When I was a kid this show would air on Tuesday at 1 in the morning on channel 47. I used to go to school the next day half sleep but it was worth it. lol
When my brother and I used to imitate pro wrestling I always wrapped my belt around my fist courtesy of Ron Bass's heel turn. It was hard to get the buckle to end up over your knuckles. Watched this as a 14 year old living in New Jersey on UHF channel 47 at 2am. I would go to bed at 11pm and my father would wake me back up. I would fall asleep in school the next day thinking about Dusty, Ron, Barry, Gordon, the Assassin, Kevin Sullivan and all the rest. Good times. Great memories!!!!
1978 - 1982, we skipped high school to attend the in house shows at the Sportatorium at 106 North Albany in Tampa, produced by 44 WTOG. My friends' sister Lisa Z worked for the station so we always got in and met the wrestlers and Gordon Solie. Nothing today can equal those experiences.
One of my all-time favorite angles. Dusty evoked so much emotion into angles, which played a huge role in his popularity. By the way, it was very interesting to hear Bass utter the name "Virgil Runnel" a couple times in his tirade. That RARELY happened in that era.
I'm so glad Big Dust didn't come around during this era of pro wrestling because we would have never been blessed with one of the most authentic and passionate interviews and promos in the history of the sport of kings.
Being a heel wrestler is,what has always driven the emotions of the crowd. Ron Bass, Ted Dibiase, Barry Windom all wanted that heel title because it meant more dollars and fun.
I was there that night. When I saw the TV cameras I thought for sure Rhodes would win the belt. The Eddie Graham promotion was not afraid to send folks home unhappy.
The crowd in here was going crazy, and throwing soda cups and ice in the ring, we couldn't believe what just happened.... I couldn't sleep when I got home that night... and I wanted to tell all my school mates what happen to Dusty Rhodes last night.... I used to get up early saturday morning and cut the lawn. So I could be ready to see Dusty Rhodes at 12 noon on Florida Championship Wrestling with Gordon Solie. We would all crowd around the TV to hear Dusty Talk that Talk...... You were a Big part of my child hood, and you will be missed always and forever.... There will never be another DUSTY RHODES.... RESPECT the AMERICAN DREAM from 321 FLA, right outside Orlando......
MrBronze71 I lived in Florida in the 80's myself and remember NWA wrestling from that time very fondly. Gordon Solie was awesome. Dusty was and still is one of my all time favorites. I saw a Cowbell match between Dusty and Harley Race and the old Bayfront center in St. Petersburg, Florida. One of the greatest live matches that I have ever seen. With their bodies, you wouldn't think they were in any kind of shape at all, but the match had a 60 minute time limit and it actually lasted 45 minutes. 45 minutes! That's unheard of today. Now, even the headlining matches at wrestlemania don't last any more than 20 minutes. The thing is, that the whole 45 minutes was totally entertaining. They cant come close to touching that today. By the way, Dusty won the match. I wish they still had special matches like the cow bell match today. I truly think fans that have never seen anything like that would love it. Just my opinion. Take care and peace.
+MrBronze71 Same here MrBronze71. I made sure my chores were done so at noon or 1 pm I would be watcing CWF when I lived south FL. I saw one of their first matches after Ron Bass turned at the West Palm Beach Auditorium. It was a brutal, blood bath.
RIP Dusty Rhodes!!! When I was a little kid and going to the old West Palm Auditorium to see him, he was, along with Don Mattingly, my favorite athlete of all. Very, Very Sad day!!
I'm with Bass on this. He was the Southern Champion and he deserved the NWA Title Match but primadonna Dusty pushed his way for the match. To make Bass referee the match is even a bigger slap it the face!! Rhodes got what he deserved!!!!!!!😎😉
I would beg my parents to take me to the Auditorium in West Palm on Monday nights after watching these shows on Sat as a kid. Dusty was the greatest. Everytime he wrestled in WPB the place would be packed.
I remember that this led to the saddle angle. Barry Windham volunteered to go after it for Dusty, as Dusty felt that he couldn't dishonor his mother since she gave him the saddle years ago. Barry was double teamed with Bass and the One Man Gang. Bass put the saddle on him and rode him around the ring. Humiliated, Windham left Florida with Bass laughing at him. Then a masked wrestler calling himself The Dirty Yellow Dog showed up and started giving Bass fits. Strange that he wrestled and sounded like Barry.
