NWA World Championship Wrestling April 6, 1985

by

Taped from Atlanta, GA

Airdate: April 6, 1985 (taped 04/06)

Attendance: unknown

Hosted by Tony Schiavone & David Crockett

It’s the dawn of a new beginning! Can Fernandez handle the challenge of Arn Anderson? What’s going on with Ole and Patterson? Plus Flair, Rhodes, Magnum, the Koloffs, Valiant, Blanchard, and more!

With WCCW on the back burner for now, let’s dive into the first episode of Jim Crockett Promotions’ World Championship Wrestling on WTBS having purchased the timeslot from Vince McMahon for $1 million.

POINT OF ORDER: Since this series is normally filled with squash matches, I will not rate the squash match according to the five-star scale. Instead, I will grade them on the following:

  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance?
  2. Did he get any offense in?
  3. How well did he put the star over?

Obviously, any non-squash matches will be graded on the five-star scale. Enjoy!

Opening montage.

Match 1 (non-title): NWA World tag team champions Ivan & Nikita Koloff versus George South & Greg Stone

Highlights:

  • Ivan dealt South a back elbow and followed with an elbow drop.
  • When Nikita tagged in, the Soviets blasted South with a double back elbow.
  • He guillotined South with the top rope and tagged out.
  • As Ivan fed South a knee to the midsection, Stone tagged in only to eat a double stomp to his midsection.
  • Nikita tagged in and menaced Stone.
  • After Ivan tagged in, he slammed Stone, landed a leg drop, and got 2.
  • He backdropped Stone and tagged out.
  • While Nikita mounted the second turnbuckle, he clobbered Stone with an Ivan-assisted double axe handle.
  • South tagged in but immediately fell victim to another back elbow.
  • Obliterating South with a Russian sickle, Nikita pinned him at 4:00.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? No, the Soviets demolished them completely.
  2. Did he get any offense in? Nope, any offense was quickly rebuffed.
  3. How well did he put the star over? They made the World tag team champions look quite invincible. Nikita looks absolutely JACKED.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Flair who’s ready to wrestle since he’s wearing a “$5000” robe. Flair puts over the “ten pounds of gold,” and dictates:

JCP on tour:

  1. Pittsburgh, PA: April 10
  2. Atlanta, GA: April 14
  3. Altoona, PA: April 15
  4. Allentown, PA: April 16
  5. Bluefield, WV: April 27
  6. Vineland, NJ: April 29
  7. Philadelphia, PA: April 30

Match 2: The “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant versus Mark Hill

Highlights:

  • Valiant made his entrance to “Boy from New York City” by Manhattan Transfer.
  • As he gave Hill a cross corner whip, Valiant hammered him.
  • He held an armbar while calling out Paul Jones.
  • When the match segued to the concrete floor, Valiant made Hill HIT THE POLE.
  • Isn’t that a DQ?
  • Referee Tommy Young waived it off.
  • Back in the ring, Valiant gave Hill another cross corner whip and followed with a boot to the midsection.
  • He slammed Hill and picked him up at 2.
  • After he dealt Hill a knuckle sandwich, Valiant picked him up again at 2.
  • He unloaded a back elbow and scored with an elbow drop.
  • 1-2-3 with the famous Young slide to perform the count.
  • Valiant won at 2:18.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? No chance whatsoever. Valiant mauled him.
  2. Did he get any offense in? Not even a whimper.
  3. How well did he put the star over? It didn’t matter that Valiant wrestled like a heel because the fans loved him nonetheless.

JCP on tour:

  1. Roanoke, VA: TOMORROW NIGHT!
  2. Athens, GA: April 11
  3. Marietta, OH: April 17
  4. Williamson, WV: April 18

Match 3: Tully Blanchard (w/ Baby Doll) versus Sam Houston

Highlights:

  • For those unaware, Houston’s the son of former wrestler Grizzly Smith and related to both Rockin’ Robin and Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
  • The “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes joined the broadcast table for this match.
  • When Houston reversed an Irish whip, he dropkicked Blanchard.
  • Speaking of Blanchard, he hooked a hammerlock and took Houston down for 2.
  • He trapped Houston in a backslide for another 2.
  • As he nailed Houston in the midsection, Blanchard tossed him to the concrete floor.
  • Houston returned, but Blanchard stymied him with a knee lift.
  • After Blanchard missed an elbow drop, Houston gave him a cross corner whip but ate knee on his follow-through.
  • Blanchard tied him to the Tree of Woe and punted him in the midsection.
  • While he entangled Houston in an O’Connor roll, Blanchard got 2.
  • He built up Houston’s ire only to outsmart him.
  • Landing an elbow drop, Blanchard split Houston in two with a backbreaker for 2.
  • He guillotined Houston with the bottom rope and finished him off with a slingshot suplex.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Blanchard won at 5:00.

Rating: **

Summary: The 22-year-old Houston got some offense in, but Blanchard used his experience and heel mannerisms to defeat him.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Rhodes who’s the NWA World TV champion. Rhodes wants to wrestle the Soviets for the six-man titles. Next, he wants to face Flair. He runs down both Blanchard and Baby Doll by referring to the latter as the “perfect zero.” HA!

