Totally Tubi-lar Wrestling: Super Stars, Super Series, Super Show (volume one, part two)

Greetings one and all, let’s dive back into the history books and get another sampling of Totally Tubi-lar Wrestling with Super Stars, Super Series and Supershow Show volume, one part two. If I may borrow from Sesame Street, this is brought to you by the letter “B.” We have boxing, blade jobs, a butcher, a bunkhouse brawl, barricade ropes, bumps, Bundy, battle royals and bribes. Stan Hansen, Rick Rude, Austin Idol, Abdullah the Butcher, Randy Savage and many more are here and most importantly, so are you; so, relax and enjoy some super action . Shall we? We shall.

Editor’s note: Like the last review, the matches are a smorgasbord of dates and times and it was hard to lock into specific dates on some of them. For Memphis, helping me with dates are the fine people at Wrestlingrecaps.com and prowrestlinghistory.com. Thanks for the assist.)

We head first to Memphis (or stay in Memphis from Vol. one part one) and head to a specialty match in the Mid-Southern Coliseum:

Boxing Match: Tojo Yamamoto vs. Jerry Jarrett

That’s right, not Jeff, but his dad, Jerry, who was a long time Memphis stalwart in the 1970’s. This match took place on November 3, 1986. Yamamoto was a long, long time Memphis fixture who teamed with both Jerry and Jeff. Yamamoto approached the Big Show in the amount of heel and face turns. It’s 10 rounds of boxing but it was two-minute rounds with one minute rest.

Seconding Yamamoto is Akio Sato. Sato wrestled all over the globe as himself or the Great Shinja. He was Hakushi’s second when he was in the WWE in the mid 1990’s. Jerry Jarrett’s second is Jerry Lawler. The stipulation of the match is if Jarrett wins, Yamamoto must say the “Pledge of Allegiance.”

Yamamoto, pudgy as he was, decided to show his footwork and move around Jarrett, Muhammad Ali style. Jarret stood here with his hand down and tried for a jab flick before moving forward on Yamamoto, who got on one knee in the corner. Referee Frank Morrell saw it as a knockdown and administered the count – Yamamoto got up at the five count. Jarrett flew out some more jabs and then bopped Yamamoto on the top of the head with an overhead right (technically illegal in boxing.)
Jarrett did a good job changing the levels of his punch, jabbing to the body and then landing a right to the head. His form disintegrated when he got Yamamoto in the ropes and flung a series of hooks whilst squared up on Yamamoto. Jarrett dropped Yamamoto with an uppercut (whilst holding the back of Yamamoto’s head – also illegal.) Nonetheless, Morrell administered the count as Yamamoto arose at the eight count. Yamamoto managed to land a couple of jabs before Jarrett dropped Yamamoto with a left hook and a right but was not scored a knockdown as the bell rang.

Between the rounds, Sato adjusted Yamamoto’s glove and put something in it – also illegal. Jarrett started to move around and use his jab on Yamamoto. He stayed on the outside and landed a check hook that dropped Yamamoto. Yamamoto arose and charged Jarrett into the ropes. He landed a right hook to the ribs and an overhead right with the loaded glove and Jarrett went to the mat. Jarrett arose at eight but was dropped again with a right hook of Yamamoto (also without the referee checking on Jarrett and not staying in the neutral corner – again – illegal.) Jarrett arose again but was dropped by another Yamamoto right. Jarrett arose but at this point it was a replay of Foreman vs. Frazier I and Yamamoto dropped Jarrett again with another right (whilst holding Jarrett) at the end of the round.

IN the third round, Yamamoto used his jab but Jarrett rushed Yamamoto to the turnbuckle. Yamamoto was facing the crowd a r held. This gave Lawler and opportunity to untie the right glove and it fell into the ring. Lawler grabbed the Object of International Origin and put it into Jarrett’s glove. Yamamoto quickly tried to put it back on his hand and realized what happened. Jarrett laterally moved around the ring and caught Yamamoto with a right hook above Yamamoto’s defense that dropped him. Yamamoto barely arose and Jarrett kept his hands down and walloped Yamamoto with another right hand that dropped Yamamoto for the count and Jarrett was declared the winner.

