BG Says: WrestleTapes.net’s Best Of The Junkyard Dog

Following in the footsteps of the esteemed Larry Csonka, I’ve decided to review an old school compilation that can be picked up from the good people atWrestletapes.net. Who’s ready to thump?

Wrestletapes.net now has a neat little graphic at the beginning of their DVDs. Good for you Mr. Long.

Big Daddy Ritter VS. Jake Roberts [North American Heavyweight Title]
This match is from somewhere in Canada. Ritter is JYD, Jake is Jake. We come in with JYD in control. He pounds Roberts down as the commentator says that this is a non-title match, even though the graphic says it’s for the title. JYD keeps him down with an armbar despite Roberts’ attempts to escape. Roberts hiptosses out and JYD loads up his glove. He pounds Jake’s shoulder and puts the armbar back on. He hits a bodyslam but misses an elbowdrop. JYD hits a back bodydrop but misses another elbowdrop. Roberts hits a high knee and slugs away. He hits a boot to the gut and an uppercut for 2. Jake tries to block a loaded glove shot but his wrist gets hurt and he bails. JYD unloads his glove and allows the referee to inspect it. Roberts loses it and smacks JYD around with a chair. He shoves the referee down and draws a disqualification. Nothing match, but interesting to see the Dog as a heel.
Rating: *1/2

13 Man Battle Royal
Let’s see, we have Andre the Giant, JYD as Ritter, and Hercules amongst others. There’s five thousand dollars on the line here. Andre is the focal point of the match, as everyone is trying to get him out. He goes after JYD who bails between the ropes but is not eliminated. Andre squeezes three men into the corner and hits them with shoulder blocks. He destroys Hercules with a knee strike. This type of thing goes on until it gets down to the Asian team, JYD and Andre. They triple-team Andre but he fights them off. He chases JYD around the ring again and he jumps over the top rope and out of the ring, eliminating himself. He beats on both of his opponents at the same time in interesting fashion and then tosses them without much of a problem. This actually got pretty fun after JYD eliminated himself.
Rating: *

The Junkyard Dog VS. Terry Orndorff
We move to Mid-South Wrestling. Orndorff is out of Mid-South if he loses. Orndorff puts on what he claims to be his lucky hood, but JYD thinks it’s loaded. Orndorff bails at the bell. Back in the ring Orndorff slugs JYD down and launches him into the corner. He hits a bodyslam but misses an elbowdrop. JYD comes back with a falling headbutt and then goes to town with them. He ties Orndorff up in the ropes and Paul Orndorff comes down to the ring. He gets in and ends up getting bodyslammed. With JYD distracted Terry loads up his mask. JYD hits a headbutt and passes out, knocking the referee down on his way to the mat. Paul puts on the mask and goes for a piledriver but JYD blocks. JYD tosses him over the top rope to the floor and the referee disqualifies him for it, thinking it was Terry under the mask. Total mess, but a fun one.
Rating: *3/4

The Junkyard Dog & Mike George VS. Jerry Novak & Aaron Holt
George and Novak start. They brawl uncontrollably and their partners rush in to break it up. George and JYD take control and nail Holt with a double shoulder block. JYD hits the Thump for the win. Just a squash for the Dog and his buddy.
Rating: 1/4*

The Junkyard Dog VS. Mike Boyer
JYD is the Louisiana Heavyweight Champion here, but this match is non-title. They lock up and JYD slugs away. Ted Dibiase gets on commentary and praises the Dog. JYD headbutts Boyer out of the ring. He fights off a half nelson and puts on an armbar. Boyer comes back with a drop toehold and they roll around on the mat. JYD hits a running forearm and the Thump for the win. Another squash, but here we finally got to see a little better what JYD was all about.
Rating: *

The Junkyard Dog VS. Bob Roop [Lousiana Heavyweight Championship Match]
They lock up and JYD hits a bodyslam. Roop puts on a full nelson but JYD powers out. He goes back to the hold and bangs JYD’s head against the turnbuckle. JYD powers out and slugs him into the corner. He hits a falling headbutt and stalks his prey. He slugs him down and gets 2. Roop bails but gets back in the ring at 4. JYD puts on a headlock but Roop comes back with a high knee. JYD hits a bodyslam and they slug it out. Roop goes to the eyes so JYD slugs him and he gets tangled in the ropes. Paul Orndorff takes care of him as he nurses his now hurt foot on the floor and the referee starts the count. Roop gets back in and JYD goes to town on him. Roop goes to the arm and puts on the full nelson. Orndorff goes for a cheap shot but hits Roop. JYD hits the Thump and slams Orndorff onto Roop. Bob Orton Jr. comes out to the ring so JYD tosses him onto Orndorff. He hits Roop with a running forearm and gets the pin. This was a mess, but it sure made JYD look like a world beater.
Rating: **

