These discs were the best I’ve watched so far.

 

Adrian Adonis vs. Rick McGraw (4/18/83)

 

Adonis is so awesome here as he looks great on the mat and nearly kills McGraw by suplexing him on the ropes with McGraw landing right on his head. Both men then chop the shit out of each other before Adonis kicks him right in the head. McGraw has a fiery comeback throwing some good punches before Adonis nailed him with a reverse atomic drop. Adonis then picks him up from the apron and powerslams him hard for the win. This was short but fun and I think this belongs on the block even though it was pretty short. Adonis then cuts a great promo afterwards about being loved in Japan.

 

Bob Orton Jr. vs. “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan (4/18/83)

 

This starts out with some armwork by Sweetan with Orton selling nicely but his selling of the punches was great as Orton was one of the best at selling being punched in the face. Orton finally breaks free from Sweetan’s armwork and starts fighting back but Sweetan would counter going for the piledriver that Orton would counter out of sending Sweetan to the floor. Orton would go to the apron and delivered a running knee to Sweetan that sent him into the ringpost in a nice spot. Orton then grinded Sweetan’s head into the ring cable before suplexing him back in the ring. Orton would then climb on the middle ring cable and dropped a diving forearm on Sweetan who was laying on the apron in another cool spot. Sweetan juices and Orton just works over the cut and Jack Howell throws the match out due to Orton going nuts. This was a hard hitting match with a crappy finish but I loved this and this goes on the block.

 

Adrian Adonis vs. “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan (4/25/83)

 

Adonis pounds Sweetan with his Southwest title belt before the bell and starts throwing bombs but Sweetan would answer with his own before Adonis regained control. Adonis kept up the pressure and hit a nice diving elbow drop off the middle rope for a nearfall. Adonis then starts biting Sweetan’s right ear causing him to juice but Sweetan would get his chance at a comeback as he got his knees up when Adonis tried a diving body press from the middle rope. Sweetan throws Adonis shoulder first into the ringpost and starts his offensive barrage throwing Adonis into the turnbuckle where Adonis does his crazy bump before throwing him into another corner where Adonis jumped on the top rope and tried to come off on Sweetan but got crotched. Sweetan goes for a piledriver but Adonis throws him face first into the turnbuckle. Adonis then goes back to work on the ear before locking on the sleeper that Sweetan would get to the ropes breaking free. Adonis goes for a piledriver but Sweetan backdrops him and falls to the floor. Adonis gets frustrated and just hits Jack Howell for the DQ as Eric Embry shows up so Adonis attacks him suplexing him on the ropes until Scott Casey & Mando Guerrero run him out. This was a great match and maybe the best Southwest match I’ve watched so far. Easy nomination even with the finish.

 

Then we get stuff I’ve already seen.

 

Scott Casey vs. Cocoa Samoa (5/16/83)

 

This match comes after the pigshit angle with Jaggers getting it dumped on his head so the fans are going nuts here. The match doesn’t go long though as Jaggers covered in shit attacks Casey with a chain.

 

Then more stuff I’ve seen.

 

Southwest Tag Titles Tournament – Semifinals: “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan & “Gentleman” Ken Timbs vs. Scott Casey & Al Perez (8/29/83)

 

These are quite the teams here and Timbs has started his fabulous blonde gimmick. The fans are really into Casey & Sweetan’s exchanges as well as Perez who was getting a push here. The heels would really work over Casey & Perez until Casey takes off his boot and pounds on them for the DQ.

 

Southwest Tag Titles Tournament – Semifinals: “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers & Buddy Moreno vs. Cocoa Samoa & Luke Williams (8/29/83)

 

Cocoa & Luke are quite the makeshift team. This was a short match featuring some hatred between Jaggers & Williams but that led to some sloppy action as they were getting broken up. Jack Howell then just stops the match for some reason giving the faces the win by DQ. Odd.

