Georgia Championship Wrestling
January 26, 1980
Atlanta, GA
WTBS-17 Studios

The current GCW champs are as follows:
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race (11/7/1979)
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion: Mr. Wrestling II (1/12/1980)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions: Ivan Koloff & Alexis Smirnoff (12/7/1979)
NWA National Television Champion: Austin Idol (1/12/1980)

TIME FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. That’s right. While this show is incomplete and jumps around, it’s available here on YouTube for all of us to enjoy and there’s enough action here to warrant a watch.

As we click play on the video, the intro to the show tells us who we will see on the program while simultaneously showing us clips of wrestling action that may or may not have to do with who the voiceover is describing.

Your host is Gordon Solie. He tells us we will be seeing a “special feature” on Dusty Rhodes concerning the day his dream was realized and he won the NWA world title. That was back in August. Harley Race has done won the title back from Dusty, lost it, and won it back again. I know news traveled slower back then, but not *that* slow.

The tape switches over to the end of a Mr. Wrestling II and Charlie Fulton match. Apparently, Fulton has learned how to use the Masked Superstar’s COBRA hold. Mr. Wrestling II walks over to Solie and tells him that there’s indeed a counter for every hold. Solie takes us back to moments ago when Fulton had Mr. Wrestling II down on the mat in the COBRA submission hold. The Masked Superstar is watching from ringside. Wrestling II starts to fade, but then gets to his feet and escapes the hold with a backbreaker. With Fulton stunned, Wrestling II catches Fulton with the KNEE LIFT for the win.

Back over to Solie, he mentions a match happening between Mr. Wrestling II and the Masked Superstar over the Georgia heavyweight title the next night in the Omni. Wrestling II threatens to beat up the Superstar and I’m loving it.

We JIP with Gordon Solie interviewing Kevin Sullivan and Steve Travis. There’s a U.S. tag team championship tournament coming. Sullivan wants revenge against Austin Idol. Steve Travis has lost the Tom Selleck mustache he had in the WWF. Later in the show, Kevin Sullivan and Steve Travis will meet the Masked Superstar and Austin Idol.

We now go to Terry Funk cutting a promo on that egg sucking dog Dusty Rhodes. He’s ashamed that a guy like Dusty could be an NWA world heavyweight champion. You look at the rest of the guys who came before Dusty and you might be a little confused if you just saw pictures of them. Anyways, Terry Funk will take on Dusty Rhodes in the Omni on Sunday night.

• Tommy Rich vs. The Collector

What does this masked man “collect” exactly? I have no idea. Solie says Rich has returned from some time in Hawaii. He’s back to win the Georgia heavyweight title so he can face Harley Race for the NWA world title. Rich lands a nice dropkick on the Collector. He holds the Collector down in a headlock, but then the Collector comes back and grabs an armbar while the crowd chants “FIRE UP, TOMMY RICH, FIRE UP.” The Collector really goes for the left arm, but Rich punches back with his right hand. Now here comes Tommy. He applies the SPINNING TOE HOLD and gets the win in 3:42.

Tommy Rich goes over to Gordon Solie for a talk. There’s a $10,000 bounty out on him thanks to Harley Race. Rich says 1980 is going to be his year and he wants Harley Race so bad, he can taste it. Well, he’s close. 1981 will be turn out to be the best year of his career. Solie mentions his match on Sunday night against the Great Mephisto. Rich is ready for him, but his mind is clearly fixated on Harley Race.

After the break, Austin Idol and the Masked Superstar stop by Gordon Solie to talk about Kevin Sullivan and Mr. Wrestling II. Idol and the Superstar will be paired up in the U.S. tag team titles tournament as well. They have only teamed up once before and won the Georgia tag belts when they did. Idol starts getting personal talking about Kevin Sullivan’s dad and Solie cuts him off before something obscene gets put on the air. Mr. Wrestling II comes out with Steve Travis and Kevin Sullivan. Travis has decided to step aside for the tag match tonight and let Mr. Wrestling II take his place. Naturally, the Superstar and Austin Idol aren’t too happy about that.

