411 Video Review: USWA 1993: McMahon Vs. Lawler

Memphis 1993: McMahon vs. Lawler

Well, as we continue to look at federations that AREN’T the WWF or WCW, one organization that seems to have a staggering lack of articles written about them is the Memphis territory. So let’s right that wrong right now.

We’re looking at the USWA circa 1993, in what was at the time one of the more bizarre angles I’d ever seen. At least for 1993. A lot of what you would see from the Attitude era made its debut here as Jerry Lawler would feud against a heel Vince McMahon in the original McMahon vs. wrestler feud.

Wrestling was in a slump in 1993. The WWF tried to resurrect Hogan with little success, and following the worst WrestleMania ever, the WWF took the then-unheard of suggestion of cross-promotion. Up until this point, the WWF had become famous for acting as if no other wrestling federations existed, but that all changed in an incident in 1992 when Jeff Jarrett (who was in the USWA at the time) interrupted a WWF house show to openly challenge then WWF I-C champ Bret Hart. Bret accepted the challenge, but never made good on the deal.

Fast forward six months later when USWA champ Jerry Lawler signed with the WWF, Lawler and Jerry Jarrett somehow convinced Vince to allow an exchange of talent between the USWA and the WWF. Vince took Lawler and Jeff Jarrett, and the USWA got a number of WWFers on loan, including Vince himself, who did a primitive version of the evil promoter he would eventually become so famous as.

So for about three months prior to where this tape begins, Shawn Michaels had made a few title defenses there, guys like Big Bossman and Papa Shango had been sent down there as well, but when Lawler attacked Bret Hart at the King of the Ring, suddenly a WWF-USWA war began to brew. Owen Hart went to Memphis to defend his brother’s honor, beating Lawler for his title and turning the crowd against him, and suddenly ANY WWF guy who showed up in Memphis was automatically a heel. Including the boss.

This represents the period from post-SummerSlam up until pre-Survivor Series, and this being the year that Lawler got in trouble with a certain minor, the angle would cease and desist before reaching a conclusion.

One more note: most of these matches are JIP as the Championship Wrestling show tended towards the studio matches, and most of the good stuff would occur at the Mid-South Coliseum.

Here we go:

Match #1

Jeff Jarrett vs. The Shadow

No match as Vampire Warrior (aka Gangrel) beats the living crap out of Jarrett with a baseball bat. Well, we’re off and running.

Match #2

Chris Adams & Miss Texas vs. Brian Christopher & Miss Simpson

Adams, who had a feud with Steve Austin where he brought his ex-wife and current wife into the angle tries to strike fire twice by getting his wife involved again. The storyline is that Christopher has hired “Miss Simpson” as his valet despite the fact that she is Chris’s “estranged” wife. A mixed tag match occurs with Adams teaming with Miss Texas (aka Jacqueline) and this is JIP. Just so we’re all on the same page here, Brian Christopher is the current Brian Lawler in TNA and the former Grandmaster Sexay. Christopher beats up everybody and holds Adams for Simpson but she can’t bring herself to hit him. Christopher yells at her, long enough for Texas to jump him, so Brian casually disposes of her. Brian yells at Simpson on the floor, and Adams delivers a brutal superkick to the back of Brian’s head. Chris confronts his wife, then he carries her away.

Christopher does an interview, challenging Adams to a match, winner gets the girl. How noble.

We get a brief look at the Lawler / Hart family feud, a feud about four years ahead of its time. Lawler was the face in Memphis, the heel everywhere else, much like Bret would later be the heel in his feud with Steve Austin but a face in Canada. Lawler comes out for an interview after the clip, offering the fans their money back if he loses his next match, thereby guaranteeing he’s going to win.

Chris Adams and Brian Christopher have a brawl all over the studio with the lockerroom emptying to break it up. You know it’s a bad situation when the MOONDOGS are breaking a fight up.

King’s Court with Vince McMahon

A segment taped but never aired on WWF television. Jerry Lawler confronts Vince McMahon. Vince is referred to as “the voice of the WWF.” Lawler protests to Vince that he fought for twenty years to be called “The King” while Bret wins a little tournament to earn the same moniker. Lawler invites Vince to come to Memphis to watch him wrestle, and Vince announces that he wants a ringside seat. Vince cuts a masterful promo that makes him a face to the WWF crowd, but a heel in Memphis. Vince ends it all by calling Lawler a “Burger King.” Lawler cocks his hand and threatens a “Whopper.” McMahon tries to top him by saying, “You do that and it won’t be a……happy meal.” And he walks off. That apparently made sense to SOMEBODY before it was said.

