Taped from Shreveport, LA
Airdate: May 8, 1982 (taped 04/28)
Attendance: unknown
Hosted by Boyd Pierce & Ted DiBiase
Can JYD retain the Louisiana title? Or will Sweetan steal both his title and momentum? Who wins when Ladd and Sharpe encounter Gang and Assassin? What’s up with DiBiase? How will Roop fare against Landel? Since it’s Mother’s Day weekend, Watts offers us…
Opening montage.
We revisit last week when Murdoch CREAMED Duggan with his entrenchment tool en route to victory. For those unaware, Duggan was a heel at this point in his career, believe it or not.
Match 1: “Captain Redneck” Dick Murdoch versus Larry Higgins
Highlights:
Murdoch backdropped Higgins and landed a flying elbow drop. 1-2-3. Murdoch won at 2:28.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Murdoch.
Match 2 (non-title): Mid-South North American champion Bob Roop versus Buddy Landel
Highlights:
Roop fed Landel a knee to the midsection and got 2. As Landel reversed an Irish whip, he reciprocated by dealing Roop an elbow to the midsection. Roop rebounded with a slam but couldn’t achieve a 1-count. When he attempted another slam, Landel countered with a sunset flip for 2. He slammed Roop twice and scored with an elbow drop for another 2.
After Roop reversed an Irish whip, Landel tried to wrangle him with an O’Connor roll. On the other hand, Roop ducked causing Landel to clothesline himself with the top rope. Roop flattened Landel with a high knee and pinned him at 4:42.
Rating: *
Summary: Showcase match for Roop with Landel getting a hope spot to no avail. Obviously, better days were ahead for Landel.
Match 3 (non-title): Mid-South Mississippi champion Mr. Olympia versus Ken Wayne
Highlights:
Wayne charged (and convicted), but Olympia backdropped him. When Wayne missed a clothesline, Olympia dropkicked him. He gorilla-press-slammed Wayne and followed with a pair of elbow drops. As he trapped Wayne in a sleeper, Olympia won at 2:57.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Showcase match for Olympia who should have handcuffed Wayne following the victory.
Match 4: One Man Gang & the Assassin (w/ General Skandor Akbar) versus the “Big Cat” Ernie Ladd & “Iron” Mike Sharpe
Highlights:
The babyfaces jumped Gang and Assassin before the bell, and the war was ON. As Ladd and Gang fought in the corner, Sharpe secured a bear hug on Assassin. Ladd tagged in and unloaded a big boot to Assassin. When Gang tagged in, a battle of the behemoths commenced. Sharpe distracted referee Jack Howe, so Assassin got a cheap shot onto Ladd. SNEAKY!
After Ladd backed him onto the first turnbuckle, he clocked Gang who fell with a LOUD thud.
From the apron, Sharpe dealt Gang a knee and guillotined him with the top rope. Assassin tagged in but he also ate a knee and guillotine from Sharpe. Speaking of Sharpe, he tagged in and dropkicked Assassin. He hip-tossed Assassin and got 2. While Sharpe came off the ropes, Gang blasted him with a knee to the oblique. How dastardly!
Ladd distracted Howe this time, so Assassin snared Sharpe in a Boston crab. Meanwhile, Gang demolished the prone Sharpe with an elbow drop. Devious! Ladd came to Sharpe’s rescue and continued his onslaught against Gang. Devilishly, the heels attempted the same punishment to Ladd, but DiBiase left the broadcast table to storm the ring. Uh oh! That’ll cost ‘im! Nevertheless, Howe called for the bell, so Gang and Assassin won by DQ at 5:02.
Rating: **
Summary: Exciting tag match with two giants in the ring, and nefariousness by the heels causing DiBiase to lose his cool.
After the match, DiBiase destroys Gang with a flurry before dumping him to the concrete floor. Ladd sends the Assassin reeling as the babyfaces stand tall albeit with Sharpe hurtin’ for certain.
Prior to the next match, Roop joined the broadcast table to replace DiBiase much to Pierce’s dismay.
Match 5 for the Mid-South Louisiana title: Junkyard Dog (champion) versus “Bruiser” Bob Sweetan
Highlights:
JYD blocked a hip toss and dealt Sweetan one of his own. When JYD slammed him, Sweetan took a powder, returned, pounded him, and scored with an elbow drop for 2. JYD rebounded with a head butt, gave Sweetan a cross corner whip, and knocked Sweetan into the middle of Dream Street.
As Sweetan laid in the bruising, JYD began to no-sell, connected with jabs, and hip-tossed Sweetan for a second time. A three-point tackle by JYD sent Sweetan flailing to the concrete floor. After Sweetan returned to the apron, Sweetan leveled both JYD and by proxy referee Alfred Neely. Sweetan mounted the top turnbuckle, but JYD caught and powerslammed him practically through the mat. Impressive! 1-2-3. JYD retained at 3:35.
Rating: **
Summary: The powerslam off the top turnbuckle is a sight to behold.
Match 6: Rick Ferrera versus Ron Cheatham
Highlights:
Time-filler time as the title match ended early. By the way, does anyone know if Cheatham went to law school? I heard he was a partner in a firm with Howe, and Dewey? Nonetheless, Cheatham fed Ferrera a knee to the midsection and followed with a dropkick. Ferrera rebounded with a vertical suplex, rolled up Cheatham, but they were too close to the ropes. As Cheatham slammed him, Ferrera countered a second attempt with an inside cradle. 1-2-3. Ferrera won at 3:12.
Rating: DUD
Summary: Pierce referred to this match as a “standby” match. Personally, I’d call it something else.
A rather subdued and contrite DiBiase returns to the broadcast table for a brief chat. Afterward, he states that he isn’t “a wealthy man” with respect to the upcoming fine. That, in kayfabe, would change significantly in the coming years.
Match 7: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan & the Grappler versus Jesse Barr & Coco Samoa
Highlights:
Coco tagged in, but Grappler fed him a knee to the midsection for 2. When Coco delivered a flying headscissors, Barr tagged in but fell victim to an atomic drop. Grappler tagged out, so Duggan sandwiched Barr in the corner before slamming him. As Grappler tagged in, he backdropped Barr. Coco tagged in with one minute left.
After he flattened Grappler with a chop, Coco uncorked a leg drop, brother. All four wrestlers were in the ring, and Barr and Coco reversed stereo cross corner whips and rammed the heels together. While Barr spelled Grappler with a knee lift, the episode left the air. No contest at 2:52.
Rating: *
Summary: A rugged heel Duggan resembled John Nord from his Barbarian days here.
Conclusion: The tag match was hot and heavy with the showdown between Ladd and Gang as well as DiBiase’s intervention. Also, JYD successfully defended that rotten bruiser Sweetan. Olympia won his non-title match while Roop did the same.
POINT OF ORDER: If you’ve never seen Mid-South or harkened back to 1982, this is solid booking of a weekly TV show with a bunch of up-and-coming talent combined with veterans like Ladd and Roop. As a wrestling fan, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
Next week, One Man Gang challenges Mr. Olympia for the Mississippi title!
TV Rating: NONE
Stay tuned for MSW 05-15-82!
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