RESULTS FROM SUNDAY NIGHT’S SHOW AT THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM (courtesy of www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com)
Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel over Jerry Lawler/Dutch Mantell
MOD Squad over Paul Diamond/Michael Lee
Billy Travis over Abdul Gadaffi
Tojo Yamamoto over Tony Falk by DQ
Frank Morrell over Pat Rose
The show opened with Lance Russell and Dave Brown welcoming us. Brown announced that we’d be seeing the Memphis Vice, Jos LeDuc, Jerry Lawler and Dutch Mantell teaming up, the MOD Squad, and Tony Falk.
Russell added that Billy Travis had won the International title and the MOD Squad were now the Southern tag team champions. Eddie Marlin joined Russell to apologize for Dundee’s actions in striking him the week before as video rolled of the incident. Marlin advised that Dundee and Landel had been fined $1,000 each and also announced that if they touched Russell or Brown again they’d be banned from the territory for five years. With that, we headed to commercial.
When we came back, the Memphis Vice were heading to the commentary desk to talk to Russell. Lou Winston and Jerry Bryant told Russell (who’d been talking about Travis’s win) that all he needed to talk about were the Vice.
The Vice then headed to the ring to face Keith Eric and Jim Jameson. Bryant and Jameson started the match. Bryant muscled Jameson into the corner, only to get hip tossed across the ring. Winston tagged in and got headlocked by Jameson. Winston fought free and got headlocked again as Keith Eric entered the match. Winston fought across the ring and tagged Bryant in. Bryant wasted no time in taking control of Eric and brought Winston back in. Winston and Bryant kept making quick tags while keeping Eric isolated. Bryant put Eric down with a power slam and then Winston dropped a knee before allowing Jameson to tag back in.
Jameson soon found himself in the Vice’s corner, where the Vice kept a fresh man on him at all times. Finally Winston lifted Jameson and Bryant caught him with a flying clothesline. Winston whipped him across the ring and bounced his head off a turnbuckle before dropping an elbow and bringing Bryant back in. Bryant took Jameson down again and covered for the win at 3:50.
Russell was at the interview set and brought out new International champion Billy Travis. Russell congratulated Travis on his title win. Travis talked about how happy he was to win the belt and acknowledged the help he’d gotten from Frank Morrell, Phil Hickerson, and the fans. Travis then stated that he’d always be willing to defend the title. Seconds later, Abdul Gadaffi ambushed him from behind with a trash can and left the champion laying as Russell called for help.
We came back from commercial to see Russell backstage to talk about the card for Wednesday night. After explaining the main event, Russell introduced taped comments from Bill Dundee.
Dundee talked about how everybody was against them and said that he and Buddy Landel had requested the match to put Lawler out. Dundee also promised to put Mantell out. Landel added that they were going to put Mantell out first and then they beat Lawler so badly that he’d leave town on his own.
After another quick word from Russell about the main event, We headed back to the studio. Russell was talking about the upcoming war between Mantell, Lawler, Landel, and Dundee. Dundee and Landel then came out from the back and Russell refused to interview them. They were wearing suits and soon emerged from the back with a desk labeled “The Bill and Buddy Show.†They then confiscated Brown and Russell’s microphones and the ring bell.
Dundee explained since Russell wouldn’t talk to them, he wouldn’t be talking to anybody. As Dundee rang the bell, he brought out Garmon and Traylor before saying hi to Jos LeDuc. Landel put over LeDuc’s strength and wondered whether Russell and Brown got paid to commentate.
They put over LeDuc’s overpowering Garmon and Traylor while Landel claimed to be just a little stronger then LeDuc was. Landel responded by calling Dundee “One Punch†after his attack on Jeff Jarrett.
Back in the ring, LeDuc wasn’t missing a step as he nailed a dropkick and continued hammering Garmon. On commentary Dundee claimed that LeDuc would kill his own mother for a quarter (and Landel added that they’d do it for cheaper than that). LeDuc trapped Garmon in a bear hug and Traylor came in to double-team the French Canadian. LeDuc pitched Garmon through the ropes and punched Traylor before pitching him, too.
Garmon climbed back in and got thrown by LeDuc over the top rope. Dundee rang the bell as he decided that Garmon 1) was probably dead and 2) jumped over the top rope.
LeDuc joined Dundee and Landel for an interview where they shook his hand and congratulated him. Eddie Marlin emerged from the back to check on Garmon as LeDuc put over his test of strength where fans tried to pull his arms apart. Dundee then sent us to commercial.
We came back to Russell backstage to fill us in on Wednesday’s full card.
After another quick commercial break, the Bill and Buddy Show was back on the air. Dundee explained that they’d fired Brown and Russell before noticing that a Jerry Lawler video ad was next. Dundee and Landel refused to do it until the director forced them to. Dundee advised this was a good time to get a snack or go to the bathroom before the ad for Lawler’s video started.
We came back to find Landel and Dundee asleep. Dundee rang the bell to start the next match as Landel thanked God that the ad was over. The bell brought out Lawler and Mantell for their match against Pat and Bill Rose.
