Kiniski: A Chip Off the Old Block

 One of Gene Kiniski's trademark moments during ring introductions when he was NWA World Champion was to lift up his ring jacket to show off the NWA World title belt he wore underneath. He was known for it. So much so, a great color photo of him doing that exact thing with the NWA 1959-1973 "crown belt" graced the cover of his biography. 

Years later, when his son Kelly Kiniski worked in the Mid-Atlantic territory, he briefly teamed with One Man Gang (George Grey) and the two held the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team championships under the management of Sir Oliver Humperdink as part of Hump's stable, the House of Humperdink.

As a tribute to his father, Kelly would often do the same thing, holding up his ring jacket for photos and ring introductions, as seen in the photo above from 1983.

Incidentally, Kiniski and Gang were the last team to hold these particular belts, title straps that went all the way back to 1975 beginning with the Gene and Ole, the Anderson Brothers. 

I was happy to come across this photograph, as it's a nice call back from son to father, the latter being one of the great NWA World Champions.

Originally published October of 2020 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Poster: Valiant/Koloff War Continues in Tag Team Battle (1982)

by Jody Shifflett
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This card was from 1982 and I was actually at this event. It was a great night of wrestling. I was 10 years old and can remember it like it was yesterday. 

Jimmy Valiant back then could really work a crowd and especially the ones at the spot shows. We would get about 3 to 4 events a year and there was nothing like standing out back waiting for the wrestlers to pull up in their cars and sign autographs for us; they were all great!

The main event was a classic from back then with the Ivan Koloff - Jimmy Valiant feud going strong. Throw in Jake Roberts and the Ninja and it was pandemonium. 

The match that really sticks out to me was the Kelly Kiniski and Ali Bey match because a local man jumped in the ring to attack Ali Bey but Kiniski actually punched the man in the mouth and my stepdad, who was a deputy sheriff at the time, stormed the ring with a couple of his other police buddies and took the guy down. It was great! 

Great colors and the classic 8:15 PM bell time!

NO. 9 IN THE SHIFFLETT POSTER SERIES

A Close Encounter with the Ten Pounds of Gold

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

I suddenly realized the referee in the ring was walking towards my position. I thought, well this is it, someone is finally going to ask me to leave. But as I looked up, he reached out with the NWA world title belt - - the beautiful "ten pounds of gold" 

- - and waited for me to take it.

The year was 1982. I was 21 years old. I had just moved from Tennessee to begin work for Russell Corporation in Alexander City, Alabama. For the first time ever, I was isolated from Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, unable to watch the weekly adventures of my favorite group of wrestlers in my favorite wrestling territory.

I had settled in to my shabby little apartment on Highway 280 and hooked up local cable. I could get "Georgia Championship Wrestling" on the Superstation out of Atlanta, and saw some of my guys there -  Roddy Piper, Ole Anderson, Ray Stevens, and Ric Flair. I was getting familiar with the NWA promotion based out of Pensacola, Florida that ran the panhandle of Florida and the lower two-thirds of the state of Alabama. This would be my new home territory. Their TV show aired twice every Saturday - once in the afternoon out of Montgomery, and again late Saturday night out of Birmingham. People in the business called this territory the Pensacola territory. But most fans called it the Southeastern territory, taken from the name of their television show for so many years, "Southeastern Championship Wrestling."

I liked their TV show well enough. Charlie Platt and Ric Stewart were excellent studio hosts. I was familiar with a lot of their wrestlers who used to be regulars in the Southeastern promotion based out of Knoxville, TN, in the 1970s - - guys like Ron and Robert Fuller, Bob Armstrong, and Jimmy Golden. But nothing was ever going to quite replace Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions for me. That was the wrestling I had grown up on. And I missed it terribly.

However, that fall, Southeastern Championship Wrestling was running a tour called "October Fest" and the NWA World champion Ric Flair was coming to the territory to put his title up against a different challenger in a different town in the territory each night of that week. Ric Flair was a "Mid-Atlantic guy," having cut his teeth in the Carolinas beginning in 1974 and eventually becoming the NWA World champion in 1981.  he was the first ever wrestler in the 46 year history of Jim Crockett Promotions to have ever developed through the territroy and been selected by the NWA to be their champion. As fans, we were proud of that! And even though he was now the world champion and just passing through to defend the title, having him come through my new home state of Alabama made me feel a little less homesick.

My first decision was where to go see him. The closest towns where Flair would be were Montgomery and Birmingham, AL. We received most of the TV stations on our local cable from both markets. Flair was scheduled to defend against "The Tennessee Stud" Ron Fuller on Monday 10/25 in Birmingham, and "the Universal Heart Throb" Austin Idol two nights later on Wednesday 10/27 in Montgomery.

Montgomery was a little bit closer, a little over an hour's drive away, and the Montgomery Civic Center was a little easier to get to than Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham. So I chose to go to Montgomery for that stop on the "Southeastern Wrestling October Fest" tour.

The Montgomery Civic Center in Montgomery, AL. Circa 1960s. "Wrestling Tonite" on the marquee!

Another factor in that decision was the opponent for Ric Flair. I had always been a big Austin Idol fan, and had always wanted to see what would happen if these two guys ever met each other in the ring. It was a dream-match of sorts - - a battle of Austin Idol's "Las Vegas leglock" against Ric Flair's "figure-four."

I hadn't made any wrestling friends in my new hometown yet, so I decided to go to the matches alone. I got off work early that Wednesday and drove down to the Montgomery Civic Center box office as soon as it opened to get the best tickets possible. I was able to secure seats in the ringside area, although I was about four rows back. I took my camera and hoped to get a few good photos up near the ring.

There was surprisingly little security at this show. When Flair and Idol had entered the ring, I was able to sort of stoop low, scoot up and kneel down next to the ring with my camera. Surprisingly, no one said a word to me. I couldn't believe how lucky I was.

The ring announcer introduced Idol first and then introduced Flair. Ric opened his robe, took the NWA belt from around his waist and handed it to the referee. He then handed his big heavy robe over the top rope down to the ring attendant on the floor who was already holding Idol's full-length heavy robe in his arms as well. He left the ringside area to take the robes back to the dressing rooms. I watched all this and again, nobody said a word to me as I knelt at ringside.

I suddenly realized the referee in the ring was walking towards my position. I thought, well this is it, someone is finally going to ask me to leave. But as I looked up, he reached out with the NWA world title belt - - the beautiful "ten pounds of gold" - - and waited for me to take it.

I couldn't figure out what was happening. Like in a movie, everything sort of started to go in slow motion and I couldn't hear a thing.

I've always thought that the referee had turned to give the title belt to the ring attendant, but the ring attendant had failed to wait for the belt, having two large heavy robes to carry to the back. Looking back on it, I have no idea why he wouldn't have just handed the belt to the ring announcer who I think had already exited on the other side of the ring at this point after his introductions. But he didn't. Instead, incredibly - - perhaps thinking I must be at ringside for a reason - - he was trying to hand the belt to me.

So I took it.

And I want to tell you that for one brief moment - - one fleeting, crazy, impulsive, irresponsible, disrespectful, do-I-dare, moment - - I thought about walking right back down the aisle with that belt, right out the back door, never to be seen or heard from again!

I wouldn't really have done that. Even at age 21, I had so much respect for the belt, for the championship, for Ric Flair and all the others that had held it. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit I thought about it! For one brief second....

Ring attendant with the NWA title in Dothan, AL.
This wasn't me, this wasn't Montgomery, it just
reminds me of that moment in my life.

Instead, I just looked at it. I couldn't believe what I had in my hands. This was the famous domed-globe belt; the Lombardi trophy and the Stanley Cup and every championship trophy in every major sport all wrapped up into one. Ric Flair's world title. The same world title that had been held by Brisco, Funk, Race, and Rhodes. And now I was kneeling at ringside in Montgomery, Alabama with that belt in my hands.

If I had really wanted to run away with the belt (which I did not), my window of opportunity quickly closed as the ring attendant had returned and I suddenly realized he was right behind me. He snatched the belt from my hands.

"You need to get back to your seat, bud," he said with a cold stare. And so without a word, I complied.

Can you imagine how badly this might have ended otherwise? I'm guessing the boys in the back would have had a field day with the young punk who tried to steal the champ's belt. More likely, I would have been arrested and spent the night in the Montgomery county jail.

My pulse was still racing as I thought about what had just happened. It was my one brief moment to touch history, to touch this belt I would have never thought I would have a chance to get anywhere near.

