A southern dream team of Embry and Dundee takes on some bad guys. This has a Memphis flavor to it.

Billy Joe Travis nailed Embry’s manager, Percy Pringle, with a guitar shot (that did not look properly gimmicked) the week before, so Embry comes right out from the entrance and attacks Travis. Dundee shows he has not shame, dressed in an Elvis jumpsuit. The Travis/Young team runs away to the locker room and they go to commercial break.

Back from commercial, the heels slowly come back to the ring, where Embry/Dundee await. Young and Dundee fight on the floor. The punches don’t look very good. The match officially starts, with Embry and Dundee destroying Travis. Travis takes bumps and stooges for everybody, then Dundee takes apart Young. The heels end up on the floor holding each other in a moment of comedy. This isn’t pretty, but it has its moments. Embry is still a serious guy, stalking Young then posting him on the outside.

Young stems the tied with a bearhug on Dundee, but a lot of this match has looked sloppy and loose. The heels cheat and double team, and Embry makes it worse by charging Travis in the corner. Very slow, basic stuff that is hit and miss. Dundee sells as they get the heat on him (which bored me), until Embry gets the tag. It breaks down, ending with Travis giving Embry a guitar shot for the pin.

A lot of this match looked sloppy and loose, and kind of hinged on your enjoyment of Travis and Young stooging around for the first half. A very Memphis match transplanted to Texas, but I enjoyed similar matches on the Memphis set more. This was hit and miss for me, more miss because I just wasn’t feeling the heel work. The heel control segment did nothing for me. I also wanted more from Dundee, who seemed on the downslide by this point, but maybe that was Young and Travis’s effect. I’ve never liked Jeff Jarrett, and Travis feels like a low rent Double J. 2 stars and 4.3/10

Texas gets some Memphis flavor as the Superstar comes after Devastation Inc. in a death match.

Dundee is great, though he’d be totally lame thrown into this decade. He manages to pin Young in the first minute, which seems to have more to do with the story of Dundee trying to show up Young and his manager, General Akbar. He pins him again a minute later after having slapped Akbar in a funny spot. Dundee is faster than Young, but his shenanigans with Akbar lead Young to take the advantage.

Young’s control is average, but serviceable. This is not the knockdown, drag out I expected. Pins in the first half seem to come with no devastation (no pun intended) to keep the opponent down for the win considering it’s a death match. Dundee’s comebacks, punches, and hot moves are what’s keeping me into this match.

Dundee comes back, dropkicks Young into Ref Bronch Lubich, and old Bronco takes the ref bump. Cactus Jack is out to interfere, and Young puts on a “studded glove” that he hits Dundee with. Now Dundee is knocked out and pinned. He has thirty seconds to get up. Some good drama as Dundee stirs, but he does not make it up. Young wins.

It wasn’t as dramatic as you might expect, but given that it was a TV match it was entertaining. Nothing epic about this one, but Dundee was fun and the finish looked good. Not too much more to say about it, other than I’m impressed old Bronco took a bump. A fun, but ultimately average considering the whole set. 2 ½ stars and 5/10

This doesn’t give me cause to write much. It was an okay match. Classic southern booking and lay out. Nothing wrong with that. Also nothing really to write home about. These AWA tapings in Memphis without Lance Russell on commentary leave me feeling like I’m seeing something synthetic that has no real value taken out of it once it ends. For that reason I’ll say little more than thumbs in the middle. 2 ½ and 5/10.

A very by the numbers heel/face tag match here. It suffers having the AWA announcers after all that time hearing Lance Russell tell the stories. It’s odd seeing the AWA present Memphis wrestling, as this is from the AWA on ESPN show. The heels bump and stooge around for Brickhouse early, while Dundee adds his usual tricks.

The Stud Stable is a typical heel faction complete with female valet and manager Downtown Bruno. Don’t worry, they are perfectly evil cheaters. Some fun stuff includes the arm wringer spot where the heel on the apron ends up doing it to his partner after first getting the face. The “Singapore cane” is a “Korean kendo stick” here, and valet Sylvia uses it on Dundee on the floor. Brickhouse Brown was a lot more enjoyable when I was a kid, as his offense after the hot tag isn’t as cool as I remember it being. It’s not bad either.

