Jump to content
Pro Wrestling Only

80s catchup thread


JerryvonKramer

Recommended Posts

Consider this a companion piece to Loss's ambitious tackling the 80s thread. Anyone else who is catching up on 80s sets (Brad?) could post their thoughts in here too I guess.

 

As mostly everyone predicted I didn't even try to start sticking to the original schedule, so my plan is to work through Mid-South, Memphis and New Japan alternating discs every time. So all the disc 1s, then all the discs 2s, etc. I'll try to slip in matches whenever I can.

 

I'm officially skipping on Texas. The territory doesn't hold much interest for me. I may see if I can track down the top 10 matches at some stage, but it's low priority.

 

I'm going to start with Mid-South. I've already seen some of this stuff, but it can't hurt to watch it again. Plus it's been a while since I saw his DiBiaseness in his prime.

 

What do my ratings mean?

 

***** - one of the best matches I've ever seen, all-time classic

****3/4 - superlative match but not quite all-time best level for whatever reason

****1/2 - excellent match that you could point to as an example of "great" for any of the workers involved

 

**** - very very good match but with some reservations or otherwise something is missing to stop it being truly "great"

***3/4 - very good match

***1/2 - solid stuff but with some flaws or issues

 

*** - solid but not setting the world on fire, a lot of "fun" stuff will find its way to this rating. Generally anything of C+ and up is something I liked.

**1/2 - solid but with serious flaws that significantly undermine it

** - getting into territory here where I really didn't like the match

 

*1/2 - I didn't like the match and think it actively sucked

* - serious levels of suck now

DUD - total crap

 

-* - total crap that caused me to actually get angry at how bad it was

-** - as above, squared

-*** - contender for worst match I've ever seen

 

Midsouth 1.1

Bob Roop vs. Mike George (12/16/81)

 

Even though Roop is the incumbent North American heavyweight champ here, for some reason when I think of a "gatekeeper", Roop is always the first guy who comes to mind. According to Matysik, Roop was unpopular with NWA promoters because he worked for a lot of outlaw territories (especially Poffo's). This might explain why he's with Watts here.

 

Technical Ted is on commentary with Boyd Pierce. He's sizing up his next opponent, Roop, which tells you who is going over here. The awesome old couple are in the front row. Love the setting for these Mid-South TV matches.

 

Mike George is pretty stacked. He hits an atomic drop which Roop sells well. Roop gets on top with what Boyd calls "cruel tactics". George makes a comeback with a few big rights. Nice payback spot where George rakes Roop's face over the top rope. Big back drop. Back suplex. George looks decent here. Goes for a Russian legsweep, Roop counters. Georges hits a couple of dropkicks.

 

Action goes outside, George gets his right arm posted. Big running knee by Roop and that's enough for the three count.

 

Solid TV match.

 

***

 

Midsouth 1.2

Mr. Olympia vs. Paul Orndorff (2/3/82)

 

Olympia is the Mississippi champ here. Things start off quick. Awesome old couple are in the front row again. The old man looks deep in thought. Some nice counters in the early going here. Boyd and Watts on commentary. They talk a lot about how Orndorff is "consumed by his ego".

 

Orndroff hits a clothesline from the top. Nice legdrop. Orndorff is nice and snug here during this control segment. Big scoop powerslam gets a 2 count.

 

Orndorff goes for the figure-four as an insult to DiBiASS. Olympia gets the sleeper on and Paula fades fast. Watts talks about the science behind the sleeper.

 

This puts Orndroff out cold and Olympia wins.

 

Another very solid TV match.

 

***

 

Mid-South 1. 3.

Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase (4/2/82)

 

The old man in the front row has his cowboy hat on today. Ted starts strong and hits FIVE brutal kneedrops on Roop's arm during the shine.

 

Watts praises Grizzly Smith's booking for getting such a top match on TV. There's a moment here where the old man seems upset at someone in the crowd behind him and turns around, think he's telling them off for cheering too loudly. He needs to concentrate dammit.

 

DiBiase keeps working on the arm. Pretty scientific I'd say. Watts puts over Roop's athletic credentials. DiBiase is relentless working on the arm here. He keeps the hammerlock hooked in and then stands up and falls back on the arm. Hits a few more great kneedrops on the arm too. Very focused work.

 

Roop manages to gain control and applies a step-over-toe-hold. Watts is great at explaining why these holds hurt and which muscles they attack. He's a great commentator, makes the matwork at least 25% more interesting. Reverse neckbreaker. Roop is targetting DiBiase's injured knee now.

 

Roop goes for the figure-four, DiBiase comes back with some Texas jabs. Reverse elbow. I think Boyd Pierce has fallen asleep on commentary because he hasn't said a word in about 5 minutes. TEXTBOOK scoop powerslam by Ted. And that's the 3-count. But this is a non-title bout, so he's not the new champ.

 

Post-match DiBiase hits Roop's own shoulderbreaker on him and counts another 3-count himself. That's called putting someone over strong in their comeback match.

 

Things are set up now for the title shot, and there's no doubt who the better wrestler is.

 

This was aces. Two different, focused gameplans go head-to-head, arm vs. leg, with one clearly coming out on top. Told a great story.

 

****

 

Midsouth 1.4

Junkyard Dog vs. Nick Bockwinkel (6/11/82)

 

Change of setting here as we're in The Sam Houston Coliseum. Believe it's Reeser Bowden on commentary, but could be wrong -- going to assume it is him ... thinking about it, it's probably Boesch. Queen's Another One Bites the Dust is playing which can mean only one thing, JYD is coming! Bockwinkel and Heenan bail as JYD comes in swinging his chain. The stip here is that if Bock wins he gets a crown. Nice looking one too. If JYD wins, he gets 5 minutes with the weasel.

 

Bock's hair is looking nice as ever. JYD is announced as "the king of wrestling". It is explained that he was crowned by a committee after a public vote. With respect Lousiana, I don't think you understand how monarchy works.

 

I know this is technically a Houston show, but perhaps khawk can explain why or how Bock is working an angle for Mid-South here, the AWA has not been mentioned at all although he is referred to as "The World Champion".

 

Collar-and-elbow tieup. JYD hits two punches in 4 minutes during the shine, and Bock bails. JYD is in pretty decent shape here. Bock gets back in and then begs off and immediately bails again. Ha ha.

 

Bock is cagey on his re-entry. JYD hits a big headbutt to Bock's gut. Side Russian legsweep. Wow, I don't recall JYD doing moves that aren't punches or headbutts. Bock applies a front headlock. JYD gets Bock up for a Gorilla press, but doesn't do it just throws Bock across the ring.

 

JYD stays on top until the action goes outside and Bock posts him. Heenan sneaks over and gives him what Bowden / Boesch calls "a Sunday punch". Bock slams JYD into the turnbuckle which, amazingly, he sells as if he's Mr. Perfect!

 

Bock goes for a bodyslam but JYD reverses it into an inside cradle. Bock is pissed and hits JYD down and Heenan immediately sneaks in with a flurry of cool Heenan-y offense (stomps and such). JYD starts hulking up now. Heenan is just amazing selling the punches. Big bodyslam.

 

Bock has seen enough and they start double-teaming him. Bruiser Brody comes out now and clears house! Fans are happy. JYD is still the king.

 

It's not going to be a workrate classic with the Dog in there, but this was as good as it could have been. Bock made JYD look good and Heenan's bumps add at least a grade.

 

***

 

Mid-South 1.5

Mr. Olympia vs. Bob Roop (7/15/82)

 

Roop has lost the NA title to JYD by this point. Did that not make the set or don't we have it on tape?

 

Watts talks about a tag match involving Killer Kahn and One Man Gang on the same side. Mentions that Kahn hospitalised Andre the Giant.

 

The old man is wearing a yellow cowboy hat today. Tremendous snap armdrag by Olympia. Watts mentions some "girl wrestlers ... fans always enjoy that". Ha ha.

 

High knee by Roop who takes over on offense now. I am wondering if Verne had ever tried making Brad Rheingans a heel whether he might have developed into someone like Roop by the late 80s.

 

Watts mentions that Roop ran Orndorff out of the area, but is glad to note that Paul is doing well someone else now. But make no mistake "Mid-South is known by the 'in-crowd' as a the toughest competition in pro wrestling". I have no doubt that if I'd have been 14 and had access to it -- rather than what I was actually doing in 1982, which is born in a hospital in Aberdare -- I would have agreed with that statement.

 

Olympia goes for a sleeper but Roop counters with a Dino-Bravo-style side slam. Roop gets the sleeper on himself now. Olympia manages to go over the ropes to apply the sleeper himself. Roop's in trouble here.

 

Yep, that's it.

 

Not quite as good as the other TV matches so far.

 

**1/2

 

----------

 

Taking a small time out here to watch the title switch in where Ted wins it from JYD. I can see it's on the extras.

 

Junkyard Dog vs. Ted Dibiase (6/23/82)

 

This is no DQ. DiBiase is still babyface here and gets some cheers from the crowd here. JYD comes out to Queen and shakes the hand of his best friend Ted.

 

Bob Roop is on commentary. He argues that Ted has boxed himself into a corner here. JYD was his best man at his wedding. When JYD was blinded, Ted was there to help him see. They are friends to the end. Roop thinks that Ted can't possibly beat Junkyard Dog and will end up having to leave the area.

 

The old man in the crowd is in that same cowboy hat. The old couple have brought two friends along -- possibly their son or daught plus in-law -- who sit IN BETWEEN them. Remarkably, for once, the old man leans across to talk to the old woman.

 

Roop is doing an excellent job on colour here getting over the this angle. Boyd Pierce basically says nothing. DiBiase hits his TEXTBOOK scoop powerslam out of nowhere and goes for the the figurefour. JYD hits him out of the ring and then seems concerned that Ted is injured out there and HELPS him back in the ring. Roop notes the affection he's showing and disapproves.

 

Ted has something in his tights and slips it into his the tapes he has round his hand. Oh no! What's he doing. What a cheap shot by Ted! 1, 2, 3.

 

He put something in that glove. Bob Roop shouts "I knew it!" and claims Ted had that planned for him. "His ambition is a lot stronger than his sense of honour. He just stabbed his best friend in the back". Crowd seem stunned into silence.

 

So that's how it all went down.

 

 

----------

 

 

Mid-South 1.6

Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Hacksaw Duggan (8/18/82)

 

Ted is in full-on heel mode by this point with the black glove. Another One Bites the Dust hits and your tag champs JYD and Mr. Olympia arrive. Olympia is wearing a red mask. This match is happening because DiBiase refused to put up the NA title unless he first got a shot at the tag titles.

 

JYD and Olympia beat the Somoans for the titles and also have a victory over Killer Kahn and One Man Gang.

