Tully Blanchard wrestled Dusty Rhodes 257 times & Other Statistics I Found on Cagematch

I get it CageMatch does not have all of the results of every show ever.  History of the WWE has cards that Cagematch does not list, but that is because CageMatch only lists show with results, but at the end of the day it's still a very good resource for results.

I was messing with the search feature and I found out that you can look at match statistics and they list categories like, by year, promotion, country, location, tag team partner, opponent and more.  This is how I found out that Tully Blanchard had Dusty Rhodes 257 times, more than any other opponent.  In fact the next closest opponent was Magnum TA at 107 times.  Anyhow that lead me down a rabbit hole and here I am to share that with you.

Tully Blanchard vs. Dusty Rhodes

257 Matches  259 Matches

1st Match: January 3, 1982 Houston Wrestling, Sam Houston Coliseum

Battle Royal won by Dick Slater.

Last Match: November 19, 2005 CCW: Carolina Championship Wrestling, Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg, South Carolina

No contest for the vacant CCW Heavyweight Championship.

Over 250 of these matches took place between 1984 - 1988, also I have found that CageMatch is missing two matches, singles match on 01/05/2005 and a Bunkhouse Match on 02/12/2005. I have the Rise and Fall of CCW DVD set.

Of course this search leads me to, who has Dusty Rhodes wrestled the most, and it was Ric Flair!

Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair

271 Matches

1st Match: December 17, 1972 AWA, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Battle Royal won by "Superstar" Billy Graham

Last Match: March 18, 2001 WCW Greed, Jacksonville, Florida

Dusty & Dustin Rhodes defeated Ric Flair & Jeff Jarrett

That last time they shared a ring together was November 26, 2006 at the WWE Survivor Series as they teamed with Ron Simmons & Sgt. Slaughter to defeated The Spirit Squad in a traditional Survivor Series match.

Ric Flair vs. Wahoo McDaniel

283 Matches

1st Match: December 17, 1972 AWA, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Battle Royal won by "Superstar" Billy Graham

Last Match: December 6, 1986 Central States Wrestling, St. Louis, Missouri

Bunkhouse Stampede Match won by Dusty Rhodes

Ironically Flair's first match with Wahoo was the same match as the first time he was in the ring with Dusty Rhodes.  Flair has said in numerous interviews how he's wrestled Steamboat a 1,000 times, and while they may have wrestled more times, CageMatch has them at 222 matches.  

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant

116 Matches

1st Match: December 7, 1979 Georgia Championship Wrestling, Knoxville, Tenneessee

Sterling Golden defeated Andre The Giant by DQ

Last Match: March 24, 1990 WWF House Show, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Hulk Hogan & The Big Boss Man defeated Colossal Connection: Andre the Giant & Haku

It's not surprising to me that Hogan's most matches with one person is a relative low number because WWF swapped out Hogan's opponents with more frequency than NWA typically did.  Incidentally number 2 on Hogan's list is Ric Flair at 115 matches. 

Arn Anderson vs. Dusty Rhodes

148 Matches

1st Match: March 9, 1985 Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Charlotte, North Carolina

$50,000 Tag Team Battle Royal won by Ric Flair & Magnum TA

Last Match: November 25, 1994 WCW House Show, Albany, Georgia

Steel Cage Match: Dusty & Dustin Rhodes defeated Stud Stable: Arn Anderson & Bunkhouse Buck

Also not surprising that Arn's wrestled Dusty the most as during the 80's hey day of Jim Crockett Promotions the Horsemen and Dusty were in a very bitter feud that raged for years.  Another stat you can look at is match statistics by Tag Team partner, and as Arn was a prolific tag team wrestler I thought it would be interesting to look that stat up: Tully Blanchard 448 matches, Ole Anderson 238 matches, Ric Flair 237 matches.

Ricky Morton vs. Bobby Eaton

450 Matches 454 Matches

1st Match: October 3, 1980 Continental Wrestling Association, Tupelo, Mississippi

Ricky Morton wrestled Bobby Eaton to a draw

Last Match: August 12, 2011 Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Cave-In-Rock, Illinoise

Rock n' Roll Express: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated The Midnight Express: Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey

One of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time, 1/2 of the Rock n' Roll Express with Robert Gibson.  It's interesting that Bobby Eaton is number 1, Dennis Condrey at 311 matches is second, and Stan Lane is 3rd at 187 matches, clearly as a tag team The Midnight Express is their number 1 most wrestled opponent.  As with Tully Blanchard, CageMatch does not have 4 matches from Carolina Championship Wrestling in 2004 & 2005 where the Rock n' Rolls wrestled the Midnights.  Cagematch lists that Ricky Morton teamed with Robert Gibson for 1901 matches as partners.

