Florida #1 '81-'82

 

Disc 1

Mike Graham vs. Tully Blanchard

- Not much of a match. Outside interference by the Assassin ends this one quickly and Graham gets beaten on.

 

Dusty Rhodes & Bugsy McGraw vs. Ox Baker & Assassin #2

- Another quick one that ends when Assassin #1 interferes and beats McGraw with a briefcase.

 

Sheepherders vs. Charlie Cook & Cocoa Samoa

- I have no idea who that is with Luke. Is it Jonathan Boyd? Sheeps win this one without much fight.

 

Buzz Sawyer vs. Cocoa Samoa

- Buzz wins this with a sweet powerslam

 

The Spoiler vs. Eric Embry & Bill Snyder

- The Spoiler wins with the claw.

 

Bobby Jaggers vs. Eric Embry

- This one ends quickly in a DQ.

 

Jack Brisco vs. Buzz Sawyer

- Pretty good back and forth TV match, the best on this set so far. Brisco beats Sawyer after Sawyer tried to get Brisoc in a powerslam but Brisoc lands in a Thesz Press and pins him. I understand what they were going for on that ending but it looked really botched.

 

Dory Funk Jr. vs. Eric Embry

- Funk squashes Embry and wins withthe spinning toe hold. DKE and Dory pound on Embry after the match.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & David Von Erich vs. Mike Graham & Charlie Cook

- Quick win for Funk and David after David wins with the spinning toe hold. They double team Graham after the match.

 

Wahoo vs. Spoiler (tape)

- Not much shown.

 

Briscos vs. Funks

- This starts off with a Terry Funk interview. The Briscos come to the announce table and challenge the Funks. The Funks wrestle this as an impromptu match in their street clothes. Really sloppy brawl that ends in a no contest but this is an EXTRA.

 

Killer Karl Kox Interview (EXTRA)

- Kox shows some photos and JJ Dillon comes out to confront him and Kox beats him up until the Iron Sheik comes and jumps Kox.

 

Mr. Wrestling II Interview (with bloody mask) (Possible Extra)

 

Dick Murdoch vs. Iron Sheik (tape) (4:16)

- Pretty great videoclip that should be an EXTRA.

 

David Von Erich vs. Butch Reed

- This was going along just fine until Dory Funk interfered.

 

Spoiler & JJ Dillon vs. Eric Embry & Cocoa Samoa

- Spoiler was going to decapitate Embry until Bugsy made the save.

 

Ric Flair vs. Mike Graham (tape)

- Just a clip.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & David Von Erich vs. Spiro Negro & Gran Apollo

- Pass on this one.

 

Spiro Negro vs. Eric Embry

- Nope.

(This wasn't a very good disc to sit through. Most of this sucked or the matches were criminally short.)

 

 

Disc 2

Ric Flair Interview interrupted by Butch Reed. Reed tears up Flair's suit (EXTRA)

 

Mr. Wrestling #2 vs. Kendo Nagasaki

- 2 gets off some nice shots but a bad ref bump and interference bring this one down.

 

Brisco Brothers vs. Funk Brothers (tape)

- This is an arena match but they show much more of this than you get from the typical arena clips, even taking a commercial break and resuming with the match. A good solid tag match that I'll nominate but I think it pales in comparison to most of the tags that would be featured on an NWA set, Solie set, or Other set.

 

Funks vs. Graham & Keirn (tape)

- Real short clip.

 

Jerry Lawler vs. Nagasaki (tape)

- Another quick clip.

 

Ric Flair vs. Butch Reed (tape)

- Damn, I wish this one was complete so you could comapre it to the later matches.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & Kendo Nagasaki vs. Gran Apollo & Brian Blair

- Not something I would watch again.

 

Ric Flair vs. Terry Allen

- A young MAgnum TA in action. During the match, Dusty Rhodes comes down to aggravate Flair and attempts to take his robe. Flair stops the match to get his robe. EXTRA

 

Dory Funk Jr. & Kendo Nagasaki vs. Butch Reed & Sweet Brown Sugar

- Cool ending as Reed has Dory in a press slam but walks into a Kendo knife-edge to the throat, allowing Dory to fall on Reed for the win.

 

Mr. Wrestling #2 vs. Jimmy Garvin

- Garvin gets the upset win after II is distracted by Cornette and Garvin connects wiht a flying knee droo.