 

Of course, both Pierce and Watts call Duggan "Doogan". Although Watts seems to alternate between "DiBiase" and "DiBiASS". Duggan and Dog to start. Duggan goes to tag Ted, who doesn't want to tag in and refuses it. Olympia in now with some armdrags.

 

Duggan tags in Ted. Olympia tags in JYD. Ted immediately tags back out. Awesome.

 

Duggan gains advantage and of course now Ted comes back in, but JYD immediately fires up and starts decking him. Ted backs off and tags back out. Olympia back in.

 

This is some good storytelling. JYD comes back in and Ted gets a cheap shot from outside while he's running the ropes. This is top antagonism. Duggan is on top solidly now and NOW Ted tags in and starts going to town on the Dog.

 

He starts to lose advantage after JYD hits a headbutt and rakes the eyes and immediately tags out. Olympia back in. All four men in. Ref has lost control of this one. JYD hits an atomic drop on DiBiase.

 

Olympia finds himself isolated but dives over to make a tag to JYD. Duggan hits an "illegal" spear on Olympia as he's making the tag and JYD takes a big bump to the outside.

 

JYD is legal. DiBiase in and hits the powerslam and into the figurefour on Olympia. JYD is still legal! Confusion among the heels and JYD hits a slam and pins Ted.

 

This is fantastic ABC storytelling here The work from JYD is obviously not stellar but the way the other three work around him is great.

 

Very-effectively booked match that showcases why Mid-South TV was so great.

 

***3/4

 

Mid-South 1.7

One Man Gang vs. Buck Robley (Lumberjack Match) (9/15/82

 

Robley in the bright yellow here. 11 men are outside the ring. OMG in red and spry by his standards. Gang bails early but everyone immediately pounces to roll him back in. Great visual.

 

Robley gets OMG in a front facelock that verges on a choke giving Watts license to talk about oxygen. OMG hits a bodyslam and a kneedrop. Iron Mike Sharpe is cheering Robley on. Dick Murdoch is in an All Japan shirt and Watts notes that he's an international star who has been to Japan 18 times.

 

It's entertaining to see all the characters outside the ring. Kneedrop by Robley.

 

Watts: "I even heard one kindly old lady over there shout 'break his arm'"

 

That's our girl! OMG takes a tumble over the top rope. Rolled back in. OMG misses a splash from the top rope. Crusher Blackwell he's not, but he's been decent here.

 

Robley loads his glove and that's enough for the 3-count.

 

Fun lumberjack match.

 

**1/2

 

Mid-South 1.8

Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne (Loser Leaves Town) (10/27/82)

 

Watts is with Paul Boesch. And he talks to some kids from Texas. There's a chap in a Gorilla costume jumping up and down and playing there too. The stip with this match is, of course, that the loser of the fall has to leave town. Boesch is here because this has an impact on his Houston promotion, so he has a vested interested. He wants JYD to win. Boesch was the man who crowned JYD king. Watts presents this as "the confrontation between DiBiase's group and Junkyard Dog's group for supremacy of Mid-South wrestling". Well put.

 

In one of the great angles, we're told that Duggan can't make it tonight because he's been detained by the police after getting into a bar-room brawl. Perfectly believable. So DiBiase has flown in Matt Borne from Atlanta to tag with him here.

 

I want to pause at this point to note just how great this booking is. The mastermind DiBiase has created a win-win situation as Watts notes:

 

1. If he can get a pin on either of the faces, then good.

2. If the going gets tough then he can hang Borne out to dry and nothing's lost, he flies back to Atlanta.

3. By agreeing to this being no DQ, Borne can use his legdrop off the top-rope which would be banned under normal rules.

 

Ted has got this all figured out. Boesch notes that "he's a thinker like his old man". Even before anything has happened, there is this extra level of intrigue. Borne's an unknown quantity from outside, and no one is going to give a shit if he has to leave town.

 

Anyway, the match starts and the faces hit the ring on fire. Heels bail. Ted has his beard by this stage. Yay. JYD hits an early inside cradle and the side Russian legsweep on Ted early, who bails again. Watts mentions on commentary that Hiro Matsuda and Yatsu are a "new team from Japan" in the area.

 

Watts talks up this idea of Borne being DiBiase's "sacrificial lamb" here as he locks up with Olympia who hits his armdrags. JYD comes in two and Ted bails leaving Borne alone in the ring -- exceptional little touch demonstrating exactly in the ring the narrative Watts has been pushing on commentary. This is a lesson in storytelling.

 

We get a quick shot of that Gorilla in the crowd who is peeling a banana. Borne and Olympia are back in the ring going toe to toe. Ted comes in and eats a couple of armdrags before tagging in JYD. Ted bails again as Borne comes in and finds himself 2 on 1 again.

 

Ted and Borne regroup outside the ring as the commercial break comes in. As we come back it's Ted and JYD in the ring. Snapmare by JYD and a big punch across the bridge of DiBiase's nose. This is probably JYD's peak as a worker right here.

 

Ted is heel-in-peril now as Olypia comes in to work him over. Ted regains control with a big back suplex and tags Borne back in who hits a slam and a kneedrop. Olympia is FIP and Ted methodically goes to work. Second-rope elbow, backbreaker. Borne in with a chinlock.

 

Notice how this has been worked. JYD's overness has been maximised in the shine with that neat snapmare and punch and now he's being kept out of the ring as the hot tag. Watts was an expert at working around his limitations. The heel control segement on Olympia has been very good.

 

Borne hits the "bombs away", that leg drop from the top. Watts: "That's what DiBiase brought him here for, he wants to injure him!" TEXTBOOK scoop powerslam by Ted. JYD breaks the cover. Olympia makes the hot tag. Crowd goes nuts.

 

JYD is a house of fire. Headbutt city here. DiBiase goes to the tights to load his glove. JYD blocks it. Flying mare. Borne climbs the ropes as JYD grabs the "load" from the glove and nails Borne with it. He has it now and targets Ted.

 

But what's this? The Gorilla outside! He slams Olympia and the Gorilla head falls off. Thats ... that's DOOGAN! He hits the spear on JYD. DiBiase has the foreign object and totals JYD.

 

That's it, DiBiase and Borne are new tag champs and the Junkyard Dog has to leave the area for 90 days.

 

No matter how many times I watch this match and angle, the quality of the storytelling never fails to impress me. This is not only Exhibit A in the Bill Watts handbook of "How to execute an angle perfectly" but also a perfect example of how you can take a guy who can't work a lick like JYD and still have him in a great match.

 

Russo take note that this is how you do a SWERVE. Watts plays up the intrigue around Borne coming in, so you kind of forget about Duggan and that Gorilla.

 

Very good match, and an angle for the ages.

 

****1/2

 

Post-match, Bill Watts refuses to interview DiBiase so Paul Boesch does it instead. DiBiase does his trademark laugh with a belt over each shoulder, plus the NA title. Duggan has the Louisana title.

 

They talk up how Duggan made a sacrifice. Duggan talks about "ingenuity and brainpower". Boesch talks about the "ace in the hole".

 

DiBiase: The name of the game is money, and when you got all the belts, you get all the money, it's very simple.

 

Boesch: Did you ever hear of sportsmanship?

 

DiBiase: MONEY is the name of the game. I put bread on my table at whatever expense! And it just so happens Junkyard Dog it was at YOUR expense. They call you the king? You're looking at the new king here. HA HA HA

 

Excuse me while I spend a few minutes marking out.

 

Mid-South 1.9

Stagger Lee & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne (12/18/82)

 

Another loser-leaves-town stip here, it's No DQ again and the titles are on the line. DiBiase jaws with the ring announcer because Wrestling II can't make the match and so is not happy about defending against an unknown quantity (that's rich after he brought in Borne). I wonder who this Stagger Lee chap is.

 

Stagger Lee gets the better of DiBiase to start. And cleans house. There's a pretty bad spot here where Stagger Lee clearly makes no contact with Ted but he still sells it like a clothesline.

 

Watts notes that this doesn't look like the first time Stagger Lee and Olympia have teamed up. Note how Watts is in no way treating his audience as stupid here. It's clear who Lee is, that Watts and everyone else is in on it.

 

Faces are mostly on top here until Duggan sneaks in wearing a hard hat and lays out Olympia. Ted covers for the cheap three.

 

So the heels win again and Olympia has to leave for 60 days.

 

** for the match, but look at the booking again here. Match 1, heels win, Match 2, heels win. So they've built up a 2-0 advantage through pure skullduggery.

 

All of a sudden, now after just two matches you've established:

 

1. That Borne is now a player here in Mid-South and good enough to hang as Ted's partner

2. That the ratpack are a force to be reckoned with

3. That DiBiase is going to keep using Duggan as an unfair secret weapon

 

Mid-South 1.10

Mr. Wrestling II & Junkyard Dog vs. Matt Borne & Ted DiBiase (2/16/83)

 

This is non-title. The 90 days are up now so JYD is back, Olympia is still out and so Wrestling II is brought back in as his partner. But as the commentators note "it doesn't matter" because this is purely for pride at this stage. This is a war.

 

JYD has dubbed the heels "Ted and Sue". Watts goes through the key plot points to date. The faces work over Ted's arm. Cool spot as Wrestling II has Ted in an arm bar and flicks Borne over with his feet. Twice.

 

JYD hits an atomic drop on Ted which sends him flying out to the outside. Big bump. Wrestling II has looked good in this match.

 

Big ref bump now which lets Duggan come in for a spear on Wrestling II. He goes for the spear on JYD but Tiger Conway Jr is out with a chair to "waffle" him. Kamala is out now. Akbar is out now.

 

JYD has the chair and nails DiBiase. JYD helps up Alfred Neely the ref who raises their hands (DQ for Duggan).

 

***, some of the stuff by Wrestling II was nice here.

 

That's a good start, next 10 matches coming soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 147
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I know you've got a lot on your plate with these sets, but you really shouldn't sleep on Texas. Soooooo much great stuff on that set. And it's not just Von Erich/Freebirds stuff, either. The stuff near the end of the decade with Eric Embry was a revelation to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What would really be cool is comparing the best matches on each 80's set and figuring out the combined overall best matches of the 80's ( top 10,20, etc, etc.) it would be interesting to find out which 80's matches or set gets the most love.... Of course, it will be 2018 or so until all the 80's sets are complete..... But maybe compare what is out so far .... Hmmm?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Midsouth 1.11

Butch Reed vs. Iron Sheik (4/8/83)

 

A lot of heat for Sheik here. Reed is a heel, but as Watts explains, people have put their dislike of him aside for this match because they hate Iron Sheik so much. He mentions his feud with Backlund in WWF too. Seems like he's already beaten him so the date is wrong? This has to be later than April 83.

 

 

"You better come with more than just a big reputation from the big apple". I think Watts is just so good on commentary.

