1987 Best of Memphis TV Yearbook review (Vol. one, part two)

It’s time to review the second half of the first volume of the Best of Memphis 1987 retrospective on the Tubi streaming channel. We have title changes, future stars, past stars and an incredible promo in store. So, let’s enjoy some totally Tubi-lar old school wrestling (like the song goes) All the way from Memphis. Shall we? We shall.

(note: as always, these matches are in no set order so helping me with dates are the fine people at Wrestlingrecaps.com and prowrestlinghistory.com. Thanks for the assist.)

Paul Diamond, Soul Train Jones and JT Southern vs. Boy Tony, Goliath and Big Bubba

We start off with a six-man tag match with Boy Tony (Tony Falk,) Goliath and Big Bubba (again, not THAT Big Bubba, but Fred Ottman of the Tugboat, Typhoon, Shockmaster and In-law of Dusty Rhodes fame) vs. Paul Diamond, Soul Train Jones (AKA Virgil and Vincent from WWE/F and WCW. Jones is in full Apollo Creed cosplay, for the record) and JT Southern (Southern was the prerequisite hair metal babyface women loved but who actually could play guitar. In fact, he’s the one who took a lot of the steam out of Van Hammer’s push one infamous interview segment in WCW when they booked Southern as a heel.) This match is an April 4 TV taping show.

We start with the faces hitting the ring and James Bown’s “Living in America” blaring on the PA, signifying Jones entrance music (Jones was a big deal in Memphis, holding the International Title there for a stretch of time.) The fans pop wildly for the faces As always; Downtown Bruno is in tow with the heels.

Diamond and Bubba start the festivities as Bubba pushes Diamond into the corner but Diamond evades a clothesline attempt as Bubba is flummoxed by the situation. Meanwhile, Bruno joins Lance Russell and Dave Brown at ringside. Bubba clubs away at Diamond and after ducking a clothesline off the ropes, Diamond tries a bodypress which is caught by Bubba into a backbreaker.

However, the faster Diamond evades an elbowdrop and lands a dropkick. Bubba scurries over to tag Goliath as Bruno disparages the females in the audience. Again, body shaming is never cool but he is a heel so its consistent. Still, not cool. Diamond gets an armlock on Goliath and tags in Jones who hits an elbowdrop on said arm from the second turnbuckle. Jones now works the arm. Jones continues on offense by ducking a Goliath clothesline and starts to slug away at Goliath and then works the arm some more until he tags Southern.

We get a double team elbow by Southern and Jones as Southern slugs away a Goliath before Tony is tagged and we get some veerrrrry over the top prancing by Tony. Southern ends the prancing with a armdrag on Tony. Tony escapes and slugs away at Southern but a missed clothesline (again) leads to a Southern dropkick and another armdrag and locks in the armbar.

Tony, though, grabs Southern’s hair to help push him to the heel’s corner, where Goliath and Bubba slug away at Southern as Goliath is tagged. He pounds away on Southern and Tony is tagged back into the match. But, a backdrop is met with a boot and Jones gets the hot tag. Jones beats on Tony and then slugs away at Bubba and Goliath as Jarrett and Southern join the fracas and we got us a good ole’ fashioned schmozapalooza.

In the midst of the ref trying to get order restored (and failing at it,) Bruno hops onto the apron and attempts to throw powder at Jones (whilst Tony is holding him.) Jones, as is the case with the spot, ducks and Tony takes a powder, literally. Tony falls to the canvas and Jones gets the pin and the win for the faces.

Next we jump ahead in time and the Voice over guy (who pops in at random moments) talks over a promo with Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee (with AWA tag titles and a weird Temu Fabulous Ones cosplay) and talks about the next segment. It is an interview with George Barnes. Barnes is an Australian wrestler and was Dundee’s tag partner when they both arrived in Memphis. Barnes went back to Australia and became a heel (spouting pro-American biases and rejecting all things Australian.) Barnes made his return in the summer of 1987 and was not pleased with Dundee. He immediately started running down Dundee and his friends, most notably Rocky Johnson.

