Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 21: Jerry Lawler vs. Dutch Mantell (Loser Leaves Town) (3/27/82)

This looks like more of an angle then a match, so the debate of what is a great angle vs an actual great match will rage on here. I ranked the Empty Arena match well enough, but not the Tupelo concession Stand Brawl. This one starts out at the TV studio with Dutch giving a really realistic promo saying he wants Lawler and the towns not big enough for the both of them. He says Lawler’s time is up and he wants a Loser Leaves Town match. He won’t leave until Lawler answers the challenge. Commercials break.

We come back to Lawler at the desk with Lance Russell doing an interview. Dutch is in the ring waiting. Lawler accepts the challenge and puts the belt up. A very passionate, correct response.

People talk so much about Lawler’s great punches (they are), but Dutch throws some great punches too. He has the early advantage and taunts Lawler with slaps to the back of the head. Lawler’s reversal of advantage is as strong as the No DQ match. Russell puts over how tough both men are and their hatred.

Mantell sends Lawler into the post and hits him with a chair on the floor. Very good compliment to their previous match. Mantell starts going for pin falls immediately. Several two counts. Lawler plays dead very well, which I noticed in his Funk/Mantell arena matches. Abdominal stretch from Mantell, and Dave Brown comments that won’t finish it.

Lawler reverses a piledriver on the floor into the back body drop. He takes revenge with a chair to the back of Mantell. Lawler runs wild here. Mantell actually runs away after trying to fight back because – the strap came down! Mantell keeps regrouping on the outside. Seven minutes gone.

Mantell goes to the announce table and stops the match. He can’t take any more. He puts over how tough Lawler is and says he wants to make him an offer. He says they use to be friends and they should be again. Mantell wants to be tag partners and Lawler can keep the Southern title. Lawler says he had the same idea before and sells this so well. They want to fight the First Family together. Fans are into it. Then Mantell jumps Lawler. Chairs hot. Pile Driver. Elbow. Mantell counts his own pin to a negative crowd reaction. Mantell takes the belt and leaves.

This would make far more sense as going before the no DQ match, but apparently it did not. Odd. A good match while it lasted, and an even better angle. Not as good as their arena match though. 2 ¾ and 6/10.

(Update: I’m almost sure this was the set up for the No DQ match, so it was out of order. It’s a better angle then a match, but it’s a great angle and a very good match.)

Match Discussion Here