Category: NWA

Bobby Eaton Hospitalized Due To Heart Issues

Jim Cornette took to social media this morning to clarify reports surrounding “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton’s health.

Eaton had reportedly suffered a heart attack recently, but his former manager explained that’s not the case in a tweet on Thursday which included more details.

Cornette tweeted:

BOBBY EATON UPDATE: He did NOT have a heart “attack”, but congestive heart failure/fluid buildup in chest, legs, etc causing heart to work harder. Being treated with diuretics, changing meds, heart rate down, pacemaker is fine, situation improving. He thanks all who are worried!

https://twitter.com/TheJimCornette/status/1141735058614734848

The 60-year-old wrestling legend has dealt with heart issues for years, going as far back as 2008.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Eaton is most famous for his work in tag teams, especially his days as one-half of The Midnight Express. Under the management of Jim Cornette, Eaton originally teamed with Dennis Condrey and, later on, with Stan Lane. He has also worked with a number of other tag team partners, including Koko B. Ware, Steve Keirn, and “Lord” Steven Regal.

More Lucha Underground Stars Reportedly Seek Legal Help To Obtain Releases

Lucha Underground may have recently settled a class action lawsuit with some of their wrestlers, but it sounds like they could be heading back to court soon with more.

Lucha Central reports Matanza Cueto (ROH star Jeff Cobb), Famous B and XO Lishus (AEW’s Sonny Kiss) have all sought legal representation in order to get their releases from Lucha Underground.

Cobb is the most surprising name on the list, as it was assumed he was released from the company after Season 4 when his character was killed off. Lucha Central claims that despite Jeff signing a contract with ROH, his previous employer has tried to block him from working there because they insist he’s still under contract.

The site also suggests Willie Mack could soon be seeking representation as well due to speculation over his LU contract status being the reason for his NWA National title loss over the weekend.

As we previously reported … El Hijo del Fantasma, Ivelisse, Joey Ryan and Kobra Moon were also recently let out of their LU contracts after banding together in a class-action lawsuit.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

2019 NWA Crockett Cup Results

Joe Galli, Jim Cornette, and Ian Riccaboni were the announce team.

Wild Card Tag Team Battle Royal (Winner is the 8th entrant into the Crockett Cup) – Winners: Royce Isaacs & Thom Latimer advance to the Crockett Cup tournament

Crockett Cup Tournament:

Flip Gordon & Bandido (ROH) vs. Stuka Jr. & Guerrera Maya Jr (CMLL) – Winners: Flip Gordon & Bandido

Royace Isaacs and Thom Latimer vs. (Crimson and Jax Dane) The War Kings (NWA) – Winners: Royce Isaacs & Thom Latimer

 

The Briscoes talk about the old Crockett Cup tournament and how the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express couldn’t make it past the first round. The Briscoes fully expect history to repeat itself. The Briscoes says they are going to win the tournament and put Rock ‘n’ Roll Express out to pasture.

Jim Cornette introduces The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, before the match gets started he asks them if they know what they’ve gotten themselves into tonight against The Briscoes. They will feed off the fans support and winning the Crockett Cup is something they want to check off their bucket list. Cornette says it’s good to see The Briscoes, “Good to see you too, Jim, now hand me that microphone!” Cornette hands it over and bounces. They let their opponents decide if they want to head to the back and keep their body in check, or fight and get retired. Morton kicks Jay below the belt before the bell rings.

The Briscoes (ROH) vs. Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (NWA) – Winners: The Briscoes 

Villain Enterprises PCO & Brody King (ROH)  vs. Kojima & Nagata (New Japan Pro Wrestling) – Winners: PCO & Brody King

 

Madusa headed out to the ring with the NWA Women’s Championship. She will present it to the winner.

NWA Women’s Championship (Vacant): Allysin Kay vs. Santana Garrett – Winner and new NWA Women’s Champion: Allysin Kay

Crockett Cup Semi-Final Match: Flip Gordon and Bandido (RHO) vs. Royce Isaacs & Thom Latimer – Winner: Royce Isaacs & Thom Latimer

Crockett Cup Semi-Final Match: The Briscoes (ROH) vs. PCO & Brody King (ROH) – Winners: PCO & Brody King via DQ

NWA National Championship: (C) Willie Mack vs. Colt Cabana – Winner and new NWA National Champion: Colt Cabana

Post-match, James Storm headed to the ring and gets on the mic. He initially congratulates Cabana for winning the title, but then yells at management for not wanting a guy like him in the main event scene. He says to Cabana that’s why he came out here to challenge Cabana because they can’t stop him from doing that. He tells Cabana to be ready next time they meet.

