Welcome to Timeline ‘84, a characteristic that goals to map out all of the occasions that formed the trendy wrestling world as we all know it. Two years in the past, I began Wrestling Playlists with the thought of doing a trek by means of the entire recognized wrestling footage that exists in chronological order, beginning with the oldest recognized clip on the finish of the nineteenth century. Whereas the footage facilitates a extra full telling of wrestling historical past than some may suppose throughout this period, what I’ve additionally found is that failed plans, trendy recollections, and the main points of behind-the-scenes maneuvering are maybe an much more essential a part of understanding professional wrestling’s trendy panorama than something that has occurred within the ring.
In October, cracks begin to present within the WWF armor as they shortly lose the Freebirds and aren’t drawing on the street like they hoped whereas Jim Crockett, who’s caught off guard when the WWF indicators away Barry Windham, ramps up the promotional effort for Starrcade ‘84.
Late 1984 – The WWF secures tv time on KTXH-20 in Houston.
Late 1984 – The WWF begins to expertise issues with a few of their tv companions. Ted Turner of Superstation WTBS is sad with the scores and presentation of World Championship Wrestling and Better of WCW and insists that the WWF return to the studio format, whereas additionally disliking the energetic relationships the WWF has with rival networks USA and MTV, who felt likewise concerning the WWF’s presence on WTBS. As well as, the WWF desires to run business commercials that it has obtained independently throughout the broadcasts, however WTBS won’t permit this, arguing that WTBS paid a manufacturing price to the WWF and thus won’t share business time. In the long run, the 2 sides attain a compromise the place they provide the WWF business time at a lowered price and the WWF can resell the time to advertisers. [DEATH OF THE TERRITORIES, pp. 166]
Fall – Vince McMahon travels to Dallas to fulfill with Fritz Von Erich the place he proposes a merger of the WWF and World Class Championship Wrestling. Von Erich turns McMahon down. [TEXAS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2005]
Fall – Vince McMahon tells the WWF workplace that he desires to start out planning a card that’s accessible nationwide by means of closed circuit viewing. [SEX, LIES AND HEADLOCKS, pp. 56]
Early October – The Japanese press flip their consideration to Tatsumi Fujinami, overtly pondering if he’ll observe his New Japan Professional Wrestling friends to All Japan Professional Wrestling. Fujinami declares that he’s not going anyplace by saying, “Cash can’t purchase me.” He provides, “I do know each facet of [Antonio] Inoki, each good and unhealthy. [Riki] Choshu solely noticed his faults. I may see his good factors”, though Fujinami assisted with the try to oust Inoki from the corporate a 12 months earlier. [WON 1984-10-22]
October – Promoters Ole Anderson, Jerry Jarrett, and Jim Crockett make a pact to share expertise on WTBS for the Championship Wrestling From Georgia present.
October – Jim Crockett Promotions makes an attempt to safe tv time on TSN in Canada and even follows the lead of Vince McMahon by providing to pay for the time, however the community opts to air AWA programming as a substitute. [WON 1984-10-22]
October – The AWA decides that Tony Atlas “isn’t going over in addition to they anticipated”. The rumor is that he’s headed to Jim Crockett Promotions. Nobody is sort of “…certain how they reached this conclusion, as a result of Atlas gave the impression to be ‘over’ as a babyface greater than any AWA wrestlers right here besides the Street Warriors.” [WON 1984-09-30]
October – Naoki Otsuka meets with TV-Asahi to ask that they both cancel New Japan Professional Wrestling tv or begin a brand new present that includes the entire expertise from All Japan Professional Wrestling. The community denies the request. [WON 1984-10-22]
October – A UWF spokesman denies that they may work with New Japan Professional Wrestling, arguing that they “abandoned NJPW for excellent causes.” [WON 1984-10-22]
October – Booker George Scott cultivates “huge energy” [WON 1984-10-22] within the WWF, recognizing “the issue of overexposure of McMahon’s face on the tube, the dearth of labor price, and the no-shows.”
October – Promoter Stu Hart is upset at how Bret Hart, Dynamite Child and Davey Boy Smith are utilized within the WWF.
