GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 01/15/2008

NEWS

The next round of 2007 Georgia Wrestling TK award winners have been announced. It was not a shock that J-Rod won for most improved wrestler, but perhaps a surprise that he was voted best babyface. Heel of the year went to Bulldog Raines. Manager of the year is Rev. Dan Wilson, who is over the stable of the Devil’s Rejects. Tex Monroe got the nod for best rookie. The final round of winners are expected to be released later today, recognizing the best wrestler, best heavyweight, best cruiserweight, and best tag team. (Rich Tate)

Tuesday night January 15 Florida Championship Wrestling returns to Bourbon Street Night Club, 4331 US 19N in New Port Richey for an 8:30pm show. Doors are open at 6:30 with $7 admission and drink specials all night long. Please be aware that all matches are subject to change without notice from FCW: FCW Southern Heavyweight champion Ted DiBiase Jr. vs. Billy Kidman; Afa Jr. vs. Derick Linkin; “Handsome” Heath Miller’s Happy Hour will feature a FCW Diva’s bikini contest along with special judge “the Campus Legend” Brad Allen; “The Natural” Nic Nemeth & Big Rob vs. Mighty Mikey & Matt O’Neal; The 7 Ft Giant Titan (w/ Ralph Mosca) vs. Kevin Kiley; “Bad Seed” Shawn Osborne & “the Carnival Freak From Myrtle Creek” Sinn Bowdee vs. Rycklon & Steve Lewington; “The South City Thriller” Hade Vansen vs. Johnny Curtis; Sheamus vs. “Puerto Rican Nightmare” Eric Perez. On Saturday January 19 we will be at the USA Flea Market 11721 US 19 in Port Richey for a 1pm show that is FREE for the public!!! On January 26 we will return to the Jewish Community Center. The JCC is located at 9841 Scenic Drive in Port Richey and we begin our show at 8pm. www.fcwwrestling.com is your home for all information on the official developmental territory of World Wrestling Entertainment. The Florida Championship Wrestling roster includes 3rd generation stars FCW Southern Heavyweight champion Ted DiBiase Jr., Nattie Neidhart and Afa Jr. Plus: "Stampede Kid" TJ Wilson, Billy Kidman, "The Professional" Mike Mondo, "The Natural" Nic Nemeth (w/Big Rob), "the Carnival Freak" Sinn Bowdee, the 7FT Giant Titan, Hade Vansen, Bryan Kelly, Kevin Kiley, Ichiban (w/Mr. Yamamoto), "the Mastodon of Mayhem" G-Rilla, Derick Linkin, "Bad Seed" Shawn Osborne, Steve Lewington, Sheamus, Doink the Clown, "Super Fan" Chet Douglas, Rycklon, Robert Anthony, Chris Grey, "the Campus Legend" Brad Allen and Tommy Taylor. Don’t forget the gorgeous FCW Diva’s Victoria Crawford, Maryse and the Bella Twins (Nicole and Bri). (Alan Wojcik)

Independent Wrestling Network President and CEO Larry Dewayne Bell announced today that Paul Warren and Gary Graham are no longer with the company. IWN wishes Paul and Gary much success in their future endeavors. (Brian Slack)

Georgia Wrestling Promotions has announced a March 14 date for Dalton, GA, at the Northwest Trade and Convention Center, far and away the largest venue GWP has ever attempted to run. The Center has hosted WCW and ECW shows in the past. Details on the card will be released in the near future. GWP marks their one-year anniversary on January 27 with a show in Woodstock, GA, at the Hot Wheels Skate Center. GWP also the following shows scheduled: February 9 in Lafayette, GA, at the Lafayette Recreation Department featuring Tracy Smothers and David Young. They're back in Woodstock at Hot Wheels Skate Center on February 17 with Young and Lexi Pillman, stepdaughter of the late Brian Pillman, on the card. GWP comes to the Cherokee Parks and Recreation Authority on February 29 featuring Scotty Too Hotty and Buff Bagwell, and also on March 28 for the final show of their winter tour featuring Hot Like Lava (Shaun Banks & Cru Jones). (Larry Goodman)

The debut edition of Trent Van Drisse's new show, Jerkin' the Curtin', with Scott Hudson and Steven Prazak as the featured guests has been archived. (Larry Goodman)