 

Southwest Tag Titles Tournament – Finals: “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers & Buddy Moreno vs. “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan & “Gentleman” Ken Timbs (8/29/83)

 

This was just going along until Casey came out to distract Sweetan as Timbs tried to make a tag allowing Jaggers to get the pin on him to win the titles. Sweetan then attacked Jaggers after the match before Luke Williams ran out and a wild brawl was on.

 

No DQ: “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers vs. Luke Williams (9/19/83)

 

This is pretty brutal as Luke goes for the left ear of Jaggers biting and pulling on it as Jonathan Boyd shows up on crutches to watch on. Jaggers starts fighting back before getting a knee to the face allowing Luke to keep the advantage until Jaggers starts biting him in the face before Luke sent him to the floor with a knee to the back. Luke continues to hit Jaggers with knees until Jaggers hits him with a steel chair allowing Luke to go to the floor where Boyd gives him a glove with Luke pounding Jaggers with it. Luke then puts Jaggers’ arm on a steel chair and jumps off the top rope with a knee on it twice thus “breaking” it. Joe Blanchard comes out to break up the 3rd attempt and goes for the glove before Luke attacks him. Ken Timbs then runs out and they double up on Blanchard as Luke comes off the top rope with the glove to the back. Tully then runs out and attacks the heels and sends them running with a steel chair. Tully hasn’t been a face in Southwest in like 5 years and this was an awesome angle to turn him face. Slam dunk extra.

 

Al Perez vs. Exotic Adrian Street (9/19/83)

 

Miss Linda would run in fairly quickly for the DQ and they work over Perez long enough for Street to kiss him on the mouth. Perez runs him off and cuts a great pissed off promo afterwards. This is extra material.

 

Southwest Tag Titles: Scott Casey & Buddy Moreno © vs. The Fabulous Blondes (Eric Embry & Ken Timbs) (9/26/83)

 

Casey was allowed to defend in Jaggers’ place since he was injured so before the match Jonathan Boyd challenges the champs to face his new team in the Fabulous Blondes which they accepted. Boyd does commentary here explaining the connection he has with the Blondes and this is good stuff. The match goes along normally until Luke Williams pulls Casey off the apron so the Blondes could give Moreno an atomic drop on the top rope to win the titles. Casey then goes on the stage calling Boyd a piece of shit that was bleeped before being hit by a crutch. Extra material.

 

Super Mask (Al Perez) vs. Exotic Adrian Street (10/17/83)

 

Perez is working under a hood here since I guess this was the only way he could get a match with Street. I can’t get enough of Street’s ring entrances that’s for sure and Steve Stack never talks over them. The best part about this match is Mike Boyette’s ref attire in that he is wearing fucking jiu jitsu gi. Perez takes his mask off and runs Street out before going to cut Miss Linda’s hair. Luke Williams would then run out though to attack Street and they try to cut Perez’s hair before DICK FUCKING MURDOCH makes the save barefooted. Murdoch then gets jumped by the Fabulous Blondes before Tully cleans house with a weight belt. Tully & Murdoch as babyfaces standing tall is awesome. Slam dunk extra.

 

Perez then cuts a promo about wanting Street but he won’t wrestle him.

 

Al Perez vs. Exotic Adrian Street (10/24/83)

 

Again another awesome entrance by Street who is wearing leather tiny pants. Perez is whining about Street not facing him so Street goes on the stage and challenges him to a match which Perez accepts. Miss Linda jumps in the ring as soon as the bell rings and they double up on Perez before Relampago Leon makes the save. They attack him though sending him to the floor but Perez comes fighting back sending the heels running.

 

Relampago Leon vs. El Fantastico (10/24/83)

 

This is JIP and Street is on commentary here.

 

Then we get clips of a scissors on a pole match between Perez & Street in San Antonio on 10/15/83.

 

Then we get the debut of Butch Miller as he attacks Buddy Moreno with a clotheshanger after he beat Black Gordman. (10/31/83)

 

Street comes out looking like a fucking pimp this time and jumps on the stage trying to grind on Steve Stack which was fantastic. Street cuts a promo on Candi Divine that gets cut off in the middle.

