jesseewiak

‘Liger-Mania’ Sets New Heights In Gobe, a small city that sits on the Pacific Ocean seventy miles south of Osaka, the small city-owned arena is sold-out with over a thousand fans, waiting for the beginning of a locally promoted show for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the largest wrestling organization in the nation. While there are still many middle-aged and younger salarymen who are here for stoic fighters such as Riki Choshu or Shinya Hashimoto, who descend from the line of samurai-like fighters that have topped professional wrestling cards in this nation since the days of Rikidozan in the aftermath of World War II, or even some young women coming from those same long office jobs because of young Western wrestlers such as former football linemen Brian Pillman, a mass of the crowd are children who are all here for one man – a masked superhero named Jushin Liger. Hundreds of children buy masks, manga (Japanese comic books), t-shirts, and CDs, alongside other pieces of merchandise, that according to some estimates makeup half of all merchandise sales for New Japan during the past year, before filling up the arena. They quietly pay attention to the rest of the evening’s card, but even the well-known myth of how well-behaved Japanese children only has so much truth, as there’s plenty of obvious restlessness throughout the crowd, before the last match of the evening – Liger teaming up with two other wrestlers for a six-man tag team match. From the moment the ring announcements start, the chants of ‘LI-GER, LI-GER’ begin, and continue throughout the entrances of all six wrestlers, and it continues through much of the match. After the end of the show, the masked hero signs pictures, toys, masks, and sticker books for nearly an hour, before New Japan officials take him to the back. Pro wrestling has been a popular form of entertainment in Japan, since it rose to prominence in the aftermath of World War II, where American wrestlers helped create the sport with Rikidozan, a former sumo who wrestled a match against Lou Thesz in a match that got an enormous 85.1 rating, more than double what the Super Bowl gets even today in the United States. As with the early days of television in the United States, professional wrestling was cheap, exciting content for the burgeoning television industry. Even after Rikidozan’s tragic death and a split between his two most famous pupils, pro wrestling still has a large place in Japanese society. Both major promotions have network television shows, long-time New Japan owner Antonio Inoki has become a politician, and respect is given in polite society in ways that never come to American wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, who first rose to stardom in Japan. “It’s a totally different world, brother,” Hogan said, via phone while on tour with the WWF. “Obviously, I’m happy as a clam in the World Wrestling Federation, wrestling all over the world in front of millions, but there’s something special about a Japanese crowd.” Despite this success, New Japan officials realized their crowds were trending older, and needed some splashy to bring in a new generation of fans to whom the serious brand of wrestling that wrestlers such as Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami personified didn’t appeal too, especially in a world with far more media options, so they returned to an idea that’d brought them great success before – a superhero based on a popular superhero anime (Japanese animation). This had been a huge success before with a wrestler named Tiger Mask in the early 1980’s, so with a young graduate of their harsh dojo under the mask, the new character debuted during New Japan’s first show at the 60,000-seat Tokyo Dome. Officials expected a popular wrestler, but they never expected what has happened with Liger. In Japanese pro wrestling, as with its American cousin, the drawing power has always rested with the larger wrestlers – whether it’s somebody like a heavyweight like Inoki wrestling Muhammed Ali or the over 7-foot Giant Baba taking on American stars such as Ric Flair in All Japan Professional Wrestling, lighter workers could be short-term attractions or something to fill out the card, but the big men drew the money. Even with Tiger Mask, “he sold a ton of merchandise and helped create a new style for younger wrestlers to be drawn to, but even at his height, men like Baba, Inoki, Fujinami, and Tsutura were much larger stars,” Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer, a publication that covers the business and backstage side of the pseudo-sport stated. “Liger was something different – I had people in the New Japan office tell me that almost immediately they could see a shift in their audience on television, and especially at smaller house shows.” For obvious reasons, New Japan officials wouldn’t say anything quite that firm, but other reporters in Japan who cover the business agree with Meltzer. “In places like Tokyo, Osaka, and such, it’s the same crowds, but those crowds were always diverse,” Fumi Sato, a reporter for a Japanese sports publication that covers pro-wrestling said. “The true change is in the smaller cities and towns. These are places that were slowly dying off and being abandoned by the two major companies, as it wasn’t financially viable to do so. Towns and cities that were barely half-filling gyms and arenas in 1988 & 1989 were now selling out 1,000 to 5,000-seat arenas. Unlike the US, there aren’t a ton of 10,000 to 20,000 seat arenas in the nation, so these smaller buildings like that are the lifeblood of both major promotions.” This change has not been without some growing pains, as veteran pro wrestler Dick Beyer said, “This is a very hierarchical culture, and wrestling is no different. Just like you take a job at Toyota and work there forever, you go to a dojo and work for that company forever, slowly raising up the ranks as you gain experience. Guys like Sayama (Tiger Mask) and Liger kind of upend that belief.” Satoru Sayama, the man who was under the Tiger Mask caused a sensation when he published ‘Kayfabe’, a book that spilled many of the backstage secrets of pro wrestling, but so far, the man who is behind the Liger masks, Keichi Yamada, seems unlikely to do anything like that. “Yamada’s a dojo-bred guy, and intensely loyal,” Meltzer said. “Anything is possible, but unless New Japan really screws up, I don’t see any way he causes anything close to the problems Sayama did, who always beat to his own drummer.” But, Meltzer added, “In a world where he continues to be a top-top draw, the question becomes, does he move to a heavyweight division? Do they begin to have large shows with Liger in the main event? Do they really have to build up the division to help Liger, at that point, other interesting questions about the future begin to bubble up." Those are all questions for the ‘hardcore’ fanbase in the United States and Canada, who keep track of professional wrestling via video tapes traded in the mail and copied discreetly, but for the legions of elementary school children in Gobe, all that matters is not only did their hero win, but they can shake his hand and bow to him after the match, before going home.

NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING A result of the Giant Baba – Antonio Inoki split that led to the formation of the two dominant promotions in Japanese wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling is still the leading promotion in the country, with a large national audience. Inoki led the company through the 70s and much of the 80s, leading NJPW to prominence thanks to his massive amounts of charisma and ‘Strong Style’ matches against various opponents from outside of the pro wrestling world, including Muhammad Ali. However, a series of financial and political scandals led Inoki to cede control of the company to long-time front-office member Seiji Sakaguchi, and a series of other financial backers. In recent years, Riki Choshu has taken over as booker and thanks to prominent gaijins such as Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow, the mega-wattage stardom of Jushin Liger, and the ‘Three Musketeers’ of Shinya Hashimoto, Masahiro Chono, and Keiji Muto, New Japan’s been on a recent hot streak, but a somewhat weak midcard could lead to some issues in the long-term. MAJOR PLAYERS ANTONIO INOKI A living legend, and one of two men who has carried on Rikidozan’s legacy in professional wrestling, Inoki has created an aura for himself as a legit badass by facing off against various outsiders from different fighting styles, with varying degrees of legitimacy, and booked himself to go over. Most famously, fighting to a draw against Muhammad Ali in the late 70s cemented Inoki’s place, and even opened bigger doors outside of the wrestling industry. Now in his late 40s, and with outside interests including politics, Inoki no longer books New Japan or is there day-to-day, but he’s still a massive draw, and even if he only shows up for big shows, can be both a help and hindrance. TATSUMI FUJINAMI Known as ‘The Dragon’, Tatsumi Fujinami was the Ace of the promotion throughout the 80s as Inoki stopped being a full-time wrestler and helped move the promotion to a more modern style, along with other rising stars in the promotion such as Choshu, Yatsu, and big-time gaijin stars like Bruiser Brody. Now in his late 30s, Fujinami is slowing down slightly but still is one of the better workers, and one of the top draws for New Japan. JUSHIN ‘THUNDER’ LIGER The successor to ‘Tiger Mask’ has become an even bigger star than the legendary competitor, and even threatens the balance between the heavyweight and junior heavyweight divisions in New Japan, thanks to his crossover stardom, which has even led to international attention. Cartoons, comics, t-shirts, stickers, and even a guest appearance in the latest ‘Godzilla’ movie have made Liger a massive star, even as he continues to be perhaps the greatest non-heavyweight worker anywhere on the planet. RIKI CHOSHU One of the biggest stars in puroresu, Choshu was famously the first ‘traitor heel’ in Japanese pro wrestling, turning on Fujinami in ’83, before leaving NJPW for All Japan in a move, along with several jumps by prominent gaijins that eventually led to the current agreement between the two companies that there will be no stealing of currently contracted workers, between the two companies. After returning to New Japan, Choshu eventually got back on the side of the New Japan Army by battling the monster Vader, and other top stars, and even though he’ll likely never be the top star in the promotion, he has been trusted with the book, in part because of his ability to bring in outside ideas from the rest of the wrestling world, and his own creative mind. KEIJI MUTOH A rising young superstar, Mutoh first gained prominence in the mid-80s as a rising young lion in New Japan, eventually becoming IWGP World Tag Team Champion with Shiro Koshinaka. But his true stardom wasn’t evident until he went to the States for a second excursion and created the character of The Great Muta in the NWA. Coming back to Japan, Mutoh quickly rose to the top of the card, under the Muta gimmick, including somewhat shockingly defeating Vader for the IWGP Heavyweight title at the first January 4th Dome show. Unfortunately, Mutoh suffered a serious knee injury a couple of months afterward and had to give up the title, and only recently returned to the ring in November, but going back to his real name. It's unknown when and if the Muta gimmick will return. BIG VAN VADER & BAM BAM BIGELOW - 'ULTRA VIOLENT' Since arriving in Japan by destroying Antonio Inoki in a non-title match in only five minutes, and causing a riot at Sumo Hall, Big Van Vader has been nearly unstoppable in the Japanese rings, winning the IWGP Championship multiple times, facing the biggest stars in the company, all while having a presence that’ll likely lead to American stardom for him eventually Bigelow’s path to New Japan is more interesting, as despite only having been in the business five years, he’s had appearances in both the NWA & WWF, before arriving in Tokyo as Vader’s surprise partner when they destroyed Fujiwara & Yamazaki for the IWGP Tag Titles in under seven minutes. Since then, as ‘Ultra Violent’, Vader & Bigelow have been the dominant tag team in the promotion, with only Vader’s flirtations with the IWGP title stopping them from being completely unstoppable. OTHER PLAYERS OF NOTE MASAHIRO CHONO Another rising star in the promotion, while Chono may not be the worker Mutoh or Hashimoto may end up being, Chono’s intensely charismatic, either as he is currently as a cocky babyface, or possibly even as a heel. Chono’s time at the top is coming, whether it’s through impactful strikes, his STF finisher, or teaming up with the other ‘Three Musketeers’, it’ll be interesting to how Chono gets there. SHINYA HASHIMOTO The last member of the ‘Three Musketeers’, Hashimoto doesn’t have the look of a star you’d expect in the United States, but the stocky young man with Elvis-like mutton chops whom can kick the hell out of you and is fiery in a way the Japanese crowds can easily get behind. Already a multiple-time tag champion with his mentor Masa Saito, Hashimoto has gone blow-for-blow with monsters like Vader, talented gaijin workers like the Steiners, and legends like Inoki & Fujinami, so it seems the sky truly is the limit for him. BLACK TIGER II (Eddy Guerrero) The scion of the legendary Guerrero family, Eddy came to New Japan at the start of last year, quickly rising to the top of the junior heavyweight division, and having fantastic matches with El Samurai, Norio Honaga, and Liger. Will possibly head back to Mexico at the end of this year, but while under the mask as the second Black Tiger, has already been a very successful member of the roster. BRIAN PILLMAN & CHRIS BENOIT A rising star in Japanese wrestling under the mask as ‘Wild Pegasus’, Chris Benoit is one of the most talented young wrestlers in the world when it comes to workrate but was likely doomed to being an occasional challenger to Liger and to be unknown in North American wrestling, until Brian Pillman decided against signing a contract with the NWA in the middle of 1989, and instead, moved to Mexico. After a few impressive matches against young New Japan dojo wrestlers on an excursion, word got back to Liger, and the young former Bengal was brought over to Japan at the beginning of 1991. Shortly before that, in the fall of 1990, Benoit dropped the 'Wild Pegasus' mask to Liger. From there, Benoit & Pillman were teamed up, and quickly became a popular duo, especially to younger fans, thanks to Benoit’s intense aura and Pillman’s charisma along with his good looks. The real question is how much longer it will take until the Big Three come calling for Pillman again, and whether Benoit gets a chance as well. MAJOR EVENTS WRESTLING WORLD After its opening in the late 80s, the Tokyo Dome quickly became known as the place where the biggest possible shows take place, and this is true of New Japan as well. Starting with this year, New Japan is attempting to make a yearly January 4th show as its trademark show. It remains to be seen whether they’ll continue to do other Dome shows throughout the year, as well. G-1 CLIMAX For many years, New Japan has held an annual round-robin series, under various names such as the World League, the MSG League, and the IWGP League. In 1990, the G-1 was christened as the newest example of this round-robin tournament. The yearly series, taking place in August, has some of the best wrestling action on the planet and can help create stars and make main eventers, as it’s done for men like Hulk Hogan and Riki Choshu. BEST OF THE SUPER JUNIORS A relatively recent invention, and likely only continues to take advantage of Liger’s insane popularity, the BotSJ is a round-robin style tournament, only involving junior wrestlers.

