Cooley was suddenly free to pursue other interests. He did so in significant fashion by beating Stubbs in the finals of a tournament to crown a new Alabama Heavyweight Champion. Unfortunately, we didn't really get a Cooley-Stubbs feud. In a rematch between the two, Stubbs was injured when Cooley executed the Stampede on the concrete floor near ringside, putting Stubbs out of action for about a month. Cooley was then sneak-attacked by "The Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony, who had only been in the area a few months. 

Cooley began a series of rough title matches against Anthony, many of them ending in double-disqualifications. But Anthony did get the upper hand, if only for a moment, when Stubbs returned. "Tonight," Stubbs grinned gleefully, standing at the podium with Gordon Solie, "is your last night. ...Your end is near, Wendall Cooley." He looked at Mr. Solie. "I would say it's even as near as we are, Gordon, you and I right now." Later that night, in a title defense against Anthony, the referee was downed by an errant blow, and as Cooley attempted the Stampede, he was tossed over the top rope by Anthony. Stubbs was suddenly there, he grabbed a chair and executed the atomic drop on Cooley, breaking the chair! He tossed Cooley back into the ring, where Anthony got the easy 1-2-3. It was one of the few times when Cooley was actually pinned on CCW's TV program. Anthony and Stubbs formed an alliance, and although Anthony was the Alabama champion, the two also pursued, and won, the Continental Tag team titles in a tournament. Shortly after, Cooley returned to action, and with a little help from the Nightmares, regained his Alabama title from Anthony. But if the young Floridian was confident he'd have smooth sailing after his return, he would be wrong  - Kevin Sullivan and Kris Von Colt would see to it.

NEXT MONTH:

Cooley is brutally attacked by Von Colt; a war of good versus evil ensues for control of the Continental area, with Cooley caught in the middle; the "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel rises to power in Continental, and Cooley appoints himself Landell's chief foe; and Cooley's reign atop the promotion begins with a Continental Heavyweight Championship victory.