Brad Armstrong

National Wrestling Alliance
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
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WTBS Studios, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
22nd March 1987
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Lead announcers: David Crockett & Tony Schiavone

Line-up:
Bill Tabb & Chance McQuade vs The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express
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Bobby Eaton vs Vernon Deaton
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Kent Glover vs Ole Anderson
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The Kansas Jayhawks vs Mike Force & Randy Barber
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Baron von Raschke & Wahoo McDaniel vs Larry Clarke & Rick Sullivan
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Big Bubba vs Cougar Jay
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Denny Brown & Todd Champion vs Lex Luger & Tully Blanchard
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Arn Anderson vs Tim Horner
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Barry Windham vs Dave Spearman
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Larry Stephens vs Rick Rude
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The Gladiators vs The Mulkeys

Time to see what the NWA are doing at this stage in history. World Championship Wrestling airs from from Atlanta, Georgia! Sounds good, doesn’t it? Not long now until this part of the NWA morphs into what we would later know and love as WCW!

A cold open into Ric Flair berating Ole Anderson who confronts Flair about a lack of shots at the NWA World title. Clips of Flair’s Four Horsemen stablemates Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson and Lex Luger in six-man tag action. I’m really interested to see what Flair is up to in ’87, since my earliest memories of him are from ’91.

Tony Schiavone and David Crockett hype the NWA’s famed tag team tournament, the Crockett Cup! Nikita Koloff’s injury at the hands of Dick Murdoch will also be reported on.

Bill Tabb & Chance McQuade vs The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson)

Unclear if this is a Crockett Cup match, seemingly it’s not. Just a warm-up match I suppose. RnRs give up size but are quick and powerful in their own right, tossing around Tabb with ease. Chance McQuade takes over, but is easily subdued by Morton. Don’t know anything about Chance unfortunately. The girls are vocally behind the RnRs, nice tags and continued wearing down. Classic leapfrog and double dropkick is enough to pin Chance. ■

Schiavone catches up with them after the match. The Rock ‘n’ Rolls make it clear they are coming for the Crockett Cup and the cash prize, keeping it concise but purposeful.

Jim Cornette with Big Bubba address Dusty Rhodes & Ole Anderson

Cornette with Big Bubba (Ray Traylor) running down Dusty Rhodes before their big cage match. Classic line about Ole Anderson and the idea of legends: “You’re a legend, that’s right, you’re a legend. You know what a legend is? A legend is a story that when it first got told it was maybe a little bit exaggerated, and as it got told and told and told, it got blowed up and blowed up and blowed up as a legend, until now, it don’t resemble nothing of the truth!”

Bubba is the ‘baddest and toughest man in the world’, as he stands there looking like a lost Blues Brother. Okay.

Bobby Eaton vs Vernon Deaton

Bobby Eaton gets a segue, entering to face Vernon Deaton. These badly dubbed songs really make me hate the WWE Network. Kills the vibe entirely. Pay for the music rights, you cowards.

Eaton dominates and gives a flying knee drop. Big Bubba interferes but only to return Deaton to the ring. Cornette rips “ol’ Vernon” apart on commentary and no one is safe from ridicule. Eaton wins following the Alabama Jam guillotine leg drop, or the “Haemorrhoid Hop” as per Cornette. ■

It is impressive that Eaton didn’t just shatter his tailbone after years of using that leg drop.

Ric Flair and Ole Anderson address each other

We return to the Flair/Ole confrontation where Ole jumps Flair for being a ‘pretty boy’ and literally strips him of his clothes. Maybe Ole is a little repressed with these compliments and assaultive behaviour? Anyway, the NWA belt goes flying and the Horsemen (Arn, Tully and Luger) arrive to ward off Ole.

Flair recovers and then goes absolutely ballistic! JJ Dillon holds the belt for a great visual as Flair declares Ole has made the “mistake of a lifetime“! The Horsemen plan to disfigure Ole and assure Ole will “die a Horseman“.

45 year old Ole gives a confident response saying he has “one more ride left” as he prepares to face Kent Glover.

Kent Glover vs Ole Anderson

NWA seemed to have so many of these guys who would just take an absolute beating and appear entirely incapable of defending themselves. It’s kind of sad. Ole pummels away on Glover then throws himself into Glover with a “classic knee”, which was a very generous call from Tony. Kneeling armbar wins it for Ole. ■

Francis Crockett reports from Baltimore

They decide to showcase the host town for the Crockett Cup. Were NWA paid for this? Is it to entice fans to the city to see the show? Unusual promotion.