My very first CWF show I ever saw. Saw it on a UHF channel up in New York on a Monday night at 11:30. There was a rumor that N.W.A. was being shown on UHF and actually WATCHING it(aside from reading about in the Apter mags) was freakin awesome. WWF was becoming a bit too stale at the time and this was like a breath of fresh air.
Wow. Heavy stuff. Say what you want about kayfabe, but Dusty knew how to bring the emotion and sell a storyline. Even all these years later, watching this on the interwebs, I still buy that Dusty is broken up and distraught about losing Bass as a friend. Great angle and great execution all involved. There was a time when this type of execution in the storyline is what you expected from CWF week in and week out. It's a shame how quickly it began to fall apart after the Crockets starting draining all the talent out of Florida. And thanks again to CWF75 for sharing his good stuff with all of us. I almost feel 9 years old again, laying in front of the TV. Almost feels like if I got up and looked out the window, I'd see the palmettos shimmering in the Florida heat . . .
RIP to both of some of my favorites. Ron Bass may not be HOF worthy, but growing up in the South, I saw alot of him. Tough Competitor, WWE could have done more with him.
Miami Beach Convention Center, every Weds night. WCIX TV Ch. 6 Sat. at 12:00 noon. Then came the Sat. afternoon movie. I fell in love with Wrestling and CWF or FCW. And love Dustin and Cody Rhodes. Go AEW. Good Luck!!😊😊😊😊
RIP DUSTY RHODES, i spent many sunday nights at the Eddie Graham Sports Stadium in Orlando !!! And I was there this night, And I touched his hand on the way to the ring.... I was in the 3rd grade, and I didn't wash my hand for three days.... sounds crazy to say now... but as a 10 year old kid... Dusty Rhodes was my Idol.....
Another example of why wrestling was so good and so popular in the Territory era, as compared to today.. You just don't see storytelling like this anymore. Nor do you see guys who look realistically tough, like these two. Neither Rhodes nor Bass would be mistaken for a bodybuilder, but you knew by looking and listening that they were both double-TOUGH. As an aside-Notice how ripped Barry Windham is here? I didn't recognize him at first. It's a shame that he let his body go so badly.
After making a sacred promise to the American people never to wrestle Harley Race again, Rhodes steals Ron Bass's title shot--Bass was the Southern Champ, and the #1 contender for the NWA World Heavy Weight Title, and makes Bass the special guest referee. Bass makes the choice between friendship and honor, and chooses honor. Harley Race then scores a clean-no-controversy-middle-of-the-ring-pinfall for the victory and retains the title.
The camera grain, angles, how it looks like an actual live shot, the lack of bathos, toungue in cheek jokes, and hamming made this more believable. It’s a clown show now.😂
Dear CWF75, I'm trying to be sure of the date for this. You give the date of summer 1983. The Wikipedia history of the NWA title shows Race beating Flair for the title in March 1984, and Solie says that Race has recently defeated Flair and is meeting his title defense obligations. I know I saw the angle when originally broadcast, and I feel like 1984 is more likely, but I'm not sure because I was 15 then and not paying attention. What is the source of your date? I just want to clarify for a blog I'm going to write. Thanks, and props for putting this video up, which I've watched a bunch of times, along with many others of yours.
Schooloftheages, Thank you for your comments. Harley Race defeated Ric Flair in St Louis on June 10, 1983. Flair regained the title on November 24, 1983 in Greensboro. The March 1984 match between Flair and Race took place in Wellington, New Zealand with Flair regaining the title two days later in Singapore. I don't know the exact details but apparently the title exchange was not sanctioned by the NWA. Recheck the Wikipedia history page and you'll see the entry for June 10, 1983.
yes, he also did commentary for race car driving in the south. and he worked for the fuller/welch Comtinental Wrestling Association around the same time as well. Gordon was a very active individual. Look for his book on Amazon. It is a very good read.
