Mid-South Wrestling Tape #1

[Guest Dark Pegasus]

Mid-South Wrestling Tape #1

 

By Dark Pegasus

 

“(Mid-South was) what pro wrestling should be when everything makes logical sense and it clicks on all cylinders, by Professor Watts.” -- Dave Meltzer, 1998 W.O.N.

 

• This is the first in a series of reviews of www.GoldenboyTapes.com’s collection of TV shows from the Mid-South area. This collection is 21 tapes spanning the last two and a half years of the existence of the Mid-South (and later the UWF).

 

• What is Mid-South? Mid-South was a regional promotion in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. It was started in the late 1970’s by “Cowboy” Bill Watts who was a perennial NWA Title contender during his career. The ratings for Watts’s shows rivaled, and often surpassed, those of the WWF. Later, Watts tried to go national by changing MSW to the Universal Wrestling Federation. When the base territory’s economy went under, so did the UWF’s support. Mounting expenses and dwindling income forced Watts to sell the UWF to Jim Crockett Promotions in late 1987.

 

• A word on ratings: The first few tapes switch off between “Houston Wrestling,” which was Paul Boesche’s TV show from the Houston Coliseum and “Mid-South Wrestling,” which was Bill Watts’s show from the Irish McNeil Boys’ Club in Louisiana. Most of the MSW matches are just squashes. To save space, I’ll just give the results unless something major happens. Houston Wrestling matches were always bigger matches, but clipped for TV. I’ll give you my best estimate on those.

 

KHTV - Houston, TX. (Mid-1985)

 

Your hosts are Joel Watts and Jim Ross for the MSW TV show and Peter Birkholz and/or Paul Boesche for Houston Wrestling.

 

• NWA Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair vs. Magnum TA

 

Like most of Houston Wrestling, this is clipped to the end with Flair bumping the ref, then crotching Magnum on the ropes. The ref recovers and counts the pinfall. Wahoo McDaniel waddles out and chases Flair out of the ring to set up their title match. [NR]

 

• The Fantastics def. Pat Rose & Tommy Pritchard after a missile dropkick into a German Suplex.

 

• Kamala & Karim Muhammed def. Jason Walker & Frankie Lane after a double splash on Walker. After the match, heel manager Skandor Akbar has words for Jim Duggan and Bill Watts.

 

• Houston Wrestling: A match between Jim Duggan and Kamala breaks down into an uncontrollable brawl. Refs start flying everywhere and both guys are bleeding. Duggan tries to get to Akbar, but Kamala won’t let him. Finally, Brickhouse Brown and The Armstrongs make the save. Duggan gets on the stick and says he wants Akbar and he doesn’t care how. Wild brawl.

 

• Dick Murdock def. Randy Beason after an elbow drop. Murdock is a baby face former marine.

 

• Buddy Roberts (w/Michael Hayes) def. Terry Daniels after a bulldog. The Freebirds continue beating Daniels until Dick Murdock runs out and makes the save.

 

• MSW TV Title: The Snowman vs. Dutch Mantell.

 

The Snowman is not Al Snow, but a black guy more in the Booker T mold. Dutch looks like Bob Segar and A-Train had a kid. Eddie Gilbert is sitting at ringside scouting the Snowman. Mantell cheats like a bastard and Snowman acts like Orlando Jordan on crack. Mantell gets frustrated and grabs his trusty whip “shoo baby” drawing the automatic DQ. Snowman pushes Gilbert out of his chair and tosses it at Mantell. Dutch smacks Snowman over the head with the chair, but since he’s black, he’s impervious to head trauma. Hey, it’s not my rule. Snowman chases both men back to the dressing room setting up a rematch. *¼

 

• North American Title: The Nightmare (w/Eddie Gilbert) vs. Brad Armstrong.

 

The Nightmare is the NA Champion, which makes him “the man” in MSW. He looks like a poor man’s Vader. Armstrong is the brother of future WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPION OF THE WOOOORRRRLLLLLDD, Road Dog Jesse Jammes! You know what’s really sad? Somebody asked me who that was the other day. Armstrong tries to outquick the Nightmare, but my spell checker tells me that’s not a word, so Nightmare posts him on the outside and finishes him with the piledriver. **

 

• MSW Tag Team Titles: Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs. The Guerrero Brothers

 

JIP. The Guerreros are Hector and Chavo Sr. Dibiase was one of the top three workers in North America at this point. Williams you probably already know as the Oklahoma football guy that isn’t Jim Ross. The Guerreros start to win, so Dibiase gets frustrated and clocks Chavo with a bandolero. The heels then hang Chavo over the top rope with said bandolero. The ref finally throws the match out. This sets up a bandelero-on-a-pole match. **½

 

• MSW Tag Team Titles: Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express.

