Pro Wrestling Love vol. 24: Best of Memphis Wrestling 1983-1989 (Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Fabulous Ones)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 24:

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-fourth volume of Pro Wrestling Love is the conclusion 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.

#6. Jerry Lawler & Dutch Mantel vs Bill Dundee & Buddy Landell - 3/10/86 

Going into watching Memphis, this is exactly what I expected! Chaos! Violence! Energy! Hatred! I thought this match was dripping with even more hatred than either of the Loser Leaves Town matches thus far. Dundee was a lunatic in this match. Throwing chairs into the ring, shoving Lance Russell around, tossing tables. Dundee's eye is half shut going into this match maybe retribution for what happened to the King in December. Dutch had a falling out with that little Aussie Prick and has joined forces with Lawler. Lawler and Mantell are crazy in this match chasing the heels around and kicking ass. I love Lawler parading around when Landell accidentally punched Dundee. He looked like Martel or Flair with all that energy! The heels jawing, cowardice and general blundering is awesome. Landell pinballing and then Dundee running away scared was hilarious. So many damn great punches in this match. Lawler teases the piledriver, but settles for a uppercut. He goads Dundee into the match only to move when Dundee tries to drop a leg. Lawler finally gets what he wanted. He tees off on the Superstar. I love Mantell with one foot in the ring at all times ready to pounce on Landell. Lawler kicking ass. Dutch makes sure to get his licks in. Dundee has tapped a gusher. This is a great revenge match. I am really digging it. Dundee throws a wild kick to the Royal Family Jewels and there is a quite cry of anguish. Dundee falls on his ass and is able to tag out to Nature Boy. Landell and Dundee do a number on the King throwing him into the table and kicking Dirty Dutch in the balls. Dundee and Mantell brawling out on the floor, this is chaos. Dundee has the friggin rope and is choking Lawler. Love it! Dundee gouges Lawler's face, but Mantell pulls him off. Dundee is firing away, but it is not having any effect. Dundee goes for the chain, but nails Landell who is now busted open. Tag to Dutch and it is a WAR! Dutch and Dundee brawl on the outside. Lawler and Mantell beat the living shit out of Landell while they take turns throwing Dundee out. The ref realizes Landell is not defending himself and calls the match for blood.

Awesome, awesome tag match. I thought it had even better energy and hatred than than Loser Leaves Town. The match is hurt by an anti-climatic finish that does not let you fist-pump in an excitement and the finish stretch does get a little long in tooth as they just keep kicking ass and throwing Dundee out. Enough complaints, this was badass and was one of the best Memphis matches I have ever seen and one of the best tag team matches of all time.

#5. Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs - Stretcher Match 5/2/83

One of the best violent, Southern tag brawls I have ever seen with a fantastic finish. They two teams just rip into each other the whole match. I love the double stomp and the Fabs use it liberally. They are clawing at the Moondogs eyes and raking their boots on their faces. There are no wrestling moves just fighting. Lane has a chain, but it goes flying out on a collision. Lane disoriented gets smashed in the head by the bone and ends up that Bloody Lane will be playing face in peril. This match sees Lane doing more selling, but Kerin is very active and adds that drama. I loved Keirn flying around to attack Moondogs, but always led to the other Moondog beating up Lane. Keirn was really great in this and Lane sold his ass off. Moondogs are really great at clubbering. Keirn just cant be at two places at once! Lane fires off some kicks, but gets cut off. Lane gets his knees up on a splash and after going to the wrong corner he makes it to Keirn. Keirn absolutely tees off on the Moondogs! He bites and claws at the Moondogs until one them bleeds! Keirn looks to send one of the Moondogs to the hospital, but his head gets trapped in the ropes! The way Keirn sells it by choking and then being lifeless. You totally buy that as a scary moment and something that could end the match as he is just hanging there with the Moondogs attacking. Lane fends them off with a chair, but calls for the bell. Lane stands over his lifeless partner with a chair in a great moment. The way the ropes snapped to let Keirn go was scary. I really loved this finish. Very dramatic and am a sucker for partner doing all he can to save and protect his partner. They put Keirn on the stretcher, but Moondogs topple the stretcher and Lane is pissed and tees off on them. A classic Southern brawl made even better by one of the all-time great finishes! 

