Dirt Sheets

[kevinmcfl]

Rumor has it that Cowboy Bill Watts was seen in downtown Atlanta this week!

[LowBlowPodcast]

WWF NEWS

 

-A lot of news surrounding WWF television this week as Vince McMahon has decided he would like WWF Challenge to go in a different direction. The current plan right now is for the show to go dormant while a brand new show would be introduced on January the 13th - being taped on January 7th. The show will still be hosted by Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon but would go back to a different viewpoint. The show would be taped in the arenas with Gorilla and Bobby actually being in the back of the arena by the entryway. They would conduct interviews with the wrestlers before, during, or after matches. This would encourage some of the character development that McMahon has been hoping for along with the "what if" factors in regards to wrestlers showing up and explosive booking opportunities. The name of the show will be Prime Time Wrestling and be an hour long to start with the opportunity to go for two hours down the road. There is still time for this to develop.

 

-Sting is currently working with Fritz Von Erich in World Class but expect him to show back up on WWF television in the coming weeks. He is said to have gotten great grades from Fritz on his development and is said to be ready for the WWF.

 

-Expect Big Bossman to get some time in the ring on All American. The WWF loves the character but has requested he lose some weight before being a full time worker.

 

-The WWF is looking to have all the heels under management in some shape. Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Mr. Fuji, & Freddie Blassie are currently the stable of managers with Miss Elizabeth being Randy Savage's valet. No chance she will be picking up someone new but the male managers will each have four men under their management in the coming weeks.

 

-The WWF has been very happy with the acquisitions of Curt Hennig and Don Muraco. They have found their spots and have really flourished early on.

[kevinmcfl]

Well it is official....

 

The reason Cowboy Bill Watts was in Atlanta was to make the UWF a member of the NWA. While others are seeing wrestling going the way of the national promotions, Watts has come to a conclusion that a talent sharing territory system might just be the way to combat that mega promotion to the North. While Watts was not thrilled that he will no longer be able to call his UWF champion the World Champions, he loves the dollar signs he sees by bringing in people like Rick Martel or the Anderson's to face his top talent. Watts also must rename some of his title as not to have duplicated. The UWF North American Title, the second title in the promotion, will no be called the Continental Title while the United States singles belt and tag titles will now be called the Southern Titles. All of these changes will go into effect after Watt's next major event, King of the Mountain on January 18th.

[rainmakerrtv]

Rumour has it that the reason Leo Burke has not been seen much lately for AWA TV and house shows is that he has been supervising the establishment of new training facilities for the young new wrestlers. This is said to anticipate not only a large influx of new talent, but also a major shakeup of the AWA training staff. Stay tuned for more developments!

[rainmakerrtv]

There was a major bloodletting in the AWA as many big names have been announced as leaving right at the new year. The promotion is apparently banking very heaviliy on a major influx of new young talent and it has been seen as an "Out with the old, in with the new" move. As for the specific names being let go :

 

The British Bulldogs and Scott Hall have reportedly taken extremely lucrative offers elsewhere, with the Bulldogs unhappy since losing the World Tag belts and Hall finding his Cobra Corps gimmick too limiting. Tony Atlas and Dave Schultz have had a reputation as having attitude problems and causing trouble backstage, so it was only a matter of time before they were encouraged to let go. Rick Steiner has been unsatisfied with the switch in focus from him to the young British wrestlers, and there is word of him getting a special incentive to make the jump to another territory. Regardless, he is leaving on good terms, with a high profile final program with Ricky Steamboat being seen as a final thank you for his hard work throughout the year. Buck Robley considers himself pretty much retired at this point, as indicated by his declining involvement in any major program of late. Bob Roop has had all he can take of the cold midwestern climate and has mentioned he is looking to move back to Florida.

 

Roop may well have jumped before he was pushed, as there is a major shakeup in the AWA training team. With the continued focus on training and development of the younger wrestlers, the continued sqabbles between the Japanese and American trainers have proved too much of a headache for AWA management, with the result of them replacing most of the current training staff. With Leo Burke lately keeping his hands clean of the infighting, it looked like that might just have saved his job, but not only is Roop leaving, but so are Kendo Nagasaki and Tojo Yamamoto (possibly returning to Japan and Memphis, respectively). If Steven Regal is concerned about his two main backers leaving the training team , he can breath easy, as Burke has had a major reversal of opinion on Regal following their recent program together, becoming one of the young Englishman's most vocal supporters. Further more, two recent additions to both the AWA and the training team, Dave Taylor and Marty Jones, have let it be known how much they are looking forward to working with their young countryman and how much faith they have in him. Joining Burke , Taylor and Jones in the training staff will be Mando Guerrero, Jesse Barr and Bob Orton, with Chavo & Hector Guerrero, Greg Gagne and Mike Rotundo acting as associate trainers. There will also still be a Japanese presence in the AWA, with not only Kabuki but a very hush hush big name rumoured to be coming back to the AWA, as well as discussions with Japanese promotions for talent sharing that will give valuable experience to their young wrestlers. This, along with the completion of the new AWA training facilities, shows that, in spite of recent turbulance, the future is shining bright for the AWA.