Many years later, however , on October 28, 2008, Dave Millican and I had the opportunity to photograph this very same belt. These photographs would later wind up in our book "Ten Pounds of Gold."

I would have never dreamed I could have gotten that close to it again.

 

Edited from a story originally published in October of 2015 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Tough Kid: Roddy Piper and the Sandpaper

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Edited From the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Archives / Cokes & Popcorn

Roddy Piper once told a story which illustrated what old-timers did to protect the business back in the day. In his day, they sometimes would go to extremes to make sure fans completely bought into an angle. It was all about "protecting the business."

In the audio clip below, Roddy is discussing the famous 1982 angle where he and Ric Flair engaged in an amateur wrestling contest. After Piper embarrassed Flair by pinning him both amateur and professional style, Flair and his cohort Greg Valentine attacked him and ground his face into the cement floor of the WPCQ TV studios in Charlotte.

In a radio interview in 2011 promoting an upcoming NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest, Piper discussed what we didn't see during the commercial break to make sure fans bought into the angle:

Roddy Piper discusses Gene Anderson
Rock 100.5 Atlanta's Rock Station 


Piper mentions he was taken to the back after the angle during the commercial break, and Gene Anderson rubbed sandpaper on his face to create the abrasion you see in the photo below and to help sell the angle to fans. After the facial "alterations", Anderson looked at him and said, "Tough kid." Piper said it was one of the greatest compliments he had ever received.

Roddy Piper 1982
Photograph by Eddie Cheslock

This photo above (taken by magazine photographer Eddie Cheslock in Richmond, VA) was shot in 1982 following the angle between Ric Flair and Roddy Piper which led to the sandpaper treatment he describes receiving in the video from Gene Anderson.

Ricky Steamboat 1978

The 1982 Flair/Piper angle was basically a repeat of an angle four years earlier between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat, except the 1978 angle didn't involve an amateur wrestling contest.

On a 2015 appearance on Ric Flair's old podcast WOOOOO! Nation, Steamboat recounted how the same thing has been done to him to help get the angle over.

From the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Archives / Cokes & Popcorn
Also republished in June of 2015 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Arn Anderson Makes His WTBS Debut (1981-1982)

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Time to take a look back at Georgia wrestling in 1982 and a match between a Mid-Atlantic superstar and a young kid who would one day become a superstar himself.

It was the first Georgia wrestling show of 1982, and current Mid-Atlantic star Paul Jones was making the second of two guest shots on "Georgia Championship Wrestling" for booker Ole Anderson, who was booking both the Georgia and Mid-Atlantic territories at that time.

What is more notable from a historical perspective about Jones's appearance, however, was his opponent on this show. His name was Jim Vertaroso and host Gordon Solie billed him as a power-lifting champion out of Rome, GA. What you will see is a big guy who is pretty green in the ring, but shows great promise. The longer you watch though, you will notice that the young man in the ring with Paul Jones is the future Arn Anderson. (Arn's appearance is at 12:54 in this video.)

We believe this was the week after Arn's television debut and may have been his first singles match. (Edit: Arn mentions on the debut episode of his podcast "ARN" that his recollection was his first appearance on Georgia TV was in a tag team match with partner Zeke Rivers against Bob and Brad Armstrong which aired 12/26/81.)

Virtaroso (and we're assuming that's how he would spell it) would later wrestle under his real name Marty Lunde in Southeastern, Mid-South, and Georgia, before Ole Anderson gave him the name Arn Anderson when he came back to work for him in Georgia in 1983.

Arn's look here in early 1982 is quite different as he is much heavier and with that big '70s looking mustache. In fact, he looks a lot like his son brock now who is learning the ropes in AEW. Who knew watching this show just after the New Year's celebrations were over that they were seeing a future superstar and Hall of Famer in action against "No. 1" Paul Jones.

The match with Paul Jones vs. Jim Virtaroso (Arn Anderson) is at 12:54 in this video.

The show features co-host Roddy Piper with Gordon Solie, and also includes The Masked Superstar and the Super Destroyer, Dick Slater, Stan Hansen, Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, Tommy Rich, Buzz Sawyer, Mike Jackson, and many others.

Plus, fellow belt-enthusiasts will enjoy the presentation of new National tag team title belts to reigning champions Bob and Brad Armstrong at the opening of the show. 

Edited from a post originally published October of 2016 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Thanks to Kyle Rosser for additional information.

Poster: Piper and Steamboat Headline a Spot Show in Concord NC

by Brack Beasley
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

Here is an interesting spot show poster promoting a card held at the Barber Scotia College Gym in Concord, NC on Thursday, February 4th, 1982.

Billed as a triple main event, Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight champ Roddy Piper took on Ricky Steamboat (although the poster does not mention if this was a title defense), Big John Studd collided with young Jack Mulligan Jr. (Barry Windham), and Johnny Weaver took the challenge of Lord Alfred Hayes.

The lone tag team match was Karl Fergie and Eddie Mansfield versus Pork Chop Cash and Terry Taylor while Don Kernodle met Mike Miller in the opener. 

Designed with a vertical layout, all black print on a pastel orange background, and the western style "Wrestling" across the top, it has attributes common to spot show posters such as the local businesses where advance tickets could be purchased and "Sponsored by the Concord Jaycees".

Along with the image of Steamboat, there are great pics of Studd and Taylor, two faces seldom seen on Mid Atlantic posters. 

* * * * * *

Mid-Atlantic Gateway Notes
This was a pretty nice card for a small spot show. The Barber Scotia College Gym was a regular spot venue for JCP in the general Charlotte area, one of many!

Interesting to see 'Jack' Mulligan Jr. on the poster, as Windham would normally always be referred to in a promotional setting as 'Blackjack' Mulligan Jr. It might be the only time I recall seeing or hearing either Mulligan Sr. or Jr. referred to as "Jack" in an official way, although other wrestlers would call them that on promos frequently. Just seems odd on a poster to bill him that way, although it might have simply been a matter of typesetter at the poster company Souther Posters not having enough room to include his whole name given the font size. Studd and Mulligan Jr. were the top program for Flair and Mulligan Sr.'s Knoxville promotion which was closely affiliated with JCP. Knoxville didn't have enough towns running successfully at the time to appropriately pay Studd or Windham, so they brought that match to JCP shows frequently.

Terry Taylor sure was getting a push, on TV anyway, during this time. Bob Caudle and David Crockett would mention he was NWA rookie of the year every chance they got. But nothing really came of it here, he was never given an angle or a breakthrough win on TV or pushed in a semi-main program, despite the fact that he was technically proficient in the ring and fans, and girls in particular, seemed to love him. There was thought to giving him a babyface push on top for Flair and Mulligan's Knoxville promotion in late 1981, Flair put him over big in promos on Knoxville TV, but that didn't pan out either. I always hated that because I liked his stlye, he was one of the great "young lions" as David Crockett was always fond of saying. His big break came a couple of years later for Bill Watts in Mid-South Wrestling where he was North American Champion (their top title) and a top contender for Ric Flair's NWA World title.

Check out more of Brack's great poster collection by clicking our POSTER link and scrolling down through all of the poster-related posts. 

NO. 25 IN A SERIES

Jim Crockett, Jr. Makes a Rare Appearance in Madison Square Garden (1982)

Madison Square Garden, January 1982: (L-R) Jim Crockett, Jr., Hiashi Shinma, Ken Tajima, Vince McMahon, and Frank Tunney. (Photograph by George Napolitano)

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

It was quite the gathering of dignitaries during an intermission at the WWF wrestling event at New York's Madison Square Garden on January 18, 1982. The president of the WWF, Hisashi Shinma (second from the left) was making the announcement of the first annual I.W.G.P. (International Wrestling Grand Prix) Championship Tournament to be held in 1983 in Japan. Shinma, along with being the recognized president of the WWF was also a top official with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). 

Shinma was flanked by his interpreter Ken Tajima, and joined by National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) president and Mid-Atlantic Wrestling promoter Jim Crockett, Jr., WWWF promoter Vincent J. McMahon, and Toronto promoter (and NWA Vice President) Frank Tunney. It's also worth noting that Tunney and Crockett were business partners at this time, as Tunney was booking a majority of talent for his Maple Leaf Garden shows through Crockett's Charlotte, NC, office. 

It was a rare appearance for Crockett in Madison Square Garden. The WWF at this time was still a member of the NWA.

This gathering was captured by famed wrestling photographer George Napolitano who had the foresight to document the occasion. I've never seen any other photos from this rather historic gathering of wrestling dignitaries.

