1987 Best of Memphis Yearbook Review (Vol. Four, Part Four)

And now, the end is near, and so I face the final schmozapalooza brawl. Welcome, everyone, to the last edition of the Memphis review of 1987 brought to you by the Tubi streaming service. This edition focuses on one of my favorite underrated teams, Badd Company (or, as they were known in Memphis, Prime Time) – Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond. We get exciting tag team action and the usual over-the-top brawls with Lance Russell and Dave Brown in tow and the totally Tubi-lar action all comes, as the song goes..All the Way From Memphis. Shall we? We shall.

(note: As was the case during this run, these matches are in no set order so helping me with dates are the fine people at Wrestlingrecaps.com and prowrestlinghistory.com. Thanks to those sites for the assists.)

We start in the WMC studio on May 16 with an interview conducted by Dave Brown with the aforementioned company (with their manager, Downtown Bruno,) in tow. They won the International Tag Team Title from Steve Keirn and Mark Starr in Memphis the week prior.

Bruno takes the mic first. He said he doesn’t want to talk about anything else and runs down a litany of famous athletes from Pittsburgh. No, they want to talk about Badd Company. Diamond is still decked out in his commando face pain and gear.

Tanaka gets the mic next and refers to an event on May 31 of that year called the Parade of Stars, when some of the superstars of Memphis will be signing autographs for fans and other frivolities and jocularity will occur. Tanaka said they left out the three biggest stars and that is Bruno, Diamond and himself.

They actually will be there, being the true international stars, they are. Brown said they will be there and Diamond will in a dunk tank (for those unsure, it is a chance for someone to throws softballs or some object. If you hit the target, it drops someone into a big tank of water.) Diamond said the stars of that magnitude would not be in a dunk tank and even if they were, no one would dunk them because they would kick their butt.

Bruno said they will be there signing autographs and Diamond concluded the segment by saying it is Brown’s pleasure to interview them and it is the highlight of his day. In fact, why wait? Diamond said they have some pre-signed autographs and have an impromptu autograph session. He gave one to Brown and then Bruno and the company walk through the crowd and throwing their autographs at the studio fans. That’s nice of them.

We jump ahead to July 25 in the studio as we get:

Badd Company/Prime Time vs. Mark Starr and Billy Travis

They feuded throughout the spring and summer. Diamond and Travis started and Diamond gets a quick advantage as he pounded on Travis in the corner. Only for Travis to reverse it with a clothesline off the ropes. Travis got a one count from a flying back elbow off the ropes. Starr tagged and started to work the arm on Diamond and got an arm drag.

Starr worked the arm for a long time until Diamond slugged his way out of it and tagged Tanaka, who instantly fell victim to am armdrag. Travis tagged and got a back elbow off the ropes with a one count. Travis continued to he offense with a FULL Bodyslam and a flying elbow off the ropes. Diamond broke up a pin attempt and here comes the schmozapalooza with Strr and Tanaka on the floor and Travis and Diamond in the ring. Eventually, all four end up in the ring and we get a double countout (note, this was a second fall of a match, the internet tells me, Tanaka and Diamond got the first fall in a match more served to burn off the remaining television time.)

We jump ahead (just about) a month to the June 20 TV airing and we have news a-plenty. We have new tag team champs (the aforementioned Travis and Starr,) a new Southern Heavyweight Champion (Jerry Lawler) and a New Mid-American Champion who make his way to the announcer table, Moondog Spot (with Bruno in tow.) Russell notices Bruno has a limp and a cane and asked about it. Bruno doesn’t want to talk about it and then again talked about it. Big Bubba (Fred Ottman) chased him around the Memphis Coliseum and Bruno sprained his ankle.

He wanted to talk about Moondog Spot winning the title from Jeff Jarrett and beat up his dad, Jerry. Jarrett embarrassed his whole family. Bruno called out Jeff, his dad and Eddie Marlin (Memphis promoter and Jeff’s grandfather-in-law.) They left the country because they are disgusted with Jeff.

