Prom Night with Mid-Atlantic Wrestling

By David Chappell
from the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Archives

I remember the day well, April 30, 1976, the night of my High School Prom. At that time I was a junior at Patrick Henry High School, about ready to finish up the 11th grade. Back in those days, the Prom was held on campus at our gymnasium. I remember helping with the decorations and the preparations for the gala event. Yep, I was VERY excited about that Friday night spectacular! However, a funny thing happened to me on the way to the Prom, and it was called Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling!

Jim Crockett Promotions obviously did not know that my Prom was on April 30, 1976 as Mid-Atlantic Wrestling visited the Richmond Coliseum on that same Friday night. What was a young guy to do? Then I heard Les Thatcher announce the main event for that Richmond card would be Rufus R. Jones, Wahoo McDaniel and "The Eighth Wonder Of The World" Andre The Giant against Ric Flair, and his cousin’s Gene and Ole Anderson. With that announcement, my decision was made—I was going to the Coliseum!

You see, that six man tag team match had one of the greatest buildups in Mid-Atlantic history. Throughout the month of April in 1976, a feud was built between Rufus R. Jones and Ric Flair and the Andersons. I will never forget the sight of Rufus having a chauffeur’s cap put on him by Flair and then Ric and the Andersons slapping Rufus while they pushed him down on his knees.

The two weeks leading up to that Coliseum match had some of the best promos that Jim Crockett Promotions ever put out. Rufus was swearing out revenge for what was done to him, and he went out and got Wahoo and Andre as his partners. Andre did not appear in the area often, and it was a real event when he came to your town. The Andre the Giant of April 1976 was Andre in his physical prime. Andre was huge of course, but he also had amazing agility and dexterity for a man his size.

Ric Flair and the Andersons did a great job of hyping this six man tag as well. Ole in particular did some of his best interviews ever. Listening to Ric and Ole, you almost wanted to believe they had a chance against Andre’s team. But despite the best efforts of the "bad guys," I believe the huge crowd that showed up at the Coliseum that night was there for one reason and one reason only. To see Andre The Giant destroy the team from Minnesota!

I remember talking to some other Coliseum regulars that night that the undercard looked kind of weak. There were only five matches, and usually Coliseum cards had seven matches. Sure enough, the first two matches were below average. The third match saw the first Richmond appearance of Italian star, Dino Bravo. Bravo beat one of my favorite all-time underneath guys, Bill White. Dino was impressive, but of course it was difficult to gauge just how good he was against an opponent like White. Watching that match, I was thinking that it ought to have been a TV match rather than one I paid to see. Sure enough, when I turned on Channel 6 the next afternoon, one of the TV matches was……..Dino Bravo versus Bill White!

The semi-final event was a tag team match between The Mongols and Roberto and Manuel Soto. The Mongols had Professor Boris Malenko in their corner. Interestingly enough, this same match was also on Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV the next day! The Coliseum match was a solid one between these two mid card tag teams. The Soto’s got the victory when Malenko interfered on behalf of his Mongols.

The Main Event more than made up for an average undercard! I still remember how huge Andre looked when he entered the ring, and how he dwarfed the other five wrestlers. This was not your classic back and forth match. Flair and the Andersons had virtually no offense the entire match. It was clear early on that this was going to be a major butt-kicking by Rufus, Wahoo and Andre. And after all, that was what everybody came to see!

The crowd was one of the loudest I ever experienced at the Coliseum, a building with a reputation of being wild. The loudest single pop I have ever heard at a wrestling match was during this match, when Rufus, Wahoo and Andre put a chauffeur’s cap on Ric Flair and slapped him upside the face! I thought for sure the roof was coming off the building! Needless to say, the "good guys" emerged victorious, and I remember leaving the Coliseum that night feeling justice had been done.

I’ll always remember heading back to school the Monday morning after the Prom of 1976. There was no conversation about the Prom. Rather, all the questions were directed to me about the matches at the Coliseum! What did Andre look like, did Rufus get his revenge, etc., etc. Boy, did I ever have some stories to tell. Somehow, I’ve never regretted missing my Junior Prom. But to this day, I know a bunch of people who regretted not going to the Richmond Coliseum on April 30, 1976!

Originally published in 2001 on the original Mid-Atlantic Gateway website. Republished in April of 2015 and now again in 2023 as part of the "Best of the Gateway" series.
 

 

Poster: Wahoo chases Flair in Winston-Salem (1976)

By Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster promotes a fantastic card of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling that took place at the old Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum on Friday, April 23rd, 1976

 

There was a big double main event. Wahoo McDaniel continued his quest for Ric Flair's Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight belt and this match had a special stipulation of two referees (one of which would be NWA official George Scott) in an attempt to keep things in order. Wahoo would emerge victorious on this night but by disqualification, allowing Flair to escape with his title. 

The semi featured big, bad Angelo Mosca attempting to collect the $5,000 bounty placed upon Tim Woods by Blackjack Mulligan. Woods would come out the winner of this contest and Mosca left without a victory or the bounty money. 

In exciting tag team action Geeto and Bolo Mongol topped Ron Garvin and Tony Atlas, while the undercard included Doug Gilbert, Great Malenko, Big Bill Dromo, and Klondike Bill. 

The poster has a beautiful horizontal layout with six wrestler images on the sides, black print (except the main event participants in high impact red) on a bright blue background, and the familiar "Wrestling" oval in the upper left corner.

NO. 44 IN THE BEASLEY POSTER SERIES

Poster: 14-Man Battle Royal in Lynchburg

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster takes us back to Sunday night, August 22nd, 1976 and promotes a card held at City Stadium in Lynchburg, VA. 

The main attraction was a 14-man over the top Battle Royal for prize money, $5,600 to be exact. I'm not sure where they came up with that odd figure but in today's money it's over $28,000. (And even more odd - - the newspaper ad for the show listed the prize money as $6,000.)

Interestingly enough, the majority of the competitors were part of the top tag teams of 1976 and included The Anderson Brothers, The Mongols, Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods and Dino Bravo, Sergeant Jacques Goulet and Mike "The Judge" Dubois, Ron Garvin and Tiger Conway Jr. Paul Jones, Johnny Weaver, Angelo Mosca, and Tony Atlas rounded out the Mid Atlantic stars on this card. 

I'd like to know what the other 7 matches were because the talent in Lynchburg on this night particular night would have made some intriguing match-ups. 

