Welcome to another edition of Going Old School. We are kinda going all over time and country lately. That is due in part to The WWE Network putting up more footage from their library. We were supposed to stay in Canada with Stampede Wrestling, but I guess Bret Hart had WWE take it down. Let’s try and get it back up. Send Bret a tweet, or do what you can, I will try my best to get Bret to put it back up too.
Just because Stampede came and went doesn’t mean there weren’t more promotions. We are still working on Texas’ WCCW, but before we go back there let’s go back to 1982 and Mid-South Wrestling.
To fully appreciate what we are about to witness, I am gonna go through a history lesson of how and why we got to 1982 in Mid-South.
To get to where we need to go, we first need to learn about Sam Avey. Sam grew up in Kansas. He was quite fond of a man by the name of Billy Sandow. If that name sounds familiar it’s because he was one of the three members of the Gold Dust Trio, along with Ed Strangler Lewis and Toots Mondt. Sam wanted to become a wrestling promoter just like Billy Sandow.
Avey was able to move to Tulsa and work as a promoter for Ed Lewis. In Tulsa is where he found Leroy McGuirk, then champion of the National Wrestling Association not to be confused with the NWA: National Wrestling Alliance. Between Tulsa and Hollywood, McGuirk dominated the Junior Heavyweight division. On December 28, 1949, McGuirk unified the National Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Championship with the National Wrestling Alliance’s version by defeating Billy Goelz in Des Moines.
Leroy McGuirk is credited as the longest male single’s champion of all time. He captured the National Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Title on 6-19-1939 and had to vacate the title on 2-7-1950. That’s a total of 3886 days straight.
Leroy was blind in one eye from a swimming accident as a child, he became fully blind in 1950 after a car accident. McGuirk had to retire, but he stayed on as a partner and vice president to Sam Avey and the NWA.
The Tri-State area enjoyed a 20-year run as a thriving wrestling organization. It was not uncommon for wrestlers to experience a series of sold-out houses from town-to-town during programs that especially got the wrestling fandom aroused. Chuck Karbo was known to cut promos saying things like “… at the Texas border, and any car passing by with Arkansas or Oklahoma license plates would be shot at.” Skandar Akbar was a staple in Tri-State. The “wildman from Lebanon”, as he was once billed, the American-born Wehba was a mainstay as a heel in McGuirk’s territory from 1966 until he retired as an active wrestler in the late 70’s. A powerfully built man who could bench press 500 lbs. Of course there were Ted Dibiase, Jack Brisco, Danny Hodge, Dick Murdoch, The Spoiler, and Bill Watts. The peak of its popularity was perhaps from 1967-72.
Cowboy Bill Watts played a big part in McGuirk’s promotion, both positively and negatively. His first real connection to McGuirk was in 1968, when McGuirk submitted the only vote in favor of passing the NWA Championship to him. McGuirk and Watts worked together to promote Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana in the late 1970s.
In 1979, Bill Watts bought out the Tri-State Wrestling circuit from Leroy McGuirk, and renamed the circuit Mid-South Wrestling. One of his first acts as owner was to withdraw from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). In 1982, the promotion grew to include Oklahoma when McGuirk shut down his Oklahoma-based promotion. Instead of cartoon-ish characters and interviews, Mid-South Wrestling focused on energetic matches and characters whose personas blurred the lines between good and evil and a physical style and episodic format. The type of wrestling you see today, building one week onto the next, was said to have been created here in this promotion.
As we get closer to October of 1982, let’s take a quick look at who was champion at that time.
Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship- Ted Dibiase who defeated Junkyard Dog for his 4th reign.
Mid-South Tag Team Championship- Junkyard Dog and Mr. Olympia who defeated The Samoans for their 1st reign
Ok enough with the history onto the show!
The show opens with footage of wrestlers wrestling with some synthy music. We are brought to the show with Boyd Pierson? Boyd something.
He speaks super fast and has a strong southern accent. He went through who is on the show super quickly. He brings it to Bill Watts and Paul Boesch. In an intriguing turn of events, Bill says tonight is a loser leaves town match. Boesch says he is very interested in the outcome because it will effect his promotion in Houston. That is pretty sweet.
Watts tells us that Dibiase went to the matchmaker and said Hacksaw Jim Duggan won’t be able to make it because he is incarcerated!! So Dibiase flies Matt Borne in from Atlanta to be his partner. Watts points out that since it is a loser leaves town and Borne usually doesn’t wrestle here, it might be an easy loss for Dibiase and Borne.
