Several teams garnered the Southeastern Tag Titles during 1980 - 1981, Bob Armstrong & Charlie Cook, Big C's 1 & 2 (Don Carson & Jerry Roberts), Bob Armstrong & Jos Leduc, and Ron Bass & Super Pro (Randy Rose) all held the belts in 1980. 1981 saw the titles become the backdrop to a "Hatfields and McCoys" type feud between the teams of Bob & Brad Armstrong (father & son) and Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose ("cousins" ). These two teams battled for several months with the titles switching back & forth and many great angles involving the four men. I remember the day Brad was awarded the NWA Rookie of the Year trophy only to have the "Cousins" destroy it and Brad in the process, on TV. Condrey & Rose would dominate the tag scene for most of the year even though losing the belts in short reigns to Paul Orndoff & Norvell Austin and Ken Lucas & Mr. Olympia.

1980 also saw the creation of another title in the area, the United States Jr. Heavyweight Championship. Jerry Stubbs was the constant in this title picture. Jerry held the belt for nearly 1 year. Some of his combatants were Ricky Gibson, Norvell Austin, and Roy Welch. A main contender for the championship also came in the form of rookie Brad Armstrong who had made his wrestling debut around July of 1980. Armstrong would win the title in a 4 man tourney held in Mobile. Stubbs had been stripped of the belt, but would end up defeating Les Thornton for the NWA World Jr. Championship beginning a 5 day reign before losing the World Jr. Title back to Thorton the following Saturday in Dothan. Another man who made a mark in the Jr. Heavyweght division later in 1981 was Stan Lane. Stan defeated a "face" Stubbs for the belt and during their feud would come the debut of Mr. Olympia (Stubbs had lost a title vs. loser leave match). Lane would go on to battle Brad Armstrong, Norvell Austin, and in a short 3 week program, Bill Dundee, in which the title changed hands between the two men in both Memphis and Dothan.

Even with all the action of above another great feud was also happening between Ron Bass & Jos Leduc with many Canadian Lumberjack and Texas Bullrope matches involving the 2 big men. The most heated angle though was probably the Ron Fuller - Jimmy Golden feud. Golden had returned to the area teaming with Fuller against Don Carsons stable of Bass, Stomper, and Super Pro. Golden would turn on the Studd during a tag match in Mobile against Ron & Don Bass. Another "partner" of Fuller that would eventually turn on him was Johnny Valiant. The Luscious One was only in for a few weeks before leaving due to an "injury" at the hands of Fuller. The implication was that Golden had paid off Valiant. While Fuller was out himself due to "injury" at the hands of the Golden turn many wrestlers made appearances attempting to exact revenge including Tony Atlas, Mr. Wrestling II, Ken Lucas, and of course Robert Fuller.

Also of irony during this time would be the "Midnight Express'' connection that was happening. Of course the team that would later be called the Original Midnight Express, (Condrey & Rose), were dominating the tag scene. However they would lose the belts to future Express, ( 3 man version), partner Norvell Austin. Not only that but Condrey & Rose were often joined in 6 man matches by future Condrey replacement Stan Lane against the Armstrongs and Mr. Olympia. Throw in also that competing against Lane in U.S. Jr. matches was future longtime Midnight Express foe and Rock ' n Roll Express member Robert Gibson. Man, all we needed was for the other 3 members of the story, Cornette, Morton, and Eaton to compete in the area, huh?

I hope everyone enjoys this look back at 1980 - 1981 Southeastern. BTW, there was a Southeastern promotion that was running Knoxville at this time, however it was little more than a "red headed step child" of Georgia Championship Wrestling. 

NEXT MONTH:

We will look back at 1982 and a period where I affectionately renamed  the promotion SoutheasternCanadianCommwealth Wrestling.