As the norm, battle royal posters had unique layouts and this one boasts all black print on a striking two tone pink over yellow background with all 14 participants in the same sized font, which is nice to see. 

For advance tickets, wrestling fans could go to Peter's News Stand. 

NO. 33 IN THE BEASLEY POSTER SERIES

 

Poster: Andre the Giant part of Explosive Six Man Tag in Hampton, VA

by Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster is from 1976 and originated from the Hampton Coliseum and happened just two nights after the Thanksgiving spectaculars at the Greensboro Coliseum and the nearby Norfolk Scope.

 

What an epic card this was, headlined by none other than Andre The Giant, Paul Jones and Rufus R. Jones taking on and defeating the dream team of Ric Flair, Greg Valentine and Blackjack Mulligan! 

The poster features great sunrise colors and took place at the legendary Hampton Coliseum which is often referred to by concert-goers as the 'Mothership' because of its unique design.

The Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA

Hampton was truly a hotbed for Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as this was where Flair defeated Wahoo the year before in 1975 for his first Mid Atlantic Championship.

NO. 2 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

Poster: The Anderson Brothers Defend Their Titles in South Boston

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

When the town of South Boston, VA comes up I automatically think of the great NASCAR short track located there, South Boston Speedway. In years past I spent many Saturday nights at that track and the locals really loved their racing. Evidently, they loved their professional wrestling too as Jim Crockett Promotions came to town on occasion.

This poster promotes a spot show held at the Halifax High School football field on Tuesday, August 17th, 1976. The NWA World Tag Team titles were up for grabs with champions Ole and Gene Anderson defending against the formidable duo of Dino Bravo and Paul Jones. 

The semi had Virginia native Tony Atlas versus The Great Malenko, while the undercard had Klondike Bill versus Doug Somers, Dr. Fugiani versus Jack Evans, and a midget match with Little Tokyo versus Cowboy Lang.

With a vertical layout the poster has all black print over a super bright blue background and images of the Andersons, Jones, Bravo, and Klondike. This event was sponsored by the Bethel Ruritan Club and fans could get advance tickets at Allen's Drugs. 

NO. 31 IN THE BEASLEY SERIES

Poster: Woods and Mosca Square of at Starland (1976)

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

This poster takes us back to the Starland Arena in Roanoke, Va and promotes a card held on Saturday, April 10th, 1976. 

The main event was a Texas Death Match between Angelo Mosca and Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods. These type matches were violent affairs and usually only ended when one of the participants could no longer continue. Woods managed to be the man left standing at the end of this one, but on a television taping that aired exactly one week later, Mosca defeated him in the finals of a tournament to crown a new Mid Atlantic TV champion (although Mosca needed a handful of tights in order to pin Woods).

The semi featured tag team action with Sgt. Jacques Goulet and Mike "The Judge" Dubois versus Emanuel and Roberto Soto while the preliminaries consisted of Klondike Bill versus Doug Gilbert, Angelo Poffo versus Randy Colley, and Greg Peterson versus George McCreery.

The poster's vertical layout has all black print over a colorful two tone bright pink over bright blue background with images of Woods and Roberto Soto. 

NO. 29 IN A SERIES

* * * * * * * * * * * *

MID-ATLANTIC GATEWAY NOTES
This would have been a fun card. Mosca was a terror in the territory at this point, and his big weapon was a big elbow forearm smash, often times with a foreign object in the elbow pad, undetected by the official of course.

Two of our favorite semi-main event tag teams at this time faced off here. We loved the bad guys, Goulet and Dubois, as well as the popular high-flying team of Roberto and Emmanuel Soto. Emmanuel had previously wrestled at Roberto's partner under a mask as El Rayo. He had unmasked to reveal himself to be Roberto's brother.

The Soto brothers introduced the Mid-Atlantic territory to the lucha libre style of wrestling, which they wove into a lot of their matches. That style proved quite popular. We always thought both teams should have had at least a small run as Mid-Atlantic Tag Team champions. The Sotos had upset the Andersons in a non-title bout and had proven themselves worthy of top contendership. Goulet and Dubois would later make it to the finals of a tournament to crown new Mid-Atlantic Tag Team champions, but could never quite get over the hump. 

Blackjack Mulligan Attacks Rufus R. Jones!

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

One of the hottest feuds in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in 1976 was between Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones and the then reigning United States champion Blackjack Mulligan. It didn't last long, but it was white-hot while it did.

There were several issues leading to the brutal battles between the two:

First there was the fact that Blackjack had put Rufus's cousin Burrhead Jones in the hospital by leaping off the top turnbuckle onto the neck of the prone wrestler several times.

Secondly, Blackjack had performed a similar maneuver onto the crown that was one of Rufus's most prized possessions. It was, after all, given to him by his fans on TV; they had proclaimed him "the King of Wrestling!"

Left: "The King of Wrestling" Rufus R. Jones
Right: Rufus's crown after Blackjack trashed it in the ring.

Blackjack even attacked Rufus after a match on television when the Freight Train's back was turned. Mulligan jumped him from behind, but Rufus got the upper-hand in this confrontation when he not only whipped up on the big Texan, but stripped off his shirt as well. Color commentator Tom Miller got so excited he exclaimed "Have mercy, Mama!" as Rufus was having his way with Blackjack. It is to this day one of my favorite TV moments in my years watching Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. And it is preserved forever thanks to David Chappell's audio tape.

Check out this audio clip featuring the call of the Mulligan/Jones brawl by Bob Caudle and Tom Miller (with a transcript below):

Transcript of audio:

Bob Caudle: Here's Blackjack Mulligan! Blackjack Mulligan diving into the ring, trying to get Rufus R. Jones from behind. And Rufus is going to now lift him high into the air! Blackjack's got his street clothes on, his t-shirt and his pants. Rufus is going to tear that t-shirt off of him...

Tom Miller: I don't believe it!

Bob Caudle: ....his cowboy boots on .....

Tom Miller: I don't believe it, he's ripping his clothes to shreds! HAVE MERCY, MAMA!

Bob Caudle: Mulligan with his cowboy boots.....

Tom Miller: Boy! Look at that!.....

 Bob Caudle: .... and his street clothes....he's going to get out of the ring, he's trying to get out.....

Tom Miller: Rufus is getting his revenge now!

Bob Caudle: ...and Rufus R. Jones is just going to whip him to death! Mulligan out of the ring, down on the floor.....Well, Blackjack Mulligan was going to try and hurt Rufus Jones, and it's Blackjack that really winds up in trouble as he not only got a few licks from Rufus, but he lost his shirt in the deal.

