One Year in Memphis – May 3, 1986

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

Jerry Lawler/Jos LeDuc over Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel by DQ

Paul Diamond over Rip Rogers

Jeff Jarrett over Tony Falk

MOD Squad/JD Costello over Phil Hickerson/Frank Morrell/Billy Travis

Dutch Mantell/Pat Tanaka over Pat Rose/Abdul Gadaffi

Lance Russell and Dave Brown welcomed us to the show. Brown told us who we’d be seeing this week – Paul Diamond, Rip Rogers, Jeff Jarrett, the MOD Squad, Dutch Mantell, and Tony Falk.

After a quick commercial, Paul Diamond was with Lance Russell at the interview set. Russell congratulated Diamond on his comeback and Diamond discussed his physical condition with Russell before asking for a title shot. Diamond then brought up Rip Rogers and promised to beat Rogers the next time they battled.

Diamond then headed to the ring to face the Undertaker as Bill Dundee and Buddy Landel joined Russell at the interview set. Dundee demanded a rematch with Lawler since he’d always graciously given Lawler a rematch whenever he asked. Dundee closed by pointing out that he and Landel got better looking every day and we headed to the ring.

Diamond and the Undertaker locked up with Undertaker getting backed into the corner. As the two traded waist locks, Russell pointed out that this was the Undertaker we’d seen earlier’s tag team partner.

In the ring, Diamond was easily outwrestling the Undertaker, keeping him on the mat. Diamond put him down with a back elbow that got a two count. Diamond then slammed the Undertaker and dropped a leg for another two.

Diamond responded by locking in an armbar and taking the Undertaker back to the mat. Undertaker finally regained his feet and the two traded blows with Diamond getting the better of the encounter. Another back elbow earned another two count, and Diamond landed a super kick on the Undertaker for the win at 3:01.

After a break, we headed to Russell backstage to run down the card for Wednesday night in Evansville.. Lawler and Jos LeDuc joined Russell to talk about the match as Lawler mentioned that he’d been handcuffed while Falk, Landel, and Dundee pounded on LeDuc and Jarrett. Lawler then showed a quick video clip of LeDuc picking him up and throwing him over the ropes to crash into the announce table. Lawler asked for LeDuc to do the same to either Dundee or Landel.

Jos LeDuc agreed to throw them over the ropes, and even said that he may pitch them both at the same time before we headed to commercial.

We came back to Russell at the interview set, where he was joined by Rip Rogers. Russell ran down Rogers’s title history before Rogers began to talk. He talked about how Diamond (and made sure to mention Diamond’s previous drug problems) had challenged him. Rogers promised to take out Diamond as he headed to the ring to face David Haskins.

Rogers and Haskins locked up before breaking apart. A second lockup saw Haskins send Rogers flying with an arm drag. Rogers fired back with a knee to the gut and followed up by raking Haskins’s back. Rogers bounced Haskins’s head off numerous turnbuckles before whipping him into the corner and bringing him out with a snap mare.

Rogers called Diamond out as he dropped elbow after elbow on Haskins. Rogers then pitched Haskins through the ropes and followed to “help” him back in. Rogers landed a double sledge on Haskins before the referee sent him back into the ring.

Rogers grabbed Haskins by the hair, pulled him into the ring, slammed him, and started choking him. Rogers released the choke hold and started choking Haskins on the rope. Rogers then threw Haskins out again and followed, hitting him with an atomic drop on the floor.

Rogers returned to the ring to pose as Haskins tried to pull himself up. Rogers went back out to throw Haskins into the ring and then climbed to the second turnbuckle to hit a double axe handle. Rogers followed that with a suplex and broke the pin at the one count.

Rogers slammed Haskins and locked in the Boston crab for the win at 4:22. Rogers gave Haskins one more stomp and headed to the back.

We headed to commentary where Russell brought up Jeff Jarrett. He introduced a quick video from Jarrett.

Jeff thanked the fans for their support while acknowledging that he was probably going to get beaten every time he walked out. Jarrett then told Dundee that he refused to let Dundee beat him to defeat LeDuc and Lawler. Jarrett promised that one day he’d be asking Dundee for a match.

Another quick break returned us to Russell backstage to discuss the Evansville show a bit more.

We headed back to the arena to find Russell with JD Costello and the MOD Squad at the interview set. Russell started by extending his condolences to Costello for his mother’s death. Costello called Russell out as a hypocrite before announcing that he has a note he wanted Russell to read.

Russell read it and it said that Costello’s mother considered him a great success and she left her entire fortune to him, leaving out his brothers and sisters.

Costello gloated a moment by saying that he was worth roughly 20 million dollars. He then announced that he planned to make himself even more powerful. He announced the formation of his own stable – the Costello Dynasty.

The first members of the Dynasty were announced as the MOD Squad. He then brought out Tony Falk. Costello announced that Falk was now his assistant administrative director. Costello promised to take Falk to new heights.

