Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 62: Rock N Roll Express vs Midnight Express (6/30/85)

Cornette and the Midnights are already in the ring doing mic work and getting heel heat to start the festivities. I love this heel move on Cornette’s part, and I’ve seen it on this set a few times. It’s very cool. I’d like to see something like this more often in modern wrestling, and I can say that LAX was doing it in TNA in ’06 and Larry Sweeney in ROH more recently. Rock N Rolls are out dancin’ around, being all babyface for 1985.

I watched the last match these two had on the set (1/21/85) again. I was hard on it, and wondered if perhaps I’d seen too much of the formula, both against each other and as separate entities. Well, it had a good heated heel heat segment with Morton playing Morton, but I feel my assessment was correct. I think at 3 ½ stars I’m being very fair with that match, and I don’t think it needs to be shoved up the ranks. There’s just too much great stuff in these 150 matches, and with so many high end matches the ranking between a #12 and a #32 could be razor thin.

Eaton puts the match into theatric “stall ball” right away. Robert Gibson ready to lock up, but Condrey takes a while to get on the apron, and then they consult. Then Cornette strategizes with Eaton and THEY hug. Face off – strategy session with Condrey. Face off – but Bobby tells everyone to wait. More strategy with Condrey, who is doing well working the crowd. I’m enjoying the nuances of this rivalry.

Lock up. Eaton misses a punch, but Gibson doesn’t. Beautiful Bobby literally runs to his corner and puts his head between the ropes. Then he does it again when he’s threatened a moment later. Very entertaining early stuff. I really enjoy the small things before we get to the meat and potatoes in this style of match. Eaton actually tells the ref to watch the fist from Gibson, and he says it with a pouting straight face.

Kick ass moment ensues. First Eaton gets caught in a head lock, and tries to get out with hair. Veteran move as he turns Gibson’s body anytimes the ref comes close to seeing the hair pull. Second is a play off a classic heel/MNX sequence where Bobby would throw a guy off the rope in the corner so he’s forced to run the ropes into the MNX corner. Condrey would then either give a high knee to the back through the ropes, or a fist to the face. When Eaton throws him here Gibson simply slows down, taunts Condrey, then moves out of the way. Eaton is coming from behind with a kick, but it goes (legit stiff) into Condrey stomach on the apron. Then we get dropkicks and a powder out to the floor as the MNX regroup with Cornette.

Ricky Morton in and he gets the happy crowd into more a frenzy. Eaton is hesitant and flustered. Morton takes care of Eaton with some great exchanges and the heels regroup again. Condrey is not happy, and the ref gets a mouthful. Then Eaton gives him some tips too. The fans get into it as Eaton starts asking them if his hair was pulled! Each side gives heat till he points the ref to Condrey, who agrees the RNRs pulled the hair. AWESOME. If this match has great heat segments and works in drama, it’s the full course meal, because it’s fun and well wrestled so far.

MNX try to trap Morton in the corner, but he’s to quick, and they retreat. Gibson and Condrey in, and Dennis is scared. He’s also no match for the headlock. He gets out and starts a shoulder block convention. Even gives Bobby a look and a dance after the third before hitting the rope for a fourth. But he’s out quicked and smarted again. Great heel whiney. The spacing of the men is great. The bumps and the moves are all crisp and solid. The verbal participation and character stuff is on, and all this makes me as happy as the crowd.

About ten minutes in we get a test of strength that shows how over the match is. The crowd gets into the test of strength struggle, and the men are barely doing anything. Only thing better would be huge heat for a rest hold on about the 4th hope spot before a comeback. Smart and fun stuff, again. Oh, and Condrey wins the test of strength Morton simply money flips him out. A second later they do a call back with Eaton Monkey flipping his own partner. It’s a bit silly, but perfect for the match, and as they roll out Cornette is pissed at Eaton for it, so I’m fine with it.

The Midnights finally outnumber the RNRs and Condrey trips Gibson in a wonderful looking turn of events. Choking him right away the fans act like they’ll riot. Eaton illegally off the top rope with a nice looking Alabama Jam, then swears it was off the second top. Everything in this match is done so the fans know exactly what’s being felt, said, and argued in the moment. The emotions are raw here. More choking from Eaton, moving Gibson so the ref can’t quite catch it again. Morton can’t take any more of this, but while he drags Eaton off, Cornette hits Gibson with the tennis racket, then walks away with a “who me?” face. The ref does go out to talk to him, but now you got a double team in the ring. The heels are the definition of cheating with the numbers advantage. 15 minutes gone by.

Gibson fights for the corner only to get cut off a second time by Eaton, and they utilize there third or fourth tag in and out here. Why isn’t cutting off the ring, holding the opponent, and fresh tags more a part of modern wrestling, since we still often use the hot tag formula. It’s just not as sports oriented. Surgical, in a way.

I need to mention its Robert Gibson selling here, and its formula busting. I love this match, and Gibson is really doing his job fighting off a Condrey’s hammer lock as he crawled for Morton. Crowd is on fire as Gibson is inches away from the tag, but Eaton cuts it off by hitting Morton. Then they double team when Morton is sent back to the corner for coming in. Crowd eats it up.

More choking. Another cut off by way of grabbing the tights, and Eaton even hits a suplex. He looks so weak doing any power moves, even a simple one. Gibson is fighting him with all his might and the crowd wants the tag so bad. Big hope spot and Eaton ends it with a clothesline. Eaton goes up top but gets superplexed off, and that just does not happen in 1985. They strain and milk the hot tag. Here it is! It’s Morton who because the house of fire! He’s punching everyone in sight. Only part of the match that sucks is here, as he puts the abdominal stretch on Eaton in the middle of the big finish. Why!?

Robert Gibson tosses Cornette in, and though he holds Morton to get punched, it’s Cornette that Eaton socks. Crowd is jumping up and down screaming. Looks like the heels might win as Eaton is leaning over and punching Gibson, but Ricky Morton runs in the ring and sunset flips Eaton. 1-2-3. The Rock N Rolls finally (for this set) beat the Midnight Express!! Great way to bring this around, even if they had beaten them clean in the past.

I loved this match. It wqas dinner AND a movie. Well, more like Dinner, the movie, fly to France for desert, and all the sex afterwards in the finest hotel. It had everything you want as a fan, from funny to serious, goofy spots to technical beauty. Great story telling. A satisfying finish. I’ve gotta go back to see the my #7 through 9 matches, as seven is a MNX vs RNR match, eight is Fans vs Guerrerros, and nine is the classic angle of Rat Pack vs JYD/Olympia with L.L.T. stip. This match may be in that realm of lower top ten matches, and I might have said top 20 perhaps even halfway through the match. It just grows on you as the whole puzzle is shown. 4 stars and 8.3/10.

Match Discussion Here