ICW Wrestling Territory: The Poffo Family’s Outlaw Promotion

In the late 1970s, International Championship Wrestling (ICW) emerged as an "outlaw promotion" driven by the Poffo family—Angelo, along with his sons, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "Leaping" Lanny Poffo. Together, they boldly challenged wrestling’s establishment and defied the NWA’s dominance. ICW became a proving ground from its base in Lexington, Kentucky, nurturing future legends and carving a unique place in wrestling history. Yet, like many great territories, ICW faced relentless challenges that would ultimately lead to its eventual sad demise.

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Jim Phillips, author of this article and one of the great wrestling historians here at Pro Wrestling Stories, is in the challenge of his life after being paralyzed on January 21st, 2023. Learn his story and how you can help him reach his goal of taking his first steps again!

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Welcome back, wrestling fans, to another exciting installment of the Wrestling Territories. Our last adventure took us to the Pacific Northwest, where we explored the rich history of Portland’s Pacific Northwest territory. We now head east from Portland along I-84, journeying through the stunning Columbia River Gorge, the Rocky Mountains, and the heartland of America off I-70. Our final destination today leads us to Lexington, Kentucky—home of the rebellious and innovative International Championship Wrestling (ICW), the Poffo Family promotion that dared to challenge wrestling’s establishment!

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The Rise of International Championship Wrestling (ICW): Angelo Poffo, The Founder

During the late seventies, most of the federated territories were flying the NWA banner in solidarity. Some promotions were deemed “outlaw promotions” if they were not affiliated with the organization. Still, others went as far as running shows directly against NWA-endorsed events. This spirit of competition was one of the driving factors of the territories. Angelo Poffo opened ICW under such an ideal. He did things his own way, like it or not.

Angelo Poffo was born in 1925, the son of Italian immigrants, and raised in a hardworking family. He grew up just west of Chicago in the suburb of Downers Grove and attended DePaul University, playing catcher for their baseball team. It was here that he met the love of his life, his wife Judy, whom he would go on to wed in 1949.

The two were married for more than sixty years. They would give birth to two of the most influential wrestlers of the next generation. One of which was one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots.

Angelo’s wrestling career mirrored his philosophy in the ring: he was a heel. He worked for thirty years across the country and earned his chops as the villain. He worked for such managers as Bronco Lubich as a singles wrestler and for the likes of Bobby Heenan during his Devil’s Duo tag team days. It was after a run through Canada that he began to wrestle as The Miser under the blue mask adorned with a large dollar sign that his ICW promotion came into view.

Randy Savage: The Macho Man

Randall Mario Poffo was born in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15th, 1952. His early childhood was spent in nearby Zanesville, Ohio, where his love of sports, specifically baseball, began to take shape. Growing up around the wrestling business always had a hand in the course of his future, and moving with the needs of the business was something he became aware of during this time as well.

The Poffos moved to the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove in the sixties, where Randy excelled at Downers Grove North High School, batting a state record .525 in his senior season and earning team MVP honors. Despite his impressive stats, Randy went undrafted in 1971 and turned down a scholarship to baseball powerhouse Arizona State University.

Undeterred, he attended a St. Louis Cardinals tryout at Busch Stadium, where out of 200 players, he was the only one offered a contract – signing on the same day as future MLB All-Star Keith Hernandez.

Randy’s professional journey began with the Cardinals’ Gulf Coast League team in Sarasota, where he hit .286 with two home runs and made the All-Star team as a catcher. After three seasons in their system, including a stint with Class A Orangeburg where he hit .250 in 116 games, the Cardinals released him following a shoulder injury.

He then caught on with the Cincinnati Reds organization, playing for the Tampa Tarpons where he hit .232 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs. After being released again, he made one final attempt with the Chicago White Sox in 1975 as a converted left-handed first baseman but failed to make their minor league roster.

The road was nothing new to him, and traveling to make his bones came naturally – skills that would serve him well in his next career as “Macho Man” Randy Savage.

While his baseball career was waning due to complications with his shoulder, he took to the family business and began wrestling as The Spider. He soon took the name Randy Savage, which better matched his unorthodox style.

“Even for the Macho Man when he got to WWF/E, the reason he was such a great interview was because he had already done about several thousand interviews mostly for ICW,” his brother, the late Lanny Poffo, recalled in a December 2020 interview with me. “Some good, some not so good – there’s the learning curve there. By the time he got to WWE, his interviews were top of the line.

Lanny Poffo: The Genius

During this same time, his younger brother lept onto the NWA independent circuit, also bringing recognition to the family name.

Lanny Mark Poffo was born on December 28th, 1954, just after Christmas, while the family was in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Angelo was working for Stu Hart, among others, at the time.

The diverse locations where Randy and Lanny were born, raised, and eventually entered the wrestling business highlight the impact that their journeys had on their lives. This background significantly influenced their life paths, shaping their destinies in the world of wrestling.

The Birth of ICW

As Leaping Lanny and Randy Savage tore it up on the NWA circuit, Angelo saw their individual prowess in the ring and their combined family unity in their approach to the business and decided to start his own promotion to better push his sons to reach their full potential.

The trio founded ICW in the summer of 1978. When ICW started,” Lanny Poffo recalled, “We weren’t just working for our dad – I was a part owner, Randy was part owner. We were all invested.”