PWTorch.com Rewind ‘SURVIVE OR STRIVE – THE FUTURE OF THE USWA’ January 5th, 1991 by Editor Wade Keller As a long-time AWA fan, the rise of the USWA as a way for what could be called the second-tier of wrestling promotions to survive against the onslaught of the Big Three has had its upsides and downsides. On one hand, the mainstream credibility of the Von Erichs and the combined strength of USWA cards have probably led to enough money flowing into the coffers of all three companies that wrestlers such as Curt Hennig and Rick Martel are still in Minnesota, as opposed to standing across the ring from Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, or Roddy Piper. On the other hand, it’s also meant having to hope that Kerry Von Erich actually shows up to big AWA shows, that Jimmy Valiant isn’t drafted to stink up a mid-card six-man match no matter his supposed drawing power in Memphis, or that Jerry Lawler’s ego doesn’t make another appearance when it comes time to do a job to somebody outside of his hometown. But, after three years of existence, this alliance has already outlasted most ‘hardcore’ fans' views that wrestling promoters can’t get along for more than five minutes, even when their continued existence is at risk. However, the three promotions have been smart in that the promotions are still largely disconnected, and that all three companies have big enough draws so that nobody can dominate the proceedings. There are still rumblings, though. Whether it is Von Erich’s well-known demons, Lawler’s own view of his stardom, especially within Memphis, and the intense worry in the AWA offices over the chances of current AWA Champion Curt Hennig’s long-term future are all pieces in an unstable Jenga board that could collapse at any time. So, as we go into the New Year, I wanted to look at the long-term future of all three promotions, as part of the alliance, and on their own terms. AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION When it comes to the AWA, the strongest parts of the promotion are a fairly strong top of the card, a viable cable network TV deal, and at least at the moment, the strongest recent booking. However, a dearth of younger babyfaces, strong competition locally from both the WWF and PWA, and the instability that comes from multiple members of the roster that could jump when their contracts are up mean that with just a few signings, the AWA could quickly be ravaged and have no viable stars. As long as they don’t lose Slaughter, Hennig, or Martel, the AWA could likely survive the USWA falling apart, but if those wrestlers left, they’d need to double down on the remaining Von Erich's, Jarrett, and Lawler, along with others to remain anything more than an independent promotion with a lot of history. CONTINENTAL WRESTLING ASSOCIATION The interesting thing about the CWA is that, if the USWA collapsed tomorrow, much of their current audience wouldn’t know the difference. Outside of occasional appearances from Von Erich, Hennig, and others, Memphis is still a ‘bubble’ where a reference to a feud from 1981 is still more important than a big-time star from outside of the area. But, the long-term issue for the CWA is the rise of the national promotions means that not only have their ratings and attendance been slowly chipped away, especially outside of Memphis, but their ability to create new stars and build long-time roster members has become almost non-existent, and the well-known lack of pay for wrestlers who aren’t connected to the top of the card doesn’t help either. If Lawler, Dundee, Jarrett, Valiant, and other well-known names remain as part of the company, the CWA can easily last for another five years or more without fully losing ground to either an encroaching NWA or a rising PWA. But, if one or more of those names, especially Lawler decides to take the risk at becoming more than a local legend, that might be the day the lights go out in the Mid-South Coliseum. WORLD CLASS WRESTLING In many ways, even with the USWA, WCCW is in the most precarious position, but if it could break out of its own self-limitations, has perhaps the best chance at becoming something more. However, the Von Erichs must realize that their time has passed when it comes to them being the alpha and omega of the promotion. They can still be important parts, and Kerry Von Erich is still a household name in Texas, but that’s about it. Their old enemies are either overseas or past their prime, and they’ve built no new monsters or charismatic heels to oppose them. That’s nothing against the current crop in Dallas, but it’s not a surprise that the top heel came in from the AWA. Even their possible young star, Warrior, has obvious flaws, and a limited shelf life, if not booked perfectly. That’s not even getting past the obvious attention he could get from one of the major companies. But, World Class is still World Class – it has a name that casual fans are aware of, it still has good production values, even if they’re not a world ahead anymore, and a base in Texas is likely stronger than Tennessee or Minnesota. That’s only if World Class takes advantage, otherwise, they’re one more arrest, overdose, or simple bad booking to becoming irrelevant. At the moment, the USWA as an alliance is useful to all three promotions – AWA can build depth, WCCW can expand beyond the Von Erich’s, and the CWA can have a national stage for its local legends, but as with any agreement among promoters, it can quickly fall apart. The Von Erichs have already broken one alliance only a few years ago, Memphis can also retreat behind the walls of a local fanbase, and the AWA can decide to go it alone with an expansive cable reach. For now, though, the alliance survives, and as a result, so will all three promotions…for now. NEXT UP: JAPAN!