Members of the Crockett Family, ROH COO Joe Koff, and NWA President Billy Corgan out with the Crockett Cup and NWA World Tag Team Titles. Caprice Coleman talks with Nikita Koloff who says it’s great to be back and he thanks the Crockett Family for giving him his opportunity. Coleman asks about Koloff losing his accent, and he says after 35 years his English is bound to get better. Magnum TA heads out, Koloff welcomes him. Magnum talks about when he was able to be involved in the very first Crockett Cup and how great the experience was. The two sit ringside for the upcoming finals match.

Crockett Cup Finals: PCO & Brody King (ROH) vs. Royce Isaacs & Thom Latimer – Winners of the 2019 Crockett Cup and new NWA World Tag Team Champions: PCO and Brody King

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship: (C) Nick Aldis w/Kamilla vs. Marty Scurll – Winner: Nick Aldis via Submission

Post-match, Scurll and Aldis hug and raise each other’s hands up. Scurll gets on the mic and asks Aldis not to leave just yet. Scurll says 15 years ago he started his dream to be a wrestler and said Aldis was the won who took him under his wing and helped him become the man he is today. He says after the match they just had shows how far they both have come. He was hoping at this point he would be double champion, but the better man won. He says Aldis is the champ and nobody deserves it more than him. Aldis says Scurll is the biggest self-made star in wrestling. He then puts over the NWA’s resurgence and thanks the fans.

Transcript via Wrestling Inc.

NWA Crockett Cup Final Card 4/27/19

NWA Crockett Cup will take place tomorrow from the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, North Carolina. Join us for full live beginning at 7 pm ET!

The event will stream live on FITE for $19.99, ROH HonorClub, and traditional PPV.

 

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship: (C) Nick Aldis vs. Marty Scurll

NWA National Championship: (C) Willie Mack vs. Colt Cabana

NWA Women’s Championship (Vacant): Allysin Kay vs. Santana Garrett

Crockett Cup Tournament: Winners of Block A face Winners of Block B in Finals

Block A

The Briscoes (ROH) vs. Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (NWA)

Villain Enterprises PCO & Brody King (ROH)  vs. Kojima & Nagata (New Japan Pro Wrestling)

Block B

Flip Gordon & Bandido (ROH) vs. Stuka Jr. & Guerrera Maya Jr (CMLL)

Crimson & Jax Dane (NWA) vs. Winner of Wild Card Battle Royal

Wild Card Tag Team Battle Royal (Winner is the 8th entrant into the Crockett Cup)

Also appearing the Legends of Jim Crockett Promotions including all three members of Jim Cornette’s Midnight Express, legendary NWA Ref Tommy Young, Nikita Koloff and Magnum TA.

NWA Women’s Championship Vacated, New Champion To Be Decided At Crockett Cup

NWA announced earlier today the Women’s Championship has been vacated by Jazz and a new champion will be decided at this weekend’s Crockett Cup event in Concord, North Carolina. Allysin Kay (fka Impact Wrestling’s Sienna) was originally scheduled to face Jazz, but will now go against an opponent to be named later this week for the vacant title.

Jazz won the championship back in September of 2016, holding it for 946 days, which is the third longest behind Debbie Combs and The Fabulous Moolah.

Below is the updated card this Saturday’s Crockett Cup.

* Nick Aldis (c) vs. Marty Scurll (NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship)
* Willie Mack (c) vs. Colt Cabana (NWA National Championship)
* Allysin Kay vs. Santana Garrett (For the vacant NWA Women’s Championship)
* The Briscoes vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Crockett Cup First Round)
* Villain Enterprises (PCO & Brody King) vs. Satoshi Kojima and Yugi Nagata (Crockett Cup First Round)
* Flip Gordon and Bandido vs. Guerrero Maya Jr. and Stuka Jr. (Crockett Cup First Round)
* The War Kings (Crimson and Jax Dane) vs. Winner of the Wild Card Tag Team Battle Royal (Crockett Cup First Round)
* Wild Card Tag Team Battle Royal (Winner is the 8th entrant into the Crockett Cup)

The event will stream live on FITE for $19.99, ROH HonorClub, and traditional PPV.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

UPDATE:

Jazz revealed on Twitter that she had to vacate the NWA World Women’s Championship due to medical and personal issues.

NWA Reveals 2019 Crockett Cup Bracket

NWA Crockett Cup will take place on April 27 at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, North Carolina. In NWA’s latest video the full bracket has been announced for the tournament with the following first-round matches.

* The Briscoes vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express
* Villain Enterprises (PCO & Brody King) vs. Satoshi Kojima and Yugi Nagata
* Flip Gordon and Bandido vs. Guerrero Maya Jr. and Stuka Jr.
* The War Kings (Crimson and Jax Dane) vs. Winner of the Wild Card Tag Team Battle Royal

Image result for NWA Reveals Crockett Cup Bracket

Below is what the rest of the card looks like.

