GEORGIA WRESTLING NEWS, NOTES, AND NOSTALGIA: 03/18/2008

Courtesy of Rich Tate's GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com:

NEWS

Report from the March 14 Alternative Pro Wrestling show in Royston, GA, at the Royston Gym with a reported attendance of 88. The Talent Show opened with Southern States Champion J.T. Talent calling out Bo Newsom. Out came Newsom and just as things were about to get physical, APW owner Jerico Stone ordered them to stop. "Bo Newsom and I did win the tag match last week so he’s got the shot! With the match having no time limit, we just don’t have time to do it tonight." Stone made the match that will be the main event at APW’s next big show, “Spring Break Bash”, on April 18. Bo Newsome vs. J.T. Talent with no time limit for the Southern States Championship. J.T. Talent made quick work of Wes Grissom. The champ was not too happy about the night’s recent developments, and he took it out on Grissom. B.J. Hancock defeated Jamie Cruz. Yoshi Hiroshima & North Georgia Champion Aaron Lee defeated Drowning In Excellence (Vince Chambers & Dustin Michaels). The self proclaimed "King of the Cowboys" Chris Mayne (wearing Billy Buck’s hat), with his manager Kevin Duncan, came to the ring and continued to hurl insults at Billy Buck who was not in Royston due to the illness. The Afro-American wonder demanded a replacement. That lead to … Chris Mayne (with Kevin Duncan) beat Slim J. In the end, Mayne stole another one with help from Duncan. Chris King beat Dustin Powers. Powers snuck back into the ring after the match and nailed King with his trusty cane. As he went to do it a second time, Lee hit the ring and Powers didn’t care to stick around. Azrael & Darkness (with Lloth) defeated Friday Night Franchise (Ryan Michaels & Matt Sells) to become the new APW Tag Team Champions when referee Dee Byers stopped the match due to the amount of punishment Ryan Michaels had endured. Michaels may have suffered a serious injury from the looks of things. I’m sure we’ll know more this Friday. Bo Newsom defeated Don Matthews with a corkscrew moonsault to maintain his number one contender status. Newsom was more impressive than ever scoring the biggest "official" win of his career over former APW Heavyweight Champion Don Matthews. Newsom signs the dotted line for the biggest match of his life next Friday, and he looks to be ready. (Larry Goodman)

The Independent Wrestling Network has canceled their show scheduled for March 21 in Phenix City, AL, at the National Guard Armory. The show was announced before they had the venue nailed down. IWN is still scheduled to debut at the old GCW Arena in Columbus, GA, on April 4. (Larry Goodman)

NOTES

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

GWH wishes a happy birthday to Rick Martel (52) and Mike Quackenbush (32).

Howard Cantonwine died on this day in 1977. He was 76.

Angel Azteca suffered a fatal heart attack one year ago today at the age of 43.

NOSTALGIA

1926: Stanislaus Zbyszko defeated John Paxos in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter John Contos, when Paxos was deemed unable to continue. The Masked Marvel (Ray Steele) defeated Boris Demetroff in two straight falls in the semi-main event.

1927: Jim Londos defeated Yusef Hussane in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter John Contos. Also, Paul Jones defeated Jim Browning.

1931: George Zaharias defeated Ghafoor Khan in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber. Also, Charley Lehman defeated Tom Marvin.

1935: We do not have results for this card, but Pat Newman was scheduled to defend the Southern Lightweight Title against Billy Williams at the New Coliseum in Augusta for promoter Jack Browning.

1936: A main event title match featuring Southern Lightweight Champion Jack Ross versus Honey Boy Hackney was ruled a no contest at the New Coliseum in Augusta for promoter Bill Metzger.

1937: Cyclone Copley defeated Joe Tucker in two straight falls in the main event at the New Coliseum in Augusta for promoter Bill Metzger. Also, Speedy Lawrence defeated Yusef Hussane.

1949: Celia Blevins defeated Mae Weston in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. The Golden Terror defeated Dick Lever in the semi-main event, and Rebel Russell defeated Nick Carter.

1960: We do not have results, but a main event featuring Ray Gunkel, Bill Dromo & Haystacks Calhoun versus Freddie Blassie, Jack Terry & Tokyo Joe was advertised at the Larry Bell Auditorium in Marietta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Elmo Chappell.

1966: A main event featuring Eric & Karl Von Brauner, managed by Saul Weingeroff, versus the Mysterious Medics was ruled a no contest at the Paul Jones Sports Arena in Atlanta for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. There were two referees for the match. Klondike Bill, managed by Freddie Blassie, defeated Tony Nero & Pancho Villa in a semi-main event handicap match. It was announced that Swede Karlson would be wrestling on the card on March 25, 1966.

1967: Nick Kozak defeated El Mongol, managed by Jack Crawford, to win the Georgia Heavyweight Title at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Following the match, Crawford attacked referee Leo Garibaldi with his cane. Enrique & Ramon Torres defeated Bobby Graham & Oki Shikina by disqualification in the semi-main event. Lars & Gene Anderson charged the ring during the match, attacking the Torres brothers. The program for this card featured an advertisement from Ramon Torres, who was looking to sell his 1964 Cadillac. It also featured a photo of Lou Thesz with actress Yvonne DeCarlo. Jones reported in the program that NWA President Sam Muchnick had ordered Gene Kiniski to defend the NWA World Heavyweight Title in Atlanta against Thesz, and that Kiniski was trying to dodge the match, claiming Muchnick and Jones were trying desperately to get the title off of him. It was announced that Mr. Wrestling would be wrestling in Atlanta soon.

1969: Bill Dromo defeated Assassin #1 by disqualification in the main event at the Macon City Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Assassin #2 and Bob Armstrong wrestled to a draw in the semi-main event.

1972: On the “Georgia Championship Wrestling” television program hosted by Ed Capral, it was announced that the Assassins had indeed won the Georgia Tag Team Title from Ray Gunkel & Buddy Fuller on March 10, 1972, following a review of the match.

1975: Toru Tanaka, managed by Rock Hunter, defeated Danny Little Bear to win the Macon Heavyweight Title in the final round of a one-night tournament at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Jerry Brisco, Dudley Clements, Derrell Cochran, Tommy Gilbert, Don Greene, Rocky Johnson, Don Kent, Jerry Lawler, Don Muraco, and Bob Orton, Jr., also participated in the tournament. Abdullah the Butcher, also managed by Hunter, defeated Ray Candy.

1977: Paul Jones, Mr. Wrestling #1 & #2 defeated Dick Slater, Ole & Gene Anderson in the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Paul Jones. Black Atlas defeated Abdullah the Butcher by disqualification in the semi-main event.

1980: Austin Idol defeated Mr. Wrestling #2 by disqualification in the main event at the Macon Coliseum for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Fred Ward. Ivan Koloff & Alexis Smirnoff, managed by Rock Hunter, defeated Tony Atlas & Lars Anderson in the semi-main event. Also, a match featuring Kevin Sullivan versus Baron Von Raschke ended in a double disqualification.

1984: Jake Roberts, managed by Paul Ellering, defeated Ron Garvin in a main event taped fist match in Cincinnati, OH, for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Les Thatcher. The Road Warriors, also managed by Ellering, defeated Jay Youngblood & King Kong Bundy in the semi-main event.