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, ICW directly competed with other promotions, including Ron Fuller’s Southeastern Championship Wrestling and the NWA-associated territory run by the Gulas family. Each of the three men wore many hats to keep the promotion alive and growing. They wrestled in the ring and took on specific operational duties outside it.

"All Angelo wanted was to be with his family," Rip Rogers shared during a phone interview with me in October 2024. "It was sink or swim, but at least they were united."

Promos were often recorded at the house of Rip and Randy, who were living together at the time. Their home became the meeting place for the promotion. Just two houses down was Angelo’s home, creating a neighborhood atmosphere filled with cars belonging to wrestlers and staff.

Lanny took on the responsibility of media outreach, managing photos and programs for the shows.

"I was in charge of photography and writing in the ICW programs," he recalled. "I came across an advertisement in Rolling Stone one day for ABC Printing in Missouri – they offered a thousand lithographs for sixty dollars. We sold each six-cent picture for a dollar, which meant a 94 percent profit."

But there was a challenge: if a wrestler left the promotion or didn’t sell well in photos, ICW was often left with surplus pictures. Lanny and the team came up with a clever solution: "We’d make grab bags," Lanny explained. "This was George Weingeroff’s idea. We took brown paper bags, put in about ten pictures of wrestlers, and sold them for a dollar. Once in a while, we’d throw in a photo of Macho Man or one of our top stars so people knew they’d eventually get something they liked if they kept buying."

The approach kept inventory fresh and demand high. "In real business, these are called ‘remainders.’ We cleared inventory, and I was always taking new pictures of Macho Man,” Lanny continued. "And the picture table always did good business."

With Randy and Angelo handling the booking and internal operations, and their mother, Judy, filling in wherever needed, ICW was truly a family-run venture from top to bottom.

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ICW’s Growth and Challenges

As ICW grew, it began to draw in workers from all of these surrounding territories. This expansive growth also brought them into conflict with more promoters and territories as they crossed those lines to create a new fan base.

“There was backlash, of course,” Lanny Poffo would recall. “But we were all in the same business and whether you’re NWA or ICW, everybody’s got a monthly nut and bills to pay and talent and payroll.”

The NWA would sue Poffo for this, but it was too far gone at that point. ICW was becoming a force in the Ohio Valley and could be felt all the way to St. Louis.

With the television deals he secured at several small stations, he was able to get his product out to the masses much more effectively than by just putting on live events.

“We didn’t just have our TV there, it was also so many places that we seemed like we were spending our life in a car, just driving from town to town, place to place,” Lanny would later reflect.

This was how I was introduced to his product at the young age of nine. It was on WSIL-TV every Friday night, and we never missed it.

In the beginning, it was mostly Randy and Lanny facing each other or a combination of the two and a pair of other wrestlers lining the card.

“Every once in a while, we’d get a new guy – Thunderbolt Patterson, Ox Baker, people like that, that had been flushed by the NWA and were now ready to just work anywhere,” Lanny explained.

The fledgling ICW was gaining exposure, though, and that would draw in not only fans but wrestlers looking to work and make a name for themselves.

Angelo made significant investments to ensure the future success of his sons. “He was the key to everything,” Rip Rogers shared. “He had the resources to make it happen, and he was willing to do it. Angelo went out and bought 30,000 cameras. His dad purchased two vans that cost around $17,000 each—this was forty years ago. He also bought a $30,000 ring truck because we needed it.”

Notable Wrestlers and Feuds

It wasn’t just the fans who recognized the brothers’ talents; a group of emerging wrestlers also saw an opportunity to enhance their own marketability at ICW. The atmosphere encouraged outrageous behavior, and everyone was dedicated to working hard and contributing to the business’s success.

One memorable incident involved Ronnie Garvin cutting Pez Whatley’s hair during their “mop head” storyline, which forced Whatley to wear a wig for several weeks, earning him the nickname “Mop Head” from the crowd.

Garvin gained further fame when he knocked Ox Baker’s dentures out of his mouth, only to stomp on them after they hit the ground. Throughout his time at ICW, Garvin established himself as a formidable competitor.

Ronnie Garvin: The One Man Gang

Roger Barnes from Montreal, Canada, was just another face in the crowd, but Ronnie Garvin wore many hats in the wrestling business.

Standing at only 5’10” and weighing 240 pounds, he wasn’t tall but was a fireplug of a man. A ferocious competitor in the ring, whether he was a babyface or an evil heel, he came at you in full force.

While in ICW, he wrestled as “The One Man Gang” Ronnie Garvin. This is particularly interesting because George Gray was also cutting his teeth in ICW at the time and would go on to make that particular moniker famous during his WWF run later on.

In the early years of his career, Ronnie worked as a tag team with Terry Garvin and his stepson, Jimmy Garvin, who later came to fame in WCCW. As most tag teams do, they eventually split and went their separate ways, with each making a name for themselves in the business.

Garvin worked for future ICW rival Ron Fuller at Southeastern Championship Wrestling in Knoxville, Tennessee, until a dispute over pay and gate receipts led to his departure.

After Bob Roop discovered ticket-takers were allegedly undercounting attendance to short-change the wrestlers of their percentage. In an act of defiance, Garvin threw the Southeastern Championship belt off Knoxville’s Gay Street Bridge into the Tennessee River below.

