[1993-03-27-USWA-TV] Jerry Lawler vs Brian Christopher

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Studio match that is 90% bullshit and awesome. Christopher stalls and stalls (and stalls), and when Lawler uses closed fists, he threatens to leave the match if he doesn't stop, and even does a promo about it mid-match because he's so upset. He then starts playing hide the non-existent foreign object.

 

Lawler is getting the upper hand when the Harlem Knights (Men on a Mission in a previous gimmick which looks a lot like the Harlem Heat gimmick) run in and attack Lawler. They are doing a promo calling themselves the new kings of Memphis when Jeff Jarrett runs out to get a piece of Christopher.

 

Typically fun USWA.

[shoe]

Good angle. I like the Harlem Knights as a money gimmick as opposed to MOM.

[Kevin Ridge]

Christopher set the tone early when he was complaining about a closed fist from Lawler before the match even began. Lawler takes a big splash from Mabel.

[PeteF3]

Stalljob special with Christopher whining, cheating, and stooging. Lawler's about to pick up the victory when he's attacked by MO AND MABEL--but here they're Nelson and Bobby, the Harlem Knights. Mabel does a second-rope splash, which is a pretty impressive spot. He had the look and athletic skills to be a legitimate sensation, but he was sunk by a.) being dangerous as all hell to his opponents, b.) a dumb WWF gimmick with one of the worst ring names ever, and c.) the death of the territory system where he could have been a traveling attraction.

[WingedEagle]

Lots of heel stalling and complaining by Christopher. Lawler with good punches, then Christopher pulls something out of his tights and decks Lawler. Harlem Knights (Mo and Mabel!) interfere and lay out Lawler. Funny they say Mo is 325 pounds. At least I think they were referring to Mo.

[soup23]

Quite the Memphis studio greatest hits of complete schtick and other nonsense before a few fleeting moments of action. The Harlem Knights run in and actually look good here highlighted by Mabel's big splash onto the King. *1/2

[garretta]

This had more action than I thought it would. I'll say this: Jerry and Brian sure didn't take it easy on each other out there. Of course, whenever we get a Unified title match for free, there's an ulterior motive, and this one's eight hundred and fifty pounds worth of Men Before They Were On a Mission. Mabel looks a lot like Vader, as quickly as he moved here, and it's obvious even at this point that he's going to be the bigger star of the two. He even cuts a short, mostly unintelligible promo on Lawler, which shows you why they got Oscar as a manager when they went to work for Vince. We also get a brief brawl from Jeff and Brian that doesn't have much time to develop.

 

Brian gets to show off every piece of heel schtick Daddy taught him, and I'll say again that Brian does them better than Jerry did, at least from what I've seen. Maybe that's because I've only seen Jerry as a kind of reluctant heel in Memphis and as Mr. I Couldn't Care Less in Dallas. At any rate, it's all there: cutting a promo in mid-match, threatening to take his belts and go home, and the Lawler family's old standby: Chain, Chain, Is There a Chain? Jerry doesn't do much except punch before Mo and Mabel put a stop to everything.

 

I'm kind of disappointed that Frank Morrell was the referee, this match cried out for Kevin Christian (Lawler). Can you imagine having to referee a match between your father and your brother? Come to think of it, maybe he was asked and declined. I know I would have.

 

Corey acting like every monster heel is a pest ("Get on outta here!") is past old and heading for ancient. He doesn't even sound all that outraged that Lawler was nearly crushed to death. I know we're a ways away from Lance's return (he stops in SMW for a while first), but I'm looking more forward to it every time I hear Corey's voice.

 

How many championships does Brian have now? I count three: Southern, Texas, and tag team. I wonder whose turn it is to book Memphis right now.