Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,
Pro Wrestling Love vol. 23:
The Best of Memphis Wrestling 1983-1989
Objective: Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project
(hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me
build my Top 100 List for the project.
Motivation:
Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own
understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and
even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by
the sands of time.
Subject: This twenty-third
volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the beginning of the Top 12 countdown of the
best matches to take place in Memphis Wrestling between 1983-1987. The time
period is set because this was the peak of the territorial era in regards to
footage. Footage before 1983 in regards to American wrestling is a dicey
proposition. There are some gaps after 1983, but for the most part from 1983 on
we have everything. Originally I was going to end this countdown in 1987 as
believe that to be the end of the territorial era (Crockett buys out Watts and
World Class & AWA are on their death bed), but I figure I might as well
include 1988 and 1989 in this because Memphis is the one territory that does
survive on into the 1990s. A best of Memphis is essentially a Best of Jerry “The
King” Lawler so you can look forward to plenty of Jerry Lawler in this article.
You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at
ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these
reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders
associated with the date of the match.
Contact Info: @superstarsleeze
on Twitter, Instagram & ProWrestlingOnly.com.
Honorable Mentions
Rock ‘n’ Roll Express
vs Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo – 6/25/84
Rock ‘n’ Roll Express
vs The Nightmares - 1/18/85
Ricky & Robert got their start in Memphis and as the
consummate Southern tag team they fit like a glove in Memphis. Their series
with the invading Poffo brothers in 1984 is awesome. I remember renting a
Memphis VHS from Video Horizon and seeing Savage piledrive Morton through a
table and thinking it was the most batshit crazy thing I had ever seen. Their
match with the Nightmares is just a great example of a fun, Southern tag team
match.
Fabulous Ones vs
Moondogs – 6/13/83
Fabulous Ones vs
Moondogs – 1/9/84
The homoerotic vignettes that introduced the Fabulous Ones
of Steve Keirn & Stan Lane to world are the stuff of legend. However, it
should not be forgotten that the Fabulous Ones were asskickers. Is anyone
better at the kick to the gut than Steve Keirn? As the biggest Stan Lane fan on
the planet (check the PWO Greatest Wrestler Ever list), I love Stan Lane as an
asskicking babyface. Their feud with the Moondogs is my choice for the best US
Tag Team feud of the 1980s. These are just two matches to get you pumped for
the main course later on in the list.
Jerry “The King”
Lawler vs Bill Dundee – Memphis TV 10/19/85
Jerry “The King”
Lawler vs Bill Dundee – Loser Leaves Town 7/14/86
Stop what you are doing right now and watch the Lawler vs
Dundee match from Memphis TV 10/19/85. It is the greatest TV angle of all time.
Seriously, go watch it. It fucking rules. To me the 1986 Loser Leaves Town
match is the least of the Lawler vs Dundee trilogy, but it is still a badass
match. It is more of a Greatest Hits match, but what a set of Greatest Hits.
Many wrestlers would be lucky to have a match as great as their 1986 Loser
Leaves Town Match, this was the last match out.
 |
| How did Jackie Fargo vs Tux Newman in a Cage NOT make the DVDVR Set :P |
This is not your standard Loser Leaves Town, you see. Jerry Lawler has gone on record stating he will not wrestle anywhere but Memphis effectively meaning a loss will put Lawler out of wrestling for a year.
