1987 Best of Memphis Wrestling Yearbook (Vol. two, part two)

Okay, Scott Herrin here with another exciting edition of Memphis Wrestling from 1987 via the Tubi streaming service. Sitting next to me is my broadcast partner, Rio De Golden Lab/Border Collie mix. Rio, what do you think of the action we have upcoming?

“Bark.”

They don’t call him the best wrestling analyst for nothing. So, let’s get ready for some totally Tubi-lar classic Memphis tag team action, titles up for grabs and a waaay over the top brawl with Jerry Lawler, Bam Bam Bigelow, Tommy Rich and Austin Idol. All that and more as it comes (as the song goes)All the Way From Memphis. Shall we? We shall.

(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.)

Rock and Roll RPM’s vs. Jeff Jarrett and Bill Travis

This is the main event from the August 27 WMC TV taping. Jarrett and Travis had been covered previously. The Rock and Roll RPM’s were Tommy Lane and Mike Davis. The RPM’s were a heel version of the Rock and Roll Express, Midnight Rockers and the Southern Rockers – gear and all. Davis had been in the business for about eight years and might be noted for doing an odd angle in Florida as Kevin Sullivan brainwashed him into thinking he was Dusty Rhodes (Sullivan work shot Rhodes by indicating Rhodes’ real name was Virgil Runnells.) Davis later had the “insane wrestler” gimmick before turning face and wrestled in this the infamous (and Wrestlecrap worthy) “bungee cord” match. It was something.

Tommy Lane (whose real name is Tommy Lee Jones – note, not THAT Tommy Lee Jones) had been in wrestling for a while, too. He achieved tag success as Tommy Rogers – (note, not THAT Tommy Rogers) as a member of the Uptown Boys with….Marty Jannetty in the Central States area. The RPMs held the Southern (Memphis version) tag titles during the beginning of the year in a feud with Travis and Jarrett.

Jarrett and Lane lock up and Lane gets the initial upper hand by a hair pull, which Jarrett took umbrage. Jarrett wanted revenge and got it by reversing a whip to the turnbuckles and hitting two hip tosses on Lane and bodyslamming Davis. Davis tagged but fell victim to a Jarrett headlock as Jarrett tagged Travis.

Travis slugged away on Davis he grabbed a headlock. He continued the offense by hitting a shoulder block on the ropes. The two battle for position which was ultimately won by Travis, who after ducking a charging Davis, hit a hiptoss on the rebound. Davis grabbed a headlock and tagged Lane but Travis escaped. Travis blocked two Lane punches and hit a nice uppercut. Lane hit a shoulderbock and then grabbed another headlock.

The RPM’s finally got some sustained offense when Lane grabbed a charging Travs and rammed him into the turnbuckle. There might have been a botch or a miscount as Jarrett seemed hesitant to get in the ring and break up the pin or referee Jerry Calhoun missed his mark because Lane got the pin and the first fall.

Post-fall the RPMS attack Jarrett and Travis and threw them to the floor (Jarrett took a good bump going over the top rope when Davis hurled him.) The team continued to fight on the floor as Jarrett and Travis got the upper hand. The RPM’s regrouped as WMC went to commercial break.

When they came back, both teams were doing Memphis things – having an out of control brawl. The RPM’s got the upper hand on Jarrett with a double back elbow off the ropes. Lane hit a vertical suplex on Lane as Davis hit a FULL BODYSLAM. Lane tagged and started to maul Jarrett. LANE threw Jarrett to a back elbow of Davis. Davis hit a big boot (!) and then tagged Lane. Lane threw Jarrett to the ropes for a backdrop but Jarrett wrapped Lane in a small package for the fall…..and that was it for the match (tv repots only have the two falls listed as the match. It might have been filler.)

However, the RPMS keep rolling in the next match as they again battle Jarrett and Travis in a Texas Death match at the Memphis Coliseum but this match took place on January 26 for the Southern Tag Titles.

