Mid-Atlantic #4 '84

 

Disc 1

Ric Flair vs. Dick Slater

- This is JIP and we only get about 6 minutes of action

 

Johnny Weaver vs. Assassin #2

- This went long but it was pretty dull.

 

Wahoo McDaniel & Mark Youngblood vs. Bob Orton & Don Kernodle

- I wasn’t feeling this match. Maybe I need to rewatch.

 

Special Message from Jimmy Valiant (EXTRA)

 

Dick Slater vs. Dory Funk Jr

- I don’t think Dory has had a better match on this set but Slater has. No vote.

 

Ivan Koloff vs. Angelo Mosca Jr

- Same thoughts as the last time.

 

Dick Slater vs. Greg Valentine

- Man, this was going pretty good but ended abruptly. I enjoyed it but I don’t think it was enough for a nomination.

 

Mark Youngblood vs. Assassin #2

- ZZZZZZZ

 

Adrian Street – Jimmy Valiant Confrontation / Adrian Street Music Video / Adrian Street – Jimmy Valiant Confrontation (EXTRA)

 

JYD vs. Kabuki

- JYD had a chain and Kabuki had knives. It would have been cool if this was a weapons fight. But it isn’t and we move along.

 

The Grapplers vs. Pez Watley & Vinnie Valentino

- JIP and I am not enjoying 1984 Mid Atlantic.

 

Ricky Steamboat vs. Dick Slater (13:37)

- OK, I change my mind. This is a great match that ends up as a huge brawl outside as they go to the back and even fight on the floor at the fans’ feet. I have a better VQ version form Dan Ginnetty but this is a must-have definite nomination. A better finish would have been appreciated but the brawl on the floor made up for it.

 

Adrian Street vs. Jimmy Valiant

- Street does his shtick. Valiant does his shtick and he end sup with a dress on in the end.

 

 

Disc 2

Ric Flair-Wahoo McDaniel-Tully Blanchard Confrontation (EXTRA)

 

Rufus R Jones vs. Assassin #1

- How old is Rufus at this point? Anyway, nothing match but the pos match has Dusty making the save for Rufus who is laid out by Jones and Ass. Then Kamala comes into the ring and lays Rhodes to waste. Rhodes is then taken out on a stretcher.

 

Ric Flair visits Blackjack Mulligan’s ranch / Ric Flair Interview (EXTRA)

 

Ricky Steamboat & Don Kernodle vs. Ivan & Nikita Koloff (Flag Match) (18:24)

- Uncle Ivan does what he does best which is letting the babyfaces shine. I don't know what the pecking order was at the time but Nikita isn't the unstoppable monster in this match as Kernodle dumps him on his head and Steamboat drops him with a clothesline. Kernodle plays FIP and Nikita and Ivan take turns abusing him. Alot of heat segments where Kernodle is so close to making the tag but comes up short. Great finish as a Nikita is disposed of and Steamboat and Kernodle do a Doomsday Device on Ivan to win the match. Great heat, good showing by Ivan and Kernodle make this a nomination.

 

Tully Blanchard vs. Buzz Tyler

- Who is Buzz Tyler? He reminds me of a less tlaented Dr. Death. Anyway, the match is ok and actually went over 15 minutes but nothing I am going to vote for. Maybe you guys will enjoy it more.

 

Kabuki & Konga vs. Jimmy Valiant & Buzz Tyler

- I didn't really pay attention to this.

 

Jimmy Valiant vs. Billy Graham

- This sucked... and then kabuki and Konga come in to attack Valiant.

 

Arn Anderson vs. Manny Fernandez

- I think I liked the studio match better but I'll rewatch both back to back when we make a list. ANyway, this has Manny working on Arn's arm until Arn reverses an Irish whip and dodges a FLYING TWISTING SENTON! WTF? Arn works on the arm of Manny so when he makes his comebacks, he does it with one arm. However, Manny gets disqualified which pisses off the crowd. I wished it would have lasted another ten minutes but I am nominating this.

 

Magnum TA vs. Wahoo

Arn Anderson vs. Manny Fernandez (from 1985)

- Already reviewed both of these.

This starts with clips of a Flair/Slater match and it features Slater debuting the true World Heavyweight Title belt which is the old Lou Thesz belt that was used in Southwest. This is extra material.

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Quarterfinals: Assassin #2 (Hercules Hernandez) vs. Johnny Weaver (2/8/84)

 

This was long but not much of a good match although the fans are hot for Weaver here. Assassin #1 would switch with his partner after he fell to the floor to get the win.

