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

The Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngbood Tag Team: Where it All Began

by David Chappell
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

One of the greatest tag teams in the history of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling was the tandem of Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood. Five times NWA World Tag Team Champions from late 1979 until late 1983, Steamboat and Youngblood were the gold standard for fan favorite tag teams in that time period.

Ricky Steamboat entered the Mid-Atlantic area in February of 1977, and he soon became an established singles competitor and champion. On the tag team side of things, he formed a potent tag team with Paul Jones, capturing the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles with Paul later in 1977, and even had a brief run with Jones as the NWA World Tag Team Champions in the late spring of 1978.

Steamboat and Youngblood later became
NWA World Tag Team Champions

Youngblood entered the Mid-Atlantic territory in April of 1978 and his rise to stardom was much more stunted that Steamboat’s. During the early months of his Mid-Atlantic run, Jay shifted back and forth between the lower and mid card ranks, and Youngblood wasn’t positioned for a main event tag team run with Steamboat until it unexpectedly happened in the early autumn of 1979.

When Jim Crockett Promotions fans tuned into the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling television show that aired in many markets on July 15, 1978, they were likely excited about a couple of things that were teased in the show’s opening by hosts Bob Caudle and David Crockett. First was a replay from a memorable segment that occurred several months prior, where Blackjack Mulligan publicly taunted Ric Flair by showing off several personal items of Ric’s that Mulligan discovered in a van the two had jointly shared while they were friends.

The second thing that seemed noteworthy on this July 15, 1978 Mid-Atlantic show was a main event caliber bout between Greg Valentine and “Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods where Greg’s 1000 silver dollars were at stake in the ten-minute time limit match. The match would live up to expectations, as the two Mid-Atlantic stars went to an exciting ten-minute draw.

During the run down of the card’s scheduled contests, fans likely didn’t have much of a reaction when Caudle said, “Then, Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat will team together for more tag team action with Bill Howard and Frank Monte.” Or when Crockett continued, “That’s going to be a very good match because it’s a young team…an exciting combination.” The only question that this paring may have raised in the fans’ eyes was why was Steamboat teaming with this mid-carder, and not with his regular partner Paul Jones.

At the bout’s onset, Caudle exclaimed, “Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood, what a fine young team they make. Steamboat, [is] one half of the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champions along with his tag team partner Paul Jones who holds those belts. And it’s Youngblood who gets us started against big Bill Howard.” Almost immediately, Steamboat and Youngblood began isolating a single body part of their two opponents and their speed was clearly confounding their slower opponents.

Crockett then observed, “They’re doing very well together, Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood.” Jay then went on a run where he showcased some tremendous chops and an outstanding dropkick, and then he brought in Ricky for some fabulous chops of his own. Caudle said, “Steamboat and Youngblood are working very well together, like they’ve been in a few matches themselves together. Another tag, another quick change!”

As the short bout neared its conclusion, all four grapplers were in the ring at the same time when the good guys isolated Franke Monte and worked him over while Bill Howard was stuck in the corner, and pinned Monte in the process. Crockett exclaimed, “How about that! Good win by Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood!”

Caudle elaborated on the finish, “You could have counted a dozen! Well, the referee was slow getting there because he was busy and here in slow motion you see them come right over him and there goes Steamboat, got him with the elbow, here’s the chop and right here he had him pinned for the count of three and the referee could have counted a dozen with our winners Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood.”

In the next interview segment on the program, Caudle talked with Ricky and Jay gushing, “And here’s a couple of young fellows that just looked fantastic up there, and you two guys worked great together Ricky, Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood. You two worked together like you’ve been working together for years…just beautiful.” Steamboat replied, “This Indian right here uses chops similar to mine, and as you can see, even though this is the very first time we’ve been tagged up…we went against like Bill Howard and the guys of these likes that have been wrestling on and off this television for a long, long time, and we pulled out a victory!”

Caudle followed up, observing, “Oh man, it was more than pulled one out, I tell you, it was almost like you steamrolled right over them!” Steamboat answered, “Hey, I don’t know what it was, maybe it was a sixth sense or something as you could say, because every time he just gave me an eye or something, when I looked at him that was the time to tag out or get the other partner in there to work on the other guy.”

Bob then brought in Youngblood briefly, “Jay, I tell ya, you guys were fantastic!” Youngblood answered, “Thank you very much. First of all I’d like to say it’s a pleasure being back here in the Mid-Atlantic area…I’ve been gone for a couple of weeks. But I’ve been taking a tour of the Mid-Atlantic area [and] I’ve been watching Steamboat and I think we can get things going.”

While this first pairing of Steamboat and Youngblood in July of 1978 didn’t lead to anything at the time that would suggest these two would come to be one of the greatest tag teams in the promotion’s history, this TV match did provide a glimpse into the moves, style and teamwork that would become hallmarks of the tandem that would begin their magical carpet ride together in about another year. And what a ride Ricky and Jay had…and it all started with the humble beginnings of just another television match of two guys being thrown together on a hot July Saturday in 1978!

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

Detailed History of the United States Championship

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Order your copy of "Jim Crockett Promotions' United States Championship" today!

 

A Look Back at Enforcer Luciano's Ode to "The Godfather"

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

I thoroughly enjoyed David Chappell's recent post here remembering the funny moment on Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in 1980 when the mafioso Enforcer Luciano presented Blackjack Mulligan with a dead fish. ("Blackjack Mulligan vs. Enforcer Luciano ... in a FISH match??")

Enforcer Luciano with Bob Caudle and David Crockett

Luciano's intent, of course, was to play off the famous scene in the movie "The Godfather."

Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes. 

I didn't see the first Godfather movies when they first came out in theaters in the 1970s, it wasn't until I was in my twenties in the 1980s that I rented them on VHS and watched them, several years after I had seen the Luciano/Mulligan skit. So when Luciano and Mulligan played out this angle on TV, I had no idea at that time what the fish in the angle meant!