 

Long head-scissor spot to start, and some amatuer-style counter wrestling from these two. Watts is constantly putting across key points: Sheik's amatuer background, Reed's football background, how Reed has had to overcome this and that to become a pro wrestler.

 

There is a lot of feeling out still here. Big atomic drop by Reed. Sheik bails over the top from it and wants a DQ. No cigar. Reed works the arm now. The ropes on this Mid-south ring are incredibly slack. Multiple kneedrops by Reed on Sheik's arm.

 

Watts calls Sheik the "Ayotollah's former bodyguard". Fun trivia fact: he was the Shah's bodyguard, not the Ayotollah's. Suplex by Reed. Multiple dropkicks now. Flying body tackle.

 

Wow, this was basically a squash! I didn't think this was very good.

 

*1/2

 

Midsouth 1.12

Nick Bockwinkel vs. Dusty Rhodes (5/20/83)

 

These two feel like old friends who I know from different places now meeting each other in an unusual context. Typical Dusty start to this match. He's on the fatter end of the Dusty scale here. Bock's hair is on the longer end of the Bock-immaculate-hair scale too.

 

Headlock by Bockwinkel: Backlund take note, that's how you do it and make it interesting. Some great Bock punches and kicks in the corner. Flying mare gets a two count. King of the Mountain time now. The more I think about that, the more it absolutely makes sense for a dirty-heel to do.

 

Big comeback from Dusty now and Bock sells the elbows like a boss. Crowd is apeshit for Dusty. Figure-four. Bock grabs the ref and throws him out of the ring. He nails Dusty with something which gives him instant colour.

 

1, 2, 3. Booooo. The crowd start throwing trash into the ring as Dusty is still out cold.

 

This was fun.

 

***

 

Midsouth 1.13

Mr. Olympia vs. Chavo Guerrero (6/24/83)

 

I had memories of loving this first time around, so let's see if it still holds up. Fast pace to start as Chavo hits 4 dropkicks. Olympia bails and wants a timeout. He's heel and is being managed by Skandor Akbar.

 

Chinlock by Olympia. Some rope running and Chavo hits a flying burrito. Some armwork by Chavo now. Misses a running somersault splash (I made up the name) and Olympia goes back to the chinlock. Sunset flip out of nowhere by Chavo gets 2. Olympia goes back to the reverse chinlock. Chavo answers with some arm wrenches. Olympia busts out some strikes. Very good back-and-forth struggle in this early matwork section.

 

Chavo pulls Olympia from the nose of his mask and drives him into the turnbuckle. Goes for it again but ends up eating it himself. Olympia takes over. Scoop slam. Backbreaker. Chavo hits a short distance flying bodypress out of nowhere for two. 10 minutes gone.

 

This descends into a brawl. Jerry Usher reprimands Chavo for using the fists and as he's doing so, Olympia sneaks something over his boot and nails him with a dropkick. Sleeper. Misses a move from second rope.

 

Chavo makes a comeback. German suplex. And that's the three.

 

This was not as awesome as I remember it being. Chavo was pretty great and showed good fire but Olympia was channelling Rick Rude at his worst with all the chinlocks.

 

***1/2, disappointing. I had this earmarked for top 5.

 

Post-match DiBiase turns up for the heel beatdown using his taped fist until Wrestling II is out.

 

Midsouth 1.14

Ted DiBiase vs. Hacksaw Duggan (Street Fight) (7/29/83)

 

I will save the "Famous feuds: DiBiase vs. Duggan" extra until I get to just before the Tuxedo match. This one starts at sprint pace with Duggan punching the shit out of Ted's face. Ted is wearing a very 70s-looking pale blue t-shirt. Duggan in a green number.

 

Proper slugfest this. Duggan chokes Ted and rips his nice 70s t-shirt. Aww, that was a nice t-shirt. Sneaking eye rake from DiBiase turns things around. He uses the gloved fist. Takes his belt off and chokes Duggan with it. Wraps the belt around his fist and lays it into Duggan's head. I will likely catch flak for this, but ... Ted punches are underrated.

 

Duggan takes his belt off now and starts whipping DiBiase with it. Ted bails. Gets a face full of iron railings. Duggan posts him. He grabs a chair now. Eye rake swings things for Ted again. He misses with the chair. Back in the ring. 10 punches in the corner for Duggan. Akbar hits the apron allowing DiBiase to hit a running knee.

 

Black glove now. Akbar hits the ring again. Ted accidentally hits him with a chair. Duggan nails Ted with the chair for the 3.

 

Wild brawl.

 

****

 

 

Midsouth 1.15

Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs. Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart (Cage Match) (12/25/83)

 

It's that black TBS-style cage. No commentary. You can hear every crash and bang, very cool. If I was Butch Reed I'd want to be packing more than just a young Jim Neidhart against these two even if they were the tag champs at this point, even though Wrestling II is pretty old here.

 

Magnum hiys a lot of big atomic drops on Reed early doors. Allows him to tag: that's the hubris and over-confidence of youth. From behind, Neidhart looks quite a lot like The Warlord here. Predictably, Magnum loses advantage for being too cocky and eats the cage. This cage is bigger than the ring so he falls to the outside. It's kinda like the Chamber of Horrors cage, without the zombies.

 

Reed looks good dishing out punishment. Nice big elbow. There is about three feet between the ring and the side of the cage, so Magnum is going a long way to fly into it. And then falls down into the gap. Looks nasty. This bigger cage actually changes the dynamic of the whole match. So Neidhart distracts the ref while Magnum is lying outside and Reed sneaks down to nail him into the cage again.

 

Hot tag to Wrestling II causes the big stadium foghorn noises to break out. Heels get back on top and Neidhart looks alright doing some of the power stuff. Quickly goes into a front chinlock though. Tags in and out now as they work over Wrestling II. "Double heat". Reed hits a flying shoulder block from the top rope. Knee drop. 1, 2 -- he pulls him up. Take note Shawn Michaels: Butch Reed is a heel.

 

Neidhart manages to get Wrestling II's mask but under it is ... another mask! In the confusion, he is able to tag to Magnum for the win and they are new tag champs.

 

***, enjoyable enough. Thought Neidhart ran out of ideas very quickly when he was in during the control segments.

 

Midsouth 1.16.

Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs. Midnight Express (2/10/84)

 

Here we go. The Midnights are here. Eaton looks young here. Wrestling II does all his dancing shit. Why southern faces have to dance? Again, no commentary on this. Midnights do a few comedy miscommunication spots. Condrey doesn't have the beer belly at this stage. Jim Cornette looks like he's fresh out of high school.

 

After the shine, the Midnights work on Wrestling II's arm but get the worst of it after he does a series of armdrags and hits a kneelift. Eaton bails and Condrey wants a time out. They do the hug outside to the derision of this Mid-South crowd. Condrey starts massaging Eaton's arm and Wrestling II has seen enough. All four men in now. Referee has lost control of this one. Atomic drop by Wrestling II.

 

We still haven't had a proper FIP segment yet. Condrey stooges in the corner and Magnum tags in. Condrey begs off. Magnum is on fire and doesn't care. Eye rake by Condrey and Eaton's in. Magnum comes back strong and manages to get Eaton in an armbar. Still no FIP segment??

 

Finally the heels gain control. Bodyslam by Eaton. Flying kneedrop. Condrey works Magnum's arm now. Eaton cuts off the hot tag. Eventually Magnum gets it. Wrestling II goes 2 vs. 1 now against both Midnights.

 

Hits a neat kneelift on Eaton. Cornette throws powder into his face and the bell goes for an instant DQ.

 

***3/4

 

Heel beatdown post-match now. Corny unloads on Magnum with the racket. The Midnights work over Wrestling II. Bill Watts grabs Cornette by the ear and wants to evict him. This is one long beatdown. Pretty awesome.

 

Midsouth 1.17

Buddy Landel & Butch Reed vs. Rock N Roll Express (3/28/84)

 

Even in 1984, I'm not buying Gibson as a heart-throb. Heels jump the RnRs to start and they come back with double dropkicks. This is our first appearance of Jim Ross on the set and his voice is a full decibel higher than it is in 87-90.

 

A lot of heel miscommunication here. Cornette is ringside taking notes on a pad. Ross mentions that Magnum TA and Wrestling II are no longer a team. Reed hits a big cool-looking dropkick to turn the momentum and we get our FIP segment starting with Morton. Landel hits a slam and a kneedrop. Bodyslam. Double bodyslam. Big legdrop by "the Brickhouse" Butch Reed.

 

Morton has a few hope spots here but Landel gets to his partner. Reed is just a wall of man at this point, impressive specimen. Assisted suplex by Reed. Big "go Ricky go" chant from the crowd. This is a classic Morton FIP sequence right here. Gorilla press slam by Reed. Now he Gorilla slams Landel onto Morton. Gets a 2.

 

Ross puts over Morton's heart and courage strong on commentary. Gibson can't take anymore and gets into the ring. Cornette sneakily pulls down the rope and Gibson takes a tumble to the outside cracking his head on the floor. Reed has a pair of knuckle dusters and lays Morton out. That's it. Sucker job.

 

Classic RnR formula match without the hot tag. Reed looked really good here.

 

****

 

Midsouth 1.18

Midnight Express vs. Bill Dundee & Porkchop Cash (4/6/84)

 

Christ, if memory serves Porkchop Cash is just awful. I may well be thinking about Thunderbolt Patterson because this dude is a fair bit smaller than the man I'm thinking of in terms of both height and weight. Cash does shucking and jiving. I fucking hate shucking and jiving. "But it got over with the fans Parv" Well fuck the fans; they are morons. "Nasty heel fan". Who are you anyway? "Your voice of inner reason". Well come on now, you're hijacking my review.

 

Dundee in now. Starts working Condrey's arm. Quite a long shine sequence here. Porkchop Cash's dancing is doing my fucking head in. I might do my list of bottom 10 "dancing idiots" soon. It's between Cash and Pez Whatley for a spot in the top 3. Whatley has the edge because he even did that shit as a heel.

 

Flying butt splash by Cash. Oh for fuck's sake punch him or tag out or whatever, no more shucking and jiving now. Cash is fast becoming my least favourite worker ever. It's ok to dance a little bit in the shine, but we're 8-9 minutes into the match now. Cut that shit out already.

 

Condrey has an epic moustache here. FIP sequence gets going but this match has already kinda lost me. One thing that is notable is that when neither Watts nor Ross are in the booth, Mid-South commentary is pretty ropey. In fairness, this FIP sequence on Dundee has been really good.

 

Dundee gets a tag to Dickhead Cash who eats a tennis racket for an awful-looking finish.

 

Portion of match with Dundee: B-.

Portion of match with Cash: E+

 

B- + E+ / 2 = *

 

Fuck Porkchop Cash.

