Georgia Championship Wrestling
September 1980
Atlanta, GA
WTBS-17 Studios

The current GCW champs are as follows on 9/6/80:
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Giant Baba (9/4/1980)
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion: Steve Keirn (8/11/1980)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions: The Assassins (8/6/1980)
NWA Georgia Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Stan Lane (9/3/1980)
NWA National Television Champion: Terry Taylor (8/22/1980)

We start the clip with Dusty Rhodes talking with Gordon Solie. Dusty thinks he’s speaking about Little Richard when in fact “All Shook Up” is an Elvis song. All that aside, Ole Anderson is all shook up and that Bill Watts and his “mystery partner” Uvalde Slim (which if you’ll recall from the last review is just Dusty Rhodes under a mask) will be in the Omni on Friday September 5 where the loser of the fall must leave the state of Georgia. Dusty mentions there’s still Ole fans out there, but he’s outta here starting Friday night, according to the Dream.

We hear a great debate over wearing a mask between two experts: Mr. Wrestling II and the Assassin. Wrestling II had difficulty getting matches before he wore the mask and found himself in a much better position to get booked wearing a mask. As for the Assassin, he puts Wrestling II down and explains he wears the mask because he doesn’t want people bugging him in restaurants and such. Wrestling #2 tells us that the mask means everything to him and no one is going to take it away from him. Assassin interjects and reminds everyone that Wrestling II is just a former champion, but what’s happening right now is that the Assassins are the current Georgia tag team champions. Assassin says the only reason Wrestling #2 has ever held any titles is because the Assassin must not have been wrestling in the area at that time. Wrestling II feels the Assassin can only get things done with his other henchman around. He dares the Assassin to try doing something on his own for once. Assassin sees that Wrestling #2 is starting to get loud and explains that a reasonably intelligent person wouldn’t let their temper get the better of them. OUCH. Wrestling II takes off his coat and dares the Assassin to a fight in the ring. The Assassin certainly isn’t going to fooled by such simple-minded tricks. Seriously, the Assassin Jody Hamilton is one of my favorite heels of all-time. Wrestling #2 calls Assassin “yella” a whole bunch and acts like he’ll get in the ring, but then turns away. Wrestling II won’t have anymore of this and throws Assassin into the ring. The other Assassin comes out and saves the day. They double-team Wrestling #2 to a bloody mess and while some jabronis try and help (well, Steve Keirn isn’t a j-bron and he beats on the other Assassin), the Assassin actually rips off Wrestling #2’s mask! AWESOME.

When we come back, Wrestling #2 is wearing a bloody towel over his head and threatens the Assassins. Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods stands behind Wrestling #2 and lets the people know he’s got #2’s back.

After another break in the video, we see Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods and Mr. Wrestling #2 ripping off the Assassin’s mask! So now they both have “mask trophies”.

When we return, Mr. Wrestling #1 and #2 revel in their victory over the Assassins. KISS THE GEORGIA TAG TITLES GOODBYE!

They show some footage of a recent arena match with Tony Atlas doing the commentating. In this match, it appears Ole Anderson and Terry Funk are battling Mr. Wrestling #2 and Lars Anderson. While the Assassins come down and beat up on #2 for the DQ, Ole Anderson brings a chair in the ring to whack Lars. Funk gets nailed instead and when Lars picks up the chair, he doesn’t have the balls to hit his own brother, which means in the end Ole whacks Lars with a chair. Tony Atlas is so offended by this because of his own family problems that he’s decided to stop training for the Mr. Universe pageant and return to wrestling to take on Ole Anderson in the Omni on September 19.

After the break, Ole Anderson shows up and says everyone is afraid of him getting his hands on Lars Anderson because of what he’ll do to him. As for Tony Atlas, Ole wouldn’t have to leave wrestling to train to win the Mr. Universe trophy. On Friday September 19, Ole is going to tear Tony Atlas apart with his own Mr. Universe body. If Lars Anderson shows up in the Omni, Ole will stop him. What an awesome promo. Even if you didn’t know Ole, you’d swear he’s exactly who he appears to be on TV.

Another promo. Lars Anderson wants Ole Anderson. Lars doesn’t mind paying any fines or taking any suspensions if it means getting his hands on Ole.

We hear a Uvalde Slim promo from down in Florida. Without a mask on, Dusty has a bandana around his nose and mouth and a shirt over his head. He looks like he’s heading to Wal*Mart during the quarantine. He’ll be in the Omni on September 19 to battle Terry Funk.