Bobby Eaton's most wrestled opponent is also Ricky Morton and his second most is Robert Gibson.  Looking at the most times tag teamed with, it should be no surprise that Dennis Condrey is at the top of the list with 964 matches teamed together and Stan Lane is second at 702 matches. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time! 

Tully Blanchard's World Title Matches

Tully Blanchard is one of my all time favorite wrestlers.  He is also one of the the best wrestlers to have never held any version of the World's Heavyweight Championship. So I decided to check out to see how many World title matches I can find that he had.  These are all the ones that I could find searching Cagematch and reading The History of WWE.

It's interesting to me that the first two were in 1979 for the AWA World's Championship as Bockwinkel was touring Southwest Championship Wrestling Texas.  In 1984 he had several matches on house shows with Flair for the title.  He he also has numerous tag the matches teaming with Wahoo McDaniel or others against Flair and Dusty or others.  They had no singles matches on TV, but I did find some promo segments and one where Tully attacked Flair.

The two matches in 1985 seemed to be random one offs, especially since the formation of the Four Horsemen was not to long after their September 1985 match. 

August 29, 1979 

Southwest Championship Wrestling, Exhibit Hall, San Antonio, Texas

AWA World Heavyweight Champion: Nick Bockwinkel defeated Tully Blanchard

August 30, 1979 

Southwest Championship Wrestling, Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, Texas

AWA World Heavyweight Champion: Nick Bockwinkel defeated Tully Blanchard

June 4, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Memorial Auditorium, Greenville, South Carolina

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

From the June 16, 1984 episode or World Wide Wrestling

July 1, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina

NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair by disqualification

Cagematch has this as Tully winning by DQ and The History of WWE JCP/WCW section has it as Ric Flair won by DQ. 

December 1, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Conway, North Carolina

Tully Blanchard defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair by disqualification

This match is listed on Cagematch, but on The History of WWE shows that on December 1st Tully wrestled Dick Slater to a draw in the main event of a card in Morganton, North Carolina

I can't find when this happened other than 1984.

December 5, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Dorton Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina

NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair by disqualification

December 8, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

December 9, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

December 9, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, County Hall, Charleston, South Carolina

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

December 12, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Dorton Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina

NO DQ Match: NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

December 15, 1984

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Dorton Arena, Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

May 29, 1985

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Dorton Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA World Television Champion: Tully Blanchard

September 9, 1985

Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling Memorial Auditorium, Charleston, South Carolina

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair defeated NWA United States Champion: Tully Blanchard

October 7, 1987

UWF: Universal Wrestling Federation CSU Convocation Center, Cleveland, Ohio

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: Ronnie Garvin defeated NWA World Tag Team Champion: Tully Blanchard with JJ Dillon by disqualification

This match was Tully only televised World Championship match, up until this point.  It was also during Ronnie's short lived NWA title run.  I wrote a blog about it Ronnie Garvin: His NWA World Championship Matches

January 7, 1995

Extreme Championship Wrestling, ECW Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas wrestled Tully Blanchard to a time limit draw

This match was a few months after the infamous incident where Shane threw down the NWA World Title.  Tully was brought in for these series of matches by Paul Heyman to give credibility to the ECW Championship and Shane Douglas as a World Champion.

February 4, 1995

Extreme Championship Wrestling, ECW Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Double Table PPV: ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas pinned Tully Blanchard

March 3, 1995

Extreme Championship Wrestling, Northeastern Catholic High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Hardcore TV: ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas pinned Tully Blanchard

January 29, 2005

Wrestle Reunion Double Tree Hotel, Tampa, Florida

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett pinned Tully Blanchard with JJ Dillon 

special guest referee Kevin Von Erich

What's a bit frustrating about this show is that it was recorded for release, however the person that owns the footage hasn't released it.  I messaged him about it a long time ago as this show and Wrestle Reunion 2 features Wendi Richter's last matches.

His first World title match in 1979, his last 26 years later in 2005, and while he held numerous singles and tag team championships it really is a shame that he was never the World Heavyweight Champion, even for a short time. 

Until Next Time,

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books. 

