Superstar Sleeze

How confident should I be about a Cena/AJ rematch at Battleground?

All in due time, my friend. World of Sport will be after all American and puro is complete. Portland and Puerto Rico are almost out so it is high time to wrap up the four projects I was working on. As of this morning, what I wanted to watch from World Class has been completed and that is the top rated matches through 1987. What was watched: Best of Freebirds vs Von Erichs (15 matches), Flair vs Von Erichs (7 matches), Best of Dynamic Duo vs Von Erichs (7 matches), Best of Chris Adams singles (5 matches) and 8 miscellaneous classics including one that did not make the set: Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich. 44 matches were watched (I know the math does not add up, but trust me 44 matches were watched). Match Rankings (>****1/4) 1. Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 7/4/83 2 Out of 3 Falls 2. Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes - WCCW 11/24/83 Loser Leaves Town Cage Match 3. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - WCCW 11/22/84 Texas Death Match 4. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 8/15/82 5. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 5/5/85 6. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Dynamic Duo - WCCW 10/6/85 Hair vs Hair 7. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) - WCCW 2/16/88 8. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 6/17/83 9. American Heavyweight Champion Kevin Von Erich vs Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin - WCCW 7/18/83 10. Kevin & David Von Erich vs "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin & Terry Gordy - WCCW 8/15/83 2 Out of 3 Falls 11. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Dynamic Duo - WCCW 2/22/85 12. NWA World Heavyweight Ric Flair vs David Von Erich - WCCW 10/11/82 13. NWA World Heavyweight Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 12/25/82 Steel Cage Match 14. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 4/1/83 15. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Gordy - WCCW 2/4/83 16. Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 6/4/82 17. Von Erichs & Iceman Parsons vs Fabulous Freebirds & Jimmy Garvin - WCCW 5/27/83 18. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair - WCCW 5/11/84 19. Six-Man Tag Team Champions Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez & Jake the Snake Roberts vs Kerry, Kevin & Mike Von Erich - WCCW 12/31/84

Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - WCCW 11/22/84 Texas Death Match SGR: Kerry Von Erich World Class' Rocky IV moment that predates Rocky IV by a year as a Freebird and Von Erich shake hands at the end of this bout proving that there is hope for all of us to just get along. I can totally understand why this finished number one atop the Texas poll even if it will not finish there for me (Top 5, no doubt). This match epitomized everything Texas has been lacking hatred, violence and blood (notable exception the awesome Kerry/Hayes Cage match). Texas (non-NWA Championship matches) is characterized by insane crowd heat, big time babyface offense, lots of heel bumping and feel good matches. I love action blockbuster, popcorn, feel good matches, but there were times when I just wanted the Freebirds/Von Erichs to cut loose and really brawl with each other. As much as I love 7/4/83, the closest they got to that brawl was in 1988, but man alive if they could have done that in 1983 that would have been something else. The vast majority of Killer Khan's offense was biting the forehead and Asiatic Spikes to the throat of Gordy. Now that's heel offense! This is not a spring brawl, but a war of attrition that feels like a clash of the titans. When Gordy takes for a bit, Khan throws him to the outside smashes his face into the post and Gordy does a big time blade job. Khan gets the first pin with a knee drop, but Gordy makes the ten count. Now it is Gordy's turn to throw Khan out and ram his head into the post busting him open. Gordy nails a piledriver, but now Khan makes the ten count. This is minimalistic brawling at its finest. The suplex struggle between these two bloody warriors late into the bout is a great testament to machismo. Khan misses the kneedrop that won him the first fall. Gordy applies the Oriental Spike to the throat. This is an all time great finish as he digs his thumb into the neck of Khan who is grunting and struggling only to struggle less and less as his life force is being drained. It is pretty poignant. It is Magnum/Tully in its levels of brutality and uncomfortableness. Kerry counts Khan down. Khan is choking and not going to make the ten count, but Akbar interferes to Kerry kicks his ass and now Missing Link. Gordy and Kerry fend off Devastation Inc. Kerry declares Gordy the winner and sticks out his hand. No handshake, Gordy calls Kerry back to the ring ostensibly to rumble, but instead we get the Handshake to end all Handshakes. The Handshake and Oriental Spike finish with Khan's selling make this an all-time classic. It was just missing a spark from the beginning of the match until the finish. I thought everything was really well-worked from beginning to end, but it could have used just a little more pep. I would say Top 25 US match from the 80s and Top five for Texas, pretty easy. ****3/4