We go to the old staple of southern wrestling – (insert object) on a pole match. This case, it is Moondog Spot’s bone, which he frequently used as a weapon. It will be the first for the area. We get an extreme closeup of Spot and his bone.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Moondog Spot

We go to the Memphis Coliseum for the next match featuring Spot and Jarrett. THe match took place on May 25.

We see Jarrett head to the ring with “No Easy Way Out” as his entrance. He immediately chases Spot around ringside and in and out of the ring. This goes on for a while until Jarrett catches Spot in the ring and started to pound on him and hit a huge backdrop off the ropes. The crowd is just rabid for Jarrett. Spot bailed from ringside and headed up the walkway and Jarrett followed suit, slamming into a picket fence and then continued to [pound on him in the entrance way.

The lighting is dim but you could make up Spot and Jarrett. Jarrett relentlessly beat on Spot on the stage area and then dragged him back to ringside and slammed into the barricade. We get a jump cut and we see Jarrett doing the 10-punch turnbuckle spot before Spot carried Jarrett to the middle of the ring and did an inverted atomic drop.

Jarrett writhed in pain and now Spot went on the offense. Jarrett fell to the floor and Spot slammed into the barricade and the table on the other side of the barricade. Spot threw a series of chairs into the ring. We get another cut and both are in the ring but Spot is still beating on Jarrett. Jarrett had enough and started to beat on Spot and dropped with a punch off the ropes. Jarrett got a two-count on a clothesline off the ropes.

Meanwhile, Downtown Bruno got in the ring and distracted the referee as Spot grabbed his bone. Jarrett blocked it and backdropped Spot. Jarrett reached for the bone but referee Jerry Calhoun stopped him. Spot took the time to recover and knee Jarrett in the abdomen which also sent Calhoun to the floor. NOW, Spot nailed Jarrett with his bone. Spot made the cover as Bruno tried to revive the referee. Spot got the two-count before Jarrett got his foot on the ropes.

Spot threw Jarrett into the turnbuckles but Jarrett evaded a charge and Spot crashed into the turnbuckles. Jarrett ascended the turnbuckles and hit a missile dropkick. This brought Downtown Bruno into the ring and Jarrett slugged him. Calhoun saw this and this is what gave Jarrett the victory via disqualification.

Post Match: Jarrett continued to beat on Spot. We get another edit and see Jarrett (who just hit Spot with the mic) drag Spot into the ring with a chair. Spot waffled Spot with the hair and threw him out of the ring and then headed back up the entranceway. Spot and Jarett traded punches with Jarrett getting the best of it and dropped Spot with an uppercut. Jarrett picked him up for a bodyslam on the stage before Calhoun and Randy Hales could break it up for good.

We venture slightly out of Memphis to Jackson, TN and an arena show on August 2 as we see:

Southern Tag Team Title Match Billy Travis and Jeff Jarrett vs. Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond

It’s not a Memphis match without a stipulation and ours is guest referee Moondog Spike. Spike was most known as “Dizzy” Golden, kayfabe brother of Mike Golden and later in 1987, he was Cousin Blooey (Blooey, as noted in vol.1, pt. 2, was partners with George Barnes in his feud with Bill Dundee.)

Tanaka and Diamond face Travis and Jarrett for the Southern Tag titles. Travis and Jarrett won a tournament on July 15 (also in Jackson,) defeating Badd Company/Prime Time. Rematch clauses being what they are, here we are. Badd Company wasted no time in attacking Travis and Jarrett and jumped them as the faces got into the ring. Tanaka and Travis paired off as did Jarrett and Diamond. BC/PT threw Travis and Jarrett out of the ring and continued their attack on the floor.

After an edit, Tanaka beat on Jarrett with a headbutt and series of punches to the back and the head. Tanaka grabbed a front face lock, but Jarrett lifted him and threw him to the mat to break the hold. Jarrett leapt to tag Travis and, despite Tanaka’s efforts to hold him in the air, Travis made the tag, thanks to a rather long tag rope.