 

Dibiase trash talks Morton. Ricky dropkicks both men down and then the RnR do stereo dropkicks and stereo monkey flips. Morton nearly scores the upset off of a huracanrana. Gibson actually winds up playing Ricky Morton. He makes the HOT TAG~! to Morton and the RnR hit their double dropkick finisher on Williams. The ref gets bumped in the process, though. Dibiase loads up his glove and takes a swing at Gibson…RICKY DUCKS AND ROLLS HIM UP…ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR…Whaaaa? The ref is distracted by Ricky Morton. Williams sneaks in and takes Gibson’s head off with a clothesline. Dibiase scores the pin. ***¼

 

• Bandelero on a Pole Match: Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs. The Guerrero Brothers.

 

JIP near the end. Chavo scales the pole, but Williams drags him off. Hector (spitting image of Eddy) scampers up the pole, but Williams pulls his trunks to stop him. Williams tries to tag out and then go get the bandolero, but the ref tells him you can’t do that. Hector pulls down Dibiase’s trunks to keep him from going up. The match breaks down with all four men in the ring. Dr. Death climbs up and grabs the bandolero. Dibiase holds Chavo for a finishing blow, but Hector takes out Williams before it can happen. The Guerreros double team Dibiase with the bandolero for the win and a huge pop. ***¾

 

• The Nightmare vs. ???

 

Terry Taylor, the former NA Champion, comes out and says that he wants a title shot. Dibiase interrupts and says Taylor never game him a shot when Taylor beat him. Dibiase says he and Taylor should have a match to determine the #1 contender. Terry tells Ted to blow it out his ass. Dibiase slaps him so...

 

• Ted Dibiase vs. Terry Taylor.

 

Dibiase goes for the figure-four early, but Taylor kicks him away and dropkicks him for two. Jim Ross reminds us that Taylor was the one who defeated Dibiase for the NA Title. Taylor, btw, is most famously remembered as the Red Rooster in the WWE or as a booker for both WCW and the WWE. Dibase backs him into the corner but gets sunset flipped for two. Taylor tries a slam, but collapses and nearly loses. Taylor nails a wicked clothesline, but Dibiase delivers a knee breaker and locks him in the figure-four. Terry makes the ropes. Now, Taylor starts working the leg. (Both men were masters of the figure-four leglock) The ref tries to separate them in the corner, enabling Dibiase to load up his glove and finish Taylor with the power of the punch. ****

 

• MSW TV Title: The Snowman vs. Dutch Mantell.

 

Dutch rakes the eyes, but the Snowman punches a mudhole in the corner. The ref gets bumped while trying to tear Snowman off of Mantell. Snowman looks to be in good shape until The Nightmare runs down and piledrives him on the concrete. The ref recovers and counts the Snowman out, giving Mantell the TV title medallion. *

 

• Kamala & Karim Muhammed def. Don Sanders & Glen Holdbrook after double splashes.

 

• Steve Williams def. Wendell Cooley with a clothesline.

 

• Jake Roberts & The Barbarian def. Frankie Lane & Terry Daniels when Jake hit Lane with the DDT (the Stone Cold Stunner of its day). Big face pops for Jake and Barbie.

 

• Al Perez (debut) def. Tom Pritchard in under 10 seconds with the belly-to-back suplex.

 

• The Fantastics def. Paul Brown & the Red Raider when Rogers hit Brown with a splash.

 

• Karim Mohammed def. Frankie Kane with a diving headbutt.

 

• Kamala (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Jim Duggan (No DQ).

 

Houston Wrestling: JIP. Kamala is thrashing Duggan with a riding crop. Kinky. Duggan makes the mistake of going after Akbar. Kamala jumps him from behind, but Duggan fights out of it. Kamala misses a charge, and both men collide for a double KO. Kamala gets a handful of powder, but it backfires and Kamala falls out of the ring for a countout. Mohammed waddles down and the heels take turns squashing Duggan. Akbar gets in a few humiliating shots as well and Duggan is left laying. Intense. **

 

• NWA Heavyweight Title: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. Wahoo McDaniel (7/12/85)

 

Houston Wrestling, JIP: Wahoo gets a sleeper but gets shoved into referee, Carl Fergie. Flair cheats to win, but there’s no ref. Wahoo makes a comeback as Fergie recovers. Wahoo looks to be on the verge of a title win when he accidentally pushes Fergie out of the ring, drawing a DQ. Only Flair could save this. **

 

• Butch Reed Music Video: Joel Watts produced these videos to help wrestlers get over. In this one, Joel, Butch Reed and friends break dance. Kinda embarrassing.