On the MSG Network broadcast of this show, the announcement was not covered. You could see this happening in the background of a wide camera shot, but announcer Vince (K.) McMahon was rambling on about something else while this was taking place. 

The 1/18/82 show was the first Madison Square Garden show I ever saw on TV. It was broadcast on delayed basis on the USA Network which had just been added to our local cable system in Kingsport, TN, where I grew up. The main event on that show was a really good WWF title defense by Bob Backlund against Adrian Adonis, where Adonis actually got the win, but not the title, when the match was stopped for blood. 

Mid-Atlantic stalwart Greg "The Hammer" Valentine was also on this show, defeating Pedro Morales, during one of Valentine's two big WWF stints during his 1976-1984 Mid-Atlantic period. Other regular Mid-Atlantic alumni on this card included former Mid-Atlantic champion Tony Atlas and perennial journeyman Charlie Fulton.   

According to the excellent reference book "Wrestling in the Garden: The Battle for New York" (by Scott Teal and J. Michael Kenyon, Crowbar Press), the show drew 18,301 and was simulcast live via closed circuit TV at the adjoining Felt Forum. While that book is an incredibly detailed compendium of all things related to the history of wrestling at Madison Square Garden, Teal and Kenyon oddly left out the gathering of these wrestling dignitaries at that January 18, 1982 show.

Thanks to Kyle Rosser for sending the photo clipping.

Originally published March 2021 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Jack Brisco vs. Ric Flair (1982)

PHOTOGRAPH BY GEORGE PANTAS

A great photograph sent to us and taken by George Pantas. It's a November 1982 battle in the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, VA, featuring Jack Brisco vs. Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. 

Brisco has sent Flair flipping into the turnbuckle and now pounds away as referee Tommy Young warns Brisco to break the corner before the count of five.

The former champion Brisco was chasing the title again, which had been held by Flair since September of 1981.

Charlotte O's Baseball Profiles of Tony Schiavone and Frances Crockett (1982)

Before Tony Schiavone joined ringside partners Bob Caudle, David Crockett, and Johnny Weaver as one of the voices of Mid-Atlantic and World Wide Wrestling in the early 1980s, he was the radio voice of the Charlotte O's baseball franchise, the AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.

Both the wrestling organization and the baseball club were part of the Jim Crockett Promotions empire.

Ric Flair told listeners on episode #26 of his podcast "WOOOOO! Nation" that after meeting Tony and hearing him call O's baseball, he suggested to the Crockett family that Schiavone get a chance to join the wrestling part of the company.

Not long after Flair's suggestion, Schiavone was asked to interview Ric Flair at his home in Charlotte for a feature that aired prior to Flair's NWA World Title match against Harley Race at Starrcade '83. That went well, and he was tabbed with the opportunity to follow the legendary Charlotte wrestling announcer "Big" Bill Ward as host of the localized promo segments that were inserted into the wrestling shows. He eventually wound up getting his big shot co-hosting "World Wide Wrestling" alongside David Crockett in 1984. The rest, as they say, is history.

But before all that took place, the following short profile on Tony appeared in a 1982 Charlotte O's baseball program....

VOICE OF THE CHARLOTTE O's TONY SCHIAVONE (1982)

One of Greensboro's top radio personalities comes to Charlotte this year as the voice of the O's. He is Tony Schiavone, a 24 year old native of Virginia. Last year Tony was the voice of the Class A Greensboro Hornets and was named 1981 South Atlantic League Broadcaster of the Year.

Bob Taylor of WBTV will join Tony this year as color man. This will be Bob's second year on O's Radio, and the former professional player once again brings his knowledge of the game to the booth.

Schiavone is a graduate of James Madison University and has been in radio for five years. His past duties have involved football, basketball, and baseball play-by-play, and host of a call-in talk show.

His duties with the O's will also include coordinating media information and keeping official statistics.

Schiavone is married to the former Lois Berger of Greensboro and they are expecting their first child in July.

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

The following is a profile of Frances Crockett, then the general manager of the successful Charlotte O's baseball club. The O's were the AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.

Both the Charlotte O's baseball club and the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling organization were part of Jim Crockett Promotions, Inc.

Frances is the oldest child of Jim and Elizabeth Crockett. She was the first woman General Manager of a professional baseball team and as reported on the Crockett Foundation website she has been profiled in Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and the Wall Street Journal. She serves as a special adviser to the board of the Crockett Foundation. 

This appeared in a 1982 Charlotte O's program sold at ballgames held at Crockett Park.

General Manager Frances Crockett

She sits back watching and listening never missing what is happening. Formulating and piecing together where she wants to go and what she wants for herself and the Charlotte O's. Basically shy and uncomfortable in the lime light, she nos taken the city of Charlotte by storm.

Since she took charge of the O's in 1977, Frances Crockett has developed a rare combination of energy and imagination to the job with spectacular results. In 1981 an all time Charlotte sports attendance record was set of 211,761. Crockett Park has become the place to be every spring and summer with promotions and give-aways every night of the season.

Frances' philosophy is that "The fans are what it is all about." This philosophy often throws her into conflict but she never falters. An old-fashioned girl who runs the team like any other business with old fashioned principles.

Her father, "Big" Jim Crockett, taught Frances everything she knows. Few knew more about managing and promotion than her father. She began in 1977 with no previous background in business or baseball. Many people thought of her as only a publicity stunt, but her natural charms with the team coupled with her shrewd business head has led her to the top of her profession.

"There are a lot of people who are responsible for the O's success. Our staff, both full-time and part-time, have to get a lot of credit. And I can't say enough about our loyal fans and advertisers. All these people, they are the ones that make this thing go."

For more information on the mission of the Crockett Foundation and the good work they do, please visit their website.

This post was combined and edited from two earlier posts from December of 2015 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: Christmas Day 1982

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
on the WWE Network

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV Summaries & Reviews
by David Taub
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is a review of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as it appeared on the WWE Network. Results are included for the week (Monday-Sunday of the given week) as available. Please email with any corrections, typos, results, other details at 1davidtaub@gmail.com. Follow @TaubGVWire

For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.


Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 12/25/82
(taped 12/15*/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show Mid-Atlantic 12/25/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]
*Gateway note: MACW doubled up tapings for two straight nights at the WPCQ studios to get enough TV taped for the rest of December and into the new year. We believe taping dates were 12/14 and 12/15.

Note: The taping date is an educated guess. I see no records of JCP running from 12/17-12/24/82, as they took their annual pre-Christmas break. The prior year, the taped multiple days in the same week to allow for such a break. Match results don’t indicate either way for 1982. My guess is this was taped Thursday, Dec. 16. The card listed that night in Sumpter was probably the night before.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Rick Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
[TAPE] World Wide Wrestling: Youngblood breaks the Cobra
Youngblood is glad to be back. We go to a tape from last week’s World Wide Wrestling, Steamboat & Youngblood vs. Pvt. Nelson & Ricky Harris. Nelson as Youngblood in the Cobra Clutch. Sgt. Slaughter, who is at ringside, is gloating. Youngblood breaks out with a side Russian legsweep and score the pin. Slaughter can’t believe it. Back to the Mid-Atlantic studio. Youngblood lets Slaughter know that he broke the Cobra Clutch, and other people will study it.

[Break]

Match 1
Rick Steamboat & Jay Youngblood d. Bill White & Frank Monte
Tommy Young is the referee for the hour. Quick teamwork from the babyfaces. Youngblood pins Monte after being slingshotted in from his partner.

[Break]

Match 2
One Man Gang (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Ron Ritchie
For the record, Gang entered Mid-Atlantic after finishing  a 10-month run in Mid-South. No references to George Gray this week. Weird to see Gang in his early days with long hair and not wearing black. Easy win with the power slam.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sir Oliver Humperdink
A few parting shots from Humperdink. He says ’83 will be his year.

Match 3
Dory Funk, Jr. d. Mark Fleming
We go right to our next match. No mention of the $100,000 Golden Challenge anymore. Caudle says we’ll see footage of another House of Humperdink member, Bruiser Brody. Funk wins with the spinning toe hold submission.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Dory Funk, Jr.
This is in lieu of local promos. The two discuss various goings-on. Funk praises Steamboat & Youngblood, even Sweet Brown Sugar. But, Sugar has a big mouth. It’s a conspiracy against Funk. He says he’s fought animals — no, not going the racist rout, he means it literally i.e. cattle — so he’s a tough guy.

