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Mid-South Wrestling

1981

Mid-South Wrestling was one of the most successful wrestling territories in the 1981s; featuring future WWE Hall of Famers.

John Nord

is a retired American professional wrestler. John Nord started wrestling in late 1984 as "The Barbarian" for Mid-South Wrestling under manager Skandor Akbar. In 1985 and 1986 he changed his ring name to Nord the Barbarian and wrestled in singles and tag team competition under manager Adnan El Kassey in the American Wrestling Association. He frequently teamed with Bruiser Brody while there. The two faced Greg Gagne and Jimmy Snuka as part of a triple main event at WrestleRock 86. Nord then went to World Class Championship Wrestling under manager Gary Hart where he feuded with Kevin Von Erich for the World Class Title. He challenged Von Erich for the WCCW title at the 3rd Annual David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions at Texas Stadium in 1987. In 1989, he returned to the AWA under the name "Yukon John". A lumberjack gimmick where he would come to the ring with an ax, dressed in blue jeans, flannel shirt, animal skin hat, and boots. He mainly competed in singles competition until forming a tag team in 1990 with Scott Norton, calling themselves the ""Yukon Lumberjacks". They feuded briefly with the Texas Hangmen. When the AWA stopped promoting, he moved to Pacific Northwest Wrestling. In 1991, Nord went to the WWF as The Viking. He soon changed his name to The Berzerker and was managed by Mr. Fuji and he feuded with Davey Boy Smith and Jimmy Snuka. His most preferred method of winning matches was by throwing his opponents out of the ring and getting a "count out" victory, all the while holding his wrist, licking his hand, shouting "Huss! Huss!" à la Bruiser Brody, and intentionally falling flat on his back. He wrestled as part of a 4-man team in an elimination match at the 1991 Survivor Series pay-per-view event. He was the last man eliminated for his team. He then feuded with The Undertaker, at one point attempting to stab him with his sword. In 1992 he won a 40-man Battle Royal, aired on WWF Prime Time Wrestling, but left the WWF the following year. He went to All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1994 and stayed until 1997 when he showed up in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) with bleach blond hair under his real name, John Nord. He wrestled mainly on WCW Saturday Night and started a long winning streak that culminated with a match against another streak holder, Bill Goldberg, on July 4, 1998. Nord lost the match, had a short-lived team with Barry Darsow, and was soon gone from WCW. He retired from wrestling and went to work at his brother's auto dealership, Nord East Motors in Hilltop, MN. He has a son, Joe that wrestles HWT for the University of Minnesota. He is a junior this season 2009-2010.

Jerry Gray

Jerry Grey is a retired American professional wrestler who gained prominence in promotions like Mid South Wrestling, Florida Championship Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions. He became known for defeating figures like Ric Flair. In 1984, he won his first regional title and teamed up with Tom Prichard to capture the Northwest Tag Team Championships. He later worked in Memphis as "Mega Maharishi" and returned to Florida to win the tag team titles with Bob Cook. After Florida Championship Wrestling closed, he became a wrestling promoter in the southeastern U.S.

Al Perez

Perez began wrestling as an amateur in high school and was one of the top athletes in his home state of Florida. He started professional wrestling in 1982. He formed a team in ICW with Joe Savoldi known as the "New York Rockers". Al Perez worked for the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico were he feuded with Invader l. In 1986 Perez wrestled for Bill Watt's Mid-South Wrestling. Perez began teaming with "Wildcat" Wendell Cooley and defeated the team of Steve" Dr. Death" Williams and Bruiser Bob Sweetan for the Mid-South Tag Team Championship. Sweetan was substituting for Ted Dibiase while Dibiase was touring the Orient. Perez went on to make a name for himself as "The Latin Heartthrob" in World Class Championship Wrestling in 1987, where he was the top heel for several months. He was managed by Gary Hart and feuded with Kevin Von Erich, Kerry Von Erich and Dingo Warrior. In 1988, Perez moved to the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions with Hart and teamed with Larry Zbyszko along with feuding with Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes. In 1989 he wrestled for Dusty Rhodes' Professional Wrestling Federation based in Florida. He won the PWF Florida Heavyweight Title, defeating Mike Graham for the title. He would the lose the title to Dustin Rhodes. In September 1990, Perez competed as the Black Scorpion, wrestling Sting in a losing effort at Clash of Champions XII. According to Ric Flair, Perez was always meant to be the Black Scorpion but quit after finding out he was going to lose. Perez debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1989 where he wrestled against the likes of Brooklyn Brawler, Koko B. Ware, Red Rooster, and Bret Hart. In the beginning of 1990, Perez left the WWF and appeared in WCW. Over the next several years, Perez competed in several independent promotions around the United States, including a return to Liberty All-Star Wrestling (LAW) in 2001 Where he beat Jimmy Jannetty for the LAW Heavyweight title, before retiring from the business in 2002.