 

Wahoo McDaniel & Mark Youngblood vs. Don Kernodle & Bob Orton Jr. (2/15/84)

 

Kernodle & Orton are the NWA World Tag champs here which was a short reign and people forget about their team. The faces work over Kernodle early but he tags in Orton and they get some offense in on Wahoo busting him open and using good teamwork to keep him on defense. Wahoo uses some chops to make a way to get to Mark who comes in and runs wild on Kernodle getting an O'Connor Roll on him but Orton would catch him with a short clothesline allowing Kernodle to get the pin. Jay Youngblood who was on commentary runs down and tells Tommy Young what happened so he restarts the match with Gary Hart besides himself on the apron. Kernodle takes some punishment but makes his own comeback on Mark who now works FIP getting nearfalls on both champs before Kernodle runs into Wahoo's chop and Mark gets a backdrop suplex hold to get the upset win. The champs attack the faces and Jay Youngblood afterwards with Kernodle taking his head off with a clothesline then an awesome double team move with Orton dropping Jay on his knee and Don coming off the top with his knee right in the face. I dug everything about this from the early work to the restart to the 2nd part of the match with the finish to the post match and I'm passing this forward as a low-end nomination.

 

Next we get a Jimmy Valiant narrated video announcing his return with him in the streets playing his harmonica and Muddy Waters blasting in the background. He announces that he will put his hair on the line against Assassin #2's mask for Boogie Jam 1984 which took place in various cities. This also features the debut of Big Mama as she gets in Valiant's Cadillac while Beat It by Michael Jackson plays. Slam dunk extra.

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Quarterfinals: "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater vs. Dory Funk Jr. (2/15/84)

 

Good TV match nothing really spectacular here with Slater getting the clean pin on Dory with a russian legsweep.

 

Angelo Mosca Jr. vs. "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff (2/22/84)

 

Angelo Sr. is on commentary here whining about people calling his son "green" which is hilarious. Ivan again does a good job in carrying the kid here before Kabuki runs out for the DQ which brings down Angelo Sr. to make the save but he gets green mist sprayed in his face before taking Ivan's calf branding.

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Semifinals: "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (2/22/84)

 

There is some good hard hitting back and forth action here with Valentine working babyface still being fun to me. Good selling on both men's part here especially Slater before a really crappy finish as they brawled to the floor and Slater got a full-nelson on Valentine before tossing him aside to beat the count in the ring. If there was a better finish this could be a nomination.

 

NWA World TV Title Tournament - Semifinals: Mark Youngblood vs. Assassin #2 (2/29/84)

 

These guys feuded under different names 2 years earlier in Central States. Just a match and kinda boring.

 

Then we get the debut of Adrian Street in the area and he has some issues with Jimmy Valiant. Extra material. (April 1984)

 

Junkyard Dog vs. The Great Kabuki (4/4/84)

 

JYD has his chain to counter Kabuki's karate knives. Crowd loved JYD but this wasn't very good then you add in the DQ finish with Gary Hart but at least Kabuki sprays red mist in JYD's face.

 

Next we get clips of The Grapplers vs. Vinnie Valentino/Pez Whatley from MLG in Toronto on 5/27/84.

 

US Heavyweight Title: Ricky Steamboat © vs. "Mr. Unpredictable" Dick Slater (6/13/84)

 

Slater had been calling Steamer a sissy and coward for weeks before this baiting him into a match so Steamer obliged him. The heat here is so great that you can barely hear Bob Caudle & Tully Blanchard on commentary. The action here was heated as well with both men beating each other inside and outside the ring taking big punishment and both men doing solid jobs in selling for each other. Both men thought they had the other put away especially Slater who thought he had him numerous times. Steamer made his comeback hitting a huge dropkick before going for a figure-four which saw them both drop to the floor. Bob Caudle said that there was one minute left of TV time as Slater hit an atomic drop. Stu Schwartz stops his count and follows them as they brawl in the crowd which was really fun to watch as both men choke each other with wires as TV time ran out. Bob Caudle then showed the rest of the match the next week where they brawled on the stage and Schwartz called the match a no contest. This was great stuff and an easy nomination.

 

"Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. "Exotic" Adrian Street (6/13/84)

 

Valiant comes out swinging a dress around that he plans putting on Street. Ton of schtick here before Valiant wins and then goes for the dress but Miss Linda attacks him and they put the dress on Valiant along with makeup. Definite extra.