The RPMs hold the title they won from Jarrett and Travis the previous week (in fact, the team spent the entire month of January trading the titles between each other.) Travis and Lane trade punches in the corner but Travis got the upper hand. Lane retaliated but ate a boot when Travis reversed a bodydrop. Davis and Lane took time to talk strategy as Travis and Jarrett got the fans riled. Travis grabbed a headlock and cinched it. Lane tried to fight out of it and eventually slugged his way out only for Travis to reverse a body slam. But, Lane reversed that and flung Travis to the mat after blocking a reverse rollup in the ropes.

Travis, though, regained momentum as Lane missed a body slam and NOW Travis got the body slam. Jarret is tagged and he grabbed a headlock of his very own. Lane managed to move Jarrett to his corner and tagged Davis. After Jarrett foiled a double team attempt, he and Davis battled for position in the middle of the ring for a bit. Davis finally backed him into the ropes and landed a hard chop on the ropes. Davis leapfrogged Jarrett off the ropes but (stop me if you heard this) Jarrett reversed a backdrop attempt into a small package to win the first fall.

Between the falls, referee Frank Morrell prevented any shenanigans by either team. After the 30 second respite. Jarrett and Davis started. Davis slapped Jarrett and Jarrett went to work on Davis with a flurry of punches and a BIIIIIG backdrop. Jarrett tried another small package but Lane broke it up at the two count.

Lane officially tagged into the match and grabbed the headlock on Jarrett but Jarrett reversed it and whipped Lane into the turnbuckle. However, Lane evaded a charging Jarrett and Jarrett crashed into the turnbuckles. Lane started to slug away at Jarrett and mauled him in the turnbuckles with his elbows and fists.

Davis tagged and got a boot and an eye rake to continue the assault. Lane threw in punch from the apron as he was tagged. Lane continued to slug Jarrett. However, a kick to the groin by Jarrett (nice babyface there) stopped Lane as Jarrett made the hope crawl to the corner. Lane stopped in jus before the tag and continued to pound away on Jarrett on the ropes. Lane then whipped Jarrett through the ropes and to the floor. Travis saved his partner from any double team from Lane and Bruno, although Lane managed to slug Jarrett when Travis turned away.

However, Davis started to pound away on the floor. Eventually, Davis got back in the ring and Travis helped Jarrett get in the ring. Davis, though, continued to pound away on Jarrett in eh corner as Travis tried to rally the fans. Jarrett was whipped into the turnbuckles but Davis missed the charge. This gave Jarrett a chance for the hope crawl and the hot tag to Travis (as Davis tagged Lane.)

Travis came into the bout a proverbial house of fire and slugged away on Lane. Lane begged for mercy but Travis was not having it. Lane, though, reversed a whip into the ropes and (yup, once again) attempted a backdrop but Travis got a sunset flip to reverse it and get the fall.

Lane was apoplectic about the travesty and complained to Morrell that the tights were pulled during the rest.

The third fall started with Travis stalking Lane as Lane tried for good sportsmanship. Lane was backed into the corner but got an eyerake with the handshake attempt and threw Travis through the ropes and to the floor. Davis managed to run Travis into the ringpost. Jarrett checked on Travis. Travis sold the ringpost shot really well as he tried to get to this feet with Jarrett’s help. Travis was bleeding at a .5 on the Muta scale as Lane slugged away at the cut and tagged Davis.

Davis continued the beatdown on Travis and rammed him into the turnbuckle and did a boot rake on Travis. Travis tried to fight off the heels but in vain. Lane was tagged and choked Travis on the mat. Lane again punched and stomped on Travis. Davis was tagged and did the same. Lane tagged into the match as Davis tried to beat on Travis until Morrell (a longtime wrestler in Memphis) shoved Davis hard into the corner. Davis got out but Lane continued to beat on Travis.

Lane hit the chinlock as Travis desperately tried to crawl to Jarrett. Lane beat down Travis and threw him to the corner as Davis was tagged as the TV feed went to commercials. The video showed interviews for upcoming matches in Evansville as Big Bubba (Fred Ottman and all his gimmicks) and Goliath, with Bruno in tow were interviewed. They were going to take on Jarrett and Travis for the Southern Tag Titles in a rematch between the two teams.

Bubba and Goliath are adorned in matching Red Gold’s Gym sweatshirts. Bruno, adorned in a tuxedo, said he found out that Jarrett and Travis cheated better than he thought. He said he was dressed for a wedding and he fell off a wedding cake. But, he said Travis and Jarrett aren’t going to put any more cake on him and maybe the heels will throw some pies in their face and kick them around a little bit.

We then go to words from Austin Idol about his American Wrestling Association Title match with Nick Bockwinkel. He thought Evansville was a special town. When he thinks about it, though, it’s a nothing happening town with ugly women and fat men. Body shaming isn’t cool, Idol. They’re all sitting in bars watching television wondering why they can’t look and dress like Idol and can’t have a $3,000 Rolex like Idol. Idol is like a Rolex; he is built for perfection.

He took a potshot at Jerry Lawler and said Lawler never got the AWA title like he promised (give it a year or so..) Lawler couldn’t cut the mustard but Idol could and he back it up and will win the title.

So, we get back to the aforementioned tag match. We come back and Travis is down on the mat and getting the 10 count from Morrell. Trais gets to this feet only for Davis to throw him out to the ring. Tommy Lane grabbed Travis and attempted to ram Travis into the ring steps; only for Travis to reverse it. Lane was now bleeding but Davis managed to go the floor and pound away on Travis. Jarrett stopped Davis from interfering by running him into the ringpost and then chased Bruno, who scurred away from the action.

Meanwhile, Lane threw Travis into the ring. However, Travis rallied by grabbing Lane and started to slug way on his cut. Davis and Jarrett also got in the ring and we got us a good ole’ Memphis schmozapalooza. Travis came off the ropes to clothesline Lane but caught Morrell instead. Meanwhile, Davis and Jarrett spilled back outside the ring on the floor. Travis tried to revive Morrell as Lane came over to Travis.

Travis, however, caught him an stated pound away on Lane as the camera panned out we caught Davis ramming Jarrett’s head into the guardrail. Travis continued to beat on Lane and climbed on the turnbuckles for the 10-punch spot. Morrell made it to the feet just in time for Lane to knock him down.

Tavis continued to hammer Lane. Davis was doing the same to Jarrett. Davis threw Jarrett into the ring and the schmozapalooza continued. In their fracas, both Jarrett and Davis were cut. The faces continued to pound away on the RPM’s. The RPM’s got the advantage when they stereo reversed a whip and the faces ran into each other.

Meanwhile, Bruno jumped on the apron and beckoned Big Bubba and Goliath into the ring. Now, Bruno’s gang pounded away on Jarrett and Travis. Until, the RPMS tried to whip Jarrett and Travis into the Bubba and Goliath (Golba? Bubbiath?) The faces reversed it and the RPMS slammed into the mammoths. Travis slugged away on Goliath and Jarrett tried to get the pin on Davis only for Bubba to come off the ropes for a body splash. However, Jarrett moved and Bubba connected on Davis. Goliath tried to leg drop Travis when he pinned Lane but Travis moved and Lane was legdropped. Eventually, Bubba and Goliath wiped the mats with the faces and left so all four original combatants were on the mat as the fourth fall ended and the rest period started.

However, when the fifth fall started, Lane and Jarrett tried to get to their feet. However, Jarrett beat the count and got the victory and NEEEEEWWWW Southern Tag Team champions.

Post match: If it’s Memphis, it’s a beat down. Goliath and Bubba returned to the ring as they and the Rock and Roll RPMs beat the faces as the timekeeper fecklessly pounded on the ring with the same frequency you draw a vowel in Scrabble. We fade out with the heels standing in the ring but without the belts.

We’re still in the Memphis Coliseum for the next match

AWA Tag Titles Match: Midnight Rockers vs. Badd Company

The titles are up for grabs as the Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty for the neophytes) take on Badd Company (Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond for the neophytes.) Downtown Bruno is in tow for Badd Company. The match took place on May 4 with a crowd of 9,000 in attendance according to the Internet. Interestingly, it is slightly more than the previous Monday show, which featured the infamous “hair vs. hair” cage match between Lawler and Idol.

