by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
This is a review of a Mid-Atlantic Wrestling show that is not currently included on the WWE Network. This information is pulled from a partial audio recording of the program as it originally aired on WTVR-TV channel 6 in Richmond, VA.
For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.
on the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast episode for this show! [PODCAST]
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 8/14/82
(taped 8/11/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show: Not Currently Available
Bob Caudle welcomes the fans to this edition of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, telling them that this show will feature four tag team matches featuring the teams of Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood, Bad Bad Leroy Brown and Ivan Koloff, along with Jack Brisco and Jimmy Valiant. Caudle’s voice then raised when he announced the final tag team bout and exclaimed, “And this is an interesting tag team match with Gene Anderson and PAUL JONES together in one corner!” Caudle wraps up the rundown of the card saying that the lone single match features the United States Heavyweight Champion Sergeant Slaughter.
JIM CROCKETT RESIGNS AS PRESIDENT OF THE NWA
In the next segment that followed immediately, in one of a number of surprises on this show, Caudle brings out NWA President Jim Crockett, Jr. who had a startling announcement for everybody. Crockett said, “I wanted to come today to tell the fans that I resigned recently as the President of the National Wrestling Alliance due to the actions of Ric Flair and the [NWA] Board of Directors’ total lack of concern for the wrestling fans and the welfare of the wrestlers in the ring.”
Crockett continued, “On August the 7th Wahoo McDaniel wrestled Ric Flair in Greensboro, North Carolina, [Wahoo] had the match won in my opinion. Ric Flair then went totally berserk, tried to put Wahoo out of wrestling. [Flair] picked up a ring stanchion and busted his head open badly. I went to the Board and requested that they fine or suspend Flair for his actions and they refused. Then Ric Flair notified the Board that he was never going to wrestle Wahoo McDaniel again, and I asked the Board to order him to wrestle Wahoo and they did not.”
Mr. Crockett concluded, “Ric Flair earns his living from the wrestling fans and I think he is cheating the fans, and I think the Board is cheating the fans by not ordering this, and so I have resigned.” Caudle then exclaimed, “Jim, I tell you, I’m stunned by that! All right fans, there you have the words right from the mouth of Jim Crockett, who now is the FORMER NWA President.”
Following on the heels of Jim Crockett to the interview area was Jack Brisco, who had some blockbuster news of his own. Caudle commented on Crockett’s resignation, “Jack, that’s a stunner for me really.” Brisco concurred, “It certainly is a surprise, but I believe Jim Crockett was very justified for what he has done. As he said, the World Champion shouldn’t be able to dictate to the promoters or to the people around who he’s gonna wrestle and who he’s not gonna wrestle.”
Jack further noted, “That’s the very reason they have NWA standings and number one challengers and so forth, and Wahoo certainly is. If the World’s Champion is going around dictating to the President what he can do and what he won’t do, I don’t blame Mr. Crockett at all for resigning.”
INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS WITH RODDY PIPER
Brisco then changed gears saying, “But an interesting situation that has confronted me is that I’ve been getting messages that Roddy Piper is putting out feelers wanting me or Jimmy Valiant to join him as a partner, since Ric Flair also turned on Roddy Piper in a recent tag team match with Wahoo McDaniel and myself. Piper is now very upset with Ric Flair and has asked me and Jimmy Valiant to join him in his efforts to try and do something about it…so in long consideration of it I’ve accepted although I won’t believe it until I see it but for right now I’ll go along with it.”
An incredulous Caudle replied, “Jack, I gotta see that too! That’s something that’s hard to take.” Jack countered, “Well, the Boogie Man and I have talked about it at great length so if the man is really that interested to put out feelers and actually come up and ask us to join him then we’ll give him that opportunity, but we’ll keep an eye on him.” Bob added, “Well, you’ve got that Mid-Atlantic belt and that Mid-Atlantic belt meant an awful lot to Roddy Piper.”