Junkyard Dog & Mike George VS. The Wild Samoans [Mid-South Tag Team Championship Match]
George beats on both Samoans to start, hitting the double noggin knocker. JYD comes in as George gets dumped. One of the Samoans (I can’t see their faces) slams the Dog but misses a diving headbutt. The referee gets knocked down and JYD hits the Samoans with a chair. General Akbar tries to shoot a fireball into JYD’s face but it backfires on him. JYD and a Samoan fight to the floor. Afa hits George with the Samoan drop onto a chair for the win and the titles. Hardly even a match, pretty much just a set up for the following match.
Rating: N/R

Junkyard Dog & Brian Blair VS. The Wild Samoans
JYD beats on the Samoans to start and hits Sika with the three point stance. He hits Afa with a bodyslam but Sika makes the save. He pummels JYD with elbow drops as Blair lays hurt on the floor. The Samoans double-team JYD until the referee gets bumped. Mr. Olympia makes the save and beats on all of the heels. He and the Dog clear the ring and the referee calls for the bell. Afa and Sika win by disqualification due to Mr. Olympia’s interference. Another non-match that would be helped by a promo to better explain what’s going on.
Rating: N/R

Junkyard Dog VS. Ted Dibiase [North American Heavyweight Championship Match]
The video quality goes down significantly here. They lock up and Dog overpowers Dibiase. They lock up again and JYD stays in control. Apparently Dibiase will have to leave Mid-South if he loses. Dibiase gets a roll up for 2. JYD gets a small package for 2. They get into a test of strength and then trade hammerlocks. Dibiase gets a headlock takedown but JYD slips out. He gets an armdrag but begs off because Dibiase is his friend. JYD puts on a headlock but begs off again. Dibiase starts to take control but opts to shake JYD’s hand instead. Great in-match angle here. JYD goes for the Thump but Dibiase forces himself into the ropes. JYD hits a side Russian legsweep for 2. Dibiase hits a powerslam for 2 when JYD launches him off. JYD blocks the figure 4 leglock and Dibiase falls over the top rope to the floor. JYD follows him out to check on him and puts him back in the ring. Dibiase loads up his fist as JYD gets back into the ring and slugs him down for the win and the title. What an ass! Great angle there, pulling this tape out of the dreck it was stuck in.
Rating: **3/4

Ted Dibiase & Mr. Olympia VS. Junkyard Dog & Jim Duggan [Mid-South Tag Team Championship Match]
The video quality looks phenomenal here, but it may just be by comparison. Dibiase and Olympia attack before the bell but Duggan and JYD take over. Duggan tosses Olympia into the post and the heels say they want the match called off. Akbar demands the title match be called off, but matchmaker Grizzly Smith will have none of it. He demands that Dibiase find another partner.
Rating: N/A

Ted Dibiase & King Kong Bundy VS. Junkyard Dog & Jim Duggan [Mid-South Tag Team Championship Match]
Our heroes hit Bundy with a double shoulder block and he rolls to the floor. They do the same to Dibiase. Dibiase and Duggan get the match underway and Duggan hits a back bodydrop. He hits an atomic drop and Dibiase falls to the floor. Bundy comes in and they slug it out. JYD cuts off a Dibiase sneak attack and slugs him into the referee. Akbar comes in the ring and Butch Reed sneaks up on Duggan, knocking him into the post. JYD knocks Bundy out of the ring but Reed hits him with a friggin’ blockbuster. Dibiase and Akbar beat on JYD and the referee calls for the disqualification. Duggan gets his 2×4 and makes the save. Bundy cuts it off so JYD beats on everyone with the 2×4. Another non-match that made the babyfaces look great while keeping the heels strong.
Rating: N/A

Junkyard Dog VS. Jim Powell
You’ve got to love referees from the ’70s. JYD hits an atomic drop and a forearm. He hits a headbutt and a snap mare. He hits a running forearm and the Thump for the win in under a minute. Just there to let JYD impress the snappily dressed referee.
Rating: 1/4*

We finally get a promo, and it’s about damn time. JYD is here for a reason, and it’s to dominate the season. Solie’s reaction here was pretty cute.