This is the anti-workrate classic. It proves that you don't need flashy MOVEZ~! and action every second to deliver a highly entertaining bout for the ages. In the first five minutes, there are only three punches thrown, but that is all they need to tell their story. In interim, you have the lunacy of Savage taking center stage, jawing with the crowd, spitting and throwing chairs in the ring. Savage is such a despicable, cowardly human in the outset that he works everyone in Memphis into lather. When he does eventually lock up with The King, Lawler is smart enough to know he is not going to get a clean break in the ropes. He blocks the Savage right and nails him right in the nose. The crowd roars and Savage sells it beautifully. They work this sequence again and on the third time when Savage thinks he has it figured out, Lawler ducks and puts him on his ass with a right cross. It is electric. Savage gets up pissed, humiliated and discombobulated. He puts arms out like an X over his forearm to defend himself and looks ridiculous. When Savage does manage to get control, Lawler immediately low blows him. He is not taking any chances in a high stakes Loser Leaves Town match. At this point, there is a cut in the action and thanks to Lance Russell’s time calls, it seems we are missing 13 minutes of this match, which is about half the match. The best spot of the match is when The King is trying to recuperate on the apron and Savage comes crashing into him with a high knee, which sends him flying onto the table in a Holy Shit bump! Lance lets us know that he has a cut around his eye. Later on in the match, we get a feel of just how nasty this cut is. Savage is a damn animal working that cut and torturing Lawler, who is screaming and staggering. The drama is really building that Lawler may lose because there seems no way out. Then just when you think all hope is lost, Lawler seems to be absorbing the punches. You think you have seen this story before, but then Savage really rears back and unleashes a devastating barrage of punches onto the eye of Lawler and then gnawing it. Savage forced the hand of Jerry Calhoun, senior Memphis ref, to save Lawler’s vision and call the match off. The crowd was in shock and Lawler was appalled. He got on the house mic and said Savage would have to pin him to the mat 1-2-3, his eyesight be damned! Lawler was granted his wish and Savage pounced on his eye, but now The King’s dander had been raised and he was really fighting on adrenaline. He unleashes one helluva comeback. Having watched a good chunk of Lawler, his comeback is what makes him truly special. It is absolutely insanely great energy! It is onslaught of fist drops and then a fatal PILEDRIVER~! That sends Macho Man out of Mempho out the door to the Big Apple and The King continues his reign!
The first half of this match is an excellent exhibition of how you can work a compelling match without MOVEZ~! And focus on character work. The second half is one of the most dramatic and violent endings to any match. The big problem is we are missing 13 minutes of 28 minutes, if we had it this match may be a candidate for the greatest match of all time. As is, I have a problem with deeming it a classic with really what is a disjointed because of the massive cut. What see is truly awesome and is a must see for any wrestling fan! ****1/4
Memphis Wrestling Match of the Year, 1988
On this night, Jerry Lawler was not just King of Memphis, but King of the World! They all came out to pay homage to the King: The Fabulous Jackie Fargo was the special referee, Memphis athletes and even the Mayor of Memphis. They packed the Mid-South Coliseum to watch their hometown hero put his career on the line to win the World Championship that eluded him the best 14 years. He had faced them all Brisco, Race, Bockwinkel, Flair and Martel. Now standing across the ring was Curt Hennig. Not to take anything away from Hennig but how great it would it have been for Bock to be in this position.
The first ten minutes were surprisingly sluggish. Some nice bumps by Hennig early off the Lawler punches. In a surprise move, Fargo called timeout so that he could hit the atomic Drop on the shrimp manager they gave Hennig. Memphis was always trying to replicate the success of Jimmy Hart but to no avail. They did some head locks. The reverse waist lock by Hennig went on a while.
The action picked up when Lawler missed a leg drop. Hennig got the Boston Crab. Eventually they tumble to the outside where Hennig busts Lawler open with the post. Hennig throws Lawler into a lot of hard metal objects. Lawler fires up on the apron but Hennig butts him in the midsection. Great cutoff. Best spot of the match they ref bump Fargo and Hennig hits a piledriver (illegal in Memphis) and Hennig gets two. What a great nearfall. Fargo starts up with that homecoooking with refusing to come by falls for Hennig. Even Lance Russell is saying you gotta explain that one to me. Some really good slugfest. Hennig at the end was just walloping the cut eye. Great punches. Lawler finally rears back and let's him have it. Catapult into the post...1-2-3! NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION JERRY THE KING LAWLER! Memphis loses its shit.
Great moment with a rousing finish stretch. Definitely a match that would be better JIP. I didn't love the ending. It didn't feel climatic. I think the Fist Drop as a definitive ending would be great. What a feel good moment and great action down the stretch!