Match 4: “Superstar” Billy Graham (w/ Paul Jones) versus Rocky King

Highlights:

  • Graham flattened King with a back elbow and followed with a chop.
  • As he bulldozed King with a big boot, Graham slammed him twice.
  • He distracted referee Tommy Young enabling Jones to give King the business. SNEAKY!
  • When he applied a Canadian backbreaker, Graham dropped him across the top turnbuckle.
  • He landed a pair of elbow drops to the back and hooked a full nelson.
  • After King lost consciousness, Graham won at 3:39.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? Nope, he barely had time to breathe.
  2. Did he get any offense in? No, unless you count blinking.
  3. How well did he put the star over? Graham used his size and strength to dominate King, so I’d say:

JCP on tour:

  1. Charleston, WV: April 19
  2. Cleveland, OH: April 20
  3. Canton, OH: April 21
  4. Saginaw, MI: April 22

Salacious video airs featuring Magnum T.A. with Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild.”

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Michael Hayes who runs down Flair. They would battle on April 14 in the Omni.

Match 5 (non-title): NWA World champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair versus Gene Ligon

Highlights:

  • Flair dealt Ligon a double underhook suplex and got 2.
  • When he landed a knee drop, Flair got another 2.
  • He brawled with Ligon but got his ass KICKED.
  • As Ligon gave Flair a cross corner whip, he botched a back drop attempt.
  • They repeated the spot, and Ligon successfully backdropped Flair.
  • After Flair connected with a back elbow, he hooked a vertical suplex.
  • “Now we go to school,” yelled Flair.
  • He trapped Ligon in a figure-four leg lock and won at 3:58.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? Ligon wasn’t going to beat Flair no way, no how.
  2. Did he get any offense in? Yes, and did fine until he botched a back drop attempt and was forced to repeat the spot.
  3. How well did he put the star over? Ligon knew how to sell and make the NWA World champion look awesome.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Valiant who immediately kisses him much to Lois’ dismay. HA! Valiant carries an axe handle named “Paul Jones” which incidentally broke Jones’ arm.

JCP on tour:

  1. Columbia, SC: April 18
  2. Saginaw, MI: April 22
  3. Toledo, OH: April 23

We head to NWA Worldwide where Schiavone interviews the NWA National tag team champions—Thunderbolt Patterson and Ole Anderson. Patterson questions Ole’s heart, so Ole, dressed in a suit, touts his brother Arn. Is he an actual brother, or…

Afterward, he states that he’s “been carrying (Patterson), Tommy Rich, Rhodes…and tired of it.” Patterson questions him, so Ole dissolves their friendship. Quite the mild-mannered heel turn. Hmmm…

Match 6: Manny Fernandez versus Arn Anderson

Highlights:

  • Fernandez stormed the ring to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and immediately got in Arn’s face.
  • As Arn shed his fedora, Ole joined the broadcast table for this match.
  • Arn leapfrogged him, but Fernandez backhanded him.
  • When Fernandez reversed an Irish whip, he leapfrogged Arn and unloaded another backhand.
  • Arn escaped some leg work by Fernandez, gave him an Irish whip, but got his injured leg swept.
  • Following a commercial break, Fernandez attempted a spinning toe hold, but Arn booted him out of the ring.
  • Arn joined and made Fernandez HIT THE POLE.
  • After Ole offered some moral support to him, Arn worked on Fernandez’s arm.
  • Fernandez gave Arn a cross corner whip but ate a kick to the midsection on his follow-through.
  • While Ole touted Arn’s potential, Fernandez backdropped Arn.
  • Fernandez missed an elbow drop with his injured arm, so Arn pounced on him like a cat.
  • With Ole’s instruction, Arn dealt Fernandez a hammerlock slam.
  • Fernandez caught Arn with a lariat and floored him with another backhand.
  • Demolishing Arn with a flying burrito, Fernandez only got 1.
  • Ole migrated to ringside and acknowledged that Arn’s leg was under the bottom rope and alerted referee Tommy Young. Clever!
  • Distracted by Ole, Fernandez ate a knee to the back and fell between the ropes to the concrete floor.
  • Fernandez and Ole began to brawl, so Arn joined his brother.
  • Double-teaming Fernandez, they fed him a gutbuster.
  • Although no bell rang, Fernandez must have won by DQ at approximately 10:50.

Rating: ***

Summary: Lots of mat wrestling as both wrestlers sold well for one another, but WE HAVE A HEEL TURN!

After the match, Patterson arrives, but Arn nails him from behind. How dastardly! Arn tosses Patterson into the ring but loses a battle of fisticuffs. As Ole jumps into the ring, he and Arn do a number on Patterson. Ole mounts the second turnbuckle and launches a flying stomp to Patterson’s right leg. Upon mounting the opposite top turnbuckle, Ole leaps, but Fernandez somehow covers Patterson to protect him. Before the Andersons can cause even more chaos, the babyface locker room empties to send them scurrying.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews the Soviets. Ivan mentions the Road Warriors, and Nikita pops a blood vessel or two about them.

