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The 1980s were an important time in the history of pro wrestling, marked by the rise of Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation and the death of the territory system. The decade brought about Hulk-A-Mania, the creation of WrestleMania, and the introduction of pay-per-view as a new revenue stream. However, none of that would’ve had an impact if it weren’t for the cast of larger-than-life characters who populated wrestling TV at the time.

Sadly, many of the era’s biggest stars died young, and icons such as Andre the Giant, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, and Hulk Hogan are no longer with us. With that acknowledged, there are still plenty of wrestling legends who are still around, maintaining public exposure through social media, convention appearances, and other means. Let’s take a look at some of the top stars from the 1980s and what they’re up to in the modern era.

Jesse Ventura – Return to Commentary

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After making a name for himself in the ring, Jesse “The Body” Ventura became known as one of the most recognizable voices in the industry, doing commentary for McMahon’s WWF throughout much of the decade. He also became known for roles in movies like “Predator” and “The Running Man,” both of which saw him co-starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.

A disagreement over royalties led to Ventura leaving the WWF in 1990. While also continuing to act and picking up work as a commentator in WCW, Ventura entered politics the same year that he left McMahon’s company. Ventura first became mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Eight years later, he was elected governor of Minnesota, and served in that office for one term before deciding he’d had enough.

Following his term as governor, Ventura continued acting as well as becoming a political pundit and author. He’d eventually repair his relationship with the renamed WWE and be inducted into the company’s Hall of Fame. As of 2025, Ventura had even returned to the commentary desk for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Ricky Steamboat – Living the Life of a Wrestling Legend

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Best known for his trilogy of acclaimed matches with Ric Flair, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat spent the first half of the 1980s in the NWA’s Jim Crockett Promotions before joining the WWF in 1985. Over the next several decades, Steamboat worked in a variety of companies and retired from in-ring action several times, while also taking a backstage job in WWE for a time.

Steamboat made the first in a series of appearances for All Elite Wrestling a few years back, serving as a guest timekeeper in a match between “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia. He’s since served as a timekeeper, an outside enforcer, and a commentator for the promotion. In 2022, Steamboat ended a 12-year in-ring absence when he teamed up with AEW tag team FTR to wrestle Nick Aldis, Jay Lethal, and Brock Anderson at an independent show in North Carolina. Today, as is the case with many of his peers, Steamboat can often be found doing signings on the convention circuit.

Jake The Snake Roberts – Onscreen Manager

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With his memorable (and terrifying) snake gimmick, Jake Roberts cemented himself as one of the best wrestling villains of his time. Offscreen, Roberts had just as many demons to battle. Following the height of his fame, Roberts continued wrestling but descended into addiction as well, and it nearly wound up costing him his life. He eventually got help from former WCW star “Diamond” Dallas Page, with Roberts’ sobriety journey recorded in the 2015 documentary “The Resurrection of Jake the Snake.”

Like Steamboat, Roberts has become associated with AEW in recent years, though Roberts had taken on a much larger role with the promotion. In 2020, he began acting as the onscreen manager for Lance Archer, which lasted for several years. Following a short-lived stint managing Los Faccion Ingobernables, Roberts hasn’t appeared on AEW TV since late 2024.

Wendi Richter – Occupational Therapist

In the 1980s, Wendi Richter was known as one of the biggest names in women’s wrestling. She quite possibly could’ve crossed over and became a mainstream star, as she had plenty of exposure during the WWF’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era and worked closely with pop star Cyndi Lauper onscreen. However, a fateful decision made by McMahon resulted in Richter being screwed out of the championship by The Fabulous Moolah and left out of the creative picture. Immediately after this happened in 1985, Richter left the company.

Richter continued wrestling for years after that, and she was eventually inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010. Following some time spent as a real estate agent, Richter now works as an occupational therapist. In the summer of 2025, Richter reportedly lost her home in a fire, with the Cauliflower Alley Club establishing a fundraiser to help the former WWE star.