WORLD CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING Rising to prominence in the early 80s thanks to cutting-edge production, entertaining angles, and a legion of Dallas teen girls screaming for the heroic Von Erichs, the tragedy of the family, along with Fritz Von Erich’s reluctance to not have his boys at the top of the card led to a fall from grace, especially after their initial alliance with Pro Wrestling America barely lasted six months in the aftermath of the 'Kiel Double Cross.' On the verge of collapse, the Von Erichs joined the fledgling USWA, giving the new alliance some mainstream credibility with the living Von Erichs, and its still somewhat strong syndication package. The question that remains is how long World Class can survive without creating viable stars without the last name Von Erich. MAJOR PLAYERS KERRY VON ERICH The peak of Kerry Von Erich’s career is still his short run with the NWA title after the death of his brother David in 1984, but despite his numerous personal issues, the rise of the USWA has allowed the World Class territory to be slightly more secure – regardless, Kerry is still the biggest star in the territory, and now a multi-time AWA World Champion, but the question remains how long he can battle his demons and stay a draw. KEVIN VON ERICH The older Von Erich brother has somewhat slowed down, due to injuries and his own demons, even if they’re nothing close to his brothers. Still a tough brawler and decently charismatic, but doesn’t quite appeal to the teenyboppers of the 90s as opposed to the lovelorn girls of the mid-80s. Still a strong part of the World Class roster, though. GARY HART’S NEW AGE MANAGEMENT Gary Hart has always had a menagerie of heels looking to destroy the Von Erich’s, and now is no different, as the former Chicago Street thug has the dangerous Angel of Death, the legendary Great Kabuki, and the mysterious Yoshi Kwan. Currently feuding with Warrior, who turned his back on Hart earlier this year. DEVASTATION INCORPORATED The other major heel group in the company, and one that always has a tense détente with Hart, Skandor Akbar currently has in his corporation, the maniacal Matt Borne who is the current WCCW Champion, the tough cowboy Black Bart, and the ego-fueled Bombastic Bob Holly. OTHER PLAYERS OF NOTE THE SIMPSONS The Simpsons are two younger wrestlers from South Africa, who came to the US in the mid-80s and became a prominent part of the Texas territory over the last three years, as their father at various times has had points in the territory, to help Fritz Von Erich stay afloat. Both brothers are talented, but the idea they’re second-tier Von Erich’s isn’t too far from the truth. ICEMAN KING PARSONS A longtime member of the World Class roster, Parsons has been both a face and heel, including a successful team with Brickhouse Brown, multiple Television and Tag title runs, and even two WCCW Heavyweight title runs in the past year or so as a heel, but after a brief break, Parsons returned as a babyface this past fall, back in his familiar mid to upper-mid card position. WARRIOR An incredibly charismatic, muscular, and explosive worker, but very uneven and out there, who’d made his name known as a wild brawler and over-the-top character over the past few years in World Class. After losing a WCCW title match in August, New Age Management turned on him and left him for dead, but he returned in November and is in a big-time feud with the stable. JIMMY GARVIN A veteran worker, who is still entertaining in the ring, after bouncing between various territories, Garvin has remade his home in World Class for the past couple of years, including a very entertaining off-and-on feud with Eric Embry, over the Television title. THE CALIFORNIA STUD A relative newcomer to the business, Rod Price, under the name ‘The California Stud’ has quickly risen to be a very hate able heel to the Texas crowd, especially as he talks up California to the partisan Dallas crowd. Currently the tag champs with Jimmy Garvin. ERIC EMBRY A somewhat underrated worker but doesn’t have quite the size to be a true star, even in a territory such as Dallas. Still a solid midcard competitor who has had an entertaining off-and-on feud with Jimmy Garvin over the past few years. MAJOR SHOWS STAR WARS Connected to major holidays, and edging against copyright violations galore, the major Star Wars show make up the majority of the big shows during the World Class calendar, and are where big World title defenses, major gimmick happens, and big moments happen. PARADE OF CHAMPIONS After the alliance with the USWA, the Von Erich Memorial part of the show’s name was quietly dropped, as pointing out the Von Erich’s various tragedies were likely a net negative, when combined with Kerry’s issues, even as he’s with us among the living. Despite this, Parade of Champions is still the biggest show of the year for World Class, and still takes place at Texas Stadium, despite issues with attendance since the peak of the mid-80’s. .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: white; text-align: center; color: black; font: Georgia } LAST MAJOR SHOW X-MAS DAY STAR WARS Dallas, TX Matt Borne © d. Kevin Von Erich – (19:07) Kerry Von Erich & The Simpson Brothers © d. Jeff Gaylord & The Moondogs – (14:16) Iceman King Parsons d. Jimmy Garvin © - (10:05) Eric Embry d. ‘California Stud’ Ron Price – (12:35) Black Bart & Bob Holly d. Fantastics – (13:25) The Warrior d. Yoshi Kwan – (4:42) Great Kabuki & Angel of Death CO Action Jackson & Tugboat Taylor – (11:13)

OOC: It's the mod that refuses to die! Tomorrow I should have World Class up, then a 'story' post again. Frorm there, it should be Japan and other companies after that. Hopefully. CONTINENTAL WRESTLING ASSOCIATION As a territory, Memphis has existed in a variety of forms ever since the beginnings of pro wrestling in the state, whether it was the Welch, Gulas, or other families in control, or the various ‘outlaw’ groups that tried to take the place of the main promotion. Ever since the 70’s though, it’s been Jerry Jarrett as the man in charge, along with eventually the ‘King’ Jerry Lawler stepping in as a co-owner, with the help of what could be regarded as the pound for pound, most popular weekly TV show in the country. But, the national expansion of the NWA and WWF hurt the talent available along with the rise of the PWA. As a result, in 1987, for legal reasons, the Memphis territory was reformed as the Continental Wrestling Association, and aligned with the AWA & World Class, as the USWA. Even though in many ways, it’s the least known territory outside of its home area, it’s also the strongest within that territory, which may allow it to last longer than it’s current allies. MAJOR PLAYERS JERRY LAWLER The famous "King of Memphis" Jerry Lawler is easily one of the most well-known names in the business during the territory era of the 1980’s. His rise to fame outside of Memphis came on the back of a feud with comedian Andy Kaufmann, including a now infamous spat on the Tonight Show. Not a flashy performer by any stretch, Lawler has a talent for brawling and for story telling in the ring. A former AWA World Champion, Lawler’s keeping Memphis afloat, almost on his own, and could be a national draw in the right situation. JIMMY HART One of the most legendary managers in the history of the territory, Jimmy Hart & His First Family feuded with Lawler and the rest of the babyfaces of the Memphis area from the late 70’s on, Hart left for the WWF in 1985, but returned in 1988 after he began to believe he’d never get a shot to be the top manager while Heenan was still in the promotion. Returned to Memphis in a shocking angle where he was revealed as the man bankrolling a variety of top stars from other territories to try to take out Lawler, and has been in some ways, the top heel since. BILL DUNDEE One of the most surprising top territory stars in history, Dundee came to the territory from Australia in the 70’s and quickly ensconced himself as a top star in Memphis for fifteen years since then, thanks to his charisma, despite his small size. Has been a babyface, a heel, and in feuds with Lawler, Dundee, Idol, Mantell, and Valiant. THE IRON SHEIK After losing the WWF title to Hogan, ‘Sheiky Baby’ hung around for a few more years, including a tag title reign, then had a variety of short stops in the territories, before returning to Stamford for a nostalgia run in ’88 that ended with his 35-second loss to Flash King at Summerslam. Leaving almost immediately afterward, Sheik ended up in World Class and then the AWA, playing his typical evil foreign heel character. Currently somewhat regularly showing up in Memphis as part of the USWA co-promotion. Relatively over, but a bit of a pain backstage. AUSTIN IDOL Idol is best known for his long tenure in Memphis and other southeastern promotions throughout the 80’s. A possible bigger star, if not for his dedication and reliability issues, along with a reluctance to take plane flights after a 1975 plane accident, and thus, was hard to book regularly. Has a legendary feud with Lawler in the 80’s, and is still fairly popular in the area, despite never saying for too long. DUTCH MANTELL A talented brawler and talker, Mantell has been a consistent star in the Memphis territory throughout the 80’s, along with strong runs in Puerto Rico, and even a very short run in the PWA. Has also booked in Memphis and Puerto Rico, while also having helped out on the booking team in various small promotions during his breaks from Memphis. JEFF JARRETT The son of legendary promoter, Jerry Jarrett, Jeff has been thought as a possible star in his business since his debut. A natural talent, even though he’s not entirely fluid in the ring, Jarrett will likely have a long career in the business. However, Jarrett’s career had a very rough speed bump has he missed most of 1989 thanks to a severe car wreck in the spring. JIMMY VALIANT Valiant will never have a match loved by tape trading circles, but he’s still a massive draw in the small towns around the Southeast, where he can get a crowd to his feet in small arenas and high school gyms from Virginia to Alabama, and all points in between. Has had viable runs in the NWA, Memphis, the Continental territory, and the Gulf Coast. OTHERS OF NOTE THE FIRST FAMILY There have been many versions of The First Family, but this most recent version was formed in the spring of 1989, when Dr. Tom Pritchard and ‘Prime Time’ Brian Lee turned on their partners and joined up with Joel Deaton. Long-time veteran hand Danny Davis quickly joined the group, and they’ve been very successful in the promotion since then and helped all four men become bigger stars in the area, which is the point of the stable. STEVE KEIRN A talented worker, if not slightly bland, Keirn drew well in the early and mid-80’s as a member of The Fabulous Ones with Stan Lane, and had underneath runs in several other promotions, before recently returning to Memphis as a mid-card babyface, chasing after the Southern title held by Dutch Mantell. BRIAN C & JAMIE D The two scions of legendary wrestlers in the territory, even though one of those bloodlines isn’t mentioned on Memphis television, Brian C & Jamie D are the typical young babyfaces that have been built up a million times in the territory to appeal to the young female fanbase, but both men have possibly long and successful careers in the wider wrestling business if things roll correctly for them. DIRTY WHITE BOY (w/ DIRTY WHITE GIRL) Tony Anthony has played his dirty, trashy character, as both a babyface and heel in various Southern wrestling promotions ever since his debut in the early 80’s, whether it’s Memphis, Continental, or other small start-up promotions. Currently has long-time girlfriend has his valent, the Dirty White Girl. Not the smoothest in-ring worker but has good psychology and sure as hell can have a brawl. KOKO B. WARE Koko had a successful run at the start of his career in Memphis, but recently returned to the area as he no longer had a full-time contract with the World Wrestling Federation and is allowed to ‘moonlight’ for the Memphis promotion, as long as he’s always available for Titan if necessary. Currently plugging in holes at spot shows or showing up as a tag or six-man partner as parts of larger feuds. MAJOR SHOWS MID-SOUTH COLUSEIM Every Monday, rain or shine, no matter the roster, the newcomers, or the top of the card, pro wrestling is on the marquee in Memphis, Tennessee, and will likely continue to be as long as the names Jarrett, Dundee, and Lawler are in the business.

AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION Originally created as an outgrowth of the successful Chicago national TV promotion based around Verne Gagne, the territory while separate from the NWA, kept friendly relations with the organization, as its existence was a good anti-antitrust argument, and much of the AWA territory was seen as not worth expanding into by the NWA. After a successful 60's and 70's, Vince's talent raids of the mid-80s left the cupboard bear, and it looked like the company would falter. However, two strokes of good luck in the form of Sgt. Slaughter coming into the company to become the booker after a falling out with Hogan and Cut Hennig deciding to stay w/ the AWA allowed the company to survive. Working with Memphis and World Class to form the USWA has also been successful, as one could argue the AWA World Title is the last territory-based title in the business, with the WWF being the WWF, Crockett taking control fully of the NWA World title, and the PWA always being a promotion based belt. While the AWA is more stable than OTL and has a decent top of the card, there's a dearth of young and mid-card babyfaces to replace men like Slaughter, Snuka, and the Fantastics, while there's always the worry of Hennig moving on to St. Louis, Stamford, or Charlotte. MAJOR PLAYERS CURT HENNIG A natural athlete, Hennig has been described by many as the most natural professional wrestler of his generation. Blessed with fluid athleticism, he combines it with smooth technical ability and brilliant in-ring selling. Charismatic to boot, Hennig has all the makings of a star. He has been very loyal to the AWA, turning down several big money offers from the WWF, as he's been pushed as the #1 star in the AWA for the last several years, getting in various feuds with wrestlers such as Sgt. Slaughter, Rick Martel, and even foreign stars when they come through such as Jumbo Tsuruta. JIMMY SNUKA The man from the islands of Fiji is one of the most recognizable names of the last decade plus. A showman of the highest order, Snuka shot to fame in the World Wrestling Federation where we wowed crowds with his flashy ring style and unique charisma. A bit unstable and unreliable, Snuka's star has faded over the past decade, stumbling from promotion to promotion. Is currently in a feud with Matt Borne in a battle that has been pitched as a battle of off-kilter personalities. LARRY ZYBYSKO The "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko is one of the great technical heels of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Became a star after turning on his mentor, Bruno Sammartino in New York, launching a feud that became so heated that Zbyszko was forced to leave the area to save his life. Found long-term success in the AWA, thanks to both his talents and connections with the Gagne family. A talented mat worker with strong charisma. MATT BORNE A long-time veteran from the Pacific Northwest, Borne is slightly crazy both in and out of the ring, and has some salacious issues as well, but is a good worker, charismatic in his way, and quite creative. Currently one of the top heels in the territory, feuding with Jimmy Snuka. RICK MARTEL Martel is a charismatic good-looking wrestler, who after short stints in the WWF and various territories, has spent most of the height of his career in the AWA, where he’d been both a strong face and a dirty heel, feuding with men such as Jumbo Tsurtura, Sgt. Slaughter, Stan Hansen, Jerry Lawler, and most recently, current AWA World Champion Curt Hennig. Could still have a run in the big 3, but time is ticking on that idea. SGT. SLAUGHTER A huge star in the early and mid-80s, and a possible number two to Hulk Hogan, he left the WWF due to arguments with Vince McMahon over outside pay. Slaughter then had short stints in the AWA, NWA, and All Japan, he became full-time with the AWA in late 1987 and took over as head booker at the beginning of 1989. Older, but still a big bumper and charismatic. THE IRON SHEIK After losing the WWF title to Hogan, ‘Sheiky Baby’ hung around for a few more years, including a tag title reign, then had a variety of short stops in the territories, before returning to Stamford for a nostalgia run in ’88 that ended with his 35-second loss to Flash King at Summerslam. Leaving almost immediately afterward, Sheik ended up in World Class and then the AWA, playing his typical evil foreign heel character. Relatively over, but a bit of a pain backstage. OTHER PLAYERS OF NOTE DON MURACO A top-tier star in the early ’80s, a combination of laziness and weight gain pushed him out of the main event picture, but Muraco’s still an entertaining presence, and in a wrestling world where most of the draws are either in New York, St. Louis, or Charlotte, Muraco is still a ‘name’ the AWA can use, even though he’s never going to be on the top of the card again. Has been teaming with Ken Patera semi-regularly, recently. FANTASTICS Could be considered one of the best in-ring teams in the business throughout the ’80s, outside of a short run in the NWA, they never got a shot in the Big Three, but have been very successful in the AWA, Memphis, and World Class, while having a semi-regular gig in Japan for Giant Baba. Slightly past their prime now but can still be a very solid part of a company's roster. ERADICATORS (w/ ANDAN AL-KASSIE) Perry Saturn and John Kronus are two young workers from the Northeast, who were working in the nascent independent companies, but were brought into the AWA in 1990 as a new tag team for long-term manager Andan Al-Kassie. Playing silent wild men, they’re still being built-up but could be stars in the future. KEN PATERA Another star of the late 70s and early ’80s, who fell due to a combination of physical deterioration and criminal issues, Patera came back to the AWA in 1988 and has been drifting between the mid and upper midcard, for most of the past couple of years. Has been teaming with Muraco semi-regularly, recently. TOTAL DESTRUCTION Barry Darsow was successful in the mid-80s as a member of the Russian’s but was let go near the beginning of 1987, after the booking shift in the NWA. After a year of short stints in various independents, Darsow came into the AWA with his friend Randy Colley, the former Moondog Rex who’d largely languished since the mid-80s, the new rough ‘n’ tumble brawling team quickly rose to the top of the AWA and recently won the Unified Tag belts from Iceman King Parsons & Jimmy Garvin. WIGAN PIT CLUB Arriving at the start of 1990, the Wigan Pit Club are three wrestlers (Jacob Blackpool (Steven Regal), Johnny Kidd, and David Taylor) under the tutelage of long-time AWA veteran Billy Robinson, they’ve quickly risen up the ranks, with Blackpool & Taylor winning the AWA American Tag Titles and Johnny Kidd winning the Light Heavyweight championship. EVENTS OF NOTE WRESTLEROCK September The first big event after the doldrums of the summer, Wrestlerock takes place throughout the AWA territory and has defenses of all the big titles in the company. Has seen AWA World title changes in the last two years. SUPERCLASH December The biggest event of the year for the AWA usually, and takes place in the Midwest, whether it’s Chicago, Minneapolis, or Milwaukee. Where big matches such as Hennig-Lawler, Lawler-Martel, and Kerry-Lawler have taken place. .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: white; text-align: center; color: black; } LAST MAJOR SHOW SUPERCLASH V RESULTS Chicago, Illinois Curt Hennig (c) d. The Iron Sheik in a Persian Club match to retain the AWA World Heavyweight title – (12:03) Rick Martel d. Sgt. Slaughter – (17:46) Total Destruction © d. The Simpson’s to retain the Unified Tag Team Titles – (11:19) Ken Patera d. Jimmy Snuka in the finals of the tournament for the AWA America’s Title after interference from Matt Borne – (14:34) The Wigan Pit Club (Blackpool/Taylor/Kidd) d. Black Magic & The Top Guns – (12:51) The Fantastics d. Matt Borne & Larry Zybysko – (16:13) Don Muraco d. Brad Rhenigans – (8:29) The Eradicators d. Charlie Norris & Jay Strongbow Jr. – (5:49)

.myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: ffdf00; text-align: center; } Southern Fried Champion March 1st, 2020 - Austin, Texas Southern Fried Championship Decision Match Texas Pete vs. Paul Steadyfast Special Six-Man Battle Chatto & The Dallas Death Squad vs. The Nation of Filth & Sgt. Bubba Lee West Jay Silver vs. Trusty Rodriguez Bradford Peverell vs. Brady Prince Jerry Pepper vs. Rattlesnake Dreadnought vs. Jaxon Duke - Tickets are $18, $15, and $12 - Drink & Food Specials Prediction Results - @KyTeran -6/6 - (Admittedly, not the hardest card to predict, but still, great job!)