The finish is only 6 minutes in and it sucks. Sylvia uses the cane to break up a pin and the Stud Stable gets DQed. Bonus feature is Cactus Jack running in as part of the Stud Stable beat down, and then Jimmy Valiant coming out to kick some ass saving the babyfaces. It doesn’t save the match though, as this one is lower on my radar. 2 ¼ and 5/10.

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

This was one of those really well built up matches that had months of angles and development behind it. We get a few of these with every ballot. The footage is there to show the build up in the extras, and that will increase the enjoyment and therefore theoretically my score. I’m thankful for the ability to see all of this, but I’m aware these matches have an unfair advantage. Enough disclaiming. On with the background.

After Dundee beat Lawler in the Loser Leaves town match, the most Lawler you see are videos he sends in every few weeks to update the fans on what he’s doing in other territories. He wishes he could be back in Memphis. In the meantime, Dundee has his own all star faction to back him up. Buddy Landell is around to dress the team up, and Dirty Dutch Mantell is something of an enforcer type.

They run all over Memphis and the replacement babyfaces with Lawler gone, until Landell costs Mantell a match. Landell doesn’t like “the redneck” anyway, and he convinces Dundee that Mantell is “cramping our style”. They turn on the Dutchman and bloody him up.

Lawler is asked to come back from his six month exile early by promoter Eddy Marlin after Dundee roughs up announcer Lance Russell. They get Lawler on the phone and Dutch gets together with him. Dutch also gives a great promo from home with Marlin talking about his babyface turn.

Somewhere in there Dundee and Landell attack a young Jeff Jarrett, who is learning through refereeing, and then they go after Jerry Jarrett’s one good eye. How EVIL!

Finally, Dundee and Landell bring their own desk to the studio and steal the show. The Bill and Buddy Show commentate on matches and run the show ten years prior to the NOW doing it. Lawler and Mantell attack them and they have a huge pull apart brawl leading up to this match.

I love the way this match starts. They pair off Mantell going after Buddy Landell and Lawler with Dundee. Those are the issues so that makes sense. Good detail. Dundee stalls and gets frustrated, knowing what is coming. He goes after Lance Russell at ringside, then slides back in the ring and goes after Ref Calhoun. He does anything to not go after Lawler, knowing he’s out gunned. So when they settle it down to start the actual match, it’s Landell that is forced to start with Lawler.

Both Dundee and Landell stooge like crazy for Lawler and Mantell. Lawler teases the pile driver while they totally dismantle Landell. Landell cheats to get ahead. Hoping they go back to the pile driver late. It’s Memphis – they will.

Dundee finally in with Lawler. He gets beat inside and out. The heels once again take short cuts to control. Pretty appropriate wrestle-to-war and back scenario. Lawler then sells a table head shot and choking. Lawler bleeds. Dundee is bloody too. Dundee pulls out a chain, but Lawler ducks and Landell eats it. Everyone must bleed. Crowd going nuts as Lawler hulks up. All four in the ring fighting. Nope – Dutch takes Dundee out into the crowd and back. Seems like they don’t know how to end this. The heels bounce around a bit more. I love Dundee eating Lawler’s shots and getting tossed out of the ring a bunch. Fans boo the finish as Landell can’t continue in 12 minutes. A LOT of police at ringside to control the crowd on this night. A very good tag that mixed hardcore with good tag wrestling well. Great feud match. 3 ¾ and 7.5/10.

Match Discussion Here

Wow. The first one was so good they just had to do it again. Hell, the second one (more angle then match) was pretty damn great too. They built this as Dundee putting up the Southern title and his hair – and his wife’s hair! – On the line. Lawler puts up his time in Memphis as this is a No DQ, no time limit, must be a winner, Loser Leaves Town match. You got all that? Pretty much the biggest stipulation match in Memphis history. It’s so big they seat a ton of wrestlers at ringside to watch the match, separated by heel/face affiliation of course. Tracy Smothers, Steve Borden, and Jim Helwig in attendance.

