# Crockett Cup (1986)

The First Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, also referred to as Crockett Cup (1986), was held on April 19, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The first portion of the event was held in the afternoon and the second portion was held in the night. The event was co-promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) and Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF). The tournament featured 24 tag teams. The concept of the Crockett Cup was a single elimination tag team tournament, with the storyline prize of $1,000,000.00 given to the winning team along with a large trophy. The tournament was won by The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk), as they defeated Ron Garvin and Magnum T. A. in the finals to win the tournament.

## Production
### Background

In early 1986, the professional wrestling promotion Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) announced that they were hosting a 2-show, 24-team tag team tournament with teams from various National Wrestling Alliance territories. The Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (commonly known simply as the "Crockett Cup"), named in honor of JCP owner Jim Crockett Jr.'s father, "Big Jim" Crockett Sr. and The Crockett Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Crockett Sr. in 1933. The first Crockett Cup was held in New Orleans, Louisiana in collaboration with Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation who normally promoted shows in New Orleans. The 24 team event was split over two shows, held at the Superdome, split between one show in the afternoon and another in the evening.
Each show featured one non-tournament match beyond the Crockett Cup tournament. The afternoon show drew 3,500 people, for a box office take of approximately $40,000, while the evening show sold 13,000 tickets for a total of $180,000. The two shows were not shown as part of JCP's weekly television shows, nor broadcast on Closed-circuit television at the time. The events were recorded, since JCP would later release the 1986 Crockett Cup as a commercial VHS videotape, featuring all tournament matches edited down due to time constraints.

### Storylines

The 1986 Crockett Cup shows featured a total of 25 professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers are portrayed as either heels (those that portray the "bad guys"), faces (the "good guy" characters) or tweeners (characters that is neither clearly a heel or a face) as they follow a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches as determined by the promotion.

#### Tournament participants

| Team | From | Notes |
| Four Horsemen (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) | JCP | First-round bye; Blanchard held the NWA National Heavyweight Championship, Anderson held the NWA World Television Championship. |
| Giant Baba and Tiger Mask | AJPW | First-round bye |
| The Barbarian and Baron von Raschke | JCP | |
| The Batten Twins (Bart and Brad Batten) | CSW | The most recent Central States Tag Team Champions |
| Black Bart and Jimmy Garvin | JCP | Black Bart was the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion |
| Dino Bravo and Rick Martel | Lutte | First-round bye |
| Bill Dundee and Buddy Landel | CWA | |
| The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) | CWF | |
| The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) | UWF | UWF Tag Team Champions |
| Manny Fernandez and Jimmy Valiant | JCP | |
| Ronnie Garvin and Magnum T. A. | JCP | First-round bye; Magnum held the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship |
| Los Guerreros (Chavo and Hector Guerrero) | CWF | |
| Sam Houston and Nelson Royal | JCP | |
| The Italian Stallion and Koko Ware | UWF | |
| Bobby Jaggers and Mike Miller | PNW | |
| Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood | JCP | |
| The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton) | JCP | First-round bye; NWA World Tag Team Champions |
| D.J. Peterson and Brett Wayne | UWF | |
| The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) | JCP | First-round bye |
| The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton) | JCP | First-round bye |
| The Russian Team (Ivan and Nikita Koloff) | JCP | First-round bye |
| Buzz Sawyer and Rick Steiner | UWF | |
| The Sheepherders (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) | UWF | |
| Terry Taylor and Steve Williams | UWF | Williams was originally scheduled to team up with Ted DiBiase but DiBiase was injured at the time of the tournament |

## Event
### First round

The first round of the Crockett Cup kicked off with a tag team match pitting Mark Youngblood and Wahoo McDaniel against Bobby Jaggers and Mike Miller. McDaniel hit a chop and elbow drop to Miller for the win.
Next, Nelson Royal and Sam Houston took on The Batten Twins (Bart and Brad). Houston hit a bulldog to Bart Batten for the win.
Next, Jimmy Valiant and Manny Fernandez took on Baron von Raschke and The Barbarian. Fernandez pinned Barbarian with a sunset flip for the win.
Next, Steve Williams and Terry Taylor took on Bill Dundee and Buddy Landel. Williams nailed an Oklahoma Stampede to Landel for the win.
Next, Chavo Guerrero and Hector Guerrero took on The Sheepherders (Butch and Luke). Sheepherders hit a double clothesline to Hector for the win.
Next, The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) took on The Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn). Fulton pinned Keirn with a roll-up after Rogers jumped out of a back suplex to Keirn.
Next, Buzz Sawyer and Rick Steiner took on Koko Ware and The Italian Stallion. Sawyer hit a powerslam to Stallion for the win.
The final first round match pitted Brett Sawyer and David Peterson against Black Bart and Jimmy Garvin. Bart delivered a leg drop to Peterson and Garvin followed with a brainbuster for the win.

