Black Saturday | War Stories

War Stories returns! Episode 7: When Vince McMahon assumed full control of the World Wrestling Federation in 1982, he had little interest in abiding by the boundaries of the North American wrestling territory system. His vision was that of a national expansion for WWE. He wanted to be the only game in town. Through ruthless means and against staunch protest, Vince pushed forward...
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Cultaholic provides video coverage of professional wrestling - including WWE (including WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown, NXT and 205 Live), AEW, IMPACT Wrestling (formerly TNA), NJPW, ROH, and more with daily news updates, reviews, lists, highlights, predictions, reactions, podcasts and much, much more.

[@diywrites8703]

Ten points for "Mcmahonifest destiny" well done.

[@jginger245]

Who ever came up with that get that man a can of coke

[@danieltempleton838]

My thoughts exactly.

[@skylerb97]

@@jacobboaden2213 do you remember the Whatculture video it was used in? I don't think I've seen it

[@chuggernaut]

Straight bars

[@Swolekamania]

@@skylerb97 Ten Interesting Facts About Wrestlemania 1, I think

[@JaimeD.]

I'm so happy to see *WAR STORIES* back. Sam never fails to tell the story of the events that marked the business that goes in professional wrestling. I cannot wait for the next one.

[@vampirascoffin870]

We need more!!!!!!!!

[@andrewshearer9218]

These war story videos deserve more recognition

[@vikramkachroo8844]

Absolutely. Presentation is awesome.

[@JaimeD.]

I'm glad they're back with Episode 7. I enjoyed the past 6 last year.

[@minewheaties5029]

Lead Black Saturday organizer Jim Barnett's history with Jimmy Carter certainly deserves more recognition. Stuff like Black Saturday was perhaps a sign that Carter was not done with politics. Barnett was one of his loyalists.

[@ravenfrancis1476]

I know the 'J' likely stands for something else but when I first heard "Vince J. McMahon" my first thought was "Vincent Jennedy McMahon".

[@nrood3821]

j stands for James. Vince James McMahon is SR. vince Kennedy McMahon is jr and the vince currently owning and running wwe.

[@SirPunzalot]

@@nrood3821 EVERYONE knows that, you cretin

[@jamesb1988]

"Ole Anderson wasn't loved by his peers." That's an understatement lol.

[@venomousnate7263]

I haven’t found a clear reason why, so how come he wasn’t well liked?

[@jamesb1988]

@@venomousnate7263 He was a cantankerous, crotchety old man, even when he was younger. Basically Jim Herd if Jim actually knew the wrestling business.

[@creoleDJ]

You misspelled “fellow scumbags.” 🤣🤣

[@charlesberg1234]

In my opinion these videos is where cultaholic really shines.

[@SkilesHasFun]

"McMahonifest Destiny" definitely got a pop from me. What a terrible, fantastic pun.

[@richardthepastamancer6619]

I really missed this series

[@rjlimcolioc]

I only know from late 90's onward. Having series like these where I can really learn about the rich history gives me a sense of why things are the way they are. I appreciate wrestling more and more because of these vids. Thanks lads!

[@GerritCoulter]

War Stories, and Behind the Match, are my 2 favourite series you guys do!

[@aprentissdaye]

The importance of Tony Khan wanting to bring back some form of the wrestling territory system with multiple wrestling promotions working together in a partnership now suddenly makes a lot more sense than it ever has before. McMahon literally drained the territory system in the 80s so only WWF would the sole wrestling promotion in the world with territory promotions such as GCW/NWA/WCW etc ceasting to exist. McMahon has been about monopolizing the wrestling industry for over 3 decades, something he actually accomplished for quite a while.

[@thevillager4024]

He made it popular though.

[@MovieEggman]

WWE went downhill after Vince McMahon bought WCW and put them on the shelf.

[@MovieEggman]

@@thevillager4024 How old are you? Vince K. McMahon didn’t make Wrestling popular, it was already popular in the 1960s and 1970s and early 1980s, he simply made it Mainstream on National TV.

