Tracking the Territories 1984- Volume Three

by Liam Byrne

  The reason given over the microphone is that Killer Khan and Terry Gordy are fighting in the back, so they need to try and contain them by starting their match now. The crowd seems happy even though this is patently ridiculous, especially as the implication is that this contest will restart after the main event. Gordy is already bleeding a gusher as he comes to the ring with Buddy Roberts and Michael Hayes. Everyone in the ring is fired up, so much so that Hayes slaps Gordy around the face a couple of times. Khan finally hits the ring and the two men are throwing punches and biting each other as the crowd goes crazy.

  This is nothing but a fight as both men just throw strikes until Akbar comes into the ring and sparks a wild brawl between Khan, the Irwins and Akbar against the Freebirds. The crowd love that Hayes gets his hands on Akbar, yet Khan then unleashes the spike on Hayes. Luckily for him, Gordy breaks up the hold by attempting to use his own version on Khan. The bell is ineffectually ringing before the locker room begins to empty in order to try and control the riot in the ring. They are as useful as a chocolate fireguard as Khan and Gordy keep getting to each other no matter what, as it takes Hayes entering the ring with a wooden chair to stop the carnage.

  To finish, we have the last moments of Irwin versus Von Erich, with the restart seeing Mike try to work a hammerlock and shrug off Irwin’s blows. Von Erich hits a nice dropkick after a leapfrog and a dropdown, but Irwin stuns him with an uppercut and hits a knee to the bread basket off of an Irish whip. This time, the Von Erich leapfrog is followed by several punches to the face, whilst Akbar and Scott Irwin (off camera) put a rope across the top of one of the corners. A reverse on an Irish whip sends Bill into the rope and allows Von Erich to get the three count. The Irwins attack Von Erich post-match, but he is saved by Buck Zum Hofe as the show comes to a close.

  Whilst I appreciate World Class’ attempts to make the Gordy and Khan feud seem wild and out of control, but to detract from what had been an acceptable enough Irwin versus Von Erich match was a shame. The show as a whole was just unimpressive, without being actively bad.

  WWF Championship Wrestling 18.8.84

  After a pretty underwhelming show the previous week, Vince McMahon and Tony Garea introduce a card including Kamala, Ken Patera, Sergeant Slaughter in Piper’s Pit and Mean Gene Okerlund with an award for the new Women’s Champion, Wendi Richter. From that run down, the show really could go either way, yet at least there is the promise of moments that might pay off further down the line which hasn’t been the case since Richter beat The Fabulous Moolah.

  It is Ken Patera who is in the ring first, managed by Captain Lou Albano, and this is Patera before his legally enforced break from the promotion; a legitimately good heel. Billy Travis is his opponent and actually manages to lock on an early full nelson, but this is just a chance to showcase how strong Patera is as he easily breaks it. A double bicep pose by Patera sees him caught by a dropkick, yet the World’s Strongest Man keeps on his feet. After kicking his way off of the canvas, Travis puts on a side headlock. Patera sends him into the ropes and lands a shoulderblock, before a chop sends Travis over the top and to the outside. Albano gets involved by ramming Travis into the ring apron, leaving McMahon to question why it doesn’t lead to a disqualification.

  A hiptoss takes Travis from the apron and into the ring, before two snapmares and two chinlocks have Patera wearing him out in the center of the ring. A Patera bear hug looks to squeeze the life out of Travis, yet pinfalls following a suplex and a clothesline are cut short by Patera, who wants to inflict more punishment. Two ridiculous throwing bodyslams and an elbowdrop satiate Patera’s desire for violence, though the match as a whole left me cold. Shame, as Patera is a good gimmick during this time period, miles ahead of the odd face run we’d see later in the decade.

