WEAVER battles FUNK for the GOLD

                From February 1, 1971 thru April 10, 1972, one of the all-time greatest booking programs in JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS history unfolded.

JCP's top wrestler at the time JOHNNY WEAVER sought to capture the NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, held by Texan DORY FUNK JR.

The fourteen month series of matches occurred almost exclusively in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Texas and Florida an integral part of the program.

Enjoy the following rare photos from this incredible series of matches...

Clipping from THE MID-ATLANTIC GATEWAY

Challenger JOHNNY WEAVER

NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
DORY FUNK JR.

A perfectly executed suplex by FUNK.

The Champ had the momentum at this point.

The participants face off.

The referee is Walter Buckner.

A WEAVER arm bar has the Champ in pain.

The Challenger tosses the Champ.

Champion FUNK returns the favor.

JOHNNY in control once again.

 

 

 

 

 

 THE INFERNOS

(ROCKY SMITH, FRANKIE CAIN)

J.C. DYKES

 

 

THE MASKED AND UNMASKED INFERNOS

 If anyone ever 'pinned me down' (pardon the pun) and made me 'cry uncle' as to who was my all-time favorite pro wrestling 'heel' team, I could have the hold released immediately by saying...

THE INFERNOS

with Mgr. J.C. DYKES

The original men behind the blue hoods were Frankie Cain and Roland 'Rocky' Smith. After a few years, Frankie left the team to become known as The Great Mephisto.

Filling the vacancy was Rocky's brother Curtis Smith.

Later, others would wear the masks before the official Infernos were done, and to this day, there are knock-off Infernos.

But none come close to the greatness as J.C. DYKES and his blue tigers, THE INFERNOS.

The original pairing of THE INFERNOS
Rocky Smith and Frankie Cain (standing)
J.C. Dykes (seated)

Then came THE INFERNOS trio of
Rocky Smith, J.C. Dykes, Curtis Smith

Here is a great photo of THE INFERNOS unmasked and away from the wrestling ring.
Rocky Smith, J.C. Dykes, Curtis Smith

The photo, I believe, is from the collection of David Smith, Rocky's son. I borrowed it from THE MASKED INFERNOS Facebook page. Since some of my web page photos are on THE MASKED INFERNOS Facebook page, I hope they won't mind I took this photo from their's.

 

 

 

 NELSON ROYAL, LES THATCHER,

SANDY SCOTT

BASHIN' IN 1987 - THE END WAS NEAR

 

FLAIR and RHODES go at it again...

BIG BUBBA ROGERS throws BARRY WINDHAM for a loss.

DR. DEATH STEVE WILLIAMS lands one upside DICK MURDOCH.

RICK STEINER and STING, former partners, now feuding.

------

JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS, into its sixth decade of operation, would soon be no more. The sale to TURNER ENTERTAINMENT was on the horizon.

In one of its final big programs, THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH was a month-long event, starting JULY 1 in Lakeland, Florida and ending July 31 at the ORANGE BOWL in Miami. But in-between these two Sunshine State shows, THE BASH journeyed as far west as Los Angeles and San Francisco, and north as Landover, Maryland. Cross-country shows were held in Chicago, Atlanta, Richmond, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Baltimore, Charlotte, Greensboro, Norfolk, Richmond, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia and Cleveland, among others.

 JOHNNY WEAVER vs TWO TON HARRIS

1987 - BACK TO THE BASH

 

JIM CROCKETT PROMOTIONS, into its sixth decade of operation, would soon be no more.

The sale of the company to TURNER ENTERTAINMENT was on the horizon.

In one of its final big programs, THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH was a month-long event, starting July 1 in Lakeland, Florida and ending July 31 at the Orange Bowl in Miami. But in-between these two Sunshine State shows, The BASH journeyed as far west as Los Angeles and San Francisco, and north as Landover, Maryland. Cross-country shows were held in Chicago, Atlanta, Richmond, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Baltimore, Charlotte, Greensboro, Norfolk, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia and Cleveland, among others.

ROAD WARRIOR HAWK and 'Total Package' LEX LUGER lock up.

THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS ('Sweet' STAN LANE and 'Beautiful' BOBBY EATON) double-team FREEBIRD MICHAEL HAYES.

TULLY BLANCHARD shows the toll on his body after battling DUSTY RHODES.

MIKE ROTUNDO catches one from former WORLD CHAMP DORY FUNK, JR.

A REMATCH IN LEXINGTON

                                                                     March 19, 1966

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

56 years ago

TEX McKENZIE

'BIG' IKE EAKINS

'ROWDY RED ROBERTS'

STEVE BOLUS

ABE JACOBS

BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY

Texas wrestling buddies TEX McKENZIE and NELSON ROYAL have happily agreed to give the skin-headed duo of BRUTE BERNARD and SKULL MURPHY a rematch at the LEXINGTON YMCA tonight.

BERNARD and MURPHY have been howling 'robbery' because of the recent meeting of the two teams a few weeks ago here at the YMCA. These two are demanding satisfaction, so the return best-out-of-three falls rematch will feature tonight's all-star card.

'BIG' IKE EAKINS will face popular New Zealander ABE JACOBS in the evening's semi-final contest.

Girl wrestlers, both making their LEXINGTON debuts, will square off with JESSICA ROGERS meeting PRINCESS CHI CHI.

Good-looking STEVE BOLUS will combat 'ROWDY' RED ROBERTS in the 8:15 opening encounter.

 

 

THE INFERNOS

with Mgr. J.C. DYKES

TWO LEGENDARY CROCKETT TEAMS TANGLE

                                                                    January 30, 1965

LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

Action galore is on tap for professional wrestling fans fortunate enough to attend

the big card tonight at the LEXINGTON YMCA starting at 8:15.

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT, known world-wide as THE FLYING SCOTTS, and victorious here last Saturday, will face long-time rivals RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON, wrestling's BLONDE BOMBERS, in the featured two-out-of-three-falls main event.

A top semifinal match is scheduled with popular young JOHNNY WEAVER taking on rugged ex-footballer MIKE PAIDOUSUS.

Two other singles matches will round out the program when Indian star CHIEF BIG HEART faces MIKE VALENTINO *, and TONY NERO will face a newcomer to Lexington when he squares off against THE ALASKAN (JAY YORK).

GEORGE and SANDY SCOTT

MIKE PAIDOUSUS

MIKE VALENTINO

JOHNNY WEAVER

RIP HAWK and SWEDE HANSON

* MIKE VALENTINO wrestled in the WWWF as BARON MIKEL SCICLUNA.