Southern Championship Wrestling (Georgia)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Professional wrestling |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Jerry Blackwell |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Fate | Rebranded as Georgia All-Star Wrestling |
| Headquarters | Marietta, Georgia , United States |
Area served | Southern Georgia, United States |
Key people | Jerry Blackwell, Joe Pedicino, Rick Stewart, Rhubarb Jones, Paul Heyman, Buck Robley |
| Products | Professional wrestling events and television shows |
Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling organization established in Marietta, Georgia by Jerry Blackwell, operating between 1988 and 1990. Following Blackwell's tenure, Joe Pedicino took over the promotion, rebranding it as Georgia All-Star Wrestling for an additional year.
Although SCW existed for only a short period, it showcased prominent talent from the American Wrestling Association and National Wrestling Alliance. Key on-air figures included Pedicino, Rick Stewart, Rhubarb Jones, Paul Heyman, and booker Buck Robley. During the late 1980s, it stood as one of Georgia's foremost independent wrestling promotions, rivaling Jody Hamilton's Deep South Wrestling, and represented the state's last territory-era promotion before the decline of the NWA territorial system.
History
The inception of Southern Championship Wrestling occurred in early 1988 under Jerry Blackwell, who had previously promoted events under the "AWA Georgia" banner featuring AWA stars. A significant show at Marietta's Cobb Civic Center included performers such as Blackwell, Wahoo McDaniel, Sgt. Slaughter, The Iron Sheik, Curt Hennig, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose). When Condrey was unavailable, he was replaced by Comrade Busich, with manager Paul Heyman introducing them as a substitute tag team.
Blackwell then shifted focus to full-time promotion with Joe Pedicino's involvement. The initial events and television tapings took place in January 1988; the second taping attracted 630 spectators and featured appearances by Bruiser Brody. These matches were broadcast on a weekly syndicated show titled Southern Championship Wrestling from Georgia, airing live on select stations. Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer commended these early events for their high-caliber performances and entertainment. The first wrestler to hold the Southern Heavyweight Championship was "Gentleman" Chris Adams, who secured the title on June 25, 1988, in Columbus by defeating Buck Robley. The inaugural Southern Tag Team Champions were "Wildfire" Tommy Rich and Ted Oates, who triumphed in a tournament final in Macon against Bob Orton Jr. and "Dirty" Dick Slater. Most SCW events were filmed at Miss Kitty's in Marietta, with occasional shows hosted at The Memorial Gym in Rome.
Territorial reach
Due to restrictions imposed by the NWA territory system—with Jim Crockett Promotions controlling the Southeast and World Wrestling Federation expanding nationally—SCW primarily focused its market within southern Georgia. Regular events were held in cities including Alpharetta, Atlanta, Columbus, Griffin, Macon, and Marietta. Television tapings predominantly took place at Gordon Clements' Alpharetta Auction Barn and Miss Kitty's Saloon in Marietta. Within its initial three months, SCW conducted five to seven shows biweekly and frequently sold out venues in Marietta.
Notable talent
Utilizing Blackwell’s connections to both AWA and certain NWA wrestlers, SCW assembled one of the strongest rosters among Georgia’s independent promotions. AWA veterans such as Austin Idol, Akio Sato, Bob Orton Jr., David Sammartino, "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, "Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez, Boris Zhukov, and Soldat Ustinov appeared alongside talent from Central States and Mid-South territories. Other prominent performers included "Outlaw" Joel Deaton, Nick Busick, Ranger Ross, Joey Maggs, and the tag team Thunder and Lightning (Steve Lawler and Dino Minelli). SCW also broadcast some of Bruiser Brody’s final televised matches prior to his death in 1988; this footage was later featured in a tribute program. Early television tapings also included appearances by Terry Funk and members of the Von Erich family. Promoter Rex Luther contributed additional undercard wrestlers.
Key figures within SCW comprised Bill Dromo serving as president; Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson acting as referee; announcers Rhubarb Jones and Joe Pedicino, later joined by Rick Stewart from Central States Wrestling. Paul Heyman performed as "Paul E. Dangerously," appearing alongside the original Midnight Express before transitioning to World Championship Wrestling. After a four-year hiatus, Buck Robley returned to assume booking responsibilities for SCW, introducing innovative concepts such as the "$10,000 Slam Battle Royal" at the Marietta Civic Center. SCW also featured the final matches of longtime NWA star Mr. Wrestling II, who engaged in a feud with Robley prior to retiring in 1989. Their rivalry began with Robley’s dramatic entrance involving a wooden crate delivered during a live interview segment.
