Saherrin Reviews: Greatest Tag Teams 1979-1980

Okay, since there was clamoring for some old-school Memphis wrestling tag action in wake of Dennis Condrey’s passing, I decided to dig deep into the archives and find some totally Tubi-lar Wrestling Action. In this case, it is a feature on Memphis tag teams from 1979-1980 (more or less.) Be prepared to see the Honky Tonk Man (pre-Honky Tonk,) Eddie Gilbert (pre-Hot Stuff,) Koko Ware (pre-Birdman,) and the chaotic litany of schmozapaloozas that could be found here. So, get ready for some action from the territory that made tag team wrestling an art form and it comes (like the song goes) All the Way from Memphis.

As always, the venerable and iconic Lance Russell and Dave Brown are at the announce studio. The exact dates are hard to find but triangulated to its show date.

We start at the WMC studio on March 15, 1980 with Russell interviewing the Assassins – at least, the Memphis version. Whilst most of the wrestling world (most notably Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas) were used to seeing Jody Hamilton and Tom Renesto Sr under the masks, this was Roger Smith and Randy Colley. Colley would gain notoriety later in the 1980’s as Moondog Rex. The other Assassin was Roger Smith, who had a litany of gimmicks in Memphis and in the Southern Territories, most notably as Dusty Rhodes knockoff, Dirty Rhodes (for the record, he did look the part.)

Much like the other Assassins, there were accusations of using International Objects in the mask to defeat their opponents. Assassin One (Colley) said this is a collection of falsehoods and that his partner just happens to have one of the hardest heads in wrestling. In fact, a demonstration is in order. To the side of the table are a couple of boards laid across two concrete blocks. Assassin Two is going to break them.

Before he does, Assassin Two said they have an upcoming match on TV. They are outclassed and it is their duty to put them where they belong. Rest assured, after the match, the board demonstration will occur – they need the blood and adrenaline flowing to perform it. We then go to said match

The Assassins vs. Steve Regal and Rick Morton

Steve Regal is not THAT Steve Regal but the one who won the AWA Tag title with Jim Garvin over the Road Warriors. Rick Morton is THAT Rick(y) Morton, though, just not in the Rock and Roll Express gear. Assassin One and Regal start the match with Regal but Regal thwarts Assassin One’s offense. Two is tagged and does not fare much better. Russell dipped into Jim Ross’ territory by extoling the accolades Regal had at Indiana State University (the conversation turns quickly to Larry Bird.) Regal got an arm bar but Assassin One tagged.

Regal continued to stymie any attempts of the Assassins to go on the attack and focused on the arm. Morton tagged and continued to work the arm. Morton slid under Assassin Two twice to deliver a dropkick (not quite as lethal without Gibson but still landed clean.) It’s more of the same as Assassin One tagged and attempted to rush Morton in the corner after lifting him and throwing him there but Morton moved.

Eventually, the Assassins got things together and started to maul Morton, hitting a boot to the torso off the ropes. Assassin One gorilla pressed Morton into a backbreaker but Morton got his foot on the ropes. Morton tried to fight his way to a tag but Assassin Two tagged and dropped Morton with a shoulder block off the ropes.

Morton, always good for a hope crawl and tag, did just that as hit Assassin Two with a back elbow and then leapt to tag Regal. Regal hit a great dropkick off the ropes. However, the rally was short lived after Regal collided with Assassin Two and both fell to the mat.

While the referee checked on Regal, the Assassins switched on the floor and Assassin One loaded the mask. However, Ken Lucas (long time staple in the southern territories) and Billy Robinson (a great, underrated British wrestler) stormed the mat to prevent further malice. Also, it just so happened that the two teams were embroiled in a hot feud during the mid-to-late winter of 1980. The match was ended in a double disqualification.

Post-Match: It’s Memphis, so it’s a schmozapalooza. Lucas, Robinson and the Assassins brawled on the studio floor. Robinson and Assassin One fought by the announce desk. Robinson grabbed the boards and smashed them over the Assassin’s head. Despite Russell’s plea (and Brown’s constant ringing of the bell) the brawl continued. Assassin Two grabbed a piece of the board and went after Lucas, who was in he ring. Lucas wrested the board from the Assassin and attacked him; splintering the board even more as he hit him in the abdomen and the head.

Assassin Two bailed to the floor and now Lucas and Robinson teamed on Assassin One. Lucas continued to wallop the Assassin with the board and Robinson reached under the mask for the object. Morton and Regal were cheering on the faces to the point they collided heads. Assassin One got out of there early holding on to the mask. We did not get the Assassin demonstration, sadly.