The interview is a backstage interview at the November 2 (note the exact date is unknown of the taping but there is a syndicated broadcast. The match Dundee discusses later puts this around October 25th) taping as Dundee describes the situation with Barnes. However, as Dundee is talking, Greg Allman’s “I’m No Angel” starts to play and becomes progressively louder, almost drowning out Dundee (even the closed caption noted it, too,) Dundee heads to the ring to face..

The Clone vs. Bill Dundee

Not sure what number clone he is or for whom he is cloned. He is just the Clone. Yes, it is a wonderfully generic name for a guy who looks like a shorter Michael Berryman (shout out to the horror fans in the audience) and is managed by Downtown Bruno. Dundee takes time to hug and shake hands with just about every fan in the studio. Dundee is a sight to behold in a purple Elvis Jumpsuit. Dundee takes a loooong time with interacting with the fans, even stopping by to shake hands with Brown and Russell.

It’s an attack of the Clone from the opening bell as he slugs away at Dundee at the ropes but Dundee comes back with some punches of his one. Meanwhile, Barnes appears at ringside and is verbally accosting Dundee. Barnes hates Dundee and is says he is not an Australian and is just ordinary now.

The match itself is a series of punches and a Dundee FULL BODYSLAM until Barnes’ accosting is too much and the match is delayed. Dundee invites Barnes to fight him. As Barnes is on the apron, Dundee slingshots him inside the ring. Dundee then attacks Barnes with some iffy punches and a dropkick before a mysterious man hits the ring wearing a furry poncho attacks the “Superstar.” The internet said the mystery man was Barnes’ “cousin Blooey.” (or possibly Bluey, both spelling have been used.) The two beat on Dundee (Blooey manages to actually hold Dundee and Barnes connects with a punch. Hey, this guy is good; at least, functionally competent.)

Barnes gets some rope, wraps it around Dundee’s neck, and then hauls him over the top rope to hang him. Bluey aids the beat down as Barnes grabs another rope and ties Dundee’s arm to the rope and continues to beat on Dundee some more. The mystery guy helps until Jeff Jarrett, Alan West and John Paul (another attempt at a young, cool babyface finally come to Dundee’s rescue.

Russell berates Barnes for what he did. Barnes yells in the mic and finally said Dundee is no longer an Australian….but an American (gasp!!!) Barnes also, apparently works for the Australian government because he revoked Dundee’s Australian citizenship (so Barnes is Australian ICE?) Barnes threatens another surprise for Dundee, too. Bluey and Barnes wants to show what real Australians are like and the two beat on each other (in a boo/boo spot?) Barnes calms Bluey down and finishes and said Dundee is full of it like most Americans and that Americans don’t rule the world. He called the crowd crackers (hey!!!!) which is Australian slang for crazy (oh, okay, cultural thing, I think – I hope) he said that Americans have nothing going on mentally. The lessons for Dundee have just begun as they walk backstage.

Dundee then heads to the announcer’s table. Nice cover and explanation as Dundee said he was speaking to Lance Russell but corrects himself to say promoter Eddie Marlin and he his so excited he can’t get names right. That really was a good recovery. He called Bluey Barnes’ “goofy cousin.”

He said the match was signed (internet said match was July 27) for Dundee and Rocky Johnson vs. Barnes and Blooey. He said that was 25 years of friendship down the drain and will have a hard time explaining it to his kids what happened. He said we can’t’ relive the past and we can’t go around beating people. Dundee invokes Jamie’s name by saying what is Dundee going to say to his son about his uncle George. He talked about going back to when they started and now this. He continues to ask what is wrong with him as Russell it might be best if we take a break. And, we do.

