***Updated August 21, 2018***
***Updated May 5, 2021***
In December 1993 the WWF announced a tournament would take place to crown a new Women's Champion. The title had been inactive since February 21, 1990 when then champion Rockin' Robin was stripped of the title. She hadn't defended it since June 25, 1989 in Wheeling, West Virginia against Judy Martin.
I had heard about this tournament happening for years but all I even knew where the finals where Alundra Blayze defeated Heidi Lee Morgan to win, but who did they beat to get to the finals.
I think most of us know about Madusa aka Alundra Blayze so let's take a look at the other competitors involved in the tournament.
Heidi Lee Morgan
A second generation wrestler Morgan began her in ring career in 1987 and was quickly embroiled in a feud in the National Wrestling Federation with Women's Champion Wendi Richter that resulted in the first ever women's cage match on June 20, 1987.
Morgan would wrestle matches in NWA, AWA, WCW, and was a co-holder of the LPWA Tag Team Championships with Misty Blue Simmes. A back injury ended her career in 1997 however she did wrestle on match in 1999. She is currently a competitive bodybuilder.
Black Venus
Jean Kirkland was trained by the Fabulous Moolah debuting in 1985. She wrestled in the WWE, All Japan Women's Wrestling, NWA, AWA, and later the LPWA from 1990 - 1994. Rumor is that she was in negotiations to be the manager of Harlem Heat in WCW when she passed away. Kirkland died September 30, 1995.
Rusty Thomas
Also knows as Rusty Foxx I can't find a lot of information on her but this is what I have. She debuted in 1988 and wrestled for the WWE, WWWA, and several independent promotions. She held a few indy Women's Championships including National Wrestling League, Mid-Eastern Championship Wrestling and others.
I saw her wrestle live once in Livermore Falls, Maine on November 13, 1998 for Eastern Wrestling Alliance. She battled Malia Hosaka to a no contest when they both brawled in and out of the ring and the referee threw the match out.
Angie Marino
I cannot find any information about Marino, in fact this is the only match I can find on record for her anywhere on the internet.
In December 1993 the WWF announced a tournament would take place to crown a new Women's Champion. The title had been inactive since February 21, 1990 when then champion Rockin' Robin was stripped of the title. She hadn't defended it since June 25, 1989 in Wheeling, West Virginia against Judy Martin.
I had heard about this tournament happening for years but all I even knew where the finals where Alundra Blayze defeated Heidi Lee Morgan to win, but who did they beat to get to the finals.
I think most of us know about Madusa aka Alundra Blayze so let's take a look at the other competitors involved in the tournament.
Heidi Lee Morgan
A second generation wrestler Morgan began her in ring career in 1987 and was quickly embroiled in a feud in the National Wrestling Federation with Women's Champion Wendi Richter that resulted in the first ever women's cage match on June 20, 1987.
Morgan would wrestle matches in NWA, AWA, WCW, and was a co-holder of the LPWA Tag Team Championships with Misty Blue Simmes. A back injury ended her career in 1997 however she did wrestle on match in 1999. She is currently a competitive bodybuilder.
Black Venus
Jean Kirkland was trained by the Fabulous Moolah debuting in 1985. She wrestled in the WWE, All Japan Women's Wrestling, NWA, AWA, and later the LPWA from 1990 - 1994. Rumor is that she was in negotiations to be the manager of Harlem Heat in WCW when she passed away. Kirkland died September 30, 1995.
Rusty Thomas
Also knows as Rusty Foxx I can't find a lot of information on her but this is what I have. She debuted in 1988 and wrestled for the WWE, WWWA, and several independent promotions. She held a few indy Women's Championships including National Wrestling League, Mid-Eastern Championship Wrestling and others.
I saw her wrestle live once in Livermore Falls, Maine on November 13, 1998 for Eastern Wrestling Alliance. She battled Malia Hosaka to a no contest when they both brawled in and out of the ring and the referee threw the match out.
Angie Marino
I cannot find any information about Marino, in fact this is the only match I can find on record for her anywhere on the internet.
Update 5/5/2021 - Angie Marino wrestled under the name "Nasty Angel" Angie Marino, she was trained by "Iron" Mike Sharpe and also credits Misty Blue Simmes for shaping her in wrestling. She is a former Pennsylvania based World Wide Wrestling Alliance Ladies Champion holding the title in 1996. I show records of matches she had from 1993 - 1997, with this tournament match being one of her first.