#4. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee - Loser Leaves Town 12/30/85

Memphis Match of the Year, 1985

So a shit ton has happened since the TV match where Dundee tricked Lawler into losing the Southern Championship so he could face Flair. Lawler ended up missing a bunch of bookings so Lance Russell went to his house and found him sloshed on the ground with empties all around him. Lawler claimed it was all Dundee's fault. I think this was a ruse to lure Dundee into a false sense of security. Then on Memphis TV we get the Hawaiian Flash, which is very clearly Jerry Jarrett to Dundee and Lance. Jarrett wants him to sign a match with the Hawaiian Flash and in return Dundee will get a shot at the tag titles. Dundee jumps at the offer figuring he can polish off the elderly, skinny Jarrett easily. However, he signed for a match with the Hawaiian Flash so when it comes bell time it is Lawler under the hood. Dundee & Co. bum rush the Flash and Jerry Jarrett until the Fabs save with chairs. At some point, Dundee makes an alliance with Dutch Mantell and they win the tag titles. Dundee wants the last belt, which Koko Ware has, but Ware wants Dundee to put his title shot on the line and Dundee loses his title shot to Koko Ware and Ware gets to face Flair. Dundee is pissed. Lawler vs Dundee happens on 12/21, I believe and this time it is Lawler's wife's hair on the line against the title and Lawler wins the belt back. So now in order to get a rematch, Bill Dundee has put up his hair and Beverly Dundee's hair against Lawler leaving Memphis and winning the championship. What a build! I fucking love it! Then before the match Dutch and Dundee did a number on Lawler's eye so now Lawler has a huge bandage over his right eye and is at a sincere disadvantage in this high stakes match.

Lawler is pissed at Dutch early and takes his eye off Dundee and gets walloped. Dundee kicks Lawler's ass for the majority of the beginning of the match. I thought both wrestlers gave a tremendous performance especially Lawler in how he was selling. He looked vulnerable, he was trying his bet to fight back and he was very convincing in his debilitated vision causing him to be confused and missing the mark with his punches. Dundee was relentless in this match. He was more vicious in this match. He threw Calhoun down early on. Dundee felt like even more of a prick in this match. He was clawing at the eye. I love the part where Dundee is baiting Lawler and he is basically tripping over himself trying to desperately to punch this little shit while Dundee peppers him with shots and is gloating and taunting him and the fans. There is a kick to the bad eye and you can hear the yelps from Lawler. Nasty headbutt from Dundee right into the bad eye and then a double stomp. I love the constant pinfalls as Dundee is clearly trying to win the match and rid himself of the scourge of Jerry Lawler. There is a great spot where Dundee goes around to Lawler's blind spot and punching him. Lawler finally scores with a big punch. Dundee lashes out in shock and anger just bowling him over. I LOVED THAT REACTION! He comes crashing down on Lawler, but can only get two. Jabs back to the bad eye and now gnawing it. Awesome Dundee strike exchange and Lawler comes off the ropes blasting Dundee, who punches Lawler, but falls on his ass. Clip, NO! Lawler throws Dundee into a table and everyone counts along with Lawler and Calhoun. Dundee breaks the count and grabs his wife. Arena brawling in 1985! Lawler takes a crazy tumble over the railing on the raised stairs. Now that was a great countout false finish! Lawler feels like he is in so much more danger of losing in this match than in the '83 match. Lawler makes his way back to the ring only to eat a baseball slide. Dundee throws him into the post and end is nigh for the King of Memphis. Lawler pulls himself back into the ring and Dundee throws wicked punches, but Lawler wants more! STRAP DOWN~! Crowd gives that those big sound effects to every punch. Lawler blows Dundee away, but he falls down from that. THIS IS FUCKING AWESOME! FIST DROP! HUGE RIGHT! Some dude identified as Tony Falk hands Dundee something and he throws it into the eyes of Lawler and wins the match! LAWLER LOST??!?!?! WHAT THE FUCK!

Holy shit, I had no idea. That was crazy. I loved this moreso than the 83 one. I thought this was way more Memphis. The 83 match is probably the best possible execution of the Lawler formula whereas this was probably the best possible Memphis match. You had the crazy soap opera back story, the Mrs. Dundee's involvement, Jerry going into the match half-blind, Dundee as a cocky shit, crazy bump out in the middle of the arena, a great bullshit ending to put the heel over. I think '83 match has the better ending and is a better feel good match. I think the Idol match had the crazier finish. I think Dutch match had the better work. The Bam Bam match still has the best story. For my money, this match is perfect confluence of soap opera and pro wrestling and high drama. This is also the only match you really feel like Lawler will lose. There have been surprises before like in the Idol and Dutch matches where he does lose, but you dont think it will happen. This is a match where you are like he is going to lose because how bad of a shit kicking he is taking so then you believe in him more than that his comeback will be all the more unstoppable only for him to still lose. I think we are missing too much of the match for me to go the full 5 stars.