Dusty Rhodes NWA Title Reigns

In this post we take a look at the 3 NWA World Title Reigns of "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.

The "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes is arguable one of the most beloved and popular wrestlers off all time who is well known for his career inside and out side of the ring.  Dusty began wrestling in 1967 ending his full time in ring career in 1991, wrestling on and off over the next 19 years having his last match in 2010 teaming with his sons Cody and Dustin.  During his near 50 years in wrestling he was a wrestler, booker, promoter, commentator, and his last role as a mentor and coach at NXT.

My first memories of seeing Dusty Rhodes wrestle was battling Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.  A title coveted and held 3 times for a combined 107 days.  According to Cagematch, Dusty competed for the title 274 times.  The first time he challenged for the title was against Dory Funk Jr lost a best 2 out of 3 falls match on January 7, 1970 at the Fair Park Coliseum Lubbock, Texas for NWA Western States.  The last time on October 8, 2003 challenged AJ Styles at NWA TNA episode 66 at the Tennessee State Fairground in Nashville coming up short in 15:40. 

Dusty's first and shortest title reign was mere 5 days from August 21, 1979 to August 26, 1979 however he did have 3 successful title defenses.

August 21, 1979 Tampa, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race to win the title

August 23, 1979 Key West, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Harley Race

August 25, 1979 St. Peterburg, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Terry Funk

August 26, 1979 Jacksonville, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Don Muraco

August 26, 1979 Orlando, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

Harley Race defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the title

Dusty's second reign was his longest lasting 88 days from June 21, 1981 to September 17, 1981 with 63 successful defenses.

June 21, 1981 The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia Championship Wrestling

Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race to win the title

September 17, 1981 Kansas City, Kansas, Central States Wrestling

Ric Flair defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the title

Special Guest Referee Lou Thesz

Dusty would defend the title in 11 states and 1 Canadian Province: Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio, Iowa, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Central States Wrestling, NWA St. Louis, NWA Tri State, & Maple Leaf Wrestling.

He retained the title in matches against former World Champions: Harley Race, Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr, & Ivan Koloff.  As well as hall of famers Greg Valentine, Jimmy Snuka, Terry Gordy, Ken Patera, Roddy Piper, Bruiser Brody and more.  He wrestled Dory Funk Jr in two 60 time limit matches.

Dusty's 3rd and final reign lasted only 14 days from July 26, 1986 to August 9, 1986 with 5 successful defenses.  He defeated Ric Flair on the second to last stop of the 1986 Great American Bash tour inside a steel cage.  

Below are the title matches that Dusty competed in during this reign, however on July 28th he tagged with Magnum TA in Wilmington, NC in a DQ loss to the Midnight Express.  On July 29th in Rock Hill, SC at a TV taping dark match he teamed with The Rock n' Roll Express defeating Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, & Tully Blanchard.

July 26, 1986 Greensboro, North Carolina, JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

Great American Bash Tour

Steel Cage: Dusty Rhodes pinned NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair to win the title

July 27, 1986 Dallas, Texas UWF: Universal Wrestling Federation

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

July 31, 1986 Kansas City, Kansas CSW: Central States Wrestling

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair by Disqualification

Augusta 2, 1986 Atlanta, Georgia JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

Great American Bash Tour

Steel Cage: NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

August 7, 1986 Kansas City, Kansas CSW: Central States Wrestling

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair by Disqualification

August 8, 1986 St. Joseph, Missouri CSW: Central States Wrestling

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

August 9, 1986 St. Louis, Missouri  JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

Ric Flair defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the championship

On 3 occasions Dusty Rhodes, wrestling under a mask as The Midnight Rider defeated Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Championship where the title change was reversed.  At that time Dusty was under suspension and was competing under a mask as The Midnight Rider a gimmick that has been done numerous times by other wrestlers.  The fans all know that it's Dusty Rhodes, as the do the wrestlers, but management can't prove it so they let it go.  However the NWA had a rule at that time that a masked wrestler was not allowed to be the NWA World Champion.

  

These three incidents occurred in the Championship Wrestling from Florida Territory: January 14, 1983 in Orlando, February 9 in Miami Beach, and February 12 in Sarasota.  The most famous of these 3 finishes that was later televised was on the 9th in Miami Beach.  NWA President Bob Geigle was the guest referee that night and after The Midnight Rider won the title Mr. Geigle advised the Midnight Rider that he would need to unmask to be awarded the championship.  Rider refused, knowing if he did it would prove that he was indeed Dusty Rhodes and violating his Suspension and he would never be able to wrestle again.  The title was decision was reversed and the title was returned to Flair.