  The version I have of this show is oddly cut, so what we end up with after a fairly legible shill by Jimmy Snuka for a match with Roddy Piper – no mean feat for Superfly – is the arrival of Hulk Hogan for no other reason than to step into and walk around the ring prior to a Brooklyn Brawler versus Kamala contest. This is clearly sowing the seeds for a Kamala title shot, but it just feels such a weak way to build a feud and an enduring WWF-trope. When the match does begin, Kamala uses his chops relentlessly, whether overhand or off of an Irish whip, to put Brawler down long enough for the big splash to the back and an easy three count. The ‘We Want Hulk’ chants appear to be winding up the Ugandan Giant and he threatens to leap off of the top rope, only to be held back by Freddie Blassie and Friday.

  WWF Review this week showcases…the Junkyard Dog! Our first sighting of him on WWF television (he’d actually made his debut eight days before), it looks like we get some footage of his debut contest against Max Blue. Dog hits Blue with a big clothesline, a Russian legsweep and finally his Thump powerslam, though the video does occasionally linger way too long on a couple of Dog chinlocks. This was the beginning of a lucrative relationship, if not one that necessarily produced a lot of quality matches.

  We finally have Wendi Richter on television after Roddy Piper had promised to have the Women’s Champion on the Pit; however, Richter is coming to the ring to talk to Mean Gene Okerlund rather than with the Rowdy One. Okerlund hands what I assume is a new title belt to Richter, whilst also reminding everyone of the debt of gratitude Richter owes to Cyndi Lauper. Just as Richter begins to thank everyone, The Fabulous Moolah hits the ring and we get ourselves a brawl! It is brief, but heated, with Richter more than holding her own before Moolah leaves the ringside area. Expected perhaps a bit more here, though at least they are allowing that feud to continue to simmer.

  Mario Mancini is in the ring after this brawl, with Captain Lou Albano leading a beautifully gowned Greg Valentine moments later. Valentine takes the match to the canvas instantly with a drop toehold, but to give him credit, Mancini fights his way back to his feet. This does just lead to him eating several forearms, a slam and a modified armdrag; at least he tried. Valentine controls the arm whilst dropping a knee to the face, before planting Mancini with a picture perfect shoulder breaker. A slight twist adds some extra viciousness to a Valentine suplex, with a figure four leglock submission following moments later. Valentine cranks it on for some seconds after Mancini gives up, a decision that doesn’t sit well with the fans in attendance.

  After a WWF Update with Vince McMahon that focuses on Piper’s Pit, especially Piper’s decision to interview himself one time, we cut to Piper who is with Sergeant Slaughter. Piper talks about his respect for Slaughter, though chooses to call him an idiot that only raises the ire of the Sergeant. Before Slaughter does anything, Piper explains that the people don’t show enough respect to the men who fight for their country. Just as it looks like Slaughter is listening to what Piper is saying, he takes the microphone, rips his shirt and promises to die for America if he needs to. Short and sweet, really,

  Another shill this evening has Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch talking about a six man tag team contest where they team up with Captain Lou Albano against the Wild Samoans and Mil Mascaras, a match that is an interesting combination for sure.

  Dave Barbie is the non-title opponent for the Intercontinental Champion, Tito Santana to finish off the in-ring action this week. A collar and elbow tie-up ends up in the ropes for a clean break; a second one sees a clean break though Barbie uses a handful of hair to gain an advantage. As the two men are tentatively feeling each other out, Brutus Beefcake is seen strutting around the ring, with Vince McMahon given us the information on his name this week. Santana and Barbie spend a little bit of time in a top wristlock as if to allow the focus to be on Beefcake for a moment, but as the newcomer disappears, Santana punches Barbie through the middle rope after there is no clean break after the third collar and elbow ends up in the ropes.

  Santana uses the ropes to bring Barbie back in, before a side headlock takedown brings the contest to the mat. Barbie tries to escape by getting to his feet and throwing Santana off, but the champion uses his leverage to take the mat down to the c
anvas once more. Barbie tries to use a thumb to the eye to halt Santana’s momentum, though this only serves to fire him up. A bodyslam is used as a set up for the flying forearm, yet Santana uses an Indian deathlock into a bridge for a pin to finish instead. A match that was let down by the start as it was clearly slow to enable more time to focus on Beefcake’s ringside appearance.