### Second round

The second round of the tournament kicked off with a match pitting the advancing Nelson Royal and Sam Houston against The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey). Royal applied an abdominal stretch on Condrey until Eaton hit a diving double axe handle to Royal behind the referee's back allowing Condrey to pin him for the win.
Next, Buzz Sawyer and Rick Steiner took on Magnum T. A. and Ron Garvin. After being double teamed by Sawyer and Steiner, Garvin tagged in T. A., who nailed a belly to belly suplex to Steiner for the win.
Next, Mark Youngblood and Wahoo McDaniel took on The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk). Hawk hit a flying clothesline to Youngblood from the middle rope for the win.
Next, Jimmy Valiant and Manny Fernandez took on The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikita Koloff). Valiant had applied a sleeper hold on Ivan until Nikita hit a Russian Sickle to Valiant allowing Ivan to pin him for the win.
Steve Williams and Terry Taylor were scheduled to take on Dino Bravo and Rick Martel in the next match but Bravo had to be treated for appendicitis due to which Bravo was unable to show up and Martel was forced to forfeit the match, allowing Williams and Taylor to advance to the quarterfinal.
Next, The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) took on The Sheepherders. Rock 'n' Roll Express was disqualified when Jack Victory tried to interfere in the match with the New Zealand flag but Morton hit him with the flagpole. Rock 'n' Roll Express argued with the referee over the decision and allowed Sheepherders to advance to the quarterfinal.
Next, The Fantastics took on the team of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. Bobby Fulton dropkicked Anderson as Anderson tried to slam Tommy Rogers allowing Rogers to fall on top of Anderson and pin him for the win.
It was followed by the last match in the second round which pitted Giant Baba and Tiger Mask against Black Bart and Jimmy Garvin. Tiger Mask hit a diving crossbody to Bart allowing Baba to hit a big boot to Bart's chest for the win.

### Quarterfinals

The quarterfinal began with The Road Warriors taking on The Midnight Express. Midnight Express utilized many dirty tactics but were unable to win which led to their manager Jim Cornette hitting Road Warrior Animal with his tennis racket, leading to Midnight Express getting disqualified and Road Warriors advancing to the semifinal.
Next, Steve Williams and Terry Taylor took on Ivan Koloff and Nikita Koloff. The match ended in a twenty minute time limit draw. Koloffs and Korstia Korchenko attacked Williams after the match.
Next, The Fantastics took on The Sheepherders. The referee got knocked out and a brawl occurred between the four teams after Jack Victory tossed a flagpole into the ring. The usage of flagpole and the brawl would lead to both teams getting disqualified and eliminated from the tournament.
It was followed by the final quarterfinal match in which Magnum T. A. and Ron Garvin took on Giant Baba and Tiger Mask. Magnum countered a diving crossbody by Mask into a belly to belly suplex for the win. The elimination of the other four teams would lead directly to the final round pitting Road Warriors against Magnum and Garvin.

### Non-tournament matches

Before the finals, two non-tournament matches took place. In the first, Jim Duggan defended the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship against Dick Slater. Duggan countered a piledriver attempt by Slater by backdropping him but got trapped in the ropes. Slater tried to advance towards him but the referee stopped him which allowed Duggan to hit a three-point stance clothesline to Slater to retain the title.
In the following match, Ric Flair defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Dusty Rhodes. The referee got knocked out which allowed Flair to take off Rhodes' protective boot and hit him with it for a near-fall. Flair tried to hit Baby Doll which led to Rhodes hitting him with the boot and getting disqualified. He proceeded to hit the referee with it as well and left with Flair's title belt.

### Final

The final of the Crockett Cup took place pitting Road Warriors against Magnum T. A. and Ron Garvin. Garvin hurt his injured hand by hitting Road Warrior Hawk in the face and tended to his hand which allowed Road Warrior Animal to hit a lariat to Garvin to win the match and the Crockett Cup in the process.

## Aftermath

On June 20, 2019 the tournament was added to the WWE Network as a Hidden Gem.

