SQShowSquad
CalendarSign inJoin
Dark Side of the Ring
RELEASED·SERIES·EN

Dark Side of the Ring

Wed, Apr 10, 2019
  • Documentary
Series · Synopsis

Synopsis

Finding truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality in the veiled world of professional wrestling.

Trailer

Watch the trailer

Where to watch

Streaming on

  • Philo↗
  • Vice TV ↗
  • Spectrum On Demand↗
Related

If you’re into this…

  • Mr. McMahon
    Mr. McMahon
    2024 · series
  • Welcome to Wrexham
    Welcome to Wrexham
    2022 · series
  • Murder Drones
    Murder Drones
    2021 · series
  • Freddy's Nightmares
    Freddy's Nightmares
    1988 · series
  • Suicide Squad Isekai
    Suicide Squad Isekai
    2024 · series
  • Van Helsing
    Van Helsing
    2016 · series
  • Marvel's Hit-Monkey
    Marvel's Hit-Monkey
    2021 · series
  • Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On
    Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On
    2017 · series
  • Devil May Cry
    Devil May Cry
    2025 · series
  • Last Chance U
    Last Chance U
    2016 · series
SQShowSquad
CalendarSign inJoin
Episodes

7 seasons · 63 episodes

Running · 3 upcoming · 60 aired
Season 1
6 episodes · 6 aired
▾
  • E1
    The Match Made in Heaven
    Aired · Thu, Apr 11, 2019 · 60m

    Art collides with real life when the mythical love story between wrestling icons Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth explodes beyond the ring with tragic consequences.

  • E2
    The Montreal Screwjob
    Aired · Thu, Apr 18, 2019 · 60m

    In one of wrestling's most infamous off-script moments, wrestler Bret Hart is stripped of his championship title through a backstage plot of betrayal that forever changes the sport.

  • E3
    The Killing of Bruiser Brody
    Aired · Thu, Apr 25, 2019 · 60m

    Wrestlers relive the tragic evening in 1988 when they witnessed a locker room confrontation that resulted in the death of legendary wrestler Bruiser Brody.

  • E4
    The Last of the Von Erichs
    Aired · Thu, May 2, 2019 · 60m

    The last surviving brother of the legendary Von Erich wrestling dynasty revisits the tragedy that plagued his once iconic family.

  • E5
    The Mysterious Death of Gorgeous Gino
    Aired · Thu, May 9, 2019 · 60m

    New revelations about her son's death are revealed to the mother of wrestling star Gino Hernandez, whose 1986 death was believed to be a drug-related murder.

  • E6
    The Fabulous Moolah
    Aired · Thu, May 16, 2019 · 60m

    The legacy of wrestling's biggest female star, The Fabulous Moolah, is re-examined after controversial allegations surface following her 2007 death.

Season 2
10 episodes · 10 aired
▾
  • E1
    Benoit Part One
    Aired · Wed, Mar 25, 2020 · 60m

    In 2007, wrestling superstar Chris Benoit murdered his wife Nancy and 7-year-old son Daniel, then ended his own life. Those closest to the tragedy have never spoken openly, until now.

  • E2
    Benoit Part Two
    Aired · Wed, Mar 25, 2020 · 60m

    The conclusion to wrestling's darkest hour, including startling revelations about the troubled mind of Chris Benoit before he killed his wife and son, and then took his own life.

  • E3
    The Life and Crimes of New Jack
    Aired · Wed, Apr 1, 2020 · 60m

    One of the most feared and controversial wrestlers of all time, New Jack's career reads like a criminal rap sheet; revealing the man behind the monster and his hardcore legacy.

  • E4
    The Brawl for All
    Aired · Wed, Apr 8, 2020 · 60m

    It's known as the worst idea in the history of pro-wrestling — the legitimate boxing tournament that led to career-ending injuries and had audiences begging for the final bell.

  • E5
    Jimmy Snuka and the Death of Nancy Argentino
    Aired · Wed, Apr 15, 2020 · 60m

    Investigating the mysterious story of Jimmy Snuka, whose girlfriend Nancy Argentino died in their motel room in 1983, and revealing her family's 30-year struggle for justice.

  • E6
    The Assassination of Dino Bravo
    Aired · Wed, Apr 22, 2020 · 60m

    30 years after Dino Bravo's brutal murder, family and friends relive his descent from Montreal's favorite wrestling son to mob enforcer, and the deadly consequences that followed.

