MId-South Wrestling 07.10.1982

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Airdate: July 10, 1982 (taped 07/07)

Attendance: unknown

Hosted by Boyd Pierce & the Assassin

How will Ladd and Robley fare against Roop and Harris? What happens with JYD and Olympia in the ring? Can Barr upset DiBiase? Who’s the NEW Louisiana champion? No need to push and shove as your favorite time of the week is here!

Opening montage.

**THIS JUST IN** On July 6 in Baton Rouge, LA, Killer Khan won the Louisiana title in a single-elimination tournament. According to Pro Wrestling History, these are the results:

Qualifying round

1.       One Man Gang defeated “Dr. Death” Steve Williams.

2.       JYD beat Bob Roop.

3.       Grappler defeated Colonel Buck Robley.

4.       Assassin beat Mr. Olympia.

5.       “Iron” Mike Sharpe defeated Vinnie Romeo.

6.       The “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd beat Hangman Harris.

Quarterfinals

1.       Killer Khan defeated “Iron” Mike Sharpe.

2.       Ladd defeated One Man Gang.

3.       JYD beat Grappler.

Semifinals

1.       Killer Khan defeated Ladd.

2.       JYD beat Assassin.

Final

Khan defeated JYD.

Ring announcer Reisor Bowden interviews Ellering who believes in many things including foot-long hot dogs. To teach children how to exercise this week, Ellering has them performing chin-ups then performs his own with a child wrapped around him. Unfortunately, the audio for this segment wasn’t paired well with music as the latter drowned the former out quite a bit.

Match 1: “Precious” Paul Ellering versus Billy Starr

Highlights:

Ellering dropkicked Starr, thwarted Starr’s shenanigans, and hip-tossed him across the ring. When Starr gave Ellering a cross corner whip, he came up empty on his follow-through. Ellering reversed a cross corner whip and dealt Starr a back drop. As he clotheslined Starr, Ellering unloaded a clubbing double axe handle. He flummoxed Starr with a hangman’s neckbreaker and pinned him at 4:43.

Rating: *

Summary: Quite the comeback match for Ellering. Now we know why Road Warrior Hawk had that neckbreaker in his arsenal.

Match 2 (non-title): Mid-South North American champion Ted DiBiase versus Jesse Barr

Highlights:

DiBiase rolled up Barr and got 2. As he leapfrogged Barr, DiBiase blasted him with a crushing forearm shiver. Barr responded with a monkey flip and a dropkick. When DiBiase responded by pounding him with his black glove, he gave Barr a cross corner whip and a back elbow. He powerslammed Barr and landed a fist drop. After he hooked a figure-four leg lock, DiBiase won by submission at 4:33.

Rating: *

Summary: Barr had some moxie, but DiBiase’s experience and aggression took him down.

Match 3 (non-title): Mid-South World tag team champions Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia versus the Grappler & Bill Ash

Highlights:

JYD slammed Ash and knocked him into the middle of 1984.

When tags were exchanged on both sides, Olympia leapfrogged Grappler before hip-tossing him. Ash interjected himself but ate a hip toss too. As Hip Toss Heaven continued, the heels retreated to the concrete floor. Ash tagged in and dealt Olympia a pair of knee lifts.

After Olympia escaped a slam attempt, he locked a sleeper upon Ash. All four wrestlers were in the ring, and referee Alfred Neely admonished JYD for leaving his corner. While that transpired, Grappler tripped Olympia coming off the ropes. How dastardly! Grappler tagged in, yet Akbar and Duggan arrived to get a closer look.

Suplexing Olympia, Grappler got 2. All four wrestlers were in the ring again, and Grappler split Olympia in two with a backbreaker for another 2. Tagging in, Ash unloaded another knee lift. Grappler tagged in and slammed Olympia. Rejoining the match in rapid fashion, Ash mounted the second turnbuckle, leaped, but ate a mid-air monkey flip. Hot tag JYD. Foiling a double-team, JYD clotheslined Ash. Grappler, in the meantime, loaded his boot. SNEAKY!

Although Grappler tried to prevent JYD from powerslamming Ash, Olympia recovered to trap him in a sleeper. 1-2-3. JYD and Olympia won at 4:36.

Rating: **

Summary: Solid use of the tag formula to bait the crowd’s anticipation of JYD as the hot tag man.

Match 4: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan versus Vinnie Romeo

Highlights:

For those unaware, Romeo also performed enhancement work in both Florida and Mid-Atlantic. Duggan dealt Romeo a back elbow and got 2. As he planted Romeo with a shoulder breaker, Duggan got another 2. Romeo dropkicked Duggan and gave Duggan a cross corner whip. When Duggan reversed another cross corner whip, Romeo leaped to the second turnbuckle. He attempted a cross body block but botched it horribly.

After Duggan sandwiched him in a pair of corners, he split Romeo in two with a backbreaker and pinned him. Duggan won at 5:00.

Rating: *

Summary: Rugged, high-impact showcase match for Duggan.

Match 5 (non-title): Mid-South Louisiana champion Killer Khan (w/ General Skandor Akbar) versus Buddy Landel

Highlights:

Khan guillotined Landel with the top rope and thwarted a cross body block. When he slammed Landel, Khan mounted the second turnbuckle and launched a flying knee drop. 1-2-3. Khan won at 2:40.

Rating: ½*

Summary: Landel had ZERO chance whatsoever.

Match 6: One Man Gang (w/ General Skandor Akbar) versus Coco Samoa

Highlights:

Gang gave Coco a cross corner whip, yet Coco scampered back to the original corner. As he leaped to the second turnbuckle, Coco leaped but there wasn’t any water in the pool. Gang slammed Coco and landed a pair of elbow drops. 1-2-3. Gang won at 2:10.

Rating: DUD

Summary: Complete contrast of styles as Gang mauled Coco here.

Match 7: The “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd & Colonel Buck Robley versus Bob Roop & Hangman Harris

Highlights:

Robley countered an arm bar by Roop with a slam. When Ladd tagged in, he gave Roop a standing choke. He must have REALLY hated that sport coat. Nonetheless, Harris tagged in, but Ladd hip-tossed him. As he pinballed Harris into him, Roop completely fell out of the ring onto the concrete floor. Ladd slammed Harris and tagged out.

After Robley dealt him a back elbow, he fed Harris a swinging neckbreaker for 2. Roop interjected himself from the apron and guillotined Robley with the top rope. Nefarious! While Roop tagged in, he landed a leg drop to Robley, brother. Harris tagged in, slammed Robley, but missed a knee drop. Tagging in, Roop scored with an elbow drop. Harris tagged in again, but Robley somehow, some way, made the…

Hot tag Ladd.

Upon conducting a meeting of the minds, Ladd got tied up in the ropes. A hyper Robley planted an elbow smash upon each heel, reversed an Irish whip, and sent Roop into a big boot by the still wrangled Ladd. Following a back drop by Ladd, Robley stymied Harris with an elbow drop. Ladd destroyed Harris with a leg drop and pinned him. As a result, Ladd and Robley won at 3:56.

Rating: **

Summary: The tag formula worked again as the hot tag to Ladd pumped up the Shreveport faithful, and the babyfaces demolished the heels much to their delight.

Conclusion: A solid pair of tag matches makes this episode quite a bit of fun. In addition, Ellering offers both education and eccentricity. Lastly, DiBiase, Duggan, Khan, and Gang won their enhancement matches in impressive fashion. Did I mention the tag matches were a great pair?

Next week, the Mississippi title gets defended as Olympia defends against Roop! Methinks Roop’s name is mud.

TV Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for MSW 07-17-82!

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