Taped from Shreveport, LA
Airdate: March 27, 1982 (taped 03/17)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Boyd Pierce & Jim Ross
What’s happening this week with Orndorff? How will JYD fare teaming with Kox against the Samoans? Can Olympia survive against a hungry and tenacious Blanchard? You don’t want to miss a minute of this.
Opening montage.
We revisit last week when Gang cost Ted DiBiase the North American title.
In the ring, ring announcer Reisor Bowden interviews Orndorff who runs down Roop. He uncovers that Roop sabotaged Orndorff’s chance to become North American champion. While cutting a promo on Roop, Orndorff states he’s on a quest to both win the title and get his mitts on Roop. Solid promo!
Match 1: “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff versus Coco Samoa
Highlights:
- Coco blocked a hip toss and fed Orndorff one of his own.
- When Orndorff leapfrogged Coco, he missed a dropkick.
- Orndorff dealt Coco a stungun and landed an elbow smash.
- As Coco gave him a cross corner whip, Orndorff exploded from the corner with a lariat.
- He powerslammed and pinned Coco at 3:35.
Rating: ½*
Summary: Showcase match for Orndorff.
Prior to the next match, Orndorff re-enters the ring and instructs both Bowden and Landel to leave. He wants Roop one-on-one. As Roop tries to scamper away, Orndorff cuts him off before launching him back into the ring. He blasts and clotheslines Roop while referee Alfred Neely begs for some help to stop the onslaught.
After Orndorff dropkicks Roop, Ferrera stupidly tries to intervene and eats a knuckle sandwich. Boyer doesn’t learn quickly enough as he tries to stop things, but Orndorff knocks him into the middle of 1984. Although Blanchard successfully pulls him off Roop, Orndorff backdrops him over the top rope to the concrete floor.
Match 2 (non-title): Mid-South North American champion Bob Roop versus Buddy Landel
Highlights:
- No match.
Rating: NONE
REAL Match 2: “Iron” Mike Sharpe versus Mike Boyer
Highlights:
- Sharpe backdropped Boyer who retaliated with a forearm shiver.
- When Sharpe reversed a cross corner whip, he backdropped Boyer again.
- Boyer rebounded with a knee lift, but Sharpe dealt him a third back drop.
- As he hooked a Canadian backbreaker, Sharpe won at 3:50.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Sharpe.
Match 3 (non-title): Mid-South tag team champions the Wild Samoans (w/ General Skandor Akbar) versus Junkyard Dog & Killer Karl Kox
Highlights:
- JYD tagged in, pounded Afa, and got 2.
- As Kox tagged in, he landed a knee drop for another 2.
- He shocked Afa with a back elbow but couldn’t get 3.
- When the Samoans baited JYD into the ring, referee Alfred Neely became distracted.
- That permitted the heels to double-team Kox like he owed them money. How dastardly!
- After Kox escaped the skullduggery, JYD tagged in and clobbered Sika with a lariat for 2.
- Akbar tugged on his leg, so JYD took matters into his own hands and yanked his keffiyeh off.
- While Sika protected his manager with a cheap shot, he scored with a diving head butt.
- Afa tagged in, and the heels double-teamed JYD.
- Having seen enough shenanigans, Kox entered the fray and conducted a meeting of the minds.
- All four wrestlers remained in the ring, and the Samoans double-headbutted Kox out of the ring.
- Next, the heels double-clotheslined JYD and chose to make a second attempt.
- JYD ducked the double clothesline and steamrolled the Samoans.
- Suddenly, Akbar jumped onto the apron only to feel the wrath of a JYD slam.
- JYD threw Neely out of the ring, but the numbers game caught up to him.
- With malice and forethought, Kox brought his trenching tool into the ring and WHACKED both Samoans with it.
- JYD made the cover, and he and Kox won at 4:54.
- The Shreveport faithful LOST ITS DAMN MIND!
Rating: ***
Summary: Exciting tag match with four brawlers who knew how to get each other over. It worked as the Shreveport faithful leaped out of their seats when the decision was rendered. Interestingly, the babyfaces implemented chicanery to turn the tables on a rather frustrated Akbar.
Match 4: One Man Gang (w/ General Skandor Akbar) versus Terry Gibbs
Highlights:
- Gibbs tried shoulder blocks, but Gang impersonated a brick wall.
- When Gibbs attempted to dropkick him, Gang swatted him away like a fly.
- Gibbs tried a cross body block, but Gang caught and split him in two with a backbreaker.
- As he slammed Gibbs, Gang SQUISHED him with a splash.
- 1-2-3.
- Gang won at 1:21.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Gang.
Match 5 (non-title): Mid-South Mississippi champion Mr. Olympia versus Tully Blanchard
Highlights:
- Olympia reversed a cross corner whip and backdropped Blanchard.
- As Ross rattled off Blanchard’s athletic background, Olympia blocked a hip toss.
- POINT OF ORDER: You’d better get used to Ross’ appreciation of wrestlers’ collegiate achievements.
- Nevertheless, Olympia dealt Blanchard a hip toss of his own, ducked a back elbow, and dropkicked him.
- When he gave Blanchard a cross corner whip, Olympia failed to monkey-flip him.
- Blanchard delivered an elbow drop and got 2.
- After he slammed Olympia, Blanchard got another 2.
- Blanchard attempted to suplex him, but Olympia blocked and suplexed him instead for 2.
- While he slammed Blanchard, he only got 1.
- He slammed Blanchard again but ate knees on a splash attempt.
- Floating atop Olympia immediately, Blanchard got 2.
- He planted Olympia with a backbreaker, tried to pin him with his feet on the second rope, but referee Jack Howe SHUT THAT SHIT DOWN.
- Flustered, Blanchard sought to knock Howe’s lights out.
- On the other hand, Olympia hooked an inside cradle.
- 1-2-3.
- Olympia won at 5:58.
Rating: **
Summary: Blanchard’s got a lot of moxie, but his temper cost him dearly.
Match 6: Jesse Barr versus Rick Ferrera
Highlights:
- Barr leapfrogged Ferrera and followed with a dropkick.
- When he slammed Ferrera, Barr tried an O’Connor roll but was denied.
- Ferrara fed Barr an atomic drop, took him down with a snap mare, and got 2.
- As Barr hooked a sunset flip, he got 2.
- He trapped Ferrara in an inside cradle for another 2.
- After Ferrara locked Barr with his own inside cradle, he got 2.
- Barr bridged into a backslide and got 2.
- With one minute left, Barr monkey-flipped Ferrara for another 2.
- The bell rang, and referee Alfred Neely ruled the bout a time-limit draw at 3:39.
Rating: **
Summary: Solid wrestling, but Barr should have gone over to finish the show.
Conclusion: The tag match alone is worth the price of admission.
Nonetheless, Blanchard shows his wares but falls short to the Mississippi champion. Both Pierce and Ross put Gang over HUGE on this episode. Also, Orndorff’s on a mission to destroy Roop, and methinks nobody’s going to stop him.
Next week, JYD and Olympia clash with Blanchard and some dude named Ferris.
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for MSW 04-03-82!
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