RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK’S SHOW AT THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM (courtesy of www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com)
Buddy Landel over Flame
Jerry Lawler draw Bill Dundee (double DQ)
Buddy Landel over Fire
Flame over Austin Idol
Jerry Lawler/Giant Hillbilly over MOD Squad by DQ
Dutch Mantell over Rip Rogers
Paul Diamond over Jos LeDuc
Tarzan Goto/Akio Sato over Pat Tanaka/Mr. Liberty
Nightmares over Tojo Yamamoto/Jeff Jarrett
Dan Styles/Tracy Smothers/David Haskins over Strong Machine/Danny Fargo/the Hunter
Lance Russell and Dave Brown welcomed us to the show before Brown gave us the rundown on who’d be here today. We’d be seeing Jos LeDuc, the Nightmares, the Beach Boys, Paul Diamond, Buddy Landel and Dutch Mantell as a team, the MOD Squad teaming with Fire and Flame, and Jerry Lawler would team with the Giant Hillbilly. Russell then added that due to controversial match endings the Southern Heavyweight title had been vacated and an upcoming one night tournament would select the new champion.
After a quick commercial, we came back to see the Nightmares on their way out. Davis defended their flamboyant hair and makeup. Wayne then added that they were the greatest tag team around and claimed that they were the uncrowned champions.
The interview was interrupted by the entrance music of the Beach Boys. Van Horn and Wayne started things off. Wayne got an early advantage as he took Van Horn down with a headlock. Van Horn reversed it into a head scissors and Wayne fought out by slapping Van Horn in the face.
Wayne skittered back to his corner and brought in Davis. Across the ring, Stewart tagged in. Stewart took Davis down with a headlock before bringing Van Horn back in. Van Horn started working the arm as Davis started trying to fight his way out. Davis whipped Van Horn across the ring and Wayne caught him from behind.
Wayne tagged in and back dropped Van Horn before dropping a knee and tagging Davis back in. Davis got caught by Van Horn’s punches and Stewart tagged back in. All four men began brawling and with the referee distracted Wayne came off the top rope and covered Van Horn for the win.
That brought Bill Dundee out for a word with Russell at the interview set. Dundee was quick to claim that a conspiracy was the reason that the title was being held up because nobody could beat him for the belt. Dundee added that they may have been having a tournament, but Dundee was supposed to be excluded. Dundee said that he had gotten in and he’d go over anyone in his way.
Russell pointed out that Dundee had only won with help from the outside and Dundee retorted by saying that once he won the title, he’d sue Jerry Jarrett. Dundee left by saying that Russell was just part of the conspiracy.
We came back from commercial to find Russell backstage to talk about the card for Wednesday night at the Evansville Coliseum. He started by announcing a special – any first through twelfth grade students could get into the show for $2.00 each.
Dundee joined Russell to again protest how unfair the tournament for “his†title was. Rogers then came in to say that although he and Dundee were friends, he was going to do everything he could to be sure he left the new Southern champion.
We came back to see Landel and Mantell set to take on the Inferno and Keith Erich. The Inferno and Landel started things off. The Inferno backed Landel into a corner and chopped him, which got Landel going. Landel took down the Inferno and brought in Mantell.
Landel and Mantell kept making fast tags while continuing to dish out punishment to the Inferno. Finally a Mantell knee drop bounced the Inferno into his corner where he brought Erich in. Mantell locked in an armbar and brought Landel in. Landel kept the pressure on the arm and backed Erich into his own corner for a quick double team.
Mantell tagged back in and covered Erich for a one count. He brought the Inferno in and all four men started brawling. The Inferno exercised the better part of valor and Landel dropped an elbow on Erich for the win at 2:46.
We came back from commercial for Russell to talk about the show in Evansville again.
We headed back to the arena for Russell to talk about a match where the Giant Hillbilly, Austin Idol, and Jerry Lawler took on the MOD Squad and JD Costello.
We went to video where Lawler was taking control of Basher. A clip saw Spike taking over on Lawler. Another clip saw both Squad members trying to take Lawler out and finally putting Lawler in a position where Costello could choke him.
We next saw that Hillbilly squashing Basher while Idol attacked Spike with a cane. With the Squad tied up in the ropes, Lawler and Idol pitched Costello into the ring where the Hillbilly was waiting. The Hillbilly slammed Costello and dropped a leg on him, then Lawler hit a piledriver. Idol finished with his Las Vegas Leglock and Costello was quick to submit.
Russell was at the interview set and was joined by the Squad and Costello. Costello was now wearing a neck brace and walking with a cane. Costello claimed that all Lawler and his partners had wanted was to cripple him. Costello pointed out that the Squad still had the Southern Tag Team titles and then he promised that the Squad would hurt Lawler and his partners.