Carl Fergie

Cast · Known for Mid-South Wrestling

Carl Fergie is a retired professional wrestler best known for his work during the 1970s and 1980s with promotions like Mid-South Wrestling, the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA), and Jim Crockett Promotions. He debuted in 1975 and competed in both the U.S. and Japan. In 1981, he won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship with Ox Baker, and in 1987 briefly held the CWA Heavyweight Title after defeating Jeff Jarrett. He made appearances in WCW and WWF during the 1990s before retiring in 1998. He is a cousin of The Honky Tonk Man and Jerry Lawler, and currently owns a Gold's Gym in Jackson, Tennessee.

Bruce Reed

Cast · Known for Mid-South Wrestling

Bruce Franklin Reed was an American professional wrestler and football player, better known by the ring name "Hacksaw" Butch Reed. He played college football at the University of Central Missouri, was a star in Mid-South Wrestling and had high-profile tag team matches in WWE (such as the first Survivor Series main event) and World Championship Wrestling (where he held the WCW World Tag Team Championship with Ron Simmons, as Doom).

R. Von Gyurcsy

Director · Known for Mid-South Wrestling

R. Von Gyurcsy was a director and second unit director active during the 1980s, known for his work in televised professional wrestling. He collaborated with promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling and the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), focusing on the production and direction of television content. Although not a wrestler himself, his behind-the-scenes contributions were instrumental in shaping the visual style and narrative of these programs during a pivotal era in sports entertainment.

Terry Orndorff

Terry Orndorff was an American professional wrestler, the younger brother of Paul “Mr. Wonderful” Orndorff. He debuted in 1978 and wrestled in several promotions, notably in Mid-South Wrestling, where he won tag team championships. He had a rivalry with Junkyard Dog and won the NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship. In 1981, he also had a stint in Big Time Wrestling, where he won the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version). After a car accident in 1982, Orndorff made a brief return to the ring but retired that same year. His wrestling style was aggressive, and his finishing move was the airplane spin. Despite a relatively short career, he left a mark on professional wrestling.

James Kimble

James (Jimmy) Kimble is a retired American professional wrestler. He began his career in 1971 and became a prominent figure in the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, where he was a key star until 1989. He also wrestled for Mid-South Wrestling, WWF, and various promotions in Florida, Texas, and Japan. He won the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship in 1989 but lost it back to Jerry Lawler. He retired in 2009 but made a return at the age of 76 in 2024 to wrestle at Championship Wrestling From Memphis. In addition to wrestling, he worked as a welder for 55 years and ran a business selling ornamental iron doors and window guards.

Johnny Rich

John Richardson is a retired professional wrestler who began his career in 1981. He competed in several Southern U.S. promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling and Continental Championship Wrestling, winning multiple titles and forming notable tag teams like Rat Patrol and The Riches with his real-life cousin Tommy Rich. In the 1990s, he worked in WCW, taking part in the Light Heavyweight Championship tournament and teaming with Joey Maggs as the masked duo The Creatures. After leaving WCW in 1994, he continued wrestling on the independent circuit until his retirement in 2007.

