GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 12/16/2007

NEWS

Great Championship Wrestling results from Phenix City, AL, on December 15: Nick Anderson over Bobby Sanford; A.J. Steele (w/ the Intern) over Randall Johnson; Deathrow over the Hooligans by disqualification in a handicap match; Scotty Beach (w/ Santa Claus) over Orion Bishop (w/ Wicked Nemesis); David Young over Michael Cook; Hot Like Lava (Shaun Banks & Cru Jones (w/ Zero Tolerance) over Tex Monroe & J-Rod; Johnny Swinger (w/ Zero Tolerance) over Bull Buchanan and Sonny Siaki in a three-way match to win the GCW Heavyweight Title; and in a midget match, Puppet over Little Kato using hardcore rules. It was reported that 310 were in attendance for this card. During the event, GCW owner Diane Hewes reportedly banned Quentin Michaels from speaking, saying it was her present to the fans. Also, during the Beach-Bishop bout, Nemesis tried to cheap shot Beach from Behind, but Santa clocked Nemesis instead.

GCW will be taking the holidays off, with a planned return to Phenix City on January 8, 2008. Beginning with that event, all Phenix City cards will be held on Thursdays, as the promotion is planning to increase their weekend schedules to include other points.

NWA Anarchy results from Cornelia, GA, on December 15: Todd Sexton and Wes Grissom were the last two men in the ring of a fourteen-man rumble, and the finish was ruled a draw when both fell to the floor outside the ring simultaneously; Shadow Jackson over Don Matthews by disqualification; Talent & Money (J.T. Talent & Andrew Pendleton III) over Billy Buck & Chris King; Phil Shatter (w/ Jeff G. Bailey), Mikal Judas & Iceberg (w/ Reverend Wilson) over Jesse Emerson & the Regular Guys (Bobby Hill & Tyler Smith); Jeremy Vain & Rob Adonis over Chris Day & Jeff Jameson; and Austin Creed over Shaun Tempers. Click here for a report from Larry Goodman.

Episode number 4 of GOTPM is now online, including reviews of IWA-MS's last show, featuring Ian Rotten's retirement, and Anarchy TV episode number 91. Click here for the audio.

NOTES

World Wrestling Entertainment was impressed enough with Jeff Lewis’ Shawn Michaels impersonation and his ECW match to send him to Ohio Valley Wrestling for further evaluation.

Atlanta-based Total Nonstop Action star Jimmy Rave asked us to remind everyone he is available for bookings. You can contact him to via email at jimmyravextc@hotmail,com to set up dates.

We reached out to all promotions of which we are aware, all of whom run shows in Georgia. We will spend the next few days showing how they responded with answers to the specific questions regarding their plans in light of the proposed regulations by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission.

Following are responses from Jerry Palmer, promoter of NWA Anarchy:

Do you or anyone from your promotion's staff plan to attend the December 18 meeting, and can you be specific by name as to whom will be in attendance?

“We plan on every available worker to be there.”

What, in order, are the top three items that concern you the most, in regard to how it may affect your promotion, or the local wrestling community in general?

“There is no top three. All of these rules are outside the scope of what was originally intended for this committee. None of these should apply to wrestling. If this document or any part thereof passes, independent wrestling will essentially be over in Georgia.”

What plans have you considered for your promotion going forward if the items are implemented as presented? Will you try to continue to run, shut it down, move elsewhere, etc.?

“That is up in the air right now, but I will tell you that whatever we do, we will not disclose until it is too late for this asinine committee to stop it.”

If the proposed items pass as presented, it is our understanding that they would go into effect January 7, 2008. If you decide to shut down, what plans would you be making for a final card prior to that date?

“Same as number 3.”

Have you received any feedback from your fan base, and does there seem to be much support from them to appear at the meeting?

“Our fan base is ready, willing and able to attend in force. The only words of caution that I have at this time for them is to do what we ask our workers to do – be professional. We also urge and encourage anyone who decides to contact their political people or anyone who is involved in this to please use tact and professionalism, but also use a heavy dose of emotion to let them know how you feel.”

We also have additional comments from other Anarchy personalities:

NWA Anarchy announcer, Greg Hunter: “The Georgia Athletic and Entertainment’s Commission’s proposed regulations are redundant. Professional wrestling has always had a tendency to police itself and to see to the safety of the performers, and I emphasize the term performer in this instance not athlete. To treat pro wrestling as an athletic endeavor is, in my personal opinion, patently ridiculous because the individuals are trained to do what they do, trained to protect themselves and each other. To police professional wrestling would be as if to police the ballet, because frankly you have just as good a chance of being injured in the ballet with the athletic maneuvers that they do, and they are indeed athletes who perform athletic maneuvers in the course of their performances just as professional wrestlers perform athletic feats in their performances. Let professional wrestlers do what they do, be professionals, entertain individuals and police themselves. They’ve been doing this now for 100 years plus in the United States and thus far, they have done an incredible job of it. The need of an athletic commission to police professional wrestling is absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary.”