American Tag Team Champions Fantastics vs Midnight Express - WCCW 1/11/85 Fantastics take their time to hug and kiss every single woman in the front row. I love it! We get not one, but two "Clear the ring, booty shake, high five, thumbs up" sequence. We need more fun, happy go lucky tag teams! Another funny part was there was a "Lets Go Bobby" chant when both Bobby's were in there. I liked the shine even better in this one as it is clearly evident by my first paragraph. I always love the side headlock/headscissors takedown of both your opponents. There is a false heat segment where Eaton seems to actually take Rogers down by legal tactics, but it is just a psych out as Rogers dropkicks Eaton a couple times. They are beauties. Rogers is pumped. Then there is a double monkey flip. This is so much fun. High-five! I would have high-fived them too! The reaction of the MX especially Corny to getting their asses kicked is awesome. Condrey distracts Fulton in the corner and Eaton wipes him out from behind. Now here is the heat segment. I actually like this set up of the Fans with Fulton in the FIP so Rogers can unleash his badass, pretty offense as the hot tag. I love how Condrey steps on Fulton every chance he gets when he makes a tag to Eaton. Condrey was that grit that Eaton and Lane did not have. He was a heel's heel. MX just generally beat the shit out of Fulton, backbreaker, hotshot you know the MX playbook. Fulton gets a crossbody on both of them! Here comes Rogers as a house of fire! His offense is fantastic! Condrey shoves Rogers into the ref. Rogers gets a splash, but there is no ref. He goes for an O'Connor Roll, but Corny nails him with a racket and that's the end of that. Just another super fun Southern tag team match. These two were at their best in Crockett, but this is very entertaining stuff. ****

I can actually see this match as the Most Memphis match of all time therefore an argument for this as the best Memphis match. I just don't think you can argue this is the best match to happen in Memphis.

American Tag Team Champions Fantastics vs Midnight Express - WCCW 12/25/84 It is Christmas Day 1984 so the Fantastics are throwing candy canes out to the fans. I just love these teams chemistry. Rogers holding the rope open for Cornette and calling him a chicken was fun. Fantastics outsmart and outquick MX and have them scurrying, discombobulated and hugging one another for comfort. Roger commits the cardinal mistake of tag team wrestling; he hits the man on the apron and Condrey comes from behind to hit him. MX double teams and goes after the arm. MX offense is great during this extended heat segment backbreaker, kneedrop, double stomp and lots of double team and good heeling. Rogers is great at selling, but could pepper in some more hope spots in my opinion. Rogers gets a double sunset flip on both of the MX and tags in Fulton. In the fracas, Fulton a cross body while Rogers detains the other MX member. Great hissy fit from Corny on Christmas day. Usual greatness from these two team and perfect execution of Southern formula, there was no one spot that really stuck or any interesting twist on the Southern tag formula so going with ****, but still a ton of fun!

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Chris Adams - WCCW 2/3/84 Definitely a more standard Flair match and with only 15 minutes it does not reach the usual great levels of his other matches as he works a condensed version of his world championship touring style. Also, either the heat segment was cut or straight up didn't have one, which was weird. Flair because he is always fighting back always makes his matches feel competitive so does not necessarily need a heat segment, but I think they help. Pretty standard Flair shine with Adams getting the best of Flair on the mat and lots of verbal selling by Flair. I did like Flair hoisting Adams into a Fireman's Carry and depositing him on the top rope. Back from commercial, Flair is begging off, but is able to get a knee to midsection and throw him outside to set up some king of the mountain. This does not last long as he fall prey to the sunset flip, which is a great Flair spot. Adams is technically very good, but is not adding much to this match. It very much feels like the Flair show. I really liked Flair's backbreaker counter to the sleeper that was neat. The best part of the match was when Adams finally felt like he contributed, which was the Flair Kneecrusher, Flair goes for a single leg back heel trip to set up figure-4, but eats an enziguiri. FLAIR FLOP! FLAIR FLIP! SUPERKICK~! Flair gets the foot on the ropes. Adams reverse crossbody, but Flair rolls through for the win. I really liked this one and thought the drama really built down the stretch. Flair needs more time to flesh things out. Flair is so good at creating a sense of struggle and all of his spots tell a coherent narrative that even on cruise control it is going to be a very good match. I think the finish run, which was spectacular gets this close to great, but not quite there. ***3/4