After the break, we go to Memphis Coliseum to a match featuring

Austin Idol and Tommy Rich vs. Snowman and Soul Train Jones

This match occurred on February 9. The match was a semi-main event. In Jones and Snowman’s corner is a gentleman named Kenny D (possibly Kenny Dee.) He was, from internet accounts, Snowman’s manager who had good mic skills but up and disappeared in Memphis. Dee has a white hat and jacket and accosts Lawler and Rich. He really annoys Rich as Rich verbally accosts D(ee) as Dee does a series of back flips which really starts to irate Rich as he headed to the floor to attack him. Snowman pursues him but Rich catches up to him and we get a full schmozapalooza.

As order is (by and large) restored Snowman and Idol are in the ring. Snowman assaults Idol in the ring as Jones and Rich fight on the floor. Jones reverses a ringpost throw by Rich into one of his own as Rich hits the post and crumples to the floor. Meanwhile Snowman and Idol are pursuing each other in and out of the ring.

Rich gets a low blow on Jones but Snowman and Dee throw Idol back into the ring. Idol reverses a backdrop attempt with a boot. D(ee) is helping Jones and gradually, Jones got to his feet and saunters over to the face side. Meanwhile, Idol administers a beat down on Snowman. Idol whips Snowman into the turnbuckle and gets a huge back rake. While the referee is trying to restore order, Rich choked Snowman in the corner.

Idol gets another backrake on Snowman as Rich is tagged. The two beat on Snowman as Rich beats down Snowman. Snowman, though, Hulks (no, that’s not right) Snows up (given what happens to him that is more apt than one thinks) and starts to slug Away at Rich. Idol climbs in the ring to help Rich and started to fire away as Jones jumps in and starts to slug at Rich.

One could see how this match was going to end. Both Jones and Snowman pound away on Rich and Idol in opposite corner and are thrown into each other. The referee again tried to restore order and Rich and Idol go into their tights and pull out an object of international origin. They drop Jones and Snowman and have Jones tied up in the ropes. They double clothesline Snowman twice, taking turns to beat on Jones.

Idol and Rich do the classic heel spot of dragging Snowman to the corner. They both went to the floor and grabbed one of Snowman’s legs to crotch him on the ring post. It was the same thing they did to Lawler a couple of weeks prior to really start the escalation of that feud. However, Kenny D(ee) stood on the ropes trying to beckon for help and, lo and behold, help came in the form of Lawler who prevents the deed to be done and beats on Idol and Rich. Lawler knocked Rich over the barricade into the fans as Snowman chased Idol to the back. Meanwhile, Jones was still stuck in the ropes. Someone want to help him? Anyone? Someone with a lot of money, perhaps?

Lawler slugged Rich over the barricade again and up the rampway to the entrance area. The two continued to battle in the area. The lighting isn’t great but Lawler did through Rich into a corridor as Kenny D(ee) is jumping up and down. The referee finally calms Lawler but Snowman and a freed Jones carry Rich over to him and the fight continues. Idol returns and this fight goes on for a loooooong time. Even Russell struggles to see what is happening. Suffice to say, The referee said he had seen enough and declared the bout a no contest.

Jeff Jarrett and Billy Travis vs. Goliath and “King” Karl Fergie

We are back in the studio for September 12 TV Main Event. After a prolonged jawing with the fans, Fergie starts the match with Jarrett. Travis teases Fergie and draws the ire of the “King.” Jarrett pushes Fergie into the corner and two start to slug away with Fergie getting the better of is with a turnbuckle slam and a choke. However, Jarrett reverses an Irish whip to the ropes and after two leapfrogs gets a FULL BODYSLAM. Fergie goes to the floor as “Prince” Brickhouse Brown checks on him and tries to get things situated.

