However, I sometimes rewatch entire years or seasons at once and I'm working on 1986 in the promotion owned by Bill Watts that started the year as Mid-South Wrestling and changed its name to the Universal Wrestling Federation as the year progressed in an attempt to establish itself as a national promotion.
I first noticed the UWF on Baltimore television in August 1986, and I am currently watching May, so up to that point, it's either a new episode to me or I saw it so long ago that I remember very little about seeing the episode.
For the purposes of this, I am going to ask questions that I do not have the answer and should I ever receive those answers- I will edit this and give credit to whoever gives the answer.
On one program, the old (not the one that would be turned over to the company when the UWF title becomes the top title in the federation) North American championship belt was offered in a contest with one clue given over four shows to make a guess on the trivia question with the winner winning the belt.
I've seen two of these four episodes, so I'm sure they eventually announce the winner, but does that person still own that belt? And if not, who does?
The big Russian character Korstia Korchenko managed by "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert was being given a huge push on television and even had interaction with Cowboy Bill Watts but disappeared suddenly and quickly shortly after that.
Why was this cut off and was there an incident with Korchenko and someone else in the territory?
I didn't recognize Korchenko, so did he have a previous gimmick in another area? And where did Korchenko wrestle after leaving Mid-South?
Then-North American champion Dick Slater, also held the Mid-South TV title, which was against the promotion rules, and a vignette was shown with Slater and valet Dark Journey dumping the TV medal ( yes, medal) into the Mississippi River.
It was an excuse to replace the medal with a traditional title belt (I didn't care for the medal but credit them for trying something different) but the question is did anyone ever look for or find the medal at the bottom of the river?
Am I the only person who thinks the Fantastics were better than the Rock N Roll Express?
Granted, they never drew the same money as the RnR but some of that was good fortune in getting to an area first, their matches hold up a little better and I firmly believe that the late Tommy Rogers of the Fantastics ranks with the most underrated stars of the age.
The commentary of Bill Watts is so on point and more like a true sports analyst rather than the often cartoonish aspect that so many wrestling color commentators portray.
While Watts does an excellent job in getting the points across that he wants, I'm not sure that it would play as well today.
Take, for example, his feelings on Russia and yes, he is trying to make the Russian Korchenko the heel in this case but he paints such a broad brush covering all Russians as being cheats and horrible people (you had to know the times) that I'm not sure that his commentary would wear well in the current climate.
Another topic that both Watts and Jim Ross mentioned on two different shows was how Michael Hayes was the "Charles Manson-like" cult leader of the Fabulous Freebirds and once mentioned that Terry Gordy was under the spell of Hayes.
While I've never heard of anything beyond pointing out that Hayes was the leader of the team, I wonder if it had ever been discussed to have Hayes as a cult leader with Gordy and Buddy Roberts doing his bidding?
It's more likely that it was a talking point to establish Michael Hayes as the leader and mouthpiece of the group but it's interesting to think about.
I have watched into May at this point, so I may do a second post on this topic after I have finished the year.