Lawler comes into this match with his eye bandaged up. Dundee’s friend Dirty Dutch Mantell through some sort of substance in Lawler’s eye sometime between the go home promos Saturday morning and the main event Monday night.

Right away I’m in love with this match because it’s worked in a well paced punch kick style by two people who actually make punch/kick style matter. Maybe even better, it’s worked far differently than the big LLT match from 1983. Dundee walks up before the bell and punches Lawler with a real looking shot in the damaged eyes. From that time on for the first ten minutes Dundee uses Lawler’s lack of depth perception and sight against him. It’s quite clever. The fan’s stick with it. Usually I’d get bored by it, but Lawler sells it so well. Dundee uses great worked punches, but adds open handed shots that actually land, to make you believe.

If that doesn’t work for you in totality, they’ve got pins that start with only a one count and build to Lawler’s foot on the rope/near falls. Dundee knocks the ref out for a minute really early to set a tone.
Probably my biggest reason for loving the opening ten minutes is how Lawler keeps coming forward in an MMA fight-like way. He eats so many shots. He gets double-legged by Dundee. But he keeps coming forward, and it makes for some great one-sided action.

Lawler’s comeback is pretty great. Somewhere in there is a pile driver we don’t see in this edit (but in a post match video). Lawler throws him into a table and Bill slides over and off like a movie. Lawler gets everyone into counting out Dundee with the ref. Dundee grabs his wife and starts to leave, so Lawler goes after him. I’m a big fan of how the Lawler come back goes here. I can’t quite verbalize it, but the fact it doesn’t stay in the ring is a great decision.

Lawler takes the craziest bump ever over a rail and into a tunnel from the stands. Dundee pulls the ref back to the ring and starts a count. Lawler barely makes it back. Dundee continues the onslaught, but he escalates the violence. He posts Lawler (Lawler bleeds) and continues trying to KO him. He screams at him to stay down. Lawler won’t. Lawler pops the strap down and does his comeback, while still selling. This is a WAR! 22 minutes in and unfortunately 7 was clipped out so far.

Tony Faulk or Dundee’s wife hand him something as Dundee is down selling the beating. He stands up and throws something in Lawler’s good eye. Dundee pins Lawler and wins! There’s so much I missed or failed to describe well it this. Just awesome stuff, a good but not great ending, and it’s just a step below the first LLT match these two had. 4 ¼ and 8.5/10.

Match Discussion Here

A mixed tag match featuring the ladies. Sherri would become famous after her AWA run as Queen Sherri with Macho King Randy Savage, and later in WCW managing Harlem Heat.

The Ladies go right after each other brawling. Candi doesn’t seem very good. She’s tentative and doesn’t seem to keeo track of her spacing. Translation: it looks like a trainee learning how to wrestle. Everything she does looks fake and the opposite of smooth. Yet somehow the ladies are in far too much in this match.

Ware gets his hands on Dundee momentarily, and that’s a lot better. Some of the comedy spot to make the Ware/Divine team look good are a lot of fun, but this isn’t a best of match. It’s probably on the set for the variety of it. In that sense, it’s enjoyable.

Dundee hits Candi Divine and Martel covers for the first fall. This is pretty much missed as they head to commercial as it’s going down.

Second fall is much more intense. It’s still kind of a mess. Sloppy is a better word, and the men and women aren’t always on the same page. It’s decent with Koko and Dundee in. The match ends as it really should – in the middle of the second fall with nothing going on. Near dud. 2 and 3/10.

Match Discussion Here

This match starts with an angle. Tag team poster boys are in studio doing a promo and mention Dundee and Lawler. Dundee comes out saying that the Lawler/Dundee team can be the Fabs and they need a match. The Fabs politely explain to they weren’t challenging or disparaging Dundee, but Dundee keeps insisting Lawler come out to back him up.