Blackjack played it like he didn't know what it meant either, claiming "Down where I come from it means you've been cat-fishing on a trout line or something."

Video of the Luciano/Mulligan angle on Mid-Atlantic television is not known to exist, but here (as a cultural point of reference!) is the scene in "The Godfather" on which this wrestling angle was based:

So Luciano was clearly sending a message to Blackjack that this is where things were headed. Relive the (somewhat) famous "fish" angle with Enforcer Luciano and Blackjack Mullgian by reading David Chappell's detailed account of it on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

 Originally published January 19, 2017 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.

Crockett Cup '85 Rolls On: Matches 11 and 12

MIKE RICKARD'S FANTASY WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
ROUND ONE CONTINUES

Catching up? Here is the background info:
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings

BRACKETS
Updated brackets going into tonight's matches.
[Links to previous matches at the bottom of this post.]



THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: #11 & #12 
Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Jr. vs. Thunderbolt Patterson and Manny Fernandez 
Rock-n-Roll RPMs vs. Mark and Jay Youngblood

The 1985 Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament is underway. Wait, did you just say 1985? It’s time to take a look at one of wrestling’s biggest events from the mid-80s and see what it might have been like with a few historical alterations. What if Jim Crockett Promotions hosted its tag team tournament the Crockett Cup in 1985 and included teams from promotions outside the National Wrestling Alliance (“NWA”) including the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling, and more? In this case, you’d have 48 of the greatest tag teams in the world battling in a winner take all tournament for $1,000,000 and the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Trophy.

First Round Rules: Here are the rules for the first-round matches. A pool of referees from the NWA, AWA, and WWF have been appointed for the tournament and randomly selected for each match. The first-round matches have a thirty-minute time limit and are sanctioned under NWA rules (throwing an opponent over the top rope is an automatic disqualification). The matches are one fall with a win obtained by a pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification.

The first-round matches are being held over two nights. The first eight matches took place at the Baltimore Civic Center on Thursday April 11. Bob Caudle and David Crockett are calling the matches tonight. The remaining eight matches in round one take place at the Norfolk Scope on Friday April 12. In match nine, Ted DiBiase and Steve “Doctor Death” Williams defeated Mike Graham and B. Brian Blair. Match ten saw Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Superstar” Bill Dundee score a tainted win over “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant and Bugsy McGraw. As we head into the last six matches of round one, keep in mind that these titanic teams are battling for more than just bragging rights—they’re competing for the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Trophy and a cool one million dollars.

LET'S GET THINGS UNDERWAY....

Earlier today, David Crockett spoke with “Raging” Bull Manny Fernandez and Thunderbolt Patterson about their upcoming match. Patterson tells Crockett Fernandez is the perfect partner and they’re looking forward to splitting the million dollars. “The Raging Bull” says Piper likes to talk trash but we’ll see how much he’s talking when he gets his teeth kicked in. David Crockett brings up “Cowboy” Bob Orton’s cast and notes it’s caused some controversy in the WWF and some of the competitors in the tournament are questioning whether he really needs it. Patterson looks at Crockett and says he’s heard a lot of jive but nothing like this. David informs T-Bolt that WWF officials claim Orton has a doctor’s note for the cast to which ‘Bolt replies, “A doctor? Only doctor that would do that is a veterinarian or Dr. Pepper.” T-Bolt says Orton will have a cast on both arms when he and the Raging Bull get done with him.

Tony Schiavone is backstage with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. Orton has a cast on his left forearm. Tony welcome Piper and Orton back to the Mid-Atlantic area and Piper gives Schiavone a dirty look. “Welcome back? Welcome back brother?” Piper replies. “I’m big time now brother, I’m here for one reason—one million dollars. My bodyguard here, Ace and I are going to slap some sense into these clowns and ride out with the trophy and the check.”

“What happened to your tag team partner’s arm? Can he compete?”

“Can he compete?” Piper replies. “’Cowboy’ Bob could wrestle with one arm and still beat these geeks. Say Tony, you ever have a broken arm?” Tony shakes his head no as he suddenly finds “Ace” Orton standing behind him, smacking his right hand on the cast. “Well don’t ask no more stupid questions or you won’t have to find out what it’s like”

MATCH 11
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. vs. Thunderbolt Patterson and Manny “Raging Bull” Fernandez
AWA referee Marty Miller is officiating this match and he takes a good long look at “Cowboy” Bob’s cast. Piper goes to lock up with ‘Bolt but backs up and tags in Orton, sneering at Patterson. No problem for Thunderbolt as he slugs Orton as soon as he comes towards him. Irish whip and T-bolt hits a double thrust on Orton, knocking him down. Patterson snapmares Orton into the babyface corner and tags in Manny. Fernandez rams Orton’s head into the turnbuckle and then chops him down to the mat. Bob Caudle talks up “The Raging Bull’s” martial arts prowess. David Crockett says Orton doesn’t know if he’s coming or going. Fernandez drops a forearm smash on Orton then tags in Patterson. Side headlock on Orton and Patterson punches him in the face, getting a warning from referee Marty Miller. Patterson whips Orton into the babyface corner where Fernandez greets him with an extended boot. The fans are loving every minute of this and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper is furious. Patterson peppers Orton with punches and “Cowboy” falls to the mat. T-bolt stomps Orton then tags in “Raging Bull.” Both babyfaces whip Orton into the ropes and catch “Cowboy” Bob with an elbow to the chest. Cover on Orton by Fernandez but Piper comes in and stomps Fernandez in the head. Piper goes over and spits at Patterson, who naturally, enters the ring. Marty Miller tells T-bolt to get back to his corner while Piper takes his opening and throws Fernandez through the ropes. Piper goes back to his corner as Orton staggers over and tags in “The Rowdy Scot.”