  • E7
    David Schultz & the Slap Heard Round the World
    Aired · Wed, Apr 29, 2020 · 60m

    The cautionary tale of David Schultz, set to become a superstar until his violent run-in with 20/20 reporter John Stossel saw him exiled from the business he'd sworn to protect.

  • E8
    Cocaine & Cowboy Boots: The Herb Abrams Story
    Aired · Wed, May 6, 2020 · 60m

    One man's fanatical attempt to build a wrestling empire to rival Vince McMahon's goes tragically haywire as his ego and cocaine addiction kills his dream — and him along with it.

  • E9
    The Last Ride of the Road Warriors
    Aired · Wed, May 13, 2020 · 60m

    The inside story of how wrestling's ultimate tag team partnership is undone when one half of the powerhouse duo slides into alcohol and substance abuse.

  • E10
    The Final Days of Owen Hart
    Aired · Wed, May 20, 2020 · 60m

    On May 23rd 1999, Owen Hart fell 80 feet to his death in a stunt that went tragically wrong. Bravely reliving his final day, his widow Martha reveals the mistakes that took his life.

Season 3
14 episodes · 14 aired
▾
  • E1
    Brian Pillman Part One
    Aired · Fri, May 7, 2021 · 52m

    After enduring a horrific car wreck, Brian Pillman masks his injuries while pushing his body to the brink. His untimely death leaves his young family struggling to cope.

  • E2
    Brian Pillman Part Two
    Aired · Fri, May 7, 2021 · 63m

    After enduring a horrific car wreck, Brian Pillman masks his injuries while pushing his body to the edge; his untimely death leaves his young family struggling to cope.

  • E3
    The Ultra-Violence of Nick Gage
    Aired · Fri, May 14, 2021 · 60m

    Nick Gage is the self-proclaimed king of deathmatch wrestling, but his road to the top is marked with a six-year prison sentence for armed robbery and personal tragedies.

  • E4
    Collision in Korea
    Aired · Fri, May 21, 2021 · 60m

    In one of the most bizarre acts of political theatre ever conceived, professional wrestlers who were deployed to North Korea faced a terrifying ordeal that had them fighting for their lives.

  • E5
    Becoming Warrior
    Aired · Fri, May 28, 2021 · 60m

    The Ultimate Warrior was a divisive force in and outside of the ring; his first wife reveals how an aspiring chiropractor morphed himself into wrestling's most polarizing figure.

  • E6
    In the Shadow of Grizzly Smith
    Aired · Fri, Jun 4, 2021 · 60m

    Having survived familial abuse at the hands of their father and the mysterious abduction of their sister, Jake The Snake and his siblings struggle to reconcile with their past.

  • E7
    The Dynamite Kid
    Aired · Fri, Jun 11, 2021 · 60m

    The Dynamite Kid earned worldwide fame with a riveting, self-sacrificing style, but violent confrontations outside the ring would destroy his family, his body and his legacy.

  • E8
    The Plane Ride from Hell
    Aired · Fri, Sep 17, 2021 · 60m

    A private 757 flight descends into a nightmare as intoxicated wrestlers clash with their flight crew, erupting into one of wrestling's most infamous scandals.

  • E9
    The Double Life of Chris Kanyon
    Aired · Fri, Sep 24, 2021 · 60m

    In a culture that celebrates machismo and negative gay stereotypes, wrestling innovator Chris Kanyon kept his own sexuality a closely guarded secret for decades.

  • E10
    Blood & Wire: Onita's FMW
    Aired · Fri, Oct 1, 2021 · 60m

    After Japan's Atsushi Onita created FMW and its spectacular matches featuring explosions and gratuitous gore, his handpicked successor took his own life while drowning in debt.

  • E11
    Bikers, Bombs & Bedlam Johnny K9
    Aired · Fri, Oct 8, 2021 · 60m

    Johnny K9 led a double life as an in-ring brute and the leader of a biker gang implicated in drug trafficking, the bombing of a police station, and a gruesome double murder.

  • E12
    The Many Faces of Luna Vachon
    Aired · Fri, Oct 15, 2021 · 60m

    A striking villain in the ring, Luna Vachon was a groundbreaking physical performer who battled mental illness and addiction while seeking to champion women's wrestling

  • E13
    Extreme & Obscene: Rob Black's XPW
    Aired · Fri, Oct 22, 2021 · 60m

    XPW merged Rob Black's passions for hardcore porn and deathmatch wrestling, but after he waged a war with federal authorities his empire imploded.

