Posted July 27, 200718 yr comment_5419923 House Show Volume 002 Produced: 12-25-1983 to 3-12-1984 Junk Yard Dog vs. Mr. Wrestling II This was super fun, as we have scientific wrestling JYD, and Wrestling II playing subtle grumpy heel. Not actually good, as both guys look a little shot at this point, so it doesn't make a DVD. I do like all the spots around the clean breaks and the loaded knee lift. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan vs. Krusher Darsow (18:33) This had all your classic Duggan v. Big heel stuff, which is always great and Duggan looked awesome. Darsow kind of sucks and they don't really have 20 minutes of shit to do. Long kind of crappy bear hug spots keep this off Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs. “Hacksaw” Butch Reed & Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart (17:20) Goddamn was this awesome, easily the best T.A, II or Neidhart match I have ever seen, and fucking with best of Butch Reed. Both faces are great as FIP's and as hot tag guys. II is especially amazing at fired up babyfaces. Reed and Neidhart are a super fun heel team and Reed is of course great. I loved the finish with Neidhart ripping off II's mask and discovering a second mask, plus the shining wizard by II ruled. DVD selection without a doubt and will probably finish in my top ten. House Show Volume 004 Produced: 8-27 to 9-23-1984 “DR. Death” Steve Williams vs. Chris Adams (10:08) Kind of dull for a Chris Adams match, Williams is clearly not ready for long singles matches at this point in his career. “DR. Death” Steve Williams vs. Terry Taylor (For DR. Death Award) (15:48) Ditto, this was even duller “Hacksaw” Butch Reed vs. Skip Young (16:08) I liked this match a ton, and probably more then anyone else. Really great highspot v. power guy match, and Skip Young has great timing on all of his early 80's highspots. Reed is of course on of the best power wrestlers ever, and breaks out some crazy flying spots too. Makes a set “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan & Terry Taylor vs. Hercules Hernandez & “DR. Death” Steve Williams (15:05) Duggan is awesome at main event tag wrestling, and this is your formula Mid-South main event tag which they do so well. Williams and Hernandez are suprsingly great here, and Taylor is a fine face in peril. I am going to go ahead and nominate this, although it wouldn't break my heart not to have it on the set.
July 27, 200718 yr comment_5419928 Junk Yard Dog vs. Mr. Wrestling II This was super fun, as we have scientific wrestling JYD, and Wrestling II playing subtle grumpy heel. Not actually good, as both guys look a little shot at this point, so it doesn't make a DVD. I do like all the spots around the clean breaks and the loaded knee lift. I liked this way more then Phil and thought about nominating it for a set. II subtle heel stuff was really great. The finish was kind of fucked up as II hits loaded knee lift and goes for pin. JYD's legs don't appear to be anywhere near ropes. but ref says something, so II just moves JYD away from ropes and pins him for three. Felt like a blown finish wich is only reason I wouldn't nominate this. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan vs. Krusher Darsow (18:33) This had all your classic Duggan v. Big heel stuff, which is always great and Duggan looked awesome. Darsow kind of sucks and they don't really have 20 minutes of shit to do. Long kind of crappy bear hug spots keep this off They do have 20 minutes of stuff. And if this same match showed up in the WWE it would have made a WWE set. So I just watched a shitty Jose Lothario v Ken Patera match from Houston and whatever else you want to say Ken Patera really does a nice job locking his hands together when he puts on full nelson. I really liked Duggan's hip toss escape from bear hug and he did a nice job dramatically building to that spot...but damn does Darsow have a shitty bear hug. Barely bothering to clasp his hands. Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum T.A. vs. “Hacksaw” Butch Reed & Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart (17:20) Goddamn was this awesome, easily the best T.A, II or Neidhart match I have ever seen, and fucking with best of Butch Reed. Both faces are great as FIP's and as hot tag guys. II is especially amazing at fired up babyfaces. Reed and Neidhart are a super fun heel team and Reed is of course great. I loved the finish with Neidhart ripping off II's mask and discovering a second mask, plus the shining wizard by II ruled. DVD selection without a doubt and will probably finish in my top ten. Holy fuck this was spectacular. This may be fucking up my judgement on everything else is really now my standards have been raised too high. This was better than MX v RnR match that I watched earlier. Butch Reed stooges like a pro here. TA's section with Neidhart was better than one would possibly expect. TA's bumping around as face in peril section was great too. II comes in as hot tag and his old guy fired up babyface stuff is for lack of better word endearing. He gets cut off and the heels beat on him and he has a nice FIP section as well. Elaborate finish was awesome. “Hacksaw” Butch Reed vs. Skip Young (16:08) I liked this match a ton, and probably more then anyone else. Really great highspot v. power guy match, and Skip Young has great timing on all of his early 80's highspots. Reed is of course on of the best power wrestlers ever, and breaks out some crazy flying spots too. Makes a set I think I liked Master Gee v Reed more than this. But that was very different match. Second rope Alabama jam finish is nasty. I will not object to this going on set. Hacksaw” Jim Duggan & Terry Taylor vs. Hercules Hernandez & “DR. Death” Steve Williams (15:05) Duggan is awesome at main event tag wrestling, and this is your formula Mid-South main event tag which they do so well. Williams and Hernandez are suprsingly great here, and Taylor is a fine face in peril. I am going to go ahead and nominate this, although it wouldn't break my heart not to have it on the set. I will probably need to rewatch this when I'm no longer in afterglow of TA/II v Reed/Neidhart.