#3. AWA Southern Champion Bill Dundee vs Jerry Lawler - Loser Leaves Town 6/6/83

Memphis Match of the Year, 1983

The Little Aussie, Bill Dundee, sure did cause a big stink with his dyed jet black hair and his bad reputation. The King was trying to be diplomatic and amicably part ways with his former tag partner citing irreconcilable differences. Dundee wanted to make sure those differences were known and that was he tired of living in the shadow of the King and he was sick of everyone taking the King's side. So the King tells you all I am a nice guy so you like me and now that Lawler tells you I ain't you don't like me very much. Personally, I agree with Dundee that's a bit fucked up. You should like someone on their own merits not because someone else's opinion of that person. The way the Superstar went about it, well I can't condone. He name-called Lawler, he interfered in his matches, and he manhandled and took advantage of younger wrestlers (Tommy Rogers, Ricky Morton etc...) to prove a point. You got a problem with Lawler take it out on Lawler, you prick, mano y mano. He ends up winning the Southern Heavyweight Championship and this leads to a Loser Leaves Town match. Memphis TV devotes an entire TV show to build to this match and it is simply awesome. Covering so many different angles about what it means to have a Loser Leaves town match between the two biggest superstars of the promotion. I highly recommend watching it before this match.

I just finished watching Lawler face Terry Funk and Dutch Mantell, two excellent punchers, but goddamn if Bill Dundee does not have the sweetest punch this side of Jerry "The King" Lawler. Hot Dog! Those were some beauties. The match was interesting to me because this did not feel like a blood feud battle. This was not Slaughter/Sheik or Magnum/Tully. It was a bit closer to Duggan/DiBiase. It was a classic feel-good match. Yes, it was a stand-up contest, but everything was built around feel good spots. Dundee missing moves early, bailing at the threat of a punch, and selling a punch like death. Then Dundee hits a pair of bulldogs, only on the third to be crotched on the top rope. These are great feel-good spots that bring a smile to my face, but this not visceral hatred that Slaughter/Sheik and Magnum/Tully provide. I am a-ok with that because I can appreciate Star Wars as much as I can appreciate Gangs of New York.

I really like the touch of all the other wrestlers and managers watching the match from the front row adds to the gravity. Dundee looked nervous and skiddish at the start making mistakes, but when Lawler gets a little cocky by playing to the crowd with the face Dundee starts unloading some fists. The beginning shows the risk of movement and if Dundee can stand and punch with Lawler he may have a better chance. They knock heads and the playing field seems levelled. Dundee gets a nice straight right and Dundee sticks with his game plan of movement hitting a top rope headbutt. The smaller Dundee needs the momentum to cause more damage, but is trying to use the punch to set this up. He comes flying into the corner with a high knee and takes a nasty spill outside the ring. Lawler punches him right in the face, but misses the top rope legdrop. I like how high risk moves are portrayed in this match. They are home runs that both men desperately want to hit in this high stakes match, but miss at the outset because they have not damaged the other enough. Dundee hits a piledriver but his knee is fucked up from the previous high knee he tried in the corner. Awesome! It is a piledriver where he falls off to the right side. Dundee is limping and Lawler is grabbing his right hip. Memphis does such a great job selling these injuries and making every move and miss mean so much. Dundee loads the boot and hits a sliding dropkick. Dundee takes over on Lawler on the outside and hits some of the bets punches you will ever see. Memphis gets a ton of deserved credit for some of the best punches ever, but what needs to be mentioned is how well the wrestlers sell a punch. It makes those punches mean even more. Dundee works the King of Mountain ramming him into post and splitting Lawler open above the eye. Lawler takes his bump off the apron onto the table. Once Lawler gets back in the ring and Lawler does not seem to be as phased by Dundee's punches. Crowd perrks up. Is Dundee punching himself out? STRAP DOWN! Crowd explodes LAWLER COMEBACK! He tees off on Dundee and kicks the Little Aussie's ass. The crowd provides the sound effects for every heavy blow. Lawler gets a cocky ala the Dutch Mantell match and almost gets caught with a sunset flip. Dundee hits a series of chop blocks, but on the third one Lawler nails an upper cut and then a BIG PILEDRIVER~! to send his archrival packing out of Memphis.

I love how Memphis treats high spots. In such a high stakes match, you want to leave it all out in the ring so it makes sense to go for broke. In Memphis, high spots are something you have to earn. You need to use your stand up game to set up high spots because if you dont, you will crash and burn. Lawler missing that top rope legdrop could have cost him the entire match as that was the big turning point that afforded Dundee the opportunity to really open up a big lead. "Don't count the King out so soon" is what Lance Russell is always fond of saying. Lawler made his vaunted comeback, but it was almost not enough. He was able to vanquish Bill Dundee with a well-timed uppercut and a wicked piledriver.