Brisco answered, “That’s what Piper and I had all the trouble over and I know how tough Roddy Piper is, and he knows how tough I am and how tough Boogie Man is and he has asked us to join him. So, like I said, Boogie Man and I discussed it and we’re gonna keep our eyes on him but we’re gonna join him and see what we can do about it.” Bob then chimed in, “Boy, that’s something I’m looking forward to seeing and see what happens, and fans I know you are too with Jack Brisco, Jimmy Valiant and Roddy Piper sort of together!”
THE MATCHES BEGIN
In the first in-ring action of the show, Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood were impressive in subduing the tandem of Private Jim Nelson and Jim Dalton. The second bout of the show then featured the devastating duo of Ivan Koloff and Bad Bad Leroy Brown meeting the young team of Mike Davis and Tim Horner. The manager of the bad guys, Sir Oliver Humperdink came over to the announcer’s desk, and had plenty to say.
Bob Caudle actually engaged Humperdink first about Leroy Brown and his recent change of wrestling style, “Never before have I seen such a transformation in a man in my life.” A cackling Humperdink responded, “Bob, tell me when is the last time you saw a tag team combination like this? Look at Koloff and look at Leroy Brown! They’re working for me, they’re under the banner of the House of Humperdink, which is expanding ever more every day.”
Sir Oliver continued, “Listen, as good as they look now, you’re gonna find this hard to believe but I’ve got them in the gymnasium every day Bob, and they’re working out with a man called Gene Anderson. When you want to know about tag team wrestling, you go to a guy like Gene Anderson.” Bob agreed saying, “He just about wrote the book on it.” Humperdink echoed those sentiments agreeing, “Just about wrote the book is right!”
Watching the in-ring action, Humperdink then observed, “They’ve got Tim Horner right now, and the kid doesn’t even know where he is…he doesn’t know if he’s in a TV station or at the airport. Koloff has him well in hand. Like I was saying before, Gene Anderson is the dean of tag team wrestling. He knows everything there is to know.” Caudle added, “I think if I was a tag team wrestler I would just as soon look across the ring at a couple of wild bears as to look across and see Leroy Brown and Ivan Koloff!”
Sir Oliver further commented, “That’s exactly the same thing, the same feeling…I see fear in your heart when you know you have to step into the ring with Leroy Brown and Ivan Koloff. But what I’d like to do is get the three of them together…Gene Anderson, Leroy Brown and Ivan Koloff. Can you imagine a combination like that?! What do you have around here that could take a combination like that? The Brisco boys, Boogie Woogie? Nobody sees Boogie Woogie anymore since he won that [TV] belt...he’s running and hiding.
Humperdink added, “Talking about Leroy Brown…he is a destructive machine. He’s a man obsessed, he’s a man obsessed…that’s what it is.” Caudle replied, “I had started to mention it earlier that since Leroy Brown has become a member of the House of Humperdink, it looks like he derives pleasure out of punishing somebody, just like he did right there with [Mike] Davis…looks like he got pleasure out of that.” Sir Oliver laughed, “He knows what gives me pleasure, and that’s winning matches and he’ll do anything he can to give me pleasure and I’ll do anything I can to ensure that he’s a wealthy man. I’m gonna make him rich, I’m gonna make him famous…I can’t make him any better looking, I think he’s pretty good looking right now!”
Towards the end of the bout, won by Brown and Koloff, Humperdink’s team were expertly keeping Mike Davis in the ring and punished him unmercifully, not allowing him any chance to tag his partner…very reminiscent of Gene and Ole Anderson’s famous “tag and block” tactic. This was not lost on Humperdink as he noted, “Here’s where you see Gene Anderson’s influence coming into my team! That’s all legal, there’s nothing illegal going on.” Bob questioned, “How could it be legal because Koloff is still outside the ring?” Sir Oliver explained, “Koloff tagged him, he’s the legal man in the ring, no problem…he’s got the five second count. Everything is legal…I run a clean operation!”