    Piper goes out after Fernandez and rams his head into the mat apron. Fernandez goes after Piper, but Piper counters with his patented “Piper Poke to the Eyes” and Fernandez is swinging wildly. Piper slams Fernandez to the concrete then throws him into the ring. Piper lifts Fernandez up and delivers a beautiful vertical suplex. Cover on Manny, but he kicks out at two. Piper stomps him in the head. Piper picks Manny up and whips him into the ropes, locking the sleeperhold on Fernandez. Piper has the hold in the center of the ring as Bob Caudle points out he's seen Piper put many opponents away with this hold before. David Crockett adds that “The Raging Bull” is already on one knee. The fans chant for Fernandez, but he’s slowly dropping towards the mat as Piper maintains a solid grip on the hold. The referee checks on Fernandez and lifts his arm only for it to drop. Fernandez’s arm drops a second time as Marty Miller raises it a third time. This time Fernandez raises his arm, and rises to one foot. David Crockett notes the look of worry on Roddy Piper’s face. Manny is fighting back and gets to both feet as the fans’ cheers grow louder, with Thunderbolt encouraging them by stomping on the mat apron. Fernandez elbows Piper and almost breaks loose. A second elbow and “The Raging Bull” is close to breaking out. Piper grabs Fernandez by the air and yanks him down to the mat. Marty Miller admonishes him about the hair pull. Fernandez is groggy as Piper picks him up and whips him into the corner. Piper charges in, but Manny lifts both his feet, catching Piper square in the face. Piper staggers backwards and tags in “Cowboy” Bob. Orton punches Manny then whips him into the ropes, but Manny ducks under him and bounces off the other ropes, surprising “Ace” Orton with “The Flying Burrito” (flying forearm smash). Cover on Orton for 1, 2…oh no, Piper has broken it up. Thunderbolt isn’t having it and comes in, slugging away at Piper. Marty Miller tells them to get back to their respective corners as they both ignore him. Meanwhile, Orton and Fernandez are battling it out in a neutral corner as Manny gets his second wind. The referee gives up on Piper and Patterson and turns his attention to the legal men in the ring. Fernandez whips Orton into the corner and charges in, but Orton gets out of the way. Fernandez drops to the mat as Orton covers him, putting his legs on the ropes for added leverage as the referee misses the underhanded tactics.

Winners: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. 

After the match Orton rolls out and pulls Piper out of the ring as they head to the dressing room, the fans booing them.


MATCH 12
The Rock-n-Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) vs. Mark and Jay Youngblood
It’s a battle of two babyface teams with Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling’s RPMs taking on Championship Wrestling from Florida’s Mark and Jay Youngblood. Jay Youngblood was a popular wrestler in the Mid-Atlantic region for many years so it should prove interesting to see who the fans cheer. Referee Dick Kroll conducts the customary pre-match inspection on all four wrestlers then motions for the match to start. It’s Mike Davis against Jay Youngblood as the fans get behind Jay, with some modest applause for Davis. Davis and Youngblood shake hands before a collar and elbow tie-up.  Side headlock on Jay but he slips out and applies a hammerlock on Davis. Bob Caudle points out that Davis could go for an elbow to the face to break out, but instead, the Rock-n-Roller backs Jay into the ropes, forcing a break. David Crockett points out that Jay Youngblood seems adept at tag team wrestling. Bob reminds his broadcast colleague that Jay held the NWA World Tag Team Championship five times with Ricky Steamboat, jogging David’s memory. Jay and Mike lock up again, this time with Mike inviting Jay to a test of strength. Mike lifts his right hand up, but Jay grabs his opponent’s arm and locks in an armbar. Jay applies pressure but again, Mike makes it to the ropes, getting a break. Bob Caudle points out both teams are keeping things fair but David Crockett wonders if the one-million-dollar prize will tempt anyone to cut corners as we’ve seen in previous matches. Side headlock on Davis as Davis slips out, whipping Jay into the ropes. Jay comes off with a shoulderblock, knocking Davis down. Jay whips Davis into the ropes but Davis counters, hitting a crisp dropkick on Youngblood. A second dropkick by Davis send Jay down to the mat as Davis tags in Tommy Lane. The RPMs whip Jay into the ropes and hit a double elbow on him, dropping him to the ground. Tommy drops an elbow on Jay then picks him up for a suplex. Cover for just about a two-count.

Tommy clocks Youngblood with a forearm, but Jay seems to shrug it off. He starts shaking as Lane punches him, with little effect. Jay starts dancing as David Crockett says, “We’ve seen this before. Lane has Jay’s dander up.” Jay chops Lane then whips him into the ropes, hitting another chop, this one flooring Lane. Bodyslam by Jay on Tommy Lane and a tag to Mark. Jay tugs on the top ropes, giving Mark some momentum as he dives over the top rope and he splashes Tommy Lane. Mike runs in for the save, but Jay chops him backwards as referee Dick Kroll makes the three-count.

Winners: Mark and Jay Youngblood

After the match the RPMs shake hands with Mark and Jay, and David Crockett says it’s good to see some teams showing good sportsmanship.

NEXT TIME:

Join us next time as World Class Championship Wrestling’s “Dynamic Duo” (Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez) take on Central States Wrestling’s American Starship (Starship Eagle and Starship Coyote) and brothers Bret and Buzz Sawyer lock horns with the WWF’s Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. 

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

PREVIOUS POSTS IN THIS FANTASY SERIES
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings Announced 
First Round: Matches 1 & 2
    Hennig/Blackwell vs. Mulligan/McDaniel
    Tyler/Whatley vs. Maharishi/Nagasaki
First Round: Matches 3 & 4
    Windham/Rotunda vs. Bockwinkel/Saito
    Rougeaus vs. Inoki/Sakaguchi
First Round: Matches 5 &6
    Barbarian/Graham vs. Hart Foundation (Hart/Neidhart)
    High Flyers (Brunzell/Gagne) vs. Savage/Poffo
First Round: Matches 7 & 8:
    The Von Erich vs. Blanchard/Abdullah the Butcher
    Tenryu/Tsuruta vs. The British Bulldogs
First Round: Matches 9 & 10:
    Graham/Blair vs. DiBiase/Williams
    Valiant/McGraw vs. Lawler/Dundee
First Round: Matches 11 & 12:
    Piper/Orton vs. Patterson/Fernandez
    Rock & Roll RPMs vs. Youngblood Brothers

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: November 13, 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: 11/13/82
(taped 11/10/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show: Mid-Atlantic11/13/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]


We skip the 11/06/82 show on the network. Too bad. The debuts of Rick Rood (losing to Paul Jones), Joe Lauren (aka Road Warrior Animal; teaming with Gene Anderson, and falling to the Brisco Brothers), plus Masa Fuchi (teaming with Ricky Harris) falling to Steamboat & Youngblood.

