Fact Versus Fantasy
The Rockers, Midnight To Dawn
#PWHS #Article #FactVsFantasy #Rockers #MidnightToDawn
Fact: The Rockers, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty, were one of the best tag teams ever to come out of the 80's. They had a run in the AWA, winning 2 tag team titles. However, everybody remembers their WWF run, which actually was 2 different stints being that the first stint was over before it really started due to a bar-fight that was greatly exaggerated. They returned to the AWA and won their second tag title with the company, but eventually they were rehired by the WWF and the rest is history. Now, in the WWF they did beat The Hart Foundation for the tag team titles, but in the match a rope broke, and so the match never aired, and for whatever reason, they didn't restart or have another match. The Rockers never officially won the WWF Tag Team Titles.
So, that's the fact, but that brings me to the fantasy. Imagine if you will, an alternate universe where The Midnight Rockers never went to the WWF. Imagine that they instead went to work for Crocktet Promotions and the NWA! So here is the fantasy!
Fantasy: Rickey Morton & Robert Gibson, The Rock N Roll Express, were perhaps the NWA's greatest tag team in the 80's. They won several NWA World Tag Team Titles, having beat every top tag team the NWA had to offer, and they had several great matches with The Midnight Express. In 1987, The RNR Express left the NWA, and went to the AWA. While there they had several matches with The Midnight Rockers. The RnR's were impressed by the Midnight Rockers they told Jim Crockett about em! In August of 87, The NWA and Crokett Promotions made an offer, and The Midnight Rockers were on their way to the NWA!
October 1987: NWA World Championship Wrestling
NWA World Tag Team Champions, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, members of The Four Horsemen, issue a non title open challenge to anybody in the back that has the guts to get in the ring with the greatest team to ever lace a pair of boots! Well, out comes...The Midnight Rockers! The Fans boo em almost out of the building!
The Midnight Rockers beat Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard.
The fans reaction was not expected, but the match itself was an instant classic.
Week 2: NWA World Championship Wrestling
Anderson and Blanchard are fuming at last week's loss! They cut a promo saying they want a re-match! It's accepted!
The Midnight Rockers Vs. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard ends in a no-contest when Ric Flair and Lex Luger beat up The Midnight Rockers...And The Fans Love It!
Week 3: NWA World Championship Wrestling
The Four Horsemen gloat about the attack on The Midnight Rockers. They say they have ended their careers! 3 weeks later, The Midnight Rockers return, and this time, they have help!
Week 6: NWA World Championship Wrestling
The Midnight Rockers return and they have back-up, Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A!! 8 man tag announced for the main event!
The Midnight Rockers & Dusty Rhodes & Magnum T.A beat The Four Horsemen.
Week 7: NWA World Championship Wrestling
A World Tag Team Title match is made!
NWA World Tag Team Titles: The Midnight Rockers beat Anderson & Blanchard by DQ.
Week 8: NWA World Championship Wrestling
Starrcade 87 is right around the corner, and The Midnight Rockers issue a challenge! Titles vs. Careers! The Midnight Rockers put up their careers vs. the titles of Anderson and Blanchard! It's accepted!
Week 9: NWA World Championship Wrestling
The match now has a new twist! It's inside a steel cage! Oh, by the way, the fans now are cheering the Midnight Rockers as they no longer feel they're a cheap imitation of the RNR Express!
Starrcade 87: Chicago Illinois: UIC Pavilion
Steel Cage: NWA World Tag Team Titles
The Midnight Rockers beat Anderson & Blanchard to win the titles!
The Midnight Rockers defend the titles in a rematch with Anderson and Blanchard on World-Wide!
The Midnight Rockers beat Anderson & Blanchard to retain the tag titles!
Then they have a title defense against Flair and Luger!
The Midnight Rockers beat Lex Luger and Ric Flair!
Then they face another pair of Midnights, The Midnight Express!
Non-title match: The Midnight Express beat The Midnight Rockers
The next week at a house show, the tag titles switch hands!
The Midnight Express beat The Midnight Rockers to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles!
The reason for the switch was revealed as due to an injury to Shawn Michaels! Storyline purposes stated Michaels was injured in the title match but in reality he was injured in the non-title match! He'd miss 6 weeks of action! Though Jannetty found a temporary partner in Tim Horner!
The Midnight Express beat Marty Jannetty & Tim Horner to retain the NWA World Tag Team Titles!
The Midnight Express would beat Jannetty and Horner 6 times out of 8! They lost 2 matches due to DQ, all the matches were at house shows in Georgia, Tennesee, and North and South Carolina!
Shawn Michaels returned and so would the tag titles around their wastes!
Midnight Rockers beat Midnight Express to win the tag titles!
They would remain champions from the months of June through September 88! Stane Lane replaced Dennis Condrey in the Midnight Express at this point and Lane and Eaton made a final challenge! Midnight vs. Titles! Loser would drop the midnight from their names, winner gets the titles! And so On NWA, WCW...
The Midnight Express beat The (former) Midnight Rockers to win the tag titles!
And so now they were The Rockers! And WWE came calling, and they went! In October 1988 The Rockers debut on WWF Superstars!
