The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 09.25.82

The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 09.25.82

OK, just to cover the general plan for the next little while, here’s where we’re at: We’ve got 3 months left of 1982 Mid-South and then obviously we’ll move onto 1983 at that point. Mid-Atlantic only runs until May of 1986 on the Network, so once that’s done then I’ll jump back to the start of 1983 as requested by Daryl and carry on from there again, which will allow me to sync up the two territories. And I’m on vacation this week so I’ve got lots of time and I’ll be doing both Clash 11 and Souled Out 2000 this week, fear not.

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Your hosts are Boyd Pierce & Cowboy Bill Watts

Kamala continues his journey from Memphis to Mid-South, as we once again use the video shot by Jerry Lawler. And he debuts next week!

Last week: Mr. Wrestling II faces a fake Grappler and tries to unmask him, but the ref gets bumped and the real Grappler switches in, leading to a DQ victory for Wrestling II.

The Grapplers v. Johnny Rich & Tim Horner

Rich fights off both Grapplers with armdrags and the babyfaces double-team Grappler #2’s arm. Horner does a nice flip out of a hiptoss by #2, but the Grapplers trap him in the corner and grapple him there for a while. Hot tag Rich but he quickly misses an elbow and gets double-teamed some more. Back to Horner and he puts his head down and gets caught by #2 with a boot, and a shoulderbreaker follows. And Grappler #1 comes in and hits Horner with the kneelift before finishing with an armbar takedown at 5:13. The Grapplers were a lot more interesting as the Dirty White Boys in 1985, but it’s nice to see Tony Anthony finally getting to win a match in 1982.

The Junkyard Dog v. Billy The Star Child Starr

Dog destroys him with an atomic drop and finishes with the Thump at 1:00.

Mr. Wrestling II v. Larry Clark

Wrestling II takes him down with a headlock and Bill Watts just puts him over like crazy. II slugs Clark down and gets a snapmare for one and then backdrops him into the kneelift to finish at 2:34. I think it’s kind of funny that Watts talks about the fans chanting “2! 2! 2!” for him every week, but the crowd never actually does it on TV.

Lumberjack match: Buck Robley v. One Man Gang

If Robley wins this one, he gets a match with Skandor Akbar next week. Gang pounds away on Robley and tosses him out of the ring, so the lumberjacks send him back in. Out to another side and back in again as we get some solid lumberjacking from the jacks. Gang misses a blind charge and Buck fights back with a back elbow and Gang bails, so the lumberjacks roll him back in and Buck gets two. Gang runs away again and gets sent right back in. Robley beats him down with the forearm protector and that gets two. Did Iron Mike Sharpe borrow the forearm gimmick from Robley, I have to wonder? Robley tries a facelock, but Gang slams him for two and boots him to the floor. Back in, that gets two. Buck fights back with a dropkick that puts Gang over the top rope in an impressive bump, and he gets thrown back in again for the sleeper from Buck. Gang dumps him to the floor to escape and the lumberjacks jack him back in again, but Gang goes up for the debut of the 747 splash and misses. Buck dropkicks him into the corner and Gang hits the post, and Buck hits him with the arm brace and pins him at 6:42. This was…not the worst actually. And that, I’m pretty sure, is finally the end of One Man Gang.

North American champion Ted Dibiase & Hacksaw Duggan v. Vinnie Romeo & Jesse Barr

Ted gets frustrated by Barr’s armdrags to start and then Romeo manages to fight off Duggan with shoulderblocks, but Dibiase comes in and cuts him off with a back elbow. Duggan comes in with his running headbutt, setting up the powerslam from Dibiase to finish at 3:20. Man I like this team.

Back from the break, and Dibiase & Duggan refuse to leave the ring, demanding another shot at the tag team titles RIGHT NOW or else. So Olympia comes in and he’ll be happy to accept, but he needs to get his tights from the car, so the heels attack him and destroy him with a Demolition elbow before dumping him to the floor as the dressing room empties to save.

Back to Florida for another squash from The Mongolian Stomper, as he squashes a pair of unnamed geeks on his way to Mid-South. He finishes one of the guys with the dreaded SHININOMAKI and then beats up the other one for good measure.

Dibiase and Duggan still won’t leave the ring, leaving our advertised Dick Murdoch match in jeopardy, so JYD brings Murdoch out as his partner and they get into a big brawl with Dibiase and Duggan in an unsanctioned fight. The babyfaces get the advantage with time running out, but Dibiase and Duggan split them up and beat them down. Dog makes the comeback and the heels get smashed together before Dog & Murdoch hit them with football tackles and clear the ring as the show comes to an end and WE ARE OUT OF TIME. I kind of wish I wasn’t spoiled on where the tag title feud was going already but suffice it to say it’s a pretty awesome payoff.

Next week: Dream Machine Troy Graham and KAMALA debuts!