A look at the Moondogs / Dog Catchers feud. The Moondogs could have been THE most violent tag team in 1992, torturing jobbers throughout the year. They turned face in 93, and it really wasn’t the same. The Catchers (two guys in masks) win the tag titles and the teams brawl in the studio.

Match #3

Bret & Owen Hart vs. Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett

JIP with the Harts playing the heels. Bret accidentally clotheslines his brother allowing Jarrett to tag Lawler. Lawler pulls the strap down and destroys Owen. He drops the fist for two. Lawler piledrives Owen but the ref is busy with Bret. Bret nails Lawler with a foreign object and gets the pin. But it’s the post match interview that makes this. Bret turns into the angry whiner he became famous for in 1997 while Owen celebrates in the background. Why Vince didn’t turn these guys sooner is beyond me.

Match #4

Jerry Lawler vs. Paul Neighbors

Neighbors was a referee for USWA who didn’t like Lawler. Somehow Lawler got him involved in a stretcher match, promising the fans their money back if he lost. With interest not being high in a wrestler vs. ref match, Vince McMahon agreed to be in Neighbors’ corner. And Vince is even accompanied by Pat Patterson! The stooge idea existed even then! Vince gets booed by the crowd and cuts what I believe is his first heel promo: “I don’t like Jerry Lawler, so as such, I don’t like any of you. And if any you try to mess with me, you’ll have to answer to Pat Patterson!”

Neighbors does his best Andy Kaufman impersonation, running away from Lawler, so Jerry chases him around the ring. So Vince trips him with Lawler falling on his face. Lawler goes to confront Vince, but Patterson steps between them. Vince doesn’t even look in Jerry’s direction as if he had more important things to deal with. Neighbors jumps Lawler and runs again. Lawler gets back in Vince’s face, but Vince just waves him off. Pat gets in the way so Jerry posts him. And then Jerry confronts Vince again. Jerry offers a free shot, so Vince takes his coat off. The crowd is extremely confused at this point to say the least. That is until Pat grabs Jerry’s arms and Vince pops Lawler in the face. Then the crowd turns. Vince tosses Jerry in the ring and Neighbors chokes Jerry. Clip to Lawler Hulking up and piledriving Neighbors. He gives him four more before the stretcher comes out. Neighbors gets stretchered and Lawler wins. He throws a fireball in Paul’s face as he’s being stretchered.

Vince McMahon promo

Verbatim, because this stuff was SOOOO ahead of its time.

Vince is seated in a chair with a green curtain behind him. The video looks Titan Tower-produced and as it begins, imagine that smug look plastered on Vince’s face:

“How could you have been so rude to me? Southern hospitality? How could you be so rude? Come on! I was simply being introduced, you people are booing. Why? Give me a break, Jerry Lawler starts running around the ring, trips over his own feet, points the finger at me, blames me (roid rage on) I had NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! (roid rage off) And then Jerry Lawler gets in my face………ohhhhh…..your breath, you had the worst case of halitosis, but come to think of it? It smelled just like the Mid-South Coliseum, it smelled just like everyone in there. I have never been insulted like I was this past Monday night. Never. And Jerry Lawler you asked for it, and you got it. And you’re asking for it again (evil smirk). And come tomorrow night, you’re gonna get it again. When Bret Hart steps in the ring with you, it’s bye-bye Jerry Lawler. (serious mode) (Vince sings Bret’s praises, I’ll skip that part) You know, Jerry I think about your time here in Memphis and all the times you’ve pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes here. I mean, how gullible can you people get? Jerry Lawler offers to give you your money back if he can’t beat a poor, pot-bellied referee? Whoop-dee-do. I tell you what, BIG MOUTH, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is? When you wrestle Bret Hart, why don’t you offer it then? Come on, tough guy. If you lose the match, why don’t you offer the fans their money back? If you decide to make that offer, and I don’t think you will, but if you did, you’ll be in for a BIG surprise. (Smug look in the camera as it fades)”

Absolutely KILLER promo that holds up almost a decade later.

