Looks like the Freebirds get to be babyfaces for once. That’s a welcome change for me. Murdoch and Gilbert tries to take out Bam Bam’s leg. First Doc, now this? Crazy Gilbert! What were those two thinking? We shall see in this match.

Gordy looks like he’ll eat these two alive. Roberts and Gilbert start. Cool punch-block spot right from the start and Gilbert sells one punch. He’s even Pratt-falling off the ring apron. I cannot wait for the Memphis equivalent of this set! Fun and solid in one move. Gilbert matches always start strong, but never satisfy all the way though. Maybe it’s a style problem as far as meshing with what I think match progression should be, though his Koko B. Ware match was amazing throughout.

Gilbert/Roberts stuff is fine, if not campy at times. Solid and fun, as I stated before. I dig that Gordy is revved up waiting to get in there even though Gilbert is getting beat up. He wants Murdoch. The masters that they are, they’ve been jawing across the ring all match.

We go to commercial and when we come back we get Murdoch vs Gordy. To bulls going at it, but both could really go for there size. Bam Bam Gordy wins the brawl, but clever Murdoch doesn’t sell everything, and gets Gordy in his corner.

Gilbert gets in and I wonder how they are going to do this. They try to reinjure Gordy, with Murdoch interfering. Gilbert messes up trying to have a slugfest with the big guy, and Gordy makes him pay. So they teased the heat. Buddy Roberts in, and now they GET the heat.

Murdoch tries to break Buddy Roberts arm, and even I wince at the striking and stretching they do to him. Roberts sells it decently, have dished it out for years. Gilbert in and he does the same. Tag team moves on the injured arm as well. Jim Ross said it: “Murdoch and Gilbert… it’s like they’re obsessed with breaking arms”.

Hot tag to Gordy. He cleans house with punches, but Murdoch is already gone to pick up and post Roberts. He’s in the ring two-on-one against Gordy. They destroy several refs until the locker room empties. Several guys blade and a big brawl ends the show. DQ win for the Freebirds.

Match was cool. Nothing blow away, but very focused and workmen-like. No finish and a duller progression hurts it, but the ending after the bell helps it. 3 stars and 6.3/10.

Match Discussion Here

This was set up a month before in a post-match TV angle we just covered in match # 146. Eddie Gilbert and Dick Murdoch tried to break Doc’s arm, with Murdoch stomping the arm into a steel chair from the top rope. Huge injury angle in those days, and sometimes even now (when bookers or writers are sane.

This looks like it may have been taped at the New Orleans Superdome. It’s a gigantic event at any rate. Murdoch has Gilbert with him, which seems like an odd pairing from what I’ve seen. Gilbert mugs while Murdoch gives a confident death stare during intros. Doc has a big cast on selling the right arm/wrist injury. Ref announces he loses if he uses the cast as a weapon. The winner gets the UWF Champion, Big Bubba Rogers. Here we go.

Match starts off with waist locks, wrist locks, and lock-ups. Basic stuff done well. Murdoch is already using the injured wrist of Dr. Death to his advantage. One minute in we go to commercial, but we come back exactly where we left. Thank you!

Murdoch ends up getting his arm worked over, so he goes and regroups. Murdoch does the little things like a roll out, a well paced stare and subtle shake of an injured body part. In that respect he’s up there with people like Flair to me for intangibles within ring work.

Jim Ross at ringside is announcing and has John Aires, UWF commish, with him. He notes Aires has been negotiating with Jim Crockett and Murdoch’s former tag team partner, Dusty Rhodes. This may play in.

Murdoch’s arm gets wringed and he begs off more than once. Doc outwrestles him at every turn, storyline-wise. The slower-moving Murdoch sneaks in some stiff elbows and then stomps on the downed Doc’s injured wrist. Five minutes gone by as Murdoch gets greedy and tries to send Doc to the ring post outside, but gets his left arm/shoulder smashed for it. The old turnabout is fair play spot. Doc stays selling the hand and my love for them both grows.

Murdoch, not using the injured left side, comes hard again with elbows on Doc. He stays selling too. More targeting the injured wrist. Commercial break. When we come back they’ve shaved at least a short amount of time because Doc has a left arm hammer lock on a downed Murdoch. Gilbert distracts the ref while Murdoch hits Doc’s arm with a mic stand from Ross’ desk. Creative . He does it again a minute later, so JR moves it. Haha. He doesn’t tell the ref, he just moves it. JR – journalistic integrity to not get involved in what he covers. Do I need to mention the commish is sitting next to JR?!