There are numerous other incidents of times when Rhodes would appear to capture the title for the decision to be reversed.  The most famous of these on November 28, 1985 at Starrcade: The Gathering where in the main event portion of the show from the Omni in Atlanta, Georgia Dusty Rhodes would appear to defeat Ric Flair to win the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

The assigned official Tommy Young get's knocked out of the ring when Flair pulled him in front of a Rhodes clothesline.  Arn and Ole Anderson hit the ring attacking Rhodes, who manages to get them out of the ring and score and inside cradle for the pin when another referee hit the ring.

 

The bell rings, Dusty is awarded the title, he celebrates in the ring and the fans go home thinking they just witnessed history with the crowning of a new worlds champion.  Later, Tommy Young declares Rhodes the winner by DQ due to interference from the Andersons, Ric Flair is still the champion.   

On September 1, 2018 at All In in Hoffman Estates, Illinois Cody Rhodes pinned Nick Aldis to win the NWA World's Championship marking the first time that a father and son have held the same World Championship.

  

Cody would hold the title for 50 days losing it to Aldis in his only defense at the NWA 70th Anniversary show in Nashville, Tennessee.  

Personally I think it would be pretty awesome if Dustin Rhodes came back from his surgeries and won the NWA World title as well.  He deserves a World Championship run, and even though brothers have held the title before, Terry & Dory Funk, it would be very cool. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

The NWA Worlds Championship Reign of Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami a legendary Japanese professional wrestler who made his pro wrestling debut on May 9, 1971 and as of this post, 54 years later is still and active competitor in the ring at 71 years old with a dozen matches so far in 2025.

Among his numerous championships, he is a 6 time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, WWF World Junior Heavyweight Champion, WWF International Heavyweight Championship, 2015 WWE Hall of Fame inductee, and for 59 days in 1991 he was the recognized NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion.

To tell this story though, we need to go back to November 1988 when Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions forming WCW: World Championship Wrestling.  JCP was an affiliate of the NWA and recognized the NWA Championships, WCW did the same when they acquired JCP.

In their first steps to withdraw from the NWA, WCW decides to declare their own World Champion. On January 11, 1991 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Ric Flair defeated then NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Sting to not only win the NWA World Title but become the first WCW World Champion.

WCW did not have a physical belt to represent the WCW World Championship, instead doubles the Big Gold Belt as both the NWA and WCW championship.

March 21, 1991 WCW & New Japan Pro Wrestling promote a joint show at the Tokyo Dome where 64,500 fans watch the IWGP World Champion: Tatsumi Fujinami pin the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in the main event to capture the championship.

Flair's WCW World Championship was never announced as being on the line.  During the closing moments of the match referee Bill Alfonso was knocked out, during that time Fujinami threw Flair over the top rope, a disqualification at the time.  NJPW Referee Tiger Hattori ran in and counted the pinfall and declared Fujinami the champion.

During his post match press conference in the back, Flair barged in, took the physical belt and told Fujinami to come and get it.  In the United States WCW never recognized the title change stating that Fujinami was disqualified and that Flair was still the champion.  In Japan he was recognized at the NWA World Champion.

 

On May 19, 1991 WCW would hold their inaugural SuperBrawl PPV event in St. Petersburg, Florida featuring the rematch of Ric Flair vs. Tatsumi Fujinami.  During the build to the show WCW acknowledge there was controversy from their match in Japan and that at the end of the match we would know who the World Champion was.

During introductions ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta stated the match was for the WCW World Championship.  Fujinami was announced as the IWGP Champion however he did not come out with the title.  Flair was announced at the WCW World Champion.  No-mention was made of the NWA World Championship.

For this match, Tiger Hattori was the assigned in-ring official while Bill Alphonso would be the official at ringside.  The finish came when Fujinami rolled up Flair in an O'Connor roll and on kick out Fujinami and Hattori collied heads.  Flair then rolled up Fujinami in a school boy and Alphonso jumped in the ring for the 3 count.  Cappetta announced Flair as still the WCW World Champion.  The NWA Officially recognized Flair as the new NWA Worlds Champion.

The NWA & WCW title lineages would separate for good on July 1, 1991 when Flair left WCW and was stripped of the WCW World Championship, they would declare a new champion and physical belt on July 14, 1991 when Lex Luger defeated Barry Windham in a cage at the Great American Bash. 