Abdullah the Butcher (with “Crazy” Luke Wiliams of the Sheepherders/Bushwackers in tow) vs. “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers

We head back to Texas for Southwest Championship Wrestling in 1983 (month unknown) as Abdullah the Butcher replaced another wrestler unmentioned by the announcers. Jaggers was a long time heel in Florida and in Southwest and was the flagbearer for the Sheepherders. He renounced them after an attack when he lost a tag match on July Four when he and Williams lost to Wahoo McDaniel and Sweet Brown Sugar (Skip Young.) Ergo, the blood feud with Williams.

Abdullah wasted no time grabbing his fork and started to carve up Jaggers forehead. Jaggers started up the Muta scale to about a .72 as Butcher continued to stab Jaggers with the fork. Abdullah put the fork away long enough to headbutt Jaggers down and hit the Sudanese Meat Cleaver ( running elbow drop.) The referee long called for a disqualification. The referee finally managed to get in Abdullah’s way but Abdullah slugged him down. Enhancement talent Bob Garcia fecklessly tried to stop Abdullah but Abdullah stabbed Garcia with the fork and then threw him out of the ring.

Abdullah continued to slice away at Jaggers before Carlos Colon (with a chair) and Manny Fernandez saved the day. Abdullah tried to get back in the ring but Williams held him back. Abdullah grabbed Garcia again but Colon used a chair to clobber Abdullah and release Garcia. “Wild” Butch Miller helped his partner, Williams, in subduing Abdullah and getting him backstage and that edition of Southwest Championship Wrestling came to an end.

After another appearance of the Parsons, both “Rock” and Adam, who go over the complex rules of the last match on this volume and hype the next match featuring two icons

Bunkhouse Match: Stan “The Lariat” Hansen vs. “The Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol

Hansen feuded with Idol in the early autumn of 1983 and traded the International Title (Memphis Version.) This match took place in the Mid-Southern Coliseum on October 10, 1983. Idol regained the title the previous week from Hansen in a “bull rope” match (Hansen won the title on September 12 of that year.) Hansen had also won the Pacific Wrestling Federation Heavyweight title a month prior in Japan. Idol was one the most recognized faces in Memphis history and as many, if not more, face and heel turns as Yamamoto.

Hansen, wrestling in a full cowboy shirt and chaps, got the initial upper hand on Idol as the two traded punches but Hansen got a headbutt and then ran Idol into the corner. Hansen mauled Idol in the corner and then hit a knee to the abdomen and a bodyslam. He hit an elbow drop off the ropes and then threw Idol to the floor. He continued to beat on Idol with a series of punches and stomps. He choked Idol on the floor. Hansen got back on the apron and STUCK HIS POSE.

Hansen, still on the apron, kicked and punched Idol from the apron whilst Idol got to his feet. Idol had the wherewithal to grab Hansen’s boot and, after great effort, pulled Hansen to the floor where Idol took the offense to Hansen with his series of punches. He also ran Hansen into the ringpost and then grabbed the barricade rope and choked Hansen with it. He continued to strangle Hansen with it until an eye rake stopped the onslaught.

Idol and Hansen got back in the ring (the barricade rope still around Hansen’s neck) and Hansen, again, put the boots to Idol. Hansen continued to beat on Idol with a series of punches and elbows in the corner. He also choked Idol on the mat with his knee using the ropes as leverage (and audibly laughing at Idol in the process.) He hit a rope-assisted leaping kneedrop on Idol.

Hansen continued to beat on Hansen until Idol got a big shot in the corner that dropped “The Lariat.” Hansen struggled and stumbled to get to his feet as Idol psyched himself up and hit a series of punches to again drop Idol and a foot rake when Hansen fell. Idol continued to beat on Hansen and then grabbed Hansen’s legs and hit a knee drop to the back of the thigh twice.

Hansen went to the floor and Idol pursued him; Idol, again, threw him into the ring. Hansen managed to reach into his boot and grab another rope and strangled Idol with it. Idol desperately tried to fight out of it but dropped to the mat. Referee Paul Martin, long time Memphis referee, tried to break up the strangulation and hit Hansen with a couple of forearms. Hansen took umbrage and calmly explained the rule books to him…I kid, he grabbed the rope and strangled Martin with it.

Meanwhile, Idol recovered and grabbed something out of his boot -a tire iron. Hansen begged for mercy as Idol slowly chased Hansen around the ring with it. Hansen slid out of the ring and ran, closely pursued by Idol. The chase continued until Hansen got into the ring again and booted Idol as he entered, thus dropping the tire iron in the process.

