wrestling / Video Reviews
Mid-South Wrestling (10.6.1984) Review
Image Credit: WWE/Peacock
Loading...-Originally aired October 6, 1984.
-Your hosts are Jim Ross and Joel Watts.
-We start off with a flashback to last week, when Master G was attacked by Buddy Landell, Ernie Ladd, the Midnight Express, Butch Reed, Terry Orndorff, Steve O, Otis Sistrunk, Heywood Jablome, Iron Mike Sharpe, the Golden Terror, The Continental Nobleman, The Man Known Only As The Monk, Inanimate Carbon Rod, Carl the nine-fingered janitor at Irish McNeil Boys’ Club, Bun Boy Barton, Big Shirtless Ron, Mark Hamill, ALF, And Many More, and Larry “Bud” Melman, and he gamely fights them all off until Ernie Ladd gets a hold of the ankles, and Buddy Landell whips Master G like a DAAWWWWWWG.
-Jim Ross announces that because of the chaotic ending, Mid-South Wrestling has ordered a return match for this week.
NON-TITLE MATCH: MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (with Jim Cornette & Hercules Hernandez) vs. MASTER G & BRICKHOUSE BROWN
-Cornette reminds us that Bill Watts has one week left to open his checkbook and give him $30,000, or else the Midnights leave the territory and take the belts with them.
-Brickhouse works Eaton’s arm as every babyface in the building walks to ringside together, and Cornette is so shocked that he hurries off to the locker room and takes Hercules with him, so the Express is alone out there. Brickhouse dropkicks Eaton and works the arm. Master G tags in and clears the ring with flying headscissors. Master G applies a Fuller leglock on Eaton and gets a clean submission win over the Midnight Express. Bet we get a rematch! Bet that $30,000 Cornette is demanding from Bill Watts ends up being significant for it!
JOHNNY MANTELL vs. “Nature Boy” BUDDY LANDELL
-I’ve never seen a match lend itself to poetry as well as this one. They battle for a hiptoss until Mantell just backslides Landell for two. Mantell goes to a hammerlock, Landell goes to the eyes. Chinlock by Landell, but Mantell breaks with elbows and connects with a knee for one. Referee gets wiped out long enough for Landell to wipe out Mantell with a shot from something in his tights, and it’s a win for Landell. Good, quick action.
TV TITLE: TERRY TAYLOR (Champion) vs. EXOTIC ADRIAN STREET (with Miss Linda)
-JR emphasizes that Taylor’s TV Championship is for THE PEOPLE. Taylor tries a wristlock, but Street tumbles around the ring to slip out of the hold. They go to the mat, with Street locking on a side headlock and complaining about getting his hair pulled. They slug it out as Joel Watts says that Street’s wrestling style reminds him of a guy he knew in high school named Leonard. You know, I was thinking the same thing. Very Leonard-like movements on that mat.
-Taylor with a backbreaker. Taylor looks like he’s got the win all locked up, and then Street kisses Taylor right on the mouth, and Taylor is so grossed out that he can’t focus and Street rolls him up for three.
-JR talks to Taylor, and Taylor is actually taking this loss shockingly well, as he concedes that being kissed was just a total mind game and he promises to get the belt back. Considering we’re in the deep south in the mid-1980s, I am genuinely surprised by how little homophobia is on display here.
SUPERSTAR BILL DUNDEE vs. JASON WALKER
-Dundee ties up Walker with a hold while JR sounds like he’s reading the back of a trading card for his commentary, just discussing how Dundee’s tremendous ring knowledge which makes up for his lack of size. Walker gets a few shots in, but he runs right into a sleeper hold to finish.
MAGNUM T.A. (North American Champion, in case you forgot) vs. STEVE BRINSON
-Magnum with a takedown as guest commentator Ernie Ladd gives him credit for evolving into a 60-minute man, but on the other hand, if Ladd ever gets a title shot, he promises the match will only take 11 minutes. Belly-to-belly by Magnum finishes as Ladd gripes that Magnum threw a punch during the match. “DOES THAT LOOK LIKE A CHAMPION?”
THE FANTASTICS vs. HERCULES HERNANDEZ & “Dr. Death” STEVE WILLIAMS
-Hercules being billed as hailing from “Badstreet” never stops sounding weird and it sounds like it should be leading to something, but it never really does.
-Tommy Rogers starts with Dr. Death. Rogers throws a dropkick and the Fantastics begin focusing on the arm. Dr. Death fights back with a clothesline and Herc heads in and takes over. Dr. Death has shaved and that’s a weird visual. Actually, without facial hair he bears a passing resemblance to Dr. White from St. Elsewhere. Rogers takes his licks for a while, but makes a hot tag to Bobby Fulton. Referee gets distracted, and Williams headbutts Fulton with his football helmet to knock him out cold, which gives Hernandez the chance to score the pin. It was at the end of the show so it felt like they never really had a chance to do anything except cover the necessary booking.
