Tracking the Territories 1984- Volume Three

by Liam Byrne

  Mid-South Wrestling 27.9.84

  It is Boyd Pierce and Bill Watts on commentary this week, with Pierce running down a card that includes Jim Duggan, Terry Taylor and Bill Dundee all in action. However, it is two tag team matches that stand out as The Midnight Express meet Master Gee and Brickhouse Brown, whilst Magnum TA teams with Sonny King to take on Hercules Hernandez and Steve Williams. It is Watts who turns our attention to Jim Cornette and the attack made by the Midnights on the Fantastics three weeks back. Whilst Cornette has used his legal team to try and suggest that the attack broke no rules, Watts decides to fine them $30,000, $10,000 for each man involved and the biggest fine ever levied in the history of professional wrestling, apparently.

  We are shown pre-taped words between Cornette and Jim Ross to follow, with Cornette making it clear that the money isn’t the issue – he called Mother to sort it out and could have it overturned by his top quality legal team – it is that Watts pushed it through and had his involvement in the fine that was levied. Cornette gives an ultimatum: two weeks for Watts to give him the money back and an apology, or the Midnight Express will leave Mid-South. We briefly head back to Watts, who is adamant that there will be no money or apology in two weeks, before throwing to the ring and Jim Ross.

  The crowd were beginning to get excited towards the end of the introduction and it is clear as to why when we see Jim Duggan in the ring ready to take on Steve Brinson. Duggan is wearing a ‘Wimpbuster’ t-shirt, which allows Watts another opportunity to state that they aren’t afraid of Cornette’s threats. Duggan’s outmuscles Brinson a few times in collar and elbow tie ups, with Brinson unhappy with what he believes to be a handful of hair. Watts is bragging about a new handheld camera that gives us a closer view of the action, which indeed does add an extra big of excitement to their coverage. Brinson slaps Duggan off of a rope break, which only serves to fire up Hacksaw. He retaliates with some strikes of his own, a slam and a big kneedrop, before applying a very loose chinlock. A dropdown leads to another slam, whilst a clothesline sets Brinson up for Duggan’s football tackle and the three count. Duggan isn’t the most inspiring wrestler, but there is a dynamism to his work at this time that makes his squash matches worth a watch.

  Fresh from being tarred and feathered last week by Master G – with the footage shown once more for the fans at home – Buddy Landell takes on Rocky Smith in the next match of the show. Smith escapes the corner as Landell aims to throw a right hand as a cheapshot, before a leapfrog allows him to land a dropkick. A second attempt is one too many though, as Landell dodges it and begins to force the pace with a quick slam and kneedrop. Just as things begin to pick up, Landell slows it right down with a front facelock, before landing several big forearm blows to the face. Just as it looks like Smith might be building momentum for a comeback, Landell rakes the eyes, leading to his big elbowdrop moments later for victory. It is good to see Landell, a wrestler who can quite often be used as comic relief or in the role of coward, get a dominant victory to showcase his own ability in the ring.

  The first of the big tag team matches is up next, with Jim Cornette introducing The Midnight Express to the ring to take on Master G and Brickhouse Brown. The team of G and Brown do receive a warm reception from the fans in attendance, though not quite the ‘standing ovation’ that Watts declares on commentary. In the early going, Brown takes Eaton down with a shoulderblock and a dropkick, before a nifty escape from a test of strength ends up with Brown sending Eaton to the canvas with a slam. It takes a handful of hair on G from Eaton to escape the face corner, though G then hits three slams in a row that take out both Eaton and Condrey as the champions are in some trouble.

  The Midnights go to ringside to scheme with Cornette, and it seems to pay off as Eaton helps hold Condrey in the corner to block a Brown monkeyflip. The Express cut the ring in half; Eaton hits a butterfly suplex and Condrey nails a backbreaker as the quick tags isolate Brown. However, a mid-ring collision takes both Eaton and Brown down, allowing a tease for a hot tag that is never made as Condrey cuts it off. Brown begins to fire up with multiple shoulderblocks, only to crash to the outside as Cornette held the top rope down. G is taking on both men at once, but cannot fight off Butch Reed, Buddy Landell and Ernie Ladd as the match ends in a five on one brawl and a disqualification. G almost manages to fight his way out, but ends up receiving belt shots from both Reed and Landell (with Watts going crazy for the Landell ones in particular) before the face locker room empties and the scene is cleared.