The Kansas Jayhawks (Bobby Jaggers & Dutch Mantel) vs Mike Force & Randy Barber

Another showcase for a Crockett Cup team as Jaggers immediately takes control. Mantel makes the mistake of getting too close to the corner as Mike Force tags in, but Force is overpowered, despite his clear bodybuilder physique. Mantel with a heavy forearm across the chest. Jaggers is vicious with his elbows. A snap suplex from Dutch! Force is taking a lot of punishment but gives a flurry of forearms from Force! Mantel quickly resumes control. Force is trying to get back into the game by reversing arm wringers but his partner feels like miles away. The Jayhawks have a great series of quick tags and vicious strikes, Force pinned after a jumping elbow drop. ■

Barber barely featured here. The Jayhawks look quite competent, which surprises me. Never was a huge fan of Mantel, maybe my journey will change my mind.

Tony speaks with Paul Ellering

So weird seeing Paul with hair. He’s such a calm, eloquent talker, but resorts to some Japan-bashing since the “Legion of Doom” won the NWA International Tag Titles from Gen’ichirō Tenryū & Jumbo Tsuruta. Road Warriors want the cup again! The Road Warriors would turn out to be the final champions before a unification match was commissioned to create the ‘Double Cup’ – All Japan’s current World Tag Team Championships. I’m sure they would be seen as one of the favourites to win the Crockett Cup!

It’s good to see NWA making sure the Road Warriors they are represented on TV even when they are “out of the country”. They were actually facing the Midnight Express in Texas this day!

Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes talk about Koloff’s neck injury

We are shown Dick Murdoch jumping Nikita after a match with one of the Thunderfoots and he proceeds to crush Koloff on the concrete floor with a brainbuster! Koloff’s ‘Superpowers’ tag partner Rhodes arrives to ward off Murdoch, but the damage is done. A heavy fine for Murdoch is announced without further details.

Dusty Rhodes speaks somewhat sombrely to camera with Nikita in a neckbrace, the big ‘Russian’ uncharacteristically showing weakness. Koloff’s accent is awful but his character is classic. He explains how the injury has made things hard but that he will definitely enter the cup with Rhodes. The Superpowers are in!

The Armstrongs state Crockett Cup and NWA World Heavyweight Title intentions

‘Bullet’ Bob and Brad Armstrong appear as another strong entry to the cup, with Brad also challenging Flair for the NWA World Title! Bob gives a military career recap of Dick Murdoch and how much of a failure he was, saying Murdoch was sent to Canada as mounted police on a mule. I laughed.

Baron von Raschke & Wahoo McDaniel vs Larry Clarke & Rick Sullivan

Another team getting an exhibition is odd couple veterans Wahoo McDaniel & Baron von Raschke! Larry Clarke & Rick Sullivan will be accepting the ass-kicking in this one. I have to say, Crockett’s commentary is annoying me but he makes a good point about having a reserve team for the cup. Raschke injecting a bit of comedy, hopping trips and slapping on a headlock. Before there was Walter, we had Wahoo, chop-master. Somehow, Sullivan’s eyebrow is busted open from being thrown into the buckle. Raschke hiptosses Sullivan a bit too far and a tag is made to Clarke. Wahoo even at this stage in his career looks great in the ring. Lovely belly-to-belly and chops. Again a Raschke hiptoss results in a tag and Sullivan resumes his beating. Wahoo pins the bloody Sullivan after a rudimentary suplex. ■ The boy’s been chopped to bits.

We’ll catch up with Wahoo and the Baron shortly.

Mike Rotunda reveals his Crockett Cup tag partner

Rotunda says he is teaming with Tim Horner in such a dry promo, it almost feels like a rib. I can kind of see why he would later be cast in the role of IRS.

Wahoo and von Raschke state Crockett Cup intentions

Wahoo & Raschke state they want more than just the million bucks and the cup, they want competition! Wahoo says he isn’t taking it easy anymore! Hide all the rookies! Run!

Big Bubba with Jim Cornette vs Cougar Jay

Crazy how much weight Bubba would lose, because here he is looking like +400lbs. Jay is a speedy guy, bouncing off of Bubba but getting caught mid-pounce with a powerbomb. Even at this size Bubba delivers a flying axehandle off the top! Gutwrench into a clumsy shoulderbreaker, then a very loose looking hammerlock somehow gets the submission win. ■

Cougar Jay survives the match to live another day. Or he has nine lives. Cornette rants about Ole working on the arm, this match proves that Bubba can do that too, apparently.

