80's WWF Expansion

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wwfinphilly2191983/#.VxEchjArLIU

I'm kicking off a new project as I take a look around the wrestling world month by month as Vince McMahon steamrolls the territories. Each major territory has their main cards and angles looked into for the month as I make the journey through time. I'm kicking off with February of 1983. The WWF has a huge 10 man tag in Philly, JCP is setting up the Final Conflict, the AWA is running on Hulkamania, St Louis is dying, World Class is on fire thanks to the Freebirds vs the Von Erichs, JYD is waging war with the Rat Pack, Lawler is chasing the AWA title and much more!

Additions and further info is more than welcome!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-nwa-final-conflict/#.VxpTADArLIU

March of 1983 sees the NWA hold the "Final Conflict" Steel Cage match between Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kernodle against Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood, the AWA has another chapter in the endless Mad Dog Vachon war with Sheik Adnan's army, A big controversy follows the National title in Georgia, The Freebirds and Von Erichs continue to go to war, The WWF has another huge multi-man match, plus news on Florida, Mid-South, St. Louis and Memphis as the biggest stars in wrestling crisscross the nation!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-awa-super-sunday/#.VyNU-DArLIU

Our visit through history stops in April of 1983 where we look into the AWA's love affair with HULKAMANIA and the blood feud of Mad Dog Vachon and Jerry "Fatwell". Things come to a head at "Super Sunday". The Mid-Atlantic continues to push Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood's issue with Kernodle and Slaughter, the Mid-South sees JYD headline another Superdome show, Tony Atlas chases World Champ Ric Flair in the Omni, World Class sees a famous "spanking" angle, St. Louis has a World title match as well as imports from around the rest of the nation, MSG has a former WWF champ return to challenge Bob Backlund, Jerry Lawler tries to beat AWA champ Bockwinkel and deal with Andy Kaufman, among a lot of other happenings!

 

[Bluesbreaker]

Interesting stuff. I look forward to reading more!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-wwf-capcenter83/

May 83

A busy news month sees Jimmy Snuka arrested, a serious car accident for another smark favorite, a new Russian enters the horizon, JCP blows off one of their biggest feuds ever, Hulk Hogan leaves the AWA...the first time...., Mid-South lands two major new babyfaces, Bobby Heenan has a great angle with Ken Patera, Adrian Adonis wins a World title in Texas...., Andy Kaufman is back in Memphis, plus I look at a WWF house show in full from the Cap Center!!!!

 

[Stargazer Rex]

Nice info, TS.

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-starwars/#.VzYUWZErLIU

A special look around June 1983 sees Harley Race and Ric Flair having a historic St Louis encounter, The Von Erichs fall into legal troubles over drugs, The Road Warriors debut, Two Memphis legends battle in a "Loser Leaves Town" match, Buddy Rose turns face in Portland, Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco kick off their famous feud, plus I review the WCCW Star Wars Event from June with the Von Erichs, Kamala, Brody, Chris Adams and others battling in front of over 20,000 rabid fans!!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-phillyspectrum1983/#.Vz9UOpErLIU

July of 1983 sees Harley Race and Ric Flair headline a pair of stadium shows, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair compete in the same tournament with the Missouri title hanging in the balance, Verne Gagne came out of retirement...again..., Nick Bockwinkel and Ted Dibiase align to go after Dusty Rhodes, Hacksaw Duggan and JYD headline a loaded Superdome card, Stan Hansen and Ole Anderson take aim at the Road Warriors, Andy Kaufman TEAMS with Jerry Lawler, plus a full blow by blow review of the WWF's event from the Philly Spectrum and much more news and notes!!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-august-1983/#.Vz_xxJErLIU

August of 1983 sees Ric Flair having his neck injured in a heinous attack, Barry Windham's bid for the NWA World title headlines a big Florida card, Hulk Hogan adds David Schultz to his hit list, Rick Martel is brutalized on AWA TV, Japan sees two legends retire in their prime, Lou Thesz appeared in Memphis, The Road Warriors receive their first NWA World tag title shots at the Briscos, Bob Backlund faces a wide range of opponents before a new challenger arises and many other news bits and results!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-september-1983/#.V0hue5ErLIU

September of 1983 sees Ric Flair retiring due to injury, Dusty Rhodes finally ends his war with Kevin Sullivan, Masked Superstar tries to cripple Bob Backlund's friend, Vince's expansion plans start to become very evident, Duggan and Dibiase reach a climax in Mid-South, Andre faces monsters across the wrestling landscape, The Heenan Family implodes, plus an EPIC Dusty promo and lots of other news and notes!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/snuka-leap-wwf-msg/#.V1GAbPkrLIU

The half of October of 1983 sees Harley Race facing off with talent from across the country as he prepares for his "Starrcade" match with Ric Flair. Stan Hansen and Jesse Ventura invade Memphis, the WWF declares war on Ole Anderson, Don Muraco takes part in one of the most famous squash matches ever, The Freebirds almost come to the WWF, JYD faces set backs in his feud with Butch Reed, among lots of other news and tidbits....then I do a full review of the MSG show for the month which features Snuka's epic steel cage match with Muraco, Bob Backlund vs. The Masked Superstar, Andre and much more!

