Kevin Von Erich vs. One Man Gang (6/30/85)

 

This is a World Class match in Oklahoma City. Match had really good heat and OMG really bumped for Kevin and did a couple of great spots falling through the ropes but hanging on so he wouldn’t fall to the floor. Kevin had the claw on OMG before Akbar came in the ring for the DQ and OMG decided to start choking Kevin with his chain but Kevin got it from him and knocked him out of the ring.

 

The Rock n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) vs. The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton) (6/30/85)

 

This was the last time these teams would face each other until they both ended up in Jim Crockett Promotions. Gotta love the Cornette hugging his team spot getting huge heat. Lots of good stuff early in the match including Morton hitting a nice huracarana taking Eaton to the floor. Eaton calling Gibson a piece of shit baiting him in the ring so he could accidentally give Condrey a monkey flip was great. Eaton hit a picture perfect Alabama Jam off the top rope behind the ref’s back on Gibson because in Mid-South, coming off the top rope was a DQ. MX really did a number on Gibson keeping him in their part of the ring for a long time. Eaton hit a nice backdrop suplex on Gibson at one point that Tatsutoshi Goto would be jealous of. Gibson hit a superplex on Eaton to set up the hot tag and OKC went apeshit as Morton cleaned house on the MX. Gibson ends up throwing Cornette in the ring who Eaton accidentally hits as Corny was holding up Morton. Eaton ends up throwing mounted punches on Gibson but Morton gets in the ring and hits a sunset flip for the win. I’m putting this one on the nomination list as this was just a great well worked match with great heat between two teams who could do this in their sleep and this was their last match against each other in Mid-South so that meant something.

 

Mr. Kareem Muhammad vs. Terry Daniels (6/30/85)

 

Total squash.

 

One Man Gang vs. Frank Lang (6/30/85)

 

Gang doing double duty on this show squashing Lang before the KVE match.

 

The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) vs. The Dirty White Boys (Tony Anthony & Len Denton) (6/30/85)

 

It’s always funny watching the females fall all over the Fants and some basically want to rape them. Fants were very good here at the switching in and out spots and doing double team moves. Rogers throws some of the best dropkicks and he had a couple in this match that were outstanding. Fulton to his credit throws some great punches here that sounded like gunshots. DWB’s finally got their heat almost 10 minutes into the match and they proceed to take out their frustrations on Fulton. Fulton was pretty great here playing the FIP as his trying to get the tag to Rogers was like life or death to him and the fans were going nuts wanting him to get to the corner. And said hot tag happened after Denton missed a reverse elbow drop off the middle rope and Fulton rolled into the corner with the tag and the OKC crowd was bonkers as was Rogers who started taking out the DWB’s like they owed him money. The proverbial house-o-fire so to speak and the finish came soon thereafter as after Rogers was thrown to the floor, he hit a sunset flip over the apron on Denton for the win. So both tag matches ended with a sunset flip. I’m on the fence on this one, I really liked this match but not sure if it is nominee material. I’ll wait and see how the others feel.

 

Butch Reed vs. One Man Gang (8/11/85)

 

OMG declared himself the #1 punk slapper before the match as he waved his flag around with the skull & crossbones which was swank. Reed’s soupbones looked great again here. OMG used a nice backdrop suplex of his own to break out of a Reed headlock. OMG used a few arm holds here to weaken Reed where he was putting all of his weight on Reed as well as pressure on the arm. Reed gets the comeback using the soupbones but of course there was a ref bump which was funny to watch because Tommy Gilbert had to get in place and OMG was throwing Reed around in a circle to set it up. OMG missed his big splash and tried to use his chain but Gilbert got up and stopped that. Reed hit his flying shoulderblock for the win. Fine match nothing special.

 

Steel Cage Match for the Mid-South Tag Titles – SR: Bob Sweetan: Ted DiBiase & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams © vs. The Barbarian & Jake “The Snake” Roberts (8/10/85)

 

This is from the Superdome and this was the big match between these two teams. Sweetan was brought in as the enforcer referee who had a past with DiBiase and it was made out to be that he would screw him out of the titles. Jake & DiBiase started it out with some chain wrestling and then Jake went for the DDT but Ted fainted his way out of it and the crowd started chanting DDT, shows you how much that move was over at this time. Jake hit his running knee smash and then called for the DDT again but DiBiase once again fainted out of it. Barbarian & Doc then get tagged in at the same time so the match takes a different tone. It was what you would expect from these two but it wasn’t bad in any way. Jake gets in and tries to get the DDT on Doc to no avail and then jumps DiBiase which prompted Doc to jump him in the corner and the tide shifted. Teddy & Doc then took turns taking it to Jake and also DiBiase started having some minor issues with Sweetan. This was a long heel control section on Jake and at the 15:00 mark the cage was finally used as DiBiase rammed Jake’s head into it and may I also add that this was a quasi-WWF cage from the 80’s just black instead of blue. Doc misses a running shoulderblock into the corner and Jake tries to tag Barbarian but DiBiase cuts him off at the pass before missing his reverse elbow drop off the top rope. Jake finally gets the tag but Sweetan was busy with Doc and missed it but it doesn’t stop Barbarian from coming in the ring and beating some ass. Jake takes his boot off but DiBiase grabs him and throws him into Sweetan knocking him down. DiBiase then goes into his tights and throws powder blinding Jake who DDT’s Barbarian by mistake. DiBiase then nails Jake with the loaded glove and Jake bladed on impact in front of the camera. Doc then loads up the armbrace and nails the Barbarian in the back as he attacks DiBiase. Jake gets doubleteamed but as Doc goes to the to rope, Barbarian throws him off but Doc recovers and puts Barbarian in the full-nelson as Jake DDT’s DiBiase to a huge ovation. Jake has DiBiase pinned but Sweetan is busy with Barbarian and Jake goes to him only to meet a boot to the head by Sweetan. Sweetan then nails Barbarian and Doc pulls DiBiase on Jake for the 3 count. To be their big match this wasn’t what it could’ve been although Jake did a hellacious blade job. I’m going to put this down as a definite maybe pick because Jake was so great in this.

 

North American Heavyweight Title: The Nightmare © vs. Dick Murdoch (8/10/85)

 

Murdoch goes after Nightmare early just pounding him with elbows and just beating his ass. It was starting to look like a Murdoch squash but Nightmare sent Murdoch to the floor. Murdoch gets back in the ring though and resumes his domination until Nightmare potshots him and starts going for his forehead where Murdoch had a bandaid over a cut. Nightmare gets in the corner and loads up his mask headbutting Murdoch but doesn’t pin him instead goes back to working on the cut, which really opens up good. Nightmare continues working on the cut but misses his attempt at the piledriver as Murdoch gives him a backdrop. Murdoch then hits an elbow smash before going for Nightmare’s mask but Nightmare pokes him in the eye. Murdoch then throws Nightmare into Humperdink and hits a brainbuster to win the title to a huge pop and Murdoch tells the crowd that loves them afterwards. Good match all because of Murdoch.

 

Pat Rose vs. Frank Lang (8/10/85)

 

Nothing match.

Steel Cage Match for the Mid-South Tag Titles – SR: Bob Sweetan: Ted DiBiase & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams © vs. The Barbarian & Jake “The Snake” Roberts (8/10/85)

 

This is from the Superdome and this was the big match between these two teams. Sweetan was brought in as the enforcer referee who had a past with DiBiase and it was made out to be that he would screw him out of the titles. Jake & DiBiase started it out with some chain wrestling and then Jake went for the DDT but Ted fainted his way out of it and the crowd started chanting DDT, shows you how much that move was over at this time. Jake hit his running knee smash and then called for the DDT again but DiBiase once again fainted out of it. Barbarian & Doc then get tagged in at the same time so the match takes a different tone. It was what you would expect from these two but it wasn’t bad in any way. Jake gets in and tries to get the DDT on Doc to no avail and then jumps DiBiase which prompted Doc to jump him in the corner and the tide shifted. Teddy & Doc then took turns taking it to Jake and also DiBiase started having some minor issues with Sweetan. This was a long heel control section on Jake and at the 15:00 mark the cage was finally used as DiBiase rammed Jake’s head into it and may I also add that this was a quasi-WWF cage from the 80’s just black instead of blue. Doc misses a running shoulderblock into the corner and Jake tries to tag Barbarian but DiBiase cuts him off at the pass before missing his reverse elbow drop off the top rope. Jake finally gets the tag but Sweetan was busy with Doc and missed it but it doesn’t stop Barbarian from coming in the ring and beating some ass. Jake takes his boot off but DiBiase grabs him and throws him into Sweetan knocking him down. DiBiase then goes into his tights and throws powder blinding Jake who DDT’s Barbarian by mistake. DiBiase then nails Jake with the loaded glove and Jake bladed on impact in front of the camera. Doc then loads up the armbrace and nails the Barbarian in the back as he attacks DiBiase. Jake gets doubleteamed but as Doc goes to the to rope, Barbarian throws him off but Doc recovers and puts Barbarian in the full-nelson as Jake DDT’s DiBiase to a huge ovation. Jake has DiBiase pinned but Sweetan is busy with Barbarian and Jake goes to him only to meet a boot to the head by Sweetan. Sweetan then nails Barbarian and Doc pulls DiBiase on Jake for the 3 count. To be their big match this wasn’t what it could’ve been although Jake did a hellacious blade job. I’m going to put this down as a definite maybe pick because Jake was so great in this.

