
National Wrestling Alliance - Atlanta (1962-1972) After rejoining the Alliance, the Atlanta outfit experienced some big changes. Paul Jones, in his sixties, was a stockholder, not the main promoter. Instead, it was Don McIntyre, until he sold his stock to Buddy Fuller. Leslie Wolfe took over running the office for a stint, then the aging Jones stepped in again. Fuller was a top star along with majority stockholder Ray Gunkel, the two tagged up frequently as well. However, they did not see the business in the same way and frequently butted heads. Fuller traded his Georgia stock with his uncle Lester Welch for stock in Florida. The conflicts continued until Gunkel's sudden death. Most suspected his wife Ann would see his stock and the fighting would cease, but instead she stepped up and wanted to run the show. When the boys tried to keep her out, she left and took nearly all the talent with her. Jones and Welch were only saved by their familial and Alliance-based connections. Skandor Akbar Gene Anderson Lars Anderson Bob Armstrong The Assassins Ox Baker Brute Bernard Black Gordman Freddie Blassie Nick Bockwinkel Tony Borne Bobo Brazil Gino Brito Bearcat Brown Lonnie Brown (Dutch Savage) Frankie Cain Haystacks Calhoun Don Carson Buddy Colt Corsica Brothers (Joe & Jean) Wayne Cowan (Dutch Mantell) Don Curtis Jack Dalton (Don Fargo) The Destroyer Dick the Bruiser Bill Dromo Dusek Riot Squad J.C. Dykes Bob Ellis Don Fargo Bobby Fields Lee Fields Stan Frazier Buddy Fuller Robert Fuller Ron Fuller Dory Funk Jr. Dory Funk Sr. Terry Funk Verne Gagne Mario Galento Gino Garibaldi Leo Garibaldi Ron Garvin Terry Garvin Mike George Jimmy Golden Pepper Gomez Eddie Graham Jerry Graham Luke Graham Ray Gunkel Gypsy Joe Swede Hanson Rip Hawk Heavenly Bodies (Al & Don Greene) John Paul Henning Danny Hodge Hollywood Blonds (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts) The Infernos (Frankie Cain & Rocky Smith) Mr. Ito Matt Jewell (Bearcat Brown) Rocky Johnson Krusher Karlson The Kentuckians (Tiny Smith & Luke Brown) Duke Keomuka Gene Kiniski Shinya Kojika "Krusher" Stan Kowalski Killer Karl Kox Nick Kozak Dale Lewis Bill Longson Salvadore "El Gran" Lothario (Jose Lothario) Ken Lucas Tex McKenzie Bill Miller Tiny Mills Hiro Matsuda Missouri Mauler (Larry Hamilton) Guy Mitchell Sputnik Monroe The Mysterious Medics (Tony Gonzales & Donald Lortie) The Medics (The Interns - Billy Garrett & Jim Starr) Jerry Oates Pat O’Connor Motoshi Okuma Pat Patterson Eduardo Perez Angelo Poffo The Professional Ken Ramey Ron Reed (Buddy Colt) Tex Riley Victor Rivera Red Roberts Argentina Rocca Buddy Rogers Bob Roop Pancho Rosario (Gypsy Joe) Len Rossi Seiji Sakaguchi Bruno Sammartino Dutch Savage Joe Scarpa (Jay Strongbow) Hans Schmidt George Scott Bobby Shane The Sheik Mitsu Sito Sugi Sito Wilbur Snyder Roberto Soto The Spoiler Stan Stasiak Dick Steinborn Kevin Sullivan Sandor Szabo Lou Thesz John Tolos Enrique Torres Rip Tyler Tarzan Tyler Butcher Vachon Mad Dog Vachon Johnny Valentine Von Brauners (Kurt & Karl) Fritz Von Erich Waldo Von Erich Johnny Weaver Wildman Wehba (Skandor Akbar) Saul Weingeroff Lester Welch Roy Lee Welch "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods Rube Wright Yukon Eric