The Rockers beat Steve Lombardi and Barry Horowitz
So, that ends the Fantasy portion! Of course it's possible that The Rockers would have never gotten over in Crockett Promotions, but who wants to read a doom and gloom fantasy?! Not me!
Until next time, save me a ringside seat!
So, that's the fact, but that brings me to the fantasy. Imagine if you will, an alternate universe where The Midnight Rockers never went to the WWF. Imagine that they instead went to work for Crocktet Promotions and the NWA! So here is the fantasy!
Fantasy: Rickey Morton & Robert Gibson, The Rock N Roll Express, were perhaps the NWA's greatest tag team in the 80's. They won several NWA World Tag Team Titles, having beat every top tag team the NWA had to offer, and they had several great matches with The Midnight Express. In 1987, The RNR Express left the NWA, and went to the AWA. While there they had several matches with The Midnight Rockers. The RnR's were impressed by the Midnight Rockers they told Jim Crockett about em! In August of 87, The NWA and Crokett Promotions made an offer, and The Midnight Rockers were on their way to the NWA!
October 1987: NWA World Championship Wrestling
NWA World Tag Team Champions, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, members of The Four Horsemen, issue a non title open challenge to anybody in the back that has the guts to get in the ring with the greatest team to ever lace a pair of boots! Well, out comes...The Midnight Rockers! The Fans boo em almost out of the building!
The Midnight Rockers beat Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard.
The fans reaction was not expected, but the match itself was an instant classic.
Week 2: NWA World Championship Wrestling
Anderson and Blanchard are fuming at last week's loss! They cut a promo saying they want a re-match! It's accepted!
The Midnight Rockers Vs. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard ends in a no-contest when Ric Flair and Lex Luger beat up The Midnight Rockers...And The Fans Love It!
Week 3: NWA World Championship Wrestling
The Four Horsemen gloat about the attack on The Midnight Rockers. They say they have ended their careers! 3 weeks later, The Midnight Rockers return, and this time, they have help!
Week 6: NWA World Championship Wrestling
The Midnight Rockers return and they have back-up, Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A!! 8 man tag announced for the main event!
The Midnight Rockers & Dusty Rhodes & Magnum T.A beat The Four Horsemen.
Week 7: NWA World Championship Wrestling
A World Tag Team Title match is made!
NWA World Tag Team Titles: The Midnight Rockers beat Anderson & Blanchard by DQ.
Week 8: NWA World Championship Wrestling
Starrcade 87 is right around the corner, and The Midnight Rockers issue a challenge! Titles vs. Careers! The Midnight Rockers put up their careers vs. the titles of Anderson and Blanchard! It's accepted!
Week 9: NWA World Championship Wrestling
The match now has a new twist! It's inside a steel cage! Oh, by the way, the fans now are cheering the Midnight Rockers as they no longer feel they're a cheap imitation of the RNR Express!
Starrcade 87: Chicago Illinois: UIC Pavilion
Steel Cage: NWA World Tag Team Titles
The Midnight Rockers beat Anderson & Blanchard to win the titles!
The Midnight Rockers defend the titles in a rematch with Anderson and Blanchard on World-Wide!
The Midnight Rockers beat Anderson & Blanchard to retain the tag titles!
Then they have a title defense against Flair and Luger!
The Midnight Rockers beat Lex Luger and Ric Flair!
Then they face another pair of Midnights, The Midnight Express!
Non-title match: The Midnight Express beat The Midnight Rockers
The next week at a house show, the tag titles switch hands!
The Midnight Express beat The Midnight Rockers to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles!
The reason for the switch was revealed as due to an injury to Shawn Michaels! Storyline purposes stated Michaels was injured in the title match but in reality he was injured in the non-title match! He'd miss 6 weeks of action! Though Jannetty found a temporary partner in Tim Horner!
The Midnight Express beat Marty Jannetty & Tim Horner to retain the NWA World Tag Team Titles!
The Midnight Express would beat Jannetty and Horner 6 times out of 8! They lost 2 matches due to DQ, all the matches were at house shows in Georgia, Tennesee, and North and South Carolina!
Shawn Michaels returned and so would the tag titles around their wastes!
Midnight Rockers beat Midnight Express to win the tag titles!
They would remain champions from the months of June through September 88! Stane Lane replaced Dennis Condrey in the Midnight Express at this point and Lane and Eaton made a final challenge! Midnight vs. Titles! Loser would drop the midnight from their names, winner gets the titles! And so On NWA, WCW...
The Midnight Express beat The (former) Midnight Rockers to win the tag titles!
And so now they were The Rockers! And WWE came calling, and they went! In October 1988 The Rockers debut on WWF Superstars!
The Rockers beat Steve Lombardi and Barry Horowitz
So, that ends the Fantasy portion! Of course it's possible that The Rockers would have never gotten over in Crockett Promotions, but who wants to read a doom and gloom fantasy?! Not me!
Until next time, save me a ringside seat!
Unique content strictly for the Professional Wrestling Historical Society.
Fact Versus Fantasy.
Author: Shea Heath.
Published: February 7, 2017.
Article: #163.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Fact Versus Fantasy.
Author: Shea Heath.
Published: February 7, 2017.
Article: #163.
Editor: Jimmy Wheeler.
Other articles by Shea can be Read Here.