(NOTE: Mr. Hunter’s comments were made prior to the December 2 incident in which dancer Leah Borosow was seriously injured when she fell off the stage during an Atlanta Ballet performance of “The Nutcracker.” Ms. Borosow had to undergo spinal surgery.)

Austin Creed: “You wouldn’t take a test that you hadn’t studied for. So why try to regulate something that you haven’t studied yourself?”

Brody Ray Chase, professional wrestler with over 20 years of experience: “Well, I think it’s simply ridiculous because when they’re cutting a movie in downtown Atlanta, the Athletic Commission isn’t there with their hands out wanting a dollar. It’s the same exact thing. We’re putting together a choreographed event to help make it look as real as possible, just like you would a movie. But you don’t see an athletic commission there. An athletic commission is to uphold the integrity of a sport, a sport where two combatants are fighting for a purse, which is the reason an athletic commission was formed to begin with. This has nothing to do with professional wrestling. It’s just another attempt to cut Vince McMahon down, and it’s going to cut the little guys is all it’s going to cut.”

NWA Anarchy television announcer, John Johnson: “You know I find it funny that the GAEC wants to do this to something that is entertainment, something that is not real. They start doing this, and they’re going to start regulating movies. In a movie you can’t shoot somebody. Let’s regulate HBO. Let’s regulate MTV. I got an idea. How about getting some freaking water in the state first, instead of sending it all downstream to these others states. And then we can worry about the homeless, and the kids without health insurance and then you know what? Maybe if you have time, worry about entertainment.”

NOSTALGIA

1930: Paul Jones defeated Bill Bartush in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber.

1937: Joe Cox defeated Frank Speer in the main event at Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Frank Speer.

1949: George Flynn (Tim Geohagen) defeated Dan O’Connor to win the Southern Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. O’Connor had been the reigning champion since he defeated Don McIntyre on November 25, 1949, in Atlanta.

1955: Freddie Blassie defeated Jerry Graham to retain the Southern Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Blassie had been the reigning champion since he defeated Red McIntyre on November 25, 1955, in Atlanta.

1957: Ray Gunkel defeated Gorgeous George (George Grant) to retain the Southern Heavyweight Title at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Tom Mahoney. Gunkel had been the reigning champion since he defeated Kurt Von Brawner on October 18, 1957, in Atlanta.

1960: Freddie Blassie defeated Tiny Evans in a main event boxing match at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Also, Don Leo Jonathan defeated Bill Dromo in the semi-main event. Willie Love defeated Joe Harrison to retain the Negro Men’s Southern Heavyweight Title. Love had been billed as champion since October 2, 1959.

1963: Joe Scarpa defeated the Mighty Hercules in a main event boxing match at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Steve Manderson. Archie Moore was a special referee for the match. Also, Tim Geohagen defeated the Outlaw (Mike Paidousis) in a loser leaves match.

1966: Leo Garibaldi, Louie Tillet & Butcher Vachon defeated Don McClarty, Buddy Fuller & Sputnik Monroe in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Fuller had to be carried from the ring following the match.

1969: Choo-Choo Lynn, Roberto & Cyclone Soto defeated Paul DeMarco, Homer O’Dell & Aldo Bogni in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Homer O’Dell managed DeMarco.

1972: On the “Georgia Championship Wrestling” television program hosted by Sterling Brewer, Buddy Colt joined Capral and announced he was filing a protest with the NWA, claiming his foot was on the ropes when he lost the Southern Heavyweight Title to Bob Armstrong on December 15, 1972.

1974: Although we do not have a definitive result, NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco was scheduled to defend the title against Buddy Colt at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Steve Manderson. Also, Rocky Johnson was to defend the Georgia Heavyweight Title versus Assassin #2, managed by Rock Hunter.

1975: Jay Strongbow defeated Brute Bernard, managed by Gary Hart, in a main event cage match at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Dick Slater defeated the Georgia Heavyweight Champion Spoiler, also managed by Hart, by disqualification in a semi-main event title match. The Spoiler had been the reigning champion since he defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 on November 27, 1975, in Atlanta. Bobo Brazil & Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated Macon Tag Team Champions Luke Graham & Moondog Mayne by disqualification in a title match. Graham & Mayne had been the reigning champions since they won a tournament on December 11, 1975, in Macon.

1977: Stan Hansen defeated Dick Slater to retain the Georgia Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Hansen had been billed as champion since November 19, 1977.

– GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com