[SirEdger]

Future NWA President to be appointed?

 

With the resurgence of the National Wrestling Alliance with the additions of WCCW, WWC & just yesterday the UWF, discussions are now ongoing to appoint an official President for the NWA. No names have surfaced yet but the main idea would be to appoint someone with no official ties to current NWA territories to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

 

More on this ASAP.

[spaldoni]

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling News

Well, Starrcade is in the books and word is that Jim Crockett was more than pleased with the event. Outside of a few technical glitches in Greensboro, the show was viewed as a huge success. Crockett also stated how impressed he was with the Quebec portion of the event. He praised the NWA World Heavyweight title match and said it was an all time classic. With all the backstage changes, the Crockett's were extremely grateful to the other territories in the NWA for helping make Starrcade a success. They say that the NWA will stand tall in 1986 as all the territories involved are on really good terms.

 

As for MACW, the biggest news will be the announcement of the U.S. tag team tournament. Jim Crockett is happy the Andersons are representing the NWA as world champs. He also knows they will be traveling all around the NWA, defending their titles. That's why he's thrilled about the U.S. tag tournament. This will give the MACW territory their own tag champs to defend the titles on the loops. A lot of teams want the US straps and are coming in to compete in the tournament.

 

MACW wants to really build up their tag team division. The Crockett's have always been huge fans of tag team wrestling and they've been working hard at signing a lot of established teams. MACW will also be putting focus on some young teams as well. Rumor has it, that their ultimate goal is to bring in all the top teams in the entire NWA for a Crockett Cup Tag Team Tournament sometime in the Spring.

 

Somebody who isn't very happy is Ric Flair. Flair claims that politics caused him to lose the world title in Quebec. Rumor has it, he has something big planned to show the NWA that he is still the best wrestler in the world.

 

One final note, MACW has signed one of the biggest wrestling stars in the world, Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka. The Crockett's are very confident that Snuka will be a huge draw for them and have some big plans set for him.

[SirEdger]

BREAKING NEWS: Bob Geigel appointed as NWA President

After a meeting of the members of the National Wrestling Alliance, Bob Geigel was unanimously voted as President of the NWA. His appointment is effective January 1st, 1986.

[spaldoni]

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling News

Ric Flair has shed more light on his big plans. Apparently Ric Flair wants to travel all around the NWA and face the top contenders in all the territories. He basically is doing what a world champion would be doing, only without a title. He's calling it 'Nature Boy Tour 86' He's already heading to Japan for a big show. He's booked to face Mil Mascaras on January 25th in Greensboro and he's already issued a challenge to Antonio Inoki for February 22nd at the Battle of the Belts card in Florida. Some in the back say Flair is obsessed with not only staying in the spotlight but being booked as the main event. While some other people have said the shock of losing the title just hasn't worn off yet. I guess if anything, the fans win on this because Ric Flair will still be traveling to a lot of different venues all across the NWA. No word yet on when Flair will face Martel in a rematch.

 

Somebody else who wants a shot at the world title is Harley Race. Race feels Martel owes him a title match because Martel beat him for the WCCW title then unified it at Starrcade. So Race feels he's technically owed a rematch. Race solidified this by winning the Mid Atlantic title at Starrcade.

 

Look for the longest reigning British Heavyweight Champion in history, Tony St. Clair to be arriving soon in MACW. Tony has stated that he's very excited to be coming to the United States and facing some of the best competition in the world. The Crockett's had been working on this deal for almost a year and were ecstatic when the deal was finally done. The Crockett's intend on holding a press conference in Greensboro to welcome St. Clair and introduce him to the MACW fans.

 

And finally look for a number of tag teams coming in this month to tune up for the US Tag Team Tournament. Such teams as the Fuller Brothers, the Soul Patrol, the Kiniski's and the Nightmares will be debuting soon. There will be some qualifying matches on television, then 8 teams will compete in the tournament at various MACW venues.

[GeneJackson95]

WCCW Year End News

 

- Fritz Von Erich is said to be very happy with his decision to join the NWA, as WCCW had a great showing at Starrcade with big wins for both Jimmy Garvin and Kerry Von Erich while still drawing a sold out crowd in Dallas for Christmas Star Wars.

 

- Look for an huge influx of new faces coming to WCCW in January with a mass exodus of talent at the end of December mostly by design. Most notably Harley Race, David Sammartino, Adrian Adonis, and Lord Alfred Hayes who were the top faction in WCCW just a month ago are ALL gone as of 12/31. Once Gary Hart contacted Fritz about returning to Texas the decision was made to move away from the Monarchy angle all together.

 

- It will be announced on television this week that the WCCW Six Man Tag Titles are being stripped from Eddie Gilbert, Sting, and Rip Rogers due to the actions of Gilbert throwing fire in the face of Michael Hayes in their cage match in Houston. The reason for this is WWF have called Sting back a little earlier than expected so it will be announced on TV that Sting has quit the promotion due to being stripped of the titles....Fritz made Sting a personal project for Eddie Gilbert and everyone involved was impressed with the results. Eddie took Sting on the road with him and worked with him 24/7 teaching him in and out of ring and the results were obvious based on the amount of improvement Sting made during the process....Vince McMahon was impressed...so impressed in fact that he has now asked Fritz to have Eddie give the same attention to Rick & Scott Steiner who he is sending down to Texas on Jan. 1st. Many feel that this could land Eddie Gilbert a job in the WWF down the road as either a wrestler or a trainer developing WWF's future talent.