UNITED STATES WRESTLING ASSOCIATION In the aftermath of the Kiel Double Cross, Pro Wrestling America & World Class initially worked together, but when it became obvious to Fritz Von Erich that the PWA brain-trust would not allow the Von Erich boys to dominate the top of the card, while also allowing them to spend much of their time in Texas, that alliance fell apart, and by the end of 1987, Verne Gagne, Jerry Jarrett, and Fritz Von Erich all made a deal to form an alliance to share wrestlers, ally together for their larger shows, and at least give the appearance that their territories belonged to a powerful organization on the same level as The Big 3. It's been fairly successful, as along with strokes of good booking, all three companies are holding on, but not all is well. AWA WORLD CHAMPION CURT HENNIG A fixture in the AWA for nearly a decade, Hennig has been described by many as the most natural professional wrestler of his generation. Blessed with fluid athleticism, he combines it with smooth technical ability and his brilliant in-ring selling. Charismatic to boot, Hennig has all the makings of a star. He has been very loyal to the AWA, turning down several big money offers from the WWF, as he's been pushed as the #1 star in the AWA for the last several years, getting in various feuds with wrestlers such as Sgt. Slaughter, Rick Martel, and even foreign stars when they come through such as Jumbo Tsuruta. UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS TOTAL DEVASTATION Barry Darsow was successful in the mid-80s as a member of the Russians but was let go near the beginning of 1987, after the booking shift in the NWA. After a year of short stints in various independents, Darsow came into the AWA with his friend Randy Colley, the former Moondog Rex who’d largely languished since the mid-80s, and the new rough ‘n’ tumble brawling team quickly rose to the top of the AWA and recently won the Unified Tag belts off of Iceman King Parsons & Jimmy Garvin WCCW WORLD SIX-MAN CHAMPIONS KERRY VON ERICH & THE SIMPSON BROTHERS Largely a sop to the Von Erichs, as Kerry’s issue mean he’ll never get the support of either the Jarrett/Lawler team or Gagne for a long-term reign, but Kerry is still a decent draw, so teaming up with The Simpsons, whose father is all but confirmed to have a piece of the World Class territory is a good way to bring him to various Memphis or AWA shows, without depending on him to be part of the main event picture in the long-term. OTHER WRESTLERS INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE TERRITORIES JERRY LAWLER The famous "King of Memphis" Jerry Lawler is easily one of the most well-known names in the business since his rise to stardom in Memphis in the late '70s His rise to national fame came on the back of a feud with comedian Andy Kaufmann, including a now infamous spat on David Letterman. Not a flashy performer by any stretch, Lawler has a talent for brawling and for storytelling in the ring. A former AWA World Champion, Lawler’s keeping Memphis afloat, almost on his own, and could be a national draw in the right situation. KEVIN VON ERICH The older Von Erich brother has somewhat slowed down, due to injuries and his own demons, even if they’re nothing close to his brothers. Still a tough brawler and decently charismatic, but doesn’t quite appeal to the teenyboppers of the 90s as opposed to the lovelorn girls of the mid-80s. Still a strong part of the World Class roster, and is enough of a name to bring in some fans in both the Great Lakes and Memphis. THE IRON SHEIK After losing the WWF title to Hogan, ‘Sheiky Baby’ hung around for a few more years, including a tag title reign, then had a variety of short stops in the territories, before returning to Stamford for a nostalgia run in ’88 that ended with his 35-second loss to Flash King at Summerslam. Leaving almost immediately afterward, Sheik ended up in World Class and then the AWA, playing his typical evil foreign heel character. Relatively over, but a bit of a pain backstage. MATT BORNE Well-known for his troublemaking ways in the back and a variety of problems, Borne largely stayed in his native Pacific Northwest until that territory fell apart. Still has his issues, but also charismatic, a good brawler, and when on his game, a decent ideas man. Currently plays a relatively upper-midcard heel in the AWA and showed up as Akbar’s bounty hunter in World Class. Remains to be seen how long he’ll stay in either company. THE FANTASTICS Could be considered one of the best in-ring teams in the business throughout the ’80s, but outside of a short run in the NWA, they never got a shot in the Big Three. However, they've been successful in the AWA, Memphis, and World Class, while having a semi-regular gig in Japan for Giant Baba. Slightly past their prime now but can still be a very solid part of a company's roster. THE MOONDOGS (w/ RANDY HALES) Rough and ready, the Moondogs are well-known in Memphis with a variety of different Moondogs, but the current ‘litter’ showed up in Memphis during 1990 and then were brought into World Class as two of the ‘invaders’ alongside Jeff Gaylord & Randy Hales. Not great in the ring, but can have a hell of a brawl, and play their role well. Hales has played a variety of roles in Memphis from referee to short-term commentator to temporary matchmaker but has evolved into a slimy invading heel manager, alongside Jeff Gaylord & The Moondogs in World Class, where he’s been playing things to the hilt. NEXT UP: FOCUS ON ALL THREE TERRITORIES OF THE USWA

Southern Fried Fallout February 9th, 2020 Austin, Texas - 198 paid (225 total) .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Once again, Pistol Pete Hall came out to welcome the crowd in Austin, to the second show of Southern Fried Action and got another decent pop. Hall’s an institution in the business and has enough of a local background to be a solid ‘face of the promotion’, at least as it starts up. PPH: Now, a few weeks ago, a new era for Texas rasslin’ started right here, and damn if we didn’t have some good ole’ fashioned blood and brawlin’! POP! PPH: That’s why I’m happy to announce that tonight’s two top matches – Steadyfast versus Peverell _and_ the main event of Texas Pete vs. Sgt. Bubba Lee West will be qualifying matches into the match to determine the first-ever Southern Fried Heavyweight champion in three weeks right back here in Austin! CHAMPIONSHIP POP! PPH: Enjoy the show…now let’s HOOK EM UP! [47] hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Dallas Death Squad (w/ Alina Montes) vs. Brady Prince & Rattlesnake Interesting tag match to start up as the qualified tag team of Eli Thatcher and Uriah Sand return to take on the somewhat makeshift team of Prince and Rattlesnake, even though they’re both fairly competent sneering heels. The match started with the DDS hitting a variety of double-teams including a double hip toss, a suplex into a powerbomb, and a Hart Attack-style move with a spinning elbow instead of a clothesline. However, Thatcher risked a moonsault from the top, and Brady Prince was able to get his knees up, allowing the tag into Rattlesnake. From there, it was some reasonable heel work from both men, including Brady Prince grinding down Thatcher with some takedowns, and various submissions, before Rattlesnake came in to nail Thatcher with some hard strikes, followed by a big thrusting knee for a near fall. Rattlesnake then went for another crescent kick, but Thatcher ducked under and then drilled Rattlesnake with a RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX! A hot tag to Uriah Sands later, and the Dallas Death Squad went to work on the heel, with Sands running off and knocking Prince off the ringside area with a big boot, and then nailed Rattlesnake with their Texas Hospitality finisher to pick up the victory! The Dallas Death Squad d. Brady Prince & Rattlesnake – 8:08 – ** 1/2 .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } After the match, Alina Montes took the mic for her charges. AM: Last time we were here, my boys took a scalp off a big-time team by the name of The Nation of Filth. But, those two green-haired bastards decided not to take their loss by men, and instead, attacked Eliah and Uriah from behind. Tonight, they showed why they’re going to be future tag champions in this business, but first Nation of Filth – ET: - we’ll break your necks…no charge. AM: Talk to the management, the Nation of Filth, unless you want everybody in this crowd, and everybody in wrestling to know you’re nothing but yellow-bellied and green-haired little cowards who are afraid to get their asses kicked…once again! Solid promo, as Montes is popular with the crowd, and the DDS have been effective so far. [49] hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Before the next match, Trusty Rodrigeuz came out with his manager DeAnna Desire, to the boos of the crowd. DD: Last week, you cretins and weirdos who I see slobbering over me, the Queen of Southern Wrestling, saw the debut of a man who will rise to the top of professional wrestling – Trusty Rodrigeuz, the Los Alamos Lothario! TR: Chatto, you’re a tough hombre, but tonight, you’re going to learn some brains and beauty can defeat dumb muscle any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. But don’t worry, fans, you’ll learn to love me…TRUST ME! [37] hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Chatto vs. Trusty Rodrigeuz w/ DeAnna Desire Both men are young wrestlers, making their way up in this business, so they have a while to go to become fully well-rounded workers. Chatto is solid, including surprisingly adept at technical skill for his size, but in his heart, he’s a brawler, and he showed that early in the match by throwing the smaller Rodriguez early in the match, to the cheers of the crowd. He threw Trusty around, finishing the series off with a big boot and a clothesline to the outside. DeAnna helped her charge up, but Chatto got a big pop from the crowd by hitting a huge Plancha onto both DeAnna and Rodrigeuz, even if the move itself wasn’t the smoothest thing in the world. Chatto then went for a powerbomb on the outside, but Trusty scratched at the eyes of the big Native American from New Mexico, and then took control on the outside, slowly taking control of the match with a series of forearms, forearms, and knee strikes. Rodrigeuz then threw Chatto inside and locked on crossface submission, but Chatto powered out of it, then hit a huge belly-to-belly suplex. DeAnna Desire then got on the ring apron, distracting Chatto for just long enough to hit Chatto with a low blow, and a crucifix for a near-fall! As Rodrigeuz argued with the ref, Desire slipped in a chair – Trusty went back to work on Chatto, and then Desire argued with the ref, allowing Trusty to hit his Trustfall (Firearm’s Carry into a DDT) onto the chair, then got the pinfall victory! The only downside is that the finishing sequence was a bit sloppy, and the referee seemingly saw the finisher on the chair but ignored it. Trusty Rodriguez d. Chatto – 10:14 - ** ¼ hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Jules Night vs. Dreadnought w/ Duke Hazzard Jules Night is a young wrestler from Oklahoma, who has decent skills, but is blander than a CBS network comedy, and he was next vict – er, opponent for the son of Dread, as he came down to ringside, accompanied by Duke Hazzard. Night went after Dreadnought, trying to shock the crowd, but Dreadnought tossed him into the corner, hit a big boot, following it with a huge choke slam, and then the big ole’ powerbomb to pick up his second victory in Southern Fried Action! Dreadnought p. Jules Night – 1:58 – DUD After the match, as Duke Hazzard cackled to the crowd, Dreadnought picked up Jules Night, first hitting him with a press slam, a big boot, and then another power bomb to finish things off to the boos of the crowd - [35] hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Jay Silver & Jerry Pepper vs. The Nation of Filth Sometimes, things, in theory, are better than they are in reality – this match was one of those situations. The Nation of Filth are still fairly popular, and as we saw at the first show, still able to have a decent brawl with the right opponents, but they’re too old, and their opponents tonight, Jay Silver & Jerry Pepper weren’t able dance partners. As a result, this match was a messy, boring, slog of a match, where the only positive was that it went less than five minutes. The NOF finally hit their backbreaker into a 2nd rope elbow finisher combination for the ignoble victory. The Nation of Filth d. Jay Silver & Jerry Pepper – 4:58 - * ¾ Grunt & Stink then continued the beatdown, bringing in a cane, a cookie sheet, and a chair, beating down the young wrestlers, and pushing away the referee, as the crowd booed, until Pistol Pete Hall and the other referees came out to break things up. As noted, the Nation of Filth aren't great workers, but they can sure use some violence to get a positive response from the crowd - [38] hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Bradford Peverell vs. Paul Steadyfast Southern Fried Championship Qualifier Steadyfast’s a solid veteran presence, but Peverell is a rising star and a hot brawler, and that’s the way he started the match, throwing strikes and kicks at the former TCW stalwart, knocking him down to the mat, and attempting to lock Steadyfast into an armbar submission, but Steadyfast reversed it into a cradle and locked on a submission of his own. Paul then slowed the match down, locking Peverell in a series of holds, including finally driving in a deep Boston crab. As the crowd cheered Peverell on, Steadyfast slowly got to the ropes, but Steadyfast held on until the ref counted to ‘5’. Steadyfast continued on the attack, hitting a snap suplex, and a dropkick, before lacing Bradford into a scorpion deathlock, but Bradford used his power to send the veteran into the corner with a harsh kick, followed by a series of quick jabs, before knocking Steadyfast down with a big knee strike, and getting a near-fall afterward. Peverell picked Steadyfast up, hitting a big suplex to the cheers of the crowd and surprisingly went up top, but Steadyfast shook the ropes, and went up top himself, hitting a very sloppy second rope superplex for a near-fall of his own! Both men slowly got up, and Steadyfast went on the attack, but Bradford fought back, eventually tossing Steadyfast to the outside. As the crowd cheered, Peverell slid out and went for a running boot, but Steadyfast got out of the way, and the brawler ran straight into the ringpost! Steadyfast tossed Bradford inside, then hit a quick DDT for a near-fall. Upset, Steadyfast argued with the ref, then walked away. As the referee checked on Peverell, Steadyfast untied the turnbuckle, and as Bradford rushed in on him, Steadyfast got out of the way, and the Texan brawler ate steel – a quick-release German later, and Steadyfast was ready to hit the Steady as He Goes (Angel Wing’s) to pick up the victory, to the boos of the crowd! Steadyfast then made title belt motions, to the boos of the crowd as he headed towards the back. Paul Steadyfast p. Bradford Peverell – 15:30 - *** hr {width: 100%;height: 5px;background-color: black} .myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: #FFE184; text-align: center; color: black; } Texas Pete vs. Sgt. Bubba Lee West Southern Fried Championship Qualifier This was never going to be a fine technical battle or a wrestling classic filled with plenty of crazy moves, but what it was from the moment Texas Pete got in the ring was a crazy brawl, between two men ready to go to the war with each other, right from moment one. Punches were thrown, elbows, forearms, until both men spilled to the outside, throwing big right hands at each other as they went over the timekeeper’s table. With a brief advantage, Bubba Lee West nailed Pete with kicks to the gut, and a big slam on to the cold concrete floor. The mad sergeant then hit a big knee on to Texas Pete, before tossing Texas Pete back into the ring, as the crowd booed. Bubba continued on the attack, kicking the crap out of Texas Pete as he was on the mat. Pete slowly got up, and West followed things up with a huge football tackle, then a sidewalk slam for a big near-fall. Bubba mounted Pete and went on the attack, hitting him with punch after punch, until the referee pulled him off. Bubba went up top for his Parris Island Plunge (top rope splash), but Pete rolled out of the way at the last possible moment, as West crashed to the mat! Texas Pete slowly got up, drilling Bubba with a lariat. The big Texan then followed it up with a series of right hands, a big side suplex, and followed it up with a powerslam for a near fall. Pete then locked Bubba in for the Beaumont Bomb (gutwrench powerbomb), but Bubba blocked it, powered out of things, and then hit a big bulldog. West for another big spear, but Texas Pete got out of the way – Bubba crashed into the corner and then Texas Pete hit the big Beaumont Bomb to pick up the victory and move into the main event at the next show! Texas Pete d. Sgt. Bubba Lee West – 11:17 - ** ¾ After the match, Texas Pete was celebrating his victory, but once again, the lights went out again, and when they came back on, a noose was hanging from the ceiling! – [39] SHOW RATING: 44

.myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: white; text-align: center; color: black; } The Ambition Of A Snake The nightmares never stopped. The need never stops. The memory never leaves me. But I push it down because I must. Because once you’ve survived death twice before, a third chance becomes highly unlikely. I didn’t find God. I didn’t find Jesus. Hell, I didn’t find Allah or Buddha. I found my own future, looking me in the eye, looking at a future where I was a joke, forgotten, or worse, pitied by the boys or the fans, and I realized I could never let that happen. I left the business for six months. Some assumed I was gone forever. I needed to go through everything – what Dad was, my sister, my brother, the drugs, the women, the drink, and the darkness that it caused. The darkness I could use, for my own good. If nothing else. My father was a monster, but he’s still my father. I can only give sympathy to my family members and anybody else, but I can’t deny my blood. Those who will judge me on that, so be it. It was a slow desperate climb. The offer from New York was still there, but it was a poisoned chalice, so I had to let it go. I walked into the devil’s den that was Dallas, and survived, despite every possible vice being put in front of me. I couldn’t deny it all, so I chose the one that couldn’t kill me directly – women. Every town, every city, there wasn’t much discrimination. But, it kept me busy – in the bed of a hotel room instead of the bar. There have been lapses, but nothing long-term. I don’t deny it may return. Watts, Ross, and Matysiak took a risk, but it was almost a return home. The schedule while tough wasn’t anything close to the fucking insanity of Titan. Bit by bit, earning my keep. Pushing through the pitfalls. Looking overproduction because it was an alternative to going out with the boys and falling into the abyss. No easy roads – it’s cutthroat at the top. Windham, Piper, Race, Cornette, and even Funk when he shows up wants a shot at the book, but Larry and Watts pull me in before the Busch shows and tell me, I take over afterward. There will be no second chances – so I double down. On the one hand, I’m nearly a monk. A monk who knows every strip club in every major city in the Midwest and Great Plains like it was his second home. The abyss winks at me, but I’m digging deep to not look back. Will I? Well – I’ve got ambitions. Trust me.

.myDiv { border: 5px outset black; background-color: white; text-align: center; } Southern Fried Fallout February 9th, 2020 - Austin, Texas Texas Pete vs. Sgt. Bubba Lee West Bradford Peverell vs. Paul Steadyfast Chatto vs. Trusty Rodriguez Dallas Death Squad vs. Brady Prince & Rattlesnake Jay Silver & Jerry Pepper vs. The Nation of Filth Dreadnought vs. Jules Night - Tickets are $18, $15, and $12 - Drink & Food Specials Prediction Results - @James The Animator - 2/5 (These aren't OC characters, but rather various characters added to the game by people in the mod forum) @KyTeran - 2/5

