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 Memphis Wrestling Territory was an offshoot of the original Tennessee Territory, possibly the largest geographic territory in the United States founded by Roy Welch. The town of Memphis was purchased by Gulas-Welch Wrestling in 1957. The town got really hot from 1959 to 1961, then carried forward to the 1970s when it was under the supervision of Jerry Jarrett. Jarrett broke away from Gulas in 1977 and ran the town as a hub from the Memphis television show, recorded on Saturday mornings and cycled through the towns the next week.

In 1985, Jarrett and his partner Jerry Lawler are in their 8th year of running the territory and coming off some fantastic years from 1982 through 1984. As in all the territories 1985 kicked off the “Disintegration Stage” which would eventually end with the death of every territory but one, the WWF.. I’m joing by my Tennessee Co-Host and Historian , Tim Dills for a look back at the still-strong and excellently booked, 1985 in Memphis Wrestling!

• (00:00:02) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel Podcast
• (00:02:35) - The Jim Melby Award
• (00:07:34) - Tennessee Wrestling History: The Tennessee Territory in 1985
• (00:08:36) - Tennessee Wrestling
• (00:12:25) - 1985 in Review
• (00:19:23) - Randy Savage on His Career
• (00:23:09) - Memphis Wrestling: The Turnaround
• (00:29:00) - Eddie Gilbert
• (00:34:51) - Jerry Lawler in Japan
• (00:37:26) - Jimmy Hart Dumps Flour on Lance Russell's Head
• (00:43:24) - Randy Savage on Tux Newman
• (00:48:49) - David Schultz on Being Fired by Vince McMahon
• (00:50:45) - Jerry Lawler on Bruiser Brody
• (00:52:45) - Lawler vs Randy Savage
• (00:59:46) - Jerry Lawler vs The Free Birds
• (01:05:35) - NWA Superstar Jim Crockett vs Jeff Jarrett
• (01:11:51) - Jerry Lawler Turned On Tom Ernesto
• (01:16:48) - Jerry Jarrett on Tom Ernesto's WWE Split
• (01:22:10) - The Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee
• (01:23:26) - Midnight Express
• (01:29:12) - Jerry Jarrett on His State of Wrestling in Tennessee
• (01:35:34) - Jackie Fargo and The Hitman
• (01:35:49) - Tim Ferriss on Pro Wrestling History in the 80s
• (01:42:42) - Jerry Lawler on The Bicentennial
• (01:43:58) - Tennessee and the AWA in 1985
• (01:47:54) - Pro Wrestling Time Tunnel