 

- Speaking of future talent Eddie's little brother Doug Gilbert has moved to Dallas and will be traveling with Eddie as well. He will be working enhancement matches and spot shows under a hood for the next few months to get some experience before wrestling under the family name. It's been said that Eddie is also pushing Fritz to sign his father Tommy Gilbert to at least be a referee so the Gilberts can all travel together. Also, on the road soon will be a young man Fritz recently signed from Hawaii name Brian Adams who is a big strong guy with tons of potential but VERY green. Word is that Brian will be working television as Johnny Valiant's "bodyguard" but working the spot shows under a hood as "Super Zodiac" until he gets some experience. Matchmaker Frank Dusek wants to eventually put him in the 'Leatherface' gimmick for a while to capitalize on his size but cover up his limitations while he is still learning. There are also plans to send both Doug Gilbert and Brian Adams to Japan for a couple of tours this year to help them develop as well.

 

- Look for the team of Adrian Street and Bill Dundee to be put together soon in World Class, they had a great run in Continental earlier this year but had to be abruptly split when Dundee left to go to the USWA. It's unclear whether they will be heel or face due to the multitude of heel tag teams already in the works in the promotion.

 

- Fritz is said to have big plans for Kokina who he sees to be a potential big money draw down the line against guys like Kerry and Bad News Allen.

[LowBlowPodcast]

WWF News

 

-Lots of roster movement in the WWF... in comes the

Coming in...

Tonga Kid (Back after a stint away... looking to b a possible teammate or mid card singles wrestler)

Sika (wasn't really gone for too long... but back with Mr. Fuji)

The British Bulldogs (gone for the past couple of months)

The Midnight Rockers (back after a brief cup of coffee)

Rick & Scott Steiner (Scott is a rookie and Rick has had a successful rookie year... both will be reporting elsewhere for the time being)

Slick (Manager from Kansas City... said to be taking the role of Freddie Blassie)

Lord Alfred Hayes (He'll be moved right to an announcer role to fill in with the upcoming television changes.)

 

Going...

Scott Casey MACW

The Iron Sheik MACW

the Sheepherders WWC

The Fantastics Lutte

Freddie Blassie Free Agent

 

Staying around...

Barry Windham has signed an extension with the WWF starting the new year. There is a lot of hype around his recent program with Rick Rude and he could be next in line for a title run given the title situation with Gino Hernandez & Randy Savage

 

TV changes...

The WWF will be expanding its television universe over the next couple of weeks. All FOUR... yes FOUR shows will be taped on Tuesdays with television tapings starting around 3pm and going until around 7 or 8pm. Here is how the shows will look...

 

Wrestling Challenge

Shown on Saturdays

Hosted by Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan

 

All-American

Shown on Sundays

Hosted by Gene Okerlund & Lord Alfred Hayes

 

Superstars of Wrestling

Shown on Sundays

Hosted by Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura

 

Prime Time Wrestling

Shown on Mondays

Hosted by Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura

 

On top of these four shows... the WWF will continue to broadcast on the MSG Network once every four weeks with their shows... Once every 8 weeks on PRISM for the Philadelphia Spectrum shows... Once every 8 weeks on NESN for the Boston Garden Shows. Needless to say there is a LOT of television out there for the WWF on top of the fact that there will be two NBC Saturday Night's Main Events between now and WrestleMania which itself will also be broadcast on closed circuit. This expansion is all in retaliation to the expansion of the NWA.

 

With Lutte International, Mid Atlantic, World Class, World Wrestling Council, and now the UWF... the WWF has stiff competition all around the country and is looking to do anything they can to stay on top of the wrestling world. Who knows what they will do next?

[spaldoni]

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling News

The Crockett's are said to be very happy with the major roster changes. They feel like all the pieces are falling into place and are ready for a great new year. They feel like they have a good mix of in ring veterans and promising young talent.

 

Speaking of young talent, look for the exciting team of Billy Travis and Joe Savoldi to be debuting soon. They will be known as 'Hot Property' and will be competing in the US tag team title tournament. The Crockett's feel 'Hot Property' is their answer to the "pretty boy" baby face team they were looking for. Also coming in will be Spike 'Steel Tiger' Huber. He will be working the construction man gimmick. The Crockett's think Spike can pull this off well and really connect with the working class fan base in MACW. The gimmick wont be over the top, they just feel this added layer will help Huber connect with the fans. Another young talent the Crockett's are very high on is Tom Brandi. They want to give Brandi some more seasoning so they have decided to team him with Jimmy Golden as the Assassins. They are even bringing in the original Assassin himself, Jody Hamilton to manage them. They feel with Hamilton and Golden mentoring him and traveling with him, that Brandi will come out of this ready for the next level. The Crockett's are very excited that Hamilton is coming in and will have him working quite a bit in developing the younger talent. Jim Crockett has always been fond of the Assassins and the only way he was going to bring back the team was if Hamilton was involved. Hamilton thought Crockett showed the upmost respect for him and will help in any way he can.

