1980 Georgia Championship Wrestling: June (1/2)
Multiple new champions crowned. The Baron sends The Butcher after Austin Idol. The Assassins arrive. Plus, links to watch along!
Welcome to Georgia Championship Wrestling, in this edition you’ll read about Austin Idol, Baron von Raschke, Tommy Rich, Mark Lewin, Kevin Sullivan, Ole and Lars Anderson, Ivan Koloff and Alexis Smirnoff, Harley Race, Mr. Wrestling II, Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood, The Assassins, and a whole lot more!
Get caught up with May.
Current Champions (As of June 1, 1980)
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race
Defeated Giant Baba (Nov. 7, 1979)
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion: Austin Idol
Defeated Mr. Wrestling II (Mar. 29, 1980)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Champions: Alexis Smirnoff & Ivan Koloff
Defeated Kevin Sullivan & Tony Atlas (Apr. 26, 1980)
NWA National Television Champion: Tommy Rich
Defeated Austin Idol (Feb. 23, 1980)
Sat. Jun. 7 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Missing episode. Let’s look at the results. Eddie Mansfield is back from his injury. Assassin #1 is Jody Hamilton and it’s his first time in Georgia for a few years.
Eddie Mansfield defeated Jim Nelson
Mark Lewin defeated Bob Owen
French Angel vs. Mike Davis ended without a winner as a time limit draw
Assassin #1 defeated Jerry Mahoney
Sun. Jun. 8 Best Of Georgia Championship Wrestling
They show a Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood match and promo from Mid Atlantic to promote them coming to Georgia. They’re the people’s champions. Very humble babyfaces. The belts look cool. (Watch)
Georgia Champ Austin Idol interview. He talks about his life changing. Idolmania is still alive and well. He’s got Baron Von Frankenstein in The Omni. There was one caesar in Rome and there’s one in wrestling. They’ve handled his transition to being a babyface well. He really hasn’t changed too much. (Watch)
Show a Blackjack Mulligan & Jim Brunzell match from Mid-Atlantic as well. (Watch)
Sun. Jun. 8 @ The Omni
Bob Sweetan defeated Mike Sharpe
Eddie Mansfield defeated Don Diamond
Terry Taylor defeated Eddie Gilbert
Dutch Mantell defeated Tony Charles
Eddie Mansfield defeated Terry Taylor
Kevin Sullivan defeated Eddie Mansfield
NWA Georgia Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Kevin Sullivan defeated Dutch Mantell - TITLE CHANGE!!!
Mark Lewin defeated Tommy Rich
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title Match: Baron Von Raschke defeated Austin Idol (c) - TITLE CHANGE!!!
NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles Match: Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Ole Anderson and Lars Anderson) defeated Ivan Koloff and Alexis Smirnoff (c) - TITLE CHANGE!!!
NWA World Tag Team Titles (Mid-Atlantic-Version) Match: Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood (c) defeated The Assassins
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Harley Race (c) defeated Mr. Wrestling II
Sat. Jun. 14 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Lots of big news coming out of The Omni. Harley Race is still the Worlds Champion. Kevin Sullivan is the new Georgia Junior Heavyweight Champion. The Andersons are the new Georgia Tag Team Champion. Baron von Raschke is the new Georgia Heavyweight Champion. Baron joins Gordon Solie in a suit. He took the title from a weakened Austin Idol. He walks off. (Watch)
National TV Title Tommy Rich vs. Kid Collins. Collins has absurd looking hair. Tommy is damn good here. Sound fundamentals. Good match. Rich wins with the Thesz Press. (Watch)
Tommy Rich post-match interview. Any given day. He’s disappointed the ref stopped his match at The Omni with Mark Lewin. He received six stitches. After he cooled down, he understood and thanks the officials. That’s a nice touch for a babyface. Classy. Lewin is a maniac but Rich has a crazy friend of his own. (Watch)
The Great Mephisto and Mark Lewin interview. Don’t call him a maniac! (Watch)
Don Diamond vs. Charlie Fulton. Good wrestling with lots of holds and very little space between them. They go to a time limit draw. (Watch)
Tony Atlas and Mr. Wrestling II interview. The arm wrestling competition Tony wanted is coming. (Watch)
They continue the Don Diamond vs. Charlie Fulton with sudden death. Diamond gets the pin. (Watch)
Mark Lewin vs. Ricky Pierce. Easy squash. Lewin is dangerous. Post-match interview with Great Mephisto. Child’s play. Facing Dick Slater on June 22nd in The Omni. (Watch)
Mike Sharpe interview. Says he’s happy to be back on TV. (Watch)
Don Diamond interview. He likes the sudden death rule. Not too familiar with him but looks like he was working Florida. (Watch)
Lars Anderson interview. One half of the new champs. He thanks the fans for their support. The Russians are in hiding. He’s gonna take out Smirnoff in Carrollton. Ole arrives and talks up Dick Slater coming back against Lewin. (Watch)
Iron Mike Sharpe vs. Bob Owens. Sharpe wins with the piledriver. (Watch)
Georgia Champ Baron von Raschke interview. He’s in the driver’s seat and can choose his opponent. He will announce it later. He’s also procured the services of Abdullah the Butcher to go against Austin Idol! (Watch)
The Assassins vs. Eddie Gilbert and Jim Nelson. Assassins squash. Want Dusty. (Watch)
Austin Idol interview. Facing Blobdullah the Butcher. He has someone for Baron. (Watch)
Hour Two
Tony Atlas interview. He’s hosting the arm wrestling tournament (Watch)
Mark Lewin & Great Mephisto interview. Abdullah is with them. Butcher and Lewin have a staredown. Two killers. Real heels. (Watch)
Mr. Wrestling II interview. He has nothing to be ashamed of after losing to Race. There’s winner and a loser. He made a mistake. Handles loss with class and moves on. He notes The Superstar has made intentions to return. Bring it on!! (Watch)
Solie plays an old Superstar squash to hype up his impending return. It’s Mr. Wrestling II versus The Superstar at The Omni. (Watch)
Austin Idol interview. You’re looking at an animal tamer. He’ll tame Abdullah like he owns him. (Watch)
Assassins interview. Great athletes and winners. They expected Dusty to be here. He got lost in a septic tank where he belongs. No one else can wear a mask in Georgia but them. (Watch)
The Assassins vs. Mike Sharpe & Mike Davis. Solid match and The Assassins have a nice slam finisher. They cut a post match-promo on that sewer rat Rhodes! He’s yellow! Show up! (Watch)
Bruiser Bob Sweetan interview. Also likes the sudden death rule. (Watch)
Georgia Champ Baron von Raschke interview. He has a monocle! He is Georgia’s champ. Great heel bit. All his opponents must prove themselves first. (Watch)
Bob Sweetan vs. Ricky Pierce. Bob squash with the piledriver. Big Red shows up after. He’s a big man in a green suit. He looks awesome. No way Sweetan can piledrive him! (Watch)
The Andersons and Tommy Rich do promos on different matches in Griffin and Carrolton. They’re promoting a lot of the matches in different towns more now besides just The Omni. (Watch)
If anything is missing or incorrect, please let me know!
Credits: WrestlingData, Retro Wrestling Archive, Kris Zellner, Cagematch.