LOCAL PROMO BREAK: THE HEELS LEAD OFF
The first break in the show for local promos featured a super spectacular card coming to the Richmond Coliseum on August 27, 1982. Announcer Big Bill Ward spoke with Sir Oliver Humperdink regarding the semifinal bout of that Richmond card that pitted his charges Gene Anderson, Paul Jones and Bad Bad Leroy Brown battling against Jack Brisco, Wahoo McDaniel and Roddy Piper.
Humperdink addressed the Richmond faithful, “Richmond Coliseum brother, six-man tag…Gene Anderson, a man who’s well versed in tag team wrestling on my side, Paul Jones on my team, and of course the man from Chicago, Bad Bad Leroy Brown on my team. Now let’s look at the opposition…we’ve got Jack Brisco, Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion, hungry Jack Brisco! Wahoo McDaniel, and the turncoat Roddy Piper. Well, let me tell you something Piper, you’re gonna find out exactly what it’s like when you embarrass me in public…you’re gonna find out in Richmond exactly what happens to guys like you!”
Sir Oliver then focused his attention on another one of his men, who was wrestling in Richmond’s main event. Humperdink exclaimed, “Now, let’s get on to Russian chains, let’s get on to Ivan Koloff. Let’s get on to Jimmy Valiant, the thief that stole his title. Well, we gotcha right where we want you. So now, a Russian Chain Match…you’re gonna be on one end, the Bear is gonna be on the other end, and the first man to go around dragging the other man, touch all four corners is the one who wins the match. Tell ‘em about it Bear!”
Koloff bellowed, “I’m going to be the man, Boogie Woogie Man, to win this match, I’m gonna drag you around the ring touching all four corners to gain victory…to gain my TV belt back. But before I do this…I’m going to punish you, I’m gonna pay you back for embarrassing Koloff, hitting Koloff over the head and stealing my belt. In Richmond it’s going to be over for you!”
THE SHOW CONTINUES BACK IN THE WPCQ STUDIO
Action then returned into the squared circle featuring the fan favorite duo of Jack Brisco and Jake Roberts taking on the tandem of Ken Timbs and Juan Reynosa. Roberts took the place of Jimmy Valiant who had been announced as Brisco’s partner earlier in the broadcast. The good guys notched an impressive win, particularly as they had very little familiarity with each other as tag team partners. After the bout and a commercial break, the great Chief Wahoo McDaniel came on the set and was interviewed by Bob Caudle.
Bob spoke to Wahoo, “Jim Crockett came out [earlier in the show] and said he was resigning that presidency [of the NWA] because of what happened to you and with Ric Flair.” Wahoo paused and then replied, “Well, I hate for him to take it that hard and I hate to see a man of that stature resign from the presidency, but the man did put twenty stitches in my eye…but I’m not screaming about that because I’ve had that before.”
McDaniel continued, “But when a man deliberately tries to cripple you, you have to have some kind of control. You have to fine the man or suspend him. Now he’s telling the NWA who he’s gonna wrestle and who he isn’t. Well, somebody has to have control. The Champion has to listen to the NWA President, and evidently Flair’s not going to do it and the Board wouldn’t make a decision and Jimmy resigned, which I can’t blame him.”
Caudle followed up further, “All right now, Flair says in essence that he’s not gonna wrestle you anymore, is that right?” Wahoo answered, “Well, he says he’s not, but I just don’t see how he can dictate to the NWA who he’s gonna wrestle and who he isn’t gonna wrestle. He’s said he’s never gonna wrestle me again in a title match anywhere. You know, I just don’t see how he can dodge the number one contender in the territory, in this area, when he comes in here.”
