One Year in Memphis – May 17, 1986

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

Jerry Lawler/Austin Idol over Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel

Paul Diamond/Pat Tanaka over Rip Rogers/Baron Von Brauner

Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel over Tojo Yamamoto/Jeff Jarrett

Jerry Lawler/Austin Idol over the Hunters

Paul Diamond/Pat Tanaka over Tony Falk/Abdul Gadaffi

Tojo Yamamoto/Jeff Jarrett over Memphis Vice

Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel over Uncle Elmer/Billy Travis

The Hunters over Jos LeDuc/Dutch Mantell

Jerry Lawler/Austin Idol over the MOD Squad

Dave Brown, flying solo this week, welcomed us to the show. He let us know who we’d be seeing – a tag team of Billy Travis, Jeff Jarrett, and Uncle Elmer. We’d also see Frank Morrell, Rip Rogers, the MOD Squad, Jos LeDuc and Dutch Mantell, new team the Hunters, and the main event would be Buddy Landel vs. Jerry Lawler.

We came back to find the Masked Patriot, Keith Eric, and the Blue Demon (not him) set to face Jarrett, Travis, and Elmer. Uncle Elmer started across the ring and his foes decided to bail. We soon settled to Billy Travis taking on the Blue Demon. Travis dominated the Demon, so Keith Eric tagged in. Travis brought Jarrett in who immediately took Eric down with a monkey flip.

Eric decided to bring in the Patriot, and Jarrett brought in the massive Uncle Elmer. There was no contest as Elmer engulfed the Patriot first with a splash and then a leg drop for the three count at 1:13. We got a replay of the leg drop and headed to commentary, where Rip Rogers and a new face (identified as Baron Von Brauner) were waiting behind Brown.

Rogers put over Von Brauner as a worthy tag team partner for himself and then they headed to the ring to face Frank Morrell and David Haskins. Morrell and Rogers started the match with Rogers avoiding a lockup at first. Rogers backed Morrell into a corner and then Morrell reversed and took him down.

Rogers began twisting Morrell’s arm, only for another reversal. Rogers then started throwing forearms at Morrell, only for Morrell to stop him with a fist after an Irish whip.

Haskins tagged in and Rogers brought in Von Brauner. The German took control by slamming Haskins and then peppering him with forearms. Von Brauner then caught Haskins with a bear hug before sending him into the turnbuckle. Von Brauner dropped a knee from the middle rope and brought Rogers back in.

Rogers dropped a second rope double axe handle and pitched Haskins. Von Brauner followed and helped Haskins back in (with a couple of shots for good measure). Rogers immediately pitched him again, so Von Brauner ran him into the ringpost before throwing him back in.

Von Brauner tagged back in and hit a double axe handle of his own before returning to the bear hug. Rogers quickly tagged back in and put Haskins down, then choked him while he tagged Von Brauner back in. Von Brauner covered, but pulled Haskins up at 2.

Rogers came back in to continue the assault. Rogers slammed Haskins and brought the German back in. The Baron slammed Haskins, then locked him in the claw. Haskins had no choice but to submit at 4:43. Rogers and the Baron celebrated as Morrell checked on his fallen partner.

We came back to see Randy Hales backstage to run down Wednesday night’s show. He announced that it would be a one night tournament to determine the company’s entry into a world tag team tournament in Tokyo.

Dundee and Landel soon ran Hales out and talked about how Lawler had recruited Uncle Elmer to stop them. Dundee admitted that Elmer had been in the WWF, but they still weren’t scared of him. Landel added that they were going to ensure their trip to Japan so they would win the $100,000 grand prize.

We came back to find Brown with JD Costello and the MOD Squad. Costello was quick to point out that the “rule-abiding” Basher had been burned on the side of his face, thanks to Lawler. Costello showed that Spike had matches and Basher had a gas can. Costello promised that they’d light Lawler on fire the next time they met. Costello then called Austin Idol the Universal Heartburn, and added that there was nobody in the area better than the Squad.

The Squad headed to the ring where Jim Jameson and Don Donovan were waiting. Spike and Jameson started the match while Costello headed to commentary to add his two cents. Spike, meanwhile, was finding Jameson no threat and when Basher tagged in he had no problems either.

The Squad kept making quick tags and kept the pressure on Jameson while Donovan was unable to do anything. Spike finally pitched Jameson to the floor, where Basher dropped a knee before sending Jameson back to the slaughter (while Costello complimented the Squad’s sportsmanship). Jameson got pitched again and Basher slammed Jameson on the concrete before sending him back in.

Basher finally gave Donovan a shot in the match, and he almost immediately went down to a power slam that earned the three count. After the match the Squad pitched Donovan over the top before jawing at the crowd.

We came back again to Randy Hales. He recapped the tournament and we headed back to the studio, where LeDuc and Mantell were set to face Tony Falk and Abdul Gadaffi.

LeDuc and Gadaffi started the match. Gadaffi showed no fear at the sight of the massive lumberjack, refusing to back down from LeDuc. LeDuc brought Mantell in and Mantell started working on Gadaffi’s arm before trying to throw a shot at Falk.

LeDuc came back in and continued where Mantell had left off. Gadaffi tagged Tony Falk, and Falk didn’t seem eager to head in. LeDuc choked Falk to his corner, where Mantell got his shot in. A high knee from LeDuc put Falk down and Mantell tagged in.