Lawler and Pat started the match as Landel mentioned that he was glad that he and Dundee had gotten rid of Mantell. The commentary soon took on a familiar tone – Rose’s offensive maneuvers drew cheers while Lawler’s drew allegations of cheating.
After a Lawler backdrop Bill tagged in as Lawler was distracted by the commentators. Lawler brought Mantell in and they double-teamed Bill while Dundee and Landel protested the illegal tactics. When Lawler tried to throw them out, Dundee and Landel informed him that they were the commentators.
Pat and Bill headed to commentary, where Dundee and Landel supported his allegations of cheating. As Landel bashed the referee, Lawler tagged back in and took Pat down. Finally Mantell and Lawler had enough and left the ring as Dundee crowed. The ref counted Lawler and Mantell out and then they returned carrying a chair and a stool. Landel and Dundee cleared out as Lawler and Mantell destroyed the new commentary desk.
Russell began scavenging for the commentary equipment as Landel and Dundee joined up with the Roses to attack Lawler and Mantell. Lawler and Mantell began tearing Dundee and Landel’s suits off while continuing to fight the Roses. Finally wrestlers came out form the back to try and break up the brawl. Finally Dundee and Landel decided to cut their losses and headed to the back as we headed to commercials.
We came back to see the MOD Squad facing Henry Rutledge and David Johnson. Spike got an early advantage on Johnson before tagging Basher in to continue the assault. While the fight continued, Costello headed to commentary to brag about the Squad’s victory over the Fantastics that had gotten them the titles.
Johnson managed to fight free and tagged Rutledge in, only for the Squad to begin dismantling him as well. Basher and Spike kept making quick tags and continued taking Rutledge apart as Costello left commentary to cheer his team on from ringside.
As the Squad continued their assault, they refused to go for a pin, choosing instead to continue punishing Rutledge. Costello advised Russell and Brown that the Squad saw Michael Lee and Paul Diamond in the ring. Russell reminded the fans that Lee and Diamond had beaten the Squad the week before.
Finally David Johnson entered the ring to try and save his partner, only to get pitched for his trouble. Finally Basher covered for the three after a clothesline at 6:49. After the match, they continued beating Rutledge before pitching him out of the ring.
The Squad then joined Costello and Russell at the interview set. Costello showed a USA Today sports page with the MOD Squad on the front page. Costello then talked about how the Squad had run the Fantastics out of the territory. Costello compared the Squad to Ric Flair and said that there was no team in the US that could defeat the Squad. Costello bashed Diamond and Lee before saying that the Squad didn’t consider them any sort of threat.
Russell brought up that the Squad had lost to Diamond and Lee the week before. Costello ignored him and talked about how unstoppable the Squad was. Russell then sent us to commercials.
When we came back, Russell was backstage talking about the show Wednesday night again. He was soon joined by Lawler and Mantell for their thoughts on the main event. Lawler put over his and Mantell’s match with Landel and Dundee the week before and reminded everyone that they’d been the victors. Lawler also advised that their plan was to take Landel out early so they could focus on Dundee.
Mantell reiterated what Lawler had said before promising that Landel and Dundee would not win on Wednesday.
After another break, Tony Falk was on his way out and stopped at the commentary table. Falk reminded Russell of his challenge to Jackie Fargo and Jeff Jarrett. Falk advised that neither man had responded as Russell reminded him of the match he had right then.
Falk and the Masked Patriot were set to face Paul Diamond and Michael Lee. Diamond and Falk started the match. Falk started working Diamond’s arm only for Diamond to reverse it and take Falk to the mat. Diamond tagged Lee in and Lee continued the assault on Falk while Brown and Russell reminded the viewers that Falk still hadn’t gotten his first win.
Diamond came back in and dropped an axe handle from the ropes onto Falk, who hurried to his corner and tagged in the Patriot. It didn’t matter as Diamond and Lee continued dominating. Lee clothesline the Patriot down for a one count and brought Diamond back in. Diamond dropped a leg and covered for a one.
Falk reentered the match and he managed to get Diamond in a side headlock until a couple of hip tosses regained the control for Diamond. Lee tagged in and after a double backdrop he got a one count.
Falk muscled Diamond across the ring and brought the Patriot in. Diamond put the Patriot down with a super kick and got the three count.
After the last commercial break, Brown recapped the day’s events and Russell bade everyone goodbye.
As a special feature, to see the Bill and Buddy Show for yourself, it’s available on Youtube. Just click here for part 1 and then don’t miss parts 2 and 3 as well.
FULL CARD FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT’s SHOW AT THE EVANSVILLE COLISEUM
Texas Death Elimination Match
Jerry Lawler/Dutch Mantell vs. Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel
Southern Tag Team title
MOD Squad © vs. Paul Diamond/Michael Lee
International Heavyweight title
Billy Travis © vs. Abdul Gadaffi
Feat of Strength
Jos LeDuc vs. 10 fans – if the fans pull his arms apart, they receive $500
Pat Rose/Tony Falk vs. Tojo Yamamoto/Frank Morrell