Russell prodded the Squad to head to the ring, where they would team with Fire and Flame to take on Jerry Garman, David Haskins, Benny Traylor, and Jim Jameson. Jameson and Spike started and, as expected, Spike took full control and tagged in Basher. Basher flamed down Jameson, who tagged in Traylor. Fire came in as Costello headed to commentary to jaw with Russell.
Flame tagged in and back dropped Traylor across the ring before tagging Basher back in. Traylor tagged in Haskins and Costello’s team kept firm control as all eight men hit the ring. Flame threw a fireball at Jameson, and Basher got the cover for the win before they pitched Jameson out of the ring.
Russell then sent us to a video to hype a new face. Larry Sharpe had a microphone and was in front of someone covered by a blanket. Sharpe said that he was bringing the man in to destroy Lawler for what he’d done to Dennis Coraluzzo. He pulled off the blanket to reveal a man wearing a hood. Sharpe said his name was Bam Bam Bigelow. Sharpe pulled off the hood as he promised that Lawler would be seeing that face in his nightmares as we went to commercial.
We came back to find Lawler and the Hillbilly set to take on Abdul Gadaffi and the Strong Machine. The Machine and Lawler started things off with Lawler threatening to pull the Machine’s mask off. Lawler punched the Machine and went after the mask only for the Machine to tag Gadaffi in.
Gadaffi tied up with Lawler and Lawler fought his way out of the corner. A knee to the gut got Gadaffi an advantage and a slam earned him a two count as Gadaffi kept driving Lawler into the ropes before slamming him again.
Lawler dodged an elbow and took Gadaffi down before he started hammering him with punches. The Hillbilly dropped a leg on Gadaffi for the win. The Machine came in and a punch from the Hillbilly sent him flying out of the ring.
We headed back to the announce desk where Russell cued a video on Austin Idol. We saw Idol working out in the gym as “I Need a Hero“ played. Idol left the gym to close the video and we went to commercial.
Russell was backstage again to talk about the Wednesday night show one more time. Landel joined Russell to claim that he was the rightful champion. Mantell then came in to claim that he’d be taking Dundee out.
We came back to the arena to see Jos LeDuc ready to face David Johnson and Henry Rutledge in a handicap match. LeDuc immediately gained firm control of the match and kept both of his opponents flat on the mat. LeDuc put Rutledge down with a dropkick and then clotheslined Johnson down. He hit a second clothesline and covered both men for the win at 1:50.
LeDuc then joined Russell at the interview set. LeDuc promised again that he wasn’t finished with Paul Diamond as he showed off a leather strap. He promised that once he had Diamond hooked to the strap, he’d teach him what being a man was all about.
As LeDuc talked, a camo paint-wearing Diamond slipped up behind LeDuc and super kicked him down. Diamond promised that he’d be after LeDuc every chance he got.
LeDuc regained his feet and couldn’t speak after being kicked in the throat by Diamond. LeDuc headed backstage as Russell sent us to a video hyping the week’s shows around the territory.
We came back to see Paul Diamond and the masked Mr. Liberty set to take on the Dirty Black Boys in the main event. DBB #1 started off against Diamond. #1 got an early advantage until Diamond backed him into the corner and chopped him, then put him down with a dropkick and a body slam. Liberty tagged in and suplexed #1 down, then body slammed him.
Diamond tagged in and started working #1’s arm. #1 tagged in #2 and Diamond found himself fighting out of their corner. A clothesline from Diamond put #2 down for a one count. A suplex got a two, so Liberty tagged back in.
The two hit a double backdrop on #2 and Liberty snapmared #2 down. Liberty suplexed him again and brought Diamond back in. Diamond locked on a headlock and took #2 down with it. Diamond hit a butterfly suplex and it took #1 to break up that pin.
Liberty came back in and locked #2 back in a headlock. Liberty dropped knees onto #2’s back and brought Diamond in. Diamond came in and LeDuc and the MOD Squad attacked. The Squad took out Liberty while LeDuc choked Diamond with the leather strap. Other wrestlers swarmed out from the back to break up the attack.
We came back from our final commercial for Brown to give us a quick recap of the day’s events. Russell closed the show with a quick goodbye for another week.
FULL CARD FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S SHOW AT THE EVANSVILLE COLISEUM
Southern Heavyweight title match
Winner of Dundee/Mantell vs. winner of Landel/Rogers
Bill Dundee vs. Dutch Mantell
Buddy Landel vs. Rip Rogers
Strap Match
Paul Diamond vs. Jos LeDuc
NWA Women’s World title
Debbie Combs © vs. Mantagas
International Tag Team titles
Sato/Tarzan Goto vs. Tojo Yamamoto/Jeff Jarrett
MOD Squad vs. the Nightmares
Danny Fargo vs. Pat Tanaka
Diesel Dan Styles vs. the Hunter
Strong Machine vs. Tracy Smothers