Doc’s hope spots are good in that it never looks like he can be taken out, only contained. I believe it with this babyface, and it’s fun watching Cpt. Redneck contain him. This time as he comes back Gilbert again does his histrionics, but now Murdoch grabs the ring bell as a weapon.

Looks like they missed something because Doc got a slam when it looked like Gilbert wanted to stop him and make it a quick hope spot. Doc continues and rolls all over Murdoch, who feeds him without being over eager. Nice change of pace. 15 minutes in, so we only got 3 cut from us.

Doc gets near falls with big punches, but falls victim to being posted. He blades under the ring as we go to commercial. We come back having missed most of the heat. We’re now 20 minutes in, so a few more were shaved.

A set up ref bump is obvious, but is executed well. Crowd pops big form this stuff. Eddie Gilbert gets hit with the cast. Murdoch gets hit with the cast. Ref crawls in and makes the count. Doc wins. I’m a little deflated by the end. Big Bubba is in for a stare down, which is cool. Akbar, Gilbert, and Murdoch kill Doc while Bubba watches. Dusty Rhodes hits the ring and fights for the babyface. I haven’t a clue why. He blades noticeably when they get heat on him. I roll my eyes. Dusty steals all the attention. I just wanted to see a good finish for Doc, who won, and yet didn’t. Couldn’t been a bias score from me, but it won’t be. 3 ¼ stars and 6/10.

Match Discussion Here

Doc sprints to the ring for this TV main event. Eddie Gilbert is going to have Dick Murdoch in his corner. He tells me so in a promo he cuts with Captain Redneck. Murdoch says he showed the brainbuster finish and Gilbert acts like a goof. Priceless. I’m a Gilbert mark, but even more so a Murdoch mark, so this should be amazing as an event. Plus Gilbert bumping for Doc, and all the shenanigans? Sign me up for two matches!

In the ring, just for those fans that need a visual, Murdoch makes motions to Gilbert about the brainbuster.

WOW! Doc shoulder blocked Gilbert out of the ring legit. Gilbert hams the sell up though, which is good. Gilbert tries to use headlocks and arm bars with Doc. Dumb idea but very entertaining. Gilbert is played as a serious wrestler here, which I like as opposed to a “you’re too small” manager. Doc press smalls him something vicious. Great early stuff to build up from and the fans eat it up. Murdoch helps Eddie sell on the floor.

Doc picks up Gilbert for a Oklahoma Stampede finish, but Eddie grabs the ropes. He falls on Doc for a pin, but he’s pressed off and out of the ring. Murdoch is a general here, giving advice and pointing. Now they need to transition into getting some heat or turn it up so as to not risk repetition. Then again, what do I know? These guys are great.

Instead Doc gets a near fall and they slow it down with an armbar. Oh well, it’s not bad, but I’m bored now. It’s a very weak arm submission. Commercial break.

Whoa, Gilbert has a sleeper on Doc and he’s got the crowd vocal. There is a woman yelling with the worst voiced I’ve ever heard. Crowd gets crazier as Doc risks to a knee and then vertical. Text book. Breaks free. Hope spots. Epic fail. Back into the sleeper. Nice.

Gilbert uses the ropes for leverage on the choke, but it’s gone on quite a bit long. Too long for me as they’ve stalled out a bit, but the crowd still gives that heel tactic heel. So it continues. Doc breaks free again, but sells very nice. Doc eventually runs wild on him. Hot Stuff cheats again to get some more heat. Great hope spot for Doc breaking up a brainbuster attempt.

Cross body on Doc, but Doc rolls through. Clean pin. Doc wins.

Post match Gilbert and Murdoch try to break Doc’s arm/elbow. Murdoch kills anyone coming out with a chair. So does Gilbert. No one can make the save. Awesome stuff. Barry Windham and friends out to finally break it up. Huge heated angle and Doc sells it like he’s in trouble. Slightly better then average match with a great post-match angle. 2 ¾ and 6/10.

Match Discussion Here

Magnum TA is announcing with Jim Ross. This must be post car accident. He shares the booth with Jim Ross for this rematch.

Early on both guys struggle and escape holds like this is a shoot match. I love that. Back and forth to show they are quick, equally talented, and gifted. They then go to commercial. Lame.

We come back soon after with both men still trading holds and circling around each other. Hammer locks are in vogue in this match, as are solid high hip tosses. Adams gets a pin attempt with a crucifix. Both men stand off and show frustration. The pace is picking up with stronger holds. They run the ropes an Adams catches Taylor in a leap frog for a powerslam. Two count. Taylor says screw it and knees him next time out. Smart escalation. Adams has a reversal answer. Commercial break, but I don’t think much is being cut in this one.