 

Veteran wrestler Scott Casey will be coming in under a hood. He will be working as the Texas Bronco. Rumor has it, Tully Blanchard was instrumental in bringing Casey in, as Casey was a loyal worker for his father's promotion. David Crockett loves the idea of a good guy cowboy under the hood and thinks Casey is the perfect worker for opening matches on the loop, to really get the crowd going. Casey is said to be excited about the gimmick and fresh spin on his Cowboy character.

 

Jim Crockett held a meeting with all the wrestlers and told them that not everybody can be in the main event but he promised them that they would all get television time. Speaking of television, David Crockett wants to add an hour long TV show to the schedule. He wants to call it NWA World Wide Wrestling and would like the show to be taped at various arenas. He really likes the arena look on television.

 

MACW's next super card, Battle of the Belts, will take place at the Eddie Graham Sports Center in Orlando, FL on February 22nd. Already signed is Ric Flair taking on Antonio Inoki. MACW is hoping that champions from the other NWA territories will take part at the event. More on that as it develops.

 

And finally, the Freebirds will be coming to Greensboro on January 25th to face the Andersons for the NWA World Tag Team Titles.

[GeneJackson95]

****World Class Championship Wrestling News****

 

WCCW has struck a deal with both Gilley's and Billy Bob's Texas to run wrestling shows in their bars in 1986. Rumor has it that Eddie Gilbert is trying to convince Fritz Von Erich to allow him to book a satellite promotion called 'Wild West Wrestling' at one of these venues every Tuesday night featuring some of the younger inexperienced talent and lesser used wrestlers from WCCW and perhaps some of the other territories to help them get experience and build a fanbase for a weekly show at the bar. Gilbert also hopes to show his value as a booker in hopes of booking WCCW for Fritz as he's been given some input recently in booking and is said to have been heavily involved in the booking of his group's angles as well as the Jimmy Garvin/Eric Embry stuff as of late. It remains to be seen if this comes to be or if any other territories would be interested in sending their young guys to Texas one day a week for extra ring time.

[SirEdger]

BREAKING: Lutte Internationale changing their TV format; going live on Saturday nights!

 

It looks like we will see an overhaul in Lutte Internationale TV starting in the month of February as Lutte Internationale will now use their weekly Saturday night events as their TV events. While it will air live every Saturday night in English on CFCF-12 and in French on CHLT-TV, there will also be a syndicated shorter version airing on Sunday afternoons as well the next day. According to Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it was the TV network who approached Lutte to make the move.

 

 

The reasoning behind this was quite simple; CFCF realizes that they can't compete during the winter months with CBC and Hockey Night in Canada so they'll never oppose new programming in their slots. But CFCF also wants their own brand of sports programming on Saturdays and given the success of Lutte Internationale on that level, it made sense for them. Especially during hockey offseason, they're gonna be saving some major cards to attract more viewers. From what I gather, Lutte is already planning two major events in May & June, one of them being the 3rd annual Johnny Rougeau Memorial Cup. The scheduling is all depending on the date of the Crockett Cup later this year.

 

It wasn't a decision hard to make for Frank Valois and booker Gino Brito as they felt it would now be easier for them to further more angles in that live format than they would under the old studio format in Sherbrooke.

 

 

Basically, CFCF is giving Lutte Internationale a lot of latitude with their shows as they have no particular time slots to strictly fill. They will start airing at 8 PM every Saturday night but depending on certain circumstances, they could go 2h, 2h30 or even 3h, depending on the weeks. The syndicated show though will be 1h long on Sundays at 4 PM. Frank Valois & Gino Brito will provide CFCF management with their bookings plans every month so they can adjust their TV programming on Saturday nights accordingly. But right now, this is theirs as long as they want to.

 

And according to Meltzer, how big a role the expansion of the National Wrestling Alliance played in that decision?

 

 

Most definitely, the growth of the NWA is a big factor in this decision. Having the chance to see guys like the Horsemen, Magnum TA, Jerry Lawler, the Von Erichs & the Freebirds among others was a huge incentive for the TV network to go forward with this. And having Rick Martel being the NWA World Heavyweight Champion is also a tremendous boost for the ratings and a great seller for advertising.

 

The first live edition of Lutte Internationale TV is scheduled to air on February 8th, live from Kitchener, Ontario.

[LowBlowPodcast]

It was reported earlier this month that WrestleMania 2 would be held in the UIC Pavilion, however negotiations over the event have ceased due to closed circuit money. McMahon has since moved the show to the new Rosemont Horizon. This will be the new home of the WWF in Chicago and they will have their first show there on January the 26th headlined by Hulk Hogan taking on Stan Hansen with the WWF Championship on the line!

[dawho5]

Damn good way to start in a new arena!

