It’s often said that nostalgia is a powerful feeling, one that can drown out the present as we search for what we once considered better times. Throughout its history, sports has consistently leaned into nostalgia, revisiting historic games, legendary players and defining moments that evoke powerful emotions. Those memories remind us of how different things once felt compared with today. In the podcast ecosystem, few creators lean into nostalgia more than Conrad Thompson, who hosts five professional wrestling podcasts featuring some of the industry’s most recognizable personalities.
“A lot of people may mis-categorize what I do and say, ‘He talks wrestling.’ That’s technically true, but our content is essentially nostalgia. Because we’re all chasing things the way they used to be,” Thompson explained.
Thompson describes his entry into podcasting as a happy accident. A longtime wrestling fan who grew up marveling at the industry’s legends, he never envisioned himself becoming a public-facing personality. Instead, he pursued a career as a mortgage banker, helping people achieve their American dream of homeownership.
However, a chance encounter with legendary wrestling icon and close friend Ric Flair changed everything. After Flair received an offer to host a podcast with CBS, the “Nature Boy” needed help with the first episode. A few days before recording, Flair asked Thompson to join him and conduct an interview from a fan’s perspective.
“I had some guest hosting experience on local radio, so he [Flair] knew I could do radio because he had seen me do some of these radio hits. But I had never hosted a podcast, and honestly, I wasn’t even a big podcast listener,” Thompson explained. “But I wanted to do a good job for Ric Flair’s first podcast. So, I put together a lot of notes and was prepared, but Ric didn’t tell CBS I was coming to do this. But afterward, they asked if I could come back next week.”
Hot Tag Launching Into Podcasting
That first episode of Wooooo Nation launched an opportunity that would benefit both Thompson’s mortgage business and his growing presence in on-demand content. Through his podcast with Flair, Thompson began networking with other wrestling legends about replicating that success while expanding his mortgage business’s licensing into all 50 states.
Podcasting gave Thompson a way to turn the six figures he had spent on local radio advertising in Alabama into a revenue-generating marketing operation that attracted leads from across the country.
“I never planned to be on camera or on air, but it was out of necessity. I had seen it work. Instead of selling mortgages one to one, I was selling one to many,” Thompson said. “I understood that if I was trying to sell mortgages effectively, why not just be sincere and share these success stories and how I was doing it? It’s really me helping you out, and that really worked well.”
Today, Thompson hosts five podcasts featuring personalities from wrestling’s past and present. His lineup includes former executives such as Eric Bischoff, third-generation promoters such as Jeff Jarrett, and renowned performers and broadcasters such as John Bradshaw Layfield, Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone.
Rather than focusing on live coverage and immediate reactions, Thompson’s shows emphasize reflection. Although conversations occasionally touch on current topics, they rarely chase the latest controversy. Instead, Thompson builds discussions around the strengths and experiences of each contributor, giving them room to share stories that remain relevant long after the news cycle moves on.
“I think the reactionary content to wrestling in large leans negative. What everyone is looking for is hot takes, controversy and things that will make people mad. I don’t think people necessarily want to buy anything when they’re mad,” Thompson noted. “The negative content today is second-guessing and also stunting the growth of the performers now. Reactionary content is disposable, like a Solo cup. Evergreen content you can talk about for the next 40 years.”
Story Behind The Story
For generations, professional wrestling operated under a code of kayfabe, maintaining the illusion surrounding its characters, rivalries and storylines. Today, very little about the business remains secret. Between documentaries and social media, fans have greater access to the industry’s inner workings and a deeper understanding of the entertainment they have followed for generations.
Thompson doesn’t view kayfabe’s decline as an entirely negative development. His podcasts explore the stories behind wrestling’s biggest moments, but he believes the industry has moved too far forward to return to its former secrecy.
“I can’t imagine a situation where we put the genie back in the bottle,” Thompson said. “We’ve now embraced that it is theater. Live stuntmen doing their thing as actors. Professional athletes, sure. But they do their own stunts. As a result of everything being so public, the surprises are more genuine. In addition, performers can start to establish that connection with a fan base on their own. They’re not starting from square one.”