• Mr. Wrestling II & Kevin Sullivan vs. The Masked Superstar & Austin Idol

Wrestling II and Sullivan charge the ring to get the Superstar and Idol. The referee tries to contain Wrestling II, which allows Sullivan to get whacked from behind and double-teamed. Sullivan manages to reverse a suplex on Idol, but Idol stays in Sullivan’s way and still manages to tag out to the Superstar. He comes in and clamps down on a chinlock. The heels continue to keep Sullivan on their side of town. Big slam and a knee drop by Idol gets two. Sullivan wins a slugfest, but Idol reaches over and tags out to the Superstar. He drops Sullivan on the top rope and grabs a front headlock. Crowd wants II. Tag to Idol, he misses an elbow drop, but still tags out and blocks Sullivan from tagging out. Sullivan whips Superstar into the corner, but charges into a knee. The threat continues as Sullivan is in deep trouble. The mistake finally comes as the Superstar telegraphs a backdrop and Sullivan kicks him away. As he’s holding his belly, Sullivan makes the hot tag to Wrestling II. He is a HOUSE OF FIRE. There’s the KNEE LIFT, but it only gets two. Wrestling II slams the Superstar and comes off the ropes, but Idol trips him up from the floor and the ref calls for the weak DQ at 4:31 or so. Superstar puts Wrestling II in the COBRA. He makes his way over to a corner while Sullivan stands there letting Superstar continue choking him. Wrestling II kicks off the turnbuckle with some help from Sullivan. Wrestling II and Superstar both trip over Austin Idol, which breaks the hold. Sullivan then punches Idol out of the ring while Wrestling II knocks the Superstar to the floor with a KNEE LIFT. The ref raises Sullivan and Wrestling II’s arms in victory as they embrace.

Over to Gordon Solie, he says that the Masked Superstar owes Mr. Wrestling II $3000 for breaking the Cobra hold. Steve Travis joins Mr. Wrestling II and Kevin Sullivan over by Gordon. Wrestling II says the Superstar stole one of his masks and Wrestling II stole one of his masks. Wrestling II has taken back the Georgia heavyweight title and now he’s coming for his head. Solie doubts the Superstar will give up the $3000, but thinks this will have to be reviewed because Austin Idol got in the way. Wrestling II feels like that’s not his problem. No matter how it happened, the hold was broken and Wrestling II thinks that is all that matters. Sullivan starts cutting a promo on how there’s a devil living inside Austin Idol that makes him do horrible things will come out because Sullivan will make it come out. Holy crap there’s always been something off about this guy. Wrestling II feels its time these guys pay some dues. Freddie Miller comes by and says he just spoke with promoter Paul Jones. Wrestling II has a good case about breaking the Cobra hold and getting the $3000 from the Superstar, but there was some hanky panky going on and wants to give it some thought.

• Steve Travis vs. Bob Owens

Travis tries to keep things on the mat showing off his wrestling skillz. Owens wants to rain down blows upon him. He stabs him in the throat and thumbs him in the eye. Total dick jabroni. Travis finally comes off the ropes with a forearm smash and punches on Owens before landing the RUNNING BULLDOG (yeehaw!) out of the corner for the win in 4:25.

Gordon Solie brings out Tony Atlas and Ray Candy for an interview. The people LOVE these two. They will be part of the U.S. tag team titles tournament next month. Tomorrow night at the Omni, Atlas and Candy will be in action. No mention who their opponents will be.

Next up, Gordon Solie is talking with the Georgia tag champs Alexis Smirnoff and Ivan Koloff. Ivan is not one to stick his nose in someone else’s business, but he feels the Superstar should not have to pay the $3000 to Mr. Wrestling II because the Cobra hold wasn’t broken during a match. Now as for the U.S. tag team titles tournament, they will win the whole thing. Solie mentions Koloff and Smirnoff may not even be the Georgia tag champions after tomorrow night in the Omni because they will be facing Ole and Lars Anderson over the tag titles. Naturally, Koloff feels differently about that opinion.

• Ivan Koloff & Alexis Smirnoff vs. Marvin Turner & Bill Dromo

Dromo is all armdrags as Koloff and Smirnoff take a powder. Back in, Dromo escapes a headlock by Smirnoff into an overhead wristlock, but Koloff got a blind tag and jumps Dromo for the headlock again. So simple, so awesome. Turner gets a tag, but this guy gets swallowed up by the tag champs. Double back elbow connects, but Turner kicks out at two. Smirnoff hits a suplex and tags in Koloff who starts up with the running knee drops off the ropes. Koloff grabs a front headlock, but Turner reaches Dromo for a tag. No, it’s not a false tag. The veteran Dromo connects with a backdrop on Koloff. Smirnoff gets a blind tag and surprises Dromo with a big boot. He jabs Dromo in the throat, but misses a running legdrop. Tag to Turner, he gives Koloff a backdrop and tries to pin him. Koloff sidesteps Turner as he comes off the ropes, which runs him into a back elbow by Smirnoff. The Russians start to work over the mid-section as they finish off Turner with a double-team move as Smirnoff delivers a front suplex and drops Turner onto Koloff’s knee. (6:21) Koloff and Smirnoff run like a finely tuned watch. These guys are simple but what they do is great. It’s really too bad Ivan Koloff isn’t in the WWE Hall of Fame because of the lawsuits he’s been involved in because I think he’s a guy who should never be forgotten. ¾*

