In the spring of 1976, Stubbs began wrestling matches for
Georgia Championship Wrestling. Mid-year he wrestled as the masked
Olympian and won the
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship. The tandem lost the title to a team known as "The Rat Pack" (
Ted DiBiase and
Matt Borne) in late October 1982.where ether JYD or DiBiase would leave the Mid South territory In 1986, Stubbs won the area’s most prestigious title, the new Continental Championship. He traded the title back and forth with
Brad Armstrong throughout much of the year leading to a hot feud with all of the Armstrong brothers during this time. During 1986, Stubbs lost a Mask vs Mask match with "The Bullet"
Bob Armstrong. He also teamed regularly with
Tony Anthony (later the Dirty White Boy). Together they defeated The Nightmares (
Danny Davis and
Ken Wayne) on February 23, 1987. They lost and regained the straps against
Robert Fuller and
Jimmy Golden, members of the Stud Stable. Fuller and Golden turned heel again immediately following the title win, and Stubbs resumed his Mr. Olympia persona and feuded with Anthony. Also, in 1986 and 1987, Stubbs spent time overseas wrestling for All Japan. There he again donned the mask as Mr. Olympia. He teamed with the AWA's
Brad Rheingans and they won a number of matches together. Another regular partner was
Paul Diamond. Stubbs also wrestled occasionally under the name "
A Sheik" during that time (not to be confused with
The Sheik).
Curt Hennig and Stubbs would meet in Japan where Stubbs explained the
"Mr. Perfect" gimmick to Hennig and gave his OK for Hennig using the gimmick in the WWF. ==Championships and accomplishments==