Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 22: Jerry Lawler vs. Dutch Mantell (Barbed Wire Match) (3/29/82)

This is the big finish to the Dutch-Lawler trilogy. I should mention up front that my “home” promotion as a fan in the 90s was the original ECW, and after seeing Japanese, ROH, and ECW barbed wire matches I’m not sure how to feel about this one going in. Essentially I’ve never seen anything to top the August 1997 Sabu vs Terry Funk barbed Wire match. Once you go that far, it’s hard to keep perspective on anything that can’t escalate the violence level. Much in the same vein I’m not sure how to feel about any ladder match post-Briscoe vs Steen/Generico. If it’s as satisfying storyline wise as Whitmer vs Necro I’ll be happy. Let’s give this one a try. It’s got the story to get me emotionally involved.

We still have the ropes up, but the barbed wire seems to be just outside of the ropes. We pick it up clipped after the intros at about 5 minutes. They do the tentative start where they each avoid and then get pricked by the wire.

Dutch elects for a submission hold to kill a few minutes in the middle of the ring. Okay. I’m lukewarm on this. Randy Hales on commentary is very good at the logical sports-type announcing I like. Crowd is really hot for this and the guys are moving well, but I guess I don’t have to factor in the barbed wire as much since they can run the ropes and not hit it.

Dutch has the advantage in the early part of the match. Jerry Lawler is bleeding ten minutes in from having the barb grinded against him. This goes on for a few minutes with Dutch beating him then holding him against the wire.

Lawler is great at feeding off the crowd for his comebacks, as they happen slowly. He gives everyone a look like they are involved in the decision making he’s about to do – hit his opponent. Mantell’s head goes against the wire. He’s bleeding bad now.

Mantell stops the barrage of punches with a low kick. Dutch puts HIS strap down! He goes off dropping elbows and punches on Lawler. He’s on fire. Several two counts. This plays well off the last arena match. He goes for that suplex he hit in the No DQ match, but Lawler reverses it. Both men down. Dutch is up, but he misses a flying elbow. Lawler with the PILEDRIVER! Goes for the pin… clipped! We jump forward to Mantell beating him down. Yuck. I’m so put off by the lack of a full match video. What a bummer.

Even with the chopped footage this is really well done, but hardly what I’d call a barbed wire match. They go back and forth till the 20 minute mark. Dutch unloads with punches on Lawler. He’s killing him as it looks like he’s going for broke. Lawler sells it like death. Now Lawler starts the slow no-sell comeback. Strap is down! They go toe to toe and it’s awesome.

Near falls for Lawler, but he can’t finish Dutch. Dutch comes back. Russell invokes Ali-Fraiser. Nice touch. They ground and pound each other. They’re both running out of steam, storyline wise. They both go down and we get a ten count. Calhoun stops counting and they announce they CAN NOT stop the match. That gets a pop. They’re up, punch each other, and fall again. Great lay out. 25 minute in.

I can’t say anymore about the match. Too much great stuff. They finally crack into each other, Lawler falls into the ropes and falls back down on Mantell. He gets the win and they both stay down long after the bell.

Epic match. Just amazing stuff I can’t say enough about. Again, this really shouldn’t be looked at as a barbed wire match in the modern sense, but it was a big time match with psychology. I see it, at the moment, as right on par with the other 4 star matches like the No DQ arena matches. 4 stars and 8.2/10.

Match Discussion Here