And I’m Like… (Going Old School at Starrcade 1983) Part 1 of 3

Hello, hello.. I was going to do a history on Starrcade and how it came about. Basically Jim Crockett Promotions wanted a supercard show. Crockett brought Dusty Rhodes in to book the event. NWA was the top promotion in the world for professional wrestling, but they had stiff competition with WWF and AWA. WWF a few years earlier sold a large amount of tickets and made a half million dollar gate for Zbyszko vs. Sammartino at Shea Stadium. Then I found this website and it gave a very comprehensive history. I suggest you click and read when you get a chance because there are some good nuggets of information on that site.

This is the beginning of the Pay-Per-View era of wrestling that is on it’s last legs in 2016. Even though this wasn’t on Pay-Per-View it was still the blueprint for what was to transpire over the next 30 years.

All bio’s are usually from Wikipedia unless there isn’t one then I try my best to get an idea on who the wrestler is.

November 24th 1983

NWA Starrcade: Flair for the Gold

What is crazy is that this “supercard” is 3 hours long. That means our weekly Monday Night Raws are the same as a once a year show. The commentators for tonight are Bob Caudle and The Legendary Gordon Solie .

Starrcade wastes no time and we start with both teams already in the ring.

The Masked Assassins w/ Paul Jones vs. Bugsy McGraw and Rufus “Freight Train” Jones

The Assassins- The team had its origins in 1961 in the Georgia territory , when Hamilton, a five-year veteran, first began competing in Atlanta as the Assassin. Shortly afterward, Tom Renesto arrived in the area and began teaming with Hamilton to form the original Assassins team. Hamilton and Renesto became a well-traveled heel tandem through the 1960s, competing in the Mid-Atlantic territory , Georgia, Florida , California, Arizona, the Pacific Northwest , Canada, Japan and Australia among other areas, and winning championship gold along the way. They returned to Georgia in 1968 and competed in that state primarily until 1974; they spent most of their time competing in Georgia Championship Wrestling during that period, but they also went to work for an independent group called the All-South Wrestling Alliance, with Hamiilton going solo in the beginning while Renesto worked behind the scenes, then facing off in opposite corners from each other, then reuniting as babyfaces before All-South closed in late-1974. After Renesto retired from the ring, Hamilton continued The Assassins with new partners in later years, teaming up with Roger Smith and then Randy Colley, before forming the 1980s version of the masked team with Hercules Hernandez in Jim Crockett Promotions, under the management of-

Paul Jones – He started wrestling around 1964 in Texas and then in the Mid-Atlantic promotions on the east coast, where he spent most of his career. He was first called “Young” Paul Jones by promoter Paul Boesch because there was an original Paul Jones, who was regarded in the 1960s as an all-time great. Jones acquired his famous “Number One” nickname after winning a “Wrestler Of The Year” contest on Jim Crockett Promtions’ “Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling”. Fans sent in postcards to vote for their candidate. He became famous in the NWA’s Jim Crockett Promotions , both as a babyface and a heel. He defeated Terry Funk for that promotion’s United States Heavyweight Title; Funk won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Jack Brisco shortly after this loss, setting Jones up as the top contender for the NWA title in the Mid-Atlantic territory. As U.S. champion, Jones’ primary foe was Blackjack Mulligan, and he also defended the title successfully against Flair, Angelo Mosca , and Spoiler #2 . Ric Flair’s first singles title, the Mid-Atlantic TV title, was won in a match with Jones in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Jones was a major drawing card for Crockett Promotions as both a heel and a babyface, winning that promotion’s World Tag Team Title and TV Champion titles in both roles. Jones teamed with Wahoo McDaniel to defeat the promotion’s first World Tag Team Champions, the Anderson Brothers, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Jones and McDaniel lost the title in a televised rematch known to longtime fans as the “Supreme Sacrifice” match, where Ole Anderson slammed his brother Gene’s head into Wahoo’s head, knocking both men unconscious. Gene Anderson fell outside the ring and lay almost motionless as Ole covered a stunned Wahoo to regain the titles. Jones also held the promotion’s World Tag Title with Baron Von Raschke (as a heel), Masked Superstar (as a babyface), and Ricky Steamboat (babyface). The Mid-Atlantic TV title Jones lost to Flair later became the NWA World TV Title, which Jones held as a heel. Briefly in 1980, Jones wrestled as Mr. Florida, a masked wrestler in Championship Wrestling from Florida . In the 1980s, he became a heel manager, and he called his stable Paul Jones’ Army . It was about this time fans at the cards started chanting “Weasel” at Jones. He was involved in a huge feud with “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant where he ended up having his head shaved.

Bugsy McGraw – We learned about Bugsy in his WCCW days and I was very much against him. After leaving Texas, McGraw would go to several territories, finally settling in Jim Crockett Promotions in North Carolina. But he would not be long there. He feuded with The Assassins , teaming mostly with Rufus R. Jones . McGraw and Jones won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship .

