Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 122: Terry Gordy vs. Dr. Death (6/22/86)

Hell YES. Something you need to know: I’m a huge Doc and Gordy mark via their ECW run in 1996. When I finally got into All Japan in late 1997 and saw all the great stuff they did a few years before, these two became legends in my mind. I’ve never seen them face off against each other in Mid South. I’m ready to love this.

The first five minutes are such an awesomely good start to the match. You’ve got a big match feel. They start out with well executed power moves. You’ve got a clever headlock/hair pulling scenario. An impressive press slam by Doc on Gordy. The deadly clothesline is sold. Gordy even whips Doc into the buckle so hard we get shades of Houston when the top rope breaks. The best thing is visually it looks like The power of Gordy’s whip and the size of Doc break it. The pop when Doc kicks out is impressive. The topper is Ross on commentary with a biased PS Hayes even!

Doc’s comeback is pretty quick, but the fans dig it and it doesn’t go to the finish. It’s more of a transition in gears. My only complaint as they go back and forth well to a live crowd is Gordy leaving himself open looks a bit old school bush league to me. It’s why my parents generation would shit on wrestling and it’s to contrived when he puts his arms up not even making the double ax handle just walking at the babyface like, “I’m ready for your belly punch, sir.”

Gordy’s second offensive stretch and Doc’s comeback are even better. Doc manages to back body Gordy over the top rope and the big man takes it. The bumps, athleticism, and the quickness of these men – and hell I’ll add move set with psychology –wasn’t just ahead of it’s time. We’re 20 plus years later and guys this big still can’t work this style to that degree, though they stunt bump to an even bigger degree on WWE PPV main events. Or should I say the main event style of WWE is of that mindset. Moving on.

Hayes and Watts coming out for the face and heel sides over the DQ dispute is great, especially because the match just continues with a nuclear hot crowd. Tommy Gilbert has taken a lot of crap on this set for his goofy antics detracting from matches because he’s a referee. Not here. He does an great bump out of the ring and times it so that it looks very plausible he was accidentally hit when Doc shoulderblocked Gordy back.

It needs to be said, everything great said about Gordy is true. I’ve read Dave Meltzer over the past two years praise Morishima as the new Gordy. I’ve heard him call Gordy the best big man, and Morishima now a better worker. I’ve also been to many ROH shows live and watched Morishima’s run on DVD as ROH champ. Morishima is not yet as great as Gordy. Gordy WAS the best big man, IMO.

The ending is at one time both really great and horrible. It’s very well told as a dramatic story. It’s fulfilling in the moment for the crowd. Hayes interferes but Doc overcomes, and while that’s going on Bill Watts beats up Hayes for his interference. Except, why is Watts in his gear since he’s retired? Why did Watts slide in the ring to make the pin at the end? If Doc hit his finisher why didn’t he try to get a ref, or have Watts get one? Did Doc think Watts was an acting UWF official, and if so, won’t he be pissed to find out he isn’t getting the belt? Didn’t Watts care that he just stole Doc’s moment from him?

Great match, slightly annoying finish, and a fun but not brilliant match. I like the Freebirds all bumping for Watts and Doc at the end, but does this whole “Walking Tall” thing have to have it’s own universe? I’m just not a fan of the video game world we enter where if they use the phrase walking tall then Watts, Duggan, or one or two other asses with a flag are invincible for 20 minutes straight without much of a good story. It might have worked on these people but I just find it boring. 3 ½ and 6.8/10.

Match Discussion Here