[Break]
Match 4
Sweet Brown Sugar d. Ken Timbs
Caudle notes Sugar has a hard head. Of course. Sugar wins with a weird looking move. It looks like he is going for a flying head scissors, but ends up rolling forward. Timbs is on his back, with Sugar’s legs squeezing his head. The move befuddled Caudle.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sweet Brown Sugar; Jack Brisco; Roddy Piper
Sugar responds to Funk. He promises to pay Funk back as long as (Sugar) is “young, gifted and black.” Brisco comes in to talk about One Man Gang and Bruiser Brody in the area. He calls Humperdink a rooster.
Piper is in. He still has a big bruise on his left temple. He said he has to be on good behavior. He talks about Flair & Valentine. A calmer Roddy this time.

[Break]

Match 5
Non-Title: Jack Brisco [Mid-Atlantic ch.] d. Joe Lauren
Very interesting match. Short, but Lauren controls nearly all of it. Brisco’s only moves are of the defensive variety. Big bear hug by Lauren (aka the future Road Warrior Animal). Brisco reverses a body slam into a roll up to escape the win. 

[Break]

Match 6
Bob Orton, Jr. d. Masa Fuchi
We jump to the next match (see explanation at the end). Caudle still pronounces it “Fuji.” Lots of wrestling here. Orton, showing his versatility, wins with a jumping splash from the inside turnbuckle. Think of that move Vader used to do. Not sure why the abrupt cut into the match. Wonder what got cut.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudel: Jack Brisco; Bob Orton, Jr.
Brisco puts over Lauren. Obviously, they saw something in that power house. Brisco talks about causing trouble to the House of Humperdink. Saying Jos LeDuc is going after him. Orton talks more of the battles against Humperdink.  He puts over Ernie Shavers as the trouble shooting referee.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sir Oliver Humperdink

[TAPE] Championship Wrestling from Florida: Bruiser Brody
Humperdink throws to a clip from Championship Wrestling from Florida, of a studio match involving Brody. Humperdink does most of the narration. James J. Dillon and Big John Studd are in Brody’s corner. Bill Alfonso is the referee, and you can faintly hear Gordon Solie in the background. Brody wins with a knee to the throat. Humperdink talks smack on Brisco, Piper, etc.

Match 7
NonTitle: Greg Valentine [United States ch.] d. Pork Chop Cash
Valentine dominates, and pins Cash by taking a abdominal stretch and falling back into a pinning position. Didn’t even work the legs.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Greg Valentine; Dory Funk, Jr.; Don Kernodle
Valentine noted the finish of his match, saying he could be called the Man of 1,000 Holds. Valentine cedes to Funk, to allow him to catch his breath. Funk calls Sugar and Ernie Shavers “Stymie and Buckwheat.” Caudle refers to a video earlier in the hour of Ernie Shavers (which I guess explains the cut between the Brisco and Orton matches).

Kernodle talks smack on Youngblood and Steamboat. Valentine then gets concern saying he should be barred from the studio. Piper is on the set. Piper says he doesn’t want trouble. Valentine pokes him and calls him a punk. Piper then knocks Valentine down with a big right hand. The Hammer sells the heck out of it. He recovers to run down Piper.

“So long for now!”

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

End notes: As this is the last episode of 1982, my awards for the year:

MVP: Roddy Piper
Piper did it all. Great heel. Great babyface with a turn in August. Dynamite interviews. And his matches were decent too.
Babyface: Jimmy Valiant
Very subjective here. But, fans ate up Valiant’s act. He was in Mid-Atlantic as a babyface all year long.
Heel: Sgt. Slaughter
Slight edge over Piper. Slaughter was in the territory all year as a heel. Just carried on that great bully demeanor.
Technical wrestler: Jack Brisco
Need I say more.
Match of the year: Brisco vs. Piper, 7/10/82 Mid-Atlantic TV
Since this can only really be based off what was aired on TV, this match was dynamic. Culmination of weeks of smack talking on both sides. The top heel and babyface meeting. The importance of the championship. And, a finish that saw Piper nail Brisco with a roll of coins, then completely deny it. Classic stuff.
Tag team: Slaughter & Kernodle
A very helter-skelter year for tag teams in Mid-Atlantic. Especially, with the World tag team tournament debacle. But, once Slaughter & Kernodle showed up in September as new tag team champions, they gelled and engaged in an outstanding feud vs. Steamboat & Youngblood that culminates in the next year.

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

Results for the week, 12/20/82-12/26/82
(source: Clawmaster’s Archive via Sports and Wrestling blog posted by David Baker; “Wrestling” newsletter by Joe Shedlock

Sat., 12/25/82 Charlotte, NC; Charlotte Coliseum
Roddy Piper beat Greg Valentine
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood beat Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle
Jimmy Valiant, Bob Orton & Jerry Brisco beat Jos Leduc, Bruiser Brody & Oliver Humperdink
Jack Brisco beat Paul Jones
Mike Rotundo beat Leroy Brown to win NWA Television Title
Johnny Weaver & Sweet Brown Sugar beat Gene Anderson & Dory Funk, Jr.
Bill White beat Mike Davis
Rick Harris beat Porkchop Cash
Pvt. Nelson beat King Parsons

Sun., 12/26/82 Greensboro, NC; Greensboro Coliseum
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood beat Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle
Roddy Piper beat Greg Valentine in a Texas death match
Sweet Brown Sugar beat Dory Funk, Jr. in match with Ernie Shavers as special referee
Jack Brisco beat Bruiser Brody by DQ
Mike Rotundo beat Paul Jones
Jerry Brisco & Bob Orton, Jr. beat Gene Anderson & Masa Fuchi
One Man Gang beat Mike Davis

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: December 18, 1982

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
on the WWE Network

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV Summaries & Reviews
by David Taub
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is a review of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as it appeared on the WWE Network. Results are included for the week (Monday-Sunday of the given week) as available. Please email with any corrections, typos, results, other details at 1davidtaub@gmail.com. Follow @TaubGVWire

For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.


Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 12/18/82
(taped 12/15/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show Mid-Atlantic 12/18/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]

Bob Caudle opens the show. The World tag team champions will be here. So is “One Man Gang” George Gray.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sweet Brown Sugar
Sugar throws to a tape. David Crockett presides over a contract signing between Sugar and Dory Funk, Jr. in his $100,000 Golden challenge. Funk says he’s willing the time limit to 15 minutes. Crockett explains the contract also calls for a special referee, boxing legend Ernie Shavers. Sugar is laughing. Funk is agitated. He attacks Sugar for laughing and bodyslams him on the concrete floor. Back to the interview. Sugars vows revenge on Funk.

[Break]

Match 1
Non-Title: Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle [World Tag Champs] d. Mike Davis & Abe Jacobs
Before the match starts, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood jump in the ring and attack Slaughter & Kernodle. The action goes around to the announcer’s desk. We hit a break as the action is still going on.

[Break]

The match starts after the break. Stu Schwartz is the referee for the hour. Steamboat & Youngblood leave the studio. Interesting move where Slaughter gets his partner up in a fireman’s carry, then drops his knee into Davis’ throat. The extra weight made the move that much more devastating. Slaughter pins Davis after the Atomic Bomb (clothesline off the top rope, with Kernodle holding Davis). After, Steamboat & Youngblood run in, and the four men brawl to the back.

[Break]

Match 2
Jimmy Valiant & Bob Orton, Jr. d. Ricky Harris & Jim Dalton
A jump cut, and the Network edit music leads to the next match. Valiant has dollar signs on the side of his tights, and “Honey & Money” on the back. Orton has Dalton in the piledriver, and Valiant spikes him for the pin. I always thought the spike piledriver was illegal. I guess not.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jimmy Valiant & Bob Orton, Jr.
Orton says Slaughter & Kernodle better watch out. He tells Humperdink that nothing is safe. Valiant says Orton is a street fighter. Caudle asks Orton about Ernie Shavers. He says a wrestler can beat a boxer, but Shavers isn’t here to wrestle. He’s here to keep law and order.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sir Oliver Humperdink & One Man Gang
Humperdink introduces his new man. Of course, that means to get his hands on Jimmy Valiant. 

Match 3
One Man Gang (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Keith Larsen
Caudle refers to him as “One Man Gang” George Gray. A short victory, finishing off Larsen with the power slam.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
Classic fired-up babyface promo from Youngblood. Slaughter & Kernodle put him out of action. They took fod off his table. He’s back and he wants revenge. Steamboat (clean shaven) concurs, saying Slaughter & Kernodle are scared of them.