You forget how big Ric Flair is because he very rarely gets to wrestle people he is larger than. This is a chance for Flair to bully his opponent like he did with Morton. The beginning of the match is all about establishing Koko as a challenger. Lance does a great job narrating this story. Stating Koko is nervous about this opportunity and that he is starting with fundamentals (headlock) to get himself a rhythm and credits Dusty with this advice is fucking excellent. That's what commentary should be! Lance states Flair thinks he has himself a cakewalk, but beware of Koko (pun intended). After the headlocks, Flair tries to intimidate Koko with some shoving, but Koko shoves him right back in a great spot Flair takes a bump. . "I think Flair was thinking he was just dealing with another local yokel" - Lance Russell, best commentator ever.
Flair and Koko have an excellent slugfest. Flair chops and Koko hits him with those sweet Mempho punches in an absolutely electric segment. Flair Flop! Koko more punches and another nearfall! Crossbody! Flair tries a different tact, amateur takedowns, but ends up embarrassed falling out of the ring. Flair meets him with a kick to the midsection on a test of strength and BIG chop. Not the best transition to heat, but Flair works an excellent heat segment on the arm. He was really good at arm work. Koko tries punches and chops, but Flair is able to bully Koko in a way he cant with a smaller opponent. I like that wrinkle a lot. Koko gets the sleeper! The more I think about the sleeper is a great way to get out of the heat. It allows the babyface to get his energy back and sap Flair's energy. Smart spot calling by Flair! Flair cuts off again with a suplex into a DOUBLE STOMP! My favorite Flair move. Figure-4, baby! Dusty cheers on Koko and Koko reverses the pressure! Flair was really good dynamic wrestling. It never feels my turn, your turn, but no one has complete and utter control over the other person. Flair is always fighting back and Koko is too. I think that's what makes Flair matches so great. Ok, fun spot even if it is anachronism was when Flair punched Koko's head on the sunset flip and hurt his hand. Flair kneedrop missed! Good setup for Koko figure-4. Koko stays on the leg and starts throwing some serious chops. Fire fight! Koko is coming back and DROPKICK that Lance was hyping. Another dropkick! Here comes Dundee! Flair comes crashing into a distracted Koko with a knee from behind to win the match. Dusty & Koko clear the ring. Really great finish and Flair gets to over.
Great Flair vs underdog match and even though Flair spent so much time as champion we don't have a lot of these matches. The first third is great at establishing Koko as a threat. The middle third is Flair kicking ass, but always letting Koko get his hope spots. I think that is so crucial. Flair never just dominates a segment. His opponent fight back and he has to cheat by grabbing the hair or knee to the midsection to maintain advantage. It is these transient moments that keep the match engaging because there is a real sense of struggle. I loved the set up for each of the figure-4s. I think sometimes Flair just calls them randomly on his own opponent, but this time his timing was great. Koko had just made a decent comeback and he looked to extinguish with his figure-4 and Koko was set up by him missing a knee drop. Perfect finish run with Koko getting two dropkicks right before Dundee fuck finish, but Flair still gets the pin to get us a real finish but protect Koko. Excellent Flair match in a year of fucking greatness. People talk about 1989, but holy shit 1985, what a year for Flair!
Memphis Street Fight 6/25/84
Holy shit! Memphis this is what I am talking about! Awesome, bloody brawl! Hickerson & Spoiler are dressed in their janitor blues. Rich is busted open early by Hickerson and a chain. Hickerson seems like an ornery fellow. Gilbert tries to grab a mic stand to help Tommy, but he ends up falling. Rich turns the tide on Hickerson by driving his head into the table. This is a wild, wooly affair. Hickerson bleeding buckets. There is a pool of his blood on the floor. Gilbert goes for the mask of Spoiler, but Spoiler gets his boot and clobbers him. Gilbert bleeding now. Spoiler should blade under his mask! Spoiler starts walloping Tommy with his boot, but takes three shots before it registers because Tommy Rich is in the Zone! Rich takes his boot off and starts going to town. This is an amazing Rich performance. Gilbert PILEDRIVES The Spoiler on the outside!!! WOW! Rich has a loaded mask and headbutts Hickerson for the win. One of the all-time great Southern brawls and one of the best sub-ten minutes matches in history! That is what a street fight should be.