He was a race car commentator first, that's where the wrestling promoters found him. He would tape CWF first and jump on a plane to fly up to Georgia....truly the greatest commentator of all times.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
This is what made wrestling great. Storytelling. Nothing today compares to it.
Gordon Solie was so good, the pained expression on his face looks so authentic.
When I was a kid this show would air on Tuesday at 1 in the morning on
channel 47. I used to go to school the next day half sleep but it was worth
it. lol
RIP Dusty Rhodes and Ron Bass you made growing up in Florida in the 70s wonderful.
I agree 100%👍
And RIP Gordon & Harley. So sad all of them are gone by now.
This is when wrestling was fun to watch. So many great stories that left you wanting more.
When my brother and I used to imitate pro wrestling I always wrapped my belt around my fist courtesy of Ron Bass's heel turn. It was hard to get the buckle to end up over your knuckles. Watched this as a 14 year old living in New Jersey on UHF channel 47 at 2am. I would go to bed at 11pm and my father would wake me back up. I would fall asleep in school the next day thinking about Dusty, Ron, Barry, Gordon, the Assassin, Kevin Sullivan and all the rest. Good times. Great memories!!!!
Me too
The territory system with NWA champion traveling thru all of them was very brilliant back in them days.
1978 - 1982, we skipped high school to attend the in house shows at the Sportatorium at 106 North Albany in Tampa, produced by 44 WTOG. My friends' sister Lisa Z worked for the station so we always got in and met the wrestlers and Gordon Solie. Nothing today can equal those experiences.
Two Windhams. An Armstrong. And Rhodes. And Bass. Four different Family Trees of Pro Wrestling Royalty in one incredible clip.B.W.
And the Anderson's gene Lars Ole and arn anderson
One of my all-time favorite angles. Dusty evoked so much emotion into angles, which played a huge role in his popularity. By the way, it was very interesting to hear Bass utter the name "Virgil Runnel" a couple times in his tirade. That RARELY happened in that era.
That's what jumped out at me. Semi-shoot from 1983? The audience was probably like, "what?".
I like how Dusty denies all the negativity toward him, and still calls Bass his friend.... Classic angle!
Angles like this are the reason Florida was on fire 🔥.
I'm so glad Big Dust didn't come around during this era of pro wrestling because we would have never been blessed with one of the most authentic and passionate interviews and promos in the history of the sport of kings.
Yeah the scripting is awful now.
RIP.To All these great people and wrestlers from florida.
Being a heel wrestler is,what has always driven the emotions of the crowd. Ron Bass, Ted Dibiase, Barry Windom all wanted that heel title because it meant more dollars and fun.
This is why Dusty never needed the title. He had everything else and could sell that he was the best without much of a title reign
I was there that night. When I saw the TV cameras I thought for sure Rhodes would win the belt. The Eddie Graham promotion was not afraid to send folks home unhappy.
The crowd in here was going crazy, and throwing soda cups and ice in the ring, we couldn't believe what just happened.... I couldn't sleep when I got home that night... and I wanted to tell all my school mates what happen to Dusty Rhodes last night.... I used to get up early saturday morning and cut the lawn. So I could be ready to see Dusty Rhodes at 12 noon on Florida Championship Wrestling with Gordon Solie. We would all crowd around the TV to hear Dusty Talk that Talk...... You were a Big part of my child hood, and you will be missed always and forever.... There will never be another DUSTY RHODES.... RESPECT the AMERICAN DREAM from 321 FLA, right outside Orlando......
MrBronze71 You were there? Anything else about what happened after the match. I saw the match on John McAdam's tape first.
MrBronze71 I lived in Florida in the 80's myself and remember NWA wrestling from that time very fondly. Gordon Solie was awesome. Dusty was and still is one of my all time favorites. I saw a Cowbell match between Dusty and Harley Race and the old Bayfront center in St. Petersburg, Florida. One of the greatest live matches that I have ever seen. With their bodies, you wouldn't think they were in any kind of shape at all, but the match had a 60 minute time limit and it actually lasted 45 minutes. 45 minutes! That's unheard of today. Now, even the headlining matches at wrestlemania don't last any more than 20 minutes. The thing is, that the whole 45 minutes was totally entertaining. They cant come close to touching that today. By the way, Dusty won the match. I wish they still had special matches like the cow bell match today. I truly think fans that have never seen anything like that would love it. Just my opinion. Take care and peace.
