Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 109: Jerry Lawler vs. Austin Idol (Hair vs. Hair, Steel Cage Match) (4/27/87) [MEMPTENN-4]

This is one of the more famous matches in 80s Memphis history. Each man has put up his hair. There is no time limit and no DQ. It’s in a steel cage with Idol’s manager – a young Paul Heyman – on the outside. That is, after Heyman acts as though he’ll for some reason and the ref almost disqualifies Idol. This drives home the point that there will be NO outside interference. Finally, Idol has guaranteed he’ll refund the price of everyone’s ticket if he loses. That’s a lot of bucks.

I’ve seen this match twice now after this viewing and I’ve gotta say this match is more about the shock of the aftermath then the match itself. Lawler beats Idol pillar to post as Idol tries to escape. This goes on for five minutes or so and has excitement, but it isn’t gripping to me. There is crowd heat, but it’s mostly for Idol’s attempts at escaping the cage or running away. I’m not a fan of Idol’s selling and though it’s somewhat unfair to judge two punch/kick guys on MOVES, I didn’t see the flow of motion that makes me enjoy a match. That said, this would be my favorite part of the match until the end.

Idol gets the heat through an imaginary chain, which he used more than once in this match. I’m a fan of the fakery when it comes to pretending you have a chain in your tights and using it. Style points. Idol’s offense bores me and I’ve seen much better drama in several matches on this set. The crowd does start to rumble and build for Lawler eventually popping the strap down, but this whole middle bridge kinda bored me.

The finish is Lawler getting a visual pin after Idol pile drive the ref. The near falls in this weren’t where I wanted them to be in this match and I’m not sure why. Anyway, once the ref is gone and Idol is getting beaten up by Lawler Tommy Rich comes from under the ring and they beat up Lawler. They botch a stuff pile driver, but Idol does get the ref to make the official three count. Lawler loses the match and his hair.

The rest is just awkward as the crowd watches Lawler get beat up and have his head shaved. It’s a pretty amazing spectacle and I can see giving a high rating for the moment as a whole, but I’m not there with this match/angle. I’ve just seen too many great angles and moments in main event positions involving Lawler that were better than this one. The match itself is fine in thought and structure, but I found it uninspiring AGAIN. The post match bumps it up a bit, but I don’t see it as the penultimate Lawler feud/angle of the later 80s that others do. I needed Dundee or Mantell in one of these spots and I’m not sold on Rich completely and never bought into Idol. 3 ¼ and 6.5/10.

Match Discussion Here