After losing the titles for a final time in Savannah, The Vachons were pushed out of the way and sent packing by the team of Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto, better known as The Assassins. With Gordon Solie providing the soundtrack that only he could, Georgia Championship Wrestling began to tape shows for television at a small studio on Peachtree Street. 2/8/63 , 10/29/60 2/20/70 They bought into the promotion alongside Graham, Barnett, and Paul Jones. 3/1/70 1982 Has no April or July. A+++ Thank you again!!! Still, the incarnation with "nephew" Arn Anderson is the unit that memory evokes when you hear the name. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 2/25/55 Following Black Saturday, Ole sued Barnett and tried to continue with his own Championship Wrestling from Georgia. 3/6/70 Born in Oklahoma City in June of 24, Jim Barnett started working around the wrestling business in his teens for Fred Kohler in his NWA Chicago territory. 2/16/70 1/14/70 Barnett saw this as an opportunity to go beyond the confines of just his home base of Atlanta to get his product into any cable market in the country. Longtime GCW booker, Ray Gunkel, died suddenly from a heart attack shortly after a match with Ox Baker in Savannah. 1/1/65 No matter how hard they tried, the might of Vince McMahon would not be stymied from reeling in everything he could, and Georgia Championship Wrestling would be no exception. 2/8/61 9/5/69 1/31/61 1/25/69 12/17/68 The footprint left by Georgia Championship Wrestling can still be felt in the way the product is presented today. 11/15/69 3/2/70 10/21/55 When Georgia Championship Wrestlings local television carrier, WTCG Channel 17 (later renamed WTBS) was broadcast nationally via satellite beginning on December 17, 1976, it became cable TVs first superstation and the NWAs Georgia promotion was poised to become the first wrestling program with nationwide coverage since the days of the Dumont network in the 1950s. 1/18/61 Current name: Georgia Championship Wrestling Current abbreviation: GCW Status: Inactive Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA Active Time: 1944 - 1984 Details Names: Georgia Championship Wrestling (1944 - 14.07.1984) Abbreviations: GCW Owners: Vince McMahon (1984) Gerald Brisco, Jack Brisco, Ole Anderson & Paul Jones (1983 - 1984) Rich got his training from Jerry Jarrett when he was still a young man, and he took to the roads and worked most of the major NWA markets in the South and Southeast. The revival of a brand of pro wrestling that was the forerunner throughout the 70s & 80s. 3/19/70 2/21/70 1/6/50 2/9/61 As G.C.W.s national popularity continued to grow and demand for the product increased, it made sense for the promotion to expand its base of operations. 1/23/50 $15.99. All final champions are for this promotion, the title may have continued in other promotions. Noah was the only Bainbridge wrestler to compete while the tournament was an open invitation to all [] 9/16/57 In 1982, Georgia Championship Wrestling changed its main programming name to World Championship Wrestling. 6/10/68 In addition to the cities within Georgia that made up its traditional circuit, the stars of GCW began appearing in markets that had no specific NWA affiliation and soon cities in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Michigan became part of the Georgia promotions touring schedule. The exact length of several title reigns are uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used. 4/13/70 10/21/55 1/17/57 10/30/58 What had once been a model of success began to crumble internally due to overspending, mismanagement and in-fighting. While the stars of World Championship Wrestling were off packing houses in states far from their home base, local fans were offered a substandard product and attendance in Georgia dwindled. 3/7/70 6/30/44 Throughout the season Mr. Stutler made his mark by beating several high level state contending wrestlers from around the state. The Omni would become synonymous with WCW wrestling in later years. Something went wrong. (The Australian promotion was called World Championship Wrestling.) 1/20/61 The 2022 NJSIAA Wrestling Championships kicked off on Thursday, March 3, 2022 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. He held the Georgia Tag titles with Tarzan Tyler for a short time, but it was short-lived as the Torres and Vachon families battled for the straps for most of 1968. Jim Phillips is a contributor for Pro Wrestling Stories. November 23, 1972, Atlanta, Georgia. 9/9/55 Eventually, the friction between Barnett and Anderson led to Barnett being forced out of GCW and giving up his long-held position of power within the National Wrestling Alliance. In 2011 he began promoting a string of reunion shows in Macon, Cordele, Athens and Augusta which saw many legends of GCW along with upcoming local talents. 