Universal Wrestling Federation (United States)
Encyclopedia
The Universal Wrestling Federation was owner Bill Watts
' attempt at taking his Mid-South Wrestling promotion to a national level in 1986. The attempt failed and in 1987, Watts sold the promotion to Jim Crockett Promotions
and became part of what would later be known as World Championship Wrestling
. The promotion had started out as an NWA Territory known as NWA Tri-State founded by Leroy McGuirk
in the 1950s. Tri-State promoted in Oklahoma
, Arkansas
, Louisiana
and Mississippi
, the same area that Watts's Mid-South wrestling ran in before attempting to go national. In 1990, Herb Abrams
started an unrelated wrestling promotion
with the same name.
, Louisiana
, and Mississippi
. Until 1973, Watts had been a fan favorite for Tri-State Wrestling. After a short break in Eddie Graham
's Championship Wrestling from Florida, he returned to Tri-state in 1975.
(NWA), though MSW would still remain loosely aligned with the organization and continue to have the NWA World Champion
defend his title on MSW shows. MSW began adding shows in Arkansas
to its circuit. In 1982, the promotion grew to include Oklahoma
when McGuirk shut down his Oklahoma-based promotion. He also formed an alliance with Houston
promoter Paul Boesch
to feature Mid-South talent on the cards at the Sam Houston Coliseum
, one of the largest cities in America and one of the most fabled arenas in professional wrestling, as well as other parts of southeastern Texas
.
Instead of cartoon-ish characters and interviews, Mid-South Wrestling focused on energetic matches and characters whose personas blurred the lines between good and evil and a physical style and episodic format. The promotion ran shows in a mix of small venues and gigantic arenas. In 1980, a card pitting a "blinded" Junkyard Dog
against Freebird Michael Hayes
in the main event drew nearly 30,000 fans for a show presented by a promotion less than one year old. In 1984, Watts came out of retirement to team with a masked Junkyard Dog (under the name Stagger Lee) to face The Midnight Express to cap an angle in which the Express and manager Jim Cornette
beat Watts on TV. The latter card also featured a showdown between Magnum T.A.
and Mr. Wrestling II
in one of the hottest feuds of the early 1980s. The 1984 show drew 22,000 fans.
In the mid-to-late 1980s, the MSW began to expand nationally. In 1985, Ted Turner
invited Watts to air his Mid-South Wrestling program on SuperStation TBS as an alternative to the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) programming that ran on Saturday nights. Turner was angered with Vince McMahon
and the WWF because McMahon reportedly promised Turner a studio-produced program, but he instead presented a two hours of highlights from other WWF programming (See: Black Saturday (1984)
). (Eventually, the WWF would have in-studio squash matches on the show on an infrequent basis.) MSW quickly became the highest-rated program on TBS, and Watts positioned himself to take over the two-hour Saturday block occupied by the WWF. His luck ran out when former Georgia
promoter Jim Barnett helped broker a deal that allowed NWA promoter Jim Crockett, Jr.
to buy the slot from McMahon and become the exclusive wrestling promotion for TBS. The deal, however, forced the elimination of the Mid-South Wrestling program from the TBS schedule. Watts made one more attempt at going national the following year under the auspices of the Universal Wrestling Federation.
The Mid-South/UWF tape library - one of the last historical wrestling libraries which has not yet been acquired by WWE - is owned by Ene Sooro Watts, Bill Watts' ex-wife, and operated by their youngest son Micah Watts. The library is now known as UWA (Universal Wrestling Archives), which offers the footage for sale or syndication and sells tapes and DVDs online.
, WCCW) joined the federation, as did former WCCW co-promoter Ken Mantell. However, despite the federation's success, it could not compete against Jim Crockett Promotions
and the WWF. In addition, the WWF also reached the pinnacle of its success through WrestleMania III
. Watts was also harmed when the oil-based Oklahoma economy went into a severe recession in the fall of 1986, affecting all businesses and cutting down on fans able to pay to see the shows. Watts would end up selling the UWF to Crockett on April 9, 1987, and many of the federation's top names went on either to the NWA, WWF, or WCCW. Unlike the other NWA promotions JCP purchased, the UWF did not immediately end; it was kept alive until December 1987. Despite promises at the time, Crockett buried the UWF, letting its various titles die out and, with the prime exceptions of Sting
, The Fabulous Freebirds
, Shane Douglas
, Rick Steiner
, and for a while Eddie Gilbert , and Steve Williams, none of its various stars made headway into Crockett's promotion.