End Transcript

All of the events described above happened over the course of 1976 and led to several main event matches between Blackjack and Rufus for Mulligan's U.S. title. One of the epic battles between the two took place in Wilson, NC at venerable Fleming Stadium. Wilson Times sports editor Paul Durham wrote nostalgically about that match in an article published Friday 7/24/15 in advance of the premier of the documentary film "Mid-Atlantic Memories" at the Mid-Atlantic Legends Fanfest in Charlotte. (Be sure to check out Paul's great article here: Those Mid-Atlantic Memories Still Vivid.)

It was Durham's article that got me to thinking about this feud for Main Event Memories.

Rufus Jones battles Blackjack Mulligan

I don't have the newspaper clipping for that match in Wilson, so I thought I'd include one from around the same time in nearby Raleigh, NC at Dorton Arena.

Blackjack told the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in an interview several years ago that he suggested to booker George Scott and promoter Jim Crockett that they put the title on Rufus for a short period of time because of how hot the feud had become. Scott, regrettably, declined the suggestion. But can you imagine the celebration in the arena where that might have taken place?

* * * * *

PS - A couple of notes about the undercard in Raleigh:

Sgt. Jacques Goulet and Mike "The Judge" Dubois were one of my favorite tag teams that year. Not only were they an excellent combination, I loved the way Joe Murnick would introduce them on television. I'll have to find one of those introductions for a future installment of "Sound Bytes."

Also of note on this card was Burrhead Jones, the aforementioned cousin of Rufus Jones. And the opener featured a young kid from Japan named Dr. Fujiani. His real name was Tatsumi Fujinami, the future Japanese legend who would go on to have multiple reigns as IWGP champion in Japan, and even a short run as NWA world champion, defeating Ric Flair in the Tokyo Dome in 1991. Fujinami was recently inducted in to the WWE Hall of Fame.

Originally published in August of 2015 on the mid-Atlantic Gateway.

More "Main Event Memories"

Poster: Classic 1976 Feud for the U.S. Title: Mulligan vs. Jones

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor 

This poster promotes a card held on May 22nd, 1976 at the Starland Arena in Roanoke, VA and the U.S. Heavyweight Title was on the line in the main event.

Paul Jones was in the midst of valiantly trying to regain the U.S. belt that he had lost to Blackjack Mulligan back in March but unfortunately for Jones, this would not be the night. He would eventually manage to win the belt back from Mulligan much later in 1976, October 16th to be exact. 

The semi-main event was an excellent tag team match-up of Johnny Weaver and hometown hero Tony Atlas versus Geeto and Bolo Mongol. Preliminaries featured some interesting match-ups as well with Angelo Poffo versus Pete Sanchez, Bill Howard versus Dr. Fugiani, and Two Ton Harris versus Larry Zbyszko.

With a vertical layout, the poster has all black print on a two tone orange and yellow background along with images of Jones, Weaver, and Harris. 

The Sportsman in Roanoke would be the place to purchase advance tickets.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Gateway notes: 

• It's hard for younger fans who might only know Paul Jones from his managerial days in the 1980s on WTBS to fully grasp how over Paul Jones was as both a U.S. Champion (the top territory title) and challenger for that title as well. Jones/Mulligan headlined many cards during the year 1976.
• Tony Atlas (also billed occasionally in Roanoke as Tony "Atlas" White) was indeed a legend in the local area, both as a high school athlete and weight lifter. He would be given a short Mid-Atlantic title run a year and half later by booker George Scott, both winning and losing the title in his hometown Roanoke. 
• Dr. Fujianai was the U.S. working name at the time of a young Tatsumi Fujinami, who would become a legendary wrestler in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling as IWGP champion and once defeated Ric Flair at the Tokyo Dome to win the NWA World Championship (although that win was later disputed.)
  
• Brack mentions The Sportsman as the place to buy advance tickets, which was usually noted on Roanoke posters and in local TV promos.  The Sportsman was another enterprise of local wrestling promoter Pete Apostolou, located in downtown Roanoke. According to a note I received from longtime area fan (and Mid-Atlantic Mafia member) Kyle Rosser, The Sportsman was a downtown Roanoke fixture for many years featuring a restaurant/lunch counter on the first floor, a pool hall on the second floor, and a bowling alley on the third floor. Sounds like a very cool place! - DB
  
  

The Sportsman, Roanoke VA
The Place to purchase advance tickets for Mid-Atlantic Wrestling.

NO. 20 IN A SERIES

Chief Wahoo McDaniel: Missing in Action

PART FOUR
by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Catch up on what you missed earlier:
PART ONE  |  PART TWO  |  PART THREE

And now the final chapter of the saga of Wahoo McDaniel missing in action in Charlotte:

PART FOUR - THE FINAL CHAPTER

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling fans were on the edge of their seats as Greg Valentine was pressed to weigh in on the reasons for Wahoo McDaniel showing up late to the Charlotte Park Center in a bloody, bruised and battered condition. An unrepentant Valentine explained:

"Listen, I don’t know why Wahoo showed up late. Maybe he went to some bar and got drunk and got beat up by a bunch of guys. I don’t know why, I don’t know why he had blood all over him. But I’ve heard we’ve been accused of beating up Wahoo McDaniel at some package store, or some Safeway store or whatever. Well that’s ridiculous! It’s ridiculous and it’s absurd!"

Safeway Supermarket

Unconvinced, David Crockett turned everyone's attention back to the film clip from the infamous night in Charlotte. Crockett said, "Well, we’re gonna hear from Wahoo right now." As the film played again, the fans could hear the Charlotte ring announcer say, "The referee’s decision for this match is a no contest, a no decision match," to a loud chorus of boos.

At this juncture everyone would finally hear from the Indian Chief himself, Wahoo McDaniel! Wahoo bellowed, "Let me tell you something, when I was on my way to the match I stopped at the store and both of ‘em jumped on me! I tell you one thing, I’ll get ‘em both! Nobody’s ever done this to me and got by with it, I promise you!"

Bob Caudle then pronounced, "And that’s what Wahoo said happened." A grinning Valentine scoffed, "Yeah, I heard him and that doesn’t make any difference because let me tell you something...Wahoo McDaniel, you are lying, you are lying through your teeth! You were over at some bar out there getting drunk, and you got beat up by about five or six bums and that’s why you got there late!"

