Lance Russell and Dave Brown are in the booth and they are broadcasting from the WMC-TV5 studio in Memphis, Tennessee.
Footage of Doug Gilbert turning against Jerry Lawler in their tag team match against Brian Lee and Jimmy Harris at the Coliseum is shown. After this, a brawl broke out between Gilbert, Lee, and Harris against Lawler, Bill Dundee, and PG-13.
Opening Non-Title Contest: Jerry Lawler (USWA Unified World Champion) (9-3) defeats Brickhouse Brown (w/Downtown Bruno) (1-1) via disqualification when Bruno interferes at 1:40:
Brown attacks Lawler before the bell, but Lawler pulls the straps down and makes the comeback. Lawler hits a fist drop off the second rope, but Bruno runs in for a quick disqualification.
After the bell, Lawler nails Bruno but Doug Gilbert runs out and beats the champion down with Brown’s help. Brian Christopher, Brian Lee, PG-13, Jimmy Harris, and Bill Dundee also run in and a big brawl results. Babyface unity quickly disintegrates as Christopher and Wolfie D fight with Bill Dundee and J.C. Ice and all the heels beat up Lawler by the announce table. This segment would have made a bigger impact if the footage from Memphis was not shown at the beginning of the broadcast.
Russell interviews Gilbert, Lee, and Harris. Gilbert welcomes Maxx Muscle, who is heralded as his hired gun to take out Lawler.
Maxx Muscle pins T.D. Steel after a Samoan drop at 1:35:
Muscle was under a WCW contract at this time, appearing on various shows as Diamond Dallas Page’s bodyguard. Prior to pursuing a wrestling career he was a bodybuilder and before signing with WCW he wrestled as Big Bad John in the Global Wrestling Federation. Steel bumps well for Muscle, who pulverizes the jobber with a chokeslam and a Samoan drop where he presses Steel a couple of times before completing he move. Keeping the match under two minutes also kept Muscle’s shortcomings from being exposed.
Russell and Brown hype Memphis Memories II, which will take place on June 10.
USWA World Champion Jerry Lawler brings out four chairs for Brian Christopher, Bill Dundee, and PG-13. Lawler discusses everyone’s credentials and tries to play peacemaker between the various parties so they can focus their attention on Doug Gilbert and Brian Lee. The crowd loved this segment.
Brian Christopher (21-10-2) beats Brian Lee (w/Jimmy Harris) (6-5-1) via disqualification when Harris interferes at 5:11:
Lee is not exciting when he is on offense, which weighs down this match where Christopher gets a shine early by ramming Lee and Harris’ heads together, gets beaten down after taking a powerslam, and then rallies. Referee Bill Rush eats a superkick, allowing Bill Dundee to toss his old rival a chain, which Christopher uses to floor Lee, but Harris runs in before the referee can count the fall for a disqualification finish. Lee’s losing streak in singles match is now up to six. Rating: *¼
After the bell, Lee, Harris, Brickhouse Brown, and Doug Gilbert try to do a group attack on Christopher but Dundee, Jerry Lawler, and Wolfie D make the save, showing that Lawler’s efforts to bring everyone together are working.
Mr. World Class beats the Yellow Jacket after a splash at 1:17:
Mr. World Class, who is making his debut, was a former Olympian, competing for the United States bobsleigh team at the 1994 (and later 1998) Winter Olympics. He was a WCW Power Plant trainee set to Memphis for further seasoning. Bill Rush, who was floored with a superkick in the previous match, does not seem any worse for wear and is smiling as he referees this bout. The Jacket is the company’s best jobber as he always makes his opponents look good and this is no exception as he keeps Class moving before succumbing to a splash.
The Last Word: This show featured some good storytelling as Jerry Lawler managed to unify the promotion’s feuding babyface talents to fight off Doug Gilbert and his gang. The constant use of run-in finishes for feature matches are not helping anyone, though.
Here are the results for the May 29 card at the Mid-South Coliseum. According to prowrestlinghistory.com, the show drew a crowd of 1,150 fans and a gate of $6,800. This was consistent with the crowds the USWA was drawing over the last two weeks.
-Gorgeous George III (10-10-1) beat Reggie B. Fine (0-10)
-Scott Studd (19-7-2) beat Mr. World Class (1-0) via disqualification
-Downtown Bruno & Uptown Karen beat Miss Texas in a handicap match
-Brian Lee (6-6-1) defeated David Haskins (7-1-2)
-Bill Dundee (14-8) beat Brickhouse Brown (1-2)
-Brian Christopher (22-10-2) defeated USWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Doug Gilbert (6-2-2) to win the title.
-USWA Unified World Champion Jerry Lawler (10-3) beat Tommy Rich (1-2) via disqualification
-Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Brian Christopher & PG-13 defeated Doug Gilbert, Brian Lee, Tommy Rich, Jimmy Harris & Max Muscle in a “coward waves the flag” match.
Backstage News*: The Fabulous Ones, Stan Lane and Steve Keirn, will reunite and appear on the Memphis Memories II show on June 10 and at the special show in Louisville, Kentucky on June 11. They were the biggest draw of all-time in Louisville. Other talents coming to Louisville will be Jim Cornette, the Rock N’ Roll Express, Lance Russell, and Jimmy Valiant.
*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for June 5.
Up Next: USWA Championship Wrestling for June 3!