It’s more future stars as we get our next tag match:

Dutch Mantel and Wayne Farris (with Jimmy Hart in tow) vs. Eddie Gilbert and Koko Ware

This is another studio match from March 7, 1981. It was a television time limit match, regardless of the amount falls in the match. Gilbert is still early in his career before he goes to World Wrestling Federation a year later. Wayne Farris is better known as The Honky Tonk Man (and part of the Blonde Bombers with Larry Latham AKA Moondog Spot.) Koko Ware is, well “The Birdman” Koko B. Ware and Dutch Mantel is as well known in Memphis as Jerry Lawler (more on him later) and Bill Dundee (for newer fans, he was Uncle Zebekiah and Zeb Colter in the WWE.)

Mantell and Gilbert start the match but Farris is quickly tagged. Neither of the heels had much luck against Gilbert as the two frequently tagged only to fall prey to Gilbert’s armlocks. Gilbert finally tagged Ware who continued the attack and sent Farris to the at with a headlock takedown. Mantell tagged but didn’t have much luck, either as Ware hip tossed Mantell off the ropes and applied a headlock takeover.

Farris tagged again but Ware hit a beautiful dropkick off the ropes. Farris scurried to other ropes for a timeout. Gilbert tagged back into the match but the First Family members finally got some sustained offense with some skullduggery (hair pulls by Farris) and a backbreaker by Mantell. Mantell and Farris beat on Gilbert and Farris got the big boot off the ropes. The heels continued to make quick tags and kept Gilbert in peril. Mantell grabbed an abdominal stretch (with Farris providing leverage by pulling on Mantell’s arm.)

Gilbert finally got a hope spot as he kicked Farris who was attempting a backdrop. Ware tagged and was a birdcage of fire. He beat on Farris on Farris in the corner. However, it was short lived as Farris held on to the ropes and Ware missed a dropkick. It was a two elbows that sealed the deal for the heels. A back elbow off the ropes for Farris and a flying elbowdrop off the ropes by Mantell got the fall.

Ware recovered and started the second fall with Mantell. The heels kept Ware in their corner and took turns mauling Ware in their corner. Mantell got another backbreaker, body slam and running knee drop on Ware. Farris entered the match and continued the beating until Ware crawled under his legs and around the ring to tag Gilbert (Mantell also tagged into the match.) Gilbert was a house on fire and beat on Mantell around the ring and hit a flying knee in the corner. A second running knee proved fatal as Mantell moved out of the way. Farris tagged into the match, climbed to the second rope and hit a (sort of) flying elbow drop for the pin (Ware arrived just a nanosecond too late.)

Between the second and third fall, Hart and the family took umbrage with referee Jerry Calhoun and continued to argue with Calhoun as we cut to Russell and Brown talking about the action and we fade to black.

We go one week later to the WMC studios for our next match:

Wayne Farris and Dutch Mantell (with Jimmy Hart in tow) vs. “Superstar” Bill Dundee and “Dream Machine” Troy Graham

We intro to the match with Hart mentioning Farris will take the place of “The Angel” (long time Memphis staple Frank Morrell under a mask.) Graham was another attempt of recreating Dusty Rhodes (albeit more svelte.) He most known for an on-air assault angle on Russell in later in the year. This is another television time limit match.

Despite Russell and Brown extoling the virtues of Mantell, it is Dundee who gets the upper hand with a headlock takeover. He also slugged Farris as Dundee came off the ropes. Dundee controlled the early action, despite Mantell’s hair pulling. The Dream Machine tagged and continued the ode de headlocks, followed by stomping on Mantell’s back off the ropes.

Dundee tagged back into the match and hit Mantell with a running kick to the stomach. Mantell finally got the advantage with an eye rake and then beat Dundee along the ropes. Farris tagged but Dundee quickly regained the advantage with a series of (we’ll call them) punches. Farris tried to regain the advantage in the corner but Dundee regained it with a boot in the corner. Dundee also got a two count from a flying reverse bodypress off the turnbuckles until Mantell interrupted the pin.

Both partners tagged but Graham regained the upper hand with a series of punches and some shimmying. Mantell tried to regain the advantage but missed a running knee into the corner. Farris tagged and Graham taunted him with some more shimmying and some weird tongue action (even weirder than Dutch from the Righteous.)

Farris and Graham brawled in the corner but Graham, again, got the upper hand and scampered Farris out of the corner. Dundee tagged and both he and Graham double backdropped Farris off the ropes. Mantell got into the fracas as did Graham. Farris and Dundee brawled on the mat. Farris snapped Dundee’s neck on the ropes with an elevated catapult, but Graham interrupted the pin.