National Wrestling Alliance - Atlanta (1962-1972) After rejoining the Alliance, the Atlanta outfit experienced some big changes. Paul Jones, in his sixties, was a stockholder, not the main promoter. Instead, it was Don McIntyre, until he sold his stock to Buddy Fuller. Leslie Wolfe took over running the office for a stint, then the aging Jones stepped in again. Fuller was a top star along with majority stockholder Ray Gunkel, the two tagged up frequently as well. However, they did not see the business in the same way and frequently butted heads. Fuller traded his Georgia stock with his uncle Lester Welch for stock in Florida. The conflicts continued until Gunkel's sudden death. Most suspected his wife Ann would see his stock and the fighting would cease, but instead she stepped up and wanted to run the show. When the boys tried to keep her out, she left and took nearly all the talent with her. Jones and Welch were only saved by their familial and Alliance-based connections. Skandor Akbar Gene Anderson Lars Anderson Bob Armstrong The Assassins Ox Baker Brute Bernard Black Gordman Freddie Blassie Nick Bockwinkel Tony Borne Bobo Brazil Gino Brito Bearcat Brown Lonnie Brown (Dutch Savage) Frankie Cain Haystacks Calhoun Don Carson Buddy Colt Corsica Brothers (Joe & Jean) Wayne Cowan (Dutch Mantell) Don Curtis Jack Dalton (Don Fargo) The Destroyer Dick the Bruiser Bill Dromo Dusek Riot Squad J.C. Dykes Bob Ellis Don Fargo Bobby Fields Lee Fields Stan Frazier Buddy Fuller Robert Fuller Ron Fuller Dory Funk Jr. Dory Funk Sr. Terry Funk Verne Gagne Mario Galento Gino Garibaldi Leo Garibaldi Ron Garvin Terry Garvin Mike George Jimmy Golden Pepper Gomez Eddie Graham Jerry Graham Luke Graham Ray Gunkel Gypsy Joe Swede Hanson Rip Hawk Heavenly Bodies (Al & Don Greene) John Paul Henning Danny Hodge Hollywood Blonds (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts) The Infernos (Frankie Cain & Rocky Smith) Mr. Ito Matt Jewell (Bearcat Brown) Rocky Johnson Krusher Karlson The Kentuckians (Tiny Smith & Luke Brown) Duke Keomuka Gene Kiniski Shinya Kojika "Krusher" Stan Kowalski Killer Karl Kox Nick Kozak Dale Lewis Bill Longson Salvadore "El Gran" Lothario (Jose Lothario) Ken Lucas Tex McKenzie Bill Miller Tiny Mills Hiro Matsuda Missouri Mauler (Larry Hamilton) Guy Mitchell Sputnik Monroe The Mysterious Medics (Tony Gonzales & Donald Lortie) The Medics (The Interns - Billy Garrett & Jim Starr) Jerry Oates Pat O’Connor Motoshi Okuma Pat Patterson Eduardo Perez Angelo Poffo The Professional Ken Ramey Ron Reed (Buddy Colt) Tex Riley Victor Rivera Red Roberts Argentina Rocca Buddy Rogers Bob Roop Pancho Rosario (Gypsy Joe) Len Rossi Seiji Sakaguchi Bruno Sammartino Dutch Savage Joe Scarpa (Jay Strongbow) Hans Schmidt George Scott Bobby Shane The Sheik Mitsu Sito Sugi Sito Wilbur Snyder Roberto Soto The Spoiler Stan Stasiak Dick Steinborn Kevin Sullivan Sandor Szabo Lou Thesz John Tolos Enrique Torres Rip Tyler Tarzan Tyler Butcher Vachon Mad Dog Vachon Johnny Valentine Von Brauners (Kurt & Karl) Fritz Von Erich Waldo Von Erich Johnny Weaver Wildman Wehba (Skandor Akbar) Saul Weingeroff Lester Welch Roy Lee Welch "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods Rube Wright Yukon Eric
GCW - Georgia Championship Wrestling (1974-1984)
Jim Barnett left his promotion in Australia, bought out Lester and Roy Welch's stock in Mid-South Sports and voted to
rename the company "Georgia Championship Wrestling." The "War for Georgia" was raging between the NWA affliated Atlanta