WCCW TV Champion Jake The Snake Roberts vs Chris Adams - WCCW 9/3/84 I thought they could have done a cool Superkick vs DDT match, but Jake never even teased the DDT. Weird. Still a very good match. Adams is with Gary Hart, but this about a month before the turn on Kevin so he is a babyface. They tease the Superkick a lot early, which is great. I love Jake's selling of this and the way he backs into the corner. The match picks up when Adams misses a legdrop and Jake pulls out a foreign object and hits Adams in the throat. So Adams gets one from Hart but goes flying over the top rope before he can use it. Jake goes after the throat with a double thrust. Hart puts Adams' foot on the ropes. It is clear this is a match that is advancing the Adams heel turn. He needs Gary Hart's help and will lead to the fans' feeling conflicted. Jake hits his short arm clothesline, but Gary Hart is on the apron so he goes after him. Adams superkicks his head off. Very good little TV title match that advanced Adams story and I thought Jake looked great in this. ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Gordy - WCCW 2/4/83 I thought this match was supposed to be a knock against Flair?!?!?!?! This match is fantastic!!! I really want to hear what people's complaints are. If your complaint is that this should have been so much more. I am sorry, but a 12 minute heel vs heel match is not going to get much better than this. In fact, Flair detractors should love this match because it is not Flair formula at all. It is Flair working de facto face, but with more of a heel edge. It is really cool. The match begins with Kerry hauling off and smacking Gordy as this is less than two months since that infamous Christmas cage match. Flair takes advantage with big chops and really laying into Gordy. You see Gordy using his strength once he catches Flair to throw him around. Flair is clearly the crowd favorite and we see Flair muscle out of a ab stretch a clear babyface reversal. Flair is a still a heel at heart and he knees him a little low. He Irish Whips him hard leading to Gordy taking the Flair Flip. Now Flair works the back like a total pro even busting out a Boston Crab (Big Go Flair Go chant)! Never seen that one from Flair. Flair with suplexes galore, but Gordy switches one into a sleeper and then a hard punch sends Flair tumbling over the top rope. Flair was having trouble getting Gordy for that last suplex and he paid for it. You see that the story of this match with Flair bringing the fight to Gordy like a babyface, but Gordy's size and power is keeping Gordy in the match. There are some really good slugfests late in this match. You really get that fight feel in this match. Gordy hits his own delayed vertical suplex. Gordy misses the elbow drop and hurts his back! Flair is thinking figure-4, but inside cradle by Gordy and now backslide by Gordy. Even as a babyface, Flair giving Gordy nearfalls. I love Flair slugfests. Kneecrudher! Huge pop for the figure-4! I loved the visual of Flair leaping onto Gordy with a sleeper. Gordy goes to the eyes and in the criss cross Gordy goes crashing into the ropes. Flair pins! HUGE POP IN TEXAS! Really fun Flair match that a different feel with Flair working de facto babyface. I thought this was Gordy's best performance (I have not rewatched the Khan match I expect that to be number one) in Texas. He was bumping more tastefully and actually working some really great offense mostly punches. Flair excels in long matches and this is a feather in his cap to work a mid-tempo 12 minute match this well. If you have complaints about the match, I would love to discuss them because I thought this was wicked entertaining. ****1/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Iceman King Parsosn - WCCW 10/7/83 This was taped off Boston's Channel 25 (their Fox or soon to be Fox affiliate), guess I should have not scoffed at HHH saying he saw WCCW during his childhood. This match had three things going for it: working around Iceman's hard head, Harley's character work and a hot crowd. The crowd loved chanting Go Ice Go, counted vigorously for the countout teases and popped huge for the sleeper. Harley was actually pretty entertaining bitching about We Are Family playing for Iceman, David Manning as the ref and selling Iceman's hard head. David was an effective cheerleader for Ice and as we will see too effective. This was a great NWA World Title Defense match. Iceman started off hot as expected with the best spot of the shine being Harley going for the falling headbutt hitting it and then selling it. Harley should have worked in Texas full time; he was a more vicious heel there. Harley takes over with a cheap shot in the corner and then hit a piledriver in the ring, but Ice kicked out. The best sequence was when Harley smashed Ice's head into the post and went to gloat, but Ice no sold it. David tells him to turnaround and he eats a headbutt. This was a great countout tease. Iceman's headbutts work awesomely as false finishes because how well they built them up. I like Bill Mercer counts the nearfalls throughout the match for Iceman really shows how well he is doing. Harley gets the headbutt to the midsection and necekbreaker for a nearfall. The finish is a lot of nearfalls, but not much in the way of highspots. Harley did do a great job making you believe Iceman could win this. The big spot at the end is the attempted pilderiver by Harley that Iceman backdrops out of, which leads to another countout tease. They slug it out with Iceman winning with a headbutt. Harley hauls off and slaps David. David punches Harley into the Butt-Butt, but and it is a big BUT Bronco on the outside calls for the bell to DQ Iceman due to David's interference. Keep that man away from your title matches! Great NWA World Heavyweight Title match with a few fun spots, but nothing that makes it a classic. Just a really fun outing by both men. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 6/17/83 Going into the 80s rewatch, this was my pick for Harley's greatest match and still feel that way. If only Harley would only wrestle Von Erichs in Texas! I think the fact that Von Erichs constantly fight back forces a lot of Harley's bad tendencies out of him. Kevin is such an unusual wrestler. I really cant think of anyone like him. My number one issue with him is that he just doesn't sell. He sells his ass off well rather his arm off here. You combine Kevin's "think shoot, but work" mentality with amazing selling you have a recipe for success. Harley keeps his bad bumping (that bump off the atomic drop is a great example of bad bumping) and his spot-throwing to a minimum instead he focuses on the arm. In the early going, Kevin is working his ass off to win the match. We get a ton of nearfalls around the crossbody, sleeper, throwing over the top rope (legal in this match) and the Claw! Mercer does a great job documenting this onslaught and that Kevin is primed to win. Harley is pretty decent at taking all this. They establish going over the top is legal because it has been a way for the champion to get out of having the title switch hands in Texas. Kevin has been using a lot of Irish Whips to either set that up or his body scissors, which does not always look great. I am pretty sure that the transition spot should have been Kevin going over the top and taking the bump to the floor on his shoulder for maximum effect, but instead went through middle rope, not a huge deal. Kevin is amazing selling the arm and Harley to his credit never relents. Kevin shows he cant do the Irish Whip, which was his staple move of the match. He then varies his offense with dropkick and a bodyscissor to avoid using the arm. I love that shit! He puts his hand down his pants to sort of create a natural sling. It is a bit weird, but I kinda like where his head is at there. Harley would punch the arm whenever in trouble as a cutoff and using a gnarly shouldebreaker. He came off the top and its the Claw with the good arm, but without the other arm to support it, Harley is able to throw him to the floor on his bad arm! Awesome drama. Harley is not letting him come back in so David comes out and to tell his brother to quit before career-altering damage is down. Harley kicks David in the head and he bumrushes the ring and hits a high knee on Harley to trigger the DQ. Easy way to protect Kevin, sell the next match Harley/David for the next big event. I pretty much loved everything up until the finish. I think a countout victory for Harley would have been fine. One of the all time great Kevin performances and the best Harley match in my book. ****1/2

Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 6/4/82 This is the best Harley match I have seen in a long, long time. The winner is the number one contender for Flair's world championship setting up the Flair/Kerry classic in August of 82. Kerry holds the entire match together with selling and forcing Harley to work slower and smarter. The shine is fine with Kerry getting a dropkick and a small package, before settling into a well-worked headlock. A great sequence sees Harley hits a back suplex out of the headlock and he goes for the headbutt only for Kerry to counter with the claw! Harley heads for the hills and Kerry backdrops him out of a piledriver on the floor. The transition to Harley's heat is lame and it is just a chinlock at first. Kerry is selling well, but at some point there is a piledriver just for one, which is lame, but a Harley thing. Kerry fires up with some punches but is too close to the ropes. The match picks up with Harley kicking some Kerry ass on the outside. Definitely the most vicious I have seen Harley ramming Kerry into hard objects and using nasty headbutts. I loved the transition with Kerry slamming Harley into the post as a receipt. Sleeper by Kerry, but Harley backs in the ropes and forearms him low. Nice spot! Harley gets a suplex, but Kerry kicks out with authority! Harley uses his tried and true punch to the gut to stymie Kerry. He gets press slammed off the top and then they knock heads. Outside the ring they slug it out with great intensity. Kerry reverses a crossbody for the win. Great, great match. Harley matches often feel like an exhibition this saw a more natural escalation. Some transitions could have been better, but with Harley's offense being sold and not just working for the next spot this ranks up there with one of his best, which is a shorter list than most would expect. ****1/4

