nate2020 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 BREIF HISTORYIn 1979, former wrestler “Cowboy” Bill Watts bought out the Tri-State Wrestling circuit from Leroy McGuirk, and renamed the territory Mid-South Wrestling (MSW, known officially as the Mid-South Wrestling Association). One of his first acts as owner was to withdraw Mid-South from the National Wrestling Alliance, though MSW would still remain loosely aligned with the organization and continue to have the NWA World Champion defend his title on Mid-South shows. MSW began adding shows in Arkansas to its circuit. In 1982, the promotion grew to include Oklahoma. Watts also formed an alliance with Houston promoter Paul Boesch to feature Mid-South talent on the cards at the Sam Houston Coliseum, one of the largest cities in America and one of the most fabled arenas in professional wrestling, as well as other parts of southeastern Texas. Instead of cartoon-ish characters and interviews, Mid-South Wrestling focused on energetic matches and characters whose personas blurred the lines between good and evil and a physical style and episodic format. The promotion ran shows in a mix of small venues and gigantic arenas. In 1980, a card pitting a "blinded" Junkyard Dog against Freebird Michael Hayes in the main event drew nearly 30,000 fans for a show presented by a promotion less than one year old. In 1984, Watts came out of retirement to team with a masked Junkyard Dog (under the name Stagger Lee) to face the Midnight Express to cap an angle in which the Express and manager Jim Cornette beat Watts on TV. The latter card also featured a showdown between Magnum T.A. and Mr. Wrestling II in one of the hottest feuds of the early 1980s. The 1984 show drew 22,000 fans. In the mid-to-late 1980s, the MSW began to expand nationally. In 1985, Ted Turner invited Watts to air his Mid-South Wrestling program on SuperStation TBS as an alternative to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) programming that ran on Saturday nights. At the time, Turner was angered with Vince McMahon and the WWF because McMahon reportedly promised Turner a studio-produced program, but he instead gave the Superstation two hours of highlights from other WWF programming. (Eventually, the WWF would have in-studio squash matches on the show on an infrequent basis.) MSW quickly became the highest-rated program on TBS, and Watts positioned himself to take over the two-hour Saturday block occupied by the WWF.His luck ran out when former Georgia promoter Jim Barnett helped broker a deal that allowed NWA promoter Jim Crockett, Jr., to buy the slot from McMahon and become the exclusive wrestling promotion for TBS. The deal, however, forced the elimination of the Mid-South Wrestling program from the TBS schedule. Watts made one more attempt at going national the following year under the auspices of the Universal Wrestling Federation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate2020 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 Universal Wrestling Federation In May of 1986, MSW went national and would eventually relaunched as the Universal Wrestling Federation so it was not stigmatized as a southern group. From that point, many newcomers (mostly from Fritz Von Erich’s Texas-based, World Class Championship Wrestling) joined the federation, as did former WCCW co-promoter Ken Mantell. On May 24th, 1986, the final episode of Mid-South wrestling went off the air on WTBS. Owner Bill Watts announced that the UWF has found a new home and would be airing on a new show called Super Stars of Wrestling,which was a new wrestling program hosted by Atlanta's own Joe Pedicino. Superstars of Wrestling would be a 7-to 8 hour block of wrestling shows.Superstars of Wresting would be seen all through the south and south east and soon be syndicated across the country. The UWF would now been seen everySaturday night,even with a tv spot,can the UWF hang on and survive?Only time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate2020 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 UWF ROSTER Steve “Dr. Death” Williams Ted DiBiase Terry Taylor “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan Hotstuff” Eddie Gilbert Michael “P.S.” Hayes One Man Gang “Bam Bam” Terry Gordy Tommy Rogers Bobby Fulton Iceman Parsons Savannah Jack “Gentleman” Chris Adams The Missing Link Koko B. Ware Brett Sawyer Chavo Gurrero Sr. Tim Horner Brad Armstrong Buddy “Jack” Roberts Sting Butch Miller Luke Williams Kamala Buzz Sawyer The Angel of Death Jack Victory Ric Steiner John Tatum Steve Cox “Jumping” Joe Savidoli Jeff Gaylord Shane Douglas Shasta Whatley Tiger Conway Jr Black Bart Gary Young Bill Irwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate2020 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 more info such as champions,tagteams,factions,etc....plus first card will be posted later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate2020 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 UWF TAG TEAMS and Factions The Fantastics l Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers The Lightning Express l Brad Armstrong and Tim Horner Ric Steiner and Sting The NewZeland Sheepherders l Luke Williams and Butch Miller The Jive Tones l Shasta Whatley and Tiger Conway Jr The Guerrreros l Chavo and Hector Guerrero The Freebirds l Micheal Hayes,Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts Hotstuff International l Eddie Gilbert,Sting and Ric Stiener Devestaion Inc. l Skandar Akbar,OneManGang,Kamala UWF Announce Team Jim Ross (play by play announcer) “Cowboy” Bill Watts (color commentator/On screen authority figure) Frank Dusek (ringside/backstage interviewer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate2020 Posted December 4, 2012 Author Share Posted December 4, 2012 On the first episode of Superstars of Wrestling Joe Pedicino Aired an interview with Cowboy Bill Watts. Bill Watts stated how excited he was that the UWF would bee seen all across the south and soon all around the country, but had some big news regaurding the UWF Heavyweight Championship. Watts stated there will be a tournament held this week and it will be taped, so that it can be seen on Superstars of Wrestling,plus The UWF will start their tv tapings next week which will also be one of the wrestling programs to air right here in Atlanta,Ga and across the nation right here on Superstars of Wrestling.The first round of the UWF Heavyweight Title Tournament is as follows UWF Title First Round Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs One Man Gang Dr. Death Steve Williams vs Ric Steiner Ted Dibiase vs Hotstuff Eddie Gilbert Terry Taylor vs "Hollywood" John Tatum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franticloser Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs One Man Gang Dr. Death Steve Williams vs Ric Steiner Ted Dibiase vs Hotstuff Eddie Gilbert Terry Taylor vs "Hollywood" John Tatum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue collar fan Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Like the concept. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig. Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 <p>Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs <strong>One Man Gang</strong></p><p> <strong>Dr. Death Steve Williams</strong> vs Ric Steiner</p><p> <strong>Ted Dibiase</strong> vs Hotstuff Eddie Gilbert</p><p> <strong>Terry Taylor</strong> vs "Hollywood" John Tatum</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistaken Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 <p>UWF Title First Round</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Hacksaw Jim Duggan</strong> vs One Man Gang</p><p> Dr. Death Steve Williams vs <strong>Ric Steiner</strong></p><p> <strong>Ted Dibiase</strong> vs Hotstuff Eddie Gilbert</p><p> <strong>Terry Taylor</strong> vs "Hollywood" John Tatum</p><p> </p><p> not a big fan of this era, but I think I am going to really get behind your vision!!!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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