 

• MSW TV Title: Dutch Mantell vs. Terry Taylor

 

Taylor hits him with the Fivearm, but Mantell falls outside. Dutch rolls him up and pulls the tights, but Taylor still kicks out. The ref gets tossed aside and Mantell hits Taylor with “Shoo Baby” to put him out. Mantell finishes a huge upset with the MX (face buster suplex). **¼

 

• Karim Mohammed vs. Jim Duggan.

 

If Duggan wins, he gets a match with Akbar. Duggan goes after Akbar, so Kamala comes out and we get a repeat of what happened last time as the heels leave Duggan laid out. Al Perez, The Fantastics, and Mark Ragin make the save. ¼*

 

• MSW Tag Titles: Ted Dibaise & Steve Williams vs. Frankie Lane & Terry Daniels.

 

But wait! Jake Roberts and the Barbarian jump in and argue (rightly) that the jobbers don’t deserve a shot. Jake challenges them on the spot, but Dibiase says they are obligated to face the jobbers. Jake says well if that’s the only obstacle…Jake and the Barbarian destroy Lane and Daniels much to the crowd’s delight. Jake points out that the champs are now without opponents. Dibiase says that Mid-South makes the matches, not him. Matchmaker, Grizzly Smith, saunters out and tells Jake he won’t be threatened into making the match. Ted gloats. But, Smith says, he’ll make it anyway. Dibiase and Williams freak out and bail with the tag titles. They threaten legal action. GREAT ANGLE!

 

• Mark Ragin & Brickhouse Brown def. Paul Brown & the Red Raider after a Ragin dropkick on Brown.

 

• Al Perez def. Pat Rose after the belly-to-back.

 

• Fantastics Music Video: Tommy and Bobby doing incredibly gay stuff. I’m not one to look for homosexual leanings in wrestling, but when you have Rogers closing the tanning bed and Fulton opens it and gives the camera a big “thumbs up”, you know something is going on.

 

• MSW Tag Titles: Ted Dibiase & the Barbarian vs. The Guerrero Brothers.

 

Houston Wrestling, JIP: The heels are enjoying working over Chavo. Chavo rolls up Doc, but crawls to the wrong corer. Dibiase gets a sleeper, but gets rammed to the buckle. He loads up the glove as Doc cuts off a tag. Hector and Chavo double team Dibiase and steal his loaded glove. Referee, Alberto Madril, argues with Chavo and takes the glove from him. Chavo covers Dibiase and gets a slow two. Ominous music. Chavo has words with Madril and covers Dibiase again. Madril refuses to count, and instead blasts Chavo with the loaded glove. Dibiase covers and Madril counts a quick 1,2,3. This one is on the Monsters of the Mat DVD in full. ***¾

 

Chavo is pissed and challenge Madril to a match. Madril says the Guerreros hit him first and accepts.

 

• Mike Graham def. Tom Pritchard with a figure-four. Mike is the son of Florida promoter Eddie Graham, a Watts family friend. Remember that for later.

 

• The Nightmare, Eddie Gilbert, and the returning Sir Oliver Humperdink join us. Humperdink says he’s back in MSW and will now be managing the Nightmare. Gilbert objects, so Humperdink tries to placate him with a cut in pay and a lesser position. Gilbert storms out. Good stuff.

 

• The Nightmare (w/Humperdink) def. Frankie Lane with a piledriver.

 

• Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams def. Mark Ragin & Brickhouse Brown when Doc hits Brown with the Stampede.

 

Joel tells us that Dibiase/Williams vs. Jake Roberts/Barbarian has been added to the Coliseum show.

 

• Dibiase confirms that he did pay off Madril. He says that if you give a Mexican a couple Tacos, he’ll sell out his grandmother. Ooooh…

 

• MSW TV Title: Dutch Mantell vs. Dick Murdock. But wait! Dibiase jumps in and picks a fight with Murdock for claiming he got Dibiase in to West Texas. Murdock says Dibiase was too stupid t get in on his own. Mantell and Dibiase beat Dick senseless until Butch Reed makes the save. Remember that for later. Great angle!

 

• Butch Reed def. Mark Hawk after a spear.

 

• The Bounty Hunters (w/Skandor Akbar) vs. Mark Nicholls & Wendell Cooley. The Bounty Hunters are a couple of twin fat guys Akbar brought in to take out Duggan and Watts. Hunter #1 slingshots Nichols into a clothesline from Hunter #2 for the win.

 

NOTE: For some reason the Kamala/Mohammed vs. Watts/Duggan match appears twice. I’ll hold off recapping it until it’s more appropriate.

