Georgia Championship Wrestling
July 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: Baron Von Raschke (6/8/1980)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions: The Assassins (6/16/1980)
NWA Georgia Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Kevin Sullivan (6/8/1980)
NWA National Television Champion: Vacant (6/28/1980)

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

Your host is Gordon Solie.

We start off with Ole Anderson being warned that vengeance is coming by former defensive tackle Ernie Holmes of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s known for being part of the famous “Steel Curtain” defense right there with “Mean” Joe Greene and others. Anyways, he’s retired from the NFL and now looks to get into wrestling like other pro football players have done after they retire. Ole couldn’t care less what Holmes has to say and barks at the crowd to shut up so he can talk. He sets up the clip where a bloody Dusty Rhodes is back in the locker room at the Omni with a steel toed boot on his hand telling Ole that he couldn’t take him out with a steel toed boot as only Dusty can. THIS WILL NEVER BE OVER. Until Ole Anderson and Ivan Koloff’s bodies are broken, this will never be over. Back to the studio, Ole explains how he was going out of his mind having to team up with all the good guys around here. The crowd doesn’t want to hear it, but Ole doesn’t care. We go to the Omni where Dusty and Ole are taking on the Assassins in the steel cage match. Gene Anderson and Ivan Koloff are in the “special referees” to keep order, but in the end it becomes a 5-on-1 situation inside a cage as they beat Dusty to a bloody pulp. You can see there’s a possible riot situation happening. Lars Anderson comes into the cage to help Dusty, but he winds up getting beaten by his own family. He manages to help Dusty out of the cage and they clear out, but man what a mess. Ole explains it took him a year and a half to get Dusty right where he wanted him. WHAT A LONG CON, but it’s a great angle and it’s got to be up there with the greatest heel turns of all time.

Ivan Koloff weighs in on the Ole turn from the Florida TV studio which is where he’s been working more and more lately. Koloff acts extremely surprised Ole was going to double-cross Dusty and was so elated when Ole finally turned on Dusty. IT WAS LIKE OLD TIMES KICKING AROUND THE AMERICAN DREAM.

Back in the studio with Gordon, Ole says Gene is the mastermind behind the whole plan. The most satisfying way to get Dusty in the ring to double-cross him was for Dusty to actually ask Ole to be his partner instead of the other way around. OLE WILL SEE TO IT THAT DUSTY IS OUT OF WRESTLING.

Down in Florida, Dusty Rhodes says people are telling him, “I told ya so”. Dusty has nobody to blame but himself. People are also telling him to go to the hospital for his injuries, but Dusty wouldn’t give Ole the satisfaction. Dusty says he doesn’t need any help, but he’s bringing in Andre the Giant to team up with him against Ole and Gene Anderson in the Omni on Friday night August 1. PAYBACK IS HELL, DADDY.

Back in the WTBS studio, Solie is talking with Steve Keirn after he has a match. Keirn thinks Ole Anderson has overstepped his boundary against Dusty Rhodes. As for Mark Lewin and his Singapore Sleeperhold, Keirn thinks the hold should be banned in the NWA because it’s too dangerous. Solie tells the kids they shouldn’t try these holds at home and Keirn agrees.

Next up, Mike George feels Ole Anderson doing what he did to Dusty Rhodes in the Omni was the best thing that ever happened. Ole comes over to tell Mike George that he’s glad to hear these type of things. George offers to watch Ole Anderson’s back and Ole likes the idea. After George leaves, Ole cuts a promo highlighting the return of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew on Friday night in the Omni when they take on a beaten down Dusty Rhodes and Andre the Giant.

• Mike George vs. Gerald Finley

To prove to Ole just how big of a dick he is, George nails Finley before the bell. Finley tries to fight back and levels George with a hiptoss, but whiffs on a dropkick. George grabs Finley and delivers a SHOULDERBREAKER for the win in :29.

Stan Hansen and Kevin Sullivan stop by and they give their comments on Ole Anderson’s attitude change. Sullivan really thought Ole had changed. Hansen talks about roasting Ole Anderson on a stake. He makes a crack about Mike George being a blind referee. These two guys will be having singles matches against Mark Lewin and Abdullah the Butcher in the Omni next Friday night.

Moving on, we hear from the Great Mephisto while Mark Lewin does the weird stuff he normally does. They show Abdullah the Butcher being hard to deal with and turning on Mephisto and Lewin. While Abdullah puts his hands on Mephisto, Lewin stabs Abdullah as their relationship ends. Mephisto hypes the Boston Street Fight scheduled between Mark Lewin and Kevin Sullivan in the Omni.