 

Wahoo McDaniel is out next for a promo with Bob Caudle talking about how he doesn't get any shots at Ric Flair or Ricky Steamboat for their titles saying how they avoid him which brings out Flair who wants to talk about it and Tully comes out to run his mouth then he attacks Flair stripping off his clothes while Wahoo stands there. Flair then comes back pissed off asking what's up with Wahoo and Flair said that he would give him a title shot and they yell at each other some more. Definite extra. (6/27/84)

 

Rufus R. Jones vs. The Assassin (6/27/84)

 

Bad match that picks up when Rufus chases Paul Jones into the ring which prompts a double-team until Dusty Rhodes runs out to clean house. There is a problem for Dusty though as Kamala soon runs down as well to hit numerous splashes on Dusty who was stretchered out. Extra material.

 

Then we get a fantastic promo where Ric Flair shows up in a suit at THE FAMILY's ranch where Blackjack Mulligan & Dusty who are both holding fucking rifles along with other random cowboys. Flair starts taking off his suit proving that he is ready for war and wants Mulligan's help in his feud with Tully & Wahoo. Mulligan said that he would think about it and offered Flair a beer to sit with THE FAMILY as Dusty starts shooting his rifle. This is a grand slam extra. (8/1/84)

 

David Crockett then interviews Flair who then shows tape of Mulligan from the ranch where he accepts Flair's offer and is ready for war. (8/8/84)

 

Flag Match: Don Kernodle & Ricky Steamboat vs. Ivan & Nikita Koloff (2/6/85)

 

The faces are dominant early here taking it to the Russians especially Ivan who is solid at bumping and selling for them. Nikita even takes some punishment as well as the crowd is molten hot for everything. The tide would soon turn though as the Russians worked over Kernodle's injured neck. Kernodle is wearing a collar here and gets brutalized but he shows great fight here and the fans extremely behind him trying to get the hot tag. Steamer finally had enough and jumped in the ring where a 4-way brawl ensued where they sent Nikita to the floor and then they hit Ivan with the clothesline off the top rope like the Koloffs used to win the match. This was damn good stuff and is a fairly easy nomination.

 

NWA World TV Title: Tully Blanchard © vs. "Avalanche" Buzz Tyler (2/13/85)

 

I never got the appeal of Buzz Tyler the dancing babyface but the crowd was into him. Tyler pounds on Tully from pillar to post early on before Tully broke out some cheapshots to get Buzz on the mat where he kept him grounded for a while but Buzz would make a comeback and Tully reeling from nearfalls. Tully put on a helluva performance here selling and bumping for Tyler and I gotta give Tyler some credit as well as he was really good in the last half of this match making it seem like a big struggle for either man to get the win. Baby Doll jumps in the ring for the DQ which killed this as a nomination.

 

After the match Dusty confronts Tully at the stage with Baby Doll getting in his grill. Extra material.

 

"Avalanche" Buzz Tyler & "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. The Barbarian & The Great Kabuki (3/13/85)

 

Buzz & Valiant pay off Sam Houston & Denny Brown to take their place. The crowd is nuts for this but it's not good.

 

"Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. Superstar Billy Graham (3/20/85)

 

Valiant has SBG ready for a pin before Barbarian & Kabuki run out where they attack Valiant and they try to put him out until the faces run out to clear the ring.

 

Arn Anderson vs. "Ragin Bull" Manny Fernandez (3/23/85)

 

This was Arn's first feud in the territory and Manny was a great opponent for him to shine against. Manny works over Arn's left arm before trying a twisting reverse senton off the middle rope which looked great even though he missed and it allowed Arn to show Manny how to work over an arm. Arn is solid here in his armwork but Manny fights back and hits a big clothesline off the middle rope to get back in the match. Manny fights back using only his right arm and he is enraged as he throws Tommy Young down twice prompting a DQ. Arn would attack Manny afterwards and kept working over his arm until Manny was pulled out. Cheap finish but a damn good match and a nomination.

 

Next is the Magnum/Wahoo cage match.

 

Then we get a Magnum video from Mid-South.

 

Next we get Michael Hayes' return to TBS after a long absence on the first ever JCP version of World Championship Wrestling where he cuts a promo on Flair (4/6/85)

 

Then we get clips of Ole turning on Thunderbolt.

 

"Ragin Bull" Manny Fernandez vs. Arn Anderson (4/6/85)

 

Ole does commentary here. This is a good match although not on the level as the previous match on the disc. Manny & Arn both work very hard here and the action is good before the angle finish where Ole helps Arn attack Manny before Thunderbolt shows up and Arn jumps him. Arn throws him back in the ring for a brawl before Ole jumps in and helps Arn. Great angle adds to the good match making it a nomination.