Crockett's circuit was sold to Ted Turner and eventually become World Championship Wrestling
. In the early 1990s, Watts found himself as WCW President.
, Chris Adams and Sting, which began in the ring and spilled out into the concession area. Beer kegs
, chairs, tables, popcorn machine and anything the four wrestlers could get their hands on were used in the brawl which lasted nearly 15 minutes. Sting and Gilbert fought outside the ring, when Rick Steiner came in and piledrived Shane Douglas. With Taylor on top, referee Randy Anderson made the pinfall. Later, Adams came out and told Anderson what had happened, which prompted Gilbert and Taylor to gang-up on Adams. Sting came in to even the sides, and that resulted in an all-out brawl outside the ring. Gilbert was the mastermind of this famous angle and received huge praise from fellow promoters and wrestlers.
Adams was engaged in a storyline involving Iceman King Parsons
and Taylor, which evolved out of the UWF Tag Team Championship tournament in February 1987. Originally, Adams and Iceman were one of the eight teams participating, and Taylor was teamed with Sam Houston
. In a semi-finals match, Adams and Iceman wrestled against "Dr Death" Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase
until Skandor Akbar's Devastation Inc. charged the ring to attack Williams and DiBiase. The match ended when Williams and DiBiase were counted out, and Adams and Parsons won the match. Adams, who was helping Williams and DiBiase fight off Akbar and his army, wanted the match to continue, but Parsons wanted the win. After a lengthy argument, Adams and Parsons split, and Chris chose Savannah Jack as his new tag team partner. Iceman sucker-punched Savannah during a match and injured him, thus Adams had to choose another tag partner. He chose Terry Taylor, whose team lost a semi-final match to Rick Steiner and Sting. Taylor and Adams eventually won the UWF tag team titles, and held the belts for two months.
Meanwhile, Adams and Parsons engaged in a lengthy feud, which lasted for more than a decade (the two had feuded earlier in WCCW when Adams was the heel
and Parsons was the babyface
), with Parsons frequently referring to Adams as "Jailbird," a reference to Adams serving jail time in 1986 on an assault conviction. Taylor and Adams, who dominated the UWF tag team scene, lost a match to Steiner and Sting when Taylor kicked Adams foot off the rope as he was being pinned by Sting. A face-vs-face bout between Adams and Taylor marked Taylor's heel turn as he piledrived Adams on the floor. The Taylor-Adams war proved to be one of the most violent feuds in the UWF, with an equal intensity to the feud Adams had with the Von Erichs
in World Class. The feud did have a short interruption when Taylor was injured in an automobile accident, but picked up again by the summer and carried over to World Class by 1988. Taylor and Adams promoted a famous angle in August which involved a press conference, where Taylor spoke about his situation with Adams and then left. Chris later took questions, which prompted Taylor to attack Adams with a chair. The following week, Adams conducted an interview vowing revenge against both Taylor and Eddie Gilbert.
Other famous UWF angles included promoter Bill Watts being attacked and having a USSR flag draped on him by Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt
cold-cocking John Tatum
after joining forces with Gilbert, Skandor Akbar throwing a fireball at Hacksaw Jim Duggan
("blinding" him temporarily), and the Freebirds breaking Steve Williams' arm. Williams recruited Oklahoma Sooners
(and future Dallas Cowboys
head coach) Barry Switzer
into training and getting back into the ring. It paid off on July 11, 1987 when Dr. Death defeated Big Bubba Rogers
(Ray Traylor) to win the UWF Heavyweight Championship
. The Freebirds became faces around that time, as they began feuding with Skandor Akbar's army as well as The Angel of Death.
A prelim wrestler, Mike Boyette, wrestled in the UWF and is believed to be one of the very few wrestlers to never win a match. Video editors for the show even put together a music video of his various losses in the ring, set to the Little River Band
song Lonesome Loser. "Gorgeous" Gary Young also competed in the UWF, claiming that he was a rookie. He actually had five years experience under his belt. Young's claims prompted Jim Ross to begin referring to him as a "five-time rookie of the year."
As the UWF's merge with the NWA was taking place, Terry Taylor
, who held the UWF Television Championship, began an angle with the NWA Television Champion, Nikita Koloff
. Taylor stole the NWA TV title belt during an NWA show, but Koloff (with help from Dusty Rhodes
) reclaimed it prior to their official in-ring encounter. They met at Starrcade 1987, and Nikita unified the two titles as the final leg of the NWA-UWF merger was finished. Williams would successfully defend the UWF Heavyweight Title on the same show versus Barry Windham
and then left on a tour of Japan
, only to have the title retired while he was still overseas.