The Hammer continued to roll, "And you’re tryin’ to accuse it on the Nature Boy and myself well let me tell you something Wahoo McDaniel…I don’t need Ric Flair to beat you up! I can beat you up by myself anywhere, anytime in a street, in a bar, in any arena! I don’t need Ric Flair and Ric Flair doesn’t need me to beat you up…we can handle you by ourselves!"

As the Bionic Elbow strutted out of the television studio, the perturbed Crockett shouted at Greg, "I hope you try it, I definitely hope you try it!" Caudle concurred, "I do too David, because I think this is something that we’ve seen the beginning, but certainly not the end of this." Crockett concluded the segment, "That’s right, we’re gonna see Wahoo…he’s got two of them, he’s gonna get them singly now."

This explosive TV segment served to begin the transition of Wahoo McDaniel moving out of his 1976 epic singles program with Ric Flair to one with the newcomer Greg Valentine that would dominate much of the following year, including the memorable TV match where Valentine broke Wahoo's leg in September of 1977.

Bob Caudle was certainly prophetic when he commented that this episode was only the beginning and not the end of Wahoo's issues with Flair and more particularly with Valentine. And who would have ever thought that a dust-up at a Safeway store would usher in one of the greatest feuds in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling history?  Wahoo's disappearance in Charlotte and the reason why unlocked the key to much of what we were to see between McDaniel and Valentine for many years and great matches later!

* * * * * * * * * * * *
Catch up on what you missed earlier:
PART ONE  |  PART TWO  |  PART THREE
* * * * * * * * * * * * 

Originally published December of 2017 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Poster: Woods and Bravo Battle the Andersons at Fire Hall

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This poster promotes a card held on Tuesday June 29th, 1976 at the Fire Hall in Farmville, VA. The main event was for the NWA World Tag Team title belts as Dino Bravo and Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods collided with Gene and Ole Anderson. Although Bravo and Woods are featured on the poster as the champions here, the Andersons actually regained the belts in Greenville, SC the night before this show.

The two teams would continue to feud throughout the summer of  1976 but the popular Bravo/Woods combo was never able to recapture the straps from the Anderson Brothers. 

It was tag team action in the semi as well with Geeto and Bolo Mongol versus Tony Atlas and Johnny Eagle, and the undercard included Larry Zbyszko, Doug Somers, Two Ton Harris, and Mr. Hayashi.

The poster has a two tone pink and yellow background with all black print, a vertical layout, and great images of the four headliners. I love the interesting details common to spot show posters such as this one like "sponsored by the Volunteer Fire Department" and you can save 50 cents by purchasing your ticket in advance, $3.50 instead of $4.00 at the door. 

NO. 18 IN A SERIES

NWA World Champion Terry Funk

Baltimore Jack · NWA Champ Terry Funk confronts U.S. Champ Paul Jones (1976)

Johnny Weaver's Big Angle of 1976: Greg Valentine

JOHNNY WEAVER 1975-1984
NOT GOING GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

1976 - GREG VALENTINE
(Part Two in a Series)
Previously: Part One - Series Introduction

While Johnny’s “Angle of the Year” in 1976 did not occur until the autumn, Weaver overall had a significant bicentennial year in his first full year back wrestling in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Early in 1976 there was a tournament held on television to crown a new Mid-Atlantic TV Champion. While Angelo Mosca would ultimately win the tournament, Johnny advanced all the way to the semifinals in the tournament, where he would battle Mosca tooth-and-nail. Significantly, Weaver was the only grappler to fall to Angelo without being defeated by a pin or submission, losing to “Big Nasty” via a count out outside of the ring.

During August of 1976, Johnny got the first shot at a future Mid-Atlantic megastar in Greg Valentine who would enter the territory in earnest about six weeks later, and would be the subject of Weaver’s 1976 angle. Johnny even got a shot at Blackjack Mulligan’s United States Heavyweight Title at the end of August. Mulligan joked that he would “hang ‘ol Johnny Weaver from the rafters at that Richmond Arena and laugh” prior to the match. It was no laughing matter to Johnny, and he put up tremendous fights, but came up short and fell to Mulligan as well as Valentine in these main event matchups.

The mid-card roster that Johnny was a major part of in 1976 was the strongest in the grand history of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. On the “good guy” side with Weaver were such greats as Tiger Conway, Ronnie Garvin, “Cowboy” Frankie Lane, Johnny Eagle, Swede Hanson, Larry Zbyszko, Tony Atlas, Red Bastien and the team of Roberto and Manuel “El Rayo” Soto. The mid-card “bad guy” roster featured talent such as Jerry Blackwell, Doug Gilbert, Boris Malenko, Doug Gilbert, Steve Strong, Hans Schroder, Brute Bernard and the fabulous tandems of the Mongols, Mike “The Judge” Dubois and Sergeant Jacques Goulet, and Randy and Lanny Poffo!

But as would be the case each year from the mid-70s through the mid-80s, Johnny Weaver would break out of his mid-card slot and participate in a main event angle. In 1976, Johnny’s protagonist would be the newcomer Greg “The Bionic Elbow” Valentine. 

Only a couple of weeks after Greg Valentine entered the Mid-Atlantic area as a regular in late September of 1976, the “Bionic Elbow” was matched against Weaver in a TV bout on the Wide World Wrestling television program taped on October 6, 1976. Fans that did not have access to the Wide World Wrestling show in their area may have been perplexed about the nearly month long absence of Weaver after that bout. The Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television show that was taped on November 3, 1976 would explain in great detail the reason for Johnny’s absence since the first week in October.

That November 3rd Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling TV show opened with announcers Bob Caudle and David Crockett presiding, along with Chief Wahoo McDaniel who was returning from any injury inflicted by Ric Flair in a match in Greensboro on October 16, 1976 where Flair captured the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title from Wahoo. McDaniel was brought onto the interview set in large part to talk over a film clip of Greg Valentine injuring his friend Johnny Weaver about a month earlier on Wide World Wrestling.

Bob Caudle began, “A lot of the fans have been asking about another wrestler that’s been out injured for about a month now, and that’s Johnny Weaver.” David Crockett elaborated, “That’s right, Johnny Weaver was wrestling Greg Valentine, Wahoo, and Greg Valentine put him out of action for over a month now. And we’d like to see a tape of that and show the fans exactly what happened, and we’d like to thank Wide World Wrestling for this tape.”