[LowBlowPodcast]

The WWF is very excited about the upcoming weeks as they are on a hellacious journey to WrestleMania. The news broke this weekend with the WWF moving to the Rosemont Horizon for WrestleMania. The key facts that came out were that the UIC Pavillion not only wanted a majority of the gate but also a cut of the closed circuit money. The WWF already gets a split of the gate and closed circuit but sharing it with the building isn’t quite part of the plan. The Rosemont folks said that they would not only cut down the fee on the rental but also allow for future shows to have lessened price for the year due to the revenue of WrestleMania. The WWF jumped at that opportunity and plans on putting together a major show in a couple of weeks to christen the arena and set up fans for a big return for WrestleMania in late March.

The WWF has also got plans for a major “Rumble in the Bronx” show on Monday January 20th. There is a specialized concept for the card with a 30-man battle royal but each man coming out every minute. The 30-minute contest does appear to be a risk for the WWF but also on the card is Hogan vs Hansen and Demolition vs the Fabs in a cage match which is all but assured to get the titles back to Demolition.

The WWF brought back the Midnight Rockers and have got them on a 60 day probation. There is said to be very little linencey on the WWF’s part with Michaels and Jannetty. Word has it that if they fall out of line they will fall out of employment. Some have even taken this as an opportunity to jump at them to cause issues.

Expect Gino Hernandez to be the number one heel in the WWF sooner than later. He is primed for a big summer program with Hulk Hogan and some have even called for him to get the title. Hogan’s camp however knows that losing to the smaller Hernandez isn’t good for business but McMahon and Pat Patterson have been trying to find a way make that switch in a sinister way to help build up to a major contest.

The British Bulldogs have already returned to the WWF and have been slated to face the WWF Tag Team Champions at the King of the Ring. Davey Boy and Dynamite don’t need a lot of press with the WWF fans but with a stacked tag roster… where do they fit?

King Kong Bundy has had some grumblings since returning… he was scheduled to be in a spot to be a big opponent for Hulk Hogan and then Andre the Giant… looks like that spot went to Ted Dibiase’s close friend… Stan Hansen.

Speaking of Hansen… the original call for was Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen to run in on December 30th but Brody now showed the event. He still has ill feelings towards McMahon dating back to their Mid South days together. Hansen was able to bury the hatchet and he is in line to have a pretty premiere run. Whether or not he faces Hogan in a cage at WrestleMania is up on the air of if we will see the clash of Hogan vs Dibiase.

[spaldoni]

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling News

Sources say Ric Flair and Jim Crockett had an intense phone conversation this week. Apparently Flair got wind that the Crockett's gave Mil Mascaras a handsome some of money for his televised appearance and also a big incentive for his upcoming appearance in Greensboro. Flair understands the pay for his special appearance on television but thought it was an outrageous amount to give to an outsider, especially when a lot of the Mid Atlantic wrestlers have been working really hard on television. What angered Flair even more was that the Crockett's paid Mascaras a phenomenal amount of money for the Greensboro match and also promised him a big sum of the gate money. Flair never got that kind of deal by the Crocketts, even when he was world champ. Flair also feels that he will be the real draw in Greensboro, as this will be his big return. Jim Crockett scrambled to try and make Flair happy. Crockett went as far as to change the plans for the Battle of the Belts card on Feb. 22nd. Flair was originally booked against Antonio Inoki. It will now be Magnum TA defending the US title against Flair. Flair seemed to settle down as Jim Crockett laid out some future plans for him. As for Inoki, the Crockett's booked Stan Hansen to come in and face him.

 

The Crockett's are very excited about the Battle of the Belts card. The newly crowned UWF champs, the Road Warriors have been booked for an NWA World Tag Team title shot. Rick Martel will also be defending the NWA World title. It's shaping up to be an exciting night of action in the NWA.

 

As far as the Mid Atlantic talent goes, the Crockett's have decided to tweak some plans that were made. Originally Jimmy Golden was going to team with Tom Brandi as the Assassins. The Crockett's want to go far with the Stud Stable, so they felt Jimmy Golden would be best suited to work in the Stud Stable as him and the Fullers have worked some great angles in the past and Mid Atlantic wants to recapture that magic. So the Crockett's had a meeting with Jody Hamilton and asked for his suggestions on a partner for Brandi. Hamilton suggested Jack Armstrong. He's wrestled out west and the fans here probably wont recognize him. Hamilton also feels Armstrong's gruff style is a perfect fit for the Assassins. Jack Armstrong is a solid ring veteran and everybody feels he will be a great mentor for Brandi, as that was the plan from the beginning. Look for the Assassins to debut next month with a bit of a different look from the originals. They will still wear the iconic masks and black pants but without the shirts. Jim Crockett wants to show off the great physiques of Brandi and Armstrong as he feels that will make them look more menacing. Hamilton is very excited to be in this role and to carry on the Assassins name.

 

Another change made is that Scott Casey will loose the hood and Texas Bronco gimmick. Mid Atlantic just signed the Cobra and he will be working as a baby face. The Crockett's didn't want to have two baby faces under a mask. They love Scott Casey's work ethic and really want him for opening matches on the loops and also promised him some good TV spots. Scott, being the true professional that he is, was more than willing to accept this. As for the Cobra, the Crockett's think he will bring a different kind of excitement to Mid Atlantic and hope the fans will get behind him.

