Tampa loses WWE WrestleMania for now, but you can’t deny city’s rich pro wrestling history
WWE paced itself to bring WrestleMania Week to historic Tampa for the first time in its 36-year history in April, but coronavirus halted those plans.
Even without WrestleMania in Tampa (for now), the story of Florida pro wrestling begins in Tampa with Championship Wrestling from Florida
One of CWF’s top talents who became legendary is Dory Funk Jr.
This Texas native and Florida resident discusses Tampa wrestling history, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Eddie Graham, giving back, college football, pro football, Dallas Cowboys and more.
Tampa’s historic ties to pro wrestling
Tampa was the headquarters of Championship Wrestling from Florida (1949-1987). Cowboy Luttrell founded CWF and later enlisted Eddie Graham as his protege and predecessor. Graham was named to the WWE Hall of Fame posthumously in 2008.
Long before other pro sports consistently engaged the Tampa/St. Pete market, pro wrestling entertained thousands each Tuesday night in Tampa at the Fort Homer W. Hesterly Amory and occasionally the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg. TV taped Wednesdays at Tampa’s Sportatorium.
Prior to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, WWE provided a training facility in Tampa (October 2007-August 2012) and ran shows with its developmental talent throughout Central and North Florida under the FCW banner.
Vince McMahon ties to Orlando, Tampa
Tampa was one of eight cities chosen for an XFL team in this American pro football league’s reemergence which also kicked off in 2020. The team competed at Raymond James Stadium, a few weeks after the NFL Super Bowl in Miami Gardens.
Nearly two months later from that XFL 2020 debut, Tampa was gearing for the Super Bowl of sports entertainment with its first WrestleMania, under the auspices of WWE Chairman/CEO Vince McMahon at Raymond James Stadium.
WrestleMania 36 remains in Florida, going two nights April 4 and 5 at the WWE Performance Center training facility in Orlando. No crowd, fans. Just essential personnel for matches and the show, available on WWE Network and pay-per-view. This still marks the fourth WrestleMania in Florida (three now in Orlando and one in Miami Gardens).
Orlando housed an XFL team during the newly formed league’s only season in 2001 at the Citrus Bowl, which welcomed two Wrestlemanias (2008 and 2017). The XFL is also owned by McMahon via Alpha Entertainment.
Where the Fort Homer W. Hesterly Amory sat is now the Tampa Jewish Community Center South Campus. Organizers approved a Wall of Fame inside the venue dedicated to the memory of CWF.
Check out this story: CWFWallofFameFundrasieratTampaJCC
History at Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory in Tampa
CWF at the Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory featured many top talents and historic matches and moments.
For me, I’ll always remember May 14, 1974, the birth of The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
On Aug. 21, 1979, The American Dream Dusty Rhodes beat Harley Race for the NWA title.
On Feb. 11, 1969, Dory Funk Jr. defeated Gene Kiniski for the NWA title.
This marks the 50th anniversary of Funk winning the world title.
Dory Funk Jr. talks Championship Wrestling from Florida, Eddie Graham, winning the NWA Title in Tampa, his father Dory Funk Sr., the experience as champ and more.
Funk is 78, living in Ocala in Central Florida.
Funk’s brother, Terry, is too a former NWA champion. Terry had heated feuds with Rhodes in CWF. Funk Jr. also wrestled Rhodes in singles and tag action.
Dory Funk Jr. talks WWE WrestleMania to Tampa, the Funking Conservatory Wrestling School, Wesley Blake, Japan, wrestling Terry Funk, The Brisco Brothers, Tampa Sportatorium and more.
In an outstanding rivalry, the Funks battled the Brisco Brothers (Jack and Jerry) in singles and tag team action throughout Florida.
Plenty of history between the Funks and the Briscos. Terry beat Jack for the NWA title in Miami Beach. They all battled multi-time NWA champ Harley Race in Florida.
Born and raised in Texas, Dory Funk Jr. is a graduate of West Texas State College where he played football. A horseman and a cowboy, he wrestled since age 6 and competed in his first rodeo at age 9.
A WWE Hall of Famer, Funk Jr. debuted in the pro ranks in 1963. He made quite a name for himself in the states and around the world, especially in Japan. He continues a solid working relationship in Japan.
He was recently honored by the prestigious Cauliflower Alley Club in Las Vegas.