We don’t even get a bell as Badd Company attack the Rockers as they had their backs to them as Tanaka beat on Jannetty and Diamond on Michaels. However, it doesn’t last long as the Company attempted to throw the Rockers into each other; but, the Rockers do the do-si-do reverse. A neat beat of sequence ensued. The Rockers tried to punch Badd Company only for them to stereo roll the punch. Badd Company then tried to do stereo atomic drops only for the Rockers to back flip out of that and then push Badd Company into each other.

After regrouping with Bruno on the floor, Tanaka stated the match proper with Michaels. After a lock up, Tanaka pounded away on Michaels on the floor but the tried and true spot of the partner holding Michaels only for Michaels to duck the punch happened and Tanaka slugged Diamond to the apron. Michaels threw Tanaka to his corner and then tagged Jannetty whilst Michaels stood on Tanaka on the turnbuckles. Michaels did a backflip and hip tossed Tanaka which led to stereo dropkicks from the Rockers on Badd Company. Heel regrouping reconvened.

Bruno inserted himself into the match as he jawed with Michaels only for Michaels to go from the ring to the floor. Diamond stood between the two but Jannetty snuck behind and Bruno could only find some sanctuary in the ring before Jannetty slowly tracked him and Bruno dove over the ropes (with one missed spot) back to the heel side. Bruno indicated how smart he was as Lance Russell said Bruno hopped around like a flea on a hot tin griddle. Bruno then turned his ire to Russell.

Meanwhile, in the ring, Tanaka got an armlock on Michaels and tagged Diamond who had a temporary advantage with a series of forearms until Michaels hit an armdrag off the ropes and cinched in the armlock. Diamond made back to his feet and slugged his way out of the lock. But, a charge to the corner is evaded. Michaels tagged Jannetty and the Rockers hit a double hiptoss and elbowdrop. They also hit a double punch on Tanaka.

Jannetty locked in his own armlock on Diamond which he turned into a standing float over armdrag. Jannetty tagged Michaels and we got the double arm-twist and karate chop for two. Michaels again hit the armlock. Diamond, again, slugged his way out of the hold and hit the FULL BODYSLAM and tagged Tanaka. Only for Tanaka to full prey to armdrag and an armbar of his own, which is broken with an eye rake. Diamond distracted the ref by getting in the ring which led Jannetty to jump in the ring which drew Morrell’s ire. Diamond then proceeded to climb to the top to club Michaels when Michaels turned his back on him.

Diamond hit a huge clothesline off the ropes and then hit his gourdbuster (which Russell identified as a DDT given the way Michaels landed) for two. Bruno took umbrage and corrected Russell on the move, noting that Arn Anderson has nothing on Diamond. Sure, Bruno. Meanwhile, Tanaka is tagged and chopped away at Michaels who flew through the ropes and to the floor. While the referee was distracted again with Tanaka and Jannetty, Diamond picked Michaels up and dropped him on the ringside barricade.

Michaels flayed away like a Shakespeare tragic victim. Daimond threw him back into the ring and Tanaka headbutted Michaels down to the mat. The heels double teamed Michaels with a double clothesline for two. Diamond was tagged and hits the chinlock. Michaels eventually got up and after a brief rally, Diamond dropped him again with a knee to the gut. Tanaka is back in and threw Michaels to the ropes. Michaels reversed it but a backdrop attempt is met with a Tanaka DDT (a proper one) for two until Jannetty broke up the pin.

Tanaka slugged away on Michaels and tagged Diamond who hit a flying kneedrop and, again, hit the chinlock. Michaels fought his way to his feet and moved closer to the Jannetty tag. However, Tanaka jumped in the ring to distract Morrell and in the attempt to get Tanaka back, Morrell missed the tag of Jannetty. Naturally, Morrell had to put Jannetty back on the apron; this gave Tanaka time to pound away on Michaels.

Tanaka used a series of chops and martial art kicks to stagger Michaels and a big headbutt lead to a two-and-a-fraction count for Michaels. The video feed goes squirrely but we get a tag by Diamond which is met with a dropkick by Michaels. Tanaka tagged in and we get another martial arts themed beat down by Tanaka.

