An interview with “Mr. Olympia” Jerry Stubbs and Fan-Fest

by Bobby Inman
2 comments

“Mr. Olympia” Jerry Stubbs

It’s no secret that I am a wrestling fan.  Now, I am not talking about “Sports Entertainment” but “Wrasslin’.  A lot of today’s wrestling fans are not aware of the Legends of the sport that shaped the sport to what it is today.  Today, I got to interview a Legend of Professional Wrestling.

A couple months ago, I made contact with Jerry Stubbs through Facebook.  We spoke back and forth several times.  Back in the mid-80s, I followed the Wrestling Circuit throughout Alabama and Tennessee.  During my recent move, I found a box full of pictures that I had taken at the matches.  I asked Jerry if he would like to have a copy of the pics, which got us talking.  Jerry agreed to a phone interview with me for an Exclusive for the Quad Cities Daily. 

To give you some background on Jerry Stubbs, here is his information from Wikipedia:

     Jerry Stubbs is a retired professional wrestler. Stubbs wrestled as Mr. Olympia in Bill Watts’s Mid-South Wrestling area (Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas) and as the villainous Jerry “Mr. Perfect” Stubbs in Southeast/Continental wrestling promotions. Stubbs won multiple versions of the areas singles and tag team titles as a member of the Stud Stable.

Professional wrestling career

   In the spring of 1976, Stubbs began wrestling matches for Georgia Championship Wrestling   In one match he put over Bob Backlund in the opening match on April 2 of that year at the Atlanta City Auditorium. Stubbs also wrestled such notables as Ricky SteamboatDean Ho, and Rick Martel that year in Georgia with modest success.

    In 1977 and 1978 Stubbs continued spending his Georgia time helping put over Stan Hansen, “Dirty” Dick SlaterRandy Savage, and Abdullah the Butcher. Also in 1978 Stubbs began taking more matches in the Mid-Atlantic territory.

    In 1980–81 he was back in the Southeast/Continental area again this time wrestling as the masked Matador and winning the NWA Southeastern Continental Tag Team Championship with Mike Stallings.   He also won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship from Les Thornton in January 1981.  Mid-year he wrestled as the masked Olympian and won the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship

     Stubbs then returned to the Mid-South promotion in 1982 and began wrestling there as Mr. Olympia. He became a baby face and the regular tag team partner of the Junkyard Dog. Olympia and JYD won the area’s tag team title by defeating The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) in May 1982.    The tandem lost the title to a team known as “The Rat Pack” (Ted DiBiase and Matt Borne) in late October 1982.where either JYD or DiBiase would leave the Mid-South territory   Olympia turned on JYD and joined DiBiase as a heel to win the Mid-South tag team title from Mr. Wrestling II and Tiger Conway, Jr. in April 83 in Shreveport, Louisiana

    In 1984 he teamed regularly with Arn Anderson as Super Olympia who was there for seasoning before moving to Georgia Championship Wrestling. Together they won the area’s tag team title in a tournament on January 15, 1984 wrestling as Mr. Olympia and Super Olympia.   They were managed by Sonny King at the time. Stubbs and Anderson also joined and wrestled for the Stud Stable as themselves. Soon Anderson and Stubbs had a falling out leading to a series of mask versus mask matches. A loss in the first match caused Mr Olympia to unmask revealing himself to be Stubbs. In the next match Super Olympia lost his mask to reveal Anderson, a third match ended in a draw. The pair would make their peace and wrestle as a pair again this time wearing trademark matching Panama hats

Jerry Stubbs and Arn Anderson with the Southeastern Tag Team Titles

  In 1986, Stubbs won the area’s most prestigious title, the new Continental Championship. He traded the title back and forth with Brad Armstrong throughout much of the year leading to a hot feud with all of the Armstrong brothers during this time.  During 1986, Stubbs lost a Mask vs Mask match with “The Bullet” Bob Armstrong. He also teamed regularly with Tony Anthony (later the Dirty White Boy). Together they defeated The Nightmares (Danny Davis and Ken Wayne) on February 23, 1987. They lost and regained the straps against Robert Fuller and Jimmy Golden, members of the Stud Stable.    Fuller and Golden turned heel again immediately following the title win, and Stubbs resumed his Mr. Olympia persona and

Jerry Stubbs and the “Dirty White Boy” Tony Anthony

feuded with Anthony.

Also in 1986 and 1987, Stubbs spent time overseas wrestling for All Japan. There he again donned the mask as Mr. Olympia. He teamed with the AWA’s Brad Rheingans and they won a number of matches together. Another regular partner was Paul Diamond. Stubbs also wrestled occasionally under the name “A Sheik” during that time (not to be confused with The Sheik). Curt Hennig and Stubbs would meet in Japan where Stubbs explained the “Mr Perfect” gimmick to Hennig and gave his OK for Hennig using the gimmick in the WWF

Now that you have the history of Mr. Olympia Jerry Stubbs, let’s turn to the interview.  I spoke with Jerry on a Wednesday afternoon an asked him the following questions.    His answers will be in (Italics).

