GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 01/30/2008

Courtesy of Rich Tate's GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com:

NEWS

In Your Head will feature Scotty Too Hotty on its show tonight at 8:00 PM ET. (Rich Tate)

We are proud to announce that we will be launching our own radio show within the next few weeks. This marks a return of the name Peach State Pandemonium, which was originally created for a self-published magazine we distributed between 2003 and 2005. We will have more details as we near the debut. (Rich Tate)

Alternative Pro Wrestling will hold a tournament on February 1 at the Royston Gym to determine the first North Georgia Heavyweight Champion. First round match-ups are Jeremy Vain versus Justin Dirt; Chris King versus Dustin Powers; Aaron Lee versus Chase Darkness; and Don Matthews versus Seth Delay. The semis will feature the Vain-Dirt winner against the King-Powers winner, with Lee or Darkness against Matthews or Delay, leading to the final round. Other matches include J.T. Talent and Jacob Ashworth versus Bo Newsome and Slim J. If Newsome and J win, Newsome gets a shot at Talent’s Southern States Heavyweight Title at a later date. Also, the Friday Night Franchise of Ryan Michaels and Matt Sells will be in attendance. Bell time is 8 PM. (Larry Goodman)

After a exciting weekend event at the Jewish Community Center, Florida Championship Wrestling came back to Bourbon Street Night Club, 4331 US 19N in New Port Richey for their January 29, 2008 event. WWE Superstar the Big Show, the Shane Twins and Doug Basham were in attendance. Robert Anthony defeated Mr. Yamamoto; Sheamus, “South City Thriller” Hade Vansen & “Carnival Freak” Sinn Bowdee defeated Brandon “the Greek” Groom, Tommy Taylor & “Campus Legend” Brad Allen; Jake Hager & “Bad Seed” Shawn Osborne defeated Rycklon & Bryan Kelly; “The Puerto Rican Nightmare” Eric Perez & Eddie Colon defeated Johnny Curtis & Kevin Kiley; In a special open challenge, 7 Ft Giant Titan (w/Mosca) defeated David Mercury; The Bella Twins (Nicole & Brianna) defeated Nattie Neidhart & Victoria Crawford; “The Natural” Nic Nemeth & Big Rob defeated Mighty Mikey & “The Rocket Surgeon” G-Rilla; and FCW Southern Heavyweight championship representative “Handsome” Heath Miller (w/champion Ted DiBiase Jr) defeated WWE Superstar Val Venis. Click here for a full report. (Alan Wojcik)

FCW will be part of the 2008 Florida State Fair on Friday February 15th. We will be holding two shows. There will be autograph signings throughout the day and WWE Superstars in attendance. Just announced WWE Hall of Fame member and FCW Legend “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and the WWE Tag Team champions John Morrison & The Miz!!! FCW returns to the Jewish Community Center on Saturday February 23rd at 8pm. Be looking for information on TV tapings to begin on Thursday February 28th in Tampa. (Alan Wojick)

NOTES

Like week one, the second episode of NWA Wrestling Showcase features an interesting array of talent with match quality ranging from average to very good. Click here for a report, which originally aired last Wednesday. (Larry Goodman)

We recently posted several dates in which the Luchagors, fronted by Amy ‘Lita’ Dumas, would be playing within our coverage area. There has been a second date set for the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta on February 10. As well, the date we had advertised for Jonesboro will be changing, with a date in Sarasota, FL, replacing it on March 24. Also, they were initially advertised to be in Ocala, FL, on March 23, but will now be in Tampa, FL, on that date. The updated scheduled within our zone is as follows: 02/01 – Atlanta, GA – the Drunken Unicorn; 02/10 – Atlanta, GA – the Drunken Unicorn; 02/22 – Jasper, AL – Sherer Auditorium; 03/12 – Nashville, TN – Fuel; 03/13 – Knoxville, TN – the Longbranch; 03/17 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle; 03/19 – Atlanta, GA – the Masquerade; 03/20 – Jacksonville, FL – Fuel; 03/21 – Orlando, FL – Backbooth; 03/23 – Tampa, FL – the Orpheum; 03/24 – Sarasota, FL – Gallery Billiards Music Venue; 04/19 – Myrtle Beach, SC – the Sound Garden; 04/25 – Murfreesboro, NC – Zakk’s Coffee House; and 04/26 – Charlotte, NC – Tremont Music Hall. Check your local directories or the band’s site for more info. You can also check out Dumas on Project 9-6-1 hosting PunkRockaLypse on Sunday nights at 9:00 PM. (Rich Tate)

A brain tumor caused the death of Dennis Clary on this day in 1955. He was 31.

Twenty-two years ago today, Gino Hernandez died of a cocaine overdose at the age of 29.

NOSTALGIA

1934: Jim Browning defeated Dick Daviscourt in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber.

1946: Jack Wentworth defeated Jack Singer in the main event at the Savannah Municipal Auditorium for promoters Lou Masters, Dick Leonard, and Buster White.

1953: Mayes McLain defeated Mike Paidousis in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones.

