Five Dark Side of the Ring Episodes I Would Like to See
Vice’s Dark Side of the Ring returned this year to kick off the first half of the third season. Some of the topics that were covered were Brian Pillman, Collision in Korea, Dynamite Kid, and the Grizzly Smith Family.
The season is not over yet as the third season of Dark Side of the Ring will return in the fall of this year. With the wild stories that will be displayed on our screens on the upcoming episodes such as Johnny K9, XPW, and FMW, I thought of five potential episodes of Dark Side of the Ring’s fourth season. I made this shortlist based on who is available to be interviewed, and how many stories could stretch out an episode.
Hardbody Harrison
Before becoming a professional wrestler, Hardbody Harrison served in the US Army as a motor sergeant and platoon leader. As an enhancement talent straight from the WCW Power Plant, Harrison competed in WCW until 2001, when it was acquired by WWE. Following his retirement from professional wrestling, Harrison and two others were convicted of sex trafficking, for which they groomed women who would like to become wrestlers and made them slaves. His crimes have led to a life sentence for him.
Perry Saturn
Perry Saturn had success in the wrestling industry. He came up under Killer Kowalski’s school and had his first successful run in ECW teaming with John Kronus forming The Eliminators. Perry Saturn eventually went to WCW where he had championship gold and a memorable feud with Raven. In 2000, Perry Saturn along with Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Dean Malenko jumped ship to WWE.
What is dark about Perry Saturn, is everything that he went through outside of school the wrestling industry. He suffered a gunshot wound at the time he saved a woman from being assaulted which lead to his drug addiction and for Perry Saturn to be missing in the public eye for almost half a decade. His story would be very eye-opening.
Juana Barraza
A luchadora at a Mexican wrestling venue, Juana Barraza sometimes worked as a popcorn vendor. Her formidable size and strength made her an intimidating opponent in the independent circuit. On the streets of the city, however, she had a different persona: Mataviejitas, “little old lady killers.”
In 2003, Juana Barraza pretended to be a government worker seeking medical care in order to gain access to the homes of elderly women. She strangled them with a piece of equipment, such as stockings or a telephone cord, after getting inside. Unlike most other killers, Barraza’s choices of victims are rather methodical. Her research led her to a list of women who were receiving government assistance. Her actions included identifying elderly women living alone, faking credentials to portray herself as a nurse sent by the government to check their vital signs, and then robbing them of their money. She is currently serving over 700 years in prison after her trial reached the verdict back in 2008.
Andrew “Test” Martin
A tragic tale of a promising star taken too soon abounds in professional wrestling; Andrew Martin was one of them. When he was with the WWF/WWE during the late 1990s and the early 2000s, Martin held the European, Intercontinental, and Tag Team titles. Martin had undergone spinal fusion surgery in 2004 after suffering a serious neck injury, but he eventually made it to the independent circuit.
One thing about the 2000s in the wrestling world is the deaths of so many wrestlers that were under the age of 45 years old. Martin once said, “I just turned 32 and went to eight funerals in the past year, Is that what I want?” in an interview. A year after that interview Martin passed away. It was a sad day in the world of wrestling and the conversation for that episode could go with how today, we do not see this happen as often as we did a decade ago.
Dustin Runnels
Dustin Runnels has been in the industry for close to 30 years now. Wrestling between WCW, WWE, TNA, and AEW, he has enjoyed longevity that is close to The Undertaker’s. Dustin Runnels went on record in several interviews and on his book about his past addiction issues along with the divorce of his first wife Terri Runnels. If an episode of Dustin Runnels was in the works, I believe it will have a happy ending as he overcame all of the dark periods of his life.
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