1981 Georgia Championship Wrestling: February
Atlas gets his shot at Race, Fuller & Dibiase try to get the car back from The Freebirds, and Keirn seeks revenge on Sullivan. Plus, links to watch along!
Welcome to Georgia Championship Wrestling, in this edition you’ll read about Tony Atlas, Harley Race, The Fabulous Freebirds, Robert Fuller, Ted Dibiase, Junkyard Dog, Jim Duggan, Steve O, Bobby Eaton, Kevin Sullivan, Steve Keirn, Andre The Giant, The Mongolian Stomper, and a whole lot more!
Current Champions (As of Feb. 1, 1981)
NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race
Defeated Giant Baba (Sept. 9, 1980)
NWA National Heavyweight Champion: The Mongolian Stomper
Defeated Jack Brisco (Dec. 12, 1980)
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion: Tony Atlas
Defeated Dennis Condrey (Oct. 24, 1980)
NWA National Tag Team Champions: Stan Frazier & Ted DiBiase
Defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (Jan. 31, 1981)
NWA National Television Champion: Bobby Eaton
Defeated Steve O (Jan. 31, 1981)
Sat. Feb. 7 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Junkyard Dog interview. He’s here for a few reasons. Ted Dibiase and Robert Fuller join him. JYD will be handcuffed to Hayes! They’re gonna get the car back.
National TV Title Bobby Eaton vs. Steve Keirn. Solie’s not on commentary. Steve O is. They’ve been getting letters on the screwjob by Eaton. This is quality wrestling with holds and counters. Eaton gets caught using the ropes and Keirn gets the sleeper but Eaton throws him over the top for the DQ. Steve O doesn’t like the rule. Keirn joins him and puts over the match. He’s upset. He’s been trying hard to be champion. Good babyface stuff. Keirn pivots back to Kevin Sullivan. It’s a shame he switched sides.
Kevin Sullivan interview. He never lost the Boston Street Fight. He’s in top form now as a great promo and a heel. Before the devil stuff, he was a terrific heel.
Junkyard Dog interview. He tells a story. He wants Hayes because he cost him a lot. He’s on his trail. The hair remover blinded him. We see lots of footage from the Superdome. The Freebirds show up and Solie puts an end to things.
Michael Hayes video. He’s on location within the Lincoln Continental. He recaps the feud with Fuller from his perspective. To rub it in, Hayes drives off with the car.
Fabulous Freebirds interview. Hayes claims the JYD deal was an accident. Nobody gets revenge on him. He took Fuller’s car, money and pride. He’s so good.
National Champion Mongolian Stomper vs. Georgia Champion Tony Atlas. This is a short DQ. Atlas is getting beat down in the ropes when ANDRE THE GIANT makes the save! Great surprise. There’s a huge pull apart.
Jim Duggan interview. He’s a heel and angry at being called Doogan instead of Duggan. Heel Duggan is pretty awesome.
Results: Ted DiBiase and Robert Fuller defeated Deke Rivers and Abdul Zaatar. Charlie Cook defeated Jack Poure. Steve Keirn defeated Bobby Eaton by disqualification. Kevin Sullivan defeated Tim Horner. Mr. Wrestling II defeated Rocket Monroe. Junkyard Dog defeated Ricky Craven. Steve O defeated Rick Connors. Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) defeated Dennis Jackson and Chuck Levin. 2 on 1 Handicap Match: André the Giant defeated Ken Timbs and The Gladiator. Tony Atlas defeated Mongolian Stomper by disqualification. Jim Duggan defeated Jimmy Jones. Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) defeated Robert Fuller and Stan Frazier
Sun. Feb 8 at The Omni
Charlie Cook defeated Alexis Smirnoff
Ted Oates defeated Jim Duggan
NWA National Television Title Match: Steve O defeated Bobby Eaton (c) - TITLE CHANGE!!!
Boston Street Fight Kevin Sullivan defeated Steve Keirn
Mr. Wrestling #2 defeated Ole Anderson by disqualification
Town Car vs. $15,000 Match: Robert Fuller and Ted DiBiase defeated Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts)
André the Giant defeated Mongolian Stomper by disqualification
NWA World Heavyweight Title Match: Harley Race (c) vs. Tony Atlas ended without a winner as a double countout
Sat. Feb. 14 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Robert Fuller & Ted Dibiase interview. They won and got the car back! Ted feels like he could be a babyface World Champion.
National TV Champion Steve O interview. The toughest competition is in Georgia. Titles are changing hands quickly. Show clips of Eaton and Steve at The Omni. Good action before Steve wins with a cradle.
Tony Atlas interview. Harley Race did a lot of running. He apologizes for not winning the World Title. Show Omni clips. Match goes to a countout and Race escapes with the belt again.
