The SmarK Rant for Memphis Wrestling – 03.15.86

The SmarK Rant for Memphis Wrestling – 03.15.86

Been a minute since I reviewed this show.

Taped from Memphis, TN

Your hosts are Lance Russell & Dave Brown

Paul Diamond & Michael Lee v. The Masked Patriot & Benny Trailer

Diamond was a known guy at this point but I’m not familiar with Michael Lee. Diamond works on Trailer’s arm to start and it’s over to Lee as they’re doing a standard Memphis babyface act here. Lee doesn’t even have a Cagematch profile so I doubt he was around for long. Patroit comes in and the babyfaces double-team his arm for a bit, and Diamond gets a legdrop for two. Legsweep into a rollup finishes at 2:08. Diamond looked good as usual here and Lee was whatever.

Meanwhile, Rick Casey defends the International title against Abdul Gadaffi in the Mid-South Coliseum. We get highlights from the match with Casey getting the shine for the most part before walking into a stungun. Casey with the comeback off a samoan drop, but Gadaffi hangs him in the ropes and pins him to win the title. The terrorist gimmick was so dumb that it barely ever made TV but Wendell Cooley was on the way out and back to Alabama so they had to get the title off him, I assume. Dan Miller had literally been around the business since the 50s and the Gadaffi thing was his last hurrah before retiring a couple of months later.

Meanwhile, Billy Travis wants the first title match at Gadaffi, now that his winning percentage has gone from 20% to 60%.

Meanwhile, Lance runs down the Evansville card this week, with the Fantastics facing the Mod Squad again for the tag team titles. Also the main event is Dutch Mantel & Jerry Lawler v. Buddy Landel & Bill Dundee.

Dutch Mantel v. Keith Eric

Dutch is good and pissed off at Bill & Buddy right now, and he decides to take it out on the poor jobber. Dutch with a slam and he pulls Eric down by the hair and roughs him up with the boots before taking him down and dropping knees on the arm. Eric tries a comeback and Dutch cuts him off and finishes with the MX at 2:05.

Meanwhile, Jerry Lawler joins us via satellite and announces that he can’t make it back for the TV show today because he’s still working through some commitments he can’t get out of. So Jerry talks about how his parents taught him not to hate anyone because there’s always an ounce of good in everyone. But not in Dundee. Beating up a 17 year old kid is the work of a COWARD. And then going after Jerry Jarrett’s eyeball is even worse.

Bill Dundee & Buddy Landel v. Jim Jameson & David Haskins

Dundee immediately slugs Jameson down and it’s over to Buddy. Haskins tries to come in and Buddy beats the crap out of him with knees and Dundee adds more of the same before choking him out on the mat. Dundee wraps him up and talks trash, and then they haul Jameson in for more abuse on him. Bill puts Jameson down with an elbow and Lance GOES OFF on him for ruining a good sport with his nonsense last week. Dundee slugs Jameson some more and powerslams him, and Buddy comes in with a stiff chop before going to a chinlock as Jameson is bleeding from the mouth now. And Dundee pins him with one foot on the throat at 4:50. And then they take the poor guy to the desk and continue beating on him in front of Lance while cutting a promo on Jerry Lawler. Lance: “You’re gonna have to face him soon!” And Bill keeps punching the guy down, drawing more and more heat from the crowd before finally leaving him alone and going back to the dressing room.

The Fantastics v. Tony Falk & Pat Rose

Tony Falk told Lance that THIS IS THE DAY he wins his first match. He’s been taking ballet lessons to work on his footwork and everything. Rogers quickly backdrops Rose out of the corner and it’s over to Falk to show off the footwork. But he quickly gets double-teamed and hit with a monkey-flip by Fulton. So Falk keeps begging off and manages to tag Rose again as the ballet is apparently a failure thus far. Rose works a headlock on Rogers, but Tommy dropkicks him and it’s back to Falk. Fulton clotheslines him and Rogers hits a flying splash for the pin at 3:21. Back to ballet class, I guess.

Meanwhile, Jerry Lawler hypes up his videocassette of his Greatest Hits, only $29.95 plus shipping!

The Mod Squad v. Thunderbolt Hamilton & David Johnson

Thunderbolt runs wild on the Mods to start and controls Basher with an armbar. Manager JD Costello gets decent heat despite his Wish Cornette act, which shows how effective the original is, I guess. The Mods double-team Johnson and put the boots to him in the corner. Spike with a big boot and Basher with knees in the corner as they’re really working on Johnson. Suplex from Basher gets two and he drops Spike onto Johnson with a legdrop for two. Bearhug clothesline combo finishes at 5:35 as the Mods are painfully generic, to put it lightly.

And we finish with a test of strength from Jos LeDuc, as he holds off 10 men pulling on his arms, who are unable to break his grip. And we get a montage of his greatest hits as he proves that he’s not crazy. Whatever he says.

The heat on Bill & Buddy continues to grow as Lawler slowly makes his way back to the territory!