Chris J They showed Florida wrestling in New York on channel 47,the Spanish station. It was on an ungodly hour though.
Alex Batey 11:30 Monday nights lucha libre
+MrBronze71
Same here MrBronze71. I made sure my chores were done so at noon or 1 pm I would be watcing CWF when I lived south FL.
I saw one of their first matches after Ron Bass turned at the West Palm Beach Auditorium. It was a brutal, blood bath.
Long Live "THE AMERICAN DREAM". My Favorite Pro Wrestler. RIP
RIP Gordon, Dusty... and now sadly, Ron.
and now Harley
CWF tv show Aired on Florida tv 📺 Saturday June 25,1983 or Saturday July 2,1983
RIP Dusty Rhodes!!! When I was a little kid and going to the old West Palm Auditorium to see him, he was, along with Don Mattingly, my favorite athlete of all. Very, Very Sad day!!
Nothing better than two legit best friends having a feud and working against each other. Priceless
Love Ronny giving him one across the chops,great heel baby face action .
I'm with Bass on this. He was the Southern Champion and he deserved the NWA Title Match but primadonna Dusty pushed his way for the match. To make Bass referee the match is even a bigger slap it the face!! Rhodes got what he deserved!!!!!!!😎😉
Dusty's narration throughout the video clip of the screwjob was fucking classic.
I would beg my parents to take me to the Auditorium in West Palm on Monday nights after watching these shows on Sat as a kid. Dusty was the greatest. Everytime he wrestled in WPB the place would be packed.
brings back alot of memories growing up!😀
Reminds me of the Kerry von Erich - Ric Flair match 1982 from Dallas, Christmas. All the odds are for the baby face to win, then it backfires....
The look on Gordon's face after Bass slaps Rhodes is priceless!
He was like 😧
Gordon Solie never wanted to know what was going on. So his surprise was genuine. That is why he was the best
When Dusty says Gordon it sounds like he's saying Garden
Woooooooow.....I tell ya...today's "wrestling entertainment" of Vince's can't tie the boot laces of classic pro wrestling like this.
Vince did alot of good things in Wrestling come on now
@@chadk890 that's debatable
Nothing can compare truly the golden era of pro wrestling 💯🏆🦍💎
@@chadk890 Vince took the Sopranos and turned it in to mob wives!
I agree with you wholeheartedly
I remember that this led to the saddle angle. Barry Windham volunteered to go after it for Dusty, as Dusty felt that he couldn't dishonor his mother since she gave him the saddle years ago. Barry was double teamed with Bass and the One Man Gang. Bass put the saddle on him and rode him around the ring. Humiliated, Windham left Florida with Bass laughing at him. Then a masked wrestler calling himself The Dirty Yellow Dog showed up and started giving Bass fits. Strange that he wrestled and sounded like Barry.
BARRY WAS THE YELLOW DOG.
How do you know it was Barry.....The Dirty Yellow Dog wore a mask, he could’ve been anyone! ;)
@@markabboud8564 lmao! quit playing!
Dusty to Florida is What MJ was to Chicago: An Absolute Icon
My very first CWF show I ever saw. Saw it on a UHF channel up in New York on a Monday night at 11:30. There was a rumor that N.W.A. was being shown on UHF and actually WATCHING it(aside from reading about in the Apter mags) was freakin awesome. WWF was becoming a bit too stale at the time and this was like a breath of fresh air.
Yes…same for me, caught it from UHF in NY. I waited every week for CWF. Always had different things than the norm we had seen from other places.
Brings back so many great memories! I miss it.
i was glued to the tv every saturday at 1 pm for this stuff the best ever
Wow. Heavy stuff.
Say what you want about kayfabe, but Dusty knew how to bring the emotion and sell a storyline. Even all these years later, watching this on the interwebs, I still buy that Dusty is broken up and distraught about losing Bass as a friend. Great angle and great execution all involved.