Watts takes us to our first match, which isn’t even a Mid-South match, it’s from Boesch’s Houston promotion. Usually if the wrestler hasn’t been on Old School before we do a quick bio on them, but since we bio’d the damn promotion we will pass on that this week.
Mil Mascaras, Junkyard Dog, and Andre The Giant vs. Killer Khan, Tully Blanchard and Gino Hernandez
You can see early on that Andre is already on his back getting beat up. It’s cool to see how often these guys wrestled in different areas. We have so many stars from so many places. The south must have kicked ass in the 70’s and 80’s. The announcer talks about how Andre has so much heart after being out 3 months from Khans attack.
In this match Mil comes in and makes a save for Andre. Mascaras does flying forearms and dropkicks. Does an abdominal stretch type move I’ve never seen before. This match is bonkers!! The announcer has to tell us that in Houston you can go off the top rope, guys can break up pins and interfere, and they have to let Mid-South know their rules. The match ends with Andre over head pressing Mil Mascaras over the top of his head onto Gino for the victory.
And I’m Like… WHAT WAS THAT!?!? We jump in mid-way through the match and the announcer can’t keep up with the action in the ring. As quick as it started it ends. We shoot over to Bill Watts and Boyd.
Ted Allen vs. Kamala
You hear these clings and clangs and Kamala makes his way into the ring. Kim Chee is there too. I have been watching WCCW and Kamala was on his way to the promotion with Skandar Akbar. Now we get a taste of this monster a year before his WCCW debut.
It’s funny how people call WWF racist for all the Kamala stuff they did, even though this was his gimmick forever. This dude is quick too! Like so fast and agile, it’s amazing.
Kamala does a two handed chokeslam and I swear to God, Bill Watts says “I can only imagine a christian in a boiling pot when looking at the aboriginal.” Holy hell… Kamala does his finish that he always has been known for.
And I’m Like… They do not F around on this show. We already had two matches and so much going on. That Kamala match might have been not that entertaining if I had seen him before. He is so dangerous it seems, the quickness and savagery. I can understand why promoters would want him in their promotion.
Mid-South Tag Team Championship
No DQ-Loser Leaves Town
Ted Dibiase and Matt Borne vs. Mr. Olympia and Junkyard Dog (c)
JYD has his own entrance song and he doesn’t like it play out because him and Mr. Olympia take it to Borne and Dibiase right off the bat. The crowd LOVES JYD by the way.
This match starts with punches back and forth, then a headbutt and small package. This match starts off hot! Dibiase goes to the outside to take a breath.
Watts keeps putting over how Dibiase has Borne in this match just to be the sacrificial lamb. Borne is great though taking back body drops about 20 feet high. The arm drags the pace, this is some exciting wrestling for 1982.
They cut to a gorilla by the door. THAT same gorilla was in WCCW when the Freebirds debuted. Can someone please explain this damn Gorilla? Why is he all over southern wrestling? For real! This bothers me, I feel like we should know why this Gorilla is watching wrestling and managing wrestlers.
This match breaks down so many times, it’s No-DQ so it’s hard for the referee to keep control. We go to commercial while Borne and Dibiase are on the outside. Mid-South legit is the Monday Night Raw template. Two 3 minute matches, a main event with commercial breaks in the middle of the excitement.
JYD does a fist drop that he calls “Four Ladies on Thumb Street”!! I am starting to resent older WWF after knowing the talent a lot of their mid-carders had as star guys. I guess wrestling is always the same, we complain that Cesaro isn’t a top guy, but JYD was never a top guy either. That’s the way WWE does things, they still give us The Network so it all that bad.
The middle of the match slows down. There are comments by the announcer of Dibiase’s controversial glove that he wears. Quick tags with both teams and excitement all throughout. Tons of double team moves. Borne jumps off the top rope with a bombs away, or whoopie cushion when Borne becomes Doink.
JYD got sick of waiting and dragged Mr. Olympia to his corner and tagged himself in. JYD stole the foreign object from Dibiase and hit Borne with it as Matt came off the top rope.
THE FUCKIN GORILLA shows up and bodyslams Mr. Olympia. Bill Watts “What is that Gorilla doing out here?” The Gorilla takes his mask off and it’s JIM DUGGAN! Who we heard was in jail!! Duggan hits a spear on JYD and Dibiase hits JYD with a foreign object for the win! The Gorilla is celebrating. We have new tag champions and Junkyard Dog is forced to leave Mid-South for 90 days.
And I’m Like… This show is chaos. It’s great, there are squashes by African Aboriginals, Gorillas showing up and spearing people. The star of the show got kicked off the show like it was the movie Scream, and we are only half done!!!
