The SmarK Rant for Memphis Wrestling – 04.12.86

The SmarK Rant for Memphis Wrestling – 04.12.86

We’re gonna get to the AWA, don’t worry, but first we gotta finish up ECW. Back to Memphis for now!

Taped from Memphis, TN

Your hosts are Dave Brown & Lance Russell, although Dave is absent this week so Lance is flying solo. Dammit now I have to keep the time myself.

Billy Travis v. The Patriot

Travis takes Patriot down with an armbar and works on that, and then hiptosses him into the corner. Travis keeps working the arm and doing generic babyface stuff, but Patriot makes the ropes. OK, seriously, how they did not run the Patriot against Abdul Gaddafi as at least a mini-feud? I mean this is MEMPHIS for god’s sake! Once again to clarify, this Patriot is no connection to Del Wilkes or Tom Brandi, he’s just a random masked heel who wears red, white and blue themed gear. Patriot gets a cheapshot in the corner to take over and puts him down with a back elbow, but Travis makes a comeback right away and finishes with a sunset flip at 5:24. So weird to think that anyone calling themselves a “patriot” could be a bad person! That’s just silly.

Afterwards, Billy joins Lance at the desk and Lance is just so gosh darn proud of him for winning the International title. But Rip Rogers is on his way into the territory and he’s gunning for the title!

The Mod Squad v. Tojo Yamamoto & Henry Rutledge

So weird to think that people playing police officers could be corrupt and evil. That’s just silly. The Squad double-teams Rutledge and Basher puts him down with a back elbow. The Mods choke Rutledge on the ropes and then take turns putting the boots to him. JD Costello is growing on me here after a shaky start as a Cornette stand-in. The Squad traps Rutledge in the corner and works his arm over, and Basher powerslams him for the pin at 4:35. Of note here, young referee Jeff Jarrett slowly getting more TV time.

Meanwhile, this week’s double main event at the Mid-South Coliseum is DOUBLE CAGE MATCHES, with Bill Dundee defending his Southern title against Jerry Lawler, and Buddy Landel defending whatever title he’s got against Dutch Mantel!

The Mod Squad joins Lance, as JD describes the entire city of New Orleans partying due to the tag title victory for the Mod Squad. And they’ll be defending against Michael Lee and Paul Diamond, who are up next!

Paul Diamond & Michael Lee v. Tony Falk & Keith Eric

But first, Tony Falk reminds Lance that Jerry Jarrett is the biggest coward in wrestling, and he’s teaching his no-good kid Jeff to be a coward as well. So then Jerry Lawler comes out and he’s had enough of Falk’s trash-talking the Jarretts. Also, he still remembers Tony Falk costing him the match against Bill Dundee a few months back, so why not get in the ring with him if he wants a fight so bad? Falk wants none of that and backs off, still demanding to face Jeff Jarrett, so Jeff runs out and tackles him from behind and beats on Falk until Eddie Marlin pulls him off! So with Falk sufficiently humiliated for the week, they start the match. But Falk goes over to cut a promo on Jarrett, accusing him of learning how to “Pearl Harbor someone from behind” from Tojo Yamamoto. Meanwhile poor Keith Eric gets double-teamed by the babyfaces while Falk keeps walking away from him to do his running conversation with Lance. Lance keeps pointing out that Falk has never won a match and only wants Jeff Jarrett because he thinks he can beat a kid who’s never had a match. And Falk goes back to the apron, Eric dives for the tag, and Falk walks away again to continue bitching at Lance as the running gag gets funnier and funnier. Even Lance is feeling bad for Eric, who is just getting walloped by the babyface team with no partner to tag. And finally they finish poor Keith Eric with a double dropkick at 4:15 while Falk demands a match with Jeff Jarrett anytime, anywhere! Afterwards, Jerry Lawler saunters out again and finally offers that match with Jeff Jarrett if Falk wants it so bad. Falk promises that if Jeff can beat him, he’ll burn his tights and boots in the middle of the ring.

Bill Dundee v. Jim Jamison

Dundee puts Jamison down with an EPIC back elbow, as Jamison goes flying off it and then fires back with forearms until Dundee slugs him down and drops an elbow. Working a little snug here today. Jamison fires back again but Dundee punches him down and powerslams him for the pin at 1:12.

Jerry Lawler v. Pat Rose

Rose attacks unwisely before the bell, and Lawler quickly backdrops him and chases him out of the ring. Back in, Jerry chinlocks him but Rose gets to the ropes and Lawler slugs him down again. That gets two. Rose makes a comeback, but Lawler puts him down again and finishes with the fistdrop at 6:00.

Dutch Mantel v. Abdul Gaddafi

Gaddafi wins a power battle to start and then works the arm while pulling the hair, but Dutch gives it right back. Gaddafi chokes him down and goes up for a middle rope elbow, and that gets two. Gaddafi with a bearhug and that goes on FOREVER, but Gaddafi goes up and misses another elbow, allowing Dutch to make the comeback. The ref gets bumped on a clothesline, however, so Gaddafi steals the ref’s belt and whips on Dutch for the DQ at 7:21.

And Lance recaps the action to wrap things up for the week.

The Tony Falk angle was TREMENDOUS fun and is exactly the kind of nonsense that I love Memphis for. Also I get the feeling that this Jeff Jarrett kid might have more to offer as a wrestler than they’re letting on.