 

Mid Atlantic television has been spending a lot of time this month getting the new arrivals familiar with the fans and building up their characters and storylines. They feel they have a solid mix of veterans, young stars and managers. Things seem to be coming together.

 

A recap of the big Greensboro show on the next report.

[LowBlowPodcast]

WWF NEWS

-A couple of quick hit notes here from the WWF as they return to Houston this weekend. The WWF has been hyping a big Hulk Hogan vs Gino Hernandez match in Houston on the 2nd in a Texas DeathMatch. Should be interesting to see Hogan and Hernandez in that environment in Houston.

-The WWF has reached out to several members of the NFL about joining them for WrestleMania in Chicago. Such names as Bill Fralic, Jimbo Culvert, Russ Francis, Harvey Martin, and Ernie Holmes have signed up to take part in a special event for the show. Additionally, William Perry the Refrigerator from the Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears will also be in attendance. The WWF has also reached out to Jim McMahon and Walter Payton but no word on if they have agreed to appear yet.

-The WWF is hoping to release some matches for the card in the coming weeks… perhaps as soon as next weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event. The problem being that if they release matches this early, it could hurt shows when titles and such would be on the line. The WWF wants this show to be promoted in a big way and hopes to put together something that will go down in the history books.

-Don’t call it April fools… but I have seen a booking sheet that says that the WWF will be in Richmond Virginia on April 1st for television. The WWF may be trying to expand to the Southeast but it is such a hotbed right now… I don’t think they have the names who are familiar enough to make a big splash.

-Expect more towns in the Northwest for the WWF as they are trying to hit he major markets and secure television. Talks have already begun for WrestleMania III and where it could be held. Los Angeles and Toronto are the front runners with Houston, Dallas, and Miami all being in the mix. The WWF will be looking to put together a major show in a year from now in which they feel they should be seen all over the country and North America with growth into Canada.

-Prime Time has been a big success for the WWF. They have switched up their tv tapings to Mondays and allow for Tuesday as a day off and then begin the travel week on Wednesday. This allows them to tape Prime Time as the first show of the week and then allow for the weekends Superstars and Challenge to be post produced to hype up the show (which they already know what will happen). This does affect angles in a small way, but the WWF is willing to give up in order to help the live audience but really build up the television experience. Almost 90% of the production is going towards Prime Time right now with the other 10% being on the other weekly shows.

-The WWF does have a Saturday Night’s Main Event coming up next weekend along with King of the Ring and then another Saturday Night’s Main Event in March all leading to WrestleMania on March 30th. This will be a big time for the WWF to try and put everything together to move forward and make 1986 more profitable.

[LowBlowPodcast]

REST IN PEACE

Gino Hernandez

August 14, 1957 - February 2, 1986

It is with great sadness that we write of the passing of Gino Hernandez... perhaps one of the most polarizing figures in the history of professional wrestling and one of the most influential performers of the last three years. Hernandez got back into the sport in early 1984 after taking a hiatus in 1983. He started the year off with a boom when he joined Mid South Wrestling and he and Tully Blanchard ran rough shot over the sport and even headlined a Superdome show against the Junkyard Dog and Ted Dibiase. Then the big move came when he went to the WWF. He was an Intercontinental Champion out of the gate on two occasions before losing the title to current champion Randy Savage. Hernandez then joined with Chris Adams and Bobby Heenan to become a WWF tag team champion on two occasions. An injury to Adams cost the team the titles and then it was looking like Hernandez was set to get back on the top. He and Hulk Hogan had a number of main events around the country and they were scheduled to wrestling on Sunday night in Houston in a Texas Deathmatch... the problem being Hernandez never made it to the show.

 

The WWF was lucky enough to have Stan Hansen to fill in and create a fun match for the crowd but the absence of Hernandez was ultimately felt in his hometown of Houston. Word of his death was just rumor when the show started but it was confirmed the next day on WWF Prime Time Wrestling. We could tell there was some overdubbing of the audio to try and help the situation but again, Hernandez absence was felt.

 

Since the beginning of the year, it looked like 1986 was going to be a prime year for Hernandez. He won the inaugural Rumble in the Bronx. A performance that was garnered by a standing ovation when he came through the entrance to the locker room. He was loved by his peers and his closest friends. He was a guy who could go out and wrestle the 60th minute as fast and hard as the 1st. Randy Savage was quoted as saying "He was probably my best opponent during my time in the WWF. The guy could get heat and take over a match. The guy could outwork anyone in the locker room and make you take it to a level you didn't know you had." Hulk Hogan was quoted as saying "I don't know all the details but I know that Gino was a great guy to work with. He was different than my other opponents and it helped out matches. I know the guy had his things he was dealing with and this can be a tough sport." When speaking in riddles it cannot be understated enough that Hernandez life was marred by controversy. From the identity of his father to his incredible pay as a Houston performer under Paul Boesch to his known issues with drugs and possibility of a gambling debt... Hernandez was the topic of many different conversations.