This act would later be echoed in WWE, first in December 1997 when Stone Cold threw The Rock’s Intercontinental Championship into the Oyster River, and again in April 1999 when The Rock threw both Austin and the “Smoking Skull” WWE Championship off a bridge in Detroit. But it was Ronnie Garvin who did it first, marking his dramatic exit from Fuller’s territory before moving to ICW.

As he traveled through the southeastern territories, he eventually found himself in Kentucky with The Poffos. He had learned a great deal along the way and brought that experience to the table.

“He could work an hour-long match without saying a word,” Rip Rogers later recalled. “He just worked, and you simply wrestled. There were never any high spots. You’d telegraph moves, and he would react accordingly. If you dropped down a little early, he could tell you were going to leapfrog or whatever it was.”

Lanny expressed his feelings about Garvin, too, stating, “He could be quite moody. However, when he was in a good mood, he was the funniest guy in the car!”

ICW was loaded with young, hungry guys who all wanted to make their name in the business, and Ronnie Garvin was in the thick of that pack. He always made an impact in a territory, even if he was there for a short time. He knew how to draw the fans in and make them want more.

Ox Baker: The Heart Punch Master

When Ron Garvin came into the ICW territory to face the big Ox Baker, it was money in the bank.

Baker had been born in the small town of Sedalia, Missouri, on April 19th, 1934, and since he cut into the business in 1964, he had been making a name for himself.

With his imposing size and long, evil appearance, he struck fear into any crowd he appeared in front of, which made him a draw for any savvy promoter who saw the money. Using his own version of the heart punch, he took opponents down with one shot, which made him even more menacing.

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Did you know? Ox Baker’s heart punch was infamously linked to two tragic in-ring incidents: the 1971 death of Alberto Torres, though it was later revealed Torres died from injuries sustained from a different move, and the 1972 death of Ray Gunkel, who collapsed after their match due to undiagnosed arteriosclerosis.

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Baker was well into his career when he came to ICW and ran across Ronnie Garvin. The two had a feud of David and Goliath-style matches before the infamous incident when he stomped on Baker’s dentures in the middle of the ring. Ox left not long after and headed to Central States Wrestling.

Ox’s appearance and heel demeanor garnered him Hollywood success, and he appeared in several films, the most prominent being his role in “Escape From New York,” where he played a thug set upon Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell, with the two battling it out in a wrestling ring in the post-apocalyptic thriller. Ox’s appearance was a memorable one, to say the least.

Baker passed away on October 20th, 2014 at the age of 80 from heart complications. For the life he lived and the time he spent doing it, making it to 80 was winning the game, in my opinion.

Pez Whatley: The Pistol

One of the wrestlers who took exception to Ronnie Garvin and had a long feud with him in ICW was "Pistol" Pez Whatley.

Born Pazavan Whatley on January 10, 1951, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Pez had a college football career with stints at Notre Dame and UT at Chattanooga before breaking into the business in 1973.

He worked the roads like the rest of the boys and went to wrestling school the old way. In Georgia, he had good runs, including one with Junkyard Dog after the Dog slapped Pez across his face.

"The most fun I ever had on any trip was with Rip Rogers, Pez Whatley, a wrestler named Willie Monroe, and myself," Lanny Poffo shared during our December 2020 conversation.

"Pez went, ‘Big Wheel!’ As in Willie Monroe. ‘How much do you weigh?’"

Monroe replied, "I weigh 450 pounds."

Pez carried on, "Holy moly, if it wasn’t for Andre the Giant, you’d be the biggest man in professional wrestling!"

Monroe replied, "I’m gonna, I’m gonna—I’m gonna have to cut down on my salt."

"‘Cut down on your salt?’ Pez carried on. ‘You gotta be better than that. Big Wheel, you don’t gotta go to the big man’s store. You gotta go to the real big mother ******* store!’"

"I’m sorry—I laughed until I died. Oh, what a funny guy Pez was. I was laughing so hard that I thought my face broke."

Pez was made the brunt of a lot of ribs by Garvin along the way in their feud, which added to the heat between the two in and out of the ring. One incident involved Pez being roped to a chair and put into makeup and a wig, and then placed in a box, which Garvin revealed to the television audience as the new "Miss Macho Man."

Pez had a couple of good runs with Ronnie, as well as his time with The Convertible Blondes alongside Rip Rogers and Gary Royal. After ICW dissolved, he went to wrestle for the Crocketts in the Carolinas. Pez continued to work in the business until he suffered a heart attack on January 18th, 2005, and passed away at the young age of 54.

Garvin worked more in Georgia and eventually made his way to Carolina as the end days came to ICW. His time with Fuller and Poffo added many chapters to his book of knowledge, and he used all of that when he got to Crockett.

Not to be outdone or over shone, which ran like an artery out of his own beating heart, Randy Savage “invaded” Memphis wrestling for an opportunity to wrestle Jerry Lawler to prove who was the real champion.

He taunted, berated, demoralized, and battered everything in sight, including Lance Russell’s set and his own face with a mirror. Randy Poffo was selling the Savage and making history along the way.

George Gray: From Crusher Broomfield to One Man Gang

Fate and luck can be a fickle mistress in the wrestling business, taking a wrestler through many twists and turns. One such case is George Gray, a big monster from Spartanburg, South Carolina.

"George made it big. He became the One Man Gang," Lanny Poffo later reflected. "Actually, he stole that from Ronnie Garvin."

