September 22nd in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Billy Joyce 1916
Jack Pesek 1923
Johnny Valentine 1928
Alan Rogowski\Ole Anderson 1942
Mike Graham 1951
Doug Somers 1951
Happy Birthday:
Matt Wise\Luther Reigns (54)
Bob Sapp (51)
Nick Gage (45)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Lou Plummer 9-22-1985 at the age of 78
Ray Traylor\Big Bubba\Boss Man 9-22-2004 at the age of 41
Eugene Zygowicz\Gene Stanlee 9-22-2005 at the age of 83
Jorge Gonzalez\El Gigante 9-22-2010 at the age of 44
Joe Laurenitis\Road Warrior Animal 9-22-2020 at the age of 60
40 Year Flashback
9-22-1985: Terry Taylor defeats Black Bart (ch) for the NWA National Heavyweight Championship at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia
The NWA National Heavyweight Championship was established in 1980 as the top singles title in the Georgia territory under Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW), a key promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). It was primarily defended in Georgia-based events and served as a mid-card to upper-mid-card title in the broader NWA landscape, often featuring feuds tied to regional storylines.
In early 1985, Black Bart (real name Rick Harris), a rugged heel wrestler known for his cowboy persona and stints in various NWA territories, captured the title from Ron Garvin on June 1, 1985, in Atlanta during an NWA World Championship Wrestling event. This was a Loser Leaves Town match, adding high stakes, and Bart held the belt for 113 days.
Leading up to the title change, there was notable buildup involving Terry Taylor, who had been rising in the Mid-South and Tennessee NWA scenes, made his NWA Georgia with JCP debut in July 1985. He scouted Black Bart during a match on July 13, 1985, leading to a confrontation. This escalated on August 17, 1985, when Taylor wrestled Randy Barber and then called out Bart post-match, challenging him for the National Title and intensifying their feud.
On September 22, 1985, at The Omni Coliseum in Atlanta, Georgia—during an NWA World Championship Wrestling live event—Terry Taylor defeated Black Bart in a singles match to win the NWA National Heavyweight Championship. It marked Taylor's first (and only) reign with this title, lasting 67 days, when Taylor left the company to return to Mid-South Wrestling.
50 Year Flashback
A Time Capsule Review of the Pro Wrestling Cards in the North American Wrestling Territories on This Day in Pro Wrestling History
As a regular Monday feature of The Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel's Daily Chronicle, we do a survey of the cards, matches and performers of the decades of territory pro wrestling. This week we flashback to this Day in Pro Wrestling History, Tuesday September 23rd, 1975.
In 1975, professional wrestling was largely organized around territorial promotions in the United States, with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) serving as the overarching governing body that coordinated championships and talent exchanges among its member territories. The World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, precursor to WWF/WWE) operated independently in the Northeast, focusing on larger-than-life heroes like champion Bruno Sammartino. Wrestling n 1975 was a mix of athletic competition, storytelling, and spectacle, with stars like Johnny Valentine, Ric Flair (in his early rise), Dusty Rhodes, El Santo, and Perro Aguayo drawing crowds. Events often featured title defenses, feuds, and gimmick matches, broadcast on local TV and held in arenas. September 1975 saw activity across these scenes, including title changes, upsets, anniversary shows, and returns.