Hansen bodyslammed Idol and then grabbed the tire iron to stab Idol with it. Idol blocked it and Martin finally got free of the rope. Hansen continued to attack Idol until Memphis promoter Eddie Marlin (Jeff’s Grandfather-in-law) tried to break up the fracas. Hansen also took umbrage with that. He kicked Marlin and hit a Lariat Clothesline on Marlin. Idol recovered again and grabbed the tire iron and started to beat Hansen with it. Hansen wanted no part of the assault and ran out of the ring, up the walkway to the back.

Meanwhile, Idol and Martin tended to Marlin. Marlin made to the floor and had security helped to his feet. He stopped by announceranHa’s Lance Russell’s desk and announced Hansen was suspended and through in Memphis Wrestling, thus giving Idol the victory.

We fade out and into the next match, also from Memphis Coliseum:

“Macho Man” Randy Savage (with Angelo Poffo in tow) vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude (with Jimmy Hart in tow.)

This was an opening round match in a September 3, 1984 tournament for a new Cadillac. Savage had turned face a few weeks prior and went back to his father, who was his original manager in Memphis, to counter Hart’s interference. In case you were curious, the “6033” on the back of Poffo’s jacket was a reminder he set a world record of 6033 sit-ups without stopping. Rude was, arguably, the biggest “get” for Memphis in the Memphis/Mid-South Talent trade of 1983.

Before the bell rang, Savage climbed to the top rope and threatened to jump on Rude and Hart who were on the floor, stalling for time. Rude continued to stall in the ring as Saage and Hart hawed at each other. Savage had enough so leapt over the ropes to the floor and chased Hart always up the walkway to the backstage dressing rooms. Savage ran back and got in the ring. Now, Rude took umbrage with Poffo still being at ringside and wanted referee Paul Martin to remove Poffo from the ringside. Hart eventually returned and Rude stalled for time as Savage continued to stalk Rude in the ring.

When the match actually started, the two tested each other in a wristlock and the two battled for position. Rude won (with a distraction from Hart) and grabbed a headlock. Savage quickly got out of it and got Rude on his shoulders and got an Airplane Spin (!.) After multiple rotations, Savage released the hold and Rude staggered on the ropes and fell butt between the ropes to the floor.

Savage grabbed a cup from Poffo and ran to where Rude and Hart were (by the announce table.) Savage jumped on the table, said something to Rude (the audio was muffled) and showered the contents of the cup (confetti) on Rude. Savage and Rude finally got back in the ring and Savage sat on the ropes, beckoning Hart to come into the ring. Savage and Rude locked up and the two backed into the ropes. Rude tried to hit Savage but Savage avoided him and Rude went into the ropes. Savage feigned hitting Rude twice as Rude ducked between the topes.

Hart got on the apron and started arguing with Martin. Savage had enough and grabbed Hart. During the fracas, Rude got behind Savage and kneed him in the back. Rude threw Savage over the top rope but Martin was distracted as Hart argued with him. Martin asked if he threw him over the top which Rude denied. Rude went to the floor and ran Savage into the ring post. Rude got back in the ring and double high-fived Hart. When Savage got back in the ring, Rude punched him repeatedly.

Rude hit Savage with a flurry of elbows and repeatedly ran Savage’s head into the turnbuckles Hart got on the PA and started to taunt Savage and the Memphis fans. Meanwhile, Rude Gorilla Pressed Savage throat first into the ropes. Rude hit a fist drop and then a vertical suplex. Rude dropped a knee to the back of Savages’ leg and then dropped him with a clothesline off the ropes.
Rude arrogantly walked around the ring and polished Martin’s head. However, Savage again rallied and reversed a whip into the ropes into a backdrop. Savage hit a knee to the torso and then started to punch Rude. An elbow drop sent Rude to his knees and then Savage ran Rude into the corner and repeatedly ran Rude’s head into the turnbuckle. Savage grabbed Rude by the nose and then threw Rude between the ropes to the floor. Savage ascended to the top rope and hit the flying axe handle to Rude.

Savage grabbed a chair form ringside and threatened to hit Rude with it. Hart flew to his charge’s position and wrested the chair from Savage and ran to the other side. Nonetheless, Savage threw Rude back into the ring and – again – climbed to the top rope and hit a flying body press on Rude. There was a slight problem, Martin had left the ring and went after Hart (who was brawling with Poffo.) King Kong Bundy made his way ringside, climbed in the ring and nailed Savage Bundy with an Object of International Origin. Rude got to his feet hit an elbow drop and pinned Savage (as Martin conveniently made his way to the ring and counted the pin whilst standing on the floor.)