Rufus Jones – Career Retrospective Jones trained to become a wrestler at the Tony Santos Boston Wrestling School. At the beginning of his career, he used the ring name Buster Lloyd, the Harlem Hangman. He claimed to have learned how to fight on the corner of Lenox Avenue and 125th Street in Harlem. (We all know 139 and Lenox is the Danger Zone ) In this gimmick , he wrestled in Texas and criticized the local wrestlers as being inferior fighters to someone who grew up on the streets. He feuded with Tiger Conway, Sr. , who emerged the victor in the feud . He adopted the ring name of Rufus R. Jones, nicknamed “Freight Train”. In interviews, he would tell opponents that his middle initial, R, stood for “guts”. He formed a tag team with Burrhead Jones , who was billed as his cousin. Jones moved to Missouri to wrestle, where he worked for promoter Sam Muchnick in the St. Louis Wrestling Club . He also competed for Heart of America Sports/Central States Wrestling . In 1971, he won his first championship by teaming with Steve Bolus to win the Central States version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship in late 1971. He later won the belt twice more, teaming with The Stomper and Bob Geigel . He also had a short stint in Florida briefly feuding with Leroy Brown in the early 80s.

Bugsy starts off against an Assassin. He does the weird claps and the rubbing of his head like he has done for years. There is an elbow drop attempt by both men and the crowd is going WILD! Solie says that it is an overflow crowd tonight with 16,000 people in attendance at the Greensboro Coliseum.

McGraw won’t stop trying to take off an Assassin mask. He throws punches at Assassin until Assassin falls to the ground. Assassin tags in the other Assassin. As other Assassin comes in Bugsy dances in a circle and does the “Jive” made famous by Junkyard Dog.

As we see The Assassins getting advice from Paul Jones, I wish there was more footage of Paul Jones or at least a special about him on the Network but nope.

Rufus gets tagged in and while he is throwing punches he is wiggling his legs or “jiving”. He does a Mick Jagger Strut . Gordon Solie tells us that McGraw has a college degree in business administration??

Both Rufus and McGraw dance and jive CONSTANTLY!! Jones  has this “wrist hold” on for a very long time. Rufus at the moment is the Mid-Atlantic Champion and the crowd is firmly behind him. These Assassins seem to exist just to get their asses kicked.

As Rufus gets beat on he starts convulsing and shaking, he points and shoulder dances, the crowd builds up as Jones builds up his momentum. That momentum leads to a tag to Bugsy. All four guys in the ring now.

Bugsy is messing with an Assassin but didn’t catch the blind tag. Bugsy gets rolled up and that’s the match.

And I’m Like… Based on crowd reaction that was a good opener to get everyone hyped for the night. The pin and finish were quick too, we have no time for celebration because we go right back to Bob and Gordon.

Solie says he is not surprised by the finish because The Assassins are clever and deceitful. They put over how this is “the wrestling of all time” no question about it.

Tony Schiavone starts his announcing for the night by telling us he will talk to people throughout the night. I am more interested in the back with
Piper and Flair talking to each other.

Johnny Weaver and Scott McGhee vs. Kevin Sullivan and Mark Lewin w/ Gary Hart

Johnny Weaver- Weaver’s career spanned four decades in many different territories in the NWA. He held championships across the southeast United States, the first of which was the Mid-Atlantic (Carolinas, Virginia) version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship , which he won with Cowboy Bob Ellis on December 2, 1963. His best known run was with partner George Becker in the Mid-Atlantic in the 1960s. The two held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Southern Tag Team Championship five times together, and they were household names in the territory for a period of nearly eight years. The team had memorable feuds with Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson , Lars Anderson and Gene Anderson , Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson , Aldo Bogni and Bronko Lubich with manager “Colonel” Homer O’Dell , the Infernos with manager J. C. Dykes , and many others. Weaver’s next major success came in Championship Wrestling from Florida , where he teamed with Becker to win the Florida version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship in February 1967. He also competed as a singles wrestler, winning his first NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship that year by defeating the Missouri Mauler . He dropped it back to the Mauler but regained the belt on October 25, 1967. T he following summer, he won the belt for a third time. He lost the belt to Hiro Matsuda but then regained it in a rematch in late 1968. Returning to the Carolinas, Weaver was a successful tag team wrestler in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling . He teamed with Becker to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship on May 1, 1969. They held the belts for over nine months before dropping them to Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson on February 17, 1970. Weaver and Becker regained the title exactly one month later, however. They lost the belts to Gene and Ole Anderson but regained them on June 3, 1971 from Hawk and Hanson. Once again, Weaver and Becker dropped the titles to Hawk and Hanson but regained them in a rematch. The following year, Weaver teamed with Art Neilson to win the title twice more. Weaver returned to Florida to compete in 1975 and won the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship by teaming with Dick Slater . He also competed in Texas, where he won the Amarillo version of the NWA International Heavyweight Championship in November 1976. After a brief absence from the Mid-Atlantic territory in 1975, he returned for one more main event run in 1978 with Baron Von Raschke for the area’s Television championship. Weaver’s final championship reigns came in 1981 while wrestling in the Mid-Atlantic area. He teamed with Dewey Robertson to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship in 1981 by defeating Genichiro Tenryu and Mr. Fuji . They lost the belts to Chris Markoff and Nikolai Volkoff later that year, but Weaver regained the title on November 27, 1981 while teaming with Jay Youngblood . Weaver also worked as a booker while Mid Atlantic was partnered with Frank Tunney`s Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto and briefly held the North American title during a feud with Leo Burke Leonce Cormier . Weaver’s last years in the ring were in an “elder statesman” role, helping establish new stars just entering the territory, most notably Roddy Piper. He also helped book the Mid-Atlantic territory for nearly 8 years as well, roughly between 1966 and 1973. In the early 1980s, Weaver also booked the house shows in the southern part of the territory. Weaver began his broadcasting career in 1979 as color commentator with World Wide Wrestling host Rich Landrum . He became Landrum’s permanent sidekick for the early 1980s, where he became famous for singing “ Turn Out The Lights, The Party’s Over ” at the end of matches that face wrestlers won . When Landrum left the company in 1983, Weaver then worked briefly with David Crockett.

