Mid-South Wrestling – January 19th, 1984

January 19, 1984

Your hosts are Boyd Pierce and Bill Watts

This week, we have Terry Taylor vs. Nikolai Volkoff. Also in action are “Nature Boy” Buddy Landel, Rick Rood, and more!

Watts is shown interviewing Jim Cornette. Watts brings up other managers and how they were athletes but Cornette is just another momma’s boy who brags about using his mother’s cash. Cornette said why work when you can make a call and get some money. We then see Cornette interrupting an interview with Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum TA shortly after they won the Tag Titles and tells Mr. Wrestling II that he turned Magnum from a sex symbol to a coward then says they are both chicken and no one will ever forget just how chicken they are before we go back to the current interview. We see the Midnights attack Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum TA and tar-and-feather Magnum then Cornette laughs about that as Watts talks about honor while Cornette only honors getting whatever he wants. We see the Magnum TA & Mr. Wrestling interview after the incident then Cornette said they are just having fun trying to get a title match but if they do not get a shot at the title, then they’ll do something Mr. Wrestling & Magnum TA will never regret. Watts alerts Cornette that he has just earned the largest fine in Mid-South history at $5,000 but Cornette does not care and says while that might bankrupt many in Mid-South he just has to call up his mother to get that money. Cornette leaves and Watts screams about wanting to backhand him across the face. Cornette was just fantastic here in making you want to see him get his comeuppance. Watts also did a great job in selling anger at Cornette at the end as he basically snapped in yelling how he wanted to whack him across the face. The Midnight Express & Cornette are rapidly becoming a bonafide heel act.

Krusher Darsow is in the ring. He tells us that Nikolai Volkoff hurt his shoulder and now unable to face Terry Taylor but that he wants to face Taylor himself. Taylor tells him he will face him anytime then Darsow throws a cheap shot.

Krusher Darsow vs. Terry Taylor

Darsow continues to destroy Taylor as Watts talks about Taylor proving himself all over the country. Taylor ducks a clothesline and hits a dropkick then a back drop as Watts goes off on Darsow for being a traitor. Taylor now works an abdominal stretch then we see two fans hold a giant American flag as they walk past the front row. Volkoff now runs in and attacks Taylor for the DQ and the Russians end up hanging Taylor with a noose after a struggle until Brian Adias and Rick Rood make the save (1:43).

Thoughts: The Russians devised a plan to get revenge on Taylor after he beat Volkoff a few weeks ago. We also see that Brian Adias is here in Mid-South, which is not particularly exciting if you ask me.

Mr. Wrestling II & Magnum TA are at the announcers table. Pierce lets them know if they leave the booth they will be fined $2,500 as Magnum says they will try to keep their cool.

Roger Bond & Mike Jackson vs. Midnight Express w/ Jim Cornette

Cornette starts ragging on the champs as he holds onto a bag. We then see Mr. Wrestling II holding back Magnum as Cornette hurls more insults their way then the Midnights come out and do chicken taunts themselves. Mr. Wrestling says he has not forgotten what happened and will take care of business. Jackson hits Condrey with a dropkick after an Irish whip sequence. Bond tags in but the Midnights quickly beat him down. The Midnights continue to taunt the champs as Mr. Wrestling knows what they are trying to do and will keep their composure then the Midnights use the back suplex/flying elbow smash combo for the win (2:50). After the match, Midnights hit Jackson with a spike piledriver then we seen an insert of Magnum leaving the booth as Mr. Wrestling II screams at him to stay then Magnum & Mr. Wrestling II beat down the Midnights, who were about to tar-and-feather Bond.

Thoughts: From Cornette taunting the champs and beating down their opponents until they risked getting fined and made the save was tremendous. The insert of Magnum trying to be held back and defying Mr. Wrestling II’s orders by leaving will most certainly be followed up in the coming weeks. Great segment.

We are at the desk as Watts says that Magnum & Mr. Wrestling II will be fined but that its tough to sit back and watch a beatdown like that take place. I liked how Watts said this as the babyface team could not stand to watch someone get beat up by terrible people but at the same time rules need to be enforced.

“Nature Boy” Buddy Landel vs. Mike Starbuck

Landel returns after one year as Watts notes despite his new look he kept his athleticism and even added toughness. Watts talks about wanting to reach out and slap the spoiled Cornette across the face as Landel beats the crap out of Starbuck. Landel grounds Starbuck with a full nelson then puts him away with an elbow drop after a backbreaker (2:44).

Thoughts: I liked how Landel’s past here was acknowledged, when he was a young white-meat babyface, and it was explained that he reformed himself elsewhere and got better before coming back. Landel also came off like a star in his return and looked great in the ring.

Mickey Henry vs. Brian Adidas

Watts tells us that the TV Title Tournament will begin in two weeks with a medal presented instead of the belt because of the Olympics taking place this year. Watts then talks about a video coming up on the Rock ‘N Roll Express and how the ladies should keep an eye out on that. I still laugh at Watts & Pierce trying to get over heartthrob acts because they were never in Mid-South until now. Adidas works a headlock as we learn he’ll be teaming with Jim Duggan against The Russians next week. Watts also says that Grizzly Smith has a surprise match for us next week as Henry fights back. Adidas catches Henry with a dropkick then they royally fuck up a victory roll spot before Adidas uses a small package for the win (2:50).

Thoughts: Henry was awful and Adias was incredibly dull so no one cared. The finish was a complete disaster.

Masao Ito vs. Rick Rood

This is Ito’s Mid-South debut. Ito chops down Rood and stays on the attack as Watts tells us he does not speak any English. Ito hits a slam then a leg drop before going back to the chops. Ito uses a jump kick to the face then uses a death grip to the throat as the ref rings the bell for the DQ (1:59). The bell rings as Ito still has the hold while Watts says a blood vessel has been ruptured with blood coming out of his mouth. A few enhancement workers come out as Ito beats the crap out of them too while the ref tends to Rood.

Thoughts: What a complete surprise and a way to get over a complete unknown like Ito. Rude’s selling as a generic babyface was different in that he did not overreact or even react that much but acted like he was dead on the mat. This makes Ito a new threat in the company.

We get a music video on the Rock N Roll Express set to “I Love Rock n Roll” by Joan Jett. We get poses mixed in with wrestling highlights. After it airs, Watts says he hopes they drive over to Mid-South.

The announcers then close the show by putting over how much everyone hates Cornette with Watts referring to him as a “sissy.”

Final Thoughts: The focus was on the Midnight Express vs. Magnum TA & Mr. Wrestling II feud, especially Cornette. We also saw the debut of Ito and the return of Landel in his new gimmick as Mid-South TV is becoming must-see stuff under new booker Bill Dundee.