I'd also call this a definite pick. I don't want to say it's entirely on the strength of the spot where Jake was blinded and DDT'd his own partner, but that's seriously the best blinding spot I've ever seen in any wrestling match ever, and took this match to a new level.

 

North American Heavyweight Title: The Nightmare © vs. Dick Murdoch (8/10/85)

 

Murdoch goes after Nightmare early just pounding him with elbows and just beating his ass. It was starting to look like a Murdoch squash but Nightmare sent Murdoch to the floor. Murdoch gets back in the ring though and resumes his domination until Nightmare potshots him and starts going for his forehead where Murdoch had a bandaid over a cut. Nightmare gets in the corner and loads up his mask headbutting Murdoch but doesn’t pin him instead goes back to working on the cut, which really opens up good. Nightmare continues working on the cut but misses his attempt at the piledriver as Murdoch gives him a backdrop. Murdoch then hits an elbow smash before going for Nightmare’s mask but Nightmare pokes him in the eye. Murdoch then throws Nightmare into Humperdink and hits a brainbuster to win the title to a huge pop and Murdoch tells the crowd that loves them afterwards. Good match all because of Murdoch.

They had a match the day before this that Goodhelmet particularly loves, unless this is the same match. It's a match built around Murdoch trying to wrestle by the rules while Nightmare keeps cheating, and Murdoch finally has no choice but to outcheat him and get the win. If this is a different match, it may be the better inclusion here.

This is the same match but the date is wrong on their end as the Dome show was 8/10 not 8/9. Murdoch was great in that match but Nightmare wasn't any great shakes.

 

On the Teddy/Doc vs. Barb/Jake match, I don't know I guess I was expecting more from it even though it was a great match and it's probably the highest ranking maybe on my list so far.

For Nitemare-Murdoch, the one I like, I have only seen on Barnett's set. The title win is a different match.

Kevin Von Erich vs. One Man Gang (6/30/85)

 

I am looking forward to World Class OMG, this was fun but not a disc selection

 

The Rock n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) vs. The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Bobby Eaton) (6/30/85)

 

This was a Bobby Eaton and Robert Gibson show, man Eaton's offense was incredible looking here, and Gibson was awesome as a face in peril, I loved his superplex counter. I also loved the accidentally monkey flipping of your partner

 

One Man Gang vs. Frank Lang (6/30/85)

 

The clothesline on Lang should be an extra

 

The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) vs. The Dirty White Boys (Tony Anthony & Len Denton) (6/30/85)

 

This did very little for me, not one of the better matches from either team and it was utterly smoked by the earlier tag. Not a disc worthy match

 

Butch Reed vs. One Man Gang (8/11/85)

 

There was some cool working spots based around a cross armbreaker, but this really should have been better. Worked like an undercard match, I would have liked to see these two in a main event

 

I'll finish this DVD tomorrow

Phil, let me know what you think about the Jake/Barb cage match. Personally, I thought it was a letdown comapred to the much more intense 7/14 match. Also, when I compare this to other cage matches on the set, this doesn't even come close to matches like Guerreros-Fabs Tornado or the Neidhart/Reed vs. TA & II match. When your cage match blowoff fails to compete with similar cage matches on the set or even live up to expectations set by other feud matches, I gotta vote no.

Steel Cage Match for the Mid-South Tag Titles – SR: Bob Sweetan: Ted DiBiase & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams © vs. The Barbarian & Jake “The Snake” Roberts (8/10/85)

 

I really liked the last 5 or so minutes of this, but the first 15 were nothing special, and I don't think this is either a high end cage match or a high end tag so I am leaning no

 

North American Heavyweight Title: The Nightmare © vs. Dick Murdoch (8/10/85)

 

I actually liked this better then the cage, Murdoch is so awesome in this, and Nightmare is a guy who I have learned to enjoy, I want to see the match Goodhelmet really dug

You should receive the 7/14 match either today or tomorrow. To me, that isn't so much a great match as it is a great Dick murdoch performance.