Scott McGhee – Originally working as a referee for Jim Crockett in the Carolinas during the late 1970s, he began training with Ric Flair, Rick Steamboat and Buddy Rogers and substituted for wrestlers at several events. Staying in the Carolinas for two years, he followed his father Geoff Portz to Florida Championship Wrestling then under promoter Eddie Graham . In October 1980, shortly after his debut, he and Barry Windham defeated The Assassins in a tournament final for the then vacant tag team titles in St. Petersburg, Florida and competed in several high profile matches against Hiro Matsuda and Les Thornton . Returning to the Carolinas the following year, he later joined George Scott ‘s Oklahoma territory defeated Tony Charles for the NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship and faced veterans such as Johnny Rich and Brad Armstrong . In late 1982, McGhee was again wrestling for Florida Championship Wrestling and often teamed with Dusty Rhodes , Magnum TA and Blackjack Mulligan on the promotions weekly television program. After winning a championship tournament for the NWA Florida Heavyweight title in 1983, he faced Ric Flair and Harley Race in a series of matches however failed to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship . After losing the title to Jos LeDuc later that year, he left the promotion to compete in the Mid Atlantic territory.

Kevin Sullivan – Sullivan had been an amateur wrestler in the Boston area, but wasn’t trained professionally. His first professional match was in Montreal , beating Fernand Frechette. Sullivan wrestled as “Johnny West” in the National Wrestling Alliance ‘s Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling in the early 1970s, capturing the NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship with Ken Lucas , defeating Jack Morrell & Eddie Sullivan on March 11, 1971. Next, he went to Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) in 1972 and captured the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship with Mike Graham . He next went north to join the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) as a mid-card face from 1974 to 1977. He had a face versus face battle with Pete Sanchez on an Madison Square Garden undercard. Sullivan also wrestled as a face for promoter Roy Shire’s Big Time Wrestling in San Francisco . Sullivan then worked in Georgia Championship Wrestling and CWF as a face until the early 1980s. His first heel run was in the Memphis territory where alongside Wayne Ferris (The Honky Tonk Man) and manager Jimmy Hart he battled the local faces including Jerry Lawler . He left Memphis for Georgia but again turned heel while in the Georgia territory before returning to Florida again to work for Eddie Graham . Known as the heel “Boston Battler”, Sullivan’s “devil worshiping” gimmick started during this time. In CWF he became associated with “Maniac” Mark Lewin (Purple Haze) , Mike Davis , Bob Roop , The Lock and Luna Vachon and others as the Army of Darkness. His biggest rivals during this time included Dusty Rhodes , Barry Windham , and his former partner Mike Graham. Sullivan split his time with International Championship Wrestling and brought the devil-worshiping gimmick there, along with Lewin and Roop. He had the Fallen Angel as his valet, who later became known as Woman .

Mark Lewin – Mark Lewin broke into wrestling in 1953 and had great early success in a matinee-idol babyface tag team with Don Curtis , headlining in major territories like New York and Chicago. The team’s brief heel turn was a shock to its many fans. The team split up in the early ’60s and Mark embarked on a singles career. In 1963, Mark first tried out the “Maniac”/”Mad” Mark Lewin persona, which he would alternate consistently with his ‘normal’ babyface persona for the rest of his career. He wrestled in Australia and New Zealand in the 1960s and 1970s with great success, especially in New Zealand where he drew huge crowds during the tours. He frequently formed a tag team in Australia and New Zealand with King Curtis Iaukea . He also spent time in Detroit working against The Sheik and fellow wildman, Terry Funk . Lewin also wrestled in Vancouver with NWA All Star Wrestling , where he feuded with the likes of Gene Kiniski and “Bulldog” Bob Brown and twice won the Pacific Coast Heavyweight title. He found a lot of success in World Class Championship Wrestling in the late 1970s and early 1980s before going to Florida Championship Wrestling , where he joined Kevin Sullivan ‘s “cult” as The Purple Haze, another variation of the ‘Maniac’ gimmick. He was one of Sabu ‘s frequent opponents in the 1980s.