Farris beta tested the “Shake, Rattle and Roll” for a two count on Dundee. Dundee tried to rally but Mantell tagged and hit a backbreaker for a two count. A loud “Go, Bill, Go” chant emerged as Dundee and Mantell collided in the ring. Graham tried to help but Mantell was too close to the ropes. Graham tagged and pummeled Mantell off the ropes.

Graham bodyslammed Mantell and tagged Dundee. Dundee beat on Mantell until Mantell had enough. Mantell slugged Calhoun in the corner and that drew a disqualification. Dundee and Graham won the first fall and shimmying abounded.

We come back from a break for the second fall. Mantell and Farris took their time getting back into the ring but Mantell and Dundee started the second fall. Whilst Mantell and Farris mauled Dundee in the corner, we get a “get well soon” from Russell for David Ferguson, a famous referee in the area from soon.

Meanwhile, Dundee managed to grab a side headlock from Farris. Farris managed to work his way back into the corner but Dundee continued to fend off both Farris and Mantell. Farris hit the Greco-Roman stomp on the hand and tagged Farris. Graham tagged and Farris gain control by kicking Dundee when the “Superstar” attempted a backdrop. Mantell tagged and continued the offense with a body slam and a elbow drop off the ropes.

Farris tagged after Mantell missed a knee drop and Graham regained the momentum when he blocked a backdrop with his boot and hit a flying elbow smash off the ropes and a legdrop for two. Dundee tagged and attacked both Farris and Mantell, who tagged. We reached the point where we get to the schmozapalooza and Dundee and Mantell oblige as they fight on the apron and around the floor by the announce table. Graham choked Farris on the apron. Calhoun saw enough and called for the double count out, which didn’t faze the combatants as they continue to brawl as we hit the commercial bumper music.

Jimmy Valiant and Bill Dundee vs. “Mr. C” Dennis Condrey and “Dr. D” David Schultz (with JimmyHart in tow)

This match aired on March 1, 1980 in the WMC-TV studios. Valiant was wearing the crown as Russell and Brown called him the “King.” So, some quick backstory is due, methinks. Valiant and Lawler were top heels in the Memphis in late 1979 and early 1980. On February 3, 1980, Lawler broke his leg in a touch football game. Hart, manager of the duo, promptly turned on Lawler and buried him on TV – causing to Valiant to turn face (note Lawler was out for just about all of 1980.) This is why Valiant is now the “king.” .

Valiant, is his cogent, logical manner, said he was King of the United States and called himself “Star Wars.” He continued by saying he is the only man to reunite the Beatles (ummm..about that.) and the only person to reunite Bill Dundee and “Star Wars” Jimmy Valiant (insert “Forget it, he’s rolling” GIF here.)

Condrey and Schultz are already in the ring and Schultz’ perm is incredible – it’s about a 1.0 on the Bob Ross scale. Condrey was a multiple tag champ in the 1970’s – most notably with Phil Hickerson as the Bicentennial Kings. He is also a sight to behold with hair that made him look like a Molly Hatchet roadie and the words “First Class” on the back of his trunks with three dollar signs. The match almost started but Valiant called a quick time out as he put his crown and necklace on Russell and Brown’s announce table.

Dundee and Schultz started the match. Dundee took quick advantage of Schultz and controlled Schultz with an armlock. Valiant tagged and managed to strut and threaten Schultz in the heels’ corner. Condrey tagged and started to brawl with Valiant. We hear the crowd stir and see Jimmy Hart scurry to the announce desk, steal the crown and necklace and scurry out of the studio. Valiant continued to beat on Condrey but Dundee and the crowd alerted him to what happened.

Valiant seemed nonplussed and backdropped Condrey. He backed Dundee into the faces’ corner and into a shot by Dundee. Dundee dropped Condrey with a series of (again, we will call them) punches. Shcultz interrupted a pin. Schultz and Condrey gained the advantage and Condrey hit a big backdrop of his own until Valiant interrupted the pin.

Condrey mauled Dundee in the corner and hit a gutwrench suplex. Condrey went for the pin but the referee was still trying to restrain Valiant, who was accosting Schultz out of his corner. Schultz tagged into the match and locked a chinlock as a loud “Go, Bill, Go” chant emerged. And go he went; he broke the hold and dropped Shcultz with a series of punches and a bodyslam. Valiant tagged and hit the Greco-Roman eye poke in the corner. Valiant continued to aul Schultz in the corner. Valiant tagged Dundee and – after distracting the referee – slugged Schultz from the top rope (your faces, ladies and gentlemen.)

