One Year in Memphis – August 9, 1986

Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

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

Fire/Flame over Jos LeDuc/Giant Hillbilly

Jerry Lawler over Bam Bam Bigelow by DQ

Jeff Jarrett/Pat Tanaka over Akio Sato/Tarzan Goto by DQ

Spike over Ken Wayne

Mr. Universe over JT Southern

Basher over Danny Davis

Paul Diamond over Gypsy Joe

Tracy Smothers over Ron Sexton

Lance Russell and Dave Brown welcomed us to the show as Brown told us that today we’d be seeing JT Southern, the MOD Squad teaming with Mr. Universe, Akio Sato and Tarzan Goto with Tojo Yamamoto, and Jerry Lawler.

We came back from commercial to see JT Southern on his way to the ring to face Mike Murphy. The two locked up and Southern ducked a right hand from Murphy before powerslamming Murphy down for the win at 0:14.

As we watched the replay, JD Costello made his appearance by demanding Lance Russell join him and the MOD Squad at the interview set. Costello bashed Murphy by saying that even Russell could beat him in 30 seconds. Costello then introduced his Triple Threat Challenge. Russell explained that Costello had said that the MOD Squad could defeat the Nightmares and JT Southern in straight singles matches or else Costello would throw five thousand dollars out to the crowd.

After Costello bashed the fans, he introduced JT Southern’s opponent – Mr. Universe. Costello put over the muscular Universe as Universe flexed for the cameras.

The MOD Squad and Universe headed to the ring to face Jerry Garmon, Benny Traylor, and David Haskins. Haskins and Universe started the match. Universe easily overpowered Haskins as Costello informed the commentary desk that Southern was trying to kill himself in the locker room after seeing Universe. Costello added that the Nightmares had just been added to the endangered species list.

Garmon and Spike tagged in as Costello returned to the ring and Spike took Garmon down with a shoulder block. Basher tagged in and slammed Garmon down before dropping a knee and starting to choke him.

Traylor tagged in and Basher slammed him down before tagging Universe in. Universe gorilla-pressed Traylor and slammed him down. Traylor tried to fight back but Universe again overpowered him before tagging in Spike. Spike slammed Traylor and followed up with a snap mare. Spike then dropped a leg and stopped another comeback from Traylor before Basher tagged in.

Garmon tagged back in as Costello returned to commentary to discuss his willingness to throw the money to the crowd if the Squad and Universe lost the challenge. Universe tagged in and again took firm control of Garmon before tagging Spike back in.

Spike back dropped Garmon and Basher followed with a clothesline for two. Universe tagged in and locked Garmon into a bear hug for the win at 4:39. Universe held the hold a little longer before releasing Garmon and posing for the fans again.

We came back from commercial to see Lance Russell backstage to talk about Wednesday night’s show at the Evansville Coliseum. Larry Sharpe joined Russell for a word. Sharpe told Russell that Bigelow wasn’t taking Diamond lightly and then warned Diamond not to let him down because he’d promised Bigelow only the best. Bigelow then joined Sharpe to tell him that the title belt was gone. Bigelow finally found the belt and posed before Russell closed out the segment.

We returned to the studio to see Sato and Goto set to face Tracy Smothers and David Baker in a non-title match. Sato and Smothers started out. They locked up and Sato took quick control before Smothers leapfrogged him and started arm dragging him. Baker tagged in as the ropes went limp and Sato soon regained control of the match.

Goto tagged in and head butted Baker before bouncing his head off the turnbuckle. Baker tried to fight back but another head butt put him back on the mat.

Sato tagged back in and slammed Baker before stomping him. Goto tagged back in and continued the assault. Goto dropped a knee and Baker kicked out at 2. A rake of the eyes ended Baker’s momentum and a chop from Goto put him on the mat.

After a Goto body slam Sato tagged back in and hit a swinging neck breaker. Baker tried again to fight back but a kick sent him into the corner where Goto tagged back in. Goto hit another head butt and pulled him away before Smothers could tag him. Goto bounced Baker out of the corner before Smothers could tag him. Baker caught Goto with a boot and tagged Smothers in.

Smothers started unloading on both opponents but soon found himself outnumbered. Sato tagged back in and Smothers dodged a charge into the corner. Baker tagged back in and Sato slammed him for a 2.

Sato put Baker down with a super kick and got a three count at 4:30.

Tojo, Sato, and Goto then joined Russell at the interview set. Russell again put over Jarrett and Tanaka’s efforts in the feud. Russell started by introducing a video from Jerry Jarrett.

Jerry talked about when he started wrestling and some advice about talking to fans that he’d gotten from Jackie Fargo. Jerry admitted that he hadn’t been able to help Jeff and Tanaka enough to see that they would win the titles. Jerry said that while he couldn’t promise that Jeff and Tanaka would win the match, he could make one promise. This week they would be in a kendo stick lumberjack match. Jerry and Tojo would be on the outside with kendo sticks, and they couldn’t get disqualified unless they entered the ring.

We returned to Russell who got Tojo’s side. Tojo protested his innocence and said that Jerry had come after him for no reason. Tojo pointed out that Jerry’s “retarded” son and Tanaka kept crying to Jerry to help them. Tojo promised that Sato and Goto would not be running away during the match. Sato added that there was no way that Jeff and Tanaka could beat them.

Tojo also said that Jerry was only trying to kill him and they’d take Jerry’s other eye.