Gary Hart – Gary Hart started out as a wrestler in 1960 in Chicago at the Marigold Arena. In the late 1960s, he became a manager called “Playboy” Gary Hart. During the late 1960s, he managed “The Spoiler,” as well as the tag team duo “The Spoilers, which consisted of Spoilers #1 (Don Jardine) and #2 (Smasher Sloan). They won several tag team titles in 1968 and 1969 under Hart’s guidance. On February 20, 1975, Hart and wrestlers Austin Idol and Bobby Shane were passengers on a Cessna 182 flown by wrestler Buddy Colt , which crashed into Tampa Bay in Florida , killing Shane. Hart became the booker for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW; then known as Big Time Wrestling) in 1976, a position he held until January 1983. The years between 1982 and 1985 are considered to be the “Golden Years” of the promotion. Hart created the classic feud between the Von Erichs and the Fabulous Freebirds , as well as introducing characters like the Great Kabuki , the Great Muta , King Kong Bundy , the One Man Gang and the Samoan Swat Team. Hart additionally managed talent such as “Gorgeous” Gino Hernandez and Gentleman Chris Adams . Along with booking, he also managed Nord the Barbarian , Abdullah The Butcher , Al Perez and Jeep Swenson under the stable “New Age Management”. During World Class’ golden era, Hart was also a manager in the Georgia and Mid-Atlantic regions of the NWA; joining these two areas exclusively in 1983 shortly after the start of the Freebirds-Von Erichs feud, when he left World Class due to a pay dispute.

It’s times like these that I like doing the researching on the guys I am about to see. I would have not thought any of these guys are worth anything but jobbers. Now it’s like watching the greats of the late 70’s and true veterans.

Lewin is slow but walks around like he looks extremely dangerous. The microphones are very close to the ring because you can literally hear the ropes croak win they criss-cross.

Mark Lewin tries to get a wrist lock on McGhee but Scott does a pretty cool counter by hopping over Lewin’s head. These four are all called “scientific wrestlers” by the commentators, I used to take that as meaning “these guys are boring” but I have grown to appreciate “scientific wrestling” maybe it’s because I am from Minnesota and we grew up on AWA where you had to be technical to succeed in the promotion. That is until Superstar Billy Graham showed up.

Talk about fighting for a tag!!

Sullivan and Lewin are doing quick tags to keep the punishment on Scott. McGhee is cornered on the wrong side of the ring and is getting worked over enough to get the crowd clapping in support of Scott.

Weaver finally gets the tag and takes both members of Hart’s team. He goes for a pin after a bulldog but the pin is broken up. The quick tags by the heels pick back up again and they are in control. They take spinning on an arm to the level of dizzy cricket. Then Hart and Sullivan stretch Weaver out so Lewin can stomp on him for the three count.

McGhee jumps in instantly and the brawl continues. Gary Hart gets dropkicked and pulls out a foreign object. There is blood everywhere once Sullivan and Lewin get a hold of the weapon. McGhee becomes a horror movie victim and Angelo Mosca tries to save Scott. Mosca gets cut on the arm during the attack. Finally after a few minutes Sullivan and Lewin take off with Hart in tow. We are left watching McGhee try and get out with help from Mosca and Weaver.

And I’m Like… The heels did amazing teamwork. The ending was where the chaos was though. Crazy brutal, just digging that weapon into McGhee’s head. The match told a story of the bad guys being a team longer and knowing their own strengths and weaknesses and playing them to the hilt.

Barbara Cleary interviews some family from South Carolina that are all here to cheer for Ric Flair.

Tony Schiavone is interviewing NWA Champion Harley Race. Race is flanked by Jack and Jerry Brisco and Greg Valentine. All the champions outside of TV Champion and all certified Hall of Famers.

Race says “on any given day, the last place I want to be in the world is Greensboro, North Carolina” Harley is talking to all his friends to learn Flairs weaknesses and where his injured areas are.