Abdul Gadaffi was the next new member. A moment later he also brought out Pat Rose. Costello talked up Gadaffi and Rose before moving on to new business.

Costello then said that there was one more wrestler he wanted. That man was Dutch Mantell. Costello asked Mantell to come out for a business offer. Russell advised that Costello was wasting his time, but Costello wasn’t fazed.

Dutch Mantell left the back and headed to the set. Costello started by lighting Mantell’s cigar. Mantell asked how much money he was talking.

Costello promised to pay Mantell his last year’s salary as a signing bonus. He also promised to give him a 50% raise. At Mantell’s urging, Costello agreed to guarantee him the money.

As Costello urged him to sign, Mantell asked how much money he had on him at the moment. Costello offered Mantell a check, but he wanted cash. Costello reached into his pocket and pulled out about four hundred dollars. Mantell took it and advised Costello that they had a deal before walking away.

Costello became livid as he realized that Mantell hadn’t signed a contract but Mantell had walked away with his money. Costello led his men to the back as we headed to the ring where Jeff Jarrett was waiting for the Patriot.

Jarrett took the Patriot down with an arm drag and then repeated the move as Bill Dundee appeared and headed to commentary. The Patriot backed Jarrett into the corner and then Jarrett locked in a hammerlock. At commentary, Dundee was upset that Jarrett said that the only way Dundee could beat Lawler was by beating him.

Dundee continued bashing Jarrett as Jarrett locked the Patriot in an armbar.

Back in the ring the Patriot had gained the momentum only for Jarrett to roll him up for a three count at 2:36. Dundee then issued an open challenge to Jarrett for when he grew up.

Another break brought us to the MOD Squad squaring off against Jim Jameson and David Johnson. Spike and Jameson started the match with Spike manhandling Jameson. For his part, Costello headed to commentary to continue ranting about Mantell’s taking his money.

Costello kept running back and forth to commentary, saying that the Squad was imagining that Jameson was Dutch Mantell. The Squad continued pounding on Jameson as Costello headed back to commentary. Russell also took advantage of the moment to advise that there very well may be a Southern heavyweight title match the next week.

Costello then promised that the Dynasty would be running Mantell out of the area. In the ring David Johnson was being obliterated. Costello then told a story about how mean the Squad was as Basher got the win at 2:45 by pinning Johnson.

We headed backstage with Russell one more time after another break. This time Dundee and Landel joined him. Dundee talked about how this match wasn’t fair. Dundee advised that the reason Lawler wanted him hurt was so that he couldn’t take the title from Lawler. Landel closed the interview by asking Lawler why he thought that LeDuc could pitch them over the ropes just because LeDuc had pitched him.

We came back to the arena to see Dutch Mantell and Pat Tanaka taking on Tony Falk and Keith Erich. Tanaka gained a quick advantage on Falk by arm dragging him while Falk jawed with Mantell. Falk then took control of the match only for a Tanaka chop to turn the tide yet again.

After coming out on the short end after another exchange, Falk brought in Erich and Tanaka retaliated by bringing Mantell in. Falk soon tagged back in, much to the pleasure of Mantell. Falk whipped Mantell across the ring only to have Mantell catch him with a knee.

Falk saw the writing on the wall and brought Erich back in. Mantell hooked Erich’s arm and cranked away. Erich went for a tag only for Falk to back away. Mantell brought Tanaka back in, who sent Erich down with a chop. Tanaka head butted Erich and brought Mantell back in.

Mantell hit a back breaker and got a two count. Erich finally got the tag and Falk came back in. Mantell hammered Falk and brought Tanaka back in, who caught Falk with another chop before backdropping him. A back kick sent Falk back down and Erich found himself tagged back in. Tanaka brought Mantell back in just as Costello made his way to commentary and rang the bell, announcing that the match was over. As Costello demanded a match against Mantell, Mantell rolled up Erich for the win.

Costello ordered Tanaka out of the ring before pulling off his jacked and tie to head to the ring. Costello entered the ring, hit Mantell once, and made a run for it. Mantell caught him and that was the cue for the Dynasty to hit the ring and attack. Paul Diamond, Jarrett, Tanaka, and Jim Jameson charged the ring and we had a brawl. The Dynasty cleared out as the others checked on the fallen Mantell.

After our final commercial, Russell and Brown discussed Costello’s attack on Mantell. Brown then gave a quick rundown of the entire show. Russell closed by saying that he thought Costello’s challenge to Mantell was a bad idea before saying goodbye for another week.

FULL CARD FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S SHOW IN EVANSVILLE COLISEUM

Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel vs. Jerry Lawler/Jos LeDuc

MOD Squad vs. Billy Travis/Frank Morrell

Abdul Gadaffi/Pat Rose vs. Dutch Mantell/Pat Tanaka

Paul Diamond vs. Rip Rogers

Jeff Jarrett vs. Tony Falk

Tojo Yamamoto vs. the Assassin