[Break]

Mach 4
Dory Funk, Jr. d. Ron Ritchie
Caudle refers to the video earlier of Funk attacking Sweet Brown Sugar. Caudle talks about how Orton and Valiant have been training Sugar, and that Ernie Shavers will be a special referee for upcoming bouts. Ritchie gets his offense in. But, he makes a mistake, missing a leap over Funk. A moment later, Funk applies the spinning told hold for the submission win.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Dory Funk, Jr.
This is in lieu of local promos. Funk says Ernie Shavers coming in is a conspiracy. Funk says he is better than Flair (remember, both are heels at the time). 

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Dory Funk, Jr.
Funk talks about his $100,000 challenge. He wonders where the challenge is from Dusty Rhodes or Mike Graham? 

[Break]

Match 5
Mike Rotundo d. Ken Timbs
For whatever reason, no Leroy Brown. Orton and Valiant are out to support Rotundo, and join Caudle on the mic. Rotundo has a new cap, noted by Orton. Valiant gets his jive in on the mic, talking about how tough Rotundo is. Valiant says One Man Gang is bigger than Andre. When Rotundo gets the airplane spin on Timbs, Valiant chimes in “Let’s go to the bar and get some beer, brother.” I guess that means it’s the finish. It was.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle; One Man Gang and Sir Oliver Humperdink
Kernodle denies they ran from Steamboat & Youngblood. They will put them out of wrestling permanently. Slaughter starts quoting the lyrics to “Dirty Laundry” by Don Henley. He talks trash on Youngblood. 30 more seconds, and he would be in the morgue.
Slaughter then shakes Oliver Humperdink’s hands, and thanks him for Mr. Gray watching their back. Humperdink gives more ominous warnings to Jimmy Valiant.

“So long for now!”

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

Results for the week, 12/13/82-12/19/82
(source: Clawmaster’s Archive via Sports and Wrestling blog posted by David Baker; “Wrestling” newsletter by Joe Shedlock

Mon., 12/13/82 Greenville, SC; Memorial Auditorium
Ben Alexander d. Abe Jacobs
Mike Davis d. Joe Lauren
Jim Dalton & Rick Harris d. Ron Ritchie & Keith Larsen
Keith Larsen DRAW Masa Fuchi
Dusty Rhodes d. Leroy Brown
Roddy Piper d. Greg Valentine by DQ

Tue., 12/14/82 Columbia, SC; Township Auditorium
Pork Chop Cash d. Ben Alexander
King Parsons d. Bill White
Paul Jones d. Pork Chop Cash
Jack Brisco d. Jos LeDuc
Roddy Piper d. Greg Valentine

Wed., 12/15/82 Charlotte, NC; WPCQ-TV studio
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling:
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Mike Davis & Abe Jacobs
Jimmy Valiant & Bob Orton, Jr. beat Ricky Harris & Jim Dalton
One Man Gang beat Keith Larson
Dory Funk, Jr. beat Ron Ritchie
Mike Rotundo beat Ken Timbs
World Wide Wrestling:
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood beat Ricky Harris & Pvt. Nelson
Jimmy Valiant & Bob Orton, Jr. beat Masa Fuchi & Joe Lauren
One Man Gang beat Mike Davis
Dory Funk, Jr. beat Keith Larson
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle D Ron Ritchie & ??

Thu., 12/16/82 Sumter, SC
Ricky Harris beat Abe Jacobs
Pvt. Nelson beat Ben Alexander
King Parsons beat Jim Dalton
Mike Rotundo beat Leroy Brown by countout
Jimmy Valiant beat Jos LeDuc in a cage match

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: December 11, 1982

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
on the WWE Network

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV Summaries & Reviews
by David Taub
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is a review of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as it appeared on the WWE Network. Results are included for the week (Monday-Sunday of the given week) as available. Please email with any corrections, typos, results, other details at 1davidtaub@gmail.com. Follow @TaubGVWire

For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.


Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 12/11/82
(taped 12/08/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show Mid-Atlantic 12/11/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]


Bob Caudle introduces the show, saying the World champ and the U.S. champ will be here.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle
Again, we go to the 11/12/82 clip in Charlotte of Slaughter & Kernodle injuring Youngblood. Nothing new added that we haven’t heard for the last month. Kernodle says it was his greatest thrill. The video freezes at the point that Kernodle lifed Youngblood’s leg (no “censored” graphic this time).

[Break]

Match 1
Non-Title: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle [NWA World Tag Champs][ch.] 
d. Ron Ritchie & Mark Fleming
Stu Schwartz is the referee for the hour. The lighting/video quality is better this week. The name of the double team top rope clothesline is the Atomic Bomb. Mostly Ritchie in the match, and he takes a beating. Slaughter comes off the top with that Atomic Bomb for the finish.

[Break]

Match 2
Bob Orton, Jr. d. Ken Timbs
Caudle says Dusty Rhodes, Abdullah the Butcher, “One Man Gang” George Gray are coming in. So is Bruiser Brody. Orton is wrestling aggressively for a babyface. Orton wins following a Samoan drop!

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco, Bob Orton, Jr.
This is in lieu of local promos. Brisco says he’s not satisfied with beating Jones just yet. No mention of when and where he regained the Mid-Atlantic title (Nov. 30 in Columbia). Orton says the House of Humperdink barred Piper from the TV station. It’s time to fight fire with fire.

[Break]

Match 3
Non-Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship: Jack Brisco [ch.] d. Rick Connor
Caudle pushes wrestling tickets as a holiday gift. Brisco takes his time, winning with the Figure Four.

-Comments from Mike Rotundo
This is in lieu of local promos. Rotundo is deadpanning to the camera, saying he has another match vs. Leroy Brown. In comes the Network edit music, and here comes Jimmy Valiant and Bob Orton, Jr. Valiant says he can’t face Leroy Brown like that, he needs to be a streetfighter like Orotn.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco, Bob Orton, Jr.
A Network edit takes us into this interview. Orton talks about being a new father, saying his ideals have changed, not his style. For the record, Randy Orton was born April 1, 1980. He wants to fire up Mike Rotundo for his match vs. Leroy Brown. Brisco adds some comments to close out the interview.

[Break]

Match 4
Paul Jones d. Ken Hall
Caudle says Flair & Valentine are teaming later on, but prior to that match, we’ll hear from Piper via video tape. Piper isn’t allowed in the building at the same time as Flair & Valentine. This match is all Jones, winning with the Indian Death Lock submission. Jones chokes on his opponent after his match.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Ric Flair & Greg Valentine
Flair busts Caudle’s chops about North Carolina falling out of the Top 20. He puts over lots of heels, namely himself and Valentine. Flair’s head is scarred up. Valentine mentions how they held the World tag team championship before. Flair drops Dusty Rhodes’ name a few times. Nothing about Piper.

-Comments from Roddy Piper
Sort of a jump cut into this interview. Piper is on the World Wide studio. He starts with his back to the camera. When he turned around, the left side of his face is red and scraped up. He blames himself and calls himself stupid for letting Piper & Valentine attacking him. He says he looks like the Elephant Man. Then Piper goes nuts. He’s a fighter. He has a drawing board. He writes the word “Assume,” because when Flair & Valentine did that … well you know the rest.

[Break]

Match 5
Ric Flair & Greg Valentine d. Keith Larsen & Mike Davis
Mostly heels in this one. Flair submits Larsen with the Figure Four.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Greg Valentine, Ric Flair, Paul Jones
Valentine talks trash on Roddy Piper. He holds up the photo of Piper with his scraped up face. Flair then talks nonsense about some girls commenting how Piper looks better now. Flair lays on the insults. Jones gets his Piper insults in.