[@ElectricCool]

WCW forced Vince to be on quality control....once they were eliminated...they ever so slowly went down the drain

[@jonsayers7926]

who is tony khan?

[@justjoe1811]

Man, some things never change. The sun is bright, water is wet and Vince is a cutthroat carnie not giving a .... about his audience.

[@thenextdouglassbubbletrous1062]

I love how much my home city of Atlanta played such a huge role in the World of Wrestling. Ted Turner, TBS, Goldberg’s home city, but also the home of the Fingerpoke Of Doom 😫.

[@llydrsn]

A lot of people criticize Vince McMahon these days for the direction the WWE is going. But then, nobody can ever take away how successful he was as a promoter. From his takeover of the WWE, national expansion, Wrestlemania, the Monday Night Wars - the man has balls to bet on himself and his vision and see to it that he will get what he wants. Great job, Cultaholic! Always top notch features coming from you guys!

[@rayvenkman2087]

Actually, it’s more of a case that Vince just happened to have the right people at the right place at the right time.

[@douglasmellows8215]

Dammit Sam, you continue to knock it outta the park with this series!!

[@jonsayers7926]

WHO IS SAM?

[@dcrggreensheep]

​@@jonsayers7926the narrator

[@edalder2000]

There is a book called “Death of The Territories” that fully explored Vince’s national expansion.

[@Schadenfreude47]

So glad to see this series returning. I know it hasn't borne fruit in terms of view count or engagement so far, and this series is likely more expensive to produce than others, but these are genuinely great videos with stellar production and research.

[@keithnain3048]

How IRONIC that Ted Turner rejected having Hulk Hogan on his network in 1983 but would ultimately have him on the network when Hogan signed with WcW in 1994! WoW🤔👍

[@AUM_-po9sc]

Well, history repeated itself in most ironic way possible. Besides, Turner didn't have Bishoff back then and he didn't have his own wrestling company.

[@BijjalyGas]

Hogan was not over in 1983. Hulkamania begins a year later in 1984. Signs with WCW in 1994.

[@ahousecatnamedmr.jenkins1052]

Alot of people here in Cincinnati were NOT happy at all to have WWF when it first came. It wasn't "Wraslin" it was a kids gimmick really

[@marcus813]

They were probably more used to the more mature Georgia style that GCW put in front of them quite a bit. I'm sure that Greater Cincinnati and Georgian pro wrestling fans weren't alone.

[@impalaman9707]

I have felt for a long time that the South and the Midwest have a lot more "cultural affinity" for one another than the Northeast and the Midwest---and the style of "rasslin" both parts of the country enjoy is just further proof. Which is why GCW had no problem making inroads into Ohio when WWF wasn't even trying

[@maceomaceo11]

I went to one WWF show, just to see Savage and The Bulldogs and to make sure Hogan was as crappy as I thought (which did not disappoint, I got the most Hogan match possible..against Beefcake).

[@thehillbillygamer2183]

His father promised the other commanders that Vince would stick to tradition not compete with them on a national level put them all out of business

[@eatpigsnot]

didn't Vince offer to buy the other territories and just about all of them declined? i think the other promoters put themselves out of business, or at the very least heavily contributed to their own demise

[@thamayor6324]

@hillbilly games sounds like Vito saying he’ll never break the truce and then mike goes and kills the 5 families

[@maceomaceo11]

No he didn't. VJM warned them all about what big ideas his son had. Chief of those doing what GCW was doing as a national presence, only with a full fledged plan to execute it with Jim Barnett spear heading the expansion.

[@Hempujonsito]

Based Vince dabbing on those hicks

[@myspacevidguy]

I will shred this universe down to its last atom and then, with the talent you've collected for me, create a new one. It is not what is lost but only what it is been given... a grateful universe... a WWE Universe.

[@bradcarver8127]

McMahon: I am inevitable Cody: And I....am....The American Nightmare

[@thehaunted8055]

Cody: I'm a coattail riding slobbermouth goof who's only popular bc my daddy was Dusty Rhodes

[@GreatMewtwo]

Shane: Did you do it? Vince: Yes. Shane: What did it cost you? Vince: Everything.