 

So the biggest question is what could have been? We know that Vince McMahon had a very special relationship with Hernandez. He was said to be the next big star and someone who was even in line to possibly take the WWF title from Hulk Hogan. McMahon loved the style of Hernandez and the heat he could get as a heel. The best part about all of it was that fans loved to hate Hernandez but they loved to see him. He was a major draw for the promotion and his absence is sure to be felt. He was in line to be part of the King of the Ring tournament and some within the company said that the King of the Ring was going to be the kick off point for him to get to the top of the card and take things over with Bobby Heenan as his manager. Heenan said, "It is funny when you see a guy like Gino in the locker room because you know just how good he is. He can go out there and work with anyone and make anyone look great. He was a pleasure to work with and travel with. I will continue to manage and make a career for myself but I know that the Heenan Family may never be the same."

 

I can tell you that members of the writing staff will continue to put forth their best effort with the WWF but with Gino gone... so is a little bit of the fun in helping shape one of the most fun characters to ever be involved in the game.

[spaldoni]

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling News

Sources say Ric Flair is still pretty upset over some pay offs from Crockett. Apparently his Horseman buddies feel the same way. Tully Blanchard discovered his Starrcade pay off was lower than some of the outsiders that were brought in for the card. He felt this was a slap in the face, since he was involved in the Greensboro Main Event. Arn Anderson was upset as well, when he found out the Freebirds received more of the 1-25-86 Greensboro gate. This led to a meeting between the 4 Horseman and the Crockett's. The Crockett's explained that they were special attractions for a special show and the cost to bring them in. Believe it or not, Ole Anderson was the one playing peacekeeper as he saw the Crockett's point of view and felt everybody received good pay offs. The Crockett's assured them that they are very crucial to the success of Mid Atlantic. The Crockett's also reminded them, that all of them are in very high profile matches at the upcoming Battle of the Belts card. Adding to Flair's frustration is the fact he hasn't been given a rematch for the NWA World Title. However, Flair has been very happy traveling around the territories and feels that other promoters value him more than the Crockett's. I'm sure the Horseman will be looking very closely at the Battle of the Belts pay offs.

 

Look for the Rock n Roll Express to have a nice run for a few weeks. The Crockett's want to give them a good little run as a thank you for doing the job against Hansen and Brody at Starrcade.

 

The 1-25-86 Greensboro card was a huge success. Word has it that the Flair/Mascaras match was an all time classic. Tully Blanchard made his return at the expense of Michael Hayes. A match between the two has been signed for the Battle of the Belts. The US tag team tournament came to a conclusion as the Stud Stable won the straps. Looks like the Stud Stable will be using the Freebird rule to defend the titles, as Jimmy Golden is now a member. Word is the Crockett's really like the Stud Stable and think they could be one of the top heel factions in the NWA.

 

After what happened at the Press Conference, Tony St. Clair and Billy Robinson will be in a program. The Crockett's think Billy Robison will do an outstanding job of getting St. Clair over in the States. They really want to build up St. Clair.

 

Mid Atlantic is planning a Super Card in April as the Clash of Champions: Spring Spectacular, will take place at the Baltimore Civic Center.

[rainmakerrtv]

One last shake up hit the AWA roster with the surprising departure of Jesse Barr. It seemed like Barr was settling into his role as part of the AWA training staff, but the losses on the road to the rookie crew were a bit much for Barr to take, so he left suddenly for World Class. His place in the training faculty has been filled by David "Fit" Finlay, who was brought in on recommendation of Marty Jones. Finlay, a second generation Irish superstar, brings with him a wealth of experience for his relatively young age, both in Europe and Japan. He has been paired, with Larry Cameron, a new prospect in whom the AWA has big hopes. With the success of the Varsity Club Rush angle, it is thought that Cameron, an Eddie Sharkey trainee with a pro football background, could be capable of getting over like Spivey and Luger before him. The plan is to pair him with Finlay to give him guidance on the road, while putting him against the likes of the Guerreros and the Playboy Club, to help hone his skills in the ring. Time will tell if this investment pays off.

[SirEdger]

LUTTE INTERNATIONALE NEWS

 

-A massive weather storm in Ontario has forced Lutte management to cancel their events in London & Victoria during the weekend. Fortunately, the 3 teams taking part in the National Tag Team Championship tournament were able to leave and arrived in time to participate in the tournament. Both shows were rescheduled for March 4 in London & March 5 in Victoria. The rest of the schedule remains unchanged, which means that there will be a hectic schedule with the March 7 show in Bowmanville, March 8 in Chetwynd and March 9 in Collingwood. The March 4 event is still scheduled to be a live TV event with an NWA World Women's Championship title match being billed as the main event

 

-NWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel will have a busy month of March as he'll be working all around the National Wrestling Alliance and he only is scheduled to appear in 2 Lutte events this month: March 5 in Victoria and March 23 at the Hemlock Valley Resort. Rick is notably scheduled to wrestle a couple of matches for the UWF, presumably to resume his current rivalry with Jerry "the King" Lawler and he also has dates lined up for WCCW and Mid-Atlantic, in addition to his monthly commitments in the AWA. There are also discussions taking place with promoter Shohei Baba to bring Rick Martel to Japan to defend the NWA World Heavyweight Championship during the spring.