Caudle continued as the film began, “Right here, that was Johnny Weaver and he was flat on his back right on the apron of the ring there Wahoo.” McDaniel noted, “Right there, he’s outside the ring, and I do believe right here Valentine suplexed him from outside over into the ring, as you see right there he dropped right onto his head. It’s a very painful hold, I know where he learned it, he learned the hold from [Johnny Valentine] who was very good at it.” Crockett added, “But [Greg] Valentine is his own man, he’s the Hammer, he’s the number one.”

Weaver was clearly stunned from the suplex from Valentine that brought him from outside the ropes into the ring. But Greg was far from finished. Caudle observed, “He’s getting ready for this elbow right now!” Wahoo then lamented, “When you’re laying there and you’re half stunned and half out and they lay one of those 250 pounds of weight coming across your throat,  it’s got to hurt and it’s got to put you out and that’s what happened. Weaver got hurt and he’s been out a month already, and we don’t know when he’s gonna be back.”

An angry Crockett snapped, “There’s no sense in that, Valentine has already beaten Weaver, he has him out cold; he could pin him. So why does he do this?” Wahoo replied, “Well, being around Flair, Mulligan and Mosca and those guys, they’re all the same, they want to hurt their opponents and cripple them. They don’t care and believe me, that’s what he’s doing here. He’s got a point to prove, he’s gonna try to be rotten, worse than them, and he’s doing a pretty good job of it. He knows he’s got the man helpless, and he’s gonna do all he can.”

At this juncture, Valentine dropped repeated elbows on a prone Weaver, scaling the ropes higher and higher each time to add to their devastation. Crockett exclaimed, “Valentine just keeps on, keeps on!” An incredulous Caudle followed, “He’s going back up on the ropes now, and now he’s getting even higher. He’s determined to put Weaver out.” An exasperated McDaniel concluded, “There’s no sense in this, and Johnny Weaver is a good friend of mine and Johnny Weaver’s not wrestling now.” Crockett added, “And as you can see, Weaver is still out there cold.” Caudle wrapped up the segment noting, “That was vicious, and as you say it was uncalled for, but I’m just glad that Johnny Weaver is improving and we hope to see him back very soon.”

Johnny Weaver would in fact not return to action in the Mid-Atlantic area until the latter part of February, 1977. By that time, Greg Valentine was riding high, being one half of the NWA World Tag Team champions and having captured the Mid-Atlantic TV Title belt twice while Weaver was out. But Johnny was undeterred by Greg’s winning ways, and was out for revenge when he returned and Greg Valentine was his sole target, leading to Weaver battling Valentine in a heated main event program in March and April of 1977!

Johnny Weaver promises Greg Valentine there will be no letting up when they’re in the ropes next time, and Greg will have the match and battle of his life yet to come…

To be continued in Part 3!

In the Tiger's Den: Paul Jones confronts NWA Champion Terry Funk

Baltimore Jack · NWA Champ Terry Funk confronts U.S. Champ Paul Jones (1976)

"In the Tiger's Den"

On the February 14, 1976 episode of Jim Crockett Promotions' "Wide World Wrestling" television show, host Ed Capral interviews NWA world champion Terry Funk. Funk was frustrated with the fact that Paul Jones held a victory over him which took place only a few weeks before Funk won the NWA title from Jack Brisco.

That victory was on the annual Thanksgiving night show at the Greensboro Coliseum when Jones pinned Funk to win the United States Heavyweight Championship. Jones' win paired with the title made him the undisputed number one contender for Terry Funk's NWA World Championship.

In this vintage audio recording, Funk calls out Paul Jones and a brief confrontation occurs. It takes place during the 2-minute "halftime" interview segment of the program. This is a classic Terry Funk promo during his reign as champion.

Originally published October 2012 on our sister website The Domed Globe.

The Domed Globe  |  www.TenPoundsOfGold.com

An Introduction Fit for a 'Superstar' (Part Two)

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Catch up on Part One.

PART TWO
Fans of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television program were introduced to the “Superstar” for the first time at the beginning of the show that was taped on September 29, 1976. Later in the broadcast, the Superstar and his cane-carrying manager Boris Malenko were unexpectedly confronted in a way that drew the ire of the masked newcomer.

Prof. Boris Malenko
with the Masked Superstar

Starting the interview that ran during the middle of the show, host Bob Caudle began, “Here is Boris Malenko with his new star, Superstar, and Malenko things must really be changing for you as you look quite a bit different from last time we saw you.” Malenko replied, “You have to spend money to make money, and talking about spending money, it cost me a fortune but it’s worth it. Every single penny that I’ve spent is worth it because what’s cheap at the beginning is costly in the end run…I’ve found that out all too often in the past.”

After his clear dig at the team of the Mongols who he had previously managed, Boris continued, “Now let me just say this, and I want you people to pay close attention. I’ve looked to the four corners of the earth for such a person as my Superstar. Where did I find him? Right here in the United States as I said before. Never has a man with such credentials come forth to you people in the Mid-Atlantic area. Can you imagine, can you imagine a former gold medal winner of the Olympics? A man that holds a ‘docrtine’ degree in two situations…psychology and also neurology? Now, what else can you ask for? This in itself, this is the ingredients itself…wrestling is a mind situation also. When it comes to mind and equipment that he has…”

Interrupting Malenko’s rant at this juncture was none other than the president of Jim Crockett Promotions, Jim Crockett, Jr. Crockett explained, “I hate to interrupt, but I just talked to Eddie Graham, President of the National Wrestling Alliance. Mr. Malenko, you’ve been here for several months, you’ve wrestled…as far as we know you have no physical ailment at all, and Eddie Graham has ruled that you will not be allowed to carry a cane in a TV studio or an arena where there’s a wrestling match being held. Thank you very much.”

A wide-eyed Caudle could only then say amazingly, “Oh my!”

A clearly riled up Superstar immediately addressed the exiting Jim Crockett, “Excuse me Mr. Crockett. You have the audacity, the unmitigated gall, to approach my associate here Boris Malenko. Now, these are some of the incidents that Mr. Malenko has warned me of before I came into this particular area. Time and time again, he said he’s been insulted, embarrassed in front of the public. I’m here for one purpose and one purpose only and that’s to reestablish the credentials of Mr. Boris Malenko…and, I’m going to do that.”

Caudle followed up to Malenko, “I tell you, he has some great credentials to live up to after what you’ve said about him and he’s gonna have some really tough competition I’m sure he must know that.”

Malenko concluded, “When Superstar talks it puts a chill up and down your spine because what he says is the truth, it’s spoken from his heart. What he says he means, because I know I have an understanding with him that’s beyond anything else and he’ll not only show it, but he’ll prove it!”

