ICW Poffo Universe

http://www.freewebs.com/icwpoffouniverse/lanny with icw world belt paint.JPG

The ICW World title was the ultimate goal of every wrestler who stepped foot inside the ICW promotion. It was originally derived to have been captured by Lanny Poffo in a tournament in San Francisco California. Of course, we know this was a rouse by the promotion to give the group a more world-wide appearance. The tournament, in which Lanny upended Joe Banek in the finals, was to have occurred in May of 1978 on the tenth day of the month. By also dating the belt previous to the origin of the group in April of 1979, it also gave it character in that Lanny, of course, had been defending this title successfully since that date. So several things were achieved by falsifying the origin of the title lineage. Interesting side notes, Joe Banek was a wrestler who worked in the 1950’s, as did Angelo Poffo. Angelo also used Banek ‘s name constantly to fill out advertised cards early in the groups history 79-80-81  when he had an odd number of wrestlers advertised , and Banek was always “supposedly “ working the opening match.

The Poffo ‘s had worked during the summer of 78 in The Atlantic Grand Prix promotion run by Emile Dupree in Canada. Their was a belt which Lanny and Randy both held for this group called ‘The International title”. I’m not sure if this is the exact belt itself that the group ended up using for their championship but that is just additional info.

The ICW World title belt itself was very prestigious in appearance. It had symbols of the continents on its plates, plus was basically flat on the metal on its sides. The metal was a shiny gold on the item.  So to the fans this belt looked like the real McCoy.

According to the groups listing of title changes, Randy defeated Lanny on March 13 1979 in Halifax Nova Scotia to be the second ICW Champion.This bout did not occur but was the promotions acknowledged transition of the belt.

Howver ,recent advertised matches discovered have revised the early ICW World title lineage. From the info derived it appears The Miser (Angelo Poffo) defeated Lanny Poffo to become the second ICW champion on June 3 1979 in Georgetown Kentucky. This was a mask versus the belt match up, with The Miser appearing as the title claimant on the June 10 1979 advertisement for that city. Evidently Lanny recaptured the title possibly on the June 10 1979 rematch ….then lost it to Randy sometime around August 1979.

To further confuse the issue Savage is listed as ICW champion in the Knoxville All Star advertisement for August 4 1979, but Lanny is listed in the Georgetown ad for August 5 1979. Possibly the televised match where the switch occurred was on the Saturday August 4 on the ICW show.

 In actuality on a televised show in mid 1979 Lanny dropped the title to Randy Savage. I believe the date of the televised event was August 5 1979. I have ads showing Lanny as champ between the March 13th date and the July 21^st televised change. According to my sources, The Prophet interfered to help Randy win the bout.

On televised shows the belt was referred to as both The International Heavyweight championship and the ICW World title up until mid to late 1980.

Randy held the title consecutively for 4 years 8 months and 13 days. No changes in this time frame.

Golden Boy Paul Christy pinned Randy Savage in Springfield Illinois on November 13 1983. I have this bout on video, the entire match. It was Bunny Love’s hair against Savage’s title with Christy prevailing.

Paul Christy kept the title, defending throughout 1984 and part of 85. According to Paul he still has the ICW World title belt in his possession; contrary to what I had written here previously. I am a million percent positive I read a post on the old " kayfabememories" message board in 2002 written by Miss Bunny Love which stated Paul had returned it to Randy.... guess I mis-remembered as Rogers Clemons once famously said.

The United States heavyweight championship was not an original belt in the singles division when the promotion was developed.

I guess because Angelo Poffo had held the original NWA “United States Heavyweight “championship earlier in his career; this lineage to the title was developed. The Sheik Ed Farhat had a belt under the same name in his Detroit promotion in the 1970’s and early 80’s and his promotion was quickly dying in the Michigan, upper Ohio and Canadian towns. He came to do a tour with the Poffo’s in early 1982, and thus the belt was derived to be a part of the promotion’s chain of power. They never really told what belt was the most prestigious (other than the World title of course), but their were 3 secondary titles in the singles division during 1982 and 1983. The Sheik showed up at the television studio; he was stated to be the US champion. In the first show he wiped out Bill Martin and bloodied him so bad they had to black it out of the screen. On the second show of the two show taping he again was on the scene. Gary Royal had challenged Randy Savage to a bout and was waiting in the ring for Randy to arrive. Randy’s fame music was already playing and the Sheik entered the television studio via the front office door. He went to the desk and messed with Tim Tyler and Edgar Wallace, and eventually went up into the ring. George Weingeroff came to the announcers’ podium and stated the Sheik had been banned from the studio. George went up to ringside and into the squared circle to confront the Sheik. The sheik hit him with a stick of wood, and then proceeded to thrash the promoter.