Art Crews

Art Crews was an American professional wrestler, active primarily in the 1980s and early 1990s in promotions such as the NWA and Mid-South Wrestling. He trained as a wrestler in Kansas and made his debut in 1980. Throughout his career, he was known for his intense rivalries and winning titles in various promotions. Crews stood out in territories like Pacific Northwest Wrestling (where he was Rookie of the Year in 1981) and Central States, where he won the TV title in 1984. He also wrestled in Mid-South Wrestling, facing big names like Ric Flair and Kamala. In the late 80s, he had a brief stint in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 1987, after a tour in South Africa where he nearly sparked a riot, Crews decided to retire from professional wrestling to focus on a career in law enforcement. He became a correctional officer, eventually rising to leadership positions in various institutions, including Warden at Coastal Bend Detention Center.

George Weingeroff

George Weingeroff is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his work with promotions such as ICW, Mid-South Wrestling, and Championship Wrestling from Florida during the 1970s and 1980s. He began as an amateur wrestler, became a collegiate champion, and made his professional debut in 1975. He gained prominence in ICW, teaming with Lanny Poffo to win the United States Tag Team Championship four times. He also competed in Japan and on the U.S. independent circuit, performing under names like Sheik Hussein. He retired in 1993 but continued to make occasional appearances. In 1993, he had a single MMA fight in Japan, which he lost. Born with a visual impairment, he regained part of his sight following surgery. He is the son of wrestling manager Saul Weingeroff and trained several future professional wrestlers.

Pat Rose

Patrick Rose is a retired American professional wrestler. He began his career in 1979 in Tennessee and competed in various Southern U.S. promotions, such as Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, and Jim Crockett Promotions. In 1984, he teamed up with his cousin Randy Rose as The Rose Cousins, winning the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship. He also worked as a jobber in World Championship Wrestling (1989–1994) and made appearances in the WWF and Smoky Mountain Wrestling. He retired in 1994. Since then, he has organized fishing tournaments, and in 2018, he was inducted into the Alabama Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame along with his cousin.

Rick Casey

Richard Casey was a regular in the Southern territories under the names Rick Casey and Wendell Cooley. Cooley wrestled for Continental Wrestling Association, Continental Championship Wrestling, Southwest Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, NWA Wrestle Birmingham and others. Cooley also wrestled for World Wrestling Council, World Championship Wrestling and received a WWE tryout. Cooley and Frankie Lancaster teamed up as "The Heartbreakers" in WWC. They captured the tag team title on three occasions. Wendell occasionally wrestles and appeared on a Global Championship Wrestling card in 2016.

Dick Slater

Richard Van Slater better known by his ring name "Dirty" Dick Slater, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled in the 1970s, 1980s, and mid-1990s for various promotions including Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Slater began wrestling with Mike Graham at Robinson High School, in Tampa, Florida. He attended the University of Tampa with Paul Orndorff. From there he began wrestling in Championship Wrestling from Florida and Georgia Championship Wrestling. He worked as a booker in Knoxville, Tennessee after Ron Fuller sold his promotion to Jim Barnett. He wrestled in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (later World Championship Wrestling), where he appeared on the first Starrcade. He also worked in Mid-South Wrestling Association, where he was managed by Dark Journey. Slater made some trips to the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. He wrestled briefly in WWE as a babyface under a "Rebel" gimmick, but soon returned to WCW. He wrestled there until receiving his back injury that ended his career. In June 2004, Slater was convicted for the stabbing of his former girlfriend Theresa Halbert. He was sentenced to one year of house arrest and two years of probation. He blamed the incident on influence from painkillers.