  The editing is awkward so the last thing on the show is joined in progress, with Jesse Ventura talking about a match with Hulk Hogan in September, one that won’t happen as Big John Studd would end up having to take Hogan’s place. Ventura is gold on the mic and talks about going down to Gold’s Gym and showing Hogan up; however, you can only imagine how poor the matches would have been.

  This week really wasn’t much better, if at all. Valentine’s squash was the best thing on the show from a match perspective, whilst the Richter/Moolah segment was heated, but ever so short. The promotion still definitely feels like it is in somewhat of a lull period.

  Mid-South Wrestling 23.8.84

  It is Boyd Pierce and Joel Watts running things from the commentary booth his week, with Pierce running down a card that will include The Pretty Young Things versus The Midnight Express, Brickhouse Brown against Buddy Landell in a rematch from the previous week and the Fantastics. We get a very awkward early transition where Pierce seems to be inviting Watts to speak after talking about how articulate he is, only to throw to Jim Ross at ringside with Landell and Ernie Ladd.

  Landell is still annoyed about his treatment at the hands of Mid-South Sports, complaining about how Brickhouse Brown was a ‘ringer’ who was better than had been suggested to Landell. Ladd is out here as Landell’s advisor, suggesting that Landell was unfairly fooled by the promotion. This leads to the challenge by Landell that seemingly sets up the Brown versus Landell rematch.

  Our television main event is up first as The Midnight Express get their usual Jim Cornette introduction prior to the arrival of the Pretty Young Things. The PYT are rather unique at this time due to their face run in Mid-South coinciding with their heel run in World Class, though a match with the Midnight Express is less unique as it is the third time these teams have met on television this year. Dennis Condrey and Norvell Austin begin the match for their team, with Austin using an arm wringer to isolate his opponent and attempt to being a sequence of quick tags. Ware, however, is brought into the heel corner for Condrey to tag to Eaton, with a Ware snapmare leading to what is effectively a reset.

  A hiptoss and side headlock do allow Ware to tag to Austin, but a back suplex on Austin by Eaton lets the Express take control. Quick tags keep the fresh man in, but everything falls apart as Jim Duggan attacks Hercules Hernandez at ringside! The match is called off as Cornette gets chased into the ring, with Duggan moments away from giving Cornette a short back and sides. All six men end up brawling in the ring, with Ware using a chair to waffle all members of Cornette’s collective and leave the face wrestlers standing tall. This is lazy booking: whilst I have no issue with Duggan attacking Hernandez, throwing out a PYT versus Midnights match just for the shenanigans feels pointless as this could have happened in a scenario that wasn’t being replayed for the third time in just over a month.

  Jim Duggan is due to fight Mike Jackson in the next match, but as we come back from a commercial break, Jim Cornette and a bandaged Hercules Hernandez are irate in the ring. Cornette spells out that Koko Ware should be fined or fired for introducing a steel chair into proceedings, just like Bill Watts has been speaking about for weeks. Hernandez, on the other hand, challenges Ware to a match right now in order for him to get revenge. Jim Ross tries to deflect the rage of the two men by suggesting that Mid-South officials haven’t had a chance to watch the film, but Ware is out and accepts the challenge.

  The two men don’t even wait for Ross, Cornette et al to escape the ring before they begin to swing punches at each other, an exchange that Ware wins handily. However, a kick to the stomach halts Ware and allows Hernandez to pummel him with punches and elbows in the corner. Ware tries to fire back with a headbutt that sends both men to the canvas, but he walks straight into a boot from Hernandez which is followed with a slam and an elbowdrop for a two count.

  Ware has some more success with his own punches and a turnbuckle smash, yet a back elbow and a back body drop puts Hernandez back in control, who then uses a chinlock to further wear his opponent down. Hernandez is covered in blood as the bandage has slipped, but this doesn’t stop him as he catches Ware charging in and dumps him on the top rope throat first. This sets up for the shininomake submission that ends the contest in Hernadez’s favour. A heated singles match that somewhat makes up for the outcome of the first contest of the night.