Bob Backlund – Retired in Florida

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From the late 1970s through the early ’80s, Bob Backlund was one of the top stars in the WWF. However, when Vince K. McMahon took over from his father, Backlund found himself on borrowed time, as Hulk Hogan was destined to become the next face of the company.

After dropping the world title to the Iron Sheik in 1983, and Sheik promptly losing to Hogan, Backlund left the WWF. He’d wrestle on and off for the next several decades, including several returns to the WWF and an eventual Hall of Fame induction. In 2016, he made a more substantial return to WWE TV, acting as the manager for wrestler Darren Young.

Over the years, Backlund stayed busy with other projects as well. He acted, made guest appearances on MTV shows, and even tried his hand at politics. However, Backlund failed in his 2000 bid for the House of Representatives.

These days, Backlund is living in quiet retirement. Reports emerged in 2024 stating that the WWE Hall of Famer was sadly suffering from dementia, and Backlund had started living with his sister in Florida.

Ted DiBiase – Caught Up in Financial Scandal

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For much of the 1980s, Ted DiBiase built out his reputation as an excellent wrestler and talker, working across the NWA and around the world. His persona took off even further when he signed with McMahon in 1987 and joined the WWF, becoming a top star there near the end of the decade. He stayed with the company until 1996, when he joined WCW before later returning to WWE for an onscreen and behind-the-scenes position.

Known as “The Million Dollar Man,” it’s ironic that DiBiase has been closely associated with money throughout his wrestling career, as his family has become embroiled in a welfare fraud scandal in recent years. In 2020, reports emerged claiming that Ted’s son Brett DiBiase, who was deputy administrator of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, handed out more than $2 million in welfare funds to Ted’s ministry. The scandal was widespread, involving figures ranging from former NFL quarterback Brett Favre to Brett’s brother, Ted Jr., and members of the DiBiase family could still be served jail time over the incident.

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The 2025 ALCS had been a series of road wins, with the Seattle Mariners sweeping the first two games in Toronto, while the Toronto Blue Jays clawed back their first win in Seattle. But then, in Game 4, the Blue Jays dominated on their own turf, tying the series up. Will the Blue Jays continue their winning streak in Game 5 tonight, or will the Mariners roar back on their home turf? We’ll find out when they play their next game this evening at T-Mobile Park.

Game 5 of the 2025 ALCS will air at 6:08 p.m. ET tonight on FS1. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch Game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners.

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How to watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners Game 5:

Date:Friday, Oct. 17

Time: 6:08 p.m. ET/3:08 p.m. PT

TV channels: FS1

Streaming: DirecTV, Fubo, FoxONE and more

When is Game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners?

Game 5 of the ALCS between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners is Friday, Oct. 17, at 6:08 p.m. ET. The best-of-seven series is scheduled to run through Oct. 20 — if all seven games are necessary.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners Game 4 channel:

Game 5 of the ALCS will be broadcast on FS1.

How to watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners without cable:

You can stream FS1 on platforms like DirecTV and Fubo, and the games will be available on Fox’s new streaming platform, Fox One.

DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier gets you access to Fox and FS1, the channels you need to watch the MLB ALCS series, plus the CW, ABC, CBS, Fox, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and plenty more local regional sports networks.

DirecTV also offers unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN unlimited.

The best part is, you can try all this out free for five days. So if you’re interested in a live TV streaming service but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV Stream.

Try free at DirecTV

Fubo TV gives you access to 100-plus live channels, including Fox and FS1, and many more so you can watch every ALCS game in one place. The cheapest plan starts at $85/month, making the live TV streaming service a significant investment. However, the inclusion of ESPN unlimited, a $30/month value, is a great deal if you watch sports year-round. Fubo subscribers also get access to ESPN unlimited, and unlimited cloud DVR storage.

Currently, the platform is offering a free trial, allowing you to explore everything it has to offer risk-free.

