After
leaving the WWF with permanent injuries, “Mr.
Wonderful” Paul Orndorff hoped his days of putting
his body on the line were behind him. But after losing
his life savings in a financial scheme, the wrestling
legend found himself needing to return to the only
business he knew.
Orndorff
resurfaced in 1990, working for the UWF and independent
promotions before joining Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
Despite the nerve damage that had caused severe atrophy
in his right arm, he found ways to conceal his injury
and continued wrestling to provide for his family.
In
1993, Orndorff signed with WCW, where he was eventually
given an unusual spin on his iconic “Mr. Wonderful”
persona involving celebrity psychic Gary Spivey—a
storyline his son Travis admits he hated.
By
1999, years of injuries and constant pain led Orndorff
behind the scenes at WCW’s Power Plant, where
he trained a new generation of wrestlers and hoped
to pass on his legacy.
But
when Orndorff stepped back into the ring at age 50
against some of his own trainees, an attempted piledriver
on Mark Jindrak went disastrously wrong, leaving the
wrestling legend unable to get back to his feet.
Featuring
Travis Orndorff, Jim Cornette, Arn Anderson and B.
Brian Blair, this is the story of the difficult final
chapter of Paul Orndorff’s legendary in-ring
career.
Watch
Dark Side of the Ring: Saving Paul Orndorff.
About
Dark Side of the Ring:
Professional wrestling is the only sport whose stars
live in two worlds, balancing their in-ring characters
with real life. Dark Side of the Ring examines the
complex intersections of fantasy and reality while
uncovering wrestling's dark, untold history. Season
7 goes deeper than ever with a three-part odyssey
into TNA through the eyes of Jeff Jarrett, in-depth
profiles of classic stars Paul Orndorff and Big Boss
Man, and a gripping breakdown of the violent clash
between Samoa Joe and Necro Butcher.
Adrian
Adonis became one of wrestling’s most provocative
stars by pushing buttons, breaking boundaries, and
turning his flamboyant “Flower Shop” persona
into a heat machine. But behind the character was
Keith Franke, a tough kid from Buffalo with a reputation
for street fights, loyalty, and real toughness long
before he entered the ring. This story looks at the
complicated contrast between the gimmick that made
fans hate him and the man his friends and peers remembered
behind the scenes.
At
WCW’s Bash at the Beach 2000, Jeff Jarrett lying
down for Hulk Hogan was supposed to be part of a worked
storyline. But when Vince Russo later went back in
front of the crowd and cut a scathing promo on Hogan,
the planned swerve spiraled into one of the most debated
and confusing moments in WCW history.
About
Dark Side of the Ring:
A deep dive into professional wrestling’s most
controversial stories—exploring the rivalries,
betrayals, tragedies, and backstage conflicts that
shaped the industry beyond the spotlight.
Tune
into the new season of Dark Side of the Ring, premiering
July 7 on VICE TV.
"There
was a woman on the table dressed as the Statue of
Liberty filming a scene with three guys." Xtreme
Pro Wrestling (XPW) was extreme in many different
ways.
*
July 7 – Jeff Jarrett’s TNA Parts One and
Two
* July 14 – Jeff Jarrett’s TNA Part Three
* July 21 – Samoa Joe vs. Necro Butcher
* July 28 – The Big Bossman.
* August 4 – Renegade Rick Wilson
* August 11 – Paul Orndorff
* August 18 – Missy Hyatt
* August 25 – Zach Gowen
New
episodes of Dark Side of the Ring Season 7 premiere
at 10:00 pm ET on VICE TV.
Dark
Side of the Ring has built up a cult following since
premiering on Vice TV in 2019 and has covered some
of the biggest names in wrestling history. Still,
as the channel’s parent company filed for Chapter
11 bankruptcy in May 2023, there has been some doubt
whether there would be a fifth season. However, Dave
Meltzer has now confirmed in the latest issue of the
Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the fifth series
is coming, and several of the subjects are.
“For
the new season of Dark Side of the Ring, we know of
these episodes: Brutus Beefcake, Harley Race, Buff
Bagwell, Kurt Angle, Chris Adams, Sandman and Black
Saturday (when Vince McMahon purchased Georgia Championship
Wrestling to get access to the TBS time slot in 1984).”
- Dave
Meltzer
Of
all the topics, it seems likely Kurt Angle’s
will get the most attention, with the WWE Hall of
Famer’s life famously spiraling out of control
for a decade due to an addiction to painkillers. Yet,
thankfully, since 2013, he has been clean and sober
after completing rehab following a DUI arrest, and
since then, he has been willingly sharing his story
to educate and motivate others.