12/9/57 3/28/70 Pay in 4 interest-free installments of $18.75 with. Alongside the new spot at the Omni, Ted Turner also secured the rights to produce wrestling for his WTCG station that would eventually morph into the TBS cable station. 4/23/57 4/21/61 He went on and on about sports and what he wanted to accomplish as a wrestler. All three men agreed to sell their stakes in GCW to McMahon, giving the WWF the controlling stake in GCW and McMahon access to the Saturday night time slot. Long before some territories adopted a Light Heavyweight or Junior Heavyweight Title, the Television Championship was one where the smaller wrestlers, or workers that werent in the major title hunt at that time, could still achieve gold and carry the notoriety that went along with it. 10/18/55 Jim Barnett went on to become Vice President at Titan Sports, the parent company of the WWF. 2/5/70 Tennessee (Johnson City, Knoxville, Chattanooga) 1/17/67 - Top Rated Plus - opens in a new window or tab, - eBay Money Back Guarantee - opens in a new window or tab, GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING Vols 21-30- PRO WRESTLING, cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab, Report this item - opens in new window or tab. 4/6/70 9/16/55 4/1/70 Smirnoff > NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Les Thornton* vs. Kevin Sullivan > the Freebirds (01) (Terry Gordy . 11/2/57 This left the trio of The Briscoes and Paul Jones in the decision-making end of the office with Ole along for the ride with his little percentage of stock. 9/25/58 1/31/59 , 9/3/43 Members of the National Wrestling Alliance after 1949-11 except between 1957 and 1962. The WWF's style of wrestling sharply differed from that of GCW, with the WWF featuring cartoonish characters and storylines and squash matches and GCW featuring more athletic competition. 4/3/70 The show featured wrestling matches, plus melodramatic monologues and inter-character confrontationssimilar to the programming offered by other territories, including the Northeast-based World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia. A secondary title complementing the NWA Columbus Heavyweight Championship, it was one of many state tag team championships recognized by the National Wrestling Alliance. 10/14/58 9/19/69 Another great transaction from this seller! Join us to honor history and carve. This was considered heresy in the wrestling world and probably did Vince more harm than good over the decade and a half that followed. He got his early training in part by Pat OConnor and made his professional debut as Johnny Walker at 20. 2/12/70 Its only a five-hour drive up I-95 from our last stop, Championship Wrestling in Florida, so lets get going. 7/18/60 Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. 10/29/68 1/30/50 However, the combination of a restructured front office, a talented new booker in Jerry Jarrett (and, later, Bill Watts) and a great deal of support from the NWA enabled the Atlanta office to eventually overcome the serious challenge that was posed by Ann Gunkels All-South Wrestling Alliance and regain its position as the dominant promotion in the lucrative Georgia market. 7/2/69 Great Female Inventors In 1982, Georgia Championship Wrestling renamed its weekly program World Championship Wrestling, a name the entire promotion would grow to be identified by. 1/3/66 1/26/70 9/9/57 Jack Brisco and Gerald Brisco had major stakes in the organization while Ole Anderson was head booker and was basically in charge of operations. WRESTLING STARS - PAUL ELLERING VOLS 1-3 - PRO WRESTLING (#185720955946). McMahon worked one against the other and bulldozed down the middle like something out of Fistfull of Dollars, coming out a winner of everything in the end. 7/20/61 , 1/7/55 2/18/70 7/27/50 In April 1985, shows began being co-promoted with Jim Crockett Promotions. Watts pulled out and headed to Oklahoma full-time with his Mid-South brand that would morph into the UWA before its eventual demise at the hands of national expansions. Ted Turner had taken his investment capital and made the right moves to secure himself a swath of prime real estate in downtown Atlanta. 10/14/58 Georgia Wrestling Announcer Freddie Miller Introducing Vince McMahon, That did not turn out to be the case and on July 11, 1984, Titan Sports officially took legal control of Georgia Championship Wrestling, Inc. and its two weekend time slots on Ted Turners Superstation. 