Bob Armstrong
Nickname
"Bullet"
Real Name
Robert James Sr.
Birthday
Hometown
Marietta, Georgia
Height
5'11"
Weight
227 lbs
Marital Status
Trained by
Debut
1966
Previous Names
Jim Durango
The Bullet
Georgia Jaw Cracker
Alabama Jaw Jacker
Finishing Move(s)
Georgia Jaw Breaker
Favorite Move(s)
Notable Feuds
Toru Tanaka
Roddy Piper
Bobby Duncum
Terry Funk
Mr. Saito
Dennis Condrey
Randy Rose
Ron Fuller
The Flame (Jody Hamilton)
Jim Cornette
Konnan
Title History
NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/Paul DeMarco defeating Skandor Akbar & Buddy Colt
(November 24, 1970);
NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/El Mongol defeating Assassins (January 12, 1971);
NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/Bill Dromo defeating Big Bad John & Buddy Colt (November 16, 1971);
NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/Bill Dromo defeating Flash & Rocket Monroe (April 25, 1972);
NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Dick Steinborn defeating Assassins (August ??, 1972);
NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/Argentina Apollo defeating Assassins (August 22, 1972);
NWA (Georgia) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Colt (December 15, 1972);
NWA Columbus Heavyweight title defeating ????????? (January ??, 1973);
NWA Macon Tag Team titles w/Bill Dromo defeating Super Infernos (July 17, 1973);
NWA Macon Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Colt (September 18, 1973);
NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating Bobby Duncum Sr. & Stan Vachon
(October 27, 1973);
NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating Terry & Ron Garvin (March 8, 1974);
NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating Terry & Ron Garvin (May 24, 1974);
NWA (Georgia/Florida) North American Heavyweight title defeating Buddy Colt (June 8, 1974);
NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating Toru Tanaka & Assassin #2 (May 9, 1975);
NWA (Mid America) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Mongolian Stomper (October 7, 1975);
NWA (Mid America) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Jerry Lawler (November ??, 1975);
NWA Mid America Heavyweight title defeating Roger Kirby (August 14, 1976);
NWA Mid America Heavyweight title defeating Big Bad John (September 25, 1976);
NWA Columbus Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating ???????? (Febuary ??, 1977);
NWA (Mid America) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Jerry Lawler (June ??, 1977);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Jos Leduc defeating Ron Garvin & Bob Orton Jr.
(September ??, 1977);
NWA (Southern Divison) Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating David Schultz (????, 1978);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating Don Carson & The Assassin (????, 1978);
NWA Georgia Television title defeating Ole Anderson (????, 1979);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Ken Lucas defeating Jerry Blackwell & Bob Orton Jr.
(Febuary 4, 1979);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Sterling Golden (aka Hulk Hogan) (December 25, 1979);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Jos LeDuc defeating Super Pro & Ron Bass (????, 1980);
NWA (Southeastern) Alabama Heavyweight title wins a tournament (November ??, 1980);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Brad Armstrong defeating Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose (December ??, 1980);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Robert Fuller defeating Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose
(????, 1981);
NWA (Southeastern) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Dennis Condrey (????, 1981);
NWA (Southeastern) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Mr. Saito (March 9, 1981);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Brad Armstrong defeating Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose (April ??, 1981);
NWA (Georgia) National Tag Team titles w/Brad Armstrong defeating Mr. Saito & Mr. Fuji [Tournament] (November 25, 1981);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating David Schultz (????, 1982);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Jos LeDuc (August 30, 1982);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Austin Idol (January ??, 1983);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Jimmy Golden (March ??, 1983);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Ken Lucas (April 11, 1983);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Jimmy Golden (August ??, 1983);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title won a tournament (December 3, 1983);
(Southeastern) Continental Heavyweight title defeating Ron Fuller (August ??, 1984);
(Southeastern) Continental Heavyweight title defeating Mr. Wrestling II (November ??, 1984);
(Southeastern) Continental Heavyweight title defeating The Flame (????, 1985);
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight title defeating Ron Fuller (July ??, 1985);
NWA Southeastern Tag Team titles w/Steve Armstrong defeating Jimmy Golden & Robert Fuller (October ??, 1986);
(Southeastern) Continental Heavyweight title defeating Kevin Sullivan (December 8, 1986);
NWA (Southeastern) Alabama Heavyweight title defeating Mike Golden in a tag team match
(June 22, 1987);
CWF (Knoxville) Tag Team titles w/Brad Armstrong defeating Jerry Stubbs & Tony Anthony
(November 28, 1988);
NWA (Wrestle Birmingham) Alabama Tag Team titles w/Scott Armstrong defeating Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden (April 8, 2005);
AWF (American Wrestling Federation) Tag Team titles w/Luke Goldberg defeating The Assassin & Larry Brock
(November 15, 2008)
Wrestling career
Armstrong achieved considerable popularity in the Southeastern United States, particularly in Alabama and his home state of Georgia. He frequently wrestled for affiliates of the National Wrestling Alliance, and on October 9, 1974 in Miami Beach, Florida, Armstrong unsuccessfully challenged Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
While bench pressing a dumbbell weighing upwards of 180 lb (82 kg) in a gym in Georgia, the bench that Armstrong was lying upon broke, leading to the weight falling on his face. Armstrong's face was severely damaged and his nose was torn entirely off, and he required $38,000 USD worth of plastic surgery to repair it. While undergoing surgery, Armstrong donned a wrestling mask to conceal his disfigured features and began using the ring name "The Bullet". As "The Bullet", Armstrong feuded with the Stud Stable in Continental Championship Wrestling. He eventually discarded the mask after his surgeries were complete, but retained the nickname "Bullet" for the remainder of his career.