Abdullah The Butcher vs. Carlos Colon

Abdullah The Butcher- Standing 6 feet tall and weighing a robust 360 pounds, Abdullah caught the attention of Montreal promoter Jack Britton, and he soon made his professional wrestling debut at age 17 in 1958. He initially competed in numerous independent territories north of the border under such various monikers as Pussycat Pickens, Kuroi Jujutsushi (The Black Wizard) and Zelis Amara. However, he ultimately created his gimmick of an evil Arabian sadist; and in a match against Gino Brito (Jack Britton's real-life son), the Abdullah the Butcher character first distinguished himself as one of the world's most feared rule breakers when he broke a chair over Brito's head and then beat him senseless with the leg. Since his gimmick required that he speak no English (though it was in actuality his native tongue), he possessed a number of managers over the course of his long career, including Gary Hart , Paul Jones , Eddie Creatchman , Black Baron, The Grand Wizard , J.J. Dillon , Damien Kane , Larry Sharpe , Chicky Starr , Oliver Humperdink , Buddy Colt, George Cannon, Bearcat Wright , Big Bad John, Gentleman Jim Holiday, and Rock Hunter, who were all portrayed as "handlers" commissioned to control the Sudanese madman, while also doing most of the talking in promos and interviews. He has, however, spoken for himself in promos while in Japan. As a result of his frequent traveling, Abdullah the Butcher usually served as more of a special attraction than as a consistent championship contender. Accordingly, Abdullah never did win a World Heavyweight Championship, though he would capture a myriad of regional titles during his career. He won his first major championship on October 23, 1967 when he teamed with Dr. Jerry Graham to defeat John & Carlos Tolos for the NWA ‘s Canadian Tag Team Titles in Vancouver . A few years later, he ventured to the Montreal region, where he had three reigns as the IWA International Heavyweight Champion between 1969 and 1972, feuding against Ivan Koloff and Johnny Rougeau . He later served as one of the premier rule breakers in Calgary's Stampede territory, capturing the NWA Canadian Championship, as well as having six North American Heavyweight Title reigns during the early 1970s. On June 24, 1972, he defeated Ernie Ladd in Akron, Ohio to capture his first of two NWF Heavyweight Championships . During the mid-1970s, he frequently performed in Detroit, Michigan 's Big-Time Wrestling territory, where he engaged in a rivalry against The Sheik . He teamed with "Killer" Tim Brooks to win the region's version of the NWA World Tag Team Titles before defeating Bobo Brazil on February 8, 1975 for the NWA United States Championship. In addition to his successes in North America , Abdullah the Butcher also performed in the Far East , Europe , the Caribbean , Australia , and Africa . On March 12, 1974, he traveled all the way to New Zealand , where he captured the British Empire Commonwealth Title by defeating the nation's champion John DaSilva . Abdullah also established himself as one of the premier attractions in Japan , where he competed as part of the round-robin tournament that ultimately crowned Giant Baba as All-Japan's inaugural PWF Heavyweight Champion in February 1973. On October 18, 1978, Abdullah won that same PWF belt when he defeated European former AWA champion Billy Robinson; and then on October 13, 1980, he also beat Jumbo Tsuruta to capture the NWA United National Heavyweight Title. His also feuded with Terry Funk in Japan , and Funk claims to have had one of his top three all-time greatest matches with Abdullah the Butcher.. In Puerto Rico, he was declared the very first WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion in July 1982 following three reigns as the Puerto Rican champion between 1978 and 1981. Feuding mainly with ..

Carlos ColГіn- Due to his admiration for wrestlers Antonino Rocca and Miguel PГ©rez , ColГіn became a member at the gym they trained at in New York, practicing wrestling moves and cleaning the place occasionally to pay for his dues. His dedication and affability helped him gain the respect of his peers, as well as the occasional wrestling match. His first bout occurred in Boston, Massachusetts , on February 16, 1966, when he wrestled Bobo Brazil . Colon was paid US $15.00 for his participation in his first match. He eventually became an itinerant wrestler in the eastern states of the United States and in Canada, including 1 match in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in December 1967, and several in 1968. Over the following three years, with Montreal as his place of residence. Feeling homesick and noticing a void in the Puerto Rican wrestling scene, ColГіn returned to Puerto Rico in 1973. ColГіn and Croatian-born wrestler Victor Jovica founded a promotional company, Capitol Sports Promotions , which aired wrestling television shows each Saturday and Sunday on WAPA-TV . He wrestled during a time where local stars such as Barrabas , Black Georgie and Miguel PГ©rez, Sr. shared the spotlight with international wrestlers such as Argentine-born Rocca, Cuban-born HuracГЎn Castillo and others. He set the stage for local stars such as Los Super MГ©dicos, Los Invaders and Chicky Starr to develop. His wrestling company was also responsible for inviting major American wrestling stars such as Randy Savage , Ric Flair , Bruiser Brody , Stan Hansen and others to wrestle in Puerto Rico. The nemesis of ColГіn’s character was Abdullah the Butcher , with whom he staged a long-standing feud which lasted almost two decades. ColГіn is quoted as saying: “Eighty percent of the blood I’ve shed in the ring I’ve shed because of Abdullah.” On January 6, 1983, ColГіn defeated Ric Flair in a match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship . However, the outcome of this match was not made official or aired on NWA television. Flair received the belt back in a phantom title change that took place on January 23, 1983. Later that year, ColГіn required hospitalization due to injury following a match against Bruiser Brody. This loss was publicized and made the covers of El Nuevo DГ­a and El Vocero , both of which are mainstream newspapers. Two weeks later, ColГіn defeated Brody in a rematch.

Gordon Solie told us that this match was banned in Puerto Rico. They have to have the match in America because of how violent they were in Puerto Rico.

Abdullah is over 400 pounds and is like Kamala ‘impervious to pain’. The Butcher does some strikes and headbutts, then tries and elbow drop for two. He has the MOST side boob I have ever seen. I know of Abdullah because he is a legend, I just don’t remember watching any of his matches.