The NWA would recognize Flair as the NWA World Champion until September 1991 when Flair made his WWF debut with the big gold belt declaring himself the real world's champion.

In the end, we got two outstanding matches between Flair and Fujinami and there appears to be an attempt at creating a good story with a controversial finish.  However, it seems neither side could agree on how they want to tell the story, so in the end we got, what we got. 

However Fujinami is officially recognized as a former NWA Worlds Champion, holding the title for 59 days from March 21, 1991 - May 19, 1991.  He had only 1 defense, when he lost the title back to Flair.

 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

My Grail Card - The Final Update, for real this time.

Welp, I thought the last update was going to be the final update and then I went ahead and sent my card off to PSA to get it graded.  I can now say definitively I have finally completed my grail card from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

Please read the past blogs to get the full story on this card, especially Update Part 2.

May 17, 2022: New Grail Card

February 11, 2023: New Grail Card Update

June 7, 2023: New Grail Card Update 2!

December 21, 2024: New Grail Card Update 3! IT'S COMPLETE!

This was my first time submitting to PSA.  It was simple enough to do, but they do have strict instructions to follow.  I paid for the 20 day turnaround and I got my card a week early!  I was happy with my grade as well, 8 on the card and 9 on the auto.  The only other card that I'm aware of that is signed by everyone as mine is that is graded by PSA got an 8 on the card and 8 on the auto.

Purchased card on eBay May 9, 2022 cost $42.20

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

JJ Dillon signed November 30, 2024 cost $25

Various Shipping Charges for mailing card: $23.40

Shipping to PSA: $14.35

PSA Fee and return shipping: $74.98

Total cost: $412.82

I don't know know if I'll ever submit a card to PSA again, I know many that do it because they treat their cards like investments.  Perhaps I should has well, but the cost of submitting can get expensive.  For me it would have to be a special card like this one.  I am tempted to find another once of these cards and get it signed again and possibly get a higher grade.  That is VERY tempting! 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

New Grail Card Update 3! ITS COMPLETE!

As you can read from the title of this blog post, after over two and a half years I have finally completed my grail card from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

Please read the past blogs to get the full story on this card, especially Update Part 2.

May 17, 2022: New Grail Card

February 11, 2023: New Grail Card Update

June 7, 2023: New Grail Card Update 2!

JJ Dillon was announced to be at WrestleCade back in the Spring, after I missed out in May I put my sights on November.  I knew I wouldn't be able to go myself, it's the day after Thanksgiving, my wife's favorite holiday, and I went to WrestleCon this year. 

Thankfully good buddy Brandon lives in North Carolina and was willing to go to WrestleCade this year to get JJ Dillon to finish the card.  Brandon had already gotten Lex and David Crockett to sign it for me at last years WrestleCade.  

I've heard from so many people that JJ wasn't doing well, physically, and this just be one of if not his final conventions appearance so I sent 5 NWA Wonderama Cards for JJ to sign.  My buddy Brandon said JJ seems great, but was moving a little slow, he wouldn't be surprised if his conventions days were coming to an end.  

Brandon's wife took the great pictures of JJ signing the cards, JJ liked how I had them set on the paper with the corner holders, made it easier for him to sign them, he also talked about the images in each of the cards. 

These are the five cards that I got him to sign this go round, I would have preferred if he signed the logo card a bit smaller as I plan to get several other signatures on it.

  

These are the previous cards I already had signed by JJ so I have completed the NWA Wonderama cards featuring him, and I have that WCW card signed as well.  

Here the tally sheet on what I spend completing this card:

Purchased card on eBay May 9, 2022 cost $42.20

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

JJ Dillon signed November 30, 2024 cost $25

Various Shipping Charges for mailing card: $23.40

Total cost: $323.49

I'm on the fence about getting this graded and authenticated.  I guess it depends on the cost.  I only know of 1 other card that is signed by all 6 men.

My buddy Jay & I attended the 2009 NWA Legends Fanfest in Charlotte, NC that featured a 4 Horsemen reunion.  I posted a blog about it back in 2015 and you can read that here: NWA Legends Fanfest 2009

At that convention we could get two items signed, Jay got this free program and he had Ole Anderson, Barry Windham, & Lex Luger sign it then, he found it recently and at my encouragement recommended that he finish it off.  I mean with that Ole Anderson signature if he didn't to, I would have done it.  Brandon was able to get JJ and Arn Anderson to sign it for him, he just needs to Ric Flair to finish the piece.