Try it free at Fubo

With a subscription to Fox One, you can tune in to all your favorite Fox channels like Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, FS1, FS2, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), and local Fox stations all in one place. That means you can watch every ALCS game in one place.

Fox One offers live programming, as well as shows and movies on demand. At launch, the base price for Fox One will cost $19.99 a month, or you can save with an annual subscription for $199.99. Fox Nation fans can even bundle it with Fox One for $24.99 a month, or opt for an annual subscription, which nets out to $19.99/month — that’s like getting a year of FOX Nation free.

You can also bundle Fox One with ESPN’s newly revamped streaming service for $39.99/month.

$19.99/month at Fox

2025 MLB ALCS Schedule:

All times Eastern

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Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners (series tied 2-2)

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 12, 8:03 p.m. (Fox)

• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13, 5:03 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8:08 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16, 8:33 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 17, 6:08 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, Oct. 19, 8:03 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, Oct. 20, 8:08 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

More ways to stream MLB ALCS Games:

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Your time is valuable, but I’m confident you have a spare 15 minutes today, and conveniently for you I know exactly how you should spend it:

Watching this GOLF.com Features video, expertly crafted by writer Nick Piastowski and producer Darren Riehl.

Why, you ask? I’ll explain in brief.

Because like any good feature, this one takes you somewhere you’ve never been. In fact, it takes you somewhere you’ll very likely never go: inside the walls of a prison where golf is part of the rehabilitation process.

On Wednesday nights, the softball diamond inside the barbed-wire fences of the minimum-security prison — which happens to be tucked into the tall evergreen hills of western Washington — turns into a golf course, with one green, a turf mat and used clubs.

What it lacks in aesthetic doesn’t matter. What it means is far greater than anything else. Just ask one inmate, named Tejuan, who knew there would be some sort of sporting option in prison. He just figured it would look a lot different.

“It’s never something that could actually advance you in life, like golf could actually advance you in life,” Tejuan says. “Just the principles that you apply when you play golf. Then when you apply that to your life — and also just the socialization that you actually get when you go to golf courses.

“There’s a different element at golf courses. There’s a different lifestyle that comes with playing golf. It’s an expensive sport, so you have to actually have a job. You have to pay for everything. So it keeps you working. It’s not like anything else, and it also, I’ll say, gives you a leg up.”

Piastowski and Riehl have been working on this story for months. My favorite part was hearing from an inmate who will be released soon, talking about his golf plans on the outside.

Check it out below.

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Today’s WWE roster is filled with an abundance of talent, but there are still only a select few who have cultivated a strong emotional connection with the audience. Asked on “Busted Open Radio” to comment on an apparent lack of such an attachment for Seth Rollins, Bully Ray explained why wrestlers like CM Punk have had more success.

“Punk is the consummate rebel,” Bully said. “Punk is as close to ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin today as we can get.”

Similarly, Bully stated that Cody Rhodes won the respect of the audience through his perseverance, ironically on display throughout his feud with Rollins. As for Roman Reigns, he has the benefit of being viewed as a God-like figure by WWE fans, with their emotional attachment growing after Reigns announced he was battling cancer in 2018. Rollins has been at or near the top of the WWE card for just as long as his former Shield partner, but Reigns has tended to be booked as the stronger of the two.

Bully described Rollins as a “nine but not a 10,” stating that he’s missing some unknown factor that would forever endear him to the wrestling audience. As a result, the WWE Hall of Famer feels that Rollins is just a step below some of his current peers at the top of the company’s card.

The Punk and Austin comparison isn’t a brand new idea, and many fans have clamored for a match between the two for well over a decade. It seemed like an impossibility for a long time, but with Punk back in WWE and Austin reportedly open to wrestling another match, it’s no longer such a far-fetched idea.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Busted Open Radio” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Ric Flair doesnâ€t think todayâ€s WWE superstars have what it takes when it comes to promos—and heâ€s making that perfectly clear.

In part two of his interview with Escapist Magazine, the wrestling icon threw shade at the current generation for lacking the fire and authenticity that once made promos the heart of wrestling.