The Tournament
November 29, 1993 Memphis, Tennessee Mid-South Coliseum
USWA - Tournament Match for the WWF Women's Championship
Madusa defeated Alison Royal
November 30, 1993 Springfield, Massachusetts
Dark Matches - First Round
Heidi Lee Morgan defeated Black Venus
Rusty Thomas defeated Angie Marino
December 1, 1993 Utica, New York
Dark Match - Semi Final
Heidi Lee Morgan defeated Rusty Thomas
December 13, 1993 Poughkeepsie, New York
All American Wrestling taping aired December 26, 1993
Finals
Alundra Blayze defeated Heidi Lee Morgan with a German Suplex to win the championship
Originally it appeared as though the tournament took place over three nights with Blayze getting a bye to the finals of the tournament. Heidi Lee Morgan had to win two matches on consecutive nights to advance to the finals. Now it appears that Blayze, under the name Madusa, wrestled and opening round match in the USWA. That still leaves her either getting a first or sound round bye to the finals.
It surprises me that four of the five matches were dark matches and even the final wasn't aired live on Raw but instead on the B weekend show All American Wrestling. You would think if they really wanted to build the division it would have been more prominent.
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Later Readers!
This was mostly a phantom tournament if I recall correctly.
ReplyDeleteThe only match televised was the tournament final.
The other matches apparently took place in dark matches and on then feeder territory USWA shows.
I also saw somewhere that Blayze beat Alison Royal to advance to the finals but she did receive a bye where as Heidi Lee Morgan wrestled 3 matches in the tournament.
It was all very low key considering they was reactivating a championship and division.
Rechecking the History of WWE website I see how I missed that results, she is listed as Madusa in that match. Thanks for pointing that out.
DeleteI never knew that another person, Angie Martino, participated in this tournament..thanks for the info. I have heard that the WWF intended on reinstating the title and have Sherri win, but she left for WCW right before the tournament commenced, which is probably why Blayze got the bye. I will ask Heidi Lee about this and see what she says. Also, if you Google WWF women's championship tournament it erroneously shows Heidi Lee as winning the title and the tournament. The WWF wanted to hire her, but she was competing with a broken back and couldn't do it. Oh, and for the record...Robin wasnt stripped of the title for non defense, the WWF simply stopped promoting the division and deactivated the championship...Robin certainly did defend it, but without WWF's official acknowledgment
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, talking to Brittany Brown she stated that Angie also wrestled under the name Nasty Angel.
DeleteAlso there is a fantastic match on YouTube from Great Lakes Wrestling where Robin defended the WWF Women's Championship against Madusa on May 4, 1991. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9014yM_vc&t=932s
Im not sure but it looks like Angie Marino is breaking Misty Blue Simmes in that photo?? On the ropes? She looks finished whoever she is. Too bad Marino didn't have a more public career.
ReplyDeleteSomething else of interest is that Madusa wrestled Nasty Angel on November 13th 1993 just before the tournament begun on a MEWF (Mid Eastern Wrestling Federation) card in Maryland
ReplyDeleteAwesome tidbit! Thank you for the information!
DeleteNasty angel is actually my mother so if you have any other questions feel free contact me sophispotis@gmail.com her and Misty blue toured the whole east coast wrestling against each other was great times after that she came back to hometown toms river and was a local promoter
ReplyDeleteWow thats amazing! I would love to know more about your moms time in wrestling. I run Misty Blues fan page on Facebook. Hit us up there and please come share pics and stories!
DeleteShes...my mother so I'm gunna assume that the person who commented this is hopefully my brother 😆
DeleteCome see Misty Blues facebook fan page! We would love to have you! Share pics and stories!
ReplyDeleteWhat Is the Facebook page?
DeleteNasty angel is my mommy.
ReplyDeleteMore interesting news on this tournament, from recent Heidi Lee Morgan interviews she says that Misty Blue Simmes was the original opponent in the finals to face Alundra Blayze and due to personal reasons for Misty (which she would not disclose) she couldn’t do it and she suggested Heidi. She also mentioned Babyface Nellie as part of the tournament, but she doesn’t mention Angie Moreno. So she’s either misremembering and getting Nellie and Angie confused or perhaps Misty & Nellie were the 7th and 8th names originally perhaps.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting though to hear it as I had never heard that before but surely coming directly from Heidi there must be a truth in it
I lived in the Memphis area during that time. It was basically Misty Blue's touring Troup of girls that competed in the tournament as mentioned previously Heidi, Venus, Nasty Angel, Rustee, and I think Babyface Nellie. I thought I remembered Miss Texas vs Debbie Combs in an opening round at MidSouth Coliseum. I do recall Heidi vs Venus
ReplyDelete