Travis came not the ring and beat on Tanaka and Diamond as a proverbial house on fire. Travis hit a flying elbowdrop on Tanaka and went for a tag but, well, Moondog Spike and all, no count was administered. Diamond also came in and dropped an elbow to make sure the pin was nullified. Damond came into the ring and dropped Travis on the top rope.

Diamond physically accosted Jarrett and whilst Spike argued with Jarrett. Tanaka draped Travis’ neck on the top rope and choked him while Diamond elevated Travis to add to the hold. Diamond continued to choke Travis in the corner as Travis valiantly tried to stem the tide. However, a whip to the turnbuckle was met with a Diamond clothesline and Travis did the 360 degree sell.

Tanaka tagged into the match and, as Spike continued to administer law and order to Jarrett, BC/PT backdropped Travis over the top rope. Travis crawled back into the ring abut Tanaka quickly attacked him. However, a whip to the turnbuckle proved fortuitous to Travis and he reversed it and backdropped Tanaka. Both competitors were on the mat but Tanaka got to his feet first and continued to attack Travis.

Tanaka got a two-count after a punch. However, Travis and Tanaka clotheslined each other after a whip to the ropes and both men were on the mat again. Travis, though, hope crawled his way and made the hot tag to Jarrett. Jarrett went to town on Badd Company and clotheslined Tanaka. However, Diamond came into the ring and sneak attacked Jarrett to end that rally. Tanaka hit his flying forearm for a two-count and a thrust kick got another two-count. Diamond was tagged and beat on Jarrett and hit the catapult DDT with Tanaka and got the pin and we have new Southern Tag Champs.

We go back to the Memphis Coliseum (and back in time) to May 25 for our next match:

The Rising Sun – Mr. Shima (Akio Sato) and Mr. Helo (Hiromichi “Samson” Fuyuki) vs. Bob Cook and Bucky Siegler

Tojo Yamamoto was in tow for the Rising Sun. Helo was finishing his obligations in Memphis whilst Shima stayed for a while longer (teaming with Phil Hickerson.) Bob Cook was a long-time enhancement talent who, later in the year, would get a push in Florida as part of the heel team Mighty Yankees (because, you know, the South) with Jerry Gray and hold the tag titles in the dying days of the promotion. Siegler was another Memphis enhancement stalwart. They tried to push Siegler and Cook as a young team, even getting a win over Big Bubba and Goliath the previous week.

Shima and Siegler start but Shima quickly tagged Helo. Helo hit a jumping knee to the abdomen and Siegler staggered out the ring. Shima quickly attacked him and hit his own knee. Shim threw Siegler to the ring and Helo attacked. Helo beat on Siegler on the ropes and threw Siegler to the corner. Shima tagged and continued the assault as a FULL BODYSLAM got a two-count.

Shima grabbed a facelock and locked it. Siegler vainly tried to break the hold; Shima broke the hold by punching Siegler. Siegler stomped on Siegler and tagged Helo. Helo was tagged but Siegler tried to fight back but a series of chops stopped the rally. Siegler did find time to tag Cook.

Helo continued to beat on Cook but Cook did rally and hit a snapmare and a nee drop. Cook got a two-count from a vertical suplex but Helo stopped that rally by punching Cook as Cook applied an armlock. Helo started to stomp away on Cook and tagged Shima. Shima got a running nee drop to the abdomen off the ropes. Cook tried to fight back and punched Shima but Shima continued to attack and drove him to the corner, where Helo choked him on the ropes.

Siegler tried to intervene but was held back by referee Frank Morrell. Shima tagged Helo and Helo hit a huge chop off the ropes. Another hard chopped dropped Cook again. Every Cook rally was met with a hard chop or punch by Helo. Helo hit a running body splash in the corner and dropped Cook with a kick to the abdomen.