National TV Title Steve O vs. Kevin Sullivan. Very wrestling based action over the TV Title as usual. Sullivan is still popular despite turning heel. Time limit draw.
We see Omni clips of Fuller & Dibiase beating The Freebirds to get the car back but not the titles
Fabulous Freebirds interview. It’ll be a Fantasia Gamble Match on March 1st at The Omni. 2 out of 3 Falls. The winning team of the first fall turns it into a handicap match. Lots of neat little ideas to extend the feud.
Results: Steve Keirn defeated Bobby Garrett. Ted DiBiase and Robert Fuller defeated Marty Rivers and Ken Timbs. Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) defeated Mike Davis and Jack Poure. Tony Atlas defeated Don Collins. Kevin Sullivan vs. Steve O ended without a winner as a time limit draw. 2 on 1 Handicap Match: Mongolian Stomper defeated Jim Horn and Dave Stanley. Mr. Wrestling II defeated JT Jaggers. Charlie Cook defeated Jim Duggan. Bobby Eaton defeated Mike Jackson
Sat. Feb. 21 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Mongolian Stomper versus Andre The Giant Omni clips. Don Carson came in for the DQ
Jim Duggan interview. He’s a lean mean heel. He’s an athlete, a football player, not one of these musclebound slobs. A hell of a promo from Duggan.
National TV Title Steve O vs. Kevin Sullivan. They pick up where they left off. Les Thornton is on commentary. Sullivan wins the title with a flying dropkick! Decent match.
Steve Keirn vs. Jim Duggan. It’s crazy seeing Duggan so lean. Keirn surprises him with a cradle for the win. Fun match.
Junkyard Dog vs. Abdul Zaatar. JYD and The Freebirds are the only ones with music. Fans love JYD.
World Junior Heavyweight Champion Les Thornton vs. Mr Wrestling II. This was ok. Mostly matwork until the TV time ran out.
Results: Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts defeated Mike Davis and Mike Jackson. NWA National Television Title Match: Kevin Sullivan defeated Steve O (c) - TITLE CHANGE!!! Mongolian Stomper defeated Bill Allen. Bobby Eaton vs. Charlie Cook ended without a winner as a time limit draw. Steve Keirn defeated Jim Duggan. Tony Atlas defeated Ken Timbs. Ole Anderson and Gene Anderson defeated Mike Davis and Marvin Turner. Junkyard Dog defeated Abdul Zaatar. Ted DiBiase and Robert Fuller defeated Ron Horn and Bobby Garrett. Jos LeDuc defeated Ed Timbs. Les Thornton vs. Mr. Wrestling #2 ended without a winner as a no contest
Sat. Feb. 28 Georgia Championship Wrestling
Ted Dibiase & Robert Fuller interview. Gamble match coming up.
Dusty Rhodes interview. Who is the baddest weasel? Calls Don Carson a stooge. He’s coming to dance on Mongolian Stomper’s bald head! Carson & Stomper respond. It’s dream time.
TV Champion Kevin Sullivan interview. It was his divine right to win the belt. He won the Mr. Tennessee contest. He’s the best built wrestler. He shows his poses.
National TV Title Kevin Sullivan vs. Steve Keirn. Sullivan keeps stalling and Keirn snaps! He gets DQ’d. Good way to keep the feud going. Keirn says that rat can’t run or hide!
Fuller & Dibiase interview. They’re coming for Freebirds. The match is sick but they'll get sick!
Steve Keirn interview. He apologizes for losing his temper. Promises to take Sullivan’s title tomorrow in The Omni.
Jim Duggan vs. Charlie Cook. Duggan is wearing a football helmet, claiming he suffered a head injury last week. He got permission to wear headgear so he brought his helmet. The crowd is heckling him, calling him Doogan. Duggan uses the helmet and wins by countout. Great bit. Cook calls him out for a Football Helmet match at The Omni.
Results: Ted DiBiase and Robert Fuller defeated Bobby Eaton and Rusty Roberts. Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts) defeated Mike Jackson, Ken Hall and Dave Stanley. Steve O defeated Tim Horner. Mongolian Stomper defeated Deke Rivers. Kevin Sullivan defeated Steve Keirn by disqualification. Ted DiBiase defeated Ron Horn. Ole Anderson defeated Zane Hickey. Jim Duggan defeated Charlie Cook by countout. Mr. Wrestling II defeated Ken Timbs. Jos LeDuc defeated Jimmy Jones
If anything is missing or incorrect, please let me know!
Credits: WrestlingData, Retro Wrestling Archive, Kris Zellner, Cagematch.
Re your comments about Jim Duggan excelling as a heel, from everything you've seen of Georgia Championship Wrestling does he have a signature match as a heel from that era that you recommend that encapsulates what made him excel in that role? My viewing experience of him goes back to slightly before WWF arrival and only saw him as a face.