Mid-South Wrestling (9.29.1984) Review

-WWE Network has the “most complete form possible” warning up for a full 40 seconds before the start of the show, so we can’t say we weren’t warned.

-Originally aired September 29, 1984.

-Your hosts are Boyd Pierce and Bill Watts. Bill Watts follows up on the controversial attack on the Fantastics and Cornette’s manipulation of the rules. Bill Watts says that yes, Cornette may have a point about the loopholes and the imprecise way that the rules are written, but Mid-South is going to fine Cornette and the Midnight Express $30,000 anyway on the grounds of “Because fuck you.”

-We get statement from Jim Cornette, who wants his $30,000 returned on television, along with a public apology from Bill Watts, or else the Midnight Express will leave Mid-South and take the belts with them, and hell, it’s 1984 so that’s a credible threat now. He gives Watts two weeks. Watts totally blows off the demand and throws it to ringside.

HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN vs. STEVE BRINSON
-We have new ring ropes this week. They’re cribbing a Jimmy Hart angle from Memphis about as precisely as you possibly could, with Duggan now wearing a t-shirt with Jim Cornette’s picture, captioned “Wimp Busters,” with Watts quoting the theme from Ghost Busters to explain the idea.

-Brinson slaps Duggan and pays for it. Duggan fights back as we get shots from Mid-South’s new third camera, a handheld camera right at ringside, and it’s such a sudden drastic change in the look of this show that it feels almost like we’re watching a different promotion. Brinson gets slammed down, and Duggan spears him for three.

-We revisit the Master G/Butch Reed match from last week.

“Nature Boy” BUDDY LANDELL vs. ROCKY SMITH
-Watts says that Landell’s greatest strength in the ring is that “he’s a self-starting motivator.” He’s also a team player who is proficient in Excel and multitasking, I’m sure. Smith throws sloppy dropkicks until Landell ducks and throws forearms. Slam and a knee by Buddy, but it’s not quite enough, so he goes for a facelock. Elbow by Buddy finishes it.

NON-TITLE: MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (Tag Team Champions, with Jim Cornette & Hercules Hernandez) vs. BRICKHOUSE BROWN & MASTER G
-Brickhouse dropkicks Bobby Eaton square in the nose as Bill Watts is firmly committed on commentary to making the faces the next big things. Master G tags in and cleans house with bodyslams and flying headscissors, and Watts is going way over the top, acting like he’s never seen flying headscissors before. I mean, yeah, it takes effort and lord knows I can’t do flying headscissors, but Watts is taking a guy who’s pretty good and presenting him as an unforeseen revelation in professional wrestling.

-Brickhouse tags in to be the face in peril for a bit, but he collides with Eaton on a double shoulderblock and and crawls over to try to tag Master G. Honestly, the way Master G is being pushed, I’m amazed he’s tagging Brickhouse instead of just touching fingertips to heal him. BUT WAIT! Dennis Condrey cuts off the hot tag and Cornette yanks Brickhouse out of the ring. And the heel locker room just empties out and gangs up on Master G. Butch Reed and Ernie Ladd hold him down while Buddy Landell whips him with a belt, but suddenly all of Master G’s new friends rush to the ring to rescue him. Even Bill Watts isn’t immune from this. He’s convinced that he can will this guy to be the next Junkyard Dog and that’s just not how it works.

-Exotic Adrian Street is sitting in for guest commentary. He gripes that the U.S. isn’t showing as much respect as they should be showing to a four-time European heavyweight champion. Pfft, if you’re such a great European champion, where’s your chest protector and head wiggle?

TV TITLE: TERRY TAYLOR (Champion) vs. JASON WALKER
-Taylor has the TV Title medal again. This is like the second time in a five-month reign that he’s actually had it. Fast win for Taylor, who connects with the five-arm to get three.

MAGNUM T.A. & SONNY KING vs. HERCULES HERNANDEZ & “Dr. Death” STEVE WILLIAMS
-Magnum armdrags Hercules as Watts cuts a promo on Master G’s behalf in another bit of weirdness with this push. Everybody tags and King works the arm on Dr. Death while Bill Watts points out that on other televised wrestling shows, big stars and big arenas aren’t enough to hide slow-paced sluggish action, and everyone and see through it when the wrestlers are just laying around on the mat half-assing their match. No sir, Mid-South delivers FAST-PACED action.

-Slick maneuver by Herc and Williams, with Williams entering on a behind-the-back tag and giving a Polish hammer to Magnum’s throat. Referee gets distracted dealing with Sonny King, and Williams dashes in and kabongs Magnum with the helmet, and Hercules gets the three-count. Well, it certainly wasn’t big men laying around on the mat half-assing their match, we can say that.

SUPERSTAR BILL DUNDEE vs. RICK MCCORD
-Dundee’s just wearing a normal polo shirt or something for his intro and it’s odd. Dundee works the knee for a bit before monkey flipping McCord and switching to the arm. McCord gets things going, driving Dundee into the turnbuckle, and Watts is quick to point out that Dundee’s reputation doesn’t mean anything, you have to EARN your victories and your stardom in Mid-South.

-Dundee comes back to life with a slam and kicks. Sleeper is locked on and that puts McCord away.

-And by the way, the Rock & Roll Express are coming back!

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

Be sure to join us next week when Master G gives water to a thoroughly dehydrated Judah Ben-Hur.