 

Kendo Nagasaki vs. Chavo Guerrero

- Chavo is getting choked out when Mike Graham interferes on his behalf.

 

Brian Blair vs. Derek Draper

- Draper has some nice offense. Blair gets DQed after throwing the ref.

 

David Von Erich vs. Sweet Brown Sugar

- OK match, not great.

 

Dick Murdoch vs. Kendo Nagasaki (tape)- Murdoch rules but this is just a clip.

 

JJ Dillon-Dusty Rhodes Confrontation (EXTRA)

Jim Garvin Interview

 

Dory Funk Jr. vs. Brian Blair

- This doesn't last long before Kendo Nagasaki interfere and David Von Erich makes the save. Wild brawl with charis involved ensues.

 

Dory Funk Jr. vs. David Von Erich (tape)

- Arena match clip

 

Kendo Nagasaki vs. Brian Blair

- Brian Blair confronts KEndo Nagasaki and an impromptu match occurs. NOt long before all hell breaks loose.

 

Rhodes & Reed vs. Brody & Studd (tape)

- CLip of wild cage match (Possible Extra)

 

 

Overall a real disappointment. If the Florida trends continue like this, we can just throw Florida with early NWA territories and lump it into one set. I have more Florida coming from Jeff Lynch so we'll see how that pans out.

Mike Graham vs. Tully Blanchard (9/16/81)

 

Both guys work at an intense pace here especially Tully who is trying to send a message to Graham. There is a masked man at ringside for some reason and he jumps in the ring after a double KO and attacks Graham's leg along with Tully. El Gran Apollo & David Sierra would make the save. The masked man pulled his mask off and revealed another mask saying that he was injured by Graham earlier in the year but I have no clue who this cat was.

 

"American Dream" Dusty Rhodes & Bugsy McGraw vs. Assassin #2 & Ox Baker (9/16/81)

 

The Assassin shows up as this match is going on saying his flight was late and he was pissed they went with the match without him. Dusty & Bugsy win fairly quickly and then Assassin #1 laid out Bugsy with his briefcase until Dusty ran him off with a chair.

 

The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams) vs. Cocoa Samoa & Charlie Cook (9/16/81)

 

Cocoa looks good to start using his quickness before Cook came in and while getting in some offense he got punished by the Sheeps. Cocoa came back in and worked over both Sheeps unti missing a running shoulder block into the corner. Sheeps then decimated his left arm using the Anderson/Assassins style of working a hammerlock with quick tags. Bill Alfonso gets tired of this and stops the match saying that Cocoa couldn't take it anymore. They continued on the attack after the match until TV time would run out.

 

$5,000 Challenge: "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer vs. Cocoa Samoa (11/4/81)

 

Good fast paced action here with both guys trading the advantage. Buzz is really good at bumping for Cocoa and then ruthless on offense especially when he just killed him with his patented powerslam.

 

Handicap Match: The Spoiler vs. "Nitro" Eric Embry & Wild Bill Snyder (11/11/81)

 

Embry is subbing for Bruno Sammartino Jr. here and he is in the middle of feuding with Dillon getting his pesky babyface push. Spoiler walking on the top rope around the ring was an awesome spot for a man of his size. Spoiler must beat both men in 10 minutes so Embry is milking the clock and the fans are nuts for him. Snyder gets beat on when he is in the ring and gets put away with the iron claw. Embry is left in the ring and Spoiler now has control of him trying to put him away with the claw but Embry fights and fights until Bill Alfonso gets bumped so Dillon comes in and makes the count before getting Alfonso in the ring and as he goes for the 3 count, the time ran out and Embry won $1,000. Dillon & Spoiler are pissed at this result and after beating up jobbers they go back after a bloody Embry putting the claw back on him before a bald Bugsy McGraw makes the save. Bugsy cuts a promo afterwards saying he wants to mentor Embry. This was a really good segment getting Embry over and extra material.

