GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 02/02/2008

NEWS

World Wrestling Entertainment’s Ashley will be making two appearances on February 2 in Orlando, FL. She will be at Universal City Walk between 4-6 PM, and in the Mardi Gras Parade at Universal Studios from 8-9 PM. Both appearances will be autographs sessions. (Rich Tate)

Down South Hardcore Wrestling returns to Darien’s Multiplex with Swift Retribution tonight at 7:00 PM. The Multiplex is at 230 Blount Crossing Road. There will be a ladder match for the DSHW Heavyweight Title featuring Cameron Valentine versus Morbid Angel. The DSHW Light Heavyweight Title will be on the line with Sebastian Troy versus Dallas Riley. Gangsta Nation, Teddy Baddstreet, Sinn, Ryan Savage, and Frizza are also scheduled. (Thomas Bugg)

Great Championship Wrestling returns to Macon, GA, tonight, with a bell time of 7:30. This event will be held at the Frank Johnson Rec Center. Doors open at 6:45. Johnny Swinger is scheduled to defend the GCW Heavyweight Title against Bull Buchanan. A.J. Steele is slated to put the GCW Interstate Heavyweight Title up against Zero Tolerance. (Brian Slack)

Southern States Championship Wrestling will be in Enigma, GA, tonight at the Enigma Gym on Highway 82 East. Bell time is 7:30, and all tickets are $2. Matches advertised: SSCW Tag Team Championship: Champions "New Radical Nation"(Soldier and Rogers) versus The Gansta Nation; SSCW Women’s Championship - Best 2 out of 3 Falls: Champion Samantha Steel versus Jelena; SSCW Southern Heritage Championship: Champion "Rock n Roll" Chris Turner versus Rouge; "Dynamite" Scotty Biggs versus Mad Dog Miller; and JT Taylor versus "Big Nasty" Bryan Fury. Also on hand will be SSCW Champion Jarrod Michaels, The Soviet, Tommy Flight and others. (Brian Slack)

The Georgia Pro Wrestling Association will be in Albany, GA, at the Wayne Frier Homes on 3006 Sylvester Road tonight as a part of their 5th annual $750,000 blowout, midnight madness sale. There will be carnival rides, D.J. Philgood, and many other activities that day. Bell time is 8:00. Main Event: The Masked Nightmare versus "The Golden Boy" Chick Donovan. GPWA Heavyweight Champion "Insane" Mike Pain will defend the title against the AWA World-1 Southern champ Francisco Ciatso. GPWA Tag Team Champions K.I. Elite ("Mean" Mike Stratus and "The Real Deal" Jake Slater) versus the Hotshots (J-Rod and Frankie Valentine). "Platinum Playboy" Preston Paradise (also of K.I. Elite) versus Bulldog Raines. (Thomas Bugg)

NWA Anarchy returns to the NWA Arena in Cornelia, GA, tonight for a television taping. It will be essentially the same card that was cancelled on January 19 due to the winter storm. In hour number one, Jeff Lewis squares off with Slim J, with the winner earning a title shot in hour number two against Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Shatter (w/ Jeff G. Bailey). Also on the card: the Devil's Rejects defend the Anarchy Tag Team Title against the Awesome Attraction; Jimmy Rave versus Sal Rinauro; Melissa Coates versus Brodie Chase; Todd Sexton versus Adrian Hawkins; Iceberg versus the Regular Guys in a handicap match; and in 8-man action, the Hollywood Brunettes & Talent & Money versus Billy Buck, Chris King & New Wave. Nemesis, Mikal Judas, Jeremy Vain, Rob Adonis, Don Matthews, and Jerry Palmer will all be there as well. 8:00 PM bell time. (Larry Goodman)

The United Wrestling Federation will be in Kenansville, NC, tonight at the E.E. Smith Middle School with action starting at 7:30 PM. Advertised: Kevin Nash versus Robert Roode; Awesome Kong versus Velvet Sky, with special referee Daffney; Caleb Konley versus Scotty Too Hotty; James Storm versus Petey Williams; Charlie Dreamer versus Abyss; Jake Manning & Joey Silva versus Team Macktion. (Rich Tate)

UWF results from the Bill Ellis Convention Center in Wilson, NC, on February 1: Velvet Sky over Daffney; Team Macktion over Jake Manning & Caleb Konley; Kevin Nash over Charlie Dreamer; Scotty Too Hotty over Joey Silvia; and Petey Williams & Abyss over James Storm & C.W. Anderson. (Rich Tate)