 

• Jake Roberts & The Barbarian def. The Red Raider & Larry Clarke when Jake hits Clarke with the Ddt.

 

• Another Fantastics music video: Bobby and Tommy hitchhike their way to the arena. We see some PG shots of women’s asses set to ZZ Top’s “Tush.” They will take on Bill Dundee and Dutch Mantell in Houston.

 

• Kamala & Karim Muhammed vs. Bill Watts & Jim Duggan

 

Houston Wrestling, JIP: Duggan is getting squashed by the big men. Watts comes down and makes the save, emptying the ring of the heels. Duggan chases Akbar, but only gets a shred of his clothes. The heels leave and get disqualified. Lame given the build, but it’s not over.

 

• The Fantastics vs. Pat Rose & Tom Pritchard

 

Bill Dundee comes out and slaps Bobby Fulton in the face for no real reason. Fulton knocks him out of the ring and the Fantastics squash the jobbers until Dutch Mantell comes down and attacks them, drawing the DQ. Dundee holds Fulton as Mantell whips him with “Shoo Baby.” No match.

 

• Kamala & Karim Muhammed def. Frankie Lane & Wendell Cooley after a Kamala splash on Lane.

 

• Butch Reed vs. Tom Pritchard

 

BUT WAIT! Ted Dibiase jumps in the ring and challenges Reed because Dibiase wants to be the #1 contender for the NWA title.

 

• Butch Reed vs. Ted Dibiase

 

The formula for the match is that Reed uses a headlock…a lot, and Dibiase pulls the tights when the ref isn’t looking…a lot. Dibiase counters a headlock to a backdrop suplex and goes to the chinlock. Reed fights back up and rams Ted into the buckle. Dibiase begs off, but Reed tosses him and dropkicks him. Reed shoots him off and they collide for a double KO. Dibiase loads up the glove as the ref checks on Reed. Dibiase tries to drop the loaded fist between Reed’s eyes, but Butch rolls out of the way and hits Dibiase with the flying shoulderblock moments later to gain a huge victory. Good stuff. ***

 

• Bill Watts & Jim Duggan def. The Bounty Hunters after a double backdrop.

 

• MSW TV Title: Dutch Mantell vs. Mike Graham.

 

BUT WAIT! Skandor Akbar interrupts, fires the Bounty Hunters, and says MSW isn't big enough for he and Watts. He challenges Watts to come back out and wrestle him in loser-leaves-town match. Watts comes down, but it was all a setup as Mohammed and Kamala attack and they try to light Watts' face on fire. Graham comes to his aid, but winds up taking the fireball to the face instead. The locker room empties for HUGE BRAWL. INCREDIBLE ANGLE!

 

• Chavo Guerrero talks about how Alberto Madril stabbed him in the back. Madril gives a counterpoint. He’s an awesomely obnoxious heel. Like an Hispanic Buff Bagwell.

 

• North American Title: The Nighmare def. Brickhouse Brown after a piledriver.

 

• Al Perez def. Steve Williams by DQ. Perez hit the belly-to-back, but Dibiase broke up the pin.

 

• Dick Murdock vs. Mark Hawk. Grizzly Smith interrupts and says Murdock was injured and can't wrestle. Humperdink comes out and calls him a pussy (in nicer terms). Murdock comes out and finishes Hawk quickly.

 

• Chavo Guerrero vs. Alberto Madril

 

Madril extends a handshake, so Chavo kicks him. Lie, cheat, steal. Boesche mentions Chavo’s little brothers. Yeah, whatever happened to that little one…Eddy? Madril dominates the match, but his moveset leaves a lot to be desired. Chavo rams Madril into the ringpost and claws at his eyes. We know this because Madril points to his eyes and says “owww!!” The ref gets bumped and Chavo huracanrana’s Madril into a cover. Ted Dibiase slides in and counts the pinfall, tricking Chavo into thinking he’s won. Dibiase takes a wild swing, but Chavo ducks and atomic drops Ted over the top. The ref recovers, sees what’s going on, and DQ’s Madril. Hector comes down and chases Madril and Dibiase to the back. **

 

• Ted Dibiase & Steve Williams vs. Jake Roberts & The Barbarian

 

Barbarian and Williams tug each other’s dicks over whose full-nelson is stronger. Guys, IT’S A FULL-NELSON! NO ONE CARES! Barbarian busts out an armdrag! Jake gets caught in the wrong corner and plays Ricky Morton and the heels take turns with their usual. Dibiase tries to put him away with the sleeper, but Jake counters to a jawbreaker and makes the HOT TAG~! to Barbie. Barbarian goes all Goldberg on the heels and puts Williams in the Full Nelson. The ref gets bumped in all the commotion. Dibiase loads up the glove and nails Barbarian from behind. There’s no ref, so Jake sneaks in, DDTs Dibiase, and puts Barbarian on top. The ref recovers and counts three! Wow! ***¾