Tuesday, September 23rd, 1975
Championship Wrestling from Florida - Tampa, Florida, Office
National Guard Armory in Fort Myers, Florida
Doug Somers defeated Jake Smith, Jr (Jake Roberts)
John Heath defeated Ervin Smith
Bonnie Watson (ch) defeated Early Dawn, NWA Florida Women's Title
Tony Charles (ch) defeated Ron Bass Loser Leaves Town, Fort Myers Title
Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida
Mike George defeated Dutch Mantell
Ricky Gibson & Jimmy Golden defeated Jim Dillon & Roger Kirby
Mark Lewin defeated Mitsu Hata & Mr. Eito in a 2 on 1 Handicap Match
The Masked Superstars (Von Steiger\Lawler) defeated Ciclon & Omar Negro
Rocky Johnson (ch) defeated Harley Race by DQ NWA Southern Heavyweight Title
Dusty Rhodes & Andre The Giant defeated Bob Roop & Larry Hennig
Georgia Championship Wrestling- Atlanta, Georgia Office
Centreplex Coliseum in Macon, Georgia
Bob Backlund defeated Led Thornton
Tony Garea & Dean Ho defeated Toru Tanaka & Mr. Fuji
Sonny King defeated Brute Bernard by DQ
Bobby Duncum vs Nikolai Volkoff (ch) ended as a no contest NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
Dick Slater & Bob Orton, Jr defeated Gerry Brisco & Mr. Wrestling II Macon Tag Team Titles
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling- Charlotte, North Carolina Office
Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina
Don Kernodle vs John Smith 20 min time limit draw
Bob Bruggers defeated George Harris
Tony Rocco defeated Michel DuBois by DQ
Tiger Conway, Jr & Steve Keirn defeated Spoiler #2 & Doug Gilbert
Mr. Wrestling defeated Ric Flair in a Lumberjack Bounty Match
Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina
Ron Starr defeated Bill Howard
Roberto Soto defeated Larry Sharpe
Tony Atlas defeated Jerry Blackwell
Danny Miller & The Avenger defeated Professor Boris Malenko & Missouri Mauler
Paul Jones (ch) defeated Gene Anderson, NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title
Johnny Valentine (ch) defeated Ken Patera NWA United States Heavyweight title
Gulas-Welch NWA Mid-America Wrestling - Nashville, Tennessee Office
The Gardens in Louisville, Kentucky
Joey Rossi & Bearcat Brown vs Otto Von Heller & Bill Dundee
Bill Costello vs Robert Fuller
Ivan Koloff vs Norvell Austin
The Interns vs Jackie Fargo & Pepper Gomez
American Legion Arena in Blytheville, Arkansas
Dwayne Peal (Buddy Wayne) vs Golden Hawk
Mr. Suzuki vs Wayne Petty
Magnificent Zulu & Dwane Peal vs Golden Hawk & Golden Hawk II
Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling - Mobile, Alabama Office
Exposition Hall in Mobile, Alabama
Bill Malone vs Ken Lucas ended as a time limit draw
The Wrestling Pro I and II (Baxter\G Nelson) defeated The Bounty Hunters
Gorgeous George Jr & Jack Donivan defeated Burrhead Jones & Tom Jones
Mike York defeated The Psycho
NWA Tri-States Wrestling - Tulsa, Oklahoma Office
Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, Louisiana
Igor Putski defeated Mike Boyette
The Alaskan defeated Ted Heath
Jay Clayton & Grizzly Smith vs Rip & Randy Tyler ended as a time limit draw
Danny Hodge defeated Bill Dromo
Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana
John Foley vs Mike Pappas
Gregg Stevens vs Ted DiBiase
The Angel vs Porkchop Cash
Dick Murdoch & Greg Valentine defeated Killer Karl Kox & Bob Sweetan by DQ
Jack Brisco (ch) defeated The Spoiler NWA World Heavyweight Title
Big Time Wrestling - Dallas, Texas Office
The Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas
Rick Martel defeated Steve Strong
Geoff Portz defeated Gran Markus
Red Bastien defeated Hans Schroeder by DQ
Al Madril defeated Dory Funk Jr by DQ
Jose Lothario defeated Superstar Billy Graham (ch) to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship
Western States Sports - Amarillo, Texas Office
Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas
Johnny Starr (T Gilbert) vs Paul Perschmann (B Rose) ended as a time limit draw
