Mid-South Wrestling January 23, 1982

by

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Airdate: January 23, 1982 (taped 01/20)

Attendance: unknown

Hosted by Boyd Pierce & “Cowboy” Bill Watts

Can JYD get the better of Sheik? Will Mr. Olympia capture gold, or will Orton convert him into cheap beer? How will DiBiase and Murdoch fare against Orndorff and Roop? Can this show keep giving us chocolatey goodness this week?

Opening montage.

Match 1: B. Brian Blair versus Tom Renesto
Highlights:

  • Blair hooked a sunset flip and got 1.
  • When Renesto reversed a cross corner whip, Blair floated over, rolled him up, and got 2.
  • He leapfrogged and fed Renesto a forearm smash.
  • As he dealt Renesto a shot to the midsection, Blair followed with a knee lift.
  • He slammed Renesto and scored with a knee drop.
  • After he mounted the second turnbuckle, Blair launched a flying elbow smash.
  • POINT OF ORDER: Moves from the top turnbuckle were considered illegal and cause for disqualification.
  • Nevertheless, Blair hooked an abdominal stretch, took Renesto down, and pinned him at 3:18.

Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for Blair.

Match 2: The Iron Sheik (w/ Gen. Skandor Akbar) versus Carlos Zapata
Highlights:

  • Joined in progress as Sheik flattened Zapata with a belly-to-belly suplex for 2.
  • He destroyed Zapata with a release German suplex and pinned him at 0:30 shown.

Rating: DUD
Summary: But wait! There’s more to the story!

After the match, Akbar places a plastic chair in the ring while the Shreveport faithful chants “U-S-A.” Sheik performs a sit-in protest while Akbar challenges JYD to a match against his charge.

Match 3: Junkyard Dog versus the Iron Sheik (w/ Gen. Skandor Akbar)
Highlights:

  • JYD nailed Sheik in the midsection and hooked an inside cradle for 2.
  • When Akbar jumped onto the apron, JYD tried to hammer him but missed.
  • He escaped a double-team by mule-kicking Akbar from the apron to the concrete floor.
  • As he clotheslined Sheik, JYD got 2.
  • He hoisted Sheik up for a powerslam, and Akbar, who jumped into the ring, got blasted by Sheik’s legs.
  • After JYD powerslammed Sheik, he annihilated Akbar.
  • He demolished Sheik with a forearm smash and pinned him at 1:32.

Rating: **
Summary: Although brief, JYD blew the roof off the Irish McNeil’s Boy’s Club by standing up for America and booting Sheik out of the territory.

Prior to the next match, ring announcer Reisor Bowden interviews Akbar who received a telegram stating Sheik was recalled to Iran and won’t appear. For those curious, Sheik migrated to Florida to work for Eddie Graham.

Match 4: The Wild Samoans (w/ Ernie Ladd) versus Jesse Barr & Tommy Wright
Highlights:

  • Afa tagged in and headbutted Wright.
  • As Sika tagged in, he leveled Wright and followed with a diving head butt.
  • Afa tagged in and chopped Wright so hard, the local steakhouse called for an order of beef.
  • When tags were exchanged on both sides, Barr gave Sika a cross corner whip followed by an Irish whip.
  • Sika countered a back drop attempt with a punt, and I’m surprised Watts didn’t recruit him to play for the Oklahoma Sooners.
  • Nevertheless, Wright tagged in only to get clobbered by Sika.
  • Landing a pair of head butts, Sika got 2.
  • He flattened Wright with a Samoan drop and pinned him at 2:40.

Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for the Wild Samoans.

Match 4: Mike George versus Carlos Zapata
Highlights:

  • Zapata hip-tossed George but got slammed.
  • As George slammed him again, he backdropped Zapata.
  • He fed Zapata a side-Russian leg sweep and pinned him at 2:15.

Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for George.

Match 5 for the NWA Mississippi title: Bob Orton (champion) versus Mr. Olympia
Highlights:

  • Olympia hip-tossed Orton who escaped a headscissors with a roll-up for 2.
  • When Orton fed him an airplane spin, Olympia gave him a cross corner whip followed by a flying headscissors.
  • Orton dealt him a knee lift, but Olympia rebounded with another hip toss.
  • As he dropkicked Orton, Olympia gave him another cross corner whip followed by a monkey flip.
  • He slammed Orton and hooked an inside cradle for 1.
  • After Olympia reversed a cross corner whip, Orton leaped to the second turnbuckle and steamrolled him.
  • He clotheslined Olympia and got 2.
  • While Orton attempted a piledriver, Olympia countered with a back drop.
  • Orton subsequently hooked a sunset flip, but Olympia escaped.
  • Hooking a sleeper, Olympia made Orton slumber like a baby.
  • Referee Jack Howe called for the bell, so Olympia won at 5:59.
  • WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

Rating: ***
Summary: Solid match as Olympia was one step ahead of Orton and captured some gold.

Match 6: Ted DiBiase & “Captain Redneck” Dick Murdoch versus “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff & Bob Roop
Highlights:

  • DiBiase tagged in and dropkicked Roop.
  • As Murdoch slammed Roop, DiBiase followed with a leg drop.
  • Orndorff tagged in, but DiBiase reversed an Irish whip and powerslammed him.
  • When DiBiase locked the figure-four leg lock, Orndorff ultimately reversed it.
  • DiBiase reversed it, so Roop baited Murdoch into the ring.
  • After referee Alfred Neely placed Murdoch back into the babyface corner, Roop nailed DiBiase with an elbow drop to break the hold.
  • All four wrestlers were in the ring, but Orndorff caught Murdoch with a knee to the back.
  • While Neely became collateral damage, he bumped to the concrete floor.
  • Orton jumped into the ring and piledrove DiBiase. How dastardly!
  • Meanwhile, Murdoch dumped Roop over the top rope.
  • DiBiase escaped instant paralysis via spike piledriver by backdropping Orndorff.
  • Destroying Orton with a brainbuster, Murdoch pinned him at 4:20.

Rating: ***
Summary: Wild action as Orton loses a match that he wasn’t even scheduled to participate.

Match 7: The “Polish Prince” Ed Wiskowski versus Terry Daniels
Highlights:

  • Wiskowski fed him a flying knee, but Daniels rolled him up quickly.
  • When Wiskowski slammed him, he mounted the second turnbuckle and flattened Daniels with a knee to the head.
  • He decimated Daniels with a backbreaker and pinned him at 2:26.

Rating: ½*
Summary: Showcase match for Wiskowski.

Match 8: Bill Ash versus Frank Monte
Highlights:

  • Monte hooked a crucifix and got 2.
  • As he reversed an Irish whip, Monte backdropped Ash.
  • He hooked a sunset flip for another 2.
  • When he dropkicked Ash, the bell rang to signal the time limit.
  • Referee Alfred Neely declared a draw at 3:58.

Rating: *
Summary: Just time filler.

Conclusion: Another home run episode with three entertaining matches all with clean finishes. Yes, the Orton pin in the tag match was meant to be funny. Nonetheless, it was exciting for both the Shreveport faithful and the viewer. Get all this!

Next week, DiBiase battles Roop! Also, JYD & George square off against Orton & Orndorff!

TV Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for MSW 01-30-82!

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