There was a time when this type of execution in the storyline is what you expected from CWF week in and week out. It's a shame how quickly it began to fall apart after the Crockets starting draining all the talent out of Florida.
And thanks again to CWF75 for sharing his good stuff with all of us. I almost feel 9 years old again, laying in front of the TV. Almost feels like if I got up and looked out the window, I'd see the palmettos shimmering in the Florida heat . . .
I feel you
RIP to both of some of my favorites. Ron Bass may not be HOF worthy, but growing up in the South, I saw alot of him. Tough Competitor, WWE could have done more with him.
Real storytelling and pure emotions are what sells you wrestling tickets. Not the cut and join we have these days.
Miami Beach Convention Center, every Weds night. WCIX TV Ch. 6 Sat. at 12:00 noon. Then came the Sat. afternoon movie. I fell in love with Wrestling and CWF or FCW. And love Dustin and Cody Rhodes. Go AEW. Good Luck!!😊😊😊😊
Bass breaking kayfabe twice calling Dusty by his given name, Virgil Runnels.
RIP DUSTY RHODES, i spent many sunday nights at the Eddie Graham Sports Stadium in Orlando !!! And I was there this night, And I touched his hand on the way to the ring.... I was in the 3rd grade, and I didn't wash my hand for three days.... sounds crazy to say now... but as a 10 year old kid... Dusty Rhodes was my Idol.....
MrBronze71 One of the greatest talkers in the history of the business.
MrBronze71 One of the greatest talkers in the history of the business.
he definitely gave the best promos ever
As a Wrestling fan. I would love to see alot of NWA Florida Wrestling. I'm here in Spartanburg SC. I had a chance to see a few match from Florida
the Florida of 1970s, was great...
Dusty never gave a promo. He just talked naturally.
Dusty:"are you angry ron!?"
Ron:"make a guess blonde!!"
On ch.6 in Miami. 12 noon right after "Creature Feature ".
Back in 1985 it was on in the Washington/Baltimore area on Sunday Evenings on Home Team Sports, which later became CSN Mid Atlantic.
Mark Peacock channel 44 in Tampa
Mark Peacock
Damn, you brought me back. Creature Feature, wow.
Wasn't sure if anybody remembered creature feature
Eric Fox I do!!!!!
I love how Ron Bass was referring to Dusty by his real name at the end. I wonder if people were asking, who is Virgil Reynolds?
+Steve Burton Runnels. We miss you Dream!
Wonder if that was scripted
Would love to see some old video of Eddie Graham vs the Great Malenko if they are out there .
RIP Dusty Rhodes Ron Bass Gordon Solie and Harley Race
The Eddie Graham Sports Complex was a old metal building that should have been condemned. They finally domished it way before they did.
Good old Days wrestling from florida were the best Mr.Gordon solie Buddy colt best wrestlers in Tampa florida.😁😀😃😄😬😊👔👀
Brother, they were on fire... that was fantastic.
The look on Solie's face is priceless
its great to be here tonight in Orlando !
Now I know why they called Gordan Solie the Dean of Wrestling.👍
Another example of why wrestling was so good and so popular in the Territory era, as compared to today.. You just don't see storytelling like this anymore. Nor do you see guys who look realistically tough, like these two. Neither Rhodes nor Bass would be mistaken for a bodybuilder, but you knew by looking and listening that they were both double-TOUGH. As an aside-Notice how ripped Barry Windham is here? I didn't recognize him at first. It's a shame that he let his body go so badly.
I loved Ole Ron Bass, a damn good heel, him and Black Bart, today's Rasslin ought to be ashamed
I have this on a John McAdam tape of CWF matches. Unreal angle!
Ron bass eventually went on to teamed up with black Bart as the stud stable after this match with jj Dillon managing the team
And in the NWA, Black Bart interfered in a match between Ron Bass and Ronnie Garvin leading to a feud between Garvin and Bart.
Ron bass was the best heel he could be
Ron Bass was sick of Dusty getting all the shots.
Hearing him call him Virgil almost makes me wonder if this is a shoot
lol. that's their whole point. to make you think something being real about something fake is something real. lol
It was a work. From time to time, Dusty would give away his real name to blur the lines.