 

[Count Zero]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/snuka-leap-wwf-msg/#.V1GAbPkrLIU

The half of October of 1983 sees Harley Race facing off with talent from across the country as he prepares for his "Starrcade" match with Ric Flair. Stan Hansen and Jesse Ventura invade Memphis, the WWF declares war on Ole Anderson, Don Muraco takes part in one of the most famous squash matches ever, The Freebirds almost come to the WWF, JYD faces set backs in his feud with Butch Reed, among lots of other news and tidbits....then I do a full review of the MSG show for the month which features Snuka's epic steel cage match with Muraco, Bob Backlund vs. The Masked Superstar, Andre and much more!

This was a pretty good one

 

[TankAbbott]

This was a pretty good one

Observer notes start in Dec 83, so the articles will have even more meat to them.

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/snuka-muraco-bloodbath-philly/#.V1sd3PkrLIU

The second half of October sees the "Last Battle in Atlanta" take place as Buzz Sawyer and Tommy Rich wage war in a covered cage. JCP continues the road to Starrcade, Snuka and Muraco engage in a bloodbath, Magnum TA and JYD are in the middle of a Mid-South title controversy, Jimmy Garvin fends off a surprise opponent in WCCW, Memphis has a huge tag team mega match and much more!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-november-1983/#.V2RCZ_krLIU

November of 1983 sees JCP's biggest show ever, the first Starrcade! The Von Eriches dominate Ric Flair, a legendary tag team makes their Mid-South debut, Andy Kaufman ends his Memphis saga, an infamous heel retires after a long career, the Road Warriors go to war with a pair of brothers, Hulk Hogan leaves the AWA, and more news and notes. Then I take a look at the full WWF Philly show from this month with Backlund vs. Iron Sheik, Pat Patterson facing Ivan Koloff and other action!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/the-iron-sheik-beats-backlund/#.V21SkbgrLIU

December of 1983 sees the retirement of an all time great, the return of a WWWF champion to JCP, Dick Slater becomes Crockett's top heel in the aftershock of Starrcade, Bob Backlund makes his final successful title defenses, the WWF invades St. Louis and brings out the big guns, Hogan and Flair both take part in mega matches in the Orient, Santa Claus turns heel in WCCW, the AWA adapts to life without Hogan, Macho Man disrupts a live Memphis TV taping, and a ton of other news and notes... Plus a look at the full card from the December MSG show...

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wwf-philly-spectrum-12183/#.V3UyirgrLIU

A busy month sees McMahon's take over start to rattle the Orient as rumors of a Japanese legend jumping ship has Baba and Inoki in fits, The Hot Rod enters the WWF, An AWA vs. NWA World title unification is teased on TV, A wrestling Hall of Famer makes a very special appearance at the Super Bowl, NWA Champ Ric Flair is pinned on TV to set up the next big heel in JCP, a "rookie" is given a major push and put over a former WWWF champ, Buzz Sawyer is fired after abusing his booking power, a major star holds Verne Gagne up over his push, Jimmy Hart cuts a classless promo in Memphis, a former Olympian assaults a pregnant fan and many other news and notes. A full rundown of the WWF's Philly house show from January 1984 closes out the article.

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wwf-hogan-beats-sheik/#.V35xWLgrLIU

Hulkamania is born in the WWF as the Hulkster collides with the Iron Sheik, plus Tito Santana takes focus on IC champ Don Muraco, Roddy Piper does some excellent heel work with Paul Orndorff, Andre takes part in a six-man, plus Slaughter, the Masked Superstar, Jimmy Snuka and others take part in undercard action.

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/david-von-erich-death/#.V4egX7grLIU February of 1984 was a game changer. WCCW lost one it's crown jewels as David Von Erich died tragically while in Japan, Vince McMahon has the rest of the world scared as rumors of a global expansion creates paranoia, an all-time legendary heel debuts in JCP, The Boogie Woogie Man visits a prostitute, Andre loses a battle royal in a shocker, The AWA asks a top heel to take Hogan's spot, the biggest star in the history of Mexico dies, several huge title changes happen, plus tons of others news, notes and results!!

 

[TankAbbott]

http://culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-march-1984/#.V5DigrgrLIU

The WWF vs the World continues as the non-WWF promoters plot their counter attack known as "Pro Wrestling USA", the NWA title changes hands, Jerry Lawler teams with a long time enemy, the hottest Mid-South angle in years kicks off "The Last Stampede", the AWA and GCW both manage to lose television ground to Vince, some famous Piper's Pit interviews air, a shoot fighter wins a WWF title, the AWA draws big crowds as they load their cards with legends, Montreal delivers a local dream match and much more!