  1. Tell me about Jerry Stubbs. Upbringing, Education, etc.

“I was brought up in the Atlanta, Georgia areaI played Basketball and Baseball in High School.  After graduating High School, I attended a Junior College in the area, playing Baseball.  I went on to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League.”

Mr Olympia

 2.How did you break into the sport of Professional Wrestling?

 

“It was mainly because of the Fullers (Robert and Ron).  I had a cousin, Mike Stallings, who was wrestling and introduced me to the Fullers.  They gave me my first start.  I wrestled as “The Matador” in Knoxville, TN for them.  

 

I then moved over to the Louisiana area where I wrestled as Jerry Stubbs.  I liked it over there.  The fans were great.  I later went to Pensacola, FL area where I wrestled for the Fullers again.  

 

A lot of people don’t realize that I started out in Law Enforcement.  I worked as an Officer or 15 years before I got into Wrestling.  I started out at Forrest Park police Department before joining the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department. “

 

Austin Idol and Mr. Olympia

  1. During your career, you spent time in Georgia Championship Wrestling, Continental Championship Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Which was your favorite organization to work for?

 

“I really enjoyed working for Bill Watts in the Mid-South Area.  Watts was very demanding but that was what I liked about him. 

 

I also enjoyed working with the Fullers in Knoxville, TN area.  I think that one thing that helped me in my career was that I started at the bottom, paid my dues and worked my way up.  Later in my career, the other wrestlers gave me respect because I did come into the business this way. “

“Mr. Olympia” Jerry Stubbs

4.You wrestled Abdullah the Butcher. I have read several articles that Abdullah was known to work a little “stiff” in the ring.   Your thoughts?

 

“Abdullah was known for working stiff in the ring.  Most people did not realize that he had this fat under his arms and when he came down across your back with an arm strike, you were getting the muscle as well as the fat.  It really hurt. 

 

Also, he had the hardest knee caps.  He would perform a knee lift and you would see stars. “

Abdullah the Butcher

5.Ric Flair has gone on record several times saying that his toughest opponent was Ricky “The Dragon Steamboat” and he really liked working with Sting.  Let’s flip that to Jerry Stubbs.  Who was your toughest opponent?      Who did you like working with the most?

 

“Ric Flair was one of my toughest opponents.  I wrestled him in a hour match in Mobile, AL.  I’m telling you, it was grueling working with him for an hour.  I was give out. 

 

Harley Race was another tough opponent.  He would give it to you hard and if you gave it back hard, he took it.  Of course Abdullah the Butcher as well as the Anderson brothers were tough opponents. 

 

My first televised match was against Nikolai Volkoff.  He dropped me three times across his knee.  Each time he did it, I just thought ‘don’t do that again.’”

Mr. Olympia vs. Ric Flair

6.After winning the Continental Championship Wrestling Title in 1986, Brad Armstrong and you had a series of grueling and bloody matches.  Sadly Brad passed away in 2012.  Give me your memories of working with Brad.

 

“Brad was a smart wrestler.  He had a lot of talent.  There is one match we did in Birmingham, AL at Boutwell that was really bloody.  Brad was going to give me a copy of the match but he passed away before he did.  I would love to have that tape.  I actually trained Brad.  Throughout my career, I also wrestled his dad, Bob Armstrong.”

Jerry Stubbs vs Brad Armstrong in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo taken by the author. This is the match that is talked about above.

7.Your nickname is Mister Olympia. How did you get this

Bob Armstrong

nickname and who gave it to you?

 

As I got my career going, I knew that I had to bulk up so I really started hitting the weights.  Bob Armstrong is the person that gave me the Mr. Olympia nickname.  Bob is 78 years old and still gets in the ring.  “

 8.What is your favorite Venue to wrestling in?

 

“It would probably be the Mid-South Area.  I made some good money there.  They treated me good there.  The fans really liked you there.  They really got into it.  I also liked working in Alabama. “

Jerry Stubbs with Tom Prichard

9.Could Continental Championship Wrestling survive in today’s market of Sports Entertainment?

 

“It’s possible.  The sport is changing so much.  Social Media is a big tool now being used in the sport.  You would have to figure out what your market wants and provide for that market.  TV stations are now asking for wrestling programs.  A lot of people want wrestling like it used to be.”

“Mr. Olympia” Jerry Stubbs

10.What is Jerry Stubbs doing these days?

 

I am working at the Clayton County, Georgia Sheriff’s Department Part Time with the Judges.  I still make appearances at wrestling events.  I have been playing some golf.”