  • E14
    The Steroid Trials
    Aired · Fri, Oct 29, 2021 · 60m

    In the mid 90s, wrestling was rocked by accusations of rampant steroid abuse. With star witness Hulk Hogan, prosecutors set out to prove that Vince McMahon was the one responsible.

Season 4
10 episodes · 10 aired
▾
  • E1
    Chris and Tammy
    Aired · Wed, May 31, 2023 · 60m

    The teenage romance of Chris Candido and Tammy "Sunny" Sytch is torn apart by addiction, infidelity, and mutual self-destruction.

  • E2
    Shattered: The Magnum T.A. Story
    Aired · Wed, Jun 7, 2023 · 60m

    Wrestling hearththrob Terry "Magnum T.A." Allen was destined for worldwide stardom, but one rainy night altered his career and the future of wrestling forever.

  • E3
    Breaking the Cycle: The Graham Dynasty
    Aired · Wed, Jun 14, 2023 · 60m

    Florida became a wrestling mecca for decades under patriarch Eddie Graham and his son Mike, but a series of shocking and unrelenting tragedies threatened to eclipse their legacy.

  • E4
    What Happened to Doink the Clown?
    Aired · Wed, Jun 21, 2023 · 60m

    Matt Borne, the man behind Doink the Clown, lived a life of unhinged violence and substance abuse until his shocking death left his family questioning if it really was an accident.

  • E5
    The Junkyard Dog
    Aired · Wed, Jun 28, 2023 · 60m

    One of the first Black megastars in wrestling, the Junkyard Dog's journey to the top of the business was marked by addiction and unrealized potential.

  • E6
    The Tragic Fall of Adrian Adonis
    Aired · Wed, Jul 12, 2023 · 60m

    A real life street fighter turned flamboyant wrestling heel, Adrian Adonis' life was cut short in an horrific accident that has been shrouded in mystery for the past thirty years.

  • E7
    Abdullah the Butcher: Legacy of Blood
    Aired · Wed, Jul 19, 2023 · 60m

    Infamous for his in-ring bloodbaths, Abdullah the Butcher was a money-making phenomenon. But after fifty years of pushing boundaries, one cut cost him everything.

  • E8
    Bam Bam Bigelow: The Beast from the East
    Aired · Wed, Jul 26, 2023 · 60m

    Convict. Bounty Hunter. Flame-skulled wrestling legend. Addict. The lore of Bam Bam Bigelow has only grown since his death. His family tells his improbable tale for the first time.

  • E9
    Bash at the Beach 2000
    Aired · Wed, Aug 2, 2023 · 60m

    At the end of the '90s, WCW's greatest battles played out backstage between scheming executives and writers, until one off-script rant against Hulk Hogan changed everything.

  • E10
    The World According to Marty Jannetty
    Aired · Wed, Aug 9, 2023 · 60m

    Known for their raw athleticism and sex appeal, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty's run as The Rockers was eclipsed by Marty's excess, drug abuse, and possible murder.

Season 5
10 episodes · 10 aired
▾
  • E1
    The Ballad of 'Earthquake' John Tenta
    Aired · Wed, Mar 6, 2024 · 60m

    John Tenta couldn't be further from the monstrous 'Earthquake' WWF fans loved to hate. As his career faded, a health battle would threaten to take him from the family he loved.

  • E2
    Buff and The Bagwells
    Aired · Wed, Mar 13, 2024 · 60m

    Marcus "Buff" Bagwell's brash persona in the ring was easily matched by his wild antics outside of it, made even wilder by the eccentric family he brought along for the ride.

  • E3
    Terry Gordy: Final Flight of the Freebird
    Aired · Wed, Mar 20, 2024 · 60m

    Already a wrestling star as a teenager, Terry Gordy's time with the renowned Fabulous Freebirds made him a living legend until an accidental overdose robbed him of everything.

  • E4
    Saving Face: The Brutus Beefcake Story
    Aired · Wed, Mar 27, 2024 · 60m

    Brutus 'The Barber' Beefcake's path in the wrestling world was defined by his decades-long friendship with Hulk Hogan and a horrifying accident that almost took his life.

  • E5
    The Life and Legends of Harley Race
    Aired · Wed, Apr 3, 2024 · 60m

    Harley Race achieved near mythical status for wrestling fans as the ultimate tough guy, but behind closed doors his life was haunted by violence and unimaginable personal tragedy.