Flair, widely considered one of the greatest talkers in wrestling history, said that modern promos just donâ€t hit the same. Why? Because theyâ€re written for the performers, not by them.

“Promos nowadays are written down for â€em. If you gotta read something that somebody else wrote down, itâ€s not gonna be as good if it canâ€t come off your chest and say what you think and feel without saying something thatâ€s inappropriate.â€

According to Flair, cutting a great promo isnâ€t just about delivery—itâ€s about raw emotion, timing, and improvisation. He looked back at his legendary battles with Dusty Rhodes and explained why their chemistry worked so well.

“For me, I just couldnâ€t wait to get out there. Me, especially with Dusty, because it was never a question of who went first and who went second.â€

Flairâ€s point is simple: nobody in todayâ€s game has the instinct and mic skills that his generation mastered. While todayâ€s stars have scripts, Flair had fire—and thatâ€s why his promos still live on decades later.

This isnâ€t the first time Flairâ€s taken aim at how the modern product is packaged, but it might be one of his most direct shots yet. In a world where WWE has become increasingly scripted, Flairâ€s freestyle approach feels like a lost art.

Do you think anyone in WWE today can hang with Ric Flair on the mic—or is that era long gone? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

September 30, 2025 8:09 am

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IND vs PAK Final:India have been handed a massive blow for the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, as they will be without their premier all-rounder, Hardik Pandya.

The mega-clash between India and Pakistan—this is the first time in the Asia Cupâ€s history that these two archrivals will meet in the final—got underway on Sunday, September 28, in Dubai.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led unit has been unbeaten in the tournament so far, winning six out of six matches. Pakistan lost only two games, both against India, but their wins against other teams, too, have been scratchy.

India were forced to make a change to their combination as Pandya wasnâ€t part of the XI in the IND vs PAK Asia Cup final.

IND vs PAK Final Asia Cup 2025: Why Is Hardik Pandya Not Playing Today?

Hardik Pandya missed the Asia Cup final against Pakistan due to a quadriceps injury that he sustained against Sri Lanka. He was replaced by Rinku Singh for the final.

In Indiaâ€s last Super 4 match against Sri Lanka, Pandya bowled the first over of Sri Lankaâ€s innings and dismissed Kusal Mendis for a duck. However, he soon left the field clutching his left hamstring and didnâ€t return for the rest of Sri Lankaâ€s innings.

Indiaâ€s bowling coach Morne Morkel later said that Pandya had cramps. But now it seems it was more than just cramps, as Pandya has been ruled out of the final.

The absence of Pandya throws a spanner in the Indian teamâ€s balance. Heâ€s been terrific with the bat, but, perhaps more importantly, heâ€s bowled brilliantly, taking the new ball in all of Indiaâ€s matches so far.

Hardik bowled 14 overs in six matches and took four wickets while maintaining a good economy of 8.57. India decided to go with Rinku over Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana as Pandyaâ€s replacement. This means that India are lighter on their bowling even more than they were with Pandya in the side.

The five bowlers in Indiaâ€s XI for the final are Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma are the part-time options Suryakumar will have up his sleeve.

Knowing that India are without Pandya, the Pakistani batsmen are likely to go harder against the likes of Dube and Axar, while they can be a little more careful against Bumrah, Kuldeep, and Varun.

Suryakumar won the toss and elected to bowl first.