Bob agreed, “I don’t either Wahoo, I don’t see how the fans, the fan pressure, he’s gonna have to [wrestle you] wouldn’t you think?” Wahoo concurred, “I think the fans will eventually pressure him into having to wrestle me. If he wants to be one of the greatest NWA Champions they’ve ever had, which is his goal to be one of the best they’ve had and to keep the belt the longest…”
SGT. SLAUGHTER ATTACKS WAHOO MCDANIEL
As Wahoo was speaking there were some audible gasps from the studio audience and soon thereafter United States Heavyweight Champion Sergeant Slaughter comes out and interrupts McDaniel jawing, “I’m out here listening to you talk; you want to take on Flair. You want his belt; you want my belt…well there it is!” At this juncture, Slaughter shockingly knocks Wahoo in the head with the U.S. Championship belt!
A frantic Caudle shouts, “All right fans, Sgt. Slaughter right out here and here come the two privates…Private Kernodle and Private Nelson! They hold Wahoo and it’s Slaughter that has that headpiece and he’s just tearing it all to pieces and slamming it into Wahoo as the privates hold him!”
Bob continues his frantic commentary, “Here comes Jay Youngblood, Jack Brisco and Rick Steamboat and very, very quickly now the privates and Sgt. Slaughter take off! Wahoo, who was really taking a tremendous beating from all three of ‘em while they were holding him…they tore that headdress up!” Ricky Steamboat, clearly disturbed blurted out, “He hit his face with that belt!” Caudle agreed, “He hit Wahoo right in the face with that U.S. Heavyweight Championship belt!”
In the next scheduled in-ring action, Sgt. Slaughter designated Private Don Kernodle to wrestle in his stead, and Kernodle was both efficient and brutal in dispatching Leroy Dargon, as Slaughter looked on beaming with pride.
THE GOOD GUYS GET THEIR TURN ON LOCAL PROMOS
Immediately after this match, the second segment of in-your-area promos came on featuring Big Bill Ward talking with the good guys.Jake Roberts spoke for Jimmy Valiant regarding his match in Richmond with Ivan Koloff asking, “How long you been running Koloff? A long time, that’s why Jimmy Valiant wanted me to do this interview today…he’s got tired of you running. He’s brought it to a line, he says you’ve got to stand and fight or he’s just gonna let you go brother and he’s not gonna let you go…you know that!”
At this time, Jack Brisco and Wahoo McDaniel enter the interview area with Bill Ward, prepared to talk about their blockbuster six-man tag match. Brisco starts by saying, “Well, we’ve got quite a surprise here. Sir Oliver Humperdink and his House is growing and now has Paul Jones in it, Number One Paul Jones…big deal. [Jones] thinks his thing is making money, and winning titles. But he’s gone for the same old promise that Leroy Brown’s gone for…money, diamonds and gold. Well Paul Jones, you’ve deserted your friends Chief Wahoo McDaniel and myself that have been your partners many times. And now to see you go over to the House of Humperdink…well, we’ve got a surprise for all of you!”
A grinning Brisco continued, revealing the surprise, “We’ve got one of the toughest and most rugged men in professional wrestling today as our partner, and the surprise is, Mr. Roddy Piper. And believe me, Humperdink insulted Piper, and Piper is ready for this match!”
Wahoo then stepped up to the mic, “You know Brisco, McDaniel and Piper…what a combination! Jones, you know you tried the other side of the fence once before and we beat you so bad that you came back and joined us! Now, the man has sold his soul again for money. You’re gonna have to go out, and you’re gonna have to go out and wonder whether those guys are gonna stand beside you and fight. Jones, you’re liable to really get hurt!"
THE FINAL MATCH AND CLOSING INTERVIEWS
The final match of the program showcased a team that had everybody scratching their heads…Paul Jones and Gene Anderson as tag team partners! Jones and Anderson put their lengthy adversarial history with each other aside, and took the measure of the duo of Keith Larson and Abe Jacobs. After the conclusion of the show’s final bout, Caudle queried Sir Oliver Humperdink about Paul Jones’ switching over to the dark side and joining the House of Humperdink.