 

Midsouth 1.19

Midnight Express vs. Bill Watts & Stagger Lee (4/22/84)

 

Watts with some roundhose rights in the shine. The Midnights sell them as if he was hitting them with an actual steam train. Stagger Lee just sort of stands around, but I'll forgive that. Effective shine: don't mess with the boss!

 

Eaton takes another right and is dazed and stunned. He takes another right and flies all the way across the ring. Just amazing selling. Eaton is so out of it now he over to Stagger Lee for a tag. Eats another fist. So simple this stuff, but the crowd is losing it and it's very very effective work.

 

Condrey in now. Takes another Watts roundhouse right. It's like that fist is made out of 100% titananium. Stagger Lee in and Eaton is still out of it in what is turning into a heel in peril section.

 

Lee pokes him in the eye. Turnbuckle. Watts back in. THUNDEROUS right. Nails Condrey for good measure. Heels manage to take advantage though and Cornette sneaks in with some racket shots for good measure. Classic Midnights dick heelery now as they distract the ref, wind Stagger Lee up and choke Watts out. Condrey is the king of this shit.

 

Stomps on Watts now. Eaton gets him in a reverse chinlock in the camel clutch position. Crowd are just losing their shit here. It sounds like an actual riot. Amazing heat. Cool elbow drop by Eaton and Condrey takes over. This is called a heat segment.

 

Stagger Lee has his arm outstretched for the tag, but Condrey cuts Watts off. Stagger Lee comes in anyway and hits the big slam on Eaton. Corny throws the racket in and Eaton lays Lee out with it. Condrey and Watts are in the corner. Watts is rousing himself now but still out of it.

 

Eaton has powder in his hand but Watts kicks it up into his face for the 3.

 

Fucking awesome.

 

I loved this the first time around but if anything I like it even more now. They worked around the limitations of Watts and Lee perfectly.

 

Three key points here.

 

1. Just a text-book study in how it's possible for sound structure to carry a match.

2. A testament to Eaton and Condrey as a amazing workers. They made Watts look like a genuine threat here.

3. Watts himself is obviously well past him prime but he is clever. He knows Eaton and Condrey will pinball for him. He knows they are good enough to extract the maximum heat from the FIP sequence. So all he had to do was lay there and take the punishment garnering sympathy. He almost didn't need to sell, the MX were that good here.

 

 

Ah sod it, ****3/4, this is what pro wrestling is about.

 

Post-match, the stip is that Cornette has to get into a nappy like a baby. And of course Watts is going to make damn sure the "sissy" follows through. Magnum TA is out too now just for insurance.

 

Watts delights in stripping Cornette down who is begging and whining. Magnum gets down in the classic "school boy" position and Watts pushes Corny over. They strip off his red trousers to reveal his horrible white Y-fronts. Stagger Lee puts his foot on his chest to trap him.

 

This is probably bullying kids, but Cornette almost certainly deserves it. They put the diaper on him and force him to drink from a big bottle. He walks around dazed and humilated. The crowd are losing it. Stagger Lee gives him a kiss on the lips and Cornette bails. Hi-fives all round from the faces. That is what you call a blow off and spectacular heat.

 

Midsouth 1.20

Midnight Express vs. Rock N Roll Express (No DQ: Tag Titles vs. $50,000) (5/23/84)

 

A contract signing hosted by Jim Ross first. Cornette has put up $50,000 for a shot at the titles. RnRs get the girls cheering at every mention. Matchmaker Grizzly Smith reads out all the stipulations. If MX win, they get the titles; if RnRs win, they get $25k each. Also, it's no DQ.

 

The idea of a "contract signing" in this setting is so awesome. Love pro wrestling. Cornette uses the phrase "hornswaggle" a number of times. There's a shill for "Superdate at the Superdome": two lucky women win dates with the Rock n Roll Express. The seediest part of the package: "A hotel room for one".

 

A week later now and Cornette cuts a pre-match promo to introduce his team and the greatest theme tune of all time. Condrey is rocking a Barry Gibb out of the Bee Gees look tonight. RnRs come out to a big ovation.

 

Ok, here we go. Morton firey in the shine against Condrey. Gibson in. Full nelson, forearm smash. Eaton enters and gets him in a headlock. Gibson hits a dropkick and tags Morton in. Eaton vs. Morton now: for all the marvels.

 

Morton throws Eaton over the top rope, but of course it's no DQ. No padding out there, just concrete. Pretty massive bump and we go into a break. Back and Condrey is working over Morton. Massive scoop powerslam by Eaton. Big knee drop by Condrey. "Go Ricky Go! Go Ricky Go!"

 

Big bump out to the concrete now by Morton. Front roll into the hot tag. Cornette pulls the ropes again and Gibson in a repeat of the spot where Gibson injured himself -- nice call back. Meanwhile, Eaton is bleeding. Condrey comes off the top to knee drop Gibson but Morton dives across to make the save and take the hit. Gibson gets a sleeper on Eaton.

 

Cornette has a rag doused in anasthetic. That's it for 3 and new tag champs. That was his plan all along.

 

Very fun action-packed 12-minute match with Cornette's masterplan paying off. Very good booking here too because he's just had his comeuppance so now he needs a win to build him back up.

 

****

 

Christ, I love Mid South. Next time: New Japan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Housekeeping: Midsouth d1 rankings:

****3/4

 

Cowboy Bill Watts & Stagger Lee vs. The Midnight Express (4/22/84)

 

****1/2

Mid-South Tag Team Titles, loser leaves town: The Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia [c] vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne

 

****

Ted DiBiase vs. Bob Roop (4/2/82)

Mid-South Tag Team Titles, no disqualification: The Rock ‘n Roll Express [c] vs. The Midnight Express (5/23/84)

Houston Street Fight: Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Ted DiBiase (7/29/83)

The Rock ‘n Roll Express vs. Butch Reed & Buddy Landell (3/28/84)

 

***3/4

Mid-South Tag Team Titles: The Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia [c] vs. Ted DiBiase & Hacksaw Jim Duggan

Mid-South Tag Team Titles: Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. [c] vs. The Midnight Express (2/10/84)

 

***1/2

Chavo Guerrero vs. Mr. Olympia (6/24/83)

 

***

Mr. Olympia vs. Paul Orndorff (2/3/82)

Mike George vs. Bob Roop (12/16/81)

Mid-South Tag Team Titles, Steel Cage Match: Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart [c] vs. Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. (12/25/83)

The Junkyard Dog vs. Nick Bockwinkel (6/11/82)

The Junkyard Dog & Mr. Wrestling II vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne (2/16/83)

AWA World Heavyweight Title: Nick Bockwinkel [c] vs. Dusty Rhodes (5/20/83)

 

**1/2

Mississippi Heavyweight Title: Mr. Olympia [c] vs. Bob Roop (7/15/82)

Lumberjack Match: Buck Robley vs. The One Man Gang

 

**

Mid-South Tag Team Titles, loser leaves town: Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne [c] vs. Stagger Lee & Mr. Olympia D+ Hacksaw Butch Reed vs. The Iron Sheik (4/8/83)

 

*

Mid-South Tag Team Titles: The Midnight Express [c] vs. Bill Dundee & Pork Chop Cash (4/6/84)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, I think I had that Reed/Neidhart cage match ranked pretty high. Been a while since I watched it, and I don't have my rankings anymore, but I swear I had it at least top 20.

 

Oh, and I think that Reed/Sheiky match was shown way after it was taped. That's why Watts mentions the Backlund stuff. I think I remember hearing it was one of those things where when Sheik went to Vince and won the title, they cued up an old match where he gets his ass kicked by one of his guys to make "New York's" champ look bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So the only DVDVR sets I contributed to while they were happening were the NJPW, AJPW, and AWA sets but I have caught up on the other sets as well. I decided to make some top matches lists for those sets because I love making lists.

 

Here's what my Watts top 20 looked like:

 

1.) Hacksaw Duggan vs Buzz Sawyer (11/11/85)

2.) Dick Murdoch vs Butch Reed (9/22/85)

3.) Barry Windham vs Dick Murdoch (7/11/87)

4.) Buddy Landel, Chavo, & Hector Guerrero vs Brickhouse Brown, Bill Dundee, & Jose Lothario (11/16/84)

5.) Rock N Roll Express & Jim Duggan vs Midnight Express & Ernie Ladd (6/8/84)

6.) Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart (Cage Match, 12/25/83)

7.) Dirty White Boys vs Terry Daniels & Bill Dundee (5/11/85)

8.) Chavo Guerrero vs Mr. Olympia (6/24/83)

9.) Dick Murdoch vs Butch Reed (10/14/85)

10.) Ted DiBiase vs Dick Murdoch (No DQ, 12/31/85)

11.) Ted DiBiase vs Bob Sweetan (10/13/85)

12.) Ted Dibiase vs Jim Duggan (No DQ, cage match in tuxedos, loser leaves town, coal miners glove on a poll, 3/22/85)

13.) Midnight Express vs Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum TA (2/10/84)

14.) Ric Flair vs Wahoo McDaniel (7/12/85)

15.) Ted DiBiase vs Bob Sweetan (Taped Fist, 10/11/85)

16.) Dick Murdoch vs The Nightmare (7/14/85)

17.) Dick Slater vs Jake Roberts (2/14/86)

18.) Ric Flair vs Butch Reed (8/10/85)

19.) Ric Flair vs Jake Roberts (11/24/85)

20.) Midnight Express vs Bill Dundee & Porkchop Cash (4/6/84)

 

That probably gives a good picture of how Jerry and I differ in terms of taste as a few of the matches I have in my top 20 are ones that did not do much for him. I am glad he liked Midnight Express vs Watts & Stagger Lee though. That was an awesome match and would have been my number 21.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Came across my working list that I had PMed to myself as a backup on a forum I post on. Here's my top 20, which should be taken with a huge grain of salt because I didn't watch anything more than once and never went through to finalize anything (I sort of fell out of wrestling for a year or two before I finished the set):

 

Ted DiBiase vs. Hacksaw Duggan (No DQ, Loser Leaves Town, Coal Miner’s Glove on a Pole, Tuxedo, Cage Match) (3/22/85)

Ric Flair vs. Butch Reed (8/10/85)

Butch Reed vs. Dick Murdoch (9/22/85)

Chris Adams vs. Terry Taylor (5/3/87)

Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum TA vs. Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart (Cage Match) (12/25/83)

Ted DiBiase vs. Bob Sweetan (Taped Fist) (10/11/85)

Terry Taylor vs. Ric Flair (6/1/85)

Midnight Express vs. Bill Dundee & Porkchop Cash (4/6/84)

Buddy Landell, Chavo & Hector Guerrero vs. Brickhouse Brown, Bill Dundee & Jose Lothario (Elimination Match) (11/16/84)