Michael Sharpe

was a Canadian professional wrestler and actor better known as Iron Mike Sharpe. Sharpe comes from a family legacy of wrestling, as his father Mike Sharpe Sr. and uncle Ben Sharpe were a successful tag team in the 1950s, recognized as champions from San Francisco to Japan. He grew up in California, but moved with his father back to Canada as a teenager. In high school, he dabbled in boxing and weightlifting before choosing to follow in his father's footsteps. Dewey Robertson trained him for the ring at age 25 and shortly thereafter Sharpe made his mark wrestling for promotions around Canada such as Gene Kiniski's NWA All-Star Wrestling. He became a two-time NWA Canadian Tag Team Champion, partnering first with Moose Morowski and later with Salvatore Bellomo, and also won the Pacific Coast Heavyweight title. His career picked up steam after moving to Louisiana, where he became a fan favorite and won two different Mid-South Wrestling belts - Louisiana champion (two times) and the Mississippi title (also two times) along with a Brass Knucks title in 1979. In January 1983, Sharpe entered the World Wrestling Federation and would become a regular of its programming throughout the mid-1980s and early 1990s. He was announced and self-proclaimed as "Canada's Greatest Athlete" (a nickname taken from Kiniski) and was further distinguished by his near-constant yelling and grunting throughout a match, as well as a mysterious black brace on his right forearm, supposedly protecting an injury but more widely believed to contain a foreign object. Initially in his WWF career he was managed by Captain Lou Albano and received a sizeable push, regularly defeating jobbers after smashing them with said forearm. This culminated on April 30, 1983 with a match against world heavyweight champion Bob Backlund at the Philadelphia Spectrum, but Sharpe was defeated and would never reach such main event heights again. In fact, Sharpe would never hold a single title for the promotion, and would become largely relegated to the mid-card of house shows and being regularly used as a jobber himself to rising stars of the then-WWF in television tapings. New England area fans were less impressed with Sharpe than those in the South, and reports from the era say 'WIMP!' was a common insult flung his way. Death Sharpe died on January 17, 2016 at the age of 64 after he had been battling several health issues. Acting career Mike will be making his film debut in 2010's Cartel co-starring Josh Brolin.

Jim Cornette

James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American author and podcaster who has previously worked in the professional wrestling industry as an agent, booker, color commentator, manager, promoter, trainer, and occasional professional wrestler. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest managers in wrestling history, due to his extraordinary mic skills. During his career, he has worked for the Continental Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation (now called WWE), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (now called Impact Wrestling), and Ring of Honor. From 1991 to 1995, he was the owner and head booker of Smoky Mountain Wrestling, and from 1999 to 2005, was the co-owner, head booker, and head trainer of Ohio Valley Wrestling. During the later years of his career, Cornette focused primarily on backstage positions and transitioned away from his role as an on-screen manager. In 2017, Cornette retired from managing. During a transitional period prior to the retirement, he worked as an on-screen "authority figure" character in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Ring of Honor, promotions where he also held backstage positions. Cornette has also had an extensive commentary career, most recently serving as a color commentator for Major League Wrestling, What Culture Pro Wrestling, and the National Wrestling Alliance. Cornette is a member of the NWA, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Memphis, and Professional Wrestling Hall of Fames. Cornette is also noted for his long-standing real-life feud with fellow professional wrestling booker Vince Russo; in June 2017, Russo filed a restraining order (EPO) against Cornette for stalking. The Cornette vs. Russo feud has been featured on two episodes of Viceland's Dark Side of the Ring series.

Michael George

Mike George was an American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Timekeeper." He debuted in 1969 and made his mark primarily in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) during the 1970s and 1980s. He won several championships, including the NWA Central States Heavyweight and NWA World Tag Team Championship, and also competed in Mid-South Wrestling, as well as other promotions like New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 1988, he became the first World Wrestling Alliance (WWA) World Heavyweight Champion, a title he held until the company closed later that year. He also made brief appearances in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and on the independent circuit until his retirement in 1991, with occasional appearances as a "jobber" in WCW. After retiring, Mike George worked in security at The Woodlands racetrack and later at the 7th Street Casino in Kansas City. His wrestling career left him as a respected figure known for his versatility and success across multiple promotions over the years.

Dick Murdoch

Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Murdoch started his wrestling career in 1965, and three years later, he began teaming with longtime partner Dusty Rhodes as the Texas Outlaws. After they split up, Murdoch wrestled for several territories including the National Wrestling Alliance, Florida Championship Wrestling, and Mid-South Wrestling, also touring overseas. He would join the World Wrestling Federation in 1984 and teamed with Adrian Adonis to form the North-South Connection, winning the WWE World Tag Team Championship. In 1981, Murdoch gained international exposure by joining New Japan Pro-Wrestling and stayed there until 1989. He later wrestled for Jim Crockett Promotions, engaging in feuds with the likes of Ric Flair, Nikita Koloff, and Dusty Rhodes. He also worked for World Championship Wrestling in 1991 in a tag team with Dick Slater until going into semi-retirement, while making appearances at the 1995 WWE Royal Rumble and WCW Slamboree '93: A Legends' Reunion.

