J-Tex Corporation

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name=J-Tex Corporation
type=S


caption=
members=Gary Hart
Terry Funk
Dick Slater
Keiji Mutoh
The Dragonmaster
Buzz Sawyer
names=J-Tex Corporation
Gary Hart International
debut=1989
disbanded=1990
promotions=WCW|

J-Tex Corporation, also known as Gary Hart International, was a heel professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling. The group was managed by Gary Hart and consisted of several popular wrestlers including Terry Funk, Dick Slater, Keiji Mutoh, The Dragonmaster, and Buzz Sawyer. Their name was possibly a reference to the fact that many of its members had performed extensively in the Japan and Texan territories.

History

The group was conceived in 1989, feuding primarily with NWA World Champion Ric Flair and Sting and then with the Four Horsemen after their surprise reformation later that year.

Prior to the Horsemen's reformation, Flair and Sting defeated Slater and Mutoh at "" on September 12, 1989. Post-match, Funk tried to suffocate Flair by putting a plastic bag over his head. This led to their highly acclaimed, non-title "I Quit" match in November in which Flair defeated Funk.

During this time, Mutoh faced Sting in one of the year's greatest feuds, eventually winning his NWA Television Championship. The title had been vacated after a controversial match at the 1989 Great American Bash ppv, but eventually Mutoh won the title in a no disqualification match after using a blackjack. He held the title for four months before losing to Arn Anderson in January.

Also at the July 23 "Great American Bash", Ric Flair faced Terry Funk in the main event. After retaining his NWA title, Flair was attacked by Mutoh post-match. Sting came to Flair's rescue which, given their fierce rivalry the year prior, was an amazing surprise to fans. Sting and Flair feuded with Funk and Mutoh for the rest of the year in one of the NWA's most memorable battles, including a Thunderdome match called by Bruno Sammartino at "Halloween Havoc". When Flair reformed the Four Horsemen in late 1989, Sting was quick to join him along with Arn and Ole Anderson.

The culmination of this feud took place on February 6, 1990 at "", where the two stables faced off in the main event Six Man Tag Team Steel Cage Match. During the event, however, the Horsemen returned to their heel nature; after demanding a title shot from Flair, Sting was effectively thrown out of the Horsemen, thus restarting their rivalry. This attributed to shifting the heat away from their feud with J-Tex Corporation, and despite their impressive roster, J-Tex ultimately disbanded early that year. Mutoh subsequently returned to Japan, while Terry Funk briefly retired from wrestling to become a color commentator with Chris Cruise on World Wide Wrestling.

Championships and accomplishments

*Jim Crockett Promotions:*NWA Television Champion (1 time) - Keiji Mutoh
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI Feud of the Year (1989) - Terry Funk vs Ric Flair

External links

* [http://www.ddtdigest.com/features/histor01.htm DDT Digest - The History of WCW]