 

Then we get the Bad Reputation video for Bill Dundee who is coming in to face Street.

 

Relampago Leon vs. Dusty Woods (11/7/83)

 

Street attacks Leon after the match and they steal the belt from him then hit him with it causing him to juice pretty good.

 

Butch Miller shows up again and starts choking out Scott Casey as he is wrestling Randy Hoskins before Moreno & Luke Williams show up setting off a brawl before Tully makes the save with his weight lifting belt.

 

Al Perez vs. Exotic Adrian Street (11/7/83)

 

Finally these two have a match and Perez starts with some sloppy brawling on Street sending him to the floor. Linda then sprays ether on a rag and Street puts Perez to sleep then Linda hits a piledriver on Candi Divine. Joe Blanchard then comes in the ring and starts punching him before the Fabulous Blondes get involved. Sheeps then attack Blanchard with straps before Casey & Manny Fernandez run out but the numbers game gets them until Ivan Putski runs in the ring and cleans house as the fans go fucking apeshit. Putski then says that he is back to kick the shit out of the Sheeps and shit wasn’t bleeped. Awesome. Southwest was on fucking fire here and this is a slam dunk extra.

 

Relampago Leon vs. “Gentleman” Ken Timbs (12/5/83)

 

Sure enough the match doesn’t go long before the Commonwealth Army shows up en mass to attack Leon. Bobby Jaggers runs out but he is outgunned and both faces are being beaten bloody before the faces clear the ring.

 

“Hangman” Bobby Jaggers vs. Exotic Adrian Street (12/5/83)

 

Jaggers comes out and gives Henry Garcia $100 to take his match wanting revenge. Jaggers hits Street with the Hangman as Linda jumps in for the DQ but Casey comes in right behind her and they run the heels out.

 

“Ragin Bull” Manny Fernandez vs. Butch Miller (11/7/83)

 

Bull comes out throwing bombs on Miller opening him up quickly. Miller makes a comeback then breaks out his clotheshanger to choke out Manny until Murdoch comes in the ring to grab the hanger to use on Miller. Luke would run out with the flagpole hitting Murdoch but the Bull would get it and used it on both Sheeps until the Blondes show up with a steel chair for a standoff. Bull then tears up the New Zealand flag. Extra material.

 

Then we get clips of the Sheeps vs. Bull & Putski from San Antonio on 11/12/83.

 

Boyd then cuts a promo about the Sheeps winning their matches their way.

 

Relampago Leon vs. Exotic Adrian Street (11/14/83)

 

Of course Linda gets involved again spraying stuff in Leon’s eyes then they paint him up like a woman. Extra material.

 

Casey & Fernandez call out the Fabulous Blondes after they have defeated Assassin & Dusty Woods but it’s a setup so the Sheeps could attack them from behind. Luke breaks out the black glove and hits both faces then they try to break Casey’s arm like Luke broke Jaggers’ but Fernandez nails him with a steel chair. Bull & Casey then clean house with the chairs as the fans go nuts. Extra material.

 

Scott Casey vs. Exotic Adrian Street (11/21/83)

 

Street starts out strong at the bell but Casey would come fighting back and this is a longer match for Street since Linda hasn’t gotten involved. Sure enough though, Street would put Casey in a full-nelson for Linda to spray him but he counters and sprays both of them before giving them both spankings. Casey would then get run off as the crowd goes wild and this is extra material.

 

Buddy Moreno & Al Perez vs. The Fabulous Blondes (Eric Embry & Ken Timbs) (11/21/83)

 

Blondes attack the faces at the bell but the faces make their own comeback before the match goes into a normal mode. Blondes are really good here at being the stooging heels while the faces fire it up getting the crowd hot. This has some damn good action and a great finish as Perez hits a sunset flip off the top rope on Embry to win the match as the crowd goes wild. This goes on the block.

