Tossing Salt Presents:
One on One (Part 4 of 5)
NWA 1982 versus NWA 2022
July 28, 2022
DougMaynard.com

Recently, while looking through a box of old magazines, I came across an old edition of Sports Review Wrestling, covered dated Summer 1982. A very cool magazine with stories such as “Austin Idol Begs The Fans: ‘Force Ray Stevens To Retire’.”, Exclusive. Rocky III Preview: Hulk Hogan Tackles Hollywood!”, and the classic, “Is Apartment Wrestling Becoming Too Brutal?”. Yeah, lots of cool stuff.

Of course, I took a look at the Official Wrestling Ratings. And that got me to thinking, what if these legends and stars, the men who dominated the business forty years ago, were to be matched up against the stars of today. Who would win? What would the matches be like? And then I decided, let’s try to find out. Let’s do some fantasy booking and see what happens when the star of yesteryear takes on the stars of today and go, wait for it, one on one.

There will be five columns with five fantasy shows. I took the official ratings from the 1982 magazine for the NWA, AWA, WWF, Most Popular, and Most Hated, and then went to the Pro Wrestling Illustrated website and got the official ratings for the week ending July 22, 2022, for AEW, WWE RAW, WWE Smackdown, Impact Wrestling, and the NWA. Over the next five days, I’ll have five battles where the past fights the present, using these ratings, and will give my thoughts and predictions as to who would win. So stick around and let’s see where it goes. 

And here we go with the third of five, it’s the National Wrestling Alliance of 2022 versus The National Wrestling Alliance of 1982. Let’s do this.

Trevor Murdoch versus Ric Flair

This was when Ric was in his first reign as the NWA World Champion, not long after defeating Dusty Rhodes to capture the legendary ten pounds of gold. Trevor is currently in his second reign as Champion, following in the footsteps of his mentor, the late, great Harley Race. A battle between these two men, at those stages of their careers, would be epic in every sense of the word, and to be honest, I can’t pick a winner. So yeah, I’m relying on my crutch. Heads for Flair and tails for Murdoch. Tails it is.

Winner: Trevor Murdoch

Nick Aldis versus Sgt Slaughter

This would be a battle for the ages as well. Aldis is pretty much the perfect wrestler of this era and can go with the best of them. Slaughter, at this time, was the NWA United States Champion in the Mid-Atlantic region and he was damn good, at his absolute best in my opinion. This would be a stiff and brutal match and probably steal the show. As for the winner, it’s a tough call, but my gut says Aldis would come out with the pin and the victory.

Winner: Nick Aldis

Jax Dane versus Tommy Rich

To be fair, I had to look up Jax Dane before doing this. I remembered the name, but couldn’t put a face to it. Well, now I have and I remember this guy and he’s impressive as hell. And Tommy Rich? Back in the 80s in Georgia and Memphis, Tommy was the man and deserved every second of it. This would be a good fight and I have no doubt Tommy would lose a ton of blood. Dane would look like a monster and put a major beating on the blond boy wonder. But at the end of the night, it would be Tommy Rich with the win, to send the fans home happy.

Winner: Wildfire Tommy Rich

Homicide versus Mr. Wrestling II

Homicide is a legend, but Mr. Wrestling II, well he just is. This would be a clash of styles and fun to watch, but the winner really isn’t in doubt. 

Winner: Mr. Wrestling II

Anthony Mayweather versus Roddy Piper

I have been a fan of Mayweather since his early days at TNA as Crimson. The guy is good and why WWE didn’t snatch him up ten years ago, I have no idea. But here, he’s fighting Roddy Piper and this isn’t just any Roddy Piper. This is the man who was raising hell all across the Mid-Atlantic region and Georgia every week. I like Mayweather, as I said, but come on now. It’s Roddy Piper.

Winner: Roddy Piper

Thom Latimer versus Dick the Bruiser

Dick the Bruiser is a legend and was a very tough man, but I think Latimer is a legend in the making and pretty damn tough in his own right. This would be a stiff brawl and fun to watch. I think Latimer would end up with the win in the end. 

Winner: Thom Latimer

Chris Adonis versus Dory Funk Jr. 

Another tough call because I am and have always been a huge fan of Chris Adonis, aka Chris Masters. Why he’s not kicking ass in WWE or AEW right now, I have no idea. But Dory is, well, he’s Dory. He’s forgotten more about wrestling than most will ever know and back in 1982, he was back and forth between the Mid-Atlantic region and Florida and was a machine in that ring. Every match was a clinic for the other wrestlers. My apologies to Chris, but Dory would tie him up like a pretzel and win here.

Winner: Dory Funk Jr.

Tyrus versus Dusty Rhodes

I hate this one because Tyrus is the man and one of my favorites of the past ten years easily. But he’s fighting Dusty, and it’s the 1982 Dusty who was at his peak and just coming off losing the NWA title to Flair a few months earlier. No way Dusty would lose here. It would be a Dusty-finish of course with interference, count-outs, DQs, and all sorts of shenanigans, but Dusty would get his arm raised at the end of the night.

Winner: Dusty Rhodes

Odinson versus Harley Race

I can picture in my head, Harley taking a puff on a cigarette, giving Odinson a suplex, dropping the flying headbutt on him, and saying in that gravelly voice of his, “Puny God!”. 

Winner: Harley Race

Brian Meyers versus David Von Erich

This was when David broke away from the family for a while and was in Florida wrestling as a heel. In my opinion, David was easily the best wrestler in the family and when he did this heel turn in Florida, he was on fire to be sure. Meyers is a hell of a talent and one of my favorite personalities in today’s wrestling world. But against Von Erich and the Iron Claw, it wouldn’t be too good.

Winner: David Von Erich

Colby Corino versus Bobby Jaggers

Hangman Bobby Jaggers was good. Damn good. Corino is good. Damn good as well. Bobby has the size and strength advantage. Corino has the speed and science edge. I think we’d see Jaggers dominate most of the match and beat Colby within an inch of his life. I think Colby would snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat and pull a surprise upset.

Winner: Colby Corino

And there you go with the fourth series of match-ups, Part 4 of 5, with the NWA of yesteryear defeating the NWA stars of 2022, seven matches to four. And now we have a tie between 1982 and 2022. The next one determines which era takes the win. Who will it be? We’ll find out in Part 5, coming up later today, which will be Impact Wrestling 2022 versus The Most Hated Wrestlers of 1982. Watch for it.

And with that, I’m out of here. Thank you for reading. Comments, thoughts, or any questions are welcome and appreciated. Use the comment box, my e-mail of Doug28352@yahoo.com, or find me on Twitter at @Doug28352. Take care and stay safe. Watch out for foreign objects. I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!