Magnum gets over the story on commentary. Adams is dictating the pace and controlling this close match. Nice verbal touch.

Taylor gains control with a suplex and works on the neck a bit. That goes out the window quick, but he shows enough stuff to impress wearing Adams down. Adams hope spots are very good. The crowd is just a little out of it. Adams will back off at times and give fair warning, while Taylor plays subtle heel. Adams with a knee lift that stuns Terry Taylor. He rolls out and sells needing a break. He’s certainly “losing”.

Damn. We get a dull rest hold in a well paced by deliberately slow match. That kills it for more for a few minutes, but they know what they’re doing because the crowd really starts coming alive cheering Taylor on. Taylor back up and sneaks a punch off a clean break. Adams gives it back tenfold. Carl Fergie gets on the heelish frustrated Taylor. JR notices and tells the story.

Adams grabs a submission sleeper that is played to go to a near fall (near submission). Crowd isn’t so sure. A third commercial airs. This time they take out a minute or two. Taylor is really going heel here as 15 minutes in he headbutts Adam’s stomach off a clean break. Adams keeps going for flash pins/rollups. Taylor cuts him off. Adams sells well. Punch war. Adams takes over and knocks Taylor out of the ring. You really get the impression this is a war, and it’s much more real/dramatic then their last meeting. Tells a better story too.

Lots of Taylor strikes and Adams near pins. You really believe Taylor could lose at any moment.
Ref Fergie in a horribly contrived ref bump with Adams. Taylor takes advantage and gives Adams a piledriver on the floor. Serious damage. Taylor climbs in and he wins via countdown. Huge heat. Would be horrible today, but an interesting finish for its time. I like that they put over the pile driver. Taylor afterwards does a heel interview to explain his internal logic. Magnum is mad and Eddie Gilbert plants heel seeds here. Great stuff. I liked this one. 3 ½ and 7/10.

Match Discussion Here

These two men were partners and tag team champions recently. We reviewed one of their matches with Hot Stuff International. Now they’ve decided to be singles competitors, though I’m not sure if Adams has turned yet. I can almost bet cash it won’t be Taylor who plays the heel in Mid South.

A great extended opening where both guys exchange holds and reversals. Really solid and well paced stuff that must have seemed quite fast and tight as work for the time. Both guys are considered by history to be strong workers (good hands), but on a rung below a top level inside the ring. Translation is they had great matches with Flair and higher level opponents. The series ends when Taylor runs the ropes and perfectly trips over Adams so that he falls outside the ring to the floor. He grabs his knee in pain. Neat match story developing.

Back in the ring Taylor doesn’t really want to slow down. He grabs a hold and shakes out his injured knee. Back and forth they go with more hammerlocks, arm bars, and a few strikes. Crowd isn’t sure who to root for. Commercial break. I can’t believe I’m almost used to these by now.

Adams reverses Taylor for a quick two a two. A moment later Taylor misses a knee drop on that back knee. Adam is in control. Taylor gets a few quick pin attempts, but mostly it’s just back and forth wear down fighting. Both men are beat up, but Taylor does have the suspect knee. Double clotheline at the side of the ring. Adams rolls out to the announcer’s desk. Taylor comes out after him. Taylor is climbing in but he might not beat the ten count. He hops in and sells the knee, and I just wonder how hot this would be with the right players. Taylor ends up counted out of the ring as the fans go unconcerned. This match should be sent to anyone who asks “why wasn’t Taylor ever NWA Champion?”

The match lacked some fire and passion, and you could tell the fans had no idea how the heck to feel, but it was so solid and well laid out you had to like it. I just got a little bored at great wrestling here and there, so the personalities (or lack thereof) hurt this match. Crowd heat and finish were just too flat, as was the heart. The work had it’s flaws, but it was very good most of the time. 2 ¾ and 6/10.

Match Discussion

A meeting of the future “Dream Team”, as Akeem the African Dream and The Big Bossman square off. Accept they go by Bubba Rogers and the One Man Gang here, and Slick is nowhere to be found. Doc is at ringside announcing with Jim Ross Though. This is for the UWF title, which Gang inexplicably has retained.

The early work is smart, and they definitely play to the kids and the true believers. Good thinking. The staredown, the few words, and then each goes off the ropes. No one goes down. No one gets slammed. But each shares their war cry in this physical play.

Gang takes the heel role as he strikes first. Big spot right away as Bubba goes through the ropes and to the floor. Gang busts him open on the ring post. Bubba comes back. Great punches that build to one bump. This is worked tough guy stlye. I like it. Bubba is lacerated.

