The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 11.06.82

The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 11.06.82

Last night’s Dynamite inspired me to watch some more Mid-South for some reason.

WHEN WE LAST LEFT OFF: JYD and Mr. Olympia defended the tag team titles against Ted Dibiase and Jim Duggan, but Duggan was busy getting held at a local police station. So Matt Borne took his place, and then it turned out that Duggan was actually a GORILLA. And JYD took the fall and has to leave the territory for 90 days.

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Your hosts are Boyd Pierce & Cowboy Bill Watts

Bill Watts interviews THE RAT PACK after they successfully outsmarted JYD last week and chased him out of the territory. Watts is disgusted with what Ted Dibiase has become, but Ted points out that his father is dead and gone so his opinion doesn’t matter anymore. Matt Borne thinks that JYD’s mother must have put him on a swing that faced a brick wall when he was a little boy. Also Duggan thinks it’s hilarious that a monkey was the thing that cost JYD the title. Yeah we’ll just move on past that one.

We go back to last week with the awesome gorilla angle that cost JYD his title and maybe his career in Mid-South. NEVER TRUST A MAN IN A GORILLA SUIT IF YOU’RE A WRESTLER. Matt Borne is so happy that he might just move to Louisiana now.

Meanwhile, we go back to an Atlanta gym in 1980, with a video package from Georgia Championship Wrestling I’m assuming, showcasing Tony Atlas’s workout routine and lifting of large weights.

Tony Atlas v. Bob Stabler

But first, Jim Duggan hits the ring and declares that since he’s the Louisiana champion, he has the right to oversee anything happening in the state of Louisiana. I’ll allow it. So he decides to show up Atlas by doing 20 pushups and then challenges Atlas to do the same. So then Tony does them, and then does 20 more with one hand while Duggan looks on with disgust and then does 2 of his own one-handed pushups and challenges Atlas to do some more. And of course, Atlas indulges Duggan, and then Duggan kicks him in the head and lays a beating on him in the corner. But then he does the big running headbutt on Atlas, and Tony no-sells it because SCIENCE, and Duggan is busted open. Young Marty Lunde tries to come out and break things up, but Atlas sends him packing with headbutts and all the heels retreat.

Ted Dibiase v. The Mysterious Stagger Lee

Stagger Lee is supposed to be a 120 pound skinny kid and Dibiase is cracking up about it, but instead he reveals that it’s an orange and green clad guy in a bodysuit, and Lee quickly hits Dibase with a headbutt and a spinning powerslam for the pin at 0:30. There’s rumors that it might have been JYD under the mask, but Watts notes that actually Stagger Lee was the bully that used to beat up JYD in grade school and steal his lunch money. So probably not the same guy.

Hacksaw Duggan v. Vinnie Romeo

So Duggan is all bloodied up and bandaged from the earlier run-in with Atlas, but he comes out anyway and beats Romeo down before dropping a knee on him. Duggan with a backdrop and he hits the running headbutt to finish at 1:25.

Mr. Wrestling II & Buck Robley v. The Grapplers

Wrestling II and Robley double-team a Grappler in the corner and work on the arm. Buck gets trapped in the Grappler corner and #1 drops elbows on him, but Buck brings Wrestling II back in. #1 hits him with an atomic drop for two, but Robley gets another tag and comes in with a backbreaker on #2 for two. Back to Wrestling II for the kneelift to finish at 5:00.

Jesse Barr v. Kamala

Kamala puts Barr down with a back elbow and chokes him out as Watts notes that Kamala’s technique is not from a “school of wrestling skill”. We get some chops and more choking. Barr tries a bodypress, but Kamala just catches him, throws him like a football, and finishes with the big splash at 1:35.

Iron Mike Sharpe & Mr. Olympia v. Ted Dibiase & Matt Borne

This was supposed to be Marty Lunde facing Olympia’s team, but Ted Dibiase was so pissed about being embarrassed by Stagger Lee that he took over Marty’s spot. Not a dog spot, or a liver spot, but MARTY’S spot. Dibiase again gives his unhinged conspiracy theory about Stagger Lee being JYD trying to evade his suspension, but Mr. Olympia points out that Dibiase doesn’t know HIS identity either, so maybe just shut up and wrestle already. Dibiase tries a sunset flip and Olympia sits down on him for two. Meanwhile Bill Watts points out that it’s not Mid-South’s place to accuse Stagger Lee of anything and they just make out the cheques to “Stagger Lee” and he cashes them somewhere else. However, Bill notes, should Dibiase be able to unmask this mysterious Stagger Lee fella and discover JYD underneath, then JYD would be suspended for a YEAR. But Bill points out that Dibiase has pledged to unmask Mr. Wrestling II & Mr. Olympia in the past and couldn’t get the job done in either case, so Lee has nothing to worry about. The babyfaces work on Dibiase and Sharpe grinds on a headlock while Dibiase continues to be distracted by Stagger Lee from earlier. Borne comes in with a chinlock while Bill Watts discusses the impending return of the BRASS KNUCKLES TITLE soon. With a tournament. Oh goddamn no one tell Tony Khan because that’s like chocolate and peanut butter to him. I could 100% see an AEW Brass Knuckles championship. Olympia with a backslide on Dibiase for two, but Ted sends him to the floor on the kickout with a handful of tights to help. Back in the ring with a double elbow from the heels for two. Borne goes to the chinlock on Olympia, but the ref is distracted with Sharpe while Olympia makes the comeback and gets the sleeper on Borne. And that allows Dibiase to come in with the ISOTONER OF DOOM and knock out Mr. Olympia for the pin at 7:15. A fine TV main event.

I have my suspicions about the true identity of Stagger Lee, but you’ll have to call my hotline for the scoops.