 

"Nitro" Eric Embry vs. "Hangman" Bobby Jaggers (11/18/81)

 

This is an attack at the bell as Jaggers is trying to finish him early and trying to reopen Embry's old wounds. Embry true to form makes a comeback and fights hard before JJ Dillon gets pulled into the ring and Bugsy joins the fun for a 4-way brawl,

 

$5,000 Challenge: Jack Brisco vs. "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer (11/18/81)

 

Jerry Brisco is on commentary here and we get some great matwork early with Jack dominating and Buzz countering. Buzz uses some short cuts trying to get a pin on Brisco but Jack isn't putting up with that as he gets free. Flair comes out as it's stated that the winner of this match will get a future title shot so he is scouting. Buzz catches Jack with a knee to the ribs and then he goes on offense working over Jack's left arm using various holds and grabbing hair. Buzz tried for his patented powerslam but Jack blocked him and fell on top to get the win. The faces jump in the ring afterwards to celebrate with Jack and this was a very good TV match. This deserves to go on the block.

 

NWA International Heavyweight Title: Dory Funk Jr. © vs. "Nitro" Eric Embry (1/6/82)

 

David Von Erich is on commentary extoling the virtues of Dory who just batters Embry with forearms but Embry is pesky and comes back for more. Embry gets a nearfall on a sunset flip then locks on the Weaver Lock but Dory drops him in the corner. Embry still fights though dropping his strap and throws punches but hurts himself on a leapfrog landing knee first and Dory finishes him off with the spinning toehold. David then joins Dory in beating down Embry afterwards until Mike Graham runs them off.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & David Von Erich vs. Charlie Cook & Mike Graham (1/6/82)

 

Some good back and forth action to start with Solie calling this a main event anywhere in the world. Dory got his arm worked over by Cook in a fun exchange before David got the tag in and went to work on him hitting a nice standing dropkick. Cook though comes back when Dory gets back in and gets a nearfall before a 4-way brawl gets going which sees Bill Alfonso getting bumped to the floor. Graham has DVE in an O'Connor Roll but Dory grabs hin and ties him up in the ropes so they could double up on Cook. DVE gets the spinning toehold on Cook as Alfonso comes back in the ring to count him out. Graham gets free but gets his ass kicked and spat on.

 

Then we get clips of Spoiler/Wahoo from 1/3/82 in Orlando.

 

The Funks are out next with Terry narrating over clips of them beating on the Briscos in Tampa on 1/5/82. Funk calling them jabronis was great so the Briscos come out wanting a piece of them so the Funks take over their coats and jewelry then brawls with them on the floor before taking it to the ring. Very fun brawl here and extra material.

 

Killer Karl Kox is out next and he has photos of Sheiky before he became a pro wrestler with the Iranian jacket on and photos of his days working as a bodyguard for the Iranian Shah's wife. Sheiky runs out and destroys Kox afterwards for ending his charade. This is great stuff and a definite extra. (2/3/82)

 

Mr. Wrestling II then comes out holding Kox's bloody shirt and it is just drenched demanding a match with Sheik to get revenge (2/3/82)

 

Dillon is out next talking about the Killer Karl Kox situation the week before saying he brought it on himself. Then we get clips of Sheiky/Murdoch from Tampa on 2/9/82. (2/10/82)

 

"Hacksaw" Butch Reed vs. David Von Erich (2/10/82)

 

This is quite the matchup for damn sure. David is working heel here and was awesome in this role. Dory Funk Jr. who was David's mentor here shows up at ringside as Butch startles David early with high impact offense. David would eventually go on offense throwing some really nice punches before Reed fights back until David sends him to the floor. David tries to get back in the ring after pounding on Butch but Reed pulls his leg which forces David to drop and Butch re-enters to win by countout. Reed gets his ass kicked by Dory & David afterwards until Sweet Brown Sugar shows up and the heels end up leaving. Fun segment.

 

Cocoa Samoa & "Nitro" Eric Embry vs. The Spoiler & JJ Dillon (11/18/81)

 

Dillon is managing/wrestling here and he is in a small feud with Eric Embry who is getting the spunky babyface push here. Dillon is like a poor man's Heenan as he was a damn good bumper but not at Heenan's level. Embry works in peril here as they focus on his left arm before Cocoa comes in running wild on Dillon. Dillon blind tags in Spoiler who drops a knee on Cocoa as he had Dillon pinned for the win. Embry tries to escape the heels after the match but they catch up and tie him up in the ropes head first and Dillon tries to come off the top but Bugsy McGraw runs in and cleans house.