Bubba (Ray Traylor) is so versatile and mobile for a big guy. I love that he has an answer for everything OMG does. Gang is busted open. On the floor Rogers works on the cut. We go to commercial, which sucks. This match needs to sustain momentum with a viewer to work.

Skandor Akbar is out as we come back from break. He tries to interfere/distract but doesn’t succeed. Traylor really takes it to OMG to the point I think Gang sorta makes himself look like an ass, but maybe that was his intention. They are working a storyline that Akbar was suppose to be there for the start of the match (OMG manager) and wasn’t.

They gas out 7 minutes in and it’s real slow. The fans have not been very hot in the last few minutes. Very basic low impact stuff now. Match basically went to a lull and with these guys, that was death. Gang comes back with a clothesline, elboe drop, and attempts his 747 second rope splash. He misses, but Big Bubba bumps then ref so obviously. Somehow he gets the pin anyway. I guess the angle is for post-match or “next week”. I don’t care. Finish sucked and match fell apart the last few minutes. 2 ¼ stars and 4/10.
Match Discussion Here

The story is Adams and Parsons were once tag team partners in a tournament in Mid South (apparently because of the World Class connections). They broke up and Parsons went heel, joining Eddie Gilbert’s Hot Stuff International. Hence this match.

Gilbert bumps around for the atomic drop and sells enough to where he asks for a tag from Terry Taylor, who punches him. That’s jus the first spot of the match. Classic goofy Memphis Gilbert here. They milk the crowd. A bare knuckle boxing spot. Gilbert bumps. Very entertaining stuff they should think about doing in undercards on WWE today.

Otherwise it’s dull. Once the entertaining stuff is done early there’s a lull for me. Terry Taylor comes in and the stalling starts to bore me. They go to a commercial, which for once is a welcome reset for me.

Gilbert still selling low impact stuff when they return. The reversal comes when Taylor sails through the ropes thanks to the “evil King Parsons”. Even the bump was a bit uninspired, and Iceman’s work afterwards isn’t quite my cup of tea. I can’t believe this guy was a big deal to me (as was Brickhouse Brown, Gary Young, and even Percy Pringle) when I’d watch WCCW as a kid on ESPN. The logic behind them getting the heat is, at least, solid form stuff. The athleticism and care does get better as well.
Gilbert and Parsons know how to draw the heat from the fans, and they do it while beating on Taylor. They run in and out while Taylor gets close, but can’t quite get to Adams. Hot tag is just that from a crowd perspective, but the heels gain control after some near falls. This section was really good and definitely raised the match. The heels take control on Adams for a second heel heat segment.

Ends with a double hot tag, Taylor about to “get him some”, some country song with fiddles that fits the fanbase plays, and the rest of Eddie Gilberts faction hits the ring. Sting and Rick Stiener run in ends the match. Okay for what it was. All these TV matches have dud finishes to promote forward, but that doesn’t help us here. Middle of the road match, but that road puts this match at lower than # 80. 2 ½ and 5/10.

Match Discussion Here

A rematch in Houston of a surprisingly good match from earlier in the set (Match # 135). This was follows the storyline as it now has a stipulation of No DQ and its Dibiase challenging for OMG’s UWF Championship. We begin…

Skandor Akbar is on the outside. OMG loses the chain and Dibiase gets rid of his trademark glove. WHY? Was this some sort of coup for the ref, considering this is a disqualification-free match? I’m not getting it. Also, more “don’t throw anything announcements. Houston has week turnbuckles and ropes that always break and patrons who apparently pelt the ring with anything they please.

It goes to the outside right away. They sell it as OMG being a street fighter. No really! I love that Dibiase shakes that off, beats him back, and sends it back into the ring. Dibiase shows he’s willing to go toe-to-toe, and commentary puts that over. OMG with the worst elbow drop ever. Dibiase back on offense makes this much better. He punches Gang silly as the fans goes ape. Gang reveres a whip and gives everything a lazy effort (clothsline in this case). Dibiase bumps around well for him. At least the match is moving well, especially given the stips.

Back outside we’re in OMG’s world. He uses a chair on Dibiase’s back, so the story is pretty decent. It makes sense. We’re into the heel heat and Gang is, well methodical is putting it politely.Dibiase blades and he is wearing the crimson mask. At least that dramatic effect works. All of the layout and detail stuff is strong here. I simply find Gang to be worthless.

Dibiase tries to fight out with fists but can’t. Good hope spot as they’re staying in the ring now. Five minutes in. Dibiase moves out of the way twice and the hope spot does its job. Back to fat man offense. An “avalanche” misses. They crawl to their feet.