  

I'm very excited to have completed this card.  It feels great to have such an amazing piece in my collection.  I can't help but feel, what is next!?

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

My Great American Bash 1988 Program

On July 10, 1988 the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland was the site of The Great American Bash, the final Jim Crockett Promotions pay-per-view event.  On this day, the 36th Anniversary of the event I thought it would be a great time to share, in depth, the original program from this event that I acquired at WrestleCon during mania weekend this year. 

Rolling into day 2 of WrestleCon this year, April 6th, I was slated to get a 1991 Impel WCW Card of the Four Horsemen signed by SID and Ric Flair.  This card features, Barry Windham, SID, Ric Flair, & Arn Anderson.  I had Arn sign it on June 10, 2022 at a Big Time Wrestling show in Webster, MA.

Barry Windham was supposed to sign the card in March of this year at the Wrestling Classic, however due to a Spring snowstorm his flight was cancelled.  They did do a private signing make up in June, however It was not announced until May.

That morning I get to the hall and look for SID and he is not at his table.  I ask the handlers there who tell me that SID cancelled last minute.  I had heard rumors that SID was a frequent no show or last minute cancellation type guy.  Not wanting to waste the $79 Ric Flair signature I pre-paid for I didn't want him to sign this card, trouble is I didn't bring anything else.  So the hunt was on to find something else for Flair to sign and quickly.  

I started searching around at vendor tables looking for Wonderama Trading cards and I found one, but it's Michael Hayes slamming Flair, why would I want Flair to sign that?  I mean if Hayes had signed it, sure, but not Flair first.  I was stressing hard.

I got in line for Flair, ended up in line for over 2 hours.  I tried to sell my Flair ticket, but didn't have any luck there.  I was frustrated because it's $79 for Flair to sign something and I wasn't happy with what I was getting signed.  The vendor that I bought the card from also had an original Great American Bash 1988 Program for $60.  I just didn't want to spend more money as I had spent quite a bit already.

Ultimately, I wasn't happy with the card, I love Jim Crockett Promotions and this is an original and official piece of JCP merchandise.  My favorite wrestling to watch is JCP from 1984 - 1988 and I love the Great American Bash tours, this was the last one under the JCP banner, also this was the first ever Great American Bash PPV and the last ever Crockett PPV.  My buddy Bradford watched my place in line and I ran back upstairs and bought it.

As I neared the front of the line many people saw what I was getting signed and that it was a cool piece to get signed.  Flair even remarked how nice it was.  After getting Flair to sign it I decided to spent another $60 to have Lex Luger sign it as he and Flair wrestled in the main event on the show.  He too thought it was a beautiful piece and talked about the match.  I've met Luger twice and both times he couldn't have been a nicer guy.

I debated having others at WrestleCon who appeared on the show sign the program as well, Arn Anderson and The Rock n' Roll Express, but then I thought, no I can't get everyone on the show to sign it, and they way Flair and Luger signed it, it was too perfect.  I couldn't be happier with how this piece turned out.

 

My plan is to frame it and hang it, however I'm going to share all the pages of the inside of the program at the end of this post.

Great American Bash 1988 Results

July 10, 1988 Baltimore Arena, Maryland

NWA World Tag Team Champions: "Enforcer" Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard with JJ Dillon wrestled Sting and "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff to a 20 minute time limit draw

The Midnight Express: "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton & "Sweet" Stan Lane with Jim Cornette defeated NWA United States Tag Team Champions: The Fantastics: Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers to win the championships

Tower of Doom Match: The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin, and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin with Precious defeated Al Perez, "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, Kevin Sullivan, "Captain" Mike Rotunda, and The Russian Assassin with Gary Hart and "Mr. Number 1" Paul Jones

NWA United States Champion: Barry Windham with JJ Dillon defeated "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair with JJ Dillon defeated "The Total Package" Lex Luger by referee stoppage

Check out all of my posts from our wrestling trip to Philly

More Than Mania Philadelphia Adventure

More Than Mania Rasslin Photos

More Than Mania Mike with Friends and Rasslers!

More Than Mania Signed Cards

More Than Mania Wrestling Results

Read a blog post I wrote about The Great American Bash in general in 2017. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

New Grail Card Update 2!

