The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose) vs. Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton (12/19/81)

 

Norvell Austin is at ringside as the manager. This was a solid back and forth match until Norvell pulled the top rope down as Gilbert was running and fell over the top rope. Norvell would then post him causing him to juice and the MX would pounce on him immediately. Gilbert just gets brutalized and it forces his dad Tommy to come out and throw the towel. Gilbert & Norvell then get into it at the announce table. I’m not sure of a nomination but I’ll say that it could be a borderline nom.

 

They show highlights of Dundee/Keirn vs. Cuban & Iranian Assassin from MSC on 12/14/81.

 

Next we get a video of Dundee/Lawler vs. Super Destroyer (Killer Karl Krupp) & Sweet Brown Sugar (Koko Ware) from MSC on 12/7/81.

 

Jimmy Hart vs. Dennis Upton (12/26/81)

 

Hart told Sweet Brown Sugar to take the day off and he has taken his spot in this match. This is fantastic as Hart dicks around until a ref bump before Iranian Assassin interferes then Calhoun counts out Upton. Hart is dazed but celebrates his win regardless. Definite extra.

 

They show highlights of Dundee’s war with the First Family at MSC on 12/21/81 as he worked three matches against First Family members.

 

“Superstar” Bill Dundee & “Dirty” Dutch Mantell vs. The Nightmare (Danny Davis) & Speed (Ken Wayne) (12/26/81)

 

Lawler does guest commentary for this as WMC was hot for this one as Dundee & Dutch took it right to the masked men early on and Dutch keeps trying to run after Hart. Dundee then crawls under the ring to get Hart and grabs his leg as Hart goes into security’s arms. The masked men continued to get beat on as all this is going on but they would finally get the advantage on Dundee using great teamwork. The teamwork would backfire though as Speed tried to hit a flying headscissors on Dundee but got Nightmare instead. Dundee then bashed their heads as they were arguing and pinned Nightmare. This was really short but really fun.

 

Cuban & Iranian Assassins vs. Rick McCord & Roy Rogers (1/23/82)

 

This is JIP from WMC and Stan Lane comes out destroying his manager Jimmy Hart for no one knows what reason. Lane has to fight off the foreigners as Hart nails Lane with a steel chair until Eddie Marlin & the Gibson’s make the save. Lane gets up and brings out Jimmy Hart’s ledger explaining payment to the First Family which leads to an awesome exchange with Hart, Sugar, Dream Machine, & Lane. This is a slam dunk extra.

 

Lance interviews the Midnight Express with Norvell making fun of Dundee’s size and Keirn’s daddy being a POW in Vietnam. Norvell goes on to call Keirn’s daddy a snitch and he went there on his own because he was scared which of course brings out Dundee & Keirn. The brawl is on and it’s a wild one with the faces chasing the MX off. This is a definite extra. (1/23/82)

 

One of the greatest First Family moments ever airs as Hart brings out the Family for a celebration as Kenny Shane joins the Family. Dundee & Keirn show up wanting to join the party as Stan Lane sneaks in the ring putting Hart & Shane’s face in the cake. (1/30/82)

 

Lawler & Dutch come out talking about their feud and show a match from Louisville on 1/19/82 where Lawler won but the Family attacked him after the match. Dutch rolls out to the floor and leaves. Lawler & Dutch then get into this big argument with Lawler slapping Dutch and setting off a huge brawl. This was great stuff and extra material. (2/6/82)

 

The First Family comes out for the premiere of the We Hate School video and this is as slam dunk as it gets. (2/27/82)

 

Next we get a video of a Lawler/Dutch match set to The Winner Takes It All by ABBA with Dutch winning back the Southern title from Lawler. Lawler then cuts a tremendous promo basically saying that if he doesn’t beat Dutch in their next match that he would retire. This was just great.

 

Next we get highlights of Norvell vs. Keirn from MSC on 2/22/82 with Keirn narrating the footage calling Norvell a coward. Norvell would show up saying that if Keirn wants a match with him then he would have to put up the Southern Tag Titles, which Keirn said that he couldn’t do. Dundee would show up though and give his belt to Keirn telling Norvell to bring it. Norvell then says that he can’t do that and Eddie Marlin agrees but a deal is made where Keirn must beat Norvell twice in 10:00 and can’t punch or kick.

 

Southern Tag Titles: Steve Keirn © vs. Norvell Austin (2/27/82)

 

Keirn gets one pinfall at the 2:59 mark using great wrestling skill and continues to work on Norvell right after the pin. Norvell would drop to the floor to stall then comes back in the ring and spits in Keirn’s face which prompts Keirn to punch him thus losing the titles. This was great.

 

Lance interviews Ricky & Robert Gibson with Ricky talking about his cracked sternum which brings out Hart, Eaton, & Sugar who mock the Gibsons and Hart takes a shot at their mother who was deaf. (3/20/82)

 

They show highlights of Lawler/Dutch from MSC on 3/22/82 in a match that looks awesome as it goes all over the building. Dutch comes out and challenges Lawler to a match on TV for the Southern title with the loser leaving town. Lawler then comes out and accepts the challenge.

 

Loser Leaves Town for the Southern Heavyweight Title: Jerry “The King” Lawler © vs. “Dirty” Dutch Mantell (3/27/82)

 

The action here was phenomenal as Lawler threw some tremendous punches including one on the floor as he had a running start but the tide would turn as Dutch would backdrop Lawler over the top rope to the floor where the action would continue. Dutch would post Lawler then bashed him with a steel chair before Lawler would eventually crawl back in the ring. Dutch would then punish Lawler relentlessly but as the action went back to the floor, Dutch tried to use a piledriver on Lawler but Lawler would backdrop him then used a steel chair on the back. Lawler takes it back to the ring where the punching brigade would restart especially after he dropped the strap but Dutch would drop down to the floor. Dutch would go over to the announce desk but ran back in the ring where he would get kicked in the mouth. Dutch then went back to the floor and back to the desk where he would praise Lawler telling him that their war was stupid and they needed to end it. Lawler wants him back in the ring but Dutch demands he come over and explains that they should be friends again. Dutch wants to form a team with Lawler but of course it ends up with Dutch suckering Lawler and posts him on the floor before bashing him with a steel chair again. Dutch then takes it to the ring where he would deliver a piledriver then an diving elbow counting three. Dutch then walks off with the title. This was simply amazing and even though there wasn’t a real finish for the match I’m nominating this and leaving it up to you guys on whether this should go on as a match or as an extra because it needs to go on somewhere.

I have seen most of this elsewhere. I have seen just the end of the Hart stealing from his group before. This has the whole angle. It's should be a nomination. Having Lane at the beginning helped this angle a ton.

 

Their is also a great Mantell/Lawler table interview. This is a lock for an extra. This was a 5* angle. I have seen and said something about all of the stuff on this DVD.

What about VQ? Can you at least list what is on here as you go through it?

I'd say this is slightly better quality than the discs labelled 12/81-6/82 that are the same content.

That is my point. I need to know a VQ or completion viewpoint on matches that are on multiple discs.

Right, as I said, it's the exact same content as 12/81-6/82, only with better quality, so the Lynch version should be used.

OK I was just reinforcing the point for future discs.