[@leogetz3570]

Vince knew what he was doing..... he was selling an "entertainment" product instead of a "wrasslin" product. It was a good time to be a wrestling fan. We had the WWF Saturday morning shows of "Superstars" and "Wrestling Challenge" and then the Saturday night TBS show with the NWA and the four horsemen.

[@jamesstuart5877]

Southern folk don't like wrestling. They like wrasslin'.

[@patrickperalta59]

Vince has admited in a interview that if his Dad knew of his plans for WWF he never would have sold the company to him. Vince SR was a old time promoter who respected the rules of the time of never going beyond your boarders in Wrestling.

[@YouSoRusso]

MCMAHONIFEST DESTINY! Amazing.

[@dizzy1369]

He's a brilliant man. I get a kick out of every one who starts a company saying they are going to kill WWF/WWE. 😂🤣😂

[@ThandrieDavis]

This is a brilliant telling of the story, something that will likely outlive us that were watching back then at 605pm Eastern. Thank you. Brilliantly done.

[@louhimself]

You had me at "McMahonifest destiny"!! Priceless!!

[@jitinnair9689]

Mcmohan made this business so big, hats off to the legend

[@MSChilly]

Really glad this series is back. Informative, very well presented and edited and a nice change of pace from the usual content. Well done lads, keep it going!

[@creoleDJ]

I see Black Saturday as the proverbial “1st shot across the bow” that would eventually lead up to the Monday Night Wars

[@bteachman]

Great job. I love hearing about the business history of wrestling. You should do one on the NWA, but I believe it gets very confusing in the 90’s

[@user-uy3yn7dv3v]

Doing one on the entire NWA would be a long video seen as the NWA started as an organisation in 1948😂.

[@bteachman]

@@user-uy3yn7dv3v 6 part series then.

[@epayne6]

It's so weird to hear WWE business dealing talked about in amounts of 1 million dollars.

[@penguinsfan251]

It was a lot of money for wrestling back then.

[@gojuraisforever9574]

I love how they mention my home of Cincinnati. 🥺 I am proud to be from here!!!

[@dougdrazga4461]

Nice to see the picture from WIIC in Pittsburgh (now WPXI) at 2:00. It's our NBC affiliate here.

[@zaioffbeat3938]

This is one of the most expertly produced things cultaholic has ever done. So glad to see it back

[@freakfoxvevo7915]

Vince: *takes over GCW* Ted Turner: Of course you realize this means war.

[@VolumedMusicMan]

Vince: “I Promise you Ted we will broadcast most of our shows from Techwood studios!” Ted: “Jim Crockett, welcome to World Championship Wrestling!”

[@marcusbrothers5221]

I used to criticize your production but you guys are the most consistently accurate and respectful wrestling content source out here. Still a little catty at times

[@robertgillen979]

Well done sir. I thought i knew everything about that time period and situation. But I was wrong.

[@BzaafiedTheFerocious]

When you see how today Vince tries to erase terms like "pro wrestling" and "belt" among other phrases, documentaries like this really put things into perspective how McMahon is. This goes far deeper than the 90s when I first started watching.

[@thomaskemp4713]

Sam Driver is the man for this or any other type of factual historic video.

[@dantegood2195]

These pieces are incredibly well researched and produced. I’m very familiar with these stories, but you present them in such a well detailed and informative way. Kudos!

[@caltrezioingraham1066]

Vince is an intellectual gangster 😅

[@JaimeD.]

Everything he did does seem like a Mafia Boss orchestrating the pro-wrestling scene. 😅

[@thesting6820]

Excellent channel and awesome content for wrestling fans. Considering all the wrestling documentaries, shoots and anything related showing wrestling in its aftermath, why didn't anyone do this before? I can't thumbs up this enough!

[@impalaman9707]

I had the same feeling when, without warning, the alternative rock station I listened to for years and years all of a sudden turned Spanish while I was in the car listening to the radio, and I said, "what the heck is this? Why wasn't I notified beforehand this was going to happen?" Likewise, Vince McMahon was an 'alien invader" taking over something without warning anyone beforehand it was going to happen!