Sting, Rick Steiner, Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt, announcer Jim Ross
, Brad Armstrong and the aforementioned Taylor became permanent NWA members, among others. The Freebirds, Savannah Jack, Iceman King Parsons, matchmaker Frank Dusek, and promoter Ken Mantell joined the new Wild West Wrestling promotion, which later merged into World Class. Chris Adams, who stayed with the NWA after the merger with the UWF, left due to a money dispute and returned to World Class in November 1987. Dibiase, Big Bubba Rogers, One Man Gang, and Sam Houston joined the WWF after its fall, joining fellow UWF alumnus Hacksaw Jim Duggan, who had been signed by the WWF in February 1987. The Sheepherders, who originally joined the NWA after the merger, left in mid-1988 to join the WWF, where they were renamed the Bushwhackers
. Terry Taylor also departed the NWA/UWF and competed in World Class for a few months (feuding with Chris Adams and Kevin Von Erich) before joining the WWF in the middle of 1988 as The Red Rooster.
are the most famous announcers identified with the Mid-South/UWF. By the time the UWF began, Ross was the main announcer, with Bill Watts
and later Michael Hayes
assisting him. Ross was known for getting over-excited during the match, and in 1986, Ross received the unofficial I can scream the loudest during a match award from Pro Wrestling Illustrated (he shared the honor with the NWA's David Crockett). Frank Dusek and Toni Adams also served as ringside commentators during the course of its UWF tenure; both of whom moved on to World Class.
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
' attempt at taking his Mid-South Wrestling promotion to a national level in 1986. The attempt failed and in 1987, Watts sold the promotion to Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
and became part of what would later be known as World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. The promotion had started out as an NWA Territory known as NWA Tri-State founded by Leroy McGuirk
Leroy McGuirk
Leroy Michael McGuirk was an American wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. He was involved in professional wrestling for more than fifty years. As one of the longest surviving members of the National Wrestling Alliance , he was affiliated with the promotion from 1949 to 1982.-Early...
in the 1950s. Tri-State promoted in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, the same area that Watts's Mid-South wrestling ran in before attempting to go national. In 1990, Herb Abrams
Herb Abrams
Herb C. Abrams was an American professional wrestling promoter from New York.-Career:Abrams founded the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1990 and remained CEO of the company until his death...
started an unrelated wrestling promotion
Universal Wrestling Federation (Herb Abrams)
The Universal Wrestling Federation was an American wrestling promotion based out of Marina del Rey, California.-History:Herb Abrams founded the UWF in 1990 with hopes of returning professional wrestling back to its roots...
with the same name.
NWA Tri-State
A former territory wrestler who was blinded in a 1950 auto accident, Leroy McGuirk eventually took over promoting a wrestling circuit that covered OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Until 1973, Watts had been a fan favorite for Tri-State Wrestling. After a short break in Eddie Graham
Eddie Graham
Edward Gossett was a professional wrestler. He was also the promoter and booker for Championship Wrestling from Florida and President of the NWA in the 1970s. His son, Mike Graham, was also a professional wrestler.-Career:Edward F...
's Championship Wrestling from Florida, he returned to Tri-state in 1975.
Mid-South Wrestling
In 1979, Bill Watts bought out the Tri-State Wrestling circuit from Leroy McGuirk, and renamed the circuit Mid-South Wrestling (MSW, known officially as the Mid-South Wrestling Association). One of his first acts as owner was to withdraw from the National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA), though MSW would still remain loosely aligned with the organization and continue to have the NWA World Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
defend his title on MSW shows. MSW began adding shows in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
to its circuit. In 1982, the promotion grew to include Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
when McGuirk shut down his Oklahoma-based promotion. He also formed an alliance with Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
promoter Paul Boesch
Paul Boesch
Paul Max Boesch was a professional wrestling promoter most famous for his work as an announcer and promoter for Houston Wrestling. He also spent several stints working with the Universal Wrestling Federation, World Class Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation.-Biography:Paul...
to feature Mid-South talent on the cards at the Sam Houston Coliseum
Sam Houston Coliseum
Sam Houston Coliseum was an indoor arena, located in Houston, Texas. It was located at 801 Bagby Street near downtown. The arena was opened in November 1937 and had a capacity of 9,200. It was built in conjunction with the Houston Music Hall, which was adjacent to the Coliseum...