Jerry’s Rebuttal

Jerry calls Vince a 14-karat jerk and invites him back to Memphis. Lawler guarantees he can beat Bret Hart in Memphis, or he’ll give everybody their money back. It’s funny, because Jerry seems a little hesitant to say it.

Brian Christopher presents Miss Simpson with her own valet, an angle done thirty times before this one.

Match #5

Brian Christopher vs. Mike Anthony

Anthony is a mid-card-Jon Bon Jovi looking guy who ends up getting a fluke pin on Brian because Simpson distracts him. Christopher throws a temper tantrum in the ring.

Match #6

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

This is a steel cage match from the Mid-South Coliseum, and again we’re JIP as the strap comes down, and Lawler kicks Bret’s ass. Bret backs off, and Jerry looks to get a rather stiff shot to Bret’s face. Owen runs to the cage, trying to get in, but the ref blocks him. Owen pleads with him, but he decides simply to climb the cage instead. Jeff Jarrett runs out and throws Owen off the cage. They brawl on the outside and suddenly Giant Gonzales enters the cage. Gonzales high-fives Bret and he smacks Lawler in the face. Bret hocks a giant loogie on Lawler. Bret holds Lawler for a Giant clothesline, but Lawler ducks and Giant hits Bret. Lawler covers and the ref gives the fastest three count possible before Gonzales can interfere. Bret and Gonzales destroy Lawler and Bret locks on the sharpshooter. Outside the ring, Owen’s beating up Jarrett, ultimately piledriving him. Gonzales finishes things with the WORST chokeslam in wrestling history. It’s “Erik Watts dropkick” bad. Lawler maybe, MAYBE goes about two feet in the air, I mean, he barely gets lifted.

Match #7

Giant Gonzales vs. Sam Norris (?)

Sam’s a jobber, and Giant lays in the fakest looking offense. Standard kick and punch fare. Giant slowly improves and only delivers an awful chokeslam for the pin. After the match, Paul Neighbors buys shares of the Giant’s contract. I understand Paul later tried to buy shares in kozmo.com as well.

Vince McMahon promo II

This aired the week after SummerSlam and the big Hart / Lawler cage match. Again, verbatim:

“I can’t believe you people……..would accuse me……..of the problems Jerry Lawler had in his match with Bret Hart last Sunday. I did say that Jerry would be in for a big surprise, but I had no idea how BIG that surprise was going to be. I had no idea that a former tag team partner, Giant Gonzales, would wise up, would smarten up, and recognize Jerry Lawler for who he really is, just like you Memphisians are….wising up and taking another look at Jerry Lawler. Sort of the realistic view of Jerry Lawler, the way the rest of the world sees him. Well, all I can say, Jerry Lawler, just like Jim Nabors used to say. And perhaps it more appropriate that I use Jim Nabors as an example so that you can better understand when I say (total smug asshole look) SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

Now, you don’t have a big surprise coming Monday night. Instead, you’ve got a big problem. An eight foot tall problem.”

Paul Neighbors attacks Jerry Lawler during a match, so Lawler breaks a board over Neighbors head.

Vince Promo III

More good stuff from Vince, I’m starting to think these promos were all shot the same day. Nothing about Vince changes except the color of his jacket.

“I am Vince McMahon, the voice of the World Wrestling Federation. Jerry Lawler is the King. The King of what? You have to ask yourself that. Jerry Lawler, you know what you’re the king of. You’re the king of nothing. The Unified title? (subtle chuckle) Whoopie. Big deal. You know how you got to be king? By low tactics. You’re the king of the cheaters. No question, you know how to cheat better than anyone. Taking advantage of the eight foot Giant Gonzales. Throwing fire in his face? His head exploding? We’re talking about wrestling here. (DEAR GOD, THE IRONY) Apparently wrestling has been reduced in Memphis to Jerry Lawler cheating, trying to set another wrestler on fire. You want fire? Well, you got it. If you want to see fire this Monday night, you’re gonna get it. I’m sending an UNDEFEATED man named Tatanka to Memphis and he’s gonna show you what fire is all about. He’ll enter undefeated, and he’ll leave undefeated. Oh, by the way, why don’t you bring your fire? Bring your fire. Tatanka’ll put it out. And with the smoke, he’ll make smoke signals that’ll say:

(Maniacal mode on)

The King has been DETHRONED!