Competition with Deep South Wrestling
SCW quickly rose to prominence within Georgia's independent wrestling scene due to its robust roster and widely viewed television show, alongside some national visibility through Joe Pedicino's Pro Wrestling This Week. Its primary rival was Jody Hamilton's Deep South Wrestling (DSW), based in Marietta, which maintained a partnership with Jim Crockett Promotions and had access to their talent. Both organizations vied for wrestlers and often shared performers, such as Mr. Wrestling II, who regularly appeared on both SCW and DSW programs.
Shortly after SCW's launch, Wrestling Observer described the situation as "a major war" between the two companies. DSW broadcasted on Channel 69, directly competing with Pedicino’s show on WATL. Despite establishing its own Saturday night wrestling segment, DSW was unable to surpass SCW in viewership numbers. This rivalry eventually involved Pedicino and co-host Boni Blackstone in the ongoing Blackwell-Hamilton dispute. In February 1988, DSW mocked Pedicino and Blackstone on their broadcast; SCW retaliated by airing a segment ridiculing Hamilton’s leading wrestler.
SCW also occasionally took aim at Crockett’s promotion. Michael Hayes of The Fabulous Freebirds once quipped that while "[The NWA] may be the major league, their paychecks are minor league." The year-long feud concluded when Hamilton sold DSW after sustaining an injury in the ring in 1988.
Closure
Blackwell maintained control of SCW during the decline of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). By the late 1980s, the NWA's territory system had largely disintegrated, with WWF dominating the American wrestling landscape. As market dynamics shifted and interest waned, Blackwell shuttered SCW in early 1990, marking it as the final territory-era promotion active in Georgia.
Georgia All-Star Wrestling
Following Blackwell's departure from SCW, Joe Pedicino revived the promotion under the name "Georgia All-Star Wrestling" in May 1990. Lacking AWA talent, Pedicino recruited former Jim Crockett Promotions wrestlers and retained numerous independent stars from Georgia such as Jimmy Holiday, Tony Zane, Billy Starr, John Michaels, Joel Deaton, Nick Busick, and Steve "The Brawler" Lawler. Notably, future WCW competitor Marcus Bagwell made his debut here under the ring name Fabian.
In early 1990, Pedicino brought on Scott Hudson and Steve Prazak as announcers after being impressed by their performances at a GASW event. Initially working without pay, their prior radio and television experience earned them full-time positions that improved the promotion’s broadcast quality. Pedicino managed GASW until 1991 before collaborating with former USWA commissioner Max Andrews to establish the Global Wrestling Federation in Dallas, Texas.
Male wrestlers
Charles Kelley Joseph MaglianoTemplate:Ref James Manley Richard Morton Robert Orton Jr. Steve Prichard John Richardson Thomas Richardson Robert Ross Jr. David Sammartino Akio Sato Michael Seitz Lawrence Shreve Douglas Somerson Ken TimbsTemplate:Ref Curtis Thompson Richard Van Slater John Walker Tony Zane Barry Turner Billy Black Chris Walker Chuck McCall Eddie Sweat Firewalker Gerald Finley Grizzly Boone Jamie Kyle Jim Boss Jim Bryant Jimmy Powell Jon Michaels Mike Golden The Red Shadow Rhama Brown Steve Bennett Ted Oates Terry Leland Tim Ashley Wild Bill Smith| Birth name | Ring name(s) | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher AdamsTemplate:Ref | Chris Adams | 1988 |
| Ted AllenTemplate:Ref | The Nightmare | 1989 |
| Marcus Bagwell | Fabian | 1990–1991 |
| Jerry BlackwellTemplate:Ref | Crusher Blackwell | 1988–1990 |
| Larry BookerTemplate:Ref | Moondog Spot | 1988 |
| Phil BuckleyTemplate:Ref | Buck Robley | 1988 |