Southern Fried Debut January 19th, 2020 Austin, Texas – 193 paid (200 total) Independent wrestling in Austin, Texas began a rebirth last night, and what better man to start off than with none other than ‘Pistol’ Pete Hall making his way to the ring to a decent pop from the crowd, including a relatively big one from the ‘smart fans’ in the crowd. Chatto & Murdoch Munson vs. Brady Prince & Sgt. Bubba Lee West An opening match with two contrasting partners on each team – Chatto is an able, if intense competitor that has built experience on various indies for the last few years, while Murdoch Munson has made a fun side living for over 20 years bleeding buckets and getting into brawls on small independent shows through Texas, Louisiana, and the rest of the Mid-South. On the other side, Brady Prince is a former southern star and now a veteran who can take control of any match, while Bubba Lee West is a well-known weekend warrior who also isn’t afraid to break tables or bleed all over a front-row crowd. This was a solidly hot match, as West & Prince were the most well-known team, and sold early, getting the wild Manson and intense Chatto over early, with Chatto somewhat shockingly going hold for hold early with Prince, before getting back into the fight. The heels took over with some blatant cheating, and West hurling abuse at Chatto, but eventually the native wrestler made the hot tag to Munson, and the craziness was immediately afoot. West and Munson spilled to the outside, both got chair, and went after each other, causing the referee to call for the bell as all four men continued to the brawl on the outside, including Munson sending West through a row of chairs, as the crowd cheered. Chatto & Murdoch Munson DDQ Brady Prince & Sgt. Bubba Lee West – 9:29 - ** ¼ Bradford Peverell vs. Rattlesnake On social media, this was built-up as a battle of bad-ass strikers, pushing Peverell’s ‘hands of stone’ going up against the young Rattlesnake’s ‘Oklaresu’ style of stiff kicks and knees, and much of the early part of the match was built on both men avoiding each other strikes, and trying to take down each other by other means, including Rattlesnake trying to take Bradford down with several big suplexes, while Peverell struck back with a few flashy takedowns, but quickly, both men tried to go to their strengths, which the other attempted to duck or weave out of as quickly as possible. Bradford’s a massive star in Puerto Rico, and has had some crossover independent success, while Rattlesnake has rarely step foot outside of Texas & Oklahoma, but the two men were booked of equal strength earlier, with Rattlesnake even getting a near fall after a crescent kick, but the veteran brawler fired back, and eventually hit a quick series of jabs in the corner, tossed Rattlesnake to the mat, and as he got up, knocked him out with a flush right hand of doom, before getting the pinfall victory. Bradford Peverell d. Rattlesnake – 10:12 – ** ½ After the match, Peverell took the mic as Rattlesnake rolled out – Near rookie Jay Silver made his way to the ring, waiting his opponent as Duke Hazzard walked out of the entrance area with a microphone. Jay Silver vs. Dreadnought (w/ Duke Hazzard) Jay Silver, the young striker from New Mexico truly did his best, going right at the youngest son of Dread, attempting to shock the world, but it was all for naught. Silver hit a few strikes, and even went off the ropes to hit an impressive running knee strike on the young monster, but Dreadnought shrugged it off, and hit several impressive power moves, before finishing things off with a huge Power Bomb to notch his first victory in Southern Fried Action. As the bell rung, Dreadnought continued his assault as Hazzard yelled out directions to the young monster, before picking Silver up, and hitting him with two more choke slams, and another powerbomb before heading to the back to the boos of the Austin crowd Dreadnought p. Jay Silver – 4:01 – DUD Jerry Pepper vs. Trusty Rodriguez (w/DeAnna Desire) Two relatively young wrestlers making their way up the ladder of success in professional wrestling, as Pepper is another young New Mexican brawler, while Trusty had a few more years of experience, but is well-known as a shady customer. He also has an advantage outside, with his manager, DeAnna Desire, a charismatic young woman based out of Baton Rogue. The two men went after each other quickly early on, exchanging holds and some quick moves, with Pepper gaining the early advantage with some brawling and striking, and even hitting an impressive looking release German suplex, but Trusty went low to regain the advantage, and slowly worked on Pepper’s arms and legs, to the boos of the Texan crowd. Rodriguez ignored the crowd, while DeAnna argued with them on the outside, as he did his best, but hit several sloppy elbow, leg, and knee drops while Pepper sold the moves. Rodriguez tried to apply a STF, but Pepper reversed it, and went back on offensive, eventually tossing Trusty out of the ring to a decent pop from the Southern Fried crowd. On the outside though, Trusty played possum, allowing Pepper to end up hitting the ringpost on the outside, and then, as Rodriguez argued with the referee to break the count, DeAnna got several solid kicks on the fallen Pepper. Slowly, Pepper got back inside, with Rodriguez then going for the kill with a brainbuster, but Pepper got out of it, and got a near-fall with a roll-up, followed up with a big flying forearm, and a series of strikes to get the crowd hot. Desire then got up on the ring apron to argue with the referee, and then Pepper made the fatal wrestling mistake of going over to argue with her. That allowed Rodriguez to hit a low blow, then roll Pepper up in a small package, and putting his feet on the ropes to steal the victory! Trusty Rodriguez d. Jerry Pepper – 14:53 - * ¾ Dallas Death Squad (w/ Alina Montes) vs. The Nation of Filth As Alina said her last words, Uriah and Eli headed to the ring, and the match was on. Grunt and Stink were never masters of the mat even in their prime, and now as they’re closer to retirement than their peak, they basically know how to do things – play to the crowd and brawl, and they were happy to trade punches and kicks with Thatcher and Uriah, even if the young upstarts got the advantage early. Eventually though, after a few quick tags and double teams by the Dallas Death Squad, Stink got tired of not being involved, rushing in and starting a fracas with Thatcher, the legal man, but before the official could get a handle on things, a chain was slid in and Grunt nailed Eli with it to gain advantage, and lay down a beating on the long-haired member of the Death Squad. After tagging in his fellow green-haired partner, Grunt & Stink laid the beatdown on Thatcher, including a big second-rope elbow drop that would’ve been the end if Uriah didn’t make the save. This quickly led to another brawl, but this time the DDS got the advantage, with Uriah coming alive with a few big moves, including a surprising dive to the outside on to both members of the Nation of Filth. As the crowd popped for that, Stink was rolled back in to be taken care of by Thatcher, but then Uriah had to save Alina from Grunt, but the QAW regular saved herself, by hitting a ‘rana off the apron on to Grunt after Sands hit him with a dive to the knee. Back inside, Uriah was tagged back in, and the DDS hit their Texas Hospitality finisher to get the huge victory! As the young tag team celebrated, the Nation of Filth regained their composure at ringside, grabbed two chairs from ringside, and went after the DDS from behind, bringing both men down with chair shots to the back, before advancing on Alina. Montes was ready to fight, but didn’t have too as the other referees, and ‘Pistol’ Pete Hall came down to ringside to warm the Filth off. The Dallas Death Squad d. The Nation of Filth – 9:55 - *** Texas Pete vs. Paul Steadyfast A battle of former TCW stalwarts was up next, as old school heel Paul Steadyfast took on the big cowboy, Texas Pete. Pete of course, got a big pop from the crowd as the biggest active star on the roster, while Steadyfast got a decent heel response, as the wily veteran, that after his Big 2 run, has spent years making appearances at indy shows like this, as he entered the twilight years of his career. After the violence of the last match, this started slow, with both men feeling each out (and possibly, Steadyfast determining if Pete was wasted), with both wrestlers avoiding each attempt at taking advantage. Pete got a big boot, a sidewalk slam, and a big legdrop in, but as he picked Steadyfast up, the veteran got an eye poke in, then took over the match. Steadyfast worked on Pete’s knees and back, working him over with a kneelock, hammerlock, and several other takedowns and holds, before hitting a suplex on the big man, and following it up with a single arm DDT for a near-fall. The former TCW Tag champion locked in a butterfly hold, but Pete slowly made his way to the ropes, and to pop, grabbed them, breaking the hold, even though Steadyfast held the hold until ‘5’. Paul tried to take Texas Pete down again, but the Lone Star resident fought back with his own strikes, sending Steadyfast into the ropes, and hitting him with a huge powerslam, followed by a lariat, that Steadyfast barely got his foot on the ropes for. As Pete went to pull the veteran back up, Steadyfast went low, and went for the quick pin after a butterfly suplex, but Pete strongly kicked out, backbody dropped Steadyfast as he went for a Pedigree, then hit a huge Beaumont Bomb (gutwrench powerbomb) for the victory in the first main event of Southern Fried Action! Texas Pete d. Paul Steadyfast – 10:37 - *** ¼ As Pete rose his hands in victory to the crowd though, the lights went out in the building for just a moment, and when they came back up, a NOOSE was sitting in the ring in front of Pete to end the show! - [39] SHOW RATING: 38