IND vs PAK Asia Cup Final Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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Williamson was New Zealand’s top-scorer of the day with 27. (AP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: Bruised and battered by India after being bundled out for a meagre 79 while chasing 270 in the series-deciding fifth and final ODI, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson today termed the performance of his batting department as “frustrating”.
Williamson said the Kiwi batsmen did not justify to lose eight wickets for just 16 runs.
“That’s what’s so frustrating, because we failed as a batting unit.The spinners of the Indian side bowled very well but I don’t think it is justified to lose 8 wickets for 16 runs. We need to look at some of our plans. There was turn in the pitch in some other games too but we were able to handle it better then,” Williamson said after their massive 190-run defeat in the fifth and final ODI.
“Unfortunately, sometimes the biggest, brightest lessons come from failures and defeats. I certainly hope to learn from here. It was extremely a good effort to take it to the fifth ODI but sitting here after all that, it’s frustrating. The better team certainly won today.
“We certainly weren’t good today. No excuses. India were just the better side. They were consistent throughout the series,” he added.
Ranked ahead of India by one rung, world no. 3 New Zealand showed resilience to bounce back after a 0-3 whitewash in the Test series as they had leveled the five-match ODI rubber 2-2 with a 19-run win in Ranchi.
“Yeah, it’s extremely disappointing. You know, after a tough Test series to bounce back and show the heart that was required, the fight that we needed to go 2-all against a very good Indian side, was a superb effort,” Williamson said.
“They got above-par initially with the bat on a tough surface. There are certainly no excuses from our end, we were extremely poor with the bat today,” he said.
A win would have been made history for the Black Caps, who have never beaten India at home earlier in four contests.
The Kiwi skipper said it’s all about regrouping after going back home when they host Pakistan for two Tests before a packed ODI calendar involving Australia, Bangladesh, South Africa and the Champions Trophy in June next year.
“Yeah, it’s tough to say at the moment. We’re going to go back home and play in very different conditions. At the moment we want to reflect on our performance here. We were somewhat disappointing, barring a couple of games. We want to be showing steps of improvement everyday,” Williamson said.
He further credited India for setting up a challenging 270-run target on a tough batting surface at the Dr YSR ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium here.
“Ideally we would’ve liked to have restricted them to much less. The way the put together partnerships on a pitch that was slow was a very good effort. They kept going at 5 runs an over on this pitch, they certainly deserved to win today. They were fantastic,” he said.
Opener Rohit Sharma returned among runs with a fine 70, while an ever-consistent Virat Kohli slammed 65 before Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41), Kedar Jadhav (39 not out) contributed to take India to 269 for six after electing to bat.
“They had a good score on the board on that surface, but we knew that if we could get partnerships together, who knows, we could’ve done better,” Williamson said.
Despite the losses, Williamson pointed out at the positives they would take home from tour.
“He (Mitchell Santner) has been outstanding. Certainly a highlight from our tour. A young cricketer, who is newish to our side. Although conditions were favourable to spinners here there are a lot of spinners who come here and struggle.
“I guess it’s because of the pace of the wicket against extremely good players of spin. Mitch (Santner) has performed day in and day out. He’s a great asset to have. Not to mention his batting and his fielding as well. Look forward to seeing his progression in the future,’ he said.
“I think Tom Latham was outstanding. We need to take those little good bits and look at someone like Virat (Kohli).”
Ross Taylor has had a forgetful outing not only with his bat but with his fielding as well but Williamson came out in defence of the senior batsman.
“I think if you look at any winning performance, there are one or two significant performances. If you look at the India side, there’s Virat (Kohli). I think pretty much every game he made significant contributions for his side. Sometimes the conditions weren’t ideal to play on but someone has to step up and whoever that person is, we need a lot more,” he said.
Williamson was New Zealand’s top-scorer of the day with 27 before being dismissed by an expansive inside-out shot that triggered the collapse.
“It is a tough one. You feel like it’s a good option to play that shot and if you get out, you question it. Here I am questioning it,” he said.
“For Ross (Taylor) and I to take it deeper, it would’ve been a lot better for our cause. Obviously, it wasn’t happening for us today. We both got dismissed when we needed at least one of us to hang in there and take the game deep.”
He also praised Indian spinner Amit Mishra’s match-winning performance both in the decider and the series.
“To get fifer for any bowler on any surface is a significant performance. He (Mishra) bowled very well today. I think it’s justified in him getting the man-of-the-match and the man-of-the-series. He has been very consistent. We were poor and India were very good,” Williamson signed off.
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