@@michaelpatanella so true.
@@steveburtonomaha so true.
notice that Rhodes got the promo in at the end of the video for a tag team match WITH Bass against Kevin Sullivan and Haze.
After making a sacred promise to the American people never to wrestle Harley Race again, Rhodes steals Ron Bass's title shot--Bass was the Southern Champ, and the #1 contender for the NWA World Heavy Weight Title, and makes Bass the special guest referee. Bass makes the choice between friendship and honor, and chooses honor. Harley Race then scores a clean-no-controversy-middle-of-the-ring-pinfall for the victory and retains the title.
What a glorious time to be a child this was
What did the 5 fingers say to the face, .....Slap
Long Live Old Time Pro Wrestling Forever ♾️♾️♾️♾️
Wrestlers of today should take notes📝! This is how you work a promo!
Love how Bass slips in a couple of "Virgil Runnels" references during his studio tirade.
Now this was WRESTLING!!!!!
Rip to both DR and RB
this is why dusty and jake are the best speakers-interviews-storytellers of all time. roddy and terry funk are up there too.
Don’t forget Flair and Arn. Glaring omissions my friend.
@@Mark-sj3xb jim cornette as well
I knew the name of about everyone Dusty mentioned. Look how young Barry looked. LOL
Old school wrestling NWA classic
R.I.P. Ron Bass.
Ft homer Heslery armory in Tampa where Dusty was the king...
The camera grain, angles, how it looks like an actual live shot, the lack of bathos, toungue in cheek jokes, and hamming made this more believable. It’s a clown show now.😂
Harley was a bad ass dude not a stunt man like todays guys a real bad ass in the ring or clearing the bar didn’t matter
Rip to all
LEGENDS OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
I would have gladly given you the title Ronnie
RIP Mr Bass
I think the phrase is "Ron slapped the taste outta your mouth."
Somebody finally shut Rhodes up
For a few seconds anyway ..
Harley be saling , boy!!!
Another great heel turn.
We all know new wrestling sucks how do we change it
Dear CWF75, I'm trying to be sure of the date for this. You give the date of summer 1983. The Wikipedia history of the NWA title shows Race beating Flair for the title in March 1984, and Solie says that Race has recently defeated Flair and is meeting his title defense obligations. I know I saw the angle when originally broadcast, and I feel like 1984 is more likely, but I'm not sure because I was 15 then and not paying attention. What is the source of your date? I just want to clarify for a blog I'm going to write. Thanks, and props for putting this video up, which I've watched a bunch of times, along with many others of yours.
Schooloftheages, Thank you for your comments. Harley Race defeated Ric Flair in St Louis on June 10, 1983. Flair regained the title on November 24, 1983 in Greensboro. The March 1984 match between Flair and Race took place in Wellington, New Zealand with Flair regaining the title two days later in Singapore. I don't know the exact details but apparently the title exchange was not sanctioned by the NWA. Recheck the Wikipedia history page and you'll see the entry for June 10, 1983.
Thanks, I'll do as you advise.
"The crimson mask"
This was probably the way a lot of wrestlers really felt....tired of fat blubber Dusty Rhodes always getting the title shots
So Solie done Georgia t.v. and Florida in the same time frame??
yes, he also did commentary for race car driving in the south. and he worked for the fuller/welch Comtinental Wrestling Association around the same time as well. Gordon was a very active individual. Look for his book on Amazon. It is a very good read.
He was a race car commentator first, that's where the wrestling promoters found him. He would tape CWF first and jump on a plane to fly up to Georgia....truly the greatest commentator of all times.
Worst day ever. #RIPDustyRhodes
2020....@nd these storylines and wrestling is 100xs better than todays
Ron Bass, my how we hated you for turning on Dusty.
This and GCW were the two best wrestling shows ever televised, along with the Sportatorium in Dallas. WWF couldn't touch it.
GlobalTubeTruth Mid South
Dusty Rhodes is a true guy he doesn't listen to the nay sayers he keep doing what he's doing.
Now that is a promo
I understood what Rhodes was saying really losing a friendship hurts more then losing money or material things
9:29lol some person in the crowd pinged Ron Bass