“So long for now” 

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

Results for the week, 12/06/82-12/12/82
(source: Clawmaster’s Archive via Sports and Wrestling blog posted by David Baker; “Wrestling” newsletter by Joe Shedlock

Mon., 12/06/82 Greenville, SC; Memorial Auditorium
Rick Harris d. Ken Hall
Joe Lauren d. Mike Davis
Johnny Weaver d. Pvt. Nelson
Pork Chop Cash & Kin Parsons d. Masa Fuchi & Rick Connors
Sweet Brown Sugar d. Paul Jones
Roddy Piper & Bob Orton, Jr. beat Ric Flair & Greg Valentine

Mon., 12/06/82 Fayetteville, NC; Cumberland County Memorial Arena
Jim Dalton d. Abe Jacobs
Gene Anderson d. Ron Ritchie
Mike Rotundo d. Leroy Brown
Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle d. Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco
Jimmy Valiant d. Jos LeDuc

Tue., 12/07/82 Raleigh, NC; Raleigh Civic Center
Jim Dalton d. Mark Fleming
Mike Davis d. Joe Lauren
Pork Chop Cash & Kin Parsons d. Frank Monte & Rick Harris
Bob Orton, Jr. d. Greg Valentine
Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle d. Jimmy Valiant & Sweet Brown Sugar
Jack Brisco d. Paul Jones

Tue., 12/07/82 Columbia, SC; Township Auditorium
Rick Rood beat Bill White
Ron Ritchie beat Masa Fuchi
Ken Timbs beat Abe Jacobs
Gene Anderson & Jim Nelson beat Keith Larsen & Johnny Weaver
Leroy Brown beat Mike Rotundo
Ric Flair d. Roddy Piper

Wed., 12/08/82 Charlotte, NC; WPCQ-TV studio
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling:
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Mark Fleming & Ron Ritchie
Bob Orton, Jr. beat Ken Timbs
Jack Brisco beat Rick Connors
Paul Jones beat Ken Hall
Ric Flair & Greg Valentine beat Mike Davis & Keith Larson
World Wide Wrestling:
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Ron Ritchie & Mike Davis
Paul Jones beat Mark Fleming
Bob Orton, Jr. beat Rick Connors
Jack Brisco beat Ken Timbs
Ric Flair & Greg Valentine beat Ken Hall & Keith Larson

Thu., 12/09/82 Norfolk, VA
Pvt. Nelson beat Mike Davis
Johnny Weaver beat Jim Dalton
Gene Anderson & Bill White beat Porkchop Cash & King Parsons
Paul Jones beat Mike Rotundo
Sweet Brown Sugar beat Jos LeDuc by DQ
Jimmy Valiant beat Leroy Brown by DQ
Greg Valentine beat Bob Orton, Jr.
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Jack & Jerry Brisco
NWA World Champion Ric Flair beat Roddy Piper by DQ (other reports say no contest)

Fri., 12/10/82 Charleston, SC; Charleston Town Hall
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Jack Brisco & Brad Armstrong
Johnny Weaver & King Parsons beat Gene Anderson & Pvt. Nelson
Mike Davis beat Jim Dalton
Porkchop Cash beat Bill White

Fri., 12/10/82 Richmond, VA; Richmond Coliseum
Rick Harris & Ken Timbs d. Keith Larsen & Ron Ritchie
Frank Monte d. The Road Warrior (aka Joe Lauren)
Jimmy Valiant & Mike Rotundo & Sweet Brown Sugar d. Jos LeDuc & Paul Jones & Sir Oliver Humperdink
Dusty Rhodes d. Leroy Brown
Cage match: Roddy Piper & Bob Orton, Jr. d. Ric Flair & Greg Valentine

Sat., 12/11/82 Asheville, NC
Ken Timbs d. Keith Larsen
Rick Harris d. Ron Ritchie
Mike Rotundo d. Gene Anderson
Paul Jones d. Johnny Weaver
Sweet Brown Sugar d. Leroy Brown by DQ
Jimmy Valiant d. Jos LeDuc
Roddy Piper d. Greg Valentine by DQ

Sun., 12/12/82 Toronto, ON; Maple Leaf Gardens (Maple Leaf Wrestling)
WWF World Champion Bob Backlund beat Buddy Rose in a Texas death match
Leo Burke beat Johnny Weaver by DQ
Salvatore Bellomo beat Mr. Fuji by DQ
Terry Kay beat Pvt. Nelson by DQ
Leroy Brown beat Porkchop Cash
Rudy Kay & Tony Parisi beat The Destroyer & Frank Monte
Billy Red Lyons beat Bobby Bass

Sun., 12/12/82 Greensboro, NC; Greensboro Coliseum
Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle beat Bob Orton, Jr. & Jimmy Valiant(23:00)
Jack Brisco beat Paul Jones(18:00) via pinfall
Roddy Piper beat Greg Valentine(21:00) by DQ
Sweet Brown Sugar beat Jos LeDuc by DQ
King Parsons beat Ben Alexander
Mike Rotundo beat Bill White
Ken Timbs beat Ron Ritchie

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: December 4, 1982

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
on the WWE Network

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV Summaries & Reviews
by David Taub
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is a review of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as it appeared on the WWE Network. Results are included for the week (Monday-Sunday of the given week) as available. Please email with any corrections, typos, results, other details at 1davidtaub@gmail.com. Follow @TaubGVWire

For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.


Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 12/04/82
(taped 12/01/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show Mid-Atlantic 12/04/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]


-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco
A low-key Brisco talks about regaining the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship from Paul Jones. No day or location are mentioned. He says he’s willing to take on anyone.
As Brisco leaves, Caudles shows a picture of a roughed-up Roddy Piper. His face is red and puffy. Caudle says he hopes Ric Flair will join them next week to talk about why he and Valentine injured Piper.

Leroy Brown joins Caudle, carrying a new TV championship belt (it looks like the US. Championship belt, but different. It is different than the new TV belt Jos LeDuc was wearing). Brown briefly mentions having to face Jimmy Valiant. My notes from the non-Network version of this episode had a Jimmy Valiant video riding motorcycles. My guess is it got edited off because of music copyright reasons.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle
We go back to the 11/12/82 Charlotte clip of Slaughter and Kernodle injuring Youngblood. Some trash talking by the heels. The video stops just as Slaughter had Youngblood in the Cobra Clutch, and Kernodle grabbed his legs.

Match 1
Non Title: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle [World Tag Team ch.] d. Ken Hall & Gary Black
Tommy Young is the referee for the hour. It appears there is some lighting problems in the studio, as things are dark. Slaughter pins Hall after the top rope Slaughter Cannon. Afterward, the team tries to put Hall in the two-man Cobra Clutch, but Young breaks it up.

[Break]

Match 2
Non-Title: Greg Valentine [United States ch.] d. Rick Rudd by DQ
All Valentine. He applies the Figure Four, then Piper runs in causing the DQ.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Bob Orton, Jr. & Sweet Brown Sugar
In lieu of local promo interview. Sugar (aka Skip Young) has been in Mid-Atlantic for a month, but this is his first appearance on this TV show. Orton talks a bit about Piper. Sugar talks about Brown ripping him off for the TV title. Orton concludes that Piper’s Palace will get the House of Humperdink, one by one.

[Break]

Match 3
Sweet Brown Sugar d. Joe Lauren
Another chance to see pre-Road Warrior Animal, Joe Lauren. Caudle says Sugar wants a TV title shot against Leroy Brown. Lauren tries, but is very green. Sugar goes for what looks like a flying body press, and some how turns it into a roll up for the pin. Caudle speculates Sugar tried for flying headscissor, and the replay confirms it. The greenness of Joe Lauren.

Match 4
Bob Orton, Jr. d. Rick Connors
A jump cut, and we go to the Orton match. Not sure what got cut out. Orton in control, combines mat wrestling and brawling. He finishes Connors with the superplex, wowing Caudle.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Mike Rotundo
My original notes say we missed an interview with Orton, Sugar and Valiant. Rotundo says he still wants Leroy Brown.

Match 5
NWA TV title: Leroy Brown [ch.] (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Mike Davis
Brown yells at Rotundo to leave. Rotundo says he will once Brown signs for a match. They say the agree, and Rotundo leaves. Caudle talks about what’s coming on the show (six-man) and his hopes for Ric Flair to be on next week to explain his attack on Piper. This match is all Brown, finishing off Davis with the elbow smash.

-Int. w/Caudle: Gene Anderson & Oliver Humperdink & Paul Jones & Jos LeDuc
This is in lieu of local promos, I think. Gene mumbles for 30 seconds, before Humperdink takes over. He wants the Mid-Atlantic belt back. Jones comes in to complain about his loss, calling Jack Brisco a thief. In comes LeDuc, in his plaid coat (smoking jacket?). LeDuc has some nasty words for Jimmy Valiant.

[Break]

Match 6
Gene Anderson & Joe LeDuc & Paul Jones (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Ron Ritchie & Johnny Weaver & King Parsons
LeDuc impressive with his strength and leverage moves on Ritchie. Parsons takes a beating fo ra while in the ring, but eventually tags out. Brief babyface control of the match. Jones finishes Ritchie off with the Indian Death Lock.

-Int. w/Caudle: Leroy Brown, Paul Jones, Jos LeDuc and Oliver Humperdink
Caudle talks about Piper’s Palace. Humperdink isn’t happy about that at all. He reminds Jimmy Valiant about Jos LeDuc. The Canadian Freight Train implies that Valiant paid off officials so LeDuc wouldn’t be in the TV title tournament (well, battle royal). Another A+ LeDuc promo. Humperdink says Jones is gunning for Brisco to regain the Mid-Atlantic belt. Next is Leroy Brown. Humperdink says he got his payback on NWA representative Sandy Scott by entering another House member in the tournament (I guess they ran tournaments in other cities, although the results don’t indicate it). He warns Mike Rotundo and Sweet Brown Sugar to beware.