Now we go to a Japanese broadcast off of Samurai TV, but it’s a match from America. Jim Cornette introduces us to the Midnight Express of Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton as only he can.

The Midnight Express VS. Junkyard Dog & Jim Duggan [No Disqualification Match]
The Midnight’s Mid-South tag team titles are on the line here. JYD dominates Eaton with his headbutts to start. Condrey tags in, as does Duggan. Duggan goes to work on the arm, sending it into the turnbuckle. He hits a clothesline and rams him into a JYD headbutt. He hits a kneedrop for 2. Eaton distracts Duggan and makes the tag. Duggan tosses him over the top rope to the floor, but there are no disqualifications. Eaton hits a shoulder block but Duggan stands strong and hits a bodyslam. He hits an elbowdrop and tags to JYD. JYD hits an elbowdrop and jars Eaton’s head. Condrey reluctantly makes the tag. They knuckle up and Dog overpowers him. He stomps on his feet ad hits a headbutt for 2. He hits a bodyslam for 2. Eaton trips him up and Condrey stomps away. Eaton tags in and jabs JYD for 2. The crowd gets behind the Dog and he hits the recently tagged in Condrey with a shoulder block. Duggan gets the tag and cleans house. JYD hits Eaton with a clothesline. He hits him with the Thump but Cornette throws powder in his eyes. Everything breaks down as Duggan throws Eaton into the referee. Duggan hits a powerslam and a kneedrop on Eaton. He hits an atomic drop and tricks Cornette into elbowdropping Eaton. He chokes Cornette as JYD and Condrey fight on the floor. Hercules Hernandez comes out to save Cornette and knocks out Duggan with a coal miner’s glove. The referee recovers to see Eaton make the cover for the win to retain the titles. I don’t know why all the ref bumps were necessary in a no-DQ match, but what we got was pretty fun.
Rating: **1/2

Jim Ross interviews JYD at ringside. He’s happy to be back in Mid-South because he owes all the people everything he has. Ernie Ladd has been bothering people in Atlanta so JYD is going to go up there and take care of business. Cornette interrupts and complains that JYD has no business out there and that the time should be used to let the Midnight Express get another shot at the tag titles against the Rock N’ Roll Express. JYD censors himself after being offended, but can’t stop himself from choking Cornette. The Midnight Express attack him and lay him out with the tennis racket. Butch Reed comes out and pours yellow paint all over him until some babyfaces make the save.

Butch Reed wanted to defend his North American title against anyone in Mid-South, so Grizzly Smith decided to let the fans decide. It came down to a decision between JYD and Duggan, and JYD wins it by applause.

Butch Reed VS. Junkyard Dog [North American Heavyweight Championship Match]
Dusty Rhodes is the special referee, and Butch Reed is irate. JYD gets a roll up for 1 at the bell. Reed hits a shoulder block but JYD comes back wit a headbutt to the gut. He puts on a sleeper hold but Reed powers him to the ropes. JYD goes back to the hold and pins him for 1. He keeps the hold on but Reed powers out. JYD hits a forearm but misses the falling headbutt. Reed puts on a chinlock but JYD fights out. Reed sends him to the ropes and he collides with Dusty, who falls to the floor. Reed hits a bodyslam and climbs the ropes. JYD brings him down with a slam. Jim Niedhart comes down to the ring and trips JYD. Dusty takes care of him and JYD hits a running forearm. The hits the Thump and picks up the win and the title. Man, that rest hold sequence went on forever. About what you’d expect from these two.
Rating: **

Junkyard Dog VS. Butch Reed
Dog hits a headbutt and chokes Reed in the ropes. He kicks at him until he rolls out of the ring. He slingshots him back in and slugs him to the mat. He hits the crawling headbutts and Reed falls back to the floor. He rips at Reed’s eyes and chokes him in the corner. Reed comes back with a right hook and stomps away. JYD is too angry however and is not affected by Reed’s blows. They hit clotheslines at the same time and both men are down. They slug it out on their knees and Reed chokes him down. Now Reed’s jabs are working and he knocks JYD to the mat with an uppercut. He puts on a chinlock but JYD fights out. They scrape each other’s eyes and Reed puts on a front facelock. He uses the ropes for leverage behind the referees back. The ten minute mark passes and I realize the match has obviously been clipped. JYD powers Reed into the turnbuckle and hits an inverted atomic drop. He hits a clothesline and a hiptoss. He hits the Thump and picks up the win. Nice finish, boring match. It was obviously a match designed to give JYD revenge for some heinous thing that Reed did, but once again, we didn’t see what see the set up for the match.
Rating: *3/4

