On February 27, 1985 International Championship Wrestling (ICW) promoted
by Mario Savoldi of the legendary Savoldi family, held a television taping at
the Auditorium in Bangor, Maine.
One of the featured bouts advertised was rare defense of the WWC Universal
Heavyweight Championship outside of Puerto Rico as champion Carlos Colon was
slated to defend his crown against Black Gordman. The World Wrestling Council
(WWC) was the premier wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico at that time and still
is to this day.
On this night though, the caveat Card Subject to Change came into effect
as Colon would instead defend his title again the former NWA World Heavyweight
Champion a very game Dory Funk Jr. Funk
was originally set to wrestle Hercules Ayala that night.
Over 11 minutes after the ring of the bell, Funk pinned a bloodied Colon
with both feet on the ropes to become the new WWC Universal Heavyweight
Champion, marking the only time in the titles 32 year history that it changed
hands outside of Puerto Rico. Dory would
later lose the title back to Colon on June 15, 1985 in San Juan, Puerto
Rico.
Although it’s not the only major wrestling championship to be defended in
Maine, it’s the only one to change hands in an actual match. On December 8, 1997 the Rock “won” the WWE
Intercontinental Championship from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin when he was handed
the title. Even the WWE Hardcore
Championship which changed hand 234 times in the 4 years it was active never
changed hands in Maine.
This match is available on DVD on The Best of ICW Volume 1 from Mario
Savoldi’s current promotion Wrestling On Fire. www.wrestlingonfire.com
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