Armstrong trained each of his sons to wrestle, and formed tag teams with them in the 1980s and 1990s. In the course of his career, he toured both Japan and Korea.
Semi-retirement
Armstrong went into semi-retirement in the 1990s. In addition to making occasional appearance on the independent circuit in Georgia and Alabama, Armstrong acted as the commissioner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling and worked backstage with Southeast Championship Wrestling and the Continental Wrestling Federation.
Armstrong appeared on the first weekly Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view on June 26, 2002 alongside fellow National Wrestling Alliance veterans Corsica Joe, Dory Funk, Jr., Harley Race, Jackie Fargo and Sarah Lee. His next appearance was on the August 14, 2002 pay-per-view, where he was introduced as an on-screen authority figure and informed Jeff Jarrett that he would face a mystery opponent one week later. The mystery opponent was revealed to be "The Masked Bullet", a masked wrestler who imitated Armstrong's mannerisms (although Armstrong himself came to ringside during the match, proving that he was not the Bullet). On the August 28, 2002 pay-per-view, Jarrett fought the Bullet to a no contest before striking Armstrong with a chair. On the September 18, 2002 pay-per-view, the Bullet unmasked, revealing himself to be Armstrong's son Brian.
On December 5, 2005, Armstrong underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Despite being advised to refrain from wrestling until March 2006, Armstrong resumed wrestling later that month.
On the December 3, 2005 episode of TNA Impact!, Armstrong returned to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, congratulating the newly formed Four Live Kru on their unity. However, at Turning Point on December 11, 2005, the Four Live Kru disintegrated, with Konnan betraying fellow members Kip James and B.G. James (the youngest son of Bob Armstrong). Armstrong declared that he would reunite the Kru and unsuccessfully petitioned the fourth former member, Ron Killings, to that effect on the December 24, episode of Impact!. One week later, Armstrong tried once more to reform the group, this time approaching Konnan. Apparently willing to negotiate, Konnan led Armstrong backstage, only for Armstrong to be ambushed and beaten down by Konnan's newly formed stable, The Latin American Exchange (LAX). Footage from Armstrong's knee surgery from earlier that month aired on iMPACT! in January 2006, with the kayfabe explanation that the assault at the hands of the LAX had necessitated the surgical repair of Armstrong's knee.
At Against All Odds on February 12, 2006, Kip and B.G. James (The James Gang) faced the Latin American Exchange, with B.G. intent upon avenging the harm done to his "daddy". The James Gang was victorious, but ambushed by the LAX after the match. They were saved when the returning Bob Armstrong entered the ring and chased LAX away. The confrontation led to a six-man bout between LAX and Armstrong and The James Gang at Destination X on March 12, which was won by Kip James. Despite the two consecutive victories, Armstrong remained hungry for revenge, and challenged Konnan to an arm wrestling contest on the April 8 Impact!. The contest did not finish due to interference from Homicide and the newest LAX member, Hernandez, who had been sent to the locker room prior. The James Gang (also sent backstage) ran in to help Armstrong. This led to a rematch at Lockdown on April 23, in which Armstrong scored the pin. This was his final appearance with TNA.
On the January 18, 2008 Impact!, B.G. chose Armstrong as his tag team partner for his Feast or Fired Tag Title shot. The two lost the championship match.
A retirement show was held on May 29, 2009 at The Dothan Civic Center where many past stars came out to honor Armstrong before his main event match in the main event.