 

 

  1. When Southeastern Championship Wrestling switched to Continental

    Jerry Stubbs

    Championship Wrestling, Gordon Solie came on board as the commentator. Gordon has been called the “Dean of Wrestling” due to his knowledge of the sport.  Your thoughts on Gordon?

 

”Gordon was the greatest.  He knew every muscle group in a person’s body and would relate that to the audience when pressure points were used on the wrestlers.  Also, if you got stuck during an interview, he would guide you along. 

 

Gordon Solie

Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are also two announcers that are great at their jobs.”

12.Arn Anderson and you formed a very successful Tag Team. I recently interviewed with White Lightning Tim Horner who worked with Arn in the WWE sever years ago.  One of the comments that Tim told me about was that Arn said that today’s wrestlers and fans did not know who he was.  In your opinion, how does that reflect back to the history of Professional Wrestling when they don’t know who The Enforcer Arn Anderson is?  The person how named the Four Horsemen.

 

“It’s true.  A lot of this generation doesn’t know who we are.  There are so many small organizations out there with wrestlers to go along with the bigger organizations.  Wrestling is so different today. 

 

The good thing about it is people want to see the older stuff, so it is making a comeback.”

 

 

  1. On May 12th, 2018, the Continental Championship Wrestling Fan Fest will be held in Dothan, Alabama. Fans from all over will be converging on Dothan for this Fan-Fest.  The following people are slated to attend:  Road Warrior Animal, Jerry “the King” Lawler, Widfire Tommy Rich, Dr Tom Prichard, Wildcat Wendell Cooley, Frankie “The Thumper’’ Lancaster, Robert Fuller, Jimmy Golden, The Tennessee Stud Ron Fuller, Davey Rich, Johnny Rich, Chick Donovan, as well as yourself.  Tel me about this event.

 

“The will be a big event.  It will be held on May 12, 2018 at the Fairgrounds in Dothan, Alabama.  This is where the Peanut Festival is usually held.  It is on Hwy 231, commonly known as the Circle in Dothan. 

 

There will be a Meet & Greet starting at 5:00 PM that night with matches starting at 7:30 PM.  Fans can come see their favorite wrestlers from the Southeastern-Continental days as well as new talent. 

 

Fans can check out the Facebook site for Continental Championship Wrestling for information.  We have VIP Packages available.  Tickets are selling fast.  Each year the Fan-Fest gets bigger and better. 

 

Also, we are finalizing the details to start running weekly or monthly wrestling shows there. 

 

 

 

  1. Tell me about Jerry Stubbs the family man.

    Jerry and Maureen Stubbs

 

“I have been married to my wife Maureen for 46 years.  We have a Son and Daughter.  Also, we have six Grandkids that keep us busy. 

 

Maureen and I are about to take a cruise to Cozumel for seven days. 

 

I play as much golf as I can.

 

I watch SEC football.  I always cheer for the Georgia Bulldogs since I am from here but I like Alabama Crimson Tide football.  I really like the SEC.”

15.What would you like to say to the “Mister Olympia” Jerry Stubbs fans out there today?

 

“First of all, I want to say thank you for your support over the years.  To see fans in the audience hollering and screaming told me that I was doing my job.  There was this little old lady who had an oxygen bottle (I told him I remembered her from the matches.  Her name was Mrs. Dodd.)  She would give me a hard time at every match.  One night, I got the microphone and told her I would come turn her oxygen bottle off.  They just got her going.  That night outside the arena, she came up and hugged my neck.   

 

I enjoyed entertaining them over the years.”

 

There you have it, am interview with Mr. Olympia Jerry Stubbs.  If you can make the Fan-Fest on May 12, 2018 in Dothan, I think you will be in for a good time.  I will be there covering the event for the Quad Cities Daily.

 

The following photos were taken of Mr. Olympia Jerry Stubbs  by this author in Florence, Alabama, as well as Birmingham Alabama.  These were taken between 1984 and 1987.

 

 Bobby Inman is retired from Law Enforcement after 21 years of Service.  He is the Store Manager of Southern Heritage Gun & Pawn in Tuscumbia.   He has articles published in Law & Order Magazine, Police Marksman Magazine, Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement Magazine as well as several published ebooks on Amazon, Kobo Writing, as well as Nook (Barnes & Noble).  He is owner of Poopiedog, an Animal Rescue Dachshund, who is his constant companion.   He is a Senior Investigative Reporter for the Quad Cities Daily

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2 comments

Wayne Sewell April 10, 2018 - 7:34 pm

Excellent article has I went to high school with Jerry

Reply
Bj Howell May 29, 2018 - 7:30 pm

Excellent article but you left out one of his partners, that being Mike Stallings.

Reply

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