Condrey tagged and immediately begged for mercy and for a display of good sportsmanship. Dundee shook his hand and promptly kicked Schultz in the gut (your faces, ladies and gentlemen.) Dundee got a two count from a knee drop, but Condrey finally got to rally by hitting a back suplex. Both combatants collided in the ring but Condrey managed to tag Schultz.

Schultz grabbed Dundee and waited for Condrey to hit him in the far corner. However, the referee was caught up trying to control “Mr. C” and Valiant. When the referee focused on Valiant, Condrey tried to hit Dundee but Dundee moved and Condrey slugged “Dr. D.” Dundee and Valiant grabbed the heels and ran them into each other in the middle of the ring. Valiant mauled Condrey but referee Jerry Calhoun had to restrain him, which gave Condrey and opportunity to knee Dundee in the back. W

Shcultz regained the momentum after the move and hit a running kick off the ropes. Valiant and had enough and started to attack Schultz, which gave Condrey time to beat on Dundee. Condrey was going to leap on Dundee but the referee luckily caught it. Schultz put the boots to Dundee in the corner and when Schultz and Valiant started to attack each other, Condrey choked Dundee in the corner.

Condrey legally tagged and dropped Dundee with a clothesline off the ropes (a nice one, at that) for two-and-a-fraction. Condrey continued to choke Dundee on the ropes. Schultz tagged and hit an elbow smash from the second rope and a leg drop got another two count. Dundee tried to rally and managed to make Schultz miss a forearm drop but Schultz tagged Condrey.

Condrey grabbed an abdominal stretch and Valiant did not help his team’s cause by running into the ring and interfering with Condrey. As the referee restrained Valiant yet again, Schultz came off the second rope and nailed Dundee with a forearm smash. Dundee tried to rally once more, reversing a Condrey piledriver attempt into a backdrop and a running bodysplash got two.

Valiant tagged and the crowd erupted. He ran Condrey into the turnbuckles and into Schultz. Valiant continued to beat on Condrey and Dundee came into the ring and we get another schmozapalooza. This time, Valiant and Dundee got the heels in a bulldog position but ran their heads into each other. Valiant got a two count on Schultz and another pin attempt was missed as Calhoun had to restrain Dundee. With 15 seconds left, Valiant applied..a nerve hold? The bell rang indicating a draw but that was not enough for Dundee, who applied a sleeperhold on Schultz. Calhoun managed to get Dundee off Schultz as we go to break.

Long Distance Information:

One: Here is what I love about Memphis wrestling and it is why I love wrestling in the smaller venues and even the TV studios. Russell and Brown narrated the events wonderfully but didn’t come up with flashy names for most moves or some elongated backstory. However, the fans were rabidly into it. The wrestlers played to the crowd and made everyone feel like they had a vested interest in the happenings.

Two: The cool thing about this is seeing how everything intertwined in a short period of time. Eventually, Lucas and Robinson won the feud and the Assassins disappeared. They held the tag titles until defeated by Paul Ellering and Sheik Ali Hassan. When those titles were vacated (Ellering won the Southern Heavyweight Title – Memphis version.) So, a tourney was held in April of 1980, where Lucas and Robinson made it to the finals only to lose to Schultz and Condrey.

Three: Mantell was the proverbial good hand and was just great in the ring. Everything came fluid and was just crisp and clean in the ring. One could see how he was trusted wherever he went and whatever role he had – be it face or heel.

Four: The only thing that Memphis could be blamed was cribbing from other wrestlers. It was easier to do since cable TV was, by and large, in its infancy at the time (and the Apter magazines were just starting to roll off the presses.) However, Memphis cribbed the Assassins (even to style of mask) and Dusty Rhodes. As the 1980’s progressed, Memphis would still suffer from that with various wrestling tropes (and horror movie tropes.) The strange part was their original ideas were spectacular and would give the wrestling gimmicks a shelf life that would last for years and years.

Five: I went back and forth on Valiant but still find him weirdly entertaining – not great in the ring, but entertaining. Wrestling had myriad faces and heels at the time, each one was unique. A lot of fans argue about the cookie cutter wrestlers now but that was not the case then. To use a modern example, I find Shiloh Hill entertaining (and good in the ring.) He has a unique character for a face. Valiant was that during the time frame (although his natural charisma would be usurped in the mid-1980’s and he was running on the hits versus new, creative things.)

Six: You could see Morton already expertly crafting ring psychology. Memphis at this time was just an incredible haven for young talent with Morton, Ware and Gilbert getting work into the ring.

Tune in next time for Jerry Lalwer as a face and a heel. We get the Blonde Bombers; Mr. Fuji gets a run in Memphis and an iconic brawl whose impact is still being felt to this day. Until next time – Keep fighting the good fight.