Goliath is tagged in as Travis teased Goliath drawing his ire. Goliath whips Jarrett into the ropes but as Goliath drops, Jarrett literally kicks his butt. This draws the ire of Goliath and Fergie must be the voice of calm in the corner. Jarrett grabs an armlock and tags Travis who leaps from the second turnbuckle with an elbowdrop on the arm. However, a body slam is teased but Travis thinks the better of it (Travis is only slightly heavier than Jarrett by maybe a meal.)

Goliath gets the advantage and tags Fergie who boots Travis in the gut and pounds away on Travis. Travis, however, evades a turnbuckle charge and gets the hot tag on Jarrett, who attacks Goliath and Fergie and rams their heads together. Travis joins the fracas.

Whilst Travis is handling Goliath in the turnbuckle, Jarrett hits the ropes but (off camera) Brown tries to stop Jarrett. Jarrett then runs out of the ring and pursues Brown. They head into the ring, where Fergie tries to clothesline Jarrett but misses and gets run into the rope for a cradle attempt. This gives Brown a chance to hit a clothesline to the back of Jarrett’s head.

The referee, who was trying to separate Goliath and Travis, sees the shenanigans and calls for the disqualification.

Post-match, Fergie’s continued to beat on Jarrett (Goliath and Travis fought on the floor.) But, we get the classic heel miscommunication as Brown goes to the second turnbuckle to hit Jarrett (with Fergie holding him still,) however, Jarrett moves, Brown slugs Fergie and Jarrett cleans house on Fergie and Brown who scurry out of the ring.

Billy Travis and Jeff Jarrett vs. Assassins

This match is a jump forward to the November 28 TV taping and is not the famous Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto, Sr. version of the masked team. These are two rather bulbous human beings

.Interesting moment as Russell asked to be excused so he can get some towels to clean up some water on the floor from a previous angle featuring – among others, Dundee, Hector Guerrero, Manny Fernandez, two fans named Elizabeth and Kayla, the (possibly) original Hot Ones Challenge, The Nasty Boys, an attempt at blindness by Guerrero on Dundee and a bucket of water.

By the time it took me to explain the particulars of the previous angle. Travis slugged Assassin I and armgdrags hi over. A double team back elbow as Assassin II is tagged. Another arm drag sends Assassin II into the corner. Tavis is tagged and we get the second rope elbow to the arm. Travis, after a concerted effort, slams Assassin II (apparently Travis has been hitting the weight room the last three-and-a-half months.)

Jarrett is tagged and the faces hit a double clothesline. Jarrett hits a couple of elbows to the arm as Travis grabs Assassin II and demonstrates the first slam is no fluke by slamming him again and then hitting an elbowdrop off the ropes. Travis tags Jarrett and a huge standing dropkick does the trick and the win.

Southern (Memphis version) Heavyweight title match Jerry Lawler vs. “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers (champion)

This is a first as we actually stay at the same TV taping and the very next match after the Jarrett and Travis tag match. Jaggers has his manager, Nathaniel Whitlock AKA Nate the Rat, in tow (Nate was yet another in a looooooong line of Jimmy Hart imitators.) Lawler has words and steps toward Nate. Meanwhile, Nate dropped his walking cane that Jaggers picked up and hit Lawler in the back of the head with it as everyone was distracted by Lawler and Nate.

Jaggers continued to attack Lawler and threw Lawler to the floor. Jaggers ran Lawler into the ringpost twice. Jaggers grabbed Lawler, took him to the announce table and slammed him on the table – taking a chance to verbally accost Russell whilst there. Lawler started to juice during the melee.

Jaggers dragged Lawler into the ring and continue to beat on Lawler with fists and elbows a plenty. Jaggers hit a back elbow off the ropes as the crowd started a loud “Go, Jerry, Go” chant. The beatdown continued as Jaggers choked Lawer on the mat and continued to land elbows on Lawler. Jaggers got a vertical suplex for two. A clothesline off the ropes got two, as well.

