WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard Reveals Why He Left NWA as Champion in 1988

One Big Thing

Tully Blanchard quit the NWA in 1988 while holding the World Tag Team Championship, revealing it was due to feeling disrespected over contract negotiations during Ted Turner’s takeover of Jim Crockett Promotions.

Key Details

• Blanchard and Arn Anderson were NWA World Tag Team Champions when they departed
• They lost the titles to Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane at an untelevised event
• The team joined WWE as “The Brain Busters” shortly after

Direct Quote

“You want the belts tonight or tomorrow night? I’m done,” Blanchard told Dusty Rhodes in Houston, according to his recent comments on “Tully Vision.”

Why It Matters

This incident represents a pivotal moment in wrestling history, marking:

• The transition period when Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions
• A shift in how wrestling companies handled talent contracts
• The beginning of major talent movement between wrestling promotions

The Business Side

“They were giving guaranteed contracts to people and they didn’t give Arn and I a contract with guaranteed money,” Blanchard explained. “That was like a slap in the face when they were giving big money to other people that we were making stars out of.”

By The Numbers

• Eaton and Lane held the titles for 49 days after Blanchard and Anderson’s departure
• The title change happened in September 1988
• The Brain Busters debuted in WWE the following month

What do you think about wrestlers leaving while holding championships? Share your thoughts in the comments below.