  After the commercial break, Bill Watts has been replaced by Adrian Street as he seeks to get a closer look at Terry Taylor, a man he will be facing the following week. Taylor’s opponent is Jason Walker, with Taylor heading to the canvas immediately with a waistlock takedown and a side headlock. Street murmurs various plaudits for Taylor’s grappling, though does suggest that he wouldn’t be able to apply his holds next week. Walker gets some offense with a few punches in the corner, but an Irish whip into the corner gives Taylor momentum to nail the flying forearm for three, with Walker being a git and kicking out at 3.1. Street gives Taylor credit for the finish, yet knows he won’t be getting caught with the same move as someone like Walker would. A solid squash and a decent way of building interest to the Taylor versus Street contest.

  Our next big tag match is up next as Hercules Hernandez teams with Steve Williams to meet Magnum TA and Sonny King. TA tries to get a quick fall with a crossbody on an unsuspecting Hernandez, before hitting two quick armdrags that showcase his impressive speed for his size. Hernandez ends up begging off following a third armdrag, but an attempt by the heels to corner TA just leads to two armdrags and a dropkick for Williams. With King now in the ring, the face momentum initially continues with a back body drop and an arm wringer, only for an eye rake to halt King. This doesn’t stop things for long though, with King sending Hernandez into the turnbuckle shoulder first twice and dropping him with a slam.

  King telegraphs a Hernandez back body drop just as it looks like the heels might be grabbing a foothold in the contest, with TA then taking the fight to both Williams and Hernandez moments later. However, an eye rake by Hernandez and a blind tag to Williams sees the North American Champion dropped with a clothesline by Dr. Death, who follows up with a bear hug. Hernandez also applies a bear hug of his own, one that allows Williams to distract the referee as TA makes the tag to King. With the official now out of position, TA goes for a roll-up and is clocked by Williams with the football helmet – missing the first swing entirely – which allows Hernandez to get the three count for the big victory. A decent match that helps to put Williams and Hernandez over huge, especially as Hercules pinned the champion. Considering how weakly some of the heels are treated in other territories, it is good to see a big win here.

  Primarily booking behind the scenes, it is rare to see Bill Dundee at this point on Mid-South television, but that is what we get as he takes on Rick McCord. McCord pushes Dundee out of a rope break and also uses a handful of hair to take Dundee to the mat as he is happy to bend the rules to his advantage. The next time a clean break is asked for, Dundee slaps McCord in the face before beginning to work on the knee. A spring up onto the second rope allows Dundee to leapfrog McCord and hit a monkey flip in an impressive looking exchange, before Dundee begins to target the arm with a submission. McCord does manage to get in some more offense, catching Dundee with multiple turnbuckle smashes and a jumping back elbow. Dundee regains control with a powerslam that only just gets McCord fully over and earns the Australian a two. He gets another two after an elbowdrop and eventually picks up the win with a sleeperhold. Dundee’s quick offense, transitions and reversals always make Dundee’s squashes and sprints a good watch.

  To finish, we have another showing of the Rock and Roll Express music video, with two weeks to go until they return to Mid-South following their 90 day exclusion. With a burgeoning tag division, the return of the Rock and Roll Express can only lead to more exciting wrestling television.

  With the ma
tches laid out at the start, it always looked like a good show on paper and pretty much delivered. Nothing was completely amazing, but the mixture of wrestlers, angles and storyline development on show this week made it a worthwhile episode of Mid-South wrestling.

  CWA Championship Wrestling 29.9.84

  A short episode (coming in at under fourty minutes) begins with King Kong Bundy and Ric Rude hitting the ring and Jimmy Hart joining Lance Russell to talk about ‘Dr. D’, a new addition to the First Family who has come from football and was tired of getting fined for beating up his own team mates. Their opponents are Craig Carson and Ken Raper, but just as the match begins in earnest – Bundy easily manhandling Raper in the opening exchanges – the match clips to post-match; I’ll safely assume that Bundy and Rude won.