Ivan Koloff and Vlad Petrov are joined by Dick Murdoch

Ivan Koloff & Vladimir Petrov are the NWA US Tag Champions, and I honestly have no idea who Petrov is. He looks very nervous as Ivan slags off Nikita Koloff and says Nikita is suffering in the same way the USSR and Ivan have suffered. Murdoch accepts some sort of trucker cap with a Soviet symbol. Murdoch responds to the Armstrongs by hilariously calling ‘Bullet’ Bob Armstrong “a little .22 calibre bullet“, that cracked me up. Ivan’s accent was a bit better but this ‘foreigners only talk in growls’ trope is funny only in retrospect. Murdoch looks like he wants to Make America Great Again with that hat on.

Bill Dundee introduces The Mod Squad

Dundee looking like Gary Glitter shows up with his fading Scottish accent and what appears to be two big biker lads from the Village People. Apparently this is the NWA Florida Tag Champions, The Mod Squad. I’ve never heard of them either, don’t worry. The pair are Basher and Spike, also known as Mac and Jim Jeffers, for anyone curious.

Denny Brown & Todd Champion vs Lex Luger & Tully Blanchard with JJ Dillon

Man, this feels like a very long show. We have Horsemen, so this one could be a good one! This is during Blanchard’s legendary NWA TV Title run and Luger looks like the real life He-Man.

Tully starts off struggling to overpower Todd, nice tag to Lex. Luger is more successful, controlling Champion until a quick armdrag forces Luger to the ropes. Instead of being worried Luger appears irritated by that. Todd able to reverse the hammerlock and get Denny in, immediately springs off the second rope and attacks the arm and shoulder of Lex. Luger quickly realises he is 95% muscle and just slams Denny Brown with ease. Blanchard tags in to let Lex’s arm recover but he gets socked senseless by Brown and thrown pillar to post. Tully struggles to out-wrestle Denny and is dropkicked to the apron, however Denny grabs him before he can catch a rest. Denny’s attempt to suplex Blanchard back in is stopped by a sneaky ankle trip from Luger on the apron. Denny escapes the pin, but is finished off by Blanchard’s slingshot suplex. ■ The Horsemen squeaked their way out of that one!

JJ Dillon attacks Ole verbally for having kids and being financially less off as a result? Strange tangent. Blanchard is so annoying because he’s a sneaky wrestler but talks like he earns all his wins. Best Luger promo I’ve ever heard, shades of Flair here. Luger wants Nikita’s NWA US Title.

Arn Anderson vs Tim Horner

There’s a lot going on in these NWA WCW shows, it’s rapid-fire. Also, I had no idea Horner was named ‘White Lightning’, which is a cheap alcoholic drink where I’m from. It’s evident that the Horsemen were awesome because they gave you hope that they’d lose no matter who they faced.

The way Arn scurries out makes even me think that Horner has a chance here. The AA aggression resurfaces, cheapshotting the clean break and throwing Horner to the floor, but Horner wisely snatches the leg and uses the ring post to clatter Arn’s leg! Arn is in trouble here and is forced to use the hair to fend off Horner’s focus on his leg. An inverted spinning toehold countered by a classic thumb to the eye, but Horner is able to target Arn’s left leg to regain control. “If you break a horse’s leg, don’t you shoot him?” asks Crockett. Damn! A hobbled Arn fights free but gets a shinbreaker for his trouble. Such a random comment, but Arn’s probably got the best boots in wrestling. Arn escapes a few holds but Horner flips through a monkey flip onto his feet and continues going after the leg, he is tenacious! Arn again goes for hair. Vicious headbutts give Arn a reprieve but foolishly uses his injured leg to land a kitchen sink knee. He’s grounded himself! Fighting up, Horner gets whipped to the corner but launches himself out with a revolving cross-body block much like Kevin von Erich, almost a 3! Again into the corner and a sunset rollup! Almost 3 again! Arn seems wakened up by these close calls, drops an elbow on an attempted back drop and goes for the brainbuster! Countered into an O’Connor roll with a nice bridge! 3?! Blanchard hits the ring and stops the count. Luger and Dillon hit the ring too! It’s ruled a DQ! ■ Great match! Horner clearly had Anderson beat!


Arn is in full denial mode, claiming he had Horner beat and that Horner “took a powder” when he was actually escaping a gang beatdown. Pardon me for miss-calling the gourdbuster as a brainbuster by the way. Horsemen are still upset with Ole, Arn calling it a “family squabble” and announces he has a new partner! Dillon appears to cut him off before he reveals anything else, the Horsemen will focus on the $1,000,000 prize money for the Crockett Cup and then seek their revenge.