Next up, Gordon Solie talks with Lars Anderson and Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods. Mr. Wrestling lets Lars know he’s got his back and he doesn’t mind beating up an Anderson. Tonight at the Cobb County Civic Center, Lars Anderson and Mr. Wrestling #1 meet Ole Anderson and the Assassin in a “taped fist” match.

We hear from Ole Anderson and the Assassin and they have their punching fists taped to put over the gimmick. Ole and the Assassin can’t wait to bloody up some people.

When we return, Mr. Wrestling #1 and #2 remind everybody (including the Assassins) that they are watching each other’s backs. Wrestling II talks some smack on Assassin #2 and guarantees he’s ripping off his mask!

The current GCW champs are as follows on 9/20/80:
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race (9/9/1980)
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion: Dennis Condrey (9/8/1980)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions: Mr. Wrestling & Mr. Wrestling II (9/19/1980)
NWA Georgia Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Stan Lane (9/3/1980)
NWA National Television Champion: Terry Taylor (8/22/1980)

Mr. Wrestling #1 and #2 show off their newly won Georgia tag team titles from the Assassins last night in the Omni. If the Assassins want a rematch, they have to put their masks on the line against the titles.

While Mike Davis is celebrating his “first ever win” on Georgia Championship Wrestling, Terry Funk comes along and wants to talk to Solie. Terry has no patience for Mike interrupting him and kicks Mike in the head while wearing his cowboy boots (naturally – what else?). Terry Funk and Ole Anderson then embarrass Mike Davis – slapping him across the face and kicking him in the back. AWESOME stuff. Terry Taylor appears trying to save Mike, but Funk grabs him and delivers a suplex. Well, that doesn’t really seem like something you would do in a fight. Ole gives up on Mike Davis and joins Funk in the beatdown of Terry Taylor – until Mr. Wrestling #1 and #2 run them off.

After the break, Terry Taylor talks with Gordon. Gordon tells Terry that he’s proud of him for helping out Mike Davis – even though it cost Terry a beating and a nice button up shirt. Taylor did what he thought was right and thinks Ole Anderson and Terry Funk will pay for their sins sooner or later.

When we return, Terry Funk shows up and gives some advice for the people watching: don’t grow up to be a crybaby like Terry Taylor. Unfortunately with 40 years passed, it appears NOBODY listened to Terry Funk. Love the Joe Ely t-shirt Funk is wearing here – always representing west Texas. Kevin Sullivan comes out super pissed ready to fight. He calls Funk “Texas garbage” and dares him to get in the ring. As Terry gets in the ring, OLE ANDERSON appears to the left of Kevin Sullivan. Before Ole can do anything, Sullivan knocks him for a loop. Funk brings Sullivan into the ring and beats the crap out of him, but AGAIN Terry Taylor appears and tries to make a name for himself. Sullivan keeps Ole Anderson at bay while Taylor takes care of Funk until he’s gone crazy and windmilling out on the floor. AWESOME.

We hear from Dusty Rhodes as he gets ready for a match in Columbus, Ohio (since he can’t wrestle in Georgia right now) against Ole Anderson.

Back in the studio, Ole Anderson talks about Dick Slater returning to the Omni on October 10 to face the NWA world champ Harley Race. Ole doesn’t think Slater will have any chance against Race. He talks less like a booker here and more like a promoter.

More promos. We hear from Bullet Bob Armstrong who will be making special appearances in Georgia very soon. Jim Brunzell puts over Armstrong and says Armstrong will be on the show tonight in Bob’s hometown of Marietta.

Freddie Miller talks with Tony Atlas and they discuss Tony’s career up to this point. Everybody loves you wherever you go, Tony! They are really putting over the promotion’s expansion into Columbus Ohio.

Masa Saito gets some promo time with Gordon Solie. He associates himself with the rest of the evil Japanese guys like Mr. Ito and Dr. Tanaka. Hilarious. Moving on, Kevin Sullivan hypes the Lars Anderson versus Ole Anderson boxing match booked in Marietta.

After the break, the Georgia tag champs Mr. Wrestling #1 and #2 vow to take the masks from the Assassins, but tonight in Marietta the tag champs will be battling the Manchurians.

More promos for Marietta. Dennis Condrey will be taking on Bullet Bob Armstrong. Ole Anderson comes by to comment on all these promos. Those suspenders, man. Ole could have knocked out Muhammad Ali if he had continued down his path of boxing training, but he chose wrestling instead. He vows to knock out Lars tonight.

