Vladimir Petrov (wrestler)
Al Blake is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Vladimir Petrov. Petrov wrestled in various North American promotions including Jim Crockett Promotions and the Universal Wrestling Federation, most notably as a member of The Russian Team and Paul Jones' Army with Ivan Koloff during the 1980s. Professional wrestling career Jim Crockett Promotions A former bouncer, Al Blake was brought into the Jim Crockett Promotions in January 1987 as the masked Vladimir Petrov, "The Russian Assassin" after Krusher Khruschev had left for the World Wrestling Federation. Although then head booker Dusty Rhodes was to originally have brought in John Nord, he instead had Blake team with Koloff at the last minute. Introduced as a protégé of Ivan Koloff, he had been brought to the United States to help Ivan Koloff in his feud with Nikita Koloff after turning on Ivan Koloff's group. Facing Nikita Koloff in a series of Russian Chain Matches, they eventually kayfa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins in timber and as the flour milling capital of the world. It occupies both banks of the Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, the state capital of Minnesota. Prior to European settlement, the site of Minneapolis was inhabited by Dakota people. The settlement was founded along Saint Anthony Falls on a section of land north of Fort Snelling; its growth is attributed to its proximity to the fort and the falls providing power for industrial activity. , the city has an estimated 425,336 inhabitants. It is the most populous city in the state and the 46th-most-populous city in the United States. Minneapolis, Saint Paul and the surrounding area are collectively known as the Twin Cities. Minneapolis has one of the most extensive public par ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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John Nord
John Eric Nord (born October 18, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association and World Class Championship Wrestling in the 1980s as Nord the Barbarian and Yukon John and with the World Wrestling Federation, All Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s as The Berzerker and under his birth name. Professional wrestling career Early career (1984–1985) Nord was trained to wrestle by Eddie Sharkey. He debuted in late 1984 under the ring name "The Barbarian" for Mid-South Wrestling, where he was managed by Skandor Akbar. He also worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. American Wrestling Association (1985–1987) In 1985, the AWA originally promoted him as a member of the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League. In 1986, he became Nord the Barbarian and wrestled in singles and tag team matches (under manager Sheik Adnan El-Kaissey) in the American Wres ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Todd Champion
Todd Bradford (born September 2, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Todd Champion. He competed in the Southeastern United States, winning titles in several promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Professional wrestling career National Wrestling Alliance (1986–1988) Champion started wrestling in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in 1986, making his debut in a match against Ivan Koloff on an NWA Worldwide taping that April. He gained his first televised victory only a month later when he pinned The Golden Terror (Thunderfoot) on the May 24 edition of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. However Champion was used primarily as a jobber, until he was sent to the Central States territory to team with D.J. Peterson to develop his skills. He and Peterson captured the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship by defeating The Thunderfoots (Joel Deaton and Dave Deaton) on November 7, 1986. They held the title for almost ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Angel Of Death (wrestler)
David Sheldon (July 20, 1953 – November 25, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Angel of Death. Sheldon wrestled in various North American regional promotions during the 1980s and early 1990s including Stampede Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) (as the bodyguard of The Freebirds) and in Jim Crockett Promotions (where he was the first man to portray the masked wrestler " The Black Scorpion"). Professional wrestling career Early career (1985–1987) Sheldon debuted in 1985. In early 1986, he began wrestling with "Strangler" Steve DiSalvo as "The Angel of Death" in the Calgary-based Stampede Wrestling and faced mainstays such as Johnny Smith and feuded with Owen Hart eventually losing to him and Bruce Hart in a tag team match with Robbie Stewart in Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan on April 28, and to he and Ben Bassarab in Calgary, Alberta on June 20, 1986. Moving on to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Brad Armstrong (wrestler)
Robert Bradley "Brad" James (June 15, 1962 – November 1, 2012) was an Americans, American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Brad Armstrong. He is best known for his appearances with the Professional wrestling promotion, promotion World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s. He was the son of wrestler Bob Armstrong, "Bullet Bob" Armstrong and brother to professional wrestlers Steve Armstrong, Steve, Scott Armstrong (wrestler), Scott and Road Dogg, Brian. Professional wrestling career National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling (1980–1995) Brad Armstrong started out in the National Wrestling Alliance's Gulf Coast territory, Continental Championship Wrestling, Southeastern Championship Wrestling in July 1980 at the age of 18. He was a Face (professional wrestling), face, or good guy, due to his good looks and superb wrestling ability. He feuded with Jerry Stubbs and Tom Prichard during his stay there and won the NWA Un ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bob Armstrong