Match 1
Roddy Piper d. Frank Monte
This show starts right away with the match in progress. Stu Schwartz is the referee for the hour, and it doesn’t last long. Piper wins with a pin after a back suplex.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle
Slaughter & Kernodle confront Piper, saying he’s not so tough when he doesn’t have a 3-on-1 advantage. Slaughter challenges Piper, and Piper responds that he has a partner. Slaughter says since Piper wears a skirt, his partner is probably Moolah or Tommy Rich. Piper calmly says his partner is Abdullah the Butcher and walks away. Slaughter’s face is a classic. His jaw literally drops.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Roddy Piper & Wahoo McDaniel
Piper wants Flair. We go back to the 10/17/82 Charlotte clip of Flair & Valentine beating on Piper and Wahoo. Piper makes “60 minute” jokes on Flair. Piper is back to his crazy interview style. Piper says he’s glad to team with Wahoo.

Wahoo talks about losing the U.S. championship to Greg Valentine. We go to a clip, of a match between the two from an unmentioned arena. A tough-looking match. The finish sees Sir Oliver Humperdink hand Valentine an object, while “The Hammer” is out on the apron. Wahoo back suplexed Valentine back in the ring. While in midair, Valentine nailed him in the head with the object and scored the pin. Same exact finish as Santana vs. Savage from 1986 WWF. If this was indeed the title change footage, that was 11/04/82 in Norfolk, VA.

Match 2
Wahoo McDaniel d. Masa Fuchi
Despite “Fuchi” on the tights, Caudle pronounces it “Fuji.” Next week, Dusty Rhodes and Dory Funk, Jr. Soon, Bruiser Brody! Fuchi gets some offense, but succumbs to the chop of Wahoo McDaniel for the pin.

[Break]

Match 3
Jos LeDuc (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Ricky Rudd
That is indeed Rick Rood, aka Ravishing Rick Rude. But, going by “Rudd” here. Caudle says he has muscles on top of muscles. Caudle acknowledges LeDuc is the former TV champion, so I guess he was officially stripped on the 11/06/82 show. LeDuc wins with the one-arm backbreaker.

Match 4
Non-Title: U. S. Heavyweight Champion Greg Valentine (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink)
d. Ron Ritchie
First time I remember back-to-back matches. Caudle is on screen briefly as the bridge. It’s mostly Valentine. Ritchie gets a small flurry of chops. Valentine takes control with a jumping piledriver, back suplex, and elbow drop for the win.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sir Oliver Humperdink
Sir Oliver says Bruiser Brody is headed in. That was brief. King Parsons says he and Gary Black have nothing to lose. Gary Black says he’s served in the Marine Corp and can’t wait to punch Slaughter in the face. Black looks like another enhancement wrestler, Bob Owens

[Break]

Match 5 
Non-Title: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle [World Tag champs] 
d. King Parsons & Gary Black
All heel team in this one. Great double team moves. Slaughter forces Black to submit to the Cobra Clutch.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Sire Oliver Humperdink, Paul Jones, Greg Valentine, Leroy Brown and Jos LeDuc
We rejoin abruptly. Jones talks about the power of the House of Humperdink. Jones alludes to a future tournament for the TV championship. Valentine denies using brass knuckles in his defeat of Wahoo McDaniel. Humperdink talks more about the TV title tournament. He says LeDuc was stripped for attacking an NWA official, and now he’s not allowed to enter the tournament. Brown says not to worry.

Caudle introduces the next match via magic blue screen.

[Break]

Match 6
Leroy Brown (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Mike Rotundo by DQ
Rotundo is still wearing a neck collar. Caudle alluded to footage of Bruiser Brody that Humperdink showed, which may explain the abrupt rejoin. Rotundo gets some mat work in, but when the two men are standing, Brown has the advantage. He’s about to piledrive Rotundo, but Jack Brisco makes the save, but causes the DQ.

-Int w/Bob Caudle: Mike Rotundo
This is in lieu of local promos. Rotundo is very fired up, and wants Brown again next week.

[Break]

-Int w/Bob Caudle: Mike Rotundo
Rotundo gives the same interview, I guess for the portion of the audience that didn’t get the prior interview.

Match 7
Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco & Jimmy Valiant d. Ken Timbs & Pvt. Nelson & Gene Anderson
This match lasts less than 30 seconds. Jerry forces Timbs to submit to the Figure Four.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco & Jerry Brisco
Brief interview from the Briscos, mentioning the upcoming TV title tournament (but, no date or location).

As the credits start to roll, Caudle says “so long for now!”

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

Results for the week, 11/01/82-11/14/82

Ricky Steamboat defends Crockett's U.S. Title in Florida

Flair and Steamboat Travel to Florida for an Extra Payday During Crockett's Christmas Break
by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
Special Thanks to Mark Eastridge

Mark Eastridge Collection

As I've written about before here on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, I always loved when wrestlers with Crockett-area titles defended those belts in other territories. Specifically, the United States heavyweight championship and the NWA world tag team championships were occasionally defended outside the Mid-Atlantic territory in other areas such as Georgia, Florida, and Texas to name a few.

In December of 1977, just a few days before Christmas, Ricky Steamboat took the U.S. title to Championship Wrestling from Florida and successfully defended it in Miami Beach.

He didn't go alone. His top rival for the championship, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, was also booked for Eddie Graham's promotion the same night, but not as the challenger for Steamboat.

