Midwest Dream
|
Championship Wrestling from Florida presents: Southern Championship Wrestling Telecast 2/16/83 across the Sunshine State with Gordon Solie, Buddy Colt, and Barbara Cleary Interviews and Announcements: - Gordon Solie is at the Announce position and he is joined by Florida promoter Eddie Graham. Both men want to talk about the huge card from Wednesday night, but there is another issue to address at the top of the telecast. For this Gordon turns the microphone over to Eddie Graham. “Gordon, as you know, last week our telecast ended with Barry Windham pinning Greg Valentine in a non-title match. That match, like all others on television to that point was a sanctioned match by the NWA. Sunday night, I received a telephone call to appear before a special meeting of the NWA Board of Directors to answer for having a wrestler who was not medically cleared to wrestle involved in a match. As I was a member of that board, my seat was filled in this judgment by a junior promoter from New York, Mr. Vincent K. McMahon. After pleading my case to the board, President McMahon stated that because of this, in his words, ‘lapse of oversight’ by the Florida promotion, our rights within the NWA were suspended indefinitely. This would mean no opportunities to book the NWA World Champions or to have any of the top wrestlers in Florida considered for title opportunities elsewhere in the NWA. Furthermore, the NWA was removing recognition of our champions. As a promoter of Professional Wrestling, I felt that this was an arbitrary decision that not only robs this territory and the fans of Florida from seeing our athletes challenge for championships on a larger stage, but smacks of favoritism. That is why I placed a phone call to a long time friend of mine in Minneapolis, former World’s Junior Heavyweight Champion and the president of the American Wrestling Association, Mr. Verne Gagne. After explaining the situation, Championship Wrestling from Florida was granted sanction of our matches and recognition of our championships by the AWA and in turn, we will now recognize their World Champions, who will all be coming to Florida within the next 30 days.” - Jake Roberts and the Legion of Doom come out and Roberts tells how King Curtis had Pogo and the Missing Link go after Butch Reed so he could have Kevin Sullivan all by himself. “But after last Wednesday, I will admit my mistake. Now, Kevin Sullivan, the full power of my Legion of Doom is going after you. And just like that bloated tub of lard the One Man Gang was sent out of this promotion, so will I make sure that you follow. You may be more powerful than just me. But with the power of the Missing Link, the punishment that Mr. Pogo can dish out, and the devastation of the DDT that I will use on you the next time we meet, the Legion of Doom will bludgeon the Boston Bad Boy.” - Former Florida Tag Team champions Mike George and Bob Sweetan come out and tell Barbara that they know who is responsible for the failings of the team to hold the belts for longer. “You see Barbara, both Bob and I know who is at fault here… It’s Bob’s fault. Look, if you hadn’t let that pipsqueak reverse you into me, this would have been academic. You failed. And now, why don’t you step aside and let a real wrestler show you how to perform in the ring.” - Ron Garvin, with his brother Terry, Boy Tony, and a dejected Bill Ash come to the set and Garvin tells Buddy that he knows all about the AWA and what to expect here. “I’ve been around long enough and traveled the roads to know who is who and what is what. And what the AWA World Champion Jerry Lawler is, well, is a pile of manure. See, I’ve beaten Jerry Lawler for championships before, all over this country. You were a Ron Garvin wannabe then and you’re a wannabe now Lawler. I’m here to win titles and after I beat that snot nosed punk Brett Sawyer, I’m coming for the AWA World Title and you won’t be man enough to stand in my way.” - Southern Heavyweight Champion Greg Valentine tells Gordon that he knows there is another man in the AWA who thinks of himself as the Southern Heavyweight Champion. “There is a man in Memphis, Tennessee who knows all too well what it means to wrestle here in the state of Florida. In fact, he’s a man that came to Florida a few months ago and left lighter by exactly 10 pounds. Ten pounds of Gold. Ric Flair, you now go around calling yourself the Southern Heavyweight Champion. Well I’m here to tell you that there is room for only one Southern Heavyweight Champion in the AWA and you’re looking at him. I’ve beaten Barry Windham. I’ve beaten Butch Reed, Kevin Sullivan, Jake Roberts, anyone who can be called a challenge. You show me a man Gordon who I can’t beat and I’ll call you a liar.” Out of nowhere, ‘Stardust” begins to play and we hear fans cheering and Valentine starts sputtering as Gordon says we are out of time and “So long from the Sunshine State” Matches for this telecast: - Mike Graham defeats Perro Aguayo with a sleeper hold. - Mr. Pogo and the Missing Link defeat Omar Atlas and Terry Orndorff after the Link drills Atlas with a guided head butt off the second rope. - Mike George w/ Bob Sweetan defeats Pete Doherty with a shoulder breaker. - Terry Garvin and Boy Tony defeat “Squire” Dave Taylor and “Gentleman” Jim Breaks after Tony caught Breaks in a very unique looking Thesz press. - Florida TV Champion Brett Sawyer defeats “Professor” Bill Ash after Mark Rocco arrived at ringside and distracted Ash. *The preceding matches were sanctioned by the AWA, the Major League of Professional Wrestling*
|