Cook tried to rally again and got a sustained amount of offense by getting Helo in the corner and hitting a series of knees and kicks and then hit a back body drop. Cook grabbed an armlock and tagged Siegler. Siegler hit a axehandle off the turnbuckles on the arm of Helo (Cook held it in place.) Siegler grabbed an armlock and took Helo down with a wristlock.

An eye rake stopped that rally as Helo chopped away at Siegler. Helo tagged Shima but a backdrop attempt was met with a sunset flip for a two-count. Siegler hit a dropkick and got a headlock takedown on Shima. Shima, though, got to his feet, picked up Siegler by his legs and dropped Siegler’s leg on Shima’s knee. Shima went to the second turnbuckle and hit a kick to the back of Siegler’s leg. HE went to the second turnbuckle and hit a chop on Siegler.

Helo tagged into the match and hit a kick to the shoulder of Siegler. Helo hit a backbreaker on Siegler and a legdrop for a two-count. Siegler tried once again to rally but punching away at Helo and hitting a back elbow off the ropes. Siegler got a headlock takeover but Helo eye raked Siegler to end that rally. Siegler wasn’t through and hit a dropkick off the ropes as Helo attempted a back bodydrop (note: Russell did his own version of “Didn’t get all of it” by saying “it wasn’t picture perfect but he got it.”)

Cook tagged into the match and beat on Helo in the corner as Shima came into the ring and we get a schmozapalooza as all four combatants are in the ring. Morrell fecklessly tried to get Siegler and Shima out of the ring. In the melee, Yamamoto climbed on the apron. Siegler went after Yamamoto but Yamamoto dropped his kendo stick he brought to the ring. One can envision what happened next; while Morrell tried to break up that skirmish, Shima grabbed the stick and hit Cook. The duo then hit a double clothesline (with the stick) and the Rising Sun got the victory.

We go back to the WMC studios for the June 13 airing for our next match.

Jeff Jarrett and “Superstar” Bill Dundee vs. Badd Company/Prime Time (with Downtown Bruno in tow)

According to Dave Brown, this is the first time Jarrett and Dundee tagged together. This will be a “TV time expiration” match. Tanaka and Dundee start as Dundee hiptossed Tanaka in the corner and got the Fargo strut at the onset. Dundee dropped Tanaka with a right hand off a Tanaka armlock. Dundee also got a back bodydrop off the ropes and tagged Jarrett.

Jarrett grabbed the armlock as Dundee pursued Bruno around the ring (for no reason.) Whilst that was happening, Tanaka broke the hold and got a shoulderblock off the ropes. However, a second attempt was evaded by Jarrett and nailed Tanaka with an uppercut as he came off the ropes on the rebound. Jarrett then slid out of the ring and pursued Bruno. Whilst that was happening, Dundee came off the second turnbuckle and hit an axehandle on Tanaka.

Jarrett grabbed the arm but Tanaka broke the hold with an eyerake. This gave Tanaka a chance to tag Diamond; however, Diamond was met with an armdrag by Jarrett once he got in the ring. Diamond reversed it with an armlock and used multiple hair pulls to keep Jarrett on the mat when Jarrett would get to his feet.

Diamond cinched in the arm lock but Jarret made it to his feet but was met with a shoulderblock. Jarrett got a hiptoss off a second attempt by Diamond for a two-count and got an armdrag and armlock. Dundee tagged into the match and hit a right hand as leapt over the ropes. Dundee got a discus clothesline off the ropes and got a series of two-counts. Dundee wrestled Diamond on the mat until Diamond slid out of the ring – giving Dundee another chance to hit the Fargo Strut.

Dundee verbally accosted Tanaka and Bruno. This gave Diamond a chance to slide back into the ring and attack Dundee. However, Dundee reversed it with a series of punches to drop Diamond. Diamond got back to this feet and feigned a test of strength which led to a kick to the abdomen and promptly tagged Tanaka.