“So long for now!”


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

Results for the week, 11/29/82-12/05/82
(source: Clawmaster’s Archive via Sports and Wrestling blog posted by David Baker; “Wrestling” newsletter by Joe Shedlock)

Tue., 11/30/82 Columbia, SC; Township Auditorium
Jack Brisco beat Paul Jones to win NWA Mid Atlantic Title

Tue., 11/30/82 Raleigh, NC; Raleigh Civic Center
Mike Davis beat Rick Connors
Frank Monte beat Ken Hall
Ricky Harris & Ken Timbs beat Keith Larson & Ron Ritchie
Greg Valentine beat Bob Orton, Jr.
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Jimmy Valiant & Sweet Brown Sugar by DQ

Wed., 12/01/82 Charlotte, NC; WPCQ-TV
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling:
Sgt Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Gary Black & Ken Hall
Greg Valentine d. Rick Rudd by DQ 
Sweet Brown Sugar beat Joe Lauren
Bob Orton, Jr. beat Rick Connors
Leroy Brown beat Mike Davis
Gene Anderson, Paul Jones & Jos LeDuc beat Ron Ritchie, Johnny Weaver & King Parsons
World Wide Wrestling:
Paul Jones, Jos LeDuc & Leroy Brown beat Ken Hall, King Parsons & Keith Larson
Sgt Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Rick Rood & Mike Davis
Bob Orton, Jr. beat Ricky Harris
Greg Valentine double DQ Gary Black 
Mike Rotundo & Sweet Brown Sugar beat Ken Timbs & Masa Fuchi
Jerry Brisco beat Rick Connors

Thu., 12/02/82 Sumter, SC
Sgt Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Jerry Brisco & Sweet Brown Sugar
Jimmy Valiant beat Jos LeDuc in a New York street fight
Jimmy Valiant beat Oliver Humperdink via pinfall
Johnny Weaver beat Rick Connors
Bill White & Ken Timbs beat Mike Davis & Ron Ritchie
Pvt. Nelson beat Kenny Hall
Jim Dalton beat Rick Hudson

Fri., 12/03/82 Charleston, SC
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle vs. Jimmy Valiant & Sweet Brown Sugar
King Parsons, Jerry Brisco & Johnny Weaver vs. Jos Leduc, Gene Anderson & Pvt. Nelson
Jim Dalton vs. Ken Hall
Rick Rudd vs. Bill White
Mike Davis vs. Rick Connors

Sat., 12/04/82 Hampton, VA
Leroy Brown d. Mike Rotundo
Jos LeDuc d. Johnny Weaver
Jack Brisco d. Roddy Piper by DQ
Jimmy Valiant d. Greg Valentine by DQ
Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle d. Jerry Brisco & Sweet Brown Sugar

Sun., 12/05/82 Roanoke, VA
Bill White d. Ken Hall
Jim Dalton d. Keith Larsen
Johnny Weaver d. Rick Connors
Gene Anderson & Pvt. Nelson d. Ron Ritchie & Mike Davis
Leroy Brown d. Mike Rotundo
Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle d. Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco
Roddy Piper & Jimmy Valiant & Sweet Brown Sugar d. Jos LeDuc & Greg Valentine & Sir Oliver Humperdink

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: November 27, 1982

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
on the WWE Network

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV Summaries & Reviews
by David Taub
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is a review of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as it appeared on the WWE Network. Results are included for the week (Monday-Sunday of the given week) as available. Please email with any corrections, typos, results, other details at 1davidtaub@gmail.com. Follow @TaubGVWire

For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.


Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 11/27/82
(taped 11/24/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show Mid-Atlantic 11/27/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]


Once again, the show opens up with a match already in the ring.

Match 1
Mike Rotundo d. Rick Harris
Roddy Piper is with Bob Caudle on the mic. Stu Schwartz is the referee for the hour. Piper promises to be quiet and only answer when asked a question. Caudle doesn’t buy it for a moment. Rotundo wins a quickie with the pin following an airplane spin.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Mike Rotundo
Rotundo wants another crack at Leroy Brown, after losing three times (well technically one was a DQ win) on TV. He won’t be satisfied until he can beat Leroy. If he wants to say in professional wrestling, he has to beat guys like Leroy Brown.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sgt. Slaughter
They review the same 11/12/82 Charlotte Slaughter & Kernodle vs. Steamboat & Youngblood match we saw last week. This time, Slaughter narrates and gives his perspective. Steamboat & Youngblood were cheating. He and Kernodle were mighty. Slaughter really puts over the Slaughter Cannon finisher, where Kernodle held up Youngblood, and Slaughter came off the top rope with a clothesline. Slaughter says Steamboat will retire if Youngblood doesn’t return.

[Break]

Match 2
Non-Title: Paul Jones [Mid-Atlantic champ.] d. Masa Fuchi
Piper is still there, and is announcing like a low-key, intelligent color commentator. Pretty insightful actually. He notes the difference in the American and Japanese styles. Caudle says we will have a live Ric Flair workout later in the hour. An even match, but Jones finds an opening and applies the Indian Death Lock for the submission. “The counter is don’t get in it,” Piper said.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Paul Jones
Jones dons a gaudy cowboy hat. He has blood on his chest, looking like it came from a scratch. Jones puts over Ric Flair. Jones is indignant when Caudle praises Dusty Rhodes. If he could pick as dream from Florida, it would be John Studd or Angelo Mosca. He talks about how he threw the Florida title off a bridge once. Jones also goes off on Piper.

[Break]

Match 3
Bob Orton, Jr. & Jack Brisco d. Bill White & Ken Timbs
Timbs is sporting new blonde hair. Caudle brings up Paul Jones. Piper doesn’t take the bait. Piper notes how Orton almost beat Bob Backlund. Check those matches out on You Tube if you can find them, two from the Spectrum and one from MSG. Orton finishes Timbs off with a power slam for the pin.

-Comments from Roddy Piper
Piper is on the World Wide set, talking about the House of Humperdink. He brings in Bob Orton, Jimmy Valiant and Abdullah the Butcher. Jimmy is dancing going nuts. Abdullah keeps smashing a board into his head. Jimmy keeps switching hats. Pretty nutty. This may have been a local promo

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco
Weird Network rejoin into this one. Brisco is low-key, talking about getting the Mid-Atlantic championship back from Paul Jones; Jay Youngblood’s injury; and the Brisco Brothers desire to go after the tag team championship.

[Break]

Match 4
Non-Title: Greg Valentine [U.S. Champion] d. King Parsons
No Sir Oliver Humperdink this week, I guess. Easy win for Valentine with the elbow smash.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Roddy Piper
Piper steps away from the desk to deliver another rant to Caudle. Not his best rant, but could. Focuses on the House of Humperdink. Says he has Piper’s Palace. They can continue to hurl insults, or they can get in the ring.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Ric Flair
Flair insults a woman in the crowd. He says he will have workout in the ring as a treat for the fans

-Ric Flair workout
Flair does referee’s position with Keith Larsen. Flair escapes easily from the bottom, then scores a pin from the top. Ron Ritchie’s turn. Flair has a harder time, but escapes and then makes the pin. Note, the referee isn’t actually counting the pin. Flair is about to call it a day. He insults Piper on the way out. Piper jumps in the ring to accept Flair’s challenge.
Flair accepts. He tells the referee to count the pin this time. He starts on the bottom. He can’t escape, as the head into the ropes. Piper’s turn on the bottom. Piper escapes. Flair wants another shot. Piper sets up on the bottom. Flair kicks him in the ribs and starts to beat on Piper. Flair lowers his head, and Piper with the swinging neckbreaker and makes the cover. Piper gets the pin, with the referee counting.
Piper tells Caudle, he beat Flair amateur, he beat him pro, what’s next amateur?
Flair says he wants another go in the ring. Piper says he has nothing to prove. Valentine comes back, and sneak attacks Piper. Flair and Valentine rub Piper’s face on the floor. That is a dirty looking floor too. Larsen and Ritchie try to make the save, but to no avail. The heels continue to rub Piper’s face into the floor, and punch his head as well. Surprisingly, no blood.
Back in the ring, more face rubbing. Caudle notes they are trying to give him a mat burn. Orton comes to make the save, and the heels eventually take a powder.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Paul Jones, Sgt. Slaughter, Greg Valentine and Ric Flair
Jones is out first and insults Piper and praises Flair and Valentine. Slaughter, Flair and Valentine join in. Flair starts yelling at David Crockett off screen, talking about millions and other nonsense. Slaughter joins in.
Flair narrates a replay of the attack on Piper. He notes they did the same thing to Steamboat a few years ago. Sarge says he’s declared war on North Carolina. He wishes he was part of it. Flair says he was, taking out Jay Youngblood.
Talk turns to Bob Orton. Flair praises Orton, “But this isn’t New York. This isn’t Atlanta. This isn’t Kansas City. This is the Carolinas!”
Slaughter notes “This isn’t Bob Backlund. This ain’t Pedro Morales or Jimmy Snuka. This is the world’s greatest.” Slaughter says the Mid-Atlantic is where the most money is made.