Having the President of Jim Crockett Promotions making an exceedingly rare on-air appearance reinforced that this masked newcomer was indeed a high-end talent that was coming into the territory right at the top of the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling hierarchy. Add that to all the platitudes that Boris Malenko heaped on his new charge, and this was undoubtedly an introduction that was fit for a Superstar!

 

Studio Wrestling: 1976 Weather Promo Has 5 Wrestling Connections

By Dick Bourne

Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Originally published on Studio Wrestling

WRAL produced a series of satirical promotional spots in early 1976 to announce Bob DeBardelaben as the primary weather host on WRAL newscasts, replacing Bob Caudle who was moving into other responsibilities at WRAL working for Jesse Helms (and continuing his hosting duties of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, of course.)

Brian Rogers recently discovered a compilation of those promotional clips on You Tube. I pulled them off YouTube and edited them down to one single storyline clip and re-posted them.

The immediate interest was of course that Bob Caudle was featured, and there was also a cameo by Blackjack Mulligan in the wrestling ring at WRAL. It was cool that the video featured these two direct wrestling connections, and also a third, since it was the voice of Bob Debardelaben you heard at each of the two breaks for the local wrestling promotional spots during "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" and "Wide World Wrestling":

"Let's take time for this commercial message about the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling events coming up in your area."

A day or so after posting the video clip, Carroll Hall (who publishes the excellent "All Star Championship Wrestling" blog) pointed out to me that there was a fourth wrestling connection in the video I had failed to notice: sportscaster Nick Pond. Pond was host of the Raleigh-only wrestling broadcast "Championship Wrestling" on WRAL throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. 

After writing up that information and watching the video yet again, I suddenly noticed what I thought was the familiar face of Raleigh area promoter Joe Murnick in one short scene where the president of the station is seen at his desk. Mr. Murnick is seen sitting on the couch behind him. I asked Elliot Murnick and he confirmed it was indeed his father. (Elliot also confirmed that the "president" in the video is indeed longtime President and CEO of Capitol broadcasting Jim Goodmon.)

That makes a total of five people in this short video that had direct connections to Mid-Atlantic Wrestling at WRAL-TV:

Bob Caudle

Bob hosted Jim Crockett Promotions' syndicated All Star Wrestling in the 1960s that later became Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s. He did weather, sports, and news at various times throughout his WRAL career, and worked for Jesse Helms at the station as well. He is seen here receiving the keys to the "executive washroom" after being promoted at WRAL.

Bob DeBardelaben
"The Biggest Name in Weather", DeBardelaben succeeded Bob Caudle as the primary weather host (known then as 'weathermen') in 1976. The promotional spots featured here served to announce and promote that. DeBardelaben is the main star of the vignettes.

Nick Pond
Nick Pond hosted the Raleigh-only broadcast of Championship Wrestling (taped simultaneously alongside Caudle's All Star Wrestling) throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. He was the main sports anchor for WRAL at the time of these promotional spots, and is seen in the video joining others in welcoming DeBardelaben to the team.

Joe Murnick
Murnick was the local promoter for Jim Crockett Promotions in Raleigh (as well as other towns in eastern NC and Virginia.) He ran his own events promotion company as well, staging concerts and other events in addition to wrestling almost every Tuesday night at the Dorton Arena or the Raleigh Civic Center. He is seen here in one scene (at the :59 second mark) sitting on a couch behind the president of the station, Jim Goodmon.

Blackjack Mulligan
One of the main event wrestlers for Jim Crockett and Joe Murnick during this time period, Mulligan was chasing the United States Heavyweight wrestling championship held by Paul Jones. (He would win the title for the first time on March 13 in Greensboro.) He has a cameo role here answering the question "Will Bob (DeBardelaben) quit?" Mully leans through the ropes of the wrestling ring in the TV studio and says "He better not!"

Originally published in February of 2013 on Studio Wrestling,
part of the Mid-Atlantic Gateway family of websites.

Thanks to Brian Rogers, Carroll Hall, and Elliot Murnick.

Link to original unedited WRAL promos: WRAL-TV: "As The Weather Turns" Promos (1976)

An Introduction Fit for a "Superstar"

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Fans of Jim Crockett Promotions that turned their television sets on to view the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television program that was taped on September 29, 1976 knew from the opening moments of the show that they were going to witness a very special episode. 

Prof. Boris Malenko
with the Masked Superstar

At the outset of the show, venerable announcer Bob Caudle talked with Chief Wahoo McDaniel who had just dispatched Bolo Mongol in a Hair versus Hair, Loser Leaves Town match days earlier in the Greensboro Coliseum. Wahoo and Caudle, with color commentator David Crockett at their side, commented on a film clip where Wahoo defeated Bolo Mongol, and with the help of Dusty Rhodes shaved off the top knot of the Mongol’s hair. Wahoo gave the viewers a tease as to what was to come by referencing Mongol’s manager “Professor” Boris Malenko and saying, “Well you know, Malenko is out searching and I’ve heard he’s got somebody bigger and better than the Mongol, but that remains to be seen, let him bring him on…we’ll take him!”

After a short break Caudle told the fans, “All right, in the center of the ring David [Crockett] there stands Boris Malenko, evidently the Superstar is his new man that we’ve heard so much about. He wants to say a few words.”  Crockett added, “He won’t wrestle until he’s given permission to talk.” Malenko blurted out, “Just one moment, referee!” Referee Tommy Young yelled back, “Let’s go!!” 

Undeterred, Malenko continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to make an announcement. I’ve been harassed, humiliated, almost driven out of the ends of my wits here, by such persons as Wahoo McDaniel, Paul Jones and others I know you know that don’t need mentioning. But because I’ve been put in such an embarrassing position and also the people that I’ve managed such as Bolo and Geto Mongol have left me, I have by some stroke of good fortune, some luck, have come up with a person that I would look from the four corners of the earth to meet up with, but where did I meet him right here in the United States of America.”

With the masked newcomer fidgeting next to him, the “Professor” carried on without taking a breath, “A learned individual, an ex, a former gold medal winner of the Olympics, a learned individual, holding a ‘doctrine’ degree of neurology, holding a ‘doctrine’ degree of psychology, the greatest athlete that has ever been seen here in the Mid-Atlantic area or any other area in the world today, I give you my new champion, the greatest wrestler today that will ever be seen and the greatest wrestler that is ever going to enter this ring or any other ring, my champion…SUPERSTAR!!”