It was a bonus payday for both Flair and Steamboat, who were in the middle of what was Jim Crockett Promotions' annual Christmas break. Each year in those days, the Crockett promotion would shut down for two full weeks right before Christmas, returning to action for big shows on Christmas night.

Barry Rose Collection

In 1977, the last Crockett shows before the Christmas break were on Tuesday, December 13 at their regular Tuesday stops in Columbia, SC and Raleigh, NC. The next night, they taped multiple episodes of "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" and "Wide World Wrestling" at WRAL in Raleigh, including the annual year-end highlights shows, to get them through the next several weeks of TV while the company was down.

During the Crockett break, Steamboat and Flair took the opportunity to get themselves booked in Florida exactly one week later, on 12/21/77 at the Miami Beach Convention Hall.

Steamboat was the reigning U.S. champion at this time, having defeated Flair for the prestigious belt  in Greensboro, NC in October. He defended the title that night in Miami against another Mid-Atlantic regular Bill White. It was an interesting match-up and was likely White's only shot ever at the U.S. championship. Steamboat was successful in that title defense.

Flair wrestled Rocky Johnson in the semi-main event of this card, which was headlined by a WWWF title match between reigning champion "Superstar" Billy Graham and "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.

Also on the big card were Jack and Jerry Brisco, Bob Roop, Bob Orton, Jr., Buddy Roberts, Dutch Mantell and many others.

U.S. Champion Ricky Steamboat
in Miami Beach before his U.S. title defense
(plmathfoto@hotmail.com)

It was a homecoming of sorts for Steamboat. When he arrived in Florida in the spring of 1976 with only a few months experience under his belt, promoter Eddie Graham thought Richard Blood (his real name) looked so much like perennial Florida favorite Sam Steamboat, he gave him the name Ricky Steamboat. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Before returning to Miami as United States Champion, Steamboat's last match there had been a win over Jim Lancaster in the preliminaries on a card in July of 1976. 

With Superstar Graham on the card in Miami to defend the WWWF title against Rhodes, and two of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling's top stars supporting that card, it was one of the more unique cards to take place in Florida in those years.

Photographer and photo-collector Pete Lederberg owns the rights to photographs taken this very night in Miami Beach.  The photos were originally shot by area photographer Brian Berkowitz. The title defense and those photographs are a cool little bit of history for Jim Crockett Promotions' U.S. championship.

Berkowitz's photo above of Steamboat with the U.S. title belt was featured full page in color in the book "Jim Crockett Promotions' United States Championship", along with a few other photos licensed from Lederberg. See many other photos from this night (including match photos of Steamboat vs. White and Flair vs. Johnson) in Pete Lederberg's Facebook photo album: Miami 12/21/77.

Thanks to Mark Eastridge, Pete Lederberg, Carroll Hall, and Barry Rose for their contributions to this article.

 

Previously published September 26, 2016 on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Crockett Cup '85 Continues: Matches 9 and 10

MIKE RICKARD'S FANTASY WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
ROUND ONE CONTINUES

Catching up? Here is the background info:
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings

BRACKETS
Updated brackets going into tonight's matches.
[Links to previous matches at the bottom of this post.]



THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: #9 & #10
Mike Graham/Brian Blair vs. Ted DiBiase/Steve Williams
Jimmy Valiant/Bugsy McGraw vs. Jerry Lawler/Bill Dundee

The 1985 Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Tag Team Tournament is ready to begin. Wait, did you just say 1985? It’s time to take a look at one of wrestling’s biggest events from the mid-80s and see what it might have been like with a few historical alterations. What if Jim Crockett Promotions hosted its tag team tournament the Crockett Cup in 1985 and included teams from promotions outside the National Wrestling Alliance (“NWA”) including the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling, and more? In this case, you’d have 48 of the greatest tag teams in the world battling in a winner take all tournament for $1,000,000 and the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Trophy.

First Round Rules: Here are the rules for the first-round matches. A pool of referees from the NWA, AWA, and WWF have been appointed for the tournament and randomly selected for each match. The first-round matches have a thirty-minute time limit and are sanctioned under NWA rules (throwing an opponent over the top rope is an automatic disqualification). The matches are one fall with a win obtained by a pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification.

The first-round matches are being held over two nights. The first eight matches took place at the Baltimore Civic Center on Thursday April 11. Bob Caudle and David Crockett are calling the matches tonight. The remaining eight matches in round one take place at the Norfolk Scope on Friday April 12.

Match seven saw Kevin and Mike Von Erich defeat Tully Blanchard and Abdullah the Butcher. Unfortunately for Mike Von Erich, a post-match attack by Tully and Abdullah may keep him out of the tournament. Match eight featured an action-packed encounter between the WWF’s British Bulldogs and All Japan Pro Wrestling’s Genichiro Tenryu and Jumbo Tsuruta with the Bulldogs prevailing.

As we head into the last eight matches of round one, keep in mind that these all-star teams are battling for more than just bragging rights—they’re competing for the prestigious Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Trophy and a cool one million dollars.

Tony Schiavone is backstage with one of tonight’s teams—Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant and Bugsy McGraw. McGraw is flapping his arms like a bird and moving in circles while “Handsome” Jimmy high-fives Tony Schiavone. Schiavone asks Jimmy about his and Bugsy’s big match tonight. Valiant tells Tony he’s tangled with Lawler and Dundee before and they’re a tough team, but him and his brother Bugsy have the people behind them and nothing can stop the power of the people. Jimmy kisses Schiavone and tells him he loves him before him and Bugsy take off. Luckily, Valiant isn’t wearing lipstick or Tony might have some explaining to do to Lois when he gets home.


