Posted January 29, 200817 yr comment_5427646 Memphis #6 Tommy Rogers vs. Koko Ware - Jimmy Hart is at ringsode as Rogers' manager even though Rogers siad he had no use for Hart. A lot of Koko offense in the early going. I find it weird to see Koko squashing someone when I am used to seeing him as the underdog. I feel bad for Tommy becasue it looked ike he was going to gain control with a powerslam but Koko kicked out and shrugged it off. I love how Koko adjusts to Rogers control segment by kicking Rogers in the head during Rogers' work on the leg and then turning the leg work into a body vice. After a ref bump, Hart knocks Koko out with a chain but Rogers refuses to cover Koko and attacks Hart instead. This brings out the Bruise Brothers for the DQ. Well, the match was going along fine until the shitty ending. I'll throw it up as a mid-level nomination for Koko's sweet offense. Austin Idol & Dutch Mantell vs. Bruise Brothers - Man, Dutch was man-sized in this. It also makes me wish that the Bruise we got in Mid South was Cash and Dream. Unfortunately, this stopped before it really got started so no vote from me. Jerry Lawler Locker Room Interview (Possible Extra) - Talks about Hart, interference from the Moondogs, Austin Idol and Bill Dundee. Fabulous Ones Music Video (Only the Lucky Ones) - What the hell were they thinking???? Fabulous Ones vs. Assassins - Assassins win the Tag Titles after Jimmy Hart interference allows one of the Assassins to pin Keirn. RNR Express & Rick Gibson vs. Dennis Condry, Buddy Landel & Norvell Austin - Rick Gibson reminds me of a younger Bob Armstrong. Anyway, this match was disappointing only because they were only really warming up for about ten minutes when it abruptly ended. Assassins vs. Ken Raper & Robert Reed - Extended Squash Assassins vs. Fabulous Ones - This one started off much better than the last match with Assassin #1 getting busted open and the Fabs showing some viciousness. Still, this isn't a very good matchup as the Assassins weren't really worldbeaters and there was a lot of dead space between big moves and shots. It appears the Fabs one the match but the Assassins are called the winners. Bobby Eaton Music Video ("Enchanted") (EXTRA) Bill Dundee calls out Jerry Lawler for backing out of their tag match Jerry Lawler, Austin Idol, Dutch Mantel vs. Moondogs & Man Mountain Link - Jerry Lawler is GOD. Seriously, could anyone else pull it off, making big slugs like MML look interesting? I didn't like this nearly as much as BIx but Lawler wrestles nearly the entire match. The drawback is that out of an 18:00 match, about 5 minutes are missing. I don't think it would have made much of a difference. I vote no but won't fight its nomination mainly due to Lawler's performance as one-man show. Tommy Rogers vs. Bill Dundee - It might just be me but this match seemed esp. stiff. At one point, Dundee lays in a vicious forearm that just drops Rogers, Rogers retaliates by giving Dundee a near-backdrop driver from a headlock and Dundee turns around and nearly drops Rogers on his head in a midget powerslam. Kind of an anti-climactic ending but an easy nomination. Bill Dundee Music Video ("Bad Reputation") (Extra) Bill Dundee Interview (Heel interview?) Jerry Lawler, Austin Idol, Dutch Mantel vs. Moondogs & Man Mountain Link (JIP) - I enjoyed this more than the One Man Lawler show but there wasn't much shown to give a nomination to. Jerry Lawler vs. Andy Kaufman - Classic match as part of the Lawler-Kaufman feud. Must have extra. Just have to find the best VQ version.
March 26, 200817 yr comment_5429950 Tommy Rogers vs. Koko Ware I think I am going to go no on this one. Koko breaking out those huge brainbusters early kind of killed the pacing of this. Nothing anyone was going to do was look that good, and this could have used more back and forth Austin Idol & Dutch Mantell vs. Bruise Brothers Yeah this was too short to mean much Fabulous Ones vs. Assassins Another short tag which never got going RNR Express & Rick Gibson vs. Dennis Condry, Buddy Landel & Norvell Austin I had no problem with the length, as everyone got in some stuff, and we got a crazily fired up Ricky Morton in peril section where he looked about as good as he always does. Man was Rick Gibson quick here too, I am nominating this. Assassins vs. Fabulous Ones Brawling Fabs is always fun, but this was too short as well. Jerry Lawler, Austin Idol, Dutch Mantel vs. Moondogs & Man Mountain Link The time on this is weird as we seem to be missing five minutes, but there is no obvious clips. Lawler was so great in this that I am going to give it a nod, although Link was beyond terrible Tommy Rogers vs. Bill Dundee Man alive was this stiff, they were just killing each other. So many awesome Dundee spots here as he just proves his greatness. That powerslam, holy fuck. Slamdunk nomination Jerry Lawler, Austin Idol, Dutch Mantel vs. Moondogs & Man Mountain Link I don't think this was particularly JIP, I just think it was really short. Wild, but it only goes about five minutes, and we have plenty of this style brawl on here which was better.