The Lawman Don Slatton defeated Jim Campbell
Johnny Starr, Ray Candy & Terry Funk defeated Mike Lawler, Don Fargo & Ray Stevens
Sputnik Monroe defeated King Curtis Iaukea
Killer Tim Brooks defeated Scott Casey
American Wrestling Association - Minneapolis, Minnesota, Office
Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska
Bobby Heenan defeated Khosrow Vaziri (I Shiek)
Jim Brunzell defeated Kim Duk
Jimmy & Johnny Valiant defeated Greg Gagne & Jos LeDuc
Pampiero Firpo & Billy Robinson defeated Nick Bockwinkel & Barn Von Raschke by DQ
NWA Mid-America Attractions Central States Office - Kansas City, Missouri
Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa
Jesse Ventura vs Prince Tapu
Dan Burdick vs Ormand Malumba
Akio Sato vs Bill White
Kerry & Ted Oates vs Mr. Saki & Tank Patton
Ed Wiskowski (ch) vs Danny Little Bear NWA Central States Heavyweight Title
NWA Hollywood Office - Los Angeles, California
The Coliseum in San Diego, California
Vicki Williams defeated Donna Christianello
Butcher Brannigan defeated Frank Hester
Black Gordman & Great Goliath defeated The Masked Infernos
Ernie Ladd defeated Reno Tuufuli
Big Time Wrestling - San Francisco Office
(Sat 9/20) Cow Palace in Daly City (San Francisco), California
Rock Riddle defeated Manny Cruz
Masa Saito defeated Peter Maivia
Vicki Williams & Jean Antone defeated Sandy Parker & Donna Christianello
Moondog Mayne, Don Muraco & Pedro Morales defeated Angelo Mosca, Masked Invader II & Gerhardt Kaiser
Pat Patterson (ch) defeated Masked Invader! by referee stoppage, NWA United States Heavyweight Title
NWA Portland Office - Portland, Oregon
The Sports Arena in Portland, Oregon
Paula Kaye defeated Susan Green
Matti Suzuki vs Tony Borne ended as a time limit draw
Dutch Savage defeated Norman Charles III
Bull Ramos defeated Ricky Hunter
Johnny Eagles defeated Haru Sasaki
Canada
NWA All Star Wrestling Vancouver Office- Vancouver British Columbia
BCTV Television Studios in Burnaby, British Columbia
Ivan Crnkovic defeated Siegfried Stanke by DQ
Dennis Stamp defeated Dr. Jerry Graham
The Kelly Twins defeated Gene Kiniski & Jack Ruffen
Eastern Sports Association - Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Gama Singh defeated Bob Boucher
Leo Burke defeated John Petty
Gilles Poisson defeated Silent Mackney
Leo Burke & Roddy Piper defeated Lord Alfred hayes & The Patriot
Bob Brown (ch) defeated The Beast North America Heavyweight Title
Japan
New Japan Pro Wrestling Office in Tokyo, Japan
Hill Park Gymnasium in Otsu, Japan
Masanobu Kurisu defeated Kuniaki Kobayashi
Yoshiaki Fujiwara defeated Jeon Im Su
Sung Yung Kang & Oh Tae Kyun defeated Takashi Kimura & Daigoro Oshiro
Clayton Thomson defeated Makoto Arakawa
Buddy Roberts defeated Haruka Eigen
Strong Kobayashi defeated Mike Sandow
Seiji Sakaguchi defeated Jerry Brown by DQ
Antonio Inoki & Katsushisha Shibata defeated Jaques & Raymond Rougeau
NWA World Champion Jack Brisco in this week in 1975. Here are the days that week he defended the title:
Monday 9/22/1975 defeated Danny Hodge NWA World Heavyweight Title Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavillion, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tuesday 9/23/1975 defeated The Spoiler NWA World Heavyweight Title Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana
Wednesday 9/24/1975 defeated The Spoiler NWA World Heavyweight Title Independence Hall in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Thursday 9/25/1975 defeated Dick Murdoch NWA World Heavyweight Title St. Bernard Civic Auditorium in Chalmette, Louisiana
Saturday 9/27/1975 vs Danny Hodge NWA World Heavyweight Title Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, Louisiana
We will review the Time Capsule Cards for 1985 in next week's Monday edition of The Daily Chronicle.
Thank You for Reading
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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