By: “DragonKingKarl” Karl Stern (Patreon)
Professional Wrestling Historian: Author of DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus
10-20-1986: The headline story in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter was speculation that top UWF star Jim Duggan was headed to the WWF. Dave Meltzer says there is still a lot of speculation about Adrian Adonis, he now says that he believes he is through with the WWF. In other notes: The British Bulldogs are now using Matilda the Bulldog as a mascot, and WWF TNT has been cancelled due to low ratings. In other notes: USA All-Star Wrestling in Texas has closed down with World Class taking over most of its assets. Buddy Landell has been fired from Central States/Jim Crockett Promotions. Rick Rude & Manny Fernandez are set to become a tag team in Jim Crockett Promotions. They will ultimately win the NWA World tag team title. Dave Meltzer further criticizes World Class changing Bam Bam Bigelow’s name to Crusher Yurkov and, not only that, but instead of bringing him in as a killer monster, he debuted against Magnificent Zulu (Ron Pope) in a 12 minute match where Zulu took few bumps and made Bigelow look weak. Scott Irwin has now left Florida wrestling after becoming too sick to continue. Dave also said that he heard a report that prior to Tony Atlas getting fired by the WWF, one of the road agents told Atlas that Vince McMahon was upset with him and he really needed to shine tonight, so, Tony Atlas covered himself in baby oil and then asked the same road agent if he ‘shined enough?’ This issue of the Observer ended with a cryptic note added in the lower edge of the last page stating. “FLASH: Magnum T.A. was injured in a car accident on the morning of 10/14. At press time he’s hospitalized in critical condition. No other details available.”
WWF: Madison Square Garden: New York City, NY: Attendance: 13,000: Haku & Tama co-won a tag team battle royal… King Kong Bundy defeated Super Machine (Bill Eadie)… Greg Valentine defeated Davey Boy Smith… Dynamite Kid defeated Jim Neidhart… Jacques Rougeau defeated Iron Sheik… Bret Hart defeated Raymond Rougeau… Jim Brunzell battled Mike Rotundo to a double count out… Brutus Beefcake defeated Brian Blair… Haku defeated Nikolai Volkoff… Tama (Tonga Kid) defeated Moondog Rex… S.D. Jones defeated Moondog Spot.
World-Class: Ft. Worth, TX: Crusher Yurkov (AKA: Bam Bam Bigelow) defeated World Class TV champion Steve Simpson to win the title.
CWA (Jerry Jarrett) Memphis, TN: Mid-South Coliseum drawing 6,000: Bubba Monroe beat Davey Haskins… Dennis Hall beat William Thompson… Ric McCord & John Paul beat Larry Wright & Keith Robertson… The Ninja (Tony Burton) beat Pat Tanaka… Tracy Smothers beat Boy Tony (Tony Falk) to win the Mid-America title… CWA International champion Big Bubba (Fred Ottman) beat Giant Hillbilly (Stan Frazier)… Dirty Rhodes & Don Bass & Tojo Yamamoto & Akio Sato & Tarzan Goto beat Austin Idol & Tommy Rich & Jerry Lawler & Jeff & Jerry Jarrett in a hospital elimination match.
DragonKingKarl Note: Families in pro wrestling, whether real or imagined, is part of its enduring charm. The first family of pro wrestlers was back in the pioneer era (1800s) when American champion John McMahon and his cousins James & Peter Owens and Ed Cox were all top national wrestlers. On this 1986 show in Memphis, TN, Bubba Monroe was the son of Memphis legend Sputnik Monroe and Davey Haskins would soon be wrestling in Continental under the last name of his famous cousin Tommy as Davey Rich.
Taken from Karl Stern’s book DragonKingKarl’s 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus available at Amazon.
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