#160 Superfan Michael Lipuma

So, you know, just kind of rewinding to the very beginning, growing up as a kid, how did you first discover pro wrestling? Obviously Hulk Hogan went on to be your favorite, but who were some of your favorites growing up as a kid?

So I was born in 1980, and I mean, if I could remember correctly, it was around 86, early 86.

My aunt, my mother's sister, and her dad got me into it.

They were big wrestling fans.

So I grew up on Staten Island, New York.

So it was only a ferry ride away to MSG.

So I always used to go to the house shows.

My first show was December 26, 86.

And, you know, it was my grandfather who really got me into it and my aunt.

Awesome.

Why

don't you tell us a little bit about that very first live event that you were at? You remember, what are your memories of that?

Oh yeah, man.

So, uh, fortunately enough that most of it is on YouTube.

So I go back and watch, uh, the main event was Hogan and Kamala, but they did wrestle in the middle.

Uh, maybe Hogan was wrestling a two shot that day.

I'm not sure.

So, uh, they got him out of there early, which I'm glad because I don't believe I stayed till the end.

I was only six.

So I don't have that much memories of it, but I do remember, uh, We were mid-level at the Garden, and my grandfather, he lived in Queens, so he would go all the time, Bruno San Martino days.

So I remember him being up a little bit further with binoculars and all that stuff, you know, old school stuff.

There was no screens and none of that stuff.

But I do remember my dad picking me up when Hogan came out so I could see him better.

That just sticks in my memory forever.

And your grandfather, who were some of his? Did he ever talk about certain wrestlers?