Had a blast doing this! Hope everyone enjoys!

Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton vs Mr. Onita & Masa Fuchi - Memphis 09/04/81 Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl FOOD FIGHT! This is the first Onita match I have ever watched. Well I guess if call this a match. It is really just a super fun brawl. Another Memphis match that feels like ECW done better. Tojo interfered by raking Gilbert's eyes, giving the Japanese team the victory, but they were just getting warmed up. Morton grabs a hold of Japanese fighting stick basically the kendo stick and just whacks everybody in sight. He goes to the town of them. We cut to the most epic food fight in history. They brawl in the concession stand. Blood is served up as a new condiment. Mustard goes flying everyone. People's heads are taking a ton of abuse. At one point Marlin gets Gilbert and Morton restrained only to have Tojo beat up some down and then slap his terrified wife or at least female fan. It was very strange. Then Morton and Gilbert are back in the scene. Broomsticks and trash cans get involved. It is just raucous mayhem. Great brawl felt very organic with everyone slipping around and diving on each other. Definitely something to draw fans in.

Jerry Lawler vs King Kong Bundy - Memphis 7/16/84 The gimmick here is that for every minute Lawler lasts with Bundy he earns a cool $1000. This leads to have really fun work. Bundy bumrushes Lawler in the corner and stomps on his crown. Bundy has an incentive to finish off Lawler early so there is a great sense of urgency in his movements. Lawler is really great selling all this. Lots of great fat man offense. Bundy needs to work on those covers as Lawler keeps getting his far shoulder up without kicking out. Tighten that shit up, bro. I love Bundy's reaction to the first time call from Russell at the one minute mark and every subsequent time call he is fuming. Bundy misses an elbow drop so then they have some fun with Lawler milking the clock on the outside with the crowd enjoying him getting one over on Bundy and Hart. Eventually Bundy and Hart trap Lawler. Bundy kicks some ass in the ring before Lawler drops the strap. Rude looks to make a run in, but Lawler heads him at the pass, but this allows the Mouth of the South to throw a chain to Bundy who clocks Lawler with it. To win the match at 6:57! Awesome booking having him be three seconds away from winning another $1000. Very fun match. ***1/2