, one of the largest cities in America and one of the most fabled arenas in professional wrestling, as well as other parts of southeastern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Instead of cartoon-ish characters and interviews, Mid-South Wrestling focused on energetic matches and characters whose personas blurred the lines between good and evil and a physical style and episodic format. The promotion ran shows in a mix of small venues and gigantic arenas. In 1980, a card pitting a "blinded" Junkyard Dog
Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...
against Freebird Michael Hayes
Michael Hayes (wrestler)
Michael Seitz is a retired American professional wrestler and former musician. Seitz is best known for leading The Fabulous Freebirds under the ring name Michael "P.S." Hayes and for his role as the announcer Dok Hendrix in the World Wrestling Federation...
in the main event drew nearly 30,000 fans for a show presented by a promotion less than one year old. In 1984, Watts came out of retirement to team with a masked Junkyard Dog (under the name Stagger Lee) to face The Midnight Express to cap an angle in which the Express and manager Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
beat Watts on TV. The latter card also featured a showdown between Magnum T.A.
Magnum T.A.
Terry Wayne Allen is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Magnum T.A..-Early years:...
and Mr. Wrestling II
Mr. Wrestling II
John "Johnny" Walker , better known as Mr. Wrestling II, is a retired American professional wrestler. As Mr...
in one of the hottest feuds of the early 1980s. The 1984 show drew 22,000 fans.
In the mid-to-late 1980s, the MSW began to expand nationally. In 1985, Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
invited Watts to air his Mid-South Wrestling program on SuperStation TBS as an alternative to the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) programming that ran on Saturday nights. Turner was angered with Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and the WWF because McMahon reportedly promised Turner a studio-produced program, but he instead presented a two hours of highlights from other WWF programming (See: Black Saturday (1984)
Black Saturday (1984)
In professional wrestling, Black Saturday refers to Saturday, July 14, 1984. On that date, Vince McMahon and his World Wrestling Federation took over the Saturday night time slot on Superstation WTBS that had been home to Georgia Championship Wrestling and its flagship weekly program, World...
). (Eventually, the WWF would have in-studio squash matches on the show on an infrequent basis.) MSW quickly became the highest-rated program on TBS, and Watts positioned himself to take over the two-hour Saturday block occupied by the WWF. His luck ran out when former Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
promoter Jim Barnett helped broker a deal that allowed NWA promoter Jim Crockett, Jr.
Jim Crockett, Jr.
Jim Crockett, Jr. is a former professional wrestling promoter. From 1973 to 1988, he owned Jim Crockett Promotions , a wrestling company affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance...
to buy the slot from McMahon and become the exclusive wrestling promotion for TBS. The deal, however, forced the elimination of the Mid-South Wrestling program from the TBS schedule. Watts made one more attempt at going national the following year under the auspices of the Universal Wrestling Federation.
The Mid-South/UWF tape library - one of the last historical wrestling libraries which has not yet been acquired by WWE - is owned by Ene Sooro Watts, Bill Watts' ex-wife, and operated by their youngest son Micah Watts. The library is now known as UWA (Universal Wrestling Archives), which offers the footage for sale or syndication and sells tapes and DVDs online.
Universal Wrestling Federation
In March 1986, MSW went national and was relaunched as the Universal Wrestling Federation so it was not stigmatized as a southern group. From that point, many newcomers (mostly from World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
, WCCW) joined the federation, as did former WCCW co-promoter Ken Mantell. However, despite the federation's success, it could not compete against Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
and the WWF. In addition, the WWF also reached the pinnacle of its success through WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
. Watts was also harmed when the oil-based Oklahoma economy went into a severe recession in the fall of 1986, affecting all businesses and cutting down on fans able to pay to see the shows. Watts would end up selling the UWF to Crockett on April 9, 1987, and many of the federation's top names went on either to the NWA, WWF, or WCCW. Unlike the other NWA promotions JCP purchased, the UWF did not immediately end; it was kept alive until December 1987. Despite promises at the time, Crockett buried the UWF, letting its various titles die out and, with the prime exceptions of Sting
Sting (wrestler)
Steven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, The Fabulous Freebirds
Fabulous Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team that attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name.-History:The Fabulous...
, Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
, Rick Steiner
Rick Steiner
Robert Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion...
, and for a while Eddie Gilbert , and Steve Williams, none of its various stars made headway into Crockett's promotion.
Crockett's circuit was sold to Ted Turner and eventually become World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. In the early 1990s, Watts found himself as WCW President.