10/2/57 11/25/63 5/1/70 , 6/10/57 With the grizzled, stoic Ole calling the shots, and the pitbull of a young worker in Arn delivering the heavy hits and suffocating spine busters that looked like Rembrandt in motion, the two decimated any pair that they laid their gaze on. Learn more: 11 Unforgettable Wrestling Moments at The Omni. He brought with him his former partner Lars to continue as The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, where he and Arn had left off. 1/4/70 The NWA Georgia Television Championship shuffled around a lot, but it also gave many wrestlers the chance to make it their own and push their careers in the process. 2/15/70 CAGEMATCH Promotions Database Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) Titles. [5] He also entered into negotiations to bring Championship Wrestling from Georgia,[3] an NWA affiliate founded by Ole Anderson after his ouster by McMahon and which the NWA regarded as the successor to GCW, to the station on Saturday mornings with Gordon Solie as announcer. 11/23/55 This does not mean by any chance, though, that those divisions cooled down. 3/14/70 11/2/62 3/30/70 1/18/70 Georgia Championship Wrestling alumni Category page Edit this page This category is for all wrestlers who have wrestled in Georgia Championship Wrestling at some point within their career. 4/7/70 It was launched under the ABC Booking company run by Paul Jones (not to be confused with Paul Frederik, who was later given the name), a former wrestler who went by the name of Andrew Lutzi. 2/18/55 4/25/70 , 1/2/61 2/1/61 Simultaneously, unbeknownst to Barnett, McMahon also began making deals with the majority stockholders, The Brisco Brothers. 9/30/55 On June 23, 2018, a tribute event to the late Bill Dromo was held in Carrollton, Georgia. 8/19/70 The past wrestling season Noah transferred in from Ohio to begin the season and finish with a near flawless record losing only once during the middle school and high school season. 1/30/61 12/9/66 Many of the NWA's regional promoters were unhappy, but Barnett claimed since he was only using Georgia-based wrestlers, that there was no harm. 3/20/50 Meanwhile, The Briscos payday, besides the near one million dollars they sold their stock for, was guaranteed spots at the WWF as road agents and later an on-air role for Gerald in the Attitude Era. 6/16/44 1/8/70 12/23/68 7/4/69 2/27/50 Jim Barnett also worked for JCP for a short time as well. If you are willing to volunteer a few hours a year or a few hours a week, please let us know. In 1999, it secured a cable deal to air a show on TNN, but the next year, TNN gained rights to WWF programming and dropped ECW, which folded in April 2001, shortly after the WWF's purchase of WCW's assets. Wrestling promoter Jim Barnett at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Showground, March 7, 1973. During the season I decided to move Noah from the BMS wrestling team to the Bainbridge High School team due to his ability and work ethic. While GCW's programming had a loyal fan base and was fairly popular, things were not as great for the promotion behind the scenes. The WWF version of the show received somewhat lower Nielsen ratings than its NWA-associated forerunner. 3/3/70 El Mongol would retire from wrestling in 1982 to open a pair of Mexican restaurants with his wife in Doraville, Georgia. 3/3/44 The WWF show on TBS was a ratings disaster from the start. 2/11/44 January 1, 1981 (Thursday) - Columbus, GA - Columbus Municipal Auditorium (Fred Ward - Promoter / Georgia Championship. 4/4/70 3/28/70 11/18/55 9/4/69 Likewise, Savannah was one of the last cities ran before the folding of WCW and its assimilation into the WWE. While the new WWE may not have the freeform promos that made the territory days great, or the bloody cage matches and specialty stipulation matches we all came to love as kids, so many of their stars today still have roots in not only the NWA but in the Southern Wrestling movement, and GCW as well. Georgia Championship Wrestling had many glory years that saw wrestlings finest journey through its doors. 4/15/61 5/5/44 The Garvins, Ronny and Terry, also held the titles in the early 70s and battled with Bullet Bob Armstrong and Robert Fuller until a new pair of heels took the title scene and made it their playground. 2/10/70 6/23/44 1/24/69 5/19/44 4/17/70 West Virginia (Wheeling, Bluefield, Huntington) Her new All-South Wrestling Alliance looked to be stronger than Watts had anticipated, and they began to draw business away from his new promotion. Promoting events through the mid-1990s across central Georgia, Odum was successful in keeping the brand alive. He brawled his way through the Georgia heavyweight division, capturing the title four times during his time there, and he unified his belt with the newly formed NWA National Heavyweight Championship in September 1981. 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