Joseph Melton James (October 3, 1939 – August 27, 2020) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. In the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Armstrong held numerous championships throughout the Southeastern United States. His four sons, Joseph Scott, Robert Bradley, Steve and Brian Girard, all became wrestlers. Early life Joseph Melton James was born in Marietta, Georgia on October 3, 1939. When he was a child, Joseph James's father took him to see Gorgeous George wrestle. The young James was impressed and intrigued by the flamboyant performer. As a young man, James served in the United States Marine Corps in the early 1960s and was stationed in Korea. During his recruit training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island on Parris Island, South Carolina, James was named Honor Man. After leaving the military, he began working for the Fair Oaks (later Cobb County) Fire Department as a firefighter in 1962. P ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham (born July 4, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In NWA/WCW, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a one-time United States Heavyweight Champion, a one-time Television Champion, a one-time Western States Heritage Champion, a four-time NWA (Mid Atlantic)/WCW World Tag Team Champion and a one-time NWA United States Tag Team Champion with Ron Garvin. In the WWF, he was a two-time World Tag Team Champion with his brother-in-law, Mike Rotunda. On March 31, 2012, Windham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of The Four Horsemen. Professional wrestling career Early years (1979–1984) Windham was trained by his father Blackjack Mulligan and popular world champion Harley Race. He debuted on November 27, 1979 against J.J. Dillon in San Angelo, Texas whe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ron Garvin
Roger Barnes (born March 30, 1945) is a Canadian former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. He is best known for his appearances with Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Championships held by Garvin over his career include the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He headlined the Starrcade 1987 pay-per-view event. Professional wrestling career Early career (1962–1984) Barnes started wrestling in 1962 under his birthname. In the mid-1960s he adopted the ring name "Ron Garvin" and formed a tag team with Terry Garvin, who was billed as being his brother. The duo teamed throughout the late-1960s and early-1970s, winning several regional tag team championships. They were managed by their other "brother," Jimmy Garvin (actually Ron's stepson in real life). In the mid 1980s, Ronnie and Jimmy had a heated feud with the Rougeaus in International Wrestling in Montreal, Garvi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jimmy Garvin
James Williams (born September 25, 1952) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Gorgeous Jimmy" Garvin and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin. A member of The Fabulous Freebirds, Garvin is best known for his appearances with promotions including the American Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling. Early life Williams grew up in Tampa, Florida, where he was an amateur wrestler. Professional wrestling career Early career (1968-1983) Garvin began his wrestling career in November 1968 at the age of 16 as Beau James. He soon took the name "Gorgeous Jimmy" Garvin and was given two kayfabe brothers, Terry and Ron Garvin, whom he briefly managed. He toured the Mid-South and Florida territories from 1978 until 1983. In 1982, Garvin (while holding the NWA Florida Global Tag Team Championship with Big John Studd) won the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship from Sweet Brown Sugar. As a reward, Garvin's manager ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Fabulous Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team who attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name. The Freebird lineup of Hayes, Roberts, and Gordy was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015, and members Hayes, Roberts, Gordy, and Garvin were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016. History The Fabulous Freebirds started performing together in 1979 when Mid South Wrestling promoter Bill Watts put together the duo of Michael "P.S." Hayes and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy. Though originally meant to be a tag team, he soon added Buddy "Jack" Roberts into the mix, and they became a "three man gang" type of tag-team—an unusual concept at the time. They invented a concept that is now called The Freebird Rule in their honor, in which any two of three members can defend the team's championships. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rock 'n' Roll Express
The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Mid-South Wrestling (later to be known as the Universal Wrestling Federation), followed by a stint with Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). They held the NWA World Tag Team Championship nine times, with the first four times in JCP. They also feuded with The Four Horsemen. In the late 1980s, they were contenders for the American Wrestling Association's AWA World Tag Team Championship. By 1991, the team was losing momentum, and Morton turned heel on his partner to join The York Foundation in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1992, the team reformed in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, where they held the SMW Tag Team Championship ten times. The duo also worked in the World Wrestling Federation. On March 31, 2017, the Rock 'n' Roll Express was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Jim Cor ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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NWA World Tag Team Championship
The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed member promotions to create their own territorial version of the "NWA World Tag Team Championship" without oversight from the board of directors. The first of these NWA World Tag Team Championships was created in 1950 in the San Francisco territory, which while billed as a "World" title was essentially restricted to the specific NWA territory. In 1957 as many as 13 versions of the NWA World Tag Team Championship were confirmed to be in existence. In 1982 Big Time Wrestling, based in Los Angeles, closed and abandoned their version of the championship. The following year, the World Wrestling Federation, an NWA member at the time and which had its own World Tag Team Championship, split from the NWA in acrimony. This meant that only the Jim Crockett Promotions' NWA World Tag Team Championship was active within the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |