Charting The Territories

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in March 1972: Danny Hodge regains the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title from Doctor X, Ken Mantell and Eric the Red move up the cards, the US Tag Team titles change hands, The Stomper (non-Mongolian version) debuts & more!

Welcome to Chapter 3 of The McGuirk/Watts Wrestling Almanac, an in-depth data-driven look at the wrestling territory run by Leroy McGuirk (and later, Bill Watts). The territory is most commonly known as Tri-State Wrestling and/or Mid-South Wrestling, though neither of those names were actually used until September 1979 when Watts split from McGuirk. Every month we will post a new Chapter, with each chapter covering a three-month period of time. Previous chapters: Chapter 1  (Q4 1959) Chapter 2  (Q1 1960) ----- THE McGUIRK/WATTS WRESTLING ALMANAC CHAPTER 3 (Q2 1960) ADVERTISED LINEUPS FOR ALL KNOWN HOUSE SHOWS 3/28/60 Tulsa, OK (Fairgrounds Junior Arena) Ali Bey vs Timmy Geohagen Danny Hodge vs Jack Donovan Carlos Rodriguez vs Jody Hamilton 3/29/60 Little Rock, AR (Robinson Auditorium) Ali Bey vs Danny Hodge Jack Donovan vs Timmy Geohagen Carlos Rodriguez vs Jody Hamilton 3/30/60 Fort Smith, AR (Sports Arena) Carlos Rodriguez vs Hassan Bey Jody Hamilton vs Ti...

For the week ending March 2nd, 1980: A bit of history as JYD has the highest SPOT Rating in Mid-South this week for the first time, Bull Ramos and Iron Mike Sharpe square off in various stipulation bouts, DiBiase defends the North American title against Mike George and Ernie Ladd & more!

For the week ending March 2nd, 1980: The Spoiler goes to Japan but uses a different name there, some background info on Siegfried Stanke, Tommy Gilbert gets some familial backup & more!

For the week ending February 29th, 1976: Danny Hodge hot on the heels of Hiro Matsuda, it's the beginning of the end for the feud between Dick Murdoch and Killer Karl Kox, a 1972 Olympian debuts & more!

For the week ending February 27th, 1972: World champ Dory Funk Jr takes on all comers, Vic Muehler runs Great Mephisto out of the territory and starts seeing "red" (as in, Eric the Red) & more!

For the week ending February 24th, 1980: a rather surprising name leaves the territory for a month-long tour of Japan, a third man interjects himself into the Freebirds' feud with JYD & Robley (and no, it's not Buddy Roberts...yet) & more!

For the week ending February 24th, 1980: Scandor Akbar back in the ring, Ron Starr defends the NWA World Junior belt against Brian Blair & more!

For the week ending February 22nd, 1976: Hiro Matsuda returns and defends the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title against Ted DiBiase, Waldo Von Erich is the champ of Europe (well, not really), the top three feuds show little signs of slowing down & more!

For the week ending February 20th, 1972: World champ Dory Funk Jr faces Bill Watts in Shreveport, Great Mephisto on the way out, Dale Lewis on the way in, Ken Mantell on the way up & more!

For the week ending February 17th, 1980: Ernie Ladd and Iron Mike Sharpe each try to beat the other to become "champ-champ", a number of wrestlers from outside the territory work a show in Biloxi & more!

For the week ending February 17th, 1980: Ron Starr wins the NWA World's Junior Heavyweight title to end a tournament that actually started before the previous champ vacated the title & more!

For the week ending February 15th, 1976: The Blondes and Gorgeous George Jr move up to main event status as their tag team feud (also involving Greg Valentine) heats up & more!

For the week ending February 13th, 1972: The roster is stacked with wrestlers capable of being in main events in any given town on any given night, Ramon Torres being moved down the cards allows us to discuss some "Booking 101" & more!

Download your copy of the Charting the Territories snapshot, covering 21 different wrestling territories the week of Feb 8, 1976. Download for free or name your own price!

For the week ending February 10th, 1980: JYD & Robley vs Freebirds continues to be the main feud, Mike George has a bounty out on Ted DiBiase & more!

For the week ending February 10th, 1980: the semi-finals of the Junior Heavyweight title tournament, the future Glamour Girls come to the area & more!

For the week ending February 8th, 1976: Waldo Von Erich and Gorgeous George Jr move up the cards and into big feuds & more!

For the week ending February 6th, 1972: Mephisto and Muehler have the biggest feud in the territory, Bill Watts, Doctor X and the team of Billy Red Lyons & Tom Jones defend their respective titles & more!