Colon digs in Abdullah’s pants and steals the foreign object from The Butcher. He legit cuts The Butchers head in one of Abdullah’s gaps, then bites it til it bleeds!! Then attacks with the object over and over, even fish hooking The Butcher with it. Carlos drops the weapon and starts taking Abbie down with strikes.

Carlos pinned Abdullah who then kicks out enough to have Colon land on the referee. Abdullah goes for a elbow drop but Carlos moves and Abbie drops his elbow on the referee.

Carlos puts Abbie in a figure four and SOME GUY, interferes. Gordon Solie does not know who it is. Turns out its WWE Spanish announcer Hugo Savinovich . He was a manager at this time. He WAS also married to Wendi Richter .

And I’m Like… That was a fast match, but fun. It was cool to see Carlos knowing where Abdullah keeps his foreign objects and goes right for them. Abdullah got his ass kicked and would have lost if it wasn’t for Savinovich. This show is pretty brutal with all the stabbings and blood.

Speaking of blood Tony Schiavone is back with Angelo Mosca. “Mosca screams IF I HAD ONE ARM I would ref that match tonight.” Mosca is really going all out with emotion. He said he saw McGhee bleeding and it reminded him of his son. He screams that he felt the spike take flesh and blood away from him. “Youth is what makes our professional wrestling go” Tony points out that Scott McGhee is not in good shape. DUDE IS JUST BLEEDING IN THE BACK!!! No one is helping him, he is legit passed out in the corner..

Barbara asks these girls who their favorite wrestlers are. One says Charlie Brown and another says Ric Flair, they both think Flair will win tonight.

Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood vs. Dick Slater and Bob Orton Jr.

Wahoo McDaniel- He played linebacker for the American Football League ‘s Houston Oilers and Denver Broncos but really became a star when he was traded to the New York Jets in 1964. He was a crowd favorite and made 23 tackles in a single game against his former Denver Broncos. As a gimmick, whenever McDaniel made a tackle, the PA announcer would announce, “Tackle made by…guess who?”, which the crowd would respond, “WAHOO!” He was picked by the Miami Dolphins in the 1966 American Football League expansion draft, as the team’s major name player. During the 1968 season, he knocked out two police officers in an altercation and was traded to the San Diego Chargers . Wahoo never played a game for San Diego and started wrestling full-time. McDaniel was unique in that he wore his first name of “Wahoo” as the name on his jersey. Wahoo wrestled during the off-season, a common practice at the time due to low player salaries, for Dory Funk in Amarillo, Texas while he played for Houston and Denver . When he was playing for the New York Jets, Vince McMahon, Sr. brought him in for a run in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). During his run, he wrestled with stars like Boris Malenko , Cowboy Bill Watts, Dr. Jerry Graham and Waldo Von Erich . When he played in Miami , Eddie Graham booked him and used him as a tag team wrestler with Jose Lothario . His Madison Square Garden debut was January 25, 1965, where he defeated Boris Malenko. Malenko at the time was essentially a preliminary wrestler. Nonetheless, the match got some strong local media coverage due to McDaniel’s football career. After leaving football, Wahoo wrestled some in Hawaii but really made his mark and had his greatest success in Houston . He feuded with Boris Malenko, eventually winning his hair, and was a frequent challenger for Dory Funk, Jr. ‘s NWA World Heavyweight Championship . The feud sold out the Sam Houston Coliseum on several occasion with Wahoo going time limit draws with the champ but ultimately coming up short. After Houston, he went to the American Wrestling Association and had a very successful feud with Superstar Billy Graham after Graham could not defeat Wahoo in an arm wrestling challenge and attacked him. Eventually, the feud turned into a tag feud with Wahoo teaming with the Crusher (another legitimate tough guy) against Graham and Ivan Koloff . In 1974, Wahoo came to Mid-Atlantic to wrestle for Jim Crockett Promotions and help build up the territory as a singles territory in a feud with a rival from Texas , Johnny Valentine . The feud evolved into a tag feud with Wahoo and Paul Jones taking on Johnny Valentine and Ric Flair , who Wahoo met in the AWA. McDaniel and John Valentine went on to have a feud remembered to this day for the sheer force of their punch/chop exchanges, both men widely known for their hard-hitting style. Wahoo won the Mid-Atlantic title from Valentine on June 29, 1975, in Asheville, North Carolina. McDaniel and Flair entered into a legendary feud over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship title throughout 1975 and 1976 after Johnny Valentine’s career was ended in a plane crash. Flair won the title for the first time on September 20, 1975, in Hampton, Virginia. Wahoo regained the title in the Charlotte (NC) Coliseum in May of the following year. Flair regained the title three weeks later in a match remembered as the “table leg” match. Wahoo and Flair shattered a table at ringside, and Flair picked up one of table legs to hit Wahoo in the head, not realizing a nail was sticking out of the table leg. McDaniel was legitimately injured and the match quickly ended with Flair pinning McDaniel for the title. McDaniel and Flair would swap the title one more time before the final exchange of the Mid-Atlantic title between the two happened on December 27, 1976, when Wahoo defeated Flair for the belt in a “No Disqualification” match in the Richmond (VA) Coliseum. Flair went on to win the United States title and matches for the U.S. belt between Wahoo and Flair drew huge houses, with Flair holding on to the championship. In 1977, Johnny Valentine’s son Greg Valentine attacked Wahoo and broke his leg in an angle to establish Greg as Johnny’s successor. Greg Valentine originally won the title on June 11, 1977, with Wahoo regaining it in Raleigh, NC two months later. On September 7, 1977, Greg Valentine regained the title at the WRAL-TV studio tapings. This angle is particularly remembered for a follow-up interview weeks later with Flair and Valentine throwing change at Wahoo, and Valentine asking Wahoo if he needed a custom-made wheelchair for his fat body. Wahoo won the Mid-Atlantic title for the final time in a match against Valentine in Greensboro, NC on April 2, 1978. Unusually enough for that decade, the title reign lasted only a week, with Wahoo dropping the title to Olympic weightlifter Ken Patera in Charlotte, NC. Other than his work in Mid-Atlantic, he wrestled in Florida , usually against then NWA World champion Harley Race . He also split his time wrestling in Georgia and the AWA. He went to Japan several times but never really caught on although he did wrestle major names like Giant Baba , Antonio Inoki and Jumbo Tsuruta . By 1980, he was wrestling in San Antonio in a feud with Tully Blanchard and his regular tag partner, “Georgous” Gino Hernandez . When the promoter in Houston broke away from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and recognized the AWA World champion Nick Bockwinkel , Wahoo was the regular challenger. He returned to Mid-Atlantic in 1981 and feuded with Roddy Piper over the United States title which ended when Piper brought in Abdullah the Butcher and Abby put Wahoo out on injury.