PRO WRESTLING AMERICA An outgrowth of the former St. Louis territory, Larry Matisyk managed to talk Sam Mushnick into not selling out to Vince McMahon and instead fight to keep the territory strong and stop a total takeover of professional wrestling by Vince Junior. Thanks to strong booking, smart use of talent from other territories, and several missteps by other promoters, St. Louis managed to extend itself to be national promotion, now without the NWA affaliation, but rather as Pro Wrestling America, with a weekly show on ESPN. Even though Matsyik is set-up to the public as the 'face' of the ownership, in reality, to pay for various upgrades and to keep up with the NWA and WWF, an ownership group backed by various Midwestern regional companies have stakes in PWA, but Matsiyk remains the CEO. With strong connections to bring in international talent, a very talented roster, the only thing holding back the PWA may be it's reliance on a sports-style presentation compared to the glitz 'n' glamour of the WWF, even though new booker Jake Roberts bringing in some more creative storytelling into the promotion. MAJOR PLAYERS JAKE ROBERTS The wrestler on perhaps the hottest streak in professional wrestling at the moment, Roberts since getting over his demons has been the best heel in the business, engaging in a violent, diabolical feud with Roddy Piper that finally gave him the PWA World Championship at a TV special just a few days before the end of the year. The Snake's initial run in the WWF flamed out due to his issues, and that flame out along with he's described as a vision led him to get clean (for now), and go to the PWA where after proving himself, he became an important part of the roster, and finally became head booker in 1990, after a committe led by Jim Cornette, Eddie Gilbert, and Les Thornton were replaced. RODDY PIPER After 'retiring' at WrestleMania III, Piper shocked the wrestling world when after nearly two years of being in Hollywood, he returned in a PWA ring. He then main evented Battle at the Busch, winning the PWA World Title from Ted DiBiase, and has been the top babyface in the promotion since then. Piper's getting older, but is still incredibly charismatic, but is also still interested in movies and TV, so can't be counted on 100% of the time, but when he's there, he's incredibly popular. Now, after being screwed out of the title by The Snake, the hunted now may be the hunter. TED DIBIASE DiBiase may not be a Million Dollar Man (even if he is well-paid), but since coming over to the PWA from the Mid-South territory in 1986, DiBiase has played the perfect manipulating schemer, feuding with all of the top faces in the company, including being Piper's first feud in PWA when he arrived in 1989. Still incredibly hated, has become the #2 heel since Robert's ascension, and is currently fighting with Barry Windham, as their feud has been reigned. THE ROAD WARRIORS Still the most well-known tag team on the planet, The Road Warrior's became full-time with the PWA in early 1987 and have been part of the tag title scene almost always since then, despite more than a few face and heel turns. After losing the tag titles at Devil's Night, they did a tour with AJPW in a special deal with the promotion, and will not be back until February of ’91. BARRY WINDHAM 'The Lone Wolf' of professional wrestling was rising up the ranks in the NWA, but a conflict over the head booking position with Dusty Rhodes led him to leave the promotion in the middle of 1987, ironically only a few months before Dusty was pushed out. Since then, Windham has been both a top face and a top heel in the promotion, playing the lone wolf character who likes to fight alone. Currently renewing his battles with DiBiase. TERRY FUNK Funk may be middle-aged and crazy, but he's still quite talented as wrestler, even as he nears fifty years of age. Since the mid-80's, has largely competed only for the PWA and All Japan, including a short PWA Title reign in 1987, in part to give prestige to the belt, but also to put over the man who defeated him for it. After being in Japan since Devil’s Night, returned at the Christmas TV special to interrupt Harley Race's special announcement, and from there, a feud between former World Champion's was on! ADRIAN ADONIS Another man with a more positive career than in real life, as Adonis has kept his weight in-check, and once the PWA left the NWA as part of the Kiel Double Cross, he was the shocking choice to be the first PWA World Champion, as a cocky, hated heel for the babyfaces to chase. After losing the title in May of '88, Adonis has continued to be a quality heel, feuding with wrestlers in the main event and upper midcard. Now currently teaming up with Bob Orton Jr. to face off against The Steiner Brothers, after they wre put up against each other in a 'wild card' 8-man tag match on Christmas. GREG VALENTINE Valentine has thrived in the wrestling business for close to twenty years, and while he's lost some of the marketable looks he's had, but has also parlayed being in the background of the Piper - Roberts - DiBiase three-pronged feud throughout 1990 into a short World title run this past summer, but now is largely playing the 'gatekeeper' role for the main event. OTHERS OF NOTE HOT STUFF INTERNATIONAL (Eddie Gilbert & Terry Taylor w/ Missy Hyatt) One of the hotter acts in the PWA at the moment, HSI was former in the latter part of 1989 after Gilbert's babyface pushed stalled, Taylor came into the company from the smaller territories, and Missy Hyatt showed herself to be an able manager. Now feuding with the tag champs, if they don't flame out, HSI could be an important part of the company for years to come. JIM POWERS After a dissapointing run in the World Wrestling Federation, Powers has got a newly renewed push in the undercard since coming to the PWA near the beginning of 1989, as it's thought he has a good TV-friendly look that other top guys on the roster don't quite have. Unsure how long it'll last, with Power's talents, but for now, he's more than the JTTS he ended up being in our timeline. JUNKYARD DOG Nearing the end of his days as a contributor to a major roster, JYD has bounced from territory to territory and company to company since leaving the WWF in late '85, but was recently brought on to the PWA in the end of '89, largely to be used as a nostalgia pop on smaller house shows in the Mid-South, and be an occasional tag and six-man partner for other babyfaces. In addition, largely rumored to he was brought in as a favor to Bill Watts and Jim Ross, who still hold backstage power within the company. JYD is never going to have a five star match, but he can be a strong part of the undercard if used correctly. RON SIMMONS Very successful since showing up in the PWA as a personal project of Jim Ross and Bill Watts, Simmons has had a very successful last year or so, becoming a strong part of the mid and upper midcard, winning the North American title three time, and before possibly being moved into the main event, especially after a huge win over Adrian Adonis at Devil’s Night, is now in a feud with Butch Reed, who has returned to mainstream professional wrestling after a few years out of the spotlight to feud with Simmons. THAGNAR One of the more creative characters brought into the company by Roberts, former AWA wrestler John Nord plays a wild and crazy Viking, on the undercard. Unclear how successful it will be, but Nord isn't a terrible wrestler and plays the character well. MIDNIGHT EXPRESS Dennis Condrey didn't disappear into the mist, so along with Cornette & Eaton, this version of the Midnight Express is still having great matches, now in the PWA since 1988 with a tag title reign to their name, but are now currently feuding with Los Guerreros, with Jim Cornette cutting some very Jim Cornette promos on the Guerreros. THE NEW & IMPROVED DIAMOND EXCHANGE (Pretty Paul Roma & Marvelous Marty Jannetty) w/ DDP The team of Roma & Jannetty made their debut in PWA during the summer, attacking Badd Company (Diamond & Tanaka) after they lost a #1 contender, including DDP turning on Badd Company as well. Jannetty had been in a variety of tag teams and lower midcard matches since arriving in PWA in 1988, while Roma left the WWF after WrestleMania. SCOTT LEVY Formerly known for his gimmick surrounding his 'cool' personality, including Scotty Flamingo and Scotty the Body, Levy arrived as the color commentary partner of Jim Ross near the end of 1989, and even though he can still work, has been used as just that with his size being seen as possibly a downside. Still has the quite the creative mind though, and might eventually get back in the ring. STRICTLY BUSINESS (Al Snow & Dean Malenko w/ Sir Oliver Humpherdink) Thrown together on a whim near the end of last year, the tag team called Strictly Business based on both men's in-ring styles slowly rose up the rankings, especially after Roberts took over the book. In the spring, added the colorful Humpherdink as their manager as a contrast to their in-ring syle, becoming more popular, ending with them taking the tag title belts off The Road Warriors at Devil's Night 1990. MAJOR EVENTS OF THE PWA CALENDAR PWA BATTLE AT THE BUSCH The premier event of the PWA calendar, takes place in the middle of May at the historic Busch Stadium in the PWA's hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Main evented by matches such as Windham-Adonis, DiBiase-Piper, and Piper-Roberts since 1983, it's the 'season finale' for Pro Wrestling America. PWA RED, WHITE, AND BRUISED A big summer spectacular, with lots of big main events, along with some more gimmick matches than at other big shows. PWA DEVIL'S NIGHT The second biggest show of the year for the PWA, and a show that PWA tries to have take place in areas outside of its core in the Midwest, and also tends to set the tone for the next few months. .myDiv { border: 5px outset red; background-color: #29b6f6; text-align: center; color: black; } LAST MAJOR SHOW Devil’s Night 1990 Roddy Piper d. Greg Valentine © for the PWA Heavyweight Championship - (19:01) Jake Roberts d. Terry Funk – (15:23) Strictly Business d. Road Warriors © for the PWA Tag Team Titles - (9:01) Barry Windham DDQ Ted DiBiase – (17:33) Midnight Express & Art Barr d. Los Guerreros – (14:07) Harley Race © d. Billy Jack Haynes to retain the PWA North American Championship – (8:36) Steiner Brothers d. New & Improved Diamond Exchange – (13:33) Ron Simmons d. Adrian Adonis – (11:09)

Matwatch Special November 25th, 1990 (Dusty Rhodes during his WWF run this past year) As 1990 ends, the most surprising thing is that there seems to be nowhere for one of the biggest stars of the past decade – ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. Everybody knows the story of Rhodes, from taking over as the head booker of Jim Crockett Promotions as it transformed itself into the leading light of the National Wrestling Alliance, before taking control of all the titles, even though some could argue things like the Kiel Double Cross, the formation of the USWA, and other things made it a fait accompoli. Putting that aside, it appears that the man whom you could argue was the second most powerful man in professional wrestling behind Vince McMahon himself, has managed to lock himself out of every major promotion. In the NWA, the battle lines between Dusty and Flair were drawn in 1987, and it appears if The Nature Boy is still the standard-bearer, there’s no chance he’ll allow Rhodes a chance to wiggle his way back into any sort of power, and with Wahoo McDaniel’s somewhat surprising success as booker, the chance a desperate Jim Crockett Jr. will overrule him appears to have disappeared. That’d be one thing, but Dusty’s attempts at restarting his Florida promotion, taking the booking job in PWA, or becoming a trusted lieutenant of Vince in Stamford all failed, for one reason or another. The Florida promotion was a desperate idea from the start and appeared mainly to be largely a way to get his young son, Dustin, a chance to be booked strongly and learn how to be a star, even if it was in front of sparse crowds, largely there either for cheap beer or nostalgia for his father. After going to St. Louis, Rhodes looked to be being booked warmly, including a hot feud with The Road Warriors alongside his son, but all reports were that Big Dust appeared to try to backdoor his way into the booking job by trying to impress PWA’s big-dollar, but silent investors, but Barry Windham (who had his own tangle w/ Rhodes in ’87 a few months before his departure) and Jim Ross caught wind of it, and drew the same line in the sand that Flair did, and despite the respect and star power Rhodes has, he was quietly written off, and his son followed a month or two later. Undeterred, Rhodes did a few big spot shows in Japan, as he did in 1987, but at the 1990 Royal Rumble, did what absolutely nobody would have said was possible only a few short years earlier – work for Vince McMahon. McMahon, of course, took glee in having Dusty on his roster, painting him as the Common Man, with several vignettes with him as a plumber, pizza man, and other working-class professions before debuting, but Rhodes performed well, and Dusty was surprisingly well-received by the WWF fanbase, most of whom had likely never seen Rhodes in his bloody wars with Flair or Tully Magnum on Crockett television. This honeymoon ended as well, as a Randy Savage – Dusty Rhodes feud through the summer didn’t do well on house shows, and reportedly, Dusty was unhappy with taking the completely clean loss on an episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event in early October. As a result, Rhodes was written out of Survivor Series (replaced by Tito Santana of all people), and was largely off television, but did a series of jobs for Rick Rude through the rest of the month. Since then, there’s been the usual rumors – Dusty will be back in Crockett, Verne Gagne wants him to take over for Slaughter, he’ll re-open Florida again, he’ll take a big-money temporary gig in Japan, but none of it has panned out. Rhodes is still a fairly major star but has made himself quite toxic in all the locker rooms and board rooms of the Big 3, and perhaps most importantly, made other top stars wary of him even in smaller companies, that may take the risk of an older veteran draw like Rhodes. The reality is, in professional wrestling, nobody stays away forever, but whatever his future, it will require The American Dream to realize his time at the top of this business is over, both in front of and behind the curtain. If he can do that, he can still be a positive presence on a roster, as a creative, and even as a occasional nostalgia draw, especially in the Southeast. If PWA ever wants to take a real chance at becoming #2 in places like Georgia or North Carolina, a strong storyline involving Rhodes, along with a generally hot product could help, or even if the fledgling USWA wants to take a chance at stepping up, a big-time Hennig vs. Rhodes or Lawler vs. Rhodes could bring in enough outside interest, to make them viable long-term. Regardless, I’m not dumb enough to say Stardust is completely down for the count, but this is his toughest ride so far.

- Pro Wrestling will return to Austin, Texas on January 19th, 2020 when Southern Fried Action makes it debut - announced talent includes Pistol Pete Hall as the 'canon' commissioner, indy stars focused in the Midwest and Mid-South such as Bradford Peverell and Paul Steadyfast, former big two talent by way of Texas Pete and The Nation of Filth, and lesser known indy talent such as The Dallas Death Squad, Chatto, Rattlesnake, and Trusty Rodriguez, along with veterans such as Brady Prince and Sgt. Buddy Lee West. Tickets will be $18 for the front row, $15 for the first three rows, and $12 for general admission, along with drink and food specials. Southern Fried Debut January 19th, 2020 - Austin, Texas Texas Pete vs. Paul Steadyfast Chatto & Murdoch Manson vs. Sgt. Bubba Lee West & Brady Prince Dallas Death Squad vs. The Nation of Filth Jerry Pepper vs. Trusty Rodriguez Bradford Peverell vs. Rattlesnake The debut of DREADNOUGHT $18 / $15 / $12 Drink & Food Specials