October – Former NWA World Champion Gene Kiniski works to safe tv time for the AWA in Vancouver, British Columbia, who plans to run towards the WWF there. [WON 1984-10-22]
October — Roughly one hour after Vince McMahon tells AWA announcer Rodger Kent that “you’re with us for all times”, Jim Barnett informs Kent that he’s fired from the WWF. [WON 1984-11-12]
October – The WWF secures native tv in Tampa, Florida.
October – Naoki Otsuka countersues New Japan Professional Wrestling for $460,000 for withdrawing its assist from his firm as a result of he helped All Japan Professional Wrestling with their August 26 card. Otsuka continues to state publicly that he’ll deliver Tatsumi Fujinami to AJPW, which Fujinami publicly denies on quite a few events. [WON 1984-11-12]
October – Southwest Championship Wrestling publicizes on tv that Randy Savage will likely be coming in, however the deal falls aside as a result of Savage insists that additionally they usher in Angelo Poffo. [WON 1984-11-12]
October – World Class Championship Wrestling sees a speedy decline beneath new booker Gary Hart, who “doesn’t perceive what obtained all these followers who set information in ‘83-’84 into the constructing” [WON 1984-11-12] reintroduces blood, which turns off the teenage woman viewers. [WON 1984-11-12]
October – Fritz Von Erich of World Class Championship Wrestling and Verne Gagne of the AWA proceed their “chilly conflict” [WON 1984-11-12], because the AWA teases upcoming reveals in Dallas whereas WCCW suggests upcoming playing cards in Chicago or Minneapolis, however neither publicizes any particular dates.
October – Unable to safe many reserving dates anymore, Bob Backlund spends his time making friendships with area managers all through the core WWF territory “who aren’t precisely enamored” [WON 1984-11-12] with Vince McMahon. Backlund approaches Verne Gagne with an inventory of venues that will be receptive, however Gagne turns him down, claiming that if he goes to the Northeast, he’ll achieve this on his personal. [WON 1984-11-12]
October 1 – Southwest Championship Wrestling attracts 4,000 followers in San Antonio, Texas. In the principle occasion, Tommy Wealthy defeats Abdullah the Butcher by disqualification in a bloody match.
October 1 – Mid South Wrestling attracts a “full home” [WON 1984-11-12] to the Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans. Within the high matches, the Rock N Roll Categorical return to Mid South Wrestling after 90 days to defeat the Midnight Categorical to win the Mid South Tag Group Titles whereas Grasp G defeats Butch Reed in a avenue combat that noticed “each males bleed and was excellent.” [WON 1984-11-12] Mid South Wrestling is “the one circuit which has good wrestlers that are nicely matched up on the sector reveals, a superb TV present with a commentator who will get the whole lot throughout flawlessly, […] a very good work price amongst its contributors and the most effective angles round. Additionally they assault the WWF and Titan Sports activities head-on on their broadcasts, not by operating down the WWF expertise […] however by attacking the matchmaking and the workrate, that are reliable criticisms.” [WON 1984-11-12]
October 5 – The NWA attracts 4,500 followers to the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. In the principle occasion, Bruiser Brody and Jerry Blackwell combat to a double disqualification. Additionally on the cardboard, the Street Warriors defend the AWA World Tag Group Titles towards Ted DiBiase and Buzz Sawyer.
October 5 – The UWF holds Robust Weeks at Korakuen Corridor earlier than 3,000 followers. Osamu Kido debuts within the firm, recent off of leaving New Japan Professional Wrestling. Rusher Kimura and Ryuma Go no-show the occasion. Go seems within the viewers on the subsequent All Japan Professional Wrestling card, and tells the press that the UWF “is doing the whole lot in a haphazard manner”. [WON 1984-10-22]
October 5 – The WWF attracts a sellout of 8,000 followers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at Stadium Area, for a present with no actual marquee matches.
October 5 – The WWF attracts solely 2,000 followers to the Omni in Atlanta. In the principle occasion, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeats Large John Studd by countout. Additionally on the cardboard, Billy Jack Haynes seems at ringside and is launched to the gang, debuting within the WWF.
