Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 19: Stan Lane & Koko Ware vs. Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton (No DQ, 2/3 Falls) (10/81)

This is an AWA Southern Tag Tile return match from a handheld camera at a spot show in Jonesbouro, Arkansas. Gilbert and Morton are your babyface challengers. No disqualification and two out of three falls wins it.

The quality of this match footage isn’t pristine. It’s grainy and far away at times, but you get the basic flow of the match even when you can’t tell what pairings are in the ring. All four men are good enough workers that it doesn’t really match. They slow build the first five minutes excellently, relying more on charisma, facials, and subtle moves then any high spots. Everything is worked around trading arm wringers. Stan Lane starts off the cheating with a hair pull to get Morton down, but gets it back. Finally Gilbert has enough and runs in to violently pull Lane off by his hair, but while the ref is distracted Koko comes in to do the same. Great stuff.

Koko shows off some speed and a great vertical with his drop kick, but is smart enough to get heat from the crowd rather than jump to another move or two. He shows off a second rope missile drop kick soon after. A good slow pace as the men stare at each other, regardless of pairing, after everything. And Morton gets him back by ground him.

Supposedly Lane and Koko have a chain, but it’s not visible on this shot yet. It’s teased early though, so you know they’ll get back to it. Koko misses and kicks his own partner to big crowd reaction, and then the ref checks for the chain at the fans insistence. Awesomely built first ten minutes, as the announcer (who I can barely hear) reminds us the chain is totally legal.

The jig is up! Koko punches and chokes Gilbert with the chain. They ground it down and make the crowd get into it more using the headlock to get the fans going. Gilbert out of nowhere releases off the ropes and slides into a pin for the first fall. The slide move was a Gilbert special of the day that would never work today, or at least would be modified by the Hardy Boyz.

Stan Lane in for the first few minutes of the second fall. Lots of headlocks and then Koko gets in there. These people really give Koko the bad mouth. I’m guessing in the Memphis territory in the early eighties it was a lot of racial stuff. Either the listing is wrong or Koko was once called Sweet Brown Sugar. I’ll guess they are one in the same. He’s using the chain again, but the ref keeps checking for it. A great distraction move by Lane sets up a huge punch with the chain. Every time Gilbert runs in the ref stops him (no idea why) allowing the heels to get busy with some cheating. Koko sends Morton over the top rope twice to huge heat. Great big bumps from Morton! Classic Morton selling. Koko and Lane in complete control working over Morton.

Ricky Morton hulks up for the big comeback. They give you the roller coaster as he gains then loses the advantage. Gilbert in off a hot tag and he’s brought down by outside interference. 1-2-3 Lane/Koko win the second fall after Lane kicks Gilbert right after the hot tag. Great ideas here.

Third fall the faces take over with punches. Lots of great selling by Koko bouncing between the two. Gilbert gets in and Koko gets beat to the outside again. Stan Lane gets in and gains the advantage with a low blow. Koko sends Gilbert over the top rope. He uses the chain again. Over the tope rope again. Not a move is wasted without a rule break. Glorious!

Stan Lane rolls up one of the faces for the pin (something happened, but it’s unclear), and the heels win. Jimmy Hart is in for a beatdown. Tojo is in too. Big heat. Very Midnight Express type stuff here. Afterwards they do mic work to set up a return match. Also, Randy Hales interviews Gilbert/Morton. Very good realistic Southern style interview.

I’m a little let down by the finish, though it was probably an issue with production. A very well wrestled match with good to great heat. A hidden gem. 3 ½ and 7/10.

Match Discussion Here