The current GCW champs are as follows on 9/27/80:
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race (9/9/1980)
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion: Dennis Condrey (9/8/1980)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions: Mr. Wrestling & Mr. Wrestling II (9/19/1980)
NWA Georgia Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Stan Lane (9/3/1980)
NWA National Television Champion: Terry Taylor (8/22/1980)

We kick off this video with a promo from the Fabulous Freebirds. We’ve seen their act over in Memphis as far back as a year earlier when the Freebirds were just Hayes and Gordy, they left Memphis and went crazy setting a wrestling attendance record at the Superdome in New Orleans, and now they have made it to the big time in Georgia Championship Wrestling. Gordon calls them a “new dimension” in tag team wrestling because they are a three-man team as opposed to the traditional two-man team as the Freebirds have added Buddy Roberts. Michael Hayes is the spokesman and he talks to you like he’s from another planet, but it’s all fantastic. “Free Bird” plays in the background while Hayes introduces the national audience to the Freebirds. I can’t really go over what all he says because I couldn’t do it justice. Just check it out and be amazed. Gordon Solie’s face at the end of this video is priceless.

• Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts (w/Michael Hayes) vs. Tim Horner & Jerry Roberts

Interesting green and yellow gear for the Freebirds. Gordy wants a handshake from Horner and when he won’t take the handshake, Gordy slaps him across the face to get things going and just eats Horner alive. Hayes joins Solie every now and then to add some comments. Whenever Horner starts to get a break, Gordy and Buddy make sure to tag in the other. Finally, Horner crawls through Buddy’s legs and reaches Jerry Roberts for a tag. You’ll know Jerry Roberts as Jacques Rougeau. Jerry wins a slugfest on Buddy and backdrops him. Buddy gets stuck in a headlock, but blind tags Gordy who knees Horner down. Big slam and a forearm drop on Horner connects. Buddy comes off the middle rope with an elbow drop to the back of the head. Double back elbow to Horner. Hayes loves the team work. Gordy lowers the knee pad and knee drops Horner, but lifts Horner up at the count of two. To finish off Horner, Buddy backdrops Horner into a POWERBOMB from Gordy for the win at 4:06.

When we come back, Masa Saito is apologizing for something he said or did, but something tells me this apology isn’t genuine.

• Masa Saito vs. Jack Lackin

Lackin is a “hospital worker from Knoxville, Tennessee” who accepts a $5000 challenge. Solie never mentions what Lackin actually has to do. Possibly last five minutes with Saito. Nevertheless, Saito can’t pin Lackin with amateur holds and gives him an overhead suplex flat on his face to finally pin Lackin in 2:04.

• Harley Race vs. Gary Young – (Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, 8/80)

When trying to figure out when this match was taped, I figured it was August 1980 as Race spent a week in Mid-Atlantic before his tour of All Japan. Race escapes a headlock and knee drops Young a few times. He punishes Young with a chinlock. Young throws Race off of him, but Race shoulderbutts him in the stomach and throws him to the floor. Race keeps Young on the floor as long as he wants while Roughhouse Fargo tries to keep him back. He gives Young a STALLING SUPLEX back in the ring for the three-count in 4:00 shown.

Dick Slater sends in a promo from Championship Wrestling from Florida to hype his upcoming Omni match with Harley Race over the NWA world title.

We hear from Harley Race who puts himself over as being the man who can beat anybody in the world because he’s the NWA world champion.

• Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts (w/Terry Gordy) vs. Mike Davis & Zane Hickey

Gordy goes over to Solie and runs his mouth. “Free Bird” is playing throughout the match, which is awesome. Davis takes the brunt of the punishment here. In a cool spot, Davis escapes a hammerlock by running Buddy through the ropes to the floor as he makes the HOT TAG TO HICKEY! I think the crowd forgot that Hickey is a jabroni for a moment. He catches Roberts with a back elbow, but Roberts blind tags Hayes and gets stomped from behind. Hickey is about to pay for showing his guts off. Buddy nails a staggered Hickey with a flying knee off the top to the back of the head. Awesome. Tag to Hayes, they give Hickey a DOUBLE SUPLEX and that’s absolutely all she wrote at 4:10.

Next on the video, we see the Georgia heavyweight champ Austin Idol taking on Charlie Fulton from the May 24 show. Don’t know if this was part of the show or part of the comp, but here we are.

That wraps up the month of September for me. Until next time, so long for now.