Ric Flair vs. Terry Taylor (4/28/85)

 

Butch Reed vs. Dick Murdoch (10/14/85)

Dick Murdoch vs. Barry Windham (7/11/87)

Rock N Roll Express & Hacksaw Duggan vs. Midnight Express & Ernie Ladd (6/8/84)

Dick Murdoch vs. The Nightmare(7/14/85)

Terry Gordy vs. Hacksaw Duggan (8/3/86)

Terry Gordy vs. Dr. Death (9/15/86)

Ted DiBiase vs. Hacksaw Duggan (No DQ) (3/8/85)

Midnight Express vs. Bill Watts & Stagger Lee (4/22/84)

Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Bourne (Loser Leaves Town) (10/27/82)

Mr. Olympia vs. Chavo Guerrero (6/24/83)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Came across my working list that I had PMed to myself as a backup on a forum I post on. Here's my top 20, which should be taken with a huge grain of salt because I didn't watch anything more than once and never went through to finalize anything (I sort of fell out of wrestling for a year or two before I finished the set):

 

Ted DiBiase vs. Hacksaw Duggan (No DQ, Loser Leaves Town, Coal Miner’s Glove on a Pole, Tuxedo, Cage Match) (3/22/85)

Ric Flair vs. Butch Reed (8/10/85)

Butch Reed vs. Dick Murdoch (9/22/85)

Chris Adams vs. Terry Taylor (5/3/87)

Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum TA vs. Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart (Cage Match) (12/25/83)

Ted DiBiase vs. Bob Sweetan (Taped Fist) (10/11/85)

Terry Taylor vs. Ric Flair (6/1/85)

Midnight Express vs. Bill Dundee & Porkchop Cash (4/6/84)

Buddy Landell, Chavo & Hector Guerrero vs. Brickhouse Brown, Bill Dundee & Jose Lothario (Elimination Match) (11/16/84)

Ric Flair vs. Terry Taylor (4/28/85)

 

Butch Reed vs. Dick Murdoch (10/14/85)

Dick Murdoch vs. Barry Windham (7/11/87)

Rock N Roll Express & Hacksaw Duggan vs. Midnight Express & Ernie Ladd (6/8/84)

Dick Murdoch vs. The Nightmare(7/14/85)

Terry Gordy vs. Hacksaw Duggan (8/3/86)

Terry Gordy vs. Dr. Death (9/15/86)

Ted DiBiase vs. Hacksaw Duggan (No DQ) (3/8/85)

Midnight Express vs. Bill Watts & Stagger Lee (4/22/84)

Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Bourne (Loser Leaves Town) (10/27/82)

Mr. Olympia vs. Chavo Guerrero (6/24/83)

didn't one of the Flair/Taylor matches go 47 minutes or something? I've heard great things about it but never saw it
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For my New Japan watching, I'll have the Cowboy Wally live simul-casts recorded back in 2009 for company, will give them a chance.

 

New Japan 1.1

Tatsumi Fujinami & Kantaro Hoshino vs. Dynamite Kid & Steve Keirn (1/18/80)

 

Dynamite has the shaved head here and is very spritely. All flash. The guys on the podcast spend a lot of time talking about how Hoshino looks like a "panda midget". Neat exchanges between Fujinami and Dynamite. Very exhibitiony. Kiern looks alright.

 

Dynamite gives Hoshimoto a butterfly suplex. FIP sequence now. They take out his leg. Goes outside. Hoshino comes back with suplex variations. DK hits his flying headbutt for a pin. This first fall seemed to have no flow to me. Didn't tell a story, even though the work was smooth and slick.

 

Second fall and Hoshimo is on fire but not for long and the gaijins work him over again. DK is a very MOVEZ sorta guy. Keirn gives him two backbreakers. Flying kneedrop from DK. Fujinami gets a tag, hits a suplex for 1-1.

 

Things these guys have done on the commentary so far:

- Harped on with the "panda midget" stuff

- Made lame veiled references to Benoit doing the DK headbutt

- Treated every submission hold like a resthold

- Ragged on Lex Luger

 

Two more matches and I'll make a decision on whether I stick with them. Bit too smarky for my tastes. I'm giving them some leeway for this being 2009, but still starting to bug me.

 

Cool suplex by Hoshimo. Keirn hits a shoulderbreaker and that's it.

 

**1/2, no flow to this one for me. There were some cool bombs, but this felt like it just "happened".

 

New Japan 1.2

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Steve Keirn (2/3 Falls) (2/1/80)

 

Eddie Graham is reading out a statement and the guys on the pod ask "is that Gordon Solie". Starting to be a real distratction. They don't know who it is. C'mon now. "Was Steve Keirn ever NWA Champion?" Strike 2, losing patience.

 

This is a very quiet crowd. Decent grapevine by Fujinami during the early matwork. Keirn comes back with an Indian deathlock and falls back on it a few times. Modified STF now. Very amatuer-style match so far. Headlock takeover by Fujinami, a lot of struggle from Keirn. Front headlock. Keirn starts busting out some strikes. Double stomp. Backbreaker. Both guys look pretty good here.

 

The bandage from Fujinami's head comes loose. Big ref bump. Keirn rams Fujinami's head into various posts. Keirn bashes Fujinami's head many many times. But the bell goes. Either a DQ for a closed fist or a countout because Keirn was on the apron outside the ropes. Pretty hot first fall.

 

Fujinami is busted open. Second fall now and Keirn hits a shoulder breaker. Piledriver. That's not a three? Wow. Suplex. Keirn has beat the shit out of Fujinmai here. He's bashing his head into the mat now. Several European uppercuts from Fujinami now. A dropkick. Just a hopespot because Keirn punches him in the face. Bodydrop. GERMAN SUPLEX by Fujinami. 2-0 and that's it!

 

****

 

This was a really good match and a great babyface performance from Fujinami, and Keirn looked phenomenal dishing out the offence.

 

"Are we going to find out who the guy with the monstrous chin is?"

 

New Japan 1.3

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Dynamite Kid (2/5/80)

 

Octopus by DK to start. Test of strength. European uppercuts vs. headbutts here. DK very crisp on the snapmares. Deep armdrag by Fujinami. Butterfly suplex by DK. Gutwrench suplex by Fujinami. DK seems to have a nose bleed. Suplex. Diving headbutt.

 

More lame Benoit jokes. Come on dudes. They've been vaguely tolerable for the past 30 minutes or so. He misses another diving headbutt. Two dropkicks by Fujinami. Drop toehold and a very cool pin.

 

Good match.

 

***3/4

 

New Japan 1.4

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (2/8/80)

 

First 5-6 minutes, this might be the worst Hansen match I've seen. Inoki's matwork is pretty dull. Lonnng reverse chinlock. Doesn't seem like there's a whole lot of cooperation going on here. Lariat! 2-count. Misses a big splash. Massive dropkick by Inoki sends Hansen outside. Both men out, up for a Razor's edge, neat reversal by Inoki. Suplex back in? Counter by Inoki. Belly-to-back. Bodyslam. Inoki goes up. Low blow. Countout finish.

 

I did not care for this much at all.

 

**

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne (Loser Leaves Town) (10/27/82)

 

I want to pull this out of the Mid South set as I was watching the recent WWE Blu-ray release and, while complete, you don't get pre-match interview with the kids (with Duggan in costume) as you are describing here Parv. They just briefly flash to him during a crowd pan. You do get the entire post match interview on the WWE set though which is fantastic. Match is a solid **** and throw in the entire story/interview stuff, i'm with you at ****1/2. This was fun watching for the first time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New Japan 1.5

Gran Hamada vs. Babyface (4/3/80)

 

Interesting to see these two in a second context now. I like the way this alternates between matwork and explosive moments of action. Hamada's dropkicks look great. Spot where Babyface backdrops Hamada only to see him land on his feet is cool. Babyface looks good dishing out the bombs and I enjoyed the suplex variations.

 

Don't understand the finish at all. No way that was a three count.

 

Good without ever being stellar.

 

***

 

New Japan 1.6

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (4/3/80)

 

This has got to be better than the last matchup between these two. Inoki focuses on the lariat arm; Hansen replies with headlocks and strikes. This keeps moving a lot more than the last match, which is good. Hansen goes for the lariat, Inoki bails.

 

Inoki does have a very "slappable" face. It's the chin. Gets Hansen back down on the mat and sits in a leglock. A lot of struggle and punching from Hansen. I feel like Hansen is the only one of these two who is interested in keeping this compelling for the audience.

 

Still not really feeling this match up, mainly because of Inoki. He makes it very difficult to get invested in what is going on. I've had a big problem with him so far.

 

**1/2

 

New Japan 1.7

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Chavo Guerrero (5/9/80)

 

This is worked very cleanly to start before Chavo starts busting out the uppercuts. Fujinami controls by keeping it on the mat. Chavo keeps trying to turn it into a slugfest. I really like how Chavo gets progressively more heelish as this wears on. The double-face-stomp is such a nasty move.

 

Fujinami takes it back to the mat. If this match was a conversation so far it would be something like:

 

Fujinami: Let's see who the better wrestler is using our scientific knowledge of holds.

 

Chavo: Shut the fuck up and fight me you total pussy!

 

It makes for a great dynamic. Chavo's punches look great as he lays them in. Goes for a piledriver. Doesn't quite get it. Fallaway slam?? No, he rolls it forward. Odd move. Fujinami loses out in a criss-cross and a big somersault gets 2 for Chavo.

 

Fujinami is losing the strategic battle now. Chavo is succeeding in turning this into a brawl. Fujinami hits a splash from the stop for two and now gives in and starts lashing out with strikes. Suplex gets 2. Chavo rolls Fujinami up for 2 out of nowhere and Fujinami is pissed so just throws him out. Dropkick by Chavo. Bitchslap. Full nelson by Fujinami. GERMAN SUPLEX. That's it, for three.

 

This was a phenomenal match out of nowhere. I was expecting it to be good, but not quite this good. Great stuff this.

 

****1/2

 

New Japan 1.8

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (5/9/80)

 

Fred Blassie!! This one starts much more like a brawl. I hope they can keep this more of a "Hansen match" than an "Inoki match". Hansen takes it to the mat and drives his knees into Inoki's legs. I think Hansen is perhaps my favourite of any guy working holds. He's always brutal, always interesting. Never leaves it so the two of them are just sitting there. And he has a great moustache at this point in time.

 

Inoki smashes his elbow into Hansen's gut and the crowd erupt. Starts working the lariat arm. And this is exhibit A in matwork that is not compelling to me. Hansen goes for a lariat but Inoki ducks it and hits an armdrag. Into an armbar now. I really don't like Inoki on the mat, he's boring as hell.