For our final bout of the volume, we move just southeast on I-22 to Continental Championship and the Main Event of a April 7, 1986 TV taping at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama.

14 men, Two Ring, Triple Chance Battle Royal

This is was the match the Parsons described (as did announcer Gordon Solie.) The wrestlers start in one ring. They must be eliminated by being thrown into the second ring (if not, they can re-enter.) If eliminated from the second ring, they’re done. But wait, there’s more. When there are two wrestlers left in the first ring, they can stop. When there are two wrestlers left in the second ring, they can stop. At that point, there is a tag match between the ring one and ring two finalists and the winner of the tag match split $50,000. Got it? Good. There will be a quiz at the end.

Amongst the luminaries in the match are Tommy Rich, Jimmy Golden, Ron Fuller, Mr. Wrestling II, Wendell Cooley, The Bullet (Bob Armstrong,) Brad Armstrong, Jerry Stubbs and many more. All the combatants are in the ring to the right. Solie tried to call the action but one can imagine the difficulty. Mr. Wrestling II was waffled with a shot and sat on the apron holding the ropes. At one point, six men dogpiled another competitor but we don’t get names. One wrestler flew over the top rope but injured his arm and had to be helped to the backstage area.

The first two wrestlers to hit ring two were II and the Bullet. Prior to the match (not shown on video but seen on YouTube,) “The Tennessee Stud” Ron Fuller said if someone unmasked Bullet and it was Armstrong, he would be suspended. Naturally, II went after the mask of Bullet. Bullet snapmared out of it and started to remove the mask of Mr. Wrestling II. Ted Oates, who was thrown into the second ring, held Bullet for II to slut him but II slugged the other Oates. Bullet then threw II over the top rope. Oates promptly threw Bullet over the top. II and Bullet continued to trade punches and brawled on the floor until the referees broke up the melee.

Bill Tabb (long time WCW enhancement talent) was the next into ring two. Solie also found time to say hi to the Hood family in Hartsville, Alabama who were enjoying the matches. Wrestlers started to head into the second ring, including Brad Armstrong but was quickly eliminated, as was Oates. Jerry Stubbs and Brad fought on the floor after Armstrong was eliminated. Solie informed us that they had to go to commercial break but will be back (the machines kept rolling if the match somehow ended.)

When we return, we are down to four men, three in the first ring, Tommy Rich, “Lucious” Robert Fuller and “Gorgeous” Jimmy Golden (who just happened to be part of the “Stud Stable” with Ron Fuller.)Frankie “The Thumper” Lancaster was the sole second ring denizen. Lancaster received a few upper card pushes and was tag champs in the World Class area with Eric Embry and Brian Adias; Texas All-Star Wrestling Tag champ with Paul Diamond and a three-time World Wrestling Council tag champ with Cooley.)

Fuller threw Rich into the second ring. Lancaster, a heel, started to beat on Rich. When the tag match started in the first ring, Fuller called Lancaster aside and talked to Lancaster. Lancaster promptly left, leaving Rich alone with the Stud Stable. Unsurprisingly, Rich was bleeding as Robert Fuller beat on Rich. Ron Fuller, meanwhile, grabbed the mic and said the money is as good as theirs and they got the money.

Rich tried to rally as Robert attempted to ram his head into the turnbuckles. Robert crawled to the corner and tagged Golden. Golden threw Rich into the ropes but Rich reversed a backdrop into a sunset flip for two-and-a-fraction. Golden threw Rich into the turnbuckles and tagged Robert Fuller. Robert ran Rich into the big boot of Golden for two-and-a-fraction. Rich attempted to rally again and slugged away whilst on his knees. Rich got a small package rollup until Fuller interrupted the tag. Rich again rallied with a series of shots until Fuller threw Rich into the ropes and both men collided and crumpled to the mat.

Golden got in the ring whilst Ron Fuller tried to revive Robert Fuller. Golden hit a neckbreaker and grabbed Rich on the ropes for a Stunner. However, Rich’s cousin, Johnny, came to ringside and stood on the apron whilst the referee was admonishing Ron Fuller for helping his brother. Golden crashed to the mat and Tommy Rich fell on top of Golden (Johnny crawled under the ring apron.) The referee saw the pin, counted it and Tommy Rich walked away with the $50,000 prize.