Initially known as Crusher Broomfield in ICW, Gray adopted the One Man Gang persona later in the WWF, which would ultimately define his career. The Poffos first gave him a shot in the business, and years later, he and Randy reunited as parts of the WWF mega-machine in the late ’80s.

Gray was just 18 when he arrived in ICW, immersing himself in the "school of watch, look, listen." With numerous journeyman wrestlers passing through the territory, learning opportunities were plentiful for those who sought them. Like many big men, he was a gentle giant outside the ring but a fierce competitor within it.

After leaving ICW, Gray worked in major territories, including Mid-South, Florida, and Japan, before landing in the WWF in 1986. His experience honed his skills, enabling him to play the role of the big man without causing harm.

The Convertible Blondes

Gary Royal, a local talent, joined ICW in the early ‘80s and quickly found his place as one of the Convertible Blondes alongside Rip Rogers when the opportunity arose.

"That was Judy’s idea," Rip Rogers later recalled. "Angelo’s wife came up with the name Convertible Blondes and said we should all be together. When you got three guys and y’all got bleached blonde hair, that makes total sense. You’re the unit."

The duo soon found themselves in the heat of competition for the tag team titles. It wasn’t long before they added Pez Whatley as a third member, giving them an interchangeable lineup much like The Fabulous Freebirds. This unique setup allowed for all kinds of shifts and swerves, which they fully capitalized on whenever possible.

Rip Rogers: The Hustler

There would be no Convertible Blondes without The Hustler, Rip Rogers. One of the hardest-working men in the business, Rip tells it like it is and holds nothing back, in or out of the ring.

A true journeyman wrestler, he competed in nearly every territory at one time or another and trained a whole generation of WWE stars who drew in audiences through the 2000s and into the 2010s. These wrestlers are now the mentors and idols that the current generation looks up to. To say Rip helped nurture the business would be a gross understatement. But like many stories, this one begins with humble roots in small-town America.

Born Mark Sciarra on February 7th, 1954, in Seymour, Indiana, Rip had his sights set on more than just seeing the world—he wanted to make his mark (bad pun, I know) in the world of sports.

Outside of professional wrestling, he competed as a bodybuilder from the fall of 1981 until the spring of 1983, even posing in the Mr. Puerto Rico competition in 1983 during his time in WWC.

In 1996, he trained in boxing and had three professional bouts at age 41. Rip has never let age stand in his way, and physical fitness has been a part of his life from the very beginning.

He landed in ICW after a short stint with Dick the Bruiser in Indianapolis and the World Wrestling Association. Rip quickly found himself among a family of misfits and green wrestlers.

Rip also clicked with the Poffo regime, which valued fitness above all. He soon began rooming and traveling with Randy, soaking up the business as they went. In a small promotion with a growing territory, they followed the money wherever it led.

He wore many hats within ICW. "Guys had certain duties,” Rogers explained. “Lanny, he had to make sure the belts were in, like the special suitcase for the belt bags or whatever, to make sure nobody stole them.”

Rip continued, “At all the spot shows, George Weingeroff was always settling up because he was a babyface and the last one to leave. Shake hands with all the sponsors, you know. And me, I was just learning. So I just shut up and did what I was told. Then, when me and Randy were driving, he’d be driving and talking to me. So I’m writing everything down for the show."

With Lanny out procuring television time slots, the landscape for live events began to open up, allowing access to more markets and more towns to run.

The Poffo brothers were also working in other territories, spreading the word about ICW. This expanded the possibilities, opening bigger territorial doors for ICW wrestlers—including Rip.

Thanks to a good word from Lanny, Rip was soon off to Portland and Don Owen’s promotion. If one were to make a checklist of all the essential territories for a young wrestler to learn the ropes, it would mirror the path of the still-green Rip as he embarked on his journey.

After soaking up the wealth of knowledge in the Portland territory, Rip moved on to Continental, where he had a historic feud with "Exotic" Adrian Street.

In 1987, he made a brief stop in Central States before heading to Calgary and Stampede Wrestling. An opportunity later took him to Puerto Rico, where he joined Carlos Colon’s famously violent World Wrestling Council and held the Caribbean Heavyweight Championship in 1989.

After a short stay in WCW, he was offered the role of head trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling.

To say that Rip has a pedigree would be like saying Peyton Manning could throw a football. Rip is a living vault of wrestling history and knowledge. He took raw talent and showed them not only how to sell but also how to suffer for their craft.

Names like Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton, Dave Bautista, Mark Henry, and many others learned the good and bad of the business from Rip. Now, they’re the ones helping to mold the future.

Bob Roop

The varied levels of experience within the ICW roster cannot be overstated. It was a blend of true mat wrestling technique, combined with generations of working knowledge and expertise in how to draw an audience. Though ICW was only in business for a few years, it left a distinctive mark on professional wrestling history. Among the roster’s technically gifted talent was Bob Roop, who spent a brief yet memorable time there.

An AAU Champion and a member of the 1968 Olympic wrestling team in the Greco-Roman division, Roop possessed the skills to handle himself in the ring.

Alongside his ability, however, he also carried a bit of a black cloud—known as a rabble-rouser and someone who, given the opportunity, might try to steal a territory.

Actively pursuing the Television and Tag Team titles, Roop undoubtedly added depth to the ICW roster.