KAPOW will be in Lenoir City, TN, tonight at the National Guard Armory with a bell time of 7:30 pm for World War Lenoir. The main event will have Robbie Race going against Samoa Joe from TNA Wrestling. Also Mr. Wrestling #3 will go against Donovan Daniels. The will be a 8-man tag match with team Middle east headed up by KAPOW owner Jaheed Al-Jazerra against team USA headed by Trooper T. Also, The Death Row Inmates & UCW heavyweight champion Shane Williams will be on the card. In addition, former ECW & NWA world heavyweight champion Steve Corino will be holding a wrestling seminar that day beginning at 3 pm. Cost is $25.00 and is open to workers and non-workers. (Gene Restaino)

Flatline Championship Wrestling is in Grovetown, GA, at Patriots Park on February 9, beginning at 7:00 PM. Admission is $7, but kids five and under get in free. Doors open at 6:30. (Thomas Bugg)

Wrestling Beyond Imagination returns to Atlanta, GA, on February 17 at 4375 Commerce Drive with a bell time of 5:00 PM. All tickets are $6. Advertised: Brandy Scotch Baker, Weazy Woo, Bill the Bruiser, Chris Deal, Danny Horne, Miguel Rivera, and Jay Ward. (Rich Tate)

Total Nonstop Action will be in Aiken, SC, on March 12 at the USC Convocation Center. Tickets go on sale on February 9 at the box office and at the venue’s website. Call (866) 722-8877 for more info. (Rich Tate)

On January 31, around 300 people packed the Great Skate Plex to see the following from Great Championship Wrestling: Michael Cook defeat "That 80's Guy" John Bogie; Randall Johnson defeat "The Beach Boy" Scotty Beach by countout; Sonny Siaki defeat Orion Bishop after hitting the Siakilypse; DeathRow and GCW Interstate Champion AJ Steele w/The Intern defeat The Hooligans after a big boot by DeathRow on Mason Cutter; and J-Rod and Tex Monroe retain the GCW Tag Team titles against Hot Like Lava w/Quentin Michaels and Zero Tolerance after Monroe pinned Banks with a flying sunset flip. In the main event, Johnny Swinger w/Zero Tolerance defeated both David Young and Bull Buchanan to retain the GCW Heavyweight Title. After the match, Swinger broke Young's arm. Click here for a full report. (Brian Slack)

From the office of Independent Wrestling Network President of Talent Relations Randy Harris, Drew Golden has been hired to be the Vice President of Talent Relations. According to Harris, Golden will be a huge asset when IWN starts up their own television show. (Brian Slack)

The following post appeared on the IWA Mid-South Wrestling Board. I believe it was authored by IWA Deep South promoter Kevin Brennan, but have not been able to confirm.

"IWA Deep South is closed and we have no plans to bring it back at this time. Thanks to all the fans who supported us the last two years. Pro Wrestling just isn't what it used to be. There is way too much drama and b*llsh*t that goes on. Also to the promoters, lets face the facts, there is NO MONEY in the wrestling business anymore. It just isn't worth the risk. The average person will never like wrestling, so it doesn't matter. MMA is the wave of the future, it is popular in the mainstream, and everyone is making money. Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble but, pro wrestling will become just like boxing almost obsolete, irrelevant to the mainstream. We have Satan's son Vince McMahon to thank for that. MMA is taking the place of wrestling and boxing, as the top action sport that is just facts. When you put PRO WRESTLING at the top of your poster to advertise, no matter if its the best sh*t in the world the average person don't give a sh*t. However if you put ULTIMATE FIGHTING at the top of the poster, you have a line two miles long to get into the son of a bitch. I am not talking down about wrestling, I Love wrestling, I have all my life, its just looking like it may have ran its coarse. So don't anyone get mad, what I am saying is from 7 years of promoting shows. The last year from observing MMA I have seen it take off like crazy. It is truly sad, I know but it appears to be the way it is." (Larry Goodman)

NOTES

Click here for a report from the February 2 broadcast of Southern All-Star Wrestling. (Larry Goodman)

GWH wishes a happy birthday today to Genichiro Tenryu (58) and Susan Sexton.

It was six years ago today that Nelson Royal suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 70.

NOSTALGIA

1928: Ivan Mikaloff defeated Andy Brown in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter John Contos.

1932: Blue Sun Jennings defeated Steve Znoski two falls to one in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber.

1945: Nick Carter defeated Roland Kirchmeyer in the main event at the Augusta Municipal Auditorium for promoter Jack Ross. It was reported that 2,000 were in attendance for this card.

1950: Don McIntyre & Nick Carter defeated Jim Coffield & Earl Wampler in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones.

1951: The Golden Terror (Danny Plechas) defeated Farmer Jones in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Mildred Burke defeated June Byers in the semi-main event. Also, Don McIntyre defeated Bobby Lane, and Bob Orton and Ivan Vakturoff wrestled to a draw in the opener.

1960: Freddie Blassie defeated Joey Maxim in the third round in a main event wrestler versus boxer match at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. The Fabulous Moolah defeated Fran Gravette to retain the Women’s World Title in the semi-main event.