Tanaka chopped away on Michaels but a whip to the turnbuckle is reversed and Michaels dropped Tanaka with a clothesline. Jannetty got a hold of his good stuff as he is frantically and frenetically jumping up and down and beckoning Michaels to make the tag. Michaels makes his tag and Jannetty is house on fire as he pounds away on both members of Badd Company with punches and bodyslams. Jannetty ran the two heels’ heads together.

Now Michaels is in the ring and I don’t need to tell you what we have in Memphis (it rhymes with rozzatalooza.) NOW, the Rockers throw the Company into each other successfully. Jannetty slugged away at Tanaka and hit the ropes. However, Diamond pulled the top rope down and Jannetty went over the ropes and hit the floor. Despite all that happened previously, THAT was justifiable cause for a disqualification and the Rockers hold on to the AWA title.

After ads, we go back to the WMC studios for even MORE tag team action as we get:

The Rock and Roll RPMs vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Lawler

This match was on the December 5 taping (the tag match between the Nasty Boys vs. Carl Fergie & Bobby Jaggers match from last review was the main event on this edition.)

The crowd went nuts when Lawler and Jarrett entered the ring. Jarrett and Davis start the match as Jarrett tired to get the crowd riled. Davis jawed with the audience to enhance the crowd’s reaction. When they lock up, Jarrett leapfrogged a backdrop and hit a dropkick and an arm drag which he locked in despite a Davis armdrag attempt of his own.

Davis broke the hold with an eye rake and a FULL BODYSLAM and tagged Lane. However, Lane missed an elbowdrop. Lane started to jaw with Lawler and wanted him in the ring, which Jarrett and Lawler obliged. Lawler pushed Lane into the corner and whipped him into another turnbuckle. Lane avoided a turnbuckle but Lawler stopped just in the nick of time. Whilst Lane indicated how smart he was (by pointing at his head,) Lawler got ready and slugged Lane down to the mat (not so smart now, are you?) Davis continued to jaw at the fans.

Davis was tagged and sized up Lawler. The crowd got into the match as Davis grabbed a headlock and threw Lawler to the ropes. Davis leapfrogged Lawler but Lawler stopped and hit an uppercut to drop Davis (who complained about closed fists.) Lane tagged back into the match. Lane slugged away at Lawler and dropped him; only for Lawler to get back up and slug Lane as he jawed at the fans. Russell and Brown were bemused Lane would complain about Lawler using his fists.

Lawler and Lane locked up and Lawler tagged Jarrett. Jarett grabbed the headlock but Lane got Jarrett into to the corner. Jarrett reversed a whip into the far turnbuckle. Lane tried to punch Jarrett out of the corner but Jarrett ducked the punch and hit a clothesline. Lane staggered to his corner and tagged Davis.

Jarrett grabbed the headlock and dropped Davis with a shoulderblock. Jarrett came off the ropes but Davis (much like the opening match) grabbed Jarrett by the head and rammed him into the turnbuckles. Davis slammed Jarrett into Lane’s knee and tagged him. Lane hit a series of backbreakers (holding Jarrett on the knee.) He tagged Davis who hit a fistdrop on Jarrett and then hit a vertical suplex. Davis swiped at Lawler and distracted the ref as Lane slugged Jarrett and hit the facelock. Davis came back into the ring to distract the referee just as Jarrett made the tag to Lawler. The referee then focused his attention on getting Lawler out of the ring as the RPMS double teamed Jarrett.

Davis hit the facelock and then tagged Lane. However, Jarrett leapfrogged a backdrop attempt and hit a dropkick. Jarrett leaped to Lawler to make the tag and THE STRAPS ARE DOWN..REPEAT THE STRAPS ARE DOWN!!! Lawler slugged away and dropped both RPMs. Jarrett rejoined the fray as Lawler held Davis as Jarrett came off the turnbuckles with a missile dropkick. Lawler choked Davis as Jarrett punched away on Lane. Until, (What do you know) Jimmy Jack Funk entered the ring with his cowbell and slugged away on Jarrett and then Lawler (this emanated from an earlier match and interview where Funk called Jarrett a sissy and threatened Lawler with Funk’s new partner, a newly turned heel Steve Keirn.)