Storylines
The Battle of New Orleans was a long-playing brawl between Eddie Gilbert, Terry TaylorTerry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, Chris Adams and Sting, which began in the ring and spilled out into the concession area. Beer kegs
Keg
A keg is a small barrel.Traditionally, a wooden keg is made by a cooper used to transport items such as nails, gunpowder., and a variety of liquids....
, chairs, tables, popcorn machine and anything the four wrestlers could get their hands on were used in the brawl which lasted nearly 15 minutes. Sting and Gilbert fought outside the ring, when Rick Steiner came in and piledrived Shane Douglas. With Taylor on top, referee Randy Anderson made the pinfall. Later, Adams came out and told Anderson what had happened, which prompted Gilbert and Taylor to gang-up on Adams. Sting came in to even the sides, and that resulted in an all-out brawl outside the ring. Gilbert was the mastermind of this famous angle and received huge praise from fellow promoters and wrestlers.
Adams was engaged in a storyline involving Iceman King Parsons
King Parsons
King Parsons is a former professional wrestler better know by his ringname Iceman King Parsons. King was called the Iceman from Jimmy Valiant after he saw him lying on a ice machine at a hotel.-Professional wrestling career:...
and Taylor, which evolved out of the UWF Tag Team Championship tournament in February 1987. Originally, Adams and Iceman were one of the eight teams participating, and Taylor was teamed with Sam Houston
Michael Smith (wrestler)
Michael Maurice Smith is a second generation professional wrestler who is best known for competing under the ring name Sam Houston in the 1980s...
. In a semi-finals match, Adams and Iceman wrestled against "Dr Death" Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
until Skandor Akbar's Devastation Inc. charged the ring to attack Williams and DiBiase. The match ended when Williams and DiBiase were counted out, and Adams and Parsons won the match. Adams, who was helping Williams and DiBiase fight off Akbar and his army, wanted the match to continue, but Parsons wanted the win. After a lengthy argument, Adams and Parsons split, and Chris chose Savannah Jack as his new tag team partner. Iceman sucker-punched Savannah during a match and injured him, thus Adams had to choose another tag partner. He chose Terry Taylor, whose team lost a semi-final match to Rick Steiner and Sting. Taylor and Adams eventually won the UWF tag team titles, and held the belts for two months.
Meanwhile, Adams and Parsons engaged in a lengthy feud, which lasted for more than a decade (the two had feuded earlier in WCCW when Adams was the heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and Parsons was the babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
), with Parsons frequently referring to Adams as "Jailbird," a reference to Adams serving jail time in 1986 on an assault conviction. Taylor and Adams, who dominated the UWF tag team scene, lost a match to Steiner and Sting when Taylor kicked Adams foot off the rope as he was being pinned by Sting. A face-vs-face bout between Adams and Taylor marked Taylor's heel turn as he piledrived Adams on the floor. The Taylor-Adams war proved to be one of the most violent feuds in the UWF, with an equal intensity to the feud Adams had with the Von Erichs
Von Erich family
The Von Erich family is a professional wrestling family. Their actual birth names are "Adkisson", but every member of the family who went into the wrestling business used the ring name "Von Erich", after the family patriarch, Fritz ....
in World Class. The feud did have a short interruption when Taylor was injured in an automobile accident, but picked up again by the summer and carried over to World Class by 1988. Taylor and Adams promoted a famous angle in August which involved a press conference, where Taylor spoke about his situation with Adams and then left. Chris later took questions, which prompted Taylor to attack Adams with a chair. The following week, Adams conducted an interview vowing revenge against both Taylor and Eddie Gilbert.
Other famous UWF angles included promoter Bill Watts being attacked and having a USSR flag draped on him by Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt
Missy Hyatt
Melissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
cold-cocking John Tatum
John Tatum (wrestler)
John Frankel III , known by his ringname "Hollywood" John Tatum, is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions including World Class Championship Wrestling, Universal Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance as well as independent...
after joining forces with Gilbert, Skandor Akbar throwing a fireball at Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
("blinding" him temporarily), and the Freebirds breaking Steve Williams' arm. Williams recruited Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
(and future Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
head coach) Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
into training and getting back into the ring. It paid off on July 11, 1987 when Dr. Death defeated Big Bubba Rogers
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
(Ray Traylor) to win the UWF Heavyweight Championship
UWF Heavyweight Championship
The UWF Heavyweight Championship was the premier title in the Universal Wrestling Federation owned by Bill Watts. When Mid-South Wrestling Association changed its name to the UWF, the Mid-South North American title was retired and a tournament was held to crown a new UWF World Heavyweight Champion...
