The following press release has been issued: HENRY GODWIN SPEAKS ON GLORY DAYS GRAPPLECON 4: “A&E, WWE Legends and Lore” Hall of Fame inductee Henry Godwin recently appeared as a guest on the podcast show for The Ring Fanatic Show and discussed Glory Days GrappleCon 4 coming up April 11th in Tampa, FL. The man of limitless knowledge and lover for the sport that he is, Godwin sat down with host James Walsh on Wrestling Epicenter to look into his past, future and give plenty for fans to look forward.
Godwin has seen a great deal of the unpredictable world of wrestling in his career. From his early days wrestling under various names to developing one of the most memorable country characters in WWE history, he’s been there and done that. And fans of traditional wrestling will best remember him as a slob throwing wrestle-r, teaming with other pigs like Phineas Godwin.And for opponents and matches that entertained millions throughout the world.
Godwin didn’t mince words when asked about that Lutz event. He said that he always has a good time working with promoter Nick and his Captain’s Corner crew, and he said that fans can expect big names and fun moments at this year’s GrappleCon. The Headbangers, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Lord Humongous and The KISS Demon (Dale Torborg) are just a few of the wrestlers announced to appear for fans have many reasons to come out. Godwin even ribs Donovan about his age, telling him that he still looks like a“mini Lex Luger” at his old age.
One that Godwin mentioned is his attempt to book Hillbilly Jim on the show. He continued to note that Jim hasn’t worked with them in close to thirty years, and the opportunity to make it happen would be a great thing for the old-school wrestling fans. Other than the Lutz show Godwin has teased that Jim could return for another show in March continued to build excitement for fans that love some of wrestling’s most classic personalities.
Godwin also commented on hearing Jerry Lawler say he still wants to get back in the ring. He said he recently saw Lawler at a signing and was surprised that the King looked so good holds them to the last time they were together in Vegas during WrestleMania. Godwin also said that it was good to see Lawler doing well, and that he was happy for him in a genuine manner, respecting the longevity of the veteran’s career as one of wrestling’s living legends.
When Godwin was asked to think back on how he initially wound up in professional wrestling, his response was typical “Phenom of the Opera” simple. He had grown up watching wrestling with his grandpa and became an instant fan of sports entertainment—something he still smiles about when fans watch wrestling today and connect with those same old-school roots. His family wasn’t particularly a wrestling family, but he was fanatic from the get-go. Having trained with George South and The Italian Stallion, he began working as an extra in Atlanta, which resulted in important connections to personalities such as Erik Watts and Bill Watts. From there, it happened quickly. They told him to speak with Dusty Rhodes and Jody Hamilton, and he did so — leading to his first real matches on house shows; he didn’t think twice about whether or not to accept the offer.
Among other things, the chat also debunked some myths around his first ring names. Godwin did verify that he never worked as Master Blaster when wrestling of USWA despite what some longevity claiming online bios will claim. It was not so, there were lots of different experiences and characters which informed his time in the industry.
Godwin also shared an interesting part to the interview when he was asked about how his popular ring name “Shanghai Pierce” was created. He says the ring name was Dusty Rhodes’ idea — a riff on a popular old Western movie, Gunfight at the OK Corral. And the name stuck, becoming just one of the many unforgettable names Godwin bore throughout his career.
Godwin also told a few humorous tales that occurred outside the wrestling ring in his life. He recalled living with other wrestlers, such as Kevin Nash and Sid Vicious — “Those guys were the best; we got an apartment together and had a blast” — but also remembered getting away from it all. These personal memories provided a lively and engaging portrait of life behind the scenes, where there were legends still undiscovered by the public eye but rich in camaraderie.
To close out the interview, before we even got to some of Godwin’s favorite matches: one from WCW Beach Blast 1992. He spoke of the savagery of the match, and how good it felt to have been part of a battle that had felt real And however crude, it got him compliments from older legends like Blackjack Mulligan and Dusty Rhodes.
In the end, Godwin talking about GrappleCon as well as some career stories gave fans all of the nostalgia they’ve been yearning for without any of Jack’s promo or interview-style language. Whether you’re a long-time devotee of old-school wrestling or new to its history, his perspective explains why these events remain relevant more than 30 years later and why people like him continue to keep our interest.