Tanaka chopped away on Dundee and choked Dundee on the mat. Tanaka continued to beat on Dundee as Jarrett tried to encourage his partner and the crowd. It worked – Dundee took down Tanaka and tagged Jarrett. Jarrett came in the proverbial house of fire and beat on both heels. Dundee came into the ring and, hey, it’s a schmozapalooza – Dundee on Tanaka and Jarrett and Diamond. Tanaka whipped Dundee to the corner but Dundee climbed the turnbuckles and hit a flying bodypress on Tanaka. However, referee Jerry Calhoun was busy trying to separate Jarrett and Diamond. This gave Downtown Bruno a chance to climb into the ring and stomp on Dundee to break the pin attempt. NOW, Calhoun saw what was happening and called for the disqualification.

Post Fall: Dundee caught Bruno and kicked him. Diamond and Tanaka came to help their manager.

We get a quick edit and go to the second fall of the match:

Tanaka and Dundee started the fall as Bruno found safer pastures by the announce table and joined Brown and Russell, saying the public missed him (Russell said he did not miss him.) Meanwhile, Dundee dropped Tanaka with an armdrag and a hiptoss off the ropes. Dundee went for another series of punches and Bruno voiced his umbrage from the table. Dundee dropped Tanaka – and Diamond – with elbowdrops and another Fargo Strut.

Tanaka tagged Diamond and but Dundee got the upper hand on him. Dundee tagged Jarrett and the two hit a double clothesline on Diamond. Meanwhile, Bruno took exception and said if his team did it, it’s “cheating;’ if Dundee and Jarrett do it, it’s “teamwork.” Meanwhile, Jarrett grabbed a side headlock as Bruno returned to ringside. Dundee decided to chase Bruno again. As Calhoun was distracted by the chase, Tanaka hit a clothesline as Jarrett came off the ropes and the duo hit a series of elbow drops on Jarrett. Calhoun got control of the match again and sent Tanaka to the apron.

Diamond continued to beat on Jarrett and hit his own flying clothesline for a two-count. Diamond continued to beat on Jarrett as Dundee tried to get the crowd and Jarrett riled. Jarrett got Diamond into the corner and tagged Dundee but the referee didn’t see it so out went Dundee. Tanaka and chopped and kicked Jarrett to the mat for a one-count.

Tanaka gabbed a facelock but Jarett made his way to his corner. Bruno instructed Diamond to get in the ring for a distraction. It worked as Calhoun tried to get Diamond out of the ring whilst Jarrett tagged Dundee. The referee didn’t see it and one knows what that means. Dundee had had it with the whole ordeal and threw Calhoun to the mat and started another schmozapalooza. However, Calhoun called for another disqualification and that finished the match.

Post Match: Dundee and Jarrett beat on Badd Company and threw the two into each other. The heels celebrated and beat a hasty retreat as Dundee chased them from the studio.

We head back to the Memphis Coliseum and May 4 for more Badd Company/Prime Time action of the world title sort:
AWA World Tag Team Title Match: The Midnight Rockers vs. Badd Company (with Downtown Bruno in tow)

The Rockers had been tag champs for just over three months at this time (note: on the same card, Jack Hart and Chick Donovan won the Southern Tag Titles from Rocky Johnson and Soul Train Jones.)

Badd Company jumped the Rockers from the onset of the match – Tanaka on Jannetty and Michaels on Diamond. The women love the Rockers, for the record. Badd Company tried to throw the Rockers into each other but did the do-si-do reversal. The Company tried for stereo atomic drops but the Rockers flipped out of that and ran the Company into each other. Badd Company headed to the floor.

Michaels and Tanaka started the actual match. Tanaka got the upper hand and pushed Michaels into the corner into Diamond’s grasp. However, heel miscommunication led to Tanaka punching Diamond. Michaels whipped Tanaka into the corner, backflipped off a charge and hiptossed Tanaka when he charged.

