The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 11.09.84

The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 11.09.84

Originally written 06.25.26

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Your hosts are Cowboy Bill Watts & Boyd Pierce

Well I guess they’re just posting these weekly moving forward now.

TWO WEEKS AGO: The Rock N Roll Express demonstrate how they’re gonna put Jim Cornette in a straitjacket and Ricky uses Robert as the subject, but of course once Robert is good and helpless, the Midnight Express hit the ring and absolutely destroy them. How dumb did they have to be not to expect that to happen?

Meanwhile, Jim Ross introduces us to a SCAFFOLD MATCH, which the Rock N Roll Express have introduced in order to settle things with the Midnight Express, and they do a promo from the top of the scaffold with a terrified JR staying as low to the ground as possible. Robert tosses a melon of some kind to the ground below to show how high up they are. Did Watts actually invent that gimmick, I wonder? I think it was actually from Memphis, come to think of it.

The Rock N Roll Express v. Dale Veasey & Jack Victory

Very early in the career for Dave Meltzer’s favorite wrestler, Jack Victory. Veasey is the jobber who would go on to become James Earl Wright of the State Patrol. The RNR clear the ring right away and then hit Victory with a double backdrop and double dropkick to finish at 0:25.

Scandor Akbar joins us for a press conference, as he announces the purchase of Hercules Hernandez from Jim Cornette. Holy shit, poor Hercules gets bought and sold more than any other heel in wrestling I can remember. Cornette explains that with Jim Duggan beat into near death, he has no more need for a bodyguard. Akbar also makes Hercules an honorary Sheik, so he’s now SHEIK HERCULES. Buddy Landel is like “See, I’ve got everything under control!” and Akbar tells him to take care of what mysterious deed he promised by the end of the show OR ELSE.

Butch Reed joins us for a squash, but Buddy Landel pops in and wants a word for him first. And that word appears to be that Akbar wants to buy his contract, but Reed calls him a parasite and a leech because he’s his own man. Buddy offers him the Rolex as a signing bonus, but Butch slams it down and stomps it while Buddy freaks out. Reed turns his back on him and Buddy tries a cheapshot, so Butch turns around and absolutely WAFFLES Buddy with a punch, sending Buddy flying with a hilarious bump as he somersaults backwards into the ropes. So then this brings out Akbar and Dibiase and his new bodyguard, SHEIK HERCULES, and Akbar wants to make him an offer personally, but Reed still refuses because he stands alone. Akbar: “Either you’re with us or against us, so make up your mind.” And then Reed attacks and the army of heels all beat him down, turning him babyface, and Hacksaw Duggan returns from the dead to save with a 2×4.

After the break, Cowboy interviews the Hacksaws at the desk, as Duggan talks about his respect for Butch despite their differences in philosophy. And Butch is like “If we gotta unite to take out those suckers, then that’s what we’ll do!” Yeah! This was LEGENDARY stuff. Why don’t we get any badass babyfaces like that anymore?

Chavo & Hector Guerrero v. Mike Jackson & Shawn Michaels

This Michaels kid looks like he’s 14 years old. The Guerreros double-team Jackson and work on his arm as Watts notes that they call themselves “The Alamo Busters”. That’s great. Over to young Shawn, but Chavo smacks him around and hits him with a dropkick. Hector with a double underhook suplex for two, but skinny little Shawn gets a couple of punches of offense and it’s back to Jackson, who runs wild with dropkicks for a bit. But then Chavo takes Jackson down in a full nelson on the mat, and Hector comes off the middle rope with a senton onto his chest and Chavo pins him at 3:45. Hmm, guess Shawn needs a new “MJ” to team with, I guess.

Ted Dibiase v. Lee Ramsey

Dibiase quickly hits him with a back elbow and puts the boots to him. To the middle rope for an elbow and he adds a backdrop and powerslam before finishing with the figure-four at 1:30.

The Midnight Express v. Master G & Brickhouse Brown

Big brawl to start and the babyfaces clean house. Brickhouse starts with Bobby and works on the arm, but Dennis clobbers him from behind and goes to work on him with a slam for two. Bobby chokes him out on the ropes and gets a slam for two. It’s BREAKING LOOSE IN TULSA and Bobby hits Brickhosue with a back suplex while Dennis tries to go to the top rope. Obviously the ref stops that from happening, but that allows Bobby to the OTHER top rope and drops an elbow on Brown to finish at 4:00.

Ernie Ladd & Buddy Landel & Superstar Bill Dundee & Magnum TA

Doesn’t happen, because Ernie refuses to wrestle Magnum again and walks out of the match.

And we finish with Dr. Death, who accuses Jim Duggan of being a COWARD if he doesn’t accept a rematch for the helmet match NEXT WEEK.

YEEEEEEEAH. That whole deal with Butch Reed and Akbar was AWESOME stuff. I also predict big things for that Shawn Michaels kid. Just a hunch.