 

Thankfully it doesn't last long and Hansen takes over on offence. Big elbow drop. Big atomic drop. Great knee drop. Drives that knee into that massive chin. Inoki bails. Tentative faceoff now. Inoki hits a sly inzaguri. And another one. Hansen comes come with strikes and a headbutt. Inoki cuts him off and slams his head into the mat.

 

Hansen focuses on Inoki's leg now and drives his knee into Inoki's calf and shin area. Know he's needling his elbow in there. Stomp on the groin. And again. Nasty. These knees look like they really hurt. Eventurally Inoki kicks him in the face. And hits a backdrop. Hansen cuts him off. Knee across the chest. Swinging neckbreaker. Lateral press. Piledriver!!

 

Fuck yes!

 

Those brutal knees and kicks to the head now. Running knee. Big splash ... Inoki gets his knees up. LARIAT!!! Inoki falls out of the ring. Brawling outside now. Hansen gets posted. Blassie is lurking. Looked like it was going for a double countout but no. Inoki eats the post now. Lariat outside. Hansen for the countout win? No! Big suplex by Hansen now who is bleeding from the middle of his forehead. A flurry of stomps from him now on Inoki's larynx.

 

He pushes the ref away. The seconds all hit the ring and Hansen pushes them off.

 

This was more like it. Amazing Hansen performance dragging boring-as-fuck Inoki to a great match. Brilliant.

 

****3/4

 

Quick rest before completing the disc. I need some more tea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New Japan 1.9

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Rocco (9/11/80)

 

I've decided to give Cowboy Wally another chance after taking a break with the last 4 matches, and he's pulling a 70s Vince here and flying solo. Good, the other guy was the one making all the douche-y comments last time. He's doing much more play-by-play now. He's actually not bad at all. More 70s Vince Cowboy Wally please.

 

I must say this has been quite dull so far. Fujinami is still bringing the ground game and Rocco tries to answer in kind. This sort of matwork leaves me cold.

 

Now who is Tony Rocco? He's a guy who sounds like he should be familiar but I can't say I've ever come across him till now. This is very dry stuff here. Pretty much an anti-JvK match this.

 

Things pick up a bit and it goes outside. Rocco picks Fujinami up and rams him into the post. Suplex by Rocco. Thank god, some action. Bodyslam. TOP ROPE BY ROCCO. Misses the splash and now Fujinami rams him into the mat.

 

Flair flip by Rocco. Fujinami rams his head into the post behind the turnbuckle. Rocco hits a missile dropkick from the top. Butterfly suplex! Catapult by Rocco. Fujinami goes flying. Misses a crossbody. Slam by Fujinami. He goes to the top and misses a knee.

 

Surfboarrrddddd? Yes? Yes? YES! Fujinami then wins out of nowhere with a flash pin.

 

The old soccer cliche is that "this is a game of two halves", that platitude has never been truer than of this match. The first half was interminably dull. Hated every second of it. The second half was aweomse, except for the finish. On balance ...

 

***

 

Fujinami already emerging as a great worker on this set. Can seemingly work any type of opponent with ease.

 

New Japan 1.10

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (9/11/80)

 

Back in 2009 podland, Cowboy Wally is taking calls now, and a chap calls in to ask what the Japanese drink at these shows. "Ginger beer?" Ha ha, not a bad way to introduce himself.

 

Inoki does a very strange-looking armhold thing at the start. Hansen does his usual stiff offense to retaliate. Inoki works the left arm again, and gets an arm lock on.

 

Suplex by Hansen. Stamps on Inoki's head. Hansen is literally FORCING Inoki to sell his shit here. You couldn't not sell those stomps. Hansen keeps things moving here.

 

Thought this was a lesser version of the previous match.

 

***1/2

 

New Japan 1.11

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Londos (9/19/80)

 

Another balding junior here, this look was all the rage in 1980. Londos works at a much higher pace than Rocco from the bell. Fujinami busts out some chops and a dropkick. Fujinami is working much more agressively here than in some previous matches. Much faster and stiffer than he was vs. Chavo or Rocco.

 

Another flash pin. This was decent for a short match.

 

***

 

Fujinami can work scientifically, as a highflyer, he can brawl, he can work in bombfests. I think in just a few short matches, he's shown all of that, which is pretty remarkable. Surely a contender for best worker anywhere in the world for 1980.

 

New Japan 1.12

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Kengo Kimura (9/25/80)

 

Kimura wants to see his barber here because his hair is absolutely awful, by 1980 standards or by any standards. Awful hair.

 

One cool thing about New Japan is how so many people wear the "pure" black tights.

 

Ok, shall I talk about wrestling rather than just the hair or clothes? If I must. So this is the first time we've seen Fujinami against someone who, for all intents and purposes is much like him. I mean in terms of look and style: this guy -- unlike Keirn, Kid, Chavo, Rocco or London -- is Japanese, about the same size and weight, and his preference is for a ground-based technical offensive game.

 

Unfortunately for me, this means a lot of listless and not-particularly-interesting matwork. There are sparks of frustration which are quite compelling, but then they go back to the matwork. Hopefully, this is just the calm before the storm.

 

There's a hell of a lot of struggle and tension developing here. Kimura keeps losing his temper and trying to slap Fujinami, and Fujinami is a bit of a cocky little shit, but he wants to keep outwrestling him.

 

More mat stuff now as Fujinami ties Kimura up like a pretzel. I want the match to transition to the next gear now. It keeps threatening to and then not. Quite the tease of a match so far.

 

Headscissors by Kimura now. Fujinami looks like he's going to do the hand-stand escape. Finally is able to bridge out. I'm not a fan of this "fancy dan" shit. Just slap the guy in the face and break. Criss-cross now and dropkicks and somersaults being missed left and right.

 

Snapmare by Kimura into a chinlock. Headlock now. Come on now, take it to the next gear!!! PLEASE.

 

Botched corkscrew by Kimura. Light looking arm-lock by him now. Fujinami could easily get out of this. European uppercut by Kimura. Shoulder barge by Fujinami. Running European uppercut by Fujinami -- that was like a Street Fighter move! OUCH!!!!! Christ, that was a brutal looking piledriver by Kimura. I'm surprised Fujinami isn't paralysed. Could have broke his neck.

 

Things go outside and Kimura has colour. Fujinami dives through the ropes. Suplex in. Kimura goes up to the top but Fujinami dropkicks him up there. Bell goes and I'm not sure why.

 

I thought Kimura was actively bad in this match. Matwork was rubbish. A lot of botches. Not good.

 

**

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Housekeeping: New Japan d1 rankings:

 

****3/4

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (5/9/80)

 

****1/2

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Chavo Guerrero (5/9/80)

 

****

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Steve Keirn (2/3 Falls) (2/1/80)

 

***3/4

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Dynamite Kid (2/5/80)

 

***1/2

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (9/11/80)

 

***

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Londos (9/19/80)

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Tony Rocco (9/11/80)

Gran Hamada vs. Babyface (4/3/80)

 

**1/2

Tatsumi Fujinami & Kantaro Hoshino vs. Dynamite Kid & Steve Keirn (1/18/80)

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (4/3/80)

 

**

Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (2/8/80)

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Kengo Kimura (9/25/80)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my All Japan Top 150 for posterity. Just came across it while looking for something else in an old email account. I've retconned it to conform to my rating system:

 

*****

1. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (6/5/89)

2. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu Yoshiaki Yatsu (1/28/86)

3. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen (12/6/89)

4. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy (8/31/83)

5. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy (12/16/88)

6. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ric Flair (6/8/83)

7. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (2/5/87)

 

****3/4

8. Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen (11/29/89)

9. Jumbo Tsuruta & Kenta Kobashi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen (7/15/89)

10. Billy Robinson vs. Nick Bockwinkel (12/11/80)

11. Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen (4/14/83)

12. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Kerry Von Erich (2/3 Falls) (5/22/84)

13. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (10/28/88)

 

****1/2

14. The Sheik vs. Ricky Steamboat (12/9/80)

15. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (1/24/87)

16. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen (10/21/86)

17. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (2/5/86)

18. Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki vs. Shunji Takano & Shinichi Nakano (7/19/88)

19. Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas (6/5/89)

 

****

20. Genichiro Tenryu, Mighty Inoue & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Riki Choshu, Animal Hamaguchi & Isamu Teranishi (1/10/85)

21. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen & Ted Dibiase (8/31/85)

22. Stan Hansen & Dan Kroffat vs. Rock N Roll Express (10/26/88)

23. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada (2/26/89 TV)

24. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka vs. Dory and Terry Funk (12/13/81)

25. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Killer Khan & Riki Choshu (8/2/85)

26. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Ric Flair (6/8/82)

27. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dick Slater (5/1/80)

28. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen (7/27/88)

29. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (11/30/85)

30. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (8/31/87)

31. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs Toshiaki Kawada & Genichiro Tenryu (1/22/89 TV) 32. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Nick Bockwinkel (2/23/84)

33. Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen (8/23/85)

34. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen (3/27/88)

35. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (9/15/88)

36. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Kenta Kobashi & Joe Malenko (10/11/89)

 

***3/4

37. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race (10/26/83)

38. Ric Flair vs. Ric Steamboat (6/4/82)

39. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (10/11/89)

40. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Tiger Mask (3/9/88)

42. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (8/29/88)

43. Masa Fuchi vs. Mitsuo Momota (3/29/89)

44. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada (9/3/89 TV)

45. Ted Dibiase & Stan Hansen vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (12/12/85)

46. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (7/31/84)

47. Stan Hansen & Ted Dibiase vs. Shinichi Nakano & Yoshiaki Yatsu (7/17/87)

48. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (12/6/86)

49. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (8/30/88)

50. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Tiger Mask (1/23/88)

51. Jumbo Tsuruta, Kabuki & Kenta Kobashi vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki (10/14/89)

52. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat (11/29/89)

53. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy (3/5/88)

54. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen (3/9/88)

55. Ric Flair vs. Rick Martel (10/21/85)

56. Joe & Dean Malenko vs. Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers (7/15/89)

57. Jumbo Tsuruta, Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Ashura Hara Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki (3/11/88)

58. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race (8/1/82)

59. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada vs. John Tenta & Shunji Takano (1/5/89 TV)

60. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu (9/2/89)

 

***1/2

61. Giant Baba vs. Harley Race (10/26/82)

62. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ricky Steamboat (2/23/84)

63. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ted Dibiase (10/23/83)

64. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen (10/20/89)

65. Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki vs. Shunji Takano & Shinichi Nakano (9/15/88)

66. Giant Baba, Rusher Kimura & Masa Fuchi vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki (9/24/89 TV)

67. Stan Hansen & Ted Dibiase vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask (7/11/87)

68. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen (7/31/86)