“So long for now.”

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

Results for the week, 11/22/82-11/28/82

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: November 20, 1982

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
on the WWE Network

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
TV Summaries & Reviews
by David Taub
Mid-Atlantic Gateway Contributor

This is a review of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling as it appeared on the WWE Network. Results are included for the week (Monday-Sunday of the given week) as available. Please email with any corrections, typos, results, other details at 1davidtaub@gmail.com. Follow @TaubGVWire

For links to all available summaries as well as links to the Mid-Atlantic Championship Podcast, visit our TV Summary Index.


Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
Original broadcast: 11/20/82
(taped 11/17/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show: Mid-Atlantic11/20/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]

Match 1
Bob Orton Jr. d. Ben Alexander
Again, the show starts with the match in progress, and again a short match. Orton wins with an atomic drop, followed by a back suplex with a bridge for the pin. Roddy Piper is on commentary and complimentary of Orton. Tommy Young is the referee for the hour.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle and Roddy Piper: Bob Orton, Jr.
Orton said Piper called him, interrupting his vacation. But, he didn’t mind if it meant battling the House of Humperdink. Is it me, or Orton looks and somewhat wrestles like Terry Funk?
[break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Ricky Steamboat
Steamboat is working on a beard.
ARENA CLIP:  Slaughter & Kernodle vs. Steamboat & Youngblood from 11/12/82 in Charlotte.
Classic double-teaming, referee distracting maneuvers on Steamboat. He finally breaks free with a big suplex on Kernodle for the hot tag. A few moments later, Steamboat slingshots Youngblood on top of Slaughter for the apparent 1-2-3. But Slaughter had his foot on the ropes, and referee Tommy Young extends the match. As Youngblood and Steamboat celebrate, Kernodle knees Steamboat who collides into Young wiping both men out. He heels double team Youngblood. Slaughter has the Cobra Clutch. Young tries to break it up, but Kernodle tosses him away.
With the clutch on, Kernodle grabs his legs. Then, we get the “censor” screen. Steamboat says “Jason” had his neck muscles ripped out. Steamboat and Young drag and carry out Youngblood. Steamboat says he took his partner to the emergency clinic. Youngblood flew to Texas to look at a specialist. But, he’ll be back in a few weeks. He’s going to go down fighting.
Not sure were Youngblood went. I checked Japan results, and I didn’t see him listed.

[Break]

Match 2
Roddy Piper d. Jim Nelson
Piper has the kilt, but plain light blue tights. Nelson isn’t even called “Private,” wearing just a black singlet. A very aggressive Piper gets the pin after a saulto suplex.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco
ARENA CLIP: Paul Jones vs. Jack Brisco from the Charlotte Coliseum.
Brisco joins in to narrate. At one point, referee Sonny Fargo gets knocked out of the ring. Jones goes for a roll up. Brisco kicks out, and Jones deliberately jumps over the top rope attempting to fool Fargo that it was intentional for a DQ. Fargo recovers, and doesn’t buy Jones’ act. Back in the ring, Brisco locks in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. But, he gets a rope break. Brisco refuses to let go and Fargo calls for the DQ. Brisco says he’s weakened Jones for next time.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco
This is in lieu of local promos. Brisco mentioned the show is now seen in Florida, and gives a shout out to Dusty Rhodes. Caudle and Brisco go over general Mid-Atlantic items: House of Humperdink, Slaughter & Kernodle vs. Steamboat & Youngblood

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Greg Valentine
Before they go to a clip of Valentine winning the U.S. championship, Valentine gloats.
ARENA CLIP: Greg Valentine wins U.S Title from Wahoo McDaniel in Norfolk Scope Arena
We go to the clip from 11/12/82 Norfolk. Valentine narrates, insulting Wahoo often.

Match 3
Jack Brisco d. Dory Funk, Jr. by DQ
Holy cow! Funk vs. Brisco on TV! And, it’s the $100,000 challenge to boot. Lots of counters and mat wrestling. Each man quickly escapes the other’s leg lock. But this match only lasts a few minutes. Funk is DQ’d for intentionally tossing Brisco over the top rope.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sir Oliver Humperdink & Leroy Brown
ARENA CLIP: Dusty Rhodes vs. Brown from 11/12/82 Charlotte.
Humperdink says they will soon face in a Bullrope match. Humperdink doesn’t know what it is, but Brown does. Lots of Dusty insults. The tape stops. Not sure if it is a Mid-Atlantic problem originally, or it got damaged over time.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sir Oliver Humperdink & Leroy Brown
This is in lieu of local promos. Brown talks smack about Mike Rotundo. They meet next.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Mike Rotundo
Rotundo has brief words before the next match.

Match 4
Leroy Brown (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Mike Rotundo
No neck collar this week for Rotundo. Brown dominates most of the match. Rotundo counters with a series of ankle picks to take down Brown. On their feet, Rotundo has Brown in the corner. Humperdink distracts, and Brown follows with a knockout punch followed by an elbow for the win.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle; Sir Oliver Humperdink & Paul Jones
Slaughter is wearing a camo sport coat and vest. They talk smack about Steamboat & Youngblood, as well as Piper & Abdullah. Sarge channels a Jim Croce song. Humperdink introduces Jones, who is wearing an atrocious red plaid sport coat. He threatens Jack Brisco. Jos LeDuc drops by, with a pull over shirt and jacket. He stays silent as Humperdink does the talking about the TV title and Sandy Scott.

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

Results for the week, 11/15/82-11/21/82
(source: Clawmaster’s Archive via Sports and Wrestling blog posted by David Baker; “Wrestling” newsletter by Joe Shedlock

Mon., 11/15/82 Greenville, SC; Greenville Memorial Auditorium
Abe Jacobs draw Rick Harris
Porkchop Cash & King Parsons beat Ken Timbs & Bill White
Ron Ritchie beat Pvt. Nelson
Sweet Brown Sugar beat Leroy Brown
Jimmy Valiant beat Greg Valentine by DQ
Jack Brisco beat Dory Funk, Jr.

Wed., 11/17/82 Charlotte, NC; WPCQ-TV studio
World Wide Wrestling:
Bob Orton, Jr. beat Jim Dalton
Dory Funk, Jr. draw Sweet Brown Sugar
Paul Jones beat Jack Brisco by DQ
Pvt. Kernodle beat Ron Ritchie
Roddy Piper beat Ben Alexander

Thu., 11/18/82 Sumter, SC
Wahoo McDaniel & Sweet Brown Sugar vs. Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle
Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Jack Brisco
Jay Youngblood vs. Paul Jones
Gene Anderson vs. Frank Monte
Porkchop Cash vs. Ricky Harris
Keith Larsen vs. Ben Alexander

Thu., 11/18/82 Harrisonburg, VA
Candi Malloy vs. Donna Christiannello
Jimmy Valiant vs. Jos LeDuc in a cage match

Fri., 11/19/82 Charleston, SC; Charleston Town Hall
Greg Valentine vs. Wahoo McDaniel
Porkchop Cash vs. Gene Anderson
Pvt. Nelson vs. Keith Larsen
Frank Monte vs. Rick Rudd
Gary Black vs. Masa Fuchi
Ricky Harris vs. Abe Jacobs

Sun., 11/21/82 Roanoke, VA
King Parsons beat Pvt. Nelson
Sweet Brown Sugar beat Gene Anderson
Leroy Brown beat Johnny Weaver [Weaver sub Piper]
Dory Funk, Jr. beat Mike Rotundo
Boot Camp match: Roddy Piper & Ricky Steamboat d. Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle [Piper sub Jay Youngblood]
U.S. title: Greg Valentine [ch.] d. Wahoo McDaniel
NWA World Heavyweight championship/title can change hands via DQ: Ric Flair [ch.] d. Jack Brisco