We are kicking off the month of January with a weekly review of the territories in the year of 1985. Here is my historical “Stages of Growth of the Territory Era”:

My framework for understanding and analyzing the history and growth of Professional Wrestling are the 7 Stages of The Territory Era:

Stage One: Conception (1925 to 1935)

Stage Two: Formation (1935 to 1945)

Stage Three: Innovation and Expansion (1945 to 1955)

Stage Four: Investigation (1955 to 1965)

Stage Five: Re-Consolidation (1965-1975)

Stage Six: Fragmentation (1975-1985)

Stage Seven: Disintegration (1985-1995)

1985 is the first year in the last stage of the territory era, and we will review what is remaining of tbe system. The year of 1984 had seen Championship Wrestling From Florida lose some of it’s biggest stars, including The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes, to Jim Crockett Promotions. Yet, the biggest impact was yet to come in 1985. In January, on Super Bowl Sunday, the territory’s “captain of the ship”, Eddie Graham would take his own life. In today’s podcast show, we will cover thins and more of the year’s events in 1985 with someone whop was there for it all. I am joined, as always by our Championship Wrestling from Florida analyst, Howard Baum and special guest, Bruce Owens.

Bruce became a fan in the 1960s, joined the company in 1973, became a close friend of several within the promotion, including Eddie Graham himself. This relationship led Owens to be trained to serve in various capacities, including as referee for some of the biggest events in The Florida territory’s history. He worked with the biggest stars and the biggest matches in every one of the Florida towns in the loop. Even with the departure of Dusty Rhodes in ‘84 and then Eddie Graham, the loyal fans of Florida wrestling were still coming through the turnstiles to suppport shows, includin gthe first “Battle of the Belts” show at the Tampa Sun Dome, which was also carried on a network of television stations in many major cities. Join Howard, Bruce and myself as we go backward in the Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel to Championship Wrestling From Florida in the year of 1985.

• (00:00:02) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel
• (00:04:44) - Florida Legend Bruce Owens on Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel
• (00:07:09) - Jack Briscoe On The Transition From Eddie Graham To Dory
• (00:15:10) - Eddie Guerrero On His Advice To
• (00:17:05) - Eddie Moreno Was More Involved With the Promotion
• (00:18:47) - West Palm, Tampa and Orlando
• (00:22:29) - Bruce Flannery on Becoming A Referee
• (00:30:19) - Terry Funk on His Babyface Run in ECW
• (00:36:21) - Eddie Guerrero on Andre vs Terry Funk
• (00:40:58) - Don Curtis on His Life
• (00:45:15) - Eddie Graham Was Asked To Do Things Like That
• (00:53:22) - Eddie Graham's Injured Leg
• (00:55:47) - Dusty Rhodes vs The American Dream in 1984
• (01:03:55) - Eddie Fuller's Suicide
• (01:11:24) - Dutch Miller on His Time With Michael Hayes
• (01:15:30) - Bruce Lee on His Hall of Fame Moment
• (01:17:57) - Michael Jackson on Co-Booking the Freebirds
• (01:19:08) - Bruce, How are the houses in the territories during the Dusty
• (01:23:27) - What Did The Freebirds Think About Eddie's Death?
• (01:29:33) - Mike Tyson on The Eddie Graham Feud
• (01:31:32) - Cody Rhodes Was Born in Florida in June of 85
• (01:38:56) - Rick Rude on Wahoo McDaniel
• (01:41:05) - Dusty Had A Good Side
• (01:48:20) - Boxing at the Convention
• (01:49:01) - Lex Luger on His First Year in the WWE
• (01:55:52) - Dusty on His Florida Connection
• (01:56:31) - Bruce interviewing Tony Robbins in 1985
• (01:58:05) - A Taste of 1985 in the Florida Territory