If you've been following this blog you may recall back on May 17, 2022 I posted about my new grail trading card, from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

The Second update was posted on February 11, 2023, here is the time line of events

May 9, 2022 I ordered the card on Ebay, total with tax and free shipping was $42.20 it was delivered on May 12, 2022. 

The first signature I was able to get Arn Anderson at Big Time Wrestling in Webster, Massachusetts he was managing Brock Anderson and Brian Pillman Jr. in tag team action who were wrestling FTR managed by Bret "Hitman" Hart.  Amazing right!

I got Arn to sign several cards that night, as well as FTR and got my picture with them and Brock Anderson.  It was a great night!

Next, I mailed the card to my buddy Brandon who attended WrestleCade 2022 held November 25 - 27 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  David Crockett was scheduled to attend and he doesn't do many signings.  I got 3 cards total signed by David, the other two NWA Wonderama cards already signed by Tony Schiavone.  He was also able to get Luger to sign it for me.  

Fiterman Sports Group out of Texas is the signing agent for "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.  I wasn't sure if I'd ever see Flair again, turns out I saw him in 2024 in Philadelphia, so I mailed the card off to a signing they were doing in Houston on January 15, 2023.  I mailed two cards, the second being another NWA Wonderama.  

That just left Tully Blanchard and JJ Dillon. Sadly neither appeared at WrestleCon this year.  Reaching out to others about JJ Dillon it was relayed to me that he is not in the best of health so was hoping to see him in Philly and was sad he didn't appear.

However, he and Tully as well as Barry Windham and Arn Anderson appeared at 80's Wrestling Con in Morristown, New Jersey on May 4th.  There was no way I was going to be able to go, but a friend of mine Erik had a friend name Antonio going to the show.  He connected us together and Antonio was going to be a huge solid and get it signed. 

I mailed the grail card to Antonio along with two other JJ Dillon Cards and two Tully Blanchard cards, all NWA Wonderama.  I figured might as well get some others signed.  Unfortunately during the event there was some confusion and he was only able to get Tully to sign the card.  He got JJ to sign the other cards, he just didn't give JJ the grail card.  

I can't be mad about it, he did a complete stranger a favor and he feels bad about it.  It is what it is, hopefully I can get JJ to sign this year.  Part of me wants to get that last signature myself in person, but at this point I just want to finish it off. 

 

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

Total investment so far: $275.09

I think it would make sense that once complete send it to PSA for grading and authentication.  

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book Limitless Wrestling: The First Five Years, or any of my other books as well.  

Until next time!

Kerry Von Erich's NWA Championship Defenses

On May 6, 1984 at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions Kerry Von Erich pinned "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in-front of 32,000 people at Texas Stadium to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

David had unexpectedly died just three months prior in Japan at only 25 years old.  Many believed that David would one day win the world championship and that Kerry was given then honor as tribute to David.

I was just 5 years old when Kerry won the title, but when I got older I watched this match and from what I understood after Von Erich won the championship he lost it back to flair a few days later.  Similar to Ronnie Garvin I never knew that Kerry defended the title, but he did.

From what I could find during his eighteen day reign he defended the title thirteen times in three different territories against six different opponents.

WCCW: World Class Championship Wrestling
CWF: Championship Wrestling from Florida
AJPW: All Japan Pro Wrestling


May 7, 1984 WCCW Fort Worth, Texas
defeated Terry Gordy

May 8, 1984 WCCW Muskogee, Oklahoma
defeated Terry Gordy

May 11, 1984 WCCW Sportatorium

defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

I think this match is special because the Sportatorium in Dalls was the center on the Von Erich wrestling universe and for Kerry step into the ring as the NWA Champion.  You can find this match on the WWE network in the vault section on the May 26, 1984 episode of World Class Championship Wrestling.  

May 12, 1984 WCCW San Antonio, Texas

defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

May 13, 1984 CWF Ocala, Florida

wrestled Mike Rotundo to a draw

May 13, 1984 CWF Orlando, Florida

defeated Billy Graham

May 14, 1984 CWF West Palm Beach, Florida

defeated Ron Bass by disqualification

May 14, 1984 CWF Fort Myers, Florida

defeated Billy Graham

May 16, 1984 CWF Miami, Florida

defeated Billy Graham by disqualification

May 18, 1984 CWF Lake City, Florida

defeated Billy Graham

May 19, 1984 CWF Tampa, Florida

defeated Ron Bass by disqualification

May 22, 1984 AJPW Tokyo, Japan

wrestled Jumbo Tsuruta in a 2 of 3 falls match to a draw at one fall each

You can find this match on you tube and it's a pretty high quality.  