Dory Funk Jr. talks Corey Graves, Gordon Solie, Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk, acting, wrestling school and more.
If you would like to train with Coach Dory Funk Jr. at the Funking Conservatory in Ocala, Fla., call 352-895-4658.
For information, visit www.dory-funk.com.
Bonus video
Dory Funk Jr. and his wife and business partner Marti joined forces in the ring against WWE Hall of Famers Carlos Colon and Fabulous Moolah.
More history at the armory
James Brown, The Doors, Pink Floyd. Buddy Holly, and Elvis Presley performed at the armory. Martin Luther King Jr. held a rally there, and President John F. Kennedy spoke there in November 1963, four days before he was assassinated in Dallas.
CWF Tampa/St. Pete venues
Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, 548 N. Howard Ave., now the Tampa Jewish Community Center South Campus which includes a CWF Wall of Fame.
The Sportatorium, 106 N. Albany Ave., now a musical arts piano conservatory.
Bayfront Center, 400 First Street South, St. Petersburg, now the Salvador Dalí Museum, adjoined by The Mahaffey Theater.
Some CWF talent
Snakemaster Abudadein
Bill Alfonso
Terry Allen (Magnum TA)
Cuban Assassin Fidel Sierra
Masked Assassin
Bob Backlund
Jimmy Backlund (Jimmy Del Rey)
Ox Baker
Jesse Barr
Outlaw Ron Bass
Brian Blair
The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown and Buddy Roberts)
Nick Bockwinkel
Jack Brisco
Jerry Brisco
Bad Leroy Brown
Denny Brown
Abdullah the Butcher
Ray Candy
Barbara Clary
Buddy Colt
Tiger Conway Jr.
Bob Cook
King Curtis
Mike Davis
J.J. Dillon
Bubba Douglas
Bobby Duncum
Paul Ellering
Fabulous Freebirds
Manny Fernandez
Ric Flair
Robert Fuller
Ron Fuller
Dory Funk Jr.
Terry Funk
Jimmy Garvin
The Gladiator
Rene Goulet
Superstar Bill Graham
Eddie Graham
Mike Graham
Jerry Grey
Hector Guerrero
Playboy Gary Hart
Billy Jack Haynes
Coach John Heath
Sir Oliver Humperdink
Bobby Jaggers
Rocky Johnson
Paul Jones
Great Kabuki
Killer Khan
Leilani Kai
Steve Keirn
Sonny King
Ivan Koloff
Killer Karl Kox
Ernie Ladd
Stan Lane
Jerry Lawler
Jos Leduc
Mark Lewin
Teddy Long
Lex Luger
The Great Malenko (Professor Boris Malenko)
Dutch Mantel
Tony Marino
Raul Matta
Hiro Matsuda
Missouri Mauler
Mike McCord (Austin Idol)
Bugsy McGraw
Wahoo McDaniel
Pedro Morales
Angelo Mosca
Blackjack Mulligan
Dick Murdoch
Don Muraco
Kendo Nagasaki
Cyclone Negro
Omar Negro
Jim Neidhart
Bob Orton
Bob Orton Jr.
Reggie Parks
Pat Patterson
Thunderbolt Patterson
Angelo Poffo
Tyree Pride
Percy Pringle III
Harley Race
Baron Von Raschke
Butch Reed
Dusty Rhodes
Dustin Rhodes
Jake Roberts
Billy Robinson
Bob Roop
Mike Rotunda
Rick Rude
Mr. Saito
Ricky Santana
Buzz Sawyer
Don Serrano
The Sheepherders (Bushwhackers) with Johnny Ace (John Laurinaitis)
Dick Slater
Ron Simmons
Gordon Solie
Pak Song
The Spoiler
Super Destroyer
Bryan St. John
Big Steelman (Fred Ottman-Tugboat-Typhoon)
Ray Stevens
Mongolian Stomper
Exotic Adrian Street
Chief Jay Strongbow
Sweet Brown Sugar (Skip Young)
Kevin Sullivan
Luna Vachon
Greg Valentine
Johnny Valentine
David Von Erich
Pez Whatley
Barry Windham
Kendall Windham
Woman
Mr. Wrestling Tim Woods
Mr. Wrestling II
My Pro Wrestling Talk on the Web and Social Media
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This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 4:13 PM.