  This is a night where it seems no-one can get their matches done without someone having to have a few words pre-match. Steve Williams is the next guy to halt the show as he delays Sonny King versus Hans Schroeder to talk about his helmet, offering anyone who thinks they are tough enough to try and win it off of him. Multiple collar and elbow tie ups start that match with King and Schroeder, though King uses several punches and a neck crank to take control pretty swiftly. King telegraphs a Schroeder back body drop with a kick, before landing one of his own and hitting a flying headbutt off of an Irish whip for the win. A pretty abject squash match as Schroeder’s selling and positioning is awful and King’s offense is limited.

  Bundy Landell is out next to take on Brickhouse Brown, but this week he is accompanied by his ‘advisor’, Ernie Ladd. Landell naturally doesn’t go in for a clean break on a collar and elbow tie-up, but his missed punch just allows Brown to chuck him across the ring with an armdrag. Brown uses the arm to control Landell, before a nifty roll over an attempted back body drop allows Brickhouse to hit two armdrags and send Landell to ringside to recuperate. This time out allows him brief success with an armwringer, only for Brown to almost instantly reverse it and drop Landell with a slam followed by a legdrop.

  Each time Landell comes close to turning the tide of the match, Brown is able to halt him with relative ease, but a drop down as Brown hits the ropes then leads to Ladd tripping him from the outside. This feels like this is the end, but Landell misses his big elbowdrop as Brown moves out of the way. Brown then lands five dropkicks in a row; two that knock Ladd off of the apron and out of the ring as well as three aimed at his opponent. Realising that they weren’t getting anywhere in their bid for revenge, Landell and Ladd leave the ringside area to award the bout to Brown by countout. Mid-South are really looking to go all in on Brown in these first two weeks – the ease with which he dealt with Ladd in particular was notable.

  After another showing of their ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ montage video, it is the Fantastics out next as they take on the team of Art Crews and Randy Barber. It is Crews who charges straight into two quick armdrags by Tommy Rogers, though Bobby Fulton then completely whiffs on an attempted flying headscissors by falling over Crews. He is quick to regain his composure with a dropkick and an armdrag, whilst Rogers uses a fireman’s carry takeover to set up for a double dropkick as they have completely isolated Crews in the face corner. The quick tags continue until Crews powers Fulton back into his own corner to make the tag to Barber, though this just leads promptly to a powerslam/second rope splash combination for the finish. Pretty straightforward squash, yet the Fantastics are always one move away from botching something in this run it feels.

  After a second video, this time the one for Magnum TA, we have Ernie Ladd and Krusher Kruschev take on Josh Stroud and Rick McCord in our next contest. Kruschev and Stroud begin the contest for their teams, and it is the ‘Russian’ who uses his power to work Stroud back into the corner and tag in Ladd. Stroud manages to escape through the legs of Ladd to make the tag, but McCord is instantly swallowed up by Ladd. Quick tags allow the heels to keep the fresh man in, with a Ladd snapmare and stomp followed by a Kruschev clothesline as neither man stays in for much longer than a move. Ladd hits a big boot and his double legdrop for the easy victory. Nothing to write
home about – just a chance to show the destructive capabilities of both men.

  Rather than a match to finish, we get some further Cornette/Hernandez and the PYT action, as the manager is back in the ring with Jim Ross and requesting that Ware pay the $10,000 fine. This time, Ware comes down to the ring with Norvell Austin, whilst two officials and Cornette himself struggle to hold back Hernandez. Ross is trying to maintain impartiality, making it clear that the rules are that the PYTs pay the fine or have to leave. Austin and Ware both say they aren’t paying, but they aren’t leaving either; Ross promises we will hear more about this next week.

  The show finishes with an Adrian Street music video as we are going to see the Exotic one debut next week.

  There have definitely been worse episodes of Mid-South, but this just felt like a show on auto-pilot. Sure, you had some storyline advancement with the PYT and their troubles with Cornette’s crew, but too many of the other matches were there as placeholders to allow other things to happen. I don’t mind that per se. However, it felt overused when you two biggest matches of the night end before they ever really begin due to outside shenanigans or the desire to put over Brickhouse Brown – laudable as that is.