Mark Youngblood- Mark Romero is the son of Ricky Romero . He started wrestling as Mark Youngblood in 1980 and worked for the National Wrestling Alliance ‘s Jim Crockett Promotions as a tag team with Wahoo McDaniel .

Bob Orton Jr.- Orton trained with Hiro Matsuda , after dropping out of college and at the age of 22, Orton made his debut in the promotion Championship Wrestling from Florida in 1972 with the ring name of Young Mr Wrestling wrestling in instances with his father Bob Orton Sr . They won the tag team title from the promotion, Orton was one of the first wrestlers to use the Superplex as his final movement. Orton in his early days in wrestling, he used a gimmick , of a masked wrestler known as The Invader. He often used this gimmick, until 1976. He with Dick Slater had a feud with Ric Flair . Orton and Slater attacked Flair with an aided piledriver , which caused Flair a severe injury in the neck, and put Flair out of wrestling for several months. Flair would eventually return in late 1983, attacking both Orton and Slater with a baseball bat. After experiencing success in the Florida, Central States, and Mid-South regions, Orton competed in the National Wrestling Alliance in 1980-1981 using a cowboy’s gimmick . While he competed in the NWA, he won several matches and earned a reputation as a hard worker and legit tough wrestler. In 1981 He left the NWA to sign a contract with the World Wrestling Federation . He returned to the NWA again in 1983 and captured the tag team titles, but returned to the WWF when Vince McMahon ‘s national expansion began in 1984. In 1981, Orton competed in the World Wrestling Federation . Competing as a heel and using the dreaded superplex as his finisher, he challenged Bob Backlund for the WWF Heavyweight Championship, winning by count-out (the title can’t change of hands by disqualification or count-out), the first match. They had a lumberjack match a month later but was unsuccessful. He left the territory in 1983 and ventured to the NWA, where he captured the tag team titles with Don Kernodle .