Jerry Lawler definitely had a formula of taking a lot of heat and making that spectacular comeback. I think this was the Lawler formula executed to perfection. They probably could have one false finish in Dundee's favor to really sell the drama that Lawler was leaving that really would have put this over the top. This is every bit the classic people acclaimed. There is some controversy. This is usually the run away pick for best match in Memphis history. I am not sure I feel that way. I would say at this Dutch Mantell No DQ match is a bit superior for more memorable spots and even more drama. I never felt Lawler was in danger in this one and it was just a really fun match for that reason I cant go five stars. As a feel good match, this is hard to beat and at the end of day wrestling should leave you smiling and this one did just that.

#2. Jerry Lawler vs Austin Idol - Steel Cage, Hair vs Hair 4/27/87

Memphis Match of the Year, 1987

Let’s get the funny part out of the way, which is Lance Russell continually calling Paul E., Paul Dangerly.

Ton of fun bullshit to start with the ref ejecting Paul E. and Idol stating he will give a refund to every fan in attendance if he loses. Ok, now I am very intrigued about the finish and how they are going themselves out of this one. Idol is all flummoxed that Paul E. has been ejected and has really thrown if off his game. Idol tries to get out of the cage and after all this ballyhoo Lawler slams him into the cage to get this started. Repeated slams into the cage. The cage is Hell In A Cell style just with no top so there is an area outside the ring to brawl, which I prefer. Most steel cage matches are a bit too claustrophobic it feels even though I have been really digging AWA steel cage tags recently. Lawler has kicked so much ass; he wants to put a nail in the coffin with a piledriver, but Idol scurries away. Lawler has to settle for his bread and butter, punches and gnawing on head. Idol sells overwhelmed heel really well.

Idol goes the chain route and nails Lawler. The selling of this is fantastic. It really is the selling that makes this match. This is not an energetic brawl, but one where they are taking the time to make each punch really mean something. Now Idol is giving The King a taste of his own medicine: using the cage and punches to dominate. He crashes down on Lawler. He goes up again and misses knee drop and great selling by Idol flopping around on the mat with his hurt knee. Lawler tries to take advantage, but eats chain again great selling. Now both wrestlers are selling their asses off. Idol tries coming down on him and misses the elbow. Top rope moves used to mean so much more. Lawler hits a diving headbutt, cool shit. The selling of this by both men is incredible and makes each moment 10000000x better. It feels like a war of attrition. Idol staggering and Lawler dazed. Idol right hook that sends Lawler over the top rope in a tremendous bump. Wow! Idol comes drown form apron on Lawler great sound from fist to face and yelp from King. Those soundbytes were great. I am really intrigued about the finish at this point.

King no sells and fires away on Idol. So Idol throws him into the ref. They do multiple visual pinfalls for Lawler including a piledriver. I know Lawler is losing, but how. Tommy Rich pops out from under the ring! Oh fuck yeah! He comes out and nails Lawler with a piledriver. Spike piledriver! Double post on Lalwer’s family jewels and Idol wins! Wow! That was insane.

The post-match is glorious heel heat –seeking bullshit and the promo with Dangerly, Idol and Rich is fan-fucking-tastic. Idol drops a knee on Lawler while Rich and Dangerously celebrate! A female fan scales the cage and here come the cops! Chair into gut. My one complaint is that Idol and Rich should have done the shaving to get all the heat one them Proclaim themselves the new kings of Memphis!

An absolutely beautiful exhibition of the art of selling. I could see this being a ***** match, but I think another rewatch. It just did not feel at that really tippy-top level, but yes one of the all-time greatest matches in any country at any time.

#1. Jerry Lawler vs Bam Bam Bigelow - Texas Death Match  9/7/86

Memphis Match Of The Year, 1986

I knew I was watching something special once Bigelow starting working the ribs and Lawler’s selling really kicked in. It was during Lawler’s comeback I realized the greatest David vs Goliath match may be happening before my eyes. I was rooting for the Lawler piledriver to end it so badly. I think this maybe Jerry Lawler’s masterpiece. The Mantell/Funk/Dundee matches he had a great dance partner and are amazing brawls. Here he weaves an amazing story with a green as grass, fresh out the kitchen, Bam Bam Bigelow. Bigelow came here to play and he never once had a mis-step. It is probably depressing that this the greatest match of his career and he never even came close to replicating it. That’s why Jerry Lawler is the King because he could make people look like a million bucks.