March 26, 200817 yr comment_5429955 Koko v Rogers was better than Phil is giving it credit for being. It doesn't stand up well next to Rogers v Dundee. Not as backand forth as that, but still Rogers struggling out of Koko's stuff. Reall felt like the match was leading to Koko turn as he couldn't put him away...and that is cliche face v face with one face refusing heel management finish. The actual finish killed alot of this for me but I won't really fight it as low end nomination. Porkchop cahsh's high back drop take in the run in was crazy. Austin Idol/Dutch v Bruise Brothers-Porkchop with nice superkick and way too short. Fabs v Assassins-This was short nothing. RNR + Rick Gibson v Condrey, Landell, Austin: Yeah ricky Gibson was super fast in ring. Morton was less face in peril eating stuff--than face in peril fighting for hot tag. just really great at fighting out of corner. Assassins vs. Ken Raper & Robert Reed Nasty nasty squash. the Assassin who I assume is Dirty Rhodes is working like a fat Steiner just whipping out suplexes. Assassins vs. Fabulous Ones This really starts great and just feels like it ends before it ever got fully going. Jerry Lawler, Austin Idol, Dutch Mantel vs. Moondogs & Man Mountain Link -This is ridiculously impressive one man show. And not really sure why it had to be. Really felt like Dutch and Moondogs were like "lets just mail this in and let Lawler do this". I mean MML sucks, but no one else seemed to bother. And just really impressive. Worth showing people as part of a Lawler comp. But I don't know if I'd put on a Memphis set Tommy Rogers vs. Bill Dundee - HOLY FUCK. This was just nasty back and forth match. I mean everything was awesome. You guys have already mentioned the stiffness and the backdrop driver and big moves but like even the back rake looked nasty. Also liked the show offy walk the ropes into punt. Jerry Lawler, Austin Idol, Dutch Mantel vs. Moondogs & Man Mountain Link (JIP) - If the decision is wild brawls aren't matches, than this is the one thats clearly a match with anything goes stip. Lawler v Kauffman- Not sure how much of the Kaufman feud we want to include as extras. I mean there is a bunch of stuff...most of which can be found on "I'm From hollywood". I'd want to really hit the highlites and not do blow by blow.
July 16, 200817 yr comment_5433019 US Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tommy Rogers © vs. Koko Ware (10/24/83) Jimmy Hart is at ringside to watch Rogers back which he doesn’t want. Koko looked great early on with a sweet swinging neckbreaker and a fucking awesome brainbuster, which was odd to see so early in the match and Rogers almost immediately coming back with an inside cradle. Koko is pissed so he nukes him again and just beats the piss out of him suplexing Rogers around like he was in All-Japan circa 1991. Rogers would fight back and get some nearfalls but Koko was so aggressive that it really didn’t work in his favor. Koko was definitely working heelish here and with Hart at ringside looked like a perfect setup especially after a ref bump. Hart would run in the ring but would hit Koko with a chain though and tried to get Rogers to cover him but Rogers wouldn’t do it. Hart slaps Rogers so Rogers returns the favor only for the Bruise Brothers to come out for the DQ. Koko would get up watching what’s going on and then would help clear the ring with Rogers. The finish was screwy but the aftermatch was very fun. I thought Koko was awesome here and this should definitely be on the block. Southern Tag Titles: The Bruise Brothers (Dream Machine & Porkchop Cash) © vs. “Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol & Dirty Dutch Mantell (10/24/83) This is JIP 2 minutes in and it only lasted 6 minutes with the story being that the Bruisers didn’t want to lose their titles so they got DQed. Lawler cuts a great promo in the locker room about Dundee among other things and is extra material. Next is the great Fabs video to All The Lucky Ones by Loverboy. Definite extra. CWA Tag Titles vs. Masks: The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane) © vs. The Assassins (Don Bass & Dirty Rhodes) (10/24/83) This was finewhile it lasted but another short one. Norvell Austin, “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey, & “Nature Boy” Buddy Landell vs. Ricky Gibson & The Rock n Roll Express (Robert Gibson & Ricky Morton) (10/31/83) Good to see Ricky Gibson back around for this one that had a shitload of stips and like Phil & Tom said he was looking really good. The faces had the advantage early but Morton would be the FIP of course and was fighting his ass off trying to reach the corner. Ricky Gibson gets the hot tag and the 6-way brawl is on but Gibson would get pinned by Condrey who had his feet on the ropes and according to the stips if he lost he would leave town. This was very fun and should move forward. CWA Tag Titles: Ken Raper & Robert Reed © vs. The Assassins (Don Bass & Dirty Rhodes) (10/31/83) Assassins lost the belts 2 days earlier on WMC in an angle that we must include as an extra so we should also include this as the payoff because they beat the fuck out of the jobbers. CWA Tag Titles: The Assassins (Don Bass & Dirty Rhodes) © vs. The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn & Stan Lane) (10/31/83) Fabs were fun here but the finish was bad and the Assassins looked better in the previous match. Next is a Bobby Eaton video to Enchanted and this is extra material. Bill Dundee comes out wanting to team with Idol & Dutch against the Moondogs since Lawler won’t team with him and it ends up with Dundee getting kicked out of the area. “Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol, Jerry “The King” Lawler, & Dirty Dutch Mantell vs. Rick Link & The Moondogs (Rex & Spot) (10/31/83) Like everyone else said Lawler is fucking awesome here but I really dug Idol here too as he brought some fire as well. Dutch looked like he could really care less what was going on and the heels weren’t that hot either especially the Dogs because Link was horrid to begin with. Lawler was so awesome here that I’m with Phil & Bix in that this should be on the set. US Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tommy Rogers © vs. “Superstar” Bill Dundee (11/7/83) Rogers is again involved in a Memphis-style AJPW match as they were dropping each other on their heads and working really stiff. Dundee was fucking awesome here and Rogers held his own making this a surefire nomination. This was followed by the Bad Reputation video and great heel promo that is extra material. Falls Count Anywhere: “Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol, Jerry “The King” Lawler, & Dirty Dutch Mantell vs. Rick Link & The Moondogs (Rex & Spot) (11/7/83) This is a rematch from the previous week and more even sided than the last one as everyone is beating the hell out of each other. Great brawling here between both teams and Lawler throws the fire on Link for the DQ. Lawler then just goes batshit insane punching everyone out. A lot of blood here and I think this could be an extra. Boxing Match: Andy Kaufman vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler (11/14/83) Fun stuff and extra material.