Bill Dundee vs Tommy Rich - Memphis 8/23/80 This is a match of perpetual motion. Just absolutely tremendous. A textbook example of how to wrestle a compelling and intense babyface vs babyface technical match. Every single movement has a sense of urgency. Rich, who is the bigger and stronger of the two seems to have the advantage, but this is nip and tuck. They set the tone early with how they are tussling on the mat. Rich hiptosses Dundee and scrambles to get the pin before Dundee rolls to apron. It is just that level of commitment that makes this match special. I love all the drop toeholds and all the struggle in and out of all these holds. Dundee hiptoss quickly into a cover and that launches a great tussle on the mat. Rich is winning these exchanges and Dundee seems to be annoyed. There is a great sequence where Rich gets a single leg and then Dundee kicks him off and Rich back rolls and bulldozes Dundee with another single leg. What a full court press! They knock heads and now there are some simple highspots like a Rich suplex and a Dundee bodyslam that are worked with struggle and urgency. Dundee gets a sleeper and yanks him down to neutralize the height advantage. Rich goes for a backdrop, but Dundee leapfrogs and Rich headbutts him in the balls. Fantastic face vs face TV match that ends in controversy and that fuels an epic Tommy Rich heel turn rant where he shoves down the injured Lawler (broken leg). The match and the angle makes this a classic. ****

Bill Dundee vs Tommy Rogers - Memphis 11/7/83 A very good, action packed 1980s junior style workrate match with Dundee providing the character work. Dundee was in full retreat in the first three minutes of the match whenever Rogers would take control. Roger was brining the fight right to Dundee and was not intimidated by the moment. Dundee takes over by not giving Rogers a clean break and then leveling him with a right. Dundee hits a great snap powerslam on Rogers. Rogers mounts his comeback with a sleeper. Rogers is selling pretty well, but this does feel a bit rushed. They could have taken their time to flesh things out. Rogers misses a fist drop and this looks like Dundee's opening, but Rogers recovers quickly and is all over him. Dundee headbutt sets up the sleeper, but Rogers gets the sleeper. They go into turnbuckle. Dundee is very cocky in this match and Rogers is bringing it to the veteran. Dundee shoots him in and hits a vicious hotshot! Wicked! Dundee is extremely cocky now. He walks the top rope. Some great Dundee punches. Rogers and Dundee have a fiery exchange and Rogers eats a knee to the balls when he charges the corner. This was a pretty good veteran vs rookie match with lots of action. Liked the intensity of the finish a lot. ***3/4

Bill Dundee vs Bobby Eaton - Memphis 7/24/82 The ideal Southern 80s TV match that is just so much fun. Eaton & Hart are out to talk some smack about the Aussie Midget. The Dutchman was going to have none of that. Dundee asks him to watch his back and neutralize that twerp, the Mouth of the South. Eaton is consummate heel. Just so good at stooging especially little details saying his tights were yanked on a hiptoss, the way he goes for the ropes to break up a fall or how he asks Dutch how he likes it when he is choking Dundee on the ropes. Dundee missed a splash from the top rope and that's your transition. They don't give much a way in this because they are on TV, but they are doing so much with little. Does anybody have a better elbow drop than Bobby Eaton? Dutch fails at his one job as Hart trips Dundee up during his mini-comeback, but Eaton only gets two. Whats good for the goose, is good for the gander and Mantell trips up Eaton, but that only gets two. The middle rope breaks, which I think was a shoot. Lay off the twinkies, Dundee. Dundee hits a cross body for the three! The First Family hits the ring, but Dutch with the whip and King Cobra chase them off as the bloody Dundee is awarded the title. Just a fundamentally sound fun TV match. ***

Bobby Eaton & Sweet Brown Sugar vs Dutch Mantell & King Cobra - Memphis 7/19/82 If I have heard it once, I have heard it a million times from Mempho wrestling fans that Sweet Brown Sugar was actually Bobby Eaton's best tag partner. After watching this, I can see their point because it is basically like two Bobby Eaton's in the ring. I think I prefer how Condrey with his gritty heelishness and Lane with his flashier personality add more to Eaton rather than Sugar which just amplifies Eaton's great offense. The story here is that Mantell is feuding with the First Family specifically Eaton who beat him for the Mid-America title. Mantell wants Eaton, but Eaton is doing all he can to avoid him. I am sucker for these stories with lots of chase scenes and Eaton running away from Mantell in fear. I just lap that stuff up. They play on Mantell's previous heel disposition when he accidentally hits Cobra on the apron. They tease a break up and as the First Family is celebrating they bumrush them. Great stuff! Eaton buries the knee in the knee in the back and of course now Eaton comes in. It is 1982, but you would not know it given the offense that Sugar & Eaton laid down on Mantell. Just poetry in motion. Probably the best move is Koko has Mantell in a bearhug and lowers him to get elbow drop by Eaton. Everything is perfect especially that Eaton punch. Mantell gets a back suplex and there is a HUGE POP for Cobra (never heard of him before). Koko sells this hot tag like a million bucks! Awesome! Cobra dropkicks everything in sight. Eaton looks to jump off the top and Mantell introduces the bullwhip. Sweet Brown Sugar takes a RIDICULOUS BUMP over the top rope to escape the bullwhip. Super fun, entertaining tag team match. Shows that Eaton and Brown Sugar were just money together and put on an offensive and stooging clinic. The shine & heat were excellent, but they could not escape 1982, the finish was suitable for what they needed. ****

