wrestling / Video Reviews
Memphis Wrestling (2.27.1982) Review
Image Credit: Memphis Wrestling/YouTube
Loading...-Originally aired February 27, 1982.
-Your hosts are Lance Russell & Dave Brown.
STAN LANE vs. NIGHTMARE
-Lane continues waging his war against the First Family, although for some reason Jimmy Hart isn’t with Nightmare this week.
-Nightmare gets a top wristlock on Lane, but Lane armdrags him down. Nightmare tries to fight out with a bodyslam but Lane holds on through the impact. Lane is tall but not THAT tall, and Nightmare could not possibly look more like Stan’s little brother wrestling with him in the living room. I’m just ceaselessly fascinated by the Island of Misfit Toys who all got booked in this territory. I’m all for giving anybody a chance but you cannot help noticing how many of the guys in Memphis look like they couldn’t possibly fit in anywhere else.
-Lane has a side headlock clamped on before Nightmare slips out and we go to a test of strength. Lane turns it into a monkey flip and goes for a backdrop, but Nightmare counters with a kneelift, and a backbreaker gets two. Lane fights back and finally gets his backdrop, and a swift kick to the back of the head turns Nightmare’s lights out, and Lane gets the pin. That turned out to be a really good match, and a good example of why short guys deserve a shot.
-And NOW Jimmy Hart is here with confetti, balloons, a cake, and all the members of the First Family. It’s cause for celebration today because a new member is being inducted into the First Family: Kenny Shane. Kenny has a Jimmy Hart starter kit, wearing a white outfit, sunglasses, and a cane, and Jimmy takes credited for “getting the redneck out of him.” Jimmy organizes a group photo, but right before they snap the picture, Stan Lane sneaks in, and it’s Jimmy’s face that goes into the cake, with an impressive amount of backsplash hitting Shane, so he’s just as much of a mess. Jimmy throws a tantrum and gets cake debris all over Lance.
-And what’s funny is the mess was beyond what anyone seemed to expect, because Dave is all set to start the next match, but we have to hold up the show for a minute while the studio is subjected to an emergency cleaning.
BOBBY EATON vs. CHIEF THUNDERCLOUD
-Eaton has to go out there alone because Jimmy’s a mess and has to clean himself backstage.
-Eaton chokes out the Chief. Chief fights back with chops, as well as chops of a different kind. Kenny Shane hurries to ringside and appoints himself Bobby’s manager for this bout, and the referee just kinda “whatevers” at that and lets him stay.
-Chief whips Bobby and goes back to the chopping, and a double chop gets a one-count. Eaton gets to work with a chinlock, and an elbow off the second rope gets Eaton the win.
-Jerry Lawler is here, once again holding the Southern Heavyweight Title belt, and he wants to review some footage of the title change, and he’s adamant that Dutch Mantell should get out here and watch it with him. Dutch strolls out and Lance begs everyone to keep the peace as we watch the tape.
-We head to the footage. The title match is face vs. face, but Lawler gets the three-count when the referee screws up and doesn’t see Mantell’s foot on the ropes. The First Family storms the ring for a surprise assault on Lawler, and Dutch just sizes the scene up and says “fuck that guy” and leaves the ring.
-We go back to the studio, and it turns into a shouting match, with Dutch pledging that he’s coming for a rematch, but he’s going to bide his time and make Lawler wonder when he’s coming, just to psych him out. Lawler says that Dutch walked away from the First Family and is delaying a rematch with Lawler because he’s scared of anyone who can take him in a fight. Lawler punctuates that with a slap, and we have a Jerry Springer brawl in the interview area. Starting a fight while being interviewed is so out-of-character for Lawler. He’d better knock it off.
EXPIRATION OF TIME: STEVE KIERN, STAN LANE, & SUPERSTAR BILL DUNDEE vs. SPEED, GYPSY JOE, & SWEET BROWN SUGAR (with Jimmy Hart)
FALL ONE: Brawl breaks out before the introductions even start, and everybody takes turns getting their stuff in. Lane backdrops Sugar and kicks him a swift kick to the back of the head, but Sugar is able to escape the ring and tag out. Speed takes a beating, but Sugar breaks the pin to return the favor, and in the span of about 3 seconds, about ten guys hit the ring, as the entire First Family storms the ring and a slew of babyfaces rush out to make it equal.
-During the rest period, Stan Lane challenges Jimmy Hart and Kenny Shane to a handicap match, and Jimmy announces he accepts, which is good because Lance already announced that match for the house show promos.
FALL TWO: Lane with a series of kicks to Gypsy Joe’s head as Lance gives us a two-minute warning for the show. First Family begins to swirl the ring again. Jimmy Hart takes a cheap shot for the DQ, and another brawl breaks out to close the show.