A lot of the matches promoted vying for the United States belt included Angelo Poffo, especially during the 1983 calendar year. I recall a feud with Paul Christy, Moose Cholak.

Great info and pictures of the belt Ronnie Garvin "borrowed" from his previous employer before The Poffo's

this info is courtesy of Scott Teal professional wrestling historian extrodinaire

http://www.freewebs.com/icwpoffouniverse/garvinsbelt.doc

Leaping Lanny and George Weingeroff won a fictitious tournament which was to have occurred in Salt Lake City Utah on June 14 1979. According to the winners, the runner ups in the event were none other than the fabled Andersons.

Doug Vines and Jeff Sword (The Devils Duo) managed by Izzy Slapowitz defeated Lanny and George at Henry Clay High School on April 25 1981. There is video footage of the event, and I was personally in attendance for this night. Izzy Slapowitz used a fireball in the bout, and Doug Vines loaded elbow pad also had some bearing on the outcome.

Lanny Poffo and George Weingeroff regained the titles in Owenton Kentucky on June 15 1981. Izzy Slapowitz was not at ringside with his team for the bout, and all three members left the promotion shortly after this event.

The Convertible Blondes (Ricky Starr and Rip Rogers) pinned the champs in Frankfort Kentucky on. It was an extremely fast count by a new referee, who just happened to be Convertible blonde member Gary Royal with a black wig on. Lanny and George protested, and even removed the wig with a punch to the jaw of Gary Royal but the Blondes were on television for a short time with the US belts. I have video of this event.

Lanny and George were awarded the title back after the ICW Board of directors determined an injustice occurred on the previous title change.

Titles are declared vacant due to controversy of the recent bouts involving the United States tag team titles.

A tournament was declared for Johnson City Tennessee on Tuesday January 5 1982 for the belts. Random partners were united which resulted in some odd unions. The team of Rip Rogers and Pistol Pez Whatley were victorious in the finals stopping the team of Ronnie Garvin and Chief Tapu. In one of Ronnie’s famous exposes shortly thereafter, he revealed Tapu was the son of Tio Tio (one of Garvin’s foes) and he had thrown the final match. Others who worked the tournament were: Ric Starr and Crusher Broomfield, Plowboy Pete and Gary Royal, Randy Savage, The Miser, Tony Peters and The Great Tio. Paid attendance listed as $1,704 by Crybaby Edwards. No footage of this night and reports are based on fans in the audience that evening.

Lanny Poffo and Mike Doggendorf beat Rip Rogers and Pez Whatley in Frankfort Kentucky on March 2 1983. This complete match up is available for viewing.

Gypsy Joe and Tojo Yammamoto took the belts on .

Bart Batten and John Wilhoit won the titles from Gypsy Joe and Tojo Yammamoto in Cape Girardeau Missouri in 1983.

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These were part of the All Star promotion from Knoxville and were incorporated into the ICW when the All Star group folded. If I recall correctly , Izzy Slapowitz indicated the belts came from Caulkins promotion in Mississippi . Here are title holders and dates :

ICW Wrestling – Southern Tag Team title History

August 4 1979 Masked Assassin and Colonel Yan Ky – managed by Boris Malenko

September 22 1979 Terry Gibbs and Ronnie Garvin

October 13 1979 Bob Orton Jr and Berry Orton

January 12 1980 Terry Gibbs and Bob Roop

April 1 1980 Bob Orton Jr and Berry Orton-managed by Izzy Slapowitz

May 17 1980 Bob Orton Jr and Tony Peters – managed by Izzy Slapowitz

August 8 1980 Bob Roop and Big Boy Williams

November 1980 titles dissolved with Bob Roop injury angle

1979 Ric McCord

1980 Danny Doyle

1981 Bill Martin

1982 Mike Doggendorf

1983 Bart Batten and John Wilhoit