69. Bruiser Brody vs. Dory Funk Jr. (10/9/81)

70. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Road Warriors (3/12/87)

71. Riki Choshu vs. Killer Khan (7/31/86)

71. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Stan Hansen & Bruiser Brody (4/28/84)

72. Tiger Mask & Isao Takagi vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada (7/16/88)

73. Hiro Saito vs. Masa Fuchi (6/12/86)

74. Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (4/16/89)

75. Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen (7/31/84)

 

***

76. Joe & Dean Malenko vs. Masa Fuchi & Great Kabuki (1/5/89 TV)

77. Doug Furnas, Dan Kroffat & Masa Fuchi vs. British Bulldogs & Kenta Kobashi (11/19/89)

78. Giant Baba vs. Harley Race (9/4/80)

79. Terry Funk vs. Nick Bockwinkel (7/12/83)

80. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Harley Race & Dick Slater (12/13/82)

81. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen (4/20/83)

82. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Ricky Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada (9/2/89)

83. Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen (2/4/82)

84. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk (12/11/80)

85. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara (4/21/88)

86. Chavo Guerrero vs. Masa Fuchi (8/31/83)

87. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & John Tenta (2/29/88)

88. Mil Mascaras vs. Genichiro Tenryu (2/4/82)

89. Dan Spivey, Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Genichiro Tenryu, Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki (5/28/89 TV)

90. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Stan Hansen & Toshiaki Kawada (6/8/89)

91. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen & Ted Dibiase (12/12/86)

92. Stan Hansen & Ted Dibiase vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara (7/23/87)

93. Genichiro Tenryu & Samson Fuyuki vs. Great Kabuki & Takashi Ishikawa (2/20/88)

94. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara (6/4/88)

95. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen (9/20/87) 96. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Tiger Mask (6/11/87)

97. Riki Choshu vs. Rick Martel (12/29/86)

98. Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas (10/20/89)

99. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Giant Baba & Tiger Mask (11/28/86)

100. Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Masa Fuchi (4/6/86)

101. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Ricky Fuyuki (5/21/89 TV)

102. Genichiro Tenryu & Samson Fuyuki vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (8/25/86)

103. Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen (3/24/84)

104. Harley Race vs. Ric Flair (5/22/84)

105. Jumbo Tsuruta & Great Kabuki vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Ricky Fuyuki (10/22/89)

106. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dick Murdoch (3/5/80)

107. Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody & Stan Hansen (12/9/82)

108. Giant Baba vs. Harley Race (9/10/80)

109. Stan Hansen vs. Terry Funk (9/11/82)

110. Chavo & Hector Guerrero vs. Mighty Inoue & Gran Hamada (9/12/84)

 

**1/2

111. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mil Mascaras (7/30/82)

112. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Kerry Von Erich (4/7/83)

113. Riki Choshu vs. Rick Martel (10/19/85)

114. Terry Funk vs. Bruiser Brody (12/7/82)

115. Stan Hansen & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Terry Gordy and Bill Irwin (11/19/89)

116. Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich (5/24/84)

117. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Dick Murdoch (2/23/80)

118. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu (10/10/87)

119. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu vs. Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura (11/19/89)

120. Tiger Mask vs. La Fiera (8/26/84)

121. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Higo Hamaguchi (3/13/86)

122. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Hiroshi Wajima (1/24/88)

123. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Shinichi Nakano (6/9/87)

125. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu (9/3/86)

126. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu (6/22/85)

127. Bruiser Brody vs. Dory Funk Jr. (4/21/82)

128. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ric Flair (2/3 Falls) (9/12/84)

129. Dory and Terry Funk vs. Umanoseke Ueda & Buck Robley (10/6/81)

130. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody (5/26/83)

131. Ric Flair vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (2/3 falls) (10/9/81)

132. Jumbo Tsuruta, Genichiro Tenryu & Tiger Mask vs. Shunji Takano, Hiro Saito & Strong Machine (4/6/86)

133. Stan Hansen vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (4/19/86)

 

**

134. Kuniaki Kobayashi vs. Tiger Mask (6/21/85)

135. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Gordy (10/29/84)

136. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Bruiser Brody & Jimmy Snuka (11/22/87)

137. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (11/26/87)

138. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu (12/5/87)

139. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Takashi Ishikawa & Hiroshi Wajima (6/8/87)

140. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Stan Hansen (7/26/86)

141. Giant Baba vs. Stan Hansen (4/22/82)

142. Dos Caras & Mil Mascaras vs. Chavo Guerrero & Ricky Steamboat (9/6/81)

 

*1/2

142. Mighty Inoue vs. Chavo Guerrero (2/26/84)

143. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Bruiser Brody (3/27/88)

144. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara vs. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy (12/11/87)

145. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ole Anderson (4/5/86)

146. Mil Mascaras vs. Ricky Steamboat (2/3 Falls) (August 1981)

147. Jimmy Snuka vs. Ricky Steamboat (6/3/81)

148. Joe Malenko vs. Masa Fuchi (7/28/89)

 

*

149. Joe Malenko vs. Dean Malenko (7/11/89)

150. Masa Fuchi vs. Pete Roberts (5/5/87)

 

Might as well include AWA too:

 

*****

1. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (11/21/86)

 

****3/4

2. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Wahoo McDaniel (8/28/83)

3. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (8/30/86)

4. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (9/20/84)

5. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (Cage Match) (1/17/87)

6. King Tonga, Masked Superstar, and Sheik Adnan Kaissey vs. Crusher Blackwell and Sgt. Slaughter (Cage Match) (4/21/85)

7. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (9/29/85)

8. Stan Hansen vs. Leon White (3/13/86)

9. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (12/25/86)

 

****1/2

10. Rick Martel vs. Harley Race (4/20/86)

11. Adrian Adonis & Bob Orton Jr. vs. Midnight Rockers (January 1988)

12. Da Crusher and Greg Gagne vs. Crusher Blackwell and Sheik Adnan Kaissey (Cage Match) (3/25/84)

13. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (1/27/87)

14. Mike Rotundo vs. Doug Somers (5/1/86)

15. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Hulk Hogan (4/24/83)

16. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (3/28/85)

17. Terry Gordy vs. Rick Martel (August 1985)

18. Stan Hansen vs. Crusher Blackwell (6/28/86)

19. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (8/16/84)

20. Stan Hansen vs. Nick Bockwinkel (4/20/86)

21. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Larry Zbyszko (11/27/86)

22. Jerry Lawler vs. Kerry Von Erich (12/13/88)

 

****

23. Crusher Blackwell & Ken Patera vs. High Flyers (11/24/83)

24. East-West Connection vs. High Flyers (Cage Match) (3/22/81)

25. Stan Hansen vs. Sgt. Slaughter (2/23/86)

26. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Larry Zbyszko (7/11/87)

27. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (Cage Match) (12/25/86)

28. Ric Flair vs. Magnum TA (9/28/85)

29. Crusher Blackwell & Sheik Adnan Kaissey vs. Baron Von Raschke & Mad Dog Vachon (Taped Fist Match) (3/13/83)

30. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (7/19/85)

31.Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (6/14/84)

32. Crusher Blackwell vs. Mad Dog Vachon (Algerian Death Match) (5/22/83)

33.Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Rick Martel (5/13/84)

34. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Larry Zbyszko (2/23/86)

35. Mr. Saito vs. Rick Martel (4/24/85)

36. Stan Hansen vs. Sgt. Slaughter (2/2/86)

37. Alexis Smirnoff, Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers & Curt Hennig (6/28/86)

38. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (3/7/87)

39. Mando Guerrero vs. Pat Tanaka (6/12/88)

40. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Manny Fernandez (10/15/88)

41. Col. Debeers vs. Jerry Blackwell (Ladder Match) (11/27/86)

42. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Manny Fernandez (Strap Match) (12/13/88)

 

***3/4

43. Stan Hansen vs. Curt Hennig (5/31/86)

44. Leon White vs. Boris Zuhkov (2/21/87)

45. Stan Hansen vs. Curt Hennig (2/1/86)

46. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Curt Hennig (Indian Strap Match) (11/28/87)

47. Jerry Blackwell vs. Billy Robinson (12/3/81)

48. Jerry Blackwell & Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie vs. High Flyers (Cage Match) (4/18/82)

49. Sgt. Slaughter vs. Boris Zuhkov (9/28/85)

50. Stan Hansen vs. Sgt. Slaughter (Bunkhouse Match) (3/9/86)

51. Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook vs. Cowboy Lang and Little Coco (7/18/85)

52. Greg Gagne & Super Destroyer Mark II vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Bobby Heenan (10/3/80)

53. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Mad Dog Vachon (11/24/83)

54. Nick Bockwinkel, Mr. Saito, and Bobby Heenan vs. Blackjack Lanza and The Fabulous Ones (9/9/84)

55. Crusher Blackwell and Ken Patera vs. Blackjack Mulligan and Jerry Lawler (3/4/84)

56. The Road Warriors vs. High Flyers (3/28/85)

57. Rick Martel vs. Jimmy Garvin (3/7/85)

58. Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito vs. The Fabulous Ones (9/30/84)

59. Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito vs. Curt and Larry Hennig (11/8/84)

60. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (5/2/87)

61. Rick Martel vs. Boris Zuhkov (Cage Match) (11/14/85)

62. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Col. DeBeers (4/17/86)

63. Buddy Rose, Doug Somers, & Larry Zbyszko vs. Steve Pardee, Mike Rotundo, Jimmy Snuka (4/17/86)

64. Jerry Lawler & Greg Gagne vs. Riki Choshu & Mr. Saito (5/14/88)

65. Original Midnight Express vs. Midnight Rockers (12/27/87)

66. Jerry Lawler vs. Curt Hennig (7/16/88)

67. Manny Fernandez, Teijho Khan & Soldat Ustinov vs. Robert Gibson & The Top Guns (6/12/88)

 

***1/2

68. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Curt Hennig (12/27/87)

69. Tito Santana & Rick Martel vs. High Flyers (8/29/82)

70. Crusher Blackwell vs. Da Crusher (No DQ) (2/26/84)

71. Crusher Blackwell vs. Masked Superstar (3/7/85)

72. Buddy Rose, Doug Somers & Sherri Martel vs. Midnight Rockers & Despina Montegues (11/27/86)

73. Big John Studd & Jerry Blackwell vs. High Flyers (2/20/81)

74. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Jim Brunzell (6/11/81)

75. Hulk Hogan, Buck Zumhoffe & Baron Von Raschke vs. Bobby Heenan, Ken Patera & Bobby Duncum (2/28/82)

76. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (3/13/83)

77. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Rick Martel (12/8/83)

78. Mr. Saito vs. Curt Hennig (3/28/85)

79. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Ric Flair (1/17/86)