Joseph Savoldi

Joseph Fornini is an American professional wrestler and the son of Angelo Savoldi. He is not biologically related to the original Joe Savoldi, although that connection was used as part of a wrestling storyline. He made his debut in 1982 and competed in several promotions, mainly in IWCCW, which was run by his family. He also wrestled in WWC (Puerto Rico), Mid-South Wrestling/UWF, and the NWA. He was part of the tag teams New York Rockers (with Al Perez) and S & S Express, first with Steve Simpson (winning the title in 1985) and later with Vic Steamboat, with whom he held the championship in 1988 and 1989.

Anthony Felker

Anthony Felker is a former American professional wrestler, referee, promoter, and trainer, best known for his work with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) during the 1990s. He debuted in 1981 and worked for various promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling, WCCW (where he refereed Steve Austin’s first match), and USWA, where he won the Television Championship in 1996. After USWA folded in 1997, he continued wrestling on the independent circuit until his retirement in 2017. Falk also promoted All-Star Wrestling in Paducah, Kentucky, and the United States Wrestling Organization in Nashville, Tennessee. He trained several wrestlers, including his son, LT Falk. Every August 13, the city of Paducah celebrates “Tony Falk Day” in his honor.

Richard Morton

Richard Wendell Morton is an American professional wrestler, currently performing on the independent circuit. He is the current ECW Television Champion, after pinning Matt Cardona at GCW Say You Will. For most of his career, Morton has performed with Robert Gibson as The Rock N' Roll Express, described as "the consummate baby face tag team". Morton has wrestled for multiple promotions in the United States including the Continental Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Extreme Championship Wrestling, as well as the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Wrestle Association R. Morton has held dozens of championships throughout his career, including the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, USWA World Tag Team Championship, and WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. He has been inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and WWE Hall of Fame. His skill at driving audiences into a sympathetic frenzy by convincingly selling pain gave rise to the expression "playing Ricky Morton"

Ricky Gibson

Richard Earl Cain was an American professional wrestler known for his work in the Southern territories and as the brother and tag team partner of Robert Gibson. He debuted in 1970 and competed in places like Alabama, Japan, AWA, and Mid-South Wrestling. He formed a successful tag team with his brother in the Continental Wrestling Association, but they split in 1983 when Robert formed the Rock 'n' Roll Express. In 1982, Ricky was in a serious car accident that impacted his career. His final match was in 1987 against Ric Flair. He passed away on September 15, 2006, at the age of 53 due to a heart attack. His death was acknowledged by WWE on its official website.

Terry Daniels

Terrance Daniels is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Private Terry Daniels. His wrestling career spanned from 1978 to his retirement in 2007, and he is primarily known as a "jobber," a wrestler whose main role was to lose to the star performers. Daniels started his career in Texas, working for MMP in Amarillo and later for Southwest Championship Wrestling. In 1983, he made his debut in the WWF, where he gained some attention. In 1984, he had a notable appearance on Piper's Pit and won a battle royal in New Hampshire, with a $10,000 prize. During his time in the WWF, he faced well-known figures like Bob Backlund, Tito Santana, and the Iron Sheik, although he never won his matches against more established wrestlers like Big John Studd and Nikolai Volkoff. In 1984, he briefly teamed up with Sgt. Slaughter to challenge Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch for the WWF Tag Team Championship, but they were unsuccessful. After leaving the WWF in late 1984, Daniels continued his career in Mid-South Wrestling until 1986, and then joined various independent promotions. He briefly returned to the WWF in 1989 and 1992. He also worked in other promotions such as the Global Wrestling Federation and the United States Wrestling Association. Daniels officially retired from professional wrestling in 2007.