The Last Match: The Moondogs

The Moondogs debuted in late 1980 with Rex & King teaming together under the tutelage of Captain Lou Albano.  Albano would lead the Moondogs to Tag Team Gold in March 1981 where they defeated Tony Garea and Rick Martel.  While still holding the tag titles Spot would replace King as champion until Garea and Martel regained the titles in July 1981.

The Moondogs had a big run in the USWA where they added Spike, Cujo and other to their ranks.  Also there have been multiple people on the independent scene that competed under the Moondog name, too numerous to cover them all here.  Because of that we will only be taking a look the most well known Moondogs.  It should be noted that one thing all Moondogs have in common is their attire.  Cut off jeans, big hair and large beard, and bringing a large bone to the ring with them.

Moondog King
February 6, 1991 WCW House Show Augusta, Georgia
defeated Mike Winter

Edward White debuted May 22, 1972 in his native Canada under the name Sailor White.  He became Moondog King when he debuted in the WWE in 1981.  He was replaced in the tag team when he was denied entry into the United States.  He passed away August 26, 2005 at the age of 56. 

Moondog Rex
August 21, 1997 IWA Mid-South Louisville, Kentucky
defeated War Machine #1

Randy Colley debuted in 1971 touring the territories before settling in the WWE.  In 1981 he became Moondog Hawkins later Rex and teamed with King to win the Tag Team Championships.  In 1987 he teamed with Bill Eadie as the original Demolition Smash but fans recognized him chanting Moondog at him so he was replaced by Barry Darsow.

Colley as Demolition Smash on right

Colley returned to the Moondog name and entered Continental Wrestling and later USWA winning the tag team championships with Spot. 

Moondog Spot
November 29, 2003 Memphis Wrestling Memphis, Tennessee
with Poppy Love was defeated by the Rock n' Roll Express: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson in a Concession Stand Tag Team Battle Royal.  Other teams Alan Steel & Mike Money and The Lifeguards: Dustin & Scott Starr

Larry Booker debuted in 1979 as Larry Latham until becoming Spot in May 1981 replacing King as WWE Tag Team Champions with Rex as the Moondogs.  In 1987 he went to the CWA and later All Japan Pro Wrestling teaming with Spke in the Giant Tag Series. 

He wrestled several years in the USWA in many different versions of the Moondogs tag team.  Sadly he died in the ring from a heart attack during his final match on the A Night Fit For a King event.  He was 51 years old.

Moondog Spike
April 6, 1996 IWA Mid-South New Albany, Indiana
defeated Todd Rich

William Smithson debuted in 1978 as one of the many Infernos after being trained by Tojo Yamamoto.  He would wrestle around the territories as Dizzy Golden until 1991 when he began teaming with Spot as Spike for the USWA.  Together they feuded with Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jeff Jarrett earning Feud of the Year honors in 1992 from Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

When Spot retired he continued the Moondogs teaming with Cujo winning the USWA Southern Tag Team Championships.  Smithson died March 21, 2013 at the age of 62.

Moondog Cujo
April 27, 2007 PMG Memphis, Tennessee
defeated The Barbarian at the Ultimate Clash of Legends

Larry Kean Jr. debuted in 1983 in his native Kentucky as "Luscious" Lanny Kean.  In 1985 while in the WWE he was renamed Cousin Junior a member of Hillbilly Jim's family.  After leaving the Fed he continued as Hillbilly Junior in the CWA.  In 1992 he joined the USWA as Moondog Cujo teaming with Spike for several tag team titles reigns. 

He finished up in 1996 wrestling as "Bloody" Ox Brody coming back as Cujo for one match in 2007.  He passed away on January 13, 2009 he was 48.

In my opinion the most successful Moondogs tag team was Rex and Spot who were nine time tag team champions in the WWE, CWA, USWA, and WWC.  In total the various tag team combinations are 21 time tag team champions in five promotions.

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WWE Network Additions

The WWE Network has made some fantastic additions finally giving us some classic wrestling shows!

It all started with NWA World Championship Wrestling, then Smoky Mountain Wrestling and Mid-South Wrestling, later the American Wrestling Association.  The next day they added Stampede Wrestling and Global Force Wrestling.  I’m going to break down each show. 

 JCP: NWA World Championship Wrestling
Currently 95 Episodes from 11/2/1985 to 09/26/1987

World Championship Wrestling aired on WTBS from 1982 – 1992 with matches being supplied from Georgia Championship Wrestling (1982 – 1984), World Wrestling Federation (July 1984 – March 1985) Jim Crockett Promotions (March 1985 – November 1988), and finally Turner owned World Championship Wrestling from November 5, 1988 to March 1992.  On April 4, 1992 the show became WCW Saturday Night airing it’s final show on August 19, 2000.  Before that from December 25, 1971 to 1982 it was simply called Georgia Championship Wrestling.  Ted Turner wanted to change to name to World Championship Wrestling to give it a less regional sounding name.

