The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 11.30.84

The SmarK Rant for Mid-South Wrestling – 11.30.84

Originally written 07.15.26

Carrying on via other sources. My mind was BLOWN here because I didn’t realize that the synth-based theme song used in the WWE edits of these shows was in fact a LIE and the real music was a funky bassline like something out of Seinfeld. Anyway, now that I have access to EVERYTHING, I can finish off 1984 and then go back to where I originally left off when the Network ended their coverage of the show in 1986. I haven’t done much of 1983 but that era is kind of a drag anyway.

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Your hosts are Jim Ross & Joel Watts

Tim Horner v. Dale Veasey

Horner takes Veasey down and rides him into a cradle for two and then works a headlock on the mat. Veasey fights back while Joel puts Horner’s workout regimen over, but Horner catches him with the legsweep to finish at 2:39.

LAST WEEK: Steve Williams attacks Butch Reed, thus saving Buddy Landel from a further beating in their match, and Hacksaw Duggan makes the save.

Steve Williams v. Brickhouse Brown

Oh shit, they should have teamed these two up as “Doc Brown”! They could have time travelling adventures and stuff. Doc clubs him down and beats on him in the corner and follows with a clothesline for two. Doc with a chinlock while Buddy joins us at ringside to cheer on Dr. Death, now trying to get in with Williams in the same way he did with Reed, and the Oklahome Stampede finishes at 2:39. So then Buddy comes in and has a can of what I presume is yellow paint, but he literally can’t get the lid off it and the babyfaces save. I don’t know if that was planned or happenstance but it was hilarious watching Buddy trying to get the lid off and failing miserably.

The Fighting Hacksaws v. Jack Victory & Dale Burnett

Reed slugs Victory down and it’s over to Duggan for a trip to the turnbuckle. Joel notes that Victory could be a star someday. Well certainly in Meltzer’s mind. Over to Burnett and Duggan biels him out of the corner. The heels try to double-team Reed and Duggan just comes in and neutralizes them, before the Hacksaws finish with a double spear at 2:00. Oh man Cowboy must have LOVED these guys as a team.

North American title: Ernie Ladd v. Master G

Master G tries a dropkick and misses, and Ladd puts him down with a slam and chokes him out before going to a bearhug. G tries a headlock and Ladd hits him with an atomic drop. Joel notes that there’s scientific studies that show a man reaches his peak strength at age 45. I’m skeptical of that claim. G makes a comeback and backdrops Ladd, but he misses a bodypress and clotheslines himself on the top rope. Ladd drops an elbow and follows with a big boot and legdrop to finish at 2:55. Man Ladd was looking SLOOOOOOOW here, and I think he loses the belt to Brad Armstrong in between this episode and the next one.

The Alamobusters v. Shawn Michaels & Tony Falk

Chavo hiptosses young Shawn and Hector comes in with a snapmare into a legdrop for two. Chavo with a leg lariat, but Shawn gets a sunset flip for two and tags out to Falk. JR ntoes that Shawn is “quite a crowd favorite” despite his young age. He’s got some potential. Hector drops a knee on Falk and the Guerreros put him down with a double elbow before Chavo gets a side salto for two. Chavo with a high knee and Hector gets a back suplex and a slingshot splash for two. Guerreros with a double Death Rider to finish at 2:44. These guys were WAY ahead of their time.

Bill Dundee v. Exotic Adrian Street

So Dundee won the TV title from Street last week, but this rematch is a non-title match. Bill tries a wristlock takedown but Street rolls out of it and prances. A second try and Adrian flips out of it and takes Bill down for his own wristlock before going to work on the arm and controlling Bill with hairpulls. Street switches to the leg and then tries a wacky chinlock using his legs, but Dundee slams out of it for two. Dundee makes the comeback, but runs into a boot in the corner and Street boots him to the floor. So Miss Linda sprays perfume, but hits Street by mistake, and Dundee rolls him up for the pin at 4:11.

Magnum TA & Terry Taylor v. Sheik Hercules & Ted Dibiase

Hercules beats on Taylor right away, but Terry rolls him up for two and monkey flips him out of the corner. Over to TA for some dropkicks and Herc decides to tag out to “King Rat” Ted Dibiase. Ted misses an elbow, but so does TA, and then Magnum regroups with a small package for two and chases Ted to the floor. Back in the ring, Ted slugs away in the corner, but Magnum backdrops him and the babyfaces pinball Ted in the corner and he runs away again as the crowd goes crazy. Over to Herc and TA works a headlock on him, leading to a slugfest. Finally Dibiase trips up Magnum and Herc drops an elbow to take over as the heels go to work. Dibiase comes in with the fistdrop for two. Ted backdrops him for two and chokes him on the ropes as TA takes some great bumps for the heels and Herc drops an elbow for two. I don’t know where the perception that TA couldn’t work came from, to be honest. He’s looked great in all these Mid-South appearances I’ve seen. Herc with a suplex for two and Dibiase with the middle rope elbow for two. Herc misses an elbow and Magnum makes the hot tag to Taylor, but Dibiase loads up the black glove, knocks out Taylor behind the ref’s back, and Herc finishes him at 7:20. Hell of a TV main event.

Next week: Ernie Ladd v. Butch Reed! Dundee v. Street for like the 10^th week in a row! Terry Daniels debuts!