Mid-South Wrestling (11.20.1982) Review

-Originally aired November 20, 1982, and Mid-South Wrestling is the one show that might potentially have a crazier finish than “Oh, the band is already on the field!” which happened the same day.

MR. WRESTLING II & COL. BUCK ROBLEY vs. THE GRAPPLER & KELLY KINISKI
-Weird arc for Grappler, as they introduced a second Grappler, made them a tag team, and now they’ve demoted Grappler #2 to unmasked jobber while the original Grappler is paired up with another jobber.

-II backdrops Grappler as Bill Watts spoints out that II’s mask has been cleaned, but this week he was grousing about a threatening letter that came in the mail. Sounds like someone don’t take too keen to this fella Mr. Wrestling II. Colonel and II take turns headlocking Kiniski until he gets out of there. II just CRACKS him with a kneelift and even the ultimate hardass, Bill Watts, blurts out “WOW” when he hears it. Kiniski heads in and gets a knee to the skull by Robley.

-II gets Kiniski caught in headscissors. Robley tags in and Kiniski misses a corner tackle. II with another kneelift to finally put Kiniski out of his misery. He just got put through the wringer this week.

-Reiser Bowden holds up the contents of a package that came in the mail. It’s another defaced mask and a letter saying “This is just the beginning. II is so mad he can’t think straight, but he promises to take action if this guy ever decides to reveal his identity. Oooooooooh, a wrestling mystery!

-We go back to last week, as Hacksaw Duggan issues a push-up challenge to “pretty boy” Tony Atlas and ends up blowing himself up, so he settles for a regular old assault.

“Mr. USA” TONY ATLAS vs. MARTY LUNDE
-Lunde is still wearing a singlet and it shouldn’t feel weird to see that, but damn it does. Atlas lifts Lunde for an apparent atomic drop but then just flings him across the ring. Atlas leapfrogs Lunde and dropkicks him. Atlas rams Lunde into the turnbuckles one at a time and headbutts him. Press slam ends it. Atlas is getting a superpush and Lunde, who usually got offense in his matches, just got mauled this week.

HACKSAW DUGGAN (Louisiana Champion) vs. TED ALLEN
-Punches are traded but Duggan just overwhelms Allen and powerslams him. Allen tries to mount a comeback but Duggan hammers his back. Duggan goes for the spear…but Allen ducks and the crowd goes insane. Allen Irish whips him, but Duggan just bounces right back and this time he actually hits the spear and the crowd is heartbroken as Duggan pulls out the win. Nice ending!

KAMALA (with Friday) vs. JOE GAINES
-We have another mystery to deal with, as Watts is wondering who’s actually managing Kamala’s career because it’s not Friday, and for some reason, a request came in asking that Kamala not be booked for the Superdome card, so somebody seems to have some sort of specific plan for him. Hmm…well, hopefully the plan involves him splashing Joe Gaines and getting the pin, because the worked out for him.

CHAVO GUERRERO vs. TONY ANTHONY
-Chavo with a side headlock on Anthony. Anthony punches out as Bill Watts goes over Chavo’s entire career and reveals he holds a clean pin over Ernie Ladd. Chavo applies a surfboard, with Bill Watts encouraging us to try that hold at home to see how easily it traps someone. Front facelock by Chavo, and he switches to an armbar. Tony fights out with elbows, but Chavo chops him to the floor. Great spot as he goes for a plancha. Anthony ducks, the crowd gasps in unison, and Chavo pretty much invents the 619 to protect himself and land in the ring. And then he does the plancha the moment Anthony stands back up. Back in, the German suplex finishes for Chavo. Crowd LOVES Chavo, and for good reason.

-We go back to last week, when Stagger Lee got unmasked and it wasn’t JYD. And then another Stagger Lee showed up and kicked some ass.

STAGGER LEE vs. VLADIC SMIRNOFF
-Aww, the entrance music has been dubbed with some surf movie crap. Big right hand sends Smirnoff tumbling out to the floor. Back in, a falling headbutt ends it, no sweat.

TED DIBIASE & MATT BORNE (Tag Team Champions) vs. TIM HORNER & KING COBRA
-DiBiase slams Horner into position and Matt Borne heads to the top rope for Bombs Away, but the referee stops him as we establish for the first time that I’m aware off that moves off the top rope are illegal in Mid-South Wrestling. So Horner stays alive and tags in King Cobra, who cleans house with dropkicks. DiBiase tags in and Horner just knocks him around. Cobra heads back in and falls victim to a back suplex. He never really comes back after that, as DiBiase and Borne just wear him out. Elbow by DiBiase gets two as Watts gives the two-minute warning for the TV hour, and Watts points out that if this actually goes to a draw, that’s pretty much a win for the jobbers.

-Cobra makes the hot tag and Horner just lights into DiBiase and it looks like we might get an upset, but DiBiase dodges a dropkick and takes his head off with a clothesline, and Matt Borne finishes with a powerslam just in time.

7.3

The final score: review Good

The 411

Chavo was awesome, and there's some genuine intrigue building in the angles. Watch it!