Mid-South Wrestling (8.27.1983) Review

-Originally aired August 27, 1983.

-Your hosts are Boyd Pierce and Jim Ross.

HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN vs. BORIS ZURKHOV
-Duggan’s ribs are all taped up from last week’s injury, so Boris has a shot here. Duggan pounds down Boris and sends him retreating to the floor. Back in, Boris throws kicks at the ribs and applies a bearhug. Duggan fights it with punches right away, so Boris releases and goes back to kicking the ribs. Boris goes back to the bearhug, but Duggan thinks back to earlier and remembers that he can still throw punches, so he does it this time and breaks the hold again.

-Boris slams him but Duggan just won’t stay down. More punches by Duggan, and the spear finishes. By the way, since it’s been a while since I’ve mentioned this, just in case you’re late to these reviews: Duggan’s spear isn’t what we think of as a spear now. He runs towards his opponent and leaps like he’s yelling “Surprise!” at them and just gives them a good smack in the head when he does it, and that’s his finisher.

KAMALA (with Skandar Akbar & Friday) vs. RANDY BARBER
-Kamala has suddenly switched to the more famous spelling of his name. Chops from all directions, and a pair of big splash finishes.

-We revisit the Battle of the Hacksaws last week. Friendly reminder that Skandar Akbar is still on the hook for a match against Duggan as a result of the whole thing.

HACKSAW BUTCH REED (North American Champion) vs. JOSHUA STROUD
-Stroud surprises Reed with a flurry of offense early on, and Reed gets frustrated and just punches him down. JR’s doing a great job of giving this match some gravitas, as a victory for Stroud, regardless of how he gets it, would totally launch his career. Front facelock by Reed as JR remains hellbent on never saying the name “Butch.” It’s so odd.

-Stroud escapes and throws a dropkick that JR aptly calls “ineffective.” Reed just brushes off the youngster and clotheslines him down. Press slam ends it.

“Dr. Death” STEVE WILLIAMS & MAGNUM T.A. (with Skandar Akbar) vs. TED DIBIASE & KING KONG BUNDY
-Grizzly Smith has sent a second referee to the ring and has ordered both of them to search DiBiase for weapons. DiBiase concedes to the search but slyly passes something to Akbar in the process.

-Magnum works DiBiase’s arm. DiBiase breaks with elbows and fists. Bodypress outta nowhere by Magnum, and DiBuase looks a little surprised and concerned. He tags in Bundy, but Magnum uses stick and move strategy with Bundy before tagging in Dr. Death. Williams reverses Bundy’s Irish whip but runs into a raised knee. DiBiase feels cocky after that, so he tags back in but gets elbowed down. Williams goes for a tackle and DiBiase runs to the floor as JR switches to full-blown football mode to call the match.

-DiBiase tags Bundy back in and Williams tackles him, but Bundy doesn’t go off his feet. Bundy tries a shoulderblock, but Williams doesn’t budge. Bundy just hammers him down instead, and again, Bundy’s done the work so DiBiase insists on tagging back in. Elbow off the second rope by DiBiase and a snapmare for two. Bundy tags back in but misses a kneedrop. Everybody tags and Magnum and DiBiase slug it out like sumbitches. Sleeper by Magnum. Bundy breaks the hold, which triggers a brawl. Akbar passes the weapon back to DiBiase and he uses it to KO Magnum. GREAT bit as a fan runs up to the apron to try to tell the referee what happened, and Bundy throws Williams out of the ring right at her, which scares her back into her seat.

-So DiBiase throws the weapon out of the ring back at Akbar, but Hacksaw Jim Duggan runs to the ring and intercepts it, and he pops DiBiase right in the face. DiBiase is out cold, and Magnum rolls over and gets the three-count. Really good tag team action with everyone moving a mile a minute.

MAX THE MISSING LINK vs. MIKE JACKSON
-Link attacks right away as JR is playing up the story that there’s some extra layer to Link that we’re not being told about. Jackson surprises Link with a roll-up. Enziguiri and a dropkick by Jackson. But a missile dropkick misses, and Link comes off the second rope with a headbutt to the back. Another headbutt gets the win.

KRUSHER DARSOW vs. TIM HORNER
-Darsow throws Horner around. Horner fights back with dropkicks but Darsow shrugs them off and slams him. Body vice gets a quick submission.

JOHNNY RICH, GEORGE WEINGROFF, & ART CREWS vs. RIP ROGERS, DOUG VINES, & MIKE MCGHEE
-Weingroff & Vines start. Vines works the arm. Weingroff gets an early roll up and tags in Crews. Crews applies a side headlock. Vines tags out and Crews just switches to a side headlock on Rogers as he enters the ring. McGhee tags in and Rich completes the trifecta. So then the heels take a turn doing the same thing to Crews. Crews ultimately escapes and applies an arm wringer on Rogers. And so now everyone takes turns working the arm on Rogers. Vines tags back in, but all of a sudden the babyfaces start showing off 100 gallons of piss and vinegar and they just clean house on everybody, and Johnny Rich gets a three-count on McGhee.

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

That tag team match, though.