Texas Death Match for the Southern Heavyweight Title: Bam Bam Bigelow © vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler (9/7/86)

 

This is JIP with Bigelow already having won two falls and Lawler soon ties it up using his great punches as a catalyst. Bammer would make a comeback and started pounding on Lawler rendering him bloody. Bigelow threw one right hand punch so hard that he went flying to the mat with Lawler then went with a choke sleeper to win the 5th fall. Bammer continues the beating as we start the 6th fall but Lawler would lock in his own version of a choke sleeper that took Bammer down but he would get up with Lawler on his back and threw him off to win the 6th fall. Lawler gets up and is fired up dropping the strap as the 7th fall starts and just unloads shots on Bigelow sending him to the floor then bringing him back in the ring for more. Bigelow would start trading with Lawler although Lawler kept the advantage but Bigelow would have enough energy to throw Lawler into Jerry Calhoun. Bigelow would cover Lawler for a pinfall even though he had his feet on the ropes. Larry Sharpe would come in with a steel chair ready to hit Lawler but hit Bigelow instead as the rest period ends. Calhoun starts counting both men with Sharpe yelling at Bigelow to get up but both get counted out so the first one up wins the match. Kenny D is on the floor pleading with Lawler to get up and Bigelow rolls around but Lawler uses the ropes to help him up to win the match and the title. This was some great stuff and a definite nomination but the lack of the first two falls hurts, is there a full version around?

PWH and MarksFiles say it's 9/8.

 

Haven't rewatched this recently but from memory this is an easy nomination. Bigelow's Weeble selling for Lawler's punches is amazing.

Jerry Lawler vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (Texas Death Match) (9/8/86)

- THe crowd is freaking hot here. Bigelow manhandles Lawler and easily pins Lawler for the first fall. Lawler, still hurting from the first fall is easy pickings for the 2nd fall as well. The 3rd fall was also all Bigelow but he missed a headbutt and Lawler got the surprise pin for the 3rd fall. I am pretty sure the entire thing is complete. OK, this is I love how Lawler is selling the hand after the punches, reinforcing how hard Bigelow's head is. It is little things like this that make Lawler great because most people wouldn't think of something so simple. And to drive the point home, to win the 4th fall, he uses a top-rope fist drop. I never noticed before but Bigelow also has some pretty nice punches. The rest of the match is some great back and forth action that Kris described well enough. Great drama, great action, great match. Easy nomination. THer eis a point before Tommy Rich pushes Bigelow where the video goes to a Lawler interview. We may want to edit the match.

 

(Lynch 25.2)

Complete (or mostly so, it's joined after the bell but before they lock up or do anything, it's missing the Kenny D gymnastics & such) and EX quality on Memphis Arena TV 9/21/86. It's about 30 minutes long w/ commercials.

 

We're going to have to compare it to the Lynch & Score versions more in-depth.

This was super stuff. Lawler and did some neat bigman/littleman spots. I dug how Bigelow worked over Lawler's body with punches and headbuts. Lawler getting up in the air made the visual and got over the power of the blows. Lawler's top rope fist frop was boss. The drama of the final fall was straight out of a Rocky movie. Of course the crowd was molten for this. Overall, this a mortal lock.

Yeah both guys selling for the punches is what really made this. Lawler may be the best guy at selling a beating and timing a comeback in wrestling history. Don't know if this will break my top 10, but it will be close. BTW it was Larry Sharpe who pushed Bigelow not Tommy Rich

The Arena 9/21 version is by far the prettiest but it only runs abut 27 minutes with commercials included. The Lynch show runs 30 with the commercials already cut out so that would be the most complete.