We returned backstage to hear more about Wednesday night’s show.

We then returned to the studio to see Jerry Lawler set to face Juicy Johnny as the ring crew worked feverishly to fix the ropes. The bell rang and Lawler waited for a crew member to finish on one of the top turnbuckles before sending Johnny into a corner. The two locked up again and Lawler overpowered Johnny a second time. A third lockup saw Johnny start working Lawler’s arm before pulling the King’s hair.

The same sequence repeated and Lawler returned to his feet with his right fist cocked. Johnny quickly backed up and the sequence repeated again. Lawler then pulled Johnny’s hair to drop him to the mat three times in succession and Johnny bailed out of the ring.

Johnny returned and requested a timeout before they locked up again and Johnny gained the advantage by raking Lawler’s eyes. Johnny dropped an elbow and got a 1. Johnny kept firing right hands only for Lawler to drop the strap and start fighting back. Lawler bounced Johnny’s head off the top turnbuckle five times, then dropped the fist from the second rope for the win at 3:30.

We then went to a handicap match as Bam Bam Bigelow was set to face Jim Jameson and David Johnson. The bell rang and Bigelow tied up with both opponents and overpower them as Larry Sharpe headed to commentary to share his thoughts about Jerry Lawler.

As Sharpe talked about Bigelow manhandling his opponents, that was exactly what was occurring in the ring. Bigelow pitched Jameson and then dropped Johnson with a slam. Bigelow splashed Johnson and pitched him out of the ring before intercepting Jim Jameson. Bigelow slammed Johnson was preparing to climb the ropes when Lawler hit the ring and clocked Bigelow with a chair at 1:59. Bigelow showed no effects and clotheslined Lawler over the ropes to the floor. As Bigelow and Sharpe watched from the ring the referee worked to get Lawler back to the backstage area.

We came back from commercial to see Jeff Jarrett, Pat Tanaka, and Paul Diamond set to face Keith Roberson and Rough and Ready. Diamond and Rough started the match. Diamond immediately took control and suplexed Rough down. Diamond tagged in Jarrett and the two caught Rough with a double back elbow before Jarrett started working Rough’s arm.

Ready tagged in and Jarrett began cranking on his arm before tagging in Tanaka. Tanaka chopped Ready to the mat and then dropped him with a head butt. Tanaka threw Ready into the corner and Rough tagged in when Roberson refused to make the tag.

Rough returned to action and Tanaka began working his arm before tagging Diamond in, who kept the pressure on the arm. Roberson finally tagged in and Diamond took immediate control before bringing Tanaka in for a few chops. A head butt put Roberson flat on the mat and Rough tagged back in.

Tanaka kept the pressure on Rough and tagged Jarrett in. Jarrett caught Rough with a Lou Thesz press for the win.

We then joined Russell at the interview set where he introduced Eddie Marlin to address the Fire and Flame situation. Marlin immediately called Fire and Flame out and they joined the fun. Marlin advised that Fire and Flame had been fined $2,000 each for their actions and had also suspended Billy Spears. He added that the only reason that Fire and Flame weren’t gone was because they were the current Southern Tag Team champions. Marlin then offered to let Fire and Flame wrestle on television only if they 1)agreed to put the titles up every time and 2)faced mystery opponents every week. Marlin added that if they lost the belts that week then they would be fired.

Fire took a moment to talk about how unfair the situation was and Marlin offered to let them forfeit the belts and leave the area. Fire agreed to the stipulations and advised that they wouldn’t be losing the belts.

We then headed backstage to hear about Wednesday night’s show again. Russell brought in the laughing Nightmares and JT Southern to discuss the $5,000 challenge. Danny Davis reiterated that the Squad would have to defeat all three of them. Wayne added that he’d be at ringside to get his share of Costello’s money.

We returned to the studio to see the Memphis Vice on their way out to face the Rock Steady Crew for the main event. King Cobra and Jerry Bryant started the match by trading hiptosses. Cobra then tossed Winston as well.

The Vice protested that Cobra had pulled their tights from the floor. Bryant returned to the ring and wound up locking up as Ira Reese tagged in. The Crew hit two stereo dropkicks to send the Vice back to the floor to protest the unfairness of the double-teams.

Bryant tagged in Winston as Reese tagged in Cobra. Cobra accidentally back dropped Winston over the top rope and as the Vice protested, the referee explained that since this was Winston’s momentum had carried him over then it would not be a DQ.

Winston returned to the ring and Cobra started working on his arm before tagging Reese back in. They hit a double back drop and Reese hip tossed him over. Winston put a stop to that with a shot to the midsection and followed up with a big boot before bringing Bryant back in.

Bryant hit a power slam and covered for a one count as Russell rang the bell due to the expiration of time. In the ring, all four men were brawling as we headed to our final commercial.

Russell put over the final match before Brown ran down the show’s events one more time. Russell again put over Bigelow’s shrugging off Lawler’ chair shot and also promised that they’d have to get the Vice and the Rock Steady Crew to face off again before saying goodbye for another week.

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

Kendo Stick Lumberjack match
International Tag Team titles
Akio Sato/Tarzan Goto © vs. Jeff Jarrett/Pat Tanaka

Southern Heavyweight title
Bam Bam Bigelow © vs. Paul Diamond

JD Costello’s $5,000 Triple Threat Challenge
MOD Squad/Mr. Universe vs. Nightmares/JT Southern

Tracy Smothers vs. Ron Sexton