October 6 – The WWF attracts an introduced 14,000 followers to the Boston Backyard. In the principle occasion, Roddy Piper defeats WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan by countout of their first-ever match. Additionally on the cardboard, Sgt. Slaughter groups with Junkyard Canine, who was closely teased to be Bruno Sammartino in native promos to construct the match, towards Sgt. Slaughter and Nikolai Volkoff. The WWF additionally falsely marketed Terry Gordy, Tito Santana, and Jesse Ventura within the present construct, realizing they might not be there. [WON 1984-10-22]
October 6 – Jesse Ventura publicizes on WTBS that he suffered a blood clot in his lungs and that it could be a number of weeks earlier than he returned to motion. The WWF retains him on wage whereas he’s sidelined, “in contrast to most ‘no work, no pay’ circuits.” [WON 1984-10-22]
October 6 – Jim Crockett Promotions holds a 6,000-strong rally in Greensboro for Starrcade ‘84: The $1,000,000 Problem the place they announce that in the principle occasion, NWA World Champion Ric Aptitude will face a problem from Dusty Rhodes, in a match with a $1 million money prize. Aptitude-Dusty was at all times the deliberate primary occasion, “even when Barry Windham had stayed, which I’m advised is a part of the rationale Blackjack Mulligan and Windham left. [WON 1984-11-12] The principle occasion will likely be refereed by boxer Joe Frazier, whereas the match may have three judges in case they go to a 60-minute draw: Frazier, son of NASCAR driver Richard Petty Kyle, and “a Japanese official.” [WON 1984-11-12]
October 7 – Jim Crockett Promotions holds a one-night match to crown a brand new U.S. Champion on the Charlotte Coliseum in entrance of 5,000 followers. Wahoo McDaniel wins the title within the closing, defeating Manny Fernandez. It is a last-minute change, as Barry Windham, who’s scheduled to win the match, no-shows the occasion. [WON 1984-10-22]
October 7 – The AWA attracts 8,300 followers for its card in Chicago, Illinois.
October 8 – On the Hamilton, Ontario WWF TV tapings, Mike Sharpe is fired for refusing to do a job to the Tonga Child. [WON 1984-11-12]
October 10 — The UWF attracts a “full home” [WON 1984-12-03] of three,700 followers to Hakata Starlanes in Fukuoka as a part of its Robust Weeks sequence. In the principle occasion, Yoshiaki Fujiwara and Osamu Kido defeat Nobuhiko Takada and Kazuo Yamazaki.
October 11 – Former Worldwide Wrestling Enterprise President and present New Japan Professional Wrestling booker Isao Yoshihara travels to Minneapolis to fulfill with AWA promoter Verne Gagne, the place they talk about the AWA sending expertise to NJPW. Yoshihara gives to pay $10,000 per week for the Street Warriors.
October 12 – The WWF attracts 11,000 followers to the Pittsburgh Civic Heart. In the principle occasion, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeats Large John Studd by countout.
October 12 – New Japan Professional Wrestling booker Isao Yoshihara travels to Montreal to fulfill with Dino Bravo. Whereas in Montreal, Yoshihara gives King Tonga, higher recognized to wrestling followers as Haku, double his present pay to leap from All Japan Wrestling to NJPW. Tonga refuses his provide and tells Baba, who’s upset that Tonga additionally reveals this to reporters. [WON 1984-12-03] Baba tells Japanese reporters that the rationale NJPW is negotiating with Verne Gagne is that they can’t afford to pay the WWF their present price for expertise when their present contract expires subsequent 12 months.
October 13 – The WWF attracts 18,000 followers, the most important crowd for a WWF present on the Philadelphia Spectrum all 12 months. In the principle occasion, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeats Large John Studd. Additionally on the cardboard, Sgt. Slaughter and the Junkyard Canine fought the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff to a double disqualification in a match that was “actually wild, bloody, and even good.” [WON 1984-11-12] That is the Junkyard Canine’s first look in Philadelphia. The cardboard is broadcast on Philadelphia’s PRISM community.
October 14 – The WWF attracts 7,900 followers to the Meadowlands Area, a major decline of greater than 6,000 followers from the final present in September. In the principle occasion, Andre the Large and Sgt. Slaughter defeat the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff.
October 14 – Championship Wrestling From Georgia attracts 3,500 followers to the Omni in Atlanta.
October 14 – Mid South Wrestling’s Energy Professional Wrestling airs a match from Houston in June 1983 the place Ted DiBiase pinned Tito Santana and pretends that it’s a present match. On commentary, Invoice Watts says that the “WWF [Intercontinental] Champion isn’t any match for Ted DiBiase.”