. The Freebirds became faces around that time, as they began feuding with Skandor Akbar's army as well as The Angel of Death.
A prelim wrestler, Mike Boyette, wrestled in the UWF and is believed to be one of the very few wrestlers to never win a match. Video editors for the show even put together a music video of his various losses in the ring, set to the Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
song Lonesome Loser. "Gorgeous" Gary Young also competed in the UWF, claiming that he was a rookie. He actually had five years experience under his belt. Young's claims prompted Jim Ross to begin referring to him as a "five-time rookie of the year."
As the UWF's merge with the NWA was taking place, Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
, who held the UWF Television Championship, began an angle with the NWA Television Champion, Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
. Taylor stole the NWA TV title belt during an NWA show, but Koloff (with help from Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
) reclaimed it prior to their official in-ring encounter. They met at Starrcade 1987, and Nikita unified the two titles as the final leg of the NWA-UWF merger was finished. Williams would successfully defend the UWF Heavyweight Title on the same show versus Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
and then left on a tour of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, only to have the title retired while he was still overseas.
Sting, Rick Steiner, Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt, announcer Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
, Brad Armstrong and the aforementioned Taylor became permanent NWA members, among others. The Freebirds, Savannah Jack, Iceman King Parsons, matchmaker Frank Dusek, and promoter Ken Mantell joined the new Wild West Wrestling promotion, which later merged into World Class. Chris Adams, who stayed with the NWA after the merger with the UWF, left due to a money dispute and returned to World Class in November 1987. Dibiase, Big Bubba Rogers, One Man Gang, and Sam Houston joined the WWF after its fall, joining fellow UWF alumnus Hacksaw Jim Duggan, who had been signed by the WWF in February 1987. The Sheepherders, who originally joined the NWA after the merger, left in mid-1988 to join the WWF, where they were renamed the Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit...
. Terry Taylor also departed the NWA/UWF and competed in World Class for a few months (feuding with Chris Adams and Kevin Von Erich) before joining the WWF in the middle of 1988 as The Red Rooster.
Announcers
Boyd Pierce, Reeser Bowden, Joel Watts, and Jim RossJim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
are the most famous announcers identified with the Mid-South/UWF. By the time the UWF began, Ross was the main announcer, with Bill Watts
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
and later Michael Hayes
Michael Hayes (wrestler)
Michael Seitz is a retired American professional wrestler and former musician. Seitz is best known for leading The Fabulous Freebirds under the ring name Michael "P.S." Hayes and for his role as the announcer Dok Hendrix in the World Wrestling Federation...
assisting him. Ross was known for getting over-excited during the match, and in 1986, Ross received the unofficial I can scream the loudest during a match award from Pro Wrestling Illustrated (he shared the honor with the NWA's David Crockett). Frank Dusek and Toni Adams also served as ringside commentators during the course of its UWF tenure; both of whom moved on to World Class.
Tag teams and stables
- FantasticsFantasticsThe Fantastics are a professional wrestling tag team composed of Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers.-History:While in the Mid-Southern area, Terry taylor was teamed with a budding young wrestler named Bobby Fulton, who at the time was a jobber on TV but showed promise...
(Bobby FultonJames HinesJames Hines is a professional wrestler better known as Bobby Fulton of The Fantastics.-Career:James Hines started wrestling as a 16 year old in 1977 as Jimmy Hines....
& Tommy RogersThomas CouchThomas R. Couch is a professional wrestler better known as Tommy Rogers of The Fantastics.-Career:Couch started wrestling in 1980 as Tommy Rogers in North Carolina...
) - Fabulous FreebirdsFabulous FreebirdsThe Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team that attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name.-History:The Fabulous...
(Michael HayesMichael Hayes (wrestler)Michael Seitz is a retired American professional wrestler and former musician. Seitz is best known for leading The Fabulous Freebirds under the ring name Michael "P.S." Hayes and for his role as the announcer Dok Hendrix in the World Wrestling Federation...
, Terry GordyTerry GordyTerry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
& Buddy Roberts) - Ivan and Nikita KoloffNikita KoloffNikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
- Lightning ExpressLightning ExpressThe Lightning Express was a professional wrestling tag team that worked for World Championship Wrestling. It was composed of Brad Armstrong and Tim Horner.-History:...
(Brad Armstrong & Tim HornerTim HornerTim Horner is a professional wrestler best known for his "Lightning Express" tag team with Brad Armstrong.-Career:Tim Horner started wrestling in 1982 in the Alabama territory. He formed a tag team called the "Lightning Express" with Brad Armstrong and they had a lot of success. They won the...
