ROUND FOUR PREVIEW:
THE QUARTER FINALS
by Mike Rickard
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor
The 1985 Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament is underway. Wait, did you just say 1985? It’s time to take a look at one of wrestling’s biggest events from the mid-80s and see what it might have been like with a few historical alterations. What if Jim Crockett Promotions hosted its tag team tournament the Crockett Cup in 1985 and included teams from promotions outside the National Wrestling Alliance (“NWA”) including the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling, and more? In this case, you’d have 48 of the greatest tag teams in the world battling in a winner take all tournament for $1,000,000 and the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Trophy.
The first round saw 32 teams competing to advance to round two with 16 teams making it in. Round two followed as these 16 teams battled the 16 top-seeded tag teams that received a first-round bye. Round three continued with the remaining 16 teams slugging it out with eight making their way to round four. As round four begins, let’s take a look at what to expect with “The Elite Eight.”
Fourth Round Rules:
Here are the rules for round four of our tournament. A pool of referees from the NWA, AWA, and WWF have been appointed for the tournament and randomly selected for each match. The fourth-round matches have a sixty-minute time limit and are sanctioned under NWA rules (throwing an opponent over the top rope is an automatic disqualification). The matches are one fall with a win obtained by a pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification.
The fourth-round matches are being held at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The four matches will take place on Friday April 26. Your commentators for the matches are Bob Caudle and David Crockett, but as always, you never know when a special guest will show up.
Welcome to the Quarter-Finals
Bob Caudle and David Crockett welcome the fans to round four. Bob Caudle says it’s been a wild ride so far, but unfortunately, things got out of hand during the third round match between the team of Bruiser Brody/Stan Hansen and the Road Warriors. Bob recalls how Brody and Hansen won the match, injuring Road Warrior Animal in the process. However, that was only the beginning as Brody and Hansen attacked Hawk and manager “Precious” Paul Ellering afterwards, along with a number of wrestlers who tried to stop the ambush. David says “That’s right and the National Wrestling Alliance convened a special meeting to discuss Brody and Hansen’s actions.”
National Wrestling Alliance President Jim Crockett Jr. appears in a videotaped message that airs at the Superdome. Mr. Crockett announces that “The Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament was marred by an unfortunate incident involving competitors Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen. Sadly, this is not the first time a team competing has engaged in activity unbecoming to the good name of professional wrestling. What happens in the ring is one thing, but violent attacks outside the ring will not be tolerated. After a careful review of the circumstances, the NWA has decided to fine Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen $50,000 each. Furthermore, the team will post $100,000 each that will be forfeit if they are sanctioned again. If Mr. Brody and Mr. Hansen do not consent to this decision, they will be disqualified from the tournament and the Oklahoma Cowboys will received a bye to round five. After what I hope was careful consideration, the team decided to pay their fines and post the bond.”
David Crockett tells “Looks like Brody and Hansen are confident enough that they’ll win the tournament that they’re willing to pay that fine and post the bond. Bob Caudle adds that rumor has it that the NWA’s various members hinted that Brody and Hansen would be suspended for a year if they failed to pay. Whatever the case, the matches are set and the fans are in for a real treat as eight of the world’s top teams are ready for round four.
Coming Up Next:
Join us next time as round four begins with “The Rock-n-Roll Express” (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) taking on the Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Arn and Ole Anderson). Which team will advance to round five in the quest for tag team glory and some serious cash?
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PREVIOUS POSTS IN THE CROCKETT CUP '85 FANTASY SERIES
Original Tournament Announcement (May 2020)
Seedings and First Round Pairings Announced
FOURTH ROUND MATCHES (QUARTER FINALS)
[ Preview ] [ Brackets ]
Fourth Round: Match 1 (Tournament Match #41)
The Rock & Roll Express vs. Ole and Arn Anderson
THIRD ROUND MATCHES
[ Scouting Report ] [ Brackets ]
Third Round: Match 1 (Tournament Match #33)
The Rock & Roll Express vs. The Russians
Third Round: Match 2 (Tournament Match #34)
Ole & Arn Anderson vs. Antonio Inoki and Seiji Sakaguchi
Third Round: Match 3 (Tournament Match #35)
Midnight Express vs. High Flyers
Third Round: Match 4 (Tournament Match #36)
Kevin and Mike Von Erich vs. The British Bulldogs
Third Round: Match 5 (Tournament Match #37)
Road Warriors vs. Brody and Hansen
Third Round: Match 6 (Tournament Match #38)
Funk Brothers vs. Oklahoma Cowboys
Third Round: match #7 (Tournament Match #39)
Texas Outlaws vs. Iron Sheik/Nikolai Volkoff
Third Round: match #8 (Tournament Match #40)
Fantastics vs. Freebirds
SECOND ROUND MATCHES
Second Round: Matches 1 & 2 (Tournament 17 & 18)
Mulligan/McDaniel vs. The Russians
Rock & Roll Express vs. Maharishi/Nagasaki
Second Round: Matches 3 & 4 (Tournament 19 & 20)
Brown/Jannetty vs. Inoki & Sakaguchi
Ole & Arn Anderson vs. Windham/Rotunda)
Second Round: Matches 5 & 6 (Tournament 21 & 22)
Midnight Express vs. Hart Foundation
PYT Express vs. High Flyers
Second Round: Matches 7 & 8 (Tournament 23 & 24)
Rude/Barr (with Percy Pringle III) vs. Kevin and Mike Von Erich
Fujinami/Kimura vs. British Bulldogs
Second Round: Matches 9 & 10 (Tournament 25 & 26)
Brody/Hansen vs. Williams/DiBiase
Road Warriros vs. Lawler/Dundee
Second Round: Matches 11 & 12 (Tournament 27 & 28)
Piper & Orton vs. The Oklahoma Cowboys
The Funk Brothers vs. The Younglood Brothers
Second Round: Matches 13 & 14 (Tournament 29 & 30)
Rhodes/Murdoch vs. Adams/Hernandez
Sheik/Volkoff vs. Steamboat/Snuka
Second Round: Matches 15 & 16 (Tournament 31 & 32)
Fantastics vs. Fabulous Ones
Sheepherders vs. Freebirds
FIRST ROUND MATCHES
First Round: Matches 1 & 2
Hennig/Blackwell vs. Mulligan/McDaniel
Tyler/Whatley vs. Maharishi/Nagasaki
First Round: Matches 3 & 4
Windham/Rotunda vs. Bockwinkel/Saito
Rougeaus vs. Inoki/Sakaguchi
First Round: Matches 5 &6
Barbarian/Graham vs. Hart Foundation (Hart/Neidhart)
High Flyers (Brunzell/Gagne) vs. Savage/Poffo
First Round: Matches 7 & 8:
The Von Erich vs. Blanchard/Abdullah the Butcher
Tenryu/Tsuruta vs. The British Bulldogs
First Round: Matches 9 & 10:
Graham/Blair vs. DiBiase/Williams
Valiant/McGraw vs. Lawler/Dundee
First Round: Matches 11 & 12:
Piper/Orton vs. Patterson/Fernandez
Rock & Roll RPMs vs. Youngblood Brothers
First Round: Matches 13 and 14:
Dynamic Duo (Gino & Chris) vs. American Starship
Sawyer Bros. vs. Steamboat/Snuka
First Round: Matches 15 and 16
Batten Twins vs. Fabulous Ones
Weaver/Houston vs. Sheepherders