Mike Graham and B. Brian Blair vs. Ted DiBiase and Steve “Doctor Death” Williams:
Bob Caudle welcomes special guest commentator Gordon Solie to the announce booth. “The Dean of Wrestling Announcers” says it’s an honor to be part of such a prestigious tournament and that Jim Crockett Jr. has assembled the crème de la crème of the wrestling community. World Class Championship Wrestling referee David Manning performs the pre-match preliminaries then calls for the bell. The match begins with second-generation grapplers Ted DiBiase and Mike Graham locking up. Graham applies the headlock but DiBiase gets to the ropes, with Graham giving him a clean break. DiBiase offers his hand to Graham who shakes it only to get a kick in the gut followed by a punch. Graham punches back then hits a fireman’s carry, taking DiBiase down to the mat and applying a front facelock on the mat. DiBiase escapes and goes for a waist lock, but Graham reverses it and takes DiBiase down to the mat, rubbing his face into the mat for good measure. DiBiase slams his hands on the mat and tags in “Doctor Death” while Graham tags in B. Brian Blair. Williams invites Blair to try a test of strength but Blair is no dummy and when Williams raises his hands, Blair kicks him in the gut. Irish whip sends Williams into the ropes and Blair hits a dropkick, knocking Williams down. Arm bar on Williams as Blair tags in Graham. Graham and Blair whip Williams into the ropes and land a double elbow on him. Graham goes to work on Williams’s knee as Mike knees Williams’s knee. David Crockett tells Bob Caudle Graham is twisting Williams’s leg like a pretzel. “Doctor Death” goes for the hair to try and stop Graham, but Graham is keeping out of the way. Bob Caudle reminds David the best way to deal with a big strong man like Williams is to take him off his feet. Gordon adds that he’s seen Graham in plenty of matches and his amateur wrestling skills coupled with his professional wrestling game make him a master of the game of human chess. Graham continues the pressure on Williams’s leg as “Doctor Death” reaches for the ropes, forcing a break. Graham obliges then pulls Williams by his leg back into the center of the ring and drives his knee into Williams’s knee. Graham applies the figure four leglock with incredible speed as Bob Caudle wonders if it’s too early in the match. Gordon agrees but he points out that Graham does have it in the center of the ring. Mike has the move locked in tight as Solie points out the stress being inflicted on the various tendons and ligaments. David Crockett pulls out a pocket dictionary and begins looking up some of the words for future reference. “He’s got it locked in tight! Doctor Death is in trouble!” David Crockett adds.

However, David has spoken too soon as Ted DiBiase comes in and drops an elbow on Graham, forcing him to release the hold. B Brian Blair comes in and starts trading punches with DiBiase. David Manning tells DiBiase and Blair to get back to their corners and on his way back, DiBiase sees an opportune moment and drops a forearm smash to Graham’s back as he’s trying to reapply the figure four on Williams. Blair protests, naturally causing the referee to turn his attention to Blair instead of the heels. DiBiase throws Graham through the ropes where he lands outside the ring. Williams tags in DiBiase who goes outside the ring and rams Graham’s head into the mat apron before throwing him back into the ring. Ted bodyslams Graham then tags in “Doctor Death.” DiBiase and Williams whip Mike into the ropes and hit a double shoulder tackle. Gordon Solie tells Bob and David that Graham has incredible stamina, but even he has his limits. DiBiase whips Graham into the heel corner. Tag in to Williams who headbutts Graham, who is in the heel corner. Another tag to DiBiase.

Williams holds Graham as DiBiase comes off the second rope with an elbow to Graham’s head. Snapmare into a reverse chinlock. DiBiase is applying the pressure and weakening Graham down further. DiBiase whips Graham into the ropes and goes for a back body-drop but Graham counters and hits a Sunset Flip, getting a two count. DiBiase is furious and drops a fist on Graham, but Graham gets out of the way. DiBiase is getting flustered and goes to pick Graham up for a bodyslam, but Graham counters into a small package near the ropes. However, DiBiase grabs the ropes and gets enough leverage to reverse the small package, utilizing a handful of tights for the insurance policy.

Winners: Ted DiBiase and Steve “Doctor Death” Williams

MATCH #10
Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant and Bugsy McGraw vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Superstar” Bill Dundee: 
Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Superstar” Bill Dundee get a polite reception from the fans. The Manhattan Transfer’s “Boy from New York City” plays as the fans go crazy, knowing what’s next. It takes several minutes before the match can get underway as the wildly popular “Handsome” Jimmy slaps hands and hugs the fans at ringside while Bugsy is dancing around the ring, complete with aviator googles and a camouflage doo-rag. Gordon Solie points out that “The King” and the Superstar are watching with what appears to be mild amusement but after five minutes, their amusement appears to have turned to impatient anger. Bob Caudle tells Solie he believes he called it as Lawler and Dundee head out of the ring and start brawling with Valiant and McGraw. Bad move as Jimmy and Bugsy take offense to having their quality time with their fans interrupted. McGraw rams Dundee’s head into the mat apron while “The Boogie Woogie Man” rams Lawler’s head into the steel post. Valiant and Lawler have had their battles back in the Memphis territory and they’re picking right back where they left things.

Lawler is down on the floor while Valiant and McGraw throw Dundee into the ring. Both men whip “The Superstar” into the ropes and hit a double elbow. Referee Tommy Young tells one of them to get to their corner and Bugsy exits the ring while he’s slapping his chest. “Handsome Jimmy” claps his hands and dances a bit before dropping an elbow on Dundee. David Crockett tells Bob Caudle he read in a Pro Wrestling Illustrated scouting report that Valiant has a calcium deposit in his elbow that makes it more effective. Caudle tells him he’s going to have a long talk with Bill Apter about that one as the match continues. Valiant throws Dundee into the babyface corner where Bugsy introduces his boot to Dundee’s head. Dundee falls to the mat as Valiant tags him in. Bugsy digs deep into his arsenal and begins stomping Dundee. He picks him up and rams his head into the neutral corner. Dundee fires off some punches, sending McGraw back. Jerry Lawler is waiting to make the tag and he’s busted open.