) - Rock 'N Roll Express (Ricky MortonRicky MortonRichard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action...
& Robert Gibson) - The Jive Tones (Pez WhatleyPez WhatleyPezavan Whatley was a professional wrestler in the 1980s and early 1990s who wrestled primarily under the ring name Pez Whatley.-Career:...
and Tiger Conway) - The Midnight Express (Bobby EatonBobby EatonRobert Lee "Bobby" Eaton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, who made his debut in 1976. Eaton is most famous for his work in tag teams, especially his days as one-half of the team the Midnight Express. Under the management of Jim Cornette, Eaton originally teamed with Dennis...
& Dennis CondreyDennis CondreyDennis Condrey is an American professional wrestler, best known as being one half of the tag team Midnight Express....
) - The SheepherdersThe BushwhackersThe Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit...
(Butch MillerButch Miller (wrestler)Butch Miller is a retired professional wrestler best known as one half of the tag team known as "The Sheepherders" on the independent scene and in the National Wrestling Alliance and as one half of The Bushwhackers in the WWF.-Career:Butch Miller started wrestling for NWA New Zealand in 1964 where...
& Luke WilliamsBrian WickensBrian Wickens is a professional wrestler best known as Luke Williams, one half of the tag team known as "The Sheepherders" on the independent scene and in the National Wrestling Alliance and as The Bushwhackers in the WWF.-Career:Luke Williams started wrestling for NWA New Zealand in 1964...
) - Devastation Inc. (One Man Gang, Savannah Jack, Leroy BrownLeroy BrownRoland Daniels , best known under the ring names of Leroy Brown and Elijah Akeem, was an American professional wrestler for the Championship Wrestling from Florida, Mid-South Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions during the 1980s.He died on September 6, 1988 as the result of a heart attack at the...
, *Kamala,*The Missing LinkDewey RobertsonByron James John "Dewey" Robertson was a professional wrestler, known best for his ring name The Missing Link....
,*Bill IrwinBarney IrwinBarney William Irwin is a professional wrestler best known as Bill Irwin.-Professional wrestling career:Bill Irwin started wrestling in 1979 in the National Wrestling Alliance's Central States territory and in World Class Championship Wrestling...
) - Taylor & AdamsTaylor & AdamsTaylor & Adams was an engraving firm in Boston, Massachusetts, in the mid-19th century, established by James L. Taylor and Thomas W. Adams. The business operated from an office in Joy's Building on Washington Street in the 1850s and 1860s. Clients included the Boston Herald and publishers Lee &...
(Terry TaylorTerry TaylorTerry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
& Chris AdamsChris AdamsChristopher John Adams is the current cricket manager of Surrey County Cricket Club and a former English first-class cricketer who briefly represented his nation at Test and One Day International level....
) - Hot Stuff International (Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert, Rick SteinerRick SteinerRobert Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion...
, "Blade Runner" RockWarrior (wrestler)Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
& Sting) - Hyatt & Hot Stuff International (Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert, Missy HyattMissy HyattMelissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
, Rick SteinerRick SteinerRobert Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion...
, Sting) - Tatum & Victory (John TatumJohn Tatum (wrestler)John Frankel III , known by his ringname "Hollywood" John Tatum, is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions including World Class Championship Wrestling, Universal Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance as well as independent...
& Jack VictoryJack VictoryKenneth "Ken" Rinehurst is an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by his ring name, Jack Victory. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1998 and 2001.-Career:Rinehurst debuted in 1985 in the Universal Wrestling Federation...