Dibiase comes back after Gang misses another splash (a fat man classic move) to the buckle. On the outside Dibiase gets his redemption in the form of hittng a chair shot. He’s really bringing it to OMG, which is firing up the crowd. Dibiase’s movement and punches are making the match for me.

Carl Fergie is bumped (I had no idea it was him), so Dibiase beats up Gang with his black gloved fist. Huge pop. It’s legal anyway, so WTF? New ref. OMG can barely find him to bump him, and the ref was horrible at it too. This stuff sucks. Cover by Dibiase. Akbar interferes. They’re both flat on their backs. Crowd is ready to rally Dibiase. Nope. OMG pins him. He’s bleeding for no reason.

A smartly though out and worked match with one good worker and a fat man who dragged this into the mud. Not as great as it could have been. Not a good ending. The last match had both. Boo! 2 ½ and 5/10.

Match Discussion Here

No need for a huge write up. We’ve seen many combinations of these four men in the ring during the last several Mid South Diaries. In fact, we’ve seen this exact match with this exact stipulation. Funny thing is the stip isn’t really changing much of the match, as it is wrestled as a regular tag.

Everyone hits there stuff. The work is actually tight much of the time. The crowd isn’t blown away, but they see the match as a big deal. The heels have that presence they usually do. The Babyfaces work is pretty inspired from an effort standpoint. Nothing is horrible about the match. Yet it’s very average, run of the mill, and at times I lose interest. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before from these men, and like I said, it’s JUST solid.

My biggest interest is why Sunshine was paired with the Freebirds? I never heard about that in Freebird history. Perhaps her and Hayes were a thing.

Hayes does make it more interesting during the heel when he uses his boot to beat a bloody Doc. Gordy bumps nicely as they tease a hot tag, and I’m realizing this is better then what I’ve seen in the last 5-7 matches, but that stuff was dull enough I’m burned out on it.

Hot tag to Dibiase, it breaks down to a street fight, and wouldn’t you know it they’re out of time! That old finish most remember from WCW Saturday Night as the show goes off the air without a finish to the match. The cool thing is they flip to next week where Michael Hayes is with JR heelin’ it up and watching the footage of what we didn’t see. We didn’t see Gordy just kill Doc with a clothesline like the bad ass he was. Or Hayes send Dibiase over the rail hard as hell. We are treated to a two-on-one beat down on Doc with a boot. Dibiase gets beat up by Devastation Inc. on the outside because he and One Man Gang in a feud. They leave and Doc lays beaten in the ring. A DQ in a Bad Street match. Hated a little less here than before, but yuck in general. 2 ¾ and 6/10.

Match Discussion Here

Apparently storyline-wise Terry Gordy is to blame for all of this. Gordy attacked the Fantastics recently, and we know he’s had a longstanding feud with Death – Dr. Death Steve Williams. This allows Hayes and Roberts of the Freebirds to slide into a feud with the Fantastics.

Early it’s the Doc and Gordy show. Doc shows fire fighting all the Freebirds, while Gordy is determined but ends up bumping a lot. I take issue with the way a big guy like Gordy bumped so much just because he could, but as fellow CHRON contributor Gene Boyer has pointed out, the difference between All Japan Gordy and Mid South Gordy is sometimes the style of the territory. True, I think it’s a weakness of Mid South in some cases that may have been one of the few layout ideas I think WWF did better.

The babyfaces all hit their big moves, but Gordy avoids trouble enough to help the heels to momentary advantages. The heels definitely stooge (as the kids are saying these days) for Dr. Death and the Fans. Buddy Roberts plays the head stooge well. Michael Hayes is then in to play clever, but then stogy. And we come full circle back to Gordy. Those were good segments.

They go to commercial and upon return we find out the Freebirds have the advantage on Bobby Fulton. It’s MNX level smooth and gets the fans all kinds of riled up. A lot of fun but nothing to write home about. Doc gets a hot tag and goes crazy being fed bumping heels. It’s Mid South, so it breaks down two seconds into the hot tag, all six men in, and they steal another RNR-MNX old tune: a finish. Accept they don’t use it as a finish. A roll up by Tommy Rogers gets ended hard by a Hayes clothesline.

It ends up going back to a Doc-Buddy Roberts legal man situation, but that goes nowhere once the Angel of Death ends up interfering again. The babyface semi-main event locker room empties and it’s a DQ finish. Decent but worthless match. Don’t watch this unless you’ve never even seen these men. 2 ½ and 4/10.

Match Discussion Here