* Nick Aldis (c) vs. Marty Scurll (NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship)
* Willie Mack (c) vs. Colt Cabana (NWA National Championship)
* Jazz (c) vs. Sienna (NWA Women’s Championship)
* Wild Card Tag Team Battle Royal (Winner is the 8th entrant into the Crockett Cup)

The event will stream live on FITE for $19.99, ROH HonorClub, and traditional PPV.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Legendary Pro Wrestler Willis “Roger” Kirby Passes Away At 79

Cauliflower Alley Club took to Facebook to announce that Willis Kirby, better known as “Roger Kirby” in the ring, passed away at the age of 79. Kirby recently suffered a bad fall that left him with a broken hip and lead doctors to discover that he had stage four pancreatic cancer. He then developed a case of pneumonia that ultimately brought on his passing.

Kirby leaves behind a wife, Lila, their seven children, and several grandchildren. At 79, Willis spent nearly thirty of those years performing in professional wresting after his debut in 1960.

Although he had stints in the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, Kirby spent most of his career wrestling throughout the various territories of the National Wrestling Alliance. In the entirety of his career, Kirby held championship gold over 35 times in NWA, including the coveted NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Kirby wrestled in the Memphis Wrestling territory – CWA Memphis Wrestling

Kirby did have a brief experience working with WWE in 1986 but decided to give it up and retire from pro wrestling with the legacy he had created prior to that. He once told SLAM! Sports, “[I] want to be remembered as a top wrestler. I’d done everything that I wanted to do…I didn’t want to go back down the ladder.”

You can read the full Facebook post about Kirby’s passing below:

wRESTle in Peace, Roger (Willis) KirbyI don’t have the words to say just how broken-hearted I am at this moment. I just got a call from Roger Kirby’s wife, Lila. Roger passed away this afternoon at age 79. He fell three weeks ago and broke his hip. In the hospital, they discovered that he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He contracted pneumonia and died today.

Roger and I traveled together whenever he came to Tennessee. At our reunion here in 2009, he stood up in front of everyone and told them that I had always been his best friend; and that I was the only person who stayed in touch regularly in the years after we got out of the business. We talked regularly, and every time, before he hung up, he always thanked me for being his friend.

Many people come in and out of out lives during our lifetimes, but there are only a select few we can truly say we loved. For me, Roger is one those special few.

I will never forget Roger or the great times we had together on the road. God bless you, Roger. I will never forget you. Thank you for your friendship. wRESTle in Peace.

Photo taken by Scott Teal at the Trevecca Nazarene College yearbook office/studio in 1977.

The full Facebook post and some matches from Kirby’s legendary career are featured below:

Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer Dead At 88

This week, the pro wrestling world lost another legend.

Kurt Beyer, son of pro wrestling legend Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer, took to Facebook on Thursday to announce the passing of his father.

Kurt wrote the following:

“It is with a very heavy heart to let you know that Dad — aka The Destroyer, aka Doctor X, aka Dick Beyer, aka Coach — passed away shortly past Noon today. He was in bed at home, and was surrounded by all of his children and wife as he slipped peacefully away. I will have more to share later, but wanted you to hear this sad news from me first. Thoughts and prayers are most welcome at this time. Peace. (The Destroyer – Honoring A Wrestling Legend! The Destroyer (wrestler))”

Check out the complete statement via his Facebook page below.

Beyer had been in hospice care in recent weeks and was surrounded by loved ones as his health was diminishing.

Beyer, 88, had a career spanning over four decades that included over 8,000 matches in the United States and Japan. During it’s span, Beyer held the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship in both Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, as well as the American Wrestling Assosication’s Heavyweight title. He’s also been a NWA United States Heavyweight Champion for the central states, a NWA World Tag Team Champion in Texas, a NWA International Television Tag Team Champion in L.A., and a NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion.

As part of the classic All Japan Pro Wrestling, Beyer held the Asia Tag Team Championship with partner, Billy Red Lyons and he also held the PWF United States Heavyweight Championship on four separate occasions.

Beyer was also inducted in to the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002, and he was officially inducted in to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2005.

In the aforementioned Facebook post, Beyer’s son, Kurt wrote, “It is with a very heavy heart to let you know that Dad — aka the Destroyer, aka Doctor X, aka Dick Beyer, aka Coach — passed away shortly past noon today. He was in bed at home, and was surrounded by all of his children and wife as he slipped peacefully away. I will have more to share later, but wanted you to hear this sad news from me first. Thoughts and prayers are most welcome at this time. Peace.”

WWE has since issued out a statement on Beyer’s passing. The statement reads:

WWE is saddened to learn that Dick Beyer, a masked wrestling pioneer who was better known to ring fans as The Destroyer, has passed away at age 88.Beginning his career in the 1950s, Beyer thrilled fans and terrified opponents for three decades. He came to prominence in the Los Angeles territory, where he rivaled the likes of Freddie Blassie and Gorgeous George. Beyer famously defeated the latter in a Hair vs. Mask Match at the hallowed Olympic Auditorium in 1962, resulting in Gorgeous George losing his trademark golden locks.