The match is so fucking good that I don’t want to bring this up, but God it was just too funny. The first image of this match is Bam Bam Bigelow doing decent cartwheels. When I think of Texas Death Matches, I think of cartwheels. I get it the cartwheels are supposed to show the Bigelow is not your typical lumbering giant he is also aigle, but c’mon cartwheels and not even very good ones at that. They were like his moonsault a little bit off to side. This is the case with Bigelow in a lot of ways he was decent at lot of stuff, but not excellent at any way and he gets lumped in with the greatest big men, but for me he is definitely a level down. Jerry Lawler brought out some disc jockey to counteract Larry Sharpe (Bigelow’s trainer turned manager) the DJ does a cartwheel into a back handspring into a split. Yep, shown up by a chump. Don’t let the lame start fool this, this match is fucking bitchin!

The layout of this match is so perfect that is a bit of a shame the finish was not definitive. Bam Bam is the monster and Lawler is the undersized hero that just has his fists and his wits to level the playing field. It is a story as old as time and I don’t know if it was ever told better than during this match.

Bam Bam establishes power game with biels out of the corner. Lawler’s methodical, stand up style plays right into Bigelow’s strategy. Let’s see how Lawler can combat the Beast from the East. When he gets the monster angry with some quick crosses and Bigelow started to charge allowing The King to side step him. However, Lawler cannot create that movement on his own and ends up getting trapped into a corner. I would love to see Lawler against a high flyer, who could create that movement for him and see how Lawler would react. Amazing selling of those punches by Lawler. Wrestlers should be trained on how to throw and sell punches by watching tapes of Jerry Lawler. On the outside, Bigelow punches the post and this creates an opening for the King. Great selling of the hand by Bigelow by putting his good hand forward. I loved the stand up battle and Lawler luring him into a test of strength only pop him one. Bigelow chokes Lawler and uses headbutts to ribs to win first fall. Lawler is up holding the ribs and Bigelow buries his hands deep into the ribs and another falling headbutt scores the fall. After two straight falls, Bigelow is cocky; Lawler comes over and punches Bigelow right square in the mouth, what a great punch. Bigelow buries hands deep into the midsection again, but misses headbutt! Lawler covers and scores a fall. Russell says it a morale victory and I say it is 20 extra seconds of rest for Lawler. Lawler presses the advantage with big punches. Bigelow is very dazed from his own headbutt. Bigelow is bumping and selling ala Brock Lesnar of today. Really good shit! Flying fist drop gets Lawler his second fall and more rest and more momentum.

Lawler is staggered but buoyed with recent success looks to punch himself out of trouble but is falling over himself. He misses a fist drop and Bigelow immediately falls on him with a headbutt on the midsection. Perfect responseby Bigelow. Bigelow punches Lawler so hard he falls forward. Bigelow lays with all his weight on Lawler and hooks in a sleeper. This is such smart wrestling by Bam Bam. Bigelow is wrestling like a ten year vet right here, wow! Gnaws at Lawlers head and busts him open. Bigelow sleeper puts Lawler out and he looks in real danger. Larry Sharpe screams is “There a Doctor in the house” Bigelow is surprised he got up and gouges at cut and the eyes. Lawler gets a sleeper of his own and Lance’s call of it is amazing. Listen to it. He slowly becomes more and more encouraged until you can hear the elation that Lawler has sunk it in. Bigelow gets up and snapmares him off. Bigelow elbow gets the three. It was Pyrrhic Victory.

Lawler strap down! Lawler’s comeback is phenomenal. Bigelows bumps are incredible! Huge bump over the top rope. Lawler slams him to railing. Piston punches. Bigelows kicks him in midsection. Tries to turn tide and Irish Whips him into ref. Bigelow pin with a dazed ref. Kinda lame. Larry Sharpe horse collars Bam Bam with chair by accident. Ref counts both men down. First man up wins. Lawler wins. After the match, Sharpe berates Bam Bam so he gives chase and turns face.

Up until the finish, this looked to be the greatest David vs Goliath match I have ever seen. However since there was a need to protect Bam Bam since he was turning face they finish was a bit off. It was not so much the fact they went with the first man gets up to his feet wins. It was that Lawler was knocked out via the bump with the ref that seemed kinda lame. Enough complaining, this match fucking rules. Easily one of the best of the 80s, check it and see! Lawler's masterpiece! Bigelow's best match of his career! One of the best of Memphis! One of the Best Texas Death Matches Ever!