Authenticity remains central to Thompson’s approach. Conversations are unscripted, and he doesn’t need to ask his guests whether certain subjects are off-limits. Instead, he considers their perspectives and determines which topics his podcast partners can discuss comfortably and which they should leave alone. That mutual understanding has helped build the trust that underpins his successful podcast portfolio.
That trust and the credibility Thompson has established over the years have also created opportunities to work with wrestling companies. He says those relationships have included conversations with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), whose CEO, Tony Khan, has discussed plans to develop a podcast network of the company’s own.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with AEW for a long time about a number of things. I want to be a value add for all things wrestling no matter what company it is,” Thompson said. “I like to consider myself a resource for everyone. One of my main goals is to leave wrestling better than I found it. If and when there’s an opportunity for me to be helpful, I jump at that chance.”
Thompson also acknowledges previous discussions about working with active roster members across several promotions. However, he believes the politics surrounding professional wrestling can make it difficult for talent to speak freely. For him, authenticity is an essential ingredient in a successful podcast, and performers need the freedom to express their thoughts without constantly measuring every word.
Radio’s Missed Opportunity
Despite the growth and influence of wrestling content, traditional sports radio has yet to fully embrace it as a regular programming opportunity. Thompson believes broadcasters are missing a chance to connect with a substantial audience. He also argues that mainstream media and advertisers continue to hold outdated perceptions about wrestling fans.
“The big challenge with mainstream media is monetizing advertising for wrestling. There is a perception that wrestling fans are low class, uneducated, and low income. That’s not reality. I can tell you firsthand because I’ve done thousands of mortgages for fans of my podcasts. Our average credit score for a listener of my podcasts is 741. That guy has a house worth a half a million dollars and has a household income over $175,000,” Thompson explained.
As a longtime, high-volume advertiser on traditional radio, Thompson has firsthand experience with those misconceptions. He previously had to defend his advertising decisions to market managers and general managers who questioned where he chose to spend his money.
“The guy who had the Metallica album poster on his wall is now driving a Mercedes and he’s a surgeon. Radio never seemed to understand who the demographic for wrestling is,” Thompson said. “Trying to crack the code on wrestling may feel like pushing uphill for radio. But I’ve had conversations this year with two terrestrial radio networks who were interested in syndicating some version of our shows. There’s nothing wrong with that. But I don’t know what their ability to sell ads for wrestling radio would be. That still remains to be seen.”
For Thompson, the opportunity in professional wrestling content extends well beyond revisiting the biggest matches, most memorable characters and defining moments in the industry’s history. It’s about understanding why those memories continue to matter and creating a space where the people who helped shape them can tell their stories on their own terms.
In an era when reactionary content often disappears as quickly as it arrives, Thompson has built a business around conversations that remain relevant long after the final bell.
His approach also offers a lesson for traditional sports radio and content creators. Audiences don’t always need another immediate reaction or another debate about what just happened. Sometimes, they want to reconnect with the personalities, stories and experiences that made them fans in the first place. Thompson found that opportunity by combining his passion for wrestling with a willingness to challenge conventional thinking about how the industry could be covered and monetized.
As he looks toward 2027, Thompson has no plans to slow down.
“I am going to be adding some writing to what we do. I’ve been thinking about a new concept for a show while chasing a white whale,” Thompson hinted. “My hope is to announce something very big by the end of the year for 2027. An all-time performer who has never really shared their stories. If I can land it, and I think I can, it’s first and goal, and I’m going to take every stab at it. I’m certain it will get a lot of attention in 2027.”
Looking ahead, Thompson has already demonstrated that nostalgia isn’t simply about longing for the past. It’s about building on the foundation of that success and finding new ways to bring meaningful stories to audiences. When paired with authenticity and a willingness to explore the stories behind the spectacle, nostalgia can become more than a reminder of what once was. It can be the foundation for something that lasts.
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