[@shikatsu]

Had that happen in the DC area...was a trip!

[@marcus813]

Of course, WWE's people won't tell you how awful the Saturday night ratings were on then-WTBS. McMahon badly miscalculated WRT Georgia's pro wrestling tastes and he likely turned off many more pro wrestling fans all over the US and Canada when he kept expanding westward.

[@alex_2744]

Another great episode in a great series. Good work lads, so happy to have this back

[@pooddescrewch8718]

I remember this day .... everyone I knew here in Louisiana was pissed . Not only did we lose Georgia style wrestling but WWF was replaced with MidSouth which we were already getting . I was pleased to see MidAtlantic get the slot .

[@Off-The-Top-Of-My-Head]

“SHUHHHHHHHUT UP WHEN IM TALKIN!!!”

[@dalecurtis6919]

I honestly didn't think I would enjoy this series because I thought I had heard everything regarding a lot of this, but you guys continue to surprise and educate me. Fantastic stuff.

[@ThereforeIAmSam]

These are so awesome I didn't watch this series when you first released it. Going back and watching all of them they are fantastic.

[@markwaddington5185]

YES! Great to see War stories back!

[@MikeHughey728]

I've missed this series. One of the best things on wrestling KZbin.

[@tragiksituation]

I often compare Vince to P Diddy meaning that Vince cares more bout entertainment rather than actual technical wrestling and Puffy doesn't care how lyrical your rhymes are or how good your flow is he just cares bout how many records can you sell.

[@damaniresida6439]

Can't blame them

[@damienmcgowan8147]

I need more of these in my life! Great series

[@stupid5pin]

I gotta tell you, guys, I LOVE the visuals in this video. Great job!

[@doppelganger3992]

Mcmahonifest destiny, that's such good s word.

[@JimmyBond85]

Best series on Cultaholic hands down. Cheers.

[@jimbrown5091]

I'm old enough to remember this, but did not have cable at that point. My family got cable in 1986 and 6:05 on the Superstation became my bread and butter. I stayed with JCP and WCW until the end.

[@tylerleggett5088]

Great work! Now that I know this exists, definitely going to check the other videos in the series.

[@JaimeD.]

Trust me, you'll enjoy them.

[@andrewstahl2274]

Why doesn’t CNN do stories like this, or any news organizations for that matter. Great video!

[@emededambriz6217]

Fast forward to now and Vince continues to ignore the fans as the fans continue to walk away from the product.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

Living on the west coast. I never knew about this event in wrestling history.

[@DFTLewis]

I know this will be a touchy subject but I’d love to see Sam do an episode on the Benoit tragedy,I think he could narrate it well and provide us with the right information

[@TheLarryburns84]

Adam Pacitti did a pretty extensive documentary on it a bit ago. it's mega dark as you'd expect but I think he handled it well

[@alastair852]

God I missed War Stories so much. These are my favorite videos on this channel, and possibly my favorite wrestling youtube videos period.

[@brownsqjr2813]

So Good to see this series back.

[@twaquatic7546]

Love this series! Please please please do more 👍👌

[@Samwwrl]

In so happy this is back! Cracking stuff Sam

[@KronusTBear]

McManifest destiny. Great punnage.

[@KingxKet]

I love cultaholic

[@iancruise6927]

These war stories are brilliant. Well done guys 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@frank-bmtz]

I can watch these all day, every day.

[@JamesNettum]

Yay! I've missed this series.

[@pooddescrewch8718]

I am so happy to see WWE floundering .

[@tmrevenge]

The amount of work you put into this is amazing. I hope you get a lot of success with your channel, thank you for all the good content

[@renafan3333]

You gotta respect someone with a set on him like Vince. He didn't live up to one thing he promised in that contract and the ratings were in the toilet yet he gets mad when Ted Turner wants out of the deal? lol

[@davidsinghaus6793]

This is truly the best series!

[@chrismemphis8062]

So glad the Ole guy landed on his feet, he sounded like such a gentle soul.