That's a really cool poster. Lawler vs Bobby Eaton sounds friggin bitchin! Look my boy, Sweet Stan challenging for the Southern Championship. Bill Dundee vs Sweet Brown Sugar - Memphis 6/21/82 Scaffold Match 2 Out of 3 Falls If I have heard it once, I have it heard millions times, this is the best Scaffold match in history (well maybe it is Chicky Starr vs Invader III). It is indeed just that, hell, it is probably the greatest match to take place with two men wrestling from their ass. It helps a lot that Dundee was an acrobat in the circus. He is way more comfortable up there than most wrestlers and can pull out a couple tricks. Sweet Brown Sugar does make a go of it. I think what hurts this match is not the work or the scaffold, but that it is 2 out of 3 Falls. The whole point of the scaffold is that it is so dangerous that falling off it could hospitalize you. By having 2 out of 3 falls, you inherently negate that because at least one man will get back up. I thought the first fall was really well-worked with Dundee doing some great stuff to really add to the drama that he may fall off and then eventually does. The second fall, Koko did a great job selling right before his fall. The third fall did a great job making you think Dundee was taking the plunge only for the big turn of events. Great match, but two out of three falls hurts the drama. ***3/4

It is too bad Dana White is already bald. He could have this as a hair vs hair match with Vince at UFC 200 to launch his bid to be the Republican Presidential Nominee in 2024.

They should put the Big Gold Belt on him just for the visual of him walking down to the ring. That's probably the only thing that would be stranger than Severn walking to the ring with the NWA & UFC World Championships on a random RAW in 1998.

Bumping this with the GWE Tag List coming out and the Soundcloud issue has been resolved.

Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs - Memphis 1/9/84 I love Keirn's punches and kicks. They are so crisp and such nice form. The Moondogs have a crutch and they are going to town. They try choking Keirn, but Lane gets the crutch and hits him in the Kibbles & Bits, if you will! Crutch is broken and Lane is wailing away! Another tremendous brawl from these two teams. I love all the choking, weapons, and hatred. It is total, raucous mayhem. I love the Moondog not making the backdrop so he takes a header into the table topples it. There is another crutch and the Moondogs regain control with it. They throw a table in! OH HELL YEAH! Lane takes a nasty bump into the table. This is awesome! Keirn somehow gets a leather belt and goes to town on the Moondogs. PILEDRIVER~! on Lane! They are choking Keirn with the belt. Keirn dives onto the belt to send them into each other. The only complaint is the finish is a little lame as the Fabs chase the Moondogs off with the bone after one shot. I was looking for a little more violence or something more climatic before the Moondogs just ran off. Still awesome brawl! ****

Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs - Memphis 6/13/83 Simply awesome! The Best ECW match ever happened in Memphis in 1983! For its entire existence, ECW wanted to be Memphis and they never touched this. Public Enemy eat your heart out. Tables, chairs, ring bells, you name it, it ended up in the ring. The match actually got thrown out like two minutes in because the Moondogs kept belting Calhoun. He takes a ton of punishment in this. They keep brawling for another 8 minutes and it is glorious. No need to do a recap just know it is bloody and violent. It is one of the all time best barroom brawls as a wrestling match. It never lets up. Without a satisfying finish, cant rank it much higher than ****1/4, but watching it will be some of the best ten minutes of your life.