The Grappler II vs. Mr. USA Tony Atlas
I have preconceived notions on Tony Atlas because of Legends House. He was like a giant toddler and I couldn’t handle it. This is back when Atlas had hair though.
Watts says Atlas benches 600lbs… wow. Wouldn’t doubt it.
The crowd is dead, everyone is depressed that Junkyard Dog is gone. Bill Watts says Junkyard to Mid-South was like Dusty Rhodes to Florida.
Bill says “as much as I like Tony Atlas and this stand by match. I’m gonna have to leave and have Paul step in. I need to collect my thoughts.” Watts is super upset that JYD is leaving his promotion for 3 months.
Atlas is working his ass off but no one cares much. Atlas is doing monkey flips and military press slams. Tony Atlas is crazy athletic and was relentless in his attacks.
And I’m Like… Another showcase squash and Tony just kicked so much ass. Atlas didn’t have much time to get his character over but he didn’t need to with a showing like that.
Jesse Barr vs. Gino Hernandez
Paul Boesch shows up to call the match because Bill Watts couldn’t watch the wrestling anymore. Paul takes credit for introducing Gino Hernandez to wrestling. Gino has been wrestling for 7 years, which is crazy seeing that he didn’t hit his stride til the mid-to late 80’s.
Gino is creative in his way to get out of a full nelson, the ref takes a while to realize that the hold should be broken. Gino gets a three count on his debut by jumping backwards off the middle rope for an elbow drop.
And I’m Like… These matches are just too damn quick.. Hard to care about the match proceedings when it ends in less than 5 minutes. Good thing I’m conditioned to that type stuff because RAW.
The Rat Pack gets interviewed. Duggan, Borne, and Dibiase are The Rat Pack and they have ALL THE BELTS already, the top two titles and the tag titles. Duggan’s promo style is way different, I can only remember him as a bumbling idiot. Ted talks about how money is everything and Borne acts like he is a monkey. Rat Pack are like Mid-Souths New Day. They are all entertaining, and probably the reason I will think about this show all week.
Marty Lunde vs. Mr. Wrestling II
Marty looks so much like Arn Anderson, twice in this match I typed out Arn Anderson… So I google Marty Lunde… Guess what? IT IS ARN ANDERSON!!! Fuckin A Mid-South.. your talent pool is way deep! He began is career in ’82 so this is a very green Double A. Mr. Wrestling II was a big deal in his own right. Jimmy Carter, the governor of Georgia and later president of the United States during Wrestling II’s 1970s heyday, considered him to be his favorite wrestler, as well as his mother’s favorite. Walker was invited to Carter’s inauguration, but in the end declined the invitation.The United States Secret Service insisted that Walker appear unmasked for security reasons. Due to his popularity at the time under the mask, he couldn’t justify the possible ramifications of his identity being exposed. Wrestling II did, however, on several occasions enjoy a private audience with Lillian Carter. He faced scrutiny from the Secret Service on these occasions as well, but they went off without incident.
Guess what Marty is doing? Working over limbs of course. Even in his first 10 months as a wrestler he is already developing his style of limb work.
Look at those curls on Arn though.
Mr. Wrestling II does a taunt in the corner before he hits his finish. I wonder who the first to do that was. My mind is being blown by this stuff right now.
And I’m Like… This is only a one hour program and we get match after match after match. The main event was in the middle of the card and now we are onto our fourth standby match. There isn’t much to say about this squash, Marty will turn out just fine.
Hiro Matsuda & Yoshi Yatsu vs. Vinnie Romeo and Tim Horner
There are only 3 minutes left on this show and we are gonna start a tag match. Yatsu is in the match. In WCCW Armen Hussein said he got Yatsu from the Orient. Turns out the Orient is in Oklahoma. This match will end when TV time is out.
Matsuda is walking Horner through some movements, because he is rolling and leaning into the moves Tim hasn’t even done yet. The tags between the Japanese are quick and they keep working over that left leg. Maybe Marty got his limb wrecking tag idea from these two.
Yatsu grabs Romeo with a bearhug and then overhead belly to bellies him for the three count! Time did not even run out. All these matches ended clean.
And I’m Like… Talking about cramming everything into one episode. I hope all the Mid-South episodes weren’t like this. On the negative side, we don’t get the follow up episode. WWE Network picks this show back up in ’83.
Thanks for the read, if you liked or shared thank you so much for that.
This was supposed to be a one hour review, turned into three hours because history. There needs to be actual wrestling historians, and a wrestling college. Get on that HHH, let me be a professor. I could learn and talk about this stuff all day errday.
You all have a good one though.
-Jake