July 28, 200718 yr comment_5419954 Even if JYD-II does not make the nominations, I may include it for its historical significance. After Hurricane Katrina, Meltzer did a piece on Mid South in New Orleans and how the finish of the match really hurt the perception that wrestling was real in that city. Meltzer's argument was that because it was botched, it meant that either a) wrestling was fake or b ) JYD took a dive. It was pretty neat watching the match after reading that story and I may have to include it as a bonus.
November 19, 200717 yr comment_5424182 North American Heavyweight Title: Junkyard Dog © vs. Mr. Wrestling II (3/12/84) The buildup for this has been great with II saying that he could beat JYD and that Magnum couldn’t so you saw the heel turn coming a mile away. I really liked the early part of this match with JYD working scientific because you didn’t see that much from him. II popped some great knees early on to setup his offense. JYD being a total gentleman early on helping II back in the ring was so great you would think he would’ve learned from DiBiase turning on him. JYD would pop some great punches though on II before hitting the big Thump for a nearfall with II getting his feet in the ropes. II would grab the ropes to prevent another Thump and both men went crashing to the floor. II would help JYD up this time but would load up his knee and caught JYD clean with the Million Dollar Kneelift. II would roll JYD over and covered but on the 2 count, JYD raised his shoulder up by accident then couldn’t reach his foot to the rope so II dragged him around and covered again this time for the 3 count for the controversial finish that Will talked about. I think this match does have enough for nomination because there was some really good work here especially by JYD who was starting to go downhill and should move forward to the next round because it does have great historical significance. Hacksaw Duggan vs. Krusher Darsow (12/25/83) Duggan was really good here but Krusher not so much. Steel Cage Match for the Mid-South Tag Titles: Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart & “Hacksaw” Butch Reed © vs. Magnum TA & Mr. Wrestling II (12/25/83) Carl Fergie referees for the first time here and this match earns him a full-time job. There isn’t much more I can add here as this is a tremendous match with everyone working their ass off and looking great. The finish was one of the best we have on the set. “Dr. Death” Steve Williams vs. “Gentleman” Chris Adams (8/26/84) Okay match nothing special. Doc was trying a little too hard to be a heel here. For the Dr. Death Award: “Dr. Death” Steve Williams vs. Terry Taylor (9/3/84) Once again another okay match nothing special. “Hacksaw” Butch Reed vs. Sweet Brown Sugar (Skip Young) (9/23/84) Sugar was like Don Muraco in the fact that he worked when he felt like it and wrestling wasn’t his primary desire in life as preaching was. Sugar in his heyday when he wore the mask was a spectacular wrestler and still was damn great at this time. Reed was at his peak as a worker in this time period and matched Sugar for athletic ability, which not many did at this time. Reed was such a great heel here with his selling and bumping plus with great heel charisma in general. The match itself was a damn solid match and a surefire nomination. Hacksaw Duggan & Terry Taylor vs. Hercules Hernandez & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams (10/7/84) This is from OKC not Tulsa although these were on the same day. This starts out as a brawl early but the faces end up getting the quick advantage with Duggan & Taylor dominating Doc in the ring and Herc on the apron. Duggan wants Herc in the ring bad so Herc obliges and gets his ass kicked with Taylor and the fans going nuts. Taylor would come in and get a side headlock on Herc but he would hit him with a backdrop suplex although Taylor would bounce right up to tag Duggan back in. Herc would get the advantage on Duggan though before tagging in Doc who would miss a diving elbow allowing Duggan to tag in Taylor. Taylor is great fighting both heels out of the corner here but would soon get a knee to the back by Herc while running the ropes. The heels would then take turns beating on Taylor working on his back specifically with bearhugs. Taylor would get Herc in an inside cradle for a nearfall and Herc would tag out to Doc who resumed the offense but Duggan would come in the ring without a tag and just started throwing punches at Doc turning this into a 4-way brawl. Duggan would hit a spear on Doc and Taylor would get a diving body press on Herc but Doc would get back up and nailed Taylor with the helmet with Herc rolling over for the pinfall. This was Herc’s best match on the set and a really good match for Doc at this time of his career. Duggan & Taylor looked great as well and this should move forward as a nomination.
