Posted December 14, 200717 yr comment_5425212 The Rock n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) vs. “Leaping” Lanny Poffo & “Macho Man” Randy Savage (6/25/84) This is JIP but this is Memphis so that’s something we will have to deal with. RnR being in Mid-South really helped them out and they look a lot better than they did before they went although they were still very good then. RnR showed great teamwork here getting the best of the Poffo’s with quick tags getting in and out of trouble. Morton would throw Savage through the ropes to the floor and Angelo Poffo would post Morton as he tried to attack him. Savage would roll Morton back in the ring for the FIP section with Macho throwing some great punches in between his aerial attack although he would miss an elbow drop off the middle rope. Lanny would come in and resumed the attack on a bloody Morton before Savage would throw him back to the floor then came off the top rope with the diving axehandle to the floor. Savage would roll him back in the ring and Morton tried for the hot tag but Savage grapevined his leg and tagged in Lanny. Lanny went for a rolling senton off the middle rope and missed with Morton getting the hot tag to Gibson. Gibson comes in but Angelo would pull the top rope down for the DQ and Savage went for a piledriver on Gibson on the floor but Morton broke it up. Angelo would then slam Morton’s head on the table and Savage would hit his legendary piledriver through the table that was one of the greatest spots of the 80’s. The match wasn’t long but it was great fun and the piledriver is so memorable that if this match doesn’t make the cut the angle definitely should. I’m nominating this for it’s legendary significance. Nick Bockwinkel vs. “Ragin Bull” Manny Fernandez (early 1982) Southwest results are VERY hard to come by especially TV so I have no idea as of now the correct date for this other than 1982. This had some great back and forth action early with both men looking really solid trading quick nearfalls. Bock would throw some great knee smashes in Manny’s ribs to weaken him for a backbreaker. Bock would continue to work on the back and an old cut on Manny’s head would open up so we had juice. Manny would make a fiery comeback using some great punches that Bock sold very well. Manny would hit his flying cross chop for a nearfall and Bock would leave the ring but Manny would suplex him back in from the apron for another nearfall. Manny would then lock in the sleeper and had him on the mat but the TV time would run out giving Manny a big rub as this would build him up for a world title shot. This was supposed to be a 10:00 draw but it ended up being 8 minutes instead but still a very good match and I’m throwing it on the block. David & Kerry Von Erich vs. Killer Karl Krupp & Gene Yates (1980) Early squash match for the Von Erichs. The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane) vs. The Pretty Young Things (Norvell Austin & Koko Ware) (6/25/84) JIP but it doesn’t look like we missed much and then we get a big clip in the middle where we pick up with the PYT’s really working over Lane starting his FIP section. Norvell would throw Stan to the floor and Koko nailed him with a chair before Keirn would come over to stop him. Koko would then choke Stan with the security rope until Keirn could get over there. Lane would go back to the floor and Norvell would pound on him then threw him on the half broken table from the RnR/Poffo’s match. Lane would continue to get his ass kicked with Norvell using a great headbutt along with other strikes. Norvell would go for a piledriver but Lane would backdrop him as a reversal but Norvell would tag Koko in before Lane could get to Keirn. Koko starts firing punches until Lane uses his kicks to counter which brings in Norvell who ties up Jerry Calhoun. Lane tags in Keirn but Calhoun doesn’t see it so it’s 2-on-1 until Lane & Norvell get into a slugfest ending up with a double head collision. Lane would roll to the floor and Keirn rolled in the ring in his spot so Norvell goes over to Keirn and picks him up but Keirn starts firing away on both PYT. It becomes a 4-way brawl with Norvell getting tossed off the top rope and Koko eating a double DDT with Keirn covering for the win. This had great crowd heat but the clips irked me although this was great stuff and considering what we will be working with in Memphis, this goes on the block. “The Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol & Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. The Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk) (6/25/84) This is clipped up and it isn’t too long before Lawler pulls down the strap and starts firing punches on the Roadies before tagging in Idol thus starting a 4-way brawl. Animal is slamming Lawler in the corner as Idol pounds on Hawk and Animal would trip over Hawk with Idol jumping on Lawler for a nearfall. Ellering would then get on the apron as Idol & Lawler had the Roadies in schoolboys for nearfalls. Animal would accidentally hit Hawk with a clothesline and Lawler would get a nearfall until Animal would drop on him. Idol would start working over Ellering and Calhoun would get thrown over the top rope with both teams just pounding