Caudle inquired, “I gotta ask you about this, I know all the wrestling fans are wondering, what in the world could have happened to Paul Jones?” Sir Oliver shot back, “Never mind Paul Jones for right now…now what in the world happened to Roddy Piper? Every time I try and call Piper, he doesn’t return my calls. Then he says he doesn’t want to talk to me, he doesn’t want to talk about joining the House of Humperdink! And now he’s hanging around with guys like Brisco, and Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts and these guys.”
An exasperated Humperdink continued, “But let me tell you something Roddy Piper…I don’t need you! I need you like a third foot!! You understand what I’m saying? I was gonna make you a star, I was gonna make you everything you ever wanted in the world brother. But I don’t need you!”
Sir Oliver then turned his attention to the newest member of his stable, with a contract in hand, saying, “But I have another guy right here, my good friend now Mr. Paul Jones, who is a gentleman from the word one brother. Roddy Piper I don’t need you…I got Jones! And just to show everybody I’m a man of my word… brother you just peruse that [contract] and if it’s to your liking we can ink it right now right on television!”
A PAUL JONES CLASSIC
A hyper Paul Jones replied,
“Let me tell you what, I don’t have to read this! I’m no dummy…my mother didn’t raise a fool. I know where I want to go, I know what it’s gonna take to get there…and it’s gonna take Mr. Humperdink. I’ve always had respect for him, and I’ll never stop having respect for him because you’re a man that makes champions and I wanna be a champion…and I AM gonna be a champion!”
Paul continued with his voice raising,
“Let me tell ya something else, Wahoo and the rest of ya, I HATE YOUR GUTS! If you ever want to look at a real man, look at [Humperdink]! Look at me, look at Brown, look at Koloff! From now on all of ya’ll are gonna pay! And I guarantee you one thing right now, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of not havin’ a belt around my waist! And this man right here is gonna see that I have more than one around my waist. I don’t care about the money, I know the money goes along with it, but I’m motivated by titles. I’m finally shaking the hand of a real man, Mr. Humperdink!
A gloating Humperdink answered, “Thank You! I see great things in his future!”
Sir Oliver then went on to vent about a number of other competitors commenting, “Let’s get on to a couple of guys that I REALLY can’t stand, and I’m talking about Jack Brisco and the thief Jimmy ‘Boogie Woogie Man’ Valiant. Well it seems that Roddy Piper now has associated himself with guys like Jimmy Valiant and guys like Jack Brisco. Well, let me tell you something boys, you’re messin’ with the House of Humperdink, you’re messing with Koloff, you’re messing with Bad Bad Leroy Brown and a lot of other guys that are working for me.”
Humperdink fumed, “Brisco, Piper and I’m talkin’ right at you Roddy Piper…I don’t need you! Brisco, Piper, Valiant…anytime, anyplace, anywhere it doesn’t matter to us, we’re gonna be there if you have any guts at all show up! Ivan, talk to the thief!”
The Russian Bear then spoke up, “You know, I always had respect for this Roddy Piper because of his wrestling ability, he didn’t care what he had to do out there, he went out and he did it. Now, I don’t know if it’s all this money flowing around this area that has influenced this Roddy Piper to go to this Boogie Woogie Man, to go to his assistance, to go to his aid. And this Jack Brisco, [former] World Champion, now he’s sticking his nose into it.”
Ivan concluded, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m gonna find out! Just what this team is made of when I team with Leroy Brown and Gene Anderson. I know I can beat them with these guys sticking with Koloff and we’ll take them apart. And this Boogie Woogie Man, I’m going get my TV belt back! I don’t care what I have to do to do it!”
A cackling Sir Oliver Humperdink took the show to its conclusion by blurting out, “You know he’s talking the truth! And it doesn’t matter, anytime, anywhere, there’s one hot Indian runnin’ around because he got his feathers torn up. So, hurray for you [Sergeant] Bob Slaughter, hurray for the House of Humperdink, it’s all gonna be mine before it’s over!”
ONE FOR THE AGES
The August 14, 1982 Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling program was one for the ages, and is a true gem missing from the many diamonds the WWE Network has in its vast collection from Jim Crockett Promotions television shows!