 

Next we get clips of Flair/Mike Graham from Tampa on 2/9/82 that sees Dory shaking hands with Flair before the match and as he puts his hand out to Graham he gets slapped so he jumps Graham. Graham works the match and has Flair reeling before the 60:00 time limit ran out.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & David Von Erich vs. Ciclon Negro & El Gran Apollo (2/23/82)

 

The faces look good early on making frequent tags and working over Dory then David and this is very competitive. Apollo would hit Ciclon with a flying forearm by mistake as he was holding Dory so Ciclon gets up and slaps Apollo in the face numerous times before he snapped on him punching him out of the ring. Dory then knees Apollo in the back sending him to the floor where he eats a piledriver on the concrete by Negro. Negro then throws him back in the ring and the heels bloody Apollo before pinning him.

 

Taped Fist Match: Ciclon Negro vs. "Nitro" Eric Embry (3/17/82)

 

Negro & Apollo are having a series of these matches coming up so this is show how these matches go. Negro is a former boxer so this is his gimmick. This match is based on punches and we get these in bunches as both men tee off on each other. Negro batters on Embry with his head as well forcing juice from his head before giving Embry a modified Pedigree as he dropped him face first from a piledriver position. Embry again is pesky and comes back giving Negro all he has and gets juice from him. Embry works over the cut with punches and gets a nearfall on him but Negro comes back with more punches putting Embry down for the 10 count. I dug this one a lot as it wasn't just punches but the ones that were thrown here were pretty damn good. This is a nomination.

 

Flair comes out next with a lovely lady for a promo and she gives Solie some sugar which gets a reaction from him. Flair is saying he isn't scared of Butch Reed and he is putting $10,000 on Butch's head. He also has the Von Erich's working for him as bounty hunters which is classic. Flair slaps Reed and then hides behind his woman which is great. Reed rips up Flair's suit as David & Kerry are trying to help Flair in the ring. Reed then dumps them over the top rope and goes after Flair just beating the hell out of him and shredding the suit. Reed picks up Flair and then dumps him from the ring to the floor on the Von Erich's. This is a slam dunk extra. (3/17/82)

 

Kendo Nagasaki vs. Mr. Wrestling II (3/17/82)

 

Kendo is getting a mega push here working his Kabuki ripoff gimmick and he basically squashes II early here getting juice from him. II makes a comeback hitting two Million-Dollar Kneelifts but Kendo kicks out and then on the 3rd one it hit referee Reggie Parks. II has Kendo pinned but there is no ref so Kendo catches him with the illegal martial arts sending II to the floor getting him counted out. Kendo then goes for the mask afterwards until Brian Blair runs out to make the save.

 

Then we get clips of Briscos vs. Funks from 3/27/82 in St. Pete.

 

Next we get clips of Funks vs. Graham/Keirn also from the same night.

 

Then we get clips of Lawler vs. Kendo again from that same night.

 

Next we get clips of Flair vs. Reed yet again from the same night.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & Kendo Nagasaki vs. Brian Blair & El Gran Apollo (5/26/82)

 

Some good back and forth action until Blair goes after Dillon on the floor which sets off a 4-way brawl seeing Tommy Young get bumped. Dillon comes in and Blair tries to strip Dillon but Kendo sprays mist in Blair's face.

 

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair vs. Terry Allen (5/12/82)

 

I think this is the first time they wrestled against each other and Tommy Young is even the referee. Magnum is a newbie in the area and is wearing his very tiny pants. Flair comes down before the match and talks shit on Dusty and his hat that he was given by Willie Nelson before talking about how great his robe is so you can tell what's coming. Flair treats the future Magnum like a jabroni and gets punished for that as TA really takes it to him before Flair asserts control while Dusty comes out and steals Flair's robe. Flair has no idea what happened until Dusty comes out wearing the robe and dancing around allowing Allen to make a comeback. Dusty then takes the robe and throws it to the crowd which was awesome. Flair throws TA over the top rope for the DQ and goes to retrive his robe and gets it back easily then goes nuts in a promo with Solie.

