Wrestling hearththrob Terry Magnum T.A. Allen was destined for worldwide stardom, but one rainy night altered his career and the future of wrestling forever.
Breaking the Cycle: The Graham Dynasty
Jun 13, 2023
Florida became a wrestling mecca for decades under patriarch Eddie Graham and his son Mike, but a series of shocking and unrelenting tragedies threatened to eclipse their legacy.
What Happened to Doink the Clown?
Jun 20, 2023
Matt Borne, the man behind Doink the Clown, lived a life of unhinged violence and substance abuse until his shocking death left his family questioning if it really was an accident.
The Junkyard Dog
Jun 27, 2023
One of the first Black megastars in wrestling, the Junkyard Dog's journey to the top of the business is marked by addiction and unrealized potential.
The Tragic Fall of Adrian Adonis
Jul 11, 2023
A real life street fighter, Adrian Adonis turns flamboyant wrestling heel, but his life cuts short in an horrific accident that has been shrouded in mystery for the past thirty years.
Abdullah the Butcher: Legacy of Blood
Jul 18, 2023
Infamous for his in-ring bloodbaths, Abdullah the Butcher was a money-making phenomenon. But after fifty years of pushing boundaries, one cut cost him everything.
Bam Bam Bigelow: The Beast from the East
Jul 25, 2023
Convict; bounty hunter; flame-skulled wrestling legend; addict; the lore of Bam Bam Bigelow has only grown since his death; his family tells his improbable tale for the first time.
Bash at the Beach 2000
Aug 01, 2023
At the end of the '90s, WCW's greatest battles played out backstage between scheming executives and writers, until one off-script rant against Hulk Hogan changed everything.
The World According to Marty Jannetty
Aug 08, 2023
Known for their raw athleticism and sex appeal, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty's run as The Rockers was eclipsed by Marty's excess, drug abuse, and possible murder.
Season 5
No overview available for this season.
The Ballad of 'Earthquake' John Tenta
Mar 05, 2024
John Tenta couldn't be further from the monstrous Earthquake character WWF fans loved to hate; as his career faded, a health battle threatened to take him from the family he loved.
Buff and the Bagwells
Mar 12, 2024
Marcus "Buff" Bagwell's brash persona in the ring was easily matched by his wild antics outside of it, made even wilder by the eccentric family he brought along for the ride.
Terry Gordy: Final Flight of the Freebird
Mar 19, 2024
Already a wrestling star as a teenager, Terry Gordy's time with the renowned Fabulous Freebirds made him a living legend until an accidental overdose robbed him of everything.
Saving Face: The Brutus Beefcake Story
Mar 26, 2024
Brutus 'The Barber' Beefcake's path in the wrestling world was defined by his decades-long friendship with Hulk Hogan and a horrifying accident that almost took his life.
The Life and Legends of Harley Race
Apr 02, 2024
Harley Race achieved near mythical status for wrestling fans as the ultimate tough guy, but behind closed doors his life was haunted by violence and unimaginable personal tragedy.
Chris Colt: Welcome to My Nightmare
Apr 09, 2024
The wildest wrestler never to break through, Chris Colt’s life took him from LSD trips in the ring to the world of porn but his self-destructive ways kept him from becoming a star.
Chris Adams: The Gentleman and the Demon
Apr 16, 2024
'Gentleman' Chris Adams had the charm, prowess and instinct to become a wrestling sensation, but a violent relationship with alcohol led to a tragic end at the hands of a friend.
Sensational Sherri
Apr 23, 2024
An icon of the 80s and 90s as the 'Sensational' manager of top wrestling stars, Sherri Martel left her family behind to pursue her dreams in the ring.
Enter Sandman: Legacy of a Hardcore Icon
Apr 30, 2024
A legend of hardcore wrestling, The Sandman made his mark in ECW as the ultimate beer-chugging dirtbag — but lines are blurred when his real family is brought into the ring.
Black Saturday: The Rise of Vince
May 07, 2024
The day that has gone down in infamy as the launch of Vince McMahon’s absolute takeover of the professional wrestling industry, Black Saturday changed wrestling forever.
Season 6
No overview available for this season.
Mick Foley: Hell in a Cell
Mar 25, 2025
From the first terrifying fall off the cage to the impact he still feels today, Mick Foley relives one of wrestling’s most iconic matches, Hell in a Cell ‘98 moment by moment.
Ludvig Borga: Hellraiser from Helsinki
Apr 01, 2025
A Finnish wrestling bad guy turned real-life racist politician, Tony Halme’s time in the WWF as Ludvig Borga is only the start of his chaotic and destructive life.
Big Van Vader
Apr 08, 2025
With an iconic look and skills few of his size could match, Big Van Vader stood out as a wrestling monster but controlling his anger became a bigger battle in and out of the ring.
Tony Atlas: Too Much, Too Soon
Apr 15, 2025
With the physique of an Adonis and endless charisma, Tony Atlas made his mark as one of wrestling’s first Black stars but racism, addiction and ego kept Mr. USA from the top.
The Original "Superstar": Billy Graham
Apr 22, 2025
Often imitated, never duplicated, Superstar Billy Graham broke the mold for what a wrestler could be but steroid abuse and battles with the McMahons kept Graham from the spotlight.
“Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert
Apr 29, 2025
Skilled as a performer in the ring and as a booker, who created storylines behind the scenes. ‘Hot Stuff’ Eddie Gilbert was a ticking timebomb of talent and self-destruction.
Truth, Lies and Billy Jack Haynes
May 06, 2025
An 80’s wrestling star, Billy Jack Haynes’ life of violence and mystery has led to his current situation—behind bars and charged with the second degree murder of his wife.
Blood, Fire and the Original Sheik
May 13, 2025
One of the most hated heels in wrestling history; The Sheik, whose violent career spanned 50 years is revealed by his family and the few who survived his hardcore bloodbaths.
The Scream Queen: Daffney
May 20, 2025
With her piercing scream, Shannon Spruill became a cult star as Daffney in the squared circle. Outside the ring, Daffney fought a much more punishing battle with bipolar disorder.
Becoming Muhammad Hassan
May 27, 2025
Just three years post-9/11, Marc Copani sees the highs and lows of wrestling when he’s given the chance to portray Muhammad Hassan, a villainous Arab-American character for the WWE.
Season 7
No overview available for this season.
Jeff Jarrett/TNA Wrestling Part One
Jul 07, 2026
Jeff Jarrett/TNA Wrestling Part Two
Jul 07, 2026
Jeff Jarrett/TNA Wrestling Part Three
Jul 14, 2026
Samoa Joe vs. Necro Butcher
Jul 21, 2026
The Big Bossman
Jul 28, 2026
Renegade Rick Wilson
Aug 04, 2026
Paul Orndorff
Aug 11, 2026
Missy Hyatt
Aug 18, 2026
Zach Gowen
Aug 25, 2026