“The Great Malenko” Boris Malenko

In late 1978, another seasoned wrestler arrived in Kentucky to spend time with friends in the business and share his wealth of experience. That man was Larry Simon, better known to wrestling fans as Boris "The Great" Malenko. While Rip Rogers was just beginning his journey through the territorial "college," Malenko was at the end of his when he joined ICW.

Starting his career in Texas in 1955 as Crusher Duggan, Malenko found early success, winning the Texas Heavyweight Championship. This achievement caught the attention of key figures in the NWA.

After moving to Florida, he continued to rise in prominence, eventually earning a match against the NWA Champion at the time, Buddy Rogers, in Jacksonville during the summer of 1961. Although he didn’t win the title, getting a shot at the NWA Champion was a powerful endorsement from wrestling’s biggest players—it was clear he had something special.

Later that same year, Malenko crafted a character that drew on the anti-German and Communist sentiment of the era, developing his own version of the dreaded "foreign invader." Wrestling as Otto Von Krupp, he riled up Missouri fans, taking them "to the pay window" with his villainous persona.

Upon his return to Florida, Malenko transformed his character into a Soviet sympathizer, a "Communista Simpatico," which played perfectly against the fiercely pro-American crowd. Florida was the hottest territory in the 1960s, and Eddie Graham immediately saw the potential, allowing Malenko to run with the gimmick. Florida’s territory demanded wrestlers who could hold their own in the ring, and Malenko matched up with the top-tier talent of the time.

In his later years, Malenko tagged with fellow ICW alumnus Bob Roop, who was also a major influence in the Florida territory. Malenko found his greatest success there and retired in 1980, opening a wrestling school shortly thereafter. He passed away from complications of leukemia on September 1st, 1994, at just 61 years old.

While Roop and Malenko brought mat experience to ICW, one of the young wrestlers there had the distinction of being a second-generation talent, much like Randy and Lanny. Overcoming his father’s shadow wasn’t going to be easy, especially while carrying the family name.

“Cowboy” Bob Orton Jr.

"Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. is a name that can be mentioned alongside the greatest names of the first two WrestleManias. Roddy Piper just wouldn’t have been the same without Orton as his henchman, selling for the babyfaces, Mr. T and Hogan.

But long before he stood under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, the future father of Randy Orton was working on the sweaty, gritty mats of ICW. Born Robert Orton Jr. on the Missouri side of Kansas City on November 10th, 1950, "Cowboy" Bob was always a natural in the ring.

Though the term "natural" is often used, it’s just as often misunderstood by the typical wrestling fan. Being a "natural" means knowing where to be in the ring at the right time and reading the crowd to react accordingly. This quality is common in generational wrestlers, with some even saying they’re born with "it." While that may not always be true, the adage holds in Bob’s case—he certainly had "it."

However, having the magic touch in the ring can only take you so far if you’re working in the same territory your father made famous and was still running. Like many other juniors in the business, Orton Jr. decided to branch out and make a name for himself, heading to Florida to learn the business there while it was at its peak.

After Florida, he joined ICW for a short stint, even bringing his brother Barry Orton along for some territorial schooling. Later, much like Randy and Lanny, Bob and Barry headed to the WWF together when Vince came calling.

Plan-B Tape

There was a reason these men—Ronnie Garvin, Bob Roop, Bob Orton Jr., and The Great Malenko—ended up in ICW when they did. Alongside Garvin, they had been working for Ron Fuller’s Southeastern Championship Wrestling (SECW) in Tennessee, under the watchful eye of Ron’s brother Robert, who would later gain fame as Col. Tom Parker.

The men had discovered troubling discrepancies in their pay, suspecting Robert of shorting them on the house and manipulating the gate. Roop allegedly caught ticket-takers undercounting attendance to reduce the wrestlers’ cut of the gate.

This wasn’t uncommon in those days. With Ron overseeing operations in Alabama, Roop and his colleagues gathered evidence of what they believed was skimming. In response, the group left SECW and founded All-Star Championship Wrestling in June 1979, running in direct competition with SECW and even making a dent in their bottom line, though they were never in a position to drive SECW out of business.

It would be remiss not to connect the formation of All-Star Championship Wrestling, which included the three men and an aging Ron Wright, with the now-infamous Plan-B tape.

Roop, who had previously attempted a similar territorial takeover in San Francisco against Roy Shire, was no stranger to challenging authority.

The Plan-B tape, long believed lost and taking on an almost cryptic status in wrestling lore, resurfaced on YouTube in March 2019. The recording features Roop, Boris Malenko, Ron Wright, and Bob Orton Jr. breaking kayfabe, openly discussing the business’s inner workings—from drawing money to gimmicks.

Fortunately, Garvin didn’t participate, and Bob Orton Jr. emerged relatively unscathed, particularly after his high-profile run with Vince in New York.

For most fans, the tape is unsettling, but it was created as leverage against Fuller, intended to pressure him into paying what the men believed was owed.

Their plan unraveled, however, when Kevin Sullivan—who had been brought into the scheme while recovering from an injury—reported back to Eddie Graham, who then tipped off Fuller.

After a confrontation at Fuller’s apartment, the tape "disappeared" until its recent Indiana Jones–style rediscovery in 2019.

Not long afterward, All-Star Championship Wrestling folded, and the men moved to ICW, where Ronnie Garvin was already established as a top draw. The history of these events is now inextricably linked, with the details finally coming to light in recent years.