 

-NWA Canadian International Heavyweight Champion Jacques Rougeau isn't also scheduled to appear in any Lutte events but one (Victoria on March 5) during the month of March. While it was originally thought he would take the month off to heal nagging injuries - which is the case - , he still has committed himself to go defend the title around the NWA as well. No dates have been announced yet but he could be on his way to Dallas for a couple of days.

 

-With their 2 major singles champions being away for the month, this means that the Canadian International TV Championship will take center stage and a lot of the spotlight will be on Adrian Adonis during the month of March. The reactions have been extremely positive so far with the Adonis/Paul E Dangerously duo and they will be heavily featured in the next couple of weeks. In fact, expect some interesting turn of events for Adonis in 1986.

 

-Don't expect Terry Gordy to drop the National Heavyweight Championship anytime soon as Frank Valois wants the title to be as prestigious as possible and he wants the title change to be a big deal when it happens. Gordy and the Freebirds will still work with Lutte in the month of March as well.

 

-Finally, the TV shows in March will feature Mid-Atlantic Showcase matches and among the names confirmed: David Sammartino, Tony St. Clair, The Nightmares & Mark Youngblood.

[spaldoni]

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling News

Huge news in MACW! Magnum TA will be leaving Mid Atlantic this month. Magnum will finish out his bookings before his departure. The Crockett's are very sad to see Magnum go but think this will be a great move for him and his career. Magnum just finished an epic run with the US title and is currently involved in a major feud with Ric Flair and the 4 Horsemen that will culminate on March 11th, when Mid Atlantic returns to the Omni with a big card. The Crockett's wish Magnum all the best and said he's welcomed back anytime. They said Magnum was nothing but a true professional and class act.

 

The Battle of the Belts was a big success and sold out the Eddie Graham Sports Arena. The Crockett's said dealing with NWA world champ Rick Martel was a absolute pleasure and quickly booked him for the Omni show to defend his title against Mid Atlantic champ, Harley Race. Fans raved about the Martel/Gordy main event and plans are underway for another encounter.The big surprise of the night was Ric Flair defeating Magnum TA for the US title.

 

Speaking of Flair, apparently him, Tully and Arn still have money issues with the Crockett's. They're still upset at the amount of money being thrown out at the international stars. They found out the battle of the belts pay offs for Stan Hansen and Antonio Inoki. The Crockett's again told them that's the price they have to pay to bring these guys in and that they are special attractions. The Crockett's insisted the Horsemen got top dollar for the card. Ric, Tully and Arn disagreed as they made as much as the Road Warriors and Freebirds.

 

On top of the money issues, Flair feels that winning the US title should set him up with an automatic rematch with Rick Martel. His frustration is growing as he hasn't heard anything about this from Bob Geigel or the NWA. They're are rumors that other promotions outside the NWA have made calls to Flair and the Horsemen. More on this as it unfolds.

 

Some big names are coming to Mid Atlantic. Former AWA world champ, 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff is coming in and he's coming in with a bang as he will clash with none other than Bruiser Brody on March 11th at the Omni. That's some way to make a debut. Hacksaw Jim Duggan is also on his way. MACW thinks his rugged style and star power will make a tremendous impact.

 

Another wrestler coming in with some buzz is The Cobra. His innovating style has fans intrigued. He'll get a golden opportunity to showcase his talents on March 11th as he takes on the legendary Mil Mascaras.

 

March will be a big month for MACW, as NWA Canadian International Champion Jacques Rougeau will come in on March 22nd to defend his title. Also, Raymond Rougeau and Kevin Von Erich will be coming in for US title matches against Ric Flair. Mid Atlantic is very pleased to be working with other territories in the NWA, as it gives their fans the chance to see these big names up close and in person.

 

Look for Alexis Smirnoff and the Iron Sheik to start teaming up as the Caspian Empire.

 

MACW's next super card, Clash of Champions: Spring Spectacular, will take place on April 19th at the Baltimore Civic Center. Stan Hansen is scheduled to appear.

[GeneJackson95]

WCCW NEWS

Some big changes are coming soon in World Class. It's all but been confirmed that Fritz Von Erich has hired Dusty Rhodes to not only wrestle but take over as booker for WCCW as well. Impressed with Eddie Gilbert's booking of Wild West Wrestling, Gilbert has been made assistant booker to Dusty. In fact, Eddie is believed to already be doing some of the booking now which has not set well with some of the talent. Bad News Allen who was set to get a huge push turned in his notice when told that Dusty was taking over as booker. Ronnie Garvin is said to be finishing up as well due to a dispute with Eddie Gilbert over dropping the Texas title when he was promised a longer run with it. These two changes has caused the whole Bad News/Ronnie Garvin/David Shultz angle to be changed and for Shultz to retain the title that was set to go back to Bad News. Eddie Gilbert has put his brother Doug Gilbert to work both under a hood as 'the Inferno' but also as Kamala's handler 'Friday'. Eddie also got his father Tommy Gilbert hired to work as "Inferno #2" to tag with and travel with Doug and himself. Rookie Brian Adams is working under the mask as 'Leatherface' to help cover up his inexperience although this is thought to be a short term gimmick for him to help bring in Jesse Barr with his new Jimmy Jack Funk gimmick. Expect several more new faces to show up within the next month or two as well as several more people leaving the territory as well.