Stepping to the front of the interview set, the hooded newcomer finally spoke in measured tones, “Thank you very much Mr. Malenko. Referee, will you tell these idiots, these ‘mediocracy’ people, I am here for one reason. My friend Mr. Malenko has asked me to come here and settle some personal issues…I’m going to begin this evening. And I want everybody here to realize that they are now at once and for all going to appreciate…stardom.”

A wide-eyed Caudle concluded the segment, “All right fans and David, there you have the story from Boris Malenko and his new wrestler, or protégé, or whatever it might be, he calls him Superstar and he says he’s just fantastic!”

Later in the same show, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling President Jim Crockett, Jr. confronts the Superstar and Professor Boris Malenko…to be continued in Part 2!

A Busy Christmas Night in 1976: Charlotte, Greenville, and Hampton

The newspaper ad for Mid-Atlantic Wrestling on Christmas Night
in Charlotte in 1976

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

That's quite the loaded line-up for Christmas night 1976 in the Charlotte Coliseum. It was a busy day as Mid-Atlantic wrestling stars got back to work across the territory.

For decades, Jim Crockett Promotions always took a 10-day break right before Christmas. It was the only break during the entire year. The rest of the year they ran multiple shows a night, seven nights a week, with double-shots on Saturdays and Sundays for the entire year. Guys rarely had a night off.

This "two week break" (usually 10-12 calendar days) always ended on Christmas day, which was traditionally always a big business day on the JCP calendar.

Since almost all wrestlers working the territory lived in Charlotte, it made sense to return to action in that city so guys could be with their families Christmas morning and then head out for the area shows later that day.

But that wasn't the case for everyone; a few unfortunate souls this year had to make a 340-mile trip all the way out to Hampton, VA for a show there, too.

And to complicate things further, there were other shows on that Christmas night in a couple cities close to Charlotte where guys were double-booked and had to work two shows on the same night. It is incredible that they were able to pull it all off.


CHRISTMAS NIGHT SHOWS
On Christmas night in 1976, the big loaded show was in Charlotte that night. Just take a look at the talent on this one card: Mulligan, Jones, Flair, Ole Anderson, Wahoo, Valentine, Blackwell, Patera, Bravo, Brute Bernard, Danny Miller, and others.

Nearby Greenville, SC (about 90 miles away) ran a show with several of these same stars. The key was that bell time for the Greenville show was an hour and fifteen minutes earlier. Greenville started at 7 PM, while Charlotte bell time was the traditional 8:15 PM. Plus Greenville was only a 4-match show. This somehow allowed the Andersons, Flair, Valentine, and Wahoo to pull the magician's trick wrestling in Greenville and Charlotte on the same Christmas night.

Double shots often happened in the territory days where guys would work a matinee afternoon show in one city and another city that night. But rarely could they pull off guys working two towns at the same time on the same night. They pulled it off a time or two during the promotional wars with the IWA. And so they did again on Christmas night in 1976.

Greenville actually had the match I would have been most interested in that day. It featured one of the first matches in the "family feud" between Ric Flair and his "cousins" Gene and Ole Anderson. On top of that, Wahoo McDaniel, who had personal issues with all four men, had been assigned by the NWA as special referee! Ric Flair and new partner Greg Valentine, who had just arrived in the territory three months earlier, made an unsuccessful challenge for  the Anderson's NWA World Tag Team titles that night at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium. But Flair and Valentine were close to the gold; they captured the World tag belts from the Andersons the very next night in Greensboro, NC.

There was at least one other show in the area that same night that would have featured some of the other talent on that Charlotte show like Mulligan, Jones, and others.

The other night-show as mentioned earlier was in Hampton, VA.  The poor guys who had to make that 340-mile Christmas day trip from their homes in Charlotte were Masked Superstar (Bill Eadie), Rufus Jones, Tim Woods, Boris Malenko, Red Bastien, the Poffo brothers (Lanny and the future Randy "Macho Man" Savage), and others.


A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MAIN EVENTS IN CHARLOTTE
But Charlotte was the big show. Paul Jones was trying to re-claim the United States title from Blackjack Mulligan. The two had been feuding for the entire year of 1976. Jones had won the title 15 days earlier, but NWA President Eddie Graham returned the title to Mulligan on a technicality. Jones was hot after the title again this night.

Ric Flair faced his cousin Ole Anderson on the semi-main Christmas night. It was the first time the two had met in a singles match. Ole and Gene were actually regularly working the Georgia territory at the time (Ole had the book there), but they made semi-regular appearances back in the Mid-Atlantic area, mostly on weekends, usually as part of their new feud with Flair and Valentine over the NWA World Tag Team titles.

In the third main event, Wahoo McDaniel battled Greg Valentine. It was several months before their  feud would erupt in 1977 over the Mid-Atlantic title (where Greg Valentine would break Wahoo's leg), but this match was still of great interest, playing off Wahoo's long history fighting Greg's father Johnny Valentine, whose career had ended 15 months earlier in the infamous Wilmington plane crash.

The tradition of Christmas night wrestling in the territory days was deep and rich, but no longer exists today, and I miss that. After all the family hoopla around the Christmas tree and the dining room table, during a an era where EVERYTHING was closed on Christmas day, it was nice to get out of the house and let off some steam at the matches on Christmas night.

Merry Christmas from the Mid-Atlantic Gateway!

Originally posted December 20, 2019 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Click the Christmas Day banner above for details on Christmas shows
in the Mid-Atlantic are from 1968-1979

Mid-Atlantic Election Controversy: 1975 Wrestler of the Year

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Election controversies are ever present in today’s world, but did you think that Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling had one of its own? Sure enough, the 1975 Wrestler of the Year award, voted on by the area’s fans, turned out to be loaded with controversy! And it all unfolded for the world to see at the beginning of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television show that was taped on February 7, 1976. 

Ric Flair and Wahoo McDaniel battled over
the Mid-Atlantic Championship in 1975-1976
(Photo by Bill Janosik)

In the mid 1970’s Jim Crockett Promotions conducted a contest at the end of the calendar year where Mid-Atlantic fans were urged to send postcards in to vote for who they felt was the outstanding wrestler in the Mid-Atlantic area for that year. The winner received a beautifully engraved watch as a token of the esteem of the voting fans. 

