This is an AWA title match in Southern Championship Wrestling in GA. Tommy Rich has turned heel and is accompanied by Mr. Donnie a hollow eyed junky biker, who clearly is Rich's IRL black tar dealer. He is such an amazing scummy second, he sits there at ringside half into a nod, but it still feels like he could pull out a sharpened screwdriver at any minute and shank Lawler in the kidneys. The match is a true hidden Lawler gem, it feels like something which would have finished top 10 in a Memphis set if it was in Mid South Coliseum. Rich is a guy who doesn't have nearly the footage available of his peer, but every big match we have is great. I imagine if more GA arena footage was available, or if more of his big Memphis matches were available he would be considered one of the top workers of the 80's. The match has a cool Lawler title match feel with both guys starting slow and finding ways to sneak in right hands around lock ups and headlocks. Rich gets the advantage choking Lawler with tape and unloading a really pretty suplex, a neckbreaker and a bulldog. Rich is such a great heel, he can cheat and cheap shot with the best, but deliver some really nasty offense if he needs to, all with a totally sleazy smile on his face and a goateed tweaker sitting at ringside ready to snap. Lawler counters a second bulldog by throwing Rich into the cameraman who gets wiped out in an awesome visual. They move into a super hot finish run with some very big near moves including Rich planting Lawler with a piledriver, Rich cracking his hand on the ringpost and Lawler dropping the strap and being The King. Finish is excellent, Lawler missed his second rope fist drop, Rich cracks him with a chain. Lawler gets his foot on the ropes just to have it thrown off by Mr. Donnie. Rich gets awarded the AWA title and the crowd goes batshit. They surround the ring screaming at the ref and Rich. The promoter reverses the decision, and Rich snaps and starts kicking everyones ass, I really expected Mr. Donnie to pull out a straight razor. The crowd is smacking the ring mat and it really feels like a riot. Spectacular discovery, and a hell of a spectacle.

 

The Tommy Rich Story

This had to be the biggest non-Memphis crowd Lawler worked as AWA Champion. Mr. Donnie is great and Tommy Rich's entrance is one of the best things I've ever seen in wrestling. Pre-match announcers are talking about Rich changing his moniker to "Hellfire" which is something I wish had happened. You know I love Lawler, but Rich is such the star of the opening moments. Love the way he wobbled around on his hip toss attempt, before taking his big bump for Lawler and his facial expressions and mannerisms are just other worldly. Rich sells the fuck out of a big boot in the corner in a totally awesome way also, doing a sort of sit up/recollapse spot. He takes over with the tape and the match really gets awesome as both these guys can work a heat segment. The cameraman bump was great and a really cool Lawler hope spot. Rich has such underrated offense as he is almost Jake Robertsesque in the sense that he doesn't have a lot of stuff, but everything he does has meaning, and looks really fucking vicious. Rich punching the ring post leading to the Lawler strap drop on the floor was something I didn't see coming and felt pretty special. Finish stretch of this was really great with the back and fourth teases and the crowd surrounding the ring mob style to protest the Rich "title" win until it gets overturned. Great stuff

Another stone cold lock.

 

Tommy Rich Story