  • E6
    Chris Colt: Welcome to my Nightmare
    Aired · Wed, Apr 10, 2024 · 60m

    The wildest wrestler never to break through, Chris Colt's life took him from LSD trips in the ring to the world of porn but his self-destructive ways kept him from becoming a star.

  • E7
    Chris Adams: The Gentleman and the Demon
    Aired · Wed, Apr 17, 2024 · 60m

    'Gentleman' Chris Adams had the charm, prowess and instinct to become a wrestling sensation, but a violent relationship with alcohol led to a tragic end at the hands of a friend.

  • E8
    Sensational Sherri
    Aired · Wed, Apr 24, 2024 · 60m

    An icon of the 80s and 90s as the 'Sensational' manager of top wrestling stars, Sherri Martel left her family behind to pursue her dreams in the ring.

  • E9
    Enter Sandman: Legacy of a Hardcore Icon
    Aired · Wed, May 1, 2024 · 60m

    A legend of hardcore wrestling, The Sandman made his mark in ECW as the ultimate beer-chugging dirtbag--but lines are blurred when his real family is brought into the ring.

  • E10
    Black Saturday: The Rise of Vince
    Aired · Wed, May 8, 2024 · 60m

    The day that has gone down in infamy as the launch of Vince McMahon's absolute takeover of the professional wrestling industry, Black Saturday changed wrestling forever.

Season 6
10 episodes · 10 aired
▾
  • E1
    Mick Foley: Hell in a Cell
    Aired · Wed, Mar 26, 2025 · 60m

    From the first terrifying fall off the cage to the impact he still feels today, Mick Foley relives one of wrestling's most iconic matches, Hell in a Cell '98 moment by moment.

  • E2
    Ludvig Borga: Hellraiser from Helsinki
    Aired · Wed, Apr 2, 2025 · 60m

    A Finnish wrestling bad guy turned real-life racist politician, Tony Halme's time in the WWF as Ludvig Borga is only the start of his chaotic and destructive life.

  • E3
    Big Van Vader
    Aired · Wed, Apr 9, 2025 · 60m

    With an iconic look and skills few of his size could match, Big Van Vader stood out as a wrestling monster but controlling his anger became a bigger battle in and out of the ring.

  • E4
    Tony Atlas: Too Much, Too Soon
    Aired · Wed, Apr 16, 2025 · 60m

    With the physique of an Adonis and endless charisma, Tony Atlas made his mark as one of wrestling's first Black stars but racism, addiction and ego kept Mr. USA from the top.

  • E5
    The Original ‘Superstar': Billy Graham
    Aired · Wed, Apr 23, 2025 · 60m

    Often imitated, never duplicated, Superstar Billy Graham broke the mold for what a wrestler could be but steroid abuse and battles with the McMahons kept Graham from the spotlight.

  • E6
    'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert
    Aired · Wed, Apr 30, 2025 · 60m

    Skilled as a performer in the ring and as a booker, who created storylines behind the scenes. 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert was a ticking timebomb of talent and self-destruction.

  • E7
    Truth, Lies and Billy Jack Haynes
    Aired · Wed, May 7, 2025 · 60m

    An 80's wrestling star, Billy Jack Haynes' life of violence and mystery has led to his current situation--behind bars and charged with the second degree murder of his wife.

  • E8
    Blood, Fire and the Original Sheik
    Aired · Wed, May 14, 2025 · 60m

    One of the most hated heels in wrestling history; The Sheik, whose violent career spanned 50 years is revealed by his family and the few who survived his hardcore bloodbaths.

  • E9
    The Scream Queen: Daffney
    Aired · Wed, May 21, 2025 · 60m

    With her piercing scream, Shannon Spruill became a cult star as Daffney in the squared circle. Outside the ring, Daffney fought a much more punishing battle with bipolar disorder.

  • E10
    Becoming Muhammad Hassan
    Aired · Wed, May 28, 2025 · 60m

    Just three years post-9/11, Marc Copani sees the highs and lows of wrestling when he's given the chance to portray Muhammad Hassan, a villainous Arab-American character for the WWE.

Season 7
3 episodes · 3 upcoming
▾
  • E1
    TBA
    Drops · Wed, Jul 8, 2026 · 60m
  • E2
    TBA
    Drops · Wed, Jul 8, 2026 · 60m
  • E3
    TBA
    Drops · Wed, Jul 15, 2026 · 60m