Hosted by Tony Shiavone and David Crockett these episodes were taped at the Atlanta WTBS studios and featured promos about upcoming house shows and supercards like Starrcade and squash matches with top stars versus jobbers.

I’ve watched a few episodes with each one running about 77 – 85 minutes featuring, Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Terry Taylor, “Cowboy” Ron Bass, Manny Fernandez, Jimmy Valiant, The Rock n’ Roll Express, James E. Cornette and the Midnight Express, George South and more.

I cannot stress enough how much love these shows!

 

Smoky Mountain Wrestling 

Currently 10 Episodes from 02/14/1994 to 08/5/1994

Hosted by the legendary Bob Caudle and Dutch Mantell matches were taped around their territory but primarily Tennessee.  Smoky Mountain is known for being the starting point for Chris Candido, Tammy Sytch, Kane, The Road Dog, Al Snow, New Jack, Bob Holly, and for bringing Chris Jericho and Lance Storm to the States.  

Smoky Mountain’s TV show featured interview segments, enhancement matches and matches featuring top stars vs each other.  SMW ran from October 1991 to December 1995.  

Mid-South Wrestling
Currently 10 Episodes from 10/30/1982 to 07/21/1986

Mid-South Wrestling was founded by “Cowboy” Bill Watts in 1979 after purchasing the NWA Tri-State territory from Leroy McGuirk.  The promotion ran shows in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas.  Mid-South Television ran in syndication and in 1985 began airing on WTBS.  Mid-South changed the name of their promotion to the Universal Wrestling Federation in March 1986 in an attempt to become a national promotion.  The venture failed and resulting in Watts selling UWF to Jim Crockett April 9, 1987. 

Top stars during this time frame include a who’s who of wrestling, Ted Dibiase, Junkyard Dog, “Dr. Death” Steve Williams, Sting, The Rock n’ Roll Express, the Midnight Express, and so many more. 

AWA: American Wrestling Association 

Currently 6 Episodes from 03/04/1986 to 04/10/1988

AWA was founded by Verne Gagne in 1960 based out of Minnesota and ran until 1991.  These episodes are pulled from three different AWA television shows;

AWA All Stars ran in syndication from 1960 – 1991
AWA Championship Wrestling was taped for ESPN from 1985 - 1990
AWA Superstars which I can’t find anything on but the episode I watched was hosted by Larry Nelson in a studio and featured matches of the top stars of the AWA against each other.  

Many of the legends of wrestling passed through the AWA; Nick Bockwinkel, Hulk Hogan, The Rockers, The Road Warriors, Vader, Scott Hall, Rick Martel, Curt Hennig, and the list goes on and on and on. If you haven’t watched the WWE documentary The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA you need to find it and give it a watch.  It’s one of their finest productions. 

GWF: Global Wrestling Federation / USWA: United States Wrestling Association

Currently 7 Episodes and 3 best of USWA Specials from 5/01/1990 to 6/28/1992

GWF was founded in Dallas, Texas in 1991 by Max Andrews and Joe Pedicino in an apparent attempt to pick up where World Class left off.  They even managed to get on ESPN after the AWA folded.  They featured young and up and coming talent like the 1-2-3 Kid, Marcus Bagwell, Cactus Jack, JBL, Jerry Lynn, Booker T and more.  They also featured Dallas mainstays in Kevin & Kerry Von Erich, Steve Austin, Chris Adams, Skandor Akbar and more. 

I actually recall watching their show when I was kid, the match that stuck out was Kevin Von Erich, I don’t recall against who.

I’m not sure how the USWA fits in to being part of GWF as the USWA was around longer that GWF.  I tried researching on the internet but wasn’t able to find anything. 

Stampede Wrestling
Currently 6 Episodes from 11/12/1978 to 07/27/1979
Stampede Wrestling was founded by Stu Hart of the famous Hart Family in 1948 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.   Stampede Wrestling still exists today in name only.  The Stampede Wrestling that is part of the WWE library is from 1948 – 1989.  

The show is hosted by the voice of Stampede Wrestling Ed Whalen from 1957 to 1989 and was filmed at the Victorian Pavilion.  Stampede wrestling gave us The Dynamite Kid, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bad New Brown, Brian Pillman, Don Leo Jonathan, and so many more top competitors. 

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Later Readers!!