## Results

Afternoon Show Results :
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times |
| 1 | Mark Youngblood and Wahoo McDaniel defeated Bobby Jaggers and Mike Miller | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 7:35 |
| 2 | Nelson Royal and Sam Houston defeated The Batten Twins (Bart and Brad) | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 8:07 |
| 3 | Jimmy Valiant and Manny Fernandez defeated Baron von Raschke and The Barbarian (with Paul Jones and Shaska Whatley) | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 11:20 |
| 4 | Steve Williams and Terry Taylor defeated Bill Dundee and Buddy Landel | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 12:00 |
| 5 | The Sheepherders (Butch and Luke) (with Jack Victory) defeated Chavo Guerrero and Hector Guerrero | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 11:12 |
| 6 | The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) defeated The Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn) | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 13:10 |
| 7 | Buzz Sawyer and Rick Steiner defeated Koko Ware and The Italian Stallion | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 15:05 |
| 8 | Black Bart and Jimmy Garvin (with Precious) defeated Brett Sawyer and David Peterson | Crockett Cup first round tag team match | 6:35 |
| 9 | The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey) (with Jim Cornette) defeated Nelson Royal and Sam Houston | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 1:50 |
| 10 | Magnum T. A. and Ron Garvin defeated Buzz Sawyer and Rick Steiner | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 5:05 |
Evening Show Results :
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times |
| 1 | The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) (with Paul Ellering) defeated Mark Youngblood and Wahoo McDaniel | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 6:20 |
| 2 | The Russians (Ivan Koloff and Nikita Koloff) defeated Jimmy Valiant and Manny Fernandez | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 9:00 |
| 3 | Steve Williams and Terry Taylor defeated Dino Bravo and Rick Martel by forfeit | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | — |
| 4 | The Sheepherders (Butch and Luke) (with Jack Victory) defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) by disqualification | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 8:10 |
| 5 | The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) defeated Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard (with J. J. Dillon) | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 11:02 |
| 6 | Giant Baba and Tiger Mask defeated Black Bart and Jimmy Garvin (with Precious) | Crockett Cup second round tag team match | 6:05 |
| 7 | The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) (with Paul Ellering) defeated The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey) (with Jim Cornette) by disqualification | Crockett Cup quarterfinal tag team match | 10:30 |
| 8 | Steve Williams and Terry Taylor vs. The Russians (Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff) ended in a time limit draw | Crockett Cup quarterfinal tag team match | 20:00 |
| 9 | The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) vs. The Sheepherders (Butch and Luke) (with Jack Victory) ended in a double disqualification | Crockett Cup quarterfinal tag team match | 15:45 |
| 10 | Magnum T. A. and Ron Garvin defeated Giant Baba and Tiger Mask | Crockett Cup quarterfinal tag team match | 13:12 |
| 11 | Jim Duggan (c) defeated Dick Slater | Singles match for the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship | 10:07 |
| 12 | Ric Flair (c) defeated Dusty Rhodes (with Baby Doll) by disqualification | Singles match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship | 22:15 |
| 13 | The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) (with Paul Ellering) defeated Magnum T. A. and Ron Garvin | Crockett Cup final tag team match | 9:18 |
| (c) – the champion(s) heading into the match ||||

### Tournament brackets

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarter Finals | Quarter Finals | Quarter Finals | | Semi Finals | Semi Finals | Semi Finals | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | – | Road Warriors | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | McDaniel/Youngblood | 6:20 | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | McDaniel/Youngblood | W | – | McDaniel/Youngblood | 6:20 | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Jaggers/Miller | 07:35 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Jaggers/Miller | 07:35 | | | | – | Road Warriors | W | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | – | Midnight Express | 10:30 | | | | | | | |
| – | Houston/Royal | W | | | | | | | – | Midnight Express | 10:30 | | | | |
| – | Batten Twins | 08:07 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Batten Twins | 08:07 | – | Houston/Royal | 1:50 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Midnight Express | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | – | Road Warriors | W | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | – | BYE (double-DQ) | N/A | | | |
| | | | – | Anderson/Blanchard | 11:02 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Fantastics | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Fabulous Ones | 13:10 | – | Fantastics | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Fantastics | W | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Fantastics | W | | | | – | Fantastics | DDQ | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | – | Sheepherders | 15:45 | | | | | | | |
| – | Guerreros | 11:12 | | | | | | | – | Sheepherders | 15:45 | | | | |
| – | Sheepherders | W | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Sheepherders | W | – | Sheepherders | DQ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Rock 'n' Roll Express | 8:10 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | Road Warriors | W |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | Garvin/Magnum | 9:18 |
| | | | – | Russian Team | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Fernandez/Valiant | 9:00 | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Barbarian/Von Raschke | 11:20 | – | Fernandez/Valiant | 9:00 | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Fernandez/Valiant | W | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Fernandez/Valiant | W | | | | – | Russian Team | Draw | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | – | Taylor/Williams | 20:00 | | | | | | | |
| – | Taylor/Williams | W | | | | | | | – | Taylor/Williams | 20:00 | | | | |
| | Dundee/Landel | 12:00 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dundee/Landel | 12:00 | – | Taylor/Williams | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Bravo/Martel | forfeit | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | – | BYE (draw) | N/A | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | – | Garvin/Magnum | W | | | |
| | | | – | Garvin/Magnum | W | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Sawyer/Steiner | 5:05 | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Stallion/Ware | 15:05 | – | Sawyer/Steiner | 5:05 | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Sawyer/Steiner | W | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Sawyer/Steiner | W | | | | – | Garvin/Magnum | W | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | – | Baba/Tiger Mask | 13:12 | | | | | | | |
| – | Peterson/Wayne | 6:35 | | | | | | | – | Baba/Tiger Mask | 13:12 | | | | |
| – | Bart/Garvin | W | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Bart/Garvin | W | – | Bart/Garvin | 6:05 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | – | Baba/Tiger Mask | W | | | | | | | | | | |