Izzy Slapawitz: The Manager

Like all promotions, ICW had its lead manager with a stable of bad guys, either chasing titles or dangling them in the faces of the good guys. Memphis had Jimmy Hart, WWE had The Brain, Dallas had Gary Hart, and ICW had Izzy Slapawitz.

Born Jeff Smith on December 14th, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York, Izzy was a lifelong wrestling fan.

Early in his fandom, a young Kevin Sullivan mistakenly identified him as someone who had thrown a battery at him during a match due to Smith’s heckling of the babyface throughout the evening. After a tense confrontation between Sullivan, Smith, and Gorilla Monsoon, he was found truthful and allowed to leave. The encounter left Smith with a lasting lesson and a growing hunger to be part of the show.

After relocating to Tennessee, he was introduced to Southern "rasslin." The up-close feel and sometimes riotous fans made the pull to participate even stronger.

Trained by the late Frankie Caine, he made his in-ring debut in 1976 as Pretty Slim. The Southern fans, however, didn’t take kindly to his New York City persona and threw everything from curses to Coke cans at him.

During his first battle royal, he was thrown outside the ring and broke his leg in three places upon hitting the floor. Despite the injury, he realized his true calling was as a heel manager.

After a falling out with owner Nick Gulas, he left Tennessee-based territory, Nick Gulas Promotions, and headed to Mississippi, where he worked for Mississippi’s All-South Wrestling Alliance, run by the Culkin family. The promotion was spearheaded by George Culkin and his son, Gil Culkin, who were influential in Mississippi’s wrestling scene throughout the late 1970s. George, a local promoter, sought to bring an alternative to the region dominated by Gulas, setting up All-South Wrestling Alliance as a competitor.

During his time there, he managed his mentor, Frankie Caine. It was in this territory that he formed the first version of the Slapawitz Syndicate with future ICW alum Rip Rogers, creating a stable of heels that would later become integral to his career in other territories.

After a strong run, he moved to Mid-South for a short stint before heading to Oklahoma to work for Leroy McGuirk. Following another falling out with management, he drifted until joining the outlaw promotion All-Star Championship Wrestling, as mentioned earlier.

Several members of the ICW crew were also there, and he reformed his Slapawitz Syndicate with heels like Rip Rogers, The Great Malenko, Randy Savage, and Tony Peters.

With his charges locked in fierce battles against Ronnie Garvin and his babyfaces, they started to draw serious attention.

After weeks of building storylines, the climax came when Slapawitz threw a fireball at Garvin, inciting a riot. Fans ripped seats from the floor and hurled them toward the ring. Outside, in the parking lot, a fan pulled a knife on Izzy, who was saved by Tony Peters.

Not long after this event, All-Star and ICW merged, joining forces to take over the Lexington area and the I-64 Corridor, which made up most of the promotion’s territory.

The Slapawitz Syndicate in ICW

In ICW, Izzy Slapawitz gathered a new Syndicate, comprising members such as Rip Rogers, Bob Orton Jr., The Devil’s Duo (Doug Vines and Jeff Sword), and Crusher Broomfield. Fully embracing his Jewish gimmick, he donned long black robes and adopted the appearance associated with Hasidic Judaism.

This persona, however, proved problematic in the rural-minded Southern States, where he faced challenges with eating and lodging due to local prejudices. Tri-State promoter Leroy McGuirk also disliked the over-the-top Jewish character, fearing it wouldn’t sit well with his fan base, furthering tensions between the two.

The Devil’s Duo feuded with the team of Leaping Lanny Poffo and George Weingeroff, trading the ICW US Tag Team Titles multiple times. The Duo held the titles four times during ICW’s short tenure. Notably, Weingeroff, legally blind, was a marvel in the ring, seamlessly adapting despite his disability.

ICW thrived on hot-shots and ramping up the heat, and Izzy was a perfect vessel for this approach. In one instance, Slapawitz cut a promo about the adoration he claimed to receive from fans, displaying a picture of Ayatollah Khomeini and declaring him his "cousin from overseas." This provocation, set against the backdrop of the Iran Hostage Crisis, sent the crowd into an uproar, and the police had to escort the wrestlers out of the building for their safety.

In the summer of 1981, another incident proved too much for Izzy. At a smaller high school show, things turned ugly after he passed a foreign object to one of his wrestlers. The fans, angered by the constant provocations, attacked The Devil’s Duo and Slapawitz, leading Lanny and Weingeroff to intervene, calming the crowd by promising they would "teach them a lesson." The fans backed down, allowing the wrestlers to retreat safely.

This incident marked the end of Izzy’s time with ICW; it was clear to him it was time to move on. The following month, The Duo did the right thing, dropping the belts to Lanny and George in Kentucky to conclude the storyline. Randy Savage even put a bounty on Slapawitz’s head to add to the story of his departure.

As was often the case for money-drawing talents in those days, Izzy soon got a call from another territory and took his gimmick back on the road, this time to NWA Hollywood in California.

He continued working across the United States and Canada, either managing The Devil’s Duo or forming new Syndicates. A true journeyman manager, Izzy Slapawitz was one of the lesser-known yet dynamic figures from wrestling’s golden age, learning the nuances of the business as he traveled.

He stayed active in wrestling in various roles for the rest of his life. He sadly passed away on December 12th, 2019, from a heart attack while on the operating table.