October 15 – Gordon Solie, the previous host of World Championship Wrestling on WTBS, tells the Palm Seashore Submit that the WWF’s lack of regard for studio wrestling is a mistake. “Technically, studio matches are far superior leisure as a result of they’re designed for the viewer at dwelling versus the spectators in an auditorium,” he defined. “There actually isn’t any comparability.”
October 15 — The WWF attracts 8,000 followers to the Los Angeles Sports activities Area for “the worst card the WWF has ever placed on in Los Angeles, far worse than final month which was the worst card that they had placed on in 17 months.” [WON 1984-11-12] In the principle occasion, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeats Large John Studd in a no-disqualification match with two referees.
October 16 – WWF attendance begins to say no within the Bay space, as 3,800 followers, lower than half of their earlier all-time low, come to the Oakland Coliseum for a “horrible, horrible present.” [WON 1984-11-12] In the principle occasion, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeats George “The Animal” Steele in a three-minute match.
October 17 – On WTBS, Championship Wrestling From Georgia promoter Ole Anderson publicizes a “merger” between CWG, Jerry Jarrett’s Continental Wrestling Affiliation, and Jim Crockett Promotions. It isn’t a merger a lot as they may run talent-sharing playing cards in November all through all three of their territories. Rumors fly that Anderson is now a minority shareholder in CWG, with Jarrett and Crockett operating the group.
October 17 — The UWF attracts a sellout of 4,000 followers to the Metropolis Staff Pension Heart in Himeji, Hyogo, Japan. In the principle occasion, 21-year outdated Nobuhiko Takada defeats Kazuo Yamazaki “so he may develop right into a high star.” [WON 1984-12-03]
October 19 – Police arrest UWF President Nobuo Urata in Tokyo for threatening to homicide Shunji Koncha, Satoru Sayama’s controversial enterprise supervisor in August. In keeping with the allegations, Urata and Yakuza chief Hiroshi Takizawa had breakfast with Koncha and requested him to sever his ties with Sayama and wash his fingers from the wrestling world. When Koncha refused to signal the contract, they threatened to kill him. [WON 1984-11-12] Yoshiaki Fujiwara is made performing President of the UWF in Urata’s absence. [WON 1984-12-03]
Late October – Billy Jack Haynes fulfills his closing dates in Portland earlier than going to the WWF full-time.
October 21 – The WWF cancels its scheduled TV taping in St. Louis and decides to not tape tv there.
October 21 – After a card in Charlotte attracts solely 900 followers, Jim Crockett Promotions cancels the deliberate November 11 present and decides to not return to the town till after Starrcade. [WON 1984-11-12]
October 22 – For the primary time since June, the WWF attracts a sellout 22,091 followers to Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis. In the principle occasion, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeats Large John Studd. Hogan injures his knee throughout the match with a nasty touchdown and is now “on heavy treatment earlier than his matches to be able to carry out.” [WON 1984-11-12] Additionally on the cardboard, whereas WWF Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine defeats Tito Santana in a “excellent match” [WON 1984-11-12] that’s his first again from a knee damage. Rumors began earlier than this present that Hogan would drop the title. [WON 1984-11-12] The cardboard airs on the MSG Community in New York.
October 22 – The WWF goes face to face with Southeastern Championship Wrestling in Birmingham, Alabama. WWF attendance is unknown, however the NWA card attracts 2,500 followers, which is “fairly good for that space”. [WON 1984-11-12] In the principle occasion, NWA World Champion Ric Aptitude defeats Mr. Olympia.
October 22 – Jim Crockett Promotions attracts 3,000 followers to a card in Greenville, South Carolina, that’s “the worst card in that metropolis in current reminiscence.” [WON 1984-11-12] The cardboard, which begins at 8:10pm, ends by 9:30pm, and “even Vince McMahon can’t kill a city as successfully as that.” [WON 1984-11-12]
October 22 – All Japan Professional Wrestling arrives at Nagasaki Worldwide Gymnasium the place they be taught that the native promotion group disappeared with no tickets offered. AJPW opts to placed on the present anyway, in entrance of solely 200 followers.