May 14, 1984 AJPW Kanagawa, Japan

defeated by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair 2 falls to 1 to win the Championship

Thank you to Cage Match for the results and full credit to the photographers who took the photos.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Until next time!

Ric Flair's Intercontinental Championship Reign

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair is one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of professional wrestling and has always been one of my all time favorites.  I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Flair on a few occasions and I wrote about it here.

Through-out his career Mr. Flair has held more championships beyond being a 16 time World Heavyweight Champion.  He held numerous titles in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling & Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship.

In September 2005 Flair had been back in the WWE  for almost three years, in that time he had two Tag Team title runs with Batista but his last singles reign as a champion had been five and half years earlier in WCW with a controversial day as Heavyweight Championship.  At age 56 many thought Flairs days were coming to an end, and as much as I'd hoped for one more World Championship run, his days as a champion were over.

On September 5th in Oklahoma City at the Unforgiven PPV "Nature Boy" Ric Flair opened the show against Carlito in a match for the Intercontinental Championship.  This match was set up on an edition of Carlito's Cabana where Flair was the guest and Carlito spit an apple in Flair's face before the two came to blows.

Back in early 1983 Flair wrestled Carlos Colon in a controversial series of matches where Colon allegedly won and lost the NWA World Championship to Flair in a change that was never recognized by the NWA.

Carlos Colon

On this night though in just over eleven and a half minutes and much to the surprise of those in attendance Flair submitted Carlito with his figure four leg lock to capture the championship.  Near the end of this match Flair went to the top and Carlito caught him for the usual bodyslam, but Flair punched him and then came off with a blow to Carlito's head.  The crowd popped big time and Flair raised his arms in victory, it was quite a funny moment.  The crowd erupted for the tap out.

Post match Flair cut a promo about proud he was to win this prestigious championship.  That it was just as sweet as winning each of those 16 world championships.

The next night on Raw in Wichita Falls, Texas Flair would retain the title in just over 20 minutes in a rematch with Carlito winning by submission with the figure four leg lock.  Flair would then begin a five month run as champion some would say his most successful run in the WWE seconded only by his final Career Threatening run in 2007 / 2008.

He wrestled on the house shows defending the title against first Carlito and then Triple H and finally against Shelton Benjamin before losing the championship to Benjamin on the February 20, 2006 Monday Night Raw in Trenton, New Jersey.  All the time he feuded on television with Triple H and Edge.

His biggest defense of this run came in San Diego at Taboo Tuesday on November 1st in a steel cage match with Triple H.  The build for this match was excellent with Hunter turning on Flair in a tag team match and busting him open with a sledge hammer shot.  Flair begged the fans to vote for a cage match between himself and Triple H at the PPV and got his wish.

The promo package played prior to the this match was tremendous.  Flair came out second to a huge ovation from the crowd.  When I think of Ric Flair what comes to mind is the Four Horsemen, the NWA Championship, and his famous bloody steel cage battles for that championship.  This match hearkened back to those matches as both men were busted open and Flair blonde hair was soaked red with blood.

The match open quickly with both men trading blow and Flair lighting up Triple H's chest with chops.  Hunter then took over for several minutes sending Flair into the cage opening him up just a few minutes into the match.

Eventually Flair took over and sent Triple H into the busting open the game and dominating the rest of the match.  The finishe came when Flair pulled a chair into the ring and laid Triple H out with it.  He then escaped the cage getting the victory in just under 24 minutes.

I had the opportunity to see Flair live as Intercontinental Champion at a live Monday Night Raw from TD Garden in Boston on December 12, 2005.  In an Elimination Chamber qualifying match Kurt Angle defeated Flair with the ankle lock.  Sadly none of my pictures that I took with Flair wearing the belt came out well.

Flair's final championship would come one year later on November 5, 2006 at the now re-named Cyber Sunday.  Ric Flair and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper would defeated Spirit Squad members Kenny & Mikey to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.

They would lose the titles eight days later at Raw from Manchester England to Rated-RKO: Edge & Randy Orton.  I'm not sure where photo above was taken but after winning the titles Flair and Pipe teamed with the Highlanders for five eight man tag matches against The Spirit Squad across the United Kingdom.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!