Jannetty tagged and the duo hit stereo dropkicks on Badd Company when they charged. Badd Company, again, hit the floor into Bruno’s huddle. Michaels slid under the ropes and grabbed Bruno but Diamond came to his manager’s rescue. Bruno ran into the ring as Jannetty came over to help Michaels. Bruno got back out of the ring and the match continued – not without Bruno yelling at Russell.

Tanaka grabbed Michaels in a headlock and tagged Diamond who kicked Michaels and got an European uppercut. However, Michaels reversed a whip to the ropes into an armdrag and an armbar. Diamond got to his feet and eventually punched his way out of the hold . However, Michaels evaded a scorner charge and tagged Jannetty. The Rockers hit a double hiptoss and elbow drop on Diamond and a double punch on Tanaka when entered the ring.

Jannetty grabbed an armbar on Diamond. Jannetty dropped Diamond with an armdrag takedown and tagged Michaels. The duo armlocked Diamond, reversed it and hit a double chop to drop Diamond for a two-count. Jannetty now grabbed the armlock on Diamond. Diamond got out the hold with a forearm shiver and a FULL BODYSLAM. Tanaka tagged but fell victim to another Michaels armdrag and armbar.

Tanaka got out of the hold with eye rake and got a full nelson in preparation of Diamond to enter and slug Michaels. However, referee Frank Morrell stopped that. Whilst he got order in the ring, Michaels grabbed a full nelson for the exact same reason. When Jannetty got to the turnbuckles, Morrell saw him and got him out of the ring. Meanwhile, NOW Diamond climbed the turnbuckles and nailed Michaels with an axehandle.

Diamond dropped Michaels with a flying clothesline off the ropes and got a two-count from a DDT. Bruno got within ear (and mic) shot of Rusell and said Arn Anderson had nothing on them (well….)

Meanwhile, Tanaka tagged into the match and chopped Michaels out of the ring. As Tanaka accosted Jannetty (drawing the referee’s attention,) Diamond dropped Michaels on the barricade. Diamond threw Michaels back into the ring and Tanaka attacked Michaels with a series of punches and headbutts.

Diamond tagged into the match and the two hit a double clothesline for a two count. Diamond grabbed the chinlock and cinched it. Michaels gradually fought out of it and slugged his way out of the hold. Michaels got a shoulderblock off the ropes but the rally stopped as Diamond got a knee into the abdomen off another rope charge.

Tanaka tagged and got a DDT from a failed backdrop attempt off the ropes for a two count before Jannetty disrupted the pin. Tanaka chopped and thrusted Michaels to the mat. Diamond tagged and got a knee drop for a two-count. Diamond hit a chinlock as Michaels tried for the hope spot. Diamond pulled the hair. Jannetty tried to help but the referee held him back. Tanaka continued with his offense as he chopped, kicked and headbutted Michaels down for two-and-a-fraction.

Diamond tagged back. The video feed goes a little squirrely but Michaels kicked Diamond on a backdrop attempt off the ropes. Jannetty implored his partner to make the tag. Tanaka tagged into the match and continued to chop and kick Michaels to the mat. Tanaka startred to chop away in the corner. However, Michaels hit a clothesline off a corner charge and both men dropped. NOW, Michaels got the hope crawl and tagged Jannetty.

Jannetty dropped both Diamond and Tanaka with a series of punches and dropkicks. He slammed Diamond and Tanaka’s head into the other. Michaels joined the fray and the champs ran the challengers into each other. Diamond fell to the floor as Jannetty continued to beat on Tanaka. However, Jannetty hit the ropes and Diamond took the opportunity to pull down the ropes and Jannetty dropped over the ropes to the floor. That caused Morrell to call for the disqualification and the Rockers held on to the title.

We finish with one last trip to Memphis Coliseum on March 22 for one more over the top battle for the road

Texas Death Match: Jerry “The King” Lawler and Bam Bam Bigelow vs. “Wildfire” Tommy Rich and Austin Idol.

