Mid-South Wrestling (6.9.1984) Review

-Originally aired June 9, 1984.

-Your hosts are Boyd Pierce and Jim Ross. JR announces that because the JYD/Butch Reed feud is getting too out of hand, neither man is in the building this week; Mid-South wants them as far apart as possible until they wrestle in a proper match.

-We get a video package about Butch Reed, cutting a promo over a training montage. Reed is just on fire, declaring himself the best athlete in the west and declaring JYD a fat, nasty, greasy chicken.

“Nature Boy” BUDDY LANDELL vs. MIKE JACKSON
-We have a new ring announcer, who couldn’t possibly have stayed long. His name is Murray Franks, and to his credit, he has ENERGY.

-Landell applies a side headlock before Jackson gets his offense in for the week. Landell faceplants him and drops a knee for two. Irish McNeil’s Boys Club is taking decorating tips from Jim Crockett, as the building suddenly has a bunch of flags to fill the empty space behind the stands. Slam by Landell and a big elbow gets the three-count.

-Chyron: NEXT – JYD IS SPECIAL.

-So we get a video package featuring JYD standing next to a busy stretch of road, and again, Mid-South Wrestling doesn’t know that directional microphones are a thing, so “A lot of people are saying VRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM about the Junkyard Dog baby, but let me tell you VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOM in that ring, we’re gonna VRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM Butch Reed!” Jut because you tape it doesn’t mean you have to air it, you can look in the editing bay and decide it was a bad idea.

SONNY KING vs. BAD BOB OWENS
-The only thing I know about Bob Owens going into this match is that a 1986 Wrestling Observer has a brief item about him shitting his yellow tights during a match. Fortunately, he’s opted for black tights this week, so we’re safe. Backdrop and a headbutt by King get an easy win.

-Post-match, a series of jobbers rush to the ring to attack King, but King fights them all off while Buddy Landell, who apparently dispatched them, stands in the distance and looks concerned about King’s badassery.

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (Tag Team Champions, with Jim Cornette) vs. BUDDY WEST & MARK RAGIN
-And they are already DONE with Mark Ragin after a big debut. The new guy doesn’t know he’s supposed to hand the microphone to Jim Cornette and Cornette kind of ends up in a tug of war trying to take it from him.

-Dennis Condrey ties up Ragin on the mat. Eaton tags in and gives Ragin some shine, with Ragin dropkicking him and following with flying headscissors. Backdrop is countered by an elbow from Eaton. West tags in and the Midnights unveil the double goozle for the first time on television to finish this.

JAY YOUNGBLOOD vs. MR. WRESTLING II
-I get the logic of the angle, but I really wish they had just named Hercules “Mr. Wrestling III” for this gimmick because calling him II always feels wrong.

-Youngblood gets a high hiptoss on II and takes him down to the mat with a side headlock. II gets free with a back suplex. Slam and a fist drop by II for two. Bearhug by II, but Youngblood fights out and backdrops him. War dance by Youngblood has he unleashes rapid chops, but he backs II into a corner, and II just grabs his legs and rolls him up for a pin with feet on the ropes. Nothing special, but it was fine.

ROCK & ROLL EXPRESS vs. PAT ROSE & BARRY ORTON
-Unexpected appearance by Barry O, possessing a whopping 500% of his standard last name billing. Let’s see if it gives him an edge.

-Rose gets flipped around by the Express. Morton ends up falling victim to Rose’s cunning strategy of not getting his ass kicked for 30 seconds and the jobbers take control. Orton gets caught in an atomic drop, and it’s hot tag Gibson, and a sunset flip gets three.

BRAD ARMSTRONG vs. TED DIBIASE
-We go to house show action from Oklahoma. Bill Watts on commentary suggests that this is a joint card with Mid-South and the Georgia territory. Armstrong flusters DiBiase by countering everything he’s got, and DiBiase keeps retreating to the floor. DiBiase finally takes over with a back suplex. Sleeper by DiBiase, but Armstrong elbows out. DiBiase slams him and goes to the second rope, and since he’s not trying to fall backward off it, I don’t like Armstrong’s chances.

-But Armstrong DOES block DiBiase with a shot to the gut. Backdrop and a dropkick by Armstrong, but DiBiase loads up the glove as Armstrong sets up for a back suplex. DiBiase knocks Armstrong out cold and gets the win.

7.6

The final score: review Good

The 411

Most of the show worked, but the JYD/Reed hype isn't doing it for me and you can definitely see the spark is gone from the Dog at this stage.