The Wild and Wooly World of ICW

It’s safe to say that there was never a shortage of outrageous happenings in and around ICW. From Ox Baker to Ginger the Bear, things were always wild and wooly.

They would even hold a bear wrestling challenge in each town they visited, awarding a trophy to anyone who could stay in the ring the longest with the bear. My uncle actually attempted this challenge—and lost. Good times (haha)!

The ICW Title Scene

We’ve talked about the roster and the men who made ICW, but we haven’t really covered the title landscape there. ICW had its own Heavyweight Title, primarily traded back and forth between The Poffo brothers, Randy and Lanny. In those days, promoters still had to worry about someone coming into the territory and "stealing" the title to take over the promotion. Besides the Poffo brothers, only Ronnie Garvin and Paul Christy held the Heavyweight Title.

The ICW Southeastern Heavyweight Title was the next most prominent singles title. Notable titleholders included Garvin, Bob Orton Jr., and Tony Peters, with Lanny Poffo as the last champion in 1983. The last singles title was the TV Title, held by the likes of Bob Roop, The Masked Miser (Angelo Poffo), Orton Jr., Lanny, and The Great Tio, who held it until it was deactivated in 1983.

The main tag titles in ICW were the ICW US Titles, with Lanny and George Weingeroff holding them more times than any other team. The Devil’s Duo were close behind. The Convertible Blondes also claimed a brief reign over the Fourth of July weekend in 1981 and again in May 1982, with Rip Rogers and Pez Whatley representing the Blondes. Lanny teamed up with the massive Mike Doggendorf to hold those titles as well.

ICW’s secondary tag titles were the Southeastern Tag Team Championship. Bob Roop held these belts four times, starting as the inaugural champion in 1979 with Orton Jr., and finishing as the last champion with Big Boy Williams in 1980. The titles were deactivated shortly afterward in November of that year.

Every territorial promotion had its own versions of titles, though most typically operated under the NWA banner. In the world of outlaw wrestling, however, promotions like ICW created their own titles, running with them as long as they could until the promotion eventually folded, as they all did.

Ratamyus: The Cloaked Madman

ICW saw its share of passers-through, greenhorns looking to learn and veterans in the twilight of their careers. It also had its share of unique characters, and one of the most memorable was Ratamyus, a figure who still holds a special place in my wrestling memories.

Born Howard Newell on May 12th, 1945 in Burlington, Wisconsin, the boy who would become Ratamyus had a rough childhood and left home at just fifteen to chase adventures with the circus. From doing odd jobs to wrestling bears, he earned his keep and learned about life on the road. Howard was made for the wrestling business before he ever knew it.

Howard broke into wrestling under the infamous Jack Pfefer in the old Chicago circuit. Though he worked mostly as a mid-card wrestler, he quickly took to the craft.

"Bill Howard, even without that gimmick, he was still a fantastic wrestler and a very nice man," Lanny Poffo would reflect. Though he was never the top draw or main eventer, he settled into the role of a carpenter, building up other wrestlers and putting them over.

He wrestled as Bill Howard until he discussed it with the Poffos and decided to adopt the Ratamyus persona. He joined ICW to help push Randy and Lanny. Howard’s father had known Angelo Poffo years earlier, so when Bill was asked to help out, he didn’t think twice. Little did he know that the cloaked madman he created would take him across the globe and open doors for him beyond ICW.

One of the great aspects of the territory system was its mobility—you could take a successful character nationwide and even overseas. For Howard, "the beyond" included bookings in Japan, Puerto Rico, and eventually South Africa, where he worked in 1984.

He was well-respected and consistently did what was best for the business, often sacrificing top spots or money in favor of others. The mid-card was where he thrived, and every territory needed guys like him.

Howard passed away from complications of COPD on October 7th, 2023. I’ll never forget Ratamyus, the character who became the first heel to truly move me. May he rest in peace.

Miss Elizabeth: The First Lady of ICW

Another famous face to emerge from ICW was Elizabeth Hulette. Born in the small hamlet of Frankfort, Kentucky, on November 19th, 1960, her beauty set her apart even at a young age. She was attending the University of Kentucky, working on a communications degree, and working at the reception desk of a local gym when she met the man who would change her life forever.

Randy Savage was tirelessly working to get his company off the ground when he happened upon the gym where she worked. It was love at first sight for Randy, but the wild-eyed, bushy-haired Savage would have to put in a serious effort to win her over.

He wooed her persistently until she finally agreed to give him a chance—and that was all he needed.

“Randy and I trained at the Sin Thé Sports Center,” Rip Rogers would later recall. “It was open from around 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and it featured a wave pool as well as the best weight room I had ever experienced. In addition to that, there was a swimming pool, a steam room, and a sauna. They also had a room filled with Nautilus equipment, which is where Liz worked at the front desk. She was very shy and was at least 20 pounds heavier than she is now, and she had braces.”

Randy convinced Elizabeth to come and work for ICW. She started out as the ticket girl, but her beauty and poise quickly moved her in front of the camera as the host of their television programming. Together, Randy and Elizabeth became one of professional wrestling’s original power couples.

The Final Days of International Championship Wrestling (ICW)

While Angelo and Randy Poffo focused on the lucrative Memphis market, Lanny was actively working for promotions around the country, doing particularly well in Portland, Oregon, under Don Owen.