[@matthewelliott2213]

If only the punk band D.R.I. could have re-done their classic, "Manifest Destiny" as, "McMahonifest Destiny" to open this epi... let's all listen to that one!

[@WhiskeyBrewer]

Great to have this series back.

[@kingnotail3838]

America (apparently) prides itself on ruthless, unfettered capitalism, which is all Vince was doing

[@dangerfeild4Life]

Great info! I’ve heard this retold a dozen times but this had some new details for me.

[@daniellecooper6453]

This was really good. Can we have more like this please?

[@WestCoastSamoan]

So that's how that beef started. Turner won the battle and McMahon won the war. They should really make a tv show about this

[@mikegeoffroy2176]

i'm very pleased to see war stories back!!! well done sam as always!

[@lameboyprime5962]

While watching this I thought to myself "Damn Ole Anderson looks ALOT like Arn". I was today years old when I found out I'm a fucking idiot.

[@AUM_-po9sc]

Well, we all have those moments in life..

[@CJP0922]

I love the series! Because I never got to see any of the topics take place. Keep up the good work Sam and the guys!

[@FallicIdol]

The real life story was far more interesting than any booking during this time.

[@steveo10861]

aw yeah! best series on Cultaholic is back ya'lllllllllllllll!

[@frankbenham1745]

Stories of McMahon usually have a combination of him sounding like a cross between a business savvy entrepreneur and a lunatic.

[@AWorldofKayos]

Missed this series! Good to have a new video keep up the great work Sam

[@learning2727]

"Thumbs up" as always. But I was sure it was warranted when you showed Maple Leaf Gardens tickets. Wonderful.

[@johnriley7312]

Now we know why Ole Anderson wasn't part of the Horsemen's WWE Hall of Fame induction

[@attiepollard7847]

Only still can but he needs to fall on the sword and ask Vince for forgiveness

[@nitsuanomrah6997]

If Vince was born in earlier times he would've been an oil or railroad tycoon. Just a cut throat business man, through and through.. Still, he's my favorite billionare.. you don't see Bezos in the field working with his employees lol.. but Vince was, he was buff as hell, out there in the ring with the rest of them! What a life that man lived. Legend.

[@themedianman9712]

"Ole Anderson, of Georgia Championship Wrestling, was running Ohio at the time." Throw in what Verne was doing in the AWA, and hey, I'm starting to think no one really respected the territories. Vince just happened to win the game. That means the other promoters get the virtue of victimization.

[@eatpigsnot]

i was thinking the same thing re: Georgia Championship Wrestling running in Ohio, but if memory serves no other promotions running in Ohio so it was not like Ole was on another promoters turf

[@themedianman9712]

@@eatpigsnot Could be. I guess my comment in the broader sense, is that there is some amount of nobility attached to the territories, mostly based on "that's the way we've always done it". But really it was just a club that you weren't in. Case in point, the Poffo operation was an "outlaw" promotion. In other industries, some ambitious members of a DoJ might have their own classifying terminology for similar arrangements.

[@andrewmcgregor7097]

Love these style of videos from you guys. Amazing work as always

[@kylecurry577]

An intriguing period in the evolution of professional wrestling. I do remember some of these events that went on. Especially ‘Black Saturday…!’ The late 70 thru the early 2000’s were the “Golden Year’s…”. for wrestling. Now or days the sport has lost its mojo.

[@tamzidmohsinkhan3333]

When Sports Entertainment like WWF/E killed the Terriotory Wrestling industry in the US

[@davidlewis5312]

It was doomed to die, cable would have done that alone. JCP was already doing it in the 70s.

[@paulprimus1666]

McMahon was the Thanos of Wrestling in 1980s.

[@keithnain3048]

Vince Mcmahon is the "FATHER" of sports entertainment! He needs to stick with what he knows, which is WRESTLING. Vince needs to QUIT trying to take on the NFL thinking he's going to conquer and monopolize FOOTBALL like he did WRESTLING! It's NEVER GOING TO WORK OUT!🤔😂

[@kyledamron]

I wish more fans in other territories had been adamant they wanted their wrestling