One Year in Memphis – February 15, 1986

Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

RESULTS FROM SUNDAY NIGHT’S SHOW AT THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM (courtesy of www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com)

Rick Casey/Dirty Rhodes over Dutch Mantell/Buddy Landel by DQ

Southern Heavyweight title
Bill Dundee (c) over Terry Taylor

Austin Idol over the Assassin

Tommy Rogers over Tony Falk

Billy Travis over Mr. X

Thunderbolt Hamilton over Abdul Gaddafi

Dave Brown, flying solo, welcomed us to the show. He announced that we would be seeing Abdul Gaddafi, Thunderbolt Hamilton, Dutch Mantell and Buddy Landel teaming with Bill Dundee in their corner, and Rick Casey teaming with Dirty Rhodes.

We came back from commercial for Dave to introduce a video package of Austin Idol. The video included clips of Idol vs. Bobby Cole, Hawk and Animal, Bruiser Brody, Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy.

After the video, Abdul Gaddafi made his entrance to face Jim Jameson. Gaddafi immediately seized control of the match by overpowering Jameson. Jameson tried to survive, but he didn’t land a single offensive move and Gaddafi put him away with a powerslam at 1:42.

We then went to an interview with Austin Idol. Idol was his usual exuberant self as “the ladies’ pet and the men’s regret” promised to be appearing at shows in “your town.”

After a commercial, we came back to see Randy Hales running down the week’s arena card. It didn’t take long for Dundee, Landel, and Mantell to run Hales off. Dundee told the crowd that he was sure that the Midnight Rider was Jerry Lawler (a clear violation of the loser leave town match). Dundee promised to beat Idol and then Landel and Mantell promised to beat Rick Casey and Dirty Rhodes.

We came back to an Austin Idol music video showing highlights of some of his matches that was set to “The Kid is Hot Tonight.”

After the video, we came back to see Keith Erich face off against Thunderbolt Hamilton. The two locked up and Hamilton quickly took him down, prompting Erich to complain about his tights being pulled. Erich took control with a shoulder block and, after a botched dropkick (the two wound up with Erich‘s head in Hamilton‘s midsection) , he quickly put Erich down for a two count. Hamilton then went back to a trusty armbar. In a nice move, Erich slammed Hamilton only for Hamilton to roll through and keep the armbar locked.

An eye rake got Erich loose but it didn’t matter as Hamilton started throwing punches to stagger Erich. Hamilton soon put Erich down with a power slam for the win at 3:50.

Dave Brown then introduced a video update from Jerry Lawler. Lawler promised that he’d be back when the six month time limit from the Loser Leave Town match ran out. Lawler then told us that he’d be heading toward Honolulu, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles in the remainder of February. Lawler closed by saying that he looked forward to coming back.

After a break, we were back with Randy Hales to run down Wednesday’s card in Evansville.

Dave Brown then introduced the Mod Squad’s video of the week. JD Costello opened by telling us that the Mod Squad stood for Masters of Disaster. He recounted how his mother had told him that he needed to be successful, and he knew that Spike and Basher (who’d been fired from the New Orleans police force for roughing people up) would be taking him to the top. Costello closed by calling the Memphis fans hillbillies and again reminded everyone that he and the Mod Squad were on their way.

Jerry Garmon and Benny Traylor were then set to face Landel and Mantell who had Bill Dundee (wearing a yellow jumpsuit like Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon or Game of Death) in their corner.

Landel and Mantell soon fell into their usual pattern – quick tags while taking their opponents apart. Dundee, of course, made his way over to join Brown on commentary (when he wasn’t giving his team a hand behind the referee’s back).

Finally Landel locked Traylor in the figure four while Mantell attacked Garmon. After the match Dundee wound up attacking Garmon as well.

From there it was back to Brown who recapped the previous week’s attack on Tracy Smothers complete with the video footage. We watched again as Dundee wore Smothers out with chair shots while also ramming his head into the ringpost before piledriving Smothers on the floor of the studio. Mantell continued fighting with Dirty Rhodes in the ring as Dundee choked Smothers with the chair.

We then saw what had caused the worst damage. Eddie Marlin, Rhodes, Rick Casey. and the referee were trying to use a chair to stretcher Smothers out when Dundee dropped a knee from the apron onto Smothers, sending him crashing to the floor. That resulted in a brawl that sent Dundee and Mantell heading to the back.

After another break, Brown reminded the viewers that they could still send in entries to the Fantastic Date with the Fantastics contest before sending us to a music video featuring the Fantastics.

The video (set to Gimme All Your Lovin’) included footage from Mid-South Wrestling, which is notable for the ring announcer, a young Jim Ross. We had match footage spliced in with the Fantastics working out in the gym (oddly enough in their wrestling trunks) before they ran to the back yard and jumped into the pool.

After the video, Brown ran down the idea of the Thunderdome series as Bill Dundee joined him at the interview set. Dundee put Flair over as the best wrestler (because he was the NWA champion) before talking about how the Thunderdome would crown the best fighter (which was of course himself).

We then went to a video of Rick Casey set to “You Put Me on a Natural High.” In it, we saw Casey wrestling opponents like Dutch Mantell and Tony Falk as well as doing cowboy things like riding a horse and standing in front of an American flag.

After the video we saw Rick Casey and Dirty Rhodes making their way in for the main event against the Undertakers.

Rhodes started against Undertaker #1 and he soon overpowered the Undertaker. Dirty slammed the Undertaker and covered for a quick two count before tagging Casey in.

Casey back dropped the Undertaker, took a shot at his partner, and covered for another two count. Rhodes tagged back in and the two put the Undertaker down with a double elbow. Rhodes slammed him and brought Casey back in only for the Undertaker to tag his partner back in.

Casey started firing chops and wound up chopping the Undertaker down. He tagged Rhodes in for a quick doubleteam and Rhodes put the Undertaker down with a butterfly suplex, which prompted the masked man to tag out.

Casey came in, chopped the Undertaker down, and got a two. He then dropped a knee for another two. Casey then brought Rhodes back in and he stopped the Undertaker with an elbow.

Rhodes hit a reverse neck breaker and sat on the Undertaker for the three at 3:30.

We came back from a commercial to see Hales running down the upcoming cards one more time. Rhodes and Casey took over the interview and Rhodes promised that it didn’t matter which two of Dundee, Mantell, and Landel they faced – they were always outnumbered. Dirty then dropped a hint about his “cousin” being there to back them up. He also reiterated that the Rider wasn’t Jerry Lawler.

Casey closed the interview by hinting again that Dusty Rhodes would be under the mask of the Midnight Rider.

We came back to a second fall in the main event. Rhodes and Undertaker #1 started out and Rhodes soon locked an armbar on the Undertaker. Casey tagged back in and kept working the Undertaker’s left arm.

Rhodes came back in and kept the pressure on the Undertaker, taking him to the mat before Casey tagged back in. Casey slammed the Undertaker and followed it up with a snap mare.

Rhodes came back in and kept hammering down the Undertaker, covered, and pulled the Undertaker back up (Brown hypothesized that he did it because they were too near the ropes).

After another two count Casey tagged in and dropped an elbow on the Undertaker. Casey and Rhodes kept making quick tags until Casey planted the Undertaker with the Last Roundup at 3:17.

Brown then introduced one more music video – this one focusing on Bill Dundee. To be exact, it was the “Bad to the Bone” video that had been running in recent weeks.

Brown closed the show with a recap of the week’s action. He wrapped up by promising that Lance Russell would be back the next week.

FULL CARD FOR WEDNESDAY’S SHOW AT THE EVANSVILLE COLISEUM

Rick Casey/Dusty Rhodes w/the Midnight Rider vs. Dutch Mantell/Buddy Landel w/Bill Dundee

Southern Heavyweight title
Bill Dundee © vs. Austin Idol

Southern Tag Team Titles
The Fantastics © vs. Pat Rose/Tony Falk

Abdul Gaddafi vs. Thunderbolt Hamilton

Ken Prince vs. Keith Erich

Mr. X vs. Billy Travis

The Invader vs. Tojo Yamamoto