each other and the match ends up in a DQ. This was fun stuff. Steel Cage Match: Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage (12/12/83) Macho had just debuted in Memphis weeks earlier and they are already having a cage match with this feud really needing not much build. Lawler would start off firing quick punches to the body then the head and you could just feel the hatred between the two with Savage spitting on Lawler. Savage would ground Lawler with a side headlock really wrenching it in then we get a clip coming back with Lawler throwing Savage into the cage and Savage rolls to the floor. Savage would come back to the ring and we go back to a regular match with Savage working an armbar. Savage would dig in his tights off and on using some object to hit Lawler with behind Jerry Calhoun’s back. Savage then started firing some great punches sending Lawler to the floor then he hit his diving axehandle off the top rope with not much space between the cage and the ring. Savage would then slam Lawler’s head in the cage then choked him along the bottom rope before grinding his head across the chickenwire cage. Savage would then post Lawler before going back to the ring and continuing his attack. Lawler would reverse an irish whip though and Savage went flying into the cage with Lawler following up with a fistdrop. Lawler is now starting his comeback and gets the object out of Savage’s hand then uses it on him but Savage would give him a snapmare setting up his big diving elbow drop off the top of the cage but Lawler rolled out of the way. Lawler then slammed Savage’s head on the turnbuckle before slamming him then we get another clip. Savage has Lawler on the bottom rope and tries to do a running jump but Lawler moves and Savage hits the cage feet first. Lawler tries to follow up with a piledriver but Calhoun won’t let him do it so Savage would backdrop him. Savage then picks up Lawler giving him an awesome airplane spin with both men being dizzy but Lawler has enough the deck Savage with a punch. We get another clip as Savage is throwing Lawler to the floor and again comes off the top rope with his diving axehandle then slamming Lawler’s head in the cage repeatedly. Lawler starts banging his hands on the cage and starts punching Savage before pulling down the strap. The action goes back to the ring with Lawler just unloading on Savage before throwing him into the cage again. Jos LeDuc would show up and scaled the cage climbing in and jumps on Lawler for the DQ finish. LeDuc & Savage destroy Lawler for quite a while until the babyfaces can get in the cage. There wasn’t blood but this was an awesome cage match with both men looking tremendous and even with the shitty finish that built up to the main for the next week with Lawler bringing in Idol to go against LeDuc & Savage, this is a definite nomination. Tully Blanchard vs. Manny Fernandez (early 1982) This was always a interesting matchup because both guys really hated each other and would have some tight matches. Manny would keep Tully on the mat early on with different armbars and looked really good. The match would come back up to a vertical base and this was worked like being in a telephone booth until Tully pulled Manny over the top rope with him to the floor. Gino Hernandez would show up and used a belt buckle to bust up Manny and the Dynamic Duo beat Manny bloody until Chavo Guerrero made the save and used his cowboy boot to pound on Gino. The match wasn’t but a couple of minutes but the brawl was great. Southern Heavyweight Title: Jerry “The King” Lawler © vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude (6/11/84) Rude has The Anvil & Angel at ringside with him and at this stage of his career Rude was still very green. Rude throws some shitty punches here and Lawler has to deal with both Anvil & Angel’s interference from the floor. Rude just pounded on Lawler and tried to get a pin every chance he could before Lawler could get to his feet and Lawler took some rapid punches before pulling down the strap. Lawler would show Rude how to throw a punch as he used some awesome punches to take Rude down but Rude would get up and pulled Lawler into Jerry Calhoun. Lawler would get Rude on the mat for a pinfall but Anvil would run in and dropped an elbow by accident on Rude. Rude would then get up and hit Neidhart by accident sending him to the floor with Lawler following up with his diving fistdrop but Angel would run in. Rude then got up and ran over hitting Lawler with a double axehandle to the back of Lawler’s head getting the pinfall winning the title. Rude’s crew celebrates in the ring but Lawler started beating the hell out of Rude & Anvil until Angel came in with a chair hitting Lawler in the back. Lawler then grabbed Angel and punched the shit out of her and the reaction of the kids at ringside jumping up and down for joy was awesome. Lawler then took a beatdown until Eddie Gilbert & Tommy Rich made the save but the PYT’s would then attack Lawler with the chair. PYT’s gave Lawler a spike piledriver and just destroyed him until Gilbert & Rich could get back to the ring to make the save. The match wasn’t good but the post-match was fucking money and should be a definite extra for the Memphis set.