Trash Talking Radio, hosted by Mike Trash, will feature Brent Albright on its show tonight at 7:00 PM ET. (Rich Tate)

Wrestling Weekly, hosted by Doc Young and Les Thatcher, will feature Tito Santana on its show tonight at 8:00 PM ET. (Rich Tate)

In Your Head will feature D.J. Ran on its show on January 16 at 8:00 PM ET. (Rich Tate)

Ginzburg’s Legends Radio will feature Nikita Koloff, Dawn Marie, and legendary cookie entrepreneur Wally ‘Famous’ Amos on its show on January 16 at 8:00 PM ET. (Rich Tate)

Total Nonstop Action will be taping for iMPACT! at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, on January 21-22. Admission for tapings is free. Call (407) 224-6000 for more info. (Rich Tate)

The United Wrestling Federation will be in Wilson, NC, on February 1 at the Bill Ellis Convention Center with action starting at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available on the UWF website, and at Bill’s BBQ and Aaron’s in Wilson. Call (704) 364-7818 for more info. Advertised: Kevin Nash versus Robert Roode; Awesome Kong versus Velvet Sky, with special referee Daffney; Caleb Konley versus Scotty Too Hotty; James Storm versus Petey Williams; Charlie Dreamer versus Abyss; Jake Manning & Joey Silva versus Team Macktion. (Rich Tate)

NOTES

Click here for this week’s Bill Behrens NWA Notes update. (Rich Tate)

Over the next few days and weeks, you will notice that we will expand our coverage of the current wrestling scene. This decision has been made in the interest of our visitors and all wrestling fans along the border lines of Georgia and neighboring states of Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.

Karl Stern, publisher of the former exceptional newsletter DragonKing Press, and currently working with Figure 4 Weekly, will cover promotions in Alabama, including IWA Deep South, the United Wrestling League, and Wrestle Birmingham. Because of the size of Alabama and its reasonable traveling distance for fans along the Georgia line we are open to covering additional promotions in that state. If you are with a promotion aside from the three mentioned above, or are a fan, contact Karl Stern for consideration.

Alan Wojcik will handle Florida Championship Wrestling exclusively. However, we are currently in the process of looking for someone who can cover promotions within the panhandle and as far south as the Tampa area. If you are interested, please email us for consideration.

We are also going to include central and western Tennessee, and are working to get that person online now. An announcement should be forthcoming.

In regard to the Carolinas, we are interested in having someone cover South Carolina, and also North Carolina from Fayetteville, Raleigh, Greensboro, and everything west of there. Please contact us if you are interested.

In addition, we will also cover promotions such as World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action, as well as southern regional promotions like the United Wrestling Federation, and All-Star Championship Wrestling, when shows are promoted within our geographic scope of interest.

This is being done in conjunction with moves already made within Georgia, splitting the more than two dozen promotions among myself and four other writers.

Despite the expansion, because additional contributors will be brought aboard to assist, and the fact that the work in Georgia has been divided, our primary focus will continue to be diligently working to preserve the history of wrestling within our state. This move was not made to take away from that, but rather to enhance it by becoming more well-rounded in an attempt to keep our readers abreast of current events as well as the past.

2007 was an explosive year for us in terms of growth, and we look forward to continuing to bring you all the best from Georgia’s past, as well as attempting to increase our audience. (Rich Tate)

GWH wishes a happy birthday to Bull Buchanan (40) and Shane McMahon (38) today.

On this day in 1968, Firpo Segura passed at the age of 60.

Buddy Fuller died on this day in 1996. He was 70.

Ricky Romero passed away in 2006 on this day as a result of complications from diabetes at 74.

That same year, El Texano died of lung and respiratory failure. He was 47.

NOSTALGIA

1934: Hugh Winn defeated Young Gotch to retain the Georgia Light Heavyweight Title at the Fair Street Arena in Atlanta for promoter Jason Thompson. Also, the Masked Marvel defeated Ripper Reeves in the main event.

1935: Dorv Roche defeated Karl Sarpolis by disqualification in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber. Also, Orville Brown defeated Whitey Hewitt two falls to one in the semi-main event. It was reported that 2,000 were in attendance for this card.

1935: Southern Lightweight Champion Jack Ross and Dobie Osborne wrestled to a draw in the main event at the New Coliseum in Augusta for promoter Jack Browning.