Post-Match: Johnny emerged from under the ring to celebrate with his brother and helped him up the rampway. The Stud Stable were beside themselves and had a tantrum in the ring

We get some closing remarks from the Parsons who summarized the volume’s action and talked up the stars and promoters of the events and we end the volume.

Superjacent Thoughts

One: Savage and Rude put on a display of effective stalling. The match went 10 minutes and 15 seconds, but the in-ring action was a small fraction of that. However, given the action during the stalling they did enough to keep the audience of nearly 6800 people invested in Savage getting a hold of Hart and Rude’s attempt to thwart Savage’s attacks. To paraphrase the Simpsons, there was enough happening on the road whilst you made your way to the fireworks factory that you didn’t notice.

Two: Savage was just incredibly fluid in the ring and amazingly athletic. I had never really seen his pre-WWE(F) work until the Internet and YouTube services emerged years later, but even now he knew how to mix athleticism into telling a story and the psychology of it all. People sometimes balk at his meticulous match lay-out but, to his defense, he laid out incredible matches for years (bangers as the kids say.)

Three: You could see Rude starting to get the full gist of his character that he carried pretty much for the rest of his career. This stretch was important and the psychology he learned here carried him into Florida, World Class, the WWE(F) and beyond. I would love to have seen a program worked between the two when both were in the WWE(F). In case you were wondering, Rude lost the next match in the tournament to Jimmy Valiant. Valiant would beat Bundy in the finals for the Cadillac.

Four: One could also see why Jerry Jarrett was held in such esteem in wrestling circles as a booker and for his wrestling mind. People sometimes balk that he was brought in as a consultant for the WWE(F) when McMahon was on trial but one could see his talent for connecting with the audiences at the time (his low payoffs notwithstanding.)

Five: Abdullah the Butcher scared me as a young wreslting fan. I know hardcore matches are still in existence in wrestling and there is still blood to be spilled; however, the simplicity of Abudllah’s onslaught and his crazed persona added a sense of realism to that genre. One did not need all the spots and furniture (or medical equipment) to get the point. It was – and still is – not my cup of tea but there was real fear with the likes of Abdullah and even a “Maniac” Mark Lewin.

Six: I remember Jaggers as a heel and his face turn during the feud with the Sheepherders. The crowd popped hard for it and sometimes a good, experienced hand is needed to really capture the gravitas of it. I had followed him in the Apter mags in Florida and was glad to see him finally wrestle as both heel and face. He knew how to communicate his persona in the ring. Unfortunately, by the time this match occurred, he already had a bunch of miles on him and his effectiveness started to dwindle. However, he knew the role and the audience so that carried him to retirement.

Seven: Full credit to Hansen for flying from Japan to Memphis to defend the PWF title and the AWA International Title. Hansen consistently proved that his reputation was warranted as a man who would travel to all parts United States as long as he could keep Japan commitments. This was a great way to get his payday here, keep Idol fresh and then leave with a plausible excuse.

Eight: Give Memphis credit for not being afraid to bring in the big stars to help freshen up the product (it helps when people saw Verne Gagne as someone that they could play ball.) At the same time as Hansen’s appearance, Jesse Ventura held the Southern Title and had a nice, quick feud with Jerry Lawler. We also had Ken Patera make an appearance for a quick feud earlier in the year and Nick Bockwinkel would duck in from time to time for an American Wrestling Association title defense (usually against Lawler.)

Nine: Rich was a great localized phenomenon that could only play in the South. At this point, Rich’s physique started to alter as the hedonism started to catch up to him. However, as noted earlier, he knew the audience and what would fly with them. He was the quintessential southern babyface that could not really fly anywhere else. He would have been run out of the building had it been Philadelphia, PA and not Philadelphia, MS.

Ten: The Stud Stable was another example of good hands who knew (and born) into the business and could deliver what the fans wanted. Over the top histrionics (Ron Fuller was fantastic at that on the mic, despite dipping into race baiting which was a Southern Heel trope,) and sneaky heel tactics were performed nicely by the gang.

Eleven: Someone brought it up during the Royal Rumble watch but it does help when we get announcements of people who were eliminated in battle royals. Solie was not giving names and made it difficult to watch (as most traditional royales are) until the ring announcer indicated who got eliminated and you could backtrack to connect the dots.

Lastly: Per the first match, as a person who belongs to a boxing gym and spars when not rehabbing injuries allow me to say that YOU DON”T PLAY BOXING. That is all.

Keep Fighting the Good Fight.