#8. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Jerry Lawler - 10/12/85
Ornery Rick Martel is awesome! He seems totally pissed that he is even in this match in a really good way. He is just pissed off from the start. it is a really cool dynamic for the usual white meat babyface to play a heel. It is not like he is bad person. He is just having a shitty day and it shines through in the match. So he is more prickly than usual, it allows the fans to be decidedly pro-Lawler without Martel compromising his character. Lance Russell and his partner really play up his unwonted behavior. In addition, it makes for an excellent match and really Rick Martel best match as a heel I have ever seen. This is a very good Lawler performance, but I think Martel carried the day in this one. After failing at achieving the world championship in past efforts, you see Lawler has really put a lot of pressure on himself to win this match. Right from the outset, you see Lawler going for three different types of pinning combinations to keep the champ off balances and when Martel does give Lawler a clean break, Lawler punches him right in the mouth and goes for the pin. Lawler is here to win the title and nothing else. I love that focus. Martel is on edge and the fans chants for Lawler really gets under his skin. Martel tries to fire up and Lawler just makes him look foolish. So Martel kicks The King's leg out from under him. Martel works a masterful match around attacking Lawler's leg, which the announcers note that he had a severe injury that caused Jerry to miss most of 1980. Lawler does a great job of selling Martel's torture of the leg, which includes a variety of stomps, strikes, toeholds and a figure-4. Lawler is kicking him off, but Martel is using closed fists and the hair to relentlessly attack the leg. When Martel misses a seat drop, Lawler fires up, but he has to fire up on one leg. While the punches are finding their mark, he is hesitating because of the bum wheel, which makes him miss a fist drop and Martel pounces on the leg again. Love it! Martel misses on an elbow drop. Lawler is up and it is now or never! HE PULLS THE STRAP DOWN! Martel is great at rocking back for The King's huge punches in the corner. Lawler goes for a running fist, but runs into the ref. Martel wants the spinning toehold, but comes away with Jerry's boot. He wallops him! Lawler kicks out. Now he has the boot and clocks the champ. The ref sees that and DQs Lawler. THWARTED! BULLSHIT! I did not love the finish for quickly Lawler was able to recover and hit Martel with the boot. They were better off having Lawler duck Martel, get the boot and clock Martel. Lawler sends the crowd home happy by hitting a charging Martel with a boot. Besides the finish, this is a hellacious championship match. One of my favorite championship matches, I have seen in a long time. Lawler wants to win so bad early, but Martel takes advantage of a weakness and Lawler has to mount a classic comeback, but a series of unfortunate circumstances means the World Championship is just outside his grasp again. Martel's performance here is awesome! Just great character work conveying himself as a frustrated wrestler that just wants to get this over with, but has a tough time early on and then is just relentless on Lawler's leg. I have the No DQ match with Bock over this, but just by a hair, great, great stuff!
#7. Southern Tag Team Champions New Fabulous Ones (Tommy Rich & Eddie Gilbert) vs
PYT Express (Koko Ware & Norvell Austin) - Falls Count Anywhere 5/18/84
Memphis Wrestling Match of the Year, 1984
Now this is more like it! Super heated brawl! There is really not much to recap. For about 12 minutes, it is a balls to wall slugfest. With all due respect to Norvell and Rich, Gilbert and Koko (or should I say Stagger Lee as the announcer keeps calling him) owned this. Gilbert was a heat seeking missile for Pretty Young Things just tackling them at every turn. A Koko Ware vs. Eddie Gilbert from 1984 is a new dream match for me. Holy shit! They had insane chemistry. I loved Koko breaking a cane over Gilbert's back and then jabbing him in the throat. In fairness, Rich was a tremendous hot tag. Actually good arena brawling! Oh ECW why could you not be more like Mempho! They end up on a stage in the back of arena and Rich slugs the ref triggering a DQ. I actually booed in my chair in 2016. I was pissed! What a lame finish! It is falls count anywhere! Let there be a winner! Super fun, This is what I expected out of Memphis! So much energy and hate. Amazing brawling. Loved the heat segment on Gilbert and the roll through to Rich for the hot Tag. Best arena brawling you will ever see. The non-finish especially in a Fall Count Anywhere is a real buzzkill, but this ruled!
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