McGraw and Dundee are slugging it out in the center of the ring as Tommy Young warns them to lay off the punches. Dundee hits an elbow on McGraw, stunning him, then hits a beautiful dropkick that sends Bugsy towards Lawler. Tag to “The King” who unloads with some punches on McGraw with Tommy Young admonishing Lawler for the fisticuffs. Bodyslam by Lawler on Bugsy. “Handsome” Jimmy decides to lend a hand and comes in without a tag, raking Lawler’s eyes. Dundee comes in and starts brawling with Valiant. Bob Caudle tells David Tommy Young is one of the NWA’s best referees and even he is having trouble controlling these two teams. Young does his best to separate Valiant and Dundee while they’re doing their best to clobber each other. Meanwhile, Lawler reaches into his tights and pulls out a small chain and slugs McGraw, who falls back down to the mat. Lawler tucks the chain away and covers Bugsy, yelling for Young to make the count. The fans are booing, but Tommy has no idea what happened and leaps to the mat, making the count 1-2-3. Bob Caudle says it looks like some wrestlers are willing to cut corners for that one-million-dollar prize. Gordon Solie says this tournament is going to show many wrestlers’ true nature. Gordon thanks Bob and David for letting him sit in on the commentary.

Winners: Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Superstar” Bill Dundee
Lawler and Dundee make their way back to the dressing room as the fans boo them. Back in the ring, “The Boogie Woogie Man” checks on his tag team partner.

Ten matches in with six more remaining in round one. Join us next time as the WWF’s “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr. take on hometown heroes Manny Fernandez and Thunderbolt Patterson while another Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling team, the Rock-n-Roll RPM’s (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) battle Florida Championship Wrestling’s Mark and Jay Youngblood. 

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

PREVIOUS POSTS IN THIS FANTASY SERIES
Tournament Announcement
Seedings and First Round Pairings Announced 
First Round: Matches 1 & 2
    Hennig/Blackwell vs. Mulligan/McDaniel
    Tyler/Whatley vs. Maharishi/Nagasaki
First Round: Matches 3 & 4
    Windham/Rotunda vs. Bockwinkel/Saito
    Rougeaus vs. Inoki/Sakaguchi
First Round: Matches 5 &6
    Barbarian/Graham vs. Hart Foundation (Hart/Neidhart)
    High Flyers (Brunzell/Gagne) vs. Savage/Poffo
First Round: Matches 7 & 8:
    The Von Erich vs. Blanchard/Abdullah the Butcher
    Tenryu/Tsuruta vs. The British Bulldogs
First Round: Matches 9 & 10:
    Graham/Blair vs. DiBiase/Williams
    Valiant/McGraw vs. Lawler/Dundee

Mid-Atlantic TV Report: October 30, 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: 10/30/82
(taped 10/27/82 at WPCQ-TV studios in Charlotte)
WWE Network Direct Link to this show: Mid-Atlantic10/30/82
WWE Network feed.   [How to watch this show on the WWE Network.]

Bob Caudle opens the show running down the lineup. The action is already in the ring.

Match 1
NWA TV Championship: Jos LeDuc [ch.] (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) d. Johnny Weaver
Stu Schwartz is the referee for the hour. Just as the match gets going, Caudle throws to a break

[Break]

The show resumes with LeDuc in control. In the hour, we’ll see the duo Caudle calls the uncrowned World tag team champions, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood. They will also be presented with a picture. Weaver works the leg, as Caudle mentions how beautiful the TV championship belt is. Dusty Rhodes is headed in, and Dory Funk, Jr. is headed back. Sweet Brown Sugar, Dick Murdock, Harley Race, Roddy Piper are all headed back. Weaver gets a sleeper, but LeDuc gets in the corner to break it up. Weaver goes for a bulldog, but LeDuc slips out. Weaver crashes into the corner. LeDuc makes the pin, using his feet on the ropes.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Paul Jones, Jos LeDuc, Sir Oliver Humperdink
Caudle introduces Jones as the new Mid-Atlantic champion. LeDuc and Humperdink are also there. Before Jones can say anything, Sandy Scott joins in. We haven’t seen Scott since May 15! Scott says he is ordering a restart against Weaver because LeDuc had his feet on the ropes. Humperdink refuses, and demands Scott keep his hands off him. We don’t really see anything, as LeDuc blocks the screen. LeDuc then gives Scott a shove, and Scott runs away. Jones continues with his interview, rambling about Sandy Scott.

Jones says he’s going to stick around on commentary. Scott returns again (LeDuc and Humperdink already left). Scott says he is taking this to the board, and either LeDuc will be fined, suspended or stripped of the belt.

Match 2
Wahoo McDaniel d. Ken Timbs
Jones talks about winning the championship. He teases where he won the title (10/25/82 in Fayetteville, NC), but doesn’t come through. Jones praises the House of Humperdink. Wahoo uses a lot of the “Tommyhawk” chop. He finishes Timbs off with the big chop and pin.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Mike Rotundo
Rotundo is looking forward to his chance against Leroy Brown. He talks about how Brown hurt his neck. He’ll be ready. Wrestling can overcome size. His wrestling will tire Brown down.

[Break]

Rotundo is still with Caudle for some final pre-match comments.

Match 3
Mike Rotundo d. Leroy Brown (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink) by DQ
Rotundo works on Brown’s leg, trying to keep him grounded. Brown gets in some loud slaps to the chest. Humperdink joins Caudle. They talk about the NWA board reviewing the tape of LeDuc shoving Sandy Scott. Humperdink isn’t worried. Rotundo works on the knee. Brown is able to power his way back to his feet. Rotundo is back in control, and attempts the airplane spin. But, Humperdink gets on the apron, and Brown gets away. He follows up with a slow-motion piledriver. Brown goes for a second piledriver, but it appears he mistimes it. Rotundo actually slips out, probably to save himself. Brown shoves the referee for the DQ. He proceeds to drop Rotundo over the top rope for good measure.