Gordon Solie speaks with Lars Anderson who thinks he and Ole will be successful against Ivan Koloff and Alexis Smirnoff because Ole and Ivan used to team up together. Well, Ivan and Alexis are still in the ring and they want a piece of Lars. Solie warns the Russians that they can be suspended if they try anything. Lars thinks he and Ole Anderson will own the Russians if they meet in the U.S. tag titles tournament – because they are AMERICANS and RUSSIANS won’t push them around.

Solie then switches gears to announce promoter Paul Jones decision about the $3000 situation. He’s decided to put the money at the top of a pole and have “$3000 on a pole” match between the Masked Superstar and Mr. Wrestling II tomorrow night in the Omni. Lars Anderson adds his two cents and mentions this is how CLANS used to settle their feuds. Look, I know it’s Georgia, but he meant CLANS, not KLANS.

The tape cuts and goes to Gordon Solie talking with the Masked Superstar. The Superstar feels he’s being railroaded by Paul Jones and Mr. Wrestling II, but he’s got confidence that he can fix this situation himself. He doesn’t have to hire somebody to do his dirty work because if he wants something done, he’ll do it himself. Tomorrow night in the Omni, the $3000 will be at the top of a pole and it’s going to be a chain match as well. CRAZY STUFF!

• The Masked Superstar vs. Bob Simms

You’d hate to be Simms right now. He’s all over Simms with headlocks and chinlocks – just brutalizing the guy. Sometimes you might forget how big and strong Bill Eadie was before he became Demolition Ax. He takes Simms to the floor for a slam on the concrete and then drives him back into the ringpost. Back in, he gives Simms a clothesline and locks in the COBRA for the win in 3:30.

Over to Gordon Solie, he talks with the NWA Georgia TV champ Austin Idol. He quotes MLK Jr. saying Idol has come to the mountaintop because that’s exactly where he is right now. IDOLMANIA breeds jealousy in the hearts of all men – and that’s Kevin Sullivan’s problem. He’s jealous of everything Austin Idol is about. Tomorrow night in the Omni, Austin Idol defends the Georgia TV title against Kevin Sullivan. Well, come to find out, Sullivan ends up beating Idol for the TV title.

After the break, Solie speaks with Kevin Sullivan. If Sullivan doesn’t beat Idol, he won’t be good for anybody because he’s obsessed with beating Idol. Sullivan says the only thing they have in common is that they hate each other equally. He threatens to hang Idol’s hide some place – in the name of FAMILY HONOR!

• Kevin Sullivan vs. Charlie Fulton

Sullivan is all about the armbar to weaken Fulton. Weird seeing Sullivan as an armdragging babyface. Surprisingly, Sullivan applies the FIGURE-FOUR (that’s Idol’s hold!) and immediately submits Fulton in 3:15. I guess that’s payback for Fulton learning how to do the Cobra Clutch against Mr. Wrestling II.

Gordon Solie talks with the Masked Superstar again. He runs over the major details of the Masked Superstar’s recent hard times like losing the Georgia heavyweight title and having his Cobra hold broken. Superstar feels these results are mere technicalities. There’s not enough room in wrestling for both he and Mr. Wrestling II. They don’t like each other and this has to come to an end. Maybe Superstar has been too confident, but even Mr. Wrestling II knows he won’t quit. GAH, such a simple reason they are fighting and it’s so engaging. Tomorrow night in the Omni, folks. It’s all going down.

To close the show, we hear from Mr. Wrestling II. He’s got a fancy suit on here. Mr. Wrestling II runs down his feud with the Masked Superstar before we go back to see when the Masked Superstar ripped off Mr. Wrestling II’s mask. EPIC. Back in the studio, Mr. Wrestling II says the Superstar has tried his hardest to ruin his reputation and it’s time that it all comes to an end. They go back to a clip of an interview with the fake Mr. Wrestling II that was bought and paid for by the Masked Superstar. Back in the studio again, Solie mentions that this situation has been cleared up and that guy is no longer masquerading as Mr. Wrestling II. They go to one more clip before the video runs out of time as Tommy Rich is facing the Masked Superstar.

That’s going to do it for this week. Until next time, so long for now.