1962: The Assassins defeated Tojo Yamamoto & Taro Myaki by disqualification to retain the US Tag Team Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Yamamoto & Myaki were disqualified when they knocked the referee unconscious.

1968: Mr. Wrestling, Enrique & Alberto Torres defeated Tarzan Tyler, Dr. M & El Mongol, managed by Jack Crawford, in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones.

1971: Bob Armstrong & Bob Griffin defeated Buddy Colt, managed by Homer O’Dell, & Skandor Akbar in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Jim Wilson defeated Luke Graham by disqualification in the semi-main event. Also, the Fabulous Moolah defeated Sharon Joyce.

1972: We do not have results for this card, but Bill Dromo was scheduled to defend the Columbus Heavyweight Title against Buddy Colt at the Columbus Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Also, Leon Ogle versus Billy Spears in a boxing match was the advertised semi-main event. The program for this card announced that a tournament would be held on February 9, 1972, for the vacant Southeastern Tag Team Title. The Assassins had been the champions, but the title was vacated when they failed to defend the title within a thirty-day period.

1973: Bill Watts & Freddie Blassie defeated Norvel Austin & Tarzan Tyler, managed by Jack Crawford, in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Following the match, Crawford and Austin had words in the middle of the ring. Tempers flared, and Crawford slapped Austin, before Tyler helped calm matters and the trio returned to the dressing room. The Zodiac (Bob Orton, Sr.) defeated Eddie Graham in the semi-main event.

1974: Robert Fuller defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 in the main event at the Griffin-Barnesville Sports Palace for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Bob Armstrong & Tim Woods defeated Bobby Duncum & Gorgeous George, Jr., in the semi-main event.

1976: The Spoiler, managed by Gary Hart, defeated Dick Slater in a main event cage match at the William Bell Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harben. Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated Stan Stasiak, substituting for Abdullah the Butcher, in the semi-main event. Stasiak had already defeated Skip Young earlier on the bill.

1977: We do not have results for this card, but Mr. Wrestling #2 was scheduled to defend the Columbus Heavyweight Title against Dick Slater at the Columbus Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Harley Race versus Mr. Wrestling #1 was the advertised semi-main event. Also on the bill was a match featuring Raymond Rougeau & Black Atlas versus Ole Anderson & Abdullah the Butcher.

1978: Dusty Rhodes defeated Abdullah the Butcher, managed by Rock Hunter, by disqualification in the main event at the Rome Memorial Gymnasium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harben. Dick Slater defeated Jacques Goulet in the semi-main event, and Adrian Adonis defeated Jim Dalton.

1979: Ole Anderson & Ivan Koloff defeated Bill Watts & Dusty Rhodes by disqualification to retain the Georgia Tag Team Title at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Thunderbolt Patterson defeated the Georgia Heavyweight Champion Masked Superstar by countout in a semi-main event title match. Also, Wahoo McDaniel defeated Ox Baker, and Ernie Ladd defeated Mr. Wrestling #1, substituting for Dick Slater, to retain the North American Heavyweight Title. In addition, the Sheik defeated Tony Atlas, and Blackjack Lanza, managed by Bobby Heenan, defeated Tommy Rich. Stan Hansen & King Kong Mosca defeated Jack Brisco & Mr. Wrestling #2 in a Texas tornado match. In other matches, Raymond Rougeau defeated Luke Graham, and Vicky Williams defeated Leilani Kai. Jerry Roberts (Jacques Rougeau) defeated Larry Latham in the opener.

1983: Tommy Rich, Paul Orndorff & Ray Candy defeated Ivan Koloff, Ole Anderson & Buzz Sawyer in the main event at the Ohio Center in Columbus for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Les Thatcher. Sonny King & the Iron Sheik defeated Brad Armstrong & Tito Santana in the semi-main event, while Ray Candy and the Super Destroyer wrestled to a draw.

1986: Ric Flair defeated Jimmy Garvin in the main event at the Omni Auditorium in Atlanta for Jim Crockett Promotions. Also, Tully Blanchard and Dusty Rhodes wrestled to a draw in the semi-main event. The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton) defeated the Rock & Roll Express to win the World Tag Team Title. In other matches, the Road Warriors defeated Ivan & Nikita Koloff by disqualification, and Jimmy Valiant defeated Arn Anderson by disqualification. Baron Von Raschke defeated the Italian Stallion, and Ron Bass and the Barbarian wrestled to a draw in the opener. It was reported that 10,000 were in attendance for this card.

2002: Ron Studd, Dusty & Dustin Rhodes defeated Scotty Riggs, Jason Sugarman & Fake Goldust in a main event TLC match at the VFW Fairgrounds in Carrollton for Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling.

– GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com