| Nicholas BusickTemplate:Ref | Nick Busick / Comrade Busich | 1988–1991 |
| Ray CantyTemplate:Ref | Kareem Muhammad | 1988 |
| William Cruickshanks | Bill Dundee | |
| Edward Denton | The Grappler | 1988 |
| Emanuel Fernandez | Manny Fernandez | 1988 |
| Thomas Gilbert Jr.Template:Ref | Eddie Gilbert | 1988 |
| Frank GoodishTemplate:Ref | Bruiser Brody | 1988 |
| Darryl Gower | Steve "The Brawler" Lawler | 1988–1991 |
| Joseph James | The Bullet | 1988 |
| Joseph James Jr. | Scott Armstrong | 1988 |
| Joel Jones | Joel Deaton | 1988–1991 |
| Richard Link | "MEB / Man Eating Beast" | 1988 |
| "Chick Donovan" | "1988" | |
| "Joey Maggs" | "1988" | |
| "Jim Powers" | "1988" | |
| "Ricky Morton" | "1988" | |
| "Bob Orton" | "1988" | |
| "Steve Prichard" | "1988" | |
| "Johnny Rich" | "1988" | |
| "Tommy Rich" | "1988" | |
| "Ranger Ross" | "1988–1990" | |
| "David Sammartino" | "1989" | |
| "Akio Sato" | "1988" | |
| "Michael Hayes" | "1988" | |
| "Abdullah the Butcher" | "1988" | |
| "Doug Somers" | "1988" | |
| "Ken Timbs" | "1988" | |
| "Firebreaker Chip" | "1990–1991" | |
| "Dick Slater" | "1988" | |
| "Mr. Wrestling II" | "1988" | |
| "Mr. Atlanta" | "1988–1990" | |
| "1988" | ||
| "Fatback Festus" | "1990–1991" | |
| "1990–1991" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "Cousin Grizzly" | "1990–1991" | |
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1989" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1989" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1990–1991" | ||
| "1988" | ||
| "1988" |
Stables and Tag Teams
| Tag team/Stable(s) | Roster | Active Period(s) |
|---|---|---|
| The Batten Twins | Bart Batten and Brad Batten | 1988 |
| Blazers | Ray Lloyd and R.D. Swain | 1990–1991 |
| Brute Force | Slammer and Jammer | 1990–1991 |
| Dixie Mafia | Mike Golden and Big Daddy | 1990–1991 |
| Georgia Power | Nightmare Ted Allen and Jimmy Powell | 1989 |
| The Hillbillies | Fatback Festus and Cousin Grizzly | 1990–1991 |
| The MOD Squad | Basher and Spike | 1988–1990 |
| Thunder & Lightning | Steve Lawler and Dino Minelli | 1988–1990 |
| The Substitute Midnight Express | Comrade Busich and Randy Rose | 1988 |
| PYTs | Fred Avery and James Bryant | 1990–1991 |
| Zebra Warriors | Zebra Warrior #1 and Zebra Warrior #2 | 1988 |
Managers and Valets
| Legal Name | Ring name(s) | Active Years |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Sort | Buck Robley | 1988 |
| Template:Sort | Paul E. Dangerously | 1988 |
Commentators and Interviewers
| Legal Name | Ring name(s) | Active Years | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Sortname | Scott Hudson | 1990–1991 | |
| Template:Sort | Rhubarb Jones | 1988 | |
| Template:Sortname | Rick Stewart | 1988 | |
| Template:Sortname | "Joe Pedicino" | "1988–1991" | "Ring announcer" |
| Template:Sortname | Steve Prazak | 1990–1991 |
Referees
Template:Sort||Randy Anderson||1988| Legal Name | Ring name(s) | Active Years |
|---|
Additional Staff
Template:Sort||Jerry Blackwell||1988–1990||Promoter Template:Sort||Buck Robley||1988||Booker Template:Sort||Bill Dromo|| ||President Template:Sort||Joe Pedicino||1988–1991||Promoter| Legal Name | Ring name(s) | Active Years | Role Description |
|---|
| Organization Name | Operating Years |
|---|
Championships
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| SCW Heavyweight Championship | '’SCW's principal singles championship, held from 1988 through 1990 within the promotion.'’ |
| SCW Southern Tag Team Championship | '’The tag team championship of SCW, contested between 1988 and 1990.'’ |
Programming
| Show | Description |
|---|---|
| '’Southern Championship Wrestling from Georgia'’ | '’A syndicated series airing from 1988 to 1990, with occasional live broadcasts on select stations in Georgia.'’ |