Dark
Side Of The Ring: Trailers and Reviews
Finding
truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality in
the veiled world of professional wrestling
Trailer
Dark
Side Of The Ring
The
Match Made In Heaven
The
Killing Of Bruiser Brody
Hannibal
reviews Brody Dark Side of Ring Vice Documentary
Review:
Dark Side Of The Ring
Review
by Greg Tingle (Media Man
Int, Media Man Australia and Australian Sports Entertainment)
Congratulations
Evan and team. As a long time wrestling fan and sports agent, I can tell that
this is going to be massive. Talk about an expose which is going to get the industry
and pop culture scene buzzing. We won't want to miss a second of this compelling
production which is going to slam and suplex the hell out of the industry. Hell
Yeah, that can be a public testimonial! Whatcha going to do when 'Dark Side Of
The Industry' is running wild on you brother.
Review:
Dark Side Of The Ring
Perhaps
there can be a follow up story in this non @wwe - @WWENetwork production. Hogan
had a lot to deal with over the past decade or so and already so much of his personal
life was broadcast. Without Hulk's first hand account it's tabloid-ish. I'm giving
this 9.5 out of 10 for entertainment value and compelling storytelling. 7 out
of 10 for an accurate account. Hulk Hogan likely had compelling reasons not to
be interviewed and has got back in the WWE's good graces. Hulk Hogan has good
reasons to be guarded with news media, documentary makers and such. Once bitten,
Twice Shy! Perhaps an interview for a follow up. The Brody doco was even more
amazing and powerful. So, what happens to the PR booker man who escaped justice
way back then? Can the case be trialled again et al? There's living witnesses
to a murder! #hulkhogan #DarkSideOfTheRing #wwe #brodylives #brodylegend #legendliveson
Dark
Side of the Ring is a critically acclaimed Canadian
documentary series (produced by Vice Studios) that
dives into the controversial, tragic, and often untold
stories from professional wrestling's history. en.wikipedia.org
It
explores the intersection of kayfabe (wrestling's
scripted reality) and real-life events, covering topics
like backstage scandals, mysterious deaths, unsolved
crimes, personal struggles, and industry controversies.
The series is known for in-depth research, exclusive
interviews with wrestlers, families, and insiders,
plus dramatic reenactments. imdb.com
Key
DetailsCreators: Evan Husney and Jason Eisener.
Narrators: Chris Jericho (seasons 2–present),
with earlier episodes featuring Dutch Mantel or Mick
Foley.
Premiere: April 10, 2019, on Vice TV (U.S.) and Crave
(Canada).
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10 (highly regarded for its storytelling).
imdb.comSeasons: 6 completed (60 episodes total as
of Season 6 in 2025), with Season 7 premiering July
7, 2026. en.wikipedia.orgSeason 7 (2026) HighlightsSeason
7 kicks off with a special three-part deep dive into
Jeff Jarrett and the rise/fall/battle for TNA Wrestling
(Parts 1 & 2 on July 7, Part 3 on July 14). Subsequent
episodes cover:Samoa Joe vs. Necro Butcher
The Big Boss Man
Renegade (Rick Wilson)
Paul Orndorff ("Mr. Wonderful")
Missy Hyatt
Zach Gowen (one-legged wrestler)
New
episodes air weekly on Vice TV at 9/10 PM ET. 411mania.com
Where
to WatchVice TV (linear and on-demand via their site/app,
often with free episodes or login).
Streaming: Tubi (free with ads, some seasons), Philo,
Spectrum On Demand, Hoopla. Earlier seasons available
on other platforms like Amazon, Apple TV for purchase.
justwatch.comYouTube often has official clips/trailers
and full episodes shortly after airing.
Availability varies by region and can change (e.g.,
previously on Hulu/Disney+ bundles in some areas).
Popular
Episodes/ThemesThe show has covered iconic stories
like:Randy Savage & Miss Elizabeth
The Montreal Screwjob
Bruiser Brody's murder
Chris Benoit tragedy
Owen Hart's death
Plane Ride from Hell
Various wrestler deaths, addictions, and behind-the-scenes
power struggles.
It
has strong reception (e.g., 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
for Season 1) for balancing sensitivity with unflinching
detail.
UFC
1 opened with a fight that instantly showed the world
how brutal and unpredictable mixed martial arts could
be. At Denver’s McNichols Sports Arena, French
Savate champion Gerard Gordeau faced sumo wrestler
Teila Tuli in a no-rules spectacle that ended in shocking
fashion, setting the tone for the tournament that
introduced Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, and a new era
of combat sports.
About
Dark Side of the 90s:
A revealing look at the fame, scandals, subcultures,
and defining moments that shaped the 1990s—exploring
the darker stories behind the decade’s biggest
icons, trends, and cultural turning points.