)
NWA Tri-State
| Championship: | Last Champion(s): | Date Active: | Date Retired: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NWA World Heavyweight Championship NWA World Heavyweight Championship The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and... |
Adam Pearce Adam Pearce Adam Pearce is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is the current NWA World Heavyweight Champion in his fourth reign and the NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion in his first reign. He is also a former PWG Champion.... |
1948 | Still active | |
| NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1945 and still exists today. The title was unified with the National Boxing/Wrestling Association's... |
Mike Quackenbush | 1945 | Still active | |
| NWA Tri State North American Championship Mid-South North American Championship The Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in the Mid-South Wrestling Association from 1979 until the promotion became the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1986. The title was retired then in favor of the UWF Heavyweight Championship... |
Mr. Wrestling II Tim Woods George Burrell "Tim" Woodin was an American former professional wrestler. He was best known under his ring name Mr. Wrestling.-Professional wrestling career:... |
1969 | 1979 | |
| NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) The NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship was a tag team title created in 1962, and contested in the National Wrestling Alliance's Tri-State territory, which was promoted by Leroy McGuirk and Jack Curtis and Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith... |
Tommy Gilbert and Eddie Gilbert | September 22, 1963 | 1980 | |
| NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (Tri-State version) | Jack Donovan | May 5, 1958 | 1960s | |
| NWA Tri-State Louisiana Championship Mid-South Louisiana Championship The Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Championship was a secondary professional wrestling championship that was used and defended from 1964 though 1983. Initially, the championship originated in the NWA affiliated Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling. During this time, it was referred to as the NWA Gulf... |
Mike George | 1972 | 1979 | |
| Tri-State Heavyweight Championship | Bob Sweetan | September 7, 1980 | 1982 | |
| Tri-State Tag Team Championship | Turk Ali and El Toro | 1980 | 1982 | |
| Tri-State Brass Knuckles Championship | Don Fargo | 1970 | 1982 | |
| NWA Louisiana Heavyweight Championship | Mike George | April 1978 | August 1979 | |
| NWA Louisiana Tag Team Championship | Bill Watts Bill Watts William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive... and Buck Robley |
1978 | 1979 | |
Mid-South Wrestling
| Championship: | Last Champion(s): | Active From: | Active Till: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NWA World Heavyweight Championship NWA World Heavyweight Championship The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and... |
Adam Pearce Adam Pearce Adam Pearce is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is the current NWA World Heavyweight Champion in his fourth reign and the NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion in his first reign. He is also a former PWG Champion.... |
1948 | Still active | |
| Mid-South North American Championship Mid-South North American Championship The Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in the Mid-South Wrestling Association from 1979 until the promotion became the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1986. The title was retired then in favor of the UWF Heavyweight Championship... |
”Hacksaw” Jim Duggan Jim Duggan James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling... |
1969 | May 1986 | |
| Mid-South Television Championship UWF Television Championship The UWF Television Championship started out as the Mid-South Television Championship in 1984 and was then represented by a medal. It was renamed when Mid-South Wrestling changed its name to the UWF in 1986 and the title medal was replaced by a belt... |
Dick Slater Dick Slater Richard Van Slater , better known by his ring name "Dirty" Dick Slater, is a retired American professional wrestler who wrestled in the 1970s, 1980s, and mid 1990s for various promotions including Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling .Slater began wrestling with Mike... |
May 2, 1984 | 1986 | |
| Mid-South Tag Team Championship UWF Tag Team Championship The UWF Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Universal Wrestling Federation from 1986 until the promotion closed in 1987. It was formerly known as the Mid-South Tag Team Championship from 1979 until 1986 when Mid-South Wrestling became the UWF.-Title history:... |
Ted DiBiase Ted DiBiase Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career... and Steve Williams |
September 28, 1979 | 1986 | |
| Mid-South Louisiana Championship Mid-South Louisiana Championship The Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Championship was a secondary professional wrestling championship that was used and defended from 1964 though 1983. Initially, the championship originated in the NWA affiliated Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling. During this time, it was referred to as the NWA Gulf... |
”Hacksaw” Jim Duggan | October 16, 1964 | 1983 | |
Universal Wrestling Federation
| Championship: | Last Champion(s): | Active From: | Active Till: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UWF Heavyweight Championship UWF Heavyweight Championship The UWF Heavyweight Championship was the premier title in the Universal Wrestling Federation owned by Bill Watts. When Mid-South Wrestling Association changed its name to the UWF, the Mid-South North American title was retired and a tournament was held to crown a new UWF World Heavyweight Champion... |
"Dr. Death" Steve Williams | May 30, 1986 | December 1987 | |
| UWF Television Championship UWF Television Championship The UWF Television Championship started out as the Mid-South Television Championship in 1984 and was then represented by a medal. It was renamed when Mid-South Wrestling changed its name to the UWF in 1986 and the title medal was replaced by a belt... |
Nikita Koloff Nikita Koloff Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National... |
May 2, 1984 | November 26, 1987 | |
| UWF Tag Team Championship UWF Tag Team Championship The UWF Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in the Universal Wrestling Federation from 1986 until the promotion closed in 1987. It was formerly known as the Mid-South Tag Team Championship from 1979 until 1986 when Mid-South Wrestling became the UWF.-Title history:... |
The Sheepherders The Bushwhackers The Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit... |
September 28, 1979 | November 1987 | |