wrestling / Video Reviews
Mid-South Wrestling (9.25.1982) Review
Image Credit: WWE/Peacock
Loading...-We get the 30-second local station promo to start. Boyd Pierce lets us know we have a lumberjack match a’comin’.
-Originally aired September 25, 1982.
-Your hosts are Boyd Pierce and Bill Watts. Bill gives us a heads-up that Mid-South is returning to the Superdome on Thanksgiving night and he promises a doozy of a show.
-We watch the Kimala debut vignette again because HOLY SHIT it’s an amazing vignette and it deserves our attention.
-Flashback to last week, when we learned that there are two Grapplers.
THE GRAPPLERS vs. JOHNNY RICH & TIM HORNER
-Jobbers clean house to start, but #1 takes over with elbows. #2 comes in and gets his arm worked over while Bill Watts explains that Johnny Rich came to Mid-South Wrestling because he’s wrestled on WTBS in Atlanta enough that he feels like he’s ready for the top competition. For example, did you know the Wild Samoans are wrestling in Georgia after leaving Mid-South? That just goes to show where the true competition is in pro wrestling, and the Samoans just couldn’t handle it.
-#1 connects with an uppercut to Horner’s jaw . Elbow misses and Johnny Rich gets a hottish tag, taking on both Grapplers but missing an elbow, which is happening kind of a lot in this match. Horner tags back in and dropkicks #1. Backdrop and a legdrop gets a near-fall, but #2 breaks it. #1 boots him down and hits a shoulderbreaker. Big kneelift by #1 to taunt Mr. Wrestling II, and the Grappler Twist (bulldog, but done on the arm instead of the head) finishes. That was a pretty damn good squash.
JUNKYARD DOG vs. BILLY STARR
-Starr is now wearing a suspicious arm brace with his gear. JYD headbutts him out to the floor and slingshots him back in. Big clothesline and a jerk slam by the Dog. Atomic drop and the Thump for the win. Just that easy.
MR. WRESTLING II vs. LARRY CLARK
-Snapmare into a side headlock by II. Shoulderblock and a slam follows. Clark desperately goes for a hiptoss and II just plants his feet and Clark loses his balance. Kneelift “and a beauty” as Gorilla Monsoon would put it, and Mr. Wrestling II gets the win.
LUMBERJACK MATCH: COL. BUCK ROBLEY vs. ONE MAN GANG (with Skandar Akbar)
-Robley tries to throw Gang over the top and Gang teases doing it before grabbing the ropes and getting his feet back on the mat. Gang pounds him down and sends Robley out to the floor, and everyone throws him in without incident. Gang enjoyed it so he sends ROley out another side and again, the lumberjacks force him back in. Robley dodges an avalanche and elbows the Gang down. Gang rolls out for a retreat and the lumberjacks unhesitantly shove him back in. The usual “heels help heels” and “faces help faces” spots aren’t happening her, which is kind of odd.
-Front facelock by Robley. Gang fights out and clubs his back, then boots him out to the floor. Lumberjacks send him back in, possibly to his doom, but Gang can only get a two-count. Robley with a big dropkick and this time, Gang goes tumbling over the top rope and the referee just loses his shit reacting to it. Gang is sent back in and Robley applies a sleeper. Gang breaks it by leaning forward and causing Robley to fall out to the floor. Back in, Gang slams him into position for a second rope splash, but Robley gets out of the way and Gang crashes. Dropkick by Robley, and Gang’s in a daze. Top rope shot to Gang’s head, using the suspicious arm brace, gets the “clean” pin for Robley. I don’t understand why this makes him a face.
TED DIBIASE & HACKSAW DUGGAN vs. JESSE BARR & VINNIE ROMEO
-Barr armdrags DiBiase around and they’re wearing nearly identical gear, which makes for a weird visual considering they already have a passing resemblance. Jesse nearly gets a three-count out of nowhere and DiBiase is so horrified he wants out, and everybody tags. Duggan gets things under control and Romeo’s hurt. Shoulderbreaker by Duggan. Elbow by DiBiase, the ridiculous spear by Duggan, and DiBiase’s powerslam gets three.
-Back from commercial, Duggan and DiBiase are still in the ring, demanding a Tag Team Title match RIGHT NOW. Mr. Olympia comes out and says JYD’s had a match and that Duggan & DiBiase need to quit bitching because they already had a shot at the belts. Duggan and DiBiase keep complaining until finally, Olympia caves in and agrees to get the Dog and tell him that theyve been challenged, he just wants Duggan and DiBiase to wait for JYD to finish his shower. But hey, if JYD’s indisposed, DiBiase and Duggan make the most of it and attack from behind, destroying Mr. Olympia until all the non-showering babyfaces come to his aid.
MONGOLIAN STOMPER (National Heavyweight Champion, with Don Carson) vs. SOME JOBBERS
-We travel over to Florida for some action called by Gordon Solie. Slam and a nerve hold by Stomper on one of the jobbers. Great visual as the jobber tries scooting out to the floor, but Stomper absolutely does not let go of the hold and they go out together. Other jobber tags in and gets chopped down. Shini no make is locked on, and the jobber passes out to give Stomper the win.
“Captain Redneck” DICK MURDOCH vs. KELLY KINISKI
-But wait! Duggan and DiBiase are still refusing to leave the ring and they’re taking this show hostage. But Murdoch is here to wrestle and JYD needs a partner, so they just storm into the ring together and kick some asses. It’s a tornado match more or less, as the referee is never able to get it whittled down to two men, and it’s just a big crazy brawl until TV time runs out. Crazy spot as JYD and Murdoch do double football tackles on Duggan, and Duggan flies over them and lands on his head for the bump. DAMN.