 

“Ragin Bull” Manny Fernandez & Henry Garcia vs. The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams (11/21/83)

 

We only get the end as Jaggers attacks the Sheeps as they work over the Ragin Bull.

 

Exotic Adrian Street vs. “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers (11/28/83)

 

Street would kiss Jaggers right on the mouth pissing him off but not enough to really go off on him and with the help of Linda, Street would keep the advantage early in the match. Jaggers would start firing shots though until Street gave him a knee to the back sending him to the floor. Linda would distract Jaggers making him chase after her before he gets counted out. Jaggers is highly pissed after the match.

 

The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams) vs. Buddy Moreno & Relampago Leon (11/28/83)

 

Leon is fired up here but the Sheeps just beat his ass before it breaks down into a 4-way brawl with the Sheeps take Moreno back to the their dressing room as the entire face locker room enters the ring. Voodoo Mulumba then comes out and throws the bloody Moreno in the ring. Joe Blanchard then says it’s time for this war to end.

Disc 1:

 

Adrian Adonis vs. Rick McGraw (4/18/83)

 

This was the Adrian Adonis Show with special guest star Rick McGraw going along for the ride, but it was a hell of a show from Adonis, and McGraw certainly held up his end of the bargain just by eating the Slingshot Suplex '91. I'll back it as a low-end nom.

 

Bob Orton Jr. vs. “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan (4/18/83)

 

This was one of those frustrating situations where they were building a great long match that was booked to run short. Slow start, but the pace picks up and we get some great action from both men, but right when it looks like the match is about to hit it's big turning point, the time limit expires. It feels incomplete, which always rubs me the wrong way, and I can't back it as a nomination.

 

Adrian Adonis vs. “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan (4/25/83)

 

These two guys had "best in the world"-level credentials at this point, and they really let it show, as this is probably the best Southwest match I've seen yet. Nomination is seconded without question.

 

Scott Casey vs. Luke Williams (7/25/83)

 

This was just nuts. It was worked more like a backstage or post-match brawl than a wrestling match, with both guys just constantly on top of one another, throwing wild haymakers, and Williams biting and clawing at Casey. Casey eventually takes his boot off and repeatedly clobbers Luke with it until Luke throws powder in his eyes and then gets run off by Bobby Jaggers with an axehandle. A bit short, but it is amazing, and I think it belongs on the set.

 

Southwest Tag Titles Tournament – Semifinals: “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan & “Gentleman” Ken Timbs vs. Scott Casey & Al Perez (8/29/83)

 

This was OK.

 

Southwest Tag Titles Tournament – Finals: “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers & Buddy Moreno vs. “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan & “Gentleman” Ken Timbs (8/29/83)

 

This was just starting to get good when it ended.

 

No DQ: “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers vs. Luke Williams (9/19/83)

 

Fuck the world, Luke Williams was a great wrestler. He is just such a nasty, violent monster in all of his matches from this period. Jaggers is game, getting in some nice shots on the comeback while Luke is tied up in the ropes. Out of control schmozz finish is crazy awesome, loved Luke socking the ref in the gut with the loaded glove. You really believe he was doing some serious damage here, with Steve Stacks aiding the illusion on commentary, saying he thinks he sees bone starting to protrude from Jaggers' skin. By the end, this is more angle than match, but the actual match part is so awesome that I have to put it on the block regardless.

 

Disc 2:

 

Al Perez vs. Exotic Adrian Street (9/19/83)

 

This was entertaining, and I'll back it as an extra.

 

Jonathan Boyd confronts Scott Casey and Buddy Moreno

 

Boyd challenges the tag champs to defend against the Fabulous Blondes after the commercial break. He may be a heel, but I can't help but find something decidedly noble about Boyd. Yeah, he's a fink who helps his guys cheat and injure babyfaces, but he's also a guy who is standing up to top babyfaces on crutches after a near-fatal car crash, and is doing so mostly out of patriotic pride. Did any of The Sheepherders actually do any significant work for All-Star Pro Wrestling? I bet Jonathan Boyd as patriotic New Zealander babyface would have been awesome.