80. Ken Patera & Brad Rheingans vs. Badd Company (3/25/89)

81. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Boris Zuhkov (8/30/86)

82. Mike Rotundo & Curt Hennig vs. Mr. Go & Larry Zbyszko (5/1/86)

83. Greg Gagne vs. Larry Zbyszko (July 1987)

84. Curt Hennig vs. Greg Gagne (6/12/88)

 

***

85. Hulk Hogan vs. Mr. Saito (8/28/83)

86. Lord Alfred Hayes vs. Bobby Heenan (1/13/80)

87. East-West Connection vs. High Flyers (3/1/81)

88. Greg Gagne vs. Super Destroyer Mark II (5/1/80)

89. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Robinson (3/11/84)

90. Crusher Blackwell and Ken Patera vs. Steve O and Buck Zumhofe (2/3 Falls) (4/15/84)

91. Bobby Duncum and Billy Robinson vs. Jim Brunzell and Tonga Kid (4/21/85)

92. Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito vs. Verne and Greg Gagne (4/21/85)

93. Col. DeBeers vs. Buck Zumhofe (2/23/86)

94. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Midnight Rockers (4/20/86)

95. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Curt Hennig (9/12/87)

96. Greg Gagne vs. Curt Hennig (5/30/87)

97. Curt Hennig vs. Mitch Snow (10/30/87)

98. Bill Dundee & Jerry Lawler vs. Original Midnight Express (10/30/87)

99. Sgt. Slaughter vs. Col. DeBeers (Boot Camp Match) (12/13/88)

100. The Nasty Boys vs. Rock n Roll Express (4/16/88)

 

**1/2

101. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Boris Zuhkov (Russian Chain Match) (8/29/87)

102. Jerry Lawler vs. Curt Hennig (2/19/88)

103. Paul Diamond vs. Pat Tanaka (11/18/89)

104. Badd Company vs. Midnight Rockers (2/19/88)

105. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Pat O'Connor (3/22/81)

106. Adrian Adonis vs. Jim Brunzell (6/28/81)

107. Ken Patera, Jesse Ventura & Bobby Heenan vs. Hulk Hogan & High Flyers (3/13/83)

108. Crusher Blackwell & Ken Patera vs. Dino Bravo & Steve O (8/28/83)

109. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Brad Rheingans (7/3/83)

110. Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens vs. Greg Gagne and Curt Hennig (6/13/85)

111. Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens vs. Larry and Curt Hennig (4/24/85)

112. Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham vs. The Fabulous Ones (4/20/86)

113. Col. DeBeers, Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Nick Bockwinkel, Steve Pardee & Brad Rheingans (5/31/86)

114. Curt Hennig vs. DJ Petersen (8/29/87)

115. Larry Zbyszko vs. Ray Stevens (5/30/87)

[140.] Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (2/7/85)

 

**

116. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Hulk Hogan (4/18/82)

117. Col. DeBeers, Larry Zbyszko & Doug Somers vs. Greg Gagne, Curt Hennig, & Jimmy Snuka (7/26/86)

118. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Jesse Hernandez & Leon White (5/1/86)

119. Crusher Blackwell vs. Bruiser Brody (9/30/84)

120. Bobby & Jackie Fulton vs. Destruction Crew (11/18/89)

121. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Greg Gagne & Jimmy Snuka (9/20/86)

122. Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito vs. High Flyers (3/7/85)

123. Buddy Rose vs. Marty Jannetty (10/18/86)

124. Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens vs. Super Ninja & Larry Zbyszko (2/21/87)

125. Crusher Blackwell and King Kong Bundy vs. The Road Warriors (11/22/84)

126. Bob Backlund and Brad Rheingans vs. Butch Reed and Larry Zbyszko (4/21/85)

127. Crusher Blackwell, Larry Hennig and Tom Zenk vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (8/22/85)

128. Verne Gagne vs. Nick Bockwinkel (7/18/80)

129. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Curt Hennig (3/19/88)

130. Cactus Jack Manson & The Rock n Roll RPM's vs. Chavo, Hector, & Mando Guerrero (12/13/88)

 

*1/2

131. Midnight Rockers vs. Kevin Kelly & Nick Kiniski (12/27/87)

132. Wahoo McDaniel vs. Manny Fernandez (7/6/88)

133. Larry Zbyszko vs. Nikita Koloff (11/18/89)

 

*

134. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Billy Robinson (12/25/81)

135. Ken Patera & Jesse Ventura vs. Hulk Hogan & Mad Dog Vachon (1/16/83)

136. Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs. Scott Hall & Curt Hennig (5/17/86)

137. Crusher Blackwell & Sheik Adnan Kaissey vs. Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon (4/24/83)

138. Wahoo McDaniel & Tom Zenk vs. Manny Fernandez & Larry Zbyszko (2/7/89)

139. Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Jim Brunzell (3/15/84) 141. Jimmy Garvin & Steve Regal vs. Scott Hall & Curt Hennig (11/14/85)

 

DUD

142. Crusher Blackwell vs. Kamala (Bodyslam Challenge)(9/28/85)

143. Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts vs. Da Crusher and Baron Von Raschke (6/13/85)

144. Sherri Martel vs. Debbie the Killer Tomato (7/26/86)

145. Col. Debeers vs. Jimmy Snuka (Glove On A Pole Match) (2/21/87)

 

-*

146. Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts vs. High Flyers (5/23/85)

 

-**

147. Crusher Blackwell vs. Bruiser Brody (10/21/84) (No DQ)

148. Adrian Adonis vs. Hulk Hogan (10/17/82) 149. Rick Martel vs. Brad Rheingans (9/9/84)

 

-***

150. Steve Regal vs. Buck Zumhofe (11/28/85)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Memphis 1.1

Bill Dundee vs. Larry Latham (4/19/80)

 

Latham aka Moondog Spot has an awesome beard. Dundee giving up a size and weight advantage. Danny Davis the evil ref is a manager here? No, a different chap.

 

Latham doesn't seem like he has much to do when he's on top. Dundee sells well. This was okay.

 

**1/2

 

Memphis 1.2

Ricky Morton vs. Sonny King (4/26/80)

 

Morton is pretty young here and almost good looking. He's virtually unrecognisable from a distance.

 

This is being worked in a very amateur style. King is a big mean-looking guy, but he's keeping it on the mat. First five minutes have been rather scrappy.

 

Trying to work out heel and face dynamics here. Guessing King is the heel, but hard to tell thus far. Now he's started to choke Morton and shout at the ref, which confirms it. The crowd is a bit quiet.

 

A lot of struggle here and I've not seen Morton work a match like this before, but ... it never gets off the mat in 10 minutes. "Struggle" alone is not compelling to me. I'm never going to be that high on a match like this -- this is pro wrestling not the Olympics.

 

**

 

Memphis 1.3

Bill Dundee vs. Paul Ellering (5/24/80)

 

First look at Jimmy Hart here, nice moustache and hat Jimmy. Dundee has "Macho Man" written across his ass. Ellering has epic sideburns. Is this Paul Ellering of Road Warriors fame? He looks absolutely nothing like the man I know, even like the shape of his head and face are different. Weird if it's the same guy.

 

Dundee controls the arm in the early segment. Ellering takes over. Before long gets Dundee in the bearhug who breaks it with a headbutt. Awesome spear-like move by Dundee. Goes for the slam but the weight of Ellering it too much. Kneelift. Elbow drop. Lateral press gets Ellering a 2 count. Big back drop. Neckbreaker. Bodyslam. Legdrop. Dundee is making Ellering look like a million bucks here, but we have to give the man on offense at least 50% credit if recent arguments are anything to go by, so I'm going to give Ellering equal credit for what was a decent heat segment.

 

Ref bump and Jimmy Hart gets up on the apron. But Sonny King comes out to carry Hart away. And Dundee gets the win.

 

This is more my sort of match. So Sonny King is a face after all or was that a turn?

 

***

 

Memphis 1.4

Bill Dundee & Tony Boyles vs. Wayne Farris & Larry Latham (6/7/80)

 

Speaking of unrecognisable, check out Farris here. Interesting to see him presented as to some extent a "big man" here. A lot of comedy miscommunication spots between Farris and Latham early doors.

 

Tony Boyles. I don't know this guy. Up there with "rookie of the year" Steve Travis. He's our FIP here and the Blonde Bombers cut the ring in half. Dundee is pretty great as the fired-up guy on the apron busting to get in. Latham's FOUR big knee drops are pretty cool. Farris's punches and double axehandles actually look good to me. Latham has been very good during this FIP sequence.

 

And that's it, they get the pin. Not a bad formula tag match ... interesting there was no hot tag.

 

Post-match there's a great senseless and completely uncalled for beatdown on Boyle and Dundee. The increasingly angry protests from Lance Russell on commentary are highly amusing. Later an incredibly fired up Dundee kicks the shit out of Sgt. Danny Davis. The bombers are back. More heel beatdowns until Eddie Marlin comes to make the save. Davis powders him. Now Jerry Jarrett is here and flails at the heels with his belt. Lance Russell's constant "Okay Jerry that's enough!" calls are funny.

 

The match alone was a C, but all the post-match goings on take it up to a ...

 

***1/2

 

 

Farris cuts a promo now. The accents on display are tremendous. Dave Brown comes and takes the mic from Russell. "What are you doing here? We don't need you Dave Brown. You just sit over there and play 'yes sir' to Lance Russell. You're a number 2, a stooge ..." awesome!

 

Memphis 1.5

Bill Dundee vs. Tommy Rich (8/23/80)

 

Looking forward to this. Starts out with a lot of energy. Crowd is wild for it. On commentary, they are talking about Billy Robinson being the world champion. CWA had its own world title?! Huh.

 

This one has kept moving in the first 6 minutes. No one getting the upperhand thus far, there's a true sense of jockeying for position. Suplex by Rich. Gets a 2. Misses an elbow drop. Big running body slam by Dundee. Sleeper!

 

I must pause here to compliment Jerry Calhoun on his awesomely tight white flares! Nice well-kept beard too. Cool ref.

 

Snapmare by Dundee. Eats a backdrop. Flash inside cradle by Rich gets the pin!

 

This was a pretty good match and easily the best one so far.

 

***1/2

 

There's some controversy as Rich caught Dundee in the groin. Post-match Rich cuts a great promo about how he never got a title shot 3 years ago, went alround the country to make a name for himself; and now he's come home. And now he turns on Lawler! Attacks his "pretty little suit" and calls him a "has been".

 

Wow, this is a heel turn! He calls him a "big fat sissy". Rich starts shoving Lawler with his broken leg now. God, he pushed him over!

 

This is fucking awesome stuff. "You cried the blues ... I come back to Tennessee brother!"

 

Rich was great in this promo. I love the angles in Memphis so far, they are upstaging the matches.

 

Back for 1981 later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...