Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 104: Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee (No DQ, Loser Leaves Town) (7/14/86)

There’s no big build up for this one, but it’s freakin’ Lawler and Dundee. Need I say more.
We’re promised the match in its entirety at the beginning, but we only get about 16 minutes of a 24 minute match. It’s decent enough, but I hate when I’m told I’m getting the whole thing then they clip it after commercial.

This match doesn’t have quite the pop of the first two. The punches are back and forth early, but they don’t have that believability that the second match did, or really the first. Dundee controls for much of the first six or seven minutes while Lawler and the crowd warm up. It has the pieces that make the feud brilliant, but it’s not quite there.

The Lawler come back is really quick. He pile drives Dundee to take back the match, then he goes outside and tosses Dundee into the announce table. In that progression it follows the second match, but we get little in the way of extended out of ring spots. That’s probably for the best, as they do what they need to do before getting back in. Dundee takes the match back before they get back in the ring. This part of the match flowed well.

It should be noted that high points go to Lance Russell’s announcing, the selling both men do, and the well thought out timing on pin attempts/kick outs/ foot on ropes.

The punches improve as Dundee’s offense keeps going. Lawler’s eye is a bit busted open, but not too dramatically. Crowd is sucked into this one as they stretch the no DQ stip. Dundee gets decent heat for a Fargo Strut. Dundee gets a two for off a pile driver, and that somehow loses the crowd. Odd.
Ten minutes passed and it’s ground to a dull halt. They’ve brought it down to take it back up, but it’s needless holds and choking. Doesn’t quite fit, and this is where they clip it.

This match does make use of the fact they have two rings side by side. Must have been a battle royal of some sort that night. Odd they’d use that when they probably had a surefire sell out with this main event.

Lawler gets a hope spot pin after a ref bump. Not much, but it does wake up the crowd. Lawler pops the strap shortly after. This section is pretty cool as they go hard at one another in the knock-down, drag-out style. Dundee does a weird shoulder up over on a pin that sorta kills the crowd – and me – for a minute. Then out of nowhere Lawler hits a pile driver for a near fall. At least they both sell afterwards. They KO each other a few times and let the crowd build up while they rest. Smart!
Dundee uses his boot for a really good near fall on Lawler. I’m locked into this match now. Low blow by Dundee. The heel! Dundee flies and the King just moved. That looked goofy. Both guys hit each other and sell a bit. Russell sells this as both men not having the power behind the punches after the long fight. The man was a genius.

I don’t like the ending. Dundee goes up top for a move (why, he wasn’t that great at flying), Lawler shakes him and he bumps into the ring. Then he just pops up so the King can pile drive him. Looked like Dundee was too agreeable there. Awesome pile driver and it did pop the fans. Lawler by pin is 24 minutes. Dundee is gone from the territory.

I liked this match, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not what the first two were, nor is it a top ten match. It has it’s mistakes and it has it’s charms. Still, it’s Dundee and Lawler, they give it time, and the fans react to the well thought out parts for the most part. 3 ¾ and 7.5/10.

Match Discussion Here