 

• MSW TV Title: Dutch Mantell vs. Butch Reed

 

Not sure what happened here. Mantell jumps Reed with “Shoo Baby” and Bill Dundee tries to help put Reed away. Reed sends them both running as Ross declares him ready for Flair. At any rate, Butch Reed wound up with the TV Title. Winner and New TV Champion?: BUTCH REED. ¼*

 

• Dick Murdock vs. Karl Stiles

 

Oliver Humperdink and the Nightmare interrupt. They buy off Stiles and declare that Murdock has a new opponent…

 

• Humongous vs. Dick Murdock

 

Humongous walks down the aisle. This one is played by Jeff Van Camp. Others include Sid Vicious and Bull Buchanan. He’s based on the guy from The Road Warrior right down to the mask. Humongous no-sells everything and finishes Murdock off with the shinni no make (Million Dollar Dream.) This would be like if someone came in and no sold the Undertaker (including the Tombstone and Last Ride.) Despite this being a total squash, it gets points for putting over a new star on the spot. ¼*

 

• Jake Roberts & The Barbarian def. Ken Glover & The Mongol with the DDT when Jake hit the Mongol with the DDT.

 

• Ted Dibiase def. Wendell Cooley with a figure-four leglock.

 

• Al Perez def. Jerry Grey with a belly-to-back.

 

• The Nightmare def. Jerry Backlund with a piledriver.

 

• Texas Tornado Match — Jim Duggan & Bill Watts vs. Steve Williams & Karim Muhammed (w/Akbar):

 

Williams is subbing for Kamala, who no-showed. Akbar tosses a foreign (tee hee) object to a recovering Mohammed, but Duggan grabs it and blasts Mohammed for the victory. Williams made a world of difference to the quality of the match (no sarcasm necessary.)

 

-Replay of the Fantastics and Dundee/Mantell confrontation from last week.

 

• “Superstar” Bill Dundee vs. Bobby Fulton

 

Fulton charges into the corner and takes a boot to the face. He bumps referee Carl Fergie on the rebound enabling Dundee to get the Top Rope Vertical Splash (Whoopie Cushion to Doink fans) to finish Fulton off.

 

Mantell comes down and they tear up Fulton’s jacket. OH TAG! Sorry, couldn’t resist. Tommy Rogers comes down and they four guys brawl.

 

-Recap of Humongous squashing Murdock.

 

• Humongous def. Mark Ragin with the shinni no make.

 

• North American Title: Nightmare vs. Eddie Gilbert.

 

Gilbert goes after the mask to disorient the Nightmare, which is a good strategy. Nightmare tosses Gilbert to the mat and Humperdink takes a swipe at him. The ref admonishes Humperdink, giving the Nightmare the opportunity to load up the mask and headbutt Gilbert. A piledriver finishes moments later. Best Nightmare match so far. **

 

• “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan def. Karl Stiles with a spear.

 

-We get highlights of the Dibiase/Williams vs. Roberts/Barbarian match at the Houston Coliseum before the tape ends.

 

Final Thoughts: Tough call. MSW was in transition at this point, phasing Bill Dundee out as a booker and Watts and Co. back in. The result is kind of like coming in to a series like The Sopranos or 24 right in the middle and not knowing what in the hell is going on. Some of the really good Houston matches are available on the Monsters of the Mat DVDs and those are really the only “workrate friendly” matches out there. The rest is purely angle advancement.

 

Thumbs in the middle leaning towards down for MSW Tape #1 from Goldeboytapes.com

 

Next time: Dibiase goes on a tour of All Japan, so he brings in Bob Sweetan to take his place. Al Perez and Wendell Cooley step it up. A new North American Champion is crowned. Karim and Kamala take a tumble. Duggan finally gets his hands on Akbar, but will he regret it? Dick Slater makes his return to the territory and brings the mysterious woman known as Dark Journey. Loose cannon Buzz Sawyer also returns and makes a big impact. All that and Ric Flair gives MSW a devastating ultimatum!

 

Dark Pegasus

[DCMaximo 0]

Wow, nice work. Sounds like interesting stuff and the recap style was very enjoyable.

[Guest Dark Pegasus]

Thanks! I was worried it would be a little awkard since I'm used to reviewing matches and not "TV stuff" like angles and interviews.