At the podium, Flair, now wearing a suit, is accompanied by three women dressed in elegant evening gowns. He lists all the contenders for his World title and probably takes all three back with him to the Marriott.

Match 7 (non-title): NWA US champion Magnum T.A. versus Paul Barnett

Highlights:

  • Magnum gave Barnett a cross corner whip and polished him off quickly with a belly-to-belly suplex.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Magnum won at 0:27.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? No, once Magnum took over, Barnett’s goose was cooked.
  2. Did he get any offense in? Briefly, but it was futile.
  3. How well did he put the star over? With Magnum becoming the fastest rising star in JCP, all Barnett had to do was take the belly-to-belly to keep Magnum’s fire roaring.

Video airs featuring Blanchard touting Baby Doll with REO Speedwagon playing in the background.

Match 8: The Barbarian (w/ Paul Jones) versus Joshua Stroud

Highlights:

  • Stroud attempted a cross body block, but Barbarian caught and slammed him. Impressive!
  • As the match segued to the concrete floor, Barbarian slammed him. OUCH!
  • Back in the ring, he slammed Stroud a third time, mounted the top turnbuckle, and launched a diving head butt.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Barbarian won at 2:39.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? No, Barbarian was a shark, and he swallowed Stroud whole.
  2. Did he get any offense in? None that would impact a brick wall.
  3. How well did he put the star over? Unquestionably as Barbarian looked indominable.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Rhodes who wants some cowgirls and mocks Flair. He cuts a promo on Ole for turning his back on Patterson.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Blanchard who cuts a promo on Rhodes. He wants to regain the World TV title.

Match 9: “Nature Boy” Buddy Landel (w/ JJ Dillon) versus David Dillinger

Highlights:

  • Landel slammed him, but Dillinger blocked a second attempt.
  • When Dillinger attempted an O’Connor roll, Landel blocked it.
  • Landel connected with a side-Russian leg sweep and followed with another slam.
  • As he planted Dillinger with a knee drop, Landel bounced him face-first into the mat.
  • Dillinger gave Landel a cross corner whip but ate knee on his follow-through.
  • After Landel landed an elbow drop, he trapped Dillinger in a figure-four leg lock.
  • Dillinger submitted; thus, Landel won at 5:15.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? After that O’Connor roll, it was all downhill for Dillinger.
  2. Did he get any offense in? When Dillinger tried, Landel countered.
  3. How well did he put the star over? By ’85, Landel was a solid midcard heel. He didn’t need the “Nature Boy” label, but Rhodes had to mock Flair at every turn.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews Dillon who lists his charges as Landel, Bart, and “Cowboy” Ron Bass. Keep that in mind.

Match 10: Black Bart (w/ JJ Dillon) versus Ron Rossi

Highlights:

  • Bart guillotined Rossi across the top rope and followed with a slam.
  • As he destroyed Rossi with a fist drop, Bart broke the middle rope sending Rossi reeling to the concrete floor.
  • Dillon tossed Rossi back into the ring, so Bart slammed him again and landed a leg drop.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Bart won at 4:10.
  1. Did the enhancement talent have a chance? Nope, Rossi was the heavy punching bag for Bart to manhandle.
  2. Did he get any offense in? Nothing to write home about.
  3. How well did he put the star over? I’d never seen the force necessary to break the middle rope during a match before. Rossi got beat up six ways to Sunday.

At the podium, Schiavone interviews a fedora-adorned Arn who refers to his partnership with Ole as a “rekindling of a dynasty.” Ole puts over the NEW Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Following a commercial break, Ole addresses the National tag team titles by running down Patterson.

Video airs featuring Valiant to the tune of Joe Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good.”

To close out the episode, a pre-recorded video airs of Rhodes’ promo following his victory on March 16 in Greensboro, NC for the World TV title. He finishes the interview by entering a black stretch limousine and riding into the night.

Conclusion: First, you folks have it easy with hours of competitive wrestling action all week long. Back in 1985, except for World Class, you didn’t get episodes of pro wrestling like that. Having said that, seeing the stars of JCP showcase their talents both in the ring and on the microphone shows how good the talent is.

Second, as you’re aware, this is a trip down Memory Lane, and it’s a glorious one at that. Punctuated by the breaking of the second rope, this episode gels both Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling into one conglomerate. With Rhodes as booker, his presence is felt in many segments including his own. Along with the enhancement matches, Ole’s heel turn against Patterson helps to create the NEW Minnesota Wrecking Crew which will become quite a formidable team.

Lastly, would I recommend this series and/or episode? If you want an introduction as to how the JCP era of the NWA began, look no further than right here. These episodes melt in your mouth like M&Ms, so I’m going to endorse it wholeheartedly. Get all this!

Next week, “Mad Dog” Buzz Sawyer stands up for America against Ivan Koloff!

Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for NWA World Championship Wrestling 04-13-85!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).