The King has been SCALPED!”

Brian Christopher comes out during an interview yelling at the mysterious Phantom, a man who offers naked pictures of Toni Adams. As he talks, photos of Brian making out with Toni’s valet show up. Toni slaps Brian, and the two girls go at it. Miss Robin (the 2nd valet) gives the camera a nice ass shot before Jeff Jarrett breaks it up.

Jerry Lawler Interview

Jerry Lawler comes out to express his disdain for the WWF because of their disrespect to every other wrestling federation. He says he signed with the WWF to prove that the USWA is just as good. He does commentary for the WWF and tells everybody how horrible the wrestlers are while Vince and Savage just suck up to everybody. Lawler invites Vince back down to Memphis, so he can see Tatanka’s winning streak end.

“I remember playing cowboys and indians as a child. Did the Indians ever win? Do the Indians EVER beat the Cowboys?……………aside from football?” Lawler proceeds to drop some somewhat non-PC comments about Native Americans and we’re out.

Tommy Rich comes out to trash Jeff Jarrett, nicely losing his train of thought halfway through his comments. Jarrett salvages it by attacking him.

Match #8

Jeff Jarrett vs. Tommy Rich

Think about this. Rich win his first NWA title in 1981, Jarrett won his first WCW title almost exactly 20 years later. Thankfully, Jeff had to do a lot less to get his reign. JIP as always with Rich controlling. Rich is sporting a gut that would make Tommy Dreamer look anorexic. Jarrett gets an armdrag to gain control. Cut to Jarrett tossing Rich off the top rope and struggling to backdrop him for two. Jarrett blows an elbow in the corner. Tommy pounds Jeff in the corner, then punches the ref in the face. Jarrett ties Richin the ropes, and Jeff grabs a chair. And suddenly Bill Alfonzo runs out, grabs Jeff’s chair and calls for the bell. The two men brawl as the locker empties. In what may be a first, Jarrett convinces everybody to let them fight, and all the guys in the ring not only back off, they attack each other. In the melee, Rich bashes Jarrett in the head with the ring bell. Jarrett actually has the balls to no-sell a freakin’ BELL SHOT and runs Rich off.

Jeff Jarrett comes out for an interview, and he challenges Rich. So Rich obliges and beats up Jarrett.

Tommy Rich comes out for an interview and to prove how sober is, he keeps calling Jeff “Jerry.” Sadly, Tommy takes his shirt off.

Vince McMahon Promo IV

These are easily the highlight of this tape. As the angle goes, Tatanka came down to Memphis and beat Jerry Lawler for the USWA belt. This is Vince’s reaction to it. He’s standing this time, same green curtain.

“Well, well, well. How about that? Vince McMahon, the voice of the WWF, bestowed another honor. Oh, there have been so many. But none any more than the one bestowed upon me last Monday night. Now for those of you who don’t know what the honor was…….(Vince unbuttons his jacket to reveal that he’s wearing the USWA Unified title) You see what happened was………oh…….you don’t KNOW what happened? Why, the last time you saw this belt, why it was around the waist of your King, Jerry Lawler. But it’s no longer around his waist. Get a good look at it. Don’t you think this belt looks much better around my waist? (Vince starts dancing) It looks better around mine than the rather rotund waist of Jerry Lawler. But it looks best around the waist of Tatanka. He walked in undefeated, he walked out undefeated. (He takes the belt off.) Vince McMahon, right here, with this in my hand, your championship belt. Get a good look at it, it yours, that’s right, or at least it USED to be yours. No longer, oh and Mr. Lawler, let me remind you, in this rematch, you only get one shot. Oh, and Jerry Lawler, in history, there’s a battle known as Custer’s Last Stand? Well, this will be your last stand (wild cackling as Vince slowly enters the world of overkill).

Fourth promo and so far Vince at his most asshole-ish. Awesome promo.