  Jerry Lawler is out with Russell after the break, decked out in Cleveland Browns attire in response to the new ‘ex-Dallas Cowboy’ that Hart has added to the First Family, whilst joking about the match being one where the ref could throw the flag and give a fifteen yard penalty for a closed fist. Lawler’s focus turns to a match at the Cook Convention Center which saw the King team with Randy Savage to take on King Kong Bundy and Ric Rude. With Lawler beating on Bundy at ringside, Hart apparently used powder in Savage’s eyes to give the heels the victory. After a triple chance, two ring battle royal ended up with Bundy and Rude in one ring and Savage with Lawler in the other, they went at it again, though this time it was Lawler who took the powder to the face. Lawler is sick of Hart getting involved, so the Monday show will see Lawler and Savage team with a mystery partner against Bundy, Rude and Hart.

  Later in the show, Hart returns with a neck brace on, apologising for the behaviour of his team last week before explaining that he popped something in his neck whilst leaning over to drink from a water fountain. Hart will be able to provide doctor’s evidence that means he won’t be allowed to enter the ring on Monday, so they also promise their own mystery partner. Rude and Bundy are angry that Lawler would be allowed to have a mystery partner as it won’t allow them to train adequately for the match, though Bundy describes Hart as a tactical genius who will get them ready for anyone. Bundy also laughs off claims of cheating by Lawler, stating that it is in the record books now that Bundy and Rude won the two matches on Monday.

  Jerry Jarrett now joins Russell as they speak again about the wild brawl that occurred the previous week. According to Jarrett many have asked him in the week why he didn’t hit Rude or Bundy, to which he replies that he isn’t insane. He also explains the seriousness of an injury that he had involving his retina, meaning physical involvement was risky. Instead, Jarrett fined Bundy, Rude and Hart, whilst also stating that any further business along these lines will see them suspended. He also has another surprise for them, but won’t reveal it at this time. We are shown footage of the wild brawl from the previous week as well, one that almost destroyed the set in the process.

  It looks like a lot of the match footage is missing from this week as Mark Reagan and Rufus R. Jones talk with Russell fresh from what I can only assume is a victory over the Destroyers. Jones talks about a match against the Dirty White Boys on Monday, calling them tough but reassuring everyone that Reagan and Jones are tough as well. Russell shows a clip of Jones hitting the Freight Train on one of the Destroyers, before Reagan promises to dance and wrestle come Monday night.

  Jimmy Hart is back out again and he is sure that Jerry Jarrett is going to be the mystery partner for the Jerry Lawler/Randy Savage team, with this choice meaning that Hart is back in the contest. Jerry Lawler comes out mid-rant, waving a contract around that serves as a no-show guarantee and even states he will reveal the mystery partner if Hart signs on the dotted line. Lawler makes it clear that it isn’t someone big and exotic; they’re here in the studio today. Hart thinks it can’t be Dutch Mantell or Jackie Fargo, so it has to be Jarrett; he signs the contract believing that is the case, though Lawler won’t reveal who it is until later on in the show.

  Typically, the ‘Dr. Death’ match against Jerry Lawler is cut off of the broadcast, but the segment into interview shows Lawler nailing the second rope fistdrop, whilst the first thing that Russell says as they come back is about Lawler winning. Jarrett is back out as Lawler says it is time for the announcement, with the owner beginning to take off his tie, roll up his sleeves and asking for music in the process. However, the music heralds the arrival of the real partner – Jimmy Valiant! Valiant is his usual wild and crazy self, giving Dave Brown a big smooch before embarking on a promo that calls Rude ‘Where’s the beef, Rude?’ after he spoke to several women around the area, among other things. He is a popular man in most places at this time, but nothing is quite like seeing the reaction Valiant gets in Memphis.

  After an Eddie Gilbert music video, we get the first proper match (and the last action on the show) as The New Generation meet The Dirty White Boys, though neither team has their managers at ringside. Len Denton and Johnny Wilhoit begin to trade punches from the opening bell, with Wilhoit coming out on top and Denton going for the tag as he looks to slap on an arm wringer. Batten ends up in the ring, only to get slammed into the turnbuckle hard by Anthony. This allows the Boys to take control, with Denton hitting a slam and two elbowdrops in a row. However, Batten eventually just shrugs off the attack and tags out to Wilhoit, as the New Generation use multiple tags to work a side headlock. A boot to the stomach by Denton turns the tide as it is now Wilhoit taking the beating, getting sent into the buckles by Anthony and on the receiving end of a headbutt.