Mantell locked Falk in a headlock that ended with a Mantell body slam. Falk struggled back to his corner and Gadaffi tagged in.

Mantell began throwing kicks at the back of Gadaffi’s legs, only to get a knee of his own. Gadaffi took control and slammed Mantell in before tagging Falk in. Falk held Mantell for a clothesline only for Mantell to get clear and Falk to get knocked goofy by his own partner. Mantell followed up with a suplex for the win at 3:32.

Brown then joined Eddie Marlin for a word. He reminded the fans of the incident with Lawler the week before. Marlin advised that referee Jesse Allen was still suspended following the AWA’s review of the tape. Marlin added that they were searching for new referees. That brought Frank Morrell out.

Morrell talked about his in-ring career and he knew that he was reaching a point where he couldn’t keep up with the new talent anymore. Morrell then volunteered to serve as the new referee. Marlin accepted the offer.

We came back to see the Hunters set to face Jerry Garman and Benny Traylor. The Hunters began assaulting Traylor while making quick tags. Traylor finally escaped the beating long enough to bring Garmon back in. The Hunters continued their assault and their quick tags.

The Hunters were relentless as they hammered both Traylor and Garmon. Finally one of the Hunters caught Garmon in a bear hug for the win at 3:19.

As the Hunters left, banjo music started playing to usher out Uncle Elmer. Elmer said that it was good to be back in Memphis, and he was there to stay.

The music changed to bring out the Memphis Vice – Jerry Bryant and Lou Winston. As the Vice came out, Morrell stopped by commentary to let Brown know that he’d referee the match between the Vice and Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond.

Diamond and Winston started the match. After Morrell refused to let him punch Diamond, a disgusted Winston brought Bryant in. Bryant took Diamond down with a hair pull, so Morrell pulled Bryant’s hair to get Bryant off.

Still, Bryant utilized shoulder blocks to keep control of the match until a Diamond body slam bought him the time he needed to bring Tanaka in.

Tanaka began chopping Bryant down, and Winston came in. Winston began overpowering the smaller Tanaka, who brought Diamond back in. Another quick tag saw Tanaka splash Winston from the bottom rope. After a tag and a quick double team Bryant took Tanaka down with a headlock. Tanaka started throwing chops and Winston was tagged back in.

Diamond finally fought back in after Bryant tagged in and Morrell found himself stretched to maintain order. A missed elbow drop brought Winston in, only for Morrell to run him out.

Diamond tagged Tanaka in and when Winston tagged in we had a free-for-all. Winston got pitched and Diamond was ushered out of the ring by Morrell. Bryant took Tanaka down and Winston pushed down on Bryant’s back to ensure the three count.

Frank Morrell headed to commentary where he announced that he’d seen the replay and reversed his decision.

Another break brought us back to Randy Hales for another reminder about the tournament on Wednesday night. Jerry Lawler joined Hales to put over Idol as his partner. Lawler then introduced a video from Idol.

Idol was seated at his swimming pool. Idol announced that he was on his way and promised victory.

Dutch Mantell then joined Hales, where he talked about how he and LeDuc would win the tournament and the trip to Japan.

We then came back to the main event, to find Dundee and Landel in the ring. Lawler then came out with referee Morrell. Morrell ordered Dundee out of the ring and called for the bell. Since he couldn’t interfere, Dundee headed to commentary.

Lawler soon began gaining control of the match by overpowering Landel. The two began throwing fists while Dundee headed back to the ring to start protesting Morrell’s decisions.

Lawler caught Landel in a wristlock and a hair pull sent Lawler to the mat. Morrell ordered the break and then found himself ordering Dundee back to his corner. Dundee went, grabbing at Lawler’s heels on the way.

Lawler grabbed Landel in a headlock and wasn’t above keeping a handful of hair to keep the hold locked. Dundee grabbed at Lawler’s heel again, drawing another warning from Morrell.

Lawler kept cranking the headlock while jerking Landel’s head by the hair behind Morrell’s back. Outside, Dundee kept pacing and even grabbed a chair.

Landel finally got free and left the ring to regroup. He headed back in and a couple of kicks and punches put Lawler on the defensive for a moment before Landel threw Lawler into the ref.

Landel held Lawler for Dundee to hit, only for Morrell to clothesline Dundee and award the match to Lawler.

Dundee headed to commentary again to protest the injustice and Morrell followed to stand by his decision.

After the show’s final commercial break, Brown gave a quick rundown of the day’s events. Brown promised that Lance Russell would be back next week and said goodbye to close the show.

FULL CARD FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S SHOW AT THE EVANSVILLE COLISEUM

[u]First Round Matches[/u]
Paul Diamond/Pat Tanaka vs. Tony Falk/Abdul Gadaffi

Tojo Yamamoto/Jeff Jarrett vs. the Memphis Vice

Bill Dundee/Buddy Landel vs. Billy Travis/Uncle Elmer

Jos LeDuc/Dutch Mantell vs. the Hunters

MOD Squad vs. Jerry Lawler/Austin Idol

Rip Rogers/Baron Von Brauner (first round bye)

Three Semifinal Matches

Final Match