• Kevin Sullivan vs. Eddie Mansfield

The Great Mephisto hangs around ringside during this match. They kick each other to start. Sullivan slows things down with a chinlock, but Mansfield rips at Sullivan’s face to escape. A big back elbow connects and a double sledge from the middle rope connects. He tries a second one, but Sullivan catches him in mid-air. There’s a double-KO and Sullivan falls through the ropes. Naturally, Mephisto is right there to distract Sullivan as Mark Lewin shows up and slaps the SINGAPORE SLEEPERHOLD on Sullivan for the DQ at 2:10. He’s stuck in the hold until Steve Keirn and Stan Hansen show up to run Mephisto and Lewin away. Keirn and Hansen are left to try and wake him up.

When we come back, the Assassins are standing by with Gordon Solie. Assassin #1 talks about how proud he was to be part of the demise of Dusty Rhodes. They brag about still being the Georgia tag champs. He tells us there’s legislation attempts to strip them of the belts, but Assassin #1 only wants to lose the belts by pinfall or submission – if anybody around here can even do it.

• Ole Anderson vs. Zane Hickey

Anderson rides Hickey to the mat and keeps him there like he’s GSP. The man literally has no chance against Ole. Anderson slams Hickey hard and delivers an elbow drop to finally put him away in 1:46.

Ole stops by Gordon Solie and says if you don’t like what he does, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Friday night in the Omni, the Andersons plan to get rid of not just Dusty Rhodes but also Andre the Giant. That’s a tall order to fill. After Ole leaves, Gordon says he no longer has any desire to carry on a conversation any longer. Ole comes back and barks at the camera that if you think you’re great, come and tell him because Ole will show you. AWESOME. I love Ole when he’s wound up.

The Great Mephisto talks with Gordon Solie. Gordon tells Mephisto that Abdullah the Butcher is looking for him. Mephisto doesn’t think Abdullah is crazy enough to look for him because if he messes with Mephisto, then he’s messing with Mark Lewin. Mephisto says Abdullah will never forget putting his hands on him.

• Kevin Sullivan vs. Charlie Fulton

A young Nick Patrick referees this match. Sullivan goes for the arm, but Fulton punches back and whips him into the corner. The Great Mephisto again appears at ringside for another Sullivan match. Sullivan catches Fulton with a big right hand. He counters a headlock with a shinbreaker to Fulton and takes him to school to set up the FIGURE-FOUR for the submission victory in 1:51. Mark Lewin surprises Sullivan again and chokes him with his belt. Sullivan punches Lewin and gets the belt away from Lewin as he whips him out of the ring. Sullivan goes over to Solie and vows to come with cowboy boots and a leather belt to the Boston Street Fight on Friday night in the Omni.

• Lars Anderson vs. Bobby Garrett

Are people giving Lars crap for not lying to Dusty Rhodes? Sounded like somebody in the audience was calling Lars a “backstabber”. Lars keeps him grounded for much of the match and wins with the STEPOVER ARMBAR in 2:19.

Lars comes over to Solie to spill his guts about the drama with his brothers. He can’t believe Ole Anderson did what he did because he fed him when he had nothing and trained him to become the wrestler he is today – and this is how Lars gets treated. If there’s anything left of Ole when it’s over with Dusty, Lars will be there to take care of the rest.

After the break, the Georgia heavyweight champ Baron Von Raschke stops by. OH YEAH, REMEMBER HIM? THE GEORGIA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION? Not sure if all his clips are edited out or what, but he’s been a nothing champion and all the other angles around here are swallowing up his title run. Even Raschke is talking about the Ole Anderson heel turn. He then says he’s going to become the best “bounty hunter” around and he’s going to be paid lots of US dollars to take out Mr. Wrestling II. They will battle it out on Friday night in the Omni.

• “Nature Boy” Stan Lane & Dennis Condrey vs. Terry Taylor & David White

Hmm, I wonder who is going to do the job. Lane catches Taylor with a dropkick, but Taylor returns the favor and armdrags Lane around into an armbar. White maintains the armbar as he tags into the match. Lane headbutts after the rope break and tags Condrey. He grabs hold of White as they force him into the heel corner. White finally shoves Condrey back into his corner as Taylor gets a tag. He grinds a headlock on Condrey, but Condrey breaks up the hold with a back suplex. Tag to Lane, he slams Taylor and grabs a rear chinlock. Taylor tries to power out, but Lane pulls the hair to put Taylor back on the mat. Condrey tags in and catches Taylor with elbows and stomps. Back over to Lane, he telegraphs a backdrop and Taylor tags White. He’s quickly eaten up by Lane and Condrey. Lane gives White a backbreaker for the win in 4:25.

Solie tries to grab a word with Ernie Holmes to end the show. Holmes says he’s having trouble getting booked here in Georgia because he’s so big and strong and people are intimidated by him. All I can think of after this interview is Dennis Stamp. Ernie doesn’t do any tricks, ya know.

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