 

Dory Funk Jr. & Kendo Nagasaki vs. "Hacksaw" Butch Reed & Sweet Brown Sugar (5/19/82)

 

Reed & Sugar look good early but a distraction by Dillon allows the heels to go on the offensive on Reed who tags in Sugar but he faces more of the same. Sugar takes some punishment but gets the hot tag to Reed who runs wild on Dory before bringing Dillon in the ring. The match totally breaks down here and Tommy Young loses control. Reed press slams everyone but Kendo catches him with a karate thrust and Dory falls on top of Butch to win.

 

Loser Leaves Town: Jimmy Garvin vs. Mr. Wrestling II (5/19/82)

 

Garvin isn't Gorgeous yet here. II brings Dillon in the ring which has Tommy Young distracted so Garvin comes off the top with a diving knee pinning II to send him packing. Short match.

 

Brian Blair vs. Derek Draper (Ed Wiskowski) (4/21/82)

 

Both men threw some good forearms here to start and there is a cool spot where Blair gets a suplex but Draper keeps him grounded in a headlock. Blair gets an airplane spin before locking on the cobra hold which sees Tommy Young getting kicked to the floor. Draper hits a bulldog then comes off the top with the calf branding as Young regains his senses. Blair fights back throwing some nice punches and this is nothing but a slugfest until Tommy Young loses control as both men shove him down causing a DDQ. This was really fun and moves forward.

 

Florida TV Title: Sweet Brown Sugar © vs. David Von Erich (4/21/82)

 

DVE is the Southern champ so he is looking to add another title. Good back and forth here to start as DVE was so good at playing heel and Sugar is a good foil throwing great dropkicks. DVE cheapshots Sugar though and gets a pin using the ropes to win the title in an abrupt ending.

 

Then we get clips of Murdoch/Kendo from 4/20/82.

 

Next we get Dillon coming out with a box for Dusty as he is cutting a promo and it's the hat that Willie Nelson gave Dusty all ripped up. Dillon laughs his way all the way to the locker room where Dusty follows and throws him out the door. Dusty then destroys Dillon dropping a ladder on him numerous times. Jimmy Garvin then says that there is now a $50,000 bounty on Dusty's head. Slam dunk extra. (6/2/82)

 

Brian Blair vs. Dory Funk Jr. (6/2/82)

 

Blair is wearing a patch over his left eye and Tommy Young said before the match that there would be no strikes to the eye or a DQ. Blair frustrates Dory early and Dory sneaks in a forearm to the eye but doesn't connect. Dory then decides to headbutt him in the eye numerous times and in all this brawling Tommy Young takes all kinds of abuse including a dropkick by Blair off the second rope. Blair gets his airplane spin on Dory then the cobra hold but Dory gets in the ropes and decks Tommy Young again. Blair gets the cobra hold back on Dory before Kendo Nagasaki shows up and attacks Blair. Funk then rips off the bandage and punches the eye before Blair valiantly fights off both of them and leaves the ring throwing chairs in the ring. A fan then jumps in the ring and he gets the hell beat out of him with Solie going crazy. This is a slam dunk extra.

 

Then we get the breakup of Dory & David Von Erich as Dory turns on him after a match and beats the hell out of him before David makes his own comeback brawling with Dory in and out of the ring even bashing him with a chair. The crowd is going apeshit for David as time runs out. Definite extra. (6/2/82)

 

Next we get clips of DVE/Dory from Tampa on 6/15/82 and it's pretty wild as Terry gets involved until Mike Graham & Barry Windham makes the save.

 

Dillon is out next with Kendo Nagasaki talking about how martial arts has taken over wrestling in 1982 and it's the wave of the future. Dillon says that everyone is scared of a martial arts match with Kendo so Brian Blair comes down and accepts the challenge. (6/23/82)

 

Martial Arts Allowed: Kendo Nagasaki vs. Brian Blair (6/23/82)

 

Blair uses traditional wrestling early to work over Kendo before Dillon tied Blair up in the ropes neck first and Kendo started chopping away. Tommy Young eventually calls for the DQ as the jobber brigade tries to help out. Eddie Graham shows up and Dillon pushes him in the ring where Kendo then destroys him with karate strikes. Everyone is losing their shit as Eddie bleeds from the mouth before Blair gets free and protects him. Graham gets stretchered out into an ambulance with Solie walking with them. Very wild stuff here and a definite extra.

 

Next we get clips of Dusty/Reed vs. Brody/Studd in a cage from Tampa on 7/20/82 and it's wild stuff. Extra material.