Dick Slater- Slater began wrestling in 1968 with Mike Graham at Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida. Eddie Graham purchased a wrestling mat for his high school and started a high school wrestling program there. He wrestled for an organization called the AAU, a program that trained young wrestlers to go to the Olympics. Slater went to the University of Tampa where he played football in addition to wrestling (among his teammates was John Matuszak and Paul Orndorff ). He had a chance to play football for the Miami Dolphins but declined the opportunity, deciding to wrestle instead. After going to a National AAU meet, he was approached by Mike Graham, who asked him if he wanted to become a professional wrestler; Slater decided to go to the Sportatorium in Tampa to train as a professional wrestler. There, he was trained by Jack Brisco , Bob Roop , Hiro Matsuda , and Bill Watts . Slater also became good friends with Dick Murdoch around this time. Slater began working for Championship Wrestling from Florida , which was run by Eddie Graham . He stayed there for three years and won the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (with Dusty Rhodes , Stan Vachon, Toru Tanaka , and Johnny Weaver ) and the NWA Florida Television Championship . After leaving CWF, Slater worked in California alongside The Von Brauners , Moondog Mayne , Pat Patterson , and Ray Stevens . From there, he went to Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada (traveling with Moondog Mayne frequently). Slater then went to Georgia Championship Wrestling , an organization he credits with putting him on the map. He worked there for 8 years, winning the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship four times , as well as the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship and NWA Macon Tag Team Championship with Bob Orton, Jr. . During the time period he also won the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship and a number of Florida titles. Slater commented that after winning the Missouri Heavyweight Title, he was in the mix to become NWA World Heavyweight Champion , but would attribute his not winning it to “politics”. In 1983, Slater was working in Knoxville, Tennessee for Ron Fuller when Jim Barnett approached Slater with the idea of booking a television show in Atlanta for Ted Turner . At the same time, Jim Crockett was buying out Jim Barnett ; thus, Slater started working for Crockett. Around the same time, Dusty Rhodes (one of Slater’s many tag team partners) became a booker for Crockett. Slater teamed up with Bob Orton, Jr. , and began a feud with Ric Flair where they attacked with an aided piledriver in an attempt to end his career. The team collected a bounty from Harley Race , the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion for apparently ending Flair’s career. Flair would return and attack Slater and Orton. While Flair would go on to fight Race at Starrcade for the championship, Orton and Slater were placed in a tag team match. Before coming to Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Slater was involved in an incident where Wahoo McDaniel shot him. Slater, McDaniel, Tommy Rich , and AndrГ© the Giant were at a bar in Tampa when someone in the bar made a comment about Tommy Rich’s wife, which angered Rich and McDaniel. The man who had commented about Rich’s wife got a knife, and seeing that, McDaniel got out a gun. AndrГ© and Slater went out to the parking lot and watched the altercation; while watching, McDaniel pistol-whipped the man and when he did so, the gun went off and Slater was hit by the bullet in the leg. Slater told the police that a sniper had shot him; he would return to the ring in just three weeks. Slater was also famous for an altercation in a bar in Tampa, Fl with John Matuszak, which Slater won.

Wahoo and Youngblood remove their headdresses, Solie says 2 Indians in one corner. Before the match starts the announcer’s mic cuts out and all you hear is “Dusty Rhodes where is Dusty Rhodes?” The crowd goes nuts, Solie says Dusty is here and will be challenging whoever wins the NWA world title.

Slater moves JUST like Dean Ambrose, the smooth fighting stance, being agile as hell, having the crowd in the palm of his hand.

The ring is stained with blood. There were 3 people bleeding so far tonight so no telling whose that is. That would gross me out personally, to have your face pressed into that!.!

Dick is doing more wrestling than I thought he would. I pegged him as more of a brawler, but he is pulling off pin attempts and chain wrestling. Slater tries to go over the top-rope by himself and tried to get Youngblood disqualified, but the ref was too smart for that.

Orton gets tagged in and does a military press into a backbreaker then ends with just throwing him across the ring. Orton misses the elbow drop and legit SLITHERS to the outside like his son. The crowd pops for Mark too.

As Youngblood was gaining momentum, Bob was able to tag Dick Slater to slow the match down. At least I thought that was it. Dick tagged Bob right back and the tempo is way slower. Slater is able to help on a double team too.

Slater is doing snap jabs, Dean Ambrose had to have modeled himself after Slater, there is just too much in common when it comes to moves and mannerisms.

Orton and Slater are doing a tremendous job, cutting the ring in half and working as a team. Orton blind tags Dick Slater and Youngblood doesn’t see it so the build to the hot tag is percolating more than ever.

Orton can’t stop Youngblood when it’s his turn to administer the beating. Mark tags Wahoo and the crowd goes wild. Wahoo is all business.

Dick is able to get Wahoo in a pin attempt. The ref takes FOREVER to count. He slides his hands under Wahoo’s shoulder, counts one, then slides it under the shoulder, counts two, then slides his hand under the shoulder and just stands up and recounts… Wahoo kicks out at two.

Youngblood gets tagged in, he starts a dropkick city party and takes out Orton and Slater. Orton is able to quell the rush of attacks and Superplex Youngblood for the win.

And I’m Like… A big Dick Slater fan after this, he was so mesmerizing. Bob Orton was talented but he wasn’t that entertaining in a match with Wahoo and Slater. The match ends with Orton and Slater trying to break Wahoo’s arm.

Schovanie interviews Ric Flair who is in the locker room with Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat. Flair says “all the marbles are on the line, I have prepared myself and I am ready for anything. I want to take tonight to shake the hands of Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat, tonight is our night fellas. I won’t let you down.”

Wow, how the hell was this version of Flair championship material? He seems either SUPER NERVOUS or didn’t know how to be a good guy.

Barbara is interviewing Dusty Rhodes but the mic keeps cutting out. Here is the promo “It’s a big thrill to be in such a gre….. Flair for the gold…. Ric Flair.. Great.. still Dusty Rhodes, American Dream.” Gordon Solie talks over him and Dusty ends with “Everyone remember that wrestling history will be made… and and screamin… One of you Race/Flair… Flair for the gold.. I’m gonna boogie.” Gordon ends with “If you can lip read then you know what he said.”