Bigelow and Lawler head to the ring with Kiss’ “War Machine” blaring on the PA system. Rich and Idol are already in the ring Bigelow wasted no time wrecking the place as he threw the ring steps over his head and over the ropes into the ring. He then picked up the ring steps and politely threw them on the floor and then carried them to the proper area and dropped them – that was nice of him.

Russell went over the rules of what a Texas Death encompassed on the PA. Whist all this occurred, Idol and Rich scurried in and out of the ring to avoid the carnage and soak in some heat by stalling. Bigelow wasted no time and chased Rich. He caught him and promptly ran his head into the ringpost. Meanwhile Idol and Lawler brawled up the entrance way and onto the staging area as Lawler beat on Idol.

Meanwhile, in the ring, Bigelow trapped Rich in the corner and kicked him in the abdomen. A series of punches dropped Rich repeatedly. Meanwhile, Lawler ran Idol all the way (a good distance) into the wall of the Coliseum. Lawler grabbed a chair and swatted away at Idol. Meanwhile (off camera) Rich and Bigelow fought along the ringside area until Rich ran up the rampway and attacked Lawler. Lawler met Rich with a punch. Lawler headed back to the ring but Rich sucker punched him and ran him into a picket fence barricade in the back of the stands.

The camera cut to Bigelow who was stalking Idol. Idol, meanwhile (and off camera) grabbed a 2X4 and attacked Lawler. Bigelow finally got to his partner and Bigelow stalked Idol as Lawler beat Rich. Bigelow no sold Idol’s offense and then Idol head back to ringside. Meanwhile, off camera, Lawler ran Rich into the ringpost.

Bigelow pursued Idol and now all four were in the ring. Bigelow landed a huge uppercut on Rich and Lawler attacked Idol. The faces continued to beat on the heels until Idol low blowed Lawler, who dropped to the mat. Bigelow blocked a Rich boot and bit the leg (ewwww) but Idol low blowed Bigelow.

Rich beat on Bigelow as Idol beat on Lawler with a series of punches and kicks. Idol dropped a knee of Lawler’s groin. Lawler writhed on the at as Idol put the boots to hi and choked him. Rich got a back elbow on Bigelow but Bigelow no sold it. Rich, celebrating what did, turned to Bigelow and attacked him, which Bigelow also no sold Meanwhile, Idol grabbed a camera cord and choked Lawler on the floor.

Rich begged for mercy in the corner and Bigelow lurked toward him. Rich hit a series of knees to the groin to drop Bigelow (and Bigelow sold.) Russell informed us the cable Idol was using on Lawler was, in fact, a camera cord so we are short a camera. Idol continued to choke Lawler and beat on him on the floor. Rich continued to drop knees to the groin to get Bigelow doubled over and on the mat. Rich focused his knees and boots to the abdomen and groin of Bigelow as Idol continued to beat on Lawler on the floor.

However, Bigelow rallied and started to punch Rich. Aside from groin shots, Bigelow no sold Rich’s offense. Meanwhile, on the floor, Idol took the timekeepers bell and slugged Lawler with it. Rich grabbed the bell and dropped it on Bigelow’s back and then rammed Bigelow’s head into it. Idol continued to beat on Lawler on the floor and over the barricade. Idol stood on the announce table and dropped Lawler’s head on it.

Meanwhile, it was more no selling by Bigelow as he dropkicked Rich. Lawler also rallied and the STRAPS ARE DOWN!! REPEAT, THE STRAPS ARE DOWN!!! Lawler beat on Idol and threw him into the ring; so, all four were back in the ring. Rich tried to attack Lawler but Lawler no sold it and threw Rich into a Bigelow headbutt. Bigelow followed it with a falling headbutt and the faces tied Idol into the ropes.

Rich vainly attacked Lawler and Bigelow. Bigelow grabbed Rich and held him as Lawler went to the top turnbuckle and dropped a fist on Rich. The two then grabbed Rich by the legs and dragged him to the corner. Lawler punched away on Rich as the two got on the floor, Bigelow gave the count and they managed to ringpost Rich’s groin (mimicking the spot Idol and Rich did that kicked the feud into high gear.) Rich writhed and rolled on the mat and Lawler pinned Rich. Per the rules of the match, Rich had 30 seconds in which to recover or the match is over.