Lawler tries to calm Dundee down, but Dundee continues a spirited discussion. He wonders if Lawler is “chicken”. Lawler explains he doesn’t like good guy vs good guy matches. He’s the Southern champ and the Fabs are tag champs, and he’s fine with that. Dundee says that leaves him out in the cold. Lawler says he doesn’t want to be Dundee’s partner anymore and Dundee explodes, hitting Lawler and the Fabs.

Later Dundee comes out with the keys to a 25,000 sports car and puts it up against Lawler’s Southern title. Dundee is killer here on the mic. He calls everyone rednecks and goes off about people being afraid to fight him. He puts his hair on the line against the title. He’s crazy. The match is on in the studio now.

Dundee comes out heavy with awesome punches, kicks, and chokes. I mean these punches show no daylight. Lawler comes back with the same stuff. This is just tight work ethic stuff that fits the territory and the time. It’s punches and kicks that mean something, with each man selling them and trying to find a way to come back. Bill Watts would dig the John Wayne-like story here.

Lawler lands some big shots. Dundee comes back with a few hard ones. Lawler just pops the strap down like, “You’re a dead man!” Lawler punches him to heck. Dundee scrambles to grab a chain from his trunks, and hits Lawler as he’s about to be suplexed. 1-2-3 Dundee is the new Southern Champ. The ref runs to check once the fans tell him, but Dundee is gone. We go to commercial.

Back in studio Dundee is celebrating. He says when Ric Flair comes to town in a month he’s getting a world title shot because the Southern champ gets the shot, and that’s him. Lawler is out wanting an automatic rematch. Dundee says he’ll hand him the Southern title in a month because he’ll be world champ. Until then no rematch. Dundee is laughing it up.

Lawler grabs a camera man and head to the parking lot. He’s going to take a bat and smash Dundee’s car unless he gives him a title shot. He’s got a contract. Of course they take it to Lawler being on top of the car before Dundee agrees and signs. You have to see this just to see the girl pleading with Lawler not to do it. Lance Russell is also brilliant as always in negotiating this deal.

This angle and match is every bit as awesome as the Flair comes to Memphis studio angle from 1982. For that reason, and those similarities, I’m giving this unique mix the same score. 3 ¾ and 7.5/10.

Match Discussion Here

Pritchard give a pretty amusing promo beforehand about the Armstrong Brothers. I don’t believe it has anything to do with this match, but he had a wet towel he pretended he’d been crying into. Guess you had to be there.

I’m not too enthused about this one because it’s a studio match with Lawler/Dundee. Those have really not hit on the same big level as their singles stuff from the Coliseum. Add to that I don’t know much about Rose and have only seen Pritchard once or twice.

Dundee plays Superman against both guys. Lawler comes in and rules it with only one right hand. Great punch. Dundee and the King look a little bit better as a team here than in the past. Maybe I just have something against studio matches. I’m not sure.

Rose/Pritchard cheat to gain the advantage. They’re a decent little team. Dundee’s come back is pretty cool, but Rose ruins the awesome Dundee off the ropes sleeper catch. Oh well. Five minutes in.
Rose seems to be bringing down the team for poor Pritchard. Nothing huge, but it shows. Dundee tries to be Johnny Saint to average reviews. Rose outslugs Dundee. Pritchard and Rose are starting to work better together. The match is stuck in second gear though. That, or hearing the same 10 people in a studio chanting makes me always feel a sense of lull in the action. First fall ends in a nine minute DQ when the Masked Superstar went after Dundee.

Lawler outsmarts the heels early in the second fall. Dundee soon joins in for some smart moments. The babyfaces cut off the ring and use quick tags. It’s like they’re the MNX or something. It’s definitely picked up, as there’s some action on the outside as well. It falls apart again with the Masked Superstar interfering again. Jerry Jarrett and old fat Tojo Yamamoto come out to clear the ring. That’s pathetic. This was a practice run for a real match. Never really go together. 2 ¼ and 4/10.

Match Discussion Here