 

Southwest Tag Titles: Scott Casey & Buddy Moreno © vs. The Fabulous Blondes (Eric Embry & Ken Timbs) (9/26/83)

 

Good match that ends after a Luke Williams distraction allows the Blondes to crotch Moreno on the top rope and score the pin. Chaos reigns afterwords, and this and the above interview are extra material.

 

By the way, there are a lot of Adrian Street entrances - just the entrances - interspersed throughout this disc. They're certainly impressive, and "What I Could Do to You" is one of my favorite wrestling theme songs of all time, but I think we really only need to include one, and since I'm already pushing one larger Street bit as an extra - which includes his full entrance - don't really see the need to focus on any of these.

 

Super Mask (Al Perez) vs. Exotic Adrian Street (10/17/83)

 

*APOCALYPSE* as a referee with a redbelt is pretty astounding. Street's entrance, as usual is astounding. Super Mask jumping Street, unmasking himself as Perez, and producing a pair of scissors as Street begs off is astounding. Al Perez's babyface act being way more interesting in Southwest than it was in World Class is astounding. DICK MOTHERFUCKING MURDOCH is astounding. This whole angle is astounding, and a slam dunk extra.

 

Al Perez Interview

 

Perez accuses Street of being not just a coward, but - *gasp* - a feminist! Well, this does pre-date his Memphis work where he would beat the shit out of Miss Linda when he lost a match, although he is using her as a footstool to climb into the ring...I know wrestling isn't really known for being socially progressive. Maybe he could be considered a feminist by 1983 wrestling standards.

 

Butch Miller attacks Buddy Moreno

 

The Bushwhackers-to-be are BORN as Butch makes his debut, jumping Moreno after the bell, tying a clotheshanger around his throat, and stuffing the New Zealand flag in his mouth. Hell of a way to make a first impression. Feels like an extra.

 

Al Perez vs. Exotic Adrian Street (11/7/83)

 

This quickly turns into another great crazy, out-of-control brawl. Extra.

 

“Hangman” Bobby Jaggers vs. Exotic Adrian Street (12/5/83)

 

Jaggers lays in a beating, but it's unsurprisingly short-lived before Miss Linda jumps in.

 

“Ragin Bull” Manny Fernandez vs. Butch Miller (11/7/83)

 

Another match that quickly breaks down into a big brawl with the Commonwealth and the various faces. I thought this was one of the less interesting ones.

 

Relampago Leon vs. Exotic Adrian Street (11/14/83)

 

Extra.

 

Casey and Fernandez call out the Fabulous Blondes

 

They get Luke and Butch instead. These brawls are starting to bring me diminishing returns.

 

Scott Casey vs. Exotic Adrian Street (11/21/83)

 

OK, now I'm actively getting sick of this. Can we please have a fucking wrestling match already?!

 

Buddy Moreno & Al Perez vs. The Fabulous Blondes (Eric Embry & Ken Timbs) (11/21/83)

 

Now this is more like it. Really fun match. Embry and Timbs work as well together as you would expect. Perez is a great fired-up babyface brawler. I really have no idea how he got so dull in World Class. Moreno looked real good, too. I dug all the ways he kept evading the heels' attacks - jumping over them, sliding under them, slipping around them - before coming back with his own. Finish felt a bit sudden, and I think overall it falls a bit short of a nomination, but I did enjoy it.

 

Exotic Adrian Street vs. “Hangman” Bobby Jaggers (11/28/83)

 

Good match, as they actually get a little bit of time.

 

The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams) vs. Buddy Moreno & Relampago Leon (11/28/83)

 

Kind of a lousy match, but with a hot angle afterwords. The post-match brawls were starting to get too samey for me. This time, it really does feel like the Commonwealth Army went too far. Bobby Jaggers' angry promo really drives it home. "This man has a family just like you and me!" Feels like an extra.