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The Universal Wrestling Federation was a 1986 re-branding of Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion, which had been an NWA territory since the 1950s. It was a rival of the WWF, but failed in 1987 and was sold to Jim Crockett Promotions.
- The Rise and Fall of Mid-South Wrestling Association
- Jim Ross in Mid-South
- Standout Mid-South Wrestling Stars
- The Junkyard Dog
- The Midnight Express
- From Mid-South Wrestling to The Universal Wrestling Federation
- The Demise of Mid-South Wrestling and The Universal Wrestling Federation
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Much like other promotions in that part of the country, Mid-South Wrestling brought a hard-hitting style of wrestling to its fans. Led by the example of the irascible "Cowboy" Bill Watts, the ground and pound ethic of the roster was not only a key to its success but a keystone to its legacy. Some have described it as a "wrestling boot camp," where ...
Jim Ross initially held the job of referee for the first three years of his time at NWA Tri-State but became a member of the broadcast unit after Bill Watts took the company over and changed it to Mid-South Wrestling. Ross was soon promoted to the familiar play-by-play spot that would highlight his career in professional wrestling. Ross also took o...
Ted DiBiase had returned from a short-lived run in the WWF, just after Vince McMahon Jr. had taken over the promotion from his father. DiBiase went on to have a long run in Mid-South in both tag teamand singles action, and he was famous for winning matches after hitting his opponents with a "loaded" black glove he would brandish when the ref was lo...
Sylvester Ritter had started his wrestling career in Tennessee and then ventured to the cold north of Canadaand Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling, where he had made a bit of a name for himself as Big Daddy Ritter. It wasn’t until he came to the office of Bill Watts in Shreveport, Louisiana, that his professional wrestling career transcended to another ...
In 1983, Bill Watts started a talent exchange with Jerry Jarrett at the CWA. He took the amazing, established tag teamof the Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton (The Rock’ n’ Roll Express) and several other wrestlers, including a trio of talent that he would bring together as one of the most notable tag teams in wrestling history and give the R’n’R Expr...
In the late ’80s, Mid-South Wrestling underwent an attempt at a nationwide expansion when Bill Watts secured television time on the Superstation, TBS, after Ted Turner had a sour business dealing with Vince McMahonover the content that McMahon was supplying him. Watts was poised to take over the two-hour slot occupied by the WWF when Jim Crockett a...
After suffering financial losses, mounting near $500,000 from the attempted expansion, Bill Watts was forced to sell the UWF to Jim Crockett Promotions on April 9, 1987. Despite promises by Crockett to keep the promotion going, the UWF folded and was absorbed by his Mid-Atlantic Wrestling promotion just six months later. All of the UWF titles were ...
Learn about the rise and fall of Mid-South Wrestling, one of the hottest wrestling promotions of the 1980s, led by "Cowboy" Bill Watts. Discover the legends and legacies of Ted DiBiase, The Freebirds, Junkyard Dog, and more.
- Senior Author
- Sting. In 1986, two guys from the Continental area called the Blade Runners popped up in the UWF. Rock would leave after a couple of months to become the Ultimate Warrior.
- Ted DiBiase. Before he was “the Million Dollar Man,” Ted DiBiase was one of Mid-South’s best talents. He began as a face before turning into a wicked heel as his “Rat Pack” of Jim Duggan and Matt Borne held multiple titles, including DiBiase as North American Champion.
- The Fabulous Freebirds. Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy were promising wrestlers when Watts paired them up with Buddy Roberts as a trio. Before long, the Fabulous Freebirds were dominating with some title wins and an epic feud with the Junkyard Dog.
- The Junkyard Dog. WWE’s Blu-ray history of Mid-South is upfront that the Junkyard Dog was the promotion’s biggest star but not its best wrestler. While bursting with charisma, JYD was a poor worker who had to be covered by booking and short matches.
- Senior Author
- The Mid-South Legacy Today. Watts had a controversial run as boss of WCW in 1992, where he failed to recapture the Mid-South magic. One notable bit is Watts failed to trademark the UWF name, which Herb Abrams later used for an infamous promotion.
- The Quick Death By WCW. Watts approached the deal under the idea that the UWF would still keep going as a separate promotion, which it did for a while.
- It Was Killed By A Recession. Watts was a bit hit by the defection of some stars like Ted DiBiase and Hacksaw Jim Duggan to WWE. However, the UWF was still doing great in the ratings and there was a chance it could rise up.
- Becoming The UWF. In 1986, Watts made a huge move to go national. Having secured a good contract deal, Watts transformed the promotion into the Universal Wrestling Federation.
Mid South Wrestling: With Boyd Pierce, Bill Watts, Jim Duggan, Jim Ross. Weekly episodic shows from one of the most successful wrestling territories in the 1980s.
- (33)
- 1982-03-13
- Sport
- Boyd Pierce, Bill Watts, Jim Duggan
How can I watch Mid-South Wrestling? Download the Peacock app and start streaming full episodes of Mid-South Wrestling. View the full list of supported devices.
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Learn about the origins and evolution of Extreme Midsouth Wrestling, a modern wrestling promotion in Mississippi. Find out how it relates to the legendary Mid-South Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation of the past.