The heels beat down on Lawler and Jarrett but Jarrett ducked a cowbell shot and Funk nailed lane. Jarrett then knocked Funk through the ropes and punched Lane through the ropes Lawler did the same for Davis as Lawler and Jarrett are declared the winner via disqualification.)

We diverge from the tag action (sort of) and head back to Memphis Coliseum for a March 16 matchup between:

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Tommy Rich AND Jerry Lawler vs. Austin Idol (they call it a Double Jeopardy Match around these parts)

Allow me: Right before the match, a two-ring battle royal was held (btw, won by Alan West.) As something new (and a treat for liquid camera fans) both matches were held simultaneously in a separate ring (for the delight of me to recap it.) Interestingly, switching rings was okay so a “Tag” (of sorts) could happen; you could also double team an opponent for 60 seconds. And, as the topper for the mayhem, it’s no disqualification.

Are we good on the (lack of) rules? Good. In a sort of funny moment, Randy Hales (the backup announcer and the live event analyst) and Russell determined who was going to cover what ring.

The camera edits were frenetic so I will do my best. Idol slugged away at Lawler in one ring as Rich and Bigelow locked up and Bigelow shoved Rich to the mat. Rich got up and locked up again with Bam Bam. Rich kneed Bigelow in the gut as Bigelow went to the floor.

Idol meanwhile continued to slug away at Lawler. In the other ring, Rich went to the floor but Bigelow picked him up into a long bearhug and slammed Rich to the announcer’s table repeatedly. Rich was thrown back into the ring.

Meanwhile, Idol continued to pound on Lawler until Lawler rallied and started to beat down on Idol with a series of boots and fists. A ram into the turnbuckle sent Idol to the floor. In the other ring, Bigelow continued to pound away on Rich with measured shots and (SURPRISE!!!) Rich is bleeding. Lawler continued to beat on Idol around the ringside area.

Bigelow continued to maul Rich with his boots and Lawler continued to pound away on Idol. The faces switch so now Lawler pounded on Rich and Bigelow on Idol. Bigelow hit an elevated two-handed choke on Idol as Lawler took the traditional beat on Rich and make him bleed some more. Rich staggered around the ring and Lawler threw him over the top rope. Bigelow, meanwhile, dropped Idol to the mat.

Another switch occurs, and Lawler beats on Idol as Bigelow joined the fracas. Bam Bam and Lawler hit Idol with a double back elbow. Rich now joined the other ring but Bigelow swatted him back into the other ring. Bigelow followed Rich and bodyslammed him, which he followed by a leaping headbutt. Rich dropped to the floor as Bigelow rejoined Lawler in his Idol beatdown.

Bigelow hit another diving headbutt on Idol as Rich made his way back into the other ring to join the others. Lawler and Bigelow quickly threw Rich to the floor. Lawler than grabbed Idol’s legs into a wishbone; but instead, Bigelow hit another diving headbutt into Idol’s groin. The crowd is elated as Rich pulled Idol to the floor. Bigelow got back into the other ring and Rich joined him.

As the two measured each other, Idol hobbled around the ringside area as Lawler pursued him, only for Idol to grab one of the microphones and hammer Lawler with it. Meanwhile, Bam Bam no sold two of Rich’s punches and bodyslammed him. Idol attacked Lawler with a board. Bam Bam missed a body splash as Rich went to the floor and helped Idol. Apparently, the board Idol used had a nail on it and dug away on Lawler.

Rich got a hold of the board and slugged Bigelow in the gut. Rich measured Bigelow and again hit Bam Bam with it. On the floor, Idol slammed Lawler into the announce table. Now, Idol and Rich start to pound on Bigelow. We got a TV ad break (not shown) but we comeback to see Idol tie up Bigelow on the ropes.

