Mid-South Wrestling February 20, 1982

by

Taped from Shreveport, LA

Airdate: February 20, 1982 (taped 02/17)

Attendance: unknown

Hosted by Boyd Pierce & “Cowboy” Bill Watts

How will Rhodes fare against the “Polish Prince”? Can JYD and Olympia defeat Grappler and Sweetan? What’s the latest on Ladd and George?

Opening montage.

HEALTH UPDATE: According to Watts, the “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd underwent knee surgery in Columbus, GA. Mike George is still on the shelf due to his back.

Match 1: Cocoa Samoa versus Bill Ash

Highlights:

  • Ash connected with a back elbow and followed with a knee lift.
  • When Cocoa chopped him down, he headbutted Ash so hard that Ash must’ve thought disco was still in style.
  • Ash unleashed a forearm smash and landed a knee drop for 2.
  • As Cocoa scored with a kick to the midsection, he slammed Ash.
  • Cocoa chopped him again and delivered a leg drop.
  • After he mounted the second turnbuckle, Cocoa soared with a flying splash.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Cocoa won at 5:37.

Rating: *

Summary: Showcase match for Cocoa.

Backstage, Reisor Bowden interviews General Skandor Akbar who cuts a promo on Ladd and runs down all the babyfaces in a solid promo.

Match 2 (non-title): NWA Mid-South tag team champions the Wild Samoans (w/ General Skandor Akbar) versus B. Brian Blair & Frank Monte

Highlights:

  • Blair delivered a forearm smash, but it didn’t faze Afa.
  • As he dropkicked Afa, Blair also dropkicked an incoming Sika.
  • Monte tagged in but ate a head butt from Afa.
  • When Sika tagged in, Monte leapfrogged and nailed him.
  • Blair tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and lowered the boom onto Sika.
  • After he dropkicked Sika again, Blair gave him a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
  • Afa tagged in but missed a diving head butt.
  • While tags were exchanged on both sides, Afa destroyed Monte with a Samoan drop.
  • 1-2-3.
  • The Wild Samoans won at 3:12.

Rating: *

Summary: Showcase match for the Samoans, but Blair did what he could.

Match 3 (non-title): NWA North American champion Ted DiBiase versus Larry Higgins

Highlights:

  • DiBiase gave Higgins a cross corner whip and landed a knee drop.
  • When he clotheslined Higgins, DiBiase hooked a figure-four leg lock.
  • Higgins submitted; thus, DiBiase won at 3:16.

Rating: ½*

Summary: Showcase match for DiBiase.

Match 4: Bob Roop versus Rick Ferrera

Highlights:

  • Roop rolled up Ferrera and got 1.
  • As Ferrera hooked an inside cradle, he got 1.
  • He dealt Roop an atomic drop but ate a mule kick.
  • When Roop demolished him with a shoulder breaker, he pinned Ferrera at 3:30.

Rating: ½*

Summary: Showcase match for Roop. OK, that’s enough squash soup, am I right?

Match 5: Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia versus the Grappler & “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan

Highlights:

  • Olympia slammed Grappler but missed an elbow drop.
  • When Grappler slammed him, he too missed an elbow drop.
  • Olympia dropkicked Grappler and tagged out.
  • As JYD tackled Grappler, Sweetan intervened but also got tackled. What is this? LSU football in February?
  • Nevertheless, JYD slammed Grappler and tagged out.
  • After Olympia landed an elbow drop, each masked man tried to unmask the other.
  • Sweetan tagged in, but Olympia hooked an O’Connor roll for 2.
  • While tags were exchanged on both sides, JYD scored with a diving head butt.
  • Grappler rebounded with a slam but missed his own diving head butt.
  • Tagging in, Olympia planted Grappler in the midsection.
  • All four wrestlers were in the ring, and Olympia applied a sleeper to Grappler.
  • Since referee Jack Howe was preoccupied with JYD, Sweetan took full advantage and blasted Olympia. SNEAKY!
  • Sweetan tagged in, but Olympia locked a sleeper on him.
  • Escaping, Sweetan ricocheted off his partner.
  • Tags were exchanged on both sides again, and JYD headbutted Grappler out of the ring.
  • Interfering, Sweetan got powerslammed by JYD.
  • 1-2-3.
  • JYD and Olympia won at 5:37.

Rating: ***

Summary: Solid tag match where JYD and Olympia were too much for the heels this time.

Match 6: The “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes versus the “Polish Prince” Ed Wiskowski

Highlights:

  • Wiskowski gave Rhodes a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through.
  • As he nailed Rhodes in the midsection, Wiskowski ate some Flip, Flop, & Fly.
  • Rhodes unloaded a bionic elbow, but Wiskowski shook it off and slammed him.
  • When he mounted the second turnbuckle, Wiskowski leaped but ate knees on a splash attempt.
  • Rhodes scored with a flying elbow drop and pinned Wiskowski at 3:38.

Rating: **

Summary: More lopsided than I would have thought as Rhodes turned Wiskowski into Polish sausage.

Match 7: “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff versus Tony Torres

Highlights:

  • Torres countered a slam attempt with an inside cradle for 2.
  • When Orndorff chopped Torres, he unloaded a knee drop.
  • He slammed Torres, followed with an elbow drop, and got 2.
  • As he dropkicked Torres, Orndorff hooked a figure-four leg lock as a subtle jab to DiBiase.
  • Torres submitted; therefore, Orndorff won at 2:56.

Rating: *

Summary: Showcase match for Orndorff.

Conclusion: Truly a one-match show with a plethora of star power. If I may, JYD is over like Rover, and his match with Olympia kept the Shreveport faithful on the edge of its seat.

Otherwise, Rhodes dominated Wiskowski while Orndorff, DiBiase, Roop, Cocoa, and the Samoans showcased their wares.

Next week, DiBiase defends the North American title against Grappler!

TV Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for MSW 02-27-82!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).