Kevin Sullivan is shown elsewhere and claims he is the partner for Arn for the cup! Now there’s an odd pair. I love Kevin Sullivan but he appears to be reading off a prompt and it really kills the promo for me. Damn HD televisions. Kudos if he needed them, but by this stage of his career Sullivan already had a crazy career in Florida.

Tony speaks with NWA Champion Ric Flair regarding Jimmy Garvin

The champ, Ric Flair joins Schiavone. Flair demands a full body camera shot and rants about Horsemen being the “franchise” of the NWA. A young Shane Douglas taking notes furiously, for sure. Flair addresses Jimmy Garvin who somehow has a world title shot, saying Precious will be “coming round the mountain, when I come“! Oh my.

Barry Windham vs Dave Spearman

This show feels longer than WrestleMania now.

Windham towers over Spearman who is pinned after a wicked lariat in about ten seconds. ■ Damn.

Not sure what the point of that was. Windham clearly not getting paid by the hour.

Tony speak with Paul Jones with Rick Rude about the Crockett Cup

The ravishing one, Rick Rude appears with Schiavone, however Paul Jones is the one doing the talking. They run through the teams in the Crockett Cup but Rude and Manny Fernandez are the current NWA World Tag Team champions and go in as the highest ranked team. Manny is absent and I’m not sure why. Answers on a postcard, please.

Larry Stephens vs Rick Rude

The awful music dubs on the WWE Network ruin the broadcast for me. Play ‘Smooth Operator’, or play nothing. Those tag belts are easily one of the best designed belts, glad NWA still use that design.

I expect this will be another quick one. Oh wow. It’s already over! A neck-snapping clothesline and a DDT (called the ‘Rude Awakening’ by Schiavone) is enough for the pin. ■

Rude addresses the Horsemen through the camera as he sits on Stephens’ face to add insult to insult. Rude appears to have skipped many leg days, his physique is so top heavy.

The Garvins with Precious address the Crockett Cup, Jim Cornette and Ric Flair

We have Ronnie and Jimmy Garvin making their Crockett Cup intentions known. Ronnie targets Jim Cornette for trying to “blind” and “cripple” him, salivating over the the scheduled cage match with Cornette. Jimmy targets Flair and thinks he is better dressed than him…oh dear. Jimmy literally looks like Lou Albano wearing white jeans and a white leather jacket, like a cleaner or lab worker. Precious is here and her honour will be defended by Jimmy as he faces Flair not just for the world title. They are “America’s Couple”.

How are these guys related? Seriously. Also, I just want to say, Tony’s reactions to some of these things on this show have been hilarious. He is perfect at doing the ‘I need to bite my tongue’ professional responses.

The Gladiators vs The Mulkeys (Bill & Randy Mulkey)

Now we have the “West Coast champions” (not really) The Gladiators coming out in full navy blue bodysuits and masks. All I can say is c’mon Mulkeys! I am genuinely confused why The Gladiators have been hyped up so much, they don’t even come out with fake title belts (they weren’t champions). This is Gary Royal and legendary jobber George South under the hoods, I just wish I knew who was who. George still wrestles to this day.

The Glads come out swinging, charging the ring and taking Bill & Randy by surprise, one of the Mulkeys goes flying out the ring. Slam, backbreaker, the Glads are cheating to no end here but the referee eventually gets one out onto the apron. The second Mulkey climbs up…but gets hitched into a suplex and is in danger of being superplexed onto his brother! In the suplex position the Gladiator trips over the downed Mulkey, it ends up landing awkwardly in a pinning combination! It’s a 3!! ■ Without delivering a single offensive move, the Mulkeys have beaten Crockett Cup contenders The Gladiators! That was good for a laugh.

The Mulkeys can’t believe they won! Hopefully this means MulkeyMania is going to the cup! The Glads rant and rave about coming in from California with the least Californian accents ever. They demand a rematch but David Crockett laughs them off. It seems they’re still in the cup despite losing in embarrassing fashion here tonight.

Highlights:
Arn Anderson showing why he is a great wrestler!
Big Bubba is so agile!
Wahoo killing jobbers.
Dick Murdoch’s comedic chops.
Tim Horner gets a chance to shine.
The quest for a George South victory begins here!
MULKEYMANIA!!
A classic Ric Flair promo.

Thoughts:
A funny way to end a very long episode. This feels like it would have been better if the show didn’t feel crammed with so many things. They definitely hype the Crockett Cup and give lots of teams a chance to look like legitimate contenders. The NWA is boasting a huge roster of talent at this time, and we’ve only just peeked into Mid-Atlantic here.

Verdict: More ‘meh’ than good, but the good is worth digging for. Check out the highlights.

Available here on WWE Network.