Idol continued to kick Bigelow. Idol grabbed Lawler and dragged him to the ringpost. Rich joined him and tried to re-do the groin into the ringpost spot that kicked this feud into high gear. However, Bigelow prevented it from happening who hit running boot on Idol and then slugged away on both. Now, Lawler and Bigelow took turns pounding on Idol and threw Idol (and then Rich) into a ring. Lawler pounded on Idol in the corner and threw him into the other ring. Bigelow continued to pound on Rich and hit a clothesline off the ropes. He hit another diving headbutt into Rich’s groin. Lawler, meanwhile, tied Idol into the ropes. Lawler promptly booted Idol into the groin. Lawler joined Bigelow in the other ring.

Meanwhile, Lord Humongous (Sid Eudy version and another one of Heyman/Dangerly’s men) came to ringside and unfastened Idol. He also handed Idol a rope. Also, Idol remembered he had a piece of metal in his trunks (you would think you’d remember that.) He sauntered over to the other ring and clobbered Lawler and Bigelow. Rich also grabbed handcuffs from his trunks. Rich continued to beat on Bigelow as Idol did the same to Lawler.

Idol threw referee Jerry Calhoun over the ropes and to the floor. The rope actually was a noose and Idol draped it around Lawler’s neck to choke him. Rich continued to pound on Bigelow and handcuffed him to the ropes. He joined Idol in trying to hang Lawler over the ropes. Bigelow tied to recover but Idol slugged him with the object of international origin. Rich tied the rope to the ring ropes. However, the hanging attempt did not happen as Jarrett, Soul Train Jones and a plethora of faces made the save. Idol and Rich tried to beat on some of the faces who came to the rescue but eventually walked away.

After all that and about 398,548 rings of the bell, the match was a no contest. Post Match: Eventually, the faces were helped and Biglow was unhandcuffed. Bigelow, after taking a moment, escaped his helpers, ran across both rings and chased Idol and Rich. Lawler tried to catch him but Bigelow was didn’t want the aid. He flung a chair across the stands to the waiting area and then flung Lawler to the floor as he tried to stop him. Lawler caught up with him and slightly cooler heads prevailed. And that’s how the volume ends.

Long Distance Information:

One: We focus on the trajectories of Michaels and Jannetty as solo acts and the divergent paths they took. However, you forget just how fluid and great they were as a team. The match with Badd Company was magnificent. If you’re younger, there was a lot of balking on how the Midnight Rockers just cribbed the Rock and Roll Express. I would argue they exceeded them. Both were masters of psychology (the R&R Express were incredible at that) but the Rockers knew how to get heat spots and make babyface saves. They also sold very well. You could also see how modern tag teams got their “moves” template from the Rockers. However, they forgot the selling and psychology part that the Rockers had in drones. They were a phenomenal act for a “copycat” team.

Two: I had been of fan of theirs for years and continue to extoll the virtues of Badd Company as one of the most unheralded great teams. They knew how to get heat and when to do the heel spots. The moves were mostly crisp and worked very well together. I still think they would have better served in WCW vs. WWE when they jumped from the AWA.

Three: The Memphis folks knew tag team wrestling and saw the rest of wrestling landscapes following suit. Ergo, bringing the Rock and Roll RPMs together for two runs that year in Memphis (with a stop in Dallas for good measure.) Lane and Davis were the proverbial good hands and knew how to draw heat and hit the spots as heels. I became a bigger fan of theirs watching this versus thinking they were cribbing the R&R Express, just in heel form.

Four: I know you give the fans what they want and the fans wanted insane brawls like the Rich/Idol vs. Lawler/Bigelow match. And, it does work from time to time. However, the match was too much and almost made me dizzy trying to keep up with the action. I would love a simple Steamboat vs. Flair match, but alas, we get insane brawls, prolonged beatdowns, 4557589 rings of the bell and the schmozapaloozas.

Lastly, it might the editing but it was odd Memphis would tip their hands on Travis and Jarrett winning the titles when Bubba and Goliath challenged them. Note, Travis and Jarrett held the titles for about a month before losing the titles to the heels in Memphis.

Keep Fighting the Good Fight.