Match #9

Jeff Jarrett vs. Tommy Rich

The rematch from the Mid-South, and we’re REALLY JIP this time. A bloody Rich accidentally knocks the ref out. He grabs a chain, but Jarrett takes it away and bashes him in the face with it. The dazed ref counts the pin, but Paul Neighbors tells the ref about the chain, so the ref restarts the match. Rich punches Jeff with the chain and gets the pin. Well, that’s a nice cluster. Rich wins the title, and Jeff bounces up despite getting hit with a chain. Man, Fritz’s no-selling had nothing on Jeff Jarrett.

Match #10

Tommy Rich vs. Bill Vick

Rich’s first title defense is against some guy they got off the street apparently. I’m not exactly Mr. Muscle, but hell, I’ve got a better physique than this guy. Rich trashes Jarrett’s dad before the match, so Jeff runs out, but he gets held back by all the faces for some reason. Rich stomps, kicks, and punches. Kneelift gets two, and suddenly Tommy starts wrestling in slow-motion, constantly rolling on Vick for twos. Rich pops him in the gut. Suplex gets a two, only because Rich pulls him up. He punches him for one, but he picks him up again. He undoes the tape on his wrist, and he chokes Vick and some fan at the top of his lungs screams “HEY REF, HE’S CHEATING!!!! LOOK REF!!!!” The ref doesn’t, Rich piledrives him, three count.

Match #11

Tatanka vs. Jerry Lawler

Odd that Vince would tell us how the match ends, then we see it. JIP again as Tatanka slams Lawler and chops him in the head. Two more chops for the King, but that makes Lawler Hulk up. More chops, and the strap comes down. Lawler pounds away, and sends him to the turnbuckle followed by a DDT. Paul Neighbors runs out to distract Jerry, allowing Tatanka to hit a piledriver for the three count to a surprisingly mixed reaction. But surprising, there are quite a few cheers mixed in with the boos.

Tatanka comes out for an interview, telling the fans to shut up immediately. He calls the fans stupid because they support Jerry King the Lawler. And no, that’s not a typo. Sadly, a ten year-old flexing his muscles in the crowd is entertaining me more than Tatanka is. Let’s just say Tatanka has a good look for a heel, but certainly not the vocabulary to back it up. Then Tatanka commits the ultimate sin by calling Giant Gonzales by his WCW name “El Gigante.” (And suddenly I understand why Ludvig Borga beat the living shit out of him weeks after this promo. That match was nine years ago, but I can NEVER recall seeing a top face get annihilated the way Borga killed Tatanka, ending his winning streak and his push for that matter.) Lawler comes out for a rebuttal. “Did you enjoy winning that title?” Tatanka: “Definitely. Especially from you, Burger King.” And the crowd actually laughs. Tatanka tells Jerry how he always thought that Lawler was a legend, but then he beat him instantly, and now he thinks he’s nothing. Kind of a double insult there. Jerry asks Tatanka if he’ll be a part of the Survivor Series, to which Tatanka says he will be, and that he has great partners, but he won’t say who they are, because the fans are too stupid to realize how great they are. Obviously, Tatanka never took an improv class. Lawler challenges Tatanka to a Survivor Series match, Tatanka, Rich, and the Dog Catchers vs. Lawler, Jarrett, and the Moondogs. Tatanka accepts, and all the belts are on the line. Tommy Rich comes out to back Tatanka up and delivers the funniest line so far: “This is a REAL Indian here, BROTHER!!!”

Brian Christopher Interview

Brian Christopher cuts a promo with Miss Simpson, saying he has fired Simpson’s valet Robin. He now wants to hire a male valet for her instead. He offers host Dave Brown the job, but Brown passes. PG-13 come out, and Brian offers them the job, and they jump at the chance. A little too much for Brian who suddenly reconsiders. So Brian next offers Tony Falk. “It’s not like you’re much of a wrestler, you’ve lost like what, 56 matches in a row?” Falk says no, but Brian insists. Falk says he almost beat Jeff Jarrett once, which makes Brian laugh. “Yeah, you almost won a title once.” Then Falk points out that “I don’t see no belt around your waist neither.” And Brian gets serious, challenging Falk to a match.

Match #12

Brian Christopher vs. Tony Falk

Boy, and you thought the WWF rushed angles, these guys are in a cage after setting the angle up ten minutes prior. Brian dances so Falk punks him out. Christopher gets a choke and Toni Simpson joins in the choke. Brian hits a nice bulldog, then he bitch-slaps him. More choking from the both of them, and suddenly Miss Texas runs out to attack Toni and the ref DQs Falk.