In the 1975 year-end voting, periodic updates were given on TV in the early weeks of 1976 as the votes were being tabulated. Ric Flair, who missed several months in the Fall of 1975 because of injuries he sustained in the Wilmington, North Carolina plane crash, had just returned to Mid-Atlantic television but had not yet returned to in-ring action. In the voting updates, Flair had not been mentioned as one of the leading vote-getters. Thus, it was a surprise when Ric appeared on the set at the start of the February 7th TV taping when the matches were being run-down, clamoring for “his” Wrestler of the Year watch to be given to him!

Ric bellowed over and over, “Where’s my watch, I want my watch!” Announcer Bob Caudle exclaimed, “David [Crockett], we’re gonna have to do something to quiet Ric Flair down.” Flair persisted, “Nature Boy wants his watch…I won the contest fair and square. I’m the people’s choice, I want my watch!” Caudle relented, “All right, all right…we’re gonna award the watch right now. Here is the president of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Jimmy Crockett. This is for the 1975 Wrestler of the Year award fans, and here is Mr. Jimmy Crockett.”  

Jim Crockett, Jr. then appeared on the set holding the beautiful watch and a bundle of postcards and said, “Bob, again it’s my pleasure this year to present the Wrestler of the Year award. Mr. Flair did get the most cards, this is just a small sample of the thousands that were sent in printed on both sides, unsigned. I believe Mr. Flair has used unfair practices so I am disqualifying him from the contest and awarding this watch as Wrestler of the Year to Mr. Chief Wahoo McDaniel!”

As Wahoo McDaniel came into camera range an incensed Flair screamed, “You are doin’ what?!? Givin’ him that watch?!? I put a lot of hard work into gettin’ that watch!! I am the winner!! Who got the most cards?!?” Jim Crockett answered disdainfully to Ric, “You printed an awful lot of them!”

Flair then turned his anger towards Wahoo venting, “McDaniel, you’ve done something backhanded again! You want this [Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship] belt so bad, and now you’re stealing my watch, huh?!” Wahoo incredulously replied, “I don’t know anything about this! It’s the first thing I’ve heard about it, I don’t know anything about it!”

Caudle, trying to quell the election controversy pronounced, “Wahoo McDaniel, fair and square, 1975 Wrestler of the Year.” The Nature Boy would have none of it, ranting and raving, “Who had the most votes…the Nature Boy did!! I am the Wrestler of the Year!!!” As he stormed off the television set, Flair hollered, “McDaniel you haven’t heard the last of this, neither have you Crockett!”

Bob, again trying to stamp out any further controversy inquired again of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling president Jim Crockett, “Ric Flair is disqualified Mr. Crockett, right?” Jim Crockett confirmed, “Ric Flair was disqualified.”

Catching his breath, Caudle stated, “All right fans and there it is, and here’s the watch Chief Wahoo McDaniel, the 1975 Wrestler of the Year…congratulations Wahoo!” McDaniel seemingly genuinely surprised answered, “Well, you know, this is a surprise to me because I knew that Flair was in the lead, and I heard he had a lot of votes come in but I didn’t know all the cards were the same. So, I appreciate it.” 

Caudle added, “According to Mr. Crockett they were printed like a printing press, printed on both sides! So, he was disqualified for that.” Wahoo then concluded, “You know, there’s only one thing I’d like for him to print, and that’s to print his name on a contract with my name on it and I’d accept it printed, any way…I wouldn’t turn it down. He can put an “X” there, as long as I witnessed it and I’ll take the match!”

Bob ended the raucous segment exclaiming, “Fans, congratulations Wahoo, there he is David the Wrestler of the Year for 1975, Wahoo McDaniel.” David Crockett replied, “That’s right, that’s a great honor to win that watch because that means he’s the most popular wrestler in everybody’s eyes.” Caudle concurred but added, “I think we’ve made some enemies though, at least one enemy with Ric Flair.” David then added, “Well, Ric Flair’s also made another enemy and I’m talking about Wahoo McDaniel.” “Right you are,” Caudle concluded as the show then went to the first match ring introduction.

Controversy would strike any number of times during the year of 1976 as Ric Flair and Wahoo McDaniel battled over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship belt in a feud for the ages. But in this current election season, it is interesting to think back and remember that this momentous Mid-Atlantic feud between Ric and Wahoo started with an election controversy of its very own.

The Anderson Family Battles Wahoo, Rufus, and Bravo

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
From the "Main Event Memories" Series

Tonight's "Main Event Memory" on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway is from the early fall of 1976 and reflects back on a trio of individuals running roughshod through the Mid-Atlantic area that entire year - The Anderson Brothers and their young cousin Ric Flair.

The Anderson family prepared to battle Wahoo McDaniel, Dino Bravo, and Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones. The big six-man battle was the main event on a card at the Scope Coliseum in Norfolk, VA, and would be fought under "Lights Out" rules: the match was not sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance -- anything goes!

One side of this main event was carrying all the championship gold:

• "The Minnesota Wrecking Crew" Gene and Ole Anderson were the reigning NWA World Tag Team champions. 
• The Nature Boy" Ric Flair was in the middle of his year long feud with Chief Wahoo McDaniel over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship. He had regained the title from Wahoo after hitting him in the head with the broken table-leg in the infamous match in Charlotte that resulted in Wahoo going to the hospital legit and getting 53 stitches over his eye. 

The Andersons and Flair had issues with Wahoo, Rufus, and Bravo individually and were hoping to settle all of the issues in this one night where there were no rules. Lights out!

As Ole says, how can these three hope to compete with the "Anderson family" under those circumstances?

Listen as Les Thatcher interviews the Andersons and Ric Flair about their big upcoming bout on September 9, 1976!

* * * * *

Originally published June 28, 2015 and republished October 20, 2018

Magazine Memories: Paul Jones fights Terry Funk

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

This was always one of my favorite photos in the old Weston magazines, it ran in many issues over the years in stories or mentions about Paul Jones and/or Terry Funk.

What I like is the way Funk is selling. It was a familiar look for him when selling during the 70s and early 80s.

Jones is working over Funk's leg, perhaps setting him up for his trademark Indian deathlock. Funk has his arms wrapped around his head - - his right over his eyes, his left over his ear. I used to joke this was the "see no evil" method of selling. If I can't see you and and I can't hear you, then you can't hurt me.

One of the best matches on tape to see Funk sell in this way is the famous Toronto match in 1977 where he loses the NWA title to Harley Race.

It's a small thing, really, but it always stood out to me, and it did in this great photo as well.

 Originally published May 30, 2018 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway