Charting The Territories

In the 4th quarter of 1976, not one not two but three babyface turns, the World Junior Heavyweight title tournament finally ends, spoiling the identity of the second Spoiler & more!

In September 1976, the Spoiler and “the Axe” come to town, Tom Jones leaves the area (which WAS unusual), the never-ending NWA World Junior Heavyweight title tourney is almost over & more!

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in August 1976: Murdoch moves back up to the top of the cards and gets a few shots at the Funker, Pat Barrett turns heel & more!

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in July 1976: the first-ever wrestling card at the Superdome featured Bill Watts finally getting a chance at NWA World Heavyweight champ Terry Funk, Dick Murdoch and Killer Karl Kox facing off in a Jim Bowie Death Match & more! Here are the SPOT Ratings for the month. COMINGS AND GOINGS Newcomers to the territory this month are babyface Pat Barrett and heel John Ravens. “Irish” Pat Barrett (aka Paddy Barrett) came here for the first time since 1963, coming in from the WWWF. He would be a part of the ongoing tournament to fill the vacant NWA World Junior Heavyweight title. Ravens was sometimes billed as Sir John Ravens and his last name was sometimes spelled Raven. I don’t have any information on any other identities he may have used, and prior to this stint I have no information on his whereabouts. Leaving the territory during the month was heel the Medic. He is believed to have been Jim Starr, who appears here as himself in Sept...

Now that we're halfway through the year, I wanted to take a look back at the first 6 months of the McGuirk wrestling territory in 1976.

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in June 1976: Buck Robley turns babyface, the tournament to crown a new World Junior Heavyweight champ begins & more!

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in May 1976: the junior heavyweights are coming, Kox collects a bounty but is fined an amount greater than said bounty, two tag title changes & more!

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in April 1976: Bill Watts fends off challenges from Waldo Von Erich and a surprising bounty hunter, Scandor Akbar comes in for a quickie, a look at a heel vs heel tag team feud & more!

Here's a look at the McGuirk wrestling territory in March 1976: Danny Hodge breaks his neck in a car accident less than 2 weeks after regaining the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title, Blondes have more fun and get the gold, the Funker comes to town, Sweetan returns while Patera moves up & 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 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 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 8th, 1976: Waldo Von Erich and Gorgeous George Jr move up the cards and into big feuds & more!

For the week ending February 1st, 1976: the new NWA World Heavyweight champion comes in for the week, new tag team champions & more!

For the week ending January 25th, 1976: with Matsuda not booked regularly in the area the heavyweights dominate the top spots on the cards as well as the biggest feuds & more!

For the week ending January 18th, 1976: an interesting look at how McGuirk used three different African-American babyfaces over a six-month period of time, the Murdoch-Kox feud continues to heat up & more!

For the week ending January 11th, 1976: Haystack Calhoun sets up shop in the territory for a few weeks, the vacated US Tag Team titles become un-vacated & more!

For the week ending January 4th, 1976: Murdoch and Kox feud heating up while Hodge gets more shots at World Jr champ Matsuda, Slaughter and Pork Chop in a loser leaves town match in Fort Smith & more!