NWA (JCP) World Championship Wrestling (March 8, 1986)

Original Airdate: March 8, 1986 (taped March 2)

From Atlanta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and David Crockett

Ron Garvin stops by the desk, and he feels a world title reign coming on. Thanks for the warning!

Ron Garvin v Tony Zane: Why does Garvin keep bringing up his electrician job, like he’s some 1995 WWF midcarder? Ron with a punch at 3:07. DUD

Baron von Raschke doesn’t like boogie woogie 

Barbarian v Bill Tabb: Tabb is a pretty big guy, looks really impressive for a jobber. Barbarian with a flying headbutt drop at 3:02. DUD

Jimmy Valiant isn’t afraid of Paul Jones or his Army

Leo Burke v George South: This is Burke’s TV debut, and he puts South away with a kneedrop at 3:39. DUD

New NWA National Champion Tully Blanchard comes out to gloat about picking up the title from Dusty Rhodes. Nothing interesting at all happened on these shows back then, did it? Was there ever even a title change? Or was everything done at the house shows, and we only heard about it on TV?

Pez Whatley v Art Pritts: Anyway, another of what this show is most famous for: a slow, boring squash. Plenty of those to go around! Pez with a jumping headbutt at 6:23. He stops by the desk afterwards to let Dusty know he can count on him for support. Oh, him? The guy who just took six and a half minutes to put Art Pritts away? I’m sure Dusty slept well that night. DUD

Jim Cornette swings by, ready to coast through the Crockett Cup tournament

The Midnight Express v Brodie Chase and Mike Somaini: The Express take their sweet time just squashing and squashing and squashing these two jobbers, before finally ending it at 6:23. Afterwards, the Midnights decide to beat up the referee, so the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express run in to beat them (and Cornette) up to a great reaction. ¼*

We get clips of Tully winning the NWA National title from Dusty in Spartanburg South Carolina on March 4. Looked like a pretty hot match with a very hot crowd. Too bad they didn’t just air those shows instead of these boring ass squash fests. The post match with Arn Anderson and Ric Flair trying to throw Baby Doll a beating before the babyfaces ran in for the save was molten 

Dusty and Baby Doll come out to react, and Dusty is so upset that he tries stripping down naked, but luckily they cut to commercial before he gets his pants off. What a time to be alive

NWA United States Champion Magnum TA comes out, and he’s ready to take on all challengers. You know, for a guy that says that, I don’t remember the last time we actually saw him defending that title

The Road Warriors v Bill Mulkey and Carl Styles: I love the Warriors, simply because they mean business. No six minute borefests for these guys. A bearhug/2nd rope clothesline combo finishes at 1:28. And that was one of their longer efforts! DUD

The Russians stop by to discuss contracts

The Rock 'n' Roll Express v Bob Owens and Larry Clarke: I have a feeling we’re in for another six minutes of armbars here, so get comfortable. The Express put it away at 4:18. Well, at least it was less than five minutes. DUD

NWA World Champion Ric Flair swings by to mock Dusty for losing his title

Jimmy Garvin v Rocky King: Garvin at least looks like an actual national star compared to a lot of these other rasslin scrubs. Which is kind of funny, considering how many of them went on to become pretty big stars, and Jimmy never really hit beyond the territories. Garvin with a brainbuster at 2:15. Afterwards, Jimmy and Precious stop by the desk to talk about Wahoo McDaniel. Eww, no wonder he never became a big star, what with getting stuck with opponents like Wahoo. DUD

Black Bart v Dr X: “You watch Bart,” Crockett tells us, in what disturbingly sounds like an edict. Bart with a 2nd rope guillotine legdrop at 3:25. ¼*

The Road Warriors are back to promise a Crockett Cup victory

Magnum is back, and apparently he’s officially signed the contract to wrestle Nikita Koloff for the US title. He’s got a new belt design here, so I guess the all silver version is now a thing of the past. This version is one of the best of any title ever, a true classic

Baron von Raschke v Mike Jackson: Baron isn’t really my thing, but he has some good menace. Baron with a clawhold into a pinfall at 4:28. DUD

Tully is back to do more mocking of Dusty

BUExperience: At least some interesting stuff happened in (the vicinity of) this episode.