Dave Brown announces that there will be no Vince promo this week, because the tape got lost in the mail. Jerry Lawler comes out to say otherwise, since he beat Tatanka Monday night to win his belt back, Vince was too scared to send a tape. “You know why Vince had that stupid look on his face last week? Because he’s STUPID, that’s why!” Lawler challenges Vince and Randy Savage to matches.

Match #13

Tommy Rich vs. Jeff Jarrett

Another cage match, I guess they’re all cage matches this week. Eddie Marlin padlocks the cage so no one can interfere this time. Rich controls with eyerakes and a clothesline. Jarrett gets a quick sunsetflip for two. Rich gets a fistdrop to regain control. More chokes on Jarrett. BTW, the announcers keep referring to Jeff as “The Fabulous One” easily the WORST of all of Jarrett’s nicknames. I’d SO rather hear “The Chosen One” or “Double J” then hearing “Fabulous” ten times a match. Jarrett regains control but Rich throws him into the ref. Paul Neighbors runs out with a chain but Jarrett takes it away and hits Rich with it. The ref crawls over and counts three but Neighbors knocks Jarrett out with the belt, rolls Rich over and the dazed ref sees Rich on top of Jarrett and he raises Rich’s hand. You have to have a MAJOR suspension of disbelief to buy this angle. Even Eddie Marlin agrees and he comes out to talk to the ref. He grabs the belt and declares the belt vacant, saying HE’LL referee the rematch.

Quick clip of Jerry Lawler beating Tatanka for the Unified title.

Match #14

The Moondogs vs. The Dog Catchers

Trashcans are the weapons of choice for the Dogs who dismantle the Catchers with them. This goes on for a minute but Paul Neighbors brings out a can of mace and both Moondogs are blinded. Suddenly Mike Anthony runs out and attacks both of the Dog Catchers. Jeff Gaylord comes out and the ref throws the match out. Yeah, that cage is really helping settle some scores today. Eddie Marlin comes out and tells Paul that he’s sick of him interfering. “You wanna get involved in the matches? Fine, you’ll be IN the next match.” And he books him in a six-man with the belts on the line.

Sadly, we don’t SEE the match. What happened was Mike Anthony teamed with the Moondogs and he pinned a Dog Catcher. But since Anthony was a singles wrestler, the Dogs didn’t win the titles. So Eddie Marlin holds the tag titles up. The Moondogs’ manager Richard Lee isn’t pleased, so the Moondogs assault Eddie Marlin, turning heel in the process.

Match #15

Shawn Michaels, Doink the Clown, and Koko B. Ware vs. Jerry Lawler, Jeff Jarrett, and Brian Christopher

It’s USWA vs. WWF in a Survivor Series match with the USWA’s best against, well, an upper-mid carder, a mid-carder, and a jobber. Hell, I think most people forgot Koko was even IN the WWF in 1993, so he was probably happy to get work. Michaels and Christopher brawl, Koko and Jarrett brawl, and Lawler brawls with Doink, a year before their forgettable feud.

You ready for a shock here? JIP to Lawler piledriving HBK and Brian Christopher tagging in for a CLEAN pin. Yep, Grandmaster Sexay has a clean win over Shawn Michaels. The one MAJOR WWF guy gets tossed first. HBK lies motionless for a rather lengthy period.

Well, one good shock deserves another. Jarrett kills Koko who tags in Lawler. Lawler comes in, but not before Shawn Michaels runs in and knocks out Lawler with a foreign object to give Koko the pin over Lawler. Well, I guess Koko DID have some history in Memphis. So now both top guys are gone.

Jarrett gets doubleteamed by Doink and Koko and Koko apparently kept HBK’s object, because he knocks Jarrett out with it, and Doink pins Jarrett. So now Brian is left alone against Koko and Doink. Not the most imposing duo, but still……

Doink holds Brian, and Koko climbs the top rope for an elbow. He stands there for about twenty seconds. Guess what happens. Brian pins Doink while Koko just stands there. So it’s Koko B. Ware vs. Brian Christopher, which is kinda like the Conquistadors being left in the tag team finals in the 88 Survivor Series (the best elimination match ever, I might add, 45 minutes of non-stop action.)