[Break]

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Jack Brisco
Jack talks about losing the Mid-Atlantic championship to Paul Jones. He says Jones used the tights to win. He wants a rematch. Wahoo is in. He go to the clip from last week of Flair and Valentine attacking Wahoo after the Flair vs. Piper match. Wahoo has an ominous warning. Steamboat & Youngblood are up next. Caudle hands them a fan-made poster by Tommy Peterson, calling them the uncrowned World champions. Steamboat whispers something to Youngblood (he keeps calling him Jason during the interview). Steamboat offers his lei and Youngblood’s Indian headdress as a gift to young Tommy.

[Break]

Match 4
Jack Brisco d. Jim Dalton
Jones provides commentary, and he talks smack about Brisco for most of the match. Caudle notes the old Paul Jones would never take pleasure in breaking a man’s leg. This one does. Brisco wins with the figure four, and Jones excuses himself right afterward.

-Int. w/Paul Jones: Pvt. Nelson & Ben Alexander
This is in lieu of local promos. Alexander dismisses the idea that Youngblood & Steamboat are the uncrowned World tag team champions. In a long winded way, Alexander says they have more to gain in the match than his opponents. Nelson praises Slaughter & Kernodle. Nelson says Youngblood & Steamboats couldn’t take away the Mid-Atlantic tag team championship from him and Kernodle. Now, that title is retired. First I heard that official acknowledgment.

[Break]

Match 5
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood d. Pvt. Nelson & Ben Alexander
Caudle references a Jimmy Valiant win over Bill White, that clearly did not air on this episode. Caudle mentioning something about how Valiant gets going when the music comes on, so maybe that caused an issue on the Network and had to be edited off. Steamboat & Youngblood are in matching red trunks, pads and boots. Youngblood pins Alexander following a chop.

-Int. w/Bob Caudle: Greg Valentine; Don Kernodle & Sgt. Slaughter
Valentine is offended by the clip of the attack on Wahoo. He said it is doctored. He gives his version of the story, saying Wahoo was attacking Flair, and Valentine was defending Flair. Valentine says he will take Wahoo’s title and threatened to break his leg. He promises the true film to come.
Slaughter and Kernodle air wearing suits (but no tie for Slaughter, who is chomping a cigar). Slaughter says they are the highest paid men in wrestling because they are the champs. Valentine enters in with the fan poster of Youngblood & Steamboat. The three heels make fun of it. Valentine slips ina racial remark. Slaughter tears up the poster, extinguishes his cigar on the poster, then the heels tear up Steamboat’s lei and Youngblood’s headdress which were left behind. Slaughter says he doesn’t like kids to boot.

“So long for now!”

During the credit roll, instead of just the still shot of the last match, we cut to a live picture of the torn up lei in the ring. The last shot of the credit roll is a logo for NEMO, the National Electric Mobile Operation. NEMO had mentioned in the credits starting as far back as the Sept. 18, 1982 show.

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

Results for the week, 10/25/82-10/31/82  
(source: Clawmaster’s Archive via Sports and Wrestling blog posted by David Baker; “Wrestling” newsletter by Joe Shedlock

Mon., 10/25/82 Greenville, NC; Greenville Memorial Auditorium
Johnny Weaver beat Ken Timbs
Jim Dalton beat King Parsons
Keith Larsen beat Ben Alexander
Wahoo McDaniel beat Greg Valentine
Jay Youngblood & Ricky Steamboat beat Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle by countout

Mon., 10/25/82 Fayetteville, NC; Cumberland County Memorial Arena
Bill white d. Pork Chop Cash
Mike Davis d. Pvt. Nelson
Leroy Brown d. Mike Rotundo
Jimmy Valiant d. Leroy Brown
Paul Jones d. Jack Brisco to win Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship

Tue., 10/26/82 Raleigh, NC; Raleigh Civic Center
Keith Larsen beat Ken Timbs
Pvt. Nelson beat King Parsons
Porkchop Cash beat Jim Dalton
Paul Jones beat Johnny Weaver
Jack Brisco beat Jos Leduc
Greg Valentine beat Jimmy Valiant by DQ

Tue., 10/26/82 Columbia, SC; Township Auditorium
Ben Alexander d. Abe Jacobs
Ron Ritchie d. Bill White
Gene Anderson d. Mike Davis
Mike Rotundo d. Leroy Brown
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood d. Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle by DQ

Wed., 10/27/82 Charlotte, NC; WPCQ-TV studio
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling:
NWA TV championship: Jos LeDuc [ch.] d. Johnny Wever
Wahoo McDaniel beat Ken Timbs
Mike Rotundo beat Leroy Brown by DQ
Jack Brisco beat Jim Dalton
Jimmy Valiant beat Bill White
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood beat Pvt. Nelson & Ben Alexander
World Wide Wrestling:
Jos LeDuc double DQ Jack Brisco
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood beat Ken Timbs & Bill White
Leroy Brown beat Ron Ritchie
Wahoo McDaniel beat Ricky Harris
Johnny Weaver beat Jim Dalton

Fri., 10/29/82 Charleston, SC; Charleston Town Hall
NWA World Champion Ric Flair no contest with Wahoo McDaniel
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
Greg Valentine vs. Johnny Weaver
Keith Larsen vs. Bill White
Mike Davis vs. Ken Timbs

Sun., 10/31/82 Asheville, NC
Ron Ritchie beat Jim Dalton
Mike Davis beat Ken Timbs
King Parsons beat Gene Anderson
Leroy Brown beat Mike Rotundo
Jimmy Valiant beat Jos LeDuc
Sgt. Slaughter & Pvt. Kernodle beat Ricky Steamboat & Wahoo McDaniel

Sun., 10/31/82 Toronto, Ontario
Jimmy Valiant beat Ivan Koloff
Buddy Rose beat WWF World Champion Bob Backlund by countout
Leo Burke beat Johnny Weaver by DQ
Leroy Brown beat King Parsons
Salvatore Bellomo beat Swede Hansen
Rudy & Terry Kay beat Bill White & Pvt. Nelson
The Destroyer beat Mike Davis
Keith Larson draw John Bonello