Mid-South Wrestling (1.15.1983) Review

-Originally aired January 15, 1983.

-This is another one I already reviewed from a Mid-South Classics rerun.

-Your hosts are Boyd Pierce and Mr. Wrestling II with his plaid suit.

KEVIN VON ERICH vs. MIKE BOND
-Lock-up into a side headlock by Von Erich and it goes into the ropes. Another lock-up goes to a side headlock by Bond but Von Erich throws him in the ropes and meets him with flying headscissors once and again. Dropkick by Von Erich as Boyd puts over the referee for his efficiency. Bodyscissors by Von Erich and Bond goes into the ropes to break it. Bond throws punches, but Kevin throws them right back. Backdrop and a snapmare followed by a splash off the ropes to finish things, and Kevin Von Erich gets his hand raised.

IRON MIKE SHARPE vs. YOSHI YATSU
-Iron Mike is a face! What the hell? Sharpe takes Yatsu down with a legsweep but Yatsu gets right up. Yatsu tries an amateur go-behind, but Sharpe powers out. They exchange hammerlocks and arm wringers until Sharpe gets the decisive upper hand and locks in a wristlock. Yatsu breaks the hold and chops away at Sharpe. Backbreaker by Yatsu gets a two-count and he throws more chops. Sharpe starts to fight back with punches and a tour of the turnbuckles. Sharpe throws a dropkick that elicits an “Eww…” from Mr. Wrestling II. It wasn’t that bad, but yes, there is a reason Mike Sharpe didn’t usually throw dropkicks. Yatsu fights back with, you guessed it, chops. Another chop gets a two-count, although not for lack of trying as Yatsu avoided the usual strategy of hooking the leg and instead opted for the less-frequently pursued pinning strategy of squeezing the taint. That just riles up the Iron Man and he clotheslines Yatsu for the three-count. That’ll teach him that it’s not okay to be Japanese.

MR. WRESTLING II vs. HIRO MATSUDA
-Previously-taped, since II is on commentary. So we’re watching a rerun of a match on a show that’s already a rerun. Arm wringer by Matsuda and II gets to the ropes to break the hold. Front facelock by II is countered by a hammerlock from Matsuda. Lock-up to a side headlock by II. Matsuda throws a…series of chops. Legsweep by Matsuda but II makes it to his feet. Matsuda grabs an arm but II takes him down. Chops and kicks by Matsuda, followed by a nerve hold. II starts to fight out of it but Matsuda throws chops and re-applies the nerve hold. What was shaping up to be a scientific see-saw classic has officially degenerated into WWF Curtain Jerk Hell. II throws his own chop to get in the spirit of things, followed by a kneelift. Punches by II followed by a chop to the stomach for a two-count. Matsuda throws chops (Well, of course he does) but gets slammed down. Running kneelift gives II the big win. First two minutes or so were outstanding and then it just came to a slow halt.

KAMALA & KABUKI (with Gary Hart, Skandar Akbar & Friday) vs. TIM HORNER & BUDDY LANDELL
-Pre-match promo sees Gary Hart demand a little more money with each request Skandar Akbar makes for any kind of favors, and Akbar assures him more money is coming. I’m sure some kind of payoff is coming from that which we won’t see. Kamala & Kabuki both act so weird that the crowd laughs at them instead of giving them any kind of heat.

-Landell armdrags Kabuki and dodges a kick to start things in promising fashion for the jobbers. Horner tags in and they switch off with arm wringers. Horner gets caught with a series of kicks and…oh yes, a series of chops. Kabuki chokes Horner and sweeps the leg, then brings him back to his feet for a nerve hold. Landell tags in and throws punches, but Kabuki blocks a backdrop with a kick. Enziguiri by Kabuki followed by a nerve hold. Landell breaks the hold with a punch. He follows with a backdrop but Kabuki catches him coming off the top rope. Backdrop by Kabuki and Kamala finally tags in. Pair of splashes and Kamala covers him for the pin. Way to earn your pay, big man.

HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN (Lousiana Heavyweight Champion) vs. BRUNO SAMMARTINO, JR.
-Bruno, Jr. is David, for anyone who missed the last review. Duggan outwrestles Junior with a takedown. Junior reverses and Duggan makes it to the ropes. Atomic drop and an armdrag by Junior and Duggan goes outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Duggan is slammed down, but avoids a legdrop. Irish whip gives the advantage to Duggan. Backdrop and an elbow by Duggan followed by a turnbuckle shot. On the mat, Junior hooks his leg to take him down and that just makes Duggan mad. Junior throws punches and hooks the leg again. Duggan fights back with an elbow for two. Junior pulls a sunset flip out of nowhere for two. He throws punches but Duggan slams him against the turnbuckles and drops the knee for two. Duggan applies a headlock. Junior elbows out and reverses. Duggan sends him through the ropes and onto the floor. Junior makes it back to the apron and Duggan takes a three-point stance and tackles him back down to the floor. Junior can’t make it back into the ring and Duggan takes the match by count-out. Good finish.

CHAVO GUERRERO vs. GINO HERNANDEZ
-They trade arm-wringers and dazzling escapes in the opening moments. Chavo gets the upper hand and stymies Gino with an armbar. Hammerlock and Gino makes it to the ropes. Chavo keeps working the arm. Weird commentary as Boyd basically says how happy he is that, for once, he’s not calling a jobber match. Gino rams Chavo into the turnbuckles and then rams him into…the air…which I suppose has a high pollen count, and forcing somebody to inhale it quickly by controlling their head could be a mild irritant. Chavo gets fired up and launches Gino out of the ring with a hard Irish whip.

-We actually pause for a commercial! What promotion is this?!

-Back to the ring and Chavo has Gino tied up in a surfboard and works the legs and neck. Gino fights back and drops Chavo with an elbow for two. Irish whip by Gino and he throws punches in the corner. He does another Irish whip but Chavo moves and Gino crashes on the follow-up splash. Chavo catches him in a gutwrench suplex off the ropes, which looks pretty cool. Gino kicks him down and drops an elbow for two. Headlock by Gino. Chavo goes to the corner to break it and monkeyflips Gino. Killer Bees-style “stinger” gets a two count. Punches and knees are exchanged but Gino catches Chavo with a sunset flip for two. He attempts a slam, but his knee gives and Chavo lands on top for two. Chavo goes off the ropes and attempts a flying chop, but he hits the referee and the referee goes flying out of the ring. Guerrero goes flying out of the ring, too. Gino goes outside of the ring and grabs a folding chair from Skandar Akbar (who has apparently been there the entire time without being acknowledged) but Chavo steals the chair and KOs Gino with it. The referee revives and counts the pin, and Chavo gets the victory.

5.5

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

I didn't dislike it as much as I did the first time I saw it a few years ago, but I will say, it's odd what a vacuum this episode seems to exist in. A bunch of angles that have been building for the past few weeks just got no mention at all and it was like watching a totally unrelated promotion that happened to have a bunch of the same guys. Just a weird episode.