1959: Paul Anderson defeated Freddie Blassie by disqualification to retain the World Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Ray Gunkel defeated the Great Bolo (Al Lovelock) by disqualification in the semi-main event.

1962: Assassin #1 defeated Rito Carreon by disqualification in the main event at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Tito Carreon and Assassin #2 wrestled to a draw in the semi-main event.

1963: The Steve Boys (Steve Bolus & Steve Kovacs) defeated Bronko Lubich, managed by Homer O’Dell, & the Bat (Joe Tomasso) by disqualification in the main event at the Columbus Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1965: On the “Live Atlanta Wrestling” television program hosted by Ed Capral, Capral announced that Paul Jones had declared the Southern Tag Team Title vacant in light of the situation that occurred on January 29, 1965, and that a tournament would be held on February 5, 1965.

1968: The Gauchos (Juan Sebastian & Tarzan Baxter) defeated Stan & Butcher Vachon in the main event at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward.

1970: Dory Funk, Jr., defeated Paul DeMarco, managed by Homer O’Dell, by disqualification to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Funk then defeated O’Dell, a match he earned by topping DeMarco. DeMarco left the ring following his loss to Funk, which was caused when O’Dell interfered, angering DeMarco for ending his chance at Funk’s title, leaving O’Dell to fend for himself. Ray Gunkel & Buddy Fuller defeated the Assassins in the semi-main event. It was reported that the match would be the final appearance of Gunkel & Fuller as a team, as they wanted to focus on singles competition. Of course, this is pro wrestling. Stay tuned. Also, Nick Bockwinkel defeated the Spoiler (Bugsy McGraw).

1973: Ray Candy defeated Goliath, managed by Ox Baker, in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for All-South Wrestling Alliance promoter Ann Gunkel. The match was billed as a “Battle of the Giants.” Rock Hunter defeated Assassin #2 in the semi-main event to retain the Georgia Brass Knucks Title. Also, Dick Steinborn & Argentina Apollo defeated Baker & Guillotine Gordon to retain the Georgia Tag Team Title.

1973: Eddie Graham defeated Sputnik Monroe in a main event Texas death match at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Bill Dromo & Bob Armstrong defeated Tank Morgan & Hiro Matsuda in the semi-main event.

1976: Dusty Rhodes defeated the Spoiler (Don Jardine), managed by Gary Hart, to win the Georgia Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated Abdullah the Butcher in the semi-main event, and Dick Slater defeated Les Thornton. Also, Bob Armstrong defeated Skandor Akbar.

1978: Ole Anderson, Ric Flair & Stan Hansen defeated Dusty Rhodes, Dick Slater & Tony Atlas in the main event at the William Bell Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Charlie Harben. Also, Raymond Rougeau and Charlie Cook wrestled to a draw in the semi-main event.

1979: Andre the Giant defeated Ole Anderson in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. The Masked Superstar defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 to retain the Georgia Heavyweight Title in the semi-main event. Wahoo McDaniel defeated King Kong Mosca to win the Macon Heavyweight Title. Also, Thunderbolt Patterson defeated Luke Graham, and Ted & Jerry Oates and Pierre Lefebvre & the Grappler (Len Denton) wrestled to a draw in the opener.

1982: The Masked Superstar & the Super Destroyer defeated Leroy Brown & Big Red by disqualification to retain the National Tag Team Title at the Chattanooga (TN) Memorial Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Tommy Rich defeated Ron Bass to retain the National Heavyweight Title in the semi-main event. Also, NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion Les Thornton defeated Brad Armstrong by disqualification in a title match. Bob Armstrong & Jimmy Garvin defeated Kevin Sullivan & the French Angel (Frank Morrell), substituting for Buzz Sawyer. Ricky Harris (Black Bart) defeated El Gran Apollo in the opener.

1983: Stan Hansen, Tommy Rich & Paul Orndorff defeated Ole Anderson, Ivan Koloff & Buzz Sawyer in the main event at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, OH, for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Les Thatcher. Bruiser Brody defeated Tito Santana in the semi-main event, and Butch Reed defeated the Super Destroyer. Also, Dick Murdoch defeated the Iron Sheik by disqualification, and Paul Ellering defeated Brad Armstrong in the opener.

1991: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair and Scott Steiner wrestled to a draw in a main event for the Clash of Champions event at the Georgia Mountains Center in Gainesville for World Championship Wrestling. Missy Hyatt beat Paul E. Dangerously (Heyman) in an arm wrestling contest, with Rhubarb Jones announcing the event. Also, Brian Pillman defeated Buddy Lee Parker, and Barry Windham & Arn Anderson defeated the Renegade Warriors (Chris & Mark Youngblood). In addition, Ranger Ross defeated El Cubano, while Terry Taylor defeated Ricky Morton. In other matches, Sid Vicious defeated Joey Maggs, and the Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) defeated Tommy Rich & Allen Iron Eagle. Tom Zenk defeated Bobby Eaton to retain the WCW Television Title. Lex Luger & Sting defeated Doom (Ron Simmons & Butch Reed) by disqualification in the opener. It was reported that 2,200 were in attendance for this card that was shown live on WTBS.