Meanwhile, Bigelow threw Calhoun to the mat but with no ramifications. Meanwhile, Idol got loose from the ropes and tried to get Rich to some help. The bell rang but Rich could not get off the floor. Calhoun gave the 10-count and your winners were Lawler and Bigelow.

Post Match: Lawler and Bigelow celebrated but Bigelow wasn’t through with Richa and punched him on the floor and threw him in the ring. Lawler slugged away at Rich and the faces threatened – and succeeded – to do the same ring post spot as Idol was too late to help. Bigelow chased Idol out of the ring. Calhoun tried to get Bigelow to leave but Bigelow refused. He dragged Rich to the center of the ring and dropped an elbow on his groin. Calhoun again tried to control the situation but Bigelow swept the legs and dropped him. Lawler, though, made into the ring and made an attempt.

The attempt was in vain as Bigelow now grabbed Calhoun and tried the ring post spot with him. Lawler got him to stop but not before biting Calhoun (again, ewwww.) Bigelow focused his attention on Rich as Idol beat a hasty retreat around the ring, Bigelow grabbed the ring bell and tried to attack Rich but Lawler got him to stop. He threw the bell in the ring and Idol and Rich bailed from the ring and to the floor. Bigelow carried the bell over his head and threw it to the mat. Lawler caught him and raised his hand in victory.

Buuut, Bigelow wasn’t done and got to Rich and slammed him to the floor. Idol had the bell in the ring but Lawler and Bigelow continued to attack Rich. Rich got out of there and Bigelow focused his attack on the barricade. Lawler continued to beat on Rich on the floor as the we end the tape.

Long Distance Information:

One: Let’s focus on positives first. You could tell how much faith everyone had with Badd Company as they got a World Title Shot without being the tag champs (that was usually a stipulation in territories that territory champs got world title shots.) They were great in the ring. The fluidity of moves and the lack of any hesitation (or botches) was evident. They knew how to get over and, while the heel spots are time worn, they knew how and when to execute them flawlessly.

Two: The same could be said about the (Midnight) Rockers. They were so good in the ring and it is a shame the world title runs they got were in the AWA. If not for personal issues (and Vince) they should have gotten a world title run in the WWE(F). They also were incredibly fluid and really put to rest the cribbing of the Rock and Roll Express talk. They also knew how and when to perform face spots (and heel spots when they were heels for a bit,) They were fantastic to watch and it was great to see them with Badd Company.

Three: Kudos to Memphis for trying to find the next superstar Babyface team but eventually it became a case of throwing stuff to the wall and see what stuck. The only team to truly make it was Travis and Jarrett. Paul, Cook, Siegler, West and all the ones they interchanged just could accomplish it. Not due to lack of effort but they did not have that missing element of charisma and of way of completely connecting to the audience.

Four: Previously, I mentioned Dundee’s ability to talk people into the arena and knew how to deliver great interviews. I still don’t like is in-ring work, though. The punches looked weak and the Fargo strut after every move was just irksome to me. The fans ate it up but it was a simpler time back then. The repeated struts and punches and little shimmies just seemed silly in retrospect (and yes, I know, Hindsight and all that.)

Five: The real bugaboo of this venture. If I never see a giant, insane brawl that led to a schmozapalooza, I will be a grateful person. The last brawl was just way too much. It was a case of giving people what they want but as a now long-time wrestling viewer, the repetition of brawls and insanity out of the ring has a Clockwork Orange effect on me.

Six: Bigelow was such a presence, it is a shame he could not get out of his own way and headspace. He knew his role and knew how to deliver it.

Seven: Thank you, everyone for reading these. I appreciate it. Where to next, let me know what you want to see.

Keep fighting the good fight.