October 22 — The UWF attracts 5,200 followers, the second largest crowd within the group’s historical past to the Prefectural Gymnasium in Hiroshima, Japan. In the principle occasion, Yoshiaki Fujiwara defeats Nobuhiko Takada.
October 22 — Stampede Wrestling star turned WWF wrestler Bret Hart pens a letter to his spouse that reads, “…these previous months have been exhausting on me and I’m fairly confused—bodily, mentally and emotionally drained. I really feel like a wounded animal caught with spears, staggering round aimlessly […] I maintain happening like there’s nothing flawed. In the end I’ll break. I wish to break, to let it go in an agonizing wail—however I simply can’t appear to let it out.” Hart explains, “I knew that my dad’s enterprise may finish. I truly used to stay up for it. But twenty-seven years of my life simply went out like a match. All of a sudden, I discover myself poisoning myself with steroids simply to take care of a foothold and it doesn’t imply a rattling factor.” [HITMAN-MY REAL LIFE IN THE CARTOON WORLD OF WRESTLING]
October 23 – The second Professional Wrestling USA TV taping happens in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
October 23 – Barry Windham debuts within the WWF on the Poughkeepsie, New York, tv taping. Windham was a protege of booker Dusty Rhodes in each Championship Wrestling From Florida and Jim Crockett Promotions and was about to obtain a serious push in Crockett. Initially, Windham achieved nice success within the WWF, forming the highest babyface tag workforce with Mike Rotunda because the U.S. Categorical.
October 23 — The WWF as soon as once more fails to attract a considerable viewers in Louisville, as solely 300 followers attend a present headlined by Andre the Large going through off with Kamala.
October 25 – The WWF strikes its St. Louis card from the Kiel Auditorium to the bigger The Area, previously generally known as the Checkerdome. The present attracts 7,000 followers. The choice to maneuver to the bigger constructing raises questions, as WWF attendance in St. Louis has been in decline for months. WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan misses the occasion due to a knee damage and Andre the Large substitutes for him, defeating Kamala in the principle occasion. The cardboard features a controversial dwell Piper’s Pit the place Roddy Piper assaults the Junkyard Canine and makes racist feedback towards him, inflicting a near-riot. Many followers stroll out of the constructing. [WON 1984-11-12]
October 26 – The NWA counters the WWF’s St. Louis from the earlier evening with a card of their very own on the Kiel Auditorium. In the principle occasion, AWA World Champion Rick Martel holds Harley Race to a 60-minute draw whereas the Street Warriors combat Dory and Terry Funk to a double disqualification. The cardboard attracts 5,291 followers.
October 26 – The WWF attracts only one,800 followers to the Omni in Atlanta, a ten p.c decline from three weeks earlier. Followers in attendance loudly chanted, “We Need Ole!” [WON 1984-12-03]
October 26 – The AWA attracts 9,203 followers to the Cow Palace in San Francisco, its largest crowd in a very long time, for a $100,000 battle royal. Verne Gagne pulls the Street Warriors, who had been closely marketed for the cardboard, and sends them to St. Louis to be a part of the NWA’s St. Louis present. Bruiser Brody was wrestling that evening in San Juan.
October 27 – World Class Championship Wrestling holds 1st Cotton Bowl Wrestling Star Wars in entrance of 12,000 followers on the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. In the principle occasion, Kerry Von Erich, Mike Von Erich, and Bobby Fulton lose the WCCW 6-man titles to Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez and Jake Roberts. Fulton substitutes for Kevin Von Erich, who’s specified by an earlier match towards Chris Adams designed to solidify the current Adams heel flip. Additionally on the cardboard, Sunshine returns, arriving by helicopter, and assaults Andrea the Girl Large with a chair.
October 27 – Championship Wrestling From Florida airs a music video on their tv present to Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” that’s simply clips of Jerry Lawler getting the most effective of WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan of their January 1981 match.
October 27 – The WWF and NWA go face to face once more in Miami. On the WWF present, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defends the title towards Nikolai Volkoff whereas on the NWA present, NWA World Champion defends towards Celebrity Graham in a “excellent match” [WON 1984-11-12]. The NWA attracts 3,659 followers, whereas the WWF card attracts “lower than 1,000”. [WON 1984-11-12]
October 29 – Tony Atlas returns to the WWF on the Etobicoke, Ontario, tv taping after a falling out with the AWA.
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