  Again, control is short as Wilhoit telegraphs a back body drop, kicks the Dirty White Boy and makes the hot tag. All four men end up in the ring, leading to the referee being out of position as Batten leaps into the arms of Denton. Anthony, from the outside, hits Batten in the throat with a strike, which is enough to end the contest as the Dirty White Boys score the pinfall with no time left for another fall. A decent enough outing, if a little short, and one that allows the Dirty White Boys to continue their move up the tag team ranks.

  A hard one to really comment on due to the lack of matches on the show, but the addition of Valiant to the Rude/Bundy/Savage/Lawler at least continues to develop a storyline in an engaging fashion considering it has run for a long time by this point.

  Championship Wrestling from Florida 29.9.84

  The Rock and Roll Express continue to travel all over the place as the opening sequence of the show has Ricky Morton sending an opponent to ringside with a dropkick. It turns out we are in the University of Tampa, with Gordon Solie, Barbary Clary and Buddy Colt at ringside as Robert Gibson uses a headscissors takedown in the ring, before Morton repeats the move, though this time taking them down with something more akin to a huracanrana. Colt shills the local shows, including the return to Florida of ‘Gorgeous’ Jimmy Garvin, whilst we are then promised a Prince of Death match between Pez Whatley and Kevin Sullivan later in the show. The Hollywood Blonds are finally announced as the opponents in the ring – the video quality is pretty poor – and the Express are fully in control as they aim a double kick to the chest behind the referee’s back.

  Gibson hits a sloppy crossbody on one of the Hollywood Blonds (again, quality and the lack of a mention on commentary make it impossible to make out which one it is) that gets no count, but it is an illegal blow from the apron on Morton that turns the tide in the Blonds favour. A slam and a side suplex earns the Blonds a two count, before a double clothesline and an elbow gain another near fall. Gibson is almost up on the top turnbuckle cheering Morton on, but he is marshalled into the heel corner. After a neckbreaker earns the Blonds another two count, Morton uses a leapfrog and a punch to the face to tag out to Gibson. All four men end up in the ring and as the Blonds go to Irish whip the Express into each other, a Gibson leapfrog allows the Express to avoid the collision and knock down both Blonds. A double dropkick is enough for the victory as the Rock and Roll Express are victorious in their debut for the promotion on television. Too many spots were sloppy, primarily due
to the Blonds, but the Express are over as they always are.

  After a shill by Kevin Sullivan that sees him shout his way through a promo in which he promises to beat Billy Graham, it is tag team action as Jonny King teams with Raul Mata to meet Jim Nighthart and Krusher Kruschev as the Saint carries the Russian flag in their corner. Kruschev and King trade hammerlocks to begin, before King has no luck with three shoulderblocks in a row, but does with a baseball slide through the legs and two dropkicks. As he looks to apply a side headlock, King is dumped hard with a back suplex that turns things in the favour of the heels. Nighthart is in next and mauls King in the corner, only to miss an elbowdrop following a snapmare. King tags to Mata, but Mata is knocked over after a back body drop attempt is avoided with a kick by Nighthart. A hammerlock turnbuckle smash by Kruschev sees Mata go flying across the ring, whilst Kruschev and Nighthart keep him isolated in the corner with boots to the stomach after Irish whips the order of the day.

  Nighthart makes a mistake and allows Mata to tag in King. Things look bad for Nighthart as King explodes into the ring and ends up punching him several times in the corner, but an Irish whip in the corner sees Nighthart burst out with a big shoulderblock. King has one more attempt – a crossbody – but Nighthart catches him and drives him into the canvas with a brutal powerslam. In a similar vein to the Freebirds’ finisher, a Nighthart back body drop sends King into the Argentine backbreaker by Kruschev for the submission win. A fairly pedestrian match up until the end as the finishing Nighthart/King stretch showcased how dynamic Nighthart’s offense can be.

  Following a commercial break, we are straight into the Kevin Sullivan versus Pez Whatley match as Whatley knocks Sullivan to the canvas with a punch before unloading with several more. A back body drop and two headbutts have Sullivan in such trouble that he falls when Whatley launches himself with a head attack that sees Whatley go through the middle rope. Whatley is busted open and Oliver Humperdink holds his legs to allow Sullivan to unload several punches straight to the forehead. The crowd erupt as the referee waves it off, not for the decision, but for the arrival of Billy Graham. Sullivan is so quick to try and escape that he ends up taking out a camera man in the process. A nothing of a match that was all about getting Graham in the ring with Sullivan. Admittedly, the pop was huge for it.