Jaggers ran Lawler into the turnbuckle twice and continued to dig into the eyes and ran Lawler into the turnbuckle. However, a charge into drop is missed and THE STRAPS ARE DOWN!! REPEAT, THE STRAPS ARE DOWN!!! Lawler starts his superman comeback as h slugged away at Jaggers and Nate the Rat got a punch as he climbed on the apron.

However, as Nate was slugged, his cane flew into the ring, which Jaggers nailed Lawler to quell the tide. However, referee Jerry Calhoun (Memphis institution) grabbed the cane on a second attempt to hit Lawler. The ensuing argument gave Lawler enough time to cradle Jaggers for the win and the title change as the cane went flying on the floor and Nate tried to recover it.

Post Match: It would not be Memphis without a beatdown and here comes a just turned heel Steve Keirn (the heel turn happened right before this match,) Jimmy Jack Funk, Jaggers and Nate beat down Lawler. Funk used his cowbell to inflict damage However; Jarrett ran into a ring with a board to scare away the heels. The heels, being that, stole the belt and left as Calhoun tried to retrieve the belt.

16-man Battle Royal

This is a June 27 TV taping with the usual Memphis suspects participating. Two stipulations, the winner gets $3200 and you can eliminate someone by throwing them over the top rope and by pinfall. Most of the enhancement talent are the first to be eliminated. Since some of Downtown Bruno’s men are involved, Bruno paces around the ring. Jarrett and Jack Hart start to brawl with Rocky Johnson holding him.

It is standard battle royal fare until Jarrett had just slugged Bruno, who got on the apron. Moondog Spot grabbed his bone and tried to attack Jarrett but Jarrett managed to eliminate him. Spot, not the most gracious of losers, drags Jarrett out of the ring over the top rope to eliminate him (with an assist from Tanaka.) Spot and Jarrett start to braw in front of the fans and then make their way to the announce table as Spot slammed Jarrett into it. However, Jarrett grabbed a chair and attacked Spot.

Meanwhile, we had a general stream of eliminations until the final four were Badd Company (Diamond and Pat Tanaka,) West and Dundee. Despite Dundee efforts to save him, Badd Company eliminated West. They started to stalk Dundee but thwarted off the duo with his iffy punches and elbow drops. However, Badd Company played the numbers game and subdue Dundee.

Tanaka hit a reverse kick to drop Dundee and Tanaka gets a pin attempt but Tanaka picks up Dundee at two. The two continue to beat on Dundee and hit a double clothesline. Diamond gets a pin attempt but picks him up at two. Tanaka chops and punches away at Dundee and hits a karate thrust to the throat but a pin attempt gets two (Dundee kicked out of this one.)

Badd Company continue to beat down and attempt a double backdrop. This proves their undoing as Dundee boots Diamond and small packages Tanaka for the victory and the money.

Post Match, Dundee celebrates the victory as Calhoun attempts to give the money to Dundee. Badd Company attack Dundee. Diamond steals the money and gives it to Bruno. Tanaka hits another reverse kick as Bruno celebrates with the money. Diamond drops a series of elbows on Dundee and whips Dundee to the ropes but Rocky Johnson comes in for the save as the heels beat a retreat and Diamond is wanted for robbery.

Long Distance Information

One. Memphis loooved schmozapaloozas. When in doubt, use that.

Two, I was not a fan of Dundee’s ring work and his punches. But, he could deliver on the mic. The promo he delivered after the Barnes and Blooey beat down was spectacular. I remember seeing Barnes’ return on Pro Wrestling This Week, a weekly recap of events all over the wrestling landscape and it was a nice worked shoot angle. Blooey, however, was not long for the promotion, last just a few weeks.

Three, I was a huge fan of Jaggers growing up but by this point the down turn was noticeable. Jaggers was an odd choice for a champion at that point and one could see why they would pivot to Lawler. Doing it on TV, though, was an interesting choice. Jaggers was not much longer in Memphis as he fell down the card and lost a “loser leave down” a month later.