5 New Wrestling Podcast Partners we’d love to see team up with Conrad Thompson

Conrad Thompson rose to unlikely prominence based on the success of his pro wrestling podcasts. His show with Bruce Prichard caught fire for its long form format that takes a deep dive into big time wrestling topics with a highly credible source at hand. That podcast, not to mention it’s brief run airing episodes on the WWE Network, paved the way for Thompson’s popular shows with Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, and perhaps best received of all, Eric Bischoff. Arn Anderson has signed on for a new show with Thompson, and Thompson’s Starrcast conventions have been huge successes.

So what’s next for the prolific mortgage broker whom wrestling fans have started calling “The Pod Father?” Thompson’s plate may already be full between weekly podcasts, conventions, and touring live shows. Nonetheless, there’s little harm in making a wish list. This article takes a look at five other podcast partners we’d love to hear Thompson team up with.

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#5 Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman's experience with not only WWE over the years, but ECW would enrich a podcast.

Paul Heyman is one of the greatest wrestling minds of his generation. He was an elite manager in WCW in the early 1990s. He in many ways sparked a revolution in how wrestling is presented in masterminding ECW as an electric third option to WCW and WWE that influenced both promotions and introduced a cavalcade of eventual national stars. From there, he came to WWE, where his resume included heading up SmackDown creative, joining Jim Ross as a color commentator, coaching prospects in developmental, playing a key role in the launch of the WWE ECW brand, working at the top of the card with Brock Lesnar and CM Punk. Most recently, he was signed to work with Vince McMahon on overseeing the direction of Monday Night Raw.

Heyman’s experiences alone make him an enticing guy to line up for a long form podcast in the style that Conrad Thompson has facilitated. Better yet, Heyman is notorious for being outspoken and having an opinion about just about everything. Combine that with Thompson’s oft-stated fanhood for ECW and the two could produce a very fun podcast with a unique perspective.

#4 Jeff Jarrett

Jeff Jarrett's experience across decades, promotions, and roles could be fascinating to hear more about.

Few figures in professional wrestling can claim Jeff Jarrett’s breadth of experience. The guy was a key star for Jerry Lawler’s Memphis territory back in the day, which included working stars of yore as well as fellow youngsters who would go on to become worldwide superstars.

From there, he was a major figure in the Monday Night War if only for having bounced back and forth between WWE and WCW so aggressively to better his prospects, and in the process share at least a locker room, if not ring time with anyone who was anyone from that hot period in the business. Add on Jarrett’s role in founding, running, and starring for Impact Wrestling, the Global Wrestling Federation stint, and his ultimate return to WWE, and there are few guys with experiences as circuitous or interesting as Jarrett’s.

It may be a long shot for Thompson to get a show with Jarrett, given Double J’s relatively recent return to the WWE fold and him probably wanting to do everything he can to stay in good standing given his past. Still, Thompson could score Jarrett as a podcast partner, it’s fascinating to think of the stories they might uncover together.

#3 Bret Hart

Bret Hart as a voice of experience, and a candid critic, could be great on a Conrad Thompson podcast.

Bret Hart is the subject of near universal respect in the wrestling world for his unparalleled skill in the wrestling ring, his ability to connect with an international audience, and his years spent starring for WWE in particular (besides his less celebrated, but nonetheless high profile WCW run).

The Hitman becomes especially attractive as a podcast co-host for not only his long and decorated wrestling career, but the way in which he has translated his credibility to become an outspoken wrestling critic in recent years. Hart has pulled no punches in criticizing Triple H as overrated and Seth Rollins as unsafe in the ring—not necessarily popular opinions, but one he is uniquely situated to deliver and be taken seriously for.

As an added bonus, Hart’s book, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling could serve as something of a guide for the podcast, given how detailed and comprehensive the memoir was, reportedly rooted in his extensive note taking during his wrestling career. Thompson has referred to this and other wrestling books often on his shows, and Hart has given him an in-depth source to revisit time and time again as source material.

#2 CM Punk

CM Punk is an all-time great talker.

CM Punk was a talented performer inside the professional wrestling ring. However, when fans look back at his legacy in the business, there’s little question that he’ll be best remembered for his promo work; he was quite arguably the best performer on the mic of his generation.

Punk has carried on his outspoken ways in his controversial visit to Colt Cabana’s podcast, The Art of Wrestling, as well as a more recent open discussion at Conrad Thompson’s Starrcast 3 in Chicago. Even five years plus removed from the pro wrestling spotlight, he remains one of the business’s most intriguing voices, and someone fans are all too eager to flock to listen to.

In addition to Punk being a natural choice to feature on a podcast in general, his wrestling experience offers a unique perspective to a show in Thompson’s deep dive format. Yes, Punk was a WWE main eventer, and his tenure with the company, including his time in developmental, spanned nearly a decade. On top of that, though, he was a top star for ROH and other smaller promotions who worked an extensive catalog of stars before they were famous, and thus could offer rich discussion in long form conversations.

1. Tommy Dreamer

Tommy Dreamer has a unique perspective on the wrestling business and its recent history.

It has become a thread on Edge and Christian’s E and C’s Pod of Awesomeness that Tommy Dreamer is a deceptively influential figure in wrestling history. Yes, he was a star for ECW, who later had a substantial run in WWE. He also had a key role in both advising younger talents and putting them on WWE’s radar through his recommendations.

Dreamer is a veteran who has contributed to a number of performers’ careers. Additionally, his small House of Hardcore promotion has become something of an institution in the wrestling world, never expanding beyond its reach, but rather steadily putting on a compelling product that features stars on the rise and older stars cycling out of the national scene.

Dreamer’s connections have garnered him a breadth of opportunities in these late stages of his career as an in ring performer. Dreamer has continued to work guest spots for WWE, show up for Impact Wrestling, work a variety of smaller promotions, and ultimately find his way to a backstage role with All Elite Wrestling, where he reportedly helped map out matches for All Out. All of this experience makes Dreamer a guy with a uniquely broad perspective, well set up for the type of podcast Conrad Thompson facilitates.

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