The WWF invades USWA

[mrhexum]

My apologies if this has been done before.

I recently found footage on youtube from the early 90's outlining/highlighting an angle in which the WWF was feuding with USWA(memphis promotion). And I was kind of surprised as the WWF were the "invaders". And no matter who came over the WWF guys were the heels. Jerry Lawler was a heel in WWF at the time, but a face in Memphis. If you look for it on youtube it is in several parts and I believe the tagline is McMemphis.

As far as I know Vince has kept this all tightly under wraps. But, a few interesting things from this time were.

-The birth of the Mr.McMahon character... cool to see him testing this out back
then.
-Bret and Owen Hart teaming as heels.
-Tatanka becoming USWA champ and then losing it (at this time he was still
undefeated in WWF)

And many others.... It's a fun look back at a little known happening in the wrestling world.

Does anyone else remember/know about this?

 

[caesarmacdaddy]

I remember reading about the feud in the PWI magazines, but I don't know how or why it started or why it ended. I would love to find out why it never made TV back then. It would have been exciting. Great thread idea. I hope we get some answers.

 

[The Suplexer Perfecter]

Oh wow someone else who knows about this!

Yeah Vince was acting like Mr. McMahon back then, even wore the title belt to mock Lawler and really sounded like the evil boss.

Jerry Lawler was heel in WWF at the time and face in USWA so it was a bit weird.

I've even found footage of "The Jerry Lawler Show" which was I guess a local Memphis TV talk show with Jerry as host of course.

You should find the footage where Tommy Dreamer was in USWA as a heel during the ECW invasion feud in the 90s. It was across 3 damn promotions!

 

[user2011]

wow i remeber seeing this on tv when i was a kid flipping the channels, it was super confusing to watch, wwf wresters on USWA. I think Jerry lawer was on the show too. ""But that may have been near the end when he jumped to wwf"" (wiki)

 

[kingfan]

Lawler was great in this angle he did a promo on uswa tv after the king of the ring in 1993 after Bret Hart won explaining why he attacked bret that he was the only king of wrestling and never called himself hitman or macho man. Lawler was the home town hero in the uswa for years memphis/uswa wold look at the wwf as outsiders. it is cool to see mr. McMahon vs Lawler five years before McMahon vs Austin

 

[Craig-O-Mac]

Great random thread, dont be afraid to start any more, I love these obscure ones!!!

As mentioned above, I recall the USWA coming to ECW. The Dudley boys were slated to defend their titles against New Jack and Kronus at Hardcore Heaven 1997 I believe. I remember buying this tape and watching it. The Gangstanators (Brilliant name/Awful name, I'm undecided!!) were unable to compete so the call was answered by PG-13. I was very intrigued by these guys and thought they had a gritty look. On closer inspection I realised these boys were part of the WWF's Nation of Domination as the rappers that would accompany them to the ring. They were like 15 time tag champs in USWA.

As a side note, the ever reliable (ha ha) Wikipedia has told me that The Nation of Domination was started in USWA. It also told me Owen competing for their Heavyweight Title.

Great Thread

 

[Total Impact]

I remember this angle as a child as I loved watching USWA every Saturday morning on Channel 5 NBC. It was Saved by the Bell then wrestling, great combination. Anyway the angle made sense in the South as Jerry Lawler was truly the King around here. I remember Bret Hart videos of him heeling it up for the Memphis crowd while being a face in the WWF.

The Angle was great as USWA was a farm-leauge/partner of the WWF so a lot of talented started in Memphis:

N.O.D.
Jacqueline
The Rock(Flex Cavana)
Mabel/Viscera/Big Daddy V
Kurt Angle (Power Pro Wrestling)
Truth Commission
Jeff Jarrett
Brain Christopher (My Favorite Wrestler of All Time in USWA besides the Spellbinder)

USWA was great it was great to see WWF in that different light.