Beyer achieved perhaps his greatest notoriety, however, in Japan, becoming one of the first foreign attractions in the country. His 1963 match against Rikid?zan, a former sumo wrestler and cultural icon in Japan, drew the eyes of more than 70 million TV viewers, making it one of the most-watched bouts in history. Beyer eventually became a beloved figure in Japanese pop culture himself and was even a regular performer on a top-ranked variety show.

Beyer also made waves in the now-defunct American Wrestling Association under the alias “Doctor X,” capturing the territory’s heavyweight title from Verne Gagne in 1968. As Doctor X, he wore a different but no less menacing mask, and his veiled countenance became immortalized when Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry was once photographed onstage wearing a shirt with his likeness on it.

A regional sports hero in upstate New York, Beyer wrestled and played football at Syracuse University before turning to the ring. His impact in sports-entertainment was felt long after his retirement, too, as Beyer is credited with training former WWE Tag Team Champion Mike Rotundo.

WWE extends its condolences to Beyer’s family, friends and fans.

Sources: EWrestling.com and Wrestling Inc.

Former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ronnie Garvin Says Dusty Rhodes Was ‘Overrated’

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WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes has been widely viewed as one of the best minds in pro wrestling history. Throughout his career, in addition to being a top name in the NWA, Rhodes was also a head booker for many years during his time with the company. Rhodes would go on following his retirement from full-time competition to be a head creative mind for both TNA, FCW, and NXT. Despite his highly acclaimed creative abilities, one person, former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ronnie Garvin, feels much different. Garvin shared his thoughts on the latest episode of Under the Mat Radio.

“Dusty Rhodes was overrated. He was the booker most places he went, Florida, Carolinas,” said Garvin. “I didn’t like what he done a lot of times. A lot of politics, he put himself in places he should’ve been, he didn’t draw the big of money. When he was in the main event, he booked 30 men on the card and had more gimmick matches. Rock n’ Roll Express, those kids were so over. So over, that they would sell out and Dusty Rhodes would book them in small towns because he didn’t want them on the same card as him because he wanted the thunder.”

Garvin reached the pinnacle of his career on September 25, 1987. In a steel cage match, Garvin defeated Ric Flair to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Although Garvin stated that he made more money in a short period of time than he ever had, he also admitted that he “didn’t go crazy” when he won the title.

“You know I’ve had a lot of title matches, I don’t want to diminish the World Title, it was great,” said Garvin. “But I guess with luck and staying healthy long enough, I got to the very top. To me, and I’m being honest, wrestling was a job, pure and simple. I didn’t go crazy because I was the world champion. I’ll tell you, the World Title is probably the most money I made in a short period of time.

“I was in wresting five years before Flair showed up. I don’t know the guy, I mean I know him (speaking as in working with him), but I never visited with the guy, never had a meal with the guy, never traveled with him. I ran into him a few times in the dressing with and said hi and [bye], but know nothing about the guy. We had two different lives. He had the party life which is fine and I don’t begrudge it. One thing about Flair no matter how I hard I hit him he never complained.”

Garvin also discussed Randy Orton using his signature stomps, and more. You can listen to the full interview here.

Source: WrestlingINC

NWA Partners With Ring Of Honor For Crockett Cup Tag Team Tournament

crockett cup ring of honor nwa roh partnership

The Crockett Cup will be returning to North Carolina this year and NWA is partnering with ROH to make it happen.

The company announced:

On April 27th, 2019, The National Wrestling Alliance (in association with The Crockett Foundation) will partner with Ring of Honor Wrestling to bring the classic tag-team tournament, The Crockett Cup, back to North Carolina at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, NC.

Former Crockett Cup winner Road Warrior Animal announced at the NWA 70th Anniversary event that the tag team tournament would return in 2019.

“The NWA is known for the legends who have carried the famous Ten Pounds of Gold,” said Billy Corgan in the announcement.

Adding, “Jim Crockett Promotions built a foundation in the Mid-Atlantic region with their tag team wrestling in the 70s and 80s.  The Crockett Cup in 1986 brought together the best tag teams in the world under one roof.  It’s our honor partnering with Ring of Honor to bring this tradition back to North Carolina while supporting the Crockett Foundation with their philanthropy for veterans.”

“Our utmost important stakeholders, investors, or partners in this business are the wrestling fans,” ROH General Manager Greg Gilleland continued. “Partnering with The NWA to bring back this prestigious tournament and truly create a special event is a responsibility that we have to all fans, and is one of many other special events to come.”

The first qualifying match for The Crockett Cup takes place this coming Saturday at the NWA Pop Up Event in Clarksville, TN.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet