Southern Championship Wrestling (Georgia)
Acronym | SCW |
---|---|
Founded | 1988 |
Defunct | 1990 |
Style | Rasslin' |
Headquarters | Marietta, Georgia |
Founder(s) | Jerry Blackwell |
Owner(s) | Jerry Blackwell (1988–1990) Joe Pedicino (1990–1991) |
Parent | American Wrestling Association (1988–1990) |
Formerly | AWA Georgia |
Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW) was a
Though short-lived, the group showcased some of the top talent from the
History
Southern Championship Wrestling was established in Georgia by Jerry Blackwell in early 1988. Blackwell, then a star in
Blackwell eventually began promoting on a full-time basis with involvement from
Territorial reach
Given the constraints of the
Notable talent
With Blackwell's connections to the AWA and, to a certain extent, various NWA members, the promotion sported one of the top rosters in the Georgia independents.
SCW also had important backstage and on-air personnel. Bill Dromo was introduced as the figurehead president.
Rivalry with Deep South Wrestling
SCW's talent pool and popular television program, in addition to limited national exposure via Joe Pedicino's
Within two months of SCW's debut, Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer was reporting "a major war" between the two organizations. Deep South Wrestling ran on Channel 69 which was a competitor against the station that aired Pedicino's "Pro Wrestling This Week". The rival station had created its own Saturday night wrestling bloc to compete directly with Pedecino's show, but failed to challenge him in the ratings. For this and other reasons, such as Pedicino airing SCW programming, he and his co-host Boni Blackstone were drawn into the Blackwell-Hamilton war. In February 1988, DSW parodied Pedicino and Blackstone on its television program with the following skit;
On a recent Deep South Wrestling show, they made fun of Joe Pedicino and Bonnie Blackstone. They did a skit with a guy in an easy chair pretending to be Pedicino, but getting stuck in his chair and needing help to get out. Blackstone was parodied as a total bimbo. Southern countered by showing a clip of The Invader vs The Assassin, with Pedicino saying, "This is the Puerto Rican Assassin because there is nobody named The Assassin in the United States that can wrestle," a dig at Jody Hamilton, the group's headliner.[3]
SCW also poked fun at Crockett's promotion on occasion. In an appearance by
Demise
Blackwell continued to operate SCW throughout the steady decline of the National Wrestling Alliance. By end of the decade, however, the NWA's decades-old territory system had ended while the WWF came to dominate the U.S. wrestling industry. Losing interest in the promotion, Blackwell decided to close down SCW in early 1990. It was the last-ever territory-era promotion to run in the state of Georgia.[5]
Georgia All-Star Wrestling
Shortly after Jerry Blackwell pulled out of SCW, Joe Pedicino decided to continue on by himself. In May 1990, the promotion was relaunched as "Georgia All-Star Wrestling". Though no longer having access to AWA talent, Pedicino was able to bring in former wrestlers from Jim Crockett Promotions as an announcer for the promotion. Future WCW star
In early 1990, Pedicino hired Scott Hudson and
Alumni
Male wrestlers
Birth name | Ring name(s) | Tenure | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Christopher Adams† | Chris Adams | 1988 | |
Ted Allen† | The Nightmare | 1989 | [5] |
Marcus Bagwell | Fabian | 1990–1991 | [5] |
Jerry Blackwell† | Crusher Blackwell | 1988–1990 | |
Larry Booker† | Moondog Spot | 1988 | |
Phil Buckley† | Buck Robley | 1988 | [5] |
Nicholas Busick† | Nick Busick Comrade Busich |
1988–1991 | |
Ray Canty† | Kareem Muhammad | 1988 | |
William Cruickshanks | Bill Dundee | [21] | |
Edward Denton | The Grappler | 1988 | |
Emanuel Fernandez | Manny Fernandez | 1988 | |
Thomas Gilbert Jr.† | Eddie Gilbert | 1988 | |
Frank Goodish† | Bruiser Brody | 1988 | [3] |
Darryl Gower | Steve "The Brawler" Lawler | 1988–1991 | [5] |
Joseph James | The Bullet | 1988 | |
Joseph James Jr. | Scott Armstrong | 1988 | |
Joel Jones | Joel Deaton | 1988–1991 | [5] |
Richard Link | MEB / Man Eating Beast | 1988 | |
Charles Kelley | Chick Donovan | 1988 | |
Joseph Magliano† | Joey Maggs | 1988 | [5][7] |
James Manley | Jim Powers | 1988 | |
Richard Morton | Ricky Morton | 1988 | [3][13] |
Robert Orton Jr. | Bob Orton | 1988 | [5] |
Steve Prichard | Steve Prichard | 1988 | [5] |
John Richardson | Johnny Rich | 1988 | |
Thomas Richardson | Tommy Rich | 1988 | [5] |
Robert Ross Jr. | Ranger Ross | 1988–1990 | [5][7] |
David Sammartino | David Sammartino | 1989 | |
Akio Sato | Akio Sato | 1988 | |
Michael Seitz | Michael Hayes | 1988 | |
Lawrence Shreve | Abdullah the Butcher | 1988 | [3] |
Douglas Somerson | Doug Somers | 1988 | |
Ken Timbs† | Ken Timbs | 1988 | |
Curtis Thompson | Curtis Thompson | 1990–1991 | |
Richard Van Slater | Dick Slater | 1988 | [5] |
John Walker | Mr. Wrestling II | 1988 | [5] |
Tony Zane | Mr. Atlanta | 1988–1990 | [5] |
Unknown | Barry Turner | 1988 | |
Unknown | Billy Black Fatback Festus |
1990–1991 | [5] |
Unknown | Chris Walker | 1990–1991 | [5] |
Unknown | Chuck McCall | 1988 | |
Unknown | Eddie Sweat | 1988 | |
Unknown | Firewalker | 1988 | |
Unknown | Gerald Finley | 1988 | |
Unknown | Grizzly Boone Cousin Grizzly |
1990–1991 | [5] |
Unknown | Jamie Kyle | 1988 | |
Unknown | Jim Boss | 1988 | |
Unknown | Jim Bryant | 1988 | |
Unknown | Jimmy Powell | 1989 | [5] |
Unknown | Jon Michaels | 1988 | |
Unknown | Mike Golden | 1989 | [5] |
Unknown | The Red Shadow | ||
Unknown | Rhama Brown | 1988 | |
Unknown | Steve Bennett | 1988 | |
Unknown | Ted Oates | 1988 | [5] |
Unknown | Terry Leland | 1990–1991 | |
Unknown | Tim Ashley | 1988 | |
Unknown | Wild Bill Smith | 1988 |
Stables and tag teams
Tag team/Stable(s) | Members | Tenure(s) |
---|---|---|
The Batten Twins
|
Brad Batten
|
1988 |
Blazers | Ray Lloyd and R.D. Swain[5] | 1990–1991 |
Brute Force | Slammer and Jammer[5] | 1990–1991 |
Dixie Mafia | Mike Golden and Big Daddy[5] | 1990–1991 |
Georgia Power | Nightmare Ted Allen and Jimmy Powell[5] | 1989 |
The Hillbillies | Fatback Festus and Cousin Grizzly[5] | 1990–1991 |
The MOD Squad
|
Basher and Spike | 1988–1990 |
Thunder & Lightning | Steve Lawler and Dino Minelli[5] | 1988–1990 |
The Substitute Midnight Express | Comrade Busich and Randy Rose[13] | 1988 |
PYTs | Fred Avery and James Bryant[5] | 1990–1991 |
Zebra Warriors[5] | Zebra Warrior #1 and Zebra Warrior #2 | 1988 |
Managers and valets
Birth name | Ring name(s) | Tenure | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Phil Buckley† | Buck Robley | 1988 | |
Paul Heyman | Paul E. Dangerously | 1988 |
Commentators and interviewers
Birth name | Ring name(s) | Tenure | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Scott Hudson | Scott Hudson | 1990–1991 | |
Warren Jones | Rhubarb Jones | 1988 | |
Rick Stewart | Rick Stewart | 1988 | |
Joe Pedicino | Joe Pedicino | 1988–1991 | Ring announcer |
Steve Prazak | Steve Prazak | 1990–1991 |
Referees
Birth name | Ring name(s) | Tenure | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Randy Anderson | Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson | 1988 |
Other personnel
Birth name | Ring name(s) | Tenure | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Jerry Blackwell | Jerry Blackwell | 1988–1990 | Promoter[22] |
Phil Buckley† | Buck Robley | 1988 | Booker |
William Dromo | Bill Dromo | President | |
Joe Pedicino | Joe Pedicino | 1988–1991 | Promoter |
Company name to Year | |
---|---|
Company name: | Years: |
Southern Championship Wrestling | 1988–1990 |
Georgia All-Star Wrestling | 1990–1991 |
Notes | |
† ^ Indicates they are deceased. | |
‡ ^ Indicates they died while they were employed with Southern Championship Wrestling. | |
AWA ^ Indicates they were part of a talent exchange with American Wrestling Association. | |
NWA ^ Indicates they were part of a talent exchange with National Wrestling Alliance. |
Championships and programming
Championships
Championship | Notes |
---|---|
SCW Heavyweight Championship | The heavyweight title of SCW. It was established in 1988 continued to be defended within the promotion until 1990.[5]
|
SCW Southern Tag Team Championship | The tag team title of SCW. It was established in 1988 continued to be defended within the promotion until 1990.[5]
|
Programming
Programming | Notes |
---|---|
Southern Championship Wrestling from Georgia | (1988–1990) Syndicated, also occasionally broadcast live on certain Georgia stations |
References
- ^ Wrestling Observer.
- ^ Wrestling Observer.
- ^ Wrestling Observer.
- ^ "Chris Adams Wrestling Biography". GentlemanChrisAdams.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- Wrestling Observer.
- ^ )
- ^ ""A life that other people dream of ...." - The Joey Maggs Interview". TomZenk.net. March 2000. Archived from the original on October 28, 2009.
- ^ a b "Pro Wrestling This Week! (PWTW)". Territories (Pre-1990). PWChronicles.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- ^ Luther, Rex. "I Lived My Dream". Guest Columnists. 1WrestlingLegends.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- Wrestling Observer.
- ISBN 1-4165-1058-3
- ^ Wrestling Observer.
- ^ Mooneyham, Mike (July 24, 2011). "Mr. Wrestling II Was No. 1 In The Hearts Of The Fans". News. OklaFan.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- )
- ^ a b Muldoon, Ryan. "Pro Wrestling This Week - 5/26/1988". Death Valley Driver Video Review #150. Death Valley Driver Video Review. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- ^ Kociaba, Bill (2007). "The Assassin - Interview". Kayfabe-Wrestling.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10.
- ISBN 1-55022-646-0
- The Toronto Star. 3 May 1990: C5
- ^ Wojcik, Alan (2008). "Extensive Scott Hudson Interview". AlanWojcik.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-26.
- ^ "An exclusive interview with indy wrestler Sir Robert Dundee!". DDTdigest.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- ISBN 0786417544.
Further reading
- Hamilton, Joe and Scott Teal. Assassin: The Man Behind The Mask. Hendersonville, TN: Crowbar Press, 2006. ISBN 0-9745545-3-7.