Cut to HBK coming back AGAIN and accidentally hitting Koko with ANOTHER object and Christopher pins Koko to win the match. The fans go crazy, and the WWF guys all destroy Brian Christopher, finishing him with a spike piledriver. The match went 30 minutes according to the announcer. Lawler and Jarrett come out to chase away the WWF guys. But the match served well to turn Brian Christopher face.

Brian Christopher Interview

Brian Christopher comes out to gloat that he pinned ALL of the WWF guys by himself. He thanks Lawler and Jarrett for saving him after the match, despite the fact that they got pinned. Brian Christopher asks Jeff Jarrett to be his tag team partner in the tag team tournament. And suddenly Reggie B. Fine comes out with Doink the Clown. Reggie tells Brian not to be raggin’ on Koko, though no one ever actually mentioned Koko in the interview. The two threaten to attack Brian, so Jeff Jarrett runs out for the save.

Match #16

Koko B. Ware / Miss Texas vs. Brian Christopher / Miss Simpson

Brian and Koko fight on the floor while Miss Texas destroys Toni. But the ref is busy with the men so Toni hits Texas with a strap for the pin. That doesn’t sit well with Koko who grabs the mike and says how he’s not putting up with this “USWA crap” and by “crap” he means Miss Texas. Texas confronts him so Koko shoves her. One of the officials gets in Koko’s face, so Koko not only beats him up, he steps all over the ref and Miss Texas.

Miss Texas cuts a Tough Enough-worthy promo in response.

Match # 17

Jeff Jarrett vs. Moondog Spike

Well, we return to the Moondogs / Jarrett feud of 1992 rather quickly. Spike attacks Jarrett from the start, choking and punching before getting a bearhug. They end up on the floor with Jarrett getting posted. Spike chokes Jarrett some more, but he misses a blind charge and Jarrett attacks. But he misses a fistdrop so Spike tosses him and the other Moondog attacks for the DQ. The Moondogs attack Jarrett and Brian Christopher makes the save. Hmm, I wonder what the tag team tourney final might be????? Doink and Reggie B. Fine attack, and the locker room empties for the eighth time.

Woo-hoo, it’s another….

Vince McMahon promo

“Oh, come on. Come on. You really don’t believe in the tooth fairy, do you? And you don’t always believe in politicians, now do you? So then you can’t always believe in Jerry Lawler all the time either. Or for that matter any of the time. But you can believe that the sun is going to rise tomorrow. You can believe that the earth is round. And you can believe in the Macho Man Randy Savage. When Savage guarantees victory? You’d better believe it. It’s like a muffler shop guaranteeing a muffler, or a razor company promising a close shave or giving you your money back. But even you Memphisians know there are only three guarantees: Death……..taxes…….and the Macho Man Randy Savage!”

Okay, I think he peaked earlier…..

Lawler comes out to say the same thing: “What the hell is he talking about with mufflers and razors?”

A promo showing the best of the Lawler fireballs to the tune of Demolition Man: Lawler burns Jimmy Jack Funk, Randy Savage, Jimmy Hart, Andy Kaufman, Abdullah the Butcher, Leatherface (who gets one to the crotch and STAYS ablaze), and Giant Gonzales.

End of tape.

Okay, you’ve probably noticed there weren’t much in the way of star ratings, this is strictly an angle tape, with the angles FAR outnumbering actual matches.

That said, angle-wise, this is a VERY entertaining tape. The McMahon interviews are pure gold and are EASILY the best part of this tape. McMahon is able to avoid being over the top, and instead focuses on just being a complete asshole in just the right way. The Bret / Lawler stuff and the elimination matches despite being clipped, show that interpromotional matches CAN work if both groups are willing to lose a little face to build the other guys up.

It’s also nice to see the Jerry Lawler of old, the grizzled, no-nonsense leader of his people, and not the horny old commentator who behaves as if he hasn’t slept with a woman in thirty years.

This tape can be purchased at prowrestlingtapes.com and / or John McAdam’s website. If you’ve never seen Memphis wrestling, or just know it by the Kaufman / Lawler stuff off Comedy Central, this is an excellent introduction.

Thumbs up, highly recommended, A.

-Sydney Brown