"I went from ICW to Portland, Oregon, and I stayed there until the spring of ‘78, and that’s when we all wound up in Lexington, Kentucky, and started International Championship Wrestling," Lanny Poffo would share. As the de facto ambassador of ICW, Lanny began opening doors for more of the roster to gain nationwide exposure.

As often happens in business—wrestling or otherwise—the big fish eventually consume the little fish. No matter how much fight the little fish put up, the outcome is inevitable.

While ICW faced tough competition from Memphis, an even greater threat was looming from New York.

Reflecting on this situation, Lanny recalled, "I wouldn’t have gone to Vince. They didn’t want me. Nobody saw my tapes; they only saw Randy’s. Randy then told George Scott, ‘Do you have any room for my little brother?’ Scott replied, ‘Not on top.’ He then asked, ‘Is he a heel or a babyface?’ Randy turned to me and asked, ‘Are you a heel or a babyface?’ I responded, ‘If I’m not on top, I’ll be a babyface.’"

In the end, ICW closed its doors in 1984 due to declining attendance, and its rights and assets were sold to Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler in Memphis. Jarrett had a longstanding rivalry with ICW, both financially and territorially, which led to direct confrontations. Savage would soon follow to Memphis, where his intense rivalry with Lawler ultimately paved the way for his acquisition by the WWF.

Angelo Poffo’s Later Years

Angelo Poffo continued working until 1991 and made wrestling appearances for a few more years.

In 1995, he was reunited with his son in the ring, managing Randy in WCW. That same year, he was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was further honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club at their gathering in Tampa, Florida, alongside The Briscoes, Gordon Solie, and Wahoo McDaniel, to name a few.

After retiring from wrestling, Angelo went on to teach physical education before passing away in Sarasota, Florida, at the age of 84, on March 10th, 2010.

The Legacy of ICW

Angelo Poffo and his ICW left behind a legacy of non-conformity. "Yeah, it’s just a name. But of course, outlaw means against the law. And there is nothing against the law about competing," Lanny Poffo would later reflect.

Like all those who chose to forge their own path in the face of adversity, Angelo left a significant mark in his field. His legacy endures, reflected in the shadow of his family name.

International Championship Wrestling only lasted a few short years, but the impact it had on the professional wrestling world resonates in the memories of its devoted followers.

Their legacy lives on in the fans who still shout out an "OHHHH YEEEAAHHH!!" in that iconic Randy voice.

Angelo, Randy, and Lanny brought their vision of an independent promotion to life in the face of adversity, enduring underhanded tactics and double-crosses aimed at pushing them out of the business. Together, the three Poffos formed what could rightly be compared to a modern-day Roman triumvirate. Each had essential roles that kept the promotion not only afloat but expanding, carving their place in wrestling history.

A Special Thanks to Rip Rogers

As one of the few remaining sentinels of the original ICW, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Rip Rogers for his contributions to this piece. He is currently facing serious medical challenges, and we’ll include a link to his GoFundMe at the bottom of this article.

"I cannot do what I used to do," Rogers explained during our conversation. "My legs are just totally shot. It’s a continuous thing. It’s better than nothing, but I can’t do a squat, a lunge, a leg extension, or a leg curl because of the veins in the front and back of my legs. They swell up so badly, and the pain is intense."

We’re all hoping for Rip to make that hot-tag comeback.

In our talk, we discussed life and how physical ailments and setbacks can wear down the body, yet the spirit must remain resilient.

"Whatever we do is better than nothing," he reflected. "I’ve got a completely different attitude now. I’m totally okay being with myself all day."

A Personal Connection

For this journeyman writer and historian, ICW was one of the sparks that ignited my lifelong love for wrestling. It was my Uncle Delmus who first introduced me to ICW, and we would travel to see the shows or watch them together at my grandmother’s house whenever possible.

"I think it’s fantastic that people like you—not just you alone—felt our influence," Lanny shared with me during our conversation in the winter of 2020. "I’m glad we made a positive difference in your life."

It’s a legacy I’ll always cherish.

Before ending our call, Lanny reflected, "I’m one of the lucky few still here; many of the players from ICW are no longer with us. I want to thank Rip Rogers for all the work he did in ICW and anyone else who was part of what we built. Thank you for remembering and for not letting the past die."

Tragically, Lanny passed away just two years after our conversation, on February 2nd, 2023, at the age of 68.

This small "outlaw" promotion was the spark that lit a fire in me, one that still burns whenever I get the chance to watch a live show or rediscover an old match on YouTube. I hold vivid memories of shows at our local Civic Centre and VFW halls from my childhood. These territorial promotions laid the foundation for the industry we know today, but for some of us, they mean even more.

Join us next time, wrestling fans, as we continue to preserve the past in our Wrestling Territories series. And never forget: our wrestling history is gold!

If you would like to support Rip Rogers during his health challenges, please consider donating to his GoFundMe. Every little bit helps this legend of the business in his time of need.

And if you’d like to learn more about the Poffos and their incredible legacy, be sure to check out the “International Championship Wrestling – ICW The Poffo Years!” Facebook page. Curated by Joe Stasi, a longtime member of our Pro Wrestling Stories family, this page is a treasure trove of rare photos, personal stories, and behind-the-scenes insights into ICW’s journey.

These stories may also interest you:

• Verne Gagne and the Rise and Fall of the AWA
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• Ann Gunkel and the NWA’s Heated Battle for Atlanta

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