1936: Jack Ross defeated Honey Boy Hackney to retain the Southern Lightweight Title at the New Coliseum in Augusta for promoter Bill Metzger.

1937: George Hagen defeated Karl Davis two falls to one in the main event at Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Frank Speer. Speer was the special referee for the match. Also, Milo Steinborn defeated Blue Sun Jennings in the semi-main event.

1937: Jack McAdams and John Ellis wrestled to a thirty-minute draw in the main event at the Northside Arena in Atlanta for promoters Frank Bettis and Cleve Roby.

1943: Dorv Roche defeated Tiny Kennon in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Sammy Friedman. Also, Al Massey and Rudy Strongberg wrestled to a draw in the semi-main event, and Roland Kirchmeyer defeated Cowboy Luttrall. This was Friedman’s first card as promoter of professional wrestling in Atlanta. It is not clear as to how or why the promotion changed from Charles Rentrop to Friedman.

1953: Red Dugan defeated Jerry Graham in the main event at the Columbus Sports Arena for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Also, Herb Welch defeated John Bell in the semi-main event.

1963: A main event match between the Steve Boys (Steve Bolus and Steve Kovacs) and Bronko Lubich, managed by Homer O’Dell, & the Bat (Joe Tomasso) went to a one-hour draw at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1965: The Mysterious Medics (Tony Gonzales & Donald Lortie) defeated Buddy Fuller & Eddie Graham to retain the Southern Tag Team Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Also, Georgia Heavyweight Champion Mario Galento defeated Sputnik Monroe by disqualification in a semi-main event title match. It was announced that George Harris and Krusher Karlson would be wrestling on the card on January 22, 1965, and that Red Roberts, Tarzan Tyler, and Sam Steamboat would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.

1971: A title match between the Georgia Tag Team Champion Assassins and Ray Gunkel & Buddy Fuller was ruled a no contest at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Also, Paul DeMarco defeated Buddy Colt, managed by Homer O’Dell, in the final round of a one-night tournament to earn a title match with the NWA World Heavyweight Champion on January 22, 1971. Others in the tournament were Bob Griffin, El Mongol, Kubla Khan (managed by Jack Crawford), and Luke Graham. Following a tournament match between Colt and Mongol, Mongol had to be carried from the ring. It was announced that Nick Bockwinkel and Joe Flaherty would be wrestling in Atlanta soon. DeMarco participated in an autograph session for fans.

1974: Ernie Ladd & Thunderbolt Patterson defeated Ox Baker & the Missouri Mauler (Larry Hamilton) in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for All-South Wrestling Alliance promoter Ann Gunkel. We do not have results of this match, but the semi-main event was scheduled to be a title match between Georgia Tag Team Champions Ray Candy & El Mongol, the Mongols (Newton ‘Geto’ Tattrie & Bill ‘Bolo’ Eadie), managed by George Cannon, and Assassin #2 (Jody Hamilton) & the Super Gladiator (Ricky Hunter). Rock Hunter managed Assassin #2 and the Mauler.

1974: Jack Brisco defeated Lou Thesz to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Also, a semi-main event match between Robert Fuller and Mr. Wrestling #2 was ruled a no contest.

1979: Harley Race defeated Rufus R. Jones to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the William Bell Auditorium in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harben. Also, Tommy Rich & Wahoo McDaniel defeated Stan Hansen & King Kong Mosca in the semi-main event.

1983: Stan Hansen & Butch Reed defeated Ole Anderson & Buzz Sawyer in a main event lumberjack match at the Richmond County Civic Center in Augusta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harben. Also, Paul Orndorff defeated the Super Destroyer (Scott Irwin) in the semi-main event.

2005: The New York Connection (Johnny Swinger & Disco Inferno) defeated Bad Company (David Young & the Wrestler – Ted Allen under a mask) to retain the GCW Tag Team Title at the GCW Sports Arena in Columbus for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Jerry Oates. Also, Sonny Siaki defeated Tim Horner to retain the GCW Heavyweight Title, and Jason Cross defeated Jerrelle Clark to retain the US Junior Heavyweight Title. In addition, John Bogie defeated Lee Thomas in a coal miner’s glove match, while A.J. & Damien Steele defeated the Southside Trash (Big Daddy & Rowdy Matiz) in the opener.

– GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com