Junkyard Dog VS. The Missing Link
Best of the Missing Link will be forthcoming. This is from the Texas Stadium and we’re in World Class. If I’m not mistaken, clips of this match can be found on PWI’s Lords of the Ring video. Link goes for a headbutt before the bell but JYD fights him off. JYD pounds him over the head with a chair and he rolls to the floor. Back in the ring they lock up and Link hits some ill advised headbutts. JYD comes back with his own and rams Link’s head into his knee. Link keeps trying to bang JYD’s head but has no luck. He meets JYD on his knees and tries a JYD style headbutt because he’s a complete moron. JYD hits his own and Link is knocked loopy. JYD misses a headbutt in the corner and Link hits a front elbow. He climbs to the second rope but misses his headbutt. Akbar gets on the apron so JYD knocks him off. Link attacks from behind and hits the diving headbutt for the win as Akbar holds JYD’s leg down. A referee comes out to expose Akbar and reverses the decision. Justice prevails and Link starts beating on the furniture. Cute match.
Rating: **1/4

Greg Valentine VS. The Junkyard Dog [Intercontinental Championship Match]
We’re in the WWF now at the first WrestleMania. JYD wants the belt so that he can buy some bones. JYD grabs a wristlock, called an arm twister by Gorilla Monsoon. Valentine whips out but JYD blocks the kick. He hits a jab and Valentine hits the mat. Valentine misses a forearm and JYD hits the crawling headbutts. They knuckle up and Valentine takes control. He clubs JYD down and goes to work on the leg. He beats on him in the corner but JYD fights back. He hits a pair of headbutts and Valentine goes down. Jimmy Hart gets on the apron and JYD gets distracted. Valentine mistakenly knocks Hart down and JYD unloads on him. Valentine comes back with a roll up with his feet on the ropes for the win. Tito Santana comes down and tattles on Valentine. The referee takes his word on it and demands that Valentine get back in the ring. Valentine refuses and gets counted out, giving JYD the match but not the title. Strange finish to a match at WrestleMania, but the babyface went over and I guess that’s what matters.
Rating: **

The Junkyard Dog VS. Jerry Lawler
We’re in AIW. Lawler’s hair was ridiculous at this point. He’s very visibly scared of JYD, cowering in the corner. He gets on the microphone and makes some light racist comments, instigating JYD before running from the ring. Back in the ring Lawler slugs him in the face to no affect, so he bails again and takes out a photographer. Back in the ring Lawler stalls. He puts on a wristlock and gets punched in the face. He gets on the microphone and calls JYD Uncle Ben. Big mistake. Dog hits a headbutt and Lawler bails. Back in the ring Lawler’s offense gets no reaction from the Dog, so he pulls a chain out of his boot. He slugs him in the face and JYD hits the mat. He chokes him with the chain and hides it in his mouth. He takes it out and slugs JYD again. He chokes him some more and then leaves the chain on the turnbuckle. He slugs the Dog with it one more time and chokes him again, getting a 2 count. JYD tosses him out of the ring on the kick out. Back in the ring he misses a fistdrop with the chain and hurts his hand. JYD slugs him and the chain goes flying. Terry Garvin picks it up but can’t stop JYD from beating on Lawler. He hits the big headbutt for 2 when Garvin puts Lawler’s foot on the rope. JYD goes after Garvin and Lawler knocks him off the apron. Lawler and Garvin start beating on him and the referee throws that match out. JYD fights them both off after the fact. Way too much stalling and repetitive cheating for that cop-out finish.
Rating: *

The 411: Well, your not going to be looking for workrate miracles on a JYD compilation, but this simply was not put together very well. Many matches were thrown on here without any clips or information about why they were taking place. The second Butch Reed match was frustrating to watch at first because JYD was wrestling like a heel and it didn't make sense having not seen Reed tar and feather him in the build up to the match. I can't really recommend this one to anyone except for people already familiar with the angles that lead to these matches.

Final Score:  2.5   [ Very Bad ]