office and Ann Gunkel All-South promotion with each group battling over Atlanta, Columbus, Savannah, Augusta, Macon and
other cities in the state. Barnett brought in the best minds to help GCW as Bill Watts, Ole Anderson and Jerry Jarrett
did some excellent booking that soundly reclaimed Georgia and reaped the benefits of All-South's fall. Barnett secured a
Saturday night spot on WTBS and when it went to satellite in 1976, the company became the first NWA affiliate to gain
national exposure. Over the next ten years, the organization became one of the best in the United States and their TV was
considered some of the best. They began using the "World Championship Wrestling" name for programming that Barnett had
previously used in Australia to minimize their regional feel. This corresponded with an unprecidented move by expanding
their operations to Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. Whlie they were not aggressively invading, they were making it
obvious that a national move was going to be made by someone at some point. Then Barnett was voted out as chairman of the
company and he left the NWA the following year. Barnett used the influence that had made GCW a national powerhouse to
destroy it. He brokered a deal that saw the WWF acquire GCW through a stock buyout and their valuable TV timeslot.
Although the WWF did not last on WTBS, the move effectively killed Georgia Championship Wrestling. Ole Anderson tried to
salvage the remains, but to no avail.
Abdullah the Butcher
Arn Anderson
Gene Anderson
Lars Anderson
Ole Anderson
Bob Armstrong
Brad Armstrong
The Assassins
Tony Atlas
Norvell Austin
Bob Backlund
Ron Bass
Jonathan Boyd
Jack Brisco
Jerry Brisco
Killer Tim Brooks
Bad Leroy Brown
King Kong Bundy
Ray Candy
Porkchop Cash
Tony Charles
Buddy Colt
The Crusher
Ted DiBiase
James Dillon
Bobby Duncum
Bobby Eaton
Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes)
Manny Fernandez
Mr. Fuji
Robert Fuller Dory Funk Jr.
Terry Funk
Ron Garvin
Terry Garvin
Gorgeous George Jr.
Sterling Golden (Hulk Hogan)
Gordman & Goliath
Jacques Goulet
Stan Hansen
Bobby Heenan
Dean Ho
Tim Horner
Austin Idol
Iron Sheik
Bill Irwin
Rocky Johnson
Rufus R. Jones
Junkyard Dog
Steve Keirn
Roger Kirby
Ivan Koloff
Killer Karl Kox
Ernie Ladd
Stanley Lane
Blackjack Lanza
Dutch Mantell
Ken Mantell
Masked Superstar
Rick Martel
Wahoo McDaniel
Mongolian Stomper
Angelo Mosca
Oates Brothers (Ted & Jerry)
Rip Oliver
Paul Orndorff
Bob Orton Jr.
Thunderbolt Patterson
Harley Race
Dusty Rhodes
Tommy Rich
Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal)
Jake Roberts
Rip Rogers
Jerry Roberts (Jacques Rougeau Jr.)
The Russian Assassin (Alexis Smirnoff)
Mr. Saito
The Samoans (Afa & Sika)
Buzz Sawyer
Dick Slater
Alexei Smirnoff
Jimmy Snuka
Pak Song
The Spoiler
John Studd
Kevin Sullivan
Super Destroyer (Scott Irwin)
Toru Tanaka
Terry Taylor
Genichiro Tenryu
Les Thornton
Jimmy Valiant
Johnny Valiant
Baron Von Raschke
Koko B. Ware
Mr. Wrestling
Mr. Wrestling II
Larry Zbyszko
I'd like to thank first and foremost the websites Mid-Atlantic Gateway and Peach State Pandemonium,
which provided a wealth of information. Furthermore, thanks to Tim Hornbaker's NWA History book, an invaluable resource.
Also the various contributions to kayfabememories.com that helped with some details. And, of course Royal Duncun and Gary
Will's contributions to wrestling-titles.com
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